Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 104 | Thursday, July 15, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.14 ISSUE 104 • THURSDAY, JULY 15, 2021

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Second hand bags and shoes vendors belonging to the Badjao tribe sit on the pavement on a portion of the newly concreted San Pedro Street in Davao City while waiting for customers on Wednesday morning. Edge Davao

HOUSE TAGGING TF Covid-19 Davao spox to recommend household tagging for vax campaign STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

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President Rodrigo Duterte poses for a group photo with his daughter, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio during a Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP) gathering. Mayor Sara and President Duterte, emerged as top picks for the 2022 presidential and vice presidential derbies, respectively, according to the private polling firm Pulse Asia. Presidential Photo

HOUSE TAGGING T

Digos City LGU opens new isolation facility

TF Covid-19 Davao spox to recommend household tagging for vax campaign By MAYA M. PADILLO

he Task Force Covid-19 Davao City said it will recommend “house tagging” to amplify the city’s vaccination campaign.

“I would definitely raise that idea kasi sobrang brilliant and it would give us the opportunity to know kung sino ang hindi navaccine and we can also educate them more,” Dr. Michelle Schlosser, focal person of the Task Force, said during the Covid-19

Alert program via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Wednesday. This is in relation to the “house tagging” activity in Barangay Lasang, Davao City initiated by Barangay chair Allan Simo-ag where barangay workers visit homes of vaccinated

residents to put stickers on their gates and houses. Simo-ag was reported initiating the household tagging to encourage other residents to get vaccinated against Covid-19. He said the barangay prepared 1,000 stickers wherein the names of the household members and a checkbox if he or she is already vaccinated with first or second dose were indicated in each sticker. While doing the house

tagging, workers are also conducting vaccine education to the residents at the same time. Schlosser said if the city can copy the initiative across all barangays, it would be great considering that there are still some Dabawenyos who refused to get vaccinated. “Our barangay captains have brilliant ideas and they do know their communities.

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he local government of Digos City has opened its newly-built isolation building which can accommodate up to 40 COVID-19 patients. “This is the best way to curb the spread of COVID-19. To immediately isolate (COVID-19 positive patients) and prevent infection to others,” Digos City Mayor Josef Cagas stated in a recently-held turnover ceremony of the isolation facility to the officials of Barangay Igpit. The 40-bed capacity isolation facility has complete amenities per room, such as comfort room, bed with beddings, table, chair and electric fan. The concrete building, which is worth P5 million, is funded Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go, bared Ojela Mae Entero, the City Planning and Development

Coordinator. Cagas has once again reminded his constituents to religiously practice the minimum health protocols, saying “we should be reminded every day that we are at risk to be infected.” As of Monday (July 12), the City Health Office of Digos City has recorded a total of 1,946 confirmed COVID-19 cases with 541 currently admitted cases. There have been 1,358 recoveries and 44 deaths. Meanwhile, the LGU is set to intensify barangay visits to reach out to senior citizens and residents with comorbidities, following the low vaccination rate for the A2 and A3 priority groups in the city. Vice Mayor Johari Baña said that the LGU will also conduct focus group discussions with the leaders

the ASF affects neighboring municipalities and provinces in Davao Region consequently upsetting the prizes of meat products. Rays said meat products and even live pigs can be accessed outside Davao City whether Davao Region or outside Davao Region. “Some of these areas are affected by the ASF, it is certain that the supply of meat products in the city will also reduce,” she said. Rayos said not all areas can sell their livestock to

Davao City especially if these areas are affected by the ASF because laws against the spread of AFF are strictly enforced in Davao City. The Task Force Davao checkpoints in Sirawan, Toril, Lacson in Calinan and Lasang in Bunawan are the current monitoring posts of the City Veterinary Office. She stressed the City Veterinarian’s Office wants that all areas affected by the ASF in the city will eventually recover from the

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NAPC signs MOAs with 19 ASF controlled in Davao City LGUs in bid to halt poverty A

he government’s coordinating agency against poverty signed a milestone Memorandum of Agreements with 19 local government units in Mindanao as part of a nationwide bid to take down poverty by 14 per cent in 2022. “It is high time to cut down poverty if we are to lessen its impact on the lives of our people during the pandemic,” said

Secretary Noel K. Felongco of the National Anti-Poverty Commission. Felongco signed the MOAs with the LGUs through a zoom conference hosted by the NAPC’s Mindanao field office under Augustus Tapia. Mindanao is host to 23 provinces listed among the country’s poorest provinces in terms of poverty incidence among population. Government security forces tagged poverty in

the island as a stimulus to insurgency. Felongco described as very significant the MOAs entered with the 19 LGUS because “it provides us a deeper commitment and stronger partnership in eradicating poverty.” The NAPC lead convener said LGUs hold the key to ensuring that povertyreduction prioritizes land tillers and fisher folk.

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n official of the City Veterinary Office bared that the African Swine Fever that affected some barangays in February 2020 is eventually controlled. Dr. Cherrie Rayos, assistant city veterinarian revealed that the ASF is no longer detected in Davao City but monitoring is intensified due to the presence of the disease in the surrounding areas and even in Regions X and III or Caraga. She maintained that

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EDGEDAVAO

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NEWS

Workers rush construction of an isolation facility for COVID-19 patients near the Davao International Airport in Davao City on Monday. Mindanews Photo

DTI Region 11 monitors overpriced RT-PCR test

he regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI 11) is keeping watch on hospitals and laboratories in Davao Region that are charging overpriced Reverse Transcription Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR) test. Deolly Roque, division chief of the regional office consumer protection division of DTI 11, said in a virtual presser that as of May this year, DTI 11 has monitored 19 hospitals and laboratories offering RTPCR test with prices that exceed P5,000. Through a joint administrative order signed by the DTI and the Department of Health

(DOH) in November last year, the maximum price of RT-PCR testing including test kits is up to P5,000 only. “Since there are reported hospitals and laboratories that are allegedly charging more than P5,000 that is why DTI and DOH conducted joint monitoring to different hospitals and laboratories in the region. Sad to note that only 36.84 percent ang compliance rate meaning there are a lot of hospitals and laboratories found overpricing or exceeding the maximum price of P5,000,” Roque said. She added that DOH 11 has issued stern warning to these hospitals and

FDTI , P10

Escobal backs SC ruling on use of body-worn cameras

avao Regional Police chief Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal welcomes the guidelines crafted by the Supreme Court (SC) on the use of body-worn cameras in police operations. The country’s highest tribunal on July 9, 2021 issued a resolution that includes the rules for the use of body cams that shall cover “all applications, issuances, and executions of arrest and search warrants under the Revised Rules of Criminal Procedure,” including that of “warrantless arrests.” The SC rules also included guidelines on

the preservation of the recordings from the BWCs, the chain of custody of the video recordings and legal procedures that must be observed in accessing the BWC recordings. Escobal said that he supports the use of BWCs which as he believes it would erase doubts as to the allegations of police abuse as it provides transparency on the conduct of police operations. The body-worn camera, according to him, could help in proving court cases and in giving light to suspicions and accusations of abuses of operating teams.

