Edge Davao 9 Issue 270

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

HR group told to file raps; Not dwell on propaganda

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

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adlopez0920@gmail.com

HE 10th Infantry (Agila) Division of the Philippine Army on Sunday urged the human rights group Karapatan to go beyond mere propaganda and file appropriate charges against government troopers who they believe have violated laws during the conduct of military operations.

“Press statements are not the right venue to correct injustices, except for propaganda purposes only to discredit the success of AFP (Armed Forces of the Philippines) units, thus validating the tactical victories of government forces,” Captain Rhyan Batchar, chief information officer of 10th ID said.

In a national press release Friday last week, Karapatan, through its secretary general Cristina Palabay assailed the AFP for concocting make-believe stories and alibis to cover up the rights abuses to continue.

Karapatan particularly mentioned that February 11, 2017 encounter between the 73rd Infantry Battalion and the New People’s Army (NPA)

in Sitio Tangis, Barangay Datal Anggas in Alabel town, Sarangani province.

Palabay said the AFP dropped six bombs in the area and arrested eight civilians who were accused of being members of the NPA. She claimed that the eight civilians arrested belong to Kaolo tribe in the area and are members of the local peasant organization Lumad Kasbakas De Sarangani.

Palabay added that it was only on February 15 the arrested civilians were brought to the Prosecutor’s Office in Alabel, Sarangani for inquest proceedings where they faced trumped up charges of frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms and explosives.

But Batchar said series of encounters took place not only in Alabel town but also in the areas of Malita, Davao Occidental from February 8 to 11.

In those series of encounters, one soldier, identified as PFC Ricky Subere was wounded while eight NPA rebels were

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EDGEDAVAO Sports

restarts after REBOOT Ateneo infraction, routs DCNHS P16

PRIMING UP FOR THE BIG ONE. Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) Trustee and Davao Investment Conference 2017 chairman Arturo Milan, together with DCCCII president Captain Ronald go (center) and program committee chairperson John Carlo Tria (right), give the overview of the upcoming Davao ICON 2017 fourth edition slated on July 20 to 22 at SMX Convention Center in Lanang, Davao City. Milan promised during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao this year’s Davao ICON will be much bigger than the past conferences in scope and number of participants. Lean Daval Jr.

SAFE FOR BUSINESS

4th Davao Icon to prove city conducive to foreign investments

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

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HE Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. revealed the 4th Investment Conference (ICon) that the city will host on July 20--22, 2017 will bring together potential buyers and investors to discuss business opportunities in a bid “to bring more people and investments in the region.”

More importantly, the 4th Davao ICon aimed to dismiss security issues and to prove to foreign investors the city’s environment is conducive for investment.

The DCCII emphasized this as it bared the details of the conference

slated at the SMX Convention Center, SM Lanang Premiere, Davao City.

Speaking during the Kapehan sa Dabaw media forum yesterday, DCCCII Trustee and ICon 2017 chairperson Arturo M. Milan said this

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

Corruption tops hot topics at China’s 2017‘two sessions’

By HUAN XIANG FROM PEOPLE’S DAILY

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ORRUPTION crackdown, social insurance, medical care reforms, employment and resident income, and equal access to education are among the hottest topics of the annual sessions of National People’s Congress (NPC) and Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPC), also referred as the “two sessions,” a poll conducted by People’s Daily Online, Xinhua, and other mainstream news websites showed.

China’s anti-corruption campaign shifted up a gear following the 18th CPC National Congress in late 2012. After years of efforts, the spread of corruption has been effectively contained and the battle against corruption has gained crushing momentum.

Data showed that since 2012, a total of 240 central-government administered officials have been investigated, with 223 receiving punishments, while another 150 were transferred to judicial authorities for investigations.

During the past year, 57,000 party members took the initiative to confess their wrongdoing.

China is now also reforming its supervision system, in an innovative attempt to realize an all-round supervision ofthe civil servants by pooling

accessible resources.

China also stepped up its efforts to extend the coverage of social insurance. The country plans to, by 2020, provide comprehensive medical care across the country, improve public healthcare service system, and build a complete drug supply system as well as a scientific management system of medical care institutions.

The over 10 million new urban jobs created each year verified China’s remarkable accomplishments in employment. But challenges remain.

The market has to digest 15 million new job hunters each year, while both the employers and job hunters face difficulties to find their matched partners. In addition, those having a job also expect more incomes for sake of a better life quality.

According to its national plan on education, China plans to, by 2020, accelerate urban-rural integration of compulsory education, ensure equal access to compulsory education at local schools for the children of migrant workers, and establish a balanced compulsory education system in county seats and villages.To realize the goals, the Chinese government has set objective tooptimize resource allocation and improve the quality of education products.

‘Protect Wildlife’Project gets P1.2B to boost biodiversity conservation

UNFAZED. Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte smiles to reporters in this undated photo. Duterte laughed off the latest testimony of self-confessed Davao Death Squad member retired police officer SPO3 Arturo Lascañas in yesterday’s Senate hearing involving him in criminal activities. Lean Daval Jr.

Survivors, victims’ kin mark 2003 Davao airport bombing F

OURTEEN years on, the survivors and families of the victims of the deadly bombing at the old Davao airport in Barangay Sasa continue to remember the tragic incident that killed 22 people and wounded 114 others on March 4, 2003.

Now 58, Restituto Amparado, one of the rent-a-car drivers waiting for passengers at the time, joined those who lighted candles at ground zero late Sunday afternoon. Another candle lighting activity was held on Saturday, March 4, the anniversary of the explosion.

Amparado, whose leg was amputated, recalled that he was just three meters away when the bomb exploded.

“It was 5:45 in the afternoon and it was drizzling at that time. I was waiting for a passenger of a Cebu Pacific plane that had just arrived,”

Amparado recalled.

“I suddenly heard an explosion and the next thing I knew, I was in the hospital, the doctors said that they needed to cut my left leg,” he added.

With three children, Amparado said he was worried because he could no longer return to his job after losing his left leg.

Leo Goc-ong, 56 and a father of two, was a fellow driver of Amparado. He was about to enter his vehicle together with his passenger when the incident took place. His passenger died on the spot.

“I can’t barely move after the explosion, I saw people running and screaming. I checked my entire body and I found blood in my head,” he said.

He recalled that he saw a headless child and some human organs scattered every-

where.

“I saw people dying in front of me,” Goc-ong said.

But for a mother who lost her eldest son during the incident, it feels like the bloody incident just happened yesterday.

Arline Rasay, 62, recalled that it was her birthday and her eldest son Kenneth, who was then 19, was at the airport to fetch his cousin coming from Manila.

“March 4 is my birthday and also his death anniversary, it seems like it just happened yesterday. The pain always remains in my heart,” she said.

To help the survivors and the families of the other victims, the city government extended financial assistance to them.

Then mayor and now President Rodrigo R. Duterte

had offered scholarships to more than 100 children of the survivors.

Maria Luisa Bermudo, City Social Services and Development Office chief, said that among the scholars, 23 are finishing their courses.

“The city took care of their children’s studies from kindergarten to college. They have the choice to study in a public or private school,” she said.

Some of the scholars of the city are now architects, teachers, nurses and engineers, among others.

Amparado’s youngest child is now an Information Technology professional, while Goc-ong’s eldest son a licensed engineer.

Every anniversary of the explosion, Amparado and Gocong still offer their prayers for those who survived and died in the incident. (PNA)

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HE environment department’s Biodiversity Management Bureau (BMB) and USAID are partnering on a P1.2 billion project aimed at helping protect and manage species and natural habitats in the Philippines, one of the world’s mega-diverse but biodiversity hotspots.

Formally launched Monday at Sequioa Hotel in Quezon City, the five-year “Protect Wildlife” project covers a holistic approach promoting cooperation between both proponents and other environmental stakeholders to achieve such goal for natural resource conservation and sustainable development.

“I feel the way to go is strengthening biodiversity and its endemicity,” said Department of Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Regina Lopez at the launch, citing the project’s timeliness.

She said the Philippines is rich in biodiversity but wildlife trafficking, environmental destruction and other threats to this resource continue raising urgency for holistic action.

Damaged biodiversity adversely affects ecological processes and sustainable provision of ecosystems goods and services, she noted.

According to USAID, the project combines technical assistance for government and its conservation partners as well as environmental law enforcement, science and technology, partnerships for con-

servation financing and campaign for changing people’s behavior towardsbiodiversity.

“Protect Wildlife is an imperative to protect species in the planet,” said US Ambassador to the Philippines Sung Kim at the launch.

He said the project seeks demonstrating that protecting and managing species and natural habitats will help improve quality of life and promote community-level sustainable development in the country.

Such is aligned with DENR’s thrust under Lopez, he noted.

DENR aims promoting area development nationwide to help conserve biodiversity while fueling sustainable socio-economic growth through eco-tourism and other environment-friendly activities.

According to USAID, Protect Wildlife is this organization’s first initiative in the Philippines to align with the US government’s newly signed Eliminate, Neutralize and Disrupt Wildlife Trafficking Act of 2016 which targets addressing global illegal wildlife trade.

USAID said Protect Wildlife’s pilot areas are Palawan province including Tubbataha Reef and Sulu archipelago including Zamboanga City and Tawi-tawi province.

Palawan is the Philippines’ last biodiversity frontier and hosts a number of endemic but threatened species, noted USAID.

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NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Lorenzana, Año to visit Sulu to check on AFP operations

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EFENSE Secretary Delfin Lorenzana and Armed Forces Chief of Staff Gen. Eduardo Aňo will visit Sulu on Tuesday to assess the situation following President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s order to crush the notorious Abu Sayyaf Group.

The two top government security officials will also preside over the meeting of the Provincial Peace and Order Council to determine the needed assistance that the national government will deliver to address the situation in the island province.

Capt. Jo-ann Petinglay, information officer of the Western Mindanao Command

FEEDBACK. University of Mindanao-Institute of Popular Opinion (UM-IPO) specialist on economics, government, and political issues Dr. Adrian Tamayo (left) and executive director Dr. Ma. Linda Arquiza bare the result of the

group’s survey about the Duterte presidency’s impact to Davao City during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabawat the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

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HE City Traffic Transportation and Management Office will implement an Identification Card system to all public utility vehicles in the city.

CTTMO Chief Dionisio Abude said that prior to this, all PUV drivers will undergo a seminar about the new laws and regulation of the traffic code of the city and the Land Transportation Office.

The ID system is also un-

der the Traffic code of the city.

Under Article XXIV, section 163 “No person shall drive a PUV with approve franchise plying with the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Davao without bearing an official identification card issued by the CTTMO and shall be displayed conspicuously inside the vehicle.”

Abude said that all PUV drivers will be required to attend the seminar; however,

they will prioritize the taxi drivers for the entire week.

“We are targeting to release 2,000 IDs for the taxi drivers within the week, we hope to cover all taxi drivers before the Araw ng Davao, but since the event is fast approaching we will target 2,000 taxi drivers first,” he said.

500 taxi drivers are expected to attend the first batch of seminar on Tuesday Morning at the Davao City Recre-

clash in Barangay Lumipad, Talipao, Maimbung, which killed four ASG brigands and resulted in the capture of seven high-powered firearms, including two M-203 grenade launchers.

The second encounter, which took place 5 a.m., resulted in the death of five more ASG men, Sobejana said.

With this development, around 19 bandits were reported killed within the 72 hour period beginning March 3 and ending on March 5.

Sobejana said firefight in the encounter area was intermittent due to the difficult and swampy terrain.

The military has been intensifying its operations against the ASG bandits following the beheading of German captive Juergen Kantner last Feb. 26 after his government refused to pay Php 30 million ransom.

An estimated 31 hostages are still at the clutches of the bandits as of this posting.

(PNA)

work.

The PNP chief assured that all members of the P-DEG will undergo a thorough background check The PNP’s war on drugs resumed with the launching of the P-DEG on Monday.

Dela Rosa spearheaded the formal launching of the new P-DEG which replaces the abolished PNP-Anti Illegal Drugs Group (PNPAIDG) in a press conference in Camp Crame, Quezon City.

Senior Supt. Graciano Jaylo Mijares will be heading the P-DEG. Mijares, deputy regional director for administration of the Police Regional Office 3 (Central Luzon), said the creation of the P-DEG marks the return of the PNP to the war on drugs.

He thanked Dela Rosa for

his trust in appointing him to head the P-DEG which will be spearheading the PNP’s revitalized anti-drug campaign.

Mijares gave assurances that no anti-drug operation will be conducted without his knowledge.

He also expressed gratitude to President Duterte giving the PNP a second chance.

Dela Rosa earlier announced that the PNP will be resuming its lead role in the anti-drug campaign after President Rodrigo Roa Duterte gave them the “green light”.

President Duterte had ordered a stop to all PNP drug-related operations last month after a few members of the PNP-AIDG were implicated in the kidnapping and killing of South Korean businessman Jee Ick Joo. (PNA)

5 more ASG bandits killed in Sulu clash

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IVE more Abu Sayyaf Group bandits were killed as government troops continue to conduct offensive against the brigands in Maimbung town, Sulu Sunday afternoon, Joint Task Force Sulu commander Col. Cirilito Sobejana said Monday.

In an interview, Sobejana said Jabeer Susukan, brother of ASG sub-leader Idang Susukan, was among the five bandits killed by the military.

The encounter took place shortly after the 4:30 a.m.

ational Center, while another 500 will attend the afternoon session.

On Thursday, another set of 1,000 taxi drivers will also attend the seminar.

“We will release the IDs after they attend the seminar,” Abude said. “We will be discussing to them all the traffic rules just to review their knowledge on the traffic code of the city and the laws under

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Big bike plates to minimize riding-in-tandem crimes

New IDs for PUV drivers S

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

(Westmincom), on Monday said the meeting would also serve as opportunity for the two national officials to thank the local government and community leaders in Sulu for helping fight the Abu Sayyaf bandits.

“One of the key messages that we have been emphasizing is that we cannot do this alone.

We need the vital support of the local government units and the communities in our fight against the Abu Sayyaf bandits and other lawless groups,” Petinglay said.

