Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 94 | Thursday, July 30, 2020

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

f

@EdgeDavao

www.edgedavao.net

GMA NETWORK LAUDED AT GANDINGAN 2020 AWARDS INDULGE P10

edgedavao@gmail.com

P 15.00 • 12 PAGES

VIRAL CLOSURES More Davao restaurants folding up

Skimboarders try to glide across the water surface and ride the wave at the beachfront of Mati City’s Dahican beach. The city reactivates TOP COP or Tourism Oriented Police for the Community Order and Protection also

By MAYA M. PADILLO STORY ON PAGE 2

known as “tourist police” to address the high tourist arrival and to ensure the safety of international and domestic tourists who will be coming to the city. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

Davao Region’s public schools enlist more enrollees this year

E

Benjamin Lizada, president of Restaurant Owners Association of Davao City (ROADC), says restaurant owners can control other expenses like salaries through flexi time and special arrangements with workers such as

limited hours or days of work but what they cannot control are the rental fees and taxes. Edge Davao

VIRAL CLOSURES More Davao restaurants folding up

By MAYA M. PADILLO

M

ore restaurants in Davao City are folding up due to very low sales and high rental fees.

After the widely popular Saging Repablik, several restaurants including Bon Appetit French restaurant, Keepsakes Sta. Ana branch, and Hanoi Vietnamese Restaurant Abreeza Branch and Cena Modern Bistro inside the Home Crest Hotel in Ecoland went on to close down and cease operations permanently.

According to the own-

er of Bon Appetit, in addition to low sales, the other reason why they are closing is that the restaurant’s trademark ambiance cannot survive due to the strict guidelines of the new normal.

“Tungod gyud kay dili pa confident mugawas ang general public to dine out. Hadlok sila. Because of this ubos ang sales.

Kung dili nga ubos ang

sales, wala man problema sa rent. But the number one expense item sa resto-outside salaries and food cost, is rent. Ma-adjust sa store owner ang ordering sa ingredients kung hinay ang resto. Gamay lang paliton. Palong ang aircon para ubos ang kuryente,” said Benjamin Lizada, president of Restaurant Owners Association of Davao City (ROADC).

Lizada added that restaurant owners can adjust salaries through ‘flexi time’ and special ar-

rangements with workers such as limited hours or days of work.

“Or even to the point of retrenching some workers. Kana tanan naa sa among control,” he said stressing that they cannot control the rental fees and taxes. “Mao na kanang duha i-agi sa hangyo. Right now for example ako is operating slightly below breakeven, lugi gamay. Pero okay lang kay at least naa mi mahatag pang pagkaon among mga tao. Unya ga-

FVIRAL, P8

ven amid the coronavirus disease crisis, the number of enrollees in public schools in Davao Region will likely reach or surpass the numbers in 2019, a Department of Education-Region 11 (DepEd-11) official said.

Speaking at the One Davao on Covid-19 virtual presser on Friday (July 24), DepEd-11 spokesperson Jenelito Atillo said up to 1,059,160 learners enrolled in various public schools in Davao Region for the 20202021 school year.

Enrollment officially ended on July 15, but Atillo said DepEd has extended the enrollment until September. Classes with alternative learning modalities are scheduled for August 24.

With the extension of enrollment, Atillo is optimistic enrollees would either equal or even surpass last year’s 1,161,883 figure.

According to DepEd’s data, the breakdown for this year’s total number of enrollees are as follows: Kindergarten-75,147, elementary (Grade 1-6) -550,179, Junior High School (Grade 7 -10) -338,652, and Senior High School (Grade 11-12)95,222.

Meanwhile, the total number of enrollees in private schools for the school year 2020-2021 has drastically reduced to 75,539 from last year’s 196,640, Atillo said. DepEd’s data show the following breakdown: Kindergarten-2,518, Elementary-16,475, Junior High School- 25,333, and Senior High School-29,230.

Atillo said the decrease could be attributed to the significant number of pupils transferring from private schools to public schools due to the economic impact caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.

In the recent “One Davao on COVID-19 virtual presser,” DOLE-Davao Mediator-Arbiter Connie Torralba said Covid-19 has adversely affected some 10,000 companies in the region, impacting around 200,000 workers.

At the national level, a total of 2,068 establishments had closed down over the Covid-19 crisis, displacing

69,022 workers, Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said at the Laging Handa briefing in June.

Bello also said the Philippine Statistics Authority recorded 7.3 million workers who have lost their jobs due to the pandemic. However, he made it clear that the number is based on a survey and was not the actual figure.

As this developed, Atillo is optimistic public schools could enroll more learners during the extended enrollment period.

Teachers, modules ready Atillo said teachers are now ready for the class opening, and so are the modules that will be used in the alternative learning process.

DepED assured to provide quality education for SY 2020-2021 through the integration of Self-Learning Modules (SLMs) with the alternative learning delivery modalities--modular, television-based, radio-based instruction, blended, and online.

He said SLMs are delivered in printed format to schools that are located in coastal areas, far-flung provinces, and communities without access to the internet or electricity. For households with gadgets and devices, the Department has announced that SLMs can also be accessed online or offline.

“DepEd is prepared for the class opening so with the modules. The modules emanate from two sources from DepEd central office for crafting for all the modules and download it and secondly regional offices and school division offices to produce their own modules to augment supply,” he said.

He also cautioned that despite the preparations, DepEd is expecting minor hiccups as it adapts to the new normal“This is not going to be smooth since this is a new situation so we consider surely there will be birth pains. We don’t expect 100 percent smooth operations, and we are expecting challenges but we will try to respond positively and appropriately,” he added.

and serve more customers in Calinan and its nearby areas. It is equipped with a communications system that allows online monitoring and assessment which will lead to early detection of possible technical problems thus, immediate intervention can be done which will significantly help prevent, shorten and

reduce power outages and their impact to the community. This feature will lessen the manual checking of the substation and reduce the manual labor in restoring power which is also very helpful in minimizing people contact and community exposure during this time of quarantine.

FDAVAO, P9

Mati reactivates tourist police DLPC launches first digital power substation in Davao

T

he City of Mati LGU reactivates the TOP COP or Tourism Oriented Police for the Community Order and Protection also known as “tourist police” to address the high tourist arrival in the city.

In 2010, during the term of Mayor Michelle N. Rabat tourist police was already active in Barangay Dahican. They were then serving Barangay Dahican, Bobon and Lawigan. Mayor Rabat provided them temporary post wherein they stayed during their time of duty.

This year’s reactivation is also in support to the Department of Tourism’s program in strengthening the partnership with the Philippine National Police.

Currently, twenty aspiring individuals underwent training on safety and security, tour guiding, tourism and cultural awareness, effective customer service and basic life support.

City Tourism Officer

Dashiel Indelible said the reason for the reactivation is to address the urgency of high tourist arrival and to ensure the safety of the tourists especially international and domestic tourists who will be coming to the city.

Tourist cops will be deployed to the highly concentrated tourist destinations like beach resorts, urban centers and public market. They will be serving the public round the clock.

Tourist police will strengthen and support the regular police. Because they will be able to augment to the existing police force by focusing in the needs of tourism industry.

Furthermore, City of Mati LGU also purchased eight (8) mountain bikes to be used by the tourist cops in roving around the city. The said mountain bikes were turned over already to the Mati City PNP on Friday, July 24.

(CIO MATI)

D

avao Light and Power Co., Inc. has launched its digital substation located in Calinan, Davao City.

A substation is an integral part of an electric power distribution system that transforms electricity coming from the transmission system from high to low voltage or the reverse

so it can be easily and safely distributed to homes and businesses. Digitizing a substation is a move towards improving the accuracy, efficiency, reliability and availability of the power supply.

Davao Light’s digital substation now has an improved and higher capacity that can cater the growth

Davao Light launched its first digital substation. The improved and higher capacity of the digital substation can cater to the growing demand for power in Calinan and nearby areas. Digitizing a sub-

FDLPC, P9

station is a move towards improving the accuracy, efficiency and reliability of the power supply.

