Edge Davao Volume 13 Issue 230 | Thursday, January 14, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

ARE VACCINES REALLY NECESSARY? HEALTH P9

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It’s okay if I am not invited: Sara STORY ON PAGE 2

An elderly vendor displays raw corn at a roadside makeshift stall along San Pedro Extension in Davao City on Wednesday. The elderly vendor said that she hopes and prays the Covid-19 pandemic will end soon as it greatly affecting her livelihood. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

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Gov't to sign deal with AstraZeneca for 20M doses of COVID-19 vaccine

It’s okay if I am not invited: Sara

he Philippine government will sign a deal with British pharmaceutical firm Astrazeneca for 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine on January 14, vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr. said Wednesday "After the signing, mag-

kakaroon ng tripartite supply agreement na pipirmahan ng national government, LGU (local government units), at vaccine maker. Ang responsibility ng LGU ay to administer the vaccines," Galvez said during the Laging Handa

briefing. "Iyong supply chain requirement, syringe, lata ng consumables, integrated po ang efforts ng LGUs, national government, at private sector. Kung ang isang LGU po ay 30% lang ang mabibi-

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said she is not affected even though she didn’t receive notice for the meeting with the some city mayors initiated by the national executives in charge of the country’s vaccination program. Mayor Sara said it won’t affect city government of Davao’s deal with AstraZeneca in purchasing 1.2 million doses of vaccine. The city mayors were invited to a meeting with national officials through online on January 12, 2021 to discuss the procurement of vaccines as several local government units (LGUs), mostly cities and some provinces, have already signed contracts with pharmaceutical firm AstraZeneca. “Wala ko nahatagan ug notice sa meeting. Pero okay ra,” she said in a text message. Mayor Sara has recently signed contracts with vaccine manufacturer AstraZeneca based on the authority given her by the 19th Davao City Council. AstraZeneca will publicly announce or create avenues to present the agreements it made with the city government of Davao.

Meanwhile, instead of face-to-face registration, Mayor Sara disclosed that the city government of Davao can do online registration for Dabawenyos interested to have Covid-19 vaccine shots to avoid transmission. “Kayahon nato na online for those na okay sa ilaha magpabakuna. Dili nata mag face-to-face kay gamay ra kaayo ni nga butang kaning para mag-register sa bakuna ug dako ang risk kung mag faceto-face ta mao pa ni ang hinungdan ngano magtakdanay ang mga tao but online we can absolutely do that, kanang magpa-signup kung kinsa interesado para kabalo ta pila atong i-expect na kinahanglan,” the mayor said. This is part of the city’s plans for Covid-19 immunization program. The city is targeting to immunize 1.2 million Dabawenyos to achieve the

herd of immunity in Davao City as recommended by experts. The city’s immunization program aims to augment the national government’s program. “Interesado pud ko makahibalo kung pila ang ihatag sa atoa sa national government aron kita pud makaplano ta ug eksakto sa atoang kinahanglan nga pun-an nga balanse. Unfortunately, wala pa ingon ana nga numbers ang atoang national government karon tingali naghulat pa sila sa actual nga delivery sa bakuna. Dili pa man gud mu-commit karon ang mga kompanya kung pila gyud ang ilahang ma-deliver basta sulti nila they will deliver in tranches,” she said. On the other hand, the Task Force Covid-19 Davao City has recommended a massive information dissemination campaign on the vaccine to allay the fears of Dabawenyos. “Isa pud na sa gi-discuss namo sa Task Force Covid-19 of the city government of Davao, ang vaccine education. Duna ta’y ginaandam na ingon ana ang murag forum explaining kung unsa ni, asking them (Dabawenyos) kung duna sila’y pangutana,” she said.

Vaccine czar Carlito Galvez, Jr announces that the Philippine government will sign a deal with British pharmaceutical firm Astrazeneca for 20 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Edge Davao

GenSan starts negotiations with vaccine suppliers

he city government has started negotiations with possible suppliers of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccines in preparation for the rollout of its own vaccination program. City Mayor Ronnel Rivera said Tuesday the talks are being facilitated by the League of Cities of the Philippines (LCP), which has taken the lead in assisting cities in the acquisition of the vaccines. He said the local government is currently studying several COVID-19 vaccine brands, especially in terms of availability, effectiveness and the logistical aspect. “We are still in the preparation stage. Based on our initial discussions with some manufacturers, they are

looking at the second quarter for the vaccines to become available,” he said in an interview over local television show “Morning Hataw.” The mayor said among the main considerations in the vaccine selection process is the cold storage requirement, especially for the Pfizer shot that is reportedly set at -70 degrees Celsius and might be difficult for the city to comply. He said LCP has considered the potentials of the AstraZeneca vaccine as its storage requirement is only eight degrees Celcius as well as Sinovac, which reportedly appears easier to handle and transport. Rivera, the national vice chairman of the LCP, said they will have another virtual general assembly on Tuesday

afternoon to further discuss the vaccine acquisition initiatives. The city government, as approved by the City Inter-Agency Task Force (CIATF) for the Management of Emerging and Re-merging Infectious Diseases, has allotted an initial P200 million for the purchase of the COVID-19 vaccines and the implementation of its vaccination program. The mayor said the funds would be drawn from the city’s Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Fund and standby trust fund. Once the local government is ready to make the purchase, he said his office will seek authority from the city council to sign a tripartite agreement with the Department of Health and the vaccine manu-

facturer. Rivera said the CIATF, through the City Health Office, has already completed the vaccination plan for COVID-19 and its rollout. He said they activated three committees to spearhead the procurement process, operations and logistics. For the vaccine rollout, he said the local government will prioritize the frontline workers, especially the health and security personnel, and will be followed by the senior citizens, persons with disabilities and other vulnerable sectors. “We will make sure that the vaccines that we will purchase are effective and will not pose any health and other related problems,” he said. (MindaNews)

Mati City's price control joint monitoring team convenes

he Joint Monitoring Team for Price Control of the City of Mati spearheaded by Engr. Rosendo B. Linsag convened on January 12 at TIIDP Office to discuss the price increase of some basic necessities and prime commodities in the city. The team discussed reasons of the said increase in prices. As reported by Ms. Eleanor Sambas, City Agriculturist, based on the CAO’s monitoring of agricultural commodities, bulk of harvest for Mati growers was on September and October of 2020. Hence, by December up to now there is low supply within Mati. Adding to it is the logistics costs from out-of-town supplier to retail, thus, the price increase. We are also experiencing the northeast monsoon or the “Amihan” season which affects fish catch. African Swine Fe-

ver (ASF) on the other hand have caused swine inventory to decline and the price of live hog also rose. In direct effect to that, there was a shift in consumption from pork to chicken meat thus the increase in demand which was not met by the city’s supply and eventually resulted to a price hike. That being the current situation of our community and though the increase was within the suggested parameters of Department of Agriculture’s “Bantay Presyo”, the JMTPC will do visitations on “lapagan” and public markets to further conduct price monitoring and find ways to identify and effectively combat manipulation of prices and to help in tracking the supply chain and tracing the possible violators of Price Act (RA 7581).

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A cyclist rides his bicycle without holding on to the handlebar on his way home along Quimpo Blvd. in Davao City on Wednesday. Edge Davao

assures Mindanao Hog processors are first customers DoTr train project still on track of Anflo’s cold storage facility A By MAYA M. PADILLO

he first phase of the cold storage facility located in the Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE) is nearing completion with hog processors as its first customers.

