Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 241 | Wednesday, February 12, 2020

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VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

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A porter carries off a goat which was just offloaded from a delivery vehicle at the livestock area of Agdao Public Market in Brgy. Agdao, Davao City on Tuesday. Livestock traders are expecting an increase in demand of goat and native chicken meat as hog supply spirals down due to the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak in Davao Region. Lean Daval Jr

BRIDGE OF DREAMS Chinese gov’t assessing loan for Davao-Samal connector

By MAYA M. PADILLO he Chinese government is currently assessing a loan requested by the Philippine government for the construction of the Davao-Samal Bridge, according to a Chinese envoy.

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Consul General Li Lin of the People’s Republic of China Consulate General in Davao City told Edge

Davao that the Philippines has already sent a request to China in December last year.

Lin disclosed that last February 6, Huang Xilian, Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines, met with Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and reported to her that the Chinese government will make assessments of the request very quickly and is hopeful that early this year, a decision will �inally come out in terms of loans from

China for the construction of the bridge.

“We are now making assessments of the request by the Philippine side, a request for a low interest loan. Concessional loan would be the best for the Philippines because the interest rate is really low and the amount of such loan from Chinese side to provide for other countries

actually the sum is very limited. I hope that this can be realized. I am not sure of the total amount of the loan. China government will make assessment on government budget this is something like a congress and a senate in the Philippines,” Lin said.

Lin is also hopeful that the ongoing dispute surrounding the construction

of the Davao-Samal Bridge will be �inally resolved for the development of the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS).

“I have heard that some land owners in the IGaCoS side is not willing to give way and I also heard from the report that the governor of Davao del Norte himself is willing to

BRIDGE, P9

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

President Rodrigo Duterte takes a bow before local chief executives during a meeting at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Monday evening. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Chinese delegations T cancel trips to Davao T

RPOC, RDC give nod to DavOr's P22-B anti-insurgency proposal

By MAYA M. PADILLO he People’s Republic of China Consulate General in Davao City expressed support to the decision of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio in canceling the events for this year’s Araw ng Davao celebration due to the 2019 Novel Coronavirus (2019-nCoV) pandemic.

Consul General Li Lin told Edge Davao that this kind of precautionary measure is important particularly in holding celebrations that attract mass gatherings.

“We need to be alert but do not panic and not to overreact but listen to experts is the most important. My of�ice and the Mayor’s of�ice we have reached a consensus during this period while we are staying either in China or in Davao

City in reducing all unnecessary movements,” Lin said.

Lin also said that exchange visit plans of some Chinese delegations to Davao City are also canceled due to the epidemic.

He said a lot of things have been planned for instance for the People to People Exchanges program they are planning to bring in some Chinese singing and dancing groups and also traditional Chinese art like

calligraphy, stone carving, and culture delegations to Davao and Mindanao.

Towards the end of spring festival, Lin said they were planning to have a singing and dancing group from Davao City’s sister city Nanning, in fact, the vice mayor of Nanning is also leading a Chinese delegation of�icial and businessmen together with an acrobatic group to come to Davao. He said this kind of culture and people to people exchanges will also discuss to further sister city economic and trade cooperation.

Also from his home town the Fujian Province, Lin said they were also organizing a conference and meeting and invited more than 30 major companies in Fujian province to discuss about the potential of

economic investment cooperation between Fujian province not only in Davao City but Mindanao as well.

“Because in Fujian you have a sister city Jinjiang and they are also interested in stepping up cooperation in making the sister cities more sustainable with more concrete economic cooperation,” he said.

Lin also mentioned that the mayor of Jinjiang City is also planning to participate this year’s Araw ng Davao.

He said there is a delegation originally planned by the deputy director general of the department of commerce together with business delegation and director general from foreign affairs of�ice who is also planning to organize a friendship delegation after the Spring Festival until the

The mitigation plan comes after the Philippines imposed a temporary entry ban on foreigners who had traveled to virus-hit mainland China and its special administrative regions Macau and Hong Kong within the past 14 days.

The government later expanded the ban’s coverage to travelers from Taiwan. China and Taiwan are among the top tourism markets for the Phil-

ippines, which welcomed 7.48 million foreigners from January to November last year.

“The President wants Filipinos to visit the country’s local tourist destinations to boost the industry in the midst of the coronavirus scare,” the Palace said in a media release.

Duterte said the Philippines' tourist spots are readily accessible, even as he touted the public health

and law and order situation in the country.

He expressed optimism that like other epidemics, the novel coronavirus will eventually be contained.

In an Instagram post on Monday, Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo Puyat said the President will help promote the local tourist destinations. “[T]he President is going to travel with us!” she

CHINESE, P9

PRRD wants to boost domestic tourism amid coronavirus threat

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ourism industry stakeholders agreed on Monday to spur domestic travel by lowering airfare and hotel rates following a meeting with President Rodrigo Duterte.

The measures are aimed at countering the negative effects of the spread of the novel coronavirus and to promote the country’s tourism sector to locals, according to Malacañang.

PRRD, P9

he Province of Davao Oriental’s P22 billion proposal intended for the implementation of projects supporting President Rodrigo Duterte’s Whole of Nation Approach to End Local Communist Armed Con�lict has been approved by the Joint Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) and Regional Development Council (RDC).

The approval was held during the recent joint meeting of both councils convened by no less than the newly-designated Cabinet Of�icer for Regional Development and Security (CORDS) for Region XI and concurrent Budget Secretary Wendel E. Avisado.

Governor Nelson Dayanghirang revealed in an interview that Davao Oriental got 60 percent of all the approved proposals submitted under the 20202021 priority programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) of the Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Con�lict (RTFELCAC), which bid to alleviate poverty and address the issues on insurgency.

“I am thrilled that out of all the projects submitted by the different provinces, Davao Oriental got the biggest number of projects,” said Governor Nelson Dayanghirang.

Davao Oriental’s proposed projects mainly include infrastructure projects, livelihood, and trainings, and other big-ticket projects concerning the twelve lines of efforts under the RTF-ELCAC. The identi�ied projects were based on the output of the series of workshops in the province and in the

region, which saw the attendance of the mayors, and heads of the different national agencies, as well as the focal persons for each of the twelve clusters at the regional level.

“We are happy because our people’s efforts have paid off. This proposal is a result of our needs assessment and workshops which helped us in really knowing what the priority needs of the barangays really are,” he said.

Secretary Avisado praised the comprehensive output of Davao Oriental through the efforts of its dedicated team of planners and support staff.

These approved proposals will be presented at the national level for further deliberation while the project proposals that can be readily funded by the agencies will be set for implementation.

Meanwhile, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Regional Director Ma. Lourdes Lim said that within the �irst semester of 2020, the implementation of three quick impact high priority PAPs in �ive identi�ied priority barangays in each congressional district is expected to be started.

Meanwhile, as readily implementable projects are fast-tracked, clusters are expected to further enhance the PAPs which should be implemented in 2021 while local government units are expected to provide the clusters with GPS coordinates of their priority PAPs for validation.

Moreover, the cluster

RPOC, P9

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PH formally ends VFA

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he Philippines has �inally sent the United States a notice to terminate the Visiting Forces Agreement, marking the 180-day period from when the two-decade military pact will be effectively scrapped.

Malacañang on Tuesday con�irmed that the notice has been signed by Foreign Affairs Secretary Tedoro “Teddy Boy” Locsin, Jr. and sent to the US government.

“The President directed the Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea to tell Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin of the Foreign Affairs to send a notice of termination to the US government last night and the Executive Secretary sent the message to Secretary Teddy Boy Locsin and the latter signed the notice of termination and sent to the US government today,” Panelo told a press briefing.

Locsin in a tweet said

the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy has received the notice of termination.

“As a diplomatic courtesy there will be no further factual announcements following this self-explanatory development,” the senior diplomat added.

In a Senate hearing last week, Locsin pushed for a “vigorous review” of the VFA instead, saying the Philippines stands to lose billions of pesos in aid, among other bene�its, should the termination push through.

After that hearing, Panelo said Duterte has not changed his mind and is ready to instruct the Executive Secretary to ask Locsin to send the notice.

The VFA is a 1998 agreement between Manila and Washington on the protocol for American military personnel in the country. Among its contro-

PH, P10

BIFF, DITG declared ‘persona non grata’

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hree villages in con�lict-affected Datu Saudi Ampatuan (DSA) in Maguindanao declared Sunday “persona non grata” the Islamic State-linked Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Dawlah Islamiya terrorist (DITG).