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

PRRD wants national position study on nuke energy program

P Health workers at the former Maguindanao provincial capitol building in the municipality of Shariff Aguak in full battle gear, photographed on Monday (27 July 2020), are now ready to accept locally stranded individuals (LSIs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs). The big building has now been converted into a COVID-19 Ligtas Center. MindaNews photo by FERDINANDH CABRERA

Indonesian Consulate pushes drive vs wildlife smuggling

By MAYA M. PADILLO

F

ollowing the successful repatriation of rescued 91 Indonesian endangered animals to Indonesia on July 27, 2020, Consul General Dicky Fabrian of the Indonesian Consulate General of Davao has urged both countries to closely cooperate in managing each territorial sea to prevent incident of smuggling of endangered animals.

These animals originated in Indonesia, which was under the care of Davao Crocodile Park (DCP) for more than a year, are composed of palm cockatoo, sulphur-crested cockatoo, lory, northern cassowary, wallaby, papuan hornbill, skink, and eclectus parrot among others. They were seized through a joint operation of the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources 11 (DENR 11)

and other enforcement agencies last April 8, 2019 at Sitio Manggihay, Barangay Dahican, Mati City, Davao Oriental.

“As per information we received, these animals were smuggled though sea,” Fabrian said.

Fabrian said animal smuggling is widespread in Indonesia due to the value of money that can be obtain by the

FINDONESIAN, P9

resident Rodrigo Duterte has issued an executive order directing a study for the adoption of a national position on a nuclear energy program (NEP).

Executive Order 116, signed by Duterte on July 24 but released to reporters on Wednesday (July 29), creates the Nuclear Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee (NEP-IAC) to be chaired by the Secretary of the Department of Energy (DOE) with the Secretary of the Department of Science and Technology as vice chair.

Members of the NEPIAC will be composed of representatives from the Departments of Environment and Natural Resources, Interior and Local Government, Finance, Foreign Affairs, National Economic and Development Authority, National Power Corporation, National Transmission Corporation, Philippine Nuclear Research Institute and Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology.

“There is an imperative need to revisit the country’s policy on nuclear energy and to determine its feasibility as a long term option for power generation,” the EO read.

Under the EO, the NEPIAC will be in charge of conducting a pre-feasibility study to evaluate and assess the need for and viability of introducing nuclear power into the state’s energy mix,

taking into consideration economic, security and environmental implications, and engagement of the public and relevant stakeholders.

The NEP-IAC will also evaluate and formulate a national strategy to include a roadmap and timeline in the preparation of a NEP, as well as measures to address infrastructure gaps and issues and make appropriate recommendations.

It will also review the existing legal framework, study the viability of nuclear energy, and recommend the necessary steps in the utilization of nuclear energy, as well as existing facilities such as but not limited to the Bataan Nuclear Power Plant.

The Bataan Nuclear Power Plant is the country’s first and only nuclear power plant built during the term of former President Ferdinand Marcos.

However, it never became operational due to alleged safety concerns and corruption issues.

Moreover, the NEP-IAC will also create subcommittees to facilitate decision-making on various issues that may arise in the course of the study; promulgate guidelines, and rules for the effective implementation of the order.

The NEP-IAC may call upon any department, agency, or instrumentality of the government for assistance in the course of

FPRRD, P9

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

DTI chief encourages rental discounts for MSME lessees

A

Mati City purchases eight mountain bikes to be used by the tourist cops in roving around the city. The said mountain bikes were turned over to the Mati City PNP on Friday. CIO Mati

Aboitiz Equity nets P4B in 1st semester

A

boitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) on Tuesday reported its net income declined by 55 percent to PHP4 billion in the first half of 2020 from PHP9 billion recorded during the same period last year, reflecting the impact of the lower income contribution of its largest business unit, Aboitiz Power Corporation.

The company recognized non-recurring losses of PHP20 million versus the PHP78 million in non-recurring gains recorded in the previous year, representing foreign exchange losses from the revaluation of dollar-denominated assets.

Without these one-off losses, AEV’s core net income for the first half of 2020 was PHP4 billion, 54 percent from PHP8.9 billion.

Power accounted for 49 percent of the total income contributions from AEV’s Strategic Business Units (SBUs), followed by banking and financial ser-

vices (39 percent), food (14 percent), infrastructure (-1 percent), and land (-1 percent).

“The current Covid-19 crisis continues to disrupt and impact our organization in different ways.

Throughout this, we have given significant attention to our ability to adapt to changes and to prepare for uncertainties,” Sabin Aboitiz, Aboitiz Group president and the chief executive officer, said in a statement.

Aboitiz looks forward to a better economy in the second half of the year as the country slowly opens up and adapts to the new normal.

“For the rest of the year, our goal is unchanged: to remain resilient and for our business units to be in the best possible position when we emerge from this crisis, in order to support the country’s economic recovery. As One Aboitiz, we will continue to be one with the nation in its fight against Covid-19,” he add-

ed.

casts for both 2021 and 2022 also went down to 2.9 percent from 3.0 percent previously, it said.

“Analysts expect inflation to hover near the lower end of the target range in 2020, with risks to the inflation outlook generally leaning towards the upside given the anticipated recovery in domestic demand following the recent relaxation of lockdown and quarantine measures,” it said.

The report said key upside risks to rate of price increases include the pos-

sible strong rebound in global oil prices, increase in private consumption following the recent easing of quarantine measures, challenging supply chain and logistics of basic and essential commodities, higher prices of food, including rice; and adverse weather conditions like typhoons that can affect food supply.

On the other hand, downside risks to inflation include the subdued domestic demand because of high unemployment after some business closed

Aboitiz Power Corporation’s (AboitizPower) net income contribution to AEV for the first half of 2020 decreased by 57 percent year-on-year from PHP6.7 billion to PHP2.9 billion primarily due to reduced demand resulting from the enforcement of Covid-related community quarantines, as well as forced outages during the first half of 2020 involving Pagbilao units 1-3, Therma South, Inc. Unit 2, and GNPower Mariveles Coal Plant Ltd. Co. Unit 2.

These reductions offset the decrease in purchased power costs during the first half of 2020, and revenues from Therma Visayas, Inc. and Therma Mobile, Inc., which were both online since January of this year, as opposed to the second quarter of last year.

Meanwhile, AboitizPower’s distribution business recorded an income share of PHP1.7 billion during the first half of 2020, a 7-percent decrease

year-on-year, which accounted for 32 percent of income contributions from AboitizPower’s business segments.

The income contribution of Union Bank of the Philippines (UnionBank) to AEV for the first six months of 2020 amounted to PHP2.3 billion, 3 percent lower than the PHP2.4 billion recorded in the same period last year.

AEV’s non-listed food subsidiaries’ (Pilmico Foods Corporation, Pilmico Animal Nutrition Corporation, and Pilmico International Pte. Ltd. -- which includes Gold Coin Management Holdings Limited) income contribution to AEV amounted to PHP795 million for the first half of 2020, 44 percent higher than the PHP552 million recorded in the same period in 2019.

AEV’s non-listed real estate businesses, comprising Aboitiz Land, Inc. (AboitizLand) and its subsidiaries, reported a con-

FABOITIZ, P9

Economists see further deceleration of 2nd quarter 2020 average inflation

E

conomists surveyed by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) in the second quarter this year forecast further deceleration of average rate of price increases.

According to the BSP’s second-quarter 2020 inflation report, forecasts of 25 private firm economists surveyed by the central bank showed an average rate of 2.3 percent, lower than the 2.9 percent average in the survey held in the first quarter of this year.

Mean inflation fore-

down because of the pandemic, the persistent downside pressures on global crude oil prices, and price ceilings imposed by the government on select commodities.

Inflation posted an uptick last June to 2.5 percent from month-ago’s 2.1 percent, ending its deceleration since the start of the year.

Average inflation to date stood at 2.5 percent, at the lower half of the government’s 2 to 4-percent target band for this year until 2022. (PNA)

s President Rodrigo Duterte asked lessors of commercial spaces to come up with amenable arrangements with their tenants, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez has cited ways to give rental discounts to micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) lessees amid the pandemic.

In a radio interview Tuesday, Lopez said landlords may adopt the arrangement implemented by a big mall operator for their lessees, which is waiving the fixed rental fee and only getting a percentage of the lessee’s sales as rental payment.

For instance, the arrangement before the pandemic was that lessors charged a tenant for commercial space rental at a fixed rate of PHP100,000 plus 8 percent of the tenant’s sales.

Now that businesses are struggling to survive amid the pandemic, lessors no longer collect the PHP100,000 fixed rental fee while reducing the 8-percent share in sales to 5 percent.

