Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 203 | Friday-Saturday, December 20-21,2019

EDGEDAVAO JUSTICE IS SERVED

PRRD TOPS UP INCENTIVES

SPORTS P15

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VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

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IBP Davao City on verdict: Triumph of law, justice

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he Integrated Bar of the Philippines-Davao City Chapter on Thursday called the Maguindanao Massacre verdict "a triumph of law and justice."

The much-awaited verdict on the case involving the world’s worst political massacre and the single deadliest event for journalists in history ended with the accused

Ampatuan brothers and several others were meted 57 counts of murder by the court on Thursday.

Lawyer Eleanor Dela Peña, IBP Davao president, said in an official

statement that "the conviction of the principal accused in the infamous Maguindanao massacre which claimed the lives of 58 innocent civilians is a triumph of the rule of law

and justice."

"After ten long years of trial, the conviction of the principal accused in the infamous Maguindanao massacre which claimed the lives of 58 innocent ci-

JUSTICE, P13

A young boy watches the live broadcast of the Maguindanao massacre, also known as Ampatuan massacre, case verdict inside an eatery in downtown Davao City on Thursday. Several members of the Ampatuan clan were convicted of multiple murder for the massacre of 58 people in Maguindanao in 2009. Lean Daval Jr

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

SEC revokes Robocash’s license for branches without authority

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President Rodrigo Duterte greets 2012 Gawad Manlilikha ng Bayan for Textile Awardee Magdalena Gamayo at the Malacañan Palace on Wednesday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Davao lawyers say ‘guilty’ verdict brings back trust in judicial system

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he much-awaited verdict on the case involving the world’s worst political massacre and the single deadliest event for journalists in history is out. The accused Ampatuan brothers and several others were meted 57 counts of murder by the court on Thursday.

For some law practitioners here in Davao City, not only that justice was finally served but it also shows that the rich and influential litigants no longer enjoy the upperhand against the poor.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, presiding judge of Branch 221 of the Regional Trial court of Quezon City sentenced the

Ampatuan brothers to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years in jail without parole.

The Ampatuan brothers and other principal accused were found guilty of the Maguindanao massacre that put an end to a decade-long case that saw the deaths of 58 people, 32 of whom were media practitioners.

Quakes not man-made: Solidum

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cience and Technology Undersecretary Renato Solidum had shot down speculations that the strong earthquakes that have hit North Cotabato and Davao del Sur were possibly human-induced.

Although he did not refer to any human activity, social media websites, particularly Facebook, had been rife with suspicions that the quakes, including the magnitude 6.9 tremor that hit Padada town on December 15, 2019, were possibly man-made.

Social media users have been sharing links to online articles about the High-Frequency Active Auroral Research Program (H.A.A.R.P), which is an ionospheric research program jointly funded by various US agencies and was started in 1993.

Some articles, mainly from obscure websites, claimed that the H.A.A.R.P can generate strong earthquakes that could devas-

tate areas the US would target.

However, Solidum, also the officer in charge of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), said during an interview with reporters at the office of Mayor Josef Cagas here that there is no known man-made activity that can generate such powerful quakes as the ones that hit the province and nearby North Cotabato.

“Why? The origins of the quakes are three kilometers below ground or more. There is no human activity that can reach that deep,” he added.

Solidum also said that contrary to other suspicions, the quakes had nothing to do with Mt. Apo, which straddles the two provinces.

“Those are not related to Mt. Apo. Can it affect Mt. Apo and trigger an explosion? Well, Mt. Apo is a potentially active volcano

QUAKES, P13

Philippine Association of Real Estate Boards Inc. -Davao Board of Realtors Foundation, Inc. (PAREBDBRFI) President lawyer Raymond Batu told Edge Davao that the decision will bring back the people’s trust and faith in the judiciary system of the Philippines.

“Nemo est supra legis.

No one is above the law!

Justice has been served finally,” Batu said.

Another lawyer, Heraclio Malaki III said the decision shows that justice system in the country is “alive” and is acting on the case. He also said that the presiding judge is really focused on the case and was really weighing both sides of the case.

“Tungod sa decision nadungagan ang pagsalig sa justice system sa Pilipinas nga dili ug walay gipaboran bisan pa ug datu ang kalaban. Justice has been served,” Malaki said.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Martin Andanar said the proceedings of the case was slow as it has to go through process as warranted by the country’s democratic system.

“It’s a good day for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre. The decision of the Regional Trial Court shows that the justice system in the country really works,” said lawyer-juris doctor Algene Cutamora.

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has stripped Robocash Finance Corp.’s authority to operate as a financing company for running several branches without the necessary license.

The Corporate Governance and Finance Department (CGFD) of the SEC issued the order of revocation on December 12, 2019 after establishing that Robocash violated the Implementing Rules and Regulations of Republic Act No. 8556, or the Financing Company Act of 1998 (FCA IRR).

In the course of its monitoring procedure, the CGFD found that Robocash operated several branches without the requisite CA. The findings were validated through onsite audits on March 7, 2019 and July 5, 2019. Robocash also confirmed the same during a hearing on September 20, 2019 and through various letters to the SEC. The CGFD on November 13, 2019 issued a formal charge against Robocash and ordered the company to show cause why its CA should not be revoked for violation of the Financing Company Act of 1998.

In its verified answer, Robocash admitted to es-

tablishing and operating branches without the necessary CA. The company, however, argued that it did not maliciously violate Section 6(a) of the FCA IRR by putting up branches without the necessary CA. The CGFD found no merit in the company’s defense, saying: “It may be well to note that Respondent was able to secure thirty-two (32) CAs for thirty-two (32) separate branches. Thus, it is even more appalling that despite being aware of the requirement of the law, Respondent knowingly and willingly committed repeated violations thereof.”

Under Section 14 of the FCA IRR, the SEC may suspend or revoke an erring financing company’s CA after proper notice and hearing. The Commission may also impose a basic fine of not less than P10,000.00 plus P100.00 for each day of continuing violation, but no more than P100,000.00, and other sanctions within its power.

The CGFD initially imposed monetary penalties against Robocash for violation of Section 6(a) of the FCA IRR. The Department issued the corresponding orders on payment of penalty on November 5, 6 and

SEC REVOKES, P13

Public advisory

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lobe has set up Libreng Tawag and Libreng Charging stations in Davao del Sur to help residents with their communications needs. Davao del Sur was strongly hit by a magnitude 6.9 earthquake Sunday afternoon which took the lives of several people and caused damage to properties.

Affected residents may go to the following Libreng Tawag and

Charging Stations from December 17-20, 2019, from 8 am to 4 pm: 1. Outside Padada Municipal Hall (within the Disaster Risk command post), Poblacion, Padada, Davao del Sur 2. Matanao Municipal Hall, Poblacion, Matanao, Davao del Sur More free call and charging stations will be put up as the need arises.

Families of some of the victims of the Ampatuan Massacre gather in General Santos City to hear together the live broadcast of the verdict of the case on Thursday. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

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4 NEWS

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VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

Death toll in DavSur earthquake now 11

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he number of persons killed in the magnitude 6.9 earthquake that shook Matanao, Davao del Sur on Sunday is now at 11, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) said Thursday.

In its 6 a.m. update, the NDRRMC said 195 others were injured while one is missing.

The report, signed and released by NDRRMC executive director Ricardo Jalad, said the dead and injured are from Davao Region and Soccsksargen.

The number of affected families is placed at 29,592 which is equivalent to 121,221 persons residing in 105 barangays in Davao Region.

Of these, a total of 3,076 families or 14,993 persons are taking temporary shelter in 24 evacuation centers while 4,379 families or 18,051 individuals are being aided outside.

Also, 290 schools were partially damaged by the earthquake in Davao Region and Soccsksargen.

(PNA)

PRC Mobile Service caters to 1K professionals in Mati

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little over one thousand professionals were able to take part of the Professional Regulation Commission’s Mobile Service held in the City of Mati.

The 3-day PRC Mobile Services was initiated by Davao Oriental 2nd District Rep. Mayo Almario and supported by City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat.

The activity ran from December 16-18 at the City Hall Compound.

There were about 1,037 who availed the services given by the Professional Regulation Commis-

sion Mobile Service. The data is based on the actual number of official receipts issued.

There are only 5 personnel from the PRC XI who catered clients coming from all over Davao Oriental, General Santos City and Kidapawan City.

Professional Regulation Commission Mobile Service is a priority program of Mayor Michelle N. Rabat & Congressman Mayo Almario.

Other partners and supporters include Councilor Cheeno Almario, Councilor Roger Pabio and Senator Joel Villanueva. (CIO MATI)

The facade of Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) along Dumanlas Road in Davao City. The hospital administration led by chief of hospital Dr. Leopoldo Vega has assured the public that they are stepping

up their safety measures to ensure the safety of the patients during earthquakes. Lean Daval Jr

SPMC ensures patients safety during quakes

By MAYA M. PADILLO avao City’s first luxurious hotel, Grand Regal Hotel will undergo a facelift and will be re-branded as a business hotel.

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With that in mind, SPMC chief of hospital Dr. Leopoldo “Bong” Vega told

Edge Davao that they are putting the safety of the patients as their utmost

priority by employing the services of the hospital’s “building marshals” who are actually engineers in the vicinity of SPMC. Vega said these marshals check at once for any reference for safety in times of earthquakes.

“If they say that there is a problem with the building and that is the time to do the evacuation, we will do the evacuation. Fortunately no major evacuation happened with the recent earthquakes. What is more

SPMC, P13

5 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

RRR cuts to tame in 2020: Diokno

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Church goers buy “kakanin” after dawn mass at a makeshift stall outside San Pedro Cathedral in Davao City on Thursday. Lean Daval Jr

Pernia confident PH hit economic growth target

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he country’s chief economist is optimistic the government will hit its target growth rate this and next year, given a strong push from consumption and infrastructure spending.

Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said he agrees with the Development Budget Coordination Committee’s (DBCC) gross domestic product (GDP) growth numbers at 6 percent to 6.5 percent this year.

“In the fourth quarter, consumer spending really got boosted by bonuses, OFW (overseas Filipino workers) remittances also rose 7.7 percent in October, and that also contribut-

ed to increased consumer spending which accounts for about two-thirds of GDP,” he told reporters Wednesday during the year-end media briefing.

Pernia said the country’s “catch-up plan” on spending on infrastructure projects has also some impact on increasing economic growth from October to December.

National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Undersecretary

Rosemarie Edillon also cited private consumption will be “really robust” given the slow inflation, especially food inflation as well as government consumption.

“Investment spending is also very hefty especially this fourth quarter, actually leading to the fourth quarter,” she said, adding that tourism receipts are expected to post gains with an offshoot of the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games).

Edillon said the domestic demand will more than makeup for slow external demand.

The country’s GDP surged by 6.2 percent in the third quarter, bringing the nine-month average to 5.8 percent

From 2020 to 2022, Pernia, also NEDA Director-General, said economic planners are targeting a 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent GDP growth.

“The main advantages there would be the budget would have been passed by then before the end of the year so there will be no reenactment of the budget for 2020 and so that would already be a good start for the year and in the home stretch, government spending on infrastructure will increase further because we want to finish as many infrastructures as possible,” he added.

