Edge Davao Volume 12 Issue 52 | Wednesday, May 22, 2019

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

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HOMEY SMOKES ►SPORTS P11

'Household smokers' in Davao increasing, says DOH 11 report

By LEEBAI SINSUAT AMBOLODTO

D

espite an aggressive regionwide anti-smoking campaign, Davao City has seen an increase in the number of household smokers. Meaning, those individuals who avoid the smoking ban in public places and instead opt to just smoke at home -- within their backyard.

"Our target is for the entire Davao Region to be 100% smoke free", Rosemarie Basaῆes, Regional Tobacco Control and Prevention Program Manager of the Department of Health XI shared during the Usapang Kalusugan media forum on Monday, 20 May 2019 at the DOH Davao Center for Health Development of�ice.

"The campaign is ongoing and we are happy that LGU's, government of�ices, hospitals and others are partaking in the campaign", Basaῆes added.

For its part, DOH XI has conducted a non-communicable survey since November of last year.

"We aim to target the decrease or even the elimination of smokers at home. This is also in line with our campaign to reduce second hand smoking", she added.

Basaῆes cited Executive Order No. 26 which bans smoking in schools, workplaces, sidewalks and public vehicles. The law also prohibits selling of cigarettes to minors.

"The campaign against smoking in pub-

lic has been successful.

Now, we want to reduce household smokers too", she said.

The EO, according to Basaῆes, is a milestone where the government gives priority to the right to protect public health.

Another strategy by the agency is the Red Orchid Award recognition program, a search among government hospitals, of�ices, and local government units (LGUs) that implement a 100-percent tobacco-free environment and meet the quality standards on tobacco prevention and control set by the World Health Organization (WHO).

In Davao region, there are 8 hall of famers attaining 100% smoke free municipalities and environment.

"It is not enough that the province or municipality is abiding by the rules and regulations set

HOMEY SMOKES, P9

With the strict implementation of the smoking ban in public places, there is a notable increase in indoor smokers in Davao according to the Department of Health regional office. Christian Jay H. Rafal

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

Dabawenyos urged to keep surroundings, canals clean

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PEACE SITUATION. Department of Interior and Local Government 11 (DILG 11) Alex Roldan (rightmost) imparts valuable insights on the peace situation in region 11 to the participants of a roundtable discussion on Executive Order No. 70 or the Institutionalizing the whole-of-nation approach in attaining inclusive and

sustainable peace, creating a national task force to end local communist armed conflict, and directing the adoption of a national peace framework held at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on Tuesday. Lean Daval Jr

he Davao City Ancillary Unit (ASU) has called on Dabawenyos to help in maintaining cleanliness in their area, especially canals, making sure these are free of trash that blocks the �low of water.

Davao City Ancillary Unit Chief, Paul Bermejo, made this call after receiving reports from concerned residents of Delta Homes in Kawayan Drive about a canal swarmed by mosquitoes, rats and frogs.

Bermejo said he immediately sent a team to inspect the area and con�irmed the state of the canal along Garnet Street in Delta Homes. The canal is silted and full of grasses.

A clean-up has been scheduled anytime this week, he added.

“When I received the report about the canal, I immediately instructed our night

120K cops to be deployed for June 3 school opening

PRO 11 deploys support A teams to Brigada Eskwela T

By ADAM B. MORRELL

he Police Regional Of�ice (PRO) 11 threw its full support to the 2019 Brigada Eskwela marked with the theme “Matatag na Bayan para sa Maunlad na Paaralan” which kicked off on Monday, May 20.

This move aims to bring the police closer to community as one of the objectives of Police Community Affairs of Police Regional Of�ice 11.

PBGen Marcelo C Morales, Regional Director, advised all police units in the region to participate to

this annual activity of Department of Education to bring together all education stakeholders to participate and contribute their time, effort, and resources to prepare public school facilities for the opening of the school year in June.

DND, AFP hail passage of mandatory ROTC for SHS

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epartment of National Defense (DND) Secretary Del�in Lorenzana on Monday lauded lawmakers for approving on third and �inal reading House Bill 8961, which makes the Reserve Of�icers' Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory for senior high school students.

"The DND welcomes the approval of House Bill 8961 at the House of Representatives on the third and �inal reading today, 20 May 2019.

The reinstatement of mandatory ROTC in Grades 11 and 12 will help instill love of country, good citizenship, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law," he said in a message to reporters.

The House of Representatives voted 167-4-0 to approve House Bill 8961 on third and �inal reading.

"We thank our legislators for making the youth their priority. Now more than ever, we need the strength of an empowered Filipino youth with leader-

ship, sense of duty and service, discipline, and leadership to sustain our nation’s growth and momentum," Lorenzana stressed.

Meanwhile, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spokesperson Marine Brig. Gen. Edgard Arevalo said they strongly welcome this development.

"The AFP is a consistent advocate of a military training program that shall form part of the curriculum because that will help nurture nationalism and patriotism to the youth in schools," he added.

Also, ROTC enrollment among Grade 11 and 12 students envisions to instill discipline and sense of purpose; respect for the laws and the authorities; and obedience to rules and regulations.

"Today’s young generation needs to be exposed to the rudiments of basic soldiery no matter brief to help develop and hone their leadership potentials,"

DND, P9

At the start of the community service, Police Regional Of�ice 11 sent teams from different city and provincial of�ices to help the public schools in their AOR to do minor repairs, painting, and cleaning of school premises. It also promotes volunteerism to everyone.

According to PBGen Morales, PRO actively participates to the various community activities as part of its commitment to

serve the people and as a genuine partner in �ighting criminality.

Meanwhile, RD Morales also assure that PRO 11 is all set for “OPLAN: Balik Eskwela 2019” on June.

The said operation plan ensures the deployment of police presence around schools to monitor the security in the premises, activation of quick response teams, police assistance

PRO11, P9

ASEC ALQUIZA STRESSES ON GMRC. “The use of “Sir”and “Mam”should always be there when addressing people including the use of “po”, “Please”, “Thank you”, DOLE Asec. Mariano R. Alquiza stressed in his short message during the May 20

shift team to check the area.

Based on our assessment, we will be needing a backhoe since the canal is silted.

We already scheduled the clean-up drive this week,” Bermejo said.

Bermejo also asked the Homeowners Association of Delta Homes and other gated communities to hold a cleanup drive in their area since these are private properties.

“The cleanliness of an area, the canal is not just the concern of the ASU, we need the cooperation of the public. I humbly ask the homeowners associations to conduct a bayanihan in their area to maintain the cleanliness of their subdivisions, especially the canals,” he said.

He said that the ASU team regularly conducts clean-up drive in different parts of the city even at night time. CIO

fter securing the recent mid-term elections, the Philippine National Police (PNP) has shifted its focus on preparations for the school opening on June 3.

PNP Chief Gen. Oscar Albayalde said 120,000 policemen will be deployed to ensure the safety of students across the country.

"We will be setting up police assistance desks and we will be deploying 120,000 of our people for this Ligtas Balik-Eskuwela program," Albayalde said in press brie�ing held at Camp Crame on Monday.

He said he issued a memorandum order directing all PNP regional of�ices and national support units to perform “speci�ic tasks” and coordinate instructions

to implement the nationwide security and public safety plan.

He said the operational guidelines he issued for “Ligtas Balik-Eskwela 2019” also aims to “ensure the availability and operational readiness of PNP units, personnel and resources for security and public safety operations in support of the Department of Education (DepEd) and Commission on Higher Education (CHED).”

Abayalde said some 29 million students in various grade levels are expected to troop to schools for the simultaneous opening of classes in both public and private learning institutions.

"In our security and op-

120K, P9

Monday Program of the Department of Labor and Employment in Davao Region./

By Eduardo P. Monreal, DOLE RO XI LCO-Designate

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

NCCC-TRAXION ACCORD. Davao-based supermall New City Commercial Center (NCCC) has entered into a deal with TraXion, local Blockchain company, to boost the development of cooperatives in the Mindanao area. Officers of NCCC and TraXion pose for posterity after a press briefing about the accord yesterday. In photo are: Lafayette A. Lim, NCCC CEO; Dennis Joy B. Ejercito,

PH to review MOU with Kuwait in light of Filipina killing – Palace

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alacañang on Monday, May 20, expressed support for the review of the memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Kuwait following the murder of an overseas Filipino worker (OFW) in Kuwait last week.