“We can really only enjoin, the government can only enjoin. We can’t mandate the les-

sors because it’s a private transaction,” the trade chief said, adding the government will leave it to lessors how much rent discount they can provide to their tenants.

Lopez further said helping MSMEs to thrive amid the pandemic is the key to revive the economy.

“Let’s help MSMEs to recover for them to save jobs. If they save their workers’ jobs, we will see the demand because they (workers) are confident that they will get (a) salary which they will spend and stimulate the demand, the economy, and then companies will start to produce,” he added.

During his fifth State-of-the-Nation Address, Duterte urged lessors of commercial spaces not to drive away their MSME tenants as they struggle to survive amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

“This is not the time to drive away lessees.

During normal times, they were the primary source of your income stream. Now is the time to be fair and compassionate; come up with an amenable arrangement with your tenants,” he said. (PNA)

Online mentorship program goes on amid Covid pandemic: DTI-11

T

he Department of Trade and Industry in Davao Region (DTI-11) said it will continue to train more entrepreneurs in Region 11 even with the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

Dubbed as “Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) Online Project,” the initiative was designed to include one-on-one coaching between the mentor -- a successful entrepreneur or business specialist -and the mentee.

In a statement on Monday, DTI-11 described the KMME Online Project as a “program for the new normal.”

The class, it said, will start on Tuesday (July 28) and end in September this year.

“This will be done through the presentation of Business Improvement Plan (BIP) to an expanded panel of evaluators composed of representatives from banks, online market platforms, and other business support organizations,” DTI11 said.

Maria Belinda Q.

Ambi, DTI-11 regional director, said the KMME Online Project has four major objectives: the provision of a venue for existing and aspiring entrepreneurs to learn and be inspired; a channel to capacitate MSMEs; an avenue for business mentorship; and the opportunity to re-strategize and adapt to the new normal of doing business.

“Times could have been difficult since March for a lot of us, especially among the MSMEs. However, there are still opportunities for them to take advantage of it. Among them is the KMME Online Project.

This is a chance for them to continuously improve their skills and find the most feasible strategies that can help them grow despite the pandemic,” Ambi said.

She said the class uses 10 modules ranging from developing the entrepreneurial mindset to human resource management and learning more about taxation and business law. (PNA)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

ECONOMY

5

IATA: Global air traffic won’t return to pre-crisis level before 2024

G

lobal air traffic will not return to levels seen before the coronavirus pandemic until at least 2024, the International Air Transport Association said on Tuesday.

Uncertainty about the timing of border reopenings is the main factor, IATA’s chief economist Brian Pearce told a news conference.

“We now are expecting 2019 levels not to be reached until 2024 which is a year later that what we had previously expected,” he said.

The outlook depends on how countries manage “to control the virus,” he said.

New British restrictions on travel with Spain had “created a lot of uncertainty,” he said.

“What we haven’t seen

is a wide spread of reopening, particularly for long haul, particularly for inter-Atlantic travel,” he said.

Any recovery in the second half of the year would be “slower than we hoped” after a weaker-than-forecast rebound in May and June.

Because of rising COVID numbers in some countries, the reopening of international borders would take longer than previously forecast, he said.

For 2020 as a whole, IATA now expects a 63-percent drop in air traffic, worse than its previous forecast of 55 percent, Pearce said.

IATA, which groups 290 airlines, projects their income to be amputated by half this year compared to 2019.

Gov’t debt balloons to record P9.05T as borrowing increased due to Covid-19

T

he national government’s outstanding debt swelled to a record P9.054 trillion, breaching P9-trillion mark, as of end-June as the state ramped up borrowing to support COVID-19 response and recovery efforts, data released by the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) showed Wednesday.

The end-June outstanding government debt is 1.8% higher than endMay level of P8.890 trillion “primarily due to the net issuance and availment of domestic and external financing.”

Year-on-year, the endJune 2020 debt level is 15.1% higher compared with the end-June 2019 level of P7.868 trillion.

Compared with end-December 2019 level, the national government debt as of end-June widened by 17.1%.

Sought for comment, Rizal Commercial Banking Corp. chief economist Michael Ricafort said the government outstanding debt as of end-June 2020 grew faster “as the government borrowed more locally and overseas to finance various COVID-19 programs.”

Of the total outstanding debt of P9.054 trillion, 32% were sourced externally while 68% came for domestic sources.

External borrowings stood at P2.864 trillion, up 11.3% from P2.574 trillion year-on-year.

Project loan availment for the period totaled P11.09 billion while program loans amounted to P216.30 billion, including P53.51 billion “in concessional loans from multilateral creditors in funding geared toward fighting COVID-19.”

Offshore bond issuances totaled P186.06 billion.

Since the beginning of the year, the national government’s external debt has increased by P260.33 billion or 10.0%.

The Department of Finance has bared plans to raised around P436 billion in foreign loans to support COVID-19 re-

sponse and recovery efforts.

Economic managers have earlier projected that revenue collection this year will be lower at 13.6% of the gross domestic product (GDP) at P2.61 trillion compared to expected spending level at P4.18 trillion or 21.7% of GDP due to the economic fallout resulting from the health crisis.

This led to a projected increased deficit level at P1.56 trillion or 8.1% of GDP, higher than the earlier assumed 5.3% in March.

To finance the deficit, economic managers see an increase in borrowing which will be around 50% of GDP. The World Bank said that a debt level equivalent to half of the size of the economy is still a safe or manageable level for the Philippines as the government intends to increase debt level to augment funds for COVID-19 response and recovery efforts.

Domestic debt, on the other hand, amounted to P6.190 trillion, up 2.6% higher compared to the end-May level “due to the net issuance of domestic government securities.”

“Of the total new issuances, P676.85 billion were in Treasury Bills, P387.86 billion were in Treasury Bonds and P310.77 billion in Retail Treasury Bonds (RTBs) issued last February 2020,” the BTr said.

“This also includes the P300.00 billion shortterm borrowing from the BSP through a repurchase agreement,” it said.

Year-to-date, domestic debt has increased by P1.062 trillion or 20.7%.

“The corresponding decrease in government revenues largely due to the COVID-19 lockdowns/ pandemic necessitated more government borrowings, combined with the need for the government to spend more and immediately especially for financial assistance/ aid for the most vulnerable sectors such as the social amelioration program,” Ricafort said.

A resident checks on the sea produce being peddled by a couple using their customized mobile stall in Brgy. Sasa, Davao City. Edge Davao

House panel OKs proposed 12% VAT on some digital service providers

T

he House ways and means panel has approved a bill seeking to impose a 12% Value Added Tax (VAT) on some foreign and local companies providing goods and services via digital and electronic platforms.

Still unnumbered, the substitute bill seeks to amend Section 105-A of the National Internal Revenue with a provision making a non-resident digital service provider such as Netflix, Spotify, Lazada, among others, liable for assessing, collecting, and remitting the VAT on the transactions that go through its platform.

Also, the bill defines digital service provider as

“an entity which provides digital service or goods to a buyer through an online platform for purposes of buying and selling of goods or services or by making transactions for the provision of digital services on behalf of any person.”

Further, digital service providers may also be: a third party that acts as a conduit for goods or services offered by a supplier to a buyer and receives commission therefor; a platform provider for promotion that uses the internet to deliver marketing messages to attract buyers; a host of online auctions conducted through

the internet, where the seller sells the product or service to the person who bids the highest price; a supplier of digital services to a buyer in exchange for a regular subscription fee over the usage of the said product or service; and a supplier of electronic and online services that can be delivered through an information technology infrastructure, such as the internet.

“Iyong malalaking kumpanya katulad ng Netflix, nagbebenta sa Pilipinas kaya dapat magbayad ng VAT. Pero wala nang income tax kasi we [in the bill] did not require them to have a domicile here,”

House Ways and Means panel Chairman Joey Salceda, one of the authors of the measure, said.

“Digital service providers from outside [the country] gain profit from our constituents but they don’t pay tax [to Philippine government]. This bill levels the playing field for local digital service providers,” Deputy Speaker Sharon Garin, also one of the authors of the measure, added.

Finance Assistant Secretary Daki Napao said that measure could raise P10 billion in revenue for the government, of which P9 billion will come from foreign companies that are based in the Philippines.

COVID 19.

The program is one of the priority projects submitted by MinDA to the European Union Delegation for inclusion in the P2.1-B Mindanao Peace and Development (MINPAD) Rise Mindanao Grant Fund.

