Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 262 | Wednesday, January 26, 2022 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.14 ISSUE 262 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2022

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RT-PCR, antigen tests not needed in getting health card from CHO STORY ON PAGE 2

An elderly man constructs chicken cage made of bamboo near a community under the Bolton Bridge along Quimpo Blvd., Davao City on Tuesday. Construction of chicken cage and other bamboo byproducts is the main livelihood of residents in the area. Edge Davao

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

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President Rodrigo Duterte interacts with Senator Christopher Lawrence“Bong”Go during a meeting with the Inter-Agency Task Force on the Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID) core members at the Malacañan Palace on Monday night. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

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Vax hesitancy still high in Mindanao: Duterte

RT-PCR, antigen tests not needed in getting health card from CHO By MAYA M. PADILLO

ome 822 houses in Davao City have been placed under lockdown, the highest number so far since the city government of Davao started implementing house lockdown last year due to high cases of Covid-19.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio confirmed on Monday that a negative reverse transcription-polymerase Chain Reaction (RTPCR) or a negative antigen test to get health cards from the City Health Office (CHO) are no longer required. The mayor said the

Davao City Covid-19 Task Force has agreed to lift the requirement for negative RT-PCR or antigen test that has been required by the city since September 2021 through Resolution No. 35-A of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force to ensure the health safety of the

workforce in every establishment. The mayor said this after a netizen appealed to her during the Special Hours with Mayor Inday Sara Duterte on the Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Monday. “It was agreed upon na tanggalon na ang testing dinha sa pagkuha og health card nato. Wala na ang RTPCR test or antigen test na required kung magkuha ka og health card or magrenew ka og health card dinhi sa

City Government of Davao, sa City Health Office,” the mayor said. The mayor said such a requirement is no longer needed due to the limited capacity of the city to provide free tests. “Ang reason is because daghan sila kaayo and there are not enough tests na libre gikan sa City Government of Davao nga mo-cover sa tanang magkuha og health card. The purpose of this is surveillance so gi-shift nato kani na sur-

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resident Rodrigo R. Duterte said there is still a high percentage of vaccine hesitancy among Muslim communities in Mindanao. “For the information of everybody, in Mindanao, the Muslim community are resisting the bakuna(vaccines),” Duterte said during his prerecorded Talk to the People aired on Monday night. Duterte made the remarks on low vaccine uptake after 100 passengers bound for Zamboanga were stranded at the North Harbor Terminal 4 due to the “no vaccination, no ride” policy of the government. “I am not confident about their taking—the allowing the vaccines into their bodies because I think it’s something more of religious belief,” he said. “Pero iyan ang tingin ko. Sa Mindanao

ayaw talaga. Marami dyan ang (That’s how I see it. People in Mindanao don’t want to. Many of them are not vaccinated because) simply they do not want to.” Meanwhile, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) already assisted the unvaccinated passengers to return to their respective hometowns. The National Task Force Against Covid-19 reported that among 17 regions nationwide, the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, has the least number of vaccinated individuals, with only 25.22 percent or 769,604 individuals out of its 70 percent or 3,051,196 total targeted population, are fully vaccinated and 47,081 received booster shots. (PNA)

he Supreme Court (SC) on Monday announced the lockdown of five courts in Mindanao due to rising incidence of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infections. An SC bulletin said the Metropolitan Trial Courts (MTCs) in the Samal, Davao del Norte and Davao City will be locked down until February 2 and 3, respectively. A lockdown was also ordered in the 1st Municipal Circuit Trial Court in Indanan and Parang and the MTC of Jolo, all in

Sulu, province, Monday to Wednesday. Meanwhile, the lockdown of the Cabadbaran City Regional Trial Court Branch 34 in Agusan del Norte will be until February 2. The SC last week ordered the physical closure of courts under Alert Levels 3 and 4: Apayao, Kalinga, Ifugao, and Mountain Province (Cordillera region); Puerto Princesa City, Palawan (Mimaropa); Masbate (Bicol); Siquijor (Central Visayas); Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga Si-

Five Mindanao courts locked down due to Covid-19 cases

Gov’t to start vaxxing 5-11 T years old by Feb. 4: Galvez

he government will start administrating formulated Covid-19 vaccine to children aged 5 to 11 years old by February 4, National Task Force (NTF) Against Covid-19 chief implementer, Secretary Carlito Galvez Jr., said Monday night. “We are already prepared in the vaccination of 5 to 11 years old,” Galvez, also the vaccine czar, reported

during President Rodrigo Duterte’s prerecorded Talk to the People. Galvez said the government will issue the memorandum guidance this week, with town hall meetings to be conducted from January 24 to 28, for the rollout of the pediatric vaccination under the 5-11 years old age bracket. The formulated low-dosing Pfizer Covid-19

vaccine to be used for the younger population will tentatively arrive on February 2, he added. Galvez said the pediatric vaccination for this age bracket will be rolled out in two phases. A pilot run will be conducted in one hospital-based and one local government unit (LGU)-based vaccination site per city, within the National Capital

Region (NCR), for the first phase. After a week, it will be expanded to the rest of Metro Manila’s inoculation sites and other regions, for the second phase. “We will open the hospital and non-hospital vaccination site and we will expand the sites further to other regions after one week. Again, we will open

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NEWS

The iconic and one of Davao City’s premiere hotels, The Royal Mandaya Hotel, announces its reopening on January 31, 2022 after almost two years of temporary closure due to the economic effect of Covid-19 pandemic.

Sara: Up to brgy. execs to implement restrictions vs unvaxxed individuals No politics in PRC’s failure to open office in Mati City

“T

he news item which has been circulating in Facebook that politics played a role on why the establishment of a Professional Regulation Commission field office in Mati City did not push-through is a complete distortion of the truth if not malicious.” This was contained in an official statement made by the City of Mati local government unit through the City Information Office yesterday. According to the official statement, “the PRC came forward with a proposal to open an offsite service center here in Mati City.” “ In PRC’s proposal, it

appeared that it had already identified an office space for their operations which is owned by a private individual,” it added. “PRC also proposed to the LGU that aside from paying for its rental, the latter should likewise shoulder the cost for renovation, together with its facilities and appurtenances,” it said. “Acting on PRC’s proposal, considering that the proposed office space is a privately owned real estate, the City of Mati LGU promptly initiated the procurement process as required by R.A. 9184 or the Government Procurement Reform Act.

