Edge Davao 8 Issue 160

VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

INSIDE EDGE

Rody lights candles for Yolanda victims P2

Gov’t workers’pay increase passed P3

FOR THE YOLANDA VICTIMS. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte holds a lighted candle offered for Yolanda victims in an undisclosed place in Davao City. Story on page 2. Downloaded from his Facebook page Rody Duterte

DON’T ASK FOR ‘PINASKUHAN’

City gov’t workers warned not to solicit Christmas gifts

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

ITY administrator Jesus Melchor V. Quitain has urged businesses and individuals to report city government employees who come to them soliciting Christmas gifts.

This after Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, during his weekly program, Gikan sa Masa Para

sa Masa, warned all city employees to refrain from asking for gifts or making solicitations during the coming Christmas season.

“Do not give anything and then you report it to us,” Quitain said in interview yesterday after the flag raising ceremony

at City Hall, addressing business owners.

Quitain said he had learned that those approached by city employees do not execute affidavits for the filing of charges.

“Para sa kanila pag tapos na, tapos na (For them, if it is

already done, it’s done),” he said.

Quitain, however, said he wants to teach erring workers a lesson, adding he is disgusted to hear that some city government employees go around asking for gifts or money.

FDON’T ASK, 10

EDGEDAVAO Sports Wagdos, Miranda repeat as Milo Davao leg champs P14

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

NEW RULES. A man reads a new memorandum posted inside the Land Transportation Office (LTO) satellite office at SM City Davao requiring professional driver’s license holder to submit National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and police clearances when renewing their licenses. Lean Daval Jr.

Lumads in Haran decline city’s relocation site offer

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HE Indigenous People (IP) groups housed in the United Church of Christ of the Philippines (UCCP)-Haran have declined the offer of the Davao City government for relocation.

This was bared by city administrator Jesus Melchor V. Quitain in an interview yesterday after the flag raising ceremony at City Hall.

“Ayaw nilang maglipat sa relocation site, temorary lang sana (They do not want to be relocated even if it’s temporary),” he said.

Quitain said the city government offered the IP groups a portion f Barangay

Los Amigos, Tugbok district because Haran is no longer safe, particulary in terms of health.

City Health Office (CHO) sanitation officers last month found that the area is unsanitary because of the presence of human and animal waste as well as garbage anywhere in the area.

There are also swampy areas because some of the young evacuees take bathe outside the bathrooms.

Quitain said the relocation area was offered by the city last week but the group refused because they learned that the

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Davao Sur town gets 2 multi-million road projects

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HE local government is set to implement two multi-million road concreting projects before the year ends.

Both projects will be funded by the Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP) of the Department of Agriculture.

PRDP, formerly known as Mindanao Rural Development Program, is a six-year program that will end on 2020. It targets upland barangays to boost agricultural production on high valued commodities like cacao, rubber, cardava, abaca and cassava.

The first project will connect the three barangays of Poblacion, San Isidro and

Tacuk where the total project cost amounts to PHP89 million.

The second project will be implemented in the four barangays of Barayong, Mabini, Bala and Upper Bala. It will be a 17 kilometer farm-to-market road concreting project with an allocation of more than PHP190-million.

Municipal Engineer Haide dela Torre said both projects may commence simultaneously since the first project will be implemented by the provincial government while the second project will be implemented by the municipal government.

Both projects are expected to be completed after a year of construction work. (PNA)

Rody lights candles, offers prayer for Yolanda victims

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

D

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte lighted candles and offered a prayer to mark the second year anniversary of the devastation of Typhoon Yolanda in Central Philippines that claimed the lives of thousands of Filipinos and left thousands more families homeless.

“I lighted candles and offered a prayer in memory of those we lost when Typhoon Yolanda struck our country two years ago. May God grant them eternal repose and bless those they left behind,” Mayor

Duterte posted in his Facebook page Rody Duterte Sunday.

The post was accompanied with a photo of the mayor lighting candles with his executive assistant, Christopher “Bong” Go, beside him.

Duterte, who was born in Southern Leyte, was among the first officials to respond in the aftermath of the calamity that also destroyed agricultural crops and properties. He flew to Tacloban City after the typhoon struck bringing with him search and rescue teams

and medical squad that included doctors and ambulances.

Seeing the devastation of the typhoon himself prompted Duterte to declare then: “God must be somewhere else.”

Manny Piñol, Dutete’s friend and a member of the mayor’s core group of volunteers, also posted in his Facebook page an article of the local chief executive’s candle lighting and prayer offering.

But, two years since the Yolanda tragedy, relief operations in some hard-hit areas are still reportedly marred

with political influence and corruption, and this does not sit well with Duterte.

“Worse than the devastation by Yolanda is the fact that some of our leaders are more concerned with politics rather than the welfare of our people,” Piñol quoted Duterte as saying.

Duterte was actually invited in Tacloban to grace the second year anniversary of Yolanda, but politely declined the invitation and decided to mark the event by lighting candles and offering a prayer to those who perished in the disaster.

dealsy in the build-up of the facts,” he said.

Danao said some of the suspects come from prominent families, which is why “they have the audacity” to continue their illegal operation in the city.

“I do not care kung sinong Herodes ka diyan. I don’t care kung anong pangalan meron ka. I don’t care kung pamangkin ka ng kung sino diyan.

Pero I know that you are dealing illegal drugs (I don’t care what name you have. I don’t care who you’re related to. I just know that you are dealing

illegal drugs),” he said.

Danao said these people have already been warned by the previous city police directors but ignored them.

“I am telling you, we are dead serious here in implementing the anti-illegal drugs in Davao City,” he said.

This developed as an estimated P110,000 worth of illegal drugs were recovered by the joint anti-illegal drugs operation of San Pedro Police Station and Tugbok Police Station in two separate operations at Deca Homes Subdi-

DCPO to launch big anti-drug operation

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

D

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Police Office (DCPO) director Senior Superintendent Vicente D. Danao Jr. yesterday announced that a big anti-illegal drug operation will be launched, this time targeting big-time drug suspects.

In an interview yesterday in his office, Danao said the DCPO is preparing to launch the operation two weeks after the lapse of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s ultimatum for pushers to leave the city.

Danao said the operation will target big-time drug suspects who have chosen to re-

main in the city.

“Yung hindi pa umalis ng city, wala namang problema yan. Pero, pag nagpang-abot tayo tapos naabutan ko kayo, pasensyahan lang tayo (Those who did not leave the city, that’s not a problem. But if I catch you, then sorry),” he said.

He said the DCPO has already identified the targeted suspects but did not divulge their identities so as not to jeopardize the operations.

“Don’t think we don’t know who you are because we do. There are just some

FDCPO, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

RIVER BASIN TALK. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) director for Policy Planning and project Development Office Reyzaldy Tan (right)talks about the upcoming 1st Mindanao River Basin Organization (RBO) Conference slated on November 11 and 12 at

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

the Grand Regal Hotel which will convene 250 river basin stakeholders from all regions in Mindanao. Tan was joined by Rolando Pinsoy of Mindanow during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

VASECTOMY DAY. City Health Office (CHO) population control officer Jeff Fuentes (right) bares that 55 men from Davao City availed themselves of vasectomy this year.

Fuentes was joined by CHO district health officer Dr. Titus

Nograles hits attempt to gag NAIA media A

Theodore Antonio in promoting the no-scalpel vasectomy and the upcoming World Vasectomy Day on November 13 during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

Area under pipe bridge to be fenced off: DCWD

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

AVAO City First District Rep. and House Labor Committee Chair Karlo Alexei Nograles yesterday condemned alleged attempts

by Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) officials to “suppress the media covering the airport” amid the “laglag-bala” controversy.

“Airport reporters are now enraged over the decision of MIAA General Manager Jose Angel Honrado to restrict air-

port reporters from accessing NAIA Terminal 3,” Nograles said in a statement.

He said the NAIA Press Corps headed by broadcaster Raoul Esperas is “up in arms” against the new restriction being carried by airport security personnel in an apparent move to stop the media from making reports about the “laglag-bala” extortion racket at the NAIA. Nograles said NAIA 3 has always been accessible to

duly-accredited members of the NAIA Press Corps. “The restriction was only imposed when the media exposed the laglag-bala extortion racket,” he said.

“Is it a coincidence that NAIA reporters are suddenly restricted from covering NAIA Terminal 3 or is it a deliberate attempt by airport authorities to suppress the media from making more reports about the shenanigans at the air-

port?” he said.

Nograles said according to Esperas, airport security have started restricting media from accessing NAIA Terminal 3 this Monday despite their failure to show any written memorandum on such a directive.

“Even accredited airport reporters were accosted by rude airport security especially if the coverage is in connection with the controversial

vilian, military and uniformed personnel.

According to Budget Secretary Florencio Abad, the compensation package is composed of a salary increase, a mid-year 14th month pay, and an enhanced performance-based bonus (PBB) system.

The bill seeks to increase

the basic salary of covered employees on the average by 27 percent, while the 14th month pay will further raise compensation by 8 percent. The enhanced PBB is equivalent to one to two months’ salary or an average 10 percent increase in salary.

Government personnel who play a greater role and

carry a heavier responsibility in improving government performance, will receive a higher bonus.

“At the end of the four tranches, government compensation, on a weighted average basis, is estimated to increase by 45 percent and should be around 84 percent

FNOGRALES, 10

N approximate area of 1,000 square meters that used to be a residential area under the Governor Generoso Bridge will be soon fenced off, an official of the Davao City Water District (DCWD) said.

“The contractors of the rehabilitation project proposed for the fencing of the area to prohibit illegal settlers from constructing back their shanties in the area,” DCWD spokesperson lawyer Bernardo D. Delima told reporters at

P

FGOV’T, 10

FAREA, 10

Water service interruptions in some parts of the city

Gov’t workers’pay increase passed D RESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III endorsed to Congress today a proposed bill titled “Salary Standardization Law of 2015” or SSL 2015 for its consideration and enactment into law.

