Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 197 | Wednesday, November 3, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

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NO ISSUES Undas in Davao City generally peaceful: DCPO STORY ON PAGE 2

Porters take a break from unloading hundreds of sacks of rice to have their lunch inside a container along Father Selga Street in Davao City on Monday. Edge Davao

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

NO ISSUES

President Rodrigo Duterte in his All Saints’Day and All Souls’Day message urges the nation to“pray for each other”amid the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, especially those who have departed. Presidential Photo

Undas in Davao City generally peaceful: DCPO By MAYA M. PADILLO

avao City Police Office (DCPO) director Col. Kirby John Kraft told Edge Davao that the observance of “Undas” in Davao City was generally peaceful. “Generally peaceful po tayo during the Undas,” Kraft said. Kraft said DCPO has established 34 police assistance desks in the 34 cemeteries (18 private and 16 public) in the city and has deployed a total of 273 personnel (189 policemen and 84 police auxiliaries).

“They were augmented by the Traffic Enforcement Unit (TEU) who managed the traffic along major highways/roads fronting cemeteries including Mobile Patrol Unit (MPU) that made mobile patrolling along with cemeteries,” he said. Kraft said the police assistance desks will be

placed in all cemeteries to ensure closure until November 7, 2021. It can be recalled that Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio has ordered the closure of cemeteries for two weeks from October 24 to November 7, 2021, in time for the observance of All Souls Day and All Saints’ Day. Last year, Mayor Sara issued Executive Order No. 52, and among the provisions are: inside the cemeteries, the 24-hour liquor ban is implemented and

effective; vulnerable sector or those who are above 60 years old, below 21, immunocompromised, with health risk, or pregnant women are allowed to visit or attend the wake and burial of their family members but are not allowed to do so for non-family members. The EO, however, exempts groups who will bury their family members and those celebrating the birthday and death anniversary of their deceased loved ones during the dates of closure.

Ka Oris kin claims his remains; wake and interment planned in Surigao City

sibling of Jorge “Ka Oris” Madlos, the slain top New People’s Army (NPA) leader in Mindanao, went to Bukidnon province Sunday night to claim his remains, another sibling said Monday. Retired engineer Vicente Madlos, Jorge’s elder brother, told MindaNews in

a phone interview that his younger brother, Rito Madlos, traveled to Bukidnon to get the remains of Jorge, the seventh of nine siblings. Vicente said they are planning to hold the wake of Ka Oris at a basketball court in Villa Corito, a private subdivision in Surigao City. Ka Oris, the face and

voice of the communist insurgency in Mindanao, will be interred at the Surigao Memorial Park here, he added. Vicente said the arrangements have been agreed by the Madlos siblings and their other relatives. “We have agreed to hold the wake here in Surigao

City than on Siargao (Island) since majority of our close relatives live in Surigao,” Vicente said. The 72-year-old, Siargao-born rebel leader was killed on Friday, October 29, along with an aide, in what the military claimed to be a clash between rebel and gov-

FKA ORIS, P10

Cops still clueless on suspects in killing of Davao Sur reporter

uthorities still have no suspects in the murder of reporter Orlando “Dondon” Dinoy, a police official said Monday. Dinoy was gunned down early Saturday evening at his rented apartment in Barangay Poblacion Uno in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. Police Major Eudisan Gultiano, Police Regional Office – 11 (PRO-11) spokesperson, told Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Monday that probers are having difficulty determining the identity of the suspects since no one had seen their faces. She said that police investigators are looking at the possibility that Dinoy’s murder could be motivated by personal grudge or work-related due to the election season. Dinoy was a reporter of Newsline Philippines at the time of his death. He used to write for the Philippine Daily Inquirer and Sunstar Balita – Davao, and was a volunteer newscaster for Energy FM in Digos City, among others. “We are still getting

more information about his death,” she said. The PRO-11 announced Monday the creation of a Special Investigation Task Group, in a bid on bringing the perpetrators behind the bars of justice. In a statement, Newsline Philippines publisher Editha Z. Caduaya said they are still in a “state shock due to the incident.” She said that PRO-11 director Brigadier General Filmore Escobal had assured them “of a speedy investigation on the case to unmask the culprit who cowardly killed our helpless reporter.” Before the victim was killed, Dinoy was inside his apartment cooking for dinner, but he went outside to check someone who was calling from the gate, Caduaya said. After Dinoy opened the gate, the gunman fired at him twice, hitting the tire of the victim’s motorbike. Dinoy quickly ran inside the apartment but the gunman followed him, shooting the victim while his cohort wait-

FCOPS, P10

Sto. Tomas receives P500K financial aid for Brgy. Pantaron banana workers

anto Tomas Mayor Ernesto “Tatay Erning” Evangelista has secured a P500, 000 worth of financial assistance from Senator Imee Marcos intended to help the 169 banana workers in Barangay Pantaron who are presently involved in a labor dispute. Evangelista sought the help of Marcos through Municipal Administrator Atty. Elisa Evangelista-Lapiña, after the banana workers,

raised their plight to the local chief executive. Earlier this month, some 169 banana workers in Barangay Pantaron has requested the presence of Evangelista to attend a workers’ dialogue over what he described as a labour dispute marred with “labour malpractices, intimidation, power tripping and a blatant disregard to labour laws.”

FTOMAS, P10

NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

Santa Cruz tourism officer Julius Paner says the municipality has opened all its tourism sites to visitors after the province was placed under alert level 2 classification. Edge Davao

Davao-Marawi route expected to commence this month Mendoza, DHSUD chief turn over CELA to military

staunch supporter of the military, North Cotabato Vice Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza, together with Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Eduardo Del Rosario, led the recent ceremonial turnover of the Certificate of Entitlement and Lot Allocation (CELA) to the qualified beneficiaries of the 602nd Infantry Brigade (Bde) at Carmen, North Cotabato paving the way for the building of their homes in the future. To rise soon in Camp Robert Edward Lucero in Carmen, the housing scheme is set to benefit active and retired military personnel. Under the project, socialized housing units are slated to rise on the 182 lots by next year. This was the result of Mendoza’s efforts when she was still a congresswoman wherein she worked hard for the Presidential Decree (PD) for the reallocation of 20 hectares of property in which 13 hectares go to the local government unit (LGU) and seven hectares to the 602nd IB. “Today, seven hectares will be awarded to the dif-

ferent recipients of the military - active or retire - in behalf of the local government unit let us continue to unite and ensure that the dream, the reasons why we turned over this and donated this is to ensure peace and security and I hope everyone will make sure that commitment will be honored until many other leaders and officers will come to visit this camp,” Mendoza in her speech during the awarding ceremony. Currently, the Registry of Deeds Cotabato Province has already issued individual titles for the 198 lots of the project under the name of NHA. The titles are currently in the NHA Region 12-Kidapawan District Office and will later endorse NHA General Services Department for safekeeping. The project went through a thorough process. On April 7, 2006, through the efforts of then Carmen Mayor Rogelio T. Taliño and Congresswoman Mendoza, the President issued Presidential Proclamation (PP) No. 1049 Series of 2006 amending Proclamation No. 1804 dated November 23, 1978, by segregating portions of the land embraced