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Nordeco clarifies ERC permits collection T By MAYA M. PADILLO

he Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco), Inc., clarified that collection of Reinvestment Fund for Sustainable CAPEX (RFSC) that reflects in the power bill of the members-consumers-owners (MCOs) is permitted and authorized by the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC).

Nordeco general manager Mario Angelo Sotto said in an interview that one of the mechanisms to help support Electric Cooperatives (ECs) is collecting RFSC. He also

said that in the imposed tariff, RFSC is just a baseline based on the groupings of the ECs approved by ERC. “Baseline lang ni siya (RFSC). It’s not only

DANECO or NORDECO nga naka-receive ani kay paggroupings karun sa tanang electric cooperative na belong ta sa group F. Sa group F dunay pipila ka electric cooperatives nga parehas nato og baseline approved by the ERC. Mao to siya nga 0.2178/ kwh since 2012,” Sotto explained. Sotto added that in collecting RFSC, the Capital Expenditure (CAPEX) will be funded wherein long term projects such as

installation of new power lines, extension of lines to the rural areas, upgrading, expansion, rehabilitation of the electric power system are covered. “Nag-alocate si ERC of that certain amount para pud makatuyok si electric cooperative. Take note, that the electric cooperative does not have that big investments nagsalig gyud na siya sa CAPEX,” he said. Nordeco is the former Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Daneco).

run for vice president. Sara earned the highest voter preference in Metro Manila, getting 18 percent. It was followed by Balance Luzon (17 percent) and the Visayas and Mindanao (14 percent each). She also got the nod of 17 percent of respondents in Class D, 12 percent in Class E, and 10 percent in Class ABC. Duterte, on the other hand, received the highest score in his bailiwick in Mindanao (35 percent), followed by the Visayas (14

percent), Balance Luzon (13 percent), and Metro Manila (11 percent). He also posted a high voter preference among Classes ABC (14 percent), D (18 percent), and E (16 percent). Other preferred presidential candidates were Senator Grace Poe and former senator Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. (13 percent each), Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao (12 percent), and Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go (9

percent). Following Go were Manila City Mayor Francisco “Isko Moreno” Domagoso (8 percent), Taguig CityPateros Rep. Alan Peter Cayetano (8 percent), Sorsogon Governor Francis Escudero (7 percent), Vice President Maria Leonor “Leni” Robredo (6 percent), and Senator Panfilo Lacson (4 percent). The least preferred presidential candidates were former Vice President Jejomar Binay and former

Duterte-Duterte emerge as top picks for 2022 prexy, vp derbies: Pulse Asia

avao City Mayor Sara Duterte and her father, President Rodrigo Duterte, emerged as top picks for the 2022 presidential and vice presidential derbies, respectively, according to the pre-election survey conducted by private polling firm Pulse Asia. Pulse Asia, in its June 7 to 16 survey, found that 28 percent of 2,400 respondents prefer Sara as their presidential candidate, while 18 percent want President Duterte to

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Newly hired call center agents undergo training in Davao City pre-pandemic. The demand for office space is expected to be closer to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021, according to Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC). Edge Davao

Minimal increase in PH credit cost seen after rating outlook change

n economist forecasts “some adjustments on the risk premiums” on the Philippines following Fitch Ratings’ decision on Monday to change from stable to negative its outlook on the economy’s BBB credit rating. In a reply to e-mailed questions from PNA, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the outlook downgrade on the country’s credit rating may result in “some uptick in local interest rates/credit costs and some healthy profit-taking in the local financial markets.”

emand for office space will be closer to pre-pandemic levels by the end of 2021 with the expected conclusion of 330,000 square meters (sqm) of live requirements, according to Leechiu Property Consultants (LPC). In a virtual press briefing Tuesday, LPC director Mikko Barranda said office take-up could reach 500,000 sqm. to 600,000 sqm. level by year-end with the signing of these pipeline

“But hopefully, these would be minimal/negligible since there is still a chance to prevent an actual downgrade of the credit rating from happening in the coming months, as the Philippine would remain in the investment-grade universe, regardless of the outcome, especially if economic recovery prospects improve in view

of transactions with developers. “Last year, the number was 380,000 (sqm) so we are looking to almost double that assuming that things progress at the same pace but we are confident given that the economy is now opening much more and we have been seeing more vaccines come in, (and) that confidence will just increase as the months go by,” he said. Barranda said the in-

of the continued arrivals of more Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) vaccines into the country that could help better manage, if not reduce, new Covid-19 local cases, and help justify additional measures to re-open the economy,” he said. Fitch has kept the country’s credit rating at BBB, a notch above the minimum investment grade, which it has given since 2017. It affirmed the rating after noting the country’s robust external buffers and the expectations that government debt levels will remain below BBB median peers. Ricafort said the gov-

formation technology and business process management (IT-BPM) sector continues to lead the demand for office space at 190,000 sqm., or 58 percent of the live requirements. Traditional firms like those in e-commerce and logistics which grew during the pandemic posted 122,000 sqm. or 37 percent; while Philippine offshore gaming operators (POGO) firms are seeking 17,000 sqm. or 5 percent, he added.

ernment’s decision to continue with the reopening of the economy is expected to counter the economic impact of the pandemic since this will boost the government’s tax revenue collections and reduce pandemic-related spending, which in turn, would lower budget deficit and slow the rise of the country’s liabilities. He said while state spending increased because of programs aimed to reduce the impact of the virus-induced pandemic on the people and the economy, domestic fundamentals and the country’s external position

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“We are seeing some POGOs inquiries, (they are) actively asking us for office space…,” he said. “With Senate Bill 2232 and the re-opening of Philippine borders, we anticipate a comeback from the POGO sector.” Senate Bill 2232 is a proposed measure that would tax POGOs. Barranda said the significant growth of office demand is a strong indicator of recovery. (PNA)

Empower farmers to achieve food sustainability, says DA

s the Philippines prepares for the United Nations Food Systems Summit (UNFSS) in September, the Department of Agriculture (DA) emphasized the importance of empowering the farmers toward achieving food sustainability. DA Secretary William Dar said that while the current generation produces more per hectare than the farmers before them, there are also bigger problems

that confront the agriculture sector. “They confront unprecedented challenges like the high cost of inputs, the lack of capital and rural infrastructure, climate change, and extreme poverty,” Dar said in his speech during the National Food Systems Dialogue at the Bureau of Soils and Water Management Convention Hall in Quezon City on Tuesday.

