Edge Davao 9 Issue 51

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

HELP ME MA. President-in-waiting Mayor Rodrigo Duterte weeps unabashedly before the tomb of his mother--his final stop to what could be the longest day of his life--in the wee hours of Tuesday hours after he surged ahead beyond reach of his rivals in the presidential race.

Duterte asked for his mother’s help as he embarks on his next political assignment of steering the country as its 16th President. (Kiwi Bulaclac)

READY FOR TURNOVER

Malacanang to coordinate with Duterte transition team

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

A

njb@edgedavao.net

FTER building an insurmountable lead in the presidential polls, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s camp is now preparing a transition team for a smooth turnover of power and coordination wih Malacanang.

Although Mayor Duterte is yet to be formally declared winner, his spokesman Pete Lavina said they will be

forming a team composed of four groups—transition, selection, policy and inaugural.

The teams will be formed officially once the Commission on Elections (Comelec) declare Duterte as the country’s 16th President.

“Malacanang has already announced thhat they will coordinate with us and so we need to form the transition

team to prepare for the smooth turnover,” Lavina said in a press conference yesterday afternoon at the Duterte Team Media Center inside The Royal Mandaya Hotel.

As of 12:19 pm yesterday, Duterte has amassed 15,311,279 votes or 38.7 percent. Administration bet Mar Roxas is a distant second with 9,229,131 and Sen. Grace

Poe, who has conceded, is third with 8,572,383, Vice President Jejomar Binay is at fourth with 5,0766,972, and Sen. Miriam Defensor-Santiago is fifth with 1,368,116.

Roxas has also conceded around 1:00 p.m. yesterday.

The total votes counted comprise 91.09 percent of the total votes cast.

F READY, 10

INdulge!A1

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

ON THE BIG SCREEN. Dabawenyos watch a huge LCD screen in San Pedro square on Monday showing where Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte being interviewed. Lean Daval Jr. Partial and unofficial result of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the positions of Mayor and Vice Mayor as of 10:40 a.m. yesterday.

Rank

Names

No. of votes

Mayor 1

Duterte, Sara

2

Mantilla, Teodoro

3

Tocante, Kilat

572,083 2,004

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

587

abf@edgedavao.net

Vice Mayor Duterte, Paolo

518,237

Winners of of Congressional race in the three congressional districts of Davao City Names

No. of votes

First District Karlo Alexei Nograles

198,304

Second District Mylene Garcia

148,509

Third District Alberto Ungab

114,389

Winners of Davao City Councilors’ race who were proclaimed yesterday by the City Board of Canvassers yesterday at 2:30 p.m.

Names

No. of votes

First District Karlo Alexei Nograles

198,304

Second District Mylene Garcia

148,509

Third District Alberto Ungab

Karlo, Mylene, Abet proclaimed

114,389

Winners of Davao City Councilors’ race who were proclaimed yesterday by the City Board of Canvassers yesterday at 2:30 p.m.

First District Councilors Rank

Names

No. of votes

1

Acosta

154, 648

2

Quitain Jr.

146, 784

3

Ibuyan Jr.

143, 883

4

Librado

139,078

5

Militar

127,351

6

Abellera Jr.

126, 918

7

Bonguyan

117, 782

8

Braga

107,082

Second District Councilors Rank

Names

1

Salvador-Abella

No. of votes 122,331

2

Bonguyan

118,248

3

Alejandre

117,112

4

Dayanghirang

115,060

5

Apostol

112,459

6

Dayap

126, 918

7

Dureza

105,578

8

Mahipus

104,413

Third District Councilors Rank

Names

1

Al-ag

No. of votes 117,119

2

Ortiz

103,423

3

Advincula Jr.

99,437

4

Zozobrado III

98,896

5

Principe-Castrodes

97,358

6

Dilig-Villafuerte

95, 567

7

Baluran

89,057

8

Lopez

88,463

*from Commission on Elections (Comelec) Davao City Board of Canvassers

T

HE Commission on Election (Comelec) Davao City Board of Canvassers officcially proclaimed the city’s three District Representatives and 24 city councilors yesterday after Monday’s polls.

Comelec 11 assistant regional director Marlon Casquejo proclaimed reelectionist Representatives Karlo Norales (District 1) and Mylene Garcia (District 2) and first-termer Alberto Ungab (Dist. 3).

District 1 winner Nograles garnered 198,304 total votes, Garcia won the race in the second district with 148,509 votes, and Ungab, brother of incumbent Congressman Isidro Ungab, won the battle in the third

district obtaining 114,389 total number of votes.

Casquejo The Comelec also proclaimed stricct 1 city council members Mabel Acosta got the first place with 154, 648 votes, followed by J. Melchor Quitain Jr. with 146, 784, Edgar Ibuyan Jr.with 143, 883, Leah Librado ,139,078, Bonifacio Militar 127,351, Nilo Abellera Jr. 126, 918, Joanne Bonguyan 117, 782 and Pilar Braga 107,082 For second district councilors, Marissa Salvador-Abella got the first place garnering 122,331 total of votes, followed by Cherry Bonguyan with118,248, Al Ryan Alejandre 117,112, Danilo

Dayanghirang 115,060, Dante Apostol 112,459, April Marie Dayap 108,539, Jimmy Dureza 105,578 and Diosdado Mahipus 104,413.

For third district, Bernard Al-ag got the top spot with 117,119 total number of votes, followed by Avegayle Ortiz with 103,423, Victorio Advincula Jr. 99,437, Jesus Zozobrado III 98,896, Antoinette PrincipeCastrodes 97,358, Mary Joselle Dilig-Villafuerte 95, 567, Conde Baluran 89,057 and Rene Lopez 88,463.

Casquejo told reporters after their central office approved their request for the “lowering of threshold” around 10:30 a.m. yesterday.

Casquejo said the board proclaimed the winning councilor and congress

representatives even if they already reached the 99.55 percent of counted votes because there are still two precinct that not counter.

He said there are still results from Pegalongan Elementary School in Marilog District and Los Amigos Elementary School in Tugbok District were not yet counted.

Casquejo said the Board of Election Inspectors (BEI) in Pegalongan had a hard time to transport the vote counting machines (VCM )and other election paraphernalia because it will take long time before reaching the Marilog Proper.

He said as of this interview yesterday afternoon, the machines were already delivered going to the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

For Los Amigos, he said the VCMs are already in the canvassing area but the SD (Secure Digital) Card of the machine was defective that is why they need to send it to their reconfiguration center in General Santos City to repair it.

Although the ranking for the positions of Mayor and Vice Mayor will not be affected anymore but their consolidation and canvassing system (CCS) could not print their certificate of canvass if the the total cast votes were not counted by the canvassers.

Casquejo said the canvassing will continue today at 8 a.m. Where the winners for Mayor and Vice Mayor will be proclaimed as well as the national positions who won in the city.

ILITANT partylist Bayan Muna congratulated president-elect Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on his overwhelming victory in Monday’s elections.

In a statement, Bayan Muna representative Carlos Isagani Zarate said the Filipino people have “loudly and vigorously spoken – sweeping change must come.”

Zarate said Duterte’s triumph certainly redefined the country’s political landscape.

He said that more importantly Duterte’s victory must be seen as

“an outright repudiation of the Aquino administration and the anti-people and elitist establishment it represents.”

“We are one with the people in hoping that President Duterte upon assuming office will soon address the myriad but basic problems confronting our country, that of mass poverty, landlessness and joblessness, of rampant criminality, corruption and environmental plunder, and of violations of human rights and the country’s sovereignty,” he said.

Zarate said their

group expects Duterte to immediately begin and pursue in earnest the stalled negotiations with the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and the Moro revolutionary forces to address the root causes of war and forge just peace.

“We call on President Duterte to build a government of national unity and social transformation to emancipate the people from mass poverty and social injustices and bring progress to the people,” he said. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

Escudero concedes Bayan Muna elated over Duterte win defeat in VP race M

L

IKE her running mate presidential candidate Senator Grace Poe, Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero has conceded defeat in the presidential race.

Escudero made his announcement in his home province in Sorsogon on Tuesday morning, eight hours after Poe conceded to frontrunner Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte. ”Tinatanggap ko ng buong pagpapakumbaba ang resulta ng halalan.

Naging malaking karangalan

sa akin na makatrabaho lahat ng nakatrabaho at nakasama ko nitong nakaraang buwan kaugnay ng halalan na ito,” Escudero told the media interview.

With Escudero 4,562,806 votes, Escudero is currently in fourth place behind fellow candidate from Bicol congresswoman Leni Robredo (13,251,341), Senator Ferdinand Marcos Jr. (13,124.911), and Senator Alan Cayetano (5,421,493 votes).

Escudero congratulated

F ESCUDERO, 10

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

NEWS 3

Duterte bares short list of Cabinet men

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

P

njb@edgedavao.net

RESIDENT-IN-WAITING Rodrigo Duterte bared his short list of Cabinet men late Monday night after the ongoing poll count showed his numbers are way beyond reach.

The Duterte cabinet will look like this: Jesus Dureza as Presidential Adviser on Peace Process, businessman Carlos Dominguez as Finance Secretary and Trasportation and Communications Secretary.

Both Dureza and Dominguez are Duterte’s classmates and once served in previous administrations.

This was bared by Duterte in an ambush interview at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Dureza was presidential peace adviser under Presidents Fidel Ramos and Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo.

Dominguez was cabinet secretary during the terms of

Presidents Corazon Aquino and Ramos.

Duterte also reiterated his wish to put his runningmate Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano as Secretary for either Foreign Affairs or Justice.

Duterte also hinted his cabinet will have mostly military men.

He said campaign spokesman Pete Lavina will serve as his spokesman in Davao while lawyer Salvador Panelo will be his spokesman in the capital. Campaign manager Leoncio Evasco will not occupy any position but he will be “beside me all the time.”

As for former Philippine Sports Commission chairman Butch Ramirez, Duterte said he will not make any appointments in sports.

“Masyadong magulo pa yan sa sports, I don’t want to touch it at the moment,” Duterte said.

Comelec 11: Polls generally peaceful

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

abf@edgedavao.net

HE conduct of Monday’s national and local election was generally peaceful according to the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 11.

Comelec11 acting regional director Rey Sumalipao told reporters yesterday his office did not receive any reports of election-related violence from the Police Regional Office (PRO) 11.

“Our election was conducted orderly,” he said.

Sumalipao said the only complains that the office received were the Voting Counting Machine (VCM) malfunction in some polling precincts.

He said the VCMs could not work for a long time because

most them suffered overheat.

“The contingency VCMs were fully utilized that in Davao City alone there 27 but all of these were used,” he said.

Sumalipao said their technicians were able to repair the defective VCMs but the voting process were already delayed for long.

“There were glitches but we still addressed it,” he said.

Despite the delay, he still appreciated the patience of the people who are waiting the long cue just to cast their votes.

He said that in every clustered precincts there are maximum of 800 voters which for him, it is so many that could really delay the voting process.

“Maybe, in the next

F COMELEC, 10

Four killed in poll violence in Lanao; 2 schools torched

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OLL violence resulted to the death of four supporters of local candidates and the burning of two elementary schools just hours before voting started in Lanao del Sur on Monday.

Col. Roseller Murillo, chief of the Army 103rd Infantry Brigade, said unidentified gunmen ambushed a convoy delivering election paraphernalia to Cabingan Elementary School in Marawi City killing two supporters of the Liberal Party early Monday dawn.

One of the fatalities was identified as Al Hafiz Usman.

The other fatality remained unidentified as of press time.

The military report said the two were supporters of Liberal Party Marawi mayoralty

candidate Majul Gandamra who were accompanying the delivery of ballots to the school at 3:45 am Monday.

