Edge Davao Volume 14 Issue 307 | Saturday, March 19, 2022

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Workers prepare the metal poles for the scaffoldings that will be used in the repair of Bolton Bridge 2, which was damaged by a fire last January, along Quimpo Blvd. in Davao City on Friday. Edge Davao

TESTING STAYS

No lifting of mandatory RT-PCR test in hospitals STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 307 • SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2022

President Rodrigo Duterte leads the unveiling of the marker of the Tacloban City Bypass Road during the inauguration ceremony in Barangay Caibaan, Tacloban City on March 17, 2022. With the President are Presidential Assistant for the Visayas Secretary Michael Lloyd Dino, Senator Christopher Lawrence Go, Public Works and Highways

Acting Secretary Roger Mercado, Leyte District 1 Representative Martin Romualdez, and Tacloban City Mayor Alfred Romualdez. PRESIDENTIAL PHOTO

TESTING STAYS P

Duterte’s decision on proposed 4-day work week out March 21

and Dabawenyos if the said requirement will be lifted since Davao City is already under Alert Level 1 or if the policy should be included among the provisions in the Executive Order (EO) No. 11 Series of 2022 that lifted all Covid-19 restrictions in Davao City.

“Although, wala pa’y final ani, but I believe an EO will be drafted and be released mandating the same wala’y pagbabago and we will still require an RT-PCR test sa atoang mga patients for admission and watchers.” Schlosser said.

It can be recalled that

last Monday Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio clarified that there is no EO yet on lifting the mandatory RT-PCR test in the private hospitals to patients subject for admission.

“Wala pa ta’y EO with regards sa pag-lift ana sa sulod sa mga hospitals ang atoang buhaton is consult them first kung angay pa ba mag EO para ma lift siya for the entire Davao City or sila na lang on their own ang magtanggal ani nga requirement or mag continue to include this requirement dinha sa sulod sa ilahang mga hospitals,” the mayor said.

resident Rodrigo Roa Duterte is expected to announce on March 21 his decision on the proposal to adopt a four-day work week to help workers cope with the soaring oil prices, Malacañang said Thursday.

“Malalaman po natin ito ngayong darating na Lunes (We will know this coming Monday),” acting Presidential Spokesperson and Communications Secretary Martin Andanar said in an interview with radio DZBB. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua on Tuesday proposed a four-day work week scheme to conserve energy and alleviate work-related expenses amid the series of fuel price hikes.

Chua, in a meeting convened by Duterte at Malacañan Palace on Tuesday night, said his proposal was also done in 1990 during the Gulf War and in 2008 when the fuel prices also spiked.

Energy Secretary Alfonso Cusi backed Chua’s proposal for a shortened work week and the extension of work-from-home arrangement.

Andanar said Duterte is still studying Chua’s recom-

rity accomplishments, its top import and export commodities from and to China. The Port also discussed the potential of the Davao Region as a logistics hub in Mindanao for the ASEAN.

Attendees of the meeting were Commercial Consul Jin Jun and Chao Jainwei, Deputy Collector for Assessment, Atty. Vicente V. Yutangco and the District Collector’s Chief of Staff,

Joyce S. Semacon.

District Collector, Atty.

Austria expressed his gratitude to the Office of Consul General Li Lin for its continuous support to BOC Davao as it provides better trade

No lifting of mandatory RT-PCR test in hospitals

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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avao City Covid-19 Task Force Spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said that the mandatory reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test in the private hospitals to patients subject for admission as well as their watchers cannot be lifted yet based on the initial talk with the task force.

“We had an initial talks with the task force and dili gyud siya pwede malift because as I have mentioned ma-put at risk ang mga clean patients kaya most often than not ang gina-test nato katong mga watchers and patients for admission. Dili ta maka sigurado if they have the virus or not. As I have

presented earlier daghan ta ug pasyente na asymptomatic or mild cases,” Schlosser said.

Schlosser added that if patients for admission will not be screened through RT-PCR testing, it will compromise other patients within the hospital.

This is in line with the query of some doctors

mendation.

“Ito po ay rekomendasyon, ito’y suggestion para po maibsan iyong posibleng negative effect (This is a recommendation, a suggestion to alleviate its possible negative effect),” he said.

Metro Manila and several parts of the country have been placed under the most relaxed Alert Level 1 for the month of March.

Alert Level 1 allows all workers of the government and the private sector to return to their workplaces to stimulate economic activities.

On Tuesday, Duterte decided to retain the collection of excise taxes on petroleum products despite the nonstop fuel price hikes.

Duterte made the decision after Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III warned that suspending the collection of fuel excise taxes would reduce the total government revenues by PHP105.9 billion in 2022.

He instead approved Dominguez’s proposal to distribute PHP200 monthly subsidies to around 12 million poor Filipinos for one year. (PNA)

facilitation opportunities between Mindanao and Chinese provinces and at the same time, boosts the economic performance of Davao Region and Mindanao.

Chinese Consul General in Davao visits BOC Davao

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ureau of Customs (BOC)-Port of Davao District Collector, Atty.

Erastus Sandino B. Austria receives Consul General Li Lin, at the BOC Compound, March 11, 2022, where they

discussed trade potentials in Davao Region and Chinese Provinces.

Highlighted during the meeting are the Port’s trade activities in its areas of responsibility, border secu-

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NEWS

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European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Business Council (SMBC) chair Tony Peralta says Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio indeed left a good mark on the matter of her fiscal management of the city’s finances. Edge Davao

Business leader lauds Sara’s fiscal prudence

Davao City ‘s positivity rate dips to below 5 percent

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avao City’s positivity rate has dipped below 5 percent according to Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force.

“As of March 17, 2022 less than 5 percent po sa positivity rate ang atoang cases. For the past few weeks ang atoang positivity rate naa ra sa 1 to 2 percent.

Ingon ana ka baba,” she said on Friday.

This means that the positivity rate, which refers to the percentage of all tests that came out positive, is now within the World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) recommendation of five percent for opening economies.

“Within this period or surge we had katong naa ta’y Omicron variant, wala pa ta’y nagkaroon zero but previous na mga surges nagkaroon ta ug zero cases,” she said.

In terms of deaths, Schlosser said there are days that Davao City has zero deaths.

Schlosser assured that

even if Davao City has zero Covid-19 cases they will not stop monitoring and counting daily Covid-19 cases.

“In Davao City, even mag zero case ta we continue to have a daily monitoring of our Covid cases. Wala ta nag stop ug count sa atoang daily covid cases. We still do that among our response cluster team as well atoang Covid TF,” she said.

Based on the Regional Situation Update on Covid-19 in Davao Region as of March 14, 2022 the Department of Health-Davao Region reported only 89 of 469 Covid-19 admissions of severe and critical cases. Of these, only 27 (5.76% of the total admissions) were confirmed cases, while 62 are probable and suspects.

There were 150 new cases recorded in the past week, which is 48 percent lower than cases reported from the week before.

There were only five deaths among the 46 newly verified deaths recorded in DOH 11’s database. By Maya M. Padillo

By MAYA M. PADILLO

A

local business leader said on Friday Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio’s State of the City Address (SOCA) on Thursday was impressive and left a good mark specially on fiscal management.