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Sales of local automakers rise 56% in first half 2021

ales of the local automotive industry during the first semester of the year rose by 56.1 percent to 132,767 units from 85,041 units in the same period a year ago, the joint report of the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines, Inc. (CAMPI) and Truck Manufacturers Association (TMA) showed Tuesday. Passenger car sales jumped by 77.3 percent from January to June 2021 to 42,406 units from 23,912 unit sales in the first six

months of 2020. Commercial vehicle sales also grew double digits by 47.8 percent to 90,361 units in the first semester of 2021 from 61,129 units sold in the same period last year. For June 2021 alone, industry sales increased by 44. 8 percent to 22,550 units from 15,578 units a year ago. June 2021 sales of the passenger car segment improved by 56.7 percent to 7,382 units from 4,711 units in June 2020.

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ECONOMY

A city government of Davao employee buys a tub of salted peanuts along Bolton Street in Davao City on Wednesday. Edge Davao

Population growth on ‘downtrend’: PSA

he Philippine population growth continues at a slower pace as more Filipinos prefer smaller family sizes, the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) reported on Tuesday. Citing results of the 2020 Census of Population and Housing, PSA Undersecretary and National Statistician Dennis Mapa said the country’s total population rose by 1.63 percent between 2015 and 2020, slower compared to 1.72 percent registered in 2010 until 2015. “The trend is actually going down so one of the reasons of course is the preference of many families for smaller family size. But this is not unique, this 2015-

2020 (census), because we are seeing a downtrend in terms of population growth several censuses already,” he said in a virtual press briefing. Mapa said the total population of the country reached 109,035,343 as of May 1, 2020, up by over 8 million from 100,981,437 in 2015. He identified the most populous regions in 2000 as Region 4-A (Cavite, Laguna, Batangas, Rizal and Quezon) with a population of 16,195,042; National Capital Region (NCR) -13,484,462; and Region 3 (Central Luzon) -12,422,172. “The population in Calabarzon, NCR and Central Lu-

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Private sector vax donation may no longer be needed

residential Adviser for Entrepreneurship Joey Concepcion said he was told by vaccine czar Carlito Galvez Jr. that the vaccines against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) to be donated by the private sector may no longer be needed as the national government receives ample supply of vaccines. “We’re seeking clarity on that position because we want to be sure that they don’t need (the donation) anymore,” Concepcion said in a television interview Tuesday. The private sector and the government entered into a tripartite agreement with vaccine manufacturer Astra-

Zeneca for the procurement of Covid-19 vaccines, wherein half of the vaccines purchased by the private sector will be donated to the national government. Nearly 20 million doses of AstraZeneca vaccines were procured by the private sector under the tripartite deal. “If they don’t need it anymore, of course the private sector, we will use that (to) either donate to other LGUs (local government units) that need our support, or share it to family members of our employees,” Concepcion said. He said about 10 to 20 percent of their employees were already inoculated by

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SSS: P90.52B worth of benefits released from January to May

tate-run private sector pension fund Social Security System (SSS) on Wednesday said it has disbursed a total of P90.52 billion worth of benefits in the first five months of the year.

In a statement, SSS said the disbursements benefitted around 3.46 million members, pensioners, and their beneficiaries. Likewise, the pension fund said, benefit disbursements from January to May were higher by 13.3% from P79.93 billion released in the same period in 2020. “Along with the rapidly increasing membership base is the constant rise of benefit releases to our qual-

ified members, pensioners, and beneficiaries,” said SSS president and CEO Aurora Ignacio. Of the total benefit releases, the SSS said around 99% or P89.92 billion were for social security benefits while the remaining P608 million were for employees compensation benefit disbursements. It said that retirement payouts amounting to P53.74 billion represents

60% of the entire benefit disbursements, covering over 1.81 million pensioners. Moreover, it also disbursed P23.72 billion in death benefits to 1.08 million claimants, P2.44 billion in disability benefits to 97,258 members, P5.99 billion maternity benefits to 157,132 female members, P1.44 billion in sickness benefits to 147,210 members, P1.96 billion funeral benefit to 84,530 claimants, and P642 million unemployment benefits to 47,764 members. Meanwhile, under the Employees Compensation program, the SSS said it dis-

tributed P426 million death benefits to 16,492 beneficiaries, P78 million disability benefits to 2,044 members, P98 million sickness benefits to 11,663 members, P2 million for medical services to 393 members, and P3 million in funeral benefits to 114 claimants. “On top of the regular SS benefits, employed and self-employed members are also entitled to receive EC benefits in case of work-related sickness or injury, disability or death,” Ignacio said. Effective July 2020, benefit proceeds are released through disbursement

100 percent of its net income for this period to the government’s Covid-19 response efforts. “Transco supports the DOF (Department of Finance) in its revenue generation efforts for the government’s programs to alleviate the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, and in fact, it is exploring the possibility of remitting 100 percent from the 2020 net earnings,” Matibag said in his letter to Dominguez. Transco earlier remitted to the BTr the amount of PHP8.32 billion, representing 50 percent of its net earnings from 2016 to 2019, to help augment the government’s Covid-19 response fund. Under Republic Act

(RA) No. 7656 or the Dividends Law, all government-owned and -controlled corporations (GOCCs) are required to declare and remit at least 50 percent of their annual net earnings as cash, stock, or property dividends to the national government (NG). For 2020, Transco’s dividend remittance at 50 percent of its net earnings was computed to amount to PHP1.63 billion. Under Dominguez’s order for Transco to remit 75 percent of its 2020 net earnings on or before June 15, the firm’s dividend contribution will increase to PHP2.45 billion. In his letter, Matibag said for Transco to be able to comply with Dominguez’s

order, it will have to seek the approval of its Board for an additional budget of PHP817,114,966 for 2021 to cover the increase in the dividend amount to 75 percent. “Once the Board approval is secured, Transco will request for the approval of the additional budget from the DBM (Department of Budget and Management) to support the dividend remittance to the National Government (NG),” Matibag said. From January 1 to May 31 of this year, the total remittances of GOCCs reached PHP31.38 billion, topped by the PHP8.32-billion contribution of Transco, according to the DOF’s Corporate Affairs Group (CAG).

FSSS, P10

Transco aims to help fund Covid response

he National Transmission Corp. (Transco) is studying the possibility of remitting all of its 2020 net earnings to the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) as its dividend contribution to help fund the government’s coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response programs. In a letter to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, Transco president-chief executive officer Melvin Matibag said the state-run firm will secure the approval of its board to comply with Dominguez’s directive on increasing the dividend remittance of the firm for 2020 to 75 percent of its net earnings. Matibag said Transco is even open to contributing

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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On the recommendation of Task Force Covid-19 Davao City to implement “house tagging” as part of the city’s vaccination campaign:

I would definitely raise that idea kasi sobrang brilliant and it would give us the opportunity to know kung sino ang hindi na-vaccine and we can also educate them more.”

Dr. Michelle Schlosser

Focal person of the Task Force Covid-19

EDITORIAL General Escobal speaks Brig. Gen. Filmore Escobal, our very own Philippine National Police (PNP) chief for the Davao Region, has seconded the strong support of PNP Chief General Guillermo Eleazar to the use of body-worn cameras (BWCs) in practically all police operations.

