Edge Davao 8 Issue 186

VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

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A NEW EAGLE COMETH

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

A NEW EAGLE COMETH

By Henrylito D. Tacio

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MIDST the bad news you read in newspapers today, there is always good news. And the good news comes from the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), a nongovernment organization on the front lines of saving the endangered raptor since 1987.

Last week, the PEF announced that it has successfully hatched another eagle. The new chick, the 26th since the start of its breeding program in 1992, joins 33 other eagles at the conservation center where they live in massive cages.

“This (new chick) gives us hope that we can somehow supplement the Philippine eagle population,” Anna Mae Sumaya, PEF’s curator, was quoted as saying in a news report.

She added that the eaglet was the outcome of the natural pairing of male eagle named “MVP Eagle” and female bird called “Go Phoenix.”

“The monogamous eagles breed only once a year and each pair produces just one egg every mating season,” a news report said. According to Sumaya, the chick was the first fertile egg and also the first offspring of the pair since they became partners in 2013.

It took about 56 days to incu-

bate the egg before it hatched on December 7.

The PEF made history on January 15, 1992 when it hatched in captivity an eagle which was named later on as “Pag-asa” (the Tagalog term for “hope”). “Pag-asa connotes hope for the continued survival of the Philippine eagle, hope that it people get together for the cause of the Philippine eagles, it shall not be doomed to die,” Dennis Salvador, the foundation’s executive director.

Locally known as “haribon” (from the words, hari, which means “king” and ibon, “bird”), the Philippine eagle can be used as an indicator of a forest’s health since it is the largest predator in the country’s ecosystem.

A few years back, Salvador said: “When the last eagle dies, it shall be the sign of the worst yet to come: The death of our environment.” In another interview, he pointed out: “By saving it, you provide an umbrella of protection for all other species living in the same habitat.”

The Philippine eagle is second only to the Madagascar sea eagle in rarity. In size, it beats the American bald eagle; it is the world’s second biggest after the Harpy eagle of Central and South America.

“Our gift to the Filipino people and the rest of the world this Christmas.” -the Philippine Eagle Foundation said of the newly-hatched chick It was in 1896 when the bird of prey was first discovered by English naturalist John Whitehead in Samar. At first, it was called “monkey-eating eagle” because he thought it fed primarily on monkeys. So he gave it the scientific name, Pithecophaga jefferyi. The scientific name came from two Greek words: pitekos (“monkey”) and phagien (“to eat”).

Jefferyi was the discoverer’s tribute to his father, Jeffrey, who funded his expedition.

In 1978, the old name was dropped and given its present

name through Presidential Decree No. 1732 after it was learned that monkeys comprise an insignificant portion of the bird’s diet, which consists mostly of flying lemurs, civet cats, bats, rodents, and snakes.

In July 1995, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed Proclamation No. 615 naming the Philippine eagle as the country’s national bird. He said that the eagle is found only in the Philippines and as such should be a source of national pride.

General Charles Lindbergh, an American aviator, was the first person to spearhead a drive to save the bird from vanishing in this part of the world. He called the bird as “the air’s noblest flier.”

A majestic bird, the Philippine eagle stands a meter high, weighs anywhere from four to seven kilograms and has a grip three times the strength of the strongest man on earth, according to PEF. With a wing span of nearly seven feet and a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the Philippine eagle can gracefully swoop down on an unsuspecting prey and carry it off without breaking flight.

In the past, Philippine eagles were found abundantly in the forests of Mount Apo and other parts of Mindanao. They can also be seen flying over in the forests of Sierra Madre in Luzon and Samar and Leyte in the Visayas.

Today, Philippine eagles still inhabit in some of those places but their number has dwindled. “There are only about 600 monkey-eating eagles in the wild as their numbers have been slashed by hunting and loss of their nat-

ural habitat to development,” reported Agence France-Presse.

The Swiss-based International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has declared the Philippine eagle as “critically endangered.”

Human beings have been singled out as the primary culprit of the decimation of eagles in the wild. A person guilty of killing any critically endangered Philippine species can be imprisoned by up to 12 years and fined of up to one million pesos.

The biggest threat, however, still comes from denudation of the country’s forest cover. “In each territory, the eagles are faithful to their nests and they like to live in large and old growth trees,” Salvador said. “Unfortunately, based on deforestation data since the early 1900s, when nearly everything was green, now we are left with few old growth forests.”

Studies have shown that a pair of Philippine eagle needs at least 7,000 to 13,000 hectares of forest as a nesting territory. “If time will come that we have enough stocks, where shall we release them?” Salvador asked.

Are you listening?

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

Mar claim of peace, order ‘myth’ debunked

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) repudiated presidential candidate Mar Roxas’ claim that the peace and order in Davao City is just a “myth.”

In a statement posted at the Isumbong kay Cddcpo Facebook page, which is the DCPO’s social media hotline, the city police said the statistics Roxas gave did not show the true picture of the situation in the city.

The DCPO was reacting to a statement made by Roxas at a presidential forum at the Ateneo De Manila University in Quezon City last Friday that some 18,000 crime incidents were recorded in Davao City in 2014.

Roxas also said Davao City has the fourth the highest crime volume next only to Quezon City, Manila, and Zam-

boanga.

“So myth, kathang isip, imagination lang ‘yung payapa ang Davao City. Hindi ko sila dina-down, sinasabi ko lang kung ano ang istatistika (It’s a myth, a figment of the imagination that Davao City is peaceful.

I’m not putting them down, I’m just giving the statistics),” Roxas was quoted as saying during the forum.

The DCPO, however, said Roxas lumped together both index and non-index crimes.

It said the crime volume in the city reached a total of 18,119 in 2014 but only 36 percent of this, or 6,548, were index crimes or crimes against person or property such as theft, murder, physical injuries, homicide, rape, and robbery.

The DCPO said 64 percent

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Life jacket ordinance nears Council approval

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PERATORS of passenger boats going to and from the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) will soon require senior citizens, persons with disabilities (PWDs), and those below 18 years old to wear life jackets.

This after the City Council passed on second reading last week a resolution mandating all boat owners to require senior citizens, persons with disabilities, and minors below 18 years old to don life jackets.

The proposed ordinance is set to be discussed for third and final reading in the City Council’s regular session on Monday.

Based on the draft ordinance of the committee on social services headed by Councilor Victorio Advincula Jr., there is a need to implement the ordinance because these sectors are the most vulnerable since their abilities and

capabilities are limited.

The association of boat owners bound for Talikud Island in IGACOS represented

by Mario Reta opposed the proposal during the committee hearing last September 10, saying wearing life jackets on board causes discomfort to passengers.

Advincula, however, said the mandatory wearing of life jackets while riding boats is intended to safeguard the lives of passengers in case of maritime emergencies and accidents.

In his resolution, Advincula said the ordinance is in line with the national policy to enhance maritime safety stated in Flag State Advisory No. 021 and in response to the petition of the public that all ship operators and officials of motorized bancas shall require to wear or hold their life jackets at all times. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

SC asked not to lift TRO on ‘no bio, no boto’policy

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HE petitioners against the “No Bio, No Boto” policy of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Friday filed a manifestation before the Supreme Court (SC) seeking to counter the Comelec’s allegations with regard to the ramifications of the SC’s temporary restraining order (TRO) against the assailed policy.

In their eight-page supplemental manifestation, the petitioners, led by Kabataan Partylist Rep. Terry Ridon, cited Comelec Chair Andres Bautista’s recent statement wherein he warned that the TRO “materially impacts” the election preparations, and that the Comelec may even have to postpone the May 9, 2016 elections if it fails to meet its prepa-

ration targets.

“COMELEC’s technical predicament stems from the fact that the poll body excluded the estimated 2.5 million active voters without biometrics in the forward planning for the upcoming elections, despite the fact that these voters have already participated in past elections and are well in their right to participate in the next polls, if not for the assailed ‘No Bio, No Boto’ policy,” the petitioners argued.

“It implies that the respondent has in fact systematically planned to disenfranchise the said number of registered voters, even from the beginning of the election preparations,” they added.

The manifestation also

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DOUBLE VIOLATION. A police auxiliary personnel rides along San Pedro Street without a helmet on board a motorcycle with no license plate. Lean Daval Jr.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

Phl won’t resort to war vs China: Carpio

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE Philippines will remain diplomatic in case China decides not to honor the decision of the Permanent Court of Arbitration on the maritime dispute on

the West Philippine Sea which is set to come out in June next year.

“War is too expensive for the Philippines to choose,” Supreme Court Senior Associate

Justice Antonio Carpio said in his presentation during the South China Sea/West Philippine Sea Dispute at the Ateneo de Davao University last Friday.

