Edge Davao 9 Issue 178

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES SPINE-TINGLING. Entries for the scariest pumpkin carving contest are displayed during the Handuraw sa Baul Halloween party at Malagos Garden Resort over the weekend. Lean Daval Jr.

ALL CHECKPOINTS TO BE DISMANTLED

By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

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HE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has committed Monday to follow President Duterte’s directive to dismantle all checkpoints in the city as soon as possible.

In a text message, DCPO spokesperson Catherine Dela Rey said they have already received a memo from Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) containing the guidelines for the said dismantling of checkpoints.

Dela Rey added that fixed checkpoints may

have become irrelevant since some criminals have found a way to get past them.

“We can establish mobile checkpoints anytime when needed,” she said.

To recall, PNP chief Ronald Dela Rosa earlier ordered the setting up of checkpoints nationwide to secure vital installations following the Davao night market bombing in Davao City last month.

The police checkpoints were beefed up by mem-

bers of the military.

The President also said in his speech in Cotabato City last Saturday that checkpoints established by security personnel are just causing unnecessary travel delays in Mindanao.

“Only if there is specific reason or a necessity to do it, I am ordering all checkpoints dismantled,” Duterte stated, pointing out that checkpoints should only be established if there is information that a high-value target will be passing

through.

He stressed that checkpoints are “unnecessary” if there is no particular purpose for setting them up.

“It will only create chaos among Filipinos if you’re just setting it [checkpoints] up without any purpose at all,” Duterte said in the vernacular.

Meanwhile, dela Rey pointed out that the PNP will set up checkpoints once they receive “A1” information regarding high profile targets.

EDGEDAVAO Sports

VICTORY IN VICTORIA P14

Nagayo kids lead team to junior pennant

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

SCAREVENGERS. Members of the Davao media pose for the traditional class photo after Scarevengers Hunt: The Annual Davao Media Halloween Games at the Annex of SM City Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

LPA to enter Cases of illegal possession Mindanao soon of firearms down, says TFD

By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

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LOW Pressure Area (LPA) is expected to enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) by today, an official of Physical Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) bared.

According to Gerry Pedrico, PAGASA senior weather specialist, the LPA was spotted 1,250 km east of Mindanao.

“Both Visayas and Mind-

anao are currently affected by the Inter Tropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ),” Pedrico said, adding that both regions will experience light to moderate rains.

Meanwhile, the PAG ASA official revealed that five more tropical cyclones are expected to enter the PAR before the year ends.

To date, 12 cyclones have entered country.

By RIA VALDEZ

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HE number of illegal possession of firearms cases that have been reported in the city have decreased this year as compared to those recorded in 2015.

This was revealed by Lt. Col. Danny Bustamante, commander of Task Force Davao’s Task Group Agila, in a chance interview yesterday at the Davao City Overrun Transport Terminal (DCOTT) Although Bustamante was not able to cite specific data, he noted the drop in the number

of cases could be attributed to the sustained advocacy campaign being carried out by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), Public Safety and Security Command (PSSC), and the Central 911.

But despite the drop in illegal possession of firearms cases, Bustamante revealed that a violator was apprehended two days ago in one of the task force’s random checkpoints.

According to Bustamante, he has received reports that passengers at the DCOTT are

complaining of the strict security measures at the terminal.

He therefore called on the riding public to cooperate with authorities, as the security protocols being implemented are for their own good.

Bustamante added that although backpacks are not prohibited inside busese, those carrying them are required to submit the bags for inspection.

He explained that Task Force Davao is obliged to secure a clearance if the backpack’s owner refuses to submit

it for inspection.

Bustamente said that aside from backpacks, non-transparent containers are also prohibited in buses.

He noted that people have become more mindful of security measures being implemented by authorities due to the lesser number of violators, “Davaoenos have learned to follow the rules,” he said, as he thanked members of media for supporting the task force’s information drive against illegal firearms.

DOE has previously allocated P574.23 million for the on-grid electrification projects that benefited some 39,365 households.

Addressing the audience at the launch Saturday in Cotabato City of the Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda for ARMM and other conflict areas in three neighboring regions, President Rodrigo Duterte assured the ARMM will get a fair share of the national budget.

“Bubuhusan ko ang pera ang mga Moro region (I will pour in more budget in the Moro region),” he said.

Appalled by the poverty incidence in the ARMM, he said he wants to see improvement, most specifically in the health of Moro children.

Records from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that while poverty incidence in the Philippines was 21.1% as of the first semester of 2015,

it was 53.4% in the ARMM and while poverty incidence among population during the same period nationwide was 26.3%, with ARMM posting the highest, at 59.0%. The region has two cities and 116 municipalities.

Duterte and Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi spearheaded the ceremonial switch-on of the completed electrification projects of the DOE and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) at the launch of the inter-agency Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda for ARMM and other conflict-affected areas in Regions 9, 10 and 12.

The President also distributed P13.8 million to Maguindanao Electric Cooperative, Inc. (MAGELCO) for the implementation of the Nationwide Intensification of Household Electrification (NIHE) program that will benefit 3,689 households within its franchise area.

Electricity market Engr. Glenn Reston, OIC of the Mindanao Development Authority’s Mindanao Power Development Program said on October 26 at the Energy Smart Mindanao 2016 at the Park Inn here that they are pushing for an electricity market next year to address the looming power oversupply due to the entry of new coal plants before the end of this year.

He said the island is expected to have a surplus of over 1,000 MW. The surplus will come from Filinvest Development Corp.’s 405 MW coal plant, San Miguel Corps.’ 600 MW coal, Cagayan Electric Power and Light Company Inc.’s embedded capacity of 155 MW, and Aboitiz Power’s Manolo Fortich Hydropower Project with 68 MW in Bukidnon, he said.

He said SMC’s two-unit plant has a capacity of 300 MW

LTFRB: Less passenger traffic at DCOTT this Undas P646M allocated for electrification in ARMM

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ASSENGER volume at the city’s main bus terminal has been low during this year’s commemoration of Undas as compared to the same period last year.

“This meant only a few travelled to Davao,” observed Virgilio Jebone, transportation development officer of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB).

Jebone noted that there are a lot of empty buses at the Davao City Overrun Transport Terminal (DCOTT), which could mean that more passengers opted to travel by van.

He also noted that this year, most of the buses passengers were comfortably seated, as compared to previous years wherein travellers had to stand in the middle isle due to the lack of seats.

According to Jebone, the LTFRB has established a help desk inside the DCOTT in line with the LTFRB’s “Oplan Ligtas

Biyahe Undas 2016” initiatives He explained the help desk, which operates eight hours a day, will primarily cater to complaints from passengers who were not attended to by bus companies.

“We want to make sure bus companies provide proper service,” Jebone said.

He said that if there is a shortage of buses at the DCOTT, the LTFRB will immediately contact bus companies who will then dispatch additional units from their garage.

To date, more than five bus companies operate at the DCOTT, Jabone said.

He pointed out that the LTFRB enforces strictly imposes its guidelines among companies, and therefore will not allow buses without a franchise to operate.

“We would pull out the bus,” said Jebone.

He added that if buses continue their illegal opera-

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HE Duterte administration will pour in some P646.84 million for a massive electrification project within the five-province Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) next year as part of the “peace and development efforts.”

At least P610 million, or 94 percent of the total budget will be allotted for off-grid electrification while the remaining P36.84 million will be utilized for the on-grid electrification project, a press release issued by the Department of Energy (DOE), said.

The electric cooperatives in the ARMM will be tasked to implement the off-grid electrification program.

For the on grid-electrification, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur will get P4.84 million, Tawi-Tawi P18.31 million, Basilan P2.81 million, and Sulu 10.88 million next year.

From 2015 until 2016, the

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TFD deploys more personnel at DCOTT A

NEWS 3

By RIA VALDEZ

S part of efforts to beef up security measures at key points in the city during Undas, Task Force Davao has deployed an additional squad to augment an existing 15-member team assigned at the Davao City Overrun Transport Terminal (DCOTT).

According to Lt. Col. Danny Bustamante, commander of Task Force Davao’s Task Group Agila, the 24 security personnel now posted at the DCOTT also include members of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Bustamante said revealed that Col. Erwin Neri, commander of Task Force Davao, has placed the terminal under “Code Green” since it is among the city’s major entry points.

Code green, he explained, means a precaution on evacuation.

Security preparations for the commemoration of Undas in Davao City is spearheaded by the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) in cooperation with TF Davao.

Bustamante said Task Force Agila will provide security services to the city’s 13 cemeteries.

“Our mission is to pro-

mote counterterrorism and anti-terrorism [activities],” he said.

Bustamante assured the people of Davao that the Roxas night market bombing will not happen again, thus the heightened security measures.

He disclosed that Davao City has been placed under Threat Level 4 since the Roxas night market bombing happened on September 2.

Bustamante said that this move has led to the establishment of more random checkpoints in the city, particularly near the Davao International Airport and Sasa Wharf.

The Task Force Agila commander said the city’s security forces are also being backed up by personnel from the 3rd infantry division, and Joint Task Force Haribon led by Brig. Gen. Ronnie S. Evangelista, a former commander of the Special Forces Regiment.

Regarding the flow of passengers in DCOTT, Bustamante anticipated the influx of passengers yesterday night, noting that the terminal operates 24 hours.

“We are praying for a safe Undas and we would do our best for our Davaoenos,” he said.

PRO 11 in full alert for Undas

By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

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N observance of All Saints’ and All Soul’s Day this year, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has been placed on full alert status to ensure “zero crime incidence” during the holidays.

According to Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) Spokesperson Andrea dela Cerna, PRO 11 police personnel will be visible at all strategic areas in the city to provide public safety services.

“We will provide assistance along highways and major thoroughfares, traffic man-

agement and security assistance to cemeteries, churches, transport terminals, airport, seaports, resorts and/or vacation houses and all other places of convergence,” dela Cerna added.

She said police assistance hubs, desks, and centers will be available 24-hourss to ensure that the police will be able to efficiently respond to requests for assistance.

The PNP spokesperson also reminded the public to always observe safety and se-

FPRO 11, 10

Briones to media: Let’s make quality education possible

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EPARTMENT of Education (DepEd) Secretary Leonor Magtolis Briones on Wednesday urged the media to step up its role as partners of the education sector for change.

During DepEd’s press conference with the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), Briones encouraged the members of media to participate in and beyond the Education Summit 2016 on November 3 and 4.

In recognition of the media’s responsibility and capacity to influence the mindset of many, the Education chief invited members of the Fourth Estate to help the education

sector deliver its message and mandate of change, especially in today’s fast-paced exchange of information.

According to Briones, the media, along with the community, government and private institutions, can contribute to the national effort to make quality education accessible for all.

“Times have truly changed and we need to change with it.

The success of the Education Summit, moreover the national education, lies in our collective understanding and acceptance of the permanence of change, and our ability to respond to it. With the help of media, we can bring education closer to every Filipino,” Briones stated.

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TIGHTER MEASURES. Police officers inspect the bags and other belongings of visitors before they enter the premises of the Wireless Public Cemetery in Mahapo Hills, Davao City yesterday to visit their departed relatives. Lean Daval Jr.

People satisfied with gov’t institutions: SWS

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

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adlopez0920@gmail.com

HE chief institutions of the government under the new administration of President Duterte received stable satisfaction ratings, a national survey released by the Social Weather Station (SWS) said.

Chief government institutions such as the Senate, Lower House and the Supreme Court (SC) got “good” to “very good” ratings during the first three months of the Duterte administration, the SWS reported.

The survey was conducted from of September 24 to 27 this year using face-to-face

interviews with 1,200 respondents, or 300 respondents each from the areas of Metro Manila, Balance Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, the SWS added.

The survey result indicated that 49 percent of the respondents said they are satisfied with the performance of the Cabinet of President Duterte while 13 percent are dissatisfied, while 36 percent undecided.

The rating fell short to the 52 percent satisfaction rating of the cabinet in June 2016 but also showed of the lowest number of respondents (13

percent) dissatisfied to the cabinet.

On the other hand, 66 percent of respondents expressed satisfaction with the performance of the Senate in the same period, garnering a “very good” or +52 satisfaction score.

In the same survey results, 14 percent of those who were asked signified their dissatisfaction with the performance of the Senate, while 21percent were undecided.