Expected to be operational by February or March this year, the cold storage facility is a 1,000 square meters complex and is good for about 800 pallets. “No target number of processors. This is open to all. First customers will include hog processors,” said Ricardo “Cary” Lag-

dameo, first vice-president for Damosa Land Inc. (DLI). The said facility is expected to boost the estate’s goal of being Davao Region’s premier agro- industrial hub. The 63-hectare AIE is situated in Panabo City. It is positioned and designed to further develop the vast

potential of the agro-industry of the Davao Region and Mindanao by providing a ready market for the region’s agri-produce and efficiently exported to the rest of the world. AIE is one of the prime spots in the company’s portfolio. In 2020, four new locators began operations in the estate. AIE has also increased its manpower from the start of 2020 with about 300 people in the park to about 500 people to date. AIE’s local and interna-

tional locators include Del Monte Fresh Produce Philippines, Phildutch Polymer, Inc., Davao Packaging Corp., Davao Zhenzhi Plastics Corp., CAMECO Realty Development, PMR Pallet Ltd. Co., Fermon Corp., Lane Holdings, Inc., and Packwell, Inc.-all represented by five nations: Philippines, Japan, China, the Netherlands, and the United States. The estate is registered with the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA).

throat. Now this is less invasive, more convenient),” Gordon said as he led the event at the PRC Logistics and Multi-Purpose Center in Mandaluyong City. PRC said it has partnered with 15 DOH hospitals in Metro Manila for the pilot saliva testing that will be done on some 1,000 healthcare workers in the country. In an earlier statement, Gordon said they decided to conduct the pilot test on healthcare workers since they are the most exposed to the virus. He said only one milliliter of saliva is needed for the test. The subject will be provided with a small reposito-

ry and a straw that will be used by the subject to collect his saliva. “In three hours it should be over, gawin na nating five hours (let’s make it five hours). The cost is much less, its PHP2,000,” Gordon said when asked about the turnaround time of the test. He said if the volume of people who will avail of the saliva test increases, the PRC can still lower the price. The RT-PCR saliva test, Gordon said, is already being used in other countries like the United States and Japan. “Walang invasion ng katawan, mas mura, mas mabilis at hindi na kailangan ng PPE. Pwede kayong pun-

tahan sa bahay, good for the senior citizens, para sa natatakot lumabas, children (It’s not invasive, it’s less expensive, faster, and PPE is not needed. It can be done at your home. It’s good for senior citizens, those who do not want to go out, children),” Gordon said. He said he hopes that with the saliva test, more tests will be done every day. “Kapag ito ay pumasa, mas maraming kababayan na natin ang magkakaroon ng kakayahan na makapagpatest upang sila ay ligtas na makabalik sa trabaho (If this test approved, many will be able to afford and undergo the test so they can go back safely to work),” Gordon said. (PNA)

PH Red Cross holds pilot saliva Covid-19 testing

he Philippine Red Cross (PRC) on Tuesday launched its saliva RT-PCR pilot testing for Covid-19 in compliance with the requirements of the Department of Health (DOH). PRC chairman Senator Richard Gordon said if given the green light, the new testing method can be a game-changer in Covid-19 testing. “It’s a game-changer. Dati hirap na hirap tayo pag tayo ay nagpapa-swab. Susundutin yung ilong, yung throat natin. Ngayon this is less invasive, napaka convenient (Before it is very difficult to undergo swab test, they will collect a sample from our nose and

n official of the Department of Transportation (DoTr) affirmed that the field activities in the operation for the construction of the first phase of Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) is still on track. Eymard Eje, assistant secretary for Project Implementation-Mindanao Cluster of DoTr, disclosed that there are no bidders yet for the Design and Build Contractor for the Mindanao train project as China has not yet submitted the shortlist of bidders. “None yet, China has not yet submitted the shortlist of bidders. The field activities in the operation for the actual construction are on track. Somehow, the target for partial operability is still within the term of President Rodrigo Duterte,” Eje said through Viber. DoTr already has the shortlist of the project management consultants while the shortlist for the designand-build contractor is still being finalized by the Chinese government, which will provide the Official

Development Assistance (ODA) for the first phase, which is the Tagum-DavaoDigos (TDD) segment. The TDD segment, which will run between Tagum City in Davao del Norte and Digos City in Davao del Sur passing through Davao City, is estimated to cost about P35 billion and will be partly funded by Official Assistance from China. The project has eight stations with three in Davao del Norte, three in Davao City, and two in Davao del Sur. A 10-hectare depot will be built in Tagum. In September last year, MRP Project Manager Clipton Solamo affirmed in a text message that construction of the TDD segment is scheduled to start in March this year. The railway is among the first priority projects listed under the Build, Build, Build program of the Duterte administration. It has an estimated cost of P82.9 billion for the 102-kilometer first segment. By Maya M. Padillo

ed modules to Dr. Eufemia Gamutin, schools division superintendent of the Department of Education in the province. “The Governor (Governor Uy) really has a big heart for the education of our children,” Secuya emphasized.

15K pupils to benefit from prov. gov’t of DDO printed modules ome 15,778 kindergarten pupils will benefit from the 111,897 modules printed by the provincial government of Davao de Oro. Board Member Vevincia Secuya, representing Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy, turned over on Monday the print-

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Rudy Muyco, Lake Sebu’s lake warden, during a fish kill in 2013. MindaNews file photo by BONG S. SARMIENTO

Lake Sebu fish kill destroys P20 million worth of tilapia C

Cebu Landmasters to launch 15 projects worth P17B this year

he latest fish kill in Lake Sebu, South Cotabato destroyed tilapia worth at least P20 million, officials confirmed Tuesday. Lake Sebu Mayor Floro Gandam said that 200,000 kilograms of tilapia in 1,000 fish cages were damaged by the fish kill in the 354-hectare Lake Sebu, where the town got its name. Gandam added the

affected fish cages belong to at least 250 operators and that they will receive assistance from the local government to help them recover their losses. The fish kill was caused by a phenomenon called “kemohung” or

“kamahong,” which is characterized by sudden changes in the lake’s temperature. Often occurring during the wet season, kamahong triggers the rise of sulfuric acid that eventually lowers the dissolved oxygen in the lake’s waters. Since Friday, January 8, the fish kill worsened, triggering the emergency harvest of tilapia that flooded the wet markets

in the different parts of Soccsksargen. Due to the fish kill, which was observed in the lake since late last year, farm gate prices of tilapia in the town went down to an average of P100 per kilogram and sold in the commercial markets from P130 to P150 per kg. Gandam convened an emergency meeting on Monday attended by the

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ebu Landmasters Inc (CLI) said Tuesday it plans to launch 15 projects worth P17 billion this year to further push growth after the "many challenges" due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The projects will generate 8,000 housing units and will be located in key areas in Visayas and Mindanao. “We will launch the projects as soon as external factors allow and hope to further contribute to the shared goal of economic recovery,” said

