Edge Davao Volume 15 Issue 36 | Thursday, May 26, 2022

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DOMINATION HNP bets rule 2022 elections in Davao Region STORY ON PAGE 2 New City Commercial Corporation (NCCC) Group of Companies public relations manager Thea Septann Padua shows to LTS Pinnacle Holdings (NCCC Group of Companies) public relations officer Fred John Lumantas the “Salamat, Tatay Digong” statement shirt that the mall recently launched to honor President Rodrigo Duterte as he nears the end of his term. The shirt can be availed by customers through purchasing from the different departments of the mall from May 13 to June 30, 2022. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) Inc. program coordinator Lemuel Manalo (left), together with IDIS digital campaigner Ruel Kenneth Felices, calls on the people of Davao City and Davao Region during this week’s AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel to partici-

pate in condemning the amendment of the Environment Code of South Cotabato, specifically the lifting of the ban on open-pit mining. Edge Davao

DOMINATION HNP bets rule 2022 elections in Davao Region

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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ugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), the ruling regional party in Davao Region chaired by presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte-Carpio, dominated the recently concluded 2022 elections with majority of its candidates winning.

In a statement, HNP said that this year’s elections recorded 233 win-

ning HNP members from 412 candidates.

HNP’s president, Gov-

ernor Claude Bautista, was proclaimed as Representative of the Lone District of Davao Occidental.

Davao de Oro’s current Vice Governor Maricar Zamora has also successfully sealed her comeback as First District Representative.

Governor Jayvee Tyron

Uy, who is the party’s treasurer, will serve as Davao de Oro’s sixth Vice Governor.

In Davao del Norte, former City Councilor Oyo Uy is now the province’s new Vice Governor while his father, Rey Uy, who currently sits as the Vice Governor,

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DepEd issues guidelines for F2F graduation, recognition rites

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n official of the Department of Education XI revealed the issuance Deped-043 Series of 2022 or guidelines by the DepEd-Central Office for the conduct of the end of school year rites like the face-to-face graduation, moving up and recognition ceremonies for its pupils and students.

Jeneilito Atillo, spokesperson of the DepEd XI said the guideline covers the public elementary and secondary schools or the basic education; kindergarten all the way up to the senior graduating high schools and the graduating classes of the alternative learning system.

He said that under the

Deped memorandum order-043 Series of 2022, the end of school year rites will be a combination of online and offline ceremonies wherein the parents and their children have a choice of attending either online or offline ceremonies.

Atillo said the hybrid ceremonies are designed to cater everyone but the IATF

stringent requirements must be taken in consideration.

“The order requires the parent’s consent, the conduct of hybrid approach giving more concerns on the public welfare since the COVID-19 virus remains in the environment and the compliance of the

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‘Multi-layered security plan’ being readied for VP Sara’s oath-taking

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ocal authorities will prepare a “multi-layered security plan” for the oath-taking of presumptive Vice President Sara Duterte to be held in front of City Hall along San Pedro Street in Davao City as the historic event is expected to draw around 20,000 attendees from different parts of the country.

Maj. Ma. Teresita P. Gaspan, spokesperson for Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said in an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Tuesday that the security cluster will enforce stricter security measures to ensure the safety of the crowd as they expect a deluge of people attending the event.

She said the venue will be open to the public while no perimeter fence and pavilion will be mounted, so that it will be more convenient for the public to witness Duterte’s oath-taking,

but making it particularly challenging for authorities to control the crowd.

But Gaspan assured that security forces are ready to secure the venue, with DCPO receiving augmentation from the Police Regional Office (PRO)Davao to maintain order during the event.

She said the local authorities have yet to meet for creation of a multi-layered security plan, securing the “inner, middle, and outer layers” of the venue.

Gaspan said the city’s Public Safety Security Command Center will be at helm of drafting the security plan together with other members of the security clusters during the coordinating conference.

She said backpacks, jackets, and bladed weapons will be prohibited at the venue on this date.

Gaspan said it remains

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Practice health standards vs Monkeypox; public told

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he Department of Health (DOH) XI thru Dr. Rachel Pasion briefed the Regional Vaccination Operation Center XI about the recent public health advisory on Monkeypox.

She said even if there is still no case monitored of Monkeypox in the country or at its borders, the DOH issued minimum public health standards to prevent Monkeypox

transmission. These are by wearing best-fitted mask, ensuring good airflow, keeping hands clean, and keeping physical distance.

These minimum public health standards are similar to the standards set to prevent the transmission of the COVID19 virus.

Monkeypox is a viral disease coming from animals that occurs primarily

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

NEWS

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Animal Rescue Rehabilitation and Fostering Davao, Inc. (ARRF) founder and president Maritess Sia Batacan says during this week’s AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel she hopes newly-elected Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte will help fast track the implementation of Davao City Adopt-a-dog Ordinance. Edge Davao

IDIS enumerates expectations under incoming Mayor Baste IPs benefitting from DavNor community dev’t projects

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ndigenous Peoples Community Driven Development (IP CDD) projects implemented in Davao del Norte thru KALAHI CIDSS PAMANA of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) are seen accomplished and benefiting indigenous peoples (IPs).

The Municipal Government of San Isidro recently published the turnover ceremony of two barangay isolation units done on the same day of May 13, 2022 in barangays Datu Balong and Monte Dujali.

With a project cost of P606,853.75 for each of the barangay isolation unit, the projects were designed to benefit the Dibabawon Tribe in the Municipality of San Isidro, to support their Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development Protection Plan (ASDPP), and to strengthen the collaboration between the local government and the Indigenous Political Structures.

The projects were granted under the ad-

ministration of Municipal Mayor Arnel H. Sitoy who thanked the Dibabawon tribal leaders and the respective barangay Indigenous Peoples Mandatory Representatives (IPMRs) for their support to fasttrack the project implementation.

Meanwhile, a KALAHI CIDSS PAMANA IP CDD project was recently inaugurated in the Municipality of New Corella, Davao del Norte.