FMENDOZA, P10

By MAYA M. PADILLO

“Ang timeline nga gihatag sa atoa sa central office is probably this will be opened by the third week of November but then it is still on the process. We are still waiting for the approval and evaluation of the central office then after the evaluation there will be a selection process kung kinsa ang operator,” said Nonito “Dondon” Llanos III, regional director of LTFRB in a phone interview. Llanos added that LT-

FRB 11 will be sending a letter to the city government of Davao regarding this proposed route. “Medyo tight ang among schedule but we are also coordinating with, as a matter of fact, we will be sending a letter to the local government of Davao informing about this proposed route,” he said. He said currently there are no bus operators yet expressing intention to service

the route as the process of application will be done in the central office. “So far kay inter-regional man ni siya wala ta kabalo if there are intentions in the central office. Pero diri sa atoa wala pa man because the operators knew the process will be done in Manila,” he said. Marawi, which was devastated by a siege four years ago, is being rebuilt by the government through infrastructure development projects. Based on the post of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) Philippines, portions of the Marawi Transcentral Road

anta Cruz, a first-class municipality in the province of Davao del Sur, opened all its tourism sites to visitors after the province was placed under alert level 2 classification. “Open na tanan sites namo sukad adtong nag modified general community quarantine (MGCQ) until now nga naa nang Davao del Sur sa alert level 2,” Julius

Paner, tourism officer of Sta. Cruz told Edge Davao. Paner added that the province has recently launched two sites namely Bamboo Peak in Barangay Jose Rizal and Tomari Falls in Sibulan. He said Bamboo Peak is a trekking site and the first hiking attraction in North Sta. Cruz District. It is a 4.6-kilometer trail made up

of single-track farmlands and tropical rainforest within the Ancestral Domain of the Bagobo-Tagabawa tribe. The trekking will culminate in a summit measuring 1,106 meters above sea level. Sea of clouds, overlooking sceneries, and vast forestlands can be seen on the top of the summit. Meanwhile, Tomari Falls is one of the more attractive

he regional office of the Land Transportation and Franchising Regulatory Board (LTFRB 11) bared that the Davao-Marawi route is expected to commence in the third week of this month.

project were completed in a recent move to help revitalize economic activities in the area. The project is part of JICA’s 2-billion yen Program for the Support to Rehabilitation and Reconstruction of Marawi City whose infrastructure was damaged during the siege in 2017. The completed portions of Marawi Transcentral Road were supported through JICA grant assistance for the rehabilitation of Marawi. The construction of an 18.97-kilometer road aims to catalyze growth and economic opportunities to the city, as well as to sustain peacebuilding initiatives.

waterfalls located in Sibulan, Sta. Cruz. It has a height of 50-meter with a 20-meter diameter. It is a natural cold pool ideal for bathing. Paner said all these sites are being operated by the community. A minimal registration fee of P50 pesos per person will be collected. Hiring of a local guide is mandatory, with a rate of

Sta. Cruz opens tourism sites after alert level 2 declared S

FSTA. CRUZ, P10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) Secretary Silvestre Bello III bares that Saudi Arabia is set to pay $4.6 billion in back wages and end-of-contract fees to overseas Filipino workers who were repatriated to the Philippines after they weren’t paid their salaries. Presidential Photo

DITO telecom to build 166 cell sites in BARRM

he country’s third major telecommunications company, DITO Telecommunity, has revealed plans to put up at least 166 cell sites to improve connectivity in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM), Bangsamoro Transportation and Communications Minister Dickson Hermoso said.

DITO has started the construction of the cell sites, some of which are already operational even if not yet officially launched, and hopes to hit its target in 2023, a statement from the Hermoso’s Ministry of Transportation and Communications (MOTC) said.

“The MOTC is always ready to cooperate with and support private sector initiatives that would result in faster and more economical, reliable and secure flow of information in the BARMM,” Hermoso said. DITO, formerly Mislatel, is challenging the duopoly

of Globe Telecoms and the Philippine Long Distance Company, owner of Smart Communications, Inc. DITO is a consortium of Davao City-based businessman Dennis Uy’s Udenna Corp. and Chelsea Logistics with Chinese state-owned firm China Telecom. Uy is a close friend and a top campaign contributor of President Rodrigo Duterte during the 2016 presidential elections. Uy, who contributed 30 million pesos to Duterte’s campaign kitty, ranked third among his campaign contributors – former Davao del Norte Rep. Antonio Floirendo, Jr. gave 75 million and Duter-

fter nine weeks of oil price hikes, firms will roll back prices of kerosene and diesel. Starting Tuesday morning, Caltex, Cleanfuel, Petro Gazz, Petron, Seaoil, and Shell will cut diesel prices by PHP0.35 per liter but they will increase gasoline prices by PHP1.15 per liter.

Caltex, Petron, Seaoil, and Shell will also reduce kerosene prices by PHP0.30 per liter. In the past nine weeks of oil price hikes, diesel has increased by PHP9.10 per liter, PHP8.35 per liter for gasoline, and PHP8.06 per liter for kerosene. According to Department of Energy’s (DOE)

oil bulletin for trading days October 11 to 15, Dubai crude traded higher by USD3 per barrel weekon-week, while Mean of Platts Singapore (MOPS) gasoline and diesel also went up by USD5.25 per barrel and USD3.80 per barrel, respectively. The DOE attributed the price increases of

te’s running mate in 2016, Alan Peter Cayetano contributed 71.3 million. Aside from Uy, Lorenzo A. Te and Samuel C. Uy also contributed 30 million pesos each. Hermoso led the MOTC during top-level meeting with DITO executives on October 21 in Davao City. The firm was represented by Rodolfo Santiago, chief technology officer, and lawyer Adel Tamano, chief administrative and legal officer.

the oil price benchmarks mainly due to tight supply and improving oil demand. “The improving Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) situation, easing of mobility restrictions and reopening of borders by many countries fueled the prospects

Hermoso noted that telecommunication remains a problem in many areas of the Bangsamoro

FDITO, P10

Oil firms cut diesel, kerosene prices; LPG to go up anew A FOIL, P10

Saudi to pay $4.6-B in unpaid wages, end-of-contract fees to OFWs: DOLE

audi Arabia is set to pay $4.6 billion in back wages and end-of-contract fees to overseas Filipino workers who were repatriated to the Philippines after they weren’t paid their salaries, the Philippines’ labor chief said Monday. Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello III said these are OFWs who did not receive their pay and end of service fees as early as 2015. “President Duterte directed me to repatriate all of them, probably about 10,000 to 11,000 of them. We brought them home… but before we did that, we authorized a lawyer to pursue their claims against their employees,” Bello recounted. The OFWs eventually won their case, but their dues were not yet awarded them, the Labor secretary said. “Because of this, no less than President Duterte sent a personal letter to his highness King Salman of the kingdom, twice. Unfortunately, there was no positive response. Now we thought, I thought that [it’s] high time that our workers should be given justice by

paying their claims, their valid claims.” “So with that I came up with a proposal to the board of the (Philippine Overseas Employment Administration) of considering a deployment ban in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia until they settle this account,” Bello explained. “Probably this triggered some reaction from them,” he noted. A statement on the Department of Labor and Employment website posted Sunday said that Bello met with his Saudi counterpart Ahmed al-Rajhi privately ahead of the Abu Dhabi Dialogue, where the latter appealed for the lifting of the suspension on Arab mega recruitment agencies which were responsible for the deployment of OFWs whose salaries and benefits remained unpaid. “And in that meeting he assured me that when he will be coming on January 2022, he will come up, he’ll probably come up with a positive result,” Bello said. The Labor chief said he requested al Rajhi for the claims to be settled this December.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

