Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 103 | Thursday, August 1, 2019

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LOTTO RESUMES

VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

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But suspension of other PCSO games stays

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resident Rodrigo Duterte has lifted the suspension of Lotto operations of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Of�ice (PCSO), Malacañang said on Tuesday night.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte lifted the suspension as per advice of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“As per the advice of Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, the suspension of

UNAWARE. Lotto operator Bong Caballes removes the closure signage placed in his outlet along Bangoy Street in Davao City on Wednesday afternoon after President Rodrigo Duterte lifted the suspension of Lotto operations of the Philippine Charity

JAYVEE TYRON L. UY: MILLENNIAL GOVERNOR

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Lotto operations has been ordered lifted by the President,” Panelo said in a statement.

“Franchise holders and operators of lotto outlets may now resume with their operations. The lifting of the suspension of lotto

Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) on Tuesday night. Majority of local lotto operators were not able to open their outlets on time as they were not aware that the President has already lifted the suspension. Lean Daval Jr

ISUZU UNVEILS ‘PUV-X’ PROGRAM AT 2019 PHL BUS AND TRUCKS EXPO

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operations takes effect immediately,” he added.

However, Panelo said the rest of all gaming operations with franchises, licenses or permits granted by PCSO such as Small-Town Lottery (STL), Keno and Peryahan ng Bayan (PNB), shall remain suspended pending the investigation on corrupt practices.

In his statement, Me-

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PRRD hopes more TVET graduates land jobs with launch of 911 TESDA

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911 TESDA LAUNCH. President Rodrigo Duterte is assisted by Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General Isidro Lapeña as he makes the ceremonial service booking of

the 911TESDA during its launch at the TESDA Complex in Taguig City on Tuesday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

resident Rodrigo Duterte on Tuesday expressed hope that more graduates of technical vocational education and training (TVET) would land jobs with the launch of a new web-based linking program or app called 911 TESDA. In his speech during the launch of “911 TESDA” in Taguig City, Duterte hailed the launch of the new program as an af�irmation of the administration’s commitment to provide job opportunities for Filipinos.

“I am pleased with the efforts of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) in making the undertaking possible. This initiative is just one of the innovative

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Thirty environmentalists were killed last year in the Philippines, the report says.

In 2017, Global Witness said 48 environmental defenders were killed in the Philippines, the highest ever recorded in an Asian country. Many of the killings in 2017 and 2018 were linked to agribusiness.

Worldwide, at least three defenders were killed each week of last year, the group’s latest report Enemies of the State?says.

In a separate statement the watchdog noted the

“criminalization of activists and their communities. Evidence from across continents shows that governments and companies are using countries’ courts and legal systems as instruments of oppression against those who threaten their power and interests.”

“As detailed in Global Witness’s report, for example, indigenous activists in the Philippines have faced death threats, been thrown in jail and had their homes demolished for opposing the use of their land to grow bananas for sale on

PNP to assist in re-opening lotto outlets: spokesperson

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olice units are ready to assist Lotto operators in removing closure signages placed in their outlets, which were shut down following President Rodrigo Duterte’s order for the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Of�ice (PCSO) to cease all of its gaming operations last week.

This development came about after the Chief Executive on Tuesday ordered the resumption of Lotto games after �inding nothing illegal or spurious with the conduct of the game.

“With the newest order of the President allowing the resumption of lotto operations, all lotto operators may now remove the signages that the PNP placed on their outlets,” said Philippine National Police (PNP) spokesperson Brig.

Gen. Bernard Banac in a message sent to reporters

Wednesday.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said Duterte lifted the suspension as per the advice of Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea.

“As per the advice of Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea, the suspension of Lotto operations has been ordered lifted by the President,” Panelo said in a statement.

“Franchise holders and operators of lotto outlets may now resume with their operations. The lifting of the suspension of lotto operations takes effect immediately,” he added.

However, the rest of all gaming operations with franchises, licenses or permits granted by PCSO such as Small-Town Lottery (STL), Keno and Peryahan ng Bayan, shall remain suspended pending the

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global markets,” it added.

“This is a phenomenon seen around the world: land and environmental defenders are declared terrorists, locked up or hit with paralyzing legal attacks, for defending their rights, or simply for living on lands that are coveted by others,” Victoria Tauli-Corpuz, U.N. Special Rapporteur on the rights of indigenous peoples, said in a statement.

Global Witness cited the killing of nine farmers in Barangay Bulanon, Sagay City in Negros Occidental on October 20 by unknown assailants. The victims occupied a plot of land at Hacienda Nene in Bulanon.

“Theirs is not an isolated case. The Philippines

has consistently ranked as one of the deadliest countries in the world for people protecting their land or the environment,” it said.

Colombia ranked as the second “deadliest” country with 24 killings, India with 23 and Brazil with 20. Thirteen of the 23 victims in India joined a protest against a copper mine in Tamil Nadu.

Philippine human rights blamed the deaths on the military, police and paramilitary forces.

But Malacañang on Tuesday attributed the deaths of land rights activists to the “rivalry” between claimants.

“That happens if there are con�licts among claimants to a particular land.

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NOT YET DONE. An elderly woman belonging to the Ata tribe prepares rattan strips which will be used to tie the decorations of a traditional Ata house at the Kadayawan village inside Magsaysay Park in Davao City on

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Durian Festival slated in August

PH ‘deadliest’ place for T environmental defenders he Philippines has been named as the “deadliest” country for environmental defenders with the highest death toll last year, the UK-based watchdog Global Witness said in its 2018 annual report.

solutions that will bring technical vocational education and training or TVET graduates closer to the local labor market,” Duterte said in his speech.

“I am con�ident that this program will signi�icantly contribute to our efforts to provide livelihood opportunities that will enable our people to make a decent living, in the process empower them to contribute to our overall growth as a nation,” he added.

Duterte described the program as “responsive” to the growing demand for quality services in households, communities, and enterprises.

“It is my hope that providing ef�icient, depend-

he Davao Durian Industry Council (DDIC) will spearhead a month-long festival dedicated to the "king of fruits" next month, DDIC president Candelario Miculob said Tuesday.

Miculob said the festival will open on August 1 and is expected to be extended up to September to give farmers more time to sell their produce.

He said the fruits �looding the market this time come from the lowlands while those that will be coming in August and September are from highland areas.

"The fruits are mostly coming from Davao City covering about 3,000 hectares," Miculob said.

He added that an additional 500 hectares are currently being developed to raise the total production area for durian to 3,500 hectares in 2024, with an estimated 546,000 fruit-bearing trees.

Miculob underscored the need to increase production areas because of the increasing demand, both in the domestic and foreign markets, especially in China, Korea, Singapore, and Hong Kong.

Meanwhile, Miculob said the Durian Festival will be held in SM Lanang and will feature different varieties of durian such as Puyat, Arancillo, D101, D24, Red Prawn, and Cove.

The estimated price range from PHP60 to PHP70 per kilo, comparably lower than the produce that comes out in the June-July period.

The festival, he said, is part of DDIC's marketing strategy to promote durian and help farmers sell their produce.

Other locally-grown fruits such as mangosteen, lanzones, rambutan, and pomelo will be featured during the festival as well, Miculob said.

(PNA)

Wednesday. Some of the tribe houses at the Kadayawan village where not yet finished days before the opening of the 2019 Kadayawan sa Davao Festival. Lean Daval Jr

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NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

HIYAS. Hiyas sa Kadayawan 2019 candidates pose for photographs during the media presentation held at Panorama Summit Hotel in Tigatto Road, Buhangin, Davao City on Wednesday. Lean Daval Jr

Beware of bogus tour operators, visitors told T ourists who are planning to visit Davao City during the month-long Kadayawan Festival should be wary of unlicensed tour operators who claim to offer “budget” tour packages on social media, City Tourism Of�ice head Generose Tecson said.

Tecson issued the warning after receiving complaints from clients who were duped by individuals that were selling tours without business permits from the Business Bureau and licenses from the local tourism of�ice.

“I will say that it is a serious problem because, of course, you have legitimate travel agents and

tour operators,” she said.

She said the unlicensed agents could attract clients online by offering “budget” tour packages, some even offering itineraries that include visits to various tourism spots in the city for as low as P500.

She added the common complaints reaching her of�ice were the agents’ non-appearance

China donates P10M to Batanes quake victims

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he Chinese government will donate P10 million to the Philippines for the recovery of over 2,000 quake victims in Itbayat, Batanes, according to the Chinese Embassy in Manila on Wednesday.

“The Chinese government expresses its deepest sympathy and condolences to those affected families and decided to donate 10 million pesos to aid the victims and support the Philippine government in its efforts to rebuild Batanes and help local residents return to normal life,” it said in a statement.

The embassy add-

ed that it strongly believes that the Filipino people will overcome the disaster through the “strong leadership” of President Rodrigo Duterte.

On Saturday, a series of earthquakes devastated vernacular houses and other historic sites in the town of Itbayat.

Nine died while over 2,000 families lost their homes. They are temporarily staying at an evacuation �ield.

China previously donated US$100,000 to the Philippines to aid the victims of the magnitude 6.1 earthquake that hit Pampanga in April.

on booked dates and failure to deliver on what’s in the tour packages.

“They have a long list of places to visit in their itinerary. However, they are not actually bringing the tourists there but they are just passing by,” she said.

The of�icial reminded the public to protect themselves from unscrupulous illegal tour operators by transacting only with licensed establishments whose packages may cost more because they include travel insurance and payment for the tour guides.

