Edge Davao 9 Issue 43

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

STEEL BARRIERS. A worker sets his sight on the newlyinstalled steel barrier he is painting at the center island along R. Castillo Street in Davao City. The city government installs steel barriers at the center islands of the city’s main thoroughfares to secure the safety of pedestrians and motorists alike. Lean Daval Jr.

RABIES CASES ON THE RISE 22-percent increase observed The Royal Mandaya Hotel cited Top Choice Classy Hotel

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

abf@edgedavao.net

HE number of rabies infection cases in Davao City has increased from last year according to records released by the City Health Office (CHO).

This was bared by CHO Anti-Rabies Section head physician Dr. Annaliza Malubay in yesterday’s I-Speak Media Forum.

Malubay said her office recorded a total of 1,906 cases of rabies in the first quarter of 2016 which is 353 cases or 22 percent higher than the

1,553 cases recorded in the same period last year.

“The rise in number of cases could be a positive indication that more people bitten by dogs or cats are already aware that this should seek immediate medical attention to prevent any person from dying due to rabies,” she said.

She said most the rabies cases in 2016 came from dog bites 1,275 cases while cat bites numbered 631.

Malubay said that this quarter’s record is still

lower than the 2014 data which was a total of 2,031 cases.

She said that for this year her office recorded one rabies victim bitten by stray dog died somewhere in Marilog district.

Malubay said that the city has recorded a total of four deaths in 2015, lower compared to six deaths in 2014.

She said, however, despite the decrease in number of deaths, it is still alarming because all people who are infected

with rabies will eventually die, if they do not go to an Animal Bite Center immediately for anti-rabies medication.

Malubay said there was a school teacher who died last year after he was bitten by cat that he tried to save.

She said the teacher was advised to get an anti-rabies injection but he just told the health worker that he was busy with the exams of his students.

“After six months, the

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njb@edgedavao.net

HE Royal Mandaya Hotel was recently named Top Choice Classy Hotel in the annual Philippine Top Choice Awards for Excellence held at the Solaire Resort and Casino last April 23.

“It is the hotel’s foundation that made its guests recommend and vote us for this award,” said The Royal Mandaya Hotel general manager Benjamen Banzon. “We thank the organizers for this award.”

Banzon received the award along with MIS manager Megzyl Rose Jolejole and sales manager Elvie Buquiron.

“We accept this award with humility as it inspires us to work even harder to give

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

FINAL VOTERS’ LIST. An employee of Commission on Elections (Comelec) 11 compiles the final list of registered voters for the May 9 general election at the Comelec office inside Magsaysay Park in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Close to 200,000 voters in overseas absentee voting

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LOSE to 200,000 registered voters or almost 14 percent have participated in the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV) since the polls started two weeks ago.

According to the Commission on Elections-Office for Overseas Voting (ComelecOFOV), a total of 191,427 Filipinos abroad representing 13.9 percent have cast their votes in the OAV. There are a total of 1,376,067 registered overseas voters.

“This surpasses the 13.4 percent turnout in 2010, and the 7.12 percent turnout in 2013 for the first 18 days of voting,” said Comelec–OFOV head Commissioner Arthur

Lim. With this, the poll body is optimistic that the number will double and reach about 400,000 by the end of voting period on May 9.

On the other hand, Lim reported that majority of the reported incidents to the Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) in posts abroad are taking “selfies” by voters.

The reports were recorded from Dubai, Hong Kong, Vientiane, Madrid, and Singapore.

“In the interest of transparency, majority of the reported incidents are voters taking selfies with their ballots,” said Lim. He reminded that taking

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Body of John Ridsdel recovered in Sulu?

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HEADLESS body, believed to be those of Canadian John Ridsdel, was recovered in Talipao, Sulu early Wednesday morning.

The remains were found at the vicinity of Bud Samin, Barangay Gata, of the above-mentioned locality, said Western Mindanao Command spokesman Major Filemon Tan. The body was recovered by joint elements of the Talipao Police and Special Action Force (SAF) with the help of Talipao Barangay Police Auxiliary Team.

Another report said that at 10 a.m. Wednesday, one Abejari Sahemari, a municipal councilor, reported to the Talipao po-

lice the discovery of a body of a Caucasian-looking man at Sitio Tibangaw in Barangay Gata.

Immediately, a police scene of the crime (SOCO) team accompanied by explosive ordinance disposal (EOD) personnel and two mobile teams were sent to the area.

The policemen reached the area, which is approximately 10 kilometers away from the Talipao Municipal Police Station, around 12 noon.

The body was found sprawled at a dried creek in the mountainous area of Sitio Tibangaw.

“The cadaver was dumped in the creek by... the ASG,” the

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Group pushes for kids’ welfare to next leader

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

A

abf@edgedavao.net

YOUTH group in Davao City urged presidential aspirants to include children’s welfare in their government programs once elected.

Nagkahi-usang Kabataan Aron Katungod Matagamtaman (NAKAMATA) convener Maribeth Cabbas said in yesterday’s I-Speak Media Forum, the group wants the next president to focus also on the need of their sector.

“The government should not only focus on giving education but also the implementation of children’s rights,” she said.

Cabbas said the incoming

administration should promote the four basic rights of children such as survival, protection, participation and development.

She said all children need to survive by providing them the basic necessities of food, shelter, clothing and education.

For her part, NAKAMATA co-convener Princess Bai Guiana said their group has the Bata Muna (Children First) campaign urging not just the politicians but also the voters to chose their candidate who has a program for children’s welfare.

Guiana said the next gov-

ernment should ensure the safety of children wherever they go as part of their rights.

She said the government should involve children in such vital issues as peace process and their rights and participation in nation-building.

“The government should ensure our rights even if a child gets pregnant or violated any law,” she said.

Guiana said the authorities should build schools up to the remotest areas of the country so that all children will have access to free education.

Non-government organization (NGO) Tambayan

Center youth leader Charlene Nadong said, their group came up with this call because they noticed that the previous and present administrations did not really address the problems of the children.

“Kung makita nato karon, daghan gihapon ang mga kabataan na naga-latagaw sa kadalanan (At present, there are still many children who are loitering aimlessly in communities),” she said.

For instance, Nadong said she has observed that there is an increasing number of children who are involved in pros-

The AFP stepped up its attacks on the ASG after the bandits beheaded Canadian hostage John Ridsdel in Sulu last April 25 after the latter’s family and government refused to give in to their Php300-million ransom demand.

“The Western Mindanao Command received reports from civilians in the area that there is an estimated 14 ASGs who were killed as a result of the bombardments,” Detoyato said.

Operations are still on-

going and the AFP is making headway as government troops are now occupying grounds formerly held by the bandits and recovered the alleged headless body of Ridsdel on Wednesday.

No casualties were incurred by government forces in the ongoing operations, the AFP public affairs chief said.

At the same time, Detoyato said they are still to receive reports that the ASG is planning to conduct retaliatory attacks in Metro Manila.

“We are still to receive reports about that,” he added.

The AFP public affairs office chief said advancing forces are still to sight any of the three hostages who were kidnapped together with Ridsdel last year.

The former, along with fellow Canadian Robert Hall, Marites Flor, Hall’s girlfriend, and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad were kidnapped by the ASG last Sept. 21 from Ocean View Resort in the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte. (PNA)

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14 ASG bandits killed in ongoing military offensive

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N estimated 14 Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) bandits were believed to have been killed in the latest military offensive against the brigands in the hinterlands of Patikul and Jolo towns, Sulu, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief Col. Noel Detoyato said on Thursday.

Most of these ASG members were killed by howitzer and aerial bombardment which started last April 23 and still ongoing as of this posting, he added.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

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4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

Nuisance candidate asks SC to reset May 9 polls

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NUISANCE candidate on Wednesday asked the Supreme Court (SC) to order the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to conduct a credible election, if not, postpone the May 9 national elections.

The petition was filed by Justino Arandia Padiernos, the founder of the People’s Freedom Party.

In his petition for mandamus, filed through his legal counsel Atty. Manuelito Luna, he also asked the SC to allow the House of Representatives to elect a president or vice president from the presidentiables and the declared “nuisance candidates” if there would be no proclamation due

to the rigging of the elections.

The petitioner believes that the conduct of a peaceful and credible election will be compromised following the hacking of the website of the Comelec which resulted to data leak that disclosed the personal information of millions of voters.

Padiernos argued that the situation of the election now is unbelievable since many of the qualified candidates for president were declared as nuisance candidates.

He further argued that if the elections will be rigged, the Congress cannot proclaim a president and vice president which may put the country into a crisis. (PNA)

agement Association of the Philippines.

In February, Duterte said he is ‘comfortable’ with up to 70 percent foreign ownership. The Constitution only allows foreigners up to 40 percent ownership.

But Duterte said he will let Congress decide on which industries will be opened for foreigners.

“I will tone down the Con-

stitution for foreigners,” Duterte said. “But I will leave it to Congress to decide.”

Duterte, however, clarified that he is opposed to foreigners owning lands in the Philippines.

Earlier, Duterte said he doesn’t have problems with leasing our lands to foreigners. He reiterated this position Wednesday, saying lands can be leased out up to 60 years.

Duterte, who is running under an anti-corruption and anti-criminality agenda, said he will consult his financial and foreign relations managers on this.

The Mindanawon presidential candidate, who also traces his roots in the Visayas, advocates federalism to replace the unitary-presidential form of government of the Philippines.

tance Fund (PDAF) totaling PHP7.97 million.

In a 27-page order released on Thursday, Morales ordered the filing of charges against Olaño before the Sandiganbayan for 3 counts of malversation, 3 counts of graft and direct bribery.

Likewise indicted are Technology Resource Center (TRC) officials Antonio Ortiz,

Dennis Cunanan, Maria Rosalinda Lacsamana, Francisco Figura, Marivic Jover, Maurine Dimaranan and Consuelo Espiritu, Department of Budget and Management (DBM) officials Mario Relampagos, Rosario Nuñez, Lalaine Paule and Marilou Bare, Philippine Social Development Foundation, Inc. (PSDFI) President Evelyn de Leon, Countrywide

Agri and Rural Economic Development Foundation, Inc. (CARED) President Mylene Encarnacion, together with Janet Lim Napoles and Eulogio Rodriguez.

In upholding the charges, Morales said that there is no merit in the motions for reconsideration (MRs) as the grounds raised do not warrant

WALKING SKILLS. Two boys practice their handstand and hand walking skills at the vacant lot inside Sta. Ana wharf in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

DFA official: All Filipinos should be concerned with West PH Sea issue

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OREIGN Affairs Assistant Secretary Charles Jose encouraged all Filipinos, including Negrenses, to be aware of the national government’s policies and actions on the country’s maritime claims on the West Philippine Sea (WPS).

“The issue should concern all Filipinos. Those in Negros, just the same. The people of Negros should be concerned.

The issue affects our sovereignty and territorial resources,” said Jose in a press conference here Wednesday.

Jose, who is also the spokesperson of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA), said they are conducting a nationwide campaign to raise the level of awareness of the Filipinos on the country’s rights and measures to gain possession of the much-disputed territory, which China also claims as its own.

The Philippine territory includes the maritime zones defined by the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS).