The P1,192,180.00 Activity Center constructed in Mangguangan Integrated School in Barangay Mambing, New Corella was inaugurated recently within 75 days of construction in collaboration with the administration of Municipal Mayor Jorjan “Monet” Federiso.

Aside from providing a wide space for students of Mangguangan Integrated School to conduct their activities, the KALAHI CIDSS PAMANA IP CDD-funded Activity Center was designed to cater to the activities of the Mangguangan IPs. (PIA XI/Jeanevive Duron Abangan)

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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passed an ordinance last year banning single-use plastics in the city.

The group is also hoping for the continued protection and conservation of the forests particularly those in Marilog District, Baguio Dis-

trict, and Paquibato District to protect watersheds and have a sustainable water supply in Davao City.

IDIS has been pushing the need to manage the urban forest areas, referring to the development and maintenance of green and open spaces.

“Ug dili nata mag-build ug new residential projects especially at flood prone areas to decrease flood risks.

Ang pinakadako nato na environmental issue is the denuding of the forests particularly in Marilog and also

some areas in Baguio District and Paquibato. Daghan na nga mga expansions diri na areas,” Manalo said.

The group is also expecting that the incoming mayor will enforce the implementation of the Materials Recovery Facility (MRF) in every barangay as madnated in the Solid Waste Management Ordinance.

This is in line with the group’s push for the strict compliance to waste segregation and banning of single use plastic in Davao City.

the implementation will help address stray dog problems and strengthen responsible pet ownership in the city.

“Unta si Mayor Baste ma-take into consideration unta ni sa iyahang paglingkod kay siya lang among hope. Animal lover siya sa pagkahibalo nako. Unta makabuhat siya ug paraan nga naa na adopt-a-dog and cat ordinance ug naa na ang re-

habilitation center. Unsay kulang? The IRR, gi-attach na namo pagmiting namo, wala na gyud sila’y buhaton, pero ngano wala pa man hangtod karon?

Daghan gusto mu-adopt,” Batacan said during the AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel (TRMH) on Wednesday.

In 2019, the City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) presented a draft of the

proposed IRR for the said ordinance, which allowed Dabawenyos to adopt impounded or rescued stray dogs in the city instead of subjecting them to mercy killing if not claimed within three days.

“Ang gobyerno gyud ang makatabang ani sa amoa. Kami naa nami para mag-support,” she said.

Batacan’s dog shelter

nvironmental group Interfacing Development Interventions for Sustainability (IDIS) rattled off programs and advocacies that they are expecting to be continued under the leadership of incoming Davao City Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte.

Lemuel Manalo, program coordinator of IDIS, said topping the list is the managing of wastes and enforcement of the single-use plastic ban in Davao City.

It can be recalled that the city government of Davao

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Advocate hopes to see implementation of adopt-a-dog ordinance under Baste

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stray dog advocate in Davao City is hoping that incoming Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte will implement the Davao City Adopt-ADog-and-Cat (DADC) Ordinance by ordering to fast track it’s proposed Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR).

ARRF Davao PawgIbig Shelter founder and president Marites Sia-Tan Batacan is optimistic that

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

New City Commercial Corporation (NCCC) marketing specialist Christopher Cua discusses during this week’s AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel the details of NCCC’s donation drive for pets dubbed “Help Local Shelter”. The campaign is in partnership with Animal Rescue Rehabilitation and Fostering Davao, Inc. or ARRF Davao. Edge Davao

DBCC slashes ‘22 growth target to 7-8% due to external factors E “The Philippine economy is on a sustainable path towards rapid and inclusive growth. We have revised the GDP target for this year from 7-9 percent to 7-8 percent taking into consideration external risks that have materialized in the last six

months,” he said.

These risks include the Russia-Ukraine conflict, the 75 basis points increase in the Federal Reserve’s policy rates, and the slower growth of the Chinese economy, which is the second largest in the world.

Chua said these factors are expected to be countered by the strong domestic economy.

“And the more we shift to Alert Level 1, begin faceto-face schooling, accelerate vaccination, especially of children and seniors, we can fully reopen the economy.

And we have, as our guide, Executive Order 166 that

calls for the full reopening of the economy. So, despite these external headwinds the domestic economy is very strong,” he said.

Chua noted that allowing face-to-face classes is a plus for economic activities “because of those studying account for around 40 percent of the population.”

Despite the slash in the growth target for this year, economic managers retained the 6-7 percent growth target for 2023 to 2025.

Another revision in the macroeconomic assumptions for the year involves

the government’s order for ecozone locators to go back to physical sites, over 440 firms have been granted letters of authority (LOA) by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), which allowed remote work for 30 percent of their workforce.

Business process outsourcing (BPO) is part of the IT-BPM sector, which

directly employs some 1.4 million Filipinos in total.

“We are conducting ongoing discussions on what the work from home hybrid arrangements will look like.

I have always appealed for a smooth transition for onsite operations... This is necessary to retain the competitiveness of the country as an investment destination,” Madrid said.

“All we have really sought while complying with the law is really smooth transition back, allowing over 1 million of employees who have been working from home during the pandemic, a smoother transition to on-site,” he added.

Madrid also appealed to tax inspectors not con-

conomic managers on Tuesday slashed the government’s 2022 growth target from 7-9 percent to 7-8 percent amidst the strong output in the first quarter of the year after taking into account the impact of external developments. first quarter of this year is

In a virtual briefing after the 181st meeting of the inter-agency Development Budget and Coordination Committee (DBCC), National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) Secretary Karl Kendrick Chua said the 8.3 percent output, as measured by gross domestic product (GDP), in the

sustainable.

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BPO sector says discussing hybrid work arrangement

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he IT-Business Process Management (ITBPM) sector is in talks with concerned agencies and stakeholders on possible “hybrid work arrangements” as it seeks a smoother return to on-site setup, a group said Wednesday.

IT and Business Process Association of the Philippines (IBPAP) CEO Jack Madrid clarified that despite

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Marcos admin has enough time to name next DBM chief: OIC

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he next administration has ample time to appoint the next head of the Department of Budget and Management, the agency’s officer-in-charge said Wednesday.

Presumptive President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. has yet to name his team of economic managers and Budget Secretary.

