Edge Davao 8 Issue 24

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

HALA BIRA! Delegates from Western Visayas Region wear colorful masks and costumes depicting the “Ati Atihan Festival” during the traditional parade of athletes in the opening of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City on Monday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

BAN ON MINING 9 councilors approve ordinance, 2 vote no, while 5 abstain INSIDE EDGE

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Council has finally passed the proposed ordinance to prohibit mining operation in the city.

Item 619 titled An Ordinance Closing Off the City of Davao to Mining Operations was approved on third and final reading yesterday. The item went into nominal voting in which nine councilors voted in favor of the passage while

two others voted no and five abstained. One councilor went out during the voting.

Councilors who voted yes were Leonardo Avila, who is the proponent, Bernard Al-ag, April Marie Dayap, Antoinette Principe-Castordes, Joanne Bonguyan, Danilo Dayanghirang, Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Mary Joselle Villafuerte, and Leah Librado-Yap. Councilor Bonifacio E.

Militar opposed the ordinance due to the existence of Republic Act No. 7942, or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995, which regulates mining operation in the country.

“What is the purpose of passing this ordinance when there is a national law that governs the protection of the environment and all the natural resources of the country?”

Militar said.

Councilor Jimmy Dureza also voted no. Councilors Nilo Abellera Jr., Victorio Advincula Jr., Al Ryan Alejandre, Marissa Salvador-Abella and Rachel Zozobrado-Nagayo abstained from voting, while Councilor Diosdado Mahipus went out of the session hall during the voting.

Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte and Councilors Maria Belen

FBAN, 10

GOLD STILL ELUSIVE FOR DAVAO REGION Sports P16

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

PALARO OPENING. Governor Rodolfo del Rosario (second from left) of Davao del Norte, Governor Joey Salceda (leftmost) of Albay, Governor Hermogenes Ebdane (third from left) of Zambales, Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas (third from right), Department of Education (DepEd) Secretary Armin Luistro

2 PCG men, 2 others seized in Zambo Norte, Tawi-Tawi

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BARANGAY official, two Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) personnel, and a mining firm executive were separately abducted by gunmen in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte and Tawi-Tawi, officials disclosed.

The victims were identified as Roberto Bulagao, Seaman First Class (SN1) Rod Pagaling, SN2 Gringo Villaruz, and Nonong Garcia.

Bulagao and the two PCG personnel were seized by six gunmen clad in fatigue uniforms around 1:45 a.m.

Monday in Aliguay, an island barangay in Dapitan City, Zam-

boanga del Norte, according to Dapitan police chief Supt.

Divin Ceriales.

Bulagao is the barangay chairman of Aliguay while Pagaling and Villaruz were temporarily detailed in the island to monitor the arrival and departure of motorized bancas ferrying tourists.

Aliguar is one of the tourist destinations in Dapitan.

Ceriales said the gunmen forced the victims to board one of the two motorized bancas that sped towards the direction of Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte.

IDNAPPERS have released unharmed the four businessmen from this city who were seized in Maguindanao province on March 29 after the payment of an undisclosed ransom.

Raulito Suyom Sr., father of kidnap victim architect Raulito Jr., said Tuesday his son and business partners Jayson Cababayao, Francis Wong Sepulvida and Rho Steven Bochurno were freed by their captors “somewhere in Maguindanao” last April 28.

He said the release, which was initially kept under wraps due to security

reasons, came following a series of negotiations with the kidnappers that eventually led to the ransom payment.

“I will not deny that ransom was paid for their release. But it was just a minimal amount,” he said in a radio interview.

Suyom said the four victims were released at around 4 a.m. on April 28 and were abandoned at a portion of the Cotabato-Isulan highway.

He said they then boarded a van bound for this city and were reunited with their families several hours later.

“They were mainly in

F2 PCG, 10

Kidnappers free 4 GenSan traders K

FKIDNAPPERS, 10

(second from right), and Rep. Anthony del Rosario of the 1st District of Davao del Norte wave to the delegates of the 2015 Palarong Pambansa during the opening at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex in Tagum City on Monday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

Al-ag urges DILG to buy fire trucks

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

D

AVAO City Councilor Bernard Al-ag urged the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to provide additional fire trucks to the city.

In a privilege speech in yesterday’s regular City Council session, Alag said fire trucks in better working condition are necessary to protect the lives and property of

the people against fire.

“We need to recompense people for what they have been paying.

We can do this by giving them better services such as protecting their lives and properties,” he said.

Al-ag said the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) has only 17 fire trucks for the whole city while the City Fire Auxiliary Services of Central 911

has four serviceable fire trucks.

“Not only that, most of these trucks under BFP are old. In fact the BFP’s two oldest fire trucks were acquired in 1961. It is unfortunate to note that until now we still use those two oldest fire trucks. The newest fire truck of BFP was acquired in 2013,” he said.

He said the 21 fire

trucks are no longer effective in serving the whole city due to the increasing population.

Al-ag said every time there is a fire, the people most rely on BFP and Central 911 since most of the homes have no fire safety equipment.

“It is alarming that usually fire occurs in people’s homes that have no fire safety equipment,” he said.

to the athletes.

“We have situations of bullying in the past and the DepEd will not tolerate it,” ASec. Umali said during the Press Briefing of the Palarong Pambansa 2015 earlier this morning at the Media Lounge, Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex.

Umali said that the de-

partment has the power to discipline the athlete and its staff, including those under private schools.

“In case of parents, we will go through due process,” he said.

Umali said that they will look into the report of bullying by a parent to an athlete in the field of tennis.

“Palaro has become a family bonding strengthening the parent-child bond. But sometimes, parents overreact,” he said.

He said that there was no doubt that there was a misdemeanour conducted and that the department will not accept such behaviour. (PIA11, Michael Uy)

Palaro Pambansa forbids bullying A

S report of bullying looms the start of the games of the Palarong Pambansa 2015, Department of Education (DepEd) Assistant Secretary for Legal and Legislative Affairs Tonisito Umali said that the department prohibited physical and verbal abuses caused by anyone including parents

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3

Peace Council believes BBL ‘overwhelmingly acceptable’

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XCEPT for some minor refinements and clarifications, the Citizen Peace Council has found the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) “overwhelmingly acceptable”.

“The BBL is overwhelming acceptable and deserves the support of all the Filipinos,” said Ateneo de Davao University president Rev. Fr. Joel Tabora on Tuesday at the resumption of the Senate hearing on the BBL. Tabora represented Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, one of the five members of the Peace Council formed by President Benigno Aquino III almost a month ago to take a closer look at the draft BBL. Before the hearing, the Citizen Peace Council submitted to the Senate its full report on the BBL where it recommended some minor refinements and sought clarifications on some provisions of the proposed law.

The council members led by former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr. handed to Senate President Franklin Drilon and Senate committee on local government chairman Sen. Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. a one-inch thick report at the Office of the Senate President.

Davide, who served as Supreme Court (SC) Chief Justice from 1998 to 2005, was accompanied by former Ambassador Howard Dee, former education Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, and peace advocate Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman.

“We are so happy that we have been given the chance to

submit this report to the Senate. We can assure you, that we tried our very best to achieve some very constructive recommendations to ensure that the BBL will be able really promote justice, peace, not only in Mindanao, but also in the entire Philippines,” Davide told the media after the submission of the Peace Council report.

For his part, Drilon said: “I hope that the report of the Peace Council can clarify many of the doubts that will be raised based on a matter of principle, matters of law, in the course of the hearings conducted by Senator Bongbong Marcos.”

Marcos expressed optimism that the Peace Council report would “certainly clarifies certain matters.”

“This would help to assess the law, making it less and less likely necessary for us to think about the speeding up of the process,” Marcos said.

During the BBL hearing, Davide identified some major contentious issues and came out with the major findings made by the council.

The council concluded that the BBL does not make the Bangsamoro government a state.

“The provisions on people, territory and self-determination do not imply the creation of a separate state but are consistent with the constitutionally mandated creation of autonomous region,” the council stated in its nine-page summary report.

However, the peace council recommended to delete the

FPEACE, 10

CUTTING THROUGH. Workers cut through the pavement along Roxas Avenue in Davao City ahead of another road rehabilitation project in the area. Lean Daval Jr.

Health first, says DavNor official P

ROVINCIAL officials and the Department of Education assured that the health needs of athletes participating in the Palarong Pambansa are attended thoroughly following the heavy rains that cut short the opening ceremony Monday.

Giovanni Gulanes, sports coordinator of Davao del Norte said they are monitoring the impact of the sudden weather change to the health of the athletes.

He said that a medical team is assigned in every billeting and sports venue to ensure that athletes are attended accordingly once they experience injuries in the course of the game or while practicing their respective events.

“We are monitoring the situation,” Gulanes said.

Assistant Secretary Tonisito Umali, of the Department of Education revealed that the medical teams have

been receiving complaints ranging from abdominal pains, abrasion, allergies, chicken pox, cough, colds, dizziness, fever, headache, hyperacidity, joint paint, muscle pain, nose bleed, skin allergies, toothache, bruises, asthma, prickly heat, and sprain.

He said that all these complaints are being attended accordingly.

“No major injuries like fractures so fair,” Umali said.

Dr. Agapito Hornido,

provincial health officer of Davao del Norte and head of the medical committee said players, coaches and the delegations who are sick are attended accordingly.

He confirmed that the sudden change in the weather impacts to health consequently leading to cough and colds.

He said there are sprain cases but ruled out major injuries. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

EDGEDAVAO

4 SUBURBIA

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Gov cites DavOr’s best diving spot D

ETERMINED to make Davao Oriental a premier eco-tourism destination, Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon cited one of the province’s best diving sites as another potential area for development of infrastructure that would open doors to opportunities in tourism and investments.

She was referring to the Tagabebe Diving Spot, locally known as ‘The Wall’ in the town of Governor Generoso, which seasoned divers who have visited the area consider one of the greatest diving sites in the world.

With gently sloping reefs and vertical wall peaking at 200 feet deep, this diving site has a vast stretch of sea grass fields and corals that provide protected niche for a variety of marine life.

During the celebration of the 22nd Founding Anniversary of Brgy. Tagabebe, Governor Generoso town last April 28, Malanyaon urged residents to help protect and conserve the seas and marine resources here and to become vigilant against those who abuse and exploit marine life, emphasizing pro-

tection and conservation as ‘everybody’s responsibility’.

She told them to become responsible stewards of this gift as they share it with the country and the rest of the world.

The governor also encouraged the residents to support the provincial government’s programs that strongly push for developments, particularly in tourism.

“Making all these developments thriving and booming depends entirely on you,” she told the people of Tagabebe, saying the government is here to build developments but sustaining it lies in the hands of the people.

She cited all the development programs of the provincial government, particularly the successful inscription of the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary to the UNESCO World Heritage Site List.

She told residents to take advantage of the opportunities that all these developments would bring, especially now that the Provincial Government is launching Davao Oriental as a premier

tourist site in the country.

She cited tourist destinations in Davao Oriental that has been gaining rapid popularity which include the Sunrise Boulevard in Baganga, Aliwagwag Eco Park and Riverview Park in Cateel, Pintatagan Welcome Park in Banaybanay, and Subangan Museum in the City of Mati.

Meanwhile, nearing completion are the Mt. Hamiguitan Eco-Park in San Isidro, Pusan Point in Caraga, and Tourism Site in Boston.

More projects are also underway as the Provincial Government is fast tracking the completion of the implementation of its tourism development plan for the whole province. Still in the pipeline are the developments in the towns of Governor Generoso, Lupon, and Manay.

Barangay Captain Basser Musa encouraged his constituents in the village of Tagabebe to step-up and be part of the development here. “We need your help. Our village is small but if there is unity it’s not impossible to do great things. Together, let’s help make our barangay better,” he said. KLD

Duaw kay Apo clean-up unloads 500 kilos of garbage from Mt. Apo

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OME 500 kilograms of garbage from the peak of Mt. Apo were unloaded during the four-day Duaw kay Apo Clean Up and Climb.

The Local Government Unit of Sta. Cruz was spearheaded the clean up drive as part of the activities during the celebration of Pista sa Kinaiyahan 2015 held on April 23-26, 2015.

The volunteers used the Sibulan Trail as their entry point during the clean up drive passing sitio Colan,

Tumpis, Tinikaran Campsites and the boulders area.

The bulk of garbage was mostly coming from the summit of Mt. Apo, a convergence point of climbers from six different trails.

Two groups were tapped as volunteers during the clean up drive, namely the Andico Outdoor Shop from Davao City and Team Palaka Mountaineers from Sta. Cruz.

A total of 140 volunteers participated in the clean up activity.

Pista sa Kinaiyahan is an annual event of the municipality of Sta. Cruz basically aimed at conserving and rehabilitating Mt. Apo, the highest peak in the country which is also considered a premiere hiking destination.

Other highlights of Pista sa Kinaiyahan include Symposium on Anti-Human Trafficking, Mangrove Growing and the International Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge.