Hours later, supporters of opposing candidates in Marantao town, Lanao del Sur figured in a free-for-all fistfight just as soon the voting centers open at the municipal gym at around 6:45 am.

Police investigator SPO2 Ismael Londo said the victims identified as Saidamen Ampay, 40 years old and Malik Ampay, 37 years old (not related) reportedly ganged up on the lone suspect who pulled a gun and shot them.

Londo

said

the

Ampays

F FOUR, 10

MYLENE PROCLAIMED. Davao City Second District Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano (center) poses with board of canvassers vice chair City Prosecutor Nestor Ledesma (left) and chair Commission on Elections (Comelec) 11 assistant director Marlon Casquejo during the proclamation rites at Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

FIRST DISTRICT WINNERS. The winning city councilors from the First District of Davao City pose with the Commission on Elections (11) board of canvassers during yesterday’s proclamation ceremony at Sangguniang Panlungsod. Lean Daval Jr.

Rody thanks supporters Pulong to update ‘old’ legislations for overwhelming lead

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OR getting an overwhelming lead in the May 9 presidential polls, PDP-LABAN standard bearer Rodrigo Duterte expressed his gratitude to supporters and campaign volunteers.

“I thank all my supporters, the volunteers - I was so elated with the warm reception I got all over the country, even in Luzon,” he said.

The tough-talking Duterte is poised to win the presidency after Sen. Grace Poe conceded.

Based on the partial, unofficial results from the Parish Pastoral Council for Responsible Voting Tuesday morning, Duterte has netted 14,951,034 votes, or a wide margin of six million votes over his closest rival, Manuel “Mar” Roxas II with 8,964,087 votes.

Placing third is Poe, with 8,386,496 votes, followed by Jejomar Binay with 4,973,770 votes, and Miriam Defensor Santiago with 1,354,891 votes.

The results represent 88.57 percent of the nationwide election returns from the Commission on Elections.

Duterte also called on his rivals to set their disagreements aside and

start working together for the country.

“I would like now reach my hand to my opponents and let us begin the process of healing,” he said.

Although acknowledging that the exchange of innuendos is part of the election process in the Philippines, he admitted that the mudslinging during the campaign period was very intense and virulent.

“Let us begin to forget, and let us be friends,” he said.

When asked if he is also reaching out to vice presidential candidate and Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV, his most ardent critic during the campaign, Duterte said his peace offering is intended for everybody.

Should his rivals refuse his call, Duterte said he cannot do anything about it.

During the past three months, Duterte engaged Roxas and Binay in a fiery verbal clash over issues as they toured the countryside to court votes.

But, it was Duterte himself who absorbed the stinging blows in the final two weeks of the campaign when Trillanes hurled accusations against

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

R

njb@edgedavao.net

E-ELECTED Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte yesterday said he will update local ordinances in order to meet the growing needs of Davao City attuned with the demands of contemporary times.

The younger Duterte, son of President-in-waiting Rodrigo Duterte, was elected

to a second term as Vice Mayor.

He ran unopposed.

“I have come to my second term as Vice Mayor of Davao City and I thank all of you for putting your trust in me to lead the Legislative Body of our City,” Paolo said in a statement sent to EDGE Davao.

Paolo said his major

concern is to review legislations and make them responsive and relevant.

“I am resolved to update legislations which are outdated and make sure that new ordinances will meet the growing needs of the City,” he said.

Paolo’s younger sister

Inday Sara Duterte, her father’s replacement after the latter decided to run for President, was also elected Mayor by a landslide.

Paolo paid tribute to the electorate for the fresh mandate.

“I am deeply indebted to

administration,” Pimentel said.

However, the PDP-LABAN president expressed “extreme disappointment” at the high number of reported vote counting machines (VCMs) that malfunctioned on election day.

“These are supposed to be brand new VCMs. We rented them in two batches, at PHP39,000 per machine for the first batch and PHP48,000 for the next batch. These

are brand new and yet they malfunctioned,” he said.

Pimentel, who is chair of the Senate Committee on Electoral Reforms and People’s Participation as well as the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System, said he was assured by Smartmatic, the firm that supplied the VCMs to the Commission on Elections (Comelec), that the machines will work.

Quoting the Comelec, Pimentel said only 70 VCMs malfunctioned, a small percentage of the 97,000 that were used on election day.

But he said in Mindanao alone, they have recorded 78 malfunctioning VCMs. “I don’t care about percentage, that this is a small percentage of the number of machines not functioning. I am looking at people, the number

F PULONG, 10

Pimentel‘happy and optimistic’about results

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DP-LABAN president Sen. Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III is very “happy and optimistic” over the results of Monday elections which had their presidential bet Rodrigo Duterte lead by an overwhelming margin.

In the same vein, he also reiterated Duterte’s earlier call for healing.

“We are reaching out to the other parties. We can start collaboration under the new

F PIMENTEL, 10

F RODY, 10

Trillanes on Duterte: ‘I’ll not be a hindrance’

W

ITH Rodrigo Duterte still enjoying wide margin in the presidential race, Senator Antonio Trillanes IV on Tuesday assured the Davao City mayor that she will not be a hindrance to the reforms that Duterte will implement in the next six years.

“I respect the will of the Filipino people. They have spoken clearly and resoundingly hat the want Mayor Duterte to be our next president,” Trillanes said in a press statement. ”I assure the Mayor and our countrymen that will not be a hindrance to the reform initiatives he intends to push in or government,” he added.

Trillanes, however, said: “I will continue with my advocacies as a legislator in our system of checks and balances.” ”May God bless our country,” he added.

Trillanes, one of the leaders of the coup attempts against the administration of former President Gloria

Macapagal Arroyo, made life difficult for Duterte towards the end of the 90-day election campaign.

However, the senator’s expose on the alleged hidden wealth hardly affected the popularity of Duterte who is now enjoying over six-million vote lead over Liberal Party bet Mar Roxas.

Based on the latest partial and unofficial results from the Comelec transparency server, Duterte has already 15,219,591 votes while Roxas is far in the second spot with 9,164,292 votes followed by Senator Grace Poe (8,528,577 votes), Jejomar Binay (5,054,862 votes) and Miriam Defensor Santiago (1,365,625).

Trillanes is in the fifth place of the vice presidential race with 796,436 votes behind Leni Robredo (13,317,564), Bongbong Marcos (13,161,716), Alan Peter Cayetano (5,448,213), Chiz Escudero (4,584,232).

Gringo Honasan has 715,722 votes. (PNA)

KARLO PROCLAIMED. Davao City First District Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles holds a certificate of canvas of votes and proclamation during a ceremony at Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

UNGAB PROCLAIMED. Davao City Third District Rep. Albert T. Ungab (center) holds a certificate of canvass of votes and proclamation while posing with board of canvassers vice chair City Prosecutor Nestor Ledesma (left) and chair

Commission on Elections (Comelec) 11 assistant director Marlon Casquejo during the proclamation rites at Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

5 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

Phl named world’s eighth Damosa Land, Unifinance bare easy top medical tourism hub financing service for home buyers

A

GLOBAL non-profit association for medical tourism and international patient industry has listed the Philippines as eighth place among the top medical tourism destinations in the world in 2015, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Monday.

The Philippines placed ahead of countries such as Japan and France, according to a list compiled by the International Healthcare Research Center and the Medical Tourism Association (MTA).

Canada emerged as the top medical tourism destination worldwide followed by UK and Israel which came second and third, respectively.

MTA is non-profit association represents healthcare providers, governments, insurance companies, employers and other buyers of healthcare.

According to MTA, clients of the Philippines for medical tourism come from East Asia (China, Japan, Korea, Taiwan), Sri Lanka, the Pacific Islands (Guam, Palau, Marshall Islands, and Micronesia), Australia, North and South America, Europe and the United Kingdom, and the Gulf States.

It also noted that Filipino expats and overseas Filipino workers likewise prefer to have their medical procedures done in the country.

Currently, the Department of Tourism (DOT), Department of Health (DOH) and Department of Trade and Industry – Board of Investments (DTI– BOI) have a joint program to promote Philippine medical tourism.

This informal partnership resulted in a roadmap that

identified five major segments in the international medical travel sector: tourists, who come for spa and other wellness services; medical tourists, who avail of low-acuity medical procedures; medical travelers, who purposely come to specifically avail of more complex procedures; international patients, including overseas Filipino workers, expats, and retireers; and accompanying guests, either friends or immediate kin of travelers.

Medical tourism in the Philippines caters to approximately 80,000 to 250,000 patients or clients annually.

As of the DOT, DOH, DTIBOI’s latest count, 62 hospitals around the country are now internationally accredited.

In a 2014 study by renowned medical tourism author Ian Youngman, global health and wellness tourism market is worth USD438.6 billion and Philippine medical tourism was able to generate USD66 million and USD145 million for 2013 and 2014, respectively.

DOT Director for Medical Travel and Wellness Tourism, Cynthia Lazo, said it is crucial to have a ‘One Country Package.’

“It has to be a country effort, a collective effort of every medical and wellness facility in the country, for the Philippines to be accepted in the medical and wellness market,” she said.

“Our value proposition is, time and again, our 7,107 islands which a medical traveler can choose from, while availing of a clinical or wellness procedure in the country,” she added. (PNA)

T

HE homegrown real estate developer, Damosa Land, ties up with its affiliate company, United Financing Corporation (Unifinance), to offer affordable and hassle-free financing schemes for its clients.

The financing scheme offers buyers a hassle-free option that does not demand too many documentary requirements.

Sharing the same commitment to provide quality products and services with Damosa Land, Unifinance extends their services from

financing pre-owned vehicles and consumer loans to financing residential units. They see it as an opportunity to cater to the growing real estate market in the region, especially those who want to avail the products of DLI. “With Unifinance as partner of Damosa Land to provide financing assistance to buyers of Damosa Fairlane and now, Seawind, the buyers are assured of getting one of the most competitive house financing schemes available,” said Ruthillo Saligumba, Unifinance Senior Manager.

“Our clients are assured that they get the best investment in this complementary offering of Damosa Land and Unifinance. If I’m not mistaken, Unifinance offers one of the lowest financing rates in the market today,” said Ricardo F. Lagdameo, Damosa Land VP. To know how to avail of this easy financing scheme, you may visit the Damosa Land showroom and lounge at the Damosa Market Basket, Damosa Complex, Lanang, Davao City. You may reach DLI’s Property Specialists at 234-2888 or you can visit

their website at www.damosaland.com.

Damosa Land is the real estate and property development company of the Anflo Group of Companies – the company that is responsible for developing business and lifestyle-oriented commercial center, Damosa District.

Unifinance, another member of the Anflocor Group of Companies, is engaged in the financing of pre-owned vehicles and now home loans. The company has over 30 years of experience in the financing industry.

TERMINAL TO IGACOS. A hawker peddles knock-off sunglasses around Sta. Ana wharf where a large number of Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS)bound beach goers gather. Lean Daval Jr.

REDC, Frabelle Group break ground on Makati Business Club 3 MW Labayat mini-hydropower plant bares statement on polls T R EPOWER Energy Development Corporation (REDC), the mini hydropower business of local investment holding company Pure Energy Holdings Corporation (PEHC), broke ground for a run-of-river hydropower plant project in Upper Labayat, Quezon Province in partnership with the Frabelle and TSP Marine Group, a giant food and fishing conglomerate which recently ventured into the renewables business through a consortium with Markham Resources to build mini hydroelectric plants that will cover Luzon and other areas in Mindanao.

“This is one of the projects that we’re building to benefit the local community as we will provide clean, reliable, and sustainable energy. This project will directly address the province’s overdependence on coal power plants as its primary energy source,” Dexter Y. Tiu chief executive of REDC said.

