Edge Davao 9 Issue 219

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

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Christmas gift from government

SUCS TO SCRAP TUITION FEES Suspect in Davao

By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

W

HAT a Christmas gift from the government to young people who want to finish college and improve their lives and those of their families!

Tuition fees in the undergraduate programs of state universities and colleges (SUC) in the Davao Region will no longer be required starting next year following the new P8.3-billion budget allocated for the Commission on Higher Education nationwide.

CHED Regional Director Raul Alvarez revealed this in an interview, adding that the five SUCs in Davao are includ-

ed in the P8.3 billion budget as soon as the tuition-free policy is implemented by 2017.

The Southern Philippines Agri-Business and Marine and Aquatic School of Technology in Davao Occidental, Davao del Norte State College, Davao Oriental State, Compostela State, and the University of Southeastern Philippines (UsEP) are included in Davao Region’s list.

Alvarez explained that the primary intention is for all state universities and colleges to scrap undergraduate tuition since this has been bankrolled under the P8 billion budget.

Around 65,000 students enrolled in SUCs in Davao Region, according to Alvarez, will avail the free education; however, the students will still shoulder the miscellaneous fee.

“We will focus on this as soon as CHED-Davao will receive the guidelines regarding the free tuition fee and receive the budget,” said Alvarez.

The government will provide an additional P8 billion for higher education for next year which will be taken from the 2017 National Budget of P3.35 trillion for the free tuition for 114 SUCs nationwide.

The P8.3 billion is part of the P3.35 trillion Philippine budget which was recently ratified by Congress.

Also included in the CHED budget is P5.8 billion for the continued implementation of student financial assistance programs such as the PAMANA Study Grant Program, Iskolar ng Bayan, Tulong-Dunong Program and scholarship grants for children of sugarcane workers and other small farmers.

An allocation of P4.6 billion was also included for the continued implementation

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bombing nabbed J OINT military and police operatives arrested the ninth suspect in the Sept.

2 Davao City blast during checkpoint operations in Barira, Maguindanao Thursday afternoon.

Philippine Army deputy public affairs chief Lt. Col. Ray Tiongson said the operations took place 4 p.m. at Sitio South Madalum, Barangay Nabalawag.

He added operatives from the Criminal Investigation and Detection Group-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao local Philippine National Police, and troops from the 37th Infantry Battalion, 6th Infantry Division conducted a joint checkpoint operation which resulted in the apprehension of six vehicles without plate num-

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

CRUCIAL KITTY. President Rodrigo Duterte signs Republic Act No. 10924 or the General Appropriations Act for the fiscal year 2017 at the Rizal Hall in Malacañan on Thursday. EXEQUIEL SUPERA/Presidential Photo

Police, DENR seize P400K worth of illegal logs in Agusan del Sur

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OLICE and environment authorities confiscated sizable volume of illegally-cut logs worth some P400,000 in an operation at a riverside town in Agusan del Sur province Wednesday afternoon.

A report from Agusan del Sur Provincial Police Office reaching the regional headquarters here detailed that a joint team of personnel from Esperanza Municipal Police Station, City Environment and Natural Resources Office and Municipal Environment and Natural Resources Office seized 75 pieces of “lawaan” logs with an estimated volume of 15,467 board feet amounting to P464,280 during an anti-illegal logging operation on Wednesday afternoon at Barangay Langag, Esperanza town in Agusan

del Sur. Caraga PNP chief, PCSupt.

Rolando B. Felix said that authorities acted on a tip by a concerned citizen. Felix said an investigation is underway to identify the owner of the confiscated logs.

The illegally cut forest products are now at the custody of MENRO Esperanza.

“The success (of the anti-illegal logging operation) is attributed to the combined efforts of the PNP and the DENR as well as the other partner agencies which helped in protecting and conserving our forest here in Caraga region,” Felix said.

He also urged the community to continuously support the intensified anti-illegal logging campaign by providing timely information to the authorities. (PNA)

Año gives early Christmas present to battle casualties

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OLDIERS wounded in the ongoing campaign against terrorists and lawless elements were given an early Christmas present by Armed Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Lt. Gen. Eduardo M. Año Thursday.

These gallant, who are now undergoing treatment and rehabilitation at the AFP Medical Center in V. Luna, Quezon City, were given cash incentives, Christmas presents, and Noche Buena

packages by the AFP chief.

AFP public affairs office chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said the gifts are to honor the sacrifices and gallantry showed by these wounded troops in fulfilling their constitutional mandate.

Aside from Año, Major Service commanders, AFP Surgeon General paid their respects and compliments to these brave troops who are now confined at the AFP Medical Center’s Heroes Ward. (PNA)

Power supply link between Mindanao, Visayas pressed

By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

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HE Davao Light and Power Company pressed for interconnection of power supply between Mindanao and the Visayas to ensure stable power commodity for both areas.

“At the end of the day, electricity demand in Mindanao will go up from an average of 6 to 8 percent going to 10 percent at the rate of investments; hence the interconnection will help despite the excess,”

said Engr. Rodger Velasco, DLPC vice president for engineering.

Velasco said that it would be too late for everyone to search for having the capacity available from either Luzon or Visayas if nobody will put interconnection soon.

He said attributed to the excess in power supply to the rising demand for power .

Velasco pointed out that a proposal for the interconnection has already been laid

down and it is now already under feasibility study.

In preparation for the interconnection, DLPC said that Mindanao has already adopted the wholesale electricity market system since both Luzon and Visayas regions are already practicing it.

Thru this, the excess power supply of more or less 700 megawatts will be utilized and renewable energy will be given priority in the market.

However, this system is not a guarantee that consumers will be enjoying a reduction in their electricity bill because of the generation rate.

“Generation and transmission costs are passed-on charges which the distribution utilities just collect and pay to the generating companies they get power supply from and to the transmission service provider,” DLPC Executive Vice President and COO Arturo Milan said.

USINESS leaders here are optimistic that Davao city will sustain the economic upturn next year, what with a lot of interests from large investors to locate in the metro.

Ronald Go, incoming president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce (DCCCII), told “Wednesdays Habi at Kape” at the Abreeza Mall that the city has been placed in the centerstage since President Rodrigo R. Duterte hails from here where he served as mayor for over 20 years.

“If possible, we should invest in boutique hotels that we need more for the City of Davao. We continue to grow.

This development comes

about after our mayor became president,” he said.

Go added that he sees a large influx of tourists coming here “to see what Davao City is like and what propelled our president where he is today.

We see a lot of people just so curious about what Davao City has to offer,” he said.

He said that he is elated that the government is spending more for infrastructure projects in the city, which he believes will further the development of the city as the infrastructure will cater to the new locators.

The business leader also encouraged homegrown developers to embark into developing more commercial

spaces to support the possible deluge of new investors.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 11 reported that the third quarter unemployment rate this year dropped to 3.6 percent as compared to 5.6 percent during the same period in 2015.

The same DOLE 11 report showed that unemployment rate was at 6 percent in 2012, 6.9 percent in 2013, and 5.6 percent in 2014.

The employment rate in the region, according to the DOLE 11, was recorded at 96.4 percent in the third quarter this year, higher than last year’s 94.5 percent.

Outgoing DCCCII president Bonifacio Tan said that 2016 is

a good year for the city because it earned much attention that it needs to further the growth.

“During the first quarter, it was more of a speculation – more on the election-related reaction and more on how [President Duterte] is performing,” he said.

He believes that reforms that have so far been made by the present administration, like improving the collection mechanism of agencies such as Bureau of Internal Revenue and Bureau of Customs, will hike the collection targets of the government which will redound to higher budget for the local governments in the form of internal revenue allotment

Business leaders see great 2017 prospects B F BUSINESS, 10

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3

CHRISTMAS MEMENTO. EDC Ventures Corporations top brass and members of the different local media outfits take a pose for posterity during a Christmas party hosted by the company held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel in Davao City on Thursday night. Lean Daval Jr.

set to enforce irrigation DCWD to install 2 pumping NIA masterplan for RP by 2017 stations to supply Cabantian T

By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

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HE Davao City Water District will soon be constructing two pumping stations in Cabantian to address the barangay’s persistent clamor for adequate According to DCWD’s spokesperson Atty. Bernard Delima, Cabantian’s current

three pumping stations are only capable of producing 5,000 cubic meters of water compared to the community’s current water demand which is 9,000 cubic meters of water.

“DCWD has divided two zones where each zone gets water every other day that is

why the residents there [in Cabantian] will have water and waterless days unlike other areas,” Delima said.

The pumping station for Cabantian, according to Delima, would hopefully be finished by the last quarter of 2017 or first quarter of 2018.

“The combined production of the two new pumping stations that could produce 9,000 cubic meters, if added to Cabantian’s current water production capacity, is more than enough to supply the water needs of the barangay,” Delima

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HE country is gearing up to implement starting next year a 10-year masterplan meant to provide irrigation to an additional 576,000 hectares arable lands in the country at a cost of P390 billion.

National Irrigation Administration Administrator Peter Tiu Laviña said his agency had covered 57 percent of the total 3.2 million hectares of irrigable area in

the country. This is estimated at 1.824 million hectares.

“In the 10-year masterplan, our target is to increase this to 75 percent of the 3.2 million hectares,” he told reporters, noting the projects involve restoration and rehabilitation of existing irrigation systems and opening new irrigated areas.

Laviña said these irrigation projects and systems

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

SoCot steps up efforts to contain locust, slug caterpillar infestation

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DONORS LAUDED. “We are very thankful for all of you, for not having a second thought of supporting this program,” said Maitum, Sarangani Mayor Alexander Bryan Reganit during the Christmas party of Nutritionally Challenged Child held at JLC Hall on December 15. The program for

Stricter measures up as another bus burnt S TRICTER measures are up in South Cotabato as another bus was torched by still unidentified gunmen Wednesday night along a major and busy street here.

The burning of Husky Bus of Gen. Santos City-based BIOCOOP transport services occurred at 7:15 p.m. along the national highway in Barangay Morales, according to Supt.

Franklin Alvero.

Alvero, South Cotabato police director, said it was the fourth bus burning incident in South Cotabato and the second for Husky Bus firm since Nov. 13.

Alvero said the Husky Bus was heading for Gen. Santos City from Cotabato City via Isulan in Sultan Kudarat and Tacurong City.

Quoting witnesses, police said a man boarded the passenger vehicle in Tacurong City.

