Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 236 | Sunday-Monday, December 19-20, 2021 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

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WAKE UP CALL Disruption of telco services a wake-up call to business sector: ECCP-SMBC STORY ON PAGE 2

A pedestrian shares some cash to a physically challenged beggar along C.M. Recto Avenue in Davao City on Saturday. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

President Rodrigo Duterte discusses matters with Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong” Go and Transportation Secretary Arthur Tugade following the unveiling of brand-new train sets for Metro Rail Transit Line 7 (MRT-7) at the MRT-7 tracks along Commonwealth Avenue in Diliman, Quezon City on Thursday. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

WAKE UP CALL T

Mati’s public market gets festive with Xmas decors

Disruption of telco services a wake-up call to business sector: ECCP-SMBC By MAYA M. PADILLO

n official of the European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Business Council (ECCP-SMBC) said the disruption of services of telecom companies on Friday due to Typhoon Odette is a wake-up call for the business sector to consider other internet providers.

“We can’t simply afford these inefficiencies. What happened (on December 17) with our telecommunications system is a serious incident that exposed its vulnerability to the elements. In a season of continuous disruptions from

the lockdowns to climate change businesses must maintain their resiliency,” Tony Peralta, chairman of ECCP-SMBC told Edge Davao. He cited Converge ICT Solutions as an option for the business sector in

Davao City. He said Converge is eyeing to launch its connectivity from Davao Region to the submarine cable that will run from Singapore to the US West Coast by the first semester of 2022, which bodes well for Davao and eventually Mindanao businesses. Peralta said Converge took the initiative of pursuing major investments in making the move of establishing a connection to the submarine cable as a southern gateway, which will open more business opportunities to Mindanao.

guin, and Misamis Oriental on December 17, and Zamboanga del Sur on December 16. Restoration is ongoing for transmission facilities serving the entire Samar, Leyte, and Negros islands, Bohol, Cebu, Iloilo, Antique, entire Surigao and Agusan

provinces, Compostela Valley, Davao Oriental, Lanao del Norte, and Misamis Occidental. A total of 65 line gangs or over 500 personnel consisting of engineers and linemen, and 2 choppers were deployed to expedite restoration works.

He also said the entry of Converge in Mindanao will provide businesses with a stronger option of addressing telecommunications disruptions. Meanwhile, Lafayette Lim, president of the NCCC Group of Companies, told Edge Davao that the disruption was an eyeopener on how dependent businesses are on telcos. “It was business as usual, but we had to use whatever alternative means are available. With every new challenge, we learn new ways of doing things,” he

Based on its completed assessment in Mindanao, NGCP found 134 toppled poles in Surigao del Norte. Line inspection continues in Visayas, with an initial report of 4 toppled towers, 2 toppled poles, and 1 leaning pole.

FWAKE , A1

NGCP begins restoration works in Typhoon Odette-affected areas GCP continues its aerial inspection and foot patrol of all areas affected by Typhoon Odette as restoration activities are now ongoing for areas already accessible. Transmission services were fully restored to the provinces of Capiz, Cami-

FNGCP , A1

he Madang Public Market in the City of Mati has been festooned with Christmas decors transforming the market into a dreamland for this holiday season. This is the first time ever that the market has turned into a Christmas village of sorts as the market administrator joined hand in hand with the stall renters to make this year’s Christmas celebration special. Mati Public Market officer-in-charge Julius Colasito said the idea just came up as they were discussing how to make the holiday celebration in the market festive. The 658 stallholders inside the Madang Public Market gamely participated on the plan and deco-

rated the entire market with Christmas decors and more. When done, market-goers were amazed with the transformation and compared the once dreary market to that of a festival market in Korea or Chinatown. The market is adorned with different colors, forms and shapes of decorations made up of materials that one usually sees inside the market. There are Christmas trees made of vegetables and fruits, a huge fish lantern, hanging fans of different colors and sizes, and many more — all recyclable materials as single-use plastics are already prohibited inside the market. On December 16, the

FMATI’S , A1

‘Odette’ initial infra damage estimated at P178-M: DPWH

he damage to infrastructure caused by Typhoon Odette in areas in the Visayas and Mindanao has been initially placed at more than PHP178 million, the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) reported on Friday. “We estimate about PHP178.4 million damage of our structures. These are only the roads and bridges, not included (are) the buildings, private structures,” DPWH Undersecretary Emerson Benitez said in a press briefing. The department said as of Friday noon, 16 road sections remained closed

to traffic – two in Central Visayas, one in Eastern Visayas, five in Northern Mindanao, and eight in the Caraga region – due to fallen trees, flooding, soil collapse, landslide, road slip, damaged bridge, and vehicular accident. Meanwhile, four road sections have limited access – one in Northern Mindanao and three in Caraga – due to flooding and fallen trees. All other national roads and bridges in other affected regions are passable to all types of vehicles. “Just an hour ago, we were able to release

F’ODETTE’, A1

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

A general view of Siargao Island in Surigao del Norte on Friday shows the damage left by Typhoon ‘Odette’after it made landfall over the island. Philippine Coast Guard

Hospitalization, mortuary benefits ordinance for city hall employees Transfer of hospital in R-12 to DOH in limbo

he full transfer to the Department of Health (DOH) of the Soccsksargen regional hospital in Surallah town, South Cotabato is facing uncertainty due to funding claims from the provincial government. Dr. Aristides Tan, DOH-Region 12 director, said the planned turnover of the facility last October did not materialize after the local government of South Cotabato issued “new demands,” among them the “reimbursement” of some P150 million. He said the signing of a usufruct agreement with the provincial government for the lease of the existing facilities and the five-hectare land hosting the hospital complex in Barangay Dajay, Surallah for at least 25 years has also remained pending as of Thursday. DOH and the local government forged an agree-

ment to start the transition process last June for the full turnover of the hospital, which is officially named Soccsksargen General Hospital (SGH). Tan said they have no available funds for the demanded reimbursement, which reportedly covers the period from the signing of a memorandum of agreement (MOA) by both parties in June 2019 for its transfer and development into a regional hospital. The reimbursement claim started from over P200 million and has since been reduced to around P150 million, he said. He said the agency is willing to pay for the local government’s investments into the facility but only from the start of the transition period last May. “We are negotiating but the other end has not agreed so far,” Tan said in