(CDIO-Sta. Cruz/Julius Paner)

default serving in restaurants and other related establishments in the area.

She said the move is in line with the national government’s “Be RICEponsible” campaign that calls for responsible rice consumption.

“Our main goal is to help reduce rice wastage at the consumer level in the city,” said Nograles, author of the proposed ordinance.

The proposed measure requires all food service es-

tablishments in the city to include and display the half-cup rice serving in their regular menus, with the price set at exactly half of the regular one cup serving.

A half-cup rice serving refers to one-half cup of the regular serving of cooked rice or not more than 80 grams.

It specifically covers businesses and institutions in the city that are engaged in the preparation of plated, packed or combo meals for a fee.

Davao Oriental is touted to have the region’s longest coastline at 513 kilometers. Aerial Photo by Eden Jhan Licayan

Tagabebe Diving Site in Governor Generoso. Video screen grab courtesy of Provincial Tourism Office Davao Oriental.

GenSan studies ‘half-rice’ ordinance to reduce wastage

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HE city council has launched a series of consultations for a proposed ordinance that seeks the inclusion of half-cup serving of rice or “half-rice” in the menus of food establishments within the city.

Vice Mayor Shirlyn L. Bañas-Nograles said the council’s committee on trade, commerce and industry, is currently studying the provisions of the measure that also aims to set the “half-rice” as the

These include restaurants; school, office and hospital cafeterias; catering establishments; canteens, eateries, fastfood chains and other similar establishments.

“Food establishments are mandated to make the onehalf cup of rice as the default serving for packed and combo meals as well as plated caterings,” it said.

Nograles said the proposed ordinance included penalties for establishments

that would fail to implement its provisions.

She said a fine of P1,000 was set for the first offense, P2,000 for the second offense and P3,000 and cancellation of business permit for the third and succeeding offenses.

In 2008, several fast food chains started offering “halfrice” serving in response to the national government’s call then to conserve the country’s staple food.

Studies made by the Phil-

ippine Rice Research Institute showed that Filipinos waste an average of two tablespoons of cooked rice or 9 grams of uncooked rice on a daily basis.

The Food and Nutrition Research Institute of the Department of Science and Technology also said each Filipino reportedly waste an average of 3.29 kilos of rice every year.

Such wastage reaches around 296,869 metric tons or around P8 billion in terms of value. (MindaNews)

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

P52M for cacao expansion program

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) 11 will allocate P52 million for its cacao expansion program this year.

DA 11 regional coordinator for High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) Melanie Provido said the biggest chunk of the total budget or P28 million will be for the production support services.

Another P1.5 million will be for market development services, P5.05 million for the extension support, education and training services, P1.225 million for the irrigation network services and P16.250 million for the agricultural and fishery machinery, equipment, and facilities support services.

Production support services include the distribution of planting materials, small farm equipments, establishment, maintenance and rehabilitation of production facilities which include nurseries and budwood garden.

Market support, meanwhile, is related to market studies and research activities like market reconnaissance, benchmarking and value chain analysis; and participation in local and international market related events.

DA 11 will also conduct

extension supports like trainings, research and development for production and postharvest related research activities and irrigation support services like distribution and installation of shallow tube wells, spring development, small farm reservoir, small water impounding and alternative irrigation system.

For the next three years, DA 11 is targeting to have a cacao production area of 20,000 hectares (ha). At present, the region has an existing of 6,000 ha supported by DA 11. Top producing provinces here as per 2013 report were Davao del Sur with 1,718 metric tons (MT), Davao City with 1,129 MT and Davao Oriental with 483 MT. Proivido said the region has a huge potential to be the next top player in the cacao industry given with its good soil and climate condition that is suitable in growing export quality cacao beans.

At present, Davao contributes 80 percent of Mindanao’s 90 percent share in the Philippine cacao production of 5,380MT. Provido said almost 70 percent Mindanao’s production is absorbed by the export supply chain with Davao as

the trading and consolidation hub while the rest are processed for the local market.

She said 19 percent of the wet cacao beans are processed to become tablea, 11 percent for chocolate powder and only 0.6 percent is pro-

cessed to become artisanal chocolate.

For Davao Region’s cacao industry, almost 70 to 80 percent of the industry players are traders, 12 percent are exporters and only 5 percent are integrators.

Based on the cacao convergence roadmap action programs, the cacao industry will be improved through the implementation of interventions such that will improve the quality and availability of planting materials, enhance

farm efficiency and investment, improvement of market price and cacao standard, increase value-adding, improve research and extension services, access to long term funds and strengthening of industry organizations.

GOING FISHING. Fisherfolk from a community near Magsaysay Park prepare to sail towards Davao Gulf despite the upcoming tropical storm that is moving closer to Mindanao and may enter the area on Thursday. Lean Daval Jr.

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Firms cited for keeping safety standards

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HREE construction sites in Davao Region have been cited by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 11 for maintaining high occupational safety standards for their workers and zero-accident and casualty.

As DOLE 11 celebrated the World Day of Safety and Health at the Abreeza Ayala Mall yesterday, DOLE 11 regional director Joffrey Suyao cited True North Manufacturing Services

Corporation for its SMC Malita site and Makati Development Corporation (MDC) for its Abreeza Residences project.

MDC was also cited for its Abreeza Place Tower 1 site covering the period from June 2014 to January 2015.

Suyao said these companies have adhered to the highest standard of safety as certified in the Occupational Health and Safety (OHSAS 18001:2007) set by the International Standard Organiza-

Inflation eases further to 2.2 percent in April

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UTBACKS in the prices of food, electricity, and fuel brought headline inflation down to 2.2 percent in April 2015 from 2.4 percent in the previous month and from 4.1 percent in April 2014, according to the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“Low and stable inflation in January to April 2015, which averaged at 2.3 percent, bodes well for consumption growth. It is also within the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s inflation target range of 2.0 to 4.0 percent,” said NEDA Officer in Charge (OIC) and Deputy Director-General Emmanuel F. Esguerra.

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported that moderate inflation in the food subgroup (4.0% from 4.4%) lingered in April 2015, pulling down headline inflation. The slowdown in food inflation can be attributed to slower price adjustments in rice, meat, and fruits.

Non-food inflation also

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the workers abd even emulate the good example set by these companies,” Suyao said.

Meanwhile, only JV Angeles contractor of Hedcor Sibulan was cited last year for its achievement in maintaining work environment safe and health for the workers.

Suyao said there’s still a lot of establishments, mostly from the retail and wholesale industry, which do not comply to health and safety standards of DOLE.

But, large companies are the most compliant, he said.

The labor agency is gaining advancement in its information campaign on the importance of providing safe and healthy working environment.

This advancement was signified by work related accident reported to DOLE 11 for the past four year and the number of work stoppages issued because of reports.

Last year, three out seven work stoppage ordered that

were issued involved fatality of a worker.

However, the labor agency together with its partners and organized networks should intensify its efforts in campaigning occupational safety and health because there are still cases that are unreported.

The safety and healthy working environment begins with the involvement of different sectors such as the government, the workers and their employees, according to Suyao.

slackened in April 2015 following continued rollbacks in electricity, gas, and other fuels. Rollback in domestic petroleum prices continued following the sharp decline in international oil prices since the last quarter of 2014.

Meanwhile, core inflation, which excludes selected volatile food and energy prices, also fell to 2.5 percent from 2.7 percent in March 2015 and 2.9 percent in April 2014.

Core inflation in the first four months of 2015 averaged at 2.5 percent.

Inflation in the National Capital Region (NCR) moderated to 1.5 percent in April 2015 from 1.9 percent in March 2015 and 3.3 percent in the same period a year ago.

This is accounted for by slower inflation in several major commodity groups including food and non-alcoholic beverages.

Outside NCR, inflation slid to 2.3 percent in April 2015 from 2.6 percent in March 2015 and 4.4 percent in April 2014.

“The peso is expected to

FINFLATION, 10

DAR clarifies COA findings on foreign-aided projects HE Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) clarified that while it is true that there have been delays in the implementation of the three foreign-assisted projects as pointed out in the COA 2013 Audit Report, it had already taken steps to address these.

Corrective measures initiated in 2012 achieved results in 2014 thereby accelerating project implementation and completion: The JICA-assisted Agrarian Reform Infrastructure Support Project Phase III (ARISP-III) has achieved a physical accomplishment of 95% while the ADB-funded Agrarian Reform Communities Project 2 (ARCP 2) has a physical accomplishment of 76% as of end of CY 2014.

The JICA-assisted ARISPIII involves the provision of rural infrastructure in order to help raise income of agrarian

tion.

“It is but proper to acknowledge the efforts and good practices of these firms for occupational safety and health achievements in preventions,” he said.

These companies, Suyao said, set good examples in keeping their workplace safe and healthy for the workers.

“I hope that through this, many companies will be encouraged to maintain the safety at work and the health of

reform beneficiaries.

The DAR implements its project activities with the assistance of the DPWH for roads and bridges and NIA for communal irrigation projects.

The Project is expected to be completed in August 2015.

The ADB-funded ARCP 2 is being implemented by DAR with the assistance of the targeted local government units.

The Project commenced implementation in 2010. The delays in physical implementation were due mainly to the difficulty of LGUs in complying with the 50-50 NG-LGU cost-sharing policy which the DOF required in the past.

Measures have been undertaken to address the slow implementation of the sub-projects and the low fund disbursement rate. The Project has recruited Provincial Sub-Project Accountants to assist LGUs in fund disburse-

FDAR, 10

ALL SMILES. Tagum Cooperative Members and the kids are all smiles during the HatawsaSayaNgayong Summer 2015.

Tagum Coop youth members told to dream on

“

DON’T stop dreaming,” Panabo City Councilor Raquel B. Geraldo told more than 200 child-members of Tagum Cooperative (TC) Youth Laboratory Cooperative during the HatawsaSayaNgayong Summer 2015 held at Carmen Municipal Gym on April 30, 2015.

Addressing the participants of the annual gathering of child-members for summer festivities organized under the Youth Program, Geraldo encouraged them to develop themselves and to become what they want to be someday.

She, however, urged them to become “God-fearing” in their pursuit of their dreams and be of help for their family and for the community.

She reminded them of the

statement of Filipino National hero Dr. Jose P. Rizal who once said that the “Youth is the hope of the Fatherland” as she called on them to become inspiration of others.

Meanwhile Geraldo lauded parents for guiding their children and bringing them to the event designed to mold the children towards becoming responsible individuals.

She also appreciated Tagum Cooperative (TC) for shaping the future of its young members by inculcating the importance of financial management and leadership.

In a separate interview, Tagum Cooperative Chairperson Norma del Rosario Pereyras explained that the Coperative goes beyond teaching children financial literacy but also

train them to become leaders.

“This forms part of our succession planning,” she said referring to efforts of TCleadership to capacitate child-members to become future leaders of the Cooperative.

Giving her comment on this year’s theme, “Youth Speakers, Growing Leaders,” ChairpersonPereyras said the Cooperative wants the young members “to be inspired by the guest speaker who has contributed to the development of her town and has become a professional”.

“Sana lahat ng mgabataditosaPanabo, Carmen and Sto. Tomas ay magigingsuccessful at professional who can help alleviate poverty, and start it at home because ‘charity begins at home,’” she said.

The HatawsaSayaNgayong Summer 2015, gathered child-members enlisted in Panabo City, Carmen and Sto. Tomas branches of Tagum Cooperative.

Participants took part in Art Workshop, Puzzle-solving, Extemporaneous Speaking, Poster and Slogan-Making Contest and Lecture on True Love Waits.

In her presentation during the event, TCOfficer in-charge Manager VivelynFronteras revealed that youth members reached a total of 52,368 as of March 2015 with a combined savings of P59,090,000.

The savings ofTC young members are drawn from Youth Laboratory, Power Teens, Youth Savers and Aflatoun members. (Tagum Cooperative)

INdulge!

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

EVENT

TEBOW CURE HOSPITAL Touchdown in Davao

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY and JON JOAQUIN Photos by DARYL DESCALLAR

American football star Tim Tebow himself couldn’t be there himself, but the American star quarterback passed the ball to his family members who scored the touchdown during the formal opening of the Tebow CURE Hospital in Davao City on May 1.

The six-story building was declared “open for business” by hospital executive director Leron Lehman to the cheers of a modest crowd that had gathered for the occasion.

Members of the Tebow family – parents Bob and Pamela, brother Robbie, and sister Kristy – were on hand to witness the proceedings, and it was obvious from their smiles that they were proud of what Timmy – a diminutive family nickname that belies his huge size – had

helped accomplish.

Tim Tebow, whose joining of the Philadelphia Eagles prevented him from coming to the hospital opening, was born in the Philippines and spent his early childhood here. His parents were missionaries and instilled a deep faith in God the five siblings. Tim, in fact, is perhaps as famous for his football playing as he is for his faith. Though sometimes controversial, Tebow is nevertheless a positive force in the world of professional sport.

