Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 226 | Saturday, January 25, 2020

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A worker takes photographs using her mobile phone of Chinese Lion dance performers as they get a red envelope on a table prepared by the owner of the establishment along Sta. Ana Avenue in Davao City on Friday, a day before the Chinese Lunar New Year.

Lean Daval Jr

ROSY PROSPECTS DA sees huge potential in halal industry, cites need for a certifying body

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he Department of Agriculture (DA) sees huge potential in Halal-related products particularly in relation to tourism.

Despite the rosy prospects, however, its promotion remains uncer-

tain. Halal being a broad process, it comes with some challenges which

includes the identi�ication of a Halal certifying body.

Halal certi�ication gives assurance to all Muslim consumers that the product is processed in compliance with the Shariah laws, and for non-Muslims that the Ha-

lal products are quality products based on Halalan toyyiban (Halal and wholesome) concepts as it integrates the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) and Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points (HACCP).

Department of Agriculture 11 (DA 11) director Ricardo Oñate Jr. said there is a need to identify a Halal certifying body �irst to come up with the Halal policies before implementing it.

"Kasi when we talk of

Halal it is a way of life. Let us harmonize the concept of Halal. Paano ninyo pinatubo ang mais? It is the Halal way? Questions like that," he said.

Oñate disclosed that he will have a meeting

ROSY, P9

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte greets former rebels before distributing their benefits during a ceremony at the San Isidro Central School in Leyte on Thursday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Davao City steps up infection Inday Sara in US for leadership training preparation vs. coronavirus D

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avao City is stepping up its preparation against Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) that has already caused deaths and sickened close to a thousand people in Wuhan, Hubei Province of the People's Republic of China.

Although Davao City has no reported case, the Davao City government through the City Health Of�ice (CHO) is not taking chances and that tight measures are taking place

against the infection.

Coronavirus cases had been reported in South Korea, the United States, Japan, and Thailand.

CHO head Dr. Josephine Villafuerte said the

MinDA picks Taraka model for Lanao del Sur rural devt

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ANSALAN, Davao del Sur – The Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) has chosen the 4th Class Municipality of Taraka, located beside the 39,000-hectare Lake Lanao, as its champion town for the rural development program of Lanao del Sur. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) Chairman Secretary Emmanuel Pinol said that as the champion town, Taraka will showcase projects aimed at providing livelihood for people to bring down the poverty level which is currently at 66.86 percent.

Secretary Pinol made this announcement yesterday during the orientation and learning trip of Taraka’s of�icials and farmer

leaders to the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Centre (MBLRC) in Kinuskusan, Bansalan to learn more about dairy goat raising and the Sloping Agriculture Land Technology.

In a brie�ing held Monday (January 20), Taraka Mayor Nashida Sumagayan and her husband, Vice Mayor Amenodin Sumagayan, along with members of the municipal council and farmer leaders, agreed to the proposal of the MinDA chairman to build in Taraka a learning center similar to Bansalan’s MBRLC. The project will be part of the New Hope Learning Centre program of MinDA which it will undertake in coordination with private partners and state univer-

MINDA, P9

city government is closely coordinating with the Bureau of Quarantine to step up screening of people at all points coming to the city, especially at Davao international Airport which receives daily domestic �lights and international �lights from Hong Kong, Singapore, Manado and Quanzhou.

Villafuerte said the CHO has also a team at the airport to assist the Quarantine personnel in ferrying those who will arrive at the airport with symptoms

of �lu.

“Our role is to ferry those who will show symptoms of �lu. Our team is on stand by and we also have an ambulance there,” she said.

Villafuerte also called on the people to immediately seek the advice of a doctor if they show �lu symptoms like fever and cough.

Department of Health (DOH) 11 assistant regional director Dr. Lenny Joy Rivera said the airport is

DAVAO CITY, P9

TARAKA AS MODEL TOWN. Taraka, a tiny and impoverished municipality, will be developed into a model in rural development in Lanao del Sur, a top acvocacy of the Mindanao Development Authority. MinDA secretary Manny Pinol explains to media practitioners how this could hsppen.

Flanking the MinDA chief are Mayor Nashida Sumagayan and husband

avao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is in the United States to participate in a leadership program initiated by the US State Department.

Mayor Duterte con�irmed this a day after her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, threatened to junk the Visiting Forces Agreement between the US and the Philippines in reaction to the US government’s cancellation of the US visa of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa, one of the President trusted allies.

The younger Duterte

is joined by Mayor Beng Climaco of Zamboanga City as participants of the International Visitor Leadership Program scheduled from January 21 to 28.

“Yes, [I am here]. The theme is preventing terrorism in Southeast Asia,” Mayor Duterte said.

“The areas [where the leadership program is being held] are Washington DC and Los Angeles,” she added.

The cancellation of Dela Rosa’s US visa came after the US government passed a national budget

INDAY, P9

Vice Mayor Amerodin Sumagayan, who requested the intervention from Secretary Pinol himself. In the background are other officials of Taraka who accompanied their mayor and vice mayor in the visit of various model projects around Mindanao.AMA

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Foreign divers in Mati for dive site mapping

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A woman avails of the free reading glasses during the second day of Bisaya Medical Association of America’s medical mission at Brokenshire Auditorium in Madapo Hills, Davao City on Friday. Lean Daval Jr

fter the visit of foreign validators from the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Organization (MBBWO) few weeks ago, four Spanish diving instructors are now in the City of Mati for a dive site mapping.

The foreign divers are from Buceo An Cabo de Gata company. They are Francisco Juan Diaz Martinez, Cayetano Simon Rocamora and Carlos Rodriguez Hernandez.

The Spanish divers arrived in the City of Mati on Tuesday, January 21, and were welcomed by City Councilor Eric Rabat, City of Mati Tourism Council Chairperson Stefan Mikhail A. Rabat and City Tourism Of�icer Dashiel Indelible Jr. The visit is part of the initiative of the Tourism Council with the support

of the City of Mati LGU and City Tourism Of�ice to sustain the protection of Pujada Bay and to create the foundation of a diving industry in the City of Mati.

“The City of Mati has very good diving sites that is rich in coral reefs but need to be protected because corals have been affected by the over�ishing. Within �ive years you can bring back the beauty of the ecosystem in Pujada Bay,” said Francisco Juan Diaz Martinez.

Through their feedback after visiting the different diving areas within Pujada Bay in the next days, the City of Mati LGU will come up with a plan on sustaining the biodiversity of Pujada Bay. So far, the four foreign divers have visited Bobon

Considered to be the most feasible immediate solution to the problem, the consortium takes advantage of an existing partnership between the PCMC and TMC and will last until NKTI is capable of solely performing pediatric and adult living donor liver transplantation.

The government will spend P58.1 million for the equipment that NKTI needs and P1.3 million for a batch of twelve specialists who will be trained for one to two months in Taiwan. Each specialist will have to serve at NKTI for two years in exchange for the training.

The long-term solution, which is expected to raise the standards of health care and uplift the morale of Filipino medical practitioners, also takes advantage of an established relationship between NKTI and KCGMH.

“Nais natin na ang mga pasyente ay magtiwala po sa kakayahan ng ating mga doktor. Gusto natin sabihin sa kanila na hindi na nila kailangan pumunta ng ibang bansa para sa liver transplant. Magtiwala sila sa ating local doctors (We want patients to have con�idence in our doctors and tell them that they do not need to go abroad for liver transplant),” Go said. “’Yun po ang objective natin dito, as soon as possible sana. Sana ay maging at par tayo sa ibang bansa (That is our objective as soon as possible. And to be at par with other countries),” he added.

Based on Go’s suggestions, the PCMC will work out a possible assistance arrangement with the DOH through the agency’s Medical Assistance for Indigent Patients (MAIP) Program.

The Presidential Man-

FOREIGN, P10

Affordable liver transplant soon in PH

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ilipinos with liver failure �ind a glimmer of hope after President Rodrigo R. Duterte vowed to capacitate the National Kidney and Transplant Institute (NKTI) so that patients need not go abroad for liver transplant.

“Subukan natin dito.

Ako, naniniwala ako. Hindi ako nambabarat—may pera at tutulong ako (I believe we can do it here.

There is money and I will help),” Duterte told the parents of a child with biliary atresia on Jan. 15.

He encouraged Ronald Naval and Kendy Aguilo to have their daughter, Sophie, undergo liver transplant in the country instead of in India, which the couple prefers due to the lower cost of the operation there.

A liver transplant in the Philippines is at least three times more expensive than the P1.2 million needed in India but the cost is expect-

ed to go down once NKTI has a suf�icient number of specialists and equipped with the necessary equipment and facilities.

Based on recommendations of Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, Duterte said it is better to have the medical procedure in the Philippines so that the patient can receive better pre-operative and post-operative care and has easier access to �inancial assistance from relevant government agencies.

Go cited the unfortunate case of Eren Arabella Crisologo, daughter of a Philippine Army soldier from Butuan City, who died

PRRD threat vs. US over visa is about lopsided foreign ties, says Dela Rosa

S

enator Ronald dela Rosa said Friday that he does not deserve the bargain made by President Rodrigo Duterte for the restoration of his US visa, but he insisted that the matter is not all about him, as it is about a “lopsided foreign relations.”