The House of Representatives also recorded a “good” or +38 rating in the survey with

53 percent of respondents satisfied, 14 percent dissatisfied, and 31percent undecided.

The highest tribunal in the country, on the other hand. suffered a 4 percent decline in the recent survey, posting a +40 rating, or 54 percent were satisfied, while and 14 percent was dissatisfied with its performance.

The SC, during the SWS survey in June of this year, got a +44 satisfaction rating.

Despite the decline in its rating, the SC has remained “good” in the latest survey, the SWS added.

Duterte:‘I want hunger stopped’ T

‘I will improve the Moroland’

HE country’s first Mindanawon President on Saturday vowed to pour money and resources into the Moro region “to improve the Moroland” because “I want the incidence of hunger stopped” in the five-province Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

“You made me President….

Nangako ako sa inyo na wala na kayong makita na leader, maybe for a long time, na talagang may pagmamalasakit sa inyo,” President Rodrigo Duterte said at the launching of the inter-agency Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda (CRDA) for the ARMM and other Conflict-Affected Areas in regions 9, 10 and 12, at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex at the ARMM compound here.

“You will have a share of the national wealth… bubuhusan ko ang pera ang mga Moro region…. I will improve the

Moroland,” vowed Duterte, the first Philippine President who has Moro blood in his veins. His grandmother on the maternal side was a Maranao.

Duterte also has Moro grandchildren as his eldest son married a Maranao-Tausug.

The erstwhile Liberal Party-dominated ARMM gave Duterte an overwhelming victory, with 920,743 votes against Roxas’ 272,389. Duterte won in Basilan, Sulu, Tawi-tawi, Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur. He narrated how, on the second Cabinet meeting, he gave instructions to his Cabinet to “please do something” about the ARMM. He said he told Social Welfare Secretary Judy Taguiwalo, “Ma’am, please do something” about the ARMM which has the highest incidence of hunger.

“Kawawa yung mga bata” (I pity the children).

Addressing poverty He said there will be “massive” intervention to address the problem. “I want the incidence of hunger stopped.

Hanapan natin ng paraan even man lang sa pagkain ng mga bata,” said the President.

Records from the Philippine Statistics Authority show that while poverty incidence in the Philippines was 21.1% as of the the first semester of 2015, it was 53.4% in the ARMM and while poverty incidence among population during the same period nationwide was 26.3%, with ARMM posting the highest, at 59.0%.

The CRDA has listed programs, projects and services for the ARMM and conflict-affected areas in the three other regions, among them scholarships from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) and the Commission on Higher

Education; water projects from the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG); agricultural machinery, equipment and seedlings from the Department of Agriculture; banca, fishing gear and gill nets from the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources; supplemental feeding from the Department of Social Welfare and Development; opportunities under the Special Programs and Employment of Students beneficiaries of the Departmetn of Labor and Employment; and distribution of PhilHealth cards.

The ARMM itself has two programs called “Apat na Dapat” launched in January 2016 which focuses on the four basic needs – food, water, light and shelter – and ARMM HELPS (Health, Education, Livelihood, Peace and Governance, and Synergy), launched in February 2013 to establish

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Senior citizens are given free medicines and vitamins during Tagum Coop’s Senior Citizens’ Day

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Partner doctor from the Rotary Club of Tagum checks a senior citizen-member during Tagum Coop’s Senior Citizens’ Day

Reviving faith thru coffee-farming

600 senior citizens avail of free health services “R T

AGUM Coop staged its third and last Senior Citizens’ Day celebration for the year last Oct 22 at its Main Office Gym, as it served some 600 elderly members.

The cooperative’s senior members lined up as 5:00 AM to avail of medical and social services which included FBS monitoring, medical check-up, eye screening, tooth extraction, foot reflexology, body massage, manicure and pedicure, haircut, and a many more.

The various services were provided by Tagum Coop’s different partner institutions

and entities such as the Rotary Club of Tagum medical doctors, Rotary Club of Tagum Golden LACES dental team, and other volunteers including TC immediate past Chairperson Norma Pereyras, Aquino Medical Specialist Hospital, Inc. (AMSHI) nurses, Prosight Optical eye screening team, ADAM reflexologists, ANAT massage therapists, and Bishop Joseph Regan Memorial Hospital medical personnel.

All senior participants availed of the services for free, as they were also given breakfast, lunch, medicine, and packs of grocery items

containing rice, milk, biscuits, canned goods, noodles, and the likes.

Present at the event were Tagum Coop Chairperson Monica L. Salido, Vice-Chairperson Fe J. Adlawan, Directors Nenita R. Malbas and Evelia Sator, Treasurer Rosalina S. Argent, and General Manager Juris D. Perez.

Salido expressed her gratitude to the participating members who have been members of Tagum Coop for a long time, such as Mr. and Mrs. Atanacio Alban, the model senior citizen couple of Tagum Coop and members for more than 40

years.

She stressed that Tagum Coop will do its best to provide more and better services to its elderly members.

Despite her old age, Luzminda Tagaod, 84 years old, joined the activity. She availed of the free check-up and was given medicines.

The latest Senior Citizens’ Day welcomed an overwhelming number of participants after the successful conduct of the event in Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte last February, and in Nabunturan, Compostela Valley in July. (Tagum Cooperative)

Tagum Coop officers namely (front row, left to right) Chairperson Monica Salido, Dir. Evelia Sator, Dir. Nenita Malbas, Treas. Rose Argent, and GM Juris Perez join senior citizen-members

SUPPORT TO GENSAN EDUCATION. General Santos City Mayor Ronnel Rivera (left), Stephanie Orlino (center) of Smart and DepEd Schools Division Superintendent Gildo Mosqueda (right) sign a memorandum of agreement last Oct. 27, during the turnover of Smart Technocart and School-in-a-Bag

to a school in GenSan. The ceremony was witnessed by Ellana Abedin, ALIVE coordinator; Dr. Sylvia Acuña, division supervisor; and Gilda Reyes, Buayan district supervisor. (Russell Delvo/ Gensan CPIO)

ED. Red coffee berries everywhere.

Just right and ripe for harvest.” This is how Pedro Bravo recalled the sight at his farm in Sultan Kudarat the day he harvested his three-year-old coffee, early on this year.

His hopes are high especially that the Department of Agrarian Reform –Catholic Relief Services (DAR-CRS) is assisting him in selling his products.

Pedro is farming a 0.75-hectare land planted with 864 hills of coffee. He is a member of the Masiag Farmers Coffee Growers Association (MAFACGA) and one of the 300 farmers assisted by the DAR-CRS under the project “Linking Smallholder Farmers to Market (LinkSFarM) implemented in the province of Sultan Kudarat.

Early on this year, Pedro, along with some clustered farmers from Bagumbayan town collectively delivered and sold their coffee produce to Nestle Philippines in Tagum City.

The net weight of delivered coffee beans reached 28,587.65 kilograms. It earned them a gross income of P2,208,202.80 as a result of directly selling their consolidated coffee produce to an institutional buyer.

LinkSFarM is one of the services of DAR-CRS dubbed as “test marketing” that aims to eliminate local traders in the marketing chain, enable farmer to earn more from their produce.

According to Rodolfo Alburo, Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II of DAR-Sultan Kudarat, the program helped a lot of coffee farmers improve their incomes, particularly in Bagumbayan area.

“The test marketing proved that by selling directly and collectively to Nestle Phil, farmers gained an additional incentive of P 2.50 per kilo of green coffee beans (GCB), thereby increasing their income by 27%,” Alburo said.

Nestle Phil. Purchasing Manager Quddus Toledo explained that the incentives given to the farmers are classified into two; P1.50 per kilo for the common code for coffee community (4C), which is

given to areas recorded or acknowledged by the company as one of the coffee producing communities; and P1.00 for every kilo of GCB passing the company’s moisture content test.

Pedro Bravo sold 272 kilos of green coffee beans and earned a net income of P19,985.20 out of the test marketing activity.

“Malaking kaibahan ito sa kita kung ikumpara ko ang presyo doon sal okal na trader. Ang kuha lang nila doon ay P60 per kilo samantalang sa Nestle ay P79.00, including na ang incentives. Nakatulong ang collective selling kasi maliban sa mas mataas na presyo, nabawi din naming ang gastos sa transportation dahil sa incentives na binigay ng Nestle sa amin,” Bravo said.

“Sulit naman sa pagod, oras at kaba ang pagdeliver ng kape doon sa Nestle. Kahit malayo ang Tagum na umabot ng 9 hours na biyahe, at kahit first time pa naming na gawin ang direktang pagdeliver ng kape sa isang malaking buyer, masaya at tagumpay ang kinalabasan nito. Hindi naming ito magawa kung wala ang DAR-CRS. Kaya malaki talaga ang pasasalamat ko sa kanila,” Bravo added.

Bravo said that the services given by the DAR-CRS brought back the faith of farmers on coffee and on the services of government. He admitted that initially, the smallholder farmers were hesitant to take part in the DAR-CRS’ interventions. But as time passed, they realized the good intentions and sincerity of the people and organizations who were assisitng them.

“Noon, parang nawala na ang hilig ng tao ditto sa amin sa pagtatanim ng kape.

Pero noong dumating ang DAR-CRS at sa pagbigay ng mga technology seminar at sa pag-link sa amin sa Nestle Phil, nanumbalik ang sigla ng mga tao na magtanim at i-revive ang mga dating tanim na kape. Para sa akin, magandang pahiwatig ito na nanumbalik ang tiwala ng tao dahil satulong ng pamahalaan.

Bravo also hoped that someday, they might be the

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DAR may embarrass Rody, delegation to Japan, China

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Bananeros fear Mariano action may spoil gains of state visits

ANANA industry stakeholders expressed fears that Agrarian Reform Sec. Rafael Mariano will spoil efforts by President Duterte and his delegation, which secured better trade deals for the banana industry from Japan and China, due to the DAR chief’s move to review all agri ventures agreements (AVAs).

The powerhouse delegation included House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Agriculture Sec. Emmanuel Piñol, Trade and Industry Sec. Ramon Lopez and former Agriculture Sec. and House Rep. Arthur Yap, obtained favorable trade deals from their Japanese counterparts.

The trade deals are, however, threatened by Sec. Mariano’s call for a review of all agri ventures agreements (AVAs), and as a result hamper the expansion of banana plantations.

AVAs are agreements between private investors in banana plantations and Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries (ARBs).

Stakeholders say that government policy and consistency also play a very vital role in the stability of supply of banana and strategic direction of investors who are contemplating to invest in large-scale banana farming.

DAR is reviewing existing AVAs, also known as leasebacks agreements. Corporate plantation owners are worried government interference with live contract provides disincentives to local and foreign investors, let alone unconstitutional. This interference has changed the strategic direction of local corporate farms in relations to their expansion plans.

PRRD confident President Duterte “is confident as ever on return from Japan,” said one of the headlines as he arrived from Japan

last Thursday. The President described the three-day state visit to Japan as “another defining moment” in relations between the two countries.

He said, “It was clear to me that Japan is and will always remain a true friend of the Philippines,” adding that Japan would remain a top trading partner.

A deal involving the importation by Japan of Philippine bananas worth P5 billion annually and aims to provide a sustained source of livelihood to rebel returnees and beneficiaries of the agrarian reform program, House Speaker Alvarez said.

The deal is among those worked out during President Duterte’s visit to Tokyo, where he discussed economic and defense concerns with Japanese leaders.

Farmind Corp., a major fruit distributor in Japan, will import the bananas. Alvarez asked his friend, Farmind president Tatstuo Horiuchi, to help provide livelihood to farmers, as well as former rebels, especially given that the President has been actively pursuing peace talks.

“I asked him if he could help the Philippines, especially the CARP [Comprehensive Agrarian Reform Program] beneficiaries, the rebel returnees, if they could commit to buy quite a number of fruits coming from the Philippines at a good price,” Alvarez was quoted as telling reporters in Tokyo.

Farmind is targeting to get 20 million boxes of bananas from the Philippines, Horiuchi said. This would represent about 30% of the Japanese market.