Franco Soberano, CLI executive vice-president and chief operating officer. In 2020, CLI launched nine projects worth P11.4 billion, with a total of 4,300 homes. It noted that it already sold 70.6 percent of the newly launched units by the end of 2020. "Despite the many challenges posed by the pandemic in 2020, our sales figures indicate strong revenue streams ahead and an upward

to Camp Crame and also He was also detailed as Pampanga and Bataan police director. The CDC BOD, executives, and staff regard Gaerlan’s appointment as a welcome development. Meanwhile, CDC OIC president Mariza Mandocdoc said she is thankful that President Rodrigo Duterte appointed a new president and CEO from the members of the CDC BOD. “Director Gaerlan is very much aware of the opportunities and challenges that Clark faces. With his inspiring leadership, CDC will be

able to accomplish much more for Clark and its stakeholders,” Mandocdoc said in an interview. Gaerlan will take his oath of office as CDC president and CEO on Thursday, Jan. 14, during a special organizational meeting of the CDC BOD. Gaerlan graduated from the Philippine Military Academy in 1985. He was recognized as one of the three Most Awarded Cadets of the academy since 1905, receiving 13 awards during graduation, including the Presidential and Prime Minister Saber for being No. 1 among 211 cadets. (PNA)

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UAE remains attractive Ex-PRO 11 chief appointed market for PH products as Clark Dev’t Corp. prexy

he United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains an attractive market for Philippine produce and goods as food exports to the Middle East country remained steady in 2020 amid the pandemic, the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) in Dubai said. In a statement Tuesday, PTIC-Dubai commercial attaché Charmaine Yalong said there is an increasing demand for Filipino food products in the UAE with the large presence of Filipinos in the country, while Filipino brands are also being put in the mainstream markets. Yalong added there

is also a rising number of Filipino restaurants in malls and city centers in UAE as more Filipino franchisors and Middle East franchisees cater to the demand for Filipino food products. “(A)side from gratifying the cravings of our kababayans for native Philippine products, the cosmopolitan tastes of locals and expatriates in the UAE are now being catered to as well. A wide range of these products are now available side-byside with other products from Asia, Europe and the United States in the shelves of supermarkets here in the UAE,” she said. From January to June

2020 alone, Yalong said Philippine food exports to the UAE sustained its growth. Processed food and beverage exports amounted to USD10.86 million, exports of pineapple and its byproducts reached USD14.02 million, fresh bananas amounted to USD12.9 million, tuna exports valued at USD3.3 million, and fresh and processed fish at USD590,000. “The continued support to Philippine exporters, through trade referrals and organization of Philippine participations in trade exhibitions and

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etired Brig. Gen. Manuel Gaerlan was appointed as the new president and chief executive officer of Clark Development Corporation (CDC). A letter addressed to the members of the CDC Board of Directors (BOD) on Tuesday said Gaerlan’s appointment was signed by Executive Secretary Salvador Medialdea on Jan. 11. Before joining the CDC Board of Directors, Gaerlan served as regional director of the Police Regional Office 11 (Davao Region) from March 31, 2016 to Aug 16, 2018. and was also assigned

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EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY 5

vaccine funds enough Mindanao to slowly recover from Covid-19 for qualified Pinoys: DOF chief economic lag, says biz leader D

prominent business leader here expressed optimism that Mindanao will slowly recover in 2021 from the economic lag it suffered last year due to the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic. Maria Lourdes Monteverde, who will again be president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII), said in a statement that Mindanawons must learn to “adapt and live” despite the threats of COVID-19 although she believes that the year 2021 will remain a challenging year, with or without the vaccines. Monteverde, president of DCCCII from 2011 to 2012, will again take helm of the business community of the city starting January 23.

She said businesses should optimize their digital presence for their operations or marketing amid the pandemic, emphasizing the need to upscale the skills of the workforce to thrive under a new normal. She encouraged the flourishing micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to register with the Department of Trade and Industry and Business Bureau. “There is really a need to reboot the economy, and the government is giving

measures – to support the business sectors especially, the MSMEs, including the manufacturing sector – such as the Bayanihan Act and the work-from-home schemes or flexible working hours,” she said. Mindanao must be ready for the great reset in both the economy and the upcoming developments, according to her. “Davao and Mindanao economies need to recover the lost ground and momentum it had pre-COVID, and we need to double up the efforts, especially since 2021 is also a pre-election year,” she said. Monteverde added that Mindanao will “reboot, recharge, recover and have the great reset, as long as we don’t lose focus on

giving importance to both the economy and the new wealth, which is our health.” For his part, Mindanao Business Council president Vicente T. Lao said the government must improve logistics infrastructures that will benefit the agricultural sector as the world becomes more concerned about food security amid pandemic. “As the world becomes more and more concerned with food security, the agricultural based economy of Mindanao will benefit from it. The government has to improve our logistics infrastructures so that goods being exported out of Mindanao will be cost effective and become globally competitive,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

epartment of Finance (DOF) Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said the close to PHP75-billion budget for coronavirus disease (Covid-19) vaccine acquisition is enough to inoculate the majority of Filipinos that are qualified for the shot. "Now, PHP75 billion pesos and I figure that a conservative cost of inoculation per individual,” he told members of the Management Association of the Philippines’ (MAP) during their 72nd inaugural meeting and induction of 2021 MAP Board of Governors Tuesday. Dominguez said part of the financing amounting to PHP62.5 billion will come from the Asian Development Bank (ADB), Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), and the World Bank (WB). At PHP1,300 per individual, around 57 million Filipinos will benefit from the funds allocated by the national

government, he added. With a population of around 110 million to date, Dominguez said those ages 18 years old and below, or about 40 percent of the population, are not qualified for the vaccine. This leaves around 70 million of the adult population for the vaccination program. Dominguez said local government units (LGUs) will provide for the remaining individuals, citing also the numbers will even be less since there are those who are not interested to have the vaccine. “So, basically we are going to be covered. And, I think, we will be able to easily vaccinate now, with the resources we have raised, to vaccinate 60 million Filipinos,” he added. Earlier, Budget and Management Secretary Wendel Avisado said PHP25 billion has been identified as a standby fund for vaccine procurement

This move, he said, will be made to ensure that authorities’ decision-making will be based on facts. Dominguez said he has discovered that some government-owned and controlled corporations (GOCCs) are not following the prescribed standards in accounting. He cited the SSS that “recognizes as income all their collections”. “They do not set aside a reserve for future liabilities,” he added. In his speech, Dominguez said fiscal prudence, amidst the huge need to finance requirements for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) programs, allowed the government to continue incurring a deficit-to-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio that is

within the median in Asia and the countries with similar credit ratings. “Despite the many populist excuses to blow up the deficit and bury future generations in debt, we chose to take the path of fiscal prudence. We did not abandon the judicious fiscal management set by President (Rodrigo) Duterte when he assumed office, which got us in our strong financial position ahead of the crisis,” he said. Dominguez said emerging deficit spending for 2020 amounts to around PHP1.36 trillion, or about 7.5 percent of projected GDP which is between -8.5 to -9.5 percent. This is lower than the programmed deficit

now lingering at around USD55 per barrel. Most of the gains came after the OPEC+ decision last week to decrease rather than increase production rates for February and March. Investors are now monitoring the developments on the upcoming coronavirus relief package, which is pledged to be in the “trillions”. US President-elect Joe Biden said he would announce a proposal on Thursday to release trillions of dollars for Americans who need more financial relief from the coronavirus pandemic. Biden said the plan would provide relief for state and local governments struggling with the pandemic, as well as new funding for people who have

lost their jobs or are unable to afford rent. However, despite vaccination efforts, the increase in the number of coronavirus cases worldwide and the tightening measures, including lockdowns and various restrictions especially in European countries, are increasing concerns that oil demand will continue to remain weak, limiting the rise in prices. According to data from Johns Hopkins University on Tuesday, the number of cases worldwide has now reached over 90.8 million. The US still tops the number of cases above 22.6 million, while cases in India now total over 10.4 million, and Brazil follows with over 8.1 million cases. (Anadolu)

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DOF chief sets PH’s contingent liabilities review this year

inance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III will look into government’s contingent liabilities this year to ensure all their decisions will be based on facts. This year, I’ve made it my project to look at all our contingent liabilities. One is PPP (public-private partnership). I’m also going to look at the contingent liabilities of SSS (Social Security System), GSIS (Government Service Insurance Sys-tem), and PhilHealth (Philippine Health Insu-rance Corporation),” he told members of the Management Association of the Philippines (MAP) during the group’s 72nd inaugural meeting and induction of 2021 MAP Board of Governors on Tuesday.

