Edge Davao 9 Issue 26

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

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EDGEDAVAO

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Serving a seamless society

PROBE. Vice presidential candidate and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano, together with Senator Koko Pimentel, asks some of the droughtaffected farmers details of the Kidapawan City protest and road blockage incident during yesterday’s Senate Inquiry held at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) in Bo. Obrero, Davao City. The incident has resulted in bloody confrontation between the farmers and the police force injuring hundreds and claiming two lives. Lean Daval Jr.

DUTERTE: LET DA SOLVE IT City’s donation to farmers stalled as DA insists there is no rice shortage EDGEDAVAO Sports

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

ITH the Departent of Agriculture insisting that there is enough food and rice in El Nino-hit areas of North Cotabato, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said he might forego the donation of 15,000 sacks of rice worth P31.5 million which the City Council approved last Tuesday.

“The City Council had given me authority to donate rice, but (Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Proceso)

Alcala said there is no shortage (of rice). So it behooves upon the government to give them the rice,” Duterte said in an interview on Wednesday night at SMX Convention Center.

Duterte quoted Alcala in some reports saying that while many farmers have been affected by the long dry spell due to El Niño, there have been bumper harvests of rice and corn in Kidapawan City, Carmen and other areas in North

Cotabato, and in Regions 11 and 12.

The mayor also quoted the DA secretary saying that the farmers’ protest was politically motivated and mounted by local politicians in Mindanao identified with the group of former North Cotabato Governor Emmanuel Piñol who is supporting his presidential bid.

“Sabi ni Alcala na mayroon pala, e di sila na lang. Si Alcala na lang ang magbigay (Alcala

said there is enough rice, so let them do it. Let Alcala give rice to the farmers),” he said.

Duterte said he will just reserve the money “for some future emergency use” since “there’s no telling how long the drought would be (because of) El Niño.”

Earlier, Duterte vowed on Friday that he will give food assistance to the victims of drought after the bloody dispersal of protesting farmers in

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Kobe loses in penultimate home game P15

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

RESOURCE PERSONS. Gov. Emmylou Taliño-Mendoza of North Cotabato (center), National Food Authority (NFA) deputy administrator Ludovico Jarina (left) and lawyer Christopher Cabelenn, representative of Mayor Joseph

‘FMO’to continue despite ASG threat to kill Samal hostages

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OCUSED military operations” (FMO) will continue despite threats of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) to kill the four captives from their Island Garden of Samal City raid in September 2015.

Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Hernando DCA Iriberri made this statement during a chance interview at PNP headquarters, Camp Crame, Quezon City.

“We are looking at this very seriously and we (will) continue to conduct our FMO to address the situation and hopefully resolve the matter,” he said.

The ASG deadline for ransom payment for three of the foreign captives is set to lapse on Friday, exactly a month after

the bandits, in video clip posted in the Internet, threatened to kill the hostages if their ransom demands are not met.

These hostages are Canadians John Ridsdel and Robert Hall, Norwegian Khartan Sekkingstad, and Filipina Marites Flor.

The ASG bandits are reportedly seeking a PHP1 billion ransom from the governments of their foreign hostages.

Iriberri declined to give details on the ongoing FMO as this could endanger the lives of the victims.

“We cannot go into details because it might even further endanger the victims, so (it) suffice to say that operations are ongoing with the intention of resolving the problem,” he added. (PNA)

Non-inclusion of public school teachers in LSB questioned

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N association of public school teachers in Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday filed a formal complaint on the non-inclusion of its members in the Local School Board (LSB) here.

City Councilor Adrian Barba, chair of the city council committee on education, said that the committee has forwarded the complaint to the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Education (DepEd) for action.

He said that the Cagayan De Oro Public School Teachers and Employees Association Inc. (COPSTEA), an SEC-registered teachers’ association, has sought the assistance of the City Council to intercede

on the issue of representation with the LSB. In a resolution submitted to the City Council, the COPSTEA complained that the members of the association are registered and regular employees of public schools in the city.

Barba said that the resolution contended that as a duly recognized chapter of the Philippine Public School Teachers Association, the COPSTEA is entitled to the membership in the LSB. The COPSTEA complained that the City Mayor Oscar Moreno and the City School’s Division Superintendent refused to recognize the COPSTEA, instead, appointed

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Evangelista, take their oath as resource persons before the start of yesterday’s Senate Inquiry held at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USeP) in Bo. Obrero, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

Cayetano blames nat’l gov’t for bloody Kidapawan dispersal

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

DP-LABAN vice presidential bet Senator Alan Peter Cayetano blamed the national government over the violent dispersal in Kidapawan City, North Cotabato last week.

In an interview yesterday after the Senate hearing conducted by the committee on human rights at University of Southeastern Philippines, Cayetano said the province of North Cotabato was left behind by the national government.

“Napakagulo ng sitwasyon at maraming nangyari pero on thing is clear, North Cotabato was left behind by the national government (The sit-

uation is chaotic a lot of things happened but one thing is clear, North Cotabato was left behind by the national government),” he said.

He said there were already reports from January to February submitted to the national agencies that the damage caused by drought is already widespead.

“The damage two months ago was just P200 million then the North Cotabato’s money was only P100 million. Now, the damage cost already reached P1 billion, the national government has not yet declared the areas of province under state of calamity,” he said.

Cayetano said that this kind of situation is similar to case of Tacloban which was hit by typhoon Yolanda in 2013 and other untoward events where the government somehow did not learn from the past.

“Maging sa Yolanda, maging dito, bahala na ang local, bahala na kayo sa sitwasyon niyo (Whether in Yolanda or in North Cotabato, the burden is still passed on the local government and the people will still suffer the burden),” he said.

He said the national government did not even try to think that the resources and authority of the local govern-

ment units (LGU) are only limited.

“We are not a Federal State, the local government has no enough resources and authority to deal with this problem,” he said.

“Natutulog ang national government (The national government is sleeping),” he added.

Cayetano criticized some concerned cabinet secretaries and government officials who did not show up in yesterday’s hearing.

Cayetano was referring to the secretaries of Department of Budget Management (DBM), Department of Social

sanctioning them, we can only sanction those that are directly under our supervision,” Corvera said during the media forum held at Kapihan sa Manila Bay. For individuals who are not under jurisdiction of the DILG which are found to have violated the human rights of the Kidapawan farmers, he said they would be referred to the proper venues.

Earlier, DILG Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento created two fact-finding panels to assess the circumstances behind the Kidapawan confrontation last April 1.

The first panel is focused

on the operational aspect of the dispersal and is headed by National Police Commission (Napolcom) Commissioner Job M. Mangente. The second panel is focused on the local government units (LGUs) and is headed by Director Manuel Q. Gotis of the DILG’s Bureau of Local Government Supervision (BLGS).

The Napolcom’s fact-finding panel is focused on the actions made by Philippine National Police (PNP) personnel and their commanders who were on the ground when the incident happened, while the LGU panel is looking into mea-

sures taken by the concerned LGUs in addressing the El Nino problem in their area of responsibility.

Corvera said Sec. Sarmiento is keen on digging out the truth especially since there are members of the PNP who were injured and are still unconscious because of the incident.

“Our problem is a lot of speculations and annotations came out on social media before we can even start our formal investigation on the matter. This has stirred confusion among people regarding what really happened on that day,”

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DILG vows transparent, thorough probe on Kidapawan dispersal

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HE Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) has vowed that there will be no stones unturned in its investigations into the confrontation between farmers and policemen in Kidapawan City last week.

DILG Undersecretary for Public Safety Peter Irving Corvera said the DILG parallel probes will ferret out the truth and get into the bottom of the confrontation’s cause.

“With respect to the investigation, nobody will be spared in terms of identifying (the perpetrators). But as to

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DCWD warns public of water shortage due to power outages

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QUESTIONABLE LICENSE. A foreigner argues with police officers after he presented a questionable license at a Commission on Elections (Comelec) checkpoint along Quimpo Boulevard on Wednesday night. Lean Daval Jr.

HE Davao City Water District (DCWD) has advised the public to conserve and store water as their production wells facilities are affected by the rotational power interruption of the Davao Light and Power Company.

In a text message, DCWD spokesperson Bernardo Delimo said areas, such as Bajada, Buhangin, Obrero, Agdao, Madapo, including the back of Davao Doctors Hospital towards circumferential road up to madapo, lanang, pampanga, and sasa will have longer recovery time as pressure build-up is harder because of successive rotational brownouts.

“Other areas will experience 2 hours or less recovery time,” he said.

Delima said water rationing has now implemented

in Lanang, Pampanga and Sasa since these are the hardly-hit areas when it comes to recovery time lasting a day.

The DLPC has implemented the rotating power interruptions within its franchise for the past four week.

In a statement, DLPC’s communication officer Rosanno Luga said the rotating outage is due to the further reduction of the power supply from major hydropower plants in Mindanao caused by the worsening effect of the El Nino Phenomenon as advised by the National Grid Corporation of Philippines (NGCP).

“Starting yesterday, April 6, the duration of the rotating outages in Davao Light has increased from a maximum of two hours to four hours,” he said.

HE Office of the Ombudsman (Ombudsman) on Wednesday charged former Bukidnon Rep. Candido Pancrudo, Jr. and five others with two counts of violations of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”, one count each of malversation and malversation through falsification, for illegally using the Php 8-million Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) allotted for Pancrudo’s congressional district in 2008.

Facing trial with Pancrudo before the Sandiganbayan are National Agribusiness Corporation officials Alan Javellana, Rhodora Mendoza, Maria Ninez Guañizo and Victor Roman Cacal, and Mark Espinosa, corporate secretary of Uswag Pilipinas Foundation, Inc. (UPFI), the non-government organization (NGO) which Pancrudo personally chose as a conduit of the “ghost” projects funded by his PDAF. In a 14-page order released on Wednesday, the Ombudsman denied the motions for reconsideration (MRs) filed

by the respondents for lack of merit.

“The indictments against them, as written in the Resolution, STAND,” Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales said on Wednesday.

In the 47-page resolution issued by the Ombudsman in 2015, several irregularities were found to have attended the disbursement of Pancrudo’s PDAF, among them included the choice of UPFI as conduit without the benefit of a public bidding and without basis in law or ordinance; failure to verify UPFI’s existence or capacity to deliver; UPFI was chosen as conduit for the funds despite its ineligibility in violation of COA Circular No. 2007-001; respondents facilitated the approval of vouchers and the release of Php 1,193,100 despite inconsistencies in the supporting documents; and respondents facilitated the approval of vouchers and the release of Php 6,760,900 with the use of falsified reports, receipts, invoices and other documents.

(PNA)

raps ex-Bukidnon Rody to Mar: Try holding Ombudsman solon, 5 others for PDAF scam T shabu, I’ll shoot you

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

RESIDENTIAL bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte refuted the statement of Mar Roxas that he was making false promises when he said he can eradicate crime in three to six months.