Upon reaching Barangay Morales, he asked the driver to stop the bus as he would alight.

The driver then pulled over and as the passenger was leaving the bus, about six or eight men armed with hand guns quickly hopped in and, at gun point, told the driver to leave.

A witness told reporters that the man from Tacurong who disembarked told other passengers to alight with him because it would be set on fire.

The men then doused gasoline on the vehicle and set it on fire.

Police said the upper portion of the bus (body number 6833 with temporary licensed plate 1301-658771) was totally burned when responding fire officers arrived.

The bus is owned and operated by the General Santos City BIOCOOP Transport and commonly known as Spartan Bus because it is the only bus plying the Gen. Santos-South Cotabato-Sultan Kudarat-Cotabato City route, passing through

Maguindanao’s conflict-affected communities.

Mayor Peter Miguel said the burning of Husky Bus was well planned and the attackers could be from outside the city.

It was the second attack against Husky bus since Nov. 27 when gunmen set on fire another Husky bus in Tantangan, South Cotabato.

Two other buses owned by Yellow Bus Lines (YBL) were torched by men who claimed they were communist guerillas in Tupi and Sto. Nino towns since Nov. 13.

The YBL lost four buses in the hands of gunmen since Nov. 13, to include the one torched in Kiamba, Sarangani province and in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur. Aside from buses, gunmen claiming they were NPAs set ablaze construction and quarry equipment in Koronadal City last week and a Dole Philippines banana plantation packing plant in Surallah, South Cotabato.

Alverto said elements of the 27th Infantry Battalion will provide augmentation force to prevent attacks against bus companies.

He said manhunt has been going on in the mountain borders of Koronadal City and Tantangan, South Cotabato where the suspects fled after the incident.

In last night’s attack, the gunmen did not identify themselves as New People’s Army like in previous cases.

Police investigation was focused on two motives - extortion by suspected NPA rebels or business rivalry.

Alvero said the police will deploy marshal in all buses plying the province as preventive measure. Other steps are also in the operation plan.

Alvero urged bus firms not to pick up or discharge passengers in between bus stations to avoid similar incident in the future. (PNA)

HE provincial government of South Cotabato has stepped up its interventions to contain the worsening locust and slug caterpillar infestation in parts of the province that already damaged around P9.1 million worth of agricultural crops.

Justina Navarrete, chief of the South Cotabato Office of the Provincial Agriculturist, said Thursday at least 383.5 hectares of corn farmlands have been destroyed by the locusts in two barangays alone in T’boli town.

She said the infestation directly affected some 203 farmers in Barangays Maan and Mongocayo of T’boli.

The official said severe locust attacks were also reported in Barangays Lampari and Lamba in Banga but they have yet to receive the official damage report from the municipal agriculture office.

“We already distributed chemicals for the massive spraying activities in some of the affected areas,” she said.

But Navarrete lamented that some farmers have refused to spray chemicals on the locusts as they gather and sell them to local markets.

Cooked or fried locust is considered as a delicacy in some localities in the province.

“We’re continually educating and urging our farmers to prioritize the elimination of the pest as it is very destructive,” she said.

Meanwhile, the municipal government of Tupi has also reported severe infestation from slug caterpillar, which is locally known as “pagi-pagi,” in coconut farms in Barangay Cebuano.

Emil Sumagaysay, Tupi municipal disaster risk reduction and management office

Tagapamayapa, 4,740 for the Tanod, 130 for SBC, 1,915 for BHW, 360 for the BNS and 314 for DCW. “This releasing of honoraria is our way to show our thanks and gratitude to all the on-the-field functionaries for a job well-done”, Gov. Uy said. The governor attributed the recent awarding of the Seal

of Good Local Governance to the barangay functionaries.

“You are the first ones to respond to the problems on the ground”. He even cited the hard work exemplified by the Barangay Nutrition Scholars as the main reason why the hunger rates in Compostela Valley significantly decreased.

“The spirit of bayani-

han, the guiding principle of our governance, aims to make heroes out of everyone. The reason why we’ve progressed is the fact that the burden to uplift this province has not been an exclusive territory of politicians but of those in the communities”, Gov. Uy said.

(Allin Joy Camile/IDS ComVal)

clusive Governance. It brought together the local government information officers and the Civil Military Operations (CMO) officers from various commands within the 10th Infantry “Agila” Division.

Held at Big 8 Corporate Hotel, the two-day regional information forum covered discussion on inclusive governance policies of President Rodrigo Duterte particularly the Ambisyon Natin 2040 and the Peace Process. It included the Energy Conservation Program

run by the Department of Energy (DOE).

In his opening remarks, PIA 11 Regional Director Efren F. Elbanbuena cited the importance of the year-end activity with LGU IOs and CMOs, citing them as crucial purveyors of information from the national government to grassroots communities.

PIA 11 noted as important for LGU IOs and CMOs to grasp understanding about Executive Order No. 05, “Adopting the Twenty-Five Year Long

Term Vision entitled Ambisyon Natin 2040 as Guide for Development Planning”.

Ambisyon Natin 2040 basically envisions the Philippines to become “prosperous, pre-dominantly middle class society where no one is poor; our people shall live long and healthy lives, be smart and innovative, and shall live in a high trust society”.

As EO No. 05 mandates that all government instrumentalities including local

nutritionally challenged children started last July which aims to eliminate malnutrition in Maitum. It has 43 recipients sponsored by generous individuals including Mayor Reganit. (John James I. Doctor/Community Development Information Office)

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Gov. Uy leads honoraria giving to brgy. officers

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OV. Jayvee Tyron Uy led this year’s releasing of honoraria to different barangay functionaries. Recipients of these honoraria are the Lupong Tagapamayapa (peacekeepers), Barangay Tanod, Special Barangay Officers, Barangay Health Workers, Barangay Nutrition Scholars, and Day Care Workers.

A total of 9 out of the 11 municipalities in Compostela Valley have already scheduled dates and venues as to where and when they will receive their respective honoraria.

Gov. Uy personally attended the honoraria giving for the municipalities of Compostela, New Bataan, Pantukan, Maco and Nabunturan. The municipalities of Mawab, Laak and Maragusan are set to have their own honoraria distribution, as well.

There are 10,324 ground personnel working for the provincial government. A total of 2, 865 functionaries are assigned in the Lupong

Inforum brings together LGU info officers, CMOs

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RECENTLY held regional information forum gathered together local government information officers and civil military operations (CMO) officers to tackle “inclusive” programs of the national government deemed important to be widely disseminated at the grassroots level.

Organized by the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) 11, the regional forum was dubbed as Regional Inforum on Communicating In-

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5 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

Enclaves Bldg No. 5 units nearly sold-out

Only 20 units remaining; Bldg. No. 6 starts 2017

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

EDC CHRISTMAS MESSAGE. The Royal Mandaya Hotel (TRHM) general manager Benjamen “Benjie” Banzon delivers a message of appreciation before members of local media during EDC Ventures Corporations, TRHM’s mother company, hosted a Christmas party on Thursday evening. Lean Daval Jr.

PLDT to spend P2B for high-speed internet lines

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HE Philippine Long Distance Telephone company will invest around P2 billion for the roll-out of the latest advanced hybrid technologies that will deliver faster broadband Internet through regular phone lines.

Once completed, it will be workable in the next three years.

The deployment comes after the successful trials of two advanced hybrid fiber technologies GiGa Wire by KT Corporation (formerly known as Korea Telecom) and G.fast by Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. which are capable of providing data speeds per user of up to 600-700 megabits per second (Mbps) per user depending on the length of the copper loop.

PLDT Chief Revenue Officer Ernesto R. Alberto disclosed that the company will deploy Giga Wire and G. Fast solutions in more than 500 buildings split between residential and office buildings next year. Likewise, an additional 1,600 buildings are in the pipeline for 2018 and 2019.

“This new initiative is part of our broad effort to make fiber-powered, high-speed connectivity more widely available to the public. It’s part and parcel of building the ‘Gigabit Society’ – where high-bandwidth, low-latency digital services in homes, businesses, healthcare services, utilities and schools become an integral part of daily life,” PLDT Chairman and CEO Manuel V.

Pangilinan said.

PLDT believes that hybrid technologies can deliver highspeed broadband Internet access through utilizing its extensive telephone network.

Majority of office and residential buildings are currently wired with copper, thus, it is difficult and costly to re-wire these structures with fiber.

Furthermore, majority of homes are still connected by regular phone lines. In the case of PLDT, -- the number of “homes passed” – i.e., the number of homes that can be reached by PLDT’s regular phone lines – is 6 million.

“Hybrid fiber technologies break down barriers to fiber deployment. These enable us to extend more quickly super-fast broadband services to areas where fiber deployment is difficult. We side step the challenge of having to re-wire buildings,” said PLDT Chief Technology and Information Adviser Joachim W. Horn.

The deployment of hybrid fiber solutions complements very well the ongoing roll-out of fiber-to-the-home (FTTH) connections which will enable to deliver simultaneously voice, video and data services at much higher speeds and larger capacities than DSL or cable technologies.

Currently, the number of “homes passed” by PLDT’s FTTH network is 2.5 million.

(PNA)

MOVING UP. Engr. Rodger Velasco, vice president for engineering of the Davao Light and Power Co. Inc, is going to take over the position of the executive vice president and chief operating officer, now occupied by Arturo M.Milan, who will move up to a higher post in Aboitiz Equity Ventures, the mother company.

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HE Enclaves Residences, the premiere development project of ESDEVCO (Escandor Development Corporation), has only 20 units left out of the 152 units of its Building No. 5.

This was confirmed by Yvonne Alvarez, the training and recruitment officer of Matina Enclaves during the media-thanksgiving event of The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Thursday.

Since the launching of the

first five buildings on 2014, buildings 1 to 4 have been sold out, according to Alvarez.

“For building 5, we’re already down to our last 20 condominium units, it’s like we’re selling pancakes, right?” remarked Alvarez.

Alvarez added that by next year, Matina Enclaves will be launching its building 6 which is an extension from the project’s current location at Col. Emilio Escandor St., Davao Golf Drive to Tulip Drive.

“That way, our residents will not only enjoy a relaxing ambiance as we are near Davao Golf Course but they can also conveniently access areas along Quimpo Boulevard and Matina without having to worry about traffic,” explained Alvarez.

