Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 206 | Friday-Saturday, December 27-28, 2019

GOLDEN RICE READY FOR SERVING SOON AGRITRENDS P12

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

Serving a seamless society

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A resident holds with his indelible ink stained fingers a plastic bag of grocery items he received from the city government of Davao during the traditional gift-giving activity of the Duterte family held near President Rodrigo Duterte’s old home in Taal Street, Royal Valley Subd., Bangkal, Davao City on Christmas Day. Lean Daval Jr

END OF TRUCE?

Unilateral Christmas cease could be possibly terminated T

By MAYA M. PADILLO

ermination of the government-initiated unilateral ceasefire is expected after communist rebels New Peoples’ Army (NPA) allegedly staged separate attacks against the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in two incidents in Camarines Sur and Iloilo.

The attacks reportedly happened right on the first day of ceasefire last December 23.

“We have a problem right now. Nabalitaan ni Pangulong Duterte na nagkaroon ng encounter

or ambush doon sa Samar at Camarines at Iloilo.

Meron namatay at meron din nasaktan at interesado po and Pangulo na kung merong violation na ginawa at kung sakaling may violation hindi ninyo

masisisi kung i-terminate niya ang ceasefire on the part of the government,” said Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go in an interview during his visit to the watchers at

FEND OF, P11

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

Duterte to visit kids with cancer in Davao

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Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go extends assistance to the watchers at the Balay Pahulayan, a resting facility for the watchers of the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC), on Christmas Day. Lean Daval Jr

resident Rodrigo Duterte will not end the year without visiting the cancer-stricken kids at the House of Hope here, an official said Wednesday.

In an interview, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go said the President will be visiting the facility on December 28, three days after Christmas day.

Go said that it has been 18 years since its establishment, and Duterte allotted his time every year to celebrate Christmas with the kids.

Go said Duterte will be interacting with the children and their parents as well as give gifts.

He also said despite his busy schedule, the visit has been a tradition of the President.

“Our President really loves the children. He will

really find time to visit and be with them,” Go said.

In February this year, an official from the House of Hope announced that Duterte donated his house in Margarita Village along J.P. Laurel Avenue here to the cancer-stricken kids.

Fatima-Inderah Disomimba, House of Hope Foundation vice president, said the property was transferred to them last January based on a deed of donation signed by the President.

Before giving the house, Duterte already allowed the use of his three-bedroom house in the said address for the past years to the House of Hope.

Meanwhile, the House of Hope has been receiving various aids from different organizations.

encia Elesio, 49, said that as a mother she is thankful for being able to benefit from the solar project as it would help her children to study well and do their homework at night. “It will make our lives a lot easier as we can easily move about at night,” she says, adding that with the solar lights illuminating during the night, people feel safer and secured. “Through this project, I really felt the care and the good intention of our government,” says Lorencia Elesio.

President of Purok Liloan, Enrique Elesio, expressed his deep appreciation to the government’s initiative to light up their community which ever since has no access to elec-

tricity. “This will make a huge difference for my community,” he says.

On the other hand, for most of the villagers, having a community-owned television set will not only provide entertainment but would also help educate and provide villagers ready access to news and information affecting the country. “To village officials like me, knowing what’s happening in our province and the country is important,” said Elesio.

The initial 102 household beneficiaries of the Off-grid Electrification Project, who are members of sitio-based organizations, are set to craft and implement guidelines for

FDUTERTE, P11

Solar panels bring Christmas joy to hinterland villagers in Manay T AOCANGA, MANAY, Davao Oriental – Residents of three hinterland sitios in far-flung Barangay Taocanga in the municipality of Manay celebrated Christmas and welcoming the New year more joyously as their communities light up with the new solar panels they got under the government’s Off-Grid Electrification Project.

Children, women, and the rest of the villagers were all smiles as the team from the Public Employment Service Office (PESO) of Manay and troopers from the Philippine Army’s 67th Infantry Battalion braved the heavy downpour, the perilous road, and the considerable distance

from the town proper, just to install the new solar panels to 102 households in sitios Lilo-an, Pagsayawan, and Basac perched on the mountainous, secluded village on Saturday, December 21.

Manay PESO Manager Elmer Silveron said that although it took two years

‘Ursula’ leaves at least 9 dead in the Visayas

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ine people were killed following the onslaught of Typhoon Ursula, according to an Unang Balita report on Thursday, citing the Department of the Interior and Local (DILG).

Based on initial reports, the DILG said two of the fatalities were from Pontevedra, Capiz; three from Balasan, Iloilo; three from Batad, Iloilo; and one from Abuyog, Leyte.

The Office of Civil Defense-Western Visayas earlier said seven people were confirmed killed in Iloilo alone due to Ursula. Aside from the fatalities, six were also reported missing.

The figures have yet to reach the Camp Aguinaldo-based National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (NDRRMC), which tallies the overall effects of disasters, as of

Thursday morning.

In its 6 p.m. report on Wednesday, the NDRRMC said 5,555 people or 1,271 families were evacuated in Eastern Visayas (Region VIII) and MIMAROPA following the effects of Typhoon Ursula.

The NDRRMC also said a total of 86 cities/municipalities experienced power outage in Regions VI and VIII. Of that number, power in 24 cities/municipalities were already restored.

A total of five road sections in Regions VI and VIII were also rendered not passable.

The NDRRM Operations Center already raised its blue alert status to monitor Ursula’s development.

Ursula (international name: Phanfone) lashed the Visayas and several areas in Luzon on Christmas

FURSULA, P13

for the project materialize, the take-off is a significant achievement of providing power to communities without access to electricity. “This is our maiden implementation but we hope to continue this project in the near future,” he said.

Funded by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), the project worth P1 million was implemented in partnership with the provincial government of Davao Oriental and the local government unit of Manay.

With a capacity to provide light and charge cellphone batteries and other small gadgets and devices, the solar panels use lithium batteries which are cleaner, more efficient, and sus-

tainable compared to its lead acid-based solar panel counterparts being used by a few households here.

Aside from the distribution of solar panels with batteries that has a two-year warranty, among those distributed and installed are three LED bulbs per household and an entertainment set consisting of a 32-inch television and a Sky Cable satellite dish for each of the three sitios.

Joyous celebrations

Thrilled and happy, the thankful residents who have received their solar panels say that the project will significantly improve their lives.

A mother of nine, Ler-

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Villagers enjoy a sense of community as they watch together, for the first time, a show on the newly community-owned television powered by a solar panel. Contributed photo

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

NEWS

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PRRD visit aims to improve lives of Bangsamoro: BARMM execs T he visit of President Rodrigo R. Duterte to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) compound here Monday is a clear indication of his desire to improve the lives of the Bangsamoro people, officials said.

Despite the series of bombings that rocked Cotabato City, North Cotabato, and Maguindanao on the eve of his visit, Duterte arrived here on December 23 and pushed through with the distribution program of more than 800 certificates of land ownership award (CLOAs) to farmer-beneficiaries from across the region in ceremonies held at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex.

“The President's coming over shows his untiring support to Bangsamoro and the regional government,” lawyer Naguib Sinarimbo, minister of BARMM’s Ministry of the Interior and Local Government (MILG), told reporters in a huddle here on Tuesday.

The CLOA distribution event was the first-ever

ceremonial distribution of land titles in the BARMM since its formation in March this year following a two-part plebiscite.

A total of 815 CLOAs covering more than 2,000 hectares of land were given to 912 agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARB) from the provinces of Maguindanao, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, and Basilan.

In his speech, Duterte warned the beneficiaries against selling the lands awarded to them.

“There will come a time that all the lands in the world will have owners. So love your land, work on it and I will help you,” he said.

Sinarimbo said a provision in the land distribution states that they should not sell it during a specified period.

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President Rodrigo Duterte receives a warm welcome from Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) Interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim upon his arrival at the Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Complex, Bangsamoro Government Center in Cotabato City to lead

the distribution of the Certificates of Land Ownership Award (CLOA) to qualified agrarian reform beneficiaries from BARMM over the weekend.

PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Ex-OFW spouses: Supporting the livelihood of 800 coconut farmers in Cotabato F

Husband and wife Jerry and Jocelyn Taray (top), founders of TreeLife, showcase their best-selling products.

Coconut farmers (lower left) harvesting coconuts to be used for processing TreeLife’s organic and healthy products such as virgin coconut oil (lower right).

ilipinos call it, “The Tree of Life.” From its seed, fruit and leaves, to its roots, every part of the coconut tree has a wide variety of uses. This is what husband and wife Jerry and Jocelyn Taray from Carmen, Cotabato Province banked on when they decided to go into agribusiness.

The couple’s business venture started in 2004, when they had to return home from their employment in Canada, unable to endure its cold weather. Using the money they saved from working abroad, they invested in the dealership of a local beer and soda products.

After two years, their initial investment prospered, and later, the couple secured a P1.5-million loan from Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) to expand their distributorship and dealership business, as well as venture into agribusiness.

That same year, there was a long drought in Mindanao which made it difficult for farmers to plant any crop.

The local Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) office had thousands of dwarf coconut seedlings that were originally intended for distribution to farmers. But because of the drought, farmers refused the seedlings, even if they were at a giveaway price.

The drought turned out to be a blessing in disguise for the couple. The local PCA

manager convinced Jerry to buy the seedlings and even gave some away for free.

After four years of reconditioning the soil, the coconut trees started bearing fruit.

In 2011, the couple studied the health benefits of coconuts and its potential to help farmers in their community.

Thus was born the fruit of their labor: TreeLife.

Through TreeLife, the Tarays were able to develop a sustainable and reliable source of organic products, such as coco sugar, virgin coconut oil, coconut syrup, coconut jam, and coconut aminos.

Employing farmers, IPs, women

TreeLife turned out to be the couple’s most meaningful venture as it allowed them to help local farmers.

They now employ over 800 farmers who help in harvesting coconuts and in processing their products.

