Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 246 | Thursday, January 6, 2022 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.14 ISSUE 246 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

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ON THE RISE

Covid-19 cases in Davao City doubled STORY ON PAGE 2

Residents buy medicines at a pharmacy in Brgy. Agdao, Davao City on Wednesday. Local drug manufacturers said they are experiencing temporary shortage of medicines like paracetamol and other medicine for flu due to extraordinary demand. Edge Davao

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 246 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

ON THE RISE

President Rodrigo Duterte discusses matters with Senator Christopher Lawrence “Bong”Go while presiding over a meeting with key government officials at the Malacañan Palace on Tuesday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

Covid-19 cases in Davao City doubled By MAYA M. PADILLO

he Davao City Covid-19 task Force confirmed Covid-19 cases in Davao City have doubled again and the positivity rate going up from lower levels.

“Unfortunately, for the past two days nagdoble ang atoang digits from 16 cases nahimo siyang 32 today and then we are expecting, I hate to admit it but we are expecting nga magtaas ang cases,” said Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force on Wednesday during the Covid Alert program via Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR). Last month the city’s positivity rate was only 0.5

percent but currently, as of January 2, 2022 the positivity rate reached 1.6 percent, which is quite far from the positivity rate limit of 5 percent. “After the Holiday season, usually ang incubation period sa virus is weeks or 14 days kung suma-totalon, we are expecting gyud around the third week and the fourth week of January, however, sa atoang positivity rate karon makit-an for the past month ang atoang

positivity rate is dili man gani mulagpas ug 0.5 percent and 0.2 percent but currently as of January 2, the positivity rate is 1.6. Although, ang atoang acceptable na positivity is still 5 percent,” Schlosser said. Schlosser clarified that the increase in cases was due to the Delta variant of Covid-19 and not yet due to the Omicron variant. “Wala pa ta’y Omicron sa Davao and Visayas and Mindanao but we are anticipating it but what we are battling is Delta variant and we all know paspas ang iyahang spread,” she said. Schlosser said the city

is now trying to mitigate the risk of massive surges as not to overwhelm the city’s health system such as the bed capacity of the hospitals and the Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs). “Kay maapektuhan gyud ang atong Covid management if ma-overwhelm ang atoang health system,” she said. Last Monday, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city government of Davao is bracing for the surge of Covid-19 cases which is expected by the third or last week of this

of the disease variants, especially the Omicron strain. Based on previous trends, he said the local health sector is on alert for a potential surge by the second or third week of February. “If we’re seeing a spike in areas where the vaccination is high, how much more here in our area since our coverage is still low and the activities are just the same?” Aturdido said in a radio interview. He cited the rise in public gatherings and re-

lated activities in the past several weeks, especially during the Christmas holidays, with many people not observing the minimum health standards. Movement and community quarantine restrictions in South Cotabato and other parts of Soccsksargen have eased since October last year due to the significant decrease in new COVID-19 cases. The active COVID-19 cases in the province further dropped to only 44 as

of 4 p.m. Tuesday, with only one new reported infection. The area posted over 2,500 active cases during a surge in September last year. Aturdido said they are concerned with the possible spread of the highly contagious Omicron variant despite its milder symptoms when compared to the Delta strain. “Everyone should remain vigilant and practice proper self-protection, and consider that the Omicron and Delta variants are pos-

FRISE, P10

700 families affected in Lanao Norte flooding

total of 720 families were affected when a flood hit this municipality Monday evening, authorities said. Vice Mayor Joseph Neri said the national highway was no longer passable by 9 p.m. due to the flood, exacerbated by the debris floating in the middle of the road. “We didn’t expect the flood to be this bad because we only had light rain here,” he said. Municipal administrator Rafael Rizalda said they only heard of the flood when the Philippine National Plice, Armed Forces and the Bureau of Fire Protection started deploying rescue teams. Initial reports from the Army’s 5th Mechanized Infantry Battalion said 281 families were affected in Barangay Balagatasa with three houses totally damaged and 12 partially damaged, 270 families in Barangay Labuay with one pump boat damaged, and 170

families in Barangay Poblacion with six houses totally damaged and seven houses partially damaged. Fortunately, there were no casualties nor missing persons, the Army said. But Rizalda said they are still conducting assessment and providing assistance as some places are still difficult to access. Marivic Vicoy, who lives by the river, said that water started to rise around 7 p.m. When she went outside to check, she would have been carried away by the current if she did not know how to swim. “We didn’t expect the current to be this strong. Initially, the water was only up to the waist. Suddenly, it rose more than my height,” she added. “Luckily, we were still able to put our belongings at a higher, safer place. But we had to leave the house as the water was rising so fast,” said Miralyn Dumagat,

sibly just around,” he said. In case of a surge, the official said the province is facing problems in terms of conducting faster reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction or RT-PCR testing due to the limited supply of cartridges for its GeneXpert machines. The provincial government operates a COVID-19 testing laboratory in partnership with privately-run Dr. Arturo P. Pingoy Medical Center in Koronadal City. The province previous-

ly sent swab samples from the area to the Cotabato Regional Medical Center in Cotabato City due to the lack of test cartridges. Aturdido said the province needs to catch up with the vaccination coverage to protect more people from possible severe COVID-19 infections. As of Monday, Aturdido said only around 300,000 individuals in the province are fully vaccinated while over 150,000 are partially vaccinated or already

FFAMILIES, P10

SoCot braces for another spike in COVID-19 cases

ealth authorities in South Cotabato province are bracing for another possible spike of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) cases by next month amid the resurgence of new infections in Metro Manila and other areas in the country. Dr. Rogelio Aturdido Jr., South Cotabato health officer, said they are closely monitoring the situation in the province’s 10 towns and lone city due to the threats posed by the spread

FSOCOT, P10

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 246 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

NEWS

An 82-year-old man from Barangay Poblacion 1 in General Luna, Siargao Island is the latest victim of diarrhea, which has afflicted many because of the unstable supply of drinking water after typhoon“Odette”devastated the island. Relatives brought the victim to his final resting place at the public cemetery Tuesday afternoon (4 January 2022). MindaNews photo by ROEL N. CATOTO

Surge in red bulb onion prices adds pain for local farmers 14 miners apprehended for conducting illegal quarrying

ourteen miners were apprehended by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), through its Environmental Law Enforcement and Protection Service (ELEPS) over alleged unauthorized quarrying activities in Barangay Waan, Davao City. During the enforcement operation, which was conducted on December 11, 2021, DENR confiscated 14 quarrying equipment.

The arrested miners will be undergoing legal procedures in violation of Republic Act (RA) 7942 or the Philippine Mining Act of 1995. In a statement released on January 3, 2022 DENR Secretary Roy A. Cimatu underscored the need for continuous apprehension of environmental criminals to “deter potential culprits and discourage them from violating existing environ-

F14 MINERS, P10

By MAYA M. PADILLO

ormer Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol has expressed concern over the recent spike of prices of red bulb onions which rise to P600 per kilo before the year 2021 ends as it adds another pain to the local farmers.

