Edge Davao 8 Issue 33

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

SARBAY TIME. Beach goers enjoy the concert and foam party sponsored by San Miguel Corporation during this year’s Sarangani Bay Festival, popularly known as SarBay Fest, in Gumasa, Glan over the weekend. Lean Daval Jr.

PORT OR FUNDRAISER? Former councilor wants TRO on P17-B Sasa port project

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY and FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

T

HE implementation of the “highly questionable” P17-billion modernization of the Sasa Port could be a scheme by the administration party to raise funds for its campaign kitty in the 2016 presidential election.

Former Davao City councilor Peter T. Laviña expressed this fear on Monday even as he called on the people of Davao to continue making noise to stop the project.

Laviña, now a volunteer of Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte’s Federalism movement, said they will seek the help of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) in getting a temporary restraining order (TRO) and hold in abeyance the implementation of the controversial project.

Laviña said he wrote a letter to Ombudsman Conchita

Carpio Morales yesterday to investigate the “questionable” increase in the price of the project, which is funded by the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) and to be implemented by the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

“The DOTC/PPA and DBP/ IFC should come clean on this controversial issue otherwise people would accept the speculation that this is part of a fund-raising scheme to raise money for the forthcoming elections,” Laviña said in his letter.

The previous PPA study in 2013 puts the original price of the project at only P4 billion, but this ballooned to P17 billion based on the proposal of the foreign consultancy group International Finance Corporation (IFC) under the World

PORT OF HUGE RETURNS? Bank (WB).

DOTC had earlier tapped the Development Bank of the Philippines and the World Bank’s IFC to serve as the government’s transaction advisers.

The Sasa Modernization Project will be implemented under a public-private partnership (PPP).

“We are not against the modernization of the Sasa Port, but this PPP stinks. Ultimately, the burden will be passed on the us taxpayers, port users, and consumers,” Laviña said in his letter.

Laviña also graced the regular KapehansaDabaw at SM City Annex yesterday morning where he assailed the government for approving such a “highly questionable” project.

“We have to write the Of-

FPORT, 10

P17 BILLION

P4 BILLION

2013 estimates by Philippine Ports Authority (PPA)

2015 estimates based on the proposal of the foreign consultancy group International Finance Corporation (IFC) under the World Bank (WB).

P5.77 BILLION Redevelopment of the Hijo Port in Tagum City under the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) costs only P5.77 billion despite being three times bigger than Sasa Port in terms of land area.

EDGEDAVAO INFOGRAPHICS

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

BRIGADA. Firefighters from C. Bangoy Sr. fire station participate in the Brigada Eskwela, the annual clean-up drive of the Department of Education (DepEd), at the Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Elementary School in Davao City yesterday.

Lean Daval Jr.

7 of 10 Dabawenyos Duterte camp welcomes favor federalism

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

S

EVEN out of 10 Dabawenyos are in favor of federalism, a survey revealed by the University of Mindanao-Institute of Public Opinion (UM-IPO).

Adrian Tamayo, UM-IPO specialist on economics, government, and political issues, said out of the 1,200 systematically chosen respondents from the three districts of Davao, only three in every 10 didn’t like the idea of federalism.

“Those who favor feder-

alism pointed the economic opportunities, increase of local budget, address peace and order situation, it will reduce poverty and will improve public service as among the reason why they are in favor of federalism,” he added.

Meanwhile, those who do not favor federalism were thinking that it is not the system that is problematic but the people running the government and that the federalism form of government will

F7 OF 10, 10

Nograles endorsement

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

T

HE camp of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte on Monday welcomed the endorsement of erstwhile political rival Prospero Nograles and his family.

“Almost all Dabawenyos like (First Distrct Rep.) Karlo (Nograles) would indeed be proud if Duterte runs and wins in 2016. I personally think the country needs Duterte,” said

Peter T. Laviña, a volunteer of Mayor Duterte’s federalism movement.

In an interview late last week, Karlo said he was supporting Duterte if the latter decides to run for president.

His statement was supported by his father, former House Speaker Prospero Nograles, who said Davao City must be united behind the

mayor.

The former House Speaker has long been a political rival of Duterte’s. He ran against Duterte for mayor in 1992 and 1998 – losing both times.

He also ran against Duterte’s daughter Sara for mayor in 2010 but again lost.

But last Saturday, Nograles told EDGE DAVAO that politics is “never personal but is about

issues, beliefs, programs, and purpose! Davao must be united against others. Rivalry is purely local.”

Yesterday, Laviña also welcomed the Nograleses’ support for federalism, which Duterte has been advocating for the past months.

“All support for federalism are welcome. We need to reach

FDUTERTE CAMP, 10

Duterte to HK OWFs: Don’t rely on surveys

By JON JOAQUIN

M RODY IN HONG KONG. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte addresses around 5,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) at the Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Sunday.

AYOR Rodrigo Duterte last Sunday told around 5,000 Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) gathered at the Southorn Stadium in Wan Chai, Hong Kong Sunday not to rely on surveys when they cast their votes in the 2016 presidential elections.

A statement from the Kingdom of Jesus Christ the Name Above Every Name quoted Duterte as saying, “Do note ever rely on surveys. What we should look for is who can solve our country’s problems, particularly on illegal drugs and criminality.”

Sunday’s event was a

concert of international TV preacher and Kingdom of Jesus Christ Pastor Apollo Quiboloy. It was the first time Duterte addressed Filipinos abroad in his “listening tour” advocating a shift to federal system of government.

Duterte had landed third in the latest Social Weather Stations (SWS)’s survey conducted in April on who voters think should succeed President Benigno Aquino in 2016.

Duterte got 15 percent of the total 1,200 respondents nationwide. This was a 10 percent increase from

FDUTERTE, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3

Lito O’s support for Duterte could unite Cebu politicians

F

ORMER Cebu Governor Emilio “Lito” Osmena’s all-out support for the presidential bid of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte might provide the catalyst that will unite Cebu politicians behind their fellow Cebuano in his quest for the presidency.

Duterte’s Cebuano roots is well-known considering that his father, the late Davao Gov. Vicente Duterte, once served as mayor of Danao City in Cebu. The late Cebu City Mayor Ronald Duterte, son of former Mayor Ramon Duterte Sr., was a cousin of the Davao mayor.

Duterte also counts among his relatives the politically-active Durano, Almendras and Patalinghug clans in Cebu which will be a potential headache to politicians who will support another candidate over a relative.

Osmena has asked Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to seek the presidency in 2016 even as he vowed to give his all-out support to his fellow Visayan. Osmena personally made his request to Duterte in a one-on-one meeting late Saturday night at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

“This is it. It’s about time to have a Cebuano or Visayan-speaking president who will free southern Philippines from imperial Manila,” Osmena was quoted in an interview with Cebu Daily News.

Osmena “fully supports”

Duterte’s desire to adopt a federal form of government, which seeks to decentralize and speed up the development of the countryside.

Osmena made unsuccessful bids first for the vice-presidency with Lakas under Pres.

Fidel Ramos in 1992 and then for president under his own Promdi party in 1998. Osmena had long been advocating federalism.

Duterte in fact acknowledged that Osmena is one of three people who requested him to go around the country to keep the torch of federalism burning. The others are former Assemblyman Reuben Canoy and ex-Sen. Aquilino Pimental Jr. Osmena said he fully supports Duterte in his advocacy for a federal form of government which will decentralize and speed up development of areas outside Metro Manila.

Political observers believe that Osmena’s return to local politics could tilt the balance for Duterte in Cebu, which is known to be clannish when election time comes.

One political analyst said the possibility of political adversaries setting aside their differences, like those of the Pimentels, Zubiris and Canoys in Bukidnon and Cagayan de Oro, to back up the presidential bid of Duterte and his Federalist agenda, might also happen in vote-rich Cebu.

ONE STOP. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) director of Investments Promotions and Public Affairs Romeo M. Montenegro (rightmost) gives an overview of the One Stop Facilitation and Monitoring Center (OSFMC) before MinDA chair Luwalhati Antonino (third from left),

Only 2 out of 10 Davao Catholics attend mass

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

O

crc@edgedavao.net

NLY two out of ten Dabawenyos attend Holy Mass as an activity to express faith, a survey of the University of Mindanao- Institute of Popular Opinion (UMIPO) revealed.

About 80 percent of the

Int’l rights group slams Phl gov’t for Rohingya response

By JON JOAQUIN

N

United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Environment, Energy & Climate deputy chief Joseph Foltz (second from left), and other guests during the launching of OSFMC at MinDA office in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

EW York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) yesterday condemned the Philippine government’s decision to push back to sea Rohingya migrants who might enter the country’s waters illegally.

“It’s unacceptable that the Philippine government’s response to an ongoing seaborne humanitarian crisis is to deny any responsibility to assist and instead declare the

Philippines Navy will push back out to sea desperate Rohingya migrants who might enter Philippines waters illegally,” HRW deputy director for Asia Phelim Kine said in a statement.

“That heartless policy choice effectively condemns to death those desperate boat people, who are already sick, starving and dying of thirst, who enter Philippines waters seeking assistance,” he added.

An estimated 6,000 Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, many of them hungry and sick, have been adrift in Southeast Asian seas in boats that had been abandoned by smugglers, reports have said.

Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. has been quoted as saying the Philippines, like Malaysia, Indonesia, and Thailand, will push

GROUP of communication arts majors from the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UPMin) will be launching the Project TEETH (Towards Effective and Efficient Tooth Brushing Habits) campaign on May 23 at the old Barangay Hall in Mintal, Davao City.

The highlights of the event are a dental mission and a storytelling session. Around 100 residents, both parents and children, are expected to attend the event.

According to Darwin Phil-

ip Teh, president of the group, the campaign aims to promote oral health care, particularly effective and efficient brushing habits to the children of Mintal.

“This activity aims to instill in children, as well as their parents, the value of brushing teeth...We also want to show that brushing can be fun,” he added.

A study that focuses on the oral health care habits of children in Mintal conducted by the group revealed that most children do not brush their

teeth properly. Some do not even brush their teeth regularly at all.

Furthermore, most parents perceive that because of their children’s brushing habits, they are more susceptible to tooth-related illnesses.

However, the study also showed that parents perceive that they can teach their children the proper way of brushing as well as other oral health care habits.

The group looked into this angle and decided to involve

FINT’L, 10

UPMin students to launch Project TEETH in Mintal A

FUPMIN, 10

city’s estimated 1.5 million population are Roman Catholics, virtually all of them (99 percent) believing that there is a God. “The respondents are mostly young to young adults, 18-29 which accounted at 42

percent and 30-35 at 28 percent,” UM-IPO specialist Dr. Adrian Tamayo said.

Tamayong said there is a very low number of young Catholics, mostly professionals, attending Holy Mass because of their busy schedule.

“They have a lot of things on their minds. They go to beach and travel many places,” he said.

“Remember, these are young professionals who are trying to prove their self-

FONLY 2, 10

4 BIGGER PICTURE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

The BBL in the hands of 98 Mindanao reps T

HE fate of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) --- whether it is one that adheres to the letter and spirit of the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) or one that may render the future Bangsamoro less autonomous than the present Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) – is in the hands of 98 representatives, majority of them from Mindanao’s 27 provinces and 33 cities.

All representatives from Mindanao’s 59 congressional districts are members of the 75-member Ad Hoc Committee on the Bangsamoro Basic Law (AHCBBL).

The Committee’s 75 members plus 23 ex officio members – or a total of 98 representatives -- are expected to vote in open session on May 18, 19 and 20.

There would be no explanation of the vote, said AHCBBL chair Cagayan de Oro Rep. Rufus Rodriguez. That will be done at the plenary, which he expects to begin on May 25 “from 4 p.m. to midnight or from morning” and last for about two weeks.

