Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 98 | Thursday, July 8, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

THE HEALING WONDERS OF TOMATO HEALTH P9 VOL.14 ISSUE 98 • THURSDAY, JULY 08, 2021 A market goer chooses from a display of choice cuts of dressed chicken at the wet section of Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City. The country’s inflation rate slowed down to 4.1 percent in June from the previous month’s 4.5 percent as fuel and transport costs decelerated. Edge Davao

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P 15.00 • 12 PAGES

PROTOCOLS

Sara says no more additional regulations to be imposed, urges Dabawenyos to follow EOs STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 98 • THURSDAY, JULY 08, 2021

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte hands over a token to Col. Darren Comia, the new head of Task Force Davao, during change-in-command ceremony at Task Force Davao headquarters in Davao City on Tuesday. Col. Comia replaced Col. Consolito P. Yecla, who will be the new commander of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade. CIO

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Gov’t does not impose no vax, no work policy: PIA DG

Sara says no more additional regulations to be imposed, urges Dabawenyos to follow EOs By MAYA M. PADILLO

ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio clarified as of July 5, 2021, no additional regulations against Covid-19 will be imposed despite the increasing number of Covid-19 cases in Davao City.

“Based (on) meeting last week with Covid-19 Task Force duna’y naistoryahan didto na additional regulations, but I already said na kung unsa ang naa karon na guide for Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine (MECQ) from the national government and

all the other. Sa kadaghan daghan na nga executive orders nga gibuhat nato, let us use all that,” the mayor said during the Special Hours with Mayor Inday Sara Duterte via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Monday. The mayor pressed

on the prevention and enforcement group for the strict implementation of the minimum health standard protocols. “Ang kinahanglan nato i-press on is ang prevention and enforcement group no, ang implementation nila sa minimum health standards and sa kining tanan na mga guide nga naa diha, nga kinahanglan nalang nato sundon dili na nato kinahanglan dungagan pa,” she said. Meanwhile, Mayor Sara affirmed that the city

continues to record more than 200 cases of Covid-19 a day and mostly are asymptomatic. “Padayon gihapon ang increase sa atong COVID-19 cases sa Davao. We still get around 200 plus cases a day. Mostly asymptomatic and naa sila diri sa Temporary Treatment Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) and sometimes sa delay of the turn-around sa test results, some of them na lapse na ang 10 days na supposedly sila mag-quarantine. What

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irector General Ramon Cualoping III of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) has emphasized that the government does not impose the “no vaccine, no work” and “no vaccine, no travel” policies. Cualoping clarified this concern raised by a resident of Davao del Sur during a live radio interview on Energy FM Digos over the weekend. The PIA Undersecretary also stressed that there is no policy that getting vaccinated is mandatory to all. “Walang polisiya ang gobyerno sa ilalim ni Pangulong Rodrigo Roa Duterte na mandatory ang bakuna sa lahat. Kasi human right yan. It is guaranteed and enshrined in the Constitution. It is the choice of a person, same way as we cannot mandate everyone to undergo drug test,” he stated. Cualoping though asked the assistance of the

media in Davao del Sur to help the government make people understand on the importance of getting vaccinated. “It’s very important to convince the most number of people to be inoculated, to be immunized. This is the only way to move forward,” he stated as he expressed optimism on the government’s goal to contain the virus by October and achieve herd immunity by December this year. “With the vaccines, we save lives,” the PIA official emphasized. Amid the disinformation and misinformation on COVID-19 vaccines flourishing on social media, Cualoping has appealed to the constituents of Davao del Sur to believe and get information only from experts, and not from fake news. “Maniwala lamang sa eksperto. Wala ni isa sa atin

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Police corporal shot dead

he Bureau of Customs (BOC) Davao is all set once direct shipment of COVID19 vaccines starts to come in directly from the country source to the Port of Davao. BOC Davao District Collector Atty. Erastus Sandino Austria, guest in the One Davao Virtual Presser, announced that procedures are in place and BOC personnel have rehearsed several times in anticipation of the actual direct shipment of COVID19 vaccines. “For now, the vaccines

are being cleared in NAIA which is the central hub before these are transported to all identified areas for vaccination. But we are prepared should direct shipment of vaccines will start coming into Davao Port,” said Atty. Austria. He said BOC Davao expects direct shipment given the pronouncement of the national government and that delivery of vaccines will eventually go directly thru Davao Port. Para sa pag-abot sa COVID19 vaccines thru

direct shipment, ready ang tanang key actors and players ug kasabot sila sa ilahang role ug wala pud unnecessary delays nga mahitabo (When the COVID19 vaccines arrive thru direct shipment, all actors and players are ready because they understood their respective role and this will avoid unnecessary delays from happening),” Atty. Austria said. Meanwhile, BOC also follows a process flow of COVID19 vaccines. The Aircraft Operations Division receives all

pertinent documents from consignees’s nominated customs broker. The Division Chief then assigns a Boarding Team to under guard the vaccines to be released in the Tarmac Area. The Boarding Team monitors the unloading of the vaccines from the aircraft and up to its loading in the nominated common carrier of the consignee. Finally, the COVAX Task Force Enforcement Unit escorts the vaccines from the ramp area to its

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police officer was killed by an unidentified assailant in Poblacion Nabunturan, capital town of Davao de Oro on Monday (July 5). Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 identified the victim as Corporal Rex Emuy, 42, a resident of Purok 7, Barangay (Brgy) Maparat, Compostela town. He was assigned to the Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit of Davao de Oro Provincial Police Office. Initial investigation revealed that the victim was

in an auto repair shop at Purok 14, Brgy. Poblacion, Nabunturan, when an unidentified person suddenly shot him several times in different parts of his body. Emuy was pronounced dead on the spot by Doctor Eduardo Alonzo III. Investigators were able to recover five fired cartridge cases believed to be from a caliber .45 pistol and personal belongings of the victim. Investigation is ongoing to determine the motive of the attack and the possible identity of the suspect.

VOL.14 ISSUE 98 • THURSDAY, JULY 08, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS

Health Secretary Francisco Duque III says the government would impose stricter border controls to prevent the entry of the Lambda Covid-19 strain, which remains to be a“variant of interest”. Edge Davao

5 national parties signify interest in coalition with HNP: Del Rosario H T DCWD completes crucial infra for bulk water supply project he Davao City Water District (DCWD) has completed the crucial infrastructure segment of the bulk water supply project and is now ready to accept and distribute water to its customers. DCWD spokesperson Jovana Duhaylungsod told Edge Davao the segment includes the 11 units of 500 cubic meters storage facilities, three units of 1,500 cubic meters of concrete ground reservoirs and over 108 kilometers of newly laid pipelines with 200mm to 1,000mm diameter in sizes.

