Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 266 | Sunday-Monday, January 30-31, 2022 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

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OVERWHELMED

P 15.00 • 12 PAGES

Private hospitals open Covid-19 beds as cases overwhelm SPMC

STORY ON PAGE 2

A young boy plays near an image of a tiger decoration at SM City Davao’s Chinese New Year installation on Saturday. According to the Chinese zodiac, 2022 is year of the water tiger, which symbolizes strength, exorcising evils, and braveness. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

Davao Doctors Hospital is one of the private hospitals in Davao City that have opened their Covid-19 beds as the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) gets overwhelmedwith the surge of COVID-19 cases. Edge Davao

OVERWHELMED T Private hospitals open Covid-19

City avoids conducting mass graving for Covid-19 deaths

beds as cases overwhelm SPMC By MAYA M. PADILLO

akas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) sees an opportunity to renew partnership with the PDP-Laban faction backed by President Rodrigo Duterte following the latter’s announcement on January 21, 2022 that it is adopting Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as its vice-presidential bet in the upcoming May elections.

Private hospitals in Davao City were forced to open their Covid-19 beds as the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) beds are currently maximized for the Covid-19 cases.

“Admittedly, overwhelmed atong SPMC because mao lang man gud atong public hospital in Davao City that caters to Covid-19 cases,” said Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesper-

son of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force on Friday. Private hospitals such as the Davao Doctors Hospital (DDH), San Pedro Hospital (SPH), Brokenshire Hospital, Metro Davao Medical and Research Center (MDMRC) Inc., and the Anda Riverview Medical Center, Inc. are now catering Covid-19 patients. SPMC issued an advisory dated January 21, 2022, that it will only cater mainly to moderate to critical Covid-19 cases “due to the influx of Covid-19 cases

and non-Covid-19 cases will only be urgent and emergent cases. “We would also like to reiterate that (there will be) no coordinated referrals, no transfer,” it said. As of January 26, 2022, SPMC’s ICU beds and Covid-19 ward beds have been 100 percent occupied. In November last year, the city government of Davao designated SPMC as the sole hospital to cater to Covid-19 patients, to free up the other hospitals to treat

supply of fish. Piñol blamed the government’s importation program approved last year to pull down the prices of certain fish species, including round scad. Under the small fish pelagic importation scheme, the government will allow traders to bring in 60,000 metric tons of round scad, big-eye scads,

mackerels, sardines, round herrings, and anchovies ahead of the closed fishing season, which will start in November last year. “Galunggong” is now more expensive than dressed chicken, based on the data released by the Department of Agriculture (DA) in September 2021. The average prevailing

price of “galunggong” in Metro Manila wet markets has reached P220 per kilogram, P60 higher than a kilo of dressed chicken while round scad retailed at P200 to P230 per kilo in six of the big Metro Manila wet markets. According to Piñol, it is possible to import fish from another country but it

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Expansion of hatcheries urged due to sporadic supply of ‘galunggong’

s the country is facing sporadic supply of “galunggong” (round scad), considered the poor man’s fish, former Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol recommended that the government further expands the plan for large hatcheries so that during the spawning season there will be no difficulty in the

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he city government of Davao is avoiding mass graving for Covid-19 related deaths amidst the continuing surge of cases in Davao City. Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, said on Friday that based on the data, even though the cases are high very few die due to Covid-19 thus the city is not preparing for mass graving. “Wala man ta’y preparation for that, if you noticed taas kaayo ang number of cases nato but the data is showing na gamay lang ang atong death compared atong surge before. Karon the data is showing sa Department of Health gamay lang ang deaths so there is no need for a mass graving but then again ang atoang task force is always

prepared for the worstcase scenario. But we have also prepared for better scenario and as much as possible we will avoid death to any surge maskin pa ug mu surge next time of another variant we will try to avoid death kung dili man ma avoid ang spread of infection at least we will avoid death. Hopefully, dili magtaas ang atoang death,” Schlosser said. Based on the Regional Situation Update on Covid-19 in Davao Region as of January 28, 2022 DOH Davao Center for Health Development reported six deaths wherein four were from Davao City (one new case and three late reports); one new case from Davao del Norte; and one new case from Davao Oriental. Schlosser said the city

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PDEA seizes P225-million of drugs in DavOr town

gents of Davao Oriental Provincial Office of Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency Regional Office XI, together with Davao Oriental Police Provincial Office Provincial Drug Enforcement Unit, Manay Municipal Police Station and Criminal Investigation and Detection Group, implemented a search warrant on January 27, 2022 at Purok 18, Barangay Central, Manay, Davao Oriental. The subject of the search warrant identified as Terence Bill Silveron a.k.a. Renren, Provincial Target

Listed Drug Personality Number 5, eluded arrest after sensing the approaching operatives. However, his live in partner identified as Genevive Duay, 28 years old, was arrested for possession of one (1) medium sized heat sealed transparent plastic sachet with suspected shabu weighing more or less one gram. Six (6) heat sealed transparent plastic sachets with suspected shabu in different sizes weighing more or less fourteen (14) grams with a street value

FPDEA, A1

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

PH banana industry faces domestic, global threats BY MARIA PAULA TOLENTINO, DOLE

(How the DOLE promise comes into play)

In highly developed countries, bananas are prized as a food of convenience - it’s cheap, portable, and reasonably healthy. Among the variety of fruits that land on our tables, the banana is just one of the many to choose from. However, unbeknownst to most, banana plays a critical role in the global food supply chain. According to the UN, countries such as Uganda, Gabon, Ghana and Rwanda - all least developed, low-income and food-deficit nations - rely heavily on bananas and plantains to meet the minimum requirement of 300 calories per person, per day, to live. The simple banana, cheap, portable and convenient as it is for its

more affluent customers, has a much bigger role to play not only as a commodity for trade, but as a means to survive for the least of its consumers. The term food security gets thrown around a lot, and for the most part, we are unable to see the far-reaching consequences once a particular crop becomes extinct. History bears witness to cases such as the Great Famine of Ireland, where the humble ‘Lumper’ potato and its scarcity led to the country’s devastating famine from 1845–1849. Then, there is the banana industry’s Gros Michel (aka Big Mike). Once the dominant export banana to Europe and North America until the 1950s,

Panama disease wiped out vast tracts of Gros Michel plantations in Central America. Aside from skyrocketing fuel prices, operational costs, and labor challenges, the industry must also weigh in the repercussions

of monoculture with disease and pestilence, close at its tail. If left unaddressed, the result would be debilitating famine. WHERE ARE WE NOW Bananas are among the most produced, traded, and consumed fruits glob-

ally. There exist more than 1,000 varieties of bananas in the world, and the most traded variety is the Cavendish banana. This variety is the most commercialized type, proving to be better suited to international trade than other varieties since it

is more resistant to physical shocks during transport. World banana trade has expanded to unprecedented heights in recent years, with an estimated export volume of 21 million tonnes in 2019. Key drivers of trade

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4 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

On private hospitals in Davao City forced to open their Covid-19 beds as the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) beds are currently overwhelmed with Covid-19 cases:

Admittedly, overwhelmed atong SPMC because mao lang man gud atong public hospital in Davao City that caters to Covid-19 cases.” Dr. Michelle Schlosser

Spokesperson, Davao City Covid-19 Task Force

EDITORIAL Global trends The proposal of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to make military service mandatory to young people has just received strong support from the Philippine Army particularly the Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) headed by Lt. Gen. Greg T. Almerol. EastMinCom’s support followed a column of Ramon Farolan, former commanding general of the Philippine Airforce and Philippine Ambassador to Indonesia, praising Inday Sara’s proposal arguing for her proposal. An interesting national debate on the proposal is expected during and after the elections especially if Mayor sara will win and push for mandatory military service for the Filipino youth.

