Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 66 | Tuesday, June 1, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

WHERE HAVE ALL OUR CORAL REEFS GONE? ENVIRONMENT P9

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VOL.14 ISSUE 66 • TUESDAY, JUNE 01, 2021

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Pedestrians walk by Sangguniang Panlungsod building along San Pedro Street in Davao City on Monday. The Davao City council building will be on lockdown for a week starting Monday, May 31, unti Sunday, June 6, after over a dozen local government workers tested positive for COVID-19. Edge Davao

Operation of all resorts in Samal suspended STORY ON PAGE 2 due to surge of Covid-19 cases

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President Rodrigo Duterte, together with Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, joins the nation in praying for the country to fully overcome the Covid-19 pandemic. Duterte sought divine guidance as the country grapples with the health crisis that has claimed the lives of over 20,860 Filipinos so far. Edge Davao

STOP FOR NOW Operation of all resorts in Samal Island suspended due to surge of Covid-19 cases By MAYA M. PADILLO

Investment and Tourism Office (CITO), the city is frequented with many tourists conducting

summer outings, gatherings and other celebrations, which is a potential source of Covid-19 transmission that is why as a precautionary measure to prevent uncontrollable surge of Covid-19 transmission, it is necessary to suspend temporarily all resort operations (inland and beach) and all tourism activities in IGaCoS except those Department Of Tourism- Star-rated resorts, which may continue to operate as certified by the DOT and those that have passed the Staycation Program of DOT.

Uy also temporarily stopped the pre-bookings and tourist QR codes until further notice and advice. All confirmed bookings and approved Tourist QR Codes are also cancelled. All affected resort workers shall be assisted by the City Government thru its TUPAD Program provided by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE). The EO also ordered the PNP Tourist Police, Samal Task Force, Philippine Coast Guard, Barangay Officials and CITO to monitor all resorts and tourism

(WestMinCom) Friday (May 28) in a ceremony held at Great Bakungan (Malaki), Taganak, Tawi Tawi. Col. Alaric Delos Santos, spokesman of the WestMincom, said that these terrorists were arrested in Jalan Taman Sri Arjuna, Beaufort, Sabah through the coordination and exchange

of intelligence information between ESSCOM and WESTMINCOM. Delos Santos identified them as Sansibar Bensio, sub-leader of ASG, and his members Firdaus Omar, Munimar Binda, Ladin Mujahirin Faizal, Hamzah Faizal, Sansis Mohammad, Halim Akhir, and Yusuf Akram.

According to Delos Santos, they will be subjected to COVID-19 testing and quarantine protocols which will be facilitated by the InterAgency Task Force (IATF) Sulu prior to the filing of appropriate charges. WestMinCom chief Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan

ayor Al David Uy of the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) declared the suspension of the operation of all resorts, beach or inland, in the island as well as private gatherings and parties in private resorts and establishments from the period of June 1 to 14, 2021, due to the continuing surge of Covid-19 in the city and in the neighboring local government units (LGUs) in Davao Region. Through Executive Order (EO) No. 291, Series of 2021 states that per records of the City

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8 ASG members arrested in Sabah now in custody of Sulu police

ight members of the terrorist Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) including its sub-leader arrested last May 8 in Sabah are now in the custody of the Sulu Provincial Police Office. This after Eastern Sabah Security Command (ESSCOM) handed over the suspects to the Western Mindanao Command

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Soldier injured in Mati ambush A soldier was injured in an ambush by suspected members of the communist New People’s Army (NPA) in Mati City, Davao Oriental Sunday (May 30) morning. Major Jerry Lamosao,PhilippIne Army’s 10th Infantry Division Spokesman, said the soldiers who belonged to the 66th Infantry Battalion (IB), were aboard military truck when they were attacked by more or less 10 members of the NPA in Barangay Badas, Mati City of said province at around 8:50 a.m. Based on a report from Mati City Information

Office, the soldier was identified only as Private Melendrez who was wounded in the attack. Melendrez was rushed to Davao Oriental Provincial Hospital for immediate medical treatment and accordingly, he is now in stable condition. The Army troops are still continuing to verify casualties from the enemy side. Lamosao said the troops were on their way to the area to respond to the reports from the community about the presence of the NPA rebels. He said the 66th IB

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‘Dante’ now a tropical storm

eather disturbance “Dante” has intensified into a tropical storm (TS), and will bring rains over parts of Mindanao, the weather bureau said Monday. The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said in its 5 a.m. bulletin that “Dante” was last tracked 625 kilometers east of Davao City, moving north northwest at 15 km. per hour. It packs maximum sustained winds of 65 kph near the center and gustiness up to 80 kph. Over the next three days, “Dante” is expected to intensify in the

next two days as it continues to move northwest. Caraga, Davao Region, Soccsksargen, Bukidnon, and Misamis Oriental will experience light to moderate, with at times heavy rains due to the outer rain bands of the TS. Isolated to scattered flooding and rain-induced landslides are possible. Nearby areas may also experience flooding in the absence of such rainfall occurrence due to surface runoff or swelling of river channels, PAGASA said. Metro Manila and the rest of the country are forecast to experience isolated rain showers

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EDGEDAVAO

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SPMC augments ICU beds capacity

o cater to more severe and critical Covid-19 patients, the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) is boosting the bed capacity of its intensive care unit (ICU) after reaching critical level utilization due to the continuing surge of Covid-19 cases. “For the past days, 100 percent na yun and kahapon only one bed available, probably today its 100 percent. Ang ward namin tumataas din at more than 90 percent. This is the first time that we have a 100 percent increase in our ICU,” said Dr. Ricardo Audan, medical center chief of SPMC, during the online “Usapang pangkalusugan” of the Department of Health 11 (DOH 11) on Monday. Audan said from having 35 ICU beds for the past days, SPMC augmented 42 beds by converting all the hospital’s private payward into an ICU, making it a total of 77 ICU beds. “We put there the minimum requirements for

the ICU. We converted single bed at the payward into ICU kaya tumaas ang capacity namin to 77 and part of it we have also from the pedia. Kaning 77 tanan ni SPMC,” Audan said. Audan also disclosed that afternoon on Monday, SPMC will be opening another 10 ICU beds for pedia. “With the total of 77 beds right now, plus 10 magiging 87 ICU beds na ang SPMC,” he said. Other than this, SPMC has another 12 beds ready to be occupied but the problem is the staffing. SPMC Covid-19 beds breakdown as of May 30, 2021 include adult, 62 alloted beds for severe and critical and pedia, 15 beds allotted for severe and critical. There are 157 beds for adults of mild with comorbidities, and 76 for pedia of mild cases with comorbidities. Based on the covid-19 statistics of SPMC, As of May 30, 2021, there are a total of 31 new cases, making a

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9 Maute members arrested in Lanao

ine members of the Daulah IslamiyahMaute terrorist group were arrested following an exchange of gunfire in Barangay Paigoay, Tubaran, Lanao del Sur on Saturday (May 29). In a report, Col. Alaric Delos Santos, spokesman of the Western Mindanao Command (WestMinCom), said the arrested Maute members are cohorts of Farahufon Hadji Satar alias Abu Zacariah and Muna Kali alias Abu Dimam, both residents of the place. He said the operating teams were about to serve warrants of arrests for murder and attempted murder against Satar and Kali when they were fired upon by the suspects and their companions, prompting the government forces to return fire resulting in a brief gunfight. Delos Santos, however, said that the target subjects

of the warrants, Satar and Kali, were able to elude arrest. The nine arrested suspects was identified as Camaroden Tindug, 52; Sabdullah Sarip, 36; Oter Macaungun, 35; Asnare Alisood, 20; Alisood Dima, 52; Sowaib Abdullah, 18; Saaduden Adapun, 30; Zaenal Abdulatip, 33; and Aleem Salih Pitiilan, 45. They are all residents of said barangay. Authorities were able to recover from the suspects two M16 rifles; one carbine rifle; two caliber .45 pistols; two base radios; six portable radios; six touch screen cellular phones; seven keypad cellular phones; one laptop; two USBs; one improvised explosive device; several ammo magazines; and bullets. Also seized were money amounting to P1,900, and propaganda materials.

