EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society
VOL.14 ISSUE 259 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022
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A resident burns bamboo strips near a community under the Bolton Bridge in Davao City on Thursday afternoon. Just last Saturday a massive fire gutted over 20 shanties at a community on the other side of the river. Edge Davao
Close contacts of Omicron case from Davao City subject to hard quarantine STORY ON PAGE 2
2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO
VOL.14 ISSUE 259 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022
Workers erect huge tarpaulins of Uniteam’s presidential aspirant Ferdinand Marcos Jr. and vice presidential aspirant Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City. Edge Davao
HARD STANCE Close contacts of Omicron case from Davao City subject to hard quarantine By MAYA M. PADILLO
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r. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, said contact tracing has already started with the close contacts of an Omicron case from Davao City.
Schlosser said those confirmed close contacts of the patient will undergo hard quarantine, which means patients will be managed similar to Alpha and Delta variants of Covid-19 cases. “Pag mahibal-an i-confirm dayon na siya and kung kinsa ning mga tawhana ni, tanan nga na interact ani niya labi na kung na inte-
grate na siya sa community sa mga silingan niya ug ka trabaho niya, hard quarantine ang i-impose sa ilaha kahit na wala pa sila simtomas,” she said. Schlosser said like Alpha and Delta variant positive, all F1, F2, and F3 contacts of Omicron variant, whose results were confirmed by a reverse transcription-polymerase chain
reaction (RT-PCR) test, will undergo swab testings and quarantining including those who do not manifest symptoms. F1 contacts are “first-generation contacts of an RT-PCR-confirmed Covid-19-positive case; F2 contacts the second-generation contacts of an RT-PCRconfirmed Covid-19-positive case (close contacts of F1); F3 contacts are third-generation contacts of an RT-PCR-confirmed Covid-19-positive case (close contacts of F2). Schlosser added that
the Omicron case from Davao City, which is among the detected five Omicron cases in Davao Region, is the result of the more than 4,000 specimens sent to the Philippine Genome Center (PGC) for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) on December 31, 2021. “We have sent more than 4,000 specimens last December 31, 2021 mao seguro ning result kaning lima ka taga Davao Region ug ikatulong week na karon maybe that is the reason why naa ta’y lima ka cases
two minors both 17 years old, who are all members of Guerilla Front (GF) 16, North Eastern Mindanao Regional Committee (NEMRC) voluntarily yielded to the troops of 30th Infantry Battalion (30IB) in Brgy. Mahanub, Gigaquit, Surigao del Norte on January 16. They were followed by a CTG personality identified as Isagani Lina Pepito Alias Rex/Abby, who surrendered to the troops of 8IB under the 403rd Brigade (403Bde) in Bukidnon on the same day. Pepito is the Team
Leader of Team Baking, Squad 1, Platoon Dario, one of the remnants of the dismantled GF89, Sub-Regional Committee 2 (SRC2), North Central Mindanao Regional Committee (NCMRC) which was absorbed by Headquarters Force Neo (HQF-NEO) of the Regional Sentro De Gravidad Compaq (RSDG COMPAQ). Following an encounter from troops of 901st Bde’s 30IB seized an AK47 rifle, 11 magazines with ammunition, a rifle grenade, five 40mm ammunition, two sets of anti-personnel
mines, and six backpacks with personal belongings from the CTG’s Sandatahang Yunit Pampropaganda (SYP) 16C1 and 16C2, both under the GF16, SRC Northland, NEMRC in Brgy Motorpool, Tubod, Surigao del Norte on January 16. On the same day, combined troops of 403Bde’s 8IB and 2nd Scout Ranger Battalion were also able to seize an M16A1 rifle, a Modified R4 rifle, eight backpacks, eight ponchos, four sacks of rice, and three backpacks of assorted food supplies after an encounter
Cayetano, Escudero, Villar, Legarda, Tulfo top IPO survey
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he University of Mindanao Institute of Popular Opinion conducted an online survey from December 21 to 28, 2021 involving Filipino social media users from different regions of the Philippines relative to their preference for senators of the Republic
of the Philippines. Since the survey was done online as physical contact is still not allowed during the time of conduct of the survey, IPO relied heavily on online and targeted social media users who are targeted and iden-
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EastMinCom’s relentless ops led to the surrender of more NPA rebels
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s series of focused military operations continue following the directive of LtGen. Greg T. Almerol, the Commander of Eastern Mindanao Command, to finally curb the diminishing forces of Communist Terrorist Group (CTG) in Eastern Mindanao, four CTG members surrendered anew while various firearms and subversive documents were recovered by the troops from January 16 to 17. Three CTG members identified as Angel Iligan alias Beboy/Ervin including
with a CTG under the RSDG Compaq, NCMRC at Sitio Nahawan, Brgy. Busdi in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. In a separate incident, combined forces of 1003rd Brigade’s 27IB, 56IB, 89IB, 3IB and intelligence units successfully recovered five high-powered firearms and other war materiel from the remnants of Sub-Regional Guerilla Unit of SRC5, Southern Mindanao Regional Committee composed of three M16 rifles, an M653 rifle, an M203 Grenade Launcher, nine magazines and five 40mm
ammunitions after former rebels disclosed their location at Sitio Palisan, Brgy Palma Gil, Talaingod, Davao del Norte on January 17, 2022. LtGen. Almerol lambasted the CTG for its continued recruitment of minors to be used in its terroristic activities, which is a blatant violation of the International Humanitarian Law. He added that troops will coordinate with the Social Welfare and Development Office to ensure that the minors will be taken care of.
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VOL.14 ISSUE 259 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022
NEWS
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A Davao Auxiliary personnel walks by the signage of People’s Park along Camus Street in Davao City on Friday. The city government of Davao temporarily suspends the operation of the vaccination hub in People’s Park for disinfection from January 21 to 24, 2022 after several health workers serving in the area contracted Covid-19. Edge Davao
DOH 11 attributes spike of cases in Davao Region to Omicron variant MinDA Sec conducts ocular visit to Mapagda River
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indanao Development Authority Secretary Maria Belen Sunga Acosta conducted aerial and ground visits to Mapagda River in BanayBanay, Davao Oriental today, following the reported discoloration of Pintatagan and Maputi rivers. During a dialogue with the local residents, Acosta assured to facilitate and coordinate assistance for the affected communities.