Chief Presidential Legal Counsel and Presidential Spokesperson Salvador S. Panelo relayed this to Palace reporters in a press brie�ing, echoing the sentiments of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestro Bello III that Kuwait breached the agreement.

“I think we should because according to Secretary Bello there has been a breach in the agreement

signed by the two countries,” Panelo said.

Secretary Panelo said that the Labor chief has already instructed of�icials in the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) and the Philippine Overseas Labor Of�ice (PALO) in Kuwait to track down the agency of the murdered Filipina, who is later identi�ied as Constancia Dayag.

“The Secretary of Labor has already issued an of�icial statement. He is putting the government in Kuwait to task for the murder of our countryman,” Panelo said.

President Rodrigo Roa Duterte, for his part, is waiting for the of�icial investigation and autop-

NEWS 3

TraXion Tech COO; Ann J. Cuisia, TraXion Tech CEO; Sonny D. Catacutan, NCCC CFO; Bermil M. Espina, TraXion Tech CTO; and Joshua Allen C. Santos, CEO of Kadena Hub. AMA

NCCC ties up with TraXion to boost progress of Mindanao Cooperatives

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avao-based supermall New City Commercial Center (NCCC) has inked a deal with local blockchain company TraXion to further boost the development of cooperatives in Mindanao region.

Through the NCCC's Ka Partner program, cooperatives will be given perks and advantages as well as trainings from NCCC on how to manage their enterprises. TraXion will serve as technology provider for this program.

"Combining our knowledge and experi-

ence in the retail industry with that of the expertise of Traxion in leading-edge technology, and the goal of providing excellent service to reach the grassroots, we have partnered to make a project that can impact our fellow Filipinos," TraXion CEO Ann Cuisa explained.

The said program will comprise of KoopKicks, KoopMart, and Ka-Coop Card.

Ka-Coop Card will provide the bene�its such as reduce cost of handling cash loans, onlinereal time credit line management, contribute data to their member's credit score and digital, seamless, cashless shopping. The card comes with QR code.

Under the KoopKicks, NCCC can fund and support an aspiring entrepreneur from the co-

operatives.

Meanwhile, KoopMart will provide supplies and system to the cooperatives.

"NCCC believes that real community development should start in the grassroots. Along with Traxion's vision of serving the underserved, NCCC aims to place this particular sector in the frontline of technological advancement," NCCC CEO Lafayette Lim said.

The program eyes to onboard at least 550,000 cooperative members.

PH, P9

Davao City delivers final wave of cash aid to drought-hit areas

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he Davao City government has delivered the last wave of the city’s �inancial assistance to the areas affected by the dry spell.

On Saturday, the local government of Iloilo received the cash assistance that Mayor Inday Sara Duterte’s administration allocated for the calamity-hit areas.

City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Of�ice (CDRRMO) head Alfredo Baluran bared that a total of 30 municipalities, cities and provinces affected by the dry spell was provided with �inancial assistance.

"We distributed a total of P11.8 million for the �irst and second wave of the cash assistance that we have given to the 30 different cities, municipalities and provinces," Baluran said. These affected areas

mostly suffered a lack of potable water.

Each province received P1 million while each municipality and city received P300,000 and P500,000, respectively.

"Most of them will be using the �inancial assistance to address the lack of water in their area. Their water supply only lasts for three days and they need to replenish it every now and then," he said.

He noted that Davao City is very lucky because the effect of the dry spell is manageable and it has enough potable water that can even last for 20 years.

"The mandate of our city mayor is to give assistance to those who are in need. We have enough money in our Quick Response Fund (QRF) to address our needs in time of calamity," Baluran said. CIO

GUARD. A young boy acts as a look out for his peers who are sleeping on a small open space beside a parking area of taxis at a gasoline station in Bo. Pampanga, Lanang Davao City where they spent a night over the weekend. Lean Daval Jr

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

Escandor Development Corporation held its Matina Enclaves Seller’s Annual Awards Night 2019 on May 20 at the Arcadia Events Center. Present to award the top sellers, realtors and brokers are ESDEVCO President Mr. Glenn Y. Escandor (left photo, second from left) and Project Director Mr. Gerald Kent Garces (right photo).

Growers want lower tariff on banana exports to Japan T

Econ managers to decide on PH move on US-China trade war

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he Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) called on President Duterte to work for the reduction or elimination of the hefty tariff rates on Cavendish bananas to Japan during his visit to that country later this month.

The President is set to leave for Japan to attend the two-day 25th International Conference on the Future of Asia on May 30 to 31.

“I really hope they will be able to discuss the reduction or total elimination of tariffs imposed on our bananas entering japan,” PBGEA executive direc-

tor Stephen Antig said on Tuesday.

“We will not be competitive in the Japanese markets if our competitors are enjoying zero tariff on their goods while we are not,” he said.

He said Japan is imposing tariff rates of 8 percent during summer and a maximum of 18 percent during winter for Philippine Cavendish bananas.

He added the banana industry would “suffer and might even collapse if we cannot replace markets lost due to high tariffs.”

According to the data released by PBGEA, Cavendish banana export to Japan last year reached 635,962 metric tons, an increase of 6.8 percent compared to 595,677 MT in 2017. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

he Duterte administration’s economic managers will decide on the steps the government must take in relation to the trade war between the United States and China, Malacañang said on Monday.

This after the Foundation for Economic Freedom (FEF), a public advocacy organization, urged the Duterte administration to take advantage of the trade war by luring Chinese factories to the Philippines.

Presidential Spokesperson Salvador Panelo said President Rodrigo Duterte,

who has relied on China to fund many of the government's infrastructure projects, would take into consideration the recommendations given by his economic team.

“Whatever the recommendation of the Secretary of Finance and the other economic managers, the President will be evaluating that,” Panelo said in a Palace brie�ing.

The FEF said luring these factories to the Philippines would greatly boost manufacturing, result in

er’s individual property rights and has discouraged farmers from making long term improvements on the land. And I don’t blame them,” said Agrarian Reform Secretary John R. Castriciones.

“If you own part of a collective CLOA, it’s hard to make decisions on what crops to plant and how to plan your farm. Why? Because you have to consult other farmers and what the majority wants will prevail,” he added.

“This is also the reason why the President wants all collective land titles issued by the Department trans-

formed to individual titles.

Separate CLOAs for each farmer-bene�iciary are better because it enables them to have a clear and de�ined ownership of parcels of land,” Castriciones continued.

In another study made by the Land Bank of the Philippines, one of the major reasons for the low collection rate of land amortization is that many titles distributed to ARBs were collective CLOAs, thus individual amortizations could not be properly computed and collected.

The directive to divide collective parcels of lots

was given by the President during the 36th Cabinet Meeting held on April 1, 2019 at the Malacañan Palace.

In the course of the discussion, the President instructed the DAR to convene a task force and come up with a program to ensure the distribution of individual CLOAs from the collective titles and remaining workable balance of agricultural lands.

“To accomplish the President’s directive, we have created a separate of�ice that will facilitate the ‘parcelization’ of collective

into law.

“We will pursue in a manner that it will not distract us from the primary projects kasi may deadline. Kasi ang utak ko ngayon ay magtapos ng project. Kailangan namin two and a half to three years. Kami ay gagawa lang ng tama (We will pursue in a manner that it will not distract us from the primary projects because there is a deadline. My mindset is to �inish projects. We need two and a half to three years. We will

do what is right)," said Tugade in an interview with reporters on the sidelines of the contract signing for the civil works of the �irst package of the Philippine National Railways (PNR) Clark Phase 1 held Monday in Valenzuela City.

“The legislators should put that into their agenda.

As far as we are concerned, we have submitted all the documents,” he added.

The secretary made this statement as he welcomes the intention of former Metropolitan Ma-

nila Development Authority (MMDA) Chairman Francis Tolentino to re�ile a measure pushing for emergency powers that has been pending in both chambers of Congress for more than two years.

Tolentino, who is currently among the winning circle in the senatorial race, said the emergency powers will effectively solve the current traf�ic congestion in the country particularly in Metro Manila.

ECON, P9

Telcos assure Huawei users of Duterte orders DAR: Divide parcels of land to individual titles continued services despite US ban

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ajor telecommunication �irms in the country assured Huawei smartphone users of continuing communication services despite efforts by the United States government to ban the products of the Chinese-based technology provider in countries worldwide due to cybersecurity concerns.