FTRANSFER , A1

By MAYA M. PADILLO

he City Council has approved under suspended rules a resolution to enact an ordinance adopting the guidelines on Hospitalization Assistance Benefits and Mortuary Fund Benefits to employees of the city government of Davao Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, proponent of the ordinance and who is also the committee chair on health, said the city’s Human Resource and Management Office (HRMO)

requested the inclusion of the said ordinance as among the highlights in the 48th regular session on December 14, 2021. “This is a special request from the executive

department. In these trying times we must find ways to help those who work in the front lines every day, our fellow government workers who come to work tirelessly to serve our fellow Dabawenyos during this pandemic,” Villafuerte said. As one of the employee benefits and mechanisms of the city government of Davao, the Healthcare Committee on the In-House Medical Package for the

alacañang on Friday assured the government is providing continuous assistance in areas affected by Typhoon “Odette”. Citing the latest report from the National Disaster Risk Reduction

and Management Council (NDRRMC), acting presidential Spokesperson Karlo Nograles said 83,026 families or 332,855 persons have been preemptively evacuated in Regions 6, 7, 8, 9, and Caraga as of Friday.

He said there are 4,989 displaced families or 14,680 persons inside 192 evacuation centers in Regions 5, 6, 8, 10, and Caraga. According to Nograles, the Department of Social Welfare and Development

city hall employees approved the guidelines on Hospitalization Assistance Benefit and Mortuary Fund Benefit on July 6, 2020. For the hospitalization benefit, it will cover all “plantilla” personnel whose appointments are permanent, temporary, co-terminus, and elective are entitled to avail of the said benefit. The employee must be admitted to any

has provided family food packs to disaster-affected families and continues to coordinate with affected local government units for augmentation support and ensure that the immediate needs are quickly ad-

FHOSPITALIZATION , A1

‘Odette’ victims assured of gov’t assistance: Palace M

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4 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

On the disruption of internet connectivity amidst strong typhoon Odette:

We can’t simply afford these inefficiencies. What happened (on December 17) with our telecommunications system is a serious incident that exposed its vulnerability to the elements. In a season of continuous disruptions from the lockdowns to climate change businesses must maintain their resiliency.”

Tony Peralta

European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Business Council (ECCP-SMBC) Chairman

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VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE POINTS

ATTY. EMILY ZEN CHUA IBP DAVAO CORNER

VACCINATED BUT STILL COVID-19 POSITIVE Dear IBP Davao, I am an employee and was already fully vaccinated. Unfortunately, even after vaccination, I still tested positive with Covid-19 but was asymptomatic. So, after testing negative of Covid-19, I returned back to work. I feel that I was being ostracized in the office. My officemates insist that I wear the mask all the time. Last week, I caught some colds together with my other officemates. My employer insists that I take the RT-PCR test first before I can report back to the office. My other officemates were not required to undergo the RT-PCR tests. Is this legal? Takot sa Covid-19 Dear Takot sa Covid-19, If your are working in a pri-

vate company, you may want to review the labor issuances of Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) thru this link https://www.dole.gov. ph/covid-19-mitigating-measures/. Labor Advisory 182020 states that the employer shall shoulder the cost of Covid-19 prevention, which includes testing, PPEs, etc. Under the joint guidelines of Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and DOLE, the employer has the option to ask the worker to stay at home if he/she is sick even though he/she is not suspected to be Covid-19 positive. It is also under this joint memorandum where workers are required to wear masks while in the office. In fact, the employer is required to report to DOLE their compliance on

Covid-19 measures through DOLE Work Accident/Illness Report Form (WAIR). Indeed, even though the law is quite harsh when it comes to Covid-19 mandates, we must also remember that these government-mandated rules are supported by opinions of numerous legal and medical experts who have exhaustively studied the issue. And the public is likewise repeatedly warned that despite Covid-19 vaccination, there is still a possibility of Covid-19 infection but the serious effect of the disease is minimized. One exercise I usually do to ensure my mind remains open is to make it a point to also look at the other side of the story. As writer Isaac Asimov said,

“Your assumptions are your windows on the world. Scrub them off every once in a while, or the light won’t come in.” As such, it may be of our interest to also read the other side of the Covid-19 story. One famous website is https://covidcalltohumanity. org which is likewise supported by opinions of medical and legal experts questioning the government’s measures on Covid-19. With these two very diverse views, I guess, only history will judge us on who was right all along. As Abraham Lincoln once said, “I am not bound to win, but I am bound to be true. I am not bound to succeed, but I am bound to live by the light that I have. I must stand with anybody

that stands right, and stand with him while he is right, and part with him when he goes wrong.” In the meantime, let us continue the open discussion regarding these measures that affect all of us, sans political arguments, if possible. Anyway, there is free coffee at the IBP Davao lounge. IBP Davao Corner is a weekly column of Integrated Bar of the Philippines- Davao Chapter, giving legal advice as part of its legal aid program. The above legal opinion is based solely on the appreciation of the facts and problem given and stated above. The opinion may vary when other facts, circumstances, and situations are stated. You may send your comments and questions to ibpdavao@gmail.com.

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

SHOPLIFTING: WHEN STEALING CAN’T BE CONTROLLED People are flocking these days to malls, despite the fact that we are still under the pandemic. The reason: Christmas is here and people are buying Christmas presents for their loved ones. With so many people in one area, physical distancing is no longer observed, it seems. Sales ladies and sales men have a hard time keeping up with the customers. So much so that some people can shoplift. There are two kinds of shoplifters: professional and amateur or casual shoplifters. The professional shoplifters are those who usually take expensive items, like clothing and jewelry that they can resell easily. Amateur or casual shoplifters make up the majority of shoplifters. About 70% of the time, casual shoplifters don’t go into a store with the intention of stealing – they simply see the opportunity to take something and do it. Girls are more likely to do shoplifting than boys. A study in the United Kingdom – where more than two in 10 shoplifters are under 18 – showed 7,528 girls aged 13-15 were caught shoplifting. In comparison, there were only 6,370 boys of the same age doing the same thing. In the Philippines, shop-

lifting is also very common. Some years back, a Philippine Daily Inquirer report said that a 32-year-old woman from Binan, Laguna was arrested after a security guard found in her tote bag several toothbrushes worth over P5,000 she allegedly stole from a supermarket in Quezon City. There was also the case of a woman who shoplifted a pair of shoes worth P900+ in a mall. “I was brought in to the security office and made me fill-up a form writing a statement that I was invited in their office and would pay for the goods that I had ‘forgotten’ to pay,” she recalled. “I was so scared and shaking while I was filling-up the form. The investigator told me what was going to happen: he said I had to pay the amount of the shoes and was still not able to get the shoes. I begged to pay the exact amount of the shoes and not double but he said it was not alright because that was their policy. There are many reasons why casual shoplifters steal, studies show. For teenagers, peer pressure can be a factor; they want to have the same expensive, stylish clothes they see their classmates wearing. Some people may also shoplift to prove that they fit in with friends who shoplift.

