EDGEDAVAO CULTURE OF SECURITY OYSTERS: AN ALLY AGAINST COVID-19
Serving a seamless society
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Mayor Sara reminds Dabawenyos to be wary of risks of terrorism STORY ON PAGE 2
The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) assures the public it can manage cases of Delta variant of Covid-19 as the hospital can still open and expand bed capacity. This was after a spillage of patients at SPMC was reported the other night wherein long lines of patients were seen waiting to get admitted. Edge Davao
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Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio lays a wreath of flowers at the blast site memorial during last year’s commemoration of the 4th anniversary of Roxas Night Market bombing. The mayor has reminded Dabawenyos to embrace “Culture of Security”as a measure to prevent another terror attack in Davao City. Edge Davao
CULTURE OF SECURITY Mayor Sara reminds Dabawenyos to be wary of risks of terrorism By MAYA M. PADILLO
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ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio told Dabawenyos to embrace the ‘culture of Security’ as a measure to prevent another terror attack in Davao City.
The mayor issued the statement in commemoration of the 5th anniversary of the Roxas Night Market bombing on September 2, 2021. On September 2, 2016, a bomb exploded at Roxas Night Market killing 15 in-
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n incident here where the family of a person who died before knowing he was positive for COVID-19 alleged they were given a runaround exposed possible lapses on the part of authorities in handling such cases. Jay Abendan, a resident of barangay Fatima, said that around 9 p.m. on Tuesday, August 31, they rushed their 66-year old
dividuals and wounding 69 others. In her Facebook Page, Mayor Sara shared a throwback photo of her offering flowers for the victims of the Roxas Night Market bombing at the memorial built on the blast site.
father Cresencio to a private hospital here after he experienced difficulty in breathing. At the Diagan Cooperative Hospital, personnel of the facility told the Abendans their father needed to be tested for COVID-19 before he could be admitted for treatment. But before results of the test could be known, Cresencio died at 10:15 p.m.
“Ang September 2 ay isang malungkot na araw sa siyudad ng Davao dahil ito ang araw Roxas Night Market bombing noong 2016. Ang terorismo ay salot sa ating lipunan” the caption said. The mayor also emphasized the importance of staying vigilant in keeping the city safe and secured. Duterte urged the Dabawenyos to embrace the “Culture of Security”.
without even knowing he had the virus. The hospital then referred the Abendans to Barangay Fatima Rural Health Unit (RHU) for the management of Cresencio’s cadaver. Staff at the hospital tried calling the RHU by phone but no one responded, Abendan said. Following the instruction of a hospital employee, the family left on board an
The Culture of Security was conceptualized and launched by the city government of Davao and Task Force Davao (TFD) on July 1, 2020 to ensure that bombing incidents in Davao City will not happen again. Through the campaign, Dabawenyos are urged to volunteer themselves for inspection and help in the implementation of security measures in the city; report
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old Hyundai van, the vehicle that took them and their father there, without the necessary protective gear. The cadaver was wrapped in the same blanket he had on him when taken to the hospital. At the RHU, Jay said they were made to wait for a couple of hours as the staff made arrangements for the cremation.
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DavSur new infrastructure projects, PRRD’s legacy
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he construction of Matanao-Padada-Kiblawan road networks, access road leading to Lao Integrated Farms in Bansalan, Mt. Apo trails and Balutakay waterfalls revetment in Magsaysay in Davao del Sur have been part of the legacies which marked the great achievements of President Rodrigo Duterte in this part of the province. But Presidential Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said that these were just only a few of the Duterte Legacies under the infrastructure develop-
ment. In his Duterte Legacy campaign interview over Energy FM Digos on Thursday (Sept. 2), Andanar also mentioned several other infrastructure projects in Davao Region such as the Samal Island-Davao City connector road, Davao City Coastal Road, Tagum City Flyover, Island Garden City of Samal Circumferential Road, Davao City Diversion Road extension to Toril-Bangkal-Talomo-Puan section, and the Davao City Metropolitan Bike Lane Network.
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Bukidnon Delta variant cases reach 13
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he number of Delta variant cases of COVID-19 in Bukidnon had reached 13 as of Wednesday, the Department of Health in Region 10 said. This was based on the results of tests done on samples sent to the Philippine Genome Center, DOH10 said.Malaybalay had the most cases with four, followed by Valencia City and Baungon and Manolo Fortich towns with two cases each. Talakag, Don Carlos
and Quezon towns had one case each. On Wednesday, Bukidnon recorded 530 cases, the highest in the region for that day. Neighboring Cagayan de Oro City logged 172 cases, Misamis Oriental, 132, Iligan City, 67, Misamis Occidental, 31, Camiguin, 16, and Lanao Del Norte, 13. Starting this week, Malaybalay has been placed under General Community Quarantine (GCQ). The rest
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NEWS
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President Rodrigo Duterte presides over a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members prior to his talk to the people at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on Thursday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
SPMC can manage Delta variant cases: Audan CAFGU activated in Bukidnon to counter NPA extortion
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p to 88 civilian volunteers are now undergoing a 45-day basic military training (BMT) to become members of Special CAFGU Active Auxiliary (SCAA) in Valencia City, Bukidnon. In a report from Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division, based in Mawab. Davao de Oro, Ist Lt.Sancho Tomaquin, civil military operations officer of the Philippine Army’s 88th Infantry Battalion, said the activation of SCAA company aims to counter the extortion activities of the New People’s Army (NPA) in the city. He said the SCAA want will also reinforce the Critical Infrastructure Protection and Security Operation (CIPSO) of the government troops that ensures protection to all government flagship projects in Bukidnon. Valencia City Mayor Azucena Huervas thanked the soldiers for the activation of SCAA , which she said has finally materialized after a year of waiting. “The pandemic will not
stop us in continuing our service to the people. We will now be able to stop the extortion activities of the Communists Terrorist Group or the NPAs,” Huervas said. Lt. Col. Christian James Vingno, commander of 88th IB, for his part expressed appreciation for the unwavering support of the Local Government Unit (LGU) in maintaining peace and order in Bukidnon.. The army official praised the courage and determination of the civilian volunteers to serve for the people of Valencia City and the country as well, as he reminded them to take their training seriously in preparation for their deployment. “This training is meant to equip you with knowledge and skills essential in the performance of your role as the Army’s partner in maintaining peace and stability in this part of Central Mindanao,” Vingno in a statement said. The said initiative is
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By MAYA M. PADILLO
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ore families are getting sick due to household transmission of Covid-19 according to Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force. The Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) assured on Friday it can manage cases of Delta variant of Covid-19 saying it can still open and expand bed capacity. Dr. Ricardo Audan, OIC medical center chief of SPMC, gave the assurance
after a spillage of patients was reported at SPMC wherein long lines of patients waiting to get admitted. He explained that SPMC also encountered spillage during the surge of Covid-19 cases in October and November last year.