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Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) medical center chief Dr. Ricardo Audan says from having 35 intensive care unit (ICU) beds for the past days, SPMC augmented 42 beds by converting all the hospital’s private payward into an ICU, making it a total of 77 ICU beds. Edge Davao

After lockdown on SP, employees return positive Covid-19 results By MAYA M. PADILLO

ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio disclosed that a number of workers of the city government of Davao were tested positive for Covid-19 after undergoing swab testing following the closure of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) building.

“Nag-swab na ang atong mga employees and daghan sa ilaha nag-positive dinha sa SP building. Dili nako mahatag ang numbers, initially ang nakuha nato nga numbers naa sa laboratory pa lang ug dili pa officially nasulod sa atoang health group sa response cluster sa Covid TF nato but daghan sila. Lain lain na offices pero ang bulk or clustering is naa diri sa baba nga mga offices,” the mayor said. Mayor Sara instructed the Human Resource

BARMM to build P400-M water expansion project in Marawi

he Bangsamoro Transition Authority (BTA) has allocated 400 million pesos to upgrade the water system in Marawi City, ensuring sufficient supply to 40 barangays outside ‘Ground Zero.’ The national government, through Task Force Bangon Marawi (TFBM), is focusing on improving the water system in the 24-barangay ‘Ground Zero,’ the former main battle area between government forces and the Maute Group in 2017, while the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region

in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will take charge of 40 barangays outside ‘Ground Zero,’ Member of Parliament Zia Alonto Adiong told MindaNews. Marawi has 96 barangays. Adiong, who attended the signing on Saturday of a Memorandum of Agreement between Chief Minister Ahod Balawag Ebrahim of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao and Lanao del Sur Governor Mamintal Alonto Adiong, Jr., for the improvement of the Marawi Water System, said the 400-million peso fund

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comes from the one-billion peso Marawi Rehabilitation Support Fund of the BARMM. Adiong said the project “will service an additional 40 barangays in the city, providing adequate water supply for every household in the identified barangays” outside ‘Ground Zero.’ “This is a separate assistance program from that of the TFBM, “ Adiong explained. Adiong said the water system has been a problem even before the 2017 siege. Distribution of water supply had been

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Management Office (HRMO) to implement work-from-home (WFH) for an incubation period for 14 days. The city government of Davao has ordered over the weekend for the lockdown

of the entire SP building from Monday, May 31, until Sunday, June 6, 2021, which affects the City Treasurer’s Office, City Assessor’s Office, Business Bureau, and City Civil Registrar’s Office.

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Foreign businessmen back Open Access in Data Transmission Act

he Joint Foreign Chambers of the Philippines over the weekend expressed support for a bill seeking to make it easier for more internet service providers (ISPs) to enter the country’s broadband market. In an emailed statement on Sunday, the JFC called for the immediate passage of House Bill 8910 or the Open Access in Data Transmission Act. “The JFC believes that the enactment of this bill will substantially alleviate the challenges and difficulties brought by the COVID-19 pandemic to businesses of every size, schools, hospitals, and government who increasingly depend on digital connections in their daily work and life,” part of the statement reads. The measure seeks to make it easier for ISPs to enter and compete in the

local broadband market, allow faster and less expensive installation of broadband facilities, and lower the prices of internet chargers across the country. The JFC requested, however, that lawmakers reconsider retaining the franchise requirement for international cable landing stations. “The JFC considers such amendment as a barrier to entry of more players in the broadband sector. Sadly, this will delay lowering the cost of broadband and providing a fuller range of digital access for consumers and citizens throughout the country,” it said. The statement was signed by the American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the Australian-New Zealand Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, the Canadian

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Agriculture Secretary William Dar says the Agriculture department is looking forward to more enable communities and expanded opportunities under the new normal as the agency is set to ink a $280-million second additional financing (AF2) loan, equivalent to P14 billion, with the World Bank to bankroll projects under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). Edge Davao

DA to ink add’l $280M loan for PRDP in July

he Department of Agriculture (DA) is set to ink a $280 million second additional financing (AF2) loan, equivalent to P14 billion, with the World Bank in the coming months to bankroll projects under the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP). According to the DA, the loan will finance agriculture enterprise and rural infrastructure subprojects under the PRDP

as part of the second tranche of the $450-million funding from the World Bank approved by the Investment Coordina-

tion Committee (ICC) in 2016. The loan includes an 18.3-million euro or P1 billion co-financing grant from the European Union, likely to be approved by the World Bank on June 17. The formal loan signing is set for July. “We look forward to more enable communities and expanded opportunities under the new normal with the approval

of the AF2-EU,” Agriculture Secretary William Dar said in a statement released to reporters via mobile message. The additional funding seeks to boost activities and enhance the benefits of the PRDP such as increasing demand for rural infrastructure by local government units (LGUs), and for enterprise development investments and technical assistance handed to farmers, fishers, and agribusiness groups. “We must continue to improve our services and processes as the world is ever-changing, and as we gradually move towards a new way of living. It is also our responsibility to keep up with the times and offer innovative solutions on how to provide for a modern, climate-smart, and mar-

ket-oriented agri-fishery sector,” said Dar. The PRDP is a sixyear national project that aims to establish a modern, value chain-oriented, and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sector. The project is in partnership with local government units and the private sector, providing key infrastructure facilities, technology, and information to raise incomes, productivity, and competitiveness in targeted areas. As of April 30, 2021, the DA said it has rolled out 1,091 projects in 78 provinces that have benefitted 766,200 households. It has also conducted 132 value chain analyses covering 76 agri-fishery and food commodities. In terms of infrastruc-

ture, the DA said it has constructed over 1,200 kilometers of roads; over 1,000 linear meters of bridges; 98 pre- and post-harvest facilities, provided potable water systems for 6,582 households; improved irrigation or drainage services for 1,997 hectares of farmland; and completed over 400 enterprise sub-projects. “It has been a roller-coaster ride, but thanks for your persistence. It really pays off. A recent report from the World Bank highlighted the satisfactory implementation of the PRDP, and rated its monitoring and evaluation system as high, a rating rarely awarded by the Bank,” World Bank task team leader Eli Weiss was quoted as saying in the statement.

members of the informal sector and self-employed workers are all included.) “Napagusapan rin po ang mga BPOs...dahil sa kanilang contribution to the economy and because when they go out they may still be affected, kasama pa rin po sila sa A4.” (It has also been agreed that BPOs are included due to their contribution to the economy and because when they go out they may still be affected.) The public is reminded to pre-register online with their local government units (LGUs) to avoid overcrowding in vaccination sites, said Ret. Major Gen. Restituto Padilla Jr., spokesperson of the National Task Force Against COVID-19. Special lanes will be designated for members

of previous priority categories A1 to A3 (health workers, senior citizens, and persons with comorbidities), Padilla added. “Importante po magpalista para mai-schedule kayo ng LGU at hindi magdagsaan,” he said. (It’s important to register so your LGU can schedule you and people won’t troop to the vaccine sites.) The Philippines aims to inoculate 500,000 daily in Metro Manila, Metro Cebu, Metro Davao, and 6 other urban areas to reach herd immunity by November, vaccine czar Secretary Carlito Galvez earlier said. Some 5 million Filipinos have received their first COVID-19 jab while 1,189,353 have been fully vaccinated, Galvez added.

