AID

from page 4 to go back to drivin’ a truck.” Elvis, of course, ignored this “professional” opinion, and went on to become the King of Rock n’ Roll.

Long before George MacArthur became a famous general in three major wars, he was rejected two times by the Westpoint military academy! But he kept trying and was finally accepted; and after graduating he marched into the history books as one of the greatest army generals ever.

Every human being fails many times! But the ones who become successful do not allow their failures to stop them from eventually reaching their potential and living their lives to the fullest. If you will ask Jesus, the One Who gave you your abilities and potential, He will help you with His power to become all He created you to be. He will even use your past mistakes to strengthen and teach you how to live His right, successful way every day, for the rest of your life. Just think a minute. Life...

from page 4 NPA many of whom were relatives of the victims. The phenomenal uprising was dubbed “Alsa Masa”. That night only the staccato of gunfires and eerie howling of the wounded and the dying could be heard. By daylight, the urban center of Davao City was cleared of NPAs. The height of the atrocities happened between 1984-to 1985.

Prior to the gruesome event, there were already perceptible resentments against the high-handedness of the NPAs. Both Tan-gatue and Calida had sensed this. The Metrodiscom head had secretly recruited valuable assets in Agdao and other NPA lairs. Intelligence network was also established by Tan-gatue. Finding DDS to be an effective psychological weapon, he added two more: “Christian Soldiers for Democracy” and “Contra Force”. Pala is the only person behind the three phantom forces. Contrary to published claims of Sen. Leila de Lima and the oft-repeated fake news of Rappler, Duterte never had anything to do with DDS as he was just an Asst. City Fiscal during that time when the Reds was practically in control of Davao City. Furthermore, DDS has no warm bodies except for Pala behind a microphone.

With the NPAs gone, drug and kidnap-for-ransom syndicates started operating in Davao City. Extremists' adventurism did not spare the City. They took advantage of divisive and weak leadership following the expulsion in 1986 of elected officials during the revolutionary government of Corazon Aquino. Zafiro Respicio and Rodrigo Duterte were appointed Mayor and Vice Mayor respectively. The two however were of different principles. Corruption, in an unheard-of magnitude, was the order of the day. When finally Aquino called for a regular election in 1988, Duterte ran against Respicio and decisively won. The third candidate was Jun Pala who was at the apex of his popularity. Respicio, the anointed candidate of Cory, demanded a recount, but in the process lost even to Pala.

From then on Duterte waged an unrelenting war against all forms of criminality that beset the City and all the shenanigans in the local government bureaucracy. Davao City, once called the Killing Fields of the CPP/ NPA became the land of peace and prosperity. Since then the grateful populace elected Duterte as Mayor for a total of 23 years and practically unopposed.

In time Davao City was acclaimed as the most livable place, child friendly most competitive, and most peaceful. The national and international rating agencies said so. With the menace gone, vanquished during the no-nonsense term of Duterte, and continued later by his daughter, Inday Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio, the population of the city nearly doubled. This made Boy Abunda, ABS-CBN ‘King of Talk Show’ asked the question: “Bakit pag pumunta ka sa Davao you feel safe, you feel secured....”. Still another feather in the cap for Mayor Inday Sara in particular is the 9% growth of the city’s economy. Truly Life is Here!

The healthy business climate in Davao City has drawn new investors from all over. It has become a veritable hub of call centers, home to over a dozen sprawling super-malls, its landscapes metamorphosed from what was once a laidback city of rusting rooftops to hotels and condominiums buildings racing for the skies. The second biggest volume of banana exports in the world is shipped from its ports. Mayor Inday Sara organized a Regional Political Organizations, Hugpong Ng Pagbabago (HnP), primarily to strengthen the bargaining power of the Davao region with the legislative and executive departments. HnP had since then linked up with other regional political organizations and had since then proven to be a potent force.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte is also behind the creation of the Davao Metropolitan Development Authority which was sponsored by Deputy Speaker Isidro T. Ungab in the lower house. The bill had recently passed the 3rd reading. The bill is now in the Senate and will be co-sponsored by Davao Senators Christopher “Bong” Go and Bato dela Rosa. The proposed DMDA incorporates some vital data from the plan conceptualized by Arch. Jun Palafox.

In the meantime, The high priority bus system project, also started by the lady Mayor is set to go full swing this November although I have some reservations on this target on account of the Covid -19 pandemic. However with the vaccination drive in the City now in full swing with the vaccine supplies now coming in steadily it is not farfetched that herd immunity will be achieved before the year ends. If this happens a lot of other projects in the pipeline and in the various stages of implementation will be accelerated. For now, nothing is stopping the city from constructing its bayside boulevard, laying underground the power and communications cables, constructing of another bypass highway, and concreting of barangay roads.

So don’t be surprised if the elusive Davao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte cannot be reached to get her reaction on her top ratings in the Presidential surveys and the mushrooming of “RUN INDAY SARA RUN” banners, posters, and caravans. The iron lady from the South is simply busy but the last time I heard, she said something like “ I will be obliged where destiny leads me”. Joys... from page 4

My former AIM classmate, General Manuel Mariano, suggested that “From Leyte to Bessang Pass” be adopted as recommended supplementary reading in the Philippine Military Academy and the Philippine National Police Academy.

Former Press Secretary Tomas “Buddy” Gomez III described the book as “a must read”. “Gripping,” said writer Belinda Olivarez-Cunanan.