Jose also reiterated the government’s “dual track” position, which includes diplomatic and legal tracks that constitutes the Philippines’ rulesbased approach to the issue.

As part of the awareness campaign, Jose will speak before a multi-sectoral forum Thursday at the Sugarland Hotel here to discuss the core issues of the WPS dispute, China’s activities in the area, and principles underpinning the Philippines’ position on the issue.

It will be attended by representatives from national government agencies, local government units, business, academe, students, religious, media, farmers, and fisherfolk.

(PNA)

President Aquino visits job fair in Mandaue City

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RESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III here Wednesday visited a pre-Labor Day Job and Career Fair, which offered Cebuanos nearly 18,000 jobs.

The President arrived at the Mandaue Sports Complex and Cultural Center at about 4:30 p.m. and was joined by several national and local officials.

In an interview with reporters, Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said 14,000 overseas jobs and more than 3,000 local jobs were being offered at the fair.

Secretary Baldoz also said that on Labor Day on Sunday (May 1), job and career fairs will be held in five venues in Region 7, and in 43 other venues in the country.

She noted that labor unions will not join the traditional Labor Day events this year, having begged off so they could hold their respective rallies for the presidential candidates they support.

However, labor unions will participate in a pre-Labor Day event on occupational safety and health on Saturday (April 30), she said, adding that the result of this event will become the final output for a manifesto on the labor unions’ proposed agenda that will be presented to the next administration.

Baldoz further said that under President Aquino’s leadership, her department was able to increase protection for the vulnerable labor sector, give labor groups wider representation, increase the number of workers receiving better wages and benefits, resolve labor cases quickly, improve job placement, and provide workers with higher wages and other benefits.

The job fair here was organized in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), labor groups, employers, and various government agencies.

The participating indus-

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Rody: No to ownership of lands by foreigners

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RESIDENTIAL candidate Rodrigo Duterte said he is open to ‘toning down’ the Constitution to accommodate foreigners interested to own and establish businesses in the Philippines.

“I will open the economy to foreigners,” said Duterte Wednesday after his appearance at the presidential dialogues hosted by the Makati Business Club and the Man-

Raps filed vs. ex-Davao Norte solon for PDAF misuse

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MBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio Morales has upheld the indictment of former Davao del Norte (1st District) Rep. Arrel Olaño for malversation of public funds, violation of Section 3(e) of Republic Act No. 3019, or the “Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act”, and direct bribery for the misappropriation of his 2007 Priority Development Assis-

YOUTH AGENDA. Non-government group Tambayan Center youth leader Charlene Nadong along with Nagkahi-usang Kabataan Aron karungod Matagamtaman (NAKAMATA) conveners Maribeth Cabbas and Princess Bai

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Guiana urge the next president to inlcude the implementation of the four basic rights of children such as survival, protection, participation and development in their government platform once elected. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

3 cacao roadmaps to be integrated into 1

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) will take the lead in the harmonization of three roadmaps into one for the development of the cacao industry in the country.

Edwin Banquerigo, national cacao industry cluster coordinator of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said the integrated roadmap will be presented during the National Interagency Convergence in Cebu slated on May 25.

“The existing roadmaps for the cacao were crafted by the DA, Board of Investments, and private stakeholders of the industry,” Banquerigo, who is also the assistant regional director for DTI 11, told reporters recently.

Banquerigo said the roadmap will focus on the expansion of areas planted to cacao and improvement of farm productivity.

He said the integrated roadmap will allow the synchronization of programs for cacao industry implemented by different national government agencies.

Currently, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) and the DA have its own respective programs for cacao seedling dispersal.

The national government has been encouraging farmers to plant cacao in the last five years as the potential of cacao a in the global market arena for cacao grow stronger.

Increasing the nation’s cacao production will allow the Philippines to have a sizeable portion in the multi-billion dollar global industry of cacao which will face supply shortage by 2018, as projected by those

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SWIMSUITS FOR SALE. A lady walks by a stall selling a wide array of knock off but cheap swimsuits and other ready-to-wear merchandise along Rizal Street in Davao City. Business owners selling swimwear are enjoying brick sales during this time of the year. Lean Daval Jr.

6 THE ECONOMY

DuCay to act on coco levy fund

“P

ANAHON na para sa matapang na solusyon upang tapusin ang ilang dekadang paghihirap ng mga Pilipinong magniniyog.”

Vice presidential bet and Senate Majority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano said this as he assured coconut farmers in Quezon province that if elected, he and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will exercise political will in ensuring that the coco levy funds will finally reach its intended beneficiaries.

The senator made this assurance during his recent “Ronda-Serye” listening tour with coconut farmers in Lucena City on Thursday (April 28). During the dialogue,

the farmers voiced out their long-standing plight regarding the delayed distribution of the multibillion-peso fund.

Cayetano, for his part, stressed that the government’s continuous inaction in giving back the money to the farmers has become “criminal.” He further lamented how previous administrations failed to recover the shares that went to Eduardo “Danding” Cojuangco Jr.’s San Miguel Corporation (SMC).

“If many candidates are afraid of Danding Cojuangco, Mayor Duterte and I are not.

And while they keep on making promises they can’t keep, Mayor Duterte and I will just

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Unilab brings global med experts for ECHO Summit

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OCAL pharmaceutical company United Laboratories (Unilab) brings four global medical experts for the 2016 Experts’ Convergence for Health Outcomes (ECHO) Summit here on Thursday.

The ECHO Summit, which Unilab started in 2015, is a continuing medical education conference to maintain the competence of local medical practitioners and learn about new developments in the field of medicine.

Unilab’s LRI-Therapharma Division Medical Director Ma. Rosario C. Sevilla, MD said the summit would discuss topics such as women’s health, depression and anxiety, heart disease, and diabetes.

“Four seemingly diverse topics will be brought together to be appreciated by the expected audience of internists, family, general, and industrial medicine practitioners. The integration of that knowledge can then be utilized in the proper medical management of their patients,” said Sevilla.

Among the world’s

top-level practitioners in the field of medicine who will grace the 2nd ECHO Summit include Dr. Bertram Pitt, known worldwide as an expert on heart failure; Dr. Wilfred Fujimoto, who led the team that conducted The Japanese American Community diabetes Study in Washington, USA from 1983 to 2001; Dr. Nassir Ghaemi, a professor at the Department of Psychiatry in Tufts University School of Medicine, will discuss treatment of depressive or anxiety symptoms in persons at risk of cardiovascular disease; and Dr. Amos Pines, the co-founder of the Israel Menopausal Society and an Associate Professor of Sackler Faculty of Medicine in Tel-Aviv University.

Sevilla said about a thousand medical practitioners would attend the ECHO Summit this year.

The 2015 ECHO Summit is supported by Unilab’s Specialty Cluster Therapharma Inc., LR Imperial Inc., Medichem Pharmaceuticals, and Biofemme. (PNA)

Poll risks remain small vis-à-vis PHL economic outlook: HSBC

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REPORT by banking giant HSBC discounts big risks on the Philippine’s economic outlook vis-à-vis the upcoming national polls on May 9, citing that investors’ prefer continuity of current policy, which they see on most of the candidates.

Entitled “Philippine elections 2016: Beyond the campaign noise”, the report said that “the candidates’ platforms suggest a low risk of significant policy reversal.”

It said markets’ reaction on campaign news was subdued “given the strong similarities between candidates’ platforms, particularly concerning economic issues.”

“Of course, what ultimate-

ly matters is not the campaign platforms but their implementation and the quality of governance, which President (Benigno) Aquino (III) has painstakingly improved during his tenure, earning him plaudits from investors and credit rating agencies alike,” it said.

The report stressed that what matters was how the new government sustain infrastructure spending, which would support the economy over the next decade.

“But over a much longer time horizon, the development and maturity of the nation’s institutions are equally important, and this is what investors should focus on for the long

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

UNLOADING TUNA. Medium-size tunas from General Santos City are being unloaded by dealers from a fish car onto the Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

33,000 vacancies involved in 4 Davao job fairs: DOLE

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

ORE than 33,000 local and overseas jobs will be up for grabs in the 2016 Labor Day job fair in four malls in the Davao region.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) 11 records showed that job vacancies for both local and overseas employers have now reached a total of 33, 927 as of Thursday, April 28, 2016.

Of the figure, 7,963 are local job vacancies while 25,964 are overseas vacancies.

The Job Fair in line with the 114th Labor Day Celebration of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) bearing the theme “Kinabukasan Sigurado sa Disenteng Trabaho,” has a total of 123 participating employers consisting of 93 local and 28 overseas.

The top 10 occupations with most number of vacancies for local employment include:

call center agents, production workers, sales personnel, office staff/ admin clerks, accountants, cashiers, customer service representatives, machine operator, waiters/waitresses, and technicians (electronic, computer, auto, production, ECG, HVAC).

Top ten occupation vacancies for overseas employment include: hotel restaurant service workers, household service workers, laborers, technicians (electronic, hull, telecom, auto, and physiotherapy), cleaners, delivery man, sales personnel, and machine operator.

The job fair will be held in four malls in Davao Region namely SM City Davao, GMall Davao, GMall Tagum and GMall Digos. Job fair for GMall Davao will run until May 2.

Pre-registration started last Tuesday, April 26 and con-

tinue on Saturday, April 30 for SM City Davao, GMall Davao and GMall Tagum. Interested participants in Davao del Sur may pre-register in the nearest municipal Public Employment Services Office (PESO).

Mini job fairs are also being simultaneously held in SM City Davao and GMall Davao.

As of Wednesday, April 27, a total of 227 applicants have pre-registered and 34 have been hired on the spot (HOTS) for the mini job fairs.

Pre-registered applicants will be prioritized and will fall in line on a different lane during the actual job fair.

Requirements for both the pre-registration and the actual Labor Day job fair are bio-data, resume, and supporting documents such as school credentials, training certificates and employment records.

DOLE 11 regional Director

Joffrey M. Suyao encouraged all interested job seekers especially the fresh graduates.

“Grab the opportunity this coming Labor Day because this is the chance that you can acquire the skills and beef-up our resume for a better opportunity in the future,” Suyao said in a press statement furnished to Edge Davao last Thursday.

A One-Stop Shop will also be available on May 1 in all malls wherein Government Agencies such as Social Security System (SSS), PAG-IBIG, Philhealth, Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), Depratment of Education (DepEd) and DOLE 11’s Regional Coordinating Committee members will be present to offer services not only for the applicants but will also accommodate walk-in clients.

OCIOECONOMIC Planning Secretary and National Economic and Development Authority Director General Emmanuel F. Esguerra expressed optimism that the Philippines will remain one of the fastest growing economies in Asia, with its GDP growth targeted to reach 6.2 percent in 2017.

Dr. Esguerra issued the statement when was keynote speaker during the second Mindanao Shipping Conference at the Waterfront Insular Hotel in Davao City last Wednesday.

He said that this vibrant view on the Philippine economy is also shared by the private sector which forecasts real GDP growth to reach 5.8 to 6.3 percent by 2017.

“The growth-enhanced

fiscal space has allowed major investments in infrastructure, with spending on public infrastructure more than tripling.