In a statement, Piñol said the “onion crisis” is another lesson for the Philippines not to depend on the importation of commodities that the local farmers produce. “The problem on being dependent on importation; if the foreign suppliers in-

crease their prices, it will leave our government no choice because of the low on supply,” the statement said. Piñol said onion is grown in Nueva Ecija, Nueva Viscaya, Mindoro, Iloilo, and even Mindanao, but the expansion of onion farms

is dampened by the yearly flooding of imports of onions from China which are cheaper. He also added that the Philippines has a vast area with temperature ranges from 13 to 25 degrees centigrade and consists of all types of soil such as sandy loam, silt loam, and heavy clay soils with a pH range between 5.8-6.5 and good drainage that is suitable for planting white and red onion bulbs. “When the Philippines was not flooded with cheap

imported onions, the production was high allowing farmers to even export shallots to Indonesia,” it said. Piñol cited problems confronted by the local bulb onion industry that include farmers have no access to credit, lack of technical support, lack of cold storage facilities where harvested onions during peak season could be kept to protect the farmers from the exploitation of traders, absence of clear government policies

FSURGE, P10

Chinese gov’t continues City of Mati sends donation to Odette victims to assist Davao City he City of Mati LGU would be traveling for an

he Chinese Consulate General in Davao continues its close coordination with the city government of Davao as well as other local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao in assisting since the start of the pandemic. Chinese Consul General Li Lin told Edge Davao that Davao City’s sister cities Nanning and Fujian Province are set to hand over donations to the city government. Apart from that, the Chinese Foundation for Poverty Relief will also donate school bags full of students’ materials like pencils, color pens, and other school supplies. Lin said around 16,000

bags will be donated aiming to encourage students to continue studying amid the pandemic. “Hopefully, early this year these donations will arrive but for the donation from Davao City sister cities there are already here and we will help with the handover ceremony very soon with the city government,” he said. Lin said they are also raising funds to purchase Huawei’s idea hub and donate it to the city government to be used for online meetings. “My office has been in close coordination with the city government of Davao

FCHINESE, P10

thru the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office is sending an P800,000 cash donation to three towns hit by Typhoon Odette. Mati CDRRMO head Charlemagne Bagasol heads the team traveling to the towns of Burgos in Siargao Island, Loreto and Libjo in Dinagat Island. The Mati CDRRMO team will personally hand over the P300,000 cash donation to Libjo and Loreto towns and P200,000 to Burgos. Aside from the cash donation, the Mati LGU would also donate DRRM supplies to the three municipalities. Bagasol said that they

estimated 6 days. “Our team is expected to arrive tonight at Surigao City and will be staying at the Philippine Red Cross Chapter and will be crossing Siargao Island tomorrow morning. On the third day they will travel to Dinagat Island. The team already coordinated with the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) Region 13. Lets pray for our team for their safe travel bound to CARAGA Region,” said Bagasol. The donation is sourced from the Mati CDRRMO’s PPA Livelihood Relief Assistance to Victim of Disaster budget. (CIO MATI)

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Market goers purchase fish from a dealer at the“bagsakan”area of Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City. Inflation eased at 3.6 percent in December, which was its lowest level in 2021 due to the slower price movements of some basic food items. Edge Davao

BARMM OKs bigger T budget for this year

2022 economic outlook remains bullish despite Omicron threats

he Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) has approved a bigger budget of P79.86 billion for 2022, up 5.6 percent from its P75.6 billion spending power in 2021. Bangsamoro interim Chief Minister Ahod Ebrahim certified as urgent the 2022 Bangsamoro Expenditure Program, which the Members of Parliament (MP) approved last week. Data from the Bangsamoro Transition Authority’s (BTA) Legislative Technical Affairs and Infor-

mation Services showed that the biggest slice of the budget was allocated for the Ministry of Basic, Higher, and Technical Education at P24.7 billion. The Ministry of Public Works is next with P16.3 billion, then the Office of the Chief Minister with P8 billion.

Rounding up the top 10 agencies with the biggest budget allocations this year are the Ministry of Health with P4.6 billion; BTA with P3 billion; Ministry of Social Services and Development with P2.6 billion; Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Agrarian Reform with P1.5 billion; Ministry of Interior and Local Government with P1.2 billion; Ministry of Human Settlement and Development with P814 million; and Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy with P642 million.

MP Ubaida Pacasem, who is also the deputy minister of Finance, Budget and Management, said the budget would be utilized to spur recovery initiatives from the COVID-19 economic recession. The Bangsamoro government’s main source of revenue is the block grant, which is stipulated in Republic Act 11054 or the Bangsamoro Organic Law (BOL). The annual block grant is automatically appropriated in the General Appro-

FBARMM, P10

Tight supply of paracetamol brands due to delivery issue: DTI Sec. Lopez

epartment of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez said there is no shortage of paracetamol in the local market, and its tight supply is due to delivery issues. “There might be a temporary tight supply for some brands. But it is due to timing of deliveries to replenish the stocks in the branches of these drugstores,” Lopez told report-

ers in a text message Tuesday. He cited that brands such as Biogesic and Decolgen, which are under pharmaceutical firm Unilab, “may be having temporary out of stock situations” in drugstores as the manufacturer cut off deliveries last December. Delivery of supplies of these paracetamol and analgesic brands will start this week, Lopez said.

He added that other brands of paracetamol have ample supply and there are also generic products in the market. “There are other brands of paracetamol in the market so there is no shortage,” the DTI chief said. Avoid panic buying To avoid panic buying, Lopez said the DTI will direct drugstores to limit the purchase of paracetamol. The agency is still fi-

nalizing the cap for paracetamol purchase per customer. Aside from the tight supply for some brands, Lopez said there should be no problem in prices of paracetamol. Lopez also enjoined consumers to report to DTI those that profiteering amid the temporary supply issue of some paracetamol brands.

FTIGHT, P10

he country’s economic outlook for this year remains rosy, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo Founder Joey Concepcion said during the Laging Handa public briefing Tuesday. Concepcion remains optimistic despite the spike of Covid-19 cases following the holidays and the presence of the Omicron variant. He said his optimism hinges on the rollout of vaccines and booster shots against coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19). “What I can assure you, that I think I am extremely bullish, I am very bullish

that 2022 will be definitely a much better year than 2021, why? We have the vaccines; it’s now here in our country,” he said. Now that the country has ample supply of Covid-19 vaccines, the challenge is to fight vaccine hesitation and encourage those unvaccinated to get their immunity against the virus, the presidential adviser added. He said the recent decision of Metro Manila mayors to limit the mobility of unvaccinated individuals to essential activities will help in encouraging them to get their Covid-19 shots. He added that the gov-

F’2022, P10

Technical glitch suspends trading

rading in the local bourse was canceled Tuesday due to technical issues while the peso weakened against the US dollar. In a memorandum on its website, Philippine Stock Exchange, Inc. (PSE) president and chief executive officer Ramon Monzon said there were “technical problems encountered in establishing connection between the NASDAQ trading engine and the Flextrade front-end system.” “PSE continues to work and coordinate closely with representatives of

NASDAQ and Flextrade to identify the underlying cause of the above-described production issue and come up with appropriate solution,” he added. The peso depreciated against the greenback after closing the day’s trade at 51.3 from the previous session’s 51.00. It opened the day at 51.1 and traded between 51.3 and 51.1. Average level for the day stood at 51.246. Volume totaled to USD1.22 billion, more than double the USD588.7 million the previous day. (PNA)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 246 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

ECONOMY 5

Workers in a buying station in the municipality of Dapa in Siargao Island haul copra to be brought to Surigao City on Tuesday (4 January 2022). They said the next harvest may come a long time after, as majority of the coconuts were uprooted, fell, or lost their fronds as typhoon “Odette” battered the island. MindaNews photo by ROEL N. CATOTO