Rodriguez said they want to ensure the BBL is passed before Congress adjourns sine die on June 11.

He added that the BBL’s approval will require a majority of those who are present. The Committee’s quorum is 15.

Mindanao’s lone Cardinal, Orlando B. Quevedo, OMI, the Archbishop of Cotabato and lead convenor of Friends of Peace, has been repeatedly urging members of Congress to look at their role in the passage of the BBL as “eminently one of peacemaking.”

“Our legislators are in the

enviable position to crown 17 years of peacemaking with the approval of the BBL. To my mind, they are not only legislators. Regarding the BBL their legislative role is eminently one of peacemaking,” Quevedo said in an article he wrote on May 12, a day after attending what was supposed to be Day 1 of the voting.

Akin to a spiritual crossroad: life and death He explained that legislators “can either ignore the painstaking achievement of 17 years of peacemaking by emasculating the BBL in such a way that the aspiration of self-determination becomes once more a hollow dream.

Or they can strengthen the BBL, refining its letter and preserving its spirit, such that the issues of constitutionality, national sovereignty, territorial integrity, devolution of power, the nature of a regional autonomous region, the rights of Indigenous Peoples and Christian minorities, as well as peoples of other faiths, and other issues, are resolved.”

He acknowledged that the BBL “will not solve all the problems of criminality and lack of peace” and will not end all armed conflict due to rido or land disputes. “Small groups will continue to fight for secession. But the BBL is the alternative for the greatest majority of the Bangsamoro and for our own military and security forces who are tired of war. It is the alternative to radicalization and extremism now spreading towards Southeast Asia and creeping into our shores,” he said.

The Cardinal added: “The

Lord of history has brought us to a crossroad on the journey to a just and lasting peace. The crossroad is akin to the scriptural crossroad.

One way leads to death. The other leads to life.”

Legislators as Peace-builders The Peace Council, which presented to President Aquino on May 4 its report on its findings and recommendations on the BBL noted that the BBL must be understood in its proper context, that it is not an ordinary legislation but a product of a peace agreement that was “forged after decades-old peace negotiations, borne out of the country’s exhaustion with war,” and that negotiations wee done with the participation of international facilitators and observers.

“This does not mean, however, that the Congress, as the repository of legislative powers, is deprived of the exercise of its constitutional prerogative. On the contrary, understanding the nature of the BBL will place greater significance on the legislative process and put it in the proper perspective,” the Peace Council’s report said.

The legislative process, it added, “must be seen as an indispensable and final step to complete and implement the agreement. Legislation must be seen, therefore, as a continuation and finalization of the peace agreement. Legislators are not only policy formulators, they become peace-builders.”

“More than an alternative to independence or secession, the establishment of the Bangsamoro Auton-

omous Region through the BBL must be seen as an alternative to war. Again, this is not to say that the threat of war is a Damocles sword that hangs above the Legislative’s head. This is just to emphasize that legislation, in this context, should be seen as a peace-building exercise,” the Peace Council said

Core territory The core territory of the future Bangsamoro is the present composition of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao – Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi and the cities of Marawi and Lamitan; the cities of Cotabato and Isabela; the six towns in Lanao del Norte (Balo-i, Munai, Nunungan, Pantar, Tagoloan and Tangkal) and 39 barangays in the North Cotabato towns of Kabacan, Carmen, Aleosan, Pigcawayan, Pikit and Midsayap that voted “yes” to inclusion in an expanded ARMM in 2001; and “all other contiguous areas where there is a resolution of the local government unit or a petition of at least 10% of the qualified voters in the area asking for their inclusion at least two months prior to the conduct of the ratification of the Bangsamoro Basic Law and the process of delimitation of the Bangsamoro.”

Residents in the present ARMM, Cotabato and Isabela cities, the six Lanao del Norte towns and 39 villages in six North Cotabato towns will vote in a plebiscite to ratify the BBL. Party list reps from Mindanao In addition to the 59 congressional district represen-

tatives, there are at least nine party-list Representatives who are from Mindanao, eight of htem members of the AHCBBL: Luz Ilagan of Davao City who was been representing Gabriela Women’s Party since 2007; Edgardo Masongsong of 1CARE (1st Consumers Alliance For Rural Energy, Inc); Mariano Piamonte of Padada, Davao del Sur who represents A Teacher (Advocacy For Teacher Empowerment Through Action Cooperation And Harmony Towards Educational Reforms); Maximo Rodriguez, Jr. of Cagayan de Oro City who represents Abante Mindanao, Inc. (Abamin); Sitti Djalia A. Turabin-Hataman of Basilan, representing Anak Mindanao (AMin); Carlos Isagani T. Zarate of General Santos City who has been based in Davao City since the late 1980s, representing Bayan Muna.

Three of the 23 ex officio members are from Mindanao are Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Pangalian Balindong of Lanao del Sur; Carol Jayne B. Lopez of YACAP (You Against Corruption and Poverty) and former Justice Secretary Silvestre Bello III of the party-list 1-BAP (1 Banat and Ahapo Party-List Coalition).

Piamonte founded the St. Michael’s College in Padada, Davao del Sur and was former executive director of the Catholic Educational Association of the Philippines (CEAP).

Rodriguez is president of Abamin. He worked previously at the National Police Commission, Bureau of Immigration and Bureau of Customs and before becoming party-list representative, worked at the Congressional Office of his brother Ru-

fus,who was elected to a third term as representative of the second district of Cagayan de Oro City.

Sitti Djalia A. TurabinHataman founded Pinay Kilos (PinK), an organization based in Zamboanga City that focuses on peace, health, and women’s rights in the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi- tawi, and Zamboanga Sibugay. She is the wife of ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman.

Luz Ilagan of Davao City taught English at the Ateneo de Davao University before becoming city councilor and later Gabriela paryt-list representative.

Bello, who hails from Isabela, rose to national prominence in Davao City during the fight against the Marcos dictatorship, after the assassination of President Aquino’s father, Ninoy in 1983.

After the Marcoses were ousted in February 1986, he was named Justice Undersecretary and later as Justice Secretary. He also served as peace panel chair in the negotiations with the National Democratic Front.

Lopez, a graduate of De La Salle University, is co-founder of Yacap. She is now based in Sarangani and General Santos City.

Masongsong was former manager of the Bukidnon Second Electric Cooperative.

Zarate, a human rights lawyer and a former journalist, is on his first term as Bayan Muna representative.

MindaNews prepared a table (see attachment) containing the list of the 98 voters: 75 members of the AHCBBL as well as the 23 ex-officio members. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

EDGEDAVAO

5 ECONOMY

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

VDFS draws more tourists, say

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) is confident the Visit Davao Fun Sales this year will surpass the 190,000 tourist arrival recorded in the

first VDFS in 2014.

CTOO chief Lissette Marques said she received positive feedbacks from participating tourism industries including hotel and accom-

modation, shopping, fun tours, restaurant and dining, and spa and wellness centers on the number of tourist arrivals.

The Department of Tour-

ism (DOT) 11 and CTOO had earlier targeted a 10 percent increase in tourist arrival this year from last year’s figure.

“We’re still conducting assessments for this year’s

TOURISM TALK. City Tourism Operations Office head Lissette Marques reports on the 2015 Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex Monday. Also gracing the forum are (from left) Department of Tourism Region 11 chief operations officer Eden David, Karla Singson of the Mice, Organizers, Ventures (MOVE) Davao and Twidle Inc. representative John Ferraris. Cheneen R. Capon

Visit Davao Fun Sale, but we observed that there was over and above participation in our discount coupons, among others,” Marques said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City annex yesterday.

She said the top three sectors that recorded high revenues during the fun sale were accommodation, dining, and shopping and retail establishments.

The city tourism office earlier projected the VDFS 2015 will generate P3 billion in revenue.

Some accommodation establishments in the city extended discounts even after the 2015 Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS) ended on Sunday as a result of the positive result of the seven weekend-long fun sale, according to Marques.

“These establishments are planning to still have the promos until the end of May,” Marques said.

Accommodation establishments like Marco Polo, Royal Mandaya and Waterfront Insular Davao will extend their promos and discounts until the end of the month.

Marques said promos of accommodation establishments were also made avail-

able during weekdays not only during weekends.

She added that aside from extended discounts and continuing arrival of tourists, the success of VDFS can be also measured by the number of downloaded VDFS mobile application, which is Davao Lifebitt.

Mobile application developer John Ferraris of Twidle, Inc. said the firm recorded a total of 1,028 iOS downloads and 1,468 android downloads.

“This statistics showed that during the first launching of the application it has a very good start and possibly larger potential for the next Davao fun sale event,” Ferraris said.

He said a total of 504 coupons have been redeemed in different merchants.

“The top five redeemed coupons were from Tiny Kitchen, Tsuru Japanese Restaurants, Vikings and Blugre,” he said.

Davao Restaurant Association Benjie Lizada, meanwhile, said that he can personally attest to the success of VDFS in his own restaurants, Taps, Sarung Banggi and Bistro Rosario.

“This year is a lot better

FVDFS, 10

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

Damosa eyes big project in Panabo

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

H

crc@edgedavao.net

OMEGROWN property developer Damosa Land Inc. (DLI) is eyeing to develop a 90-hectare property into a high end mixed-used development project in Panabo City by next year.

“We are still on the planning stage, but we plan to have the ground breaking by next year,”DLI vice president Ricardo “Cary” F. Lagdameo told reporters last Friday.

“The whole project will

probably run for 15 to 20 years given with the huge area that will be developed,” he added.

The first phase of the 90-hectare area will have a commercial, tourism, educational and residential component.

“We’re planning to have two to three subdivisions in the first phase. The extension campus of the University of the Philippines- Los Baños will be also located on the

SMEs vulnerable to disasters, say E

NHANCING the capacity of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to resist, absorb, and recover from the effects of natural disasters in a timely and efficient manner is key to achieving inclusive growth in the APEC region.

SMEs are considered engines of growth and employment in the APEC region. Over 97 percent of businesses in APEC are SMEs, providing jobs to more than half of the workers in the Asia-Pacific region. However, APEC member-countries are prone to intense natural disasters. APEC’s 21 member-economies, which account for 52 percent of the earth’s surface and 59 percent of the world’s population, experience over 70 percent of global natural disasters.

According to Marife Ballesteros, senior research fellow at state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), disasters can compromise capital, supply chains, product markets, and labor, and in turn, business continuity and recovery.

In her presentation at the 2015 APEC Study Centers Consortium Conference titled “Building Philippine MSMEs’ Resilience to Natural Disas-

ters”, Ballesteros noted that “SMES are more vulnerable (than large enterprises) because they have limited coping mechanisms. SMEs usually have no or limited disaster insurance and limited access to credit, and most of them have no business continuity, emergency management, or disaster preparedness plans.”

Ballesteros cited the case of the Philippines, where approximately 98 percent of all enterprises are micro to small.

She noted that the country has a well-developed policy framework and action plans for DRRM. However, this disaster response strategy has not been effectively translated into local and business plans.

“The DRRM plans of the Philippine government are operationalized primarily for search, rescue, evacuation, and relief operations. Restoration of economic activities is handled only in the medium to long term as part of the rehabilitation efforts. There is also no strategic programs to operationalize action plans for SMEs and no small business development centers to address disruption and needs,” she explained.

In addition, she pointed

FSMES, 10

DA to sustain agri growth momentum – Sec. Alcala

A

GRICULTURE Secretary Proceso Alcala lauded on Monday the performance of the agriculture sector after it grew nearly two percent in the first three months of 2015 and said that the challenge now for the Department of Agriculture is how to sustain the growth momentum amid weather-related risks and other challenges.