“Takot kang pumatay? Takot kang mamatay? Subukan mo ako. Maghawak ka ng shabu sa harap ko, pasasabugin ko yang ulo mo (Are you afraid to kill? Are you afraid to die? Try me. Try holding shabu [methamphetamine hydrochloride], I will shoot you in the head),” Duterte told reporters in an interview at SMX Convention Center in SM Lanang Premiere on Wednesday night.

Roxas had told reporters in Oriental Mindoro on Wednesday that Duterte’s promise to rid the country of crime in three to six months was “pambobola” (making false promises).

“Itong 3-6 months na ito, pambobola ito eh. Lahat ng eksperto na nakakaalam sa krimen, nagsasabing imposible ito (This three to six months it is just a false promise. All experts in criminal justice are saying it is impossible),” Roxas had said.

Duterte said it is possible to eradicate criminality in a short period of time if one commits to it.

“E kung patayin ko yan lahat sa isang araw, anong pakialam mo? Ginawa ko na yan noon e ‘di gagawin ko uli (What if I kill them all in one day, what is it to you? I did it before, I can do it again),” he said.

Asked about Roxas’ assertion that Davao City has the fourth highest crime rate in the country, Duterte said his rival has his facts wrong.

“Wala kang alam. (You know nothing) You don’t know

PNP condemns NPA abduction of 3 police officers in Bukidnon

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HE Philippine National Police (PNP) on Wednesday has strongly condemned the abduction of three police officers by New People’s Army (NPA) brigands in the province of Bukidnon last April 3.

In a statement, PNP Spokesperson Chief Supt. Wilben Mayor tagged the NPA’s kidnapping of SPO4 Rene Rombo, SPO1 Warren Hansol Coñales and PO3 Edwin Panis Castor at Sayre Highway as an unlawful act.

“We ask the New People’s Army for the immediate release of our fellow police officers as they are also, like ordinary people have their own family to look into,” Mayor said in a statement.

“Just like all citizens, these policemen deserve the guaranteed right to life and liberty.

These police officers are but citizens who are working for the improvement of the standard of living of the people in Region 10,” he added.

Mayor also said that all personnel are reminded to observe personal security measures to prevent becoming victims of similar atrocities.

“As efforts are being exerted to ensure the safe release of these kidnapped policemen, our primary concern is the safety of the community. We assure the kin of these policemen that the PNP will exhaust all possible means to bring

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about the local government, about the laws,” he said.

In his speech at the National Convention of Civil Registry Personnel and Partners in Civil, Duterte told members of the Philippine Association of Civil Registrars that if he becomes President, the first thing he will do is order the police and the military to hunt down crime lords.

“If they offer resistance, kill them,” he said.

Addressing criticism that his administration would be bloody if he becomes President, Duterte said it was true.

“Pag durugista ka, kidnapper ka, talaga papatayin kita (expletive deleted). Akala nila nagbibiro ako. Bakit ako magbibiro (If you are a drug pusher or a kidnapper, I will really kill you. They think I’m joking. But why would I joke about that)?” he said.

“Pagka kriminal ka, magrape ka ng bata (If you are a criminal, if you rape a child), I will hunt you like a dog and i will kill you.) Bakit kita bubuhayin (Why would I let you live)?” he added.

In earlier interviews, Duterte said the crime volume in the city is high because the police statistics include minor violations like smoking in public. He had also said more crimes get reported in Davao City because it is easy to do so through the 911 Emergency Response Center which can be contacted even by mobile phone.

Duterte also pointed out that as mayor, he does not have direct control of the police and that it was in fact Roxas who was on top of the Philippine National Police (PNP) when he was Secretary of the De-

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EMOTIONAL. Arlyn Oti Amar, who is one of the farmers involved in the Kidapawan City rally, can’t contain her emotion while sharing her experience during yesterday’s Senate Inquiry held at the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) in Bo. Obrero, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

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BFP 11: Air asset still a ‘dream’

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

OLLOWING the Mt. Apo fires, the Bureau of Fire (BFP) 11 said having an air asset to put off forest fire is still a “dream” despite the bureau’s modernization program.

“We’ve done our best in making requests to the national office on the assets we need here. However, having air assets like helicopters is still a dream for us ,” Davao City district fire marshal Supt. Carlos T. Dueñas told reporters at the sidelines of the yesterday’s I-Speak Media Forum.

Dueñas said the BFP regional office doesn’t have the air assets which supposedly can attend to the more than two-weeklong forest fire in Mt. Apo. The bureau has to ask assistance from the Air Force of the Philippines whose helicopters are designed for rescue operations, and not for stopping blaze.

For a fire district with only P100,000 budget quarterly for the maintenance and operations of the fire trucks alone, Dueñas admitted that the bureau has a long way before it can provide all assets necessary for all fire operations.

In Davao City alone, he said, the number of fire stations here is not proportionate to the area of the city which covers

2,444 square kilometers.

With a total of 182 barangays and more than 1.5 million populations, he said, the city has only 11 public fire stations.

This does not include volunteer fire stations.

“For a city as big as Davao, it should have a total of 37 public fire stations,” he added.

Aside from lack of enough fire stations, Dueñas also said the city has only 15 fire truck, of which only five are new.

Others are already decades-old.

Dueñas said procurement of fire trucks is still the bureau’s top priority. Recently, the municipalities with no fire equipment from all over the country received fire trucks from the bureau.

Meanwhile, Dueñas said the fire district here recorded a total of 211 fire incidents in Davao City for the first quarter of the year. This was higher than the 130 fire incidents on the same period of last year.

“Majority or 117 fire incidents in Davao City were grassfires, while the rest were residential,” he said. Total cost of damages reached P25 million.

The recent triple fire razes in barangay 76-A was the largest so far with P7.5 million worth of damages, he said.

PHL to lead third green revolution

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HE International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) has cited the Philippines’ potential to emerge at the forefront of the third green revolution through improved information and satellite technology.

Ensuring food security still remains to be an agricultural challenge in the 21st century with several factors jeopardizing efforts to significantly increase crop productivity. Among these include extreme weather events further compounded by climate change, thereby resulting in the rise of crop losses.

“The problems of food security, of course, are not limited to the Philippines. The problems of food security are shared all across the globe,” said Dr. Bruce Tolentino, IRRI deputy director general for communication and partnerships.

Rice is a vital crop for global food security as it is the staple food for the world’s poor. Tolentino noted 90 percent (or about 140 million hectares) of the world’s rice is produced and consumed in Asia.

However, the rice crop is frequently exposed to the damaging effects of tropical storms, drought, and flooding.

Delivering timely and accurate information on rice (i.e. crop area, crop growth, and losses due to calamities) is

therefore essential for most Asian nations.

It was believed that the first green revolution came in the 1960s up to 1970s when farmers used plant breeding to increase the yield of rice and corn. The second revolution, on the other hand, remained in progress, where knowledge on plant and animal genetics as well as the pulling of better genes to boost rice traits are being applied by farmers.

Tolentino said that the Philippines is propelling a kind of green revolution-- the third green revolution that provides timely seasonal data on rice area and yield, as well as assessment of crop health and damage in the event of a typhoon, flood, or drought. In fact, it is the only country in Southeast Asia to have such an operational system.

Tolentino highlighted a major breakthrough pioneered by the Philippines, which mainly relies on synthetic aperture radar (SAR) imagery for rice crop monitoring.

Through a collaborative project involving the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) and the IRRI, an infrastructure called the Philippine Rice Information System (PRISM) aims to develop a monitoring and information system for rice production in the Philippines. (PNA)

INSUFFICIENT POWER. Davao City residents are once again experiencing a four-hour rotational brownout as the 150-megawatt unit of the coalfired power plant of Therma South, Inc. automatically shut down as a

precautionary measure after the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ Toril 138 kilovolt (kV) transmission line 1 tripped on Wednesday afternoon.

Lean Daval Jr.

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No ordinance, no disposal for seizes LPG cannisters T

TSI bogs down anew, DLPC says 4-hr power outages to continue

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

AVAO City’s Business Bureau is yet to dispose the 4,000 confiscated butane canisters refilled with liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) due to lack of a corresponding ordinance.

“The confiscated canisters are temporarily stored at the city’s sanitary landfill,” bureau chief lawyer Lawrence Bantiding said during the I-Speak media forum yesterday.

The canisters were confiscated last year from vendors who were mostly operating in different public markets in the city.

“We’re still waiting for the approval of the ordinance which will cover the proper disposal of these refilled canisters as well as other hazardous and flammable chemicals,” Bantiding said. “It is already in the

office of the City Legal for legal opinion.”

The proposed measure has not been sponsored by any city councilor in the council.

Bantiding said the executive order inked by Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in May of 2014 did not include mechanisms on disposing confiscated refilled canisters.

The EO 23 only focused on the creation of a multi-agency task force that will “regulate and ensure safe practices of persons and entities handling and engage in business involving flammable abnd dangerous chemicals and other hazardous and toxic substances.”

Under the order, the local government unit of Davao City has the power to confiscate refilled canisters as well as revoke permits of businesses engaged

Good food plays big part in making PHL a‘fun’destination -- DOT chief

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ITH the second edition of Madrid Fusion Manila set to return to the Philippines this week, the tourism chief has expressed pride in once again being host the biggest gastronomical event in the world.

“Madrid Fusion became the entry point to strengthen the position of the Philippines as a center of modern gastronomy in Asia,” Department of Tourism (DOT) Secretary Ramon Jimenez said.

“After allowing the world to discover the Filipino food, this year’s edition will be highlighting how the Philippines has influenced world cuisine through the Manila-Acapulco Galleon Trade,” he added.

The second edition of Madrid Fusiόn Manila, which will take place from Thursday to Saturday at the SMX Convention Center, Pasay City, will highlight the interaction between the east and west in celebration of the 450th anniversary of the Galleon Trade that linked Asia to the Western World.

This year’s theme “The Manila Galleon: East meets West” will focus on the influences made by two diverse parts of the world, particularly in the global gourmet scene.

The aftermath of the Galleon Trade made strides in the worldwide culinary map because of the trade of spices, sweet corn kernels, flame colored chilies, earthy bitter cacao, scarlet atsuete seeds, creamy green flesh of avocado, among others.

Jimenez, however, emphasized that the success of Madrid Fusion Manila is attributed to all the passionate Filipino and foreign chefs who have shared their culinary talents, stories, and techniques.

“Philippine cuisine will share the spotlight with the different cuisines of the world, as foreign celebrity chefs bring the influences of their culture to the table this year at Madrid Fusion Manila,” the DOT chief said.

“Good food has always played a big part in the fun element of our culture and a vital component of Filipino hospitality,” he added.

Madrid Fusion Manila is composed of three landmark activities including the International Gastronomy Congress, where Michelin-star chefs from across the globe will share talks about progressive gastronomy and their practices.