“We laud Mayor Sara for her fiscal prudence and making the right investment decisions in building and upgrading the city’s infrastructure to meet the growing needs of its population. This has led to pump priming measures that she adopted to steer the econ-

omy even during the difficult time of the pandemic,” Tony Peralta, chairman of the European Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines-Southern Mindanao Business Council (SMBC), told Edge Davao.

In her SOCA, Mayor Sara reported that Davao

City became the 8th richest city in the country in 2020 with total assets amounting to P23 billion, according to the 2020 Annual Financial Report released by the COA on December 22, 2021.

The mayor added that for 2021, despite the Covid-19 pandemic, Davao City had a total combined revenue of P10,434,193,222.19, which is 39.8 percent higher than its pre-pandemic revenues. Of this amount, P4,420,991,524.63 was

generated by local sources.

She also reported that this year, the city government of Davao has allocated P46,706,000 in the 2022 budget to cover the remaining loan balance and that by the end of the first half of Calendar Year 2022, Davao City will be debt-free.

“The same report attributed Davao City under her stewardship has the city ranked 8th in the country’s richest city. With the decline in the city’s poverty

civil-military operations officer, said the body was identified on March 15 as that of alias “Prodo,” after two of his comrades pointed to its location following their surrender.

“As revealed by the former rebels, Prodo was hit on his lower abdomen during an encounter on March 3, 2022. The cadaver

was eventually left behind in the area while the NPAs were on the run for withdrawal,” the statement said.

Meanwhile, a total of six NPA rebels in Malaybalay City surrendered following the March 3 encounter, the 8IB said.

The surrenderers claimed they experienced hardships and hunger,

prompting them to yield for another chance to live a normal and peaceful life.

Three of the surrenderers were team leaders, two were medics, and one squad leader who all formerly operated in the 8IB’s area of responsibility.

Lt. Col. Anthony A Bacus welcomed the six former

FBUSINESS, P10

NPA surrenderers bare location of dead comrade in Bukidnon

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he Army’s 8th Infantry Battalion (8IB) confirmed Thursday the retrieval of a decaying corpse of a New People’s Army (NPA) fighter in the hinterlands of Sitio Kilap-agan, Barangay Canayan, Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

In a statement, Maj. Lemuel Bacarro, 8IB acting

FNPA, P10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

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Call center agents work during a night shift at a business processing outsourcing (BOP) firm in Davao City pre-pandemic. The Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) said Friday it will appeal the government’s decision disallowing work-from-home setups for business process outsourcing workers until the end of September. Edge Davao

SPDA signs MOA on agri, aqua-farming concession

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he Southern Philippines Development Authority (SPDA) solidified their agreement with foreign counterparts through the signing of Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) held in Davao City on March 14, 2022. Aiming for Mindanao to have modernization access to Agricultural and Aqua-Farming Concession that will be functional and benefited the local farmers and market; to yield better quality of products that eventually led to food security, sustainability and economic development that cater the needs of every Filipinos in the country in years to come.

Chief Executive Officer and Administrator of SPDA Abdulghani “Gerry” A. Salapuddin said, “Today’s event is not only a welcome development but is a monumental event, with the life of SPDA of its 43 years of existence. In the past, there was never this kind of opportunity that came into the fold of SPDA”.

In collaboration with Japan, US and Iran companies who wanted to invest in the country particularly in the municipality of Wao and Amai Manabilang in Lanao del Sur, chosen project location due to its ideal and vast

land area for agricultural activities which is about 26,000 hectares.

The goal of the project will be put to strong hold especially now that a MOA between SPDA, Tokushima Auction Market (TAM) and Asia Pacific Precision AG Group (ASPAC AG) had already been signed and the approval of Republic Act 11647 otherwise known as the Foreign Investment Act of 1991 as amended and signed by President Rodrigo Roa Duterte on March 02, 2022.

Salapuddin expressed

FSPDA, P10

BSP guv optimistic of rise in PERA investors

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angko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Benjamin Diokno is confident of the continued increase of investments under the Personal Equity and Retirement Account (PERA) amid the challenges such as the impact of the coronavirus pandemic.

The government aims to have five million PERA contributors by 2025, which

Diokno said is around 10 percent of working Filipinos here and abroad.

“As the economy recovers from the pandemic we expect the number of PERA contributors to continue to grow. In any case, we recognize the current challenges that may prolong the achievement of our goal and we will reassess the targets

page on Thursday.

The Federal Open Market Committee (FOMC) hiked the Fed’s key rates by 0.25 percentage points to between 0.25 to 0.50 percent after its March 15-16 meeting.

This is the first rate increase decision since December 2018 and is targeted to address the surging US consumer price index (CPI), which registered its fastest annual rate in the last four decades at 7.9 percent as of February 2022.

BSP’s policy-making Monetary Board (MB) will

have its rate setting meeting on March 24.

Diokno, who chairs the MB, said they will discuss their own inflation outlook, among others, during the meeting.

Aside from the policy rates, he said, the BSP has various tools aimed to deal with any short-term volatility and possible tightening of financial conditions.

These include the flexile exchange rate system, strong external buffers, macroprudential policy framework, and liquidi-

FBSP GUV, P10

Container Covid testing BSP policy decision based laboratories eyed in PH on domestic dev’ts: Diokno

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henzhen, China-based MGI Tech Co., Ltd. is eyeing to put up container laboratories in the Philippines for coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) screening to enhance the country’s testing capacity.

In a statement on Friday, MGI said this is part of the company’s expansion in Southeast Asian countries by bringing container labs in Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

MGI has already brought this innovation to Laos by establishing the Champa

Life Science Economy Alliance (LSEA) Laboratory in Champassak province.

The project, which costs USD11 million, is a 12-meter long shipping container that uses an MGI automation system that can process 30,000 samples in a day in a pool testing setup.

“The container lab was designed to be easily transported and quickly deployed in stadiums and sports fields, community and district hospitals, health departments, or wherever appropriate in emergency situations where mass test-

ing is required, reducing both the time for sample transportation and the travel time for local patients who need to quickly get PCR-tested and go,” MGI said.

The container laboratory consists of two high-degree automation systems, MGISP-960 and MGISTP-7000. These automation systems also decrease the need for manpower and manual work and shorten the turnaround time for test results.

“Since the start of the pandemic, MGI has been

FCONTAINER, P10

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he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) does not need to mirror the Federal Reserve’s decision to hike its key rates, and its policy decision remains data-driven and anchored on domestic developments.

“I would like to reiterate that the BSP calibrates its monetary policy settings in response to external developments only to the extent that it will influence the outlook for growth and inflation,” BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno said in a virtual briefing aired over the central bank’s Facebook

FBSP, P10

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ECONOMY

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A shopping mall in Davao City conducts a sales promotion to capture the customers’ interest after experiencing low foot traffic, an impact from the consecutive big-time fuel price hike. Edge Davao

Biz establishments in Davao City asked to enforce mandatory vax of workers PH eyes $5-B HIMS revenue in 2022, more US investors

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he Philippine healthcare information management services (HIMS) sector targets to hit USD5 billion in revenues this year, higher than the USD3.1 billion revenues in 2021.

During the country’s participation in the Healthcare Information Management Systems Society Conference and Exhibition 2022 (HIMSS22) in Orlando, Florida, which concluded Thursday, Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Rafaelita Aldaba said the Philippines position itself to be the Asia’s hub for healthcare business process management (BPM) ser-

vices.