“We will converge with other agencies to ensure responsive assistance, including food and alternative sources of income,” Acosta said. The heavy siltation that caused the discoloration of the river is attributed to the active mining activities in the area. This was first reported by DENR on January 14, and has since ordered Arc Nickel Resources Inc. to
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By MAYA M. PADILLO
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n official of the Department of Health-Davao Region attributed the spike of Covid-19 cases in Davao Region to the dreaded Omicron variant due to its high transmissibility than the other variants of concern (VOCs) Alpha, Beta, and Delta. “We cannot deny the fact that maybe this Omicron variant has been circulating here in our region because of the mobility of the people during the holiday season. December pa lang po meron nang na detect na local case from other
confirmed the detection of three cases of Omicron (B.1. 1.529) variant of concern in the Davao Region from the 35 specimens sent last December 23 and 29, 2021 to the University of the Philippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and two more, who were tested in Clark, Pampanga and the National Capital Region (NCR). The five abovementioned Omicron variant cases have been tagged also as recovered upon the release
15, 2022 under the bridge, which damaged 26 houses, wherein 24 were totally damaged and two were partially damaged. In the video, Felizarta said as early as the year 2018, barriers were already discussed and some were installed under the bridge to prevent settlers from occupying the area. However, his office failed to follow through on this action. “We accept full responsibility for the inconvenience of the damage and closure of Bolton bridge. Moving forward, we commit to becoming a better City Engineer’s Office for public service in Davao City,” he said. It was reported that in
2017 the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) gave a recommendation to Felizarta’s office to evict the informal settlers residing under the bridge because of the risk. Meanwhile, some Dabawenyos expressed their disappointments online to the CEO’s head. Millet Aviles Ty commented on Felizarta’s video saying it’s not enough to accept responsibility. She said there should be clear plans and actions to make sure this does not happen again to any public structure. She added that the first step is to take ownership of the mishap, then follow through with a plan of ac-
tion on how to resolve the problem. Japoy Cutin Igagamao commented that there should be an ordinance to penalize the head of the agency if the ordinance of “no settlers under any bridges” is not complied. Edgardo Dacanay posted “Best way to show remorse is to resign. If sa japan ito nangyari baka nga harakiri na yon chief of the office.” “Please resign sir,” posted Rex Tan Sungahid. Mark Gil Mamac commented that Felizarta should resign to demonstrate acceptance of responsibility. “So please, resign to demonstrate ac-
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CEO OIC mum on calls for resignation
L MinDA Secretary Maria Belen Acosta talks to Maputi Punong Barangay Ariel Sison to know the immediate and long-term needs of the affected communities following the heavy siltation that affected Pintatagan and Maputi rivers in BanayBanay, Davao Oriental. MinDA has committed to coordinate assistance for these areas. Also in the photo are Provincial Task Force ELCAC focal person Ednar Dayanghirang (second from right) and MinDA Development Management Officer Rolando Pinsoy.
regions and it’s hinihintay na lang ang time na ma-detect sya for Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS),” said Dr. Rachel Joy Pasion, head of DOH-Davao’s Regional Epidemiology Surveillance Unit (RESU), in a virtual presser on Thursday.
Based on the Regional Situation Update on Covid-19 in Davao Region as of January 20, 2022 DOHDavao Center for Health Development reported 1,453 new cases of Covid-19 in the region bringing the total number of active cases to 6,243. Of these 1,453 cases, 1,020 from Davao City; 86 from Davao de Oro; 190 from Davao del Norte; 86 from Davao del Sur; and 71 from Davao Oriental. On January 20, 2022 DOH–Davao Region also
awyer Joseph Dominic Felizarta, officer-in-charge of the City Engineer’s Office (CEO), remains mum on some of the Dabawenyos call online for him to resign following a video of him posted on the Facebook page of the city government of Davao apologizing to the public for the inconvenience brought by the fire last Saturday that damaged Bolton Bridges. Felizarta appealed to Edge Davao for understanding as he cannot answer the issue of resignation. The Department of Public Works and Highways 11 (DPWH 11) closed Bolton Bridge 1 and 2 after a huge fire occurred on January
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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO
VOL.14 ISSUE 259 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022
A vendor sells face shields for P15 each near a hospital in downtown Davao City on Thursday, January 20, 2022. Hospitals and some enclosed establishments still require wearing of face shields while most establishments have made it optional. Mindanews Photo
DTI chief: Vax saves lives, jobs
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uring the launch of “Resbakuna sa Botika” at Southstar Drug in Marikina City Thursday, Lopez highlighted the critical role of vaccines in helping the economy to remain open despite the surge in Covid-19 cases due to the Omicron variant. “We now see in Omicron, cases increased to 35,000 but only below 2,000 are severe and critical. During Delta (surge), that immediately rose to 3,000 to 4,000 cases, but now it is only at 2,000,” he said in Filipino. Government data show that as of January
16, around 1,780 cases were severe and critical despite active Covid-19 cases climbing to 287,856. During this period, the country has achieved its target of fully vaccinating 54 million individuals. Last September 9 when the country was experiencing the spike in
cases due to Delta strain, active cases reached 166,672 with 3,473 severe and critical cases. Lopez said the country can now afford to stay in Alert Level 3 due to the higher vaccination rate despite the Omicron surge as health facilities are not congested. “If our hospitals are not full, we will not lockdown. When there is no lockdown, employment continues, growth and re-opening of our economy continues,” he added. The DTI chief also
he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) is continuously partnering with counterparts overseas to strengthen its capacity as a regulator and to give the country an additional buffer to withstand liquidity shocks and balance of payment (BOP) issues. In a virtual briefing on Thursday, BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said one such cooperation is the two-way Bilateral Swap Arrangement (BSA) with the Bank of Japan (BOJ), which was renewed effective Jan. 1, 2022 until Dec. 31, 2024. Under the said BSA, BSP can draw up to USD12
billion short-term liquidity support from BOJ while the latter can draw up to USD500 million. Diokno said the BSA complements the Chiang Mai Initiative Multilateralization, the financial agreement of the ASEAN+3 that covers the 10-member countries of the Association of Southeast Asean Nations (Asean) and China, Japan, and Korea. He said while the financial agreement, which was established in 2001, has costs like interest that the BSP needs to pay once it draws funds from the facility as well as the oppor-
tunity cost of the USD500 million it has committed to extend, “the benefits of the BSA outweigh its costs.” Diokno said the Philippines has not utilized the BSA because the country “continues to have a strong external position, sound macroeconomic fundamentals, and enough policy buffers to weather external risks and vulnerabilities.” As of end-December 2021, the Philippines’ gross international reserves (GIR) reached USD108.9 billion. “We believe that the BSA is a positive signal to the market that we have
urged Filipinos to avail the booster shots now available for free in pharmacies in Metro Manila through the newly launched “Resbakuna sa Botika”. On Thursday, the government and partner pharmacies pilot tested the “Resbakuna sa Botika” in the National Capital Region, bringing booster shots closer to the public. The government targets to expand this initiative throughout the country after a week of pilot run. (PNA)
sufficient financing resources to tap in case the need arises,” Diokno added. Aside from the BOJ, the BSP also have BSAs with, among others, the Monetary Authority of Singapore (MAS), Bank Indonesia, Otoritas Jasa Keuangan (OJK), Brunei Darussalam Central Bank, Central Bank of Mauritius, and Czech National Bank. These tie-ups involve information exchange and capacity building on fintech development, financial market regulations, central bank digital currencies, and Islamic Banking, among
AmCham says RCEP aligns with PH economic reforms
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he American Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (AmCham) has joined the call for the immediate concurrence of the Senate on the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), saying the trade deal is aligned with the government’s economic reforms and programs. In a statement Thursday, AmCham said RCEP complements the existing reforms by the administra-
tion to facilitate a more conducive business environment amid the pandemic. “The entry into force of RCEP for the Philippines complements the country’s programs and policies for the resurgence of manufacturing sector, including incentives provided for by the CREATE (Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises) Act,” AmCham Philippines executive director Ebb Hinchliffe said.