Pernia said consumption spending is also a

Constitution, the planning, programming and budget linkage in the government needs to be firmly established, coupled with a results-oriented monitoring and evaluation system,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Ernesto Pernia said.

According to studies by the World Bank, Asian Development Bank, Organization for Economic Coopera-

tion and Development, and the Philippine Institute for Development Studies, the country’s planning, policy-making, programming, and budgeting processes have been largely fragmented, uncoordinated, and often interrupted.

These studies reveal that even sound policies and programs that address the root causes of prob-

lems often get disrupted, discontinued, or not given due attention.

In a presentation during the AskNEDA yearend media briefing, Assistant Secretary for Policy and Planning Carlos Bernardo Abad Santos said the current set-up and human resources of NEDA cannot catch up with the

In 2013, renewable energy contributed around 26 percent of the country’s total power consumption. This has since increased to over 30 percent by the end of 2018 mainly due to the national government’s campaign to increase its use, as well as the growing appetite of consumers for more sustainable sources of power.

The government has committed to making sure that renewables contribute at least 50 percent of the country’s total

energy consumption by 2030. This is an optimistic goal given the growing awareness of companies towards the impact of renewable energy on their operations as well as the communities they serve.

Long before the trend on “green” and sustainable practices took shape, green office developer and operator NEO Property Management, Inc. (NEO) had already been at the forefront of clean and renewable energy.

In 2013, NEO partnered with AboitizPower for

Cleanergy, the latter’s brand for clean and renewable energy.

In January 2019, NEO renewed its partnership with AboitizPower for the supply of 13.5 megawatts (MW) to its facilities in Bonifacio Global City, Taguig.

“We want to give our customers an overall ‘green’ experience, from the design and architecture of our buildings, up to the power supply we use,” NEO Chief Executive Officer Raymond Rufino earlier said.

PERNIA, P13

NEDA calls for stronger planning culture in PH

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stronger culture of planning in the country is needed to fully synchronize planning, investment programming, budgeting and implementation, the National Economic and Development Authority (NDEA) said on Wednesday.

“In order to achieve the national economic and patrimony goals stated in our

NEDA, P13

PPP investments hit P2.1 trillion in 2019

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he Philippine energy sector has come a long way in the last 10 years, ushering in an era of landmark policies and initiatives geared towards industry competitiveness and environmental sustainability.

Over the past decade, the power sector has shifted from being highly dependent on fossil fuel to employing a more balanced energy mix with various companies taking a more active role in utilizing clean and renewable energy.

fter a total of 400 basis points reduction in big banks’ reserve requirement ratio (RRR) thus far this 2019, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said they are not keen for another aggressive cuts next year.

In an interview by journalists Tuesday night, Diokno said what he can assure the market is that the RRR will be in single digit by the end of his term in mid-2023.

“As you can see, we provide forward guidance unlike other central banks who keep it vague,” he said.

To date, RRR of universal and commercial banks (U/KBs) is at 14 percent, thrift banks (TBs), 4 percent; and rural banks (RBs), 2 percent.

These cuts were made partly to make it at par with other central banks in the region and to help support the domestic economy by encouraging banks to lend more.

A percentage point slash on bank’s RRR is estimated to release about PHP90-billion liquidity into the economy.

Diokno discounted the same level of RRR cuts for next year, saying the policy-making Monetary Board (MB), which he

chairs, still has 14 quarters to monitor developments and assess how much they need to cut at a certain period.

“That’s my forward guidance so I’m not in a hurry to cut the RRR,” he said.

Diokno said they want banks to strengthen their lending activities instead of keeping the money with the BSP because this is a cost for the central bank.

Diokno further said he will slightly step on the brakes when it comes to the key policy rates reduction after the 75 basis points decline so far this year.

He said they also continue to check on the policy rate decisions of their counterparts’ overseas vis-a-vis its implications of the economy.

Banks from other countries, Diokno said are still easing policy rates and if the Philippines do not keep up, then this will encourage portfolio investments, or hot money, due to high domestic interest rates.

He said the country does not need an abnormal rate of hot money inflows, which will then be withdrawn once rates decline.

“So we’ll observe what

RRR, P13

SSS, PayMaya sign deal for real-time payment processing

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ocial Security System (SSS) members now have an additional venue to easily pay their contributions and loans after the agency inked a partnership with digital financial services, PayMaya, on Wednesday.

In a briefing, SSS President and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) Aurora Ignacio said PayMaya is now among the 85 SSS accredited collecting and paying partners, 35 of which are already real-time processing of contributions (RTPC) system compliant.

She said the agency has been continuously adopting the use of digital platforms to further aid members on accessing SSS services without lining up in banks and the various SSS offices nationwide.

She said the tie-up with PayMaya, for one, will provide greater payment convenience and faster and accurate posting.

Under the agreement, SSS members still need to access the agency’s Mobile App, which can be downloaded from Google Play Store, Apple App Store, and Huawei App Gallery, and input their My SSS account user ID and password to generate the Payment Reference Number (PRN) or Statement of Account.

Once the member has created his PRN, he needs to tap the Pay button to display the two options namely Pay with PayMaya Account or credit/debit card.

If the member prefers to pay using his PayMaya account, the screen of his mobile phone will display the PRN, amount, and convenience fee of PHP10 per transaction.

He will be required to input his e-mail address and password and in turn, PayMaya will send a onetime password (OTP) for the transaction to continue.

If the member prefers to pay using his debit/credit card, the screen will show his monthly contribution, convenience charge of 1.75 percent of the total amount.

The payment will be completed once the member inputs his first name, last name, card number, and expiry date of the card.

“As more and more people put their thrust on the SSS as a reliable partner in times of unexpected life events, we are confident that we can meet every expectation because there are reliable and innovative institutions like you to support us,” Ignacio added.

PayMaya President and Chief Executive Officer Orlando Vea said they are honored to be part of the agency’s digitalization bid to help its members.

He said digitalization of SSS’ payment transactions, among others, is cost-effective for the members in terms of value and time and energy.

“We’re happy that SSS has fully embraced digital.

Here at SSS digital is a new normal,” he added. (PNA)

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

Iron lady

Vice President Leni Robredo just cannot resist the political temptation called grandstanding.

On the day she earlier announced she would reveal her report on the country’s anti-illegal drugs campaign, she announced that she is rescheduling it in the aftermath of the magnitude 6.9 earthquake in Davao.

She still did the deferment in grandstanding fashion. Calling a press conference that she is calling it off.

Leni’s voracious appetite for attention is beyond compare. For how can one call people only to say that she is not doing anything.

If she is indeed sincere to defer making her report public, a simple phone call, message, or a note to all media invited would have sufficed. Clutching her 40-page report, she went to the rostrum to say, “the announcement is off until further notice.”

Why did Leni defer? Is it because had she pushed through with the unveiling of her findings and recommendations, it would just be drowned out in the attention that will be gobbled up by more important matters like the earthquake situation. Obviously, she

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ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

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

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter 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

will be overshadowed. Hence, she’s buying time.

Assuming Robredo lets out her report on Monday, it will not stop or change the government and private sector’s mobilization to assist earthquake victims. It would be of no consequence, people know what is more urgent than political grandstanding.

If this report is important and her recommendations urgent, there is no reason to defer or delay. And if this report is credible and valuable, why wait for the storm to leave and come out and tell everyone?

It is obvious, Robredo is hyping up her announcement to grab as much public attention as she can. It won’t be surprising that when the announcement comes, Robredo’s keyboard armies and sympathetic foreign supporters are ready for the drum rolls.

A sincere leader, not thinking of her own political gains, would not sacrifice immediate solutions to a drug war if he or she has any. At the end of the day, this is not about who the bad guy or the good guy in government is. It’s who has the solution. Not the attention.

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)

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VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

QUEST FOR HAPPINESS “My greatest beauty secret is being happy with myself. I don’t use special creams or treatments – I’ll use a little bit of everything. It’s a mistake to think you are what you put on yourself. I believe that a lot of how you look is to do with how you feel about yourself and your life. Happiness is the greatest beauty secret.” – Tina Turner *** When asked by Philippine Daily Inquirer what makes him happiest, singer John Rendez replied: “Truthfully, I don’t know.

I don’t know if one is ever really happy. Perhaps what makes me happy is to still be alive with the people I like, or when the people I love are safe.”

People all over the world are searching for true happiness. American comedian and television star Groucho Marx has this formula: “Each morning when I open my eyes, I say to myself: I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”

Happiness is how you look at a glass with water; it is either half-full or half-empty. The

story featured in the website of Inspirational Stories illustrates this point of how you assess your condition.

Two men were jailed in the same cell. They were in the same conditions, but one of them was happy, and the other one was unhappy.

“Why are you so sad,” the happy man asked the unhappy man. “What should I joy for?” the unhappy man answered. “I am unlucky. Recently, I was free and had a rest at the resort and there, as you know, is more interesting than here.”

Then, the unhappy man asked, “Why it seems you are satisfied?” The happy man replied, “You see, I was recently in another prison, where the conditions are much worse, and it seems I am in a resort here, compared to where I was before. Many people want to get here, but I am the lucky one.”

Ralph Marston, an American football player, said it well: “Happiness is a choice, not a result. Nothing will make you happy until you choose to be happy. No person will make you happy unless you decide to be happy. Your happiness will not come to you. It can only come from you.”

American First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt was right when she said, “Happiness is not a goal; it is a by-product.” Or, as an anonymous author pointed out, “Be happy not because everything is good, but because you can seed good in everything.”

Once you find happiness, you can’t hide it. In a Reader’s Digest feature, Nina Fischer wrote a story about her father, who was a carpenter. “He never liked to get dressed up into nice clothes,” she said. “But when my mother died, Dad bought a handsome suit and was dressed to the teeth as he went heart-broken to her funeral.”

A year later, Nina was in a clothing store and saw a suit similar to the one her father had worn at her mother’s funeral. She got into a conversation about her father and his dislike for dressing up.

“My dear child, I knew your Dad,” the elderly salesman told her. “He often came in here to admire the fine clothes we stock, but he never bought any.

He always said that you, kids, needed things more than he needed clothes.”

When Nina heard those words, her eyes were filled with

tears. The old man went on to say, “Your father told me that he always felt dressed up since himself. And I believed him.

He smiled so much, he just had to be wearing a really nice suit around his heart.”

Catherine Pulsifer, author of Wings of Wisdom: Your Daily Guide to Benefit from Change, said: “Being happy is something that each of us determines, it is not something that we find outside of ourselves, it is within us and our choice.”

Dr. Anil Kr Sinha adds, “Happiness is not defined by any circumstance, condition, or person. You need not to tie your happiness to anything. The choice to be happy is always yours to make. Make that choice and cultivate a happy spirit.”

Have you ever thought of wishing happiness for others?

Ernest J. Lewis shares this story of David Garroway, the founding host and anchor of NBC’s Today. After he had become quite wealthy, he was asked one day about his sense of Christmas.

