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A ferry carrying vehicles and passengers departs from Sasa Ferry Wharf in Brgy. Sasa, Davao City to Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCOS). The Samal Island-Davao City bridge is already in the advanced stage of planning and is awaiting funding for its implementation, according to UniTeam senatorial bet and former Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Secretary Mark Villar. Edge Davao
FOURTH JAB City awaits DOH guidelines on 4th dose of Covid-19 vaccine
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President Rodrigo Duterte gestures as he delivers a speech in Davao City. Malacañang said the public is anticipating which presidential candidate President Duterte will endorse because any support coming from him will be a “game-changer”. Edge Davao
FOURTH JAB City awaits DOH guidelines on 4th dose of Covid-19 vaccine By MAYA M. PADILLO
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on’t look now but there is likely a fourth Covid-19 vaccine. The Davao City Covid-19 Task Force and the Vaccination Cluster are now awaiting for the guidelines from the Department of Health (DOH) for the administration of the fourth dose of the Covid-19 vaccine, particularly for senior citizens.
The DOH reported that it has applied for an amended emergency
use authorization (EUA) for the administration of the fourth dose of the
Covid-19 vaccine for the elderly and immunocompromised. “We have already discussed it with the Covid-19 Task Force and we are just waiting for the guidelines sa atoang DOH kay once mahatag sa atoa ang guidelines we will be training our vaccinators again kung naa man kabag-ohan ug unsa man bantayan,” said
Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of Davao City Covid-19 Task Force on Wednesday. The city will be rolling out the fourth dose similar to the rollout of the first dose of booster doses. “But we have to wait for the guidelines so that we can roll it out diri sa city. Especially sa mga
in Carmen, Davao del Norte with the proclamation rally held at an open space along the national highway in Carmen town just fronting the municipal hall. “Daghang salamat po Davao del Norte sa inyong suporta. Talagang basta DavNor, Dabest! Salamat din sa Team Uy at mga kaibigan natin sa
Davao de Oro! Salamat sa wala sawang tiwala! Mahalin natin ang Pilipinas!” Mayor Sara posted in her Facebook page. Marcos was also elated with the support shown by the people of Carmen. “Isang napakagandang pagsalubong ang ibinigay ng mga taga-suporta natin sa Carmen, Davao del
Norte. Daghang salamat sa inyong tiwala sa samahan namin nina Mayor Inday Sara,” he posted in his Facebook account. After Carmen, the UniTeam candidates proceeded to townsite (ER mall grounds), Kingking, Pantukan, Davao de Oro for another rally. Davao de Oro Gover-
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BBM-Sara hold rallies in Davao Region
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residential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong” Marcos Jr, and his running mate Vice Presidential candidate Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio staged mammoth rallies in Davao de Oro, Davao del Norte, and Davao del Sur on Wednesday. The first leg of the Davao Region sortie was
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Samal-Davao Connector in advanced planning stage
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ormer Secretary of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and senatorial candidate Mark Villar confirmed that the Samal Island-Davao City (SIDC) Connector Project is already in the advanced stage of planning and is awaiting funding for its implementation. “Basically tapos na kami sa DPWH. Ang hinintay na lang ang funding, yung negotiation for the funding seguro dahil hindi pa sila nagkasundo, yun na lang ang hinihintay. I’m sure once na ma-finalize yan, tuloy tuloy na and it is already in advance stage of planning. Basically ready na siya for implementation. Nung nandoon ako under negotiation yung financing na lang but in terms of planning stages tapos na sa DPWH, once makuha na ang financing tuloy na tuloy na ang bridge,” Villar told media on Wednesday. The loan agreement for the implementation of the project between the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Chinese government is still ongoing. The loan is part of the Chinese government budget that needs to be assessed and passed by Congress. In January last year, the DPWH signed a P19.32-billion contract with a Chinese firm for the design and construction of the 3.98-kilometer
bridge. Based on the monitoring done by the Mindanao Development Authority’s (MinDA’s) project development team, together with DPWH, the Davao City side of the SIDC project has been progressing in terms of the notice of taking issuances. The bridge is among the big-ticket projects under the “Build, Build, Build” Program proposed by DPWH for funding CY 2021. The project aims to provide a permanent road linkage between Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) that would reduce travel time. Apart from SIDC Connector Project, other big-ticket projects in Davao Region with construction are expected to continue even as President Rodrigo Duterte steps down in June this year, and if he wins as a senator, are the ongoing Davao Bypass Road Project and the Davao Coastal Bypass Project. “Kailangan natin ng continuity. Nakalatag na yung ground work para sa flagship projects, tapos na ang feasibility studies at yung iba tapos na rin ang engineering design, at yung iba ongoing na,” Villar said. For other projects in Mindanao, the construction of the Panguil Bay Bridge, which is being positioned as the longest bridge in the country, is
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4 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO
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On President Rodrigo Duterte’s resolve to fight for the rights of the country in the West Philippine Sea to the final day of his term:
Alam niyo si Pangulo, ‘yung independent foreign policy niya eh friendly po ‘yan si Pangulo sa lahat, enemies to none.” Senator Christopher “Bong” Go
EDITORIAL Business opportunities Prof. Yasonna Laoly, Indonesia’s Minister of Law ang Human Rights, has promised to talk with his country’s national carrier, Garuda Indonesia, about the revival of the airline’s Davao-Manado route.
but halted in mid-March of 2020 following travel restrictions due to the pandemic.
Professor Laoly was in Davao City over the weekend to lead the distribution of passports and non-immigrant visas to Indonesian citizens that belong to the Persons of Indonesian Descents (PIDS) residing in Davao City and Mindanao at the Indonesian Consulate General in Davao City.
On the side, Minister Laoly also met with Secretary Mabel Sunga-Acosta of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa) to discuss economic partnerships, particularly in the construction of the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP), and the promotion of Halal food and beverages and also processed food.