During the gathering for Community Support Program on Preventing and Countering Violent Extremism (CSP-PCVE), local of�icials of Barangays Gawang, Kitapok, and Kitango of DSA approved a joint resolution denouncing the atrocities committed by the BIFF and DITG and declaring them “persona non grata” in their communities.

The remote areas of DSA and nearby areas near the Liguasan Marsh are frequently being harassed

by the BIFF and DITG elements.

Meanwhile, Lt. Colonel Edwin Alburo, 57th Infantry Battalion (IB) commander, vowed to protect the residents under his area of assignment against “violent extremism espoused by the terrorist groups”.

“Your 57IB is doing its best in serving and securing the constituents in the unit area of operation and will continue its work to attain lasting peace,” Alburo said.

The 57th IB initiated the gathering at the town gymnasium for the three adjoining villages of Gawang, Kitapok, and Kitango to educate residents on the dangers of violent extremism.

BIFF, P10

Consul General Li Lin of Chinese Consulate General in Davao City gestures during an interview with Edge Davao at the People’s Republic of China Consulate General office in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

DOH: ‘No evidence’ that new coronavirus maybe airborne

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here is “no evidence” that the new coronavirus can spread through the air, the Department of Health said Tuesday, citing information from the World Health Organization (WHO).

Health Secretary Francisco Duque said the virus is transmitted via droplets when an infected person breathes out, coughs or sneezes.

“Ang sabi ng WHO, walang ebidensiya na nagpapakita na airborne ito.

Tulad ng SARS, ang mode of transmission is respiratory droplet,” he said.

(According to WHO, there’s no evidence that shows the virus is airborne. Like SARS, its mode of transmission is respiratory droplet.)

Reports over the weekend cited a Chinese of�icial who said the virus is capable of airborne or aerosol transmission.

“Mukhang may problema sa translation issue.

Kasi iyong aerosol diba pag bumahing ka aerosolized ‘yung plema mo. Dun nakapaloob ang virus. But dahil mabigat ito, puwede siyang umabot pagkabahing mo within a distance of 3-6 feet,” Duque said.

(There may be some translation issues. Because when you sneeze, your

phlegm, which contains the virus, becomes aerosolized. Because this is heavy, it can reach a distance of 3 to 6 feet.)

“Ang aerosol ibig sabihin nabiyahe ng hangin.

Ang akala, parang may overlap ngayon between airborne and aerosol.”

(Aerosol means it’s transported through air.

The public thinks there’s an overlap between airborne and aerosol.)

The WHO, in its website, said it still needs to “see the data and understand how (aerosol) transmission has been assessed.”

The DOH and the WHO recommend that people frequently wash hands, cover their mouth and nose when sneezing or

‘Peryahan Games’ suspended: PCSO

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A woman fixes a gown on display at a gown shop along E. Quirino Avenue in Davao City on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

coughing, and avoid close contact with those who are sick.

The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the novel coronavirus is spread “mainly via respiratory droplets produced when an infected person coughs or sneezes, similar to how in�luenza and other respiratory pathogens spread.”

The �lu-like illness has so far claimed some 1,000 lives in mainland China and infected 42,000 others since emerging from the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December.

The Philippines is monitoring 314 persons suspected of carrying the virus, while it has reported 3 con�irmed cases and 1 fatality.

he Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Of�ice (PCSO) has announced that Peryahan Games are now suspended.

“This is to inform the public that effective February 6, 2020, the operation of Peryahan Games is suspended until further instruction from the Of�ice of the President,” said PCSO General Manager Royina Marzan-Garma in an advisory sent to reporters on Monday.

There was no reason stated in the announcement on the suspension.

Last year, sales from the Peryahan Games reached PHP68 million when it went back to operation in October after an earlier suspension in August.

The Peryahan Games, formerly Peryahan ng Bayan, was suspended af-

ter its operating company Globaltech, failed to remit PHP100 million from its pro�it.

The company �iled a suit before the Court of Appeals (CA) which later sided with them, saying that the games’ operation is legal.

In 2015, sales from the Peryahan ng Bayan reached a total of PHP137 million.

However, sales dropped to PHP23 million in 2017.

PCSO earlier said that all its games, particularly the Peryahan Games and Small Town Lottery (STL) were contributors for its yearly pro�it.

PCSO Assistant General Manager for Gaming Arnel Casas said the Peryahan Games and STL remain signi�icant in sustaining the agency’s pro�it. (PNA)

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ABS-CBN loses P258.5-M market cap as SolGen files quo warranto petition

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BS-CBN Corp. lost P258.593 million in market capitalization on Monday, as its shares fell by 1.76% at the close of trading after government lawyers asked the Supreme Court to forfeit the company's legislative franchises.

Shares of ABS-CBN plunged to P16.70 apiece, down by 30 centavos or 1.76% from P17.00 per share last Friday.

In the process, the company lost P258.593 million of its market capitalization to P14.394 billion, down from P14.653 billion on Friday.

Sought for comment, Diversi�ied Securities Inc. equity trader Aniceto Pangan said the drop could

be attributed to the quo warranto �iled against the company.

"It creates uncertainty on the part of the company if it cannot renew its franchise congressional approval," he explained in a text message.

Led by Solicitor General Jose Calida, his of�ice �iled a quo warranto petition against the broadcast network and asked the Supreme Court to drop

NEWS

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the franchise of ABS-CBN Corp. and its subsidiary ABS-CBN Convergence Inc. "We want to put an end to what we discovered to be highly abusive practices of ABS-CBN bene�itting a greedy few at the expense of millions of its loyal subscribers. These practices have gone unnoticed or were disregarded for years," Calida said in a statement.

The petition was �iled even as the company's franchise granted by Congress was set to expire in March, with bills seeking to renew the franchise still pending.

For its part, ABS-CBN maintained that it did not violate the law, contrary to claims made by Calida,

slamming the petition as "ill-timed."

Malacanang has since denied having a hand in the government's petition, with Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo saying President Rodrigo Duterte had "nothing to do" with the legal action.

Duterte had consistently threatened to oppose the renewal of ABSCBN's franchise, as he earlier claimed the network did not air political advertisements during the 2016 election campaign which were already paid for.

Moving forward, Pangan said shares of ABSCBN could be expected to slide further should the quo warranto issue remain unresolved.

ABS-CBN, P10

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No cancellation of US tourist visas, change in policy, says US Embassy

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he United States Embassy in Manila on Monday dismissed as "fraudulent" the reported cancellation of tourist visas for Filipinos.

"The US Embassy in the Philippines is aware of a fraudulent advisory alleging the cancellation/ revocation of tourist visas and the suspension of visa applications. These claims are not true," US Embassy Spokesperson Heather Fabrikant said on Monday.

The embassy said US visa policy in the Philippines "has not changed".

The misinformation supposedly originated from "impostors" claiming to be an of�icial US source.

"The of�icial US Embassy website at https:// ph.usembassy.gov and our of�icial social media

platforms are the best sources for accurate and current information. To report visa and passport fraud, please email FPMManila@state.gov," Fabrikant said.

A screenshot of the fake advisory circulating online, says the US Department of State ordered the "cancellation of all current and existing B1 and B2 tourist visas" and that "the Embassy shall no longer accept B1 and B2 applications and renewals on Fen. [sic] 15, 2020" due to the 2019-novel coronavirus outbreak.

As of posting, the Philippines reported three 2019-nCoV cases in the country, with several persons under investigation (PUIs) for possible infection at 261.

(PNA)

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

Taking no risk

The decision to forego the staging of public events for the Araw ng Davao this year is a sad one but still, it is a step in the right direction.

Given the precarious situation with the threats of Wuhan coronavirus pandemic, Mayor Sara Duterte swooped in at the right time to cancel the crowd-drawing events as a necessary precaution against the possible spread of the virus. The last thing Davao City can afford is to be infected with the coronavirus which Chinese medical experts recently bared to be airborne.

On Saturday, China announced the virus can now spread via aerosol transmission - meaning it can drift through the air for an extended period of time and cause infection if breathed in. Aerosol transmission refers to the mixing of the virus with droplets in the air to form aerosols which causes infection after inhalation.