The bill mandates a fouryear PHP226 billion compensation increase for the national government’s 1.53 million ci-

the sideline of the Kapehan sa dabaw at SM City Annex yesterday.

The contractors – a consortium composed of RD Policarpio and Co. Inc., Allado Construction Company, Inc., and TGV Builders Inc. – constructed a new pipe bridge with a diameter of 1,000 millimeter (mm) at the center of Governor Generoso bridges I and II. The bigger pipe replaced the 650mm and 750mm pipes that were used when the origi-

AVAO City Water District has scheduled two separate sets of water service interruption in some city parts.

First set is on November 11 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM affecting these areas in Maa: Maharlika Village, Green Meadows and the road from Maharlika Village to Green Meadows. DCWD’s Engineering and Construction Department (ECD) crew will tap the newly installed 75mm diameter Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipeline to the existing 75mm diameter PVC pipeline for the mainline improvement at Purok 35, Maharlika Village.

Second set is on November

13 from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM. Affected areas are portion of Cabantian – Indangan Road (from junction of Forestal Road to DCWD Cabantian Reservoir), Hidalgo Homes Subd. and Dacudao Village. This water service interruption is needed to give way to the tapping of the water distribution system of Celerina Heights in Cabantian by the ECD crew.

Once completed, both projects will allow for accommodation of additional service connections.

DCWD general manager Edwin V. Regalado asks for the understanding and cooperation of would-be affected cus-

FWATER, 10

Troops overrun NPA base in Sarangani

A

PHOTO OP. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte is flanked by guests who want to have a photograph of him during the re-launch of Chimes specialty store at Felcris Centrale on Saturday night. Lean Daval Jr.

RMY troopers overran over the weekend a base of the New People’s Army (NPA) in a hinterland village in Malapatan town, Sarangani Province, following a series of operations.

Colonel Ronald Villanueva, commanding officer of the Army’s 1002nd Brigade, on Monday said troops under the 73rd Infantry Battalion (IB) captured an NPA camp in Sitio Lamsalo, Barangay Upper Suyan in Malapatan town after an encounter at around 5 p.m. on

Sunday.

He said the rebels were forced to abandon the area as a result of the offensives launched by their troops.

“They (rebels) already withdrew towards the boundary of Davao Occidental but our troops are continuously pursuing them,” he said in an interview over radio station Brigada News FM. The 73IB launched the operations after troops under the Army’s 512th Engineering

FTROOPS, 10

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

DTI’s market encounter to promote rubber industry

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BANDONG. Motorized bandong is the main means of transport for residents of coastal villages like Taguitic in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte. The bandong transports passengers, dry goods, marine products, and nipa shingles from Panguil Bay, passing through a river and a mangrove area. MindaNews photo by RICHEL V. UMEL

MATI CITY

CARMEN, DAVAO DEL NORTE

Barangays recognized for disaster preparedness

A

IMING at strengthening disaster risk reduction and management in the barangays, the provincial government and the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) awarded the best prepared barangays in this city.

The awardees are Tamisan as the Best Prepared Barangay with a cash reward of P30,000; Mayo as first runner up with a cash award of P20,000; and Tagabakid, Dahican, Sainz, and Mamali as second runners-up with cash prize of P10,000 each.

The search is a special project conceptualized by the DILG and the Development Academy of the Philippines and funded by the provincial and the city government of Mati to boost disaster preparedness down to the grassroots level.

With the project’s ultimate aim to have zero casualty and minimal damages to properties

KIDAPAWAN CITY

when calamities strike, a thorough selection process was undertaken by conducting an onsite monitoring and evaluation in the barangays.

Upon inspection, the DILG reported that all 26 barangays in Mati have their own fully-functional Barangay Disaster Operations Center. “They have already identified their own evacuation centers and the residents know where to go in times of disasters,” said DILG Provincial Office Outcome Manager Orle A. Cabaobao.

In the initial stage of the project, various disaster management trainings were conducted in the barangays as well as distribution of emergency disaster signage to be posted in their centers.

DILG saw the project as good venue for collaboration as various local offices, councils

FBARANGAYS, 10

HE Department of Trade and Industry in the region is set to hold the Philippine Rubber Industry Market Encounter (PRIME) in a bid to position Mindanao as a hub of rubber processing.

PRIME is slated on November 10-11 this year at SMX Lanang, Davao City and is expected to gather more than 700 participants from the sectors of rubber growers, manufacturers and producers from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao.

DTI Davao City Director Edwin Banquerigo said they are also hoping for foreign delegations to join the event, especially from Thailand where the biggest rubber production is and Malaysia which has the best manufacturing technology.

Banquerigo said the market encounter hopes to draw P1.5 billion in investments and P1 billion from potential sales and transactions from the rubber industry in Mindanao.

He raised the importance

of PRIME in promoting the industry among rubber players to improve productivity and quality.

The DTI official believed that the country could match up Thailand’s annual production of 1.8 metric tons per hectare. Philippines is only producing 0.7 metric tons per hectare yearly.

Banquerigo said the country needs to expand rubber production and improve quality to get premium prices.

He also suggested for a more value adding investments.

From the 2014 production of over 450,000 metric tons, six per cent increase in the productivity is targeted per year starting 2015 until 2020.

“We would like to hit production of 1.9 metric tons per hectare by 2020,” Banquerigo stated.

He said as of last year, the country has a total area of 217,000 hectares planted to

He encouraged the public to prevent dengue by cleaning their own backyard.

“Iwasan ho natin ang magkasakit lalong lalo na pag dengue kasi marami na ho ang nasasawi dahil dito.

At ito ay maiiwasan lang sa pamamagitan ng pag-lilinis sa ating paligid,” he said. (Let us keepourselves from getting a disease especially dengue because many have died due to it. And this can be prevented by cleaning our surroundings.)

Dumama also urged peo-

ple to ensure that there is no water in rain pipes, cases, bottle caps, tires and others that can be a breeding ground for the Aedes mosquito.

“Butasan din ang mga lumang gulong para hindi ito makapag-ipon ng tubig,” he added. (Make a hole in old tires so they will not store water.)

Dumama said a drop of clean water can become a breeding area of the Aedes mosquitoes, in which they can live there for 30 days. (PIA11, Michael Uy)

FDTI, 10

Dengue cases drop in Davao Region D

ENGUE cases in the Davao Region fell down by 65 percent.

Department of Health Region XI Director Abdullah Dumama declared recently that the number of dengue cases in the region decreased to 3,068 on January to October this year from 8,841 on the same period last year.

Director Dumama also said number of deaths related to dengue plunged to 11 this year from 41 last year.

The pronouncement was made during the recent

launching of Brigada Kalinisan and Dengue Prevention Campaign in Tubod National High School in Carmen of this province.

“Hindi po importante ang pagbaba. Ang importante po ay may mga kaso pa. Habang may kaso pa, may mga Aedes na lamok parin sa ating kapaligiran,” Dumama said.

(The reduction is that not important. What is important is there are still cases. And when there are cases, there are still Aedes mosquitoes in our environment.)

32K North Cotabato voters removed from Comelec list

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HE provincial Commission on Elections (Comelec) in North Cotabato has removed from its final list of registered voters a total of 31,901 individuals after having failed to beat the October 31 validation and biometric deadline set by the office.

Lawyer Duque Kadatuan, Comelec - North Cotabato supervisor, said that following the purging of its list, registered voters for the province currently totaled at 671,876.

“Those (names) detached from the Comelec list would not be able to cast votes in the upcoming 2016 synchronized national and local elections”,

Kadatuan said.

He added that their office is preparing documents for final screening and approval by the Comelec central office in Manila.

According to Kadatuan, those prohibited from voting would only be allowed to reactivate validation and biometric registration after the 2016 polls in accordance with the recently approved Mandatory Biometrics Registration Act. Names of qualified voters, meanwhile, would appear in the List of Certified Registered Voters that would be posted in barangay halls before the scheduled May 9 polling next year. (PNA)

CLEAN ELECTIONS. Parishioners of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro take to the streets Saturday, November 7, to call for a clean and orderly election in 2016 and an end to political dynasties. MindaNews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

LIFESTYLE MECCA. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte leads the wine-toasting during the opening of the new Chimes shop in Felcris Centrale on Saturday night along with the bigwigs of the homegrown shopping mall and guests. NJB

Davao operators get ACF certification

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

WO Davao-based port operators have been certified authorized custom facility (ACF) by the Bureau of Customs (BOC) in the Philippines.

The Terminal Facilities and Services Corp. (TEFASCO) and the Davao International Container Terminal, Inc. (DICT) received the ACF certification last week, becoming the first operators in the country to secure such certification.

Custom commissioner Al-

berto Lina himself handed the certification at the Park Inn by Radisson.

“These are the first two to comply with the requirements of the bureau in the whole country,” Lina said.

During the awarding ceremony Friday, Lina said the two facilities have increased their competitiveness in the Asean integration that will result to a free trade of goods and services between member countries.

Anflocor president and CEO Anthony Alexander N. Valoria said the accreditation will allow the DICT to have better coordination with the system of the BOC. “This must be the policy direction of all ports in the country to be competitive in the Asean integration,” Valoria said. The DICT is one of the companies under the Anflocor.

Among the concerns of the economic integration which will be fully realized by

December this year is the synchronization of custom laws and regulations of 10 countries, including the Philippines, to the security of cargoes in cross-border trade.

BOC issued Custom Memorandum Order No. 30-2015 last September that provided rules for the establishment, supervision, and control of ACF, including wharves, container yards, container freight stations, warehouses, examination areas and other facilities

located within customs zones and/ or in airports and seaports, and used for temporary handling and storage of imported goods and immediately discharged from airplanes, vessels and other modes of international transport.

“The CMO also covers all existing customs bonded warehouses (CBWs), which will now have to undergo BOC review and seek reaccreditation as ACFs,” the BOC said.

