Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 55 | Wednesday, May 19, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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SHUT IT DOWN Residents living near Talomo River in Taal, Bangkal take advantage of the strong river flow to collect drifted scrap items from Davao City’s upland areas on Tuesday. Edge Davao

WMC wants resort operating within watershed area closed

STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 55• WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

SHUT IT DOWN President Rodrigo Duterte congratulates newly-promoted chief of the Philippine National Police General Guillermo Lorenzo Eleazar during the donning of rank and oath-taking ceremony at the Malacañan Golf (Malago) Clubhouse on Monday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

eyes early approval WMC wants resort operating BTA-BARMM of Bangsamoro Education Code within watershed area closed M By MAYA M. PADILLO

he Watershed Management Council (WMC) is recommending for the closure of a resort located within the city’s watershed area.

The WMC’s recommendation is based on the report of the representatives of nine government agencies and one advocacy group the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO), City Admin-

istrator’s Office, City Health Office (CHO), City Planning and Development Office (CPD O), Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) Inc., City Engineer’s Office (CEO), City Agriculturist

Office (CAO), Department of Environmental and Natural Resources 11 (DENR 11), DENR-Environmental Management Bureau, and Davao City Water District (DCWD), conducted inspections and monitoring of a public swimming pool developed at Purok Tuburan, Barangay Tambobong in Baguio District, Davao City. During the inspection, it

that the Covid-19 is becoming “dangerous” because of the discovery of more “serious” variants. “If at all, and with the advent of new variants, it is good to prepare for a more serious attack,” Duterte said in his taped public address delivered Monday night

but televised on Tuesday morning. “Kung medyo palapit nang palapit na at marami nang tinatamaan (If it is getting near and many are getting infected), then we will go full blast in making everything operational.” The Philippines on

was found out that the pool is located within the conservation zone and is in the upstream of Tamugan River of the bulk water source or the Aboitiz-owned Apo Agua Bulk water project. Near the constructed pool is a reservoir with an estimated capacity of 10,000 liters that provides water to the sitios in Brgy. Tambobong for domestic use. Sol-

Monday recorded a total of 1,149,925 Covid-19 infections of which 54,235 are active cases, 1,076,428 recoveries, and 19,262 fatalities. Prepare for worst Duterte acknowledged that it would take a long

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Gov’t to ‘prepare for the worst’ with new Covid variants: PRRD

he government might be forced to go full blast on the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19), in case the country faces a worst-case scenario, President Rodrigo Duterte said on Monday. Duterte raised the possibility as he lamented

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embers of the Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA), the interim lawmaking body of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), are eyeing the approval of proposed Bill No. 70 or Bangsamoro Education Code (BEC) this week. BTA Speaker Pangalian Balindong on Monday said BARMM Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim requested a special session on Tuesday, May 18, to address the proposed measure. “We expect the BEC to be passed anytime this week after deliberations in the plenary,” Balindong, a lawyer, said. Since the establishment of the BARMM on Jan. 21, 2019, the region is yet to pass a measure for its education code. “The BEC is one of the most important legislative measures that the parliament must enact,” Balindong said. He pointed out that the BARMM, under the Bangsamoro Organic Law, is required to establish, manage, and support a complete and integrated system of quality education, which shall be a subsystem

of the national education system. The organic law also directs the regional government to develop an educational framework that is “relevant and responsive to the Bangsamoro people’s needs and aspirations while adhering to the minimum standards set by the national government. “ The pending regional bill code must cover, among others, the formal, nonformal, and informal learning systems in both public and private schools in all levels -- basic, higher, and technical education. BARMM Education Minister Mohagher Iqbal, meanwhile, said the proposed education code reflects the Bangsamoro people’s distinct historical identity and aspiration to build a future founded on justice and peace. “The BARMM government envisions an education system that focuses on developing learners or students, where competent teachers use a relevant and adaptive curriculum. Schools that are well managed, safe, and develop creative spaces for learning,” he said.

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 55• WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

Mati City Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat receives her first jab of Sinovac vaccine on Tuesday this after NIATF classified local chief executives as part of the A1 priority list on May 15. CIO Mati City

Sara urges senior citizens to get vaccinated at assigned jabs sites

President Duterte’s ex-wife gets Sinovac COVID-19 jab

resident Rodrigo Duterte’s former wife, Elizabeth Zimmerman, 73, received Monday her first dose of CoronaVac, the 2019 coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccine developed by Chinese biopharmaceutical firm Sinovac, Mayor Sara Duterte said. During her program aired over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), Duterte said her septuagenarian mother was among the senior citizens vaccinated at the Matina Aplaya Elementary School in Barangay Matina Aplaya. Zimmerman was originally scheduled to get inoculated last Friday but it was postponed due to Tropical Storm “Crising.” Duterte said her mother

was relieved of her fear of COVID-19 after receiving the first shot of the COVID-19 vaccine from China. “She was scheduled last Friday but it was cancelled. Her fears recurred over the weekend, but finally she was vaccinated today,” she said. She said Zimmerman felt fine after vaccination. Dr. Ashley Lopez, acting head of the City Health Office, said at least 4,000 senior citizens, who comprised the A2 priority list of the national government, have been vaccinated since the vaccine rollout for senior citizens kicked off Tuesday last week. The city government listed a total of 88,381 senior citizens who want to get vaccinated. Duterte encouraged the

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio urged senior citizens to get vaccinated at assigned vaccination sites.