“We are asking the clients to also protect your-

selves. Make sure the people that you are dealing with have business permits and tourism licenses,” she said.

She said the local tourism of�ice had blocked around 50 establishments for failure to present tourism licenses during inspection. The city has over 100 registered and licensed tour operators.

Tecson added her of�ice conducts regular inspections to ensure the tour operators have the necessary documents from the local government.

She told operators of

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Influx of Chinese tourists a security threat: Esperon

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hile recognizing the value of tourism to the economy, National Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon on Wednesday said the pronounced in�lux of Chinese nationals into the country is a security risk.

"As the National Security Adviser, I have the tendency to look at it as a threat," he said.

"I’m on the cautious side. When foreigners, regardless of nationality, come in, and their intent is not clear. Or when some of them are undocumented, or have false documentation."

Esperon said it was worth looking into the work of the agencies concerned with the entry of foreigners, to see if the proper processes are being

followed.

"If we have such things as rules of naturalization, rules of labor, and they are not followed, bakit nagkakaganoon?" he said.

“Mayron bang diperensya ang ating immigration of�icers? Tatanungin ko si Commissioner Morente, dahil sa pagkakaalam ko, napaka-strikto niyan. Nakikita ba niya lahat ng ginagawa ng mga tao niya, kung nababantayn ba kung ano yung pagpasok.”

Esperon said interagency meetings have been held speci�ically to address this concern, especially since various worrisome incidents have been brought to their attention.

While the government welcomes the economic gain that an in�lux of tour-

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LIL CHEFS. Students participate in munchkins making contest during the culmination of Nutrition Month celebration at Sinai Preschool in San Juan Vill., Bangkal, Davao City on Wednesday. Lean Daval Jr

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Globe CEO: Building trust key to boosting financial tech

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A young girl peeks through a glass panel window as a technician repairs a mobile phone at a shop along San Pedro Street in Davao City on Wednesday.

Lean Daval Jr

uilding trust in technologies will boost the growth of digital �inancial solutions in the country, Globe Telecom president and CEO Ernest Cu said Tuesday, amid Filipino’s skepticism on “anything new.”

Now that the country has faster internet speed and high smartphone penetration, GCash operator Mynt “stepped on the gas” to grow its mobile-wallet services, Cu said during a meet-a-greet arranged by Go Negosyo and Angat Lahat sa Digital Alliance.

The challenge now is to get Filipinos to trust digital innovations such as the scan-to-pay cashless payment system introduced

by GCash a few years ago, Cu said.

“Anything new in the Philippines is very dif�icult to launch. That’s why we have COD (cash on delivery) they want to know if it’s going to be what they ordered,” Cu said

“It’s actually quite interesting because people know their prepaid, know their telco accounts and everyday they put money there, albeit small amounts, and they know it’s not going to get lost but it’s hard to build that trust in the Philippines. We’re working very hard to built their trust that their money will not get lost.”

Cu said people just need to see an” in�lection” point or a “wow moment” to realize the convenience brought about by digital services such as GCash.

“It’s a great thing that one wow moment cements in your mind that this thing works . . . I think it’s about a year or two and it will start to happen because that use cases in Gcash are so rich right now, “ he said.

GCash has features that offer “convenience” such as savings, investments and credit line, among others, to encourage Filipinos to go digital, Cu said

enator Cynthia Villar on Tuesday said that a resolution has been �iled with the Senate to investigate the tax collection from rice importers which will be the source of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

Villar, the principal author of the Rice Tarif�ication law, said there are con�licting claims between the Department of Agriculture (DA) and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) regarding a P5-billion collection around December 2018.

"Sabi niya [DA] hindi pa passed ang rice tarif�ication noon, hindi naman daw for rice tarif�ication iyon. Kaso sabi ng DBM it’s for rice tarif�ication. Hindi daw para sa RCEF iyon pero sabi ng DBM para sa RCEF iyon. So, we will know who is telling the truth. Kasi in con�lict iyong sinasabi nila," Villar said in

a press conference.

She added that the hearing could start in two weeks.

Under the Rice Tarif�ication law, P10 billion shall be allocated by the government annually for the RCEF. This fund will be divided for procuring farm machinery, conducting training among local farmers, and providing low-interest loans to increase their competitiveness amid liberalization of rice importation.

"Under the rice tarif�ication, whether they collect or not, they will give the farmers P10 billion a year. That’s according to the law. So kapag sumobra ng P10 billion, susumahin iyon tapos ia-identify sa GAA (General Appropriations Act) kung saan dadalhin 'yung beyond P10 billion," Villar said.

"I have to exercise my

Landbank to increase agri loans to Mindanao S T

Sen. Villar wants probe on tax collection from rice importers

op management of Land Bank of the Philippines (Landbank) said that Mindanao, being the country’s food basket, will de�initely receive greater focus in the bank’s bid to increase lending to the agriculture sector.

Landbank President and Chief Executive Of�icer (CEO) Cecilia Borromeo said loans to the sector is the highest among domestic banks and their borrowers are all over the country.

“But since Mindanao is the biggest agricultural area, then Mindanao will continue to get a very large chunk of our loans to the agri,” she said.

Borromeo explained that banks are not allowed to allocate more than 20 percent of their total loan portfolio to a single industry but noted that since “total loan portfolio is also

getting bigger, the 20 percent of something bigger will be bigger”.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte, in his State of the Nation Address (SONA) last week, directed Landbank of�icials to submit to him by the end of this month an action plan that details how the bank will increase lending to the agriculture sector.

Landbank data show that in the �irst half of 2019, loans that the stateowned �inancial institution extended to the priority sector accounted for 93.1 percent of total loans amounting to PHP744.5

billion, which in turn is higher than year-ago’s PHP655 billion.

Speci�ically, total loans to the mandated sector reached PHP42.31 billion, the bulk of which are extended to small farmers including agrarian reform bene�iciaries amounting to PHP42.17 billion, while PHP14 billion was extended to small �ishers and their associations.

Loans that support the agriculture and �isheries sector amounted to PHP177.32 billion while loans that support the national government’s priority programs, including infrastructure projects, reached PHP524.86 billion.

Borromeo said they continue to encourage farmers to organize themselves into cooperatives or

associations since economies of scale does not favor lending to individual farmers.

“The successes that we have seen is through the cooperatives but we still lend to individuals but in a very supervised manner like the Sikat Saka program,” she said.

The Landbank chief said the President’s directive to increase lending to the agriculture sector will not be a disadvantage to the bank’s �inances “because we are the biggest lenders to the agriculture already”.

“So we just need to reach out to more small farmers and their cooperatives, which is what we’ve been trying to do year after year. We just need to intensify it some more,” she added. (PNA)

Immediate enactment of land use law urged

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he NEDA Board’s National Land Use Committee (NBNLUC) in a statement on Tuesday said it is calling on Congress to immediately enact the National Land Use Act (NaLUA), as proposed by NLUC, to ensure the sustainable and ef�icient use of the country’s land and physical resources.

In its Special Meeting chaired by Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto M. Pernia on July 29, 2019, the committee approved NLUC Resolution No. 1, series of 2019 adopting the NLUC version of the proposed NaLUA. The committee version of the bill incorporated all

inputs gathered from a series of technical discussions with various stakeholders and from regional consultations.

“The National Land Use Act was identi�ied

by President Rodrigo Duterte as among the priority legislative measures in his State of Nation Addresses (SONA) since 2017. In his fourth SONA last week, the President appealed again to all legislators to immediately pass the NaLUA to ensure the rational and sustainable use of our land and our physical resources,” said Pernia.

The bill also aims to harmonize sector-speci�ic land use policies

and institutionalize land use planning.

“We need to plan our physical space well.

Land use policies must be clear on where and how much space to allocate for agricultural production to ensure we have enough food; where and how much space for settlements development to meet housing demand; where to encourage growth of industries to boost the economy and create jobs; and which areas should be protected for environmental sustainability,” Pernia said.

The NaLUA was identi�ied as a legislative agenda in the Philippine Development Plan

(PDP) 2017-2022 to support strategies in ensuring ecological integrity, clean and healthy environment as well as in building safe and secure communities.

In the next Cabinet meeting, NEDA, as chair of the NLUC, will seek the President’s endorsement of its version of the proposed NaLUA as the Executive’s inputs when the 18th Congress deliberates on the various NaLUA bills.

Based on NEDA’s monitoring, thus far, the following NaLUA bills have been recently �iled in the 18th Congress— House Bill (HB) 105, HB 158, HB 564, HB 706 and Senate Bill 38. (PR)

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SEC warns public vs. investing in Scentko Corp., Brendahl Cruz

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he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) warns the public against investing in Scentko World Corporation and its purported parent, Brendahl Cruz Holdings, Inc., which have been promising a 400 percent return from their “buy and earn” program.

In an advisory posted on Wednesday (July 31), the Commission’s Enforcement and Investor Protection Department noted that Scentko and Brendhal Cruz Holdings have not secured a secondary license to solicit investments from the public.

“In view thereof, the public is hereby advised to exercise caution in dealing with any individuals or group of persons soliciting investments or recruiting investors for and on behalf

of Scentko and Brendahl Cruz Holdings,” read the advisory.

“The public is further advised not to invest or stop investing in any investment scheme being offered

by Scentko and Brendahl Cruz Holdings,” it added.

Under its investment scheme, Scentko entices the public to buy perfume and beauty products in exchange for “cash sales rewards” equivalent to 400 percent of the purchase price. For instance, a member is promised a return of PHP20,000 for simply buying a package worth PHP5,000.