Vax rollout, upward economic trends fuel PH recovery: BSP

he Philippine economy will continue its recovery in 2022 despite the continuous threat of the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) as vaccination rollout and economic developments expand. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno, in his message during the first meeting for the year with members of the Tuesday Club, a journalists’ group, cited positive economic developments on trade, labor conditions, inflation, and domestic liquidity, among others. He said exports of goods have recovered as more countries open their economies, a turnout which is also being felt in the Philippines. Thus, trade deficit rose to USD36.6 billion as of the third quarter last year due in part to renewed domestic demand. Unemployment rate fell to 7.4 percent as of October 2021 from a high of 17.6 percent in April 2020, largely attributed to lockdowns to address the spread of Covid-19. Inflation, which breached the government’s 2-4 percent target from January to November last year, continued to decelerate, with the November 2021 figure at 4.2 percent from the previous month’s 4.6

percent. The Philippine Statistics Authority will announce the December 2021 inflation rate on Wednesday. Domestic liquidity remains ample, with the November 2021 growth at 8.3 percent year-on-year. Diokno said bank lending has recovered and is now on the uptrend, as shown by the October 2021 level expanding by 3.5 percent from the previous month’s 2.7 percent. Lending posted contractions in the past months after banks took on a cautious stance for fear of the impact of the pandemic on borrowers’ capacity to pay. “The continued recovery in bank lending activity reflects the sustained expansion in business activity amid easing quarantine restrictions, declining Covid-19 cases, and increased vaccinations,” Diokno said. He said these developments make authorities more optimistic on the economy’s recovery this year. “The management of risks, the expected revitalization of key industries from government policy support and structural reforms, as well as the resumption of global economic activities, should help the Philippine economy move toward a steady recovery path,” he said.

PH misses 2021 inflation target

onsumer prices in the Philippines grew faster than the government target in 2021 even as inflation continued to decelerate in December, official data released Wednesday revealed. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed that inflation clocked in at 3.6% in December, which compares with the 4.2% in November and the 3.5% in December 2020. Contributors to the downward trend are alcoholic beverages and tobacco; clothing and footwear; furnishing, household equipment and routine house maintenance; health; transport; recreation; and restaurant and miscellaneous goods. This brought the average to 4.5% in 2021, up from 2.6% in 2020 and higher than the government’s target range of 2% to 4%. The latest annual print is also the highest in three years since the 5.2% in 2018. “Itong contributor tala-

ga sa 2021, nakikita naman natin doon sa previous reports at ito, ‘yung presyo ng meat particular ang pork, ito ay talagang mataas although nagde-decelerate in the previous months. Pero for the whole year, ito ang isa sa malaking contributor,” National Statistician Claire Dennis Mapa said in a virtual briefing. [The main contributor in 2021, as seen in previous reports and in this one, is the prices of meat, particularly of pork. While this has been decelerating in the previous months, it has been a major contributor for the whole year.] Meat prices climbed by 4.7% month-on-month in December, and 14.2% year-on-year, which Mapa attributed to the pickup in demand amid the holiday season.

Broken down per region, inflation in Metro Manila slowed to 2.8% in December from 2.9% the previous month and 3.2% in December 2020. This brought the average annual inflation to 3.5%. In areas outside the National Capital Region (NCR), the average stood at 3.9% in December, higher than the 3.7% the previous year and 4.5% the previous month. Compared with their 2020 annual average rates, all regions outside the NCR posted higher annual average inflation, with the fastest in the Bicol Region with 6.6%, and the lowest in Central Visayas with 2.5%. Moving forward, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno warned that an uptrend is likely in the short term due to the onslaught of Typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) in the Visayas and Mindanao regions. “The supply disruptions and agricultural dam-

Nasatera and Nasatapp in the market but most of our customers still prefer Neozep,” Serbo said in an interview on Tuesday. Local pharmacies are out of stock of some brands of medicines like Neozep, Biogesic, Bioflu,

Decolgen, Symdex, Tuseran, and Solmux. Most of the medicine brands are manufactured by Unilab Laboratories. Citing information from the supervisor of Unilab, Serbo clarified that there is no shortage of medicine supply

but rather bad weather due to “Odette” has delayed the delivery of their products two weeks ago. Serbo said the bulk of branded medicine supplies is set to arrive on Wednesday and would be distributed immediate-

ages from Typhoon Odette will likely result in a temporary uptick in the prices of food items and other necessities over the near term,” he said in a post on Twitter. “As with previous episodes of natural disasters, the effective implementation of non-monetary government intervention measures to ensure adequate domestic food supply must be sustained in order to mitigate potential supply-side pressures on inflation,” he added. In the same briefing, Mapa noted that the PSA will start using 2018 as a base year for the consumer price index starting with the January 2022 to be released next month. “Ginagawa ito ng PSA regularly para lang makita natin ang presyo ng mga binibili talaga ng average households. Through time, nagbabago ‘yung ating binibili at kailangan natin itong i-capture sa pagtrack ng inflation rate,” he said.

Generic medicine use in SoCot encouraged A group of pharmacists on Tuesday urged the public not to hesitate to buy generic medicines after their branded counterparts became scarce following the destruction left behind by Typhoon Odette.

Speaking on behalf of the South Cotabato Pharmacist Association, its president Minette Serbo lamented how some people refuse to switch medicine brands despite their advice. “For example, there is still enough supply of

ly in the market by local suppliers. “My assurance to the public is for them not to worry because we have no shortage in supplies of medicine, there was only a delay in shipping because of typhoon Odette,” she said. (PNA)

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

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On the doubling of Covid-19 cases in Davao City:

Unfortunately, for the past two days nagdoble ang atoang digits from 16 cases nahimo siyang 32 today and then we are expecting, I hate to admit it but we are expecting nga magtaas ang cases.”

Dr. Michelle Schlosser

Spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force

EDITORIAL Warning to the unvaxed A united endeavor that’s worth duplicating is the decision among Metro Manila mayors to pass local ordinances that will restrict the movements and activities of unvaccinated people. While the move has yet to snowball in other parts of the country, it is a step in the right direction amid a steep increase of infections lately. Even President Rodrigo Duterte supported the move by stressing that those who refused to get vaccinated against Covid-19 should just “stay home” or risk getting jailed and arrested.

surge in cases. Under Alert Level 3, unvaccinated individuals must remain in their residences at all times except during the procurement of essential goods and services. Also under the agreed restrictions for unvaccinated individuals, they are not allowed in indoor and outdoor dining areas, leisure or social trips to malls, hotels, events venues, sports and country clubs, and similar establishments. Unvaccinated people are also restricted from domestic travel via public transportation except for essential reasons like buying goods and services.

Metro Manila was placed under Alert Level 3 due to a recent

Vaccination should be a privilege enjoyed by those who comply to health and safety protocols. In the same manner, non-compliance should be treated as a limitation.

The experts have established that those who refused getting their jabs are at higher risk of contracting severe illness, complications, and death. Hence, those who remain adamant in getting vaccinated are high risks to the infection. Whilst they are more vulnerable, still they pose great risks to the vaccinated population.