The high-pressure hydropower plant station will use water from the Upper Labayat river stream and produce power for the local community. The plant is scheduled to begin its operations in the fourth quarter of 2018, after a construction period of about two years.

Frabelle Group’s president, Francisco “Kiko” Tiu Laurel, whose company just recently entered into the power industry business said that the project will not only provide power needs in the local community but can one day supply their own factories and shipyards.

“The hydropower project, once constructed, will generate more energy than our own factory requirements and at the same time stabilize the energy needs of the communities here,” he said referring to the municipality of Real, Quezon where the project is located.

The hydro facility will be built in the upper cascade of the Labayat River, while the

power station itself will be built at Barangay Maragondon, Municipality of Real, Quezon.

With an installed capacity of 3 megawatts (MW), the power plant will generate over 16 gigawatt (GWh) of clean and renewable energy annually, which is equivalent to the consumption of around 20,000 households. This makes the Upper Labayat mini hydropower plant one of the most efficient power plants constructed by REDC. The Upper Labayat hydropower plant’s renewable power output through a 2.5 kilometer transmission line is expected to qualify for Feed-inTariff (FiT) incentives and get dispatched in the electricity spot market at P5.90 per kilowatt hour (Kwh) under the FiT rate for hydro power.

The project enjoys a high degree of local acceptance and is based on an environment-friendly technology employed by REDC. The company

utilizes state of the art European technology that makes runof-river hydroelectric power plants as alternative to traditional dam facilities, ensuring lesser impact on freshwater dependency, carbon dioxide emission, and aquatic ecosystem.

“Environmental mitigation measures such as revitalization of river banks, preservation of grassland along the river and other steps to ensure environmental sustainability around the domain will be taken into account in the construction of the power plant,” Dexter Y. Tiu said.

Upon completion, the power plant is expected to last for 100 years and will be the first mini hydropower project in Quezon province. REDC currently has five more mini-hydropower projects in Quezon alone that is in the pipeline, and will break ground on its second Quezon project next month.

HE Makati Business Club issued the following statement on Tuesday in connection with the just-concluded 2016 elections: “The 2016 national and local elections were passionately contested. The campaign was fierce and people were deeply divided among personalities, parties, and platforms. In the face of these tensions, the will of the Filipino electorate prevailed. The Makati Business Club congratulates the nation for another successful manifestation of a fully-functioning and vigorous democracy.

“The Commission on Elections deserves much appreciation for its management of a process, seen by many as highly credible, clean, and honest. We note that last minute changes in procedures, delays in logistical preparations, glitches in the Vote Counting Machines during election day itself, and the usual controversies presented significant challenges, which we believe Comelec adequately addressed. Indeed, automation is the way forward given the improvements since

2010, and the refreshing practice of losing candidates conceding early to the apparent winners, demonstrating dignity in the face of defeat, and the apparent winners showing humility in victory, should be commended.

“We note that a record 81% of the electorate exercised their right to vote, once again highlighting the Filipinos’ resilience amidst discomforting conditions, as well as our rock-solid commitment to upholding democracy. We also commend our teachers, election volunteers, and poll watchers for their humble and selfless service.

“The partial and unofficial results from the Comelec convincingly reflect the will of the electorate. Now the process of genuine healing must begin: Friendships must be restored, mutual trust must be reestablished, and wounds must begin to heal. We call on all Filipinos to come together, to support our new leaders. Let us focus on those aspirations that unite us, rather than on the issues

F MAKATI, 10

6 THE ECONOMY PHL budget deficit rises to P34.6 B in February

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he Philippine budget deficit rose to P34.6 billion in February this year, up 258 percent from P9.7 billion a year ago, data released Tuesday by the Department of Finance (DoF) show.

This after government spending registered a higher growth of 22 percent to P173.6 billion compared with the five percent rise in revenues to P139 billion.

Contribution of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to government coffers in the second month this year reached P94.8 billion, seven percent higher year-on-year, while the Bureau of Customs (BOC) posted a one percent contraction in revenues to Php 27 billion.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) contributed Php 5.8 billion, 33 percent up; and the Other Offices shared in Php 11.2 billion, down nine percent.

For the two-month period,

the budget deficit amounted to Php 38.1 billion, 136 percent higher than year-ago’s Php 16.1 billion.

Revenues rose by seven percent to Php 321.2 billion while expenditures went up 14 percent Php 359.3 billion.

BIR’s collection for the two-month period reached Php 224.5 billion, up seven percent; and BOC posted a three percent hike to Php 58.1 billion. BTr’s collection rose by three percent to Php 13.8 billion and the Other Offices by 27 percent to Php 24.8 billion.

Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said economic managers continued to see strong rise in revenues that would support the government’s investment goals.

“Our financial position remains healthy. Amid an uncertain global environment, maintaining a firm fiscal position is more important than ever,” he added. (PNA)

PHL FDIs jump 50.6% to $936M in February

F

OREIGN Direct Investments (FDIs) to the Philippines reached USD 936 million in February 2016 , up 50.6 percent year-on-year, data released by the central bank show.

The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) said all FDI components posted increases “as investors’ confidence was buoyed by the country’s economic growth prospects and sound macroeconomic fundamentals.”

In particular, equity capital investments rose by 119.1 percent to USD 449 million from the USD 205 million in end-February last year.

The central bank traced this to higher equity capital placements by 92.2 percent to USD 471 million, bulk of which came from Hong Kong, Spain, Bahamas, Taiwan, and Japan.

These inflows were channeled to agriculture, forestry,

and fishing; financial and insurance activities; construction; manufacturing; and real estate activities, it said.

However, withdrawals during the period reached USD 22 million.

Also, net investments in debt instruments posted a 23 percent increase to USD 355 million while reinvested earnings amounted to USD 132 million, up from year-ago’s USD 128 million.

Last February alone, FDIs reached USD 349 million, 2.9 percent lower than year-ago’s USD 359 million.

Investments in debt instruments posted net inflows of USD 98 million, equity investments rose by 6.9 percent to USD 192 million, withdrawals went higher at USD 19 million from month-ago’s USD 3 million and re-invested earnings jumped 2.6 percent to USD 59 million. (PNA)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

PHL growth to depend on economic policies of Duterte I

HS Global Insight, a United States-based think tank, said medium-term outlook for the Philippines will depend on the economic policies of its new administration.

Partial and unofficial tally for the 2016 national elections showed that Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is leading the presidential race.

IHS Asia Pacific Chief Economist Rajiv Biswas said Duterte’s election platform lacked content on economic policies which creates uncertainty about his future economic reform agenda.

“International investors and fund managers are likely to initially respond by reducing their exposure to Philippines equities and local government debt, which could push the Philippines peso further down against the US dollar in coming days,” added Biswas.

The Philippine peso and stock market index have al-

ready fallen since mid-April as the 2016 election polls indicate strong lead for Duterte.

“The medium-term outlook for the Philippines economy will depend on the new economic policies of the incoming Duterte administration. If he appoints a strong economic frontbench with well-respected economists with a strong track record, this could reassure investors and restore confidence in the medium-term outlook for the Philippines economy,” the IHS economist stressed.

“However, if the Duterte administration does not maintain fiscal discipline and has weak commitment to further economic liberalization and fails to improve the business climate for foreign investment, this will undermine the medium-term growth prospects for the Philippines economy,” Biswas noted.

However, the economist mentioned that business

process outsourcing (BPO) sector and overseas Filipinos’ remittances will still fuel the Philippine economy.

BPO revenues for this year is expected to reach USD25 billion with additional 225,000 jobs while remittances reached USD25.8 billion in 2015 or accounting for 9.8 percent of the country’s gross domestic product (GDP).

“Two key growth engines for the Philippines economy during President Aquino’s term of office have been the fast-growing IT-BPO industry as well as the large inflows of remittances from workers abroad,” said Biswas.

He also mentioned that the Philippines saw GDP growth averaging around 6 percent from 2011 to 2015.

However, Biswas noted that despite the economic progress during the current administration, high level of poverty still persists in the Philippines.

“If the incoming Presi-

dent and the new Philippines government administration can continue to pursue economic reforms and strengthen institutional governance, then GDP growth of around 6 percent per year can be sustained over 2016-2020,” the economist said.

“Ensuring that the benefits of rapid economic growth do reach a wider share of the population will be a crucial policy priority for the next administration, and key strategies to reduce poverty will be to accelerate foreign investment inflows into manufacturing and infrastructure development,” he stressed.

“The next administration will also need to ensure that trade and investment liberalization are high priorities on its policy agenda, through bilateral and regional trade and investment initiatives with key partners such as the ASEAN+3 nations as well as the EU, the US and India,” Biswas added. (PNA)

DOT, travel influencers entice more tourists to visit PHL Emperador posts P1.4-B net income in First Quarter

F

IVE of the biggest travel influencers from an award-winning creative technology agency that built the largest travel and lifestyle portfolio on Instagram and Snapchat will soon reach Philippine shores, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Tuesday.

The agency, Beautiful Destinations will be in the Philippines from May 11-24 to capture destination images and videos that drive interest amongst its followers and inspire them to visit the country.

DOT said that this marks the first time in Southeast Asia that a national tourism organization is partnering with the Beautiful Destinations team.

The team will be composed of its Founder and CEO,

travel social media expert, Jeremy Jauncey; Head of Brand Partnerships and celebrated travel drone pioneer, Tom Jauncey; Community Manager and London’s top Instagram travel photographer and videographer, Jacob Riglin; world-renowned iPhone-only photographer James Relf Dyer; and the videographer for American DJ duo - The Chainsmokers, Sam Kolder.

Some of the top Philippine destinations that the team will travel to include Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Manila and Pangasinan.

DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. noted how social media has allowed the agency to be a game-changer in the tourism industry through our

F DOT, 10

BURNED SCHOOL. A student passes by the Ragayan Elementary school in Barangay Ragayan in Poonabayabao town, Lanao del Sur on Monday, May 9, 2016. The 16-classroom school was torched by unidentified persons

. Voting continued with Comelec officials transferring the voters to another venue. There was no vote-counting machine installed in the school when it was burned. MindaNews photo by Froilan Gallardo

MPERADOR Inc., the world’s largest brandy company and the Philippines’ largest liquor conglomerate, recorded nearly PHP9 billion in consolidated revenues in the first quarter of 2016 with net income amounting to PHP1.4 billion.

The first quarter of this year

E

also marked a significant milestone with Emperador taking over 286-year old Bodegas Fundador from Beam Suntory. Emperador and Fundador brandy production facilities, combined, make Emperador Inc. the largest brandy entity in the world. Winston Co, president of Emperador Inc., said, “We have an unprece-

dented and compelling ownership of vineyards, bottling facilities and distilleries. We already have 1,500 hectares of vineyard land, roughly 1,000,000 square meters of cellar and bottling facilities, and three distilleries in Spain.”

Mr. Co added, “In 2014, the acquisition of Scotch whisky

company Whyte and Mackay jump-started Emperador Inc’s transformation into becoming a world-class company. The acquisition of Fundador brandy sealed the deal making our company truly global with access to 100 countries. And today, our brandy and whisky product

A

nila International Airport Authority (MIAA), Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) and the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

It also provides for penalties in cases of slot misuse by the airlines.

The three agencies consider

this agreement as their legacy to the next airport and aviation authorities.

Signing will take place on Wednesday (May 11) at the MIAA Administration Building.

According to the International Air Transport Association (IATA), the prime objective

of the slot process is to allow airlines to acquire, retain and exchange slots necessary to operate at a given airport.