The order will affect at least 30

ACFs in the country.

“The CMO was issued to institute guidelines and promote use of customs facilities for the promotion of security in the supply chain, the proper collection of duties and taxes, the prevention of the entry of drugs and other anti-social goods and the facilitation of the clearance process for imported goods,” the order said.

Under the CMO, the Authorized Economic Operator

FDAVAO, 10

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

NEW CRANES. The new RTGs at the MICT’s newly built Yard 7.

P57-M Mandug water facility set for operation

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

M

crc@edgedavao.net

ORE than 2,000 households residing in the district of Mandug and nearby areas will no longer have to worry about water supply as the Davao City Water District (DCWD) will start the operation of the Mandug Facility by next week.

“We will be inaugurating the P57-million facility either by November 16 or 19,” DCWD spokesperson lawyer Bernardo D. Delima told reporters during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at Sm City Annex.

Delima said the construction of the Mandug Facility started in 2013 and was implemented by phases because the high cost of materials for the project.

“The Mandug Facility will have water distribution lines and elevated water tank,” he said. “It will have a capacity of delivering 400 cubic meters or 2,000 drum of clean and potable water.”

Delima said the capacity of the facility “is enough to supply the daily requirements” of the residents in the area who are now buying

their daily water supply.

Some residents in the Mandug District have to use “jetmatic” pumps to have underground water supply, according to him.

Since the facility has no reservoir, Delima said it will be replenish from time to time to ensure the sustainability of the water supply in the area.

“The facility will immediately release water by 4 a.m. in the morning,” he added.

The DCWD is also targeting to finish the P110 million water treatment facility in

Panacan, including the three additional production wells in the area.

“By then, our customers from the areas in Panacan and Lasang will no longer complain of the odor and color of the water,” Delima said.

However, he clarified that the water supplied in the area will not the same quality with the water from the Dumoy system.

At present, many residents in the Panacan and Lasang area are complaining of the odor and yellowish color of the water.

Bronze Award for its 100 percent Pure Unsweetened Chocolate under the Best Unflavored Drinking Chocolate at the 2015 Academy of Chocolate Awards in London.

Last month, its 65 percent dark chocolate won silver in the 2015 International Chocolate Awards’ World Drinking Chocolate Competition in Hanover, Germany under the Dark Drinking Chocolate category, specifically drinks made with milk.

Lim said the Davao Business Awards aims to give recognition to outstanding achievements, best business practices across business sectors. “Awards will be given to recognize new as well as existing businesses that have significantly impacted on the continuous growth of Davao City’s economy,” he said.

He added that this recognition was based on “the nature of the project in support to the Comprehensive Development Plan of the city, as well as its

value adding to existing local products, local employment generation tax contribution.”

Charita Puentespina, owner of the Puentespina Farm where the Malagos Chocolates is made, is credited for having put the city on the “map of chocolates” in the world.

“Chocolates are international products or food that are enjoyed by everyone. We have a very good chocolate here, very good source of the beans. We just need to come up with the proper growing and proper post harvest, and very good processing, so that we can come up with a very good product,” she said.

The Malagos Farm and Garden Resort has 25 hectares of land in Malagos, Baguio District where 80 percent of the bean requirement for chocolates are drawn while the other 20 percent come from the farmers, Puentespina added.

The Malagos Chocolates requires about 40 metric tons of cocoa beans a year, she said.

“We partner with the farmers who are willing to do quality fermentation, and follow the proper way of harvesting of cacao beans,” she said.

The firm is also exporting at a small quantity to London, Japan, Singapore, and the United States.

Puentespina envisions Malagos Chocolates as one of the leaders in the chocolate industry in five years “because we have very good quality beans.”

“We are working on the production from the side of the farmers to produce the required amount of the beans, so that we can be able to supply the export market. The interest now because of the awards, a lot of people are wiling to buy our product. Our product, the dark chocolate, is the chocolate that is good for the health,” he said.

She said the company trains the farmers on the best farming method so that cacao trees yield good cacao beans. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

Malagos Chocolates emerges first winner of Davao Business Awards F

OR having put Davao City on the world’s chocolate map, homegrown premium chocolate maker and international awardee Malagos Chocolates was named the first recipient of the Davao Business Awards Friday at the 3rd Davao Investment Conference (ICON).

The award was conferred at the closing of this year’s Davao ICON at the SMX Convention Center by Architect Daniel T. Lim, former president of Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) and chair of the investment gathering held November 4 to 6.

“This year, as we launch the Davao Business Awards, we are giving a special citation to a Davao brand that has made a mark in the chocolate industry and is now internationally renowned as one of the best chocolates in the world. Just this year, they received two international awards,” he said.

In April 2015, the Malagos Chocolates brought home the

VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

ICTSI Manila gets 4 new yard cranes T HE International Container Terminal Services, Inc.’s (ICTSI) recently took delivery of four new rubber tired gantry cranes (RTGs) for its flagship Manila International Container Terminal (MICT).

The RTGs are part of ICTSI’s large port equipment order from Cargotec’s Kalmar.

They also form part of the MICT’s port equipment upgrading to complement and sustain the multimillion dollar infrastructure development project at the terminal, which includes the expansion of the

container yard.

ICTSI won the 25 + 25 years concession to operate the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) in an international tender in 1988.

Since ICTSI’s takeover, MICT has increased its annual capacity five-fold, expanded its container handling fleet to make it the largest and most modern container terminal in the Philippines, and switched from a manual control system to an integrated real-time IT terminal control system.

MICT is ICTSI’s flagship operation.

ENIOR Officials from the 21 Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are scheduled to meet in Manila on November 13 to 14 to process the year’s worth of work under the leadership of the Philippines, prioritizing deliverables such as action plans and statements to be endorsed to APEC Ministers and Leaders, for adoption.

A total of 229 meetings, including meetings under the APEC Finance Ministers’ Process, sectoral ministerial meetings and high-¬level policy dialogues, and the APEC Business Advisory Council (ABAC) as the private sector arm of APEC. Policies, initiatives, and programs were developed during these meetings. Some of these include: 1.) The Renewed APEC Agenda for Structural Reform (RAASR) which was endorsed by the APEC Structural Reform Ministers. The The RAASR reaffirms economies’ commitment to accelerate efforts to address institution building in APEC economies through structural reform and targeted capacity building on economic governance, unilateral reforms aimed at further improving the services sector, regulatory infrastructure, and competition policy.

2.) The Boracay Action Agenda (BAA) to Globalize micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) which was developed

by APEC Trade Ministers. BAA outlines actions that are practical and important for MSMEs’ participation in global trade, such as access to finance, e-¬commerce, and markets. APEC officials have also developed an implementation Plan which will guide economies to identify areas of convergence across APEC fora, and work with ABAC on complementary projects and efficient use of resources in implementing MSME initiatives.

3.) The Cebu Action Plan (CAP) which was developed by APEC Finance Ministers. The CAP is a roadmap and a “living document” that will guide economies promote intra-¬regional trade and investments, connectivity, infrastructure development, and MSME and supply chain financing. It works on four pillars: promoting financial integration; advancing fiscal reforms and transparency; enhancing financial resiliency; and accelerating infrastructure development and financing.

4.) The APEC Strategy for

Strengthening Quality Growth that embeds the principles of institution building, social cohesion/equity, and concern for environmental impact of economic/industrial activities as new dimensions with which growth should be pursued. The Strategy underscores how quality growth is about the economic well-¬being of every individual and of every economy, focusing on how growth can be sustained over the medium-¬ to long-¬term. Thus, governments of each APEC economy are called to ensure the principles of good governance, transparency, and inclusion in their individual economic pursuits.

In the next 5 years until 2020, this document will serve as a strategic guide for APEC as an institution and as individual economies in strengthening quality growth through agreed initiatives that could be pursued collectively or unilaterally.

5.) The Strategic Plan of the Policy Partnership on Women and the Economy (PPWE) 20152018 was developed by APEC this year to advance women’s full and equal economic participation through improved access to capital and assets;; access to markets; skills, capacity uilding, and health; women’s leadership, voice, and agency; innovation and technology.

Projects include the Women and the Economy Dashboard to track, measure, and communicate progress in reducing barriers to women’s economic participation; the Guide in Gender Criteria for APEC Project Proposal to ensure mainstreaming of gender perspectives across APEC; and the Policy Toolkit on Healthy Women, Healthy Economy to improve the physical and mental health, safety, and well-¬being of women in the workplace.

6.) The APEC Disaster Risk Reduction Framework facilitates collective work in building adaptive and disaster-¬resilient economies supporting inclusive and sustainable development in the face of the “new normal”-¬the increasing frequency, magnitude and scope of natural disasters, and the resultant disruption on the increasingly integrated and interlinked production and supply chains. The Framework enables collaboration in the four interoperable and mutually reinforcing pillars, namely: Prevention and Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Rehabilitation and Build Back Better.

7.) The APEC Group of

APEC senior officials to process initiatives S

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 158 • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015

EDGEDAVAO EVENT

Matina Enclaves

A SPOOKY KIND OF LAUNCH

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

Motorcade, Halloween Night spice up The Residences 3 launching

THE BRAINS at Escandor Development Corporation (Esdevco) were at work and the result is just amazing—a spooky way to launch another condominium project.

Esdevco’s men and women, led by project director Gerald Kent Garces, whipped up a party intertwined with the theme of the season—Halloween—and what a way indeed it was to officially launch The Residences 3 of Matina Enclaves last October 30.

The launch got off to a rousing start with a long queue of cars snaking through the city’s main thoroughfares for the morning motorcade which began and ended at the Clubhouse at Matina Enclaves (CAME).

The following realty firms joined the motorcade: Ablas Realty, Apolonio Realty, Asoy Or RJBA Realty, Balio Realty, Corro Realty, Denaga Realty, Fullworth Realty, Hornijas Realty, Leuterio Realty, Romero Realty, Torefiel and RCJH Realty.

