Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 11 | Friday, March 26, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte under monitoring due to high cases of Covid-19 STORY ON PAGE 2

An empty and quiet Davao International Airport (DIA), Davao City and Davao Region’s main air gateway. Davao City and other local government units in the country reimplemented stricter health protocols to try to prevent a second wave following the spike of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases in the National Capital

Region and Cebu. Davao City is now requiring air passengers to present a negative RT-PCR test result before checking in for any Davao City-bound flights. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 11 • FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

TIGHT WATCH President Rodrigo Roa Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Malacañang Golf (Malago) Clubhouse

in Malacañang Park, Manila on Wednesday night. The President is being assisted by Senator Christopher Lawrence. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte under monitoring due to high cases of Covid-19 By MAYA M. PADILLO

he regional office of the Department of Health (DOH 11) disclosed that provinces Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte are currently under monitoring due to high cases of Covid-19.

Dr. Annabelle Yumang, regional director of DOH 11, reported that as of March 24, 2021, Davao de Oro has a total of 1,291 cases of Covid-19 with 139 active cases, while Davao del

Norte has a total of 3,308 cases with 263 active cases. “Kung basehan nato sa active cases nagsunod sa Davao City ang Davao del Norte then Davao de

Oro. So far dili ko makahatag ug specific areas sa mga kaso ani na mga probinsiya. But ginatabangan namo sila na ma-reduce ang ilahang cases,” she said.

Meanwhile, based on DOH-Davao Covid-19 Regional Daily Case Bulletin as of March 23, 2021, there are total of 21,092 Covid-19 cases in Davao Region with a total of

FTIGHT, P10

Apo Agua presents bulk water quake mitigation plan to WMC

po Agua Infrastructura, Inc. has an earthquake mitigation plan (EMP) for its P10-billion bulk water system tapping the surface of Tamugan River and Panigan River traversing the hinterland areas of the Third District of Davao City.

The plan is capable of mitigating the effects of a strong earthquake of up to magnitude 6.9. The EMP was presented by Teng Ke “TK” Wong, design manager of JV Angeles Construction Corp., partner of Aboitiz Power in the Apo Agua joint venture agreement

(JVA) to members of the Davao City’s Watershed Management Council (WMC) headed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio during last month’s regular meeting of the council presided by City Administrator Zuleika D. Lopez. The plan was crafted

Wednesday the suspect’s name is still withheld so as not to preempt his possible arrest. Aguilar said the suspect also has pending cases of statutory rape and child abuse. The rape-slay victim, Christine Sunga Corpuz, was reported missing in the afternoon of February 28 after she left their residence at NCCC

Village asking permission from her husband to go to a tailoring shop in neighboring San Pedro Village in Buhangin. She failed to return home and was found lifeless somewhere in a grassy area at the back of McDonald’s beside Ladislawa Village the following day. “Ang pinakamaayong

FAPO AGUA, P10

DCPO files raps vs suspect

Davao City runs out of COVID-19 vaccines for healthcare workers in lady exec’s rape-slay case

he city will temporarily halt its vaccination of healthcare workers starting Thursday after it ran out of vaccines against coronavirus disease (COVID-19), City Health Office acting head Dr. Ashley Lopez said. During his program over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), Lopez said the city was

not expecting the national government to send more vaccines because all 400,000 doses of Sinovac vaccines donated by China, which arrived in the country on Wednesday, have already been allocated for areas in the National Capital Region (NCR). The local governments in NCR are ex-

periencing a surge in COVID-19 cases, which they blamed on the more infectious South African and UK variants, as well as the latest variant called “P-3” that originated in the Philippines. Lopez said that as of Tuesday, 12,723 of the city’s 21,442 healthcare workers have been vac-

FDAVAO CITY , P10

he Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has filed rape with homicide charges Monday (March 22) against a lone suspect in the killing and sexual assault of a lady cosmetic company manager in Buhangin District on March 1. Captain Rose Aguilar, DCPO spokesperson, said

FDCPO, P10

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EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has her biometric records taken during an application for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) or National ID System at the Barangay Catalunan Grande registration site Tuesday afternoon. CIO

Cebu Pacific strictly implementing Davao City’s Covid-19 protocols By MAYA M. PADILLO

eading budget airline company Cebu Pacific assured on Thursday that it religiously follow the local protocols and ordinances to ensure safety of passengers and the public. Currently, Cebu Pacific is requiring those flying from Manila to Davao to show their negative test result from accredited laboratories, along with the Safe Davao QR code, to be accepted for

boarding. This is in response to information shared to Edge Davao that some passengers are claiming that the airline advised them to ask for endorsement letter from the city

government of Davao for them to be allowed to board the plane. Michelle Lim, spokesperson of Cebu Pacific, told Edge Davao that the airline company has updated the travel requirements for Davao on its website following the city government of Davao’s ordinance requiring incoming passengers to show RT-PCR (Reverse

FCEBU PACIFIC, P10

SGV & Co eyes one floor of Diamond Tower he Philippines' largest accounting services firm Sycip Gorres Velayo & Co. (SGV & Co) will be occupying one floor of Damosa Land’s Diamond Tower. Ricardo “Cary” Lagdameo, First Vice Pres-

ident of Damosa Land Inc., (DLI), said SGV & Co has confirmed its intent to locate its Davao branch office at Damosa Diamond Tower. “SGV & Co will occupy at least one floor with a floor area of roughly

1,600 square meters of Damosa Diamond Tower,” he said in a text message. Lagdameo said SGV & Co is targeting to move in by end of this year. DLI recently signed a formal letter of intent

ayor Sara Z. Duterte registered for the Philippine Identification System (PhilSys) or National ID System at the Barangay Catalunan Grande registration site Tuesday afternoon. In a Facebook post on the city government's official page Wednesday, Duterte is seen taking her biometrics along with various city government employees. According to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA), the unified identification system aims to promote seam-

less delivery of service, improve efficiency, transparency, and targeted delivery of public and social services, and enhance administrative governance. “Dabawenyos are also urged to register for the National ID whenever registration is available in their respective barangays. Barangay officials and functionaries will notify their constituents for the schedule of registration in their areas,” the city government said. PSA aims to initially register five million heads of low-income families in the country,

then regular registration for the general public follows until the year 2022. Signed into law by President Rodrigo R. Duterte in August 2018, Republic Act 11055, or the Philippine Identification System Act, aims to establish a single national ID for all Filipinos and resident aliens. The national ID shall be a valid proof of identity that shall be a means of simplifying public and private transactions, enrollment in schools, and the opening of bank accounts.