She issued this statement following requests of some senior citizens via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) to get vaccinated at a mall. “Usually priority ka sa site kung asa ka naassign. Mas convenient

sa imoha kay priority ka didto meaning naa kay appointment kumbaga. Kung muadto ka sa area wherein dili ka apil sa confirmed list I’m sure ma-accommodate ka pero unahon nila tong mga naa sa ilang registration nga

didto sila dapat muadto,” she said. After opening its Lanang branch as vaccine hub for senior citizens, SM Supermalls’ SM City Davao also opened as one of the city’s vaccination hubs on May 17, 2021. Located at SM City Davao’s Cinema 1 to 3 Lobby, the City Health Office (CHO) is targeting

to accommodate 200 preregistered senior citizens per day during weekdays, especially those who reside from Barangays Bucana, Ma-a, Magtuod and Langub. “In any event bisan asa ka mukuha ug bakuna, libre ang bakuna ang nakalahi lang is aircon but usually kung naa ka didto sa confirmed list dili ingon

Residences initiated under Mayor Allan L. Rellon and Vice Mayor Eva Lorraine Estabillo’s shared leadership. 312 LGU employees of the City Government

of Tagum had their first general assembly earlier this month at the city hall atrium where they also formed the Tagumpay Balai Residences Homeowners Association.

The Tagumpay Balai Residences will be situated in the LGU-owned 5.2 hectare lot in Purok Abaca, Barangay Mankilam. This socialized

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Tagum City housing project extended to LGU employees

ome employees of the local government unit of Tagum can finally have their own house and lot through the resettlement project Tagumpay Balai

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 55• WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

A pedestrian buys deep-fried peanuts from one of the stalls beside San Pedro Cathedral in Bolton Street, Davao City on Tuesday. Edge Davao

DTI to submit request to ratify RCEP to PRRD this month

he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is set to submit the request to ratify the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) to President Rodrigo Duterte within this month, a trade official said. DTI Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty told the Philippine News Agency that the country targets to ratify RCEP by June upon submitting the request to the President. Gepty said with the said timeline, the Senate is expected to deliberate the concurrence of RCEP from July to November. “For the Philippines, we are working hard to finish our internal processes so that the Philippines can be one of the first six Asean member states to deposit the instrument of ratification,” he said. RCEP will enter into force 60 days after six Asean member states and at least three of Asean free trade agreement (FTA) partners have ratified the regional trade deal. The ratification provides a legal basis to implement treaties, such as trade agreement. Initiated by Asean in 2012, the RCEP aims to allow free movement of goods, services, and investments among participating countries. The trade deal was concluded in November 2020 after eight years of negotiations. Initially, RCEP involves the 10 Asean member states -- Brunei Darus-

salam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam -- and its six FTA partners that include Australia, New Zealand, China, India, Japan, and South Korea. India backed out from the trade deal in 2019 as it sees the RCEP would open up its market to severe competition from lower cost of Chinese manufacturing exports. For the Philippines, Gepty said the government considers this as an opportunity to attract more Chinese investments here. “We expect also improvement in services and investments. Thus, more service providers and investors may come or do business in the Philippines. On the same vein, Philippine service providers and investors can also consider China as another potential market to expand their business operations,” he said. He added the RCEP will also provide more prospects for the country to strengthen its economic ties with other RCEP participating countries. “Under RCEP, the Philippines can position itself as an investment hub, innovation hub, manufacturing hub, and the center for training and education in the region,” the trade official said. The 15 RCEP participating countries account for 30 percent of the global population and gross domestic product of USD23.5 trillion. (PNA)

Remittances up 4.9% in March

emittances continued to grow in March as more countries eased travel restrictions and reopened borders to foreign workers, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Monday.

Central bank data showed that cash remittances — money transfers coursed through banks — rose 4.9% to $2.514 billion from $2.397 billion the same month last year. Cash remittances from land-based workers grew 5.0% to $1.948 billion, while those from sea-based workers gained 4.5% to $566 million.

Year-to-date, cash remittances increased by 2.6% to $7.593 billion from $7.403 billion in the comparable period in 2020. “This is the second consecutive month that remittances were higher than last year’s levels, reflecting mainly the easing of travel restrictions, reopening of borders to foreign workers, and progress in COVID-19

vaccine roll out in many advanced countries,” the BSP said in an accompanying statement. The United States accounted for 40.8% of the remittances for the first quarter, followed by Singapore, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates, Canada, Qatar, Taiwan, and Malaysia. Combined remittances from the top 10 countries accounted for 78.2% of the total cash remittances for the period. Meanwhile, personal remittances — the sum of

transfers sent in cash or inkind via informal channels — grew 5.6% to $2.801 billion from $2.652 billion. Personal remittances from land-based workers with work contracts of at least a year rose 5% to $2.115 billion, while those from sea-based workers and land-based workers with contracts less than a year grew 4.5% to $617 million. Year-to-date, personal remittances increased 2.9% to $8.454 billion from the $8.218 billion recorded in the first quarter of 2020.

that 21 percent of the surveyed companies said the current situation of their businesses is good, increasing from 19 percent of respondents in the Fall 2020 survey and 20 percent a year ago. “Half of the participating firms consider their current company situation as satisfactory,” the GPCCI survey said. The number of firms

saying they are in bad condition amid the ongoing coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic also declined to 29 percent in the Spring 2021 survey, improving by 7 percentage points, from 36 percent in the previous surveys. Although more companies said they are in satisfactory to good situation, there is also an increase in the number of firms that

expect no apparent changes in economic development prospects. From 37 percent in the WBO Fall 2020 survey, companies saying they see no changes in the local medium-term economic development increased to 45 percent. “Companies feel the negative economic effects of the Covid-19 surge in (the) first

21% of German companies in PH say they are in ‘good situation’

he latest survey of the German-Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GPCCI) shows that more companies consider that they are currently in a good situation, while more of them see no apparent changes in economic development prospects amid the pandemic. The AHK World Business Outlook (WBO) Survey-Spring 2021 indicated