PH to begin COVID-19 vax of essential workers next month

ome 30 million Filipino essential workers are included under the A4 category set to be vaccinated beginning next month, officials said Monday. The figure is twice the initial estimate and now includes employees who work from home, said Labor Assistant Secretary Ma. Teresita Cujueco. “Sinama na ang private workers who go out of their residences, who physically have to report to work, all government employees. Nandun din po ang informal sector and self-employed who go out og their residences,” she said. (Private workers who go out of their residences, who physically have to report to work, all government employees,

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EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY

A ferry sails from Sasa Ferry Wharf to the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) days before Mayor Al David Uy issued Executive Order 291, suspending for two weeks the operation of all resorts from June 1 to 14 as a precautionary measure to prevent uncontrollable surge of COVID-19 transmission. Edge Davao

SEC: Do not invest in G-HARVEST T

MVP Group procures 800K doses of Covid-19 vaccines

ompanies of magnate Manuel V. Pangilinan have procured 800,000 doses of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines for their personnel and household members of their employees. Pangilinan said 750,000 doses of those vaccines are from Moderna and 50,000 from AstraZeneca. “We have offered to all our employees these vaccines. It’s (a) voluntary offer so it’s not compulsory on our employees,” Pangilinan, who also chairs Metro Pacific Investments Corp. (MPIC), said at the virtual annual stockholders’ meeting of the

company over the weekend. MPIC and PLDT Inc. have around 55,000 employees, he added. Pangilinan said that aside from its employees, the MVP Group will also extend the vaccination program to the members of households of their personnel. Meanwhile, Pangilinan said MPIC remains keen on local production of vaccines against Covid-19, but the company aims to produce the vaccine brand preferred by Filipinos. Pangilinan said MPIC is open to partner with glob-

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PH may keep credit ratings despite global downgrades, says BSP chief

ith a stable outlook, the Philippines is likely to sustain its current credit ratings even for as long as 24 months, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno said Monday. Debt watcher S&P Global Ratings earlier affirmed the Philippines’ investment-grade credit rating of BBB+ with a stable outlook. Fitch Ratings in January also affirmed the country’s BBB with a stable outlook rating. A BBB rating is considered an investment grade. Moody’s in 2020 kept the Philippines Baa2 rating with a stable rating or one notch above minimum investment grade. The ratings have defied the global trend since the issuers have implemented a total of 144 downgrades and 153 negative outlooks during the pandemic, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno

told ANC. “The Philippines defied that just like last week...For how long, as usual, all 3 major rating agencies have the Philippines in a stable outlook that means the Philippines’ investment-grade credit ratings will remain intact within the rating agencies forecast horizon of 18 to 24 months,” Diokno said. “Given all these, together with the vaccination rollout..I’m confident that the worst is behind us,” he added. The COVID-19 pandemic has dented economic activities globally, putting many countries in recession. The Philippine economy shrank 9.6 percent in 2020, the worst since the end of World War 2. Diokno also said the government should be given a chance to work on its revised growth target of 6 to 7 percent from 6.5 to 7.5 percent this year.

he Securities and Exchange Commission-Davao Extension Office has advised the public against investing in G-Harvest Incorporated/Great Harvest Incorporated (G-HARVEST). The call was in relation to the advisory that the Commission released on May 20 against the entity, with principal office at Door 11, DV Patricio Building, Tulip Drive, Ecoland, Matina Crossing, Davao City. The Commission quoted reports from the public which claimed that G-Harvest Incorporated, operated by its CEO Vencint O. Canal and the company’s corporate secretary Shunah Mae Cemene, was enticing the public to invest in the company by offering them a very high return of investment equivalent to 23-27% for a maximum of P10,000 per slot for a period of six months. Based on the copy of the contract/agreement, G-HARVEST was advertising itself as crowdfunding platform that grows agricultural businesses. In its website, it is inviting the public to become its partner. “Since said scheme involves the offer and sale of securities in the nature of investment contracts to the public, the Securities Regulation Code (SRC) requires that these securities are duly registered with the Commission and that the concerned corporation and/or its agents have appropriate registration and/ or license to sell such securities to the public pursuant to Sections 8.1 and 28.1 of the SRC,” the advisory said. While G-Harvest secured a primary license

from the Commission, it does not have as the nec-

essary secondary license to offer securities for sale within the Philippines, as required under the SRC. The SRC also punishes those who act as salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents with a maximum fine of P5 million or imprisonment of

up to 21 years or both. Furthermore, the names of all those involved will be reported to the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) so that the appropriate penalties and/or taxes be correspondingly assessed.

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In joining the nation in praying for the Philippines to fully overcome the Covid-19 pandemic: The present Covid-19 pandemic has truly been a difficult and challenging time for all of us. In this time of trial, it is only right that we look to the Lord Almighty to guide us not only towards the path of righteousness but also to full recovery.” PRESIDENT RODRIGO DUTERTE

EDITORIAL Jubilee of a great NGO The local chapter of the Young Men’s Christian Association (YMCA) based in Davao City marked its 50th founding anniversary quietly but meaningfully.

While the Golden Jubilee fell on May 29, a Saturday, the celebratory activities marking the anniversary are being undertaken year-long starting last January. The milestones of the local YMCA, an international NGO (non-government organization) founded in London, England in 1844 are countless, including the invention of basketball and volleyball, the value of YMCA Davao’s achievements cannot easily be quantified.

The chapter, presided by Assistant Secretary Mariano Alquiza of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) for the third straight year, is a beehive of activities and projects designed to impact on the iconic group’s vision to mold the young into Christ-centered leaders of men and women. Among these are the multi-million peso renovation of the chapter’s headquarters along Villamor Street in downtown Davao into a modern youth hostel with expanded sports and recreational facilities,

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In last Saturday’s anniversary program, the chapter paid tribute to 21 past presidents whose accomplishments serve as building blocks of what the organization has become today, a formidable community institution.

Significantly, among the awardee past president is Corazon Nuñez-Malanyaon, a CPA-lawyer who was two-term provincial governor of Davao Oriental, now an incumbent congresswoman of the province’s First Congressional District. Rep. Malanyaon blazed the trail in 1992 for female’s involvement in the heretofore male-dominated organization. Compare this with the experience of YMCA international, now based in Geneva, Switzerland, of electing Patricia Pelton as its first ever woman president only in 2018.

In short, the YMCA Davao’s lineup of activities bears watching as they relate to the molding of youths into leaders in these difficult times. 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

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

establishment of a youth skills training center in Tuban, Sta. Cruz in a one-hectare lot donated by the Don Cesareo Villa-Abrille Foundation, an art exhibit by artist Lito Pepito, a YMCA chapter stalwart and other YMCA internationally-mandated projects.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 66 • TUESDAY, JUNE 01, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

PINAY NURSES GETTING WELL-DESERVED PAY? “Keep away from people who try to belittle your ambitions. Small people always do that, but the really great ones make you feel that you, too, can become great.” - Mark Twain. *******

An argument or debate - if you want - about the shortage of Filipino nursing manpower in the country is on-going. This is the meat of Labor Sec. Silvestre Bello III who has issued an order banning the deployment of nurses (and caregivers) to Germany in the light of the pandemic caused by the Wuhan, China virus. Germany’s offer to hire Filipino nurses contains a very attractive compensation package which tops all others, including a higher pay scale, living standards, etc. Nurses are an integral part of the government’s medical frontline that has been battling the disease pestering the Filipinos for nearly one year and a half now.

Bello’s reasoning has a moral (if not a legal) leg to stand on.