“Previously, we had a direct flight from Manado to Davao, aside from a ferry from Bitung to Davao and vice versa but it had to be stopped due to the pandemic,” the minister said.
He promised that once home, he would talk to Garuda, adding that the governor of Manado is a very close friend. The Davao-Manado route was relaunched on September 27, 2019
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Minister Laoly’s initiative augurs well for the Philippines’ desire to revive travel and tourism.
Dabawenyos who are very familiar with Manado and in fact have experienced very warm relations with its people should never miss taking advantage of these business opportunities that present themselves many times over. 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
The service is said to be part of Garuda’s effort to provide seemless connectivity for passengers of both countries.
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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!
HAVE FRIENDS AND KEEP THEM A couple of years ago, an English publication offered a prize for the best definition of a friend, and among the thousands of answers received were the following: “One who multiplies joys, divides grief.” “One who understands our silence.” “A volume of sympathy bound in cloth.” “A watch which beats true for all time and never runs down.” But here is the definition that won the coveted prize: “A friend - the one who comes in when the whole world has gone out.” Charles Spurgeon, a noted American commentator, once said: “Friendship is one of the sweetest joys of life. Many might have failed beneath the bitterness of their trial had they not found a friend.” What fun would life be if we had no friend to share it with? No one with whom to celebrate our successes, share our laughter, confess our disappoint ments? Friends, indeed, are an essential ingredient for a full, happy life. Following are some tips to help you make and keep them. Make friendship a priority. The people who always seem to have good friends are those who deliberately place friendship high on their list of priorities. Be a friend. Ralph Waldo Emerson had said it right when he wrote: “The only way to have a friend is to be one.” Oftentimes,
that means taking the first step and initiating deeper contact with another person. Practice the art of self-disclosure. Nothing bonds two people more closely than self-revelation. When you take the risk of sharing with another person, things that bring you joy and pain, the friendship deepens consider ably. K. Alvin Pitt once said: “A true friend is one in whom we have confidence and to whom we will listen.” Celebrate differences. Often the closest friends have as many differences as they do similarities. The finest friendships often cross religious, political and social boundaries as people discover there can be great unity within diversity. Robert Weiss, a social psychologist at the University of Massachusetts, explains it in this manner: “One recipe for friendship is the right mixture of commonality and difference. You’ve got to have enough in common so that you understand each other and enough difference so that there is something to exchange.” Give love and support. A good friend is always someone whom you can count on when life gets rough. In difficult and depressing times, a real friend suspends judgements and provides a continuous flow of love and support so that the other
person can heal and recover. C. Neil Strait, a well-known American author, said: “The greatest service one can perform is to be a friend to someone. Friendship is not only doing something for someone, but it is caring for someone, which is what every person needs.” Be loyal. A survey published in Psychology Today, an American publication, revealed that loyalty is one of the most desired qualities in a friend. Loyalty, someone once defined, is “faithfulness, and effort, and enthusiasm. It is common decency plus common sense.” Franklin Owen offers these words about loyalty: “Friendship is loyal. A real friend is loyal through thick and thin. He will stand by you in the hour of need. He will help you when you are down. He will celebrate with you when you are up. Friend-ship is patience with one’s friend when he is right, patience with him even when he is wrong.” Don’t expect perfection. A friend’s moods may change. A friend may make decisions you do not feel are wise. And a friend may act in ways that you would not. Nevertheless, strong and true friendship does not have a high perfectionist impulse attached to them. Forgive and forget. Sometimes friends hurt us through words and deeds or by neglect.
If the friendship is real that person will sense the hurt caused and will give us an explanation or an apology. Rather than crossing the person off your list of friends, forgiving and forgetting is in order. Listen to the advice of American journalist Judith Viorst: “When a friend fails to come through for us, but acknowledges it and regrets it and apologizes for it, we should - for the sake of friendship - forgive and forget. And when a friend explains how he or she honestly thought he/ she was doing the right thing when he/she did something we think is really wrong, we may disagree but we also ought to - in order to save the friendship - forgive and forget.” Forgiveness, after all, saves the expense of anger, the cost of hatred, the waste of spirits. Listen with your heart. More than anything else, so many people need others to hear them when they are hurting. This means hearing beyond the words and withholding judgement. Poet Marian Evans, writing under the male pseudonym George Eliot, had a friend who was able to listen this way. Evans wrote: “Oh the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of feeling safe with a person, having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words but to pour them all out,
just as it is, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping and then, with the breath of kindness blow the rest away.” Friendship should not be threatened by honest criticism. Dr. Jose Rizal once remarked that “we need criticism to keep us awake.” And what does the Bible say about criticism and friendship? Proverbs 27:5-6 offers: “Better is open rebuke than love that is concealed. Faithful are the wounds of a friend, but deceitful are the kisses of an enemy.” Be affirmative. Look for ways to make the other people feel good about themselves. Be sincere and generous with praise and compliments. Friendships thrive and people grow in an atmosphere that is positive. Dr. McGinnis writes: “If you train your mind to search for the positive things about other people, you will be surprised how many good things you can observe in them and comment upon.” Finally, friendship takes time, energy and commitment. Yet it is always worth the effort. Goethe said it all when he declared: “The world is so empty if one thinks only of mountains, rivers and cities; but to know someone here who thinks and feels with us, and who, though distant, is close to us in spirit, this makes the earth an inhabited garden.”
ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD
CLASHING VIEWS ON VIGILANTISM The rise of assemblyman Douglas Ra. Cagas to the gov-ernorship of Davao del Sur as officer-in-charge (OIC) in 1987 shortly after serving as deputy minister of the local government and community development (MLGCD), was not without kinks. It was met with the opposition follow-ing his open declaration to declare war against the com-munist insurgents in his province. Leonardo D. Suario, the replaced provincial governor, was harsh and outspoken when it came to the Nagkahiusang Katawhan sa Kalinaw (NAKASAKA), an anti-communist movement organized by then police provin-cial commander Lt. Col. Jesus Magno and strongly supported by Cagas. He called the organization “a goat in a sheep’s skin,” “a temporary relief,” and “only a palliative and will not be serving its purpose of coun-
tering insur-gency or ensuring lasting peace.” By then being appointed as acting vice governor, Suario even quizzed whether it was “legally and morally right to place the law in the hands of civilians” by allowing the NAKASAKA members to carry improvised arms, knives, bows and arrows, and other native self-defense weapons. Suario, suspected as rebel sympathizer, told the news-magazine Veritas in its March 5-11, 1987, issue: “What will prevent the rebels from coming back? You have a few hours of pulong-pulong and the civilians are left alone by the military. The barangay folks are not communists. They may be victims of coercive forces of the rebel movement. But if I were to use an analogy, I’d compare the situation to that of a ten-year-old prostitute. She is only a victim of
society.” He even suspected the NAKASAKA, which he com-pared to the Alsa Masa in Davao City, was part of low in-tensity conflict (LIC) introduced by Edward Landsdale, an influential Central Intelligence Agency operative. Both Cagas and Suario, however, were in agreement that the initial step to address the rebellion was to address its root cause. (LIC is defined as “the deployment and use of sol-diers in situations other than war” that “are usually con-ducted against non-state actors and are given terms like counter-insurgency, anti-subversion, and peacekeeping.”) Suario added: “If the government’s purpose is to un-sheathe the sword of war, the civilians should only sup-port the military. But in this case, it is the military sup-porting the civilians. What is the bolo against
the Arma-lites of the rebels? We shouldn’t allow them (civilians) to patrol without necessary arms except bolo.” Cagas, though, was not worried the anti-communist crusade would deviate from the main thrust to pursue peace. He even boasted that the anti-rebel organization has become the prototype for other local government units with the same intent to bring the insurgency. While there was no specific LGU program that was in place to address the main cause of insurgency, he proposed the construction of a rehabilitation center for returnees and their employment in government. Around this time, around 100 New People’s Army reg-ulars and 2,000 rebel sympathizers had already yielded to the government. For these persons to be accepted as sur-renderers, the NAKASAKA founder had cer-
tain ‘estab-lished criteria’ such as “those who voluntarily gave aid to the movement, the letter couriers and driver-couriers, collectors, and regulars.” NAKASAKA used five strategies in its anti-insurgency campaign: (i) a massive educational campaign on the evils of Communism compared to democracy’; (ii) creation of vigilante squads on the purok or sitio levels; (iii) installa-tion of a monitoring, alarm and communications system using indigenous instruments; (iv) encouraging the peo-ple to arm themselves with ‘indigenous defensive weap-ons’; and (v) initiating the surrender of rebels and their sympathizers.” Over forty years afterward, the insurrection has re-mained active though drastically reduced in membership, decimated in effectivity, and lost popular support.
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Shoppers check out the artworks display and sold at the Davao Art Kolective exhibit at SM City Davao on Thursday. Edge Davao
NEDA: Improvement of alert level to boost PH economy
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During the virtual briefing for the Malacanang Press Corps on Wednesday, NEDA Undersecretary Rosemarie Edillon said raising to Alert Level 1 all parts of the country will greatly boost the economy’s recovery from the pandemic.
“But we do understand na kailangan mayroon tayong metrics na sinusunod kasi ayaw naman natin na mag-aAlert Level 1 ka nga tapos hindi pa pala handa iyong lugar. Ang isang tinitingnan naming mal-
aking bagay dito talaga ay iyong vaccination rate, especially doon sa mga elderly kasi sila talaga ang pinaka-vulnerable dito (But we do understand that we need to follow metrics because we don’t’ want to shift to Alert Level 1 but then, some areas are not yet prepared. One factor that we consider as a major factor is the vaccination rate, especially among the elderlies because they are the most vulnerable),” she said. Edillon said they want
he continued public-private sector partnership is expected to further solidify measures against fraud, especially now that more financial transactions are done digitally. Lawyer Irish Almeida, Globe Telecom’s chief privacy officer, said continued collaboration, exchange of information, and “possibly even joint investigation teams or task forces, especially in connection with current
scams and other fraudulent activities”, are seen to efficiently address cybercrimes. “The NPC (National Privacy Commission), in particular, sends us scams/spam messages for investigation that we are able to block/deactivate accordingly,” she said in a reply to e-mailed questions from PNA on Wednesday. Aside from public-private sector collaboration, private entities are also
strengthening their tieups to help address the rising cybercrimes. Last week, Globe and Union Banking Corporation (Unionbank) signed a memorandum of agreement (MOA) for data sharing for online banking fraud investigation. Almeida earlier said the MOA “is an important step in our shared fight against online banking fraud.” “We hope that strengthening the bank’s
he vaccination rate in an area is among the factors being looked into vis-à-vis the plan to elevate to Alert Level 1 all parts of the Philippines, a ranking National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said.
