Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 152 | Wednesday, October 9, 2019

VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

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SHUTDOWN SALUGPONGAN

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Deped 11 body orders closure of Salugpongan schools in Davao

BULK WATER PROJECT. Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc. general manager Cirilo “Ones” Almario III (3rd from right) shows to Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang (2nd from left) the Tamugan River, the main source of water for the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project, in Brgy. Tawan-Tawan, Baguio District, Davao City during the project's site visit on Monday afternoon. Also in the photo are Davao City Water District (DCWD) deputy spokesperson Jovana Cresta Duhaylungsod (rightmost) and barangay officials from Baguio District.

Lean Daval Jr

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BREAST CANCER: FILIPINO WOMEN’S ENEMY NO. 1 HEALTH P12

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he ad hoc fact-finding committee of the Department of Education regional office in the Davao Region (DepEd 11) has recommended the closure of all private schools owned and operated by Salugpongan Ta’ Tanu Igkanogon effective Monday.

In the Notice of Resolution dated September 5 addressed to Ma. Eugenia Nolasco, executive director of the Salugpongan Ta’ Tanu Igkanogon,

the committee said that "considering the finding of substantial evidence the Ad hoc Fact-Finding Committee recommended the closure

SHUTDOWN, P11

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VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

CSSDO to benchmark ComVal feeding program

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CLOSURE ORDER. Department of Education 11 (DepEd 11) spokesperson Jenielito Atillo announces that based on the results of the fact-finding committee’s investigation and recommendation, private schools owned and operated by Salugpongan Ta’ Tanu Igkanogon Community

ISIS-linked BIFF still recruiting Moro youths: PNP Maguindanao

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he Islamic State-inspired Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) continues to recruit young Moro in Mindanao, luring them with at least P50,000 outright cash and P10,000 monthly allowance, the chief of police of Maguindanao province said.

Colonel Arnold Santiago, Maguindanao police director, on Sunday revealed the information following the clash between the BIFF and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) on October 3 that killed seven from the MILF. “The BIFF members are going around in remote communities to continue recruiting young Moros, especially those uneducated because they can easily be lured. They are offered cash to become IS fighters,” he said, adding that potential BIFF recruits are indoctrinated with the wrong teachings of Islam, including violence.

Potential BIFF recruits are indoctrinated with the wrong teachings of Islam, including violence, he noted.

To counter the IS recruitment, Santiago said the provincial police office are sending representatives to talk at the madaris (Islamic schools) or with the ustadz (religious scholar) to propagate the “true essence of Islam,” which is a religion of peace, said Santiago, a lawyer.

Discouraging young Moros from joining the BIFF, he stressed that for Muslims in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), the real war “is the war to eradicate poverty and hunger.”

October 3 clash Santiago said the October 3 clash, which lasted for four hours, erupted in Barangay Dasawao, Shariff Saydona Mustapha town, birthplace of Esmael Abubakar, alias Kumander Bungos, leader of one of the

three BIFF factions.

He said the BIFF men under Abubakar went to the village, which is under MILF control, brandishing their high-powered firearms, which triggered the firefight. Santiago noted that the two sides have a longstanding “rido” or clan war due to a land dispute.

In a statement on Monday, Presidential Peace Adviser Carlito Galvez, Jr. said the firefight erupted between the MILF combatants and the ISIS-affiliated Turaype-Dawla group.

Santiago did not debunk Galvez’s claim when sought again for comment on Monday.

According to Santiago, the MILF members have long requested the BIFF members, some of whom are also their relatives, to refrain from coming to the village with their high-powered firearms.

Santiago said that given the peace agreement that government and the MILF signed in March 2014, the MILF wanted to avoid a situation where the presence of the heavily-armed BiFF could trigger aerial bombings or military operations that would cause civilian displacement.

Rommel Banlaoi, chair of the Philippine Institute for Peace, Violence and Terrorism Research, earlier said foreign IS fighters continue to arrive in Mindanao, despite the defeat in Marawi City, to help local militant groups establish a caliphate in Southeast Asia.

On May 23, 2017, the IS-aligned Maute and Abu Sayyaf groups seized Marawi, resulting to a five-month urban combat with government security forces that displaced over 350,000 civilians and left the core of the city in ruins. Some 1,100 individuals died, mostly Islamic militants.

Banlaoi said the foreign terrorist fighters monitored to have entered Min-

ISIS-LINKED, P11

Learning Center, Inc. is issued with closure order during a news conference held at the DepEd Regional Office along F. Torres Street in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

he Davao City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO) has benchmarked the school feeding program of Compostela Valley as Davao City’s model for a similar initiative.

A team from the City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), headed by Maria Luisa Bermudo, completed a benchmarking visit to Compostela Valley to look at the best practices on the school-based feeding program.

Bermudo said CSSDO will study how they can develop the same project in the city or re-design to fit the Davao’s school children situation.

“This is for the benefit of the pupils. Through the project, they will have their lunch that will be prepared by personnel of the city government. The aim is to ensure that the children

are eating healthy food,” she said.

Under the program, Bermudo said a kitchen will be set up in each district and deliver the food to the schools.

“There is really a big difference in the nutritional level of the kids in Comval after they implemented the program two years ago,” she said.

Bermudo said the program will be a big help to address malnutrition of the children.

Currently, the city has a Community Integrated Management of Acute Malnutrition (CIMAM) program to solve the malnutrition problem in the city.

Based on the report of the City Nutrition Council, among the 176 enrolled malnourished children from January to June 2016, 65 percent of them were cured after several months in the program. CIO

“We are targeting kasi 100 percent talaga,” Villafuerte said, adding that the second and third round of massive oral polio vaccinations will follow on November and December, respectively.

Villafuerte said they also tapped pediatric clinics that will provide free polio vaccination.

During the forum, Dr. Lulu Bravo said the polio outbreak was caused by low vaccination coverage and the people’s resistance in taking vaccines caused by the fear brought by the

controversial dengvaxia.

In a data she presented, 93 percent of the Filipinos got vaccinated in 2015 but massively declined in 2018 to only 32 percent because of dengvaxia.

Bravo said to restore the public’s trust, confidence and acceptance on vaccination, healthcare workers, and institution through communicating the values of vaccination and the consequences of not having vaccination to individuals, families, tourism, security and economy

Massive polio vaccination set

By ADAM B. MORRELL he Davao City Health Office (CHO) will launch a massive oral polio vaccination on Monday, October 14, in a bid to achieve 100-percent polio immunization coverage in Davao City.

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In Tuesday’s Oral Polio Vaccination Forum held at the Grand Men Seng Hotel, CHO head officer Dr. Joy Villafuerte said the immunization for the infectious diseases is free for children ages 5 years old and below.

Villafuerte said the first round of massive vaccination will start on Monday

in Barangay 5-A Bangkerohan.

She said apart from fixed sites for vaccinations, volunteers from both government and private sectors will visit markets, malls, terminals, churches and event go house-tohouse to properly reach all areas needed vaccination.

Schoolchildren of Compostela Valley with their "Bag ng Pagbabago" given by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

MASSIVE, P11

VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

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BARMM commissions baseline study on K-3

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FIELD TRIAL. Normina Abdulkarim (left), one of the enumerators of the Student Learning Assessment for Bangsamoro (SLAB), administers the SLAB survey tool on a Grade 1 learner of Kiteb Central Elementary

School during the field trial on October 3 in Datu Anggal Midtimbang, Maguindanao.

he Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) commissioned a baseline study that will measure the learning performance of its K-3 learners.

Dubbed as Student Learning Assessment for Bangsamoro (SLAB), the baseline study aims to gather baseline data on literacy, numeracy, social and emotional skills, executive function, and the attitudes and motivation of K-3 learners.

“The SLAB initiative is part of our efforts to integrate evidence-based approach to planning and programming,” said BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal.

Iqbal said early years education, which include K-3, is given special attention by the ministry because these are the foundational years of a child.

“Early years education is where we can provide the building blocks of lifelong learning, prosperity, and values for our chil-

dren,” said Iqbal.