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Oil prices up over higher US pandemic relief plan

Agriculture Secretary William Dar says the agency is confident of achieving its target of 2.5 percent growth for 2021 after the agriculture sector survived a series of challenges in 2020. Edge Davao

il prices showed a limited rise on Tuesday as the new US Administration pledges a higher pandemic relief plan, although the global rise in coronavirus cases and ongoing mitigation efforts are fueling oil demand concerns. I n t e r n a t i o n a l benchmark Brent crude was trading at USD55.89 per barrel at 0654 GMT for a 0.41-percent increase after closing Monday at USD55.66 a barrel. American benchmark West Texas Intermediate (WTI) was at USD52.53 per barrel at the same time for a 0.54-percent increase after it ended the previous session at USD52.25 a barrel. After hovering between USD40 to USD50 a barrel for a long time, Brent oil is

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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On the plan to do online registration for Dabawenyos interested to have Covid-19 vaccine shots: Kayahon nato na online for those na okay sa ilaha magpabakuna. Dili nata mag face-to-face kay gamay ra kaayo ni nga butang kaning para mag-register sa bakuna ug dako ang risk kung mag face-to-face ta mao pa ni ang hinungdan ngano magtakdanay ang mga tao but online we can absolutely do that, kanang magpa-sign-up kung kinsa interesado para kabalo ta pila atong i-expect na kinahanglan.”

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

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VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

DIARRHEA IS STILL A KILLER While the country welcomed the coming of 2021, some people in barangay Butuan, about 15 kilometers away from the town of Jose Abad Santos in Davao Occidental, were undergoing health problems after drinking contaminated water. “After I received the report, I immediately talked with our municipal health officer to send a team to the barangay,” Mayor Jason John Joyce posted in his Facebook account on January 3. “We also prepared dextrose and other medicines.” Some of the victims, mostly children, were admitted in the district hospital and given oresol (oral rehydration solution) and some medicines. Oresol, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a formula used to replace electrolytes and fluids that are lost in the body. Despite the immediate response of the government, there was one casualty. A 62-year-old man from sitio Malwayog was admitted in the hospital on December 30. He died of renal failure two days later. “Water is life,” the old proverb insists. After all, water is one of those basic necessities in life. “It is a grave moral shortcoming if people cannot drink water with-

out courting disease or death,” Worldwatch Institute’s Sandra Postel once penned. It was the physician Hippocrates, the ancient innovator of medical ethics, who advised that polluted water be boiled or filtered before being consumed. “About 80 percent of all diseases and more than one-third of all deaths in developing countries are caused by contaminated water,” deplored Elizabeth Dowdeswell when she was still the executive director of the United Nations Environment Program. “At any given time, an estimated one-half of people in developing countries are suffering from diseases caused either directly by infection through the consumption of contaminated water or food, or indirectly by disease-carrying organisms that breed in water,” the United Nations said in a press statement. Diarrhea is one of those diseases. In 2008, the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) listed diarrhea as the fourth leading cause of deaths among children less than five years old and the third leading cause of illness among the children. “If the trend continues,” the United Nations health agency

surmised, “it is expected to cause 10,000 deaths every year.” Most cases of diarrhea, however, are self-limited but they sometimes can lead to serious complications. The Ohio-based Cleveland Clinic states: “Diarrhea can cause dehydration (when your body loses large amounts of water), electrolyte imbalance (loss of sodium, potassium and magnesium that play a key role in vital bodily functions) and kidney failure (not enough blood/fluid is supplied to the kidneys). “When you have diarrhea, you lose water and electrolytes along with stool. You need to drink plenty of fluids to replace what’s lost. Dehydration can become serious if it fails to resolve (get better), worsens and is not addressed adequately,” the Cleveland Clinic adds. Actually, there are several different ways to classify diarrhea. Acute diarrhea, the most common form, is loose watery diarrhea that lasts one to two days. This type doesn’t need treatment and it usually goes away after a few days. Persistent diarrhea is a type of diarrhea that generally persists for several weeks – from two to four weeks. Diarrhea that

lasts for more than four weeks or comes and goes regularly over a long period of time is called chronic diarrhea. “Many cases of diarrhea are due to an infection in the gastrointestinal tract,” writes Medical News Today’s Markus MacGill. “The microbes responsible for this infection include: bacteria, viruses, and parasitic organisms.” The most commonly identified causes of acute diarrhea are the bacteria Salmonella, Campylobacter, Shigella, and Escherichia coli. Some cases of chronic diarrhea are called “functional” because although all the digestive organs appear normal, they are not functioning as they ideally should. Some other major causes of chronic diarrhea include: microscopic colitis, malabsorptive and maldigestive diarrhea, chronic infections, drug-induced diarrhea, endocrine-related causes, and cancer-related causes. But the question is: how will you know you have it? The website, webMD.com, states you may have diarrhea when you experience these: bloating in your belly, cramps, thin or loose stools, watery stools, an urgent feeling that you need to have a bowel move-

ment, and nausea and throwing up. The more serious symptoms include: blood or mucus in your stool, weight loss, and fever. “If you have watery stools more than three times a day and you’re not drinking enough fluids, you could become dehydrated,” webMd. com states. “That can be a serious problem if it’s not treated.” You need to go to the nearest hospital if you have: blood in your diarrhea or black, tarry stools; a fever that is high (above 101 F) or that lasts more than 24 hours; diarrhea lasting longer than 2 days; nausea or throwing up that prevents you from drinking liquids to replace lost fluids; and severe pain in your belly or rear end. In addition, call your doctor right away if you have diarrhea and any of these signs of dehydration: dark urine; smaller than usual amounts of urine or, in a child, fewer wet diapers than usual; rapid heart rate; headaches; dry skin; crankiness; and confusion. No one is spared from getting diarrhea. In fact, it’s not uncommon for most people to have diarrhea several times a year. It’s very common and usually not a major concern for most people.

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

TERRIBLE LEGISLATIVE “PRIORITIES” “If I had eight hours to chop down a tree, I’d spend six hours sharpening my axe.’ (Abraham Lincoln). (I am very certain that ALL our lawmakers – not only in both Houses of Congress – but also all Sanggunians nation-wide are following and are aware of the contemporary developments happening in the United States today.) Our senators – I fear - have entered into a “zugzwang” position. “Zugzwang” is a situation in chess wherein one player finds himself in a force majeure because he must have to make the uneasy response that cannot be avoided. The player in zugzwang is put at a disadvantage but is compelled to make the move even it meant losing the game (or making his position weaker). Take this initiative by Senate Pres. Vicente Sotto, he of the ‘Eat Bulaga’ fame, who has taken the cudgels for the discredited ABS CBN by filing the first bill immediately as we entered 2021 that seeks to grant the media broadcast company the renewed franchise it failed to secure last year. THIS IS A TERRIBLE MISTAKE SOTTO HAS COMMITTED.