Matina Enclaves is a mixed-use development nestled on a 5.3 hectare property adjacent to Matina Golf Course.

It was launched on October 2013 as part of Matina En-

claves, the pilot project of Escandor Development Corporation (ESDEVCO) which was established in March 25, 2010

by Glenn Escandor, the owner of otherbusiness ventures in Davao City such as The Royal Mandaya Hotel andDasia Security Agency (DASIA).

Aside from The Enclaves Residences, Matina Enclaves includes two other residential projects, the open lot development called “The Plains” and

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Durian council needs P350M Job search kiosks in campuses processing facility in Davao T

HE Davao Durian Council Inc. has urged the Department of Trade and Industry to construct a processing center worth P350 million to back the growing demand for durian in the global market.

Davao Durian Council president Larry Miculob told “Wednesdays at Habi at Kape” that they are proposing that a five-hectare durian processing center be erected beside the Agri-Pinoy Trading Center in Daliao, Toril here.

He said that the DTI has yet to respond on their proposal which will include, among others, processing area, packaging area, and conveyor system.

A bigger processing area, Miculob said, is necessary as they see a growing demand

for durian both in the local and export markets.

Once constructed, he said that it will benefit the city generate 1,000 jobs.

Citing the Chinese market, Miculob said that the demand for next year is 100 40-footer container vans.

At present, the growers here are only able to ship out four 40-footer containers due to lack of bilateral trade agreement between China and the Philippines that will allow entry of durian in the Chinese market, he said.

Miculob said they are coursing their durian exports through Thailand and Malaysia, then to China.

He said local growers are able to meet the requirement as the demand by the Chinese market is just around 60 per-

cent of the city’s production capacity, except that they lack a bigger facility.

He said the Chinese market’s buying price is pegged at P200 a kilo.

Miculob said durian growers in Davao City are trying to increase the productivity of the existing trees while they are trying to rehabilitate the areas damaged by the recent El Niño since it “takes durian seven years to commercially produce.”

Some 1,600 hectares planted to durian were destroyed by the El Niño phenomenon.

Of the destroyed areas, Miculob said that some 420 hectares were totally damaged and need to be replanted while those trees that were partially damaged will take about three

to four years before they could bear fruit again.

He said they are educating the other farmers on how they can improve productivity as he emphasized the need to develop cooperation among the durian growers to keep sustaining their international buyers.

“We are helping even the nonmembers because we cannot do it on our own,” Miculob said.

He said the city, widely known as the “durian capital” of the country, has 2,800 has. planted to durian but they are proposing to the City Government to allocate another 2,500 to 3,000 has. for durian farming.

Miculob added they want to develop at least 8,000 has. in the whole Davao Region. (MindaNews)

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TUDENTS will soon have faster and easier time looking for career opportunities as the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) starts deploying Job Search Kiosks (JSK) in campuses of big Metro Manila universities, according to Labor Secretary Silvestre H. Bello III. First to benefit from the kiosks are students from the Far Eastern University (FEU) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

“The DOLE will set up job search kiosks to help their students find relevant information on job openings and other relevant career opportunities,” Bello said.

A Job Search Kiosk is an information portal housed in an ATM-type, stand-alone labor market information system capable of employment facili-

BSP renews call to give up NDS currency by Dec. 31

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FRUIT GALORE. A vendor displays banana at a fruit stall inside Agdao Public Market in Davao City yesterday. Demand for fruits expectedly increased a day before Christmas Day. Lean Daval Jr.

DOF anti-red tape team, trade regulatory agencies working to streamline import, export processes

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HE newly-formed anti-red tape team of the Department of Finance (DOF) has partnered with trade regulatory agencies to simplify the processes in securing documentary requirements for imports and exports, along with harmonizing their systems, as part of the Duterte administration’s efforts to ease the way of doing business and facilitate the country’s integration into the regional community of Southeast Asian economies.

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the trade regulatory agencies involved are coordinated under the National Competitiveness Council (NCC), which is co-chaired by the Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez for the public sector and business leader Guillermo Luz for the private sector.

These trade regulatory agencies and the DOF anti-red tape team headed by Undersecretary Gil Beltran will jointly implement the Inter-Agency Business Process Interoperability (IABPI) Program, which aims to “simplify the import/ export documentary requirements by streamlining their processes and converging systems,” Dominguez said.

“This will go a long way toward facilitating increased regional trade links and the entry or expansion of businesses,” he said.

Besides teaming up with trade regulatory agencies, the DOF is also working together with the Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) to develop the government’s automated business and citizen registry systems that would serve as

the primary tools in cutting red tape and reducing processing time for government frontline services.

Beltran said earlier that the DOF and the DICT have started identifying the data to be gathered from various government agencies for the automated business and citizen registries.

Dominguez said he is envisioning a system comparable to the one used by the online buying portal Amazon. com, which can process millions of purchases from clients by requiring just a one-time registration of pertinent data that can then be validated and used for all transactions.

“Our IT (information technology) people are working closely with revenue people to make things like that as simple as possible. If Amazon can do that, I don’t know how many

millions of customers; I think we can certainly do something like that,” Dominguez said.

The government agencies where the data would be collected from include the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Social Security System (SSS), Government Service Insurance System (GSIS), Philippine Health Insurance Corp.

(PhilHealth), Home Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) and the Office of the Treasurer of every local government unit (LGU), Beltran said.

He said pertinent data usually required from applicants who want to secure licenses, permits and other official documents would be culled from these agencies so that they could be linked and shared in

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tation like job search and skills matching facility.vIt serves as a virtual jobs fair site that will regularly churn out employment opportunities in the job market. Deployment of JSKs is also one of the strategies of DOLE to mitigate unemployment and job mismatch.

FEU President Michael Alba and UST Rector Fr. Herminio Dagohoy expressed their support for the promotion of JSK as an effective strategy on its developmental career program for students and alumni.

Both of the universities’ Guidance and Counseling – Career Services has also vowed to equip and prepare the potentials and competencies of their students on their chosen career paths to help prevent job mismatch and unemployment. (PNA)

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Friday clarified that holders of the old banknotes known as the New Design Series (NDS) can only exchange their NDS banknotes up to December 31, 2016 “but cannot pay or buy goods and services anymore beginning January 2016.”

Vicente Celestial, BSP-Zamboanga deputy director, has reiterated that the NDS banknote would be fully demonetized or without monetary value starting January 1, 2017.

Celestial said the holders of NDS banknotes have only until December 29 to surrender or exchange the old currency, since that day is the last working day for 2016.

The Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) abroad, who have in their possession old banknotes which could not be exchanged within the prescribed period, may register online until December 31 through the BSP website.

They may exchange with the

BSP the old banknotes within one year from the date of registration.

Celestial said the holders of NDS can exchange their old banknotes with the New Generation Currency (NGC) in any of the universal and commercial banks, thrift banks, and rural as well as cooperative banks.

They may also opt to exchange their old banknotes with the BSP or any of its regional offices or branches around the country.

The demonetization process of the old banknotes is in line with the provisions of Section 57 of Republic Act No. 7653, otherwise known as the New Central Bank Act, which authorizes the BSP to replace banknotes that are more than five years old.

The old banknotes or NDS have been in circulation for almost three decades.

The new currency known as the NGC banknotes was introduced in December 2010.

(PNA)

Peso stands pat vs. USD but local stocks hold loosened

I

NVESTORS decision to offload placements in the local equities market bled the indices but the Philippine peso stayed firm and closed flat to a US dollar.

The peso finished Thursday at 49.99, which a trader pointed to consolidation as markets await the decision of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on its key rates, which was announced after markets closed.

It opened the day at 49.96, almost unchanged from the 49.97 in the previous session.

It traded between a close range of 49.99 and 49.95 bringing the average to 49.97.

Volume of trade amounted to USD 270 million, lower than the USD 421 million a day ago, which the trader said was also

due to the negative close of the local equities market.

The peso is seen to trade between 49.80 and 50.00 to the greenback Friday.

The Philippine Stock Exchange index (PSEi) lost 1.48 percent, or 99.19 points, to 6,587.17 points.

All the other indices followed suit, with the All Shares down 1.22 percent, or 49.94 points, to 4,036.50 points.

Industrial led the sectors with a 2.004 percent drop; followed by the Holding Firms, 1.75 percent; Mining and Oil, 1.17 percent; Property, 1.11 percent; Financials, 1.06 percent; and Services, 0.69 percent.

Volume of trade reached 624 million shares amounting to Php 6.6 billion shares. (PNA)

COMPETITIVE EDGE 7

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

Davao Light bares holiday schedule

D

AVAO Light and Power Company Davao Light and Power Company bares holiday schedule for the month of December and on January 1 and 2.

Type of Service Payment

On December 22, Ambassador Sung Kim and U.S. Marines from the Marine Security Guard Detachment from the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines distributed toys to children at Reach Youth Ministries, a local organization that provides educational, livelihood, and values formation programs to youth from the nearby San Andres Bukid communities. U.S. Embassy

employees and local businesses donated the toys as part of the U.S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots program. The mission of the U. S. Marine Corps’ Toys for Tots Program is to collect new, unwrapped toys, and distribute those toys as Christmas gifts to less fortunate children. The Toys for Tots Program is an annual tradition at the U.S. Embassy in the Philippines.

DOH to shoppers: Check the expiry date of products to cook

T

HE Department of Health (DOH) is reminding the public to check the expiry date of the ingredients they are going to cook when they prepare their Christmas ‘noche buena’.

“In preparing, please remember to check the expi-

ration dates of the products that you will buy and include in the recipe of the ingredients to avoid food poisoning,” the department posted on its official Facebook account.

The same reminder was announced in the early days of December as a holiday safety tip by DOH spokesper-

Globe deploys 500 LTE sites on 700 MHz band

G

LOBE Telecom has deployed 500 LTE sites using the 700 megahertz band (L700) mostly in Metro Manila and other highly populated areas in a bid to further improve the mobile Internet service in the country.

It has also further activated 900 LTE sites utilizing its additional spectrum allocation in the 2600 megahertz band.

“With the deployment of 500 LTE 700 sites, Globe is now able to deliver a more comprehensive LTE coverage in Metro Manila, substantially improving the mobile internet experience of our customers in the region,” Joel Agustin, Globe Senior Vice President for Program Governance, Network Technical Group, said as he cited the proliferation of bandwidth-intensive multimedia content.