Aldaba said the country has attracted over 400 companies in the HIMS industry for the past 10 years, including small and medium-sized players.

Among the notable industry players that invested in the Philippines are Optum, Legato, and Adec.

She added the country aims to attract more investments in the HIMS sector, especially United Statesbased companies that offer high-value services, to sustain the growth of the Philippine HIMS industry.

“With this transformation taking place in the

FPH, P10

BIR, BOC exceed 2021 collection targets: ROG

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he government’s two main revenue collection agencies collected a total of PHP2.732 trillion in 2021, surpassing their combined collection target of PHP2.698 trillion by 1.26 percent for the period, based on data from the Revenue Operations Group (ROG) of the Department of Finance (DOF) showed.

In a report to Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III, DOF ROG Undersecretary Antonette Tionko said the amount raised by

the Bureaus of Internal Revenue (BIR) and of Customs (BOC) last year was 9.78 percent more than their 2020 actual combined collection of PHP2.489 trillion.

From Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2021, the BIR collected PHP2.086 trillion, or 0.25 percent above its target set by the Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) of PHP2.081 trillion for the year.

The BIR collection for 2021 was also 6.93 percent

FBIR, P10

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he city government urged local businesses to enforce a mandatory vaccination for workers as part of their strategy to manage the spread of COVID-19 infection in workplaces.

Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson for COVID-19 Task Force of Davao City, told Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) that although the local government has not imposed mandatory vaccination to give locals their “freedom of choice,” the private business establishments are encouraged to adopt this measure “as their way of COVID-19 management to protect their clients and employees.”

“Here in Davao City, we do not adhere to that because there is a factor of discrimination. This is not mandatory but we encourage our establishments to do this in accordance with what’s good for employees and clients,” she said.

She said that personnel from the COVID-19 Task Force of Davao City will visit private establishments to administer booster doses to workers to increase the number of essential workers

protected against the infection, a health official said.

Schlosser added the mobile vaccination for the booster doses will include school teachers in preparation for the resumption of face-to-face classes.

This after the city reported low turnout for fully vaccinated individuals receiving the booster shots, she said.

“Just this week, a meeting was conducted

by COVID-19 Task Force with the heads and owners of establishments here, so that we will bring the booster doses at their doorsteps,” she said.

As of March 14, the Department of HealthDavao Region report-

s of March 15, 2022, the Provincial Government of Davao Del Norte released 41,889 chickens to the 381 people’s organizations in Davao Del Norte since June 2020 to help people sustain a living amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.

As part of the food sufficiency and livelihood program of the Provincial Government of Davao Del Norte, the KAwsa sa AGrikulturA ug PAnginab-

uhian sa barangaY (KAAGAPAY) Program was launched.

The beneficiaries are the people’s organizations in the province that received vegetables seedlings and chickens for free.

They also received a “Sustainable Livelihood Training Course on Free Range Chicken” to sustain their livelihood program.

To ensure a stable market for their chickens, the

Provincial Government of Davao Del Norte buys all the chickens after 45 days.

Under the system, they call “retention,” 22 people’s organizations are now ready to let their chickens lay eggs and raise them by themselves without giving back the start-up chickens to the provincial government after 3 months of sustainable chicken farming.

Other successful beneficiaries used their in-

ed 2,961,369 individuals who were fully vaccinated out of the target of 4,361,158. Of the total fully vaccinated individuals, only 377,481 or 8.7% had received booster doses.

Malacañang announced the city will remain under alert level 1 until March 31, and the provinces of Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Davao Occidental under level 2. As of March 13, DOH-Davao reported six new infections in Davao City, bringing the total cases to 70,166 with 106 active, 70,101 recoveries, and 1,959 deaths.

(Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews)

come to start new livelihood projects for their organization such as hog raising and lending their income among their members.

Beneficiaries said that the program did not make them rich but is more than enough to earn a living despite the pandemic the world is still facing.

(PIA XI Davao del Norte/ jmda/Ezri M. Coda, Jr. with reports from One DavNor Network)

Over 41,000 chickens released to 381 people’s orgs in DavNor A

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 307 • SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2022

In expressing support to Northern Davao Electric Cooperative Inc. (Nordeco) amid the ‘take-over’ reports by the Davao Light and Power Co. (DLPC):

So now my support is naa pa sa Nordeco since they are the one who is taking care of, ang atoang problema sa kuryente ug sa ilaha gihapon ko nagaduol if naay problema sa atoang mga komunidad.”

Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy Davao de Oro

EDITORIAL Continuing the fight The Duterte administration will be going down Philippine history as the era of the most relentless campaign against illegal drugs.

Bloody as it may have necessarily been, this was the most successful administration to fight the drug menace in the country.

President Duterte made his vow to stop illegal drugs during his watch. He may not be totally successful, but he definitely made a dent on the illegal drugs syndicate.

There is less than two months before the May 9 polls, and the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) is keeping its fingers crossed that the next administration will continue the relentless campaign against illegal drugs.

PDEA chief Wilkins Villanueva in a radio interview on Friday

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The joint cooperation of law enforcement agencies under the Inter-Agency Committee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) established in 2019 played a key factor to the successful operations.

Solving the drug problem may still be a daunting task for the agencies in government assigned with the difficult task of eradicating the drugs problem.

It will take the next leader to value the efforts made by the present administration to keep our country free from the menace of drugs, or at least as safe as we are at the moment.

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

said the campaign against illegal drugs must be sustained and he can only wish the next President will recognize that by continuing the drug rehabilitation and reformation program spearheaded by the Duterte administration for the benefit of the future generation.

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)

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VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

IN QUEST OF HAPPINESS “One of the first steps to happiness is deciding that you want to be happy and knowing what that means. I have had many full-on conversations about what that looks like for me. To be happy is a choice you make every day, every hour. And refining and renewing that state is a constant pursuit.” – Julia Roberts ***

When the great American golfer Mildred “Babe” Didrikson Zaharias was dying of cancer, her husband, George Zaharias, came to her bedside. Although he desired to be strong for her sake, he found he was unable to control his emotions and began to cry.

The pioneer and leader in professional sports said to him gently, “Now honey, don’t take on so. While I’ve been in the hospital, I have learned one thing. A moment of happiness is a lifetime, and I have a lot of happiness.”

Happiness does not come wrapped in brightly colored packages as a “gift” given to us by others. “Happiness?” asked Storm Jameson. “It is an illusion to think that more comfort means more happiness. Happiness comes from the capacity to feel deeply, to enjoy simply,

to think freely, to risk life, to be needed.”

You find happiness from a little girl hugging her mother. A kindergarten boy brings happiness to his mother and he shows him the card he has made for his father. A young man is on top of the world after being accepted by the apple of his eyes.

In spite of the pandemic the world is now experiencing, you can still see happiness all over.

During a wedding, you feel the happiness that the soon-to-bemarried couple is undergoing.

You also catch a glimpse of the happy faces of those who attend.

“Maybe happiness didn’t have to be about the big sweeping circumstances, about having everything in your life in place,” author Ann Brashares reminds. “Maybe it was about stringing together a bunch of small pleasures.”

An article which appeared in Psychology Today, one way to be happy is to “take care of the soul.” It points out that actively religious people tend to experience more happiness and to cope better with crises. Faith provides a support community, a sense of life’s meaning, a reason to focus beyond self, and a timeless perspective on life’s

temporary ups and downs.