BSP swap deals with other central banks to give PH additional buffer DBP backs green energy projects T FBSP, P10
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tate-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has provided PHP2.1-billion in funding support for two hydro-energy projects that aim to augment power supply for the Luzon and Visayas grids, a top official said. In a statement Thursday, DBP president and chief executive officer Emmanuel Herbosa said the loans to Matuno River Development Corporation (MRDC) and Taft Hydroenergy Corporation (THEC),
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both majority-owned by Magis Energy Holdings Corporation (MEHC), were extended under the Financing Utilities for Sustainable Energy Development (FUSED). “With these projects, we hope to accelerate the use of renewable power resources and increase the country’s green energy mix,’’ Herbosa said. “Green financing can ensure that sustainable socio-economic development can be achieved while protecting
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ECONOMY 5
A commuter browses the web using his mobile phone while riding a public utility jeepney in Davao City. The Duterte administration has delivered its promise of faster internet connection for Filipinos even before its term ends this year, according to Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA). Edge Davao
Faster internet connection fulfilled under PRRD admin
Bankers urge public vs. becoming ‘money mules’
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he Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) is encouraging the public to be more discerning to prevent themselves from being money mules, as it vows to work with legislators to improve the country’s cybersecurity law. Money mule is someone who either intentionally or unintentionally allows another person, usually a cybercriminal, to use his or her bank account to transfer funds. In a statement on Thursday, BAP said “cybercriminals approach their targets by offering financial incentives in exchange for lending their bank accounts for the purpose of transferring money to another entity.” The BAP said once a bank account has been used for illegal activities, “a money mule will end up as a victim as well as an unwilling and unwitting assistant to the criminal.” It said “cybercriminals use these bank accounts for crimes such as money laun-
dering or for transferring money stolen from victims.” “Therefore, the Filipino public is strongly discouraged from accepting money from suspicious strangers and individuals in exchange for lending accounts to these criminals,” it added. The BAP said it will coordinate further with legislators to help improve the country’s cybersecurity law. “We continue to advocate for the passage of House Bill No. 9615, or the Bank Account and E-Wallet Regulation Act, into law so that cybercriminals will be held accountable for their actions. This bill proposes imprisonment and fines for people found guilty of committing phishing, economic sabotage, and becoming a money mule,” it said. The BAP also encouraged “all stakeholders to work together to stop this criminal act from proliferating.” “Our collective effort at protecting our wealth is the key to safeguarding our future,” it added. (PNA)
T year.
This, as Ookla reported that the country’s mobile internet download speed increased to 19.20 megabits per second (Mbps) in December last year from 18.68 Mbps in November, while fixed broadband download speed improved to 50.26 Mbps from 46.44 Mbps in the same period.
“It is with great pride that we recognize the collaborative efforts of the telecommunication sector and our government agencies in continuously providing streamlined guidelines for the issuance of permits, licenses, and certificates for the construction of Shared Passive Telecommunications Tower Infrastructure (PTTIs),” Belgica said in a statement. Last month, ARTA along with the Department of Information and Commu-
nications Technology, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, and other key agencies issued a Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) on pole, fiber ducts, and cable laying. This was the third JMC of ARTA related to the telecommunications sector, which aims to simplify processes in the government
lower household income in the future declined by 8 percentage points to 46 percent. “There is a belief that vaccinations are a possible contributing factor to a growing optimistic economic outlook,” TransUnion said in a statement. With a total of 1,089 Filipinos surveyed from Nov. 1 to 8, 2021, 59 percent of the respondents said their in-
come has decreased due to the pandemic. This is lower than the 64 percent that reported a decline in income in the third quarter of last year. “Despite that positive direction, more than half (52 percent) of respondents surveyed said they had cut back on discretionary spending in the last three months,” TransUnion added.
About 47 percent of respondents said they saved money for an emergency fund during the last quarter of the year. On the other hand, the survey showed that momentum in e-commerce will continue as 47 percent of the respondents said they expect their online transactions to increase in the future.
he Duterte administration has delivered its promise of faster internet connection for Filipinos even before its term ends this
Anti-Red Tape Authority (ARTA) Director General Jeremiah Belgica said Friday the whole-of-government approach of simplifying the process of putting up telecommunications infrastructure facilitated improvements in the speed of fixed broadband and mobile data in the country.
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Fewer Filipinos expect decline in income amid pandemic: survey
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ewer Filipinos are seeing a decline in household income in the future amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, according to a TransUnion survey released Thursday. Based on the TransUnion Philippines Consumer Pulse Study for the fourth quarter of 2021, the number of respondents that expect
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VOL.14 ISSUE 259 • SATURDAY, JANUARY 22, 2022
On calls for him to resign following a video of him posted on the Facebook page of the city government of Davao apologizing to the public for the inconvenience brought by the fire last Saturday that damaged Bolton Bridges:
We accept full responsibility for the inconvenience of the damage and closure of Bolton bridge. Moving forward, we commit to becoming a better City Engineer’s Office for public service in Davao City.” Atty. Joseph Dominic Felizarta Officer-in-charge, City Engineer’s Office (CEO)
EDITORIAL Public accountability The raging issue behind the recent fire that razed structures by informal settlers under the twin bridges in Bolton all boils down to public accountability. Every employee in the government service would not miss public accountability as it is an integral component of their office.
Public accountability comes with all offices in government. Any person who holds an office in government takes a sacred oath to serve the same to the best of his abilities and upholding at all times the welfare of the public. We assume acting City Engineer Joseph Dominic Felizarta, himself a lawyer, knows public accountability too well. Whilst apologising for the apparent failure of his office to exercise prudence in imposing the policy to prevent informal settlers in
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As early as 2017, the Davao City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) gave a recommendation to Felizarta’s office to evict the informal settlers residing under the bridge because of the risk. The CEO did commence installing barriers in 2018 but reportedly failed to complete.
It is understandable that Dabawenyos are asking for the head of Felizarta. All in the name of public accountability.
It is easy to apologise for one’s shortcomings but for a public office to have failed to do what it is duty-bound to do, it already amounts to failure to satisfy the primary requirement of public accountability. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief
NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor
MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter
KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle
ANA MARIE G. SILPAO Layout
LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Consultant Correspondent Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ
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public structures like bridges, Felizarta also has to account for the failure.
