Edge Davao Volume 15 Issue by Edge Davao The Business Paper

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

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Local tourists experience the thrill of white water tubing in Darong, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur on Friday. The Municipality of Sta. Cruz, which is considered as the leading adventure and ecotourism destination in Davao Region, has resumed to showcase its tourism activities such as white water tubing. Edge Davao

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RELEVANT COURSES Incoming Mayor Baste wants demand-driven courses for CCD STORY ON PAGE 2

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

Davao City acting Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte leads the City College of Davao (CCD) Executive Committee meeting at the City Hall, Thursday afternoon. Vice Mayor Baste noted that the CCD should offer demand-driven courses that will equip its graduates to be globally competitive in their respective fields. CIO

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HPBS-affected individuals told to register for livelihood

Incoming Mayor Baste wants demand-driven courses for CCD By MAYA M. PADILLO

Committee meeting at the City Hall, Thursday afternoon. It also shared that a feasibility study for the

CCD was also presented by consultants from the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP). Meanwhile, enrollment in CCD will begin next month with at least 1,000 students expected to enroll. Last month, Councilor Pilar Braga, Davao City Council’s Committee on Education chair, reported that the city has accomplished 95 percent of the requirements of the Commission on Higher educa-

tion (CHED). The CCD is located in Bago Oshiro, Mintal in a 5-hectare property of the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) near the University of the Philippines-Mindanao (UP-Mindanao). The establishment of the CCD came after the City Council approved through a resolution, which was certified by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio as urgent to cater to the less privileged, in 2020.

day, Atillo said the recent pronouncement of outgoing DepEd Secretary Leonor Briones regarding the 100-percent resumption of face-to-face classes only meant to encourage schools to reopen fully after more than two years of blended learning due to the pandemic. He said in-person classes will be subject to several limitations, such as concur-

rence of the local government units, consent of the parents, readiness of the schools, and implementation of the minimum public health standards within the campuses. He said schools holding limited face-to-face classes may go full-blown, provided that they strictly observe the limitations on the number of students who can attend – maximum of 12

students per classroom for kindergarten, between 16 and 20 students per classroom for grade 1 to junior high, and maximum of 20 for senior high school students. He said the current school year will end on June 24. He said the department has yet to determine the opening of classes for the

avao City Acting and Incoming Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte noted that the city-owned City College of Davao (CCD), which is expected to start operating in August this year, should offer demand-driven programs that will equip its graduates to be globally competitive in their respective fields. This was shared by the city government of Davao through a Facebook post wherein Duterte stated during the CCD Executive

F2F classes not compulsory in Davao Region next school year

ublic and private schools in Davao Region will not be obliged to hold full-blown face-toface classes starting next school year as the threat of COVID-19 remains, Jenielito Atillo, spokesperson of the Department of Education (DepEd) regional office said on Monday. In an interview over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR 87.5) on Thurs-

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he city government of Davao, through the Assistant City Administrator’s Office, called anew on all affected persons (APs) under the High Priority Bus System (HPBS), particularly those belonging to the PUJ system, to register for the Social Development Program (SDP). The livelihood program is a partnership between the Davao City government and the Department of Transportation (DoTr), as social safeguard amid the implementation of the new bus system in Metropolitan Davao. This is in light of recent progress in the project whereas 4 of the 6 published HPBS contracts enter the tendering process. Assistant City Administrator Atty. Tristan Dwight Domingo, in an interview with the City Information Office on May 26, 2022, said that approximately 20, 000 people will be affected by the project. The figure includes jeepney drivers, operators, landowners and non-landowning settlers, and business owners. However, data retrieved from the City Social Welfare and Development (CSWDO) show that as of May 2022, only 8, 570 APs are enlisted. Of these, 6,342 had been verified eligible for financial and non-financial grants. “I think we’re looking at around, more or less 20,000 people na maapektuhan (APs) … Naa na tay naverify na pero less than 10,000 pa. Naverify nato na qualified gyud sila. We need more of them to go to the HPBS Office na naa sa Magsaysay Park (I think we’re looking