In his column last Sunday in the Philippine Daily Inquirer entitled “On mandatory service, Sara got it right,” General Farolan said.

“Last week, among the various programs laid out by candidates on the campaign trail, one proposal made by a young lady caught the most attention. Mayor Sara Duterte, running for the vice presidency declared that if elected, she would push for mandatory military service for all Filipinos

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Ms Duterte-Carpio’s proposal bears watching because it is an important one.

Right now, of the world’s 195 countries, 85 have adopted the policy of mandatory military service for young people starting from 18 years old. These include the United States of America, China, South Korea, Denmark, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Austria, Brazil, Israel, Singapore, Norway, Switzerland, United Arab Emirates, Indonesia, Jordan, Kuwait, Laos, Vietnam, Mexico, Mongolia Morocco, Paraguay, Portugal, Russia, Qatar, Thailand, Turkey and Spain, among many others. It may be worth mentioning that many members of the House of Representatives and the Senates are graduates of the National Defense College who have understanding of the importance of Mayor Sara’s proposal. Let’s wait what happens if the time comes. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN MEGHANN STA. INES FERINA SANTOS Lifestyle

ANA MARIE G. SILPAO Layout

LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Consultant Correspondent Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO DAVAL SR.,TRIA • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Columnists: ANTONIO V.“ADI” FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO •B.JOHN CARLO • MUJAHID NAVARRA ••FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO •“GICO” G. S. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER GREGORIO G. DELIGERO VIDA MIA VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE M. PEREZ

OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS RICHARD C. EBONAJASPER OLIVIA D. VELASCO V. BACSAL General Manager PresidentAdvertising Specialist Finance General Manager / VP Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

turning 18, saying it would inspire patriotism among the youth. “While the devil is always in the details, the key word in her brief remarks was the modifier “mandatory,” he said.

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-YacapinProduct Sts. Development officer Cagayan de Oro City Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Tel: (088) 852-4894 Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe)

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE POINTS

ATTY. CINDY ILAGAN-CAYCO IBP DAVAO CORNER

PARENTS’ BLESSINGS Dear IBP Davao,

4 years n po kami nagsasama ng asawa ko, may dalawa po kamong anak na naka apelyido pa sa akin sa birth certificate, hind po kami married. Kung sakali po na magpakasal kami, aayusin po ba ang birth certificate ng mga anak namin para mailagay po na married na kami at mapalitan apelyido? Kung pagpapakasal po ba kami kailangan po ba ng pirma ng mga magulang? Ang edad po ng asawa ko ay 21, mag 22 po this year, at ako po naman ay 27 yrs old. Gusto po sana namin makasal kami kahit wala ng handa. Salamat po. Anonymous Sender

Dear Anonymous Sender,

Basing from your narra-

tion, I am assuming that you are cohabiting as husband and wife with no legal impediment to marry each other, and that you were blessed with two (2) children out of wedlock. As to your question regarding the need to obtain the consent of the parents of your partner, such is no longer necessary as he is already 21 years old. However, even though parental consent is no longer required, it must be noted that seeking the advice of the parents of your partner will still be required. According to Article 15 of the Family Code, the contracting parties between the ages of 21-25 years old shall be obliged to ask their parents or guardian for advice upon the intended marriage. If they do not obtain such advice, or if it be unfavorable, the marriage license shall not

be issued till after three (3) months following the completion of the publication of the application therefor. Regarding your query as to whether you can change the surname of your children after marriage, the answer is in the affirmative. Children conceived and born out of a valid marriage are illegitimate as defined in Article 165 of the Family Code. Nonetheless, although the children are considered as illegitimate at the time they were born, they may be legitimated by the marriage of their parents if, at the time of their conception, their parents are not disqualified by any impediments to marry each other. In other words, even though there were initially considered as illegitimate children, they will be considered as if they are born as legitimate

children if their parents eventually decides to marry and if it can be shown that they were qualified to be married at the time of the conception of the children. Hence, if your push through with your plans of getting married, your children may now be legitimated. You simply have to follow the steps as discussed below: After you get married, you may go to the Local Civil Registrar where the children were born and secure the following documents from the City/Municipal Civil Registrar’s Office (C/MCR) where the birth of the children were recorded, (1) Affidavit of paternity/acknowledgement (Certified Photocopy/Xerox Copy), (2) Joint affidavit of legitimation, (3) Certification of registration of legal instrument (Affidavit of Legitima-

tion), (4)Certified true copies of birth certificates with remarks/annotation based on the legitimation by subsequent marriage. After securing the above-mentioned documents in the Local Civil Registrar, you may proceed to the Philippine statistics office to obtain (1) a verified original birth certificates. If negative result, secure it from C/MCR Office where the children were originally registered (Certified Photocopy), (2) a verified marriage contract of parents. If negative result, secure it from C/MCR Office where the marriage was solemnized (certified true copy). I hope we were able to answer your questions and we were able to enlighten you with the steps that you have to take. Best wishes! You may send your comments and questions to ibpdavao@gmail.com.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