After the Supreme Court had ruled favorably on the use of BWCs, General Eleazar has posthaste directed his deputies, particularly PNP deputy chief for operations Lt. Gen. Israel Ephraim Dickson, to mount a massive information campaign on the BWC’s use across the country.

The country’s highest tribunal issued on July 9, 2021 a resolution that includes the rules for the use of body cams covering “all applications, issuances, and executions of arrest and search warrants under the Revised Rules of Crimi-

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In other words, the BWC is not a so-so gadget.

In supporting the application of the Supreme Court ruling in our region, Escobal said he believes the use of body cams, considering what it is capable of, would erase all doubts about the legitimacy of police operations.

Indeed, as the General said, the BWC will be very useful in proving court cases and, more importantly, in dispelling doubts and suspicions of abuses in police operations. 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

nal Procedure, including that of “warrantless arrest.” The SC rules all include guidelines on the preservation of the recordings from the BWCs, the chain of custody of the video recordings and legal procedures that must be observed in accessing the BWC recordings.

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

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VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

WRONG MISTEAK “To err is human; to forgive, divine,” wrote Alexander Pope some centuries ago. It was true then, and it is even truer today. Yes, we always make mistakes whether we like it or not, sapagka’t tayo ay tao lamang, to use the Pilipino cliché. Carl Sandburg, considered as “one of the greatest American poets and biographers,” had committed a mistake despite the fact he won prizes and awards for poetry and was also well-known as a singer and reciter of American folk songs. In his famous biography, “Abraham Lincoln – The Prairie Years,” he wrote: “Lincoln’s mother was standing at the door of their cabin singing Greenland’s Icy Mountain.” The faux pas: the song was not written until twenty-two years after Lincoln’s death! Who hasn’t heard of Sherlock Holmes, the fictional detective created by Sir Arthur Conan-Doyle. His sidekick was Dr. John Watson. According to the author, Dr.

Watson once suffered a bullet wound during a military action. In the novel, “A Study in Scarlet,” Dr. Watson’s wound is in the shoulder. While in another novel, “The Sign of Four,” Dr. Watson’s wound is in the leg. Now, Sherlock Holmes should figure that one out. Daniel Defoe also committed an error in his famous novel, “Robinson Crusoe.” In it, the author had his shipwrecked castaway try to salvage some goods: “I resolved, if possible, to get to the ship; so I PULLED OFF MY CLOTHES, for the weather was not too extreme, and took to the water.” After the naked Crusoe climbed aboard the ship: “I found that all the ship’s provisions were dry; and being well disposed to eat, I went to the bread room and FILLED MY POCKET WITH BISCUITS.” So, suddenly, he had clothes on? Writers are not the only people who make mistakes. Painters do, too. When Emanuel (with one M, please!) Leutze painted “Washington Crossing

the Delaware,” depicting the Stars and Stripes being carried in the boat. So, where’s the error? Well, for the uninformed, the Stars and Stripes was not adopted as the American flag until June 14, 1777 – half a year after Washington’s crossing. In his renowned oil painting, “Israelites Gathering Manna in the Wilderness,” the painter Tintoretto armed Moses’ men with shotguns. But history tells us that the earliest known gun did not appear until 1326, definitely after the Exodus. Here’s another boner in the world of art. In a portrait of his patron, Charles I of England, Anthony van Dyke painted the king in full armor with two gauntlets (commonly known as medieval gloves) – both for the right hand. Here’s something to laugh about. After completing construction of the Howard Hotel in Baltimore, the contractors installed boilers and started fires – before discovering they had forgotten to build a chimney.

Here’s another. Dan O’Leary of the Port Hurton baseball team came to bat against Peioria with the score tied. O’Leary hit what may have been the first home run of his career. After rounding the bases, he was declared out. Why? He had run around the bases the wrong way! By the way, most of the boners mentioned above were taken from the best-selling “The Book of Lists.” We learn our lessons from our mistakes. American inventor and businessman Thomas Alva Edison held a world record of 1093 patents for inventions. Perhaps, the greatest challenge was the development of a practical incandescent, electric light. Contrary to popular belief, he didn’t “invent” the lightbulb but rather he improved upon a 50-year-old idea. In 1879, using lower current electricity, a small carbonized filament, and an improved vacuum inside the globe, he was able to produce a reliable, long-lasting source of light.

The idea of electric lighting was not new, and a number of people had worked on, and even developed forms of electric lighting. But up to that time, nothing had been developed that was remotely practical for home use. After experimenting more than 200 different substances, a colleague told him: “You have failed more than 200 times; why don’t you give up?” Edison replied, “Not at all. I have discovered more than 200 things that will not work. I will soon find one that will.” After one and a half years of work, success was achieved when an incandescent lamp with a filament of carbonized sewing thread burned for thirteen and a half hours. “All men make mistakes, but only wise men learn from their mistakes,” commented British Prime Minister Winston Churchill. “There are no mistakes in life; there are only lessons to learn,” sang multi-awarded singer and actress Barbra Streisand in one of her movies.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

LT. BOLTON’S DEATH IN U.S. MEDIA Over a hundred years after Davao district governor Lt. Edward Bolton was assassinated, the debate on the true reason behind his death continues to fascinate historians and lovers of history. Even the extent of coverage of the U.S. media has become an interesting subject. He was the highest-ranking U.S. official killed in Davao during the 47-year American rule. His slay, perpetrated by Mangulayon, a Manobo (Tagacaulo in most accounts) tribal ward sub-leader, resulted in a bloody manhunt that failed to catch the culprit and his brothers. News of Lt. Bolton’s death reached the American press only on June 14, 1906 through a dispatch sent by Brig. Gen. Tasker Bliss, governor of the Department of Moro Province. Inadequate in details, the cable carried news suggesting the murder was a treachery because Lt. Bolton and his farm administrator, Benjamin Christian, stayed at the residence of

the chief assailant a day prior to the commission of the crime. Other details in the stories say the murder took place on the beach, Mangulayon was a Tagacaulo leader, and his brothers acted as guides for the victims who were headed for Malita. The chief assassin was also dubbed “a cutthroat and murderer” and “leader of 200 religious fanatics” harassing the countryside. The June 14, 1906 issue of Evening Star, a Washington, DC-based paper, carried the headline ‘Murdered By Natives,’ while the Kansas-based The Topeka State Journal bannered the story titled ‘Killed a Governor.’ The Bamberg Herald, printed in Bamberg, South Carolina, had a misleading headline, ‘Murdered By Filipinos,’ issued on June 21, 1906. A day earlier, another Southern Carolinian publication, The Watchman and Southron, carried an erroneously referenced story titled ‘Lieutenant Edward C. Bolton