at around, more or less, 20, 000 affected persons. We have some who are already verified but they number less than 10, 000. We have verified that they are indeed qualified. We need more of them to the HPBS Office located at Magsaysay Park),” Domingo said. Despite the city’s consistent efforts, Domingo said that a large number of APs in the PUJ sector are yet to be verified and thus remain ineligible for the planned P100,000 (for operators) and P80,000 (for full-time jeepney drivers) financial grants. He reminded APs that eligibility to the Project Resettlement Policy and the SDP—the national programs that will grant APs with financial compensation and non-financial assistance for the full or partial loss of their land, domicile, business, and income—is a process that requires valid documentation. “Dugay nata ana gyud, na nagprepare ana. Constant man atong efforts, even before the pandemic, even first three years pa lang ni President Duterte sige naman ta, so constant atoa. In fact, ongoing ang atuang registration karon. In order for us to give them some kind of assistance, we have to know them … There will be certain forms they need to fill up. They have to submit certain documents. (We have been preparing for this for a long time now. Our efforts are constant, even before the pandemic, during the first three years of President Duterte’s term,

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

NEWS

A mother brings her child to school as in-person classes begin at an elementary school in Davao City. The Department of Education 11 (DepEd 11) has announced that schools in Davao Region will not be obliged to hold full-blown face-to-face classes starting next school year as the threat of Covid-19 remains. Edge Davao

School-based vaccination rollout to be intensified Continuing ‘Balik Probinsya’ program can help bring dev’t to grassroots: Bong Go

enator Christopher “Bong” Go has urged the incoming administration to continue the government’s push for accelerated regional development through the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa (BP2) program, saying that it will give more Filipinos hope for a better future after the COVID-19 pandemic. “Hinihikayat po natin ang bagong administrasyon na ipagpatuloy ang pagpapatupad ng BP2 program na layuning mabigyan ng bagong pag-asa ang ating mga kababayan na kung piliin nilang bumalik sa probinsya at manirahan doon,” said Go. “Hindi lang po maipagpatuloy, kundi mas mapaganda pa sa susunod na termino. Pareho naman po tayo ng adhikain — ang masigurong maramdaman ng bawat Pilipino ang komportableng buhay kahit saan mang sulok ng bansa,” he added. Go underlined that with the initiative, the government will be able to further support rural development and create greater economic possibilities for Filipinos in all parts of the country

as affirmed by the Commission on Population and Development (POPCOM). Dr. Juan Antonio Perez III, head of the POPCOM, has also urged the incoming Marcos administration to examine and evaluate the continuation of the BP2 program, saying that it will promote inclusive economic development across the country. “So, part of the effort, itong tinatawag nating strategy to really spread out the population, will be to equalize opportunities nationwide,” said Perez. “And one of them is income disparity where we have high income in the National Capital Region (and) CALABARZON and low-income in so many other regions. So nagpupuntahan ang mga tao roon sa mga lugar kung saan mas malaki ang income,” he added. The POPCOM Chief also asked the next administration to promote policies that will encourage people to stay where they are and limit migration from rural to urban areas. “[W]e hope that iyong Balik Probinsya Program

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By MAYA M. PADILLO

he city government of Davao is intensifying the vaccination rollout among the pediatric population by partnering with educational institutions that are now implementing face-to-face classes.

The Vaccination Cluster and the regional office of the Department of Education (DepEd 11) are planning to come up with a master list of students, particularly the 5 to 11 years old, from public and private schools in Davao City for the school-based vaccination rollout.

“Our Vaccination Cluster team had a meeting with DepEd 11 and they have come up with a plan of master listing both private and public schools kasi naay mga eskwelahan karon na nagsugod ug face-to-face classes and with the help of DepEd makakuha ta ug listahan

from different schools and we will be targeting the 5 to 11 years old, 12 to 17 years old as well as their mothers, family members. I-invite na nato tanan,” said Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force. This is after this seeing that the vaccination rollout among pediatric population in the city is relatively low. “Siya (pediatric) ang pinakahinay na vaccination rollout especially among 5 to 11 years old,” she said.