“The positive results of military operations in recent weeks reflect the support and

EN. Richard Gordon on Monday filed a bill that seeks to increase the size of motorcycle plates to minimize riding-in-tandem crimes.

Under Senate Bill No. 1128 or the Motorcycle Crime Prevention Act of 2017, Gordon wants the Land Transportation Office (LTO) to issue bigger and reflectorized plate numbers for every motorcycle and scooter.

Acording to Gordon, many have been killed by suspects riding-in-tandem but no one can identify the plate number of the motorcycle used by these criminals because the plate number is too small and it cannot be seen properly.

“This is why there are many riding-in-tandem crimes. Criminals are brave because they can quickly escape.

Let’s make plate numbers bigger so that they will be easy to read,” he added.

Under his measure, the plate numbers should be big enough to be readable from a distance of between 12 to 15 meters. It must also be placed both in the front and rear part of the motorcycle.

It also mandates the LTO to devise a color scheme of the plate numbers for every region to easily identify where such motorcycle was registered.

The agency will also devise

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P-DEG to focus on high value targets

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HILIPPINE National Police chief Director General Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa on Monday said the newly-created PNP Drug Enforcement Group (P-DEG) will focus on high value drug targets like dealers, suppliers and drug lords.

Dela Rosa said the P-DEG is still in the process of constituting its ranks, which will have regional, provincial and city level units.

Likewise, he challenged upright and dedicated policemen to volunteer in the newly created P-DEG. He said it is important to get policemen experienced in anti-drug operations as members of the group, adding that, recruitment is also open to young policemen who have a spotless record and are dedicated to their

OBLIVIOUS TO ALL. A mother and her young son are visibly in good spirits as they laugh their hearts out despite the heavy rains while they head home from school yesterday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

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Davao Doc has new facility to detect liver diseases

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

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UPDATED. Davao Doctors Hospital Clinical Head of Endoscopy Unit and gastroentorologist Dr. Marilyn Arguillas and Chief Internal Auditor Eric Melencion unveil the hospital’s newest state-of-the-art

medical facility called Fibroscan 502 Touch, the first and only one of its kind in Mindanao that will revolutionize the diagnosis and management of liver disease. (Photo by Jermaine L. Dela Cruz)

INVESTORS VISIT UP DCCCI sees impacts of visits to city’s economic growth

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

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adlopez0920@gmail.com

HE Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry is seeing more foreign investments to pour into the city as the frequency of foreign visits increased since January of this year.

Speaking before the members of the media at the regular Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City on Monday, March 6, DCCCI president Ronald Go said three ambassadors have already visit Davao City since January – among their objectives include finding out potentials for trade and investments in the city.

Ambassadors from Denmark, Pakistan and Australia, Go added, also brought in groups of investors to explore possibilities of investments in Davao City.

He added that DCCCI will

also be looking for the incoming visit of dignitaries from Britain to come to Davao City, though the date of the visit is not yet finalized.

The DCCCI head also recognized the increased visits of groups of businessmen from Japan, the US, China and South Korea within the first two months of 2017.

“They were here to determine what areas of trade and business they can engage and invest,” Go pointed out, adding that discussions of foreign visitors with local business groups also focused on the export of Philippine products to their respective countries.

The visits will further boost as DCCCI will host the 4th Davao Investment Conference 2017 (ICON 2017) come July 21 to 22 at the SMX Con-

vention Center in SM Lanang, Go said.

ICON 2017 is major business event seen to bring together potential buyers and investors, industry experts to discuss and present Davao region’s business opportunities to build strong partnerships in order to bring in more people and investments in the area.

Go said ICON 2017 will further portray Davao City and the whole region to prospective foreign investors and traders as excellent and profitable place to invest and do business.

Arturo Milan, chair of ICON 2017 also emphasized the significance of the event in relation to the election of President Duterte and the current increase in the country’s Gross

Domestic Product (GDP).

“Now is the time to promote Davao City and the region,” Milan stressed, emphasizing the fact that the President, being from the city, has drawn attention and interest from business groups and investors abroad.

The country is also considered among the fastest growing economies in the Asia-Pacific region with an increase of 6.8 percent in GDP, Milan said.

“We want to capitalize the growth that the country is gaining now,” he added.

Some 700 delegates are expected to join the ICON 2017, both local and foreign businessmen and groups, Milan said.

President Duterte is also expected to grace the said event.

So we want to take advantage of this opportunity,” Milan pointed out.

DCCCII president Ronald Go corroborated Milan, saying that they have been receiving groups of domestic and foreign investors looking for opportunities here.

Since January, Go said that DCCCII has received ambassadors from India, Pakistan, Denmark and Australia, who brought with them prospective investors. He also looks forward to meeting the ambassadors of South Africa and the United Kingdom.

Go said a big group of Japanese investors also came to meet them to talk about infrastructure development, particularly mass transport projects.

“We have entertained lot of groups. There seems to be a lot of interest,” Go said during Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM

City Davao.

Lately, Chinese, Japanese and Korean investors are eyeing manufacturing and infrastructure in the area, which Milan said is good because Davao has been left out for many years “as investments were cornered by the National Capital Region (NCR) and Luzon.”

Before, foreign investors were only able to explore NCR and Luzon areas for locations, he said.

While there is still a need to establish industrial zones, improved mass transport, sea and air connectivity, and improve Internet connection, Milan said they want to seize the opportunity happening now under the present administration because the President comes from Davao.

He said since Duterte took the presidency, there has been an influx of businessmen and

tourists -- both local and foreign.

Milan said they are eyeing to get investors for agriculture, especially in the upland areas to create jobs and improve the lives of people as poverty is highest in those areas.

They are also eyeing to draw investors for manufacturing industries because of its bigger scale in generating jobs, he added.

In the past ICONs, John Tria, chairperson of the ICON Program Sub-committee, said issues on security, lack of support from the national government, connectivity and Internet concerns hindered efforts to attract investors to Davao region.

Tria said they are promoting not only Davao City but also the Davao region because “we wanted it seen as anchor of the country’s growth of 6.8 to 7 percent and bring down the poverty incidence from 15 percent.” (PNA)

Rody presidency magnet for Davao investors: DCCCII

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RESIDENT Rodrigo R. Duterte has positively changed the views of foreign investors about Davao City, as they are now more interested in locating to the President’s hometown.

This was revealed Monday

by Arturo Milan, chair of the 4th Davao Investment Conference 2017 (ICON 2017), which is hosted by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc (DCCCII).

Milan stressed that foreign envoys and investors, who came to explore the city, were surprised to find out many investment opportunities in the area.Their security perception in Davao has also also changed because of President Duterte, Milan said.

“This is first time. Before it (perception) was very negative, especially that the dateline of negative stories is Davao City.

ITH the objective of establishing itself as the premiere hospital in Mindanao, Davao Doctors Hospital unveiled on Friday its recently-acquired medical facility, Fibroscan 502 Touch which can detect the liver stiffness, severity of scarring and amount of fats deposited in it.

DDH Chief Finance Officer Paul Richard Camangian in his opening remarks said to achieve its goal to utilize stateof-the-art equipment, DDH has a capital spending of P300 million in 2016.

Dr. Marilyn Arguillas, head of the Clinical Head of Endoscopy Unit and Liver Center at the DDH, bared in a press conference that fatty liver disease has become one of the world’s alarming global common chronic diseases as shown by a 2004 research saying 16.7 percent of Filipinos suffers from Hepatitis B. Other liver diseases include Hepatitis C and fatty livers. Fatty Liver disease is classified in two types: Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (AFTD) and Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease (NAFLD).

“But majority now have non-alcoholic fatty disease, these are those diabetic, overweight, obese and has metabolic syndrome. Some slim individuals are also positive with fatty liver disease,” she

said.

In a data from University of the Philippines - Philippine General Hospital (UP-PGH) , 12 percent of their patients are diagnosed with NAFLD. Arguillas stressed the data only covers only UP-GPH patients which means a greater number remain undiagnosed or unrecorded.

The new Fibroscan with Controlled Attenuation Parameter can measure liver fat, unlike the older Fibroscan model DDH acquired on 2012.

Arguillas said compared to biopsy with a 0.001 percent risk of patient mortality the new Fibroscan is equipped with a Controlled Attenuation Parameter, a tool for non-invasive assessment and accumulation of fat in the liver which could be repeated to monitor the patient’s liver without side effects.

“It is not painful, you’ll just feel a slight vibration over your skin radiating from the ergonomic probe. It can be repeated to monitor one’s liver health without any side effects,” said Arguillas.

“Our Fibroscan can detect fatty liver, can detect if the scarring starts to develop on the way to cirrhosis. The journey starts from fatty liver disease, or chronic hepatitis B or C, or from alcoholic liver

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Cabinet men pitch support for CTRP before Congress

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EVEN Cabinet Secretaries and five undersecretaries came in full force at Monday’s hearing of the House ways and means committee on the proposed Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) to demonstrate their unequivocal support for this highly progressive and ambitious plan that aims not only to make the country’s outdated tax system simpler and fairer but also to set the Philippines off to the “irreversible path” of becoming a high-income economy in one generation or by 2040.

Attending the hearing were Secretaries Carlos Dominguez III of the Department of Finance (DOF), Benjamin Diokno of the Department of Budget and Management (DBM), Ramon Lopez of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and Ernesto Pernia of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Secretaries who were also present at the seventh tax reform hearing of the Cuachaired committee to express their 100 percent support for the CTRP were Secretaries Arthur Tugade of the Department of Transportation (DOTr), Mark Villar of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), and Leonor Briones of the Department of Education (DepEd).

Also in attendance were

Undersecretaries Dr. Lilibeth David of the Department of Health (DOH), Noel Leyco of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DWSD), Garry de Guzman of DOTr, Laura Pascua of DBM and Annalyn Sevilla of DepEd. Commissioners Caesar Dulay of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and Nicanor Faeldon of the Bureau of Customs were also present at the hearing.

The heads of the DepEd, DOH, DSWD, DPWH and DOTr were invited to the hearing because their respective departments are the key beneficiaries and implementors of the priority programs to be funded by the proposed CTRP, which aims to raise an extra P1 trillion each year for the rest of the Duterte watch so it could carry out an unprecedented level of public spending on infrastructure, human capital and social protection for the poor and other underprivileged sectors, in keeping with the government’s high--and inclusive--growth agenda.

“We are joined today by key members of the president’s Cabinet,” stressed Dominguez in his statement at the start of the public hearing.

“This is a vivid demonstration of support for the tax package that is the keystone to the whole range of reforms this government intends to accom-

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P50-M to be allocated for review of mining contracts

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HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) will allocate P50 million to enable the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) to undertake a comprehensive review of mining contracts nationwide, starting with those ordered shuttered or suspended last month by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR).

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said DBM Secretary Benjamin Diokno informed him that the budget for the review would be sourced from the government’s contingency fund.

Dominguez said the MICC, which he co-chairs with DENR Secretary Regina Lopez, will request that it be given a permanent allocation under the succeeding national budget programs of the government, beginning with the proposed General Appropriations Act of 2018.

“This MICC has never been funded so I think for the 2018 budget, we will propose that we will do that,” Dominguez said in a press briefing after the Council’s March 3 meeting.

“It’s been done (with other similar Councils) so we can do it,” he added.

The Finance Secretary said the MICC will start the process of selecting the members of the TRT on Monday (March 6).

Dominguez said that it was only proper that the MICC be given a permanent allocation under the national budget given its task under Executive Order No. 79 of reviewing all 311 mining contracts in the country once every two years.

For this year, the MICC last

Friday approved the guidelines on the conduct of an “objective, fact-finding, science-based” review of mining operations nationwide, initially covering those ordered closed or suspended by the DENR. The MICC also decided in its Friday meeting to complete the review to be conducted by five interdisciplinary technical review teams (TRTs) within three months, with primary focus on the technical, legal, social, environmental and economic aspects of the affected mining operations.

Dominguez said the review will be done “in accordance with existing guidelines and parameters set forth in the specific mining contracts concerned and other pertinent laws rules and regulations.”

He said the members of the TRT “shall be qualified, certified or licensed persons in their fields of expertise and experienced in mining operations who shall be independent and have no known conflict of interest.”

Each TRT will include 1) a geologist, mining engineer or metallurgical engineer, 2) lawyer, 3) community relations officer, 4) environmental management officer and 5) economic representatives of the local government unit hosting the mining operation, Department of Finance (DOF), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) or other concerned government agencies.

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Ex-Sen. Romulo takes oath as DBP chairman

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INANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III swore into office last week former Sen. Alberto Romulo as the new chairman of the board of the Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP).

Rogelio Garcia also took his oath of office before Dominguez as a director of the DBP board.

Romulo brings with him to the DBP his extensive experience in both the executive and legislative branches of government.

He has served as the Secretary of the Department of Finance (DOF) and of Foreign Affairs (DFA), budget minister, and also as Executive Secretary in the Arroyo administration.

He returned to head the DFA during the presidency of Benigno Aquino III. As DFA Secretary, Romulo had pushed for the congressional approval of the Philippine Archipelagic Baselines Law, which, prior to his watch, had not been acted upon for 27 years. His efforts to have the law passed paved the way for the government to secure its claim in the United Nations for

an extended continental shelf covering an area as big as Luzon.

Romulo also worked for the passage of the Veterans Benefit Enhancement Act in the US Congress, benefiting Filipino veterans who had then been waiting for 60 years to have the law passed.

He was also named a key member of the economic team of President Corazon Aquino during the transition period following the 1986 People Power Revolution, undertaking the mammoth task of reinstating the stable fiscal status of the then-Central Bank and government financial institutions, which were bankrupt and insolvent at that time.

Romulo has likewise served as chairperson of both the Land Bank of the Philippines and the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corp., a governor of the Asian Development Bank and alternate governor in the International Monetary Fund. He sat as member of the Monetary Board twice, first during the Corazon Aquino administration and later during the Arroyo presidency. (PR)

ECONOMY 5

ADDED PERKS. A mall-goer walks by an establishment offering discounts and other promotions in time for the celebration of 80th Araw ng Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

Chinese investors eye industrial park in Davao

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

A

adlopez0920@gmail.com

GROUP of Chinese investors has expressed interest in developing an industrial park in Davao region, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry said.