“Through better governance and continued investments in postharvest facilities and other key infrastructure, we hope to accelerate or sustain this expansion in support of all the actors, notably the smallholders,” Alcala said as he stressed the importance of agriculture in the economy, being a major source of income and livelihood opportunities in the countryside.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Friday that the agri-fishery sector grew by 1.78 percent in the first quarter of 2015, with gross

value reaching PhP 380.1 billion at current prices that was bolstered by increased harvest of palay and corn.

According to the PSA report, palay and corn production surpassed their 2014 levels by 1.41 percent and 3.97 percent, respectively. The positive growth was largely attributed to the expansion in harvest areas and improvement in yield of irrigated palay and yellow corn.

Improved performances were also noted in the livestock and poultry subsectors, at 3.23 percent and 5.42 percent, respectively.

However, the fisheries subsector posted a decline during the period, as lower catch of round scad or galunggong (-19.45 percent) and skipjack (-7.03 percent) contributed to the 2.57 percent reduction in fisheries output.

Alcala said that among investments in key infrastructure

FDA, 10

same site,” Lagdameo said.

The project will also have a tourism component that will be banana-related since the economy in the province of Davao del Norte and Panabo has been driven by the multi-billion banana industry.

“We’re planning to put a working banana farm where tourists can go to a museum and learn the history of the banana industry and the history of our family which has

been into banana business for so many years,” Lagdameo said.

The costing for the first phase of the project is yet to be finalized, including the cost of the whole property project.

Lagdameo said this project will give Panabo City “something they could be proud of and something that they called as theirs.”

“For this project, we are targeting the higher market

NOW OPEN. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair Luwalhati Antonino and United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Office of Environment, Energy & Climate deputy

of Panabo City, but its price will vary from the price of our high-end projects here in Davao City,” he said.

The company is planning to develop the whole 90 hectare but still not closing to the possibility of having a partnership with other land developers, according to him.

“We’re keeping our doors open for other developers,” Lagdameo said, adding that DLI is talking to some Manila-based developers who

approached the Davao-based property developer.

He said the company remained to be bullish and careful at the same time in implementing development projects because of the untapped market in the region.

The market for real property projects, Lagdameo said, will continue to have higher demands because of the housing backlog especially in the middle class sector in the next three years.

chief Joseph Foltz cut the ribbon to mark the opening of the One Stop Facilitation and Monitoring Center (OSFMC) at MinDA office in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

231 RE projects for Mindanao by 2020 A

N additional of 2,419 megawatts (MW) from 231 pending renewable energy (RE) projects in Mindanao are expected to be added on the grid by 2020, with Davao getting a 518.87 MW share, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said.

Of the 231 pending RE projects that were being monitored and facilitated by MinDA’s One Stop Shop Facilitation Center in Davao City, 51 pending projects were listed under the Davao Region.

The OSFMC was developed by MinDA in partnership with the Department of Energy and USAID. It aims to provide the public access to Mindanao’s power develop-

ment and demographic status and help address Mindanao’s power supply deficit by fast-tracking approval process of RE power projects and eventually deploy at least 200 MW additional RE sources per year from 2016 to 2020.

The center projected that through the center, proponents of these projects will be able to comply and complete all necessary permits by 2016.

MinDA investment promotions and public affair director Romeo Montenegro said most of these projects are still seeking permit approval from different agencies like DOE, National Water Resources Board, National Commission of Indigenous People,

Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture and Department of Agrarian Reform.

As of December 2014, the center recorded a total of 178 pending hydroelectric power projects totaling 1,631 MW which were mostly located in Northern Mindanao with 59, followed by Davao Region with 41 pending hydro projects.

Solar power projects came second with the most pending projects totaling to 32 with a potential capacity of 358.95MW. There are 12 pending biomass projects being monitored by the center with a po-

tential capacity of 144.65 MW. There are a total of eight geothermal projects which have a potential capacity of 278.48 MW. Three of these projects will be located in Davao.

Only a single ocean project with a potential capacity of 6 MW is being facilitated by MinDA in its permitting stage.

Montenegro said fast-tracking RE projects enable Mindanao to balance its generation mix which is expected to be dominated by nonrenewable energy due to the commissioning of large capacities which are mostly coal-fired power plants in the next two years. CHENEEN R. CAPON

PEX Mining Co., Inc. (APX) reported consolidated net income of P100 million in the first quarter of 2015, a significant turnaround from the consolidated net loss of P143 million in the same period last year. This is the first quarter of profitability after net losses posted in the past two years.

The company’s successful efforts in restructuring its Maco gold mine operations in Compostela Valley resulted in significantly higher metal production with gold output having

a near three-fold increase to 11,557 ounces and silver output more than doubling to 51,917 ounces.

Metal output in the same period last year was 4,086 ounces of gold and 24,776 ounces of silver, which was hampered by 27 days temporary suspension of milling operations.

Revenues for the quarter amounted to P665 million, an increase of 153 percent over revenues of P263 million in the same quarter last year. Revenues would have been higher were it not for lower metal

prices averaging $1,211 per ounce gold and $17 per ounce silver this quarter, from $1,308 per ounce of gold and $21 per ounce of silver in the same period last year.

Gold accounts for more than 90 percent of the company’s revenues.

During the quarter, 77,287 tons of ore were milled by the Maco gold mine with higher average grades at 6.2 grams of gold and 39.2 grams of silver per ton. In 1Q2014, 45,619 tons of ore were milled with an average grade of 4.2 grams of gold

and 24.8 grams of silver per ton.

The higher milling tonnage increased cash production cost to P441 million this quarter, from P308.4 million in the same time period last year, although because of higher ore grades, expressed in per ounce of gold produced, cash production cost, net of silver revenue credit, was lower at $785 per gold ounce this year from $1,554 per ounce last year. Improved production efficiencies brought down the cost of production to 66 percent of net revenues compared 96 percent in 1Q2014.

Apex Mining posts profitable first quarter A

INdulge!

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

A revisit to Cebu City’s

GRAND DAME

THERE ARE some travellers who choose different places to stay every time they revisit a city. Some just want to have a new experience and because they are unhappy of their experience with their old hotel.

I do admit that I sometime tend to lean towards the new experience side of the hotel-finding equation but when I am happy with the hotel where I usually stay, I say, why change?

And this is the reason why I love the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel.

It was over four year ago when I last visited Cebu and last May was a timely reunion with the Queen that is given to all WaterCity of the South and it was front Hotel guests means also four years ago when I have access to over thouI first set foot on the 561- sands of newspapers and room hotel. Looking into magazines worldwide. its cavernous lobby that Another reason why I has now been modernised, love staying at the WaterI can’t help but stare up front Cebu City is the many onto its beautifully painted activities you can find right ceiling which still remains. at the hotel. Shoppers will Although the renovation love that Duty Free Philipwork on the hotel has up- pines is located just at the dated its look and feel, the side of the hotel’s lobby. warmth and hospitality of Gamers will have lots of the Waterfront Cebu was things to do as Cebu City’s still top notch. largest casino, the Casino My room at the Water- Filipino is also located just front Cebu City Hotel was a few steps from the lobby. spacious and well-appointBusinessmen who are in ed with a huge wide-screen town for work will love the TV, sitting area, deep-soak fact that the Waterfront bath tub, and luxury pil- Cebu Hotel is just a few lows. The added perk of steps from Cebu’s IT Park, free press-reader access and a short taxi ride to The hotel’s iconic facade. Photo courtesy of Waterfront’s website.

Waterfront Cebu City Hotel’s room was spacious and had a classic Cebuano vibe which was relaxing and comfortable.

The renovated lobby of the hotel was a sight to behold. Remember to look up and stare at the fabulous painting on the ceiling. the very happening Ayala Center Cebu. Also a short cab ride away is SM City Cebu with its myriad of shopping choices to make every shopper happy.

The Waterfront Cebu Hotel is everything I look for when I visit Cebu, it is convenient, exciting, and is definitely right on my traveler’s must stay list.

For more information or reservations, you can log on to their website at www. waterfronthotels.com.ph or download the Waterfront Hotels app on Google Play or on the Apple Store.

Follow me on Instagram or on Twitter at @kennethkingong for more travel stories, foodie finds, and happenings in, around, and beyond Durianburg.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

UP AND ABOUT

Changing lives through cable TV entertainment ENTERTAINMENT and information technology has rapidly evolved throughout the years in keeping with the changes in modern lifestyle. SKY has always been at the forefront of bringing the best and most innovative services that helped Filipinos keep up with the rest of the world.

Beyond the advancements in entertainment technology, there is nothing more worth celebrating than the joy and lifechanging moments that entertainment brings to every Filipino home – this is what SKY is truly proud to deliver. Through its vast content offerings, SKY has opened up a whole new realm of possibilities to Filipino viewers, both young and old, men and women from all over the nation. SKY has allowed Pinoys to travel to places farther than their imagination, to get a taste of other cuisines, to understand the plight of people on the other side of the globe, to be taught by ex-

perts, to achieve wellness beyond their regular exercise routine or to be at the center of the action of an international sporting event. These shared moments between SKY and its subscribers form a bond that cannot be easily broken. They are personal and irrefutable.

This was the central rallying message delivered by the leadership team of SKY Cable Corporation, during its Employees’ General Assembly held at the Eton Centris in Quezon City last April 14, 2015. The event was attended by all employees from SKY’s Mega Manila operations and had simultaneous general as-

semblies happening in key regional areas, including Cebu, Davao, Baguio, Bacolod and Iloilo. During the event, the new SKY corporate campaign, headlined as, “Me and My SKY,” was launched.

The new campaign takes inspiration from the realization that SKY has made a meaningful dif-

ference in people’s lives on a personal level. As SKY Chief Operating Officer, Rodrigo Montinola, said during SKY’s employee general assembly held last April 14, “…different strokes for different folks but only one thing is common - SKY somehow made things better.”

The 60-second TV commercial uses a shortened version of an original song especially created for SKY and shows different characters from SKYcable’s local and foreign programs that interact and blend with the subscribers’ normal activities. Some memorable scenes are those of a regular guy seemingly having a movie date with Julia Roberts from the

movie “Nottinghill,” or a lady having a selfie with Novak Djokovic as he is raising his Wimbledon championship trophy.

Who can forget that adorable little boy doing a fist bump with Linda of the animated film “Rio” or the grandfather doing magic tricks with Dolphy as an audience? There was also a teenager belting it out to the delight of Blake Shelton of The Voice and a beautiful debutante dancing with Gene Kelly from the classic, “Singin’ in the Rain.”

Updates on upcoming activities and promotions that aim to tighten the bonds between SKY and its subscribers are available on SKY’s official Facebook page, https://

w w w. f a c e b o o k .c om / MySKYCable or website, www.mysky.com.ph.

To subscribe and to know more about SKYcable, SKYbroadband, and all other great SKY services, log on to www. mysky.com.ph, or call the 24-hour customer service hotlines at 02 381-0000 for Metro Manila, CAMANAVA, and Rizal; 046-484-4701 for Cavite; 049-534-2814 for Calamba and Binan and Sta. Rosa, Laguna; 02520-8560 for San Pedro, Laguna; 044-693-5877 for Bulacan; 032-421-1818 for Cebu; 074-442-4841 for Baguio; 034-432-0051 for Bacolod; 033-300-1210 for Iloilo; 035-225-1010 for Dumaguete; and 083 3013134 for Gen. Santos City

Athletes honed at Holiday Gym and Spa HOLIDAY Gym is proud that it has been the home and training ground of some of the emerging athletes excelling in different fields. Haroon Cali, a swimming coach, a licensed Zumba instructor, and a group exercise instructor, recently embarked in the field of triathlon and has been winning since his first race. This time around, fresh from his success in the recently concluded Flanax DurianMan Visits Davao Fun Sale Triathlon, Haroon emerged as the champion in the Sarbay Triathlon held last May 16. With regards to this, another Holiday Gym member and TRIAD president Dolly Yuste also had a successful race in the same event, emerging as the 1st runner-up for her age category.