the reopening of the economy to be sustainable and this is being done on a per province and per independent component city. The National Capital Region (NCR) and 47 areas nationwide have been placed under Alert Level 1 from March 16-31, 2022. The Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF) has yet to announce its decision regarding the Alert Level system nationwide for the period after March 31. (PNA)
capacity to investigate these cases would lead to the prosecution of fraudsters. This ultimately leads to better protection of our customers,” she said. Despite the abundance of news about online frauds and the reminders from the authorities, banks, and telecommunications on how the public can protect themselves against falling victims to these crimes, a lot
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D&L Industries earnings in ‘21 surpass pre-pandemic levels
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isted chemicals and food ingredients manufacturer D&L Industries Inc. saw its earnings in 2021 exceed the level achieved before the COVID-19 pandemic struck. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange on Wednesday, D&L Industries reported a net income of P2.643 billion, up 31% from P2.022 billion in 2020. The company’s 2021 bottom line was also 1% higher compared to its pre-pandemic net earnings of P2.620 billion posted in 2019. The recovery was mainly driven by increased economic activity as well as the robust performance of the company’s export business in 2021, D&L Industries said. Lower corporate taxes provided by the CREATE Law had a 4% impact on the company’s 2021 net income. D&L Industries also reported record revenues of P30.85 billion, a significant jump from P21.73
billion in 2020, with its export business accounting for 33% of the top line. D&L Industries president and CEO Alvin Lao said that 2022 will be better than last year, after the dip in COVID-19 infections and the government’s move to lower the alert levels as more Filipinos get vaccinated against the virus. “While we are cautiously optimistic that we are likely at the tailend of the pandemic, we remain focused on our core competencies, ready to ride another wave of volatility brought about by recent geopolitical uncertainties,” said Lao. “While Russia and Ukraine are not a significant part of our supplier or customer base, the ongoing conflict poses a threat to global recovery and has sent prices of key commodities skyrocketing over a short span of time,” he said. “In the near-term, we see demand affected by two opposing forces - continued economic re-
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A market goer buys dressed chicken at a stall inside Bankerohan Public Market in Davao City. The city government of Davao is strictly monitoring the entry of poultry products at the checkpoints following the outbreak of Avian Influenza (AI) H5N1 or bird flu in several provinces in Luzon and Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat. Edge Davao
Davao tightens watch on poultry products amid bird flu outbreak T
DAR turns over P62-M worth of infra projects in Sarangani
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he Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) in the province of Sarangani recently turned over Php62-million worth of infrastructure projects to boost the agricultural productivity of the agrarian reform beneficiaries in this town. The infrastructure projects include the rehabilitation of Sitio Basak to Sitio Lambalot farmto-market road (FMR) in Barangay Upper Biangan; road opening of Sitio Atmorok to Kili Datal FMR in Datal Batong; road opening of Sitio Malbulig to Brgy. Kibala Proper FMR; and construction of potable water system level 2 in Brgy. Datal Batong and Brgy. Datal Bila. DAR-12 Assistant Regional Director for Operations Rodolfo T. Alburo said the four (4) Community Infrastructure Development Support Subprojects were implemented through the Italian Assistance to Agrarian Reform Communities Development Support Program (IARCDSP), a peace project funded by the Italian Government, focusing its efforts on rural development starting at the agrarian reform communities.
“The principle behind these projects is for the improvement of the lives of the agrarian reform beneficiaries and their families. We need to empower them because farmers are the frontliners of the country’s food security,” Alburo said. The farmers expressed their gratitude to the local government of Malungon and the partnership of DAR and IARCDSP as they perceived that these projects would help them gain easy access to various markets and trade centers for their farm produce. The beneficiaries recalled that for many years, after their hard work in nurturing their field, they have sacrificed most of their time, sweat, and effort to transport their farm produce. DAR OIC Provincial Agrarian Reform Program Officer II Cenon S. Original expressed his gratitude to the LGU for their financial counterpart and commitment to implement the projects. He thanked the agrarian reform communities as well, pointing out that the department cannot fully serve in its full capacity without their support.
In an interview during Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5), Dr. Cerelyn Pinili, head of the City Veterinary Office, said that the security personnel assigned at checkpoints here have been directed to screen the entry of poultry following the imposition of ban imposed on products coming from areas with confirmed bird flu outbreaks. She said the city has put up veterinary check-
points in various entry points to the city – in Lasang, Calinan, Marilog, and Sirawan in Toril. The Department of Agriculture (DA) confirmed outbreaks of bird flu in the provinces of Bulacan, Pampanga, Laguna, and Camarines Sur and reported confirmed cases in Nueva Ecija, Bataan, Tarlac, and Benguet. According to DA, the “possible sources of infection and spread of the
virus in those areas are the presence of migratory or resident wild birds, late or non-reporting of suspect cases (sick/dying birds), and illegal movement of infected birds from H5N1 infected areas as per disease investigation conducted by veterinary authorities.” Pinili said the transport of live birds coming from these areas has been banned in pursuance of DA’s Memorandum Circular No. 6 Series of 2022 released on Tuesday, which prescribes the “Guidelines on the movement of domestic and captured wild birds and poultry products and by-products during the avian influenza outbreak.” According to the
he Philippines is expected to grow 6 percent this year, which is lower than the government’s target of 7 to 9 percent, but still above the global average, Fitch Solutions said on Wednesday. Fitch Solutions said the Philippines would be the third best performer in Asia for the year, behind only India and Vietnam. The world economy meanwhile is expected to grow 3.6 percent this
year down from an earlier forecast of 4.1 percent, Fitch said. Asia however is different, including the Philippines, Fitch said. “Asia was actually a region that was held back in terms of growth last year in large part because many of the economies rely heavily on tourism, and also because Asian economies had much more stringent policies when it came to COVID-19. That meant
economic activity was slow to recover last year,” said Cedric Chehab, Head of Global Country Risk at Fitch Solutions says Chehab said Malaysia, the Philippines and Vietnam are going to see growth accelerate. Meanwhile, two key factors contributing to slower global growth are inflation and monetary policy. Fitch Solutions noted that the sanctions imposed on Russia related to the Ukraine conflict
he city government of Davao is strictly monitoring the entry of poultry products at the checkpoints following the outbreak of Avian Influenza (AI) H5N1 or bird flu in several provinces in Luzon and Tacurong City, Sultan Kudarat, an official said on Wednesday.