The MAFDEV aims to implement the following activities in the selected fish production provinces of Mindanao: 1. Organize and empower aqua and fisheries stakeholders; 2. Establish Fish Processing Complexes, including ice flakes and blocks-making equipment, blast freezing machinery, cold storage and processing facilities such as fish drying equipment.

3. Establish a digital platform to determine the supply and demand

situation for aqua and fisheries products in Mindanao; 4. Establish domestic and foreign market linkages to ensure profitability for the stakeholders.

Davao Oriental is one of the aqua and fish producing provinces of Mindanao identified for inclusion in the MAFDEV. Other areas identified are provinces facing the Davao Gulf, Pacific Ocean, Visayan Sea, Panguil Bay, Sulu Sea, Celebes Sea, Moro Gulf/Illana Bay and Saranggani Bay. Also included are the island provinces of Basilan, Sulu, Tawitawi, Camiguin and Dinagat.

Beneficiaries of the program will also include fish pond and fish cage operators in the different coastal areas

and coves of Mindanao.

Other government agencies like the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Philippine Fishports Development Authority, both under the Department of Agriculture and the SouthEast Asia Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC) will be engaged.

Public and private academic institutions will also be asked to support the program, especially in the social preparation and financial capability training of the organized aqua and fisheries stakeholders.

With the recent approval of the EU Delegation Grant Fund for Mindanao by the Department of Finance, MAFDEV is expected to be implemented before the end of the year.

First aqua-fisheries summit set August 27 in Mati, DavOr

M

indanao’s Aqua and Fisheries Modernization Program takes off next month with the staging of the first stakeholders summit in Mati City, Davao Oriental on Aug. 27.

The Summit, organized by the Davao Oriental Provincial Government and supported by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA), will be the first to be staged by a province identified as a major fish production area in Mindanao.

MinDa has earlier crafted the Mindanao Aqua-Fisheries Development Program (MAFDEV) to maximize productivity in the fisheries sector of the region, reduce poverty in the fisheries sector and propel Mindanao’s economic recovery post-

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

On the statement of the World Health Organization (WHO) that the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) is neither seasonal, nor does it occur in waves:

And even though respiratory viruses, in the past, did tend to do this, you know, different seasonal waves. This one is behaving differently. This one is one where we have to be aware, and it is learning about us as we’re learning about it. It’s a virus that likes all weather. But what it particularly likes is jumping from one person to another when we come in close contact, so let’s not give it that opportunity.”

WHO spokeswoman Margaret Harris

EDGEDAVAO

Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

the national association of newspapers

Printed by Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Building, Quirino Avenue, 8000, Davao City, Philippines Tel: (082) 224-1413 301-6235 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 www.edgedavao.net editorial@edgedavao.net marketing@edgedavao.net edgedavao@gmail.com

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL Layout/Cartoons

ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. DR. MAURO L. PUYOD CHA MONFORTE Cartoonist Correspondent Consultant Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA JASPER V. BACSAL OLIVIA D. VELASCO General ManagerPresident Advertising Specialist General Manager/Finance VP-Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 93 • WEDNESDAY, JULY 29, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

7

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DAVAO STREETS AND THEIR COLONIAL PAST Streets may look like simple markers that direct commuters and travelers to their intended destinations. But more than that, they speak volumes about our colonial past and provide us a window of understanding on how early administrators planned and named our thoroughfares.

The Davao City map dated October 20, 1944, released by the U.S. months before Davao became the focus of intense aerial bombings, offers interesting clues, even unwritten anecdotes, of the streets that existed during the Commonwealth and wartime periods.

Before the Davao was dragged into the global conflict, there were only three city streets that were named after Americans. These were Edward R. Bolton, after the district governor who was assassinated in 1906; Frank W. Carpenter, after the governor of the Department of Mindanao and Sulu (191317); and George Washington, after the first American president (1789-97).

The first American honored

with a city street was Washington, a road stretching from the Bonifacio Monument at Magallanes street (now Capt. Antonio Pichon Sr.) to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC). There was no Cabaguio Avenue yet to speak of. Bolton, eulogized by the legislative council of Moro Province after his death, was the first American soldier given a street-name in Davao, followed by Carpenter. Bolton Street, now Paciano Bangoy, was originally named Nueva, probably opened during the last decade of Spanish rule.

Interestingly, the original Carpenter Street was the road linking Santa Ana wharf to what is now known as Leon Ma. Guerrero Street. Exactly when the old Carpenter Street was reassigned to what is now Leon Ma. Garcia Street is something future research will surely unravel.

The same 1944 map also tells us that Rizal Street was arguably an American creation.

Prior to American occupation, that road did not exist. A 1903 road sketch done by Rev.

Franklin Black, the first American Protestant pastor in Davao, shows that at the time Rizal Street was a short trail that linked Claveria Street to an area where Metrobank now stands.

Black’s road plan also tells us that the primary roads in 1903 were limited to Fernando Magallanes, Miguel Lopez de Legaspi, Simon de Anda y Salazar, Narciso Claveria y Zaldua, Jose Uyanguren y Cruz, and San Pedro Streets. All are Spanish or Hispanized names chiefly named after conquerors. Cortez Street, which was an unnamed trail at the time, reached only as far as Ponciano Reyes Street, now Cayetano Bangoy. Everything else in present-day Vicente Ilustre Street and the peripheral areas in the north were all rice lands.

In the 1944 map, Cortez and Escario, both Spanish conquerors. were already introduced as street names. Hernan Cortez de Monroy y Pizarro Altamirano was the conqueror of Mexico and the Aztec Empire while Federico Escario y Garcia was the subjugator of Cuba.

In the post-war period, presumably due to rising patriotism, officials committed to revive the city from ruins opened new roads and named them in honor of Filipino heroes. Consequently, you find national icons such as Andres Bonifacio, Miguel Malvar, and Antonio Luna interlinked and getting their credit in city streets. Before liberation, Bonifacio was the alternate name of Piapi. The old Hospital Avenue, meanwhile, stretched from Acacia area to SPMC. Part of it is now officially called J. P. Laurel Avenue.

Beyond these extant streets, the 1944 map also gives us an idea where many of the iconic structures and landmarks in prewar period were situated. For instance, the main public market, which occupied the space now used by University Mall, was along C.M. Recto Street.

The other landmarks not spared from the conflict were the Spanish Club (just across the original site of Ideal theatre); Carriedo’s (at Tagumpay theatre site), Davao Japan As-

sociation (where University of Mindanao tower stands), Filipino Club (near the old Puericulture Center across Osmeña Park), Helen’s Hotel (barbecue stalls at Bolton-Magallanes streets); Davao Autobus Co. terminal (old Davao Motor Sales at Bankerohan), the cockpit (inside the block fronting the Bankerohan flower market), Davao Lumber Yard (between Monteverde and Uyanguren streets), ‘Radio’ Theatre (Lizada Street area), Awad building (where Development Bank of the Philippines and Maguindanao Hotel stand), and Davao Club (on a strip linking J. P. Laurel and Quirino streets).

Moreover, the original length of Alvarez Street, then unnamed, stretched from Oyanguren to Iñigo Street at what is known informally as Rosemarie Street or 6th Street. The Japanese school was housed in a structure built at the UMBolton grounds and across it, the UM Multi-test Center, was where the Japanese consulate stood.

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

COVID-19 TRIGGERS MIGRAINE ATTACKS Stress and anxiety induced by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been found to trigger migraine attacks.

A social media analysis done by Novartis found that the stress and anxiety brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic have generated migraine attacks in patients all over the world. The analysis took a closer look at 3,645 posts (in English), mostly on Twitter, from March 15 to April 15, 2020 that mentioned migraine.

The overlapping of migraine and COVID-19 symptoms – such as headache, nausea and vomiting – was the main stressor among migraine sufferers, the study showed.

“Due to these overlapping symptoms, migraine sufferers feared they had COVID-19, which triggered migraine attacks,” Novartis said in a press release. “Limited access to clinic visits and migraine medications due to the coronavirus lockdown and fear of infection increased the risk of patients’ migraine to worsen, which further induced stress and anxiety.”

In the Philippines, around 12 million Filipinos suffer from migraine, the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016 showed.

This is alarming as suffering from migraine is no joke.

“Unfortunately, migraine is widely misunderstood and misconceptions abound,” Dr. Regina Macalintal-Canlas, president of the Philippine Headache Society, was quoted as saying. “People living with migraine may experience a lack of empathy from employers and colleagues when frequent migraine attacks prevent them from delivering optimal work outputs.”