Schlosser reported that for the 12 to 17 years old, about 70 percent are fully vaccinated, however, for the 5 to 11 years old about six to seven percent are fully vaccinated, which is a big difference from the targeted population of 279,000 to be vaccinated from the said group (5 to 11). Because of the low turnout, the city will be bringing the vaccination rollout and activity in the schools not only targeting the students

Mayor and incoming Secretary of the Department of Tourism Christina Garcia- Frasco stressed that the quote card was not true. “A quote card has been circulating in social media falsely attributing to Vice President-elect Sara Duterte’s remarks regarding a supposed proposal to amend the K to 12 Program and the introduction

of ROTC and mandatory service in the AFP. Vice President-elect Sara Duterte has never released any statements to this effect. The quote card is fake,” Frasco said in a statement. It can be recalled that in January this year, Duterte-Carpio expressed that she wanted to push for mandatory military service for all 18-year-old Filipinos—male and fe-

male—citing the same policy implemented in other countries. This has been a contentious topic among Filipinos particularly the students. However, last month, Duterte-Carpio clarified that there were no discussions with the Department of Education (DepEd) regarding making ROTC mandatory.

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Sara’s camp disowns quote card on K to 12 amendments, mandatory ROTC

he camp of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio disowned the viral quote card claiming she will propose to Congress to amend the K to 12 Program and introduce the implementation of the mandatory Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) and military service. Duterte-Carpio’s spokesperson, Liloan

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

Passenger buses under the Interim Bus System Project in Davao City traverse along E. Quirino Avenue. The city government of Davao called anew on all affected persons under the High Priority Bus System (HPBS) to register for the Social Development Program (SDP), a livelihood program created as social safeguard amid the implementation of the new bus system in the city. Edge Davao

BOC surpasses May 2022 target collection by P11B

gets for May – the ports of San Fernando, Manila, Batangas, Legaspi, Iloilo, Cebu, Tacloban, Cagayan de Oro, Zamboanga, Davao, Subic, Clark, Aparri, and Limay, as well as the Manila International Container Port. To date, the bureau has collected PHP322.47

billion since January, reflecting 47.5 percent of the 2022 annual target collection of PHP679.22 billion. In a statement, the BOC attributed its positive performance this year to improved valuation, intensified collection efforts, measures preventing revenue leakage, and the country’s recovering economy. Despite the performance, the BOC said it maintained its border se-

curity measures against undervaluation, misdeclaration, and other forms of technical smuggling, and collected lawful revenues. Customs Commissioner Rey Leonardo Guerrero commended the efforts of all the men and women of the BOC who have shown their unwavering commitment and dedication to service by risking their health and safety, given the pandemic. (PNA)

“goal of economic reconstruction,” Marcos’ 2023 budget’s focus areas are as follows: • agricultural and food security • climate change adaptation • economic recovery • improved healthcare and education • enhanced infrastructure projects including digital infrastructure • utilization of renewable energy sources • strengthened tourism and jobs creation

• sustainable development, among others “I aspire to draft and implement a budget that will promote a broadbased and inclusive economic recovery and growth,” Pangandaman said. “President-elect Marcos’ priority programs are in line with that,” she added. The Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) has set the 2023 budget ceiling at P5.2688 trillion.

Outgoing Budget Acting Secretary Tina Canda said the incoming administration has to stick to the P5.268-trillion budget ceiling “for prudent fiscal management.” Pangandaman, meanwhile, said “the entire economic team is set to meet soon and that she will work with them to fulfill President-elect Marcos’ campaign promises.” Marcos’ economic team is composed of

he Bureau of Customs (BOC) has reported a surplus of PHP11.76 billion from its May 2022 target collection.

Based on the preliminary report from its Financial Service, the bureau collected PHP68.24 billion last month, which is 20.8 percent higher than its target revenue of PHP56.47 billion. It added that 15 of the 17 collection districts have exceeded their tar-

New DBM chief to craft ‘broadbased, inclusive’ 2023 budget

ncoming Budget secretary Amenah Pangandaman has vowed to craft a 2023 budget that will promote a broadbased and inclusive economic recovery and growth. In a statement, Pangandaman said President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. instructed her to draft the government’s 2023 National Expenditure Program containing his priority programs and projects. She said that with the