It was therefore not surprising that Tebow decided to help put up a hospital in the land of his birth. His choice of partner – CURE International – also makes sense since it is a Christian organization which takes Luke 9:2 very seriously: “… and he (Jesus) sent them (the 12 disciples) out to proclaim the kingdom of God and

to heal the sick.”

The 30-bed hospital specializes in treating children with orthopedic conditions, particularly club feet. It also provides competitively priced orthopedic consultations and surgery for adults in need of total joint replacements, treatment for spine conditions, and sports injuries.

The hospital features a Timmy’s Playroom, a special space set aside where kid-patients can take a break from medical treatment to play. The playroom was decorated and equipped by the Tim Tebow Foundation in honor of Tim Tebow. This

EVENT A4

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

UP AND ABOUT

Baking with Mom at Eden IN FILIPINO CULTURE, the mother is known as the “Ilaw ng Tahanan”, which signifies her role in nurturing her family and creating warm memories for everyone.

On Sunday, May 12, 2015 at 9:30 AM to 2:00 PM, Eden Nature Park & Resort whipped up something special for all mothers. In partnership with FineLab, a division of Beauchem Thermtech Group, Inc., there will be a one-day interactive baking demonstration which aims to teach the guests the basic art of baking which will be facilitated by Chef Argie Tagon. We invite mothers to fuel their baking passion and evolve their baking skills.

To join the demo, participants must avail of the Lunch Package at Eden, and pay the Registration fee of P300.00. Participants will be given a recipe booklet, apron, and Certificate of Attendance.

Participants will enjoy the baking demo that will cover two parts: First part, cake baking demo will cover five (5) cakes namely Caramel Chocolate Mousse Cake, Strawberry Mousse Cake, Pandan Mousse Cake, Moist Island Chocolate Cake, and celebration cakes for different occasions like birthday, anniversary, graduation, baptismal. The second part, guests will learn how to bake cupcakes and how to decorate them. Moms will be given a chance to participate in decorating.

Moms will hone their baking skills with Chef Argie’s tips on new baking techniques, flavor combinations, and simple attractive cake and cupcake decorating techniques using FineLab’s FineBake, FineDesserts, and Finissimo products.

Chef Argie Tagon is based in Cebu City. He is a former trainor of De La Salle Culinary Center. He was the Presentor at the 2013 World Food Expo and was featured on Times Magazine for Best Cake and Cake Decoration.

For inquiries and reservations, please call (082) 2991020.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

All for Mom at the Marco Polo

By Kenneth Irving Ong

Sarah presenting the special Mother’s Day cake.

THE MARCO POLO DAVAO serves up delicious twin offerings for Mother’s Day at the Cafe Marco and the Lotus Court.

Treat mom to an eatall-you-can buffet at the Cafe Marco for only Php1,200 nett for lunch and Php1,300 nett for dinner. Special items included in the buffet are Roast Turkey, Lechon, Roast Beef, and Salomon and Tuna Loin En Croute.

If buffets are not to mom’s liking, then take her to a whole new level at the Marco Polo Davao’s Chinese restaurant, the Lotus Court. Have a taste of authentic Cantonese

and Xiamen treats by Chef Sunny Cheng of Marco Polo Ortigas and Chef Arno Huang of Marco Polo Xiamen. Special dishes include Braised Tofu in Wild Mushroom Oyster Sauce, and Deep-fried Squid with Salted Egg. Dining Moms will also receive a free bag holder and a complimentary glass of Martini Rose.

For more information and reservations call the Marco Polo Davao at (82) 221-0888.

4 fab treats for Mom at SM Lanang Premier FROM May 8 to 10, treat your Mom to a fantastic Mother’s Day celebration at SM Lanang Premier.

Just like model and bag designer Amina Aranaz-Alunan and daughter Helena Alunan, who will spend their Mother’s Day in SM, you and your mom can also enjoy special treats, fascinating activities and priceless bonding moments at Davao’s premier shopping and lifestyle destination.

1. SPECIAL DINING & SHOPPING DEALS - Grab exclusive dining and retail discounts at participating restaurants/shops during the Mother’s Day weekend.

2. MOM’S BAKE FAIR – Indulge in delightful eats at the Mom’s Bake Fair happening at the Atrium from May 8 to 10. Get a taste of the varied offerings of Cupcakes to Go, Annipie, Libni’s Crinkles, Rich Confections, Sweet Embassy, and All of Us Cakes.

3. THANKSGIVING MASS – Say a prayer for mom at a Thanksgiving Mass on May 10, 9 am, at the Atrium.

4. MOM’S TEA PARTY BY FRENCH BAKER – Join the tea party by your favourite boutique bakery – French Baker - May 10, 2 pm to 5 pm, at the Atrium. Mothers who will dine in French Baker at the 1st Level of the Fountain Court or at the Atrium on May 9 to 10 will get one entry pass to the event for one mom and one companion. Limited slots are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Hurry and be part of the most fun tea party in town!

Pamper your mom on Mother’s Day at SM Lanang Premier. For the latest updates on events and promos, visit SM Lanang Premier on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

Roast Beef.

Briased Tofu in Wild Mushroom Oyester Sauce

Lechon

Deep-fried Squid and Salted Egg

Delightful MOMents at Seda Abreeza Dubbed as “Mother’s Day Specials,” Seda Abreeza laid out delights for all the moms to enjoy. Knowing it is never easy to be a mother, Seda Abreeza aims to give them comfort, relaxation, and satisfaction at once on this special occasion.

A week long room package promo is offered from May 8 to 12, 2015 at the urban lifestyle hotel. For only Php 4,000 nett, Mom and the entire family may enjoy an overnight accommodation in a Deluxe Room with complimen-

tary breakfast. This also includes complimentary WiFi service 24/7, use of the hotel gym and pool, and 1 complimentary Spa Gift Certificate for the Mom per stay.

To highlight the week, Seda offers a Mother’s Day Brunch Buffet. Mother’s Day falls on the 2nd Sunday of May. Families may celebrate both Mother’s Day and family day at the Hotel Misto come may May 10, Sunday from 10:00 A.M. to 1:00 P.M. and indulge in a wide variety of food and drinks.

Seda Abreeza’s Sous Chef Bang Flores creates a special menu for the said event, which features different-from-usual main cours-

es and desserts. Moms will also receive a special gift from Seda during the brunch. Buffet price is Php 880 nett for adults, and Php 380 nett for kids aged 7 to 12 years old. Meanwhile, kids aged 6 and below are free of charge.

Seda Abreeza invited a choir group to serenade and entertain guests in the Misto as part of the celebration. Families may also pose and capture moments as Seda provides a photo booth on the said day.

For further inquiries and reservations, please contact 082-2443000 or 082-3228888 or send an email to dvo@sedahotels.com.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Haribon Foundation names Enzo Pineda, Barbie Forteza as newest ambassadors GMA Artist Center stars Enzo Pineda and Barbie Forteza were named as the newest ambassadors of Haribon Foundation last April 25 at the College of Science Auditorium, U.P. Diliman.

Enzo and Barbie’s addition to the esteemed roster of Haribon ambassadors aims to inspire more people to take action on the environmental conversation and encourage them to do their share

in caring for the environment in order to leave a lasting impact for future generations.

Haribon Foundation Chief Operating Officer Maria Belinda dela Paz shares that they are happy to be working with passionate Kapuso stars. “Both teen stars advocate for a healthy living and sustainable environment, and we are hoping that they serve as good examples to inspire our youth,” de la Paz said.

Barbie admits that being chosen as the

newest ambassador of Haribon is a privilege and she hopes that she will be able to inspire the youth in caring for the environment. “I’m thankful to Haribon for giving me the chance to be an advocate para sa mga teens na kagaya ko na maging part ng environmental conservation. Para sa akin napakalaking responsibility nito at gagawin ko ang lahat to be a great arm of the organization para mag-influence ng mga kabataan,” Barbie added.

Meanwhile, Enzo is very eager to take on his role as the new ambassador for the environment. “I feel honoured to be chosen as one of the newest ambassadors of Haribon. I love nature and I love our country. It’s truly more fun in the Philippines because we have a lot to be proud of especially being a megadiverse country. I have a lot to learn and I’m excited to help and spread the awareness of conserving our environment.”

6th Golden Screen TV Awards names GMA Network as Outstanding TV Network FROM an A-list of celebrities to best television programs, GMA Network was hailed as the Outstanding TV Network at the 6th Golden Screen TV Awards which was held at RCBC Plaza last April 26.

Phenomenal television series Ang Dalawang Mrs. Real was hailed as the Outstanding Original Drama Program and three of its cast members took home top acting honours: Dingdong Dantes (Outstanding Actor in a Drama Program), Ms. Maricel Soriano and Alessandra de Rossi (Outstanding Supporting Actress in a Drama Program).

In the field of comedy, several Kapuso personalities took home several recognitions. Michael V. received the top award for Comedy as he received the trophy for the Outstanding Performance by an Actor in a Gag or Comedy Program while Sef Cadayona and Carmi Martin were the Outstanding Supporting Actor and Actress in a Gag or Comedy Program.

Proving the Network’s supremacy on providing comedy entertainment programs, GMA’s longest-running gag show Bubble Gang and wellloved family sitcom Pepito Manaloto were named as the Outstanding Gag Program and Outstanding Comedy Program, respectively.

Award winning comedienne Eugene Domingo was recognized as Outstanding Game/Talent Program while the all-original and top-rating game show Celebrity Bluff was recognized as the Outstanding Game/ Talent Program.

GMA Artist Center stars Andre Paras and Gabbi Garcia were hailed as the Outstanding Breakthrough Performance by An Actor and Outstanding Breakthrough Performance by An Actress, respectively.

Top-rating afternoon prime series Villa Quintana that dramatically captured the hearts of the Filipino viewers received the Outstanding Adapted Drama Program. Elmo Magalona and Janine Gutierrez reprised the roles of Isagani Samonte and Ly-

nette Quintana in the remake of the phenomenal series in the mid-90s.

Undisputed noontime program Eat Bulaga bagged the Outstanding Variety Program award while Julia Clarete was named as the Outstanding Female Host in a Musical/Variety Program.

GMA News and Public Affairs programs and personalities also reaped numerous recognitions at the said event.

Leading the list of awardees is multi-awarded broadcast journalist Jessica Soho who was named as Outstanding Magazine Program Host for the top-rating Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS) on GMA and Outstanding Female News Presenter for GMA News TV’s flagship newscast State of the Nation with Jessica Soho (SONA).

KMJS, likewise, was awarded as Outstanding Magazine Program while SONA won as Outstanding News Program.

GMA News pillar Mike Enriquez, in turn, was recognized as Outstanding Crime/Investigative Program Host for Imbestigador, which was also awarded as Outstanding Crime/

Investigative Program. Seasoned broadcast journalist Sandra Aguinaldo was given the Outstanding Documentary Program Host award for her Rape of Manila documentary on I-Witness while Kapuso host Drew Arellano and weekly program AHA! won as Outstanding Educational Program Host and Outstanding Educational Program, respectively.

GMA News TV’s Quick Response Team (QRT) news anchor Jiggy Manicad was awarded as Outstanding Male News Presenter. Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie, also on GMA News TV, and host Winnie Monsod were, likewise, recognized as Outstanding Public Affairs Program and Outstanding Public Affairs Program Host, respectively. Internationally recognized documentary program Reel Time earned the Outstanding Documentary Program award for its Dungkoy episode.

With all the recognitions and awards, it only proves that the Kapuso Network continues to hone its talents to be the best in their chosen field and provides quality and innovative programs for its viewers.

May 6, 2015

UNFRIENDED Hannah Sossaman, Matthew Bohrer R13

12:25 | 2:20 | 4:15 | 6:10 | 8:05 | 10:00 LFS

PAUL BLART: MALL COP 2 Kevin James, Raini Rodriguez PG

12:25 | 2:20 | 4:15 | 6:10 | 8:05 | 10:00 LFS

BIG GAME / * CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR Samuel L. Jackson / * Nick Jonas PG / *R16

R-16

12:25 | 2:20 | 4:15 LFS / * 6:10 | 8:05 | 10:00 LFS

THE AVENGERS: AGE OF ULTRON Robert Downey, Jr., Chris Hemsworth PG

12:45 | 3:50 | 6:55 | 10:00 LFS

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

EVENT

EVENT A1 is the first Timmy’s Playroom to open outside of the United States.

“This hospital was meant to be here in Davao City, Philippines,” Department of Health (DOH) Assistant Secretary Pauline Jean Ubial said. “As your health department, we would like to continue working with you towards our collective and shared vision of health for all, universal health care. To provide quality health care for all Filipinos regardless of economic and social status.”

City administrator Jesus Melchor V. Quitain, for his part, said the people of Davao should be elated that the Tim Tebow Foundation selected the city as its location for the hospital. “This is to show to everyone that kindness and charity know no borders. We cannot thank the foundation enough for this,” Quitain said.