“I don’t deserve this bargain but it is not all about me. It is about a one-sided foreign relations,” Dela Rosa said in a statement, also pointing out that Duterte is a “leader who doesn’t want his people treated unfairly.”

“Ok lang mga sundalo nila labas-masok sa ating teritoryo while a senator of this republic is barred from entering their territory due to their intentions of tinkering with our domestic affairs,” he added.

The President threatened to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement (VFA) between the Philip-

pines and the United States if the US does not correct the matter involving Dela Rosa’s visa within a month.

Although the US Embassy did not say the reason for the cancellation of Dela Rosa’s visa, the latter believes it is connected with the extrajudicial killings while he is implementing the government’s war on drugs while being the Philippine National Police chief.

Senate President Vicente Sotto III expressed belief that with Duterte’s threat, the US government will not rethink its actions against the Philippines.

“Perhaps this action can make the US Senate rethink their wrong perception about our Justice System.

He is the President, the buck stops with him,” he said.

Unfortunate, unnecessary

PRRD, P10

from biliary atresia.

Duterte and Go �irst met baby Eren when they visited the wounded-in-action soldiers in a hospital in Cagayan de Oro City in March 2019. They sent the 11-month-old baby and her parents to India in June 2019, but the operation did not succeed.

“Sa kasamaang palad, nagkaroon ng komplikasyon si baby Eren kaya hindi na-survive ang operasyon (Unfortunately, she did not make it due to complications),” Go said during a meeting with key government of�icials and private health care professionals in August 2019 to discuss the rising cases of biliary atresia in the country and the high cost of liver transplant.

Short-term and longterm solutions During the meeting, Go, upon consultation with health of�icials and prac-

titioners, came up with short-term and long-term solutions to the problem that were presented to the President.

The short-term solution is to form a consortium composed of the Of�ice of the President (OP), Department of Health (DOH), Philippine Children’s Medical Center (PCMC), and The Medical City (TMC), a private hospital.

The long-term solution involves acquiring equipment, developing the facilities of NKTI, and sending its specialist staff to Kaohsiung Chang-Gung Memorial Hospital (KCGMH) in Taiwan for training.

Under the consortium, the estimated budget for each bene�iciary is PHP3.6 million, PHP2.9 million which will be spent on the operation at TMC while the rest will be for pre-operation and post-operation care at the PCMC.

The contingent of barangays Purakan and Robocon bags the grand prize of P75,000 and a trophy during the “Hudyaka sa Lubi Festival “ (Coconut Festival) Thursday. The festival is part of the 60th founding anniversary

AFFORDABLE, P9

of Linamon, the smallest town in Lanao del Norte. MindaNews photo

by RICHEL V. UMEL

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

Davao Region's model rice farms identified

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he Department of Agriculture in Davao Region (DA-11) has identi�ied rice model farms where farmers within the area can learn, apply technologies, and avail of services that would raise their productivity.

DA-11 director Ricardo Oñate Jr. said the areas with organized and operational cooperatives are in Davao de Oro province, particularly in Nabunturan and Compostela; in Davao del Norte province, particularly in Carmen and Sto. Tomas towns; and in Davao Oriental towns of Banaybanay, Cateel, and Boston.

Oñate said the identi�ied rice farms are recipi-

ents of programs covered by the Rice Competitive Enhancement Fund (RCEF).

Records from DA-11 showed that there are about 58,000 hectares of rice area in the region.

Oñate said rice production is a priority program of the government under RCEF, which was created by Republic Act 11203, otherwise known as the Rice Tarif�ication Law (RTL).

he Philippines' trade secretary on Thursday urged Nokia to assist its soon-to-be unemployed workers in �inding jobs at other companies, a week after it was disclosed that it will be closing down its research and development center (R&D) in Quezon City this year.

"We are urgently reaching-out to Nokia in order to match their talented workforce with foreign companies that are in ad-

vanced stage of setting-up R&D centers in the Philippines, as well as provide any assistance they may need in order to smoothen the transition and re-deployment of their human resources," Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) chief Ramon Lopez said in a statement.

"There are other companies planning to put up its R&D in the country, and the Nokia employees who would lose their jobs may

RCEF aims to improve rice farmers' competitiveness and income. It has a PHP10 billion annual appropriation fund for six years where 50 percent will be for mechanization program, 30 percent for seed program, 10 percent credit program, and 10 percent rice extension services.

Oñate said they are expecting the delivery of more machinery and equipment within this quarter that will be deployed in these model farms so the rice farmers can access.

"We will see to it that more model farms will be established in rice-produc-

DAVAO REGION, P9

DTI chief urges Nokia to help PH workers find other jobs

T Seda Abreeza Hotel general manager Ken Kapulong provides updates on the hotel’s programs, offerings and events for 2020 during the media Valentine’s launch on Thursday evening. Lean Daval Jr

POGO office demand spreads outside NCR amid supply constraints, policy shifts

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hilippine Offshore Gaming Operators' (POGO) demand for of�ice spaces is seen to spread further outside Metro Manila amid supply constraints and policy shifts concerning the emerging sector, property consultancy �irm Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) said Thursday.

In its property market outlook for 2020, JLL head of research Janlo Delos Reyes said that POGOs' of�ice take-up has been increasing since

2017, and in 2018 overtook that of the Information Technology-Business Process Management (IT-BPM) sector.

In 2019, POGOs continued its of�ice space take-up in Metro Manila alongside the IT-BPM sector.

For 2020, Delos Reyes said, the sector will continue its momentum.

However, he said “a lot of POGOs are moving outside Metro Manila.”

“It’s not because they don’t want Metro Manila,

it’s because of the lack of available space,” he added.

Citing demand from POGO clients, Delos Reyes said online gaming �irms have scouted for 20,000 square meters of of�ice space in Laguna, Cavita, and Pampanga.

Apart from supply constraints, POGOs are moving outside Metro Manila due to policy shifts concerning the sector.

“There’re policies of LGUs in terms of banning

POGOs in their cities and municipalities,” Delos Reyes said.

In December last year, the city government of Makati ordered an inde�inite suspension on the issuance of permits to new POGOs due to a spike in crime and prostitution.

The Bureau of Internal Revenue is also cracking down on “tax-dodging” POGOs, shutting down online gambling establishments that refuse to pay proper taxes.

POGO, P10

be absorbed by these new (and) expanding companies," he added.

The Philippine Daily Inquirer earlier reported that Nokia decided to close down its Technology Center in UP-AyalaLand Technohub in Quezon City.

Workers reportedly would be leaving the �irm's R&D center starting March this year. Operations, however, are expected to last at least until September

DTI CHIEF, P9

DBM sets deadlines for spending of P4.1T national budget for 2020

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he Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has set deadlines in the spending of the P4.1 trillion national budget for 2020, in which agencies are required to release funds for the completion of infrastructure projects until 2021.

The Budget department posted a copy of the national budget circular no. 578 dated January 6 on their website.

The circular aims to “synchronize fund release with the implementation of the overall physical and �inancial plans, targets, and schedules submitted by the departments, agencies, and/or operating units.”

The approved 2020 General Appropriations Act, in which a cash-based

budgeting system will be implemented, noted that appropriations for capital outlays for infrastructure projects, including subsidy releases to government-owned or –controlled corporations for infrastructure projects; and items related with maintenance and other operating expenses (MOOE) shall be valid until the end of the year.

Meanwhile, the completion of construction, inspection, acceptance, and payment of infrastructure-related capital outlays are given a Dec. 31, 2021 deadline.

Delivery, inspection, acceptance, and payment for MOOE and other capital outlay items are given a June 30, 2021 deadline.

NEDA: Review of contracts with biz sector 'a delicate balancing act' British officials propose limited

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ressed by concerns on the capability of the present administration to honor contracts, the National Economic and Development Authority said Thursday that review of government deals with the private sector needs to be “a delicate balancing act.”

According to NEDA, recent moves by the Duterte administration to review business contracts with government that it considered “onerous” have caused concerns from the business sector, and some credit ratings agencies.

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon told reporters in Pasig City that

while “onerous” contracts have to be reviewed, the government must also look into the apprehensions of the private sector.

“I think the bottom line is it’s really a very delicate balancing act, so we do want to send a strong signal that we will not be tolerating these onerous contracts,” said Edillon.

“I think one of the lessons, going forward, is that there has to be some sunset clause, a review clause at least on these contracts since there will be changes,” she pointed out.

President Rodrigo Duterte has been ordering review of contracts

entered into by the government with the private sector that he deemed disadvantageous to the government and the people.

The supposed “onerous” contracts under review by the government include the water deals with concessionaires, and another with Chevron Philippines, Inc. Likewise, Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo has called for a review on the lease contract of Ayala Land, Inc. and the University of the Philippines, involving the UP Ayala Land Technouhb in Diliman.

Meanwhile, Socioeco-

nomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said the government has been receiving comments arising from the review of such contracts.

“We have been getting some comments from businessmen, as well as the credit ratings agencies, and so I guess those remarks, those comments need to be considered by authorities,” Pernia said.

Also, several business groups such as the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) have already expressed concerns about the ability of the administration “to uphold the sanctity of contracts.”