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HENRYLITO D. TACIO SERAFICA J. WEIS THINK ON THESE! IBP DAVAO CORNER
TRUTH HURTS The Bible states explicitly: “You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free” (John 8:32). In his book, Reminiscences, General Douglas MacArthur – known in the Philippines for his famous quote, “I shall return!” – recalls a classroom experience he had as a West Point cadet. His class was studying the time-space relationship, which the great genius Albert Einstein later called his “Theory of Relativity.” The text was very complicated and Cadet MacArthur could not figure out what it was all about. So, he just memorized the pages concerned. When he was called upon to recite, he dutifully reeled off almost word for word what the book said. The instructor looked at him in a puzzled sort of way and inquired, “Do you understand his theory?” It was a bad moment for the young cadet, but he stood up straight and answered bravely, “No, sir.” Hearing his answer, everyone in the class seemed to stop breathing. You could have heard a pin drop. The young MacArthur braced himself and waited. Then, the instructor said very slowly, “Neither do I, Cadet MacArthur. The class is dismissed.”
“Truth is generally the best vindication against slander,” wrote American president Abraham in a letter to Secretary of War Edwin Stanton. There is also truth to this statement by Arthur Schopenhauer: “All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” In The Importance of Being Earnest, Oscar Wilde commented, “The truth is rarely pure and never simple.” To which Alexander Solzhenitsyn contends, “We do not err because truth is difficult to see. It is visible at a glance. We err because this is more comfortable.” That’s right! In fact, more often than not, people don’t want to hear the truth because it hurts. They prefer to listen to fiction. No wonder, truth is stranger than fiction! A noted pastor was preaching one Sunday and noticed that his congregation was drowsing. Suddenly, he paused, and then in a very loud voice, related an incident that had no connection whatsoever with his sermon. “I was once visiting a village and came to the house of a farmer,” the pastor related. “I stopped for a bit when I saw something stranger than I had
ever seen in my life. There was a sow with a litter of ten little pigs. She and each of her piglets had a long curved horn growing out their forehead between their ears.” At this point, the pastor stopped his story and ran his eyes over the congregation. Everybody was wide awake now. “How strange,” he told the audience. “A few minutes ago, when I was telling you the truth, you all went to sleep. But now, when you have heard a whooping lie, you are all wide awake!” “How often have I said to you that when you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth?” wrote Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in his Sherlock Holmes novel, The Sign of Four. Truth shall set us free but it does not always win. The anecdote below is a case in point. Four frogs were sitting on a tree trunk floating at the edge of a river. Suddenly, the current started to pull it downstream. The frogs were thrilled because none had ever sailed before. Minutes later, the first frog spoke, “This is a wonderful log. It moves as if it were alive.” Whereupon, the second frog said, “No, my friend, the log is not moving. The river is.” To which the
third frog disputed, “You’re both wrong. The movement is strictly in your mind; for without thought nothing can move.” The three argued and argued and got nowhere, and so they asked the silent fourth frog what he thought. “Each of you is right, and none of you is wrong,” the fourth frog explained. “The movement is in the tree trunk, in the water, and also in your minds.” None of the three frogs wanted to admit that the fourth frog was telling the truth and each of the other frogs believed they were right. So, the three frogs decided to throw the fourth frog into the river. “Truth is tough,” pointed out Oliver Wendell Holmes in The Professor at the Breakfast Table. “It will not break, like a bubble, at a touch, nay, you may kick it all about all day like a football, and it will be round and full in the evening.” A chemist at Queensland University in Australia pours certain quantities of various elements into a laboratory test tube and then he heats the mixture. He gets a result and writes down a very accurate report of exactly what he did and how he did it. His discovery is published in a scientific journal in London.
Now, a British chemist is testing this experiment. He does exactly what the Australian student did and gets the same result. It simply means that a truth has been discovered, revealed and confirmed. It makes no difference if the British scientist tests the university student’s experiment 10 or 20 years later. Nor does it matter that one chemist is 12,000 miles away from the other. Neither time nor space has anything to do with the accuracy of a truth – if it is a truth. “Truth exists,” someone once said, “only falsehood has to be invented.” After all, “Men occasionally stumble over the truth, but most of them pick themselves up and hurry off as if nothing ever happened,” dismissed Sir Winston Churchill. And Filipinos should listen to the words of Edith Sitwell: “The public will believe anything, so long as it is not founded on truth.” According to Ralph Waldo Emerson, “Truth is beautiful, without doubt; but so are lies.” And what did Mark Twain write in Advice to Youth? “The history of our race, and each individual’s experience, are sown thick with evidence that a truth is not hard to kill and that a lie told well is immortal.”
ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD
SANTA ANA IN DAVAO HISTORY In the annals of Catholicism in Davao, two names, i.e., San Pedro and Santa Ana, date to the arrival of Spaniards in the city and have survived the onslaught to change the identities of key profiles in history in landmarks in favor of more politically connected personalities. The history of Santa Ana, honored on July 26 each year in the Roman Catholic almanac of saints, harks back to the Spanish invasion. Luisa de Azaola, the future wife of Jose Oyanguren, Davao’s vanquisher, carried the saint’s image during the foray and sought her intercession. In part, the conquest of Datu Bago, then ruler of Davao River, may be attributed to this holy person. After the fall of Datu Bago, the members of the invasion, mostly Catholics, named the anchorage where the expedition
docked to launch an attack after Santa Ana. Over time, even the trail that was connecting the mooring to the interior region adopted the name. When the Americans developed the quay as a viable wharf, they retained the name as it was already popular among residents and traders living next to the pier. Later, the old trail was rebuilt and expanded. Santa Ana wharf is also the site of the biggest prewar conflagration to strike the city on April 26, 1938. Burned in the incident was the warehouse of International Harvester Company, a global American firm, aside from partially torched structures owned by exporting establishments. The fire devastated approximately 15,000 bales of abaca hemp, aside from trucks and machinery worth P360,000. To contain the flames, the police-
men had to perform extra work with help from the firefighting devices earlier acquired by Davao City mayor Santiago Artiaga. It was by far the most devastating blaze to hit the city in decades. The adoption of Santa Ana as a name of an ecclesiastical authority was not formalized until July 26, 1949, also the saint’s feast day. The plan to canonically establish a new parish was chiefly due to the exponential growth of Catholics served by the San Pedro Parish. Rowena Nuera, in ‘The Humble Beginnings of Santa Ana Parish,’ issued on July 31, 2016, by the Davao Catholic Herald, described the territory of the new parish as “limited on the south by a line beginning at the sea through Juan Luna Street, thence thru Emilio Jacinto Street until the Davao River; on the west by the Davao River
until the barrio Callawa; on the north by the line of the city limits; on the east by the sea.” A year earlier, the Foreign Missions Society (PME) of Quebec, with influence over the Davao area, acquired on August 18, 1948, a 3.5-hectare coconut property for a princely sum of P7,000 from the Bustamante and Kong Kang Long families. The land, a contiguous estate, now hosts iconic structures that include San Pedro Hospital, PME Regional House, Holy Cross of Davao College, CYO Gym, Santa Ana Church, and San Pedro College. The laying of the cornerstone, held on January 6, 1949, the feast of the Epiphany, was attended by the PME Fathers, led by Fr. Clovis Thibault, PME, as mission superior; Fr. Conrad Cote, parish priest of Santa Ana; Davao City mayor Bernardo Teves; Davao representative
Apolinario Cabigon, and Jesuit priest Fr. Paquia, then vicar-general of the Zamboanga diocese. Three months thereafter, on April 16, 1949, the unfinished church was consecrated by Bishop Luis del Rosario, head of the Zamboanga Diocese with jurisdiction over the Davao parishes. The founding of Santa Ana Parish encouraged the city to extend the American-era Santa Ana Road to where it now passes alongside the church that bears the name of the saint. Santa Ana (the equivalent of Hannah in Hebrew), according to the Christian apocryphal tradition in the Gospel of James (written around 150 A.D.) and the Eastern Orthodox Church, is the mother of Blessed Virgin Mary and spouse of Saint Joachim, who shares July 26 as his feast day.