Through the allocation of slots, limited airport resources are efficiently used to benefit the greatest number of airport users and travelers. (PNA)

F EMPERADOR, 10

MIAA, CAB, and CAAP to sign MOA on flight slotting

VIATION agencies are set to sign a memorandum of agreement (MOA) that details the procedures on how airlines may apply for and utilize their slots at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA).

This MOA on flight slotting will be signed between the Ma-

EDGEDAVAO

7 HEALTH

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

Goiter is now a common disease among filipinos

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

T

HYROID gland is a butterfly-shaped organ that measures about two inches across and lies just under the skin below the Adam’s apple in the neck. It plays a major role in regulating the body’s metabolism.

In the Philippines one of the most common diseases that affect the thyroid gland is goiter. “Its primary symptoms are thyroid enlargement, breathing difficulties, swallowing difficulties from compression of the esophagus, and neck vein distention and dizziness when the arms are raised above the head,” Dr. Gabriel Jasul Jr. says.

The word goiter comes from the Latin word guttur, which means throat. Having a goiter doesn’t mean that the amount of thyroid hormone in your body is too high, too low, or normal. It just means that the gland is bigger than it should be, and that there may be a disease process going on that’s causing the problem.

“Goiter is considered prevalent in the Philippines,” Jasul says. “It is common and is still a formidable disease that affects women under reproductive age and school children aged seven years old onwards.”

“Pregnant women and children are prone to goiter because they are in the stage of hormonal changes,” a report says. “Iodine deficiency during pregnancy results in decreased maternal and neonatal thyroid hormone secretion.”

Based on the studies on urinary iodine levels conducted by the Department of Health, most goiter cases are found in the mountainous provinces and other remote areas of the country.

Those living in the lowland areas may have goiter because of insufficient iodine intake in their diet aside from eating a lot of foods containing goitrogens, substances that suppress the function of the thyroid gland by interfering with iodine uptake.

Most goitrogens are found in cabbage, soybeans, peanuts, peaches, strawberries, spinach and radishes.

Studies show that iodine deficiency is the cause of 92 percent of all goiter cases around the world. A nutritional survey was done by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute in 1998 to assess

the extent of iodine deficiency among 10,616 schoolchildren aged six to 12 years old. It was discovered that the country as a whole had a mild iodine deficiency.

Iodine is a micronutrient required by the body for normal physical and mental development. The total lifetime requirement for iodine amounts to no more than a teaspoon. Small as it may be, and to be effective, this amount must be available from conception to adulthood.

“When iodine is deficient,” points out The Merck Manual of Medical Information, “the thyroid gland enlarges, forming a goiter, as it attempts to capture more iodine for the production of thyroid hormones.”

The American Thyroid Organization explains it further this way: “The primary activity of the thyroid gland is to concentrate iodine from the blood to make thyroid hormone. The gland cannot make enough thyroid hormone if it does not have enough iodine. Therefore, with iodine deficiency the individual will become hypothyroid.

“Consequently, the pituitary gland in the brain senses the thyroid hormone level is too low and sends a signal to the thyroid. This signal is called thyroid-stimulating hormone. As the name implies, this hormone stimulates the thyroid to produce thyroid hormone and to grow in size. This abnormal growth

in size produces what is termed a goiter.”

Another common cause of goiter is Graves’ disease. In this case, a person’s immune system produces a protein called thyroid-stimulating immunoglobulin (TSI). The TSI stimulates the thyroid gland to enlarge-producing a goiter.

However, TSI also stimulates the thyroid to make too much thyroid hormone causing hyperthyroidism. Since the pituitary senses too much thyroid hormone, it stops secreting thyroid stimulating hormone.

In spite of this, the thyroid gland continues to grow and make thyroid hormone.

Therefore, Graves’ disease produces a goiter and hyperthyroidism.

Another cause is Hashimoto’s thyroiditis, an autoimmune condition in which there is destruction of the thyroid gland by a person’s own immune system.

“As the gland becomes more damaged, it is less able to make adequate supplies of thyroid-hormone,” the American Thyroid Organization explains. “The pituitary gland senses a low thyroid hormone level and secretes more thyroid stimulating hormones to stimulate the thyroid. This stimulation causes the thyroid to grow, which may produce a goiter.”

In addition to the common causes of goiter, there are many other less common causes. Some of these are due to genetic defects, others are related to injury or infections

in the thyroid and some are due to tumors (both cancerous and benign tumors).

Thanks to the introduction of iodized salt in the 1920s, goiters have become much less common in North America than they once were.

“Salt is the best vehicle for adding iodine,” a fact sheet disseminated by the health department states. Everyone needs salt, everyone eats it, usually in daily amounts, and the technology for iodization

is straightforward.”

The Philippines has regulations calling for 20 to 40 microgram (mcg) iodine per gram of salt—or 20 to 40 parts per million (ppm). As such, if a person eats five grams of salt iodized at 30 ppm, he gets 150 mcg iodine from this source alone.

Another method for providing iodine is through the administration of iodized vegetable oil. A single administration orally provides ade-

quate iodine for about a year, and if given by intramuscular injection, is satisfactory for about three years. “Iodized oil is most useful when the iodine deficiency is severe, when immediate correction is important and when iodized salt is not available [or its iodine concentration is below recommended levels],” the fact sheet points out.

Drinking water is another occasional vehicle for iodine nutrition. One approach is to add an iodine solution to water in a well or flowing through a pipe. A simpler version merely adds a few drops of a concentrated solution manually to vessels containing drinking water in a school or home. If iodine is added, it can also sterilize the water, this property is useful because many regions with iodine deficiency also have contaminated food and water.

“The use of iodized table salt prevents hypothyroidism, while limiting goitrogenic foods and drugs prevents hyperthyroidism,” Jasul says.

“We don’t say that you should not eat goitrogenic foods especially vegetables. Goitrogenic foods help thyroid hormones to function normally, but to achieve this purpose, the thyroid hormones must be present in the body in correct amount—not too little and not too much.”

Forewarned is forearmed, so goes a saying. The same is true with goiter. Watch what you eat. “To cut the risk of goiters, avoid white flour products, white sugar, foods from flesh, fried foods, greasy foods, preserves, condiments, tea, coffee and alcohol. You will also want to avoid sodas or anything with caffeine,” writes Eric Benac, author of Diet for Goiter.

Foods you need to eat: “Begin introducing foods rich in iron and iodine into your diet,” Benac writes. “Foods like guavas, strawberries, citrus fruits, eggs, seafood, whole grain rice, tomatoes, oats, onion, garlic, carrots and lettuce are high in iron. Foods that are high in iodine include iodized salt, seafood, seaweed, sushi, shrimp, shellfish, cow’s milk, yogurt, and locally grown fruits and vegetables.

These foods, along with goiter treatment medicine from your doctor, will help treat your goiter in a short period of time.”

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

Stop

I

T’S told in one word.

He wrote it on the tarpaulin backdrop on the wall as he faced the media shortly after casting his vote.

He had said it several times during the campaign.

He had repeatedly said it and even spelled it emphatically in the debates.

That word is “stop.” That is his favorite word if he is not cussing. That word described president-in-waiting Mayor Rodrigo’s iron-willed thrust to end crimes, drugs and corruption.

That is how Mayor Duterte is expected to deal with the three fiercest enemies of his administration.

For those who know Mayor Duterte, the moment he

EDGEDAVAO

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speaks with emphasis on something, most especially if he breaks it down to the shortest expression as possible, he is dead serious about it. So serious that you can feel his angst the moment he opens his mouth.

Those who are not used to it may find his words weightless or plain threat. It would seem that it is spoken out of despair.

Not with Mayor Duterte. He would mince no words when he does not like it. That is why that word on the wall should serve as everyone’s stern warning that he means business.

The country is about to be cleansed. It’s going to be easy if people read and follow that word on the wall. Bloody, as he promised, if they ignore him.

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EDGEDAVAO

O

9

The famous Mount Hamiguitan

NE of my favorite pastimes is reading -- aside from watching movies, of course.

Recently, I was reading one of the last week’s issues of EDGE Davao and I came across a news report which said that the Hamiguitan Heritage Park was inaugurated by President Benigno Aquino III himself.

The complete name is Mount Hamiguitan Eco Park and Interpretation Site, which also houses the Natural Science Museum. The launching was “attended by some 1,000 government officials, business leaders, guests and media practitioners,” reported EDGE Davao editor-in-chief Antonio M. Ajero.

“Mr. Aquino who, together with Governor Corazon Malanyaon, unveiled the park’s marker, lauded the opening as it would serve as a critical habitat to protect biodiversity,” said the state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA).

According to Aquino, who is bowing out of office in June, the site will spike tourist arrivals in Davao Oriental. In addition, it will open more opportunities for jobs and livelihood among the people living in the area.

Last year, Mount Hamiguitan was inscribed to the World Heritage List of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

In its website, UNESCO describes Mount Hamiguitan in these words: “Forming a mountain ridge running northsouth along the Pujada Peninsula in the south-eastern part of the Eastern Mind-

T

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

anao BiodiverTHINK ON THESE! sity Corridor, the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary has an elevation range of 75– 1,637 meters above sea level and provides Henrylito D. Tacio critical habitat henrytacio@gmail.com for a range of plant and animal species.

“The property showcases terrestrial and aquatic habitats at different elevations, and includes threatened and endemic flora and fauna species, eight of which are found only at Mount Hamiguitan.

These include critically endangered trees, plants and the iconic Philippine eagle and Philippine cockatoo,” UNESCO adds.

On why it is included in the World Heritage List, the UNESCO explains: “The Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary exhibits segmentation of terrestrial habitats according to elevation. In the lower elevations the agro-ecosystem and remnants of dipterocarp forests house some 246 plant species including significant numbers of endemics such as the globally threatened dipterocarps of the genus Shorea.

“The dipterocarp forest ecosystem at 420-920 m above sea level is characterized by the presence of large trees and is home to 418 plant and 146 animal species, which include threatened species such as

the Mindanao bleeding-heart dove (Gallicolumba crinigera) and Philippine warty pig (Sus philippensis).

“At higher elevations the montane forest ecosystem exhibits numerous species of mosses, lichens and epiphytes. This ecosystem type houses 105 animal species representing all the animal groups found in the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary as well as the relatively recently discovered rat species, Hamiguitan hairytailed rat (Batomys hamiguitan).

“The fourth ecosystem type is the typical mossy forest ecosystem characterized by thick mosses covering roots and tree trunks; it provides habitat for the Philippine pygmy fruit bat (Haplonycteris fischeri) and the threatened pointed-snouted tree frog (Philautus acutirostris). At the topmost (1160-1200m above sea level.) is the mossy-pygmy forest ecosystem, adding a unique natural tropical bonsai forest layer to the property. It is the only known habitat in the world of the pitcher plant (Nepenthes hamiguitanensis) and the Delias butterfly (Delias magsadana).”

The Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary straddles two municipalities (San Isidro and Governor Generoso) and one city (Mati). The total area is 16,923 hectares, with a buffer zone of 9,729 hectares.

The Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary is protected through several protected area regulations and is a component of the country’s National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS).

By the way, I had visited several UNES-

CO World Heritage sites. Just to name few: Quebec City in Canada; the Great Barrier Reef in Cairns, Australia; the Great Wall and Forbidden City in Beijing, China; Angkor Wat in Siem Reap, Cambodia; Halong Bay in Vietnam; and the Rice Terraces of Banaue.

Yes, I had been to Mati City but never had an opportunity of going to Mount Hamiguitan (although I heard of it several times before). Every time I go to Mati, I usually go to Dahican Beach, which is touted as the Boracay of the South.

But I know, one of these days, I will be given the time to scale Mount Hamiguitan and see the bonsai forest.