He said he had noticed that the older one gets, the harder it is to tell people what you want for Christmas. “I’ve noticed,” he said, “that most people ask for something material for Christ-

mas. This used to amuse me, but it doesn’t any more. I happen to be a person who can afford anything he wants. But I find that what I really want, I can’t buy at all. I want peace – peace of mind –peace of soul. The kind of peace you have when you don’t really want anything.

“Nowadays, when I ask that question, I phrase it this way: ‘What if you had everything you wanted, what if you had all the money in the world, what if you could buy anything you wanted, then what would you like for Christmas?’

“One little girl stopped with her answer. She said, ‘I’d like happiness’ and then added, ‘for others.’

“How Christmassy that is!

It’s like the little girl who prayed at the end of the day: ‘God, I had a great time today,’ and then she added, ‘I hope you had a good time, too.’”

To end this piece, allow me to quote the words of American President Thomas Jefferson: “Happiness is the aim of life. Virtue is the foundation of happiness. Utility is the test of virtue. If the wise be the happy man, as the sages say, he must be virtuous too; for without virtue, happiness cannot be.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

GLOBETROTTERS IN DAVAO, C. 1964 In the annals of Davao history, 1964 will always be remembered as a tragic year when two bustling commercial blocks in the city’s chief business district were razed to the ground.

But there was another significant occasion, i.e., a sporting event, only few now remember. That year the traveling Harlem Globetrotters, the ultimate American entertainment basketball team, played a game against Davao All Stars at the mahogany-floored Davao CYO Gym (now known as Holy Cross of Davao Gym), winning the exhibition, 51-50.

With the rectangular wooden structure noisily filled to the rafters, the Harlems’ exhibition game, especially for cage aficionados, was arguably the biggest sporting game Davao had hosted in the postwar era. As the scribes put it, all Davao roads led to the once-in-a-lifetime event.

The visit of the Globies was their second to the country since their 10-day sojourn in 1952, which coincided with the world movie premier of ‘Go Man Go,’ a Harlem feature

starring Dane Clark and Sidney Poitier. The Philippines was then part of Harlems’ third worldwide tour with stops in Malaysia, Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan. This was followed by visits in 1982 and 2009.

As to who invited the Harlems in Davao and when was the exhibition date are matters that are obscured with time. The local papers at the time that featured the Globetrotters’ sojourn to the city as a historical event may just provide use the answers later.

The inclusion of Davao in the 1964 Philippine itinerary was inspired by the success the team had in their debut exhibition in the country. 1952 was the Globies’ first global tour, which corresponded with the team’s 25th founding anniversary and made memorable by the offer of millionaire plantation owner Jose Amado Araneta, grandfather of former senator Mar Roxas, who paid $5,000 to the team, exclusive of all expenses, if they played in Bacolod City.

Not wanting to pass up the juicy offer, the Harlems signed the deal. In return, Ara-

neta sold about 12,000 tickets and the income at the gate hit $30,000, the largest in the team’s entire global trip. Additionally, the profits earned from the exhibition game was given “to build a new church in the middle of [Araneta’s] island jungle.” The details, however, are not clear who processed the deal and which team was pitted against the visitors in their Bacolod sortie.

Batman-animator and writer Charles David ‘Chuck’ Menville, in Harlem Globetrotters: 50 Years of Fun and Games (1978), wrote about the 1952 event: “The team was eagerly looking forward to a rare day off when along came a millionaire Filipino plantation owner who made them an offer they couldn’t refuse. Their open date found them being flown, all expenses paid, to the millionaire’s island where he employed 90,000 workers on his eight sugar plantations. In the midst of the jungle, he had hacked out a clearing and constructed a beautiful mahogany playing floor with bleachers seating 12,000 employees – all

just for this one game. Needless to say, the Globies gave them their money’s worth.”

Founded in 1926 in Chicago, Illinois, U.S.A., the Globetrotters, first known as the ‘Savoy Big Five’ after the famous Savoy Ballroom in Chicago, was the brainchild of Abe Saperstein. The team first played together in Hinckley, Illinois on January 7, 1927, their jerseys sporting ‘New York’ to create the impression they were from that state.

Overtime, the all-black group became Saperstein’s New York Globetrotters then Harlem New York Globetrotters and, finally, as Harlem Globetrotters even if they were not from Harlem and had not played there until 1968. By 1934, they had played around 1,000 games with its founder acting “as owner, manager, coach, publicity agent and even substitute for the team.”

The Globies played their first professional basketball game in 1939 but lost to the New York Renaissance. It was in the same year that their global antics was hatched following their 112-5 lead over a tournament rival. To

overcome the boredom felt by the crowd, the team members started clowning around, which explosively entertained the crowd. The team agreed, as a result, to clown around only if the lead they have are secured and safe.

So popular was the team that even the U.S. government, in 1951, enlisted their support “to help counteract a communist youth rally in East Germany” by playing on the other side of the now defunct Berlin Wall. They also played for the popes, and entertained soldout crowds in Russia and eastern Europe. They also acted in cameo roles in films featuring them. Overtime, after winning numerous World Series of Basketball crowns, the team “had risen to become one of the finest basketball teams in the world.”

In later years, copycats of the Harlem Globetrotters surfaced, some of them organized by former team members.

Among the notable versions were Harlem Clowns, Harlem Magicians, Harlem Wizards, Shooting Stars, Meadowlark Lemon’s Basketeers, and Harlem Ambassadors.

8 EDGEDAVAO Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod 19th City Council 9th Regular Session Series of 2019 PRESENT: Councilor Alberto T. Ungab - Temporary Presiding Officer Councilor Ralph O. Abella Councilor Nilo D. Abellera Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique N. Advincula Councilor Wilberto E. Al-ag Councilor Dante L. Apostol Sr. Councilor Richlyn N. Justol-Baguilod Councilor Conrado C. Baluran Councilor Pamela A. Librado-Morata Councilor Jessica M. Bonguyan Councilor Diosdado Angelo Junior R. Mahipus Councilor Louie John J. Bonguyan Councilor Jaffar U. Marohomsalic Councilor Pilar C. Braga Councilor Myrna G. L’Dalodo-Ortiz Councilor Augusto Javier G. Campos III Councilor Antoinette G. Principe-Castrodes Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang Councilor J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. Councilor Jonard C. Dayap Councilor Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte Councilor Edgar P. Ibuyan Jr. Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III ABSENT: Vice Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte - OB-Acting City Mayor Councilor Maria Belen S. Acosta - On Domestic Emergency Leave Councilor Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr. - On Official Business Councilor Bonifacio E. Militar - On Sick Leave

ORDINANCE NO. 027-19 Series of 2019 AN ORDINANCE ON BUILDING HEIGHT LIMITS AMENDING ARTICLE VIII SECTIONS 3 TO 6 OF THE AMENDED 2013 COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE OF DAVAO CITY Be it ordained by the Honorable Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City in session assembled, that: SECTION 1. TITLE – This Ordinance shall be known as “AN ORDINANCE ON BUILDING HEIGHT LIMITS AMENDING ARTICLE VIII SECTIONS 3 TO 6 OF THE AMENDED 2013 COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE OF DAVAO CITY”.

SECTION 2. PURPOSE – This Ordinance is enacted for the following purposes: 1. Guide, control and regulate future growth and development of the City in accordance with pertinent laws on building height regulations and on allowable urban development mechanisms responsive to the challenges and opportunities of urbanization; 2. Provide an orderly pattern of development that is both transit-oriented and transit responsive; 3. Conform to flight safety regulations and improve disaster-resilience; 4. Preserve view of cultural and heritage sites; 5. Promote and improve urban livability index such as better air quality, sufficient access to sunlight, open and green spaces and urban connectivity and mobility comforts; 6. Provide incentives to the private sector in improving the built environment.

SECTION 3. DECLARATION OF POLICY - It is the policy of the City Government of Davao to manage efficiently the urban landscape where mobility potentials are maximized, greening programs actualized through innovative space provision, and disaster-resilience intensified through building height restrictions. The City shall continue to devise zoning and land use mechanisms responsive to the challenges and opportunities as may be presented by urban growth and development. The scheme for Additional floor-space credits to qualified private individuals or corporations which have allocated open spaces for the public through the Privately Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS) program and the premium required from developers opting for additional floor areas over and above the regular height limit being imposed by the city are strategies for environment investments. The premium floor space that may be permitted in a zone for a specified fee shall provide the City an avenue for revenue generation that may be devoted to road improvement and greening programs.

It shall be further declared to be the policy of the City to strictly enforce measures in accordance with existing and relevant land use provisions.

SECTION 4. SCOPE OF APPLICATION - This Ordinance shall prescribe the rules applicable to any building construction activity within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City. This Ordinance shall prescribe the guidelines on the applicable permissible height in relation to the distance from the flight path and with reference to the desired urban densities and in setting relative order to the City’s skyline and preservation efforts. Variance or additional premium height over and above the regular height limit set by the City shall be allowed and permitted provided that it shall not be higher than the limitations set by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

SECTION 5. DEFINITION OF TERMS - For the purpose of the Rules and Regulations, the following terms and phrases shall mean as follows: 1. Obstacle Limitation Surface (OLS) – is an imaginary surface above ground that sets the height limit for building structures to ensure flight navigational safety; 2. Floor Area Ratio (FAR) is the ratio of the total plot area to the total building area and is determined by the size of the plot and the width of the road in front of the plot; 3. “Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP)” shall refer to the document embodying specific proposal for guiding, regulating growth and/or development; 4. HLURB – Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board; 5. Conforming Use – a use, which is in accordance with the zone classification as provided for in the Ordinance; 6. Green Architecture – building and structure design philosophy that aims at minimal use of non-renewable and/or polluting materials and resources/energy in construction and use of a facility when completed; 7. Green Space- community space consisting of land (as parks) rather than buildings; 8. Privately-Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS) are physical spaces which are privately owned but legally required to be open to the public under a land-use law and arrangement with the City Government of Davao such as but not limited to plazas, terraces, atriums, small parks, view decks, playground, food park, and alleyways that connects two structures without passing through a regular street.

9. Zoning Map – a duly authenticated map delineating the different zone classifications into which the whole city is divided.

10. Mean Sea Level – the zero reference point from which the limits shall be measured from.

SECTION 6. AMENDMENT TO ARTICLE VIII SECTIONS 3 TO 6 OF THE AMENDED 2013 COMPREHENSIVE ZONING ORDINANCE OF DAVAO CITY - For purposes of providing the amendment and supplemental provisions of Article VIII Sections 3 to 6 of the Amended 2013 Comprehensive Zoning Ordinance of Davao City, the following revisions and amendments are depicted as follows: ARTICLE VIII COMMON REGULATIONS FOR MAJOR URBAN SUB-ZONES “SECTION 3. To provide specific height limits for buildings and structures in the City intended to achieve desired levels of urban densities, respond to transport and traffic concerns with due consideration to the rising demand for water, power, and other utilities, provide precautionary and proactive approach to urban mobility and efficiency and create an ecologically sustainable environment to improve or maintain the quality of life. Height regulations must conform to the restrictions and requirements as set forth in this Ordinance which are generally set lower than the prescribed limits set by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) and providing further that the requirements are compliant with the National Building Code, the Structural Code as well as all laws , ordinances, design standards, rules and regulations related to land development and building construction and the various safety codes.