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COMPETITIVE EDGE
AboitizPower continues to support government initiatives against Covid-19 AboitizPower and its subsidiaries across the country continue to take action and work with the government to fortify its capacity to respond to the pandemic and achieve herd immunity, at the soonest possible time. AboitizPower Oil Business Units Therma Mobile, Inc. (TMO) and Therma Marine, Inc. (TMI) turned over 1.150 million pesos worth of medical supplies, including scarce syringes and ultra-low gloves, to Navotas City and Maco Municipality, Davao de Oro. In December 2021, Christmas packages were also distributed to 400 front-liners from Barangays North Bay Boulevard North and North Bay Boulevard South-Proper in Navotas, and San Roque in Maco in appreciation for their tireless services amidst the pandemic. “The way to overcome
any pandemic is to collaborate and fight against it. With AboitizPower and other partner organizations, both from the public and private sector, fighting this battle alongside us, we are confident that we can beat this pandemic and we will recover as one,” said Ronaldo Ramos, AboitizPower Oil Business Unit President and Chief Operating Officer. Cotabato Light and Power Company (Cotabato Light), one of AboitizPower’s distribution utilities, has also taken active participation in the city’s efforts to curb the pandemic. Since December 2021, 100% of Cotabato Light’s employees and contractors have already been fully vaccinated, demonstrating the company’s drive to ensure a safe work environment and a healthy community for its customers
Cotabato Light team with the Cotabato City Health Office frontliners during the 1 day massive booster program and stakeholders. With the current upsurge of Covid-19 cases, Cotabato Light quickly rolled out boosters on January 12 and successfully administered 234 jabs for its workforce and their families. Together with the
[L-R] Maco Municipal Health Officer Liezl Andoy; TMI Operations Manager Benedicto Dejan, Jr.; Maco Mayor Dr. Alvera Veronica Rimando; TMI Reputation Specialist Princess Lace Awa; and AboitizPower Oil BU VP for Operations and Maintenance Cirilo Nanual
Aboitiz Foundation Inc., Cotabato Light also donated much-needed medical supplies and equipment to aid the city’s mass vaccination programs last December 2021.
AboitizPower and its subsidiaries remain steadfast in their promise to advance business and communities, despite the rising challenges brought by the Covid-19 pandem-
ic. The energy company will continue to do its part to keep the lights on for its customers while also helping the country move forward towards a better normal.
[L-R] Navotas City Health Officer Dr. Christia Padolina, Navotas City Mayor Toby Tiangco, AboitizPower Oil Business Unit President & COO Ronaldo Ramos, VP for Corporate Services Jokin Aboitiz, and Reputation Manager Kristian Anderson Santos.
SSS promotes its online channels amid rise in COVID-19 cases The Social Security System (SSS) is once again urging its members, pensioners, and employers to use its online services as the country continues to record a high number of COVID-19 cases. SSS President and CEO Aurora C. Ignacio said transacting with the SSS using its online channels is the simplest, safest, and most convenient option for SSS stakeholders. “Through our online channels, our stakeholders can avail of our services without the need to go out of their homes or offices, minimizing their risk of exposure to COVID-19,” Ignacio said.
Among SSS’ online channels are the My.SSS Portal at www.sss.gov. ph, SSS Mobile App, and uSSSap Tayo Portal at https://crms.sss.gov.ph. Using the My.SSS Portal, members, pensioners, and employers can access their SSS information including contributions, loans, and status of benefit claims or reimbursement; open the Disbursement Account Enrollment Module (DAEM) and Benefit Re-Disbursement Module (BRM); and generate Payment Reference Numbers (PRNs) for contributions and loans. Members may also submit Maternity Notifications (for individual members), Maternity
Benefit Applications and Adjustment of Maternity Benefit, Sickness Benefit Applications, Funeral Benefit Applications, Retirement Benefit Applications (subject to qualifying conditions for online filing), Salary Loan Applications, Calamity Loan Applications, and Pension Loan Applications (for renewal), among others. On the other hand, employers may also submit Contribution Collection Lists (R3), Employment Reports (R1A), Loan Collection Lists (ML2), SS Sickness Benefit Reimbursement Applications, and Maternity Benefit Reimbursement Applications; and certify their employees’
Retirement Benefit and Salary Loan Applications, among others. Currently, there are over 30 member services and nearly 20 employer services available in the My.SSS Portal. Some of these services can also be accessed through the SSS Mobile App. Meanwhile, the uSSSap Tayo Portal, a self-service platform, enables SSS stakeholders and the public to conveniently find relevant SSS information to answer their questions and access a facility to communicate with the SSS for their additional concerns. The uSSSap Tayo Portal has three sections, namely the Knowledgebase Section, which con-
tains information about SSS programs and services, including a getting started guide, step-bystep and how-to articles, and troubleshooting information; the Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) Section, where users can access answers to common SSS queries; and the Viewing and Submission of Tickets Section that allow users to check the status of their concerns or create additional tickets. Online and alternative payment channels for SSS contributions and loans are also available. One of which is through the SSS Mobile App, wherein self-employed, voluntary, and Overseas Filipino Worker mem-
bers can pay their contributions using their PayMaya account, GCash account, Credit Card/ Debit Card, or Bank of the Philippine Islands account. Information about SSS online and alternative payment channels can be found in the Knowledgebase Section of the uSSSap Tayo Portal. To know more about SSS’ various online services, members and employers may also access https://bit.ly/expreSSS, follow “Philippine Social Security System – SSS” on Facebook, “mysssph” on Instagram or YouTube, “PHLSSS” on Twitter, or join SSS’ Viber Community at “MYSSSPH Updates.”
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nlike in the past, the country is now living at the time where diabetes seems to be the norm. Ask someone you know and he or a member of his family is having the chronic disease.