In the first place, will the granting of the franchise renewal help the Filipinos combat the threats of the CoVid19 that is being repeatedly reported as having mutated into a new, more dangerous strain? If your answer is “NO” as I would presume, then we should condemn Sotto and 16 other senators (the senate is a boy’s club) who have signed and are supporting the proposal. Sotto’s rationale is weak, citing that a huge competitive information gap was created as GMA7 monopolized the news broadcasts following the “demise” of ABS CBN. The Eat Bulaga mainstay comedian said GMA& news roll-outs lacked substance and adequate balanced information for the public to fully appreciate the importance that news information plays in their lives. If this is the case, did not Sotto realize that the government itself is at a zugzwang because whatever PTV4 (the national government broadcast arm headed today by Sec. Andanar) does, it is not commanding the attention, following and support of the Filipino public because it not only has credibility problems but also creative ingenu-

ity.

Political handlers of Sotto failed to rein in their presidential wannabe who was ill-advised because he probably thought if ABS CBN could get its franchise renewal, Sotto would automatically get the broadcast giant’s media backing in case he opts to run for a higher position in 2022. I don’t know if he has a stake in ABS CBN but the public suspects one or two of his relatives are perhaps shareholders. One plus one equals two. It’s that easy. Secondly, between introducing amendments to a limped and lame 1987 Constitution and the franchise renewal, the former would greatly impact the lives of Filipinos as we grapple with the economic and social problems created by the CoVid19 lockdowns. Some uneasy sectors, notably those who have been shielding the 1987 basic law from getting reformed and changed, continue to peddle the idea that revising the Constitution at this time of the “pandemic” is uncalled for and untimely. Today, constitutional changes must be resorted to by our legis-

lators to enable the government and the national leadership to cope with global developments that are rapidly arising, without us noticing them outright, making our response delayed and awkward. See, even the vaccines the DOH was supposed to purchase on time are not being acted upon promptly. Too much red tape and bureaucracy and too many indolent and incompetent officials. From where I sit, reforming restrictive economic provisions should be number one priority. Millions of OFWs and their families are suffering due to the decreased need for our workers to be employed overseas. Millions are also jobless or under-employed. How do you expect the national government to respond if its hands are tied? I am harping again for the nth time the compelling duty of our national leaders, particularly our lawmakers in the House of Representatives, to commence taking the first bold step. Cha-Cha (Constitutional Change) has earned notoriety since this was floated during the Cory Aquino regime, then in FVR’s term

and more actively during GMA’s much-maligned incumbency. Filipinos are being shortchanged by their lawmakers and pseudo-politicians who are ostensibly looking only after their self-preservation. Little do our people know that they have been poisoned by the continuous barrage of lies presented by those who oppose it, in particular the Yellow cult because they were afraid of losing Cory’s “legacy” kuno. Filipinos should themselves make their voices heard and call upon the nation’s leaders, paging and pressing Pres. Duterte to proceed with and fulfill his campaign promise to amend the 1987 Constitution. The Constitution is the backbone of a nation. Without it, we are like in a rudderless Ship of State buffeted by strong winds of change and or adverse developments. Let us call on SP Sotto to change course. His pet bill is not only inane but also an act of betrayal to the Filipino nation. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

8 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 230 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

2021 Philippine Cacao Quality Awards (PCQA) Organizing Committee chair Charita Puentespina (L) in a posterity photo with DA-XI Technical Director for Operations Marila Corpuz during the send-off of the PCQA winning cacao entries for the International Cocoa Awards at Salon du Choculat in Paris.

4 cacao farmers to represent PH in the 2021 Int'l Cacao Awards

ecognizing the superior quality and exceptional flavours of diverse cocoa varieties, the 2021 Philippine Cacao Quality Award (PCQA) announced its four winners who will be given the chance to showcase the quality of their produce in the international arena as they represent the country in the International Cocoa Awards (ICA) on October 2021 at Salon du Chocolat in Paris. Out of the 23 cacao bean entries nationwide submitted by farmers engaged in cacao farming, only the cacao beans from Mr. Christopher Fadriga of Atipulan, Bago City, Negros Occidental, Arthur Lagoc of Talandang, Tugbok District, Davao City, Solidad Robillo of Gumalang, Baguio District, Davao City and Carlos Barsicula of Sawata, San Isidro, Davao del Norte have passed the series of evaluation and selection processes. 2021 PCQA Organization Committee chair Charita Puentespina said the competition seeks to increase the awareness along the cocoa value chain in the country on the opportunity to produce high quality cocoa. “By showcasing not

just the best practices of our cacao farmers but the quality of their produce in the international arena, it will create market linkages which will open more market doors and vast opportunities for our cacao farmers,” said Puentespina. Cacao experts have evaluated the aroma, external appearance, fissuring and colour of the cacao beans on the first phase of the PCQA while a group of chocolatiers evaluated the second and final judging. “We are confident with our national entries to the ICA as we believe on the unique and exceptional quality of our cocoa. For years, Filipino cacao farmers have been making it big in the international market. This has been

made possible with the support from the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and the Davao City Agriculture Office,” Puentespina added. In 2017, Puentespina Farms won "Best 50 Beans in the World" while in 2019, Jose Saguban made history for the country as he won the first ever Top 20 Best Cacao Beans Award in Salon du Chocolat Paris. Just last month, Auro Chocolate once again made the country proud when it won five golds in the ICA 2020 - Asia Pacific, including the Best in Competition and Overall Winner for the 50 percent Regalo-Single VarietalMilk Chocolate. DA Undersecretary for High Value Crops and Rural Credit Evelyn Laviña said that judges’ feedbacks on every entry will be sent back to the participating farmers for them to know the opportunities to improve on their produce. “This is an opportunity for every cacao farmer to step-up their cacao ventures and take advantage of the increasing market demand for quality cocoa. The

DA’s High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) does not only provides production and support services but also the marketing aspect. This is in line with the DA’s twin goal of Masaganang Ani, Mataas na Kita,” said Laviña. On her part, DA-XI Technical Director for Operations Marila Corpuz congratulates the Davao cacao farmers for making it big in the domestic and international markets. "We are proud and thankful that our farmers have utilized the support given to improve their livelihood and the quality of their produce. These cacao farmers are beneficiaries of our High Value Crops Development Program (HVCDP) - cacao project that provides production support such as seedlings, technical support from various trainings and marketing support through exhibits," said Corpuz. They are also the farmer-cooperators of the DA-XI HVCDP cacao rehabilitation project led by HVCDP XI regional coordinator Merriel Aglibot. (Celso C. Vergara, DA11)

CebPac welcomes 2021 with month-long P88 seat sale

he Philippines’ leading carrier, Cebu Pacific (CEB) greets 2021 with a special PHP88 all-domestic seat sale. This year-opener, month-long promo aims to further inspire everyJuan to support local and show #JuanLove for the Philippines in 2021. For sale until January 31, 2021, passengers can enjoy fares as low as PHP 88 to over 30 domestic destinations, for travel from January 13 until December 31, 2021. With this ongoing seat sale, travelers can once again plan trips ahead, or even book and fly now, to their favorite local destinations. Whether you miss the warm sunny beaches of Bohol, Coron, Boracay, Cebu, and Siargao, or just want to experience the culinary trails of Davao, Bacolod, or Pampanga, this special seat sale emboldens everyJuan to further explore and patronize local destinations and products. Passengers with travel scheduled until March 31, 2021 will enjoy more flight options with Flexible Bookings. Guests with existing Travel Funds may also use these to book new flights to make way for new travel memories. Payments may also be made online or via payment centers. So, what are you waiting for? Start the year right by plotting your 2021 mustvisit #CEBTravels before this promo runs out! Book now via cebupacificair.com.