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) reports that in the United Kingdom alone, some 25 million working-or school-days are lost every year because of migraine.

Ninety percent of people report they cannot work or function with a migraine, according to Migraine Research Foundation.

The Journal of Headache and Pain singled out migraine as the third most common disease in the world – after dental caries and tension-type headache. The estimated global prevalence is 14.7% – that’s around one in 7 people.

When migraines attack, it can be chilling. “It’s very difficult to be a migraine sufferer,” admits television host and model Bianca Gonzalez. “My worst migraine attacks last three days. Whenever I had to host shows and events, there were bright lights and loud sounds, which are all migraine

triggers. I have to take a strong medicine and take a nap before showtime, so I could ease my migraine and be able to perform my role as host.”

Generally, migraine strikes women. In fact, seventy percent of migraine sufferers are female. In 2006, Janet Jackson cancelled a number of concerts due to migraine. In her book, Coal Miner’s Daughter, Loretta Lynn wrote about her migraine attacks while on stage.

Other famous migraine sufferers are Carly Simon, Sharon Stone, Gwyneth Paltrow, Whoopi Goldberg, Lisa Kudrow, Virginia Woolf, Serena Williams, and Elizabeth Taylor.

Males, however, are not spared from migraine. In his autobiography, This Is Me, Olympic gold medalist Ian Thorpe, admitted he has migraine. British reality TV judge Simon Cowell is noted for having a migraine attack which caused him to miss five hoursworth of auditions from one of his TV shows.

The following famous men also suffer from migraine: Hugh Jackman, Ben Affleck, Elvis Presley, John F. Kennedy, Ulysses S. Grant, Charles Darwin, Thomas Jefferson, Miguel de Cervantes, Julius Caesar, and Sigmund Freud.

Migraine has been around for more than 2000 years. Hip-

pocrates, the father of medicine, was familiar with its symptoms.

However, it was Greek physician Galen who called it “hemicrania,” which, loosely translated, means half a head.

“It alludes to the fact that a migraine typically affects only one side of the head – usually around the eye – and caused by changes in the blood vessels,” Philip Goldberg and the Editors of Prevention Magazine wrote in Pain Remedies.

The pain may be accompanied by nausea and vomiting and preceded by an hour of more of other symptoms, like numbness or weakness on one side of the body that marches up the arm, leg or face over the course of minutes. Occasionally, speech may be impaired, and the attack may be disabling.

Sometimes, a migraine is preceded by an aura – visual distortions such as blurred vision and zigzagging lights.

This “announcement” of a migraine’s pending arrival is never welcome: It foretells incapacitating pain that can last anywhere from a few hours to several days.

The sad thing is that medical science doesn’t know what causes migraine until now.

“The exact cause of migraine is unknown, but an attack may be triggered by emotional factors, including excitement, tension,

shock, physical exertion, a blow to the head, some foods, and some drugs,” says the Guide to Prescription and Over-theCounter Drugs.

Some studies show that migraine can be hereditary. Up to 90 percent of sufferers have a family history of the condition. The father of Gonzalez, for instance, is also a migraine sufferer. “If your parents are migraine sufferers, there’s a 75% chance you’ll acquire the disease,” Dr. Macalintal said.

Most people require prescription medication to relieve migraines. A doctor may prescribe either prophylactic (preventive) or abortive medication, depending on the frequency and severity of the attacks.

“Prophylactic drugs are taken on a daily basis, while abortive drugs are taken only when a migraine occurs,” says Dr. Jerome Goldstein, director of the San Francisco Headache Clinic.

“Migraine patients and their neurologists should discuss treatment goals, which should not be limited to stopping the headache attack but to prevent recurrence,” Dr. Macalintal stated. “Newer treatment on preventive management addresses recurrence and other limitations of oral medications.”

8

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

BIGGER PICTURE

More people hungry and malnourished

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

O

ne in nine people are hungry, stated the 2020 Global Nutrition Report.

That’s 820 million people worldwide. Another alarming fact is that one in three people is overweight or obese. In addition, an increasing number of countries have the “double burden” of malnutrition, obesity, and other diet-related diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer.

The latest edition of the State of Food Security and Nutrition in the World has even heightened the problem.

“More people are going hungry,” it said. “Tens of millions have joined the ranks of the chronically undernourished over the past five years, and countries around the world continue to struggle with multiple forms of malnutrition.”

Most of those who are reported to be hungry come from Asia although it is also expanding fast in Africa, according to the most authoritative global study tracking progress towards ending hunger and malnutrition.

Across the planet, the report forecasts, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic could tip over 130

VIRAL... FROM2

million more people into chronic hunger by the end of 2020. (Flare-ups of acute hunger in the pandemic context may see this number escalate further at times.)

The newest UN report is produced jointly by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the UN World Food Programme (WFP) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

“Five years after the world committed to end hunger, food insecurity and all forms of malnutrition, we are still off track to achieve this objective by 2030,” the heads of the five UN agencies wrote in the report’s foreword.

As progress in fighting hunger stalls, the report says the COVID-19 pandemic is intensifying the vulnerabilities and inadequacies of global food systems – understood as all the activities and processes affecting the production, distribution and consumption of food.

While it is too soon to assess the full impact of the lockdowns and other contain-

may akong lugi kay gipaubsan man ang among rent sa lessors.

Pasalamat mi pero kung taasan nila among rent dako na ang lugi. Mapugos gyud mi ug sirado.”

Bring down real property tax rates back to 2017 for lessors The ROADC, together with the Tourism Council of Davao City (TCDC) reiterate their appeal to the local officials of the city government of Davao to bring back the Real Property Tax (RPT) rates back to 2017 levels beginning third quarter of 2020 until the 4th quarter of 2021 through a resolution.

The ROADC resolution requests the city council to bring down the current level of RPT to 2017 level or grant a rebate targeted at lowering the current RPT to a level approximate to that of 2017 rates, to commence third quarter of 2020 until end of 2021, as a form of assistance to lessors and busi-

ment measures, the report estimates that at a minimum, another 83 million people, and possibly as many as 132 million, may go hungry in 2020 as a result of the economic recession triggered by COVID-19.

“Overcoming hunger and malnutrition in all its forms (including undernutrition, micronutrient deficiencies, overweight and obesity) is about more than securing enough food to survive: what people eat – and especially what children eat – must also be nutritious,” the report said. “Yet a key obstacle is the high cost of nutritious foods and the low affordability of healthy diets for vast numbers of families.”

The report presents evidence that a healthy diet costs far more than US$1.90 a day, the international poverty threshold. It puts the price of even the least expensive healthy diet at five times the price of filling stomachs with starch only.

Nutrient-rich dairy, fruits, vegetables and protein-rich foods (plant and animal-sourced) are the most expensive food groups globally, the report states.

ness owners during this time of pandemic.

It also emphasized that since the city government of Davao implemented the community quarantine (CQ), a number of restaurants have either ceased operations, permanently closed, and/or either operating at a breakeven/slightly below breakeven levels, with only take-out or 50 percent dine-in operations, despite the retrenchments or significantly lowered rental rates extended by the lessors.

Lizada said lowered RPT will ensure the maintenance of a tax base that would in turn ensure government revenues from other tax revenues, not just RPT. A tax base is a total amount of assets or income that can be taxed by a taxing authority, usually by the government.

This will enable the lessors to extend the lowering of rents, which keeps the current tax

“Malnutrition is a threat multiplier,” Dr. Cynthia Rozenzweig, author of the food security chapter in the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s report on land and climate change, told Guardian. “I think it has been ignored that people who are malnourished are likely to have lower immune systems.”

Dr. Venkatesh Mannar, a special adviser on nutrition to the Tata-Cornell Institute for Agriculture and Nutrition, also deplored: “Poor diet and malnutrition is not a matter of personal choice. Most people are not able to do this because of inequality of food systems.

They do not have access to a range of healthy food. The interface between the food supply chain and consumer is inequitable.”

Dr. Mannar urged the international community to look at malnutrition alone but instead tackle it along with the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The crisis has highlighted the need to look at malnutrition in all its forms seriously, and we believe it can be done in tandem with tackling the pandemic,” the nutrition specialist suggested.

In the Philippines, mal-

base intact.