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DBP, PDIC ink pact to assist deposit insurance claims

tate-owned Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP) has signed a memorandum of agreement with the Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation (PDIC) to facilitate the payment of insurance claims to depositors of closed banks, a top official said. DBP President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel G. Herbosa said that the bank’s Multi-Channel Disbursement Facility (MCDF) provides additional claim payment options for depositors including intrabank credit services and payment through PESONet. “DBP is collaborating with PDIC in this initiative to further optimize the use of technology to provide more efficiency and convenience in the delivery of the government’s financial obligations,” Herbosa said. DBP is the fifth largest bank in the country in terms of assets and has a network of 131 branches and 12 branch-lite units which are mostly situated in underserved areas of the

country. The intrabank credit facility of DBP’s MCDF allows PDIC to credit insurance claims directly to the DBP accounts of depositors. Under PESONet, PDIC may transfer the claims of depositors directly to their accounts in other banks, or with electronic money issuers (EMIs). PDIC is the government instrumentality mandated to protect the depositing public and promote financial stability through deposit insurance of up to P500,000 per depositor per bank. Deposit insurance is a safety net and is paid by PDIC to depositors of banks ordered closed by the Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. DBP Senior Vice President for Branch Banking George S. Inocencio said that this latest collaboration with PDIC reflects the bank’s commitment to be responsive to the evolving banking needs of the depositing public and aims to bring essential financial services closer to more Filipinos. (PR/DBP)

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

ECONOMY

Mall goers gather at the mobile coffee shops outside Abreeza Mall along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City on Friday. Edge Davao

DICT 11 receives emergency communication equipment

everal sets of emergency communication equipment were turned over to the regional office of the Department of Information and Communication Technology (DICT) in Davao on June 2. Ang these included three emergency communication equipment (VSAT, routers, modems) three generator sets and five. emergency kits. The equipment was turned over by the Office of the Undersecretary for Resilient Government Communication and the DICT Central Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Division in a bid to strengthen the multi-agency Emergency Telecommunications Platform. DICT Undersecretary Alan Silor said this equipment is part of the pre-deployment strategy of the DICT to prepare for calamities and other emergencies. “Pre-deploying our

disaster resiliency emergency communications equipment is necessary as part of our preparations as part of our readiness in disaster risk reduction as we all know when disaster strike particularly earthquake there is no advance notice so we cannot prepare,” Silor said. This is a program being replicated all over the country said the visiting DICT official. “Across the country we are giving several sets in each region so talagang pinaghahandaan naming ang emergency communications in terms of readiness and preparedness,” Silor said. The equipment particularly the satellite based VSAT or Very Small Aperture Terminal can operate to provide communication platform in disaster-stricken areas where telecommunication facilities and services are either destroyed or downed. (PIA/ RG Alama)

PH debt hits over P12 trillion in April

he national government’s total outstanding debt reached P12.76 trillion as of the end of April from P12.68 trillion the previous month, the Bureau of Treasury said Thursday.

The total is 0.7 percent or P83.40 billion higher due to the net issuance of government securities to both local and external lenders and the depreciation of the local currency against the US dollar, the BTr said in a statement. Out of the total debt stock, 30 percent was sourced externally while 70 percent were domestic borrowings, it added. The P8.93 trillion domestic debt in April was 0.8 percent higher compared to March while the external debt of P3.83

trillion was 0.4 percent higher from the previous month, Treasury said. The country’s debt-toGDP ratio hit 63.5 percent in March, which is higher than the global standard of 60 percent. Since assuming power, President Rodrigo Duterte has more than doubled the country’s debt from just P5.95 trillion at the end of June 2016. ‘NO REASON TO FEAR’ But Department of Budget and Management Undersecretary Tina Canda on Thursday said there

was no reason to fear debt that was incurred with “clear purpose.” The Philippines borrowed heavily during the pandemic to fund isolation facilities, hospital beds, cash assistance and other COVID-19 programs that weren’t part of the spending plan. “Ang utang kasi hindi dapat katakutan kung may dahilan kung bakit tayo may utang… Ang susunod naman nyan ay hahanap tayo ng paraan paano bayaran ang utang natin,” Canda said. (Debt should not be feared if there is reason to borrow. The next thing would be finding ways to pay for our debt.) She said the country’s economic managers have

ng presyo ng gasolina,” she told reporters at the Laging Handa briefing. (We’re searching for funds to continue the distribution of aid for sectors, as announced by President Rodrigo Duterte, affected by the oil price hike.) “Kung halimbawa ganun then maipagpapat-

uloy ‘yung assistance or ‘yung ayuda para sa mga mamamayan natin. Ito ay para sa mga sektor na nagmamaneho atsaka ‘yung pangalawa ay para sa sektor ng agrikultura,” she added. (If that is the case then we can continue the fuel subsidy for drivers and workers in the agriculture