CEB offers antigen tests for only PHP 700 for its passengers flying from Manila through its Test Before Boarding (TBB) process. The carrier also offers affordable RTPCR tests as low as PHP 3,300 via its three partner laboratories, namely PADL, Health Metrics, Inc. (HMI), and Safeguard DNA Diagnostics Inc. (SDDI). Passengers booked on Cebu Pacific and Cebgo can easily choose and book appointments via the “Testing Options” tab on https://bit.ly/ CEBFlightReminders. CEB has been rated 7/7 stars by airlineratings.com for its COVID-19 compliance as it continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety, in accordance with global aviation standards. These include contactless procedures, thorough cleaning and disinfection protocols for all aircraft and facilities, mandatory wearing of masks and face shields for both passengers and crew, as well as Antigen testing for CEB frontliners before duty. On top of these, our aircraft are also equipped with hospitalgrade HEPA filters with 99.99% efficacy, keeping viruses at bay. Cebu Pacific currently flies to 30 domestic destinations from its Manila and Cebu hubs, on top of five (5) international destinations namely Dubai, Hong Kong, Nagoya, Seoul, and Singapore.

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 230 •THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Photo courtesy of WHO

ARE VACCINES REALLY “ NECESSARY? By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

Despite what you may hear or read, all current vaccines are safe,” assures Dr. Zulkifli Ismail, professor of pediatrics and director of Hospital Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia. “Vaccines have helped prevent more diseases than all antibiotics put together.” In 2018, the United Nations health agency reported that an estimated 116 million children were vaccinated with three doses of diphtheria-tetanus-pertussis (DTP3) vaccine, protecting them against infectious diseases that can cause serious illness and disability or be fatal. “Vaccines are one of our most important tools for preventing outbreaks and keeping the world safe,” Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, WHO director-general, said in a press statement. But like all medicines, side effects can occur after getting a vaccine. “However, these (side effects) are usually very minor and of short duration, such as a sore arm or a mild fever,” the WHO said. “More serious side effects are possible, but extremely rare.” A person is far more likely to be seriously harmed by a disease than by a vaccine. For example, tetanus can cause extreme pain, muscle spasms (lockjaw) and blood clots, measles can cause encephalitis (an infection of the brain) and blindness. Many vaccine-preventable diseases

can even result in death. The benefits of vaccination greatly outweigh the risks, and many more illnesses and deaths would occur without vaccines. According to WHO, all the ingredients of a vaccine play an important role in ensuring a vaccine is safe and effective. Some of these include: antigen (a killed or weakened form of a virus or bacteria, which trains the bodies to recognize and fight the disease that can be encountered later on), adjuvants (help to boost the immune response), preservatives (ensures a vaccine stays effective), and stabilizers (protect the vaccine during storage and transportation). Vaccines are different from drugs. “A vaccine stimulates your immune system to produce antibodies, exactly like it would if you were exposed to the disease,” explains the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). “After getting vaccinated, you develop immunity to that disease, without having to get the disease first.” That’s what makes vaccines such powerful med-

icine. Unlike most medicines, which treat or cure diseases, vaccines prevent them. And this is the reason why children, particularly newly-born babies, are advised to be vaccinated. “Immunity is the body’s way of preventing disease,” the Atlanta-based CDC says. “When a baby is born, his immune system is not fully developed, which can put him at greater risk for infections. Vaccine reduces a child’s risk of infection by working with his body’s natural defenses to help safely develop immunity to disease.” Here’s an even more understandable explanation from WHO: “Our immune systems are designed to remember. Once exposed to one or more doses of a vaccine, we typically remain protected against a disease for years, decades or even a lifetime. This is what makes vaccines so effective. Rather than treating a disease after it occurs, vaccines prevent us in the first instance from getting sick.” Most vaccines are given by an injection, but some are given orally (by mouth)

or sprayed into the nose. Aside from those mentioned earlier, vaccines protect against many different diseases, including: cervical cancer, cholera, hepatitis B, influenza, Japanese encephalitis, measles, mumps, pneumonia, rabies, rotavirus, rubella, typhoid, varicella, and yellow fever. Vaccines protect people throughout life and at different ages, from birth to childhood, as teenagers and into old age. “If we delay vaccination, we are at risk of getting seriously sick,” the WHO warned. “If we wait until we think we may be exposed to a serious illness – like during a disease outbreak – there may not be enough time for the vaccine to work and to receive all the recommended doses.” Not everyone could be vaccinated though. Among those that cannot be immunized are the very young babies, those who are seriously ill or have certain allergies. “They depend on others being vaccinated to ensure they are also safe from vaccine-preventable diseases,” the WHO said. As with all medicines,

every vaccine undergoes several studies and testing before it is released to the public. “To develop a vaccine, there first has to be research done to understand the nature of the infection you’re trying to prevent,” Prof. Adam Finn, the David Baum professor of paediatrics at the University of Bristol in the United Kingdom, explained to Gary Finnegan’s Vaccine Today. “You need to know enough about the virus or bacterium that causes the infection; you have to understand the structure of the bug because in order to create a vaccine you need to know enough about the infection to be able to mimic it. A vaccine is essentially a mimicked infection.” Before a vaccine is released for human use, careful steps are taken to ensure that all material is manufactured in an entirely safe and strictly controlled way. “Following pre-clinical research, the vaccine is tested in a very small group of people – sometimes as few as half a dozen – in what is called a Phase I clinical study,” Finnegan wrote. “This helps to rule out major safety

problems and also helps doctors to work out the right dose for the next step in the testing process. “Phase II trials involve giving the vaccine to a larger number of people (often 100 to 200 but sometimes in the 1,000s). At this point, researchers want to see whether the vaccine gives a consistent immune response and they watch for any side effects that might occur. “Where a disease is reasonably common, Phase III trials can be conducted to test how the vaccine protects against natural infection. These studies often include tens of thousands of healthy volunteers so that doctors have a better chance of discovering rare problems which did not show up in smaller Phase II studies and prove that the vaccine prevents the disease.” Meanwhile, there are several new vaccines under development. If approved, these will help prevent more life-threatening diseases – such as Zika, Nipah or COVID-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) viruses – or improve the effectiveness of existing vaccines.

10 EDGEDAVAO GOV’T... FROM2

li [na bakuna gamit ang kanilang budget], national government po ang magpupuno nung 70%," he added. This is in addition to the earlier tripartite agreement between the Philippine government, the private sector, and AstraZeneca for 2.6 million doses of COVID-19 vaccine inked last November 2020. The 2.6 million doses, funded by the private sector and donated to the Philippine government, are good for one million people. During a Senate hearing Monday, Galvez said 50,000 Filipinos are expected to get COVID-19 vaccine by February. The government aims to inoculate 50 to 70 million

Filipinos. Health Secretary Francisco Duque III earlier said the Philippine government has identified a total of 4,512 fixed vaccination points in the country where COVID-19 immunization will be conducted. The country has also secured 30 million doses of Novavax's COVID-19 vaccine, Covovax, which will be manufactured by the Serum Institute of India (SII) and 25 million from Sinovac. The Philippines has recorded 491, 258 COVID-19 cases so far. Of this number, 458,172 recovered while 9,554 died. The number of active COVID-19 cases is at 23,532.