A member may receive the promised return in about 30 days, without having to resell the products, depending on how soon Scentko can recruit new

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SUPPORT. The city government of Mati turns over a cheque worth P500,000 to Mati National Comprehensive High School (MNCHS) delegate which will represent the city in the 34th Kadayawan Festival’s Indak-Indak competition. The money will help defray the delegates’ expenses for their trip to Davao. The MNCHS was last year’s Indak-Indak sa Kadayawan champion in the open category. Mati City CIO

Magsaysay eyes rise in local tax collection in next 3 years

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he local chief executive here has expressed con�idence for a continued uptrend in local tax collection in the next three years.

“Our local revenues are steadily improving since I assumed of�ice in 2013.

And I have to congratulate the local �inance committee (LFC) for a job well done making the municipality of Magsaysay as the No. 1 in collection ef�iciency in Davao del Sur for 2018,” Mayor Arthur Davin said during his State of the Municipality Address (SOMA) on Monday.

Davin recalled that when he �irst came into

of�ice in 2013, the local revenue was at just around PHP5.4 million. In 2018, he noted that the local �inance committee reported a whooping PHP13.8 million collection.

For this year, the mayor said the local treasury collected PHP10.1 million in the �irst half alone.

“One of the factors for this new development is the revision in some of the provisions of our existing local tax code which I considered a very outmoded one. It will no longer �it at this point in time,” Davin said.

Davin has called on the

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‘I don’t protect investment scammers’: DavNor guv

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avao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib reassured the public that he is not protecting dubious investment companies proliferating in the province that promised high rates of return.

In a statement released by the Provincial Information Of�ice Tuesday, Jubahib rejected claims that he and 1st District Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez, his political mentor, are shielding some personalities involved in high-yielding but illegal investment

schemes.

“That is not true. Congressman Alvarez and I do not protect operators of investment schemes,” the governor said.

More than 50 investment companies sprouted in the province particularly in Tagum City, almost all

registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak.

Farnazo requested its division of�ices and public schools to intensify the conduct of the “Dugong Guro” program, a blood-letting among public school teachers and non-teaching personnel.

He noted that South Cotabato province has already declared a state of calamity due to the dengue outbreak and other areas in the region have also reported increasing cases.

“Our region is on Code Blue status, meaning, a highest level of alert. Blood

our presence be felt very strongly here,” he said.

Farnazo advised them to let health personnel update their “Dugong Guro” status and “please let us intensify.”

The entire South Cotabato province was placed under a state of calamity last July 19 due to the outbreak of dengue, which already reached 3,664 cases and with 21 fatalities as of July 21.

As of the third week of July, the DOH-12 already recorded a total of 10,068 dengue cases and 46 deaths in the entire region.

(MindaNews)

of whom have been closed following President Rodrigo Duterte’s crackdown on dubious investment schemes.

Jubahib said the interest of the victims remains the provincial government’s priority as of now.

“We will do our best to help the victims recover their investments”.

As part of the measure, the governor said he will call for a multi-agency meeting to discuss the immediate prosecution of

personalities involved in get-rich-quick scams.

He said several personalities have been slapped with syndicated estafa cases after �leeing with hundreds of millions of pesos of investors’ money.

Just last week, irate victims ransacked the houses of operators of an investment company and carted away appliances, furniture, and even stripped a luxury car owned by one of the company’s founders. (PNA)

DepEd 12 orders schools to contain rising dengue cases Over 800 families displaced he Department of memorandum for all our ing only in hotspot areas, supplies are fast draining. by military, BIFF skirmishes Education (DepEd) children to wear long where increase in cases is Let us respond to this. Let

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in Region 12 or directed local schools to implement measures to help contain the rising cases of the deadly dengue fever.

Dr. Allan Farnazo, DepEd-12 director, urged teachers and other school personnel to regularly conduct cleanup activities, especially of mosquito breeding places, within campuses and their surroundings.

Dubbed “Oplan Kalinisan,” the initiative was aimed to help prevent the possible spread of dengue-carrying mosquitoes in schools.

“Also, you may issue

socks, pants, jogging pants or any clothing that could deter mosquito bites,” he said in a message relayed

by DepEd-12 division of�ices on Monday.

The of�icial cited their need for schools to observe the Department of Health’s (DOH) 4-S strategy against dengue.

4-S stands for search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites; employ self-protection measures like wearing of long pants and long sleeved shirts as well as the daily use of mosquito repellent; seek early consultation; and, support fogging/spray-

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he town government of Pikit in North Cotabato is currently attending to the needs of some 829 families or about 4,145 individuals affected by ongoing military operations against Islamic Statelinked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) in the border of Maguindanao and North Cotabato provinces.

Tahera Kalantungan, Pikit municipal disaster risk reduction and management action of�icer, said in a radio interview Tuesday that the bulk of internally displaced persons (IDPs) are staying at an evacuation

center in Sitio Tuka, Barangay Macasendeg, Pikit.

“Some of the IDPs also stay in public schools in Barangay Kabasalan, Macasendeg and Paidu Pulangi, all in Pikit,” Kalantungan said.

Amanah Baylon, one of the IDPs, said they are "afraid to go home as of now. We will stay here in the meantime until the con�lict is over”.

Kalantungan said some of the displaced families they are assisting are from the other side of the Pagalungan River in Barangay Dasawao in Shariff Saydo-

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

EDITORIAL

Even crimes level up The internet, particularly social media, is fast becoming as the weapon of choice for scheming businesses and individuals.

After the investment scam that swept across the region using a Ponzi-like proposition, next came a deceiving lending business offering instant loans but with exorbitant interests. It is likely that this business was also conceived to ride high on the fast-growing investment schemes where people wanting to get instant cash through payouts do everything from mortgaging property to availing of �inancial loans in order to have pay-in money.

On Sunday, no less than Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued a statement denying an advertisement posted on social media which show the presidential daughter endorsing an online lending. Mayor Sara was quick to deny

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BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO KENNETH IRVING K. ONG NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

DAVE STEPHENN VILLAMORA Online Operations ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. CHA MONFORTE Correspondent

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL DR. MAURO L. PUYOD Layout/Cartoons Photography Cartoonist 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 D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA OLIVIA D. VELASCO JASPERSOLANI V. BACSAL General Manager Finance Advertising Specialist VP Operations General Manager JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

she is endorsing such lending company and warned the public to be circumspect in dealing with individuals and companies using her name to sell their business.

Mayor Sara is a proven marketing tool in her few endorsements done in the past. This ‘endorsement’ of a lending business is obviously a misrepresentation created not only to increase sales but to project an image of legitimacy.

In the light of these scams on cyberspace, authorities must be vigilant in the new venue for perpetrating crimes and deceit.

Criminal minds have become more creative and unless, our laws and the authorities do not cope with these developments, there will always be a scheming mind out there thinking of a next ploy in the internet.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Product Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-Yacapin 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.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

VANTAGE POINTS

7

JOHN CARLO B. TRIA MY TWO CENTS’

A NEW INNOVATION AGE FOR DAVAO? Now that much politicking is done and the rest of country has gotten over election fever it is time to focus on vital numbers and improving on them.

In particular, the challenge to innovate must sound louder, given the challenges of further depeening and spreading our growth, improving lives of people.

New ideas need to spring forth, and new programs need to be pushed.

We cannot use the same

failed approaches to solve old problems. The de�inition of stupidity being the repeated use of old solutions comes to mind.

In the latest Global Innovation Index (GII) report, the Philippines rose to number 54 in ranking, up nineteen notches from its previous ranking of 73 in 2018 and 2017. In a PNA article, this report also classi�ies the Philippines as a lower middle income country. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Per-

nia on Tuesday, however, said the country is expected to advance to upper middle income status by 2020.

But getting to upper middle income will require great abilities fostered by innovation.

The same PNA report also says the Philippines is ranked only two notches below India, ranked 52nd, a vastly more populous country which also happens to be its main competitor in the Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) busi-

ness. Just a little more innovation and imagination and it looks like we will beat India.

The good news is that government is getting i to the act of pushing innovation with a new law and public funds earmarked for activities meant to spur innovative business ideas and research among start ups and new higher value added activities to level up our Business Process Outsourcing and technology sectors.

The Innovation Act or Republic Act 1132 With the possible 1billion peso budget for innovation activities and increase in our innovation ranking.

With the President’s signing of the Innovation Act and the rise in our country’ s ranking in the innovation index, it seems like the time is right for new ideas to take root.

Perhaps our business community will now bene�it from more innovation and technology.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

ABACA DROUGHT OF 1931 Cultivation of abaca in Mindanao, according to English explorer William Dampier (1651-1715), the �irst person to circumnavigate the world thrice, started in 1686. This information was chie�ly based on his brief stay in southern Philippines.

Since 1893 when hemp was started to be grown in plantations in Davao, growers were optimistic in having huge paydays, especially with the expanding demand for abaca �iber in the world market. This was further highlighted with the opening of new farms owned and operated by foreigners in the �irst decade of American colonial rule, chiefly honorably discharged American servicemen and migrant Japanese from Okinawa.

An August 1908 report in The Philippine Agriculture Review, already cited drought as the top threat to the hemp industry, followed by wind. Essentially, abaca survival during drought has something to do with the introduction of best farming practices, from land preparation to crop establishment, including the use of fertiliz-

er, which was �irst tested in 1895.

Big pro�its from abaca farms was also dependent in the way the hills were chosen and the way plantations were prepared.

Although reproduction was almost exclusively by suckers, the use of tubercles and seeds was also strongly recommended.