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Sara’s SOCA to be part of ‘Araw’ events

ayor Sara Duterte-Carpio postponed anew her anticipated State of the City Address (SOCA). This time it will be part of this year’s Araw ng Davao celebratory events on March 1, 2022. “SOCA will form part of the official activities of Araw ng Dabaw. Ang atoang activities should be March 1, 2, and 3. I think dinha na days ang SOCA,”

the mayor said. It may be recalled that Mayor Sara pushed back her SOCA from December 20, 2021 to January this year to prioritize helping the victims of Typhoon Odette. Her SOCA was supposed to be done virtually. It was twice rescheduled since the original date of the address had to be postponed after she tested

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

lthough there are no provisions in the guidelines of the Inter-Agency Task Force (IATF) instructing barangay officials to implement a “no vaccine, no entry” policy in their barangay halls, Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said she leave it to the barangay officials to implement such restriction against unvaccinated individuals. “I do not remember any IATF guidelines instructing barangay officials na mag-implement sila sa ilahang barangay hall ug no “vax, no entry” restrictions para sa mga unvaccinated but we

leave it up to them to decide on that matter. They are in the best position to decide kung unsa kadako ang ilahang barangay hall and unsa kadaghan ang mga tao for them to be at risk sa Covid-19 trans-

mission,” Mayor Sara said. Earlier this month, President Rodrigo Duterte has called on the barangay captains to limit the mobility of those who are not yet vaccinated and to advise them to stay at home. The President gave the order as he responded to the spiking number of Covid-19 cases in the country just a few days after the New Year due to the new, fast-spreading Omicron variant of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, Mayor Sara also left it to the establishments to decide

in implementing restrictions against unvaccinated individuals. “No need to ask permission from the city government of Davao, ibilin na namo na sa inyuha sa mga business establishments to decide kung mag implement mo ug restrictions sa mga unvaccinated,” she said. The mayor said she was not keen on imposing restrictions for unvaccinated people in Davao City similar to those being implemented in Metro Manila following a surge of Covid-19.

leave their current supplier, Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (now Nordeco) due to high cost of power and poor service. The move of the local governments was supported by the local business chambers, tourism councils, and other people’s organizations. The bill will now go up to the Senate for consideration. “Davao del Norte can finally march faster forward to progress for our economy and our people. The passage of this bill will usher a

new area of development of our province. Thank you to our Congressmen friends and congratulations to the mayors, councilors, barangay leaders, and all those who made this happen. We will now work with our Senate to finally finish this much awaited development for our province,” Davao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib said. “The people of Davao del Norte only deserve affordable and reliable power supply as well as world class service. I will not stop

until we make this a reality,” he added. “We are very thankful to the Congressmen friends of the people of Samal for listening to the call of our people for a cheaper, more reliable power supply. Our dark ages will soon be over. This gives us hope that Samal can finally live up to its potential as a world-class tourism destination and economic center not only in the region but in the country,” IGaCoS Mayor Al David T. Uy said.

Jubahib, DavNor leaders thank House for approving franchise bill

he House of Representatives passed on 3rd and final reading the bill expanding the franchise area of Davao Light and Power Co. to now include the Davao del Norte cities of Tagum, and IGaCoS (Samal), and the municipalities of Kapalong, New Corella, Talaingod, Asuncion, and San Isidro as well as the municipality of Maco in Davao de Oro. The franchise bill was proposed in response to the clamor of these local government units that they

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) announces that it is eyeing to finish by the end of this month the investigation on cyber-hacking of several accounts with the Sy-led BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO). Edge Davao

PH digital transactions to grow despite challenges: BSP chief

igital transactions in the Philippines are expected to further increase as regulators and other stakeholders continue to strengthen the system and put additional safeguards to thwart financial transaction-related cyberattacks. While the central bank has received more complaints pertaining to online banking transactions compared to those related to the use of automated teller machines (ATMs) and on credit cards, among others, since the pandemic started in 2020, Bangko Sentral ng

Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno does “not consider the lack of public confidence as a major constraint to the use of online transaction.” “The biggest challenges in encouraging Filipinos to adopt digital payments are still financial exclusion,

lack of substantial savings to put in an account, lack of awareness of the need to maintain an account and inability to meet documentary requirements to open an account, which may be used for transacting through digital channels,” he said in a virtual briefing on Monday. Diokno said these issues are aggravated by problems with internet connectivity, which is among the primary tools needed for digital financial services. “We have to overcome these challenges to achieve

our payments digitalization and financial inclusion objectives,” he added. The BSP aims for 70 percent of adult Filipinos to have bank accounts by 2023 as part of its digital transformation and financial inclusion bid. As of the first quarter of 2021, Diokno said there were around 53 percent of adult Filipinos who had electronic money (e-money) accounts, higher than the 29 percent in 2019. He also dubbed as “en-

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Priority areas for public-private collab on PH recovery cited

he government and the private sector need to collaborate to help improve the prospects for economic recovery, increase productivity in the country, and respond to climate change, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said in a statement Monday. In his message during the recent inaugural meeting and induction ceremonies of the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines, Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the re-

maining months of his term will focus on pushing for these top three priorities. “The first is to continue our recovery from the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) pandemic. I think this requires a change in our mindset or paradigm, from a pandemic mindset to a more endemic mindset, where we can balance the important needs of the people to protect themselves from Covid and to protect themselves from all other diseases, problems of hunger, joblessness, and

onetary authorities aim to finish by the end of this month the investigation on cyber-hacking of several accounts with the Sy-led BDO Unibank Inc. (BDO). “In addition to that ongoing investigation, the BSP continues its cyber threat surveillance with the latest reports that cyber threat actors increasingly rely on social engineering to perpetrate their fraudulent activities,” Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a virtual briefing on Monday. He said the central bank “continues to aggres-

sively coordinate with law enforcement agencies to arrest and prosecute scammers and with relevant government and private sector players to address emerging cyber-related threats and fraud.” Last December, monetary authorities said around 700 BDO accounts were hacked, with some accounts fraudulently withdrawn of funds that were transferred to several Union Bank of the Philippines (Unionbank) accounts. Earlier, Diokno said they were in close coordination with officials of the

Bill reorganizing LandBank’s eyes to finish probe into BDO charter gets House final nod BSP cyberattack by end of the month T M he House of Representatives on Monday unanimously approved on third reading a measure providing for a new charter of the Land Bank of the Philippines. With 150 affirmative votes, zero negative vote, and no abstention, the chamber passed on final reading House Bill 10581, which revitalizes LandBank’s charter to operate as a government financial institution responsible for broad-based agricultural and rural development and accelerated financial inclusion. The bill mandates the LandBank to allocate 5

percent of its regular loan portfolio for socialized credit to qualified small farmers, fisherfolk, and agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) for purposes of financing agricultural projects. It grants the bank the power to issue common and preferred shares of stocks, subject to the following conditions: 1) the issuance of shares must have prior approval from the Secretary of Finance; 2) the national government shall at all times maintain at least 3/4 ownership of the total outstanding capital stock of the bank; and 3) no individual or group, related

interest or conglomerate, may directly or indirectly vote more than 5 percent of the bank’s total outstanding capital stock except for the government. It authorizes the bank to issue all kinds of bonds, debentures, securities, collaterals, and other evidences of indebtedness conditioned upon prior approval from the Secretary of Finance and compliance with applicable laws and regulations of the Monetary Board. The bill prescribes that the voting power of the common shares owned and controlled by the national government shall be vested

in the Philippine president or any ex-officio member of the board or his designated alternate. It prescribes the powers and responsibilities of the board of directors, including the power to adopt and review its own organizational structure, staffing pattern and qualification standards; to reorganize, restructure or realign its functions to ensure the accomplishment of the bank’s mandates and strategic goals; and to adopt and early separation plan for its employees and provide incentives for those who will be separated from the service. (PNA)