Unfortunately, many people who shoplift can’t explain why they do it. More often than not, they have enough money in their pockets to pay for the items that they steal. In fact, they also know that it’s wrong to shoplift and expect to be punished if they’re caught. Shoplifting experts believe that these people are “acting out” by using shoplifting to relieve painful emotions, such as stress. Teenagers whose parents are going through marriage separation, for example, may turn to shoplifting because of the feelings of loss they’re going through. Others may use stealing as a way of getting back at someone, like a parent or a friend, who has hurt them. Shoplifters are also frequently bored or depressed. Experts at the Shoplifters Anonymous in the United States say that teens also shoplift because they: think the stores can afford the losses; think they won’t get caught; don’t know how to handle temptation when faced with things they want; feel peer pressure to shoplift; and don’t know how to work through feelings of anger, frustration, depression, unattractiveness, or lack of acceptance. Many people think that shoplifters have a mental dis-

order or that they must really need the items they are shoplifting to survive. But actually, kleptomaniacs (people who feel compelled to steal) or people who steal because they’re hungry and desperate only make up a tiny percentage of shoplifters. Some recent studies have found that it’s possible for people to become addicted to shoplifting – like they do to alcohol or drugs. For these people, shoplifting means more than simply stealing items. It also robs them of their lives. Dr. Jon Grant, an American psychiatrist who has treated hundreds for this kind of addiction, says, “The craving is so strong, much like an alcohol craving or craving for heroin, that they really feel out of control, they feel almost like robots.” Terry Shulman, an American attorney, author and recovering shoplifter, agrees. “I was so out of control, I scared myself. I couldn’t believe what I was doing,” he says. “And I actually contemplated suicide.” Among shoplifters, the inability to stop stealing is very common. “After people become addicted to shoplifting, they will actually become agitated and anxious and won’t sleep, because they have got these cravings or these urges

to shoplift and when they can’t do it, it affects them,” says Dr. Grant. According to Dr. Grant, it is taking a long time for people to recognize it as an addiction because people don’t come forward and talk about it because of the shame and guilt associated with the behavior. Also, shoplifting is a crime and mental health professionals often don’t want to get involved in criminal behavior. Now, if you ever caught your friend shoplifting, what should you do? “It’s not easy to confront a friend and ask about shoplifting,” says Dr. Mary Gavin, an American psychologist. “Try saying that you’re concerned, and that you don’t want your friend to get hurt in the long run. You could suggest possible resources to break the habit. And if your friend won’t stop, be sure that you avoid shopping together.” Another possibility: If you are concerned about a friend – or if you have a problem with shoplifting - ask an adult you feel comfortable talking to for help finding shoplifting treatment programs. Still another: Encourage your friend to get help for any underlying problems like depression that may be the source of the shoplifting problem.

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said. Janice Parreno, general manager of Abreeza Mall, as internet connections were affected, transactions were limited to cash basis and ATMs were not available until late in the afternoon of December 17, 2021. She, however, said foot traffic was not affected. Ken Kapulong, hotel manager of Seda Abreeza, said the hotel had to do all tasks manually from front

office check-in and check out to billing processing, as all systems were down for almost 24 hours. “Can’t accept credit card and e-wallet transactions, cash only. Manual opening of doors as guest rooms are electronic. No virtual/ hybrid meetings. Manual recording of all transactions, manual monitoring of rooms. We can only use a radio network, no cellphones. Back to pen and paper,” he said.

PHP100 million. This is going to be used to sustain our personnel on the ground, including the equipment. For Region 6 (Western Visayas), we released PHP20 million; Region 7 (Central Visayas), PHP20 million; Region 8 (Eastern Visayas), PHP20 million; Region 10 (Northern Mindanao), PHP10 million; and Region 13 (Caraga), PHP30 million. This is just an initial response, and we hope to have additional funds to be requested from the Department of Budget

and Management,” Benitez added. On the other hand, Bureau of Maintenance Director Ernesto Gregorio Jr. said the necessary equipment has been deployed to the affected areas as they prepare for clearing operations. “Our quick response is to immediately open the roads. That’s the instruction of (acting) Secretary Roger Mercado, except for flooded areas and those road slip(s) and landslide(s),” he added. (PNA)

hospital within Davao City. However, the ordinance does not include out-patient clinics, diagnostic, dialysis, and lying-in centers, and aesthetic, cosmetic, and drug-related admission. For documentary requirements, the employee must present final billing from the hospital, certificate of confinement, certification duly issued by the city’s Human Resource Management Office (HRMO) that the personnel is a city government employee to be submitted to the City Accountant’s Office for the payment processing.

The hospitalization benefit shall be provided to qualified employees regardless of illness or cause, except, however, when said confinement was caused through violation of any government laws and regulations to include but not limited to traffic violations that include non-wearing of helmet and drunk-driving. Qualified employee shall be entitled to a maximum of P30,000 annual hospitalization benefit and the amount shall be carried over the following year if not availed by the employee.