The bulk of investments are slated for transportation, covering 43 percent of total infrastructure investments from 2013-2016 and beyond which is estimated to reach more than 7 trillion pesos. This shall be complemented by private investments in public infrastructure amounting to about 1.5 trillion pesos based on the status of PPP projects as of April 2016”, he said. The Secretary likewise shared the implementation of the Three-year Infrastructure Rolling Program (TRIP) by July 2016, which tightens the link between investment programming and budgeting, ensuring the funding of ongoing programs and

projects during the life of the project’s implementation.

He also mentioned some issues on Mindanao sea transport sector which included the limited capacity of Mindanao seaports (berthing structure, transit/cargo shed area for no-containerized cargo, container yard for containerized cargo, and passenger terminal building) and the need to reduce domestic cargo rates given the more expensive rates in Mindanao compared to foreign cargo rates. Further, with Mindanao playing a critical role in the ASEAN Economic Community, the following sea linkages need to be established or improved: Zamboanga-Sandakan (Malaysia), Davao/General Santos-Bitung, Manado (Indonesia), Zamboanga-Muara (Brunei), and Tawi-Tawi-Tara-

kan (Indonesia).

The event, which was organized by PortCalls, the Philippines’ only shipping and transport guide, and the Philippine International Seafreight Forwarders Association, Inc. (PISFA), convened cargo and forwarding transport industry representatives and stakeholders from the Mindanao area. Other resource persons include representatives from the Mindanao Development Authority, Bureau of Customs, Davao International Container Terminal, Maersk-Filipinas, Inc., PISFA, and the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. The Socioeconomic Planning secretary was keynote speaker of the First Visayas Shipping Conference in Cebu City yesterday, April 28.

NEDA chief sees 6.2 % growth rate in 2017 S

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EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

Don’t burn rice straw Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

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OT too many Filipino farmers are aware that burning rice straw, locally known as “dayami,” can contribute to the warming of the world.

“Rice production also contributes to global warming as it emits methane,” said Dr. Constancio Asis, Jr. supervising science research specialist at the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija.

After carbon dioxide, methane is the second most important greenhouse gas, which is responsible for trapping the heat from the sun at it radiates back into space.

Methane is created naturally as a waste product of anaerobic bacteria (living with little or no oxygen). These bacteria produce methane gas in waterlogged soil and wetland, but also in human-produced environment such as rice paddies.

Scientists explain that long-term flooding of the fields cuts the soil off from atmospheric oxygen and causes anaerobic fermentation of organic matter in the soil. During the wet season, rice cannot hold the carbon in anaerobic conditions. The microbes in the soil

convert the carbon into methane which is then released through the respiration of the rice plant or through diffusion of water.

It wasn’t until in 2001, when the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) submitted its report that methane was given much attention. “One of the most potent greenhouse gases on Earth,” the report said.

“Methane absorbs heat 21 times more than carbon dioxide and it has 9-15 year life time in the atmosphere over a 100-year period,” says Dr. Asis, Jr., a recipient of the 2011 Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Award.

The Journal Science reported that atmospheric concentration of methane has more than doubled during the last 300 years and is increasing at an annual rate of about 1% each year.

Although atmospheric methane levels declined during 1983-99, they remained relatively constant during 1999-2006, according to a new report released by the Washington, D.C.-based World-

watch Institute. “And they have been increasing since 2007,” it said.

Growing rice is one of the main culprits in why the world has become inhospitable to living, according to a paper released during the Economics on Climate Change in Southeast Asia in Siem Reap, Cambo-

dia two years ago.

The Philippines, being of the world’s top producers of rice, is a biggest contributor.

“From 2006 to 2010, the Philippines harvested around 16 million tons of rice each year on average,” said the policy brief paper published by the Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA). “Most of the country’s production (57%) came from the wet season harvest.”

“Rice is a plant that grows best in wet soil, with its roots flooded,” explains L. Hartwell Allen, an American soil scientist at the Crops Genetics and Environmental Research Unit in Gainesville, Florida. “But flooded rice crops emit substantial amounts of methane to the atmosphere.”

In fact, rice fields are one of the major contributors of methane in the atmosphere.

“An estimated 19 percent of world’s methane production comes from rice paddies,” admits Dr. Alan Teramura, a botany professor at the University of Maryland. “As populations increase in rice-growing areas, more rice – and more methane – are produced.”

Oftentimes, Filipino farmers burn rice straw to discard them from the rice fields. Doing so, as stated earlier, is not good for the environment, according to the PhilRice experts.

“Burning of rice straws, generally practiced during the harvest season, causes air pollutants such as carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxide, and sulphur dioxide,” the government rice agency says.

“If continually done, it will decrease soil’s nitrogen, 25% of phosphorus, 20% of potassium, and 5-60% of sulfur. The practice also damages food resources of beneficial insects in the rice field.”

In addition, burning rice straw is unhealthy. “Rice straw burning is also known to emit particulate matters and other chemicals such as dioxins and furans that have negative impact on human health,” the paper said.

The Philippines produces 15.2 million tons of rice that leave 11.3 million tons of rice straw every year.

To minimize postharvest waste, PhilRice urges farmers to use rice straws as organic fertilizer and primary material for mushroom production.

Rice straw and other biomass from farm by-products can help farmers save expenses from chemical fertilizer inputs.

Recycling farm wastes can also keep their environment clean and free of pollutants.

“When straws are scattered in the field during land preparation, they maintain soil’s nutrients and moisture,” said Evelyn J. Javier, supervising science research specialist of PhilRice’s Agronomy, Soil, and Plant Physiology Division.

According to Javier, every 5 tons of rice straws can increase soil’s nutrients such as nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulfur, silicon, and carbon.

They also preserve the biodiversity of microorganisms that helps in nutrient cycling and efficient fertilizer utilization.

Rice straws can also be used as mulch to protect the roots of the plants from heat and cold and reduce the evaporation rate, the PhilRice experts say. They also prevent weeds to grow in the paddy field.

On the other hand, Rizal G. Corales of PhilRice’s Palayamanan Plus recommended the use of rice straws as substrate for oyster mushroom (Pleurotus spp.) production.

“Bulk of the rice biomass

produced is still being disposed indiscriminately despite its many known uses. Using rice straw as mushroom substrate is economically profitable for farmers and people engaged in agribusiness,” Corales said.

“The waste from mushroom production is also the main substrate for vermicomposting, one of the best organic fertilizers produced,” Corales added.

With such negative effects, farmers in the Philippines are encouraged to stop burning rice straw and adopt more environmentally-friendly rice straw management practices.

Meanwhile, a study headed by Cheryll C. Launio, also of PhilRice, found out that early incorporation of both stubble and straw into the soil is “the most cost-effective way of disposing rice straw.” More importantly, it can help reduce GHG emissions.

The study was done in the rice growing areas of Central Luzon, Western Visayas, Cagayan Valley, and Ilocos regions, where around 30% of farmers burnt their rice straw.

The rest of farmers adopted any of the following practices: scattered it in their fields, incorporated it into the soil during land preparation, or just left it in their threshing areas for incorporation in the next cropping season.

Based from the study, it was found that incorporating stubble less than 30 days before crop establishment is responsible for the largest contribution of GHG emissions.

But incorporation rice stubble more than 30 days before crop establishment and incorporating composted rice straw into the field “yielded the lowest cumulative levels of methane

FAGRITRENDS, 10

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

EDITORIAL What is Trillanes up to?

V

ICE presidential tailender Sen. Antonio Trillanes, poorly wallow- this spin as Duterte’s rivals will have to thank him for that. ing in the cellar of the electoral race, created ripples with his acBut the move is classic Trillanes, a frustrated coup plotter twice over. cusation against presidential frontrunner Mayor Rodrigo DuterTrillanes presented alleged list of deposits in 2014 in a joint account te. that Sara Z Duterte and Rodrigo Roa Duterte kept in the Bank of PhilipTrillanes whipped a storm accusing Duterte of an undeclared wealth pine Islands branch on Julia Vargas. amounting to P211-million deposited in a joint account with daughter The documents purportedly were obviously not official bank docuSara Duterte in 2014 in a bank in Ortigas. ments but simply a computer listing of alleged deposits.

Trillanes is rating very poorly in the surveys with only three percent Likewise, Duterte and his vice presidential running mate Alan Peter and dead last in the latest results. And with only two weeks left in the Cayetano have in fact publicly signed a manifesto waiving their bank campaign, it is more likely Trillanes will end up the doormat in the VP secrecy right and allowing people to ask for the details on their bank race. accounts. The manifesto also called on all candidates for President and On the other hand, Duterte has widened his lead to 12 percentage Vice President to sign a bank secrecy waiver. No other candidate took points in the latest surveys. the challenge.

With Trillanes’ P211-M account spin, Duterte’s foes also have It is now incumbent upon the accuser Trillanes to back up his allegalaunched relentless attacks in an attempt to stop him from becoming tions and prove the same. In Duterte’s case, he does not owe Trillanes a President. second of his precious time. If he does, it will only benefit his rivals who Trillanes as an accuser at this point is understandable. He desperate- would be grinning from ear to ear watching him parry the bullets from ly needs a storm to awaken his sagging hopes. He will also benefit from a desperate hitman in Trillanes.

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F

ROM all appearances, Mar Roxas, the administration bet, is hanging on to dear life, like a rat in a capsizing pirate ship in the Caribbean. His allies are slowly but surely abandoning the Liberal Party ship.

He very obviously picked on Rodrigo Duterte during the third and last Comelec-organized presidential debate held in Dagupan City, hoping the latter would bite. Duterte, sensing the snare, used grandmaster techniques to escape the Roxas gambit.

Roxas dared Duterte, now the clear frontrunner in the latest surveys by both the Social Weather Station (SWS) and Pulse Asia to withdraw from the race if the former is able to prove that Davao City residents benefitted from the Philhealth program of the government.

Duterte pooh-poohed Roxas’ claims, saying people do not believe him because if they do, Roxas would have been leading the surveys, thus irking the latter.

Roxas has stopped training his guns on VP Jojo Binay and Grace Poe because he wouldn’t gain ‘pogi’ points as much as he would if he traps Duterte into accepting his dare.

A former DILG chief, Roxas couldn’t shake

W

HILE traveling to Tokyo, I eavesdropped in conversation between a skeptic American and a Korean minister. In speaking of the Bible, the American guy said it was quite impossible these days to believe in any book whose authority was unknown.

The minister asked him if the compiler of the multiplication table was known. “No,” he replied without much ado. The Korean immediately articulated, “Then, of course you do not believe in it.” The skeptic’s reply: “Oh, yes, I believe in it because it works well.” To which the minister retorted, “So does the Bible.”

It is commonly known that the Bible, in its hundreds of different translations, is the most widely distributed book in human history.

Moreover, in all its forms, the Bible has been enormously influential, and not only among the religious communities that hold it sacred.

The literature, art, and music of Western culture in particular are deeply indebted to biblical themes, motifs, and images.

Translations of the Bible, such as the Authorized Version (or King James Version, 1611) and Martin Luther’s translation of the Bible into German (first completed in 1534) not only influenced literature but also shaped the development of languages. Such effects continue to be felt in emerging nations, where translations of the Bible into the vernacular help to shape language traditions.