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ECONOMY 5

Buying religious icons remains a practice among many Catholics in the country as shown in this photo taken Sunday, 23 January 2022, in front of San Isidro Cathedral in Malaybalay City. MindaNews photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

DTI 11: Biz name registration not yet a license to operate SEC stops Goodpocket, Easymoney online lending

he Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) has ordered Goodpocket and Easymoney Lending Corporation to stop conducting lending operations without the necessary licenses from the Commission. In an order issued January 18, the Commission En Banc directed Goodpocket and Easymoney to immediately cease and desist from engaging in, carrying out, promoting, and facilitating any lending activity/ transaction until they have secured the necessary approval and authorization from the SEC. The companies, their owners, operators, promoters, representatives, and agents were further enjoined to cease from offering and advertising their lending business through the internet or any other media, and to remove all materials involving such. The Commission issued the order after finding that Goodpocket and Easymoney have been conducting lending activities despite not being registered as a corporation. Accordingly, both companies have no Certificates of Authority to operate as a lending or financing company. Republic Act No. 9474,

or the Lending Company Regulation Act of 2007 (LCRA), requires persons or entities operating as lending companies to register as corporations and to secure from the SEC the necessary authority to operate. “Thus, the act of these Online Lending Operators in offering and providing loans to the public constitutes actual fraud which was intentionally employed to lead the public into the belief that they are legally authorized to engage in the lending business which is not and has never been the case,” the Commission En Banc held. The SEC has received complaints about the companies’ unfair collection processes, including the posting of libelous statements against borrowers on social media and the sending of such statements to their phone contacts. “The acts of these unregistered Online Lending Operators in illegally offering and providing loans to the public, charging high interest rates, and subjecting its debtors to unfair treatment through abusive and even libelous language in collecting the loaned amount, have no place in a society that is governed by and faithfully

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he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Davao Region has called on enterprises, especially those under sole ownership or proprietorship, to register their business names first prior to processing their permits with the local government units (LGUs).

January is a busy month for businesses since this is the time when they renew their permits in order to operate continuously. Meanwhile, the business name registration (BNR) with DTI is valid for five years. DTI 11 Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said that the business name certificate from DTI is among the requirements in getting a business permit. She emphasized, though,

that this does not give its holders yet the license to do business. “The BNR gives the business owners the authority to use the name they want to reflect on their receipts and other business transactions. However, we would like to emphasize that this is not yet enough to start operating their business. They still need to apply and process their business permit with the

concerned barangay or LGU. Once approved and available, that’s the only time they can already do business,” she noted. In the meantime, Ambi shared that the applicants’ preferred business or trade name is not approved automatically. The application still needs to undergo verification according to the provisions and guidelines based on the Philippine Business Name Law. “There are certain words that are not allowed in the business name. So, our BN verifiers have to assess the applications first before they can process them. This is why we require applicants to provide three possible business

names according to their order of preference. Our BN verifiers will check first the number 1 preferred name for availability and adherence to guidelines. If it can’t pass, they will check the second, then the third options,” the local trade official said. Meanwhile, Ambi said that those businesses categorized as a partnership or a corporation can register their trade name with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). In 2021, DTI 11 processed and issued a total of 21,787 business name certificates. Although there is a decrease of 5.14 percent last year compared to

and Industry (DTI) said, according to a report by Bernadette Reyes on Saksi on Monday. The present price for a pack of 10 pieces of Pinoy Pandesal is P21.50 while one pack of Pinoy Tasty costs P35. “Dahil tayo ay walang sariling trigo, bumibili tayo sa ibang bansa. Siyempre, we are dependent doon sa global prices. Parang gasolina ‘yan (Since we do not grow our

own wheat, we buy these from other countries. Of course we are dependent on global prices. It’s just like the price of gasoline). Bakers are stuck with expensive wheat if they still want quality,” said PhilBaking president Johnlu Koa. According to DTI, it has been five years since a price increase was implemented on Pinoy Pandesal and Pinoy Tasty. This time, there is am-

ple basis to impose a price increase, the DTI said. DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo said the price increase may range from one peso to two pesos. She added that if the manufacturers do not implement a price increase, “the company will suffer the brunt.” However, the group Laban Konsumer voiced hope that the price increase, if imposed, would not go beyond one peso.

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Bread manufacturers propose Pinoy Pandesal, Pinoy Tasty price hike

he price of bread has gone up because of the hike in the cost of ingredients, and this may also affect the price of affordable Pinoy Pandesal and Pinoy Tasty, a group of bread manufacturers said. The Philippine Baking Industry Group (PhilBaking) is asking for price increases of P2.50 for each pack of Pinoy Pandesal and up to P4.50 for Pinoy Tasty, the Department of Trade

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On leaving it to barangay officials to implement restrictions against unvaccinated residents:

I do not remember any IATF guidelines instructing barangay officials na magimplement sila sa ilahang barangay hall ug no “vax, no entry” restrictions para sa mga unvaccinated but we leave it up to them to decide on that matter. They are in the best position to decide kung unsa kadako ang ilahang barangay hall and unsa kadaghan ang mga tao for them to be at risk sa Covid-19 transmission.”

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio

GUEST EDITORIAL Much-anticipated bill The Senate recently approved House Bill No. 8930 establishing the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MMDA) on third and final reading.

A euphoric Congressman Isidro T. Ungab, principal author of the House Bill, lauded the Senate for its action on the bill which aims to change the socio-economic landscape, growth and development of the burgeoning Davao Region. Ungab thanked Senator Francis Tolentino, who used to be chairman of the Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) from 2010 to 2015, in helping push the approval of the bill.

In a statement, Ungab said the creation of MDDA, consisting of six cities and nine municipalities to be known as Metropolitan Davao, will be in response to the fast growth and peculiar urbanization of the region. The six cities are Tagum, Panabo, and Samal

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MDDA, the proposed agency, will manage common programs and projects on infrastructure, drainage, disaster response, public transport, road traffic and solid waste. An initiative of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, MDDA is expected to assure stronger coordination among the component cities and municipalities in the planning, implementation and monitoring of priority programs. With the MDDA in full operation, Dabawenyos can anticipate more big-ticket projects costing billions of pesos to benefit them. MAYA M. PADILLO

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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(IgACoS) in Davao del Norte, Mati, Davao Oriental, Davao City, Digos in Davao de Sur and the municipalities of Carmen, Davao del Norte, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur, Malita in Davao Occidental and Maco in Davao de Oro.

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EDGEDAVAO

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VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

CERVICAL CANCER AWARENESS MONTH In a recent press briefing at the World Health Organization office in Geneva, Switzerland, Director General Tedros Ghebreyesus believes the pandemic is “nowhere near over.” And with the incredible growth of Omicron, new variants are likely to emerge. “Omicron continues to sweep the world. I remain concerned about countries with low vaccination rates, as unvaccinated people are many times more at risk of severe illness and death,” the WHO chief stressed. “I urge everyone to do their best to reduce risk of infections and help take pressure off health systems.” In the same briefing, Dr. Tedros said January is Cervical Cancer Awareness month. “In 2020, an estimated 604,000 women were diagnosed with cervical cancer worldwide and about 342,000 women died from the disease,” the United Nations health agency pointed out. Cervical cancer is the second leading cancer site among women, according to the Department of Health (DOH) reports. Every year, an estimated 7,277 new cases are reported with 3,087 deaths. In recent years, however, more cases and more deaths are being reported.