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ECONOMY

Lucia R. Soledad (middle), president of indigenous people (IP) group Manalu Paquibato Farmers Association, receives from DTI Davao City director Rachel S. Remitio (right) and 1LT John Alvin Maunahan of Phil. Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion (left) negosyo kits on poultry farming during the ceremonial turn-over. DTI

Economist eyes sustained rise of remittances inflows

n economist forecasts continued improvement of remittance inflows to the Philippines, just like what is happening in the last two months until March, as more countries roll out their respective coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccine programs. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) on Monday reported the 4.9-percent year-on-year jump in cash remittances last March to USD2.51 billion, while the end-March figure rose by 2.6 percent to USD7.59 billion. Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said increased deployment and rollout of vaccines in countries where overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) work is a big boost to remittance in-

flows since this would spur recovery of the economies. This situation, he said, can further improve economic recovery prospects that lead to more employment opportunities for OFWs resulting from improvement in remittances data. “The improvement in the US jobs data in recent weeks/months would bode well for OFW job prospects and remittances,” he added. However, Ricafort said this factor is countered by the fact that Covid-19 cases are still rising, especially with the new contagious variants infecting more people and more OFWs are being repatriated back in the Philippines. He said since February 2020, there are already around 500,000 OFWs who have been repatriated.

T-bill rates down on cut in BSP inflation forecast

he rates of the Philippines-issued Treasury bills (T-bills) declined Monday partly due to reduction in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) average inflation projection for this year, National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon said Monday. The average rate of the 91-day paper went down to 1.270 percent, the 182day to 1.540 percent, and the 364-day to 1.810 percent. These were at 1.278 percent, 1.549 percent,

and 1.829 percent for the three and six months and one-year paper during the auction last May 10. The Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) offered the three-month T-bill for PHP5 billion, the sixmonth for PHP8 billion, and the one-year for PHP12 billion. All were oversubscribed and fully awarded. Bids for the 91-day paper reached PHP16.965 billion, while it amounted to PHP25.109 billion

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DTI-Davao City takes part in ending arm struggle, provides livelihood

while, the SSF program is an initiative that aims to assist a group of local entrepreneurs get access to highly-needed equipment or machinery. Amid the crisis that the world has been experiencing since last year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, DTI has also been proactive in finding ways to take part in nation-building. For this year, DTI-Davao City has already conducted 12 NSB in different barangays under its jurisdiction. Of this figure, three took place in ELCAC ar-

eas wherein 10 beneficiaries, who belong to the Manalu Paquibato Farmers Association, received livelihood kits on poultry farming. Each of this is worth Php5,000, more or less. Apart from the starting kits, the beneficiaries also underwent a series of entrepreneurial and consumer education seminars. These interventions are seen to aid them in growing their livelihood kits and to educate them on their rights and responsibilities as consumers. DTI-Davao City director Rachel S. Remitio said that through the package of assistance handed over to the beneficiaries, she is optimistic about seeing the beneficiaries improve their income one day. “When we conceptualize

and plan out the implementation of our programs, our end goal really is to let our beneficiaries experience an improvement in their lives. As with this group of farmers, we want them to increase their income and improve their livelihood activities; thus, creating a peaceful and productive community away from insurgency,” the trade official said. In the meantime, Lucia R. Soledad, one of the beneficiaries, expressed her gratitude. “Nagpasalamat gyud ko kay dako kaayo ning tabang sa asosasyon. Wala ko nagdahom nga muabot ning adlawa ni (I am very thankful because this is a huge help to the association. I never expected for this day to happen),” she said in tears.

Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention Hall in Diliman, Quezon City. Former Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources director Asis Perez, in a virtual press briefing on Monday, said assessment and planning will help boost the country’s food situation. “The country must endeavor to produce more than enough for each of the major agriculture commodities to be entirely

food secured. Among the items that need to be prioritized include rice, corn, legumes such as mongo and red beans, beef, pork, chicken and fish, and vegetables and fruits. Since these commodities constitute the bulk of the Filipino diet, everyone must work together and focus on boosting efficiency and competitiveness in producing these items locally,” he said. Norbert Chingcuanco, convenor of advocacy

group Tugon Kabuhayan, cited the generation of reliable industry data, reduced post-harvest loss, improved farm-to-market relations, and mainstreaming value-added products and processing. “We can become a dominant exporter while still caring for and providing gainful economic growth to local communities. All these are possible if we produce efficiently, sustainably, and responsibly,” he said.

he office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao City has intensified its campaign on ending local communist armed conflict (ELCAC) by providing more relevant programs and services to the communities.

Part of this effort, the agency has provided several beneficiaries in the identified areas in conflict with entrepreneurship and livelihood assistance through Negosyo Serbisyo sa Barangay (NSB) and Shared Service Facility (SSF) programs. The NSB is a special program that helps the target beneficiaries in the far-flung barangays start a business. During its conduct, livelihood kits are distributed and relevant seminars or training activities are given to the participants. Mean-

2021 National Food Security Summit to highlight DA plans, achievements

he Department of Agriculture (DA) will lay out its food security campaign amid the Covid-19 pandemic and population growth during the 2021 National Food Security Summit on Tuesday and Wednesday. The summit will address major challenges and enhance how Filipinos can have access to sufficient, safe, nutritious, and affordable food. The opening ceremony will be held at the DA’s

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 55• WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

On why Senator Antonio Trillanes IV was selected by President Benigno Aquino III to hold backdoor negotiations with Chinese officials on the sea dispute:

The mystery, Mr. President for me, is why Trillanes? Why was Trillanes selected as a negotiator for Aquino?.” FORMER SENATE PRESIDENT JUAN PONCE ENRILE

EDITORIAL

Best advice

Ignore them.