The discovery of the disease being airborne means coronavirus now has three modes of transmission--direct, contact and aerosol. Direct transmission occurs when a person breathes the air close to an infected person who has coughed or sneezed. Contact transmission is when a person touches a

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

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. Photography

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

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

contaminated surface then infects themselves by touching their mouth, eyes or nose.

The new discovery has forced Chinese of�icials to prohibit large public gatherings.

A day before such discovery, the Department of Health (DOH) made advisory on avoidance of public gatherings.

It didn’t take long for Mayor Sara to decide to scrap the events of Araw ng Davao and opted for a simple Thanksgiving mass. It’s a way of being ahead of the situation and not taking any risks.

The order by Mayor Sara, nevertheless, referred to city government-organized events only as that is under the control and supervision of the LGU. How about privately-organized events? There is appears to be a vacuum. Private organizers may still mount their own events that could draw thick crowds.

In the light of these possibilities, there is a need for the city to come up with regulatory measures concerning the staging of public events organized by private entities during these times of the coronavirus threat. Otherwise, on their own private organizers should at best exercise prudence and health safety consciousness.

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 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

VANTAGE POINTS

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JOHN CARLO B. TRIA MY TWO CENTS’

TIME TO BOLSTER MINDANAOS FOOD PRODUCTION CAPACITY BY IMPROVING LOGISTICS The recent calamities in Luzon, speci�ically typhoon ursula are a wake up call for our us, and our food supply.

The Taal volcano eruption is signi�icant since the food production areas in Southern Tagalog that once supplied about millions of residents will now lay dormant at least for the next several months.

The uncertainty over the next few months will affect their capacity to produce food, forcing areas such as Central Luzon and the Bicol region to deliver. These areas, however, also suffer from uncertainties brought about by strong typhoons. Recent ones wrought havoc on Bicol and Visayas agriculture.

I hope the Department of Agriculture takes this into

consideration in carrying our the plans of the new DA Secretary.

Moving forward however, it is clear that Luzon is the island that holds about half the country’s population, and can suffer a signi�icant food supply de�icit with the Taal eruption and major typhoons. This can push food prices up for the larger part of the Philippine populace and with it, cause in�lation to rise beyond the governments target range. We have seen it happen before. perhaps its time we do what we can to prevent it from happening again.

The domino effect is that the local economy will not be as competitive, and affect growth targets that need to remain robust if larger ob-

jectives of poverty reduction and economic growth by 2022 are to be achieved.

Fortunately for us in the Davao region, the recent earthquakes had little impact on crops and food production. Farmers in Davao del Sur could return regularly to the �ields they tend despite living in evacuation camps and harvests remain largely untouched. Earthquake damage is limited to infrastructure and access, but that’s another story that can be remedied with repairs.

Having said that, Mindanao, the country’s food basket, can produce the food this country needs, even more so with the BARMM areas now beginning their food production programs. Their

harvests, however, will need buyers and markets. Otherwise, we will be faced with localized over supply issues that can drive farmgate prices down and dissuade farmers from producing more which can in turn, boost their income.

Moving forward, this is where our desire to improve logistics is vital. The capability to affordably deliver the buffer supplies from other regions, particularly Mindanao to Visayas and Luzon, will allow the nation’s food prices to remain stable. It will also give farmers more markets where stable prices can be achieved.

Unfortunately, price of cargo is high, as much as 25% of the total cost of producing the delivering food, accord-

ing to Southern Mindanao Business Council Chair Tony Peralta, who has recently spoken about the need to revisit the amended cabotage law and whether it has realy driven down cargo costs.

Given that we are an archipelago unlike Thailand and Vietnam, achieving improved and affordable logistics is a national imperative, and in line with Agriculture Secretary Willy Dar’s marching orders.

Its time we take agriculture more seriously if we want to continue growing and if we really want to face the threat of calamities. Our economic growth, and indeed, survival as a nation will depend on how we manage our food production systems.

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

2020 ACADEMY AWARD WINNERS In the acting categories, there is no surprises. But the biggest surprise of all is the winning of four awards for Parasite.

As predicted, Joaquin Phoenix �inally wins his �irst Best Actor Oscar for his tour de force performance in Joker. This is the second time the Academy Award honored an actor for playing the comic-book character; the �irst one to do so was Heath Ledger who won posthumously the Best Supporting Actor statuette for his portrayal in The Dark Knight (2009).

This was Phoenix’ fourth nomination.

He was previously nominated for his supporting role in Gladiator (2000) and two leading roles in Walk in the Line (2005) and The Master (2012).

Renee Zellweger also got the Best Actress trophy for her performance in a role based on the life of legendary Judy Garland near the end of her troubled life in Judy. This is her second Oscar though, having won the coveted award for Best Supporting Actress for her role in Cold Mountain.

Like that of Phoenix’s, this was her fourth try at the Academy. Her other two

nominated performances were for: Bridget Jones’s Diary (2011) and Chicago (2002).

The Best Supporting Oscar went to the deserving Brad Pitt for his performance in Once Upon A Time in Hollywood. This was also his fourth nomination. Previously, he was also nominated for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in 12 Monkeys (1995).

Pitt received two Oscar nominations for Best Actor: The Curious Case of Benjamin Button (2008) and Moneyball (2011). He produced The Departed (2006) and 12 Years of a Slave (2013), both winners of Best Picture Oscars.

Laura Dern, in her third try, �inally won the elusive Oscar for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in Marriage Story.

She received a Best Actress nomination for her portrayal of the titular orphan in the drama �ilm Rambling Rose (1991). In 2014, she received a supporting role nomination for Wild.

With no Oscar trophy in her hand, Scarlett Johnson was the �ifth actress to receive two Oscar nominations in one year and losing both. The �irst one hap-

pened in 1988 when Sigourney Weaver was nominated for Best Actress (Gorillas in the Mist) and Best Supporting Actress (Working Girl).

Emma Thompson followed suit in 1993: she failed to win both nominations for The Remains of the Day and In the Name of the Father. Julianne Moore had the same fate when she nominated for Best Actress for Far from Heaven and Best Supporting Actress for The Hours in 2002.

The most recent who accomplished the same feat was Cate Blanchett: Best Actress for Elizabeth: The Golden Age and Best Supporting Actress for I’m Not There in 2007.

The following actresses were also twice nominated in the same year. The only thing different is that they won for Best Supporting Actress: Fay Bainter for Jezebel (1938), Teresa Wright for Mrs. Miniver (1942), and Jessica Lange for Tootsie (1982).Three stars also won for their leading roles in the two nominations they received for the same year: Al Pacino for Scent of a Woman (1992), Holly Hunter for The Piano (1993), and Jamie Foxx for

Rey (2004).

The biggest surprise of this year’s Oscar derby is the winning of Parasite, the �irst foreign-language �ilm to win the Best Picture in the 92-year history of Oscars. Many insiders thought the World War 1 epic 1917 was the frontrunner.

The South Korean thriller also earned the Best International Feature (used to be called Best Foreign Language Film).

Other nominees were: Corpus Christi (from Poland), Honeyland (North Macedonia), Les Miserables (France), and Pain & Glory (Spain).

The latter earned Antonio Banderas a nomination for Best Actor.

Bong Joon-ho also won the Best Director trophy over Sam Mendes (1917), Martin Scorsese (The Irishman) and Quentin Tarantino (Once Upon a Time in Hollywood).

Along with Han Jin-won, he also brought home the Best Original Screenplay.

Elton John and Bernie Taupin settled for Best Original Song for “(I’m Gonna) Love Me Again,” which was featured in the movie, Rocketman. This was John’s second Oscar; he won before for The Lion King (1994).

1917 clinched three Oscars for Best Visual Effects, Best Cinematography (for Roger Deakins), and Best Sound Mixing.

Once Upon a Time in Hollywood also snatched one more award: Best Production Design. Joker, which was nominated in 11 categories, also managed to get one more award: Best Original Score (for Hildur Gudnadottir).

Michael McCusker and Andrew Buckland won Best Film Editing for Ford v Ferrari, which also received the Best Sound Editing (for Donald Sylvester).

The following best picture nominees also won one award each: Best Costume Design for Little Women, Best Production Design for Once Upon a Time in Hollywood, Best Adapted Screenplay for Jojo Rabbit.

Bombshell likewise took home one award – Best Make-up and Hairstyling for Kazu Hiro, Anne Morgan and Vivian Baker.

Toy Story 4 was declared winner of the Best Animated Feature Film.