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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

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It is high time Davao Region’s local government leaders replicate this move and strictly require everyone to present a certificate of vaccination in public places and licensed venues.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 246 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO SERAFICA J. WEIS THINK ON THESE! IBP DAVAO CORNER

WHEN TYPHOONS STRIKE While googling for some quotes for my feature on typhoons, I came across two thought-provoking statements from two Filipino politicians. I really don’t know if they said those words but both seemed plausible. Senator Manny Pacquaio, who is running for president this coming election, reportedly said: “I grew up in the Philippines, and I don’t think there is a problem with typhoons. It’s normal for us.” He is right. “More tropical cyclones are entering the Philippine Area of Responsibility than anywhere else in the world,” admits the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA). The Philippines has an average of 20 tropical cyclones, with about 8 or 9 of them crossing the country. The peak of the typhoon season is July through October, when nearly 70% of all typhoons develop. “We don’t get typhoons in December,” the late president Benigno Aquino III was quoted as saying. “They normally end by September. A typhoon happening in October is considered a late event.” Unfortunately, two of the most destructive typhoons that hit the southern part of the Philippines happened in December.

When Pablo (international name: Bopha) made a landfall on December 4, 2012, it was a Category 5 super typhoon with winds of 280 kilometers per hour. Pablo was considered “the strongest tropical cyclone on record to ever affect the southern island of Mindanao,” particularly Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro. Over 1,000 people were killed. Rushing flood waters destroyed entire barangays which made then Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to comment: “Entire families may have been washed away.” The other one is the most recent Odette, which hit the country on December 16. It made its first landfall in Siargao Island and left it a devastated island. “The island is now unrecognizable,” former secretary of the Climate Change Commission, Atty. Lucille Sering, told MindaNews. Typhoons are a natural phenomenon. No one can escape from them. Since we are living in a typhoon-prone country, we need to know what to do before the typhoon enters our area, during the storm, and after the typhoon leaves. Japan, also a typhoon-prone country, has listed some things to do before the typhoon. Japan Times shared the following tips: Make sure your phones, portable

chargers and other devices are fully charged. Bring in outdoor plants and other objects that could be blown away by heavy winds. Ensure that larger objects are secure. If you’re in the path of a typhoon, be sure to wear clothing to bed that you can immediately go outside in. Write down important phone numbers and store them in your emergency kit. In addition to contacts of family and friends, note emergency contacts. The website, wayph.com, also shares the following tips: Inspect and clean up your house, especially your drainage system. Check to see if there’s a need to fix your house such as holes on your roofs, damaged doors, windows or ceilings. Have them fixed as soon as possible. Store ample amounts of ready-to-eat foods and water. Make sure that the foods and water that you will store is adequate enough for you and your family and will last for a few days. Readyto-eat foods such as canned/ packed foods are especially helpful when cooking is no longer feasible. If you are advised to evacuate, do so. These people who will inform you of the need for evacuation are more knowledgeable than anyone else. So don’t be

hard-headed, at least not during this time of distress. Always have our emergency kits with you. Your emergency kit may include first-aid supplies, candles, flashlights, life vests and battery-operated radio. Money will always be an essential tool during emergencies. So, always store what you’ll only use for these kinds of situations. They can be a real life-saver. During the storm, these are the things you need to have in mind: If there’s no advice to evacuate, then better stay inside your house. Keep yourself calm and postpone any scheduled travels. Keep on monitoring the typhoon’s movement through your television, radio or the internet. Stay away from downed power lines. When exposed to water, electric facilities such as power switchboards and power lines could cause not only a power outage but also the hazard of electric shock. Do not wade along flooded areas to keep yourself from contracting water-borne diseases. If it is inevitable, wear protective gears such as raincoats and boots to protect yourself. If you are told to evacuate, calmly comply. Shut all windows, turn off the main power supply, and secure the house.

Once the typhoon is over, some things to think over: If your house was one of the heavily damaged, make sure that you heed to the advice of the authorities regarding its safety and stability. If they are uncertain of your house’s condition, do not go inside yet. Watch out for live wires or any electrical outlet that may be submerged in water. If you don’t have sufficient knowledge on electrical wirings, have a knowledgeable person inspect these wires as well as your appliances before you actually use them again. Boil water before drinking as they may be contaminated. Clean up: Dispose things that may be a ground for mosquitoes to breed. Such stuff may include tires, cans or pots. Storms come and go. What we need to do is always to be prepared for them. It is always a tragedy after the storm: death, devastation of edifices, and destruction of crops. But all these should not stop from facing another day. Life goes on, as they say. “Storms don’t come to teach us painful lessons, rather they were meant to wash us clean,” Shannon L. Alder reminded. To which Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy added: “Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn’t we?”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

THE ETYMOLOGY OF ‘MACO’ Oral tradition traces the etymology of Maco, a town in Davao de Oro, to a Boholano term that means ‘big.’ Another version says it is an altered form of ‘mamacao’ (Dracontomelum mangifera Blume), a broad-leafed tree growing near riverbanks in many areas of Davao re-gion. Either claim has no historical basis and both their orthographic evolution are indistinct and disputable. Nowhere in popular Spanish narratives, including missionary chronicles, is ‘maco’ found. Even in pre-Commonwealth accounts, the term is not reflected in official records, suggesting the placename is a later attribution referring to a specific event, feature, or discovery. The placename, however, could have been introduced in the years leading to the estab-lishment of the Commonwealth when gold prospecting

in southern Mindanao started to in-terest American investors and the progressive Manila capitalists. The first mining company to explore the mineral resources of the region was Mineral Ex-ploration and Development, registered on December 1, 1933, which listed N. H. Duckworth, former president of Davao Chamber of Commerce, and J. Elizalde as president and vice-president, respectively. It was followed by Davao Gold Mine (DGM), which the Elizaldes also controlled. DGM made its original claims of the Hijo area, in Davao de Oro, in 1934, but production did not start until 1940 later when its processing plant went into operations. Encouraged by reports of a rich gold find in Hijo, two American miners, J.W. Brady and H. Lindbloom visit-ed the site that year to

observe the progress of the exploration. That same year, the compa-ny’s aerial tramway was completed by G.M. Kilcar of the Interstate Equipment Company of New York. Hijo, inspired by a Spanish term with the same spelling, was originally known to natives as Iho, in reference to sharks feasting for food in its cove. In Dutch record, the place is logged as Eu or Eouw, and in missionary chronicles, as Iho. Remarkably, Maco town’s southwest section borders the Hijo River, a significant waterfront used by traders and missionaries in colonial times. As a popular dock, Hijo River was a notable stopover in Davao Gulf that travelers and explorers employed in reaching the Agusan River at Mawab. Given the waterbody’s appella-tion, it is logical to say the inlet was once a feeding ground of large

fishes, notably the sharks. For Maco and Hijo to be given shark names and both sharing the municipal waters is more than just a coincidence. The presence of sharks during certain periods of the year ap-parently inspired the people to christen their coastal community after them. Mako shark, for one, is also regarded as the best of all shark meat due to its low-fat content and medium-full flavor. Maco is likely a dialectal variation of mako, a term originating from Maori, a Polynesian language meaning shark or shark tooth. It is the accepted name for the shortfin mako shark (Isurus oxyrinchus) that ‘inhabits offshore temperate and tropical seas worldwide’ and is a pelagic species found infrequently closer to shore, around islands or inlets. Interestingly, the Bagobos

of Davao, based on American accounts and in recent decade confirmed by Germany’s the Max Planck Institute for the Science of Human History, have strong genetic and migratory links with Polynesia, a subregion of Oceania in the Pacific Re-gion. Described as ‘a large fast-moving oceanic shark with a deep blue back and white under-parts,’ the mako is one of many fish species found in the Philippine Sea. Scientific journals identify the mako sharks (also known as a blue pointer or bonito shark), blue sharks, oceanic whitetips, and silky sharks as among the ‘opportunistic and aggressive feeders’ populating the archipelago. Maco was officially entered in the record books on October 29, 1964, when it was created as a municipality under Executive Order No. 128, which President Carlos P. Garcia issued.