The WHO said the main cause of cervical cancer is infection with high-risk types of human papillomavirus (HPV), an extremely common family of viruses that are transmitted through sexual contact. HPV takes several forms, which are referred to by number. “There are about 100 types of HPV that generally infect people in various parts of the body but there are only 13 types that can cause cancer in the cervix,” wrote Dr. Cecilia Ladines-Llave in a paper presented at the Global Conference on Low-Resource Setting Cervical Cancer Prevention held at Johns Hopkins University. The most common causes of cervical cancer are HPV Types 16 and 18. These two types are responsible for 70 percent of cervical cancer around the world. HPV Type 16 also causes oropharyngeal cancer. Condoms do not fully protect against infection because the virus can exist throughout the genital area and around the anus. “We realize that, although HPV is sexually transmitted, it is not a sexually transmitted disease,” Dr. Chia Yin Nin, a gynecologic oncologist practicing at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore, told Business World. “It can be acquired through per-

sonal contact like fondling, petting and sexual intercourse.” The following had been established as possible causes of cervical cancer: have had multiple sexual partners, have had sexual partners (regular or casual) who themselves had several sexual partners, have had sexual partner who is infected with HPV, and had first sexual intercourse at a very early age, possibly 15 or 16 years old. The risk of developing cervical cancer is increased by the following: smoking, long-term use of oral contraceptives, a weakened immune system, and a family history of cancer, especially cervical cancer. HPV is so prevalent in the community, almost all women can have it. However, there are many forms of HPV, and many do not cause problems. “HPV infections usually clear up without any intervention within a few months after acquisition, and about 90% clear within 2 years,” the WHO said, adding that a small proportion of infections with certain types of HPV can persist and progress to cervical cancer. Dr. Cecilia Ladines-Llave, the director of Cervical Cancer Prevention Network, was quoted as saying by Philippine News Agency (PNA) that 99.7% of the cervical cancers are caused by

HPV. It takes 10 to 30 years of incubation before HPV infection becomes symptomatic. “There are no signs and symptoms about 18% of the time,” Dr. Llave stated. “Most women don’t go to the health centers unless they’re bleeding profusely and they experience too much pain. For about 20% of the women who are infected with HPV, cervical cancer may develop. “It is only when the cancer develops that you experience the signs like bleeding during sexual intercourse, bleeding between menstrual periods, or bleeding after menopause,” Dr. Nin said. “The patient can also experience other symptoms like back pain, cough and swelling in the abdomen or limbs if the cancer has spread. When detected early, cervical cancer, however, is curable. At present, the most reliable and practical way to diagnose cervical cancer early is through Pap smear, which involves collecting cells from the cervix, which are examined under a microscope. Aside from Pap smear, there is also the HPV test kit. “It is a swab test similar to the Pap smear,” Dr. Nin said. “The accuracy is so much better than the Pap smear. It is so accurate that

you can space out your screening to 3-5 years. For Pap smear, it is recommended that you test once every year because it is quite prone to interpretation error.” An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, so goes a saying. The WHO said there are vaccines that protect against high-risk HPV types, which means cervical cancer should be one of the most preventable and treatable forms of cancer. Currently, there are 3 vaccines protecting against both HPV 16 and 18, which are known to cause at least 70% of cervical cancers. The third vaccine protects against three additional HPV types, which cause a further 20% of cervical cancers. The WHO reported that clinical trials and post-marketing surveillance have shown that these HPV vaccines are very safe and very effective in preventing infections with HPV. The vaccines, however, cannot treat HPV infection or HPV-associated disease, such as cancer. HPV vaccines work best if administered prior to exposure to HPV. As such, the WHO recommends to vaccinate girls, aged between 9 and 14 years, when most have not started sexual activity yet.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

DAVAO’S ‘BLACK NAZARENE’ Every January 9, the Archdiocese of Manila hosts what is the largest-attended and the longest religious march devoted to the icon of Jesus Christ. With millions in attendance, the longest pro-cession ever recorded was in 2012, which took 22 hours to com-plete. Tradition says the Black Nazarene, a life-sized image of Jesus Christ carrying the Cross, is the woodwork of an unnamed 16th-century Mexican artist; it arrived in Quiapo Church, Manila, in 1787 via the Acapulco Galleon Trade where it met an accidental fire on board the ship that carried it, resulting in the acquisition of its darkened image. The annual January 9 Traslacion (a corruption of ‘translacion,’ meaning ‘to transfer’) of the Black Nazarene is a reenactment of the transfer of the icon from Intramuros to its

present shrine, the Minor Basilica of the Black Nazarene or Quiapo Church. Devotion to the Black Nazarene has intensified in recent decades outside Manila. In Mindanao, it was first launched in Cagayan de Oro but has since spread throughout the southern Philippines. The devotion did not reach Davao until years ago when a Black Nazarene replica from the St. John the Baptist Church (alternately known as Quiapo Church) was acquired. Led by Bishop George Rimando, it was installed on August 18, 2015, at the Our Lady of Peñafrancia Chapel, which the subdivision developer built, in De-ca Homes Esperanza, Tigatto, Davao City. The first Traslacion, led by the Gagmay’ng Kristohanong Katiling-ban (GKK) of the area, was held in 2016 with the attendance of tenths of devotees

who endured a one and halfhour walk along a preplanned route. Devotees conduct their regular weekly devotion every Friday in the shrine. In 2017, a two-hour procession of the replica of the Black Naza-rene, an eight-year-old icon, was paraded also during the Traslacion. The image, separate from the one installed at the Tigat-to shrine, is housed at the Black Nazareno Chapel in New Lanzona Village, Matina, Davao City. That same year, around 5,000 devotees joined the first-ever Traslacion in Tagum City, which was negotiated on a 5-km pro-cession route led by Fr. Emerson Luego, parish priest of the Sa-grado de Corazon, under the Parish of Christ the Eucharistic King Political writer and historian Gemma Cruz Araneta, in Jan-

uary 13, 2022, Manila Bulletin column, ‘The Black Nazarene,’ wrote about the beginnings of the Catholic devotion: “Catholics are not the only ones who venerate black images of their God. In the glory days of the Aztecs (or Mexicas), they built shrines to certain deities along trade routes and protected them with military garrisons. The god Yacathecutli, patron of travel and commercial activities was black and was usually represented with arms outstretched on an X-shaped crossroads in the background… [The] cult extended from the Gulf of Mexico to Oaxaca, capital of an eponymous state in the south of Mexico. There were other black deities who had equal billing: Tezcatlipoca, also a patron of trade, and the Mayan god Ek Chuac or black star… Guatemala and El Salva-

dor have similar dark-hued deities. “The Spanish missionaries must have been descomfitted (sic) by these pagan gods that somehow resembles (sic) Christ crucified, especially Yacathecutli. Even if his blackness was offensive to the conquerors, the outstretched arms on crossroads that suggested calvary must have been an effective catechetical that made Jesus Christ more palatable to the Aztecs. For a time, Tezcatlipoca was installed in side altars of Catholic churches, but the Spanish friars maliciously changed his name to Señor Veneno or Lord of Poison.” A tantalizingly similar image named Cristo Negro, which sup-posedly found on the shores of the town’s harbor, is also adored in Iglesia de San Felipe in Portobelo, Panama.