“Daghan man forms of tax revenues from these businesses such as city health permit, Mayor’s permit, garbage fee, weighing scale fees, sign board fees, sales tax, VAT, corporate income tax. Kung dili matabangan ang mga lessors sa RPT dili sab nila mapa-ubsan ang rent. Not for long. Kay ang lessors mainly ang maigo sa taas na RPT kay sila may daghang yuta ug buildings for rent,” he said adding that keeping the tax base intact is important so that when things are normalized again the city can recover faster. “Kung daghan mag-sirado nga negosyo tungod sa high rent, mogamay ang source of revenues sa gobyerno. Mas gamay ang iyang masingilan ug tax. Due to the closure of restaurants the tax base is thinning. Gaka-gamay na ang tax base base kay daghan ng magsirado.”

In an earlier interview,

nutrition is one of the biggest health problems, particularly among the young ones. Based on a survey conducted by the Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) and released in 2015, chronic malnutrition is at its worst in 10 years and this may get worse unless necessary steps are soon taken.

The FNRI data showed chronic malnutrition rate among children aged zero to two was at 26.2%, the highest in 10 years. From 2013 to 2015, 10% of the stunting children increased to an average of 40%, and is expected to increase in the coming years.

Stunting, the worst form of malnutrition, has been a pervasive concern among Filipino children. In 2019, 28.8% of children below five years old experience malnutrition due to prolonged hunger while the stunting rate among children two years old and below is at 21.9% according to the FNRI report.

“Stunting is an irreversible condition which leads to the severe damage and impairment of a child’s physical and brain development, and adult productivity,” deplored Atty. Alberto Muyot, chief executive officer of Save the Children Philippines.

Some years back, the Philippines was listed by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) as one of the 13 low-income food-deficit countries in Asia (“those that do not have enough food to feed their populations and for the most part lack the financial resources to pay for imports”).

“In many developing countries, rapid population growth makes it difficult for agricultural production to

Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang said as assistance to the restaurant owners, the city council has able talk to some lessors who already extended or reduced the rental brought about the city’s tax relief and this include the extension of the third quarter payment to fourth quarter payment or RPT. However, according to Lizada, it only extended the deadline of payment and still does not help. He believes that these closures are just the beginning.

“Pero with the lowering of the RPT, we have a good chance of arresting if not reversing it.

Kulang ang extension. If we lose the tax base mas daghan pag mawala, not only RPT-business tax, city health permits, garbage fee, weighing scale fee, etc. Unta they will sit down and compute-at the very least, do a cost-benefit analysis of closures,” he said.

The city government, according to Lizada, should do

keep pace with the rising demand for food,” wrote Don Hinrichsen in a report published by Population Reports.

“Most developing countries already are cultivating virtually all arable land and are bringing more marginal land under cultivation.”

Jacques Diouf, at the time when he was the director-general of FAO, echoed the same concern. “Population growth continues to outstrip food availability in many countries,” he pointed out during the 1996 World Food Summit in Rome.

Hunger is the world’s “most solvable problem,” declared the UN World Food Program. But in the Philippines, hunger persists across the country.

“A generation of Filipino children are already hindered from reaching their full potential if they are hungry and deprived of the nutrition they need to learn in school and stay active,” Senator Grace Poe said in a statement. “We must collectively work together to take care of our children and ensure that they are able to take advantage of the opportunities presented to them.”

More than 2 billion people suffer from hidden hunger globally, and there is a ripple effect that has consequences for the entire population. “Hidden hunger” is caused by a lack of essential vitamins and minerals.

“Even if people have enough calories to eat, they can still suffer from ‘hidden hunger’ if their only food options do not contain the necessary micronutrients,” says Bev Postma, who has 25 years of experience as a policy expert in international food systems, nutrition and food security.

a cost-benefit analysis and compare potential losses of the lowered RPT against loss of other tax revenues due to closures.

“If they see that mas daghan mawala kung ipaubos ang RPT then maintain. Pero kung mas dako ang mawala kay daghan nag-sarado plus the fact that mas lisud mag-recover kung gamay tax base, then lower the RPT. Wala’y labot diha ang pagpakaon sa mga unemployed and their dependents due to closures,” he said.

Lizada did not only talk about the lessors but even the owners of the small hotels in Davao City.

“Dako ilang bayronon sa RPT kay dako biya assessment sa building and type of materials. This time halos silang tanan zero occupancy,” he said.

The resolution is currently being circulated for signature.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

DAVAO... FROM2

DLPC... FROM2

9

Private sector partners Still, Atillo is optimistic DepEd-11 can fulfill its mandate, noting that the agency is getting support from partner radio and local television stations.

“We have been talking to radio stations and local television stations, and they are willing to help,” he said,

adding DepEd is aware of the problems facing parents such as the lack of laptops and other gadgets and internet connectivity.

This is the reason, he said, that DepEd has also prepared modules designed for radio and televisions that demand merely the use of battery and power.

“We are trying our best to address these problems and we are there to respond immediately. We thank the local radio and television stations so with local government units (LGUs) who are also helping us with this kind of new normal situation,” he said.

(PNA)

“The threat of the pandemic did not lessen the dedication and commitment of Davao Light in providing reliable power and quality service to its customers by pushing the success of this project despite these trying times.

This is also very timely to

ensure that there is stable power for the residents to enjoy in the comforts of their homes during this community quarantine period” said Rodger S. Velasco, Davao Light President and COO. With its vision to be a world-class utility, Davao

Light, an Aboitiz Power subsidiary has kept its pace in the worldwide trend of digitization making Davao City the investors’ choice in terms of power stability provided to power businesses and contribute to nation-building amidst the COVID-19 crisis.

smuggler. He said the price of a palm cockatoo is US$65,000.

“This will definitely lure such people to do smuggling,” he said.

He said it is important that both countries must cooperate more closely, especially in managing their territorial sea such as deploying more patrols to address issue.

Fabrian said one of the strategic routes that is often used to smuggle illegal wildlife from Indonesia is from the eastern region and this is why Indonesian government continue to establish good relations and increase support from the Philippine government to be able to disclose illegal circulation activities of Indonesian animals as an effort to protect Indonesia’s biological wealth, of course we all hope and continue to strive to eradicate illegal wildlife trade and increase public

awareness.

He also recognized the efforts, commitment and assistance of DCP especially in keeping the animals healthy and in good condition from the time it was rescued until the repatriation process “Those animals were being carefully handled by DCP because this establishment has capacity to do so,” he said.

Philip Dizon, businessman and owner of DCP, said DENR assisted the park for its financial expense in taking care of the rescued Indonesian animals.

“They are very endangered species and when we got them we made cages. Basically feed them. We were able to save 90 percent of the animals that were turned over to us,” he said.

DCP is the main partner of DENR 11 in conservation and perpetuation of wildlife ani-

mals being rescued in the region. DCP advocates to inspire people to respect, appreciate nature, share their knowledge and enthusiasm to others.

The repatriation was conducted in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs-Indonesia, Embassy of Indonesia-Manila, Consulate General of the Republic of Indonesia in Davao City, Ministry of Environment and Forestry-Indonesia, DENR 11, Biodiversity Management Bureau-Manila and DCP. Aboard Indonesian sea vessel Gloria 28, the animals will travel an estimated of 30 hours of voyage with route Davao City to Bitung City, Indonesia escorted by a team from the Ministry of Environment and Forestry-Indonesia consists of animal keepers, forest ranger and a senior officer with expertise in the field of birds and mammals.

the implementation of the order and request the assistance of the International Atomic Energy Agency and other international bodies to carry out its objectives, consistent with existing laws and national policies.

Within six months of effectivity of the order, the NEP-IAC must submit an initial report to the Office

of the President, through the Executive Secretary.

Succeeding reports must be submitted every six months.

As for funding, it will be charged against available appropriations of the DOE, and if necessary, such other appropriate funding sources as the Department of Budget and Management

may identify.

To recall, Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi first submitted the proposed EO to the Office of the Executive Secretary last February 20.

This EO is among the short-term and long-term outlooks for the power sector and the corrective policy issuances being undertaken by the DOE. (PNA)

solidated net loss of PHP39 million for the first half of 2020 versus PHP60 million in income recorded during the same period last year.

AboitizLand contributed PHP1.1 billion in revenues for the first half of 2020, 20 percent lower than the revenue con-

tributions from the same period last year, amid decreased revenue of the residential business.