“These are on top of the existing storage facilities and pipelines that will be used for the bulk water project,” Duhaylungsod said. Duhaylungsod added that DCWD is working closely with its project partner, the Aboitiz-controlled Apo Agua Infrastructura Inc., (AAII), with the construction and pipelaying activities and for the preparations pertaining to the commissioning of the bulk water project. She also cited ongoing projects that would allow DCWD to expand its services

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

ugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) Secretary-General and former Davao del Norte Governor Anthony del Rosario disclosed that five national political parties have signified interest for a coalition with HNP, a regional political party led by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

In an interview with a national media outlet on Monday, Del Rosario said these five national political parties are Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (LakasCMD), Nacionalista Party, Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino (PMP), People’s Reform Party (PRP), and National Unity Party (NUP). Del Rosario said as of

the moment everything is on hold because a memorandum of agreement between all parties is needed. He also said that currently each party is reviewing the documents. “We still trying to come up with an agreement that is suitable for all parties,” he said. He cited among

significant provisions in aligning with HNP that include HNP will choose the Presidential candidate, HNP will choose VP, and HNP will come up with the 12 senatorial line up for 2022. “Yun ang mga important provisions na pinaguusapan ngayon between parties. If we are able to come up with an agreement that is common among all the members and parties then we will decide,” he said. Del Rosario also clarified that HNP will remain as a regional party even if Mayor Sara decides to run as President in 2022. “We decided that HNP will stay as a regional party

and besides we already missed the deadline, its one year before the elections. Even if we wanted, talagang hindi po puwede,” he said. Last month, Mayor Sara pronounced that she has no plans of joining a national political party and will remain with HNP and Hugpong Sa Tawong Lungsod. “I have no plans of joining a national political party as I said I will stay with Hugpong ng Pagbabago sa Davao Region and Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod of Davao City,” the mayor said. Meanwhile, Del Rosario explained that HNP was

After a thorough search, the team from Explosive Ordnance Division assisted by a K9 unit found out that the bag contained four big packs and 2 small sachets of heat sealed plastic transparent sachet containing white crystalline substance believed to be ‘shabu’. New TFD commander Col. Darren Comia said that the amount of illegal substances seized can already destroy thousands of

futures and lives of users. Comia lauded the dedication and teamwork of his personnel, including PDEA and police for the commendable effort in checkpoint operations as he vowed to continue to support the anti-illegal drug operations of the PNP despite the additional task of helping contain the Covid-19 pandemic and terrorism. “We will always support and protect Dabawenyos,” he said.

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Gov’t to impose stricter border P10-M worth of illegal drugs control vs. Lambda variant: DOH caught at TF Davao checkpoint

ealth Secretary Francisco Duque III on Tuesday said the government would impose stricter border controls to prevent the entry of the Lambda Covid-19 strain, which remains to be a “variant of interest”. In a Palace briefing, Duque said the Lambda variant, which reportedly originated in Peru and has spread in 35 Latin American countries, has not yet been detected in the

Philippines based on the genome sequencing of the Philippine Genome Center from 7,000 samples. Duque also noted that the Lambda variant has not yet been classified as a “variant of concern” by the World Health Organization. “So iyan po ang paigtingin natin, ang border control – ibig sabihin po nito (So in our assessment, the border control – meaning) 14-day quarantine – 10 in the government identified

quarantine facility, test on the 7th day and completion of the remaining 4 days in their home, LGU (local government unit) or residents and of course iyongbio-surveillance natin na ginagawa ng Philippine Genome Center (the biosurveillance that our Philippine Genome Center is doing),” Duque said. He emphasized that all returning Filipinos and overseas Filipino workers

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ask Force Davao (TFD) operatives discovered some P10 million worth of illegal drugs from an unattended bag inside a passenger bus during inspection at Lasang TFD checkpoint in Barangay Lasang, Davao City on Wednesday (July 7). Maj. Ronel Legarde, TFD spokesman, said the unattended bag was discovered by the troops on duty at public utility bus (PUB) bay.

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 98 • THURSDAY, JULY 08, 2021

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez says the agency continues to adopt initiatives that will help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to grow amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. Presidential Photo

Inflation eases T to 4.1% in June

DTI, MRSGI partner to bring MSMEs to mainstream mart

he country’s inflation rate slowed down to 4.1 percent in June from the previous month’s 4.5 percent as fuel and transport costs decelerated, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday. Last month’s figure brought the average inflation rate for the first six months of the year to 4.4 percent. In a virtual press briefing, PSA Undersecretary and national statistician Dennis

Mapa said the transport index, particularly tricycle fare, slightly decelerated following the decline in inflation of petroleum and fuels. Mapa attributed the slowdown in transport in-

flation to the “base effect” as there was a higher trajectory in the level of transport costs from March to June 2020. Metro Manila was placed on enhanced community quarantine starting March 15 last year to contain the spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). “We see that the transport index, although it is declining, but there is still a threat because the (price) level ng petroleum products

Inflation decelerates as gov’t policy interventions take effect

olicy interventions to stabilize commodity prices have begun to take effect as headline inflation decelerated in June 2021, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported Tuesday that headline inflation rate slowed down to 4.1 percent, bringing yearto-date inflation still at 4.4 percent. This came after three months of a steady 4.5 percent inflation rate from

March to May 2021. This is also the lowest inflation rate recorded since December 2020. “Recent policies to increase food supply are beginning to bring down inflation. Rest assured that the government will continue to address constraints in the availability and movement of goods amid quarantine restrictions to ensure that households have access to affordable food,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said in a statement.

Food inflation remained at 4.9 percent in June 2021 with the faster inflation in fish tempered by slower inflation in other food items including rice, vegetables, and meat. Meat inflation decelerated to 19.2 percent in June 2021 from a high of 22.1 percent recorded in April and May 2021. Month-on-month meat inflation also continued to decline at -0.3 percent from -0.1 percent. “The declining meat in-

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is increasing,” he said. Mapa said the inflation of petroleum and fuels, which contributed almost half to the overall inflation last month, declined to 21.5 percent from 33 percent. He said food and non-alcoholic beverages, particularly meat and fish, also mainly contributed to overall inflation last month with a 44.6-percent share. “Here, we see the effect of

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omestic enterprises that would like to participate in government biddings can now secure certificates of preference from the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) online. In a statement Tuesday, the DTI said it has automated the system for submission of application, evaluation, and certification for domestic bidders. “Streamlining and automation is the only way to move forward if we want to eliminate red tape in the bu-

he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and Metro Retail Stores Group, Inc. (MRSGI) have forged a partnership to help micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) access the mainstream market. DTI and MRSGI launched Tuesday the “Bayanihang Metro x Go Lokal” initiative that will give free space for Filipino MSMEs in two flagship supermarkets of MRSGI —the Metro Market! Market! In Taguig City and the Metro Ayala Center Cebu. DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said the Go Lokal now has 20 retail partners since its inception in 2016. A total of 144 Go Lokal stores were rolled out na-

tionwide. The program has helped 788 home-grown brands to access areas with high foot traffic. “Of these numbers, 352 MSMEs have already been mainstreamed and become regular suppliers of our retailer partners,” Lopez said. For the two Metro Retail Stores, they will feature six home-grown products such as ready-to-eat mushroom products of Nagaños Farm Corp., pure honey wine and honey fruit wine of Dielle’s Apiary and Meadery Inc., seafood cracklings of KXC Enterprises, coconut milk of Cocoplus Aquarian Development Corp., vegetable chips of Take Root Food Corner,

reaucracy. That is why even before the pandemic, we have been implementing digitalization efforts in government services as part of the Ease of Doing Business program,” DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said. According to DTI, the domestic bidders (DoBid) certificate of preference is presented during bid evaluations to provide 15 price advantage to its holders against foreign bidders. “The launch of this microsite is our way of making government services more

customer-centric for our people and more accessible with a tap on the screen or with a click of a button. This is also the realization of President (Rodrigo) Duterte’s declaration to eliminate long lines and to make all possible services online,” Lopez said. Upon online submission of application, the DTI conducts mandatory inspections which can be done physically, remote or virtual, and blended procedure. Aside from online sub-