“Our farmers are earning quite well from collecting coconut sap. We also have a lot of indigenous people and women who are involved in the processing of coconut sugar, banana chips, and coconut oil. We prioritize a workforce of women. We always believe that the true essence of the quality of our products comes from our farmers, our workers in the factory, and our sales team.

They are all involved, from

the farm to the factory,” Jerry said.

Through LANDBANK’s assistance, the Tarays have also expanded their products. They now export their organic virgin coconut oil, coco syrup, and their latest addition: banana chips and coconut wine.

“We’re very happy with LANDBANK,” said Jocelyn, “We’ve been with them for 13 years, and the advantage is that, kahit malayo ka, pupuntahan ka nila.”

Jerry added, “As farmers, we are instrumental in nourishing the land and harnessing its produce. That is our role in this world. But without an institution that encourages farmers to pursue entrepreneurship, it would just be a solo venture, and not a community-based enterprise that exchanges goods and services. We are fortunate to have LANDBANK in the countryside to support farmers into becoming agripreneurs, and be responsible stewards of the earth.”

With their hard work and perseverance, along with the diligence of their local farmers, TreeLife has now become a world-class coconut processing company and is well-known in other countries. The company now exports 90% of its products, especially the coco sugar and syrup, to international organic and health food manufacturers.

4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

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PCSO releases P89-M calamity aid in Q4

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Residents carry plastic bags of grocery items and food packs distributed by the city government of Davao as part of the traditional gift-giving activity held in Taal Street, Royal Valley Subd., Bangkal, Davao City on Christmas Day. Lean Daval Jr

he Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) has reported providing PHP89 million in calamity assistance to areas hit by earthquakes and typhoons during the last quarter of the year.

“As of October to December, released was PHP89 million calamity assistance and (in) Mindanao, I turned over PHP3.1 million to (the) North Cotabato and Davao del Sur governors,” PCSO General Manager Royina Garma said in a statement on Tuesday.

She said as a Christmas present, the agency turned over PHP16 million in calamity fund to the four municipalities affected by the 6.9-magnitude quake that struck Davao del Sur last December 15.

Early this week, Garma

joined Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go in Davao del Sur for a twoday giving of assistance to the municipalities of Padada, Hagonoy, Matanao, and Kiblawan.

Additional medicines worth PHP50,000 was also given to Padada.

Garma had earlier said the PCSO would introduce more games in 2020 and strengthen its campaign to patronize only legitimate number games.

Their focus next year, she said, would be on sales and marketing to generate more funds to support more government projects.

The PCSO serves as the principal government agency for raising and providing funds for health programs, medical assistance and services, and charities

rotest rallies in various parts of Region 12 greeted the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) as it celebrated its 51st anniversary Thursday.

At the same time, organizers urged members of the New People’s Army (NPA), the CPP’s armed wing, to abandon their armed struggle and return to mainstream society.

Lt. Col. Lino Capellan, Police Regional Office-12 spokesperson, said the simultaneous demonstrations against the CPP-NPA-NDFP (National Democratic Front of the Philippines) sought to denounce the “treacherous acts” allegedly committed by the communist guerillas, whom he urged to surrender.

“The strength of the communist rebels in the region is waning. To those

still in the mountains, we urge you to surrender.

The government will help you start living peaceful and productive lives,” he said.

Capellan noted the “declining force” of the NPA rebels was due to the arrest or surrender of ranking leaders, including the apprehension of Jonie Calaba, 25, deputy commander of the NPA’s Guerilla Front 73, in Maitum town, Sarangani province last October.

Also in October, authorities arrested Nicanor Claro Pason, alias “Ronron/Costan,” the secretary of Guerilla Front 73, and three other rebels also in Maitum.

Although he failed to give a figure, Capellan said that many NPA rebels returned to the folds of the law due to the ongoing military operations

MinDA invites private companies to BARMM peace partners’ caucus P

FPCSO, P13

Protest rallies welcome CPP’s 51st anniversary in Region 12

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o sustain the gains of the Mindanao peace process, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) will host a Peace Partners’ Caucus in Davao City next month, MinDA Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said Thursday.

The gathering aims to give opportunities for private individuals, companies, and corporate executives to contribute to sustaining peace and development efforts in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

Piñol said the caucus would be a venue to present possible areas of involvement by the private sector to sustain the peace gains made by the administration of President Rodrigo Duterte.

“I thought of holding the Peace Partners’ Caucus two days after President Duterte publicly instructed me to fast-track the development of the Bangsamoro region, especially in the field of agriculture,” he said in a statement.

Piñol noted that the President was right when he emphasized the need to develop the BARMM’s agriculture and fisheries sector because of the region’s vast resources.

“You focus on BARMM agriculture,” Piñol quoted

2 personal aides of ambushed Maguindanao vice mayor die

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he vice mayor here who was ambushed on December 24 is now in stable condition in an undisclosed hospital but his two personal aides were not as lucky, police said.

Major Erwin Tabora, Shariff Aguak town police chief, said the two companions of Shariff Aguak Vice Mayor Akmad Mitra Ampatuan died hours after they were ambushed along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion, Maguindanao at 1 p.m. on Tuesday.

Tabora said Hadji Akmad Lumenda Ampatuan and Elham Khalid, the driver of Shariff Aguak Vice Mayor Ampatuan, both died due to multiple gunshot wounds in various parts of their bodies.

That ill-fated day, the vice mayor and his companions were heading for home from the town hall when gunmen onboard a motorbike and multi-cab

vehicle opened fire on them along the national highway in Barangay Poblacion.

Police investigation showed that Vice Mayor Ampatuan was the one driving the vehicle and that it actually saved his life.

“Most of the bullets were directed toward the front seat passenger side and the seat behind the driver,” Tabora said, adding that the attackers might have thought that the local official was seated in the front or at the back of the red Innova car.

Hours after the ambush, Khalid died at the Maguindanao provincial hospital and was immediately buried while Hadji Akmad passed away on Christmas Day. “We have persons of interest, in this case, we are digging deeper,” Tabora told reporters.

Vice Mayor Ampatuan, who survived an ambush

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Duterte as telling him in the presence of BARMM Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim last December 23.

The President was at the BARMM compound here Monday where he distributed certificates of land ownership to 912 farmer-beneficiaries.

Piñol said the Peace Partners’ Caucus would just be a simple matching of BARMM farmers and fisherfolk to potential supporters and buyers from the private sector.

For starters, he said, feed mill companies would be asked what raw materials they need in feed formulation that could be sourced from the BARMM and the volume required.

As previously announced, MinDA will launch the Sorghum Development Program in Mind-

anao to produce grains for food and animal feeds.

Piñol said a Thai agricultural firm based in the Philippines, CP Foods Philippines, has pledged to purchase sorghum from Mindanao, especially the BARMM. Farmers from the BARMM could also produce corn, cassava, copra meal, fish meal, and carrageenan as added feed components.

Supermarket chains could also provide BARMM vegetable farmers, especially those from Lanao del Sur who have been trained by groups like “Go Negosyo”, with access to the market.

With BARMM officials led by Ebrahim and regional agriculture and fisheries minister Mohammad Yacob supporting the Halal

FMINDA, P13

Presidential Assistant on Foreign Affairs and Chief of Protocol Robert Borje pays a courtesy on His Highness Shaikh Salman bin Khalifa Al Khalifa, Special Advisor to His Royal Highness Bahrain Prime Minister Prince Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. As Special Envoy of President Rod-

FPROTEST, P13

rigo Roa Duterte, Undersecretary Borje delivered President Duterte’s special sealed letter for the Prime Minister of Bahrain to His Highness Sheikh Salman at the Gudaibiya Palace in Manama, Bahrain on Christmas Day. Presidential Photo

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

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6 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

Awakening the sleeping giant in PHL agri sector

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A farmer prepares a farm field for the upcoming planting season of watermelon in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur in this undated photo. Lean Daval Jr

Anflo Industrial Estate gets high investors confidence

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he recent ceremonial shoveling of Japanese company Packwell Inc., which will be opening its production facility inside the Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE) in Panabo City reflects high investor confidence.

Packwell Inc. is a manufacturer of paper-based packaging and containers and is one of the global industry leaders in the design, manufacturing and sale of quality paper packaging containers. Two of their prominent clients include Godiva (Belgian chocolatier with over 600 stores across the globe) and IQOS (designer and maker of sophisticated

electronic tobacco heat sticks).

Damosa Land Inc (DLI) First Vice-President Ricardo Lagdameo told Edge Davao that the ground breaking is a significant milestone, not just for AIE, but for the Davao Region.

“It shows that there is investor confidence in the region and us as a company. We hope that this will be the start of more Jap-

anese and other foreign direct investment coming in,” Lagdameo said.

With the construction of the plant targeted to start by January next year, Packwell is eyeing to set up a facility on a 1.6-hectare lot within the 63-hectare AIE owned by Anflo Industrial Estate Corp. and managed by DLI. The Japanese company is eyeing to start its operations by 2021 and is looking at employing about 200 workers at the packaging plant.

Lagdameo believes that Packwell’s entry into AIE will create jobs and will send a good signal to other foreign investors.

Lagdameo also an-

nounced that their latest signing was with Manly Plastics, the country’s largest integrated plastics manufacturer.

“We also continue to speak with other companies which we hope will sign on with AIE next year 2020,” he added.

AIE is accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) that focuses on agro-industrial processing as well as light manufacturing.

The AIE has support facilities for manufacturing, warehousing, processing and exporting complete with world-class water and power systems, ample space, wide roads and logistical networks.

sector is also seeing positive development on the track the Philippine tourism is taking.

"There's some catching up to do but despite that, I think because of the private sector's effort to provide continuity, still we're able to manage to continue the programs and at the end of the day, we're still on track," said Philippine Tour Operators Association (PHILTOA) president Cesar Cruz, referring to the transition period in the change of DOT's leadership.