“That thing is a normal thing to us and we are able to manage. The spillage didn’t just happen the other night but also happened in October and November last year nung tumaas ang cases ng Covid-19. At present controlled na at na-manage namin. It just nowhere to put them, however, kahapon nag-open na rin kami ng modular hospital,” Audan said in a phone interview. To address the overflowing of patients at the
ER, SPMC opened the 44-bed modular hospital, which is located at the compound of SPMC. Audan assured that SPMC can open and expand capacity. “Nag-strategize kami as there are some areas in the hospital ng ibang department na medyo konti lang ang pasyente. Gi-merge namin sila at kinuha namin ang isang department that is managed for modular hospital,” he said.
been tested. “Ang pinaka acceptable level is five below. Medyo taas jud sya,” Schlosser said. As of September 1, 2021, Davao City recorded 443 new COVID-19 cases, raising its total of active cases to 5,626. The city’s total Covid-19 cases reached 38,110 and of this number,
31,272 have recovered and 1,212 have died. Schlosser advised Dabawenyos to avoid family and social gatherings as presently, majority of the cases of Covid-19 in the city are due to household transmissions. “Our data shows daghang mga household
transmissions, meaning katong sa mga kapamilyahan diha nga nagahold na og gatherings, mamalihog intawon mi, iavoid sa nato siguro ang pagcelebrate sa atong mga birthday og pag create og family gatherings,” she said. She also reiterated the
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Positivity rate of Covid-19 in Davao City very high
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avao City Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser disclosed that the positivity rate in Davao City is very high than the acceptable level. Positivity rate is the percentage of people who test positive for Covid-19 of those overall who have
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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO
Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi gives an update to President Rodrigo Roa Duterte during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Arcadia Active Lifestyle Center in Matina, Davao City on Thursday night. Cusi said the country may expect additional 7,712 megawatts of
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power supply from 2021 to 2027 due to the construction of new power sources this year and in the coming years to augment the needed power requirements as the Philippine economy continues to expand. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO
Ample monetary space B to support recovery: BSP
Foreign currency deposits back PH economic recovery
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mand from the impact of the protracted Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a statement Thursday. However, heightened risk aversion amid risks to corporate and household balance sheets continue to dampen lending activity. Although business and consumer sentiment has gradually improved, domestic demand continues
to be tempered by the uncertainty surrounding the pandemic, especially amid the emergence of the Delta variant and the progress of the vaccination rollout in the country. Thus, fiscal support remains critical to sustain economic momentum and prevent long-term scarring. Continued implementation of targeted fiscal initiatives coupled with efforts to ramp up the vaccination program should help boost market confidence and drive the economic rebound, especially after the restrictions are lifted. While the BSP continues to prioritize the use of monetary policy space
to provide support to economic activity amid the pandemic, it also remains vigilant and stands ready to respond against emerging risks to its price and financial stability objectives. The BSP said it will continue to ensure that the expansion of money and credit, along with fiscal stimulus and low interest rates, will not lead to excessive inflation and trigger financial stability risks. When domestic developments warrant a recalibration or withdrawal of policy support, the BSP will properly establish a smooth normalization of its timeand state-bound measures. (PR)
angko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno has recognized the contribution of Foreign Currency Deposit Unit (FCDU) system in the country’s economic recovery amid the pandemic. In an online briefing Thursday, Diokno said the country’s FCDU system remains on a solid footing by maintaining asset quality and still reporting growth in deposits while remaining profitable despite the ongoing global health and economic crisis. The central bank chief said FCDU deposits rose by 3.2 percent year-onyear to USD44.5 billion at end-March 2021. “Deposits from resident individuals and private corporations remain the primary source of
ment the needed power requirements as the Philippine economy continues to expand. He said between 2016 and 2020, installed capacity grew from 21,424 MW to 26,287, increasing by 4,863 MW. Cusi added that the energy stakeholders have been preparing for the anticipated depletion of the Malampaya natural
gas field through building new liquefied natural gas (LNG) facilities and exploration of indigenous power sources. By next year, two LNG projects are expected to go online—the LNG project of AG&P and Osaka Gas by the second quarter and the LNG facility of First Gen and Tokyo Gas by third quarter, Cusi said. “Aside from LNG, we
continue to pursue the exploration of our indigenous resources like gas and oil in the West Philippine Sea,” the energy chief said in Filipino. He added five service contracts were awarded since the government lifted the ban on exploration activities in the West Philippine Sea last year. “The agency has recommended the awarding
of four more service contracts for exploration in the West Philippine Sea,” Cusi added. He said the DOE continues to partner with the international community to study potential power sources in the future. The DOE has partnered with Australian and Japanese firms to study hydrogen as the fuel of the future. Cusi said the Nucle-
he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) continues to have ample monetary policy space and believes that the current accommodative policy settings represent appropriate stimulus to demand. The BSP said the accommodative policy settings should be allowed to continue to work their way through the economy to bolster private consumption and investment. “The BSP’s monetary policy remains oriented towards supporting ongoing economic recovery amid supply-side pressures and the presence of economic slack as well as the downside risks to domestic de-
funding of FCDUs. This deposit structure insulates this business segment from changes in global market sentiment that could lead to funding withdrawal,” Diokno said. FCDUs posted a net income of USD339.4 million in the first quarter of the year, although this is lower by 13 percent compared to the same period in 2020. “Moreover, asset quality of FCDU loans was manageable. At endMarch 2021, the non-performing loan (NPL) ratio of FCDUs stood at 4.9 percent,” Diokno added. As of end-May 2021, there are 76 banks with FCDU authority. FCDUs accounted for 13.6 percent of the country’s banking system resources as of June 2021, with total assets amounting to USD54.7 billion. (PNA)
ar Energy Program Inter-Agency Committee is also looking into the potential of nuclear energy to be part of the country’s energy mix. He said the DOE assures there is a sufficient supply of power across the country, additional power capacity to be installed in the coming years amid the growing demand, and lowering power rates. (PNA)
DOE expects 7,712 MW more power supply until 2027
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epartment of Energy (DOE) Secretary Alfonso Cusi said the country may expect additional 7,712 megawatts of power supply from 2021 to 2027. During President Rodrigo Duterte’s Talk to the People late Thursday night, Cusi said the construction of new power sources is underway this year and in the coming years to aug-
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At first glance, customers will think that this vendor at Agdao Public Market in Davao City sells durian at P30 per kilo when in fact its P60 per kilo. Some sellers use this marketing strategy to deceive customers. Edge Davao
DTI urges manufacturers to put off price hikes of Christmas products Cebu Pacific resumes Siargao, Bohol flights
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he Philippines’ leading airline, Cebu Pacific, restarts its passenger flights from Manila to Siargao and Bohol, after the local governments of the two provinces lifted travel restrictions. CEB flew its first Manila-Siargao flight on September 1, and intends to increase flights from thrice weekly to five times weekly beginning September 8 (every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, and Saturday). Its Manila to Bohol flight took off earlier today, and will operate on a daily basis for this
month. “The situation is still very fluid, yet we know there is a need for flights to cater to essential travel. We continue to prioritize everyjuan’s health and safety as we gradually rebuild our network and we look forward to adding more flights as demand increases,” said Xander Lao, Chief Commercial Officer at Cebu Pacific. Passengers bound for Bohol must present a negative RT-PCR test result conducted within 72 hours before departure,
ransport infrastructure is expected as the key driver for the Philippine construction sector growth, Fitch Solutions said Thursday. In a commentary, the research unit of the Fitch Group said the Philippine construction industry is expected to grow by 24.2 percent year-on-year this year, and by 16.1 percent in 2022. “We expect transport infrastructure, particularly rail and road development,
to be the key driver of infrastructure and construction growth in the Philippines over the coming years,” it said. Fitch Solutions added transport projects dominate pipeline construction projects. Of the total value of ongoing projects, 33 percent are rail projects and 22 percent are airport development, while roads and bridges share 18 percent.