Carpio said the Philippines lack the necessary war machinery and manpower to battle China.

He also said resorting to war would not provide solu-

READY FOR HANGING. A man stands in front of a Christmas greeting sign which is yet to be installed and still hanging outside the General Services Office (GSO) of Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

PWDs will soon enjoy VAT exemption T

HE final approval of a proposed law exempting persons with disabilities (PWDs) from the payment of 12-percent value added tax (VAT) on certain goods and services is nearing with the nomination of seven lawmakers to the bicameral conference committee.

The House of Representatives has chosen Marikina City Rep. Miro Quimbo, who chairs the House Committee on Ways and Means; Batangas Rep. Raneo Abu, Baguio City Rep. Nicasio Aliping, Nueva Ecija Rep. Estrellita, Kabataan Party-list Rep. Terry Ridon, An Waray Party-list Rep. Victoria Isabel Noel, and Abakada Party-list Rep. Jonathan dela Cruz as bicameral conferees to finally pass the PWD measure.

Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, the primary author of the measure, has strongly appealed to the House and Senate leaders to immediately approve the bicameral conference committee report as Congress is scheduled to adjourn next week for Christmas break.

“The Aquino government and Congress leaders can further show its care and compassion to PWDs by finally approving the bill upholding the rights and promoting the welfare of PWDs in the country,” said Romualdez, a senatorial candidate in next year’s polls.

“I appeal to the national government to consider my proposal so that we can extend additional genuine assistance to PWDs. This is very import-

Poe can appeal her case to Comelec en banc, SC

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TALWART of the Liberal Party on Friday said Senator Grace Poe is still a presidential candidate until after the Supreme Court decided on her case with finality.

This after another division of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) cancelled the certificate of candidacy (COC) of Poe, disqualifying her to run in the 2016 presidential race.

The First Division chaired

by Commissioner Christian Robert Lim voted 2-1, to cancel Poe’s COC for president. Commissioners Luie Tito Guia and Rowena Guanzon disqualified Poe. The Chairman of LP’s Political Affairs and Caloocan City Rep. Edgar Erice said Poe’s camp still has a chance to ap-

peal her disqualification to the Comelec en banc.

“If ever she failed to get the nod of the poll body, she can bring her case to the Supreme Court who is the final arbiter,” Erice said in the vernacular in a text message to the Philippines News Agency.

Recently, the Second Division of Comelec who voted 3-0 also disqualified Poe to run in the 2016 presidential elections.

Erice said the decision of the two poll divisions clearly says it is almost final that her appeal to Comelec is almost the same result since 5 of the 7 commissioners have expressed their belief that she is disqualified to run.

ant to help their plight,” he pointed out.

The veteran lawmaker aims to “amend Section 32 of Republic Act (RA) No. 7277, otherwise known as the Magna Carta for Persons with Disability,” as amended byR.A. No. 9442.

He said his proposal is an equalizing measure because this will accord PWDs exactly the same privilege enjoyed by senior citizens who are exempted from the VAT by virtue of R.A. 9994.

“This will help give justice to the disadvantaged sector, the PWD,” he stressed.

“Persons with disability effectively enjoy only PhP12 for every PhP100 worth of goods or service because the law does not exempt them

from VAT, which is imposed on the net value of the goods or service or 10 percent of the PhP80 after deducting PhP20, representing the 20 percent discount granted in R.A. 9442, for every PhP100 worth of goods or service purchased,” Romualdez explained.

He said the proposed VAT exemption shall apply on thefollowing: medical and dental services; purchase of medicines in all drugstores; public railways, skyways and bus fare; admission fees charged by theaters, cinema houses, concert halls, circuses, carnivals and other places of culture, leisure and amusement; and all services in hotels and similar lodging establishments, restaurants, and recreation centers. (PNA)

tion to the long-time maritime dispute which could lead to expropriation of Philippine’s 80 percent of its exclusive economic zone (EZZ) and 100 percent of its extended continental shelf by China through its nine-dash line national maritime boundary.

Carpio said the nine-dash line claim of China over the South China Sea would leave the Philippines with thinner maritime territory.

He said as China mass produces warships and aircraft to guard its claimed territory in the South China Sea, the Philippines will “ask the world community to encourage China to comply with the decision of the tribunal.”

China, as an economic superpower, “needs the world to survive,” he said. “When China refuse to follow the decision, we will go to the rest of the world to help us convince China to comply.”

“China has to export and import (goods and services) to survive. They cannot just ignore the world,” Carpio said.

He said for instance, China needs the approval of other countries with which it also has maritime disputes like Vietnam and Malaysia for its maritime sea route that will start in the South China Sea. Carpio said the South China Sea not only serves as

a maritime sea route but also as a source of livelihood and resources of surrounding nations that have jurisdiction over the water.

He said in the Philippines, the on-going reclamation for construction of military bases as prevented fishermen from catching fish in our own waters.

The power supply of the Luzon and Visayas grid is also threatened by the projects of China now that its military forces have occupied the Scarborough Shoal. China has also done reclamation in the Mischief both near Palawan where the Malampaya Power Plant is located.

Carpio said China is “bounded to comply with the decision of the tribunal and with the treaties of the convention (United Nations Convention of Law of the Seas)” or else it will be branded as an international outlaw.

The United States, he said, obeyed the decision of the international body despite being one of the most powerful countries in the world. In the 1980s, the International Court of Justice told the US to stop its paramilitary activities in Nicaragua.

While then-president Ronald Reagan was against the decision, the US Congress eventually complied with it.

Tropical storm‘Nona’enters PAR

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HE tropical depression outside the Philippine Area of Responsibilty (PAR) has intensified into tropical storm with international name “Melor” and has been renamed as “Nona” as it enters PAR on Saturday morning, according Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA).

In an interview, PAGASA weather forecaster Glaiza Escullar said “Nona” entered PAR at 4 a.m., the 14th tropical cyclone to affect the country this year.

Escullar explained the tropical storm should have been “Nonoy” but was later on changed to “Nona” due to its landfalling characteristics and in respect to President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III’s name.

She said that as of 4 a.m., the center of Tropical Storm “Nona” was estimated based on all available data at 1,110 km east of Maasin, Southern Leyte (10.2N, 135.0E) packed with maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80

FTROPICAL, 13

WHAT’S ON YOUR PLATE? National Nutrition Council (NNC) 11 coordinator Dr. Maria Theresa Ungson shows a “Pinggang Pinoy” (Filipino Plate) leaflet which

FPOE, 13 suggests proper menus for Filipino meals. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

Aquino cites Malanyaon, DavOr’s Pablo rehab

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RESIDENT Benigno Aquino cited Davao Oriental’s typhoon Pablo rehabilitation program let by Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon during the Open Forum at the Annual Bulong Pulongan held at Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on December 11, 2015.

During the forum, the President was asked about his thoughts on three things— the people power, the media and who Benigno Aquino is now.

Responding to the third question about who he is now, President Aquino said he has grown as a person because of some unimaginable challenges he had to face. “I tend to be a person who prepares for the worse but hopes for the best,” he said. Among these challenges, he said, was the Super typhoon Pablo that hit Davao Oriental on December 4, 2012.

“We go to Davao Oriental and as far as the eye can see there is no single coconut left standing. Everybody depends on coconut for their livelihood and the coconut needs five to seven years to grow. What do we actually do for this people for the next five to seven years?” he said.

“And lo and behold, Cora Malanyaon does not talk

about increase poverty in her province, she talks about rising inflation. There is so much cash awash in terms of the rebuilding that has been going on and the livelihood opportunities,” the President said, emphasizing his astonishment of the Provincial Government’s determination to rise from the ruins of ‘Pablo’ through the local government’s initiatives and the downpour of support coming from the national government.

Pablo (Bopha) that hit the province three years ago was the strongest typhoon and the first of its kind then that hit the country, as it happened before Super typhoon Haiyan or Yolanda. It hit Davao Oriental even before its people had fully enjoyed the fruits of several development initiatives.

Three years after Pablo, Davao Oriental’s massive rehabilitation efforts have gained significant headway through the “Davao Oriental’s Way Forward for 20132016” or the Building Back Better Program—a term now adopted by the national government in its rehabilitation efforts.

At the final year of her term, Governor Malanyaon still navigates her administration in line with Provincial Development Plan, but this time,

she puts premium on environment, eco-tourism and rural tourism.

The provincial government wants to fully maximize its resplendent landscape and seascape, making the province a new beehive of Eco-Tourism activities that boosted tourist arrivals from 17,000 in 2011

to 277,542 in 2014.