If realized, the industrial park will serve as a hub for various business and trade investments in the region, to include manufacturing, servicing and agricultural development.

Arturo Milan of DCCCI said the group of Chinese investors were among the bulk of foreign investors that visited Davao City and the region in the past two months to explore the possibility of doing business and trade in the

area.

Milan added that industrial parks are also being developed by local business groups in the region, to include the ongoing 100-hectare business park being developed by the Floirendo Group in Panabo City.

Lapanday Group is also mulling for the development of industrial park in the region but Milan said details of such venture is not yet finalized.

He added that Davao region is now ready to host huge business ventures such as industrial park developments.

He cited the regions capacities in terms of power and energy and the available manpower.

“Now we have the oversupply of power and energy for the next five years,” he pointed out, adding that the Department of Energy (DOE) is currently working for the interconnection of Mindanao grid to the Visayas grid that is expected to be completed by 2020.

“Industrial parks must be established and developed in the region to attract more investors and businesses to come in into the region,” he added.

Milan will also chair the upcoming Investment Conference 2017 (ICON 2017) that will be held on July 21 to 22 at the SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang, Davao City.

Some 700 delegates from local and foreign groups are expected to join the ICON 2017 aimed to promote Davao City and the region by highlighting investment opportunities in the areas of infrastructure, connectivity, tourism, manufacturing and agriculture.

The event will also connect Davao to the other parts of the world as a suitable place for foreign and local investors.

Aside from China, other investors from the US, Japan, Australia and South Korea also came to Davao City during the first two months of this year to determine what trade and business they can engage and invest in the city.

HE Davao-GenSanBitung Roll-on/Roll-off (RoRo) is set for a trial run on March 28.

This was revealed by Super Shuttle Roro assistant vice president for Corporate Planning Edrick de Guzman, who said they needed to do trial voyage to test the route from Davao City to Bitung, Indonesia.

The first formal voyage will commence on April 30 from Kudos Port in Sasa, Davao City passing the General Santos International Port and the final port of destination in Bitung, Manado, Indonesia and back for three days travel time.

De Guzman said they are optimistic at this new partnership with government and the private sector and wished that such sea linkage will be sustained.

He said the government has to really put hard work on sustaining this linkage through collaboration between the pri-

vate sector and concerned government agencies like the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Department of Transportation (DOTr).

“The only thing that will stop us from operating is when they no longer see the support of the government,” he said, adding that they were excited with the new route because it would open up to more international markets.

The route will be serviced

by Super Shuttle RORO owned

by Asian Marine Transport Corporation with a capacity of 100 TEUs (Twenty-foot Equivalent Unit).

DOTr assistant secretary for Maritime Fernando Juan Perez said the preparations were going smoothly, including the inspection conducted in the ports of General Santos and Bitung. He said the improvement at Kudos Port in Davao City would be finished

by March 20.

Perez is also the chair-

person of the Philippine Inter-agency Task Force on Asean Roro. He said it was the shipping line choice to use the private port in Davao because they had been using this port long before.

Perez urged the business sector to take advantage of this route saying, this route could bring their products to other foreign markets in the world.

He also said that there was a big difference in terms of cost and time using this new route with only USD0/TEU for 1.5 days compared to the current route of Davao-Manila-Jakarta-Bitung route at USD,200/ TEU for 3 to 5 weeks.

DTI assistant secretary Art Boncato, who is also the Philippine government senior official representative to the BIMP-EAGA said, “This is a major milestone as we have completed the loop and the project was the outcome of the Asean Blueprint 2025, the Master Plan on Asean Connectivity, and the

BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025.

The connectivity, he said, would make Davao-GenSanBitung as the transshipment point to the EAGA (East Asean Growth Area) set to benefit Filipino producers, especially Mindanao and Palawan grow their businesses and link their markets in Bitung and the rest of Indonesia and vice versa.

“The connection is going to be historic in terms of transshipment because this will cut the time in terms of moving goods from certain parts of the Philippines to parts of Indonesia and outside,” he said.

Boncato added that traders could move products from the Philippines to Indonesia, China and the rest of Asia and the world because it is very strategic and great incentives for the businesses to grow their markets.

Trades are also that their permits and licenses are being taken cared by the shipping company. (PNA)

ASEAN RoRo set for trial run on March 28 T

6 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

R-12 to get P8-M tech-voc scholarships from TESDA

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MUSIKAHAN FESTIVAL. 3,014 voices gathered at the New City Hall Atrium in Tagum City last March 2, 2017 to participate in the hair-raising Grand Chorale Showcase of this year’s Musikahan Festival. Hit songs like ‘You Raise

Me Up’, ‘When You Believe’, and the victory anthem ‘Tagumpay Nating Lahat’ were few of the popular tracks sang during the event. (LEO TIMOGAN/CIO Tagum)

3,014 voices sing in Tagum’s Musikahan Grand Chorale N

OTHING but pure chills swathed the Musikahan crowd as 3,014 individuals from all sectors of Tagum City sang their hearts out in the Grand Chorale Showcase held at the New City Hall Atrium last March 02, 2017.

The showcase is part of this year’s installment of Musikahan Festival that will run until March 06.

It was a dream came true for Mayor Allan Rellon, who is vocal for his wish of a choral performance that will massively exhibit the differ-

ent voices of Tagumenyos. He stressed that the congregation of Tagum’s finest singers and choristers is a manifestation of the city’s claim as the Music Capital of the South.

The Grand Tutti, the event’s highlight, was participated by children, youth, senior citizens, members of the Indigenous Peoples and Muslim communities, persons with disabilities, LGU workers, and individuals from the Religious sector of the city.

Leading the biggest choral assembly in Tagum was Armin Q. Tan, an internationally

recognized Filipino musical conductor. Hit songs like ‘You Raise Me Up’, ‘When You Believe’, and the victory anthem ‘Tagumpay Nating Lahat’ were few of the popular tracks sang during the event.

Meanwhile, the Himig Handog Choral Competition of the Musikahan Festival also became an avenue for music aces to showcase their vocal talents. Winning the Children’s Category was Apokon Central Elementary School Children’s Choir who bagged the top prize of P30,000. For the youth category, TCNHS Conex-

us Harmonia Chorale reigned supreme among other youthbased chorale groups thereby receiving P30,000 also. Cagayan de Oro’s Xavier University Glee Club and Davao City’s University of Mindanao Chorale won the College/Adult and LGU/Church categories respectively, each pocketing a 40,000-peso cash prize.

This year’s edition of Musikahan Festival was made more spectacular by the Tagum City Tourism Council and the City Tourism Office by lining a blast of events. (ROY BANIAS/CIO Tagum)

OME 3,000 needy residents in three barangays of Banaybanay town availed of free goods and services from the recently held Nagkakaisang Lingkod-Bayan ng Davao Oriental (NLD) Barangay Outreach Caravan.

The two-day event was held in Barangays Mahayag and Kauswagan on February 27 and in Barangay Paniquian on the following day. The said barangays are the fifth, sixth, and seventh recipients, respec-

tively, of the regular program of the provincial government in its effort to bring the government services directly to the people, and were chosen as beneficiaries after the Philippine Army conducted needs assessment on the area.

These three remote communities are said to have less access on the government services. People mostly depend their livelihood on farming coconut, vegetables, and rice, and in selling firewood.

HE Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in Region 12 has allotted around P8 million for the implementation this year of its scholarship and student assistance programs.

Richard Amparo, TESDA Sarangani/General Santos provincial director, said such figure comprise the initial funding approved by their central office for the continuing rollout of its flagship scholarship programs.

TESDA allotted at least 30,000 scholarship slots for Region 12 this year for skills trainings, technical-vocational (tech-voc) training scholarships and other related initiatives.

The agency has been implementing its scholarship programs in coordination with accredited tech-voc institutions, local government units and other government agencies.

Also known as Soccsksargen, Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

In this city, TESDA-12 allotted some 800 scholarship slots for its Training for Work Scholarship Program.

He said the program mainly provides immediate interventions to meet the need for highly critical skills in various industries.

Aside from this, he said they will also continue with the implementation of its Special Training for Employment Program (STEP).

STEP is a community-based specialty training program that addresses the specific skills needs of local

communities and promote employment, particularly through entrepreneurial, self-employment and service-oriented activities.

On Thursday, some 265 residents in the area received tool kits from TESDA through the program.

The tool kits were composed of basic inputs that will complement with the trainings received by the beneficiaries, among them for plumbing installation and bread and pastry making.

Alvin Feliciano, TESDA deputy director general for operations, said they are continually expanding their services to in a bid to serve more residents, especially those in the poor and marginalized areas.

He said their scholarship programs presently cater to students, out-of-school youths, workers, persons with disabilities and even inmates.

Earlier this week, he said the agency signed a memorandum of agreement with the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples to facilitate the provision of scholarships to lumad or tribal residents.

“TESDA is now inclusive.

We’ve been going to the barangays to extend our services and directly enlist beneficiaries,” said Feliciano, who graced the distribution of STEP grants here.

He said they have also linked up with the departments of Trade and Industry (DTI), Social Welfare and Development, and the Labor and Employment for the expansion of their skills trainings and scholarship programs.

DTI is currently helping their beneficiaries access capital and other inputs for viable ventures, he added. (PNA)

In line with this, town Mayor Adalia Tambuang expressed her gratitude to the governor being the “brainchild of this event to bring government closer to the people”. She said that “this is of great help” and added that Banaybanay LGU allocated budget for the meals of the beneficiaries as a counterpart for the said endeavor.

told the residents that it is his dream for the province of Davao Oriental to achieve long-lasting peace and progress.

“We came here to serve your community and I am thankful for your support and trust. All these efforts are directed toward the province’s progress and peace. Let us avoid conflict because we cannot achieve the progress that we have been dreaming of

Maguindanao’s summer Poor in Banaybanay benefit from NLD Barangay Outreach capital hosts ARMM Meet S

A

THLETES, coaches and sports officials all lead to Upi, Maguindanao for this year’s Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao Athletic Association (ARMMAA) Meet 2017 which kicked off Monday.

To ensure safety of all athletes and coaches from five provinces in ARMM, authorities have sealed all entry and exit routes to and from this town, known as Maguindanao’s summer capital due to its cold weather.

Chief Supt. Reuben Theodore Sindac, ARMM police director, said security will be jointly provided by the Philippine National Police (PNP) and Philippine 5th Marine Battalion Landing Team (MBLT-5) as well as militiamen and police force multipliers.

Security arrangements have started Saturday and Sunday for more than 5,000 athletes and sports officials from the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan,

Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Upi is about an hour drive through a well paved road along portions of Cotabato-Lebak-Palimbang-Gen. Santos City highway.

John Magno, Department of Education (DepEd-ARMM) regional secretary, said he has directed all schools division superintendents to make the five-day sports event to foster cultural and religious solidarity among the region’s various ethnic groups.

ARMM Regional Governor Mujiv Hataman and Maguindanao Gov. Esmael Toto Mangudadatu led the opening ceremonies on Monday afternoon.

Upi Mayor Ramon Piang assured the participants will have great days ahead in his town.

“The 2017 Palarong ARMM is a good opportunity for us to show delegates from other ARMM provinces that there is fragile peace now in Maguindanao,” Mangudadatu said in a statement. (PNA)

Development effort for Long-lasting Peace Governor Dayanghirang

F POOR, 11

7 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

Smart World ventures in Japan

T

HE Japan External Trade Organization or JETRO, a government-related entity that promotes foreign direct investment into Japan, cited the successful entry of PLDT Global Corp. (PGC) into the Japanese market.

PGC, the unit of PLDT that serves Filipinos in offshore markets, launched last year PLDT Japan GK, a mobile virtual network operator that would bring digital services to the roughly 240,000 Filipinos residing there.

At the recent JETRO Forum here in Manila, Alice Ramos, group head of business development at PGC, and VP, head for international roaming and alliances at Smart (in photo), shared the challenges of entering a new market, and of JETRO’s valuable assistance that enabled the local firm to successfully operate in Japan. “Any startup will have its challenges, and Japan was no exception. From the typical concerns of finding the right property, people, processes – layer in the complication of collaborating on complex

technical designs to negotiating contracts in real time, in two languages. This is where having the right partners can spell the difference. We are grateful and honored to have enjoyed strong local support from partners such as NTT Communications, the Philippine Embassy, the Filipino community, and not least of all, JETRO, whose impressive office space in Roppongi, Tokyo served, as the very first home of Smart World Japan in the first half of 2016.”

In partnership with NTT Communications, PGC, through brand carrier Smart World, made available an innovative service that bundles high speed mobile internet with free calls, online entertainment, and remittance services, allowing Overseas Filipinos in Japan to connect with, and send love to their families here in the Philippines.

Smart World will continue to expand its portfolio of services to be the digital enabler of choice of Overseas Filipinos not only in Japan, but all over the world. (PR)

Group lauds switch of 20 PH paint companies to lead-free products

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WENTY paint companies are now producing architectural, decorative and household (ADH) paints free of health-damaging lead-based-pigments, driers and anti-corrosion agents.

The EcoWaste Coalition, a chemical safety and zero waste watch group, revealed the good news after receiving written responses from paint manufacturers confirming their compliance with the three-year phase-out period for lead-containing ADH paints that ended last December 31, 2016.

The group further revealed that some companies have stopped or are on the verge of fully removing lead in paints used for industrial applications ahead of the deadline on December 31, 2019.

“We give our compliant paint manufacturers two thumbs up for meeting the phase-out requirements for lead in ADH paints as provided by law. This is good news, especially for our children who are most vulnerable to the toxic effects of lead expo-

sure,” remarked Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.

“We credit the Department of Environment and Natural Resources – Environmental Management Bureau (DENR-EMB) and the Philippine Association of Paint Manufacturers (PAPM), as well as our paint chemists and their bosses and our untiring advocates for lead-safe children’s environment for this shared achievement,” she said.