The export of more bananas to the Japanese market means an additional 25,000 to 30,000 hectares of planting areas, which means more jobs to be

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IMPROVED POWER SERVICES. Presideny Duterte graces the ceremonial switching of the household electrification program by the Department of Energy and National Electrification Agency during the launch of the Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other Conflict-affectd areas in Region

SEAWIND CLUBHOUSE LAUNCH. Damosa Land’s Seawind condo project inaugurates its clubhouse on Friday. Gracing the event are Anflocor Vice President Ricardo Floirendo, Damosa Land Inc. Vice President, Ricardo

Lagdameo, 2nd District Councilor Hon. Also in photo are Jimmy Dureza, Anflocor Board of directors member Anthony Sasin and other Anflocor and DLI Executives.

Damosa Land opens clubhouse of Seawind, launches 6th tower

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

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AMOSA Land Inc. recently inaugurated its Seawind condominium clubhouse which boasts of world-class amenities.

The event, which also featured the launching of the condo’s 6th tower, was attended by Damosa Land Inc. and ANFLOCOR Group of Companies top officials, staff, family, friends and members of media.

Davao City 2nd District Councilor Jimmy Dureza, who represented Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, expressed his support to Damosa Land, as he noted

the condo project is a testament to the continued growth and expansion of Davao City’s construction industry.

In an interview, Damosaland Inc. Vice President Cary Lagdameo said the clubhouse and the swimming pool took three months to be built.

He revealed the designer of the exquisite, modern clubhouse is a young Manila-based architect named Joe Bernardo of the Archispace Design Company.

“We like dealing with him because he is young, he is progressive and as you can notice

from the design, it’s very out of the ordinary,” Lagdameo said.

He noted that while tower five is a favorite among buyers because of its breathtaking view facing Samal Island, tower six also offers a uniquely and exciting perspective for its future occupants.

According to Lagdameo, a majority of their clients are young professionals aged 25 to 40 years old.

“We want to give them something new,” he pointed out..

Lagdameo disclosed the project’s first building is al-

ready 97 percent sold out, and will be turned over on the first quarter of 2017.

He added the second building will be turned over on the second quarter of next year.

Meanwhile, Lagdameo disclosed that the price of their condo units have appreciated by 40 to 50 percent since the project was launched in 2015.

“Tower one was P1.8 million. For tower six, the average price is somewhere between P2.8 to P2.9 million,” he added.

Seawind is Damosa Land’s first condominium project.

rte administration has crafted a “business-friendly” socioeconomic agenda that underlines its readiness and capability to

drastically reduce poverty and lift the economy to high middle-income status in six years’ time, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III told the business community here.

Dominguez said President Duterte, who is here in Japan this week, has put in place at the start of his government a “clear and coherent” strategy to maintain policy stability, achieve high and inclusive growth, and make doing business in my country easier” in the months ahead.

He said at an investment forum that the Duterte administration is accelerating public spending on infrastructure, human capital and social protection in pursuit of inclusive growth, and is mounting a tax reform plan to raise enough funds for these priority investments areas.

Dominguez also informed participants at the forum that the Philippines’ Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) is now revising regulations on the value-added tax (VAT) withholding system involving projects funded by Japan’s Overseas Economic Cooperation Fund

(OECF), taking into account the concerns raised by the Japanese government and contractors of OECD-funded projects.

“I have also instructed our Commissioner in the Internal Revenue to prioritize the resolution of the issues on VAT on Japanese contractors undertaking ODA projects,” Dominguez said.

(According to Assistant Secretary Mark Dennis Joven of the DOF-Revenue Operations Group, this issue pertains to Revenue Memorandum Circular 45-2015, which was issued by the BIR during the previous administration.)

Dominguez said the new government has also taken initial steps to stamp out official corruption, cut red tape in the bureaucracy, and simplify tariff rules in order to entice investors from Japan and elsewhere to set up shop in the Philippines.

“This is a fine time for looking at the Philippine economy as an investment destination,” said Dominguez at the Philippine Economic Forum here at the Prince Park Tower Tokyo

‘Fine time’to do business in PH - DoF N

OW is a “fine time” to invest in the Philippines as Tokyo rekindles its ties with Manila and the Dute-

9, 10 and 12 at Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex in Cotabato City on Thursday afternoon. Also in photo are Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) director general Guiling Mamondiong, ARMMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, and Energy secretary Alfonso Cusi. ACE MORANDANTE/Presidential Photos

FFINE TIME, 13

6 ECONOMY

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Tax reforms can raise P600B by 2019 - DOF L

Bello bats anew for higher pay for workers

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

T

adlopez0920@gmail.com

HE Department of Finance (DOF) is optimistic the Duterte administration can achieve its goal of raising P600 billion by 2019 with the tax reform it is introducing that is now pending in Congress.

In a statement on Monday, the DOF said revenues from tax reforms will fund the administration’s priority investments in infrastructure, human capital development and social protection for the poor.

DOF secretary Carlos Dominguez said the target amount which represents the 3 percent of the country’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP)

will come in part from implementing tax reforms in the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) and the Bureau of Customs (BOC).

He added that some P400 billion of this amount would come from the implementation of tax policy reforms, while another P150 billion to P200 billion from tax administration reforms.

The secretary also pointed out that one key aspect of the reforms in the BIR and BOC is to systematically deal with corruption in these two agencies.

“The first part is improvement in tax administration. We want to improve our collec-

tions in the BIR and Customs.

The first measure we are doing there is reducing the corruption in those areas. And second we want also to do it systematically,” he said.

At the BIR, Dominguez said that DOF plans to use information technology to come up with tax profiles based on industries, and compare the tax payments made by companies to flush out possible tax evaders, while in the BOC, the government will intensify its campaign against smuggling while enhancing trade facilitation through the implementation of the Customs Modernization and Tariff Act (CMTA).

Dominguez also pointed out of more measures to be implemented to ensure the increase of revenues, to include the simplification of the processes of paying taxes and making the system fairer and more efficient, the reduction of income tax rates, and facilitating electronic tax filing system and payments that will be done in the BIR. At the BOC, he took note of the identification of areas where massive under-declaration and non-declaration of imports as the additional measure to take place.

The secretary also cited

FTAX, 10

ABOR Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III called on industry leaders anew to ensure that workers benefit from higher wages and better living standards as a result of their productivity.

Bello made the call even as he urged employers to strengthen partnership and develop a mindset of productivity and quality in workplaces for increased competitiveness of the country’s micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSME).

“It isn’t just making companies competitive and profitable through improved productivity, but for productive workers to get higher wages and ultimately enjoy higher living standards,” Bello told the 2016 National Productivity Congress held at the Hotel Jen in Pasay City.

“To sustain the country’s economic growth, let us strengthen our advocacy and partnership in deepening the national consciousness and culture of quality, productivity, and excellence for the Filipino workforce,” he said.

Bello said linking MSMEs to value chains can accelerate enterprise growth and expansion, and provide jobs and security to the fast growing labor force, adding that his office is cognizant of the significant contributions of micro, small, and medium enterprises in the advancement of our economy.

He said that MSMEs accounted for 99 percent of total enterprises in the country and contributing 36 percent to total growth domestic product (GDP) and nearly two-thirds to total employment. “This sector

is a critical driver of economic growth, mostly, supplying and providing critical support system for logistics services to large enterprises and exporters,” he added.

Bello said the conference, with the theme “Productivity@Work: Creating Value for Workers and Enterprises,” supports the President Duterte’s 10 point socieconomic agenda, particularly the promotion of rural and value chain development toward increasing agricultural and rural enterprise productivity and rural tourism.

“We affirm the strategic importance of productivity in sustaining the economic well-being of enterprises and in optimizing the contribution of our human resources,” said Bello.

He also announced that the DOLE is collaborating with the Department of Trade and Industry to promote the KAPATID-Angat Lahat project. The said inclusive model aims to link micro and small enterprises (MSEs) to the medium and large enterprises, as the latter’s suppliers and distributors to enable MSEs to engage in more sustainable and profitable business activities.

“The DOLE committed to assist all KAPATID beneficiaries nationwide through its productivity trainings under the NWPC’s Productivity Toolbox, which is a package of technical assistance on productivity improvement for MSMEs that contains a ladderized and needs-based menu of customized productivity tools and technologies,” said Bello.

(DOLE)

Rody favors law giving farmers access to P74-B coco levy fund MORE EXPENSIVE. Prices of flowers at Bankerohan Public Market have gone up a day before the observance of All Souls’ Day. Lean Daval Jr.

Shanghai VM tells VM Pulong: Davao to have a bright future A

RANKING Chinese official warmly welcomed Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte who visited Shanghai on Wednesday to explore possible investments for the city.

Shanghai Vice Mayor Chen Yin assured the presidential son of more ‘exchanges’ between their cities, noting the

positive outcome of the recent visit of President Rodrigo Duterte in China.

“The visit of President Duterte greatly improved our bilateral relations and brought up many opportunities and exchanges,” Yin told Vice Mayor Duterte in a reception held at the Shanghai City Hall Wednesday morning.

Yin was optimistic that the improved relations between China and the Philippines will be beneficial to cities like Davao.

“I am sure that with great support from our governments, we can make contributions to our relationship and cooperation,” he said.

He told the presidential

son that Shanghai is also committed to strengthen its relationship with Davao City.

“I wish that your visit to Shanghai will be fruitful,” he said.

Vice Mayor Duterte noted how Davao City is determined to improve the livelihood of the people by welcoming in-

FSHANGHAI, 10

P

RESIDENT Duterte wants to unlock over P74 billion in Coconut Levy funds for the benefit of coconut farmers and their families, and believes that new legislation is needed for the government to do so as soon as the Supreme Court lifts its Temporary Restraining Order (TRO) on this fund, according to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III. Dominguez, who was agriculture secretary in the administration of the late President Corazon Aquino, said a law is needed so this money could be used by farmers in coconut-producing areas for such projects as support programs for them and scholarships for their dependents in, say, state colleges and universities.

Asked by Sen. Francis Pangalinan at a recent congressional hearing about this fund, Dominguez said that, “I’ve discussed this with the President and we believe that legislation is necessary to utilize the coco levy funds for the benefit of farmers in the coconut areas.

The coco levy fund right now is a little bit over P74 billion.”

“There is a TRO in the Supreme Court and we will have

to wait once it is lifted, and he wants to manage the funds but its utilization can only be by law….and I will support using these funds to provide scholarships, maybe in the state schools and colleges in the areas, and of course other kinds of support for the coconut-producing communities.”

“Supporting scholarships, supporting better farming methods, maybe supporting the new intercropping methods as well as new coconut varieties should be done, but I think this should be done by legislation,” he added during the congressional hearing.

In an earlier forum, Dominguez said this investment had been discussed at a recent Cabinet meeting, and the President has expressed in that session his preference for it to be used for the exclusive benefit of coconut farmers and their families.

“We have discussed that at the Cabinet, and, you know, it’s quite a complicated issue, but we are going to make sure that the funds in the national treasury …. will be used exclusively for the benefit of the coconut farmers,” Dominguez said.

FRODY, 10

7 ENVIRONMENT The importance of reef gleaning EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

R

EEF GLEANING – known as “panginhas” in the Cebuano dialect while Tagalog-speaking people call it as “pamumulot” – is how experts called that fishing method that are done in shallow coastal, estuarine and freshwaters waters or in habitats exposed during low tide.

“Gleaning for edible seafood on shallow reef flats during low tides is an important form of subsistence fisheries in the Philippines,” reports a policy brief published by the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA) and distributed during the 2016 Annual Conference held in Manila.

“Subsistence fisheries” is a form of artisanal fishing mainly for household consumption or that which earns very little income from selling a portion of the catch. It has been observed that reef gleaning for snails, shells, sea cucumbers, sea urchins, seaweed and fish is “the only form of subsistence fishing in the Philippines.”

Reef gleaning has been practiced in coastal communities in the Philippines for a long time. You better ask Carolina Pading, who lives in Tubajon, a coastal barangay in Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental. She has been gleaning for about 43 years now. In recent years, she collects mostly sea cucumbers, which are common in the area.

Carolina cuts them into small pieces and mixed them with onions, chilli and vinegar then sells these at her neighborhood and in the public market for P20 per glass. On a very productive day, she is able to make 60 glasses of pickled sea cucumbers and earn as much as P1,200! On an average day, however, she earns an income

Dr. Asuncion B. De Guzman of P500, which is higher than most gleaners usually get.