On the other hand, the deployment of 900 LTE 2600 sites benefiting customers in Metro Cebu and Davao underscored the commitment of the company to further improve indoor signal and capacity in major cities in the country.

Agustin stated that Globe is on the way of achieving its target of deploying about 4,500 multiband, multimode software-defined radio equipment to about 95% of cities and municipalities in the country within three years as committed to the National Telecommunications Commission.

Globe began the deploy-

ment of LTE sites using the 700 MHz band in June this year following a partial acquisition of San Miguel’s telecommunication assets, which also included spectrum resources in the 1800 MHz, 2300 MHz, and 2600 MHz. Globe had set aside an additional network investment of USD300 million in October this year, bringing the company’s total capital expenditure for 2016 to USD1 billion.

According to Agustin, Globe plans to deploy more LTE sites in 2017 using the company’s additional spectrum assets to further accelerate its network build and enable the company to stay ahead of growing consumer demands.

The use of both LTE 700 and LTE 2600 bands, along with the company’s additional spectrum resources, supports the capacity enhancement initiative launched by the company early 2016 intended to elevate the state of internet in the country. Globe also launched early this year an initiative of creating an internet superhighway by deploying fiber optic cables in 20,000 barangays all over the country to provide faster and more reliable internet access in about 2 million homes nationwide.

However, the company’s aggressive bid to expand its telecommunication infrastructure is being hampered by

F GLOBE, 13

son, Dr. Eric Tayag, to avoid holiday health problems that would spoil the Christmas Eve merrymaking.

Food poisoning results from consuming food contaminated with bacteria and other microorganisms from expired products.

Shoppers are advised to

check the dates of manufacture and expiration before buying any edible product from the grocery or ‘sari-sari’ store – even when they are in a hurry. When buying in bulk, they should consider the products’ shelf life to prevent them from storing food that are about to expire. (PNA)

Customer Services

Office

Date

Ponciano

December 24 and 31 December 26, 30 and January 2 December 25 and January 1 Panabo December 24 and 31 December 26, 30 and January 2 December 25 and January 1 SM December 24, 26, Ecoland & 30, 31, andJanuary SM Lanang 2 December 25 and January 1 Calinan, December 26, 30 Toril and January 2 Sto. Tomas Ponciano

SM Ecoland & SM Lanang Panabo

Sto. Tomas

December 24, 25, 31 and January 1 December 24, 25, 26, 30, 31,January 1 and 2 December 24, 31 and Jan 2 December 30 December 25 and January 1 December 24, 30, 31 January 2 December 25 and January 1 December 24, 31 and January 2 December 30 December 25 and January 1 December 24, 25, 26, 30, 31,January 1 and 2

Schedule

7:00 am – 3:00 pm Without noon break 7:00 am – 5:00 pm Without noon break CLOSED

7:00 am – 3:00 pm Without noon break 7:00 am – 5:00 pm Without noon break CLOSED 10:00 – 7:00 Without noon break CLOSED

8:00 am – 12:00 nn 1:00 pm – 3:30 pm CLOSED CLOSED

7:00 am – 3:00 pm 7:00 am – 5:00 pm CLOSED

10:00 am – 7:00 pm 7:00 am – 3:00 pm CLOSED 7:00 am – 3:00 pm 7:00 am – 5:00 pm CLOSED CLOSED

Emergency and call center services will remain available 24 hours through 229-DLPC (3572).

Photo shows SSS Chairman Dean Amado D. Valdez (3rd from left) and CitySavings Bank Chairman Eugene S. Acevedo (3rd from right) spearhead the signing of the agreement. Also in photo are (from left) SSS Assistant Vice President for Sickness, Maternity and Disability Benefit Administration Department Jocelyn M. Evangelista, SSS President and Chief Executive Officer (PCEO) Emmanuel F. Dooc, CitySavings Bank PCEO Catalino S. Abacan, and SSS Assistant Vice President for Retirement Death and Funeral Benefits Administration Department and concurrent Officer-in-Charge of Benefits Administration Division Normita M. Doctor.

SSS eyes flexi-time to improve service delivery, help ease traffic

T

HE Social Security Commission (SSC) instructed the Social Security System (SSS) management to consider implementing flexible working hours for its employees to ensure faster and more efficient service delivery as well as to help ease traffic problems in the metro.

SSC Chairman Dean Amado D. Valdez said that the recommendation to implement flexi-time will enable employees to get to work faster making them more productive instead of getting stuck in traffic.

“With the current traffic condition, some employees, despite leaving home early will still report for work late due to heavy traffic and the same goes when they go home in the evening. With the flexi-time schedule, we will be able to help our employees avoid heavy traffic without sacrificing quality service to

members,” said Dean Valdez.

The proposal for a flexitime schedule will also allow employees to report to SSS branches closer to their residences instead of spending two to three hours on the road just to reach their current place of work. As a result, SSS will be able to accommodate more members even beyond the regular office hours.

“We will allow employees to report to the branch nearest their residence so that instead of travelling for more than two hours daily, they can use the extra hours to provide assistance to transacting members,” said Dean Valdez.

The SSS has 165 branches and 77 service offices nationwide to cater to the needs of more than 34 million members. SSS branches operate from 8:00am to 5:00pm, Monday to Friday while service offices – which are usu-

ally in shopping malls - are open from Tuesday to Sunday, 10am to 7pm.

Out of the 165 SSS branches, 10 branches are open on Saturdays namely; SSS Diliman, Makati-Ayala and Makati-Gil Puyat in NCR; Cebu, Lapu-Lapu, Bacolod and Iloilo in Visayas; and Cagayan de Oro, Davao and Zamboanga in Mindanao.

“We hope that the plan to implement flexi-time will be put in place at the soonest possible time. We have already given instructions to the SSS management to formulate guidelines on who will be covered by this proposal and how it will be implemented,” said Dean Valdez.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc also encouraged members to use its online facilities to transact with SSS. “Aside from visiting SSS branches

and service offices, our members can also check their records thru the SSS website: www.sss.gov.ph. By just clicking a few buttons, they can verify their records and even submit benefit and claim applications online,” he said.

The SSS website allows individual members to submit their salary loan applications, and maternity notifications and reports of newly-hired workers, employee maternity notifications, contribution and loan collection lists and certification of employee salary loan applications by employers.

Aside from SSS website, members can also access their records using their mobile phones thru TEXTSSS. To get the list of keywords, just text SSS HELP to 2600 with a service fee of P2.50 for Smart and Globe and P2 for Sun subscribers.

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

EDITORIAL

O

Friends without benefits NLINE gaming brings nothing to the govern- It is deeply enmeshed in us that it is a very effective ment.

moneymaking venture from ordinary fundraisers to

That is the stern pronouncement of Presi- more complex ones.

dent Rodrigo Duterte and with that, he has ordered the

The nature of gambling being a vehicle for raising tax-

closure of all online gaming firms maintaining that the es and revenues makes it acceptable despite the comcountry has no mechanism to regulate online gambling. mon notion that gambling money is evil. But what if it

The President is ordering the closure because while does not bring in money to the government at all? Is it

gambling is taxable, the Philippine government has no still worth pushing with it? mechanism to track down and collect taxes from bets placed outside the country.

Gambling is almost second nature to Filipino culture.

EDGEDAVAO

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nothing good, it’s but fitting to throw it down the drain.

Simple as that.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

JIMMY K. LAKING Associate Editor PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ KENNETH IRVING K. ONG JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS MEGHANN STA. INES Reporters NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN FUNNY PEARL GAJUNERA Lifestyle CHA MONFORTE LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARLENE D. PASAJE Correspondents Cartoons Photography Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. Columnists: D. TACIO G.•DELIGERO • JOHN CARLO TRIA • VIDAGOTIANSE-TAN MIA S. VALVERDE•• NICASIO FRED C. LUMBA • ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA BORBONHENRYLITO • MARY ANN “ADI”• GREGORIO C. QUISIDO LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

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

That led President Duterte to pull the plug. If it bring

AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

GENERAL SANTOS CITY OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING MARKETING OFFICE

LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager EDMUND D. RENDON Unit 6, SouthbankMarketing Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Specialist General Santos City Cagayan de Oro City Mobile: (Smart) 0948-823-3685 Tel: (088) 852-4894

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

EDGEDAVAO

S

TREET foods are everywhere. Wherever you go, there is always that foods – weird in some ways, exotic in other ways – that can satisfy your cravings or ease the pain of hunger. Or something to try and talk about with your friends and families.

The first time I was out of the country (in 1988 in Thailand), I never dared to eat anything being sold in the streets of Bangkok. At least in the first two days. But on the third day, I did the unthinkable: eating sliced green mango and drinking pineapple juice.

That was my first attempt of eating street foods in another country. Yes, I don’t experiment eating when I am traveling abroad. The reason: I don’t want to experience stomachache or some illnesses that will my trip ending in a fiasco or worse, landing in a hospital.

It was another story in Siem Reap, Cambodia.

It was there that I saw some scorpions being grilled. There were also some big spiders that were fried and ready for eating! But the worst of all were the baby snakes (minus the head, of course) that were barbecued.

And so my idea of “balut” as the most exotic street food was totally shattered.

But mind you, street foods are not only common in developing countries. They are also a common sight in industrialized countries. I saw people selling street foods in New York, where I ordered some hot coffee and dough nut.

“Street food is ready-to-eat food or drink sold by a hawker, or vendor, in a street or other public place, such as at a market or fair,” Wikipedia states. “It is often sold from a portable food booth, food cart, or food truck and meant for immediate consumption.”

Most street foods are classed as both finger food and fast food, and are cheaper on average than restaurant meals. In a 2007 research conducted for the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), it was found that 2.5 billion people eat street food every day.

In the Philippines, selling street foods is becoming an important economic activity as it feeds hungry millions and provides employment and income to 80-90% of the country’s urban

I

N decades past, the municipal or town judge was known by its appellation as the justice of the peace, a lower magistrate whose immediate superior was the district judge, today’s equivalent of the regional trial court (RTC) judge.

As a presidential appointee, he was subject to the discipline of the chief executive of the country.

One case that deserves a visit involves the dismissal from service of a town judge assigned in Gov. Generoso, Davao on January 29, 1964, a municipality who got its name from a popular politician who had been known to hide skeletons in his closet. This case involved Orlando S. Rimando who, under Administrative Order No. 82 signed by then President Diosdado Macapagal, was deemed “resigned and separated” from the service.