In a statement on Monday, PLDT Inc. said its subscribers that have availed Huawei handsets and devices will continue to function normally on its network.

“In light of the recent trade ban of the United States government on Huawei products, PLDT and Smart Communications, Inc. wish to assure its customers who have availed of Huawei handsets and devices via its of�icial channels that said products will continue to function normally on the PLDT-Smart network,” the PLDT’s statement read.

PLDT and Smart will coordinate with Huawei in addressing concerns regarding future �irmware and software updates for phones, pocket WiFi units and other devices.

Meanwhile, Globe

Telecom assured its customers that the current situation at Huawei will not impact its network services.

“We are aware of news circulating regarding some U.S. tech companies cutting their ties with Huawei. We have received assurance from Huawei that the company will continue to provide security updates and after sales services to its device users using the Globe network,” Globe’s statement read.

Both telcos said they will continue to provide updates on the issue particularly on its impact on their services.

PLDT and Globe had partnered with Huawei Technologies for the rollout of its �ifth generation (5G) mobile services in the country this year.

Media reports stated that Google barred Huawei from accessing updates to its Android operating system resulting in new designs of Huawei smartphones losing access to some Google apps.

Existing Huawei users, however, will still be able to update apps and push through security �ixes,

TELCOS, P9

P

resident Rodrigo Roa Duterte has ordered the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) to facilitate the survey and re-documentation of collective land titles to individual certi�icates of landownership awards (CLOA).

According to a study made in 2017, some 2.251 million hectares collective CLOAs of agricultural lands have been issued by the DAR. Of these landholdings, 76% were awarded to agrarian reform bene�iciaries (ARB) who were not actually engaged in collective farming.

“This has affected farm-

DUTERTE, P9

DOTr to push for traffic emergency powers in next Congress

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he Department of Transportation (DOTr) remains in position to push for the passage of emergency powers to address the current traf�ic situation in the country once the incoming 18th Congress convenes following the recently concluded midterm elections.

DOTr Secretary Arthur Tugade assured that there will be no corruption in the implementation of transportation projects once the proposed emergency powers is passed

DOTR, P10

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

5 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

Kickstart Ventures, Inc. to manage new $150M venture capital fund of Ayala Corp.

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ickstart Ventures, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Globe Telecom, was chosen by Ayala Corporation (AC) to manage its new $150 million venture capital fund to support startups pursuing innovations along key technology areas in data and analytics, machine learning, arti�icial intelligence, cloud computing, �intech, automation, real estate, retail, transport, energy, water, health and wellness, and food.

The Ayala Corporation Technology Innovation Venture (ACTIVE) Fund is looking at a range of investments in Series A to Series C or early- to midgrowth stage across four key investment themes (1) ‘A Frictionless Future;’ (2) ‘From Automation to Augmentation;’ (3) ‘Innovations in Real Estate;’ and (4) ‘A World of Plenty’.

As sole manager of ACTIVE Fund, Kickstart is responsible for seeking companies that offer innovative, scalable, sustainable solutions for the seamless integration of digital and traditional channels such as On-Demand Services, IoT, FinTech, Blockchain, E-Commerce and Omni-Channel as well as the automation

and augmentation applications for Arti�icial Intelligence, Machine Learning, Robotics, Big Data and Analytics, and Cloud Computing.

Other target companies are those that provide green and inclusive technologies such as Clean Energy / Energy Storage / Distributed Energy, Environmental Tech / Waste Management; and smart technologies for homes, buildings, communities, property management, retail tech, and similar use cases.

“While ACTIVE Fund will invest in tech companies not only in the Philippines but also abroad, our focus will be on systems and solutions, rather than pure technology,” said Minette Navarrete, President of Kickstart. “Our investment themes re�lect our perspective that technology and innovation are a means to positively in�luence the future we want to build rather than ends in themselves. By investing in solutions that can scale sustainably, and pairing equity with strategic support, we can put Ayala Corporation’s assets to work in a different way, forging a future that

KICKSTART, P10

Support to Brgy. Tambobong. Six hundred meters of water pipe with plastic connectors were turned over last April to Brgy. Tambobong, one of Apo Agua Infrastructura, Inc.’s five host communities. These will be used to channel water from the source to Sitio Luyan and Sitio Mangas-as where a livelihood project is being implemented for and by the Obu Manuvu tribe. This project is under the Integrated Ancestral Domain Development Approach-Culturally Responsive Economic Program (IADDA-CREP) Project of the National Commission on

Indigenous Peoples Davao City Provincial Office (NCIP DCPO). The pipes and connectors were turned over by Apo Agua representative Rene Adiong (second from left) to Jason Rex Osog (second from right) of the NCIP DCPO. Apo Agua, a joint venture company between Aboitiz Equity Ventures and J.V. Angeles Construction Corporation, will construct and operate a water treatment facility in Brgy. Gumalang, Baguio District for the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project of Davao City Water District.

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

EDITORIAL Reinstating ROTC Congress has just brought back the Reserve Of�icers’ Training Corps (ROTC).

Our country’s lawmakers have passed on third and �inal reading House Bill 8961, which makes the Reserve Of�icers’ Training Corps (ROTC) mandatory for senior high school students. The measure was welcomed with approval by the current administration and the Department of National Defense. No less than President Rodrigo Duterte campaigned for the reinstatement of the ROTC as a tool for promoting patriotism and discipline among the younger generation of Filipinos.

The ROTC will be applied to students in Grades 11 and 12 and is seen to help instil love of country, good citizenship, respect for human rights, and adherence to the rule of law.

True to form, the House of Representatives voted 167-4-0 to approve the ROTC reinstatement.

The ROTC reinstatement, however, was met with brickbats as well. The smeared reputation of the ROTC stemming from previous incidents of hazing brought to fore some reasonable opposition worthy of discourse. However, lawmakers are ensuring the ROTC’s gloomy past will not happen again with some safety nets. House Bill 8961 seeks to amend for the purpose Republic Act 7077 or the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act. Under the proposed

EDGEDAVAO

Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

measure, ROTC training would apply to “all students in Grades 11 and 12 in all senior high schools in public and private educational institutions and shall be a requirement for graduation.

The law provides for some exemptions to the mandatory ROTC training.

As provided for in the bill, students who are physically or psychologically un�it; those who have undergone or are undergoing similar military training; those who are chosen by their school to serve as the school’s varsity players in sports competition are exempted and others those who may be exempted from training for valid reasons, as approved by the Department of National Defense upon recommendation by an educational institution where the concerned student is enrolled.

Anticipating the issues that were discussed in the process of its preparation, the law strictly prohibits the use of ROTC training for “political” objective and for teaching and instilling a particular political ideology on students. More signi�icantly, the law speci�ically bans hazing and other forms of physical or mental abuse.

The ROTC reinstatement should serve to empower the Filipino youth with patriotism, leadership and discipline -- values that are slowly degenerating in recent times.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO Social Media Manager/Lifestyle

PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

VANTAGE POINTS

7

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

ARE YOU USING “FAKE” VINEGAR? Filipinos like vinegar, especially those who love to eat adobo.

When cooking paksiw, vinegar is the main ingredient. Imagine a grilled �ish or meat without the sawsawan, it won’t be the same.

Yes, we use vinegar in some ways or another when it comes to food preparation. And there is a news that should make us anxious if not cautious. Eight out of 10 vinegar products sold in the local markets contain “fake ingredients” and thus could be harmful to consumers. That’s according to a press release disseminated by the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) reported.

Researchers from the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute (PNRI), a DOST line agency, use isotope-based analytical techniques to distinguish vinegar and other condiments from natural or plant-based sources from those which are derived from petroleum-based sources.

“Condiments usually undergo the process of fermentation, and the raw materials must come from fruits and other natural products,” explained Raymond Sucgang, head of the PNRI Nuclear Analytical Techniques Applications Section.

His research team was totally surprised by their �indings. “One can only imagine

all the impurities and residues from the petroleum by-products which can be the source of various degenerative diseases,” pointed out Sucgang.

In producing these “fake” and adulterated vinegars, synthetic acetic acid is reportedly used. Produced chemically by the reaction of methanol with carbon monoxide, it is used as a solvent for paints and resins.