FSGV, P10

Sara creates city immigration Sara signs up for nat’l ID and development committee M

avao City Mayor Inday Sara Duterte created the Davao City Migration and Development Committee via Executive Order No. 13, Series of 2011. Duterte signed E.O. 13, known as “An Order Creating The Davao City Migration And Development Committee, Defining Its Powers, Functions, And Duties” on March 19. She said that the Philippines remains one of the major sources of labor supply worldwide, with its citizens migrat-

ing to other countries for employment and are called overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). Migration, she said, can be a positive force for development as long as the right set of policies and guidelines are in place. The mayor formed the Davao City Migration and Development Committee as local government units (LGUs) play a significant role in strengthening the development of local and international migration. “RDC (Regional De-

velopment Council) 11, through Resolution No. 54, Series of 2018, enjoins the local government units in the Davao region to create local migration and development committees to address migration-related concerns,” Duterte said in her E.O. 13. The committee will have the city mayor as chairperson, city administrator as co-chairperson while its members are the City Planning and Development Office

FSARA, P10

FSARA SIGNS, P10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

AEON TOWERS WELCOMES PHIL. BUSINESS BANK. (L-R) FTC-GOCC/Aeon Towers executives VP for Operations Engr. Daniel Manalo, VP for Sales & Marketing Ms. Almira Mariano, CEO & President Mr. Ian Cruz congratulate Phil-

VOL.14 ISSUE 11 • FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

ippines Business Bank Regional Head 12-A Mr. Raymond Nonato and Sales Manager Mr. Stephen Lim on its new branch opening at Aeon Towers on March 22, 2021.

Philippine Business Bank opens branch at Aeon Towers T

he Philippine Business Bank has opened its branch at Aeon Towers in J.P. Laurel Ave., Davao City.

hilippine Business Bank thus becomes the latest addition to the locators of the 33-level skyscraper that's reputed to be the first tallest building in Mindanao.

The new PBB branch opened on Monday (March 22) with FTC-GOCC Aeon Towers President and CEO Ian Y. Cruz and PBB Regional head 12-A Raymond Nonato presiding

over the inauguration. Also in attendance were FTC-GOCC VP for Sales and Marketing Almira Mariano, VP for Operations Engr. Daniel Manalo and PBB Sales Manager Stephen Lim. Earlier, Les Beute Lounge also became the latest addition to the growing locators of Aeon Towers.

The lease agreement was formalized between EON Towers Inc., a subsidiary company of FTC Group of Companies Corporation (FTC-GOCC) and Les Beaute Lounge. The leasing agreement was signed with EON Towers Inc. at 6F Club Aeon Meeting Room, Aeon Towers on

February 17, 2021. Present during the formal signing were Les Beaute's owner Jazzie Telebanco with Manager Mr. Aljun Villanueva while EON Towers Inc. was represented by its President and CEO Mr. Ian Y. Cruz. Witnessing the pact signing were FTC-GOCC/Aeon Towers execu-

tives Arch. Mitch Casado, Property Manager, Engr. Daniel Manalo, VP for Operations, Almira Mariano, VP for Sales & Marketing and Jester Hospital, Property Development Manager. Les Beaute Lounge will soon open at the second floor of Aeon Towers Commercial Area.

uropean companies have invested EUR406.5 million (around PHP23.43 billion) in the Philippines last year, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said on Tuesday. In a virtual investment roadshow for European businesses, Lopez said top investments from Europe that the country received last year were from the United Kingdom, Netherlands, and France. “(T)he nature and quality of investments from European companies and business partnerships formed with our companies have helped move the Philippines up the value chain. In particular, we’ve advanced with regard to innovation-based manufacturing and high value technology-based services,” he said. The DTI chief urged European companies to look into opportunities in the Philippines particularly in five key sectors —aerospace, automo-

tive, copper, information technology and business process management (ITBPM), and electronics sectors. These sectors are the priority industries in DTI’s Make It Happen in the Philippines campaign. He added the government is pursuing a more

investor-friendly business climate in the country with the passing of the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) Act, which lowers corporate income tax rate from 30 percent to 25 percent. “As the Philippine economy recovers, we

are confident of achieving our pre-pandemic growth rates and beyond. To this end, we are facilitating greater trade and investment by continuously pursuing reforms to foster a better business environment,” Lopez said. (PNA)

PH agri trade down European firms invest over P23-billion in PH last year by -6.8% in Q4: PSA E

he Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Wednesday the country's total agricultural trade in the fourth quarter of 2020, worth USD4.66 billion, went down at an annual rate of -6.8 percent. "This was faster than the previous quarter’s annual decrease of -3.3 percent and the fourth quarter of 2019's annual drop of -0.5 percent," PSA Undersecretary Dennis Mapa said. In the fourth quarter of 2020, agricultural exports were recorded at USD1.47 billion, accounting for 31.5 percent, and imports were at USD3.19 billion. The total balance of trade in agricultural goods was negative USD1.72 billion. Mapa said the data reflects a deficit, but with an annual increase of 0.1 percent as in the third quarter of 2020, the trade deficit was recorded at 7.9 percent, while the annual rate of the trade deficit in

the fourth quarter of 2019 was at -12 percent. The total value of agricultural exports of the top 10 commodity groups was USD1.41 billion or 95.9 percent of the total agricultural export revenue in the fourth quarter of 2020. The combined export value of these top 10 commodity groups posted an annual decrease of -10.4 percent during the quarter. Among the commodity groups, edible fruit, and nuts, as well as the peel of citrus fruit melons, valued at USD485.64 million, comprised the largest share of 33.1 percent of the total agricultural exports. Malaysia, Netherlands top buyers The country’s agricultural exports to Asean member countries in the fourth quarter of 2020 amounted to USD175.01 million, which accounted for 6 percent of the total exports to Asean member countries. (PNA)

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez bares that European companies have invested EUR406.5 million (around PHP23.43 billion) in the Philippines last year. Edge Davao