Rimando’s case stemmed from an administrative case filed by Catalino Sagulla, the municipal mayor, who accused the justice of the peace for committing a variety of irregularities.

Under the judicial protocol, he was investigated by an unnamed district judge and was found guilty.

His removal stemmed from three violations, namely: First, he was accused of “taking advantage of his official position, made immoral advances to Gloria Obial while the latter was detained in the municipal jail in connection with a criminal case for adultery then pending in his court.”

Second, “he failed to keep a proper record by means of appropriate orders of the proceedings in Criminal Case No. 764 of his court, particularly

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Eating street foods poor, according to a study done THINK ON THESE! by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI).

“There’s nothing like the street food business: small capital, convenient location, no space rentals Henrylito D. Tacio and sometimes henrytacio@gmail.com no power or water bills to pay for,” wrote Ronald M. Henson in article which appeared in The S&T Post, a publication of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

There are many types of foods sold in the street and among the favorites are: “kwek-kwek” (made of quail eggs covered in orange dough and deep fried), “isaw” (chicken intestine put on a stick and grilled), fish balls (minced fish rolled into balls), “balut” (pre-hatched duck egg), “betamax” (a cubed, curdled blood of a chicken), “adidas” (the marinated grilled chicken’s feet), “atay” (marinated and barbequed liver of chicken), and helmet (the grilled head of a chicken).

Other fillers of hungry stomachs are: “maruya” (a combination of bananas and flour, deep fried until golden brown), “kikiam” (made of ground pork and vegetables wrapped in bean curd sheets then deep-fried until golden), “calamares” (deepfried battered squid rings), “mais” (corn on a cob, but it could also be salted boiled corn), and green mango with “bagoong” (unripe mango on a stick with a salty, fermented sauce or paste made from small shrimps or fish).

For drinks, the following are common: buko juice (coconut juice that can be drunk directly from the buko itself), “iskrambol” (a simple shake with artificial flavors), and sago and “gulaman” (a refreshingly cold drink made out of tapioca and jelly).

Meals are always served at home or in

restaurants. So, how did street foods come into the picture? In the olden days, street foods were known as “peasant foods” or eaten only by poor people.

Paul John Vesagas, in one of his columns in a regional paper, gives us this glimpse from the past: “Although the exact origin of street food remains undocumented and no consensus exists among researchers and experts alike, some sociologists suggest that in the Philippines, the practice of eating the so-called ‘peasant food’ started during the Spanish colonial era.

“At the peak of the darkest period of Spanish colonization, Filipinos were not only stripped off with their dignity and morals but also were deprived of their basic physiologic commodity – a decent meal,” Vesagas wrote.

There were some historical notes that said Filipinos, who were enslaved by the abusive colonizers, were fed with leftovers – internal organs of dressed chicken or pork – as the edible meat goes to the masters.

Now, going back to the present time.

According to Henson, the rapid increase of urban population in the country created a huge market for street foods. This is especially true among the low-income groups which have no time to cook their own meals.

In some instances, working housewives would resort to buying street foods as most of them lack proper cooking facilities. “And with increasing cost of fuel, the only immediate option is to turn to street foods,” wrote Henson.

As well as being cheap, street foods can also be nutritious. A study in Calcutta, India, found that an average meal contained about 30 grams of protein, 15 grams of fat and 180 grams of carbohydrates.

Local authorities, international organizations and consumer associations are increasingly aware of the socioeconomic importance of street foods but also of their associated risks. “With the increasing pace of globalization and tourism,” FAO said in a statement, “the safety of street food has become one of the major concerns of public health, and a focus for governments and scientists to raise public awareness.”

A study conducted by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) a couple of years back discovered that most of the samples taken from the street foods sold in four urban centers – in Davao, Cagayan de Oro, Laguna and University of the Philippines Diliman campus in Quezon City – did not pass quality standards.

It must be recalled that the 1990 cholera outbreak in Metro Manila was caused by “pansit” (rice noodles) and mussel soup bought from street vendors. The outbreak of hepatitis A in Masangkay Street in Sta. Cruz, Manila in 1993 was attributed to eating “bola-bola” (fish balls) sold by street vendors.

Studies conducted by FNRI showed that microorganism contamination of street foods are mainly due to poor handling and unhygienic practices of both vendors and consumers.

Microbiological findings indicated the presence of coliforms such as Escherichia coli, Enterobacterae aerogenes, and E. cloacae in both barbecued and deep-fried animal byproducts. This means that the bacteria load of the selected food samples was rather high, ranging from 240 to 2,400 per gram of food.

A study done by the US-based Equity Policy Center found out that the largest single problem of the street food industry in most of the developing countries is the lack of access to clean water for washing utensils and hands.

“Where clean water is hard to obtain, a single bucket of untreated water might serve throughout the day, a banana leaf floating on top to hide the filth,” the study noted.

“Are street foods boon or bane?” asked Henson. While they are boon to vendors, street foods are also a bane among consumers. Because of this, concerned sectors – especially those selling near school campuses – are compelled to observe proper sanitation and cleanliness with stringent measures to discourage roadside food vendors from selling unsanitary and junk foods to students.

Quoting FNRI, Henson said that “any potential health hazards from street foods can be prevented if we only take the challenges of food quality and safety.”

the various FAST BACKWARD postponements, which gave reasonable ground to believe that he did not attend his court on the dates set for the trial of the case, except on two occasions.”

And third, “he violated the Antonio V. Figueroa Civil Service rules and regulations by failing to file formally an application for leave of absence for the period March 4 to 7, 1959, when he was absent in his court to appear in a case in the Justice of the Peace Court of Initao, Misamis Oriental, even after his return to his station.”

Obial, an accused in an adultery case, was a detainee at the municipal jail of Gov. Generoso during the period October 13-26, 1955. While under confinement, the town judge managed to bring her out of jail and had sex twice in his office with the promise she would be freed because the justice of the peace was the only person in town with the highest legal authority.

Obviously elated by his successful sexcapade, the judge, on his second ‘invitation’, ordered a policeman to fetch the woman and bring her to

his house where, again, he had sexual intercourse with the accused. On the third attempt, the plan failed because the cop on duty at the jail (when detention centers were secured by policemen) did not allow her to go out. This was corroborated by her co-accused corroborated during the inquiry conducted by the district judge.

As expected, the jail guard denied there was untoward incident in the two nights the woman was allowed to go out of jail and meet the town judge. Worse, the jail guard testified the respondent never entered the detention facility. The investigation, though, yielded different results. Accordingly, “the investigating Judge did not give credence to the testimony of the policeman [sic] for the reason that if their statement were otherwise they would be proceeded against criminally or administratively for neglect of official duties.

“That respondent committed the acts imputed to him is not improbable considering as regards the first occasion, the fact that the municipal jail where she was detained is situated in the same building as the office of the justice of the peace and at the time there was only one policeman on duty. As to the second occasion, she was taken to the place where respondent was living. It bears nothing that respondent chose the dead of the night to gratify his sexual urge.”

The district judge also dismissed the claim there was bad political blood between the justice and the municipal mayor, saying “it is believed rather remote that a woman would allow herself

to be used as an instrument of either protagonist for inflicting harm on the other, especially so when her honor is involved” and that the willingness of the woman to yield to the advances of the court official could “be attributed to the fact that she is illiterate and believed that her freedom depended on the respondent as he had impressed upon her.”

In the second and third accusations, the findings found the magistrate “guilty of immorality and dereliction of duty.” In part, the results of the query, retold in the presidential order, noted: “With respect to the second finding, the record shows that Criminal Case No. 764 of respondent’s court for serious physical injuries was set for trial seven times but only two orders postponing the trial were made… All these scheduled hearings were not held and there is no record to show the reason for the failure to hold such hearings. According to the testimony of two witnesses for the complainant, the case was postponed several times because the judge was not present. The evidence confirms their testimony.

“As to the third finding, the evidence shows that respondent was absent from his court to appear in a case before the justice of the peace of Initao, Misamis Oriental, from March 4 to 7, 1959, without any corresponding leave of absence.”

Finally, the President, obviously convinced with the findings, said “there is no choice left but to terminate respondent’s official relation with the government.”

Justice’s sexcapade gone awry

10 NEWS SUCs... FROM 1

of the K to 12 programs and P763 million for the Philippine-California Advanced Research Institutes Project.

“All SUCs are going to be asked or instructed not to collect tuition, so we have to distribute this to all as well,” Alvarez added.

He also noted that eventually, they hope to come up with a formula that would pri-

oritize the needy.

“That would be our initial preference, to calibrate it in a way that those who need it more will get more,” she said.

“Free tuition will help tremendously. It will be released I guess resources of families and students for the other costs because there are other expenses to getting a college education,” she added.

bers and arrest of five persons identified as: ex-PO2 Jessy Vincent Guinto Original alias Abu Aisha, formerly assigned at Antipolo Police Station and among those responsible in the Davao Night Market Bombing; Arumpac Ibrahim Pandita; Hamsa Bagul; Musa Rasamal; and Mohammad Said Jamla.

Tiongson said the other occupants of the vehicles managed to flee upon sighting government security personnel.

“Found in one of the vehicles was a set of IED (improvised explosive device) materials while found in the possession and control of ar-

rested personalities were four fragmentation grenades,” he added.

All six vehicles were then confiscated.

“Said persons and recovered explosives were brought to CIDG-ARMM for documentation and proper disposition, while the confiscated vehicles were placed under the custody of Highway Patrol Group Police Regional Office ARMM, Parang Maguindanao,” he added.

Security operatives earlier arrested eight out of the 12 suspects involved in the Davao City blast which killed 15 and wounded 70 others last Sept.

2. (PNA)

(IRA).

But Tan said that the proposed adjustment on business and real property taxes in the city council will be one of the issues that needs to be addressed.

He said that chamber’s incoming chairman, Antonio dela Cruz, will continue working with the local council to

thresh out adjustments in local taxes. Dela Cruz was also DCCCII chairman for two terms – in 2014 until 2015.

He appealed that tax adjustments be made “reasonable” so that it will not burden the local businesses and residents nor discourage investors from coming in to invest.

(MINDANEWS)

added.

However, Delima pointed out that Cabantian’s water quality needs to be treated thus the need for a water treatment plant for the pumping stations.