Her focus on such particular sectors was highlighted by the inscription of the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, adding international prestige to the province.

The provincial government initiates development

of eco-tourism sites and parks, setting the foundation for world-class development standards of tourism-related projects. These are the: Subangan Provincial Museum in Mati City, Pintatagan Welcome Park and Dalan sa Cruz Shrine at the provincial entrance in the municipality

of Banay-banay, Aliwagwag Falls Eco Park in Cateel, Cateel Riverview Park and Memorial Shrine, Baganga Sunrise Boulevard, Boston Pacific View Park, Mt. Hamiguitan Eco-Park in San Isidro, Pusan Point in Caraga, and Cape San Agustin Eco Park in Governor Generoso. PIO

File photo shows Governor Corazon Malanyaon visiting President Aquino in Malacañang in June 2014 after Mount Hamiguitan Range and Wildife Sanctuary in Davao Oriental was successfully inscribed as a World Heritage Site by the UNESCO. Photo Courtesy of the Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO)

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8 ECONOMY

VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

NEDA says Phl can meet 2015 GDP growth target

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OVERNMENT economic planners are confident that the Philippines can achieve its target of 6 to 7 percent gross domestic product (GDP) growth.

This means that the expected economic growth of 5.9 percent for the fourth quarter of the year should be achieved, said Rosemarie Edillon, National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) assistant director general for policy and planning.

Edillon said the growth will be fueled by government’s spending, the industry, business process outsourcing (BPO) and tourism sectors in September to December quarter.

She added that because of a stronger economy and a stable inflation rate, household

consumption will also contribute to faster economic growth during the period.

This year, the country posted a 5.7 percent unemployment rate, the lowest in a decade.

NEDA attributed this to employment generated by the industry sector, led by construction and manufacturing, and the services sector led by the trade sectors and tourism-related sectors.

In 2016, Edillon said construction and manufacturing will still play an important part for the country’s economic growth especially now that the government is ramping up its infrastructure spending.

“The IT-BPO will still be a growth engine,” she added.

“In fact, we are climbing up

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Consumer sentiment improves in Q4 2015

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XPECTATIONS of higher income due to increase of family members with jobs, 13th month pay, and stable prices among others resulted in the improvement of consumers’ outlook in the forth quarter of 2015.

Results of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) consumer expectation survey (CES) for the last quarter of the year showed a still negative overall index of -8 but it is better than the previous quarter’s -11.6 percent.

Other factors cited by the respondents as reasons for the improvement in their outlook are effective government policies, improvements in infrastructure and brisker business activity leading to higher household income.

The index for the next

quarter is broadly stable against the previous quarter at 5.7 percent.

In terms of selected economic indicators, the respondents expect inflation to remain steady in the next 12 months, the peso to depreciate to the dollar and unemployment to rise.

The nationwide survey was conducted from Oct. 1-12, 2015 and respondents were taken from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) Master Sample List of Households.

It has a sample size of 6,020 households and 2,904 or 48.2 percent came from the National Capital Region (NCR) while 3,116 households or 51.8 percent of the respondents came from areas outside NCR. (PNA)

PRICEY COFFEE. An exhibitor displays bottled civet coffee at the exhibit area of the Mindanao Trade Expo Christmas bazaar 2015 at the activity center of Abreeza Mall over the weekend. Civet coffee is one of the most expensive kinds of coffee in the world. Lean Daval Jr.

BIMP-EAGA sets vision for 2025

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

TATE ministers formulated the Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Malaysia, and Philippines (BIMP-EAGA) Vision 2025 during the recent 19th BIMP-EAGA Ministerial Meeting last Thursday at the Kota Kinabalu, Sabah, Malaysia in a bid to develop a “resilient, inclusive, sustainable, and economically competitive sub-regions.”

The 10-year development plan will serve as the successor document to the Implemen-

tation Blueprint 2012-2016 that will support and compliment the ASEAN 2025: Going Ahead Together roadmap, the state ministers said in the joint statement furnished by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA).

MinDA chair Luwalhati Antonino was the Philippines’ signing minister during the one-day ministerial meeting, held annually and attended by signing ministers from each of the four member nations.

This year’s high-level meeting, chaired by Senator Dato’ Sri Wahid Omar of Malaysia, served as one of BIMP-EAGA’s consultative platforms to set the future direction of sub-regional cooperation.

“We endorse the guiding framework for the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025 and call upon all BIMP-EAGA stakeholders especially the private sector and the local governments to take advantage of this opportunity to bring their views, inputs,

and projects that will generate economic growth and development in the sub-region,” the signing state ministers said in the statement.

The statement also said the senior officials are directed to finalize the development blueprint in time for the 12th BIMP-EAGA Summit that will be held in the Philippines next year.

The signing ministers from each nation also urged

FBIMP, 13

DCCCII elects Tan, Gaisano as new president, chairman B

NEW CHAMBER OFFICERS. Flanked by members of the election committee –outgoing president Antonio dela Cruz on the left and past president Robert “Boyet” Quinto on the right—the newly-elected officers of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. pose for posterity after they were elected last Saturday afternoon. Seated from left: VP for agribusiness Teresita

M. Pascual, president Bonifacio T. Tan, reelected chairman of the board John Y. Gaisano Jr. and VP for professional and service ventures Belinda L. Torres.

Standing from left: Luciano Frederick “Dicky” Puyod III, Sofronio M. Jucutan, lawyer Enrique M. O. Diola, Arturo M. Milan, Ronald C. Go, and Antonio M. Ajero. LUZ SUAN

ONIFACIO T. TAN, a rubber grower and exporter, was elected new president of the multi-awarded Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), during an election last Saturday administered by outgoing President Antonio dela Cruz and past president Robert Quinto as election committee.

Tan, whose company is Farma Rubber Industries, Inc., is a former chamber president.

John Y. Gaisano Jr. of JHG Trading Company who belongs to the famous Gaisano clan of topnotch retailers in the Visayas and Mindanao was reelected chairman of the board.

Other officers elected were Sofronio “BJ” M. Jucutan, another past president, of Standard Global Source, Inc., ex-

ecutive vice president; Luciano Frederick F. Puyod III of Philippine Green Farm Development Corp., vice president for trade and commerce; Ronaldo C. Go of Ecotrans Car Rentals, VP for industry; Teresita M. Pascual of Mahayag Country Farms, VP for agri-business; Belinda L. Torres of Jobs Ejobs Solutions Inc., VP for professional and service ventures; lawyer Enrique M.O. Diola of ACCRA Law Office, corporate secretary, and Alvin M. Pinpin of SGV & Co., corporate treasurer.

The trustees are: Arturo M. Milan of Davao Light and Power Co., Inc.; Antonio M. Ajero of Edge Davao and Zion Accuprint; Yvonne F. Cabada of CCTechnologies & Allied Services; architect Daniel T. Lim of FarEast Associates; engineer

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EDGEDAVAO

9 HEALTH Poison in your favorite peanuts I VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

By Henrylito D. Tacio

F you love peanut butter, boiled peanut (nilaga), or fried peanut (adobo), you better watch out. The favorite snack food you may be eating is loaded with fungal contaminant that could cause liver cancer.

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) tested some samples of peanut products made here and abroad and found they contained aflatoxin B1 beyond the acceptable limit.

As such, it warns the public from consuming peanut products.

“Aflatoxin (Aspergillus flavus) is also known as anti-nutritional or anti-nutrient toxin,” FDA explained in an advisory. “Aflatoxin binds proteins, vitamins, and minerals so that the body cannot absorb the nutrients. In children, aflatoxin can stunt growth and can lead to kwashiorkor, a debilitating disease of nutritional deficiency in children.

“If ingested over a prolonged period of time in large doses, the poison can also inhibit the immune system,” warned the advisory, which was signed by FDA Acting Director Kenneth Hartigan-Go. Actually, there are two main ways people are usually exposed to aflatoxins.

The first is when someone takes in a high amount of aflatoxins in a very short time. This can cause: liver damage, liver cancer, mental impairment, abdominal pain, vomiting, convulsions, edema, pulmonary edema, hemorrhaging, disruption of food digestion, absorption or metabolism, coma, and even death.

The other way people suffer aflatoxin poisoning is by taking in small amounts of aflatoxins at a

Peanuts for sale time, but over a long period. This might happen if a person’s diet has a small amount of aflatoxins, for example.

Peanuts, when not properly dried after harvesting, can grow molds that cause them to rot. FDA authorities note that as the molds feed on the grain, they leave behind their waste product known as mycotoxins. One indication that peanuts have grown aflatoxin is when it already tastes bitter, according to the FDA. The word “aflatoxin” was created around 1960 after the discovery that the source of turkey X disease was Aspergillus flavus toxins. According to medical science, aflatoxins are among

the most carcinogenic substances known.