The previous Toy Story 3 was nominated for Best Picture before. Winner of the Best Animated Short was Hair Love.

8 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte discusses matters with aviation and tourism stakeholders during a meeting at the SMX Convention Center in Pasay City on Monday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

softens against Asia shares inch up as nCoV Peso dollar on nCoV fears anxiety keeps investors edgy T

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market rising 0.6 percent and South Korea’s KOSPI lifting 0.7 percent.

Japan’s Nikkei was closed for a holiday, though futures traded just a shade �irmer.

E-Mini futures for the S&P 500 were a tad weaker, down 0.07 percent, after a late jump took Wall Street to fresh record highs on Monday. The Dow rose 0.6 percent, while the S&P 500 gained 0.73 percent and the Nasdaq 1.13 percent.

The gains came even as the World Health Organization (WHO) warned the spread of coronavirus among people who had not been to China could be “the spark that becomes a bigger �ire.”

In China, factories were slow in re-opening after an extended Lunar New Year break, leading analysts at JPMorgan to again downgrade forecasts for growth this quarter.

“The coronavirus outbreak completely changed the dynamics of the Chinese economy,” they wrote in a note.

“The coronavirus is an unexpected, tentative demand shock, and it has also become a notable supply shock due to prolonged factory shutdown. The

magnitude of the supply shock depends on the pace of production recovery.”

They assumed the contagion would peak in March and factories would slowly resume opening this month, though the situation remained uncertain.

In this case, growth would brake sharply to around a 1 percent annualized pace in the �irst quarter, before rebounding to 9.3 percent in the second.

Should the contagion not peak until April, growth could turn negative in the �irst quarter, with a rebound spread over the second and third quarters.

The risks are such that investors are wagering on more stimulus from Beijing, while a host of other

of public health and safety," PAL spokeswoman Cielo Villaluna said in a statement.

The Bureau of Immigration said late on Monday the travel ban would take effect immediately and will follow the same procedures as in the previously announced restriction that covered China, and its Special Administrative Regions Hong Kong and Macau.

"While not explicitly stated, we have con�irmed... that Taiwan is indeed part of the ban, and this expansion shall be implemented

immediately", Immigration Commissioner Jaime Morente said in a statement.

Filipinos and foreigners with permanent resident visas may be allowed entry but will be turned over to the Bureau of Quarantine for assessment, Morente said.

More than 115,000 Filipinos live and work in Taiwan, mainly in factories and as household helpers.

Taiwan and China have close economic and cultural ties, and the island has reported 18 con�irmed cas-

es of the virus. China has reported more than 42,000 cases, by comparison, and over 1,000 deaths, centred on Wuhan, the capital of Hubei province.

The World Health Organization has included Taiwan as part of China in its assessment that China is a "high risk" area for the virus, despite Taiwan's complaints that they have a totally separate government and health system and should not be included under China.

This has already

sian share markets looked set for another cautious session on Tuesday as investors tried to judge how quickly China’s factories could return to work as the coronavirus continues to spread and deaths mount.

China’s Hubei province reported 2,097 new cases and 103 new deaths on Feb. 10, with a fatality rate of 3.07 percent. The total number of deaths in China has topped 1,000, well past the toll from Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome which killed hundreds worldwide in 2002 to 2003.

MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Paci�ic shares outside Japan inched up 0.1 percent with the Australian

ASIA, P10

CebPac, PAL ban Taiwan travel over coronavirus

T

he Philippines' two largest airlines said Tuesday they cancelled �lights to Taiwan after the government expanded its travel ban to include all foreigners coming from the island to help contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Cebu Paci�ic and Philippine Airlines said they were cancelling �lights to and from Taiwan to manage the risks from the fast spreading virus outbreak.

"These restrictions are in relation to the coronavirus situation, in the interest

CEBPAC, P10

he Philippine peso softened against its US counterpart on Monday, as trading activities were tempered by concerns over the 2019 novel coronavirus (nCoV).

The local currency lost 2.5 centavos to close at P50.78:$1 versus last Friday's P50.755:$1.

"Regional markets closely monitored the death toll caused by the n-CoV outbreak. The scare continues to drag market sentiment," a foreign ex-

change trader from a local bank said in a mobile message.

The Department of Health (DOH) earlier on Monday reported that the number of persons under investigation (PUI) has risen to 314.

As many as 908 people have so far died in China's central Hubei province as of Sunday, with most deaths recorded in the provincial capital of Wuhan, the epicenter of the outbreak.

Google head of HR stepping away as worker activism rises

G

oogle on Monday con�irmed that head of human resources Eileen Naughton was stepping away from her job as "vice president of people operations" at the internet company.

"We're grateful to Eileen for all she's done and look forward to her next chapter at Google," Sundar Pichai, the head of Google and its parent company Alphabet, said in a statement.

Google added more than 70,000 employees during Naughton's time as head of human resources, according to Pichai.

Naughton said that she would work with Pichai and chief �inancial of�icer Ruth Porat to �ind a successor.

"My husband and I have decided -- after 6 years on the road, �irst in London and now San Francisco -- to return home to New York to be closer to our family,"

Naughton said.

In recent years, the Google workplace has been disrupted by employee opposition to top-level decisions ranging from forging contracts with the US military to tailoring a version of the search engine for China.

Google in November �ired 4 employees on the grounds they had violated data security policies, but the tech titan was accused of persecuting them for trying to unionize staff.

The dismissals of the quartet -- dubbed the "Thanksgiving Four" on social media -- deepened staff-management tensions at a company once seen as a paradigm of Silicon Valley freedoms but now embroiled in numerous controversies.

One of the workers �ired was connected to a petition condemning Goo-

GOOGLE, P9

VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

EDGEDAVAO EVENT

MORE THAN JUST A TOWER

DAMOSA LAND INC.’S (DLI’s) Diamond Tower is more than just a tower. It showcases “green architecture” designs which means the tower is designed and built with sustainability in mind.

DLI recently celebrated Diamond Tower’s topping off ceremony of the 17-storey building at Damosa Complex in Lanang, Davao City.

The tower, which has a land area of 2,200 square meters and a building footprint of around 1,800 square meters, is expected to bolster Davao City’s growing office space needs as more investments are now leading to the south.

It is the commitment of DLI to provide a more sustainable option to business. The tower promotes the use of renewable energy and will give its locators access to alternative power sources and proof are the custom-made exterior fins that are installed to help divert

heat, environmentally-sound features that include LED lighting and eco-friendly insulation to prevent air gaps and stop drafts.

Another important aspect is the curtain glass wall called Low-E Glass, which is environment-friendly and blocks the heat of the sun from coming in.

The tower is also being poised to be a landmark in Davao. The tower’s facade depicts the wavy lines of banana fibers, which is Davao’s top export commodity.

“The challenge is how can we depict something that is so important in the family which is agriculture and how could we enter that into the architectural design of the building. This is going to be a very beautiful building and it is shaping up already,” said DLI first vice president Ricardo “Cary” Lagdameo.

Apart from the sleek curved lines, the tower also boasts of its unique architectural design

ON THE BLOCK A4

EDGED

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EVENT

THE ROYAL MANDAYA HOTEL UNVEILS A FRESH NEW SPACE:

THE CABANA FOR OVER TWENTY YEARS, the Royal Mandaya Hotel has served as one of Durianburg’s top hotels located in the city centre. Through the years, many of the hotel’s areas have undergone changes and redesigns to keep up with the needs of today’s modern travellers.

One area that was almost forgotten was the hotel’s pool deck. But in the late afternoon of January 30, this area of the hotel was relaunched with the promise of providing guests a new, younger, more exciting vibe after extensive construction and renovation.

Now called The Cabana, the Royal Mandaya Hotel’s pool deck is now a brand new zone that combines wellness, leisure, and entertainment in a trendy and chic environment.

Fresh new energy The pool now glows with lights for a more modern, edgy feel. Sun worshipers will love the area’s raised deck and lounging beds that provide optimum exposure to the sun giving a spectacular view of Durianburg’s rose coloured sunsets.

Aside from the renovated

pool, a new lounge was also added. Able to sit 100 guests, the lounge is a special space with intelligent LED lighting, dedicated speakers, a raised VIP area and its own hi-tech DJ booth.

“We wanted to create a unique space where Dabawenyos can relax and enjoy the vibe of the city while enjoying some drinks and good music,” shared Royal Mandaya Hotel General Manager Benjamin Banzon.