“The pumping stations we are currently creating are

more expensive compared to those in the main production area of Dumoy,” he said.

Delima added that the P10-billion Tamugan bulk water project which will tap the surface water in Tamugan River will provide water needs to the growing city.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

Suspect... FROM 1

Business... FROM 2

DCWD... FROM 3

NOT TO BE OVERLOOKED. A Task Force Davao personnel inspects the bags of province-bound passengers at the entrance of the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

NIA... FROM 3

were located nationwide.

He added bulk, or 99 percent, of irrigated areas were rice crop area.

“We will not be able to achieve our target of rice self-sufficiency without irrigation,” he noted.

Laviña further said China, Japan, South Korea and multilateral agencies had expressed support to the country’s irrigation masterplan.

For one, the NIA has been securing a Php 42.6-billion loan from the Chinese government for six flagship irrigation projects. ”Of the six projects, two are already finished in the

feasibility studies with NEDA (National Economic and Development Authority) and NEDA is ready to discuss with the Chinese Embassy,” he said.

The administrator added the feasibility studies of two other projects are estimated to be completed by June 2017 while that of another project in the next few months. The feasibility study of another project is being updated.

Further, Laviña said the country has also ongoing partnerships with the Asian Development Bank, World Bank and United Nations Development Programme.

(PNA)

single-detached houses called “The Courtyard” The township project includes recreational amenities such as a clubhouse, pool area, parks and playground, basketball court, and a 1-hectare commercial development called Arcadia, where it will showcase a boutique hotel, membership gym and spa,

restaurants, coffee shop and other retail development.

Meanwhile, as of November 30, 2016, the condominium’s building 2 is 89.39 percent complete as posted on the company website.

For more information about the prices of residential units, visit http://enclavesresidencesdavao.com.

Enclaves... FROM 5

INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

EDGEDAVAO ARTS AND CULTURE

POPE

IN FILIPINO, the word, “dalisay” means, “true, pure, sincere”—and talent and vision don’t come as genuine as they do with Pope Dalisay. A person that can be categorized as a “natural”, Pope is the only one in their family engaged in visual and fine arts.

in romantic form

“

Self-taught in sculpting out of wood and other characteristic materials, he has a crazy knack for creating beautiful order out from natural chaos.

Self-taught in sculpting out of wood and other characteristic materials, he has a crazy knack for creating beautiful order out from natural chaos.

“I guess my works fall in between surrealism and abstraction, cubism or constructivism, and maybe considered as neoclassicism in terms of the subjects I tackle, but I

am not much concerned with the style. I am more concerned in portraying the subject matter or relaying a message—art is somewhat like poetry for me rather than aesthetics or design,” the artist explains. The sculptor’s works communicate fascination and intrigue regarding the mystery of humanity and how to make sense of it. Every push of his chisel and of going against the grain seems like an eloquent reformation in art— bringing back the intimacy, complexity, tragedy, and romance, to a

somewhat more digitized and mass-produced art universe.

Like any artist though, his goal is to have his works recognized nationally and internationally, that would serve as significant contributions to the art world and to the flesh-and-blood race.

“Relatively, I am just starting out as a full-time artist. My debut was in 2015 where I had my first group exhibit in Manila and won my first-ever Sculpture Grand Prize in a National-level art competition (Art Association of the Philippines

68th Annual Art Competition). On my second year, things also went well as I won another Sculpture Grand Prize in the very sought after GSIS national art competition. People and art connoisseurs were starting to take notice and had been very responsive. I had my fair share of sales and commission works, which I thank God very much for. I was also given the opportunity to exhibit in this year’s Manila Art Fair, where I was partnered

THEKATCLOSET A4

A2 INdulge!

FOOD

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

A Filipino Christmas feast

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

CHRISTMAS CELEBRATIONS ARE MORE FUN IN THE PHILIPPINES. After all, it is the season of family gatherings, school reunions, office parties, and going to churches. It is even more fun when it comes to eating.

One dish that is always present in the table during the Christmas season is adobo.

When the Spanish invaded the Philippines in the late 16th century, they encountered a cooking process that involved stewing with vinegar. The Spanish referred to this method as adobo due to its superficial similarity to the Spanish adobo. The Filipino adobo is an entirely separate method of preparing food and is distinct from the Spanish marinade. The Filipino adobo has taken on many variations in terms of cooking style, the three basic ingredients remain: garlic, soy sauce, and vinegar.

As mouth-watering as the adobo is the letson, which originated from the Spanish term lechón. It refers to a suckling pig that is roasted. A national dish in the country, it features a whole roasted pig cooked over charcoal. Although letson is prepared throughout the year for any special occasion, during festivals, and the holidays, eating it is more memorable during the Nativity.

But there’s one food that people always eat during the holidays: biko. It is a rice cake made from malagkit (glutinous rice), coconut milk, sugar, and topped with latik or caramel topping. Biko is really good with hot tsokolate (chocolate) drink.

As popular as the biko is the puto, a kind of steamed rice cake. It is eaten as is or with butter and/or grated fresh coconut or as accompaniment to

Niluyang

Adobo.

Bibingka and puto. a number of savory dishes for breakfast (most notably, with dinuguan).

There are several variations of puto. There’s puto bumbong, which is traditionally made from a special variety of heir-

Biko

loom sticky or glutinous rice called pirurutong. It is served topped with butter or margarine and shredded coconut mixed with sugar.

Then, there’s puto maya, a mixture of glutinous violet rice

(called tapol) soaked in water, drained and then poured into a steamer to steam for 30 minutes. This rice mixture is then combined with coconut milk, salt, sugar and ginger juice and placed back into the steamer for another 25-30 minutes.

Another type of rice cake that is commonly eaten during Christmas season is bibingka.

It has a soft spongy texture similar to puto. It is eaten hot or warm and is slightly sweet with a taste very similar to rice pudding. The top and bottom surfaces (including the traditional banana leaf lining) are also usually charred, adding to the flavor.

Generally, bibingka is eaten along with puto bumbong right after the simbang gabi (“Midnight mass”). They are sold outside of churches during

Christmas season.

Suman – also known as budbod among the Bisaya-speaking areas – is another rice cake that originates from the Philippines.

It is made from glutinous rice cooked in coconut milk, and often steamed in banana leaves. It is served wrapped in buri palm or banana leaves and usually eaten sprinkled with sugar.

When I was still younger, my mother used to serve palitaw and niluyang (also known as nilupak) during Christmas season. In palitaw, sugar and glutinous rice are mixed together and formed into like a cookie.

It is dropped into the boiling water. Once it floats, it’s already cooked. To serve, it is dipped into a sugar and coconut mixture.

In niluyang, matured and not yet ripe bananas are boiled in the pan. Once cooked, the bananas are peeled and placed in a mortar and pestle. Sugar and grated coconut are also placed and all ingredients are mixed by grinding them together.

Christmas is not Christmas without fruits. Topping the list is mango. After all, the Philippines has the sweetest mango around the world.

Other fruits present in the table during the Christmas season are: banana, mangosteen, apple, oranges, pummelo, rambutan, pineapple, watermelon, and lanzones.

And, yes, don’t forget the buko salad.

Happy eating!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Bea and Ian to open 2017 with series “A Love to Last” ABS-CBN OPENS THE YEAR 2017 with the premiere of the much-awaited family drama, “A Love to Last,” top-billed by Box-Office Actress Bea Alonzo and sought-after leading man Ian Veneracion, in a timely story about family and how love isn’t always what it seems to be.

Andeng Agoncillo (Alonzo), a bread-winner and a successful events organizer, has always believed in love. For her, love is being with the man she loves and eventually having a happy family with him.

Unfortunately, her ideal fairy tale love story didn’t have its happy ending after she caught her fiancé cheating on her days before their wedding. But despite this, Andeng remains hopeful that love will still come her way.

Anton Noble IV (Veneracion), meanwhile, thought he already found love. But after many years of marriage, his wife Grace (Iza Calzado) decides to leave him and demands for an annulment. He is then left with their three children and becomes a single father, on top of his responsibility as a president and CEO

Alonzo and Veneracion give life to two characters who will find love in the most complicated moments of their lives in the series airing in key countries worldwide via TFC of his company.

Fate then brings Andeng and Anton together in the most unexpected time and place. Never has Andeng imagined that she will find love with a much older man. As she takes this risk, she also finds herself caught in the middle of Anton’s complicated life of dealing with an ex-wife and seeking acceptance from his kids.

How far will Andeng go to fight for the family she wished for and for her place in Anton’s life?

Joining the cast of “A Love to Last” are Enchong

Dee, Julia Barretto, Ronnie Alonte, JK Labajo and Hannah Vito. It is under the direction of Jerry Lopez Sineneng and Richard Arellano with creative head Henry Quitain under the business unit headed byLourdes De Guzman. Star Creatives is led by Chief Operating Officer Malou Santos.

Don’t miss the premiere of “A Love to Last” soon via TFC. For updates about the show, visit TFC’s Facebook page applicable for your area. Connect with fellow global Kapamilyas, follow @KapamilyaTFC on Twitter and Instagram.

EDGEDAVAO KORONADAL PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

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A4 INdulge!

ARTS AND CULTURE THEKATCLOSET A1

with renowned painter, Roger San Miguel—it was such an honor! The crowd was very intrigued and all praised my work, so I am very happy with

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

that. People will be seeing more of me this coming years for sure,” Pope enthusiastically states.

At this point in the sculptor’s life, he has already developed his own artistic style and edgy

trademark, although, Mr. Pope Dalisay knows now is not the time to stop furthering his development and techniques while the wood is “hot”. His efforts in the hope of promoting sculptural art, particularly with the manipulation of wood, is carving a way out of the mundane and the mere ‘copy-pasting’ of popular art. Pope

explains the philosophy in sculpting that revolves around the five major elements: “subject, medium, form, movement, and space. A sculptor is one who is able to make the medium speak on his behalf and should also be able to listen as to what the medium intends to reveal—a good sculptor though, does not attack

the medium, he makes romance to it. If color is to painting, form is to sculpture—it is what gives the piece visual interest and intrigue. While movement in the form is what gives life to sculpture, and since it is an art that occupies space, the piece must interact and co-exist with the viewer.”

Careless but meticu-

lous, rough but refined, disproportionately proportionate—he is the kind of artist that is wrapped around the ironies of his personality that make his pieces interesting—a transcending form all throughout his work-process that creates an output of rawness that is very romantic and poignant.