The DBM, meanwhile said it has already finalized suggestions on the legislative agenda that the next administration may want to pursue, DBM OIC Secretary Tina Canda said.

Canda added that she doesn’t think that Marcos Jr is running late on announcing his choice for Budget chief.

“If the appointee has some inkling of how government works, then I don’t think it’s going to be a problem; 1 to 3 meetings would be the maximum and they’ll be aware of it,” Canda said when asked if the incoming administration was running late in appointing a secretary.

She said the only problem would be if the appointee was from the private sector and was unfamiliar with government procedures

and finances.

Canda, a career civil servant who first joined government under Ferdinand Marcos Sr., said it was “necessary for the incoming administration to have no surprises.”

“They should be aware of everything that is happening whether it is good or bad,” she said.

Canda earlier said the incoming administration would have to work within a “tight” budget of around P5.268 trillion in 2023.

The funds are considered tight as there are items that are “mandatory in nature” such as interest payments, index pensions, separation benefits, and the 4th tranche of the Salary Standardization law, according to Canda.

“If the parameters remain the same until June 30 then the fiscal management would say na hanggang dito lang. If things change, for instance if interest payments would go lower…that would provide leeway to the incoming economic team,” she said.

“Nothing is preventing the next administration from tweaking the budget.

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ECONOMY

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A farmer dries yellow corn along the highway in Barangay San Rafael, Talakag, Bukidnon noon on Tuesday (24 May 2022). MindaNews photo by GREGORIO C. BUENO

Soccsksargen minimum wage earners to get P32 pay hike Russia to supply fertilizer to PH

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mid the worsening limitation of fertilizer supply worldwide, the Department of Agriculture- Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority (DA-FPA) on Tuesday said Russia has vowed to supply traditional fertilizer urea to the Philippines.

“We are really lacking, but we are looking at how to solve these things. We have meetings with Russia, they have responded, I just received a call, that they are willing to supply us the fertilizer,” FPA Deputy Executive Director Myer Mula in a virtual presser.

DA Spokesperson Assistant Secretary Noel Reyes said the volume of importation is yet to be determined.

“We already have a commitment, between Russia and the Philippines, through the DA-FPA, we will import Urea from Russia, maybe we will talk about the volume price soon,” he said.

Mula admitted the country’s supply of fertilizer is at risk, due to the impact of the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic, with the country’s import dependency affected by the strategic supply restrictions of several countries, and the ongoing conflict be-

tween Ukraine and Russia.

“If you have to analyze it deeply, we are still import-dependent, hundred percent,” he said.

Considering the current situation, the DA noted it is impossible to reverse the increasing trend of fertilizer prices.

“It can’t be done, because the supply, it’s global, it’s not only [experienced] in the Philippines if you look in the news abroad, it’s the same,” he said.

Besides Russia, the DA said they are also expecting fertilizer supply from Indonesia, Malaysia, and China, targeting at least 600,000 metric tons needed for the upcoming cropping seasons.

With all these challenges, the DA said it’s high time for farmers to understand and use the Balanced Fertilization Strategy (BFS), as it will help maintain soil fertility through the utilization of combined organic and inorganic fertilizers.

It will also help them minimize the use of chemical fertilizers while maintaining yield, an unquestionable advantage given the increasing cost of traditional fertilizers.

They also emphasized

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he minimum daily wage for workers in the private sector in Soccsksargen (Region 12) will increase by P32, bringing the salary rate from P347 to P368 a day, an official said Tuesday.

Jessie dela Cruz, board secretary of the Regional Tripartite Wages and Productivity Board – Region 12 (RTWPB-12), said the daily wage of workers in the agriculture/service/ retail establishments sector was adjusted to P347 and P368 for those in the non-agriculture sector.

The regional wage board initiated the review of the minimum salary rate motu propio or on its own since no labor group filed a petition to increase the daily basic wage in the area, he said.

The board conducted a public consultation in March and approved the adjusted daily wage rates last Wednesday, May 18.

The wage increase will be granted in two tranches – P16 upon the effectivity of the order on June 9 and P16 on September 1, 2022, Dela Cruz said.

He said the increased daily wage rate for minimum earners is above the region’s 2018 poverty threshold.

The monthly poverty threshold for a family of five living in Soccsksargen

in 2018 was P10,416, or P347 daily, to meet their basic food and non-food needs, data from the region’s Philippine Statistics Authority showed.

The National Wages and Productivity Commission approved over the weekend the wage adjustment in Soccsksargen.

Dela Cruz said the wage increase will take effect 15 days after publication in a local newspaper.

Raymundo Agravante, DOLE-12 director, urged micro, small and medium enterprises and COVID-19 pandemic hit businesses to apply for exemption from the wage adjustment.

Under the Omnibus Rules on Minimum Wage Determination, retail/service establishments regu-

larly employing not more than 10 workers and establishments affected by natural calamities and/or human-induced disasters, including the pandemic, may apply for exemption from compliance with the issued wage orders.

The last time the minimum wage for private sector workers in the Soccsksargen region was adjusted on February 2, 2020 – P336 for non-agriculture and P315 for agriculture / retail / service establishments employees.

Region 12 covers the provinces of South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat and Sarangani and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong and Kidapawan. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)

(BsG), an urban gardening community program, which was implemented by the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) at the height of the pandemic to support the ARB’s economic condition by providing them means of livelihood and sustainable food source of agricultural products.

The activity was graced by the Chief Agrarian Reform Program Of-

ficer Rhea Marie Betque who warmly congratulated the ARBs for successfully finishing the program.

“Always remember that you should all be committed to achieve the sustainability of this program. Remarkable resilience of every ARBs to any problem should never wane, instead, should further strengthen your will to always find ways

and move forward. Rest assured that with your sincerity and cooperation shown to us, more projects will be poured which could be beneficial to everyone,” Betque said.

BsG Pointperson Cherry Mae Purazo, divulged that SARBA members’ means of livelihood in the middle of the pandemic, prior to the establishment of the BsG program,

DAR’s Buhay sa Gulay program grads launch harvest festival in S. Kudarat

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he agrarian reform beneficiaries (ARBs) of Silang Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Association (SARBA) from the town of Bagumbayan recently launched a harvest festival to show their dependable and reliable means of livelihood in their respective community.