The PNA report said that the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary has been named as among Southeast Asia’s ASEAN Heritage Parks. It is cited for its “biodiversity importance and exceptional uniqueness throughout the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member states.”

The recent recognition adds to the seven other sites in the country: Mount Apo, Mount Iglit-Baco Natural Resources; Mount Kitanglad Range Natural Park; Mount Malinda; Mount Makiling Forest Reserve; Mount Timpoog-Hibok Hibok Natural Park; and Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park.

“Mount Hamiguitan was nominated along with Tubbataha Reef,” the PNA report said. “It was during the 15th informal ASEAN Ministerial Meeting on the environment when the nomination was approved.”

spread the MY TWO CENTS’ post and heightened the criticism, providing the fodder to help things snowball daily as more reactions from Malacanang John Tria fed it. It was ecisouth@gmail.com not how to handle online criticism.

Likewise, the Duterte campaign will be remembered for its cultivation of a horde of committed and passionate social media supporters ready to defend him from critics and correct any misimpressions.

Rodrigo Duterte is the first successful presidential candidate from a left leaning political party. The Partido Demokratiko ng Pilipinas –Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-LABAN) is considered a moderate left party,

espousing social democratic principles and a federal form of government similar to the social democratic parties in positioned left of center in Europe. In the succeeding days, expect its ranks to increase from the current three representatives in Congress and one Senator. Of all the political parties, both the PDP LABAN and the Liberal party have a clear program and agenda. It must be noted that PDP Laban which had its beginnings among anti dictatorship politicians and reform advocates during the Marcos regime, with its coming out in the candidacy of Aquilino Pimentel in 1978. It is expected that Duterte will lead a larger coalition of left forces in pushing important reforms, particularly, the shift to a federal form of government, which is the cornerstone of the PDP-Laban’s governance agenda from its early days.

Digong is the first incumbent city mayor to win the presidency. The last viable contender for the presidency who is occupied a mayoralty post was the late Manila

Mayor Arsenio Lacson, who dies suddenly a few years shy of his 50th birthday back in the early 60s. Except for Cory Aquino and Fidel Ramos, all successful presidential candidates were Senators.

Duterte is the first Mindanaoan to assume the presidency. Mindanao leaders have often been considered invisible in Philippine politics, with the Senate and the executive departments often dominated by Luzon-based counterparts. it does not help that each annual national budget is effectively allocated with a third for Metro Manila, another third for Luzon and the balance to be divided between the Visayas and Mindanao. Thus, resources and opportunities are not balanced.

It must be remembered that the closest Mindanao had to a president was the late former Vice President Emmanuel Pelaez, who stood for, yet failed to secure the Nacionalista Party nomination to run for the presidency in 1965. The nomination went to Senator Ferdinand Marcos, who beat incumbent Diosdado Macapagal.

The many ‘first’ for new President

HE most contentious presidential campaign in Philippine history has come to pass, and exactly 90 days after he began his campaign in the wee hours of the morning in Manila’s Tondo slums, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte is looking at being Malacanang’s occupant, the first ever from the island of Mindanao.

Miriam Defensor Santiago was so right when she predicted that social media will determine the outcome of this campaign.

This is the first presidential election where twists and turns were conditioned or influenced by citizen opinions on social media. Tweets, Instagram and Facebook status posts condemning the use of presidential helicopters by Kris Aquino for the Liberal party’s campaign were promptly replied to by Presidential spokesman Herminio Coloma, and eventually, the President himself defending the use by his sister and eventually, Kris Aquino herself asking her fans to protect her from online critics. The reactions of the administration to the posts and criticisms actually helped

10 NEWS READY... FROM 1

“We are forming a transition team, one for policy preparation, one for selection of whom to appoint in key positions and one for the inaugural program,” Lavina said.

Lavina said they will coordinate with the incumbent administration for a smooth turnover.

“We will start working soon. We are just awaiting formalities,” said Lavina.

all of you in the fresh mandate you have given and I will repay you with more determination

and hardwork in the years to come. We will do this together,” Paolo said.

were political supporters of Marantao mayoralty candidate Samsung Usop of the Laban ng Demokratikong Pilipino.

Hours before the voting started, unidentified men torched the school buildings in the municipalities of Tamparan and Poona Bayabao in Lanao del Sur. The first to be torched was the Dilausan Primary School, a two-room facility in Barangay Dilausan in Tamparan town.

Yasmin Mohammad, a volunteer teacher said at about 4:45 am, unidentified men also torched their school, Ragayan Elementary School in Barangay Ragayan, Poona Bayabao town.

Mohammad said the fire destroyed 16 classrooms, their library and stockroom where they placed their school computers.

“We cried because so much was lost. More than

400 students depend on this school,” she said.

Salic Ibrahim, convenor of the Citizens Care Coalition for ARMM Electoral Reforms said he was appalled by the level of partisanship among Lanao del Sur residents to their chosen candidates.

“They (supporters) even want to sacrifice their lives for the candidates. I have not seen so much loyalty in the past elections,” Ibrahim said.

Ibrahim blamed the long campaign period for the heightened level of animosity between the political followers.

He said this led to so much pent up emotions that burst on the day of elections.

“There were many fistfights and free-for-all when we toured the voting centers.

The supporters were just bursting with anger,” Ibrahim said. (Froilan Gallardo/ MindaNews)

election we can recommend for a lesser number of voters just to accommodate all as early as possible, ” he said.

For his part, Comelec 11 assistant regional director Marlon Casquejo said there were several VCM in Davao City that overheated but they were able to replace it immediately.

Casquejo said while the repair of the VCMs were still ongoing, the voters were recommended to conduct manual voting and just feed the ballot as soon as it will be repaired.

Election watchdog Kontra Daya received a report that a VCM in Calinan Elementary School overheated around

7:30 a.m.on Monday which made the Board of Election Inspector to decide to proceed on manual of voting.

Kontra Daya spokesperson Rommel Real said there are some 20 voters who underwent manual voting.

He said by 10:00 a.m.the VCM in the precinct was fixed but the voters already went home and some voters who were in the area shaded their ballot on their behalf without permission.

However, Casquejo said his office did not receive any report of this incident in Calinan.

“We have no idea regarding that incident, ” he said.

that divide us. After all, despite our divisions, we all aspire for the common goal of authentic freedom and inclusive development.

“The Philippines remains in a special spot with numerous positive forces converging in our favor. Propelling the country to greater heights requires the cooperation of all sectors of society. On the part of the business community, we welcome the clear mandate given our new leaders by our people and the credibility of the elections, and we stand

ready to be an active and participative partner of government in ensuring sustainable and inclusive growth that benefits not just a select few but all Filipinos.

“It is our hope that the 2016 elections bring forth a country grounded on the principles of protecting and strengthening our democratic institutions, and on decency, integrity, justice, empathy, competence, peace and order especially in Mindanao, and respect for the rule of law.”

(PNA)

portfolio is comprised of standard, premium, super premium, and luxury offerings. While maintaining our brandy dominance in local liquor brands with Emperador brandy, we have enviable presence in foreign liquor

brands in the Philippines with our Fundador brandy and single malt brands The Dalmore and Jura.”

Emperador Inc. is majority-owned by Alliance Global Group, Inc.

Pulong... FROM 4 Four... FROM 3

Comelec... FROM 3

Makati... FROM 5

Emperador... FROM 6

EDGEDAVAO

Escudero... FROM 2 Duterte and encouraged his supporters to support whoever wins the elections. ”Binabati ko si Mayor Duterte at sa dikitan laban sa ikalawang pagkapangulo, binabati ko sino man sa kanila manalo pero syempre mas ninanais ko na ang kababayan ko kung may mananalo,” Escudero said.

Escudero did not name names but two other vice presidential aspirants Senators Antonio Trillanes IV and Gringo Honasan are also from Bicol but currently in fifth and sixth spot with 792,778 and 711,450 votes, respectively.

Escudero said he is looking forward “to quieter

times” with his wife actress Heart Evangelista and with two children to former wife Christine Elizabeth Flores.

His marriage with Flores was annulled in 2012.

Based on partial and unofficial results, Duterte is enjoying over six million votes over second running Mar Roxas who has 9,112,889 votes followed by Poe with 8,492,261 votes, Jejomar Binay with 5,036,060 votes and Miriam Defensor Santiago with 1,363,144 votes.

Both Poe and Escudero have three years left to serve as senators, promising to help the next administration in their capacity as legislators.

(PNA)

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

Pimentel... FROM 4 of voters who have been disenfranchised or greatly inconvenienced,” he said.

Pimentel said after the election, he will call on Comelec to require Smartmatic to explain properly and in detail the high number of VCMs that malfunctioned.

“In the meantime I am requesting Comelec to withhold payment from Smartmatic until it has satisfactorily explained what happened,” he added.

Pimentel said the party is also studying the possibility of asking the courts or the Department of Justice to issue a form of hold departure order against executives of Smartmatic.

“They should not leave the country until they satisfactorily explain before the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System what happened,” he said.

(PNA)

him.

Meanwhile, Duterte said he is satisfied with the conduct of the national and local polls

yesterday.

“So, far I have not received any reports of cheating and violation,” he said. (PNA)

Rody... FROM 4

DUTERTE VOTES. Leading presidential candidate Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte receives a rousing send-off after casting his vote around three o’clock in the afternoon at Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Pacquiao brothers win in GenSan, Sarangani

T

HE family of boxing icon and outgoing Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao continued its emergence as a dominant force in local politics here and nearby province.

This, as two younger brothers of the eight-division world boxing champion, who is already entrenched at the top 12 in the senatorial race, also scored big wins in Monday’s general elections.

Former boxer Alberto “Bobby” Pacquiao placed second

in the city council race here after garnering a total of 95,092 votes based on the final and official tally released by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) here.

Bobby, who is an incumbent councilor of Barangay Labangal, ran under the People’s Champ Movement (PCM), a local political party founded by Rep. Pacquiao.

He trailed top councilor Elizabeth Bagonoc of the Liberal Party-Achiever’s with Integrity Movement (LP-AIM), by just 32 votes.

Bobby said he had only

aimed to land a spot in the city council and did not expect the second place finish.

But he said he worked hard during the campaign along with the other members of the city’s PCM slate.

“This is God’s will. I prayed and really worked for this,” he told reporters.

In Sarangani, Rep. Pacquiao’s younger brother and anointed replacement, Rogelio, is leading by a huge margin in the race for the province’s lone congressional seat.

As of Tuesday noon, partial and unofficial results showed Rogelio already getting 140,864 votes, with 98.99 percent of the votes cast already processed.

Independent bet Elson Formoso only got 13,828 votes while Jamby Orig of the Nationalist People’s Coalition (NPC) and Victor Mejia of the Kilusang Bagong Lipunan received 6,269 and 2,703 votes, respectively.

Rogelio is a former chair of Barangay Apopong here and represented the Liga ng mga Barangay in the city council. (PNA)

It’s More Fun in the Philippines campaign.

He said that the campaign’s central strategy is executed and propagated by milelelions of Filipinos themselves, who “feel they have the power to persuade people to visit their country as tourists.”

“Collaborating with Beautiful Destinations, which has already set the global standard for creating social content, is surely an effective way to make our country’s presence in the digital space more felt by travrs who are highly reliant on social media,” Jimenez said.

“With the highest percentage of its population highly active on social media compared

to any other country, the Philippines has been dubbed as the social media capital of the world. On many occasions, the DOT would leverage this strength by utilizing social media in most of our campaigns,” he added.

Beautiful Destinations Founder and Chief Executive Officer Jeremy Jauncey for his part expressed excitement about partnering with the Philippines Department of Tourism to harness the power of Instagram & Snapchat.

