Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 176 | Wednesday, November 13, 2019

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HOOPS COMMUNITY MOURNS TAN’S DEMISE

Serving a seamless society

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

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A barangay health worker opens a bottle of anti-polio vaccine. The Department of Health (DOH) prepares for the second round of the country's anti-polio campaign dubbed "Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio" slated on November 25 in selected provinces and Luzon and in all cities and provinces of Mindanao. Lean Daval Jr

HIGHER

COVERAGE

More residents expected to avail of polio vaccination in Davao, Mindanao

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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fter the �irst round of polio vaccination campaign dubbed "Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio", higher coverage and a smoother round two polio vaccination is expected this month.

The Mindanao-wide second round of polio vaccination is slated on November 25 to December 7.

The �irst round of vaccination held in Davao City, Davao del Sur, Lanao del Sur, and Marawi City last October 14 to 27 encountered some challenges in convincing residents to submit their children for immunization although the coverage was still within target.

Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe, World Health Organization (WHO) representative in the Philippines, emphasized the need for high coverage of more than 95 percent in Mindanao.

"If children are unprotected we could possibly see a resurgent of polio. So if you want to break this transmission we have to work to very high coverage and this

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

President Rodrigo Duterte gives a warm welcome to Moro National Liberation Front Founding Chairman Nur Misuari at the Malacañan Palace on Monday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Tents collapse in some evacuation camps in Makilala due to hailstorm

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fter the powerful quakes, a hailstorm.

Makeshift tents in some evacuation camps along or near the national highway in Makilala, North Cotabato collapsed due to a hailstorm at around 3;30 p.m. prompt-

ing government to relocate the evacuees (bakwits).

Ating Vice Governor Shirlyn Macasarte Villanueva announced through her Facebook post that they were preparing to “relocate our evacuees affected by the storm.”

She cited the affected evacuation camps as

Santos Land, Makilala Institute of Science and Technology, Poblacion elementary school and Saguing evacuation centers.

Villanueva also announced through her FB page that displaced residents in the Santos Land evacuation camp will be transferred to Makilala High School.

“We are setting up 100 in�latable tents donated

by Mayor Marcy of Marikina. Setting up 30 DSWD tents for Makilala Elem School as well. Preparing clothes, blankets and malong based sa stocks na available. Salamat sa mg nag donate ug banig and habol” (Thank you o those who donated mats

Technology said the event will facilitate the exchange of information, lessons learned and catalyze action among the participants to safeguarding global biodiversity that will ultimately bene�it the quality of life and economic sustainability of the people.

In a message by City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat, delivered by Vice Mayor Glenda Rabat-Gayta, she welcomed all the delegates as she expressed hope that the international conference would bene�it the city’s ultimate goal of protecting and nurturing the environment so that it can be enjoyed by our future generations.

“Striking a balance between protecting the environment and allowing people to make a living using the natural resources around is somewhat like making a balancing act on a high-wire — dangerous but doable,” Mayor Michelle said.

Among the topics to be discussed in the conference are interconnecting ecosystems, sustainable management of biodiversity, innovations for biodiversity conservation, sustainable management of biodiversity, biodiversity and food security, interconnecting ecosystems, among others.

Among the studies to be presented during parallel sessions are: 1. Characteristics and habitat survival preferences of fauna in the Mati protected landscape and its implications to integrated watershed management to be presented by Ruben Amparado of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology; 2. Breaking the natural steward’s myth: cases of indigenous culture-based conservation of Philippine eagles in the Philippines to be presented by Jimbea Lucino of the Philippine Eagle Foundation; 3. Three decades of

Philippine primate studies: research gaps and opportunities for Philippine primatology to be presented

by Lief Erickson Gamalo of the University of the Philippines Mindanao; 4. Birds feeding on Cebu mistletoe Lepeostegeres cebuensis (Loranthacaeae) in Nug-as Forest, Cebu, Central Philippines to be presented by Geraldine Quinones of the Negros Oriental State University; 5. Three new species of Metapocyrtus Heller 1912 from Mindanao Island, Philippines to be presented by Analyn Cabras of the University of Mindanao; 6. Field documentation of Ground Beetles (Carabidae) and Tiger Beetles (Cicindelidae) in Central Cebu Protected Landscape and Alcoy Forested Area, Cebu, Philippines to be presented by Julie Otadoy of the University of San Carlos Talamban Campus; and 7. DNA Barcodes of

and blanket), Villanueva said.

Several netizens posted photos and video clips of the storm.

Ra Zel Epulac posted on her Facebook wall photos of tents that were destroyed or thrown serveral meters away. Some belongings were also blown away by strong winds.

Kaye Llenado also posted that the hailstorm left their belonging, including their blankets and clothes, wet.

On Nescy Jazmin’s FB wall were images of small ice balls or hailstones that dropped on their tents at the evacuation site. (Malu Cadelina-Manar / MindaNews)

Int’l biodiversity confab kicks off in Mati City Soldiers redeploy to fix

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he International Biodiversity Conference 2019 kicked off here as several international delegates arrived since Monday for the 3-day event slated Nov. 12-14.

IBC 2019 will convene around the theme “Biodiversity for the People: From Ridge to Reefs”, at Honey’s Hotel where an exhibit will also be held.

Attendees are researchers, environmental managers, and other stakeholders who are taking strategic actions in mainstreaming opportunities to capitalize biodiversity from the ridge to reef as a toll to safeguard sustainable development for the people.

IBC 2019 will showcase the Mount Hamiguitan Range Wildlife Sanctuary, one of the newest Unesco World Heritage Site, as well as Pujada Bay Landscape and Seascape of the City of Mati.

Host Davao Oriental State College of Science and

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evacuation tent cities

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oldiers from the 39th Infantry Battalion were redeployed to assist the Local Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (LDRRMC) of Makilala in raising back the tent city in four evacuation centers in the municipality after it was struck by a strong wind, heavy rain, and hailstorm on the afternoon of Monday, November 11, 2019.

The soldiers were pulled out from their relief operations to initially assist the soaked evacuees while awaiting the redeployment of the soldiers from the 534th and 512th Engineering Battalion who were deployed in putting-up and con�iguring evacuation centers in the affected areas.

It can be recalled that Eastern Mindanao Command raised the alert level

and ordered the activation of the Humanitarian and Disaster Response (HADR) Task Force to assist the different LDRRMC of the areas struck by the series earthquake last month.

At present, Eastmincom is overseeing the conduct of disaster response through the 10th ID Task Force HADR which utilizes the 1002nd Infantry Brigade, 901st Infantry Brigade, 512th Engineering Battalion, 534th Engineering Battalion and 10th Division Emergency Response Company.

In Davao City, the 11th Forward Service Support Unit has been expanded into a Joint Logistics Center to support and forward the logistical needs of the units and the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council in the affect-

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VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

DavSur town faces shortage of potable water, purification tablets

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Department of Health (DOH) assistant secretary Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr (right) discusses the challenges that the agency have encountered during the first round of “Sabayang Patak Kontra Polio” in a news con-

ference held at Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao in Davao City on Tuesday.

Also in photo is World Health Organization representative in the Phils. Dr. Rabindra Abeyasinghe. Lean Daval Jr

hortages of water puri�ication tablets and potable water supplies were among the dif�iculties encountered in all evacuation centers in Bansalan town in Davao del Sur, as of 6:00 p.m. yesterday (Nov. 10).

In a situation report, Bansalan MDRRMO designate Jesil Jaum said the other problems noted include the lack of assigned persons for the maintenance of portable toilets, lack of comfort rooms and washing areas.

There was also lack of manpower in unloading of relief goods in distribution sites, Jaum cited.

The number of displaced families in Bansalan due to the October 2019 series of earthquakes, has reached to a total of 865 or 3,287 individuals who are currently staying inside the identi�ied evacuation centers in Barangays Altavista, Darapuay, Dolo, Kinuskusan and Eman.

There are 2,786 dis-

placed families from 13 barangays of this municipality who are staying outside the evacuation centers or homebased which means that the residents are camping out near their homes during night time due to fear of another earthquake and aftershocks.

Jaum said that out of the 7,365 reported damaged houses, a total of 324 houses were validated damaged (136 partially, 73 totally, 115 minor).

The remaining 7,041 reported damaged houses are still subject for further validation.

Of the 25 barangays, only Brgy. Mabuhay reported zero (0) damage to infrastructures.

Brgy. Poblacion Dos, meanwhile, has the most reported number of infrastructures damaged by the three earthquakes.

Jaum mentioned that they have convened an emergency meeting with

resident Rodrigo Duterte on Monday urged Sen. Manny Pacquiao to carefully mull over any plans to seek the presidency.

“Kayong mga pulitiko na isipin ninyo mabuti. Manny, I think Manny is entertaining, well it's good… Pag trabaho wala ka talagang makuha kung 'di pagod," Duterte said in a speech during the joint birthday celebration of Marinduque Rep. Lord Allan Jay Velasco and his wife.

(Politicians should think about it carefully.

Manny, I think Manny is entertaining, well it's good…

Getting tired is the only thing you get from this work.)

The boxer-turned-senator was among the guests in the event.

Duterte reiterated that he would oppose any attempt to get his daughter,

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, to run for president in the 2022 elections.

The chief executive said he would not want his daughter to suffer the same frustrations he has over the presidency.

“Were it not for the love of country, 'yun lang talaga magsustain. Wala kang makuha dito sa trabaho na ito except work, work and work and work and work.

And worry, worry, worry, and be under stress," he said.

(Were it not for the love of country, that's the only thing that sustains me. You would not get anything from this job except work and worry, and be under stress.)

Several politicians earlier said they would be willing to back Duterte-Carpio should she wish to join the

PRRD may consider lifting martial law in Mindanao P

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PRRD to Pacquiao: Think of running for president

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resident Rodrigo Duterte will consider Defense Secretary Del�in Lorenzana’s personal suggestion not to extend martial law in Mindanao when it ends on December 31, Malacañang said on Monday.

“That will be considered by the President. The President always says that he will defer to the advice and recommendation of those on the ground,” Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said in a Palace brie�ing.

Panelo said there is still ample time for the President to decide if he would lift martial law in the region.

Lorenzana said he is

currently waiting for the recommendation of the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP), but if it were up to him, he would no longer recommend an extension.

In an interview, the Defense chief said instead of another extension of military rule, he preferred a stronger Human Security Act of 2007 (Republic Act 9372).