This is true in the Philippines where religion, family, and health are the three most important sources of happiness.

“I find it pure joy when upon arriving home from work, my son opens the door of the house, goes out, meets me, and hugs me,” says Clarence C. Martinez, who works in a ship building company about 60 kilometers away from his home in Cebu City. “I go home only on weekends or on Wednesday evening.

So, after a long work at the office, I drive almost two hours and honk the horn of my car to announce my arrival and also as a signal to open the driveway.

You can just imagine my happiness when I see my son coming out and hugging me.”

His three handsome sons are also the source of happiness for Gregory C. Ira, a Filipino-American who lives in Tallahassee, Florida. When I inquired the top three things that make him happy, he lists: “Listening to the entirely unpredictable exclamations of my five-year-old son Sean; watching my elevenyear-old son Joshua, smile as he dribbles past a defender during a soccer game; and catching my fifteen-year-old son Justin, on the exceedingly rare occasion

when he makes a wise adolescent decision.”

Children are also the source of the “daily dose of happiness” for Dr. Loverne Suratos, among them: “small gesture like texting or sending me an email with just ‘I love you’ or ‘you’re the best mother’; when they ask for a kiss and hug before they sleep; and when they tell their friends that I make the best hot chocolate even if it’s just an instant powdered hot chocolate!”

There are also those who find happiness in serving others. “It’s true that other people can give you pleasure, but you will never be happy until you do things for other people,” Zig Ziglar, one of America’s most sought-after motivational speakers.

And that is what Steven L. Musen, former director of a Davao-based non-government organization, has been doing through the years. “Helping people who can in no way return the favor” is one of the things that make him happy. “I know of nothing that gives me a greater sense of accomplishment, even if it is something small.” Well, as they say, sweat the small stuff.

Steven T. Cua, who describes himself as “husband, father, and businessman,” is doing the

same thing. The two simple things that make him happy: “Helping a child and making a difference in his world knowing that I can be an agent of positive change for our future, and helping the old and bringing magic back into their eyes knowing that I can paint a colorful portrait of their past.”

Friends also tops the list of sources of happiness among others. “Meeting an old friend” is one of those that brings happiness to Joffrey Emasula, a former television journalist.

His list also included “staying at home watching my favorite movies” and “receiving unexpected gifts from an unexpected circumstance or person.”

“I’ve come to believe that seeking happiness is not a frivolous pursuit,” said Oscar-winning actress Goldie Hawn. “It’s honorable and necessary. And most people forget even to think about it.”

And here’s what Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu said: “If you look to others for fulfillment, you will never be fulfilled.

If your happiness depends on money, you will never be happy with yourself. Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the world belongs to you.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

IDENTIFYING THE REAL DATU ONGAY The second edition of Macario D. Tiu’s ‘Davao: Reconstructing History from Text and Memory,’ (2021) is a gem.

Thicker by 180 pag-es, the author introduces a sack full of new details relating to ob-scure yet significant events that ignited public discussions in the not-so-distant past.

Of particular interest in the new book is Datu Ongay, the man credited for directly burning the trading ship San Rufo in the 1840s. That incident kindled what would later end as the Spanish-led conquest of Datu Bago and the entry of colonial power in the gulf of Davao.

Citing Datu Miguelito Bangkas, a Japan-schooled Jangan-Tagabawa photographer as reliable source, Datu Ongay, a trading partner of Datu Bago, was known in his turf as Datu Ingay. That makes the rendition of his name in Spanish docu-

ments a mishear-ing. He was also the chief of the Jangan-Klata in Sirib, a place in Tugbok, Davao City.

Lito Bangkas’ revelation disperses a handful of claims: (i) it puts to rest the suggestion that Datu Ongay was a lieutenant of Datu Bago; (ii) Datu Ongay is an indigenous person (IP), not a Moro, whether Islamized or Moro; (iii) it debunks the Spanish claim the Bagobos had a running feud with the Moros of Davao River; and (iv) it puts into perspective the flourishing trading alliance be-tween the tribesmen and the Moros.

Dr. Tiu was also right when he extrapolated that Datu Ongay’s tribal link to the Bagobos was the inspiration of then Davao City mayor Elias B. Lopez, a Jangan-Obu blood, to establish the Datu Bago Awards.

Although Datu Bago is known to be of Maguinda-nao and Tau-

sug descent, he could have been accepted also as an IP given his marriage to the Kagan, an Islamized tribe.

But there are still loose ends needing convincing answers.

What instigated Datu Ongay to attack San Rufo? What was his motive in burning a non-combatant vessel? Was the violent act a personal in-tent or was it done in sympathy of Moro friends? Did Datu Bago play a hand, directly or otherwise, in the assault that eventually led to the Spanish-led colonization of the gulf?

And there’s another intriguing question that remains unan-swered: Why did the attack of the trading ship take place at Paki-putan Strait, a narrow waterway separating Samal from the main-land. This is somewhere in barangay Sasa. The strait is now fa-mously known as the conduit where those fer-

ry boats cross in landing commuter and transport traffic on either side of the chan-nel.

If Datu Ongay, according to the Bangkas narration, was from Sirib, why did he go to great lengths in staging the ambush at Pakiputan Strait, an area adjacent to the old pueblo of Calatrava in Davao City’s mainland? Was the attack a spur of the moment” Was it a show of disgust towards trading ships that nearly mo-nopolized mercantile businesses in the gulf?

Arguing the whole San Rufo episode was the initiative of Datu Ongay, could this have created a rift between the two datus? Which brings us to the observation that when the Spanish-led ex-pedition attacked Datu Bago’s territory, there was hardly any support detected from neighboring tribal and Moro settlements! Is this

lack of support to help defend Datu Bago’s domain a manifes-tation that there existed a rift between the ruler of Davao River and the fiefdoms nearby?

On the other hand, why did the Moros from other enclaves around the gulf, during the three-month siege of Davao River, fail to help push back the 70-man, Spanish-led invasion?

Against hun-dreds of allies from the indigenous settlements and the Islamized tribes, a coordinated repulse of the incursion would have failed to subdue Datu Bago despite claims of superior firearms. Has the Bagobo tradition more to say about the historical details of the San Rufo attack?

(On hindsight, is Cristito D. Ingay, the provincial officer of the National Commission of the Indigenous Peoples or NCIP in Da-vao City), is in anyway related to Datu Ingay?)

8

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

Mothers of Manicani cry for jobs, vow to protect the island

Just in time for the celebration of International Women’s Month, a group of mothers representing the 4 barangays of the island of Manicani – Banaag, Buenavista, Hamorawon, San Jose – gather together to draw attention to the economic condition in their communities, committing to protecting Manicani as they await the resumption of jobs in the island.

The island of Manicani in Eastern Samar is a highly-mineralized area. Mining operations on the island however had been deferred for years as the government contract of HMC’s Manicani Nickel Project (MNP), to manage the development of the mineral resources of the island, had to go through extended and detailed legal scrutiny.

For years, majority of the residents of the island have been anticipating and appealing for the government to allow the resumption of mining operations knowing it will bring the much-needed jobs and economic freedom to the more than 600 households in the island.