He added K-3 interventions are a strong predictor of school success and later on, success in adult life.

Iqbal shared that in the BARMM, high dropout rates are seen in early years education.

“The baseline study is hoped to find out why this is happening and what needs to be done to keep our children in schools,” he said.

The ministry created a technical working group to oversee the baseline study, which is supported by the Australian Government through the Pathways Program.

Iqbal said the study’s survey instrument is being finalized and shall be subjected to a field trial before upscaling it throughout BARMM next year.

Results of the baseline study are hoped to inform BARMM’s plans, programs, and education policies especially in the areas of early years education in the near future.

nsisting his innocence in the murder of a radio broadcaster here three months ago, one of the three suspects charged with murder showed up at the Kidapawan City police and surrendered on Monday morning (October 7).

Sotero Jacolbe, also a radio announcer, was one of the three suspects charged in the killing of broadcaster Eduardo Dizon of Brigada News FM-Kidapawan on July 10, 2019.

The other accused are Dante Tabusares alias Bong Encarnacion and Junell Gerozaga.

Jacolbe, accompanied by his wife, presented himself at past 10 a.m. to Lt. Col. Ramel Hojilla, Kidapawan City police director.

Jacolbe surrendered a week after a warrant of ar-

rest was issued against him and the two other suspects.

“I am innocent, I am ready to face the charges against me in court,” he told reporters, reiterating that he had no hand in the murder of Dizon, who he claims to be his best friend.

Lawyers for Tabusares and Gerozaga questioned the murder charge, claiming the authorities lacked evidence against their clients.

Dizon, former town councilor of Makilala, North Cotabato, was a block time host of the local Brigada News FM Radio when murdered.

He was driving his car on his way home to Makilala at past 10 p.m. when two men on board a motorbike opened fire on him. He died on the spot. (PNA)

Danny vows support for Apo Agua project I T

By MAYA M. PADILLO he Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc (AAII) got an able backer in the person of Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang who expressed to assist them overcome ‘obstcales’ when they commence with the pipe laying activities scheduled on October 21 for the P12.6 billion Davao City bulk water supply project.

“The Apo Agua deserves to be assisted and helped in terms of moral support, understanding, especially on some challenges on the road right of way (ROW) and traffic,” said Dayanghirang in an interview during a site visit on Monday in Tamugan River, Barangay Tawan-Tawan, Baguio District.

Apo Agua Infrastructura

Inc. (AAII) general manager Ones Almario told media that the pipe laying is the most crucial part of the project. He said they have coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH), City Engineers Office (CEO), Public Safety Command Center (PSCC), and the City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO).

Mati LGU to double pension for senior citizens by 2020

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he City of Mati under Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat is raising by 200% the annual pension senior citizens will be receiving from the local government unit starting next year.

In her speech before senior citizens from Barangay Central Tuesday morning, October 8, Mayor Michelle said her administration will give pension to an estimated 4,095 indigent senior citizens of the city.

In the past, senior citizens receive an annual pension of P1,000 each from the local government.

By 2020, Mayor Michelle said she will give P500 pension every quarter for each of the senior citizens for a total amount of P2,000 each per year.

Mayor Michelle acknowledged the effort of

the senior citizens to come up with such a memorable event for the celebration of the Senior Citizen Month.

She also announced the releasing of P10,000 per chapter of senior citizens group for the celebration.

The Office of the Senior Citizen Affairs-Mati Chapter conducted the initial program for the the Senior Citizen Day Celebration with a theme “Healthy and Productive Aging starts with ME”.

Celebrations will be happening the whole month of October for all of the 26 barangays in the City of Mati.

Tuesday’s event was held at Barangay Central Covered Court. The event was spearheaded by the Office of the Senior Citizens Affairs of the City of Mati

MATI, P13

Suspect in murder of NorCot broadcast man surrenders

“Other than the security also sa traffic management and rescue protocols kung sino tatawagan namin at anong hospital ang malapit sa site namin. The PSCC has been very helpful. We described to them the whole project kung saan kami maglalalatag, critical points, critical intersections and they gave us advices. But of course we will coordinate with the respective barangays kung alin ang convenient sa kanila. Hindi naman kasi puwede na convenient sa amin ang gagawin naming,” said Almario who assured that they are are well coordinated through J. V. Angeles Construction Corporation (JVACC), Aboitiz Equity Ventures’ (AEVs) partner for AAII.

AAII started the pipe laying of raw water transmission lines in the private lands where they have ROW. Presently, around 800 meters of pipes of 2.2 meters long are being laid as of this time with the pipe laying began in Barangay Wines.

Almario said on October 21 they will start pipe laying the 60- kilometer treated water pipeline from the water treatment facility and end in DCWD’s five existing water systems Dumoy, Calinan, Tugbok, Panacan and Cabantian as well as three additional new water systems in Talandang, Mandug, and Indangan.

“We will start pipe lying simultaneous yan. We have

DANNY, P13

Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat addresses the Senior Citizens Day assembly.

5 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

Samsung forecasts profit drop for 4th consecutive quarter

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amsung Electronics said Tuesday it expected operating profits to drop more than 50 percent in the third quarter as the global chip market continued to slump.

Operating profit for July to September was forecast to reach 7.7 trillion won ($6.4 billion), down 56.2 percent from a year earlier, the world’s largest maker of smartphones and memory chips said in a statement.

It marks the fourth consecutive quarter in which the South Korean tech company has recorded a profit drop in the face of falling semiconductor prices and weakened demand for its mobile devices.

Sales for the third quarter were expected to reach around 62 trillion won, down 5.3 percent from the same period last year.

Samsung withholds net profit and sector-by-sector business performance until it releases its final earnings report, which is expected later this month.

Samsung shares edged up by 1 percent at morning

trading in Seoul.

The firm is the flagship subsidiary of the giant Samsung Group, by far the biggest of the family-controlled conglomerates that dominate business in the world’s 11th-largest economy, and crucial to South Korea’s economic health.

Analysts voiced optimism for the coming months, noting that falling inventory levels for semiconductors -- which account for more than half of Samsung’s profit -- will help stabilize chip prices after double-digit drops this year.

‘COMPETITOR IN CRISIS’ The estimates for the third quarter showed a slight rise from the April to June period, which analysts attributed mainly to improvements in the mobile business.

The firm rolled out its flagship Note 10 devices that connect to superfast 5G network in August, which analysts say have sold far better than its previous models to give Samsung a much-needed boost.

SAMSUNG, P11

A trader carries Sto. Niño statues and other religious items which he will sell at his stall inside San Pedro Cathedral compound in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

Gov’t fires up 27 new free T Wi-Fi stations across PH

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Russia needs household workers, musicians, skilled workers: DOLE

he government on Tuesday simultaneously fired up 27 free Wi-Fi stations across the station, which it claimed could provide speeds of up to 30 megabits per second (mbps).

At a press conference, Department of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) Secretary Gregorio Honasan II said the initiative is part of the government’s target to put up 8,073 sites this year alone.

“Ang issue rito is connectivity.

Connectivity means getting access to data real-time. ‘Yun ang kagandahan sa technology ngayon dahil it’s almost free, it’s a global phenomenon,” he told reporters at the Army General Hospital

in Taguig City.

The Army General Hospital was one of the wifi stations activated on Tuesday, representing the National Capital Region.

“You connect government to other governments -- domestic and global, you connect government to business, connect government to our citizens, and connect government to our armed men who are protecting this country,” said Honasan.

Other access points

were put up in Dagupan City (Region 1); Tuguegarao City (Region 2); Mabalacat City (Region 3); Morong, Rizal (Region 4A); Victoria, Oriental Mindoro (Region 4B).

Also launched were those in Sorsogon and Camarines Sur (Region 5); Iloilo and Negros Occidental (Region 6); Cebu City (Region 7); Eastern Samar (Region 8); Zamboanga City (Region 9); and Cagayan de Oro (Region 10).

Free wifi stations were likewise put up in Davao City (Region 11); South Cotabato (Region 12); Agusan del Norte (Region 13); Cotabato City (BARMM); and Baguio City (CAR).