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ECONOMY

A vendor sells durian in Central Park in Bangkal, Davao City. Larry Miculob, former president of Davao City Durian Industry Council (DCDIC), said the group is expecting lower durian production this incoming season brought about by too much rainfall. It is estimated be downed by 30% from previous year. Edge Davao

Dev’t of townships in GenSan pushed

realty consultant has recommended the establishment of mass human settlement sites or townships here to effectively address the city’s housing problem. Lawyer Rey Cartojano, national president of the Philippine Association of Realty Consultants and Specialists Inc., said on Tuesday such strategy will help solve the city’s housing backlog for the poor and at the same time expand the area’s economic potentials. He said the city has available lands in various barangays that are ideal for the development of new townships. “It would be better if we focus our resettlement programs on this,” he said in a

privilege hour during the city council’s regular session. Cartojano, who is based in the city, said the local shelter plan showed that around 500 hectares of land are needed to solve the area’s housing problem. The local government’s housing backlog covers around 60,000 families, with about half involving the “poorest of the poor.” He said the housing sites should be developed under the human settlement concept, which means that they should have adequate provisions that would address the needs of the target beneficiaries. These include basic facilities for transportation,

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Diokno cites value of non-monetary measures against high inflation

ffective implementation of non-monetary measures is expected to further help address supply-side pressures on domestic inflation rate, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said Tuesday. The rate of price increases last June decelerated to 4.1 percent from 4.5 percent in the previous three months primarily due to slower annual inflation rate in the transport index. Last

June’s inflation rate brought the six-month average to 4.4 percent, still above the government’s 2-4 percent target band until 2023. Amidst the elevated inflation rate, Diokno said last month’s figure is within the central bank’s forecast range of 3.9-4.7 percent and “is consistent with expectations that inflation could remain above target in the near term as meat and oil prices remain elevated.”

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BARMM registers P998M petroleum investment

he Regional Board of Investments-Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (RBOI-BARMM) has provisionally registered the PHP998-million petroleum project by the Esmaulana Global Ventures Company Inc. (EMGVCI) in the region under the Department of Energy’s (DOE) Philippine Conventional Energy Contracting Program (PCECP). RBOI-BARMM chairman Ishak Mastura revealed this in a statement Tuesday following a recent zoom meeting with DOE and EMGVCI representatives. “The proposed investment project covers the Liguasan Marsh in Maguin-

danao and the Sulu Sea but the areas that fall within the BARMM jurisdiction are subject to the joint determination by the BARMM regional government and the national government,” Mastura, a lawyer, said. He said the EMGVCI

participated in the PCECP of the DOE and purchased the appropriate data package for pre-determined areas in the BARMM –the Cotabato Basin and Sulu Basin-- amounting to over PHP2 million. “As such, the DOE informed EMGVCI that the awarding of the service contracts for BARMM areas were held in abeyance since the modality of processing and awarding of such contracts in the BARMM for petroleum investments still have to be worked out in the Intergovernmental Relations Body, as established under the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL),” Mastura said. He said the EMGVCI

registered with the RBOIBARMM subject to the final approval of a service contract by President Rodrigo Duterte so they can prepare, recruit, and train manpower as well as obtain capital equipment for future exploration, utilization, and development of their target areas in the BARMM. Mastura said the registration of the investment project does not mean that EMGVCI can proceed with their study, but rather the latter is only recognized as a firm operating in the BARMM area since the BOI provides preference to BARMM residents in the exploitation of its natural re-

Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, the BOC said pork imports between April 9 and June 11 for both in-quota and out-quota shipments accounted for 69 percent of the total 110 million kg of swine meat brought into the country from January 1 to June 11. EO 128, which lowered pork import tariffs to 5 percent within its minimum access volume (MAV) and 15 percent outside MAV for the first three months was in effect from April 7 to May 14. EO 134, which supersed-

ed EO 128, set tariffs on pork imports under the MAV to 10 percent for the first three months, and 15 percent in the next nine months. For imports outside the MAV, the tariffs are 20 percent for the first three months and 25 percent in the succeeding nine months. The one-year effectivity of EO 134 began on May 15, 2021. EO 133, meanwhile, increased the MAV for pork imports in 2021 from 54,210 MT to 254,210 MT, provided

that any unavailable balance at the end of 2021 shall not be carried over to 2022. In his report during a recent Department of Finance (DOF) executive committee (Execom) meeting, Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero said importers brought in 24.45 million kg of pork in April, another 36.5 million kg in May, and 15.14 million kg from June 1-11. The April 2021 shipments were 500 percent more than the April imports

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Pork import hikes to slash prices for consumers

he Bureau of Customs (BOC) has reported a spike in pork imports to 76 million kilograms (kg) from April to early June, following the issuance by President Rodrigo Duterte of a series of executive orders (EOs) cutting tariffs on incoming swine meat shipments and increasing the allowable import volumes for a temporary period to help stabilize the domestic supply and prices of pork for the benefit of Filipino consumers. In a report to Finance

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 98 • THURSDAY, JULY 08, 2021

In including to A5 vaccination group the IPs and the beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD):

Because A5 is for indigent population. Ang atoang mga IPs kauban sa atoang 4Ps are part of our indigent population.”

Sara Duterte-Carpio Davao City Mayor

EDITORIAL

Illegal swimming pool

The Davao City Watershed Management Council (WMC) has ordered the stoppage of the illegal operation of a public swimming pool in Barangay Tambobong, Baguio District in Davao City.

oversee the proper disposal of solid waste and to make sure that the health protocols be properly observed while the city government is in the process of stopping the illegal operation of the pool.

The WMMT report was written by Curtis Lazarraga of the City Health Office (CHO) which inspected the pool site in Purok Tuburan together with other WMMT members.

City Administrator Lopez also directed the WMC secretariat headed by lawyer Janis Louis H. Esparcia to inform the Public Security and Safety Command Center (PSSCC) under retired colonel Angel Sumagaysay and Bantay Bukid volunteers under colonel Eduardo Batenga so that they can assist in the resort’s immediate closure.

The resort’s closure was decided after the WMC headed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio and co-chaired by City Administrator Zuleika T. Lopez received a comprehensive report from a Watershed Multipartite Monitoring Team (WMMT) confirming that the swimming pool is indeed located within a city watershed area in violation of the Watershed Code.

Lazarraga’s group recommended certain measures that the WMC should take to stop the illegal operation of the resort. “There should be no developments in the area and that the operator of the pool be properly advised about the restrictions,” the team reported.

The team also suggested that the Office of the City Building Official (OCBO) and Business Bureau be informed about the illegal operation. During a regular monthly meeting of the WMC, Lazarraga likewise recommended that the barangay captain of Tambobong be directed to

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The WMC should make appropriate moves such as this closure to show violators that it means business. To be sure, there are other violators that the council has to deal with without fear or favor.

Considering how government agencies move, slowly in most cases, the WMC should have an activist mindset and take measures against violations of law with a sense of urgency. 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

Upon motion of lawyer Mark Peñalver, executive director of the Interfacing Development Intervention for Sustainability (IDIS), and Forester Camilo Victoria of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources 11, duly seconded by Manuel Singco of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) and Edmarson Sola of the Davao City Water District, a resolution was proposed to stop the pool’s operation.