NGCP restores quake-damaged Kidapawan ahead of schedule

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GCP has restored its Kidapawan Substation on Sunday, November 10, ahead of its November 17 target energization. The substation is now ready to fully accommodate power from Mt. Apo Geothermal Power Plant (MAGPP) to the Mindanao grid once it goes online.

The Kidapawan Substation suffered damage to its high voltage substation equipment and control room facilities due to the magnitude 6.7 earthquake in Tulunan, Cotabato last October 31. Access to the substation was also initially hindered by landslides around the area, necessitating rescue of substation personnel by chopper.

Despite the damage to facilities, supply of power to electricity consumers in the area was uninterrupted as NGCP was able to shift and transfer power supply through its Tacurong Substation.

As soon as the situation in the area was deemed safe and passable, NGCP deployed its personnel to assess the substation damage and implement a restoration plan. This plan involved clearing of debris; design and installation of scaffolding/support structures; removal of damaged high-voltage equipment; and installation, testing, and evaluation of new equipment.

“We are pleased to report that with the collective efforts of our Mindanao personnel and additional line crews from Visayas and South Luzon, we were able to energize Kidapawan Substation and Kidapawan-Matanao 138kV Line 1 and 2 one week ahead of schedule.

Our customers can be assured that we will continue monitoring the situation in the area,” stated the company.

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“Matagal nang masyado eh (It is already too long).

(So that) we can do our job, kaya nga (that is why) especially if the Senate or the Congress can pass the Human Security Act na nabigyan ng konting ngipin yung ating (which will give more teeth to our) law enforcement, then that’s a better arrangement than martial law,” Lorenzana said.

However, Lorenzana said he will act accordingly in case the AFP and PNP decide to recommend another martial law extension.

“We’ll see, we’ll evaluate the reasons of the military and the police and act accordingly,” Lorenzana added.

Last Oct. 25, National

Security Adviser Hermogenes Esperon Jr. said another extension of martial law would no longer be necessary if Congress is able to pass a measure that amends the Human Security Act of 2007.

“If the [proposed] Human Security Act, as amended, will be passed [by Congress], then we may not need to ask for any extension of martial law, we may not need this kind of martial law,” Esperon said in recent a Palace brie�ing.

RA 9372, which took effect on March 6, 2007, is meant to provide law enforcement and judicial authorities with the legal tools to confront terror

PRRD MAY, P9

PRRD TO PACQUIAO, P10

Tents at Santos Land evacuation camp in Makilala, North Cotabato after the hailstorm on Monday. Photo courtesy of Shirlyn Macasarte Villanueva

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

Uy acquires Wendy’s PH

Workers clean the glass panel windows of Seda Abreeza Hotel along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City on Tuesday in preparation for the Christmas holidays. Lean Daval Jr

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avao-based businessman Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp., through food group subsidiary Eight-8-Ate Holdings Inc., on Tuesday said it is now the master franchise holder of Wendy’s in the Philippines, as it fully acquired the Philippine operations of the brand.

Udenna has fully acquired 51 Wendy’s restaurants in the country, adding to its portfolio of food and restaurant businesses such as Philippine FamilyMart and Conti’s Bakeshop and Restaurant.

“Food is a basic need and Filipinos love to eat.

We want to be in industries

where there is growth and we will continue to expand our footprint in the restaurant space by offering quality, affordable dining out options,” said Dennis Uy, Udenna chairman and CEO. Eight-8-Ate plans to open more Wendy’s restaurants in key cities

and provinces as part of its expansion plan.

“The Philippine food service industry is growing at a phenomenal rate,” said Joey Garcia, president and CEO at Eight-8-Ate. “The booming population, strong economic performance, rising incomes, increasing demand for convenience, and cuisine curiosity will continue to drive this growth for years to come. Eight-8-Ate wants to take a sizable bite of the opportunity,” he added.

Wendy’s said it will continue to expand in partnership with Udenna and its Eight-8-Ate business.

“As we embark on

our next 50 years, we are focused on accelerating growth across the globe and we are excited to bring Wendy’s to even more valued customers in the Philippines through our partnership with UDENNA and Eight-8-Ate,” said Abigail Pringle, international president and chief development of�icer at Wendy’s said.

Udenna’s businesses include oil, gas, and retail (Phoenix Petroleum); shipping and logistics (Chelsea Logistics); gaming ang hospitality (PH Resorts Group); property development (Udenna Land); education (Grouppo Enderun).

ic low.

The event, a gauge of Chinese consumer sentiment, has also become a shop window this year for Alibaba as it plans to sell $15 billion worth of shares in Hong Kong this month. The US-listed �irm has spent big to diversify its business yet still earns over four-�ifths of revenue from e-commerce.

Alibaba turned China's informal Singles' Day into a shopping event in 2009 and built it into the world's biggest online sales fest,

dwar�ing Cyber Monday in the United States which took in $7.9 billion last year. The name is a play on the date, Nov. 11, rendered 11/11 - or Double Eleven, as the event is also known.

The event has since been replicated at home and abroad, with Singles' Day promotions found at rivals such as China's JD.com Inc and Pinduoduo Inc as well as South Korea's 11thStreet and Singapore's Qoo10.

Alibaba said on Monday its gross merchandise vol-

ume or GMV for the whole event came in at 268.4 billion yuan ($38.4 billion), up 26 percent from last year but below Citic Securities' forecasts for a 20-25 percent expansion.

In 2018, it posted a 27 percent sales increase.

CELEBRITY START The Chinese retail juggernaut, with a market value of $486 billion, kicked off this year's 24hour shopping bonanza with a live performance

by US pop star Taylor Swift

No need to tax salty food for now

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workers group on Monday said the proposed imposition of taxes on salty foods and ingredients is untimely.

“With this measure to tax salty food, the government is pushing the poor informal sector workers and their families to fall into deep poverty rather than building ladder to help and empower them.

There is no need to tax salty food and ingredients at this time,” said Gerard Seno, Associated Labor UnionsTrade Union Congress of the Philippines (ALUTUCP) national executive vice president.

Seno said the government should instead develop healthier, affordable, and accessible alternatives to salty foods.

He said if workers’ incomes are increased and healthier and cheaper food choices are made available, “then that’s maybe the time that we talk about imposing tax on salty food.”

He added that low-wage workers and their families are aware that most of the

daily meals are those foods with salty ingredients that are low in nutritional value such as instant noodles, food �lavoring, snacks, and dried �ish.

“Workers and the poor informal workers and their families’ af�inity to salty food is bound by their inadequate income and lack of alternatives in the market.

They cannot afford to buy healthier food choices and food ingredients with their measly income level,” Seno said.

Daily minimum wage in the country, depending on the region, ranges from PHP280 to PHP537.

“With these paltry current minimum wage rates amid the rising cost of living, the working poor have no other choice but to buy food with what affords their small income even if it is high with sodium content,” he added.

Aside from these measures, Seno said the government must regulate private manufacturing �irms to reformulate the standard so-

NO NEED, P10

Alibaba's 11-11 sales hit record $38 billion Cebu Pacific operator

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hinese retailer Alibaba Group Holding Ltd's sales for its 24hour Singles' Day shopping blitz hit a record $38.4 billion, more than US rival Amazon.com Inc's haul last quarter from online store sales.

But sales growth for the annual shopping festival eased to 26 percent, the weakest since the event started in 2009, held back by a slowing e-commerce industry in China as the country's economic expansion heads toward a histor-

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narrows losses in Q3

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ebu Air Inc., operator of budget carrier Cebu Paci�ic, on Tuesday reported narrower losses during the third quarter in light of higher revenue.

The company reported a net loss of P384.308 million in July to September, noting an improvement from P518.433 million in net loss a year earlier.

Revenue for the quarter rose to P18.921 billion from P16.201 billion, while

expenses grew to P18.036 billion from P16.825 billion, according to a regulatory �iling submitted by director-general Vivian Lim. The third quarter numbers brought the year-todate net income up 143% at P6.754 billion from P2.780-billion in the �irst nine months of 2018.

The group generated P63.625 billion in revenue during the period, up by

CHINA, P9

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

ECONOMY 5

EDGEDAVAO

NFA assures public good quality rice sold in market

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A rice mill worker walks by sacks of rice grain at a dryer in Davao del Sur. Rice prices have fallen to their lowest in eight years due to the implementation of the Rice Tarrification Law, according to the data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Lean Daval Jr

ICT-Davao to ink MOU with Amazon, SAS Technology

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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CT-Davao (Information Communication technology-Davao) pursues its goal to re-tool and re-skill professionals in Mindanao with arti�icial intelligence (AI) and data analytics by looking at linkages with global technology companies SAS technologies and Amazon.

ICT-Davao President Atty. Sam Matunog told media in Kapehan sa Davao that they will be signing a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with the two IT giants during the LiveX 2019 (Innovation Summit 2019 and 5th Mindanao ICT Cluster Conference) slated on November 18 to 19 at Marco Polo Davao.

SAS is a trusted analytics powerhouse that empowers and inspires customers around the world to transform data into intelligence while Amazon.com, Inc., is an American multinational technology company that focuses on e-commerce, cloud computing, digital streaming, and arti�icial intelligence.

“Dito sa event we will be signing an agreement to train our professionals on arti�icial intelligence, data and analytics with some of the most respected and well-known companies in the world. We are talking with SAS Technologies the number one analytics and business intelligence platform in the world. They are servicing some of the big companies in the Philippines. Hopefully with the partnership with them and we can train some of you (media) to become data analysts. We are also looking forward with same arrangement with Amazon for cloud computing,” Matunog said.

The memorandum aims to work together and train

professionals. He said they want to develop professionals or trainers in Mindanao for them to fully exploit the technology.

“We were informed recently that we are hosting the largest satellite receiving station and there was this Japanese expert who was telling us that our micro-satellites Diwata 1 and Diwata 2 are accumulating a lot of images. These images are supposed to be consumed by our universities so we can take advantage the images generated but there is no enough takers.

Parang we have these opportunities but not taking advantage of them.

What we would like to do is if we have these images we would like to �ind out whether it is possible to engage our universities and companies to take a look at the data because according to them the images that are being captured every day is suf�icient enough to tell us how much water do we need, where the water is, where to build infrastructure because we are invest-

ing so much on roads and bridges, but are we really addressing the present and future needs of our communities?,” Matunog said.

He stresses the use ICT to give real time information especially during earthquakes.

“This earthquake, saan ang impact nun? Earthquakes should not be a problem for us because every day may earthquake sa Pilipinas because we are part of the ring of �ire.