DBM, P10

5G role for China’s Huawei

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ritish of�icials have proposed granting Huawei a limited role in the UK’s future 5G network, resisting US calls for a complete ban over fears of Chinese spying, two people with knowledge of the matter told Reuters.

The recommendation, made at a meeting of of�icials from senior government departments and security agencies on Wednesday, comes ahead of a meeting of Britain’s National Security Council next week to decide how to deploy Huawei equipment, the sources said.

The of�icials proposed barring Huawei from the sensitive, data-heavy “core” part of the network and restricted government systems, closely mirroring a provisional decision made last year under former Prime Minister Theresa May. “The technical and policy guidance hasn’t changed,” said one of the sources, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations. “Now it is down to a political calculation.”

Britain is caught in the center of a geopolitical

BRITISH, P9

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

EDGEDAVAO

Anflo Group of Companies chairwoman of the Board Linda Lagdameo (3rd from right), together with Real Estate and Livestock operations president Ricardo Floirendo (2nd from right), Agri operations president Vincent Floirendo (4th from right), Damosa Land, Inc. 1st vice president Ricardo Lagdameo (4th left), Anflo Group of Companies president Oscar Grapa (leftmost), PDP Architects’Arch. Cathy Saldaña (rightmost), Anflo Contruction

ECONOMY 5

Corp. vice president Engr. Ruel Tan (2nd from left), Carwill Construction, Inc. president Willy Ho (center) and Christian Cambaya of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC), flashes a thumbs up during the topping off ceremony for Damosa Diamond Tower in Lanang, Davao City on Friday. Lean Daval Jr

’19 GDP still decent, Timely budget passage to boost PH resilient -- economist 2020 economic growth: Pernia F

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overnment economic planners are optimistic about hitting this year’s gross domestic product (GDP) target of 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent after the economy expanded slightly lower than the target band in 2019 due to the delayed national budget approval.

The Philippine economy expanded by 6.4 percent in the fourth quarter of 2019, bringing the fullyear economic growth to 5.9 percent that was the slowest in eight years and modestly below the lowend of the government’s 6.0-6.5 percent revised target for the year. The GDP grew by 6.2 percent in 2018.

“We have seen our economy facing several challenges right at the start of 2019 as the budget impasse led to delays in the implementation of government programs and projects. Adding to the problem was the election ban on certain, mainly infrastructure projects,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said in a press brie�ing on Thursday.

President Rodrigo Duterte signed the 2019 budget only in April.

But Pernia said the Congress and the Department of Budget and Management (DBM)

have ensured the timely passage of the country’s 2020 spending plan and approved the validity extension of the 2019 �iscal program until the end of this year, which he considered both are “critical to our efforts to spur economic growth.”

“Other things being equal, compared with 2019, I think the economic growth, given the favorable passage of the budget and also the extension of the 2019 budget until the end of the year, the favorable impact would be bigger in terms of economic performance,” he added.

Pernia, also Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), underscored the need to recon�igure budget and disbursement protocols that are more robust.

“We now need to signi�icantly improve the absorptive capacity of government agencies for faster implementation and completion of key social

programs and infrastructure projects. We also need to swiftly address issues such as the dif�iculty in the acquisition of right-of-way, delays in procurement, restrictive auditing rules, and skills shortages,” he added.

NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said efforts to improve the absorptive capacities of government agencies so far have not been a problem under the Duterte administration. “(But) still we cannot be complacent. We think it (GDP growth target still) is very much achievable this year,” she said.

In 2020, Edillon said they are banking on the manufacturing and construction sector amid the government’s “Build, Build, Build” program, boosting the economy to faster growth.

“Services will still be a growth driver, especially since we are looking forward to a new telecommunication (player) this year so our communication sub-sector of course,” she said in an interview, citing also sectors that rely heavily on the communications infrastructure.

Pernia said with 6.4-percent growth in the fourth quarter, the Philippines likely ranked

second only behind Vietnam’s 7.0 percent, and higher than China’s 6.0 percent growth rate.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported that among the major economic sectors, services posted the fastest growth in October to December with 7.9 percent.

Industry grew by 5.4 percent, while agriculture, hunting, forestry, and �ishing registered a growth of 1.5 percent.

“On the supply side, the 7.9 percent growth in the services sector was mainly driven by the acceleration of public administration and defense, trade, and other services.

However, this was partly tempered by the slowdown in agriculture,” he said.

On the demand side, Pernia said growth was driven by the ramping up of government spending after the budget delay in the �irst half of 2019.

“Public construction signi�icantly increased by 34 percent in fourth-quarter 2019, with the completion of projects of the Department of Public Works and Highways, payment for the acquisition of right-of-way, and construction of government buildings,” he added. (PNA)

inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said had Congress approved last year’s budget on time, domestic growth would have improved to as much as 6.8 percent from the previous year's 6.2 percent.

“If the 2019 budget was passed on time and the National Government was able to replicate the 2018 growth in government consumption and government construction in 2019, the economy would have grown by an additional 0.9 percentage point or 6.8 percent instead of 5.9 percent,” he said.

Philippine full-year growth last year, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), was lower than the government’s 6-6.5 percent target band.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) on Thursday also reported that growth in the last quarter of 2019 grew by 6.4 percent, faster than the revised 6-percent expansion in the previous quarter.

An economist of Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) said the 5.9-percent output in 2019 continues to show the economy's resiliency despite the impact of the slowdown in the �irst half of the year due to the government’s budget approval delay and the global challenges.

In a reply to e-mailed questions from PNA, RCBC

chief economist Michael Ricafort said the domestic economy remains among the strongest in the region and even with the major economies around the world.

“It is worth noting that Philippine economic growth for 2019 at 5.9 percent is still considered decent and resilient, in view of external challenges/risk factors especially the global economic slowdown in 2019 largely brought about by the lingering US-China trade war since July 2018,” he said.

For this year, Ricafort forecasts a 6.4-6.6 percent expansion for the domestic economy with the upper end of the projection within the government’s 6.5-7.5 percent target.

He identi�ied government spending, especially on infrastructure, consumer spending, improvement in investment and capital formation, and optimism on the US-China trade pact as among the factors that would possibly drive growth.

“Faster government spending would be a major catalyst for faster Philippine economic/GDP growth in 2020, after the government underspending in the early part of 2019 slowed down GDP growth by about 100 basis points,” he added.

Ricafort said possible approval this year of

PH, P9

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

Indestructible

President Rodrigo Duterte’s satisfaction rating soared to a record high and even United States President Donald Trump sang a different tune with an invitation to the supposed ‘banned’ leader.

The results of the Social Weather Stations’ December 13 to 16 poll showed that Duterte earned a net satisfaction score of “excellent” +72 in the last quarter of 2019. The new record-high “excellent” public satisfaction with the President’s performance has been called by government of�icials as proof that Filipinos are impressed with his “legacy of real change.”

Based on the latest SWS survey, around 82 percent of adult Filipinos expressed satisfaction with Duterte’s performance, while only 10 percent were dissatis�ied and the remaining 8 percent were ambivalent on the matter.

The poll results yielded an “excellent” +72 net satisfaction rating, higher than seven points from September 2019’s “very good” +65.

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OLIVIA D. VELASCO D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONA OLIVIA D. VELASCO JASPERSOLANI V. BACSAL General Manager Finance Advertising Specialist VP Operations General Manager JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

The results also revealed an increase in satisfaction with the President’s performance across all geographic areas, as well as among all age groups, both men and women, and in urban and rural areas.

Another indication of the Philippine leader’s standing even in the international community showed he is a formidable ally.

President Trump sent him an invitation to attend a special USAsean meeting to be hosted by the USA. This despite the existing ban to enter the US �iled by an American Senator.

Trump’s invitation came ahead of the approval of proposals in the US Congress to ban Philippine of�icials involved in extrajudicial killings and what US senators have described as “wrongful detention” of opposition Senator Leila de Lima.

Whether or not President Duterte goes, it is clear for now that his latest excellent ratings and his seemingly indestructible stature proves the public is happy with his performance.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

7

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

JAPAN’S HIDDEN WAR AGENDA Historically, Japan’s military started making maps as early as 1870, and most of these were detailed graphs of neighboring countries with key importance to Japanese interests, particularly Korea and China. This was part of the intention to be recognized as a military power and with the clout to control lands or create colonies within reach or adjacent to her territory.

Japan’s economic foothold in Davao following its successful control of the hemp industry in the �irst half of the 20th century became an incentive to pursue her country’s military agenda.

Though disputed, the in�lux of Japanese nationals to Davao disguised as plantation workers was not lost among Filipino intelligence eavesdroppers.

The breakout of war, as expected, eviscerated some of Japan’s military secrets that were covertly known to member-countries in the Allied circle. Some of the information were subject to con�irmation. A report (’20,000 Japanese at Davao for Fifth Column, Ranks‘) in The Courier-Mail (Brisbane, Australia) on Decem-

ber 27, 1941, was interesting: In and around this [Davao] port. which the Japanese now claim to have captured, live 20,000 Japanese. Mindanao is one of the richest of the Philippine Islands. Although the Americans have an aerodrome and naval base in Davao, the Japanese have their own schools and hospitals, and police the outlying districts… They even have their own Consul…

Several years ago, it was rumoured that the Japanese had forti�ied Mount Apo and that they were smuggling in arms and ammunition. - It also was believed that they had a tunnel �ive miles long under the hemp plantations leading to a secret arsenal where, ammunition was manufactured.