When Edge Davao asked Pastor Bob why they chose Davao City as the site for the hospital, he replied simply: “Because it is in the Philippines.”

This indicated the Tebow family’s love for the country, which Pastor Bob and Pamela continue to serve through various missionary programs, particularly in Mindanao. Edge Davao

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

7 HEALTH

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

HIV/AIDS cases in Davao growing

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

M

ARIANNE (not her real name) is only 18 years old but she’s already involved in the world’s oldest profession – prostitution. She was only 15 when she lost her virginity to her boyfriend, who was two years older than her.

Her boyfriend left her when he found out that she was pregnant. To avoid embarrassment for her family, she also left her hometown and came to Davao City. She stayed with a 17-year-old friend, who worked as a guest relation officer in a sleazy bar.

After the baby was born, Marianne joined her friend. To provide her child milk and other needs, she also moonlighted as a sexy dancer in another bar.

She also went out with some of her customers. “I accepted this as my fate,” she says.

Although prostitution is illegal and a serious criminal offense in the country, it is available through brothels (also known as casa), bars, karaoke bars, massage parlors, and escort services.

In recent years, however, some young girls have become more creative in selling sex.

They are using mobile phones for their clients to contact them.

“They no longer have to be out on streets or in the brothels, they now wait in their houses where they will just be texted,” Jeanette Ampog, the executive director of Talikala (Chain), a non-government organization dealing with prostituted women and children, told a news conference convened by the state-run Philippine Information Agency some years back.

But it’s not only women who are engaged in prostitution -- even males, too. Twenty-two year old Mark, a former call center agent, quit his job because he could not endure the edginess of night shift. So, he is back now with what he used to do when he joined the bikini contests open when he was still a teenager. In one of the competitions, he met a businessman who offered him a huge sum to go to bed with him. At first, he was reluctant, but being tipsy and needing money at that time, he went with the older man.

It was the beginning. He underwent a body transformation by going to the gym. After two months of hard work, he finally got the body he used to imagine.

He became popular among his customers who contacted him via his phone which he posted in his Facebook account.

Text prostitutes, as they are called, are considered freelancers – which means they are not registered and mostly rely on pimps. And these are the group of sexual workers in Davao City who are hard to invite when it comes voluntary human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) testing.

In a news report, Precy Senoc, health education and population officer of City Health Office, was quoted as saying: “There are many aspects when it comes to those freelance sex workers. They can be on street or they are in their houses and can be contact via text messaging. Some of them are moving from one place to another so we have a hard time monitoring them.”

Edge Davao reporter Che-

neen R. Capon quoted data re- because AIDS is an infectious leased by the National Epidemi- disease caused by a virus which ology Center of the Department is spread from person to perof Health which said that as of son through a variety of routes.

July 2014 the region “contrib- This makes it different from uted 6% of the total 585 con- immune deficiency from other firmed cases of HIV/AIDS in the causes such as treatment with country.” That’s equivalent to 35 anti-cancer drugs or immune new recorded cases. system suppressing drugs given In a recent workshop, Dr. to persons receiving transplant Jose Gerard Belimac, manager operations.” of National Human ImmunodeHIV (human immunodeficiency Virus/Sexually Trans- ficiency virus) is present in mitted Infection Prevention all body fluids of an infected Program of the Department of person but is concentrated in Health, pointed out Davao City blood, semen and vaginal fluids. as having an HIV prevalence Virtually, it is present in all body rate that is higher than the na- tissues and organs including the tional average of 3.5. brain and spinal cord. It can be Based on data from 2013, found in tears, saliva and breast Davao City had a prevalence milk although these last three rate at five percent, lower than are not considered significant those compared with Quezon routes of infection.

City (6.7 percent), Manila (6.7 But you don’t get HIV from percent), Caloocan (5.3 per- kissing. To be infected, you need cent), and Cebu (7.7 percent) to imbibe 32 liters of an infectbut higher than Cagayan de Oro ed person’s saliva, according to (4.7 percent).

Health Action Information NetThe Geneva-based World work (HAIN).

“That Health Organization (WHO) would said that if a country or an area already exceeded five percent in two years’ time, then HIV in these areas will be beyond control.

“So we should not let the prevalence rate reach five percent,” Dr. Belimac urged.

Diagram of HIV (from Wikipedia) b e Understanding AIDS enough saIn 1985, Acquired Immune liva to fill up the gasoline tank of Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) six-by-sic truck. And the transwas unknown to almost ev- fer should happen in one kissing eryone; Hollywood actor Rock session!” HAIN said.

Hudson was the first famous “A single sexual encounter person the world knew to con- can be sufficient to transmit tract the whispered-about dis- HIV,” Dr. Hubley wrote. “Alease. For the first time, it had a though the risk from an individface to put with the disease. ual sexual act may be low, the In the Philippines, the first more times a person has sex, person to come out in the open the greater the likelihood that to tell about her life and how she transmission will take place. acquired HIV was Maria Dolzu- Women appear to be more at ra Cortez, who died in 1992. risk than men from heterosexuHer life story was serialized in al sex. The transmission of HIV Philippine Daily Inquirer and from man to woman is believed was made into a movie starring to take place more easily than Vilma Santos (who won acting from woman to man.” awards for her sterling performance).

Men having sex with men While AIDS cases continue Philip Castro, the UNDP’s to drop in various parts of the HIV/AIDS programme officer in world, the Philippines remains the Philippines, said that most one of the countries in Asia of the new HIV infections in which have failed to prevent the country were attributed to the spread of HIV, according to unprotected men-to-men sex the United Nations Program on (MSM). “What’s more alarming HIV/Acquired Immunodeficien- is that more than 60 percent of cy Syndrome (UNAIDS). (those engaging in) MSM had The trend of HIV/AIDS cas- reported having unsafe sex in es in Davao City and other five their last contact,” he said.

Dr. Eric Tayag, director of cities is very alarming, indeed.

“We are alarmed by the lack of the National Epidemiology awareness and information of Center (NEC), explained that the public regarding HIV,” de- men who engage in sex with plored. Dr. Eden Divinagracia, men were not all homosexuals. executive director of Philippine “HIV/AIDS is not about being NGO Council on Population, gay but about men having unprotected sex with men,” he Health and Welfare, Inc. AIDS is caused by a deficien- said.

The mushrooming of social cy in the body’s immune system.

“It is a syndrome because there networking sites, which cater to are a range of different symp- people looking for sex partners, toms which are not always has been pinpointed as one of found in each case,” explains the major factors in the rise of Dr. John Hubley, author of The HIV/AIDS cases in the country, AIDS Handbook. “It is acquired Dr. Tayag claimed.

Symptoms of HIV/AIDS (from Wikipedia)

What is alarming is that more and more young people are engaged in sexually risky behavior. “They are getting younger and younger. They are involved in sexual activities that leave them prone to HIV/ AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases,” said Hadji Balajadia, an official of the National Confederation of Youth Advocates.

What is even more frightening is the fact that more and more Filipino children are “employed” in sex trade. In Davao City, most of those who are considered freelancers are minors, whose age ranges from 14 to 16. “It’s a sad reality for our young children,” Senoc was quoted as saying.

HIV Testing In order for people, particularly those engaged in high risk behaviors, to know if they are positive for HIV, the city government of Davao is offering free HIV/AIDS testing.

“You don’t have to worry since the City Health Office Reproductive Health and Wellness Center assures that the testing is confidential and free,” said Alma Mondragon, the Mindanao executive director of Alliance Against Aids in Mindanao.

“HIV testing is different among all the health services because the patients don’t just come in prepared,” pointed out Jordana P. Ramiterre, chief of Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC). “With HIV/ AIDS, you have to really sell it that it is being done in all confidentiality and all the information being gathered are in actual privacy so it’s really one-on-one for every individual.”

One of those who personally volunteered to be tested recently is Perry Paul G. Lamanilao, a digital media strategist by profession. He previously worked as social media coordinators for different non-governmental organizations in Mindanao. As a media practitioner, he advocates for media literacy and journal-

ism in Mindanao, particularly in Davao City.

“Since most people don’t want to be tested,” Lamanilao said, “I wanted to find out what goes in there. It is only by experiencing it that I can write it much better.”

He did. And, in his own words, this was what had happened: Last February 25, I went to the Reproductive Health & Wellness Center (RHWC) located at Jacinto Street to find out what would be the process to get tested. The RHWC offers 100% free HIV- and syphilis-testing and counselling. I submitted myself for a voluntary HIV testing.

It was early afternoon when I arrived at the RHWC. There were others who were waiting for their names to be called for the test.

One of the representative handed over to me a form to be filled-out.

It asked for my personal details.

After completing the form, the representative asked me to go for pre-counselling unit. I was asked to answer some questions like why I submit myself for the testing. He also asked for my sexual orientations and preferences, my activities for the past months and years, and things like how often I engage myself to sex, among others.

Later, he did a lecture on how one can get HIV and how HIV can possibly result to AIDS. The counsellor also discussed Republic Act 8504, about some laws and rights that protect the person’s confidentiality in all that had been discussed.

After the pre-test counselling, I went to the next room for blood extraction. The medical technologist verified my details, asked for a valid government-issued identification card to make sure that my name and other details are true and correct in the form that I submitted.

Then he extracted 5 cubic meters (equivalent to 5 milliliters) of my blood. After, he gave me a small piece of paper, actually a slip, which shows the laboratory code, my name, and the date. That slip is required to get the result.

I waited for about 30 minutes. While waiting my mind

was working; I told myself that there are only three persons who will know the result: myself, the medical technologist, and the counsellor.

Then, the suspense started. When the counsellor called my name, I was already sort of frightened. What if? Anyway, he told me to proceed right away to a room. I gave the slip and he handed over to me the result, securely stapled. He allowed me to open the folded letter-sized paper first; then, I voluntarily told him the result: non-reactive. It simply means that I am negative to HIV. Lifelong Treatment “HIV is like the modern leprosy, except it is hidden,” said Humphrey Gorriceta, who contracted HIV after having unprotected sex with multiple male partners. He now campaigns to raise public awareness about the dangers of unsafe sex and help other people infected with HIV. People who are positive with HIV should not lose hope.

Dr. Josephine Villafuerte, of Davao’s CHO, said HIV must not be associated with death since there are now medicines which can prolong their lives. “There are free medicines we can provide for them,” she assured.

A “lifelong treatment” is how Dr. Belimac describes the treatment for people living with HIV. He said that outpatients or those receiving therapy in their own homes would have to get the anti-retroviral drugs from one of the 26 treatment hubs in the country. He urged them to consistently see their doctors.

Like most diseases, HIV can be prevented – as easy as ABC: abstain from sex, be faithful to your partner, use condoms, especially if you have multiple partners, don’t share needles, and be educated on HIV, a health expert reiterated.

“HIV is highly preventable,” said Dr. Belimac. “The government can only provide you information, diagnosis, and treatment. But the most effective way of preventing HIV still heavily depends on the practices of informed individuals.”

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

EDITORIAL Listen to the clearer voices

W

ITH emotions still high over last January’s encounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao that saw the deaths of 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) as well as 18 members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and five of the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and several civilians, it can be difficult to see how the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) can ever be passed.

The population has been largely polarized, with many outside of Mindanao calling for its scrapping because of the carnage that claimed the lives of so many elite police officers. But whether they admit it or not, those who oppose the BBL are basing their stand not on the law itself but on the incident. Grave as it was, however, the Mamasapano encounter is not and should not be a measure for the Bangsamoro Basic Law. It is thus encouraging to see that the Citizen’s Peace Council has found that the BBL, save for a few details, is “overwhelmingly acceptable.”

Davao City’s own Fr. Joel Tabora, president of the Ateneo de Davao University and in this matter representing Council member Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, said the BBL “deserves the support of all the Filipinos.” It is true that the Council was formed by President Benigno Aquino, but its membership is unquestionable in terms of in-

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tegrity. Aside from Tagle, it is composed of former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., former Ambassador Howard Dee, peace advocate Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman, and others. What they saw in the BBL is a document that, in the words of Davide, “promotes justice, peace, not only in Mindanao, but also in the entire Philippines.”

The Council, of course, suggested some refinements, but these were in fact necessary to ensure that the BBL accomplishes its purpose. As Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said upon receiving the Council’s report, the recommendations “would help to assess the law, making it less and less likely necessary for us to think about the speeding up of the process.” Among the recommendations is the deletion of references to the opt-in provisions of the proposed law. “The creation of an autonomous region is a sole function of Congress… The core of Bangsamoro territories should not be allowed to increase indefinitely by the periodic vote of 10 percent of registered voters in the outer territories,” Davide said.

On the whole, however, the BBL carries with it the full support of the Citizen’s Peace Council, and it is hoped that its backing would be heard by those who are opposing the measure irrationally. It is time we listened to the clearer voices of those who have actually studied the law.