The only problem is it becomes a very dramatic experience as it happens because somehow we don’t have real time information such as to what extent ang damage at wala tayong geographic information kung ano ba talaga ang totoo?” he added.

The Innovation Summit 2019 and 5th Mindanao ICT Cluster Conference aim to address the recent issues such as earthquakes that are being considered a wakeup call for Davaoenos and Mindanaoans on the importance of innovation

retary Noel Reyes said.

As of Oct. 23, total imports reached 1.87 million metric tons, Reyes said. The USDA projected China to import 2.5 million metric tons this year, lower than the earlier projection of 3.1 million metric tons citing “abundant domestic supplies.”

“Hindi po totoo…

They’re basing their information on a similar �igure that we don’t have,” Reyes said.

“Ang imports po natin, wala pa sa 2 million of�icially as of October, ang malaki

pa rin po ang China. Taliwas po ito sa projection na sinasabi ng USDA...Kami, we’re saying para hindi naman alarming, pinakamalaki pa rin po ang China," he said.

(Our imports were less than 2 million of�icially as of October. China is still bigger. As opposed to the USDA-FAS report. We're saying, so it won't be alarming, China remains the biggest importer.)

The rice tarif�ication law, meant to stabilize prices of the staple grain, liberalized rice importation in

the country by replacing quotas with taxes. The measure mandated the creation of a Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF) worth P10 billion to help palay farmers compete.

Some local farmers, however, complained that prices of rough rice or palay plummeted to as low as P7 per kilo after the measure was implemented.

The RCEF is "poured back" to farmers in the form of machinery, seed development, training and credit assistance, among others, Reyes said.

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he National Food Authority (NFA) on Monday assured the public that the agency releases only good quality rice stocks for sale at PHP27 per kilogram in public markets.

In a statement, NFA Administrator Judy Carol Dansal said the agency takes good care of its stocks through good warehouse-keeping protocols and “it is NFA’s policy to release only rice stocks that are safe and in good condition.”

This assurance comes in the wake of a news report where a retailer in the Pasig mega-market allegedly complained of the poor quality of NFA rice they are selling.

An of�icial of NFA’s East District Of�ice, which has jurisdiction over the Pasig area, immediately checked on the quality of NFA rice sold in the area, but no such “poor quality” stocks with “bad odor and even worms” were presented as the retailer said she had already sold all her stocks.

“How was she able to sell all her NFA rice stocks if it was rotten? This only means there is ill will in the act of this particular retailer because all our accredit-

ed retailers know that we have a standing policy to replace bad stocks or if the quality is unacceptable,” Dansal said.

NFA-National Capital Region Director Carlito Co also assured that all rice stocks being distributed nationwide undergo regular quality audit and pest control measures.

He said they always stress during their regular “Ugnayan” meetings with accredited retailers that they can only sell good quality NFA rice, and they can always ask for a replacement if ever they receive bad quality stocks.

“As shown in the news report, that complaint from the single Pasig market retailer was an isolated case.

Other NFA rice retailers and buyers interviewed in the area attested to the good quality of NFA rice they sell and buy, respectively,” Dansal added.

Dansal said while NFA’s regulatory functions have been removed under Republic Act 11203 or the Rice Tarif�ication Law, the agency continues to make an effort to monitor and ensure the safety and good quality of NFA rice sold at the prescribed price of PHP27 per kilo. (PR)

Senate urges Duterte admin to junk sugar liberalization plan

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he Senate on Monday night urged the Duterte administration to junk the plan to liberalize the sugar industry in order to safeguard the welfare of sugar farmers and other industry workers in more than 20 provinces in the country.

All the senators, except Senators Lito Lapid who is on of�icial business abroad and Leila de Lima who is detained, signed Senate Resolution 213.

“The proposed liberalization of the sugar industry will contradict the President’s thrust towards food security and will severely affect the entire agriculture sector,” they said.

The senators added that recent statements made by the economic managers on the proposed sugar industry liberalization through deregulation of imports and allowing users of sugar to directly import created a stir and fear among stakeholders in the

industry.

They added that the deregulated entry of subsidized sugar into the Philippine market will be disastrous to the sugar industry, which contributes an estimated P96 billion to the gross domestic product, particularly to 84,000 farmers.

The sugar farmers and farm workers are scattered across more than 20 provinces such as Cagayan Valley, Isabela, Tarlac, Pampanga, Batangas, Cavite, Camarines Sur, Cebu, Leyte, Iloilo, Capiz, Antique, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, North Cotabato, Davap del Sur, Bukidnon, Sultan Kudarat, Lanao del Sur, part of Pangasinan, Kalinga and Abra.

“If the sugar industry will collapse as a result of the liberalization, poverty incidence in these provinces will increase and they will become the hotbed of insurgency and criminality,” the senators said.

China still world's biggest rice importer: Agri Dept. Huawei says 2019 shipments

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he Department of Agriculture (DA) denied on Monday reports that the Philippines has surpassed China in terms of rice imports this year following a report released by the United States Department of Agriculture – Foreign Agricultural Service (USDA-FAS) The USDA-FAS uses a different set of statistics in its projection compared to the “of�icial” data being used by the DA which is provided by and based on real-time data from the Bureau of Customs, DA Assistant Sec-

reached 200M smartphones

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hina’s Huawei Technologies Co. Ltd. on Monday said it has shipped 200 million smartphones across the globe year-to-date, overtaking last year’s sales.

Huawei Consumer Business Group (CBG) said it reached the 200-million smartphone shipment 64 days earlier than it did last year.

“We’re thankful for the support of Filipinos and for contributing to the massive success of the company,” said George Li, country

head of Huawei Consumer Business Group in the Philippines.

“Huawei has been helping to shape and navigate Philippines’ digital future ever since. And we are grateful that we’ve grown alongside our consumers and partners making it possible for us to achieve a record-high 200 million shipments,” he added.

In August, the company said the Philippine market was essential to the overall growth of the company.

HUAWEI, P9

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

EDITORIAL The need for sports risk management The death of billionaire businessman-sportsman Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr., son of business tycoon Lucio Tan, reminds people that everyone is equal when it comes to risks.

Bong Tan, the man behind the revival of the Tanduay franchise’s glory days in Philippine basketball, passed away on Monday morning two days after collapsing in an inter-department basketball game. He was 53.

A Youtube video now trending online showed Tan, who coaches the University of the East in the UAAP Season 82, walking towards the sidelines before collapsing. Some of his teammates gave him “�irst aid” in the form of ventilation by fanning their sports towels on Tan who was lying on the �loor and the game halted by referees. It appeared at �irst there was no urgency to give immediate proper medical attention to the cager. Some of his teammates were walking around taking the stoppage as a resting time. In a few seconds, those around the fallen Tan became frantic but they obviously didn’t know what to do.

Tan, also an avid golfer, was reportedly already unconscious when he was brought to the hospital. The cause of death hasn’t been revealed, although sources said it was brain herniation.

It was very sad that in a venue where executives of a top corporation are playing, not to mention the scion of the Tan empire at that, there was no

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emergency medical team on standby. No ambulance either. And worse, no one trained to manage health risks.

A similar case happened to PBA legend Samboy Lim. Nearly �ive years ago on November 28, 2014, Lim suffered a cardiac arrest and lost consciousness during a basketball game at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig. He was rushed to The Medical City and admitted in emergency without a pulse. Lim was revived, placed on therapeutic hypothermia for 48 hours, con�ined for nearly two months and now lives in a Wack Wack condo unit, still unable to see or speak.

How many more Tans and Lims will suffer the same fate playing in facilities and in events where there are no standby medical teams or at least a risk management plan in place?

In other countries, sports venues and facilities are required to have a risk management plan in place. This means all known risks to participants, crowd, venue personnel and of�icials are already foreseen and required response and action are already laid out. Event managers to have designated risk managers who must know the nearest medical facility, police and transport stations, among others, are located. In these countries, risk management is a legal requisite and has penal sanctions for non-compliance.

The Bong Tan and Samboy Lim cases should be a reminder for legislators to craft necessary laws to address sports and events risk management.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

the national association of newspapers

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

VANTAGE POINTS

7

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

POLITICAL EXPEDIENCY ET AMORE Naive is the person who will not doubt the sincerity of VP Leni in accepting the ICAD (Inter-Agency Committee Against Drugs) co-chairmanship.

The countdown is on for the 22022 presidential elections as the countdown for Christmas goes.

Meaning, whether her acceptance might do her good or bad in her political career, she doesn’t care because the fact of the matter is that she will be the face of the news from hereon.

Which is eventually what her political handlers were scouting for.

Leni is the only remaining bastion of the almost decimated LP force.

She has also assumed to be the FACE of the opposition even if she is NOT. Senators Kiko Pangilinan, Franklin Drilon and the isolat-

ed Leila de Lima are already strayed voices in the wilderness.

Nobody believes them anymore.

That is how incredible the Yellow opposition has reached its level, evidenced by the lackluster performance of the Otso Diretso in the mid-term polls last May. Leni will be acting like the “martyr” that Ninoy Aquino played during the martial law years when he alone was singularly subjected to humiliation by the Marcos dictatorship, including a death sentence handed down by the military court.

But before the critical mainstream media, Leni would be afforded the rare opportunity to say what she wants, even if it hurts the incumbent administration.

However, I do not see how this “marriage” can last.

Since she was kicked out of the Cabinet (as HLURB chair), the VP has been mouthing unsavory statements against Pres. Duterte and his government policies, particularly against the intensi�ied illegal drugs campaign.

She has even gone so far as to make “sumbong” to the UN, jetting over to the US to meet so-called human rights advocates and groups in a vain effort to dislodge the current Malacanang tenant from of�ice in whatever style, fair or foul.

DDS staunch supporters and netizens wary of Leni’s Machiavellian moves will be watching her intently.

If, at any time, she is perceived to be maintaining her original anti-Duterte stance, they would howl and scream for PRRD to get her out of ICAD. I heard PDEA chief Aaron Aquino over the radio say that

VP Leni is not �it to become the co-chair of ICAD simply because of her kilometric anti-government remarks against PDEA and the anti-drugs campaign.

But with Leni accepting the offer and the challenge posed to her to come and join drug busts operations, the VP has taught all and sundry that she is not scared of the dangers and risks.

Without saying it, VP Leni bared she could handle the tough tasks ahead.

Well, what did the philosopher Lao Tzu say?