Considerable �ifth column activity at Davao since the war begun seems to bear out these reports of intense Japanese preparation. (Italics mine.)

The same report claimed that in prewar times “large deposits of chromium, invaluable to armament makers, were found” but did not speci�ically identify the location in the country. Ac-

cordingly, the “iron ore [was] the best in the East and [was] needed desperately by Japan.” Nothing concrete came out of this account, which was sourced from raw data.

But the most interesting account (‘Japs Stole Davao Before War‘) came out in the January 4, 1942, issue of The Sun, published in Sydney, Australia, which reported: Americans discovered maps and speci�ications of Davao’s defences hidden in a corpse being shipped back to Japan.

Japan’s undisguised peacetime stealing of Philippine areas is illustrated by this incident told by a young American now in Sydney after living most of his life in the Philippines.

A Japanese at Davao had died. Instead of cremating the body and returning the ashes to the homeland (the universal custom), the Japs were to send the body back untouched.

A suspicious American arranged an autopsy, which revealed maps and speci�ications of the town’s defences concealed in the corpse…

As the Jap colony grew, more arms were smuggled in —machine-guns, Tommy guns, grenades, small arms, and ammunition coming in cof�ins. Japanese warehouses became arsenals.

Factories were built, many with 6 ft. reinforced concrete walls— admirable fortresses.

While the story sounded fantastic, this has never been of�icially con�irmed. There’s a strong possibility, though, the report has basis. Dispatching dead bodies in tightly sealed aluminum casket was a preferred way of bringing home cadavers to loved ones in a foreign land. This was the case of Lt. Edward Bolton, American district governor of Davao who was killed in 1906.

Japan’s hidden war agenda, though continuously debated by scholars, has been extensively discussed in articles published in prestigious publications. In the July 2016 issue of National Geographic, Greg Miller wrote (‘Secret Japanese Military Maps Could Open a New Window on Asia’s Past ‘) about the maps recovered by the United States after the war.

The secret military diagrams and plates, numbering in the thousands, were con�iscated by the American soldiers, and covered nearly all of Asia. Miller wrote: [The maps] went far beyond the local topography. They included detailed notes on climate, transportation systems, and the local people. It’s the kind of information that could be used to plan an invasion or an occupation, and some of it was gathered by spies operating behind enemy lines.

To the Japanese, these maps are known as gaihōzu—maps of outer lands.”

To the Americans, they were a valuable source of intelligence, not just on a recently defeated foe, but also on a newly emerging one—the Soviet Union.

Though some of the maps are still hidden, kept for decades for safekeeping and almost forgotten, are now in the hands of scholars for further studies. Their existence undeniably con�irms the long-term plan of Japan to include the Philippines, particularly Davao, as future colonies of the land of the Rising Sun.

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

SOMETHING TO SMILE ABOUT “A beautiful smile without any reason is the smile of the existence.” – Mehmet Murat Ildan *** If you want to have peace with someone, smile. As Nobel Peace laureate Mother Teresa said, “Peace begins with a smile.”

There is something about smile, indeed. Tessa Dare, author of A Lady of Persuasion, penned: “Oh, no. Don’t smile.

You’ll kill me. I stop breathing when you smile.”

So, why frown when you can smile. In Quote Me Everyday, Santosh Kalwar wrote: “I was smiling yesterday, I am smiling today, and I will smile tomorrow.

Simply because life is too short to cry for anything.”

Roy T. Bennet, author of The Light in the Heart, shares the same view: “A smile puts you on the right track. A smile makes the world a beautiful place.

When you lose your smile, you lose your way in the chaos of life.”

Internationally bestselling American author Dale Carnegie said that if you want to impress someone for the �irst time, you don’t have to spend much money on clothes and other material things.

In his book, How to Win Friends and In�luence People, Carnegie shared this story: “At a dinner party in New York, one

of the guests, a woman who had inherited money, was eager to make a pleasing impression on everyone. She had squandered a modest fortune on sables, diamonds and pearls.

“But she hadn’t done anything whatever about her face.

It radiated sourness and sel�ishness. She didn’t realize what everyone knows: namely, that the expression one wears on one’s face is far more important than the clothes one wears on one’s back.”

Carnegie was talking about smile. American steel magnate Charles Schwab thinks so, too. “(He) told me his smile had been worth a million dollars,” Carnegie wrote. “And he was probably understating the truth. For Schwab’s personality, his charm, his ability to make people like him, were almost wholly responsible for his extraordinary success; and one of the most delightful factors in his personality was his captivating smile.”

Perhaps Schwab heard of Iwan Goll’s thought. “The smile is civilization’s �inest adornment,” the author of Dreamweed said. “It signi�ies the willpower and duty to fashion mankind’s coexistence as quietly and agreeably as possible so that it will always appear friendly. For it is all a matter of appearance.

The smile is culture’s diploma: it

is the diplomat’s badge.”

Kathleen J. Edgar was right.

“Smile awhile and while you smile – another smiles, and soon there are miles and miles of smiles and life’s worthwhile because you smile.”

One reason why smile is important is that it has the ability end �ights. “He smiled, and suddenly she knew that his words were true,” Julia Quinn wrote.

“Everything would be all right.

Maybe not today and maybe not tomorrow, but soon. Tragedy couldn’t coexist in a world with one of his smiles.”

Another example was that of what Jodi Lynn Anderson wrote in Tiger Lily: “(She) made an attempt at a smile. After having felt the need to glower at other children for most of her life, smiles never came easily to her face. But this one was half all right.”

Smile even your heart is aching.

As Lauren Graham pointed out in Someday, Someday, Maybe, “Anyone can smile on their best day. I like to meet a man who can smile on his worst.”

If you want to become a successful businessman, you have to smile a lot. As one Chinese saying puts it: “A man without a smiling face must not open a shop.”

Carnegie puts an emphasis

on that, too, in his book. “Your smile is a messenger of your goodwill. Your smile brightens the lives of all who see it. To someone who has seen a dozen people frown, scowl or turn their faces away, your smile is like the sun breaking through the clouds. Especially when that someone is under pressure from his bosses, his customers, his teachers or parents or children, a smile can help him realise that all is not hopeless – that there is joy in the world.”

Never underestimate the power of smile. At one time, I was mad as hell when someone took the book I bought. I left it on top of my table before I left for work. When I returned home, it was gone. I really don’t have any problem with it if the person who took it just left a note that he was borrowing it.

At least, with a note I can always ask the person if he is already done with the book.

But what really got my nerve this time was the fact that I had some scribbled notes on the said book which I inserted.

I was afraid that whoever took the book might just throw away the notes I had written.

I was about to give up when my niece came to my room. “I am very much sorry, uncle,” she said. I was surprised; what had she done to me, I asked myself.

She took something from her bag and with a big smile, “Here’s your book which I took without your knowledge. I forgot to leave a note.”

It didn’t matter if the book was lost. What mattered most was the fact that here was my niece and with a broad smile eased all those worries. “A smile is central to our evolution and one of the most powerful tools of human behavior,” explains Dr. Cacher Keltner, a professor of psychology at the University of California, Berkeley, who has studied the importance of facial expression – including the variety and impact of smiles.

In 1872, Charles Darwin proposed in his book, The Expression of Emotion in Man and Animals that facial expressions are biologically based and universal among humans. However, the celebrated anthropologist Margaret Mead thought the smile was a cultural behavior that varied between societies.

“Smile and others will smile back,” Jean Baudrillard thinks.

“Smile to show how transparent, how candid you are. Smile if you have nothing to say. Most of all, do not hide the fact you have nothing to say nor your total indifference to others. Let this emptiness, this profound indifference shines out spontaneously in your smile.”

8 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

MANGO: THE FRUIT OF ALL SEASONS

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

N

ow, it has �inally been con�irmed: mango (known in the science world as Mangifera indica) tops as the most favorite tropical fruit in the Philippines. This was based from the survey conducted by this author.

More than 50% of the 70 respondents interviewed via e-mail and text messaging have chosen mango as the fruit of all seasons.

Dr. Marimel Yap-Veloso, consultant ophthalmologist at the Asian Eye Institute in Makati City, reasons out: “Mango is sweet and satisfying – and it has great texture, too! It’s great on cakes, pies and as a juice or shake. It’s a versatile fruit.

The green variety is also delicious with �ish and bagoong."

Lionel Tierra, a Filipino who now lives in California, prefer ripe mango. “It is succulent, sweet and heavenly to the taste,” he wrote.

“I’ve tried durian, star apple, and atis, among others

– they are all very good to the taste, but mango, to me, is still the best. Mango is like my best friend and sweetheart. All other fruits are just good friends and acquaintances.”

When it comes to mango, Philippine mangoes are the number one. In fact, former Agriculture Secretary Leonardo Q. Montemayor said the variety has found its way in the Guinness Book of World Records as “the sweetest of its kind in the world.”

After banana and pineapple, mango is the third most important fruit in terms of volume of production. In fact, the Philippines is one of the world’s leading mango producers and exporters. “The Philippines holds a relatively signi�icant position in the mango global value chain,” Karina Fernandez-Stark, Vivian Couto and Gary Geref�i, authors of “The Philippines in the Mango Global Value Chain,” pointed out.