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

BDO wins Asia’s Top Awards on Sustainability Advocates

DO Unibank was recently conferred with prestigious Asia’s Top Sustainability Advocates Award at the 2021 Asia Corporate Excellence & Sustainability (ACES) Awards, an event that features the finest corporate leaders in Asia. The award is given to companies that show genuine interest in the well-being of their stakeholders through corporate social responsibility initiatives that are integrated into policies and operations, with a high level of employee and top management involvement on community engagement, environment, and social empowerment programs. BDO is one of the only five awardees in the region and the only bank to receive the honors. “This recognition is a testament to how much BDO Unibank embodies

the values of sustainability and incorporates them in everything the Bank does. This inspires us to further elevate our sustainability efforts and make them more inclusive to benefit our various stakeholders,” said Marla Garin-Alvarez, BDO vice president for its sustainability office. The ACES jury highlighted BDO’s Sustainable Finance program that funds renewable energy projects nationwide, and the BDO Foundation’s financial education program embedded in the public school K-12 curriculum, as pioneering initiatives to promote positive environmental and social impact in the country. This is a fitting follow-up to the recognition BDO received from ACES two years ago. In 2019, BDO was named a “worthy captain” of the Philippine banking industry after receiving the Industry Champion of the Year award during the 2019 ACES Awards. The Industry Champi-

BDO senior vice president and chief compliance officer Federico P. Tancongco received the ACES trophy in a virtual event. on of the Year is presented to companies that “have a distinct competitive edge, set the industry trends, and have commendable best practices in place. Winners in this category have shown the ability to evolve the focus of their enterprises along with the dynamic changes of the industries they serve.” BDO was also recognized for its leadership position across different business segments, robust

Hong Kong rings in the new year with the firstever Arts Spectacular across Victoria Harbour

ong Kong will ring in the New Year with a dazzling light art extravaganza, featuring radiant lights along the entire Victoria Harbour waterfront, the city’s flagship Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, and the New Year countdown lights on the recently opened M+. Starting on New Year’s Eve, the 65.8-metre-tall LED facade of M+, Asia’s first global museum of contemporary visual culture, will showcase a sweeping, high-contrast visual tale created by talented local digital artists as a homage to the city’s various land-

marks, neighbourhoods, and vibrant arts and culture scene. It will be transformed into a countdown clock, which will travel across the rich cityscape of Hong Kong during the final minute of 2021, before eventually splashing the numerals “2022” and New Year’s greetings across its screen as the clock strikes midnight. Beneath the bright lights of the prominent skyscrapers ringing in the New Year along Victoria Harbour, the Hong Kong Philharmonic Orchestra, the city’s flagship orchestra and winner of the Gram-

ophone Orchestra of the Year award in 2019, will perform energetic, jubilant music for a global audience in an outdoor concert in the West Kowloon Cultural District as Hong Kong celebrates the New Year. Live satellite and social media feeds (details on page 3-5) of the spectacular experience will be provided to media organisations worldwide by the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB). The Hong Kong New Year Countdown Celebrations can be viewed live on the HKTB’s YouTube channel.

balance sheet, expansive market reach, the scope of innovative products and services, and sustainable growth.

The ACES Awards is organized annually by the MORS Group, an organization committed to assisting companies, cor-

porate leaders, and eminent industrialists share a platform to exhibit leadership and sustainability excellence.

GCash helps in recovery efforts for Typhoon Odette victims (with nationwide donation drive, loan holiday, wallet limit adjustments)

he Filipino spirit of giving remains in full force for the victims of Typhoon Odette as GCash, the Philippines’ leading mobile wallet, launched a donation drive to accelerate the fundraising for relief and recovery operations in areas devastated by the calamity. The company is also extending loan payment holidays to borrowers affected by the typhoon as well as proactively increasing the wallet limits of eligible users in affected areas to allow more donations to come in. “In times of crisis, it’s vital for us to come together and extend help to communities devastated by Typhoon Odette. Let us continue to strengthen our Filipino bayanihan spirit by providing help to typhoon victims and make them feel that they are not alone. Together with GCash, let us heighten our efforts to make a real difference in the lives of one another,” said GCash President and CEO, Martha Sazon. The call for donations started last December 16, 2021 and GCash encouraged its users to give through the app through its #GCashGivesBack Pay Bill wallet and Quick Response Code (QR Code). The donations collected through these channels

will be equally disbursed to partner NGOs of the company, delivering immediate relief assistance to affected VisMin areas. As of December 26, 2021, the campaign has raised over PHP18.6 million in cash donations. GCash is still enjoining the public to keep donating any amount until January 31, 2022. To send funds for the typhoon victims, GCash users can click “Pay Bills” on the GCash app, tap “Others”, click the “#GCashGivesBack and type your information and click “Confirm”. Or, GCash users can also donate any amount by scanning the QR Code on the GCash app. Donations will be sent to GCash’s partner Non-Government Organizations (NGO) conducting relief operations in VisMin including United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), Philippine Red Cross, ABS-CBN Lingkod Kapamilya Foundation, Ayala Foundation, GMA Kapuso Foundation, Save the Children, Jollibee Group Foundation, McDonalds Kindness Kitchen, World Vision Inc., World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), Ramon Aboitiz Foundation and Caritas Manila. To further boost the recovery efforts, GCash is also proactively upgrading the e-wallet limit of eligible

users in areas affected by Odette, particularly, the six regions that are now under the government-declared State of Calamity, to enable them to accept more donations. The eligible users have been receiving the upgrades since December 24 and will have a full rollout by December 31. GLoan borrowers in typhoon-affected areas will also see more reprieve as GCash also announced a payment holiday for due dates from December 16, 2021 to January 15, 2022. They will be given a sixty-day grace period for them to pay off their due loans in the mentioned period. “All these efforts form part of GCash’s One With the Nation umbrella Corporate Social Responsibility program which highlights the important role of private and public sector cooperation in helping fast-track economic recovery amid the pandemic as well as provide aid to areas that have been affected by natural calamities like Typhoon Odette,” said Chito Maniago, Vice President for Corporate Communications and Public Affairs of GCash. Filipinos can download the GCash app for free on the Google Play or App Store.

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ENVIRONMENT

TYPHOONS GETTING INTENSE DUE TO CLIMATE CHANGE By HENRYLITO D. TACIO Wikipedia

n a year of deadly disasters and calamities, the early December typhoon Odette (international name: Rai) that killed at least 407 people in the Philippines is a great reminder that the effects of climate change are for real!