The activity was in line with the ARBs’ graduation from Buhay sa Gulay

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6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

On the Senate measure seeking to strengthen the regulation of the private security services industry and improve the protection of Filipino security guards:

I am glad that my fellow members of the Senate were able to see what I intended to show: that the urgency of this bill is not to be found on the surface. Instead, its urgency lies in the almost unseen, seldom appreciated actions of its stakeholders -- our security officers, our security guards, all of our security professionals.”

Senator Ronald “Bato” dela Rosa

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

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

THE DAYS OF OUR LIVES “I have found life an enjoyable, enchanting, active, and sometimes terrifying experience, and I’ve enjoyed it completely. A lament in one ear, maybe, but always a song in the other.”

This statement, comes from the mouth of Sean O’Casey, summarizes what life is all about.

Life, as defined by biologists, is “the metabolic activity of protoplasm.” But there are times when it seems even worse than that.

“My dear, if you would only recognize that life is hard, things would be so much easier for you,” a father once told an impatient daughter.

Jerold Savory said it all: “We may not prefer a world in which sorrow always seems to be so close to joy; in which heartbreak always seems so close to happiness; in which doubt always seems to be so close to faith. But this is the kind of world we’ve in.”

All of us came into this world, courtesy of our father and mother. The father supports while the mother cares and loves. To most parents, a baby is more than just a part of their lives. The world, it seems, revolves around the newborn.

Then, the baby grows and starts learning about his or her

surroundings. He or she wants to know more. That’s where education comes in. “What you learn with just the mind is quickly forgotten; what you learn when you are emotionally involved remains imprinted in the nervous system and the first task of education is involvement, not mere learning,” Sydney Harris said.

Clifton L. Hall offers this advice: “It is easy – even natural – to think of education as something that ends when one finishes school, or graduates from college, or is decorated with a doctorate.

But it might be nearer to the truth to say that real education begins when formal education ends. I frequently recommend books to graduate students ‘to be read when you stop taking courses and begin to get an education.’”

Oftentimes, education is what a person needs to get real work.

We are not put here on earth to play around. “Life is real; life is earnest,” Henry Wadsworth Longfellow pointed out. We are not here to “have fun,” which seems to be the chief ambition of so many.

There is work to be done.

Walter Hoving advises: “Find a job that’s suited to your talents and then do a lot more work than you’re paid for. In time, you’ll be

paid much more for what you do.

Workers who get what they can, as fast as they can, as easily as they can, are bound to be disillusioned.

Such people fail to make progress simply because they aren’t profitable to the people who hire them.”

Once you have work, marriage would just be around the corner.

“For this reason, a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh,” Genesis 2:24 stated.

“Marriage is not for a moment; it is for a lifetime,” Gina Cerminara said. “It requires long and serious preparation. It is not to be leaped into, but entered with solemn steps of deliberation. For one of the most intimate and difficult human relationships is that of marriage.”

God, through His servant Paul, also instructed what husband and wife must do to have a successful marriage. “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife…

Also, wives should submit to their husbands in everything... Husbands ought to love their wives as their own bodies… Wives must respect their husbands.”

The general society holds that normal people are either married

or wish to be – but single status is an appropriate option to marriage. “Singles should be accepted,” urged Mark Lee. “All persons live for a time as singles – so it must be a normal state.”

Those who get married become parents. “Parents are prone to give their children everything except the one thing they need most. That is time: time for listening, time for understanding, time for helping, and time for guiding,” reminds Emma K. Hulburt. “It sounds simple, but in reality it is the most difficult, and the most sacrificial task of parenthood.”

The Hebrew word for parents is horim, and it comes from the same root as moreh, teacher. “The parent is, and remains, the first and most important teacher that the child will ever have,” Rabbi Kassel Abelson reminds.

It came to pass that days become months and months become years. And before you know it, you are given your retirement benefits by the company you are working for. “I’m against mandatory retirement,” declared Sam Ervin. “It ought to be left to individuals. It is a shame to assume that all fools are old fools. I’ve found that there are more young fools than old fools. Nature has a

way of getting rid of old fools.”

Frankly, my dear, people retire. “If retirement is a part of your future, no matter how far in the future it may be, plan now to retire not from something but to something,” advises Betty Zachow. “It’s a state of mind, and there are extra years of zest ahead.”

Retirement may not be mandatory but no one can escape death. “People are always serious about death,” observed Bob Harrington. “I never met what you call tough people when they were dying.”

Tell that to Woody Allen. “It’s not that I’m afraid to die,” the Hollywood actor said. “I just don’t want to be there when it happens.”

Whether you’re handsome, beautiful, fat, thin, or anything, all have the same destination – to face our Creator. “I’m not afraid to die,” declared Ethel Waters.

“I’m kind of looking forward to it. I know the Lord has His arms wrapped around this big fat sparrow.”

As you exit this world, be sure to leave it with a big bang. As one sage puts it, “When you were born, you cried, and the world rejoiced. Live your life in such a manner that when you die, the world cries and you rejoice.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

THE SAINTLY PRIEST OF CATEEL Dubbed in missionary chronicles as ‘a hidden hero of Cateel,’ Fr. Jose Grimal, a Jesuit priest from Spain, is arguably the most revered religious to leave a memorable mark among Catholics in Davao’s eastern seaboard during the American occupation. His virtues of humil-ity, patience, sacrifice, love, and compassion in that town, where he served for over a decade, are well recorded.

Born in Pozan de Vero, in the province of Huesca, on May 11, 1876, he first studied at the Colleges of Barbastro and Barcelona before joining the Society of Jesus, i.e., the Jesuits, four years later, at the age of sixteen, on September 7, 1892.

Fr. Grimal’s health issues started while he was in the novitiate. A stomach ailment struck him, which would have cost his vocation. It was his superiors who suggested that he takes the mirac-

ulous waters at Sobron and entrusts himself to the Sacred Heart as a last remedy. The events that followed healed him entirely and finished his studies at Veruela and Tortosa without snags.