At night, Matina En-

SPOOKY A4

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EVENT

Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps holds first Hallow Party kid event THE Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps organized its very first kiddie “Hallow Party” last October 31, 2015 at its J.P. Laurel Avenue branch.

52 eager kids came in at 2 pm for registration wearing the prescribed fantasy or spooky-themed costumes. For only 250 pesos per head, the kids got to enjoy kiddie meals, snacks & drinks, Halloween loot bags, games, prizes and gift certs up to 1000 pesos in worth, a magic show and more fun and exciting activities.

“We decided to organize this Hallow Party for kids since we noticed a lot of our loyal customers are large families with kids” says Dave Alvarez, Marketing Head. “What better way to establish and strengthen our relationship with our loyal customers than

Above: The kids were entranced by the 30-minute magic show.

Left: The kids in their cute Halloween costumes with their families.

by celebrating this spooky season with them?”

The jam-packed Hallow party ended at 5 pm and in

true Blue Posts spirit, the kids were all in agreement that “It’s Fun to be Messy”.

Blue Posts Boiling Crabs

and Shrimps is nearing its 2nd anniversary and Mr. Alvarez says “they’re cooking something up to end the year with

a bang”. This is a well-deserved celebration as the restaurant is currently gearing up for its national expansion with its very first franchise in Manila this coming 2016.

If you want to find out what the buzz is all about Davao’s best-kept “messy, finger-licking seafood dining” secret, you can visit Blue Posts Boiling Crabs and Shrimps at JP Laurel Ave Bajada (221-8360) or at their 2nd branch at Lanang Business Park (295-9022).

UP AND ABOUT

Travel Weekly Asia readers name Airasia as best LCC AIRASIA took home the coveted title of Best Low Cost Carrier (LCC) at the inaugural 2015 Travel Weekly Asia Reader’s Choice Awards as voted by the leading travel trade magazine’s strong base of readers comprising of seasoned travellers and industry players.

Readers of Travel Weekly Asia magazine casted their votes from 14 August to 25 September 2015 on www.travelweekly-asia.com to choose their favourite travel and hospitality establishments out of 31 award categories ranging from airlines, cruise lines to travel agencies and hotel chains.

Mr Logan Velaitham, CEO of AirAsia Singapore received the award on behalf of the AirAsia Group at the award ceremony held yesterday in Singapore.

“On behalf of AirAsia Group, we are both delighted and proud to be recognized as the Best Low Cost Carrier among the readers of Travel Weekly Asia. Each award received is a testament to the hard work and determination of 17,000 AirAsia Allstars around the globe and it drives us to develop even better products and services for our guests. We would like to thank everyone for voting for us,” said Logan.

This is the first Travel Weekly

Logan Velaitham (centre), CEO of AirAsia Singapore accepting the award from Arnie Weissmann (left) , Editor-in-chief of Travel Weekly and Senior VP and Editorial Director of Travel Group, Northstar Travel Media and Mr Ian Jarrett (right), Editorat-large of Travel Weekly Asia.

Reader’s Choice Awards that is held in the Asia region as the spinoff of its American version which has been running for over a decade now in the United States. The Travel Weekly Asia Reader’s Choice Award will be presented annually to industry leaders as recognition for their service and product excellence, voted by the magazine’s pool of discerning readers.

Irene Chua, Group Publisher for Northstar Travel Media (Asia) said, “The awards are a confirmation of the travel industry’s most outstanding companies and lauds their achievements. Congratulations to all our winners, who truly deserve this recognition in the in-

dustry. Travel Weekly Asia heralds the travel professionals who have truly made a difference!”

This year alone, AirAsia has been recognised as the best in the industry multiple times when it received the World’s Best Low Cost Airline recognition by Skytrax for seven consecutive years, Best Low-Cost Airline at the Business Traveller Asia-Pacific Travel Awards 2015 for four years in a row, and very recently the airline group also clinched the Excellence Award under the Airlines category at Expatriate Lifestyle’s Best of Malaysia Awards. In this same week, AirAsia also received SimpliFlying Awards’ Top 3 Best Overall Airline in Asia

Pacific while a special individual award was given to Tan Sri Tony Fernandes, Group CEO of AirAsia for Leadership in Social Media, recognising AirAsia’s creative and effective integration of social media into overall marketing and business strategy.

Keep updated with AirAsia’s latest promotions and activities via Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsia) and Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsia).

CHANGE YOUR FOREGN CURRENCIES AT THE SM STORE. For your Foreign Exchange needs please proceed to The SM Store Davao’s Forex Counter or Global Pinoy Center at SM Lanang Premier, SM City Davao and SM City General Santos. Safe, reliable and convenient, The SM Store Davao Currency Exchange Service accepts 15 Foreign currencies.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 158 • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015

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ENTERTAINMENT

Over 70 OPM artists perform at MYX Mo! OVER 70 of the biggest and brightest OPM stars gathered for a night in celebration of MYX’s 15 years in showcasing the best of Pinoy music at MYX Mo, the biggest and longest running OPM festival in the country.

As early as 4PM, the crowd partied nonstop as they enjoyed the best OPM hits from MYX’s star-studded impressive roster of local artists across all genres to date –from jamming along with rock hits of Pupil to singing their hearts out to Kyla’s soulful songs.

The MYX Mo! 2015 stage also became a platform for young rising OPM artists to wow the crowd with their incredible talent. Performances from “The Voice Kids” alumni Lyca Gairanod, Elha Nympha,

and Darren Espanto had the MYX Mo! crowd shrieking and singing along to their renditions of hit songs.

OPM artists who partied at MYX Mo! also took to Twitter to share their great experience at the biggest gathering of OPM artists this year.

RnB prince Jay-R remarked, “I’m still hung over from MYX Mo 2015.

Always a great experience performing on the MYX stage.”

DJ Tom Taus also said he was honored to be part of the biggest lineup of OPM artists for MYX Mo. He tweeted, “what a great gathering of artists and music lovers. It was an honor to close out MYX Mo 2015.”

Fans on social media also said that MYX! Mo was a nostalgic music concert as it featured the best OPM hits throughout the years, while a

MYX is a youth-oriented music channel in the Philippines that aims to showcase music from OPM artists across

first time MYX! Mo concertgoer described it as “the best OPM concert.”

MYX VJs Nikki, Chino, Robi, Ai, Erika, Tippy, and Diego also excitedly announced at MYX Mo! the music channel’s first ever vlogger search for MYXph.com which will be launched soon for MYX’s 15th year. The vlogger search will scour for the newest face and online sensation who will star in MYXclusive web vid-

all genres. It belongs to the family of cable channels under Creative Programs, Inc., a subsidiary of ABS-CBN.

eos and other creative content on MYXph.com.

The newest search is part of MYX’s effort to welcome changes to stay relevant and fresh to its young viewers in the years to come. MYX is currently one of the most followed youthoriented social media account in the country with 5.7 million likes on Facebook and a whopping 5 million followers on Twitter.

T.O.P. serenades fans with their first single

TOP ONE PROJECT or T.O.P. celebrated their first monthsary as GMA’s newest boy band sensation. They posted a video message on their official Facebook page and serenaded their fans by singing their first and upcoming single, ‘Paggising.’

“Thank you guys sa lahat ng supporters, especially sa mga unsTOPpables. Maraming maraming salamat,” Miko Manguba began.

“Stay solid guys and don’t stop believing,” Mico Cruz added, while Adrian Pascual concurred, “Nandito lang kami palagi sa tabi niyo.

November 6 – 10, 2015

THE LAST WITCH HUNTER Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood R13

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

SPECTRE Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes PG

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

EVERYDAY I LOVE YOU Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil, Gerald Anderson G

Hindi kami mawawala.”

T.O.P. was formed via the first multi-platform boy band competition

in the Philippines, To The Top (http://www. gmanetwork.com/gma/ tothetop/). The group is

composed of Miko M., Mico C., Adrian Pascual, Joshua Jacobe and Louie Pedroso.

12:20 | 2:45 | 5:10 | 7:35 | 10:00 LFS

GOOSEBUMPS Halston Sage, Jack Black, Amy Ryan PG

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

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SPOOKY A1

claves treated its investors to a “Freaky Friday” Investors Night. Attendees took the theme seriously and came with their were their spooky halloween costumes. The Freaky Friday event offered discounts and special payment terms for Building 3.

Garces said the freaky party signaled the start of their sales campaign for Building 3. The event was also part of the launching and the first formal activity for the sellers and prospects of Building 3.

“We will still be having one 32 sqm Studio and 57 sqm 2 Bedroom units.

But offering 2 BR units at 45 sqm is our response to market demand for more compact dwellings for the family. Essentially we are trying to expand our market base by pro-

viding an opportunity to other families who want to invest in Matina Enclaves through smaller 2 BR units. These units still promise functionality and convenience of Enclaves’ bigger units. Building 3 is also designed with the same lifestyle-ish finishes carried by other models of

Matina Enclaves.” Garces said.

With The Residences 3 now officially in the market, expect sales to jumpstart with the unique features and payment schemes offered for this new concept otherwise called “The Crossover Condo.”

VOL. 8 ISSUE 158 • SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2015

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VANTAGE POINTS

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9

Is Davao City ready for a water crisis?

“Water, water everywhere, but not a drop to drink.” -- Samuel Taylor Coleridge in The Rime of the Ancient Mariner

S

***

IX years ago, there was a call to declare Panigan-Tamugan River in Davao City as a “single purpose river.”

The petition read: “Because of the critical role of the Panigan-Tamugan River to the health of Davao City residents and to the development of the city, it is likewise important to declare Panigan-Tamugan River as a ‘single purpose river,’ a river whose sole purpose is to serve as a source for domestic and municipal purposes.”