WARTIME SAGA OF TWO CATHOLICS (3) A friendship that started during the war between President Ma-nuel A. Roxas and Japanese Army officer Lt. Col. Nobuhiko Jimbo flourished eventually after the former’s death. The legacy of this amity has become one of the enduring reasons for the strong Phil-ippine-Japan alliance. On October 19, 1948, in a poignant letter to Brig. Gen. Courtney Whitney, head of the Government Section, GHQ, SCAP, in Marunuochi, Tokyo, Lt. Col. Jimbo wrote about his sadness that President Roxas died before being able to visit Japan. Poignantly, he also wrote about the Roxas memorial held in Tokyo, the U.S. ‘democracy and humanism,’ and his rescue of the deceased presi-dent during the war, saying: “I was on an active service amidst the powder smoke and hails of shells on the Philip-

pine field from March, 1942 till January, 1944. During this period, I witnessed, much to my astonishment, the superiority of the American-Filipino Army highly modernized and well trained. What struck me more keenly was the fact that the spirit of American democracy and humanism pervaded every nook and corner of the Philippines. “Your Excellency perhaps are (sic) aware of what I did to save the life of the late President Dr. Roxas, but that was nothing but the performance of my duty as a staff officer. Yet, the fact that this happened to make a profound impression on U.S. Headquarters as an act of humanity is a great honor to me. “The act of rescuing a great man like Dr. Roxas at that critical moment, which people are apt to exaggerate, should not

bring so much praised, for it was rather he himself who, by his unflinching courage and great personality, won victory over the rifle and the sword as well as over threats from the Japanese Army. It was by the Will of God that the lives of Dr. Roxas and his family were saved. It also seems to me that Heaven accepted the prayers of the Philippine people and gave Dr. Roxas to them as the first president of their Republic. Yet, I am convinced, that is an incident which shall shine brilliantly in the history of the Philippines for ages to come.” Significantly, Lt. Col. Jimbo also wrote that had it not for the dropping of false charges against him by the U.S. Army authori-ties, he would have been executed: “If your U.S. officers in China had not helped to relieve me of the false, unfound-

ed charge brought against me, I should have been mistakenly punished. Though I do not think I was particular-ly fair in treating the U.S. and Philippine Army men who surren-dered in the Philippines, your man [Roxas] thus rescued me from that Chinese prison where I was interned. “Therefore, I desire to offer my hearty thanks to your forces for that and at the same time I am prepared and willing to devote the rest of my life to the furtherance of friendship, amity and collabo-ration among the peoples of the United States, the Philippines and Japan.” At the time the letter was written, Lt. Col. Jimbo had already re-turned to his prefecture. This time he affixed his permanent ad-dress as No. 77, Jizocho, Yamagata-shi, Yamagata Prefecture.

In the November 22, 1948 ‘Review of the Staff Judge Advocate’ of the U.S. Eighth Army in Yokohama, Japan, Lt. Col Jimbo, a Catho-lic, declared during the trial of Lt. Yoshinari Tanaka that, as Japa-nese Army officer, he served in Mindanao from May 1942 to Janu-ary 1944 and became the adjutant of the 10th Independent Garri-son in Davao, with five infantry battalions under it. Years after he died, Roxas, also a Catholic, was honored with a street in Davao City, largely due to the effort of the influential Ilonggo migrant population. Two of the important Ilonggo pro-files that backed the move were Davao congressman and governor Romualdo C. Quimpo, and pioneering councilor Antonio Habana, Jr., son of a former Capiz representative.

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patients with other illnesses. Vice Mayor Sebastian Duterte also updated Executive Order (EO) No. 60 Series of 2021 added Section 3 on exception, which states, “Any private hospital, on their discretion, may continue to accept Covid-19 patients notwithstanding this Order. Meanwhile, Schlosser currently the city-managed isolation facilities and Temporary Treatment and Monitoring facilities (TTMFs) continue to cater to Covid-19 cases. She added that the implementation of home isolation also helped in managing the surge of Covid-19 cases in Davao City. As of January 27, 2022 active cases in Davao City reached 9,973. “During kasi sa surge, we are permitted to do

home isolation. Yes, duna’y pagpuno sa atong TTMFs but we also allow home isolation for those who meet the requirements,” she said. On the other hand, based on the Regional Situation Update on Covid-19 in Davao Region as of January 28, 2022, the Department of Health-Davao Center for Health Development reported 1,604 cases of Covid-19 in the region bringing the total number of active cases to 14,976. Of these 1,604 cases, 901 were from Davao City; 67 from Davao de Oro; 339 from Davao del Norte; 154 from Davao del Sur; 26 from Davao Occidental; and 117 from Davao Oriental while 1,146 recoveries were reported wherein 1,047 were from Davao City; 21 from Davao de Oro; 32 from Davao del Sur; and 46 from Davao Oriental.

ERRATUM

In the NOTICE of EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE of REAL PROPERTY of SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) versus EMILIANA JABOL married to RICARDO JABOL published by Edge Davao on December 20 and 27, 2021 and January 3, 2022, the EJF-REM CASE NO. 17,187-21 should be 18,187-21. Our apologies.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late CANUTO LUMBAYON who died intestate on July 23, 2009 at HOME-Salaysay, Marilog, Davao City leaving properties to wit: 1. A parcel of land situated in the Barrio of Salaysay, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of FORTY THOUSAND AND ONE (40,001) SQUARE METERS more or less, covered with Original Certificate of Title No. P-8773; and 2. A parcel of land situated in the Barrio of Salaysay, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THIRTY THOUSAND FOUR HUNDRED FORTY EIGHT (30,448) SQUARE METERS more or less, covered with Original Certificate of Title No. P-8772. That the above-mentioned properties has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS executed among his heirs. Per Doc. 183; Page no. 38; Book No. 59; Series of 2019 of the Notary Public Atty. SALVADOR M. BIJIS.

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF THE LATE SPOUSES JAIME MATURAN GONZALES AND CATALINA ILANO GONZALES Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late spouses JAIME MATURAN GONZALES and CATALINA ILANO GONZALES, who died intestate on July 11, 2014 and April 22, 2020 in Davao City, respectively, leaving a parcel of land situated in Davao City, containing an area of one hundred twenty (120) square meters more or less, covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-244850 has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed among their heirs. Per Doc. 186; Page No. 39; Book No. CDXIII; Series of 2021 of the Notary Public Atty. JOSE DIONISIO N. GUEVARA, JR..

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

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of P210,000 and assorted drug paraphernalia were also seized during the op-

eration. The suspects will be charged for violation of

attributes the low number of deaths to the effectiveness of the vaccines. “We will attribute that on how the vaccines work in our body so epektibo gyud siya compared to other surges alpha, beta, delta na surge daghan ta ug deaths ato,” she said. She urged Dabawenyos to get vaccinated now as Covid-19 is still very much around. “Labi na karon, even

in the middle of the surge wala ta’y vaccination hub na gipang- close because we wanted na makapa-booster ta sa tanang tao sa tanang categories na pwede nato i-booster. Kung kinsa man tong mga wala pa nakapabakuna sa first, sa second, or even sa missed dose, open ang vaccination hubs. Tanan willing mudawat og walkins,” she said. By Maya M. Padillo

should be balanced and not only rely on importation but the government should institutionalize it. “During my time as DA secretary, gipa-rehab nako ang tanang hatch-

eries all over the Philippines. Bohol has one, Davao has one, other parts of Mindanao naa pero gagmay-gagmay,” he said in an interview. By Maya M. Padillo

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EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE WITH SALE

Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late VALENTIN P. PASTER, SR. and MILAGROS M. PASTER, who died intestate on November 27, 2006 and June 25, 2014 at Davao City respectively, leaving a parcel of land with Transfer Certificate of Title Number T-393338 at Mintal, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) square meters has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed among their heirs. Per Doc. 317; Page No. 65; Book No. III; Series of 2021 of the Notary Public Atty. ARSENIO E. CABALLERO JR. Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 15 Davao City IN RE: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION OF CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRTH SP. PROC. NO. R-DVO-21-03883-SP (LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRY NO. 89-7836) IN THE NAME OF QUINNE ANN FOR: PETITION FOR CANCELLATION EMBORNAS CASTARDO, OF LIVE BIRTH, ETC. QUINNY ANNE CREER EMBORNAS Petitioner, -versus CARLITO M. CASTARDO, MARY ANN GIRLIE EMBORNAS BUNOZ, and the LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF DAVAO CITY Respondents. X--------------------------------------------------X

ORDER This is a verified petition praying for the Court to: 1) declare void the Certificate of Live Birth with Local Civil Registry No. 89-7836; 2) direct the Local Civil Registrar of Davao City to cancel the Certificate of Live Birth with Local Civil Registry No. 89-7836; and 3) uphold the validity of Certificate of Live Birth bearing Local Civil Registry No. 98-45304 signed by Mary Ann Girlie Creer Embornas containing the name the petitioner allegedly has always used and prefers to use. Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the petition shall be heard on March 4, 2022 at 8:30 A.M. at the session hall of this Court, on which date, hour, and place, all interested persons are hereby cited to appear and show cause, if they have any, why this petition should not be granted. Let a copy of this Order be published before the hearing date all at the expense of the petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation in the City of Davao once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks. Furnish the Davao City Civil Registrar and the Solicitor General copies of this Order. SO ORDERED. Davao City, Philippines, November 12, 2021. (SGD.) MARIO C. DUAVES Presiding Judge

Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs), and Section 12 (Possession of Drug Paraphernalia) Article II of

Republic Act 9165 or The Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PR/ PDEA)

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE

Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late AVELINO S. SANOY, who died intestate ON November 29, 2012 at Davao City, Philippines, leaving a parcel of land with Transfer Certificate of Title No. 37168, situated in City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THREE HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR (374) square meters more or less, has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed among his heirs. Per Doc. 497; Page No. 101; Book No. 195; Series of 2022 of the Notary Public Atty. FATIMA IRENE T. ADIN. Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City SOCIAL SECURITY SYSTEM (SSS) Mortgagee, - versus - ROLANDO TOLETE married to AMALIA TOLETE Mortgagor/s X--------------------------------------X

EJF REM CASE NO. 18,207-21 FOR: EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 as amended

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against ROLANDO TOLETE married to AMALIA TOLETE, with postal address at #801 Dao Street, Lot 5 Blk. 9 Poly Subdivision, Matina Aplaya, Davao City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of September 01, 2021, amounts to One Million One Hundred Twenty Six Thousand Sixty Four Pesos & 29/100 (P 1,126,064.29) Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges, the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on FEBRUARY 10, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property with all its improvements found thereon particularly described below, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-111763 “A parcel of land (Lot 5, Block 9, of the consolidation-subdivision plan, Pcs-11000445, being a portion of Lots 377-B-1-C-8-B-1-B; 377-B-1-C-8-B-1-C & Lot 377-B-1C-8-B-1-D, Psd 11-011255), situated in the Barrio of Matina Aplaya, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. xxx Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE METERS, more or less.” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on MARCH 10, 2022, without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title herein above-described real property/ies and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, January 7, 2022. ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff

(SGD.) BRIX IAN J. NARBASA Sheriff IV

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE AMONG HEIRS OF THE LATE CONCORDIA M. ABABON Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late CONCORDIA M. ABABON, who died intestate on October 2, 2021, in Wangan, Calinan, Davao City, leaving a certain registered parcel of land embraced by TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. CL-5033 with an area of EIGHT THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR (8,774) SQUARE METERS, more or less, situated in Wangan, Calinan, Davao City, Philippines, has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed among her heirs. Per Doc. 55; Page No. 12; Book No. 99; Series of 2022 of the Notary Public Atty. NAPOLEON F. SANGO.

EDGEDAVAO

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P7.9M DOLE livelihood aid awarded to Davao del Sur

he Department of Labor and Employment XI, through its Davao del Sur Field Office (DSFO), awarded a total of Php7,929,760.00 livelihood assistance to various accredited co-partners in Davao del Sur earlier this month. Through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP), the Kiblawan Small Farmers Association with 50 beneficiaries, received cash assistance worth Php300,000.00 for their rice and veterinary supplies retailing station project. The Local Govern-

ment Units of Digos City and Magsaysay received Php1,754,280.00 and Php 299,800.00, respectively, for the implementation of Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/ Displaced Work Program (TUPAD). Meanwhile, the Free Planters Cooperative received Php5,575,680.00 for the implementation of Government Internship Program in the province. The DILP is one of the DOLE’s flagship programs that opens economic opportunities to the vulnerable and mar-

ginalized workers by providing them access to grant assistance for capacity building on entrepreneurial ventures, for either individual or group undertaking. TUPAD is a community-based package of assistance that provides emergency employment for displaced workers, underemployed and seasonal workers, for a minimum period of 10 days, but not to exceed a maximum of 30 days, depending on the nature of work to be performed. While GIP aims to provide opportunity for young workers to

demonstrate skills in the field of public service and eventually attract them to pursue a career in government service. “DOLE XI is determined to bring more assistance, especially to the displaced workers in the region, through our various livelihood and employment programs. We are also motivated to improve and enhance our delivery of programs and services to support more workers during this challenging time,” said DOLE-XI OIC-Regional Director Atty. Randolf C. Pensoy. (PR/ DOLE-XI)

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE ESTATE OF ROLANDO LIM PEREZ

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE AMONG HEIRS WITH WAIVER OF SHARES

Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late ROLANDO LIM PEREZ, who died intestate, leaving a parcel of land with Transfer Certificate of Title Number T-76680 located at Barrio of Lapanday, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of TWO HUNDRED (200) square meters has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE executed among his heirs. Per Doc. 253; Page No. 52; Book No. VIII; Series of 2022 of the Notary Public Atty. MARIEL ARIANE G. MALAKI-MONTON.

Pursuant to Sec. 1 Rule 74 of the Revised Rules of Court of the Philippines, NOTICE is hereby given that the estate of the late JOSE PIL NAVAL, who died intestate on November 18, 2020 in Davao City, leaving a parcels of land covered and embraced by Transfer Certificate of Titles with Numbers (1) T-421471, (2) T-438962, (3) T-193560, (4) T-386351, T-200341 and (5) T-24996 has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF SHARES particularly for TCT No. T-421471, executed among his heirs. Per Doc. 373; Page No. 74; Book No. VI; Series of 2021 of the Notary Public Atty. CHILETTE B. BOLO-ESCOVILLA.