Renewed feelings Aside from the upgraded pool and new party space, The Cabana also has two new spaces that cater to wellness and rejuvenation. Off to one side is a new state-of-the-art gym which allows hotel guestsa great way to stay fit and energised.

Beside the gym is the Mandaya Hotel’s Spa. With four suites,

a signature bath and a steam bed, the Mandaya Hotel Spa offers treatments to knead stress away. Other than massages done by certified masseurs, there are also various beautifying treatments and scrubs for that energised feeling.

While it may have taken a while for the Royal Mandaya Hotel to update this part of the hotel, the result is truly worth the wait with a brand new space that is exciting and fun that is sure add a shot of chic into the heart of Durianburg.

DAVAO

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VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

ENTERTAINMENT

APL, SARAH, BAMBOO, AND LEA REUNITE IN “THE VOICE TEENS” SEASON 2

THE original celebrity coaches who started “The Voice” in the Philippines are back.

Apl.de.ap, Sarah Geronimo, Bamboo, and Lea Salonga are once again battling each other’s teams for another shot at the championship in the newest season of “The Voice Teens,” which kicks off this weekend (February 8 and 9).

Aside from the returning quartet of coaches, viewers can also look forward to an exciting blind auditions with the introduction of the Block Button, which gives a coach the power to block or prevent another coach from being chosen by a teen artist.

The use of the Block Button is only valid when the coach who is blocked will actually turn around for an artist. Once a coach turns around, that is the only time everyone will find out if he or she was blocked by another coach.

Each of the four coaches only

have two chances to use the Block Button throughout the entire blind auditions.

The jam-packed season, hosted

by Alex Gonzaga and Luis Manzano, will scour talented Filipino teens from all over the country and the world and showcase their powerful voices and inspiring dreams and stories.

Viewers can also watch the online show Voice Teens DigiTV for more behind-the-scenes content

on The Voice Teens Philippines channel on YouTube hosted by “The Voice Teens” Season 1 alumnus Jeremy Glinoga and online sensation KaladKaren.

Don’t miss the blind auditions starting this weekend (February 8 and 9) on ABS-CBN. For more updates, like facebook.com/ TheVoiceTeensABSCBN, follow @ TheVoiceABSCBN on Twitter, and subscribe to the The Voice Teens Philippines channel on YouTube.

GMA NETWORK OPENS 2020 WITH STRONGER VIEWERSHIP GMA Network’s 70th anniversary celebration begins on a high note as it clinched the top spot in the nationwide television ratings competition anew.

Latest data from Nielsen TV Audience Measurement show that for January 2020 (with January 26 to 31 based on overnight data), GMA reigned supreme with an average total day people audience share of 34.7 percent in the National Urban Television Audience Measurement (NUTAM), outscoring ABS-CBN’s 31.7 percent.

The Kapuso Network’s NUTAM victory was a result of its impressive performance across all day parts. Providing a head start in the morning block, GMA recorded 28.8 percent people audience share versus competition’s 27.4 percent.

GMA’s strong afternoon block brought in the biggest lead with 37.7 percent as against ABSCBN’s 31.4 percent.

Continuing well into the evening block, which includes the hotly contested primetime slot, the

Kapuso channel posted 34.8 percent while the rival network only got 33.6 percent.

The Kapuso Network likewise ruled in all time blocks with wider margins in both Urban Luzon and Mega Manila, which respectively account for 72 and 57 percent of all urban viewers in the country.

GMA registered an average of 36.7 percent total day people audience share in Urban Luzon; beating ABS-CBN’s 29.1 percent.

With official data from January 1 to 25, the Kapuso Network kept its winning streak in Mega Manila with 37.1 percent, which was way ahead of ABS’ 27 percent.

Similarly, more GMA shows made it to NUTAM’s list of top programs for January.

Kapuso Mo, Jessica Soho (KMJS), which was the undisputed number one show in 2019, still remained in the top spot.

GMA also took the lion’s share in the Urban Luzon and Mega Manila top programs lists where it respectively grabbed 19

and 20 spots out of the overall top 30.

Aside from KMJS, the Network’s ratings drivers for January were Magpakailanman, 24 Oras, Pepito Manaloto, Daig Kayo ng Lola Ko, Daddy’s Gurl, The Gift, Beautiful Justice, Amazing Earth, One of the Baes, Prima Donnas, Eat Bulaga, Kapuso Movie

Night, 24 Oras Weekend, Magkaagaw, Wowowin, Bubble Gang, Madrasta, Tadhana, and Imbestigador.

Nielsen TV Audience Measurement’s client pool covers a total of 37 clients/subscribers consisting of local TV networks, regional clients, blocktimers, advertisers, and agencies.

A4 INdulge!

INdulge!

A4 EVENTAND CULTURE ARTS TRAVEL TECH

EDGE DAVAO EDGE DAVAO EDGE DAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 223 WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 22, VOL.12 VOL.12 ISSUE ISSUE 219 • TUESDAY, • FRIDAY,FEBRUARY JANUARY 12, 17, 14, 2020 ISSUE 241 ••216 WEDNESDAY,

NORWEGIAN CRUISE LINENEW ELIMINATES SINGLESONY INTRODUCES GP-VPT2BT USE PLASTIC BEVERAGE BOTTLES ACROSS FLEET WIRELESS SHOOTING GRIP MAYA ON THE BLOCK A1 ONweaver THE BLOCK A1 he said. ka naga-himo,”

This is also among the reasuch why as theLimon distinctive panels as well as its engisons will go to Sitio neering to works.

Sangab introduce the cotton Lagdameo said as athat private sector this is their weaving.

He believes using way of contributing to the “Build cotton threads into Dagmay as Build Build” program of the Duterte administration. well as their embroidery will “This is really story of growth. As you all help sustain theira livelihood. know Davao City and Davao “Mas mudaghan pud ang Region have really NORWEGIAN Cruise been growing andifthis our way to contribute order sathe Dagmay theyis will Line, innovator to the growth story region,” he said. use cotton threads,” hethe said. in global cruise travel BUILDING onof the DLI looking launching Limon also seesathistory the to the tower in April with ais53-year growing lineup ofneed camthisbreaking year.

Upon completion, the building will tap the artisans in this endeavof boundaries, eras and accessories house around 50 locators including the coror to give theirfor clients fresh is now single-use plasdeveloped modern porate offices ofbottle thetoday Anflocor and new designs. tic beverage free Group and DLI, creators, Sony expansive spaces “We really need tothe tap the like Regus, Busiacross itsco-working fleet. has announced new ness Process Outsourcing (BPO) and Knowledge artisans directly before man GP-VPT2BT wireless The brand announced last Process (KPO) gud ga-agi pa ko saIdeal middle shooting grip. year thatOutsourcing it partnered withforcompanies.

Thesince addition ofaccess the tower man wala’y sa many different types JUST Goods, Inc., which en-to DLI’s portfolio expands properties lease in Damosa comcommunity,” he Line said. toforreplace of content creation abled theits Cruise plex as it offers 20,000 sqms Limon wants tovlogs show off ranging from to of leasable area to all single-use plastic water other premier companies. the beauty of Dagmay travel photography /he bottles across its 17-shipasfleet, complement expected hasToclients who its are looking for rise of economic videography tothe simple beginning with most recent activity, DLIaccessories willEncore. also clothes and made a car park buildeveryday use, theconstruct new ship, Norwegian ingThe in offers the Damosa IT Parkof that by the Mandayas.

He said they grip optimum achievement is one the will hold about 350 vehicles and issteps set to be fully operational noticed thatand some Pasalubong Aldevinco do not carry Dagstability comfort latest sustainable forward laterNorwegian thisincluding year.with centers Davao City’s may cloth. combined cablefor Cruise Line.

In free and a 2018, connectivity the Company eliminated reliable moissingle-use dust plasticand straws across ture its fleetresistant and privatedesign. destinaCompatible with aofvariety tions, and as a result this of Sony’s latest digitalitcamermost recent initiative, will as, the GP-VPT2BT connects replace over six million singleeasily via Bluetooth, allowing use plastic water bottles every creators to simplythe aim and is year.

In addition, brand CO2 emissions rate, increase shoot without interfering working to eliminate single-use sustainable sourcing and invest cables or exposedand inputs.