Pinay nurses have a sworn duty to serve their country first before they are allowed to go overseas, inasmuch as the pandemic still has alarming deathly threats, However, the Philippine Nurses Association is contesting Bello’s assertion. It says there are enough nurses in the country but that the majority of them are employed or seeking employment not as nurses but something else that can offer them better and higher salaries. Both Bello and the PNA are correct. I have seen many nurses working as staffers of other government and private agencies. Nurses here are paid the minimum wage as entry level employees which I feel they do not deserve. As licensed professionals (like the teachers who need to pass the LET exam), these

nurses should ideally receive a monthly salary - [perhaps a starting pay of P30K monthly) to keep their self-respect and dignity intact and make them enjoy what they strained for in college and pass the nurses licensure tests. This I strongly believe is the appropriate step to take to initially rectify the current inequity encountered by all nursing graduates. Creative-minded nurses take crash computer courses in order to land a government (or private) position as all agencies now require working IT knowledge since desk and laptops came into being. There is a need for DOLE and the PNA to come together and seek a solution - a long term one - considering that times are getting more difficult and tough. Pinay nurses in the US and UK and Canada are the best situated among them. They get paid by the hour, handsomely of course. This arrangement affords them to look for and

take a second job that enables them to live a semi-luxurious Western lifestyle like owning a house and lot, buying cars and traveling during their free time. Money, therefore, is the primary and primordial concern. This is about as good a time as any to institutionalize excellent working and living conditions for Pinay nurses. Legislating them would be ideal. As PRRD did to alleviate the merciful living conditions of the entire PNP personnel who risk their lives everyday protecting the citizens from criminal elements by raising their monthly salaries, DOLE can do no less. We cannot live comfortably without the help and aid of nurses, not to say that they capably help in the healing and restoration of patients. That is why we are the envy of other wealthy nations who badly need to import our caregivers and nurses to enjoy their domestic family lives.

I have a niece from Iloilo who took advantage of her nursing profession to migrate to the US some seven or eight years ago. She is now comfortably settled and ensconced with her family (husband and 2 kids) in Chicago. Surely, her successful legal migration to Uncle Sam’s territory is the envy of many. We cannot take away from Pinay nurses the urge and ambition to migrate to the US, UK, Canada and other well-developed Western countries. They have families to support, help younger siblings go to college and eventually realize a life they only see in the movies. Therefore, it is incumbent upon the government to uplift their lot so that the accruing economic success will redound to benefit the nation. Nurses, above, all are human beings deserving of attention, love and care. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yaho. com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

WUHAN VIRUS AND US GERM WARFARE Weeks after the novel coronavirus was reported in Wuhan, China, on December 31, 2019, conspiracy theorists started to spin yarns claiming the health issue was part of a covert biochemical project the Chinese government was working on but inadvertently leaked. On the other end of the grapevine, news of American germ warfare being tested on the Chinese also circulated social media, escalating fears both the Chinese leak and the American virus propagation were related. It is a known fact that for decades the US, apprehensive of a possible germ attack from the Soviet Union during the Cold War, started its biochemical laboratory rests, even building a small city to pursue it. When defense leaders expressed fears the experiment could go haywire and harm soldiers in combat and lethally affect civilians via airborne germs, the project was shelved, at least according to public announcements. Outside official test trials, the first reported public germ infection took place in 1984 in

Oregon, USA, and involved a Filipino American nurse known in Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) records as ‘Nurse Mengele,’ so named after Adolf Hitler’s ‘angel of death,’ Josef Mengele. She was a trusted lieutenant of Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, a native of India, whose cult was the Rajneeshees and its followers the sannyasins. Her participation in the poisoning was detailed by Judith Miller, Stephen Engelberg, and William Broad in Germs (2001): The [FBI] investigation eventually established that the cult had experimented in 1984 and 1985 with poison, chemicals, and bacteria. The commune’s germ-warfare chief was a thirty-eight-year-old American nurse of Philippine origin… Ma Anand Puja, whose real name was Diane Ivonne Onang, supervised the medical care at the commune. One of the ‘Big Moms,’ as the commune’s three women leaders were known, Puja wielded enormous power. A stocky woman with narrow eyes, a fixed sneer, a jet-black hair, Punya known to some sannyasins as ‘Nurse Mengele.’ She was obsessed

with poisons, germs, and disease. Onang’s salmonella, propagated by dusting them on restaurant salads, was found to be an entirely different strain, although there were reports also of victims affected by Salmonella typhimurium, another strain. Her ‘designer strain,’ was described as follows: Once the rod-shaped bacteria entered a victim’s body, the invaders multiplied wildly over hours and days, damaging tissues and overwhelming their cell walls that let them seize hold of he mucuos membranes of the colon and small intestine and then force their way inside. The toxins caused the intstines to exude waves of watery fluid. Typically, abdominal pain began anwhere from twelve to forty-eight hours after infection, followed by diarrhea, chills, fever, and sometimes vomiting. Lasting up to four days, salmonellosis could be severe in the young, the elderly, and patients with weakened resistance. The sect’s founder or guru, meanwhile,was described as a “balding, nerded Indian with

a religious charlatan’s permanent smile, preached that it was blessed to be rich. He owned a collection of diamond-studded watches and ninety RollsRoyce,” as was able to buy a 64,000-acre ranch in Wasco County, in The Dalles, Oregon, USA. In his testimony as federal witness under the state’s protection program, David Berry Knapp, mayor of Rajneeshpuram, Oregon, testified that Onang “had given Haldol, a powerful tranquilizer, to many of the violent, mentally disturbed homeless people whom the cult had brought to the ranch to help win the county elections,” adding she and her assistant ordered the sannyasins to inject “hypodermic syringes filled with the prescription dug into beer kegs and poured tea consumed by the homeless,” including infusions in mashed potatoes eaten by the victims, who were treated as subjects or guinea pigs. Rajneeshpuram is the name of the town the cult built from scratch. In the end, Manila-born Onang, who also acted as secre-

tary-general of Rajneesh Medical Corp., and her assistant, identified as Ma Anand Sheela, received maximum twenty-year sentences and fines to charges of attempted murder, illegal wiretapping, the poisoning of a judge, causing the spread of salmonella outbreak, and other crimes; she served twenty-nine months of incarceration, including a jail term in Germany where she was first arrested before being extradited to the United States. For his part, Bhagwan got a ten-year suspended prison sentence, was heavily fined, and permanently left the US after serving sentence. Later, according to The New York Times, the virus was part of the National Biosafety Laboratory, inside Wuhan Institute of Virology that escaped. Whether the Wuhan virus was part of a clandestine Chinese biowarfare experiment or coming from leaked Chinese lab tests, the characteristics it carried, especially its days-long incubation, closely replicated the manifestations observed in early biochemical experiments the US conducted decades ago.

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EDGEDAVAO

LIFESTYLE

HOW TO HOMESCHOOL

ian. “For tots 2 to 4 years old, 30 minutes to 1 hour of intentional homeschooling would be more than enough. Focus on play, use developmentally appropriate strategies, and be a fun and funny parent!”

HOMESCHOOLING is a form of education wherein parents teach their children at home instead of sending them to a traditional school. There are various reasons why some families choose to take this route. Subsequently, during the pandemic, interest in homeschooling has increased exponentially. Several parents found the setup more beneficial and attuned to their lifestyle and principles, while others considered it for reasons brought about by the current global situation. Getting into home-based learning may seem overwhelming at first, more so for those handling toddlers. I can completely relate to this, as I also had a couple of apprehensions in the beginning and feared the worst that could happen under my tutelage—add to that my busy schedule and limited resources. Later on, I realized homeschooling is doable as long as your heart and mind are set on it and you don’t compare or compete with others. Once you’ve gone past all deliberations and have decided on pursuing the reality of homeschool for your child—whether for the long-run or just a meantime solution while waiting for physical classes to resume safely—it would be best to get some guidance on how to move forward, what to consider and expect, and how to make it happen.