That’s the trite two-worded advice of former Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile to President Rodrigo Duterte in reaction to the critics of the latter’s foreign policy on the West Philippine Sea.

After talking to the seasoned lawmaker, President Duterte eased up and said he has decided to ignore those criticizing his approach on the WPS issue. In that special meeting with Enrile and some members of his Cabinet, the President was convinced that he would rather not “waste his time” explaining his decision to navigate the maritime row “peacefully” to avoid trouble with China. It took an elderly statesman to move another veteran in governance. That nailed it. President Duterte was convinced, all others speaking on the issue against him are irrelevant.

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Enrile’s point is that the President does not owe anyone for his specific foreign policy. Leaders will have to make decisions and no matter what they are, there will always be someone who will not necessarily agree. The important thing is that as a leader, Enrile said the President should just mind history and the Filipino people. Duterte said Enrile’s suggestions were “the best advice” he received on the issue.

He maintains that it is not to the country’s advantage that we go out and quarrel with China. Enrile agreed with Duterte’s approach to take a peaceful stand on the WPS issue with China which both believed to be a useless intercourse. Call it diplomacy. The two veteran leaders share one notion that instead of making a foe of China, it is better for the Philippines to “befriend” China without surrendering our sovereign rights. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

CHRISTIAN JAY H. RAFAL ANA MARIE G. SILPAO Layout

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

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 55• WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

BIGGER PICTURE

LAW PRACTICE IS ESSENTIALLY PUBLIC SERVICE By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ATTY. ISRAELITO TORREON

t all started as Torreon Law Firm in May 2000 but was later changed to the Law Firm of Torreon and Partners in July 2013. Since its humble beginnings, the law firm has gone a long, long way. The firm has handled varied cases – ranging from simple to controversial. For one, there was the unlawful detainer case that ran for 10 years by the time it reached the Supreme Court. “The opponent was a huge local corporation and we were representing a family of farmers who were in occupation of a tract of land even before the Japanese occupation,” recalled Atty. Israelito Torreon, the founding partner and dean of the Law School Department at Jose Maria College, of the pro bono case. “We were able to prove our client’s better right and superior title to the land despite absence of a physical land title by citing their Open, Continuous, Exclusive and Notorious possession of the land in the concept of an owner for more than 30 years. The Supreme Court upheld our position.” Another case involved the constitutionality of the Memorandum of Agreement on the Ancestral Domain aspect (MOA-AD) between the government and the Moro

Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) which was declared unconstitutional. “In upholding our position, the Supreme Court said that there was a failure to consult local government units or communities which amounted to a departure from the government’s mandate under Executive Order No. 3,” Atty. Torreon said, explaining that EO No. 3 defined the authority of the GRP (Government of the Republic of the Philippines) Peace Panel. Still another is the ongoing case involving the indigenous peoples of Malalag, Davao del Sur. “(This) is actually the first test case of Republic Act 8371 (Indigenous People’s Rights Act of 1997),” he pointed out. When he started the Firm, he had only two associates. But over the years, several lawyers joined the Firm who eventually set up their own practice while others joined more established law offices. Others ventured into government service. Currently, he has two

law partners: Atty. Allan C. Lozare, his Senior Partner and Atty. Resci Angelli R. Rizada, his Managing Partner. Atty. Lozare, whom he had been together for more than a decade, is an elected municipal councilor in Antipas, North Cotabato and a professor at the Jose Maria College of Law. Atty. Rizada, a popular media personality, is the Assistant Dean of the Jose Maria College of Law where she also teaches. The associates in the Firm are Attorneys Alain Jan Brigoli, Jamel Agantal and Bryan Arias (all graduates from the Ateneo de Davao Law School), and Eric John Cabuslay (from the Cor Jesu Law School). Right now, there are six paralegals who handle legal research work, client interviews and drafting pleadings, contracts and conveyances. The Firm has five legal staff who are tasked with file management, billing and serving of all legal documents and papers. The Firm is located at the Second Floor of the Davao VIP Lounge along Gov. Duterte St. in downtown Davao City. Three rooms in the second floor are occupied by the firm with still another office in the ground floor annex. Last year, Atty. Torreon expanded his law practice

by establishing an office in Quezon City. It is located at Unit 301, Heart of the City Condominium, South Triangle in Diliman, Quezon City. His Partner is Atty. Benito Dangazo of the San Beda College of Law. The Associates are Atty. Sarah Francisco and Atty. Stephen Gayados, who also both graduated from the San Beda College of Law. “We are essentially into general law practice,” Atty. Torreon said. “But we strive to be the best in all areas of the law.” The Firm was not an overnight success though. Along the way, there were hardships and struggles to contend with. “There is always that challenge of gaining the trust of clients,” he admitted. “Since the lawyer-client rela-

tionship is fiduciary in nature (based on trust), very few clients would entrust their problems to a new lawyer. I was barely 3 years in law practice when I decided to set up my own law practice.” For another, there’s the problem of familiarity

with real life legal situations. “(This) is essentially dictated by a lawyer’s long experience in actual practice,” Atty. Torreon said. “I was lucky to have maintained good relations with more experienced lawyers who unselfishly

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2021 VOL.14 ISSUE 55• WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

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VOL.14 ISSUE 55• WEDNESDAY, MAY 19, 2021