Treacherously Murdered by Moros in Mindanao.’ The reasons for the murder, until this time, were still unclear. A year later, according to the 1907 report submitted by the Philippine Constabulary (PC) director to the Philippine Commission, the Americans were cautioned of the danger facing them but Lt. Bolton “made light of it.” Eight months earlier, the emergence of “fanatical dancing,” later known as the Tungod Movement, already reached the attention of the authorities. Shinzo Hayase, in Tribes of the Davao Frontier, 1899-1941 (1985), pointed out the possible trigger that led to the rising temperature between the natives and the foreign planters: As a result of the formation of the ward [which was executed by Gov. Bolton], traditional tribal social organization was swept aside and replaced with a single headman—a European planter. This radical restructuring aroused the jealousy

and animosity leading tribal people. They simply could not accept a single leader, let alone a European, to represent the various ethnic groupings in the ward. It was at this point that Mangulayon was said to have declared his intention to kill [assistant district secretary Max L.] McCullough. Another reason for the indigenous uprising, which emerged following the slay of the governor, was the maltreatment the natives received in the hands of planters. Brig. Gen. Bliss, in a letter to Gen. Hugh L. Scott, United States Army chief, cited by Hayaze, wrote about the issue: This is one thing which I would much like to have you carefully and quietly investigate. In your last dispatch you referred to harsh treatment of natives by planners as explaining in part of certain amount of the ill-feeling of the latter toward Americans. I have always thought this to be very possible. We all know what men will

do on a remote frontier, where they are removed from the immediate operation of law and from observation and criticism, and whose only object is to make money as rapidly as possible. Later research based on the oral tradition came out with another reason for the murder: that Lt. Bolton got involved with a married woman who was his former love interest. This motive, though, is essentially shallow given that even without this excuse, the larger picture in the simmering anger of the indigenous people was to exact revenge against the abusive planters. For some reason, this enmity, which continued to seethe until the next few years, could have influenced the American farm owners to cut down their investments in hemp plantations for fear of their lives and the destruction of their thriving plantations in case there would be a district-wide uprising by the natives against the foreigners.

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LIFESTYLE

CONSULT DOCTORS ON TV KONSULTAMD, HUAWEI TAKE TELEMEDICINE TO PINOY HOMES

FILIPINOS nationwide may now talk to a doctor via their TV sets right from the comfort of their homes. Healthtech company KonsultaMD and global ICT and smart devices company Huawei Philippines bring medical consultations right into the home, for added security from the pandemic.

A free two-month KonsultaMD subscription will be included in every purchase of Huawei Vision S TV -- the first “future TV’’ in the Philippines. This complementary health service gives customers 24/7 unlimited access to licensed doctors via voice or video call with no appointment needed. For a more immersive and realistic meeting with a KonsultaMD doctor, customers may enjoy Huawei Vision S TV’s crystal clear resolution with 13-megapixel magnetic camera. They can switch effortlessly from watching free TV or streaming their favorite shows to accessing the KonsultaMD app. Soon, the KonsultaMD app will be present in all existing and new Huawei devices.

“Telehealth is relevant now more than ever. We are glad to partner with Huawei to give customers various ways to access this service, without having to leave their homes. Due to COVID-19, everyone needs to be extra careful of our health to avoid contracting or spreading the virus. KonsultaMD provides them the

protection and peace of mind they need,” said KonsultaMD Chief Operating Officer Cholo Tagaysay. KonsultaMD offers consultations on general medicine, family medicine, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, rehabilitation medicine, psychology and psychiatry, dermatology, ophthalmology, dentistry,

and surgery. It also provides digital management of health records, e-prescriptions, elaboratory requests, e-referrals, and mental health support. For those who want to continue their subscription, plans are available for as low as P60 a month at the KonsultaMD app, the KonsultaMD website (https://www.konsulta.md/),

or by calling (02) 7798-8000. For more info about Huawei Vision S TV, visit the Huawei Philippines Website (https:// consumer.huawei.com/ph/ visions/s/). KonsultaMD is a portfolio company of 917Ventures, the country’s largest corporate venture builder and a whollyowned subsidiary of Globe.

FUN AND FASHION AT THE SM STORE BIG CLEARANCE SALE YOU’LL love great fashion finds and markdowns at the The SM Store’s Big Clearance Sale from July 12 – 25, 2021.

After more than a year of keeping safe and healthy, now is the best time to refresh your wardrobe with new clothes, shoes, accessories and so much more. Re-visit the SM Store and re-discover how much fun it is to shop for style for your online meetings, small gatherings with family and friends, and running errands. What’s in-store at SM? Check it out at m.me/SMFashionWomen, m.me/SMFashionMen, m.me/SMFashionBabiesKids and m.me/ SMFashionYouth Visit The SM Store at SM City Davao and SM Lanang Premier and check out more items on sale. Also available via SM Call to Deliver #143SM (#14376).

Candy colored button down shirt from SMYTH at P 300 each.

Make a stylish statement in your online and face to face meetings. Teen Spirit. True Love floral printed top and Urban denim skirt now priced at P 200 each. Cool character tees for teens now priced at P 200 each.

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SANTA CRUZ:

DAVAO REGION’S SECOND OLDEST TOWN Text by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

indanao, the country’s second largest island, has three oldest municipalities: one is in Zamboanga (founded by Spanish forces in 1635) while two others are located in Davao Region.

Caraga, in Davao Oriental, was officially founded as a town in 1861. The word “Caraga” originated from the native word “kalag,” which means “spirit of soul.” As a municipality, however, it was chartered on July 15, Santa Cruz, in Davao del Sur, was founded on October 5, 1884, thus becoming the second oldest municipality of undivided Davao. But before that, Spanish pioneers and missionaries attempted to settle and tried to Christianize the people in the area as early as 1880. How the town got its name is an interesting story in itself. “Because of the relentless Islamic faith of the local people in the area,” Wikipedia reported, “the enraged pioneers and missionaries planted a cross under a shelter to mark the failure of the missionaries to convert these people to Christianity; the town’s name now bears the name of the cross planted by those Spaniards.” Santa Cruz is the Spanish word for “holy cross.” In the 1960s, a new town was supposed to be carved out from Santa Cruz. Roxas, the supposed municipality, was composed of the present-day barangays of Inawayan, Darong, Astorga, Coronon, and Sibulan. But

it didn’t push through. “The Supreme Court of the Philippines nullified the creation of the municipality since this meant the collapse of the jurisdiction of once the most Christianized town in Mindanao,” Wikipedia noted. This coming October 5, Santa Cruz will celebrate its 136 years of existence as a municipality. “For now, our local authorities have not yet decided regarding the celebration because of the pandemic,” says Julius R. Paner, referring to the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). “Maybe, it will be very simple, no big gatherings and events, and maybe some sort of virtual activities will be undertaken,” Paner, who is the municipal tourism officer, says, adding that the local government unit will give more weight on following the pandemic safety measures. “We will always abide with the guidelines imposed by the Department of Health and Inter-Agency Task Force,” he points out. Santa Cruz may be an old municipality but it has a lot to offer when it comes to people who come to visit the place. “Rich biodiversity and culture – these have been the two other good features of Santa Cruz other than his-