On March 2, 2022, the Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) announces the resumption of the operations of Hinatuan Mining Corp. (HMC), after years of deliberation, including the release of the result

of the investigation conducted by the Agency’s ‘Special Team’ attesting to the feasibility and viability of mining in the island.

Julie Morante is a mother of 5 who worked for years in SM in Bicutan but was forced to come home to Manicani when her husband lost his job due to the pandemic. Julie, currently jobless, struggles with the hard reality of not having a regular income and she knows that this situation, if prolonged, will put to risk the future of her children.

Julie’s younger sister is a mining engineer in Cagdianao Mining Corp. (CMC) in Dinagat Islands in Mindanao. Through her, Julie is made knowledgeable of the concept of responsible mining and is aware of the mining industry’s Environment Protection and Enhancement Program (EPEP) as mandated by law and even of the rehabilitation of mined-out areas disturbed by mining activities.

She is excited for Manicani and for the future of her whole family but she says she will remain vigilant just like her sister.

Mary-Ann Samares is a 40-year old wife and mother from barangay Hamorawon.

She married when she was 16 to escape poverty at home, or so she thought. She now has

The mothers of Manicani in anticipation of the jobs that are finally coming.

Julie Morante struggles with the hard reality of not having an income.

She is excited for jobs but she will be a watchdog protecting the well-being of Manicani as a whole

7 children and she worries every day that she is watching her children grow up under the same poverty she thought she ran away from. It’s a continuous cycle she says and she prays for a way to break it for her children.

Julie and Mary-Ann are among the most vocal in the group of mothers in Manicani who gathered recently to talk about the economic condition in the island as news of the resumption of HMC-MNP’s operations quickly spreads.

The mothers exchanged opinions during the get-together. They pour their

hearts out not hiding their excitement that after years of waiting, finally the jobs are coming. They all believe that the availability of job opportunities in the island will “raise all ships” – and that’s where all the good things for the communities can come from.

The mothers chanted “jobs, jobs, jobs!”

“We have been paying attention, we have been watchers of the pros and cons of mining. We are pleased that it is Nickel Asia (NAC) that is handling the contract in Manicani, a company with good track record, we trust NAC but we will be its watchdogs from the communities”, says Julie.

HMC and CMC are subsidiaries of NAC. According to DENR, the Sangguniang Barangays of Banaag, Buenavista, Hamorawon and San Jose, and the Sangguniang Bayan of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, enacted Resolutions supporting the resumption of the mining operations of HMC-MNP. From their own data gathered from the communities, HMC-MNP’s Engr.

Manolito M. Javar, project manager, says the company has at least 89% trust-rating and with the same percentage of residents supporting mining in the island.

Bayanihan sa Paaralan program, better lives for the uplands

Only a few Geographically Isolated and Disadvantaged Areas (GIDA) are left to be established with a DepEd school according to Governor Tyron Uy during his message on the turn-over ceremony of the newly constructed one (1) unit, two (2) classroom buildings at Sitio Tagbawi, Brgy. Rizal, Monkayo, Davao de Oro on March 16, 2022.

The deterioration of red strongholds in the province is instrumental for government interventions to reach even the farthest corners of the valleys. From farm-to-mar-

ket roads, health centers, water systems, sitio electrification, solar dryers, daycare centers, and integrated schools accredited

by DepEd, government services now provide ease for the uplands.

Barely after a month of “Bayanihan” construction, the newly constructed building with complete amenities from school chairs, tables, boards, and comfort rooms can readily be used by two more neighboring sitios of Tagbawi; Sitio Little Depot and Upper Pasian.

Traversing the kilometers-long path down to the

BAYANIHAN SCHOOL AND SOLAR DRYER

Sitio Tagbawi, Monkayo, Davao de Oro

barangay proper of Rizal will no longer be a burden for the children as the school was now accessible and only a few meters away from their homes.

Sitio Tagbawi was once a guerilla-infested sitio in Brgy. Rizal, and in the year 2017, the community fully withdrew from supporting the communist group and became a beneficiary of the Oplan Pagbabago Program of the provincial government of Davao de Oro. Further, a Solar Dryer project of the provincial government can now be used by the residents as a pavement for drying farm produce such as corn and coffee. The project was funded by the development fund of the province, and it’s multi-purpose. A road-concreting project is also underway in Tagbawi.

In no time, Tagbawi can be a whole new Sitio like no other.

The turnover ceremony was attended by Governor Tyron Uy, Vice Governor Maricar Zamora, Congressman Manuel Zamora, LTC Michael Aquino of the 25th Infantry Battalion, Rommel Jandayan OIC-SDS DepEd DdO, SGOD Ruben Reponte, Barangay Functionaries of Rizal, teachers, and staff of Rizal Memorial Elementary School, and Provincial employees. (JA, PAO-IPRD, photo by J. Cadiz)

Mga serbisyong libre, gitunol sa Brgy. Aguinaldo, Laak, Davao de Oro Lipay ang mga katawhan sa Brgy.Aguinaldo, Laak, Davao de Oro nga midawat sa libreng mga serbisyo nga ang pagtunol gipangunahan mismo ni Gov. JayveeTyron Uy ug mga kauban nga sila Papa Gov Arturo “Chiongkee” Uy, Mayor Ay-eng Libuangan, Vice Mayor Honeyboy Libuangan, ug Former Gov Atty. Jose Caballero.

Niadtong Marso 16,2022 ang PLGU Davao de Oro pinaagi sa Walang Iwanan Outreach Group ug ang MLGU Laak kauban ang mga pulis ug kasundalohan nag-uban pagtunol ngadto sa mga katawhan diha sa Brgy.Aguinaldo sa pulos libre nga mga serbisyo sama sa libreng ibot sa ngipon, libreng medical, libreng bakuna, libreng tuli ug libreng opera nga dunay libreng mga tambal nga gipanghatag.

Nanghatag sad og libreng semilya sa mga fruit bearing trees, bamboo seedlings, semilya sa gulay, farm inputs, ug family food packs nga gipanghatag gihapon kanila nga libre.

Duna say libreng gupit, libreng nail care, libreng snacks, school supplies nga gipanghatag nga libre sa mga kabataan, libreng vitamins ug purga sa kahayupan, ug libreng semi-

OUTREACH PROGRAM

Aguinaldo, Laak, Davao de Oro

lya sa forest trees.

“Klase-klaseng serbisyo ang atong gihatag ug gidala sa katawhan sa Aguinaldo karong adlawa pinaagi sa hiniusang paningkamot sa PLGU-Davao de Oro, MLGU-Laak, Armed Forces of the Philippines, Philippine National Police, ug atong mga partner agencies and organizations. Kauban nato si Papa Gov Arturo Uy, Congress-

man Atty. Joe Caballero, Mayor Ay-Eng Libuangan, Vice Mayor Honeyboy Libuangan, ug ang tibuok pwersa sa Walang Iwanan Outreach Group ug ang MLGU-Laak.Walang iwanan hangtod maabot nato ang tanan sa serbisyong mahinungdanon ug malahutayon.” Matud ni Gov. Tyron Uy.(Gilbert M. Cabahug PAO-IPRD DdO, Photos from Tyron Uy)

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

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VAPING: IS VAPING REALLY SAFER COMPARED TO SMOKING CIGARETTES? (COURTESY OF MOUNTELIZABETH. COM.SG)

ALTERNATIVE TOBACCO

PRODUCTS: TO BE OR NOT TO BE Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

courtesy of mountelizabeth.com.sg

V

eto Vape Bill urged Parents Against Vape (PAV), an alliance of parents, teachers, public health experts, and community groups. In a recent media briefing held at the Acacia Hotel, the PAV – along with more than 5,000 people who signed the petition – asked President Rodrigo R. Duterte to scrap the said bill.