Homeschool advisors To help kick-start your journey, I summed up few of the frequently asked questions and sought the advice of experienced homeschool moms, Dr. Donna PangilinanSimpao, M.D. and Liana Lim-Cruz, M.S. ED. Dr. Donna Simpao is the founder of Homeschoolers of the Philippines group on Facebook, which now has 37,000 members. This former president of Homeschool Association of the Philippine Islands (HAPI) has homeschooled her four children from birth to age 13—a wealth of experience spanning a total of 17 years. She is also a licensed physician focusing on primary care and general practice.

Liana Cruz is a homeschooling mom and a former teacher in schools in New York City, USA and the Philippines. After a few years of teaching in Explorations Preschool, she took up her master’s degree in Early Childhood Education at Bank Street College in New York. She has been homeschooling her daughters, Nadia and Elia, since birth. Furthermore, she has intentionally done play-based activities since her eldest was just 13 months old. Together, Dr. Donna and Teacher Liana created Kidstarter, a company that aims to make a difference in the preschool home education scene. Their mission is to provide relevant, educational, intentional and affordable preschool resources for Filipino homeschool communities, as well as offer supplementary material to those already attending preschool or daycare centers. One of their first steps into achieving this goal is creating Kidstarter Curious Curriculum (KCC), a preschool program specially designed for the Filipino child. Ideal age The early years, from birth until second grade, is a crucial and wonderful time to homeschool your child. “We believe homeschooling and parenting are intricately intertwined. Our understanding is ‘homeschooling’ begins in the womb,” says Teacher Liana. “Volumes of research on growth and development show the importance of prenatal conditions, infancy, and the child’s first years. But, as for homeschooling being an intentional decision to set a regular schedule to home educate a child, we’d say age two to two-and-a-half is a good time to start.” During this stage, children are wired to learn and they become more observant of their environment and the things around them. “Homeschooling for this age group would simply be letting the

Attitude and mindset Dr. Donna and Teacher Liana fill us in on the realities of being a parent-teacher and on how to make homeschooling work for your family. “Think of your child and listen. Children learn best when they are doing things they enjoy. Pay close attention to what they say and do, as well as to things they do not say or avoid doing. This might help you read between the lines.” “Be kind to yourself and your child. There will good days and tough days as a parent-teacher. We truly believe in the interaction of cognition or learning with emotions or feelings. Your disposition can affect your child’s emotions— and that can either encourage them to learn or discourage them from becoming curious. If you’re having a tough day, take a deep breath (or more, if it’s a really rough one), smile, and move forward.”

child lead and supporting them in the best way they learn—through play and exploration. You may also immerse them into the wonderful world of books through reading, as well as play games and go on nature walks or trips.” Learning through play According to Dr. Donna and Teacher Liana, parents are encouraged to fan the flames of curiosity and creativity through play sessions that are usually led by the child. Not only will it help them unlock various skills, it also instills the love for learning. “The best way your child learns, in the early years, is through play. That is something you can do—or learn to do as you go along. All you need are open-ended materials, a curious mind, and uninterrupted time. It’s an advantage because you are taking part in the critical play years of your child and learning the way they see the world through it.” “When you play and invest time, you are filling up your kid’s invisible bucket. It makes them feel loved, cherished and taken as priority. Intentional homeschooling allows you to get to know your child better—the things they like, dislike, what irritates and frustrates them, what encourages them or builds them up.” Observational learning or modeling is crucial during early

childhood. “Parents should, first and foremost, set the example for character traits or values they want their children to imbibe or learn—such as kindness, honesty, helpfulness, and obedience. It helps to read them books that focus on character.” Space and time It is highly recommended to identify and create a conducive space for homeschooling. This helps set the tone and cultivates the kid’s creativity, sharpens their focus, and motivates them to learn. For easy reference, the Kidstarter authors gives us a rundown of the commonly used materials for homeschooling. • Paper (all colors, shapes, textures) • Writing and drawing materials such as markers, pencils, crayons, pens, chalk, paints, cray-pas, etc. • Scissors, tape and glue • Old and new boxes • Available items at home which can be used for various activities - buttons, bottle caps, marbles, popsicle sticks, tissue paper rolls, sensory materials (rice, pasta, flour, water, cornstarch, sand, etc.), containers or bins of different shapes and sizes • Books Schedule a time for your lessons and avoid any form of distraction. The duration of the learning session depends on the child’s age and the availability of the parents or guard-

Play-based curriculum If you’re still looking for educational activities you can do at home, you might be interested to get a copy of the Kidstarter Curious Curriculum. It provides you with a number of activities you can do in a 10-month period. It is designed to help parents initiate meaningful engagements through play and exploration with children two to four years old. The curriculum is a two-book set that includes a Teacher’s Guide and Activity Book for the curious child and parent. The Teacher’s Guide begins with well-researched, foundational, and tried-and-tested guidelines on becoming your child’s first teacher at home. Its second half consists of well-designed activities that support play learning through the following disciplines: Literacy, Numeracy, Science, Art, Music and Movement/ Outdoors, and Social Studies. The Activity Book comprises of colorful pages designed for play-based, creative hands-on and minds-on sessions. The book also comes complete with an introduction to Filipino language and culture. To order, log on to www.kidstarter.ph or go to their official store on Lazada. Follow @kidstarter on Instagram for more information and updates. Photos courtesy of Dr. Donna Pangilinan-Simpao and Liana LimCruz.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 66 • TUESDAY, JUNE 01, 2021

ENVIRONMENT

WHERE HAVE ALL OUR CORAL REEFS GONE? By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

indings from a recent survey of coral reefs in the Philippines reveal that their destruction continues, despite some conservation gains in the parts of the coast. But these positive examples do give real grounds for hope, say local experts. In the late 1970s, a study conducted by the East-West Center in Hawaii showed that more than half of the coral reefs in the country were “in advanced states of destruction.” Only about 25% of live coral reef cover were in “good condition,” while only 5% were in “excellent condition.” Reefs are considered in “excellent condition” if live hard and soft coral cover over 75% of the area. It is considered “fair” if the cover is from 25% to 50% and “poor” if cover is 0% to 25%. In 2014, a nationwide assessment was initiated to update the information status of the country’s coral reefs by the biology department of the De La Salle University. The 93-million study was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). Dr. Wilfredo Y. Licuanan, leader of the study, and his team surveyed randomly selected 206 reef stations from 2014 to 2017 and another 101 stations were monitored from 2015 to 2018. No excellent category reefs were found in the recent surveys around the country, the findings of the study

showed, which was published in Marine Pollution Bulletin. But what is alarming is that about a third of the reef corals were lost over the last decade, the study found out. “We lost roughly a third of the coral in 20 years and we lost our ‘excellent’ category corals in the last 40 years,” Dr. Licuanan was quoted as saying by Business World. Reef Check, an international organization assessing the health of reefs in 82 countries, sounded the alarm as early as 2005. “Despite its high biodiversity, the Philippines’ reefs are very badly damaged. It’s one of the worst damaged in the world, on average,” said Dr. George Hodgson, founder of the California-based organization. The bad condition of coral reefs is bad news for Filipino fishermen. Studies show a single reef can support as many as 3,000 species of marine life. As fishing grounds, they are thought to be 10 to 100 times as productive per unit area as the open sea. In the Philippines, an estimated 10%-15% of the total fisheries come from coral reefs. About 80%90% of the income of small island communities come from fisheries, according to Dr. Angel C. Alcala, former environment secretary.