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Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

TRANSFER... FROM3

an interview with reporters in Koronadal City. The turnover of the hospital to the DOH is provided for in Republic Act 11102, the law that created the SGH, signed by President Rodrigo Duterte on Oct. 26, 2018. The facility, previously known as the Upper Valley Community Hospital, was constructed from 2010 to 2013 through grants from the DOH (P28 million) and San Miguel Corp. (P25 million). Based on the MOA, the transition process should have started in January 2020 but was delayed due to the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic. The provincial government, through Gov. Reynaldo Tamayo Jr., decided to defer the transfer of the hospital to the DOH and

utilized it instead as dedicated isolation and treatment facility for Covid-19 since April 2020. Tan said the DOH-12 was ready to take over the hospital’s operations as early as 2020 and already allotted funds for it. He said they already completed the hiring of the initial batch of personnel, with an initial 57 plantilla items opened last year for doctors, nurses, and other ancillary workers, and procured some medicines and equipment. “They have already been reporting for duty at the SGH since the start of the transition period,” he said. But pending the full turnover of the SGH, the official said its planned upgrade to a level 2 facility by next year will have

Christmas lantern contest was launched with no less than City of Mati Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat attending the event. The winner of the said contest would be declared on December 21. Aside from the lantern contest, the market vendors also did a dance presentation during the mayor’s visit. The market adminis-

tration is planning to hold this event annually from now on as they expect this to become but another attraction for the City of Mati in the years to come. Colasito also thanked Mayor Rabat for the support, as well as the market vendors who gave their allout support to the Christmas activity. (CIO MATI) Write to EDGE DAVAO EDITORIAL

Aerial inspections were delayed when NGCP choppers were forced to turn around and return to base yesterday, 17 December, by aviation authorities due to unsafe weather conditions. Today’s clearer weather en-

abled NGCP to proceed with aerial inspections and provide a full picture of the nature and extent of damage. An official restoration schedule will be posted once assessment is completed.

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Mortgagee,

EJF-REM CASE NO. 18,168-21

Sps. ERICJUNE S. AROZADO and HAZEL MEY G. AROZADO Mortgagor/s X-------------------------------------X

Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against Sps. ERICJUNE S. AROZADO and HAZEL MEY G. AROZADO, with postal address/et.al.: (1) Block 15 Lots 6 & 8, Cedar St., corner Ebony St., Priscilla Heights Ph. 2, Brgy. Cabantian, Davao City 8000; and (2) Lot 2 Block 25 Bajada Drive, Vincent Heights Davao City, Davao del Sur, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of November 29, 2021, the subject obligation has amounted to PESOS: FIVE MILLION SIX HUNDRED FIFTY EIGHT THOUSAND TWO HUNDRED SIXTY ONE & 19/100 P5,658,261.19) and plus other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on JANUARY 13, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property with all its improvements found thereon, particularly described below, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-146-2019017240 “A PARCEL OF LAND OF THE CONSOLIDATION & SUBDIVISION PROJECT (LOT 8, BLK 15 OF THE CONSOLIDATION & SUBDIVISION PLAN PCS-11-004555, XXXX) SITUATED IN THE BARANGAY OF CABANTIAN; CITY OF DAVAO, ISLAND OF MINDANAO, XXXX CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE HUNDRED FORTY ONE (141) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS. TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-146-2019017239 “A PARCEL OF LAND OF THE CONSOLIDATION & SUBDIVISION PROJECT (LOT 6, BLK 15 OF THE CONSOLIDATION & SUBDIVISION PLAN PCS-11-004555, XXXX) SITUATED IN THE BARANGAY OF CABANTIAN; CITY OF DAVAO, ISLAND OF MINDANAO, XXXX CONTAINING AN AREA OF ONE HUNDRED THIRTY (130) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS. All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on FEBRUARY 03, 2022 without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, NOVEMBER 29, 2021

EJF-REM CASE NO. 18,152-21

ROMEO DIEZ, married to MERLY DIEZ Mortgagor/s X----------------------------------X

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

- versus -

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (SGD.) JOSEPH T. CASTRO Sheriff IV

its reimbursement claims with the DOH as set in the June 2019 MOA. The agreement was signed by Health Secretary Francisco Duque and the governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes. As of Nov. 24, Tamayo said the province’s “collectibles” with the DOH were at around P125 million. “That’s people’s money so we cannot just waive that,” the governor said. As to the usufruct agreement, he said its signing has been delayed as they are still waiting for the official transfer of the newly completed hospital buildings to the local government as reportedly required by the Commission on Audit. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE of the late VICTOR A. QUIAMBAO Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late who died intestate on December 5, 2010, in Davao City, leaving a parcel of land containing an area of SEVEN HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE (785) SQUARE METERS, more or less, located at Barrio of Calinan, Davao City, Davao del Sur, Philippines, and with Tax Declaration of Real Property Value – Land – PIN No. 172-06-017-007-204 of the Office of the City Treasurer – City of Davao and covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-428141 of the Registry of Deeds of City of Davao, has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed among his heirs. Per Doc. 267; Page No. 55; Book No. V; Series of 2021 of the Notary Public Atty. PHILIP N. SANIEL..

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City

BDO UNIBANK, INC. SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) Mortgagee, - versus -

to take a backseat. He said the funding for the hospital, which has a proposed budget of around PHP70 million for the maintenance and other operating expenses in 2022, might also be affected. SGH, which formally started its operations in January 2017 as a 10-bed infirmary, has been downgraded to a Covid-19 facility and presently not accepting other patients, he said. Gov. Tamayo has repeatedly assured that the provincial government remains committed to fully transfer the SGH to the DOH-12 but stressed that it should be subjected to the proper processes. In a statement over his radio program on Nov. 29, he said the local government stands firm on

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) Mortgagee, - versus -

EJF-REM CASE NO. 18,177-21

GERARDO TAGUDIN, married to Ramona Tagudin Mortgagor/s X----------------------------------------X

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE OF REAL PROPERTY

Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM against the mortgagor/s ROMEO DIEZ married to MERLY DIEZ, with postal address at LOT 4, BLK 4, #58 WALING-WALING ST., METROVILLE VILL., MA-A, 8000 DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of September 1, 2021 amounted to ONE MILLION FIFTY FOUR THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED TWENTY FIVE PESOS & 08/100 (Php1,054,725.08), Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges and other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on JANUARY 13, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property with all its improvements found thereon, particularly described below, to wit:

Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against GERARDO TAGUDIN married to RAMONA TAGUDIN, with postal address at #140 LOT 8, BLK 7, SAFARI ST., SARPHIL VILLAGE, AGDAO, DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of September 1, 2021 amounts to P2,796,760.70, Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges and other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on JANUARY 13, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property with all its improvements found thereon, particularly described below, to wit:

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-133583 “A parcel of land (Lot 4, Block 4 of the consolidation-subdivision plan, Pcs11-000587, being a portion of Lot 21-D (LRC) Psd-113789, Lot 22-A, (LRC) Psd202833), situated in the Barrio of Ma-a, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. Xxx, xxx, xxx. Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED EIGHTY FIVE (185) SQUARE METERS, more or less.” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on FEBRUARY 10, 2022 without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, NOVEMBER 25, 2021

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (SGD.) ORLANDO S. ACOSTA Sheriff IV

TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-124922 “A parcel of land (Lot 8, Block 7 of the subdivision project, Pcs-11-000540Amd., xxx), situated in the Barrio of Agdao, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. xxx Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FORTY THREE (143) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on FEBRUARY 10, 2022 without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, NOVEMBER 26, 2021

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (SGD.) JULITO J. ANGGOT Sheriff IV

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

DITO CME Holdings sets final price of stock rights offer

ITO CME Holdings Corp on Friday set the final offer price of its stock rights offer at P4.88 per share. DITO CME will of-

fer a total of about 1.64 billion common shares, it said in a filing to the stock exchange. The rights offer period will be from Dec.

27, 2021, to Jan. 18, 2022, the parent of third telco DITO Telecommunity said. The majority of the proceeds will be injected into DITO Tele-

VICTIMS ... FROM3 dressed. “Government is assisting round the clock those affected by Typhoon ‘Odette’,” he said in a statement. Power restoration is likewise ongoing in 62 cities and municipalities. Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation said operations at Mactan Cebu International Airport have been suspended until further notice. “We reiterate our call to the public to continue to remain vigilant, stay safe

and dry, and cooperate with local authorities to ensure everybody’s safety,” Nograles said. As of the 1 p.m. bulletin, “Odette” was 130 kilometers (km) southwest of Cuyo, Palawan or 155 km east northeast of Puerto Princesa City. Signal No. 3 is up in the northern portion of Palawan (El Nido, Taytay, Araceli, Dumaran, Roxas, San Vicente, Puerto Princesa City), including Cagayancillo and Cuyo Islands as of posting time. (PNA)

NOTICE OF LOSS

NOTICE is hereby given that the Final Contract/Policy with Contract No.100-51562-0issuedby LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED, INC. to MARIA EDELIZA M. PEREZ was lost.

NOTICE OF AUCTION The VGM Pawnshop, Inc. will hold a Public Auction Sale to all unredeemed and unrenewed items on the following schedule listed below. Ang VGM Pawnshop, Inc. magpahigayon ug subasta sa tanang prenda nga wala nalukat sa maong iskedyul nga nakasulat sa ubos. BRANCHES

Sasa Maa Sandawa Matina

EJF-REM CASE NO. 18,175-21

FORTUNATO BEIT married to YOLANDA BEIT Mortgagor/s X------------------------------------X

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against FORTUNATO BEIT married to YOLANDA BEIT, with postal address at LOT 13, BLK 4 # 60 INDIAN RIVER ST., DAVAO FARMS VILLAGE, AGDAO, DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of September 01, 2021 amounts to ONE MILLION ONE HUNDRED THIRTY SEVEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED FORTY EIGHT PESOS & 07/100 (P1,137,748.07) Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges; the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on JANUARY 20, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property with all its improvements found thereon, particularly described below, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-124851 “A parcel of land (Lot 13, Block 4 of the subdivision plan, Pcs-11-000432, being a portion of Lot 547-C-1; 547-C-2; 547-C-3; 547-C-4; 547-C-5; and lot 547-C-6 all of Psd-32269), situated in the Barrio of Agdao, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on FEBRUARY 17, 2022 without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, DECEMBER 2, 2021

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (SGD.) BRIX IAN J. NARBASA Sheriff IV

June 01 June 30, 2021

DATE & PLACE OF AUCTION December 27, 2021 (Mon.) 9:00 AM VGM Pawnshop, Inc, VGM Bldg., Km. 11 Sasa, Davao City

support a successful commercial-roll-out and for general corporate purposes,” the disclosure said. DITO Telecommunity, which is mount-

ing its network to challenge the duopoly of Globe Telecom and PLDT, earlier said it is close to hitting its 5-million subscriber milestone.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) Mortgagee, - versus - APOLONIA U. SUMILE, married to BERNELITO C. SUMILE Mortgagor/s X--------------------------------------------X

EJF REM CASE NO. 18165-21 FOR: EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 as amended

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the mortgagee - SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) against APOLONIA U. SUMILE married to BERNELITO C. SUMILE with postal address at LOT 8, BLK 2, #14 Bethlehem St., St. Anthony Village, Barrio Mamay, Davao City; the indebtedness of the mortgagors as of October 1, 2021 amounted to TWO MILLION THIRTEEN THOUSAND ONE HUNDRED FORTY NINE Pesos & 13/100 CENTAVOS (Php 2,013,149.13) Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges, plus other legal expenses incident to foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV, of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on JANUARY 13, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Benigno S. Aquino Bldg., Candelaria St., Ecoland, Matina, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property together with all its improvements existing thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-129993 “A parcel of land (Lot 8, Block 2, Pcs-11-000769, being a portion of Lots 2-C and 555-C, Psd-11-018571), situated in the Barrio of Mamay, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on FEBRUARY 10, 2022, at the same time and place without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the titles herein above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, DECEMBER 1, 2021

THE MANAGEMENT

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City

- versus -

DATE PAWNED

DAVAO:

Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) Mortgagee,

community, it said. “The proceeds from the Offer will be contributed by the Company as additional capital into DITO Telecommunity to

EJF REM CASE NO. 17,187-21 FOR: EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 as amended

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against EMILIANA JABOL married to RICARDO JABOL with postal address at LOT 26, BLK 2, Hubbard St., Davao City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of November 1, 2021 amounts to TWO MILLION FIFTY THOUSAND EIGHT HUNDRED EIGHTY EIGHT Pesos & 73/100 (P 2,050,888.73) Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges, and plus other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on JANUARY 27, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Matina, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property together with all its improvements found thereon particularly described below, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-123025 “A parcel of land (Lot 26, Block 2 of the subdivision plan Pcs-11-000432, being a portion of Lots 547-C-1; 547-C-2; 547-C-3; 547-C-4; 547-C-5 and Lot 547-C-6, all of PSD-32269), situated in the Barrio of Agdao, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, xxx Containing an area of TWO HUNDRED FIFTY (250) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