Honasan said the country’s major telecommunications companies are

service providers to several sites, but he did not elaborate.

“We’re applying the principle of convergence.

All institutions, all agencies, and the principle of public-private partnership,” he said.

The DICT in 2018 said it planned to put up 250,000 wifi access points across the country before 2022, when the six-year term of President Rodrigo Duterte ends.

In August 2017, Duterte signed Republic Act. 10929, also known as the Free Internet Access in Public Places Act. The measure mandated that the government should provide free internet access in public spaces across the country.

eliminate plastic waste by acting fast and taking radical action at all points in the plastic cycle," Unilever chief executive Alan Jope said in a statement.

But Jope told the BBC that the company -- whose 400 brands also include Knorr, Lipton tea and Magnum ice creams -- was also trying to remain "relevant".

"We do believe in trying to remain relevant for younger groups of consumers, and we know that millennials and Gen-Zennials, the next wave, really care about purpose and sustainability, and the conduct of the companies and the brands that they're buying," he told the broadcaster.

Of the 350,000 tonnes of "virgin plastic" Unilever

will cut, it said 100,000 tonnes will come from an outright reduction in the use of plastic packaging, for example by making reusable or refillable packs, using alternative packaging or "naked products" that use none at all.

The other 250,000 tonnes of the reduction will come from using recycled plastics.

The firm said it would also "help collect and process more plastic packaging than it sells".

'GREENWASHING' ALERT Unilever said it was the "first major global consumer goods company to commit to an absolute plastics reduction".

Alternative methods it has tried recently include

shampoo bars, refillable toothpaste tablets, cardboard deodorant sticks and bamboo toothbrushes.

The world produces more than 300 million tonnes of plastics annually, the UN says, with much of it ending up in the oceans.

Companies are coming under increasing pressure to act.

In September, 19 companies including Unilever, Nestle, Google and L’Oreal announced a "coalition" to protect biodiversity at the UN climate summit in New York.

Swiss group Nestle has made a similar pledge to the one by Unilever, saying that it will make all of its packaging reusable or

he Philippines is seeking to forge a bilateral labor agreement with the Russian agreement after the latter said it is in need of hundreds of household service workers, musicians and professionals.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said both sides have yet to sign a labor agreement since Russia wanted a government-to-government deal.

"Medyo mahirap kasi kasama sa deployment ang household service workers," he said, adding the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration might not be able to handle the volume."

He said a similar government-to-government labor deal with Israel

DOLE imposes total ban of OFWs deployment to South Sudan

Unilever to halve use of new plastic T

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nglo-Dutch commercial giant Unilever said Monday it will cut its use of new plastic by half by 2025, admitting the move was partly to appeal to young, more environmentally-conscious customers The firm, which owns brands including Dove soap, Ben and Jerry's ice cream and Marmite, would cut annual use from the current 700,000 tonnes of a year to no more than 350,000 tonnes.

The move comes as multinational firms face growing pressure to cut the use of plastics which are polluting both land and sea.

"Plastic has its place, but that place is not in the environment. We can only

UNILEVER, P11

was feasible since the government only needed 1,000 hotel workers.

He noted the minimum salary for a household worker in Russia is P50,000 up to P75,000.

He also praised Russians for being good employers. "Mababait ang mga Russo. Sa lahat ng mga na-meet ko na OFW, wala nagrereklamo na minamaltrato, pinagsasamantalahan, kulang sahod. In other words, they are satisfied," he said.

He added President Duterte also asked Russian President Vladimir Putin to legitimize the status of thousands of overseas Filipino workers in Russia who are working illegally as nannies and household workers.

he Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) on Monday announced the total ban on the deployment of overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) to South Sudan due to the unstable peace and security situation in the North African region.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said the deployment ban was issued after an Alert Level 4 was declared by the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) due to the escalation of violence in South Sudan.

“In a resolution, the governing board of the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) decided to impose a total ban on the processing and deployment of all OFWs

bound for South Sudan, until further notice,” Bello said in a statement.

The DFA said it raised the alert in South Sudan to level 4 from alert level 2 due to the upsurge of violence that erupted between the forces allied with President Salva Kiir and the Protection Unit from the SPLA in Operation (SPLA-IO) of Vice President Riek Machar.

Alert level 4 provides for mandatory repatriation of Filipino workers in the affected area.

Upon request of the POEA, the DFA clarified that South Sudan remains under Alert Level 4 since July 19, 2019.

The civil war in South Sudan started in December 2013. (PNA)

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

China’s muscle

An American basketball team general manager went to Twitter and posted a tweet backing protesters in the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city of Hong Kong who are demanding greater freedoms. He didn’t realize exercising his America-granted freedom of expression is going to get him into trouble in China.

The next thing, Daryl Morey’s team Houston Rockets and the entire NBA which is playing the annual China pre-season tour suffered in sales and lost its Chinese sponsors.

The NBA, one of the world’s most popular professional leagues and among the richest money-making sports enterprise, buckled to the pressure. China is the NBA’s biggest overseas market and one tweet broke the league down dramatically. China, which prohibits any dissent on the sensitive issue, immediately sought to punish the Rockets, with state-run TV cutting its games and Chinese sponsors abandoning the team.

This prompted the NBA to launch an immediate crisis PR. Houston Rockets including its superstar James Harden and the league tried to douse water into the fire and made diplomatic apologies. The NBA said it was “regrettable” that Morey’s views had “offended so many of our

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CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL DR. MAURO L. PUYOD LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. Layout/Cartoons Cartoonist Photography 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

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friends and fans in China”.

The NBA is the latest to fall over the China “no dissent” policy.

China has sought to use its political and financial muscle to pressure major firms into publicly supporting its position. Earlier, Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific was heavily pressured in a campaign led by state-run media after Chinese authorities found its staff too vocal in their support of the protesters. The airline’s then-chairman John Slosar initially insisted he would not dream of telling his staff what to think, but Chinese threats to blacklist the carrier forced a U-turn and Slosar eventually stepped down last month. Cathay Pacific now warns its staff against supporting the protests.

As America’s rich professional league caved in on the China crisis, some politicians back home criticized the league and its officials for crumbling down and literally bowing to China over squandered money.

It appears now that money, and not just ordinary amounts of money but China money, can crumble down even a superpower like the United States.

It’s getting clearer who is going to rule this world in the not so distant future.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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

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VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

VANTAGE POINTS

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JOHN CARLO B. TRIA MY TWO CENTS’

ECOMMERCE, THE ONLINE ECONOMY AND TRADENET IS THE FUTURE An important study was released this week that will show just how vibrant our e commerce has become over the last four years. An October 4, 2019 Business world report states thus: “The 2019 e-Conomy report released on Thursday, which Google conducted in partnership with Temasek Holdings Pte. and Bain & Co., said Southeast Asia’s Internet economy shot up almost 40% to break the $100-billion mark this year. Growth was fueled by online travel, e-commerce, online media and ride hailing sectors.

“This pace of growth has exceeded all expectations. At this rate, the Southeast Asian Internet economy is on track to hit $300 billion by 2025, topping our initial projection in 2016 by $100 billion,” it said.” (https://www.

bworldonline.com/ study-cites-phls-digital-economy-potential/) As far as the Philippines in concerned, it consist of a mere 2.5% of the southeast asian market but its high growth rate since 2015 ( grown by almost 50%) to a 3 billion dollar industry is high.

This is fueled by greater connectivity, with the English abilities of Filipinos clearly able to partake of global content such as music and media streaming and the rising popularity of online trade and sale platforms and financial technology products.

The challenge is to expand digital trade to the regions outside Metro Manila.

Our local producers should take advantage of these online trading platforms to sell their products to a larger market. Lazada, Shopee and social media have means to

sell products. Its time we put our products there.

TRADENET In line with this, the government is also creating a new program to facilitate imports and exports to cut the red tape needed for exporters and importers to take advantage of the 100 billion dollar e commerce market.