Pursuant to Section 6 of the said law, prices of basic commodities shall be automatically frozen at their prevailing price or placed under price control during calamities. Data gathered by the price monitoring team will also form

part of the report that will give analysis on the causes of price adjustments and will suggest steps to correct unwarranted price spikes and supply disruptions. This is to ensure food availability and affordability within the city. (TIIDPO PR)

The board member said that one of the priority programs of Governor Uy is education, and in this time of pandemic, he made sure that children will continue to avail of quality education in whatever modality it may be. She also disclosed that the modules will not only benefit the children of Davao de Oro but it will also be made available for the kindergarten pupils in the whole region. The modules amounting to PhP 1.75 million was funded from the Local School Board - Special Education Fund of the province. The turn over ceremony took place at the lobby of the Deped Building in the Capitol Complex, Barangay Cabidianan, Nabunturan. Gracing the occasion were Dr. Ruben Reponte, schools’ governance operation division chief; ed-

ucation program supervisors, and the Bayanihan Para sa Karunungan Program (BPSK) personnel. Dr. Gamutin expressed her gratitude to Governor Uy and the provincial officials for the continued support in terms of DepEd learning programs. Since the outburst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the provincial government poured support to Deped in their alternative learning modalities. Together with the provincial government, Deped Davao de Oro has launched a television based instruction dubbed as TV Eskwela, and radio based instruction with ZRadio 88.5FM, Radyo Zkwela. The provincial government has also allocated around PhP 7 million from the Special Education Fund for the implementation of the distance learning programs of the agency. (PIA XI – Michael Uy)

different department heads and officials from the provincial government to address the impact of the fish kill. The local government, however, did not put the town under a state of calamity due to the fish kill. Christopher Ofong, Lake Sebu information officer, said the Municipal Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Office decided against recommending a state of calamity because some criteria were not met, including the condition that the fish kill should affect at least 20 percent of the population. The fish kill affected at least 10 sitios in three of the town’s 19 barangays, Ofong said. Citing results of the water analysis conducted by the

Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, Rudy Muyco, the town’s lake warden, said the dissolved oxygen of the lake was “almost at zero level.” He added that the damage to the town’s tilapia industry is expected to rise as the fish kill continues to hit some fish cages, which cover 16 percent or 57 hectares of the lake’s total area. Muyco noted the oxygen level of the lake “will naturally improve with regular heavy rainfall and eight to 10 hours of sunlight.” In 2017, a series of major fish kills blamed on kamahong hit portions of the mountain lake, destroying some 1.4 million kg of tilapia valued at nearly P126 million. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)

growth trajectory,” Soberano said. The company saw a 12.4-percent growth in reservation sales to P14.25 billion last year from P12.67 billion in 2019. This is equal to 5,300 units sold, it added. A majority or 69 percent of CLI's sales in 2020 came from its affordable housing brand Casa Mira, while mid-market Garden Series posted a 19-percent share and high-end brand Premier Masters with 10 percent.

For 2021, Soberano said low-interest rates would attract home buyers, thus presenting more opportunities for developers. “COVID-19 realigned spending priorities and stressed the importance of homeownership as a means of securing the future,” he added. The company earlier announced that its planned 100-hectare reclamation project in Cebu City has secured an environmental compliance certificate after a 2-year review.

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Mati records highest active cases in a day

he City of Mati has recorded the highest number of Covid-19 active cases today, January 12, after 16 were confirmed to be positive of the virus on Tuesday. This brings to 28 the total number of active cases. Here are the profiles of the 16 new confirmed cases for today: 1. MC-164 is from Brgy. Dahican/ 31 years old, male/ health care worker and asymptomatic 2. MC-165 is from Brgy. Central/18 years old, male/ symptomatic 3. MC-166 is from Brgy. Central/46 years old, female/symptomatic 4. MC-167 is from Brgy. Central/44 years old, male/ with travel history in Cateel

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and symptomatic 5. MC-168 is from Brgy. Central/14 years old, female/symptomatic 6. MC-169 is from Brgy. Badas/42 years old, female/ 7. MC-170 is from Brgy. Central/20 years old, female 8. MC-171 is from Brgy. Matiao/45 years old, female 9. MC-172 is from Brgy. Central/36 years old, male 10. MC-173 is from Brgy. Dahican/22 years old, female 11. MC-174 is from Brgy. Central/23 years old, female 12. MC-175 is from Brgy. Central/40 years old, male 13. MC-176 is from Brgy. Central/30 years old, female 14. MC-177 is from Brgy. Central/46 years old, female 15. MC-178 is from Brgy. Central/48 years old, female

16. MC-179 is from Brgy. Central/83 years old, female All of the new 16 cases are already isolated. Mati IMT commander Dr. Ben Hur Catbagan Jr. said the surge has been expected due to the holiday season. He assured the public that the situation is still under control despite the spike. Catbagan appealed to the public to continually follow the minimum health standards to lessen the possibility of being infected. As of January 12, the City of Mati has recorded a total of 179 confirmed cases of Covid-19 since March 2020. Four have died, 147 have recovered and 28 remain active.(CIO MATI)

outbound business missions, contributed to the increasing presence of Philippine products in the UAE,” she said. The demand for Filipino produce and goods can also be seen in the cargo flights of Cebu Pacific, as 29 percent of the total fruit exports it carried

from January to September last year were delivered to Dubai, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said. The UAE is only next to Hong Kong where the Philippine carrier delivered 55 percent of fruit exports in the same period. When travel restrictions

eased, Cebu Pacific conducted 12 cargo flights between Manila and Dubai in the second and third quarters of 2020, delivering food exports from the Philippines. This number, however, shrank from 75 cargo flights on the same route in the first quarter of last year alone. (PNA)

under the Bayanihan to Recover as One Act, while PHP70 billion has been allocated as an unprogrammed fund under this year’s national budget for vaccine acquisition. He said the unprogrammed fund can be accessed through bilateral, multilateral, domestic

or foreign borrowings. On Monday, Presidential Spokesperson Harry Roque said the country has secured its first 25 million doses of Covid-19 vaccine from Chinese biopharmaceutical firm, Sinovac Biotech Ltd. He said about 50,000 doses

of the vaccine are expected to arrive in the country next month, although this is on top of the 15,000 doses to be used for Sinovac’s clinical trial here. Authorities said the Covid-19 vaccination program has a minimum time frame of three years. (PNA)

spending ceiling of PHP1.38 trillion, or about 7.6 percent of domestic output. “We have made sure that the size of our deficit still takes into consideration our adherence to long-term debt sustainability,” he added. The need for additional funds for pandemic-related programs made economic managers increase the borrowing

program to PHP3 trillion for 2020, nearly double compared to pre-pandemic requirements. Dominguez said the government raised around PHP2.63 trillion last year. He said PHP1.91 trillion, or about 73 percent of these funds, were raised from domestic fund sources, while the balance of PHP721.1 billion came from development partners and the

global bond market. “We have set out a clear strategy for financing our deficit. We prioritized domestic borrowings followed by official develop-ment assistance and the international capital markets. We determined this plan as the most prudent approach, ensuring sustainability in our debt service,” he added. (PNA)

turnovers during the rally. The Lakers entered the second quarter with a plus-8 advantage on the glass and eight fast-

break points while limiting the Rockets to 6-for-21 shooting. The Rockets weren't any more competitive in the sec-

ond quarter and needed a Harden buzzer-beater to cut the deficit to 23 points at the intermission.