It will also feature a Trade Exhibition, which will showcase the finest food and ingredients from Europe and Asia and Flavors of the Philippines, which is a month-long festival featuring a diverse array of exciting food-related activities from food trips, special restaurant menus, gourmet markets, street food festivals, to special dinners with celebrity chefs, hotel food festivals, fiestas and food exhibits.

This year the department expects around 1,500 local and foreign delegates joining the Gastronomy Congress, which is slighter higher than the 1,100 delegates who attended the same congress last year.

Delegates will be coming from 13 countries namely Philippines, Thailand, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Korea, Singapore, Japan, Spain, United Kingdom, United State of America, Canada, Mexico and Nigeria.

Meanwhile, there will be 217 booths this year compared to the 171 booths last year in the Madrid Fusion Manila Trade Exhibition. (PNA)

in the illegal refilling. “There is still no licensed butane refilling station in the Philippines,” he added.

Late first district Leonardo R. Avila III had earlier proposed an ordinance that will prohibit the transportation and selling of illegally-refilled butane canister with LPG. The task force has already confiscated a total of 3,000 canisters, which were still undisposed because of the lack of a final disposal facility.

There is no existing law that regulates the refilling, transportation as well as selling of this refilled canister. Only the product standard of the Department of Trade and Industry looks into the matter.

The confiscation also did not fall under the mandate of the Bureau of Fire as defined by

the Fire Code of the Philippines.

But, petroleum and energy regulator Department of Energy (DOE) has already issued a statement that refilling butane canister is illegal because of its “inherent danger”.

Meanwhile, DOE- Mindanao Field Office reiterated the danger of using illegally refilled canisters.

The problem is that refilled butane canisters are cheaper compared to 14 to 15 kilogram of LPG tanks which only costs P630, DOE science research specialist Nilo Geroche said.

“Each canister costs P25 and can last three to five days,” Geroche said. However, he said the public will be able to save from using LPG rather than refilled butane canisters.

“Do not compromise your safety,” he said yesterday.

HE Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) said the duration of rotating power outages in its franchise area will still be at a maximum of four hours a day.

This after the Unit 1 of the 300 megawatt coalfired power plant of Therma South, Inc. failed to go online since yesterday.

“Efforts at restarting TSI Unit 1 have been so far unsuccessful. Today, April 7, we will investigate further to determine the acuse of the inability to get the unit running,” Wilfredo Rodolfo III, branding and communications manager for Mindanao of the Aboitiz Power, said.

Rodolfo said TSI Unit 1 which has an installed capacity of 150 MW shut down Wednesday afternoon, after the 138 kilovolts (kV) transmission line 1 of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) in Toril, Davao City tripped.

Milfrance Q. Capulong, NGCP corporate communication officer for Mindanao, said the line was damaged by a fallen tree last Wednesday but was also repaired at around 4 p.m. on the same day.

While the Unit 1 of the coal-fired power plant remained unsynchronized to the Mindanao grid, Rodolfo said the Unit 2 of TSI is generating 130MW net.

As of yesterday, the Agus-Pulangi Hydro Complex generated only 135MW out of its 982MW total installed capacity. The derated capacity of major hydroelectric power plants in Mindanao is due to the worsening El Niño.

The 210MW coal-fired power plant of Steag in Misamis is also on its full operation as well as the 200 mw two diesel-fired power barges of Therma Marine, Inc. in Maco, Compostela Valley.

CHENEEN R. CAPON

RESPITE. An elderly vendor selling ballpens, cotton buds, combs and other items takes a much needed rest in front of Sangguniang Panlungsod after braving the searing heat of the sun while peddling his goods. Lean Daval Jr.

ASEAN editors to promote regional integration

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OP editors in the region on Wednesday committed to become active partners in fully promoting awareness and opportunities in the ongoing integration of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

A resolution was inked at the end of the two-day ASEAN Editors Summit on Wednesday afternoon at the Royale

Chalan Hotel here attended by more than 100 editors and top executives from various news agencies and other media outlets in the region.

Under the resolution, editors committed to enhance media cooperation to help achieve ASEAN’s visions, goals and aspirations and report on programs and activities of member states under the po-

litical-security, economic and socio-cultural pillars of an ASEAN community. ”We do hereby agree to leverage upon the print, electronic and new media to reach out further and provide a deeper understanding of ASEAN to the peoples of the region, promote a sense of belonging to the ASEAN identity, support the building of an ASEAN com-

munity and facilitate ASEAN integration,” the resolution read.

The dditors agreed to consistently adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and responsible journalism in covering ASEAN events to promote harmony and solidarity in the region.

They also agreed to estab-

and treasurer Dexter L. Lee for willful attempt to evade or defeat tax and deliberate failure to supply correct and accurate information in their corporate income tax returns (ITRs) for taxable years 2009 to 2010 in violation of Sections 254 and 255 of the Tax Code.

GACMI is a domestic corporation with its address located at Xevera, Barangay Cal-

ibutbut, Bacolor, Pampanga.

It is engaged in the business of manufacturing, importing, exporting, buying, selling or otherwise dealing, at wholesale or retail, such goods as ready mix products, any and all equipment, materials, supplies used or employed in or related to the manufacture of such finished products.

A certification from the BIR’s Information Systems Development and Operations Service (ISDOS) said that Globe Asiatique Realty Holdings Corporation (GARHC) made income payments to GACMI amounting to PHP34.06 million in 2009 and PHP15.31 million in 2010.

Despite receiving said in-

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BIR files P20-M tax evasion raps vs Globe Asiatique supplier

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HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) on Thursday filed before the Department of Justice (DOJ) a PHP20.5-million tax evasion case against a supplier of Globe Asiatique.

In a press conference, BIR Deputy Commissioner Estela V. Sales said that they charged G.A. Concrete Mix, Inc. (GACMI), its president Delfin S. Lee

F BIR, 10

7 ENVIRONMENT Saving Davao’s endangered species: Philippine eagle EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO (Second of Two Parts)

O

NCE it is gone, it is gone forever. Along with it is the disappearance of one of the country’s natural treasures and the sad reality of the state of our environment.

“When the last eagle dies, it shall be the sign of the worst yet to come: The death of our environment,” deplored Dennis Salvador, the executive director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF), Inc. The PEF is a private, non-profit, non-stock organization dedicated to saving the majestic Philippine Eagle. It is the acknowledged leader in raptor and wildlife management in the country today.

“By using the Philippine eagle as the focal point of conservation, we are, in the process, saving wildlife and their habitat,” Salvador said, adding that PEF is committed to promote the survival of the endangered bird, the biodiversity it represents, and the sustainable use of forest resources for future generations to enjoy.

In 1992, PEF made history when it was able to hatch Pag-asa, making it the first tropical eagle born in captivity. “Pag-asa connotes hope for the continued survival of the Philippine eagle, hope that if people get their act together, it shall not be doomed to die,” Salvador pointed out.

In the past, Philippine eagles abound in the forests of Mount Apo and other parts of Mindanao. They can also be seen flying over in the forests of Sierra Madre in Luzon and Samar and Leyte in the Visayas.

Today, Philippine eagles inhabit those places but their number has dwindled.

In fact, the International Union for the Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources has declared the Philippine eagle as an endangered species.

Less than 400 pairs of Philippine eagles can be found in the country and about half of them are living in the forests of Mindanao. The Philippine Eagle Center in Davao City houses more than a dozen pairs.

“The Philippine eagle is the largest predator we have,” Salvador points out. “By using the Philippine eagle as the focal point of conservation, we are, in the process, saving wildlife and their habitat.”

The Philippine eagle is second only to the Madagascar sea eagle in rarity. In size, it beats the American bald eagle; it is the world’s second largest -- after the Harpy eagle of Central and South America.

This bird of prey was first discovered in 1896 by English naturalist John Whitehead in Samar. He first called it the monkey-eating eagle because he thought it fed primarily on monkeys and gave it the scientific name, “Pithecophaga jefferyi.” The scientific name came from two Greek words: “pitekos” (monkey) and “phagien” (to eat). Jefferyi was the discoverer’s tribute to his father, Jeffrey, who funded his expedition.

In 1978, the old name was dropped and given its present name through Presidential Decree No. 1732 after it was learned that monkeys comprise an insignificant portion of the bird’s diet, which consists mostly of flying lemurs, civet cats, bats, rodents, and snakes.

As stated earlier, Philippine eagle is a majestic bird as it stands a meter high, weighs

“By using the Philippine eagle as the focal point of conservation, we are, in the process, saving wildlife and their habitat.” anywhere from four to seven kilograms and has a grip three times the strength of the strongest man on earth, according to PEF. With a wing span of nearly seven feet and a top speed of 80 kilometers per hour, the Philippine eagle can gracefully swoop down on an unsuspecting prey and carry it off without breaking flight.

Unlike men, Philippine eagles are monogamous. Once it has selected a partner, it is for keeps forever. “Once an eagle reaches sexual maturity -at around five years for males -- it is bound for life with its mate. They can be seen soaring in pairs in the skies,” PEF states.

According to PEF, the breeding season ranges as early as July to as late as February.

During the breeding season, the eagles do aerial courtship and mate in the nest or near it.

The eagle’s nest is approximately 80 feet above the ground (usually on tall trees) in prominent mountain peaks overlooking a river or stream to give a good view of its territory.

The female eagle lays only one egg every two years, PEF informs. Both parents alternately incubate the egg for about 60 days, although the female spends more time incubating while the male hunts.

Upon hatching, the eaglet remains in the nest for about 5.5 months. Once it fledges, the parents will continue to look after the young eagle for as long as 17-18 months teaching it how to fly, hunt, and to survive on its own. The young eagle matures in about six years.

“Our data suggests more than 90% of juvenile eagles die before they reach maturity,” discloses Salvador.

“A large part of this is caused by humans. Eagles were shot, trapped, and hunted.”

But the biggest threat

comes from denudation of the country’s forest cover. Citing data from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Salvador was quoted by a national paper as saying that 90% of the forest cover in the country had been denuded due to human activities.

“In each territory, the eagles are faithful to their nests and they like to live in large and old growth trees,” Salvador said. “Unfortunately, based on deforestation data since the early 1900s, when nearly everything was green, now we are left with few old growth forests.”

Studies have shown that a pair of Philippine eagle needs at least 7,000 to 13,000 hectares of forest as a nesting territory. “If Filipinos don’t get their act together for the cause of the endangered bird, it shall be doomed to die,” Salvador says.

Efforts to save the Philippine eagles started in 1965 by Jesus A. Alvarez, then director of the autonomous Parks and Wildlife Office, and Dioscoro S. Rabor, another founding father of Philippine Conservation efforts.

American aviator Charles Lindberg, who described Phil-

“I have watched forests disappear, rivers dry up, floods ravage the soil, droughts spawn uncontrolled fires, hundreds of my forest friends vanish forever and men leave the land because it was no longer productive. I am witness to the earth becoming arid. I know all life will eventually suffer and die if this onslaught continues. I am a storyteller, and I want you to listen.” ippine eagle as “the world’s noblest flier,” spearheaded a drive to save the bird from 1969 to 1972. Within this time frame, several helpful laws were passed.