Photos by JULIUS R. PANER

tory,” Paner says. If you are interested in biodiversity, try to visit the Tagabuli Bird Sanctuary, where you can watch upclose black-crowned night heron and assorted wetlands migratory birds. The Sodaco Farms and Orchidarium is touted to have the largest orchidarium of waling-waling (the country’s second flower icon). The town has several mountains with caves. For tourism purposes, Paner suggests the Salicudon, a Class 2 cave, which means it is suited for ecotourism although there are portions that are restricted for spelunking purposes. “(This) cave is a lot better compared to other caves because of its proximity to the town proper and is very accessible,” he explains. These mountains have some beautiful waterfalls. The Sinoron has a series of waterfalls named Tacub Laya, Dumagok, and Sig’gawak Kasisi. All these are good sites for trekking and forest bathing. The Langal Falls (which can be accessed via a paved road from Coro-

non) serves as an exit point for Mount Loay traverse seekers. “All the cold waters from these waterfalls emanate from the Mount Apo Natural Park,” Paner says. Mount Loay, by the way, is a minor hiking destination nestled within the mountain range of Barangay Zone 2. Situated 1,040 meters above sea level, its summit offers 360-degree view of the entire landscape of Santa Cruz and the huge Davao Gulf. If your thing is mountain climbing, however, you can follow the Sibulan trail going to Mount Apo, the country’s highest peak. While trekking up, you get to rediscover the trail that hosted the very first accent in 1880 by a group led by Don Joaquin Rajal, featuring the iconic Boulder Face, mystical Tinikaran trees and the breathtaking Dead Crater Lake. From the mountains, let’s go down to the seas. Santa Cruz is known for its seascape tour. “Island hopping tour is

god for around 2-4 hours,” Paner says. “The attractions include Passig Islet in Bato, Secret Island (a searock garden) and fish cages in Tagabuli, and mangrove forests (located in Bato, Tagabuli, and Tuban), among others.” Option activities in fish cages are observation on fish culture projects and fish feeding. The start/finish point of the island hopping is in barangay Bato. One good area to visit is the Bato-Tagaytay Reef Fish Sanctuary. “(It) is a good site for scuba diving and snorkeling,” Paner says. Not be missed when visiting Santa Cruz: Cultural Village. “(This) is a flagship project on cultural tourism,” Paner explains. “It is a living museum where you can witness how the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe existed and survived over the years in the foothills of Mount Apo’s

ancestral domain. So far, it is one of the most successful community-based cultural tourism destinations in Region XI.” Perhaps, once the pandemic is over, visitors can also witness some of the town’s events and festivals. Aside from the town’s foundation (Araw ng Santa Cruz), it also celebrates Panagdayag Festival (every fourth Saturday of January as an expression of gratitude and unity among its people), Pista sa Kinaiyahan (every month of April as a tribute to Mother Nature), and Sinabaddan Festival (every September as a showcase of tribal ritual, songs and dances). Santa Cruz is also known for its people who are recognized not only in Davao but also nationally and internationally. At least two personalities became senators: Alejandro Almendras, Sr. and Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa. Marilou Bendigo was a former Mutya ng Pilipinas who later ventured into acting. Other beauty titlists are Elisha Libres (Miss Mellinial 2019) and Christine Cadiz (who vied for Miss Earth). Sports personalities who made a name for themselves include boxing phenomenon Nesthy Petecio (a gold medalist at the 2019 AIBA Women’s World Boxing Championships) and taekwondo champion Clark Sacay (a NCAA Season Medalist of Speed Kicking Senior Male Heavy Division). Among the noted journalists from Santa Cruz include Lynda Jumilla-Abalos (executive editor and head of News Digital ABS-CBN), Elric Ayop (formerly of ABS-CBN Davao), and Real O. Sorroche (of GMA News Davao). Other famous personalities also include Erwin “Pastor” Emata (the second Filipino to reach the peak of Mount Everest, the highest mountain in the world) and Edwin “Buboy” Dinapo (an actor and visual artist known for his “Mother and Child” series). “I’d like to invite everyone to consider Santa Cruz your next stop for adventure and cultural experience,” Paner urges. “We are open for tourists as long as the protocols on COVID-19 will be strictly followed.” If you want to spend more than a day in the town, you can stay in any of the following: Four Jewels Pension House, MGL Resthouse and Foodhouse, VRC Pension House and Restaurant, and Balay ni Nonoy Pension House. Among the places you can dine in include Tabing

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Commendable po talaga yan and I would want to know that barangay captain kasi maganda yung idea niya and that would give the public the encouragement na uy na vaccine na gani ang among silingan ngano ako wala?” she said. Schlosser said it can’t be helped that there may be some people who might look at the initiative of house tagging discriminatory, however, it would also allay fear among Dabawenyos from getting vaccinated. “Hindi natin maiiwasan that there are people who think that way, but if we would look at the brighter

side of it, it is not, it is just showing the public na may mga gustong magpabakuna and yun sa may fear na magpabakuna they would know that marami ng nagpabakuna so there is really no point of fearing the vaccine. It would also give encouragement to others na mawala ang fear and I don’t see any discrimination on that but like I said we cannot stop the people’s mind if they are leaning towards the negativity then they would think of that but of for those who are looking into the brighter side of the activity, it is quiet brilliant,” she said.

of the senior citizens together with the punong barangays and City Social Welfare and Development. “So that we will know the reason why they don’t want to be vaccinated… We will know exactly what to do, so that we can convince them,” Baña stated during Monday’s episode of the “Gobyernong Balitaan” radio program over Energy FM Digos. The vice-mayor has called on the constituents of Digos City to take advantage of the available vaccines as

the best protection from COVID-19, as he assured that the vaccines are safe. “I’m encouraging everyone, especially when it’s your turn to get vaccinated. Help convince others to be vaccinated,” he urged. “At so many levels, we can do something,” he said as he raised the importance of the cooperation of the individuals to help the government achieve the herd immunity. (Carina L. Cayon/PIA-XI)

“Priority should also focus on geographicallysituated and disadvantaged areas (GSDA) so that no one should be left behind,” he said. He said LGUs are in the best position to reduce poverty simply by channeling their resources to programs aimed at uplifting the lives of people. Poverty reduction should be everybody’s business, he said. Under the MOAs, the LGUs will undertake the implementation of NAPC’s Sambayanihan Serbisyong Sambayanan (3S) program that sought to address

poverty in 40 priority provinces. The LGUs are obligated to help tap volunteers to ensure that government services are uplifting the lives of the oppressed and the marginalized. Republic Act 8425 has mandated NAPC to coordinate with different national and local government agencies to ensure full implementation of social reform and poverty alleviation programs. Under the MOA, the NAPC will assist the LGUs in helping channel the delivery of services to the poor and the deprived. (PR-NAPC)

losses, brought about by the culling of all pigs. Rayos also disclosed the operation of the City Pound in June 8, with its new location from the diversion road in Ma-a to Malagos, Calinan, where the animal rehabilitation center and animal crematorium are situated. She said the city pound is working with 20 to 30 dogs caught per day from various areas of the city. Rayos lamented that many dogs are just left astray

due to irresponsible petownership. “There are many irresponsible pet owners in the city, who do not mind their dogs to have gone astray,” she said. Rayos revealed these dogs will be euthanized once they are not claimed by their owners. She also underscored that not all dogs will be rehabbed not all dogs are also fit for rehabilitation. (PIA XI-Joey Sem Dalumpines)

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Commercial vehicles sold 15,168 units, 39.6 percent higher than last year’s sales of 10,867 units.