The ly,initemerging has an adjustment wheel plastic shampoo conditechnologies. new grip includes useful be loosened tightened tioner bottles later athis year.tilt can“This is a veryorspecial and featureefforts that allows for flexible tovery allow for seamless operaThese are driven by proud moment for us,” vertical angle adjustment as tion cameras of different the Company’s Sail & Sustain saidwith Harry Sommer, president well as the ability to switch gripof Environmental Program, which sizes and and chiefweights. executiveThe officer from normal to self-shooting includesCruise a flip button, inis its commitment to minimize also Norwegian Line. “As mode to with ease. Additionaldicator light and line, lock we switch, waste landfills, reduce its a leading cruise are

A4 INdulge!

actor and activist Jaden Smith and family, JUST takes an innovative approach to sourcing and packaging the world’s most valued resource - water. The revolutionary company focuses on an impact model, taking into consideration both how the water is sourced and packaged.

JUST is 100% spring water in a plant-based carton. The carton is made of 82% renewable materials – the paper carton is made from trees grown in responsibly-managed forests and the cap and shoulder are made from a sugarcane-based plastic.

It is refillable and recyclable.

JUST has a global presence with bottling facilities in Glenn Falls, NY; Ballymena, Northern Ireland; and Ballarat, Australia, thus allowing the company to meet demand around the world without shipping water from a single production source. JUST takes care to use the most efficient shipping options available.

For more information about Norwegian Cruise Line ships and their itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 888-NCLCRUISE (625-2784) or visit www.ncl.com.

A4 INdulge!

“Wala man gud kaayo Mandaya na pieces and mostly T’boli products ang sa Aldevinco. Sa Manila T’boli lang mostly makita nako na ginahimo accent ug Yakan, beads sa Bagobo, balud from Lanao and Inaul. Walay something from the Mandaya community,” hetosaid. thrilled make such an impact cotton Dagmay design

by The eliminating single-use beverclothing not yetchanged available and can beisquickly age bottles across our fleet. in theajust market as Limon into tripod simply exIt’s one by of the waysand wehis are group are in the immerpanding the bottom portion, working tostill preserve our oceans sion the stage ofstable, the project. enabling easy handsand destinations we visit.

“Wethis willisevaluate their free shooting.

While just the pa beginning capacity and kung willing sila The GP-VPT2BT Wireless of what we and others can do, makipag-collaborate,” he said.

Shooting Grip will committed be availwe are incredibly

to our Sail & Sustain program and believe wholeheartedly in the importance of preserving our natural resources. We will continue to strive towards making environmentally conscious decisions to benefit our earth.”

Envisioned and founded by American rapper, songwriter,

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 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

BRIDGE... FROM1 discuss with the owner of the land,” Lin said.

It is expected that the road connector construction between two cities won’t be possible anytime soon after a family, whose property will be covered in the Davao-Samal Bridge’s road right of way, �iled a written opposition to the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

Lin is optimistic that both sides, government and family, can negotiate, discuss and reach some consensus because the bridge will be bene�icial

to the people not only of IGaCoS but the entire Mindanao.

“It’s a good project because I believe IGaCoS is a city that in the future will become a tourist attraction and to attract more tourists going to that place a bridge obviously will be very convenient and conducive for the future progress and development of the island,” he said.

Apart from the Davao-Samal Bridge, Lin said the government of China will also respond to other requests of cooperation from the Philippines

as this is part of the agreements on infrastructure development that President Rodrigo Duterte and President Xi Jing Ping have agreed on.

“Since President Rodrigo Duterte became the President, the relationship between China and the Philippines have been improving and these two heads of states have reached a lot of consensus and they have jointly witnessed different agreements on infrastructure developments and we want these agreements to be implemented,” Lin said.

Araw ng Davao.

“There are too many I think your sister cities including Jinjing, Nanning and probably some parts of the Fujian province provincial government and friendship delegation are planning to come to Davao City after the Spring festival I think because of the epidemic they have also postponed their visit. Hopefully after everything comes back to normal they will get

these plans again,” he said.

Apart from the exchange visits, Lin said some of the activities in China are also cancelled like the famous Canton Commodity Fair 2020, which is held twice a year. He also said Spring Canton Fair 2020 is also canceled wherein at least several billions worth of transactions are canceled.

“These are some of the impacts by the epidemic

but I am sure that the Chinese government is taking measures to contain the virus and the epidemic.

These measures are very strict but supported by the general public of China and the Chinese people are actually sacri�icing themselves for the good of the nation and the good of the world. But we are optimistic and con�ident that the epidemic will be brought under control,” Lin said.

member agencies are expected to include priority PAPs for implementation in 2021 in their FY 2021 Budget Proposals for RDC XI consideration.

“Our problem with insurgency basically stems

from poverty and the absence of government services in the hinterland areas. So, we really need to harmonize all our efforts to end this problem once and for all,” he said. “I think this is the right time that we

address this issue. We have to prioritize livelihood and accessibility. The sooner we address these issues, the sooner we solve the problem of insurgency,” the Governor added. Provincial Information Of�ice

CHINESE.. FROM2

RPOC.. FROM2

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

PRRD... FROM2

9

wrote.

Among those who attended the meeting in Pasay City were Puyat, Philippine Hotel Owners Association president Arthur

Lopez, AirAsia Philippines CEO Ricardo Isla, Philippine Airlines president Gilbert Santamaria, and Cebu Paci�ic Air President and CEO Lance Gokongwei.

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go, Tourism Undersecretary Arturo Boncato, and Tourism Assistant Secretary Howard Lance Uyking were also present.

gle for working with the US customs and border patrol agency, which has been involved in President Donald Trump's crackdown on illegal immigration.

Google employees have also openly opposed the company pursuing contracts to put its technology to work for the US military.

In 2018, Google em-

ployees poured out of premises at its Mountain View campus and around the world to protest the company's handling of sexual misconduct allegations.

skippered the Under-22 Azkals. Last month, Ceres drew almost 4,000 fans for the AFC Champions League match against Shan United of Myanmar.

The strong start could spell the difference for Ceres as far as coach Risto Vidakovic is concerned.

Only the Top 2 teams in the group will advance to the zonal semi�inals.

“There are no secrets when we play because the

information is always available so we have to focus on our strengths,” said the Serbian mentor, who led the Busmen to the AFC Asean zone title in 2017 and the knockout stages in the next two years.

“It’s a really tough group again for us, so the players really have to raise their level. Playing at home hopefully gives us a good start,” he added.

The return of Manny

Ott gives Vidakovic a solid option at mid�ield. Ott was part of the side that won the Asean zone title and made the �inal a year later.

“It feels good to be back home,” said Ott, who was sidelined by a shin injury for majority of last season when he was in Thailand.

“I’m just trying to settle in the last few days, but I’m looking forward to the match on Tuesday,” he added. (PR)

GOOGLE... FROM8

CORONAVIRUS... FROM12

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office No. XI Balusong Ave., McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City Petition for Extension of Validity of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ DUAL Ordinary Regular Service.

Case No. R11-EV-PJ-2020-2-057 (2010-XI-00057-DP) MARY JOY P. CHARMAN, Petitioner.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office No. XI Balusong Ave., McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City Petition for Extension of Validity of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ DUAL Ordinary Regular Service.

Case No. R11-EV-PJ-2020-1-1409 (99-XI-01409) RAUL N. SAPLOT, Petitioner.

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Franchising and Regulatory Office No. XI Balusong Ave., McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City Petition for Extension of Validity of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ DUAL Ordinary Regular Service.

Case No. R11-EV-PJ-2020-2-189 (2010-XI-00189) JULIETO L. INTES, Petitioner.

x----------------------------------------------------x

x----------------------------------------------------x

x----------------------------------------------------x

NOTICE OF HEARING

NOTICE OF HEARING

NOTICE OF HEARING

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a PUJ DUAL Ordinary Regular service on the route: SASA VIA JP LAUREL AVENUE with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on October 14, 2020. In the petition filed on February 5, 2020, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said Certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on MARCH 18, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. at this office at the above address.

At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao.

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be acted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/or oral evidence.

Witness Atty. ARMAND B. DIOSO, Regional Director, this 6th day of February 2020 at Davao City, Philippines.