3.1 Height Regulations Objectives. – The height restrictions, regulations and incentive scheme shall have the following purposes: 1. To guide, control, and regulate future growth and development of the City in accordance with pertinent laws on building height regulations and on allowable urban development mechanisms responsive to the challenges and opportunities of urbanization; 2. To provide an orderly pattern of development that is both transit-oriented and transit responsive; 3. To conform to flight safety regulations and improve disaster-resilience; 4. To preserve the view of cultural and heritage sites; 5. To promote and improve urban livability index such as better air quality, sufficient access to

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019 sunlight, open and green spaces and urban connectivity and mobility comforts; and 6. To provide incentives to the private sector in improving the built environment.

3.2 Height Regulations Policy - It is the policy of the City Government of Davao to manage efficiently the urban landscape where mobility potentials are maximized, greening programs actualized through innovative space provision, and disaster-resilience intensified through building height restrictions. The City shall continue to devise zoning and land use mechanisms responsive to the challenges and opportunities as may be presented by urban growth and development. The scheme for additional floor-space credits to qualified private individuals or corporations which have allocated open spaces for the public through the Privately Owned Public Open Spaces (POPOS) program and the premium required from developers opting for additional floor areas over and above the regular height limit being imposed by the City are strategies that will promote sustainable environment and augment the limited resources and allocation for environment investments. The premium floor space that may be permitted in a zone for a specified fee shall provide the City an avenue for revenue generation that may be devoted to road improvement and greening programs.

It shall be further declared to be the policy of the City to strictly enforce measures in accordance with existing and relevant land use provisions.

3.3 Scope of Height Regulations – The height regulations shall prescribe the rules applicable to any building construction activity within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City. This Ordinance shall prescribe the guidance on the applicable permissible height in relation to the distance from the flight path and with reference to the desired urban densities and in setting relative order to the City’s skyline and preservation efforts. Variance or additional premium height over and above the regular height limit set by the city shall be allowed and permitted provided that it shall not be higher than the limitations set by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP).

USING AS BASIS THE OBSTACLE LIMITATION SURFACES (OLS) BOUNDARIES AS SET BY CAAP AND THE IMPOSITION OF DIFFERENT HEIGHT LIMITS DEPENDING ON THE ZONES, THE DESIRED DENSITY, AND THE LAND USE PLAN OF THE CITY. 3.3.1 Adoption of the OLS Boundaries of CAAP as technical reference material for height limit zoning purposes - The City of Davao hereby uses as basis the Obstacle Limitation Surfaces for the Davao International Airport Zones only insofar as the delineation and boundaries of each zone as officially prescribed by the CAAP are concerned.

Figure 1. Delineation of Davao City into 15 Height Zones using the OLS Boundaries of CAAP

Page 6 of 14 Ord. No. 027-19

3.3.2 Mean Sea Level as the Reference Point of Measurement – The height limits in this 3.3.3 LIMITSof Davao imposes Ordinance shall all haveREGULAR the MeanHEIGHT Sea Level as the The zeroCity reference point unlessvarying otherwise specified. regular height limits for building structures, the maximum limit being 72 meters 3.3.3 REGULAR HEIGHT LIMITS – The City of Davao imposes varying regular height limits for above mean sea level. For the specific height limits, table 1 below shows the building structures, the height maximum limit 72 meters varying limits in the being OLS Boundaries for above the DIA:mean sea level. For the specific height limits, table 1 below shows the varying height limits in the OLS Boundaries for the DIA: Table 1. Regular limit versus HeightHeight Limit Limit of theof city in METERS ABOVE Table Height 1. Regular Height limitPremium versus Premium the city in in METERS MEAN SEA LEVEL in the 15 Height Zones MEAN SEA LEVEL the 15ABOVE Height Zones

TS TO-A TO-B TO-C TO-D TO-E TO-F AP-A

REGULAR HEIGHT LIMIT in meters 28-42 28-42 42 45-72 72 72 72 28-42

PREMIUM HEIGHT LIMIT in meters 33-72 33-72 72 72-100 100 100 100 33-72

AP-B

42

72

AP-C

42-72

72-100

AP-D

72

100

AP-E

72

100

IH

42

72

CS

42-72

72-100

CHS

72

100

ZONE

CAAP OLS BOUNDARIES TS-1, TS-2 TON-1, TOS-1 TON-2, TOS-2 TON-3, TOS-3 TON-4, TOS-4 TON-5, TOS-5 TON-6, TOS-6 APN-1, APN-2, APS-1, APS-2 APN-3, APN-4, APS-3, APS-4 APN-5, APN-6, APS-5, APS-6 APN-7, APN-8, APS-7, APS-8 APN-9, APN-10, APS-9, APS-10 IHN-1, IHN-2, IHM-1, IHM-2, IHS-1, IHS-2 CSN-1, CSN-2, CSM-1, CSM-2, CSS-1, CSS-2 CHS-1, CHS-2

3.3.4 Article 10. PREMIUM HEIGHT LIMITS - There shall be established in the City premium Article 10. PREMIUM HEIGHT LIMITS- There shall be established in height limits, the3.3.4 maximum of which is 100 meters above mean sea level. Table 1 above shows the City premium height limits, the maximum of which is 100 meters above specific premiumthe height limits in the 15 Height Zones. mean sea level. Table 1 above shows the specific premium height limits in the To Secure permission to construct a building or structure up to the premium height in the 15 15 Height Zones.

Height Zones, the project owner and/or developer must apply for Premium Additional Floor Spaces.

To Secure permission to construct a building or structure up to–the premium in the following 3.3.5 Applicable Zoning Classification for the premium height limit Developers height inpermission the 15 HeighttoZones, the project owner developer must apply zones may be granted construct up to the and/or premium height limit if the structure is for Premium within the following zoning Additional classes: Floor Spaces. * Major Commercial Zone (C2); 3.3.5 Applicable Zoning Classification for the premium height * High-Density Residential Zone (R3); and zones may be granted permission to limit – Developers in the following * Institutional Zone up to the premium height limit if the structure is within the construct following zoning Limits classes: for projects within 500 meters from an Intermodal Transit 3.3.6 Permissible Height Station (ITS) – In pursuit of a more efficient urban environment leading to a Transit Oriented Major Commercial Zonelimits (C2); allowed for construction projects which are within 500 Development in *the city, the height High-Density Residential Zone (R3); and meters from the **boundary of an Intermodal Transit Station shall be fully maximized where applicable Institutional Zone with due consideration to Article 11. For purposes of qualifying under this category, the plot of land subject to this provision shall be considered for the maximum permissible height if it is, wholly or in part, within 500 meters from the boundaries of an Intermodal Transit Station.

Table 2. Permissible Height Limits for projects within 500 meters from an Intermodal Transit Station

from an Intermodal Transit Station (ITS) – In pursuit of a more efficient urban environment leading to a Transit Oriented Development in the city, the height limits allowed for construction projects which are within 500 meters from the boundary of an Intermodal Transit Station shall be fully maximized where applicable with due consideration to Article 11. For purposes of qualifying under this category, the plot of land subject to this provision shall be considered for the maximum permissible height if it is, wholly or in part, within 500 meters from the boundaries of an Intermodal Transit Station.

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

Table 2. Permissible Height Limits for projects within 500 meters

EDGEDAVAO

from an Intermodal Transit Station

ZONE TS TO-A TO-B TO-C TO-D TO-E TO-F AP-A

REGULAR HEIGHT LIMIT in meters within 500 meters from an ITS 33-72 33-72 72 72-100 100 100 100 33-72

CAAP OLS BOUNDARIES

TS-1, TS-2 TON-1, TOS-1 TON-2, TOS-2 TON-3, TOS-3 TON-4, TOS-4 TON-5, TOS-5 TON-6, TOS-6 APN-1, APN-2, APS-1, APS-2

AP-B

72

APN-3, APN-4, APS-3, APS-4

AP-C

72-100

APN-5, APN-6, APS-5, APS-6

AP-D AP-E

100 100

IH

72

CS

72-100

CHS

100

APN-7, APN-8, APS-7, APS-8 APN-9, APN-10, APS-9, APS10 IHN-1, IHN-2, IHM-1, IHM-2, IHS-1, IHS-2 CSN-1, CSN-2, CSM-1, CSM2, CSS-1, CSS-2 CHS-1, CHS-2 Page 8 of 14 Ord. No. 027-19

3.3.7 Permissible height for structures which are not classifiedPage as medium 8 of 14 to high susceptible 3.3.7 Permissible height structures which aresea not classified as Table 3. to Permissible height for Proposed Structures on Elevated to landslide and elevated 68 meters orforhigher above mean level –027-19 Vertical structures that Ord. No. medium high susceptible to which landslide andmeters elevated to 68 not to susceptible to landslide are 68 or higher will be built on topareas of elevated ground equal to or higher than 68 meters above mean sea level shall meters or higher above mean sea level – Vertical structures that will above mean sea level, the height limit of which shall be reckoned Table 3. Permissible height for Proposed Structures on Elevated have the followingfrom effective height limits as shown intoTable 3. be built onaverage top of elevated orupon higher than 68 meters above the grade of theequal ground which the structure areas not susceptible toground landslide which are 68 meters or higher Table 3. Permissible height for Proposed Structures on Elevated areas meanbe sea levelsea shall have the height following effective height limitsbe asreckoned shown innot susceptible to shall built above mean level, the limit of which shall landslide which are 68 3. meters or higher level, thethe height limit of which shall be Table from the average grade above of the mean groundsea upon which structure Premium CAAP OLS reckoned from theshall average grade ofREGULAR the ground upon which the structure shall be built be built ZONE

ZONE TO-F AP-E

TO-F IH AP-E

HEIGHT LIMIT in HEIGHT LIMIT BOUNDARIES meters for areas in meters for REGULAR Premium CAAP OLS equal to or areas equal to HEIGHT LIMIT HEIGHT BOUNDARIES higher than 68 in or higher LIMIT than meters for areas in meters for meters above 68 meters above equal or areassea equal to mean seatolevel mean level higher than 68 or higher 33 42 than TON-6, TOS-6 meters above 68 meters above 33 42 APN-9, APN-10, mean sea level mean sea level APS-9, APS-10 33 42 TON-6, TOS-6 4 IHN-1, IHN-2, 33 42 APN-9, APN-10,

IHM-1, IHM-2, APS-9, APS-10 IHS-1, IHS-2 IHN-1, IHN-2, CSN-1, CSN-2, IHM-1, IHM-2, CSM-1, CSM-2, IHS-1, IHS-2 CSS-1, CSS-2 CS 4-33 4-42 CSN-1, CSN-2, CHS 33 42 CHS-1, CHS-2 CSM-1, CSM-2, Height Limits shall be measured from the average grade of the ground CSS-1, CSS-2 CHS 33 42 CHS-1, CHS-2 3.3.8 Permissible height for structures on elevated ground which Height Limits shall be measured from the average grade of the ground are susceptible to landslide and equal to or above 68 meters from mean sea level – Vertical structures that will be built on top of elevated 3.3.8 Permissible height for on elevated which 3.3.8 Permissible height onstructures elevated ground are susceptible to landslide ground equal for to orstructures above 68 meters or above mean sea which level ground shall have the are susceptible landslide and equal or above 68 meters from and equal to or above 68 meters from mean sea level –Table Vertical following effective to height limits as shown in to 4. Forstructures areas underthat the will be built on top mean level – clearance Vertical structures will built on of elevated the of 1.5 meters frombe the ground shall not be have the following of elevated groundUEESZ, equalsea toneeded or above 68 meters orthat above mean seatoplevel shall ground equal or above 68the meters or above mean sea level shall have the counted in the to height limit of structure. effective height limits as shown in Table 4.