In July 1995, then President Fidel V. Ramos signed Proclamation No. 615 naming the Philippine eagle as the country’s national bird (dislodging maya). He said that the eagle is found only in the Philippines and as such should be a source of national pride.

“If the national bird dies,” Ramos said, “so will all the country’s efforts at conserving its natural resources and treasures.”

In 1987, the PEF and the Forest Management Bureau published a pamphlet on Phil-

ippine eagle. One of those that caught one’s attention is the words of the bird as if it was talking directly to human beings. It goes this way: “I have watched forests disappear, rivers dry up, floods ravage the soil, droughts spawn uncontrolled fires, hundreds of my forest friends vanish forever and men leave the land because it was no longer productive. I am witness to the earth becoming arid. I know all life will eventually suffer and die if this onslaught continues. I am a storyteller, and I want you to listen.”

The statement of Dr. Rabor is still apt and timely. “We should do our best to save this wonderful creature because when it is gone, it is gone from the list of animals in the world.”

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

EDITORIAL Insulting the electorate

N

O doubt, Sen. Grace Poe’s biggest chance at the presidency hinges on how she will capitalize on her adoptive parents’ celebrity status.

That is her strongest anchor. Maybe even her only anchor.

To be frank about candidate Poe, there is nothing significant nor earth-shaking to talk about Grace Poe as far as her very short career as a public servant is concerned. To set things straight, if she had no parents as popular as the late Fernando Poe Jr. and Susan Roces, Ms. Poe will not be in the Senate.

But that’s Philippine politics. We dig deep into emotions and treat our politics like a teleserye. Ms Poe made it to the Senate as she was catapulted by the legions of FPJ supporters in the 2013 Senatorial polls. Now, all of a sudden, she emerges as a presidential candidate and brandishes the slogans of her late father, a number of which uttered in movies, as her launching pad for the presidency.

Her citizenship and residency issues notwithstanding isn’t it insulting to the Filipino electorate to be wooed by someone who positions herself as the messiah who will avenge the injustice committed to her father when the latter ran and lost the presidency?

EDGEDAVAO

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There she goes telling us that she will continue what her father has started. What on earth did FPJ even start as a politician, with all due respects to the late actor? There she goes telling us that like her father, she will fight poverty, criminality and corruption. But these were in the movies.

The presidency is not a silver screen. It’s real-time. It demands one’s decisiveness and critical thinking. We remember during Round 2 of the Presidential debates when Mayor Rodrigo Duterte tested Sen. Poe’s real-time decision-making and she obviously faltered unlike the memorized lines she uttered when asked of her campaign programs.

The presidency calls for decisive thinking and quick response. Poe’s memorized lines won’t come handy when the going gets tough and where spit-second decisions are asked of the situation.

If airline pilots are required a number of flying time before they can fly a commercial aircraft where lives and properties are placed in their hands, we do not see a difference in this test of competency for on to steer this country.

Poe’s insistence is a putdown to the political maturity being aspired for by this country’s electorate.

AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

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EDGEDAVAO

D

ENGUE is a water-borne disease and so the best possible solution to it might be in water, too. “It’s simply water in versus water out issue,” explains Dr. Richard T. Mata.

I came to know Dr. Mata a few years back when I attended a seminar convened by the Department of Science and Technology at Marco Polo Davao. He is an unassuming physician who caught my attention because of his “invention” in using computer instead of writing down the prescription to patients.

A few weeks later after that encounter, I found out he is a pediatrician who has a clinic in Panabo City, which has been plagued by dengue every now and then. “Caring for dengue patients have become almost an everyday task,” he admits.

It was just a matter of time that he learned so many things about dengue. Today, he is known for his anti-dengue advocacy. In fact, he makes his own website -- www.solving-dengue-fever.com, which he updates regularly -- to educate thousands of people around the world on the truth about dengue fever.

“It’s about hydration,” pointed out Dr. Mata.

What he is referring to is the process of providing an adequate amount of water to body tissues of a dengue patient.

“In dengue, our blood vessels will appear to have some holes through it and so the fluid, which we call as plasma, leaks out and causes dehydration among patients,” he explained.

But it’s not only water, which plasma contains, that comes out but platelet as well. “This is the reason why the platelet decreases because it comes out of the holes of the blood vessels,” he said.

Dr. Mata said that just like an ordinary wound, the blood vessel holes heal within six days. “That’s why in dengue, the platelet is observed to have decrease until the sixth day of fever and from there, the platelet starts to increase again as the holes begin to close,” he said.

What really kills a person with dengue is

T

HESE two nouns go together. They are partners. They complement each other.

Like a man and a woman that God has joined, they cannot be separated from one another; it is a union which no man can set asunder.

On May 9, 2016, the nation will elect the next Chief Executive of the country. Sovereignty resides in our hands, therefore, we have the right to demand from the leaders we install in office to convey to us their legacy and set the highest form of leadership by example.

The Philippines is blessed with so many natural resources that other countries envy us for. However, to our collective dismay, only a privileged and profligate few are enjoying them. Many more millions are getting poorer which influences the Machiavellian thinking that the Philippines is sitting on top of a social volcano that is ready to erupt anytime.

Who among the candidates running for president and vice-president - the two most coveted positions in the government hierarchy - can be described as having a legacy and

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Water vs. dengue not due to low THINK ON THESE! platelet counts but dehydration.

It occurs when a person loses more fluid and his body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. “Dehy- Henrylito D. Tacio dration is the kill- henrytacio@gmail.com er,” he declared, “low platelet is only secondary.”Dr. Mata pointed out that even if the platelet continuous to decrease each day for as long as the patient is fully hydrated with dextrose and oral fluids, the patient is safe. “The best indication the patient is fully hydrated is that he keeps on urinating with an interval of one to three hours,” he said. “If the patient does not urinate for more than 5 hours and looks very weak and sleepy, he can be in a brink of either hypotension (low blood pressure) or kidney failure.”

To further explain the dengue problem, he talked of another disease called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

“This is a disease where in the child has a low platelet from weeks to years in duration,” he said. “I have some patients who have this disease. Some will have platelets as low as 10 or lesser, but once you see them you can’t believe that their platelet are that low. They are still playing and active despite the fact their blood platelet status is low.”

The ITP patients may have low platelet count “but they are not suffering from dehydration, which is not part of ITP but it is present in dengue cases.” According to him, “if an ITP patient will develop severe diarrhea and will not be brought to the hospital, he or she will develop severe bleeding just like dengue.”

In simpler terms, it’s the fluids that matter.

“The low platelet will only cause harm if the patient is dehydrated,” Dr. Mata declared.

Here is his explanation: “The truth is that even if the platelet of a dengue patient is low, but as long as the patient is properly hydrated, the patient will not give us any problem. Therefore we need to bark at the right tree, the right tree is the fluids and not the platelets.”

In his experience, Dr. Mata discovered that dengue comes in various types. Not all dengue cases are created equal. “Some are very mild and some are very strong,” he said. “To understand it, we need to still look at it in the degree of fluid dehydration. The ones that are mild are those not so dehydrated and those that are toxic are those severely dehydrated.”

Now, going back to his “theory” about those holes in the blood vessels of dengue patients, thus causing the fluids and platelet to sip out.

He classified dengue into mild, moderate, severe and very severe. “What made these dengue types different from each other are simply the sizes and the amount of the holes it gives the blood vessels of the patient,” he explained.

To illustrate, he used a plastic bag filled with water. “If I will use a needle and put a few tiny holes through it, will the water inside drain immediately?” he asked. “Certainly not. This is therefore the mild one.”

According to him, drinking lots of fluids can easily compensate the minute loss. “That’s why you can hear dengue patients who survived without even being admitted in the hospital, they fortunately have small holes,” he said. “But what if I will use a nail and place holes in the plastic bag? Of course the leaking will be faster and sooner than you expect. If only all dengue patients come in with tiny leaks in their blood vessels then everything will be easy and not messy.”

It is in those having big holes that water replacement is a necessity -- and immediately. “It will just be a matter of time the patient will dehydrate that can cause the kidney be damaged

and result to other organ failures,” Dr. Mata said.

This is the reason why dengue is very different from diarrhea, which is also a disease of dehydration. “In diarrhea you can easily estimate the amount of fluids that goes out with stool and thus estimate the amount that is needed back to compensate the loss,” he said. “In dengue, you cannot see the fluid coming out literally because the plasma leakage only brings the fluids outside the blood vessels but still inside the body.”

This is what Dr. Mata believed: “The majority of dengue deaths are caused by lack of fluids that come in compared to the amount of fluids that come out of the blood vessels.”

There are those who believe that other dengue deaths are due to too much fluid that caused congestion in the lungs. His answer: “Congestion in dengue is caused by lack fluids in the first days of illness causing kidney failure which resulted to inability of the body to urinate. The outcome: congestion. Thus, it is still dehydration to begin with. Solving this balance will solve dengue.”

There are also those who think some dengue patients die because of low platelet which causes gastro-intestinal bleeding. “Those deaths were not really due to low platelet but due to dehydration that cause low blood supply to the intestines. This causes ulcer formation that resulted to bleeding. Plus the fact that there’s a low platelet the bleeding won’t stop. But if there was no dehydration -- even if the platelet is less than 10 -- the patient will still not develop intestinal bleeding. I have proven that so many times in my practice,” Dr. Mata assured.

Although there is now a vaccine for dengue, there is still no specific treatment for the disease.

But Dr. Mata recommends aggressive fluid replacement. “Dextrose plus oral fluids is the key,” Dr. Mata declared. “If the patient is already admitted, he needs to continue taking oral fluids like Oresol and water to push him to urinate at one- to 3-hour interval.”

in possession SPECKS OF LIFE of an unsullied leadership?

A legacy is an inheritance the leader is supposed to bequeath to his constituents. This, Fred C. Lumba the entire nation must studiously examine from each one so that the voters can make a very informed choice come polling time.

Leadership simply means public service, how to do good by bringing the government closer to the people. Basically, it is how basic social services are delivered to the people.

In short, it is GOOD GOVERNANCE, nothing more, nothing less.

It is a sad commentary that we hear candidates rolling out a long list of promises, ac-

companied by excellent Shakespearean rhetoric designed to engulf the millions of gullible Filipinos.

We are faced with a host of fundamental concerns but I think that three major issues confront the daily life of Juan dela Cruz. These are corruption, peace and order (secession and insurgency, criminality and illegal drugs trade) and poverty (unemployment, food security, education and livelihood).

These are the obstacles to good governance. How can the Philippines – the Filipinos in particular – overcome these?