That’s going ahead of the story. At that time, it was bared in a study that Dumoy Aquifer -- then the source of drinking water for Davao residents -- would not be able to supply the water needs of the city by 2013.

“It has been projected that by 2013, Davao City will have a deficit of potable water supply at approximately 13.80 million liters per day,” the petition said. “Over extraction of groundwater aquifer will result to ground subsidence and saltwater intrusion which makes our waters unsuitable for domestic uses.”

Thus, there was a need for additional source of water. One study had study identified “the Panigan-Tamugan River as the only river that possesses an acceptable water quality and sufficient volume to meet the city’s future water needs.”

The petition came to mind when I read a news report which was published in Business Mirror last Sunday. It is written by Manuel T.

W

Cayon, the MinTHINK ON THESE! danao Bureau Chief, and was titled, “Vigilance called over water-extraction project in Davao.”

The lead said: “Residents in the north- Henrylito D. Tacio western wahenrytacio@gmail.com tershed areas and near a river were asked to actively participate in ‘scoping’ and to maintain their vigilance over the city project to extract its water for new drinking source.”

The report said that the Davao City Water District (DCWD), touted to be the No. 1 water utility in the Asia-Pacific Region, “would be expected to contact and gather the communities along the Tamugan River in Baguio District… as part of securing an environmental impact assessment before its P2-billion water-extraction project could proceed.”

“Consumers and watershed dwellers alike should actively participate in the scoping process so that all concerns will be addressed,” Ann Fuertes, executive director of Interface Development Inventions was quoted as saying. “While we recognize that water is a public resource that must be available to all, its extraction should not damage the livelihood and way of life of the upland watershed dwellers.”

Davao City, one of biggest cities in the country, is blessed with abundant fresh drink-

ing water, both ground and surface. According to DCWD’s website, “Mount Apo serves as the recharge point and the areas at the foot of the mountain contain these large reservoirs, the biggest of which is the Calinan, Toril and Talomo Triangle.”

But for how long this water would be available, no one knows. Multi-awarded Davao journalist Jeffrey Tupas, in an article some years back, reported: “Right now, over 99 percent of the water consumed by the city comes from groundwater extracted from the Talomo-Lipadas Watershed. With a daily extraction of 212,000 cubic meters from 50 production wells, sustainability is in danger.”

In 1991, Davao City was one of the nine cities in the country to be included in a study done by the Japan International Cooperation Agency as “water-critical areas.” The eight other cities were Metro Manila, Cebu, Baguio, Angeles, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro and Zamboanga.

In areas where water is becoming a scarce commodity, water-related diseases like diarrhea are bound to stay. In 24 provinces, one of every five residents gets water from dubious sources, says the Philippine Human Development Report a few years back.

Today’s “crisis in water and sanitation is – above all – a crisis of the poor,” according to the United Nations Development Program study: Beyond Scarcity: Power, Poverty and the Water Crisis. “People living in the slums… face shortages of clean water,” the UNDP study claims. “(But) their neighbors in high income suburbs… keep their lawns green and swimming pools topped up. (The poor) pay five to ten times more for water per unit than those

in high-income areas of their own cities.”

Each day, Filipinos consume 310 to 507 million cubic meters of water. “A household of five needs at least 120 liters per days to meet basic needs – for drinking, food preparation, cooking and cleaning up, washing and personal hygiene, laundry, house cleaning,” noted David Satterthwaite and Gordon McGranahan in their collaborative report published in the State of the World.

Providing clean water can save most of the lives of children who would die from water-related diseases, according to UNDP. Installing a flush toilet in the home increases a child’s chance by 59 percent of celebrating his or her birthday. In the Philippines, out of every 1,000 kids, 27 never make it to their first birthday.

Although water is a renewable resource, it is also a finite one. Less than three percent of the world’s water is fresh, and more than 75 percent of this is frozen - mainly at the North and South Poles. Of the remaining fresh water, 98 percent lies underground. People and land-dwelling animals can only access about 0.01 percent of the entire world’s water.

“World demand for water doubles every 21 years, but the volume available is the same as it was in the Roman times,” observes Sir Crispin Tickell, former British ambassador to the United Nations and one of the organizers of the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro.

“Something has got to give.”

“A water crisis is likely to hit around the year 2050.” This was the unanimous warning from participants at the first World Water Forum held in Marrakech, Morocco in 1997.

Is Davao City ready for a water crisis?

Of course MY TWO CENTS’ certain products like wheat, palm oil kernel, and other imported inputs need to be sourced from other countries, but what bothJohn Tria ers many is that ecisouth@gmail.com 85% of meat to make hotdogs and corned beef need to be imported. Wow! Raising cattle need not be a job for the highly skilled, so why do we need to import most of our beef? Can we not push higher cattle production in many idle and less productive lands? Or is it easier and more profitable to import? Thousands of families can easily imbibe the skills for such a simple task, yet we choose to import. This is a lost opportunity for employment and foreign exchange savings.

During the last Southern Mindanao Industrial Tour middle of this year, many of the

industrial investors who toured the different sites in Davao City and nearby areas were surprised to find active container terminals of Anflocor and Hijo, and mixed use industrial estates of Nakayama group and Ciudades ready to receive their factories. It is therefore of strategic importance that government and Manila business organizations like the PCCI, the Joint foreign chambers of Commerce, and Makati Business Club push for programs and incentives that can enable companies to locate in the different industrial estates being prepared in Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, and General Santos. After all, these are where the produce meant for processing are grown, near the farmers and the agri processors. These result in lower cost supply chains, adding value to their investments and making their products more competitive.

What we need to do, therefore, is bring more agri processing and industry to Mindanao. Why bring them to Calabarzon, Clark, or Subic when they can be processed here, with lower power and labor costs? Are they afraid of Mindanao? I would be more afraid

of the brewing West Philippine Sea Conflict that threatens to choke vital sea routes to Japan and Korea, which are the same sea lanes fronting Subic, Manila Bay, and the Batangas Port. Shipping out of Davao towards Japan and Korea allows them to avoid these conflicted sealanes. Moreover, I would be more fearful of a congested, dirty Greater Manila Area pricing its properties out of the market, with a spiraling cost of living that prohibits residents from making the best out of their livelihoods, and forcing them to max out their credit cards and pawn their television sets just to ensure their children’s school enrolment. What kind of life will recongesting the Greater Manila Area create?

With this, we sincerely hope that the roadmaps being laid out by the Board of Investments (BOI) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) seriously consider providing special incentives to locate processing plants here in Mindanao, at the source. It not only affords the investor lower costs but reduces their carbon footprint. We all need that push for Mindanao.

Worrying about agriculture and exports

ITH worrying regularity our agricultural sectors’ contribution to our economic growth and exports is going down. As its contribution to GDP has lessened in the past year, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that our Agriculture trade deficit widened 113.02 percent in the first half of the year as imports continued to outpace exports. Total export earnings generated from Philippine agricultural exports fell 22.62 percent year-on-year to $2.6 billion.

Our agritrade deficit rose to $2.3 billion from January to June from $1.08 billion in the same period last year. The sector comprised nine percent of the country’s total export earnings of $28.89 billion during the period.

What these statistics point to is that we are importing more to feed ourselves. The sad fact is that we are rapidly transforming into a country with a potential consumer base than a producer of agricultural products. Increasingly, the Asian countries with surplus food production like Thailand, India, and China are looking at Philippines as mouths needing cheap food and are looking to sell to us.

10 NEWS DON’T ASK... FROM 1

“Sanctions should be imposed on this,” he said.

Quitain said some employees take advantage of the holiday season to generate more money because they are not satisfied with their salary.

He said an employee caught asking for gifts will be automatically terminated if he or she is contractual or is on job order.

Regular employees, however, will undergo due process.

Quitain repeated Duterte’s

statement that the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) will sponsor the Christmas parties of city workers to keep them from soliciting.

Quitain said instead of having separate departmental Christmas parties, the entire staff will have one big party so that employees can get to know each other.

“That is one way the people from different departments will come to know each other better,” he said.

vision in Mintal last Sunday.

Police arrested the suspects, identified as 35-yearold Roel Quibod of Poblacion Pikit,North Cotabato and 38-year-old Jovenile B. Diaz, an overseas Filipino worker from Awang, Maguindanao but a current resident of Phase 5, Deca Homes.

Police said Quibod was arrested first at around 4:45 p.m. of November 8 in Phase 5 where he allegedly sold a sachet of shabu (methamphetamine hydrochloride) to a police agent.

Police said when the suspect was frisked, another nine sachets of shabu were recovered with an estimated value of P20,000.

After five minutes, Diaz was arrested in the same area after allegedly selling a big sachet of shabu to a police agent.

When he was frisked by the arresting officers, another big sachet of shabu was recovered from his possession. Police recovered a total of P90,000 worth of shabu in the two sachets.

laglag-bala issue. Airport security cannot show any proof of the restriction order or name the person who issued the order but the NAIA Press Corps

believe that the restriction is a ploy to restrain freedom of the press,” Nograles quoted Esperas as saying in his Facebook account.

nal main pipe was damaged in 2007.

Delima said fencing the area would allow personnel of the DCWD to have easier access to the area during preventive maintenance operations for the bridge.

It can be recalled that the rehabilitation of the P105-million water transmission pipe on Governor Generoso Bridge 1 and 2 was delayed for two months because of the presence of illegal settlers, who were relocated after Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte appealed to them.

“The contractors are still

assessing the cost of the fencing project,” Delima said, adding that the proposed fencing of the area was not included in the original plan, thus extending the deadline to more months.

“We still don’t know when the project will be endorsed to us because they need to secure the approval of another agency first,” he added.

The project contractors are still waiting for the approval of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 for the implementation of the fencing project. CHENEEN R. CAPON

(AEO) program established under the World Customs Organization (WCO) SAFE Framework of Standards to Secure and Facilitate Global Trade and the World Trade Organization-Trade Facilitation Agreement (WTO- FTA) by ensuring integrity and security of cargo in cross-border trade from the supply source to customs clearance to final distribution at the point of destination.