Interestingly, the article noted in passing that “the use of an American plow in preparing plots… enabled young plants to thrive during the dry season better than they could do where the native plow was used.”

Aside from �ires and strong winds, hemp farms are also susceptible to larva attacks, such as the tamilok (woodworms).

But it is in drought that abaca, which thrives up to 400 meters in altitude, can be destroyed, often resulting in low production and inferior �iber. The most devastating drought took place in 1931. According a report in The American Chamber of Commerce Journal, around 20 million hills were affected in Davao region alone.

In estimation, the Davao Japanese Associa-

tion had it on record that the drought, which started in January 1931, damaged as much as 90 percent of the affected farms, aged one year old and older, and reduced the monetary returns from the leftover of the calamity to an average of 52.79 percent. The report added: “Beginning in May 1931 when the dry spell was broken, and up to November 1932 production should gradually approach normal. Since the drought began in January 1931, there must have been a decrease in production between that date and May 1931, when it began to rain. This is put at about 25 per cent. The average harvest per thousand hills for all Davao is very slightly below 16 piculs, so that 16 piculs is a very convenient �igure to use as a basis of estimates. The total in piculs is placed at 206,200. Considering the average abaca of Davao as of grade I, the total value of this loss at P12.52 per picul or $0.412 per pound is P2,581,624.”

More devastating than drought was the forced entry of Davao in the World War II the-

atre, which brought down hemp. Although efforts were initially made by the government to salvage whatever was left of the abaca industry, the reduced demand for Manila �iber was a real pain.

On June 17, 1961, Republic Act 3045, the Abaca Development Program Act, was signed into law; it allotted P20 million for a period of �ive years for the development of the abaca industry.

The program was placed under the of�ice of the Agriculture and Natural Resources secretary, through a Board composed of the directors of the Bureau of Agricultural Extension and Bureau of Plant Industry, the Fiber Inspection Service manager, one representative each from the three abaca-producing regions and one from the Philippine Abaca Federation, Inc. Central to the program was “the primary objective to bring to at least the prewar level the production of abaca �iber, popularly known as Manila hemp.”

The statute also cited factors that would help revive the industry, namely: (i) abaca seed produc-

tion and distribution; (ii) improvement of �iber extraction methods; (iii) development and promotion of cottage industries using abaca as raw material; (iv) abaca research; (v) abaca foreign trade promotion; and (vi) general administration.

More speci�ically, RA 3045 stipulated that funds for the program come from the unappropriated funds of the National Treasury to be disbursed every �iscal year, or P4 million per annum, divided, unless adjusted, under the following schedule, namely: (i) planting materials, P900,000; (ii) improvement of �iber extraction methods, P800,000; (iii) development and promotion of cottage industries using abaca as raw materials, P800,000; (iv) abaca research, P800,000; (v) abaca foreign trade promotion, P200,000; and (vii) general administration, P500,000.

In the second year, the budget under the statute was automatically included in the General Appropriations Act and to continue beyond �ive years to ensure the continuity of the program.

8

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

GAME CHANGER

JAYVEE TYRON L. UY:

MILLENNIAL GOVERNOR

L

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

ife begins at 40, so goes a popular saying. But to some, life starts at 30. Sylvester Stallone was 30 when Rocky, the �ilm which he wrote and starred in, was released. Andrea Bocelli didn’t get his break until he was 34. Harrison Ford was 37 when he came to the Philippines to appear in Apocalypse Now under the direction of Francis Ford Coppola.

Jayvee Tyron L. Uy was only 31 years old when he was elected governor of Compostela Valley (soon to be known as Davao de Oro).

He made a record as the youngest governor ever of Mindanao.

“Compostela Valley is known for a lot of things,” he said in his message of the coffee table book, Pyagsugpatan. “For miners and the industrialists, it is the valley of gold, the origin of the most valuable metal on earth. For the biologists, it is the home of the two protected areas in the country. For anthropologists and historians, it is the ancestral land of six indigenous groups whose relationship with each other may not necessarily be always congenial and harmonious. And for us who lived and spent most of our lives in this splendid province, it is simply our home.”

That’s the kind of province “Kuya Gov,” as he is fondly called by his constituents, is leading. He is young, indeed, an embodiment of what Dr. Jose P. Rizal, the

country’s national hero, as “the hope of fatherland.”

Gov. Uy may not have the experience of the old folks when he started, but he has full of ideas which most younger generations have. “With his young age comes the natural inclination to innovation and his knack to try new approaches to address old and perennial problems,” said a report which this author obtained.

“While others settle for the ‘old goody’ solution, Kuya Gov is unafraid to seek new ideas, try new technologies, and test new possibilities,” the report added.

Gov. Uy is one leader who takes responsibility with too much enthusiasm and vigor. He accepts challenges and tries to learn the nitty-gritty of them to come up with win-win solutions.

His accomplishments as governor speak for themselves. “His innovative approaches to governance had brought the province to greater heights of fame and distinction,” the report said.

Last year, ComVal – as the province is called by some – was hailed as the second richest province in the Philippines “in terms of assets.” It is also the second most competitive province of Davao Region, and with the lowest incidence of child hunger and malnutrition among the provinces of Davao Region.

“Tourism arrivals doubled, business investments are entering in an unprec-

edented scale and the pace and security situation is getting more stable,” the report stated.

Gov. Uy has accomplished more during his �irst term. “He pushed the long controversial mining industry in the province to be more responsible through his Green Mining Agenda and promoted a more humane and effective solution to the illegal drugs problem through the Oplan Liwanag Program,” the report said.

But that’s not all. He was personally chosen by President Rodrigo R. Duterte to head Davao Region’s new Regional Peace and Order Council, which Duterte himself held when he was still the mayor of Davao City. He was handpicked because of “his youthful dynamism and innovative approach to governance.”

Now, that’s what “millennial leadership” is all about – “innovative, technology-savvy, mission-driven, forward-looking, inspiring, and collaborative.”

Kuya Gov has gone a long, long way. He was born to a prominent family engaged in business and politics. But then he carved a name for himself without using the in�luence and af�luence of his family. He worked hard in order for him to be recognized for what he is and not because of the surname he is carrying.

In 2013, he entered politics and was elected as

Oath taking provincial board member.

His thirst for knowledge and credibility paved him to pursue his master’s degree on public administration, “juggling through hectic public service duties on weekdays and schooling on weekends.”

Gov. Uy believes that his heart is to serve his people. To do this, he must be prepared for the task. After earning his Masters in Public Administration, he took short-term leadership courses in the Leadership Academy of Ateneo School of Government, National Movement of Young Legislators, Kaya Natin Movement for Good Governance and Ethical Leadership and the Asian Institute of Management.

“Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” Nobel Peace Prize winner Nelson Mandela said. Gov. Uy seems to believe in that, too. So much so that he launched several programs for the children, including those coming from indigenous people’s communities.

He also introduced the parent mentoring system because he adheres to the belief that children should not only be taught in schools but also at homes. Aside from basic education, he also invested a great amount

Gov Uy with Davao City Mayor Inday Sara

The governor in action of effort in making tertiary education accessible to more youth in the province.

Marian Wright Edelman once said: “Hunger and malnutrition have devastating consequences for children and have been linked to low birth weight and birth defects, obesity, mental and physical health problems, and poorer educational outcomes.”

It is for this reason why Gov. Uy considers hunger as “a silent terrorist.” To end hunger, he launched Kusina ng Kalinga, an approach that involves a central kitchen where lunch meals for all children are cooked and prepared for distribution.

“Addressing malnutrition is surely no joke,” the report pointed out. “It calls for an iron will and stubborn determination.” But with his innovative approach and enthusiasm, Gov. Uy believes hunger can be terminated.

“I hate drugs,” said President Duterte. Because of this, the young governor initiated the Oplan Liwanag, a community-based drug rehabilitation program. “In reforming the drug addicts, he does not need to build an expensive rehabilitation facility but only harnessed the power of the community,” the report stated.

When one hears ComVal, people think of gold. It was for this reason that Gov. Uy pioneered green mining technology in the province in partnership with the Department of Science and Technology. Instead of using cyanide or mercury to extract gold and copper,

he introduced an environment-friendly, high yielding alternative process using �lotation/gravity concentration technologies.

“Win peace through the ways of peace.” That’s his formula for ending the long-standing insurgency in the province. He did this by introducing Oplan Pagbabago, a program that infuses socio-economic reforms, consensus-building, reconciliation of former rebels to the mainstream society, and creating a conducive climate for peace.

All these could not be accomplished without the economic prosperity of the province. “He put a great deal of effort in enhancing the ease of doing business, construction of roads and other infrastructures, and strengthening the tourism and investment promotions,” the report said.

Gov. Uy also holds the Provincial Business and Investment Conference, an annual gathering of entrepreneurs, small and large industry players, and other potential investors where he delivers his business report and where he pitches in different investment opportunities that people can explore.

With his second term as governor, ComVal – or Davao de Oro – is on its way to become one of the most successful provinces in Mindanao if not the whole country.

Thanks to Governor Jayvee Tyron L. Uy. – ### (Photos taken from Gov. Uy’s Facebook account)

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VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

EDGEDAVAO

EVENT

ISUZU UNVEILS ‘PUV-X’ PROGRAM AT 2019 PHL BUS AND TRUCKS EXPO

AT the Philippines Bus & Trucks 2019 expo to be held from July 24 to 26 at the SMX Convention Center, Mall of Asia Complex in Pasay City, Isuzu Philippines Corporation (IPC) unveils its vaunted “PUV-X” program that provides the optimum “Isuzu Advantage” for its public utility vehicle (PUV) customers.