Adela Llaneta is a 60-yearold grandmother who lives not far from where Carolina lives.

She’s not alone since her three grandchildren, who were left by their parents for her to take care of, are living with her.

To support her grandchildren’s school needs and pocket money, she has to gather sea urchins at intertidal area during low tide every day.

She’s been doing this for two years now. Despite her age, she still manages to harvest the spiny globular marine creatures. Her daily average income is P245.

Carolina and Adela were just two of the many respondents asked by a group of researchers composed of Asuncion B. De Guzman, Zenaida M. Sumalde, Mariel Denerie B. Colance, Mierra Flor V. Ponce and Gemlyn Mar S. Rance. The EEPSEA funded the study entitled “Economics of Reef Gleaning in the Philippines: Impacts on the Coastal Environment, Household Economy and Nutrition.”

Although reef gleaning is widespread in the country, the study was conducted mostly in four popular reef gleaning areas in Mindanao: Laguindingan, Misamis Oriental; Kauswagan, Lanao del Norte; Lopez Jaena, Misamis Occiden-

Luisa, 42 of Daku Island, one of the islets in Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte made her regular income by plucking each of these black sea urchins to collect roes and sell to buyers at P60 per glass. Black sea urchins are gathered by fisherfolks in Siargao especially during low tides and part of their regular fishing activities for subsistence. (Alexander D. Lopez) Carolina Pading (courtesy of Dr. Asuncion B. de Guzman)

tal; and Cortes, Surigao del Sur. Only one area in Visayas (Tubigon, Bohol) was included.

“As yields from artisanal gear-based fisheries continues to decline, coastal residents become increasingly dependent on gathering of invertebrates and seaweed to supple-

For more than 30 years, Eduardo Cometa, 60 years of age, a resident of Daku Island in General Luna town, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte has been fishing around the rich marine resources in the area. Gathering of various species of sea shells is among his subsistence fishing activity that he said could add to his regular income as a fisherman to support the needs of his family. (Alexander D. Lopez)

ment family incomes and put food on the table,” the policy brief said.

Fish, touted to be the “poor man’s source of protein,” is a staple food of Filipinos. “Fish and seafood represent an important source of protein for the average Filipino, at around 41%of animal protein intake,” reports the Kuala Lumpur-based World Fish Center.

But the sad news is that fish catch in the open seas is getting smaller and scarce.

In the past, Filipino fishermen used to catch 20 kilograms of fish each day. But today, they could manage to catch only around 4.76 kilograms a day – “barely a fourth of the amount during the good old days,” said a Rappler report.

Women and children used to be the traditional reef gleaners. But due to declining fish catch in areas where they used to fish and lack of viable employment, men are now joining the bandwagon.

“The increased male participation is perceived to be a consequence of declining catch from artisanal finfish fisheries or lack of viable employment

or livelihood,” the policy brief surmised.

Regardless of gender, women often invest more effort (in terms of hours) and obtain higher catch-per-uniteffort (CPUE). In some places, children also have increased participation in reef gleaning activities, spurred on by their parents in order to earn a little more to support their education.

Here are more highlights from the study: • Depending on the target species, practices in gathering edible invertebrates from reef flats range from simple handpicking to using minor implements (that is scoop nets, knives, digging sticks, and rakes).

• More than 80% of the gleaners’ daily catch comprise of gastropods, bivalves and sea urchins while sea cucumbers and fish are quite rare. Due to lack of regulation, bivalves and sea cucumbers are collected even if they still small or juveniles.

• Spending an average of 2.3 hours each day, gleaners obtain a CPUE of 0.8 to 2.12 kilograms per gleaner per hour which amounts to a daily CPUE of 2.46 to 5.85 kilograms.

• Across the five studied sites, the average monthly income of gleaning households from all sources is estimated at P6,170 – which is lower than the national poverty threshold of P7,821 per month.

“Revenue from gleaning barely makes a dent in the economy of the average coastal household in most areas,” the paper pointed out. The reason: only 17% sell their entire catch while 31% consume it. As a result, the estimated daily gross revenues derived from 2-5 hours of gleaning was low: P26-P92 per gleaner per day. This sums up to a monthly income of only P883 thus contributing very little – about 15% – to the household economy.

Many gleaners report that

what they earn from selling their catch was barely enough to buy a few kilos of rice each day. “Results indicate that family income falls below the national poverty and subsistence thresholds, evidence that Filipino small-scale fishers remain the poorest of the poor,” the study said.

In terms of nutrition intake, it was found that coastal communities have high energy (86.6%) and protein (85.9%) sufficiency levels, using the food composition level published by the Philippine Food and Nutrition Research Institute.

“Seafood contributes 7.3% to energy intake and 33.9% to protein intake of the average coastal household,” the study pinpointed. “Much of the seafood eaten by coastal communities comprise of invertebrates obtained from gleaning, which contribute 30.6% and 24.7% of the energy and protein intake, respectively.”

On top of this, the study also highlights that certain methods of gleaning are destructive. Among those that have been identified as potentially damaging to the environment were overturning of rocks, use of large digging blades, and the gathering of tiny or juvenile sea urchins and sea cucumbers.

“Most gleaners don’t consider their gleaning practices destructive to the reef environment while few admit that digging for bivalves can accidentally uproot seagrass and that reef trampling can destroy corals and other animals sheltering in seagrass beds,” notes Dr. De Guzman, leader of the study.

If left untreated, the study said the above practices “will threaten the natural resilience of these shallow, easily accessible resources, which are virtually unprotected by any statute and management intervention.”

The study also recom-

FENVIRONMENT, 13

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

EDITORIAL

T

First Philippine Republic Day

HERE is a new holiday to celebrate and it’s called the “First Philippine Republic Day.” The House of Representatives has approved on third and final reading a bill declaring January 23 of every year as “First Philippine Republic Day,” a special working holiday.

House Bill 477 was penned by Bulacan Rep. Jose Antonio Sy-Alvarado, and it seeks to commemorate the establishment of the first Republic in Asia in 1899 at the historic Barasoain Church in Malolos City, Bulacan.

The creation of the First Philippine Republic was said to have marked the “beginning of Filipino democracy and self-government,” and “magnifies the political maturity and readiness of our forefathers at the turn of that century.”

In passing the bill, the House contend that the significance of January 23, 1899 “is that the First Philippine Republic came into being as the sovereign choice of the people. It was a conscious choice to reject a dictatorial and revolutionary government and establish for all the future Filipino generations the groundwork for democracy.”

The addition of this holiday further adds to the commemoration of Philippine independence and heroism. To name a few, the National Valor Day on April 9, the Philippine Independence Day on June 12, the National Heroes Day on August 28.

However, looking at the days in history we celebrate today as holidays do not really point to the one day in our nation’s history where we can say, “this is when it all began.”

That may have been answered by the First Philippine Republic Day which celebrates the first Philippine Constitution in 1899 otherwise known as the Malolos Constitution.

A piece of historic account tells us that the Philippine Republic (also known as

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Malolos Republic) was described by hisotrians as a nascent revolutionary government in the Philippines. It was formally established with the proclamation of the Malolos Constitution on January 23, 1899, in Malolos, Bulacan, and endured until the capture and surrender of Emilio Aguinaldo to the American forces on March 23, 1901, in Palanan, Isabela, which effectively dissolved the First Republic.

However, another check at history may tell us that the new legislation could be a redundancy.

Why? Because we already celebrate that in June 12 through the Independence Day. Which leads us to this historic account: The establishment of the Philippine Republic was the culmination of the Philippine Revolution against Spanish rule. On June 12, 1898, at Aguinaldo’s ancestral home in Cavite, Philippine independence was proclaimed and the Philippine Declaration of Independence was read. The act had been prepared and written in Spanish by Ambrosio Rianzares Bautista, who also read its proclamation.

Out of that event in our history, the Malolos Congress was convened on September 15, 1989. Now this eventually produced the Malolos Constitution. That constitution was proclaimed on 22 January 1899, transforming the government into what is known today as the First Philippine Republic, with Aguinaldo as its president.

Now, as to which is the day when we can say “this is when it all began”, it now comes down to June 12 or January 23.

Or we can come up with just one Philippines Day and celebrate “when it really started.”

As it stands now, we do not seem to agree even on our perception of historic significance.

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L

AST week, I was in Manila to attend the 2016 International Conference of the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA). Participants from Cambodia, China, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Sri Lanka, Taiwan, and Thailand came.

Several books and policy briefs were distributed during the conference. I had to pick only those that really caught my attention since I cannot bring them as I was allowed to bring just 10 kilograms for my luggage.

But there’s one book that I really can’t get rid of. It’s hard-bound, almost 400 pages and it’s titled, “Marine and Coastal Ecosystem Valuation, Institutions, and Policy in Southeast Asia.”

Nancy Olewiler, Herminia A. Francisco, and Alice Joan G. Ferrer served as the editors.

I really didn’t know why I brought the book but during the more than an hour flight from Manila and Davao, I tried to scan the pages and lo! and behold there was a paper that took my attention: “Mobilizing Resources for Marine Turtle Conservation in Asia: A Cross-Country Perspective.”

The paper is the results of a comparative study conducted in China, the Philippines, Thailand, and Vietnam that “assessed households’ willingness to pay for marine turtle conservation and the potential to mobilize funds.”

Marine turtles, locally known as “pawikan,” has a soft spot in my heart since one of my earlier articles won me a science journalism award from the Philippine Press Institute some decades ago.

The interest was equally doubled when I figured out that the case of the Philippines

O

N Sept. 21, 1521, galleon Concepcion skipper Joao Lopes Carvalho, a Portuguese pilot was replaced by Basque Juan Sebastian Elcano a name that would haunt Davao in 1848, this time as the name of the warship that helped conquer it. Earlier, he was chosen to take over the flagship Trinidad after the thinning Magellan expedition, due to numerous leadership changes, was threatened with discord following the death of its Portuguese captain at Mactan five months earlier.

The change of captaincy, though not connected to the rivalry between Portugal and Spain to control the spice trade, echoed the schism embroiling Europe at the time. Protestantism, an offshoot of the 1517 theses postulated by Martin Luther, a German monk in the Augustinian Order, contested the Vatican practice of selling indulgences in exchange for remission of sins as contrary to biblical teaching. The discord led to liberal and conservative Protestant philosophies that were deemed heretical, and gave rise to new sects that differed in doctrinal interpretations to the Lutheran precepts.

Six months after Magellan rediscovered the Philippines, the first Spaniards, due to wayward tempest, were marooned at the Sarangani cluster of islands. Antonio Pigafetta, the expedition’s Venetian diarist, wrote that while sailing southeast, they found four islands, namely Ciboco (Sibuco), Birahan Batolach (Birano Batolaki), Sarangani, and Candighar (Balut). The drop-by had nothing to do with proselytization; there was not even a Mass that was said.

Later, several other expeditions were marooned on the eastern coast of Mindanao due

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Marine turtle conservation

VANTAGE POINTS

9

was conducted THINK ON THESE! in Davao City which was described as “the smallest city” – in terms of population (with “about one million people”). In comparison, the most populous city was Beijing Henrylito D. Tacio in China with “over 15 million henrytacio@gmail.com people.” Other cities that were surveyed for the study were Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi in Vietnam and Bangkok in Thailand.

“Respondents ranked ten public policy issues: economic problems, poverty, education, health, crime/violence/inequality, government/good governance, infrastructure, environment, terrorism, and relations with other countries,” the paper disclosed.

“While environmental concerns do not feature as priority concerns, over 70% of the respondents in all four countries agree that environmental problems are not properly addressed,” the study noted.

With 847 respondents, Davao City ranked deforestation as one environmental priority followed by solid waste and then air pollution.

Beijing (600 respondents) picked air pollution as its number one concern followed by water pollution and traffic congestion.

Traffic congestion was the number one environment priority in Bangkok (789 respon-

dents) with deforestation and air pollution as second and third, respectively. Like Beijing, Ho Chi Minh and Hanoi (1,444 respondents) picked air pollution as their top priority followed by water pollution and then deforestation.