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he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has urged manufacturers and retailers of Noche Buena products to maintain their current prices for the upcoming Christmas holiday. During the Laging Handa public briefing Thursday, DTI Consumer Protection Group Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said keeping prices of these products will be a relief for Filipinos who will be celebrating the Christmas season in a pandemic for two straight years. “We call on manufacturers not to increase prices of Christmas products this year. Or if they need to increase, only at the absolute
minimum level,” she said in Filipino. Castelo said the agency last year also convinced suppliers of these products to maintain their 2019 suggested retail prices (SRPs). The official said DTI is expected to issue the SRP list for Noche Buena products by the end of October to early November. Meanwhile, Castelo said the new SRP list of basic goods released last August
29 is effective immediately. “We have 76 out 216 items in the SRP bulletin that increased their prices,” she added. These products include canned goods, instant noodles, coffee, milk, condiments, and non-food items like detergent soap. Castelo said the price increments range from PHP0.20 to PHP1, which are the absolute minimum increase. However, she said one corned beef brand raised its price by PHP2.75 because the manufacturer has a pending request for price increase in 2019 but the DTI did not approve
verturning the anticipated effects of the coronavirus pandemic, Megaworld Corp. reported it has booked around 415,000 square meters of office leases since the start of the pandemic early last year. Around 60 percent of these lease contracts booked since last year were renewals while the remaining 40 percent were new leases, mostly from the information technology (IT)
and business process outsourcing (BPO) sectors. During the first half of this year alone, new leases and renewals were booked at its Mactan Newtown township here in Cebu, Eastwood City, McKinley Hill, Uptown Bonifacio, Southwoods City in Biñan, Laguna, and Davao Park District in Davao City. “Around 80 percent of these leases in the first half of the year were renewals. This means, BPO compa-
nies opted to stay and held on to their spaces. This also clearly indicates the strength and resilience of the office market within our pioneering townships,” Kevin Tan, chief strategy officer of Megaworld, said in a statement on Thursday. Earlier this year, Megaworld fully leased its Southwoods Office Towers inside the 561-hectare Southwoods City after an American renewable energy company and a BPO company
the increment until last month. “We also have to understand the manufacturers because they have been requesting for this for the last two years. We have received a lot of requests to increase prices from 2019 and some pending requests were dated back 2018. We did not allow them before because of the inflation,” Castelo added. She assured consumers that the agency monitors prices of basic and prime commodities every day and immediately issues a letter of inquiry for reported increases beyond the SRP list. (PNA)
specializing in customer care solutions took the remaining spaces. In Davao City, four levels of the Davao Finance Center inside the 11-hectare Davao Park District have also been leased to one of the largest BPO companies in the country during the first half of this year. “The township model is (to) our advantage. These consistent take-ups of office spaces even in the middle of
Office sector performs ‘better Transport projects to drive construction growth in PH than expected’ amid pandemic T O FCEBU, P10
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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO
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On the extension of the ban on government-organized non-essential activities until December 31,2021:
There is a need to extend the provisions of Executive Order No. 31 Series of 2021 to regulate some activities that can contribute to local transmission in the city.”
Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio
EDITORIAL Covid-19 outbreaks eye openers to LGUs Two recent outbreaks of Covid-19 infections in Sta. Maria, Davao Occidental and Barangay Buda in Marilog District, Davao City could have jolted authorities who are tasked to manage the pandemic.
The outbreak among e-sabong enthusiasts in Sta. Maria happened because many residents addicted to this form of gambling threw cautions to the winds when they gathered in internet cafes in search for stronger internet connection. As a result many tested positive of Covid-19, according to a municipal official in an interview with the media last week. In Buda, 99 people tested positive of Covid- 19 after attending a secret church-gathering in that barangay
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In both cases, the individuals involved violated the simple health protocols like wearing face mask and observing physical distancing. In both cases, the authorities were not alert enough to detect that there were mass gatherings happening, within their jurisdiction which were potentially super spreaders of the deadly virus. The outbreaks cannot be undone but they will hopefully teach lessons to all concerned. Before this happens, however, it behooves upon the authorities to investigate and find out who are behind the mass gatherings so that they can be held accountable for their misdeed. 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
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
which prided itself with a record of zero-infection before the outbreak.
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VANTAGE POINTS
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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!