The issuance of the CMO likewise aimed “to harmonize the electronic cargo information requirements on inbound, outbound, and transit shipments for use in a risk management approach to address security threats and ensure customs compliance.”

The order obliged operators to make all records accessible to authorized customs officials or representatives “upon proper demand for oc-

ular inspections; maintain, inventory and other management records of imported cargoes handled and stored…at all times in their place of business and make this accessible online to BOC officers.”

Under the order, establishments that would like to operate an ACF should secure application letter, articles of incorporation from the Securities and Exchange Commission, certificate of registration from the Bureau of Internal Revenue, and mayor’s permit if the establishments has not yet filed under the Client Profile Registration Sytem, location and layout of the facility, including machineries, equipment, x-ray, audited financial statement for the last two years, web-based inventory management system, and custom facility for use of customs complement or proposed facility.

DCPO... FROM 2

Nograles... FROM 3 Area... FROM 3

Davao... FROM 5

EDGEDAVAO

Lumads... FROM 2

relocation area is far from the city proper.

He said he still hopes the groups would reconsider.

“Help us help yourselves, people staying in Haran. We are offering a better place for them to stay,” he said.

Quitain, however, said the city will not force the IPs to accept its offer.

He said the city still has an obligation to attend to the needs of the lumads in the area.

Earlier, Pasaka staff member Abet Remitar asked the city government to provide construction materials to

improve the sanitation area in the evacuation center.

Remitar admitted that despite their efforts to educate the Lumads on proper waste disposal, some instances cannot be avoided because of cultural differences.

Remitar said the management of Haran and civil organization groups cannot just change the Lumads’ practices overnight.

He also said the water supply in the area varies.

“There are times that the water gushing from faucets is very minimal,” he said. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

of private sector pay. The lowest salary grade, Salary Grade 1, will be about 154 percent of the market, while the highest, Salary Grade 33, which is the President, will be about 70 percent of the market,” Abad said.

Currently, government pay, on the average, is only 55 percent of market rates.

“The adjustment is mandated by the Joint Resolution No. 4 of Congress of 2009, which provided for a review of the compensation and position classification system after three years from the last year of the adjustment (which was June 1, 2012) to determine the competitiveness of government pay in relation to the private sector and the compensation strategy to bring government pay closer to market rates,” he said.

Accordingly, with the help of private sector consultant Towers Watson, the DBM undertook and completed the study in July 2015.

“In structuring the compensation adjustment, we were guided by five parameters: (1)The minimum basic salary—Salary Grade 1—shall be raised from P9,000 to P11,068 a month; (2)To attract and retain competent and committed personnel, the new compensation level for all salary grades shall be at least 70 percent of the market; (3)To recognize differences in duties and responsibilities, there shall be no salary overlaps; (4)The link between pay and performance shall be strengthened, especially for those in the higher salary grades, and (5)The structure of the

adjustment should temper the cost of benefits (i.e. GSIS premiums and PhilHealth contributions) and allow for higher take home pay, especially for those in the lower salary grades,” Abad clarified.

As a consequence of RA 10653, which raised the amount of benefits exempted from tax to PHP82,000, for majority of civilian employees, those belonging to Salary Grades 1-11, and who are only receiving the existing tax-exempt 13th month pay, the cash gift and the productivity enhancement incentive (PEI), their full 14th month pay and full PBB will also be exempt from tax.

For those belonging to Salary Grades 12-16, who also are only receiving the existing tax-exempt 13th month pay, cash gift and PEI, only their full 14th month pay will be exempt from tax.

“The first tranche of the adjustment will take effect on January 1, 2016, and the subsequent three tranches on every January 1 thereafter until the final tranche in 2019,” Abad added.

Abad further clarified that “under the Constitution, no increase in the compensation of the President and the Vice-President shall take effect until after the expiration of the term of the incumbent during which such increase was approved. Similarly, no increase in compensation shall take effect until after the expiration of the full term of all the members of the Senate and the House of Representatives approving such increase.”

For the regular members of the Cabinet, Abad said the compensation adjustment shall take effect only on July 1, 2016. (PNA)

and national government agencies have worked hand in hand in its implementation.

Having seen the project’s success in terms of collaboration, it was awarded the Most Collaborative Special Project conferred by the Development Academy of the Philippines on July 2015. Furthermore, five other municipalities in the province have also started to replicate the project to enthuse barangay governments in making disaster preparedness a priority.

Governor Corazon Malanyaon lauded the DILG

Provincial Office for initiating the search. She noted it as an effective tool in increasing level of awareness and participation of the communities towards disaster preparedness.She likewise congratulated the awardees, saying, This is a testament of their good leadership”.

“We really need to push aggressively our programs for disaster preparedness not only within the community but down to the household level as disaster preparedness is our important thrust amidst the current changes in our climate.”

(PNA)

Gov’t... FROM 3

Barangays... FROM 4

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Troops... FROM 3

Brigade who were working on a school building project in Sitio Akbual in Upper Suyan were harassed by NPA rebels last Nov. 1.

No one was hurt in the incident but it affected the implementation of the project, which is a donation from Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao.

Villanueva said their troops initially clashed with a group of rebels as a portion of Upper Suyan last Nov. 5.

He said the operation eventually led to the discovery of the NPA encampment in Sitio Lamasalo.

The 73IB elements tried to enter the area last Friday, Nov. 6, but were hit by a landmine that killed one of them and injured five others, he said.

On Saturday morning, a Huey helicopter ferrying

troops and supplies crashed near the area after being hit by strong winds.

The incident injured five 73IB troopers, and four Philippine Air Force pilots and crew members.

The injured troops have declared out of danger and are currently recuperating a private hospital here.

Villanueva said they will continue with their operations until they completely flush out the rebels from the area.

“We’ve been tracking their movements and right now, they’re (rebels) near the Jose Abad Santos town (Davao Occidental) area,” he said.

The official added that they have sent additional troops to the area pursue the rebels and secure local communities. (PNA)

tomers. He also advises them to store enough water prior to the scheduled water interruptions. Water supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

The general public may visit DCWD website (www. davao-water.gov.ph) and official Facebook page (www. facebook.com/davaowater) or

call the Central Information Unit / Call Center through the 24-hour hotline 297-DCWD (3293) and press “1” on their phone dial to listen to latest daily water updates. They may also call / text 0927-7988966, 0925-5113293 and 09084410653 for other updates, complaints, queries and matters pertaining to DCWD services. (Jamae G. Dela Cruz)

rubbers, mostly found in Mindanao.

Zamboanga Peninsula leads the most production followed by Soccsksargen area, North Cotabato and Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Banquerigo said they are

pushing Davao City, Cagayan de Oro City, Zamboanga and ARMM as processing areas.

He added that one of the potential markets is the Yokohama Tires based in Subic, which produces 21,000 of tires daily. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)

Friends on Disability was established to promote sharing of information, resources and good practices on disability issues among APEC members. APEC is also developing an Inclusive Mobility Framework in 2016 aimed to develop safe, secure and accessible transportation for persons with disabilities.

Also this November, Leaders are expected to endorse the APEC Services Cooperation Framework (ASCF) as a long-¬term strategic document, which will provide a common direction and more coherence in APEC’s work on services and help economies gain a deeper understanding of the policy and regulatory settings that will best facilitate innovative,

productive, and vibrant services sectors, as appropriate to their needs.

This Framework recognizes that more competitive services sectors help create jobs, produce quality goods, widen choices for consumers, and harness opportunities for businesses particularly for micro, small, and medium enterprises. The ASCF is complemented by the APEC Virtual Knowledge Center (to be launched at CSOM), the APEC Services Trade Access Requirements (STAR) Database, and the recently endorsed Manufacturing-¬Related Services Action Plan and Environmental Services Action Plan. (PNA/PCOO News Release)

Key technology enablers of PR Savings Bank also include Temenos, a market leading banking software provider, and Questronix, a key IBM business partner and systems integrator.

“We have been working with IBM and Questronix for a number of years, and they provided us with the IT infrastructure to reach out to a wider market. Today, with Temenos joining us as a new partner, we aim to keep expanding to more areas in need of financial services, and fulfill our goal of promoting inclusive growth throughout the country,” said

Roberto P. Alingog, President and Chief Executive Officer, PR Savings Bank.

PR Savings Bank acquired the award-winning core banking software, T24, by Swiss software developer Temenos Group AG. It will run T24 Model Bank on powerful UNIX servers and hardware supplied by local IBM Premier Business Partner, Questronix Corporation. The acquisition of all software and hardware infrastructure will be funded by a three-year financing plan from IBM’s lending and leasing business segment, IBM Global Financing.

Water... FROM 3

DTI... FROM 4

APEC... FROM 6

PR Bank... FROM 11

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE

Health-related awareness on the rise in Phl, but…

er state of readiness ─ in terms of attitude ─ for self-management in maximizing personal health, compared to last year’s baseline,” said Riza Mantaring, President and Chief Executive Officer of Sun Life Financial Philippines. “What hasn’t shifted, however, is the disconnect between the awareness that better lifestyle choices translate to improved personal health, and the action taken as a result of those choices.”

Ninety-seven percent of people in the Philippines say they know how they can improve their health further, 93 percent say they do everything they can to maximize their health, and 96 percent say they support and encourage their family to live a healthy lifestyle.

Yet being overweight or obese and respiratory conditions are among the top three health issues that they have personally experienced.

Globe powers first 1Gbps broadband plan customer

T

HE Acropolis-based Estrada family is the first customer in the Philippines to subscribe to and experience a home broadband plan with internet speeds of up to 1Gbps powered

by Globe Telecom.

As part of its efforts to uplift the state of internet services in the country by giving customers access to a faster internet experience with lower monthly service fees (MSF), Globe recently unveiled its new roster of home broadband plans powered by fiber-to-the-home (FFTH) technology, providing customers the fastest fiber connection speeds at home now available at a more affordable price.