"The marketing program that has been in place last year, and that was in place also by the beginning of this government has been continuing. We still have about three years so

hopefully by next year, 80 percent of these infrastructures, other airports, ferry terminals, modernization of our roll-on-roll-off (RoRo) would contribute a lot," he added.

On the other hand, he hailed the development of several destinations in the country, which started with the rehabilitation of the world-popular resort island Boracay.

The executive described these moves as an introduction to Philippine tourism that adheres to sustainability.

"The development regarding the destination in terms of sustainability is a plus factor, especially for travelers. The travelers now are very conscious

PH destinations on world's radar in 2019

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019 has been an impressive year for the Philippine tourism industry with the country bagging several accolades showing that efforts from both the public and private sectors to promote tourism are paying off.

For one, the country was named the leading diving destination in the 2019 World Travel Awards (WTA) for the first time.

The Department of Tourism (DOT) also received a citation as Asia's Leading Tourism Board with its success in boosting the country's arrivals last year.

Meanwhile, Palawan continues to dominate as a world-class tourist destination, landing on CNN Travel's list of 10 world's most beautiful islands.

The same goes for Cebu and Boracay, two Philippine destinations included in the World's Best Awards of the Travel + Leisure magazine this year.

Aside from citations, figures proved continuous growth in the country's tourism industry.

From January to October 2019, the latest data provided by the DOT showed an upward trend in foreign tourist arrivals, which tallied over 6.8 million, up by at least 15.04 percent compared to the 5,911,161 visitors for the same period in 2018.

Environmental efforts

Although a lot needs to be done especially on infrastructure, the private

FPH DESTINATIONS, P10

epartment of Agriculture Secretary William Dar sees a growing sense of optimism surrounding the country’s agriculture sector, which he described as a “sleeping giant” that needs to wake up from its slumber.

In a year-end press conference on Thursday, Dar expressed hope that the sector would continue on its growth trajectory after a major comeback in the third quarter of 2019 with a 2.87 percent production, reversing the -0.87-percent decline posted in the same period last year.

Dar said he expects the agriculture sector to attain a 2.5 percent to 3 percent production increase for the last quarter of the year.

“We are hopeful that this favorable condition will be sustained into the fourth quarter of the year to allow us to attain a fullyear growth,” Dar said.

Dar, however, noted that there is still so much to do, stressing that a systematic development strategy must be pursued to awaken the sleeping giant in the Philippine agricultural sector.

“We really have to think outside the box. We have to invent, innovate, reshape if you want to unlock the sleeping giant of the agriculture sector,” he said.

“With the right policy and right strategies and mechanisms, this sleeping giant can become the force with which more contribution to the gross domestic product can happen,” he added.

“New Thinking for Agriculture”

With Dar at the helm, the DA has laid the groundwork for modernization and industrialization through the “New Thinking for Agriculture” toward the vision of a food-secure Philippines with prosperous farmers and fisherfolk.

The leadership’s battle cry is “Masaganang Ani, Mataas na Kita.”

The cornerstone of Dar’s strategy is composed of eight paradigms: modernization, industrialization, promotion of exports, farm consolidation, road map development, infrastructure development, higher budget and investments, and legislative support.

“We reviewed and aligned the entire DA family’s programming towards the updated framework to ensure that we in the DA family are synergized and coherent as we perform our respective tasks,” Dar said.

“The New Thinking employs agri-industrialization and ‘agripreneurship’ as strategies to modernize the country’s agriculture sector. Through these approaches, we hope to boost the sector’s productivity and competitiveness, creating employ-

ment and income opportunities in the Philippine countryside,” he added.

The department is focusing efforts on increasing productivity, lowering production cost, value-adding, and market matching.

To date, the DA has visited a total of 12 regions for consultation and distribution of farm machinery and equipment, seeds, and other interventions worth nearly PHP3 billion.

For the coming year, the DA will promote inclusive agribusiness that will transform food producers to entrepreneurs and encourage young Filipinos to take interest in farming activities.

“We will institutionalize a youth development program to enable younger generations to start-up businesses through the incubation of agricultural technologies,” Dar said.

“When they are ready, we will provide them financial assistance, payable in five years with zero interest,” he added.

RCEF toward Modernization

Dar said the implementation of the component activities of the Rice Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (RCEF), which is designed to help modernize Filipino rice farming amidst globalization, has been accelerated further during the final stretch of the year.

Some highlights of the progress of major components include the following: on seeds, 50 of 57 target provinces have received 465,000 bags (20kg/bag) of inbred rice seeds; on credit, some PHP301.379 million in loans were released to 164 individual farmers and three cooperatives with zero-interest, non-collateral credit; on mechanization, 2,938 units of machinery based on the assessed needs of 620 farmers’ cooperatives are set to be distributed later this month.

In addition, the draft of the Philippine Rice Industry Roadmap reflecting the industry's strategic plan has been completed and is undergoing review.

To further help local rice farmers, Dar said the PHP3-billion Rice Farmer Financial Assistance (RFFA) shall be disbursed to 600,000 rice farmers.

This unconditional cash transfer program will help farmers tilling one-half hectare to two hectares of land.

Eventful 2019: Facing challenges head-on

Dar, who took over the department with barely five months in office, has faced the falling prices of palay and copra, the high price of rice, the onslaught of African swine fever (ASF) and Fall Army Worm, and the usual occurrence of typhoons.

FAWAKENING, P10

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ECONOMY

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Bangko Sentral advises OFW families to save and invest using remittances

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amilies of overseas Filipino workers should save and invest money received from abroad, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said Thursday, with remittances expected to keep growing next year.

Remittances are expected to grow 3 percent in 2020, as developed countries continue hiring mostly in the health sector to care for their elderly population, said BSP Deputy Governor Francisco Dakila Jr. "Dapat merong enough tayong savings at madala ito sa isang pagkakakitaan," he said.

(They should have enough savings and invest it in business.)

"Dapat magplano ng mabuti yung pamilya kasi makikita natin na hindi naman pang habang buhay tatanggap ng remittances,"

A bus plying the Roxas-Toril route waits for passengers at a bus station in Freedom Park, Roxas Avenue, Davao City on Thursday. Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city government of Davao will shell out

P250 million from its local funds for the initial phase of the High Priority Bus System (HPBS) project. Lean Daval Jr

Duterte extends 2019 nat’l budget’s validity until 2020

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resident Rodrigo Duterte has signed a law extending the availability of the 2019 national budget until December 31, 2020, in a bid to allow the continuation of appropriations of funds for the items included in this year’s spending plan.

Republic Act (RA) 11464, inked by Duterte on December 20, amends Section 65 of RA 11260 or the 2019 General Appropriations Act (GAA), which originally allows the spending of the budget only until December 31 this year.

“All appropriations authorized in this Act shall be available for release and obligation for the purpose specified, and under the same special provisions applicable thereto, until December 31, 2020,” RA 11464 read.

The national government had no choice but operate on a reenacted

2018 budget from January to mid-April 2019 because Congress failed to pass this year's budget on time due to alleged insertions and realignments made by some lawmakers.

As of September 4, around PHP3.491 trillion, or 95.3 percent of the PHP3.662-trillion 2019 budget has already been released, the Budget department reported in October this year.

There are still at least PHP1.161-trillion unobligated funds under the 2019 GAA. About PHP324.758 billion of the PHP1.161-trillion unobligated funds are

for maintenance and other operating expenses, while the remaining PHP339.53 billion are for capital outlays.

RA 11464 allows the use of this year’s unspent funds until the entire 2020.

“A report on these releases and obligations shall be submitted to the Speaker of the House of Representatives, the President of the Senate of the Philippines, the House Committee on Appropriations, and the Senate Committee on Finance, either in printed form or by way of electronic document,” the newly-signed law read.

All laws, decrees, executive issuances, rules and regulations inconsistent with RA 11464 are hereby “repealed or modified accordingly,” the law states.

RA 11464, which was released by Malacañang just on Thursday, takes effect 15 days after its publication in the Official Gazette or in a newspaper of

general circulation.

The law was signed, while the proposed PHP4.1-trillion national budget for 2020 was still under thorough review by Duterte.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo on Sunday could not say as to when the President will sign the budget spending plan for next year.

The 2020 budget plan, which was ratified by Congress on Dec. 11, allegedly contains around 1,253 budget items amounting to PHP83.219 billion which serve as congressmen’s “source” of their “list” of 742 projects worth PHP16.342 billion, as earlier claimed by Senator Panfilo Lacson.

Last week, Lacson alleged the provinces that received the biggest share of the supposed insertions are Albay (PHP670 million), Cavite (PHP580 million), Sorsogon (PHP570

since the world recession of 2009.

Trump appears to have struck a truce with China for now, under a "phase one" pact announced this month, but pre-existing tariffs remain in place and it will take time to demobilize their effects.

More broadly, the OECD contrasted proactive actions taken by central banks with the policy foot-dragging by governments in the face of climate change and the march of technology.

Industrialists and investors are having to correct their climate strategies even as Trump sits

firm in his policy of denial. Oil giant Saudi Aramco recently had to trim back the volume of its gigantic share offering.

The International Monetary Fund was a little more optimistic in its latest World Economic Outlook, forecasting 2020 growth of 3.4 percent but warning nevertheless of a "synchronized slowdown and uncertain recovery".

At a time of populism and protests around the world, politics will remain an economic wild card next year.

Trump heads into the November presidential election under an im-

peachment cloud, and Britain's Brexit divorce from the European Union will likely be sealed next month, following Prime Minister Boris Johnson's election triumph.

The rise of technological giants sitting on mountains of data is meanwhile challenging the distribution of wealth between governments and big business, and has the potential to reshape the world of work as artificial intelligence exploits that data.

The online arena has emerged as another front for Trump's trade wars, after he threatened tariffs

FDUTERTE, P10

2020 will be a grumpy for global econ growth

U

S political clouds coupled with wider climate and digital transformations point to a tricky 2020 for the world economy, although experts say a lurch back to crisis is improbable.

The Organisation for Economic Cooperation and Development said last month that activity had been hobbled by weaker trade and investment in the past two years, as US President Donald Trump pursued a trade war with China.