“We also recognize the role of the Global Alliance to Eliminate Lead Paint (GAELP) in promoting the international target of phasing out lead-containing paints to prevent and reduce children’s and workers’ exposure to lead,” she added.

“The overwhelming response of the country’s paint makers provides a good barometer of the enforceability of the prohibition on lead-added paints and the readiness of the industry to innovate and comply,” she further said.

F GROUP, 11

ePLDT to up client experience with SDN tech in data centers E

PLDT, an industry-leading provider of digital business solutions to enterprises in the Philippines, recently announced that it has deployed best-in-class Software Defined Networking (SDN) technology in its network of data centers. This is part of the company’s drive to elevate customer experience as SDN enables quick adoption to changing business trends and efficiency in controlling network resources.

“Businesses are looking for smarter and more agile infrastructure to support their digital transformation initiatives. This demand is obviously brought by emerging trends such as cloud computing, mobile technology, Big Data analytics, and the rise of the Internet of Things. All these have transformed the IT paradigm and accelerated the need for infrastructure that can support rapid shifts in demand.

With the backdraft of natural and man-made disasters, we have also seen growth for geo-resiliency among enterprises which will need rapid network configuration and deployment. SDN will simplify configuration, control and management of enterprise networks,” said Nerisse Ramos, ePLDT Group Chief Operating Officer. “By enabling our VITRO Data Centers with SDN, our entire infrastructure can address

ogy Officer. “Our previous provisioning standard to our clients may range anywhere between 5 and 15 days depending on the scope but now with SDN, our standard services can be provisioned to customers in a matter of hours.”

these needs with enhanced efficiency, flexibility, and security.”

Traditionally, data center networks are comprised of a large number of switches and routers that direct traffic based on the limited view of each device. This feature makes data centers independent from one another. Managing configurations and the protocols associated with it must therefore be done in various places which can be time-consuming and expensive.

SDN is an approach to networking in which control of network policies and resources are decoupled through a single SDN controller. Because of the opensource nature of the controller, organizations can utilize commodity hardware from multiple vendors without compromising performance.

“With this approach, traffic flow is managed through software, allowing optimization and tuning which is not available in traditional or locally-managed switches and routers. Clients who demand certain changes and updates to their subscribed service can now receive them immediately and in an efficient manner,” explained Nico Alcoseba, PLDT/ePLDT Head

Scalable connectivity and secure delivery at a faster pace Through SDN, a single management console with better visibility into network resources simplifies planning, and the setting up of networks, whether real or virtual. Policies can be changed quickly and easily to manage traffic loads, automatically reallocate network resources, and add devices.

As a result, SDN provides organizations with the flexibility and agility to respond to market conditions and customer needs while dramatically improving management efficiency.

Faster service delivery is achieved through SDN as services such as load balancers, firewalls, and Intrusion Detection Systems are placed appropriately on the traffic path, thereby allowing users to customize their own services based on their actual needs. Security is also assured as SDNs can handle increasing security demands that are not possible with hard-wired networks.

“With SDN, we can provide our services to clients faster,” said Dave Simon, ePLDT Group Chief Technol-

Change for the future For the country’s leading data center services provider in the country—with 10 data centers by 2018—this shift to SDN technology is just one of the company’s many innovations in its effort to provide high-quality service and superior customer experience.

This shift also makes ePLDT at pace with the latest global trends. According to a study by the International Data Corporation, the worldwide data center SDN market is expected to reach $12.5 billion by 2020, with a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 53.9% from 2014 to 2020.

“With its benefits, we believe that SDN is the future when it comes to networking,” said Ramos. “As a pacesetter in data center management, we ensure that our facilities and systems are up-to-date. In this way, our clients are assured of service at par with global technology standards.”

Know more about ePLDT, Inc. by visiting the website at www.epldt.com. (PR)

ment and Penology (BJMP).

Among the courses which the inmates could avail of include Front Office Services NC2; Customer Service NC2; Barista NC2; HEO Forklift NC2; Automotive Servicing NC1; Food Processing NC3; Hilot Wellness Massage NC2; Motorcycle/Small Engine Services NC2; Bread and Pastry NC2; Nail Care NC2; Massage Therapy NC2; Beauty Care NC2; Housekeeping NC3; Organic Agriculture

NC2; Animal Production NC2 and Cookery NC2.

Even the family members of the inmates may avail of the free skills training program offered by TESDA. It would be recalled that Mamondiong and BJMP Chief, Jail/Director Serafin Barretto, Jr. signed the MOA last December 6, 2016. On January 9, the skills training project kicked off at the Makati City Jail in consonance with the Integration Through Skills

Development program.

Last February 24, a total of 211 inmates received the National Certificate (NC) from TESDA after they finished their skills training and eventually passed its assessment.

Mamondiong ordered all regional and provincial directors of TESDA to coordinate with their respective jail bureaus and enlist the inmates qualified for the skill training program. (PR)

vision Caretaker, disclosed that BFP will be accepting application folders of Fire Officer 1 (FO1) aspirants until the end of the month.

Based on the directive issued by BFP National Headquarters, a total of 74 slots were allocated for BFP 12.

The minimum qualifications for the applicants are the completion of any fouryear course or bachelor’s de-

gree; second level eligibility; physically fit; no criminal record; good moral character; and, a height of at least 1.62 centimeters (cm) or 5’4” for males and 1.57 cm or 5’2” for females.

“The 74 quota allotted for the region, as it greatly helps in filling in the needed manpower resources region wide, particularly with the new established fire stations

in the region”, Senior Inspector Leilani L. Bangelis, BFP 12 Chief for Operations, said.

“We need to make sure that we select the right people for the job. We aimed to select professionals with skills, technical competence, goodwill, loyalty and commitment to serve for the betterment of fire service.” she added. (FO2 Philip C Chan/ GSCFO)

of Disruptive Business.

TESDA to give free training to inmates S

OME 100 inmates in municipal and city jails nationwide will be given skills training by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA).

TESDA Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong said that the teaching of skills training for inmates is part of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) signed between TESDA and the Bureau of Jail Manage-

BFP-12 needs more personnel, sets recruitment

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HE Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) Region 12 will recruit additional firefighters as it continues to build up the manpower strength and capability to fill up the organization’s desired requirement of every fire station in the region.

A memorandum signed

by Chief Inspector Eddie W. Tanawan, BFP-12 Admin Di-

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

EDITORIAL

Blind as they wanna be

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HERE is a saying that goes: “We are only as blind as we want to be.”

With one stroke of ignorance, Dabawenyos on social media jumped to kneejerk reactions after celebrity comedian Cynthia Patag posted negative statements on Davao City. The Patag post came after the so-called “Naga-Leaks” from a pro-Duterte group We are Collective.

Patag’s claims included Davao City not having a city-owned college, convention center, hospital, sports complex and park.

The post drew the ire of Dabawenyo netizens who fired back with posts debunking the comedian’s claims.

This was utterly unnecessary.

It was an exercise in futility.

People like Patag do not need education. They simply refuse to be educated. They are the ones who may have eyes wide open but are eternally blind because of their political bias.

Patag’s post should not be dignified with an answer. Davao City people know what the city has and has not. Yes, we have some of the

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facilities Patag was asking—like a government hospital, college and parks. And yes, there are also some we still have to see built-like a decent sports complex and a convention center.

Patag’s idea of such LGU-owned facilities is based on the Makati City example which has an LGU-owned college (University of Makati) and hospital (Ospital ng Makati). Makati even has a parking building. But lest we forget, these are tainted with a history of corruption.

Davao City is not perfect. It does not have everything in terms of facilities. However, the city owns many other things beyond structures of concrete and steel. It has a robust business climate, stable peace and order, law-abiding residents, discipline-oriented ordinances and most importantly, harmony and respect among lumads, muslims and christians.

There are several things people outside Davao, like Patag and her comrades, do not know. But we care less.

As Martin Luther King says it rather aptly: “Nothing in all the world is more dangerous than sincere ignorance and conscientious stupidity.”

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EDGEDAVAO

T

HE title looks odd but, geologically, the areas of Buhangin and Catalunan, characteristically above sea level, were once part of the ancient beaches of Davao City. The recession of coastal boundaries is influenced by tides and the movement of the sun and the moon.

Weather disturbances also contribute to the rise in rainfall which, in turn, results in heavy downpour that causes erosion. The irregular movement of oceans produces asymmetrical waves that hasten siltation upon hitting the coastline. The impact of strong waves also pushes back water levels in streams and, over time, contributes to the collapse of riverbanks.

Warren D. Smith, a geologist at the Division of Mines in Manila, prepared a narrative of the 1907 of the geologic expedition conducted in Mindanao and Sulu. The report was contained in the 1908 article, “A Geologic Reconnaissance of the Island of Mindanao and the Sulu Archipelago”, published in The Philippine Journal of Science.

Smith, along with geologist H.M. Ickis, explored Cotabato and Davao as part of the multi-group expedition dispersed throughout Mindanao. At Cotabato, he observed a 150-meter-high limestone hill that stood out in the middle of the delta of Rio Grande de Mindanao, known to the Moros as the Pulangi River. Interestingly, the delta

L

AST week, President Rodrigo R. Duterte finally signed the document signifying the country’s accession to the Paris Agreement, which seeks to address climate change and cap greenhouse gas emissions.

Under the agreement, which was signed on April 22, 2016 in New York, the president said that emissions reduction or programs for adaptation are “nationally-determined” and voluntary.

“Nationally-determined contributions are not mitigation-centric but also covers adaptation and requirements for finance, technology and capacity building. This will provide an opportunity to communicate to investors what the country needs in order to implement adaptation and mitigation projects,” Duterte explained.

Upon knowing that the president ratified it, Senator Loren Legarda was ecstatic.

“This is a great day for Mother Earth, for the climate warriors who fought hard for this Agreement, for the climate refugees and the vulnerable Filipinos who bear the brunt of climate change impacts, for the entire nation and all the Filipino people,” said Legarda, chair of the Senate Committee on Climate Change.

According to Legarda, the Paris Agreement is very important for the Philippines as it is one of the most vulnerable nations to the impacts of climate change. “Our ratification would allow us access to the Green Climate Fund,” she pointed out.

The senator explained that industrialized countries have formally

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

VANTAGE POINTS

Beaches of Buhangin and Catalunan

composed “all the river plain from the mouth of the river back.” (“Pulangi” in Maguindanao means “large river.’)

The plain which was formerly part of the sea, the geologist observed, could have extended to as far the regions in the gulf Davao. He wrote: “The most notable feature of the topography of this plain, beside the hill just mentioned, is the old terrace lines which swing along, but not always parallel to, either side of the river. These terraces are undoubtedly of marine origin, for close to Cotabato they are seen to be raised coral-reef shelves with the characteristic steep seaward slope of such formations.

The evidence seems sufficient… to suppose that the sea once swept far up this intermontane region which is now filled with sediment…that it one time extended through to the Gulf of Davao.”

Reaching Davao from Fort Pikit on December 20, 1907, Smith’s team, which included an American army lieutenant surnamed Caffery and a unit of cargadores, for the first time got an unobstructed view of the majestic Mount Apo. During this part of the sojourn, he made a very attractive observation that supports his earlier hypothesis.

“A walk back over the plan behind Davao is interesting. About 300 meters behind the town, or about [two]

FAST BACKWARD Antonio V. Figueroa kilometers from the beach, unmistakable signs of old beach lines are found, marked by one distinct terrace at least 15 to 23 meters above the flat on which the town [of Davao] is located.

All this territory is made up of alluvial wash from the hills. The bowlders are largely andesitic.” (An alluvium is the “loose, unconsolidated soil or sediments, which has been eroded, reshaped by water in some form, and re-deposited in a non-marine setting.”)

Smith also came out with intriguing details that fit the geologic descriptions of barangays Buhangin

(presumably after the sand, which an alluvium) and Catalunan, short of saying the ancient settlers of Davao harvested seashells and basked under the sun on their coastlines.

Arguably, the two regions happen to be situated within two kilometers of the nearest beach. Both areas are about 250-450 feet above sea level, depending on where you are. Terrace formations are observed in land outcrops, especially at Shrine Hill, Juliville Subdivision, Diversion Road, and J.P. Laurel Avenue. Alluvial deposits are in areas within and adjacent to the barangays, including sediments harvested as aggregates in quarries in Davao River.

In many locations, as recorded in numerous chronicles written by explorers and scientisits, seashells, gastropods, corals, and other marine fossils can be found, confirming the assumption these areas were once submerged undersea eons ago. (At Samal, once part of the geologic intercontinental shelf, calcified shells of giant clams have been recovered.)

The Australian Atlas of Mineral Resources, Mines, and Processing Centres explains in simpler terms the presence of sand inland.

“Over millions of years, these igneous and metamorphic rocks were weathered and eroded, and the grains of quartz and other minerals in the

rock, including rutile, ilmenite, zircon and monazite, were washed down to the sea by heavy rainfall and fast flowing streams.

“The heavy minerals were then carried back up onto the beach by waves. As the waves washed up and down on the beach, they carried the lighter quartz grains with them back into the sea, leaving the grains of the heavy minerals rutile, ilmenite, zircon and monazite behind on the beach.

Wind also helped to concentrate the heavy minerals by blowing away the lighter quartz sand. These processes were repeated many times over millions of years, eventually creating a large deposit of mineral sands on the beach.

“As the sea level rose and fell over geological time, the shoreline moved further inland and then back again. As this happened, the deposits of mineral sand were covered by more sand and built up or eroded and redeposited elsewhere. This is why we sometimes find mineral sand deposits many kilometres inland and maybe as much as 50 metres below the surface.”

An important aspect in the realignment of coastlines is the earth’s movement and the adjustment in its tilt. In today’s phenomenon, the melting of glaciers, which results in the rise of ocean tables, is the result of climate change.

acting like the glass in a greenhouse, trap some of the heat as it radiates back into space. These greenhouse gases warm our planet, making life possible. If they were more abundant, greenhouse gases might trap too much heat.”