In the field of basketball, Holiday Gym member- Miguel Competente, is moving on to

be part of the UST team starting this school year. Miguel was also part of the Jr. NBA. He is the son of another triathlete and sporty mom Kathleen and Melvin.

When it comes to Zumba, nothing beats the Morning Ladies when it comes to coming up with themes every week either to celebrate a national event, a local holiday, or just to simply have fun. These group always manage to bring the

Morning Ladies in their pink Zumba attire

fun in fitness in every way they can and Zumba has never been the same since they started with these themes.

For those who are interested to participate in sports or train or simply just to start living healthy and active, you may visit Holiday Gym along F. Torres St. or call them at 222-3041 or 222-4207. Holiday would like to thank the owners of the pictures used in this article.

Dolly and Haroon show off their medals together with other participants

Miguel is part of the Jr NBA

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

126 Million punched for Pacquiao MANNY PACQUIAO thanked the millions of Filipinos who threw their support for him in his last fight against Floyd Mayweather, Jr. when he paid ABS-CBN a visit yesterday for a dinner with the company’s executives who threw him a hero’s welcome.

“I really give my thanks to ma’am Charo Santos-Concio and sir Gabby Lopez, and everyone who helped in the coverage of my fight. And I cannot forget Ging Reyes, who I now address as ma’am, for she was the first person to ever interview me during the Ledwaba fight, my first in the US,” Pacquiao gushed with appreciation, adding while laughing, “nobody bothered to interview me then, I had to look for someone to interview me!”

ABS-CBN COO Carlo Katigbak, with ABSCBN President Charo Santos-Concio and Integrated Sports head Dino Laurena, handed a special plaque from the “Isang Bayan Para kay Pacman” efforts to the People’s Champion for putting up a gallant stand against Floyd Mayweather, Jr, with

Katigbak adding, “You proved to the world, that whatever hardship faces us, we will stand up and put a fight,”.

The “Isang Bayan Para Kay Pacman” campaign was a movement of the Kapamilya network to gather all Filipinos under one banner to inspire Manny to perform in the ring.

“The 100 million punches as support for me were huge, the #OneForPacman hashtag was really huge,” the ring icon bared, addressing the crowd at the 9501 restaurant of the ELJ Communications Center at Mother Ignacia. “They gave me the strength, the belief, that I can fight Mayweather.”

The final tally was more than what the champion expected. A staggering 126 million punches were collected

by the “Isang Bayan Para Kay Pacman” campaign of ABS-CBN in an effort to inspire the Filipino ring icon in the biggest fight of his career two Sundays ago. This was made possible via the use of the #OneForPacman hashtag in all their social media posts and by clicking the interactive punching bag at the oneforpacman.abscbn.com website, people were able to show that their fist is one with that of Manny when he stepped inside the ring.

The Pacman was also shown a special TV plug that details the beginning and end of the “Isang Bayan” campaign to which the boxing icon smiled from ear to ear. “Every week, Dyan kept updating me, ‘Manny it’s 10 million, 20 million…’ then at the end, I was so surprised that it went beyond 100

million!” he exclaimed.

Pacquiao also made rounds inside the ABSCBN compound where he visited the set of TV Patrol and the booth of DZMM to grant short interviews. The moment he stepped inside the ELJ Communications Center, a huge throng of employees waving “Isang Bayan Para Kay Pacman” flaglets greeted the Filipino ring icon at every turn in the Mother Ignacia compound.

Before he departed, Pacquiao hinted that thoughts about retirement were pushed back due to the massive support he got from Filipinos and the Kapamilya network through their “Isang Bayan” campaign. “When I box, I make Filipinos proud and happy. To me that is the best feeling in the world.”

TJ Manotoc serves up latest and trending news on ABS-CBNnews.com’s In The Loop BROADCAST JOURNALIST TJ Manotoc brings the latest and trending news to Filipinos who get their news online by rounding up the stories they need to know on abs-cbnNEWS. com’s two-minute newscast “In The Loop.”

Before 6 PM from Monday to Friday, a new video is uploaded

May 14-19, 2015

MAD MAX: FURY ROAD

to abs-cbnNEWS.com/intheloop that sums up important developments about the nation and the world, entertainment, lifestyle, sports, as well as viral content on social media.

Also adding up to abs-cbnNEWS.com’s growing video content library is “TV Patrol’s” newest segment “Tara, Grets,” anchored

by Gretchen Fullido, which is available in its online version on abs-cbnNEWS.com/taragrets.

In the segment, Gretchen tries out different types of sports adventures and troops to the newest attractions in different parts of the country. She also goes behind the scenes in the hottest events in fashion and showbiz.

Stay up-to-date on the latest news by watching abs-cbnNEWS. com’s web newscasts and reports.

Follow @abscbnnews on Twitter or visit www.facebook.com/abscbnNEWS.

Tom Hardy, Charlize Theron, Nicholas Hoult R16

12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

PITCH PERFECT 2 Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson PG

12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

PARA SA HOPELESS ROMANTIC Nadine Lustre, James Reid, Julia Barretto, Inigo Pascual PG

R-16

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

MAGGIE Arnold Schwarzenegger, Abigail Breslin R13

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

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

EVENT

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

Jollitown Funtasy Land brings summer fun to Davao

By Kenneth Irving Ong The SMX Convention Center at SM Lanang Premier was a virtual beehive of fun for the family last May 9 as the Jollibee Funtasy Land caravan made its way to Davao.

An exclusive summer event for the Jollibee Kids Club members, the summer brought rides such as the Rainbow Slide, Jollibee House and Dingdangdong Clingers as well as various activities for kids and their families to have fun and enjoy.

Making the Jollitown Funtasy Land caravan even more unforgettable was Twirlie’s Music Studio where kids can sing to their heart’s content and the Jollibee Phone Booth where kids can call Jollibee and share stories with him.

The Jollibee Kids Club members also got up close and personal with their favourite Jollitown

friends and watched in awe as Hetty wowed during her Cheerleader Moves segment, Twirlie proved her star power during her Musical Fantasy piece, and Jollibee thrilled the crowd with show-stopping dance moves.

Apart from fascinating attractions, the Jollitown Funtasy Land visitors and their families also purchased special Jollitown souvenirs to add to their collection.

To be find out more about Jollibee summer activities or to be a Jollibee Kids Club member, just log on to www.jollibeekidsclub.com for more details.

7 AGRITRENDS

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

Raising rabbits for fun and profit

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“

RABBIT meat is white, fine-fleshed and very nutritious. Its protein content – 20 percent – is higher than pork’s 17 percent and chicken’s 19 percent, but is slightly lower than beef’s 22 percent.

Producing plenty of rabbit meat for Filipinos will help alleviate the malnutrition problem, especially in children.”

The speaker is Roy C. Alimoane, director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) in Davao. The center is promoting farm technologies designed to improve the life and health of Filipino farm families.

Alimoane says the demand for rabbits at the center has been increasing through the years. People from different parts of the island are visiting the center – located at barangay Kinuskusan in Bansalan, Davao del Sur – just to buy rabbits. This has prompted the center to expand its rabbitry.

Nutritionists I interviewed told me that rabbit meat is comparable to chicken meat in terms of color, odor, texture, taste, juiciness, and general acceptability. It’s also leaner; that why it’s highly recommended for people whose intake of fats or lipids should be reduced.

But despite its nutritional value and other good characteristics, Filipinos have been slow in accepting rabbit meat as a major food item. For this reason, the demand for rabbits in the country is still generally limited – unlike that of pork, beef, or chicken.

But Alimoane is optimistic that this will soon change. “It’s only a matter of time,” he says.

“With the soaring cost of pork, beef, and other meats, rabbit will soon gain more consum-

ers, especially in those areas where meat is very scarce.”

Alimoane adds that rabbit culture is fairly easy and the animals are economical to share. “It is easier than raising chickens because rabbits need little space, capital, and attention,” he points out.

“These small animals also multiply quickly. They are ideal for backyard projects for low-income rural families.”

Alimaone advises beginning raisers to start with one male and two females. “It is best to buy them when they’re two months old, right after they are weaned,” he says. “Be sure to buy your breeding stock only from reliable sources.”

Alimoane has other tips for beginners: “Select young rabbits that are the offspring of prolific does who know how to suckle or nurse their young.

Pick out aggressive, well-developed bucks. But bucks and does selected should be both vigorous, healthy, and free from defects.”

Raisers should provide each animal with its own cage, which should be placed in a quiet area that is not directly exposed to sunlight. Bucks and does must be separated because rabbits are territorial animals.

Rabbits are strict vegetarians and should be fed twice daily, once in the morning, and then late in the afternoon. To maximize productivity, the animals should be fed with concentrates. Supplements like greens, roots or bread scraps may be added to the diet.

Scrap table greens may include pechay, mustard, lettuce, cauliflower, camote leaves, malunggay and cabbage. Rab-

bits also relish peelings of banana, melons of various kinds, but not the rinds of green papaya and chayote.

Water should be provided at all times. The containers should always be full of fresh, clean drinking water. Rabbits, especially lactating does, drink plenty of water. The containers should be cleaned daily.

Does (females) in heat become restless and lose appetite; their external genitalia become inflamed. When this occurs, the doe in heat should be brought to the buck pen.

Since rabbits are territorial, the female should be placed in the male pen. If it’s done the other way, the female may kill the male.

The buck should serve the doe at least two times. The best times to breed the animals are early in the morning (5:00 to 8:00 a.m.) or late in the afternoon (4:00 to 7:00 p.m.). “Be sure not to leave the doe in the pen overnight with the buck,” Jeff reminds.

A pregnant doe has a short gestation period: 28 days to one month or 32 days if it’s an old animal. Build a wooden nest box and line its bottom with rags and shredded newspaper or dry grass. Near delivery date, the doe will become nervous. It may scratch the bottom of the nest, scatter or rearrange box bedding, and pull of its fur and line the nest box with it. At this time, add a vitamin-mineral supplement to its diet.

The does should not be disturbed during kindling. “At kindling time,” explains Alimoane, “a doe will become extremely nervous. Keep children, dogs, cats, and other animals away.”

A litter may consist of four, eight, or 10 babies; the average is six. A doe may produce three or four litters per year, sometimes more. Yes, rabbits are very prolific animals.

Within 24 hours after delivery, don’t touch any of the young, because a doe that sniffs an alien smell on its young may reject them or worse eat them. It inherited this trait from its wild ancestors; a trait that is still within rabbits of all breeds.

The young rabbits will come out of the nest box after 10 days. They will start eating greens and concentrates when about three weeks old. After two months, they are ready to

be weaned. At this time, the mother may be rebred; and the young fattened and butchered when five months old.

“It’s a good idea to keep records to facilitate management and control of the stock,” Alimoane suggests. “Basic information that you should record include age of does, breeding dates, expected date of delivery, and number of young weaned per litter. The more

relevant data you record, the easier your operations will be.”

Raising rabbits is definitely easier than keeping chickens or pigs. “Rabbits consume only a little of your time, reproduce rapidly, and are a source of high-quality protein,” Alimoane points out. “There’s a lot of idle manpower in the rural and some urban areas. Why not use it for this purpose?”

8

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

I

Compassion

T can be difficult for a government to deal with a humanitarian crisis, let alone one that originates from thousands of kilometers away. The Philippine government has always shown a certain level of ineptness and even corruption when it comes to helping those who are displaced within its own territory; recent disasters have highlighted how ill-prepared our system is to aid those who are in need, and how ready the vultures are to jump in and grab literally anything of value and rob those who need it most. But even with such colossal incompetence and misconduct, it still has its heart in the right place, and our government – no matter who is leading it – has never backed down from providing help in time of great need.