“We live in an age so conducive for developing diabetes,” says Dr. Joy Arabelle Fontanilla, section chief of Endocrinology at Asian Hospital and Medical Center. “Though diabetes is not spread by contagion, its breeding grounds are ubiquitous nonetheless.” Diabetes has something to do with pancreas, about six inches long and sits across the back of the abdomen, behind the stomach. It plays an important role in converting the food you eat into the fuel for the body’s cells. Diabetes happens when the pancreas does not produce enough insulin or when the body cannot effectively use the insulin it produces. Insulin is a hormone that regulates blood sugar. “Uncontrolled diabetes leads to serious complications such as stroke, heart attack, end-stage kidney disease, blindness, and lower limb amputation, among others,” says the Department of Health (DOH). The number of people with diabetes rose from 108 million in 1980 to 422 million in 2014, according to the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO). Prevalence has been rising more rapidly in low- and middle-income countries than in high-income countries. In the Philippines, diabetes is the sixth leading cause of death, the health department states. The number of people with diabetes has considerably increased: from 3.4 million in 2010 to 3.7 million in 2017. “Each
day, there are at least 100 deaths due to diabetes-related acute or chronic complications,” a study reported. Among the 770 people with diabetes coming from general hospitals, diabetes clinics and referral clinics, who were included in a survey conducted in 2008, it was found that 85% of them had uncontrolled diabetes and almost all (99%) had cardiovascular complications. Foot problems (82%), kidney diseases (81%), neuropathy (67%) and eye difficulties (62%) were the other complications reported. Actually, there are two general types of diabetes. Type 2, formerly known as non-insulin-dependent, is the most common form; more than 95% of people with diabetes have this type. “Type 2 diabetes results
from the body’s ineffective use of insulin,” the United Nations health agency explains. “This type of diabetes is largely the result of excess body weight and physical inactivity.”
YES, YOU CAN PREVENT
TYPE 2 DIABETES Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO
Type 2 diabetes is also used to be called adult-onset diabetes. But later on, it was found that this type also affects children and teenagers, mainly because of childhood obesity. In the Philippines, “children as young
as five years old have been diagnosed with diabetes,” says the Philippine Diabetes Association. “If you have type 2 diabetes, cells don’t respond normally to insulin; this is called insulin resistance,” the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) explains. “Your pancreas makes more insulin to try to get cells to respond. Eventually, your pancreas can’t keep up, and your blood sugar rises, setting the stage for prediabetes and type 2 diabetes.” More often than not, symptoms of type 2 diabetes develop over several years and can go for a long time without being noticed (in some instances, there aren’t any noticeable symp-
toms at all). So, there are those who may have diabetes already but don’t know they have the disease. Sofia Evangelista was diagnosed with type 2 diabetes in 2003. “I’ve experienced all the symptoms,” she told beyondtype2.org. “I was always thirsty, frequently using the bathroom, a yeast infection, and my vision was blurry. I was also always hungry. I would eat and then an hour or two later, I was hungry again. It was also tough to sleep at night at times.” Despite all these symptoms, she was still shock to learn when the doctor diagnosed her of having diabetes. “I didn’t think the symptoms I was experiencing were due to diabetes,” she said. “No one in my family has it, plus, I didn’t think I was doing anything extraordinary to lead me to this kind of illness.” Filipino medical experts are in unison that type 2 diabetes cases may surge in the coming years. “The highrisk populations for the development of diabetes that we commonly see are those with family history of diabetes, and those who are obese or overweight,” warns Dr. Jocelyn Capuli-Isidro, a con-
sultant endocrinologist at the Makati Medical Center. “Similarly important are those who are taking medications that can increase blood sugar,” she continues. “Another important risk for diabetes is a history of gestational diabetes which can lead to more than 40% increased risk for having diabetes in the future.” The most basic risk factors for type 2 diabetes, according to Dr. Capuli-Isidro, are: obesity and family history of diabetes coupled with poor eating habits and sedentary or inactive lifestyle. “Westernization plays an important role in the increasing prevalence of diabetes,” Dr. Capuli-Isidro states. “More white-collar jobs are made available, most of them encouraging sedentary lifestyles. Most people, when at work, are just sitting down and are hooked to their computers.” There are several ways you can prevent from having type 2 diabetes. Dr. Capuli-Isidro shares the following tips: Go for an active lifestyle: “Physical activities allow us to burn the calories that we take everyday especially if
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of Omicron in Davao Region,” she said. On January 20, 2022 DOH–Davao Region also confirmed the detection of three cases of Omicron (B.1. 1.529) variant of concern in the Davao Region from the 35 specimens sent last December 23 and 29, 2021 to the University of the Phil-
ippines-Philippine Genome Center (UP-PGC) and two more, who were tested in Clark, Pampanga and the National Capital Region (NCR). The five abovementioned Omicron variant cases have been tagged also as recovered upon the release of the WGS report.
tified via sponsored ads in two social media platforms of Meta (Facebook and Instagram). Respondents were defined to be at least 18 years old, are targeted for contact within the defined
geographical radius in each of the major islands of the Philippines, and have valid/active email addresses. Survey was done at a 95% confidence level and 3% margin of error.
The Commander also said that EastMinCom’s continued conduct of intensified combat operations is in response to the bulk of information that was shared by former rebels and concerned citizens to the troops. “This accomplishment is part of our ramped-up initiatives against the CTG in order to meet the goal of ending the local communist armed conflict by 2022,” he added. He likewise bared that the demoralization brought about by hunger, lack of leadership, and successive defeats of the CTG in Eastern Mindanao, made its members realize that they are fighting an unwinnable revolution.
“These former rebels revealed their bitter and unfair experience in the hands of their CTG leaders. It made them surrender and decide to return to the folds of the law,” he said. Meanwhile, the EastMinCom Commander once again urged the remaining CTG members to come forward and lay down their arms, embrace a new life, and avail the government’s assistance being offered to them. “Now is the time to make peace with the government and embrace its offer of a comfortable life through the Enhanced Comprehensive Integration Program (ECLIP),” LtGen. Almerol expressed. (PR/ EastMinCom)
others. The BSP has also inked an MOU with the United Kingdom (UK) for the latter’s support on several areas like fintech development, capital market development, and sustainable finance. “For this year, we have in our pipeline negotiations with other central banks focusing on internal audit, digital payment initiatives, and cross border establishments,” Diokno said. BSP International Relations and Surveillance Department senior director Maria Teresa Dueñas declined to identify the central banks that BSP is currently in talks with,
saying “negotiations are still ongoing.” “However, what we can mention are the areas of cooperation in these initiatives. These are all on fintech, on capital market development, and financial system developments,” she said. Diokno said the country also had BSAs with the central banks of Korea and China, but both expired in 2010. He said the BSA with Korea was not renewed “as there has been no mutual interest to do so.” Diokno said negotiations with the People’s Bank of China for a bilateral currency swap arrangement were made in 2018.
the environment.” DBP is the fifth-largest bank in the country in terms of assets and provides credit support to four strategic sectors of the economy -infrastructure and logistics; micro, small and medium enterprises; environment; social services and community development. Herbosa said proceeds of the PHP1.1-billion loan to MRDC were used for the construction of an 8-megawatt (MW) hydro-energy power plant located in Barangay San Rafael in Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya, which is expected to generate an additional 42-gigawatt hours (GWh) for the Luzon Grid via the National Grid
Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP). He said the PHP1-billion loan to THEC was utilized to build a 16-MW hydropower project in Tubig River, Brgy. San Rafael in Taft, Eastern Samar, which would supply 70GWh to the Visayas grid to help address the inadequate supply of stable and affordable electricity in the region particularly in Samar Island and Leyte province. “Despite the constraints posed by the pandemic, commissioning of both projects is already in the planning stage, and commercial operations will soon commence,” Herbosa said.