Human activities (like deforestation, driving vehicles, usage of coal power plants to generate electricity, among others) emit additional greenhouse gases to the atmosphere thereby increasing the amount of heat that gets absorbed before escaping to space. As a result, the greenhouse effect is enhanced and the warming of the earth is amplified.

“Although the Earth’s climate has changed many times throughout its history, the rapid warming seen today cannot be explained by natural processes alone,” said Dr. Perez, who has a PhD in Meteorology from the University of the Philippines.

“Climate change is very simple,” noted Dr. Robert Watson, one of the world’s experts on climate change.

“We are increasing emissions of greenhouse gases and thus their concentrations in the atmosphere are going up. As these concentrations increase, the temperature of the earth rises.”

Examples of greenhouse gases are: water vapor, carbon dioxide, methane, and nitrous oxide. There are also those man-made gases generated during industrial processes like sulfur hexaflouride, hydrofluorocarbons, and perfluorocarbons.

“Continued emission of greenhouse gases will cause further warm-

ing and long-lasting changes in all components of the climate system, increasing the likelihood of severe, pervasive and irreversible impacts for people and ecosystems,” contends the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).

“Climate change means much more than higher global temperatures,” said Heherson Alvarez, former chairman of the Senate Committee on Environment. “It could result in a wide range of catastrophic consequences: rising sea levels threatening archipelagic states, low-lying coastal areas and fertile deltas; increased frequency of hurricanes, droughts and other extreme climate events; disturbance of ecosystems; greater aridity; and greater pressure on freshwater resources.”

The Philippines has already felt the impacts of climate change when it was hit by Yolanda in 2013. But it was just the beginning. More super typhoons are coming our way. Droughts and floods will become part of our daily existence.

Climate change is for real. People of this world should do something now before it’s too late. The words of Christopher Flavin, of the Worldwatch Institute, come in handy. In his book, Slowing Global Warming, he wrote: “Global warming is an environmental threat unlike any the world has faced. While human activities during the past century have damaged a long list of natural systems, most of these problems are local or regional in scope and can be reversed in years or decades if sufficient effort is exerted.”

Climate change is coming

agreed to raise US$100 billion under the Green Climate Fund annually by year 2020 to address mitigation and adaptation needs of developing nations like the Philippines.

“We have to make sure that environment and climate change sit at the core of our development plans,” she said. “We are one in believing in the urgency of dealing with climate change impacts through mitigation and adaptation, including disaster risk reduction.”

For the average citizen, the climate change phenomenon is very vague. Although most Filipinos have personally felt the effects of climate change, many of them still little understanding of it.

For instance, many are confused between climate change and global warming. Which is which really?

“Climate change is a better choice than the term global warming because it avoids the misleading implications: that all parts of the world are warming uniformly and that the only dangerous outcome of growing greenhouse gas emissions is higher temperatures,” clarified Dr. Rosa T. Perez, a research fellow at the Manila Observatory, told participants of a climate change seminar held in Davao City a few years back.

“Warming is only the tipping point for a cascade of changes in the earth’s ecosystems,” she continued her explanation. “In addition, climate change better conveys the coexistence of human-made effects with natural climate variability, a more accurate, ‘state-of-the-science’ portrayal

THINK ON THESE!

Henrylito D. Tacio

of the causes for the phenomenon.”

It was Dr. James E. Hansen of the US National Aeronautics and Space Administration who first raised the problem of climate change. In 1988, he told an American Senate hearing that the greenhouse effect “is changing our climate now.”

The greenhouse effect is a natural warming process. According to Dr. Perez, carbon dioxide and certain other gases are always present in the atmosphere. These gases create a warming effect that has some similarity to the warming inside a greenhouse, hence the name “greenhouse effect.”

Robert James Bidinotto, writing for Reader’s Digest, explains the greenhouse effect in these words: “When sunlight warms the earth, certain gases in the lower atmosphere,

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year’s ICon will be much bigger than the past conferences in scope and number of participants.

“We are excited with the very big interest now shown by foreign investors to Davao.

I say Davao, not only Davao City but the Region,” said Milan, adding that the conference hopes to bring about strong partnerships as well.

“We want to take advantage of this opportunity that we have a president that is from Davao and many foreign investors who came have realized that what they felt before was really nothing I terms of the security issue,” he said.

ICon 2017 program committee chairperson John Tria identified the focal areas of the conference as sectors increasing in their contribution to gross domestic product (GDP) which include infrastructure and connectivity, manufacture, tourism and agriculture.

“Our intention is to bring in these kind of investments because these are also the kind

of investments that generate jobs particularly manufacturing,” said Tria.

DCCCII has invited speakers from various government agencies such as National Economic Development Authority (NEDA)-XI director Maria Lourdes Lim, Mindanao Developemnt Authority (MinDa) Chair Datu Abu Khayr Alonto, Departemnt of Trade and Industry (DTI)-XI regional director Belenda Ambi, and captains of industries.

“These are the kinds of content we will be giving on our investment conference so it’s not only government who will be talking about programs but also private sectors— participants who have been successful on these sectors because we believe that it’s the business person who can invite or encourage business people to come,” Also expected are presence of cabinet members particularly Labor Secretary Ramon Lopez, Public Works and Highways Sec. Mark Villar, Ag-

riculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol, Tourism Secretary Wanda Teo and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez.

DCCCII president Ronaldo Go added the President was invited as closing keynote speaker who plays as the region’s important marketing icon attracting foreign delegates to attend and participate.

Davao ICon 2017 is a joint effort of DCCCII in partnership with the City Government of Davao under Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to take advantage of the five-year window of opportunities occasioned by the Rodrigo Duterte presidency.

DCCCII expects to gather at least 700 participants, half of whom are foreigners from South Korea, Japan, China, Singapore, Indonesia, Malaysia and other members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Also invited are private business executives and government officials from the European Union (EU), Australia and United States of America.

captured.

Seven of those eight captured in the encounter in Sarangani province were with their high powered firearms.

Batchar added that subsequent to the armed encounter, 15 NPA regulars and nine NPA Milisya ng Bayan (MB) members with five high-powered firearms voluntarily surrendered to the elements of 73rd IB. He also made justifications to the bombings that Karapatan mentioned in the press statement.

“During the February 11 encounter, two MG520 attack

helicopters provided air support to the engaged troops. Per bomb damage assessment by the troops, five rockets were fired with no collateral damage noted as the location was a forested area and the rockets demoralized the NPA that forced them to scamper in different directions,” Batchar said.

He added that rules of engagement (ROE) allows AFP units to employ air and artillery fire support in defense of engaged troops provided these are observed fires and care should be taken to insure that it will not cause collateral damage.

Batchar also confirmed that the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Alabel had already filed criminal charges for frustrated murder and illegal possession of firearms against the eight captured NPA rebels.

“As experienced in the past, after major tactical victories of the AFP over the NPA, NDF-allied and NPA-support organizations immediately came up with communist propaganda discrediting the successes of government forces to lift up the sagging morale of the defeated NPA rebels,” Batchar concluded.

Zamboanga City has diverse marine resources while Tawi-tawi has eco-tourism potential but both areas face wildlife trafficking threats, USAID continued.

Such areas host some of the Philippines’ most biodiverse habitats and unique species but are exposed to various human threats like wildlife poaching and trafficking, destructive fishing as well as con-

version of forests, mangroves and wetlands to settlements and agricultural land, USAID said further.

Protect Wildlife kicked off there last year, noted BMB Director Theresa Mundita Lim. “We have thousands of species and continue discovering new ones,” she said at the launch’s side, highlighting urgency for the project.

The project’s chief of par-

ty Dr. Ernesto Guiang believes lessons from this undertaking will be useful in developing models LGUs can use for longterm biodiversity conservation.

He also sees need for establishing conservation partnerships at the local level as well.

“Natural resource loss won’t benefit us all,” he added.

(PNA)

the LTO as well.”

Meanwhile, Public safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) chief Benito De Leon said that the ID system is one of the actions of the city govern-

ment to the alleged modus of some taxi drivers wherein they spray some kind of a sleeping inhalant to their passengers.

“This is part of the action of the City,” he said.

During the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) meeting here last month, De Leon brought up the issue to the authorities and they decided to implement the ID system.

the involvement of the communities and the local government officials in helping the military fight the Abu Sayyaf,” she noted.

Petinglay said the military appreciated the efforts made by the communities “in denying the members of the ASG to seek refuge in their areas.”

Maj. Gen. Carlito Galvez Jr., Westmincom chief, earlier said that the military needs the help of the entire stakeholders to successfully rid the Abu Sayyaf bandits in Sulu and Basilan.

“I enjoin all governors, mayors and other local government units, let us fight and work together for development and security (of our people). Together, we can win. Without you, we will come out defeated,” he said.

So far, 20 members of the ASG have been killed in two weeks of intense military operations. The military, on the other hand, suffered dozens of wounded personnel.

The military beefed up its assault following the execution

of German kidnapped victim, Juergen Gustav Kantner, on February 26.

Kantner was beheaded after the family failed to pay the bandit’s demand of PhP30-million ransom. He had been in captivity for more than four months.

Petinglay said the body of the German national, which was recovered in the town of Indanan last Saturday, will be flown to Manila on Tuesday, March 7. (PNA)

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BUSY MONTH. Film Development Council of the Philippines marketing officer Anthony Rebamonte announces the upcoming two-day script writing workshop with renowned film director and screenwriter Ricky Lee set on March 9 at Cinematheque and the organization’s other activities. Rebamonte graced yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

Bigger... FROM 3 an alphanumeric system for easier identification and recollection by the general public, whether seen by day or night.

Moreover, the LTO will also provide to the police authorities, on a 24/7 basis; a list of all the registered motorcycles and scooters including, but not limited to, the following: the name of the registered owner, the number of his driver’s license, his address and contact details, vehicle identification number, plate number, body color, and brand/manufacturer.

Under the proposed mea-

sure, persons committing a crime through or with a backrider or backriders face life imprisonment. While the motorcycle or scooter used in the commission of the crime shall be confiscated and forfeited in favor of the government.

Gordon, chair of the Senate Committee on Justice and Human Rights, noted that for the past two decades, motorcycles have been used by criminals with hardly any witnesses being able to read or identify the motorcycle plate numbers because of the small size.

Because of this, he said that motorcycles have become “crime machines.”

In 2011, the Philippine National Police recorded 1,700 crime incidents involving riding-in-tandems suspects with 2,089 victims. This was higher than the 1,565 recorded incidents in 2010, with 1,819 victims.

In Metro Manila alone, the number even ballooned to more than 3,000 in 2013. In 2014, it went up to 6,219 and decreased to 6,026 in 2015.

(PNA)

disease. That journey takes you to the road of cirrhosis,” she added.

Arguillas said an average of 120 to 130 patients in Mindanao are using Fibroscan in DDH every month. She added,

many of her patients are coming from areas outside Davao Region including Sultan Kudarat and Cotabato Province.

To avail the procedure, price varies depending on the person’s body size. Those

with normal Body Mass Index (BMI), patients will be charged with P3,800 for the medium-sized probe while those obese and overweight will be charged with P4,000 for the XL-sized probe.

“An adhoc review management unit or RMU and five TRTs shall be organized to manage and undertake the review, respectively,” Dominguez said, reading from the approved guidelines.

“The RMU shall manage the review through the provision of office space, provide administrative and financial services, hire individual experts and consolidate documents and reports for submission to

the Council,” Domingue said.

Lopez, who was not present at last Friday’s MICC meeting, was represented by DENR Undersecretary for Legal Affairs Maria Paz Luna.

It was the MICC’s second meeting since Lopez ordered last Feb. 2 the closure of 23 mine sites and the suspension of five others on environmental grounds. On Feb. 14, the DENR secretary cancelled 75 Mineral Production Sharing

Agreements (MPSAs) still in the pre-operation stage.

In the March 3 meeting attended by representatives of various government agencies, the DOLE expressed concern over the high costs of the emergency employment program that had to be immediately put in place to support workers who might be displaced should the DENR ‘s closure and suspension orders push through. (PR)

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EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

A PERFECT ISLAND GETAWAY

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

A perfect place for kayaking with fine white cottony sand beaches.

I HAVE BEEN TO VARIOUS BEACH RESORTS in the Island Garden City of Samal but I never expect that The Island Buenavista is such a treat, especially if you are looking for a place to spend your summer this year.

I came to know about the nonchalant breeze from the sea place after reading an article cools your warm body. which appeared in Mabuhay, Not far from the beach, you the in-flight magazine of Phil- can enjoy watching the ecologippine Air Lines. I was enticed ically-fragile coral reefs. The when I saw the photos of the waters are teemed with marine private resort which is actu- life, which makes the island as ally the Little Ligid Island (the a remarkable haven for those adjacent bigger island is aptly who love diving. called Big Ligid).

On a clear day, you can go at So, when Brenda Arabe Oc- the gazebo and stay there while ampo, the resort’s marketing having a communion with namanager, invited me to visit the ture. Watch the adjacent island island for sight-seeing, I imme- while sipping a cold pineapple The author in one of the beach huts. diately signed up. After all, it’s juice or eating some Filipino set. You can sit there and relax not often to go to such place delicacies. while gazing up to a velvet canwhich most vacationeers from As the day is set to end, take opy of brilliant stars and silvery Manila – including award- a glimpse of the pastel sun- moon. winning thespians – visit.

Indeed, the four-hectare island is a perfect place to go this summer. It has a beautiful view, especially the one that is facing the Pacific Ocean.

It’s no wonder why the owners – the Ayalas – have given the name Buenavista – which comes from two Spanish words, buena means “good” while vista is for “view.”

If you dream this summer of swimming in a white sand beach with crystal clear waters and far from the madding crowd, then The Buenavista Island is a dream comes true. As you loiter around the island, you can take refuge under the shade of coconut trees (they don’t bear nuts so you are safe wherever you go) and feel the sun-kissed cottony sands. The A fresh water swimming pool is located at the center of the island.

Not only that, the island is also widely known for its rich formation of coral reefs and abundant marine life. There’s

no doubt about it – it’s touted to be one of the top snorkeling and diving destinations in Davao.