(SGD.) NICOLAS L. SUMAPIG Sheriff IV

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) Mortgagee, ` - versus - EMILIANA JABOL, married to RICARDO JABOL Mortgagor/s X----------------------------------------X

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff

SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) Mortgagee,

EJF REM CASE NO. 18,181-21

- versus LONY AGABAN, married to ANGELINA AGABAN Mortgagor/s X-------------------------------------X

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against LONY AGABAN married to ANGELINA AGABAN with postal address at #123 LOT 6, BLK 2, DALIA ST., DONNASVILLE SUBD., BARRIO PAMPANGA, DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 1, 2021 amounts to P 3,761,007.61 Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges, and other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on JANUARY 13, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/ or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, with all its improvements found thereon particularly described below, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-114829 “A parcel of land (Lot 6, Blk 2 of the Psd-11-016124, xxx) situated in the Barrio of Pampanga, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, xxx Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED NINETY TWO (192) SQUARE METERS, more or less xxx” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date.

That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on FEBRUARY 24, 2022, without further notice.

That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on FEBRUARY 10, 2022, without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title herein above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title of the above-described real property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

DECEMBER 2, 2021, Davao City, Philippines.

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (SGD.) IRVIN PAUL L. CUBELO Sheriff IV

Davao City, Philippines, December 06, 2021.

ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff (SGD.) ROBERT M. MEDIALDEA Sheriff IV

A3 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

Fishermen from the coastal community of Brgy. 23-C Isla Verde, Davao City repair their motorized boat before sailing out to catch fish at the Davao Gulf. Edge Davao

DTI: 80 percent of sales back at most businesses

ost businesses are seeing a return of about 4 in 5 of their pre-pandemic sales, the trade department said on Friday, as it justified government’s move to keep the entire Philippines under COVID-19 Alert 2 until the end of the year.

“Right now, wala ho talagang malaking reklamo na iyong karamihan ng ating mga regional establishments dahil ang report ho sa atin ay somehow mga 80 percent na ang mga nakakabalik na iyong benta nila kumpara doon sa bago mag-pandemya,” said Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez. (Right now, there is no major complaint from most of our regional establishments because they report that somehow, they are

now at 80 percent of their pre-pandemic sales.) “Siyempre ngayong Kapaskuhan siguradong mas dadami pa iyon, baka umabot tayo ng 100,” he said in a televised public briefing. (Of course, this Christmas, for sure, that will increase. We might reach 1-percent) The COVID-19 Alert 2 over the entire country allows establishments to fill up to 50 percent of their indoor facilities and 70 per-

cent of their outdoor capacity. “Kaya nga sinasabi ko, parang hindi rin kailangan pumunta sa Alert Level 1 dahil ngayon naman nakikita natin na halos lahat ho naman ay bukas na ‘no at ang mga micro SMEs natin nasasabi nilang sila ay nagbukas ulit at ang negosyo ay bumabalik ulit,” Lopez said. “At dahil diyan, tinatawag nila uli iyong mga dati nilang empleyado para mag-report ulit. So, again, more jobs para sa ating mga kababayan,” he added. (That is why I say it appeared we need not go down to Alert Level 1 because we see that almost all have reopened and our micro SMES say they are open again and

he Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Friday that the poverty incidence among Filipinos increased to 23.7% in the first half of 2021, up from 21.1% in the same period in 2018. This translates to an additional 3.9 million Filipinos living in poverty, said Socioeconomic Planning Secre-

tary Karl Kendrick Chua. Poverty incidence among the population is the proportion of poor Filipinos whose per capita income is not sufficient to meet their basic food and non-food needs. According to the PSA, the percentage means that about 26.14 million Filipinos have incomes that fall below the poverty threshold in the first

semester of 2021. This is estimated at P12,082, on the average, for a family of five per month during that period. Further, subsistence incidence among Filipinos, or the proportion of those whose income is not enough to meet even the basic food needs, was registered at 9.9% or about 10.94 million

business is returning. And because of that, they are calling back employees to report for work, so, again, more jobs for our compatriots.) He said the trade department “in a way” supports some businessmen’s call to relax physical distancing rule for establishments. “Iyong request ho sa amin na at least iyong nakita ko, ay from one meter gawing 0.75 meters. So, iyan po ang mga kinu-consider ngayon lalo na kung sa mga kainan,” said Lopez. (The request for us, at least based on what I have seen, is to shorten the distancing rule to 0.75 meter from 1 meter. That is what we are considering, especially for restaurants.)

Filipinos in the first semester of 2021. Likewise, the PSA said the monthly food threshold for a family of five for the same period was estimated at P8,393. Poverty incidence among households was at 18% in the first semester of 2021, equivalent to around 4.74 million poor families.

PSA: Poverty incidence in first half of 2021 at 23.7% T

PH, Korea sign loan accord revving up Covid-19 vaccination program

he Philippines and Korea signed on Friday an agreement for a USD100 million loan that would boost the Philippine government’s ongoing nationwide coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccination program. Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, on behalf of the Philippines, and Country Chief Representative Jaejeong Moon, representing the Export-Import Bank of Korea - Economic Development Cooperation Fund (KEXIM-EDCF) signed the agreement for the second phase of the Program Loan for Covid-19 Emergency Response Program - Vaccination Program (PLCERP II). Korean Ambassador to the Philippines Kim Inchul attended the signing ceremony. “This financial assistance from Korea will go a long way in helping the Duterte administration rev up its mass vaccination program against Covid-19 that is crucial to the strong rebound by our domestic economy come 2022,” Dominguez said. Kim said he was happy to join the “meaningful” ceremony on the signing of the

loan agreement. “Through this agreement, Korea is able to make further contribution to the Philippine government’s tireless efforts to combat the pandemic and ultimately achieve early economic recovery,” he said, adding that Korea remains committed to supporting the Philippine government in fighting the pandemic. According to the International Finance Group of the Department of Finance (DOF-IFG), the PLCERP II will help “secure financial sustainability and fill the budgetary gap” in implementing the Department of Health’s national Covid-19 vaccination program. The DOF-IFG said the loan is designed to support the implementation, monitoring, and management of the ongoing vaccination drive. In October last year, Korea extended a USD100 million loan to the government for the first phase of the PLCERP, which aimed to build systematic policy measures to respond to the Philippines’ public health challenges caused by Covid-19.