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 98 • THURSDAY, JULY 08, 2021

VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

THE FRIENDS CONNECTION “I think if I’ve learned about friendship, it’s to hang in, stay connected, fight for them, and let them fight for you. Don’t walk away, don’t be distracted, don’t be too busy or tired, don’t take them for granted. Friends are part of the glue that holds life and faith together. Powerful stuff.” – John Katz ***

A couple of days ago, I received a private message from a friend. Actually, it was a forwarded message sent to her by another person. After reading it, I might as well share it to all my readers here so you get a lesson or two from it: Many years ago, Armand was sitting on a couch on a hot, humid day, having coffee during a conversation with my father. As they talked about life, the father thoughtfully cast a clear, sober look at his son. “Never forget your friends,” the father advised. “They will become more important as you get older. Regardless of how much you love your family and the children you have, you will always need friends. Remember to go out with them occasionally. Do activities with them, get in touch with them…”

“What a strange advice,” Armand thought. “I am an adult and surely my wife and our family are everything I need to make sense of my life.” Yet, Armand obeyed him; kept in touch with his friends and annually increased their number. Over the years, he became aware that his father knew what he was talking about! In as much as time and nature carry out their designs and mysteries on a person, friends are the bulwarks of life. Now, in his 60s, this are the things Armand learned about life and living: Time passes. Life goes on. The distance increases. Children as well as grandchildren grow up and become independent and although it breaks the parents’ hearts, they are often separated from them. Jobs come and go. Illusions, desires, attractions, sex weaken. People do what they should not do. The parents die. Colleagues forget the favors. The races are over. But true friends are always there, no matter how long or how many miles they are apart. A friend is never more distant than the reach of a need, reaching out to you, intervening in your favor, waiting for you with open arms or ears with blessings for your

life.

The message ended with this statement: “When we started this adventure called LIFE, we did not know of the incredible joys or sorrows that were ahead. We did not know how much we would need from one another. Love your parents, take care of your children, but keep a group of good friends.” When I was still in high school, I had the opportunity of knowing these friends for life: William (who now lives in Canada), Gerry (now living in Denmark), Ujean (a doctor who settles also in Canada), Abner (who still lives in our hometown, where I also live), Glocelyn (who real name is actually Lorna, but that’s a long story on how it happens), and Delia (now an American citizen living in the United States). When I started working for a non-government, I came to know Monching and his brother Daniel, who later became my friends. At one time, two Americans came to our office for training. Unknowingly, both became my friends, too: Gregory (who now lives in California) and Brad (a journalist). These days, I have several friends that to mention them one by one will not be enough to fill

the recommended space for today’s column. Besides, if I enumerate them one by one, I may fail to mention others. We need friends just as we need air, water and food to sustain us through life. “The glory of friendship is not the outstretched hand, not the kindly smile, nor the joy of companionship; it is the spiritual inspiration that comes to one when you discover that someone else believes in you and is willing to trust you with a friendship,” said Ralph Waldo Emerson. Just like husband and wife, friends also fight; friction also arises. In some cases, there are misunderstandings. “Sometimes being a friend means mastering the art of timing,” Octavia Butler says. “There is a time for silence. A time to let go and allow people to hurl themselves into their own destiny. And a time to prepare to pick up the pieces when it’s all over.” Gillian Anderson has also said: “Well, it seems to me that the best relationships – the ones that last – are frequently the ones that are rooted in friendship. You know, one day you look at the person and you see something more than you did the night before. Like a switch has been flicked somewhere. And the per-

son who was just a friend is… suddenly the only person you can ever imagine yourself with.” With that, I am reminded of the anecdote that was featured in The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupery. It goes this way: “I am looking for friends. What does that mean – tame?” “It is an act too often neglected,” said the fox. “It means to establish ties.” “To establish ties?” “Just that,” said the fox. “To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need for you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…” And that, my friend, is what friendship is all about. To end this piece, allow me to quote the words of Muhammad Ali, one of the world’s well-loved boxers: “Friendship is the hardest thing in the world to explain. It’s not something you learn in school. But if you haven’t learned the meaning of friendship, you really haven’t learned anything.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

MINDANAO COLLEGES Now the largest college campus in southern Philippines, University of Mindanao started as Mindanao Colleges, a collective effort of young men who, in July 1945, just as the city was declared liberated and the ruins of war still visible around, decided to sit down and talk business. The idea to establish a postwar tertiary educational institution in Davao was first germinated in that gathering. Lawyers Guillermo E. Torres, Sr., Pedro C. Quitain, Dominador Zuno, Sr., and Jesus Occeña; Engr. Brigido Valencia, Dr. Manuel P. Babao, MD, Pedro Lat, and Raul Torres met to map out the plan but still without clear direction where to get the funding. The school plan later rubbed positively on other professionals who saw wisdom in the concept. Months later, the original group added new names to its roster: Engr. Bernardino Guerrero, lawyer Miguel Lanzona, and Dr. Con-

cepcion Panganiban de Asis. The conferees were no ordinary pros.They would hold venerable positions in public and private. Torres became Davao’s first solicitor-general; Quitain, Zuno, and Occeña, as judges; Valencia, as public works secretary and governor of Pampanga; Dr. Babao as regional health director; Lat and R. Torres, as successful entrepreneurs; Guerrero, as city engineer and acting city mayor; Lanzona, as subdivision developer; and De Asis, one of two prewar lady city councilors. The initial hurdle was to pool a capital of P200,000, which was a tough challenge. At a time when even the landed families in the city were still recovering from the devastation of war, the mission to obtain money means looking for funds outside traditional sources. Fortunately, Nicasio Torres, father of Guillermo, also saw the wisdom of the plan. He took out

P12,000 from his savings, which promptly executed the project. On June 1, 1946, Mindanao Colleges, after signing an agreement to lease the Borgaily building at San Pedro Street, opened its doors with 381 students. Working on available capital, the school employed 13 teachers and enlisted Efigenia Occeña, wife of one of the founders, as registrar and high school principal. Capt. Floriendo Mangaoil was tapped as dean of college. At its opening, it was authorized to offer elementary and secondary courses, elementary teacher certificate, associate in commercial science, and associate in arts. As enrollment grew, the Board purchased Club Royale at Legaspi Street to house more classrooms. In July 1947, school enrollment tripled to 1,226 students, 130 of these were in college, 750 in high school, 120 in elementary, and the remainder in the techni-

cal and vocational. Commensurately, faculty population rose to 27. During this time, the school was already offering a complete academic high school and a vocational high school, with classes held during the day and in the evening, respectively. Barely two years after the college started, the first commencement exercises were held at the school’s original location. Titles in Associate in Arts (AA), Associate in Commercial Science (ACS), and Elementary Teacher’s Certificate (ETC) were distributed. On the side, 15 high school students received their diplomas. Dr. Maximo M. Kalaw, a political scientist, educator, and assemblyman from Lipa, Batangas, graced the event as guest speaker. The next few years would be a replication of the growth of Mindanao Colleges in terms of student and faculty population. This promising trend inspired the prime movers to improve and

expand the institution with lofty dream of having its own campus and building. As early as 1949, the founders already envisioned of an institution that would become a university. The initial success of the school amid the ruins of war reflected the attributes of its Board of Directors. The corporate pillars of the institution during this period were G. Torres, as president; Dr. de Asis, as vice president; Zuño, as corporate secretary; Occeña, as treasurer; and Dr. Babao and Angeles Lat, wife of Pedro, as board members. Over seven decades later, Mindanao Colleges, bestowed the status of university on December 21, 1966, has now 10 branches in Digos, Bangoy, and Peñaplata (1948), Tagum (1950), Guianga (1952), Ilang, Tibungco (1951), Panabo (1951), Bansalan (1962), Cotabato (1959), Toril, and Matina. It prides itself as Mindanao’s first non-sectarian university.