The Island Buenavista is Davao region’s counterpart for Amanpulo. For a fixed rate for one night (a maximum of 10 persons), you can have the whole island. Its brochure explains: “Here, we give a new dimension to the word ‘privacy’ and ‘exclusivity.’ When we say that the island is private and exclusive, we mean you own the island for a certain period you want. There’s nobody else on the island except you and the Buenavista staff.”

The brochure further states: “You can enjoy the whole island and you get to choose whom to enjoy it with because it is yours exclusively.”

By the way, there’s a day-tour package with P2,800 per person. The price is inclusive of the following: buffet lunch, roundtrip boat transfers, welcome drinks, and complimentary use of sports and leisure facilities (kayak, swimming pool and beach area, beach volleyball and table tennis).

Going to The Island Buenavista from Davao City takes about almost an hour.

Ferry from Sasa wharf to Babak in Samal takes about 15 minutes. Land transport from Babak to Anamarina, the exclusive jump-off, is 20 minutes. It takes another 15 minutes or so from Anamarina to the island.

For those who want to avail its tour package, departure from Sta. Ana wharf is at 7 am.

Departure from the island is at 3:15 pm

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AirAsia’s e-boarding pass now available on all domestic flights Enjoy the comfort of checking-in and boarding flights using your smartphones

AIRASIA’S “E-BOARDING PASS” is a paperless boarding pass that allows guests without check-in-baggage to proceed straight to the boarding gate without having to queue at the check-in counter or desk at the airport. Guests with check-inbaggage, however, are required to proceed to bag drop counter first before going to the boarding gate.

Philippines AirAsia CEO Captain Dexter Comendador said, “We are constantly investing in technology to make flying easier, more enjoyable, and comfortable for our guests.

With the expected surge of travellers this summer, e-boarding pass will significantly reduce time spent queueing at airport counters.”

To enjoy this convenience, guests have to download the AirAsia Mo-

bile App in their smartphones and use this application to check-in and receive their e-boarding pass in their mobile phones. Upon boarding, guests will use their mobile phones to show their e-boarding pass instead of the traditional paper tickets.

At the boarding gate, AirAsia’s guest service personnel will verify guests’ identity and scan their eboarding pass. Guests may then

proceed to the aircraft. Guests are required to present their e-boarding pass to the cabin crew before boarding the aircraft.

E-Boarding pass is available on all AirAsia domestic flights departing from airports in Manila’s NAIA Terminal 4, Cebu, Kalibo, Davao, Tacloban, Puerto Princesa and Tagbilaran in the Philippines. It is limited to one guest in one booking only and

is currently unavailable for international flights and Fly-Thru bookings or those with multiple flights.

AirAsia offers several flights to and from Manila, Cebu, Davao, Tagbilaran/Bohol, Boracay (via Caticlan and Kalibo), and Tacloban. Flights from Cebu to Palawan, Boracay/ Caticlan, Davao and Davao to Clark, Cebu, Boracay/Caticlan, and Palawan will commence on April 22.

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T R AV E R S I N G THE EAST COAST OF MINDANAO is not a route I usually take. That’s why during the whole northward surf trip from Mati City, my eyes were glued to the window seat of Joven’s car.

If you remember that for almost half the month of February, I was on a surf trip with an amazing surf crew (shout out to Joven, Alex, Sandy, Bhrett, Lisa, Wanda and Karen!). Driving almost 1000 kilometers and surfing around different spots in Mindanao, it was our very own version of an “Endless Summer”.

Passing through coastal roads, sleepy beach towns, green rice paddies and a mountain road full of trees on both sides, the journey itself felt like a destination. Stopping here and there for a few photos every few turns, our drive got a little extended because there was just so many beautiful sceneries that were really worth getting photos of.

A drive on the coastal roads meant seeing different kinds of beaches like this one between Baganga and Cateel where instead of sand, it was pure flat reef as the bottom.

Continuing the story two weeks ago, we passed through Baganga which is one of the six provinces in Davao Oriental. The last remaining provinces There were a lot of idyllic places you could stop over along the highways we still had to see were like this one where you could see breaking waves at a cove.

Boston and Cateel.

These two barangays region. slowly gave way to the were one of those provIt was quite differ- sea. We were driving by a inces hit the hardest by ent with Boston. Driv- cliff and not so far below Typhoon Pablo in 2012. ing through the Davao us were waves breaking I’ve never had the chance Coastal Road filled with so ideally, tempting us to to visit either Boston or different hues of blue as try and ride them right Cateel before. I know I the shore alternately gets away. must have missed half deep or shallow dependIt was raining hard the of my life already but it’s ing on the terrain of the past few days and it was never too late to visit a place. Afterwards I find only during the day we place I’ve never been be- myself in the middle of drove northward did the fore! greenery with mountains sun decide to shine. Alex, Boston felt like the and rice paddies to either who never lets a day poster child of the saying side. pass by without surfing, “from ridge to reef”. Our An abundance of co- voices out how we should whole drive through the conut trees serve as a have spent the day surfprovince was refreshing reminder that the beach ing instead of driving. to the eyes. Driving by was somehow still near- Although if it was rainthe coastal road can get a by. True enough after ing that day, I don’t think bit predictable especially a few kilometers the I would have jumped out if you’re still in the same mountains beside us of the car and got great photos.

I made mental notes of the places I would love to revisit again when I’ve had the luxury of having more time to explore these municipalities. I am definite that there are a lot of beaches to discover here in Boston and Cateel.

To read the previous stories regarding our east coast surf trip, visit my A last look at the beautiful yet eerie leafless mangrove trees at blog: www.millennialmermaid.com Baganga’s Sunrise Boulevard.

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Advertise with

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

Tel No. 082.221.3601/224.1413 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com marketing@edgedavao.net

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Cabinet... FROM 4 plish over the medium term.”

Dominguez said that, “We lay the President’s comprehensive tax reform package before the people’s representatives, confident that you will see it in its best light and understand the urgency to legislating it to life.”

‘The comprehensive tax reform package we bring before you has been endorsed by the business associations, the foreign chambers of commerce, our multilateral development partners, the former secretaries and undersecretaries of finance and many other civil society groups,” he said. “This is the tax package that will enable us to reshape our economic growth to make it more inclusive. It is the tax reform package that will bring us to the irreversible path towards being a high-income economy in one generation and bring down our poverty rate to a mere 14% by 2022.”

He noted that, “If we fail to raise the volume of revenues required for our economy to break out over the next few years, we will fail in everything else. We will fail to close the infra gap. We will fail to make the investments in our young to prepare them for meaningful economic participation.

We will fail to catch up with our neighbors in the region who have invested twice of the amount than what we did on infra over the past three decades. Most important, we will fail to bring down the level of poverty afflicting our people.”

“Our tax system itself is direly in need of reform. Our personal and income tax rates are much higher than the rest of the region. We need to bring them at par to be competitive for investments. Unjustly high tax rates are nearly an invitation for evasion. By lowering tax rates to the regional environment, we hope to attract even more investments to

sustain a higher growth rate,” he said.

The finance secretary told the lawmakers that, “This is our economy’s golden moment. If we fail to seize it, the conjuncture of opportunities will pass us and we will betray our people. We cannot afford to lose because of indecision or because we failed to act boldly.”

The proposed CTRP will allow the government to build or improve 44,000 kilometers of national and local roads, construct more local hospitals and improve existing ones, attain 100 percent PhilHealth coverage, and achieve the ideal teacher-to-student and student-to-classroom ratios for the benefit of the country’s future workforce, according to Dominguez, who led the Cabinet in urging the 17th Congress to pass in its first regular session the first package of the CTRP. Moreover, some P48 billion will be earmarked for targeted transfer programs for low-income groups and other vulnerable sectors to shield them from the initial impact of the CTRP, he said.

Package One of the CTRP is outlined in HB No. 4774, the bill authored by Cua that aims to lower personal income tax rates for 99 percent of the country’s taxpayers while expanding the value-added tax (VAT) base and adjusting rates for consumption taxes such as the excise tax on petroleum products and automobiles, among other revenue-enhancing measures.

VAT exemptions for seniors and persons with disabilities will be retained under the bill.

With the approval and implementation of the tax reform bill, the DepEd would be able to construct 113,553 more classrooms and hire 181,000 more teachers for the public school system over the next five years if the full CTRP is implemented.

Pacific Paint (Boysen) Philippines, Inc. and Davies Paints Philippines, Inc. were ahead of the pack, phasing out lead-based raw materials in their paint production even before the issuance of DENR Administrative Order 201324, also known as the Chemical Control Order for Lead and Lead Compounds.

In 2016, the country’s top two paint manufacturers obtained third-party Lead Safe Paint® certification for 430 products under the Boysen, Nation, Titan and Virtuoso brands, and 379 products under the Davies brand.

As per the responses received by the EcoWaste Coalition to its latest outreach to the country’s paint makers, 18 other companies have shifted to non-lead raw materials for ADH paints, which are used for painting interior or exterior walls and surfaces of homes and schools, and for decorating furniture and even children’s products such as cribs and toys.

Among these companies are Add Research Paints

& Chemicals, Inc., A-Jaycee Chemicals Trading Corp., Andalucia Manufacturing Corp., Asian Coatings Philippines, Inc., Campbridge Paints, Inc., Century Chemical Corp., FH Colors & Coatings Corp., Globesco, Inc., Magna Prime Chemical Technologies, Inc., Mayon Industrial Corp., Nippon Paint Philippines Inc., Roosevelt Chemical, Inc., Super Globe, Inc., Sycwin Coatings & Wires, Inc., Times Paint Corp., Treasure Island Industrial Corp., Twin Aces Industries, Inc. and Universal Paint & Coatings, Inc. On the other hand, the EcoWaste Coalition regretted not receiving formal responses from the following companies: 3 Star Marketing, Breb Color Paint Station, Cameron Enterprises, Cebu 7H Technochem Industries, Inc., GB Dionisio Marketing, Globe International Distributor Center, Inc., March Resources Manufacturing Corp., Paradise Chemical Corp., Prime Coating & Chemical Inc., RCAC Capitol Ventures Corp., and Ultracote Paints & Coatings Corp. (PR)

Group... FROM 7

NEWS 11

Philippine Cinema Centennial celebration kicks-off in UP Mindanao S TUDENTS of UP Mindanao learned more about the history of Philippine movies with a lecture-screening given on February 27 by Prof. Edward Cabagnot, a scholar of Philippine cinema and pioneering proponent of

regional film-making in the Philippines. According to Prof.

Cabagnot, the lecture is the kick-off event in the celebration of the Philippine Cinema Centennial. “While film historians are still debating on when to consider the birth of Philippine

cinema--some claim it is 1917 because of the establishment of the first Filipino production company, while others claim it is 1919 with the release of the first Filipino-produced film, “Dalagang Bukid”--it is fit to kick-off the celebration of its

centennial this year to allow Filipinos more time to discover the history and development of Philippine cinema”, he said.

Prof. Cabagnot’s lecture covered the length of Philipine cinematic history from pio-

AVAO City Water District advises of two separate sets of water service interruption on March 9, 2017.

First set will be on from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM affecting the entire Garzon Compound in Ma-a. This water service interruption will give way to the tapping of the newly installed 50mm diameter Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipeline to the existing 50mm diameter PVC pipeline for the mainline im-

provement at Purok 21 in the affected area.

Second set will also be from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM affecting the entire Puroks 3 and 11, Brgy. Ula in Tugbok. This water service interruption will give way to the tapping of the newly installed 100mm diameter PVC pipeline to the existing 100mm diameter PVC pipeline for the mainline improvement at Purok 11, Brgy. Ula in Tugbok.

Once completed, both

projects will allow for accommodation of additional service connections.

The DCWD management asks for the understanding and cooperation of would-be affected customers. They are also advised to store enough water prior to the scheduled water interruptions. Water supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

The general public may

visit DCWD website (www. davao-water.gov.ph) and official Facebook page (www. facebook.com/davaowater) or call the Central Information Unit / Call Center through the 24-hour hotline 297-DCWD (3293) and press “1” on their phone dial for the latest daily water updates. Contact 09277988966, 0925-5113293, and 0908-4410653 for other updates, complaints, queries, and matters pertaining to DCWD services. (Winston Ajero)

without peace. Therefore, I am asking for unity,” he said.

RotchieM. Ravelo, the focal person of NLD Barangay Outreach Caravan said that the project emanated in line with the mandate of President Duterte which is to provide services directly to the people, and to promote good governance, and peace and order. He said that progress and peace always comes together.

“If there is progress, there is peace. And if there is peace, there is progress.”

The commanding officer of the 28th Infantry Battalion, Lt. Col. Ramon P. Zagala, also said that insurgency is never an answer to any conflict and urged the public to cooperate with the peace and development efforts of the government.

government. “This is really of great help because my income in selling firewood is not enough for my family’s need. I can’t sell as many as I should since I only carry the woods myself down from the mountain.” He added that he had long been hoping to be given livelihood that would sustain his family’s needs.

Aimed at providing impoverish residents like Ricardo Otar with a high-generating income, the Philippine Coconut Authority conducted techno demo on coco shanghai lumpia and coco toyo. These recipes use coconut residue and coconut water as the main ingredients, respectively, which are cheap and are easy to prepare.

They also offered scholarship to out-of-school youth for a 1-year vocational course.

Meanwhile, personnel of the Department of Health and Provincial Health Office conducted a free medical consultation, check-up on vital signs and blood pressure, eye checkup, and dental services such as tooth extraction, fluoride application, and sealing. They also distributed free medicines and vitamins while the Philippine Red Cross conducted blood typing.

People here, especially students who received free medical services for the first time, have expressed their gratitude to the provincial government.

“We are very happy to receive this help from the government because my parents cannot afford these. Our money from selling firewood is only enough for three meals a day”, said Alyssa Lamicday, a grade 11 student who lives in Barangay Paniquian.