The Rome-based Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations said the Philippines accounts for an average of 10% of the world fresh and dried mango exports. The major export destinations were the United States, Hong Kong, South Korea, and Japan.

Although mango is the country’s fruit icon, it is not endemic in the Philippines.

History records showed that mangoes originated from the Myanmar region, where it was known to have been cultivated 4,000 years ago.

There are several varieties of mango grown in the Philippines. But when people talk about the fruit, they are actually referring to mango carabao. The fruit is elongated and kidney-shaped, weighs about 240 grams, with thin, yellow pulp, very tender taste and slight aroma.

Nicola Shubrook, writing for BBC Good Food, said

that just 80 grams of mango (2 x 2-inch slices) are enough to provide a person 53 calories, 11 grams of naturally-occurring sugar and just over 2 grams of �iber.

Mango, touted to be the country’s fruit icon, is one of the healthiest fruits ever.

It is an important source of beta carotene and vitamin A, which “in�luence the susceptibility of a host of infectious diseases and the course and outcome of such diseases,” to quote the words of a 2002 review of medical studies by the National Institute of Nutrition in Hyderabad, India.

A study from the Institute of Nutritional Science at the University of Potsdam in Germany in 2003 found that infant mice whose diets were supplemented with beta carotene and vitamin A had higher levels of proteins that make up the immune system.

Eating foods rich in beta carotene may be a powerful weapon in the �ight against heart disease.

In one study in the United States, a large group of male doctors with heart trouble took 50 milligrams of beta carotene every other day. Compared with men who took nothing, they had almost half the number of heart attacks and strokes.

Vitamin A can also be found in such food as carrot, sweet potato, liver and eggs, but none is considered as healthy as those packed in mangoes. “Mangoes are a safe source of vitamin A and beta carotene,” says Ennata Avena, a research specialist in the food analytical service lab-

oratory of the Food and Nutrition Research Institute in the Philippines. As it ripens, the amount of beta carotene also increases.

When the fruit is still green, the amount of vitamin C found in mango is higher. Vitamin C, along with other vitamins found in fruits and vegetables, seems to protect people against cancers of the mouth, larynx, esophagus, stomach, colon, and breast.

One study has shown that taking an extra 60 milligrams of vitamin C each day can help lower heart disease.

Mangoes are also high in �iber content. A study which appeared in the Journal of Nutrition found that mice who had a highfat, diet-induced obesity had improved gut micro�lora after adding mango to their diet. “This was in part due to the high �iber content of mango,” Shubrook reported.

The luscious yellow fruit is also good for the heart. “An animal study in 2016 suggested that one of the phytonutrients in mango, mangiferin, offered heart protective bene�its, including reduced in�lammation,” wrote Shubrook, a British nutritional therapist.

It’s �iber, potassium and vitamin content also help keep the arteries working.

Thus, eating a balanced and varied diet that includes �ive portions of vegetables and fruit, such as mango, can help keep our heart healthy.

To avoid getting cancer, you better eat mangoes, Medical News Today sug-

gests. In 2014, a study done in Japan found that carotenoid-containing fruits like mangoes may reduce the risk of colon cancer. The Skin Cancer Foundation also found that a diet high in beta-carotene can help protect against skin cancer.

Those who want to lose weight may �ind ally in mangoes. “As mango contains a lot of vitamins and essential nutrients, eating one mango makes you feel fuller,” the Times of India reports. “Also, it is loaded with �ibrous content, it boosts the digestive function and burns unwanted calories from the body.

This, in turn, helps in losing extra weight.”

Mangoes also do wonder when it comes to heat stroke. “Juicing the fruit from green mango and mixing with water and a sweetener helps to cool down the body and prevent harm to the body,” states the website, realfooodforlife.com. “The reason people often get diuretic and exhausted when visiting equatorial climates is because the strong ‘sun energy’ is burning up your body, particularly the muscles.

The kidneys then become overloaded with the toxins from this process.”

The fruit is likewise good for those who want to enhance their sex life.

“Mangoes are a great source of vitamin E. Even though the popular connection between sex drive and vitamin E was originally created by a mistaken generalization on rat studies, further research has shown balanced proper amounts

MANGO, P10

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

EDGEDAVAO FOOD

YEAR OF THE INTERNATIONAL DESSERT CHAIN Krispy Kreme doughnut introduced a new twist in its Original Glazed (OG) doughnuts that will definitely melt your heart.

Dubbed the “Year of the OG,” Krispy Kreme has launched its new irresistible treats for Dabawenyos.

Ever wondered why there is a hole in the center of the doughnut and whatever has happened to that part of the hole? Krispy Kreme has turned that middle part into bite-sized treats called Original Bites!

The melt-in-yourmouth OG bites are perfectly chopped to bite sizes and are available in cups of seven, a bucket of 24 or 45, as well as in pre-assorted boxes of 9.

For the sweet tooth, there is also the OG bites in choco hazelnut flavor.

Have a snack-cumdessert with Krispy Kreme’s Original Glazed Doughnut Popcorn (P95), made in collaboration with gourmet popcorn master Chef Tony.

This year, Krispy Kreme is also launching “Everybody is an Original” campaign.

“Through the campaign, we want to highlight that ‘I am an original’. This year we are celebrating ‘ako talaga’ sarili ko.

In Luzon we have a brand ambassador. In Davao we are thinking of tapping Davao Conyo who has a

platform and a unique way of expressing himself. This is the focus of our campaign. Also in Visayas we are thinking of tapping Kitty Kat-Kat. We will use their platforms to highlight their passions,” Payag said.

In 2018, Krispy Kreme launched the “Every One Is An Original” campaign that celebrates every person’s individuality.

EDGED

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TRAVEL

OCEAN PARK HONG KONG REDEFINES NIGHT-TIME ENTERTAINMENT IN THE CITY

IN CELEBRATION of Ocean Park Hong Kong’s 43rd anniversary, the Park officially launches the “Gala of Lights”, an extraordinary integrated night-time entertainment experience featuring 360-degree waterbased multimedia shows and exciting interactive installations never before seen in Hong Kong. As part of the experience, the Park also unveils themed dining packages and a selection of unique souvenirs inspired by the latest attraction.

The “Gala of Lights” boasts two new immersive multimedia shows created by the awardwinning multimedia studio Moment Factory that is staged every night at the Ocean Park Hong Kong from 6:30pm to 10pm. The night-time extravaganza shimmers at the Park’s iconic The Grand Aquarium and Aqua City Lagoon, which have been modified and refurbished for the grand productions. A newly created semi-

submerged stage transforms its venue, the Aqua City Lagoon, from a beautiful water fountain by day into a full show venue with a 360-degree stage that offers unique vantage points to guests by night.

Explore the “Soul of the Ocean” Guests will be astonished by “Soul of the Ocean”, a one-of-akind spectacle tale celebrating nature in all its wonder. The show comprises state-of-the-art projection mapping, original music, and surprising special effects like flaming jets, mist and dancing water fountains, as well as an action-packed performance by 20 artistes on stage that brings together athletic parkour, synchronised dancing and thrilling acrobatics, choreographed by The 7 Fingers.

Be inspired by “Visions of Hong Kong” Ocean Park Hong Kong also closely collaborated with the Moment Factory to create the evening’s grand finale, “Vi-

sions of Hong Kong”, a dazzling multimedia fountain show that takes the audience on an inspirational journey through the city and beyond. With Hong Kong as its muse, the show travels through dreamy and impressionist landscapes that feature the iconic skyline

of Victoria Harbour with all its skyscrapers, the neon lights that sparkle through the streets of Hong Kong from day to night and the natural lush green nature of the surrounding mountains ending with a flourishing wishing tree. The symphony of special effects immerses the

audience in the show through the interplay of lasers and flaming jets.

“The launch represents an important milestone of Ocean Park Hong Kong’s transformation into a diversified worldclass resort destination. Guests can now extend their stay at

the P and and brea terta Cha Kon “W of p exci “Ga gues adve sive It is Hon long elev tiven

Com limi and Th from with tion toge show of th ner “He Men ally usin soy

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VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

Park from day to night, d indulge in gourmet food d drinks as they take in the ath-taking shows and enainment,” said Leo Kung, airman of Ocean Park Hong ng.

With more than two years preparation, the Park is ited to officially introduce ala of Lights”, which will take sts on an all-new oceanic enture in a totally immermulti-sensory experience. a whole new experience for ng Kong and its guests and a g-awaited tourism highlight, vating the Park’s competiness,” continued Kung.

mplete the experience with ited time gourmet food d customizable souvenirs The Park will indulge guests m the eyes to the taste buds h a variety of culinary opns, which will be presented ether with the amazing ws, including two “Soul he Ocean” Show Dinmenus – the scrumptious eritage and Precious Tasting nu” designed by internationacclaimed chef Qu Hao ng 200-year-old Japanese sauce brand, Hamadaya

ENTERTAINMENT

LIZQUEN RETURNS TO METRO.STYLE IN SULTRY COVER FEATURE

POWER COUPLE Liza Soberano and Enrique Gil, also known as leading loveteam LizQuen, is back on the cover of Metro.Style bearing a striking semblance to their characters in their comeback series to primetime, “Make It With You.” The ABS-CBN teleserye, which was partially shot on Croatian soil, features Liza as Billie and Enrique as Gabo, two souls in search of something that’s been missing in their lives who cross paths, and perhaps, find what they are looking for in each other.