“Advertising is evolving away from an art of interruption and towards an art of inclusion. We’re showcasing living, breathing, destinations stories in real time,” Jauncey

said.

“Shooting what we call social-first content prioritizes unique perspectives shot by social media experts that captivate travelers in a much more genuine way than content typically shot for print and broadcast campaigns,” he added.

The Beautiful Destinations team will share moments throughout each day of the trip on the Beautiful Destinations Snapchat, Instagram, and Facebook, as well as the DOT’s Instagram and Facebook accounts, reaching more than 10 million followers around the world.

On the other hand, the videos will also stream outside the Philippine Center at

556 Fifth Avenue, New York, giving passersby a glimpse of the teams’ daily adventures in Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Pangasinan, and Manila.

In Manila, the DOT will host an InstaMeet between the Beautiful Destinations team and local travel and lifestyle influencers from the Philippines whose photos have been featured on the Beautiful Destinations Instagram page to provide a platform to exchange insights and ideas about photography, travel, and lifestyle.

Some of the local influencers invited include celebrated Cebuano furniture designer Vito Selma, Filipino backpackers, and photographers Jaypee Swing and Rod Ruales. (PNA)

DOT... FROM 6

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

ESDEVCO THANKSGIVING LUNCH. EscandorDevelopment Corporation (Esdevco), developer of Matina Enclaves, hosted another thanksgiving lunch on Tuesday (May 10) at The Royal Mandaya Hotel for its top Sellers for the Month of April 2016. The top sellers for April are Charity Furog, Ofelia Genodepanon, Chita Hierro, Romeo Hierro, Reynebelle

Abril, Gilbert Monecillo, Ryan Sayson, Boyd Yron Xhryzler Cabiladas and Jetro Pinili. Esdevco project head Gerald Garces personally led the recognition of the month’s top achievers.

Applications open for 11 Aboitiz Ateneo de Davao Future Leaders Business Summit has 33 new lawyers th

N

INETY of the country’s best college undergraduates are set to flock to Cebu City once more for one of the most-anticipated student gatherings of the year—the Aboitiz Future Leaders Business Summit (AFLBS), to be held from November 3 to 5, 2016.

Every year, the AFLBS gathers the country’s brightest college student leaders for a three-day summit of fun and knowledge through activities that allow participants to develop their leadership skills and learn how to concretize management concepts in a corporate environment.

“We strongly encourage qualified college students all over the country to apply for the 11th AFLBS. This country needs a fresh batch of passionate and driven leaders who will lead, excel, and serve the best way they can. The next one could just be you,” says Txabi Aboitiz, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. Chief Human Resources Officer.

On its 11th year of building young talented leaders, the AFLBS will continue to prepare and empower the youth to be change-makers in their chosen field of profession, and in society in general.

To apply for this year’s AFLBS, an applicant must: • Be a Filipino citizen, 25

F

ORD Philippines today reported an all-time record month with retail sales in April that soared 93 percent year-over-year to 3,152 units, led by strong demand for the Ranger pickup and all-new Everest, EcoSport, and Explorer SUVs. The record April performance helped Ford’s remain one of the fastest growing automotive brands in the Philippines this year.

“Our full lineup of global Ford vehicles continues to be very well received by customers, helping our brand con-

• Certification from the School Registrar stating the overall cumulative GPA / GWA of the applicant and the percentage equivalent grade.

• Certifications supporting leadership experience, awards received, and community involvements.

• A signed recommendation letter • Personal essay, artwork, or photograph

years old or younger at the time of the Summit • Be a bonafide undergraduate student of a school / university • Be a graduating student; 4th year student of a 4-year course or 5th year student of a 5-year course (by SY 2016-2017) • Be taking up any course in the following fields of study: Business / Management, Accounting, Information Technology, Engineering, Psychology, or Pre-Law • Must not have any failing grade or any disciplinary cases inside and outside campus.

• Be an active leader or officer

of any student organization – student government, academic, cause-oriented, socio-civic or religious in nature

11th AFLBS applicants must also submit all of the following documents:

Applications are now open and will run from May 5 to June 15.

For more information on the 11th AFLBS application requirements, please visit careers.aboitiz.com/futuretalents/future-leaders-business-summit or follow AboitizLeaders on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram using the hashtag #11thAFLBS.

• A fully completed application form. Applicants may download a copy of the application forms in the address below.

• A certified true copy of the applicant’s college transcript for all undergraduate course work, ending with the grades from the last semester of SY 2015-2016.

About Aboitiz Equity Ventures Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) is the publicly listed holding and investment company of the Aboitiz Group with major investments in power, banking and financial services, food, land, and infrastructure.

AEV is recognized as one of the best-managed companies in the Philippines and in the region, and is acknowledged for its good corporate governance.

nameplate in 2016 with yearto-date sales now totaling 4,838 units.

The EcoSport compact SUV continued its momentum in April with retail sales rising 25 percent year-over-year to a best-ever month of 837 units.

EcoSport’s year-to-date sales total 2,667 units, continuing to lead its segment in the Philippines.

The segment defining Ranger pickup truck – offered in a range of 13 automaticand manual-transmission variants – contributed to Ford’s record month sales ris-

ing 13 percent year-over-year to 786 units.

April sales of the premium Explorer SUV rose 16 percent to 80 units, while the sporty Ford Fiesta – featuring the high-performance 1.0L EcoBoost engine – delivered sales of 81 units.

The new Mustang delivered April sales of 19 units, driving up year-to-date sale to 98 units. Equipped with either a V8 5.0L or EcoBoost 2.3L engine, the Mustang comes with world-class handling, more precise steering control and enhanced ride comfort.

T

HE College of Law of Ateneo de Davao University announces its roster of new lawyers. The 2015 Bar passers are: Kathy Florence Baldonado Kris Marian Banzon Julie Merriam Buca Krisna Samantha Caballero Jonah Liz Cadiatan Ruby Ann Calizo Althea Mae Casador Karen Bianca Angeli Cezar Sonny Paul Cirunay Emman Rey Dapaing Ian Julius De Castro John Frederick Derije Jeziel Estrella Jessielle Ann Fabian Donna Marie Flores Katrina Kris Gabrielle Givero Forcrissa Gogo Auda Bea Kahulugan Norhussein Lauban John Paul Macababbad Stephen don Muñez Rosalie Nuñeza Joanne Paguidopon Kristine Mae Quibod William Angelo Ruyeras Ibrahim Silongan Jr. Norberto Sinsona Jr. Iris Pauline Taganas Jennidy Tambor Suzette Tan Sittie Fahanie Uy Jessa Ela Velarde Jennifer Kristine Yanto

Of the 33 Ateneans, 19 are first-time takers. Four-

Ford Philippines sales jump 93% in April

tinue to gain momentum and even more appeal,” said Lance Mosley, managing director, Ford Philippines. “Whether it’s one of the 13 variants of the Ranger, or one of our segment-defining SUVs, we’re connecting with the diverse lifestyles and work requirements of Filipinos across the country.”

Ford’s record month was led by the all-new Everest which delivered retail sales of 1,308 units. The Everest has enjoyed immense popularity since being launched, and remains Ford’s best-selling

Ford recently expanded its SUV lineup with the introduction of the EcoSport Black Edition and Everest Titanium 2.2L 4x2 with Premium Package, which are both available at Ford dealerships nationwide.

“We expect these new variants of the EcoSport and the Everest to give our overall sales another boost, and allow us to offer even more power of choice to Filipino customers,” said Mosley.

Previously offered only on the Titanium 3.2L 4x4 variant, the Everest Premium Pack-

teen retakers also got the nod of the Bar examiners.

The percentage of Ateneo first-time takers is 82.61% while the overall passing rate is 73.30% (33 out of 45). The national passing rate is 25.97%.

This year, the passing grade was set at 75%, two points higher than the passing grade for past two years.

The University President, Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ, extended his greetings to the passers and the College of Law. “[Congratulations] Dean [Manuel] Quibod and Law [School] Faculty on 82.6% passing for first timers and 73.3% overall [passing rate] vs. 25.9% national [passing rate]!” Fr. Tabora posted on his Twitter account.

Ateneo de Davao continues its tradition of excellence, having been awarded as the fifth top performing law school in the country by the Legal Education Board last December, with an average passing rate of 53.02 percent. The results were based on the cumulative Bar Examination results of law schools across the country from 2012 to 2014 as certified by the Office of the Bar Confidant of the Supreme Court. SAMANTHA DELFIN AND NOELLE GRACE PETEL

age for the 2.2L 4x2 variant comes with additional safety, smart and convenience features such as Adaptive Cruise Control, Lane Keeping System, Lane Departure Warning, and Active Park Assist.

The limited EcoSport Black Edition is now equipped with contrasting black details complemented with stylized accessories for a bold, distinct look on the road. It also features Keyless Swing Gate, Push-Start Button, Rear Parking Sensors, and SYNC 2 among others for added convenience to the driver.

12 MOTORING EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

A workhorse called Colorado High Country A

FTER being previewed as a concept in the Bangkok Motor Show, Chevrolet has finally pulled the wraps off the production version of the 2017 Colorado, a pickup which Chevy says offers greater performance, better safety, increased refinement, and segment-leading technology.

Outside, it gives a strong nod to its American truck DNA with a new, angular front end dominated by a sporty front grille, hood, and lamps. The lamps also offer LED daytime running lights too. Inside, it’s much more refined with a premium interior that focuses on comfort,

spaciousness, refinement, and technology. It also offers Apple CarPlay functionality with Siri Eyes Free and voice recognition.

The biggest news though is what’s found under the hood. For 2017, the 2.5-liter Duramax 4-cylinder turbo diesel engine has seen a power hike. Thanks to an optimized in-house ECU tuning, the power is uprated to 180 horsepower at 3,600 rpm and 440 Nm of torque at 2,000 rpm. It’s also now Euro-4 compliant. This engine is also fitted with a sound deadener around the injectors for a quieter operation.

Apart from the engine, the chassis has been strengthened for increased rigidity allowing for better stability and comfort. New cabin mounts also reduce the movement between the cabin and chassis providing more solid driving dynamics.

Finally, the 2017 Colorado gets an Electric Power Steering (EPS) system.

On the new Colorado High Country (Chevy’s version of the Ranger Wildtrak), it gets a wealth of driver assistance features such as front and rear parking sensors, forward collision alert, tire pressure monitor, auto rain sensor, and more.

GT Radial FlatOut Race Series heats up in Round 2 R

ACING under the hot summer sun, it was a day full of on-track action at Round 2 of the 2016 GT Radial FlatOut Race Series (FORS) held last April 9 at the Clark International Speedway (CIS). It was also the biggest turnout this season with 95 drivers competing in the Time Trial challenge and Grid races.

The country’s premier grassroots motorsport event ran the full 4.2-kilometer course where high temperatures pushed both man and machine to heat-induced exhaustion. The Automobile Association Philippines (AAP) was also present on track to guide both the organizers and racers.

Of quickest driver of them all was JC Baguisa of the JCTBlanche Racing team. The racer from Cabanatuan City set a blistering pace in the time trials to take 1st place in Bracket A. He then qualified on pole position in the #696 Honda Civic Hatchback and fought a hard battle against other drivers in the top Grid bracket, defending his position to take the win.

The top-seeded Brack-

et A saw JC Baguisa achieve the a fastest lap of 2:10.421.

He was 3 seconds clear of his closest rival, Eduardo Suiza in the Competition Clutch Honda Civic EG hatchback who posted a 2:13.101 lap. Meanwhile, famed car tuner Mato Tan of Matonetics came in 3rd with a time of 2:15.067.

In Bracket B, the competition was so fierce that the top three finishers were within a tenth of a second apart.