The OECD expects global growth to dip in the coming year to 2.9 percent, its lowest level

F2020, P10

he said.

(The families of OFWs have to plan well because we know that OFWs cannot send remittances forever.)

Remittances from Hong Kong have been hit by pro-democracy protests, he said.

"Over the long term, inaasahan natin na magiging maganda ang prospect para sa OFWs kasi kung titingnan natin ang nangyayari sa advanced economies ngayon, karamihan ng kanilang populasyon ay tumatanda so kailangan nila ng workers especially yung nagtratrabaho sa health sector," he said.

(Over the long term, we expect that prospects for OFWs will be good because advance economies with aging populations are in need of workers, especially in the health sector.)

ASF scare affected ham sales: supermarket group

T

he African swine fever scare has affected the sale of Christmas hams, the Philippine Amalgamated Supermarkets Association has said.

Association president Steven Cua said supermarket customers didn't seem too eager to buy the traditional Christmas dinner staple.

“Maraming mga corporations, kumpanya na namigay ng hamon. Pero yung buying to resell ham at saka yung buying to prepare ham for Christmas, medyo may konting alinlangan ang tao," Cua said.

"Medyo nag-isip sila.

Eh ang daming ibang puwedeng ihanda. Maghahamon ba tayo eh baka

may ASF," he added.

Cua said the price of ham had yet to change since September.

“Gagalaw lang yan kapag kinulang ang supply sa isang lugar, sa isang tindahan,” Cua said.

Cua said that members of their association only buy hams from reputable manufacturers and suppliers.

“All we can do is assure the public that we are buying from these reputable companies at hindi mga magbababoy na backyard industry,” Cua said.

Several days ago, the Quezon City Veterinary Office seized pork meat suspected to be infected with ASF from a supermarket.

Two road network projects to boost peace-building in Mindanao: JICA

T

he agreement for the detailed design study of two road network projects in Mindanao is seen to boost economic activities and improve access to social services in the conflict-torn region, the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) said Thursday.

In a statement, JICA said the detailed design study will cover two sub-projects of the Road Network Development Project in Conflict Affected Areas is Mindanao (RNDP-CAAM) to be undertaken by the Japanese agency and the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH).

The two road network projects are Matanog-Barira-Alamada-Libungan Road (Matanog – Barira Section) and Tapian Lebak Coastal Road.

JICA is also providing a $202.04-million official development loan for the detailed design and construction and improvement of four other sub-projects under RNDPCAAM —Parang Balabagan Road, Marawi City Ring Road, Parang East Diversion Road, and Manuangan Parang Road.

The JICA-DPWH road project is part of JICA’s support to peace building through infrastructure development in Mindanao, it said.

Government data in 2015 showed that the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao remains the poorest region in the Philippines with 53% poverty incidence.

The armed conflict also affected the region’s connectivity with ARMM’s road density at 0.10, lower than the average of Mindanao.

“Through the road network project, people from conflict-affected areas will have links to markets, public facilities, and improve agribusiness potential of their place,” JICA Senior Representative Kiyo Kawabuchi said.

“Building roads in remote, conflict-affected communities will help bridge the economic gap in the region and help consolidate peace,” Kawabuchi said.

The Philippine Development Plan (PDP) 2017-2022 also underscores regional connectivity through infrastructure

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8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

EDITORIAL Sara could be right Sometimes, a father should heed a daughter’s plea.

Mayor Sara Duterte wasn’t too happy about the order of President Rodrigo Duterte for a government-initiated unilateral ceasefire with the communist rebels New Peoples’ Army (NPA) over the Christmas season. To her mind, there should be no stop to military operations against the NPAs even during this time of the year.

President Duterte’s order stems from a compassionate heart which would allow soldiers to come home during the Christmas season to be with their families. Likewise, it will put a stop at least for the time being and save lives from either side.

Mayor Sara, however, isn’t convinced. If the President goes on with it, she wants Davao City to be exempted.

Between the two, who could have the right mindset?

Then came the answer.

Two days before Christmas Day on December 23--the first day of the supposed Christmas truce--the NPAs allegedly

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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

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staged separate attacks against the military and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Camarines Sur and Iloilo.

Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go confirmed this during his visit at the Balay Pahulayan at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) last December 25. He said the President is still verifying details of the said attacks which according to reports killed a soldier and wounded eight others.

After declaring the Christmas truce last Dec. 22 with leftist guerrillas, the President also ordered the reconstitution of the government panel to talk peace with the 50-year-old insurgents.

Even if the ceasefire was unilateral, the rebels should respect the initiative of the government and give peace a break. This will be a good re-boot to the peace talks which the government is interested at.

As it is, even for this short period the real intent and sincerity--or the absence of it-- on the part of the rebels will clearly manifest.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

VANTAGE POINTS

9

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

VALUE OF WORK While reading the Carnegian Report, I came across this provoking thought: “You say you love me, but sometimes you don’t show it. In the beginning, you couldn’t do enough for me. Now, you seem to take me for granted. Some days, I even wonder if I mean anything at all to you.

“Maybe when I’m gone, you’ll appreciate me and all the things I do for you. I’m responsible for getting the food on your table, for your clean shirt, for the welfare of your children… a thousand and one things you want and need.

Why, if it weren’t for me, you wouldn’t even have a car.

“I’ve kept quiet and waited to see how long it would take for you to realize how much you really need me. Cherish me, take care of me and I’ll continue to take good care of you.”

Now, can you guess who is “talking”? If you answer is “job,” then you are right!

If you are working, consider yourself blessed and lucky.

Will Hoffsuemmer shares this story: A grain of wheat came to the Lord God and said, “Lord of the world, since I have become the daily bread of mankind, why couldn’t you have made me such that they could eat me the way I am? As it is, they must first harvest me, then grind me into flour, which they must then make into dough, and finally

bake me in an oven. Isn’t that really a waste of time?”

“No, it is not a waste of time,” the Lord replied. “On the contrary, I did that way on purpose both for your won good and for the good of humans.”

The Lord God explained: “Let’s talk about you first. It wouldn’t be good for you to go around boasting that you give men life and strength, all by yourself. As it is, humans cannot just pick up grains of wheat and eat them unless they first turn them into bread. And to do that, they need fire and water and their hands. And so, bread does not depend on you alone; otherwise, you would go around proudly announcing that if it were not for you, no one would be fed.

“As far as people are concerned, it would not be good for them to find their bread all ready for them on the breakfast table. Instead, they have to be involved in producing it. They have to plow and sow and harvest and grind the wheat and then bake it into bread. That does them good: it makes them feel that they are dependent on me.”

As long as we are alive, we have to work. No one can escape from working. “I go on working for the same reason that a hen goes on laying eggs,” says Henry L. Mencken. Even retirees themselves still work.

For they know that if they stop working, it simply means “goodbye cruel world.”

One sage points out: “No one has a right to live in idleness and expect to live long and be happy. The ship anchored in the harbour rots faster than the ship crossing the ocean; a still pond of water stagnates more rapidly than a running stream.

Our unused minds are subject to atrophy much more rapidly than those in use. The unused cells in our brains deteriorate much faster than those which are continuously exercised.

Hence, to remain young, we must remain active.”

Jose Ortega y Gasset know this fact very well: “An unemployed existence is a worse negation of life than death itself. Because to live means to have something definite to do – a mission to fulfil – and in the measure in which we avoid setting our life to something, we make it empty. Human life, by its very nature, has to be dedicated to something.”

People try to find work they are capable of doing. Once they are hired, they sometimes take their work for granted. But that should not be case. If you love your work, your work will love you in return.

“One of the happiest men I ever knew, a man who took the greatest pride in his job, was a man in a garage in a town

where I used to live,” William Barclay shared. “He was not a mechanic; nothing so high up as that. His job, six days a week, was to wash dirty cars.

“What a pride he took in that job! He washed them with such thoroughness and such pride that you could run your hand along the inside of the mudguard and withdraw it spotless. His gift was the gift of washing cars! But how he used it and gloried in it.”

Someone has said that what the world needs, and what God needs, is not so much people who can do extraordinary things, as people who can do ordinary things extraordinary well.

A bus conductor, for instance, can take your fare in a way that lights up the whole day. A shop assistant can serve you in a way that makes this world a better place.

“If you don’t like your work, you’ll need three times the energy: to force yourself to work, to resist the force, and finally to work,” H.L. Neri states. “If you like your work, you work no more. For work, when you like it, is work no longer, but sheer enjoyment! If you enjoy your work, you’ll work and work without counting the hours – and you’ll reap and enjoy more earnings as well.”

We take time to pray if we need something from God. We

also pray before and after we eat. We also pray when we travel – to keep us safe from where we start to our destination. But why don’t we pray when we report for work?

Now, let me share this anecdote penned by Bishop Tihamer Toth on the importance of prayer when working. An old fisherman took a young man as passenger in his boat. On one of the oars was written the word PRAY. On the other oar the word WORK. The young man said mockingly: “You’re out of date, uncle. What does anyone want with prayer, if he works?”

The old man said nothing; but he let go the oar on which “pray” was written, and rowed with the other. He rowed and rowed; but they only turned round and round, and made no progress.

It was then that the young man understood: That besides the oar of WORK, the other oar of PRAYER is needed.

After all, it was God Himself who ordained work: “By the sweat of your brow you will eat your food until you return to the ground” (Genesis 3:19).

Adam, the first man, was given the job to take care of the Garden of Eden. All throughout the Bible, God has commanded man to work. In the Ten Commandments, He said, “Six days you shall labor and do all your work.”

DENNIS R. GORECHO PINOY MARINO RIGHTS

FINAL AND DEFINITE DISABILITY ASSESSMENTS ON SEAFARER’S BENEFITS The disability assessment will not be considered definitive if the seafarer will continue to require medical treatments after the said issuance by the company designated doctor.