EDUCATION NEVER FAILS “Formal education will make you a living; self-education will make you a fortune.” ― Jim Rohn ***
If there is one sentence that could sum up the focus of the time of Jesus Christ on earth, this would be it: “And He went everywhere teaching, healing and preaching.” In her book, Jesus, CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership, Laurie Beth Jones wrote: “Since teaching is educating the mind and preaching is educating the heart, two-thirds of Jesus’ work was education.” Jones explained it further: “If you look at the instances when he healed people, nine times out of ten he spoke to them about an attitude change or a new way of behaving that was to go along with their physical state of being. ‘Go, and sin no more.’ I feel safe in saying education was Jesus’ number-one priority.” It’s March and a lot of pupils and students are soon to graduate. Of course, there are those who will take another step in next year’s school year. Some are looking forward to it while there are those who may not be able to continue their studies. But one thing is sure: education never fails. One Chinese saying said: “If you give a man a fish, he will eat it once. If you teach a
man how to fish, he will eat for the rest of his life.” One philosopher puts it further in these words: “If you are thinking a year ahead, sow seed. If you are thinking ten years ahead, plant a tree. If you are thinking one hundred years ahead, educate the people. By sowing seed, you will harvest much. By planting a tree, you will harvest tenfold. By educating the people, you will harvest one hundredfold.” Joel Weldon compares education to that of a moso bamboo tree. It is grown mostly in China and the Far East. After the moso is planted, no visible growth occurs for up to five years -- even under ideal conditions. Then, as if by magic, it suddenly begins growing at the rate of nearly two-and-onehalf feet per day, reaching a full height of 90 feet within six weeks. “But there is no magic behind all this,” Weldon wrote. “The moso’s rapid growth is due to the miles of roots it develops during those first five years, five years of getting ready. It’s like the hidden years of an education!” Education never fails -- if you keep watching what’s going on. I was reminded of an anecdote which appeared in Reader’s Digest. “From the day we entered the biology class in high school, one blackboard was covered with the names and locations of the major
bones and muscles of the human body,” the author wrote. “The diagram remained on the board throughout the term but the teacher never referred to it.” On the day of the final exam, the students observed that the board was wiped clean. The examination consisted of only one question: “Name and locate every major bone and muscle in the human body.” Of course, the whole class protested with one voice: “We never studied that.” The teacher answered: “That’s no excuse. That information was right in front of your eyes for the last few months.” After the students had struggled with the test for a while, the teacher collected the papers and tore them up. “Always remember,” the teacher told the class, “that education is more than just learning what you are told. Most education comes from looking.” Education is not just learning but also training. “We must distinguish between being educated and being trained,” someone commented. “They are not the same. Education is the enlargement and enrichment of the mind. Education gives the mind breadth, height, depth and vision. Training makes the mind an effective tool to do a specific job. Training is like grinding the mind to a keen cutting edge.” This sage compared “trained
chap who holds a position which pays a big salary” and an “educated man who receives only a minimum wage.” Of the first, he said: “But he is uneducated: he is neither broad nor high nor deep. He knows almost nothing, has no interests outside of routine duties.” Of the second, he noted: “He can talk and write entertainingly on almost any subject. He has plenty of breadth, height and depth, but has never been able to hold a job paying more than a minimum wage. His educated mind is blunt. He is high-grade steel which has never been sharpened to a keen edge.” The sage ended the comparison with these words: “Neither of these men is as big as he is capable of being. An educated mind is a luxury. A trained mind is a necessity. But blessed is he who possesses both! The ideal should be, to be educated in a broad sense, and be trained to perform a specific work of usefulness. If you must choose, go first for training. Get an education by all means, but recognize its true purpose: to lend vision to a mind trained to do one useful thing very well.” Finally, education is like a cave, according to Paula Ripple. She shared the story of three wise men who were asked to find what had been called “the cave of wisdom and life.” All three made care-
ful preparations for what would be a challenging and arduous journey. When the three men reached the place of the cave, they noticed a guard at the entrance. They were not permitted to enter the cave until they had spoken with the guard. He had only one question for them, and he demanded that they answer only after they had talked it over with one another. He assured them that they would have a good guide to lead them through the regions of the cave. His question was simple: “How far into the cave of wisdom and life do you wish to go?” The three travelers took counsel together and then returned to the guard. Their response was, “Oh, not very far. We just want to go far enough into the cave so that we can say that we have been there.” The response of the guard manifested one of his great disappointments as he summoned someone to lead the three wise men a short distance into the cave, and then watched them set out again after a very short time, to make the long journey back to their homeland.” Nelson Mandela, a recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, said it all: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.”
ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD
WARREN H. ICKES, FIRST CFI JUDGE Born on December 11, 1869, Capt. Warren H. Ickes, 36th Infantry, United States Volunteers (USV), was one of the first judges to handle court litigations during American rule from his base in Zamboanga, then the American administrative center of Mindanao. Capt. Ickes earned his legal education and experience in Iowa and served in the U.S. Army as judge advocate. He was part of the 125,000 volunteers mobilized by the U.S. War Department for deployment to campaigns in Cuba, Puerto Rico, and the Philippines. He was detailed with the 51st Iowa Volunteers. Writing home in 1899, Capt. Ickes declared his intention to remain in the Philippines saying: “I have thought a great many times that I would like to stay here and take my chances in the further
development of this country, but I haven’t been able to give up the idea of going back to Iowa which is a pretty good place after all.” Capt. Ickes’ 51st Iowa Volunteers, which registered very few casualties during its Philippine stint, served the archipelago for eight months in forward areas where it fought nine engagements, three battles, and six skirmishes with insurgents the Americans dubbed as “poor shots.” On February 18, 1901, he briefly served the newly established inferior provost court, organized under General Orders No. 33, HQ Division of the Philippines. He was relieved on June 30, 1901 to take over a new assignment. Following the passage of Judicial Act on June 11, 1901, William Howard Taft, president of the US-Philippine Commission, instated Capt. Ickes on June 17,
1901 as one of five army officers to assume as Court of First Instance (CFI) judges. This meant an assignment in Zamboanga under the 13th Judicial District with jurisdiction over the districts of Misamis, Basilan, Zamboanga, Cotabato, Davao, and Dapitan. This appointment, which carried an annual salary of $3,000, made him the first CFI judge of Davao. The Judicial Act of 1901, also known as Act No. 136, was passed by the second Philippine Commission. Deemed as the brainchild of American lawyers working in the commission and patterned after similar legal structures in the U.S., the statute was titled “An Act Providing for the Organization of Courts in the Philippine Islands.” It also formed the country’s Supreme Court, CFIs, and justices of the peace courts.
Under the Act which also abolished the Audiencia created under General Order No. 20, the high court was formed and composed of a chief justice and six judges, with five members constituting a quorum. Judgment was pronounced by at least four members of the judicial body. On April 30, 1904, under Exec. Order No. 20, Judge Ickes was replaced by Lt. James H. Blount, Jr., also an Army officer, who was designated ‘to remain on duty… for the performance of interlocutory jurisdiction’ in the 11th, 12th, 13th, and 14th judicial districts. The edict amended Exec. Order No. 109, series of 1903, which instated Ickes appointment in the judiciary. Judge Ickes, however, did not stay long in the service. He died at the young age of 35 a year later. Though his stint as CFI judge was
brief, he was credited for rendering ‘faithful and efficient service’ in the administration of justice in the islands. Scarce court records dating to the first years of American judicial system in the country do not include the roster of cases Judge Ickes handled during his term as CFI magistrate of Davao. The vacancy left by the young judge was filled on March 26. 1906 with the promotion of Ramon Avanceña (after whom a street in Davao is named), who was at the time a judge at large. Ickes, son of Alonzo F. Ickes and Elnora R. Pott-Ickes, was married to Clara Stanchfield. The union bore a child, Katherine, who died in 1969. His siblings were Carl Robert, Frank Dayton, Fred, Harold, and Lynn. He died on June 26, 1905 from a work-related disease.