At least 14 different types of aflatoxin are produced in nature. Aflatoxin B1 is considered the most toxic. Aflatoxin G1 and G2 are produced exclusively

by Aspergillus parasiticus.

While the presence of Aspergillus in food products does not always indicate harmful levels of aflatoxin are also present, it does imply a significant risk in consumption.

Aflatoxin M1 and M2 are metabolic products which are found in the urine and milk produced by animals which have been given feed with aflatoxins in it.

Aside from peanuts, other staple commodities regularly

Fried peanuts contaminated with aflatoxins include cassava, corn, cotton seed, millet, rice, sorghum, sunflower seeds, tree nuts, wheat, and a variety of spices intended for human or animal consumption.

When processed, aflatoxins get into the general food supply where they have b e e n found

Photo from the net

in both pet and human foods, as well as in feedstocks for agricultural animals (swine, goats, cattle, sheep, and chickens). In fact, aflatoxin transformation products are sometimes found in eggs, milk products and meat when animals are fed contaminated grains.

“In developed countries, commercial crops are routinely screened for aflatoxin using detection techniques that are performed in a laboratory setting,” the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes. “Food supplies that test over the regulatory limit are considered unsafe for human consumption and destroyed.”

But such is the case in developing countries like the Philippines. “In developing nations, many

people are exposed to aflatoxin through food grown at home,” CDC points out.

“Inadequate harvesting and storage techniques allow for the growth of aflatoxin-producing fungus and homegrown crops are not routinely tested for the presence of aflatoxin. As a result, an estimated 4.5 billion people living in developing countries may be chronically exposed to aflatoxin through their diet.”

Dr. Go urged consumers to be careful when buying peanut products sold in streets or sidewalks. “There is a possibility that the peanuts (adobo and nilaga) sold or offered for sale by ambulant and street vendors, who are under the purview of local government units, contain aflatoxin beyond the allowable limits,” he warned.

EDGEDAVAO

10 VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

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Show some class

NE distinctive of the internet in general and social media in particular is that it is a medium that allows participation from virtually anyone. It used to be that for a person to be heard by the populace, he or she would have to be a celebrity, politician, or someone who has the money to buy advertising space or air time. Letters to the editor would have democratized things, but they have always been a hit-or-miss thing, with newspapers typically choosing which ones to publish and which ones to throw away. With the internet, it has become easier to engage publications simply by posting comments on their websites.

Indeed, media outlets are being beaten in this game by social media where Facebook or Twitter posts can often become viral and seen by thousands and even millions of people without having to be published or aired in traditional media.

The problem with social media, however, is that it can also be a breeding ground for intolerance. With everyone free to engage each other, it is not uncommon for those with less than benevolent mindsets to take the low road and resort to bullying those who happen to believe in something else or support another cause.

This happened in the Philippines in the 2010 national election — the first polls in which social media were already common — and

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it is happening at an even greater magnitude as the 2016 election approaches.

And whether we like it or not, supporters of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte are fast gaining a reputation for being online bullies, and their attacks and tirades against those who support other candidates or who make the mistake of criticizing the mayor are doing the campaign serious harm. Several personalities have already fallen victim, including popular tour guide Carlos Celdran and celebrities Gab Concepcion and Ramon Bautista, and there is no telling if it will stop. The bullying can be as benign as simply calling people names or as vicious as actually threatening them with physical harm. This sort of behavior validates what many people accuse Duterte of being: a human rights violator who resorts to violence to accomplish his goals.

It’s not like it’s not possible to be civil. After all, from the same group of people come true innovators who have pioneered the use of “citizen ads” in promoting the presidential campaign of Duterte.

If this were harnessed, it would go a long way in convincing nonDabawenyos that Duterte is, in fact, a viable candidate who can go head-to-head with the other candidates in a civil discussion. In other words, show some class, people.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

AGAPITO JOAQUIN JR. Associate Editor

CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY Consultant

PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO CHENEEN R. CAPON MEGHANN STA. INES Reporters NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN Lifestyle FUNNY PEARL GAJUNERA LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. CHA MONFORTE ARLENE D. PASAJE Photography Correspondents Cartoons Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. Columnists: CARLOS MUNDA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO • B. EDCER C. SR., ESCUDERO • ATTY. EMILY ZEN CHUA •ANGELO GREGORIO G. DELIGERO BORBON • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO AGUSTIN • EMILY • JOHN CARLO TRIA • VIDA MIAEconomic S. VALVERDE • Economic “GICO” G.• DAYANGIRANG ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Analyst: ENRICO Analysts: “GICO” G.ENRICO DAYANGIRANG JONALLIER M. PEREZ

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OLIVIA D. VELASCO D.D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA OLIVIA D. VELASCO JOCELYN S. PANES SOLANI SOLANI MARATAS General Manager Finance Advertising Specialist General Manager Director of Sales Finance RICHARD C. EBONA Marketing Supervisor

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GENERAL SANTOS CITY OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING MARKETING OFFICE

LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager EDMUND D. RENDON Unit 6, SouthbankMarketing Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Specialist General Santos City Cagayan de Oro City Mobile: (Smart) 0909-424-7990 Tel: (088) 852-4894

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ANGELICA R. GARCIA | Marketing Manager 97-1 Bayanbayanan Ave., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 654-3509

VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

Green Banana Business Hotel

EDGEDAVAO S P E C I A L

SUPPLEMENT

Green Banana Hotel:

Elevating Davao’s Hotel Scene

By Bai Fauziah Fatima Sinsuat Ambolodto NESTLED in the middle of Davao City’s downtown area is a hospitality haven that aims to make your every stay a most memorable one. Yes, amidst the noise, there sits a hotel that will make you think twice before booking that ticket abroad or outside Davao.

Now, Davao has a convenient hotel that will lull you into slumber without going beyond your budget.

On its grand opening, Green Banana Hotel will let you in on a secret – that you can stay, enjoy, and fall in love with Davao minus the extravagant hotel fees.

Green Banana Business Hotel is the freshest hospitality find in Davao and the whole of Mindanao. Its five-storey building boasts of 33

fully furnished rooms perfect for a night or two in the city. Aside from its restaurant, it will have an al-fresco dining area to cater to passersby and walk-ins who want to sit back, relax, and nibble on something gastronomically delicious while being one with nature.

GREEN BANANA A4

...you’d feel at ease from the moment you step inside until you decide to leave.

Ms. Allexy A. Flores,marketing head Green Banana Business Hotel

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EDGEDAVAO

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EDGEDAVAO

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Green Banana Business Hotel

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GREEN BANANA A1 Its first floor will be home to Jingo’s, its in-house restaurant, bar, and cafe, and to 7 Eleven, the country’s biggest convenience store chain which will operate 24 hours a day.

On its second, third, and fourth floors are the rooms, while the fifth floor is where the function room, with mezzanine, will be located. Be it for business or pleasure, you’ll surely have a grand time here.

Invigorating, fresh, and budget-friendly – three powerful words from Green Banana’s Marketing Head Allexy Flores when asked to describe the hotel. According to her, Green Banana Business Hotel’s simplicity is what will pique your curiosity to step inside and book a room in an instant. “It’s very convenient, with close proximity to the malls, has great customer service, and it’s relaxi ng ,”

Now, Davao has a convenient hotel that will lull you into slumber without going beyond your budget

she adds. True enough, at Green Banana Hotel, you’d feel at ease from the moment you step inside until you decide to leave.

Today, as it formally opens its doors to the public, you’ll surely be amazed to find a hotel in the middle of one the busiest places in Davao. Despite the hustle and bustle of the city, there stands a green hotel ready to serve you any time of any day.

Green Banana Business Hotel is located in front of Pryce Tower, Pryce Business Park, J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City.

CONGRATULATIONS, Green Banana Business Hotel!

EDGEDAVAO

G

VANTAGE POINTS 11

Why the President needs to be a natural-born citizen

RACE Poe was recently disqualified from the presidential race because as a foundling, she failed to meet the natural-born standard of the citizenship requirement for presidential eligibility. This raised multiple discussions regarding the basis for citizenship, and nationalism, and even the current limitations of our democracy in choosing a leader that people believe deserves to be in the highest position of the executive branch.

But why exactly does the President of the Philippines need to be natural-born?

The Philippines was, for hundreds of years, occupied by colonial powers—largely by Spain and America. The revolution and the fight for freedom gave birth to an independent and democratic nation.