IPC discusses the “PUV-X” program in detail during the Truckers Forum on July 25 and 26.

IPC’s presentation is a key portion during the 4th Transport Cooperative National Congress, an annual event spearheaded by the National Federation of Transport Cooperatives (NFTC-BKKPPI).

Held within the Philippines Bus & Trucks

2019, the Congress gathers inputs from the transportation cooperatives sector to help formulate the needed programs, projects and activities to further update and develop these sectors.

The “PUV-X” Program enumerates Isuzu’s 10-Point Advantage: 1) Isuzu’s proven reliability, durability and efficiency; 2) Experienced Body Builders; 3) Accredited Accessories Suppliers; 4) An unmatched 3 years or 150,000 kms warranty coverage; 5) Nationwide dealership network of 43 outlets and counting; 6) Expert Truck Executives (Truck Elites) to help customers; 7) Nationwide parts availability, competent and trained service technicians, technical assistance from Japanese and Filipino engineers, and Isuzu Service Medic vans

for roadside assistance anytime; 8) Drivers and mechanic trainings; 9) Extensive fleet management system, and; 10) All-around customer assistance.

To aid in the discussion, NLR77 Class 2 PUV and NLR85 ref van were displayed at IPC’s booth. Test drives of the Isuzu PUVs used by the Senate Employees Transport Service Cooperative (SETSCO) will be offered during these two days. The SETSCO shuttle will also provide free rides to event participants within the Mall of Asia complex.

The annual PhilBus & Truck Show is

recognized by the industry as the number one international bus, truck and commercial vehicle exhibition, a business-to-business trade show that prides itself in delivering top-quality trade buyers and decision makers. By working closely with key trade associations, the expo brings together bus, trucks and commercial vehicle operators, mining and construction companies, leasing and logistics companies, manufacturers, trading, parts and service and repair workshops to see and get updated on the latest range of buses, trucks and commercial vehicles.

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UP AND ABOUT

EVENT

MACTAN CEBU AIRPORT WELCOMES NEW CEBUKAOHSIUNG SERVICE BY PHILIPPINES AIRASIA GMR MEGAWIDE Cebu Airport Corporation (GMCAC), together with the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Authority (MCIAA), is pleased to welcome a new route in Mactan-Cebu International Airport by Philippines AirAsia to Kaohsiung, Taiwan.

Beginning August 1, 2019, Philippines AirAsia is set to commence operation of its direct service to Kaohsiung International Airport from Mactan-Cebu International Airport (MCIA). AirAsia will service the Cebu-Kaohsiung route thrice weekly every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday using an Airbus A320 aircraft with 180 all-economy seats.

“We at the MCIA community are excited by the opening of AirAsia’s Cebu-Kaohsiung route. GMCAC is committed to positioning Cebu as a hub in Southeast Asia and in the Philippines. Our location makes MCIA the ideal jump-off point to other tourist destinations in the central and southern islands, and we are making this happen through strategic airline marketing efforts and partners such as AirAsia,” GMCAC President Louie Ferrer said.

Ferrer also expressed his thanks to the carrier.

“AirAsia has been one of our most dynamic partners in developing international connectivity and we thank them for their continued support of MCIA and Cebu,” he said.

A water cannon salute will welcome the inaugural flight from Kaohsiung to Cebu and its passengers on Thursday at 4:40 p.m.

“The Philippines continues to be one of the top holiday destinations for Taiwanese. As the only Philippine airline to connect Cebu and Clark directly to Kaohsiung, we are pleased to be able to contribute to Philippine tourism and bring Cebuanos and Kapampangans closer to southern Taiwan as well,” said Philippines AirAsia President and CEO Dexter Comendador in a statement.

AirAsia will also launch the Clark-Kaohsiung route on the same day marking Kaohsiung as the airline’s 10th international destination to be launched this year.

“While Taipei has been one of the recently favored travel destinations of Filipinos, we urge the Cebuanos to explore the different sights and distinct flavors that can only be experienced in Kaohsiung,” said Aines Librodo, GMCAC Airline Marketing and Tourism Development Head.

From Mactan-Cebu International Airport, AirAsia flies to 13 destinations namely, Manila, Clark, Davao, Cagayan De Oro, Puerto Princesa, Caticlan, Kuala Lumpur, Singapore, Seoul, Shenzhen, Macau, Taipei, and Kaohsiung.

With the addition of this new route, Mactan Cebu Airport is now connected to 28 domestic destinations and 23 international destinations with 9 Philippinebased and 17 foreign airline partners.

INDONESIAN CONSULATE HOLDS COOKING DEMO INDONESIA is one of the largest countries in Asia and is best known as a land of wonders -- landscapes, ethnic groups, traditions, arts and cultures and of course, food.

And in the world over, Indonesia has introduced more than a handful of dishes that has since become staples in our foodie craving journey.

Indonesian cuisine has a varied and diverse flavour sphere.

With ingredients and cooking styles reflecting influences from Europe, Middle East, China and India, it is not surprising that our palates can easily relate to the burst of flavours, texture and depth in every dish.

In the city, through the initiative of the Indonesia Consular Office in

Davao City, an Indonesian cooking demo took place at the House of Indonesia in Juna subd., Matina, Davao City last July 2.

The event aimed to introduce and promote Indonesian cuisine to the palates of Mindanao. Further providing Indonesian food and beverage to be recognized and sellable in restaurants, stores, hotels, malls and food courts.

“Indonesia and Philippines may have different cuisines but our proximity also made us share common food items,” Consul General Dicky Fabrian said.

During the event, the audience were given a glimpse on how the traditional nasi uduk (nasi means ‘rice’ and uduk means ‘mixed’) is prepared. Nasi Uduk is an Indonesian Betawi steamed rice dish

cooked in coconut milk fragrant with a mix of spices. Basically it describes the dish preparation itself.

The cooking demo was led by two in-house consulate cooks: Bagus and Lydia.

Nasi Uduk is typically served with fried tofu and tempe (Indonesian soy product), fried chicken (ayam), beef stew (semur), vegetables and of course, sambal.

Aside from the nasi uduk, the demo also included the preparation and cooking of ayam goreng (fried chicken) and telur balado (Indonesian spicy eggs).

More than the food, the cooking demo offered a fascinating introduction to the exotic ingredients and unique culinary heritage of Indonesia. The valuable insight into the various techniques, traditional and modern, of food preparation and the cooking style used across the Indonesian Archipelago.

Terima Kasih!

EDAVAO

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VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

JENNYLYN MERCADO RENEWS EXCLUSIVE CONTRACT WITH GMA NETWORK ULTIMATE STAR Jennylyn Mercado continues to be a loyal Kapuso as she renewed her exclusive contract with GMA Network, Inc. last July 26.

Present during the contract signing were GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon; Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong; Senior Vice President for Entertainment Group Lilybeth G. Rasonable; Vice President for Drama Productions Redgie A. Magno; Vice President for Business Development and Department III Darling de JesusBodegon; Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara; Assistant Vice President for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy; Senior Program Managers Ali Nokom Dedicatoria, Cathy Ochoa Perez, and Charles Koo; and Jennylyn’s manager Katrina Aguila.

“Iba magmahal ‘yung GMA. Parang pamilya, nararamdaman ko ‘yung pagmamahal nila at suporta nila. Sa loob ng 16 years na ‘yun, ang dami kong ups and downs, pero talagang nandiyan sila at hindi nila ako pinabayaaan.

Pakiramdam ko hindi ko masusuklian ‘yung pagmamahal at suporta nila sa akin,” Jennylyn shared.

The prime Kapuso actress is extremely grateful to everyone who has been supporting her for many years, “Hindi ko ma-explain, kakaiba ‘yung pakiramdam pag nakikita mo sina Mr. Gozon, Ms. Lilybeth, at Mr. Yalong. Parang magulang talaga. Iba ‘yung yakap.

Parang na-miss ko ‘yung nanay at tatay ko, ganoon ‘yung pakiramdam. Pag nandiyan sila, nararamdaman ko ‘yung

pagmamahal nila. Ibang klase ‘yung warmth. Matagal ko na silang kasama and hanggang ngayon hindi pa rin sila nagbabago.”

Jennylyn, who is a living paragon of StarStruck’s success, embodies what a true homegrown Kapuso is. The multitalented and award-winning actress shows no signs of stopping as she is also known to be a charming host, in demand commercial model and entrepreneur, and an effective influencer up to this day.

From her lovable role as a teenage superhero in Super Twins, her bidakontrabida character as a woman with multiple personalities in Rhodora X, to her comical portrayal of Steffi in the Pinoy remake of My Love from the Star – Jennylyn has proven her versatility as an actress in the entertainment industry. At present, she plays the role of Raff y in GMA’s hit primetime series, Love You Two and is also the host of the seventh season of GMA’s original reality-based artista search, StarStruck.

During the contract signing, Atty.

Gozon expressed his utmost appreciation over Jennylyn’s unwavering loyalty towards the Kapuso Network, “We are so proud that as the first winner in our StarStruck program, you have reached the pinnacle of success in your craft as a Kapuso. Your passion and dedication are admirable, that is why you are now known as the Ultimate Female Survivor. We are grateful that you have chosen to remain as a Kapuso.”

Meanwhile, Mr. Yalong expressed his genuine support for the Ultimate Star,” “Si Jennylyn talaga ‘yung tinatawag nating homegrown talent. She started as the winner of StarStruck 1 and up to now, despite of, I think the effort of other companies to get her, nandiyan pa rin si Jennylyn and that shows na she has grown with the network. When GMA started hindi naman kami kalakihan, but now I can say that one of the biggest network companies in the Philippines is GMA and the same applies to Jennylyn.