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COMPETITIVE EDGE
Phoenix, JGO Delivery roll out exclusive rewards
P
hoenix Petroleum and JGO Delivery team up for an exclusive loyalty and rewards program for courier drivers. Giving courier riders exclusive benefits and rewards, Phoenix Petroleum, the country’s third largest oil player, started the rollout of the Phoenix Tsuper Club-JGO card, a variation of Phoenix’s loyalty and rewards program for public utility and courier drivers. The Phoenix Tsuper Card-JGO card gives registered members a fuel discount of Php 3.20 per liter, and Php10 off per liter on Phoenix lubricants. Starting this September, transacting members can also start earning points, which can be redeemed for exclusive rewards. Riders will also be given the Tsuper Hero Advantage—a special inclusion in a program that recognizes drivers’ outstanding contributions for the betterment of society—and access to special promos and other discounts. “We really appreciate
the efforts of our modern-day courier and delivery riders, especially during this pandemic. This loyalty and rewards program is our way of giving back what they contributed and sacrificed to make each of our lives easier,” Phoenix Petroleum President Henry Albert Fadullon said. The PTC-JGO card can be used at 27 participating Phoenix stations across Metro Manila and neighboring provinces of Cavite and Rizal. “We are truly looking forward to being one of the courier partners of Phoenix for their PTC program. We see how this partnership can play a vital role in our operations--by enhancing the experience of our riders; through availing the different benefits that the PTC program has to offer as they continue to service local businesses,”
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Five things that will get us pumped for
‘SPACE JAM: A NEW LEGACY’
Y
our favorite Tune Squad is back on the hardcourt, this time teaming up with the fourtime NBA champion and the king himself, LeBron James, for another out of this world high-stakes basketball game in Warner Bros.’ modern take on the beloved animated hoops classic with “Space Jam: A New Legacy.” The good news to Pi-
noy audiences is that SKY brings the premiere of “Space Jam: A New Legacy” to the comfort of their homes via an HBO GO subscription. Before jumping into the fun hoops action, here are the first five reasons why you should get pumped for its premiere this September 3 (Friday): 1) Starting at forward, LeBron James! Taking his talents to
the revamped Tune Squad roster is arguably one of the greatest players of this generation. Born and raised in Akron, Ohio, standing at 6’9”. He is a four-time league MVP, 17time NBA All-Star, and a four-time champion and Finals MVP from the Los Angeles Lakers... LeBron James! Not only will he show us his guile, leadership,
and highlight reel-worthy plays, LeBron is out to make audiences laugh with his antics alongside the Looney Tunes squad and show his loving side as a father, trying to save his son Dom (Cedric Joe) from the hands of their AI adversary Al-G Rhythm (Don Cheadle). 2) Meet the all-star lineup of the Goon Squad Al-G came prepared
by also assembling a team of all-star players ready to dethrone King James and thrash the Looney Tunes out of the Warner Bros. Serververse with the stacked Goon Squad. With basketball stars Damian Lillard, Diana Taurasi, Nneka Ogwumike, Klay Thompson, and Anthony Davis in their supernatural forms based on their on-court abilities, the Goon Squad is ready to push LeBron and the rest of the Tune Squad to their limits. 3) Go out of bounds of the Warner Bros. Serververse Hold on to your seats as “Space Jam: A New Legacy” takes you not only into the colorful and wacky world of the Looney Tunes but also into the heroic DC Comics universe, action-packed “Matrix” universe, the fiery world of “Game of Thrones,” the wizarding world of Harry Potter, and more! You read it right! Aside from all the basketball action between the Tune Squad and the Goon Squad, join LeBron
in exploring the vast wonders of the Warner Bros. Serververse or the shared digital universe of the mega-studio’s digital server, meeting your favorite characters, and seeing lots of Easter eggs of your favorite Warner shows. 4) Highlight reel of jaw-dropping visuals, cool soundtrack, and a bunch of must-see celebrity cameos Making “Space Jam: A New Legacy” a cut above the rest is its stunning visual animations that give life and fun to your favorite Looney Tunes antics and so much more (with cute 3D renditions of Bugs and the gang, and an animated version of LeBron). Plus, its soundtrack of today’s hottest hits pumps up the emotion in every scene. And don’t forget to also keep an eye on celebrity cameos along the way, with renowned sports broadcaster Ernie Johnson doing the commentary for the Tune Squad vs. Goon Squad matchup alongside comedian Lil Rey Howery,
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inc is called an essential trace element because very small amounts of this mineral are necessary for human health. Unfortunately, the human body cannot store excess zinc so much so that it has to be part of the daily diet. Zinc – along with vitamin C and vitamin A – is one of the nutrients recommended by doctors to be taken against the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). It helps to slow down the immune response and control inflammation. Zinc can be found in red meat, poultry, crabs, baked beans, chickpeas and yoghurt. One of the best sources of zinc is oyster; a 100-gram serving contains 605% of the reference daily intake (RDI). Although low in calories, oysters are loaded with nutrients, including protein, healthy fats, and minerals. Aside from zinc, a 100-gram serving provides over 100% of the RDI for vitamin B12 and copper, and over 75% of a person’s daily needs for selenium and vitamin D. People either love them or hate them. But oysters are an excellent source of high-quality protein, with a 100gram serving packing in 7 grams of this filling nutrient. “They’re also a complete protein source, meaning they contain all nine essential amino acids your body needs,” healthline.com says. “Adding protein sources to meals and snacks can help promote feelings of fullness and encourage weight loss.” No one knows when Filipinos started eating oysters but history records showed human beings consumed oysters as far back as 164,000 years ago. In the United States, oysters were considered a cheap food mainly enjoyed by the working class in the early 19th century. Oysters are shucked and eaten raw, cooked or smoked. “Up there
with caviar, foie gras and champagne as one of the world’s ultimate luxury foods, oysters don’t look much from the outside but the flesh of these bivalved molluscs is wonderfully succulent and delicately flavored, varying in color from pale grey to beige, surrounded by a clear juice,” BBC’s Good Food says. Most people think oysters produce pearls. What they don’t know is that very few oysters produce jewelry-quality pearls on their own; that usually requires a human prying open a cultivated oyster’s shell to insert a grain of sand or other seeding material. “Oysters make pearls when such foreign substances lodge in their shells,” explain Holly Binns and Joseph Gordon, project directors of a program of Pew Charitable Trusts. “The oyster deposits layers of nacre, the material that makes up pearls, around the foreign body to wall it off and reduce irritation.” Oysters play a big role in marine and coastal environments. According to Food Republic, each oyster filters about 30 to 50 gallons of water a day. “Oysters feed by pumping water through their gills and in the process capture algae and other particles, sort of like a strainer,” Binns and Gordon state. “So, by cleaning the water, oysters help maintain the balance of their ecosystems.” Oysters live in brackish and saltwater bays, estuaries, tidal creeks, shallow ocean areas, and intertidal zones – regions submerged at high tide and exposed at low tides. “Coral reefs help diffuse energy from storms and tides, which helps safe-
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OYSTERS: AN ALLY AGAINST COVID-19 Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO
guard coastlines by preventing erosion and protecting estuary waters that serve as breeding grounds for marine life,” Binns and Gordon write. Wild oysters can live 25 to 30 years, but typically most don’t survive past six years. “To reproduce, oysters spawn tiny larvae that move through the water and settle on a surface, such as other oyster shells, where they will grow for the rest of their lives. Once attached, these larvae are called spat. As generations of spat grow into adults, they form oyster beds or reefs,” wrote Binns and Gordon. Being an archipelago, there are many sites for oyster farming in the Philippines. But its production ranked only eighth in the world, with 20,508 metric tons in 2017. This was according to Dr. Wilfredo Yap in his presentation, “Status and Prospects of Hatchery and Culture of Shellfishes,” during the first National Shellfish Summit held in Dagupan City in 2009. A paper prepared by the UN Food and Agriculture (FAO) states four methods of oyster cultures are practised in the Philippines: broadcast (sabong), stake (tulos), lattice and hanging (bitin, sampayan, horizontal, and tray) methods. Broadcast This method is the most simple and primitive method; it is adopted in areas with firm enough bottoms to support the