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LIFESTYLE

40 ARTISTS SIGN ON TO STAR MAGIC STAR MAGIC, the country’s premier talent management agency, gets bigger and brighter as it aims to go global and to expand to content production to champion the talents of Filipino artists.

“We dream to grow bigger and go global. To see our artists perform alongside the best artists in the world is what we will strive to achieve. Star Magic will also start creating content that will entertain, inform, and educate our audience locally and globally,” said Star Magic and ABS-CBN entertainment production head Laurenti M. Dyogi during the Star Magic Black Pen Day on Saturday (June 19). Lauren announced that in the coming months, they will launch Star Magic Records, a sub label under ABS-CBN Music; Star Magic Studio, which will create content for Star Magic artists; and Star Magic Digital Artist Agency. They will also bring back Teatro Kapamilya, ABS-CBN’s theater arm that produced 2020’s “Tabing-Ilog: The Musi-

cal.” Over 40 artists signed to become members of the ABSCBN family in the Star Magic Black Pen Day, dubbed as the biggest contract signing event in the history of Philippine entertainment. Among those that signed in the event, which was hosted by Edward Barber, are established stars John Arcilla, Sandino Martin, Marc Solis, and Angeline Quinto and new artists like Kaila Estrada, Arabella Davao, Mary Joy Apostol, Zabel Lamberth, Rans Rifol,

Vance Larena, Maureen Wrob, Paolo Gumabao, Luis VeraPerez, Sela, Migo Manikan, Vitto Neri, and Jake Ejercito. RISE Artists Studio’s Gigi De Lana, Zach Castaneda, Shanaia Gomez, Karina Bautista, Aljon Mendoza, Jayda, and JC Alcantara also inked new contracts, as well as artists from partner talent agencies such as Alyssa Muhlach and Kiko Estrada from Arnold Vegafria’s ALV Events International, and Krystle, Lara Maigue, Moira

FORTNITE LOOT YOU CAN FIND IN SM IT’S EASY to love Fortnite’s Chapter 2 Season 7, especially if you’re a gamer into wacky sci-fi content. The aliens and lots of flying saucers make missions and battle royale so much fun. However, it doesn’t hurt to take a break and have fun offline by meeting old Fortnite pals from previous seasons--they are waiting for you in SM! Jump off the Battle Bus and skydive to Toy Kingdom or The SM Store! Live big and check out the two-inch action figures of the Fortnite Battle Royale Collection. There are literally dozens to choose from! Each pack comes with a duo of poseable action figures with premium detailing. Do you prefer to go solo? You’ll love the four-inch action figures from the Fortnite Solo Mode. Each toy has over 25 points of articulation and comes with its own harvesting tool. The toys from the Solo Mode collection is compatible with items from the Fortnite Loot Battle Box and with the Fortnite

Glider Packs. Want to level up the fun? Play Fortnite in real life with the game-inspired dart-firing toy guns from Nerf. There’s the SR Blaster, the SP-L Blaster, and the best selling AR-L Elite Dart Blaster that allows motorized dart blasting! Get your feet ready to play, too, with flip-flops from the Havaianas x Fortnite collab arriving in the Havaianas stores this July. The pairs feature iconic elements from the game: DJ Yonder, Brite Bomber and the Battle Bus. Get these Fortnite loot on your next SM visit or order from home using The SM Store’s Call to Deliver #143SM. SM’s Instashopper partners via @ smlanangpremier or @smcitydavao in Facebook can also assist you with supply drops. Want more Fortnite fun in a mall? Play the Mega Mall Prop Hunt by Dead_alphayt in Fortnite Creative. Just enter the map code 0152-3186-4329 and start playing.

Lacambra, Aikee, Poppert Bernadas, Gian Magdangal, Davey Langit, and Anthony Barion from Ogie Alcasid’s ATEAM (Alcasid Total Entertainment & Artist Management, Inc). Star Music’s Sab and Recio, Polaris’ Janine Berdin, Sheena Belarmino, JM Yosures, and iDolls, and Star Hunt’s Ashley Del Mundo, Tan Roncal, Kiara Takahashi, Richard Juan, Lou Yanong, Kobie Brown, and Andi Abaya also signed with ABS-CBN’s talent manage-

ment arm. Before welcoming the new Kapamilyas, Lauren also paid tribute to Star Magic’s talent managers and road managers for being the “true force behind Star Magic.” With them, he hopes to continue to develop, train, and managed talents that are not only multifaceted but also responsible individuals and influencers in all media platforms. “My dream is to help fulfill the dreams of our artists. To attain their highest potential in their chosen craft and be responsible members of the entertainment community and of this nation,” he said. ABS-CBN chief operating officer of broadcast Cory Vidanes also thanked all newlysigned artists, agency partners, co-managers, and stars that renewed their contracts, for their trust in Star Magic. “The journey will not be very easy. It will entail hard work, continuous development of your talents and skills and a hundred percent commitment to excellence. But rest assured that we will be here to guide you and mentor you to pursue your passions, conquer your challenges, and be the best in everything that you do,” she told Star Magic’s new talents. She added, “Be good, stay grounded, and enjoy the journey. Together let us share love, joy, and light as we continue to inspire and serve the Filipino.” The Star Magic Black Pen Day can be viewed online on the Star Magic Facebook page and YouTube channel.

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

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THE HEALING WONDERS OF TOMATO

Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

s it “tuh-MAY-toh” or “tuh-MAH-to”? However you pronounce it, tomatoes were once considered poisonous. A botanist mistakenly took the tomato for the “wolf peach” referred to by Galen in his third century writings, that is, “poison in a palatable package which was used to destroy wolves.”

But the question that is still debatable: Is tomato really a vegetable or is it a fruit? In the 1840s, botanist Montague Alwood astonished his daughter by the “introduction of this wonderful fruit – or is it vegetable?” Tomato is both, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service. Yes, botanically speaking the tomato is a fruit, but horticulturally and legally, it is considered a vegetable. This debate has been adjudicated by none other than the U.S. Supreme Court. It happened in the late 19th century in connection with a challenge to tariffs on imported produce. The high court ruled in Nix vs. Hedden that despite the botanical definition, tomatoes are a vegetable, in part because at the tables of the time they were served as “the principal part of the repast” and not as dessert. According to Andrew F. Smith’s “The Tomato in America,” the tomato probably originated in the highlands of the west coast of South America, where they grow wild in what is now Peru, Bolivia, Chile, and Ecuador. They were first cultivated by the Aztecs and In-

cas as early as 700 AD. “The first mention of a tomato in a cookbook does not come until 1692 in a book published in Naples, and the first mention of a pasta recipe with tomato did not happen until Ippolito Cavalcanti, Duke of Buonvicino, wrote about vermicelli co le pommodoro. So actually, although pasta and tomatoes seem natural partners today, they were not always so,” wrote Belton in his column. Also thanks to tomatoes, pizza came into existence. Pizza was invented around Naples in the late 1880’s. The story goes that it was created by one restaurateur in Naples to celebrate the visit of Queen Margarite, the first Italian monarch since Napoleon conquered Italy. The restaurateur made the pizza from three ingredients that represented the colors of the new Italian flag: red, white, and green. The red is the tomato sauce, the white was the mozzarella cheese, and the green was the basil topping. Hence, Pizza Margarite was born, and is still the standard for pizza. In the United States, soup mogul Joseph Campbell came out in 1897 with condensed tomato soup, a move that set the company