“As a concerned parent, I am afraid that this Vape Bill will be another problem on substance abuse Filipino families and the government, in addition to the existing ones, have to contend if this is not vetoed by President Duterte,” Imelda Esposado-Gocotano, PAV convenor, said in her speech during the opening of the media briefing.

But local and foreign experts argued that the Vape Bill is the most comprehensive legislation that could effectively regulate the use of alternative tobacco products (ATPs), which they consider as the best intervention at the moment to aggressively reduce the prevalence of smoking in the country, and help save lives of the 16 million Filipino smokers.

“As parents, we are alarmed at the provisions of the bill. (It) lowers age of access, allows flavors that

entice children and youth, makes them available online, allows the use of cigarettes in public places, and transfers its regulation to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA),” said the group in their letter signed

by Esposado-Gocotano.

Dr. Edgardo Ulysses Dorotheo, executive director of the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance (SEATCA) belied the claim of vaping supporters that HTPs or electronic nicotine delivery devices are “switching products,” claiming it to help smokers quit.

“The reality is that there are many smokers who – when they try to quit smoking and use e-cigarettes – become dual users,” Dr. Dorotheo said, citing The Guardian news report stating that the inventor of e-cigarettes, Chinese pharmacist Hon Lik, became a dual user himself.

However, a group of

doctors and healthcare professionals who also wrote President Duterte a letter endorsing the bill, explained that the updated version of the bill actually provides strict provisions to protect the youth.

Based on news releases, the bicameral conference committee’s report on consolidated House Bill 9007 and Senate Bill 2239 showed the sale of e-cigarettes with flavor descriptors that appeal to the youth will definitely be banned.

Rep. Sharon Garin, House Committee Chairperson for Economic Affairs and a member of the Vape Bill house bicameral panel, explained in a news release that the passage of the Vape Bill is actually solidifying the provisions of RA 11467 and Executive Order No. 106 issued by President Duterte and in particular banning the sale of e-cigarettes with flavors other than menthol and tobacco.

Rep. Estrellita Suansing, one of the authors of the Vape Bill in the House of Representatives and a longtime health advocate, added that the lawmakers were well aware of the concerns related to flavors when they drafted the bill, and made sure that the bill is very re-

CIGARETTE OR VAPE? WHICH IS BETTER: VAPE OR CIGARETTE? (COURTESY OF MOUNTELIZABETH.COM.SG)

strictive when it comes to flavors.

“We understand that flavors should not be used to target minors and non-smokers. The goal has always been to reach adult Filipino smokers and convince them to use these products instead of cigarettes,” she said.

For his part, House Deputy Speaker Rodante Marcoleta assured that the bill has very strict safeguards to protect the youth and prevent them from being enticed to using it. “Out of the 30 provisions of the entire bill, half of it is for prohibition, especially (for) minors who should not be given access to these products,” he said.

On the other hand, the PAV appealed to the pres-

ident to support the strict regulation of vape products.

“We have enough laws and policies that strictly regulate these harmful products which you issued. Thus, we humbly ask you, Mr. President, to protect your legacy, maintain these laws and policies, and allow their full implementation. Mr. President, please veto the vape bill 2022 for the full protection of our children and the youth,” the group pleaded in their released statement.

“We already have a comprehensive and strict regulatory regime for vape regulation as embodied in Republic Act Nos. 11346 and 11467 and EO 106 signed by President Duterte. The Vape Bill 2022 reverses the policy of the Duterte Administration

against these addictive and toxic products,” said Atty. Benedict Nisperos of HealthJustice pointed out.

He stressed that the vape bill “reverses” the key policies that will ensure that kids are protected from these harmful and toxic products. He cited that the age of access restriction is reduced from 21 years old to 18 years old when the higher age restriction is the global best practice.

“The regulatory power is taken away from the FDA and exclusive jurisdiction is given to the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), when these toxic products should be under FDA’s jurisdiction,” Atty. Nisperos argued.

Rep. Guarin, however,

FALTERNATIVE, P10

10 EDGEDAVAO BUSINESS... FROM3

incidence based on the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) data, indicates the city’s focus on improving employment conditions and social serviced to its constituents. This has produced good results for the city’s business and economic environment,” Peralta said.

Based on data from PSA 11, Davao City’s poverty incidence declined from 11.3 percent in the first quarter of 2018 to 8.9 percent in the first quarter of 2021 and according to the mayor this is because the city government of Davao sought to address first the problem of poverty and unemployment plus good governance, peace and order, stable utilities and a strong partnership with the private sector, bigger investments soon came and businesses flourished in the city.

Peralta also cited that the amendment of the Davao Investment Incentive Code of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) has resulted to a resurgence of interest among foreign investors as four more new European Union-based embassies

that are opening their consulates In Davao City.

In 2019, the city government of Davao has amended its Investment Incentive Code by adding new perks including tax breaks for projects outside the city center and for hiring indigenous peoples (IPs) and persons with disabilities (PWDs) and also the new ordinance “aims to provide a favorable and stable business climate consistent with the development needs of the city and will encourage new investments and will provide employment opportunities.”

“The strong partnership of DCIPC with the European Chamber will continue to result to an increased foreign business presence in Davao and Mindanao. The investments have increased growth in the real estate sector are also due to the investments coming from the service sector,” he said.

Peralta is optimistic that the business perception of doing business and investing in Davao City will continue to grow because of the strong economic and financial legacy that Mayor Sara has left behind.

after consultations with the industry, partner agencies, and other stakeholders,” Diokno said in a virtual briefing aired over the central bank’s Facebook page on Thursday.

PERA is a voluntary retirement savings program of the government targeted to help the capital markets since the pooled funds are invested in equities and bonds.

The government launched the digital PERA in September 2020 and since

then the number of PERA contributors has increased from 1,684 to 4,379.

Diokno said around 71 percent of the contributors are employees while the remaining figure is shared by overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and self-employed individuals.

Total PERA contributions as of end-February reached PHP265.5 million and 68 percent of it came from employees, 19 percent from OFWs, and 13 percent from self-employed individuals.

playing an instrumental role in the fight against Covid-19 by allowing communities and governments to scale up their testing capacity and increase their testing efficiency while ensuring a safer working environment for frontline health workers,” MGI Asia Pacific general manager Dr. Roy Tan said.

Two months after the onset of the pandemic, MGI brought to the Philippines its Covid-19 testing laboratory at the Jose B. Lingad Memorial Regional Hospital in San Fernando City, Pampanga.

The laboratory can conduct up to 10,000 samples a day. (PNA)

ty-enhancing and management tools.

“Nonetheless, our future monetary policy decision will continue to be data-driven and anchored

on evolving domestic developments to avoid unintended consequences associated with protracted easy monetary conditions,” he added.

(PNA)

HIMS sector, our capacity expands to support the entire healthcare journey of patients providing complex, digitalized end-toend customer experience services,” Aldaba said.