There is a school of thought emerging from the ranks of those who say that the virtues of idealism are no longer entertained today. They argue that for good governance to succeed we have to elect a servant leader who is ready and prepared to subordinate his personal and family interests to the interest of the country and to the common good.

I think this philosophical approach is very relevant. That is why the topic of today’s piece – legacy and leadership – all the more becomes an imperative argument on how to

properly size up all the candidates for president and vice president.

Aspirants to the highest elective positions must reflect from within themselves the idealism based on their personal public service track records.

All great people of history, all the heroes, heroines and leaders and innovators had clear visions of the paths they travelled. They led their people out of darkness and into the light, from ignorance and poverty to enlightenment and prosperity.

Who among the candidates can be described to have the clearest vision by which he/she could lead this country out of its huge plethora of problems and mountains of dilemma?

Who are the genuine leaders? Who are the copycats? Who are the fakes?

Without being religious (or irreligious), let me paraphrase the Bible in Matthew 20:28: ‘The Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve.”

(Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.). God bless the Philippines!

Legacy and leadership

10 NEWS DUTERTE... FROM 1 Kidapawan City, North Cotabato last week.

The dispersal resulted to two deaths from the group of the protesters and dozens were wounded from the police and farmers.

The ordinance states the Office of the City Mayor has issued a certificate of urgency on April 4, requesting for the approval to support then farmers of North Cotabato.

It said North Cotabato has been experiencing drought and rat infestation as the result of dry spell which affected 31,663.70 hectares of agricultural lands in the province.

There are 13,286 farmers who are suffering from the P1.47 billion damage based from Damage and Assessment Needs Analysis report of the DA 12.

Meanwhile, Senator Alan Peter Cayetano also criticized Alcala for saying that the farm-

ers’ protest was politically motivated and mounted by local politicians. Cayetano said it is not important whether or not the barricade of the protesting farmers in Kidapawan City was politically motivated, because the people there were already hungry due to the drought.

“The point is gutom yung mga tao pero ang sinasabi ni Secretary Alacala sa TV hindi totoo na may gutom (The point is the people were hungry but Secretary Alcala said in television that it is not true that hungers exists in the region),” Cayetano said in a separate interview yesterday during the Senate hearing at the University of Southeastern Philippine Social Hall.

He said in his visits to the provinces the farmers told him that they are already buried in debt because there is no assistance coming from the national government.

lish a permanent forum and meet regularly to play a more effective role in communicating ASEAN’s visions and goals which included a proposal to establish an ASEAN News Agency network that was initiated by the summit host and Indonesia’s Antara news agency.

“We hereby agree to look into ways an ASEAN News Agency possibly with support from the ASEAN Secretariat in efforts to facilitate the exchange and dissemination of news on ASEAN and promote the further integration of the media in ASEAN,” the resolution added.

During the last session of the summit, Antara proposed to host the next round of talks in Indonesia to further thresh out some issues to immediately realize the establishment of the ASEAN News Agency grouping. Among the issues raised was the establishment of news agencies in Singapore and Brunei.

During the session, editors and officials also discussed the need to improve content, not only in mainstream media but also in social media, and come out with more interesting stories to become relevant and showcase to the world the region’s identity, culture, tourism

destinations and opportunities within ASEAN’s huge market worth over USD 2.5 trillion and its close to 650 million population.

Commitments and the resolution signing was held at the end of the summit participated in by Philippines News Agency Acting Executive Editor Luis A. Morente and News and Information Bureau (NIB) Director Danilo Jamora.

The first ASEAN Editors Summit was organized and hosted by the Malaysian government through the Ministry of Communications and Multimedia headed by Minister Datuk Seri Dr. Salleh Said Keruak and its Secretary General, Dato Sri Dr. Sharifah Zarah Syed Ahmad, in cooperation with the Malaysian National News Agency (BERNAMA) and the Jakarta-based ASEAN Secretariat.

Representatives from the Philippines include summit speakers Roby Alampay, Business World Editor-in-Chief; and National Press Club (NPC) president and Manila Times senior reporter Joel Sy Egco.

Also in attendance are Manila Times president and CEO Dante Francis Ang II and Radio TV Malacanang writers Nellie Faith Bombase and Ryan Tulio.

(PNA)

come payments, GACMI only declare sales of PHP13.4 million in 2009 and PHP10.63 million in 2010 thereby substantially underdeclaring its taxable sales by 154 percent or PHP20.66 million in 2009 and by 44 percent or PHP4.68 million in 2010.

Sales said that as a con-

sequence of which, GACMI and its responsible corporate officers were assessed an estimated aggregate deficiency income tax liability amounting to PHP20.5 million, inclusive of surcharges and interests, such as PHP16.71 million in 2009 and PHP3.79 million in 2010. (PNA)

know this because they will commit an election offense if they bring voter receipts out of the precinct. Voter receipts are treated as copies of the ballots and therefore are protected by the same legal provisions on ballot secrecy,” he added.

Likewise, the Comelec

brings vote counting machines (VCMs) to communities, schools, and other establishments in voter education sessions.

Bautista also asked the help of organized citizen groups to do their part in helping reach more voters. (PNA)

ASEAN... FROM 6

BIR... FROM 6

Comelec... FROM 13

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

Outgoing AFP chief visits Eastmincom

O

UTGOING Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief-of-staff Gen. Hernando Iriberri made his last official visit to the Davao Citybased Eastern Mindanao Command (EMC) Wednesday.

Iriberri was received by EMC chief Lt. Gen. Rey Leonardo Guerrero and his staff and

accorded military honors.

During his visit, he lauded the EMC for its efforts in winning and securing the peace in eastern Mindanao.

He reminded the troops about their role in the coming May polls, emphasizing that the Filipinos trust the AFP to make the elections safe and

secure.

“Continue doing your job.

Gawin lang natin palagi ang tama nang ang ating mga kababayan ay mamuhay ng payapa,” Iriberri said.

Following his visit in EMC, he also visited the Compostela Valley-based 10th Infantry Division and 25th Infantry Bat-

talion, his former unit in Davao Del Sur in 2001.

Iriberri, a member of Philippine Military Academy Class of 1983, will retire from the service on April 22 after reaching the mandatory retirement age of 56.

He was appointed as AFP chief last July 10, 2015. (PNA)

HE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said Wednesday it will hear the transport groups’ motions for reconsideration regarding the status of the Php 30 flag-down rate of taxis on April 12, Earlier on Tuesday, LTFRB announced that the flagdown rate for taxis was reverted from being fixed to its provisional status.

LTFRB Chairman Atty.

Winston Ginez said that this was to ensure that the Board would be able to strike a balance that was economically beneficial for both the riding

public and the operators and their drivers.

To recall, the Board issued consolidated decision on March 8 approving the permanent reduction of the existing taxi fare nationwide to Php 30.00 for the flag-down rate, Php 3.50 for every succeeding 500 meters and Php 3.50 for the waiting time per 90 seconds.

It also ordered the re-implementation of its previous Order on provisional reduction of the existing flag down rate of Php 40.00 to Php 30.00 of all taxi services nationwide (except in the Cordillera Administrative Region) and Php

35.00 to Php 30.00 of taxi services in the CAR. However, since various motions for reconsideration on the consolidated decision of the Board have been filed by transport groups, the Board has decided to hear them once again.

LTFRB said that the filing of a motion for reconsideration by any party adversely affected by the Board’s decision, order or resolution stays the immediate execution or implementation of the assailed decision, order or resolution.

Transport groups have earlier expressed disappoint-

ment over the Board’s decision to fix taxi flag-down rates to Php 30.

These groups include Metro Davao Taxi Operators Association, Taxi Operators and Drivers in Cagayan De Oro City, Metro Cebu Taxi Operators Association, Inc. (MCTOA), Dumper Philippines Taxi Drivers Association, Inc. (Dumper), Association of United Taxi Operators in the Cordillera Administrative Region (AUTOCAR) and Angat Tsuper Samahan ng mga Tsuper at Operator ng Pilipinas Genuine Organization Transport Coalition (STOP & GO).

(PNA)

Welfare and Development (DSWD), Department of National Defense (DND), Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG), and Philippine National Police (PNP).

He said there were questions yesterday that could not be answered by the regional directors of different offices because their secretaries are the ones who know the implementation of the programs.

“I am hoping that the national government could solve this problem before the second hearing,” he said.

“Ang gutom ba ay namimili kung Kristyano ka, ke Muslim ke kaliwa ke kanan ka o gitna ka (Does hunger chose whether you are Christian, Muslim, left, right or in between),” he said.

He said he believed that there was wrong information transmitted to the national government.

teachers from a non-registered teacher association as members of the LSB. Barba said that the COPSTEA issue involves matters that the DILG and the DepEd should resolve because the City Council is not the proper

venue to determine the problem.

He said that the local government code determines the composition of the members of the LSB, which has jurisdiction of the issue raised by the COPSTEA. (PNA)

Luga said the reason was due to the emergency shutdown of one of the units of the Therma South Inc. (TSI) coal-fired power plant, which Davao Light has a 50 Mega Watts (MW) contract. TSI has advised that it is still conducting investigation to determine the problem.

“Davao Light emphasizes that due to no reserve in the Mindanao grid, any major plant that will undergo shutdown will extend the length of time of the rotating brownout including Davao Light,” he said.

He said new generating

plants mostly coal-fueled power plant in Mindanao, which DLPC has contracted additional power supply, are coming in May and August 2016.

Luga said the DLPC will continue to optimize its supply contracts with the other generating plants, activate the Interruptible Load Program and run the standby Bajada Power Plant.

“The company will also continue to give its customers daily updates on any changes in the power supply situation,” he said. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

he said.

The DILG Undersecretary said preliminary findings of the agency’s probe indicate that what transpired last week was not a typical mob incident but an organized activity.

“In light of these initial findings, the DILG would also like to know who is behind this, what was the motivation behind the instigation, and who financed the organized action that led to the violence,” he added.

Corvera likewise appealed to members of the media and the public in general to review the six minute video drone submitted by the local government of Kidapawan that would clearly show who initiated the attack.

He acknowledged that the concerns of farmers in terms of food due to drought are legitimate. However, he maintained

that the government is doing its best to assist the farmers in Region 12, which is the second region in the country that has been badly hit by the El Nino phenomenon.

He also noted that the national government, through the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the National Food Authority (NFA), has already shelled out PHP42.8 million worth of rice and corn intervention, and has also provided financial assistance to farmers as early as last year.

“We understand that other government and non-government groups are also conducting efforts to get to the truth as regards the Kidapawan incident. We see this as the DILG’s contributions to such efforts, and call on the public to discern for themselves as various details on the incident come to light,” said Corvera. (PNA)

partment of Interior and Local Government (DILG).

“Ikaw yung may hawak ng pulis, hindi kami. Kaya tawag nyan national police (You were the one who had control of the police, not us. That’s why it’s

called the national police),” he said.