on the road to wealth as well as further endearing the tomato to the general public. He may have made tomato soup popular, but the first recipe was credited to Maria Parloa whose 1872 book “The Appledore Cook Book” described her tomato chowder. In the Philippines, the great variety of its uses leads to the popularity of tomatoes. They are common ingredients in salads. Tomatoes are also made into soup, pickle, catsup, sauce, and juice. They are served raw, baked, stewed and as a sauce with various other foods. The English word “tomato” comes from the Aztec word, “tomatl.” Botanist Tournefort provided the Latin botanical name, “Lycopersicon esculentum.” The French referred to the tomato as pommes d’amour, or love apples, as they thought them to have stimulating aphrodisiacal properties. Among Filipinos, tomatoes are called “kamatis.” One good reason why you should eat tomatoes: It can dramatically reduce the risk of having a stroke. That’s according to the Finnish study published in the “Neurology” journal. The recent study – based on data from more than 1,000 middle-aged men, followed for an average of 12 years – has provided more support for diets rich in fruits and vegetables. In tomatoes, the key factor appears to be the powerful antioxidant lycopene. “This study adds to the evidence that a diet high in

fruits and vegetables is associated with a lower risk of stroke,” pointed out study author Jouni Karppi, of the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio. The participants with the highest levels of lycopene had a 59 percent lower risk of stroke from a blood clot than the men with the lowest levels of the antioxidant, the report added. In total, 67 of the men suffered strokes during the course of the study. Most strokes happen when a blood clot blocks the flow of blood, and therefore oxygen, to the brain. If people get to the hospital quickly, doctors can treat them with clot-dissolving drugs that may be able to stop the stroke in progress.

Or, to avoid having a stroke, people should keep on eating tomatoes. Remember what Hippocrates, the father of medicine, once said: “Let thy medicine be thy food.” He made this statement thousands of years ago and he must have had a tomato in his mind when he said it. Tomato is considered one of the richest of all foods in vitamins. It is very rich in all three important vitamins like A, B and C while most vegetables are deficient in one or more. Vitamin A plays an important role in vision, fighting infection and bacteria, maintaining skin and body linings, bone and body growth, reproduction, and normal cell development.

The B vitamins are very important to maintain good health. A deficiency of Vitamin B6 can raise a person’s risk of heart disease. Evidence also indicates that about 40 percent of heart attacks and strokes may be caused by a deficiency of folic acid, another important B vitamin. Vitamin C is needed by the body to form collagen and fiber for teeth, bone, cartilage, connective tissue, skin and capillary walls. It helps in fighting bacterial infections. It may also protect against declining mental ability and stroke. Vitamin C of tomatoes is not destroyed by heat and therefore they are practically valuable for all sorts of stomach and liver

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we do now is see through the list of results and asa didto ang nasobrahan na sa 10 days so they do not need the quarantining anymore,” she said. The mayor added that the city is now preparing new TTMF and very recently, the

city is in talks with another facility, which is a paid TTMF. “This TTMF bayaran sa pasyente kung asa sila mag- isolate kung dili siya comfortable sa city-run TTMF. Sa karon naa pud ta operating na hotel for that,” she said.

designated COVID Vaccine Pharma Warehouse Facility. BOC Davao has committed to ensure smooth implementation

of procedures to provide Filipinos safe and secure supply of COVID19 vaccines. (PIA XI/Frances Mae Macapagat)

ang may gusto mamatay na kababayan. Ang gusto natin matapos na ang pandemya,” he urged. “Konting tiis na lang. We’ve been through the

worst already on COVID-19. A few months of little more sacrifice in order for us to experience better days,” Cualoping further called on. (CLC/PIA-XI)

formed in 2018 to come up with a unified development plan for the entire Davao Region. “In 2018, when we first met with Mayor Sara and other governors of Davao Region, the primary objective for the creation of HNP in that time was really for the region. We initially saw, in fact, there was divergence in the development of the region and considering

that in 2018 most of the governors and Mayor Sara were good friends, we thought to ourselves maybe it is time to put up a regional party so that all of us can be together in unison in coming up with a development plan for the entire region,” he said. He also explained that HNP was formed to ensure that the legislative agenda of President Rodrigo Duterte will be successful.

and corioso and Tablea de Marietta of Mayette’s Native Food products. Lopez said the DTI continues to adopt initiatives that will help MSMEs to grow amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. “In the wake of Covid-19 pandemic, we stepped up the digitalization efforts of

our Go Lokal program and partnered with online platforms by making our locally-made products become more accessible to the buying public,” he added. MRSGI president and chief operating officer Manuel Alberto said the “Bayanihang Metro x Go Lokal” initiative supports the growth of Filipino MSMEs.

mission of documents, evaluation, and certification, the automated DoBid certification program also provides advisories for its stakeholders.

The DoBid microsite can be accessed through www.dti.gov.ph/good-governance-program/domestic-bidders-program/. (PNA)

health, education, livelihood, and other vital aspects, he said. It is in contrast with the resettlement areas established in some parts of the country that were usually outside the cities or growth areas and hardly affordable, he said. “People mainly want to settle in areas that already have the necessary facilities and provisions for their

needs, as well as opportunities for employment,” he added. Cartojano said the city could tap cooperatives to help manage these sites and also provide access to credit and livelihood opportunities for residents. The housing units should be affordable to the beneficiaries and should ideally be around PHP200,000, he said. (PNA)

sources, particularly oil and gas reserves if any. He said no financial incentives were given to EMGVCI by the RBOIBARMM because petroleum companies have their own terms and conditions under a service contract. “However, EMGVCI can apply in the future for reduced duties and taxes for the importation of capital equipment should their oil

and gas venture progress during their talks with the BARMM regional government and the national government,” he said. The EMGVCI is a registered Filipino company with 40-percent foreign equity engaged in the business of oil/gas petroleum minerals, mining exploration, extraction, refinery, import, and export of its by-products. (PNA)

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within the service coverage of the bulk water project and these include the pipelaying of around 65 kilometers of pipelines with 100mm to 1,000mm diameter in sizes. “We are already ready to start accepting and distributing water to the customers,” Duhaylungsod said. In April this year, Shake A. Tuason, operations head of AAII, said they are aiming to start operations at its bulk water supply project here at the end of the year, from the original launch date

of mid-2021 target due to coronavirus-related delays. Tuason said after construction delays last year due to pandemic restrictions, the company has nearly doubled staffing to 4,500 workers at the various work sites to make up for the disruptions. AAII, a joint venture between Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. and JV Angeles Construction Corp., will provide 300 million liters of water per day sourced from the Tamugan River to the DCWD. By Maya M. Padillo

must follow strict quarantine protocols, wherein they will undergo quarantine for at least 10 days and take a swab test on the seventh day since their arrival. Duque noted that border controls have so far been effective, particularly against the highly infectious Delta variant with no local case or local transmission recorded yet in the Philippines.