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

Vietnam subsidiary of Phoenix Petroleum, Phoenix Gas Vietnam, attains its first ISO certification for quality products and services

Phoenix subsidiary in Vietnam gets first ISO certification

The Vietnam-based subsidiary of homegrown fuel brand, Phoenix Petroleum, has obtained a certification on quality management given by the International Organization for Standardization. Certifying body Universal GmbH, through PQI Vietnam, granted Phoenix Gas Vietnam last January 18 with the ISO Certificate 9001:2015, proving the company’s commitment and

compliance to quality products and services. This covers PGV offices in Ho Chi Minh City, Danang, Cam-Ranh, Nha-Trang, and Go-Dau. The certification is the company’s first ISO nod, and the fourth one for the whole Phoenix group. “Since our establishment in 2019, Phoenix Gas Vietnam has been continuously working on improving our operations and services to ensure that we only provide world-class,

safe, and high-quality products and services to our customers. As a young brand, we wanted to establish PGV as a credible and reliable brand in the Vietnamese market. Hence, this certification from ISO is a great achievement for us,” Phoenix Gas Vietnam General Director Duong Nghia Dung said. Meanwhile, Phoenix Petroleum President Henry Albert Fadullon expressed his congratulations to

PGV and its management. “We welcome the addition of yet another ISO certificate to our group. PGV has been doing exemplary over the past years, getting landmark achievements for the whole group. This only proves that even with its overseas subsidiaries, Phoenix maintains the same level of operational excellence and quality that it has across its ventures, and shows that Filipino businesses are

truly world-class,” he shared. Last year, PGV was awarded the Top 20 Gold Service Award for Consumer Rights 2021 by the Committee on Good Vietnamese Products and Consumers’ Rights in recognition of its exemplary performance in the supply and trade of LPG in Vietnam. As PGV General Director, Duong was also awarded the Outstanding Vietnamese Businessman 2021 Award for his role in

region. “I’m happy to inform you that our R&D and innovation ecosystem is very vibrant in Davao City in particular. But in other parts of Davao Region, our innovators and researchers are very active also, so it is very engaging and heartening. We have developed many products, so the next step is to link with the industry for direct commercialization,” Dr. Sales added. The Regional Director also mentioned that aside from the

academe, there are also other group of inventors who fabricate machine prototypes that can be utilized in different economic activities and agriculture. With the recent Regional Invention Contest and Exhibits (RICE) awarding last year, DOST XI was delighted for the active participation and optimism of local inventors, researchers, and innovators in developing new products. In addition, he recalled that last 2020, one of the inventors,

Dr. Val Quimno, project leader from the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) invented a diagnostic system as a banana disease control intervention, which is currently used in Hijo Plantation in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. This resulted in millions of peso savings from the company because they need not to apply pesticides to the entire plantation. The said IT System allows the users to pinpoint exactly where on the plantation the work-

helping achieve the organization’s accomplishments. Previously, Phoenix Petroleum received two ISO certifications in 2019, and another one in 2020 for its Quality Management System, Environmental Management System, and Occupational Health and Safety Management System. The certification covers the company’s Philippine offices, including its terminals and depots.

DOST XI calls for more academe, industry innovation linkages in Davao Region The Department of Science and Technology XI (DOST XI) Regional Director Dr. Anthony C. Sales, CESO III, encouraged to intensify linkages between innovators and researchers in the academe and the industry partners in Davao Region. “Support from the government and private sector is important, especially to our Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) like PWC. There should be a link between the academe to the industry. Preferably there

is an investment to be gained by the industry because ultimately, they will also benefit from the R&D outputs of the academe,” said Dr. Sales during the launching of a food innovation product last November 24, 2021. Dr. Sales emphasized the importance of setting linkages between Pentahelix collaborators such as the academe, public and private sector, industries, civil society organizations, and the media to promote R&D and innovation on the

ers should only put pesticides and fertilizers. Identifying selected areas can lessen the use of pesticides and fertilizers, resulting to a lesser impact on the environment. Dr. Sales also lauded the passage of the ordinance establishing the Davao City Invention and Innovation Center. With the provisions of the ordinance, DOST XI expects more budget which will be given to the inventors and innovators to prioritize and continue R&D and Innovation.

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omeone once said: “I’ve never met a strong person with an easy past.” Such is the case of Edwin “Buboy” Dinapo, a multi-awarded painter and visual artist from Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur (from where Senator Ronald “Bato” Dela Rosa and Olympic silver medalist Nesthy Petecio also came from). Born on Valentine’s Day in 1969, he is the fourth son of the six children of Advendigo B. Dinapo and Mila M. Parohinog. Before him are Elma, Renato and Wilma. The two youngest are Tata and Sammy.

He was actually born in Oroquieta City in 1971. He was only two years old when the family moved to Sta. Cruz as his father got a job at the Franklin Baker Company. He attended Coronon Elementary School but stopped schooling after finishing elementary grade as his father was paralyzed. He cried intensely knowing he could not join his friends in high school. “Our life was really difficult in those times that I had to help my mother to make both ends meet,” he admitted. He joined her in selling vegetables and fish in every corner of the municipality.

Even though they didn’t have any luxuries at home, he said he never experienced any problems. “I could not remember any problem; I was happy despite all the struggles we had at home.” Growing up in Sta. Cruz was an experience he couldn’t forget. It was there that he learned the intricacies of fishing (“My skin was so dark that some people mistaken me for people living in the seas”), the fun of disco dancing in open venues (“My friends and I had to walk long distance from Coronon to the town proper and then back”), and courting girls. He also