The Departments of Finance (DOF) and of Information and Communications Technology (DICT) are now working closely with the Department of Agriculture (DA) on the full rollout and development of the government’s online trading facilitation portal dubbed TradeNet. This includes the online processing of trade related permits such as the issuance of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) certificates in TradeNet., particularly of agricultural products.

The DOF’s Inter-Agency Business Process Interoperability (IABPI) Team, the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) will handle the e-Phyto Sanitary certificate, while the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) will handle the e-Animal Health certificate. This includes electronic certificates of origin.

This will enable the Philippines to join the ASEAN single window (ASW) this year. A few companies have begun piloting this platform.

TradeNet.gov.ph, will be our National Single Window (NSW), and connect to the ASW, which is a regional initiative that aims to speed up cargo clearances and promote economic integration by enabling the electronic exchange of border documents among the 10 ASEAN mem-

ber-states.

With TradeNet is fully operational, he said that traders may apply online for import and export permits for commodities such as rice, sugar, used motor vehicles, chemicals (toluene), frozen meat, medicines (for humans, animals, or fish) and cured tobacco. TradeNet will simplify import and export documentary processes covering an initial 7,400 regulated products.

The administration’s goal is to have all 75 trade regulatory government agencies across 18 government departments fully interconnected via TradeNet. This will boost trade and our participation in the global economy. This is a legacy that will help cement our sustained growth.

For reactions: facebook. com/johntriapage

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

TILL DEATH DO US PART “When two people are under the influence of the most violent, most insane, most delusive, and most transient of passions, they are required to swear that they will remain in that excited, abnormal, and exhausting condition continuously until death do them apart.”

– George Bernard Shaw in Getting Married *** “For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.”

That was how the first marriage ever initiated, as recorded in Genesis 2:24.

It all starts with love, however. But what is this incomprehensible, impenetrable, inscrutable thing called love?

“Love recognizes no barriers.

It jumps hurdles, leaps fences, penetrates walls to arrive at its destination full of hope,” wrote American poet Maya Angelou.

“Love is like a beautiful flower which I may not touch, but whose fragrance makes the garden a place of delight just the same,” American author Helen Keller wrote. To which Alfred Lord Tennyson penned, “If I had a flower for every time thought of you… I could walk through my garden forever.”

Love, so goes a line of a song, is a many-splendored thing. This must be the reason why Pablo Neruda has written 100 Love Sonnets. “I love

you without knowing how, or when, or from where. I love you simply, without problems or pride: I love you in this way because I do not know any other way of loving but this, in which there is no I or you, so intimate that your hand upon my chests is my hand, so intimate then when I fall asleep in your eyes close.”

So sweet, so nice, so inspiring. “I am nothing special, of this I am sure,” wrote Nicholas Sparks in The Notebook. “I am common man with common thoughts and I’ve led a common life. There are no monuments dedicated to me and my name will soon be forgotten, but I’ve loved another with all my heart and soul, and to me, this has always been enough.”

With love, comes marriage.

Author George Eliot points this out: “What greater thing is there for two human souls, than to feel that they are joined for life – to strength each other in all labor, to rest on each other in all sorrow, to minister each other in silent unspeakable memories at the moment of the last parting?”

Almost all marriages begin with love. I said “almost” because there are marriages that not made in heaven. I am referring to shotgun marriage, marriage for convenience and financial reasons, or those marriages arranged by parents of the couple.

When you marry someone, be sure to tie the knot for the right reason. “I don’t want to be married just to be married,” wrote Mary Ann Shaffer, author of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society. “I can’t think of anything lonelier than spending the rest of my life with someone I can’t talk to, or worse, someone I can’t be silent with.”

In Happy Ever After, playwright and novelist Nora Roberts gives some hints as to what kind of a woman a man should stay with throughout his life.

“When you find somebody you love, all the way through, and she loves you – even with your weaknesses, your flaws, everything starts to click into place.

And if you can talk to her, and she listens, if she makes you laugh, and makes you think, makes you want, makes you see who you really are, and who you are is better, just better with her, you’d be crazy not to want to spend the rest of your life with her.”

But there are those who marry the other person they love because they believe he or she might change later on.

“Men marry women with the hope they will never change,” Albert Einstein once said.

“Women marry men with the hope they will change. Invariably they are both disappointed.”

This reminded me the

words of the character in Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray: “Never marry at all. Men marry because they are tired, women, because they are curious: both are disappointed.”

Disappointment seems to be what American singer Barbra Streisand had in mind too when she said: “Why does a woman work ten years to change a man, then complain he’s not the man she married?”

American humorist Helen Rowland echoed the same thing. “Before marriage,” she wrote, “a man declares that he would lay down his life to serve you; after marriage, he won’t even lay down his newspaper to talk to you.”

Perhaps Streisand and Rowland never read what Laurell K. Hamilton had written in A Kiss of Shadows. “Men don’t settle down because of the right woman. They settle down because they are finally ready for it. Whatever woman they’re dating when they get ready is the one they settle down with, not necessarily the best one or the prettiest, just the one who happened to be on hand when the time got to be right. (That may be) unromantic, but still true.”

Some marriages end. Period. But there are also marriages that continues proving that there is indeed forever. “It is not lack of love, but a lack of friendship that makes unhappy

marriages,” said German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche.

Whether it’s the man or the woman, someone should work hard to make the marriage successful. Jodi Lynn Picoult, an American author who was awarded the New England Bookseller Award for fiction in 2003, reminded: “You know it’s never fifty-fifty in a marriage. It’s always seventy-thirty, or sixty-forty. Someone falls in love first. Someone puts someone else up on a pedestal.

Someone works very hard to keep things rolling smoothly; someone else sails along for the ride.”

Again, marry for the right reason: love. “Love possesses not nor would it be possessed; for love is sufficient unto love,” wrote Kahlil Gibran in The Prophet. “And think not you can direct the course of love, if it finds you worthy, directs your course. Love has no other desire but to fulfil itself.”

Gibran continued: “But if you love and must needs have desires, let these be your desires: To melt and be like a running brook that sings its melody to the night. To know the pain of too much tenderness.

To be wounded by your own understanding of love, and to bleed willingly and joyfully.”

Now, you will understand why British actress Audrey Hepburn has said: “If I get married, I want to be married.”

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SUBURBIA RISING

Tagum wins 2 Pearl Awards for ASEAN Jambo hosting, cultural programs

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AOAG CITY — The City Government of Tagum proved successful in its defense of its bid for the 2019 Pearl Awards when it was declared the Grand Prize winner for the Event Hosting (Local/International) category last Friday, October 4, 2019 at the grounds of the St. Augustine Church of Paoay, Ilocos Norte.

The bid for the event hosting involved the local government unit’s (LGU) successful hosting of the 6th ASEAN Scout Jamboree in 2017 which gathered over 30 thousand participants from within and outside the ASEAN region for a week-long scouting activity at the LGU’s Energy Park.

Meanwhile, the LGU’s

bid for the Best Program for Culture and Arts which featured the city’s efforts in preserving its history, culture and heritage aptly called Kagikan, Kabilin and Katigayunan: A Culture-Based Governance for Social Cohesion, was adjudged as the 1st Runner-Up. The awards were conferred by the Department

of Tourism and the Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines during the 14th Pearl Awards.

On the other hand, Ms. Vicerjean M. Casiano, the Tagum City Tourism and Investment Promotions Officer, has been elevated into the National Executive Board of the association as its National Treasurer.

It can be recalled that

the LGU has been hailed as a Hall of Famer in the Category of Best-Tourism Oriented LGU (City Level) when it consecutively won the award for three years since 2016. The city has also won the top prize in the 2018 Pearl Awards for Best Practices on Community-Based Responsible Tourism for its Tagumpay Gulayan Program, and the

2017 Pearl for Best Festival Category for the Kaimunan aw Pakaradyan Festival.

Present at the ceremonies were City Vice-Mayor Eva Lorraine Estabillo, with the members of the 8th City Council, the Heads and Personnel of the different offices of the LGU, and the City Historical, Cultural and Arts Council. (Richi Gulle/CIO- Tagum)

support to NCIPs Integrated Ancestral Domain Development Approach (IADA), which aims to address the economic issues of the indigenous groups through culturally-sensitive programs. It is also in support to the Davao City's local peace initiative, Peace 911.