Meanwhile, month-onmonth sales of the industry still recorded a 2.2-percent growth.

accounts under PESONet participating banks, e-wallet, or Remittance Transfer Companies (RTC)/ Cash Pick-up Outlets (CPOs), or through Unified Multipurpose Identification (UMID) Card enrolled as ATM Card. “As part our brand campaign, ExpreSSS—mas pina-

bilis, mas pinasimple at mas pinadali—we have implemented the mandatory checkless disbursement to facilitate faster release of cash benefits and loan proceeds thru the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) using member’s My.SSS accounts,” Ignacio said.

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laboratories to adjust their prices. “As reported by DOH, ina-adjust naman daw nila ang mga prices nila within the price range not more than P5,000,” she said. However, the monitoring is being

suspended for the month of June and Roque is hopeful that monitoring will resume this month. “Marami pang hospitals and laboratories na dapat ma-monitored,” Roque said. By Maya M. Padillo

“Walang kailangan itago kung maayos, tama at naaayon sa batas ang ginagawa ng ating pulis. Ang PRO 11 ay kasalukuyan mayroon 96 body-worn camera, ngunit hindi lahat ng police stations ay meron issued body-worn camera kaya inaasahan namin na madagdagan pa ito. Philippine National Police (PNP) Chief General Guillermo Lorenzo T Eleazar, meanwhile assured the Commission on Human Rights (CHR) that mechanisms are in place for data management and privacy in the use of bodyworn cameras in police operations. Eleazar said the technical working group, which was tasked to incorporate the protocols created by the Supreme Court with the rules crafted by the PNP, is also making sure that data privacy issues are all addressed. “I assure the CHR

that in the crafting and issuance of the Supreme Court’s guidelines on the use of body-worn cameras, data management and privacy were given primary importance in our honorable Justices’ deliberations,” Eleazar said. The CHR has expressed “high hopes” that the bodyworn cameras would result in more transparent police operations, which would bring back public trust in law enforcement. The PNP had introduced last month the use of the body-worn camera system to ensure transparency and the legitimacy of lawenforcement operations. Initially, a total of 2,696 body cameras were distributed to 171 city police stations and offices nationwide. The PNP chief said that the police force needs more or less 30,000 body-worn cameras so that all police stations and units will be provided with them for use in operations.

senator Antonio Trillanes IV (3 percent each), Senator Richard Gordon (1 percent), Gilbert Teodoro (0.4 percent), retired Supreme Court associate justice Antonio Carpio (0.3 percent), and Davao del Norte Rep. Pantaleon Alvarez (0.2 percent). Meantime, Domagoso enjoyed the second spot in terms of the preferred candidates in the vice presidential race, getting 14 percent. Next to Domagoso were Senate President Vicente Sotto III and Marcos (10 percent each), Pacquiao (9 percent),

Cayetano (8 percent), Escudero (7 percent), Go (5 percent), television host Willie Revillame (4 percent), and Senator Juan Edgardo Angara (3 percent). Included in the less preferred vice presidential bets were Trillanes and Public Works Secretary Mark Villar (2 percent each, Teodoro (1 percent), Alvarez (0.3 percent), and human rights lawyers Jose Manuel Diokno (0.2 percent). Pulse Asia used ±2 percent error margin at the 95 percent confidence level. (PNA)

remain strong. “Thus, improved economic recovery prospects, that, in turn, would partly help improve the country’s fiscal performance in terms of narrower budget deficits and slower increase in the country’s debt stock, with the debtto-GDP (gross domestic product) ratio could

eventually ease/cure with faster GDP growth in the coming months/years, would all help prevent an actual downgrade of the country’s credit ratings, as some countries worldwide have already been downgraded since the Covid-19 pandemic last year and the Philippines has so far been spared,” he said.

zon is 38.61 percent of the total population of the Philippines. Four out of 10 Filipinos live in these regions,” he added in Filipino. Mapa said Batanes has the smallest population with 18,831 people, while Camiguin is another province with a small population of 92,808. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the slower population growth is consistent with the increase in the income of the people and the country.

Chua said it is important that population growth is supported by improving services for the people so they become productive and boost human capital. “(So) there is really no ideal population growth in my opinion. What is important is we are able to provide the basic services to the people to allow them to be healthy so that they can finish school and they have a good job, and improve the productivity of the country,” he added in the same briefing.

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Dagat Resto Bar, Nanay Soting’s Restaurant, Dolly’s House of Seafoods, Jannah Avenue Muslim Restaurant, Salu-Sal Ila Myles, Henry’s Place, Jajaz Pabs, and Bernadette Resto. Santa Cruz is accessible by land transportation vehicles plying the Davao-Digos City routes. From Davao City, it is 38 kilometers away

within an hour’s ride. It is 16 kilometers away or about a 30-minute ride from Digos City. Only tricycles operate in the town’s center and in neighboring barangays. You can also hire motorbikes when going to some tourist destinations. Kindly coordinate with the tourism office before venturing to distant places.

ketball said. The Americans also will be without Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Devin Booker until at least this weekend because of the NBA Finals. The back-to-back losses to start the U.S. team’s stay in Las Vegas raised the possibility that the Americans might lose three in a row with NBA players for the first time. If those thoughts truly

existed, they didn’t last for long. It was 15-4 USA before the game was even 3 1/2 minutes old, the lead was as much as 17 later in the opening quarter — the biggest leads for the Americans in the first two games were 10 against Nigeria and 11 against Australia — and the outcome was never really in doubt.

will just stick with their game plan. “We’re going to keep trying to build a wall,” he said. Antetokounmpo is used to that. He recalls it being about two years ago when teams started to employ that defensive strategy of packing multiple players in his path to the basket. Antetokounmpo still doesn’t enjoy playing against it — “I’m not going

to lie; I hate it,” he said — but he’s come to look at it as a compliment, adding that it’s “funny that there’s a defense out there called the Giannis Wall.” Most importantly for the Bucks, he’s learned how to beat it. Antetokounmpo believes he was already a good passer before teams started using the wall and he’s willing to move the ball to open players when they do. He had six assists in Game Three.