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courtesy of Edwin Dinapo became the youth president in Malusing, Talisay Beach. When he turned 21, he decided to do something with his life. He enrolled at the Talairon National High School. “Most of my classmates laughed at me since I was the oldest among them,” he recalled. He took a special exam and passed it with flying colors. Now, he could pursue a college degree but due to poverty, it never materialized. In1987, Buboy went to Manila with a great desire to provide his family a better life. Luckily, he found a

job at the Manila airport in flight operations. He was given a chance to take the ATO (Air Traffic Organization) Airmen Examination Board even though he was only a high school graduate. ATO guidelines state that people whose work is related to air traffic can take the exam. Buboy was able to pass the five subjects of Civil Air Regulations, Air Traffic Control, Navigation, Meteorology, and Weight and Balance. As a result, he was given a license as Flight Operations Officer (FOO). This was in 2002, 11 years after working at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport. But two years later, he quit from his job. “Nag-resign talaga ako as FOO kasi sobrang bigat ng responsibilities. Hindi makumpleto ang flight departure kung wala akong pirma sa mga documents per flights. Pero ang sweldo ko ay napakababa lamang. Halos ‘di naman magkalayo sa mga suweldo ng cabin cleaner o baggage handler.” Free from all responsibilities, he decided to pursue his childhood dream: that of becoming a painter. “It was really my passion to become a painter when I was kid,” he admitted. “So, when I resigned from my work at the airport, I started

painting. I followed my passion and I felt fulfilled. As if I was a bird finally freed from the cage and flying in the open air.” Now, he can follow the footsteps of his idols. He mentions Fernando Amorsolo (one of the most important artists in the history of painting) and Vicente Manansala (a cubist painter and illustrator) as those who inspired him to become a painter. But Dinapo is not your ordinary self-taught painter. “Award-winning, internally-driven, and emotionally-charged, Edwin Dinapo’s original art executed mostly in abstract,

human forms, landscape, portraits and still life – have been described as ‘evoking a feeling of peacefulness and serenity.’ Buboy’s works mostly with acrylics but he does dabble in mixed media,” a souvenir program stated. “When viewing Buboy’s portfolio for the first time,” the souvenir program stated further, “one is under the belief that the works presented are the creations of a master artist. The diverse collections however are the efforts of just one.” But it wasn’t an easy journey though. At the start of his career as a pro-

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veillance didto nalang mismo sa establishments depending on the capacity or the allotted test for the surveillance. Mao na ang reason. And the third reason is that it has been reported nga ginapasa sa mga employers diha sa ilang mga empleyado ang cost sa testing nila para makakuha sila og health card,” she said. A health card is one of the requirements that job applicants must provide to the employers. Mayor Sara added that the responsibility of the surveillance should be shouldered by the employers because it is their interest that will be

heavily affected if the number of cases will spread among the workforce. “Employers should be responsible enough nga naa sila’y surveillance sa mga employees nila nga dunay symptoms. Because kung pasagdan nila ni muabot ang panahon nga tanan na magkasakit and it would really affect their business. So, it is very important, gina-highlight nato sa tanan nato nga businesses nga duna’y regular surveillance testing to avoid the situation nga wala na’y empleyado, na ma-lockdown mo because sa kadaghan sa cases,” Mayor Sara said.

our vaccination rollout on February 4,” Galvez said. The latest data from the NTF showed that 7,246,430 adolescents, or children aged 12 to 17 years, are now

fully protected against the disease. The government expects to vaccinate more than 39.41 million aged from zero to 17 years old. (PNA)

bugay (Zamboanga Peninsula); Lanao del Norte (Northern Mindanao); Davao de Oro and Davao Oriental (Davao region); North Cotabato, Sarangani, and Sultan Kudarat (Soccsksargen); Surigao del Norte (Caraga); and Maguindanao and Basilan (Bangsamoro Au-

tonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao). Even if physically closed, courts may conduct online hearings to decide on urgent matters, such as inquests, bail petitions, promulgations of acquittals, or dismissals in criminal cases. (PNA)

While Daneco argued that the electric cooperative should be the one deciding on matters on their franchise, the local government leaders insisted that they attempted to resolve their complaints through a petition and signature campaign to Daneco in 2020. The general manager and the board of directors of Daneco however, did not act on the petition which was signed by all the mayors in Davao del Norte. So the LGUs went to Congress instead. Davao Light is currently serving Davao City and Davao del Norte localities of Panabo City, Carmen, Sto. Tomas, as well as Dujali. Aside from the unanimous resolutions of the provincial board of Davao del Norte, city councils of Tagum City and IGaCos, municipal councils of Kapalong, New Corella, Talaingod and San Isidro, 120 barangay councils out of the 140 barangays in the affected are also passed unanimous resolutions demanding that they leave Daneco. The resolutions were supported by barangay-based signatures from residents. The local government leaders complained that they are paying close to P3/kwh more than Davao Light, yet they experience more frequent brownouts, poor power quality, bad customer service, and lack of power infrastructure which is making the province un-attractive to business and preventing the economic growth of their localities as well as negatively affecting the lives of the people. Local government units also allocate millions of pesos every year to donate electric poles, transformers and other equipment to Daneco just to energize areas in their localities. Davao del Norte in partic-

ular also complained that they used to have only two seats in the 7-man board of directors in Daneco, despite the province having close to 70% of the energy demand of the electric cooperative. The electric cooperative has not had an election for its board of directors since 2012. All the board of directors have been appointed ever since. Meanwhile, Davao Light, despite having cheaper power and better service, also pays more than P150-million annually in franchise taxes, local business taxes, and real property taxes to its local government units. Daneco, being a cooperative, does not pay taxes. Samal Island in particular, has also been complaining of poor quality of power in the island, affecting the tourism industry. Instead of upgrading the existing 1.5-kilometer submarine cable connecting the island with mainland Davao, or invest on a long term connection solution through the ongoing 4-kilometer Davao-Samal bridge project, Daneco announced they are instead building a massive 25-kilometer, P1.5 billion submarine cable connecting the island with far-away Pantukan municipality. However, the Energy Regulatory Commission, which approves investments of distribution utilities and electric cooperatives as a means to regulate power rates, formally said they have not approved such multi-billion project. The ERC also said during the Congressional hearing the franchise that they have issued several show cause orders to Daneco for the cooperative’s failure to submit required reports on their technical and financial performance to the regulating body.

2020’s 22,967, Ambi said that this is only minimal. She revealed that BNR remained to be on top in terms of the number of permits and licenses that the office processed and issued regionwide in 2021. “Based on our annual data, we processed and issued a total of 23,359 permits and licenses last year,

and the BNR comprised 93.27 percent of these. We can say, therefore, that despite the pandemic, many people have continued to do business. In fact, this is still at par with our pre-pandemic accomplishment,” Ambi said while citing that in 2019, DTI 11 issued 22,676 BNR certificates.

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“Forthwith, bidding process ensued. However, despite sufficient notice to submit bid proposals, no individual or entity complied, including the owner of the office space that the PRC have previously identified. As a consequence, failure of bidding resulted. “Thus, to conclude that politics was involved on why the proposed opening of a PRC offsite service center is not only inaccurate but also unfair because the LGU merely followed the letter of the law as the same involves a proposed transaction between the government and a private individual.” It must be noted that the LGU acknowledges the impor-

tance of a PRC field office in the city as a matter of convenience and safety not only to the professionals of the City but to the professionals of the entire province of Davao Oriental as well, especially in these challenging times, the city government stated. “In fact, the LGU has already allocated a budget for the space rental of PRC but it must be emphasized that the procurement of PRO’s office space rental must undergo the prescribed procedure of government procurement process and the LGU cannot dispense important legalities and rules of procedure to accommodate or favor private interests,” it said.