collectors. Empty oyster shells, stones, logs and tin cans are scattered over the selected area where natural setting occurs. Oyster spats are grown to the commercial size on the collectors. Stake Usually used in areas with relatively shallow waters and soft muddy bottoms. The main material used is bamboo poles. The stakes are driven into the bottom in rows. The tip of the stake extends to the high-water level, due to the fact that oysters can survive and grow in the intertidal zone. The bamboo poles provide a clear surface to which the oyster larvae settle after their pelagic phase. Culturists often increase the attachment surface by adding horizontal bamboo sections or by clipping empty oyster shells or other hard materials to the stakes. Lattice Bamboo splits are used to construct a lattice which is held together with galvanized wire or monofilament nylon twine. The splits are spaced about 15-30 centimeters apart and usually one lattice until it comprises 10-16 splits, which can be easily handled by one operator. This structure can be positioned in a great variety of ways, either horizontally or vertically. In the fence style the lattice is stuck on the bottom or supported by bamboo poles. It can also be mounted on rocks or suspended in the water column when mounted on long bamboo or empty
drums. Hanging Empty oyster shells or coconut shells are used as collectors. These are strung together on a synthetic rope and held 10 centimeters apart by spacers, such as bamboo tubes or knots made on the twine. Often collector shells are not spaced during the splatting season but are restrung with spacers during the growout phase. Usually, each collector measures from 1-2 meters depending upon the depth of the water. However, there’s a new style of raising oysters – which are not only single but also young and meaty. Most seafood restaurants often separate, sort, and clean larger shells to enter the lucrative market of premium clustered oysters served in hotels and high-end restaurants. To solve this laborious practice, Dr. Ma. Junemie Hazel Lebata-Ramos suggests that giving oysters their own private space to grow, in pouches or trays, they can grow unclustered, yield up to 59% more meat, and in 50% less time. Dr. Lebata-Ramos is a scientist of the aquaculture department at the Iloilo-based Southeast Asian Fisheries Development Center (SEAFDEC). The study was funded by the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD) of the De-
partment of Science and Technology (DOST). She and her team placed wild-collected baby oyster “spat” and individually stocked them in prototype net pouches and plastic trays suspended from floating bamboo rafts. The study site was conducted in Batan Bay in Aklan. The team placed one oyster each in the 25 compartment pockets of each hanging pouch. The plastic trays, on the other hand, are stacked on top of each other, with each tray also containing 25 oysters. The spats were collected from submerged tires and old oyster shells where, in the traditional method, they would otherwise have been left to grow to harvestable size. “Growing them individually in a space without overcrowding may have caused these oysters to grow larger and meatier compared with those reared using traditional methods,” Dr. Lebata-Ramos pointed out. “More importantly, the oysters in pouches and trays grew individually and achieved almost uniform sizes, which is what the premium market requires.” Growth was also faster for the pouch-grown oysters which took only nine months, including time for spat collection, to reach the 85-gram premium size. In traditional methods, oysters could take as much as 12 to 18 months to reach that size, Dr. Lebata-Ramos said.
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all suspicious persons and activities in their community; remind friends and family of all the security regulations within Davao City; and Participate in implementing the culture of security within their workplace, school, purok, subdivision and to be an active part of their community defense system. There are total of eight bombing incidents in Davao City since 1981 that killed 75 people and wounded 390 others: San Pedro Cathedral bombing on April 19, 1981 that killed 17 individuals and wounded
157 individuals; San Pedro Cathedral bombing on December 28, 1993 that killed six persons and wounded 51 individuals; Evergreen Hotel bombing on March 16, 2002 (1 wounded); Old Davao City Airport bombing on March 4, 2003 (22 killed and 55 wounded); Sasa Wharf bombing on April 3, 2003 (16 killed and 46 wounded); City Overland Transport Terminal bombing on February 14, 2005 (6 wounded); SM and GMall bombings on September 20, 2013 (5 wounded); and Roxas Night Market bombing.
Through the Build Build Build program, he said that the Duterte administration has infrastructure spending of almost five per cent to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP), as compared to the spending of the previous administration at almost 2%. The program has also generated 6.5 million jobs from 2016 to 2020, Andanar bared. The PCOO executive has been making rounds of radio station guestings nationwide, to continue to communicate the Duterte Legacy campaign, raising the importance of informing the public of the accomplishments of President Duterte over the last five years. “We owe it to the people to know if what were promised them have been delivered,” he stated during his interview with Energy FM Digos station manager Benida Ramos. He cited that people need to know about the
Universal Health Care, the free tertiary education, one-stop shop services for overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the ten-year driver’s license validity, free irrigation for farmers, and among others. He also mentioned the Malasakit Center which has already benefited more than two million indigent Filipinos with free hospitalization and medications. Andanar said that the State of the Nation Address (SONA) was never enough to report and boast of the Duterte legacies. Apart from initiating the Duterte Legacy campaign, the PCOO has also led a pre-SONA activity which explained the rest of the projects and programs implemented and to be implemented yet under the present administration. A “Pasasalamat Tour” has also kicked off to communicate on the ground the efforts and accomplishments of President Duterte. (PIA-XI/Carina L. Cayon)
He also said the Institute of Psychiatric Behavioral Medicine (IPBM) at the Davao Mental Hospital is undergoing renovation to also cater Covid-19 patients. Audan said that SPMC can manage Delta variant but what remains a challenge is the staffing to address the surge of cases. “Tumaas na ang sweldo namin. Continues an gaming hiring. Maraming mag-respond sa call namin, but on the actual deployment, gamay lang. Takot seguro sila.
Kung meron talaga silang puso, dedicated talaga sila, regardless of takot, you have to serve your purpose,” he said. It can be recalled that Audan sought the help of the City Council for more staffing. He also requested the city government of Davao and Department of Health (DOH) to redeploy nurses from the Philippine National Police (PNP)-Davao and Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP)-Davao to accommodate and assist SPMC health workers.
“(President Rodrigo) Duterte’s ‘Build, Build, Build’ program will remain a key policy driving investments in the construction sector, while the progress on the execution of projects will have a heavy influence on growth of the sector over the short term,” Fitch Solutions said. It added that strong fiscal support is also evident in the government’s national budget. Proposed budget for the Department of Transportation (DOTr) next year rose to PHP151.3 billion from PHP87.9 billion this year. Of the said budget, PHP110.9 billion will go to rail projects, PHP13.9 billion for land public transportation, PHP1.7 billion for aviation infrastructure, and
PHP720 million for maritime infrastructure. “The Philippines construction sector grew by 25.7 percent year-on-year in real terms in (the) second quarter of 2021, marking one of the highest construction growth rates in its history. This is despite localised lockdowns across the market in recent months. We do stress that this is in large part due to low base effects from (the) second quarter of 2020 when the pandemic first hit, but signals a very strong recovery in the market in line with our initial expectations,” Fitch Solutions said. However, the rising Delta variant cases in the country pose downside risk to the sector.