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stop operation. “We leave the thorough assessment to the concerned agencies, but
meanwhile we work on ensuring assistance reaches the community,” Acosta added
of the WGS report. Pasion reminded the local government units (LGUs) to continue doing the Prevent-Detect-Isolate-Treat-Reintegrate (PDITR) and the public to always follow the minimum public health standards (MPHS) to remain protected against Covid-19 variants.
“The PDITR and MPHS can still protect us from whatever variants we are having right now and the increased number of cases may be attributed to this spread of Omicron variant because of its high transmissibility than the other variants of concern,” she said.
ceptance of responsibility.” Romy N. Carillo commented that it’s a failure of governance. “Why can’t government prevent illegal settlers? Apology accepted but it’s not enough. Important infrastructure has been damaged due to negligence, heads must roll down,” it said. “I know that lots of agencies are involved. The people/ management who are responsible for overseeing that settlers are not dwellings under any government-owned infrastructures needs to step down. Negligence to its responsibilities causes the citizen of Davao City to suffer the consequences of the aftermath. We all
know that some or all had passed through to any of these bridges or government infrastructures and did not notice the problem. Please no more excuses. I hope the Mayor of Davao City will step in and conduct a thorough investigation and appropriate actions will be taken to those responsible,” Jungle Kong posted. Some Dabawenyos also expressed support to Felizarta and admired him for taking full responsibility for the setback. Meanwhile, the Bolton Bridge II was reopened on Wednesday afternoon to motorists but only for light vehicles or vehicles weighing six tons and below. By Maya M. Padillo
Hinchliffe said the fiscal incentives provided by the CREATE law and the newly enacted Retail Trade Liberalization law make the Philippines more attractive to American investors. He said this interest of foreign investors to the Philippines will be strengthened once the country implements the free trade agreement (FTA) under RCEP. The country is now waiting for the concurrence of the Senate to deposit its instrument of ratification. The Philippines will start benefiting from the trade deal 60 days after depositing the instrument of ratification. RCEP has entered into force in Australia, Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, China, Japan, Laos, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, and Vietnam since the start of the year. South Korea will follow
on February 1. Indonesia, Malaysia, and Myanmar are also part of the trade deal. “We would like to emphasize the need for the Senate concurrence of RCEP as soon as possible in order for Philippines and American businesses based in the country to fully utilize the agreement and maximize its benefits. We already know that we are behind as the agreement was already implemented on 1 January 2022. We hope to see the country implement the agreement by early 2022,” Hinchliffe said. Department of Trade and Industry Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty, who is also the country’s lead negotiator for RCEP, said Philippine-based enterprises will have broader sources of raw materials at lower tariff -- zero duty for most products -- through the world’s largest FTA.
in terms of giving permits and licenses for telco infrastructure throughout the country. “The steady increase in internet speed continues to boost the competitiveness of our country in our regional and global community. I believe that by the end of the term of this Administration, the President would have fulfilled his promise to the people of a better and faster internet connection and services,” the ARTA chief added. He also emphasized the need for the country for
better and faster internet connection, especially in the far-flung areas, amid the pandemic. “The upward trend of the connectivity coincides with the growing demand for faster internet activity among the Filipinos in the new normal as most of our transactions nowadays are done online,” Belgica said. He said ARTA will continue to step up its efforts and will push for innovation to improve the government’s way of doing business with the transacting public. (PNA)
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we take more than what we need,” she says, adding that some effective forms of exercise include bicycling, running, swimming, brisk walking, and even climbing up the stairs. “Children are encouraged to limit their use of electronic gadgets or television viewing to one hour a day only and instead engage in sports such as basketball, volleyball, and swimming for boys or gymnastics for girls,” Dr. Capuli-Isidro says. Eat proper diet: Eat high fiber, low calorie, and low-fat diets. Highly recommended are vegetables and fruits. “These are high in vitamins and minerals and high in fibers, which allow us to feel full right away preventing undue indulgences in food,” says Dr. Capuli-Isidro. Choose steamed or roasted food over fried ones. “Home-cooked are preferred over foods that we buy from fast-food chains since these are less fatty,” the doctor says. Red meats should be avoided as they “can increase the risk for diabetes by 20%.” Maintain an ideal body weight: “Overweight and obesity increases the chance of having diabetes in the future,” Dr. Capuli-Isidro says. Overweight is defined by a body mass index (BMI) greater than 25, while obesity relates to a BMI of 30 or above. The BMI is calculated by dividing body weight (in kilograms) by height (in meters) squared. For example, a person who is 1.7 meters tall and weighs 6.5 kilograms would have a BMI of 22.5. “Maintaining ideal body weight cuts the chance in half,” Dr. Capuli-Isidro says. “If you are obese or overweight, 7% weight loss at a rate of one pound (0.453592 kilogram) weekly is desirable.” Get enough sleep everyday: Just as diabetes can cause sleep problems, sleep problems also appear to play an important role in diabetes. Too little sleep can
increase insulin resistance, the CDC claims. It can also make your hungrier the following day and reduce how full you feel after eating. “Adequate sleep everyday consists of at least eight hours for adults and 12 hours for growing kids,” Dr. Capuli-Isidro says. Know your family history: Family history of type 2 diabetes is recognized as a significant risk factor of the disease. “If one parent has diabetes, you have a 3.5fold higher chance of having it, too, more so if both parents are afflicted causing as high as 7-fold higher risk of diabetes in the future compared to those without family history of diabetes.” Consult early with the doctor if obese or overweight: An ounce of prevention, so goes a saying, is better than a pound of cure. This is true in the case of type 2 diabetes. Cleveland Clinic says a person who is obese is about six times more likely to develop type 2 diabetes than those at a healthy weight. “In cases of obese or overweight children or adults, having realized the risk for diabetes in them, early consultation with a specialist is very important,” Dr. Capuli-Isidro says. “They can be given a dietary prescription and/or weight-reducing exercise program to follow. If warranted, they can also be prescribed safe weight-reducing medication that can work effectively with their diets and exercise.” The health department says screening for diabetes and educating the people on its signs, symptoms, ways to prevent and avoid complications play a great role in addressing the debilitating disease. “Diabetes keeps on increasing in prevalence, but we shouldn’t give up the fight against the disease,” says Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III. “It may be chronic and incurable but diabetes can be managed.”
making the country proud with this campaign. “We know the rich history the Philippine teams have in the ABL and we want to put ourselves in that standard as well, so we want to make a splash and win a championship in this tournament,” he said. The ABL has yet to release the full details of the upcoming season, although it has previously mentioned holding “circuit format” tournaments to cope with the global COVID-19 pan-
demic. Cities in Indonesia and Malaysia are looked at as potential venues for this first bubble, which is tentatively set for this February. Philippine-based clubs have won three championships in the regional league, with the aforementioned Philippine Patriots ruling the inaugural 2009-10 season, before the San Miguel Beermen (2013) and San Miguel Alab Pilipinas (2017-18) followed suit.