EJF REM CASE NO. 18,203-21 FOR: EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE OF REAL ESTATE MORTGAGE UNDER ACT 3135 as amended

HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND EJF REM CASE NO. 18,221-22 OR PAG-IBIG FUND Mortgagee, - versus JOEMAR ROSCAEL SOLEDAD (MARRIED TO MARICEL BUNALOS SOLEDAD) Mortgagor/s X---------------------------------------------------------X

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by the above-mentioned mortgagee against CESAR NIDEA married to ERLINDA NIDEA, with postal address at #121 Mt. Carmel St., Lot 14 Blk 7, St. Anthony Village, Mamay, 8000 Davao City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 1, 2021, amounts to One Million Three Hundred Seventy One Thousand Four Hundred Fifteen Pesos & 71/100 (P 1,371,415.71) Philippine Currency, including interest thereon, penalties and other charges, and plus other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on FEBRUARY 10, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the real property with all its improvements found thereon particularly described below, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T-139691 “A parcel of land of the consolidation-subdivision project (Lot 14, Block 7, Pcs11-000823, being a portion of Lots 2-B-1, and 555-B-1, Psd-11-019365), situated in the Barrio of Mamay, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao. xxx Containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FIFTY (150) SQUARE METERS, more or less.” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on MARCH 10, 2022, without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title herein above-described real property/ies and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. January 6, 2022, Davao City, Philippines ATTY. FRANCISCO M. CAMPANER – the OIC Clerk of Court & Ex-Officio Prov’l Sheriff

(SGD.) IRVIN PAUL L. CUBELO Sheriff IV

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL FORECLOSURE SALE OF REAL PROPERTY Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND OR PAG-IBIG FUND, against JOEMAR ROSCAEL SOLEDAD (married to MARICEL BUNALOS SOLEDAD), with postal address at LOT 26 BLOCK 24 PHASE 2, EMILY HOMES CABANTIAN, DAVAO CITY, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which the mortgagors failed and refused to pay as of October 15, 2021, in the sum of (Php 947,079.42), Philippine Currency, inclusive of interest and other charges; the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on FEBRUARY 17, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property mentioned and described below together with all the improvements found thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 146-2019000147 Lot No: 20 Block No: 10 Plan No: PCS-112402-005669 Portion of: THE CONSOLIDATION OF PLAN H-151925, PLAN H-500853 Lot 1799, CAD-102), Lot A, Lot B, Lot C, all of PSD-27706 Location: Baragay Indangan, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao Area: NINETY SQUARE METERS (90), MORE OR LESS All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on MARCH 17, 2022, without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title herein above-described real property/ies and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, January 12, 2022.

IN THE MATTER OF CANCELLATION/ CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE R-DVO-21-05727-SP CERTIFICATE OF LIVE BIRITH OF ALBERTO C. CRODUA ALBERTO C. CRODUA Petitioner, -versus CIVIL REGISTRAR OF DAVAO CITY AND ALL PERSONS/ENTITIES WHO/WHICH MAY BE AFFECTED THEREBY, Respondents. X-----------------------------------------------------X

ORDER A verified Petition for “Cancellation/Correction of entries in the Certificate of Live Birth of Alberto C. Crodua”, was filed wherein petitioner prays that after notice, publication and hearing, an Order be issued directing the Local Civil Registrar of Davao City, to correct the information supplied as the nationality of the Petitioner’s mother from Filipino to American in the Certificate of Live Birth of Alberto C. Crodua. Finding the petition to be sufficient in form and substance, the same is hereby set for hearing on April 4, 2022 at 2:00 in the afternoon, on which date and time, all persons concerned may appear to show cause, if any, why the prayer in the petition shall not be granted. Let this Order be published at the expense of the Petitioner in a newspaper of general circulation in the City and three (3) provinces of Davao, once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks. The petitioner is further directed to furnish the Solicitor General with a copy of the petition and the latter is directed to appear for the State. Notify all parties concerned through this Order. SO ORDERED. Davao City, Philippines, December 9, 2021.

(SGD.) SANTI JULIAN G. SOLOMON Sheriff IV

SGD.) RONALD S. TOLENTINO Presiding Judge

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION OFFICE OF THE CLERK OF COURT-SHERIFF Davao City HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND EJF REM CASE NO. 18,216-2022 OR PAG-IBIG FUND Mortgagee, - versus MICHAEL MIKE ELARAN MOYA married to MICHELL Q. MOYA Mortgagor/s X---------------------------------------X

NOTICE OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SALE Upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under Act 3135, as amended, filed by mortgagee HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND OR PAG-IBIG FUND, against the mortgagors MICHAEL MIKE ELARAN MOYA married to MICHELL Q. MOYA, with postal address at Lot 9 Block 31, Deca Homes Esperanza, Tigatto, Davao City, to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 15, 2021, amounted to SEVEN HUNDRED SEVENTY FOUR THOUSAND THREE HUNDRED NINETEEN PESOS and 71/100 (PHP 774,319.71), Philippine Currency, inclusive of interest and other charges plus other legal expenses incident to the foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on FEBRUARY 17, 2022 at 10:00 A.M., or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland, Davao City, to the highest bidder for CASH and/or MANAGER’S CHECK and in Philippine Currency, the following real property mentioned and described below together with all the improvements found thereon, to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. 146-2016016473 “A PARCEL OF LAND (LOT 9, BLK. 31 OF THE CONSOLIDATION-SUBDIVISION PLAN PCS-11-005103, BEING A PORTION OF THE CONSOLIDATION OF LOT 469-C-3, LOTS 469-C-5 TO 14, LOTS 469-C-19 TO 20 AND LOT 469-C-23, ALL OF PSD-11-043263, LOTS 469-C-4-A & C, ALL OF PSD-11-075514, LOTS 469-C-15-A& C, LOTS 469-C-16-A & C, LOTS 469-C-17-A & C, AND LOTS 469-C-18-A & C, ALL OF PSD-11-075515, SITUATED IN THE BARANGAY OF TIGATTO, CITY OF DAVAO, ISLAND OF MINDANAO. XXX CONTAINING AN AREA OF EIGHTY (80) SQUARE METERS, MORE OR LESS XXX.” All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. That in the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be held on MARCH 17, 2022, without further notice. Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the title herein above-described real property/ies and encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, January 12, 2022.

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

Last year’s Tokyo Olympic bronze medalist after taking silver in 2016 at Rio, Ko seeks her 17th career LPGA title and first since last April’s Lotte Championship in Hawaii. Yuka Saso still PH’s golfing hero, says NGAP boss Sharing fifth on 138 were England’s Bronte Law and Charley Hull, Japan’s Nasa Hataoka, Swiss Morgane Metraux and India’s Aditi Ashok.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH JUDICIAL REGION BRANCH 52 Davao City

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

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

IN THE... FROM8

of opportunities.” Ko said her mother struggled to find hand warmers, but added, “she was able to get some so I’m OK for now.” Ko birdied the par3 third and followed a bogey at the 7th with a birdie to close the front nine. After a bogey at the 11th, she answered with birdies at 14 and the par-3 17th, calling the latter “a good way to finish.”