Another grade 11 student, Marjorie General, had her eyes checked and availed of free reading eye glasses. “I am happy because it is free, unlike when we go to centers or hospitals where we had to pay. I sincerely thank the governor because even students from

elementary to high school can benefit from this,” she said.

She added that this community outreach is timely because she is a working student who barely had money for her education as well as for her health condition.

Another collaborating agency who gave school supplies is the Davao Oriental Provincial Police Office. They also distributed hygiene kit, a free haircut, and facilitated the issuance of police clearance which they rendered free on the first hour of their service.

To increase the number of abaca farmers who will be provided with seedlings later on, the Philippine Fiber Industry Development Authority (PhilFIDA) gave brochures and technical advisories about abaca farming. PhilFIDA Provincial Officer Joel Alcoser said that they consider establishing a techno demo farm in Banaybanay as well as in other neighboring towns like San Isidro and Governor Generoso.

The Department of Environment and Natural Resources gave mahogany and falcata seedlings and financial assistance to farmers. Also, they signed a Memorandum of Agreement with the people’s organization of the said barangays who will benefit from a project under the Enhanced National Greening Program.

An initiative for a reforestation program, the agreement is designed to reduce poverty by providing alternative livelihood activities for marginalized households of the said barangays. Recipients are being taught on seedling production and care and maintenance of newly-planted trees.

Also, the Department of Agriculture have turned over 125 bags of coffee seedlings, 500 bags of cacao seedlings, and 25 packs of vegetables seeds to each of the three barangays. Likewise, the Provincial Agriculture Office gave 11,500 bags of cacao seedlings,

100 bags of corn seed wherein each bag weighs 10 kilos and 200 packs of vegetable seeds.

On the other hand, the Provincial Veterinarian’s Office gave free vitamins and conducted deworming to domesticated animals, and rendered free rabies vaccination.

Indolores Carcellar, a 62year old farmer of barangay Mahayag said her prayer of being able to plant seeds of great quality is answered. “I am very grateful that there are free seedlings distributed because our farm has low yield due to the low quality of the seedlings we bought,” she said. She also appreciated the presence of the veterinarian because she raises animals like cattle and pig.

The Davao Commercial Agricultural Research Station (DaCARS) also gave planting materials and cacao seedlings.

The Department of Agrarian Reform has offered free legal assistance, scholarship program for CARP beneficiaries, re-documentation of collective CLOA, survey of CARP areas, and introduced life insurance.

The Technical Education and Skills Development Authority who rendered free body massage and haircut also offered scholarship to high school graduates who were not able to proceed to college due to poverty.

Other line agencies and provincial offices present such as the Philhealth, Social Security System, Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Science and Technology, and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council, among many others, conducted information dissemination and free consultation.

Governor Dayanghirang said that the three barangays in Banaybanay are not the last recipients of the provincial government’s effort to alleviate the socio-economic condition of the province. (Riza M. Golez/ PIO DavOr)

F PHILIPPINE, 14

Water service interruptions in parts of Davao City

D

Poor... FROM 6

Partner Agencies The community outreach was participated in by thedifferent line agencies from the national, provincial and local level.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) together with its provincial counterpart, the PSWDO, distributed Day Care school supplies, PWD crutches, and youth sports equipment.

Jeralyn Manalop, a mother of three children whose two older kids are in elementary school happily received the “gifts from the government”.

“These supplies are expensive these days, especially that my husband is only a laborer in a construction firm,” she said.

Manalop added that she is “overwhelmed” and that she “never expected the different government agencies to converge for a common cause- to care and find a way to cater all our needs”.

DSWD and PSWDO also gave food packs. Ricardo Otar, a 58-year-old father who sells fire wood as a source of income said he is overwhelmed to receive food packs and other services from the provincial

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

S

CIENTIFICALLY, it is known as Capsicum frutescens. In most English-speaking countries, it is called chili (other spellings include chilli and chile) or hot pepper. But among Filipinos, it is popularly known simply as sili.

It is estimated that one in four people eats chilis every day, according to Reader’s Digest intrepid reporter Robert Kiener. “Chillis were first domesticated in South America, in what is now Bolivia, some 6000 years ago,” he wrote. “Incas called the spicy fruit aji, and the Aztecs changed it to chilli.”

It was Christopher Columbus who brought the spice to Europe in the late 1400s. Portuguese and Spanish traders introduce the crop to Africa and Asia, where it became such a hit that locals soon viewed the import as their own.

Today, chili peppers are used around the world to make a countless variety of sauces, known as hot sauce, chile sauce, or pepper sauce. Indian cooking has

multiple uses for it -- from simple snacks to wonderfully complex curries. It is dried, roasted and salted as a side dish for rice varieties. Sambal is a versatile relish made from chili peppers as well as other ingredients such as garlic, onion, shallots, salt, vinegar and sugar, which is popular in Indonesia and Malaysia.

In Italian cuisine, crushed chili pepper flakes are a common ingredient on pizza, among other things. The leaves, mildly bitter but not nearly as hot as the fruits that come from the same plant, are cooked as vegetable in Filipino cuisine, where they are used in the chicken soup (tinola). In Korean cuisine, the leaves may be used in kimchi.

Some chili peppers are not grown for eating but for their decorative qualities. The Medusa pepper, for instance, produces fruit starting purple and then ripens to yellow, orange, and finally red. Black Pearl pepper has black leaves and round black fruit that ripen to a bright red.

Ripe chilis contain high amounts of vitamin C and car-

otene. Unripe fruits contain a considerably lower amount of both substances. In addition, chili peppers are a good source of most B vitamins, and vitamin B6 in particular. They are very high in potassium, magnesium, and iron. (The leaves are excellent sources of calcium, and iron and a good source of phosphorus, vitamin B, and vitamin A.) However, chili peppers get their kick from a chemical called capsaicin located in the inside wall of the pepper pod. Capsaicin is reportedly about 100 times hotter than

the active principle piperine of black pepper. In an article, Rico R. Magda wrote: “The compound capsaicin is almost insoluble in water and needs to be emulsified if used in food. Capsaicin extracted

by organic solvent becomes gummy or oily syrup when concentrated.”

An aerosol extract of capsaicin, usually known as pepper spray has become widely used by police forces as a non-lethal means of incapacitating a person and in more widely dispersed for riot control, or by individuals for personal defense.

In medicine, capsaicin has been found to be a safe and effective analgesic agent in the management of arthritis pain, herpes zoster-related pain, diabetic neur o p a t h y, post-mastectomy pain, and headaches.

Research in humans found that “after adding chili to the diet, the LDL (or bad cholesterol), actually resisted oxidation for a longer period of time, (delaying) the development of a major risk for cardiovascular disease.” Another research

14 MOTORING EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

5 things you should know about your tires AGRITRENDS...

A

S your car’s only four contact patches on the road, tires play an important role in keeping you safe and secure no matter the road or weather condition.

Therefore, it’s important to know a bit more about your tire, especially about the various markings found on the sidewall. Though it’s so easy to dismiss these numbers and symbols, they can tell you a lot about your tire.

#1: Tire Size Description This is often the first think looked at by would-be car buyers because it contributes hugely to the form or porma factor. This set of numbers, for example, 235/50R18, gives you the tire’s width, sidewall aspect ratio, and diameter.

In this case, “235” is the tire’s width in millimeters measured from the widest point of the outer sidewall to the widest point of the inner sidewall when mounted and measured on the specified width wheel.

This measurement is also referred to as the tire’s section width. Take note that because tires do deform during mounting, so the overall width may vary from one tire make to another even if they carry the same section width.

The “50” meanwhile signifies the sidewall height measured from the rim to the tread. In this case, it’s 50 percent of the tire’s section width. The lower the number, the lower the sidewall.

Next, we have the “R” which refers to the tire’s type of construction. In this case, “R” refers to a radial construction where the tire’s plies radiate out from the center of the wheel. Though fitted to a vast majority of vehicles, some still use “D” or diagonal construction where the plies crisscross.

This is known as “bias ply” construction and is commonly found in trucks and commercial vehicle applications.

Finally, we have the diameter.

“18” here indicates that it’s meant to be mounted on 18inch wheels.

#2: Speed Rating Located usually in-between the section height and diameter (235/50ZR18) or appended after the long tire size string (235/50R18 Y) is a curious letter that dictates the tire’s speed rating. With some highways, particularly in Germany, derestricting speed limits, it’s important to know the maximum speed your car can go. Speed ratings are determined using laboratory tests and only apply to tires that haven’t been damaged, altered, underinflated, or overloaded. A tire which has been repaired can no longer retain the original manufacturer’s speed rating. Here’s a quick reference on your tire’s maxi-

mum speed: • S: 180 km/h • T: 190 km/h • U: 200 km/h • H: 210 km/h • V: 240 km/h

Curiously, when “Z” rated tires were first introduced, they were thought of reflecting the highest tire speed that would ever be required. Ultimately, as cars became faster, the industry added two new standards: • Z: in excess of 240 km/h • W: 270 km/h • Y: 300 km/h

Now, even the “Y” speed rating has been segmented further indicated by parenthesis. When the “Y” is enclosed in them, say “(97Y)” that means they’ve been tested in excess of 300 km/h.

#3: Load Index Commonly overlooked when upgrading tires, the load index is a numeral value that indicates a tire’s load carrying capability. Usually found in a range from 70 upward, the higher the number, the greater the tire’s carrying capacity. If upgrading tires (whether they be a direct replacement or going plus sizing), it’s important to specify tires with the same or higher load index than the Original Equipment (OE).

#4: Max Inflation Pretty much self-explanatory, the “max inflation” figure indicates the maximum inflation pressure that the tire can safely take. It’s typically measured in PSI or Pounds per Square Inch, though some tires may have it in Kilopascals (kPa) or bars of pressure (bars).

Take note though that this does not indicate the recommended tire pressure you should be running on your vehicle. Consult your owner’s manual or the vehicle’s tire inflation placard (usually found in the driver’s door jam or in the inside fuel tank cap) for the recommended tire pressures.

Interestingly, owners running correctly plus sized tires need not worry about computing for the right tire pressure. If done right, there will the same volume of air present in the tire despite the increase in diameter and width, and decrease in size wall height.

But for an extra layer of secu-

rity, adding 2 PSI won’t do any harm.

#5: UTQG Ratings UTQG or Uniform Tire Quality Grade Standards are provided to provide buyers with useful information that can help them purchase tires based on their requirements: treadwear, traction, and temperature capabilities. The grades are assigned by the tire manufacturers based on their own internal tests or those conducted by an independent testing company that they have hired.

Unfortunately, the rating that is of the most interest is the one that’s also the most inconsistent. While the “Treadwear” grade was originally intended to be assigned purely scientifically, it has also become a marketing tool used by manufacturers to help position and promote their tires.

UTQG Treadwear Grades are based on actual road use in which the test tire is run in a vehicle convoy along with standardized Course Monitoring Tires. The vehicle runs a prescribed test loop with its alignment set, air pressure checked, and tire rotated 1,200 kilometers. The tire is then measured against the Monitoring Tire at the end of the test. The Monitoring Tire is then assigned a grade and the particular tire is graded indicating its relative treadwear.

A grade of 100 would indicate that the tire tread would last as long as the test tire, 200 would indicate the tread would last twice as long, 300 would indicate three times as long and so on.

The problem with UTQG Treadwear Grades is that they are open to some interpretation on the part of the tire manufacturer because they are assigned after the tire has only experienced a little treadwear as it runs the test loop.

This means that the tire man-

ufacturers need to extrapolate their raw wear data when they are assigning Treadwear Grades, and that their grades can to some extent reflect how conservative or optimistic their marketing department is.

Typically, comparing the Treadwear Grades of tire lines within a single brand is somewhat helpful, while attempting to compare the grades between different brands is not as helpful.

Next is the Traction grade which is based off the tire’s straight line wet traction tested as the tire skids across a specified test surface. The UTQG traction test does not evaluate dry braking, dry cornering, wet cornering, or high speed hydroplaning resistance.

The Traction Grade is determined by installing properly inflated test tires on the instrumented axle of a “skid trailer.” The skid trailer is pulled behind a truck at a constant speed over wet asphalt and wet concrete test surfaces. Its brakes are momentarily locked and the axle sensors measure the tire’s coefficient of friction (braking g forces) as it slides. Since this test evaluates a sliding tire at a constant 65 km/h, it places more emphasis on the tire’s tread compound and less emphasis on its tread design.

The highest grade is AA, followed by A, B, and C. Finally, there’s the Temperature or resistance grade.

This indicates the extent to which heat is generated and/ or dissipated by the tire. If the tire is unable to dissipate the heat effectively or if the tire is unable to resist the destructive effects of heat buildup, its ability to run at high speeds is reduced.

The grade is established by measuring a loaded tire’s ability to operate at high speeds without failure by running an inflated test tire against a large diameter high-speed laboratory test wheel. The highest grade is A which can go over 185 km/h followed by B (between 160 to 185 km/h), and then C (between 136 to 185 km/h).

Always remember though that because of a tire’s complex nature and variety of usage, UTQG grades are not reflective of their real world performance.

FROM 13

found that the amount of insulin required to lower blood sugar after a meal is reduced if the meal contains chili pepper. Chili peppers are also being probed as a treatment for alleviating chronic pain.

Scientists at Germany’s Max Planck Institute claim chili peppers may prevent formation of blood clots. Chili peppers can also ease the symptoms of the common cold by breaking up congestion and reducing mucus.

Recent studies have also discovered capsaicin could have an anti-ulcer protective effect on stomachs. Dr. Jin Y. Kang, of the National University Hospital in Singapore, said that chili does not harm the stomach of people suffering from peptic ulcers. It may even help, he added.

“It seems like there’s no end to chilli peppers’ versatility,” points out Dr. Danise Coon, program coordinator of New Mexico State University’s Chili Pepper Institute.

Now, the other side of the coin. Unknowingly, chili may increase the number of daily bowel movements and lower pain thresholds for people with irritable bowel syndrome. Consumption of red chilis after anal fissure surgery should be forbidden to avoid postoperative symptoms.