“Davao Light upholds to its commitment to be of service to all communities within its franchise even those in the off-grid areas and this is just one of the many that we want to reach out. We hope that these solar lanterns will create an impact in the improvement of the living

conditions of the members of this IP community.” said Rodger S. Velasco, Davao Light President and COO. Present during the turn over ceremony are NCIP XI Regional Director Atty. Geroncio Aguio, NCIP Davao City Provincial Officer Cristito Ingay, Focal Person of Peace 911 of the

City Government of Davao Roger Baay, Davao Light Community Relations Manager Fermin Edillon, and Davao Light Vice President for Engineering

Mark Valencia.

Davao Light will continue to advance business and communities through its Corporate Social Responsibility programs.

Solar lanterns to illuminate households of an IP community in Paquibato

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ast September 30, 2019, Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. turned over fifty (50) solar lanterns to the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) to illuminate households of an IP community in Sitio Paraiso, Tapak, Paquibato.

The donation is in

REPUBLIC OF THE PHILIPPINES REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11th Judicial Region Branch 53, Davao City

SP. PROC. NO. R-DVO-19-02380-SP MARCO OBERG ESPINA SIOCO, Petitioner, - versus THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF DAVAO CITY AND OFFICE OF THE SOLICITOR GENERAL, Respondents.

FOR: CANCELLATION OF THE SECOND CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH

X------------------------------------------------------------------------------/

ORDER

Davao Light President and COO Rodger Velasco (3rd from left) and NCIP XI Regional Director Atty. Geroncio R. Aguio (4th from right) lead the symbolic turn over of solar lanterns. Also in photo are (L-R) Davao Light Community Relations Manager Fermin Edillon, Davao Light Vice President for Engineering Mark Valencia, Focal Person of Peace 911 of

the City Government of Davao Roger Baay, NCIP Davao City Provincial Officer Cristito Ingay, and his staff. Also present are Davao Light AVP for Reputation Enhancement Rossano Luga, Davao Light Streetlight & Pole Utilities (SPU) Supervisor Severino Ando and Davao Light SPU Manager Donald Diwara.

Petitioner prays that after due notice, publication and hearing an Order be issued to the Office of the Local Civil Registrar of Davao City to cancel the Certificate of Live Birth in the name of MARGO OBERG ESPINA SIOCO with Local Civil Registry No. 85-4705 and filed a verified petition praying that he be allowed to adopt as his own son, DANIEL ROSARIAL also known as ANTONIO SEBASTIAN BASAN, minor, who was born on April 17, 2008 in Digos, Davao del Sur, that the proposed adoptee was living with the Petitioner since the former was eleven (11) months old; In the Case and Home Study Report previously filed by Regional Director Mercedita P. Jabagat/Grace Marie R. Canoy – Social Welfare Assistant dated August 7, 2019, she favorably recommended the adoption of the said child by the petitioners.

WHEREFORE, let the petition be set for hearing on November 18, 2019 at 8:30 o’clock in the morning at which date and time, all persons concerned may appear to show cause, if any, why the prayer in the petition shall not be granted.

The Preliminary Conference for the marking of exhibits is on October 23, 2019 at 2:30 in the afternoon before the Branch Clerk of Court.

Let this Order be published at the expense of the petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation in the City and three (3) provinces of Davao, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks.

The Petitioners are further directed to furnish the Solicitor General with a copy of the petition and the latter is directed to appear for the State.

Notify all parties concerned and the Solicitor General through this Order.

SO ORDERED. Davao City, Philippines, August 7, 2019. (sgd.) DANTE A. BAGUIO Presiding Judge

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SHUTDOWN... FROM1

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of Salugpongan schools.

The committee also informed all the schools under the Salugpongan Ta Tana Igkanogon Community Learning Center Inc are ordered closed and are requested that all student records be turned over to the Department of Education’s (DepEd’s) Schools Division Office for proper custody.”

The notice was signed

by DepEd 11 assistant regional director Evelyn Fetalvero.

Atillo said the notice was released, Monday by DepEd 11 record section at 10 a.m and was personally received by a Salugpongan representative at 1:07 in the afternoon the same day.

“Since yesterday at that time, they are no longer allowed to operate in Region 11,” Atillo said.

The ad hoc fact-finding committee is comprised of Maria Ines Asuncion, chairperson; Lawyer Arvin Antonio Ortiz, vice chair; and members Roy Enriquez, Isidra Despi, and Janette Veloso.

After careful consideration, analysis, and thorough evaluation of the testimonies and documents submitted, the committee found substantial evidence against Salugpongan such

as the school does not comply with the curriculum standards set by the DepEd, Salugpongan brought its students away from their home without the consent of their parents and used them to generate funds by making them perform the plight of the Lumad in violation of the DepEd’s Child Protection Policy.

The committee also discovered that the teachers of Salugpongan are not passers of the licensure exam for teachers and classes of the core learnings areas are conducted by learning facilitators that violates DepEd Order No. 21 series of 2014.

The resolution also emphasized that Salugpongan schools have been operating within the ancestral domain of the Indigenous People (IP) community without obtaining the mandatory Free and Prior Informed Consent of the concerned IP communities and Certification Precondition from the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP).

Other findings include some students of Salugpongan do not have Learners Reference Number (LRN) in violation of the requirement under the DepEd Or-

der No. 26 Series of 2015, and the school has misrepresented its enrollment data in that the data contained in the documents it submitted do not match with the data found in the Learners Information System.

The resolution also cited that on several occasions, DepEd 11 has received the resolution, letters and communications which are unanimous in their request for the closure of Salugpongan schools such as the Mindanao Indigenous Peoples Council of Elders and Leaders (MIPCEL) and excerpt from the minutes of the regular meeting of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) that requested DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones to terminate and cancel the permit to operate and certificate of recognition of the Salugpongan.

Atillo said if the school will continue to operate, they (school) will be liable of sanctions under the existing laws of the Republic of the Philippines.

“Meaning this is now a call to any parent or any child who is currently with Salugpongan, this is to inform you that operations of this school is already

canceled and the mandated closed and since yesterday (Monday) officially they are no longer allowed to operate here in Region 11,” he reiterated.

He said they encouraged the Salugpongan schools to turn over the records of the students as soon as possible.

“Students and parents are in dire need of these for them to be enrolled in DepEd schools and other legitimate schools.

He said based on the data of DepEd, out of the 1,142 learners of Salugpongan DepEd schools were able to cater to 1,000 learners who are now in the different areas of Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, and Davao City.

Atillo believes the remaining 132 students are in the so-called 'bakwit schools' which DepEd does not recognize.

Atillo said when they issued their first show cause order, they encouraged Salugpongan to send their children to DepEd schools as well as to facilitate the applications of their teachers to DepEd schools.

“We were actually successful in convincing the parents and some tribal

communities enroll their children in DepEd schools but not very successful with regards to their call for the teachers. I think there are two already applied with DepEd but of course they would have to follow approaitae policies. But we will accept them,” he said.

Salugpongan schools officially started operating since 2014 but prior to that they have been operating already since 2007. “But it’s not Salugpongan yet, but other private learning institutions catering to indigenous learners,” he said adding that this is the first time that they have received valid documented complaints that include the complaint of National Security Adviser Secretary Hermogenes Esperon, which started the entire legal process of the investigation.

“Through the efforts of then DepEd policies, there were a lot of issues already being raised against them (Salugpongan) since 2014.

But always remember that this country is a country following due process of law. We cannot just embrace any complaints as gospel truth without any documented evidence attached to it,” Atillo said.

Salugpongan, according

to DepEd, is not a Lumad school.

“Salugpongan and other schools catering to IP learners as far as we are concerned are not Lumad schools. A Lumad school is being run by Lumad brothers and sisters. These schools nga nagpadagan ug serbisyo sa mga Ip learners are not actually being run

by Lumad people,” Atillo explained. “Even if they will appeal, we will still appeal ourselves to enforce because the decision will only be changed if there is another decision from the central office if this will be modified or this will be accepted as it is."