ECONOMY

Deliverymen unload 40-kilogram cylinder of liquified petroleum gas (LPG) at an establishment along Lapu-lapu Street in Davao City. Oil firms have announced that they will implement an increase in LPG by at least P3.10, and AutoLPG by P1.73. Edge Davao

Innovation, digitalization to support Mindanao’s domestic growth: MinDA Economist eyes 6.5% GDP growth in Q3

omestic growth is expected to remain in positive territory for the third quarter at 6.5 percent amid the diminishing low base effects and the impact of lockdowns, an economist said. “GDP (gross domestic product) growth for 3Q (third quarter) 2021 could quantitatively ease year-onyear (from +11.8 percent in 2Q 2021), but still positive at higher single-digit levels, largely due to fading low base/denominator effects,” Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said in a reply to questions from the Philippine News Agency. GDP in the first half of the year stood at 3.96 percent. This, after the economy grew to positive territory in the second quarter of the year, the first after five consecutive negative prints since the first quarter of 2020, from -3.9 percent in the previous quarter. Taking into consideration Ricafort’s third-quarter forecast, average growth as of end-September would be around 4.8 percent, within

the government’s 4 percent to 5-percent target for this year. The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) is scheduled to report the third quarter GDP on Nov. 9. Ricafort said economic growth is expected to be driven by the strong inflows from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), the foreign direct investments, recovery in exports, imports, and the manufacturing sector, and increased government spending on infrastructure, especially ahead of the 2022 national polls. He said preparations for the Christmas season and election-related spending could help further boost consumer spending and the whole economy in the coming months. “The biggest economic growth driver would be the further reopening of the economy in view of the shift towards smaller scale lockdowns/Alert Level System to more areas outside Metro Manila that would enable more businesses/industries to reopen and operate at a much higher scale,” he added.

nnovative solutions, along with equitable digitalization, were identified as among the emerging sectors to support Mindanao’s domestic growth in the new normal, as outlined in Mindanao Development Authority’s 10-point economic recovery agenda. In her talk during the Annual Scientific Conference of the National Research Council of the Philippines - Mindanao Regional Cluster held virtually today, MinDA Executive Director Janet Lopoz said that the development of technology and advances in science must be now more respon-

sive to the needs of Mindanao’s food sector and help it better withstand the effects of lockdowns and disruptions in the supply chain. “We saw how mobility restrictions and lockdowns have driven companies to shift their businesses and services online. The use of digital technology and

e-commerce has become the new business norm,” Lopoz added. Base on the data shared by MinDA, food and non-alcoholic beverages, along with Information and Communications Technology (ICT) and logistics were the only subsectors that posted positive growth, albeit slow. “This tells us a lot about the new sectors that we need to be paying more attention to, those that have kept our economy afloat despite the lockdowns and mobility restrictions,” Lopoz said. The 10-point econom-

ic agenda identifies the need for better internet connectivity and virtual transaction literacy among Mindanao’s agri and food stakeholders. The use of digital payments, according to Lopoz, has skyrocketed in many parts of the region. In the Philippines, the leading mobile wallet company, GCash, saw a 700% year-to-year increase in transaction volume in June 2020 alone and doubled its registered users in the first half of 2020. Innovations in logistics were also instrumental in

day. In a report, Rizal Commercial Banking Corporation (RCBC) chief economist Michael Ricafort said the local currency ended last week’s trade to its strongest in more than a month, or since September 23. Aside from optimism on the continued decline in local coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) cas-

es, Ricafort said improved global market risk appetite also supported the local currency. “(The) peso (is) likewise stronger in anticipation for some increase in OFW remittance and conversion to pesos ahead of the long holiday weekend as the Christmas season and preparations draw closer into November 2021,” he said.

Ricafort forecasts the peso’s major support level between 50.20 to 50.30 this week for a possible trek to the 49.70 to 50.00 in the coming days. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data show that cash inflows from OFWs have historically been high in the last quarter of the year, as well as before the start of the school openings.

FINNOVATION, P10

Peso seen to stay firm as Christmas season nears

he Philippine peso is expected to remain generally firm against the US dollar as the Christmas holiday nears, a season for increased inflows from overseas Filipino workers (OFWs). At the end of the trading session last October 29, the local currency finished at 50.415 against the greenback, better than its 50.71 close in the previous

FPESO, P10

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

On the observance of ‘Undas’ in Davao City:

Generally peaceful po tayo during the Undas.” Col. Kirby John Kraft

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director

EDITORIAL Pinoys’ wealth rising, but... Filipinos are seeing a steady increase in wealth over the years but remain below that of their neighbors in Southeast Asia, the World Bank said.

Based on the WB’s latest The Changing Wealth of Nations 2021 report, wealth per capita in the Philippines is estimated at $35,135. This is 14 percent higher than the previous level of $30,823. The World Bank report tracks the wealth of 146 countries between 1995 and 2018 by measuring the economic value of both renewable and non-renewable natural capital, human capital, produced capital, net foreign assets, and blue natural capital, which was included for the first time. In Southeast Asia, Singapore topped the rank with wealth

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Indonesia and Laos also recorded higher wealth per capita at $78,216 and $38,079 respectively. Only Vietnam and Cambodia were below the Philippines. Vietnam is already trailing close with $34,084 while Cambodia is still far behind at $18,397.

Based on the report, low-income countries like the Philippines are expanding their wealth at a relatively slow rate, with per capita wealth growing an average of 22 percent, below the global average of 44 percent. Simply stated, Filipinos need to work harder. 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

per capita at $817,847, followed by Malaysia with $167,365. Thailand came in third with $78,216.