Experts cautioned not to

swallow the whole chili pepper; there are cases where unchewed chilis have caused bowel obstruction and perforation. Chronic ingestion of chili products may likewise induce gastroesophageal reflux.

Because of their sheer popularity and ease of cross-pollination, there are now thousands of chili pepper varieties around the world. And the mighty mite, wild Philippine chili is one of the hottest spices on earth. It is locally known as siling labuyo because of its strong, hot taste that Filipinos relate to the brave variety of red rooster.

“Siling labuyo capsule is small and tapers at the tip,” Magda wrote. “Some say it looks like the Tabasco chili and equate it as the same species. Actually, three types of siling labuyo exist which vary in length from 1.5 to 2.5 centimeters. The smallest, less than or about 1.5-centimeters long, is the hottest of them all. The remarkably small but very pungent fruit is good for those food adventurers with galvanized gullets.”

According to the Department of Agriculture, chili pepper can be grown from low to wind elevation throughout the year. Production is best, however, during the cool, dry months of October to March in sandy loam soil (with pH of 5.5 to 6.5).

neers Luis Nepomuceno and Vicente Salumbides with their respective films “Dalagang Bukid” starring Marcellano Ilagan and Atang de la Rama and “Florante at Laura” featuring Carlos Padilla and Lila Luna, continuing with “Sisa” by Gerardo de Leon with Anita Linda, through the 60s with “Batang Quiapo” starring Joseph Estrada, to the ‘70s’ “Ganito Kami

Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?”, and the ‘80s’ “Himala”, the rise of independent film-making, and many more in between, interspersed with screenings of clips from selected films.

Prof. Cabagnot also showed two independent films from the Visayas and Mindanao, and challenged the members of the audience to make their own films. (PR)

(85-82-107-73), Zamboanga 343 (83-92-101-67), Camp Evangelista 338 (77-90-8289), Fil Am Fairfield 335 (6999-80-87), Guinhalaran 329 (84-81-85-79), Up Tee Jots 325 (81-94-88-62), Bacolod 312 (63-84-80-85), Team Iligan 308 (69-71-82-86), Cotabato 306 (70-59-88-89), Camp John Hay 303 (72-79-63-89), SF Maharlika 301 (67-71-75-88), Team Brookside 297 (63-6385-86), Dagupan 287 (81-7755-74), Bay Area 259 (62-8148-68), Mabuhay Golf 229 (58-56-58-57), Melbourne Pinoy 207 (62-17-88-40), Seattle 202 (45-44-45-68), Greater Vancouver 154 (5040-25-39), South Bay 122 (5468-0-0)

Lanang 293 (66-79-77-71), Pearl Kai Hawaii 287 (69-7769-72), San Juanico 279 (7462-67-76), Silicon Valley 266 (68-59-76-63), San Francisco Crystal Springs 264 (64-6476-60), Van City 260 (6365-60-72), Filipino Golfers 253 (72-49-61-71), Skywest 248 (67-52-64-65), Filipino Golfers Assc Kuwait Team 1 248 (56-45-73-74), MSU 247 (71-55-61-60), Green Tee Riyahd 244 (57-62-67-58), Pittsburg Fil Am 237 (61-4776-53), Parbreakers 219 (5760-56-46), Baguio 206 (4058-61-47), Filipino Golfers Abu Dhabi 185 (43-58-40-44), Washington DC 181 (51-4535-50), Mt Malindang 173 (5433-69-17), Filipino Golfer UAE 168 (32-47-49-40), NZ Black Tee 167 (57-69-41-0), Moffet Field 154 (47-32-52-23), Fil Oz Sydney 142 (38-46-26-32), Yokohama Eagles 141 (38-4032-31), Filipino Golfers Assc Kuwait Team 2 86 (10-18-3028)

Philippine... FROM 11

Orchard... FROM 15

Friendship PGA of British Columbia 331 (95-99-71-66), Camp Aguinaldo 326 (75-98-5895), KGC Boys Melbourne 321 (74-90-69-88), South Cotabato 317 (71-87-69-90),

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

Phoenix CEO, Miss Earth L to grace awarding rites

SPORTS15

Orchard wins Founders title

P

HOENIX Petroleum Philippines CEO Dennis Uy along with reigning Miss Earth Katherin Elizabeth Espin of Ecuador will grace the awarding ceremonies of the 9th Phoenix-Pioneer Open golf tournament on March 11, 6 p.m. at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club.

“Uy along with Espin will serve as the highlight in awarding the winners of the tournament which will be held on that morning staring at 6 a.m.,” said tournament organizer Liloh Evangelista.

The tournament will be open to male and female golfers competing in the Team Division (5 to play. 4 to count), Partner Division and the Individual category. Winners will then receive Royal Selangor pewter plates and Phoenix Petroleum Philippine Fuel Cards. Champion teams will also be receiving a limited edition Phoenix signature golf bag.

A brand new Mercedez Benz A180 will be one of the hole-in-one prizes for the lucky player who scores a rare on a designated hole per par 3 fairway. Aside from the Mercedez Benz A180 sponsored by Auto Nation Group Incorporated other hole-in-one prizes at stake as

Miss Earth Katherine Elizabeth Espin announced earlier are a Tata Xenon4x4 and one hundred thousand pesos worth of Fuel Cards.

Registration is ongoing at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club, Apo Golf and Country Club, Dencio’s SM Ecoland and the Phoenix Mega Station in Lanang.

It is pegged at P5,000 per player which will entitle the

Phoenix Petroleum CEO Dennis Uy registrant to compete in the team, partner and individual categories, maximum of one team and one partner.

The paid entry will also receive give-aways upon registration having a Rudy Project dri-fit golf shirt and cap, a Phoenix signature golf umbrella and a JBL Clip2 waterproof Bluetooth speaker

by Harman Kardon. He or

she will also be entitled to have one practice round on any day between March 7 to 10, 2017 at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club.

Tournament proceeds will go to the Phoenix Philippine Foundation for its educational, environment, health and other community programs.

OST in Manila Southwoods’ dominance of the just-ended 70th Philippine Airlines Interclub golf team championships were the close battles in the other divisions in Davao City.

Orchard captured the second-tier Founders division, holding off Forest Hills’ final day rally by three points.

Rodel Mangulabnan and Niko Santiano scored 31 and 30 points to lead Orchard which was outscored by Forest Hills by 15 points at the Palos Rancho Verdes.

Orchard struggled with 117 points in the final round with Aaron Dimabuyu (29) and Raymund Sangil (27) rounding out its scorers.

Forest Hills got a big lift from former national player Jude Eustaquio to close out with 132 points.

Eustaquio eagled the par5, No. 8 and had four birdies against three bogeys and a pickup.

The other Forest Hills scorers were Inigo Raymundo 33, Ronnie Littaua 33 and Peter Young 29.

In another close fight for third place, Valley nipped Riviera and Cebu Country Club with 468 points.

Valley rode on Enrico Gallardo’s 36 points to finish with 125 points, a point ahead of Riviera (112) and three clear of CCC (111).

In the Sportswriters’ division, Sarangani finished two points ahead of Sta. Elena to claim the crown.

Led by Arthur Ong’s 29 points, Sarangani completed the come-from-behind win by scoring 109 points at the Apo Golf and Country Club Saturday for 377 points.

Sta. Elena settled for second with 375 followed by Mactan Island with 368 points.

PGA of British Columbia won the Friendship class with 331 points, five points ahead of Camp Aguinaldo.

Art Makalintal and Jesse Castillo turned in 27 and 24 points, respectively to lead PGA British Columbia.

Third place went to KGC Boys Club Melbourne with 321 points.

Sherwood Hills, on the other hand, posted a comfortable 31-point victory over Lumbia in the Aviator division.

Drawing firepower from Harry Paltongan (27), Nestor Sevilla (25) and Nicolae Eribert Sevilla (24), Sherwood tallied 93 points at Apo for 413 points.

Lumbia was second with 382 and Davao City Golf third with 375.

The results:

Founders Orchard 480 (123-116124-117), Forest Hills 477 (117-115-113-132), Valley Golf 468 (107-118-118-125), Riviera 467 (116-117-122112), Cebu 465 (113-122119-111), Apo 455 (112-120120-103), Tagaytay Highlands 455 (117-105-112-121), Villamor 450 (120-105-111-114), Pueblo de Oro 443 (106-110114-113), Wack Wack 431 (120-97-102-112), Negros Occidental 422 (103-104-107108), Rancho Palos Verdes 422 (105-103-99-115), Alabang 420 (100-98-107-115), Socal Redhawk 395 (103-98-99-95) Aviator Sherwood Hills 413 (106113-101-93), Lumbia 382 (106-105-88-83), Davao 375 (91-89-97-98), Manila 372 (89-89-101-93), Eagle Ridge 361 (81-83-108-89), Alta Vista 361 (93-88-99-81), Tagaytay Midlands 347 (59-111-9978), Iloilo 336 (88-79-77-92), Club Filipino de Cebu 324 (74-81-91-78), Fil Am Hawaii 320 (71-85-86-78), Victoria’s 247 (85-75-94-18), Vancouver Golf ABC 222 (61-42-68-51), Greenhills West (219 (61-4962-47), Pinoy Vancouver 163 (60-52-19-32) Sportswriter Sarangani 377 (80-91-97109), Sta Elena 375 (84-97-1183), Mactan Island 368 (87-9984-98), Stanford 362 (96-78106-82), Philippine Navy 347

F ORCHARD, 14

BULLDOGS. The Rizal Memorial Colleges football team pose before the match against University of Mindanao.

RMC booters near DCPRISAA title B

UCKING the absence of two key players, the Rizal Memorial Colleges Bulldogs turned back archrival University of Mindanao, 3-1, and moved a win away from the Davao City Private Schools Athletic Association (DC PRISAA) Meet men’s football title.

The Bulldogs only need to win their next outing against lowly Agro Industrial College to punch a ticket to the PRISAA Regional Finals slated March 10 and 11 in Tagum City.

The RMC-Agro setto was being played as of presstime on Monday.

UM had a scoreless draw with RMC last year but still

represented Davao City to the regional finals after having a better quotient.

“This time we made sure na talunin talaga sila,” said RMC coach Albert Ryan Lim. Jake Cabiles broke the silence with a goal from a wing attack and cut back in the 4th minute to give RMC an early 1-0 lead.

Skipper Warren Ravanes, son of many-time Davao City men’s football team member Walter and women’s squad mainstay Renalyn, next struck RMC’s two markers to break the game apart.

Ravanes, who is a candi-

date for the Philippine team to this year’s Southeast Asian Games in Malaysia, first scored in the 20th minute from a penalty kick due to handball.

The third year college standout then converted a combination play from the right wing in the 73rd minute.

UM then used excessive force inside the penalty box resulting to a marker by RMC’s Renante Bangi in the 85th minute.

“The hard work of our daily training paid off. Nakabawwi na from last year’s loss.

I hope tuloy tuloy na sa Regional PRISAA,” said Lim, the

sports director of RMC. “I give credit to my players.

Despite missing two of our key players Jefril Cabaral Fernandez and Ian delos Reyes, I was very optimistic of my other players,” Lim said.

Fernandez suffered a motorcycle accident while Delos Reyes had to rush home to Montevista due to family matters.

Lim also gave credit to his coaching staff Emardino Polo and Cedie Atangan. He also thanked the support from RMC Chairman Leo Magno, President Evelyn Abellera-Magno and AVP Atty. Ernesto Raphael Robillo.

WINNERS AND LOSERS. 2017 PBA Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beermen (top) whoop it up after clinching the title over Barangay Ginebra. (bottom) The Kings were relegated to a runner-up finish after bowing out in Game 5. PBA Media Bureau

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 9 ISSUE 270 • TUESDAY, MARCH 7, 2017

REBOOT

FIREBRAND. Francis Gabriel Escandor led Ateneo with a gamehigh 21 points. Lean Daval Jr.

Ateneo restarts after infraction, routs DCNHS

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

P

njb@edgedavao.net

RESSING the refresh button after a ‘false’ start, Ateneo de Davao University got back on the winning track, blasting away Davao City National High School 93-45 on Sunday in the 4th Emilio Escandor Cup High School Basketball Tournament at the Davao City Recreation Center.

There was no denying the Blue Knights this time after a costly inadvertence on player eligibility cost them a game penalty.

Francis Gabriel Escandor, whose explosive debut was obliterated by that forfeited win over Jose Maria College, struck hard again for the Blue Knights with 21 points.

The six-foottwo Ateneo

go-to-guy was almost unstoppable cruising past his defenders on lane incursions and knocking in from the distance.

Ion Angeles added 12 for the Blue Knights while shifty playmaker Jethro Taculin chipped in 11.

The usually hot Axel Doromal was limited to 6 points while Dariel Manliguez also had the same output.

“I am happy to restart again. Everything is behind us now and it is time to recover our bearings,” said Ateneo coach Miggy Solitaria.

The Blue Knights jumped to a 17-7 lead after the first quarter but DCNHS, one of only two

public high schools in the 12-team hoopfest, closed the gap to just 5, 27-22 at the turn.

The Blue Knights, newly-crowned Davao SM NBTC champions, struck through Escandor, Doromal and Angeles in the third canto to widen the lead to a comfortable 54-30.

Ateneo’s defense held o u t in the

FLOATER. Axel Doromal of Ateneo stops and pops against a defender from Davao City National High School. Lean Daval Jr.

third, limiting the Nationals to just 8 points in the entire q u a r t e r.

E a r l i er, Ateneo voluntarily admitted committing a rule infraction and forfeited its won game against Jose Maria College during the opening day last February 26 Solitaria informed tournament director Ronel Leuterio that his team has

indeed fielded a player whom they just found to be over the age limit.

SBP liaison officer Ronel Leuterio, in an interview, said they have acted on the matter and imposed the necessary penalty on Ateneo.

Leuterio, tasked to oversee the tournament

by SBP Board of Trustee member Glenn Escandor, said they appreciated the honesty and remorse shown by Ateneo.

Only players born 1999 onwards qualify for the tournament sanctioned by the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP). The rule infraction knocked Ateneo out of the leadership after the first playdate.