Now, let’s talk about marine turtles. Davao City ranked first among those people who asked if they have seen a live marine turtle. At least 67% of the respondents said yes while Bangkok (57%) came next, then Beijing (53%) and finally Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi (24%).

With 9% of the respondents replied yes, Davao City also ranked among those who have eaten marine turtle eggs and meat. Bangkok registered 7% and Beijing had only 3%. Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi had the least: 2%.

In terms of cultural value, Davao City registered the lowest: 27%. The highest belonged to Bangkok (51%). Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi had 45% while Beijing’s score was only 44%. In the same vein, Davao City also had the lowest rank among those respondents who were asked if they know that marine turtles lay their eggs on land: 77%. Beijing had 80%, Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi, 84% and Bangkok, 85%.

The respondents were also asked on why they would contribute money for the establishment of a marine conservation fund. Forty-one percent from Davao said that “the marine turtle is an important animal and should be protected.” Beijing registered 48% while Bangkok’s was 39% while Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi settled for 34%.

Only six percent from Davao City believed that “marine turtles can only be protected through the collaboration of several countries.”

In comparison, 10% believed in Bangkok, 19%

in Beijing and 29% in Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi.

Sixteen percent of respondents from Davao City responded yes to this reason: “It is high time that the people in East Asia do something concrete about protecting the marine turtles since this is the center of illegal trade in the world.”

Both Bangkok and Ho Chi Minh/Hanoi registered the same figure (9%) while Beijing had the lowest: 4%.

In its conclusion, the paper said in part: “Conservation agencies could play a role by working with governments to set up trust funds in which public funds could be deposited with confidence.”

It also said: “As incomes rise and governance improves, Asia’s ability to pay for conservation will increase.”

All over the world, there are eight species of marine turtles. The three others which are not living the Philippine waters are the Kemp’s Ridley (“Lepidochelys kempi”), Flatback (“Chelonia depressa”) and Black Sea (“Chelonia agassizi”).

Unfortunately, all eight species are listed under the Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora, which means the trade of these species and subspecies is strictly “prohibited except for educational, scientific or research and study purposes.”

The Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has also classified the eight species as endangered. This is so because “their populations are in danger of extinction and whose survival is unlikely if the causal factors continue to operate.”

to inclement FAST BACKWARD weather. There was the 1524 expedition led

by Garcia Jofre de Loaisa (1490-1526), who was dispatched by King Charles V of Spain to colonize the Spice Island via the Antonio V. Figueroa western route; the 1527 expedition under Alvaro de Saavedra, a cousin of Hernando Cortes, the conqueror of Mexico; and the 1542 Expedition under Ruy Lopez de Villalobos (1500-1544 AD), who named the island of Leyte, then known as Tandaya, as Felipinas in honor of King Philip II. The De Loaisa Expedition, a flotilla of seven ships, left Spain in 1525 but in January 1526, upon reaching Patagonia, between Chile and Argentina, it already lost two of its ships.

While negotiating the ingress of the Strait of Magellan and confronting high winds, the expedition again lost two other ships. Another was shipwrecked in the Atlantic, leaving only four vessels to successfully enter Pacific Ocean.

Four months later, the journey was whipped by another tropical storm, which cost it the loss of San Lesmes.

Meanwhile, Santiago sailed north to Mexico, while Santa María del Parral, under the stewardship of Jorge de Manrique, braved the Pacific Ocean and was marooned at Lambay-

on, a settlement between Dapnan and Baganga, where a mutiny took place. Manrique, his brother and Juan de Benavidez were killed in the revolt and their bodies thrown overboard.

Sebastian Oporto, a town mate of Magellan, and two conspirators in the uprising were later rescued by the Saavedra expedition, which was sent to probe what happened to the De Loaisa voyage. Eventually, the galleon Santa Maria de la Victoria reached the Spice Islands alone in September, 1526.

On Feb. 29, 1543, Villalobos sailed into Baganga Bay, in Davao Oriental, which he christened Malaga. He also named Mindanao Caesaria Karoli in honor of Charles V of Spain, the Roman emperor. Strangely, despite suffering extreme hunger, the team stayed in the area until March 31, before he deciding to bring the fleet to Masao, Butuan, in search of food, then to Sarangani, where for sometime the crew stayed despite claims Mindanao belonged to the Portuguese.

Food shortage later compelled Villalobos and his men to sail north in September to find a favorable eastward route in crossing the Pacific.

But Villalobos’ flagship, the galiot Santiago, was no match against the raging northeasterly October winds from the Pacific Ocean, forcing the crew to drift to Bahia de la Resurreccion (Mayo Bay, Davao Oriental), where another ship, San Cristobal, joined them after meeting the same contrary winds in the Visayas.

Similar travails confronted the other vessels of the expedition. Finally, they made their final voyage to Maluku Islands where Villalobos was fiercely at odds with the Portuguese; he

was arrested and imprisoned in Amboina, and eventually died from tropical fever.

The fall of Datu Bago, Davao’s last Moro chieftain, in the hands of Basque conqueror Don Jose Oyanguren y Cruz opened the region to foreign visits. This also signaled the arrival of Spanish missionaries, namely the Augustinian Recollects and the Jesuits, who conducted dedicated conversions of heathens and pagans to Catholicism. At times using coercion and threat carried out by the guardia civil, the priests were able to convince many Muslims living along the gulf to adopt Christianity.

In the next fifty years (1848-98), Davao would be ruled by Spanish governors whose minions included Spanish soldiers assigned to secure forts, churches, military outposts, and administrative centers around the region. Their clout extended to the Filipinos they appointed as alcalde mayor (governor), gobernadorcillo (mayor), and teniente del barrio (village chief).

Hispanic influence in Davao also extended to encomiendas, which were granted to few selected beneficiaries, education, language and loan-words, names of towns and communities, ecclesiastical practices, local governance, the observance of fiestas and sacraments, and a host of other socio-civic engagements.

Even after the American colonists had taken over the archipelago, Spanish migrants, many of them from Santander, Spain, continued to arrive in Davao, attracted by the good prospects and opportunities that agriculture offered. In tribute to their foresight, they bought huge tract of lands, acquired numerous properties, and married local maidens.

Spanish footprints in Davao

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tions, they will be declared as “colorum” vehicles and will be banned from plying their routes.

Jebone, however, was

proud to say that DCOTT has not recorded any case of colorum buses operating in Davao City over the past several years. RIA VALDEZ

but expandable up to 600 MW. “With the surplus, even with two shutdowns, we can handle it,” he assured.

He said the electricity market will allow power companies in the island to reallocate

the surplus to areas where there is power lack.

“We are entering a regime of surplus capacity. We need to have the market,” he emphasized. (Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews)

curity measures.

She said unauthorized items such as firearms and other deadly weapons are prohibited inside all public and private cemeteries.

“Bring umbrellas or jackets for your protection in case of heavy rain,” dela Cerna said, adding the liquor ban will be strictly imposed.

Moreover, the PNP Regional Office asked the public to support the PNP in its fight against lawless elements by providing relevant and timely information through social media: Police Regional Office 11 (Facebook acct/Twitter) or Text 2286 “BATO” hotline, call 911 or proceed to the nearest police station in their areas.

a peaceful and secure environment in the region by providing basic social services especially in relation to HELP. The two programs, according to ARMM Governor Mujiv Hataman, are “specifically designed to address the roots of poverty.

Currently, the project targets 100% of the identified children aged 0-12 years old who are underweight in the pilot provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, and Lanao del Sur. Particularly these are the municipalities of Datu Salibo, Datu Piang, Mamasapano, Shariff Saydona Mustapha, Jolo, Patikul and Butig which were chosen primarily on the rate of malnutrition in the area.

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BANGUN In her speech at the launching Secretary Taguiwalo said Duterte “as early as July called our attention to the hunger and malnutrition problem in the ARMM and how our Department should do something about it.”

The President, she noted, “has a built in radar for detecting people’s needs and he is especially concerned with the situation of the children.

And for the children of ARMM! He wants to ensure that the children are fed adequately so that they can develop fully and grow into productive adults.”

She said Undersecretary Mae Fe Templa and Director Maristela Abenojar and representatives of other national government agencies in close coordination with the ARMM, designed BANGUN or Bangsa Moro Umpungan sa Nutrisyon which is designed to “engage the active participation of the children, parents, communities and concerned LGUs in the entire process of project implementation; harmonize the technical assistance and services of different government agencies in addressing hunger and malnutrition among children 0-12 years old in ARMM; ensure access of children to culturally-appropriate foods available in the local communities; and increase the weight of underweight and severely underweight children after 180 days of nutrition support.

“We will treat you equally” Duterte appealed to the predominantly Moro audience: “I make the guarantee na… we will treat you equally. I will see to it yung Moro o Kristiyanos o Igorot will be treated alike sa panahon ko.”

He said he has been waging peace with the Moro National Liberation Front and Moro Islamic Liberation Front, having promised to implement the peace agreements, but will not talk with the Abu Sayyaf terrorist group.

“Ayaw ko ng patayan kasi wala talagang mangyari kasi ang nahihirapan ‘yung mga babae pati bata. So what’s the point… Ako na po ang nagsasabi, bigyan ninyo ako ng kaunting panahon. I will improve the Moro land, Mindanao,” he said.

“Basta sa panahon ko marami kayong makuha” (You will get more under my administration),” Duterte promised.

He said the hospitals he committed to constructin Basilan and Sulu “will come to rise” by next year.

“There are things here to correct along the way but let me assure you again before I go, I will commit a good part of the Philippines revenue taxes dito sa Basilan, Jolo, Tawi-Tawi pati itong (other areas in the) ARMM. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

Reviving... FROM 4 top producer of coffee in the province. “Thanks to DARCRS,” he said.

Aside from smallholder farmers like him in Masiag, other farmers from five barangays

in Bagumbayan such as Daluga, Kabulanan, Monteverde and Sto. Niño also benefitted from the projects and services extended by the DAR-CRS. (JJDael-DAR-SK/ACAgad)

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FAMILY VISIT. A couple, together with their children, clean up the grave of a departed loved one ahead of the celebration of All Souls’ Day at the Davao Memorial Park yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Briones... FROM 3 She further pointed out that through the help of media, information on the directions being upheld and continued by the education sector will be disseminated to stakeholders at every level of different sectors.

“We will really, truly be grateful if you help us in in-

forming our public, our constituents on the proceedings and the results of the discussions. By ourselves, we can only reach our respective constituents but media will reach out to the entire country and even the international community,” the Secretary maintained. (DepEd)

statistics from the United Nations Comtrade database that showed alarming discrepancy of P1.8 trillion in 2014 alone between the volume of imports reported in the country by the traders and the actual figures recorded by their suppliers from the exporter-countries, hinting that such massive value gap or possible leakage of P1.8 trillion translates into foregone revenues of roughly P231 billion.

“So we are going to each country and each major trading partner and we are going to talk to their customs people there to ask who are the exporters and …. who are the receivers in the Philippines so that we can trace where the under-declaration or non-declaration are,” Dominguez stressed.

He also said that the second part of the DOF’s proposed program involves tax policy reforms, which would cover taxation measures and plugging massive leakages through the reduction of tax exemptions.

The proposed tax reform was already submitted for deliberation and approval of Congress last month after its completion through a series of consultations with the members of the cabinet, legislators, former secretaries of finance, prominent economists, stakeholder and business groups,

various foreign embassies, global financial institutions and joint foreign chambers.

Dominguez said the tax reform plan, which includes reductions in the personal income tax rates and its corresponding offsetting measures, is part of a broader reform program to drastically reduce poverty and transform the Philippines into an upper middle-income country by 2022.

The offsetting measures include adjusting the fuel and automobile excise tax and indexing it to inflation and expanding the value-added (VAT) tax base by lifting certain exemptions to the tax.

“Without reforming our tax system so that it becomes fairer, simpler and more efficient, government cannot undertake the volume of spending required in achieving our goals of reducing poverty and elevating the Philippines to the status of a high-income country in one generation,” Dominguez said.

He added that taxes are never popular and that our country is emerging from a history of chronically low tax efforts and damaged institutions.

“This history of weak and inefficient governance is a more significant factor than colonialism in explaining our underdevelopment,” he said.

But this will require new legislation, he said, because the fund is already with the national treasury and thus cannot be spent without congressional approval or a new law.