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)

VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

WALING-WALING: QUEEN OF PHILIPPINE FLOWERS When it comes to biodiversity, Davao City is blessed. After all, it is partly home of Mount Apo, the country’s highest peak, and Philippine eagle, the country’s bird icon. Waling-waling, touted to be the Queen of Philippine flowers, is endemic to Davao as well to Cotabato and Zamboanga. They used to be found in the trunks of dipterocarp trees at elevations below 500 meters inside Mount Apo. When it is grown at high altitude, it bears flowers early. Over-collected, the plant is now considered rare in nature. For almost a century, waling-waling disappeared in the Davao gardens. But thanks to Charita Puentespina, it has “returned” to its native home. Then a neophyte orchidist, Puentespina successfully pioneered in mass producing the waling-waling through embryo culture in 1985. During the 48th Araw ng Dabaw, the first waling-waling seedlings in compots (community pots) were sold to the public, which in no time generated interest among hobbyists and commercial orchid growers. Since then, the waling-waling has become a fixture in al-

most every garden in Davao. “The return of the waling-waling to every home garden in Davao and elsewhere in the country is one thing,” one noted author wrote. “It is another thing to see it bloom in its habitat at the foothills of Mount Apo.” The waling-waling, named in “allusion to a moth in flight,” was discovered in 1882. Named after Henry Frederick Conrad Sander, a noted orchidologist, it is worshipped as “diwata” (fairy) by the native Bagobos. Vanda is a genus of about 50 species of colorful orchids distributed from East Asia to Australia. In the science world, waling-waling is known as Vanda sanderiana. But today, it is called botanically as Euanthe sanderiana). Unfortunately, the exotic waling-waling is almost on the brink of extinction. Waling-waling were harvested for commercial and decorative purposes and their habitat was destroyed by deforestation. “The waling-waling is almost extinct in the wild,” deplored Dr. Domingo Madulid, one of the country’s noted botanists. “Rarer varieties of this

plant can only be found in expensive nurseries.” The waling-waling is considered critically endangered under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES), an international treaty among governments to ensure that the survival of wild plants and animals are not threatened by their trade. Waling-waling is the best orchid variety of the country, Madulid said. But most Filipinos didn’t know that it could be one of the biggest sources of dollars for the country. In the 1950s, the “systematic plunder” of wild plants, including orchids, started. Madulid said that long before the country was sending maids to Singapore and Hong Kong, upland farmers had been despoiling the forests and selling rare orchid varieties, such as waling-waling, abroad. Waling-waling is often used in hybridization. Thus, it is now in abundance in such countries as Singapore, Thailand, Hong Kong, and Hawaii. “A seedpod may contain around 10,000 seeds, most of

which will grow under the protected environment of the laboratory,” said a Philippine Star feature. In 2004, a motion was filed in the House of Representatives to declare waling-waling as the country’s national flower, replacing the sampaguita. In 2013, a bill was passed by the Senate declaring it as a national flower alongside the sampaguita. “Our national symbols are vital to our identity as Filipinos. As we discover more about ourselves, we must also update the symbols that represent us,” said then-Senator Loren Legarda, co-sponsor of the bill. “Orchid lovers all over the world consider the waling-waling as one of the most unique and beautiful native orchids in the world and that while some adore it, most Filipinos have forgotten its natural beauty,” said Edgardo Angara, the late senator who sponsored the bill. The Department of Environment and Natural was ecstatic. By naming waling-waling as the country’s flower icon, it would “raise public consciousness on its rarity and boost efforts to conserve the flower,”

said then Environment Secretary Ramon J.P. Paje. “The waling-waling can best represent the splendor and uniqueness of Philippine biodiversity because it is considered the finest and most beautiful among all species of orchids in the country,” Paje explained. However, House Bill 5655 was vetoed by then President Benigno Aquino III. “A second national flower has the pernicious effect of creating confusion in the minds of the public and the academe,” Aquino said. “Moreover, declaring waling-waling orchid as the second national flower would have the effect of displacing the hallowed status of the sampaguita, a cherished national icon, as the primary symbol of Philippine culture and artistry.” For the uninformed, sampaguita is native to India and Arabia. It is also one of Indonesia’s national flowers. Meanwhile, a lot of Filipinos are looking forward to seeing waling-waling blooming again in its original habitat at the foothills of Mount Apo. But when that will happen, no one knows!

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

THE PAST AS ‘RIVERINE HISTORY’ One way of understanding history is by linking it with the rivers where villages are started. Access to waterways is an indispensable aspect of convenience and survival, and it is always near riverbanks that potable water sources can be found. Early migrants, in exploring the interior regions or reconnoitering coastal areas, used the streams in discovering new areas for settlement. For an archipelagic country, waterways are the ‘liquid highways’ linking islands. In modern times, the watercourses continue to function as vital channels for naval, marine, and maritime activities even with the construction of spans that connect parted lands. It is also the riverbank communities that inspire the adoption of placenames as identified of certain locations.

Many placenames get their IDs from the denizens that live near waters and source their food from them, the plants that thrive near waterways, the insects and animals found in riverbank settlements, and the phenomena observed while living in these communities. Three terms best explain the evolution of placenames, namely, etymology, orthography, and onomatopoeia. Let’s see how these terms are defined: (i) Orthography is ‘the study of spelling and how letters combine to represent sounds and form words’; (ii) Etymology is ‘the study of the origin of words and the way in which their meanings have changed throughout’; and (iii) Onomatopoeia is ‘the formation of a word from a sound associated with what is named.’ Orthographically, Kialeg,

which means ‘a pool of water formed by landslide,’ is a combination of two Tagacaulo terms, ‘kia’ and ‘leg.’ On the other hand, Cuambog, named after a tree, has etymologically evolved to Kolambogan, meaning ‘a place where the cuambog plant thrives.’ You have also Kaputian, derived from potian, a rattan species. The best example of onomatopoeia is Kokak, inspired by the sound produced by a frog. Outside the strictures, there are placenames that are inspired by geography (i.e., Pantukan, or place for short route; Balut, Maguindanao for island), religious custom (i.e., Badas or Islamic flogging), spices (i.e., Tandag, the Maguindanao laurel), tribe (i.e., Talaingod and Samal), fish (i.e., Baganga and Batuto), water color (i.e., Malalag, Bagobo term for yellowish), activities (i.e., Digos,

Bagobo for ‘taking a bath in the river’), and springs (i.e., Bugac and Tubod), among others. Names of places also afford a researcher better and deeper understanding of how site identities affect the progress of an area. By knowing the exact origin of a placename, a case build-up can be made in limiting the original settlers of a place and understand why certain monikers have been adopted as appellations of communities and settlements. Rivers, due to their movements, also lend inspiration to the naming of locales. Places like Mati (‘easily dried up riverbed’), Maragusan (‘washed-out river’), and Lupon (‘inundated area’) are so named after the effect waters make on land, particularly during floods. Some names are derived from the river fishes that populate them or in recognition of the abundance

of certain species thriving in specific watercourses. Moreover, rivers also carry the nutrients that turn lands into fertile agricultural estates. Without rivers, survival becomes more difficult given that people have very limited food supply to get and are forced to source drinking water from plants, rain, and precipitation. Minus the rivulets and streams, people are forced to away with washing, bathing, and rinsing. Outside etymologies, ancient mariners, in determining their daylight position while out there at sea, look for natural contours and markers and at night measure their location using astronomical bodies. In colonial times, they reasonably depended for lighthouses to keep them on track during starless nights, and on distant terrains to fix their setting.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

COMPETITIVE EDGE

A smart homebuying alternative offered by Aeon Luxe Properties I f you’re like most homebuyers, you’ll need a mortgage to finance the purchase of a new home. To qualify, you must have a good credit score and cash for a down payment. Without these, the traditional route to homeownership may not be an option.