In terms of productivity, good coral reef areas can produce as much as 30 tons of fishery products per square kilometer in a year, Dr. Alcala reports. In a study done on the Sumilon Marine Park near Negros Oriental, marine biologist of Silliman University found that, with protection, the estimated fish yields were 14 to 24 tons per square kilometer annually. When protective management was withdrawn, the catch of fishermen in the area declined by as much as 55%. Eden beneath the waves Coral reefs, touted as “Eden beneath the waves,” are among the largest and oldest living communities of plants and animals on earth, having evolved between 200 and 450 million years ago. “Today, most established coral reefs are between 5,000 and 10,000 years old; many of them forming thin veneers over older, much thicker reef structures,” said Don Hinrichsen, an awardwinning author who has explored coral reefs around the world for his book on coastal ecosystems. Most of the reefs are found in the tropics of Cancer and Capricorn – in the Caribbean, Indian Ocean, Red Sea, Persian Gulf, and South Pacific. They also thrive where warm currents are found off Florida, Bermuda, southern Japan and Australia. The richest reefs, however, are located in the region bounded by Indonesia, Malaysia and the Philippines. The Philippines hold one of the most extensive coral reefs in the world with

a sprawling area of 27,000 square kilometers. These contain a quarter of all the coral species known in the world, which is more than what is found in the famous Great Barrier Reef of Australia. “The coral reefs of the Philippines have the highest number of marine fish species in the world,” said Dr. Rafael Guerrero III, a fishery expert and academician at the National Academy of Science and Technology (NAST). Actually, there are three main types of coral reefs in the country, Dr. Alcala says. There are fringing types found on the edges of island and which constitute 30% of the coral reefs in the country); the barrier type exemplified by the Danajon Reef of Central Visayas; and the atoll of which the Tubbataha and Cagayan Reefs in the Sulu Sea are the best examples. Usual culprit Unfortunately, these reefs may not survive unless they receive much greater care. Dr. Robert Ginsburg, a specialist on coral reefs working with the Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Science at the University of Miami, said human beings have a lot to do with the rapid destruction of reefs. “In areas where people are using the reefs or where there is a large population, there are significant declines in coral reefs,” he pointed out. Dr. Edgardo Gomez, one of the country’s coral reefs experts, when he was still alive had the same opinion. “If asked what the major problem of coral reefs is, my reply would be: ‘The pressure of human population.’ A visit

to any fishing village near a reef will confirm this. There are just too many fishermen,” he said. Most of these fishermen are employing destructive fishing methods – ranging from dynamite blasts to cyanide poisons. Fishermen are still blasting reefs with dynamite, despite outlawed, to stun the fish, doing immense damage, and greatly reducing their productivity. Heavily blasted reefs produce only 2.7 to five metric tons per square kilometer per year compared to 30 metric tons for healthy reefs, experts claim. In many parts of the world, natural poisons have long been used in fishing without apparent damage. But such is not the case of sodium cyanide. Filipino fishermen stun fish by squirting cyanide into the reefs with crowbars to capture disoriented fish in the coral where they hide. In addition, cyanide kills coral polyps and the symbiotic algae and other small organisms necessary for healthy reefs. An estimated 330,000 pounds of cyanide is reportedly sprayed on Philippine coral reefs each year, the Coral Reef Alliance claims. Another equally destructive fishing method practice by Filipino fishermen is the muro-ami, which was introduced by the Okinawa fishermen before World War II. Muro-ami, a drive-in net used for fishing in coral reefs, consists of a net bag with two long wings into which the schooling fish, like the dalagang bukid, are driven by the divers. The gear uses vertical

scarelines weighed down by stones or chain links for creating a disturbance that drives out the fish from the coral reef into the net. “The problems related to muro-ami are its employment of minors (young boys) for fishing, their exposure to health hazards (like the ‘bends’ or narcosis) and the destruction of coral reefs because of the weighted scarelines,” Dr. Guerrero said. A study conducted by marine biologists Karen Carpenter and Dr. Alcala in 1977 showed that 50 divers operating the gear could damage as much as 17 square meters per hectare of coral reef per operation. A muroami fishing boat usually operates three to four times in a fishing season. Other causes Coral mining has also depleted the country’s reefs. An estimated 1.5 million kilograms of corals are harvested annually as part of the international trade in reef products. The Philippines is estimated to supply more than a third of the total. In recent years, the phenomenon called bleaching has also threatened the country’s sensitive coral reefs. The whitening of corals, marine experts explain, is from the loss of zooxanthellae, an organism found in the tissue of polyps (a tiny flowerlike animal connected by a membrane that covers the coral rock), exposing the coral’s calcium component and usually causing death. Also contributing to the destruction of coral reefs in the country are sedimentation from erosion of soil caused by deforestation in the uplands;

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establishments and ensure compliance of the mayor’s order and non-compliance shall be dealt with accordingly in accordance with all existing applicable laws and ordinances. It can be recalled that Uy was tested positive for Covid-19 on May 26, 2021. He is asymptomatic. He also encouraged all of his

close contacts to submit for RT PCR (reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction). Based on the Covid-19 case update as of May 29, 2021, Samal Island registered 16 new cases of confirmed Covid-19. Also all new cases are undergoing quarantine at LGU Isolation Facility.

immediately deployed more troops to hunt down the communist terrorist who fled towards the Northeast direction from the encounter area. 10th Infantry Division Commander Major General Ernesto C Torres Jr. downplays the terrorist act as a show of force tactic to recruit new members to recover from their losses brought about by peace and development gains from Executive Order no. 70. “The few remaining terrorist rebels just wanted to project strength by conducting terrorist acts even with their already weak force to show that they are still a force to reckon with. They resort to this cowardly act to recruit new members and generate resources from their loss as their number continues to drop due to the convergence of the community, local government units, and the army in Davao Oriental against insurgency,” Torres said. Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat, meanwhile, condemned the atrocious act of the terrorist rebels that has affected the traffic, tourism, and livelihood of the people of Mati City.

“Today’s incident along the national highway in Sitio Tagawisan, Barangay Badas is unfortunate and we condemn such atrocious acts by lawless armed groups,” she said in a statement. “This brings to light the fact that armed struggle is not the way to bring peace and development to our city, to our people,” Rabat added. She said the police are still investigating the incident and they are waiting for the official result of their probe, adding that this is an isolated incident brought about by some circumstances beyond our control. “For now, I want to assure all Matinians that the City of Mati LGU is doing its best to counter the possible adverse effects this incident may bring to our city’s economy,” Rabat said. Rabat assured its residents that the police and the military, with the support of the LGU, are doing their best to prevent similar incidents from happening again. “We appeal to the public to remain calm and vigilant,” she said.

problematic then, Adiong said, because, among others, the distribution pipes of the Marawi City Water District (MCWD) were old and small. Most of the houses and business establishments there relied on water supply from deep wells. On the fourth anniversary of Day 1 of the Marawi Siege last week, Housing Secretary and TFBM chair Eduardo del Rosario, who visited Marawi on May22 and 23, told reporters that TFBM will establish a water filtration project for the city. HE said the project “will utilize the water resource from Lake Lanao to pass through the filtration process and to be distributed to every household” in the MAA. Mayor Majul Gandamra said the BARMM-funded project is a “welcome development because this

definitely will augment the efforts being done by the TFBM in terms of “providing potable water to our constituents.” “I hope that this water project and other interventions coming from BARMM will materialize very soon since these are essential and urgent in our efforts to bring back Marawi City to normalcy,” he said. Rodney Peralta of the Local Water Utilities Administration said the proposed filtration project will cost 200 million pesos. He said the amount covers the construction of an intake facility in Lake Lanao, pumping station and transmission pipelines, and reservoir but added more is needed for the augmentation of the water treatment plant. He said five million liters capacity per day is just the initial, hence the need for a supplemental budget.

Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines. Also signatories were the Japanese Chamber of Commerce & Industry of

the Philippines, the Korean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines, and the Philippine Association of Multinational Companies Regional Headquarters Inc.

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said that the arrested personalities have already established a community cell in the squatter area in Jalan Taman Sri Arjuna wherein most of the residents of the place are their relatives and family members. He said Bensio and Binda are Eastern Sulubased ASG and were involved in numerous encounters with marine forces at Bud Bawis Complex, Panamao in Sabah. Vinluan alleged that Bensio were among the ASG members planning to conduct kidnapping activities in Sabah, however , it was preempted due to the continuous exchange of information and monitoring with the target personalities which led to the successful conduct of a special police operation against the

group in Beaufort, Sabah. ESSCOM Commander Gen. Datuk Ahmad Fuad Othman, meanwhile said that ESSCOM joins the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) in its advocacy to defeat and end terrorism in its areas of operation. The hand-over activity was graced by the presence of Joint Task Force (JTF) TawiTawi and 2nd Marine Brigade Commander Brigadier General Arturo Rojas, Naval Task Group Sulu/4th Marine Brigade Commander Colonel Hernanie Songano, Marine Battalion Landing Team 8 Commanding Officer Abdulmoel Alamia, Tawi-Tawi Bureau of Immigration Officer 1 Cesario Jala; some ESSCOM officials headed by Othman, and Sabah Chief of Police General Hazani Ghazali.

The arrested personalities as well as all recovered items were brought to 5th Infantry Battalion Advance Command Post for appropriate action and disposition of the Philippine National Police- Scene of the Crime Operatives (PNP- SOCO). WestMinCom chief Lt. Gen. Corleto Vinluan Jr.

praised the troops for the success of the operation. “Carry on your good work for the people and our country,” Vinluan said. Since January 2021, WestMinCom already neutralized a total of 18 Daulah Islamiyah- Maute members, two were killed, seven surrendered, and nine were apprehended.

caused by localized thunderstorms. Meanwhile, PAGASA said that the hoisting of tropical cyclone wind signal (TCWS) over any part of the country remains less likely. Moderate to strong

winds and moderate to rough seas will prevail over the eastern section of the Visayas and Mindanao. Elsewhere, winds will be light to moderate with slight to moderate seas, PAGASA said. (PNA)

total of 271 active cases of Covid-19 “As you can see here, talagang nag surge tayo last October second week to the first two weeks of November last year. Talagang bumaba tayo in the months of March and April this year, I would say that probably we were very

complacent on these months that people are now going for outing, group activities, kasi while Manila is rising, we were decreasing our data here in the months of March and April. Tumataas naman sa month of May,” Audan said. By Maya M. Padillo

al vaccine producers to manufacture Covid-19 vaccines in the Philippines. “As a matter of principle, especially Metro Pacific, is interested in the local manufacture of vaccines and also like(s) the boosters that would follow the vaccine application. That’s the general point we wish to make,” he said. Pangilinan bared that the company had initial discussions with Filipino pharmaceutical firm, Glovax Biotech, for the local production of Covid-19 vaccines. However, the vaccine that was introduced by

Glovax to MPIC “was one that we are not familiar with” and not yet in the approved list of Covid-19 vaccines of the government, he said. Glovax is partnering with Korean firm Eubiologics for the local production of EuCorVac-19, a next-generation Covid-19 vaccine developed in the United States by POP Biotechnologies. “We’re seeing particular brands that (are) preferred by Filipinos in terms of vaccines that they would like to have. So we’re probably gravitating with those vaccines as a general point,” Panglinan added. (PNA)

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in California this weekend, he proved that he still means business. Donaire sent his French opponent to the canvas twice before ending proceedings in the fourth stanza with a vicious left that put Oubaali down for a third and final time before referee Jack Reiss stepped in to wave the fight off. “The king has returned,” said Donaire. “I just love the crowds. All my friends, family, all the boxing fans that came out thank you so much. You guys are won-

derful. “Being at this age is not the question, it’s about my performance. About my ability to grow. “I believe it matters not what your age is, but how mentally strong you are.” Written off after defeats to Inoue, Guillermo Rigondeaux, Carl Frampton, Nicholas Walters and Jessie Magdaleno over the last eight years or so, Nonito Donaire is back at the top once again and don’t bet against him sticking around for a while longer yet.

phasized that he is bent on uniting all the titles this time around. With the victory, Donaire put himself in line for overall dominance in the bantamweight, one of boxing’s original eight weight classes, as possible clashes with the winners of the Inoue-Michael Dasmariñas WBAIBF and Johnriel Casimero- Guillermo Rigondeaux WBO title bouts scheduled respectively this June and August, beacon. Back in 2011, Donaire was denied of the opportunity to win all the titles in a polarized bantamweight with a tournament held by Golden Boy Promotions that pitted its wards Abner Mares, Johnny Agbeko, Anselmo Moreno, old rival Darchinyan and Yohny Perez for the WBA and IBF straps. As he was under Bob

Arum of the rival Top Rank, Donaire had to content with sensationally winning the unified WBC and WBO belts over Montiel. Still with the support of Top Rank, Donaire geared for a confrontation with Mares, the IBF champion who had beaten Agbeko twice, Darchinyan and later at 122, Moreno. But the Mexican let the deadline set by Arum to sign a fight contract pass and soon after even moved up to super bantamweight than have a meeting with Donaire. After just one successful title defense, Nonito also soon left the bantamweight for the 122 lbs class--- in chase of Mares. That ended his quest of bantamweight domination which he hopes to fulfill this time around.

a plan for the next week. “Focus on ourselves,” Antetokounmpo said. “That’s what we do. We focus on ourselves as much as possible. We’ve got a wait to see if we’re going to play Brooklyn or Boston, but at the end of the day we’ve got a week or I don’t know how long and we’re going to take that time to focus on ourselves and try to get better.” The East semifinals series against either second-seeded Brooklyn or

seventh-seeded Boston will start on June 5 if the Nets advance in five games; in any other scenario, the Bucks will next play on June 7. It’s the third consecutive season in which the Bucks have made the East semifinals; they lost in five games to Miami last season and beat Boston in five games in 2019 before wasting what was a 2-0 lead and falling to eventual NBA champion Toronto in the East finals.

the quarrying of coral reefs for construction purposes; pollution from industry, mining and municipalities; and coastal population growth. Saving coral reefs But there are some glimmers of hope. The Tubbataha Reef is a fine example. In the late 1980s, overfishing and destructive fishing practices were rampant, with coral cover reduced by 50% over a fiveyear period ending in 1989. Today, the 33,200-hectare area is a national marine park. Both government and non-government organizations have worked together to manage the park since its establishment in 1988. Since 1989, the condition of the coral reef substrate has “improved remarkably” and the diversity of fish is “exceptionally high.” In Camiguin Island, a reef-rescue team employed a relatively new technology that involves the process of microfragmentation and colony fusion of coral fragments. This differs significantly from

the more common coral restoration methods that usually focus on branching species. “In this technique, the massive corals – which normally have a slow growth rate – are fragmented or broken up using special equipment,” said Alexandra Hill, a British marine biologist who headed a study looking at reef regeneration in the island province, “and the corals exhibit a faster growth rate when fragmented. “Furthermore,” she added, “fragments from the same donor colony have the ability to fuse together when physically joined which increases their overall surface area anExperts urged Filipinos to help save the remaining coral reefs that the country has. “We are only stewards of our nation’s resources,” said Dr. Guerrero. “We should take care of our national heritage so that future generations can enjoy them. Let’s do our best to save our coral reefs. Our children’s children will thank us for it.” -(Photos by Gregory C. Ira)

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SPORTS 11

Nonito Donaire last night proved that Manny Pacquiao isn’t the only fighting man from the Philippines who is continuing to light up boxing well past their prime, after he captured the WBC bantamweight championship at the age of 38.