Mayor Sara Duterte has issued a statement last month on the closure of the Salugpongan schools in Davao for teaching students how to use firearms, apart from them being indoctrinated with anti-government propaganda.

In her statement, Duterte said Davao City has been provided with a written report containing the revelation made by a former Salugpungan student about the school teaching students how to use firearms, apart from them being indoctrinated with anti-government propaganda.

danao came from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Morocco, Spain, France, Tunisia, Iraq, Somali, Egypt, Yemen, Libya, Pakistan, Bangladesh and China.

But, he said, the bulk of the foreign fighters came from Indonesia and Ma-

laysia, which both share maritime borders with the Philippines.

“The [foreign fighters] regard Mindanao as the new land of jihad, safe haven and alternative home base,” Banlaoi said. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)

would help.

If vaccinations are neglected, then eradicated disease will return, warned Bravo. “We are urging you all to have your loved ones vaccinated.”

Vice Mayor Sebastian

“Baste” Duterte, in his message read by his chief of staff lawyer Francis Layug, said the government will always support all sectors that aims to eradicate diseases to keep the health of the people secured.

Junior Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand held in May of the same year.

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena

was the first Filipino athlete to punch a ticket to Tokyo, after passing the Olympic standard in an event in Italy last September.

“The Note device is usually released in August or September and sells well until December, so I expect the demand to continue until the fourth quarter,” said Tom Kang, research director at Counterpoint Research.

Samsung appealed to high-end users with the launch of its first foldable smartphone last month after faulty screens forced an embarrassing delay in April.

The premium smartphone market has grown fiercely competitive and overall sales have cooled as a lack of major innovation has caused people to wait longer before upgrading to new models.

The South Korean tech titan leads the global smartphone market with a 23-percent share of the sector, trailed by Chinese competitors Huawei and Oppo, with Apple in fourth place, according to sales tracker IHS Markit.

Samsung also took advantage of the US trade ban against Huawei, “replacing a strong competitor in crisis” with its mid-to-low tier Galaxy A handsets, said Sujeong Lim, an analyst at

Counterpoint Research.

Increased demand for Samsung’s OLED display panels used in handsets by competitors -- including Apple’s new iPhone 11 -- is also expected to help improve the company’s quarterly profit.

Samsung has been caught up in a trade war between Japan and South Korea stemming from World War II disputes.

The row saw Tokyo impose tough restrictions on exports crucial to South Korean tech giants in July, and Samsung vice-chairman Lee Jae-yong -- who called the situation a “crisis” -has visited Tokyo to secure materials.

Adding to Samsung’s woes, Lee is currently facing retrial over his role in a massive corruption scandal that brought down former president Park Geun-hye.

He was initially jailed for 5 years in 2017 on multiple convictions including bribery, which was reduced to a suspended sentence on appeal, only for the Supreme Court in August to order a retrial.

The first hearings in the case are expected later this month.

"There are the values that have been part of this league from its earliest days, and that includes free expression," he added, speaking in Japan, where the Rockets and Toronto Raptors play several exhibition games this week.

Silver also addressed the financial impacts for the Rockets and the NBA in the Chinese market, its most lucrative outside of the United States.

"There is no doubt, the economic impact is already clear," he said.

"There have already been fairly dramatic consequences from that tweet."

- NBA defends 'free expression' The NBA's initial statement in English on the furore said it was "regrettable" that Morey's views had "offended so many of our friends and fans in China".

A Chinese-language version of the statement went further, saying the organisation was "deeply disappointed by the inappropriate remarks".

NBA spokesman Mike Bass sought to downplay the Chinese-language statement.

"We have seen various interpretations of the translation of the Mandarin version, but our statement in English is the league's official statement," he said.

But even the English-language version of the NBA's statement was widely criticised in the United States, where presidential candidate Beto O'Rourke, a Texan, deemed it an "embarrassment."

- 'A gag rule' Florida Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican, also accused the NBA of throwing Morey "under the bus" to "protect (the) NBA's market access in China."

"This is bigger than just the @NBA. It's about #China's growing ability to re-

strict freedom of expression here in the US," he added in a series of tweets.

And Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer, a Democrat, warned "no one should implement a gag rule on Americans speaking out for freedom".

Silver, who heads to China this week with other top NBA top brass, said the furore was evidence that "words truly do matter."

"I accept that it is also (the) Chinese government's and Chinese businesses' right to react to those words and, at least from my longtime experience in the NBA, it will take some time to heal some of these issues."

Hong Kong has been battered by four months of increasingly violent pro-democracy protests sparked by opposition to a nowscrapped bill that would have allowed extraditions of criminal suspects to China.

The protests are fuelled by fears China is strangling the freedoms enshrined under the "one country, two systems" framework for Hong Kong that has been in place since its handover from the British in 1997.

Throughout the unrest China has sought to use its political and financial muscle to pressure major firms into publicly supporting its position.

Hong Kong flag carrier Cathay Pacific was heavily pressured in a campaign led by state-run media after Chinese authorities deemed the airline's staff too vocal in their support of the protesters.

The airline's then-chairman John Slosar initially insisted he would not dream of telling his staff what to think, but Chinese threats to blacklist the carrier forced a U-turn and Slosar stepped down last month.

Cathay Pacific now warns its staff against supporting the protests.

ISIS-LINKED... FROM 2

UNILEVER... FROM 5

recyclable, and raising to 35 percent the proportion of its plastic bottles that is made of recycled material.

US coffee giant Starbucks is meanwhile planning to ban plastic straws by 2020 while Walt Disney Co. said it would replace small plastic shampoo bottles at its resorts and many British supermarkets have drastically cut down plastic bag use.

There was also a pledge at this summer's G20 in Osaka to tackle marine plastics pollution, although environmentalists attacked

it for being vague on detail.

"There is a general awakening of conscience among consumers which is alerting both governments and producers," Gregory Bressolles, professor of marketing at Kedge Business School in France, told AFP. However he warned against "attempts at greenwashing" by businesses.

"Greenwashing" is a term used to critics to describe efforts by companies to promote often spurious environmental measures for commercial gain.

NOTICE TO CREDITORS

Pursuant to the Order dated 19 August 2019 issued by the Regional Trial Court of Davao City, Branch 10 in Special Proceeding No. 12,406-13 entitled “In the Matter of the Voluntary Insolvency of Verdant Vale Small Scale Mining, Inc.”, NOTICE is hereby given to all creditors and to other interested parties that the Preliminary Registry of Claims is available for public examination, inspection and copying between 8:30 to 11:30 in the morning, and between 1:30 to 5:30 in the afternoon at the Liquidator’s address located at 114 J. Ebarle Street, Cagayan de Oro City.

MASSIVE... FROM 2 PH... FROM15

SAMSUNG... FROM 5

NBA... FROM15

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VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

BREAST CANCER: FILIPINO WOMEN’S ENEMY NO. 1

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

Cancer is really hard to go through and it’s really hard to watch someone you love go through, and I know because I have been on both sides of the equation.” – Cynthia Nixon on her and her mother’s battle with breast cancer Ingrid Bergman, the Swedish actress who won three Oscars (two for leading roles and another one for a supporting part), was reading a magazine which featured an article on breast cancer.

After reading it, she tried to feel her breast and found out there was a lump.

That was in 1973.

She was 58 years old, and was doing Murder on the Orient Express for Sidney Lumet. It wasn’t until the following year, when she went to a clinic in London where, under anesthesia, the physician told her what she was afraid to hear: breast cancer.

“The illness got worst in 1977, by the time of the making of Autumn Sonata,” wrote Rafaella Britto for Medi-

um. “The remove of the right breast left Ingrid with lymphedema in her arm, impairing her range of movement.”

In her autobiography, My Story, the award-winning actress wrote: “Doctor came and I could read his face as an open book. I felt sorry for him, because it must be a terrible job tell women they were maimed.” She died on her 67th birthday at 12:00 am.