But perhaps the plight of the Rohingya is seen as an altogether different situation. According to reports, an estimated 6,000 Bangladeshis and Rohingya Muslims from Myanmar, many of them hungry and sick, have been adrift in Southeast Asian seas in boats that had been abandoned by smugglers. Thailand and Malaysia have both turned away refugee boats in recent days. Indonesia took in some

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migrants but is now refusing to accept them. President Benigno Aquino’s Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. has been quoted as saying the Philippines, like the three countries, will push back to sea undocumented Asian “boat people” if they ever reach our shores. This despite a United Nations appeal to Southeast Asian countries to open their ports to the migrants from impoverished Myanmar and Bangladesh.

This is a disappointment for many Filipinos who remember the old Philippine Refugee Processing Center (PRPC) which in the 1980s gave refuge to Vietnamese, Cambodian, and Laotian refugees for immigration to a variety of resettlement nations such as Canada, Norway, Australia, France, and the United States. If the Philippines did it once, why can it not do it again? No reason has been given for the decision to turn them away, but there is a good chance that a majority of the people will tell Malacañang to show some compassion for the Rohingya. We may not be a rich country, but we are always more than willing to share what little we have to those who are suffering.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

AGAPITO JOAQUIN JR. Associate Editor

CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY Consultant

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EDGEDAVAO

G

ENERALLY, I don’t writing something about sports. But in every rule, there is always an exception.

I write about sports only when health is involved or when some sports personalities inspire others. Such is the case of Eldrick Tont “Tiger” Woods, a professional golfer who is among the most successful golfers of all time.

The American golfer caught my attention when I learned that he personally wrote a letter to a high school boy -- identified only as Dillon -- who was bullied for stuttering.

“I know what it’s like to be different and to sometimes not fit in,” Woods wrote in his letter.

“I also stuttered as a child and I would talk to my dog and he would sit there and listen until he fell asleep. I also took a class for two years to help me, and I finally learned to stop.”

According to some news report, “the boy tried out for the football team only to quit because of the constant teasing about his stutter.”

The mother also said that “he was on the verge of leaping from his bedroom window” until his parents stopped him.

When Woods read the letter of the mother that was published in Golf Digest and learned that the boy was his fan, Woods wrote a letter to Dillon. In his letter, he said that “he was younger than most kids he played” and that most of the times, he “was the only minority in the field.”

(His mother was Thai while his father was American.)

“But I didn’t let that stop me, and I think it even inspired me to work harder,” Woods wrote. “I know you can do that too. You have a great family, and big fans like me on your side.

Be well and keep fighting. I’m certain you’ll be great at anything you do.”

Statistics show that about four percent of all children between the ages of two and seven will develop a stutter – but there will be far more boys than girls. Although most of the children who stutter will outgrow the problem by puberty, a small percentage (less than one percent) carries it into adulthood.

B

INAY vs. Poe fight looms – headline.

The 2016 presidential race, that is.

It’s a fight between a rough-and-tumble political toughie and a sweet and dainty political rookie.

Who gets my vote? Neither.

Vice-president Jesus Jose Maria Binay is a veteran, tried and tested political warrior who likes to throw tongue-in-cheek quips.

Sen. Grace Poe is an untested, untried and inexperienced political greenhorn who talks with a harmless innocent straight tongue.

Embattled Binay should be man enough to face corruption allegations squarely and not just mumble blanket denials insisting these are fabrications and politically motivated. His continuous evasiveness makes him less credible.

The accusations are too serious and the documentary evidence are too strong to ignore and dismiss. If Binay resigns, it would be an admirable act of statesmanship and patriotism.

An acquittal by the graft court will add to Binay’s political stature as an honest public official.

-----000-----

Grace Poe, who topped the 2010 senatorial race, offhand, may look like a winnable presidential timber. But her five-year stint in the Senate has not given her adequate and essential knowledge and substantive understanding of government machinery and the science of political governance.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

Struggling to speak

VANTAGE POINTS

9

As yet, no THINK ON THESE! one knows what causes stuttering, and there is no cure. “Our best guess is that it is due to a combination of psychological, neurological, and genetic factors,” says Dr. Barry Gui- Henrylito D. Tacio tar, professor of henrytacio@gmail.com communication science and disorders at the University of Vermont. But they do know that it is habit forming and is usually related to stress, according to Dr. Martin Schwartz, executive director of the National Center for Stuttering in New York City.

When a child learns to speak, or when an adult has to speak in stressful situations (before a large audience, for instance), that stress focuses tension on the vocal cords, closing and locking them. The person struggles to speak but can’t do so easily: The struggle becomes a stutter.

Stuttering is a difficult and demoralizing disability, but with hard work and persistence, many stutterers overcome the disorder and go on to successful lives.

Take the case of singer/songwriter Carly Simon, the woman behind some of the most-loved song of the 1970s, including “Anticipation” and “You’re So Vain” (a song she wrote for Warren Beatty). She started stuttering severely when she was eight years old. She blames her stuttering on her then 44-year-old mother’s long affair with their 20-year-old live-in tennis instructor.

The affair caused jealousy, anger, “lies and a train of deception” in the Simon household.

Believe it or not, the most in-demand voice in Hollywood – James Earl Jones – is a stutterer.

In his autobiography Voice and Silences, Jones

wrote that he was “virtually mute” as a child.

With the help of his high school English teacher, Jones gradually overcame stuttering by reading Shakespeare “aloud in the fields to myself,” and then reading to audiences, debating, and finally acting.

Other stutterers who found fluency in acting include Bruce Willis and Marilyn Monroe.

Willis began stuttering at the age of eight. In high school, he joined a drama club and found that his stammer vanished whenever he spoke in front of an audience.

On the other hand, Monroe’s signature breathy way of speaking may have been her way of treating her stuttering. She seems to have been taught by a speech coach to use exaggerated mouth movements and a breathy and affected speaking style to control her stuttering.

It’s not only Tiger Woods who stuttered when he was a child. Consider this list: Olympic diver Greg Louganis, basketball star Bill Walton (Boston Celtics, Portland Trailblazers), golfer Ken Venturi (won 1961 U.S. Open), and baseball player Ty Cobb (played 24 years for Detroit Tigers).

Noted writers who stutter include Elizabeth Bowen, Arnold Bennett, Edward Hoagland, Paul Johnson, Somerset Maugham, Cotton Mather, John Updike, Charles Canon Kingsley, Nevil Shute, and Margaret Drabble.

Lewis Carroll (Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland) hoped to become a priest but was not allowed to because of his stuttering. Charles Lamb (Tales from Shakespeare) was not allowed to pursue a scholarly education because of his stuttering.

Thomas Carlyle once wrote of stutterer Henry James (Portrait of a Lady, Turn of the Screw): “A stammering man is never a worthless one…It is an excess of delicacy, excess of sensibility to the presence of his fellow-creature, that makes him stammer.”

Publishers are not spared from this speech problem, among them: Henry Luce, founder of Time magazine and Sports Illustrated; and

Walter Annenberg, founder of TV Guide and Seventeen.

Two European kings stuttered. British king Charles I was a lifetime stutter. He ascended the throne in 1623 and addressed his first Parliament by saying, “I am unfit for speaking.”

Then he sat down. His inability to speak to Parliament “had an unfavorable influence on his affairs.”

King George VI of England – father of Queen Elizabeth II – first began to stammer after his teachers insisted he write with his right hand rather than his more natural left. In private, he spoke normally, but he could barely speak in public. Before his speeches a famous Austrian voice therapist rehearsed him, but even so he stuttered heavily, particularly when he declared war with Germany. His speeches were later pruned to remove difficult words.

Other famous stutterers from the ancient past are Demosthenes, Aesop, Aristotle, and Isaac Newton. Demosthenes, the greatest orator of ancient Greece worked very hard to improve his speaking skills. He practiced speaking with pebbles in his mouth in an attempt to improve his articulation and shouted above the ocean waves to increase his voice volume.

Aesop, Greek author of fables, was a stutterer from infancy. As a young adult the Goddess of Hospitality appeared to him in a dream and gave him the gift of speech. He then became the master storyteller he is remembered as.

The famous philosopher Aristotle had an inaccurate conception of the cause of stuttering. He thought a malfunctioning tongue caused it. On the other hand, Isaac Newton, the English scientist who developed the law of gravity, asked that the windows of Parliament be closed so the public would not hear his stuttering.

All the people mentioned here did not let their stuttering stop them from being successful. They are wonderful examples of the fact that a stuttering problem does not have to be a hindrance to success.

She has not shown clear signs of strong, purposeful political leadership. She may be truly honest, sincere, dedicated, but her shoulders are too small to carry the nations problems, and her mind too fragile and serene to wear the mantle of leadership.

Already, she has given us a clue that she doesn’t have a mind of her own. Here’s what she said after meeting with P-Noy: “I intend to seek his guidance in whatever role I may find myself in for the good of the country.”

Well, she sounds as though she doesn’t know what she wants. Maybe, she should stop thinking of capturing Malacañan Palace. In a strict political sense, she is too raw and immature, a babe in the woods, so to speak.

I will concede that she is a work in progress. That’s the best that could be said about her as a budding politician with a growing reputation as a hardworking highly focused and no-nonsense public servant.

Drop the BBL and let’s move on Congress must save time, money and energy and reject outright the Bangsamoro Basic Law. Its passage will only create more problems and trouble for the country. The MILF will not rest until the so-called Bangsamoro Political Entity becomes a state of the Federation of Malaysia.

When that will come to pass, we can have Benigno Aquino III to court for the crime of treason.

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saint Our Lady of the Blessed Sacrament at the subdivision chapel along Ruby St. Special guest and speaker was Atty. Jhopee S. Avancena Agustin, acting city administrator and asst. city administrator for operation.

Mutya ng Dabaw Kris Abigail Guanzon and Hiyas ng Kadayawan Susan Batawan assisted Guanzon in the cutting of ribbon.

Inspiring messages were given by Atty.

Agustin and CENRO Asst. Head Engr. Dolores Remojo.

Present in full force were the association homeowners officers led by Penalosa. The other officers are: Victor Ala-an Jr., vice president; Laura U. Gallardo, secretary; Hannah Go, asst. sec.; Rica Bernardo, treasurer; Ma. Lourdes Roque, Eleses Lleses, Blaine Barredo, Alma Lacsamana, Pastor Jake Ala-an.

The Eco-park and Playground with an area of 10,000 square meters will have a dominant feature green trees and around it will be sports venues for basketball, volleyball, and tennis.

Roger Penalosa, a man of inexhaustible ideas and indefatigable energy is servicing a second term as president after ten years interval. The Eco-park will be his undying legacy as MHHAI president. He believes that no dream is impossible.

For more than four decades, the subdivision park was left uncared, unattended, totally ignored becoming a huge eyesore.

But pretty soon, it will be just a bad memory, which no one will ever dare to recall.

Think 2016

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Dreams do come true If there’s a will, there’s a way.

Well, Roger Penalosa, president of Marfori Heights Homeowners Association, certainly has the will, and he has found the way to make his fellow homeowners proud and happy by putting together the missing pieces of an imaginary puzzle which he calls Marfori Heights Eco Park and Playground.

Moving heaven and earth, so to speak, Roger got various government agencies involved in a dream project that would give MMHS a proud identity as a vibrant eco-friendly community.

Roger got the full support, cooperation and encouragement of DPWH, CENRO and the City Bureau of Tourism. More meetings and dialogues ensued, and when all systems were ready to go, the unveiling of the park blueprint took place on May 13th, which also was the subdivision fiesta day honoring the patron

10 NEWS PORT... FROM 1

fice of the Ombudsman to get the attention of the national government,” he told reporters covering the forum.