Bucks’ roster revamp paying dividends

IAMI — Milwaukee’s roster transformation started after losing to Miami in last season’s playoffs, one that made the Bucks give themselves a critical look. So they got bigger. Tougher. More experienced. And in the playoff rematch with the Heat, they were simply better. Some of those new additions — Jrue Holiday, Bryn Forbes and Bobby Portis in particular — played huge roles for the Bucks in their first-round sweep of the Heat, one that ended Saturday and ensured that Milwaukee gets at least a full week off to prepare for an Eastern Conference semifi-

nals matchup against either Brooklyn or Boston. “There were a lot of adjustments to be made,” Bucks center Brook Lopez said. “And all of that was for this time. A trio of returning players — Giannis Antetokounmpo, Khris Middleton and Lopez — were Milwaukee’s leading scorers against Miami, averaging a combined 61 points per game. Holiday, Forbes and Portis combined to average 41 more, and Forbes was particularly good from 3-point range off the bench. The Bucks were good. Antetokounmpo says they have to be better, and he has

FBUCKS’’, P10

Donaire looks forward to rematch with Inoue

onito Donaire last night proved that Manny Pacquiao isn’t the only fighting man from the Philippines who is continuing to light up boxing well past their prime, after he captured the WBC bantamweight championship at the age of 38, 14 years after he won his first world title. ‘The Filipino Flash’ became the oldest bantamweight world champion of all-time after he blitzed Nourdine Oubaali in four rounds in Carson on Saturday night and defiantly de-

clared afterwards that “the king has returned.” Donaire, like his compatriot Pacquiao, seems to be ageing like a fine wine and showed the boxing world that he is still a slick oper-

ator despite his advancing years. After adding another chapter to the history books, he has now set his sights on a rematch with Naoya ‘the Monster’ Inoue, the unified bantamweight champion who beat him in a Fight of the Year contender back at the tail end of 2019. “What I learned from (the loss to Naoya) Inoue is I’m back. I knew I could compete with him, and I was not fighting, I was learning. I’m ready for the next one!

“That’s why I wanted to win this fight, because that’s my next goal,” he added. “The only thing I haven’t done in boxing is become undisputed, and the next phase is getting the rematch.” That 2019 bust-up was the last time we saw Donaire in action and many believed that the inactivity perhaps signalled that the four-weight world champion could hang up his gloves soon but, after a near punch-perfect performance

quarter. Davis made just 2 of 9 shots for six points before departing. James threw down a thunderous dunk to give the Lakers a 48-44 lead with three minutes remaining in the second quarter before the Suns answered with a spirited 10-2 surge to close the half. Mikal Bridges drained a pair of 3-pointers during the latter run, with one coming after Davis was unable to get back in the play following his injury. Phoenix exploited Davis’ absence to begin the third quarter, outscoring Los Angeles by a 27-15 margin to take an 81-65 lead. Ayton scored three baskets on the interior early in the third while Paul recorded eight points in the quarter.

Marc Gasol drained his third 3-pointer and James sank a free throw to trim Phoenix’s lead to 95-88 with 2:40 left in the fourth quarter. Crowder stopped the momentum by drilling a corner 3-pointer with 1:23 to play. Phoenix answered a 12-2 run by Los Angeles to begin the second quarter with an 18-4 spurt of its own to secure a 43-40 advantage. Crowder, who sank a pair of 3-pointers to highlight the Suns’ surge, had made just 2 of 20 attempts from beyond the arc in the first three games of the series. Los Angeles’ Kentavious Caldwell-Pope did not play due to a left quad contusion he sustained in the third quarter of a 10995 win over Phoenix on Thursday.

FDONAIRE, P10

Paul helps Suns even series with Lakers C

Phoenix Suns guard Chris Paul (3) moves the ball as forward Jae Crowder (99) provides coverage against Los Angeles Lakers guard Dennis Schroder (17) during the first half in game four of the first round of the 2021 NBA Playoffs. at Staples Center. Reuters

hris Paul collected 18 points and nine assists to lift the visiting Phoenix Suns to a 100-92 victory over the Los Angeles Lakers on Sunday afternoon in Game 4 of their Western Conference firstround series. Devin Booker and Jae Crowder each scored 17 points and DeAndre Ayton recorded 14 points and 17 rebounds for the Suns, who evened their best-ofseven series with Los Angeles at two wins apiece. The teams reconvene in Phoenix on Tuesday for Game 5. LeBron James had 25 points and 12 rebounds for the Lakers, who saw Anthony Davis exit the contest with a strained left groin following a drive to the basket with 48.3 seconds left in the second

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 66 • TUESDAY, JUNE 01, 2021

Filipino fighter Nonito Donaire decks French defending titlist Nordine Oubaali twice in the third round to claim the title.

MAN ON THE MIRROR Donaire has mission to unify the belts

t the age of 38, Nonito Donaire, Jr is on top of the world again.

The ‘Fiipino Flash’ became the World Boxing Council (WBC) bantamweight champion of the world and this time, he is definitely in the thick of things as far as the rulership of the division is concerned. In a battle pitting two fighters who last saw action together but in separate bouts eighteen months ago, Donaire decked French defending titlist Nordine Oubaali twice in the third round and once more in the fourth prompting the referee to wave the fight off to become WBC bantamweight champion for the second time in ten years, and at 38 years old, the oldest to win a world crown in the weight class. Donaire and Oubaali last fought in the comain event card in Saitama, Japan in November 2019 where Donaire lost on points his WBA bantamweight super title to then unified WBA regular and IBF titleholder Naoya Inoue in the World Boxing Super Series finals and Oubaali successfully defended his WBC crown for the third time by outpointing Naoya’s younger brother, Takuma. After a very close and competitive first two and a half rounds where Oubaali and Donaire were sizing and studying each other, the fight heated up by the second minute of the third as the two began to trade heavy leathers, Oubaali with his main weapon left and Donaire with his right and also with the left. Then Donaire suddenly connected solidly with the right that toppled Oubaali for the first time in his career. Rising up after taking the mandatory count, Oubaali tried to fight off Donaire, even landing a strong counter left of his own that momentarily stunned and backed off the

Filipino. But Donaire was not letting him off the hook and threw a ponderous combination that once again fell Oubaali face first on the canvas near the end of the third. The still woozy Frenchman rose to his feet taking the mandatory eight count from the referee who thereafter ordered the bell ending the round rang while ushering Oubali to the wrong corner. As his corner worked feverishly to stabilize him, Oubaali was told that what happened was just a mistake and that he had to bounce back in the following round. For a while it looked like Oubaali had regained his bearing and the bounce on his feet as he proceeded to engage Donaire, shooting with his probing right to set up his left. That proved to be another mistake and this time, Donaire made sure he would not recover. After backing him into the ropes, Donaire delivered the ponderous coup de grace, his famed left hook that sent Oubaali prostrate to the canvas. The referee had seen enough and waved the fight off, dispensing with the count. The sight brought back memory of Donaire’s knockout of Vic Darchinyan in 2007 and his first WBC bantamweight title romp over Fernando Montiel in 2012, the years when Oubaali was still making his name as an amateur internationalist and Olympian. In his post fight interview, Donaire said he relished being WBC world bantamweight champion again as he said it is the most prestigious among the belts though he em-

FMAN, P10