“Make It With You” marks a more mature and daring LizQuen, completely unlike their roles in previous Kapamilya series “Forevermore” and “Dolce Amore.”

However, it also brings them back to the genre that made TV viewers fall in love with them—romantic comedy.

This sense of maturity is shown in the latest Metro.Style cover executed in gorgeous earth and ruby tones. The two stars were last featured in a Metro.Style cover February of last year, and on Metro Magazine’s June 2017 issue by way of a San Francisco photoshoot.

Now on its second week, “Make It With You” replaced Judy Ann Santos’ hit comeback teleserye “Starla.” It earned a 27.4% rating for its pilot episode and hit 28.9% the next day based on data from Kantar Media. It also received praises from both fans and critics for its story, script, cinematog-

soy sauce as its key condiments together with ingredients from Kumamoto, while the “Ginger Grill Gala Dinner Set” featuring authentic Thai flavours.

Choices of snacks and wines are also available at the food kiosks and bar at Lakeside Chill.

Furthermore, guests can take home unique and customisable merchandise from OPX, the Park’s brand new experiential store, to complete the evening.

Other than items themed around “Gala of Lights”, guests can also mix and match their favourite graphics to produce their very own customised souvenirs in the store.

Visit Ocean Park Hong Kong and the mesmerizing “Gala of Lights” from now until 31 March to enjoy the grand opening offers, including discounts of up to 33% on packages for bookings made through the Park’s official website. For more details of “Gala of Lights” and Ocean Park Hong Kong’s promotions, please visit www. oceanpark.com.hk.

Gather your family and friends now and book a trip to Ocean Park Hong Kong to enjoy spectacular entertainment from day to night!

raphy and, of course, LizQuen’s acting skills.

Check out more features on LizQuen by visiting metro.style!

Also check out Metro.Style’s Facebook and Instagram accounts, and YouTube channel for more details.

“KARERA NI SOLANA” I-WITNESS DOCU THIS SATURDAY THIS SATURDAY, join Howie Severino and his team in I-Witness as they tell the story of a young Pinay and her dream of conquering the hardest horse race in the world.

Twenty-five-year old Solana Perez wants to be the first Filipina to race in the Mongol Derby, said to be the hardest horse race in the world, with over 1000 kilometers of rough terrain.

But first, she must master herself.

Born and raised in Baguio, Solana grew up with horses, and with the people who take care of them in the various places where tourists ride. As an adult, she developed other interests, and became a visual artist and designer. Then she went through a personal crisis, and nearly lost her life. As part of her healing, she turned to horses and one in particular. Her friendship with a Baguio horse whisperer made her see her favorite animals in a new light.

As she recovered, she became fixated with the Mongol Derby as her ultimate test.

Howie and his team learned of Solana’s dream through her Instagram stories, and her honest accounts of her personal struggles. They saw an opportunity to tell the story of a young woman’s quest – to finish a race and vanquish her demons.

Watch I-Witness this Saturday, after Kapuso Movie Night on GMA-7.

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UP AND ARTS AND ABOUT CULTURE TRAVEL TECH

EDGE DAVAO EDGE DAVAO EDGE DAVAO

VOL.12 VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE 223 226 •216 WEDNESDAY, • SATURDAY, 25, 22, VOL.12 VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE 219 • TUESDAY, • FRIDAY,JANUARY JANUARY 17, 14, 2020

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINE ELIMINATES SINGLESONY INTRODUCES NEW GP-VPT2BT MAKING YOUR USE PLASTIC BEVERAGE BOTTLES ACROSS FLEET WIRELESS SHOOTING GRIP NEW YEAR’S MAYA ON THE BLOCK A1

ka weaver naga-himo,” he said.

This is also among the reasons why Limon will go to Sitio Sangab to introduce the cotton weaving. He believes that using cotton threads into Dagmay as well as their embroidery will help sustain their livelihood.

“Mas mudaghan pud ang NORWEGIAN Cruise order sathe Dagmay if they will Line, innovator use cotton threads,” he said. in global cruise BUILDING on travel the Limon also seeshistory the to with a 53-year growing lineup ofneed camtapbreaking theand artisans in this endeavof boundaries, eras accessories or now to givesingle-use theirfor clients fresh is plasdeveloped modern andbeverage new designs. tic bottle free creators, Sony today “We really need tothe tap new the across its fleet. has announced artisans directly before man GP-VPT2BT wireless The brand announced last gud ga-agi pa ko saIdeal middle shooting grip. year that it partnered withfor man since wala’y sa many different types JUST Goods, Inc.,access which encommunity,” he Line said. to replace of content creation abled the Cruise wants tovlogs show ranging from to all Limon single-use plastic wateroff the beauty of Dagmay travel photography /he bottles across its 17-shipasfleet, has clients with who its are looking for videography tomost simple beginning recent clothes and accessories made everyday use,Encore. the new ship, Norwegian WORKING onHeisyour by theoffers Mandayas. saidof they grip optimum The achievement one the New Year’s resolutions noticed thatand some Pasalubong stability comfort latest sustainable steps forward may seem daunting atIn centers including Davao City’s combined with cablefor Norwegian Cruise Line. times—especially when free and a 2018, connectivity the Company eliminated you feel dust lagging behind reliable moissingle-use plasticand straws across just when January is ture resistant design. its fleet and private destinaabout toasend.

However, Compatible with aofvariety tions, and a result this it is important to rememof Sony’s latest digitalitcamermost recent initiative, will ber that the year as, the GP-VPT2BT connects replace over six new million singleisn’t about immediate easily via Bluetooth, allowing use plastic water bottles every and extensive changes— creators to simplythe aim and is year.

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The plastic shampoo condibig small. new and grip includes useful tioner bottles later athis year.tilt Thisefforts means making resolufeature that allows for flexible These are driven by tionsCompany’s realistic vertical angle and adjustment as the Sailattainable & Sustain throughout the Program, year.

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RESOLUTIONS STICK

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guide.

Aldevinco do not carry DagMove and break a sweat. may cloth.

Schedule your early morning walk or run in a new environment—it helps break the monotony of your fitness routines.

Try doing a lap or two in SM Lanang Premier’s jogger’s lane.

Prestige, Tissot, “Wala Gman gud kaayo Tempus, Mandaya pieces and mostly Shock, andnaGarmin T’boli products ang sa Alin the Second Level. devinco. Sa Manila T’boli lang mostly more makita nako na your ginaSpend time with himo accent ug Yakan, beads kids. sa Work Bagobo, from Lanao andbalud productivity on and Inaul.are Walay weekdays nice.something Weekend from the moments Mandayaare commufambam even Be onemissions time. rate, increase nity,” he nicer!

Find moresuch waysan than one CO2 thrilled tosaid. make impact Redefine sourcing what Filipino time cotton to The spend time Dagmay with yourdesign child sustainable and invest by eliminating single-use bevermeans get in betterwheel sync clothing not yetin available in Kidzoona and Quantum ly,in itemerging hasand an adjustment and can beisquickly changed technologies. age bottles across our fleet. in with Put on your theajust market as Limon near theone SMby can beyour loosened orspecial tightened into tripod simply ex“This is day. a very and It’s ofCinema. the waysand wehis are favorite watch or getfor a new group are in the immertovery allow for seamless operapanding the bottom portion, proud moment us,” working tostill preserve our oceans timepiece SM Lanang Premier’s enabling sion the stage ofstable, the project.

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EDGEDAVAO DAVAO EDGE

VOL.12 VOL.12 VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE ISSUE 94 100 84 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • SUNDAY-MONDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JULY JULY 19-20, 28-29, 5-6, 2019

UP AND LAUNDRY FURNITURE A2A1 ABOUTa silly method but for EJ and

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

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with the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) in coming up with the said policies.

"Who will certify as Halal let us start there. Sino ang magcertify sa Halal?

It should be a third party not just DA. Hindi naman namin turf yun, muslim affairs probably. From there, makaplano na tayo," he said.

He recommended inviting certifying bodies to certify products not just

for Davao Region but entire Mindanao.

"We will be inviting sino yung puwede magcertify.

Malaki ang potential dito sa ating Halal program when we talk in coordination with our tourism kasi mga bisita natin from the Middle East talagang naghahanap ng Halal restaurant.

Pero Iba-iba ang pananaw with respect sa Halal," he said.

Halal is an Arabic term that refers to lawful or per-

missible under Sharia’h (Islamic Law). Halal as an industry aims to promote healthy living, organic, food safety, clean and sanitized facilities and equipment, environment friendly, animal welfare, fair trade and promotion of justice, among others.

Halal industry products, include food and non food, and the industry also include Halal Tourism, as well as banking and �inance.

equipped with a thermal scanner that detects the temperature of all arriving passengers at the airport.

“The symptoms of Coronavirus is like ordinary �lu it's just that it is a new strain. All those who will be tested with high fever using our thermal scanner will be quarantined,” she said.

The coronavirus was discovered in Wuhan City, Hubei Province of China.