He said P17 billion is very controversial since even the redevelopment of the Hijo Port in Tagum City under the International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) costs only P5.77 billion despite being three times bigger than Sasa Port in terms of land area.

ICTSI had itself ques-

tioned the bidding for the project, he added.

Laviña said he and Bayan Muna Rep. Karlos Isagani Zarate are planning to file a Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) to stop the bidding process of the Sasa Development Port and the development itself.

The pre-qualification conference on the bidding process scheduled this Friday and the project will be awarded in December.

not implemented anyway, Tamayo said.

“For them, the current unitary system of government is good and they viewed that Federalism is undemocratic,” he said.

Dabawenyos also think that if federalism will be implemented, they will be paying more taxes and the government system will be more complicated.

There were also some Dabawenyos who thought that federalism “is the government of Duterte which is effective in the use of resources and in giving services to the public, he said. “Federalism is also related with the 2016 election.”

Tamayo also said federalism was also understood as an issue of integration where

Mindanao will be separated from Luzon and Visayas and that travelers will be needing passports.

“Dabawenyo also perceived that authority of Federalism favors much of the local government,” he said. “Finally, the Dabawenyos also deemed federalism will lead to local initiatives that will attract investors.”

Tamayo said majority of Dabawenyos which reached 47 percent believed that amending the constitution is best way to implement federalism. However, there is a growing impression that federalism will only happen if Duterte becomes president which reached 43 percent.

A Presidential initiative was placed at 34 percent possibility of occuring.

the December 2014 survey in which he only got five percent.

Duterte tied with Department of Interior Local Government (DILG) Secretary Mar Roxas.

Still leading the pack is Vice President Jejomar Binay, followed by Senator Grace Poe. Poe, a neophyte who got the most number of votes for the Senate in 2013, is reportedly being wooed by President Aquino to run for President.

For his part, Duterte has maintained that he is not interested in running for the post, but last Sunday he told the crowd that if her ever ran for president, “I cannot afford to be a failure after my six years in office. So if it His will for me to run, then God help me.”

In his speech, Duterte pointed out why his governance in Davao City has zeroed in on the fight against illegal drugs.

“OFWs around the world leave home in order to eke

out a living only to go back home with children lost to drug addiction,” Duterte was quoted as saying He also said his campaign against illegal drugs is aimed at protecting the children of his constituents who are OFWs. Quiboloy and Duterte have been friends since the mid-80s when the former was still starting with his congregation and the mayor was a city prosecutor.

In his speech, Duterte recalled that 17 years ago Quiboloy told to him of a dream that he saw himself and Duterte playing golf in Malacañang.

“I already forgot about that dream until this year,” Duterte said.

For his part, Quiboloy said the ball is now in the hands of Duterte.

“Who would have thought that 17 years later, we would talk about the possibility of him (Duterte) being the next president?

But still, the final decision is his to make,” Quiboloy said.

the parents, adding a unique element to the campaign.

While the campaign is primarily targeted to children, the secondary target audience is the parents because the group

believes that parents can provide positive reinforcement.

“We think that brushing can also be a nice way for both parents and children to bond,” Teh added.

than last year,” he said. “Definitely, we will be participating in next year’s event.”

Lizada said there were a lot of tourists who availed discounts and special promos through their VDFS passports

which were distributed in VDFS booths in participating malls, airports and other establishments.

Marques said all 10,000 printed VDFS passports were all distributed to the public.

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THUMBS UP TO THUMB DOWN SASA PORT PROJECT. Former Davao City councilor Peter Laviña gestures a thumbs up sign during the KapehansaDabaw at SM City Annex on Monday where he revealed that the P17-billion high floor bid price of the Sasa Port redevelopment project

will affect later exporters who are using sea shipment. Laviña said he will be sending a letter to The Ombudsman requesting for an investigation on the controversial project that will be implemented through public-private partnership. Cheneen R. Capon

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national consensus to achieve this shift in the form of government,” he said.

Duterte has been going around the country on a “listening tour” on federalism.

Observers have said it is a platform for him to mount his presidential campaign.

But despite calls for him to seek the presidency and in spite of the recent surveys

showing him a presidential contender, Duterte has repeatedly brushed off speculations he is running.

Laviña said what will make Duterte seriously consider running for president is the sense of duty to country. “The ultimate decision to seek the presidency rests on him alone.

“May God bless him and our country,” he said.

worth. They are after their careers that make them sometimes forget their spiritual activities,” he added.

The survey, which was conducted last April 7 to 14 among 1,150 Dabawenyos from three political districts of Davao City, also revealed that only 19 percent of the respondents read the Bible as an expression of their faith.

Tamayong said attending Holy Mass and reading the Bible ranked lowest in Dabawenyos’ expression of faith.

“Result showed that 43 percent reads the Bible once a month; 17 percent reads once a week; almost a quarter or 21 percent did not read the Bible. Only 6 percent of the Dabawenyos read the Bible every day,” Tamayo said.

The survey also showed that only 30 percent of respondents consider reconcile with enemies as expression of faith; only 25 percent prefer to do good to others; and 20 percent forgive those who committed wrongdoings .

Meanwhile, the top five activities of the Dabawenyos to express their faith as bared in the survey were participating holy activities like way of the cross at 53 percent; fasting at 52 percent; giving of tithes and offering at 47 percent; going to confession at 44 percent; and praying according to Church teachings at 44 percent.

Based on the reports, the most faithful are those belonging to the upper and middle class and those who are employed in the government.

back to sea undocumented Asian “boat people.”

This despite a United Nations appeal to Southeast Asian countries to open their ports to the migrants from impoverished Myanmar and Bangladesh.

Kine said the Philippines “can and should do better for those desperate men, women, and children who have taken to sea due to increasingly abusive conditions in their homeland of Myanmar.”

He pointed to the Philippine government’s action during the Vietnam War in which it “distinguished itself… by showing compassion and adherence to international law by assisting the boat people from Vietnam to find safe harbor and eventually refugee status in other countries.”

“The plight of the Rohingya, whether they have or not in their possession documents that attest to the legality of their entry to the Philippines, demands nothing less, he said.

Kine said the Aquino administration should understand that turning a blind eye to the plight of the Rohingya boat people will not just put

those thousands of desperate men, women and children in deadly peril, but “do severe damage to the Philippines reputation as a country which respects its international obligations and chooses compassion and generosity over knee-jerk ‘border protection’ measures which do nothing but compound the suffering of migrants who are already extremely vulnerable.”

“Human Rights Watch would like to remind President Aquino that the Philippines ratified the 1951 refugees convention and its protocols, which specify that the state cannot just turn away even illegal refugees, as well as the Palermo convention and its protocols, which provide for the protection of trafficked persons,” Kine said.

He said the Philippine government can choose between providing a helping hand to citizens of a neighboring country in observance of the Philippines’s international legal obligations “or deliberately violating those commitments at the risk of the lives of Rohingya boat people.”

being undertaken by the DA is the ongoing establishment of trading centers in strategic areas nationwide to directly link food producers to markets.

This included the soon-tobe completed Benguet Agri-Pinoy Trading Center (BAPTC) in La Trinidad that is touted to become the biggest in the country.

The Agri chief said the PhP655-million facility will include trading spaces and a processing center for highland vegetables such as carrots, lettuce and broccoli.

He said that DA is targeting to open the facility before the end of June.

“The DA has likewise started to implement the six-year

Philippine Rural Development Project wherein DA partners with local government units and the private sector in providing key infrastructure, facilities, technology, and information to raise incomes, productivity, and competitiveness in the countryside,” Alcla said.

Nearly three-fourths (67 percent) of PRDP’s project cost of PhP27.5 billion has been earmarked for infrastructure projects of local government units such as farm-to-market roads, bridges, communal irrigation, potable water systems, post-harvest and storage facilities, trading posts, fish landing facilities and solar driers.

(PNA)

out the insufficient recovery funds for farm-based and urban-based small industries such as the availability of loan and grant for these businesses.

Another issue highlighted

by Ballesteros is the absence of specific policies for workers’ protection in times of calamities. She emphasized the importance of the people side of business during disaster.

“Resilient supply chain begins with resilient citizens and employees and it is a concern of both business and government,” she stated.

She cited the business continuity plan of Albay Province as a model for implementing DRRM for SMEs. Albay’s model covers both households and local businesses. It encourages local businesses to develop contin-

gency plans based on vulnerability and hazard maps as well as land use zoning. This kind of local initiatives should be scaled up and replicated in other localities.

At the national level, Ballesteros recommended the establishment of key transport hubs and strategic communication systems that take into consideration extreme weather events.

She also highlighted the need for predisaster agreements as disruption of public sector operations and services can occur during times of calamities. One of these is the creation of networks or partnerships between national and local, and public and private entities, and the adoption of flexible regulations on labor as well as laws on importation and exportation.

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ICT HUB 11

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

TechTalks.ph partners with Microsoft C

EBU-BASED non-profit tech organization TechTalks.ph brings Microsoft Philippines in Dumaguete for a first-ever Startup Cloud Camp this coming May 23, 2015 at Foundation University.

TechTalks.ph, a non-profit organization for technology, business, and startup enthusiasts, is partnering with Microsoft Philippines to offer “Startup Cloud Camps” in various cities of the Philippines.

Powered by Microsoft and co-organized by TechTalks.ph, ICT Association of Dumaguete and Negros Oriental and DuT-

Com, this one-day workshop is free and open to the public.

It is designed for aspiring entrepreneurs, startup founders, academe (professors, students) and those interested in starting their own technology-based businesses or “startups.” Entrepreneurs and other members of the business sector who want to use technology to enhance their businesses are also invited to join.

The first event was held last April 11 in Batangas which was co-organized with startup hub Brainsparks.ph. Last May 7 and 9, camps were already held in Bohol and Cebu re-

Tattoo unveils higher monthly data allowances

G

LOBE Telecom broadband brand Tattoo recently boosted its roster of home broadband plans with higher monthly data volume allowances to accommodate the growing demand for internet connectivity at home.

New home broadband customers availing of DSL plans can enjoy bigger monthly data allowance of 50GB for Plan 1299, 60GB for Plan 1599, 70GB for Plan 1999, 80GB for Plan 2499, and 100GB for Plan 2999, allowing them to surf the Internet longer.

On the other hand, customers on Long Term Evolution (LTE) plans can experience higher monthly data allocation of 20GB for Plan 1099, 30GB for Plan 1299, 50GB for Plan 1599, 60GB for Plan 1999, 70GB for Plan 2499, and 80GB for Plan 2999.

Aside from bigger monthly data allowance on their home broadband plans, customers can also enjoy a complete entertainment bundle that will enable them to watch movies via HOOQ and NBA games via the NBA League Pass, as well as stream music through Spotify at the comfort of their homes.

For DSL customers, they can get exclusive access to Spotify for as low as Plan 1299, which allows them to enjoy Spotify’s latest karaoke feature available on desktop via MusixMatch, the world’s largest lyrics catalogue. Combined access to HOOQ and Spotify or NBA League Pass starts at Plan 1599 while access to HOOQ, Spotify and NBA begins at Plan 1999.

Meanwhile, LTE customers can enjoy access to Spotify with their home broadband plans starting at Plan 1099, access to HOOQ at Plan 1299, combined access to HOOQ and Spotify or NBA League Pass starting at Plan 1599,

and access to all three (3) entertainment services starting at Plan 1999.

All Tattoo home broadband plans come with speeds ranging from 2 Mbps all the way to 15 Mbps and are bundled with free landline, free unlimited calls to Globe and TM, and free Wi-Fi modem.