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He said they were told they had to pay P10,000 before the cremation and another 10,000 after receiving the ashes of their father’s remains. He said they were told by the RHU staff to bring the dead body to the lone crematorium in this city, some 15 kilometers away. It was early dawn when they reached the crematorium. Jay said they talked with personnel of the facility and were about to bring out the cadaver, “but were refused because the body was not placed inside a cadaver bag.” Around 8 a.m. on Wednesday, August 31, feeling exhausted after hours of being given the “runaround” by people who could have advised them about protocols and what they needed to do, the siblings decided to go and seek help from a local radio station in Bula, this city. “They gave us a runaround, we were confused what to do. It was so sad because a family member died. It was so hard,” a crying Jay told Jojo Bacalanmo, chief of reporters of Bombo Radyo Gensan, in the vernacular. Bacalanmo told MindaNews they have always been cautious on who enters their compound and that when he saw Jay about
to open the gate, he asked him what his purpose was. “It’s my Papa, Sir, Cresencio, your former talent, he died of COVID,” he quoted Jay as saying. The dead man was a haranista in one program of the radio station. “When I heard COVID, I told him not to come near and that we can talk at a distance,” Bacalanmo said. He said he told the Abendans to stay put and not go anywhere, fearing they would go around and spread the virus. He then called by phone several officials for help. He said there were some who made “alibis,” saying they were busy with other things while a health official said they have yet to investigate the hospital who released the cadaver. “But, the situation required urgency and I fear the presence of the dead man along the road might invite curious onlookers,” he went on. Getting no immediate response from officials in the city, Bacalanmo decided to call Dr. Butch Dulduco, head of the Department of Health in Sarangani Province. Dulduco immediately went to the area and brought with him personal protective equipment and a cadaver bag.
of the province has remained under Modified GCQ.Along with the heightened quarantine status, the city revived the use of a home quarantine pass for residents who would go out of their residences to buy food and medicine.
The local government also put up barangay quarantine control points to implement the pass requirement. Employees on the way to work have to present their IDs or certificate of employment. (MindaNews)
also an offshoot of the constant collaboration of the military with the LGUs in line with the President Rodrigo Duterte’s directive to institutionalize the whole of nation approach in attaining inclusive and sustainable peace by creating a national task force to end
local communist armed conflict(NTF-ELCAC). Earlier reports revealed that the Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s Army- National Democratic Front (CPPNPA-NDF) extorts around P1.2 billion from numerous businesses in Mindanao every year. (AMA)
along with an approved travel coordination permit from S-Pass. All arriving passengers are required to undergo quarantine for five (5) days in a public or private facility that is accredited by the local government. On the fifth day, passengers will again take the RT-PCR test. On the other hand, guests flying to Siargao are required to present a negative RT-PCR test result, valid within forty-eight (48) hours from the date of release, along with other documents depending on your purpose for travel. A detailed list may be found on the CEB website: https://bit.ly/CEBFlightReminders. Guests must also email all their requirements to the Siargao Provincial Tourism Office at sdntourism@gmail.comand present the email confirmation upon check-in and arrival. CEB operates the widest domestic network in
the Philippines covering 31 destinations, on top of its eight (8) international destinations. Its 74-strong fleet, one of the youngest in the world, includes two (2) dedicated ATR freighters and one (1) A330 freighter. CEB has been rated 7/7 stars by airlineratings.com for its COVID-19 compliance as it continues to implement a multi-layered approach to safety, in accordance with global aviation standards. These include daily extensive cleaning and disinfection protocols for all aircraft and facilities, antigen testing before duty for all frontliners and crew members, and contactless flight procedures. Its jet fleet are equipped with hospital grade HEPA air filters, keeping viruses at bay. To date, CEB has vaccinated 95% of its flying crew and expects to complete employee inoculation by October this year.
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JGO Delivery Services Inc. CEO Miguel Garcia said. Online registration for a PTC-JGO card can be done by visiting bit.ly/ PTCJGOReg. Claiming of the cards will be at the JGO
office in Paranaque City. JGO Delivery is a startup delivery service provider that covers areas in Metro Manila. It is Phoenix’s fourth partner in the PTC program.
among many others. 5) Your beloved Looney Tunes characters are back on the Tune Squad Of course, it won’t be a “Space Jam” movie without your favorite Looney Tunes gang as they head back on the court to play the game we love, of course in a very Looney way. Wackier than ever, join Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Lola Bunny, Tweety Bird, Sylvester the Cat, Taz, Wile E. Coyote, Road Runner, and more in impressing the crowd with their hilariously outrageous plays that are sure to make us rolling on the floor laughing! All of these and more
await hoops fans and young viewers in the Philippine premiere of “Space Jam: A New Legacy” on HBO GO beginning September 3. Catch it in high-definition and commercial-free on-demand on SKY’s HBO GO plan for as low as P99 a month via SKYcable or P149 a month via any SKY Fiber subscription package. To know more about SKY’s video-on-demand plans and the premiere of “Space Jam: A New Legacy,” visit mysky.com.ph, or follow SKY on Facebook (fb.com/myskyupdates), Twitter, and Instagram (@ myskyupdates).
nandez and cutman Mike Rodriguez were. But Fortune said there was trouble in the corner. “I couldn’t understand why Mike wasn’t in the middle during the timeouts because Manny had a cut over his eye and a cut on his cheek,” he said. “Freddie and Buboy were talking over each other so it got messy.” Roach blamed Fernandez for talking so loudly that Pacquiao couldn’t hear his instructions. Fernandez said he should’ve been allowed to be in the middle more often to attend to Pacquiao’s legs but came in only once. Roach and Fernandez didn’t seem to be on the same page. Fortune said it’s up to
Pacquiao whether to fight once more or not. “Personally, I don’t want Manny to retire with a loss,” he said. “I wouldn’t mind a rematch with Ugas. I think Manny should be able to beat him with no more ring rust. Let’s face it, if Manny weren’t in condition, he wouldn’t have lasted 12 rounds even with cramps. It was just a bad night. I wouldn’t mind working with Buboy whom I love and Marvin (Somodio) who’s decent and respectful. Buboy and I worked with Manny for the (Lucas) Matthyssee fight and Manny scored a knockout. It was a great camp without Freddie. I’m hoping we can do that again.”