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

(SGD.) SUNNY D. MAURILLO Sheriff IV

A3 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) says Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) provides safety nets and flexibilities to address any threats to industries that may arise amid the free trade agreement (FTA). Handout

RCEP ‘fully addressed’ concerns of local agriculture sector: DTI

he Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has responded anew to the concerns raised by some farmer groups regarding the country’s participation in the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP).

In a statement Friday, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez said the RCEP excludes highly sensitive agricultural products from zero tariffs including swine and poultry meats, potatoes, onions, garlic, cabbages, sugar, carrots, and rice. Cement, flat-rolled products of iron or non-alloy steel, among others, are also exempted from tariff

liberalization. Lopez added that RCEP also provides safety nets and flexibilities “to address any threats to industries that may arise” amid the free trade agreement (FTA). The DTI said trade remedies such as anti-dumping and countervailing measures under the World Trade Organization (WTO) will still be in place to protect these highly

sensitive sectors from the influx of imports. Lopez said RCEP also has its own transitional safeguard mechanism that allows participating countries “to suspend further reduction of customs duties or increase customs duties following a surge in imports”. “In other words, issues and concerns of some group of farmers are fully addressed,” he said. He said RCEP is also aligned with the administration’s current economic reforms and policy direction. “The Philippine economy is already well integrated into the global economy. Not

joining RCEP will be catastrophic in terms of trade and investments. The signal to the country’s trading partners and would-be investors is negative as it conveys that the Philippines is embracing an inward policy, not to say protectionist stance,” he said. DTI Assistant Secretary Allan Gepty, who is also the country’s negotiator for RCEP, said the trade agreement will not bring huge disruption, especially market competition, as local industries have been competing with foreign players since the country became a member of WTO and other trade agreements.

Department of Justice (DOJ) for the NBI to immediately intervene on the matter,” the company said in a statement. “We will actively participate in this investigation and extend full cooperation to the NBI with the end in mind of further securing our depositors’ hard-earned money,” LandBank president and CEO Cecilia Borromeo said. Borromeo added the bank is also conducting its own investigation. He also said the LandBank is coordinating with

the Department of Education for the list of teachers reportedly victimized in the alleged scam. “We are also reaching out to the affected teachers and conducting an internal investigation on their complaints,” he said. The DOJ has directed the NBI to conduct an investigation and case build-up on the alleged phishing schemes against teachers. In a department order, Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra also authorized Of-

ficer-in-Charge Eric Distor to file the appropriate charges against those found responsible if evidence warrants. Distor was also directed to submit a report on the progress of the subject investigation and case build-up directly to the Office of the Justice Secretary within 30 days. This came after the Teachers’ Dignity Coalition said it received a number of reports claiming that teachers lost as much as P121,000 each from their LandBank accounts.

LandBank to cooperate with NBI in probe into alleged phishing

he Land Bank of the Philippines (LandBank) on Saturday said it welcomes the probe of the NBI into the alleged phishing scam that victimized teachers, and added it will fully cooperate in the investigation. “The Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK) is welcoming the impending investigation by the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) on the alleged phishing schemes victimizing teachers, following a Department Order issued by the

BSP, bankers assure public of measures vs. counterfeit notes

he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) and the Bankers Association of the Philippines (BAP) said stringent measures are in place against the proliferation of fake banknotes, like those dispensed through the automated teller machines (ATMs). This, as the central bank earlier called on the public to be more vigilant on checking paper bills they get even from ATMs. “ATM services are part of core banking functions, and banks are bound by law to exercise the highest degree of diligence in protecting their clients’ interest. The BSP will hold the banks accountable should they fail to observe measures to protect their clients,” BSP said in a public advisory on Friday. The central bank said financial institutions “have a responsibility to guarantee that banknotes coming from their ATMs are genuine, consistent with the BSP’s Financial Consumer Protection Framework, which requires financial service providers, such as banks, to conduct ethical business practices and not to engage in any practice that may cause harm to the consumer.” The ATM system, it said, “performs soundly under recognized risk management

guidelines, and the BSP’s comprehensive approach to safeguarding the Philippine currency includes well-defined mechanisms for reporting doubtful currencies, for examination by the BSP.” “Thus, the public is encouraged to report any untoward incident to their respective banks or the BSP, for appropriate action,” it said. The BSP also disclosed that it has requested lawmakers to enact the “Financial Products and Services Protection Act or the Financial Consumer Protection Act.” “The said legislative measure, if enacted, will address the gaps in our existing laws and better equip financial regulators, such as the BSP, with adequate legal authority to respond to complaints and enforce prudent, responsible, and customer-centric standards of business conduct. Said bill is currently pending in Congress,” it said. It assured the public that the central bank would continue to enforce rules and regulations to maintain a sound and stable financial system for consumers. The BAP, in a statement, has guaranteed the public “that the banking industry is a proactive partner in eradicating the circulation of counterfeit banknotes.”

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EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY A4

PH reopening to vaxxed int’l tourists in February Food deliver riders on bicycles take rest at a shaded portion of a street after braving the scorching afternoon heat on Saturday. Edge Davao

Eased restrictions for travelers to help PH sustain econ growth

he government’s easing of restrictions for international travelers will help sustain the country’s economic growth amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic, Presidential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion said on Friday. “This will definitely help the economy and sustain the growth we experienced in the fourth quarter of 2021,” Concepcion said in a statement. Under Resolution No. 159, the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) lifted the facility-based quarantine for passengers entering the Philippines and now allows self-monitoring for any Covid-19 symptoms for seven days and report to the local government of destination if they have any symptoms. “We can now welcome both leisure and business travelers, and this will redound to benefits downstream for our MSMEs (micro, small and medium enterprises),” Concepcion

said. The country still requires arriving passengers from abroad to present a negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test result taken 48 hours prior to departure. These protocols will take effect on February 1 for fully vaccinated returning overseas Filipinos and on February 10 for fully vaccinated foreign nationals from non-visa required countries. With this new protocol, the country temporarily suspends the “green”, “yellow”, and “red” classifications of countries. “This aligns with the proposal to adopt a change from a pandemic to an endemic mindset,” the presidential adviser said. Earlier, Concepcion and molecular biologist OCTA Research Fellow Fr. Nicanor Austriaco proposed to the IATF to start the country’s exit plan from the pandemic. The Bureau of Immigration (BI) also welcomed the IATF’s move and said it will abide by the eased protocols on travelers.

he country’s upcoming reopening to foreign leisure travelers would restore jobs lost and businesses forced to shut down during the pandemic, the Department of Tourism (DOT) said Friday.