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

My Boracay wishlist

O

N a summer evening on the shores of in Boracay’s Station 3 the full moon shone brightly as it reflected on the calm waters near the beach. It was the Labor Day weekend, perhaps one of the busiest three days in the beachgoers mecca that is Boracay, that small pacific island in Aklan Province which practically constitutes the northernmost tip of the Visayan islands in the Philippines. From the beach I, along with my wife and son and young friends Jun, Kaye, outstanding student Nath, new graduate CJ and of course Amiel, could see the well lit shoreline, with hundreds of establishments offering food, hot and cold drinks, a massage, curio and beachwear shopping and live entertainment, with about three separate private rave parties. In all, about 300,000 people from all over the world descended upon this narrow strip of land. From a simple, idyllic and remote weekend haunt of adventurous Ilonggos in the 1980s, Boracay now hosts regular returning tourists from Europe and East Asia, with Chinese and Koreans comprising more than half of regular visitors. An increasingly stream of Russians have made it a holiday favorite, which explains Cyrillic translations of not a few restaurant menus. Sausage and pizza joints are about as numerous as seafood “paluto” stalls, attesting to the foreigners’ demand for their own beach comfort food.

Expats of all types mingle freely with locals. Already, English is a preferred language. Boracay has become their own yearly party oasis, like a Philippine Ibiza, Waikiki, or Phuket.

White sands and traffic congestion Seeing the shoreline from Boat Station one to three transports you to a very different Philippines.

But the reality of high population densities on this island weekend brings about a host of problems such as the traffic congestion not only on the narrow roads, in the pathways along the beach itself. These small roads make traveling across the island rather difficult, as there is no mass transport system apart from optimized tricycles, now, thankfully traversed by electric jeepneys and tuktuks.

Power, water, and sewerage woes Hotel owners report that power fluctuates frequently due to the high power demand during

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peak season MY TWO CENTS’ that the electric utility cannot meet. Rotating brownouts tend to take place during these times, to the dismay of travelers, who need the refuge of airconditioning against the searing heat. Local utility companies John Tria like Boracay ecisouth@gmail.com Island Water Company have at least begun regulating the the unabated drawing of groundwater by installing proper collection and distribution systems and laying a sewerage collection network and treatment system to make sure that wastewater from the thousands of kitchens and toilets do not blur the famous clear water. The treatment of this waste can lessen the persistent algal bloom that worries some tourists about the safety of the beach water, especially along the areas covered by popular station 2.

Unbalanced tourism development in other Aklan towns Traveling to Boracay from Kalibo through the municipalities of Nabas, Numancia and other towns makes us wonder why these other areas don’t enjoy the same economic reality of Boracay, and of course, no tourists. Even the capital of Kalibo cannot boast of the same nightlife and commerce. Outside the three barangays on Boracay island, everywhere else in Aklan is a simple, palay producing town not worth a tourists mention.

My Boracay and Aklan wishlist Amid the enjoyment we cannot help but ponder what future lies ahead for the Philippines best beach.

While efforts are underway to make things a little bit more comfortable for the tourist crowd, there is a clear need to develop other tourist destinations on the

island of Panay, to present alternatives to returning tourists and thereby provide needed employment for locals. Its time we decongested the small island bursting with holidaymakers and spread the wealth to other towns.

Solar power incentives can be granted to hotels to enable them to generate their own power and augment the meager supply from the grid and make electricity more stable. With a good supply of sun, I can’t see why this cannot be tapped. Already wind power in mainland Malay is up and running, with the windmills presenting a nice view from station 3. Cash crops can also be grown in nearby towns to supply the demand and lessen the price of food.

Rainwater catchment systems can be required for larger hotel developments to lessen their impact on available freshwater supplies. Perhaps a higher density transport system like larger electric jeeps can be established to allow better and more affordable movement within the island.

The ace in Boracay that can push for these wish lists is the presence of civil society groups like the Boracay Foundation and the local business and civic associations. It’s a help that a larger number of businesses and small and medium enterprises, some run by small families. Thus, everybody who settles in Boracay has some sort of business or livelihood and is not just a passive observer of things. This gives them reason to take part and intervene, and wield the potential for strong citizen participation when a greater number have a stake. Only with meaningful civil society intervention did the small reforms in the islands economy and society take place. We hope that this can be sustained to bring about a better Boracay for all.

The reflection of the moon and the water creates a clear backdrop against which my young friends saw their own future. We hope that the other upcoming Boracays in Mindanao, like Glan, Samal, Camiguin, Britannia, and Siargao, learn from the lessons of Boracay’s past and present, and cultivate their own wishlists to create a development that is people oriented, environmentally sustainable, and of course, sunny and beautiful.

before others. “I am no more humble THINK ON THESE! than my talents require,” Oscar Levant once said. And Ted Turner commented, “If I only had a little humility, I’d be perfect.”

In an article which appeared in The Observer, Edith Sitwell was quoted as saying, “I have Henrylito D. Tacio often wished I had henrytacio@gmail.com time to cultivate modesty. But I am too busy thinking about myself.”

And oftentimes, that’s what most people do.

A millionaire held a big banquet to which he had invited many important people in the city. Most of the guests arrived in their expensive cars. Then, the rain began to pour down and collected into a large puddle of water right in front of the main entrance to the millionaire’s house.

Along came a car and stopped right in front of the water. An elegantly dressed old man tried to get out, but slipped and fell headlong into the sea of mud. As he lifted himself up, he saw that he was a mess – and was in no condition to go into the banquet hall.

Several of the guests made fun of the unfortunate man. But a servant who saw what had happened ran off to tell the millionaire about it. He came running out just in time to keep the muddied guest from going back home. He tried to coax the man to stay despite his appearance. But the guest was afraid of the stares and remarks of the other visitors, and wanted to disappear quickly.

So, the well-dressed millionaire then let himself fall face-first into the very same puddle of water. He, too, was muddied from head to foot. Then he took his guest by the arm and the two of them together, muddy as they were, marched into the banquet hall – and no one dared to say a word.

Humble thyself, the Bible states. Abraham Lincoln was a case in point. “Nobody has ever expected me

to be president,” he once said. “In my poor, lean lank face nobody has ever seen that any cabbages were sprouting.” Albert Einstein was another. “No amount of experimentation can ever prove me right; a single experiment can prove me wrong,” he admitted.

There was a man who wanted to get rid of his shadow. But no matter what he did or tried, the shadow just would not go away. He rolled on the floor, he dived into the water. But to no avail; his shadow stayed alongside him.

A wise man who heard of the problem, remarked, “That’s no worry. It’s the simple thing in the world.” The man asked, “How so?”

“Well,” the wise man replied, “all you have to do is to stand in the shadow of a tree and your shadow will disappear.”

“It is always the secure who are humble,” said Gilbert Keith Chesterton.

Are you rich and famous? Do you belong to those who consider themselves high and might? Don’t boast yourself. “Do you wish people to think well of you?”

Blaise Pascal asked. “Don’t speak well of yourself.”

And American president Abraham Lincoln reminded, “What kills a skunk is the publicity it gives itself.”

A stooped old man and a lively young man happened to meet one day. The young man bragged to the old timer, “Why don’t you walk straight, like me? That’s no way to grow old. It’s all a matter of habit – at least, that’s what I’m told.”

The old man gave him a look of pity and said, “My dear young friend, have you ever examined a grain field and noticed which heads are bent and which ones stand up straight? If you take a good look as harvest time draws near, you will notice that the heads which are empty are standing tall and high. But the heads that make a good harvest are the ones that are filled and bending low.”

The young man heard those words and passed by, slowly bowing his head. No doubt, he pondered many a day on what the old man had said.

“I long to accomplish a great and noble tasks, but it is my chief duty to accomplish humble tasks as though they were great and noble. The world is moved along, not only by the mighty shoves of its heroes, but also by the aggregate of the tiny pushes of each honest worker,” Helen Keller reiterated.

The best defense against defeat

OVE is what we make it, sang American crooner Kenny Rogers (who immortalized “Through the Years”). “We make it better,” he said, “if we try.”

Like love, life is what we make it. In life, we are given some choices. The choices we make define us of who we are and what we want. Those choices can make us or unmake us; either they bring us joys or they bring us sadness.

In life, there are triumphs and there are obstacles. We have our hits and misses. The recent defeat of Manny Pacquiao against Floyd Mayweather is a case in point. We will never know the outcome; what we perceive may not happen at all. And in some cases, what we don’t foresee may transpire.

Everybody loves a winner. Losers are always left on the side. No one pays attention to someone who is already out of the limelight. But then, it is through failures that someone learns. Winning brings pride but losing means humility.

“Life is a long lesson in humility.” I was reminded of this statement by James M. Barrie after reading the anecdote below: A long flight of stairs is the last stage of a climb up a mountain in China. For more than a thousand years, a steady of pilgrims has come and gone until the steps are worn and dangerous. Numbers of pilgrims have fallen and hurt themselves.

The people of the neighborhood have asked the monks to rebuild the steps, fearing that they might lose their profitable business of housing the pilgrims. But the abbot of the monastery refused.

“It is regrettable,” he said, “that some pilgrims have suffered injury or death. But this could be because they were holding their heads too high. But they are only a few of the millions who have learned that in life, one must walk carefully, holding the head high, but not so high that pitfalls cannot be seen, and so low as to lose sight of the sky.”

The beginning of greatness is to be little, the increase of greatness is to be less, and the perfection of greatness is to be nothing. As William Temple puts it: “Humility does not mean thinking less of yourself than of other people, nor does it mean having a low opinion of your own gifts. It means freedom from thinking about yourself at all.”

But more often than not, people put themselves

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Global warming and food EDGEWISE

BY JESUS QUITAIN

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Last of three parts

HE one (1) trillion food industry is looking for ways to make profit by creating new wonder health foods with novel proteins. Gen. Mills of Minnesota thinks it has found a new super food called ALT, alternative proteins. It comes from pulses, a branch of a legume family which include dried peas, beans, and lentils.

Pulses are in short supply because in the last five years, American have been gobbling proteins. Pulses can be eaten whole, ground into flour, or separated into three main parts: protein, fiber, and starch. They have more protein and fiber than wheat or rice, provide B vitamins, iron, and zinc, and help control blood pressure and bad cholesterol. Finally, they help the environment because while growing, they return nitrogen to the soil, reducing the need for fertilizers. It grows on smaller areas and lesser water. Gen. Mills is so rich that it bought more than 70 percent of the 2012 to 2014 pea beans and lentils in Canada and USA. The other wonder health food is Maca. It is a turnip-looking vegetable found only in the mountains of Peru, South America. In 2000, Navitas Natural, a U.S. top importer of wonder health food, paid $7.50 per kilo of Maca. In 2014, the price was already $40 per kilo and still increasing. China learned ten years ago that Maca is a cancer fighting super food and has double the power of Viagra and since then has been buying all the Maca Peru can sell. Today, 90 percent of all the Maca goes to China which buys at any price.

Most US Corporations operate on the capitalist principle of profits for the benefit of the stock holders/owners.

Because they have perfected the art of efficiency in their operations, their production costs are lower, allowing them to cut the prices of the products and still make gigantic profits. The US food/ health/drug companies have billions in profits used for research and innovation. They buy whatever commodities they think will let them make more profits. There is no issue of morality, legality, and decency involved. If Gen. Mills has billions of dollars to buy all the dried peas, beans, lentils available and is bothered by its conscience and does nothing, some other food company like Kellogs or Campbell will corner the market.

What about the poor who cannot afford to buy these items which are good for their health (think cancer, diabetes, high blood, kidney, liver problems, etc.)? The materialistic world loves a success story. Unfortunately, success is determined by the profits you make and not the good you have done for free for the poor/needy/sick of the world.

P.S. There are signs that the Mindanao El Niño is very bad. 1. Since April 8 Bislig’s Tinuyan Falls, the second biggest in Mindanao, has had no water. 2. The water in Lake Lanao and Bukidnon’s Musuan Pulangi dam is more than 10 feet away from the shoreline. 3. Farmers all over have reported dried, wilted, dead plants/crops since April 1. 4. Fishermen say there is less fish. Because of the prolonged heat (January to April), the micro tiny planktons which fish eat and are found in the shorelines died so the fish have nothing to eat. They go to deeper areas farther from the shorelines. There is less fish and prices of fish have gone up.

10 NEWS BAN... FROM 1

Acosta, Edgar Ibuyan Sr., Karlo Bello, Tomas J. Moteverde IV, Bai Halila Sudagar, January Duterte, and Louie John Bonguyan were not present in yesterday’s regular session.

Avila, chair of the committee on environment and natural resources, later told reporters the city will reject any mining application once the ordinance is signed by Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte.

The mayor has already said he opposes mining in Davao City.

Avila said one of the rea-

sons stated for passing the proposed mining prohibition is City Ordinance No. 0319707 or the Watershed Code of Davao City.

“The Watershed Code declares portions of Davao City as conservation area, agro-forestry non-tillage, and prime agricultural areas. All these in the national law are closed to mining,” he said.

Avila said the Watershed Code is enough reason to pass the prohibition since mining companies want to explore the conservation areas of the city.

great shape and appeared to have been treated well during their ordeal,” he said.