After finishing school. He taught Theology at Tortosa for five years, displaying the virtues of humility and patience, and preferred ‘to be hidden and neglected.’ When the grippe epi-demic hit Tortosa, Fr. Grimal was again inflicted. Due to the number of patients to be attend-ed, the infirmarian nearly forgot to attend to him.

And when it was his turned to be treated, he ‘just smiled without a word of complaint’ and accepted the apologies of the Brother han-dling the sickbay.

After a one-year stay at Tortosa, he was sent by the Jesuit Provincial to the Philippines.

But prior to this assignment, he was sent to Woodstock, in the

US, to finish his Theology and to learn English, which would facilitate his immersion as a missionary. In 1908, he was ordained to the priesthood. Two years later, he arrived in Manila where he initially was as-signed to teach.

Fr. Grimal’s first task was at Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, where he stayed a year.

Fol-lowing the death of Fr. Gregorio Parache as parish priest of Cateel, he was tapped as a re-placement.

From his novice years, his outstanding virtues were already detected. This elicited a re-mark from his rector at Gandia saying: ‘If there is anything, by which I desire those who have been under to distinguish themselves and to be conspicuous, it is by their charity to one an-other as to true and beloved brothers in Christ.’ In the next ten years at Cateel, he

performed his vocational obligations and worked hard for the cause of his parishioners.

Br. Abril, a Jesu-it religious assigned in Baganga cited the padre’s work in Cateel, then ‘the poorest house in the Mission of Mindanao’: ‘His missionary work in Cateel was heroic. He sacrificed himself with a charity that knew no bounds. The schools especially were the subject of his attention and he kept them going as long as he could, even incurring debts to keep wellpaid teachers.’

Fr. Francisco Morey, who visited Fr. Grimal’s mission, detailed in his account, saying: ‘[The priest] was a very mortified man and could get along on little or nothing. The convento or little house where he lived was so poor and destitute… [he] was content with the ordinary morisqueta (or boiled rice) …

This, together with a little salmon or some sardines, constituted his whole diet.’

Till his death on October 18, 1927, in Cateel, he was all charity to the poor. His passing was due to anemia, exhaustion, and hunger. In Cartas Edificantes de la Provincia de Aragon (1912), a poignant and heartrending account of his solemn burial is well documented: ‘They dug his grave in the sand of the beach and to it with tears and prayers the poor people carried their priest. They walked in procession as though they bore the remains of a saint.

And in that grave, hollowed from the sand, they deposited his body as reverently as relics in a reliquary. And this will be earth’s only monument to the obscure martyr of love, that mound of sand with its wooden cross on the shore of the restless Pacific.’

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EDGEDAVAO

EDGEDAVAO PLACES

AEON LUXE ADDRESSES ‘HOMEBUYER CRAVINGS’

Call it the ‘homebuyer cravings’ and that’s normal.

This unique cravings is the persistent urge to find the best home deals from the property market, hence it moves homebuyers to attend to as much open houses as possible to land their dream abode or investment.

With more home seekers getting interested in investing on a condo property in Davao City, Aeon Luxe Properties Inc., a local property developer in Mindanao

continues to serve the ‘homebuyer cravings’ with open house events for their clients and agents each month.

For the month of May, Aeon Luxe launched a fitting floral-themed open house at the Showroom Office located at the 2nd floor of Aeon Towers, Bajada, Davao City last May 20, 2022.

This featured amazing discounts and promos for both Aeon Towers and Aeon Bleu such

as the rent to own program, 70/30 pay scheme, appliance showcase, no reservation fee condotel discount and many more! It will also be the best event to appreciate the mock-up units of its second project Aeon Bleu.

Aside from the discounts, clients also took home instant treats during the event ---Gift Certificate good for two at Premier the Samgyupsal, 2K Gift Certificate worth of food and beverages at Club Aeon and simple indulgence gift sets.

A dessert buffet and coffee cart were prepared to welcome all the clients and agents coming to the event.

Aeon Luxe urges people to get in touch with their Business Unit heads to know to more about promos and events or message them at Aeon Luxe Properties official Facebook page www.fb.com/AeonLuxeOfficial.

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VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

AGRITRENDS

FISHERY RESOURCES

Tilapia is now one of the most cultured fish in the country today.

IN DEEP TROUBLE (FIRST OF TWO PARTS)

Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

U

nlike rice, which is considered a political commodity, fish are neglected in the media – except only where there is a fish kill. After all, fish are touted as “the last wild meal in the human diet.” As fish are “poor man’s source of protein,” they are not given much thought by researchers and even lawmakers.

But the truth is, the current situation of fisheries in the country is rather bleak.

In fact, it may not have enough fish to feed its growing population soon. For the past years, the country’s municipal and commercial catch of fish have dramati-

cally declined.

During the economic performance presentation in 2019, the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) said there was a 7% decline in the output of the fishery sector in the region from P2.05 bil-

Fish sold in the market are getting smaller.

Tuna is fast disappearing from Philippine waters.

lion in 2017 to P1.9 billion in 2018.

Seemingly impossible just two decades ago, the problem is now more apparent. “We are running out of fish and running out of time. For a country known for marine biodiversity, there are very few fish left to catch,” deplored Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

Staple food Like rice, fish is a staple food of Filipinos. In fact, fish provides more than half of the protein requirement of most Filipinos. “Unless

we look for other sources of protein, the food intake of Filipinos will be greatly affected,” said Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, a national scientist and fishery expert.

Fishing has been an important source of livelihood for Filipinos, fish being the second staple food. “About 62 per cent of the population lives in the coastal zone,” says World Bank’s Philippine Environment Monitor.

On average, every Filipino consumes about 98.6 grams of fish and fish products each day. The fishing industry provides employment to about one million Filipinos, according to the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA).

“Our problem is population,” observed a noted newspaper columnist some years back. “We are having more children faster than we can grow the food to feed them.”

A former government official seemed to agree.