For areas under the UEESZ, the needed clearance of 1.5 following effective height limits as shown in Table 4. For areas under the meters from the ground shall not beclearance counted in1.5the height limit theonstructure.

UEESZ,4. the needed meters from theof ground shall not be Table Permissible heightoffor Proposed Structures Elevated Table 4. Permissible height for medium Proposed Structures on Elevated areaswhich which have medium to counted in thehave height limit of the structure. areas which to high susceptibility to landslide high susceptibilityare to landslide which are 68 meters or level higher above mean sea level 68 meters or higher above mean sea Table 4. Permissible height for Proposed Structures on Elevated areas which have medium high susceptibility to landslide REGULAR to HEIGHT LIMIT in CAAP OLS which meters above in areasmean with medium BOUNDARIES are 68 meters or higher sea level IH CS

ZONE

TO-F ZONE AP-E

TO-F IH AP-E

4 4-33

4-42

to high susceptibility to landslide measured the REGULAR HEIGHT from LIMIT in average grade ofwith the ground meters in areas medium 7 to high susceptibility to landslide measured from the 7 average grade of the ground 47 7

IH CS

4 4-7

CAAP OLS BOUNDARIES TON-6, TOS-6 APN-9, APN-10, APS9, APS-10 TON-6, TOS-6 IHN-1, IHN-2, IHM-1, IHM-2, IHS-2 APN-9,IHS-1, APN-10, APS9, APS-10 IHN-1,CSN-2, IHN-2,CSM-1, IHM-1, CSN-1, IHM-2,CSS-1, IHS-1,CSS-2 IHS-2 CSM-2,

CS 4-7 CSN-1, CSN-2, CSM-1, CHS 7 CHS-1, CHS-2 CSM-2, CSS-2 Height Limits shall be measured from the average grade of CSS-1, the ground CHS-2 3.3.9 DeterminationCHS of the average grade7or ground level byCHS-1, the City Engineer’s Office - For Height Limits shall be measured from the average of the ground elevated plots of land which are equal to or higher than 68 grade meters above mean sea level and have uneven grade or slope, the average grade shall be determined by the City Engineer’s Office through a technical evaluation, the results of which shall become basis in determining the allowable height of the project in relation to the limits set by the city.

3.3.10 Tallest Landmark Structure Limitation – The City Government of Davao may allow the construction of a structure which can reach up to 140 meters above mean sea level and which will serve as the City’s tallest landmark and postcard image provided it is to be built in any of the following Height Zones: TO-E; TO-F; AP-D; AP-E; and CHS. Provided, further, that only one tallest structure shall be allowed to be built within Davao City.

3.3.10.1 Criteria for Permitting Construction of the tallest structure - For a structure to be considered and awarded with the privilege of becoming the tallest landmark in the city, the project must meet the following criteria: 1. The building project’s design is unique and should bear semblance to or representation of Davao City’s culture and heritage; 2. It must devote at least 50 percent of its ground floor area accessible to the public.

The summit must also be made accessible to the public for tourism and viewing purposes either for free or for a fee; and 3. The usable floor spaces must be at least 70% non-residential development.

FEES FOR ADDITIONAL FLOOR SPACES 3.4 COMPUTATION of APPLICABLE FEES on ADDITIONAL FLOOR SPACES and the Greening Program Fund 3.4.1 Fees for Additional Floor Spaces above the regular height limit or within the premium height restriction - A project intending to construct up to a height that is beyond the regular height limit of the city but not exceeding the maximum allowable premium height shall be assessed the following: • One-time Processing fee of P 10,000.00; and • P 5,000 per square meter for the usable floor spaces generated above the regular height limit.

3.4.2 Fees for the Tallest Landmark – an applicant for the tallest landmark shall be assessed with the following fees: • One-time processing fee of P 10,000.00; and • P10,000 per square meter for the usable floor spaces generated above the regular height limit being imposed in the height zone Applicants denied to construct the city’s tallest landmark which is above the premium height limit shall be subsequently considered for the premium height limit unless the appli cant or owner has initially expressed written intention that the project will not be pursued if the permission to construct above the premium height has been officially denied or disapproved by the Building Height Regulation Committee. Otherwise, the fees applicable will revert to the scheduled fees for buildings with premium height.

3.4.3 Article 19. Computing for Additional Floor Spaces – The additional floor spaces shall be the usable floor spaces constructed above the regular height limit as imposed by the City.

For purposes of computing the applicable fees for premium floor spaces generated upon applying the premium height limit, the computation shall be as follow:

Total Floor Area Generated above the regular height

Minus Additional Floor Space Credits granted by the City (if any)

Minus total floor area of hallways, stairs and stair landing generated above regular height

Equals Total Floor Area that can be assessed for a fee per square meter by the City

9

3.4.4 Height Limit Fees Accrual - All fees collected in relation to applications for Premium Height Limit shall accrue to the local funds.

3.5 Additional Floor Space Credits under the POPOS Scheme – Private land owners and/or developers can be granted Additional Floor Space Credits equivalent to a maximum of 3 times the size of the area devoted as a Privately-owned Public Open Space (POPOS), credits of which can be applied in lieu of premium height fees for usable floors built above the regular height limit 3.5.1 Credits can be acquired and applied to the same building project hosting a POPOS 3.5.2 A private landowner can devote his/her plot of land inside an Urban Ecological Enhancement Sub-Zone (UEESZ) for POPOS purposes, acquire Credits for such undertaking, and then apply said Credits to a separate project outside the UEESZ that is intended to be constructed above the regular height limit. For this purpose, the land shall have an encumbrance that is tied to a POPOS Scheme with the City Government of Davao and that the encumbrance shall remain enforced up to the demolition of the building.

In cases where the POPOS ceased operating as POPOS after the Additional Floor Space Credits were already applied, the owner/developer shall be assessed accordingly of all fees and charges applicable to projects without POPOS or without floor space credits.

PROCESSES IN THE APPLICATION FOR PREMIUM HEIGHT LIMIT 3.6 Application Process for Premium Height Limit – All applications must be filed with the Building Height Regulation Committee through the Office of the City Building Official (OCBO).

3.6.1 Application Requirements. All applications shall be deemed complete only upon compliance of the following standard requirements: A. Premium Height Filing and Processing Fee

(A non-refundable fee of P 10,000 shall be paid upon submission of documentary requirements; B. Detailed Engineering Design, drawings and perspectives in accordance with PD 1096; C. Zoning Clearance Certification; D. Copies of Land Titles; and E. Other documentary requirements as may be deemed necessary by the Building Height Regulation Committee.

3.7 Application for CAAP Height Clearance Permit – All applications shall still secure, as part of the requirements for locational clearance, a Height Clearance Permit from the CAAP or the relevant national agency assigned in regulating height clearances and/or permits.

3.8 CREATION, COMPOSITION, MEETINGS, POWERS AND FUNCTIONS OF THE BUILDINGS & STRUCTURES HEIGHT REGULATION COMMITTEE OF DAVAO CITY 3.8.1 The Buildings and Structures Height Regulation Committee (BSHRC). There is hereby created the Buildings and Structures Height Regulation Committee to enforce and implement the provisions of this Ordinance.

3.8.1.1 Composition of the Committee. – The Committee shall be composed of the following: Chairperson - City Mayor, or in her absence, the City Administrator Vice-Chairperson - City Building Official Co-Vice-Chairperson - City Planning and Development Coordinator Members: City Engineer City Architect City Legal Officer SP Chairperson or representative, Committee on Housing, Rural and Urban Development (PD 957) Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers (PICE) United Architects of the Philippines (UAP) The membership of the Committee may be increased or decreased as necessary by the City Mayor upon recommendation of the Committee.

3.8.1.2 Powers and Functions of the BSHRC. The Committee shall have the following functions and responsibilities: A. To act on all applications for building and structure height limits above the regular height set by the City for approval or disapproval; B. To determine the total floor area generated above the regular height limit that can be assessed for premium regulatory fees ; C. To review, evaluate and consider Additional Floor Space Credits in the assessment of premium regulatory fees ; D. To grant Certificates for Allowable Height Above the Regular Limit; E. To submit recommendations and resolutions to the Sangguniang Panglungsod pertaining to height regulation policies and other related schemes; and F. To perform such other functions necessary and proper in carrying out the provisions of this Ordinance 3.8.1.3 Meetings. The Committee shall meet at least once a month or as often as necessary.

3.8.1.4 Appointment of Permanent Representatives. At the beginning of every year, a member of the Committee may name in writing his/her permanent authorized representative.

3.8.1.5 Secretariat – Employees/Officers from the Office of the Building Official shall be selected and appointed by the Committee Chairperson as members of the secretariat. The Secretariat shall accept and process applications for premium height and in general, perform secretariat functions for the BSHRC Committee.

3.8.1.6 Appropriations. Subject to compliance of government accounting and auditing rules and regulations, the budgetary needs for the effective implementation of this Ordinance, including the payment of honoraria, incidental and other expenses to the Buildings and Structures Height Regulation Committee, its secretariat, technical staff and other appropriate personnel, as may hereinafter be identified shall be taken from the available funds of the City Government of Davao.

SECTION 4. HEIGHT REGULATIONS IN LOW DENSITY RESIDENTIAL SUBZONE (R-1) . In R-1 Sub-zone, buildings or structures for human occupancy whether public or private shall not exceed nine (9) meters in height or the limitation that will be set by the CAAP, whichever is lower.

SECTION 5. HEIGHT REGULATIONS IN MEDIUM DENSITY RESIDENTIAL SUB-ZONE (R-2) - In R-2 Sub-zone, buildings or structures for human occupancy whether public or private shall not exceed twelve (12) meters in height or the limitation that will be set by the CAAP, whichever is lower.

SECTION 6. ALL OTHER SUB-ZONES. Within these districts, building heights shall be based on the prescribed Floor Area Ratio (FAR) or as enumerated in Article VIII, Section 3, whichever is lower, applicable, and permitted by the Buildings & Structures Height Regulation Committee of Davao City.

SECTION 7. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE – The provisions of these Rules are hereby declared to be seperable, and in the event that one or more of the provisions hereof are held illegal or unconstitutional, the validity of the other provisions shall not be affected thereby.

SECTION 8. EFFECTIVITY – This ordinance shall take effect thirty (30) days after its publication in a newspaper of general circulation in Davao City and posting for three (3) consecutive weeks at the entrance of the City Hall of Davao and in at least two (2) other conspicuous places.

ENACTED, on the 3rd Day of September, 2019, by a ¾ majority votes of the Members of the Sangguniang Panlungsod, there being a quorum.