With the new Globe Platinum Broadband Plans, home broadband customers can enjoy a broadband plan with internet speeds of up to 50Mbps at Plan 2499, 100Mbps at Plan 3499, 200Mbps at Plan 4499, 500Mbps at Plan 7499, and 1Gbps at Plan 9499.

“We are excited for the Estrada family to experience blazing-fast internet speeds at their home powered by Globe. This is a milestone not just for Globe but also for the entire country as we see more Filipinos enjoy highspeed and best-value broadband services as they build their life and work experiences around

a digitally-connected lifestyle,” shares Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Daniel Horan.

Prior to introducing a more aggressive home broadband portfolio, Globe already made strides in providing superior mobile technology services as evidenced by a recent LTE report released by OpenSignal. The report showed that Globe Telecom’s LTE download speed is at 10 Mbps, double its competition’s LTE download speed of only 5 Mbps. Globe LTE download speed is comparable to territories/countries like Hong Kong (Smart Tone), India (Airtel), Norway (Telenor, Network Norway), Portugal (NOS), Indonesia (Indosat), which all registered a 10 Mbps download speed, and even higher than the 8 Mbps download speed in Russia (MTS), Malaysia (DiGi) and even US (AT&T, US Cellular, Sprint, C Spire Wireless).

“Globe is deeply committed in providing the best telecommunication solutions, utilizing both wired and wireless solutions, to give our customers better and faster internet experience and hopefully pave the way for the Philippines to be globally-competitive in terms of internet speeds,” Horan added. Since it launched, customer inquiries for the telco’s high-speed broadband plan offerings have doubled.

Diabetes and heart disease, in turn, top the health issues experienced by family members, providing still further evidence of the gap between awareness and action.

Six segments were identified through the latest research. Three of these represent different sorts of ‘unhealthy’ people, while the other three are people who are -- in different ways – ‘healthy.’

Each segment is characterized by distinct perceptions, attitudes and behaviors that either hinder or enhance healthy living. For example, ‘Health Starters’ ─ of which the Philippines has the highest proportion (15 percent) in the region ─ perceive themselves to be in good health, acknowledge that effort is needed to maintain it, and regularly engage in one health-directed action such as exercising, meditating or eating healthily.

The research also shows

S

that Filipinos rank highest in the region for having a family history of chronic health issues, suggesting significant scope and opportunity for pioneering solutions that help break bad habits and form new, healthier ones. Peer modeling (seeing other people similar to oneself succeed in reaching health goals and learning from their experience) and making small, incremental changes, could be beneficial.

“We are equally committed to creating such immediate opportunities for everyone ─ employees, agents, clients, their families ─ to do just that alongside us at Sun Life,” said Mantaring. “Community sporting events we sponsor include the annual SunPiology Run, in which several Sun Life colleagues participated ─ to exemplify our vision of self-care and health-directed behavior as a new norm.”

MART Communications, a subsidiary of PLDT, through its enterprise business group SMART Enterprise, announced that it has partnered with BlackBerry to make available to customers here in the Philippines the BlackBerry Enterprise Portfolio.

This includes BES12, a multi-OS EMM solution by BlackBerry that helps manage and secure smartphones running Android, iOS, Windows Phone as well as BlackBerry 10 and the BlackBerry OS. In addition to reselling BES12, SMART Enterprise will also be offering BBM Meetings, BBM Protected and WatchDox by BlackBerry as part of a secured collaboration suite.

BES12 is the foundation for BlackBerry’s extensive portfolio of enterprise security, productivity, and communication and collaboration services that will help SMART Enterprise customers in the Philippines to securely connect employees with each other and with the corporate information and devices that are required to get their jobs done. SMART Enterprise customers can opt to deploy BES12 on premise using the company’s network or through BES12 Cloud, which uses a web-browser interface that does not require server installation.

The BlackBerry software and services SMART Enterprise offers customers include: • BBM Meetings, which provides users high quality audio and video conferencing capabilities that leverage the collaboration benefits and functionality that BlackBerry, is known for.

• BBM Protected, offering an enhanced security model for BBM messages sent between smartphones. BBM Protected brings regulated indus-

es on providing loan facilities to foster modernization and increased production in the country’s agricultural sector.

PRSB also provides financial services to workers and smallto-medium-sized enterprises in rural areas of the Philippines to promote inclusive growth.

PR Savings Bank is now the fourth largest independent savings bank in the Philippines in terms of total assets.

IBM will support PR Savings Bank in achieving its corporate development growth plan with a 3-year financing of computer equipment and

software. The solution will help PR Savings Bank to meet its long-term financial targets and will enable the bank to prioritize core revenue generating activities such as agribusiness loans, microfinancing, and salary loans.

The bank has embarked on an expansion effort by introducing more products and establishing more branches to provide greater financial access to countryside communities. IBM Global Financing will help PR Savings Bank to invest in its strategic initiatives and build the systems that will help

N

EW research from the Sun Life Asia Health Index 2015, which is now in its second year, shows a significant year-on-year increase of 18 percentage points in the proportion of people in the Philippines who say that being healthy is very important to them ─ up from 71 percent last year, to 89 percent.

Despite being the most optimistic in the region about their overall health however, Filipinos are also the most worried over largely preventable conditions such as heart disease (60 percent versus 41 percent regionally) and diabetes (40 percent versus 31 percent regionally).

Canvassing the views of over 4,000 people aged between 25 and 60 years across nine markets in Asia, the study shows that nearly all (97 percent) of the 700 respondents in the Philippines rank their personal health as an important aspect of their lives.

Nevertheless, nearly half (46 percent) fall into ‘unhealthy’ segments, which include those who struggle with lack of time (Generation O, comprising the single largest segment in the Philippines at 30 percent) or are too easily distracted or unmotivated (newly identified ‘Distracted’ segment, 13 percent) to take action toward a healthier lifestyle.

Both these segments are also least satisfied across all life aspects, including stress management, level of exercise and energy, quality of sleep, and level of happiness.

“What we are seeing is both a clear increase in the importance of health to people in the Philippines, an even great-

SMART Enterprise announces partnership with Blackberry

tries the most secure and reliable real-time mobile messaging experience in the industry.

• WatchDox by BlackBerry, which enables organizations securely to connect employees with each other and with corporate information across all mobile and desktop platforms.

WatchDox technology is unique because it allows security to travel with shared files on both mobile and desktop devices to give organizations full visibility and control over how files are edited, copied, printed or forwarded.

“We’ve seen how mobile devices have become indispensable tools not just for personal interactions, but also for professional communications,” said PLDT First Vice President and Head of SMART Enterprise Jovy Hernandez.

“Making the suite of BlackBerry enterprise solutions available to our customers, particularly those with mobile workforces, will mean we can help them increase their productivity through dependable, real-time access to sensitive data. More importantly, customer’s data remain protected, as BES12 leverages BlackBerry’s strength in delivering bestin-class security.”

Howard Stevens, SVP, Global Carriers at BlackBerry said, “Today’s business world thrives on bringing ideas together any place, any time and it is our priority to meet the complex mobility needs of our customers. We are excited to be partnering with SMART Communications, as customers in the Philippines can now benefit from solutions which streamline the operating environment and provide convenience and flexibility, while enhancing their productivity.”

PR Bank selects IBM for expansion I

BM Global Financing, the lending and leasing business segment of IBM, has announced that the Philippine Resources Savings Bank (PR Savings Bank), the country’s fourth largest independent thrift bank, will adopt its financing solution to fund the acquisition of core banking software and hardware infrastructure.

PR Savings Bank began as a rural bank on May 12, 1977 and was recently upgraded to a savings bank by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in August 2011. The bank focus-

EXPANSION. (From left) Jason Galang, PR Savings Bank Chief Finance Officer; Raju Daryani, Temenos Group AG Regional Director for Asia Pacific; Luis Pineda, IBM Philippines President and Country General Manager;

it attract customers, develop revenue-generating opportunities, and optimize operations.

“IBM has been delivering business value to banking clients in the Philippines for more than seven decades. We are excited and honored that IBM will support the funding strategy of one of the largest savings banks in the country. We are glad to add them in the portfolio of many global and local banks that we serve,” said Luis Pineda, President and Country General Manager, IBM Philippines.

FPR BANK, 10

Roberto P. Alingog, PR Savings Bank President and Chief Executive Officer; Mike S. Dionisio, Questronix President; and Sheryl dela Cruz, PR Savings Bank Branch Services Group Head.

12 CLASSIFIED

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EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 13

Tawi-tawi hosts 1st Int’l conference on Sama Badjao

T

HE Sama Studies Center of the Mindanao State University (MSU) in Tawi-tawi is hosting the 1st International Conference on the Sama Badjao (Sama Dilaut) at the university’s Marine Science Museum next month.

The theme of the December 1 to 3 conference is “Sea-bound and Cross-Borders: Maritime Commerce and Sea-faring Lifeways of the Sama Dilaut in Tawi-Tawi.”

The conference aims to strengthen research and encourage academic interest on the plight and situation of the Sama Dilaut “by highlighting their roles in the social and cultural development of the Sama society, their contributions to the dynamics of maritime and sea-based economy in Tawi-Tawi and the Philippine waters, and the impact and consequences of geopolitics in Southeast Asian region in these roles and contributions.”

It also intends to discuss development models, survey affirmative actions, and “evaluate empowerment programs and interventions for this most marginalized of Sama ethnic communities” and provide venue and spaces for the Sama Dilaut to “tell their nar-

ratives as well as for listening to alternative voices speaking as interlocutors for Sama Dilaut issues.”

The conference is envisioned to be a “convergence of scholars, social and natural scientists, as well as development strategists, government officials and cultural practitioners.”