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Aeon Towers units offer the most comfortable lifestyle.

an Miguel Pale Pilsen continues to serve delightful bonding moments and unforgettable memories with its time-tested brew. Through the years, this iconic Filipino beer has brought people from all walks of life together, helping shape local culture through music, fashion, and the arts. This Holiday season, to commemorate the brand’s timeless taste and signature style, San Miguel Pale Pilsen merges classic with contemporary through its limited-edition IconiCan. Bringing beer lovers together through creativity, the IconiCan is a product of an exciting collaboration between two award-winning visual artists, the late editorial cartoonist Larry Alcala and touted graphic novelist Rob Cham. Alcala was awarded the title of National Artist for Visual Arts posthumously for his body of work throughout his 56 years of cartooning. During his time, his illustrations reflected day-today life filled with gaiety and humor. Etched in the minds of Filipinos, Alcala’s works chronicled the

gram for people who are eyeing the luxurious and convenient living experience in an integrated community like Aeon Towers. The good thing is, homebuyers can now avail of a promo offered by ALPI with no reservation fee and pay rental terms for 15 years. On top of that, they can also avail 12 percent discount upon

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wrapped around a San Miguel Pale Pilsen can, the works of these superb artists showcase good times with the classic brew. The IconiCan connects people together with San Miguel Pale Pilsen, perfectly

embodying the brand’s message of “Kahit Kailan, Walang Iwanan”. Each limited-edition Larry Alcala X Rob Cham IconiCan is marked with a San Miguel Pale Pilsen Samahan QR code. Scan the code to join thousands of other Pale Pilsen fans and receive updates and notifications about the brand’s programs and promos. Get the IconiCan to collect and enjoy or get the IconiCan 6-pack to give as a perfect BEERegalo for the holidays. The San Miguel Pale Pilsen IconiCan is available in areas where allowed. Order now from your favorite supermarkets, groceries, and convenience stores nationwide, or through SMB Delivers via 8632-BEER (2337) or www.SMBDelivers.com. For more promos and updates like and follow San Miguel Pale Pilsen on Facebook (www.facebook.com/SanMiguelPalePilsen). #WalangIwanan.

San Miguel Pale Pilsen releases limited edition Larry Alcala X Rob Cham IconiCan

country’s history including the subjects that made its mark in Pinoy culture, one of which is San Miguel Pale Pilsen. An illustrator and comic book creator, Cham has received the National

Book Award for his work on his graphic novel Light. The young artist communicates his sentiments through intriguing and soulful visuals that incorporate pop culture into worlds that capture con-

temporary aesthetics. Both excellent illustrators in their respective times, Alcala and Cham deftly mirrors the Filipino way of life with the strokes of their pens. Placed side by side and

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VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

ENVIRONMENT

DYING RIVERS SHOULD BE REVIVED – OR ELSE! Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

f Davao River has to continue rendering services to the people of Davao City, then the people should work together to restore it back to life, urged the regional office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The Davao River is part of the Davao River Basin, with more than half (66.5%) of the basin’s total length of 86 kilometers is located in the city. About 25.3% of the river’s total land area of 175,960 hectares is located in Bukidnon while the remaining 8.3% is in Davao del Norte, particularly Talaingod. “Davao River plays a very important role to the people of Davao City considering the various services it provides like in the sector of agriculture, tourism, and in household, to name a few,” said the Environmen-

tal Management Bureau (EMB) of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). The Davao City Water District is planning to tap the Davao River as the future source of drinking water for the city. Right now, DCWD is getting 98% of its supply of drinking water from groundwater sources. Based on a study done by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) in 1998, Davao City’s water demand in 2025 will be 153 million cubic meters per year but the groundwater availability average is only

84 million cubic meters. “Davao City will be short of water supply if it will just continue relying on groundwater,” observed the Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS), a Davao-based environmental group. Possible water source That’s why DCWD is looking for the Davao River as a possible source of water supply for the people of Davao City. Unfortunately, Davao River is considered one of the polluted rivers in the country based on the 5-year water quality assessment made by EMB. “Pollution is due mainly to the unregulated use and poor methods of fertilizers and pesticides, inappropriate land use practices, inadequate monitoring of industrial and commercial premises and activities, and

poor maintenance of septic tanks and absence of sewerage,” EMB said. In 2012, Davao River was designated by EMB as Water Quality Management Area in Region XI. “The designation of Davao River as WQMA is very timely because holistic intervention is needed to arrest the problems that threaten the water quality of the Davao River,” EMB said in a statement. The Davao River is not alone. “In the Philippines, 180 out of 421 rivers and other bodies of water are immensely polluted and are soon to be considered as biologically dead,” said House Bill No. 8776 which Representative Alfred Vargas filed. “The Filipino people will suffer the consequences if this catastrophic issue is not addressed.”

Davao River, with a length of 160 kilometers, is among the top longest rivers in the Philippines. The other rivers from Mindanao which made it to the longest list are Rio Grande de Mindanao (373 kilometers), Agusan River (350 kilometers), and Pulangi River (320 kilometers). Eight of the 19 major rivers are in Mindanao. IDIS said there are four main sources of river-water pollution: agriculture, factories, mines and people. Mine tailings are major river-pollutants, IDIS said. “The mine tailings spill from Marcopper in Marinduque, caused deposition of some 1.6 million cubic meters of tailings along the 27-kilometer span of the Boac River system and the coastal area. “Boac River was left virtually dead,” IDIS

said. Dire consequences Now, if the Philippines will not protect its rivers and rehabilitate those dying and dead, the people will definitely face dire consequences: ecological catastrophe and economic debacle. Such warning was emphasized by Senator Franklin M. Drillon in a speech delivered during the first Philippine International River Summit convened in Iloilo City some years back. “I do not want to be called the Prophet of Doom,” he said, “but it pays to listen to concerned quarters who have been warning us that one of the fiercest battles in the future is on water. Indeed, the possibility that there will be less water available for peo-

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COPS... FROM 2

ed at the exit door, according to her. Caduaya said that Dinoy suffered six gunshot wounds on his chest and upper abdomen, causing his instantaneous death. She said that Dinoy joined Newsroom Philippines in June 2021, writing mostly about community development and police reports with “balanced sources as he adheres to our newsroom policy” of fair reporting. Caduaya also said that PRO11 is looking at the possibility that the motivation for the crime could be work-related or a personal grudge. “Based on the trajectory of the bullet, there was hate and anger over his death,” she noted. Caduaya said they are working with Dinoy’s family to ensure that the victim’s burial and other needs are attended to.