DA, the policy regulates the movement of ducks, quails, chicken, and other poultry commodities in affected areas, particularly those coming from within the one-kilometer (km) quarantine area. Pinili assured local consumers that the city remains free from bird flu. “Based on our monitoring, we have no reported case yet. We have obtained several samples from our forms and results tested negative,” she said. But Pinili encouraged the poultry raisers to immediately report to authorities any reported deaths of poultry caused by flu to contain the spread of infection.
had a huge impact on global commodity prices, pushing inflation higher. Global inflation has yet to peak, and is forecast to accelerate all the way up to May. Fitch said it expects faster inflation to push many central banks around the world into even more monetary policy tightening. Some central banks have already been aggressively raising inter-
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Lanao del Sur mayors all for BBM-Sara, says governor
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anao del Sur Gov. Mamintal Adiong Jr. on Tuesday debunked claims that the province’s town mayors are junking their presidential bet, Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr., in favor of Vice President Leni Robredo. Adiong, provincial chair of the Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD), said Marawi City Mayor Majul Gandamra and the 38 municipal mayors of Lanao del Sur are all solidly supporting the presidential bid of Marcos. To show proof, Adiong sent copies of the resolution
of the Lakas-CMD party and signatures of the mayors. “We are all together in supporting Marcos and Davao Mayor Sara Duterte,” Adiong said. Amenodin Sumagayan, vice mayor and mayoral bet of Taraka town, earlier said 15 town mayors are joining the RoSa bandwagon and were about to announce their support for Robredo for president and Duterte for vice president. He said Adiong has given the mayors a free hand to choose their presidential bets. “We are allies at the local
level but beyond that, we respect each other’s choices. The governor respects our choice,” Sumagayan said. Adiong said the entire provincial slate of the Lakas-CMD immediately prepared a resolution after Sumagayan made the claim. “We believe that with the Uniteam BBM and Sara, their administration will ensure that no Filipino from the north to the south will be left behind,” read the manifesto signed by Adiong. Marcos and Duterte Sara are set to attend a rally at
the New Capitol Complex in Marawi City on Thursday, March 31. Adiong said the entire provincial slate of the Lakas-CMD would be there at the rally. Vice President Robredo will also be in Marawi City on Friday, a day after the rally of Marcos. She is scheduled to visit the municipality of Buadipuso-Buntong and later would visit a temporary shelter for Marawi evacuees in Barangay Sagonsongan. Robredo would join a rally in Marawi City. (Froilan Gallardo / MindaNews)
top police officer in Davao Region has advised gun holders to update the registration of their handguns. Speaking during the AFP-PNP press corps briefing at the Royal Mandaya Hotel, Police Brigadier General Benjamin Silo, Jr. bared that many of the handguns confiscated by police officers at the checkpoints are loose fire-
arms. He said many of these unregistered handguns are used in illegal activities. Silo revealed that right now, there are 34,000 unregistered firearms in Davao Region. He said the police will intensify its operation against unregistered firearms by buy-bust, search warrant, Oplan: Katok,
and Oplan: Boga by the first week of April, 2022. “We will be notifying owners of loose firearms to renew the registration of hand guns or have it surrendered in the police station where his residence is under jurisdiction, “Silo said. He said rounding up these loose firearms will guarantee honest, orderly, peaceful and clean elec-
tions on May 9. Silo observed some gun holders have failed to renew their firearms, and while bringing their hand guns they are arrested in the checkpoints for violating Republic Act No. 9051 and for violating a provision of the Omnibus Election Code and other issuances of the poll body. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
he Intellectual Property Office of the Philippines (IPOPHL) promotes patent filing for inventions and designs made by Filipina inventors, designers, and entrepreneurs. On Wednesday, the IPOPHL and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) signed a memorandum of understanding for the Juana Patent and Juana Design Protection Incentive Program in line with the celebration of National Women’s Month. The patent and design protection incentive program offers free patent filing for women-led enterprises, inventions, and industrial design. “(With) the incentive package for inventions, utility models, and industrial design applications, we hope to achieve the following: encourage women-led MSMEs (micro, small and
medium enterprises) to protect their innovations and designs; enhance women’s awareness and competency in intellectual property; promote the use of IP to enhance MSME competitiveness; assist businesses and entrepreneurs recover from the Covid-19 (coronavirus disease 2019) downturn; and support DTI’s entrepreneurship program,” Bureau of Patents director Lolibeth Ramit-Medrano said. Ramit-Medrano added the project aims to preserve the country’s gains in closing the gender gap, especially in IP. According to the World Intellectual Property Organization, the Philippines has the second-highest number of women inventors among 74 countries across the globe. “With the expansion of our IP protection program,
from Juana Make a Mark for trademark to Juana Patent and Juana Design, we hope that we will be able to increase gender inclusivity in IP and enhance innovation for MSMEs,” she said. IPOPHL Enforcement Office head Ann Edillon said the Juana Patent and Juana Design program will run from April 15, 2022 to April 30, 2023, or until the office has received applications for 50 inventions, 150 utility models, and 150 industrial designs. Eligibility for this program include engaging in business activities identified by DTI as a priority sector; businesses registered with the DTI, Securities and
Exchange Commission, or the Cooperative Development Agency; with total assets not exceeding PHP100 million; an enterprise with a maximum headcount of 20; business is running for at least one year; it must be a women-led or women-owned enterprise based in the Philippines; and have not availed funding from the Philippine Inventors and Inventions Incentive Act. Qualified applications will enjoy waived filing fees, fees for claims and embodiments, first publication fee, and substantive examination fees for inventions. Patent and design applications from Filipinas will also be prioritized.
opening on one hand, and generally higher prices of basic commodities on the other.” Lao said the company will be entering more export markets by using the company’s research and development expertise to introduce
more highly specialized, coconut-oil-based products. “In addition, our Batangas expansion is expected to come online in January 2023 which will be a key milestone in boosting our export sales further,” he said.