Statistics assure us that the Bible is still the world’s bestseller, but evidence of biblical literacy is not encouraging. The late Bruce Barton was too painfully near the truth when he entitled his book about the Bible, The Book Nobody Knows.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Mar is a goner off the handSPECKS OF LIFE icaps he wittingly bears.

His staunch advocacy to carry on with the Daang Matuwid put him under the shadow of Pres. NoyFred C. Lumba noy Aquino, who is, more than anything else, described as a laid-back, if not lazy, swivel chair executive who heads an inexperienced student council government.

But the confidence that Mar exudes defines the determination in his eyes. Despite this positive character trait, his elitist forbearance he could not hide, which alienates him from the scores of millions of the poor, suffering Pinoy ‘masa’.

His language is so decently damn perfect Roxas could not find identification with the poor that is so unlike the proletarian street lingo that Duterte uses without pretension which, as you have seen on the boob tube,

the crowds relished hearing from the tough talking Davao City mayor.

The Filipino electorate have suffered badly enough from the abnormal incompetence of the PNoy government that Roxas declares to duplicate if he becomes president. Below are some of the Aquino admin’s major booboos.

Pres. Noynoy appeared three hours late after a lone hostage taker killed eight visiting foreign tourists at the Luneta in Sept. 2010.

Had the president promptly taken the bull by its horns, the gunman, a retired cop, would have surrendered and thus prevented the tragedy from happening.

The Mamasapano (Maguindanao) massacre where 44 members of the elite PNP Special Action Force were mercilessly slain in a covert mission to capture Marwan, a notorious foreign terrorist. The preparations for the said mission were even kept secret from Roxas who was then sitting as DILG secretary.

A loyal friend, Roxas even protected Aquino, saying it was the President’s judgment call.

Really? Wasn’t Roxas clearly sidestepped by PNoy in favour of Gen. Purisima?

The much-delayed Yolanda rehabilitation and mismanagement. Three years after

the strongest typhoon wreaked havoc, killing thousands of people and destroying billions in properties in Leyte, Samar and other outlying provinces, the Aquino government has not completed its programmed rehabilitation, this despite the billions of assistance in cash and in kind donated by foreign sectors.

Is Mar Roxas then proud to claim these failures as part of his Daang Matuwid platform? Will he, like Don Quixote, attack the “windmills” and defend Pres. Noynoy up to the last drop of his blood?

Roxas is trailing Duterte by 13 big points as the campaign period comes to a grind 10 or so days from now. In NBA parlance, it is the last two minutes.

Roxas is no Kobe Bryant or Lebron James, two of the NBA’s superheroes expected to turnaround a losing game. Even if he were either of the two, Roxas can only hope against hope that the game goes into overtime.

Unfortunately in presidential elections such as this, there are no game-tying points available to produce a deadlock at the buzzer.

Mar Roxas is a goner. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.). God bless the Philippines!

The term THINK ON THESE! Bible is derived through Latin from the Greek biblia, or “books,” the diminutive form of byblos, the word for “papyrus” or “paper,” which was exHenrylito D. Tacio ported from the henrytacio@gmail.com ancient Phoenician port city of Biblos. By the time of the Middle Ages the books of the Bible were considered a unified entity.

If you were to open a Bible for the first time, the thing that might immediately attract your attention is that there are two major divisions in it: “Old Testament” and “New Testament.” The wordtestament means “covenant” or “agreement.” As Henrietta C. Mears explains in her book, What the Bible is All About: “The Old Testament is the covenant God made with man about his salvation before Christ came. The New Testament is the agreement God made with man about his salvation after Christ came.”

The order as well as the number of books differs between the Jewish Bible and the Protestant and Roman Catholic versions of the Bible.

The Bible of Judaism is in three distinct parts: the Torah, or Law, also called the books of Moses; the Nebiim, or Prophets, divided into the Earlier and Latter Prophets; and the Ketubim, or Writings, including Psalms, wisdom books, and other diverse literature.

The Christian Old Testament organizes the

books according to their type of literature: the Pentateuch, corresponding to the Torah; historical books; poetical or wisdom books; and prophetical books. The Protestant and Roman Catholic versions of the Old Testament place the books in the same sequence, but the Protestant version includes only those books found in the Bible of Judaism.

The New Testament includes the four Gospels; the Acts of the Apostles, a history of early Christianity; Epistles, or letters, of Paul and other writers; and an apocalypse, or Book of Revelation. Some books identified as letters, particularly the Book of Hebrews, are theological treatises.

“The Bible has given us the most marvelous record of family life of any civilization on earth,” points out historian Edith Deen. “The Bible never grows old. We grow old. Our houses grow old. Our businesses become outdated. Our wardrobes change quickly. But the Bible, a study of man’s relationships to God, never changes.

That’s why the way of life of the family of Israel has survived the centuries. Faithful records of the family life of other civilizations contemporary with the Bible – the Babylonian, the Hittite, even the Greek – have perished, but the family record of Israel is alive and vital today.”

Dwight Moody shares: “The Bible is a storehouse of whose contents no one can afford to be ignorant. It repays reading and study whether it be approached merely because of its literary value, or its ethical teachings, or its practical bearing on everyday life.”

According to Billy Graham, the Bible is old, yet it is never new. “It is the most modern book in the world today,” he declares. “It speaks to our immediate social, political, and spiritual needs

right now. It is God’s message about Himself and His redemptive love – written to each one of us.”

Graham further states: “The message of the Bible is the message of Jesus Christ who said, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life.’ It is the story of salvation: the story of your redemption and mine through Christ: the story of life, of peace, of eternity.”

Politicians, beware! “The Bible is a very dangerous book for dictators,” Christianity Today reminds. “Hitler knew it, and so did many other totalitarian rulers. If they are to remain in power, repressing liberties and keeping their subjects ignorant, they should use every means possible to keep the Bible out of the hands of their people.”

Many say, “The Bible is so great. I don’t know where to commence and don’t know how to go on.” This is often said quite earnestly and sincerely. And it is true that, unless we have some method, we shall assuredly lose the very best results, even though we may spend much time upon the Book.

Campbell Morgan once made the statement: “The Bible can be read from Genesis 1 to Revelation 22 at pulpit rate in 78 hours.” A lawyer challenged him on that. Morgan told him to go on and try it before he challenged. The lawyer went home and read the Bible in less than 80 hours.

William A. Ward reminded us: “It is not enough to read the Bible; we must let it speak to us. It is not enough to let it speak to us; we must believe it. It is not enough to believe it; we must live it.”

E. Paul Hovey contends, “Men do not reject the Bible because it contradicts itself but because it contradicts them.”

Amen.

The book of books

10 NEWS RABIES... FROM 1 rabies virus manifested in his body and later on he died,” she said.

Malubay said rabies can be prevented if victims will immediately seek medical help.

She said the city has five

animal bite and treatment centers which are located in Magsaysay Park, Tugbok District Health Center, Paquibato District Hospital, Toril Health Center and Southern Philippines Medical Center.

titution.

There are children are exposed to abuse not just in the community and inside their homes.

Nadong said many children are involved in gangster-

ism because most of them are having domestic problems.

She said financial problem in the family is the most common reason that pushes children to join gangs and worse, prostitution and illegal drugs.

“selfies” are prohibited and stated in the General Instructions for BEIs. “We will have it investigated by our Law Department to determine whether there is probable cause, and to determine whether we have jurisdiction over it,” Lim added.

He noted that there were only two incidents of discrepancies in the actual votes and those printed in voting receipts.

“There were only two incidents of the voter receipts not reflecting the votes out of the 191,427 ballots cast... in Seoul and Dubai,” Lim said.

There have been claims made over the social media on alleged discrepancies in the voting receipts, wherein the vote of a voter for a particular candidate was counted for another bet.

The Comelec had already asked those making claims of discrepancies to substantiate their claims by filing formal petitions.

In a related development, vice presidential aspirant Senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. revealed on Wednesday that another incident was reported to them this time in California, USA which involved the tearing of a vote receipt after a voter reported a discrep-

ancy on the receipt.

“May isang case sa California, kung saan nung sinabi nung voter sa BEIs na may reklamo siya sa resibo, ay pinagalitan tapos pinunit yung resibo tapos pinaalis daw sya sa polling center,” he said in an interview.

The lawmaker noted that they are collating information and documents from the complainants after which they will submit it before the Comelec for their immediate action.

“Inaalam namin, magbigay sila (ng) impormasyon kung sino sila, saan nangyari, affidavit nila at ito ay ibibigay natin sa Comelec,” he said.

Marcos added that what worries him is that all the reported incidents only involves him as the votes for him are given to other candidates.

“The worrisome part is that ako lang ang nawawalan ng boto hindi pa nangyari na nawala ang boto ng ibang tao at napunta sa akin. Lahat ng report ay nawawalan ako ng boto napupunta sa ibang kandidato kaya’t you will not be surprised na nababahala ako,” he explained.

It was Marcos who reported the alleged discrepancies after receiving reports from Filipinos in Dubai, Kuwait and Japan. (PNA)

tries included IT-BPM, food and beverage, aerospace, semi-conductors, automotive, health and wellness, and tourism.

The job fair, which also featured career ambassadors, aimed to assist young individuals in making career decisions.

(PNA)

a reversal or modification of the assailed resolution considering that “the allegations in the complaint, testimonies of complainants’ witnesses and

the 2009 COA Report suffice to lead a person of ordinary caution and prudence to believe that the crimes charged were indeed committed.” (PNA)

do it, we will just get things done for our poor farmers,” Cayetano said.

The tandem earlier signed a three-point manifesto, which aims to end what they described as “a systemic oppression of small coconut farmers.” They vowed to distribute the funds to the beneficiaries during the first 100 days of their term. They will do this by pushing for a legislation that will create a perpetual trust fund for coconut farmers.

Aside from the coco levy fund, Cayetano said they will also tap P1 billion from the national budget to serve as a Coconut Modernization Fund,

to be used for the development of the country’s coconut industry. The tandem also vowed to work on pursuing all unrecovered shares from the assets acquired through the fund, including the 20-percent shares awarded to Cojuangco by the Supreme Court in 2011.

“Kaytagal nang nagtiis at naghirap ng ating mga magniniyog. Hindi nila kailangan ng pangako mula sa mga kandidatong protektor ng mayayaman at maimpluwensya. Ang kailangan nila ay mga lider na may political will at lakas ng loob na lumaban para sa kanila. Ito ang inaalok namin ni Mayor Duterte,” Cayetano said.

Group... FROM 2 Close... FROM 2

President... FROM 4 Raps... FROM 4

DuCay... FROM 6

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

RABIES INCREASE. Davao City Health Office (CHO)- Anti-Rabies Section head physician Dr. Annaliza Malubay bares the increase of rabies cases in the first quarter of 2016. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

Body... FROM 2

report said.

The troops then secured the area for possible presence of the ASG bandits, while SOCO personnel processed the scene.

“There was no indication that the victim was beheaded in the area due to the absence of blood stains in the scene,” according to the report.

After the SOCO examination, the body was turned over to the Marine Battalion Landing Team 11 and was scheduled to the airlifted to Zamboanga City.

The recovery of the body came two days after the ASG beheaded Ridsdel as their ransom demand was not met.