04 NOV 2019 APPROVED : ________________, 2019

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

ENVIRONMENT

MANAGING PLASTICS BY REALLY TRYING (Second of Two Parts)

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

T

hree years ago, the world was reported to have produce 396 million tons of plastic wastes, according to a report released by the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF). That is equivalent to 53 kilograms of plastic for each person on the planet.

“A third of this number has already become land or marine pollution and with a projected increase of 40% by 2030, an additional 104 million metric tons will leak into nature in a business as usual scenario,” WWF said in a statement.

Plastic pollution is a scourge of the environment. According to WWF, more than 240 wildlife species have been found to have ingested plastics. In Davao Gulf alone, marine turtles, dugongs, whales, and other endangered marine species have died as a result of ingesting plastics.

But that’s not the only problem with plastics. Carbon emission is anticipated to rise with increased plastic production. “By 2030, carbon dioxide emissions from the plastic life cycle are expected to increase by 50%, while the carbon dioxide increase from plastic incineration is set to triple due to wrong waste management choices,” Singapore-based Gaia Discovery notes.

Plastic pollution is not only an environmental issue but a health issue as well. Some studies have shown that on the average, a person could be ingesting approximately 5 grams of plastic every week in the form of microplastics.

Microplastics are not a specific kind of plastic, but rather any type of plastic fragment that is less than 5 millimeters (or about the size of a sesame seed) in length, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

Plastic pollution is now a worldwide phenomenon. “The problem with

plastics has been escalating for decades, where the Philippines has been identified as the world’s third largest contributor of plastics in the ocean,” WWF said. “Plastic pollution has always been a huge issue in the Philippines with the continuous generation of plastic wastes and poor waste management.”

In time, the WWF has come up with No Plastics in Nature initiative that aims to stop the flow of plastics entering the oceans by 2030 through elimination of unnecessary plastics, doubling reuse, recycling, and recovery, and ensuring remaining plastic is sourced responsibly.

“With the No Plastics in Nature initiative, we are hoping to make the Philippines free of unnecessary plastic wastes, but we cannot do this alone, we need the help of everyone,” said Joel M. Palma, WWF-Philippines president and chief executive officer, in a statement. “Every individual, company, and institution should be mindful of the amount of plastics they produce and use daily, and take action accordingly, to make this goal a reality.”

Most of the plastic wastes end up in the oceans. In fact, 80% of plastic marine debris come from land-based sources, WWF data showed. A large portion originate from urban areas as polluted waterways carry plastic pollution to the ocean. While cities will grow to account for two-thirds of the global population by 2050, they must continue to adopt smart solutions that reduce the collective impact of their prospering communities.

This is one of the reasons why WWF launched the Plastic Smart Cities, a global movement of cities and tourism destinations that are fighting plastic pollution. In Davao Region, the first city to have join the program is the Island Gar-

den City of Samal (IGaCoS).

The Department of Tourism has named IGaCoS as one of the best visiting islands in Mindanao and is one of the fastest growing tourist destinations in the country. Last year, about 1.2 million people came to the island.

“The Plastic Smart Cities project is timely as we aim to extend the life span of our sanitary landfill through plastics reduction,” said IGaCoS Mayor Al David T. Uy during the signing of the memorandum of understanding (MOU). “Our city will exert full effort and political will in supporting this worthy project.”

The local government unit of Samal, through its City Environment and Natural Resources Office, is already implementing policies and programs in managing its solid wastes, as mandated by the general welfare clause of the Local Government Code and the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act. The WWF has chosen IGaCoS as it has worked in Davao Gulf since 2008 and with the city since 2011.

“This is our third project here and we are excited to support the implementation of their Solid Waste Management plan, specifically on residuals processing and campaigning to raise awareness,” said Chrisma Salao, vice-president for conservation program of WWF-Philippines.

The MOU obtained by EDGE Davao states that both WWF and the city government will work together “as partners to reduce plastic pollution in the city and address leakage into Davao Gulf that affects the marine life, human health and livelihood of people in order to protect our oceans, our resources and our people towards sustainable development.”

As part of the project, the MOU said that business and commercial sector of the city will reduce the us-

Mayor Justina Yu age of single-use plastic and find ways to redesign packaging materials that are environment-friendly.

Both the entrepreneurs and communities will join efforts in developing innovative solutions that are also income-generating for the communities.

Single-use plastics, as the name suggests, are used only once and then thrown away. The United Nations Environment Program estimates that over 300 million tons of plastic are produced every year, half of which is used in making single-use items such as shopping bags, straws, plates, cups, coffee stirrers, sachets, and cotton buds.

The Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives (GAIA), an environmental group, says the Philippines discards 60 billion pieces of sachets each year. It adds that Filipinos use almost 48 billion plastic bags every day.

“On a per capita basis, it’s about one sachet per person per day,” Froilan Grate, executive director of GAIA’s Asia-Pacific office, was quoted as saying by The Asean Post. “But on a per year, per city basis, it’s quite shocking. It runs into the millions and billions, depending on the place.”

The MOU between WWF and IGaCoS also urges the education sector “to co-host and co-organize learning camps for education and behaviour change leading to youth action and/or citizen science such as on-mapping open dumpsites in or near waterways, characterizing marine litter, among others.”

For its part, the WWF will work together with the city government in various strategies, including organizing meeting, jointly implementing doable solutions relating to policy, business engagement, entrepreneurship, education and citizen science to reduce plastic pollution in the Davao Gulf.

When he heard the news that IGaCoS has joined the Plastic Smart Cities, Paul Philip B. Agua was ecstatic. “As a youth, I will support this initiative of our government because it is a big help to our Mother Nature. We have to lessen the use of plastics. People don’t mind throwing their garbage anywhere without seeing the big effect on this in our environment,” said the president of the Alli-

ance of Concerned Youth of Samal.

Davao Gulf is the 10th most productive fishing ground in the Philippines.

Aside from IGaCoS, WWF’s Plastic Smart Cities will also tap the cities of Davao, Digos, and Tagum and the municipalities of Sta. Cruz (Davao del Sur), Lupon and San Isidro (both in Davao Oriental).

“San Isidro is a small town but we strive to be seen as an example of how towns can function and operate while still fully protecting Mother Nature,” said Mayor Justina Yu during the signing of the Declaration of Intent.

“We, together with the officials and technicians of our coastal barangays, will work hard to protect nature because time is running out.”

Before time runs out, plastic pollution has to stop. “The problem on plastic pollution will only continue to worsen if we don’t do anything about it,” said Palma. “We are determined to address this issue to ensure that there will be no more plastic pollution in nature by 2030.”

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod 19th City Council 8th Regular Session Series of 2019 PRESENT:

Councilor Alberto T. Ungab - Temporary Presiding Officer Councilor Ralph O. Abella Councilor Nilo D. Abellera Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique N. Advincula Councilor Wilfredo E. Al-ag Councilor Dante L. Apostol Sr. Councilor Conrado C. Baluran Councilor Jessica M. Bonguyan Councilor Louie John J. Bonguyan Councilor Pilar C. Braga Councilor Augusto Javier G. Campos III Councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang Councilor Jonard C. Dayap Councilor Edgar P. Ibuyan Jr. Councilor Richlyn N. Justol-Baguilod Councilor Pamela A . Librado-Morata Councilor Diosdado Angelo Junior R. Mahipus Councilor Jaffar U. Marohomsalic Councilor Bonifacio E. Militar Councilor Myrna G. L’ Dalodo-Ortiz Councilor J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. Councilor Mary Joselle D. Villafuerte Councilor Jesus Joeph P. Zozobrado III

ABSENT: Vice Mayor Sebastian Z. Duterte - OB-Acting City Mayor Councilor Maria Belen S. Acosta Councilor Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr. - On Official Business Councilor Antoinette G. Principe-Castrodes - On official Business ORDINANCE NO. 023-19 Series of 2019 AN ORDINANCE FOR THE ADOPTION OF DAVAO CITY FOREST LAND USE PLAN 2019-2023 TO BE INTEGRATED IN THE CITY LAND USE PLAN, AND FOR OTHER PURPOSE Be it ordained by the Honorable Sanggunian Panlungsod of Davao City in session assembled, that: SECTION 1. TITLE – This Ordinance shall be known as “ADOPTION OF FOREST LAND USE PLAN OF DAVAO CITY”.

SECTION 2. DECLARATION OF POLICY – The City Government of Davao hereby declares the following as its policies: 1. The Local Government shall protect and advance the rightof all Dabawenyos to a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature; 2. The Local Government shall promote conservation of our forest lands in pursuing sustainable urban development as a crucial component to the aspirations of a livable City not only for the Dabawenyos but also for the generations to come; 3. Enhancement and protection of forest lands must be established and maintained through a partcipative, empowered and environmentally conscious community; 4. The Local Government recognizes the important role of the community in the protection and conservation of natural resources, as well as in promoting and instilling the awareness on forest conservation and protection; 5. The local Government recognizes, the need to a balance economic growth with the protection of forest lands for the attainment of sustainable growth; and 6. The Local government recognizes the need for a legislation to ensure the protection of our forest lands by adopting the Forest Land Use Plan as part of the Land Use Plan of Davao City.

SECTION 3. DEFINITION OF TERMS - As used in this ordinance, the following terms shall mean: 1. Forest land-an area of land covered by forests 2. Forest-land with an area of more than .05 hectare and tree crown cover ( area covered by the living branches and foliage of trees) of more than 10 percent.

3. Watershed- an area of land that separates waters flowing to different rivers and basins 4. Agroforestry – a land use management system in which trees or shrubs are grown around or among crops or pastureland.

SECTION 4. SCOPE OF APPLICATION - This ordinance shall cover all forestland areas as well as watersheds within the territorial jurisdiction of the city of Davao and covers the planning period 2019-2024; SECTION 5. FOREST LAND USE PLAN - For purposes of this Ordinance the Forest Land Use Plan 2019-2023 crafted by the City Development Council of Davao City and the Department of Environment and Natural Resources is adopted and integrated in the Comprehensive Land Use Plan of Davao City.

SECTION 6. REPEALING CLAUSE - All ordinances, as well as pertinent rules and regulations inconsistent with this Code, are hereby repealed and amended accordingly.

SECTION 7. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE - In the event that a word article, sentence, clause or paragraph of this Code is declared invalid for any reason, other provisions thereof shall not be affected by such declaration and shall continue to be in full force and effect.

SECTION 8. EFFECTIVITY - This Ordinance shall take effect fifteen (15) days after completion of its publication in a local newspaper of general circulation in Davao City.

ENACTED, on the 27th day of August 2019, by unanimous vote of all the Members of the Sanggunian, there being a quorum.

04 NOV 2019 APPROVED : ________________, 2019

EDGEDAVAO

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12 SUBURBIA RISING EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

LGU Tagum boosts PNP's security efforts; donates new motorcycles, radio equipment

T

agum City— With the recent threats to peace and order in the city, the local government unit of Tagum City has invested more for the security of all Tagumenyos in order for the public to feel at ease by donating motorcycles and handheld radios to the Tagum City Police last December 10 at the Tagum City Police Station and Training Complex.

During the turn-over ceremony, five Yamaha motorcycles and 20 handheld radios for faster communication and response to any type of incident around the city were handed out to the city’s police force.