For the Infrastructure group, Republic Cement & Building Materials, Inc. reported a net loss of PHP10 million to AEV for the first half of 2020, compared to PHP249 million

in income recorded during the same period last year.

This was attributed to the contraction in the demand for cement as construction activities dramatically slowed down, particularly during the enforcement of Covid-related community quarantines. (PR)

generation of Filipino athletes do not miss out on opportunities to excel in sports.

To make routine sessions more engaging, MILO will also offer a live training session through the MILO Team Play Live. The program is a live exclusive physical activity class where kids can interact with renowned fitness mentor Coach Jim Saret and their favorite MILO ambassadors Alyssa Valdez and Jamie Lim on the MILO Facebook page.

Keeping sports a daily part of home life The campaign kicked off on MILO’s Facebook page with a 60-second material featuring MILO ambassador and volleyball star Alyssa Valdez.

Under the MILO Home Court campaign, a set of energizing and engaging social media activities are laid out to inspire families to create their very own courts as a means for

children to have a safe space for sports at home.

“By innovatively using technology as a platform for sports instruction, we are able to continue to nourish ambitions of Filipino kids,” said Castillo. “The MILO Home Court is our way of inspiring the youth to never give up on their dreams despite the challenges, such as this situation that we are facing now. We encourage parents to support their kids in their champion journey by participating in our online programs that will help mold them into becoming the next generation of champions.”

The MILO Home Court campaign is in support of World Health Organization’s (WHO) Global Recommendation on Physical Activity for Health, wherein kids aged five and above should engage in physical activity for an accumulative 60 minutes every day

to build their muscle strength, improve motor skills, and promote bone development.

Along with these programs, kids can make their daily exercise more energizing together with the new MILO Champion Formula that contains more milk, packed with more Champion Energy Nutrients na PROTOMALT, Iron, at Vitamins B2, B3, B6, and B12, at mas sulit dahil mas pinarami na ang isang sachet at the same suggested retail price, parents and their children are given the right energy to stay active and healthy at home.

To know more about the MILO Home Court campaign, simply visit the MILO Philippines YouTube channel (https://www.youtube.com/ channel/UCZ2Wzb2qXmrCgIYnPq6VfvQ/playlists) and the MILO Facebook page (www. facebook.com/milo.ph).

INDONESIAN... FROM3

ABOITIZ... FROM4

PRRD... FROM3

NEW... FROM12

10 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.11 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020 VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

GMA NETWORK LAUDED AT GANDINGAN 2020 AWARDS

LEADING BROADCAST COMPANY GMA Network has been lauded anew by the students of the University of the Philippines Los Baños as various Kapuso programs and personalities won at the “Gandingan 2020: The 14th UPLB Isko’t Iska Multi-media Awards”, with the awarding ceremonies held virtually last July 25.

GMA News Pillar Arnold Clavio and broadcast journalist Pia Arcangel were recognized as Best News Anchors for the late-night newscast Saksi.

Resident meteorologist Nathaniel “Mang Tani” Cruz was conferred the Gandingan ng Agham at Teknolohiya for the Network’s flagship newscast 24 Oras, as well as for the longestrunning morning show Unang Hirit, and GMA’s official public safety and preparedness campaign IMReady.

Meanwhile, former GMA News reporter Jam SisanteCayco was named Best Field Reporter.

GMA Public Affairs continue to add honors to its long list of accolades. Longest-running investigative program Imbestigador took home the Most Development Oriented Drama Program award for the “The Gomez-Sarmenta Rape Slay Case”.

Reporter’s Notebook, on the other hand, was recognized as the “Most Development Oriented Investigative Program” for its “Batas ng Karagatan Pagbabalik sa Scarborough” report.

The Isko and Iska’s choice for

Most Development Oriented Documentary was The Atom Araullo Specials for its “Sa Magkabilang Dulo” episode.

GMA News and Public Affairs’ senatorial debate for the 2019 Midterm Election, Debate 2019: The GMA Senatorial Face-off, was cited as the Most Development Oriented Talk/ Discussion Program.

Receiving a Special Citation for Most Development Oriented Musical Segment/Program was GMA’s musical variety show Studio 7 for its first “Studio 7 Musikalye”.

Leading news channel GMA News TV once again won the hearts of UPLB. Renowned economist and Public Affairs host Winnie Monsod was the Gandingan ng Edukasyon awardee for the public affairs commentary program Bawal ang Pasaway kay

Mareng Winnie.

GMA News TV flagship newscast State of the Nation (SONA) with Jessica Soho emerged as Most Development Oriented Educational Program for its election primer “SONA Voter Education Special”.

Meanwhile, Investigative Documentaries received the Most Gender Transformative Program for its “Pride” episode.

The Kapuso Network’s regional arm GMA Regional TV continues to gain the students’ trust. This year, it took home the Most Development Oriented News Story for GMA Regional TV One Mindanao’s feature on the “Rehabilitation of Naboc River in Compostela Valley Province Polluted by Mining Waste” which is part of RTV’s efforts to tackle community stories and issues that

affect the environment. Winning the Most Development Oriented TV Plug, on the other hand, was The Kapuso Campus Tour: The Regional Masterclass Series. The RTV-produced plug showcased the regional masterclass series which RTV brought to seven key cities across the Philippines as a major component of the Network’s election advocacy, ‘Pusuan ang Totoo.’

In the radio category, GMA News Pillar Mike Enriquez was honored with the Best AM Radio Program Host award for Saksi sa Dobol B. The Network’s flagship AM radio station Super Radyo DZBB 594 won this year as the Most Development Oriented AM Station. DZBB’s Eleksyon 2019 Infomercial also received the Most Development Oriented Radio Plug award.

Kapuso Network’s flagship

FM station Barangay LS 97.1 Forever! received the Most Development Oriented FM Station (Special Citation). Barangay Love Stories won as the Most Development Oriented FM Program while its host, Papa Dudut, also earned a Special Citation as the Best FM Radio Program Host.

GMA Network’s online news portal GMA News Online was also recognized by UPLB. Its special feature story “Pasyentiis” won as the Most Development Oriented Online News.

Another special feature, “A Very Long Summer”, emerged as the Most Development Oriented Feature Article. “Ang Islang Walang Lupa” and “Kinaya ni Mama” were given Special Citations as Most Development Oriented Photograph/Photo Story and Most Development Oriented Online Video, respectively.

With the theme “Midya: Kakampi ng Bayan sa Laban para sa Katarungan,” Gandingan Awards highlights the value of development communication and the contribution of both national and local or community-based media workers and organizations in changing the lives of the Filipinos. This year’s awarding ceremonies were done thru a livestream on its official Facebook page, Gandingan Awards (www.facebook.com/ GandinganAwards).

TIM PAVINO STIRS UP EMOTIONS IN ACOUSTIC VERSION OF ‘DALANGIN’ POP BALLADEER TIM PAVINO has released a stripped down version of his song “Dalangin” featuring songwriter-producer KIKX. “For all of the people who are sentimental during this time, here’s our hope, our ‘Dalangin’ for you to continue on through this COVID-19 pandemic,” said “The Voice of the Philippines” season 2 semi-finalist.

“Dalangin’s” raw version, solely accompanied by a piano instrumental, was inspired by

his time in solitude while in quarantine. The moving track is a profession of faithful devotion to a special someone despite being uncertain whether his feelings will ever be reciprocated.

KIKX composed and arranged the original and stripped versions of the song, which was initially released as part of Tim’s seven-track EP “Dreams” under Star Music. Other songs included in the EP, all evoking ‘80s influences, are “Ulap,” “Pa’no Mo Nasabi,” “Wish I Could,”

“Kanlungan ng Puso,” and Tim’s own compositions “Just A Dream” and “Happy.”

Since his stint in “The Voice” under Coach Lea in 2014, Tim has branched out to musical theatre, performing as Emilio Aguinaldo in “Miong,” Houdini in “Side Show,” The Doctor in “Matilda The Musical,” and one of The Drifters in “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical.”

Listen to his “Dreams” EP on various digital platforms and watch the music video of

“Dalangin’s” stripped version on ABS-CBN Star Music’s YouTube channel.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

11

Three-time Olympian weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and 2021 Tokyo Olympic-bound boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, who are both enlisted in the Philippine Air Force (PAF), have received green light from the AFP to resume training.

warns Blackwater for Coaches, Olympic bets, hopefuls GAB rushed return to practice prioritized for detailed service T T he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) confirmed Tuesday that after meeting with the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) and the Armed Forces of The Philippines (AFP) it was agreed to renew the tripartite agreement granting detailed service (DS) for national athletes. However, given the crisis at hand, national coaches, Olympic qualifiers and front-runners for an Olympic berth in their respective sports shall be given priority for now.