EDGEDAVAO

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ECONOMY

A market goer buys dressed chicken at Bankerohan Public Market’s wet section on Thursday. Davao Poultry and Egg Producers Inc., is pushing for the establishment of a breeder farm in Davao City to address shortage of chicken in the market. Edge Davao

Senate approves DITO franchise

he Philippine Senate on Wednesday approved the franchise of DITO Telecommunity, allowing the new telco to operate for 25 years. Seventeen senators approved the franchise of DITO, with Senators Risa Hontiveros and Francis Pangilinan voting against it and Sen. Panfilo Lacson abstaining. Senator Grace Poe, chair of the Senate Committee on Public Services, presided over the

passage of the measure. Poe said DITO's entry into the telecoms market would spur the competition and lead to more affordable and better internet and mobile services. Pangilinan meanwhile said he voted against granting a franchise to DITO because of "national security concerns." DITO is a consortium made up of companies owned by Davao-based billionaire Dennis Uy and

he reforms initiated by the Duterte administration to fix the flawed regulatory framework under the over decade-old Real Estate Investment Trust (REIT) Act has cleared the way for this “powerful financial mechanism” to broaden access to investments and becomeanindispensabletoolinrebuilding the economy, Finance Secretary Carlos FSENATE, P10 Dominguez III said Wednesday.

BSP: Inflation manageable, vows to keep support for economy

he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said on Wednesday that the inflation environment remains manageable and that the uptrend is transitory. BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno also said monetary policy will continue to remain supportive of economic activity to ensure sustained recovery. In remarks ahead of the central bank's policy meeting on Thursday, Diokno said the central bank is also on guard against "second-round effects" that could push inflation higher. "The BSP remains

REIT listings underscore strong investor confidence in PH rebound

ready to respond to second-round effects such as increased calls for wage and transport fare hikes and elevated inflation expectations," Diokno said. "Thus far, demand-side pressures remain muted." Inflation accelerated to 4.7 percent in February, its highest in more than two years, driven by higher pork and meat prices. A Reuters poll of 13 economists predicted the BSP will keep the rate on its overnight reverse repurchase facility at a record low of 2 percent for a third straight meeting, despite the uptick in inflation.

When the Duterte administration resolved last year the issues that prevented REITs from taking off since its law was enacted in 2009, two major property developers were able to successfully list their REIT offerings in the stock market, Dominguez said. Dominguez congratulated DoubleDragon

Properties Corp. (DDPC), and its chairman, Edgar Injap Sia II, “for bringing another milestone to the Philippine stock market” with its successful public listing of its REIT today. “I commend DoubleDragon’s remarkable business acumen and resilience amid these challenging times. As with

cant world events. The Covid-19 pandemic and its corresponding rapid digital acceleration brought about by stayat-home orders is a global event unrivaled in the online age,” TransUnion Philippines president and chief executive officer Pia Arellano said in a statement Wednesday. In terms of digital fraud attempts against enterprises, TransUnion has seen a 31-percent increase in attacks this year from pre-pandemic level in March 11, 2019 to March 10, 2020 during the Covid-19. Suspected digital fraud attempts in the

country were high in sectors of telecommunications, logistics, and financial services, the study indicated. “Results showed a significant increase in attempted fraud from the Philippines against telecommunication companies. With more than a ten-fold increase (1,108 percent), this has been a significant development during Covid-19 times,” TransUnion said. It added the scammers are using fraudulent credit cards to purchase high-end phones and sell them back on the black market.

FREIT, P10

Digital fraud attempts in PH rise amid pandemic

ncreasing digital fraud attempts against businesses and consumers in the Philippines was observed during the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, according to the Global Consumer Pulse study of global information and insights company TransUnion. The study was based on intelligence from billions of transactions and over 40,000 websites and apps from TransUnion TruvalidateTM, a flagship identity proofing, riskbased authentication, and fraud analytics solution suite. In its Global Consum-

er Pulse study, 44 percent of Philippine-based consumers have been targeted by digital fraud in the last three months. It said Salcedo in Eastern Samar, Makati City, and Manila were the top three areas with the highest share of suspected fraudulent digital transactions. Online fraud attempts were mostly targeted to Gen Z, or those born between 1995 and 2002, at 48 percent; followed by Millennials, or born between 1980 and 1994, at 42 percent. “Fraudsters are always looking to take advantage of signifi-

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO

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On the compliance to Davao City health protocols and ordinances to prevent the spread of Covid-19: Passengers also receive pre-flight reminders via contact details provided on the booking days before their flight. As we want to make sure our passengers have an accurate and accessible reference before they fly with us.”

Michelle Lim

Spokesperson, Cebu Pacific

EDITORIAL

Scary news

Almost all news stories that one reads, listens to and watches are about the pandemic. That is expected since the pandemic is a matter of life and death to millions of people in our beleaguered world. As of this writing, the scariest news development in the pandemic is by far the so-called Third Wave of the coronavirus infections being felt now in Europe. In London, United Kingdom citizens last Tuesday marked the anniversary of their first coronavirus lockdown with a minute of silence in tribute to the more than 126,000 people who have died. Called the “National Day of Reflection,” the observance was done in parliament and across the UK at noon followed by bells ringing to mourn the dead and honor frontline health workers, many of whom are Filipinos.

EDGEDAVAO

Providing solutions to a seamless global village.

Here at home, particularly in the National Capital Region (NCR), the virus continues to rage. As of Wednesday, March 24, Metro Manila is now considered a “high risk” region for Covid 19 infection, after registering 6,666 new cases, according to Department of Health (DOH) DATA. The Metro Manila statistics had reached a “new peak”, meaning the cases in all parts of the region were higher than the peak of the pandemic last year. We shudder at the thought of Metro Manila and the entire country experiencing the Third Wave being felt in Europe now. Dabawenyos should take serious note of this scary scenario and compel themselves and the local authorities to do everything to preclude it from happening here.

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ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Correspondent

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

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LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. DR. MAURO L. PUYOD Consultant Cartoonist Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONAJASPER OLIVIA D. VELASCO V. BACSAL General Manager PresidentAdvertising Specialist Finance General Manager / VP Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 11 • FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

here’s money in raising goats, states a non-government organization based in the southern part of the Philippines. More so, if you breed them yourself.