A final and definite disability assessment is necessary in order to truly reflect the true extent of the sickness or injuries of the seafarer and his or her capacity to resume work as such.

Otherwise, the corresponding disability benefits awarded might not be commensurate with the prolonged effects of the injuries suffered.

This was the principle on seafarer’s disability benefits cases reiterated by the Supreme Court in the recent case of Jerry Talaugon vs. BSM Crew Services/ Schulte Shipmgt. ( GR. No. 227934 September 4, 2019) The company employed the seafarer as an oiler.

The seafarer was medically repatriated after he was hospitalized in Saudi Arabia and was diagnosed with “Renal Colic Lumbago post Zoster Neuralgia.”

Upon his arrival in the Philippines, he was seen by a company designated doctor wherein he was diagnosed with “Hyperthesia, Ruled out Hansen’s Dis-

ease, L4- L5 Disc Protrusion, Disc Dessication” and later on with a tumor in his spinal cord.

After undergoing surgery and physical therapy, he went back to, yet, another company-designated doctor . The latter observed that he was still suffering lower back pain probably due to his lumbar spondylosis who then declared that his illness was not work related. Said doctor, nonetheless, offered to give him a disability grading of 11.

The company­ designated physician made an assessment on seafarer’s illness within the 120-day period, specifically a rating of Grade 11 on May 15, 2014 or 117th day since he was evaluated and had been undergoing continuous medical treatment.

The Supreme Court, however, did not consider said assessment as final and definite within the ambit of the existing jurisprudence.

Section 20(B) of POEA-SEC provides that it is the primary responsibility of a company-designated physician to determine the disability grading or fitness to work of seafarers.

To be conclusive, however,

company-designated physicians’ medical assessments or reports must be complete and definite.

The guidelines that govern seafarers’ claims for permanent and total disability benefits was outlined in the case of Elhurg Shipmanagement Phils., Inc. v.

Quiogue, Jr (G.R. No. 211882, July 29, 2015): First, the company-designated doctor must issue a final medical assessment on the seafarer’s disability grading within a period of 120 days from the time the seafarer reported to him; Second, if the company-designated doctor fails to give his assessment within the period of 120 days, without any justifiable reason, then the seafarer’s disability becomes permanent and total; Third, if the company-designated doctor fails to give his assessment within the period of 120 days with a sufficient justification (e.g. seafarer required further medical treatment or seafarer was uncooperative), then the period of diagnosis and treatment shall be extended to 240 days. The employer has the burden to prove that the company-designated physician has suf-

ficient justification to extend the period; and Lastly, if the company-designated doctor still fails to give his assessment within the extended period of 240 days, then the seafarer’s disability becomes permanent and total, regardless of any justification Two (2) requisites must concur for a determination of a seafarer’s condition: 1) an assessment must be issued within the 120/240 window, and 2) the assessment must be final and definitive.

The Medical Report dated May 15, 2014 contained the following observations: “the prognosis of returning to (his) sea duties is guarded” and “If patient is entitled to a disability, his suggested disability grading is Grade 11 - slight rigidity or 1/3 loss of motion of lifting power of the trunk.”

The Supreme Court pointed out that this is hardly the “definite and conclusive assessment of the seafarer’s disability or fitness to return to work” required by law from the company­ designated doctor.

For there was nothing on record showing that the company designated doctor explained in

detail the progress of seafarer’s treatment and the approximate period needed for him to fully recover.

The assessment will not be considered definitive if the seafarer will continue to require medical treatments thereafter.

Consequently, without a final and definitive assessment from the company­ designated doctor on the seafarer’s disability, the Supreme Court stressed that the same is deemed permanent and total by operation of law.

In disability compensation, it is not the injury which is compensated, but rather it is the incapacity to work resulting in the impairment of one’s earning capacity. Permanent total disability means disablement to earn wages in the same kind of work, or work of similar nature that he was trained for or accustomed to perform, or any kind of work which a person of his mentality and attainment could do. It does not mean absolute helplessness.

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

10

EDGEDAVAO

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VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

in 2014, stood as a witness against his relatives in the infamous Maguindanao massacre case.

“He was ambushed

twice and he survived twice,” Tabora said.

Vice Mayor Ampatuan is the father of Shariff Aguak Mayor Marop Am-

patuan. The mayor has strongly condemned the incident and has called for the speedy resolution of the case. (PNA)

“This period had truly been eventful and challenging for us… But we did not back down and confronted them headon. In such a critical time, this leadership provided much-needed direction and focus,” Dar said.

Dar noted that the DA was able to temper the high price of rice by increasing the National Food Authority’s unloaded stocks in the market and shore up palay prices by securing the commitment of local government units to bankroll their own local procurement and by increasing palay support price by as much as PHP2 per kilo.

Dar also said the DA managed the outbreaks of ASF through decisive and strict biosecurity and elevated quarantine measures and monitoring in affected farms and nearby areas.

Laser-like Focus for 2020 “For 2020 and the remaining years of the Duterte Administration, we intend to lead DA with greater vigor and laser-like focus as we pursue our imperatives. The Filipino people, notably our smallholder farmers and fisherfolk, expect nothing less from us,” Dar said.

Dar underscored that the proposed DA budget for 2020 is PHP71.8 billion, which is 12 percent bigger than this year at PHP64.1 billion.

He noted that this budget puts forth measures designed to encourage small business initiatives, facilitate credit, and stimulate economic progress through the competition.

The Agriculture chief vowed to ensure the effective and proper im-

plementation of various RCEF programs, particularly the finalization of the Philippine Rice Industry Roadmap; continued validation of the farmers’ registry; and completion of the National Food Authority streamlining.

The department will also intensify its advocacy on farm consolidation to enable small farmers to survive the unforgiving onslaught of the market and enhance its disease prevention and surveillance systems.

“Rest assured that these programs and plans of action will be guided by the principles of good governance, transparency, consultative engagement and most importantly, with a greater sense of urgency, as we continue to create a much better narrative for Philippine agriculture,” Dar said. (PNA)

development (including expanding road systems and upgrading or rehabilitating roads) as among its priorities.

JICA said it works towards peace and development in Mindanao as one of its key assistance pillars in the Philippines.

JICA said it has been supporting projects in conflict-affected areas in Mindanao for more than two decades.

Since 2006, JICA has been implementing peace-building initiatives in Mindanao under the Japan-Bangsamoro

Initiative for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD) and other development cooperation including building socio-economic infrastructure, and supporting good governance, livelihood, and industry development.

million), Batangas (PHP502 million), Bulacan (PHP440 million), Pangasinan (PHP420 million), and Cebu (PHP410 mil-

lion).

Panelo ensured that the Chief Executive would wield his veto power to remove the funds inserted

in the proposed 2020 G eneral Appropriations Act that will be found violative of the 1987 Constitution.

(PNA)

on France over its digital tax imposed on the likes of Amazon, Facebook and Google. Europe is threatening a collective response.

about how to overcome a cyclical crisis, we know what to do," said Ingo Kuebler, the staff representative at Mahle, a German automotive supplier that has already been forced to downsize as car buyers turn away from diesel engines.

"The big issue is transformation, digitalization, electric mobility," he told AFP, fretting that an influx of cheap Chinese car batteries means "we are dreading the loss of many jobs".

"Even when people seem to enjoy basic material comfort, they may still experience the same level of misery and unhappiness as the poorest," French academic Esther Duflo said in October after she won the Nobel Prize in economics.

US investor Steve Eisman of "The Big Short" fame thinks that another global crisis is unlikely, but the best that can be hoped for is a slow strangulation of growth.

"What will happen next time, whenever it does happen, will be your normal garden variety of recession where the economy slows and goes negative and people lose money. That'll be painful enough," Eisman told AFP. "A systemic crisis?

Once was enough for our lifetimes," he said, reflecting back on the implosion of 2007-2008 that made hundreds of millions for his hedge fund when he correctly foretold the US subprime collapse.

The prescient strategy of Eisman and other investment mavericks was recounted in a book by journalist Michael Lewis and subsequent Oscar-winning movie.

AWAKENING... FROM6

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2020... FROM7 BETWEEN HEAVEN AND HELL

Ludovic Subran, chief economist of German insurance giant Allianz, sees a global "purgatory of growth" coming up.

Any systemic shock next year "will probably not be born in finance, but will be exogenous, for example a big regulatory shock on personal data, or in relation to the climate", he said.

If Trump survives the impeachment process and wins a second term, he could "double the bet against China" at the risk of military confrontation, Subran added.

Trump and his potential challengers on the Democratic left are united in their hostility to the free-trade and liberalization agendas that, they argue, hollowed out industrial America over the past decades.

The mistrust is felt well beyond the United States.

"We're not worried

THE BIG INCOME GAP

Since the financial crisis a decade ago, central bank policies have led to negative interest rates spreading in some countries, squeezing bank profitability and inflating private debt.

With growth faltering, the debate about wealth distribution will likely become still more acute.

Anger at inequality runs like a thread through protest movements from rich Hong Kong to developing Chile.

In 2018, according to Oxfam, 26 billionaires had as much money as the poorest half of the world.

Trump, Xi will sign China trade deal

U

S President Donald Trump said on Tuesday he and Chinese President Xi Jinping will have a signing ceremony to sign the first phase of the US-China trade deal agreed to this month.

"We will be having a signing ceremony, yes," Trump told reporters.

"We will ultimately, yes, when we get together. And we'll be having a quicker signing because we want to get it done. The deal is done, it's just being trans-

lated right now."

United States Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer said on Dec. 13 that representatives from both countries would sign the Phase 1 trade deal agreement in the first week of January.

Speaking in Beijing on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Geng Shuang said both countries were in close contact.

"Both sides' economic and trade teams are

in close communication about detailed arrangements for the deal's signing and other follow-up work," Geng told a daily news briefing.

He did not elaborate.

Beijing has not yet confirmed specific components of the deal that were released by US officials. A spokesman for China's Commerce Ministry said last week the details would be made public after the official signing.

lion farmers this year and as of end of November, we're already at 940,000 farmers, so 60,000 more to go," she said in an interview.