A total of more than P500 thousand worth of police gears were also turned over as a means to further extend the police force coverage to far flung barangays of Tagum. Anchored on the mission of the TCPS, “To serve and protect the community”, the ceremony was aimed to guarantee all Tagumenyos that the city government is one with the Tagum PNP in doing its best in ensuring the safety and security of everyone.

As per Mayor Allan L. Rellon, LGU-Tagum took seriously into account the threats to public security that are circulat-

ing, that is why he directed the TCPS and the Task Force to heighten their patrolling.

The said ceremony

was spearheaded by Mayor Allan L. Rellon and was received by PLTCOL Ariel Acala, the TCPS Chief of Police.

This turn-over ceremony is a manifestation that the Rellon administration is putting premium to Genuine Peace,

Safety and Security as part of its developmental agenda—EAGLE WINGS. JP Cordovero/ CIO Tagum

took the CJH course with an eight-under, including what could be the best seven under on day two.

He led the squad on day three with 33. His fever cost him the individual plum which went to Iwasaki.

Aguri finished with 140 points, two better than Uy (138) and another two on compatriot Shimizu (136).

Forest Hills came in with a 111 for a 491, just two off Royal Northwoods as the two settled for second and third places, respectively.

Forest Hills was led by Rocky Co with 31, while Iñigo Raymundo, Dan Cruz, and Jude Eustaquio counted with 29, 27 and 24, in that order.

Stephen Sul became the

only player from the top tier championship flight to break par with his 36 points to lead Northwoods to 114.

Backing him are Nik Gatmaytan with 28, Joaquin Hernandez with 27 and Gido Mandanas with 21.

Team Time Cargo had 93 with former Southwoods stalwart Junjun Plana leading with 28 points.

The team finished with 448 points. Josh Jorge closed out a 36 to lead Southwoods Am squad with 119 and 463 total for a 29-point victory in Am Championship.

Also counting for Southwoods are Jeff Jung and Masaichi Otake with 28 and Santino Laurel with

27.

Ricky delos Santos led Batangas Barakos to 110 and 434 aggregate to bag a second place, nine off Forest Hills which had 117 for 423.

Islander Mizuno finished fourth with 407 after a 107.

Meanwhile, Ventureslink -Robros Jayworx took the last day easily, nearly matching its day three total with an 88 for 397 total and a 13-point victory in Fil B. Baguio Country Club had a great escape after outscored by Summit Point Golf and Country Club 8887 in the last day of competition but still took the bridesmaid trophy with its 384 against the latter's 383.

In Am B, Joseph Oli-

ver Uy led a vicious fourth round attack and scored 30 to pace X1R Mizuno's scorching closing round of 113 to tie third-round leader Srixon with 382 points.

But Mizuno took the champion's trophy through countback when its fifth man, Raymond Co, who did not count, outpointed Srixon's fifth, Bart Borja 21-15 to give the former the top podium.

Srixon had a closing round of 103 to take second place, while Crown Legacy fell short of its own rally scoring 110 for a 381 total.

Royal Northwoods – El Masfino had an 88 for a 380 aggregate and a 13-point victory in Fil C. Dugong Bughaw finished second with 367 af-

ter an 80, while Ultraflite Golf Club I is third with 358 after an 82.

Mountaineers Golf Team II closed with a 103 for an even 400 and a 25-point victory in Am C. BCC overtook co-host John Hay when it scored a flight best 110, ironically at the latter's home course, for 375 and a 10 point margin. John Hay had a closing round of 91 for 365.

K&G MGC closed with an 81 for a 360 aggregate to win Fil D by 27 points.

Macquarie Links Sydney finished second with a 333 after a 75, and a seven-shot margin on thirdplaced Team Integral which closed with a 70.

Central Florida / VST had a closing round of 93 for 338 points to move past

Team Surigao for the top podium.

Surigao finished with an 86 for a 335 to settle for second place, while Cool Jocks had 87 for 329 which is good for third place.

Islander Mizuno had a 66 and 330 total for a 17 point victory in Fil E. Razcals I suffered a two-point penalty but comfortably took second place with 313.

At third is Tieza Club Intramuros Golf Course A with 302 after a 66.

Tieza Club Intramuros was penalized twice but managed to win with 267, seven off Uragun Golf which finished second with 260.

Macquarie Links Sydney finished third with 248. (PNA)

to do.”

He also expressed his desire to end communist insurgency anew, stressing the youth were made to believe that it was an easy way of getting out of poverty.

“Pag pumasok kayo diyan habang ako naging Presidente, delikado talaga ‘yan (If you join rebel groups while I’m President, that’s really dangerous).

Stay out of it. It is the most

dangerous activity that you can really mess up with.

Mamatay ka diyan (You could die there),” Duterte said.

“Ngayon, sa sports nalang maghanap nalang ng pera, mag-training kayo (Look for money through sports. Continue training).

I don’t mind. Basta (Just) stay clean,” he added.

The President defended anew his controversial war on drugs, saying he was

“cruel in many ways” because he loved the country and the youth.

He also hit human rights groups anew for lacking common sense, noting that killing drug lords and other criminals was the best way to ensure a safer country.

Secret weapon vs. drugs Philippine SEA Games Organizing Committee (Phisgoc) chairman and House Speaker Alan Peter

Cayetano said promoting sports is one of the President’s “secret weapons” in fighting illegal drugs.

“When the President took office in 2016, he had one directive for us, one clear vision: a safe and comfortable life for all. At simple lang po ang guidelines niya (And his guidelines are simple). If you remove crime especially drugs, corruption from the country, we can give every

single Filipino a safe and comfortable life,” Cayetano said.

“Many, especially those in the West, akala po nila unidimensional yung approach ni Presidente sapagkat very simple ang utos niya-- (thought the President’s approach was undimensional because his order is simple) to fight crime, corruption, drugs, safe and comfortable life not knowing that sports

was one of the secret weapons of President Duterte in fighting drugs, in giving our young people a better future,” he added.

Cayetano, meanwhile, thanked the President for considering sports as “part of nation-building.”

“You cannot take sports, culture out of education and if we truly believe in sports, we will put our money where our mouth is,” he said. (PNA)

Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon leads the City Government of Tagum in the turn-over of donated Yamaha motorcycles, two-way radios and other police gears to the Tagum City Police for the latter’s faster communication and response during all types of incident in the city. Vinzel Bret Davo/ CIO-Tagum

SOUTHWOODS... FROM15

PRRD... FROM15

EDGEDAVAO 13

VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

ERRATUM In the October 8, 15, and 22, 2019 issues of Edge Davao, the Extrajudicial Settlement of Estate Among Heirs With Waiver of Rights of the late Generoso A. Salumbro, Sr., that his suffix name was erroneously printed as Generoso A. Salumbro, Jr. instead of Generoso A. Salumbro, Sr. Our apologies.

– The Editors.

JUSTICE... FROM1

vilians is a triumph of the rule of law and justice. The rule of law, in its most basic form, simply means no one is above the law. Justice had caught up on the assailants, albeit after a very long and arduous trial."

Dela Peña likewise cautioned that, "while some may find "closure" of the case, let the same be a lesson to all. The people themselves shall take an active role in curbing all forms of criminalities and let the criminals feel the chill of fear from the people’s collective anger. In this manner those who mock the rule of law must account and face the consequences of their transgressions – no matter where and how long it takes."

IBP Davao concluded its official statement saying "Justice is served!"

Meantime, some law practitioners in Davao City said it is not only that justice was finally served but it also shows that the rich and influential litigants no

longer enjoy the upperhand against the poor.

Judge Jocelyn Solis-Reyes, presiding judge of Branch 221 of the Regional Trial court of Quezon City sentenced the Ampatuan brothers to reclusion perpetua or up to 40 years in jail without parole.

The Ampatuan brothers and other principal accused were found guilty of the Maguindanao massacre that put an end to a decade-long case that saw the deaths of 58 people, 32 of whom were media practitioners.

Philippine Association of Real Estate Boards Inc. -Davao Board of Realtors Foundation, Inc. (PAREBDBRFI) President lawyer Raymond Batu told Edge Davao that the decision will bring back the people’s trust and faith in the judiciary system of the Philippines.

“Nemo est supra legis.

No one is above the law!

Justice has been served fi-

nally,” Batu said.

Another lawyer, Heraclio Malaki III said the decision shows that justice system in the country is “alive” and is acting on the case. He also said that the presiding judge is really focused on the case and was really weighing both sides of the case.

“Tungod sa decision nadungagan ang pagsalig sa justice system sa Pilipinas nga dili ug walay gipaboran bisan pa ug datu ang kalaban. Justice has been served,” Malaki said.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) head Martin Andanar said the proceedings of the case was slow as it has to go through process as warranted by the country’s democratic system.

"It's a good day for the victims of the Maguindanao massacre. The decision of the Regional Trial Court shows that the justice system in the country really works," said lawyer-juris doctor Algene Cutamora.

7, 2019 for the company’s first, second and third violation of the said rule.

“And, while it is true that the Commission may impose penalties other than revocation of CA, considering the number of times the Respondent knowingly and willingly committed the same violation, the Department is constrained to rule, as it is hereby ruled, that the revocation of Respondent’s CA is warranted under the circumstances,” the CGFD noted.

“As a final note, while the Respondent’s goal of catering to the needs of the

underserved is laudable, it must always be remembered that compliance with the provisions of the law is foremost. The Department will not hesitate to impose the appropriate penalties in cases of violation, even the extreme penalty of revocation of the Certificate of Authority.”

The SEC has revoked the primary registration of 2,081 lending and financing companies without the necessary CA, in an ongoing crackdown on illegal lending and financing activities.

The Commission has likewise revoked the CA

of two lending companies.

Among them is Moola Lending Corporation for violations of Republic Act No. 3765, or the Truth in Lending Act, and of the terms and conditions of its CA under Republic Act No. 9474, or the Lending Company Regulation Act, and its IRR. The SEC also issued cease and desist orders against 48 online lending applications for operating without incorporating and securing CA. More information is available in the Lending & Financing Companies page on the SEC website.

but if the quakes had affected it, we would have seen the signs already because of the consecutive strong tremors. These include volcanic quakes, the heated ground near the volcano, wilted vegetation, magma, and even smoke.

There is none of these,” he

said in Filipino.

He said Phivolcs should be the first one to know if Mt. Apo becomes restive.

“We have sensors around Mt. Apo,” he added.

Solidum said by all indications, the October quakes, and Sunday’s tremor were caused by

several active fault lines traversing areas of North Cotabato and Davao del Sur. He made assurances that Phivolcs was continuing its monitoring of the faults by installing seismic stations in various areas of the two provinces. (PNA)

growth driver as inflation remains stable.

On the downside, he said the trade war between the United States and China is “still continuing although it has softened a bit and we hope it will soften further.”