Aladaba added the government has been pushing

for initiatives and policies that will strengthen the local HIMS sector, such as the national upskilling and reskilling program, the establishment of the Center for AI Research, and the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives (CREATE) law.

over its actual collection of PHP1.951 trillion in 2020, Tionko said.

For its part, the BOC collected PHP645.77 billion as against its DBCC-set goal of

PHP616.75 billion, or 4.70 percent above target. It also surpassed its actual 2020 collection of PHP537.69 billion by 20.10 percent, she added.

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rebels and assured them to receive appropriate benefits that are due to them under the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP).

“It is sad to note that the NPA left their dead comrade. However, our government jointly provided decent services towards his final destination,” he said.

Brig. Gen. Ferdinand T. Barandon, commander of the Army’s 403rd Infantry Brigade, said the decision of the six rebels to surrender was in response to the call of President Rodrigo Duterte for the rebels to return to mainstream society.

“We expect that more

NPA leaders and members will heed the call of the President to return to the folds of the government,” Barandon said.

The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA is listed as a terrorist organization by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Philippines.

The Anti-Terrorism Council has also formally designated the National Democratic Front as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and inseparable part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973.

(PNA)

his deep appreciation of the project and added, “Today, in the presence of everyone not only we are giving our firm commitment but we are affirming our solemn pledge that we will do everything in order to accomplish the task that lies ahead. In that way, we are bridging the gap between our governments whether they are having war there in Europe, here, Iran, The United States, Philippines and Japan are working together in order to feed our respective people”.

Japanese companies like the TAM as a private concessioner had already prepared 1.5 billion dollar funds for the concession project led by CEO and President Yoshihisa Arai. TAM promises an ideal marketing strategy and channel which will actually control 60% of the Japanese market and eradicate the system of having a middle man. That means, locally produced products can now be sold at the reasonable price directly to the market or buyer.

Arai said, “As you all know, food security become more and more recognized around the world. We are promoting our business by forecasting on this point.

High quality products will buy it by Tokushima. There are people who make high quality products but less produce and distribute products required by vital global market. I’d like to share various benefits and profits. We will continue to communicate much better”.

SPDA has been working closely together with partnered countries who invest-

ed in our country. Their big plan was to put up an infrastructure project, a runway for planes of Japan for agricultural produce directly to be imported and routed to Japan and to the country of destination like Iran who will also invest on their high-quality rice to be planted here in Mindanao and later to purchase the post harvested rice back to their country for food sustainability as well.

Concession Lawyer Atty.

Manuel Quijano said, “Let’s substitute the word Concession with Cooperation.

Cooperation between Japan, America and the Philippines.

Cooperation not only for economic development but even for wellness. Cooperation between the public and the private sectors. Cooperation between Mindanao and the rest of the country”.

Atty. Quijano also added, “What our friends will do here will not only be good for the rebel returnees, it will not only be good for the volunteers but even for our indigenous brothers”.

Aside from securing the land area for the project, agricultural materials, equipment, provision of fingerlings, seeds and other fishing and agricultural inputs, technology and practices were also being prepared and funds was also ready by TAM in collaboration with SPDA, all of those were geared towards the realization of the project and to implement a modernized agricultural system and technology in Mindanao that will be projected to benefit the local market, farmers and the rest of the country.

in the past year showed their support along the bike path.

Local leaders across the country expressed support and congratulated former House Speaker Cayetano’s volunteers for the nationwide bike caravan initiative.

According to Albay Board Member and Association of Barangay Councils (ABC) Albay Chapter President Joseph Philip “JP” Lee, both the nationwide bike caravans and Cayetano’s advocacy for eco-friendly campaigning are worthy of support.

“Ito pong eco-friendly campaign ni Senator Alan Peter Cayetano, sana maging example ito sa lahat ng politicians especially po sa national scene na kaya pala natin gawin ang eco-friendly

campaign bilang makatulong po tayo sa environment,” Lee said.

(This eco-friendly campaign of Senator Alan Peter Cayetano should serve as an example for all politicians, especially those in the national scene, that we can mount an eco-friendly campaign and help the environment.)

Barotac Nuevo Municipal Councilor Simon Fernando also praised the bike caravan initiative, extending his gratitude to the Cayetano volunteers in his town for the successful conduct of the event.

“Sana ipagpatuloy ang ganitong mga bike caravan dahil ito po ay totoong eco-friendly at nakakatulong sa ating kalikasan,” Fernando said.

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begs to disagree. “Except for the age requirement, the Vape Bill does not repeal the provisions of RA 11467 and EO 106. It actually strengthens it,” she stressed.

The FDA, she said, will continue to have exclusive jurisdiction and regulate vapor products with health claims, while the DTI will regulate vapor products without claimed health benefits. The FDA will also be involved in the drafting of the implementing rules and regulations and the product standards that will be required for vapor products.

Rep. Garin explained that the Vape Bill does not take away the jurisdiction of the FDA to regulate vapor products with claimed health benefits. “It merely provided clarity and delineation that for vapor products without health claims, it will be the DTI who will be the regulatory body,” she said.

The Vape Bill was overwhelmingly approved by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, with 195 House representatives and 19 senators voting for its approval.

There also appears an overwhelming approval of the public, based on a recent survey by ACORN Marketing and Research, the largest independent Asian Research network. The survey showed that 94% of Filipino smokers agree that the government should enact policies to encourage adult smokers to switch to less harmful alternative tobacco products.

Dr. Rafael R. Castillo and his research group at the CardioMetabolic Research Unit (CaMeRU) of the FAME Leaders Academy are likewise against the promotion of vape and other alternative tobacco products (ATPs) among teenagers and minors, but supports the regulated use of ATPs for current smokers, particularly recalcitrant smokers, in whom all interventions at smoking cessation have failed.

In the Philippines, recent studies showed four in 10 students reported ever smoking cigarettes.

Approximately one in 8 students who had smoked cigarettes reported smoking their first cigarette before age 10.

“These ATPs should be off-limits to the youth and those who are currently not smoking,” Dr. Castillo points out. “ATPs should also be subjected to appropriate sin taxes so it’s beyond the financial reach of the youth.

ATPs should not be allowed to be promoted or advertised.”

Dr. Castillo urges health officials to prevent the youth from joining the ranks of smokers. “The evil of smoking must be included in the curriculum of elementary and high school,” he suggests. “Teaching by example is also very important. Children tend to follow what they see their parents do. Smoking parents should refrain from letting their highly impressionable small children see them smoke.”

Unlike the PAV, Dr. Castillo’s group batted for the passing of the consolidated bill on vaporized nicotine products. “Passing into law, the Vape Bill is a significant starting point and a definitive step in the right direction to drastically reduce the number of smokers and the resulting deaths,” said a letter addressed to the president.

“We wish to make it clear, Mr. President, that all of us are against tobacco smoking, and many of us are staunch advocates and supporters of anti-smoking campaigns and any initiative that could help our smoker-patients quit smoking. It is indisputable that smoking kills,” the letter further stated.

Approximately, 110,000 Filipinos die every year from smoking-related diseases such as lung cancer, stroke and heart attack, to name a few. “That is roughly 300 Filipinos dying every day from smoking-related diseases,” the letter said.

“These are deaths that may have been prevented if only they were given viable alternatives.”