"I think so," she said, when asked if the 1-million target could even be surpassed.

Months earlier in July, Duterte threatened to abolish LandBank should the state-owned lender fail to present a plan to help farmers.

"I am asking Congress,

'pag wala sila (Landbank), if there is no viable plan for the farmers and juts all commercial transactions, abolish it and give the money to congressmen for their development funds. Mas makakatulong ba diretso eh," Duterte said in his fourth State of the Nation Address.

According to Borromeo, LandBank's loan portfolio has already surpassed the target for agricultural production as of end-November.

ers have also been visibly inspired by the successes achieved on the island.

"Now, other destinations are also coming up with their guidelines on carrying capacities, what to use and what not to use.

Who would have thought five years or 10 years ago that we would be making a big issue out of sunscreen but now we're at that level.

The appreciation is getting deeper as we achieve more successes," he said.

tion) would be long term," Bengzon said.

LBP looking to surpass target of assisting 1M farmers in 2019

T

he Land Bank of the Philippines is set on track to hit or even surpass its target of assisting a million farmers this year, following threats of President Rodrigo Duterte to step up agricultural loans else face a shutdown.

According to LandBank president and CEO Cecilia Borromeo, the LandBank has already assisted over 940,000 farmers as of end-November.

"We will assist a mil-

PH DESTINATIONS... FROM6

that they just don't go to the place because of the site, they want to visit a destination that is conscious of the environment and sustainability of the place," he noted.

For the part of the government, the DOT continues to acknowledge and adapt to the current trends in travel and tourism.

"We can no longer be just fixated with the headcount; we also have to look at the revenue stream. And we also have to look at the sustainability part of our development efforts," DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon, Jr. said in a recent DOT year-end assessment interview.

Following up on the Boracay rehabilitation that saw the island resort's closure for six months in 2018, Bengzon said the DOT was able to establish "a new set of development guidelines," which redefined their approach with respect to destination and promotions development.

"The Boracay experience has taught us, among others, the need for convergence with the appropriate government agencies. The Boracay experience has also taught us the importance of making sure that there is a strong buy-in coming from the local stakeholders and the local community because, at the end of the day, it's really going to be the locals who will be implementing these measures 24/7," he shared.

With the prominent Boracay project, Bengzon said the government has since recognized the need to strengthen sustainable tourism efforts. Looking at other destinations in the country, he said stakehold-

Rehab efforts after Boracay

This year, the government has shifted its focus on restoring the pristine condition of tourist sites in Coron and El Nido in Palawan.

In fact, it has tapped financial assistance from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to fund its cleanup initiatives in the two top destinations.

The assistance will focus on solid waste management as well as capacity building of local stakeholders to maintain a sustainable environment for the two areas.

In El Nido, the Department of the Interior and Local Government last July reported that at least 3.4 million most probable number/100 milligrams on fecal coliform level have been found in the water samples taken from one of the outfalls in Corong-Corong and Bacuit Bay. The two shorefronts' condition was also compounded by the presence of informal settler families, non-enforcement of easement regulations on outfalls, and unregulated dry-docking and mooring activities. "(Its rehabilita-

SEA Games hosting

2019 is an eventful year for the country's tourism sector as the Philippines also hosted the Southeast Asian Games which was estimated to have brought in a total of 137,563 room nights to hotels across the Metro Manila.

"The immediate benefit there was the delegates were present so you would see the immediate spike or increase in the foreign visitor arrivals. For short to medium term effects, since all networks were focused on the games, the level of awareness on the country increased also," Bengzon shared.

Aside from its immediate impact, the infrastructure left since the hosting is also seen to particularly boost Central Luzon’s tourism industry.

The modern New Clark City sports facilities used in the recently-concluded 30th SEA Games include the 20,000-seater Athletics Stadium that has an International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) certified track, the 2,000-seater Fédération Internationale de Natation (FINA)-certified and baklad-inspired Aquatics Center, and an Athletes Village.

Earlier, DOT Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat emphasized the government’s vision to have a sustainable tourism industry by facilitating integrated multi-industry growth areas.

“The national government is aiming for a more resilient economy by building regional growth centers.

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

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the Balay Pahulayan at the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) last December 25.

Go said the President is still verifying details of the said attacks that killed a soldier and wounded eight others.

“President Duterte is still verifying kung ano ang talagang nangyari.

Pinag-aaralan pa ngayon kung ano talagang nangyari at kung meron bang violations na ginawa. Kung meron man posible po na ma-terminate yung unilateral ceasefire,” Go said.

Go is calling on the NPA rebels not to ignore the President’s declaration of truce.

“Sayang. Nanawagan ako na huwag ninyong sayangin yung pagkakataon. Nakakausap po nin-

yo si Pangulong Duterte with all sincerity. Ako po ay nanawagan sa mga left, NPA rebels na huwag po ninyong sayangin yung pagkakataon na ito. Wala na kayong ibang pangulo na puwede ninyo kausapin at pagkakatiwalan,” he said.

Go is hopeful that the terrorist group will take the nationwide Christmas truce seriously to give Filipinos a peaceful Christmas celebration.

“Ayaw namin ng may maiiwan na pamilya at anak dahil sa giyera. Sana po ay tuloy-tuloy na po ito at mag-iwan po ng legacy sa administrasyon ni Duterte. Sa totoo lang nagtiwala kami sa nga leftists. In fact, umaakyat kami ng bundok dito sa region and even sa ibang part ng Mindanao.

Kumukuha kami ng bihag

na mga sundalo na walang bodyguards at armas at kami lang dalawa ni then Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Nagtiwala kami sa inyo, magtiwala naman kayo sa gobyerno with all sincerity,” he said.

The President has declared a Christmas truce last Dec. 22 with leftist guerrillas as he ordered the reconstitution of the government panel to talk peace with the 50-year-old insurgents.

“I am for peace lalong-lalo na sa Mindanao with the rebels, left, Moro rebels as well. After nagkaroon tayo ng BARMM si Pangulong Duterte gusto rin po niya ng long and lasting peace. Ayaw niya yung kapwa Pilipino ay nagpapatayan at naglalaban,” Go said.

In a recent interview, Dr. Mae Dolendo, House of Hope program director, announced its renovation as well as new developments in the facility.

“With their help, it would give a big impact on the survival of these kids,” she said, adding that before its renovation, the house accommodated about 30 to

40 patients per day.

“This time it can accommodate up to 100 patients per day for the coming 50 to 70 years,” she added.

(PNA)

“They could, however, pass the lands to their children and grandchildren,” Sinarimbo added.

Bangsamoro Chief Minister Ahod “Murad” Ebrahim said the distribution of CLOAs was geared towards providing support to the implementation of agrarian reform programs in the

BARMM. “With our symbolic land distribution program recently, we can assure our dear partners from the national government that we will tap the region’s resources to reenergize our economic potentials and contribute to the national growth as well,” Ebrahim

said.

He added that land distribution was aimed at providing tenurial security to landless farmers through ownership over the lands they have been cultivating for years and open opportunities for economic viability and self-reliance.

(PNA)

DUTERTE... FROM2

PRRD VISIT... FROM3

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

is in need of

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

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

12

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AGRITRENDS

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

GOLDEN RICE READY FOR SERVING SOON

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

C

ontrary to what the antagonists claim, GR2E Golden Rice – more popularly known as golden rice – is “as safe as conventional rice.” This was the finding issued by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) “after rigorous biosafety assessment.”

So much so that the line agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA) has finally been issued a

biosafety permit for golden rice for direct use as food and feed, or for processing (FFP) in the Philippines.

The DA-BPI has agreed with the earlier results that golden rice is safe for human consumption. In 2018, golden rice received three successive positive food safety evaluations from leading regulatory agencies: Food Standards Australia New Zealand

(on February 22), Health Canada (on March 16), and the United States Food and Drug Administration (on May 24).

“With this FFP approval, we bring forward a very accessible solution to our country’s problem on vitamin A deficiency that’s affecting many of our pre-school children and pregnant women,” said Dr. John de Leon, the executive

director of the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) in a statement that was quoted by a national daily.

Dr. Matthew Morrell, the director of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) was likewise very ecstatic as golden rice can be a potent tool against the serious public health problem. “This is the core of IRRI’s purpose: to tailor

global solutions to local needs,” he said.

Both PhilRice and IRRI are committed to carry out the completion of golden rice development and satisfy all regulatory requirements under the Join Department Circular No. 1, series of 2016 to have well-documented, science-based evidence on the safety of golden rice.

The first-generation of golden rice was first tested in advanced field trials at the IRRI fields at Los Baños, Laguna in 2008. The second-generation of selected varieties was field tested in the wet season of 2010. At the PhilRice, confined field trials of advanced lines were conducted in February to June 2011.

“The field trials are an important step in evaluating the performance of golden rice and to determine if it can be planted, grown, and harvested just like other popular rice varieties,” PhilRice said.

“These trials are also part of the safety assessment of golden rice.”

The FFP approval is the latest regulatory milestone in the long journey to develop and deploy golden rice in the country. “With this approval, PhilRice and IRRI will now proceed with sensory evaluations,” IRRI said in a statement. This simply means Filipinos will finally know the answer to the questions they have

been asking: “What does golden rice taste like?”

However, to complete the Philippine biosafety regulatory process, golden rice still requires approval for commercial propagation before it can be made available to the public.

This follows from the field trials harvested in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija and San Mateo, Isabela in September and October 2019.

“The Philippines has long recognized the potential to harness biotechnology to help address food and nutrition security, environmental safety, as well as improve the livelihoods of farmers,” hailed IRRI’s Morrell.

In a way, golden rice is a product of biotechnology, defined as “any technique that uses living organisms to make or modify a product, to improve plants or animals or to develop microorganisms for specific uses.”