“We don’t get typhoons in December,” the late president Benigno Aquino III was quoted as saying. “They normally end by September. A typhoon happening in October is considered a late event.” Unfortunately, two of the most destructive typhoons that hit the southern part of the Philippines happened in December. Pablo (Bopha), which made a landfall on December 4, 2012, was considered “the strongest tropical cyclone on record to ever affect the southern island of Mindanao.” Over 1,000 people were killed, most of those were from Davao Oriental and Davao de Oro. Rushing flood waters destroyed entire barangays which made then Interior Secretary Mar Roxas to comment: “Entire families may have been washed away.” The other one is the most recent Odette, which hit the country on Decem-

ber 16. “As Rai pounded the Philippines, heavy rainfall, strong and gusty winds impacted several areas around the storm’s path,” Wikipedia reported. “Many areas across the Visayas and Mindanao lost electricity with several provinces and areas being deprived further of communication services,” Wikipedia continued. “Downed trees obstructed many roadways, and flooding was a major problem across the affected regions, particularly Bohol, where the storm was described as ‘one of the worst for the province.’ Surigao City was reported to be completely damaged. A state of calamity has been placed in the province of Cebu.” Damages at the aforementioned location were projected to be worth P5 billion, with those in Siargao being estimated to be worth P20 billion and those in Negros Occidental being estimated to be worth P5.9

billion. Aside from reported deaths, at least 1,147 people were injured with 83 missing. These giant, rotating storms that bring wind, rain and destruction are called typhoons in the northwestern Pacific Ocean. They are known as hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean and the northeastern Pacific Ocean. In the southern Pacific or the Indian Ocean, they are called cyclones. All three are fundamentally the same type of storm. In the Philippines, the storm is known as bagyo, a term that came into existence after a 1911 typhoon in Baguio which had a record rainfall of 46 inches within a 24-hour period. “About 95% of the tropical cyclones affecting the Philippines originate in the Pacific Ocean while the rest come from the South China Sea,” says the state-run Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), a line agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). According to PAGASA, typhoons usually occur from the month of June to

November. Most, however, occur in the months of July and August “though other months outside of this period are not entirely free from tropical cyclones.” During the early part of the typhoon season, PAGASA claims, tropical cyclones pass the northern regions of the country. In the latter part (from October to December), the central and southern parts are more prone to the passage. Based on a study conducted by PAGASA from 1948 to 1989, Northern Luzon experiences five cyclones every two years. Central and Southern Luzon encounter 3 cyclones in 2 years and 5 cyclones in 3 years, respectively. A cyclone passes Eastern Visayas every year. The Philippines has the highest occurrences of typhoons around the world. “We are known to have the most number of typhoons: 19-21 a year,” said Anthony Joseph R. Lucero, PAGASA weather services chief of Mindanao. Storms are categorized by the strength of their winds, although the wind itself often isn’t the deadliest part of the tempest. In the past, Filipinos

only heard of tropical cyclones. Depending on the intensity and strength of the winds that they bring, tropical cyclones are classified as tropical depression (30-60 kilometers per hour of sustained winds), tropical storm (61-120 kph), severe tropical storm (121170 kph), and typhoon or hurricane (171-220 kph). Some years back, the weather bureau added a fifth: super typhoon. “Typhoons as strong as super typhoons with more than 220 kilometers per hour of sustained winds in the country are becoming more frequent,” PAGASA Administrator Vicente Malano was quoted as saying. “Most super typhoons don’t landfall,” Lucero said. “They just enter the Philippine Area of Responsibility and then exit without even touching the land.” But when a super typhoon does, just like Sendong in 2011, Pablo in 2012, Yolanda in 2013, and Odette in 2021, the devastation is incomprehensible. As such, all four were delisted in the names of typhoons. Among the dangers associated with typhoons are

heavy rainfalls and floods, strong winds, storm surge, landslides and mudflows. “Landslides can bury people alive and destroy properties,” the weather bureau reminds. “Mudflows, on the other hand, are hazardous to people and properties, too.” Super typhoons will now be the new normal as a result of climate change. The Nobel-prize winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says climate change will lead to tropical cyclones with higher rainfall, greater intensity, and greater proportion of high intensity storms. “These changes are largely caused by warming ocean temperatures, which drive cyclonic storm activity,” explains the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS). Typhoons reportedly “draw their energy from deep below the ocean’s surface – up to depths of 2,000 meters,” wrote Daniel Levitt and Niko Kommenda in an article published in The Guardian. The temperature at these depths is measured by Ocean Heat Content, a met-

FTYPHOONS, P10

EDGEDAVAO

month due to Delta plus Omicron variants. The city is doing an inventorying of the city’s Temporary Treatment and Monitoring Facilities (TTMFs) as part of the preparations for the incoming surge.

The city will still utilize the same strategy amid surge threat which is Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR). The mayor added that the Covid Cluster Clinic (CCC) is also readying for the surge.

who resides not far from Vicoy. But she wasn’t able to carry anything as she hurriedly left. “This serves as a wake-up call for us to take care of nature because if this continues, the next generation would suffer more damages due to worse disasters,” he said. Rizalda said they will push for an ordinance where they

would allocate P3 million every year for the protection of the communal forest in the municipality. He said they will call the attention of the DENR to help in protecting the forests because there are a lot of illegal logging activities in remote areas with roads that are difficult to pass. (Marivic Omandam Davis / MindaNews)

received the first dose of the

707,800 targets for the area to achieve population protection. (Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews)

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COVID-19 vaccine. He said such coverage is still way below the

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and other Mindanao LGUs, even since the establishment of the Consulate General, even before the pandemic and especially since the start of the pandemic,” Lin told Edge Davao. The Chinese government through the Chinese Consulate General office in Davao City has been assisting and donating face masks, tablets for the students, motorcycles for the security forces, PPEs, medical supplies, and anti-Covid vaccines to the city government of Davao. Meanwhile, the Chinese Consulate General in Davao also extended assistance to the victims of typhoon Odette in Surigao del Norte. The Chinese consulate together with representatives from the overseas Chinese community in Davao turned over a total of 3,500 relief food packages worth P1.9 million to the provincial government of Surigao del Norte on December 28, 2021. Each relief food package contained 5 kilos of rice, six cups of instant noodles, one pack of pasta noodles, four cans of corned beef, six cans of sardines, and one pack of biscuits. “We have seen those typhoon-affected areas where lots of trees were down, many houses also destroyed, those comparatively stronger houses have roofs and windows

blown away or broken. They lack electricity and water,” Lin told Edge Davao. The Chinese government provided emergency cash assistance of $1 million to the Philippine government, as well as 4,725 metric tons of rice for the typhoon-affected families. Lin added that the Chinese local government units and NGOs in China have been raising relief goods to extend assistance. He also met with the representatives of local overseas Chinese to express sympathy and encouraged them to rebuild their damaged houses at an earlier date. He also visited the local Chinese community and brought food boxes and calendars to extend the Consulate General’s warm wishes for the upcoming new year. Meanwhile, the Chinese Embassy in Manila raised 20,000 food packages worth P8 million. Various Chinese Business Chambers in the Philippines are trying to gather resources to help at the best of their capacity. Lin said that his colleagues in Cebu City also did their part to help the victims of typhoon Odette in Cebu City. Typhoon Odette made landfall in Siargao Island on December 16, 2021. The typhoon devastated some areas in Visayas and Mindanao. (By Maya M. Padillo)

ernment should also speed up inoculation for booster shot. “We want to end this pandemic this year in 2022, so that at least your entrepreneurs and our business can thrive to help the government pay their taxes and the government can continue to fund your vaccines,” Concepcion said.

Concepcionaddedthatthe governmentwillnotbeable tosustainbuyingvaccinesfor itspeopleasitrequiresahuge budget.Eventually,purchasing ofvaccineswillbeinhandsof theprivatesector,butitshould beensuredthatthevaccines willbemadeaffordablefor Filipinos.