She appealed to anyone who have information on Dinoy’s killing to come out and coordinate with the police so justice will be served to the slain journalist. Caduaya said that “freedom of the press must not be curtailed in a democratic society, and such dastardly act deserves the highest degree of condemnation.” “As the world celebrates International Day to end impunity for crimes against journalists, we ask the government and all its instrumentalities to be more transparent, not onion-skinned, as we believe that a free press uncovers the truth,” she said. Dinoy’s wake is at their home in Rosal Steet, Bansalan town, while his interment is scheduled on Saturday at 10 a.m. at the Bansalan Public Cemetery. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

ernment forces in Sitio Gabunan, Barangay Dumalaguing, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon. The military said their bodies were recovered the following day. The NDF refuted this claim, saying the ailing Madlos and his medical aide, identified by the military as Eighfel Dela Peña, were killed in an ambush on Friday night. According to Ka Oris’ wife, Maria Malaya, National Demo-

cratic Front spokesperson for Northeast Mindanao, Madlos and Dela Peña were on a motorcycle on their way to get medical treatment, and never reached the highway. Malaya has called on the government to allow the family to hold a wake for Ka Oris, so the people who knew him can pay their final respects to the long-time communist leader. (Roel Catoto / MindaNews)

P500 pesos per group with a maximum of five persons per group. Other tourist attractions in Sta. Cruz that are now open for the tourists and visitors are the Mt. Apo, Bagobo Cultural Village, Passig Islet, Water Tubing in Sibulan River, Mt. Dinor in Sinoron, Pilan River in Sinoron, Tacub Laya Falls in Sinoron, Mt. Loay, and Saliducon Cave. “We remain an ecotourism attraction, showcasing outdoor sites and experiences, which is an appropriate tourism product in the new normal,” Paner said.

Based on the latest guidelines on the implementation of the alert level system of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) for the management of emerging infectious diseases, alert level 2 refers to areas wherein case transmission is low and decreasing, healthcare utilization is low, or case counts are low but increasing, or case counts are low and decreasing but total bed utilization rate and intensive care unit utilization rate is increasing. By Maya M. Padillo

therein and reserving the same for socialized housing site purposes. An area containing 13 hectares more or less was reserved for offbase housing site for the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), active and retired military personnel, to be administered by the Housing and Urban Development Coordinating Council (HUDCC) now Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD)/ National Housing Authority (NHA). On March 10, 2010, PP No. 2012 Series of 2010 amended Proclamation No. 1049 dated April 7, 2006, which segregat-

ed a portion of Camp Robert Edward Lucero in Barangay Poblacion and Nasapian, Carmen, North Cotabato for socialized housing wherein more or less 200,002 square meters were segregated for socialized housing purposes while 70,002 square meters shall be used as an Off-based housing site for the AFP, retired, and active military personnel. The remaining 130,000 square meters shall be intended for the actual civilian occupants thereof and shall be disposed of by the Department of Environmental and Natural Resources (DENR) under the administration of the Municipal Government of Carmen.

of higher oil demand,” it added. Last Friday, Brent and West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rebounded, closing at USD84.34 a barrel and USD83.57 a barrel, respectively. Global oil prices were higher ahead of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries and its allies (OPEC+) meeting

as the cartel is expected to maintain its output amid improving demand for the commodity. Meanwhile, liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) prices have increased for November. Petron announced that it will implement a PHP3.10-per-kilogram increase on LPG starting at 4 p.m. Monday.

As of August this year, cash remittances grew by 5.7 percent to USD20.38 billion. Monetary authorities forecast remittances to grow by 4 percent this year, with

optimism based on the reports of continued reopening of economies around the globe and continued demand for OFWs, especially those for the medical field. (PNA)

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DYING... FROM 9

ple and industries in the near future is not remote in view of the droughts and famines experienced by many countries in the world. Hence, we need to intensify the campaign to protect our rivers, creeks and streams.” “A healthy river is a niche of biodiversity,” writes Ricardo M. Umali, former undersecretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). “Depending on temperature, salinity, level of pollution, and especially the speed of water flow, different aquatic species will thrive in a river, its banks, or surrounding environment.” Unfortunately, some of the country’s major rivers are undergoing various degradation. “Today, our rivers are facing threats and challenges that we, as stewards of Mother Nature’s assets, must address,” Senator Drillon said. “Among them are urban growth and development, lack of concrete or sound land use policy, climate change, flood risk, agricultural activities, pollution and increasing poor water quality,” he added. Biologically dead When is a river considered

biologically dead? The common measures of vitality of a river are the number of bacteria present and the level of dissolved oxygen (DO). The number of bacteria depends on the amount of raw sewage and domestic waste in the water. This means that the more waste, the more bacteria. One of the rivers in Metro Manila which has been identified as biologically dead is Pasig River, which connects Laguna de Bay to Manila Bay. A study conducted by the Danish International Development Agency (DANIDA) in the 1990s found that the DO in the water of Pasig River was only one milligram per liter in many parts and plummeted to zero at certain points. The biochemical oxygen demand (BOD) – the oxygen in the water required by aerobic bacteria so they could dissolve all organic matter thrown into the river – was measured at 350 tons. The virtual absence of this oxygen made it impossible for such bacteria to “eat” up the debris thrown in the river. “This absence of oxygen is the main cause of offensive odor and the absence of biological life in the Pasig,” the

As early as 2020, Evangelista had asked the Sangguniang Bayan headed by Vice-Mayor Gabriel Eric Estela to pass an ordinance that would help the plight of small banana growers and protect the labour rights of banana plantations workers. The said proposed ordinance was still pending under the Committee on Agriculture chaired by Councilor Eduardo Llorente. Until now, there’s no standing ordinance that would protect the economic and labour rights of the banana growers and plantation workers. Evangelista underscored the importance of having a local ordinance that would give the small banana growers and banana plantation workers “equal

protection” under the existing laws, especially from labour malpractices, price manipulation or negotiated fixed pricing, among others. Evangelista also urged Llorente, who chairs the Committee on Agriculture, and the Sangguniang Bayan in general to step in and conduct a legislative inquiry to ferret out the truth and resolve the labor woes faced by the banana plantation workers. The local chief executive urged all banana plantation workers to organize themselves as an association to have collective interests and bargain with employers over such concerns as wages and working conditions, among others.

region, particularly in the island-provinces of Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi (BaSulTa). BARMM also comprises the mainland provinces of Maguindanao and Lanao del Sur and the cities of Marawi, Lamitan and Cotabato, and 63 villages in six towns in North Cotabato now referred to as the Special Geographic Area. Tamano said they are studying the possibility of improving connectivity in the BaSulTa using a submarine cable. Engr. Omar Marzoc, officer-in-charge of the Bangsamoro Telecommunications Commission, one of the seven sectoral offices under MOTC, told the Bangsamoro Press Corps that the Bangsamoro government welcomes the operations of DITO in the region. “If they will be able to partner with us and we will be able

to assist them in securing their permits and licenses, we might be able to hasten their intention to build more towers and investment in the BARMM,” said Marzoc in a report from the Bangsamoro Information Office. “Actually, we don’t have any control over them… pwede po tayo magsuggest ng mga locations na pwede nilang i-prioritize na paglalagyan ng kanilang mga towers (but we can suggest the locations where they could put up their priority towers),” Marzoc added. Marzoc was with Hermoso during the top-level meeting

establishing alternative food supply networks. Logistics companies such as Ninja Van began innovating their delivery process to expand across new services that would navigate through the constraints of the current operating conditions. Early this year, MinDA initiated several rapid impact assessment studies with different International Development Partners, including the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the United Nations Development Program (UNDP) for the conduct of “Rapid assessment of the impact of COVID 19 on food sup-

ply chains in the Philippines”, and the “COVID 19 Mindanao and BARMM Rapid Social Economic Impact Assessment Study” with UNDP and Social Enterprises Research and Development (SERDEF). Results of the studies were among the bases for identifying the immediate to long-term agenda for economic recovery, which includes fast-tracking of vaccination roll-out, ensuring sufficient supply of locally-produced goods, green financing, Micro Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME) development, and strengthening BIMP EAGA cooperation for market access

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withDITOexecutivesinDavao City. Marzoc said DITO has constructed13cellsitesinMaguindanao,includingCotabato City, and two in Lanao del Sur. ThesearepartofPhase1for

this year.