of people continue to be victimized. Asked on what areas should the public-private collaboration should focus on more –whether it is on education or regulatory enhancements, Almeida said “ideally, it should be a combination of both.” “On policy and regulatory enhancements, the NPC Advisory and BSP (Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas) Circular are excellent examples to promote
information sharing between financial institutions and telcos for more effective fraud investigations,” she said. She added that while the telecommunications have no information regarding the location of the victims of the scam “what we did look into is whether there was a pattern in the spam messages sent (to the victims).” “And our security team found that there was none,” she added. (PNA)
PRO 11 chief urges gun holders to update handgun registration A
IPOPHL offers free patent filing for women-led inventions, design
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Ong said of the latter. “If you really want to quit smoking, you must identify the situations that trigger you to smoke, and do your best to avoid them,” Dr. Ong suggested. Three out of four Filipino smokers want to quit smoking, studies show. But out of 15.9 million smokers, only about 640,000 were able to do so, according to the latest records released by the Philippine Statistics Authority. Quitting smoking is indeed very difficult, particularly for recalcitrant smokers or those who have an obstinately uncooperative attitude towards smoking cessation. In the beginning, they may follow the smoking-cessation programs but in the long run they couldn’t really kick the habit. As recalcitrant smokers – who are already addicted to nicotine – are hard to deal with, should they be disregarded in terms of long-term treatment? Dr. Rafael R. Castillo, a Fellow of the Philippine College of Physicians, Philippine College of Cardiology and European Society of Cardiology doesn’t think so. “Smokers may be rightfully considered as victims of an addictive disease, and those who cannot quit remain part of the health equation of every nation, just as much as the healthy non-smokers,” Dr. Castillo explains. Since recalcitrant smokers cannot quit smoking immediately, one practical solution is to allow them to use tobacco alternatives like electronic cigarettes (e-cigarettes). It is called vaping. “E-cigarettes are way less harmful than cigarettes and they can and do help smokers switch if they can quit,” Dr. David Abrams, New York University professor of social and behavioral sciences in the College of Global Public Health told CBS This Morning Tony Dokoupil. There was this research led by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center. Published in JAMA Network Open, it
used data collected from 2014 to 2019 as part of a long-term study on tobacco use and how it affects the health of youth and adults in the United States. Newswise.com reported of the outcome of the study: “When the researchers focused their analysis on a select group of 1,600 smokers who initially had no plans to quit and were not using e-cigarettes when the study began, they found that those who subsequently vaped daily experienced eightfold higher odds of quitting traditional cigarettes compared to those who didn’t use e-cigarettes at all.” Dr. Andrew Hyland, chair of the health behavior at Roswell Park, was quoted as saying: “We found evidence that the use of e-cigarettes could have a positive impact on this very hard-to-reach group of recalcitrant smokers.” While Dr. Castillo supports the Vape Bill – which become a law once it is signed by President Rodrigo R. Duterte – he is equally concerned about its potential for abuse, especially by young people. “This is where effective legislation can provide the necessary control measures,” he pointed out. “Not only the youth should be protected but even older non-smoking adults, especially the women, who could be lured into the vice.” Prof. Tikki Ella Pangestu, who used to be the director of WHO’s Department of Research Policy and Cooperation, echoed the same concern. “The main targets are smokers who want to quit,” he said. Prof. Pangestu said that e-cigarettes and other alternative tobacco products 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),” he said.
She said the local government’s surveillance has been focused on Talomo and Tugbok Districts where the city’s big commercial poultry farms are situated. In a press release issued by the City Govern-
ment of Davao, Pinili said that the Bureau of Animal Industry (BAI) reported an outbreak of bird flu last March 10 in nearby Tacurong in Soccsksargen where 1,000 ducks had been culled. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)
est rates, including the US Federal Reserve, Fitch noted. The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas meanwhile has already voiced its commitment to supporting the Philippine economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic with
record low interest rates for as long as possible. BSP Governor Benjamin Diokno however has also mentioned that they will reconsider monetary policy settings if data on inflation, money supply, and economic growth shift.
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Vaping: Instead of smoke, the user inhalves vapor; thus it is called vaping.
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early a third of the adult population in the country smoke, according to the Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance in its 2014 report. This made the Philippines as the second country in the region of having the most numbers of smokers – after Indonesia. “Nearly half of all Filipino men and 9% of women smoke and experts say the habit costs the economy nearly US$4 billion in healthcare and productivity loses every year,” said a recent Reuters dispatch. Although Republic Act No. 9211, otherwise known as the “Tobacco Regulation Act of 2003,” prohibits any person under the age of 18 to purchase, selling or smoking tobacco products, it has been found by a survey that children as young as five years old are already starting to smoke. Most Filipinos preferred cigarettes compared with other tobacco products. In fact, there is a study which showed that an adult Filipino smoker consumes 838 cigarettes, equating to about 42 cigarette packs, per year.
Why so much ado about cigarette smoking? For one, smoking is responsible for 85% to 90% of lung cancers, medical experts claim. The more cigarettes a person smokes, the greater the chances of this fellow having lung cancer. As early as 1964, the US Surgeon General’s office issued the link between smoking and lung cancer. “Lung cancer is almost exclusively found in smokers,” the Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research based in Rochester, Minnesota explains. “Men who smoke are 22 times more likely to develop lung cancer than men who don’t smoke. Women who smoke are 12 times more likely to develop lung cancer than women who don’t smoke.”
E-CIGARETTE: This is an electronic device that simulates tobacco smoking.