importance of following measures such as continue wearing face mask at all times, avoiding gatherings and crowded places, social distancing, and frequent hand washing. Schlosser reminded Dabawenyos to be vigilant and disciplined in following the minimum health measures, and to get vaccinated. Meanwhile, the Sangguniang Panlungsod mobile anti-Covid-19 vaccination drive has served 4,700 Dabawenyos since its rollout on August 30, 2021. Of the 4,700, the Office of City Councilor Joselle Villafuerte had 1,422 vaccines administered at the Barangay Los Amigos Gym, Lower Sirib Elementary School, and Barangay Subasta Gym. The office of Councilor Alberto Ungab catered 1,273 individuals in their stops at St. Peter College of
Toril and Calinan Central Elementary School; Councilor Myrna Ortiz’s office had 700 individuals at Barangay Manuel Guianga Gym; and Councilor Atty. Petite Principe’s office had 405 individuals. Each of the offices of Councilors Bai Cassandra Advincula, Javi Campos, and Richlyn Justol-Baguilod served 300 individuals at Eden Elementary School, Barangay Gatungan Gym, and Barangay Cabantian Gym (second district), respectively. The SP mobile vaccination teams are targeting to inoculate 7,500 more individuals this month. The target is based on the scheduled vaccinations in the city’s three congressional districts. Other councilors have yet to finalize their schedules. By Maya M. Padillo
community lockdowns are not just in Metro Manila but also in key growth centers in the provinces. We are very happy and optimistic about how the office sector has so far been performing better than expected,” Tan
said. Occupancy rates of Megaworld premier offices remain at 90 percent, with some of its townships reaching 100 percent such as Iloilo Business Park. (PNA)
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SPORTS
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ROS’Beau Belga battles Justin Chua for the loose ball. PBA
Zverev demolishes rival
A
lexander Zverev has thrashed Spain’s Albert Ramos-Vinolas 6-1 6-0 6-3 in a brisk 74 minutes, conserving his energy as he rolled through to the third round of the US Open. More than half of the German’s serves went unreturned in the lopsided affair, after Zverev got a break to kick off the first set and never let up the momentum. The world No.4 fired down 11 aces, including three in a row to close out the third set on Arthur Ashe Stadium where he came within two points
of triumphing a year ago before losing the final in heartbreaking fashion to Austrian Dominic Thiem. “It was painful and I still remember it,” said the newly crowned Olympic champion. “I take it as motivation because I’m back here, I have the opportunity to do better.” After picking up Masters titles in Madrid and Cincinnati this year, the 24-year-old is among a cohort of younger players hoping to disrupt world No.1 Novak Djokovic’s bid for a calendar-year grand slam.
Wright’s game-winner lifts Phoenix over ROS
M
atthew Wright, despite struggling for almost the entire game, shot the winning basket as Phoenix Fuel Masters escaped with a 79-78 comeback win over Rain Or Shine Elasto Painters in their PBA Philippine Cup game on Thursday night at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga. Wright’s fadeaway jumper, his only made field goal the entire game out of 15 attempts, with only two seconds left, capped the Fuel Masters’ rally from 15 points down midway through the fourth quarter. Prior to that, they went on a 17-0 run that put them ahead, 76-74, only for Elas-
to Painter Gabe Norwood to tie the game at 76-all with his own jumper with 27 seconds to go. Wright, however, nearly bubbled his heroics when he fouled Beau Belga just before time expired. But Belga missed the crucial second free throw that could have forced overtime, and Phoenix hung on. Jason Perkins and RR Garcia led the Fuel Masters’ game-turning 17-0 rally and finished with 18 points each as their team moved up to 2-4 and a tie for eighth place in the team standings with the Alaska Aces, who lost to the NLEX Road Warriors earlier Thursday. Playing without Kief-
er Ravena, who is in Japan clearing some papers ahead of his transfer to B.League side Shiga Lakestars, the Road Warriors got some balanced scoring that saw four players scoring in double figures even as they had a solid fourth quarter to pip the Aces, 84-74. JR Quinahan led NLEX, now at 3-2, with 18 points, four rebounds, one assist, one block, and one steal off the bench. Kevin Alas added 17 points, seven rebounds, three assists, one steal, and one block. Maverick Ahanmisi tallied 17 markers, five rebounds, two assists, and one steal to lead Alaska. (PNA)
the 2016 Rio Paralympic Games,” the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled said in a statement. Her cause of death was not disclosed. Apart from the Paralympic bronze, she also won the 2017 Asean Para Games gold in Kuala Lumpur and the 2018 Asian Para Games silver in Jakarta. She would have been the heavy favorite had the Philippines proceeded with the 2020 Asean Para Games, but the event was canceled entirely due to the coronavi-
rus disease 2019 pandemic. Medina’s passing came right at the third death anniversary of Ian Lariba. Like Medina, Lariba also made it to Rio in 2016. They both became the first Filipinos to qualify for an Olympic table tennis event, whether it’s the regular Olympics or the Paralympics. “You will be missed by your table tennis family. May your soul rest in peace, Jo,” the Philippine Table Tennis Federation said in a separate statement. (PNA
Paralympic bronze winner Medina passes away
J Josephine Medina (PNA photo)
osephine Medina, who became one of the modern-day table tennis heroes for the Philippines, passed away on Thursday night at the age of 51. Medina became wellknown after she broke a 16-year drought for a Philippine medal in the Paralympics when she won one in Rio De Janeiro in 2016. “Josephine, Ate Jo to many, became an inspiration to the table tennis community when she won a bronze medal during
12 SPORTS
EDGEDAVAO
VOL.14 ISSUE 147 • SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 04, 2021
TROUBLET Team Pacquiao’s Justin Fortune, Freddie Roach and Buboy Fernandez.
Team Pacquiao in shambles, impacted his loss to Ugas
here is trouble brewing within Manny Pacquiao’s camp and it told in his recent loss to WBA welterweight super champion Yordenis Ugas.
Pacquiao’s long-time strength and conditioning coach Justin Fortune and legendary trainer Freddie Roach are looking like they will never be working together again. Boxing analyst Joaquin Henson wrote on Philboxing.com on the brewing animosity within Team Pacquiao. Henson said Fortune has intimated “he’ll never set foot on the so-called hallowed grounds of the Wild Card Gym in Los Angeles after Roach blamed him for the Filipino icon’s cramps during the recent fight against Ugas in Las Vegas.” “Mark my words, I’ll never work with Freddie again,” said Fortune in a no-holds-barred chat yesterday from his L. A. home. “He accused me for Manny’s loss to cover up his own inadequacies and didn’t do it to my face. Freddie made stupid statements, not even factual, about Manny running the hills at Griffith Park six days a week. He won’t tell it to my face and I think that’s being a coward. It’s pathetic. If I had something to say about Freddie, I’ll tell it to him straight, not through somebody else.” Fortune said he was surprised that physiotherapist Dr. Sean
Hampton worked on Pacquiao’s legs in the dressing room 30 minutes before the fight. “I think Freddie brought him in a week or a few weeks before,” he said. “I don’t know if he’s ever worked with a fighter or an elite athlete before. All I know is you don’t touch a fighter 30 minutes before a fight, certainly not to massage his legs. You want a fighter like a cat on a hot tin roof, not with loose legs. That’s a perfect formula to get cramps right away and it’s exactly what happened.” Before the Friday weigh-in, Pacquiao took Wednesday off then ran sprints the next day and even went on a treadmill for about 20 minutes on the day of the weighin. “You do all that to drop weight so you can eat before the weighin,” he said. “Manny broke out to do sprints on Thursday and maybe he shouldn’t have but he likes to win and he probably felt it would be good to do it. He came in at 146 at the weigh-in. It’s hard to say why cramps set in. Manny just had a bad night, it happens to the best of champions, especially with the ring rust and two years of inactivity.” Fortune wasn’t in Pacquiao’s corner for the fight. Roach, Buboy FerFTROUBLE, P10