AGRITRENDS

AFRICAN SWINE FEVER NOW A NATIONAL CONCERN By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

merson Capuno loves to eat pork. Whether it is prepared as adobo, giniling, sinigang, afritada, or barbecue. When African swine fever (ASF) affected the swine industry in the country, he started to eat less as the price of pork increased. Bansalan, Davao del Sur – where Capuno lives – is one of the towns in Davao del Sur affected by ASF. The pork being sold in the public market are being supplied from neighboring towns and cities. Aside from high prices, pork is getting scarce. And this worries Capuno. “I miss eating pork lechon,” he says. “Even the liempo I used to buy in lechon chicken stalls are no longer available.” Since ASF is responsible for the significant reduction in the country’s swine population by around three million that resulted in more than P100 billion in losses to the local hog sector and allied industries, President Rodrigo R. Duterte finally declared a state of calamity throughout the country recently. Almost two years after ASF was first reported, Duterte – upon recommendation of the National Disaster Risk

Reduction and Management Council – signed Proclamation 1143 placing the whole country for a period of one year, unless lifted or extended. The first ASF outbreak in the Philippines happened on July 25, 2019. Since then, it has already spread to 12 regions, 46 provinces, 493 cities and municipalities, and 2,561 villages throughout the country since it was first reported in 2019. Despite government interventions, new cases are still being reported. “There is an urgent need to address the continued spread of ASF and its adverse impacts, to jumpstart the rehabilitation of the local hog industry, and to ensure the availability, adequacy, and affordability of pork products, all for the purpose of attaining food sector,” stated the order which was released on May 10. The declaration allows the national and local

government to utilize appropriate funds, including the Quick Response Fund (QRF), to contain the continuing spread of ASF and restore normalcy in ASF-hit areas. To accomplish this, the proclamation urges all government agencies and local government units (LGUs) to render full assistance to and cooperation with each other, and mobilize the necessary resources to undertake critical, urgent and appropriate measures in a timely manner. “All law enforcement agencies, with the support of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, are hereby directed to undertake all necessary measures to ensure peace and order in affected areas, as may be necessary,” the proclamation states. The World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) – the intergovernmental organization coordinating, supporting and promoting animal disease control – described ASF as “a highly contagious hemorrhagic viral disease of domestic and wild pigs, which is responsible for serious economic and production losses.” The Philippines ranks

third to China and Vietnam in terms of pig production in Asia, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. The Department of Agriculture lists the P191-billion swine industry as one of the biggest contributors to the country’s agricultural growth. ASF is no ordinary swine fever. It is called as such because it comes from Africa, where it was first detected in the 1920s. ASF outbreaks were first reported in China – the world’s largest pork producer – in August 2018. It quickly spread to every province in the said country. From there, ASF hopped the border into Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia, Myanmar, Mongolia, North Korea and the Philippines. Outbreaks were also reported in some parts of Europe, South America and the Caribbean. In its website, the OIE considered ASF a “transboundary animal disease” that can be spread by live or dead pigs, domestic or wild, and pork products. It is caused by a large DNA virus of the Asfarviridae family, which also infects ticks. “The epidemiology of ASF is complex and varies, depending on the

environment, types of pig production systems, the presence/absence of competent tick vectors, human behavior, and the presence/absence of wild pigs,” OIE explained. Routes of transmission can include: direct contact with infected domestic or wild pigs; indirect contact, through ingestion of contaminated material (that is, food waste, feed, or garbage); and contaminated fomites, or biological vectors where present. Among the fomites (non-living objects) that can spread it includes as shoes, clothes, vehicles, knives, and equipment. “These contaminated materials can be transported over long distances by vehicles and people,” OIE said. “ASF is a contagious viral disease that affects pigs of all ages, inducing a hemorrhagic fever,” FAO explains in its manual, African Swine Fever: Detection and Diagnosis. “It can appear in a variety of forms ranging from peracute, acute, subacute, to chronic and apparent. It is most often recognized in the acute form with an associated lethality of up to 100%.” Dictionary defines peracute as “very acute

or violent.” It denotes fulminant, whereas acute only sometimes connotes fulminant. “Acute forms of ASF are characterized by high fever, depression, anorexia and loss of appetite, hemorrhages in the skin (redness of skin on ears, abdomen and legs), abortion in pregnant sows, cyanosis, vomiting, diarrhea and death within 6-13 days (or up to 20 days),” OIE pointed out. Subacute and chronic forms are caused by moderately or low virulent viruses, which produce less intense clinical signs that can be expressed for much longer periods. Unlike the acute form, mortality rates of these forms are lower, but can still range from 30-70%. Chronic disease symptoms include loss of weight, intermittent fever, respiratory signs, chronic skin ulcers and arthritis. FAO says ASF virus is shed in saliva, tears, nasal secretions, urine, feces, and secretions from the genital tract. “Blood, in particular, contains large amounts of virus,” the UN food agency claims. “Pigs can therefore become infected by contact with many different infected sources, mainly infected

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id wastes such as shampoo, soap wrappers, food wrappers, and many more were also found near the riverbank; and the management failed to present business permit, building permit, barangay clearance, and National Water Resources Board (NWRB) use permit during the inspection. The team recommend-

ed that the operator of the resort should be properly advised about such restrictions and to forward the report to the Office of the Barangay Captain to oversee the proper disposal of solid wastes and to make sure that health protocols are observed while appropriate actions of the city is underway.

time to address the Covid-19 pandemic. Hence, he told the public to “prepare for the worst,” if a more contagious Covid-19 variant spreads in the country. “For as long as the Covid-19 is here, it will take a lot of time before it finally disappear[s],” Duterte said. “And if it is more -- a serious mutant, the variant, we will just have to prepare for the worst.” Recalibrating preparedness Despite this, Duterte ensured that

his administration is exhausting all efforts to defeat Covid-19. “We continue to prepare and we calibrate our preparedness in accordance with each propagation,” he said. Duterte also reiterated his plan to sell government properties, once funds for Covid-19 pandemic response efforts are already depleted. He likewise ordered the ramping up of health infrastructure projects to boost the country’s fight against Covid-19.