“He who conquers others is strong; he who conquers himself is mighty.”

Maybe, the issues surrounding accusations that Leni’s head is “empty’ does not hold water.

She spoke with brevity the day she accepted the appointment and how!

However, as it is too early to tell, let us give the VP “enough rope to hang herself” or so as the adage says.

She needs to “acclimatize” herself with her new environment because a neophyte like her will not be heeded and listened to by her more experienced comrades just like that.

As ICAD co-chair, Aquino, I’m certain, will not allow himself to be dictated upon by the VP inasmuch as he had already committed his life and career to the dismantling of drugs syndicates.

This is where the contentious issues will arise from.

Who, then, will the ICAD obey if Leni and Aquino don’t see eye to eye on how to approach the standing operational policies?

Your guess is as good as mine. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

DENNIS R. GORECHO PINOY MARINO RIGHTS

CONCEALMENT OF PRE-EXISTING ILLNESSES AND DISABILITY BENEFITS A seafarer must fully disclose past medical condition, disability and history in the pre-employment medical examination (PEME), otherwise his claim for disability bene�its will be denied.

The POEA contract bars the compensability of disability arising from a pre-existing illness when attended by a seafarer’s fraudulent misrepresentation.

The POEA contract states that “a seafarer who knowingly conceals and does not disclose past medical condition, disability and history in the pre-employment medical examination constitutes fraudulent misrepresentation and shall disqualify him from any compensation and bene�its.”

This rule in compensation cases was recently reiterated by the Supreme Court in the case of Danilo Lerona vs. Sea Power Shipping Enterprises (G.R. No. 210955 August 24, 2019).

In denying the claims, the Supreme Court noted that the seafarer did not indicate in the appropriate box in his Pre-Employment Medical Examination

(PEME) form that he has hypertension, although he had been taking Norvasc as maintenance medicine for two years.

The seafarer only disclosed his pre-existing medical condition after he was repatriated to the Philippines.

The Supreme Court brushed aside the seafarer’s argument that he did not reveal his hypertension during his PEME out of an honest belief that it had been “resolved.”

The Court noted the fact that the seafarer continues to take maintenance medicine indicates that his condition is not yet resolved. Additionally, within the two years that he had been taking maintenance medication for his hypertension, he had boarded the company’s ships four times.

Since PEME is mandatory before a seafarer is able to board a ship, the Court stressed that it goes to show that the seafarer concealed his hypertension no less than four times as well which negates any suggestion of good faith that petitioner makes in defense of his

misdeed.

However, the Supreme Court ruled in an earlier case that honest mistakes on a pre-existing illness during the PEME will not deprive seafarers of their right over disability or death bene�its.

In Manansala, v. Marlow Navigation Phils., Inc. (G.R. No. 208314, August 23, 2017),the Supreme Court noted that the contract’s terminology is carefully calibrated: it does not merely speak of incorrectness, falsity, of incompleteness or inexactness, or failure to disclose the truth. Rather, to negate compensability, it requires fraudulent misrepresentation, that he deliberately concealed it for a malicious purpose.

To amount to fraudulent misrepresentation, falsity must be coupled with intent to deceive and to pro�it from that deception.

Between the seafarer and an examining physician, the Supreme Court said that the latter is in a better position to assess �itness for the rigors of sea duty. Apart from one’s literal body, the seafarer’s

only other contribution to a medical examination is a set of responses to questions.

His personal health assessment is based on his amateur opinion, or otherwise unre�ined understanding of nuanced medical conditions. In contrast, the PEME procedures are conducted and supervised by professionals with scienti�ic and technical capabilities.

Ultimately, the Supreme Court said that it is more appropriate that the examining physician, a trained professional, and not the seafarer, who is a layperson, be faulted for discounting the presence of diseases even after subjecting the seafarer to a series of procedures, veri�iable empirical data, which are then evaluated by a physician.

Consequently, reasonable leeway may be extended for inability to make complete and fastidiously accurate accounts when this inability arises from venial human limitation and frailty. This is a normal tendency for laypersons-such as seafarers-rendering accounts of

their own medical conditions.

The greater possibility is that a seafarer’s self-assessment of personal medical conditions will fail to capture nuances that can make the difference between �itness and un�itness for work As laypersons, they do not have the requisite medical knowledge to properly characterize their illnesses.

Even if they are aware of their own medical conditions, they may, in their non professional opinion but still in good faith, be convinced that their conditions are not so severe and that they can manage to perform work aboard a vessel.

Seafarers cannot be held to account under an inordinate standard.

The POEA contract takes exception to fraudulent misrepresentation, not to honest mistakes.

(Atty. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law of�ices. For comments, email info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786)

8 BIGGER PICTURE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

IS MINDANAO READY FOR “THE BIG ONE”?

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“T

he only way to avoid disasters caused by earthquakes is to prepare for them.” – Maria Elena Paterno, author of Earthquake!

Is Mindanao, the country’s second largest island after Luzon, ready for a stronger earthquake? Since 1901, six of the seven largest earthquakes that hit the Philippines happened in Mindanao, according to historical data available from the United States Geological Survey (USGS).

On July 11, 1912, a magnitude 7.5 quake struck Northeastern Mindanao.

Among those that heavily hit were the towns of La Paz, Bunawan, Veruela, and Talacogon. Six years later, on April 15, 1918, a strong earthquake took place in Celebes Sea; the offshore shock affected the southern part of Mindanao with intensity shaking and a destructive tsunami that killed 52 people.

On April 14, 1924, another strong earthquake with magnitude 8.0 struck Southern Mindanao. Five days after the New Year’s celebration in 1943, an earthquake with magnitude 7.8 hit the same place again.

On February 12, 1972, a magnitude 8.0 earthquake hit Mindanao. The same magnitude hit the island again on August 16, 1976. A devastating tsunami ensued on the 700-kilometer shoreline of the island bordering Moro Gulf and left 5,000 to 8,000 people dead.

With the three earthquakes struck Mindanao in a span of two weeks recently, there are some talks that a 7.2-magnitude may possibly hit the island. That is, if the Makilala-Malungon Fault move, warns the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Philvolcs).

“We are entertaining all possibilities on all active faults (in Mindanao),” Ishmael Narag, Philvolcs of�icer-in-charge of the Seismological Observation and Earthquake Prediction Division, was quoted as saying by Manila Bulletin. “The worst scenario is the movement of the Makilala-Malungon Fault.”

Based on the length of the aforementioned fault, “this can generate a magnitude 7.2 earthquake, that’s assuming the very long fault ruptures,” he explained.

Comparing with the recent 6.6-magnitude that hit the southern part of Mindanao last October 29, “the effect is more powerful.”

The 7.2-magnitude earthquake is touted by many as the “Big One.” The last time the country experienced such magnitude was in Bohol on October 15, 2013. The impact of

the energy released was “equivalent to 32 Hiroshima bombs dropped in Hiroshima, Japan during the World War II.” Right after the earthquake, this was the picture of Bohol, according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report: A 17th-century limestone church in Loboc “crumbled to pieces, with nearly half of it reduced to rubble.” Two other churches in Maribojoc and Loon were destroyed.

Old churches in Loay, Clarin and Baclayon as well as the belfry in Panglao were likewise damaged. Photos on social media also showed extensive damage to modern buildings, including a university.

Other news reports said that several bridges, like Abaton and Bacong bridges in Cortes, were damaged and impassable. Residential houses too located in Cortes collapsed with some partially damaged. Major roads had also been torn apart.

Alex Rey Pal, a veteran journalist, went to Bohol immediately to assess the situation. “We have arrived in Loon, Bohol, but we have a problem: the port has sunk and vehicles can’t get out,” he reported.

The nearby island of Cebu, known also for its old churches, likewise incurred total and partial damages. In Cebu City, a building in Pasil Fish Port collapsed killing �ive people and injuring seven people. The Basilica Minore del Santo Niño’s bell tower also collapsed. Several hospitals such as Cebu Doctors’ University Hospital and St. Vincent Hospital incurred damages.

Is Davao, General Santos, Cotabato, Cagayan de Oro and other population-packed cities in Mindanao ready for such scenario?

The three recent successive earthquakes happened in one of the seismically active regions in the country, which has several active faults that include the M’lang Fault, Makilala-Malungon Fault, North Columbu Fault, South Columbu Fault, and the western extension of the Mindanao Fault, according to the October 29 earthquake primer released by Philvolcs.

Most of the six huge earthquakes mentioned earlier occurred near the Cotabato Trench and the southern portion of the Philippine Trench. “Cotabato Trench is also a major source of earthquakes,” the primer stated.

Perhaps, no other natural disaster can cause so much damage so suddenly and in so little time as earthquake. “It’s one issue that most Filipinos don’t talk about or do something about, unless it’s too late,”

says Jethro P. Adang, the director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. “Earthquake is one issue that we should not avoid but confront head-on.”

Earthquake happens “when two blocks of the earth suddenly slip past one another,” wrote Lisa Wald for USGS, the sole science agency of the US Department of Interior. “The surface where they slip is called the fault or fault plane. The location below the Earth’s surface where the earthquake starts is called the hypocenter and the location directly above it on the surface of the earth is called the epicenter.”

The magnitude of an earthquake is a measured

tude 5.5 to 6.0 is classi�ied as such when buildings and other structures are slightly damaged. About 500 earthquakes of this kind occur every year.

But when the earthquake causes a lot of damage in very populated areas, the magnitude is 6.1 to 6.9. Only 100 earthquakes of this type happen each year. It is classi�ied as major earthquake (7.0to 7.9-magnitude) when it causes serious damage.

About 20 earthquakes of this kind take place annually.

With 8.0 or greater magnitude, it is considered a great earthquake. Only one such kind of earthquake happen every 5 to 10 years; it can totally destroy com-

value of the earthquake size, USGS says. The magnitude is the same no matter where you are, or how strong or weak the shaking was in various locations. The intensity of an earthquake, on the other hand, is a measure of the shaking created by the tremor, and this value does vary with location.

According to UPSeis, a site published by the Michigan University Geological and Mining Engineering and Sciences, when the earthquake is usually not felt but can be recorded by seismograph, the magnitude is 2.4 or less. Some 900,000 occur each year.

But when the earthquake is felt and causes minor damage, the magnitude is 2.5 to 5.4; about 30,000 earthquakes of this type happen annually. Magni-

munities near the epicentre.