WHY YOU SHOULD
QUIT SMOKING Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO
Cigarette and cigar smoke contains more than 40 cancer-causing chemicals or carcinogens. Among the most noted carcinogens are tar, cyanide, formaldehyde, methanol, ammonia, acetone, carbon monoxide, and nitrogen oxide. The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that 10 Filipinos die every hour due to cancer, stroke, lung, and heart diseases brought on by cigarette smoking. So, you want to quit
smoking? You can listen to the words of American humorist Mark Twain: “Giving up smoking is the easiest thing in the world. I know because I’ve done it thousands of times!” Canadian film actor John Candy dismissed it also humorously. “Hey, I stopped smoking cigarettes,” he said. “Isn’t that something? I’m on to cigars now. I’m on to a five-year plan. I eliminate cigarettes, then I go to cigars, then I go to pipes, then I go to chewing tobacco, then I’m on to that
INHALES VAPOR: Many vaping products typically contain about half of the nicotine found in a cigarette.
nicotine gum.” When it comes to smoking, it is usually those who quit that emerge winners. Dr. Willie T. Ong, author of several health books and active consultant in cardiology at the Manila Doctors Hospital and Makati Medical Center, said a person who quits smoking will immediately get his rewards instantly. Citing a study done by the American Lung Association, Dr. Ong said the health benefits of quitting will “begin just 20 minutes after your last cigarette. Your blood pressure and heart rate will decrease, and the oxygen content of your body will increase.” After the first day of quitting, a previous smoker’s risk of suffering a heart attack will be reduced. On the second day, his nerve endings will start to heal and his ability to smell and taste will improve. Between 2 weeks and 3 months after quitting, his blood circulation will improve. His cough will be lessened
and walking will become easier. Soon, his lung function will improve dramatically. “By the time you reach 15 years of never touching a cigarette, your risk of dying will be the same as a non-smoker,” Dr. Ong pointed out. “This just goes to show that the ill effects of smoking are serious and deadly. Quit early and quit now. Quit while you are still young to obtain the full health benefits from quitting.” For some people, quitting smoking is easier. But for most, it is easier said than done. Dr. Ong cited three factors responsible for the difficulty in quitting. “Knowing these factors will help you prepare yourself for the quitting process,” he said. The factors were: (1) the number of cigarettes being smoked each day, (2) the people who smoke around the person who wants to quit, and (3) the real reason why the person smokes. “It could be due to peer pressure or for weight control,” Dr.
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senior citizens kay base sa atong data most often than not ang makakuha sa severe type of Covid kay katong mga senior citizens and sila ang mostly ma succumb to death. That is the reason why we are protecting them with booster doses,” Schlosser said. The Davao City COVID-19 Task Force re-
cently reported three unvaccinated senior citizens in the city who succumbed to Covid-19 between March 13 to 19, 2022. The casualties were severe to critical cases and required hospital care. “We have three deaths overall. All of them were unvaccinated. Importante hilabi na sa mga age group na 60-above na magpaba-
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kuna gyud,” she said. Schlosser said a two-dose vaccination with a booster of the anti-Covid-19 vaccine, would boost a person’s immunity against Covid-19 and provide protection against the severity of the disease, thus reducing the risk of getting severe to critical symptoms that may lead to death. Meanwhile, Schlosser
reminded Dabawenyos that the fixed vaccination hubs in strategic areas in the city are still open for walk-ins from Mondays to Fridays while the ones in Crocodile Park and People’s Park are open until Saturdays for walk-ins and drive-thru. The vaccination hub at Abreeza Ayala Malls is open until Sunday, April 3, for first, second, missed, and booster doses.
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also ongoing. “Sa lahat ng regions meron tayong big ticket projects na either natapos or may significant accomplishment. Gusto kong i-push ang “Build, Build, Build” program na nasimulan ni President Duterte dahil maganda na may continuity at dahil napakalaki ng epekto nito dahil nagkaroron tayo ng anim na milyon na trabaho sa loob ng anim na taon at nakikita natin ang flagship infra-
structures na nagawa sa term ni President Duterte lalo na dito sa Davao Region. Marami tayong projects na nagdadala ng development sa ating mga probinsiya,” he said. Villar also boasted that the “Build, Build, Build” Program, which aside from generating six million jobs in almost six years, it is targeting to generate one million more jobs this year. By Maya M. Padillo
nor Jayvee Tyron Uy said he fully believes in Marcos and Duterte’s message of unity and advocacy. “Basta BBM-Sara kusog jud kaayo sila labi na sa Davao de Oro. Daghan kaayo og excited na makadungog ug makakita sa ilaha. Pinangga jud kaayo sila ilabi na si Mayor Inday nga aside nga taga Davao,” Uy said. Davao de Oro 1st District Representative Manuel “Way Kurat” Zamora also posted in his Facebook account “The Norte Tiger, with the Old Town of Davao de Oro. I am happy that our experience, is one of the role models for our next President Bongbong Marcos. A great meeting between two strong leaders.” Meanwhile, the BBMSara grand rally in Barangay Tres de Mayo in Digos City, Davao del Sur was also jampacked.
Mayor Sara thanked Davao Occidental Governor Claude Bautista and Jason Rama Bautista for their supports to the UniTeam. “Mga kababayan ko sa Davao del Sur at Team Gov. Claude at Jason Rama Bautista, maraming salamat sa suporta sa amin ni Apo BBM at sa buong UniTeam!”, the mayor said in her FB page It can be recalled that Mayor Sara confirmed there is no BBM-Sara UniTeam grand rally that will be held in Davao City. “For Davao City nag refuse nako nga mag rally dinha,” she said on Monday. Mayor Sara also prohibited political motorcades and caravans in Davao City in time of the campaign period through Executive Order No. 10 Series of 2022. By Maya M. Padillo
In a statement on Wednesday night, PSC said a settlement has been reached in the final session of the mediation process earlier in the day. “It is with much joy that we announce that both parties have agreed to a settlement and the proceedings ended successfully,” the PSC said. “PSC Chairman William Ramirez who served as the sole mediator in the proceedings expressed his happiness that the first-ever sports mediation conducted by the PSC successfully assisted both parties to arrive at a settlement.” As part of the settlement, PATAFA has finally agreed to endorse Obiena for the Southeast Asian Games and the World Outdoor Athletics. Earlier in the day, the Philippine Olympic Committee (POC) deferred putting its executive board’s decision to suspend PATAFA for 90 days during its general assembly (GA) at the Knight Templar Hotel in Tagaytay but warned the na-
tional sports association that they will decide on it in next month’s GA. With the settlement, the POC could fully retract the suspension. “Both parties have also agreed that endorsement for the participation of Mr. Obiena in other competitions will be subject to the usual rules and regulations of the PATAFA, as observed for the participation of all national athletes,” the PSC said. The PSC further revealed that Ramirez, Obiena, and PATAFA president Popoy Juico met privately after the mediation session. “Mr. Obiena expressed his apologies to PATAFA, its board members, and his teammates, and both have assured each other of forgiveness, to start anew and move on,” the PSC bared some details of the private meeting. The PSC will not divulge any information about the mediation, but according to Ramirez, “Humility really played a big part in this process.” (PNA)
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Ginebra import Justin Brownlee powers his way through. PBA
Barangay Ginebra back in the Governors’ Cup Finals
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ustin Brownlee and Barangay Ginebra are back in the finals of the PBA Governors’ Cup.