The four, who were partners of a newly-formed construction business, were on their way to meet a prospective client in Cotabato City for a supposed construction project when they were abducted on March 29.

The victims were last seen leaving the city aboard a Mitsubishi Strada pickup, which was found abandoned several days later.

Victim Jayson Cababayao, whose family owns the J Trade Concrete Products and Construction Supply here, told reporters that a supposed wealthy businessman initially established contact with their partner architect Raulito Jr. in early March to seek assistance regarding a resort development project near Cotabato City.

He said the investor signified to commission Raulito Jr. and their firm for the development of the design and the construction of the project.

They later agreed to a meeting in Cotabato City to discuss the details of the project and visit the site later on, he said.

Cababayao said they left the city aboard his pickup at around 8 a.m. last March 29 along with a woman who was supposed to serve as their guide.

Upon reaching a portion of Dalican in Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao, he said they were met by a motorcycle-riding man who will reportedly guide them to the investor’s farm.

They followed the supposed guide to an unfamiliar area where they were met by a group of armed men who then declared the kidnapping, he said.

Cababayao said they were tied up and kept in the area for several days and later transferred to another location.

“They took all our belongings -- our vehicle, laptops, cellphones and other valuables. They even asked for the passwords of our Facebook accounts,” he said He said the suspects later told them that they would contact our parents for the ransom negotiations.

“They were updating us about the negotiations from time to time but always claimed that they were getting nowhere. So we were really surprised when they decided to release us last April 28,” he said.

Before they were abandoned along the national highway, he said the suspects gave PHP1,100 in cash for their passenger van fare to this city.

Suyom credited the release of the victims to the efforts of the Philippine National Police’s anti-kidnapping group and several “Muslim and Christian leaders.”

“They were released due to the concerted efforts of various parties and not just because of the ransom payment,” he said.

Chief Insp. Aldrin Martin Gonzales, public information officer of the Police Regional Office 12, told PNA that the operations are currently ongoing against the kidnappers.

But he declined to issue further details, noting the case is being handled by the Police Regional Office in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (PRO-ARMM).

He said they are currently coordinating with the PRO-ARMM for the investigation of the case and for other necessary operations.

(PNA)

Senior Supt. Joselito Salido, Tawi-Tawi police director, said Garcia was abducted by four gunmen also wearing fatigues and bonnet masks around 11 p.m. Sunday at Beach Side Inn in Barangay Sumandagit, Bongao.

Salido said Garcia is the finance officer of a mining firm based in Tawi-Tawi.

He said the suspects forced Garcia to board one of two motorized bancas that sped towards Languyan, Tawi-Tawi.

Policemen in coordination with the military were tracking down the whereabouts of the victims in Zamboanga del Norte and in Tawi-Tawi. (MindaNews)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Kidnappers... FROM 2

2 PCG... FROM 2

MORE TRUCKS. Councilor Bernard Al-ag expresses his desire to file a resolution urging Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) secretary Mar Roxas to fund additional brand new fire trucks for the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in Davao City to enhance the agency’s firefighting capability. Lean Daval Jr.

Peace... FROM 3

references to the opt-in provisions of the proposed law, saying “the creation of an autonomous region is a sole function of Congress.

“The core of Bangsamoro territories should not be allowed to increase indefinitely by the periodic vote of 10 percent of registered voters in the outer territories,” Davide told the Senate panel.

The council also recommended that the phrase “ministerial form of government” in the BBL be dropped in favor of ‘parliamentary’ form for purposes of consistency and clarity.

It also suggested the refinements of the provision that allows new parliamentary elections upon a two-thirds of vote of no confidence of all members of parliament, saying “it run counter to the constitutionally mandated synchronization of national and local elections.”

The council also recommended that Article IV, Section 6 on Devolution and Subsidiarity be amended “to read “Principles of Devolution and Subsdiarity, and of Solidarity.”

The council found that the SC and the constitutional bodies will continue to maintain the powers that are given them under the Constitution.

However, the council suggested to Congress to make it clear that the judicial power remains with the SC while the BBL envisions the creation of special lower courts under the SC’s control and supervision.

“The BBL provision that states that the decisions of the Shari’ah High Court shall be final and executory invites controversy. In order to avert any confusion, the provision may be amended to include the clause, subject to the review powers of the SC,” Davide said.

On the constitutional bodies, the peace council suggested to make sure that the Bangsamoro special bodies such as auditing body, civil service office, human rights commission, commission on elections should make sure that they “were created with the goal of supplementing, not supplanting , the work of their national counterparts.”

On the management of peace and order, the council said the security and maintenance of peace and order rests with the Bangsamoro police

“which will remain part of the national police.”

The council also sought clarification on some potential issues and advised the Senate to address them such as management and control of natural resources, labor and legal framework, land registration and management, customs duties and tariffs within the Bangsamoro, investments and tax management.

The council also found that the draft of the BBL does fulfill its mandate on social justice and human development.

However, the council suggested some refinements such as inclusion of terms such as Non-Moro Indigenous Peoples and Fusuka Inged, “among others, to make the law more readable”; and, expansion of reserve seats for youth, women and the Indigenous Peoples.

On the decommissioning process, the council expressed concerns over the lack of a clear and specific timeframe for its implementation.

Davide, however, clarified that the BBL complies with the Constitution’s mandate for the creation of autonomous regions.

“While imperfect, it is a significant document that should serve as catalyst for building national consensus towards the realization of the long term aspiration, expressed by the country three decades ago, for justice , solidarity and peace, for Mindanao and for the entire Philippines,” Davide said.

Davide said it is still the Congress which has the sole power to decide whether to adopt the council’s recommendations.

Marcos and Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero, who also attended the BBL hearing, thanked the peace council members for their recommendations on how to make a better BBL that would serve as legal basis for the creation of the Bangsamoro government.

“We want to look closer into the findings and recommendations of the peace council, particular those that would help in our task of crafting a version of the BBL that would ensure peace in Muslim Mindanao,” Marcos said.

“We admire the council members for being honest with their recommendations

DAR... FROM 6

ment reporting to expedite succeeding fund releases for the provincial sub-projects.

ARISP III and ARCP 2 are continuations of two previous foreign-assisted projects by the JICA and ADB. Engineering consulting services were procured during the initial phases of these projects, and maintained for the continuations of these two projects.

The DAR has noted that the procurement of these consulting services were not entirely in consonance with the Government Procurement Reform Law (RA 9184). This oversight was corrected and the Department is now seeing to it that further projects strictly follow the Procurement Law. The implementation of the JICA-assisted Mindanao Sustainable Agrarian Assistance Development Project (MINSAAD) and the Italian-assisted ARC Development Sup-

port Project were adversely affected by the delays in the procurement of consulting services for project implementation.

DAR is now in the process of conducting the procurement procedure for the contract of consulting services for MINSAAD after two failed biddings.

In the case of the Italian-assisted project, the DAR is now undertaking the procurement procedures for contract of consulting services and goods.

Both projects take into consideration the provisions of the Procurement Law and the provision of the financing agreement between the Philippines and the Japanese and the Italian governments.

The DAR also noted that the audit report was for the year 2013 and the Italian project became effective only on 27 August 2013. (DAR/PR)

remain relatively stable given the country’s strong external position owing to strong remittances and foreign direct investment inflows, ample international reserves, and a manageable level of external debt. Overall, these conditions are seen to contribute to stable domestic prices going forward,” the NEDA official said.

But Esguerra noted potential risks to inflation such as the current episode of mild El Niño in the country, should its adverse effects intensify.

“Regular monitoring of drought incidence in agricultural areas should be continued to ensure that appropriate policy actions are implemented without delay. Timely importation of rice to augment domestic supply should serve as a ready measure to prevent the repeat of the high rice

prices witnessed in the third quarter of 2013 until 2014,” he said.

Esguerra also emphasized that it is likewise critical for the government to continue to explore a more lasting solution to further decongest Metro Manila and avoid future disruptions in the domestic supply chain. He also stressed the need to promote productivity increases in agriculture and the food processing industries.

“There should be programs to cover the use of appropriate technology to expand production capacity as well as intensification of credit programs and facilities with crop insurance,” he said.

Esguerra is OIC of NEDA while Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan is on official business abroad from May 5-10, 2015.

Inflation... FROM 6

and suggested refinements,” Escudero, for his part, said.

Marcos said his committee will conduct hearings in Zamboanga and Jolo on May 12 and 13 and then returned to Manila for at least two

more hearings before making a committee report.

Marcos said the Senate will not pass the BBL as submitted by Malacanang to the House of Representatives and the Senate. (PNA)

ICT HUB 11

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Facebook opens up Internet.org

3. Technical specifications “Websites must be built to be optimized for browsing on both feature and smartphones and in limited bandwidth scenarios. In addition, websites must be properly integrated with Internet.org to allow zero rating and therefore can’t require JavaScript or SSL/TLS/HTTPS and must meet technical guidelines set

by Facebook.” Jon Joaquin

Filipinos love to share their experiences as they happen, and with Globe Prepaid Roam Surf, customers can “virtually” bring their friends along on any travel adventure without being dependent on WiFi,” says Coco Domingo, Vice President for Globe Platinum and Roaming Business. “With the Globe Prepaid Roam Surf, prepaid users no longer need to buy local SIMs and change numbers or search for Wi-Fi spots in their destinations just to connect to their loved ones and the things they love doing on their smartphones. We empower them to continue living their digital lifestyle with access to the Internet anytime and anywhere they need it, at a price that’s within reach and an experience that’s convenient and hassle-free.”

To register, prepaid customers can dial *143# at least 24 hours prior to departure and select International Roaming to register to Globe Prepaid Roam Surf. Prepaid users availing of the service will receive a message confirming their Roam Surf subscription which includes the name of the partner-carrier at their destination. Customers need to maintain a minimum load of P150 plus the denomination of the Roam Surf to be availed. No load is deducted until the subscription is successfully activated in the country of destination. Globe prepaid customers are advised to change their APN settings on their smartphones to internet. globe.com.ph to ensure that they get to enjoy uninterrupted data roaming connectivity.

In 2014, Globe launched the flat rate for unlimited data roaming service of P599 per day to its postpaid customers, paving the way for a boost in its data roaming business with its customer base growing by two-fold as a result of strong take-up of the service and the increasing appetite for data connectivity while abroad.

Visit www.globe.com.ph/ international or dial *143# to know more about Globe Prepaid Roam Surf.

nology, an innovation that led professional photographer Brian Derballa to call the N3 a “photography machine.”

When asked about the phones’ fit and finish, OPPO general manager, Sky Li boasts: “We used cutting-edge manufacturing techniques to create a phone that fits perfectly into the users’ hands, and that feels incredible.

The frame has been forged nine times and then finished by hand

to give a perfect sheen and feel. It has a quality that is not available anywhere else in the country.”

This is where the similarities between the two end. The N3 is built with a solid spec sheet that will please power users with its Snapdragon 801 quad-core processor, 2 GB of RAM, and 32 GB of internal storage to go with its 16 megapixel motorized swiveling camera.

The R5 on the other hand

is a much sleeker unit, and is currently the world’s slimmest smartphone at 4.85mm. Don’t be fooled though, the R5 is also a heavy hitter with a Quallcommocta-core processor and an amazing 5.2 inch AMOLED screen.

Regardless of what your needs are, OPPO has lovingly crafted two incredibly solid platforms just begging to suit your lifestyle.

F

NOW OPEN. Screen grab of Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg announcing the Internet.org platform yesterday. troduce people to the value of the internet, and that we hope add value to their lives. These websites are very simple and data efficient, so operators can offer these for free in an economically sustainable way,” he added.

Currently, the initiative only includes a few sites like Wikipedia, the Facts for Life health site run by the United Nations Children’s Fund, BBC News, Facebook, and Accuweather.

Zuckerberg said the new platform will let more basic websites on board.

“Websites do not pay to be included, and operators don’t charge developers for the data people use for their services.

Because these services have to be specially built to these specifications, we started by offering just a few. But giving people more choice over the services they use is incredibly important and going forward, people using Internet.org will be able to search for and use services that meet these guidelines,” he said.

Zuckerberg said Facebook is “building an open platform and anyone who meets these guidelines will be able to participate.”

Developers that join will need to follow three principles

that Facebook has followed in building versions of Facebook and Messenger for Internet. org. Zuckerberg said these are designed to align all participants’ incentives and bring more people online. Participation will remain free for any developer or user.

“We think these criteria will help us to connect more people faster, and add even greater value to people’s lives,” he said.

The guidelines for participation are the following:

Task 1: Take a panoramic photo. Image must be crisp and clear, showing no indication of shaking.

Task 2: Take a panoramic photo with no less than 15 people in it. Each member of the team should appear at least three times in the photo.

Task 3: Take macro shots of three 3 different insects. The insects must measure at least 5 cm long in the photo.