low-cost housing project will be financed by the National Housing Authority (NHA) which will also fund its land development. NHA and the Tagum City Housing and Land Management Office presented the blueprint of the modern duplexstyle housing design to the beneficiaries who would each receive 100 sq.m. total land area of house and lot. The project is expected to be completed two years from now, Mayor Rellon remarked during his speech

and will provide affordable and liveable homes to city employees. Under the similar program, Mayor Rellon signed the Complex Subdivision Plans of the two (2) LGU-owned and initiated resettlement sites last May 6 which is a vital requirement in processing the notice of award to deserving homeowners of Apokon Grand Subdivision that has 628 settlers and Manuel Suaybaguio Sr. Phase III or Sto. Rosario Apokon Village that has 101 settlers. Ziyarah Manalo/CIO

quarter of 2021, and they are unsure about the economic development” GPCCI president Stefan Schmitz said. “Only one out of 10 companies expects economic recovery this year. Six months ago, the number was three times higher.” About 14 percent of the surveyed companies said they will have higher investments locally in the next 12 months, lower than the 19

percent in the Fall 2020 survey but higher than the 13 percent in the Spring 2020 survey. GPCCI added that lack of demand, concerns on economic policy framework, and financing issues are the top risks that firms anticipated in the next 12 months. Firms also noted that travel restriction is the top persisting impact of Covid-19 to their business.

ana kadugay ang proseso. Advantage pud aning mga schools na vaccination sites walay lain tao didto except katong magpabakuna ug katong naga-assist ug frontliners. While dinhi sa mall naa’y lain tao, which can increase your risk na makakuha ka sa isa ka asymptomatic nga nagsuroy pud sa mall,” Mayor Sara said. Mayor Sara reminded the elderly to wait until the health experts will announce that the cases in Davao City is

already low and allow them to roam around the mall. “Ayaw sa mo pagsuroy. Hulaton sa nato na makadaghan ta ug bakuna ug mu-baba ang atoang cases and musulti ang public health expert na uy mga taga Davao medyo okay namo diha. Let’s wait for that. Sa pagkakaron pabakuna sa ta sa atong first and second dose and magpadayon ta sa atong wearing of face mask, distancing, handwashing and stay home,” she said.

senior citizens to pre-register for the vaccination program of the government. Last May 11, the Davao region received 161,330 additional doses of COVID-19 vaccines, of which 80 were CoronaVac, 29,250 of Pfizer and 132,000 of Astrazenaca. This brought

to 309,330 the total number of doses the region got since March 2. As of May 16, the Department of Health-Davao reported 160 new cases, bringing the total cases to 25,006, with 1,620 active, 22,365 recoveries and 1,021 deaths in the region.

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provided me with insight and guidance as I navigated through the complex world of trial practice.” But the biggest challenge was – and still is – financial matters. “Like most new private law practitioners, money to set up a decent office is always the perennial problem,” he said. “This will explain why many new lawyers would not venture into private practice right away. You have to invest in a modest office space, paid staff (a secretary or messenger or both), furniture and fixtures, books and computers to name a few.” Those obstacles were encountered during the beginning of the Firm. Through the years, it has faced several other challenges. “The practice of law is essentially service to the public,” Atty. Torreon said. “But we have to remain relevant and financially viable to support the people who run the Firm. Remaining relevant means your Core Team should be abreast with changes taking shape within the legal community. Lawyering is not easy so dedication to do the job without hesitation is the key. The lawyers should have the correct attitude and mindset and a heart for the less fortunate members of our community. Our law practice is not exclusively for those who can afford to pay our services. We also litigate pro bono as a way of showing our gratitude to the community who has supported us over the decades.” According to Atty. Torreon, many people do not understand that the involvement of lawyers in the litigation of cases is purely professional, that is, affording the best legal service possible. “It is never personal,” he explained. “Yet, an opposing party tends to see it differently such that if his side is not favored after a fair and impartial trial, he gets back at the lawyer. So, personal security becomes a problem for the lawyer.” On the financial side, talking from experience, he said that some clients do not keep their end of the bargain; their signed Contract of Legal Services notwithstanding. “There are times a client forgets to pay for services rendered,” Atty. Torreon said. “This is sometimes true if he fails to obtain a favorable judgment. But it must be remembered that it is not the lawyer who sits in judgment. Our job is limited to presenting a client’s case based on the available evidence and invoking the law applicable to that evidence. Magic is definitely not part of our training.” The Firm, now on its more than two decades of dedicated service, is a fruition of a dream when he was still a boy growing up in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. “Being a lawyer had always been my cherished dream,” he disclosed. “When I was growing up, I personally witnessed forms of injustices being perpetuated on different people, the marginalized especially. There were instances of people being disturbed in the ownership of their property, people being duped into signing contracts the terms of which they were made to believe would favor them, people getting involved in crime out