Bergman may not be a Filipina but the world remembers her as it celebrates Breast Cancer Awareness Month this October. “(The celebration) helps to increase attention and support for the awareness, early detection and treatment as well as palliative care of this disease,” the World Health

Organization (WHO) states.

Every 19 seconds, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer somewhere around the globe, the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) reports.

In the Philippines, breast cancer is one of the deadliest diseases that strike women.

Among the 197 surveyed, the Philippines has the highest prevalence of breast cancer.

Doctors estimate that three out of 100 Filipinas will develop breast cancer in their lifetime.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority and the Department of Health (DOH) showed that 16% of all cancer diagnosis are pertaining to breast cancer. It accounts for 30% of

cancer cases among women. The chances of getting breast cancer increase as one gets older.

“What is unfortunate is that most Filipino women still lack information on breast cancer,” the Philippine Cancer Society, Inc. (PCSI) deplores. “Some believe that very few survive from the disease. The perceived cost of medical treatment prevents them from seeking help not knowing that costs are manageable when the disease is detected early.”

Unknowingly, men are not spared from breast cancer. “Actually, one to two percent of all breast cancers happen in males,” Dr. Lim SiewKuan, a general surgeon at Mount Elizabeth Novena Hospital in Singapore, told Business World.

Among those who succumbed to breast cancer include Liezel Martinez, June Keithley, Marilou Diaz Abaya, and

Zorayda Sanchez. The following are breast cancer survivors: Maritoni Fernandez, Toni Abad, and Melissa de Leon.

Despite the advance in medical science, the cause of breast cancer is still unknown.

“There are only studies to show the risk factors or those prone for breast cancer,” the PCSI states. “These risk factors can be divided into those that can be controlled and those that cannot be controlled.”

Among the risk factors that cannot be controlled are as follows: gender (it afflicts 100 times more women than men), age (older women are at more risk), genetics (the presence of breast cancer in a family member like mother, sister, aunt or grandmother may increase risk), early menstruation or late menopause, and recurrence (women with cancer on one breast that has been treated may replicate in the other breast).

Risk factors that can be controlled fall under lifestyle choices. These may include: not having children or childbirth for women over 30 years old; use of hormonal replacement therapy after menopause, cigarette smoking and excessive alcohol intake, and lack of physical activity or exercise which results in being obese or overweight.

Breast cancer strikes without symptoms.

This is the reason why early detection is necessary. The PCSI shares this bit of information: “While the tumor is growing, one may have: growing lump, not regular in shape and painless; change in the size, shape or sensitivity of the breast or nipple; and discharge on the nipple.”

The symptoms are noticeable when the cancer is already advanced. The following may be felt: pain in any

part of the bone, pain on the breast, swelling on the arm near the breast that has cancer, and sudden loss of weight.

Better safe than sorry, so goes a popular saying. This can be applied too when it comes to breast cancer. “If you find lump or other changes in your breast, make an appointment with your doctor for prompt evaluation,” the Mayo Clinic advises.

Data released by the International Association of Cancer Registries showed some 25,000 new cases of breast cancer are reported each year in the Philippines. When detected, more than half of these cases are already in advanced stages 3 and 4.

There are two early detection strategies for breast cancer: early diagnosis and screening.

“The goal (or early diagnosis) is to increase the proportion of breast cancers identified at an early stage, allowing for more effective treatment to be used and reducing the risks of death from breast cancer,” the WHO says.

On the other hand, screening consists of testing women to identify cancers before any symptoms appear. “Various methods have been evaluated as breast cancer screening tools, including mammography, clinical breast exam and breast self-exam,” the United Nations health agency adds.

“We highly recommend women to undergo breast cancer screening when they reach the age of 40 because breast cancer is very curable at the early stages,” Dr. Lim was quoted as saying. “The 5-year relative survival rate of a person with stage 1 cancer is at 100%. However, if a patient is diagnosed with stage 3 or stage 4 cancer, the survival rate is significantly lower.”

BREAST CANCER, P14

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13 teams generally 13 sites sabay sabay na mahuhukay for us to meet the 2021 target completion of the project,” Almario said.

Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang lauded the two companies for the on track construction of the project, yet, urged them to take double time with the construction to address water problem particularly in the areas with inadequate water supply.

“Apo Agua and DCWD are the savior of the water supply of davao City the challenge here is to fasttrack the project, deliver the water as soon as possible time and sustain and protect the environment. We have a nice water, which is Tamugan, and through the bulk water will bring water into the household of 1.6 million residents of Davao City producing 300 million gallons. If they can shortened it (construction) the better. At the end of the day they have to double the personenel at elast 24/7 work because people cannot afford to be keep on waiting,” Dayanghirang said.

Almario, for his part, said they can do 24/7

works but they have to abide the regulations of the respective barangays that will be affected with the pipe laying.

“As I understand gusto sana niyang (Dayanghirang) mangyari ay 24/7 work kami well of course on sites na puwede kaming 24/7 we will of course do 24/7 lalo na kung mga mga controlled sites namin like in Gumalang. Also not all roads I think we will be allowed to do 24/7. Syempre busy. Usually 8 am to 5 am wala ka dapat hinuhukay or anything at the least meron ka lang ginagawa konti-konti. Minsan sa gabi naman hindi ka pwedeng maghukay kasi may mga natutulog,” he added.

Dayanghirang is also expecting to receive updates from AAII on the developments of the project.

“They will be submitting quarterly and their promise to complete the project on March 2021.

I’ll just update Mayor Sara through communications.

To be honest behind this kind of project is Mayor Rodrigo Duterte because the Aboitiz and the DCWD were quarreling in this prop-

erty wherein the Aboitiz initially wanted to use this as a hydropower plant but the DCWD said no because that is theirs. So the mayor called them and came up with a common consensus for them to put their action together and here we go we have the Apo Agua with JV Angeles, Aboitiz, and water district bulk water project,” Dayanghirang said.

Amario said they have committed to provide a quarterly report to the city council and even to the watershed management council.

“What we are doing now every month we print out a newsletter type of the update and we give it away to our stakeholders. Usually agencies DENR even barangays. On a parallel effort we have our social media, Facebook, Instagram, website.

We will put updates and schedules on where we are now,” he said.

The bulk water project kicked off its design and construction in March 2018 and is targeting commencement of operations by the first half of 2021. AAII started the physical construction in February this year.

under OSCA Head Gliceria S. Adlaon in partnership with the Barangay Central Council.

Gracing the event were Mayor Rabat, Congressman Mayo Z. Almario, councilors Rogelio Pabio and Arman T. Valera, CSWDO Head Vir-

ginia T. Almaida, Barangay Central captain Danny Macaubos, Senior Citizen Federation president Hedolito P. Niez, and barangay officials and senior citizens.

Based on the record from the OSCA, there are 8,191 senior citizens who

receive support from the National Pensioners Fun coming from the National Government for the whole City of Mati and 4,095 Local Pensioners supported by the Local Government Unit of the City of Mati. (CIOT MATI)

MATI... FROM 4

13

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

is in need of

Accounting Clerks Qualifications: • BS Accountancy / Accounting Technology Graduate or any business related courses • Male/Female • Can work with minimum supervision • With or without experience

Account Executives Qualifications: • BS Marketing Graduate or any related courses • Male/Female • With pleasing personality • With or without experience and willing to be trained

Social Media Lead Qualifications: • Candidate must be creative and enjoys social media • Experience in creating social media post for news, business and organization • Good command of English • Experience in graphic design is a plus Send your application letter and resume to: Ella P. Tingzon HR/Admin Supervisor Edge Davao Review Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., E. Quirino Avenue, Davao City or email at edgedavao@gmail.com or ella_tingzon@yahoo.com

14 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

BREAST CANCER... FROM 12

Breast self-examination (BSE) is a method to detect any noticeable changes in one’s breast.

“Early detection of any changes in the breast and seeking immediate consultation will increase one’s chances of successful treatment,” the health department points out.