“We have been raising goats since the early 1970s and we have observed that the demand for the animal has been increasing,” says Jethro P. Adang, the current director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC) Foundation, Incorporated. MBRLC is a non-government organization based in the rolling foothills of Mount Apo, specifically in barangay Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. The center is not only known for its sustainable upland farming systems, but also for its goats. In fact, it has earned the moniker as the goat center of Davao del Sur. “Unlike in other countries, only a few Filipinos raise goats on a large scale,” Adang admits. “If you go around the rural areas, you will see those goats being tethered around. They are left alone to feed themselves.” But the good thing is: More and more Filipinos are now raising goats. As of January 1, 2021, the total goat inventory in the country was estimated at 3.91 million heads, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). “This was 2.5% higher than the 3.81 million heads population in the same period of 2020,” it said. Of the total goat population, 98.8% were raised in backyards while the remaining 1.2% were from commercial farms. Good news: goat population in backyard farms improved by 2.6% from the 2.76 million heads in the same period of 2020. Bad news: stock in commercial farms went down by -7.9% compared with its previous year’s stocks of 51.77 thousand heads. Most of the goats can be found in Central Visayas, Western Visayas, and Ilocos Region. These three regions accounted for 40.5% of the country’s total goat inventory, according to PSA. “Goat raising is one of the most simple, low-cost food production projects that a Filipino can get involved in,” Adang says. “Because of the rising cost of commercial feeds these days, goats have become one of the most economical alternatives for meeting the protein needs of Filipino families.” Unlike other livestock, goats require low maintenance because they eat tree leaves, grasses, weeds, and agricultural by-products. “Goats require less feed than cows and carabaos,” Adang says. If you want your venture to be successful, you need to increase your herd by breeding the goats yourself. “Breeding and raising goats is not simply getting one male, also called a buck, and putting it in a yard with female goats, known as does,” says Secretary Emmanuel Piñol of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA). To start a goat farming project, he urges would-be raisers to have a clear understanding on what they really want to produce out from goats: milk or meat? “If it is milk production, then you have to get good dairy breeds because our local goats do not produce a lot of milk,” Piñol says. Among the breeds they could choose are as follows: Anglo Nubian, La Mancha, Alpine, Saanen, Oberhasli and Nigerian Dwarf. “Of these breeds, I would select the Anglo Nubian and La Mancha as they are the most prolific daily breeds, even in Philippine climatic conditions,” he says.

In meat production, there are only two choices: the South African boers and the Philippine native goats. The boers could grow to as much as 100 kilograms. The Philippine native goats, on the other hand, are small and basically mongrels. While traditional boers would predictably come out with white body and dark or red head, the Philippine native goat colors are unpredictable – white, cream, black, brown, grey or spotted. “As a chevon eater, however, I would go for the native goats, especially when slaughtered young, because the meat does not have the gamey smell or anghit in the local language,” Piñol says. Now, if the farmer has already established what he would like to achieve, he can now choose which breeds to raise to attain his objective. “Just a word of advice though,” Piñol states, “goat breeding and raising is not recommended for impatient people and the ‘virtual’ farmers.” Between milk and meat, Piñol prefers raising goats for meat. “However, there is still a need to upgrade our native goats and really establish a distinct genetic line for uniformity of meat quality and phenotypal manifestations,” he suggests. According to him, there is a need to improve its size for more meat – from the current 15 to 25 kilograms to at least 40 to 50 kilograms. He doesn’t recommend using boer bucks to upgrade the native goats. “Based on our experience, we lost many native does

during birthing because the half-boer kids are just too huge to pass through the vagina,” Piñol says. To upgrade the native goats, he suggests going through the process of crossing the native does with pure Anglo Nubian or Anglo Nubian-native cross to produce larger female goats. “The explanation to this is that while Anglo Nubians would grow large, the kids are actually lean and bony at birth, thus the native female goats could push them out during the kidding process,” Piñol says. The MBRLC, however, suggests raising goats for milk. Research conducted at the center has shown that the volume of milk produced from a purebred milking doe is about 3-4 liters per day (including the milk fed to the kids), which is more than the national average production of 2 liters. By raising goats, the country can develop its own dairy industry. “Popularizing goat milk consumption nationally would drastically cut the huge amount of foreign exchange being spent by the country annually to fill domestic demand for milk and its by-products,” Adang says.

AGRIBUSINESS

Breeding goats the scientific way

Meanwhile, researchers from the University of Southern Mindanao (USM) in Kabacan, North Cotabato have found methods to breed goats all year round – even during those months when the animals are not “in heat”? “Goats are known to be seasonal breeders,” explained Dr. Carlito B. Sanchez, who headed the study. “They come to heat only during cool months when the day length is short. In the Philippines, this is usually between September to February. For goats to give kids yearround, they need to be ‘in heat’ even during summer.” Experts call this as “out-of-season” breeding. “This kind of breeding is of interest to both dairy and slaughter goat owners because it reduces seasonal fluctuations in the herd’s milk and meat production,” he said. Because of this, the USM researchers came up with alternative off-season “green” solutions in manipulating estrus in goats. Estrus is the period of sexual excitement at which time the female accepts the mating with the male. “Such methods sit well with the Halal system of goat production under which use of chemical hormones is not acceptable,” Dr. Sanchez said. Among the Muslims, unnatural breeding of goats is considered “haram.” “Green solutions ensure sustainability of production to cater to the needs of Muslim Filipinos, especially during festivities like Eid’l Fitr and Eid’l Adha,” Dr. Sanchez said. The USM researchers have developed three “green” methods in estrus synchronization or heat induction in goats: photoperiodism or light effect, male/ buck effect, and dormitory effect. The goats are kept under

natural photoperiod. Their nutritional levels are adjusted to meet maintenance requirements. The goats are allowed to graze during the day if the climatic condition is favorable. In addition, they are given free access to water and mineral blocks. At night, they are confined. The goats for breeding are identified by placing ear tags or neck tags. Herding is done daily at around 10 am. At 6 pm., they are brought back to their pens. “Strategic deworming is followed with the first dose given a month before the onset of the rainy season and succeeding dose given as the fecal egg count exceeds 100 eggs per gram in mixed infection,” Dr. Sanchez said. “Ivermectin injection is also given to the animals to control external parasitism.” The estrus activity in goats is observed three times a day: at 5 am, 12 pm, and 6 pm with one-hour observ a -