The group is referring to ATPs like vape products which could “at the very least, help mitigate the risks of serious smoking-related complications.”

As stated earlier, more than 16 million Filipinos still continue to smoke cigarettes, according to the Department of Health (DOH).

“Many of them are recalcitrant smokers, who simply could not stop smoking despite joint efforts by themselves and their physicians at complete smoking cessation,” the letter said.

The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) said only 4% of all the Filipino smokers kick the addictive habit every year. “Simply put, it will take roughly another 25 years for all of the 16 million Filipino smokers to stop smoking – and that is assuming there will be no new smokers for the next 25 years,” the group pointed out.

Dr. Castillo said the ATPs should not be made available to non-smokers, pregnant women, and most especially to young people. “The main targets are smokers who want to quit,” said Prof. Tikki Ella Pangestu, who used to be the director of WHO’s Department of Research Policy and Cooperation.

The battle against smoking is a long fight, Dr. Castillo says. “It may be a Pollyannic or blindly optimistic goal to completely eradicate cigarette smoking with ATPs, but even just a 10% reduction in smokers annually can go a long way in saving lives,” he says.

Prof. Pangestu said that ATPs should be promoted along with other options.

“We need to see vape and heated tobacco products as a complement to other available options such as education, quit lines, counseling and education and nicotine replacement therapies (such as nicotine patches, gum, and nasal sprays among others).”

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VOL.14 ISSUE 307 • SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2022

SPORTS

11

Warriors guard Stephen Curry (right) drives past Timberwolves forward Jarred Vanderbilt January 27, 2022. John G. Mabanglo, Shutterstock Out/EPA-EFE

Curry out indefinitely G

olden State Warriors superstar guard Stephen Curry is out indefinitely after being diagnosed with a sprained ligament in his left foot, multiple outlets reported Thursday.

Saddiq Bey catches fire against the Magic. PHOTO: AP

Bey joins scoring explosions with 51-point show in win vs Magic

O

RLANDO, Fla. — Saddiq Bey scored a career-high 51 points and the Detroit Pistons beat the Orlando Magic 134-120 on Thursday night (Friday, Manila time) end a four-game losing streak.

Bey tied the franchise record with 10 3-pointers in 14 attempts. He was 17 for 26 overall.

Two nights after being torched for 16 points in the first quarter by Brooklyn’s Kyrie Irving on his way to a 60-point game, the Magic gave up 21 points in the first quarter to Bey. Marvin Bagley III added 20 points and 11 rebounds for Detroit in the matchup of the bottom

two teams in the Eastern Conference. Franz Wagner led Orlando with 26 points.

Bey finished the first half in spectacular fashion, scoring five points in less than five seconds. He hit a 20-footer while falling out of bounds with 8.8 seconds left, came up with a back-court steal and made a 3-pointer with 3.9 seconds left, leaving the Pistons with a 73-62 lead.

The Magic scored the first nine points of the game, but that lead was quickly erased by Bey. The Pistons moved ahead for keeps on a dunk by Isaiah Stewart that broke a 50-50 tie midway through the second quarter.

ESPN reported the Warriors are optimistic Curry can return by the start of the NBA playoffs next month.

Curry underwent an MRI immediately following the Warriors’ 110-88 loss to the Boston Celtics on Wednesday at San

Francisco.

The injury occurred with just over four minutes remaining in the second quarter when Boston’s Marcus Smart landed on the back of Curry’s leg while diving for possession of the ball.

Curry had his foot twist awkwardly in the incident, and shortly thereafter had to be removed from the game. He headed straight to the locker room, walking under his own power.

“I thought it was a dangerous play,” Warriors coach Steve Kerr said. “I thought Marcus dove into Steph, and that’s what I was upset about. A lot of respect for Marcus. He’s a hell of a player, a gamer, a competitor. I coached him

in the World Cup a few summers ago. We talked after the game and we’re good. But I thought it was a dangerous play.”

Curry, 34, holds team-leading averages in points (25.5) and assists (6.3) to go along with 5.2 rebounds in 64 games this season.

A two-time NBA MVP and eight-time All-Star, Curry has averaged 24.3 points, 6.5 assists and 4.6 rebounds over 826 career games with the Warriors.

Cayetano supporters hold nationwide bike caravan

T

housands of bikers joined the “1-4 Bike Caravan” in key cities around the country on Monday as a show of support for former House Speaker Alan Peter Cayetano’s Senate run in the May 2022 elections.

Almost 100 cycling associations participated in simultaneous bike caravans held in 14 cities and provinces across the country, including the cities of Manila and Marikina in Metro Manila, and in Vigan, Baguio, Urdaneta and Legazpi in other parts of Luzon.

Cayetano supporters also held bike caravans in the cit-

ies of Cebu, Ormoc, and Bacolod in the Visayas, as well as in General Santos, Cagayan de Oro, and Zamboanga in Mindanao.

Cycling groups also held caravans in the provinces of Camarines Sur and Iloilo.

Many of these areas were beneficiaries of Cayetano’s Sampung Libong Pag-asa and Sari-Saring Pag-asa programs. Thousands of families and small businesses received support from both initiatives at the height of the pandemic.

In fact, sari-sari stores aided by the former Speaker

FCAYETANO, P10

Thousands of bikers join the “1-4 Bike Caravan” in key cities around the country on Monday.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.14 ISSUE 307 • SATURDAY, MARCH 19, 2022

The UAAP returns to action on March 26. File photo shows Dabawenyo cager Francis Escandor of De La Salle Green Archers.

Ateneo-UP showdown in UAAP opening March 26 A

showdown between Ateneo de Manila University (ADMU) and the University of the Philippines (UP) will be the main attraction of the opening day festivities in the UAAP men’s basketball tournament on March 26 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.

In an advisory Thursday, the league’s media bureau said the Blue Eagles, the defending champions in the event, and the Fighting Maroons, who had the most highlighted roster buildup during the long offseason, will clash in the third game of a scheduled quadruple-header at 4 p.m.

Formally opening the UAAP’s 84th season, the first since the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic washed out the remainder of Season 82 and the entire Season 83, is a 10 a.m. showdown between Far Eastern University (FEU) and the University of Santo Tomas (UST).

At 1 p.m., Adamson battles National University, while in the nightcap at 7 p.m., the De La Salle University (DLSU) takes on the University of the East.

As if it was a throwback to the league’s older seasons, the entire first round will be played in seven four-game play dates due to Season 84 being a short season to give the eight-member schools ample time to gear up for Season 85, which is

scheduled to begin in September as per league’s traditions.

Games will be played every Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for the first round.

Meanwhile, the La Salle-Ateneo rivalry will get some primetime treatment this season as for the first time ever, the Green Archers and the Blue Eagles will be playing at nighttime, being the fourth game of Matchday 4 festivities on April 2 at 7 p.m.

The rematch of the Season 82 finals between Ateneo and UST will happen as per tradition on the final day of the first round on April 9, but it will be the third game of the quadruple-header scheduled for that day at 4 p.m. with the game between UP and FEU being the final game of the first round at 7 p.m.

Due to Covid-19 restrictions, all the games will be held behind closed doors, but the UAAP said that it might welcome fans again if the Covid-19 situation in Pasay and the entire Metro Manila continues to improve. (PNA)