“So, kaya kinakailangan talaga bantayan po natin ito dahil baka biglang maging variant of concern. So, ano ang gagawin natin? Patuloy na paigtingin ang ating border control (So, we need to really monitor this because it might become variant of concern. So, what shall we do? Let’s continue intensifying our border control),” he said.(PNA)

(pork) importation although I’m not so sure if a big part (of imports) has already arrived but we can see in the data the decline in inflation of meat products, particularly pork, in the whole country, particularly in the NCR (National Capital Region),” he added. Mapa said the PSA is monitoring if the drop in pork prices will be sustained. “The weight of the meat component in the food bas-

ket is big, (so) our inflation rate can decline next month. In other words, there are items that we are tracking that will have a potential effect in the change trajectory in the trend that we see now in inflation,” he said. Mapa said inflation in the NCR slowed down to 3.2 percent in June from 3.6 percent the previous month, while inflation in areas outside the NCR eased to 4.4 percent from 4.7 percent. (PNA)

flation points to the positive effects of Executive Orders (EO) 133 and 134. These are expected to further bring down meat prices during the second half of the year,” Chua said. With the spike in pork prices resulting from the African swine fever (ASF) outbreak that significantly reduced domestic pork production, President Rodrigo R. Duterte declared a oneyear state of calamity on May 10, 2021. This allowed LGUs to access their calamity funds and realign resources to help the hog industry. Other government interventions include hog repopulation programs, food safety and ASF-zoning, and ASF

vaccine development. To complement efforts in boosting pork production and containing the ASF, the government adopted EO 133, which increased the minimum access volume (MAV) for imported pork, and EO 134, which imposed a temporary reduction of pork tariffs. Meanwhile, to ensure stable rice supply, President Duterte also issued EO 135 to temporarily reduce the most favored nation (MFN) tariff rates on imported rice to 35 percent from 40 to 50 percent. This allowed the country to diversify its market sources, expand rice supply, and further bring down rice prices.

Monetary authorities forecast this year’s inflation rate to average at 4 percent. Diokno said “price pressures are seen to abate leading to the reversion of average inflation near the midpoint of the target in 2022 to 2023.” “The effective implementation of direct non-monetary measures will be crucial in mitigating further supply-side pressures,” he said, adding “risks to the inflation outlook remain broadly balanced.” The rise of commodity prices in the international market is due to “supply chain bottlenecks” and Dio-

kno said “recovery in global demand could lend upward pressures on inflation.” These factors, however, are expected to be countered by the “emergence of new coronavirus variants which could delay the easing of lockdown measures and temper prospects for domestic growth.” “The BSP remains watchful over the evolving economic conditions and challenges brought about by the pandemic to ensure that the monetary policy stance remains consistent with its price and financial stability objectives,” Diokno added. (PNA)

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troubles. Tomato is a major crop in India, where several authors have written about its medicinal properties. Dr. S. J. Singh, author of “Practical Naturopathy” has described the tomato as very rich in food minerals which help to keep the blood alkaline and thus maintain a high resistance to disease. It is very rich in iron and potash salts. Tomato stimulates torpid liver and is good in dyspepsia, diarrhea, and dysentery. As a source of fiber, one medium tomato will equal one slice of whole wheat bread with a penalty of only 35 calories. In his book, “Introduction to Ayurveda,” Dr. C. C. Thakur claimed that tomato improves the digestive system and cures chronic diseases of the stomach. It is a blood purifier, cures anemia, piles, liver troubles, and chronic fever. On the other hand, Dr. G. S. Verma – the man behind “Miracles of Fruits” – has written that tomato is a sort of fruit and should better be eaten uncooked. Tomatoes remove constipation and strengthen teeth. It is easily digestible and as such, it is recommended as a good diet for invalids and especially in fevers, diabetes and after long fasts. Although green tomatoes are wonderful when cooked or pickled, they should be avoided in large amounts when raw, nutritionists warn. Green toma-

toes contain large amounts of tomatin, a toxin which is often extracted from seeds for its antibiotic prowess. However, it was not until the discovery of the carotenoid lycopene that modern science began to truly recognize the healing power of the tomato. In 1998, a press release from the Heinz Institute of Nutritional Sciences touted the benefits of lycopene, an antioxidant which purportedly fights the free radicals that can interfere with normal cell growth and activity. Lycopene is present in tomatoes and, especially when tomatoes are cooked, has been found beneficial in preventing prostate cancer. Lycopene is now recognized as a powerful substance in the fight against cardiovascular disease. A health expert wrote: “The lycopene-rich tomato, with its synergistic nutrients, is a powerful protector of heart disease. When the sauce is made in the traditional Italian fashion, with garlic, oregano, parsley and all the other spices, a tremendous amount of antioxidant, antithrombotic, and anti-inflammatory action is added.” There is even some mounting evidence that lycopene in tomatoes may help to prevent cataracts, age-related macular degeneration, and sunburns. More and more research appears to show that lycopene assists the immune system in protecting the body from illness.

venue-home set-up. Other teams competing in the Mindanao Leg are the Roxas Vanguards, the Paga-

dian Explorers, the Clarin Sto. Nino, the MisOr Brew Authoritea, and the Zamboanga City JPS.

talents are beyond reproach. It’s an excellent fight that is eagerly anticipated the world over. May the best man win.” If the 42-year-old Pacquiao (62-7-2, 39 knockouts) were to pull off the upset, then it would be impossible to overstate the enormity of such a triumph. In the eight divisions in which the Filipino icon has claimed world titles, he has held three Ring Magazine championships (126, 130 and 140). A victory on August 21 would see Pacquiao

become the first four-weight Ring Magazine champion in boxing history. But does any fighter out there carry a more apt moniker than Spence? “The Truth” is unbeaten in 27 fights, with 21 knockouts, and is rated No. 6 on The Ring’s mythical pound-forpound list. With impressive wins over Kell Brook, Mikey Garcia, Shawn Porter and Danny Garcia, the 31-year-old Texas star now seeks to prove that Manny Pacquiao is fresh out of miracles.

last year of 4.07 million kg, while those for May 2021 were 506-percent higher than the imports in the same month in 2020 of 6.02 million kg, Guerrero said. In-quota or within MAV shipments amounted to 10.46 million kg in April, 10.47 million kg in May, and 2.78 million kg. from June 1-11, he said. Out-quota imports were 14 million kg in April, 26.03 million kg in May, and 12.36 million kg from June 1-11, he added. “For the period April 9 to June 11, 2021, the BOC posted a total collection of PHP846.96 million. We estimated the revenue losses from EOs 128 and 134 to have reached PHP1.356 billion for this period,” Guerrero said.

Dominguez earlier said he expects revenue losses from lower pork import tariffs to reach PHP11.2 billion this year under EO 134, as the government slashed import duties and raised the MAV import quota to pull down the retail prices of pork products, which have soared this year following a major supply shortage triggered by the outbreak of the Asian swine fever (ASF). Citing estimates by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Dominguez said the projected savings of PHP50.1 billion to be gained by consumers from lower pork prices and the subsequent easing of inflationary pressures far outweigh the state revenue loss from the temporary tariff cuts. (PR)

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SPORTS 11

Usain Bolt is said to be training for the 800-meter event.