NSA, we cannot send national teams to FIVB-sanctioned tournaments abroad,” Tolentino added. “Therefore, we will ask all volleyball stakeholders to cooperate and participate in the elections.” 'Never stripped' Meanwhile, PVF president Ed Cantada keeps on stressing that his group is the only NSA acknowledged by FIVB. Cantada reiterated that the PVF has been affirmed during the 2018 FIVB General Assem-

bly and even claimed that they got an invite to the next edition. “PVF was never stripped of its membership in the FIVB as alleged. The General Assembly is the highest decision-making body in the FIVB. Not even the Board of Administration could go against its decision,” Cantada said. He also denied that there was an agreement made to essentially merge the PVF and the LVPI to become one single entity. "PVF is in no way a part of the

proposed alliance. PVF will never agree to an alliance. The FIVB GA decided in favor of PVF. The decision of the highest authority in volleyball must be respected and honored. It is PVF alone that is the national federation that is affiliated to FIVB," Cantada said. "There is no need for an alliance to be established as an FIVB-affiliated group already exists for the country." He even called on the members of the alleged alliance to just join the PVF instead. (PNA)

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VOL.13 ISSUE 230 â&#x20AC;˘THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

Soyud nominated to MIP award

NLEX forward Raul Soyud has been nominated to the PBA Most Improved Player Award.

aul Soyud may not have the most glaring stats among the Most Improved Player (MIP) nominees this past Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) season but for NLEX coach Yeng Guiao, he deserves the nomination.

"Hindi naman siya yung tipong magaling na agad eh. Kailangan niya talagang kumayod para gumaling and nakita nating nagpursige siya (He is not the type of player who is already talented upon entering the PBA. He really needed to work hard to become better,

and we saw that he persevered)," Guiao said on Wednesday. While JR QuiĂąahan remains the Road Warriors' main big man, Soyud held his own, averaging 10.0 points highlighted by a career-high 27, 6.8 rebounds, and 1.1 assists per game last season as he became one of their key players in their late run to the playoffs.

indicated Covid-19 conditions must improve to make the move possible. "As with the November Masters, we will implement practices and policies that will protect the health and safety of everyone in attendance. Nothing is, or will be, more important than the well-being of all involved," Ridley said. "While we are disappointed that we will be unable to accommodate a full complement of patrons this year, we will continue our efforts to ensure that all who pur-

chased tickets from Augusta National will have access in 2022, provided conditions improve." Augusta National is communicating with ticket holders and will issue refunds to those not selected to attend. Ridley also said the club intends to conduct the Augusta National Women's Amateur and Drive, Chip and Putt National Finals youth events as scheduled before the first official Masters practice round with a small number of patrons allowed at each.

For someone whose "story is indeed interesting to tell" according to Guiao, Soyud really rose to the occasion. Soyud first starred for West Negros University early into his college career. Seeing his potentials, the University of the Philippines then secured Soyud's transfer, but the fact that the t e a m h a d stale

performances during his two-year stint hurt his chances of getting drafted early, eventually ending up as a third-round pick in the 2014 PBA Draft. Soyud slowly worked his way up, and now, he has become an inside force for NLEX despite only a few observers noticing it last season. The MIP award will be handed out alongside some other special citations in the PBA's virtual special awards night on Sunday. (PNA)

Masters plans to admit more crowd

ASHINGTON -- Augusta National Golf Club plans to allow a limited number of spectators to attend the 85th Masters in April despite the COVID-19 pandemic, club chairman Fred Ridley announced Tuesday. The April 8-11 tournament will use health and safety protocols similar to those used last November, when the famed course was closed to supporters as Dustin Johnson won the green jacket and his second major title.

"Following the successful conduct of the Masters tournament last November with only essential personnel, we are confident in our ability to responsibly invite a limited number of patrons to Augusta National in April," Ridley said. Pre-tournament testing, temperature checks and required face masks were among the safety measures used last year. While efforts are being made to safely include a limited number of spectators, Ridley

General view of the Augusta National Golf Club during a practice round. Reuters.

Los Angeles Lakers forward Anthony Davis (3) controls the ball against Houston Rockets guard James Harden (left) during the third quarter at Toyota Center. Sports/Reuters

Lakers ground Rockets anew L eBron James scored 22 of his game-high 26 points in the first half and the Los Angeles Lakers posted their second runaway victory over the Houston Rockets in as many games, rolling to a 117-100 victory on Tuesday at Toyota Center in Houston. The Lakers, who led by as many as 27 points in their 120-108 win on Sunday, matched that advantage on a Kentavious Caldwell-Pope 3-pointer at the 3:16 mark of the second quarter. The Lakers led wire to wire while remaining perfect on the road, combining stingy defense with blistering perimeter shooting in the first quarter to build a 35-14 lead entering the second. James made 4 of 9 3-pointers and added eight rebounds and five assists. Five other Lakers joined James in double figures, with Anthony

Davis posting 19 points, 10 rebounds and five blocked shots in just 29 minutes. The starting backcourt of Dennis Schroeder and Caldwell-Pope combined for 28 points on 11-for-18 shooting with six rebounds and four steals. Christian Wood paired 18 points with eight rebounds while James Harden added 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists for Houston. The Rockets continued their poor shooting from deep, finishing 12 of 40 on 3s while shooting just 39.2 percent overall. Harden missed 5 of 6 treys and shot 5 of 16 overall. The Lakers turned a 12-0 run into a 28-10 advantage in the first quarter, getting 3s from Caldwell-Pope and James while recording three blocks and forcing two

FLAKERS, P10

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.13 ISSUE 230 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 14, 2021

RECOGNITION POC to spearhead volleyball election

he Fédération Internationale de Volleyball (FIVB) has called on the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) to hold an election for what would look like a new national sports association (NSA) for volleyball. POC president Abraham Tolentino said the election is needed to take place before the FIVB convenes for its general assembly. “There was already a request from the FIVB some time ago to hold a volleyball election before the FIVB’s general assembly this February,” Tolentino said on Tuesday after the POC held its first board meeting at the East Ocean Palace Restaurant in Paranaque. “The FIVB wanted to recognize a legitimate volleyball NSA before its world congress. It’s urgent.” With the FIVB general assembly set next month, the volleyball NSA needs to have its set of officers by the end of January.

The POC set the election later this month. To date, there are two volleyball governing groups who are still at odds. The old Philippine Volleyball Federation (PVF) has been insisting that it is still being recognized by the FIVB despite the POC stripping them of their status as the official NSA for volleyball. On the other hand, the one POC now recognizes, the Larong Volleyball sa Pilipinas Inc. (LVPI), is the one handling the national team duties. However, POC said neither PVF nor LVPI is being recognized by FIVB right now. “Without a legitimate

FRECOGNITION, P10

Former four-division champion Nonito Donaire in training.

POC president Abraham Tolentino said the volleyball election is needed to take place before the FIVB convenes for its general assembly.

FPANDEMIC, P10