To make sure that the country would no longer suffer under colonial rule or any subsequent oppression from another country, the writers of our Constitution made sure that the highest executive position will be free from any foreign influence and will only be governed by leaders who have a strong sense of patriotism and understanding of our own country.

That is the reason all Presiden-

2

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1 LEADERS joined the APEC summit last week in Manila to discuss how regional cooperation can contribute to the well-being of the member countries and stay relevant. The APEC meeting was held only a few days before the ASEAN summit which paved the way for the ASEAN Economic Community, further integrating Southeast Asian nations.

APEC is not, however, designed to form legally-binding cooperation; APEC summits are meant to provide a forum for leaders to discuss issues of regional concern. The theme for this year, “Building Inclusive Economy, Building a Better World”, reflected the global situation. The economic wealth of the past decades, propelled by technological advances, has not been fairly disseminated. In the past decade, the top earners have captured a disproportionately large share of the total

tial can- MY MILLENNIAL MIND didates must be n a t u ral-born citizens, that is, citizens born to Filipino parent/s, Vanessa Kate Madrazo citizens having Filipino blood, instead of being naturalized whose citizenship in this country is based only on the number of years they’ve lived here.

It is the minimal standard that protects the country from any ambitious foreigner that could easily become naturalized citizens from being the Head of State of this country, and being the Commander-In-Chief of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, both of which belong to the presidency.

That provision is, of course, imperfect, because having Filipino blood is not an assurance for being patriotic, nor does having foreign blood automatically mean that the candidate can’t feel a strong sense of nationalism for the country. But the electorate, the people, can also be imperfect and have the capacity

to misjudge.

So in order to balance the imperfection of the governing institution, and the imperfection of the people, provisions were set up to drastically reduce the instances in which misjudgment can occur. That’s why we have an age requirement, to limit the selection to candidates who have had enough lived experience to have reliable moral judgments, and why we have a residency requirement to limit the selection to candidates who have lived in the country long enough to be engrossed in its culture, its strengths, and its problems.

This is how we can best balance the right of the people to choose their leader, and to have a safety net to ensure the capabilities of the people running for office.

But more than the responsibilities that the President has that come along with his job, s/he is also the face of the country, the symbol who represents the Filipinos to other nations, and the symbol to whom the citizens draw inspiration from.

This subjective aspect is the reason that, at all times, the President must be someone whom all Filipinos, regardless of ethnicity, religion, or class, can relate to, and with whom

they can share a common identity.

If you take as an example a European man as a Filipino president, no matter how patriotic he can be, he cannot represent the nation in a way that a Filipino by blood can.

It makes the independence of our nation questionable when it is governed by someone who represents the colonial oppression committed to our country in the past.

The case of Filipinos particularly matters because unlike most countries in the West, our democracy is still a baby and we are still struggling against a culture of colonial mentality and dependence on foreigners for protection and economic development. The leaders of our country are one of the few threads that still hold our national identity together, one of the few spaces that can still be protected from the corruption of influence that can damage the interest of our own people.

While we do envision a democracy that can freely choose its leaders based on individual merit, we are far too premature as a nation, far from being repaid for the destruction of social institutions caused by colonialism, to be lax on nationalistic provisions that protect our country from foreign influence.

income EUROPE BIZ in many markets economies, including the Philippines, at the expense of the ma- Henry J. Schumacher jority of people at the lower end of the earning scale.

To build sustainable and balanced economies, APEC will hopefully implement how countries can create an environment that allows to proportionately spread wealth to every member of society.

For instance, APEC guidelines should give more encouragement to small and medium enterprises, instead of letting the richest and best connected reap unfair benefit at

the expense of free competition (in the Philippines, it is high time that the Philippine Competition Commission is formed and starts working on and then implementing the IRR). The agricultural sector and environmental protection should be developed in parallel with the growth of industries to form a solid socio-economic foundation.

The timing of APEC this year provided an opportunity for countries to inquire about the prospective Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement (TPP), which includes many APEC members, and the planned Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), which will include ASEAN and its six free-trade partners – Australia, China, India, Japan, South Korean and New Zealand.

The APEC summit faced the challenge of staying relevant amid the legally-binding regional agree-

ments such as the ASEAN Economic Community, TPP and RCEP. APEC accommodated many working groups which function at senior official levels (and which have met in various parts of the Philippines during this year). Looking back, there are questions as to whether it is necessary to host an expensive annual gathering of prime ministers and presidents (crippling business in Metro Manila for at least a week) which does not produce concrete policies that legally bind the participating countries. But its loose cooperation format can be a plus as it may encourage leaders to show their political will and exchange views earnestly, covering the enhancement of economic integration, fostering SME participation in both the regional and global economy, investing in human capital development and building sustainable and resilient communities.

APEC and ASEAN

12 MOTORING EDGEDAVAO

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The art of keeping your car clean N

OTHING says that you care about your car than by keeping it in tip-top shape. And the most visible sign is to keep it clean.

Now, most people take good care of their skin by applying sunblock or moisturizer, but just how does one care of a car’s exterior? Seeking help on this matter, we consulted with the local distributors of Sonax, the premium German car care specialist to find out more about car pampering.

Car Washing 101 A car’s paint isn’t as simple as it looks. It’s actually composed of several layers that give it its unmistakable luster. Thus, proper car washing is the simplest and most

cost-effective way of keeping it protected. Washing even on a daily basis to remove built up dirt and grime is alright for any car, only if the correct product like a car shampoo is used. Unlike laundry soaps which tends to strip off the protective layers of paint or its clear coat, a proper car shampoo acts as softener and lubricant to remove the grime. With that, it makes removing most residues easily without causing water marks and the like.

Preparing a Home Wash The key to getting your car properly washed is preparation. According to Sonax, you can easily achieve the same level of cleanliness on

your car whether you use a hose or buckets. What’s more important is that you park your car in a shaded area before doing a wash. This is so that water won’t dry as quickly causing water spots. Next, always have all the required materials and tools ready.

Aside from a good car shampoo, always have a microfiber cloth or foam with you. Never use a rag or else you risk leaving scratches. Ditto if you use the same cloth (microfiber or otherwise) on multiple areas of a car. It’s a good idea to use one for the upper part (cleaner) and the lower portion (dirtier). Wipe in a circular motion in order to make sure every surface is applied with the appropriate cleaner and

to minimize unsightly gashes.

Waxing and Detailing Of course, after all that washing, the next step is to wax your car. This is actually very different to polishing.

Waxing is simply adding a layer of protection to your car whereas polishing is when you give the paint an extra sheen. Waxing every time you wash your car is fine, but it’s best to do it once a month.

Now, detailing is the thorough process of cleaning a car. Drilling down to exterior detailing in particular, this entails taking out scratches, polishing it, and finally giving it a coat of wax. And since you’re actually scraping off a bit of the top coat every time

you detail, twice a year detailing is the maximum.

Removing Nature’s Hazards The most typical paint hazard occurs when your car gets hit by tree sap, bird droppings, and the like. It’s important to actually remove them or else you risk damaging the top coat in the long run. Once you get home, douse it with car shampoo to soften it and just wipe it off.

For asphalt, this is tougher.

You need to use a clay bar and not kerosene to remove it. A clay bar is a mildly abrasive cleaning agent but won’t damage the clear coat. If you will need to use a clay bar, it’s best to actually apply a new

Online sales influx eyed by yearend

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NLINE car platform Carmudi has expressed its firm belief that the automotive sales done online would continue to flourish, following the rapid sales growth in the automotive sector as it approaches the end of the year.

Carmudi Philippines Managing Director Subir Lohani, said, “That the second-hand car market would also grow side-by-side with the influx of sales for the brand new ones, attributing it to the introduction of new features from various automotive manufacturers and importers.”

“2015 is being a good year to the automotive industry.

With the projection made by key executives in the industry, we believe that it would continue to rise. Following that thought, buyers and sellers of second hand vehicles can also expect an increase in number,” adds Lohani.

Lohani cited that based on the combined figures from the Chamber of Automotive Man-

ufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. and Trucks Manufacturers Association (CAMPI-TMA), November 2015 sales rose to 26,979 from 21,422 units tallied for the same month in 2014, reflecting a 25.9 percent increase.

He also learned that their year-to-date sales grew to 261,930 units for the first 11 months of the year, which is a 22.7 percent higher compared to the 213,427 units in the same period in 2014.

The promos and other offers of the car dealers, Lohani added, has given potential buyers more power to buy new models.

“That is just for CAMPI-TMA alone, what more if combined with the sales from the members of the (AVID) Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors, Inc. That means around or more than 310,000 new vehicles more will be added in a span of one year,” Lohani said.