The ASG demanded Php300 million ransom each for Ridsdel and his fellow captives Robert Hall, Hall’s Filipino girlfriend Marites Flor, and Norwegian Kjartan Sekkingstad.

The victims were seized by the ASG last Sept. 21 from Ocean View Resort on the Island Garden City of Samal, Davao Del Norte. (PNA)

in the private sector as a result of increasing demand.

The Philippines is one of the exporters of cacao, but with only 0.2 percent share.

More than 90 percent of the country’s supply is produced in Mindanao, with Davao as the

topnotcher.

Last year, the region only produced 12,000 metric tons of cacao beans from 21,000 hectares of areas planted to cacao per record by the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao (CIDAMI).

haul,” it said.

It noted, however, that recently, “foreign investors have started to pay more attention to campaign developments.”

This as former frontrunners Senator Grace Poe and Vice President Jejomar Binay have been surpassed by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in recent surveys, even after the Supreme Court (SC) issued a final ruling last April 5 reversing a Commission on Elections (Comelec) ruling cancelling Poe’s certificate of candidacy due to citizenship and residency issues.

The HSBC report said Duterte’s rise in latest surveys was “the most interesting development” recently because of his stance against corruption and crime, with the latter he vows to eradicate in the first six months in office.

Duterte’s popularity soared even with issues such as his comment on the murder and rape of an Australian missionary in Davao in 1989.

The report said Davao City, the country’s third largest city and which Duterte reigned for more than 22 years, experienced economic growth after Duterte, dubbed as the coun-

try’s “Dirty Harry” because of his crime-busting stance, addressed the high crime rate, caused partly by insurgency.

“This paved the way for Davao to undergo an impressive economic rehabilitation – attracting significant foreign investments, particularly in the outsourcing and business processing sectors,” it said.

The report said Davao Region, which Davao City belongs in, has surpassed the national gross domestic product (GPD) by a small market in recent years.

In terms of the impact on the Philippine peso, the report said the elections was not seen to have significant effect right after the polls. ”Although the PHP has been under some downward pressure recently, as the focus on the election intensified, some of the potential volatility that we anticipated has been cushioned by other factors,” it said.

On the over-all economy, the elections is seen to have “little risk” since the output continues to enjoy the backing of remittances, which in turn supports private consumption; credit growth, and trade data, among others. (PNA)

3 cacao... FROM 5

Poll... FROM 6

AGRITRENDS... FROM 7 and nitrous oxide.”

However, “simply shifting from the baseline approach of late stubble incorporation and straw burning to early incorporation of both stubble and straw also gave good results and led to reduction in GHG emissions of around 80%.

This was mainly due to reductions in methane emissions.”

The researchers’ conclusion: “Shifting from rice straw burning to rice straw incorporation will not necessarily re-

duce global warming potential if straw is incorporated less than 30 days before cultivation, especially in flooded conditions.”

In terms of monetary benefits, early incorporation of both stubble and rice straw into the soil more than 30 days before cultivation is more profitable. “This option gave a net benefit of P21 or around $0.50 per ton of carbon dioxide equivalent reduction,” the paper said.

by nine Filipino engineers who were stationed in Japan to undergo an extensive course about microsatellite. The team had almost a year to finish the assembly and testing of Diwata-1.

It weighs 50 kg and is about the size of a “balikbayan box.”

The development of Diwata-1 was made possible through DOST’s flagship project called the PhilMicrosat Program, which was implemented by several departments in University of the Philippines (UP)-Diliman and DOST’s Advanced Science and Technology Institute (ASTI).

The agency has also partnered with Tohoku and Hokkaido universities in Japan to develop Diwata-1.

The country’s first microsatellite is expected to be in orbit for about 20 months and will be imaging the country twice daily.

Diwata-1 has four cameras that would continuously take pictures of the Philippines.

These images will be used for research and in remote sensing.

David had earlier cited that the pictures taken by Diwata-1 can also be used for tourism, as the agency will pick an image of the day and will share it to the public.

David told PNA that right after Diwata-1’s release in the orbit, it would take images.

However, he admitted that the imaging system might need some calibration (e.g. there’s a need to adjust the focus).

After a day in the orbit, the image taken by Diwata-1 will be shared to the media. “If we will not be able to give an image within the weekend, some-

thing might have gone wrong,” David said.

Meanwhile, Diwata-2 is scheduled to be built within the year, and David said the planning stage has already started.

He added that the government targets to launch the Diwata-2 in 2018.

According to David, Diwata-2 will be a little more sophisticated than Diwata-1. ”Maybe we could put in some communication component in the Diwata-2m” he cited.

The PCIEERD executive director said the government has allocated Php 800 million for the PhilMicrosat Program.

That includes the budget for developing Diwata-1 and Diwata-2, development of a receiving station, and scholarship for the engineers.

The same team of engineers will create Diwata-2. The two engineers who resigned will be replaced, and David said DOST might add two more engineers to the team.

Originally, PCIEERD planned to have a good microsatellite data storage facility in Subic. David said the receiving station, which will be tasked to receive Diwata-1 imagery as well as from selected commercial satellites, will be in UP-Diliman instead.

Construction of the receiving station in UP-Diliman will be finished by mid-May according to David.

For the meantime, the images from Diwata-1 will be received by those in Tohoku, Japan. ”They will send the images to us. That will be the scenario for the first two weeks,” David said. (PNA)

Astronauts... FROM 13

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

Low water pressure to no water in some city parts April 30 - May 1

D

AVAO City Water District advises that all areas served by Line 1 of Dumoy Water Supply System (WSS) will experience low water pressure to no water from 11:00 PM of April 30 until 11:00 AM of May 1.

Specific affected areas are: entire Talomo, Ulas, Bangkal, Matina Aplaya, Matina, Langub, Bucana, Ecoland Phases 1 to 7, Downtown, Pampanga, Sasa and Bo. Obrero and some areas along Matina Pangi Road (from Matina Crossing to corner C.P. Garcia National Highway), Agdao (Wilfredo Aquino, Gov. Vicente Duterte, Leon Garcia Sr., R. Castillo, Ubalde, Lapu-Lapu, San Antonio and Centro), Bago Aplaya (Gulf View Executive Homes, Versari Village, Castro Village and Sto. Niño Village), Ma-a (from NCCC Mall to Emerald Village), Lanang (Ramos Village, Lizada Village, Villa De Davao Subd., Lanang Beach Club and Insular Village II) and Panacan (Philippine Naval Forces with Dumoy WSS connections only).

Some DCWD production wells under Line 1 of Dumoy WSS will be affected by Davao Light and Power Company’s scheduled power interruption on said date which is needed to facilitate the re-conductor-

ing of primary lines from its Puan Substation to Talomo Barangay Hall. Although the power cut is shorter in duration, DCWD needs additional time for re-switching on of the affected facilities, pressure build up and line delivery, thus the longer duration of water service interruption.

DCWD general manager Edwin V. Regalado asks for the understanding and cooperation of would-be affected customers. He also advises them to store enough water prior to the scheduled water interruption. Water supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

The general public may visit DCWD website (www. davao-water.gov.ph) and official Facebook page (www. facebook.com/davaowater) or call the Central Information Unit / Call Center through the 24-hour hotline 297-DCWD (3293) and press “1” on their phone dial to listen to latest daily water updates. They may also call / text 09277988966, 0925-5113293 and 0908-4410653 for other updates, complaints, queries and matters pertaining to DCWD services. (Katrina Belen M. Roble)

Globe joins US Embassy in addressing overfishing

L

EADING telecommunications company Globe Telecom joins the US Embassy Manila, US Agency for International Development (USAID), and mobile content marketing firm Tone in staging the first Fishackathon in the Philippines on April 23-24 at Globe Valero Telepark in Makati City in an effort to develop usable technology solutions that will address the worldwide problem of overfishing.

The two-day activity, which will be staged simultaneously in 43 host cities worldwide, expect to bring together developers, designers, as well as representatives from government and non-government organizations who will #codeforfish, find innovative ways to collect and analyze data, and find solutions to the world’s fisheries and oceans issues.

“It will be exciting to see effective and useful apps emerge at the Fishackathon 2016 Manila. We at Globe Labs, are proud to serve as a partner again with the US government in looking for ways for information and communications technology to be used in addressing issues that plague the world,” said Glenn Estrella, VP for Digital Ventures. Globe Labs partnered with the US government in hosting the TechCamp Hackathon two years ago.

Fishackathon 2016 is also in line with Globe Telecom’s sustainability advocacy to create a #WonderfulPH through positive societal impact with the use of modern technology. Globe has ongoing eco-tourism efforts which include communities involved in fisheries and aquatic resources such as the following: PUSOD on protection and enhancement of Taal Lake in Batangas ecosystem; Save Philippine Seas on protection of thresher sharks through engagement and education of community stakeholders in Malapascua, Cebu; Sangkalikasan Producers Cooperative on the establishment of an environment hotline center

in Boracay, Malay, Aklan; and Casa San Miguel on livelihood opportunities for those living along the coastal barangays of San Antonio, Zambales.

Fishackathon was launched in 2014 in response to overfishing which harms the marine environment and diminishes the already meager income of small scale fishermen. Participating teams need to choose one of the nine available problem statements to work on for the entirety of the hackathon.

The official text of the problem statements will not be available until after the event is officially opened to ensure that all teams are on a level playing field when the hackathon begins. A group of marine experts will be on hand to advise all participants about fisheries management and marine biodiversity conservation in the Philippines.

For Fishackathon Manila, a grand prize valuing approximately Php 35,000 as well as smaller runner-up and second runner-up prizes, will be awarded. Each team will be asked to do a five- minute presentation of their solution, followed by two minutes of Q&A by the panel of judges and two minutes of Q&A by the audience.

The presentations will be judged based on the quality of idea or innovation, impact, and interface. The winning team will upload their presentation to be entered into the global competition.

The global winning team will be announced on World Oceans Day on June 8, 2016 and will receive a $10,000 cash prize. In addition, one team’s creation will be further independently developed through a US government contractor.

Follow @usembassymanila, @USAID_Manila @withtone @ Globelabs @fishackathon @ GPatState on Twitter for updates on Fishackathon Manila 2016.

For further information on the Fishackathon partnership and this weekend’s events, please visit fishackathon.co. #codeforfish.

Anflocor’s Trabahunters Program:

Going beyond the salary

W

ITH its pursuit in making lives better, the Anflo Group of Companies continues to initiate projects for health, education, and many other advocacies. Today, hundreds are alums and beneficiaries of the different programs of the Corporate Social Responsibility of Anflocor.

With a strong passion towards community-building, the company started a project called Summer Trabahunters Program, an annual opportunity for the direct dependents of ANFLOCOR’s employees.

This program lets the youth gain real-world experiences, meet new acquaintances, and earn.

The 30-day program began in April of 2015 where 15 dependents were given the chance to experience clerical and administrative tasks inside the ANFLOCOR. It was initiated by the Human Resource and Social Services Department (HRSS).

“Before Anflocor, I was assigned in TADECO. We have a program called Special Program Employment for Students or SPES where the LGU and TADECO would team up to give jobs to the youth. I applied in ANFLOCOR what I did in TADECO. The program is for the direct dependents of our employees this time,” HRSS Assistant Vice-president Norman L. Clemente said.