Speaking to reporters in Davao City, Duterte said Roxas himself cannot do it because he is soft and is not willing to kill people.

them back,” he noted.

Mayor also said that the PNP asks the public to provide the police with relevant and timely information regarding presence of Communist Terrorist in their area thru (twit-

ter accounts: @PNPhotline and @pnp.pio; and facebook page: Philippine National Police) or thru contact numbers Dial 117, Text 2920, and Isumbong Mo Kay Tsip 09178475757. (PNA)

companies offering 223 job vacancies who will join the JobStart Program in Tagum.

Participating companies are: LYR Marketing, Sibling Selection, McDonalds, Black Fighter Security, Mabuhay Emission, Garden Drianca, Sky Cable, Hijo Resources, Tagum Doctors, Toyota Cars, Big 8 Hotel, BPI, Perfect Milling, and Penong’s.

Registration will start on April 11 to 14 at the New City Hall and the life skills training will be on April 18 to 29.

Qualified applicants

should be aging between 18 to 24, at least a high school graduate (and may include college graduates and undergrads); have no job experience or have not more than one (1) year of experience; currently not in employment, nor enrolled in school or in any training, and actively seeking employment.

During the registration, applicants are encouraged to bring their valid IDs and copies of their birth certificate, latest school transcripts or training certificates. Kriztja Marae G. Labrador/LCO-DOLEXI

LTFRB to hear petition on taxi flag-down rate

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Cayetano... FROM 2

DCWD... FROM 4

Rody... FROM 4

PNP... FROM 4

Non-inclusion... FROM 2

DILG... FROM 2

DOLE 11... FROM 11

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE Achieving Better Sleep School in Paquibato receives with the Sleep Specialist 5th electrical lab from DaLight EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

I

NSUFFICIENT sleep is now a becoming a major health concern in the Philippines.

Today, Filipinos are having trouble sleeping due to poor lifestyle habits. Lack of sleep is quite alarming, as it can greatly affect the performance of an individual and lead to chronic diseases. It leaves the individual out of focused that can resort to road accidents and occupational errors. It also increases the probability of an individual to develop depression or other chronic diseases such as obesity, hypertension, and diabetes.

“Sleep is an essential part of our well-being. It allows our bodies to recover from daily activities and more importantly, it leaves our minds refreshed to gather and process information. It also affects our emotional stability and decision making.” says Cherry Tan, Marketing Director of Uratex Philippines.

A recent study shows that the Philippines has been ranked as one of the countries in Southeast Asia with poor sleeping habits. More than half of Filipinos sleeping less than six hours a day. There are a number of factors that attribute to

this such as unbearable traffic, constant access to the Internet, busy work schedules, and uncomfortable sleeping environments.

“There are ways to help battle this problem. It is important to change our current lifestyle to achieve quality sleep,” says Tan. According to the World Association of Sleep Medicine (WASM), there are 10 Commandments of Sleep Hygiene. These are as follows: maintain a fixed sleep schedule; reduce daytime naps in 45 minutes or less; avoid intake of caffeine such as those in coffee, tea, most sodas, including chocolate 6 hours before bedtime; avoid heavy, spicy or sweets 4 hours before bedtime; exercise regularly but not before bedtime; maintain an ideal sleep temperature in a well-ventilated room; block out noise and light as possible; limit use of the bed to sleeping; and finding comfortable bedding.

“Promoting good sleep has always been the sole mission of Uratex. Simply put, we help improve sleep routines by adapting to a healthier lifestyle, a positive mindset towards life, and choosing the correct mattress that can support our body’s shape and contours,” explains Tan. For more than 48 years, Uratex has been recognized as

the country’s industry leader in manufacturing foams and mattresses. As a commitment to excellence, it continues to innovate itself by applying latest technologies and research to deliver exceptional comfort and support in every mattress.

Uratex offers different technologies that cater to a person’s sleeping needs. As summer is fast approaching, there is a need to maintain an ideal sleep temperature that can reduce tossing and turning during the night. Uratex’s latest collection include the Uratex Airlite Foam Mattresses which combines 3D spacer fabric and

open cell technology to allow air to flow freely in the mattress, for a cool sleep. For a more luxurious comfort feel, Uratex Premium Mattress presents the Senso Memory Ultima Mattress. Formulated with Hydragel® technology, its premium memory foam is infused with gel beads which absorb heat and provide optimal airflow. It has been proven to lower body temperature by up to 2ºC than those of a traditional memory foam, helping you to fall asleep faster. As an added feature, Sanitized® treatment is applied to safeguard against growth of bacteria, odour, mildew, and dust mites.

Aside from its product offerings, Uratex partners with different organizations in its pursuit for better sleep. Recently, the Philippine Society of Sleep Medicine (PSSM) partnered with Uratex in celebrating the World Sleep Day. The 2016 campaign, “Good Sleep is a Reachable Dream,” expresses a desire for everyone to attain a good, sound sleep. The PSSM held symposiums to discuss about the important elements of good sleep which are “Duration” or the sufficiency of sleep to become well rested and alert the following day; “Continuity,” which means sleep time should be continuous and unbroken; and “Depth,” that sleep should be deep enough to be restorative or invigorating.

To find out more about the Sleep Specialist, call the Uratex Consumer Hotline (Domestic Toll Fee), 1800 10 888-6800 or visit www.uratex.com.ph.

3

3 KILOMETERS away from Panabo proper, Malabog National High School situated in Brgy. Malabog, Paquibato District received an Electrical Laboratory (e.Lab) from Davao Light and Power Co., in partnership with its social development arm the Aboitiz Foundation Inc., last February 2016.

The idea of the e.Lab was created in Davao Light’s support to the Department of Education’s Technical Vocational

Courses, such as the Electrical Installation and Maintenance (EIM), which is under the K-12 program.

The project will help provide public schools a suitable laboratory training center that would have the tools and basic equipment necessary in the learnings of the students who have enrolled in the EIM TechVoc Course.

The e.Lab will also help prepare those students who want to explore a vocational

RIBBON CUTTING. Davao Light and Power Co.’s Panabo Branch Manager and AVP Engr. Ronald Chan as assisted by Davao City 2nd District Congressman Mylene Garcia-Albano and DepEd Division- Davao City Chief

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career in electricity.

“The senior students, who have finished and passed the EIM Course, will be issued by TESDA with a National Certification (NC) II to become full-fledged electricians. This will give them better opportunities for employment should they not pursue college yet or might be encouraged to continue and take up Electrical Engineering.” said Fermin Edillon, Davao Light’s Community Relations Manager.

The e.Lab is just one of the Corporate Social Responsibility projects of Davao Light that is aimed at supporting education.

MNHS is the fifth school that received an electrical laboratory from Davao Light after Davao City National High School, Bernardo Carpio National High School, Crossing Bayabas National High School and Panabo National High School. Six more e.Labs will be turned over this year.

of School Governance Operations Division Teresita F. Del Valle initiates the ribbon cutting ceremony at Malabog National High School last February 26, 2016.

DOLE 11, PESO Tagum sign MoA

ITH the upcoming implementation of the first phase of the JobStart Program in Davao Region, the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) XI conducted another Memorandum of Agreement (MoA) signing with participating employers in Tagum City, the second pilot area of the project, on Wednesday, April 6, 2016.

The MoA signing, held at the Tagum New City Hall, headed by DOLE XI Regional Director Joffrey M. Suyao and Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon together with the Tagum City Public Employment Services Office (PESO).

Another MoA signing was held last Monday for Davao City which is the first pilot area in Region XI for the implementation of the program.

Jobstart Philippines is a DOLE implemented project funded by the Asian Development Bank through the government of Canada. It is being implemented through the local PESO offices of the target areas.

Qualified “JobStarters” will undergo ten days of life skills training, up to three months of JobStart-funded technical training and another three months of work experience

with a “matched” employer/ establishment. The interns in return will be receiving at least 75% of the minimum wage in the relevant city/municipality.

120 JobStarters will be selected for Davao City and Tagum City to join the first phase of JobStart.

During his speech, Director Suyao said that this is just the first batch as another set of applicants will be select by the end of the year for the second phase of the program.

“This is just the start because we are looking at expanding the coverage of our

JobStart program because we see that this full cycle employment program facilitation is what we need now,” he added.

Director Suyao said that the program, is a good avenue to reduce unemployment of fresh graduates as it will empower them with both the soft skills and hard skills needed for them to be employable to the different industries.

“As I think of the JobStart program, this opens a new chapter in our press to reduce unemployment program in the city of Tagum in particular and in the country,” Mayor Rellon

said during his message.

Frederick Rubinos, President and CEO of LYR Marketing and Furniture, also expressed his gratitude in behalf of all the employers involved for giving them the opportunity to join the program.

“Thank you for allowing us to be a part of this. We are truly hopeful that we, as employers will provide positive and conducive training crucial for our trainees to be productive employees of the community,” Rubinos said.

There are a total of 14

F DOLE 11, 10

JobStart Tagum MoA Signing.jpg: FULL SUPPORT. DOLE XI Regional Director Joffrey M. Suyao, Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon, Tagum PESO Manager Rogeneth P. Llanos and DOLE Davao del Norte Provincial Head Erlinda G. Mamitag together with one employer participant during the MoA signing in Tagum City last Wednesday, April 6. KMGL/LCODOLEXI

12 CLASSIFIEDS

EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

EDGEDAVAO GENSAN PARTNERS Serving a seamless society

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

EDGEDAVAO EVENT

An evening with the

Ambassadors

IT WAS A LATE EVENING WHEN I GOT A TEXT MESSAGE FROM MY EDITOR-IN-CHIEF MR. TONY AJERO asking me to keep the third of April open for me to attend a special meeting of the Ambassador’s Club at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao. Since I will be in the general area for an earlier event (and since he IS my boss), I gladly said yes.

To be honest I am not familiar with the Ambassador Club nor its workings but from what I gathered, I learned that the Ambassador Club is an international association that has no political or religious affiliations. Both men and women may be members.

True to form, members regard themselves as “ambassadors” for a society with humanitarian values and will strive to further international understanding.

The well-attended meeting promptly opened with

welcome remarks from Ambassador Club Davao president Scott Nimmo and was followed by the introduction of guests by Ambassador Club Philippines past president Leoncio Villa-Abrille.

In attendance were the ambassadors of the Ambassador Club Davao, the reigning Mutya ng Davao and her court, new members, and guests of honours Mr. Mario Delvecchio, IAC secretary and Mr. Franz Gut, International Ambassador Club (IAC) world president who presided over the induction of new members for the Davao Club.

After the induction, Mr. Gut had a short message to update the members in Davao on the latest happenings of the IAC, one of which is the upcoming delegates meeting of the IAC

URBANISSIMO A4

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EVENT

A spectacle of vision, talent,

&

STYLE

A bold initiative that aims to further the local fashion scene has landed in Davao: Fashion Weekend Davao, organized by the Philippine Women’s College of Davao and the newly created Davao Fashion Design Council (DFDC) in partnership with Abreeza Mall.