Kung titingnan niyo, we love Jennylyn so much that I think she will be with GMA forever.”

NEW BOOK ON PAYING TAXES “IWAS BUWIS-IT” LAUNCHED PHILIPPINE Tax Whiz Mon Abrea launched his new guide for every taxpayer, “Iwas BUWIS-It,” an interesting read about why people are taxed, how we are taxed, and what kind of taxes have to be settled, published by ABS-CBN Books.

“The book is for all of us, for us to be responsible taxpayers, and for us to contribute in nation-building,” said the author.

The new book details what kind of taxes everyone is subjected to in their lives. “’Iwas BUWIS-it’ won’t be about how to file this return or pay that tax. The book is about life in general–your careers, your ideals, or even your business ideas,” Mon added.

It includes tips from Potato Corner CEO Jose Magsaysay, Jr., and interviews with celebrities and book ambassadors James Reid and Boy Abunda.

The author, Mon, is the founding chairman of Asian Consulting Group (ACG). “Iwas BUWIS-it” is part of ACG’s advocacy of helping taxpayers by educating them and helping them avoid committing unnecessary violations.

The helpful read is now part of the wide array of ABS-CBN Books’ offerings. To date, the ABS-CBN publishing arm has sold more than two million books—self-help, fiction, and non-fiction—since it started in 2012. ABS-CBN Books has also experienced significant success in the digital space, with books being sold on Lazada, Shopee, and Facebook, and just recently on Amazon Kindle.

Grab a copy of “Iwas BUWIS-it” at leading bookstores for only P275.

A4 INdulge!

UP AND FURNITURE A1 ABOUTa silly method but for EJ and

EDGEDAVAO DAVAO EDGE

VOL.12 VOL.12 VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE 94 ISSUE 84 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, 103 • THURSDAY,JULY AUGUST JULY 19-20, 5-6, 1, 2019

life. “It was quite silly and who were from Pratt Institute his team, it’s a serious business. out-of-the-box,” EJ says. “But of New York.

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So themovie,” heCebu admits.

MRI Publishing House located in country. reflected Dr. Alip.

“I want to inspire by the board directors of the Micropromo period of 01 July 2019 Entries that fail to win durand stakeholders for MCIA’s until 15 October 2019. furniture line, and soon the instinct.” lings: his two brothers are all in much so that it won the Best Talking about Hollywood, San Pablo City, Laguna or any Mga The book, said Dr. Alip, was everyone that simple beginnings can finance Council of the Philippines, to 15 October 2019. ing the 1st draw will beaqualisuccessful operations and MCIA’s Shop and Win company will be focusing The “menopausal child” (he the medical field while his two Booth. “We weren’t really he says that if he is given CARD MRI Founder and Chairman, Dr.to Jaime Likha ni Inay stores.

Orders can also dedicated to his first grandchild, lead to something greater.”

Inc. (MCPI), partner institutions and raffle promo is open to all minals 1 and 2 (T1 & T2).

To & Beverage (F&B) shops, T1 Lucky winners will receive fied for the next raffle draws. the continued support the on sustainable land developwas born when his mother sisters are accountancy graduformal with exhibit,” he recalls. he would design Aristotlechance, B. Alip proudly presentslike his newlybe placed through its official FaceMaxine.

“She inspires me to simplify Microfinance and Beyond government agencies, and key playqualify for the raffle promo, Retail shops, T1 or T2 WH the following raffle prizes: Moreover, all non-winning past years especially since the domestic and international ment to further streamline the was already 40 and pregnancy ates (but one pursued later to “We wanted to showcase our launched a set a Quentin Tarantino bookfor entitled “Microfinance and bookwild account @PublishingHouseInc things at CARD MRI,” shared recounts history of CARD MRI ers in theof microfinance must have aaminiSmith,Dr. T2 K2 Pharmacy, and 1st Raffle Draw - 3 winners during theare 1st, 2nd, opening Terminal 2 industry.

(Inthatthe arrive or approach to creative DAFT passengers at that age in at those dayspassengers was become nurse). side.” fioflm orentries see on his featured Beyond”.

Joining him thepieces stage (LR): Mr. Ed Jimenez, incoming MCPI Chairperson; and Fr. or by sending an email at publishAlip.

“When we were starting, we told through the lenses of its founder.

A book signing was held after the depart from Mactan-Cebu mum single receipt purchase T2 Park & Fly; PhP 1,000 – 2 round trip tickets to from and 3rd raffle draws are qualiternational) a year ago,” said design,” its website stated. “high risk”)) has indeed gone During the Philbex Davao, Actually, the concept was in a Kardashian House. “Th at Jose Victor Lobrigo, outgoing MCPI Chairperson. ing@cardmri.com. had to work beyond office hours.

I It chronicles the founding years of event, which Dr. Alip facilitated.

International Airport’s TerworthPhP500 – from T1 Food from T2 F&B shops, T2 The Cebu to Puerto Princesa fied for the grand draw.

Ravishankar Saravu, Chief The DAFT approach may be a long, long way. He is the his furniture displays were one about the warning signs in would be fun,” EJ says.

CARD MRI founder launches book on Microfinance story MACTAN-CEBU INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT CELEBRATES SUCCESS WITH EXCITING RAFFLE PROMO

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019 Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod 18th City Council 45th Regular Session Series of 2018 PRESENT:

ABSENT:

Vice Mayor Bernard E. Al-ag Councilor Nilo M. Abellera Jr. Councilor Maria Belen S. Acosta Councilor Victorio U. Advincula Jr. Councilor Al Ryan S. Alejandre Councilor Dante L. Apostol Sr. Councilor Conrado C. Baluran Councilor Joanne M. Bonguyan-Quilos Councilor Ma. Cherry Ann M. Bonguyan Councilor Pilar C. Braga Councilor Carmelo J. Clarion Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang Councilor Jimmy G. Dureza Councilor Edgar P. Ibuyan Jr. Councilor Rene Elias C. Lopez Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor

April Marie C. Dayap Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr. Leah A. Librado-Yap Antoinette G. Principe-Castrodes Marissa P. Salvador-Abella

- Presiding Officer

Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor Councilor

Diosdado Angelo A. Mahipus Jaffar U. Marohomsalic Bonifacio E. Militar Avegayle Dalodo Ortiz J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. Halila Y. Sudagar Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III - On Official Business - On Sick Leave - On Vacation Leave - On Vacation Leave - On Vacation Leave

ORDINANCE NO. 0610-18 Series of 2018 AN ORDINANCE REQUIRING ESTABLISHMENTS TO INSTALL PHOTO-LUMINESCENT SAFETY AND DIRECTIONAL MARKINGS LEADING TO ALL AVAILABLE MEANS OF EGRESS AND EMEREGENCY EXITS. Be it ordained by the Honorable Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City in session assembled, that: SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE – This Ordinance shall be known as “THE PHOTO-LUMINESCENT SAFETY AND DIRECTIONAL MARKINGS ORDINANCE OF DAVAO CITY”.

SECTION 2. DEFINITION OF TERMS – As used in this Ordinance the following terms shall mean: 1. Assembly- Assembly occupancies include, but are not limited to, all buildings or portions of building used for gathering together fifty (50) or more persons for such purposes as deliberation, worship, entertainment, eating, drinking, amusement, awaiting transportation, or similar uses; 2. Building Administrator- Any person who acts as agent of the owner and manages the use of a building for the latter; 3. Directional Markings- signs that give directional information within a building/structure or establishment.

Directional markings are identified by an arrow, multiple chevrons, or a line with chevrons at one end to show the direction of exits; 4. Final Exit Door- any door leading directly to the exterior or a street level lobby; 5. Means of Egress- continuous and unobstructed route of exit from one point in a building, structure or facility to a public way; 6. Photo-luminescent Material- emits light that continues for a length of time after excitation by visible or invisible light after the light source has been removed; 7. Safety Signs- illuminated signs which contain information or instruction regarding safety on a signboard; SECTION 3. COVERAGE- This Ordinance shall cover, but is not limited to, the following types of establishments: 1. Place of assembly 2. Business Institutions 3. Educational Institutions 4. Storage Facilities 5. All structures with 300 or more persons 6. All building that are within 2,790 sq. m. floor area 7. All buildings with 3 or more storeys 8. All health care facilities with 4 or more admitted patients 9. All industrial facilities categorized as high hazard SECTION 4. LOCATION OF MARKINGS – All establishments covered by this Ordinance shall ensure that photoluminescent safety markings are placed on: 1. Doors and doorframes: a. Doorframes of final exit doors or doors leading to means of egress; b. Door handles, knobs, latches, panic devices or opening devices of final exit doors or doors leading to means of egress; 2. Stairways, handrails, ramps and steps a. Landings, mid-landings, passageways or corridors within the stairway; b. Floor number and stairway name; c. All handrails and handrails extensions; d. Leading edge of each step and the perimeter of ramps; 3. Means of Egress a. The Floors of means of egress shall be illuminated at all points by directional markings including angles and intersections of corridors and passageways; b. All safety signs leading to means of egress and final exit doors; i. principal routes providing access to exit in open floor areas and in service rooms; ii. underground walkways, basements; iii. floor areas or parts thereof where the public may congregate; 4. Obstacles- all obstructions along the means of egress, stairwells, ramps, no-exit doors, etc.