“With the new Tattoo Home broadband plans, customers can enjoy an ampedup internet experience with more data allowance for the entire family. We recognize the burgeoning demand for faster and more seamless internet connectivity at home as more customers shift to the digital lifestyle, and this is the reason why we are bundling our new plans with entertainment content to offer our customers a complete digital experience,” says Jurist Gamban, Vice President for Tattoo Home Broadband. “Transform your home entertainment experience as we give you access to thousands of movies, live NBA games, and millions of songs alongside a beefed-up home internet experience only from Tattoo Home Broadband.”

Gamban also said that the brand’s portfolio of global and local partnerships for topnotch entertainment content is expected to further its position as the fastest-growing broadband brand amid growing consumer appetite for quality digital content.

“Tattoo is now well-positioned more than ever to attract more customers given the most comprehensive entertainment portfolio we have that will surely meet the changing digital needs of our customers,” she added.

Learn more about these new offers at http://tattoo. globe.com.ph/products/ home-broadband-plans, visit any Globe store nearest you, or call 730-1010.

spectively.

After Dumaguete, TechTalks.ph will camp next to General Santos City on May 30 and Iloilo City on June 6.

“TechTalks.ph partners with local universities and other citywide organizations to hold the events as part of our farm-to-market-highway strategy. We aim to have long-lasting partnerships with local stakeholders and bridge the provinces to resources from the national and international levels. For example, a promising entrepreneur from the province with access to tech resources can help sell

his products to the suitable market,” said Tina Amper, TechTalks.ph founder.

For those interested, join the mailing list at www.

TechTalks.ph to be informed of event details. At this Startup Camp, the participants will learn about tech startups or Innovation-Driven enterprises (IDE); and ways that one can start their own business.

For entrepreneurs and those working in existing businesses, they will hear about ways to enhance their business with technology tools. The attendees will also learn about building websites,

mobile applications, and enterprise-class applications using Microsoft products.

There will be an information overview of Microsoft BizSpark program which provides technology, support, visibility, and community to qualified, promising startups and entrepreneurs – all at no charge.

For software developers and tech startup founders, they will hear about the new Microsoft Azure features and services. Azure is Microsoft’scloud platform: a growing collection of integrated services: compute, storage,

data, networking, and app – that help companies move faster, do more, and save money.

Interested participants are advised that these basic concepts will be explained during the workshop.

For more details, go to www.TechTalks.ph, Facebook Page: “TechTalks.ph” Twitter: @techtalks_ph or email at info@techtalks.ph.

TechTalks.ph is organizer to various tech and entrepreneurship events such as Startup Weekend and international tech confab Geeks On A Beach (GOAB).

Security expert claims to have taken over plane’s systems A

COMPUTER security expert told the FBI that he hacked into an airplane’s computer and briefly took over control of the engines, court documents reveal.

NBC News reported that Chris Roberts, CTO and founder of One World Labs, told FBI agents he connected his computer to the in-flight entertainment system and then overwrote code to commandeer the thrust management system, according to a search warrant filed last month in the federal court in Syracuse, N.Y. “He (Roberts) stated that he successfully commanded the system he had accessed to issue the ‘CLB’ or climb command,” FBI Special Agent Mark Hurley wrote in the warrant application.

“He stated that he thereby caused one of the airplane engines to climb resulting in a lateral or sideways movement of the plane during one of these flights.”

The warrant does not identify the flight involved, nor does it include any corroboration.

Roberts told FBI agents during interviews in February and March that he had hacked into in-flight entertainment systems 15 to 20 times between 2011 and 2014 by connecting a modified Ethernet cable to an electronics box under the seat in front of him.

“Chris Roberts furnished the information because he would like the vulnerabilities fixed,” the

BANNED. United Airlines has confirmed that security expert Chris Roberts has been banned from all its flights. document says.

Six weeks later, FBI agents seized a cache of electronics equipment from Roberts after he tweeted about hacking the computers on a United Airlines flight, according to court papers. The

warrant application asks permission to perform a forensic search on the equipment.

The FBI said in the warrant application that the electronics box under the seat in front of Roberts had been tampered

with.

Roberts said he had been banned from all United Airlines flights.

United confirmed the ban to the Associated Press and said they were confident their systems are secure.

JOB OPPORTUNITY

A Davao based automotive company is a need of GENERAL MANAGER who will perform the following functions: • Provide overall leadership and direction to ensure the company’s continued growth/profitability and achieve its desired state for the future; • Set strategic directions, targets, strategies and performance control indicators for the sales, after-sales services, and administrative support units of the company.

• Achieve bottom-line results such as gross sales, profitability, operating efficiencies, and shareholder relations.

The ideal candidate is one who has a proven track record as a General Manager having steered a company with a sales revenue of at least P500 million annually and with at least 50 employees. He or she must be at least 40 years old.

A competitive compensation package awaits our ideal candidate. Kindly email your Resume with photo and Career Highlights on or before May 19, 2015 to: humanresource.davao@gmail.com

12 CLASSIFIED

EDGEDAVAO

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GO COLOUR

• All text • Telephone Number (bigger point size) • Bold Header Price: 100.00

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

ADD-ON

• Background • Text Price: 175.00

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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 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

CLASSIFIED 13

NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. That CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No. (s)21023004 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 183243-9/NNN130005218 issued to VICTORIA B. TAGUILOB was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

5/5/12/19

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT AND PARTITION OF ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late FERNANDO LOPEZ has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT executed among his heirs per Doc. No.116; Page No.24; Book No. XXVI; Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC JOSE M. BALINGIT JR. 5/19,25,6/2

NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. That CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) 21029925 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 10139514-9 issued to JUDITH URSAL was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

5/12/19/26

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH DEED OF DONATION AND WAIVER OF RIGHTS

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late BENIGNO FRANCISCO PABLO has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT with deed of donation and waiver of rights executed among his heirs per Doc. No.245; Page No.49; Book No. VIII; Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC FRANC EVAN L. DANDOY II.

5/19,26/6/2

14 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

Seda Abreeza security team undergoes CLSO training T

HE urban lifestyle hotel continues to strengthen service quality as it is the first hotel brand in the Philippines to designate its security staff to become “Certified Lodging Security Officers.”

One Security Manager, Fourteen security officers from Seda Abreeza (10), Seda Centrio (4), all coming from the security services provider, Davao Cavaliers Security Agency have undergone the security training and professional certification to be designated as Certified Lodging Security Officers from May 4-6, 2015 held at the urban lifestyle hotel.

The CLSO training is under Asia World Hospitality, American Hotel & Lodging Educational Institute’s (AHLEI) partner, and is the lodging industry’s top salutation of pro-

ficiency for security officers in the hospitality business.Seda Hotels is the first to have its security staff be trained and certified in the country, and this is the 3rd batch since the program started.

“This is essential in the hospitality industry as it puts emphasis on the value of security and the part the security department has to play in guest services. This is the highest standard of designed service training,” said Capt.

Lakanni Hidalgo, Seda Abreeza’s Head for Security.

The 3-day training exposed the team on the essence of security in the hospitality industry. This aims to distinguish the kind of security service rendered normally, zoning out from plain safety and protection duties into becoming accommodating, guest-oriented,

and well-mannered individuals. This way, Seda Abreeza and its guests are assured with a safe and secured establishment as well asefficient security personnel, which is a big factor considered when clients book at hotels.

Managing Director of Ace And Associates Risk Management, Inc., Mr. Augustus Caesar “Ace” Esmeralda, CPP, ICPS, CLSO, (AAA), trained the team on behalf of Asia World Hospitality. Aside from CLSO, Esmeralda is also a Certified Protection Professional (CPP) and an International Crime Prevention Specialist (ICPS).

Those who earn the CPP are ASIS board-certified in security management. ASIS is “the world’s largest association for security management professionals.” ICPS, on the other hand, is under the Internation-

al Society of Crime Prevention Practitioners and has a curriculum authored by a number of crime prevention professionals globally.

Esmeralda is Ayala Corporation’s Security Consultant and has previously served for top hotel industries in the country and on a global scale.

He is also the first Certified Lodging Officer in the Philippines.

The training commences with a certification examination. Seda had previously undergone training with AHLEI in the form of the Guest Service Gold and certified its employees as “Certified Guest Service Professionals” or CGSP – also the first among the hotel brands in the country.

By June, another batch is expected to train at Seda Centrio, Cagayan De Oro City.

AirAsia takes 50% off its lowest online fares to all destinations T

HE AirAsia Group, including AirAsia Philippines, is offering 50% discount off its lowest online fares to over 100 destinations across 20 countries in a special promotion that is only available for booking for one week from May 18 to 24, 2015, and for the travel period from September 1, 2015 to March 31, 2016.

This 50% discount is applicable for all AirAsia and AirAsia X flights with the flight codes AK (Malaysia AirAsia), D7 (Malaysia AirAsia X), FD (Thailand AirAsia), XJ (Thailand AirAsia X), QZ (Indonesia AirAsia) except Indonesia domestic flights, XT (Indonesia AirAsia Extra), PQ and Z2 (AirAsia Philippines).

Guests can now make their bookings for this special sale at airasia.com or via AirAsia’s mobile app on iPhone and Android devices, as well as the mobile site mobile.airasia.com.

“In a true AirAsia fashion, we are giving you 50% off our

lowest fares for AirAsia and AirAsia X on selected flights to over 100 destinations across 20 countries through this surprise sale that only on for a week! We are also pleased to announce that AirAsia X’s Business Class is included in this promotion so that more of our guests can experience this affordable luxury at an even lower price,” Siegtraund Teh, Group Chief Commercial Officer of AirAsia, said.

“We believe that no other airline can offer such extensive regional connectivity and coupled with this amazing halfprice promotion, it will create excitement among deal-seekers to discover new destinations,” Siegtraund added.

From Manila, flights to Puerto Princesa (Palawan), Tagbilaran (Bohol), Tacloban, Kalibo (Boracay), Davao, Cebu, Davao, Hong Kong, Macau, Incheon (Seoul) and Malaysia are available at 50% off including flights to/from Cebu, Incheon (Seoul), Kota Kinaba-

lu, Kuala Lumpur, Manila, Davao and Cagayan de Oro City.

AirAsiaGo, the holiday division of the world’s best low cost airline, will also be offering special deals for AirAsia guests during this promo with great savings for 3D/2N flight and hotel bundle. For more information and to book, visit its website at AirAsiaGo.com. The same promo booking period and travel period applies.

AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme is a loyalty programme that rewards its members based on amount spent on flights and also with the Tune Group of companies such as Tune Hotels, Tune Talk and AirAsia RedTix. Apart from the group, members can also earn more points by using co-brand cards like AirAsia-Citi card, BIG Prepaid MasterCard as well as converting from or spending with over 100 BIG Loyalty Partners across the region, including Citibank, Petronas, Maybank, WCT Holdings Berhad (Paradigm Mall & gate-

way@klia2), Agoda, Hilton Worldwide, Bank of the Philippines Islands (BPI), Starhub, DBS Bank, Bangkok Bank, King Power, CIMB Niaga and many others. This widely recognized programme across the region was recently awarded “The Best Loyalty Programme of the Year 2014 in Southeast Asia” by the Loyalty and Engagement Awards 2014.

AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme membership is free.

Members also get to enjoy other benefits including Priority Access to AirAsia sales or new route launches and even other flight deals and offers made available via redemption only. To find out more about the AirAsia BIG Loyalty Programme, or to sign up, please visit their website at airasiabig. com.

For further updates on AirAsia, follow our official social media accounts on Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsiaPhilippines) and Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsiaPH).

Globe Charge boosts businesses in Boracay M OBILE point-of-sale service Globe Charge gave over 200 establishments in top tourist destination Boracay a boost in their businesses by allowing them to accept MasterCard and Visa card payments.

Small and medium businesses such as hotels, restaurants and souvenir shops make up majority of the enterprises in Boracay who cater to millions of tourists from around the world each year.