“(We urged) consumers to file complaint as soon as possible and give details (of) those profiteers and we will charge them,” he said. “And our

advice to consumers, they buy from reputable drugstores to ensure fair price according to SRP (suggested retail price).” (PNA)

the Playbooks are formulated in accordance with the latest Covid-19 scientific research, expert opinions and the experience of other international competitions, Wang said. “These countermeasures aim to effectively reduce the risk of Covid-19, ensure the safety of and convenience for athletes and all Olympic and Paralympic participants

during the Games, and protect the health and safety of the local population. We hope everyone can strictly abide by the Playbooks,” he said. Wang added that China has secured a strategic victory in the fight against Covid-19 at home and put in place an efficient and effective epidemic prevention and control system. (Xinhua)

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to support local producers, and heavy dependence on importation which causes dropin prices to as low as P10 per kilo during peak season. He said the problem will not be solved until the traders and middlemen are monopolizing the marketing and distribution of the basic food commodities. To address the spike in price, Piñol said there is a need to reform the marketing system and revive the Food Terminal Inc. to enhance its coverage to be able to establish Regional Food Consolidation Centers to buy, process, store, and distribute basic food commodities like bulb onions.

He said that with an assured price of P40 per kilo to be delivered to the Regional Food Consolidation Centers where the onions could be stored, farmers could produce enough onions for the country. This is also one of the major agricultural reforms which he intends to introduce should he be elected to the Senate which is the establishment of an FTI-operated Regional Food Consolidation Centers in the production areas and Farmers and Fishermen’s Outlets in the big cities like Metro Manila and Cebu so that consumers could buy fresh farm products at a lower price.

mental laws.” Cimatu stated that the achievements of DENR in 2021 are further bolstered with its enforcement activities, especially when it comes to anti-illegal wildlife trading, anti-illegal logging, and anti-illegal mining and quarrying activities. Meanwhile, the statement also quoted DENR Undersecretary for Enforcement Benito Antonio De Leon who stated that the “continual success of the ELEPS operations proves that the DENR needs an enforcement bureau to further bolster its current triumphs.” “May our victories catch the eye of our legislators to ensure that this kind of work

would continue, even beyond the current administration,” it said. It can be recalled that Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued a cease and desist order (CDO) for the illegal quarrying activities in the city on March 7, 2021, after the operators neglected the previous CDOs issued by the City Mining Regulatory Board from 2018 to 2020, which was participated in by the ELEPS together with the DENR-Region 11, Mines and Geosciences Bureau-Region 11, Davao City Police, Davao City Environment and Natural Resources Office, and Task Force Davao and Public Safety and Security Command. (By Maya M. Padillo)

priations Act and released

and Cotabato, and 63 villages from six towns in North Cotabato. The CAB is the final peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed in 2014 after 17 years of negotiations. The BARMM is governed by the 80-member BTA, which is dominated by MILF nominees. The BTA’s mandate is until June 30, 2022. The transition period in the BARMM, however, has been extended for three more years to 2025 due to the delays caused by the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic to the performance of the Bangsamoro government and in the implementation of the provisions of the peace agreement.

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BARMM... FROM4 directly to the Bangsamoro government. The amount is equal to five percent of the net national internal revenue tax collection of the Bureau of Internal Revenue and the Bureau of Customs in the third fiscal year preceding the current fiscal year. The Bangsamoro government, which is seated in Cotabato City, is composed of at least 28 ministries and offices. The Bangsamoro region was created in 2019 following the ratification of the BOL, which is anchored on the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB). The region straddles the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, the cities of Marawi, Lamitan

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According to the sports agency, EJ has given his partial

liquidation report and the documents are now being examined and verified. “This is a good step. Do not allow anyone to use those against you by getting it done. Finalize your liquidation and then you can focus on the other concerns,” Ramirez stressed. With this situation, the PSC now took a second look and have started to craft policies on the requests of NSAs to fund and support someone into becoming an elite athlete at the international level. This issue has once again highlighted how NSAs do not give due consideration on the investment of the government and the people. To avoid similar incidents in the future, the PSC will implement stricter guidelines on granting of financial assistances to NSAs and will require their submission of a disciplinary code or protocol in case anything like this happens in their sport. It shall also be requiring them to include the policy on arbitration within their by-laws as mandated under RA 11232. Failure to comply with these two policies by the end of the month shall constrain the PSC Board to review and reconsid-

er granting of assistances to all non-complying NSAs. Another matter which this issue forced PSC to look into is how the law limits it on situations like this and how much the agency needs to amend it to keep it relevant and strong for the present time. “We understand public outcry demanding us to take certain actions, even from parties who know the legal dynamics in sports.However, we would like to remind that the PSC is primarily a funding agency, the government’s arm to give its logistical support to the national team in the realm of elite sports. The training, disciplinary efforts and choosing of national team rosters all fall under the baton of the NSAs and their personality in international competitions under the POC. These are the roles that we take in sports,” said Ramirez. The Dabawenyo sports czar ended by saying “We are sportsmen, proudly calling the Philippines our motherland. Instead of throwing accusations against each other, can we not talk as sportsmen trained and exposed to the core values of Olympism -- excellence, friendship, and respect.”

ric that has soared since 1970, driven largely by four of the world’s major oceans. “Warmer sea surface temperature could intensify tropical storm wind speeds, potentially delivering more damage if they make landfall,” the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions likewise points out. Sea level rise is likely to make coastal storms more damaging. Global heating is causing the ice caps at the north and south poles to melt, resulting in rising sea levels. “Sea level rise also increases the damage caused by the storms by exacerbating the effects of storm surge, where waves generated by high winds inundate coastal areas,” UCS says. This is very alarming as the Philippines is a collection of islands and most people are living on the coast. Not to mention is the low elevation of much of the land. Indeed, it is a recipe for disaster. Research based on records from Japan and Hawaii indicate that typhoons in the northwest Pacific intensified by 12-15% on average since 1977. “The observed strongest typhoons doubled, or tripled in some regions, the intensity of particularly landfalling systems is most pronounced,” Wikipedia noted. “This uptick in storm intensity affects coastal populations in China, Japan, Korea and the Philippines, and has been attributed to warming ocean waters,” it added. Typhoons are a natural phenomenon. No one can escape from them. Since Filipinos are living in a typhoon-prone country, they need to know what to do before the typhoon enters our area, during the storm, and after the typhoon leaves. Japan, also a typhoon-prone country, has listed some things to do before the typhoon. Japan Times shared the following tips: Make sure your phones, portable chargers and other devices are fully charged. Bring in outdoor plants and other objects that could be blown away by heavy winds. Ensure that larger objects are secure. If you’re in the path of a typhoon, be sure to wear clothing to bed that you can immediately go outside in. Write down important phone numbers and store them in your emergency kit. In addition to contacts of family and friends, note emergency contacts. The website, wayph.com, also shares the following tips: Inspect and clean up your house, especially your drainage system. Check to see if there’s a need to fix your house such as holes on your roofs, damaged doors, windows or ceilings. Have them fixed as soon as possible. Store ample amounts of ready-to-eat foods and water. Make sure that the foods and water that you will store is adequate enough for you and your family and will last for a few