As acetic acid comes from fossil fuels and by-product in the production of diesel and oil, it is very dirty. As such, products containing this inorganic type of acid are dangerous to human health.

“Synthetic acetic acid should not be used in food production or as condiment,” Sucgang said, adding that products containing synthetic materials have impurities “and these impurities, according to medical journals, can cause cancer and degenerative diseases like Parkinson’s.”

Vinegar, de�ined as a liquid �it for human consumption and contains speci�ied amount of acetic acid and water, has long been used around the world as a basic seasoning in the preparation of cooking of certain foods because its sharp taste makes it so useful and versatile.

Vinegar is one of the oldest fermentation products known

to man as its history dates back to around 2000 BC, having been considered for a long time as the poor relative among fermented food products. It was used by ancient Egyptians, Greeks and Romans.

It was Louis Pasteur who �irst noted the formation of acetic acid from ethanol by acetic acid bacteria. The reaction has been termed “acetic acid fermentation” and requires the presence of oxygen. “(Vinegar) is produced from raw materials of different agricultural origin containing starch and sugars, that are subjected to a process of double fermentation, alcoholic, and acetous,” says the book, Fermented Foods in Health and Disease Prevention.

Among the raw materials that can be used in producing vinegar are cider, grapes or wine, coconut wine or tuba, molasses, sorghum syrup, honey, fruits, maple syrup, sugarcane, palm, potatoes, malt, grain, and whey.

Vinegar is made through the fermentation of ethanol alcohol.

“Bacteria are used to ferment (or break down) the ethanol into by-products including acetic acid,” wrote Bethany Moncel in an article. “This acetic acid is what makes vinegar unique, although it contains other sub-

stances including vitamins, minerals and �lavor compounds.”

According to naturalfoodseries.com, 100 grams of vinegar contains the following nutrients: acetic acid, 5 grams; calcium, 7 milligrams; carbohydrates, 1 gram; energy, 21 kilo calories; iron, 0.2 milligrams; magnesium, 5 milligrams; phosphorus, 8 milligrams; sodium, 5 milligrams; and sugar, 0.4 grams.

Vinegar is one of the most useful products that can treat various health problems. “Vinegar amazing bene�its includes treating allergies, balancing alkali, �ighting microbial, treating hypertension, �ighting cancer, �ighting oral bacteria, promoting hair growth, maintaining skin elasticity, lowering high blood sugar, helps burn fat, helps reduce cholesterol level, relieves acid re�lux, and improves gut health,” writes Michael Jessimy, author of “Amazing Health Bene�its of Vinegar.”

As long as you are using real vinegar and not those “fake” and unadulterated ones, which until now are still unnamed by PNRI researchers.

A lot of people who read the report released by DOST are now worried. What are the brands of those “fake” and unadulterated vinegars?

There are several reasons

why those brands could never be named. For one, when the study was conducted, only a code of the 360 vinegar brands was written on each sample container. This means the researchers never know the name of the brands of vinegar they are studying.

Only those who prepare the codes for each brand really knew the names. But they still cannot release the names for the reason that it is against the law.

But the good thing about the PNRI study is that it will be the basis of new, higher and stricter standards of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for vinegar. “The implementation of the new standards will be complimented by an intensive consumer awareness and education program,” the FDA said.

“However, at this point, let me already tell the peddlers who will continue to sell vinegar products which will not pass the new FDA standards, there will be a major crackdown on these products followed by sustained regulatory enforcement action,” FDA said, adding the agency anticipates that the new, higher standards and law enforcement action “will be met with resistance from the market vendor sector.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DATU TONGKALING, THE ICONIC BAGOBO As late as 1895, Jesuit missionary records show, Datu Tungkalin, the son of Manip (the datu of Sibulan) and the leader of the Bagobos of Talum (now part of Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur), was still a focus of conversion.

Fr. Jaime Estrada, S.J., in his November 13, 1895 letter to the Mission Superior, reported that the iconic chief was one of two Bagobo datus (the other was Bitil, a ranch owner) the missionaries hoped to convert. The territories of the indigenous leaders were situated “on the side of [Mount] Apo facing the [Davao] gulf.”

Tungkalin (Tongkaling, Tunkalin) later embraced Catholicism and adopted Maximiano as �irst name. In later years, he would �igure in the spread of Protestantism in southern Davao during the �irst decade of American rule. Given his in�luence, he was chosen as the �irst Bagobo Protestant preacher to enroll in evangelical studies at Silliman University in Dumaguete City.

Laura Watson Benedict, in her doctoral dissertation ti-

tled ‘A Study of Bagobo Ceremonial: Magic and Myth’ (1916), she mentioned the role the Bagobo datus played in preserving their indigenous tradition and culture: “Throughout these [ecclesiastical and economic] �luctuations, the presence of the older chieftains, like Ali, Tongkaling, Imbal, Oleng, Yting, and others of no less dominating personality, as well as the existence of such permanent centers of in�luence as Talun, Sibulan and Tubison, has operated to preserve the old traditions and the integrity of the tribal religion, so that no group at the coast has been swamped by foreign in�luences.”

American anthropologist Mabel Cook Cole, in ‘The Savage Gentlemen’ (1929), wrote that gap-toothed Datu Tongkaling, who was into human sacri�ices, confessed to taking “more than thirty human lives and had eaten of their hearts and livers to add to his own strength and vigor.” But what was impressive about the man was his friendliness, which she observed in her visits:

“Coming forward with extended hand to greet us was Dato Tongkaling, known far and wide through this section of the country as a powerful warrior and head man of the Bagobo. He had a kindly face, but we knew that he was reputed to have eaten the livers of thirty of his enemies. Thereby he gained their prowess, -or so the natives said.

He ushered us up the bamboo ladder into his house.”

In some instances, Tongkaling related, what was sacri�iced was a battered slave, believing that by doing this he could be freed from his worldly body and permitted to join those who had travelled to the Land of the Dead.

In one of the festivities in the Sibulan area, the datu, who had three wives and �ifteen children, displayed his personal grace. Cook, who also attended the event, wrote: “Of all our guests none was more faithful than Dato Tongkaling. Though he mingles freely with his people and does not hesitate to work in the �ields or at any other kind of labor, he maintains a certain dignity.

He always eats alone. His family and guests help themselves from a long row of dishes set on the �loor. He squats at some distance from them and uses a special bowl and plate. With us his attitude was quite different.

Often, he ate… in the kitchen cold pancakes and bacon left from breakfast. Then, coming into the house, and seating himself in one of our chairs, he would tell us of their customs.”

More than just a storyteller, Dato Tongkaling was a tribal historian who was willing to share his tribe’s beliefs, traditions, and folklore. In one of his conversations with Dr. Cook, he opened up on the divine protection and the signi�icance of the stars. In particular, he talked about the Balatik, the equivalent of the modern-day Orion: “Each year... there appears in the sky a constellation of seven stars known as balatik (pig trap) which is placed there by these spirits to remind us that it is the time to prepare for the clearing of new �ields. Then we must offer a sacri�ice to them as payment for the good year we have enjoyed and in order

to secure their good will for the coming season.

“I used to provide an old slave, but now the government will not allow that and we use a pig. I invite all those who have had a death or trouble in the family in the past year to help bear the expense. Guests come from near and far. For two or three days they feast and dance in my house. On the morning of the last day, we go to a great tree in the forest, and there make offerings of betel-nuts, clothes, and weapons. We pray that the spirits will give us success and protect our homes from sickness and enemies.

“When we killed a slave, he was tied to a tree with his hands high above his head. I then directed a spear just under his right arm, and all who had purchased a share in the sacri�ice took hold of the shaft. At a given signal the spear was thrust through the body, and then the magani who had paid the highest price for the privilege cut the body in two with his �ighting knife, and it was buried in a shallow grave.” (Paragraphing mine.)

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Video, mobile games boost Smart’s data usage, revenues

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LDT Inc.’s resurgent mobile business posted record revenue growth in the �irst quarter of 2019, riding on the growing appetite of its customers for online video and mobile games.

Service revenues of its individual wireless business, which includes the consumer sales of its Smart, Sun and TNT mobile brands, jumped 18% year-on-year to Php16.9 billion, net of interconnection costs. The surge in revenues was driven by a robust increase in data and broadband revenues which accounted for 65% of the total.