“Demand for food is growing fast not because our incomes are growing but because our population is growing at an alarming rate,” he said, adding that about two million mouths are being added to be fed every year.

If increased demand is met solely by marine capture fisheries, such increased pressure on the

fisheries sector could lead to an eventual collapse of fisheries and the fishing industry, which employs more than one million people (about 5% of the national labor force).

“All fisheries are showing decline in total catch and per unit effort (total number of fish caught per unit of time) despite increasing effort,” said the World Bank report. “Fish are harvested at a level 30 to 50 per cent higher than the natural production capacity.”

It seems to be happening already in Davao City. In the past, Bago Aplaya used to be a haven of fish in the city.

“When I was still younger,” 53-year-old Ronnie Estrera recalled, “we used to catch a lot of fish. But it’s the case anymore today.”

“Closed-fishing season” So much so that a “closed-fishing season” is observed during certain months of the year. From November 15 to March 15, fishing sardines, herring and mackerel in selected areas of the Visayas is strictly prohibited. In Davao Region, the government imposed a closed fishing season policy in Davao Gulf from June 1 to September 1.

The Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR), a line agency of the Department of Agriculture (DA), believes the “closed-fishing season”

is one of the most significant legal instruments on managing fish stocks in the country.

“Our security level can only depend on present circumstances,” Ariel Cayanan, DA director for operations, said in a press briefing in Manila last February. “We do not inherit agriculture from our past and neither will we be recipients of the future so we want it to be sustainable, and that is why we implement the closed fishing seasons.”

According to Agriculture Secretary William Dar, “the closed fishing seasons in coastal waters aim to allow fingerlings to thrive and get to their adult phase before the fishers are allowed to catch within their breeding areas.”

Davao Gulf, Southern Mindanao’s fishing ground, is considered to be the 10th major fishing ground in the country. The closed-fishing season is seen as a biological way to help improve the fish stocks due to a perennial decline in fish catch.

Declining catch This has confirmed the study conducted by the WorldFish Center some years back. A collaborative effort of the BFAR, local government units (LGUs) and the regional office of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST), the de-

FFISHERY, P10

10 EDGEDAVAO DOMINATION ... FROM2

won Tagum City’s mayoral race.

For the Second Congressional District, Representative Alan Dujali was re-elected for a second term.

Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte both have seven HNP members out of 10 winning members of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan (SP).

HNP members and allies in the Nacionalista Party also dominated the elections in Davao del Sur and Davao Oriental.

Meanwhile, majority of HNP-Hugpong Sa Tawong Lungsod (HNP-HTL) candidates were also elected into office in Davao City.

Reelectionists Representatives Paolo Duterte for the First District, Vincent Garcia for the Second District and Isidro Ungab for

the Third District also won in their respective bid for a second term.

Acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte also won as Davao City’s new mayor with a huge vote margin against his opponent Ruy Elias Lopez.

Winning councilors for District 1 are Edgar “Kap” Ibuyan Jr., Luna Acosta, Tek Ocampo, Bernie Al-ag, Bonz Militar, and Pilar Braga.

For District 2 are Cheche Justol, Javi Campos-Garcia, Louie John Bonguyan, Dante Apostol, Atty. Diosdado “Konsi” Mahipus, Jonard Dayap, Marissa Abella, and Al Ryan Alejandre.

For Third District are Alberto Ungab, Nonoy Alag, Doc Potpot Villafuerte, Myrna Dalodo-Ortiz, Sweet Advincula, Cocoy Zozobrado, Conde Baluran, and Enzo Villafuerte.

in tropical rainforest areas of Central and West Africa and is occasionally exported to other regions.

Symptoms include fever, rash, and swollen lymph nodes, which may lead to a range of medical

complications.

Its transmission to humans is through close contact with an infected person or animal (such as wounds, body fluids, respiratory droplets). (PIA XI/Frances Mae G. Macapagat)

the average inflation, which was hiked to between 3.7 and 4.7 percent due mainly to upticks in the prices of oil and other commodities in the international market because of the Russia-Ukraine conflict. This range was previously between 2 and 4 percent.

As of end-April this year, the rate of price increases averaged at 3.7 percent.

The inflation rate last April accelerated to 4.9 percent from the previous month’s 4 percent primarily due to the impact of higher oil prices on food and services, among others.

With domestic economic activities seen to remain strong, the DBCC hiked the revenue projection for 2023 from PHP3.624 trillion to PHP3.633 trillion.

The 2024 revenue assumption was also revised up to PHP4.063 trillion from PHP4.048 trillion during the DBCC’s meeting last December.

For 2025, government revenues are seen to reach PHP4.549 trillion.

Relatively, disburse-

ments for the next two years were also increased to PHP5.086 trillion and to PHP5.392 trillion.

These were previously at PHP5.059 trillion for 2023 and PHP5.347 trillion for 2024.

For 2025, disbursements are seen to amount to PHP5.723 trillion.

“Given the revised revenue and disbursement program, the DBCC maintained its target deficit at 6.1 percent of GDP for 2023, 5.1 percent of GDP for 2024, and projected the figure of 4.1 percent of GDP for 2025 as the government continues to adopt a fiscal consolidation strategy to lower the deficit back to pre-Covid-19 levels,” Department of Budget and Management (DBM) officer-in-charge Tina Rose Marrie L. Canda said during the same briefing.

She added that with the projected increase in revenues next year, the proposed national budget for 2023 has been set at PHP5.268 trillion, higher than this year’s PHP5.024 trillion national budget. (PNA)

if their priority would be some other items in the expenditure, halimbawa (for

example) with DepEd (the Department of Education), they can do that.”

the need to conduct soil analysis, like what is being strategically done in India.

“What they are doing there is if you’re planting rice, [and] if you will be on a crop rotation, you will again conduct a soil analysis, because sometimes there are fertilizer residue, so [we will no longer use] the recommended, we can save more, so such systems

must be improved here,” Mula said.