F

our months after COVID-19 sent basketball into an unprecedented shutdown, the NBA takes a leap into the unknown on Thursday as the league bids to resurrect its season at Disney World in Florida.

The Utah Jazz launch the rebooted campaign against the New Orleans Pelicans before LeBron James and Kawhi Leonard go head-to-head in a heavyweight Los Angeles derby between the Lakers and the Clippers.

The two games mark the start of a painstakingly crafted plan to stage the remainder of the basketball season safely in the midst of an ongoing pandemic which has already claimed around 150,000 lives in the United States.

To mitigate the risks, the NBA is basing 22 teams within a tightly controlled “bubble” inside Disney World’s sprawling 40-square mile campus in Orlando.

Teams will play games at three venues inside the ESPN World Wide of Sports complex inside the park,

“We are working with the POC in drawing up the list,” shared PSC Acting Executive Director Atty. Guillermo Iroy Jr. The PSC sought for renewal of the agreement after it expired May this year.

In its letter to the AFP, 78 national athletes and 52 coaches from 19 sports were requested to be detailed to the PSC. Chief of the AFP Special Service Unit, Col. Rocky Binag, POC Secretary General Atty. Ed Gastanes and PSC’s Iroy and NSA Affairs Head Annie Ruiz discussed the

details of the agreement and are hoping to finalize it by mid-August.

Three-time Olympian weightlifter Hidilyn Diaz and 2021 Tokyo Olympic-bound boxer Eumir Felix Marcial, who are both enlisted in the Philippine Air Force (PAF), have received green light from the AFP to resume training.

“Ang request kasi ni Eumir at Hidilyn, hanggang 2021 na. Kasama sila sa kino-consider ng AFP na bigyan. The rest, back to mother unit sila,” said Ruiz, referring to the soldier-ath-

letes of the national team who were all recalled to be on active duty with their respective units during the pandemic.

Nineteen (19) sports, namely, swimming, table tennis, taekwondo, volleyball, wrestling, boxing, baseball, rowing, sailing, sepak takraw, softball, soft tennis, weightlifting, cycling, obstacle sports, muaythai, judo and PHILSPADA athletes from athletics, badminton, table tennis and cycling are among those hoping to be included in the DS order.

with no fans in attendance and only a smattering of journalists at each game.

Just over 350 players will be housed at three hotels located throughout Disney World, with access

to each location severely restricted and visits from outsiders strictly forbidden until the playoffs start.

Players arriving in Orlando were required to spend 48 hours isolated

in their hotel rooms until they had received two negative tests for COVID-19.

Testing will continue inside the bubble but it is not known how frequently this will take place.

NBA readies for relaunch

Lakers guard JR Smith led the Lakers in the final scrimmage before the NBA restart.

he Games and Amusements Board (GAB) gave Blackwater Elite a stern warning for holding what was deemed as a practice session, even if the joint administrative order (JAO) that would clear the team and other Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) clubs to train again amid the health crisis was not yet released at that time.

GAB Chairman Baham Mitra handed the decision following a board meeting on Tuesday.

“GAB issued a stern warning and has admonished the Blackwater PBA team for practicing in violation of IATF (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) rules and safety protocols,” Mitra said.

The board initially thought of slapping the

Elite with fines but with team owner, Dioceldo Sy’s assurance that his team would abide by the JAO during a meeting with Mitra and GAB commissioner Eduard Trinidad, the GAB decided to spare them of further sanctions.

“So far, the foregoing measures, together with the team’s commitment to abide by the newly-issued JAO between GAB, DOH (Department of Health), and PSC (Philippine Sports Commission), have been deemed sufficient, without prejudice to any further sanction that the IATF and/or DOH may deem necessary under the circumstances,” Mitra said.

He acknowledged the PBA’s earlier decision to slap Blackwater with a PHP100,000 fine, as well as ordering its players to undergo swab testing.

(PNA)

PBA likely to decide on Season 45 by September

T

he Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) could wait for another month before deciding whether to push through with its 45th season or not.

Initially, the PBA board of governors set a crucial meeting any time next month to make its final decision regarding the postponed season, but with the teams likely to resume practices only in the first week of August, the board may move to decide by September instead.

Commissioner Willie Marcial, however, remains optimistic that the league could return to action amid the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic.

“On track pa rin tayo (We are still on track),” Marcial said.

The 12 member clubs are now cleared to train again, although in small batches for now, following the release of the joint administrative order regarding team practices amid the pandemic.

Despite going for another waiting game, the PBA board, as chairman Ricky Vargas said, is bullish that the games would push through again.

“When I was chairing the meeting, the mood was very upbeat and I felt everybody amongst the governors were eager and ready to work, get back to court, and help get the PBA running ASAP (as soon as possible),” Vargas said.

The PBA is looking to resume play by September or October. (PNA)

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 94 • THURSDAY, JULY 30, 2020

NEW PLAYGROUND MILO Home Court to make champion journeys at home possible

Milo Sports Executive Lester Castillo will spearhead the launching of Milo Home Court on August 13.

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

T

he ‘new normal’ brings one of the country’s top sports-backing brand Milo to re-invent its programs.

The innovation was spawned by the current coronavirus health crisis which has practically held all sporting competitions and most sports activities in the country to a standstill.

Lo and behold, the brand behind the Philippines’ oldest footrace, sports camps and multi-sport sports competitions that have produced hundreds of champions in the past decades is not about to rest on its mission to breed more champions.

Milo will be launching an online sports program dubbed as Home Court program on August 13 via a virtual presser in Davao City. The launch will be spearheaded on Zoom by Milo Sports Executive Lester Castillo.

According to Kenneth Sai, president of Vantage Sports, Milo’s local partner in Davao City, said Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Commissioner Charles Maxey and City Sport Development Office officer-in-charge Mikey Aportadera will also be in the online forum along with a Milo champion.

“Possibly Hidilyn Diaz if

she is available,” Sai told Edge Davao.

Milo Home Court As the nation’s youth abides by the quarantine measures by staying indoors, MILO Philippines introduced the MILO Home Court Campaign, an online sports initiative aimed at empowering parents to continue their kids’ champion journeys even while at home. Developed in tandem with its partner organizations, MILO’s latest initiative provides a wealth of sports content, with interactive and physical activities so that moms and dads can help their children to stay safe, stay active and stay healthy.

The brand’s latest campaign offers a variety of expertly-developed programs available on MILO’s social media pages, making sports and exercise accessible for parents who are looking for alternative ways to engage their kids in active play.

“During this time, moms and dads are seeking for imaginative ways to keep their kids active and moving, and sports is the perfect outlet to promote not just a healthy lifestyle, but also instill valuable life lessons so that their kids grow into well-rounded individuals,” said Lester P. Cas-

tillo, Assistant Vice President, Nestlé Philippines – MILO. “The MILO Home Court can be a useful resource for parents to transform their homes into a training ground so that kids can discover their love for sports and pursue their aspirations.”

Pivoting Sports Programs Online Through the campaign, MILO brings its signature sports clinics to the digital space with the MILO Sports Clinics Online to ensure that kids can continue their dreams of becoming tomorrow’s champions.

Parents can engage their kids in a weekly training course that will teach them the basics and fundamentals of different sporting disciplines.

The online program is available on the MILO YouTube channel where parents can find free video lessons for nine sports disciplines namely arnis, badminton, basketball, football, gymnastics, karatedo, volleyball, taekwondo and tennis. All online courses are developed and facilitated by MILO’s expert coaches and mentors from its trusted partners such as the Philippine Taekwondo Association and the Associa-

tion for the Advancement of Karatedo, ensuring that kids receive the best kind of training.

MILO Home Court also includes interactive training classes that will help kids further develop their skill sets and gain a better understand-

ing of their strengths. These classes come with a minimal enrollment fee, and provide aspiring athletes the advantage of real-time supervision and expert assessment by the best coaches in and outside of the country. Beginning with Karate and Taekwondo, the

live online classes will debut on August, and parents are advised to enroll their children early as slots are limited.

This initiative not only helps support the livelihood of displaced coaches and trainers, but also ensures that the next

FNEW, P9