This fund, which was collected from coconut farmers during the former Marcos administration, has been locked up for decades in legal cases

over ownership issues.

“How it will be used is the question,” he said. “We have suggested (at the Cabinet meeting) that one of the uses will be (the setting up of a) permanent fund for providing scholarships for people in the coconut areas based on the theory that, you know, education is what brings people up.”

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created, said Bohol Rep. Arthur Yap, chair of the House committee on economic affairs.

A former agriculture secretary, Yap said the growth of the Philippine economy should include the agriculture sector. “Two-thirds of poverty is in the agriculture sector.

That’s why we welcome this news from Farmind, that they want to procure at least 20 million boxes every year,” he said.

Philippines’ largest markets for its fresh banana exports.

Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez also formally asked Japan to lift tariffs on Philippine bananas. Philippine bananas are slapped a tariff of 2% from April to September and 18% for the rest of the year, or from October to March.

China, Iran markets Another welcome development is the resumption of importation by China, which had issues with Philippine bananas before the President’s visit last month.

“It is really a welcome development. This is like a gift for President Duterte,” said Stephen A. Antig, executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA). China and Japan are among the markets of the members of PBGEA, which are the big players in the local banana industry.

In a recent courtesy call on Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Iranian Ambassador to Manila Mohammad Tanhaei said big Iranian companies need more bananas from the Philippines.

Filipino banana producers used to export 30% of their produce to Iran. The past UN trade restrictions imposed on Iran, however, led to a decline in Philippine banana shipments to that country.

The recent lifting of the trade sanctions could mean Iran might once again be one of the

Political The industry has been rocked by production and political issues because of the communists’ long-desired disruption of economic activities in the countryside.

Stakeholders view Sec. Mariano’s review of AVAs as counterproductive and militates against his own statements that DAR wants to strengthen banana production to provide stable livelihood to the ARBs. Cancellation of existing AVAs will mean dislocations and loss of jobs for banana plantation employees.

It will gave a chilling effect on foreign investors and discourage investment in agricultural production and export, resulting in forfeiture of the benefits of increased employment, taxes and foreign exchange earnings for the Philippines.

It is grossly unfair to big foreign buyers – China, Japan and Iran – with long-term supply contracts and it also contradicts President Duterte’s pronouncements at his inaugural address that contracts already approved shall not be changed and that “changing the rules when the game is ongoing is wrong”.

vestments that could result in the generation of jobs and economic growth.

“Davao City is determined to work harder to change the lives of our people for the better,” he said.

He cited Davao’s competitiveness and potentials, particularly on tourism, agriculture, property development, energy, transportation infrastructure, and information and communications technology.

“We hope to partner with the government of China and Shanghai in the realization of

our objectives as a developed, progressive, and peaceful city,” he said.

Yin said the opportunities presented by Vice Mayor Duterte are clearly for the development of Davao.

“I am sure Davao will have a bright future,” he said.

Vice Mayor Duterte, who was accompanied by five members of the City Council and other officials of the local government, also met with Chinese exporters of Philippine bananas and other business groups. CIO

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TRAVEL

EDGEDAVAO The sandy side of Naked Island is perfect for bumming and getting that glorious tan.

Siargao Series:

Naked Island IF THERE WAS A CHANCE TO CHOOSE WHERE I COULD GROW UP, GENERAL LUNA WOULD PROBABLY BE ON TOP OF MY LIST. It was raining hard the night before we arrived, and as I was walking along the limestone streets in its busy town center, I was so amazed to see milky water puddles where mud should have been.

One has to pass through General Luna’s heart and near the jetty where you board a boat and head to the nearby Daku, Guyam and Naked Islands. A lot of locals were out and about that day. I also noticed General Luna’s gutters were full of white sand instead of mud! At least those who love wearing white sneakers wouldn’t have a problem walking here in rainy weather. Although if you lived on an island paradise like this, why would you need sneakers anyway?

Everything else that happened was a blur and I found myself on a very secluded white sandy islet. Seagulls flying overhead are a common sight in Naked Island. We were thrilled when a particular kind of seabird flew very near us. It was the perfect shot! However, I was too mesmerized seeing the seabird that I forgot to take its photo!

Naked Island is perfection. Everything you could want on an island Instagramperfection, white sand, clear blue waters and wildlife are all here. It’s actually a small islet that when the high tide comes, it doesn’t get completely submerged because there’s a patch of greenery in the middle.

An iconic wooden bench can also be found in the middle of the islet. Along with a frame of an event tent, which I assume is used for events. Again, perfect for getting all those swoon-worthy travel shots with your buddies. One edge of the islet has awesome rock formations that give a different, rougher feel of the place.

While I was heading to check out the other side of the island, I was called to watch the festival parade on the sea unfolding right before us. See, I’m used to seeing parades but they always hap-

The Millennial Mermaid hanging around with local kids from the neighbouring municipality on the shores of General Luna’s bustling Boulevard. Photo by Alex Lopez.

The middle portion of Naked Island doesn’t get submerged that much in seawater hence, the greenery.

pen on land. This was my first time to see it happen in the ocean. I wasn’t sure what kind of religious or cultural festival they were celebrating though. I forgot to ask again because I was too giddy and couldn’t believe what was unfolding in front of me.

Even though being on Naked Island feels like you’re at the edge of nowhere, fishermen on little boats surprisingly appear and try to sell you shells and fish or whatever they have on their boats. Please don’t buy shells though, even if you see shells as souvenirs, you have to check first how these souvenirs were made.

For all we know, they could have been

made from creatures harvested alive rather than washed up on shore, which should actually be the practice of how these shells and marine creatures are made into souvenirs. Only buy these items if you are sure that the souvenirs were made sustainably or better, don’t buy souvenirs made out of shells and marine creatures. Buy t-shirts instead and help local artists!

Next week, I’ll take you on a visual tour of the other islands and Siargao’s nearby surf spots which are friendly for beginners. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out the full-length stories in my blog: www.millennialmermaid.com

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBE

PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS

EVENT

The House of Laurel holds IT FELT MUCH LIKE A REUNION OF GOOD FRIENDS, as The House of Laurel held its trunk show at the function room of the Dusit Thani Residences showroom last Oct. 8.

The much-awaited trunk show featured Rajo’s colorful Memphis Magpie collection fresh from its Paris preview. “The collection is inspired by my childhood,” said Rajo, “it brings back the joyful yesteryears.”

Box finished and structured silhouettes in vivid hues of chiffon, silk and crepe showcase the exuberant side of Rajo.

The collection wowed and challenged Durianburg’s shoppers with its dizzying graphics and abstract shapes.

“Davao has always felt like home for us. We have friends who are regulars of the House of Laurel and we treat them all like family,” said Rajo’s sister and House of Laurel co-founder Venisse Laurel-Hermano, “We get many requests to hold trunk shows in other cities but so-far we have only had trunk shows in Davao.”

And with the fast-changing fashion scene in Davao, the exuberance from Memphis Magpie is a well-needed shot.

For more happenings, travel stories and food finds in, around, and beyond

Durianburg, follow me on Twitter or on Instagram at @kennethkingong.

ER 1, 2016

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ds trunk show

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS

Serving a seamless society

EDGE DAVAO GENSAN PARTNERS

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EVENT

EDGEDAVAO

MX3’s European tour:

OPPA GREECIA! THE EUROPEAN LEG OF TEAM MX3 REACHED THE SHORES OF THE MIDETTEREANEAN COUNTRY OF GREECE. Athens was the main destination of the One Kapamilya Go. Greece has a rich history. It is, after all the seat of democracy, the cradle of philosophy, grace and beauty.

Bits and pieces of the country’s history are marked and ecthed in the pillars, structures as well as archeological sites of Greece. The monuments, stadiums and museums that remained are witnesses to the passing of the great civilization. These now exist with modern creations and works of art. Greece is truly a traveler’s paradise, one will not only be enriched in terms of history, but the diverse culture one can immerse into is also a spectacular and unparalled experience. The scenery in the coastal areas is also breathtaking and the quaint little villages set against the Agean sunset is a sight to behold.

The Megaron Theater in Athens started to be filled with people at around late afternoon of October first. As the gates were opened people rushed to the entrances. Their faces were all eager with excitement. Shows like this is a breather for our kababayans who are working very hard in foreign soil. Most came with their families and friends. The cheers and the applause were in sincere appreciation of being delighted by artists who flew all the way from home to entertain them.

MX3 products were given as tokens and give aways to all those who attended the event. The Sakit Mo I Arte Mo made the crowd more alive, as Winnie Cordero and Doctor Edwin Bien hosted the acting game. The participants showcased their skills in depicting common health conditions. Truly, health has become a key concern of people of all ages. Young and old alike are keen on maintaining their good health. Alpha , Beta and Gamma Mangostin are potent anti-oxidants that can help prevent the binding of free radicals that can cause most diseases. These can be found most abundantly in nature, specifically in the Mangosteen fruit, the queen of fruits.

MX3 embarks on the trips like this so that more and more people can become aware of the health benefits of all natural products and can come to incorporate it in their daily lives. For it can turn an ordinary life to something that is MXTRAORDINARY.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

11 COMMUNITY SENSE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

Affirmative team wins JMC debate championship

Law dean Torreon cites rationale of early debates

By ANTONIO M. AJERO

Kathleen Kay Laurente Best Debater

Pauline August Fernandez Best Speaker

Debater Gretchen Cañedo of the affirmative side faces off with opponent Jeremiah Caballero of the negative side.

Davao Light: Scare the cost out your bills

W

HETHER it’s Halloween or not, receiving the monthly power bill has always been a scare to any household’s budget. The power bill seems spell-bound to increase as we approach the remaining holidays of the year. But how would you celebrate simple holidays without scaring yourself with higher power costs?

Davao Light and Power Company offers some tips on how you can enjoy the holidays without getting freaked out with your monthly bills: • Get rid of power vampires.

Using monstrously long extension wires when there is no need, and keeping unused appliances plugged in, will definitely suck more power than necessary. Simply unplug these bad boys and see your power bill go down.

• Franken-gadgets. Just like big old Mr. Frankenstein, all electric gadgets in our homes are power hungry.

Everybody’s guilty of plugging in the device running low on battery, while using the other one until, it too, runs out of juice. This cycle goes on until we get tired or sleepy. We often charge our devices as if we are leashing them to the outlets. The solution is simple.

Ask yourself: Do I really need to use this right now?

If the answer is important, then the high electric bill is well justified.

• Do away with doppelgangers. As a Doppelganger is a living person’s look-alike, your home might also have

device doppelgangers. You see one refrigerator in the kitchen, but when you look again, there’s another fridge beside it! Or, you may be watching the same TV show on two TV sets at the same time! Since a cost déjà vu is not on your wish list, simply unplug the unnecessary twin to save money and use it only when the need arises.

• Let the dead cross-over.

We sometimes love our appliances too much, that when they die on us, we simply can’t let them go.

We bring them to the electric doctors and have them fixed again and again. This zombie cycle should come to an end. We should let them retire and find ways to replace them with new power efficient ones.

• Finally, The lack of proper safety practices can be a major headache. Costs can always be dealt with by properly adjusting our electric consumption. Only when the safety and costs are well handled and understood by the family, can we truly rest our worries in peace.

Dean Israelito Torreon

T

HE debating team composed of freshman students from the 4-year program was proclaimed winner of the grand final debate championship of the Jose Maria College law school held last Friday afternoon at the spanking lobby of the school at Catitipan, Sasa, Davao City.

The champion team is composed of Gretchen Canedo, Kathleen Jay Laurente, Johanni Mari Nartatez and Dave Abby Alano. The team took the affirmative side of the proposition “Let it be resolved that the Philippines should enforce the South China Sea Arbitration Case (Philippines versus China) ruling rendered by the Permanent Court of Arbitration.“ Law school Dean Israelito “Bobit” Torreon announced the winning team himself as chief adjudicator of the debate which culminated the series of debates involving six teams.