In 2021, the DA has recorded over 2.134 million metric tons of imported six major grades of fertilizers from several countries including China, Indonesia, Malaysia, Qatar, Canada, Japan, and Korea, among others; while only 302,512.25 metric tons were accounted for locally produced fertilizers. (PNA)

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VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

SECURITY... FROM2

uncertain whether outgoing President Rodrigo R. Duterte will attend his daughter’s oath-taking but added that if the President will attend, the enforcement of the security plan will have to be coordinated with the Presidential Security Group.

On Monday, the outgoing mayor announced that she considered no other place but this city as a venue for her inauguration.

She said that a transition team has been created to coordinate with the Office of the Vice President.

requirements set by the Inter-Agency Task Force on COVID-19, Department of Health, DepEd giving most importance to the health of both the students and the teachers,” he said.

Atillo underscored that the Parents-Teachers Association must be involved before coming up with the

decision for holding these activities.

He stresed that the DepED memorandum order 043 is good only to areas under the Alert levels 1 and 2 while end of school year rites are not allowed on areas under Alert levels 3 and 4. (PIA XI/Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

The group is also hopeful for the continued implementation of the Watershed Code of Davao City in order to ensure the protection, conservation

and sustainable management of the city’s watersheds.

“Ug ang watershed summit unta magpadayon,” Manalo said.

on their farm in Barangay Binugao, Toril District, which houses 200 rescued dogs and cats, is the beneficiary of NCCC’s Hardwaremaxx and Maxx’s Pet Bowtique and Pawlor’s donation drive for pets dubbed as Help Local Shelter.

Christopher Cua, marketing specialist of NCCC, urged pet lovers to donate food, accessories, and even pet old toys. The campaign alsoaccepts monetary donations for the improvementoftheanimalshelter rehabilitation center. By Maya M. Padillo

fuse the LOAs with failure to abide by the government order to return to on-site work. The LOAs are valid until September, he added.

He also reiterated that the work-from-home setup did not diminish work productivity and quality during the pandemic, He said at least 120,000 jobs were added in 2021 alone, which means there is continued demand for talent.

“Overall productivity and satisfaction during the pandemic actually improved... Our industry has proven that we are more than capable of delivering

quality of service to customers around the world,” Madrid said.

“So I see no better proof that this hybrid work from home model works...There is no end for the demand for Filipino talents,” he added.

BPOs transitioned to remote work during the height of the pandemic.

But the government had asked companies to return on-site or lose tax incentives as the law requires locators to conduct activities within ecozones, Trade Secretary Ramon Lopez earlier said.

was purely rice and corn production, and with the current situation, it is not enough to support their family.

“Through this program, they started planting vegetable crops. They received various farm inputs and tools from the DAR so that they could formally start the communal vegetable area in their community,” Purazo said.

The ARBs were grateful to the DAR- Sultan Kudarat for the implementation of the BsG program and for their continuous support in finding means

to extend help to their beneficiaries, particularly those who were hardly hit by the pandemic.

“The DAR - Sultan Kudarat through the BsG program, did not just help us in terms of livelihood, it also helped us strengthen the bond in our organization,” SARBA Bookkeeper Angela Cawacas said.

Cawacas added that although they have experienced challenges in terms of scheduling especially during the early stages of the implementation of the program, it has helped them gain more insights about management.

DEPED... FROM2

IDIS... FROM3

Duterte served as vicemayorfrom2007to 2010,mayorfrom2010 until 2013, elected as mayorin2016whenher fatherranforPresident, andwasreelectedin2019 withyoungestbrotherSebastianasthevicemayor.

(Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

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FISHERY... FROM9

cade-study looked at the volume and quality of the harvests of 10 commonly fished species in the gulf: matambaka, tamban, moro-moro, caraballas, bilong-bilong, lapu-lapu, danggit, molmol, talakitok, and maya-maya.

Except for “maya-maya,” the harvest numbers for the species have been falling. “At the current rate of decline,” the study surmised, “the caraballas, bilong-bilong, molmol, and danggit may all disappear completely from Davao Gulf within a decade.”

Among the largest fish producers The Philippines is among the largest fish producers in the world. The commercial, municipal, and aquaculture fisheries account for 36, 30, and 24 per cent of the total fisheries yield, respectively. Its annual total fisheries yield is estimated to be worth around US$70- UD$110 billion (equivalent to about 2-4 per cent of the country’s gross domestic production over the years).

“During the past decades, the people have enjoyed the abundance of the Philippine marine fishery resource,” the PSA said. “Ask the old fisherfolks how they culled their harvests. Many of them would say that fish sized with less than a foot rule will automatically be thrown back to the water.

“Back then, they even had the luxury to choose the most palatable fish among the wide variety of species thriving in a particular fishing ground,” the PSA added.

Then, modernization happened. “More and more municipal fishing boats became motorized. A lot of commercial fishing vessels became bigger and more powerful,” the PSA reported.

“Fishing gears have evolved from a simple tool to highly-sophisticated fishing gadgets that could sweep the bottom of the fishing grounds of almost everything, including the precious coral reefs.”

Overfished The major fishing grounds in the country are West Palawan waters, Sulu Sea, Visayan Sea, Moro Gulf, Davao Gulf and others. From

1992 to 1995, these fishing grounds constituted more than 65% of the total commercial fishing catch. (The fishing industry provided employment to about one million Filipinos or around 3% of the country’s labor force in 1998.)

Today, the scenario has completely changed. Most of these fishing grounds are overfished. “Overall, supply of caught fishes have declined and prices have dramatically increased,” observed Rolando T. Dy, executive director of the Center for Food and Agribusiness of the University of Asia and the Pacific.

Unless something is done soon, fish production is seen to collapse. Dr. Salome Bulayog, an associate professor of the department of economics at the Visayas State University, said the aquatic marine resources of Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte, for instance, have been deteriorating in recent years.

Home to a variety of fishes, Sogod Bay is a major fishing ground for the 11 municipalities that surround it. Mangko or frigate tuna (scientific name: Euthynnus affinis) is its major fishery resource. Seasonal influx of this shallow-water tuna species has provided food and livelihood to the people of Sogod and nearby municipalities.

“Frigate tuna used to abound in Sogod Bay and was a major source of income in the 70’s until the 90’s,” said Dr. Bulayog, who headed the study. “But today, fishermen could hardly catch fish.”