Board Chairman Abraham Mitra and national sports association representatives Philippine Football Federation secretary general Atty. Ed Gastanes and Philcycling secretary general Atty. Billy Sumagui served as members of the selection committee. Also in the selection committee is Philippine Olympians Association president Akiko Thomson-Guevara, UAAP executive director Atty. Rene Andrei Saguisag Jr. as private group representatives. “It was a journey of discovery. I would like to thank everyone for all their work. It is very enriching for me to be

part of this. I am pleased with the choices of both the review and selection committees.” said Ramirez. The 10 enshrinees will receive P200,000 each plus a well-crafted PSHOF trophy during the digital awarding ceremony. The review committee is composed of media stalwarts Ed Andaya (People’s Tonight), Joe Antonio (People’s Journal), Rey Bancod (Daily Tribune), Dodo Catacutan (Spin. ph), Quinito Henson (Philippine Star), Tessa Jazmines (Business Mirror, Larc&Asset PR), Jun Lomibao (Business Mirror) and Tito Talao (Manila Bulletin).

UN Secretary General António Guterres called for the Food Systems Summit in New York City as part of the Decade of Action to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals by 2030. Dar said some of the action tracks that will be tackled in the UNFSS are access to safe and nutritious food for all; shifting to sustain-

able consumption patterns; boosting nature-positive production; advancing equitable livelihoods; and building resilience to vulnerabilities, shocks, and stresses. He said the DA will build on sustainable market-oriented development in agriculture, higher levels of farm productivity and incomes, and food security for all.

the LGUs, thus any excess will likely be given to the members of households of their workers or to the LGUs. Concepcion said the ex-

cess could also be used as the third dose. “We have to plan that as early as today to secure that,” he added.

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Damian Lillard scored 13 points for Team USA.

5 Italians, England trio but no Ronaldo in Euro team

YON, Switzerland — Five players from European champion Italy and no Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappé nor Robert Lewandowski were picked in UEFA’s official team of the tournament announced on Tuesday. The attacking trio included Federico Chiesa alongside Raheem Sterling of beaten finalist England and Romelu Lukaku of Belgium, which lost to Italy in the quarterfinals. Ronaldo won the Golden Boot with five goals, the same as Patrick Schick of the Czech Republic who was also overlooked by UEFA’s expert panel of 16 coaches and former players. Lukaku, who scored four goals in four games, is the only one of the six top

scorers at Euro 2020 included in the lineup. Mbappé did not score in four games and had his decisive spot kick saved as France was eliminated by Switzerland in the round of 16. Lewandowski, the current Fifa best player in the world, scored three times in three games but Poland finished last in its group. England captain Harry Kane scored four goals yet did not make the team that also included his teammates Kyle Walker and Harry Maguire in defense. Italy’s contingent included the official best player of the tournament, goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, defenders Leonardo Bonucci and Leonardo Spinazzola, and midfielder Jorginho.

SPORTS 11

US rips Argentina after two losses

evin Durant and Bradley Beal each scored 17 points and the Americans took control from the outset, beating Argentina, 108-80, in Las Vegas on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) to avoid what would have been the first three-game losing streak in this era of NBA players being able to represent USA Basketball on the international stage. Zach LaVine scored 15 for the US, which lost its first

two games in Las Vegas to Nigeria and Australia. The

M Chris Paul says the Suns will just stick with their game plan,“we’re going to keep trying to build a wall.”

ILWAUKEE — Giannis Antetokounmpo pointed to a pair of scratches, one on his forehead and the other on his cheek. Those NBA Finals battle scars are proof, he figures, that the frustrated Phoenix Suns are indeed fouling him. “So they’re making my pretty face ugly,” Antetokounmpo said. The Suns may be hacking and whacking him, but they sure aren’t stopping the Milwaukee Bucks star. Coming off two straight 40-point performances, Antetokounmpo will try to help the Bucks even the series in Game Four on

Americans shot 51 percent, scored 33 first-quarter points to get off and running and beat Argentina for the 10th consecutive time since a loss at the 2004 Athens Olympics. Damian Lillard scored 13 points and Bam Adebayo finished with 12 points, five assists and five rebounds for the US. “Just really locked in,” Adebayo said.

Luis Scola, set to play in the Olympics for a fifth time, scored 16 points in 19 minutes for Argentina. Nicolas Laprovittola scored 13, Facundo Campazzo had 12 and Gabriel Deck added 10. The US played with only eight members of the Olympic team. Jayson Tatum was held out with right knee soreness and will be day-today going forward, USA Bas-

Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time). And whether playing with pain in his knee or shaking off hits to his face, the Suns know Antetokounmpo is going to keep attacking them. “He’s coming full speed every play, like a running back coming downhill,” point guard Chris Paul said. Antetokounmpo had 41 points and 13 rebounds in the Bucks’ 120-100 victory in Game Three. That followed his 42 points and 12 rebounds in Game Two, making him just the sixth player with consecutive 40-point games in the NBA Finals. The Suns have already

faced LeBron James and Nikola Jokic during this run to their first NBA Finals since 1993, so they’ve had to figure out ways to overcome MVPs. But Antetokounmpo, with his end-to-end bursts that seem to take just two or three dribbles, is a different type of challenge. Paul said Suns coach Monty Williams’ instructions are just to try to get in the 6-foot-11 forward’s way, but it’s difficult to give too much attention because the Bucks have shooters such as Khris Middleton, Jrue Holiday and Brook Lopez set up around the perimeter. Chris Paul says the Suns

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Basketball legend Robert Jaworski is among the ten new inductees to the Philippines Sports Hall of Fame.

SPORTS LEGENDS PH Sports Hall of Fame enshrines 10 sports heroes

ootball great Paulino Alcantara, famed swimmer Eric Buhain, track and field celebrity Elma Muros-Posadas, basketball’s Robert Jaworski, and 1988 Olympic gold medalist Arianne Cerdena of bowling will be elevated into the pantheon of Filipino sports idols to be aired on this Sunday, July 18 at PTV4 starting 7 pm.

Joining the fourth batch of inductees since the Philippine Sports Commission established the PSHOF more than a decade ago are Dionisio Calvo (basketball and football coach), Gertrudes Lozada (swimming), Rogelio Onofre (athletics), and Olympic bronze medalist boxers Leopoldo Serantes and Roel Velasco. “Congratulations to all the fourth batch of enshrinees! These heroes and their achievements have become a source of pride and inspiration for us and the future generation of Filipinos,’’ said PSC Chairman William Ramirez, also the Chairman of the PSHOF. By virtue of Republic Act 8757 or the Philippine Sports Hall of Fame Act, the PSHOF Selection Committee is chaired by Ramirez as PSC chairman with Philippine Olympic Committee President Abraham Tolentino as vice-chairperson. “I definitely appreciate the work of the committee for this recognition of our sports heroes, which serves as an inspiration to all,’’ said Tolentino. Games and Amusements

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