Brownlee dished out a vintage Brownlee performance with reserve gunner Jeff Chan recalling his own old deadly form as the Gin Kings finished off the NLEX Road Warriors, 112-93, to clinch the first spot in the best-of-seven finals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Ginebra champion import put on display his champion heart, exploding
for 47 points on top of 10 rebounds, six assists, three steals and three blocks. “Life is easier when you have Justin Brownlee around,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “What a phenomenal performance that was by Justin. I’m amazed by it.” So amazing was Brownlee who was all over the floor, buckling down to
work early, leading their third-quarter breakaway and himself delivering the coup de grace in the 19-point win that sealed their fourth finals in the last five Governors’ Cup meets. For the clincher, Ginebra coach Tim Cone had a magic bunot in Chan who responded with 20 markers laced with 5-of-8 threepoint shooting. LA Tenorio made up for his crucial endgame booboos the last time out with a 14-point outing also
The Mines and Geosciences Bureau Region XI (MGB XI) gathered after joining the Webinar on “Orientation on Safe Spaces Act” in celebration of the 2022 Women’s Month. The MGB XI officials and personnel simultaneously listened to the Speakers from the Planning Development, Planning Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PDPMED) of the Philippine Commission on Women (PCW). This event is one of the activities of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources Gender and Development (DENR GAD) Central Office to increase the awareness of the Safe Spaces Act given the need to prevent occurrences of Sexual Harassment in the Workplace.
marked by three rebounds, two assists and two steals. Also helping out a lot were Christian Standhardinger (10 markers, 11 boards and seven dish-offs) and Nards Pinto (12 points including two three-pointers) with Scottie Thompson limited to four points on 2-of-9 field clip. Japeth Aguilar remained in civvies, but the Kings nonetheless played with a lot of spunk to quash the Road Warriors’ hopes to forge a Game Five decider.
The Kings try to complete a successful title defense either against the Meralco Bolts or the Magnolia Hotshots. Brownlee played with great resolve, scattering 26 points in the first half and adding 11 as they cut loose from a tight game to lead by 13 at the end of the third. Then Chan, Pinto and Standhardinger had their moments as the Gin Kings sustained their breakaway in the final canto where they led by as many as 19.
Chan, Pinto, Tenorio and Brownlee combined for 16 three-pointers - with the last, by Brownlee, eventually breaking the back of NLEX at 108-93 entering the last two minutes of the game. Cameron Clark didn’t do badly with 34 points and 12 rebounds, with Don Trollano and Justin Chua adding 15 and 10 markers, respectively. But the Road Warriors just couldn’t keep step as the Kings hit big strides in the second half.(PBA)
Mining Company Adopts Mapagba and Pintatagan Rivers
Davao City- The Riverbend Consolidated Mining Corporation (RCMC)/ ARC Nickel Resources Inc. (ANRI), in compliance with the Order issued by MGB XI to RCMC/ANRI on March 04, 2022, adopts the Mapagba and Pintatagan Rivers in Banaybanay, Davao Oriental. It aims to continue the rehabilitation and monitoring of the Mapagba and Pintatagan Rivers after the Siltation incident in January 2022. The Mines and Geosciences Bureau XI (MGB XI), Environmental Management Bureau Region XI, and Department of Environment and Natural Resources XI (DENR XI), support the said activity and signed the Memorandum of Agreement on the Adopt-A-River Program on March 16, 2022. MGB XI Regional Director Atty. Jasper Alberto H. Lascano acknowledges the intention of RCMC/ANRI to conserve, protect, and develop the rivers and will support them in implementing this agreement. The signing of the MOA held at Go Hotels, Lanang Davao was attended by MGB XI Regional Director, EMB XI Regional Director Engr. Mario N. Bulacan, Director III Engr. Maribel P. Alicer, DENR XI Regional Executive Director Bagani Fidel A. Evasco, ANRI Safety Health Manager Lito Mortilla, Provincial Environment, and Natural Resources Officer Pablito M. Ofrecia, and OIC- City Environment and Natural Resources Lupon Henry G. Yap. “DENR XI, MGB XI, EMB XI, and RCMC/ANRI signified to collaborate our resources and complement each other’s services in supporting the sustainable development of this program”, Atty. Lascano said RCMC/ANRI will follow the relevant environmental laws and undertake maintenance of the rehabilitation of the said rivers in accordance with the set standards. MGBXI Contact Person: Beverly M. Brebante 09199992247
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PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez with world no. 5 pole vaulter EJ Obiena.
ALL’S WELL
PATAFA endorses EJ Obiena for SEA Games as mediation ends
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he Philippine Athletics Track and Field Association (PATAFA) and world-ranked pole vaulter Ernest John “EJ” Obiena have finally settled their misunderstandings as Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) chairperson Butch Ramirez succeeded in reconciling the two parties through the mediation process. FWELL, P6