“Likewise, reef species population is also dwindling,” added the study.

“Fishermen have to spend longer to catch a kilogram of fish; some even have to be farther from the shore.”

This is indeed bad news for fish-loving Filipinos.

“Like the other vital resources such as forests, Philippine fisheries are about to collapse,” deplored Jethro P. Adang, the director of Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), a non-government organization based in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. (To be concluded)

It also brought career-enhancing commercial endorsements. First in the queue for Saso’s signature was the insurance giant AXA. “I was playing the Japan Tour and to have a big company like AXA reach out, even before the US Open, it gave me confidence to push myself more.”

Best of all, the major victory gave Saso the chance to meet her idol Rory McIlroy at the men’s US Open the following week.

Saso’s fluid swing is remarkably similar to that of the four-time major champion from Northern Ireland. It is no coincidence.

“It’s real that I tried to copy his swing,” she laughed, revealing the pair have kept in touch after meeting again at the Tokyo Olympics.

“I don’t really want to bother him, I know how busy

he is. But whenever I have questions, he always replies and gives some advice,” Saso said.

“One of my dreams is to be able to play with him one day.”

‘Very heart-warming’ Pine Needles, in the windswept sandhills of North Carolina, will present a different challenge for Saso, who won her maiden major alongside the Pacific coast courtesy of a knee-knocking birdie on the third playoff hole.

Saso, who reckoned Pine Needles would be “a very difficult course” after practicing there this month, was not even nine years old when she decided to take up golf -- and vowed she would win the US Open.

“My dad loved watching golf. In 2010 we were watching the US Open when Paula Creamer won,” she recalled.

YUKA... FROM11

VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

11

Left to right Giannia Antotekounmpo, Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum.

First-team All-NBA: Giannis, Jokic, Doncic, Booker, Tatum

N

EW YORK — Giannis Antetokounmpo, fellow two-time NBA MVP Nikola Jokic, Luka Doncic, Devin Booker and Jayson Tatum were voted first-team All-NBA on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time), the first time in 67 years all five players were age 27 or younger.

Milwaukee’s Antetokounmpo was the only player to receive all 100 possible first-team votes and finished with 500 points in his fourth consecutive firstteam selection. Denver’s Jokic and Dallas’ Doncic each received 88 first-team votes

and 476 points.

Doncic joined Tim Duncan, Kevin Durant and Max Zaslofsky as the only players to make the first team three or more times before turning 24, while Phoenix’s Booker (460 points) and Boston’s

Tatum (390) both were first-time selections to the first team.

Philadelphia’s Joel Embiid, the NBA’s leading scorer and runner-up to Jokic for MVP, led the second team. He was joined by Ja Morant, winner of the Most

Improved Player award, Durant, Stephen Curry and DeMar DeRozan.

The third team was Karl-Anthony Towns, LeBron James — who earned his 18th All-NBA selection — Chris Paul, Trae Young and Pascal Siakam.

Yuka Saso’s golf odyssey: Philippines to Japan via US Open win

H

ONG KONG, China -When a little-known teenager from the Philippines burst into the global golf spotlight by winning last year’s US Women’s Open it changed her life -- but left tricky decisions ahead.

Yuka Saso will next week enjoy the new experience of defending a major.

But at Pine Needles she will play under a different flag, the crimson red circle of Japan.

Saso, who was born in the Philippines and has a Filipino mother and Japanese father, agonized over the “very difficult” decision to switch allegiance to the land of her father.

Japan does not allow adults to hold dual nationality, leaving Saso with a gut-wrenching choice to make before she turns 21 next month.

“I grew up in the Philippines and I played big events

with the Philippine flag beside my name so it was a big decision,” she told AFP. “It was very difficult...

I’m a professional golfer. I needed to make a decision that was good for my job.”

The scales were tipped by the Japanese passport affording easier travel in a post-pandemic world.

“I think everybody knows that the Japan passport is more powerful, it takes less work with the stuff outside golf,” said Saso via video call from the United States.

The Philippines will always hold a special place in Saso’s heart -- she won two gold medals for the country at the 2018 Asian Games and played for them again at the Tokyo Olympics last year.

“I felt very honored to represent my mum’s country, those big events... all those memories,” Saso said.

“Hopefully people will not think that I abandoned

the Philippines, because I love the Philippines. I also love Japan.

“It’s still the same me, it’s just the flag.”

Advice from McIlroy Twelve months ago, Saso arrived in San Francisco as a little-known golfer who had won a couple of events on the Japan LPGA Tour.

By the time she left the Olympic Club, after only her seventh LPGA Tour start, Saso had become the first golfer from the Philippines, man or woman, to win a major.

“To be able to win the US Open was awesome and to get an LPGA card was my dream,” she said. “It was life-changing and ever since I’ve learned a lot inside and outside the golf course.”

The win propelled her from 40th in the world into the top 10 and brought a five-year exemption on the elite LPGA Tour.

FYUKA, P10

Yuka Saso of the Philippines lines up her shot on the third green in this file photo.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 36 • THURSDAY, MAY 26, 2022

ANOTHER CRACK

Dabawenyo Olympian Barriga challenges Puerto Rican champ for WBO title

F

ilipino Olympian Mark Anthony Barriga of Panabo City will be fighting for a world title again.

Barriga is set to take on Jonathan “Bomba” Gonzalez of Puerto Rico for the WBO junior flyweight title at at Osceola Heritage Park in Kissimmee, Florida on June 24.

This will be Barriga’s biggest fight since dropping a controversial IBF title match against Mexico’s Carlos Licona four years ago.

Following that bout, Barriga went on a hiatus before making his comeback in 2021.

He first stopped Junuel Lacar in March 2021, before picking up a unanimous decision against Ramel Antaran seven months later.

“I have fought in the Olympics, for a world title, and was ranked No. 1 in the world, but this is the most important fight of my career,” said Barriga in Bad Left Hook. “La Bomba is a world champion for a reason. He is a great opponent, and this is going to be an exciting fight.”