11 BIGGER PICTURE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

Dreaming of a white Christmas Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

I

T was in 2000 when I visited the United States for the first time, 11 months after the Y2K hullabaloo had already died down. It was December and so I had the greatest time of my life.

After all, I was still a kid when I dreamed of experiencing such thing.

But what made the trip more exciting and memorable was my first white Christmas.

Yes, I also had my first snow and snowmobiling (ever heard of it?). To top it all, I had snowflakes falling from sky on Christmas Day. But that’s going ahead of the story.

It was already cold when I arrived in Manhattan (a very fa-

miliar place if you watch Woody Allen films). The air ticket I had in my hand was only from Manila-Japan-New York. I told my sister Elena about my dilemma but her husband told me to go the Northwest Air Lines (NWA) and had my ticket changed to have a layover at Minnesota, which is a major hub of the airline company.

It so happened that the nearest NWA office from the hotel I was staying was located at the Rockefeller Center. I decided to walk but when I got there, I had a biggest surprise of my life. The buildings were taller than I imagined and looked the same with each other. I tried to

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go from one building to another but I couldn’t find the Northwest Air Lines office.

I decided to ask the beautiful lady at one of the front desks and told me that the office I was looking for was located in Radio City. Of course, it sounds familiar as it is the Showplace of the Nation and was for a time the leading tourist destination if New York City.

After giving me a direction, I profusely thanked her. Outside, I again felt the cold weather of December. I passed by The Rink where people laced up their skates and twirled away. I took some photos before proceeding to the Radio City.

I couldn’t remember which floor the NWA office was located but it was somewhere 15th or 18th floor. It was almost lunch time but I never felt hungry.

When I went inside the office, there were only very few people.

“What can I do for you?” the lady asked. I told her my purpose. “Let me see your ticket,” she said. I gave it to her and after a few minutes, she issued me a new ticket. Remember this was in 2000 yet and e-ticket was still not very popular at that time.

“How much do I owe?” I inquired. “Nothing,” she replied.

“You are only having a lay-over so there is no charge for the change.” I thought I had to pay about US$200 for that but then I was in the United States and not in my country.

A week after staying in New York, I was bound for Minnesota where my sister and her family was waiting for me. I had not seen her for almost a decade

and so I was excited. As the plane was about to touch down, I saw the place was covered with snow.

At the waiting area, I saw my sister first and then her husband, Daniel “Dan” Chase, and the two kids (Erik and Phil).

Erik was still a baby when he was brought to the Philippines; now he could talk and walk and has a brother already.

After getting all my luggage, Dan drove us to the Mall of America (which my sister used to tell me in her e-mails).

When it opened in 1992, it was the largest shopping mall in total area and largest in total store vendors in the United States. Every year, it hosts 42 million visitors equal roughly eight times the population of the state of Minnesota. The mall employs over 11,000 workers yearround and 13,000 during peak seasons.

Since it was already night, we decided to stay at the house of Dan’s sister. I had a cozy room where I slept. Everyone were still sleeping when I woke up.

From my window, I could see the white snow covering the whole place.

It was a good day when we left Minneapolis. Our destination was Hibbing (yes, the place where Bob Dylan, the 2016 Nobel Prize in Literature recipient, grew up), where my sister used to live. They have now moved to Grand Rapids, the birthplace of singer-actress Judy Garland.

As we drove, I saw everlasting trees standing tall and mighty along the highway and those waves of snow. I said a

word of prayer and the words of Isaiah 1:18 came to mind: “Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool.”

I was tired when we arrived at my sister’s place. So, I decided to sleep early. The following morning, I woke up ahead of everyone. I saw some mounts of snow outside. I wore a jacket and went outside. For the first time, I touched some snow.

Then, I jumped several times as if I was a kid. Finally, I allowed myself to hit the snow as if I was sleeping in my bed. I had fun.

When I went inside the house, I saw my nephew Erik.

He was bewildered. “Uncle Henry, you must be crazy,” he told me. Immediately, I had to explain to him that it was my first time and that there was no snow in the Philippines. But being a little boy, he never understood it.

For the next three weeks, I stayed with the Chase family. Every morning, I had to clean the garage pathway as snow always trickled at night. Twice, I almost slipped when those nasty snows turned into clear ice sheets.

I could have done ice fishing had I accepted the invitation of Dan’s friend. Remember the Hollywood movie Two Grumpy Old Men? It was shot in Minnesota and both did their ice fishing near the place where my sister lived.

On Christmas Day, we went to visit Dan’s mother in Marcell. On our way, I could see the

snowflakes falling from heaven.

Literally and figuratively, I had my first White Christmas. As if could hear Irving Berlin’s famous song: “I’m dreaming of a White Christmas, just like the ones I used to know. Where the treetops glisten, and children listen to hear sleigh bells in the snow.”

When we arrived, we immediately made a snowman. First, I did a ball of snow and then roll it until we formed a huge circle.

We did another one. The two kids helped when they saw me.

Dan came later on when we had to construct it into a snowman.

Elena brought a carrot (which served as the snowman’s nose), some twigs of trees (as arms and hands) and two big buttons (as eyes). I put a scarf in the neck and viola! we had a snowman.

That was my first White Christmas. Since then, I had three more winter Christmas celebrations. But the first one was indeed the most memorable.

For those who never experience winter and touch snow, I can say that it’s only good for photos. But experiencing it is another story. Coming from a tropical country like the Philippines, I still prefer summer over winter.

But as Josh Billings points out, “If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant: if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome.”

Words of wisdom, these!

12

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

EDGE DAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

NEWS 13 BSP sees uptick in inflation rate next year

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

SoCot... FROM 4

head, said they are still assessing the damage wrought by the infestation but noted that it already affected some 150 local farmers.

He said the barangay council of Cebuano, through Resolution No. 53, declared the entire area earlier this week under

the state of calamity due to the infestation.

The municipal government has already sought assistance from the provincial government and various concerned agencies to help address the problem, he said.

(PNA)

the registries.

Beltran said the registries will serve as a one-stop shop for individuals and corporate entities to easily track and validate their records, removing from them the burden of proving legitimacy.

He said a nationwide information campaign would be conducted before the registries become fully operational to educate the government agencies involved and the users as well on how to use the automated systems.

A minimal fee would be charged for the use of the registries, he added.

The data sharing in the registries would help streamline frontline government services by doing away with the repetitious process of ap-

plicants having to fill up numerous forms and submitting to different agencies the same official papers, which, in the first place, are already in the government database, Beltran said.

Beltran said the Business Registry and the Citizens Registry, which will be primarily developed by the DICT, is a lasting solution to the perennial problem of red tape in all government offices.

The Business Registry would be a database of all operating businesses, non-government organizations and cooperatives in the Philippines, while the Citizen’s Registry would provide the government with a comprehensive record of all Filipinos under file in the system. (PR)

circuitous permitting process for the establishment of telecommunication infrastructure such as cell sites.

For instance, Globe has a backlog of 3000 sites amid difficulties in securing permits

from various local government units, homeowner associations and other government agencies. As a result, the Philippines only has about 21,000 total cell sites compared about 55,000 in Vietnam. (PNA)

DOF... FROM 6

Globe... FROM 7

EDGEDAVAO

H

IGHER-THAN-EXPECTED inflation rate last November and rising oil prices played major factors in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) decision to increase average inflation projections for 2017 and 2018.

In a briefing Thursday, BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo said the central bank’s policy-making Monetary Board (MB) now sees inflation to average at 3.3 percent in 2017 and three percent the following year.

These were at three percent and 2.9 percent for 2017 and 2018, respectively, during the meeting of the Board last November 10.

The Board, on the other

hand, maintained the 1.8 percent average inflation projection for 2016.

Rate of price increases last November rose to 2.5 percent from month-ago’s 2.3 percent, bringing the year-to-date average to 1.7 percent.

The central bank earlier projected November inflation to range between 1.6 and 2.4 percent.

Guinigundo said oil prices as well as futures were also rising.

The MB’s 2017 Dubai crude oil assumption is USD40-55 per barrel, USD4560 per barrel for 2018 and USD50-65 per barrel for 201922.

Guinigundo said weaker

government units (LGUs) are expected to align their thrusts with Ambisyon Natin, PIA 11 viewed government communicators as instruments in propagating public understanding and appreciation of such national policy.

Meanwhile, the perspective of the Government Peace Process both with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and with the Communist Party of the Philippines National Democratic Front (CPP NDF) was tackled well during the forum with speakers from the Office of the Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process (OPAPP).

Peace Process Secretary Jesus Dureza in a press statement pointed out the need for

massive discussion about the Peace Process for it to become inclusive.

Aside from directly engaging with those primarily involved in the Government (GRP) Peace Process with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the CPP NDF, he wanted to reach out to sectors of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF), the Indigenous Peoples, the youth and the wider public.

The regional inforum involved the DOE which dealt with energy efficiency and conservation necessary to avoid energy crisis that could cause frequent brownouts as experienced in past years. (PIA XI/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)

Inforum... FROM 4

exchange rate, with the peso now trading at 49-level to a dollar from 47-level earlier this year, was also a negative factor as it provided inflation pressure.

But he said that balance of risks was tilted on the upside given the pending power rate hike adjustment, the pending bill calling for higher excise tax on auto and fuel and the tax package proposal of the Department of Finance (DOF) He said the weak La Nina projected in the first quarter of next year and a neutral weather in the succeeding quarters “will keep agriculture safe.”

Similarly, the BSP has set the 2019-20 inflation target between two and four percent,

same as the 2015 to 28 target range.

“We believe that disinflationary trends will continue,” he said, citing that oil prices is seen to rise even with the agreement of Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), with the exemption of some members, to cut production.

Guinigundo said some non-OPEC member countries had also joined the production cut bid but some did not as a market protecting move “to protect their market share.”

He said the assurance that production cut would not be that much provided stability on prices, thus, oil prices was seen to remain stable. (PNA)

ACCREDITATION. Area-Based Standards Network XI President and Children’s Joy Foundation, Inc. (CJFI) Executive Director Rosemarie N. Dimagnaong [center] receives on Monday the Certificate of Accreditation from Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat. CJFI-Davao has satisfactorily complied with the Third Level Standards in the implementation of residential-based programs and services for children and youth. DSWD Standards Bureau has affirmed that CJFI has satisfied the provision of Section 23 of Republic Act 4373, an Act to Regulate the Practice of Social Work and the Operation of Social Work Agencies in the Philippines. CJFI is also licensed to operate in Region 3, Calabarzon, Region 7, Caraga and NCR. Also in photo is CJFI center head Marichel U. Eyog. (DSWD)

14

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SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO

POWER PUNCHER. John Riel Casimiro (right) tags Stephen Edwards.