Envisioned to be Davao and Mindanao’s premier annual fashion event and lifestyle platform and the core event of the first-ever local celebration of Design Week Philippines, Fashion Weekend Davao consisted of a series of runway shows held from March 18 to 19 at Abreeza Mall.

On March 18, the first of the runway series, Luxe Retail, showcased on-trend

ensembles and active lifestyle looks from the latest collections of Abreeza Mall premier brands such as Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, Esprit, Flossy, Fox, GAP, Giordano, GRIND, Guess, Mags, Mango, Mango Man, Marks & Spencer, Nautica, Original Penguin, Petrol, Promod, R.O.X., and SOUL. Following Luxe Retail, the New Generation show

proved the unique vision and immense talent of Davao’s rising designers; namely, Andi Amora, Jun Artajo, Edzel Balofinos, Aries Buenvenida, Lala Chua, Ronnia de Leon, Joey Hambala, Jozel Ignes, Neil Jimlani, Kenny Ladaga, Samantha Liao, Wilson Limon, Ronnie Nacua, Nikole Rule, Bianca Sabellano, Jerson Tandingan, Frances Tendencia, and Mandy Velasco.

Meanwhile, the New Establishment fashion show paraded pieces by the DFDC, which counts

among its members established names in the city’s fashion design scene: Egay Ayag, Aztec Barba, Dodjie Batu, Edgar Buyan, Emi Englis, Bamba Limon, Windell Mira, and Benjie Panizales.

On March 19, it was the turn of promising fashion students to impress the audience through Generation Next, the PWC Fashion Design graduation show.

The show debuted designs by the program’s graduating class, undergraduates, and faculty members.

Achievement awards were also presented to the outstanding students in the graduating class.

Fashion Weekend Davao was graced by renowned fashion designer Albert Andrada, Mega Magazine’s Suki Salvador, Preview Magazine’s Loris Peña, Stylebible. ph’s Zoe Laurente, Pilipinas Men’s Fashion Week’s Nico Agustin, and Style & Design Academy Manila’s Cathy Binag, who judged the works of the graduating PWC fashion students along with DFDC president Aztec Barba. Besides attending the shows, the special guests were also on hand to critique the

students’ works and offer helpful tips in a special forum held at the Seda Abreeza Hotel.

Also part of the firstever local observance of Design Week Philippines were vignette exhibitions on display from March 16 to 20 in various locations around Abreeza Mall. The Ground Floor Supermarket Hallway was turned into a gallery of works by award-winning Davaoeño designers, the Second Floor Hallway near Wrangler was home to a display of local textiles, the Second Floor Hallway near Bambu housed an exhibit of works inspired by Mindanao folklore, and the Ground Floor Fashion Hallway presented upcycled garments and accessories and also hosted a series of talks on cultural visual identifiers and Mindanao themes in design.

For inquiries and updates on Abreeza Mall news and events, please visit the Main Concierge at the ground floor or call (082) 321-9332. Stay updated by liking www.facebook.com/ AbreezaMall and following @abreezatweets on Twitter and @iloveabreezamall on Instagram.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

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ENTERTAINMENT

GMA introduces new Sang’gres in Encantadia 2016

Kylie Padilla, Gabbi Garcia, Sanya Lopez and Glaiza de Castro bag much-coveted roles GMA NETWORK PROUDLY ANNOUNCES ENCANTADIA 2016 LEAD STARS. Kylie Padilla, Gabbi Garcia, Sanya Lopez and Glaiza de Castro bagged the much-coveted roles of the four Sang’gres.

The Kapuso actresses participated in a series of auditions and delivered convincing performances all throughout, making them the perfect choice for the roles of the four sisters: Pirena, Amihan, Alena and Danaya.

Versatile star Kylie Padilla will portray the role of Amihan, the keeper of the Jewel of Air. Alena, the keeper of the Jewel of Water, will be portrayed by talented young actress Gabbi Garcia. GMA Artist Center’s Sanya Lopez will play the

role of Danaya, the keeper of the Jewel of Earth. And multi-talented actress Glaiza de Castro will breathe life to Pirena, the eldest among the Sang’gres and the keeper of the Jewel of Fire.

Completing the cast are the following: Playing special roles are Kapuso Primetime King and Queen Dingdong Dantes and Marian Rivera-Dantes as Raquim and Ynang Reyna,

respectively.

Mga Lirean: Solenn Heussaff as Cassiopea, Pancho Magno as Hitano, Carlo Gonzalez as Muros, Kate Valdez as Mira, Mikee Quintos as Lira and Rocco Nacino as Aquil.

Introducing Starstruck winners: Klea Pineda as Muyak and Migo Adecer as Anthony.

Mga Hathor: Rochelle Pangilinan as Agane, Vaness del Moral as Gurna and John Arcilla as Hagorn.

Mga Mandirigma: Christian Bautista as Apitong, Buboy Villar as Wantuk and Ruru Madrid as Ybarro.

During the series’ story conference, director Mark Reyes said they can only promise one thing. “We will do our best to make this even better than the first one.

That’s all we can promise.

Pinaghirapan po namin ‘to.

Nakita niyo how special this is. Storycon pa lang, ganito na ‘yung set up so expect bigger and more exciting things about Encantadia.”

Catch the return of Encantadia on GMA Telebabad.

Hero TV to air new favorites for April

HERO TV brings a new wave of Japanese series to kick off summer!

The Japanese manga series “Your Lie in April,” which premieres on April 6 at 9PM, follows the story of Kousei Arima, a young pianist who loses his ability to hear the sound of his own piano after the demise of his mother. When he meets a beautiful violinist, his world is once more shaken as he sets on a new journey to face music again.

Meanwhile, “Yuki Yuna Is a Hero” is a series that takes place in the Year 300, also known as the era of the gods. The heroine, Yuuna Yuuki tries to live an ordinary life of a student. Her ordinary life becomes interesting as the club she is secretly a member of, the Hero Club, faces a mysterious being called “Vertex.”

Learn more about Yuuna Yuuki’s secret life as the show premieres on April 11 at 7PM. Anime fans should watch out for the epic action-horror film, Resident Evil 3 starring Milla Jovovichon Hero Theatrixx on April 10 at 12AM. Resident Evil 3 is the third installment in the Resident Evil film series based on the Capcom survival horror series Resident Evil.

Continuing on Hero TV are fan favorites “Love Live! School

Idol Project” Season 1 and 2, “Haikyu,” “The Devil Is Part Timer,” “Digimon Frontier,” “Digimon Savers,” “Inazuma Eleven,” “Karneval,” “Kokoro Connect,” “Ao Haru Ride,” and “Majestic Prince.”

Hero TV is available on SKYcable Channel 44.

For updates, like Hero on Facebook (facebook.com/myheronation) and follow their Instagram (@ herotvofficial) and Twitter (@ myHEROnation) accounts.

Who is Aicelle Santos’ dream collaborator?

“MY DREAM CO L L A B O R AT I O N WOULD BE WITH GARY VALENCIANO,” Aicelle said in an interview with GMANetwork.com.

After her successful EP launch, the golden girl Aicelle Santos was asked about her dream collaborations that she would want to work on in the future. At the top of her list is Mr. Pure Energy, Gary Valenciano. The Kapuso singer-actress shared that it would be an honor to have a duet with him.

The Kapuso star met

Gary V at one of the shows of her play, “Rak of Aegis,” and admitted that she was starstruck by her idol.

“May starstruck factor.

We had an exchange of comments on Instagram because of [the show].

Pero hindi ko pa nasabi kasi nahiya ako,” she revealed.

Aicelle has collaborated on the song “Kalawakan” with hip-hop R&B artist Quest.

She has also worked with theater icons Robert and Isay Sena.

She adds, “I really look up to Mr. Gary V so nakakakilig ‘yun kapag nangyari.”

April 8 – 12, 2016

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill PG

1:00 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 LFS

THE JUNGLE BOOK Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray PG

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

ELEMENTO/ *10 CLOVERFIELD LANE Cristine Reyes, Albert Solis/ *John Goodman, Mary Elizabeth Winstead R13/*R13

12:20 | 2:00 | 3:40 LFS / *5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

MR. RIGHT/ *DEMOLITION Anna Kendrick, Tim Roth, Sam Rockwell/ * Jake Gyllenhaal, Naomi Watts R16/*R13

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

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

EVENT

URBANISSIMO A1 in Paris in celebration of 60 years of the IAC. The delegates meeting is a unique opportunity to honor the city of Paris, and is also an opportunity to meet ambassadors from all over the world.

The evening’s highlight was with the presentation of tokens from the Ambassador Club Davao to Mr. Gut and Mr. Delvecchio who inturn, also presented the Ambassador Club Davao president with a limitededition IAC USB drive.

And after all the formalities set and done with for the evening, the hosts as well as the guests managed to let their hair down with some wine and dance music to end the evening with camaraderie and friendship.

DAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENT

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

NEWS 13 Comelec partners with groups to intensify voters’ education

EDGEDAVAO

We are now hiring for the ff. job vacancies:

1. CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER (C.S.O.) Scope of Work: • Handling of customer services (e.g. inquiries, complaints, scheduling of services) • Preparation of quotation for clients • STARTING SALARY: P12, 000 (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 2. TECHNICAL ENGINEER (T.E.) Scope of Work: • Installation/Programming/Configuration for the ff. products *CCTV, PABX, PABGM, INTERCOM, BIOMETRICS, ACCESS CONTROL, FIRE ALARM • STARTING SALARY: P13, 000 (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE)

3.ACCOUNTS MANAGER (A.M.) Scope of Work: • Sales & Marketing for New Clients • STARTING SALARY: P15, 000 UP (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 4. STORE SUPERVISOR Scope of Work: • Responsible for daily store operation • Handling of manpower

Please email your resume to: sales@vmtech.com.ph or marcxtian@yahoo.com For walk in applicants, you may call the ff. branches: Cebu Office: (032) 2380912 Globe: 09173293471 • Sun: 09255014723 Davao Office: (082) 2212789 Globe: 09177952469 • Sun: 09322448030

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ITH barely a month to go before the May 9 polls, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) has partnered with different sectors to intensify its voter’s campaign and encourage the participation of the majority in the forthcoming electoral exercises.

With this, Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista asked transport groups, media networks, and mall chains to help them to enfranchise more voters in the elections next

month by supporting existing voter education-information activities and platforms.

“We are currently putting up posters that discuss steps in voting and some reminders in preparation for Election Day in all sea and air ports and railway systems in the country. We want voters to come to the Voting Centers informed because we are really intent on making the voting process convenient for everyone, especially for those with limited mobility,” he said.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late FELISA BONLEON VICTORIANO has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF STATE executed among her heirs per Doc. No.243; Page No.41; Book No. XII; Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ROGIELIZA D. VERALLO.