5. Safety Equipment- Fire-fighting and emergency equipment such as fire extinguishers, fire hose, first aid kit, etc.

SECTION 5. INSTALLATION OF PHOTO-LUMINESCENT MARKINGS – All owners or building administrators, in case of buildings with multiple occupants, of establishments covered by this Ordinance shall be required to install photoluminescent safety and directional markings prior to the issuance of the Building Occupancy Permit. Occupancy of an establishment prior to compliance with the required installations shall constitute a violation of this Ordinance.

The Office of the City Building Official, in cooperation with the Bureau of Fire Protection, shall be the agency tasked with the implementation of the provisions of this Ordinance and is empowered to conduct the inspection of the Photo-luminescent markings of each establishment at least once every 3 years.

The Photo-luminescent markings must continue to be present and visible in the establishment for as long as it is operational.

SECTION 6. PERIOD OF COMPLIANCE FOR EXISTING STRUCTURES– Establishments already occupied prior to the enactment of this Ordinance shall be given six (6) months to comply with the required installation of photoluminescent safety and directional markings.

SECTION 7. PENALTY CLAUSE– The owner or building administrator of any establishment covered by this Ordinance who fails to comply shall be liable for: First Offense Second Offense Third Offense

Verbal and written warning from the City Building Official P5,000.00 fine Cancellation of Business Permit

In case the violation is committed by a partnership, corporation, or company, the owner/proprietor, partners, managers and members of the Board of Directors of such establishment shall be liable individually.

SECTION 8. IMPLEMENTING RULES AND REGULATIONS– The implementing Rules and Regulations shall be created by a Technical Working Group (TWG) as follows: Chairperson City Mayor or authorized representative Vice Chairperson Chairperson of the Committee on Peace and Public Safety Members: Representative from City Legal Office Representative from Office of the City Building Official Representative from the Bureau of Fire Protection Representative from the Office of the City Engineer Representative from the Department of Trade and Industry Representative from the Davao City Chamber of Commerce SECTION 9. REPEALING CLAUSE– Any Ordinance, local issuances or rules inconsistent with the provisions of this Ordinance are hereby repealed or modified, accordingly.

SECTION 10. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE– If for any reason any section or provision of this Ordinance is declared unconstitutional or invalid, the other sections or provisions hereof which are not affected thereby, shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 11. EFFECTIVITY– This Ordinance shall take effect 15 days upon approval, posting and publication in a newspaper of local circulation in the City of Davao.

ENACTED, on the 3rd day of December, 2018, by a unanimous vote of all the Members of the Sanggunian, there being a quorum.

CERTIFIED CORRECT:

ATTESTED:

cns/kjtq

ATTESTED:

CHARITO N. SANTOS Secretary to the Sangguniang Panglungsod (City Government Department Head II)

PCSO... FROM1

9

dialdea said investigators “found no anomalies in the conduct of its operation, its sanctity remained untainted and proper regulatory rules followed”.

Last week, Duterte ordered all gaming activities of the PCSO, including Lotto, STL, and Peryahan ng Bayan, to stop due to “massive corruption”.

Panelo said the Chief Executive would reveal the names of of�icials or employees involved in corruption “in due time”.

“We’ll have to wait for the President. He is thoroughly investigating the corruption and as he said, in due time, we’ll name them. Do not be impatient,” Panelo said in a Palace

brie�ing.

The Palace assured that those in need of medical assistance and social services may, for the meantime, approach the Of�ice of the President (OP), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) or the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD).

(PNA)

Killings occur because of the viciousness of the rivalry between the claimants,” presidential spokesperson Salvador Panelo said.

“Let me tell you that the government will always be concerned with respect to any violence in�licted against the citizens of this

country, whether done by outside forces or by those inside this country,” he added. (H. Marcos C. Mordeno/ MindaNews)

able, and reliable means of job application, matching, and hiring will be able to promote ease in doing business and at the same time augment our workers income and increase the demand for employment in automotive, electronics, transport, logistics, and other vital services,” Duterte said.

“I am hopeful that our TVET students and graduates all over the country will successfully land jobs that will best suit their skills and quali�ications,” he added.

Duterte also encouraged NPA rebels to surrender their arms and enroll

in TESDA instead.

Duterte enjoined industry partners to continue working with the government to produce welltrained individuals in their respective sectors.

He, meanwhile, urged TESDA to further enhance the quality of technical vocational education to open more doors of opportunities for the advancement of Filipino job seekers.

911 TESDA is a free web-based linking program or app that aims to provide employment opportunities for TESDA graduates and where TESDA services can be availed online by individuals,

households, and enterprises.

TESDA graduates and certi�ied workers need to be accredited by the digital online service providers (DOSPs) for them to be included in the 911 TESDA. When the app is tapped for service, the DOSP would look for the registered worker nearest the area or vicinity.

TESDA graduates have the option to work either full time or part time with the DOSP. The app is initially available in the National Capital Region (NCR) but TESDA plans to make this available nationwide.

(PNA)

investigation on corrupt practices.

In his statement, Medialdea said investigators “found no anomalies in the conduct of its operation, its sanctity remained untainted and proper regulatory rules followed”.

Last week, Duterte ordered all gaming activities of the PCSO, including Lotto, STL, and Peryahan ng

Bayan, to stop due to “massive corruption”.

Panelo said the Chief Executive would reveal the names of of�icials or employees involved in corruption “in due time”.

“We’ll have to wait for the President. He is thoroughly investigating the corruption and as he said, in due time, we’ll name them. Do not be impatient,”

Panelo said in a Palace brie�ing.

The Palace assured that those in need of medical assistance and social services may, for the meantime, approach the Of�ice of the President (OP), the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) or the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). (PNA)

van rentals to avoid selling tour packages to tourists.

“Most of the don’t have tourism licenses,” she said.

Tourism arrivals for the �irst half of 2019 have reached 1.268 million, nearly half of the 3 million target of the local government for the entire year, she said.

Data from the tourism of�ice showed that arrivals

for the �irst semester saw an increase of 8.61% from 1.167% recorded in the same period last year.

Tecson said the tourism of�ice remains optimistic that it can hit the target because she anticipated that tourist arrivals will pick up in the second half, especially during the Kadayawan Festival next month.

The Kadayawan festival, the biggest celebration in the city, highlights the cultures of the city’s 11 tribes, consisting of six Moro tribes (Tausug, Maguindanaon, Iranun, Kagan, Maranao, and Sama) and �ive Lumad tribes (Klata, Ata, Ubo Manuvo, Matigsalog, and Tagabawa). [Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews]

members. Accordingly, the company encourages its members to recruit others as well.

Aside from the cash sales rewards, Scentko promises a referral fee equivalent to 10 percent of the amount invested by the new member.

Scentko and Brendahl Cruz Holdings are registered as corporations.

However, the issuance of a certi�icate of incorporation only grants an entity a juridical personality and does not constitute an authority to engage in activities requiring a secondary license from the SEC, such as sell-

ing and offering securities.

Under Section 8 of Republic Act 8799, or the Securities Regulation Code, securities such as investment contracts shall not be sold or offered for sale or distribution without a registration statement duly �iled and approved by the Commission.

Section 28 further states that no person shall engage in the business of buying or selling securities in the Philippines as a broker or dealer, or act as a salesman, or an associated person of any broker or dealer unless registered with the SEC.

In this light, those acting as salesman, broker or agent of Scentko and Brendahl Cruz Holdings may be prosecuted and held criminally liable. They may face a maximum �ine of PHP5 million or imprisonment of 21 years or both, pursuant to Section 73 of the Securities Regulation Code.

Scentko and Brendahl Cruz Holdings add to at least 42 investment schemes earlier �lagged by the SEC this year. The public is encouraged to report any information on their operations by calling (02) 818-6047. (PR)

PH... FROM2

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10 EDGEDAVAO INFLUX... FROM3

VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

ists brings, he said “there is always the other side of the coin. We must not let our guard down.”

He cited �igures from Finance Secretary Sonny Dominguez, saying should

all the newly arrived Chinese nationals be taxed, the Philippines stands to earn P2 billion a month, approximating the incomes of business process outsourcing.

oversight function to make sure they follow the law.

Kasi this is very important, this is the competitiveness of our farmers.

We have liberalized the importation of rice so we have to make our farmers as competitive as soon as possible," she added.

The Rice Tarif�ication law was signed by President Rodrigo Duterte last February. It took effect in March.

Under this measure, all quantitative restrictions on rice importation in the country have been lifted but a 35-percent tariff shall be imposed on imports from the Southeast Asian countries.

The Bureau of Customs (BOC) said that it has collected nearly P6.5 billionin duties from rice imports made by private traders from March to mid-July this year.

municipal council to pass a new tax code to re�lect the current economic realities so that the local government unit can better respond to "the needs of the time."

He said the town's rising tax revenues can be attributed to collection ef-

�iciency, greater purchasing power among residents, improved production of high-value crops and fruit trees because of investments in farm to market roads, reduced transportation cost, and better market access among farmers and traders. (PNA)

SEN.VILLAR... FROM4

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na Mustapha, Maguindanao, which has also been affected by the ongoing skirmishes.

“We attend to their (Maguindanao evacuees) needs because disaster response recognizes no

boundary,” she said in the vernacular.

The vast Pagalungan River separates the towns of Pikit in North Cotabato and Shariff Saydona Mustapha in Maguindanao.

On July 25, the Ar-

my’s 6th Infantry Division (6ID) has launched air and ground assaults against the BIFF in the boundary of North Cotabato and Maguindanao after con�irming reports of rebels massing up in the area.