of force of circumstances. The list is almost endless.” Those incidents drove him to pursue his dream of becoming a lawyer. He has always romanticized the late Pres. Ramon Magsaysay’s statement which has been his guiding principle to this day: “Those who have less in life should have more in law.” Atty. Torreon also comes from a huge family. “I have many relatives and many more of them come to me for all sorts of legal problems,” he said. “Can you imagine if there was no lawyer in the family to protect them?” Atty. Torreon finished his Political Science from the University of Philippines in the Visayas. However, his Bachelor of Laws was obtained from the Ateneo de Davao University Law School. He got his Master of Laws from the San Beda College of Law. He also qualified for a scholarship for his second Master of Laws degree from the Nalsar University of Law in Hyderabad, Telangana, India. Likewise, he also finished a course in Introduction to U.S. Laws from the George Washington University, Institute for U.S. Law. He was about 29 years old when he ventured to start his own law practice. “It was not easy but there was not an instance where I entertained the thought of giving up,” he admitted. “The more difficult the situation was, the more I was motivated to succeed. “Challenges and hardships have always been constant items in my life,” he continued. “Even as a budding law student, I had to put up with a shortage of funds, books and other materials which were all necessary to survive in the jungle that was law school. But this never deterred me. I prevailed in the end.” Now 50, he said there are many more he wishes to attain. “To me, no case is too small that I cannot spare the required time and effort to accomplish a positive result for the client,” he said. “When I eventually retire some years from now, I just want to be remembered as the lawyer who never tired of exploring all possibilities for his clients no matter how difficult or frustrating the case may be. That, to me, is an accomplishment in itself.” Life, someone said, is what we make it. The same is true with the Firm he established. “Our law firm has evolved over the years,” he said. “Our long years in trial practice make us the ideal venue for pursuing a career as a law practitioner. For those still aspiring to become lawyers, the litigation work that we do provides actual, hands-on training that will be very useful once they pass the bar and get admitted to the practice of law.” Atty. Torreon is committed to making law practice a public service. “My experience as a lawyer has taught me that because of his special skill, he is in a strategic position to influence changes in the society,” he pointed out. “The lawyer must always be mindful of this fact and should therefore remain true to his mandate of only doing the greatest good for the greatest number.”

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pigs, pork, and other pigderived products.” As stated earlier, ASF can be transmitted through pork and pork products. It doesn’t matter whether the pork and products are raw, frozen, dried or undercooked, the virus can survive for a long time. It remains infective for 15 weeks in chilled meat (and probably longer in frozen meat), and for months in bone marrow or cured hams and sausages unless they have been cooked or smoked at high temperature. Dr. Ann Garvey, an American veterinarian from the Iowa State Public Health, says ASF affects only pigs and not human beings and other livestock. “African swine fever is a viral disease impacting only pigs, not people, so it is not a public health threat nor it is a foodsafety concern,” she explains. Human beings cannot be infected with ASF unlike the novel coronavirus, which currently is hogging the headlines around the world. “ASF cannot be transmitted to humans through contact with pigs or pork,” Dr. Garvey assures. As a matter of fact, ASF is not a risk to human health. “We want to allay the fears of the public by saying that, as long as pork is bought from reliable sources and it is cooked thoroughly, pork is safe to eat,” Health Secretary Francisco Duque III assured. Agriculture Secretary William Dar echoed the same opinion. In a post on his social media account, he said that as long as the hogs passed through the proper process of slaughtering and preparation, the public should not fear eating pork. The United Nations

food agency says ASF virus survives well under most environmental conditions; 2-3 months in carcasses and in sheds. It can even survive for many months in meat. “The ASF virus resists the freezing process but is inactivated by high temperature,” the FAO points out. High temperature means 30 minutes at 60 degrees Centigrade. ASF has no vaccines or drugs available to prevent or treat it. To stop it from spreading, OIE recommends prevention and control strategies. “Prevention in countries free of the disease depends on implementation of appropriate import policies and biosecurity measures, ensuring that neither infected live pigs nor pork products are introduced into areas free of ASF,” OIE stated. “This includes ensuring proper disposal of waste food from aircraft, ships or vehicles from affected countries and policing illegal imports of live pigs and pork products from affected countries.” During outbreaks and in affected countries, OIE admitted that ASF control “can be difficult and must be adapted to the specific epidemiological situation.” According to OIE, classical sanitary measures may be employed including early detection and humane killing of animals (with proper disposal of carcases and waste); thorough cleansing and disinfection; zoning/ compartmentalization and movement controls; surveillance and detailed epidemiological investigation; and strict biosecurity measures on farms.

from Ateneo and eventually passing the licensure exam in 2014, Pareja has been balancing his playing time with other chores. “I’ve been living out this balancing act ever since from college, med school, even during medical practice so I kind of have a grasp of it. It’s all about accepting that both commitments have high demands and figuring out when you can compromise effort for either one without negatively affecting the overall result,” he said. “I’ve learned to say no when it doesn’t help in the progress of either commitment. It also helps a lot to have a support circle that understands your frequent absences because of these commitments.” That is why he did not hesitate when he was given an invitation to try out for the national team and quickly began training even if the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic forced him to just do his drills at home. “The preparation has been there since day one of

the pandemic. It wasn’t an overnight success. Regardless if gyms or training facilities were closed, I kept my physical condition with home based workouts as well as keeping my nutrition in check despite the constant temptation of binging at home,” Pareja said. The former middle blocker looks to make a national team return after he made the men’s indoor volleyball team that competed in the 2015 SEA Games. But as early as now, Creamline beach volleyball program head Charo Soriano is happy on how his career both as a doctor and professional spiker has been. “I’ve known AJ since he was a teenager and I’m so proud of all his accomplishments. His goal has always been to represent our country in the international arena and I am so happy to journey with him towards his ultimate dream,” said Soriano, who also leads the Philippine National Volleyball Federation’s beach volleyball committee.

for the six-month paper and PHP41.63 billion for the oneyear paper. “Strong participation as rates marginally declined. (Investors) continue to stay on (the) safe side and BSP trimming average inflation for

the year to 3.9 percent, within target band,” de Leon told journalists in a Viber message. The BTr re-offered the one-year paper over the tap facility window for PHP5 billion after the auction, she added.