4/8,15,22

Bautista said they urged the Philippine Ports Authority, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, Light Rail Transit Authority, Light Rail Manila Corporation, Philippine National Railways, and the Manila Metro Rail Transit System to display voter education- information posters in all their transport premises.

“You will see in our posters that the first step in voting is to know where you will vote. So we advise voters to check their respective Voting Centers and Precinct Numbers ahead of May 9, 2016 on www.comelec. gov.ph or through the Voter’s List on Election Day. This will help us avoid long queues that can discourage some from voting,” he added.

Aside from posters, the poll body also asked media networks to air infomercials to improve voter awareness on the do’s and don’t’s on Election Day. On the other hand, Bautista said that their mall voting project partners namely: SM, Robinsons, Ayala, Watermart, Pacific Malls, CB Mall, Gaisano Grand, Sta. Lucia Mall, City Malls, and Fisher Mall will be running audio-visuals in their respective cinemas.

“We updated our ads to emphasize the need to drop the voter receipt in a designated box. Our voters should

F COMELEC, 10

14 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

GOLF IDOL. Davao junior golfers Yvonne Bisera, Daniel Nagayo and Ella Nagayo pose with Asian PGA Tour pro Juvic Pagunsan during a break at the driving range of Manila Southwoods.

The Davao jungolfers are taking part in the World Junior Golf Qualifiers. ◄ THE LI’L MAN. Daniel Nagayo, a junior golfer from Davao and son of councilor Rachel Zozobrado-Nagayo, hits from the tee in the recent Interclub Junior Golf tournament playing for Aguinaldo Country Club team. DY photo

Legazpi City all set for Palarong Pambansa ‘16

A

FTER one year of preparation, the City of Legazpi is now prepared for the holding of the Palarong Pambansa 2016, which starts on Sunday, a city official said, assuring an excellent stay for the games participants and guests.

“Marunong mag-entertain ang mga Bikolano (Bicolanos know how to entertain),” said Antonio Reyes Jr., head of the City Tourism Services Unit, as he shared his opinion on why Region V was chosen to host the Palarong Pambansa this year.

Reyes said about 20,000 delegates are expected to come to Albay and that 99 percent of hotels and other billeting facilities in Legazpi have already either been occupied or reserved for the event.

Three regions are now in Legazpi.

The Region XI (Davao) delegation is expected to arrive Thursday and will stay at the Bagumbayan Central School while Region V will stay at the Bicol University compound in this city.

Reyes said the new region, the Negros Island Region (NIR), is also a participant of this year’s Palarong Pambansa.

He assured that Legazpi City is safe in terms of security concerns for holding the big event.

Palarong Pambansa will start with a parade at 2 p.m.

Sunday with President Benigno S. Aquino III as the invited guest of honor.

The games in the Palarong Pambansa will officially start on Monday. (PNA)

HOENIX Petroleum-Far Eastern University and CafeFrance-Centro Escolar University vie for a 2-1 series lead in the PBA D-League Aspirants Cup finals in Game Three on Thursday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The Accelerators and the Bakers square off once again at 3 p.m., hoping to move one victory away from the Aspirants Cup crown.

The CafeFrance Bakers leaned on former FEU standout Carl Bryan Cruz’s late baskets to escape with an 86-77 victory over the Phoenix Accelerators in Game Two and leveled the series at one game apiece.

CafeFrance coach Egay Macaraya hopes that his wards will be able to maintain their intensity for the entire game, expecting that Phoenix-FEU will be out to bounce back from the Game Two defeat.

“Hopefully sa third game, pareho na kami ng intensity,”

said Macaraya. “Kami ang may energy and effort nung first three quarters at sila naman (Phoenix-FEU) ang nag-relax.”

Paul Zamar, Aaron Jeruta and Rodrigue Ebondo are also expected to go all out for CafeFrance on Thursday following their key performance in Game Two. The three combined for 36 points to complement Cruz, who topscored for the Bakers with 18 points.

Meanwhile, Phoenix-FEU coach Eric Gonzales pointed to only one aspect of their game as the reason for their defeat in Game Two. “Kulang kami sa execution,” said Gonzales.

The Accelerators hope to execute their strategy better this time around, especially with the championship experience of Mac Belo, Mike Tolomia, and RR Pogoy who are eyeing their second title in months after the three were the pivotal players in FEU’s run at the UAAP Season 78 crown.

Phoenix-FEU eyes 2-1 series lead P

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Get the value for your money and don’t settle for an awful copy on a badly printed space.

Advertise wisely.

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016

SPORTS 15

Kobe loses in penultimate home game D

EANDRE Jordan and J.J. Redick scored 15 points apiece in the Los Angeles Clippers’ 91-81 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time), spoiling the penultimate home game of Kobe Bryant’s career.

The loss was the Lakers’ 62nd of the season, setting a franchise low for the 16-time NBA champions.

Bryant scored 17 points for the Lakers, who have a three-game road trip before the third-leading scorer in league history wraps up his 20-year career next Wednesday at home against the Utah Jazz.

Blake Griffin and Chris Paul had 13 points apiece before the starters sat out the fourth quarter for the Clippers, who swept the season series with back-to-back wins over the Lakers on consecutive nights. They’ve won 11 straight over their cross-hallway rivals.

The Clippers are locked into the No. 4 seed in the Western Conference playoffs with four games left despite winning seven of their last eight. They finished off their three-year dominance of the Lakers with a comfortable win despite resting Austin Rivers, Jamal Crawford and Wesley Johnson.

Paul Pierce had nine points in his return from a four-game absence with right leg injuries.

Jordan Clarkson scored 13 points and Julius Randle had a career-high 20 rebounds

for the Lakers, who have lost three straight and seven of eight.

At least the Lakers’ loss left them four games behind Phoenix (20-58) with four games to play for the second-best chance of winning the NBA draft lottery, trailing only Philadelphia. If the Lakers’ pick doesn’t land in the top three, they will lose it to the 76ers under the terms of a long-ago trade.

Bryant managed only six points Tuesday night in his final road game at Staples, but he was closer to vintage form in the home rematch between the hallway rivals. Bryant took the Lakers’ first three shots and swiftly piled up 10 early points, with the crowd buzzing each time he touched the ball.

After getting routed one night earlier, the Lakers kept it close in the rematch until the Clippers finished the first half with a 14-2 run, capped by Redick’s second 3-pointer in the closing moments.

Bryant returned with 4:50 remaining, but didn’t score. He checked out again in the final minute to a standing ovation and chants of his name.

3-ANGELO D’Angelo Russell scored nine of his 13 points in the fourth quarter. He also set a Lakers record with his 124th 3-pointer of his rookie season, surpassing Nick Van Exel’s first-year total. The 20-yearold Russell already was the youngest player in NBA history to make at least 120 3-pointers in a season.

PENULTIMATE HOME GAME. Kobe Bryant of the Los Angeles Lakers try to stop the hands of time in this hangtime move.

Magic Mike to cast spell on Rosas

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NDEFEATED “Magic” Mike Plania of General Santos City aims to put his “magical fists” and continue his winning form against fellow unbeaten Lorence Rosas of Samar in their championship fight for the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) International bantamweight title on April 30.

The Plania-Rosas tiff is the main event of the Brawl at the

Mall: Undefeated at the Makati Square Cinema in Makati City.

“And if there is an opportunity to knock him out, I will do it,” said Plania, who previously scored a unanimous decision against veteran Rogen Flores last March 8 in T’boli, South Cotabato.

Plania, who has 9 straight wins with four knockouts and no loss or draw, already saw a video of his opponent’s previous fights.

“He is a good boxer and fast. But I will try my best to stay unbeaten against an undefeated southpaw,” said the 19-year old Plania.

Plania earned his moniker “Magic” because of his fighting style.

“Mike fights like a magician, now you see him, now you don’t,” said Manangquil.

Plania, who thinks that boxing is “to hit and not to get hit” said that he is already 70 percent in condition.

He had a couple of eight rounds of sparring at the Sanman Gym in General Santos City.

“There are still 25 days more to prepare for this fight,” said trainer Renie Gabawa.

Plania has been sparring against stablemate Rimar Metuda, who is also a southpaw.

Plania, whose ring idols are Floyd Mayweather and Guillermo Rigondeaux, also dreams of becoming a world champion someday.

Plania is a former member of the Philippine national team. He represented the country in the 2014 AIBA World Youth Championships held in Ukraine and made it

into the quarterfinals.

He is a three-time gold medalist in the Palarong Pambansa and 7-time champion in the National Games.

“I want to thank my family for their support. I also thank my managers in Sanman Promotions for giving me this opportunity,” said Plania, who was referring to Jim Claude Manangquil, Dexter “Wang Yu” Tan, Vic dela Cruz and John Ray Manangquil.

The Plania-Rosas championship fight for the vacant World Boxing Federation (WBF) International bantamweight title will be the inaugural boxing show of Sanman Promotions in Manila.

Plania also made his pro debut at the Makati Square Cinema on August 22, 2014 by scoring also a UD against Lordy Pateno.

F the Dallas Mavericks have to creep into the playoffs, they will. It’s part of a style change, as coach Rick Carlisle likes to call it.

And it worked again for the Mavericks in a crucial, tense victory over their Texas rivals from Houston.

J.J. Barea scored 27 points and Dallas kept a slim cushion over Utah and Houston in the race for the last two Western Conference playoff spots with an 88-86 victory over the Rockets on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time).

“I like to play fast, too, but

slowing it down is working us,” said Barea, who had a gamehigh eight assists. “We’ve got to stay that way.”

The Mavericks’ fifth straight victory — one shy of a season best — put Dallas (4038) a game ahead of Utah and two up on Houston with four games remaining for all three teams.

Dirk Nowitzki was limited to seven points on eight shots, but had a crucial strip of James Harden on a drive in the final seconds with the Mavericks clinging to a one-point lead.

Harden scored 26 points

and Dwight Howard had 14 points and 16 rebounds for the Rockets, who are in danger of missing the postseason a year after reaching the West finals.

“We all know how difficult it is, how important this game was,” Harden said. “It’s not rocket science.”

The Mavericks held their fifth straight opponent under 90 points after 19 of the previous 21 scored at least 100. It’s part defense and part pace, with the Mavericks slowing things considerably since point guard Deron Williams was sidelined by a left abdominal strain.

ORDAN Spieth will defend his Masters title with a new driver on Thursday (Friday, Manila time).

Spieth says his driver cracked on Wednesday

(Thursday, Manila time).

He showed up at the Golf Writers Association of America dinner still wearing his golf clothes because he had been practicing with a new driver

until it was time to collect his player of the year award.

Spieth is trying to become only the fourth player to win back to back at Augusta National.

Mavs tighten grip on 7 spot I th

Spieth forced to pick up new driver on Masters’eve

NEW DRIVER. Jordan Spieth will defend his Masters title with a new driver after the old one broke.

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 26 • FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 2016