Ring Magazine belt awaits Pacquiao-Spence winner

t’s taken the best part of six years but finally we have a 147-pound fight deemed worthy of Ring Magazine championship honors. The winner of the August 21 showdown between unified titleholder Errol Spence Jr. and the legendary Manny Pacquiao will become the first Ring welterweight champion since Floyd Mayweather relinquished the title in September 2015. Other holders of this prestigious prize include all-time greats Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Robinson, Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran. However, the decision to put the championship at stake in this matchup was not an easy one. While Spence is the Ring’s No. 1 rated welterweight, Pacquiao is currently situated at No. 3. Ideally, a vacant title goes on the line when No. 1 faces No. 2, but unfortunately a bout between Spence and threeweight world titleholder Terence Crawford remains in the fantasy fight section. Promoters? Networks? Ego? Money? All of the above?

Who cares? It’s boring and The Ring has to move on. Our own championship policy stipulates the following: “If a fight between the No. 1 and 2 contenders cannot be made and No. 1 fights No. 3, the winner may be awarded The Ring belt if the Editorial Board deems the No. 3 contender worthy.” All three members of the editorial board voted and all three agreed that Pacquiao-Spence qualifies. “Like every serious fight fan, I’ve been looking forward to a Spence-Crawford showdown for years, but it’s looking less and less likely,” said The Ring’s Managing Editor, Tom Gray. “There’s the tendency for fans and media to attribute blame, but I honestly couldn’t care less at this point. They’re both great fighters in the same weight class and could have fought a trilogy by now. “Pacquiao is an all-time great who has consistently faced the best in a multitude of divisions for two decades. Spence is one of the finest pound-for-pound fighters in the world today and his

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Bolt training for 800-m event, says he will remain retired

sain Bolt: 800-meter sprinter. That’s right, the now-retired world’s fastest man is not only changing diapers these days but also distances as he makes a brief comeback for a promotional race. The new father of twins selected the 800 meters, a two-lap endeavor measured in minutes, not seconds, like he’s more accustomed. The training has been grueling for the 100- and 200-meter world record-holder but has made him miss the action. Sort of. “When I go to the track and start training, then I don’t miss it that much,” cracked the 34-year-old Bolt, whose nearly 13-year reign as Olympic champion in the 100 and 200 will come to an end at the Tokyo Games. “I’m excited to be training and just running and seeing what I can do.” Read more

Since his retirement in 2017, Bolt’s life has involved making records (he’s a music producer) and raising a family. He and his partner, Kasi Bennett, recently welcomed twins, Saint Leo and Thunder, to their family (they also have a young daughter named Olympia Lightning). He also enjoys a good soccer match (he wants to meet French soccer standout Kylian Mbappé because “he’s fast”) and of course a well-run race — especially a distance event such as the 800. Usain Bolt 800-m clocking Bolt’s best time over two trips around the track is 2

To prepare, he has been riding his Peloton bike and in training doing something he rarely used to do — circle the bend of the track and just keep on going. He is running lap after lap. “Just to get my legs ready for the lactic acid and my lungs for the air that I need,” he explained. Bolt believes he can still clock 10.2 seconds in the 100. His coach thinks he might be closer to 10.4. “I guess one day we’ll test it out,” said Bolt, who set his world records in the 100 (9.58) and 200 (19.19) at the 2009 world championships. He insisted his return to a lane, though, isn’t a sign that he’s leaving the door open for a comeback. “Definitely not,” Bolt emphatically said. “This is just a one-off challenge to see if I still got it.” If? “I’m trying to be humble and cool,” Bolt cracked.

ITT. Later in the day, the criterium will take place in which the cyclists will ride around the Clark Parade Grounds for 16 (women’s category) or 20 (men’s category) lap. “We will be witnessing competitive cycling right on Day 1 of the trials,” PhilCycling president Abraham Tolentino said. The main event, the massed start race, will take place on Sunday. For the ITT and the massed start race, the female racers will traverse a 17.1-kilometer route, while

the male racers will cover a 24.6-kilometer loop. “With the road races set for Sunday, this event is one compact competition,” added Tolentino, also the chief of the Philippine Olympic Committee. Due to the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic, the PhilCycling road trials will be played inside a bubble, that is, spectators are not allowed to watch the event. The participants will undergo reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and antigen tests. (PNA)

Clark to host PhilCycling road trials

T The winner of the August 21 showdown between unified titleholder Errol Spence Jr. and the legendary Manny Pacquiao will become the first Ring welterweight champion since Floyd Mayweather relinquished the title in September 2015.

minutes, 5 seconds, he said. But he quickly added: “I did that in my track shoes. If I put the spikes on, I can make it under 2 minutes.” FYI, because he’s all about world records: The top 800 time is 1:40.91, set by David Rudisha of Kenya at the 2012 London Games. Bolt is undertaking the new distance in part for a promotion — and to simply put on those spikes again. His opponent won’t be on the track, either. He is going up against a CarMax customer who is getting an instant online offer for a vehicle on their phone as Bolt speeds around his home track. The July 13 “race” will be streamed on his Facebook page. It may even be punctuated by his signature “Lightning Bolt” pose at the finish. “I definitely miss it a little bit,” Bolt said of the adrenaline rush from competing. “I’m excited to be training and just running and seeing what I can do.”

he Clark Freeport Zone in the Metro Angeles area will be the site of the national road trials set up by the Integrated Cycling Federation of the Philippines (PhilCycling). The two-day event will see 111 cyclists disputing for a chance to be part of the national team. Thirteen female racers will see action in the first portion of the trials, the women’s individual time trials (ITT) at 8 a.m. on July 10. Then at 8:30 a.m. 54 of the 98 male cyclists invited will take part in their own

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 98 • THURSDAY, JULY 08, 2021

After clearing the submission of the regulatory requirements -- such as health screening, drug testing, and related documents, the Mindanao Leg of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup was finally given clearance.

BATTLE IN IPIL

VisMin Cup Mindanao leg gets green light

he Mindanao Leg of the 2021 Chooks-to-Go Pilipinas VisMin Super Cup finally got the nod from the Inter-agency Task Force to start Wednesday at the Ipil Provincial Gym in Ipil Heights, Zamboanga Sibugay. It was a hectic Tuesday for league officials as they had two days to get clearance from the local government unit and the Games and Amusements Board (GAB) to begin competition on Wednesday. After clearing the submission of the regulatory requirements -- such as health screening, drug testing, and related documents, the league was finally given clearance. “We are just happy that Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay accepted us without hesitation as we tip-off our Mindanao leg,” said VisMin Cup Chief Operating Officer Rocky Chan. “We would like to thank Mayor Anamel Olegario and Governor Wilter Palma for hosting our games and the Games and Amusements Board, headed by Chairman Baham Mitra, for giving us the necessary licenses to resume our league.” Powerhouse squads ALZA Alayon Zamboanga Del Sur and Basilan Peace Riders will start the hostilities at 1 p.m. Dan Sara is expected to be the leader

of ALZA Alayon while the Peace Riders, formerly the Steel, are hungry to play after their exit from the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL). In the second game set at 3 p.m., Teytey Teodoro and the Kapatagan Buffalo Braves take on Jericho Montecalvo and the Iligan City Archangels. The Mindanao Leg of the league was initially scheduled to begin on June 22 in Pagadian City, Zamboanga Del Sur. However, Zamboanga Del Sur has been under Modified Enhanced Community Quarantine since June 15 while Zamboanga Sibugay is under General Community Quarantine. Games in Ipil will take place on July 7, 8, 9, 11, and 13. The league and the LGU of Pagadian City are hoping to begin play at Plaza Luz starting on July 15 if quarantine measures ease up. All teams and officials are still billeted in Pagadian City -- a three-hour ride to Ipil. With this, the league is strictly enforcing a home-

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