tion for each period. “Doelings that exhibit a tail-flagging response and stand for mounting are considered to be in estrus,” Dr. Sanchez said. According to Dr. Sanchez, the light effect method consists of controlling exposure to daylight to mimic short-day periods. Does are confined in pens

where they encounter a shorter period of exposure to light. “As most goat breeds are photosensitive with respect to reproduction, the likelihood of their breeding is strongly influenced by how long or how short the days are,” Dr. Sanchez explained. Goats are described as short-day breeders. “This means that the doe shows evidence of desire to breed when day length grows shorter,” he surmised. “A long day photoperiod consists of 16 to 18 hours of light exposure. In contrast, a short day photoperiod is characterized by eight hours of light followed by 16 hours of darkness.” To maintain good health, the goats are housed in a building with adequate ventilation and regular cleaning. The pens are covered with plastic curtains from 4 am to 8 am to

achieve the effect of light. “This gives a total darkness of 14 to 10 hours,” Dr. Sanchez said, adding that in this method, the duration of estrus from onset of behavioral estrus to standing estrus among goats ranges from 12 to 14.6 hours.

The duration of behavioral estrus from standing estrus to the end of estrus ranges from 14.5 to 19.83 hours. “Overall, the total estrus period ranges from 27 to 34 hours,” he said. “The number of days to breed is from 10.25 to 21.5 days and the conception rate is from 66.67% to 100%.” The second method – male/ buck effect – requires a minimal amount of labor and cost, according to Dr. Sanchez. “The initiation of behavioral estrus in the doe is triggered by olfactory, behavioral and visual stimuli which result in ovulation of does,” he said. As such, “activities around the doe perceived by her brain can trigger excitement in the does affecting estrus. These include exuberant vocal expression of the buck and the odor emitted by the buck through its musk glands located behind the horn area that secretes strong odors.” In this method, the bucks are isolated for three weeks before they are allowed to join the does. “The buck joins the herd of female goats for 12 hours each day,” Dr. Sanchez said. This method shows the duration of estrus from the start of behavioral up to the standing estrus from six to 12.5 hours. On the other hand, the duration of behavioral estrus from standing estrus to the end of estrus is from 11.5 to 13.88 hours. All in all, the estrus period ranges from 17.5 to 26.38 hours. The number of days to breeding is from 5.66 to 16.67 days, while the conception rate is from 83.33% to 100%, Dr. Sanchez said. In the third method – the dormitory effect – social interactions play an important role in estrus induction among goats. “When does start cycling, the anestrous group will start to cycle too,” Dr. Sanchez said. “Rest may respond within 14.5 to 33.5 days and the conception rate is from 50% to 100%. The minimum number of keeping goats that can induce estrus is two heads of does.”

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LIFESTYLE

JIB’s SMART boxes of learning

By MAYA M. PADILLO

he Covid-19 pandemic has changed the way kids learn. The health crisis forced adaptations to education with the distinctive rise of e-learning. Under Covid times, remote learning became more apparent as the future of education even in skills development, but what about those students who cannot access the internet? Businesswoman and educator Joji Ilagan-Bian has her way. She innovated a system that let learning continue even outside the classroom, including TVET as she introduced the Skills Management and Assessment Responsive Training (JIB SMART) Boxes. These boxes contain essential materials and supplies for the students to hone their skills at home. The Housekeeping Box has a set of sheets for the students to practice bed making skills; Food and Beverage Services Box contain tableware and a napkin to develop their table setting skills; Culinary and Baking SMART Boxes contain supplies and ingredi-

ents for culinary skills. “The delivery of skills training became more challenging during the pandemic. Schools were closed and all training delivery is done online or through modules delivered in homes of students who do not have internet connections. Together with my academic team, we need to reset and re-calibrate our strategies,” said Bian, chair of the JIB International Schools and founder of MinTVET, a network of TVET schools in Mindanao. To help more beneficiaries, JIB brought the boxes to the senior high school students of public high schools

in Davao City namely AL Navarro National High school in Tibungco, Jesus Soriano National High School in Catalunan Grande, Mintal Comprehensive National High School, Dona Vicenta Nograles National High School in Sandawa, and Teofilo Hernandez National High School in Indangan. These schools made the smartest choice in partnering with JIB as students are assured of excellent training with global standards in culinary, baking, pastry production, housekeeping, bartending, food and beverage services, and welding. “It was fulfilling to see the students

wearing their JIB t-shirts and their chefs toques and aprons on screen as they do their assessments in their homes using the JIB SMART Boxes,” Bian said. Smart Boxes gave the students a silver lining that despite the pandemic they can continue learning and have jobs considering that businesses are now gradually opening. The program is under the Joint Delivery Voucher Program-Technical Vocational Learning (JDVP-TVL) of the Department of Education (DepEd), which is designed to optimize TVL learning by allowing senior high school students enrolled in public schools to avail of

vouchers and take their TVL specializations in eligible partner institutions that are offering TechVoc programs. “JDVP is a strategy initiated by DepEd to help senior high school students enrolled in the TVL track gain relevant industry or workplace exposure. The JDVP gives these students the competitive advantage. We wanted to continue to provide a rich experience to the learners despite the pandemic,” she said. JIB is the leading hospitality, tourism, and culinary school in Mindanao employing skills-based subjects.

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THE BIGGER PICTURE

DOLE hands over P1 million to MUSIAM T

he Department of Labor and Employment Region 11 (DOLE) along with the City of Mati LGU handed over P1M cheque to the Multi-Sectoral Integrated Association of Mati (MUSIAM) at the Turnover Ceremony and MOA Signing on March 24. The 1M check was given by DOLE Region 11 Director Atty. Jason Balaris, DOLE Davor Director Rodolfo Castro, Vice Mayor Glenda Rabat Gayta and Committee Chair on Agriculture Eric Rabat, as representative of Mayor Michelle Rabat, to GreenCom Home Farmers Association President Maria Fe Matibo. According to the DOLE, this money will be

used for the Green Community Backyard Vegetable Production Project and its beneficiaries will be 308 marginalized farmers, fisherfolks and home-based workers. "This will help our city for food security and additional income for the farmers," Vice Mayor Glenda Rabat said. The ceremony was attended by several associations in Mati such as Mati South Farmers and Fisherfolks Association, Mati North Farmers and Fisheries Livestock Enterpreneur Association, Central Matiao Sainz Badas (CEMASADAS) and GreenCom Home Farmers Association. (CIO MATI)