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DANIDA explained. In the past, the river was teeming with life and people came to see its beauty. “The river showed off its bounty around the 1940s when, being relatively unpolluted, it generously flowed for people to wash clothes and take a bath in, for poets to admire, and for fishermen to take home a bountiful catch,” recalled Dr. Macrina Zafaralla in her study, Pasig: The Ecology of a Dying River. Today, this scenario is all gone. As Manila developed with the imperatives of urbanization, industrial establishments conveniently mushroomed along both sides of the fabled river. Subsequent events tell of the usual path taken by all rivers that have witnessed the growth of great cities adjacent to them. “With time, the river became an overused artery of commercial and industrial pursuits,” Dr. Zafaralla noted in her study. “In the 1960s, the water shimmered in oily squalor. Thereafter, water from artesian wells dug along the banks became non-potable for human consumption. “As the water came to a standstill, water hyacinth blossomed in unimaginable thickets. Oil slicks, gases and other pollutants merged to spew out foul air. The degraded state of the river had never been more unbearable,” Dr. Zafaralla wrote. According to the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) based in Silang, Cavite, organic pollutants are the main cause of water pollution in the rivers. They include human sewage, animal waste, surface runoff from

streets, cleaning materials, organic fertilizers, and wastes from food processing plants and pulp and paper factories. “These pollutants are not directly poisonous to life in the rivers but they reduce the amount of oxygen dissolved in the water, aside from increasing the amount of carbon dioxide, nitrates, and phosphates,” the IIRR said. Serious threat In 2008, a survey conducted by the Social Weather Stations (SWS) showed that five of every 10 Filipinos believe water pollution is a serious threat to their health and environment. Unsafe water means diseases – if not death. Contaminated drinking water and waterborne diseases caused 4,200 deaths a year and 500,000 illnesses. “An estimated 50% of typhoid cases (in the Philippines) are due to water pollution, sanitation conditions, and hygiene practices,” a World Bank report stated. “Outbreaks are commonly associated with contaminated water supply systems.” Another World Bank study warned of a possible water scarcity problem in the country by 2025. By that time, water availability will be marginal in most major cities and in eight of the 19 major river basins. Save those dying rivers and rehabilitate the dead ones now – before it’s too late? As Senator Drillon puts it: “Think of ways on how to keep our rivers healthy so that the younger generations and the generations yet unborn can still enjoy them. Let us be good stewards of Mother Nature. Let us save our rivers.”

on and he reacted with a roar of joy when he and Krajonovic clinched the second set.

“It’s a privilege to play with Novak”, Krajinovic said. “A very good friend and my idol.”

fenses, didn’t score in the third quarter until Caldwell-Pope’s three-point play at the 7:20 mark. Young and Bogdanovich each hit a 3 that made it 75-60, and Washington coach Wes Unseld Jr. called timeout. It didn’t make much of a difference initially as the Hawks padded the lead to 80-64 on Young’s three-point play, but the Wizards closed the quarter on a 17-9 run to make it 84-77 entering the fourth. Atlanta led by as many as 13 in the first half, but the

Wizards closed to within three on Beal’s 14-footer in the closing seconds before the break. Washington scored 37 in the second quarter. Danilo Gallinari hit a 3 from the left corner that gave the Hawks a 25-21 lead and caused the Wizards to call timeout with 3:09 to go in the first. Gallinari scored from the same spot a couple of minutes later, and Young hit a layup before knocking down a pair of free throws that made it 32-21 for Atlanta’s first double-digit lead.

cago a 46-35 lead. But Brown scored the next 10 on his own — hitting back-to-back 3-pointers to make it a onepoint game. After Dosunmu’s layup, Brown hit another 3, then Smart made one of his own and the Celtics made it an eight-point lead at halftime. TIP-INS The Celtics’ Marcus

Smart appeared to hurt his leg during the third quarter but gave a thumbs-up to the bench and remained in the game. ... Boston’s Robert Williams limped off the court and straight to the locker room after a collision in the third quarter. He returned to the bench for the start of the fourth, and the team said he tweaked his hip.

Plania dropped Greer twice in the first and sixth round with snapping left hooks en route to a majority decision, 94-94, 96-92, and 97-91. The Chicago, Illinois native was a 16-1 favorite and held the WBO-NABO bantamweight title in 2019. CompuBox recorded that Plania outlanded Greer, counting 99-of-290 power punches for the Filipino, 22 more than the American’s 77-of-227. Plania’s last fight was a unanimous decision win over Emmanuel Mogawa of

Dipolog City, Zamboanga del Norte at the Sanman Gym in General Santos City on April 30, 2021. Plania’s only career loss was dealt by Juan Carlos Payano on March 23, 2018 at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Hollywood, Florida, USA for the vacant World Boxing Organization intercontinental bantamweight title. Payano is from Dominican Republic, who held the WBA and then concurrently the IBO bantamweight titles between 2014 and 2016.

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VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

SPORTS

DeMar DeRozan shoots 15 for 20, including 3 for 4 from beyond the arc. PHOTO: AP

Djokovic makes winning return in Paris doubles

ARIS, France -- Novak Djokovic, making his return to the court at the Paris Masters, seven weeks after losing the US Open final, picked up a doubles win on Monday, on the eve of his singles debut. Djokovic and Serbian compatriot Filip Krajinovic needed a super tiebreak to beat Australians Alex de Minaur and Luke Saville 4-6, 6-4, 10/7, in front of a packed Bercy arena. “I’ve never played in front of so many people for a doubles match, it’s incredible,” said the world No. 1, whose last doubles match was in Mallorca in June when he and Carlos Gomez-Herrera won their semi-final. They then withdrew from the final because the Spaniard had injured an ankle. In his first singles match on Tuesday, Djokovic will face Hungarian Marton Fucsovics, who beat Italian Fabio Fognini 6-1,

6-7 (6/8), 7-6 (7/5) on Monday. Djokovic had not played since his dream of winning a calendar Grand Slam was shattered in the US Open final in mid-September by Russian Daniil Medvedev. “It’s been a very trying season, but it’s not over,” he said. “I’m very proud of the way I played in the Grand Slams this year, I didn’t end up with the trophy in New York, but there are a lot of things I can be happy about.” Djokovic lost his first service game on a double fault, and surprisingly allowed Krajinovic to defend when the Australians had a set point, which they won. The 34-year-old Djokovic, who sought support from the crowd on several occasions, began to find some intensity early in the second set and improved as the match went

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Trae Young goes 7 for 16 in 36 minutes of play. PHOTO: AP