Christian Go finished 1st with a 2:16.064 lap in the gray JCTBlanche Honda Civic Hatchback. Gerald Loy, who clocked in a close 2:16.201, had to settle for 2nd and Sydney Sarmiento completed the podium with a time of 2:16.218.

For Bracket C, Joey Howard got the podium with a 2:21.101 run. Driftmob’s John Boban managed a 2:21.237 lap in a Toyota Soarer for 2nd place and James Santiago’s 2:21.726 lap earned in 3rd.

The heavily contested Bracket D saw Jonnie Pineda, Arturo Pasao, and Polo Bautista take home 1st, 2nd, and 3rd, respectively. With 12 entries in Bracket E, Raymond de Pano took home 1st place for the

second time in row, coming in with a 2:21.220 lap. Close behind were Erwin Manaog in 2nd and Lloyd Puno in 3rd .

Anthony Richard Lanting’s 2:36.424 lap put him in 1st for Bracket F. Robert Tan won 2nd with his 2:37.493 lap and Lars Alonzo had a 2:37.511 time for 3rd. The fastest in Bracket G was Karol Jose with a best time of 2:42.101. 2nd and 3rd places were awarded to Ryan Despuing and Mark Pascual, respectively.

Bracket R, otherwise known as the open class, was topped by Suiza driving his Lancer Evolution and taking the fastest time of the day of 2:09.070. Baguisa and Willie Torres followed in that order.

Finally, the winners in the support classes The Perfect Lap and Grupo Toyota were John Boban and Greg Suing, respectively.

Grids A, B, and C were all run together forming a big 25-car grid. Top qualifier and Bracket A winner JC Baguisa lost his pole position early in the GT Radial Grid A race.

This allowed Rafael La’O and Eduardo Suiza to get ahead.

A scrappy drive from Baguisa

allowed him to overtake Suiza, then La’O from the inside of Turn 1 midway through the race and never looked back.

Baguisa took home a well deserved win in the 8-lap race, followed by Suiza in 2nd and La’O in 3rd.

Behind them, there was massive 9-car battle in the Smart Fuels Grid B race. Christian Go strongly defended his position and managed to pull away a 5.197 sec lead to take 1st place. Following behind were Gerard Loy and Baguio City’s Gabby Sohu who traded positions at almost every lap.

Loy would cross the line in 2nd while Sohu in the PAGCOR/ Zenium/Gerco-backed Honda Civic EG Hatchback earned a well-deserved 3rd place.

James Santiago dashed to victory in the Competition Clutch Grid C race over 2nd placer Lesley Tuazon and 3rd placer Vanni Garcia.

Even bigger was the combined Grid D and E that had 35 cars on the line. Buddy Club Grid D saw the biggest line-up with 20 drivers fighting for a win. Sherwin Bargos once again bagged 1st place in the 7-lap race. Unfortunately

for Polo Bautista who should be in 2nd, he broke out of his bracket time relegating him to 9th place after penalties. Alex Perez and AC Gutierrez were both handed the same penalties, awarding 2nd and 3rd places to JP Pacres and Franklin Ong, respectively.

Meanwhile, Anthony Richard Lanting won 1st in the Works Bell Grid E with RJ Lanting in 2nd and Jack Saguilayan in 3rd.

For Round 3, the FlatOut Race Series (FORS) heads back to the Batangas Racing Circuit (BRC) this weekend.

INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

EDGEDAVAO WOMEN

Joey Sy-Domingo's

JOEY SY-DOMINGO REMAINS THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE FEMALE VOICE IN THE LOCAL AIRWAVES, as well as corporate and social events in metro Davao. It has been a year since I last saw her and two years since I interviewed her for this column. Despite the absence and distance, I still find myself updated with her latest career triumphs, as the buzz around her never ceases to quiet while she hops on from one project to another.

Born with a wide range of talent, creativity and spunk, Joey is one who keeps on learning and growing. She is not one to settle with what she’s used to. On the contrary, I believe she always craves something new and better. Through the years, she has gone from queen of local FM radio, master of ceremonies, university professor and kitchen royalty. Despite the change in titles and disciplines, Joey remains loyal to that voice inside of her which continues to lead her to brave through greater territories. Now, that voice, so uniquely her own, is ready to stream online. Her website, www.joeysydomingo. com, is now live and ready for broadcast.

“In this day and age, you have to marry mainstream media with online platforms,” explains Joey.

“You have to adapt to new media and audience. As a person who makes a liv-

ing as a free-lance voice talent and host, I have to make myself available to new clients and projects. I have come to understand that the way we do business now is different from how we did it before. Sure, by word of mouth and credible referrals, I have achieved and gained my own momentum. However, as times have changed, it also helps that I have that online and digital platform where potential clients can browse through my work and get a feel of how I fit into their project or their event.”

“My website is a port-

folio which showcases the collection of work I have done over the years. In a way, I call them my personal accomplishments.

My work will speak for how I am as a voice talent and host. I want clients to be able to understand what I can do for them.”

The website takes audience through an assortment of demos, radio commercials, event photos, and other recordings which Joey has compiled over the years. Testimonials from former clients, lifestyle writers and fellow industry players also summarize Joey’s expertise in her chosen field, making her an ideal choice even for other projects such as radio imaging, podcast, training and educational videos, films and live-action features, phone and voice message systems, documentaries and audio books, corporate or indus-

METRO MOM A4

ONLINE BUZZ

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

STYLE Pure and Simple. A Long black vest worn over an asymmetrical top and a pair of straight-leg cropped pants.

Minimalist match. White boxy top worn with black trousers with contrasting side piping.

Style in Leisure Walk This Way. Grey knit long vest worn with a black asymmetrical sleeveless top and white trousers.

THESE ARE CLOTHES DESCRIBED AS “APRÈS SPORT” OR “GYM TO OFFICE”, basic pieces that are smart, lightweight, frill free, and sometimes even architectural. And designers and retailers are have created a lot of buzz about “athleisure” collections, which are appropriate for either athletic or leisure pursuits.

Leisure wear is everything casual and comfortable in a woman’s wardrobe, usually consisting of loose fitting garments made of breathable fabrics like cotton or nylon. For the woman on the go, leisurewear is a practical solution for running errands or exercising.

But just because it’s casual doesn’t mean it can’t be stylish. And SM Woman takes a minimalist spin to leisurewear; with simple, easy, and practical separates.

Photographed against the modern architectural façade of One Esplanade, these are pieces that show the softer side of minimalism with the use of soft, breezy fabrics, staple knits, and a neutral, monochromatic color palette. A subtle hint of soft pastels here and there, gives the overall silhouette an urban, contemporary edge.

SM Woman’s top hits: high-neck sleeveless knits, cropped tops, asymmetrical hem shirts, boxy blouses, and flattering tunics. Cool culottes and cropped pants will make any ensemble look simply chic, while sleek long vests jazz up even the simplest of outfits. Keep accessories and sole choices to a minimum to maintain the fluidity of the whole look.

Shot on location at One Esplanade, the latest SM Woman separates are available at The SM Store.

Sleek and sophisticated.

Black high-neck tunic top worn with a pair of white cropped trousers.

Easy Layers. Crisp white button-down shirt worn under a soft sleeveless double layer top, paired with black culottes and blush blazer.

Best of the Vest.

White hip-long vest worn with skinny pants and slip-on sneakers.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Celebrity supporters of Mayor Digong, elated over his big lead

S T A R S SUPPORTING MAYOR RODRIGO “ D I G O N G ” DUTERTE ARE IN THE MOOD TO CELEBRATE WITH THE DAVAO CITY MAYOR who currently holds a lion’s share of the votes among the presidential candidates.

According to the latest partial, unofficial results, Mayor Digong has over 15.1 million votes, while his closest rival, former DILG Secretary Mar Roxas, got 9.1 million votes.

Actress Liza Diño took to Twitter to congratulate Mr. Duterte for his impending

win, while former TV reporter Kat de Castro is extremely happy that Minadanao will get its first president.

Meanwhile, Senator Grace Poe and her running mate Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero have both conceded.

Former Bubble Gang star Ogie Alcasid only has good words for Sen. Poe for giving her best

in this election.

Kapuso sexy siren Lovi Poe, the half sister of Sen. Grace Poe, posted this heartfelt message on Instagram for her and Sen. Chiz.

“Knowing Senator Grace Poe and Senator Chiz Escudero personally pushed me to support and vote for such beautiful souls. Because I’ve seen it. And I know. I

admire their compassion and integrity... It’s just great to know that such people still exist.. By people I mean people whose main goal is to be a public servant and not just a politician. Now I know the difference.

I salute you both for handling everything with grace. In addition to that, I would like to congratulate our Next president and Vice President. It’s time to prove to us that they’re not as bad as how others perceive them. God bless the Philippines!”

Comedy genius Michael V posts a reminder to all Filipinos on his Instagram as the election season winds down.

Anne Curtis remains a Kapamilya

ANNE CURTIS REMAINS A KAPAMILYA after signing an exclusive two-year contract with ABS-CBN last Thursday, May 5. Curtis’ projects include a new TV series and two more hosting jobs for the noontime show “It’s Showtime” and for the second season of the reality music show “I Love OPM.” When asked how she feels as a Kapamilya, Anne replied, “It’s just great, ABS-CBN is my home and I’m very, very happy.” Present in the signing were ABS-CBN’s chief financial officer Aldrin Cerrado, ABSCBN president and chief executive officer Carlo Katigbak, ABS-CBN’s chief operating officer for Broadcast Cory Vidanes, Anne Curtis’ manager Veronique Corpus, and TV Production head Laurenti Dyogi.

Global business leader Sir Richard Branson headlines ANC forum on May 25 THE GO-TO-NEWS SOURCE FOR THE COUNTRY’S TOP BUSINESSMEN AND LEADERS is bringing one of the world’s most innovative businessmen to the Philippines.

As part of its 20th anniversary celebration, ANC, the ABS-CBN News Channel will be holding the inaugural Asian Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum on May 25, 2pm at the Grand Plaza Ballroom of the Hotel Sofitel featuring global business leader Sir Richard Branson as guest speaker.

Sir Richard, Founder, Virgin Group will be in town to share his insights and experiences to Philippine industry leaders and executives in the first of a series of leadership forums from ANC, deemed the gold standard in Philippine news.

Branson is credited for building from scratch an empire that has gone on to grow successful businesses in sectors including mobile telephony, travel, transportation, financial services, health and wellness, leisure and entertainment. In 2004 Richard established Virgin Unite, the non-profit foundation of the Virgin Group, which unites people and entrepreneurial ideas to create opportunities for a better world.

Tickets to the Asian Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, An ANC Leadership Series are now available on Ticketworld and are priced at P25,000 (Silver), P30,000 (Gold), and P35,000 (Platinum). For ticket inquiries, visit www.ticketworld.com.ph or call (02) 891.9999.

For corporate group sales, contact Inspire Leadership Consultancy at inquiry@inspireleaders.com.ph or call (02) 631.0912. For more information on the Asian Innovation and Entrepreneurship Forum, visit http:// ancevents.abs-cbn.com .

Marian Rivera-Dantes and her flower arranging skills FIRST-TIME MOM MARIAN RIVERA O FFICIALLY CELEB R AT ED MOTHER’S DAY in which tons of surprises was thrown by her husband Dingdong Dantes.

She received a meaningful gift which reminds her of motherhood. She posted it on Instagram and said, “Mahal, salamat for this gift.”

Since May 8 was solely dedicated to mothers, the Kapuso Primetime Queen enjoyed her time making her own bouquet of flowers.