Estimates show some 500,000 detectable earthquakes occur around the world each year with 100,000 of those can be felt and 100 of them cause damage, according to USGS. More destructions are bound to happen if it is accompanied by tsunami, a series of ocean waves that sends surges of water, sometimes reaching the heights of over 100 feet onto land.

About 90% of the world’s earthquakes and 89% of the world’s largest earthquakes occur along the Paci�ic Ring of Fire. In a 40,000-kilometer horseshoe shape, this basin of the Paci�ic Ocean is associated with a nearly continuous series of oceanic trenches, volcanic arcs, and volcanic

belts and/or plate movement.

The circum-Paci�ic belt – as it is sometimes called – has 452 volcanoes and is home to over 75% of the world’s active and dormant volcanoes, according to scientists.

Unfortunately, the Philippines is situated in this so-called “ring of �ire.” This explains why the country is often visited with earthquakes.

The Philippine Archipelago lies between two major tectonic plates: the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. “Philippine Sea Plate is moving towards the Philippine Archipelago at the rate of about 7 centimeters every year,” Philvolcs explains.

“The Eurasian Plate is being subducted along western side of Luzon and Mindoro at the rate of 3 centimeters per year except on Mindoro and northwest of Zamboanga where collision is taking place.”

At the intersection of the two aforementioned plates is the Philippine Fault Zone, “which decouples the northwestward motion of the Paci�ic with the southwestward motion of the Eurasian Plate.” Movements along other active faults are reportedly responsible for the present-day high seismicity of the Philippine Archipelago.

“At the Earth’s surface, earthquakes manifest themselves by shaking and displacing or disrupting the ground,” Wikipedia explains. “When the epicentre of a large earthquake is located offshore, the seabed may be displaced suf�iciently to cause tsunami. Earthquakes can also trigger landslides and occasionally, volcanic activity."

The destructive effects of earthquakes are due mainly to intense ground shaking or vibration. “Because of severe ground shaking, low and tall buildings, towers and posts may tilt, split, topple or collapse, foundation of roads, railroad tracks and bridges may break, water pipes and other utility installations may get dislocated, dams and similar structures may break and cause �looding, and other forms of mass movement may be generated,” Philvolcs explains.

Liquefaction, the process where particles of loosely consolidated and water-saturated deposits of �ine sand are rearranged into more compact state, can also occur. Liquefaction prone areas can be found in beach zones, sand spits, sand bars, wide coastal plains, deltaic plains, �loodplains, and former or existing marshlands and swamplands.

Many strong earthquakes originate along

faults that break the earth’s rigid crust. Called ground rupture, it is a deformation on the ground that marks the intersection of the fault plane with the earth’s surface.

Landslides, the downward movement of slope materials either slowly or quickly, are most likely to happen. Hilly and mountainous areas, escarpments, and steep river banks, sea cliffs and other steep slopes are prone to landslides.

According to some studies, global warming is one of the reasons for increased seismic activity. Geologists claim melting glaciers and rising sea levels disturb the balance of pressure on Earth’s tectonic plates, thus causing an increase in the frequency and intensity of earthquakes.

“All over the world, evidence is stacking up that changes in global climate can and do affect the frequencies of earthquakes, volcanic eruptions and catastrophic sea-�loor landslides,” wrote Bill McGuire, professor of geological hazards at University College in London, in New Scientist magazine. “Not only has this happened several times throughout Earth’s history, the evidence suggests it is happening again.”

Pliny the Elder called earthquakes “underground thunderstorms.”

In the modern world, the portrayal of earthquakes is shaped by the memory of great cities laid waste, such as Kobe, Japan in 1995 and San Francisco, United States in 1906.

According to Philvolcs, at least 5 earthquakes occur in the Philippines. For almost four decades now, the country had been affected by 10 earthquakes with magnitude greater than 7.0.

As such, the possibility of these destructive occurring again in the future “is very strong.”

Despite the advance of science, there is no way earthquakes can be predicted. “It is unlikely scientists will ever be able to predict earthquakes,” wrote Wald.

“Scientists have tried many different ways of predicting earthquakes, but none have been successful. On any particular fault, scientists know there will be another earthquake sometime in the future, but they have no way of telling when it will happen.”

Is the “Big One” coming soon? No one knows for sure. “The big earthquake is certainly coming,” Emmanuel De Guzman, United Nations International Strategy for Disaster Reduction Advisor for Asia-Paci�ic, was quoted as saying by Philippine Daily Inquirer some years back. “The question

IS MINDANAO, P10

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VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

EDGEDAVAO EVENT

MATI’S SAMBUOKAN A FESTIVAL OF ONENESS APART from the magnitude 6.6 that jolted some parts of Mindanao including Mati City on October 29, the city was also shaken with chestpounding drumbeats and stomping of feet during the opening of the Davao Oriental capital’s Sambuokan Festival.

Derived from the Mandaya term “buok” meaning one, Sambuokan is a yearly celebration for oneness and unity of the ethnic group Mandaya to have a progressive and highlydeveloped society.

It is a festival of colorful costumes along with the festive beats of the performers of the street dancing competition.

Revelers packed the Baywalk area where the street dancing competition (their version of Indak-Indak sa Kadalanan) was held. Temblors and rains didn’t shake the enthusiasm of the performers and the people of

Mati City who went out to join the recently concluded festival.

The people were so charged up that every thought and worry was banished as they threw all caution to the wind with just the excitement on their minds.

Winners of the street dancing competition were: champion, Matiao Central Elementary School (P100,000); second, Don Luis Rabat Sr. Elementary School (P75,000); third, Rabat

Rocamora Mati Central Sped School (P50,000).

Special awards for Best in Musicality and Best in Costume and Props were also given to Matiao Central Elem. School.

For secondary/tertiary category: champion, Immaculate Heart of Mary Academy (P100,000); second, Mati National Comprehensive

High School (P75,000); third, Dawan National High School (P50,000).

Immaculate Heart of Mary and Mati National were also awarded with Best in Musicality and Best in Costume awards respectively.

Consolation Prize of P10,000 each were given to non-winners.

Sambuokan festival is an annual celebration coinciding with Mati’s founding anniversary on every 29th of October.

The celebration aims to showcase its Mandaya culture and tradition. The Mandaya tribe inhabited mostly in the east coast part in Davao Oriental.

Because it promotes unity, Sambuokan is not a time for rules but inclusion and a time to celebrate diversity.

EDGED

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EVENT

SEDA ABREEZA LAUNCHES A CHRIS

THE holiday season is officially on as Durianburg’s malls and hotels unveil their holiday colours. One of the Christmas lighting events I look forward to every year is that of Seda Abreeza.

Attended by the highly respected executives in the city, the Consul Generals based in Davao, Department of Tourism, City Tourism Office, City Council, Davao Chamber of Commerce, friends from the press, and top business partners in the industry, Seda Abreeza’s Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony this year endeavours to share the bright and prosperous season through the hotel’s chosen symbol: gifts.

General Manager Ken Kapulong further elaborates this concept saying, “Tonight, as you can see around you, we are being surrounded by gifts. And I speak not only of the decorations, but of your presence. We chose gifts as this year’s symbolic decoration for the hotel in gratitude and recognition of how much people like you have given us the gift of loyalty and patronage. Thank you for always being with us.” Seda Abreeza dedicates this holiday season to Smile Train which has been dearly loved and supported by the Seda Hotels collection through the years.

Smile Train is an international children’s charity with a sustainable approach to a single, solvable problem: cleft lip and palate. Children born

with clefts need more than just surgery. They may also need dental care, orthodontic treatment, and speech therapy.

Guests and partners who wish to help Smile Train may buy Christmas Tree ornaments at Seda Abreeza from Php100 to Php300. All proceeds will go to the said Smile Train. The partnership was sealed and made official through a ceremonial exchange of bears with Smile Train representatives and patients during the Christmas Lighting event.

Furthermore, the event also aimed to reach out to the victims of the recent earthquake in the Mindanao region. In GM’s speech, he said, “More importantly, in lieu of the recent disaster that affected us in Mindanao, the Seda Hotel collection has also given significant aid to the victims of the earthquake in Davao del Sur and North Cotabato, which will be coursed through Ayala Business Club of Davao.

I know that each of us has tried to help in our own way, may we continue to pray for things to be better.”

The ceremonial lighting was officiated by Seda’s very own bear, Seddy and Seda

Abreeza’s General Manager Ken Kapulong. With them were Smile Train’s representative Ms. Marie Bumanlag and their beneficiaries, DOT RD Tanya Rabat-Tan, and the Seda

Abreeza ManCom. The tree lighting was followed by a Christmas musical show from P-Square, and a Yuletide food showcase by Seda Abreeza’s award-winning

culinary team featuring the hotel’s Certified Angus Beef Short Plate with Peppercorn Gravy, Davao cheese board, and various Christmas themed cakes and desserts.

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VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

STMAS OF GIVING

ENTERTAINMENT

‘YOUR MOMENT’S’ WORLD PREMIERE ON ABS-CBN CAPTURES VIEWERS NATIONWIDE WEEKEND nights just started to get brighter as the world premiere of twoin-one talent reality competition “Your Moment” recorded high ratings and wowed viewers nationwide with its electrifying local and foreign acts.

The show’s world premiere garnered a national TV rating of 28.9% versus “The Clash’s” 16.4% last Saturday (November 9), according to data from Kantar Media. Audiences continued to watch “Your Moment” on Sunday (November 10), which recorded a national TV rating of 26.3% compared to “The Clash’s” 17.4%.

The first two episodes welcomed viewers into the state-of-the-art revolving set that offers the studio audience views of both the dancing and singing stages, as well as the emotion meter used byjudges Billy Crawford, Nadine Lustre, and Boy Abunda to input their scores for each performance.

Winning dancing acts Ruthless Comrades of Taytay, Rizal and Kenyo Street Fam of Bulacan, meanwhile, showed how camaraderie and teamwork made their acts and performances more cohesive. Also capturing viewers’ attention and emotion were the winning singing acts Lez 2 Men, the lesbian trio from Cainta, Rizal, and Indonesian duo The Dens Gonjalez shaking up the stage with their rock and roll.

Meanwhile, “Your Moment’s” highly esteemed hosts, judges, and production value were also the talk of the town the whole weekend as positive comments continued to pour online during its world premiere. In fact, the show already trended on Twitter on the morning of its world premiere.