Task 4: Using the HDR mode, snap photos of each member posing in front of 5 different landscapes with the sun shining brightly in the back.

Task 5: In a prose given, find all the names of animals and take photos of them.

Task 6: Snatch the name tags of the opposing team, Running Man style.

The yellow team stood head

and shoulders above the rest of the competition, with the red, green, and violet teams trailing in second, third, and fourth place respectively.

Apart from a day’s bounty in premium OPPO prizes, the winners also bagged a chance to compete abroad for OPPO Running International.

The tech company is now looking to take the OPPO experience on a tour of the country with similar events in Cebu, Davao, Baguio, and Bicol just to name a few.

Designed for life OPPO’s N3 and R5 models were used extensively throughout the event, pulling out all the punches in terms of features, design, and functionality, especially for their cameras. Both units make use of OPPO’s renowned Pure Image 2.0+ (PI 2.0+) tech-

1. Explore the entire internet “The goal of Internet.org is to allow more people to experience the benefits of being online. For most people who aren’t online, the biggest barrier to connecting isn’t lack of infrastructure – more than 80 percent of the world’s population already lives within range of a mobile signal. Instead, the biggest challenges are affordability of the internet, and awareness of how internet services are valuable to them.

“The Internet.org Platform aims to give people valuable free services that they can use to discover the entire wealth of online services and, ultimately become paying users of the internet.

OPPO Running kicks off

E

AGER supporters and techies stormed La Mesa Eco Park in a daylong romp for the OPPO Running, Philippine leg, a special fans’ day hosted by the mobile tech giant.

Four different colored teams were pitted against each other in a series of games that didn’t just stretch the players’ abilities, but also their knowledge of using OPPO smartphone features.

When the participants weren’t chasing each other around, they were neck-deep in challenges highlighting the functionality of OPPO’s latest smartphones, the N3 and the R5.

The tasks were centered on utilizing camera features such as the auto-panorama, macro mode, and the ultra HD mode.

But what were the specific tasks given to them? The instructions for the tasks are as follows:

S

USTAINING its leadership in the data roaming business with the widest coverage worldwide, Globe Telecom is now offering its flat rate for unlimited data roaming service of P599 per day to its prepaid customers, providing over 97% of its total mobile customer base uninterrupted access to the internet in over 50 countries worldwide, over 4 times bigger than the footprint of competition.

With Globe Prepaid Roam Surf, prepaid customers can access the internet abroad for an entire 24-hour cycle, making their data connectivity experience more seamless and worry-free. This gives Globe the clear edge in the roaming business for offering data roaming services for a complete full-day cycle, without having customers worry about the expiration of their data roaming subscriptions at the stroke of midnight.

Prepaid customers travelling to Australia, Austria, Belgium, Canada, China, Croatia, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Estonia, Fiji, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Japan, Latvia, Liechtenstein, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Macau, Malaysia, Mexico, Nauru, Netherlands, Panama, Poland, Portugal, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Seychelles, Sierra Leone, Singapore, Slovakia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAW, Uganda, United Kingdom, and USA can avail of Globe Prepaid Roam Surf.

Roam Surf for Globe Prepaid offers customers the ability to choose from three variants, P599 for 24 hours, P1797 for 3 full days and P2995 for 5 full days. Customers can dial *143# and access the International and Roaming menu to register to the service without having to memorize registration keywords.

“Launching the Globe Prepaid Roam Surf is part of our commitment to enable more Globe customers to maximize their digital lifestyle even while abroad. We know

By JON JOAQUIN ACEBOOK yesterday introduced the Internet.org Platform, an open program for developers “to easily create services that integrate with Internet.org.”

The announcement was made by Facebook founder and CEO Mark Zuckerberg amidst opposition from net neutrality supporters who say the Internet.org initiative favors some sites and services at the expense of others.

“Today, we’re introducing the Internet.org Platform, an open program for developers to easily create services that integrate with Internet.org.

We’re also giving people more choice over the free basic services they can use,” Zuckerberg said in a video released yesterday.

“Our goal with Internet. org is to work with as many developers and entrepreneurs as possible to extend the benefits of connectivity to diverse, local communities. To do this, we’re going to offer services through Internet.org in a way that’s more transparent and inclusive,” Zuckerberg said.

The Internet.org initiative has been criticized for allegedly compromising the principles of net neutrality because it favors access to some sites and services over others.

Zuckerberg, however, said net neutrality must be made to work for the poor.

“Are we a community that values people and improving people’s lives above all else, or are we a community that puts the intellectual purity of technology above people’s needs?” he said in his video.

Zuckerberg said the core of the efforts with Internet. org are non-exclusive partnerships with mobile operators to offer free basic internet services to people through Internet.org.

“This is a set of basic websites and services to in-

Globe launches flat rate for data roaming service

“Services should encourage the exploration of the broader internet wherever possible.”

2. Efficiency “To sustainably deliver free basic internet services to people, we need to build apps that use data very efficiently. Operators have made significant economic investments to bring the internet to people globally, and Internet. org needs to be sustainable for operators so that they can continue to invest in the infrastructure to maintain, improve and expand their networks.

“Websites that require high-bandwidth will not be included. Services should not use VoIP, video, file transfer, high resolution photos, or high volume of photos.”

12 CLASSIFIED

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DAVAO CITY MAIN OFFICE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY MARKETING OFFICE

Director of Sales

Marketing Specialist

JOCELYN S. PANES

Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel: (082) 224-1413 Telefax: (082) 221-3601

EDMUND P. RENDON

General Santos City

Mobile: (Sun) 0925-357-3460 (Smart) 0907-202-3844

MANILA MARKETING OFFICE

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

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

OWWA allocates P6-M grant to displaced OFWs in Libya

T

HE Overseas Workers Welfare Administration (OWWA) in Northern Mindanao has set aside P6 million in financial aid to displaced overseas workers in Libya, an official said Tuesday.

Harry B. Borres, regional director of OWWA in Region 10, said that the OWWA has registered 538 workers, all from various provinces in Northern Mindanao, who are currently working in the strife-torn country of Libya.

The financial aid includes the cash assistance of P1.3 million to the returning Overseas Foreign Workers (OFW) from Libya who come from Northern Mindanao, he said.

Borres said that each OWA worker from Libya would be entitled to an ini-

tial financial assistance of P10,000, aside from a seed capital to any OFW from Libya who would like to start an income generating livelihood project of their choice.

He said that the national government has also appropriated some P3.7 million under the Skills for Employment Scholarship Program (SESP) for the returning OFWs. Borres said that aside from the 538 displaced workers from Libya, another 342 OFWs also came home because of the war in Yemen.

In spite of the armed conflict in some parts of the Middle East (ME), the OWWA is still recording an average of 80 departures of ME bound workers every week, Borres said. (PNA)

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) 21068516 under Loyola Contract No(s). 101648630 MRO 530008438 issued to DARLEN Y. MACABUDBUD Plan Transfer Form Nos. 2402-07135, 2402-07137, 2402-07145, 2402-07148, 2404-11298-11299, 240215704-15705,2402-15712-15715 issued to TERESITA F. ERAMIS were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

4/29;5/6,13

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS

13

Tropical storm expected to enter by Thursday–PAGASA T

HE tropical depression outside the`Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) has intensified into a tropical storm, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said on Monday (May 4).

PAGASA defines a tropical storm as moderate tropical cyclone with maximum wind speed of 64 to 118 kph (25 to 75 mph).

PAGASA weather forecaster Shelley Ignacio said that the tropical storm with international name “Noul” was estimated based on all available data at 1,555 km East of Mindanao (10.0˚N,

140.4˚E) packing maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 80 kph.

It is forecast to move West Northwest at 9 kph.

Ignacio said with its speed and movement, the tropical storm is expected to enter the PAR by Thursday and also expected to make landfall in the Bicol Region by Saturday or Sunday.

Once it enters PAR, the storm will be locally named “Dodong” the fourth tropical cyclone to affect the country this year.

PAGASA expects at least one to two cyclones to affect the country this

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) 58767 under Loyola Contract No(s). 505981-1 issued to JUANITO B. JADENA 26532 under Loyola Contract No(s). 708363426 issued to ESTER F. BARZA were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

4/29;5/6,13

May. She added the trough or extended cloudiness of the tropical storm will bring cloudy skies with light to moderate rains over Eastern Visayas while the rest of Visayas and Mindanao will have partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rains. Thunderstorms are likely to occur over this areas.

Ignacio said the public will continue to experience warm and humid weather due to the easterlies or warm air from the east which continues to be the dominant weather system affecting the country.

She said that due to easterlies, the whole country will experience partly cloudy to cloudy skies with isolated rainshowers or thunderstorms.

However, she noted that the chances of isolated rains are high in the areas located in the eastern section of the country since it is affected by the easterlies.

She explained that since the easterlies or

winds from the east are “warm,” the convective activity brought about by its intense heat triggers the formation of localized thunderstorm clouds.

She added that its “rich in moisture” quality also contribute in the formation of thunderstorm clouds.

She said the presence of easterlies will continue to bring high temperatures and sunny weather in the coming days as he advised people to wear lightweight and light-colored clothing, and drink plenty of water.

She said residents of places directly hit by the heat of the sun, without trees, and surrounded by concrete roads would feel much hotter.

In its advisory, PAGASA said light to moderate winds blowing from the east to southeast will prevail over Luzon, coming from the east to northeast over Visayas and from the northeast to north over Mindanao. The coastal waters throughout the archipelago will be slight to moderate. (PNA)

14 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Young judge shares wisdom with USeP 2015 grads A

Judge Boco

A

Ward off summer eye problems in a blink

S the sun glows brighter and days grow warmer, sunglasses once again become a staple of our everyday wardrobe. But did you know that there is more to these eye candies other than making you look hip and cool under the glare of the sun?

They can also protect you from eye problems so common during the season.

According to the American Academy of Ophthalmology, prolonged exposure to bright sunlight increases the risk of developing cataracts and abnormal eye growths, including cancer.

UV radiation from natural sunlight can damage the surface tissues of the eyes as well as the lens and cornea.

“Summer means prolonged time under the sun,” says Dr. Joy Go, AVP for Ideal Vision. “Unfortunately, not everyone is aware of the eye problems they can pick up outdoors. Worse, not everyone knows how to properly protect themselves from these risks.” Her

recommendation: “The next time you pick sunglasses, make sure they can properly protect your eyes. Protection is key.”

Know your UV According to Dr. Go, people do not often check the UV rating of sunglasses before buying.

“But the UV rating of a pair matters,” she explains.

“So before picking one, make sure to check this because your level of protection will depend on it.”

Lenses that meet the ANSI Z80.3 blocking requirements set by the American National Standards Institute are highly recommended. Choose a pair that can block 99% or 100% of UVB and UVA rays to get the right protection for your peepers.

Brands from Ideal Vision Center are spot on in providing UV protection while also giving a punch of style for that impeccable summer look. Choose from many styles and col-

ors while being eye smart during the hottest days of the year.

Dr. Go adds, “Even those who are wearing UV-blocking contact lenses need the protection from sunglasses. Opt for lenses that offer 400 UV protection because they block even the tiniest of light rays.”

Ditch the glare Increased risks for eye problems are not the only danger during summer.

Beachgoers in particular can also suffer from a condition called Photokeratitis, which affects the cornea’s thin surface layer and the conjunctiva.

Photokeratitis can be caused by light reflection from water, sand, and flat, smooth surfaces. Some of its symptoms may include pain, blurriness, and swelling. Additionally, it can cause discomfort and skewed vision.

For this, Dr. Go recommends the use of polarized sunglasses. “Sunlight

bouncing off water and sand causes an agitating and blinding glare because they are also reflected back to the eyes horizontally.”

She elaborates, “Polarized lenses remedy this with a special laminated filter that blocks the reflected horizontal light and lets the vertically oriented light to pass through the lens. This removes the glare and gives the wearer a clearer vision.”

Arm yourself with polarized lenses with UV protection for those beach getaways. Ideal Vision Center offers a collection of stylish pairs optimized to give the best protection for your eyes while letting you flaunt your summer style.

The harsh conditions of summer demand everyone to be extra diligent in caring for their peepers. As Dr. Goputs it, “Make sure you are protected before going out there. Then you can turn a blind eye to all these risks and focus on getting the time of your life this summer.”

TTORNEY Jimmy Bustillo Boco, the youngest judge ever appointed at the age of 34, shared his wisdom and experiences with the graduates as the commencement speaker of the University of Southeastern Philippines, Tagum– Mabini Campus, on April 13.

Through the appointment of His Excellency Benigno Simeon C. Aquino III, Judge Boco was appointed to be the Judge of the Municipal Trial Court of Maco, Compostella Valley Province on February 24 this year.He was previously promoted as Deputy Provincial Prosecutor by the President of the Republic of the Philippines last December 4, 2014, allowing him to serve as a Prosecutor for only two months, right before he was appointed as Judge.