10 EDGEDAVAO TIGHT... FROM2 19,400 recoveries, a total of 785 active cases and 907 deaths. “Base sa data sa taga adlaw nato na mga kaso duna ta’y nakita na pagubos sa atoang mga kaso diri sa Davao Region. Nakita nato nga gaubos ang mga kaso sa Davao City. Naa ta’y duha ka probinsya nga nagtaas, naa pud panahon nga dili taas sa Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte. Sa kinatibuk-an makita nato nga naa’y pag ubos. Pero kung isa-isahon nato diri sa Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte naa gyud mugawas. Naay one time

nga labaw pa ang kaso ani nga mga probinsya kaysa Davao City,” she said. In terms of hospital beds utilization in Davao Region, Yumang said it is also improving. She said ICU beds dedicated for Covid-19 are now at 51 percent available while the ward beds at 76 percent. She also said there are a total of 68 ventilators available and 647 isolation beds available. “Kung atong tan-awon naa gyud kausaban kompara sa nilabay nga mga bulan,” she said.

cinated since the inoculation started on March 5. This leaves a total of 8,719 healthcare workers who have yet to get vaccinated, he said. National Task Force Against COVID-19 chief Carlito G. Galvez Jr. assured the local government that it would have a share of the one million doses of Sinovac vaccines which will be delivered to the country on March 29, he said. He added the local government expects the vaccination to resume by the first week of April. According to the Department of Health (DOH)-Davao, the 33,600 doses of Sinovac and 20,000 doses of AstraZeneca that it received from the national government have been distributed across 166 vaccination sites in the region.

Lopez said the first tranche of vaccine allocation benefited not only healthcare workers in the hospitals in the city but also those in infirmaries, stand-alone clinics, dialysis centers, and other health care institutions. Galvez, in a DOH-NTF joint press release, said the country is expecting to “receive almost 2 million COVID-19 vaccine doses by the end of the month through the government’s negotiations with Sinovac and through the WHO-led COVAX Facility.” Of the total, he said one million were procured from China’s Sinovac, while the remaining 979,200 doses were the additional doses donated by AstraZeneca through COVAX Facility. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

(CPDO), City Social Welfare and Development Office, Davao City Investment and Promotion Center, Public Employment Service Office, City Budget Office, City Cooperative Development Office, City Legal Office, and City Agriculturist Office, along with the Sangguniang Panlungsod’s City on Cooperative Development and People’s Participation, committees on Education, Science and Technology, Arts and Culture, Committee on Labor and Employment Opportunities, Committee on Social Services, and Committee on Trade, Commerce and Industry. Completing the migration and development body are the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration 11, Department of Labor and Employment, Department of Education 11, Commission on Higher Education 11, Technical Education and Skills Development Authority 11, Department of Foreign Affairs 11, the Davao City Chamber

Commerce and Industry, Inc., and city society groups and non-government organizations. E.O. 13, Series of 2021, mandates the task force to conduct research and data collection on the migration profile of the LGU; formulate and implement policies, services, and programs catering to migrants and their families; include migration and development in the local development plan, local development investment program, or annual invested program; mainstream the services of the city, which caters to migrants and their families; monitors and assess the effectivity and impact of the programs and services; and perform other functions as directed by the mayor. The CPDO will serve as the secretariat of the newly formed committee, which is tasked to handle all administrative and/or secretarial-related activities and record and organize all board meetings. CIO

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in the wake of the recent discovery by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) of some new earthquake faults in the Third District near the Tamugan-Panigan river system. Some of the new faults, called the Central Davao Fault Zone, are Lacson Fault, Dacudao Fault, Pangyan-Biao Escuela Fault and New Carmen Fault. The mitigation plan is designed to mitigate or lessen if not negate the

impact of a strong earthquake to the pipelines and other structures of the bulk water and how they can immediately be remedied in case of post-earthquake damage. Wong answered questions from WMC members after the presentation. The design manager however said that no considerable seismic activities in the fault zone have been recorded during the last 500 years. Maya Padillo

balita is padulong na gyud para mahatagan og hustisya ang pamilya sa biktima since naka- identify nata, naka-file na ta og case,” Aguilar said. DCPO Chief Colonel Kirby John Kraft earlier confirmed that Corpuz was raped before being killed

by the suspect. The autopsy also showed that the cause of her death was “blunt traumatic head injuries asphyxia by suffocation”. There was also evidence of blunt trauma to the genital area indicating that she was raped.

transcription polymerase chain reaction) tests effective March 23, 2021. “Passengers also receive pre-flight reminders via contact details provided on the booking days before their flight,” Lim said. She added that the airline has updated its travel reminders page (bit. ly/CEBFlightReminders) as soon as it receive new information from the LGUs. “As we want to make sure our passengers have an accurate and accessible reference before they fly with us,” she said. It can be recalled that

the city government of Davao reinstated the “no RT-PCR negative result, no entry” in Davao City for airline passengers upon entry at the Davao International Airport (DIA) on March 23, 2021. For inbound passengers, a negative RTPCR (nasopharyngeal) negative test result (by DOH accredited lab facility) or a saliva based RT-PCR negative test result (by Philippine Red Cross only)valid within 72 hours from administering the test and upon arrival at Davao City are required.

It will also boost efficiency, especially in dealing with government services where people will

only need to present one ID during transactions. (PNA)

the previous initial public offerings (IPOs) made during the pandemic, DoubleDragon’s REIT listing reflects the strong confidence of our investors in our economic recovery,” Dominguez said.

DoubleDragon has successfully thrived in adverse conditions and even amid the uncertainties triggered by the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, he said.