Major Gen. Diosdado Carreon, 6ID commander, said nine BIFF rebels and a soldier were so far killed in the skirmishes. Military clearing operations are still ongoing as of this posting.

(PNA)

MAGSAYSAY... FROM5

EDGE DAVAO

NOW HIRING!!!

• ACCOUNTING CLERKS • REPORTERS • LAYOUT ARTISTS • DRIVER

KINDLY ADDRESS APPLICATION LETTER ASAP TO

ELLA P. TINGZON | 0918 383 1511 For additional inquiries, please email us at: zion.davao@gmail.com

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

11

PH now ranked no. 24 in FIBA 3X3

T

he Philippines' Olympic dream is still within reach.

In an update released by the FIBA 3x3 last Sunday, the country rose to no. 24 in the world rankings, fortifying its bid to at least earn an invite to the Olympic Qualifying Tournament (OQT).

"This is a surprising development even for us," said Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas 3x3 league owner Ronald Mascariñas. "We started the year at 60 and many said that making it to an Olympic Qualifying Tournament was improbable, but with the people who believed in the dream, we were able to crack the top 24."

Before the Grand Finals of the 2019 Chooks Pilipinas 3x3 Patriot's Cup presented by Coca-Cola, the country was ranked no. 28 with 6,257,888 points.

The Grand Finals, a level-eight tourney according to FIBA, garnered for the Philippines 434,452 points in the men's rankings to lift the country four spots higher - ahead of Dominican Republic, Canada, Indonesia, and Switzerland.

Being in the top 24 by the end of the FIBA-imposed cutoff - set on November 1, 2019 - will give the coun-

try an automatic berth in the OQT come March 2020.

There, three slots are at stake for the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

Currently, four of the eight Olympic seats will be given to host Japan and three of the highest-ranked teams by the end of the deadline.

The last slot will be awarded to the winner of the Universality-driven OQT set on April 2020.

That is why the goal now is to maintain the country's standing and that can only happen by hosting more tournaments and joining international meets.

"We are truly headed towards the right direction and the SBP is overwhelmed by the support of private organizers who have signi�icantly contributed in SBP’s mission to continuously improve in our world ranking to enable us to qualify to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics," said Panlilio.

"The �ight is not yet over. Yes, we are happy that we made it to the top 24 but the challenge now is to maintain our standing or go even higher," shared Mascariñas.

If worse comes to worst and the Philippines does not �inish in the top 24, the SBP and Mascariñas disclosed that they plan on bidding to host the OQT.

The country’s physically-challenged athletes like Davao’s Ernie Gawilan, a silver medalist in the World Championship qualifers, will get corporate support from Allianz PNB.

Allianz PNB backs PH para athletes

A

llianz PNB Life expressed its support for the Philippine para obstacle course racing team for the 2020 ASEAN Para Games by becoming its of�icial life insurance partner.

Allianz PNB Life signed a memorandum of understanding with the Pilipinas Obstacle Sports Federation and

the Philippine Paralympic Committee to become the Philippine para-OCR team's major backer on Saturday at the Rizal Park Hotel.

This means the national team, consisting of Ramon Anievas, Jeferson Biteng, Nigel Archer, Jerald Polintan, Angel Torres, Ariel Zinampan, Aga Casidsid, and Bert Natividad, will be assured of life and medical in-

OCR in the Philippines. Entering into an agreement with the POSF furthers our support for these ideals,” Allianz Philippines president and CEO Alexander Grenz said.

Allianz is no stranger to the Paralympic scene as it has been partnering with the International Paralympic Committee since 2006.

(PNA)

hance, a creative portfolio service, and an art director who worked with Nike appear to show what the newest uniforms will look like.

The links are no longer live, but fans were quick to grab a screenshot of the new looks.

The apparent �irst look at the new visual program shows an updated Warriors front on the classic blue uniform along with a gold “The Bay” uniform, a black “The Town” uniform and a gold “The City” one

as well. Golden State has worn “The Town”, in reference to Oakland and “The City”, in reference to San Francisco in the past, and the addition of “The Bay” would tie the whole region together. While no white uniform is included in the apparent leak, the Warriors Reddit page did speculate that a white uniform would have a similar update to the blue uniform.

In June the Warriors revealed their updated logo going into next season.

Warriors’ new uniforms leaked

T

he latest Golden State Warriors’ uniforms have reportedly been leaked on social media.

With the Warriors moving from Oracle Arena in Oakland to the Chase Center in San Francisco, the team planned to unveil new uniforms with a slightly new look for the 2019-2020 season, but the surprise may have been spoiled by apparent �irst look posts on social media.

The Warriors Reddit page and links from Be-

The Philippines has gone up in the FIBA world 3x3 rankings at no. 24.

surance as well as �inancial support in their training for the inaugural staging of the para-OCR event at the ASEAN Para Games, which for now is a demonstration event.

“Allianz has always believed in creating equal opportunities and encouraging people to meet challenges. This is why we have always been supportive of

MOSES BILLACURA CLEAN SLATE

POC’S BAMBOL IS IN GOOD COMPANY After the recent plenary session, Congressmen Sid Ungab, Eric Yap and Bambol Tolentino had a group photo at the of�ice of �irsttime Congressman Pulong Duterte.

I was interested of the photo because just recently, Congressman Bambol Tolentino, who is the Philcycling president, was elected as the new president of the troubled Philippine Olympic Committee (POC), the victory con�irmed by our

amigo, editor Jun Lomibao, who is also a long-time cycling of�icial.

Here’s my feelings about the photo posted by Cong.Ungab and how I look at it.

If Bambol has good relations with Ungab and Duterte, then the POC as an organization has found strong allies in sports.

Ungab has been credited for his hard work in the various stages of building the UP Mindanao-Davao

City Sports Complex in order for Davao City to host the Palarong Pambansa with the help of his friends.

Cong.Ungab even as a City Councilor of Davao has been a very amiable gentleman, easy to work with and has been sympathetic to sports development efforts.

Cong.Duterte, on the other hand, has been backing sports events in the city for years even at

the time when he was still Barangay Captain.

Cong.Bambol’s association with the two Davao congressmen could be a sign of brighter things to come in the POC because he can ask “a little from his friends” if needed.

The POC is a troubled organization because of the in�ighting (it’s all about power and money, my friends, ayaw na mog deny deny diha) and it needs a total clean up.

If the Congressmen start talking about how to help Philippine sports, I have a feeling that there will be a plan to help revitalize sports in the country.

There will be a lot of bumps along the way, for sure, however, if this group of lawmakers can start �inding solutions to the ills of Philippine sports, the shenanigans in sports in Manila will start backing away.

12

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019 VOL.12 ISSUE 103 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 1, 2019

Social Security System (SSS) Chairwoman and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio and Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William I. Ramirez sign the Memorandum of Agreement at the PSC Press Conference Room at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex in Manila on Tuesday (July 30, 2019). Over 1,000 national athletes will now have SSS coverage. (PSC Photo)

UNPRECEDENTED

Athletes, trainers, coaches assured of SSS benefits

P

hilippine Sports Commission (PSC) Chairman William I. Ramirez and Social Security System (SSS) President and Chief Executive Of�icer Aurora Ignacio on Tuesday formally signed a landmark memorandum of agreement (MOA) that would �inally provide SSS bene�its for athletes, trainers and coaches.

“I was so surprised and I’m so happy that such a big courier organization of the country is partnering with us, helping us with our athletes,” Ramirez said in his speech during the signing ceremony at the PSC building at the Rizal Memorial Sports Complex, Manila.

Ramirez said the historic partnership will be one of the legacies that they want to leave to the national athletes, coaches and trainers.

“This are our legacy na iiwanan (that will leave), big part of this.

Sa pananaw ko (I think), no single Bureau or Department can achieve this goal without collaboration with the other agency and I think this is an example of a great collaboration” Ramirez said.

Ramirez was accom-

panied by his three commissioners -- Charles Raymond Maxey, Celia Kiram and Arnold Agustin while Ignacio was with SSS NCR Operations Group Senior Vice President Jose B. Bautista and SSS Concurrent Acting Senior Vice President Antonio S. Argabioso.

“Unang-una ‘ho, kami ‘ho ang dapat na magpasalamat sa inyo.

Kami ‘ho ang mas nangangailangan talaga na mai-cover ang inyong mga Coaches, Trainers tska Athletes.(First, we should be the one who should express appreciation. We really need to cover your coaches, trainers and athletes),” Ignacio said.

Ignacio said the partnership was in line with President Rodrigo Duterte’s order to provide protection to the national athletes, coaches and trainers who continuously give pride and glory for the country in the international arena.

“Maraming atleta na tumatanda na lang at hindi sila natutulungan sa pagpapa-ospital sa kanilang pagtanda.So with the SSS coverage hindi lang ‘ho yung sickness at disability ang makukuha nila, there

are other bene�its lalo na sa atletang babae (Many athletes have retired and they are not getting help like hospitalization when they become old.

So with the SSS coverage, they will not only get sickness and disability bene�its, but other bene�its specially for female athletes)” Ignacio said.

SSS members should complete at least 120 months contribution in order to enjoy the pension and other SSS bene�its.

Under the agreement, the PSC shall automatically deduct the monthly SSS contributions from the allowances of the national athletes, coaches and trainers under ‘self-employed’ category.

“The PSC, having no employer-employee relationship with its national athletes, coaches and trainers, has no obligation to pay the employer counterpart of the said contributions,” stated in the MOA. The PSC is a government sports arm that supports the training and exposures of some over 1,000 national athletes from 58 National Sports Associations (NSAs).(PR)