The methodology seems like a work of fiction. “Traditional methods of crop improvement require the mixing of genes by making specific crosses, observing and selecting for specific phenotypes (traits) in the offspring,” explains Dr. Frank A. Shotkoski, an adjunct professor at the Cornell University in the College of Life Science Department of Plant Breeding and Genetics.

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“This has been a very effective tool for crop improvement, and our ancestors have been quite successful in using these techniques to develop the productive, tasty and nutritious crops that we have today.”

But modern biotechnology completely changes that. “Biotechnology allows us to introduce genes into crops that could never be achieved using traditional or conventional methods, because the gene tied to a specific trait (that is, insect resistance, disease resistance, herbicide tolerance, etc.) doesn’t exist in species,” Shotkoski says.

In recent years, modern biotechnology – through genetic engineering – has been used to increase plant and animal food production, to diagnose disease, improve medical treatment, produce vaccines and other useful drugs and to help dispose of industrial wastes. This paved way to the buzzword, genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

In the case of golden rice, respected scientists Ingo Potrykus and Peter Beyer used a gene from daffodil and an ordinary microbe and introduced it to rice through genetic engineering. Using the same microbe and another gene from yellow corn, the second version of golden rice came into existence. The new form has been found to contain 20 times more beta carotene than the original one.

The discoverers donated the golden rice technology to be used in developing countries and in public-owned rice varieties.

“There are no limitations, except export sale, on the use of golden rice harvest, which can be locally sold,

or replanted by growers,” said IRRI, which has a webpage in its site solely for golden rice.

The development would have been welcome with much fanfare. But such is not the case. “GMOs worldwide are governed by a stringent biosafety regulatory process starting from their development to commercialization,” says Dr. Reynante L. Ordonio, PhilRice healthier rice project leader. “The biosafety procedure involves a series of checkpoints to ensure that GMOs or their by-products will meet the expected level of safety to health and the environment.

“Going through this procedure doesn’t mean that GMOs have higher risks as even ordinary foods such as peanuts, milks, melons, breads, and shrimps can cause harm as sources of allergens,” Dr. Ordonio continues. “In fact, GMOs can even be a lot safer because of this strict biosafety process.”

Golden rice had to go through these series of rigorous testing and regulatory procedures. To ensure that golden rice is safe for the environment and health, the planting materials used were subjected to confined field-testing in fenced and isolated areas for at least 2 cropping seasons in 3 different locations in the country.

“During the tests, any discrepancy or variation from the original variety in terms of appearance, and any unusual disease, pest, or weed incidence at the sites were carefully assessed,” Dr. Ordonio reports.

As 89% of Filipinos consume rice on a daily basis, golden rice has been promoted as a staple that

can reduce the incidence of malnutrition in the country. “We’re still losing one generation after another to malnutrition and this just shouldn’t be happening anymore,” deplored Dr. Howard Bouis, a senior research fellow at the International Food Policy Research Institute.

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) estimates between 250,000 to 500,000 children who become blind each year because of a lack of vitamin A in their diets.

Not only that, about half of these children die within 12 months.

Balancing cereal-diets with vegetables and animal products is one approach used in some developing countries to address the vitamin A-deficiency. But results were frustrating.

Vegetables and animal products are expensive and seasonal, subject to spoilage and transport facilities.

Studies show that an average Filipino consumes 290 grams of rice every day. The result of a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition in 2009 showed that daily consumption of a cup of rice – about 150 grams uncooked weight – could supply half of the Recommended Daily Allowance of Vitamin A for an adult.

Golden rice is a suitable complementary intervention. In an email sent to Mark Lynas, an environmentalist and author of several books, Nina Fedoroff, former president of the American Association for the Advancement of Science, wrote: “Golden rice addresses a major nutritional problem in the most direct way imaginable, through a dietary staple.”

According to IRRI, the

beta-carotene content of golden rice aims to provide 30% to 50% of the estimated average requirement of vitamin A for pregnant women and young children.

Filipino farmers won’t have a problem in planting golden rice. After all, nothing is changed from conventional rice. “The local cultivation practices currently followed for conventional rice varieties, including the application of fertilizer, crop protection products, and labor, are directly applicable to the cultivation of those varieties containing GR2E nutritional trait,” IRRI states.

There are also no changes in either the type of production input, or in amounts, with the cultivation of golden rice varieties, the IRRI adds.

As golden rice does not possess any introduced or altered resistance to insect pests or diseases, there are no selection pressures that could drive the evolution of resistant pest populations, and no anticipated changes in current pest control practices, according to IRRI. There are worries that golden rice may contain allergens or toxins. “As a macronutrient, protein is an essential component of the human diet and consumption of proteins as a class of dietary substances is not inherently associated with adverse effects,” the IRRI explains.

In fact, golden rice is very safe for human consumption. As the Consolidated Assessment Report for the FFP application of golden rice, the DA-BPI said: “GR2E Rice is as safe for human food and animal feed as its conventional counterpart.” (Photos courtesy of IRRI)

the usage, maintenance and care for the solar panels and the community entertainment set.

“We only ask that you take good care of these new equipment entrusted to you by the government,” says PESO Manager Elmer Silveron as he appealed to the villagers to take seriously their responsibilities as owners of the new equipment, particularly for its maintenance and its proper use.

Out of the seven sitios comprising Barangay Taocanga, only one has access to electricity. “So, there are still many households in the area that are considered off-grid which we hope to cater in the near future,” says Silveron.

While hoping to transform lives and light the path of the youth, women, farmers, and various sectors in the village, the solar project primarily aims to help sustain peace and help make the community become conflict-resilient.

“This is a pivotal point for the people here so that they will really feel that there is indeed a government that takes care of its people,” said Silveron.

For the Philippine Army, reaching out to the communities, delivering basic services, and winning the hearts of the people is the very essence of the government’s peace and development efforts which are aligned to the localized implementation of President Duterte’s Executive Order 70 and Governor Nelson Dayanghirang’s Executive

Order 13 which are all aimed at ending the local communist armed conflict.

“We aim to establish peaceful and conflict-resilient communities. So, we are reaching out to conflict-affected areas and Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) to provide them basic services like this electrification project. And we are happy to become an instrument to deliver this much-needed equipment to the people here,” said First Lieutenant Jei-Em Tagufa, Public Information Officer of the 67th Infantry Battalion, who represented Commanding Officer Lt. Col. Louie Dema-ala.

The Philippine Army attributed the success of the project to the convergence of efforts of all key actors behind the initiative who

played a huge role in making people feel the presence of the government.

While electrification is only one of the many crucial investments needed in the area, villagers are also hopeful that more development will soon follow including the construction of concrete roads to their mountain village which is endowed with fertile grounds for planting corn and abaca.

Villagers say that now with the much-needed electrification and the eventual construction of roads, they are becoming more optimistic that their village’s woes would soon be remedied and that their dream to boost their village’s economic development would soon be realized. By Karen Lou Deloso/ Photos by KLD

Christmas, but we’re blessed to be safe...no major devastation or casualties reported,” he said.

More than 20,000 passengers and 157 vessels were stranded in ports on Wednesday, and at least 60 domestic flights have been cancelled.

An average of 20 cyclones cross the Philippines each year, with storms becoming fiercer in recent years. More than 6,000 people died and 200,000 homes destroyed when Super Typhoon Yolanda, the strongest-ever storm to make landfall

in the Philippines, hit Leyte and Samar six years ago.

Ursula, which gained strength as it barreled through the central region, is expected to exit the country on Saturday morning, according to state weather forecasters PAGASA.

SOLAR... FROM2

Ending Insurgency, Sustaining Peace

URSULA... FROM2 Day. Images posted by Paul Cinco, a resident of Tanauan, Leyte province, showed strong gusts and damage caused overnight.

“The aftermath of course made us sad because it’s Christmas Day, but it doesn’t feel like

PCSO... FROM4

of national character.

The Individual Medical Assistance Program (IMAP) is considered the flagship program of the PCSO, which was institutionalized in 1995 to provide timely and responsive financial assistance to individuals with health-related problems.

Aside from the IMAP, the PCSO’s other charity programs include the Endowment Fund Program, Institutional Partnership Program, Procurement of

Medical Equipment, AFP/ PNP Health Facilities Capability Building Project, Calamity Assistance Program, Milk Feeding Program, Integrated Health for Overall Productivity and Empowerment (I-HOPE), and Out-Patient Services Program (Medical and Dental Services).

Garma called on the public to continue patronizing PCSO’s products as a large chunk of its revenues goes to charity programs.

(PNA)

and because of the difficult life in the mountains.

In his anniversary message, CPP founding chair Jose Maria Sison slammed President Rodrigo Duterte for being “obsessed” in destroying the revolutionary movement “in order to please US imperialism and the local reactionary classes.”

Worst of all, “colossal amounts of public funds are wasted on bureaucratic and military corruption and on futile schemes to destroy the revolutionary movement and impose a fascist dictatorship on the people,” Sison said.

Sison, who has been on self-exile in The Netherlands, claimed that Duterte’s efforts “to destroy the CPP have failed.”

Duterte early this month ordered government peace negotiators to work out the resumption of stalled peace talks with the communist rebels.

Both sides have agreed to a ceasefire from December 23, 2019 to January 7, 2020 to foster the environment favorable to the resumption of peace negotiations.

The United States government classified the

CPP-NPA as a “foreign terrorist organization.”

In South Cotabato, Governor Reynaldo Tamayo, Jr. said that at least 60 NPA rebels had given up fighting the government in the last six months.

“They surrendered in different batches because they felt the services of the government reaching their communities,” he said.

Tamayo also cited the government’s Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP), which offers cash and livelihood assistance, as a key factor why the communist guerillas abandoned the armed struggle.

For his part, Col. Eduardo Gubat, commander of the Army-led Joint Task Force GenSan, slammed the communist rebels for also allegedly perpetrating “treacherous actions” against state security forces in their bid to overthrow the government.

“The government is winning the war against the communist rebels,” he claimed at the indignation rally here Thursday morning.