China Telecoms. Lawmakers and security experts had earlier expressed concern over the state-owned China Telecoms participation in DITO, saying it posed a risk to national security as the new telco would

build facilities inside military camps. Malacañang however downplayed these concerns. The Lower House meanwhile approved DITO's franchise in August last year.

with SGV & Co., which is a member firm of Ernst & Young (EY) Global Limited. The Diamond Tower is located within the Damosa IT Park, an accredited special economic zone, has over 20,000 square meters of leasable space. The tower, which has a land area of 2,200 square meters and a building footprint of around 1,800 square meters, is expected to bolster Davao City’s growing office space needs as more investments are now leading to the south. “This iconic structure is a testament to the economic dynamism and potentials of Davao City. DLI is committed to opening this office building on time, despite the challenges brought about by the pandemic, so that we can achieve our vision of creating a knowledge hub that would further

establish Davao as an economic powerhouse in the southern Philippines,” Lagdameo said. The tower is a Grade A building which is vying to be the first office in Davao to get Berde and Edge certification for its environment-friendly features such as LED lightning, solar panels and eco-friendly insulation, among others. The tower is also targeted for more BPOs, financial service companies, and “traditional” offices. It has also received several awards including Philippines Property Awards Best Office Development in 2020, Best Office Architectural Design in 2019, Highly Commended for Best BPO Office Development in 2019, and Highly Commended for Best Office Development in 2019. Maya Padillo

DepEd, the Champion Live and Minute have collectively reached 50 million views from children and parents from its instructional video content, attained 35 million post engagements and received 40,000 enrollees for its online sports classes which helped create jobs for 1,000 sports coaches, over the past year. As MILO continues these endeavors with the Mula Noon, Hanggang Ngayon – Tuloy ang Pagiging Champion campaign, the leading beverage brand is steadfast in enabling more parents to nurture their children to become tomorrow’s heroes in sports and in life with the MILO Champion Formula to make their champion journeys more energizing. The MILO Champion Formula con-

tains more milk, packed with more Champion Energy Nutrients na PROTOMALT®, Iron, at Vitamins B2, B3, B6, and B12, at mas sulit dahil mas pinarami na ang isang sachet at the same suggested retail price, parents and their children are given the right energy to stay active and healthy at home. It is the only chocomalt milk drink with milk as the #1 ingredient. Watch the Mula Noon, Hanggang Ngayon – Tuloy ang Pagiging Champion material on the MILO Philippines Facebook page (www.facebook. com/milo.ph) and YouTube channel (https:// www.youtube.com/channel/UCZ2Wzb2qXmrCgIYnPq6VfvQ/playlists). For more information, visit www.milo.com.ph.

ness kept Tatum from playing in a 132-126 overtime loss at Memphis. Antetokounmpo scored 13 points – his second-lowest total of the season – but also had eight rebounds and seven assists. Bobby Portis scored 21 for Milwaukee. Lopez and DiVincenzo each had 17. Brown led Boston with 24 points, Walker had 23 and Tatum had 18. The Bucks have won 13 of their last 14 games – a

stretch that started after a five-game skid. Bucks: Reserve guard Bryn Forbes was held out with a toe injury. Forbes' absence resulted in an opportunity for Sam Merrill, who typically isn't part of the rotation but entered Wednesday's game late in the first quarter. ... P.J. Tucker, who sprained his left ankle in the Pacers game, played Wednesday and had three points and three rebounds in 19 minutes.

thony Barriga of Paanabo City will be making a comeback, this time as a light flyweight as he takes on Junuel Lacar this weekend in Cebu alongside bouts involving two other promising fighters, unbeaten world rated Mark Vicelles (12-0-1) and once beaten Peter Apolinar (13-1-0). Vicelles will take on Arnold Garde (8-6-3) at light flyweight

while Apolinar tangles with Juanito Paredes (1010-3) at featherweight. Also seeing action is Arthur Villanueva (32-42) who is up against Bryan Tamayo (6-1-3 ) at super bantamweight in his continuing comeback. Villanueva got sidetracked by a spate of losses in world title fights, losing to Zolani Tete and Nordine Oubaali. (philboxing.com)

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VOL.14 ISSUE 11 • FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

The Cleveland Cavaliers used a balanced attack to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 103-94, on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time) without leading scorer Collin Sexton.

Sexton-less Cavs overcome Bulls

HICAGO — Darius Garland had 22 points and nine assists, Jarrett Allen added 19 points and nine rebounds, and the Cleveland Cavaliers used a balanced attack to defeat the Chicago Bulls, 103-94, on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time) without leading scorer Collin Sexton.

Report: Ancajas fight in limbo?

abawenyo world champion Jerwin Ancajas reportedly turned out positive of his recent Covid 19 test putting in doubt his already scheduled IBF world superflyweight title defense, supposedly his ninth, this April 10 in the US. This report came out in boxing portal Philboxing.com via Teodoro Medina Reynoso. Reynoso reported: "The upside will be Ancajas gets to extend his world title reign, the longest among the titleholders at the loaded super flyweight class. But this will also mean that his opt postponed mandatory defense against Mexico's Jonathan Javier Rodriguez will have to be pushed to an uncertain later date again. It was supposed to be his debut with new promoter, Premier Boxing Champions of Al Haymon." Meantime, a number of prominent Pinoy boxers are scheduled to see action, some after a long lay off, against local and foreign foes here and abroad. Former multi division world titlist Donnie "Ahas" Nietes (45-1-2)

will be seeing action in the ring again, his debut with new promoter, MTK Global against Pablo Carillo (25-7-2 of Colombia for the vacant WBO international super flyweight crown at the Caesar's Palace in Dubai on April 3. The Nietes-Carillo bout will be a title support card underneath the main event Jamel Herring defense of his WBO super featherweight belt versus UK's former two division titlist Carl Frampton. Long time stablemate Pinoy super bantamweight fighter Albert Pagara was first reported to be in the card also but for some reason was later scratched. Pagara has also not entered the ring to fight since two years ago. Curiously, also fighting in the gig is former Eumir Marcial world amateur championship semis foe and victim, Tursynbay Kulakhmet of Kazakhstan who will be into his third pro outing, defending his WBC international super welterweight title against undefeated Venezuelan Hubert Rondon (20-0-0). Before this, former world minimumweight title challenger Mark An-

FREPORT, P10

Larry Nance, Jr. had 14 points and pulled down 14 rebounds as Cleveland limited Chicago's top scorers Zach LaVine and Lauri Markkanen in the second half. Isaac Okoro finished with 12 points for Cleveland, which won for just the fourth time in its

last 10. LaVine led Chicago with 22 points, getting 18 by the half on 6-for-8 shooting, including four 3-pointers. But the All-Star didn't connect again until late and was held to two baskets on 12 shots in the second half. Markkanen had 13

points in the first half before cooling off and finishing with 17. Garland had 14 points in the second half to help Cleveland nudge ahead to a six-point lead after three quarters before the Cavs put it away in the fourth. Coby White and Tomas