“We urge women to regularly to self-breast examination and immediately visit the nearest health center should they notice any cause for concern,” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III recommends.

“Our health care professionals have the confidence to perform breast screening. For those who are already diagnosed with the disease, we encourage to get treated at DOH hospitals and receive holistic care through advocacy groups.”

Dr. Bill Ramos, vice president of the Philippine Society of Medical

A4 INdulge!

A4 INdulge!

Oncology (PSMO), said there are four key factors that need to be in place for patients to be treated successfully. In a Health and Lifestyle feature, he discussed these key factors as follows: “(The key factors) include disease awareness, because disease and symptoms are essential for screening and early detection; healthcare capacity, since well-trained teams are needed to work together with the right equipment to provide the best chances for patients; diagnosis of the disease, as it can be complex, but is vital to ensuring the right treatment choice; and government intervention, since this is necessary to improve the provision of access and quality healthcare.”

As for treatment, Dr. Ramos said there are multiple therapies available to patients,

EDGEDAVAO DAVAO EDGE

A4 INdulge! depending on their type and stage of cancer.

“Current treatments include surgery, radiotherapy, chemotherapy, hormonal therapy, and targeted therapy,” he reckoned.

Personalized healthcare, he added, is also important to choose

VOL.12 VOL.12 IS

the right patient for the suffering the family see- ficult,” she was quoted right treatment. “It is ing their mother, Ingrid as saying by Telegraph. always best to consult a Berman, succumbing “The cancer had spread physician or healthcareVOL.12 to the pain94of the dis- to her lymph nodes; she VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE 84 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JULY JULY 19-20, 5-6, 2019 professional,” he point- ease. “Mama suffered had an enormous (tued out. from breast cancer for mor on her) right arm It wasn’t decades nine years and the last and was very depressed later that her daughter, three years, when my with the fear of being actress Isabella Ross- brother and sisters took unable to act.”

VOL.12 ISSUE 84 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JULY 19-20, 5-6, 2019 ellini, revealed to theVOL.12 turnsISSUE to be94with her in (PhotosJULY taken from world the anguish and London, were very dif- the net)

EDGEDAVAO DAVAO EDGE

EDGEDAVAO DAVAO EDGE

UP AND FURNITURE A1 ABOUTa silly method but for EJ and

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

Carlos Yulo became the second Filipino to earn a berth to the 2020 Olympics after pole vaulter EJ Obiena.

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PH targets 4 golds in SEAG

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Yulo gains Olympic slot T

G

PH, P11

NBA rallies behind free speech amid China furor

ymnast Carlos Yulo became the second Filipino athlete to qualify to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics.

This, after he advanced to the finals of the all-around and floor exercise in the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

Yulo ranked 18th in the allaround and 7th in the floor exercise.

Philippine gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion confirmed the development to Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN News on Tuesday morning.

“He performed beautifully,” Carrion said of the 19-year-old

his, after he advanced to the finals of the all-around and floor exercise in the 2019 World Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Stuttgart, Germany.

Yulo ranked 18th in the all-around and 7th in the floor exercise.

Philippine gymnastics chief Cynthia Carrion confirmed the development to Dyan Castillejo of ABS-CBN News on Tuesday morning.

"He performed beautifully," Carrion said of the 19-year-old Yulo, the youngest male gymnast in the competition. "The whole place, a crowd of about 30,000, applauded him."

The 4-foot-11 dynamo has already shown that he can shine on the world stage, bagging a gold medal in the floor exercise in the opening leg of the FIG Apparatus World Cup last February in Melbourne, Australia.

Competing against the elite of men's gymnastics, Yulo copped a bronze medal in the same event in the next stop of the World Cup in Doha, Qatar a month later.

He became the first Filipino gymnast to win a gold medal in the vault event of the prestigious International Junior Gymnastics Championship in Yokohama, Japan in September 2017.

Despite performing with an injury, Yulo displayed a lot of fighting spirit in clinching the gold medal in the parallel bars of the 14th

Yulo, the youngest male gymnast in the competition. “The whole place, a crowd of about 30,000, applauded him.”

The 4-foot-11 dynamo has already shown that he can shine on the world stage, bagging a gold medal in the floor exercise in the opening leg of the FIG Apparatus World Cup last February in Melbourne, Australia.

Competing against the elite of men’s gymnastics, Yulo copped a bronze medal in the same event in the next stop of the World Cup

in Doha, Qatar a month later.

He became the first Filipino gymnast to win a gold medal in the vault event of the prestigious International Junior Gymnastics Championship in Yokohama, Japan in September 2017.

Despite performing with an injury, Yulo displayed a lot of fighting spirit in clinching the gold medal in the parallel bars of the 14th Junior Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Bangkok, Thailand held in May of the same year.

Pole vaulter EJ Obiena was the first Filipino athlete to punch a ticket to Tokyo, after passing the Olympic standard in an event in Italy last September.

he NBA has insisted it backs free speech, after US politicians accused it of caving to China in a row over a pro-democracy tweet that has cost the Houston Rockets lucrative Chinese sponsors and airtime.

The public relations crisis erupted on Friday when the Houston Rockets' general manager posted a tweet backing protesters in the semi-autonomous southern Chinese city of Hong Kong who are demanding greater freedoms.

China, which allows no dissent on the sensitive issue, immediately sought to punish the Rockets, with state-run TV cutting its games and Chinese sponsors abandoning the team.

The NBA intially put out statements that senior US politicians slammed as bowing to China for financial reasons, while Rockets star guard James Harden apologised.

But in his first public comments on the controversy, NBA Commissioner Adam Silver insisted his organisation supported the right of Rockets general manager Daryl Morey to express his opinions.

"I think as a values-based organization that I want to make it clear... that Daryl Morey is supported in terms of his ability to exercise his freedom of expression," Silver told Japan's Kyodo News agency late Monday.

NBA, P11

BOXING FITNESS. More Dabawenyos are taking to boxing for their fitness exercise of choice. Arcadia Fitness Gym is one of the city's facilities offering boxing fitness classes with its pool of seasoned boxing coaches. Boxing as a fitness activity enables the average person to hone those same athletic skills, all without having to take a punch. Anyone hoping to get in great shape and improve health can just sign up for a membership at Arcadia.

16 SPORTS

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VOL.12 ISSUE 152 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 9, 2019

STRONG ASEAN SPORTS. Lawyer Guillermo Iroy Jr. of the Philippines speaks during the 9th Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS-9) at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on Monday, October 7. The event kicked off the series of meetings of Asean sports officials which aim to strengthen sports cooperation in the region.

(PSC photo)

STRONGER TIES Asean officials focus on sports cooperation

D

elegates from Association of Southeast Asian Nation (Asean)-member countries kicked off a series of meetings with the holding of the 9th Asean Senior Officials Meeting on Sports (SOMS-9) at the Sofitel Hotel in Pasay City on Monday.

The Philippines formally assumed chairmanship of the SOMS-9 from past host Myanmar.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) Executive Director Merlita Ibay, who will serve as SOMS-9 chairperson, welcomed and thanked all attendees from Asean member countries -- Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam.

She assured that the commitments agreed upon by the Asean countries under the 5-year Asean Work Plan on Sports 20162020 will be continued and completed under the Philippines’ chairmanship.

The senior officials seek to strengthen bonds and interac-

tion within the region through sports cooperation throughout the Oct. 6-10 meetings.

The meeting on Monday tackled the preparation for the Joint Bid for the FIFA World Cup 2034 and the need to strengthen coordination with relevant stakeholders in this regard.

In the same meeting, the officials also agreed that Malaysia will host the initial meeting for the establishment of the e-sports federation in the region as proposed

by Malaysian Head of Delegation and Director General of the Malaysian National Sports Council Ahmad Shapawi Bin Ismail.

All delegation heads expressed their support for the establishment of the Asean e-sports association.

Meanwhile, PSC Chairman William Ramirez will lead the 5th Asean Ministerial Meetings on Sports as its Chairman on Tuesday (Oct. 8) with the distinction of convening the First Asean plus Japan Meeting on Women and Sports.

(PR)