“And if there are more

brand new vehicles, some of the pre-loved vehicles are likely to be given a new owner,” he said, as he urged all online sellers to keep their prices low yet competitive to keep the commerce flowing smoothly.

Meanwhile, CAMPI president Atty. Rommel Gutierrez of Toyota Motor Philippines was quoted as saying that that they are most likely to achieve their annual target. “With another impressive growth in November 2015, we are most likely to achieve our target of 310,000 units for the year”, Gutierrez said.

Moreover, Lohani advised the public to be wary of bogus

seller s as they are expecting high cases of fraud if the transaction is not done appropriately. “Fraud happens every day. But during the Christmas season where many are getting duped because of the bonus usually happens this time of the year,” he said.

coat of wax for protection.

For cars which tend to accumulate brake dust, you can use a quality car shampoo or a specialized brake cleaner to remove them. At this point, do not use anything with acid nor use brushes to remove accumulated brake dust.

Well, there you have it. It pays to keep your car’s exterior clean to make sure it lasts longer. Your car helps you live the life you live, so it’s good to pay that back by giving it some TLC. Always remember to use the right products for the purpose, the right tools and equipment, and be mindful of your technique.

Of course, when in doubt, you can always consult a professional.

Iloilo owner reports Montero ‘sudden acceleration’

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SUDDEN unintended acceleration (SUA) case involving a Mitsubishi Montero Sport was reported by a driver in Iloilo City on Monday evening (December 7) inside a house in Monte Rosa Subdivision in Hibao-an Sur Village, Mandurriao.

According to driver Gregorio Deloeste, he was about to park the 2012 automatic transmission Montero Sport owned by his nephew, when the SUV accelerated and plowed through the living room and dining area.

Deloeste claimed that he was in the garage when the vehicle mysteriously drove off at high speed, while he shifted the gear stick to neutral and applied the hand break even before the car “self-propelled.”

Also read: Montero Sport ‘victims’ share their stories; UK expert weighs in Deloeste said he decided to crash the vehicle into one of the house’s foundations to prevent it from running.

The impact caused part of the house’s ceiling to collapse. Several furniture and appliances were also destroyed.

No one was injured in the incident.

Laurence Kaizer Deloeste shared several pictures of the incident on his Facebook account. The family said they would file a complaint against Mitsubishi. (CNN Philippines)

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or 11,571 were non-index crimes, which refer to such crimes as possession of illegal drugs, illegal possession of firearms, and gambling, and the like.

“These are police-initiated operations that yielded positive results especially on anti-drugs and other special laws,” the DCPO said.

In a telephone interview with EDGE Davao on Saturday, DCPO spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz said the persons who handed the data to Roxas may not have explained clearly why the crime volume in the city reached that high.

“Wala nilla gi-specify, gi-generalize nila (They did not specify the crime rate, they just generalized it),” she said.

Driz explained that index crimes are crimes perpetrated by criminals while non-index crimes are the operations on special laws such as anti-illegal drugs, illegal possession of firearms, and anti-illegal gambling.

She said the non-index crime rate is high because the police in the city are working hard, resulting in a big number of solved crimes, apprehensions, and cases filed in the court.

“Kanang atong mga na-apprehend og mga na-solve na crime gina-tally man pud gud na siya didto’g apil (Those apprehensions and crimes

solved were also tallied in the crime rate),” she said.

Driz said the PNP central office should also explain to the people why the crime rates reach so high to avoid misconception.

“Dapat mag-base pud sila sa non-index og index crime rate (They should also base it on non-index and index crime rates),” she said.

She said DCPO director Senior Superintendent Vicente D. Danao Jr. emphasized that it is better to have a high non-index crime rate because it simply shows that the police are working hard to arrest violators of the law.

“The 11,571 in non-index crime rate is more on accomplishments in implementing the special laws,” Driz quoted Danao as saying.

The DCPO had earlier reported a decrease in crime rate in the city compared with last year’s statistics.

Based on DCPO records from January to September, there were 10,362 crimes this year compared with13,039 last year, a difference of 2,677 or a 20.5 percent decrease.

For index crimes, the city recorded 3,870 this year compared with 5,935 last year, a difference of 2,065 or a 34.8 percent decrease.

The city also a recorded a non-index crime rate of 6,492, lower than the 7,104 last year or an 8.6 percent decrease.

the so-called value chain. So although we ranked number one in voiced accounts, we are moving to the non-voice sector of BPO, such as animation, accounting processes, and medical transcriptions, which is higher in value.”

In terms of assisting this sectors, Edillon said the government is already working on the various stages of business processes to improve the “ease of doing business” in the country.

Government also ensures that the manpower needed by these sectors will be provided accordingly, she said.

“Let’s say, in the IT-BPO industry, they need a certain

set of skills in their field. So, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), in partnership with the Business Process Association of the Philippines (BPAP), provides six months of training to those who are interested to enter the BPO industry.

This program is ongoing and is expected to expand,” said Edillon.

Edillon was guest at the Kapihan sa Media ng Bayan on Friday. Kapihan airs live every Friday over Radyo ng Bayan DZRB 738 AM from 10am to 11am, and delayed telecast over PTV4 from 7 pm to 8pm, and IBC 13 from 10.30 to 11.30 pm. (PNA)

senior officials and clusters in consultation to identify the second generation of Priority Infrastructure Projects (PIPs) in the development blueprint “to further enhance connectivity and elevate the connectivity agenda beyond 2016.”

“We continue to recognize that improvement in connectivity is vital for the seamless movement of goods and people from the EAGA and for its integration to ASEAN and the rest of the world,” the ministers said.

Also taken up during the meeting was the current implementation of the first PIPs which involved the improvement of roads, seaports, and airports.

“We are pleased with the significant progress in the implementation of PIPs,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, the sub-region members are following the BIMP-EAGA Implementation Blueprint (IB) 2012-2016 as development plan for the BIMP-EAGA sub regions.

As the implementation of each country of the five-year development blueprint progress, the signing ministers said in the joint statement that senior officials and the sector clusters are tasked to expedite the work on the projects and implement them according to the timeline, including their integration to national policy, budget, and programs.

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NEWS 13

EDGEDAVAO

HOLIDAY BUSINESS. Food vendors enjoy brisk sales at the Rizal Park in Malaybalay City, which has been lighted up for the yuletide. MindaNews photo by H. Marcos C. Mordeno

Poe... FROM 4

Daang Matuwid spokesman Barry Gutierrez in a separate text message said Poe should respect the decision of the institution.

“There are still legal ways to appeal her case considering that this is not yet final,” Gutierrez said.

He added that she should not blame the poll body if the decision is not in her favor because there are laws to follow.

On the other hand, Erice urged Poe to stop accusing the Aquino administration of masterminding her disqualification, saying that the problem was created by her when she files her candidacy in 2013, The latest blunder of Poe was based on the petition filed by former Senator Francisco “Kit” Tatad, former UE Law Dean Amado Valdez, and De La Salle University Professor Antonio Contreras.

In its decision, the first division cited Poe’s claim that

she had been a resident of the Philippines for 6 years and 6 months, which means that Poe shall have been a resident for only 9 years and 6 months up to the election day on May 9, 2016.

The division added that Poe should not have been confused since the COC form clearly states that what is required to be stated is the period of residence up to the day of the polls.

“It is indeed incredible to think that Respondent, a well-educated woman and already then a public servant with full staff support, including a legal team, would not know how to correctly declare the facts material to her candidacy for the 13 May 2013 Elections,” it said.It also pointed out the “inconsistency” in statements of Poe who has said she has actually been a resident of the Philippines since May 2005. (PNA)

kph. It is forecast to move west northwest at 25 kph.

She said so far the tropical storm has no direct effect in the country. But starting Sunday night, it will affect the eastern side of Luzon and Visayas as it will raise a public storm warning signals (PSWS).

She also noted the tropical storm is expected to intensify into typhoon category.

With maintaining its speed and movement, tropical storm is expected to make a landfall in Bicol region by Tuesday night, said Escullar.

Meanwhile, Escullar said that Northeast Monsoon will affect Northern Luzon.

The northeast monsoon or “hanging amihan” is the cold wind from China and Siberia that blows into the country from late October until mid-February. It is usually associated with the Christmas season.

Escullar said fair weather is seen in most parts of the country on Saturday except for

isolated rainshowers.

For Saturday forecast, the presence of northeast monsoon will bring cloudy skies with light rains expected over the regions of Ilocos, Cordillera and Cagayan Valley, while partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated light rains will be experienced over Metro Manila and the rest of Luzon.

Partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms will prevail over the rest of the country.