Starting February 10, the Philippines will allow fully vaccinated international tourists from visa-free countries, provided that they present a negative RT-PCR test taken within 48 hours prior to departure from the country of origin. To date, a total of 157

countries enjoy visa-free entry privileges to the Philippines, including some of its top tourist markets prior to the pandemic such as South Korea, Australia, Canada, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, United Kingdom, United States, and Germany. “We at the DOT are

very thankful to our partners in the IATF-EID (Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases) for approving our proposal to allow the entry of foreign leisure travelers. The Department sees this as a welcome development that will contribute significantly to job restoration, primarily in tourism-dependent communities, and in the reopening of businesses that have earlier shut down

during the pandemic,’’ Tourism Secretary Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said. “With years of coordination between national agencies, industry stakeholders, and the various local government units (LGUs) to prepare our destinations for tourism in the new normal, we are confident that we will be able to keep pace with our Asean neighbors who have already made similar strides to reopen to foreign tourists,” she added.

said. “It would have contributed even more positively to that bottomline. Agriculture remains a very resilient and very strong sector but we have to do something about that African Swine Fever that has also led to that higher inflation,” he said. Inflation hovered above the government target of 2 to 4 percent in most part of 2021 due to elevated meat prices, especially pork due to the African Swine Fever. Full year inflation was at 4.5 percent, significantly

higher compared to 2020’s 2.6 percent. Aside from making food available, food security is also about keeping prices affordable, Habito said, adding that the country should take a look at its “restrictive” trade policies. “A really rational policy is one that looks at the possibility that imports can fill in that supply especially if its too expensive to produce domestically,” he said. “We really have to look at agriculture, increasing productivity, not shielding

our markets for imports, but generally helping our farmers match up with their counterparts in Thailand, Vietnam.” Habito said education woes and hunger, which are aggravated by the coronavirus pandemic, should also be addressed. These would have an impact in the future of jobs and productivity, he said. In line with his “Presyo, Trabaho and Kita” (PiTIK) metric, Habito said price is a bit concerning, unemployment is still an “important concern” but there is “good news” on the income side.

Gov’t urged to boost agriculture for stronger economic growth

he government must work on improving agriculture productivity to address major economic concerns despite the faster than expected gross domestic product growth in 2021, economist and former Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Cielito Habito said Friday. The country’s GDP expanded by 5.6 percent last year, exceeding the government target of 5 to 5.5 percent. Agriculture could have contributed more if “rational policies” are in place, Habito

EDGEDAVAO

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PH BANANA... FROMP3 include abundant supply growth in the leading export countries of Ecuador and the Philippines, and a significant increase in import demand, particularly by China and the European Union (EU). Refer to table 1 below. Table 1 : Philippine Banana Exports to Destination Countries (Year 2019 to 2020)

However, despite the demand, the banana industry continues to face threats not only on a domestic scale but also on the global stage. KEY ISSUES & CONCERNS IN THE BANANA INDUSTRY In consultation with industry stakeholders and studies, there surfaced common existing and emerging issues and concerns. These issues are interlinked with the various aspects of the industry and are usually not isolated incidents specific to certain areas or sectors. Many of the issues adversely affect the production and value chains of the different varieties of banana. 1. STIFF COMPETITION GROWS On a country level, the largest producing and exporting countries in 2017 were spread out across geographic regions, with Ecuador at USD 3 billion, Costa Rica at USD 1.1 billion, and the Philippines at USD 1 billion. The largest importing countries that year were the United States (USD 2.5 billion), Belgium (USD 1.4 billion), and Russia (USD 1.1 billion). While Asia is the largest banana-producing region, Latin America and the Caribbean is the largest exporting region, responsible for approximately 80% of global exports. Despite these figures, the banana trade balance (export– import) has fluctuated significantly during the 2015–2018 period, registering oversupply in some years and shortages in others. This fluctuation is largely due to the seasonality in banana demand and climate related production challenges, such as severe floods, cooler temperatures, and mudslides. In a span of 10 years, from 2010 to 2020, the Philippine Banana Industry continued to experience growing competition from Ecuador, China and Peru. Though the country has a strong market foothold on Japan and New Zealand, Banana Statistical Compendium 2020 indicates that the Philippines is dropping significantly behind. Due to Typhoon Pablo, which damaged a large portion of the banana plantations in Mindanao, Philippine production dropped. While the Philippines was recovering, South American bananas were able to increase their market share in the Philippines’ traditional markets in Asia and the Middle East. The Philippines needs to a) recover these markets, and b) expand to new markets to regain its position in the world market, which has dropped from being number 2 to number 6 in a matter of years! According to Philippines Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) Executive Director Stephen Antig, China will be the next biggest export market due to its high population. Though there is a lot of competition mushrooming, Antig says “this is no longer a battle between companies, rather a competition between countries”. Examples can be found in the countries of Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia with their low production costs. Also, all three are closer to the Philippines’ primary markets (Japan, and Korea), which makes transportation faster. Antig adds that the Philippine banana industry is a sunshine industry and still the strongest one since we don’t depend on the government for assistance. “This industry is a huge taxpayer, with millions of dollars invested in CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) alone. We are the second biggest exporter after coconut”. He also reiterates that there is a strong need to put up a research facility soon. “Thanks to our Filipino scientists and meticulous Bananeros, the edge we have as a banana producer lies in the quality of our products. However, sooner or later, unless we take care of our scientists and provide the infrastructure and facilities needed to make

PLAYERS IN THE PHILIPPINES’ BANANA EXPORT INDUSTRY : Unifruitti, Dole, Sumifru, Lapanday, Tadeco, Del Monte with smaller independent exporters such as MBFEA and MEGA among others. Other value chain players include processors under the Organization of Banana Chip Exporters and other independent processors. PBGEA is just one of the four (4) government agencies, which includes MBFEA, FEDCO and MEGA this happen, there may soon be a brain-drain in the country”. 2. DISEASE AND PESTILENCE THREATENS TO WIPE OUT AN INDUSTRY Bananas have a claim to be the modern world’s first globalized product and still holds the record of being the most exported fruit on the planet. Yet the trade that began some 130 years ago must adapt to the fragility of globalization, which includes the threat of a pandemic, pestilence and disease. Pests and diseases are a normal occurrence in any crop but more pronounced in a monocropping system where the spread and impact of the disease is faster. For bananas, Panama disease, Sigatoka and bunchy top are just some of the diseases that are hard to control and contain. Such pestilence causes lower production output with higher production costs since containing the infection requires stringent and costly sanitary and quarantine measures. The banana sector is also facing a race against time, as Panama disease-resistant varieties such as the Cavendish are now being threatened by the new Tropical Race 4 (TR4) strain. Currently, farm workers are being issued protective clothing for themselves and disinfectant for their tools. The safety precautions are not only to guard against the coronavirus, but also to protect the valuable crop from TR4 which, similar to COVID-19, still has no cure, and poses an existential threat to a $25 billion industry. 3. OTHER CRITICAL THREATS TO THE INDUSTRY CLIMATE CHANGE - Recent years have shown that extreme weather changes have led to widespread damage and has affected the productivity of the banana industry. Climate change is expected to lead to declining yields in the largest banana-producing countries, such as India, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Panama, and the Philippines, and consequently, a demand-supply imbalance in the years to come. When Typhoon Pablo hit the Philippines, it affected about 25% of the commercial banana plantations which caused a