Amazing tie “The debate was very competitive and the scores were practically tied as two adjudicators favored the Affirmative Side, while two other adjudicators scored their cards in favor of the Negative Side. When I summed up the scores in my own scorecard, amazingly it was tied so I had to break the tie. I figured that the Affirmative Side did a little more research than the Negative Side and it was a legal

The champion team with Dean Israelito Torreon of the Jose Maria Colleges Law School (center) and other debate adjudicators. From left, Atty. Vitaliano Alabastro, Atty. Resci Rizada (adjudicator and program emcee), Dave Abby Alano, Johanni Mari Nartatez, Dean Torreon, Gretchen Canedo, Kathleen Kay Laurente (best debater). Atty. Alan Lozare and Atty.

Julius Frence Rizada. (JMC Law School photos) Law students from both the 4 year program and the 5 year program cheer for their respective debaters at the lobby of the Jose Maria Colleges Law School.

debate, so the Affirmative Side clinched the victory,” Dean Torreon said.

Best debater Torreon also proclaimed Ms Laurente, second speaker of Affirmative Side, as best debater.

He said Ms Laurente was the unanimous choice because “she handled herself very well during cross-examinations, both during the attack-cross and defend-cross.”

“She also had the most penetrating questions with follow-up questions during the attack-cross examination and she was able to parry and answer all questions during the time when she was cross-examined (defend-cross),” the law dean added.

Best speaker As for the other award, Torreon said “Pauline August Fernandez (second speaker, Negative) edged out Lovella Fe Tacder (3rd speaker, also Negative) for the best speaker honors by a vote of 3-2.

“Pauline exhibited grace and composure when she presented her arguments and counter-arguments well despite pressure,” he said.

The other team which took the Negative side of the proposition was composed of Jeremiah Caballero, first speaker; Fernandez, Fe Tacder and Mark Anthony Mulit , second, third and fourth speakers.

They belong to the 5-year program of the young law school.

Aside from Dean Torreon, the other adjudicators of the championship debate were lawyers Resci Rizada, who was also the master of ceremonies of the televised debate, Vitaliano Alabastro, Julius Frence Rizada and Alan Lozare.

Early exposure to debates Being all freshmen, the debaters have not yet taken the subject of Foreign Studies but they did well in the debate whose proposition involved foreign relations.

Dean Torreon also explained why the law school which just opened this school year with 150 students is exposing the students to debates early.

“Freshman law students have to engage in debate because they have to be introduced into the discipline of researching meticulously the basis of one’s arguments in a proposition and anticipate the counter-arguments of the opponents with ready rejoinder arguments. “ Torreon said.

“They have to understand that studying law requires serious and meticulous study and debate can very well assist them in pursuing that goal as it will force them to research extensively on the necessity, beneficiality and practicability of a given proposition,” he added.

Law school a debate school He said the discipline and meticulousness in conducting research in debate will be ingrained in their system hence readying them to the exacting intellectual demands of lawyering. “In short, a great part of the life of a practicing lawyer will be engaged in debate then law school should be transformed likewise into a debate school,” law college dean said.

Why 5-year law course “The 5-year law course being offered by JMC Law School (aside from the 4-year law program) is the first of such kind outside Metro Manila.

This was approved by our JMC President –Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy—because he wants to reach out to all working students who have difficulty studying law under a 4-year law program and be given a fair and reachable opportunity to realize their dream to become a lawyer without sacrificing much of their family lives, he said.

Torreon said the classes on Friday night, Saturday and Sunday (half day) of the 5-year program are specifically designed for these working students…

He also bared that “the JMC Law School, if God permits and with the approval of our beloved President –Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy, will soon be ready for national and international tournaments.”

12 FEATURE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 178 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 1, 2016

9 days in China

Part 5

Bullet trains

By ANTONIO M. AJERO

I

T’S 5:25 a.m. of July 28, 2016. From the window of Room 0407 of the Intercontinental Beijing, I can see the blue skies over the huge capital city. The smog yesterday and the day before has disappeared. It rained long last night, a reason the temperature was down to 35 degrees, a lot better than the 38 degrees temperature when we first deplaned from Air China in Terminal 3 of the Beijing Capital International Airport (PEK) on July 25.

‘Twas time to check out of the hotel and join other newsmen from Davao and Manila for a one-week media tour of other interesting places in the People’s Republic of China.

Our day ahead would be preoccupied with the subject of high-speed railway (HSR) trains. In fact, the entire caboodle would later take an HSR train that afternoon from Beijing to Ningbo, a highly developed sub-provincial city in northeast Zhejiang province.

The first time I ever rode a high-speed railway train in my life was in 1968 in Japan at the age of 22.

The Bullet Express, which the Japanese preferred to call the Shinkansen, “a highly-advanced technological accomplishment that has greatly influenced and impacted Japan’s culture, economy, business, and society,” started operating on October 1, 1964, shortly before the opening of the Tokyo Olympics.

Running at the speed of 250 kilometers per hour (kph), it would cut down in half the travel time between long distances. According to one writeup, a trip between the cities of Tokyo and Osaka which used to take six hours and 40 minutes via the old Limited Express trains was reduced to just three hours and 10 minutes with the Tokaido Shinkansen.

Bullet trains on standby.

It was only two kilometers shy of the speed of the bullet train of 257 kph in France, Japan’s rival in producing highspeed railway (HSR) trains at the time.

I was so proud of the rare experience, but I knew I was not the first student from Davao City who had taken the Shinkansen.

Serafin “Jun” C. Ledesma Jr., an old friend at the University of Mindanao, arrived in Japan in July, 1966, months before the bullet train had been able to service the 100 millionth passenger. A year after, McMurray “Mac” Camacho, also a UM student leader, had the same privilege of riding on the fantastic contraption. In the summer of 1969, it was the turn of Glorioso “Boy” A. Manigbas, another UM campus writer who was my managing editor in the Mindanao Collegian, UM’s defunct college publication. The four of us had the privilege of representing the country in a two-month international work camp for peace and conference for world understanding in Japan and South Korea, one after the other –Ledesma in the summer of 1966, Camacho in 1967, I in 1968 and Manigbas in 1969.

The program, which required us to stay in Japan for a month and in South Korea for another month, gave us some of our most wonderful memories of

CHINA RAILWAY CORPORATION. Officials of the China Railway Corporation headed by Mr. Zhou Li, director general of the department of science and technology, answer questions of Philippine media visitors headed by Serafin C. Ledesma Jr. our young lives. Unfortunately, the program was discontinued by the American Friends, a group funded by the Quakers.

It seemed to me that in those days, there were four or five kinds of trains a traveler in Japan can chose from. There was the local train (kakueki-teisha or futsu-densha) which stopped at every station; the rapid train (kaisoku) which skipped some stations; the Express (kyuku) train which stopped at even fewer stations than the rapid train; the Limited Express (tokkyu); and the Super Express (shinkansen).

Of course, at that time, I hardly knew the difference between train categories. What stuck to my mind was the slow one they called the sleeper or night train, which was very popular then.

It was a night train that we –54 students from 41 countries—took from Tokyo to the port of Shimonoseki, from where a ferry brought us to Pusan (now Busan), South Korea. From Busan, a place famous for shipbuilding, we took a slow local train to Seoul, capital city of South Korea.

From Seoul, which was then a

picture of poverty and devastation 15 years after the Korean War, a huge bus took us to a god-forsaken mountain town, whose long name skips me now, for a month-long youth work camp. The place was all black –the mountain, the people were black , even the water flowing in the river nearby was black. It was an abandoned coal mountain mine. Housed in an elementary school building and fed mostly with massed potatoes, as work campers, our near impossible task was to make an unpassable old road passable in 29 days! Miraculously, we did it with our bare hands –by picking it up stones and pebbles and carrying them in sacks to cover the giant potholes of the rundown road.

In going back to Tokyo, we took the bullet train again from that portion of Nagoya-sin (New Nagoya) to Tokyo, where we dispersed for home.

It never occurred to me then that 48 years hence, I would be taking a ride on a bullet train one again, only this time it is a lot faster. Not in Japan, but in China. And coincidentally with Jun Ledesma, who by now had repeated the Japanese experience in China after half a century!

Bullet trains in China At end of the three-day 2016 Media Cooperation Forum on the One Belt, One Road (OBOR) Initiative , July 25-27, Jun Ledesma and I checked out of the Intercontinental Hotel in Beijing and rendezvoused with a group of nine other reporters, editors and columnists from Davao and Manila

for a media tour from Beijing to Shanghai.

The new group was composed of Stella A. Estremera of Sun.Star Davao, Henrylito D. Tacio of Edge Davao, Jonathan “Jojo” A. Santes of Manila Bulletin, freelance broadcaster-producer Randolf “Randy” L. Canedo, Edwin G. Espejo of General Santos City , historian-columnist Rodrigo “Rod” P. Kapunan, Vincent “Vince” A. Cifra of the Department of Interior and Local Government, columnist Herman “Mentong” T. Laurel of The Tribune and radio-TV anchorman Jaime “Jimmy” R. Torres of the University of Mindanao Broadcasting Network and SkyCable. Our official chaperon was Ms Wu “Amy” Chong of the Chinese embassy in Manila. The tour was organized by Ledesma on suggestion of the embassy.

Our first activity was a meeting with officials of the China Railway Corporation and the topic was the rapid development of the country’s highspeed railways.

No less than Zhou Li, director general of China Railway Corporation’s department of science and technology, led the state company’s half a dozen top officers in briefing and answering the many questions from the visiting mediamen.

Mr. Li and his colleagues explained how the Chinese government attaches great importance to the development of high-speed railways in the nation’s desire to get ahead in transportation to stimulate economic and social development in their country.

Mr. Tan Ligang, director the China Railways Corp’s

department of science and technology management, and another officer rode with us in the HSR train to answer more questions from the touring mediamen. (See photo) We learned from the gentlemen and from literature they shared with us that “by the end of 2015, the operating length of high speed railways in China has exceeded 19,00O km, and that of the rapid passenger transport network, which consists of high-speed railways and other types of railways and covers almost all provincial capitals and cities with a population of over 500,000, has exceeded 40,000 km.”

A writeup in Wikipedia about HSR in China says that “the earliest example of highspeed commercial train service in China was the Asian Express, a luxury passenger train that operated in Japanese-controlled Manchuria from 1934 to 1943. The steam-powered train, which ran on the Southern Manchuria Railway from Dalian to Xinping (Changchua), had a top commercial speed of 110 kph and test speed of 130 kph, it was faster than the fastest train in Japan at the time. After the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949, his train model was renamed the SL-7 and was used by the Chinese Minister of Railways.

China’s boom in HSR trains continues to this day.

“A total of 4,000 high-speed trains are operated daily to deliver more than 3 million passengers and shorten their travel time by half. In 2015 China’s railway passenger volume has increased by 1.8 billion passen-

FBULLET TRAINS, 13

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Hotel, Convention Hall.

“The opportunities are many and the possibilities are large. The Philippines is an economy that is finally ready for more regionalization,” added Dominguez, who is here in Tokyo as a member of President Duterte’s official party in his three-day official visit to Japan.

Dominguez said that, “The bilateral relations between Japan and the Philippines has deepened and we look forward to more intensive cooperation.

We look to investment inflows from Japan especially those that will support strategic investments in the infrastructure and industry.”

He said public-private partnerships and other investment opportunities are in store for Japanese businesses in such

Philippine sectors as transportation, banking, energy and tourism.

“There are numerous investment possibilities open to our regional partners,” he said. “We have expanded our public-partnership program to include unsolicited proposals from potential investors. The energy and transport sectors are key areas needing more investments. Our banks are seeking new partners. Our primary industries are open to joint ventures.”

As the Philippine economy grows, the domestic market is expected to “expand dramatically,” which, he said, will “translate into growth opportunities for traditional sectors such as retail and food processing.”

“We are likewise seeking new markets for our exports,”

mended some policies that would manage and regulate reef gleaning. These are: registration and licensing of all resident gleaners, limitation on the harvestable size for target species, prohibition of destructive methods of gathering, and establishment of a coastal zone plan that identifies areas for gleaning and “no entry” zones.

Development of a viable alternative livelihood for coastal communities, preferably non-fishery based, is need-

gers or 86.8 percent compared with that in 2007.”

“Years of construction, operation and management practices have highlighted the major technological and economic characteristics of China’s highspeed railway system, including good smoothness and comfort, high safety and reliability, sufficient transport capacity, fine energy efficiency, and environmentally-friendliness, exceptional applicability, great convenience, and excellent cost effectiveness.”