Her hubby posted,

“Check out my wife in her first attempt as a florist. Is this an alternative career

in the making? Mukha lang serious [siya] dito pero alam kong happy

siya. We (Letizia and I) are your biggest fans – whatever industry it may be. Happy Mother’s Day to you, baby.”

It was indeed a dream come true for the Kapuso star, “Kahapon, ang isa sa mga items na nasa bucket list ko ay nagawa ko. Haaay speechless again.”

She thanked the Kapuso Primetime King for being a supportive husband, “Salamat mahal, ang dami mong surprise sa akin. Ang mga hawak niya – gawa ko ‘yan... Love you, Dad!” The actress capped her post by saying, “Happy Mother’s Day sa lahat ng ina!”

May 11 – 17, 2016

JUST THE 3 OF US John Lloyd Cruz, Jennylyn Mercado R13

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THIS TIME / * PRECIOUS CARGO James Reid, Nadine Lustre/ *Mark-Paul Gosselaar, Bruce Willis G/ *R16

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trial presentations, commercials and promo for radio, television, internet and other related media.

Joey adds, “Having your own portfolio website establishes credibility as talent. This investment is meant to support my growing career, which I love so much. As it helps me increase and strengthen my presence online, the opportunities that come with this project give me financial independence and I have gained a greater drive to improve on my talent while I gear up for a bigger stage and audience.”

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

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WANTED 3 REPORTERS

EDGE DAVAO is in need of 3 reporters for immediate hiring. * College degree holder (Communication Arts graduate preferred, but not required) * Capable of writing English news and feature stories on business and governance * Has potentials of becoming editor * Single * Not more than 35 years old Entry pay negotiable.

Submit application letter and curriculum vitae to: Antonio M. Ajero Editor-in-Chief Edge Davao ajero_antonio@yahoo.com 09274733467

We are now hiring for the ff. job vacancies:

1. CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER (C.S.O.) Scope of Work: • Handling of customer services (e.g. inquiries, complaints, scheduling of services) • Preparation of quotation for clients • STARTING SALARY: P12, 000 (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 2. TECHNICAL ENGINEER (T.E.) Scope of Work: • Installation/Programming/Configuration for the ff. products *CCTV, PABX, PABGM, INTERCOM, BIOMETRICS, ACCESS CONTROL, FIRE ALARM • STARTING SALARY: P13, 000 (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 3.ACCOUNTS MANAGER (A.M.) Scope of Work: • Sales & Marketing for New Clients • STARTING SALARY: P15, 000 UP (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 4. STORE SUPERVISOR Scope of Work: • Responsible for daily store operation • Handling of manpower

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

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EDGEDAVAO Sports 15

VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016

HOT CURRY

Curry pours in 40 in return, Warriors win in OT

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HOT. Stephen Curry fired 40 points in his return to playoff action.

TEPHEN Curry returned from a sprained right knee to score an NBA-record 17 points in overtime, finishing with 40 as the Golden State Warriors rallied to take a 3-1 lead in the Western Conference semifinals with a 132125 victory over the Portland Trail Blazers on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time).

Playing for the first time since he was injured in Game Four of the first-round series against Houston, Curry was rusty for three quarters and sensational down the stretch after the Warriors trailed by as much as 16 points.

Originally expected to play about 25 minutes off the bench, Curry picked up a heavier workload in the second half after Shaun Livingston, who had been starting in his absence, was ejected in the second quarter after arguing a call and picking up two technical fouls.

His victorious return came hours after a person with knowledge of the award told The Associated Press that Curry would repeat as NBA MVP, with the announcement coming as early as Tuesday.

The Warriors can win the series on Wednesday night at home in Game Five.

Damian Lillard finished with 36 points and 10 assists

for Portland.

Curry’s fast-break layup gave the defending NBA champions a 120-118 lead with 2:21 left in the extra period.

He followed with a 3-pointer, pounding his chest and pumping his fist in celebration, posturing for the courtside fans.

Harrison Barnes’ layup extended the lead to 125-118 and Portland couldn’t catch up. Klay Thompson finished with 23.

Curry’s long jumper gave the Warriors a 92-87 lead with 9:01 left in the fourth quarter.

Lillard’s 3-pointer gave Portland back a 99-97 lead, but Curry nailed his first 3 of the game to give the Warriors a 103-100 lead with 4:35 left.

Draymond Green dunked to keep Golden State within 109-108 late in regulation.

Mason Plumlee’s finger-roll layup extended Portland’s margin but Barnes tied it at 111-all with a 3-pointer for Golden State with 51 seconds left, and both Lillard and Curry missed to force overtime.

Curry led the Warriors to an NBA-record 73 wins in the regular season, a year after leading the team to its first NBA championship in 40 years. He averaged just over 30 points per game this season.

The Trail Blazers nar-

rowed the series to 2-1 on Saturday night when Lillard scored 40 points in a 120-108 Portland victory while Golden State was still without its star guard. The Blazers became the only team to defeat the Warriors twice this season.

Maurice Harkless, who had been icing his hip during Game 3, hit Portland’s first 3-pointer of the night. Lillard hit two more 3s as the Blazers took an early 12-2 lead.

Curry came in off the bench with 5:56 left in the first quarter and Portland up 16-2.

His only points in the quarter came off a pair of jumpers before he went back to the bench.

Livingston felt he was fouled just before halftime and was thrown out after arguing with referee Scott Foster. The 12-year veteran guard was averaging 12.1 points and 5.5 assists in the playoffs. He had started six of the eight playoff games while Curry nursed his knee injury.

Portland led 67-57 at the half, scoring a franchise playoff-record 41 points in the second quarter alone. Lillard led all scorers with 17 points.

Thompson’s 3-pointer and Curry’s driving layup capped a 14-5 run, pulling the Warriors within three. Thompson’s 3-pointer put the Warriors ahead 79-78.

the rim. He ended up with 11 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter and overtime period combined, including a steal and slam that essentially sealed the deal with 16.8 seconds remaining.

In addition to his 30 points on 13-of-24 shooting, Wade also had four rebounds and two assists.

the contest. But as usual with him, it’s all about his defensive prowess.

In all, the 20-year-old tallied nine points, four boards and a plus-seven rating on 4-of-5 shooting.

blocks in Game 4.

Laro’t Saya sa Parke: Heat ties series as Wade explodes A new weekend habit T

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ABAWENYOS are getting used to anew weekend habit and that’s working out in the park with the rest of the family.

Very Saturday, Dabawenyos of all ages troop to the People’s Park to join the early morning physical fitness workouts organized by the city government and the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC).

Last Saturday, 1,021 participants were recorded for

the weekend workout in eight different disciplines.

The number of senior citizens were reported at 45 by the Laro’t Saya secretariat.

Zumba had 700 participants, arnis had 39, badminton 60, futsal 36, rugby football 38, sepak takraw 30, taekwondo 33 and volleyball 40.

The program is free to the public and is handled by professional coaches trained by their respective national sports associations. (NJB)

GP, Mahindra trade approved

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HE trade between the GlobalPort Batang Pier and Mahindra Enforcer finally pushed through on Tuesday, with the Blackwater Elite joining the mix to complete a three-team transaction.

In the deal, Mahindra sent Karl Dehesa to GlobalPort in exchange for Roi Sumang and Paolo Taha.

The Enforcer then sent Sumang to Blackwater which let go of Keith Agovida.

The four-player trade was announced by the PBA on Tuesday.

GlobalPort and Mahindra had earlier agreed on a five-player deal last April before the Enforcer pulled their plug from the transaction.

In the initial proposal,

Mahindra would have sent Dehesa and Mike DiGregorio to GlobalPort in exchange for Sumang, Taha and Jonathan Uyloan.

Dehesa, who averaged 11.18 points, 3.18 rebounds and 2.45 assists as one of Mahindra’s main players in the Commissioner’s Cup, will give GlobalPort a more formidable backup to its dynamic duo of Terrence Romeo and Stanley Pringle.

Bench players Taha (9 ppg) and Agovida (1.67 ppg) are hoping to find regular playing time with Mahindra.

Sumang (3.40 ppg) is set to provide some backup spark in a Blackwater squad spearheaded by explosive scorer Carlo Lastimosa.

HE Miami HEAT defeated the Toronto Raptors 9487 in overtime Monday night at AmericanAirlines Arena in Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Semifinals. Dwyane Wade led the way for the HEAT with 30 points. The series is now tied 2-2.

1. Wade Does It Again Remember Wade’s excellent performance in Game 3?

Well, the future Hall-of-Famer answered the call once more.

On Monday night, the vet did a little bit of everything against the Raptors and left them looking for answers. Whether it was tough mid-range jumpers, floaters inside or slams in transition, Wade usually found success.

The fourth quarter was particularly great, as the 34-yearold weaved through the defense and finished play after play at

A

2. Winslow Wise Beyond His Years On a few plays down the stretch, Justise Winslow guarded Kyle Lowry quite well and came through on some frenetic defensive sequences towards the end of the game. Once Lowry fouled out, Winslow then focused his attention to Cory Joseph and forced him into two big misses at the end of regulation.

On the flip side of the ball, the rookie connected on some tough baseline drives earlier in

3. Cool Joe While Joe Johnson had a slow start in the first three quarters, he really made his presence felt in the fourth quarter and overtime period. During that time span, Johnson had nine points and two clutch blocks.

He also made a great decision to dish it out to Goran Dragic, who drove inside for a fantastic andone in traffic.

Johnson simply brought that veteran leadership you’d expect at this time of year. He finished with 15 points, three assists, three steals and two rebounds in addition to those two

4. Strong Defense In the first half, Miami did a superb job on the defensive end against Toronto. In fact, the HEAT forced the Raptors to shoot just 29.3 percent through the first two quarters. In particular, Luol Deng made things very tough for DeMar DeRozan and held him to just 2-of-12 shooting before halftime.

The solid defense early on led to 12 fast break points in the first half, as Miami pushed the pace off misses and turnovers.

As a whole, the HEAT fought hard over screens and rotated quickly. After a little bit of a lull in the third quarter, Miami amped things up defensively late in the contest to ensure the victory.

Game Note: Hassan Whiteside (knee) and Chris Bosh were inactive.

of a scrimmage. It’s gonna be a coach-control scrimmage. There won’t be a game. We might wipe the score in the game. We might ask each other different defenses. It will be a trick scrimmage any more like practice. We will have one public one. We hope to get three while in Europe and one more here before the start of the conference,” Baldwin said.

In Bologna, the team will get a chance to face national teams from Italy, China and Canada in late June.

China has already secured a seat in the Olympics after defeat-

ing the Philippines in the finals of the FIBA Asia Championship last year.

The Philippines is bracketed with France and New Zealand, two teams beefed up by NBA players, although the withdrawal of France’s Rudy Gobert and Nicholas Batum as well as New Zealand’s Steven Adams gives Gilas Pilipinas three key players less to face in the Olympic qualifying tournament.

Baldwin, however, believes it won’t have any effect on the participation of France and New Zealand, which will remain for-

midable with the current roster they have.

“I don’t think it does anything to our chances. It’s exactly the same. You have to realize those guys with NBA credentials are followed up on all of these big European countries by guys who are genuinely just as good.

They might not have the NBA athleticism or length, but their effectiveness as players with the national team, their experience with the national team, there’s no real problem and star quality is not what European coaches look for,” Baldwin added.

Gilas to train in Greece, play in Italy

POCKET tournament in Bologna, Italy and training sessions in Greece have been lined up as part of the itinerary of the Philippine national men’s basketball team prior to competing in the FIBA Olympic Qualifying Tournament.

Gilas Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin is hoping to get as many tune-up games as they can during their European trip and get more familiar with the level of play expected in the major international tournament.

“We’re hoping to have five. We might have one sort

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 51 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 11, 2016