“Of course, our natural disasters which are a common phenomenon in the Philippines and possible water shortage in the summer months especially given that the concessionaires are now kind of

setback in their plans, or maybe they will be pushed forward ahead. They will be pressured to deliver better services in the coming year and possible delays in infrastructure projects,” he added. (PNA)

SEV REVOKES... FROM2

QUAKES... FROM2

PERNIA... FROM5

ANNOUNCEMENT To whom it may concern:

This is to inform that a Seawind Condominium unit by Damosa Land, specifically Building 4, Unit 9B, purchased by Chuvie M. Go under a Contract to Sell has been cancelled pursuant to Notice of Cancellation dated August 30, 2019, recorded in notarial registry of Atty.

Roland A. Reyes as document no. 162, page no.

34, book no. 9, series of 2019.

SPMC... FROM4

important is there is a way handling to this kind of emergencies because if there is panic the patients especially newborn babies will be exposed to a lot of pathogens,” he said.

According to Vega, the first earthquake that struck some parts of Mindanao including Davao City last October 16 was a learning experience for SPMC prompting them to device a way in handling emergencies not just by evacuating the patients and that is by utilizing “building marshals”.

“In the first earthquake in October everybody panicked and that’s a normal response especially in emergencies and disasters like earthquakes. Everybody panicked even the nurses that they brought

the patients with ventilators and all the stuff including the beds down in the ground area,” he said.

However, according to him this kind of response became a problem because it increases the chance of infection and it only expose the patients to newer pathogens.

“There is always the possibility also that there might be an accident like trying to pull the ventilator and dextrose and everything,” he said.

Vega cited that for watchers and for normal patients, they can easily do so because they have that kind of physical ability and they are not as debilitated like the patients in bed.

“From the first earthquake and the second earthquake we were able

now to at least make proper way of evacuation meaning to say when earthquake comes we have the building marshals and together with emergency medical people they would inspect the buildings for any cracks or for any instability and once they checked that it is safe then nobody would be evacuated except for the ambulatory patients. If the building is checked and found sound and okay then there is no evacuation to do,” he said.

Vega also assured that after the latest earthquake, the buildings of SPMC were assessed safe not only by their engineers but also by the City Engineers Office.

“And there has no recommendations for buildings be condemned,” he said.

other countries are doing.

At the moment, we are very comfortable to where

we are - - our economy is good, inflation is low, GIR (gross international re-

serve) is high, (and) the exchange rate is very stable,” he added. (PNA)

growing demands arising from many reform initiatives coming from different branches and levels of government.

“This makes it hard for NEDA to steer development initiatives in the right direction when the need to lead and intervene arises, such as when plans and policy reforms are uncoordinated,” Abad Santos said.

At present, both chambers of the legislative branch have filed bills that aim to empower NEDA as the country’s highest socioeconomic planning agency. These bills intend to strengthen the agency’s mandate in overseeing the creation and implementation of long-term, continuing, integrated, and coordinated programs and policies for national and sub-national development.

The NEDA officials said

the passage of the proposed NEDA Act is crucial to the implementation of the country’s development agenda, including the realization of the country’s long-term vision called Ambisyon Natin 2040.

The bill seeks to institutionalize “Planning Call” to ensure a timely and coordinated process and give NEDA a sufficiently authoritative position as an oversight body.

“We hope that the proposed NEDA Act will give enough power and resources to the agency in order to take on a stronger leadership role in planning. By this, we mean NEDA having sufficient influence over sectoral and agency plans, as well as over sub-national plans.

This would ensure that we are all headed in the same direction so that the coun-

try is making substantial and sustainable progress that leaves no one behind,” Abad Santos said.

The proposed legislation aims to ensure the integration of the Philippine Development Plan and Regional Development Plans, as well as the institutionalization of long-term planning.

“We have already made progress in our planning process, but we need to do more,” he added.

NEDA is celebrating its 84th founding anniversary on December 23 after it retraced its roots to the creation of the National Economic Council.

The agency is also celebrating the Socioeconomic Planning and Development week from December 17 to 23, 2019, pursuant to Proclamation No. 666, series of 1990. (PR)

the field and committing 15 turnovers. Boston outrebounded Dallas, 54-42.

The Celtics’ two-game slide, in defeats to the Indiana Pacers and Philadelphia 76ers, was their second of the season. Boston

has not lost three consecutive games.

Tim Hardaway Jr. scored 13 points and Jalen Brunson added 10 for the Mavericks, who are just 2-3 over their last five games following a five-game win-

ning streak.

The Mavericks return to the road to play at Philadelphia and the Toronto Raptors. Dallas is just 8-7 at home, but is one of the better road teams in the NBA at 10-2.

RRR... FROM5

NEDA... FROM5

CELTICS... FROM15

NOT DONE YET A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO Davao (SPCD) Saints and with 3-0 card, followed Mats College of Technol- by JMC Kings (2-0), Asian ogy (MCT) Navigators at International School of 6:00 pm.

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

Saturday's quadruple header sponsored by The

EDGE DAVAO EDGE DAVAO EDGE 14 12 14 DAVAO

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Collegiate Sponsors League (CSL) Escandor Cup resumes at the Davao City Recreation Center. Escandor Cup/CSL photo VOL.11 VOL.12 ISSUE 241 ISSUE • SUNDAY-MONDAY, 6VOL.12 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, MARCH 24-25, 17-18, ISSUE 51 •FEBRUARY TUESDAY, 21,2019 2019 VOL.12 ISSUE 45 • SUNDAYMONDAY, MAYMAY 12 -13,

VOL.12ISSUE ISSUE55 21• SUNDAY-MONDAY, • SUNDAY-MONDAY,MAY APRIL 7-8, 2019 VOL.12 26-27, VOL.12 ISSUE 203 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 20-21, 2019

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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

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PH PRIDE. President Rodrigo R. Duterte poses for a photo with the 2019 Southeast Asian Games medalists at the Malacañan Palace on December 18, 2019. The Philippines emerged as overall champion in the recently-concluded 2019 SEA Games after garnering 149 gold, 117 silver and 121 bronze medals. (Presidential Photo)

PRRD tops up incentives

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resident Rodrigo Duterte on Thursday honored over 800 Filipino athletes who competed in the 30th Southeast Asian Games held from November 30 to December 11.

In his speech, Duterte personally congratulated the Filipino athletes for winning the overall championship in the biennial regional multi-sport event.

“I am deeply honored to be in the presence of our athletes who have emerged victorious in the recently concluded 30th Southeast Asian Games held in our country. Your triumph showcases the athleticism and sporting prowess of our people to our neighbors in Southeast Asia,” Duterte said.

“I am really very happy to no end,” he added, noting that he would brag about Filipino athletes to Southeast Asian neighbors.

A total of 149 gold, 117

silver, and 121 bronze medals were snagged by the Philippine team to win the overall championship since 2005 and its second top finish in the history of the SEA Games.

Duterte described the country’s overall championship as a “windfall” or unexpected good fortune despite particular logistical issues prior to the SEA Games’ formal opening.

He also committed to give the athletes an additional P21 million on top of the incentives to medalists provided by the law.

Republic Act 10699 grants P300,000; P150,000; and P60,000 for SEA Games’ gold, silver, and bronze medalists, respectively.

The President, meanwhile, floated the possibility of asking Congress to raise the monthly allowances of Filipino national athletes.

“I’ll try to talk things

over with Congress. Yung allowance ninyo, dapat yung pagkain libre na. Yung allowance ninyo, allowance na ninyo ‘yan (You should keep the allowance to yourselves. Food should be free),” Duterte said.

“P250,000 a month, okay na siguro ‘yan (does it sound okay to you)? We will try to raise the money,” he added.

On top of the incentives, Duterte conferred the Order of Lapu-Lapu rank of Kamagi to all of the medalists.

The Order of Lapu-Lapu is given to those “deserving of merit and recognition and to fully express the President’s appreciation of the Filipino people’s contributions to the success of the campaigns and the programs of the government.”

Also during the event, the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) turned over P117 million for the incentives of

medalists.

Duterte later prodded Pagcor chair Andrea Domingo to providing an additional P100 million for the medalists.

Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) William “Butch” Ramirez presented the President with the Philippine team’s trophy for its winning overall championship.

Duterte also obliged for a “groufie” with Filipino athletes while remaining on stage.

Stay out of drugs, terrorism Warning athletes that illegal drugs and terrorism could destroy their lives, the President also urged athletes to instead “seek sanctuary” in the many human activities such as sports.

Duterte discouraged them from using illegal drugs, saying that it “is really a more dangerous thing

PRRD, P12

Southwoods wins 7th Fil-Am golf title

M

anila Southwoods closed out on Wednesday with 122, a fourth straight flight best to claim its seventh straight title in the centerpiece Fil Championship of the 70th Fil-Am Invitational Golf Tournament at the Baguio Country Club (BCC) golf course.

It was again a double celebration for the Carmona, Cavite squad as its younger team also won the Am Championship at the Camp John Hay (CJH) golf course also in a rout.

It is, however, a triple celebration for the tournament's most decorated team as Aguri Iwasaki took the top individual plum just a day after his birthday on Dec. 17.

When the day started with an overcast sky, surprise top man Lanz Uy woke up with a fever that made him too weak to even

SOUTHWOOD, P12

Celtics come back from early deficit to down Mavs

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Boston Celtics guard Kemba Walker led with 32 points against the Dallas Mavericks at the American Airlines Center. Reuters

lift a club and its youngest member, Sean Ramos, had diarrhea and did not play, Southwoods played a fourman team for a closing round of 122 for 546 aggregate and a 55-point victory.

Taisei Shimizu topscored for Southwoods with 34, Iwasaki had 32, while Aidric Chan improved to 31 and Uy managed 25 for another dominating performance for the team.

“These are very talented kids and they will surely adjust the next day. But then, some of them are just really sick,” said team captain Thirdy Escaño, who stopped counting the trophies of Southwoods which started playing in 1997.

“Uy could have done better. He thrives in this course. But then he is very underrated,” said Escaño of his surprise top gun, who

emba Walker scored 32 points and Jaylen Brown added 26 as the visiting Boston Celtics ended a two-game losing streak with a 109-103 victory Wednesday over the Dallas Mavericks.

Jayson Tatum scored 24 points, while Enes Kanter grabbed 13 rebounds, as the Celtics rallied from a 10-point second-quarter deficit to avoid dropping to .500 on the road. While the Celtics are 10-1 in home games, they are just 8-6 away from Boston.

Kristaps Porzingis scored 23 points before he fouled out and Seth Curry added 20 off the bench as the Mavericks lost a game for the first time without Luka Doncic, who is out for two weeks with a sprained ankle.

The Mavericks were coming off a victory at Milwaukee without Doncic that ended the Bucks’ 18-

game winning streak.

The Celtics grabbed a slim lead early in the second quarter before the Mavericks went up by double digits at 48-38 with 3:47 remaining in the first half. The Mavericks took a 55-50 advantage into the break.

Behind nine points from Tatum, the Celtics outscored the Mavericks, 26-18 ,in the third quarter to take a 76-73 lead. Boston closed out the period on a 5-0 run after a 3-pointer and a turnaround jumper

by Grant Williams.

The Celtics grabbed their first double-digit lead at 95-85 with 4:13 remaining after seven consecutive points by Walker, who finished 5 of 10 from 3-point range. Walker scored 16 points in the first quarter and 13 in the fourth.

The Celtics won despite shooting 40.7 percent from

CELTICS, P13

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