Statistics released by the International Union of Railways indicated that as of 2014, the USA leads the length of railway network with 250,000 km. This is now followed by China with 121,000 km. Third is Russia with 86,000 km, followed BY India in No. 4 with 67,000 km, Canada is No. 5 with 46,552 km, Germany with 43,468 km, Australia 38,445 km, Argentina 36,965 km, South Africa 31,000 km, and Brazil in No. 10 with 29, 303 km.

Among 149 countries hav-

ing railways, the Philippines is No.116 with only 80 km in use (43 km for Tutuban to Sta. Rosario and 37 km for Sipocol to Naga City).

Among the 10 Asean nations, Indonesia has the longest railway network with 8,529 km. No. 2 is Thailand with 4,071 km, Vietnam No. 3 with 3,147 km, Malaysia No. 4 with 1,849 km and Cambodia No. 5 with 650 km.

Our bullet train travelled at the speed of 307 kph FROM Beijing to Ningbo. As we whizzed by, we saw oceans of

Bullet trains... FROM 12

he said. “Through regional partnerships, we envision the growth of trade volumes between the Philippines and Japan.”

With tourism viewed as a key contributor to the anticipat-

13

ed in order to enhance supplemental income and help alleviate gleaning households from poverty.

“Species inventory and catch assessment of gleaning should also be integrated into the fisheries monitoring program of local government units, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and academic institutions,” concluded Dr. De Guzman, who is now with the Gaia Resource and Environmental Consultancy Services.

greenhouses of vegetables and staple crops like rice and corn, endless rows of seemingly still unoccupied medium-rise condo units casting giant shadows on the vast expanse of mostly flat lands planted to trees and ornamental plants (it was an evidence of a conscious effort by the Chinese to re-green), and the cities and communities in varying stages of development.

In sum, it was a magnificent sight to behold. (Next: Long bridges over troubled waters in China)

ed dynamic economic growth of the Philippines, Dominguez said “we need new investments in tourism facilities. In this area, we have found strong support from our neighbors in the region.”

14 EDGEDAVAO Sports

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VICTORY IN VICTORIA Nagayo kids lead team to junior pennant

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

A

USTRALIA -- On a day when spring winds blew like as hard as storm, the Nagayo kids played like twisters tailspinning their foes.

The Melbourne-based Nagayo siblings—12-year old Ella and 11-year old Daniel– swept their match plays on Sunday in the 2016 Victoria Junior Pennant Tour at The

Santuary Lakes in Point Cook, Victoria.

Playing for their home club Glen Waverley, Ella needed only 12 holes to wipe out Madie Kelly 7 and 6 while Daniel finished off Jade Piesley in 14 holes, 6 and 4.

The Nagayos, children of Melbourne-based businessman-nurse Danny and former Davao City councilor Rachel,

were invited to play for their club Glen Waverly Golf & C.C for the 2016 Junior Pennant Tour slated on all Sundays until November 27.

Daniel is playing as reserve player but he got a call out on Sunday to join Ella, Dylan Phan, Tyana Phan, Brodie Addison, and Hassan Korcari to the team playing against The Santuary Lakes’

Allansmith team.

Danny, who caddied for son Daniel, said they were all surprised to arrive in The Santuary Lakes with winds blowing hard in the weekend.

“Surprise tanan player sa (Glen) Waverly kay murag signal number 3 ang hangin kay duol sa dagat, the course is a link style with loads of bunkers and sloping greens,” Danny told Edge Davao in an in-

landed his drive on a thick rough.

He lost the opening hole to Piesley after he triple bogeyed the par-4 first.

But h e came back quickly in

FINE FORM. Daniel Nagayo addresses his ball at the tee mound. (D. Nagayo photo)

WINDY DAY. Daniel (left) and Ella (second from left) Nagayo prepare their golf bags before teeing off at The Sanctuary Lakes. (D. Nagayo photo)

Parks tabbed by Knicks’ D-League affiliate team F

ILIPINO Ray Parks will be playing for a new team in the NBA D-League after being drafted by the Westchester Knicks.

Westchester is the D-League affiliate of the New York Knicks.

The 6’4″ guard spent his D-League rookie season with the Texas Legends, the D-League affiliate of the Dallas Mavericks.

He was the last player in the draft who heard his name called. Westchester selected him with the last pick of the sixth round.

During his first season in the D-League, Parks averaged 4.6 points and 1.9 rebounds in 32 games.

Parks was included in the draft after not being retained by the Legends. Players in the NBA D-League sign one-year contracts with the league, and would be required to undergo the draft again should their teams decide not to keep them.

terview.

The oceanside Santuary Lakes course is designed by Australian great Greg Norman.

Teeing off from the blue tees where the average par 4s are at 330 meters, Daniel started poorly out of the first mound. He played alongside teammate 12-year old Brodie Addison when he missed the fairway in the first hole and RAY PARKS. From Texas to Westchester.

the next hole with a long bogey on no. 2 to level the score at 1-all.

In the 304-yard par-4 3rd, Daniel had another wicked drive and missed the fairway as gusty crosswind ate up his tee shot. He went down with a double bogey and was down again 1-2.

He evened up on the 485yard par 5 fourth. In the 6th, Daniel seized the lead and was 3 up after the frontside.

The rain poured hard at

the clubhouse turn and at the start of the backnine, Daniel was already soaked and chilling—but not his game. He and Piesley halved holes 10, 11, and 12 before Daniel took holes 13 and 14 to put the game away for good.

“We got heavy with rain around 3 in the afternoon when we started the back 9. We were soaked and wet I told Daniel to just end the match and not let it reach the 18th hole because we will be totally wet on the way home,” Danny said.

Daniel responded and came out with everything in his bag.

The Sanctuary Lakes is in the opposite side of the city some 67 kilometers from where the Nagayos live in Dandenong.

In the higher match play, Ella had a masterful 7 and 6 win despite playing by herself.

The next tournament will be on November 5 with the Stuart Appleby’s Rookie Series at the Oakleigh Golf. The tournament calls for the first 9 holes played in individual format and the next 9 is sibling’s partners format.

Spurs notch 4th win

K

AWHI Leonard continued his strong start to the season, while Pau Gasol also came up with a huge game as the San Antonio Spurs stayed unbeaten with a 106-99 victory over the Heat on SUnday in Miami (Monday, Manila time).

Leonard came up with 25 points as the Spurs scored their fourth win in as many games.

Gasol had a double-double of 20 points and 11 rebounds, making

9 of 18 shots, while Patty Mills scored 18 for San Antonio.

The Heat absorbed their second loss in three games and are 0-2 at home. Miami won the opener at Orlando before absorbing a home loss to Charlotte.

Hassan Whiteside had 27 points and 15 rebounds, while Goran Dragic scored 25 for Miami.

Justise Winslow added 18 points and Tyler Johnson scored 12.

Warriors weather Suns 106-100

K

EVIN Durant scored 37 points as the Golden State Warriors overcame a tough challenge from the Suns, 106100, on Sunday in Phoenix (Monday, Manila time).

Steph Curry came up with 28 points, including two crucial free throws in the dying moments,

as the Warriors scored their second victory after dropping the home opener to the San Antonio Spurs.

Klay Thompson was the only other Warriors to score in double figures, delivering 14 on 5 of 15 shooting in 40 minutes of action.

TJ Warren led the Suns with 26 points, making 10 of 21 field goal attempts.

Eric Bledsoe scored 21 poitns on 7 of 11 shooting in 36 minutes of action.

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Go fires 54 as CMO beats IBP for 10th win C

ABINET secretary Christopher “Bong” Go nailed a dozen of treys to lead the City Mayors Office past IBP,

91-73, in their basketball friendly series on Friday at the Genesis 88 Gym. Getting another res[ite from his hectic schedule, the spitfirish Go, special assistant to President Ro-

drigo Duterte, torched the hoops with his season-high 54 points as CMO cruised to its 10th series win against IBP. His spanking 12 triples eminently carried the City

Hall dribblers to another big win.

Adrian Paguican paced with 24 points for the lawyers group.

Gil Ciudadano made 13 as Baguio had 10 for the

IBP which is downed in the series winning only twice in 12 games.

CMO also got significant contribution from John Flores, Warren Cloribel and Omar Casan.

among Gilas cadet members.

Vanguardia admitted he had to convince management to go for his former player in Wright, whom he hopes will prove him right in making the Fuel Masters a competitive squad in the coming Philippine

Cup. “I hope he is the right choice. He is an unknown. I have to prove to management to pick him really,” said Vanguardia, who coached Wright when he was with the Malaysia Dragons in the Asean Basketball League.

Star ships out Mallari for Ramos Phoenix: Wright is better fit Than AVO

T

HE wheeling and dealing has started barely 24 hours after the PBA Rookie Draft.

In its initial attempt to unload a heavy backcourt, Star on Monday sent big guard Alex Mallari packing in exchange for Mahindra stretch four Aldrech Ramos.

The 6-foot-6 Ramos still joined the Floodbusters during Sunday’s draft at the Robinson’s Place in Ermita, but was told later on that the deal with the Hotshots was already approved by top management of both teams.

The trade papers haven’t yet been sent to the Commissioner’s Office for approval owing to the long holiday in observance of All Saints Day. The 28-yearold Ramos has not attended Mahindra’s practices the past few days prior to the draft as he was already notified about the possible trade that was only given the go-signal after the rookie proceedings.

The departure of the former Far Eastern University big man at Mahindra, acquired by the team from NLEX last year, became inevitable after the three-year franchise selected fellow FEU alumni Russel Escoto from the special Gilas draft.

He is coming off his best season as a pro with the Floodbusters, averaging 13.3 points and 5.7 rebounds as one of the top offensive options of the team.

Ramos is expected to add size to a Star team that is teeming with combo guards at the backcourt.

The Mallari trade has somewhat unburdened the Hotshots of having one too many playmakers in their roster, which also boasts the likes of Paul Lee, RR Garcia, Mark Barroca, Justin Melton, and newly-acquired rookie Jiovani Jalalon.

Mallari became the latest key player of the Hotshots team that won the grand slam two years ago to be traded in a month’s time after two-time league MVP James Yap. Star board member Rene Pardo earlier hinted the Hotshots are not yet through consummating trades to improve their roster following the trade of Yap to Rain or Shine for Lee. Meanwhile, Mahindra is also set to acquire Ryan Arana from San Miguel in exchange for Keith Agovida and Josan Nimes from Rain or Shine in exchange for a future pick.

Westbrook triple double overcomes Lakers 113-96 R

USSELL Westbrook and Victor Oladipo continued their fine play as the Thunder scored their third win in as many games, beating the Los Angeles Lakers, 113-96, on Sunday in Oklahoma City (Monday, Manila time).

Westbrook had a huge triple double of 33 points, 16 assists and 12 rebounds in in 34 minutes of action for the Thunder.

Oladipo played 38 minutes, making seven of 20 field goal attempts and finishing with 20 points.

Steven Adams had a double-double of 14 points and 12 rebounds, while Enes Kanter chipped in with 16 points for the Thunder, who look to make it four in a row when they visit the LA Clippers.

Julius Randle and D’Angelo Russell scored 20 points each for the Lakers, who absorbed their second straight loss after an opening-day win over the Houston Rockets.

Nick Young scored 16 points and JorTRIPLE DOUBLE. dan Clarkson Oklahoma City guard came up with Russell Westbrook 12 points on 6 comes up with 33 of 14 shooting points in 34 minutes in 28 minutes of action. AP of play.

P

HOENIX coach Ariel Vanguardia bared that Matthew Wright’s experience in Europe was the key to sway the Fuel Masters team management in picking his former ward over a big man they direly needed in the PBA special draft

PBA ROOKIE DRAFT Top 12 Drafted Players

Alaska - Carl Cruz Ginebra - Kevin Ferrer Blackwater - Mac Belo GlobalPort - Von Pessumal Mahindra - Russel Escoto Meralco - Ed Daquioag

NLEX - Alfonso Gotladera Phoenix - Matthew Wright Rain or Shine - Mike Tolomia San Miguel - Arnold Van Opstal Star - Jiovani Jalalon TNT - Roger Pogoy

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