PLDT’s wireless brands also added 3.4 million customers in the �irst quarter of 2019, adding to a subscriber base that is in-

creasingly becoming more active in using data. About two-thirds of these subscribers are smartphone owners, of whom about 70% are data users. Mobile data traf�ic rose by 127% year-on-year to 304 petabytes.

Video, mobile gaming These data-savvy customers are watching more and more video on their smartphones. With the introduction of the Video Every Day data packages late last year, more customers have been accessing various video services like YouTube, NBA, iWant and iFlix.

The monthly users of YouTube, already boosted by last year’s Free YouTube promo, further increased by 35% in the �irst quarter.

Viewers of other popular video apps also increased

sharply: users of the NBA video service nearly doubled; those of iWant soared 153%; and i�lix, 170% Mobile gaming has contributed to the continuing increase in data usage, following PLDT and Smart’s initiatives to organize their of�icial professional eSports team, “Omega”. They also sponsored the professional league in the Philippines of the popular mobile game Mobile Legends.

The upshot: the number of monthly unique users of Mobile Legends increased by 5x from June 2018 to end-March 2019.

Network upgrades To support Filipinos’ increasing appetite for data, PLDT and Smart are continuously expanding and modernizing their �ixed and mobile networks,

backed by a historic-high capital expenditure of P78.4 billion this year. The capex investments are to further expand coverage and to increase capacity to handle the exponential growth in data traf�ic. The ultimate aim is to deliver the best data customer experience.

The growth of mobile video viewing among Smart subscribers, for example, has been supported by the ability of its cellular network to deliver what internet analytics �irm OpenSignal called, in its latest country analysis, “the better video experience.” Other third-party organizations like Ookla, Tutela and P3 have also recognized the network superiority of the PLDT group network.

Smart has added about

added to our consumer research portfolio: New Zealand and Saudi Arabia.

The Top Personas for Women and Men Paint a Very Different Picture While there are almost as many female as male game enthusiasts, there are differences between the top personas for each gender.

Across all 30 markets researched, the top persona among female game enthusiasts is the Time Filler. These are people who play games, typically on mobile, to pass the time. Over a third of all female game enthusiasts fall within this group.

Interestingly, the biggest gender differences can also be found here, with 36% of women �itting this persona vs. just 19% of men. In fact, almost two-thirds of all Time Fillers are women.

The second-most prominent persona among female game enthusiasts is the Cloud Gamer, with 17%. Over a �ifth of male gamers are in this group, making it their top persona. These gamers enjoy high-quality game experiences, preferably free-to-play or discounted titles, but only spend on hardware when necessary. The imminent cloud gaming platforms from Microsoft (xCloud) and Google (Stadia), which do not require the consumer to buy expensive hardware, are a potential

Newzoo's Gamer Segmentation: The 8 Game Enthusiasts Personas

1,700 LTE base stations in the �irst quarter, raising the total to about 18,000.

Smart is also activating carrier aggregation across its sites, enabling the network to deliver even faster mobile internet services by combining the capacity of two or more frequency bands. Smart has likewise also increased its 3G base station count to about 12,100.

Meanwhile, PLDT has further expanded its total �iber optic cable network footprint to 259,000 kilometers. PLDT’s �iber-powered �ixed line broadband network has now passed 6.7 million homes as of end-March, while total number of �iber ports available has reached 2.96 million, of which 1.2 million are available for new

customers.

PLDT’s �iber network also supports Smart’s mobile network by providing high-capacity links to cellular base stations.

PLDT has also partnered with global technology leader Cisco to help transform its �iber transport network in to a fully automated, software-de�ined 5G-ready IP transport network over the next three years.

“This transport transformation program is a crucial part of our ambition to strengthen the network leadership that PLDT and Smart nave won through consistent efforts over the past three years,” said Mario G. Tamayo, PLDT-Smart senior vice president for network planning and engineering.

Women account for 46% of all game enthusiasts

T

here are more than one billion female game enthusiasts in the world. While some outsiders may still be surprised by the popularity of gaming among girls and women, many others have embraced it. Over the past decade, gaming has evolved into all-round entertainment that includes viewing, playing, as well as enjoying the latest innovations in hardware. This has given way to more diversity in how individuals, male and female, enjoy games. This all-encompassing range of personas can be found in our recently launched Gamer Segmentation™.

While all eight personas feature men and women, some personas clearly over- and under-index after zooming in on one gender.

Utilizing fresh Consumer Insights from our latest round of primary research in 30 key markets, we will dive deep into some of the most important similarities and differences between men and women’s engagement with games.

In this article, we use the segmentation and eight accompanying personas to—for the �irst time— explain the reality of gender differences and similarities between the new breed of game enthusiasts. In the coming weeks, we will publish deep insights on game enthusiasts in two countries that we have

WOMEN, P10 Comparing male and female gaming enthusiasts

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EDGEDAVAO

A whole new world at SM CINEMA

ONE OF THE MOST MEMORABLE Disney animated movie for me is Aladdin. I can remember my high school self amazed at how the magic of Disney transformed a classic fairy tale into a fun magical carpet ride of beautifully animated scenes and memorable songs.

Last May 16, SM Lanang Premier invited friends and partners to enjoy an advanced screening of the new Aladdin movie in a special screening event on IMAX with Disney and SM Cinema.

A thrilling and vibrant live-action adaptation of Disney’s animated classic, Aladdin is the exciting tale of the charming street rat Aladdin, the courageous and self-determined Princess Jasmine and the Genie who may be the key to their future.

Directed by Guy Ritchie, who brings his singular flair for fast-paced, visceral action to the fictitious port city of Agrabah, Aladdin is written by John August and Ritchie based on Disney’s Aladdin. The film stars Will Smith as the Genie; Mena Massoud as Aladdin; Naomi Scott as Jasmine; Marwan Kenzari as Jafar; Navid Negahban as the Sultan; Nasim Pedrad as Dalia; Billy Magnussen as Prince Anders; and Numan Acar as Hakim.

From the opening scenes, the market chase, the cave of wonders, Aladdin and princess Jasmine’s iconic carpet ride, and the final confrontation, every minute was filled with fun, adventure and laughter. enhanced by the larger than life IMAX screen. It was also nice to see how alike or different the scenes between the live-action movie and the animated movie are.

Aladdin opens on May 22. Experience the magic and adventure in IMAX and in SM Cinemas. For schedules, follow @smlanangpremier and @smcitydavao in social media.

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STYLE his summer’s palette - earth tones are perfect for your great outdoor adventure.

Don’t forget to pack your cute slippers and hat for your sand and sun-filled getaway.

#SummerVacay style at AS the temperature continues to rise, it’s time to grab your favorite sunscreens and welcome summertime in style. And wherever you plan your #SummerVacay – a beach getaway, camping in the great outdoors, a lakeside adventure, or simply enjoying summer in the city, Surplus is your go-to shop for fun and trendy fashion.

Don’t forget to check out Surplus’ summer essentials to complete your travel needs. From cute slippers and shoes, pretty scarves, statement making hats to colorful towels, water tumblers, portable fans, functional flashlight, and solar lights.

Get beyond excited with the trendy and fun summer fashion collection and other versatile items at Surplus located in most SM Supermalls. Items may vary per branch.

Get to know more about the fashion picks of Surplus’ latest ambassadors Paulo Angeles, Charlie Dizon, Kyle Echarri and AC Bonifacio and stay updated as Surplus goes interactive. Like them on Facebook and Twitter at SurplusPH and enjoy great fashion deals on Instagram at Surplus_ph.

Don’t forget to bring your essentials from Surplus as you take a digital detox and re-connect with nature.

Lounge by the lake with summer favorites from Surplus.

Feminine floral dresses are great for staycations, shopping adventures, and hanging out in hotspots with friends.

Fun prints, colorful hues celebrate summer in the city.

EDAVAO

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VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

ENTERTAINMENT

Epic Lav Diaz musical celebrates a new noir in Philippine cinema

Take the plunge and enjoy the oceanside with playful prints and vibrant hues from Surplus.

Enjoy fun in the sun with playful bikinis

t Surplus

“ANG PANAHON NG HALIMAW” (Season of the Devil), a movie by celebrated filmmaker Lav Diaz and co-produced by Globe Studios, was awarded the Grand Jury Prize for Best Picture at the recently held 67th Filipino Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) Awards.