Casimiro vacates title, moves up in weight

J

OHN Riel Casimero, already a two-division world titleholder, announced Tuesday that he will vacate his flyweight belt and move up in weight to seek a title in the junior bantamweight division.

“To win my third title would be a great honor for me and put my name in with some of the best fighters my

country has ever produced,” said Casimero, who is a native of the Philippines. “I will be immediately looking to make an impact and fight the big fights that allow me the opportunity.”

Casimero (23-3, 15 KOs), 26, held a junior flyweight title from 2012 until losing it for failing to make weight before a defense in 2014.

His first shot at a flyweight belt, in June 2015, resulted in a decision loss to Amnat Ruenroeng in Thailand, but they met in a rematch 11 months later and Casimero knocked him out in the fourth round, in China, to win the 112-pound belt.

Casimero made one defense, traveling to London to face hometown fighter Char-

lie Edwards on Sept. 10 on the Gennady Golovkin-Kell Brook undercard at the O2 Arena and knocking him out in the 10th round. Now Casimero is headed up to the 115-pound division, where he would like to tangle with titleholders Roman “Chocolatito” Gonzalez, boxing’s pound-for-pound king, and countryman Jerwin Ancajas.

Sampson Lewkowicz, Casimero’s promoter, said his fighter is ready to make the move up the scale and ready to fight one of the top dogs of the division.

“He’s so strong, and he keeps growing,” Lewkowicz said. “It is time for John Riel to move up and secure his place in Philippines boxing history.

It is our hope to quickly face

Ancajas and Chocolatito next year. That is what we will work to make happen.”

To fill the vacant flyweight title, the IBF said it will order former strawweight and junior flyweight titleholder Donnie Nietes (39-1-4, 22 KOs), 34, of the Philippines, to face Eaktawan Krungthepthonburi (22-3, 15 KOs), 27, of Thailand.

comprise the present national team.

Carrion has expressed hope that the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) would continue to support the GAP training program, which includes competing abroad.

“Our athletes need international exposure to become more competitive,” stressed Carrion. “And we need the support of the PSC to be able to achieve our goal, which is to produce world-class athletes and bring honor to the country.”

Yulo is expected to spearhead the country’s campaign in the 2017 Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. (PNA)

SAIAH Thomas had 28 points and nine assists, helping the Boston Celtics beat the Indiana Pacers 109-102 on Thursday night.

Avery Bradley and Jae Crowder each scored 15 points for the Celtics, who have won four in a row. Marcus Smart had 12 points, and Amir Johnson and Kelly Olnyk finished with 11 apiece.

Boston outscored Indiana 29-9 in the second quarter, turning a nine-point deficit into a 51-40 halftime lead. The Pacers pulled within four late in the game, but were unable to catch the Celtics down the stretch.

Jeff Teague led Indiana with 31 points and eight assists. Paul George and CJ Miles scored 19 points apiece, and Thaddeus Young had 15 points and 12 rebounds for his second straight double-double.

Miles made a 3-pointer to trim Boston’s lead to 87-83 with 5:26 left, but Al Horford responded with a reverse layup for Boston. Thomas then made two foul shots and a layup to make it 93-83 with 4:10 to go.

Thomas and Crowder each made two free throws in the final 15 seconds to help the Celtics hold on for the win.

TIP-INS Pacers: G Monta Ellis missed his seventh straight game with a groin injury. ...

Coupled with Tuesday’s loss to the Knicks, the Pacers have dropped consecutive games on five occasions this season. ...

Indiana dropped to 2-5 against opponents from the Eastern Conference’s Atlantic Division.

Celtics: Thomas has led Boston in scoring 22 times this season. ... Bradley has scored 10 or more points in each of Boston’s 29 games this season.

EVIN Durant had 26 points, nine rebounds and seven assists, and the Golden State Warriors turned an ugly start into an easy finish in a 117-101 victory over the Brooklyn Nets on Thursday night.

Klay Thompson added 23 points for the Warriors, who opened a three-game road trip that leads into their NBA Finals rematch in Cleveland on Christmas. They didn’t look ready while falling behind by 16 at halftime, but were back to their

sometimes unstoppable selves while outscoring the Nets by 32 points over the final 24 minutes.

Stephen Curry and Zaza Pachulia each finished with 15 points for the Warriors, who played without Draymond Green, who returned to the Bay Area early Thursday after the birth of his son, Draymond Jamal Green Jr. Brook Lopez scored 28 points, but just five in the second half as the Nets dropped their fourth straight.

PH gymnast wins 4 medals in Russia ICeltics trip Pacers 109-102

T

HE Philippines captured four medals, courtesy of Carlos Edriel Yulo, on Wednesday (Thursday in Manila) in the Mikhail Voronin Cup, held at the Olympic Stadium in Moscow, Russia.

Yulo bagged the gold medal in the rings event and went on to win two silvers coming from the vault and parallel bars. He tallied 82.232 points in the individual all-around to claim the bronze medal.

Gymnastics Association of the Philippines (GAP) president, Cynthia Carrion, described the 16-year-old Yulo as a potential medal winner in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

“Yulo is mentally strong,” said Carrion, who is also vice president for South East of the Asian Gymnastics Union (AGu).

“We can win medals in the Olympics,” said Carrion.

“Given the proper training, our athletes can deliver”.

Before going to Moscow, Yulo has been training with the Japanese national team as part of the Olympic Solidarity Program.

Last April, Yulo displayed his world-class performance in the United States when he won five medals in the 8th Pacific Rim Gymnastics Championships at the Xfinity Arena in Everett, Washington.

The two-time Palarong

Pambansa champion competed in the juniors category of the Men’s Artistic Gymnastics and ruled the floor exercise and vault events. He placed second in the parallel bars and rings events and finished third in the all-around.

Last year, Yulo placed third in the juniors (14-18) vault event at the International Junior Gymnastics Competition held in Yokohama, Japan.

In an effort to improve the performance of its athletes, the GAP got the services of Japanese coach Munehiro Kugiyama in 2013.

Kugiyama and national coach Van Simon Talinting are handling the training of four senior and junior athletes, who

Warriors rally past Nets

Lim now no. 52 in ITF Juniors ranking K T OP Filipino junior Alberto “AJ” Lim Jr. has slid to 52nd place in the International Tennis Federation (ITF) Juniors rankings as of December 19.

The 17-year-old college freshman at the University of the East-Manila has competed in 12 tournaments this year, including the Junior Australian Open, French Open and

US Open.

Lim began the 2016 season with a career-high ranking of No. 12. His best performance was reaching the singles finals at the Asian B1 ITF Pune Open Juniors in May, losing to Japanese Naoki Tajima, 3-6, 1-6.

Lim was a quarterfinalist at the 53rd Coffee Bowl (Copa del Café) in Costa Rica

in January and the Eddie Herr ITF Juniors, which served as tune-up tournament for the Metropolia Orange Bowl held early this month in Florida, US. Lim had three semifinal finishes in the doubles –- partnering with Filipino Diego Garcia Dalisay in the Phinma-PSC International Juniors 1 in November; with Italian

Liam Caruana in the Osaka Mayor’s Cup-World Super Junior Tennis Championships in October; and with Indian Nikshep Ballekere Ravikumar in the Pune Open Juniors in May. In the men’s circuit, Lim has competed at the Hong Kong F4 Futures, China F10 Futures, Manila Challenger and two Futures events in the US. (PNA)

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 9 ISSUE 219 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, DECEMBER 25 - 26, 2016

BIG BREAK

Casimiro vacates title, Nietes to get shot

TITLE SHOT. No. 3 ranked Donnie Nietes will have a shot at the IBF flyweight belt against No. 4 ranked Eaktawan Krungthepthonburi of Thailand.

I

N the aftermath of former IBF world flyweight champion Johnriel Casimero of the Philippines vacating his belt, the IBF has ordered its highest ranked contenders No. 3 rated flyweight Donnie Nietes of the Philippines to face No. 4 ranked Eaktawan Krungthepthonburi of Thailand to fight for the vacant world flyweight title, ESPN’s Dan Rafael has reported.

Casimero (23-3-0, 15KOs),

a two-division world champion, has announced yesterday thru his American promoter Sampson Lewkowicz, that he was vacating his flyweight title to campaign in the super flyweight division where he wants to face pound-forpound No. 1 Roman Gonzalez of Nicaragua, the WBC superfly title holder, or IBF superfly world champion Jerwin Ancajas of Philippines.

Nietes (39-1-4, 22KOs),

34, the Philippines’s longest reigning world champion who held the WBO world minimumweight title from Sep., 2007 until Aug., 2010 and the WBO light flyweight title from Aug., 2010 until he vacated the belt last September to campaign in the flyweight division, is rated No. 1 by the WBO in the flyweight division and the mandatory challenger to newly crowned WBO flyweight champion Zou Shiming

of China but that fight has not yet been negotiated.

Krungthepthonburi (223-0, 15KOs), 27, from Bangkok, whose birth name is Komgrich Nantapech, has yet to win a regional title. He lost to Albert Pagara by knockout on Nov. 15, 2012 in Maasin City and also lost to Froilan Saludar by decision on Oct. 26, 2013 in Makati. After the Saludar loss however, he racked up 15 consecutive wins, 11 inside

the distance.

“We have yet to hear from the IBF,” Nietes’s promoter Michael Aldeguer told Philboxing. “We knew it could happen when we learned yesterday that Casimero is vacating his belt,” according to Aldeguer who said he heard rumors that Casimero was moving up in weight but he didn’t expect that to happen “this soon.”

“I will talk to Donnie if he wants this fight and I will still

talk to the WBO where Donnie is the mandatory challenger to Zou Shiming’s title. Whatever Donnie wants, we’ll support him. He likes to fight the big names out there but at the same time this is a good opportunity for him to get another world title,” Aldeguer said who added that if the Nietes-Krungthepthonburi will push thru, it will likely be in April next year “where Donnie has been scheduled to return.”