“Hosts Vhong and Luis - perfect partners. Judges Tito Boy, Billy, and Nadine - ewan ko na lang kung may masasabi pa kayo sa lineup na ‘to. Ang lalakas ng comment, napakatalino at napaka-honest. Syempre pang grand finals and buong production set from lightings to camera angles at stage. #ItoDapatAngShow

#ItoAngWorldClass,” shared Jepoy Talks on YouTube.

Netizens also shared which elements they loved about the new weekend show, like Twitter user @ jayestagram who tweeted, “What I love about your moment is ‘yung transparency ng scores ng judges per moment.” As for user @ ClosetedFan, “What I love so far about the acts too: they aren’t all somewhat the same. Like the first three dance groups each had something unique and not just all hiphop groups. The first 3 singing groups were all different from each other too.”

Twitter user @MASosyolohiya also commended the show’s “fast pacing” saying, “No dull moments! Great

performers! Sensible judges!

Witty hosts! Technically superb! Congratulations, Your Moment! Bravo!”

User Miguel Apa also added on YouTube, “Your Moment. Talent-reality show na walang okrayan, which is very good. Just pure!”

Aside from watching TV, fans also tuned in to “Your Moment’s” online show which featured hosts Sharlene San Pedro, AC Bonifacio, Matty Juniosa of “Idol Philippines,” and Dawn Chang, who joined the show live via Skype from Australia.

Follow the journey of different singing and dancing acts in “Your Moment,” Saturday and Sunday nights on ABS-CBN.

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STYLE

VOL.12 ISSUE 176 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2019

CONDO CHRISTMAS: LESS IS MORE

FILIPINOS are by nature resilient. Coming off disasters like the recent earthquakes, it doesn’t take a while to dust off and rise up again. Just like that, things are back to normal.

With Christmas just around the corner, that little condominium space one calls home deserves not fright for earthquakes but Christmas spirit and love.

Aeon Luxe Properties, the developer of Davao City’s first tallest skyscraper project--the 33-level Aeon Towers--comes up with some ideas for a very condo Christmas.

Think about this. Condo owners know when the holiday season comes around, it can be hard to get too excited about decorating your home — because let’s face it, even putting up a tree can take up too much space. We often picture cold, starry nights, twinkle lights and glistening, white snow when we think of the holiday season.

Indoors, there’s an image of a dancing fire, while wrapped in a blanket and sipping hot chocolate. These scenes definitely evoke the quintessential holiday season.

However, it might be difficult to envision this special time of year if living in a condo, but

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best, rather than finding the biggest tree in the lot.

3. No room for a tree?

Surround your home with other types of green! If a tree makes your space too crowded, bring in a natural Christmas smell (we suggest candles), and other greenery like holly or wreaths.

4. Still no room for green?

If you have limited space or just one room, a wall tree is a great way to add some festive decor. A DIY wall tree will allow you to show off a few of your favourite ornaments without taking up floor space.

instead of trying to cover everything with Christmas colours.

This will create a more spacious and relaxing holiday look.

8. Don’t worry about the lack of a fireplace Philippine condos rarely have fireplaces, but this doesn’t mean you can’t recreate fireplace decorations. Create a “faux mantle” by decorating a coffee table with garlands and hanging stockings on the side. You can also hang your stockings on the wall to create a focal point.

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with good planning – anything is possible.

Small space? No problem.

This is where creativity comes into play. Give that condo the much-needed festive vibe and make it a great place to go home to during the holidays. Don’t let that small space hold you back and let your imagination flow.

The key is one’s commitment to making it beautiful, festive and celebration-ready.

Aeon Luxe suggests these some helpful Christmas condo decoration ideas:

1. Make use of your walls Avoid overcrowding your limited floor space and make use of your walls instead. Try hanging lights, images or other holiday décor over your walls and windows.

2. Buy a smaller tree We all want to put up a Christmas tree — just make sure it doesn’t take up your entire living space. Try trees that are four-feet tall (or smaller) for condos with low ceilings, and slim trees for condos with higher ceilings. Go with the one that fits your space

5. Purchase pre-lit decor items These items have fewer cords and can make your smaller space seem less cluttered. Pre-lit garlands, trees and wreathes are all good options.

6. Add color with accent pieces Try decor with a neutral base that won’t overwhelm your space. From here, add pops of colour with accent pieces like pillows, vases or curtains.

7. Less is more Focus your decor in one area — like a tree or table settings —

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9. Don’t forget your balcony Leverage the balcony by adding a small tree or extra lights to add more colour outside the home.

By using the same colour palette, the balcony area can feel like an extension of your interior.

10. Put a wreath on it Put a wreath on your front door to make your guests feel extra welcome this season. It will also help create a sense of flow between your hallway and your living space.

Remember, a small condo doesn’t mean you have to downsize your decorating. You can get creative with the little space you have. PR

VOL.12 VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE 9484 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JULY JULY 19-20, 5-6, 2019

UP AND FURNITURE A1 ABOUTa silly method but for EJ and

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can be only achieve if all of other partners join hands together," Abeyasinghe told media during a press conference held in Davao City on Tuesday.

According to Abeyansinghe, when DOH announced the outbreak of polio in September this year, they were deeply concerned about the situation.

WHO will pursue high coverage in many areas with an overall coverage of 96 percent during the round one of immunization.

"For high coverage in Mindanao, 95 percent of children need to be vaccinated. I said the coverage in the Philippines last year was 66 percent and I believe Mindanao was much higher. In Davao City it was also higher. In some areas in Mindanao like BARMM areas and Maguindanao in these areas we saw a very poor implementation of the campaign," he added.

There had been some challenges in the �irst round of vaccination.

DOH Assistant Secretary Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr, the �irst round of vaccination met various challenges in Davao City, including refusal to receive the vaccine from a religious sector and families residing in gated communities.

"In Davao City nahihirapan talaga kami. Unang-una mga religious sector na may refusal . Sa mga matataas na lugar in Davao City. Meron silang they call

it "panon" or religious belief. Hindi sila mag receive.

Konti lang sila pero ito ay malaking bagay," Dumama said.

Dumama said barangay health workers are barred by security personnel to enter in the gated subdivisions in Davao City.

"Lahat dapat mag-receive ng polio vaccine pero ang nangyayari sa mga gated communities they only received polio vaccination from private medical practitioners daw. Kasi daw kompleto naman daw ang kanilang mga anak bakit pa bibigyan. Pagdating sa security guards hindi makakapasok ang ating mga brangay health workers at mga bakunadors natin," he added.

DOH Secretary Francisco Duque III said despite having problems in penetrating the gated communities, Davao City is still 100 percent coverage in terms of children who received the polio vaccine.

To achieve high coverage, Duque III instructed the Centers for Health Development get a regular feedback or report of the immunization being done by the private physicians.

He advised to directly connect with the Philippine Pediatric Society component chapters here in Mindanao.

He ordered that all pediatricians must cover 10 percent of all children for every province or city and how much of the total pop-

ulation of children below �ive years old must be covered by them.

"May mga ginagawa namin we coordinate with pediatric society for private patients para alamin namin kung puwede na puntahan or sila na talaga magpapatak sa kanila. We also give regional directors targets and urged private pediatricians to have 10 percent target para ma-cover namin yung hindi na-cover na mga bata," Dumama said.

Abeyasinghe is expecting a more challenging round two because it will cover the whole targeted are in Mindanao and the island of Sulu.

"Because these areas are sometimes dif�icult to access. We have other challenges we experienced in the outbreaks in some of the areas so we are working together with DOH regional health departments and UNICEF to ensure we have high coverage," he said.

According to him to achieve high coverage the Local Government Units (LGUs) must create a monthly vaccination and full compliance of this Patak Polio campaign.

For the longer term, he said after the transmission of polio is interrupted LGUs need to ensure that routine immunization program are fully functional and everybody has access.

"The ultimate aim is to restore every high level of coverage in the campaign," he said.

bamboo-inhabiting beetles (BIB) in live and postharvested bamboos using the mitochondrial CO1 gene to be presented by Jewel Anne Salvador of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology.

Lecturers from the other parts of the world would also be speaking before the delegates, among them are Dr. Yoh Yamashita, Dean of the Educational and Research Unit for Studies of CoHHO of Kyoto Universi-

ty in Japan; Dr. Fernando Siringan of the University of the Philippines; and Dr. Maarten Bijleveld Van Lexmond, chairman of Task Force on Systemic Pesticides in Switzerland. (CIO MATI)

threats in the country.

Duterte declared martial law in Mindanao on May 23, 2017 following attacks launched by the

Islamic State-linked Maute Group in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur. Congress granted Duterte’s request to extend the

initial 60-day martial rule thrice to help state forces quell insurgency in the southern part of the country. (PNA)

followed by live-streamed marketing of over 1,000 brands.

The �irm said 84 brands including those of Apple Inc, L'Oreal SA and Fast Retailing Co Ltd's Uniqlo each made over 100 million yuan in sales in the �irst hour.

Over half of merchants on its Tmall marketplace used live streaming to sell products during the event, and sales generated through the medium surpassed 10 billion yuan at 8.55 a.m. (0055 GMT), Alibaba said.

"Nearly all our brands have opted for livestreaming promotions some time this year," says Josh Gardner, who helps overseas companies sell products on Tmall as CEO of Kung Fu Data.

"It's more entertaining than browsing through a product detail page. Traf�ic from livestreaming is easy to convert into transactions, and Tmall has supported stores that run

livestreaming activities with resources."

One vendor, New Zealand-based nutritional supplement maker Clinicians, broadcast livestreams from a booth set up on Alibaba's campus.

According to Carlos Zhao, China market manager, the company has seen a 40 percent jump in sales after it started livestreaming in China six months ago.

"This is a product form from new Zealand, everything is in English, and so many people are selling similar products, so customers wonder, 'Which one do I choose from?'" he told Reuters. "Having a livestreamer can help to break those barriers."

Tmall has said it expects over 500 million users to make purchases this year, about 100 million more than last year. It has also put more emphasis this year on promotions targeting areas outside of China's massive �irst- and second-tier cities.

"The younger generation is buying more, and the customer from rural areas, the customers from lower-tier cities, they are buying imported products," Tmall General Manager Alvin Liu told reporters.

Singles' Day is known to be a stressful time for Alibaba employees with workers sleeping at the of�ice to keep up with orders.

This year, at Alibaba's campus in Hangzhou, workers bustle around in red t-shirts with the slogan 'Make 11 happen'.

Percussion echoes through halls as departments bang large drums each time a sales record is broken. Pink rice cakes – dingshenggao, or 'victory cakes' eaten by Yue Army soldiers during the Song Dynasty - �ill the of�ice snack bars.