days. Ready-to-eat foods such as canned/packed foods are especially helpful when cooking is no longer feasible. If you are advised to evacuate, do so. These people who will inform you of the need for evacuation are more knowledgeable than anyone else. So don’t be hard-headed, at least not during this time of distress. Always have our emergency kits with you. Your emergency kit may include first-aid supplies, candles, flashlights, life vests and battery-operated radio. Money will always be an essential tool during emergencies. So, always store what you’ll only use for these kinds of situations. They can be a real life-saver. During the storm, these are the things you need to have in mind: If there’s no advice to evacuate, then better stay inside your house. Keep yourself calm and postpone any scheduled travels. Keep on monitoring the typhoon’s movement through your television, radio or the internet. Stay away from downed power lines. When exposed to water, electric facilities such as power switchboards and power lines could cause not only a power outage but also the hazard of electric shock. Do not wade along flooded areas to keep yourself from contracting water-borne diseases. If it is inevitable, wear protective gears such as raincoats and boots to protect yourself. If you are told to evacuate, calmly comply. Shut all windows, turn off the main power supply, and secure the house. Once the typhoon is over, some things to think over: If your house was one of the heavily damaged, make sure that you heed to the advice of the authorities regarding its safety and stability. If they are uncertain of your house’s condition, do not go inside yet. Watch out for live wires or any electrical outlet that may be submerged in water. If you don’t have sufficient knowledge on electrical wirings, have a knowledgeable person inspect these wires as well as your appliances before you actually use them again. Boil water before drinking as they may be contaminated. Clean up: Dispose things that may be a ground for mosquitoes to breed. Such stuff may include tires, cans or pots. Storms come and go. What we need to do is always to be prepared for them. It is always a tragedy after the storm: death, devastation of edifices, and destruction of crops. But all these should not stop from facing another day. Life goes on, as they say. “Storms don’t come to teach us painful lessons, rather they were meant to wash us clean,” Shannon L. Alder reminded. To which Rose Fitzgerald Kennedy added: “Birds sing after a storm. Why shouldn’t we?”

offensive game, and Russell

Westbrook added 19 points and drew a key late charge as the Lakers climbed back above .500. Westbrook played 34 minutes in his first turnover-free game since March 14, 2016. De’Aaron Fox scored 30

points and Buddy Hield added 26 with seven 3-pointers for the Kings, who scored 11 consecutive points early in the fourth quarter before wilting down the stretch. Harrison Barnes had 14 points for Sacramento, which had won three straight over the Lakers in Los Angeles.

to Chairman Butch again just prior to Christmas, only a few days before he withdrew the PSC offer for mediation.” Obiena noted that the allegations of him not wanting to undergo mediation probably stemmed from his previous statement on Christmas Eve when he said, “I honestly don’t see what is left to mediate.”

Although he said in his Christmas message that he was the first to say “yes” to the mediation, which he reiterated in his latest statement, Obiena first wanted the POC to finish its findings regarding the PATAFA-Obiena row and have the liquidation of his payments be made public before he undergoes mediation.

LAKERS... FROM11

EJ... FROM11

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 246 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

SPORTS 11

Pole vault star Ernest John“EJ”Obiena (File photo)

EJ Obiena ready to face estafa raps by PATAFA

ole vault star Ernest John “EJ” Obiena said he and Coach Vitaly Petrov are ready to face the charges slapped by the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) on them. In a press conference on Tuesday, the PATAFA said it is set to file estafa raps against Obiena and charges related to World Athletics’ Integrity Code of Conduct against Petrov before the governing body. “On the recommendation of filing of estafa, I am ready to face all cases and charges filed against me in any court or forum. I am hopeful that I will have my fair day in court and that I can finally end this baseless witch hunt,” he said in a statement late Tuesday night about his looming lawsuit. “I am ready for everything that Philip Juico and the PATAFA will throw at me as their intention now is finally clear: they want me out of the Philippine Team and they don’t want me to jump for the Philippines.” Obiena said he has already informed his foreign coach of the PATAFA’s plans to file charges against him in the World Athletics Federation. “He is unperturbed by this. He is a good man and has treated me like his own son. I am sorry that he is being dragged into this,” he

added. Obiena also lashed out at the PATAFA’s decision to declare his mentor, Jim Lafferty, as persona non grata. “Jim is a sports patriot for the Philippines and has been helping Filipino athletes for more than 15 years,” he said. “He has spent millions of his own money to help our athletes without asking or receiving anything in return. He has done so much for the Philippines, the Filipino athlete, and even for the PATAFA. And instead of giving him a pat on the back, he is now being rewarded by declaring him a persona non-grata. This is so senseless.” He also denied that he does not want a mediation process to happen between him and the PATAFA. Mediation Obiena refuted accusations of him ducking away from mediation after the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) dropped the idea last week and even claimed that he quickly said “yes” to it. “I have been accused of refusing to undergo mediation. This is farthest from the truth. When (PSC)

Chairman (Butch) Ramirez called me in November to bring up the offer, I immediately said that I am open to it,” he said. “But the events following that discussion, particularly PATAFA and/or Philip Juico’s actions during the PATAFA Committee, the POC (Philippine Olympic Committee) Ethics Committee and House Committee hearings clearly gave me the impression that I will not be treated fairly by PATAFA. I communicated this

FEJ, P10

China confident of holding safe Olympics amid Omicron surge

EIJING – China has the confidence to overcome the challenges posed by the Omicron variant of Covid-19 and deliver a streamlined, safe and splendid Winter Olympic Games for the world, a Foreign Ministry spokesperson said here Tuesday. Wang Wenbin told a

news briefing that the Beijing Organising Committee for the 2022 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (BOCOG) is in close communication with the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and International Paralympic Committee (IPC) to ensure sound epidemic prevention

and control work based on scientific analysis and in light of the changing situation. Recently, the IOC, the IPC and the BOCOG published the second edition of the Beijing 2022 Playbooks. The epidemic control measures outlined in

FCHINA, P10

Lakers survive gritty Kings stand

Malik Monk, left, and LeBron James combine in the endgame run that enabled the Lakers to get past the Kings. PHOTO: AP

OS ANGELES — LeBron James scored 14 of his 31 points in the fourth quarter, Malik Monk added 11 of his 24 in the final seven minutes, and the Los Angeles Lakers held off the Sacramento Kings 122-114 on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time) for their fourth win in five games. Talen Horton-Tucker scored 19 points for the Lakers, who rallied from a late seven-point deficit with one big basket after another from Monk and James. Monk hit six 3-pointers in yet another impressive

FLAKERS, P10

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 246 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 6, 2022

PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez has asked the Patafa and pole vau;t star EJ Obiena to resolve the mess like real sportsmen.

DUE PROCESS

PSC to Patafa, Obiena: Let’s resolve mess like true sportsmen BY NEIL BRAVO

he Philippine Sports Commission Board pushed for due process in resolving the case of pole vault star EJ Obiena.

“The PSC Board met to discuss our collegial action on the athletics issue, which took several ugly faces yesterday,” said PSC Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez. On PATAFA’s dropping of EJ from the athletics national team without any chance given for the athlete to appeal, the PSC chief saif “it was a sad development.” According to the veteran sports leader, due process requires proper disposition of issues and cases whether in government or private venues, including in administrative proceedings. “We also express our disappointment that the mediation process was not realized,” Ramirez said. The PSC board laid down the following: 1. For EJ to immediately finish his liquidation of accounts so that we can continue to support him. 2. For PATAFA to reconsider their declaration of dropping EJ from their rolls, provide him an appeal mechanism and not to execute their decision immediately.

3. For the POC to bridge the two parties as the mother organization of both and reconsider their decision of declaring Mr. Juico persona non-grata on the premise of promoting peace in elite sports. 4. For the PATAFA, EJ, the POC and all the parties who wish to stoke the fire of this mad issue to stop. You have all publicly recognized the PSC and asked us to help resolve the issue, please listen to us on this simple request. Stop issuing public statements and come to the table with us to discuss this matter. “When the POC declared their involvement, we hoped they would bridge the gap between EJ and PATAFA, both being under their authority. However, the issue became more muddled with the declaration of Juico as persona non grata and now calling on us to intervene on the PATAFA’s removal of EJ from the national team,” said Ramirez. “This is a simple case of liquidation.”

FDUE, P10