The almost 4-hour epic, which stars Piolo Pascual and Shaina Magdayao, was a complete departure from the usual masterpieces of Diaz that cinephiles have associated with his body of work. For “Ang Panahon ng Halimaw,” Diaz effectively mixed his usual austere aesthetics with powerful dialogues set in unaccompanied live “rock opera” fashion to tell a melodramatic story of a society beset of authoritarianism, repression and violence.

Set in the late 1970s, the film tells the story of husband and wife Hugo (Pascual), an activist, poet and teacher, and Lorena (Magdayao), a young doctor. Their story started when Lorena tried to open a clinic to help the masses in a remote and poor village, ruled by uniformed armed men who sowed fear and terror to control the people. With her beauteous looks and principled mind, Lorena quickly caught the eye of the armed men’s bawdy leader. When Lorena disappeared under mysterious circumstances, Hugo was initially

reluctant to look for her, but eventually decided to head to the village to try and find his wife.

Other stellar thespians in the cast include Angel Aquino as Angelita, Pinky Amador as Kwago, Hazel Orencio as Teniente, and Bituin Escalante as the onscreen storyteller.

The FAMAS accolade is the second award received by this Diaz cinematic opus. It also won Best Film in the Gems section of the 58th Festival Internacional de Cine Cartagena de Indias last March 2018, and competed for the Golden Bear award in the Main Compe-

tition section of the 68th Berlin International Film Festival.

Other winners at the 67th FAMAS Awards include “Gusto Kita With All My Hypothalamus” for Best Picture, Dwein Baltazar for Best Director and Best Screenplay, and Nadine Lustre for Best Actress honors for her movie “Never Not Love You”. The Best Actor award was shared by ageless actor Eddie Garcia and actor-chef-restaurateur Victor Neri for “A Short History of a Few Bad Things” and “ML,” respectively.

For more about Globe Telecom, visit www.globe.com.ph.

Tony Lambrusca is ABS-CBN Lifestyle’s newest guest editor

Take a stylish stroll around the metro with Surplus’ cool and stunning fashion pieces.

Catch the waves with sporty rashguards and boardshorts.

It’s the hottest summer yet, more so with hunky actormusician Tony Labrusca stepping in as ABS-CBN Lifestyle’s newest celebrity guest editor.

Back on primetime TV as one of the actors in “Sino Ang May Sala?: Mea Culpa,” Tony takes on the role of #ABSCBNLifestyleInspo and tells all about family, fitness, relationships, and other stories chronicling his journey.

Always trending and one of the most talented of his contemporaries, Tony also banners this year’s batch of #ABSCBNLifestyleHotshots. He leads a select and stellar group of newcomers the site is betting on to be the next big thing in local entertainment, namely Ion Perez, Josh Colet, Rhys Miguel, Daryl Ong, Luis Hontiveros, Luke Conde, and Kirk Bondad. In a series of articles, videos, and Facebook Live sessions, these hotties spill the beans on fame, fitness secrets, and (past) flings.

This May, ABS-CBN Lifestyle also honors “Mod Moms” or celebrity moms who manage their family and career in optimal style. The series of features also includes the celebs’ children for a truly star-studded cast: singers Jessa Zaragoza and Jayda, journalist Ces Drilon and model son Andre, model/ host Phoemela and model/former PBB housemate Kim Baranda, and PR maven Apples Aberin and host Sam Sadhwani. In a special series of articles and one-on-one interview sessions, the celebrity pairs tearfully open up on what makes their relation-ships unique.

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EDGEDAVAO

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forth by the award body.

They should also be ready with counsellors and smoking cessation clinics to be a Red Orchid Awardee", Basaῆes explained.

Aside from the award,

the agency also has strengthened their campaign in schools.

"Information dissemination forms a big part in our campaign so we do not stop", Basaῆes said.

desks, and emergency hotlines to address problems related to school opening.

“Ang ating mga police ay maglalagay ng police assistance desk o nagpapatrol sa mga eskuwelahan para masiguro ang seguridad ng mga kabataan para sa pag-

bubukas ng klase,” PBGen Morales stated.

PRO 11 emphasized that the PNP has always been supportive to the plans and programs of the government for the betterment of the country and its people.

erational thrusts, our guidelines for this year’s Ligtas Balik-Eskwela ensure the operational readiness of police units in responding to peace and order concerns, including threats from criminal elements that may take advantage of the situation," he said.

Albayalde said police personnel are expected to conduct patrols in the schools’ vicinity and would be on the lookout for drug traf�ickers, muggers, and violent street gangs who may in�iltrate the ranks of students.

The local PNP units, he added, have been instructed to coordinate closely with school administrators and of�icials of DepEd and CHED for the implemen-

tation of safety and security measures in different school campuses.

In coordination with local government units, the transportation department, and the Metro Manila Development Authority, the National Capital Region Police Of�ice will assume traf�ic management operations in the vicinity of schools, particularly along the University Belt in Manila, Albayalde said.

He said similar security measures will be implemented in seaports, airports, and land transport terminals, in anticipation of the heavy volume of incoming passengers from the provinces, mostly students returning from summer vacation. (PNA)

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sy before taking steps regarding this matter, his spokesman assured.

‘President Duterte waiting for the LRT incident report’ – Palace In the same press briefing, Secretary Panelo said the President is concerned about last weekend’s LRT collision and will surely seek for accountability from negligent of�icials.

The Palace of�icial likewise added that the President is now waiting for the of�icial incident report.

“Well, I suppose he reads the news. And the management of that out�it has already apologized to the public and is conducting an investigation on the matter. The President will be waiting for the report of the incident,” Panelo said.

“The President is concerned that is why he is waiting for the result of the investigation, the whys and the wherefores of the accident,” he added.

PCO

CLOAs into individual CLOAs,” Castriciones said.

The of�ice called Agrarian Reform Title Stabilization (ARTS), headed by Undersecretary David Erro, will form teams and provide a timeline and guidelines in the implementation of the said order.

During the Cabinet meeting, the President also

acknowledged that the conduct of survey would require �inancing. As such the President said that he will exert all efforts to respond to the required funding for the hiring of surveyors and survey equipment. In relation, Duterte instructed the Finance Secretary to raise funds to support the DAR’s program.

as well as update Google Play services.

Huawei said it would continue to provide security updates and after sales services to all existing Huawei smartphone and tablet products covering those have been sold or still in stock globally.

The United States Commerce Department

added Huawei to its Entity List last week preventing the company in acquiring technology from American �irms without government approval.

The US alleged that the technology network of Huawei is being used for surveillance and other eavesdropping purposes by the Chinese government. (PNA)

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higher paying jobs, technology transfer, and increase and diversify the country’s exports.

It further said that the Philippines, known for its highly skilled English-speaking workforce, could become an alternative destination for factories seeking to avoid the US-China trade war.

According to the FEF, the government should immediately pass the second package of the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) or Tax Reform for Attracting Better and High-Quality Opportunities (TRABAHO) Bill to remove uncertainty about the tax regime on �iscal incentives and corporate income taxes.

It urged the government to pass the Public Service Act Amendment to liberalize foreign investment in transportation and telecommunications; to swiftly implement the Ease of Doing Business Act as its implementing rules and regulations (IRR) have yet to be issued; and desist from passing the Security of Tenure bill or ending the end of contract act, which is pending in the Senate, noting that it will hamper the �lexibility of �irms.

The FEF also encouraged the government to “seriously and quickly” implement the “Build, Build, Build” infrastructure program and shift to Public-Private Partnership. (PNA)

Arevalo emphasized.

House Bill 8961 seeks to amend for the purpose Republic Act 7077 or the Citizen Armed Forces of the Philippines Reservist Act. Under the proposed measure, ROTC training would apply to “all students in Grades 11 and 12 in all senior high schools in public and private educational institutions.”

The bill also states that ROTC training shall be a requirement for graduation.

As provided for in the bill, students who are physically or psychologically un�it; those who have undergone or are undergoing similar military training; those who are chosen by

their school to serve as the school’s varsity players in sports competition are exempted and others those who may be exempted from training for valid reasons, as approved by the Department of National Defense upon recommendation by an educational institution where the concerned student is enrolled.

The proposed measure also strictly prohibits the use of ROTC training for “political” objective and for teaching and instilling a particular political ideology on students.