Bulls rise from 19 points down to defeat Celtics

OSTON — DeMar DeRozan scored 37 points and the Chicago Bulls rallied from a 19-point, second-half deficit on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time) to beat the Boston Celtics, 128-114, and improve to 6-1 for the season. Zach LaVine scored 26 points and Nikola Vucevic had 11 points, 10 rebounds and nine assists for the Bulls, who outscored Boston, 39-11, in the fourth quarter to turn a 14-point lead into a 14-point victory. “It was very gratifying to see we kept the fight,” DeRozan said. “We were down big on the road, tough place to play, we

didn’t get rattled.” Jaylen Brown scored 28 for the Celtics, who have lost three in a row and left their home court to boos. Al Horford had 20 points and 10 rebounds, and Jayson Tatum scored 20 for Boston. “We got up, got comfortable, got a little bit too cute thinking the game was over in the third quarter,” said Celtics coach Ime

Udoka, who fell to 2-5 in his first season at the helm. “We started celebrating early. It’s a good lesson learned: You mess with the game, it will come back to bite you.” The Celtics led 94-75 with about three minutes left in the third quarter and still had a 103-89 lead entering the fourth. But Chicago scored the first 12 points in the fourth to cut the deficit to two points, 103-101, with just over 8 minutes left. Ayo Dosunmu, a second-round draft pick who had his first double-digit NBA game with 14 points, hit a 3-pointer with 6:53 left to put the Bulls up

106-105. The Celtics briefly retook the lead before Chicago scored 18 of the next 20 points. Tatum scored two points on 1-for-8 shooting in the fourth quarter, and Brown was scoreless on just two shots. “We’re running plays for our best players. Every team knows that. They do a good job of shutting that down,” Celtics guard Marcus Smart said. “We can’t allow that.” The Celtics led 35-31 near the end of the first quarter before DeRozan ran off nine straight points, scoring 11 during a 15-0 run that gave Chi-

122-111 at Washington last week, snapped a two-game skid. Bogdan Bogdanovich finished with 16 points for Atlanta, and Cam Reddish added 15 off the bench. Washington struggled to pull within double digits after De’Andre Hunter’s turnaround jumper made it 10594 with 5:12 remaining. Bogdanovich followed with a 3 from the left wing, and the Wizards missed a third straight jumper before Reddish, falling near the baseline, fed John Collins with a behind-the-back pass and an easy lay-in to put Atlanta up 110-94 with 3:32 to go. The Wizards closed the lead to eight after Kentavious Caldwell-Pope stole the ball from Young and fed Kyle Kuzma for a layup that made

it 110-102 with 1:27 remaining. Hawks coach Nate McMillan quickly called timeout. Young followed by hitting a pair of free throws, but Spencer Dinwiddie answered with a three-point play that trimmed the lead to 112-105 with 1:14 to go. After Reddish hit a pair of foul shots, the Wizards called timeout with 57.5 seconds to go before Caldwell-Pope missed a 3, and Collins knocked down two free throws to give the Hawks a 114-105 advantage. That essentially ended it. The Wizards, who seemed out of sorts while Atlanta kept switching between man and zone de-

FBULLS, P10

Hawks snap two-game skid A

TLANTA — Trae Young scored 26 points, Clint Capela had 16 points and 12 rebounds, and the Atlanta Hawks beat the Washington Wizards, 118-111, on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time). Bradley Beal scored 19 of his 24 points in the first half for Washington, which had its three-game win streak halted and lost its fifth in a row at State Farm Arena. A victory would’ve given Washington (5-2) its best beginning to a season since the 1974-75 Bullets got off to a 7-0 start. Young went 11 for 11 from the free-throw line as Atlanta finished 29 for 29 on foul shots. The Hawks, who lost

FHAWKS, P10

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 197 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 03, 2021

World super bantamweight contender “Magic” Mike Plania of Sanman Boxing will be back in action when he clashes with former world title contender Ricardo “El Matematico” Nunez of Panama on November 20.

MAGIC MIKE

Plania back in action vs Panamanian foe on Nov. 20

orld super bantamweight contender “Magic” Mike Plania of Sanman Boxing will be back in action when he clashes with former world title contender Ricardo “El Matematico” Nunez of Panama on November 20 at the Manual Airtime Community Center Theater, Miami, Florida.

Plania, who totes a 25-1 winlossCaption record with 12 KOs, is rated No. World 4 WBO, No. 5 WBA, bantamNo. 9 IBF, super and No. 15 WBC in the super weight contender “Magic” bantamweight/junior featherMike Plania of Sanman Boxweight division. ing Nunez will be back23inKOs) action (29-12, is a when clashes withwho former grizzledheveteran fighter has world title contender Ricarfaced deadly world champions do Matematico” Nunez of like“El Moruti Mthalane, Drian Fancisco andonJuan Carlos Reveco. Panama November 20. The fight will be organized by MNR Promotions. MAGIC MIKE Plania is rigidly training at Plania back in action vs the Moros Gym under the watchPanamanian foe oncoach Nov. Moro 20 ful eyes of Cuban Fernandez. Plania’s only career loss was at the hands of world champion CarlosbantamPayano World Juan super and has been on a ten fight winweight contender “Magic” ning streak since then. Mike Plania of Sanman Box“I am extremely excited for ing will be back action this fight. Nunez is a noinpushover when he clashes with former opponent being a seasoned vetworld titlepreparing contender Ricareran. I am myself for war. A win against himNunez can beofa do “El Matematico” ticket to bigger fights and 20 closer Panama on November at to title,Airtime ” Plania stated. thea world Manual CommuPlania alias “Magic” is a nity Center orthodox Theater, Miami, 24-year-old fighter, Florida. standing 5′ 5½″ (166cm) and a reach of 65½″ (166cm) from

General Santos City. He has Plania, who in totes 25-1 fought 26 bouts 138 arounds with a KO rate of 46.15%. win-loss record with 12 KOs, Nunez No. is an 4orthodox is rated WBO, fighter No. 5 standing 5′ 7″ (170cm) WBA, No. 9 IBF, andhas No.a KO 15 rate of 56.1% in 41 bouts coverWBC in the super bantaming 193 rounds. His last fight was weight/junior on December 12,featherweight 2019 with a division. fifth round stoppage of Luis Lebron of Puerto Rico in Trujillo Alto, Puerto Rico. (29-12, 23 KOs) Nunez the biggest opportuis aGiven grizzled veteran fightnity of his fighting career, Plania er who has faced deadly took advantage of it with a stunworld champions like Moruti ning win over the heavily-favored Mthalane, Drian and Joshua Greer Jr. onFancisco June 16, 2020 Juan The fight at theCarlos MGM Reveco. Grand Conference Centerbe in Las Vegas, Nevada. will organized by MNR It was a Top Rank no-attenPromotions. dance card due to pandemic restrictions became the PlaniaandisPlania rigidly trainfirst Filipino boxer to fight during ing at the Moros the Covid-19 scare. Gym under theThe watchful eyes of Cuban unknown Filipino fightcoach Morothe Fernandez. er accepted offer with Plajust less monthloss to prepare, nia’sthan onlyacareer was at but proved that it was the hands everybody of world champion enough time Payano to upsetand the has No. Juan Carlos 1 ranked WBO bantamweight been on aand tenmade fighthimself winning contender adstreak since then. mired in the boxing world.

FMAGIC, P10