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Former San Miguel Beermen Keith Agovida will shore up the Tigers’backcourt. Getty Images photo

Kukoc, Bosh, Pierce, Russell elected to Hall of Fame 2021

everal NBA veterans such as Toni Kukoc, Chris Bosh, Paul Pierce, Ben Wallace, Chris Webber, and Bill Russell were elected to the Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame 2021 on Sunday. “Congratulations Toni Kukoc, 3-time NBA Champion, 3-time EuroLeague MVP, FIBA World Championships MVP and 21HoopClass honoree,” Basketball HOF (Hall of Fame) said on Twitter. In addition to Chicago Bulls’ former Croatian forward Kukoc, the Basketball HOF also said it elected Miami Heat’s former center-forward Chris Bosh, Boston Celtics’ ex-player Paul Pierce, Detroit Pistons’

former center Ben Wallace, and a former player of the Sacramento Kings, Chris Webber, as well as 87-yearold Bill Russell, NBA’s first Black head coach. Russell -- a Celtics veteran in 1956-1969 -- was an 11-time NBA champion with the Celtics. He spent his whole career at Boston. The Basketball HOF will honor Russell as a coach this time. “Congratulations Bill Russell, the NBA’s first Black head coach and #21HoopClass honoree. (Also inducted in 1975 as a player),” it tweeted. As a coach, Russell led the Celtics to the NBA winners in 1968 and 1969.

Tigers overhaul team with 9 new players

he Davao Occidental Tigers will be a relatively new team entering the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League’s (MPBL) fourth season.

Although they still get to keep last season’s Finals Most Valuable Player Mark Yee, some of his support crew are not with him anymore. Davao Occidental announced on Monday night that the team has let go of Jerwin Gaco, Richard Albo, Yvan Ludovice, Kenneth Mocon, Harry Dumagan, Bogs Raymundo, Jeck Desabille, Embons Bonleon, and Don Adormeo. Coach Don Dulay said the pace of the upcoming MPBL season, which like the finale of the last season will happen inside a bubble, prompted him to go for a younger core.

“It was a hard decision, especially on my part. We talked about it with management but we needed to change our homegrowns and also get younger,” said Dulay, who steered the Cocolife-backed squad to a 3-1 triumph over San Juan last March in Subic. Headlining the new Tigers is former high school sensation Keith Agovida, who according to Dulay is on his wishlist. “I was eyeing him since he was with Columbian (now Terrafirma),” said Dulay, who is also an assistant coach with Rain or Shine

in the Philippine Basketball Association, about the 6-foot-2 guard. “When I became head coach of Davao Occidental, I wanted to get him because he was perfect for the MPBL.” Joining Agovida are free agents 6-foot-3 swingman Robby Celiz, 6-foot-5 big man Chris Lalata, 5-foot-10 combo guard Alwin Alday, 5-foot-9 floor general Irvin Palencia, 6-foot-3 forward Chris Dumapig, 6-foot-2 guard Joe Presbitero, 6-foot2 shooting guard Gab Dagangon, and 6-foot-4 big Dariel Bayla. Staying put with the club aside from Yee are Bonbon Custodio, Billy Robles, Chester Saldua, Emman Calo, Marco Balagtas, and Joseph Terso. Despite the face-lift, Du-

volleyball training squad, is also a front-liner being a licensed doctor. In fact, Pareja, a former University Athletic Association of the Philippines Most Valuable Player, is currently Creamline’s team doctor for its beach volleyball teams

even as he aims to become an accredited FIVB doctor. “As the Team MD of Creamline Beach, I will ensure that the athletes are free from any injuries and that they’re keeping themselves safe and healthy despite the pandemic. Drafting

lay believes Davao Occidental’s new lineup is stacked. “We’re deep! I expect these guys to come in and be comfortably only because of the style we play. We don’t rely on one person. We still have Mark Yee, Billy, and Bonbon who don’t care about the limelight. We have Agovida, Alday, Dumapig -they are all fighters. I expect them to do well,” Dulay said. The MPBL has yet to set the date for the opening of the new season, which will be called the Mumbaki Season, although Commissioner Kenneth Duremdes admitted during last week’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum that they might do away with the traditional June 12 start due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. (PNA)

the medical protocols for all team activities has been both a learning and fulfilling activity for me especially to my other life as an MD,” said Pareja, who joined the program last year. Even after graduating

This doctor is also a beach volleyball player

AJ Pareja with James Pecaña as his partner during the national beach volleyball tryouts in Subic. (Photo courtesy of Charo Soriano)

J Pareja has one of the most interesting stories among those who made the national team pools for the upcoming Southeast Asian (SEA) Games. Pareja, who made the crack for the men’s beach

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SPORTS INFRA The Rizal Memorial Sports Stadium.

Architect behind Rizal, Ninoy discuss Sports infra in NSS

he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) features multi-awarded architect Gerard Lico in the 14th session of the National Sports Summit 2021 to explore sports infrastructure in the Philippines on May 19.

Leading the team behind the renovation of the historical Rizal Coliseum, the esteemed professor from the University of the Philippines takes over 800 registered participants of the online sports conference into an overview of the sports edifices in the Philippines. Dr. Lico is also the brains behind the notable works on Philippine architecture and cultural studies such as “Edifice Complex:

Power, Myth, and Marcos State Architecture” (2003) and “Arkitekturang Filipino: A History of Architecture and Urbanism in the Philippines” (2008) and bringing back the grandeur of the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, Rizal Memorial Football Stadium, and Rizal Memorial Tennis Center. “We are elated for the chance given to us by Dr. Lico to share his breadth of knowledge and skills to our summit stakeholders on this

important topic. The improvement of sports facilities has always been part of the goal to provide a better sporting experience to our countrymen,” said PSC Chairman William Ramirez. The migrated sports conference is now on its fourth batch which has sports legislation, business and sports, and public and private partnerships included in the sessions along with sports infrastructure