House Bill 8961 also speci�ically bans hazing and other forms of physical or mental abuse. (PNA)

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Suzuki Philippines closes Q1 2019 with consistent sales growth

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uzuki Philippines (SPH), the country’s pioneer compact car distributor, wrapped up the �irst quarter of the year with consistent sales growth, securing the 6th spot in the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) roster.

The Ertiga remains the brand’s best-selling vehicle, accounting for 33% of the total sales for the quarter.

The Celerio came in second with 12.3% of sales while the Dzire contributed 11.6%.

SPH’s strong performance this �irst quarter comes on the heels of a successful 2018, which marked strong sales, expansion in key cities across the country and back-to-back recognitions from several renowned award-giving bodies.

“We started 2019 consistent and stable, and so far, we have maintained our momentum. Our performance at the start of the year is setting the pace for the rest of 2019. We are con�ident of

achieving substantial sales growth and reaching more customers through aggressive marketing efforts and nationwide promotional campaigns,” shared SPH Director and General Manager for Automobile Division Keiichi Suzuki.

Best-selling Suzuki vehicles Three of the most sought-after models in the Philippine automotive market and the company’s top-selling vehicles in recent months, the Ertiga, Celerio and Dzire collectively boosted sales for the �irst quarter of 2019.

With 33 percent share of total sales for the quarter, the top favorite family vehicle Ertiga remains the best-selling Suzuki vehicle.

The launch of its black interior model in February helped spur sales even further for the Ertiga. The 7-seater MPV combines elegance and strength, blending modern style and maximum functionality to let riders enjoy their days in style.

The Celerio retains its place as the second best-selling vehicle with a 12.3 percent share of sales.

This hatchback, known for its space and roomy dimension, can accommodate of up to 254-liters worth of cargo with an uncompromised 5-seater capacity. Alongside its remarkable fuel ef�iciency that ups the ante for its category.

The Dzire positions itself as another Suzuki best-seller at third place with 11.6 percent of total quarter sales. C! Magazine’s Best Mini Compact of 2018 awardee is increasingly being recognized in the market as one of the most affordable units in its category.

Strong marketing efforts continue SPH’s strategic marketing efforts help bring the brand closer to more Filipinos and introduce them to the Suzuki Way of Life!

SPH’s participation and presence at the 2019 Manila International Auto Show (MIAS) last April re�lected

the brand’s competence in the market by highlighting how its vehicles deliver combined fun, functionality and comfort to give Filipinos optimal driving experience.

During the four-day event, the brand’s most-valued vehicles—the multifunction 7-seater all-new Ertiga, multi-awarded subcompact sedan Ciaz, bold and relentless 4x4 all-new Jimny, well-loved hatchback Swift, exquisite sedan Dzire and stylish SUV Vitara— were available for preview.

In line with SPH’s nationwide advocacy of raising awareness about road safety, Suzuki Safety Scouts encouraged guests at the trade event to join the campaign.

Visitors were able to register kids 4 to 14 years old for free to become an of�icial Suzuki Safety Scout.

For more information about Suzuki Philippines and their automobiles, please visit www.suzuki.com.ph and like them on www.facebook.com/SuzukiAutoPH.

30 points, Lillard had 28 and CJ McCollum added 26 for the Trail Blazers, who had staved off elimination twice in their previous series against the Denver Nuggets.

Zach Collins had 10 points off the bench for Portland, which lost despite outscoring the Warriors, 48-36, on 3-pointers.

The Trail Blazers led 69-65 at halftime, then for the �irst time in the last three games were able to build upon it in the third quarter.

With McCollum scoring 11 points and Lillard nine, Portland went up by as many as 17 points late in the period at 95-78 on a jumper by Leonard.

That hoop capped a 10-0 run.

But the Warriors chipped away, �irst by scoring the last nine points of the third quarter to close within 95-87, and then drawing even at 104-all on a layup by Curry with 4:34 to play.

The game was tied at 106 and 111 before the teams went the �inal 1:48 without scoring.

Each team had a late shot at a regulation win, but Curry traveled before nailing a 3-pointer with 10.7 seconds left, and Lillard couldn’t convert a drive in traf�ic in the �inal second.

The Trail Blazers, who had double-digit leads at halftime in both Game 2 and Game 3, got the better of the �irst 24 minutes again, with Leonard contributing 25 points to a four-point lead.

The 25 points by Leonard already were more than he’d ever scored in a complete game, regular season or postseason. He previous career high was 24 at Oklahoma City in 2015.

The Warriors trailed by as many as 12 in the opening half but kept within arm’s length thanks to Curry, who matched Leonard’s 25 points before the break.

“Nabanggit ko iyon noong campaign na kung kinakailangang ire-�ile iyong emergency powers, gagawin po natin 'yan (I mentioned during the campaign that if there is a need to re�ile an emergency powers measure, I’ll do that),” he said in an interview over Radyo Pilipinas on Friday.

Tolentino likewise stated that he will push for the strengthening of the mandate of the MMDA in addressing Metro Manila traf�ic.

The Traf�ic Crisis Act, which is pending before Congress, will designate the Transportation Secre-

tary as Traf�ic Chief who shall have power of control and supervision over land transportation agencies, including the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority, the proposed Metropolitan Cebu Traf�ic Coordinating Council and the proposed Davao traf�ic administrator.

The Traf�ic Chief shall have the power to harmonize and enforce all traf�ic rules and regulations to implement a uni�ied traf�ic system throughout each of the metropolitan areas and implement programs that will have signi�icant impact on addressing the traf�ic crisis. (PNA)

and global events.

Meanwhile, Rivero and Pontejos have been included in the list of Players to Watch in the tournament.

Rivero, who is set to play for University of the Philippines in the upcom-

ing UAAP season, was tabbed as "a star in the making on-and-off the court."

Pontejos, meanwhile, was dubbed as one of the best shooters in the Philippines.

WARRIORS... FROM 11

DOTR... FROM 4

RIVERO... FROM 12

game changer for this group.

Meanwhile, 14% of female game enthusiasts are Popcorn Gamers, meaning they play a little but enjoy watching gaming content far more.

This persona, therefore, might be easier reached through mediums like Twitch and YouTube than with in-game advertising.

New Gender Patterns Will Emerge in the Coming Years One of the bene�its of Newzoo’s Gamer Segmentation is that we can use our annual Consumer Insights Research to track the growth or decline of different personas over time. This allows us to highlight, analyze, and pro�ile the fastest-growing personas that brands should

be paying attention to.

Filtering female game enthusiasts by age already reveals some interesting results.

Women who are Ultimate Gamers are most likely to be between the ages of 26 and 30 (19%), whereas Conventional Players and Time Fillers are most likely to be aged 36-40 and 51-65, respectively. Whether the younger adults will continue their more serious gaming habits as they move into older age brackets is a very interesting question. Will the over-indexing of female Time Fillers decrease as this group gets older? Of course, we will be continuously monitoring the situation over the coming months and years—as always. (Newzoo.com)

is frictionless, symbiotic, equitable, and boldly ef�icient,” she explained.

Kickstart was launched in 2012 to support the Philippine startup ecosystem and has so far made 39 investments in digital companies, supporting 83 founders across the Philippines, Indonesia, Singapore, Malaysia, United States, Canada, and Israel. ACTIVE Fund will be its third and largest fund to-date.

Kickstart investments include Toronto-based startup Wattpad, recently in the news for having inked signi�icant content deals with Sony Pictures Television, Singapore’s Mediacorp, and the Philippines’ Anvil Publishing; Indonesia’s C88, which announced a $28M Series C round last year; and the Philippines’ Coins. ph, which was recently acquired by Indonesia’s Go-Jek. On the other hand, Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu re�lects on how venture capital has become a vital part of Globe Telecom’s future. “Globe is animating its digital transformation via a corporate culture that is more entrepreneurial, more customer focused, and executing with speed and precision.

We are engineering Globe to be more than a telco; it is now a platform upon which our business partners can grow, and individual consumers can depend on to provide access to the best digital lifestyle options. Corporate venture capital through Kickstart Ventures has been an important part of bringing more startup partnerships to Globe. We’re excited to work with Ayala Corporation to support the Group-wide digital transformation,” he said.

Earlier, AC announced the creation of ACTIVE Fund which leverages the breadth of the Ayala conglomerate - Ayala Corporation and af�iliates Globe Telecom, BPI, Ayala Land, AC Industrials, Manila

Water, AC Energy, and AC Infrastructure, which are also leaders in their respective �ields.