At the international level, the conference hopes to “create spaces for dialogue between the foreign scholars and researchers with their local Sama Dilaut informants” with the aim of validating, reaffirming or, “if need be, rectifying, reconstructing and updating their findings as well as recommending areas for further engagements by future scholars.”

Legal and development experts from national agencies such as the Commission on Human Rights, the National Commission on Culture and the Arts, National Commission on Indigenous People, Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and the local governments in Tawi-tawi, by drawing from their experiences of direct engagement with indigenous people and those in the margins, “can provide a perspective to shed light on

aspects of politics and development that has impacted and has implications on the prospects of Sama Dilaut and alternatives available to them.”

According to the conference flyer, scholars and academics are given a whole day to present their discourses in three thematic panels: Cultural Politics, Negotiation and Accommodation, and Marginalization; Economic and Social Migration, Diasporization and Sama Dilaut Crossing Borders; and Development, Environment and Towards Building Safer Seas for the Sama Dilaut.

Faculty and staff researchers from the MSU-Tawi-tawi College of Technology and Oceanography (TCTO) will present their studies and reports on their engagements and actions with the Sama Dilaut, it said.

Conference fees, which are inclusive of kit, lunch and snacks are 100 US dollars for foreign participants, PhP1,500 for professionals and Php 750 for students.

Chancellor Lorenzo R. Reyes Chancellor, MSU-TCTO, is conference chair while Prof.

Abduljim J. Hassan Director of the Sama Studies Center is conference co-chair. (MindaNews)

14 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 8 ISSUE 160 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 10, 2015

ACCIDENTAL WINNERS

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

H

UMILITY is a mark of a true champion.

In a race that has spanned for 39 years, Milo National Marathon once again came out with something new for future champions-- new stories to tell and new lessons to learn.

Sunday’s race in Davao was just another of those virtue stories from a virtual deep well. Unfortunately, the bitter lesson was tasted by no less than the champion.

An overconfident reigning national winner Rafael Poliquit will have to take this lesson by heart. After promising to break the 1:10 barrier some 48 hours before the race and storming ahead of the pack early in a blinding pace on a not so familiar journey, the country’s best marathon runner banished unceremoniously from a race he was expected to rule handily. No, he wasn’t banished. He actually abandoned the race—a product of exhaustion apparently from underestimating the new course.

With Poliquit gone, last year’s Davao leg champion Sonny Wagdos saw a window of opportunity, grabbed it, and then coasted home a bewildered champion. Much like the turtle-beating-the-rabbit kindergarten story.

Wagdos, sidelined for three months with a foot injury that dashed his dream of representing the country in the Southeast Asian Games this year, repeated as Milo Marathon Davao City leg 21-K champion with a clocking of one hour 15 minutes and 25 seconds—a shade away from the 1:10 qualifying standard set by organizers but enough to earn him a ticket to the National Finals next month in Manila.

Wagdos took over from the fatigued Poliquit on the uphill section just after the halfway turnaround mark along with Michael Echalico, then found himself all by his lonesome five kilometers to the finish after the latter also started to fade away.

With no other challenge in sight, Wagdos made a mad dash to the finish using the downhill stretch along Buhangin Road and the relatively flat straightaway heading home to SM Lanang Premier.

“Na-shock ko na mihunong si Poliquit, so kami na nagdala ni Michael (Echal-

ico), pero siya pud nawala pag-abot sa Milan (Buhangin Intersection).

Pagkakita nako na nag-inusara na lang ko, ako na gibuhos tanan (I was shicked to find Poliquit

drop out of the race, so me and Michael took over the pace but he too was gone when we reached Milan.

When I saw that I was all alone, I gave it my all),” said a surprised Wagdos, who was not expecting to retain his title after the long layoff and the presence of Poliquit.

Poliquit, an enlisted Philippine Air Force personnel who was supposed to take Sunday’s race as his tune-up run for the finals, jumped off the starting gate like a man possessed. He took a huge lead over the trailing Wagdos and Echalico and set a burning pace to the halfway mark.

“Kusog kayo siya, dili gyud namo kaya apason. So nagpacing lang mi ug amoa. Wala na sa akong huna huna na mapildi siya (He was so fast and we could not keep up with him.

We decided to take our own pace. I never thought I could beat him),” Wagdos recounted to Edge Davao after the race.

Echalico finished second in 1:15:56 while Manny Marfil took third place in 1:19:34.

In the distaff side, Tagum

Sonny Wagdos wins race ‘abandoned’ by national champion Poliquit, Judelyn Miranda repeats despite lack of training

DEJA VU. Sonny Wagdos (left) and Judelyn Miranda (right) hold their trophies after repeating as champions in the 39th Milo National Marathon Davao Qualifying Race last Sunday at the SM Lanang Premier.

City’s Judelyn Miranda also repeated as champion at the ripe age of 30 years old. The muscle-bound Miranda, a civil security personnel with the Tagum City local government unit, clocked a fast time of 1:32:57 despite lack of preparations and the challenging new course.

“Kulang ko sa practice. Nag National Boy Scout Jamboree sa Tagum ug dili ko kahawa sa akong post mao nang kaduha ra gyud sa is aka semana akong ensayo (I did not practice enough because we we’re busy

with the National Boy Scout Jamboree in Tagum. I cannot leave my post so I had to make do with two times a week of practice),” Miranda said.

Her cousin Madelyn Carter finished second in 1:48:19 while Yuka Mashiyama finished third in 1:52:07.

The new course took the premier 21-K runners to energy-sapping uphill sections in Buhangin and the Philippines-Japan Friendship Highway which took the air out of most runners—the biggest victim proved to be Poliquit

himself.

Poliquit could not be tracked for interview after the race which drew some 8,500 runners.

Arlan Arbois took the 10-K men’s crown in 34 minutes and 38 seconds beating Agustin Ychon (34:32) and Michael Barrosa (36:30), Diana Memoracion won the women’s 10-K crown in 43:35 with Mae Barit (47:07) in second and Joylyn Quirante (49:06) in third.

Erwin Gubal won the 5-K men’s race in 16 minutes and 19 seconds besting Glen Pay-

ac (17:07) and Jomar Angga (17:22). Arlieny Onso won the women’s 5-K title in 21:05 besting Rosenelyn Depillo (21:25) and Jolly Mae Gabaisen (22:10).

Edgardo Memoracion emerged winner in the 3-K men’s in 11:23 with Erwin Iting (11:25) and Alexis Dagaang (11:27) in second and third, respectively. The women’s title went to Mary Depone who clocked 12:26 while Arlene Onso (12:56) and Rebecca De Gracia (13:38) finished second and third in that order.

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SPORTS 15

Multi-million offers await Alyssa S

UPER Liga teams are playing the waiting game and ready to offer millions, according to a source, as top prospect Alyssa Valdez plays out her final season in college volleyball.

“Alyssa will be playing her final year in the UAAP and it is no surprise that a lot of PSL teams are interested. It’s now up to her to pick which team will fit her style.

Sky is the limit,” a source told Spin. ph.

“The PSL is overflowing with young talents,” the source added.

“And should Valdez decide to join the league next year, it’s going to be a great development not only for the league and to the teams, but to her personal volleyball career as well. Everybody is looking forward to having her.”

As of posting time Valdez was unavailable for comment.

The PSL earlier announced that annual contracts are now being prepared for players instead of short-term deals, and the source noted there are teams willing to spend millions to sign

Valdez, who, outside of the college leagues, has played mostly in the amateur-commercial Shakey’s V-League.

At least three teams have expressed interest and are eager to see the two-time UAAP champion join the draft pool for next year, according to the source.

PSL president Tats Suzara said he is not surprised to hear that clubs are eyeing Valdez this early.

The league has a loaded schedule next year, starting with an Invitational Cup in February, All-Filipino Conference in June and the import-laden Grand Prix in October.

Also scheduled are beach volleyball tournaments as well as a possible hosting of the FIVB World Women’s Club Championship and the AVC Asian Women’s Club Championship.

“No surprise. I heard all teams are ready to beef up their respective rosters next year in preparation for year-round volleyball action. It’s now up to her to decide, but there are a lot of teams interested to acquire her,” said Suzara.

MOST SOUGHT AFTER. Alyssa Valdez of Ateneo is about to be deluged with multi-million peso offers to play in the Philippine Super Liga.

FAREWELL TRIP

Bryant’s career to end this season

L

AKERS coach Byron Scott asked Kobe Bryant recently how he wants to handle his minutes this season.

Bryant’s response was about next season — there might not be one.

Scott said on Sunday (Monday, Manila time) that was when Bryant first told him this could be his last season in the NBA. With the 37-year-old Bryant coming off Achilles, knee and shoulder injuries that cut short his last three seasons, Scott talked to him over the summer about how Bryant would be used, particularly when the Lakers played on back-to-back nights.

“We’ve talked about it a few

days ago. Talked about it again and his feeling was, ‘Coach, this might be my last year. So if possible I would like to try to play every game,’” Scott said.

Bryant hasn’t said if his 20th season will be his last. He told reporters Saturday that “if you asked me today, this would be my last year,” but that he was leaving it open. His comments on Sunday echoed that.

“My message has been consistent all the time. If I change my mind, I’ll come back and

play. If I don’t, I wo n’ t ,” Bryant said. “ I ’ v e been pretty consistent with that, so I don’t know how much, what else can I say?”

Bryant finished with 18 points Sunday in a 99-95 loss to the New York Knicks in what may have been his final appearance at Madison Square Garden, where

he scored his first NBA point in 1996 and set the opponent record with 61 points in 2009.

He is in the final year of his contract and is shooting just 32 percent while trying to regain his form after a calf injury during the preseason.

He shared a long embrace afterward with Carmelo Anthony, who said Bryant remains a tough opponent even while contemplating retirement.

“I wouldn’t count him out,” Anthony said. “But especially for young guys to be able to be in his presence, and knowing the mark that he left on this game, or that he’s leaving on this game, it’s a special moment.”

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