Clemente further explained that the Summer Trabahunters Program is an avenue for the dependents to work in the company and appreciate the value of work.

“They see their parents leaving home for work every day to sustain their education. If the dependents will do the same, they will realize the value of work and the proper attitude towards it such as discipline, commitment, and professionalism,” Clemente explained.

According to Gerard dela Cruz, officer-in-charge and coordinator of the program, the Trabahunters Program is also aimed at fostering bonds.

“The goal of the management is to form bonds

between the parent and the child-- they go to work together, have lunch together and bond during break times,” dela Cruz said.

Aside from being direct dependents of Anflocor employees, Trabahunters must be between the ages of 15 and 21.

The summer program is also an avenue for its recipients to gauge their interest and align their prospect career to its actualization.

Roberto dela Cruz, who works for the Anflo Security Section, encouraged his daughter to join the said program. Cairo dela Cruz, 17, is currently taking up BS in Human Resource. She is assigned to ANFLOCOR Recruitment Division.

This year, there are 17 Trabahunters. One of them is Lemuel Remolar, 16, an incoming Grade 11 student. Lemuel is the son of House of Travel Liaison Officer Victor Remolar. Currently, he is assigned to ANFLOCOR’s Human Resource Department.

“I plan to take up Accountancy,” Remolar answered when asked about his desired college degree. He added that if ever, he would consider working in ANFLOCOR as an accountant because, for him, the work environment is very nice.

“The experience is fun. We have responsibilities and they are very enjoyable,” Remolar shared.

Another Trabahunter, Tricia Morales, 18, already experienced the program last year.

According to her, Trabahunters Program lets her experience the tasks being done in the offices especially that she was assigned to the Legal Department last year. This time, she is assigned to the AOF Foundation, giving her a lot of exposure in the field.

“Of course, sometimes I feel tired,” Morales said.

Despite that, she would still like to encourage her fellow youth to join these kinds of summer youth programs.

“I want my fellow youth to experience the corporate world and prepare them for the future. I encourage joining because we are learning a lot of things. It is also an avenue for us to see the work of our parents. Besides, the program teaches us things like budget management and many more,” Morales stated.

Positive changes are evident to the Trabahunters already. Alfred Samson, Vice-president for Finance, said that the program is basically about discipline. Samson’s daughter, Dana, 18, is currently assigned to ANFLOCOR’s Human Resource Department.

“Dana wakes up early— that’s the first change that I see. She even wakes up earlier than me. She even prepared for the interview,” Samson said jokingly.

Aside from discipline, Samson expects that his daughter will learn the value of money. He said that this program is one way of preparing his child to the real world. He believes that the program is one way of knowing what life is after school.

“I always tell my children that after college, they will be on their own. They have to look at the future already and should be on their way for them to know how to live. I always tell them that the more prepared you are, the better your life is,” the Vice-president expounded.

Samson also reminded her daughter that in order to succeed, one must start from the bottom before earning a position. He reminded that there is no promotion if there is no learning. One should be passionate about his chosen field to achieve excellence.

This year’s Summer Program is expected to end on May 20. The Trabahunters will rotate in the different departments of the Anflo Group of Companies in Damosa, Davao City, giving them the chance to meet new people, gain new learnings, and earn at the same time. BY RAPHIL VINCE SAGUAN The Anflo Management and Investment Corporation (ANFLOCOR) is the management and investment company of the Anflo Group of Companies.

“L

Glorioso V. Miranda during his visit at Headquarters Eastern Mindanao Command in the morning of April 28, 2016.

The ACSFP was accompanied by the Commanding General of the Phillipine Army Lt Gen. Eduardo Año and other AFP top

brass.

They were recieved by Lt Gen Rey Leonardo Guerrero and were accorded with military honors.

The ACSAFP further encouraged Team Eastmincom to continously enliven the “Bayanihan” Spirit.

“Continue the team-

work and harmony of our efforts with other stakeholders to win the peace.

Miranda said.

Lt Gen Miranda was the former Commander of Task Force Gen San and Bde Commander of 1002nd Bde based in Malungon Sarangani Province.

3/17. Three of this year’s recipients of ANFLOCOR’s Summer Trabahunters Program namely (L-R) Tricia Morales, Dana Samson, and Lemuel Remolar smile for the camera.

Miranda to soldiers:Remain Apolitical ET us remain apolitical and create an environment that will allow the people to choose our leaders freely without intimidation” This was the statement of the cting Chief of Staff Armed Forces of the Philippines (ACSAFP) Lt. Gen.

12 CLASSIFIEDS

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

EDGEDAVAO GENSAN PARTNERS Serving a seamless society

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

EDGEDAVAO EVENT

Alsons Dev launches

NUTURA LAND

CATERING TO THE CHANGING DEMANDS AND ASPIRATIONS OF THE FILIPINO FAMILY, Alsons Development and Investment Corporation (Alsons Dev), a homegrown real estate developer best known for its premier property developments, introduced its newest brand, Nurtura Land & Home last April 14.

The event started early in the morning with the blessing and official opening of the model houses of Nurtura Land & Home’s maiden project, Narra Park Residences at Barangay Tigatto, Buhangin, Davao City and was followed with a grand exhibit at the Atrium of Gaisano Mall of Davao.

According to Eric de la Costa, Vice President and General Manager of Alsons Dev, the introduction of Nurtura Land & Home

is Alsons Dev’s continuing initiative to provide quality residential options for Filipino families.

“This is a significant

Narra Park Residences is a community inspired by modern Asian design and is outfitted with first-class leisure and recreational facilities step in the corporate growth of Alsons Dev. Through the introduction of this new brand, we are diversifying our corporate offering. Nurtura Land & Home will be a continuing reflection of Alsons Dev’s lasting commitment to quality, design and sustainability. We are looking forward to providing bestin-class homes and communities that are within reach of the modern Filipino family.”

The four-day event at Gaisano Mall allowed guests visiting the exhibit to learn more about Narra Park Residences as well as gain design inspiration and insights through the exhibit’s interactive apps, helping guests choose and design a home that’s perfect for their lifestyle and personality.

Narra Park Residences is a community inspired by modern Asian design

and is outfitted with firstclass leisure and recreational facilities, including a pool and cabaña for social and community gatherings, and two large parks at Phase 1. Complete street lighting, perimeter fence, and guard houses are also installed for the

safety and security of the homeowners.

And with Alsons Dev’s over 50 years of experience and an established track record of quality, there is no doubt that homeowners are sure to find the perfect community at Narra Park Residences.

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

EVENT

UCPB GEN, PEF launch partnership THE NON-LIFE INSURANCE COMPANY UCPB GENERAL INSURANCE COMPANY, INC. (UCPB GEN) OFFICIALLY LAUNCHED ITS PARTNERSHIP WITH THE PHILIPPINE EAGLE FOUNDATION (PEF) through a ceremonial turnover of support to the foundation at the Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, Baguio District, Davao City on Tuesday, March 15.

The event was attended

by UCPB GEN executives including President Isabelo Africa and branch managers from the cities of Makati, Davao, General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, and Cebu. The highlight of this partnership is UPCB’s adoption of Philippine Eagle Magilas, which began last year.

Their annual donation of Php 125,000 to PEF will be used for the food and veterinary care of their adopted eagle. The adoption covers a period of 5 years.

Magilas is a 13-year-old male captive-bred eagle hatched on January 16, 2013. Last year, he was introduced to his pair.

Through UCPB Gen’s sup-

port, the PEF is working on the success of this pair towards producing a fertile egg. It is possible that Magilas will attempt copulation with his pair in the next breeding season. He and his pair play a crucial role in PEF’s conservation breeding initiatives.

“We are glad that UCPB GEN, like its business, saw the strategic importance of saving resources or saving the natural capital for the benefit of future generations,” said PEF Executive Director Dennis Salvador.

Meanwhile, President Africa said they will continue to strengthen their partnership with PEF by conducting other similar initiatives in the future.

Phl representatives for AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2016 Grand Finale revealed THREE YOUNG ASPIRING DESIGNERS HAVE BEEN SELECTED TO REPRESENT THE PHILIPPINES at the Grand Finale of AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2016 which will be held in Kuala Lumpur this August.

The Top 3 were selected from the Philippines leg of the Asean-wide designer search auditions held recently in Best Western Antel Plus Hotel in Makati City. The auditions will continue in Kuala Lumpur, Singapore and Bangkok subsequently to look for the Top 3 young designers to represent each country.

This designer search, which has entered its second year-running is part of AirAsia’s continuous efforts in developing talents and empowering youth across the region and will be a platform for young aspiring designers across the region to catapult their careers in the fashion industry.

Mary Camille Veloso and Bea Samson from Slim’s Fashion and Art School and Ron Xavier Santos from Fashion Institute of Design and Arts in Davao went through two rounds of

judging and were selected based ond design creativity and originality, consistency of their collection, adherence to the Asean team, practicality and stage presentation.

The panel of judges consists of Anthony Cesar Ramirez, Filipino fashion designer; Patrick Galang, Fashion Editor of L’Officiel Manila; Captain Rolando Ching, Chief Pilot for Training of Philippines AirAsia; Andrew Tan, Founder of Kuala Lumpur Fashion Week Ready to Wear and Vivy Yusof, Founder of FashionValet.

Captain Rolando Ching, Chief Pilot for Training of

Philippines AirAsia said, “This designer search is a good platform for our young, upand-coming Filipino designers to showcase their capabilities on an international scale. It was not easy for us to narrow down to the Top 3 finalists from the hundreds of submissions that came in online as we saw diverse and outstanding sketches displayed today at the audition here in Manila.

The Top 3 Filipino finalists will be developing their collection for the runway during the Grand Finale in August and we wish them all the best!”

The Top 3 representing the

Philippines at the prestigious runway of KL Fashion Week Ready to Wear 2016 will stand a chance to walk away as ‘AirAsia’s Most Promising Young Designer 2016’ and prizes worth almost P4 Million including a confirmed show segment to showcase his or her full collection at KLFW RTW 2017; mentorship from the KLFW RTW team; P250,000 sponsored by FashionValet to produce a capsule collection and sold on fashionvalet.com; 150,000 AirAsia BIG Points sponsored by AirAsia BIG, AirAsia or AirAsia X flights, and more prizes to be revealed

Winners of the Philippine leg of AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2016 are (2nd from left) Mary Camille Veloso, Ron Xavier Santos and Bea Samson. They will be competing against chosen designers from Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore for the grand finals of AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2016 to be held in Kuala Lumpur in August.

Veloso and Samson are graduates of Slim’s Fashion and Art School while Santos is from Fashion Institute of Design and Arts in Davao. soon.

AirAsia is also KLFW RTW 2016’s Preferred Travel Partner and will be flying in fashion designers throughout the AirAsia Group’s extensive route network including from Singapore, India, Indonesia, China, Australia and South Korea to be featured on the KLFW RTW 2016 runway.

Experience KLFW RTW 2016 this August by flying with AirAsia and earn BIG Points.