This is the �irst time Alibaba's Singles' Day is being held since its �lamboyant co-founder Jack Ma resigned as chairman in September to "start a new life".

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DAVSUR... FROM3 the 25 barangay captains yesterday (Nov. 10) to discuss on the immediate forced evacuation plans for critical areas such as Barangays Altavista, Anonang and Managa.

He said they have set deadlines for the submission of �inal listings of the most affected victims with partially and totally damaged houses.

The Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB-XI) has recommended for the immediate forced evacuation of the remaining residents in Brgys. Altavista, Anonang and Managa, after the agen-

cy con�irmed the instability of the ground in some sitios due to occurrences of tension cracks and landslides.

Meanwhile in Digos City, the households directly affected by the tension cracks and landslides in Barangays Kapatagan, Balabag and Goma, have also been advised for immediate forced evacuation and relocation by the MGB-XI. In its rapid ocular inspection report dated November 10, the MGB-XI also recommended for the relocation or temporary evacuation (as of the moment) of households in directly

situated downslope of the high risk area in Brgy. Kiagot, also in Digos City.

Further, it was also recommended to conduct further assessment on the establishment of an appropriate mitigating measures in Brgy. Kiagot.

The MGB-XI also reminded the barangay local government units and the MDRRMO to constantly monitor slope instability through the indicators such as tension cracks/ruptures, slumping which might aggravate during rain fall and aftershocks. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)

17% from the P54.037 billion earned in 2018, which it attributed to higher revenues from passenger, cargo, and ancillary businesses.

Passenger revenues increased by 17.9% to P7.061

billion from P38.537 billion, as a result of a 10.4% growth in passenger volume.

Cebu Air noted that the increase in average fares of 6.7% to P2,794 this year

from P2,617 in 2018 lifted revenues.

Cargo revenues rose by 5.3% to P217.739 million, while ancillary revenues grew by 22.2% to P2.310 billion.

Huawei said it has made available to the market its Mate 30 Powerhouse duo—Mate 30 Pro

at P50,990, and the Mate 30 at P34,990.

Huawei products and services are currently

available in over 170 countries, and are used by a third of the world’s population.

can give to the PH Team to give them a strong �ighting chance for golds in the SEA Games. Thanks for Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and private/corporate sponsors,” she added.

Right after their campaign in Arafura Games in Darwin, Australia, both the men’s and women’s squads set up camp in South Korea and Thailand for a few months before joining several leagues in Thailand to �ine-tune their skills and get their competitive juices �lowing.

“We went to train with several strong clubs in Thailand as part of our training camp and exposure (to actual tournaments). We also trained with Team Korea,” said Tanchanco-Caballero.

“We had a rigid training and periodization that started summer of this year

with a month-long training camp in Korea. April to May. Then, we were back in Manila for the morning and afternoon training session of skills and strength and conditioning. The team then left for Chonburi, Thailand in a camp that lasted three months from August to early November,” added Tanchanco-Caballer.

Six golds are at stake in the SEA Games – 4 in men’s and 2 in women’s – with the Philippine team joining all of them.

Leading the charge for the Philippines in the quest for those golds are 2016 world champions and senior/seasoned athletes Jason Huerte, Rheyjey Ortouste, Mark Joseph Gonzales and Ronsted Gabayeron.

“The team is now back in the country and on to the last stretch of their daily training in Subic Gym, test-

ing the actual competition venue for SEA Games. They will stay there all the way na until game time from Dec. 1 to 10,” the sepak tekraw chief said.

The Philippines placed fourth in the overall standings of the 2017 Kuala Lumpur SEA Games with two silvers and two bronzes to show. Thailand emerged as the overall champ with six golds and a silver.

Tanchanco-Caballero hopes it will be a different result this time around.

“We hope to be able to contribute sa overall medal haul and top medal standing of team PHI sa SEA Games. Halong saya, pressure, kaba at excitement to be able to bring this exciting sport at home and hopeful we will give our country, supporters and loved ones more reasons to be proud of us,” she concluded.

cause of his close relationship with LeBron James, while he was also mentioned in discussions by NBA commentators when hypothesising where wantaway New Orleans Pelicans star Anthony Davis would end up.

In January, before Davis eventually settled on the Lakers, Philadelphia Inquirer columnist Marcus Hayes posted a piece calling on the 76ers to offer up Simmons as trade bait.

“If the Sixers can trade Ben

Simmons for Anthony Davis before the February 7 deadline, then they should.

Slam dunk. Mic drop. It might rock The Process. So what. Processes change,” Hayes wrote.

ESPN writer Zach Lowe summed up the reality of the trade hype around Simmons earlier this year on his podcast when he said: “Every time they (the 76ers) lose a high-pro�ile game — and almost always to the Celtics — there is an immediate �lurry of

legitimate media coverage that says they should just trade Simmons now because Simmons and Embiid don’t work together.”

The popular opinion was Embiid, Simmons and Butler couldn’t function on the �loor together after the latter arrived in Philadelphia from Minnesota and while Sixers coach Brett Brown admitted there were teething problems with the new combination, Simmons maintained the critics were wrong.

Philippines their brand of basketball.

On Sunday, November 10, the vistors in partnership with the Provincial Government of Davao del Norte under Governor Edwin Jubahib organized a free basketball clinic for the kids at the Davao del Norte Sports Complex.

Jubahib warmly welcomed the cagers, expressing his gratefulness for

choosing Davao del Norte their next stop after showcasing their talents in Cebu weeks ago.

"This is the �irst time we have foreigner, particularly NBA G-Legaue players here in Davao del Norte. Isa ni ka gwapong panghitabo sa probinsya arun mas mapakusgan pa ang atoang sportsmanship," the governor said.

After the clinic, they

also went on another exhibition game against a selection from Tagum City.

Brown, one of the NBA G-League players, was amazed by how the Filipinos love basketball. "This guys work hard and work together," he said.

With this milestone in Davao del Norte, the governor was inspired to invite high-caliber basketball players at least once a year.

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for the ICT industry to become resilient and be more competitive in the global digital economy.

Matunog said representatives of SAS Technologies and Amazon will be speaking during the summit.

The �irst day of the conference (innovation summit) will focus on the importance of innovation and how the industry can achieve it. This includes presentations and panels from industry leaders and visionaries from the government, academe, and public sector.

“The summit is a very signi�icant event. We are alarmed with recent report that the Philippines gone down in the international competitive index and the area category where we were scoring low is in the area of ICT adoption and we were surprise when we looked at the data it turned out that we are number one in social media and individual online presence pero ang kulang pala doon is yung presence of the companies and the digital transformation initiatives of the public and private sector. Meaning there is little happening in terms of companies who are doing

business online and who are using cashless transactions using technology,” he said.

“I was shown the �igures in our competitive index and it appear internally based on our numbers we have improved so much but the index is not only for us but they are comparing our performance against other economies in the region and we are not competing well for instance against Vietnam. I would like to think na mas advance pa rin tayo but I cannot understand why the numbers are not as good as shown,” he added.

Matunog said this is one of the things that will be discussed during the summit.

The second day of the conference will bring together the different ICT councils from all over Mindanao. Each council is expected to articulate on their respective action plans as they are enriched by the information presented on the �irst day.

“We have over 20 ICT councils organized in urban centers in the whole island and will be complimented by the friends from Malaysia and Indonesia. Our

effort on the second day is to �ind a way to align to our programs and roadmaps and projects so that together as one island we will be able to take advantage of the bene�its of ICT and ensure that ICT will be a driver of inclusive growth and development in the countryside. That is our mandate as a ICT council of Davao and as a member of the ICT Confederation of the Philippines,” Matunog said.

The plans are also expected to be tailor made for each area in Mindanao and aligned with the national ICT countryside development agenda of the National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP). Each plan is expected to consider sustainability, resiliency, and emerging technologies as priorities.

“We hope that the speed will also improve because users are fast transitioning to other platforms like using livestreaming and they have a lot of capacity of the network, while we are increasing very fast our capacity still the way we are using internet now is different from before. Most of the news that we get is really from digital sources

rather than the traditional because of these changes in the way we used our broadband network, we still need a lot of effort to ensure that we are able to address the demand,” he said.

Belle Torres, vice president for Industry of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc (DCCCII) and co-chair of the organizing committee for the Innovation Summit 2019 explained that the ABCs are real (arti�icial intelligence, big data, cloud computing) and that there is a need to futureproof the businesses, communities and all sectors.

Torres emphasized that innovation is the key and that infrastructure should also come as a support. She also said there should be strong Public Private Partnership to strengthen initiatives in innovation.

“LIVEX is an effort to ensure we do not only address the present concern but really look forward and see which areas pa ang pwede nating hawakan using ICT to ensure that we are in trajectory in different parts of the region will more or less be aligned and more or less be sustainable in moving forward,” Matunog said.

dium contents of food, food ingredients, and snacks.

“Government should also pick up the slack in its responsibility to conduct massive education and information dissemination

informing its citizens about other better alternatives and healthier food and ingredients options,” Seno said.

The Department of Health earlier proposed

taxing salty foods, citing a report showing that salty diets could lead to hypertension and other noncommunicable diseases.

There are also moves for higher “sin” taxes on

cigarettes, vapes and alcoholic drinks not only to collect government revenues but also to lessen spending on treatment caused by diseases arising from an unhealthy diet. (PNA)

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ed areas.

On the other hand, aircraft from the Tactical Operations Wing-Eastern Mindanao which were used in rescue operations and Rapid Damage Assessment and Needs Analysis are on continuous alert for their utilization.

On November 11, 2019, two AFP Mobile Kitchen Trucks were likewise deployed in Kidapawan to be utilized by some evacuation centers in the area.

Meanwhile, Lt. General Felimon T. Santos in his visits to the involved units expressed his appreciation to the dedication of soldiers to their duty and encouraged them to continuously assist the different Incident Command Post in the synchro-

nized, orderly, equitable, and inclusive disaster management.

"You showed the �inest virtue of service. Despite being a victim also of the calamity, we responded timely and sel�lessly and tirelessly committed ourselves and our unit to the most needy and somehow helped them in alleviating the suffering, he said."

"We shall continue to assist the different DRRMCs and the other Law Enforcement Agencies in put order to the disaster response and encourage our stakeholders to abide by the established protocol, so that we will gave a synchronized, orderly, equitable, and inclusive disaster management." Lt. Gen. Santos added.