In its advisory, PAGASA said moderate to strong winds blowing from the northeast will prevail over Northern Luzon and eastern section of Luzon and Visayas and the coastal waters along these areas will be moderate to rough.

Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate coming from the northeast to north with slight to moderate seas.

The state weather bureau said no gale warning has been issued as fisherfolks is safe to venture into the seas. (PNA)

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took a swipe against Comelec’s argument that the “No Bio, No Boto” policy aims at cleaning the voters list and weed out flying voters.

“By consistently raising alarm over ‘flying voters,’ is the COMELEC insinuating that there as much as 2.5 million illegal ‘flying voters’ in the country? Without actual data stratifying the identities and number of registered voters without biometric information, neither party can assert the exact reason why 2.5 million have failed to submit themselves to COMELEC again between May 2014 and October 2015,” the petitioners argued.

“Whether they are actually ‘flying voters,’ and whether the lapse has been on the part of COMELEC or of the voter, the certain fact is this: 2.5 million registered voters cannot vote at the next elections,” they added.

“More importantly, what COMELEC fails to explain in detail is that the whole point of biometric registration and validation will prove to be moot, as the backend technology that will enable the poll body to digitally verify and validate voters’ identities come Election Day will not be used,” the petitioners argued.

They noted that instead of providing an electronic Voter Verification System (VVS), Comelec Chair Bautista announced to the public in November that a hard copy of the voters’ list will still be used in the upcoming elections to verify the identities of voters.

Bautista has earlier said that the VVS, which will sup-

posedly check a voter’s biometrics such as fingerprints electronically on Election Day, is seen by Comelec as “a want rather than a need.”

“Without the VVS, there will be no means for teachers and poll employees manning the precincts on Election Day to actually use the biometrics information gathered by COMELEC... Given these circumstances, there is in fact no compelling need for COMELEC to continue insisting on implementing the ‘No Bio, No Boto’ policy,” the petitioners argued.

In their manifestation, they also said that the right of over 2.5 million voters set to be disenfranchised by the “No Bio, No Boto” policy trumps any argument on logistical concerns.

They cited the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, to which the Philippines is a signatory, which requires the country to respect the people’s right of suffrage without unreasonable restrictions.

“This Honorable Court is now entrusted with the power to provide the people relief from unreasonable burdens and the freedom to exercise their rights. Petitioners ask that this Court maintain and continue the temporary restraining order against the deactivation of voters without biometric information, for equal dignity and respect,” the petitioners added.

The SC is expected to hold a special en banc session on Dec. 16, 2015 to render a ruling on the “No Bio, No Boto” case. (PNA)

Wilfred T. Teves of Eagle Multipurpose Cooperative; and Annie E. Veloso of the Development Bank of the Philippines.

The chamber is supported by a formidable group of professionals and entrepreneurs

doing volunteer work in more than 20 committees and a professional management team (PMT) composed of young men and women headed by Maan Doromal, DCCCII executive director.

DCCCII... FROM 8

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15 CULTURE & ARTS

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 13 - 14, 2015

HISTORY OF DAVAO Iglesia’s influence-peddling circa 1965

By Antonio V. Figueroa

A

N internet revelation written by Antonio Ramirez Ebanghelista—obviously a nom de plume—in his 2015 blog turned inside out the homegrown sect Iglesia ni Cristo (INC).

Allegations of extravagance, abduction, factionalism, and kidnap squad reached in no time the attention of the press, and the disturbance created by the claims placed the leaders of the denomination on pins and needles.

In support of the beleaguered ministers, the INC members, starting on August 28, 2015, held an extended rally at EDSA Shrine in Quezon City. The rallyists, although non-violent, disrupted traffic. The speakers reminded the government of the separation of the State and the

Church. The INC wanted to underscore its clout at a time when the filing of certificates of candidacy was just months away.

But there were aspects to the protests that were glaring.

While the street blockade was going on at Edsa, some members of the sect held a vigil outside the INC’s headquarters, demanding the release from ‘detention’ of the mother and brother of the minister. The contrasting pictures put to doubt the vaunted unity of the sect, which is highlighted during elections through its bloc-voting scheme.

Influence-peddling Bloc-voting, described in some commentaries as an INC ‘electoral culture,’ is probably as old as the sect itself. In the

December 1965 ‘A Monthly Review of Facts, Trends, Forecasts,

by Manila Businessmen’ that appeared in the American Chamber of Commerce Journal, three entries talk about ‘influence peddling’ associated with the denomination.

On Nov. 4, Jose Erestain, leader of the Knights of Columbus, called on the Catholics to support the position of then President Diosdado Macapagal to remove the ‘sword of Damocles’ poised by the INK over the head of state officials. It’s unclear what the threat was about but5 given that 1965 was an election year, it could have meant the sect’s bloc-voting. (INC was originally known as the Iglesia ni Kristo, or INK.) Earlier, The Sentinel, a Manila Catholic organ, in its Oct. 27 issue, printed a front-page story quoting an unnamed Cebu cleric claiming Senate President Ferdinand E. Marcos promised Eraño Manalo, INK executive minister, a say in the appointment of the Secretary of Education in exchange for the sect’s support.

The President, however, refused to ‘kowtow’ to the group.

No single-party ‘bloc voting’ In the Nov. 5 entry, posted five days before the 1965 presidential elections, Manalo’s responses to a Manila Daily Bulletin questionnaire came out with surprising revelations.

For instance, the INK executive minister answered it was not Marcos who courted the sect’s poll support but Macapagal who even offered “concessions which we refused.” To strengthen this assertion, Manalo said he has “evidence [on the supposed bribery] which would be released if the situation warrants”.

Contrary to popular notion, there’s no such thing as single-party bloc voting o the sect. The INK head admitted his sect members voted together but not as a bloc given that the list endorsed by the Executive Minister and the Provincial Ministers who “come to a meeting of minds” included candidates from various parties.

Moreover, Manalo disclosed that the roster of candidates the sect was supporting in the Nov. 9, 1965 elections included Marcos for president, Sen. Gerardo Roxas for vice-president, and LP Senate candidates Sergio Jr. Osmeña, Estanislao Fernandez, Cesar Climaco, and Jovito Salonga, and Nacionalista Senate bets Genaro Magsaysay, Constancio

Castañeda, Wenceslao Lagumbay, and Alejandro Sr. D. Almendras.

Asked to comment on the Cuenco religious instruction bill, the executive minister also lambasted it doubtful constitutionality as it would give the Catholic Church, INC’s bitter rival, control of public education.

Before EDSA Before the INC launched its August 2015 EDSA protest rally, more than half a century earlier its members staged a strike in support of the 1961 amendment of Republic Act (RA) 3350, or the Magna Carta of Labor, which changed RA 875 (repealed by PD 442), a law that promoted industrial peace, by resigning from the labor union.

The amendment stated that nothing in the new law “shall preclude an employer from making an agreement with a labor organization to require as a condition of employment membership therein, if such labor organization is the representative of the employees… but such agreement shall not cover members of any religious sects which prohibit affiliation of their members in any such labor organization.” (Underscoring mine) But the court reversed this measure and declared the religious provision illegal.

In the Aug. 15, 1964 entry of the American Chamber of Commerce Journal, Judge Arsenio I. Martinez of the Court of Industrial Relations, ruled that R. A. 3350, excusing “members of any religious sect from joining labor unions on account of religious prohibition, as unconstitutional.”

As a forewarning, the magistrate gave “the 115 members of the Iglesia ni Kristo, laborers on the Hacienda Luisita, Tarlac, 10 days to reconsider their resignation from the hacienda workers’ union, authorizing the management to discharge them if they do not withdraw their resignation; he states the INK rule impairs the freedom of workers to form unions and the obligations arising from collective bargaining.”

How far will the touchy issue of separation of State and Church between the government and the INC will go, is anybody’s guess. As it is now, the INC is in deep trouble trying to fight the state in its determination to uphold the rule of law. On the side, doubts about sectarian unity in the INC, especially its bloc-voting clout, is in jeopardy.

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18 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. VOL.88ISSUE ISSUE186 186••SUNDAY-MONDAY, SUNDAY-MONDAY,DECEMBER DECEMBER13 13- -14, 14,2015 2015 DABAWENYO CHESSER. James Infiesto (right) in action during the men’s individual rapid chess event of the 8th AseanmPara Games.

SEVENTH PLACE FOR PH T HE Philippines hauled 16 gold, 17 silver, and 26 bronze medals to finish in seventh place overall at the end of the 8th Asean Para Games in Singapore.