positive with Covid-19. “Gi move nato siya because gusto nato apilon ang tanan report as of December 31, 2021. Live streaming ang celebration sa Araw ng Davao, wala’y guests kami lang and the technical people ang naa didto,” she bared. Last year, Mayor Sara shared that she will also deliver her valedictory or “goodbyes” to the Dabawenyos in her SOCA. Mayor Sara also said her SOCA would be a recap of 2016

to December 2021. It will focus on the city’s banner of security and development through Biyaheng DO30 and its journey towards security and development focusing on the 10 priority focus areas namely poverty alleviation, infrastructure development, solid waste management, education, health, agriculture, tourism, transportation planning and traffic management, peace and order, and disaster risk reduction and mitigation. By Maya M. Padillo

couraging” the rise in the use of digital payments in the country following the hitting of the central bank’s target to have 20 percent of financial transactions in the country be done through digital mode by 2020. The BSP also continues to introduce innovations on electronic payment systems in the country, particularly for PESONet and InstaPay, the two electronic fund transfer facilities under the central bank’s National Retail Payment System (NRPS). On Monday, the BSP, along with the Philippine Payments Management Inc. (PPMI), launched a multi-batch settlements (MBS) facility that will increase the allowed daily transactions through PESONet. The MBS, which became

operational earlier in the day, increases to two cycles the PESONet settlements in a banking day instead of the previous one settlement at the end of the day. “With this enhanced feature, we hope that consumers will be incentivized to use PESONet for greater convenience, faster settlement and better liquidity management,” Diokno said. During the same briefing, BSP Deputy Governor Mamerto Tangonan underscored the continued expansion of both the PESONet and InstaPay transactions. He said the volume of PESONet tractions rose by 26 percent year-on-year by end2021 to seven million amounting to around PHP502 billion, up by 37 percent.

the need for income to support also other development objectives,” Chua said. As part of this, NEDA and the economic team proposed a 10-point policy change to address these areas –metrics, vaccination, healthcare capacity, economy and mobility, schooling, domestic travel, international travel, digital transformation, pandemic flexibility bill, and medium-term preparation for pandemic resilience. “The second issue that I want to bring up, which requires significant support

from the private sector, is enhancing or increasing productivity,” Chua said. The NEDA chief said the private sector plays a vital role in enhancing productivity in the country. He said productivity could be increased by strengthening human capital development, improving health and education outcomes, improving logistics, improving how things are done in the factories and in the office, the business process, and how the country does governance.

two banks as well as with other government agencies to run after the perpetrators. “BSP will do everything to

ensure the safety and integrity of the financial system as well as the protection of financial consumers,” he said. (PNA)

adheres to positive laws,” the Commission En Banc noted. The SEC continues to monitor lending and financing companies for their compliance with applicable laws, rules and regulations. To date, the Commission has canceled the licenses of 36 financing/lending companies due to various violations of applicable rules and regulations. It has also revoked the certificate of registration of a total of 2,081 lending companies for their failure to secure the requisite certificate of authority, pursuant to

the LCRA. In total, 60 online lending applications have been ordered to cease operations for lack of authority to operate as a lending or financing company. To see the list of licensed lending and financing companies and their registration status, please visit the Lending and Financing Companies corner on the SEC website at https://www.sec.gov.ph/ lending-companies-and-financing-companies-2/lendingcompanies-and-financing-companies/.

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fessional artist, Dinapo had a

hard time getting a break. It all changed when he went to Rozzy Ann Frame Shop in Sta. Cruz, where he had some of his paintings framed. He met Thelma Lim, who was captivated by his artworks. She asked him to bring more artworks which the shop could frame. From the said collection, an exhibit with other artists was done. The success of the exhibit led him to be taken as a house artist of the Lim’s gallery at the second floor of Greenhills. More exhibits followed and before he knew it, he had solo exhibits in some well-known venues, including the Manila Hotel. So far, he has done 18 solo exhibits. He has joined 45 group exhibits in different venues and galleries. He also gives credit to Jerwin Buerano in discovering him as a painter. “He is a true friend,” Buboy says. “He supported me even if I was still a struggling painter. He bought some of my artworks so I could have money to buy milk for my children and daily needs. He really helped me a lot.” Dinapo has gone a long, long way. Some of his artworks have been exhibited in other countries, including the United States, Canada, Malaysia, and Vietnam. They have also been displayed in some countries of South America, Europe and the Middle East. “In a fairly short period of time, Buboy accomplished unheard of achievements for a selftaught and self-representing artist,” said a souvenir program. “Though he did not have any formal training in the Fine Arts, through the years, he learned to love the beauty of nature and mastered his craft by capturing the essence of his own style in every brush stroke.” It’s no wonder why he is collecting recognition and citations from various award-giving bodies. In 2006, he caught the attention of the astute and art critics who named him the “Prodigy of the Year.” In the same year, he was bestowed the prestigious Dangal Pinoy for the Culture and Arts of Buhay Pinoy category given by the Philippine Television Network RPN9. In 2015, the Dangal ng Bayan awarded him the Outstanding Visual Artist. He was also one of the Asian Achievers for Outstanding Artist/Actor for Arts and Cultures. A coffee table book, The Different Faces of Mother & Child by Carlos Arellano, has featured some of his artworks.

You can also take a glimpse of some of his paintings in Manuel D. Duldulao’s books: The Art Collector’s Guide Book and The Lives and Loves of Artists and Models. He is also included in a book written by Lander Blanza entitled, Alphabet of Filipino Contemporary Artists. Among the famous personalities who have bought some of his artworks include boxing phenomenon Manny Pacquiao and former Mayor Sonny Belmonte. The following senators have also collected some of his paintings: the late Edgardo Angara, Ramon “Bong” Revilla, and Chiz Escudero. If you happen to visit the mansion of ex-beauty queen Marilou Bendigo (who is also from Sta. Cruz) in California, you will see some of Dinapo’s paintings. To those who want to follow his footsteps as a painter, he has this advice: “Be true to yourself and don’t be embarrassed with whatever experiences you have. Make your own paintings straight from your heart that give you joy from within. I’m sure there will be other people who will appreciate your work.” He gets inspiration from his family and from the people who believe in him. Dinapo is not only a painter but an actor, too. He has indeed the good looks of becoming an actor. In fact, there was someone who wanted to get him as a film actor but declined when he learned that it would require him to bare. In 2011, a friend casted him in one television show that led him to several TV appearances in various networks like GMA and ABS-CBN. He also received a Best Actor trophy from some agencies and companies. Dinapo has appeared in several movies, too, but mostly indie films. In the 10 films he had done, he was always given the role of a father. One role he couldn’t forget was in Rolyos as Snooky Serna appeared in the movie. He has also appeared in some commercials and billboards. You can watch all of his videos via YouTube. Dinapo has been married to Melissa Andrade since 1998 when he was 28. She was his neighbor in Pasay and is 10 years younger than him. The couple now lives in Trece Martires, Cavite. They are blessed with four children: Gian Franco, now 23, father of Caspian; Angelo, 21; Edwin, Jr., 19; and James Brandon, 11.