Follow AirAsia’s Youtube Channel (youtube.com/ user/AirAsia) for webisodes featuring the journey of all participants for the region-wide AirAsia Runway Ready Designer Search 2016, or follow the hashtag #AirAsiaRunway on other social media channels such as Facebook (facebook.com/ AirAsiaPhilippines) and Twitter (twitter.com/AirAsiaPH).

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ENTERTAINMENT

Lexi Fernandez reveals reason why she quit showbiz in blog

GMA Network brings home 4 New York Fest medals

IN A BLOG POST POSTED ON APRIL 20, former “Tween Hearts” actress Lexi Fernandez explains the reason why she took a step back from the spotlight.

GMA NETWORK PROUDLY TOOK HOME 4 WORLD MEDALS AND 5 FINALIST CERTIFICATES at the 2016 New York Festivals, which also had Kapuso broadcast journalist Kara David as one of the award presenters at the awards ceremony held in Las Vegas April 19. GMA was the only Philippine company with medal winners this year.

teenage girl, it wasn’t long before I could no longer handle it. After about a year, while working on “Kakambal ni Eliana,” I suffered from a fatal asthma attack. After that, I took it upon myself to take a break to just focus on working on me.”

Fortunately for her, taking a step back from the spotlight was exactly what she needed to really get to know herself and figure things out.

“Three years after taking a step back from the spotlight, being 21-years-old, I looked back and just laughed at what I used to think was the end of the world for me.

The problems I considered the biggest, most difficult situations are not even close to what one considers an actual problem! There are much more important things in life than to worry about what others think of you.”

Lastly, Lexi ended her blog post by leaving a message to all the people she’s worked with in the industry such as her “Tween Hearts” batch mates Barbie Forteza, Bea Binene, Derrick Monasterio, and Alden Richards.

She opened her letter with the question many ask her to this day; “Why did you quit showbiz?”

Lexi cited that while working as an actress, she was secretly suffering from two mental disorders, namely anxiety and depression.

“During the three years I was working, I was already secretly battling anxiety and depression, but it wasn’t until 2013, while I was working on my last soap, that I could no longer handle it. I just exploded.”.

Due to her undiagnosed condition and strong desire to be liked, Lexi admitted that her personality took a turn for the worst.

“I pushed myself to change into someone I was very uncomfortable with just to fit in with the rest of the crew. Little did I know that doing so would just make me all the more prone to conflict. You see, being the way that I was, I would try very hard to make a relationship with everyone that I often times, put myself in a very dangerous place.”

The last straw came for Lexi while she was working on her last project.

“Nevertheless, put two and two together, secretly struggling with anxiety and depression as well as problems of a

The network’s News and Public Affairs Group was responsible for the 4 medalists in various categories.

I-Witness, the country’s longest running documentary program, won the bronze medal in the Community Portraits category for “Dorm 12”, where David featured aging and forgotten inmates at the Correctional Institute for Women.

Investigative news magazine Reporter’s Notebook won a bronze award in the Social Issues category for tackling urban migration in its “Hikahos sa Lungsod” episode, reported by Maki Pulido.

Front Row’s “Maestra Salbabida” took home a bronze in the Community Service Programs category, depicting a teacher in Mindoro who crosses rivers using a makeshift floating device to reach the barrio where she teaches.

GMA News TV’s Reel Time, on the other hand, earned the bronze award inthe Human Concerns category for its “Isang Paa sa Hukay” documentary on small-scale mining operations in Camarines Norte.

David, meanwhile, was the only media professional from Asia named as one of this year’s award presenters, which include prominent international media executives, talk show hosts and content creators.

On the other hand, three GMA News and Public Affairs programs received finalist certificates: Philippine TV’s firstever bayaniserye Ilustrado, Bawal ang Pasaway kay Mareng Winnie and Brigada while two projects from the network’s Program Support Department were also shortlisted: Ilustrado’s opening billboard and GMA News TV’s Father’s Day plug.

‘Doble Kara’ cast thanks fans for show’s success DON’T MISS JULIA MONTES AND THE REST OF THE CAST of the toprating afternoon series “Doble Kara” as they visit Bulacan and Cavite and thank their fans for their unwavering support.

Bulakenyo fans will get the chance to meet and bond with Julia along with Alora Sasam and Markki Stroem this Friday (Apr 29) at SM San Jose Belmonte at 1pm.

Julia, meanwhile, will be joined by Alora, Maxene Magalona, Edgar Allan Guzman, and Anjo Damiles in bringing good vibes to their Cavitenyo fans on May 13 at SM Trece Martires.

“I really felt the journey of my characters and the support of

the viewers for the past eight months,” said Julia. “There’s still a lot to watch out for now that the twins are going to have their own

children.”

More exciting scenes are set to surprise viewers as Kara and Sara will officially become mothers.

However, while Kara lives happily with her husband Sebastian (Sam Milby) and daughter Hannah, Sara was left alone by Edward (Edgar Allan Guzman) and solely raises her daughter Becca.

Will their families help mend their relationship as sisters or will their rivalry still continue?

Witness the newest chapter of the top-rating afternoon teleserye “Doble Kara,” weekdays after “It’s Showtime” on ABS-CBN or on ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167). Catch up via iWanTV or skyondemand.com.ph for Sky subscribers.

April 27 – May 3, 2016

THE JUNGLE BOOK / *THE HUNTSMAN: WINTER'S WAR Scarlett Johansson, Idris Elba, Bill Murray/ *Chris Hemsworth, Charlize Theron, Emily Blunt PG/*PG

11:00 | 1:10 | 3:20 LFS / *5:30 | 7:45 | 10:00 LFS

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR 3D Chris Evans , Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson PG

12:00 | 3:00 | 6:00 | 9:00 LFS

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR Chris Evans , Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson PG

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

CAPTAIN AMERICA: CIVIL WAR Chris Evans , Robert Downey Jr., Scarlett Johansson PG

11:00 | 2:00 | 5:00 | 8:00 LFS

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UP AND ABOUT

The Mind Museum brings exhibit to Abreeza Mall

ABREEZA MALL PARTNERS WITH BONIFACIO GLOBAL CITY-BASED NONSTOCK, NON-PROFIT SCIENCE MUSEUM THE MIND MUSEUM to bring to Davao City an immersive, interactive exhibit that will showcase the astounding beauty of marine life and educate people on the importance of its conservation.

Taking place at the Abreeza Mall Activity Center from April 30 to May 4 is “A Glass of the Sea: An Exhibition on the Coral Triangle,” presented by The Mind Museum in collaboration with the California Academy of Sciences (CAS) and supported by the United States government.

Entrance to the exhibit is absolutely free; group viewing reservations for groups of as many as 50 heads are also welcome.

First launched on July 16, 2015 at The Mind Museum, “A Glass of the Sea” features the biodiversity in the Coral Triangle—consisting of the Philippines, Malaysia, Indonesia up to Papua New Guinea—particularly the Verde Island Passage, which is dubbed the world’s “center of the center of marine biodiversity.”

According to The Mind Museum curator Maria Isabel Garcia, the exhibit was inspired by a scientific study in 2014 that stated that if you scoop a glass of water from the ocean and examine its content, you will know the variety of life present in that ocean. “For A Glass of the Sea which we nicknamed AGoS, it meant figuring out how a relatively miniscule space with a few exhibits can do justice to the

enormity of its source and science going on in there,” Garcia continued.

A Glass of the Sea can be experienced through three connected “stories”: the story of the sea, the story of the science of the sea, and the story of your role in the sea. The story of the sea is shown through stunning underwater footage taken from the CAS expeditions in the Coral Triangle area, the story of

the science of the sea can be experienced through educational interactive games and original exhibits where physical objects melded with sensing technology allow you to get to know specific creatures individually, and the story of your role in the sea is told through intriguing sculptures that compel you to think of your relationship with the seas.

This project is supported

by the U.S. Embassy Manila’s United States Agency for International Development (USAID) under the Partnerships for Enhanced Engagement in (Science) Research or PEER Science Grant. The grant enabled The Mind Museum’s Maria Isabel Garcia to partner with Dr. Terrence Gosliner of CAS to work together on achieving ecosystem resilience.

“The U.S. Government is pleased to be part of this exhibit which aims to showcase the wealth of the Philippines’ biodiversity and more importantly, to raise awareness on the need to conserve the Coral Triangle to support marine resources and the coastal communities that depend on them.

Strengthened natural resources and environmental management contributes to our shared goal of broad-based and resilient growth in the Philippines,” USAID Mission Director Gloria D. Steele said.

For exclusive group viewings of A Glass of the Sea, please contact the Main Concierge at (082) 321-9332 to reserve a timeslot.

For more updates, like www. facebook.com/AbreezaMall and following @abreezatweets on Twitter and @iloveabreezamall on Instagram.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

NEWS 13 Astronauts to release Diwata-1 in outer space Wednesday night

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)

D

IWATA-1, the Philippines’ first microsatellite, is set to be deployed in

the outer space on Wednesday night.

In an interview with Phil-

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

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) under Loyola Contract No(s). 10319903-9 issued to MARIA LIANITA YUDIET 38017 under Loyola Contract No(s). 895612-0 issued to WILFREDO L. ENRIQUEZ were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

4/29;5/6/13

ippines News Agency (PNA), Carlos Primo David, executive director of Department of Science and Technology-Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research Division (DOST-PCIEERD), said Diwata-1 would be released in orbit between 7:30 p.m. and 9:00 p.m., Philippine Standard Time (PST) this Wednesday.

As of this writing, Diwata-1 is still in the International Space Station (ISS), and David said that astronauts there would put the microsatellite in the space, in its proper orbit.

He was hopeful that the release won’t fail.

It may be recalled that Diwata-1 was officially launched to the ISS last March 23 at around 11:05 a.m. (PST).

The Filipino-made microsatellite was among the 3,395 kilograms (7,485 lb) of science gear, crew supplies and vehicle hardware cargo that Cygnus spacecraft lift off on a United Launch Alliance Atlas V rocket from Space Launch Complex 41 in Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida, USA, at 11:05 p.m. of March 22, Eastern Standard Time (EST).

At the ISS, Diwata-1 was housed in the Japanese Experiment Module (JEM), nicknamed “Kibo.” The JEM Small Satellite Orbital Deployer (J-SSOD) is set to release Diwata-1 into space at an altitude of 400 kilometers from the earth’s surface.

Diwata-1 was assembled

FASTRONAUTS, 10

14 NEWS

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

The Philippines Top Choice Top Classy Hotel award given to the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

TOP CHOICE. The Royal Mandaya Hotel general manager Benjamen Banzon (second from left), sales manager Elvie Buquiron (third from left), and MIS manager Megzyl Rose Jolejole receive the Philippine Top Choice Top Classy Hotel award.

The Royal... FROM 1 our guests the hospitality and services they deserve,” said TRMH president Glenn Escandor.

The Royal Mandaya Hotel was described in the citation as “Nestled in thel heart of the city, the Royal Mandaya Hotel , boasts an ideal location aimed at both business and leisure for a shortterm stay in Davao. A total of 182 appointed guest rooms and suites are designed for comfort with customized furnishings and amenities.

Where a balance of culture and contemporary design and unobtrusive yet intuitive service complement warm and friendly Davao hospitality.”