The chess team collected six golds for the Philippines in the biennial meet for differently-abled athletes. Junnie Menandro led the way with four gold

medals, winning the men’s individual rapid B2/B3 and individual standard B2/B3 events then teaming up with Arman Subaste and Israel Peligro to take home the gold in the men’s team rapid B2/B3, and men’s team standard B2/B3 competitions.

Sander Severino also claimed gold in the men’s individual rapid P1 chess and the

men’s team rapid P1 with Henry Lopez and James Esto.

Athletics claimed five gold medals behind Jerrold Pete Mangliwan and Prudencio Panaligan, who ruled two sprint events each in the 100m T52 and 200m T52, and Joel Balatucan who topped the men’s shotput F53/54/55.

Ernie Gawilan scooped two

golds in swimming in the 200m individual medley SM8 and 400m freestyle S8 in record time while Gary Begino also claimed the team’s third mint at the pool in the men’s 400m freestyle S7.

Adeline Dumapong-Ancheta ruled the women’s +86kg category in powerlifting while Josephine Medina topped the women’s singles class 7-8 in ta-

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ble tennis.

Thailand took the overall crown with a 95-76-79 goldsilver-bronze medal tally while Indonesia finished second with 81-74-63. Malaysia (52-58-37), Vietnam (48-58-50), Singapore (24-17-22), and Myanmar (1617-29) all finished ahead of the Philippines.

Brunei (3-3-6), Cambodia

(1-2-6), and Laos (0-2-3) round out the rankings in the weeklong event held from December 3 to 9.

There were also silvers and bronzes for the Philippine team in athletics, chess, sailing, swimming, table tennis, and tenpin bowling. The wheelchair basketball squad also came home with two bronzes.

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EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS 19 CAGERS ON WHEELS. Players in their Team Philippines kit, battle Vietnam in the ongoing event of the 8th Asean Para Games.

Spurs hand Rockets their 5th straight loss L

HARD DRIVE. A player from Thailand drives inside the paint. Team Philippines defeated Thailand in the ongoing event of the 8th Asean Para Games.

Donaire is champ again N

ONITO Donaire survived a game Cesar Juarez via unanimous decision to regain the World Boxing Organization (WBO) super-bantamweight title on Saturday (Manila time) in San Juan Puerto Rico.

The 33-year-old Filipino scored two knockdowns early in the 12-round fight, but found himself in trouble the

B

last few rounds behind the relentless pressure put on by the Mexican.

Donaire though, managed to hang on and scored a unanimous decision in winning his fifth world title.

Judges scored it 116-110, 116-110, and 117-109.

The ‘Filipino Flash’ improved his record to 36-3, with 23 KOS as he got back a

piece of the 122-lbs title belt which he lost to Cuba Guillermo Rigondeaux in 2013.

Rigondeaux was stripped of the crown last month for inactivity.

Juarez is now 17-4 (13 KOs), but made a brawl ouf the potential Fight of the Year by coming back from two knockdowns he suffered in the fourth round.

no fighter scored a technical knockout victory over Li Wei Bin after his Chinese opponent refused to get get out of his stool at the start of the third and final round following a beating from Toquero in the previous round.

Vera and Toquero thus atoned for losses of countrymen Ana Julaton, Mark Striegl, and Ruel Catalan.

Julaton lost to Russian Irina Mazepa via unanimous decision after the Pinay former boxing champion tried to take the fight to the ground and proved unsuccessful.

Striegl failed to sustain his early gains as he tapped out of rear-naked choke by Australian Reece Mcalren late in the last round after dominating the fight early with takedowns.

Catalan, for his part, likewise lost via submission to Brazilian Alex Silva late in the

first round of their flyweight fight.

That left Vera to be saving grace, and he didn’t disappoint as the former UFC contender sent Cheng to the canvass quicker than it took him to enter the ring with Diddy’s “Coming Home” on the background.

Vera, though, admitted it wasn’t an easy transition preparing for Cheng, who replaced Chi Lewis-Parry three nights before the fight.

“Mahirap,” he said. “I’ve been preparing for twelve to sixteen weeks then the camp changes overnight. I didn’t sleep that night (of the announcement of change). I stayed up the whole evening. I fell asleep with my iPad on the face, hitting myself watching Paul Cheng’s videos.

“It was a big deal and nerve-wracking,” Vera added as he never underestimated

OS Angeles Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant has always loved competition, and the San Antonio Spurs have always been among his fiercest.

Bryant said he will miss his “home away from home.”

LaMarcus Aldridge had 24 points, Kawhi Leonard had 16 points and they each had 11 rebounds to lift the San Antonio Spurs over Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers 109-87 on Friday night (Saturday, Manila time).

A lack of depth and experience proved too much for the young Lakers to overcome but not before they gave the Spurs a few scares.

Rookie D’Angelo Russell had a career-high 24 points and added six assists and six rebounds for Los Angeles. Bryant had 12 points on 5-for-12 shooting in 29 minutes.

“They force us to be our absolute best whenever we’ve played against them,” Bryant said. “We are constantly thinking about them throughout the course of the year and always

looking at what they’re doing and how they’re playing. We’ve had some epic battles.”

As time expired, Bryant ran over to give San Antonio coach Gregg Popovich a long hug, and the longtime competitors spoke for a couple of minutes. Bryant tapped his chest and pointed to the crowd, acknowledging the cheers and chants of “Kobe” as he walked off the court.

Bryant announced Nov. 29 that he is retiring at the close of the season. He’s helped beat the Spurs in the postseason four times, including the 2001 and 2008 Western Conference Finals.

Despite his success in San Antonio, Bryant is extremely popular in the city and a large contingent of fans came to see what could be his penultimate appearance at the AT&T Center.

There were huge ovations on every Lakers’ basket and even “air ball” chants when Leonard badly missed his first 3-point attempt.

“It felt good to see all those jerseys in the crowd,” Bryant

said. “That’s very rare to have that here in San Antonio.”

The crowd cheered wildly when Bryant made his first four attempts, scoring nine points on 4-for-5 shooting in the first quarter. He made only one more field goal while being closely guarded by Leonard, the reigning Defensive Player of the Year, and athletic 6-foot-6 rookie Jonathon Simmons.

“I’m always out there competing and want to play hard and play good against him,” Leonard said.

The Spurs and their fans were silent for much of the first quarter until the second unit energized both, as they have all season.

Aldridge fed a cutting Manu Ginobili for a reverse layup, and Ginobili returned the favor on the following possession, lobbing the ball into Aldridge for a layup. The Spurs outscored the Lakers 14-2 to close the first quarter, capped by consecutive 3-pointers from Patty Mills.

Mills finished with 22 points, including three 3-pointers.

Cheng, who sent his last foe, Mahmoud Hassan into retirement after getting knocked out.

It was a double celebration for siblings Angela and Chris-

tian Lee as the won their respective fights, with the female forcing Lena Tkhorevska with a rear-naked choke, and his younger brother knocking out David Meak in another quick

victory, just three seconds slower than Vera’s win.

Bruno Pucci also forced Anthony Engelen to submit with rear-naked choke in featherweight bout.

Vera is first ONE heavyweight champion

RANDON Vera wasted little time in atoning for the losses of his compatriots as he knocked out Paul Cheng right in the first round to become the first ONE heavyweight champion in Spirit of Champions on Friday night.

The Filipino-American MMA star connected on a left hook and a left kick to the face the floored his Taiwanese foe, a last-minute replacement, with only 26 seconds gone by in the opening round for the quickest win of the night to the delight of the Mall of Asia Arena crowd.

“Itong title na ‘to, hindi lang sa kin, pero para sa inyong lahat,” Vera said. “Maligayang Pasko.”

Vera was one of only two Filipino fighters who emerged victorious, the other being Eugene Toquero. The Cebua-

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 186 VOL. • SUNDAY-MONDAY, 8 ISSUE 184 • FRIDAY, DECEMBER DECEMBER 13 - 14, 11, 2015

REMINDER TO THE SHAREHOLDERS OF DAVAO DOCTORS HOSPITAL (CLINICA HILARIO), INC. In relation to the Tender Offer made by Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings, Inc. to acquire shares of Davao Doctors Hospital, Inc., this is a reminder to the shareholders that the last day to submit applications is on December 19, 2015 (Saturday).

The accomplished Application Form together with the stock certificates and other requirements shall be submitted to the Tender Offer Agent at the following address: Atty. Dominador Maphilindo O. Carrillo SyCip Salazar Hernandez and Gatmaitan Law Offices The Penthouse, 17/F, Landco Corporate Centre J.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City 8000 Telephone No. : (6382) 221-3917 Email : dmocarrillo@syciplaw.com For inquiries or clarifications, you may contact the Tender Offer Agent.