Hailed as the man of many gifts, Atty. Boco is a part-time law professor for both undergraduate and post-graduate studies. He also contributes columns to local newspapers such as Sidlak Dabaw and Periodico Norte. He even renders free legal services through his own radio program entitled “Sayri ang Balaod” aired ev-

ery Saturdays and Sundays via 107.1 FM Hope Radio Tagum.

Boco is an alumnus of USeP. He is a graduate of Bachelor of Science in Agricultural Education major in Animal Science.Being the commencement speaker of the Tagum-Mabini campus allowed him to inspire young graduates who will be the future professionals and leaders of our country.

Before Boco passed the board examination in 2007 and became a lawyer at a young age of 27, life has never been easy for him. Despite the challenges he encountered, he continued reaching for his dreams and he will continue to do so for the years to come.

Given all his accomplishments, he never failed to look back and reflect on the things he had to do in order to get where he is right now.

He is the living proof that hard work, patience, and perseverance will surely pay off subsequent accomplishments and successes when the time is right. His life’s experiences, which he shared to the USeP graduates, inspired them to pursue their dreams amidst challenges.

UM to fete Criminology exam topnotcher

T

HE University of Mindanao is set to award its alumni, Arfe June Mosquera with P500,000 as the promised incentive to the school’s top-performing students.

University president Dr. Guillermo P. Torres Jr. confirmed the incentive for Mosquera.

Mosquera topped the national examinations with a rating of 91.10% out of a total of 14,696 examinees, with only 4,337 passers, according to a Professional Regulation Commission announcement last Tuesday, April 26.

Mosquera

The University of Mindanao garnered a passing rate (for first-time takers) of 90.84% compared to the national average passing rate of 29.51% in the licensure examinations.

The criminology examinations were held in the cities of Davao, Manila, Baguio, Cebu, Cagayan de Oro, Iloilo, Legazpi, Lucena, Tacloban, Tuguegarao and Zamboanga.

UM is consistent in its promise to top-performing students, with its first topnotcher, Honey Joy Bacus, awarded P1 million for placing first in the social worker licensure examinations last year.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

SPORTS 15

2015 PALARONG PAMBANSA OVERALL MEDAL STANDINGS As of May 5 (Day 3)

DELEGATION

G

S

B

RANK

WVRAA

5

6

6

2

NCR

CALABARZON BICOL CAR

NMRAA ILOCOS CVRAA

EVRAA

SOCKSARGEN DAVRAA CLRAA

CAVRAA

CARAGA

MIMAROPA

ZAMBOANGA ARMM

12 5 3 2 2 2 1 1 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0

8 1 1 4 0 0 1 0 5 2 2 2 1 0 0 0

3 9 1 1 3 2 4 0 3 1 1 0 0 0 0 0

1 3 4 5 6 7 8 9

10

T11 T11 12 13 x x x

PALARONG PAMBANSA ROUNDUP

Eagles off to fiery start in ballgames

T

HE Davao Eagles got off to an impressive start in the Palarong Pambansa ballgames, scoring victories both in the elementary and secondary levels.

The Davao dribbles won over Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR), 58-39, in the elementary boys at the Rotary Gym, then edged Northern Mindanao in the secondary boys, 75-74, at the University of Southeastern Philippines (Usep) Gym. Not to be outdone, the girls elementary team won over Bicol Region in straight sets, 25-10, 25-11, in a game

played at the Magugpo UCCP Gym. In softball girls, the Eagles rebounded from a heart-breaking 0-3 defeat to National Capital Region with a 12-0 thumping of Caraga Region at the LYR Property in Barangay Conocotan.

In secondary boys volleyball, Davao trounced Caraga Region, 25-17, 25-12, at the University of Mindanao College Gym. Javi Romero-Salas, meanwhile, scored two goals to lead Davao to a 2-1 victory over Zamboanga Peninsula at the E-Park. (CRAM)

AVAO Region notched its second win in as many outings in elementary boys basketball after surviving a hard-fighting Zamboanga Peninsula 75-71. The Eagles earlier whallopped Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) 58-31 to set off its campaign on a high note.

In earlier games, NCR edged Calabarzon 64-62, Calabarzon drubbed Mimaropa 74-60, Socksargen whipped ARMM 8530, Central Luzon turned back Ilocos 66-56, Central Visayas defeated Northern Mindanao 46-35, Eastern Visayas trounced Zamboanga Peninsula 41-33, Bicol Region drubbed CAR 71-44, and Western Visayas conquered Caraga 74-55.

In secondary boys basketball, Davao exracted two hardearned wins in the eliminations so far after edging Northern Mindanao 75-74 before disposing off Bicol 71-68 in a pair of close contests.

In other fronts, the hosts suffered debacles in elementary boys baseball, elementary softball, elementary football, secondary boys football, secondary girls basketball and sepak takraw.

In elementary boys baseball, Davao Region bowed to Central Luzon 5-0 at the LYR Field. The Central Luzon clouters slugged home two runs on the top of the second inning and added three more in the third to fashion out the abbreviated win via mercy rule. The loss virtually knocked the hosts out of the running in children’s baseball after it absorbed a 3-1 loss to Calabarzon in their first outing on Sunday.

Also at the LYR Field, the hosts bowed to NCR 4-3 in elementary softball after yielding six hits and four errors to the Big City sluggers. In boys football, the Dabawenyos dropped a 0-2 defeat to Northern Mindanao conceding a goal each in both halves.

The boys secondary volleyball squad, among the host teams given good chances of winning a team medal, was ambushed by Ilocos Region 23-25, 25-21, 22-25 for an even 1-1 card. The Davao spikers had an auspicious debut on Sunday beating Caraga 23-17, 25-12 in a lopsided match. In the girl’s side, Davao thumped Cordillera Autonomous Region 24-26, 2517, 25-13.

Davao notches wins in basketball

D

INJURED. Marvic Labotap of Davao Region shows the gash she suffered after rolling to the turf in the girls 100-meter run in the 2015 Palarong Pambansa yesterday. Cha Monforte

Davao girls advance in softball

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

A

CE hurler Irene Lumanas and starting pitcher Ivy Alonzo combined for nine strikeouts as the Davao Region crushed Cordillera Autonomous Region (CAR) Tuesday, 8-1, and advanced to the quarterfinals of the secondary girls softball in the Palarong Pambansa.

Working behind a 16-hit attack, the Eagles were unforgiving against CAR, forcing their opponents to raise the white flag after only five innings at the E-Park diamond in Apokon, Tagum City.

After giving up a run in

the top of the third inning to fall behind, the Eagles responded with two runs in the bottom half of the inning and added four more in the fourth to put the match away.

Sensing they could not anymore mount a comeback, the CAR batters surrendered after the fifth inning. By then, Davao had already built an 8-1 advantage.

Alonzo had five SOs while the fireballing Lumanas had four SOs of her own as they alternated in freezing the CAR hitters in a game witnessed by a throng of Davao

supporters that included Councilor Mabel Sunga-Acosta.

The lady councilor was so elated with the triumph of the girls that she gave them P1,000 intended for ice cream after the match played under scorching heat.

With the victory, the Eagles made it to the quarterfinals with a 2-1 record and are only awaiting results of other matches to determine their next opponent.

Davao actually started to a sour note after losing to the National Capital Regio, 0-3, in

the first game. The girls, however, rebounded with a 12-0 dumping of the CARAGA Region Monday morning.

In basketball, the Eagles erased a 12-point deficit in the second half to pull off a 71-68 win over Bicol Regional in secondary boys action.

The Eagles will next play Ilocos Region.

In the elementary level, Davao posted its second victory after downing Zamboanga Peninsula, 75-71.

The Eagle footballers, meanwhile, demolished Cagayan Valley, 6-1.

HE tandem of Vincent Gumpac and Chickoy Saavedra combined for a 143 aggregate to emerge as team gross champions at the close of the 10th Pomelo Tee Invitational golf tournament at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club over the weekend.

Gumapac finished with 79 while Saavedra had 64 for a 143 total to win via countback over the pair of Carlos Alba and Leo Yap (75-68-143). Ronald Galicia and Leo Fusilero wound-up second runner-up (71-68-139) while Kuresh Samanodi and Den Den de Castro land 3rd runner-up (76-61137).

In the Net division, the

tandem of Antonio Santos Jr. and Mac Mending stood tall at the winners podium with 182 (100-82) leaving past the pair or John Louh and Felix Enofre at second with 179 (98-81).

Oscar Rebosura and Sonny Laraya placed 2nd runner-up (86-87-173) while Jaime Morente and Nestor Quinsay placed 3rd runner-up (83-86169).

Individual awards saw Vincent Gumapac 79 (overall gross champion), Antonio Santos Jr. 100 (overall net champion), Maricel Kim 52 (Ladies division gross champion), Evenlyn Quinsay 82 (Ladies division net champion), John Gross 48 (Class D gross champion), Nelson Namocat-

cat 88 (Class D net champion), Simeon Marfori II 53 (Class C gross champion), Dexter So 89 (Class C net champion), Paul Dakudao 70 (Class B gross champion), Richard Bad-ang 95 (Class B net champion), Jun Plana 77 (Class A gross champion), Jerico Bajo 86 (Class Net champion), Vergie Hermiston 45 (Ladies gross 1st r-up), Stella Barnes 80 (Ladies net 1st r-up), Ronald Lu 45 (Class D gross 1st r-up), Elmer Martinez 86 (Class D net 1st r-up), Butch Santillan 51 (Class C gross 1st r-up), Ralph Garcia 87 (Class C net 1st r-up), Tamio Sakurai 68 (Class B gross 1st r-up), Kim Min Suk 86 (Class B net 1st r-up), Kim Il Gyu 71 (Class A gross 1st r-up),Lud-

wig Ledesma 86 (Class A net 1st r-up),Joan Hortelano 45 (Ladies gross 2nd r-up), Faye Jayno 78 (Ladies net 2nd r-up), Martin Sara 41 (Class D gross 2nd r-up), Alejandro Marfori 85 (Class D net 2nd r-up), Mike Barnuevo 51 (Class C gross 2nd r-up), Armando Abarquez 85 (Class C net 2nd r-up), Brian Davila 63 (Class B gross 2nd r-up), Peter Militante 84 (Class B net 2nd r-up), Cris Tan 70 (Class A gross 2nd r-up), Modesto Castillo 84 (Class A net 2nd r-up).

Special Awards were also given to Saavedra who bagged the longest drive with 261 yards, Al Cobol (accurate drive) and Jiggs Calixto (nearest to the pin 9.9 ft.)

Gumapac-Saavedra duo tops Pomelo Tee T

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

THAT ELUSIVE GOLD

VOL. 8 ISSUE 24 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 6, 2015

Davao leaper settles for silver in Day 3

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

T

TIGHT GUARDING. A Davao Region cagebelle (right) guards a Calabarzon dribbler during the two teams match in the ongoing Palarong Pambansa. The Davao belles took it flush from the chin to Calabarzon 63-56 in their debut game. DAVRAA Photo

njb@edgedavao.net

HREE days down and still searching.

The gold medal remains elusive for host Davao Region after three days of competition in the 2015 Palarong Pambansa, but a silver medal trickled in on a scorching day from the track where a young lass provided the home team some reason to celebrate.

Bernadeth Mendiola leapt to a distance of 4.69 meters good enough for the silver medal in the elementary girls long jump in athletics on a sun-swept day at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex. Ilocos Region’s Krystan Joyce Trinidad bagged the gold medal convincingly with a leap of 4.89 meters. Recine Armamento of Calabarzon settled for the bronze medal with a 4.68-meter effort.

The lone mint for the day gave the Davao Region a 2-1-1 gold-silver-bronze medal tally, all coming from the elementary division as the seconday athletes struggled in the face of formidable competition. The Eagles are tied at 11th position with Central Luzon in the 17-region field.

Before the start of the 58th edition of the national sports conclave for school-based athletes, the hosts have set a modest 5th place target. The hosts finished 8th in

Laguna last year.

The bulk of the individual medals will be disputed beginning today in swimming and athletics and Davao’s hopes for a gold medal should have better chances where the medal-rich events take centerstage in the week-long meet backed up by TADECO, Davao International Container Terminal, Damosa Land, Anflocor, Davao Packaging Corporation, Pearl Farm, Aboitiz Power-Davao Light and Power Corporation and Coca Cola.

Defending champion National Capital Region continued to hold sway after dominating gymnastics over at the Panabo City Gymnasium, padding its medal harvest to 12 golds, 8 silvers and 3 bronzes. With a five-gold medal haul yesterday, the Big City athletes threatened to pull away from the field midway into the games.

Western Visayas added a pair of gold medals to improve its tally to 5-6-6 and stay in distant second spot with Calabarzon equalling its gold medal output with 5 golds on top of a silver and 9 bronzes.

Rounding up the top 10 are Bicol (3-1-1), Cordillera (2-4-1), Northern Mindanao (2-0-3), Ilocos (2-0-2), Central Visayas (1-14), Eastern Visayas (1-0-0) and Socksargen (0-5-3).