With Globe Charge, establishments in the island such as Spider House, Alamo Bay Inn, and 928 Café and Grill are able to provide more payment options to visitors and tourists, resulting to growth in customer base and lift in revenues. In the same way, tourists are given an alternative payment option that is convenient, secure, and hassle-free.

Powered by G-Xchange, Inc., a wholly owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom, Globe Charge is designed for small and medium enterprises so they can cater to more customers, enabling them to accept MasterCard and Visa-branded credit and debit cards.

As G-Xchange, Inc. President and CEO Xavier Marzan said, “For us, the success of Globe Charge is evident on the number of businesses we helped grow with an expansion in their customer base which ultimately translate to in-

crease in profits. Boracay is not only a top tourist destination but a growing business hub as well, and with our presence in this island via Globe Charge, we expect to see Globe Charge boosting more businesses and giving more customers a worry-free payment option.”

An easy-to-use device, Globe Charge can be attached to any Android- or IOS-based smartphone or tablet, turning them into credit card terminals. It currently enables businesses to accept MasterCard and Visa-branded credit and debit cards. With over 800,000 business enterprises in the Philippines, Globe Charge has successfully equipped MSMEs with an affordable payment acceptance solution to tap the carded segment, expanding their sales, and ultimately growing their business.

Unlike traditional credit card terminals offered by banks, Globe Charge does not require a minimum transaction volume or monthly lease, with a very affordable retail price of only P999. It also provides faster settlements and lower rates compared to banks. It can also be bundled with postpaid lines and free mobile phones starting at P499. Globe also offers an easier application process compared to banks –just visit www.globecharge.com.ph or download the app and register.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 33 • TUESDAY, MAY 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

15

ONE STEP CLOSER Rockets march to West Finals after emphatic Game 7 win T

REVOR Ariza buried a corner three-pointer with just under a minute remaining and the Houston Rockets completed a stunning comeback from a 3-1 series deficit to claim Game Seven of the Western Conference semi-finals against the Los Angeles Clippers 113-100 on Sunday.

Rockets guard James Harden had 31 points, seven rebounds and eight assists and

center Dwight Howard added a double-double of 16 points and 15 rebounds. But it was Ariza who helped stabilize the shaky Rockets late, nailing a three-point after the Clippers cut a 20-point deficit to eight.

Ariza finished with 22 points and seven rebounds as the Rockets won the final three games of the series to set a date opposite the Golden State Warriors in the Western Conference finals.

The Clippers again failed to advance beyond the second round, having never done so in franchise history.

Clippers guard Chris Paul played brilliantly in defeat, recording 26 points, 10 rebounds and five assists. Forward Blake Griffin added 27 points, 11 rebounds and six assists while center DeAndre Jordan scored 16 points and grabbed 17 rebounds. Los Angeles never led in the game.

Rockets reserve guard Pablo Prigioni proved surprisingly instrumental in the

EBRON James should have had a stethoscope hanging around his neck as he reeled off the latest medical updates on him and his teammates.

As they prepare to meet the Atlanta Hawks in the Eastern Conference finals, the Cavaliers are hurting.

Kyrie Irving has a tender left knee and sore right foot, James played the past two games on a sprained left ankle and has ‘’other nicks and bruises,’’ guard Iman Shumpert has a strained groin, forward Tristan Thompson a bruised shoulder and Kevin Love is out for the postseason

following shoulder surgery.

Fortunately for the Cavs, they’ve got time to ice those injuries and heal before Game 1 on Wednesday night in Atlanta.

Of all Cleveland’s aches and pains, Irving’s knee injury is the most significant and bears watching. The All-Star point guard has been dealing with tendinitis in the knee for several weeks, and he aggravated the condition on Thursday in the first half of Game 6 in Chicago.

He sat out the final 33 minutes as the Cavs closed out the Bulls by getting a huge contribution from Irving’s backup, Matthew

Dellavedova, who scored a teamhigh 19 points.

Irving was seen Friday by team doctors, who prescribed rest and Cleveland’s playmaker did not participate in Saturday’s workout at Cleveland Clinic Courts.

Cavs coach David Blatt said Irving’s status for the series opener remains in question. At this point, all the team can do is hope he gets better. ‘’We sat Ky out and he’s going through a lot of treatment and we’re monitoring and just hoping that he progresses from here until game time,’’ Blatt said.

‘’We’re very much on top of this obviously and Ky is doing everything he possibly can to get well.’’

Blatt could not guarantee Irving will play. ‘’For sure? No,’’ Blatt said. ‘’But we hope so.

Irving has been toughing out his first NBA postseason since spraining his right foot in Game 2 of Cleveland’s opening-round series against Boston.

He scored 25 in Game 5 against Chicago, and said before the series close-out win that he had never undergone more treatment to prepare for one game.

Cavs’Irving uncertain for Game 1 L

Paul scored in succession, but once Prigioni provided the spark, the Rockets got rolling.

The Clippers made just two field goals over the last four minutes, and over that stretch the Rockets got an Ariza three-pointer, a Harden basket in transition, and a Harden step-back buzzer beater for an 85-68 lead.

TO THE FINALS. James Harden wants it known after Game 7 who is number one.

Djokovic runs over Federer, Sharapova wins 35th title

N

CHAMP. Novak Djokovic pops the champagne after ruling the Italian Open in Rome.

third quarter, starting with a three-pointer at the 5:26 mark that enabled Houston to regain its double-digit lead at 70-59.

From that point, Prigioni was a defensive force, recording a pair of steals to ignite the Rockets in transition. Houston had surrendered nine points off its 15-point lead when

OVAK Djokovic boosted his hopes of completing a career Grand Slam at Roland Garros after he lived up to his top billing at the Italian Open by brushing aside old rival Roger Federer in the final on Sunday.

After dropping a set in each of his three previous matches in Rome, the world number one showed that he was back to his best as he humbled Federer 6-4 6-3 to capture his fifth title of the year.

Earlier, Russian Maria Sharapova ground down Carla Suarez Navarro 4-6 7-5 6-1 to claim the 35th WTA Tour victory of her career.

Djokovic and Federer were meeting for the 39th time and top seed Djokovic narrowed his opponent’s overall lead to 20-19.

With one week to go until the French Open, the Serb extended his unbeaten run to 22 matches as he added to the Australian Open, Indian Wells, Miami and Monte Carlo titles he has won this season.

“So far, this is the best season of my life,” Djokovic, who needs to win the French Open to complete his grand slam collection, told reporters. “I don’t know how it will go at Roland Garros, but I’m very confident.

“I’m playing with great

SARBAY TRIATHLON. Holiday Gym and Spa instructor Haroon Cali (left photo) emerged as the champion in the Sarbay Triathlon held last May 16 in Gumasa, Glain in Sarangani Province. Another Holiday Gym member

joy and concentration and I hope to continue.

“This has been a very exciting week and today was my best match. It’s always a big challenge to play Roger and obviously I’m very pleased.”

World number two Federer admitted there was not much he could do.

“Novak was rock-solid today, he played great throughout. He made very few unforced errors. I’m happy, feeling good and healthy.”

The first set went with serve until the final game when Djokovic rifled a return winner that clipped the edge of the tramline and converted

his first set point.

The Serb never looked in danger after breaking again in the second game of the second set and wrapped up the title when Federer hit a forehand out on match point.

Third seed Sharapova looked sluggish against her Spanish opponent in the first set and Suarez Navarro fought back from 1-3 and 3-5 down in the second to level at 5-5.

But Sharapova reeled off the next two games and tore through the decider against the tiring 10th seed, sealing victory in more than two and a half hours with her 39th winner.

and TRIAD president Dolly Yuste (right photo, second from left) also had a successful race in the same event, emerging as the 1st runner-up for her age category.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

SMALL WONDER

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

F

IVE-YEAR old wonder Atsuko Kaiyel Tan entered the competition hall looking much like a tiny mascot or the coach’s daughter.

She would later turn all heads towards her including the vaunted Iranian men’s senior national team after she caught everyone in awe once she had put on that karatedo gi and did her Jion Kata routine to win a gold and a silver medal in the 16th Milo Malaysia Open Championships in Kuala Lumpur last Sunday.

Tan, a kinder student at Davao Christian High School, extecuted the Jion in almost surgical precision to earn the nod of the judges in the 5-years old girls kata competition. The dinimutive daughter of Association for the Advancement of Karatedo (AAK) Davao mentor Rommel Tan almost made it a double gold but she settled for the silver in the higher 6 years old girls kata category.

“I just wanted her compete against girls older than her and see how she takes the pressure. She made me very proud today,” said Rommel Tan after her daughter’s swashbuckling performance.

Tan was mobbed by the Iran national men’s squad after her performance asking for photographs with the tiny big star of Team Philippines.

AAK Davao also struck for a second gold medal in the final day of competitions with the 13-15 years old mixed kata team winning the gold. The team is composed of Jam Ramirez, Darlene Maramara and JP Ponce.

AAK Davao finished the competitions featuring 21 international teams and some 980 karatekas with 2 golds, 2 silvers and 3 bronzes. Pavel Jervis Bacayo won a silver medal in the Above 68-kg Men’s class.

The bronze medals were won by Jam Ramirez in the Cadets Kata boys, Darlene Ross Maramara in the Cadets Kata girls and the Below 47-kg Kumite girls.

The AAK Davao team, supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC), is composed of Atsuko Kaiyel Tan, Pavel Jervis Bacayo, Darlene Maramara, Sofia Agullo, Emmanuel Bayugo, Jam Ramirez and John Paul Ponce.

Last year’s gold medalists Gabriel Quiñonez and Ella Estarija skipped this year’s event due to their studies.

SMALL WONDER. 5-yeat old Atsuko Kaiyel Tan of AAK-Davao-Team Philippines with members of the Iran National men’s karatedo team. Lower photo shows the AAK-Davao delegation led by Rommel Tan (extreme right).

Another title for CMO cagers

T

HE City Mayors Office defeated City Administrators Office, 95 – 84, in a thrilling championship contest to capture the 2015 DACHEA Basketball Tournament Open Division title at the Davao City Recreation Center Almendras Gym last week.

Christopher “Bong” Go was fantastic in the entire match capped with a burst of scoring in the final period to bring the Mayors men back at the top of the City Hall employee’s tournament.

Go nailed thirteen triples on his way to his game-high 43 points with the last five shots shut the lights out for the hard-fighting City Admin.

With the count tied at 76all, the sweet-shooting trusted-aid of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte sank five straight treys to

build a comfortable cushion en route to a crowning moment for the CMO. Dindo Pastor contributed 14 points while Marvin Mondigo, JR De Guzman and Yap had 10 apiece for the Mayors men who clinched the crown despite placing second-seed entering the semifinal round as Group A No. 2.

Weng Farochillen sparked with 20 points for the City Admin.

The City Admin fought hard but were just besieged by the outburst of Go in the dying minutes of the game.

Go was just too lethal to account 15 of the last 17 points of the Mayors men since the last deadlock of the nip and tuck contest.

The fight was tight since the opening tipoff until half-

way of the fourth period marked with several deadlock and lead changes that set up a more intense final stretch.

Both teams put up great display of contrasting offensive firepower with the City Admin banking at the paint while the CMO riding on the hot-shooting of Go at behind the arc CMO and City Admin in one instance were locked in a tense struggle late in the third frame with trade turnovers and poor shooting.

Miomio and Campos had 18 points each for the City Admin which got its rhythm early, dominating the paint.

CMO and City Admin arranged a titular showdown after besting Central 911 and City Civil Registrars Office respectively in their crossover semifinal duel. (Rico Biliran)

VOL. VOL.88ISSUE ISSUE33 33• TUESDAY, • TUESDAY,MAY MAY19, 19,2015 2015

5-year old Kaiyel Tan wins hearts, medals in Malaysia