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a PUJ DUAL Ordinary Regular service on the route: ECOLAND SUBSIVISION (SM CITY OF DAVAO) and for cargoes as dual service from said place to any point in REGION XI with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on February 2, 2020. In the petition filed on January 31, 2020, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said Certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on MARCH 10, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. at this office at the above address.

At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao.

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be acted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/ or oral evidence.

Witness Atty. ARMAND B. DIOSO, Regional Director, this 31st day of January 2020 at Davao City, Philippines.

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a PUJ DUAL Ordinary Regular service on the route: LASANG VIA BUHANGIN and for cargoes as dual service from said place to any point in REGION XI with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on November 15, 2020. In the petition filed on February 5, 2020, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said Certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on MARCH 10, 2020 at 8:30 a.m. at this office at the above address.

At least TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao.

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be acted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/ or oral evidence.

Witness Atty. ARMAND B. DIOSO, Regional Director, this 6th day of February 2020 at Davao City, Philippines.

Atty. CATTLEYA B. ACAYLAR

Attorney IV/Acting Chief Transportation Development Officer

Petitioner, Mary Joy P. Charman Counsel, Atty. Raul C. Espina

Atty. CATTLEYA B. ACAYLAR

Attorney IV/Acting Chief Transportation Development Officer

Petitioner, Raul M. Saplot Counsel, Atty. Marvin G. Camino

Atty. CATTLEYA B. ACAYLAR

Attorney IV/Acting Chief Transportation Development Officer

Petitioner, Julieto L. Intes Counsel, Atty. Ernesto Raphael V. Robillo

10 NEWS

BIFF... FROM3

Alburo said the objective of the gathering was to support the Army’s Development Security and Support Plan (DSSP), more known as “Kapayapaan,” to insulate the populace from violent extremism and educate them on the evil effects of terrorism.

“It aims to prevent the locals from being persuaded or recruited by extremist and terror groups such as the BIFF and DITG,” Al-

buro said.

Colonel Jose Mamon, 601st deputy brigade commander, also spoke on the government’s overview of governance, development, and security during the gathering.

“There can be no sustainable development without peace and there can be no peace without development,” Mamon said. (With a report from Noel Punzalan/PNA)

"I think that's a possibility unless the govern-

ment acts to retrieve this back," he explained.

central banks are under pressure to safeguard their economies with cheaper loans.

Markets are pricing in more than 40 basis points of easing this year from the Federal Reserve and again nudged the Treasury yield curve negative, to re�lect the danger of recession.

Fed Chair Jerome Powell appears before Congress on Tuesday in the �irst of a two-day testimony and is expected to reiterate that the US economy is doing well but rates can stay low given subdued in�lation.

The relative outperformance of the US economy

is keeping the dollar well supported, with the euro slipping to a four-month low at $1.0906. The British pound touched a 2-month trough of $1.2870 and was last at $1.2913.

Against a basket of currencies, the dollar was again at its highest since mid-October at 98.858.

The dollar was steadier on the Japanese yen, which bene�its from being a safe haven of its own, and last stood at 109.75.

Risk aversion helped lift gold to its highest for a week, though the strength of the dollar made for a slow climb. It was last at $1,571.58 per ounce.

ABS-CBN... FROM5 ASIA... FROM8

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late spouses GREGORIO M. LUGA and HENRIETTA T. LUGA who died inestate in Davao City on May 16, 1982 and March 2, 2017 repectively, has been the subject of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed among their heirs, per Doc. No.82; Page No.18; Book No.91, Series of 2020, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ATTY.NOEL T. LAGUINDAM 2/12/19/26

VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

CEBPAC... FROM8

prompted Italy to include Taiwan as part of its �light

ban from China, to Taiwan's anger.

U.S. Olympic Team include: Bam Adebayo (Miami Heat); LaMarcus Aldridge (San Antonio Spurs); Harrison Barnes (Sacramento Kings); Bradley Beal (Washington Wizards); Devin Booker (Phoenix Suns); Malcolm Brogdon (Indiana Pacers); Jaylen Brown (Boston Celtics); Jimmy Butler (Miami Heat); Mike Conley (Utah Jazz); Stephen Curry (Golden State Warriors); Anthony Davis (Los Angeles Lakers); DeMar DeRozan (San Antonio Spurs); Andre Drummond (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kevin Durant (Brooklyn Nets); Paul George (L.A. Clippers); Draymond Green (Golden State Warriors); James Harden (Houston Rockets); Montrezl Harrell (L.A. Clippers); Joe Harris (Brooklyn Nets); Tobias Harris (Philadelphia 76ers); Gordon Hayward (Boston Celtics); Dwight Howard

(Los Angeles Lakers); Brandon Ingram (New Orleans Pelicans); Kyrie Irving (Brooklyn Nets); LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers); Kyle Kuzma (Los Angeles Lakers); Kawhi Leonard (L.A. Clippers); Damian Lillard (Portland Trail Blazers); Brook Lopez (Milwaukee Bucks); Kevin Love (Cleveland Cavaliers); Kyle Lowry (Toronto Raptors); JaVale McGee (Los Angeles Lakers); Khris Middleton (Milwaukee Bucks); Donovan Mitchell (Utah Jazz); Victor Oladipo (Indiana Pacers); Chris Paul (Oklahoma City Thunder); Mason Plumlee (Denver Nuggets); Marcus Smart (Boston Celtics); Jayson Tatum (Boston Celtics); Klay Thompson (Golden State Warriors); Myles Turner (Indiana Pacers); Kemba Walker (Boston Celtics); Russell Westbrook (Houston Rockets); and Derrick White (San Antonio Spurs).

LEBRON... FROM11

PARTIAL EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER AND RELINQUISHMENT OF RIGHTS AND INTEREST

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late GLICERIO C. LIM who died on December 31, 2019 at Davao City has been the subject of PARTIAL EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER AND RELINQUISHMENT OF RIGHTS AND INTEREST executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.382; PageNo.78; Book No.l, Series of 2020, of the NOTARY PUBLIC Atty. Reni M. Dublin 2/12/19/26

T-bill rates decline across-the-board

A

verage rates of all the three tenors of the Philippine government-issued treasury bills (T-bills) fell Monday following last week’s reduction of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) key policy rates.

Rate of the 91-day T-bill dropped to 3.115 percent from 3.187 percent during the auction last February 3.

Deputy Treasurer Erwin Sta. Ana attributed the decline to the 25-basis-point slash in the central bank’s key rates last week, the �irst for the year after the total of 75-basis-point reduction last year.

The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) offered this tenor for PHP6 billion and investors submitted bids totaling to PHP18.405 billion. The auction committee made a full award.

Average rate of the 182day paper declined to 3.461 percent from last week’s 3.523 percent.

Tenders for this tenor reached PHP16.82 billion, more than twice the PHP6-billion offer. This tenor was also fully awarded.

Rate of the 364-day paper slipped to 3.908 percent from 3.964 percent in the previous auction.

It was offered for

PHP8 billion and received PHP21.08 billion worth of tenders. The auction committee also made a full award for this tenor.

Sta. Ana said the decline in the T-bills’ average rate was expected given hopes for additional cuts in the BSP rates within the year as hinted by BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno.

“It is reported that the in�lation outlook is quite manageable hence, the reduction in the rates,” he said.

Meanwhile, Sta. Ana said they have secured all the requirements for a US dollar bond issuance but have not determined the offer period and the possible volume as they continue to monitor market developments.

The planned issuance came right after the BTr gained PHP310.8 billion from the offering of threeyear retail treasury bond (RTB) during the shortened offer period from January 28 to February 4.

The offer period was supposed to be until February 6, 2020, but Treasury of�icials reduced it ahead of the original deadline after receiving strong demand for the debt paper.

versial provisions are the lax visa and passport policies for American troops and the authority granted to the US government to retain jurisdiction over military personnel if ever they commit crimes locally. Locsin earlier said he will he will insist on negotiating these issues should the VFA be reviewed.

Duterte moved to scrap the VFA in response to US’ cancellation of Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa’s tourist visa.

The VFA can be terminated via a written notice from either of the countries. Expiration will come 180 days from the time either party noti�ies the other.

PH... FROM3

NOTICE OF AUCTION

The VGM Pawnshop, Inc. will hold a Public Auction Sale to all unredeemed and unrenewed items on the following schedule listed below at 9:00 O’clock in the morning.

Ang VGM Pawnshop, Inc. magasubasta sa tanang prenda nga wala nalukat sa maong sumusunod nga mga petsa sa alas 9:00 sa buntag.