Satoransky each had 11 points for Chicago, which has lost four of five. Sexton sat out after he experienced right hamstring soreness in the morning shootaround. Coach J.B. Bickerstaff said the injury to the guard averaging 24 points wasn't serious.

way through the third quarter, the Celtics cut the margin to two on Jaylen Brown's 3-pointer with 1:32 left. Theis then drew an offensive foul on Giannis Antetokounmpo, and the Celtics had multiple opportunities to tie the game or go in front the rest of the way. Marcus Smart missed a 3-pointer with just over a minute left. Donte DiVincenzo blocked a shot attempt from Kemba Walker with

about 35 seconds remaining. Brook Lopez blocked a Smart shot attempt from around the basket with two seconds left. Middleton knocked Smart's ensuing inbounds pass out of bounds, giving the Celtics one last opportunity. Smart found Theis all alone in front of the Celtics' bench, but the shot bounced off the rim as the buzzer sounded. The frantic final minutes

came after Milwaukee dominated much of the game. The Bucks took the lead for good late in the first quarter and were in front by double digits most of the way. Antetokounmpo and Boston's Jayson Tatum returned after the All-Stars missed games on Monday. Antetokounmpo rested during the Bucks' 140-113 victory over Indiana because of a sprained left knee. An ill-

Bucks defeat Celtics for 8th straight win

hris Middleton had 27 points and 13 rebounds, and the Milwaukee Bucks topped the Boston Celtics, 121-119, on Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time) for their eighth consecutive victory. Milwaukee led by as many as 25, but only secured the win when Boston's Daniel Theis missed a wide-open corner 3-point attempt in the final seconds. After trailing 90-65 mid-

Boston guard Marcus Smart stops Bucks star forward Giannis Antotekounmpo.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 11 • FRIDAY, MARCH 26, 2021

CHASING DREAMS

aharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL) commissioner Kenneth Duremdes has finally broken his silence about the brewing drama between the league and the Basilan Steel which was handed a forfeiture loss in the South Division Finals rubber match against eventual national champions Davao Occidental Tigers.

ILO Philippines continues to drive its lifelong legacy of energizing children through sports with the announcement of its new campaign, “Mula Noon, Hanggang Ngayon – Tuloy ang Pagiging Champion”, serving as the brand’s banner theme for 2021. The story spotlights on the country’s sports heroes of yesterday and today to show that parents can still help their kids jumpstart and propel their champion dreams at home amidst the changing waves of time. The campaign was initially unveiled on television, the MILO Philippines Facebook page and YouTube channel. Assistant Vice President of Nestlé Philippines-MILO Lester P. Castillo, Philippine Sports Hall-of-Famer, swimming legend and Olympian Gerardo “Ral” Rosario, and MILO Little Olympics Most Outstanding Athlete and SEA Games gold medalist Sacho Ilustre, announced the latest campaign and discussed MILO’s strengthened commitment in helping parents engage their children into sports. “Sports is deeply entrenched in the fabric of human lives,” said Castillo. “No matter what the challenges, our athletes of yesterday have shown great determination and grit to work for their aspirations which enabled them to become the Champions we admire today. The Mula Noon, Hanggang Ngayon – Tuloy ang Pagiging Champion campaign is dedicated to the next generation of athletes. By sharing the journeys of our Philippine sports heroes, we hope that, with the guidance of their parents, kids are further inspired to pursue their dreams.” In the Mula Noon, Hanggang Ngayon – Tuloy ang Pagiging Champion campaign, renowned athletes such as world champion and Tokyo Olympics gymnast Caloy Yulo, international multi-medalist and taekwondo jin Japoy Lizardo, volleyball phenom Alyssa Valdez, and former PBA superstar Chris Tiu star as the role models for the new generation of athletes Sofia Ildefonso of volleyball, siblings Anna Beatrice and Mateo Luiz Sarmiento of taekwondo, Nathan Ayson of gymnastics, Mikaela De Leon Martires of basketball – all of whom came from MILO’s sports programs. Standing in for MILO athletes featured in the campaign, Rosario, a country representative in the 1972 and 1976 Olympics and a gold medalist in the 1978 Asian Games, expressed his full support for the campaign. Recognizing the role of veteran athletes to the younger ones, he said: “Our achievements as athletes can pave way for the younger generations to do greater things – for themselves and for the society that they live in. It is important that we give them the motivation to uplift their spirits so that they pursue their sporting journeys.” Rosario is also a partner of MILO for its grassroots swimming program, MILO-Swimtech. MILO strives to keep sports alive by combining innovation and tradition evi-

MILO, PH Olympians inspire next generation of champions in new campaign

dent in the brand’s sports programs that stood the test of time. It is through this manner that MILO is able to help parents engage their children into sports through the years. Since 1964, MILO has been supporting grassroots sports in the Philippines. The brand’s time-honored programs such as the National MILO Marathon, MILO Sports Clinics, MILO Little Olympics and the MILO Champ Camp, have served as the springboard for many of the athletes we know and love today. Ilustre, a MILO Little Olympics who is now a SEA Games gold medalist, said, “Swimming is my life and it taught me to be determined to achieve my dreams. It is a matter of perseverance that I will be able to do something great. When that time comes, I hope that I get to pass all the skills and values I learned to the younger generation of swimmers so that, they, too, can pursue their ambitions.” Keeping the Champion Spirit Alive By being an active collaborator of the sporting community and a partner of Filipino parents, MILO is greatly positioned to further advance its pursuits of helping parents unlock their child’s sporting potentials. United by the shared commitment of helping the younger generation of future champions, MILO works with industry players such as the National Sports Associations, the public sector such as the Department of Education (DepEd), and sports organizations such as the Philippine Olympic Committee and the Philippine Sports Commission, to develop more sustained programs geared towards health and nutrition. What came to fruition from these partnerships was MILO’s umbrella online sports program the MILO Home Court. It was the brand’s breakthrough initiative to pivot its signature on-ground sports activities to online. Its core sub-programs, the MILO Sports Clinics Online, the MILO Champion Habit with

FCHASING, P10