THE BASICS OF THE BANANA INDUSTRY VALUE CHAIN : In general, the value chain for Fresh Fruit Banana goes into five (5) stages: 1. Pre-production or Input Provision which includes the planting materials, agricultural chemicals, and other inputs. 2. Production which includes plant care and maintenance, application of agrichemicals, and other production inputs and practices 3. Post-Harvest Consolidation and Packing which includes cleaning, selection, grading, and labeling. 4. Trading and Distribution which includes storage, transport, and distribution to the wholesale markets 5. Final or Retail Sales where the product is sold to the eventual consumers for consumption as fresh fruit or further processing into manufactured products.

downturn in production for the next two years, not including the periodic El Nino and La Nina occurrences, which significantly affected production, and eventually, the markets of bananas. Sustainable production is also a challenge. The disproportionate use of pesticide has the potential of polluting freshwater sources if left unchecked. Being a major export product, transporting these perishable goods involve packing them in boxes, shipping in refrigerated containers, and artificially ripening with ethylene before they are sent to retailers and wholesalers. These steps, while important, contribute to greenhouse gas emissions. PRODUCTION COSTS AND TRANSPORT - Spiraling production costs such as labor, freight, fertilizer, paper and board for boxes, and importantly, fuel, have gone from 50% to as high as 100%. Transport of the crop from farms to market is relatively expensive since most of the small farms are in hardto-reach areas with inadequate road networks and transport facilities. A big percentage of the produce is transported by traders using small to medium sized vehicles that can enter the narrow roads, resulting in a high cost per volume transport cost. And then there’s the INABILITY TO EXPAND PLANTATIONS due to civil/labor unrest, poor quality of soil, production costs of setting up farms, etc. WHAT 2022 HOLDS FOR THE INDUSTRY Already on its last year, the Philippine Department of Agriculture’s Banana Industry Roadmap 2019 – 2022 priority projects include the (1) Organization of the Banana Industry Development Council, (2) Establishment of the Banana Research Institute, (3) Conduct of the Banana Congress, (4) Development of the Banana Database, (5) Acquisition of a Tissue Culture Laboratory or a Clonal Garden, (6) Acquisition of the Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Laboratory Equipment and (7) best practices benchmarking for the industry. However, for multinational companies such as Dole, it continues to educate itself on how to better address the issues of the business, the impact it has on the planet and its workforce. Though there is indeed a sensitivity when it comes to dealing with the pandemic, it was never business as usual for the organization. Re-aligning itself with its corporate values of taking people, planet and prosperity into account, Dole has measured deliverables with specific timelines called The Dole Promise to address these very urgent concerns in its own farms and plantations. The six pillars of the Promise are the following: 1. Dole promises to contribute to good and sustainable nutrition for 1 billion people by year 2025 2. Dole promises to work towards zero fruit loss from its farms to markets by year 2025 3. Dole promises to aim for zero fossil-based plastic packaging by year 2025 4. Dole promises to work towards net zero carbon in its operations by year 2030 5. Dole promises to work towards zero processed sugar and eliminating it in all our products by 2025 6. Dole is committed to be an equal opportunity employer that provides living wages and increased benefits for all stakeholders Despite being a 170-year-old company, Dole together with its people, stakeholders and fellow industry players, will continue to shift and adjust to a radically changing market in a post-pandemic world.

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

EDGEDAVAO

COMPETITIVE EDGE

TRMH re-opens January 31

he Royal Mandaya Hotel, the enduring local hospitality icon, will reopen its doors on Monday, January 31. As part of its re-opening, the Escandor-owned TRMH has perked up room deals for a serene adventure of renowned royal hospitality. Welcoming its guests to the cultural heartland of Davao, TRMH offers Php2,888 for Superior Rooms and Php3,888 for De Luxe Rooms. Both deals include breakfast for two, free WiFi and access to gym and pool. Enjoy these exciting room deals beginning January 31 until February 6, 2022. Feast the royal way with buffet at Kamayo

Cafe for lunch at Php 795 per head and Chinese Dinner Buffet at Php 888 per head in a 4 + 1 promo happening only on 31 January 2022. Ala carte menu is served beginning February 1. Part of the re-opening is the new menu prepared by its battery of chefs. The Royal Mandaya Hotel sits center stage, ideally located to discover fascinating Davao and explore the rich culture, history, architecture, art and beyond that the city has to offer. For inquiries and reservations, message: m.me/theroyalmandayahotel or contact (0967) 4032 430 / email: reservations@theroyalmandayahotel.com.

8 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 266 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, JANUARY 30-31, 2022

Saso carded a 2-under 70 after 2 rounds at the Gainbridge LPGA at Boca Rio in Florida on Friday, 4 shots of co-leaders Danielle Kang and Lydia Ko. AFP/file

IN THE HUNT Saso in strong contention in LPGA at Boca Rio

merican Danielle Kang closed with back-to-back birdies to match New Zealand’s third-ranked Lydia Ko for the lead after Friday’s chilly second round of the LPGA at Boca Rio. Kang fired a four-under par 68 to equal Ko, who grinded to a 70 in cold and windy conditions as both finished on 11-under 133 after 36 holes at the resort in Boca Raton, Florida. “Played really well,” Kang said. “Coming in 2-under the last couple holes I just really wanted to get to the double digits. That was kind of my goal today, so I was happy to do that.” Philippines-born Yuka Saso, now playing for Japan, and England’s Jodi Ewart Shadoff were a distant third on 137. Saso finished with a 2-under 70 on the day. Golf: LPGA officially recognizes Yuka Saso as Japanese After winning last week’s LPGA Tournament of Champions in Orlando for her 6th tour title, Kang trailed by 2 when the day began. Kang started on the back nine and birdied the par-3 13th and par-4 14th, then made a birdie-bogey start to her second nine at the 1st and 2nd holes. She birdied the par-5 8th, playing a

wedge to 7 feet and sinking the putt, and closed with a 10-foot birdie putt at the 9th to match Ko atop the leaderboard. “I was actually just cold today,” Kang said. “Just focused on finishing well. When I wake up and go outside and see how cold it is, I’ll figure out how to dress and then attack it tomorrow.” Ko, who made an opening 63, made 4 birdies against 2 bogeys, but the 24-year-old South Korean-born Kiwi battled the weather as well. “It was more of a grind out there,” Ko said. “I don’t think I played as solid compared to yesterday. I don’t think I could have played much better than the first round. “With it being a little windier and chillier, it did make the golf course a little longer. Having longer irons into the greens makes it a little tougher. “The temperature plays a huge factor. I just tried to stay focused and play the best golf I can and give myself a lot

FIN THE, A2