The Philippine Top Choice Award chose The Royal Mandaya Hotel for being synonymous with individualized services. “Rooms are designed for relaxation and at the same time offer the perfect base for the busy business traveller with desk areas and free WiFi in all areas, exclusive 24-hour butler service, spa experiences informed by a philosophy of wellness that works, dream weddings and other important life events delivered with great attention to detail and a high degree of personalization, and a menu of delectable cuisines crafted so that guests might make deeper and more meaningful connections with the destination,” the cittation read.

The award-giving body also cited the Escandor-owned hotel as having “core values like home, care, honest, helpful, hospitality and service designed to exceed the expectations and needs of the contemporary business and leisure travellers define the Mandaya team and they will help make you stay a memorable experience.”

The Philippines Top Choice plaque.

The Royal Mandaya Hotel general manager Benjamen Banzon (center), sales manager Elvie Buquiron (left), and MIS manager Megzyl Rose Jolejole (right) pose with the Philippine Top Choice Top Classy Hotel award.

GENSAN PARTNER ESTABLISHMENT

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

KLAY TO THE RESCUE

K

Curry-less Warriors roll to next round

LAY Thompson knew Golden State had to come together, that every player needed to raise his game with Stephen Curry sidelined.

“None of us can do it alone,” Thompson insisted hours earlier.

He sure got things started, scoring 27 points with seven 3-pointers as the Warriors rolled into the second round of the playoffs without their injured superstar, thoroughly embarrassing the Houston Rockets, 114-81, on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time) in Game Five.

“Urgency of the game and we did not want to go back to Houston — it’s a long flight,” Thompson said of his extra motivation.

Draymond Green added 15 points, nine

CURRY-LIKE. Klay Thompson fired seven triples in Game 5 and finished with 27 points.

NBA PLAYOFFS

Warriors confident even without Curry

D

RAYMOND Green is going to tell it like it is, and he insists these Golden State Warriors have few issues when it comes to confidence.

Even playing without injured superstar Stephen Curry.

“We’re still very confident. If I sat here and told you our confidence level is the same without Steph, that’s a lie,” Green said after Tuesday’s practice. “I think our confidence level with Steph is through the roof. It’s beyond high. Without Steph, it’s still out the roof. We’re not losing much confidence. We still believe in ourselves. We still think it’s very possible for us to make a run.

We’re going to hold it down `til he gets back.”

Sure, losing Curry for likely two weeks or more is a significant blow to the defending champions. It stings to see the NBA’s MVP go down in the middle of the playoffs after a record-setting regular season in which he became the first player to make 400 3-pointers.

“The great thing with Steph is I think he’s got perspective built in just from his family,” newly crowned NBA Coach of the Year Steve Kerr said. “He knows what’s important. His health is extremely important but in the grand scheme of things, he’s healthy, he’s happy, he’s got a great wife and kids and family. He’s probably going to be back playing basketball in a few weeks. It’s just a little bump in the road.”

An MRI exam on Curry’s injured right knee Monday showed a Grade 1 sprain of the MCL. Warriors general manager Bob Myers is estimating at least two weeks for the recovery period, but that’s merely a guess at this stage.

“His spirits are high. He’s good,” Green said of Curry. “It seems like he’s moving a little better than he was yesterday.”

Kerr reminded his team during film study Tuesday that “there’s no guarantee of anything,” using injuries to the Clippers’ Chris Paul and Blake Griffin as examples.

At a minimum, Golden State would likely be without Curry – and his 30.1 scoring average – for the initial four games of the second round if the Warriors advance. They play Game 5 of their best-of-seven series with Houston on Wednesday night at Oracle Arena leading 3-1.

“I just feel bad for Steph more than anything,” Kerr said.

“He’s worked so hard and now all of a sudden after really several years of being injury-free, back-to-back injuries. But in a lot of ways, he’s lucky. He’s lucky it’s not worse and if we can take care of business while he’s getting better, there’s a chance he can come back and be part of this playoff run and help us go deep. We’ll try to hold down the fort while he’s out. … He’s obviously not playing any time soon.”

The Warriors won Sunday’s Game 4 at Houston after Curry injured his knee when he slipped awkwardly on the final play of the first half and his legs split apart. Golden State hit eight 3-pointers in the third quarter alone to turn a tie game into a 21-point lead on the way to a 121-94 victory.

“It was alarm,” center Marreese Speights said of his reaction.

“All the guys saw how emotional Steph was. We’ve never seen that before. It was like, `There’s no way we’re losing this game.

We’re going to go out and play the best we can play for him.”‘

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO

Shaun Livingston already started in Curry’s place for Games 2 and 3, and will be called upon again to carry a bigger load until Curry can play again.

“That’s where it comes to me being assertive and aggressive, exposing mismatches, making them make adjustments.

Then also, too, when I’m able to do that, and score and be aggressive, then it opens the floor up a little bit for our shooters and for other guys,” Livingston said.

“We’re more locked into attention to detail.”

That moment seeing Curry go down shook Speights. He had never seen his superstar teammate emotionally break or come close to tears, so Curry’s display of dejection immediately after the knee injury Sunday was hard to see.

“It’s a feeling that everybody has in their heart, to see how emotional he was,” Speights said. “He’s a great guy. You never want to see a guy like that go down like that. … Things happen for a reason. He’s going to be all right. We’re going to be good, too.”

In fact, watching Curry go down fueled his teammates.

They weren’t going to see him like that and not fight to win it in Curry’s honor.

And just as Golden State has shown all season when someone goes down, this group believes in depth as one of its biggest strengths.

“We feel good because we’ve had this experience before.

We’ve had it during the regular season, we’ve had it in this series and in the second half of the last game,” small forward Harrison Barnes said. “We want to continue to build on that momentum and get off to a good start.”

T

rebounds and eight assists for the Warriors, who will face the winner of the Clippers-Trail Blazers series.

Portland leads 3-2.

“Everybody, they think Steph goes down and the entire series changes. But we thought otherwise,” Green said.

Without the MVP, Curry’s fellow Splash Brother set the tone from the opening tip. Thompson became the first player in NBA history to make at least seven 3-pointers in consecutive playoff games, while Shaun Livingston scored 16 points for his third double-digit performance in three games while starting in Curry’s place this series.

“We’re blessed, we are really lucky. You lose your point guard, you lose the MVP, and to be able to throw Shaun Livingston out there, he’s a fantastic basketball player, a great teammate,” coach Steve Kerr said.

Curry, in a brown sport coat on the bench while nursing his sprained

right knee, emphatically bobbed his head, clapped and bowed to Thompson during starter introductions. He even worked the officials during a timeout, and gestured with hand signals to celebrate big plays.

James Harden scored 25 of Houston’s 37 firsthalf points on the way to 35 points, but the Rockets had no chance with a one-man show against the deep defending champions.

So much for Jason Terry’s guarantee there would be a Game 6 back in Houston.

“The season, from the beginning, wasn’t going our way. Just had too many distractions,” Harden said. “It’s just been like a bumpy road this entire season.”

Thompson hit a wayback, Curry-like triple from 31 feet at the top of the arc with 5:37 left in the third.

He shot 7 of 11 from long range, 10 for 14 overall.

Curry could only grin, cheer and enjoy every second of seeing his team do so well without him.

Thomas vows to play in Game 6

HE Boston Celtics and their star, Isaiah Thomas, had a disastrous finish to Game 5 of their series against the Atlanta Hawks. After Boston held Atlanta to 19 points midway through the second quarter, the Hawks caught fire and dropped 70 points on the Celtics over the next 1 1/2 quarters. The end result was a 110-83 loss for Boston that also saw Thomas — who finished with seven points on 3-for-12 shooting — exit the

game with a sprained ankle. But don’t expect Thomas to sit out Game 6, writes Mark Murphy of Boston Herald: Isaiah Thomas has no doubt where he’ll be when it’s time for the tipoff of Game 6 tomorrow night — on the floor.

The Celtics guard turned his left ankle early in the fourth quarter of the Celtics’ 110-83 loss to Atlanta last night and left for the locker room.

UNINTIMIDATED. CJ Mc Collum of the Portland Trailblazers goes hangtime against DeAndre Jordan of the Los Angeles Clippers in Game 5 of their NBA Playoff series won by the Blazers.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 9 ISSUE 43 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 29 - 30, 2016

BISERA BREAKTHROUGH Davao jungolger Bisera wins PH Jr. Open, Nagayo 4th

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. abf@edgedavao.net

I

T was only a matter of time before Davao City’s pride Florence Yvon Bisera will make her breaktrough win in the country’s junior golf scene.

Bisera, daughter of local golf pro Pabling, won the 2016 Philippine Amateur Junior Open Championships (13 years old and below Division) at the Sherwood Hills Golf and Country Club in Trece Martirez City, Cavite last April 12-15, 2016.

The stocky Bisera tamed the wind-swept course with her power off the tees and sharp game around the greens as she won running away and led from wire to wire with scores of 82-7778-83 for a 320 total and 25 strokes clear of the second placer.

Bisera was joined by fellow Davao City junior golfers Alessandra “Ella” Zozobrado Nagayo who finished fourth (4th) and Mafy Singson who finished 6th, respectively.

Nagayo missed a podium finish as she surrendered 4

strokes in the last two holes with a mishap off the tee on the 17th for a double and a missed save par putt on the 18th to lose by two strokes to the eventual third placer who had a lucky chip in birdie on the 17th to bounce back.

Nagayo finished with an 85-92-93-83 and 353 total while Singson fought valiantly but could not get her game going in the tough conditions to put up scores of 103-95-93100 for a 394 total to bring up the rear in the compact field.

The tournament is the premier junior amateur event in the Philippines and one of the major events of the National Golf Association of the Philippines (NGAP).

“I am very happy that there are emerging talents coming from the South, particularly Davao. Yvon has great potential and can be a national team player in the very near future. I hope that she continues to practice hard and to play well,”NGAP Executive Director and National team Program Director Presi-

BIG WIN. Yvon Bisera of Davao City rceeives her trophy from Boom Coscolluela of NGAP. dent Boom Coscollela said.

Coscolluela said there are plans to have Davao City as a regional training center of the NGAP where players from the

Mindanao area can be trained for national team call ups.

Bisera’s win is her strong redemption after she failed to land a slot at the 2016 IMG Ju-

nior World Qualifying Tournament held last April 5-8, 2016 at the Southwoods Golf and Country Club.

Displaying her unfamil-

iarity of the course having arrived only two days before the start of competitions, Bisera found the greens of Southwoods too slick and tricky compared to her home course at the Apo Golf and Country Club.

Bisera, playing in the Girls 13-14 Division, ran into a very tough field of former junior world champions and veteran campaigners to finish a strong Fifth (5th) with scores of 8675-79-78 and missed an outright IMG Junior World invite.

Nagayo and Singson both played in the Girls 11-12 Division , with Nagayo scoring 87-83-84-78 landing her on the Fifth (5th) place and Singson scoring 93-88-89-87, landing her on the Sixth (6th) place. Although both missing outright tickets to San Diego, Nagayo has already been given a replacement invite to represent the Philippines at the premiere world junior golf event. She is also expected to play a couple of big international junior events including the FCG International, FCG World Championships and the qualifiers for the US Junior Girls Championships.