Meat and Poultry Production Program in the region, MinDA will also link up cattle, goat, and poultry farmers to potential buyers.

Piñol said MinDA would also link BARMM fishermen’s groups to buyers of their produce.

With the production-marketing agreements forged, MinDA will tap government financing institutions, such as the Development Bank of the Philippines and Land Bank of the Philippines, to fund the programs. (PNA)

State, which has ended the Rockets’ season in the playoffs in four of the last five seasons, then dominated the rest of the game.

Robinson and Green led the fast finish with their 3-pointers, helping Golden State score 20 of the game’s last 27 points.

In extending its season-best winning streak to three games, Golden State shot 47.1 percent for the game, easily better than the Rockets’ 37 percent.

Lee (career-high 15 rebounds) and Green (11 rebounds) both completed double-doubles for the Warriors, who were thumped 127-101 at home by the Los Angeles Lakers last Christmas.

The double-double was just the second in the career of Lee, a two-way player. He had his first earlier

this season at New Orleans with 23 points and a thencareer-high 11 rebounds.

Harden shot well for the Rockets, scoring 24 points on 9-for-18 shooting and 6-for-10 on 3-pointers, but the Warriors effectively kept him off the free throw line (0 of 1) and trapped him into giving up the ball on most second-half possessions.

Harden finished with a game-high 11 assists.

Danuel House Jr. hit five 3-pointers to account for a majority of his 18 points for the Rockets, who had won their previous six road games.

Clint Capela recorded a 10-point, 11-rebound double-double for Houston, while Westbrook collected a team-high 12 rebounds to complete a third Rockets’ double-double.

PROTEST... FROM4

MINDA... FROM4

WARRIORS... FROM15

14 EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

A4 INdulge!

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO DAVAO EDGE

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

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

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 206 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, DECEMBER 27-28, 2019

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Lebron James chases the loose ball.

Clippers win Christmas showdown vs Lakers

K

awhi Leonard had 35 points and 12 rebounds to lead the visiting Los Angeles Clippers to a come-from-behind, 111-106 win against the Los Angeles Lakers on Wednesday evening.

Montrezl Harrell scored 18 points off the bench, and Paul George had 17 points on 5-for-18 shooting for the Clippers, who are 2-0 against the Lakers this season.

With 3.6 seconds to go and the Clippers up by three, Patrick Beverley blocked a LeBron James 3-point attempt. George then made two free throws to seal the outcome.

Kyle Kuzma scored a season-high 25 points off

the bench for the Lakers, who have lost four in a row. They hadn’t dropped consecutive games all season before the current skid. Anthony Davis scored 24 points, and James finished with 23 points, nine rebounds and 10 assists.

After trailing by as many as 15 in the third quarter, the Clippers pulled even at 86-86 entering the fourth.

James hit a pull-up jumper to give the Lakers a 101-94 lead with 6:39 left, but seven straight points by the Clippers tied the game again.

Leonard twice made two free throws to give the Clippers a four-point

Manny is no. 8 richest athlete of the decade

F

ilipino boxing icon Manny Pacquiao is the eighth wealthiest athlete in the world throughout the decade, according to Forbes.

Forbes said Pacquiao’s “25 pay-perview fights have generated 20 million buys and an estimated $1.3 billion in revenue.”

It estimated Pacquiao’s personal earnings at $435 million or over P22 billion.

Fellow boxer Floyd Mayweather Jr topped the list, with an estimated $915 million in earnings, including $500 million combined for his 2015 and 2017 fights versus Pacquiao and Conor McGregor.

Forbest Highest

Paid Athletes of the Decade 1. Floyd Mayweather: $915 million 2. Cristiano Ronaldo: $800 million 3. Lionel Messi: $750 million 4. LeBron James: $680 million 5. Roger Federer: $640 million 6. Tiger Woods: $615 million 7. Phil Mickelson: $480 million 8. Manny Pacquiao: $435 million 9. Kevin Durant: $425 million 10. Lewis Hamilton: $400 million.

lead, the second time with 2:03 left, and the Lakers managed just one point the rest of the way.

The Lakers led by seven twice in the second quarter before an 8-0 run by the Clippers moved them ahead 43-42.

James missed his first seven shots before making a layup with 5:28 left in the second quarter to move the Lakers back ahead 44-43.

Both sides continued to trade leads for the next couple minutes before the Lakers closed on a 17-2 run to take a 63-51 lead into the break.

After trailing by as many as 15 with 9:26 left in the third quarter, the

Clippers used a 16-3 run to pull within 71-69 with 6:44 remaining.

Clippers reserve guard Landry Shamet sank a 3-pointer with 2.6 seconds left to tie the score at 86-86 heading into the fourth.

The Clippers improved to 12-3 this season with George and Leonard in the lineup.

The Clippers beat the Lakers 112-102 in the season opener on Oct. 22, one of three double-digit losses for the Lakers.

In that contest, Clippers were without George, who missed the first three weeks of the season while rehabilitating two offseason shoulder injuries.

Warriors stun Rockets 116-104

G

lenn Robinson III and Draymond Green each bombed in a pair of 3-pointers in a late flurry on Wednesday afternoon as the Golden State Warriors rallied to stun the Houston Rockets 116-104 in San Francisco.

All five Golden State starters scored in double figures and the Warriors limited Houston to 16-of51 shooting on 3-pointers, helping the Christmas hosts win for the fourth time in the NBA holiday showcase in the last seven seasons.

The Rockets’ Russell Westbrook led all scorers with 30 points, but he shot just 11 of 32 overall and missed all eight of his 3-point attempts as Houston saw a four-game winning streak come to

Filipino boxing legend Manny Pacquiao is the world’s 8th richest sports earner of the decade.

an end.

Damion Lee paced the balanced Warriors attack with 22 points, while Green and D’Angelo Russell went for 20 apiece, Robinson added 18 and Willie Cauley-Stein had 10.

Houston led by as many as 13 points in the first half and seven in the third quarter before Cauley-Stein and Marquese Chriss slammed home dunks in a 10-0 Warriors’ run late in the third period that allowed the NBA’s worst team to overtake the Southwest Division leaders.

Houston went back in front one last time at 97-96 on a 3-pointer by James Harden with 7:59 remaining, but Golden

FWARRIORS, P13

12 16 SPORTS SPORTS EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS BRACE FOR BATTLE EDGE EDGE DAVAO DAVAO

HARDLUCK RANDY

VOL.12 VOL.12ISSUE ISSUE206 164•VOL.12 FRIDAY-SATURDAY, • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, ISSUE 78 • THURSDAY, DECEMBER OCTOBER JUNE 25-26, 27-28, 27, 2019

4 games up as Escandor Cup Collegiate Sponsors League resumes Saturday

By ADAM B. MORRELL

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

Escandor Cup resumes on Meantime, the Saturday, October 26, at Agro-Industrial Foundaworld champi- tion against Reymark Taday the ormer Davao City Recreation College of the Philipon Randy Petalcorin pines of Cotabato on Oct. Center.

(AIFCP) Sailors and20 of Generalraiser Santos in UM General Santos City.

The curtain will the Wildcats shared City suffered a technical Petalcorin appeared feature a "David versus the top spot in bracket Afor Goliath" match odds- with a 2-0 record each, knockout loss uptoas undehis media workout and on favorite Jose Maria Colfeated Kenshiro Teraji of followed appearedby tothebeCJCin Red great lege (JMC) Kings on Lions with 1-0. The MCT Japan in the 4thtakes round shape. theMonday strugglingatBrokenshire on on the Arena Navigators He is justlanded two pounds College of Davao (BCD) the fourth spot with 1-1, in Yokohama, Kanagawa, above the weight limdribblers at 3:00pm. trailed defending Japan. it and by willthenot have any The clash between the champion Holy Cross of It was Petalcorin's 4th problem making weight San Pedro College (SPC) Davao College (HCDC) defeat against wins Crusaders on time.withExpectations Stallions and the31visiting 1-2, DMand draw. are highMariners since Petalcorin Corone Jesu College (CJC) MACSP 0-1, 27-year old Teraji blewed of The Digos City Red Lions SPCD Saintsup0-1,his and recent SPC dubbed "The Amazing world with title 0-2. opportunity will go as after at 4:30 pm, Stallions Boy" enjoyed win losing againstB,Felix followed by his the 17th exciting The bracket mean-Albattlehisbetween is currently led by and 10th traditionknockout while, varado. al powerhouse Holy Cross College with no loss orteams draw St. to the Teraji, on the othJohn Paul II College of of (HCCS) Spartans retain his World Boxing er Sasa hand, has never been Davao (SPCD) 3-0with card,16followed Council World Saints light and fly- with beaten wins and Mats College of Technolby JMC Kings (2-0), He Asian weight title. nine knockouts. first ogyPetalcorin (MCT) Navigators at International had an imwon the titleSchool with a of ma6:00 pm.

Aeronautics and Technolpressive run this year jority decision over GanAt 7:00pm, the un- ogy (AISAT) (1-1), Atewinning twice, starting igandeLopez Mexico in beaten University of Min- neo DavaoofUniversity with TKO Wildcats in the will 3rd (Addu) 2017 and defended it six danaoa (UM) Blue Knights (1-2), Manny Pacquiaotimes. says even at 40, he is not finished yet. round over stake its cleanWorawatchai slate against BCD (0-1), UM Penaplata Boonjan of Thailand last (0-1),He fight was DMMA College of Southand last Rizal MemoJune at the TV(DMMAC5 Station rial against Jonathan ern 9 Philippines Colleges (RMC) TaconinSP) Quezon City.to wrap up Bulldogs ing of the Philippines with Mariners (0-2).

Saturday's He followed quadruple it up with a TKO in the 4th round last sponsoreddecision

by The aheader unanimous July 12 in Osaka. (PNA)

F

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Kenshiro Teraji of Japan connects with a right to Randy Petalcorin.

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University of Mindanao will tryo to make it three in a row on Saturday as action in the 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,