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY A4

Food delivery riders chat near a traffic light along Quimpo Blvd. in Davao City. Food delivery outlets and their riders were the most badly affected sector by the loss of internet signals on Friday due to multiple fiber cable breaks caused by typhoon ‘Odette’. Edge Davao

PRRD lowers real property tax rates for independent power producers Banking sector still P ‘generally safe’

inancial transaction crimes rose especially during the pandemic as more people turned to digital platforms due to movement restrictions, but a monetary executive said affected accounts are less than 1 percent of the total. Melchor Plabasan, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Technology Risk and Innovation Supervision Department director, said the banking sector remains “generally safe”. “So far, we have been checking the number of accounts that have been compromised not only with this incident but some of the phishing incidents and it’s still way, way below 1 percent relative to the total size of the market,” he said in a virtual briefing on Thursday. Plabasan said “the chances of you becoming a victim of this incident are very minimal.” “But then, again, we are working with the industry to ensure that the losses will be reimbursed and industry will continuously upgrade their security system,” he said. Recently, around 700 BDO Unibank accounts were victims of hacking incidents and some of the funds were transferred to several Union

Bank of the Philippines (Unionbank) accounts. Plabasan said they have identified six persons of interest for the crime, and they have submitted the information to the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI). He said they have also discovered that some of the proceeds from the fraudulent transactions were transferred to other banks. “We are also expanding the scope of our investigation because we have surveillance showing that there may be other institutions, other than, of course, Unionbank, which have been used to funnel the stolen funds. So, we also want to get to the bottom of that particular issue or concern,” he added. The BSP has been pushing for wider use of digital payments, and targets to increase its share to half of the total transactions by 2023. Asked if there are plans to change the processes in using InstaPay and PESONet to prevent these from being used for any fraudulent transactions, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said the central bank is in close coordination with other supervisory institutions in establishing industry-wide solutions to address cyber threats.

This is provided for under Executive Order 157, which states that all real property tax liabilities of these IPPs for 2021, including any special levy accruing to the Special Education Fund on property, machinery and equipment actually and directly used by IPPs for the production of electricity under a BOT scheme and

similar contracts whether denominated Power Purchase Agreements, Energy Conversion Agreements or other contractual agreements with state-run corporations assessed by local government units and other entities authorized to impose real property tax for all years up to 2021, are reduced to an amount based on an assess-

ment level of fifteen percent 15% of the fair market value of said property, machinery and equipment and depreciated at the rate of 2% yearly, less any amount already paid by the IPPs. Likewise, EO 157 provides that all real property tax payments made by the IPPs over and above the reduced amount will be applied to their real property tax liabilities for the succeeding years. The President argued that EO 157 is necessary given that various LGUs have taken the position that IPPs operating within their territories are not entitled to exemptions and privileges of

he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) remains on the lookout for any second-round effects of the elevated global oil prices despite their decline from more than US80 per barrel in October. In a virtual briefing on Friday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said optimism on the efficacy of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) vaccines boosted oil prices last year until most of this year, given the economic recovery that increased global oil demand. Diokno said Dubai crude oil prices reached USD81.3

per barrel in October 2021 but this declined to about USD72.6 per barrel in the first two weeks of this month due in part to the emergence of the Omicron Covid-19 variant, as well as the decisions of the United States, the United Kingdom, and some Asian countries to release their reserves to address supply constraints. He said the higher global oil prices have affected the domestic inflation rate through several items, such as petroleum, electricity, gas, and other fuel. However, Diokno said while headline inflation is

still above the government’s 2 percent to 4 percent target band, core inflation, which excludes volatile items such as food and oil, remains within target. “This suggests that inflation is not mainly driven by demand-side pressures,” he said. Philippine Statistics Authority data show that average inflation in the first 11 months of this year stood at 4.5 percent while core inflation was lower at 3.3 percent. On Thursday, the central bank’s policy-making Monetary Board hiked the BSP’s average inflation forecasts for

resident Rodrigo Duterte on Friday reduced real property taxes as well as interest and penalties on power generation facilities of Independent Power Producers (IPP) under Build-Operate-Transfer (BOT) contract with state-run corporations to prevent losses across sectors.

state-run corporations with respect to real property tax on their property, machinery and equipment used in the generation and distribution of electric power, and have threatened enforcement action against such IPPs, including the levy and sale at public auction of the affected properties. This position, the President said, prompted LGUs to assess real property taxes on the machineries and equipment of various IPPs operating within their respective jurisdictions, at the maximum assessment level of 80%, based on Section 218 of the Local Government Code.

this and next year to 4.4 percent and 3.4 percent, respectively. These were previously at 4.3 percent and 3.3 percent for 2021 and 2022, respectively. Diokno said developments on the global oil prices have been incorporated in the latest inflation projections. “Nonetheless, the BSP remains vigilant of any second-round effects. The potential impact of the petition for jeepney fare hikes due to higher oil prices is one of the upside risks to the inflation outlook over the near term,” he said.

BSP watchful of 2nd-round effects of global oil prices T

EDGE EDGE DAVAO DAVAO

COMPETITIVE EDGE

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

Regalong Pinoy from

KULTURA T

he Philippines is very rich in the gift giving tradition. Filipinos love to give gifts because of their warm nature, and consider this an expression of love. Giving a gift to someone we care about allows us to communicate our feelings and appreciation for them.

This Christmas, bring the heritage, artistry, and taste of Philippines to family and friends with Regalo from Kultura. Kultura has curated artisanal gift sets for everyone.