For others, the book evoked fond memories of their own fathers who served gallantly during the war. Dr. Bert Fenix, former roommate at the Ateneo Bellarmine Hall in the 60’s, told me about the gallant father he never

Kagay-an Festival 1st Oro Lechoneros Encuentro Champion for Orders, Contact Yoyong:

met – Major Alberto Obra Fenix, Sr. The elder Fenix was posthumously awarded the Bronze Cross for gallantry in action in Bataan. Conrado “Sluggo” Rigor Jr. reminisced about his father, Colonel Conrado B. Rigor Sr., who led three all Filipino battalions of the 121st infantry, USAFIPNL, in significant battles in Bessang Pass.

My Hawaii-based brother, Yong, recalled the narration of Major Galang of the US Army who arrived in the Philippines before the return of MacArthur in October 1944. My father, who was then Superintendent of the New Bilibid Prison, “hired” Galang as a prison guard. Using one of the towers at the NBP, Galang transmitted intelligence information to the allies.

Former Foreign Affairs Secretary Delia Albert recalled how she, while Ambassador to Australia, personally awarded 3,800 of the 5,000 Australians who participated in the liberation campaign.

My very first book – Central Banking for Every Juan and Maria – came out in 2012. I was then serving as a member of the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. I wrote the book as my own personal contribution to BSP’s advocacy – financial inclusion through financial literacy and education. I explained to the layman how actions and policies of the Bangko Sentral can affect their everyday lives. Former Monetary Board Member Vince Valdepeñas described the book: “Very colorful, informative and readable. This is truly central banking at grassroots. Every educated Filipino should read your book.” The reception to the book came to me as a pleasant surprise. The first print of the book sold out just two months after launch.

Note: You may wish to share the foregoing article via Facebook, Twitter or Linked-In. Colleges... from page 2 academic institutions have shown interest to become vaccination centers in their localities, one of which is the Liceo de Cagayan University here.

De Vera earlier said one advantage for colleges and universities offering their facilities and campuses as vaccination sites is the priority given to their faculty, staff, and students to be prioritized for inoculations.

This way, he said administrators of these institutions can slowly continue with limited faceto-face instructions. (PNA) Aid...

from page 1 worth of indemnification next month for the first batch of barangays hit by ASF in the city.

Earlier, CVO and DA10 signed a pledge of commitment with village officials here to strengthen the biosecurity and quarantine measures in hog farms as part of the recovery plan to revive the badly-hit hog industry.

Under the partnership, barangays will designate Barangay Biosecurity Officers (BBOs), implement the "hog transport pass" for vehicles carrying animals and animal by-products for easier traceability, as well as guidelines for the repopulation of hogs of previously ASF affected barangays.

Acac underscored the role of every barangay to help the government stop the ASF outbreak in the city. "Hopefully, we can move forward and start the recovery plan of the ASF-affected hog raisers as we shift and look for other alternative livelihood opportunities for the continuity of their income," Acac said. (PNA)

“Let us not panic; instead let us be prepared as much as possible for the worst situation so that we are always prepared," Olaivar said.

She also said panic should no longer be the public's attitude because it has been more than a year already since the pandemic. "Whatever the classification would be, it is just a guideline for us to observe to curb the spread of the virus."

Meanwhile, Mayor Oscar Moreno said in a radio program Friday night that he had yet to receive a response from the national government on his request to elevate the quarantine status of the city.

Moreno earlier wrote the national IATF to upgrade the city's Modified GCQ to GCQ, although he did not rule out that the national IATF would give a higher quarantine status following the surge of Covid-19 cases here.

“We are not the one to decide; the IATF will be the one to decide,” he said. (PNA)

Warned...

from page 2 enhanced community quarantine (MECQ) starting June 1 to June 30.

The other Mindanao areas mentioned in the fake document were Lanao del Sur, and Iligan City, which purportedly remain under General Community Quarantine (GCQ).

In the purported IATF resolution, "PRO-10" was written next to "Cagayan de Oro," and at the bottom right of the document bears police insignias.

Olaivar noted that the supposed "Resolution No. 117-A" is non-existent on the official IATF website. Recovery... from page 3 other industries, especially as our country rides the wave of digital transformation. This digital transformation will fundamentally change the way we live, work, and do business,” he said.

Meanwhile, Lachica said SEIPI is implementing programs to further support the growth of industry and also adapt to the new normal.

Lachica said through the Product and Technology Holistic Strategy (PATHS), this has identified the niche products and technologies with the highest prospects for growth where the Philippines’ electronics industry can compete.

The industry group is also active in participating in DTI’s Inclusive Innovation Industrial Strategy, embracing Industry 4.0 strategies to make the industry become more competitive, he added.

SEIPI has also partnered with Philippine Business for Education in establishing Sector Skill Councils that aim to address the mismatch of jobs and skills in the industry. (PNA)

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IDC Extends its Help to the Community in Bulacan

THE coronavirus pandemic is leaving millions of people sick, unemployed, and struggling to make ends meet. Thankfully, there are many things we can do to help make a difference in our community. From volunteering to supporting local establishments, there are a variety of opportunities to help those in need during this difficult time.

Italpinas Development Corporation’s (IDC) premier green property builder has recently conducted a simple community pantry for the families of Meycauayan, Bulacan.

“As members of our community, it is our responsibility to take initiative in providing assistance to communities that are in need. We need to take action now” said Ms. Mary Ann Lopez, IDC VP for Finance and Administration.

True to its company mission, IDC had been conducting monthly CSR activities in various localities in Cagayan de Oro and Sto. Tomas Batangas. IDC values its roots of being a true local of the city in ways of helping the community as much as it can. And serve as inspiration to other investors in the community to reach out and give a helping hand to those in need.

IDC conducts CSRs on a monthly basis, as it is also the company’s way of sharing and giving back to the community. “We believe in bringing smiles regularly through our CSR programs.

Through these activities, we devote ourselves to reaching out and giving people even the simplest reasons to smile,” she added.