BRANCHES

DATE PAWNED

DAVAO Sasa Maa Panabo Main Panabo Branch

DAVAO Sandawa Matina Ulas

August 01-31, 2019

August 01-31, 2019

DATE & PLACE OF AUCTION Feb. 20, 2020 (Thurs.)

9:00 AM VGM Pawnshop, Inc, Sasa Branch VGM BLDG. Km.11,Sasa Davao City Feb. 27, 2019 (Thurs.)

9:00 AM VGM Pawnshop, Inc, Sasa Branch VGM Bldg.

Km. 11,Sasa Davao City

THE MANAGEMENT Feb. 12,14,17,2020

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

11

AFC Cup: Ceres-Negros banks on home advantage

W

World Cup veteran Kiefer Ravena has been named captain of the Gilas Men’s squad for the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 qualifiers.

Kiefer named Gilas capt in FIBA qualifiers

N

LEX guard Kiefer Ravena will wear the captain’s badge for Gilas Pilipinas in the FIBA Asia Cup 2021 quali�iers later this month.

Gilas interim coach Mark Dickel on Sunday appointed the World Cup veteran as the captain of the national team that plays Thailand at home for its �irst game of the quali�iers on February 20, then plays Indonesia on the road on Febru-

ary 23.

Ravena leads a team composed of a mix of young stars and PBA veterans, including TNT’s Troy Rosario and Roger Pogoy, and Magnolia’s Marc Pingris.

Among the young players who are part of the pool is Ravena’s younger brother, Thirdy, brothers Juan and Javi Gomez de Liano, and University of the Philippines’ standout Kobe Paras.

“I have a lot of con-

Lebron, AD, Curry lead 44-man Team USA pool

44

players led by threetime Olympic medalist LeBron James (Los Angeles Lakers) were announced by USA Basketball today as �inalists for the 2020 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team.

The pool included nine members of the gold medalist 2016 U.S. Olympic Team, seven gold medalists from the 2012 U.S. Olympic Team and all 12 members of the USA’s 2019 FIBA World Cup Team.

The player selections

were approved by the USA Basketball Board of Directors. The of�icial 12-member 2020 U.S. Olympic Men’s Basketball Team roster will be announced later this year.

Featuring 29 players who have played for the USA in Olympic and/or FIBA World Cup competitions and who together have collected 31 Olympic or FIBA Basketball World Cup gold medals and four bronze medals, the 44 �inalists for the 2020 LEBRON, P10

�idence in Kiefer,” said Dickel, as quoted by the PBA website. “I think he can be a world class point guard, and my job during this window is to start getting that out of him.”

“I’ve seen him do it numerous times for NLEX. I thought he was excellent last conference, really took them on his shoulders.

There’s no reason he can’t do it here (Gilas),” he added.

Ravena, for his part,

gamely accepted the challenge.

“May pressure but hindi ko inaako ang lahat; humihingi rin ako ng tulong from the PBA guys, especially kay Kuya Ping,” he noted.

“Andiyan din sila Troy (Rosario), RR (Pogoy), CJ (Perez), kaming apat na nag-World Cup, kahit paano alam namin kung ano ‘yung highest level of international basketball so tulungan lang,” he added.

ith its �irst three matches in the AFC Cup slated at home, Philippines Football League champion Ceres-Negros hopes to capitalize on its advantage and gain a head start in its group in the continental club competition.

Fresh off a stellar run in the AFC Champions League qualifying where they narrowly missed out on a spot in the main draw, the Busmen open their Group G bid against Svey Rieng of Cambodia on Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

The Bacolod-based squad will also host Than Quang Ninh of Vietnam on Feb. 25 in their second home match.

The duel with the Vietnamese side was supposed to be an away �ixture for the Busmen but the AFC had to swap the schedule with the Ceres’ home game as the Vietnamese government has temporarily stopped sporting events in the country as a precaution against the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Indonesian champion Bali United will also visit Rizal Memorial Stadium on March 11 for the clash with the Busmen, whose matches have been moved to Manila as the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City is unavailable.

“We’re counting on the support of Filipino football fans in our matches at Rizal Memorial Stadium,” said

Lebron James, Anthony Davis and Steph Curry leads the 44-man elite list for Team USA Basketball's Olympic team.

Ceres captain Stephan Schrock.

The mid�ielder has raved about the energy of the crowd in the Southeast Asian Games when he skippered the Under-22 Azkals. Last month, Ceres drew almost 4,000 fans for the AFC Champions League match against Shan United of Myanmar.

The strong start could spell the difference for Ceres as far as coach Risto Vidakovic is concerned. Only the Top 2 teams in the group will advance to the zonal semi�inals.

“There are no secrets when we play because the information is always available so we have to focus on our strengths,” said the Serbian mentor, who led the Busmen to the AFC Asean zone title in 2017 and the knockout stages in the next two years.

“It’s a really tough group again for us, so the players really have to raise their level.

Playing at home hopefully gives us a good start,” he added.

The return of Manny Ott gives Vidakovic a solid option at mid�ield. Ott was part of the side that won the Asean zone title and made the �inal a year later.

“It feels good to be back home,” said Ott, who was sidelined by a shin injury for majority of last season when he was in Thailand.

“I’m just trying to settle in the last few days, but I’m looking forward to the match on Tuesday,” he added. (PR)

12 SPORTS

SLIMDOWN EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 241 • WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 12, 2020

Arcadia Fitness Gym Summer Slimdown weight-loss tilt set

By NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

D

avao's premier �itness facility Arcadia Fitness Gym will stage its �irst ever weight-loss competition dubbed as Summer Slimdown 2020.

The competition aims to provide inspiration in leading the way to �it, active and healthy life.

The event will last for 12 weeks with 3 winners to be picked after the competition period. The competition is open to all Arcadia Fitness Gym members.

Interested members may inquire through the Arcadia Fitness Gym reception or call (0917) 146 4304 or (0923) 104 2585 for details of the competition and mechanics.

Arcadia Fitness Gym, located at the lobby of Davao’s new event and dining mecca Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center, has brought in the best in �itness equipment and training to the city.

For the �itness newbies, the gym looks complicated with all the imposing equipment. The facility boasts of the Technogym

brand, known in Fitnesstopia as the “Rolls Royce” of gym equipment.

Once inside the vibe is infectious. The intensity meter ranges from low to high and the camaraderie at peak levels. One doesn’t get the intimidated feel common in many gyms. Instead, you get amped.

From pumping irons to group workouts, to resistance training and aqua �itness, Arcadia takes �itness to a different level.

No wonder, many Dabawenyos are now discovering �itness the Arcadia way. Exactly the point why this facility was built by the Escandor Development Corporation (Esdevco) which does not only build quality residential estate but also ensures Dabawenyos engulf the �itness culture.

Arcadia is couched across Esdevco’s signature real estate project Matina Enclaves along Col. Emilio Escandor Street in Quimpo Boulevard, Ecoland.

Davao's fitness enthusiasts will face the challenge of their lives in the unique summer weight-loss competition.

Coronavirus threat forces PBA to reset opening to March 8

W

ith its �irst three matches in the AFC Cup slated at home, Philippines Football League champion Ceres-Negros hopes to capitalize on its advantage and gain a head start in its group in the continental club competition.

Fresh off a stellar run in the AFC Champions League qualifying where they narrowly missed out on a spot in the main draw, the Busmen open their Group G bid against Svey Rieng of Cambodia on Tuesday, 7:30 p.m., at Rizal Memorial Stadium in Manila.

The Bacolod-based squad will also host Than Quang Ninh of Vietnam on Feb. 25 in their second home match.

The duel with the Vietnamese side was supposed to be an away �ixture for the Busmen but the AFC had to swap the schedule with the Ceres’ home game as the Vietnamese government has temporarily stopped sporting events in the country as a precaution against the novel coronavirus (nCoV).

Indonesian champion Bali United will also visit Rizal Memorial Stadium on March 11 for the clash with the Busmen, whose matches have been moved to Manila as the Panaad Stadium in Bacolod City is unavailable.

“We’re counting on the support of Filipino football fans in our matches at Rizal Memorial Stadium,” said Ceres captain Stephan Schrock.

The mid�ielder has raved about the energy of the crowd in the Southeast Asian Games when he

CORONAVIRUS, P9