This includes Regalo para sa Pamilya at Tahanan for the home and family members, and Regalo para sa Barkada at Katrabaho for colleagues and friends. Give a taste of the Phil-

Curate your own gift box and give the gift of wellness while supporting local products.

ippines by creating your own Regalo para sa Pinoy Foodie, and Regalo para sa Coffee Lover at Chocoholic with award winning artisanal chocolates . . . gourmet coffee blends . . . and healthy snacks made from local fruits and vegetables Gifts of wellness from our fields and forests – coconuts, rice, and nuts are not only delicious and nutritious – but make us happy and healthy. Shop from home with Kultura’s Regalo Catalog! Check out our catalog here https:// bit.ly/RegaloByKultura2021 and simply contact our personal shoppers to order. The Regalo Collection is available at Kultura Stores. You can also shop thru Kultura’s Website: http:// www.kulturafilipino.com or thru Call to Deliver 09175174096 / 09676093407. Kultura ships here and abroad.

Kalesa bookends evoking the elegance of Old Manila are sustainably handmade from recycled aluminum and coco twigs. Shop now and get your orders delivered in time for the holidays! We ship here and abroad.

A Gift of Serenity. A gift set of a microwaveable herbal pillow that soothes the mind and body and scented reed diffusers in a lovely ceramic package.

Bamboo’s lovely line of scented candles and reed diffusers will transform any space into a calming sanctuary. Each Bamboo product is beautifully packaged and ready to gift.

Regalo para sa Chocoholics. Choose from Kultura’s world class artisanal chocolates beautifully packaged bars in interesting flavors for adventurous tastes, made with (low-glycemic!) coco sugar for the health-conscious, or even award-winning premium chocolate for the most refined palates. Can’t decide? The hot chocolate and mug sets are always a hit!

Regalo for the Pinoy Foodie: Make your own Christmas hamper and send it out to your loved ones for Christmas. Fill your basket with Kultura’s selection of Philippines’best from dried mangoes, hot chocolate mix, local coffee, wine and premium chocolate.

Handmade tin decor depicting idyllic rural scenes are a charming antidote to homesickness. Wrapped up in pandan boxes, they’ll make lovely gifts for yourself or loved ones near or far this Christmas!

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

Nets bring back Kyrie on part-time basis

EW YORK — Kyrie Irving is rejoining the Brooklyn Nets, who need help and will settle for it on a part-time basis.

The Nets decided on Friday (Saturday, Manila time) that Irving would come back to practice and play in road games, even though he remains unable to play at home because he doesn’t meet New York City’s vaccine mandate. The Nets originally determined that Irving wouldn’t play with them at all until he could play in all games. But worried about the heavy workload on Kevin Durant and short-handed with seven players unavailable because of the NBA’s health and safety protocols, the Nets figured they couldn’t pass up the chance to add the All-Star guard. “We arrived at this decision with the full support of our players and after careful consideration of our current circumstances, including players missing games due to injuries and health and

safety protocols,” general manager Sean Marks said in a statement. “We believe that the addition of Kyrie will not only make us a better team but allow us to more optimally balance the physical demand on the entire roster.” Members of New York’s pro and college teams must be vaccinated against the coronavirus to be able to play in public arenas. Irving refused to get vaccinated and hasn’t practiced with the Nets since they returned from a week of training camp in San Diego in October. Given that layoff, it’s unclear how soon he will be ready to play. But the Nets, despite leading the Eastern Conference with a 21-8 record, are in need of healthy bodies. Starters James Harden, LaMarcus Aldridge and De-

Kyrie Irving will be allowed to play in games outside New York City. Andre’ Bembry are in health and safety protocols, along with Paul Millsap, Bruce Brown, James Johnson and

Jevon Carter. It’s forced Durant, the NBA’s leading scorer, to play far more minutes than

the Nets would like. Coach Steve Nash said Thursday he wanted to get him rest, and the Nets have said Durant

will rest a sore right ankle Saturday against Orlando in the opening night of a backto-back.

8 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 236 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, DECEMBER 19-20, 2021

A Referees course is part of the RVA

VOLLEYBALL SCHOOL

Rebisco launches volleyball academy

o play at an elite level in international competitions and ultimately score a podium finish has always been the country’s volleyball dream. But to become elite in any sport, the effort must begin in the grassroots. Thus Republic Biscuit Corporation (Rebisco), a committed supporter of Philippine volleyball, launched the Rebisco Volleyball Academy to train coaches and game officials on international coaches and refereeing standards to put them at par with their counterparts in other countries in Asia and the world. The snacks and biscuits company believes that the development and competitiveness of volleyball athletes are due to the quality of coaching and officiating in the schools. Thus, coaches and referees must learn concepts, skills and modern, scientific approaches for the game consistent with international standards. The 5-day courses for volleyball coaches and referees had a pilot run in Naga City, Tacloban City and Cagayan De Oro City last March and April.

Four more courses were conducted in October and November in Numancia, Aklan; Dauis, Bohol; Infanta, Quezon and Morong, Rizal in response to LGU requests. Over 200 coaches and 200 referees benefited from the courses conducted by volleyball experts. They were conducted in person, endorsed by local government units and approved by the IATF. Strict health and safety protocols were followed. Theory courses highlighting scientific research, game trends, new philosophies and concepts were shared with coaches who were oriented based on a unified system for volleyball coaches’ training worldwide. Coaches were also given the opportunity to exchange views and experiences with trainers and fellow coaches. Referees meanwhile participated in drills and on-court activities that improved their technical abilities, perceptive responses

and judgment decisions. They were also given the most comprehensive interpretation of game rules. “We learned new skills, new tactics and new rules that will help us a lot in handling our players and in refereeing the game. All that we learned from Day 1 to Day 5 we will take to heart and put into practice when we go back to our schools. We thank Rebisco for this opportunity. This is only the beginning,” said Coach Lutchina Tabuso of Timoteo Reyes Memorial School in Morong, Rizal. “We are happy that the Rebisco Volleyball Academy is now a reality. It is the fulfillment of a grassroots program approved by the Philippine Sports Commission that aims to, among other things, develop a pool of people with technical volleyball know-how who can teach and improve the level of competition in their respective areas,” explained Noric Ng, Business Unit Head of Rebisco. “The Academy will fire up volleyball enthusiasm in the provinces after the long hiatus from the pandemic. Ultimately, we hope to attain our long-term goal of being able to compete at a higher level locally and abroad,” Ng added.