In terms of paying obligations, 46 percent of respondents said they expect that they will not be able to pay their current bills and loans in full. “From financial health to the disruptions in daily living, the lives of millions of Filipinos have drastically changed and continue to change due to Covid-19,” TransUnion Philippines president and chief exec-
utive officer Pia Arellano said. Top bills and loans that consumers seem to be challenging to pay in full include personal loans, mortgages and home loans, and credit cards. Despite this, 44 percent of the respondents said they were planning to apply for credit and lending products this year to meet their financial goals.
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Chicago guard Lonzo Ball will be out for eight weeks.
Irving slapped $25K fine for cursing at Cavs fan
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EW YORK — Brooklyn Nets guard Kyrie Irving was fined $25,000 by the NBA on Thursday (Friday, Manila time) for cursing at a fan in Cleveland. Irving’s comments to the fan during the second quarter of Brooklyn’s 114-107 loss on Monday were captured on video. Irving used profanity in reminding the fan that he helped the Cavaliers win the NBA championship in 2016. The NBA has been trying to clean up profanity among players,
fining Irving’s teammate Kevin Durant and New York’s Julius Randle recently for using obscene language during interviews. Irving’s exchange with the fan was part of an eventful return to his former home. After the game, he reiterated that he wasn’t changing his stance on refusing the COVID-19 vaccine, which has kept him ineligible to play in home games because of New York City’s mandate for professional athletes who play indoors.
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Ball to undergo knee surgery
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HICAGO — Chicago Bulls guard Lonzo Ball will have arthroscopic surgery on his left knee and is expected to be out six to eight weeks, the team announced Thursday (Friday, Manila time).
Ball has missed three games since a 42-point loss to Golden State last week. Coach Billy Donovan said Wednesday the team had switched up
his treatment, hoping he would avoid surgery, after he didn’t respond well to the initial regimen. Ball had the same knee scoped in 2018 when he was with
the Lakers. Acquired from New Orleans in a sign-andtrade deal, Ball has been a major contributor in Chicago’s rise to the top of the Eastern Conference. He is averaging 13 points, 5.4 rebounds and 5.1 assists. A disruptive defender on the perimeter, he is sixth in the league in steals at 1.8 per game. Chicago (28-15)
was tied with Miami for the East lead through Wednesday, after four straight losing seasons. The Bulls visit Milwaukee on Friday to start a threegame trip that also takes them to Orlando and Miami. With Ball out and star Zach LaVine (sore left knee) sidelined, the Bulls are leaning more on Coby White and rookie Ayo Dosunmu.
including the 10,000th of his career — for the Lakers, who have lost four of five to fall back below .500. Talen Horton-Tucker added 20 points in the latest embarrassing loss during a season dotted with them for the 17-time champion franchise. Ninety minutes before this debacle began, Vogel shrugged off widespread rumors of his expected firing if the Lakers don’t make immediate headway in their mediocre season. Vogel led Los Angeles to a championship just 15 months ago, but only three players — and Dwight Howard, who left and returned — remain from that title team. In their last three games, the Lakers sandwiched an impressive win over Utah between humiliating losses to Denver and Indiana.
“We have high expectations,” Vogel said. “This fan base really cares. It’s a big market. I wouldn’t want it any other way, to be honest with you. I want people to care.” Indiana trailed for most of the first three quarters before jumping ahead early in the fourth with 10 consecutive points, including eight from LeVert. The Pacers held strong down the stretch with more big baskets by LeVert, while the Lakers struggled to score with whatever lineup Vogel used. The Lakers held a 15-point lead in the first half, but Indiana erased it with several minutes left in the third quarter, taking its first lead in two games at Crypto. com Arena. The Pacers never led while giving up 139 points to the Clippers on Monday.
Pressure mounts for Vogel as Lakers’ slump continues
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LeBron James is forced to pass out by the Pacers’defense.
OS ANGELES — Caris LeVert scored 22 of his 30 points in the fourth quarter, Malcolm Brogdon added 19 and the Indiana Pacers increased the pressure on Lakers coach Frank Vogel with a 111104 victory over Los Angeles on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time). Domantas Sabonis had 20 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists as the Pacers snapped their four-game losing streak with just their second victory in 12 games. The Eastern Conference’s 13thplace team roared past the Lakers in the fourth, starting with a 14-2 run led by LeVert and concluding with his three consecutive buckets in the final two minutes. 10,000 rebounds for LeBron LeBron James had 30 points and 12 rebounds —
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FLYING THE FLAG Davao Occidental Tigers to represent Philippines in rebooted ABL
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avao will be representing the Philippines in the elite ASEAN Basketball League which is set to reboot after two years of the pandemic.
Davao Pilipinas, will have the core of the Davao Occidental Tigers of the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL), in the regional tournament featuring the best of the ASEAN region. In a recent interview with sports portal Spin.ph, team manager Ray Alao bared the development as he has been entrusted to hoist the Philippine flag and continue the nation’s winning tradition in the league. “We’re excited for this new challenge. This will be the biggest opportunity for us and we, together with Davao Occidental Gov. Claude Bautista and DUMPER-PTDA Rep. Claudine Diana Bautista, are working hard to put up a strong team this coming ABL season,” he said. This will be a return of sorts for Jerwin Gaco, who won a championship for the Philippine Patri-
ots in the 2010 ABL season. Paolo Hubalde and Robby Celiz, both of whom have played for Alab Pilipinas, are also making a comeback to the regional league. John Wilson leads the pack for the Davao squad as he will be joined by veteran ex-pros Billy Ray Robles, Bonbon Custodio, and Keith Agovida. Completing the team are Joseph Terso, Emman Calo, Jason Grimaldo, Gab Dagangon, Allan Santos, Chris Lalata, Marco Balagtas, Irvin Palencia, and Joe Presbitero. Alao also hinted at the possibility of enlisting stars such as recently retired Marc Pingris as the team has gotten the full support of San Miguel Corporation. Arvin Bonleon will serve as the head coach and will have Manu Iñigo and Matt Makalintal as his deputies.
The Davao Pilipinas team features the core of the Davao Occidental Tigers team that ruled the MPBL Lakan Cup and will be coached by former Davao Eagle quarterback Arvin Bonleon. This team will be an evolution of the Davao Occidental Tigers which won the Maharlika Pilipinas Basketball League (MPBL)
Lakan Cup and made it to the semifinals of the Filbasket Subic Championship. Davao understands the weight
it bears representing the country in a tournament like this, but Alao said that his crew are intent on
FFLYING, P10