Since its discovery in December, at least 9 were recorded deaths due to the disease. A number of those affected by the virus in the area were workers of a seafood market in Wuhan, prompting Chinese authorities to clean the area.

The World Health Organization (WHO) reported that Coronaviruses are a large family of respiratory viruses that can cause diseases ranging from the common cold to the Middle-East Respiratory Syndrome and the Severe Acute Respiratory Syn-

drome (SARS).

WHO said the clinical signs and symptoms of the patients reported in this cluster are mainly fever, with a few patients having dif�iculty in breathing, and chest radiographs showing bilateral lung in�iltrates.

While transmission potential and modes of transmission remain unclear, WHO advised travellers to be prudent to reduce the general risk of acute respiratory infections while traveling in or from affected areas by avoiding close contact with people suffering from acute respiratory infections; frequent hand-washing, especially after direct contact with ill people or their environment; avoiding close contact with live or dead farm or wild animals; travelers with symptoms of acute respiratory infection should practice cough etiquette (maintain distance, cover coughs and sneezes with disposable tissues or clothing, and wash hands).

It is also advised that a traveller on board an aircraft or ship has signs and symptoms indicative of respiratory infections, the model of Maritime declaration of health (Annex 8 of IHR) or the health part of the aircraft general declaration can be used to register the health information onboard and submit to health authorities when required by a State Party.

A passenger locator form can be used in the event of a sick traveller detected on board a plane.

This form is useful for collecting contact information for passengers and can be used for follow-up if necessary. Travellers should also be encouraged to self-report if they feel ill. The cabin crew should follow the operational procedures recommended by International Air Transport Association (IATA) with regard to managing suspected communicable disease on board an aircraft. CIO

banning US entry of those involved in the prosecution of Senator Leila de Lima on drug-related charges, which the US government described as unjust prosecution.

The VFA, on the other hand, is a pact inked between Manila and Washington in 1999 which allows US troops to train

and advise the Philippine military in its �ight against terrorists but bans US forces in combat operations.

Under the VFA, the pact will remain in force until the expiration of 180 days from the date on which either party gives the other party notice in writing that it desires to terminate the agreement.

This is not the �irst time the President threatened to terminate the VFA. He made the same threat in December 2016, when the US government’s Millennium Challenge Corporation deferred a vote on continuing aid to the Philippines amid concerns of unabated human rights violations.

2020.

A Nokia of�icial also said the company had decided to close its Manila Technology Center by the third quarter of the year.

Lopez said the development was "a response to a more challenging global competitive environment in the telecoms equipment industry."

"Nokia is of course always welcome to re-establish an R&D center here in the future, as well as any aspect of its business in the country," Lopez said.

tug-of-war over Huawei, the world’s biggest maker of mobile networking equipment.

London must balance its “special relationship” with the United States

against valuable trade ties with China and industry warnings that banning Huawei would cost billions of dollars and delay the UK rollout of super-fast 5G connec-

tions.

The British government did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

Huawei declined immediate comment.

DeRozan added 20 for a San Antonio team holding down the eighth and �inal playoff spot in the West.

Williamson, who admitted on Tuesday he wasn't sure just how much sleep he'd get on the eve of his debut, said that as the pre-game introductions were made he just told himself to "be calm."

- 'Great stuff' -

He said it wasn't just Gentry who urged him at halftime to defer less but also teammates including Jrue Holiday.

"I think he did well," Holiday said, commending the teenager's poise.

"We're almost in February and he hadn't played a game yet, so for him to come out and do that his �irst game is pretty elite."

Spurs coach Gregg Popovich was pleased to have a courtside seat for Williamson's debut.

"Oh, yeah, it's great stuff, I'm glad he’s back, a talent like that," Popovich said. "He's a great guy on top of it all. So it's good for the Pelicans. It's good for basketball. He's quite a package as a player and as a person."

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9

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

is in need of

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

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

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

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

MINDA... FROM2

sities and colleges in Mindanao.

It will be called Maranao New Hope Learning Centre (MAHAL Center) which will serve as an informal school for farmers in Lanao Del Sur where they could see actual models of livelihood projects and learn how to do it in their farms.

Taraka LGU agreed to provide the area for the MAHAL Centre while MinDA, through its private partners and donor agencies will source funding.

The �irst projects which will be introduced in the MAHAL Centre will be dairy goat raising, duck raising, egg production, backyard chicken production, sorghum farming, modern rice farming, corn farming, cattle fattening,

sloping agricultural land technology (SALT), solar-powered irrigation system Technology and sustainable and environment-friendly agricultural practices.

After visiting MBRLC, the group of about 80 people proceeded to the Solar-Powered irrigation System in Palma Perez, M’lang, Cotabato to see for themselves how the SPIS improved the lives of rice farmers.

On Tuesday (January 21), the group visited a feed mill processing plant in Polomolok, South Cotabato and then the cattle fattening farm of Adelaide River Farm in Glamang, Gen. Santos City.

On Wednesday (January 22) the Taraka mayor, vice mayor, members

of the municipal council and key of�icials met the of�icials of MinDA, MILG BARMM, DILG Central Of�ice and the Development Bank of the Philippines in Davao City.

Likewise, Taraka town is set to avail of the MinDA Water Supply Program. In coordination with Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP), MinDA is assisting the Taraka LGU to avail of loans for the water supply project to bring safe water for drinking to remote villages and improve productivity through irrigations system.

The Taraka water project will bene�it 200 households with P100 million investment value with 25 years loan guarantee.

agement Staff (PMS) will also map out other sources of assistance and arrange a meeting with the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), Philippine Charity Sweep-

stakes Of�ice (PCSO), Philippine Health Insurance Corporation (PhilHealth), Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR) and private partners.

Go added that the pa-

tients can avail of the services of Malasakit Centers -- one-stop shops that streamline medical and �inancial assistance from PhilHealth, DOH, DSWD, and PCSO. (PNA)

ing towns," he said.

Meanwhile, he said the plan for expansion in the lowland is dif�icult as they are now considering the upland, Oñate said.

He said negotiations are ongoing with the Indigenous Peoples (IPs)

community through the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR), National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) and the tribal leaders to develop an open area within their ancestral domain.

"We see the discussion

going on smoothly where agreements on respecting culture and tradition of the tribes have been considered," he said.

He added there will be no cutting of trees but only utilize the vacant areas.

(PNA)

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Cooperation Agreement (EDCA).

However, the President should do it to assert the Philippine’s sovereignty and not to avenge Dela Rosa.

“President Duterte should just terminate these agreements because they are onerous and violative of our national sovereignty.

They are vestiges of neo-colonial control of the US, a tool for direct intervention in the country, facilitating for instance the return of their basing facilities, interference in the counterinsurgency operations,” he said.

The lawmaker said Duterte should do it for the right reasons and not out of pique or just to use it as a leverage tool or bargaining chip for personal gains or out of spite.

“By abrogating these onerous treaties we can assert our sovereignty against US interests and the government’s action would not seem to be just a petty threat to an imagined slight of its of�icial,” said Zarate.

“After the end of validity period, all unreleased appropriations or unexpended or undisbursed funds shall revert to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund […] and shall not be available for expenditure except by subsequent legislative enactment,” read the circular.

the remaining tax reform measures, such as the Corporate Income Tax and Incentive Rationalization Act (CITIRA), will be a plus for domestic growth because this will address investors’ concerns and boost capital formation.

These factors are seen to counter the impact of the geopolitical issues overseas, the uncertainties on global growth, the eruption of Taal Volcano, the African swine fever, and the still unidenti�ied corona virus that reports said originated from China.

In a report Thursday, UnionBank chief economist Ruben Carlo Asuncion said the 2019 growth ended the seven consecutive 6-percent expansion for the Philippine economy.

Asuncion said government consumption rose nearly twice in the

last quarter last year and helped boost growth.

However, the catch-up infrastructure spending program in the second half of the year was not enough to lift growth, he said.

For this year, Asuncion forecasts growth to be at 6.6 percent and rise to 6.7 percent in 2021.

With last year’s GDP staying below the government’s target, he projects the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) to further ease key policy rates after last year’s 75 basis points reduction.

“But (UnionBank’s) ERU (Economic Research Unit) thinks that BSP has enough time to observe and patiently see how the previous policy rate cuts have affected the �inancial system and the macroeconomy in general,” he added.

(PNA)

seen more of enforcing compliance to Philippine laws rather than singling out the sector, he said.

He also TKO'd former MinProBA featherweight champion Jaime Barcelona of Bukidnon in the second on Oct. 27 last year in Chi-

na.

The visitors will be in the city until end of January. (CIO MATI)

But for Senator Pan�ilo Lacson, the President’s threat is unfortunate and unnecessary as there is no connection between Dela Rosa’s visa and the VFA. “Visa is a conditional authorization given by a country to visiting foreigners which may be granted, cancelled, and even denied,” he said.

Meanwhile, the VFA is a bilateral agreement between the Philippines and the US that went through some back and forth discussions prior to Senate rati�ication but not without intense plenary deliberation.

“It is, therefore, dif�icult to understand the connection between the two,” he said.