Before that, the Patafa has threatened to drop Obiena from the national pool and file criminal charges against him. Tolentino said the POC respects Obiena’s decision since he is now preparing for his 2022 indoor season that will start on January 28. Meanwhile, Tolentino said the POC general assembly will convene on Wednesday where the status of Patafa president Philip Ella Juico will be discussed. Juico has been declared

persona non-grata by the POC executive board, but that decision will have to be ratified by the general assembly. The general assembly meeting was supposed to be held on January 12 but was postponed due to the spike in COVID-19 cases fuelled by the Omicron variant. “It’s a process. We in the POC, sumusunod lang kami sa procedure. Since it was passed by the executive board, the next step is if the GA should ratify, overrule, or sustain,” said Tolentino.

they were a little tougher to stop.” Paul was the main catalyst for Phoenix’s final push, dominating the fourth quarter when Booker cooled off following a hot start. The 11time All-Star made his first five shots of the period, including two 3-pointers. Suns coach Monty Williams doesn’t like to give Paul such heavy minutes in the regular season, but sometimes it’s hard to take

him off the court. “We needed it tonight to get the win,” Williams said. Utah was missing All-Stars Donovan Mitchell, Rudy Gobert and Mike Conley. The Jazz lost for the eight times in 11 games. Jordan Clarkson led the Jazz with 22 points, including three straight 3-pointers in the fourth quarter that made things interesting into the final minute.

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SPORTS

Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) assures EJ Obiena of Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games spot this year despite his rift with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa).

Suns past depleted Jazz

hris Paul and his 36-year-old legs played 40 minutes of basketball for the Phoenix Suns on Monday night. The way he was cooking in the fourth quarter of a 115-109 win over the short-handed Utah Jazz, one of the best point guards in NBA history looked like he was ready to play 40 more. “I feel good, I’m cool,” Paul said with a grin. “I’ll hoop again tomorrow if you want to.” Devin Booker scored 33 points, Paul had 15 of his a season-high 27 points in the fourth quarter, and the Suns rallied for their seventh straight win. Paul just missed a triple-double with 14 as-

sists and nine rebounds. The Suns improved their NBA-best record to 379, matching the 2006-07 team for the best start in franchise history. The gritty Jazz trailed by 13 in the first half but jumped ahead 87-85 by the end of the third quarter. Utah pushed its lead to 95-91 early in the fourth but the Suns responded with a 14-2 run to take control. “We had a good start to the game and then we got a little comfortable,” Booker said. “Those guys were ready to play. They took advantage of their opportunity, came out aggressive and confident. Once they got confidence,

ilipina mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter Denice Zamboanga will get her rematch against South Korea’s Ham Seo Hee at ONE X on March 26. ONE Championship announced on Monday that the two will face off in the showpiece event at the Singapore Indoor Stadium, over six months since their first encounter ended in controversy. Ham defeated Zamboanga via split decision in

their quarterfinal showdown in the ONE Atomweight Grand Prix, although it was a contested result that was eventually put under review by the promotion. The result was upheld with Ham advancing to the semifinals of the Grand Prix. The Korean veteran had to withdraw, however, due to injury. The loss to Ham was the first blemish on Zamboanga’s record, as she had won her first eight

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POC assures Obiena of SEA Games, Asiad spot T HE Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) assured EJ Obiena will be able to compete in the Southeast Asian Games and the Asian Games this year despite his rift with the Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (Patafa).

POC president Abraham ‘Bambol’ Tolentino said Obiena is part of the 80 athletes that are on its appeals list, which is not part of the 584 athletes that were on the initial list of the delegation for the SEA Games in Vietnam. Tolentino said that even if Obiena will not be endorsed by Patafa for the

Zamboanga gets Ham rematch at ONE X F

MMA matches. The Filipinas has not fought since that defeat. The winner of the Ham-Zamboanga rematch may receive a crack at the ONE Women’s Atomweight World Championship, which will also be contested at ONE X. Defending women’s atomweight champion Angela Lee will make her return against Stamp Fairtex, the winner of the ONE Women’s Atomweight Grand Prix.

SEA Games, the POC can include him since it still has jurisdiction over the delegation as provided by the International Olympic Committee charter, specifically Rule 27. “There’s a provision in the IOC charter, nakalagay doon na the NOC is the sole authority which submits the delegation proposed by the NSA, whether NSA

or what, as the final list on all Olympic, regional, continental, and all world tournaments patronized by the IOC not only on sports merits but based on if the athlete will be an inspiration of the youth,” said Tolentino during Tuesday’s Philippine Sportswriters Association Forum. “We will fight for it. The NOC will fight for it,” he added. Test case Being a part of the appeals list, Tolentino said Obiena can be included in the final composition of the delegation and can be funded privately in the event the athlete is unable to obtain government support.

Tolentino said Obiena’s inclusion in the SEA Games should be a no-brainer being the defending champion in men’s pole vault. “This will be a test case. Ang tanong dito sa NSA, if that athlete really has the potential, will we not endorse it just because of this brouhaha. We will deprive the athlete of whatever medal,” said Tolentino. The rift between Obiena and Patafa has dragged on, more so after the Olympic pole vaulter decided not to participate in the Philippine Sports Commission-organized mediation as he accused Patafa of acting “in bad faith.”

FPOC, P10

Filipina MMA fighter Denice Zamboanga (L) will have her rematch against Ham Seo Hee at ONE X. Handout photo

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 262 • WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26, 2022

Newly-crowned world featherweight champion Mark Magsayo

Magsayo called a ‘bum’ by Haney R

EIGNING WBC lightweight title holder Devin Haney got a lot of flak for referring to newly-crowned world featherweight champion Mark Magsayo as a ‘bum.’ Haney made the short but offending word on his Twitter account shortly after the 26-year-old Filipino ended the six-year reign of Gary Russell Jr. by scoring a majority decision to claim the WBC version of the 126-pound crown in Atlantic City, New Jersey over the weekend. “Mr. cap aka Gary Russell lost to a bum,” said Haney in his account @Realdevinhaney and accompanied by a crying emoji. Netizens were quick to defend Magsayo, who they said deserved the title belt despite fighting a hurting 33-year-old Russell, who aggravated a previous shoulder injury early in the 12-round bout. SPIN.ph also got the side of MP Promotions president Sean Gibbons, but his response was not fit for posting. Haney’s post has been retweeted 493 times, got 2,036 likes, and received 960 comments. But while the tweet was a slight on the undefeated Magsayo, it was actually an insult too, meant for Russell, who had been critical with Haney in the past, especially in the light of their aborted encounter two years ago despite the twoweight difference separating

them. Russell in particular lambasted Haney for his unanimous decision win over Cuban Yuriorkis Gamboa two years ago to retain his title in a fight which the Maryland native described as boring. “I don’t know why people paid their money to see that $#!t. That was ridiculous,” Russell was quoted by Boxing Insider in November of 2020 “You know that was unsatisfactory. No one wanted to see that boring ass shit. You look like a professional amateur.” The two fighters were supposed to meet in the past after Russell expressed interest in facing Haney in the absence of big money bouts, claiming most of the fighters are trying to avoid him. The team of Haney immediately responded and a contract was sent to Russell. After consulting his legal team though, Russell opted not to sign the deal. But following Haney’s performance against Gamboa, Russell appeared to have regretted not signing on the dotted line. “That shit that you was doing would never fly with a Mr. Gary Russell Jr.,” he said. “Jump in that water with me, and you will get eaten alive.”