“We offer more �irepower, greater access, and the potential for partnerships across multiple industries through this one fund. It is simpler for potential investees to navigate, and more collaborative for ourselves to operate,” said Ayala Corporation CFO Jose Teodoro Limcaoco.

Ayala Corporation Chairman Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala indicated the role he wants AC to play with the new business landscape, “The Group continues to thrive and grow, and our business units are serving the needs of more Filipinos than ever before. At the same time, we are well aware that new technologies and business models are disrupting established industries globally: the pace of innovation is astounding. We are determined that Ayala Corporation will play a role in the transformation of industries – not as a bystander, but as an innovation catalyst.”

The fund also builds on the optimism around the Philippines and Southeast Asia: a recent report co-authored by Google and Temasek predicts that the SEA region’s digital economy will triple to reach $240 billion by 2025; and the International Monetary Fund’s World Economic Outlook predicts that Philippine GDP per capita will breach US$4,000 for the �irst time in 2022, improving discretionary spend at both corporate and consumer levels, and opening opportunities for further investments in infrastructure, services, and products.

In view of global, regional, and national trends, Ayala is being well-positioned with digital capabilities across all its businesses as the Philippines and Southeast Asia economies grow.

KICKSTART... FROM 5

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

11

Pirates repeat as UFBC champs

By ADAM B. MORRELL

U Portland Trail Blazers guard CJ McCollum (3) drives to the basket against Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry (30) in Game 4 of the Western Conference finals of the 2019 NBA Playoffs at Moda Center. Reuters

Warriors advance to 5th straight NBA Finals

S

tephen Curry and Draymond Green capped triple-double performances by combining on the game-clinching hoop in overtime Monday night as the Golden State Warriors completed a sweep of the host Portland Trail Blazers in the Western Conference �inals with a 119-117 victory.

The win vaults the Warriors into their �ifth consecutive NBA Finals.

They will await the Eastern Conference winner between Milwaukee and Toronto, with either the Bucks or Raptors holding

the home-court advantage in the best-of-seven series.

Golden State, the twotime defending champion, joins the Boston Celtics (1957-66) as the only teams ever to reach �ive consecutive NBA Finals.

Playing without Andre Iguodala, Kevin Durant and DeMarcus Cousins, the Warriors led just 116115 before Curry spotted Green open for a 3-pointer that pushed the Golden State lead to four with just 39.6 seconds remaining in OT. Damian Lillard got Portland with 119-117

with 32.8 seconds left with a driving hoop, and the Trail Blazers got the ball back after Curry missed at the other end.

However, Lillard had a shot blocked by Klay Thompson, and after Portland got the ball out of bounds with 2.5 seconds left, Lillard mis�ired on a desperation 3-pointer, ending the Trail Blazers’ season.

Curry �inished with 37 points, 13 rebounds and 11 assists. Green chipped in with 18 points, 14 rebounds and 11 assists for the Warriors, who won

their sixth straight game overall and their 10th straight playoff game against Portland.

The triple-doubles were the �irst by teammates in NBA postseason history. Green’s was his fourth of this postseason, while Curry’s was his �irst.

Thompson had 17 points, and Alfonzo McKinnie and Kevon Looney contributed 12 apiece for the Warriors, who won their 11th straight playoff series.

Meyers Leonard poured in a career-best

ndermanned defending champion Caltex-powered GJaps Pirates retained the Uraya Fortys Ballers Club (UFBC) season 2 championship on Sunday after hacking out an 87-78 win over Sanmig Light in the �inals held at the Elenita Heights court in Barangay Catalunan Grande.

Noel Papelera, Japs Sabio and Francis Garcia combined for 62 points to seal back-toback championship wins in the hoopfest devoted for ballers 40 years old and above.

Papelera �inished with a game high 24 points and romp away with the �inals MVP award.

Sabio, however, unloaded 20 points including six beyond the arc bombs while Garcia was on the helping end

with 18.

"Ful�illing kaayo para sa amoa kay kulang kaayo mi sa tao," team captain Sabio said, who was named the season MVP averaging 20 points per game.

Sabio shared that it was the teamwork that ushered them for another title conquest.

Completing the lean but mean Pirates are Niño Silveron, Jeffrox Senon, Rudy Coquilla, Raul Constatino, Jeffrey Bucol, and aJonathan Billin.

The competition's Mythcal Five includes Jucas Tejada, Geoffrey Ayunan, Ronnie Millomeda, Japs Sabio, and Francis garcia.

The most improve player award went to Ram Pombo, while Bebot Cordova was hailed as the most defensive player of the season.

Back-to-back Uraya Fortys Ballers Club (UFBC) champions GJaps Pirates celebrate another title.

WARRIORS, P10

FITNESS BUFFS. More Dabawenyos are discovering the advantages of health and fitness with advanced training and gym equipment at the Arcadia Fitness Gym inside the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center at Escandor Street, Quimpo Boulevard, Davao City.

Arcadia is currently offering student summer promo rates at P4,000 for 2 months and Buddy Thursday which is a "invite one (1) non-gym member every Thursday" for free.

EDGEDAVAO

12 SPORTS

VOL.12 ISSUE 52 • WEDNESDAY, MAY 22, 2019

SEE DEE OH! Corpus Cristi topple PCT for Allianz futsal title C

The Allianz Explorer Camp Football Edition Team Pinas Selection for Mindanao recently concluded with Ralf Andre Ebuña of Corpus Cristi FC earning the right to join the Camp in Munich, Germany and Fred Angelo Dela Peña of Dipolog FC joining the Singapore leg in July.

orpus Christi School of Cagayan de Oro City scored a convincing 4-1 victory over PCT Alligators of Davao City to claim the premier Boys 16 division of the Allianz National Invitational Futsal Mindanao championship over the weekend at the Davao National High School Futsal court.

The Corpus Christians won the title with a convincing 4-1 victory over the Alligators in the championship match led by MVP Josh Go and CDO’s top young footballers, Mj Hojas, Geo Tacandong, Emilio Rubio, Mhel Tado Xavier Estrella, Jesse Bajarla, Andre Ebuña and reinforced by two Rosevale School players Dale Anoya and John Gementiza.

The lads of father and son coaching tandem of Wilbert and Marc Racines were undefeated from the elim-

ination en route to the championship. They won over Lianga, 6-1, and Crocs Davao, 2-0, in the elimination round and then whipped Holy Cross of Camp Philips, Bukidnon, 3-1, in the semis to advance to the �inal.

The great applause of the night went to the son of football supporters Regner and Mercy, Josh Go. The former National U16 team player was key in all their matches, winning the MVP award.

However, a greater applause was reserved for goalkeeper Andre Ebuña, son of another football fanatic Pinky Ebuña, who was named to represent the Philippines in the 2019 Allianz Explorer Camp in Munich, Germany.

He was selected by select members of the Philippine Football Federation (PFF), coaches, organizers and sponsor Allianz PNB Insurance Inc. (PNA)

The Philippine men’s 3x3 squad tat will compete in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup, which runs from May 22-26 in Changsha, China.

Rivero anchors PH 3x3 squad

V

eteran campaigner Ricci Rivero will lead the way for the Philippines when it competes in the FIBA 3x3 Asia Cup, which runs from May 22-26 in Changsha, China.

Rivero, who has represented the Philippines in several 3x3 tournaments, will team up with high school stars RJ Abarrientos and Rhayyan Amsali, and Far Eastern University big man Barkley Ebona.

The Philippines will have to go through a qualifying draw, where they will play Qatar, Iran, Samoa, and Thailand in order to advance to pool play.

Coaching the team is Ronnie Magsanoc.

Meanwhile, the women's team will be represented by Jack Animam, Afril Bernardino, Clare

Castro, and Janine Pontejos.

The Filipinas will also have to go through a qualifying draw, where they play Chinese-Taipei, Vanuatu, and Samoa. Pat Aquino will call the shots for the team.

"We are making a strong push to make our Gilas Pilipinas 3x3 men’s and women’s teams compete at a high level and garner as many points as possible for the federation," Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Al Panlilio said in a statement.

After the success of the Gilas Pilipinas men's team and the Gilas Pilipinas youth, Panlilio stressed the importance of having all Gilas Pilipinas programs – including the 3x3 teams – reach great heights in regional

RIVERO, P10