‘Do so for the right reason’ On the other hand, House Deputy Minority Leader and Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate dared Duterte to make good his threat to terminate VFA, as well as the Mutual Defense Treaty (MDT) and the Enhanced Defense Despite the policy shifts, POGOs will continue its momentum as the government’s move are

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Furthermore, �inancial assistance to local government units released during the �iscal year shall be disbursed until the end of 2021.

DBM also said that unreleased appropriations shall be returned to the unappropriated surplus of the General Fund.

and Manguihay in Barangay Dahican where they went diving.

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The boxing promoters are Bob Arum of Top Rank and Li Sheng of SECA Ltd. (PNA)

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pion? Or will the well-focused Filipino the one to win big behind enemy lines?

The Taduran vs Valladares clash for the IBF 105 pound World Title is a production of Promociones Zanfer in association with

Round Zero Promotions, Uppercut Boxing Club of the renowned coach Charro Hernández, and Cerveza Tecate.

The �ight will be broadcast live on Mexico's TV Azteca 7, La Casa del Boxeo.

(Philboxing.com)

(as from whole food) does help in this area,” the realfoodforlife.com says.

Unknowingly, mangoes help regulate diabetes. But not the fruits, though. The Times of India reports: “People suffering from diabetes should boil 5-6 mango leaves in a vessel. Soak it overnight and drink the �iltered decoction early in the morning.”

Mangoes have several other medicinal uses. Julia F. Morton, author of Fruits of Warm Climates, reports: “Dried mango �lowers, containing 15% tannin, serve as astringents in cases of diarrhea, chronic dysentery, catarrh of the bladder and chronic urethritis resulting from gonorrhea.”

In India, the bark is employed against rheumatism and diphtheria. The resinous gum from the trunk is applied on cracks in the skin of the feet and on scabies, and is believed helpful in cases of syphilis.

According to Morton, mango kernel decoction and powder (not tannin-free) are used as vermifuges and as astringents in diarrhea, hemorrhages and bleeding hemorrhoids. Ex-

tracts of unripe fruits and of bark, stems and leaves have shown antibiotic activity.

In some of the islands of the Caribbean, the leaf decoction is taken as a remedy for diarrhea, fever, chest complaints, hypertension and other common ills. A combined decoction of mango and other leaves is taken after childbirth.

Ripe mangoes are eaten fresh as a dessert; or processed into dried mangoes, puree, juice, concentrate, shakes, and many more. When eaten green, they are a tasty treat for lovers of sour fruits as they are usually dipped in salt, fermented �ish or shrimp (“bagoong”). Green mangoes are also pressed into juice and shakes.

Mango is also used to make juices, both in ripe and unripe form. Pieces of fruit can be mashed and used in ice cream or blended with milk and ice to make thick milkshakes. In Thailand and other Southeast Asian countries, sweet glutinous rice is �lavored with coconut then served with sliced mango on top as a dessert.

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VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

11

Jeremiah Gray saved the day for Alab Pilipinas.

Gray’s heroics lift Alab

S

an Miguel Alab Pilipinas scored a thrilling 77-76 win to survive a stubborn Hong Kong Eastern at Southorn Stadium on Thursday.

Jeremiah Gray came up with a game salvaging block against Jon Siu in the dying seconds to preserve the victory for the Filipino club, which

raised its record to 6-3.

Alab led by as many as 19 points against Eastern, but the Hong Kong-based squad wiped out the lead with a mighty run in the

Taduran defends IBF title in Mexico on February 1

F

ilipino IBF minimumweight world champion Pedro Taduran (142, 11 KO's) of Albay Province is set to defend his red and golden belt against tough world-ranked Mexican Daniel "Cejitas" Valladares on Saturday, February 1, at the Gimnasio Cedereg in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico.

The rumble will be the 23-year-old champion's �irst defense of the belt he claimed by overpowering in four rounds compatriot Samuel Salva (18-1, 11 KO's) last September in Manila, Philippines, a �ight in which Taduran visited the canvas, just to get up to knock out his opponent and conquered the world title.

For the local Monterrey, Nuevo Leon challenger, the battle is his �irst shot at a world title, though

Valladares has been WBC Youth Champion at 108 pounds. As a matter of fact, Valladares has been �ighting his entire career as a light �lyweight. But he is coming down in weight to 105 lbs to challenge the tough Filipino.

It will be the third time that Daniel Valladares battles a Pinoy warrior.

The Mexican has already stopped veteran Merlito "Tiger" Sabillo (277-1, 13 KO's) of Bacolod and hot Cebuano Christian Araneta (17-1, 14 KO's).

It was his round four victory over "The Bomb" Araneta, 24, the one win that opened the door for Valladares to battle Taduran for a world title on February 1.

Will "Cejitas" Valladares succeed in deleting Taduran as world cham-

TADURAN, P10

fourth.

Siu scored the triple that gave Hong Kong its �irst taste of the lead 7271 lead with 4:39 remaining.

Sam DeGuara and Nick King came up with back-to-back baskets that shoved Alab ahead, 7776.

Alab, however, committed a crucial turnover

in the �inal 7 seconds paving the way for a possible Eastern comeback.

It was at this point when Gray caught Siu's 3-point attempt and saved the day for Alab.

King led Alab with 24 points, while Prince Williams and De Guara added 14 and 12, respectively.

Brandis Raley-Ross had 33 for Hong Kong.

Davao pug to fight in China

O

rthodox boxer Eduardo "The Nightmare" Mancito of Jose Abad Santos, Davao del Sur will �ight undefeated Jianhao Diao of China on February 2 at the Mission Hill Haikou in Haikou, China.

The 27-year-old Mancito (18W-10L-2D, 9KO) won both his �ights last year.

His �irst win was a technical decision against Jeson Berwela of Cama-

rines Sur in round 5 on Aug. 3 last year in Mandaluyong City. Then he won by unanimous decision over Michael Escobia of Bohol last Oct. 6 in Bacoor, Cavite.

Diao, on the other hand, has two straight wins with no loss or draw.

The 28-year-old Diao TKO'd Rivo Rengkung of Indonesia in the 4th round last Aug. 31 in Qingdao, China.

DAVAO PUG, P10

Rafael Nadal on Thursday muscled his way into the third round with a commanding 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over Argentine Federico Delbonis. Reuters

Rafa keeps dominant form

M

ELBOURNE—Top seed Rafa Nadal continued his relentless progress through the Australian Open draw on Thursday, muscling his way into the third round with a commanding 6-3, 7-6 (4), 6-1 victory over Ar-

gentine Federico Delbonis.

The Spaniard, hunting for a second Australian Open title 11 years after his �irst, has now lost only three sets in his last nine matches at Melbourne Park, all in his defeat to Novak Djokovic in last year's

�inal.

World No. 76 Delbonis never looked like adding to that tally in the two and a half hour contest on Rod Laver Arena, particularly as he was unable to muster up as much as a single break point against the 19-times

Grand Slam champion.

The world No. 1 was a little pro�ligate with his break points — converting only three of 20 — but still comfortably moved through to a meeting with compatriot Pablo Carreno Busta.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

GOOD AS

VOL.12 ISSUE 226 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 25, 2020

ADVERTISED Zion flashes brilliance in first NBA game N

ew Orleans rookie Zion Williamson �lashed some brilliance in his long-awaited NBA debut Wednesday, but the San Antonio Spurs spoiled the party at Smoothie King Center with a 121-117 victory over the Pelicans.

Williamson, who was the No. 1 overall draft pick in June, offered a tantalizing glimpse of what's to come in his career when he exploded for 17 points in little more than three minutes in the fourth quarter.

The 19-year-old sensation had been sidelined since arthroscopic surgery on his right knee on the eve of the Pelicans' season-opener in Octo-

ber.

He made a tentative start, scoring just �ive points with four rebounds, one assist four turnovers in less than 12 minutes on the �loor over the �irst three quarters.

With 8:52 remaining and the Spurs up 99-91, Williamson connected with a three-pointer from the top of the key that ignited the crowd of 18,365.

He followed up with an alley-oop layup, fed

by Lonzo Ball, drained a trey and put back his own miss with a spinning layup before adding two more three-pointers.

The crowd was chanting "M-V-P!" as he capped the burst with a

free-throw, but he was soon subbed out of the game as Pelicans coach Alvin Gentry stuck to the plan of playing Williamson only in short bursts.

"I think what you saw there is a taste," Gentry said. "There's a lot of potential there."

He said he'd counseled Williamson at halftime to be more aggressive, and he was pleased to see him deliver.

"I think there's a really, really high ceiling that he can reach, and he can reach it soon," added Gentry, who nevertheless was impervious to the cries of "We want Zion" from fans late in the fourth quarter.

"It was very hard,"

Williamson acknowledged of coming out of the game just as he had found his rhythm. "I'm 19. Honestly, in that moment I'm not thinking about longevity I'm thinking about winning that game.

"So it was very tough," added Williamson, who �inished with 22 points, seven rebounds and three assists.

The Spurs, who led by as many as 15 and by 12 to start the fourth quarter, were up 109108 when Williamson departed and quickly pulled away again.

LaMarcus Aldridge led the Spurs with 32 points and DeMar

GOOD, P9

Zion Williamson, who was the No. 1 overall draft pick in June, offered a tantalizing glimpse of what’s to come in his career when he exploded for 17 points in little more than three minutes in the fourth quarter.

Reuters