NGCP defers to the DOE on the status of generation, sub-transmission lines owned by the electric cooperatives, and distribution lines.

NGCP is a Filipino-led,

privately owned company in charge of operating, maintaining, and developing the country’s power grid, led by majority shareholders Henry Sy, Jr. and Robert Coyiuto, Jr.

2022 presidential race.

Duterte-Carpio earlier said she was not thinking about the presidency.

Her father made similar

pronouncements in 2016, months before he �iled his certi�icate of candidacy for president at the last minute.

is when? No one can tell.

It can happen today, tomorrow, or next year. But certainly, there will be an

earthquake.”

Are you ready for it? As the popular saying goes, forewarned is forearmed.

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11

Lucio “Bong”Tan, Jr. coached University of the East in the UAAP Season 82. He also plays in recreational leagues.

(SPIN.ph photo)

Hoops community mourns Tan’s demise

M

any Filipinos know Bong Tan as the man who continues to lead the way for some of the companies of his father, Lucio Tan Sr., such as Philippine Airlines and Asia Brewery.

But those who know him more are aware that the younger Tan, like most of us, is a basketball fanatic.

The moment Asia Brewery bought Tanduay Distillers from the Elizaldes, Bong Tan did not hesitate to revive its club basketball program.

A known powerhouse in the defunct Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association as Yco Painters and a former Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) champion as well, the Tanduay franchise suddenly made its way back to organized basketball through the Stag Pale Pilsen squad in the defunct Philippine Basketball League, the de facto predecessor of the PBA

D-League.

After a few years, he elevated Tanduay’s PBL team led by Eric Menk and Jomer Rubi back to the PBA, and the team quickly got into the �inals in its comeback conference, the 1999 PBA All-Filipino Cup, only losing to Shell.

The Rhum Masters’ second stay in the PBA lasted only for three years, and it took a little longer before they got back to club basketball play through the Cobra franchise in the D-League, which they would rename Boracay Rum before returning to their Tanduay roots.

The Tanduay club transferred to the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) and became the Batangas City Athletics.

He also helped Alab Pilipinas come to existence in the ASEAN Basketball League by bankrolling the team for the �irst half of its second season or the eighth ABL season.

In fact, Charlie Dy, one of the team’s co-owners, revealed to the Philippine News Agency on Monday night that the sponsorship was supposed to take place earlier.

“In [our] �irst season, we were supposed to be sponsored by Tanduay. It just didn’t work out,” Dy said.

Although their partnership was short-lived, Dy could not help but thank Tan for the opportunity.

“We are very thankful to them because they believed in our cause on having the team to entertain our OFW kababayans,” Dy said.

His love for the game greatly shows with all his contributions to the Philippine hoops scene.

“Basketball is really his passion,” Dy said.

Tan passed away on Monday, two days after he still joined an inter-corporate basketball league game.

Tan collapsed while

retired in 2018 said the 76ers made a mistake by keeping Simmons over Jimmy Butler and believes the franchise should look at trading its star point guard.

Stream over 50 sports live & anytime with KAYO on your TV, mobile, tablet or laptop. Just $25/month with no lock-in contract.

Get your 14 day free trial “I’m taking Jimmy Butler over Ben Simmons all day, man. Jimmy Butler was a better �it for Joel Embiid than Ben Simmons, I’ll tell you that much,” Perkins said on Radio.com’s podcast Scal and Pals.

“I would, I would try to trade him. I would try to see what offers I could get for him but yeah, I would try to move him.

“Obviously he’s not the

Big Philly. You know, Big Philly is there to stay. Big Joel Embiid is there to stay.

“I would consider trying to move Ben Simmons.

I don’t know where to but I just don’t see that working, I don’t see that working one bit.”

Being at the centre of trade talk is nothing new for Simmons. The 2016 No. 1 draft pick was named Rookie of the Year in 2018 and became an All-Star last season but still some critics — like Perkins — believe his lack of a jump shot and question marks over his chemistry with teammate Embiid should convince the Sixers to explore other options.

There was some chat linking Simmons to the LA Lakers last off-season be-

Is Simmons on the trading block?

I

t hasn’t taken long this season for some in the NBA world to turn on Ben Simmons and urge the 76ers to get rid of the Aussie star.

He led Philadelphia to �ive straight wins to start the new NBA season but the knives are back out for Ben Simmons.

Talk about trading the talented Aussie star became a hot topic after the 76ers’ exit from the playoffs earlier this year and less than 10 games into this campaign some have started singing a similar tune.

This time former NBA star turned ESPN analyst Kendrick Perkins is leading the charge. A championship winner with the Celtics in 2008, the 14year league veteran who

IS SIMMONS, P9

he was going to the bench in the second quarter of that game.

“It’s so unfortunate that at a young age of 52, he passed away,” Dy said.

Some other basketball entities also expressed their condolences for Tan’s passing.

“Thank you Mr. Lucio “Bong” Tan Jr. of Batangas City Tanduay Athletics.

Know that you are in our prayers and will be forever remembered,” the MPBL said in a statement.

Tan was also the head coach of the University of the East’s men’s basketball team in the University Athletic Association of the Philippines season 82.

“The UE community expresses deep sorrow with the passing of Mr. Lucio “Bong” Khao Tan Jr., a member of the University’s Board of Trustees,” the UE said in a statement.

(PNA)

PH Sepak Takraw team eyes golds

T

HE Philippine Sepak Takraw team is well equipped to shoot for glory in the 30th Southeast Asian Games the country is hosting from Nov. 30 to Dec. 11, 2019.

Following several training camps abroad and participation in prestigious international tournaments, the Filipino sepak takraw athletes are con�ident of delivering the goods in the biennial meet.

“I’d say that this is by

Simmons is realising NBA pundits are a hard bunch to please.Source:AP

far the most thorough, well planned and most funded campaign of our NSA (national sports association) in the recent years,” said Pilipinas Sepak Takraw Association, Inc. President Karen Tanchanco-Caballero.

“From the team composition, coaching staff, international training camps and foreign coaches plus several international exposure competitions, we have exhausted whatever support we

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NBA G League players pay a courtesy call on Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib.

4 games up as Escandor Cup Collegiate Sponsors League resumes Saturday

HOOPS HISTORY

By ADAM B. MORRELL

A

heavy four-game bill Royal Mandaya Hotel, Dais on its way as ac- vies Paints, Mandarin SPC tion in the Collegiate Branch, Max's Fried ChickSponsors League (CSL) en and PTT Lubricants.

Escandor Cup resumes on Meantime, the Saturday, October 26, at Agro-Industrial Foundathe Davao City Recreation tion College of the PhilipCenter. pines (AIFCP) Sailors and The curtain raiser will the UM Wildcats shared feature a "David versus the top spot in bracket A Goliath" match up as odds- with a 2-0 record each, on favorite Jose Maria Col- followed by the CJC Red lege (JMC) Kings takes on Lions with 1-0. The MCT the struggling Brokenshire Navigators landed on College of Davao (BCD) the fourth spot with 1-1, dribblers at 3:00pm. trailed by the defending The clash between the champion Holy Cross of San Pedro College (SPC) Davao College (HCDC) Stallions and the visiting Crusaders with 1-2, DMCor Jesu College (CJC) MACSP Mariners 0-1, of Digos City Red Lions SPCD Saints 0-1, and SPC will go after at 4:30 pm, Stallions with 0-2. followed by the exciting The bracket B, meanbattle between tradition- while, is currently led by al powerhouse teams St. the Holy Cross College John Paul II College of of Sasa (HCCS) Spartans Davao (SPCD) Saints and with 3-0 card, followed Mats College of Technol- by JMC Kings (2-0), Asian ogy (MCT) Navigators at International School of 6:00 pm.

Aeronautics and TechnolAt 7:00pm, the un- ogy (AISAT) (1-1), Atebeaten University of Min- neo de Davao University danao (UM) Wildcats Knights (1-2), Mannywill Pacquiao(Addu) says evenBlue at 40, he is not finished yet. stake its clean slate against BCD (0-1), UM Penaplata DMMA College of South- (0-1), and Rizal Memoern Philippines (DMMAC- rial Colleges (RMC) SP) Mariners to wrap up Bulldogs (0-2).

Saturday's quadruple header sponsored by The

EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO

NBA G-League selection NOT DONE YET plays exhibition, holds A4 INdulge!

EDGE DAVAO EDGE DAVAO EDGE DAVAO 14 12 clinic in Davao Del Norte

By ADAM B. MORRELL

D

avao del Norte and PAO Panabo District made history over Head Atty. Arvin Escanthe weekend after dor Laguindam, with bringing to town per- Marcel “Jek” Melendres haps the most promising serving as commissioner. bunch of future NBA playRoy Clayter led the ers.

Americans which also A selection of spirited paraded Anthony Winyoung and talented hoop- ningham, Jaelen Brown, sters from the prestigious Jaevon Brown, De Wayne NBA G-League visited the Charles, Jamaal Mitchprovince to grace the �irst ell, Landen Curry, Austin ever Relampagos Basket- Johnson, Christopher ball League (RBL) All-Star Richardson and Zjateek Weekend on Saturday, Conyers.

University of Mindanao will November 8 at the PanaThe tryo toG-Leaguers make it three were in a row bo Multi-Purpose Gym. reinforced by as2019 on Saturday actionPBA in the The selection of de- D-League Valuable CollegiateMost Sponsors League velopmental players from Player (CSL) Eliud EscandorPoligrates Cup resumes the NBA's farm league was as they the at the demolished Davao City Recreation invited for an exhibition Pawnbrokers, 137-109, in Center. Escandor Cup/CSL game against Davao City's a jampacked game. photo VOL.11 VOL.12 ISSUE 241 ISSUE • SUNDAY-MONDAY, 6 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY MARCH 24-25, 17-18, 2019 VOL.12 ISSUE 51 • TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2019 VOL.12 ISSUE 45 • SUNDAY- MONDAY, MAY 12 -13, �inestISSUE commercial team, But MAY the exhibition VOL.12 ISSUE 21• SUNDAY-MONDAY, • SUNDAY-MONDAY, APRIL 7-8, 2019 VOL.12 55 26-27, Montaña Pawnshop, game was only a taste of which served as the main what's the true intention highlight of the All-Star of the foreigners.

Weekend organized by They are here to to Davao Del Norte District 2 experience the Filipino Board Member Atty. Jan- way of life and show the ris Jay “Jigs” Relampagos HOOPS, P9

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