sector.) President Duterte had earlier approved giving fuel subsidies and discount vouchers to public transport workers, farmers, and fisherfolk to help mitigate rising fuel prices due to the Russia Ukraine war. Last month, the Land Transportation

also ensured that the debts are “reasonable” and that the Philippines has the capacity to pay for them in the future. Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno earlier said the country’s economic growth could easily outweigh its debt. Options in raising revenues to pay for debt include raising taxes as well as ensuring further economic recovery. An enhanced tax collection is also a likely option, Canda said. The Finance Department has proposed a plan to pay the debt in the near term, which includes widening taxes and the deferment of personal income

Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) reported that nearly 130,000 drivers had already received their fuel subsidies amounting to P6,500 each, or P840 million in total. But many drivers have yet to get their fuel subsidies, according to transport group PISTON.

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DBM looking for budget to continue fuel subsidy

he Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said Thursday that it is looking for funds to continue the fuel subsidy program of the government. Unused funds in 2021, savings from biddings, and money from programs that may be discontinued this year are some

of the possible sources of funds for the continuation of the fuel subsidy program, said DBM chief Tina Canda. “Hinahanapan namin ‘yan [ng pondo] para ipagpatuloy ‘yung in-announce ni Presidente PRRD about ‘yung ayuda para sa mga sektor na naapektuhan ng pagtaas

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

On the new guidelines for those organizing sports events in Davao City:

The purpose of these permits is, number one, we are still anticipating a possible surge of COVID cases so we deemed it better to not be complacent.”

Mikey Aportadera

Davao City Sports Office Head

EDGEDAVAO

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

VANTAGE POINTS

HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

STEALTHY KILLER What touted to be a disease of the past, tuberculosis (TB) has never been annihilated and in fact still taking a toll among Filipinos. In Davao region, for instance, TB is still “a health concern,” despite the availability of medicines that can treat the disease. About 12,890 TB cases had been recorded by the regional office of the Department of Health (DOH), as of February 2017. In South Cotabato, health personnel “have detected nearly 200 new TB cases in the past several months as it continued to expand its surveillance in the province’s 10 towns and lone city,” Philippine Daily Inquirer reported last May 31. In 2020, the global TB report of the UN World Health Organization (WHO) said the Philippines has “the highest TB incidence rate in Asia, with 554 cases for every 100,000 Filipinos.” Last year, the DOH predicted that over 100,000 Filipinos may die of TB “in the next five years” – 20,000 TB deaths annually – “if TB services continue to be disrupted by mobility restrictions brought about by COVID-19.” A modelling study done by the Imperial College of London projected between 65,100 to

146,300 TB deaths may happen if local TB services remain limited in another year. Thank God, COVID-19 cases went down early this year and we will soon be back to normal. Pandemic or no pandemic, the Philippines needs to bring down TB cases. If other countries were able to do it, why can’t our country accomplish the same? What are some of the obstacles to attain the goal? A study, which was published in The Lancet, noted: “In the Philippines, where nearly 10 million people reside in urban slums, social determinants are major drivers of tuberculosis in endemicity.” The study cited the local 2019 TB Program Review showing “how vulnerable populations – the urban poor, people living with HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and people deprived of liberty – are more susceptible to infection and worse treatment outcomes.” Worldwide, TB is the 13th leading cause of death and the second leading infectious killer after COVID-19, according to the UN health agency. The Philippines is among the 30 high TB burden countries. In 2020, an estimated 10 million people (5.6 million men, 3.3 million women, and 1.1 mil-

lion children) fell ill with TB worldwide, the WHO reports. No country is spared from it and age doesn’t matter either. TB was once romanticized as the “artist’s disease” having affected such famous people as Antoine Watteau, Amadeo Modigliani, Carl Maria von Weber, Frederic Chopin, Anton Chekhov, Henry David Thoreau, and William Somerset Maugham. Two famous leaders who died from it were Mahatma Gandhi and our very own Manuel L. Quezon. TB was also featured in countless 19th-century poems, paintings and novels. TB has existed since at least 2000 B.C., as shown by TB tubercles found in mummified bodies. References to TB can be found in the writings of ancient Babylonia, Egypt, and China. The term “tuberculosis” was first used in 1839, and it is derived from the Latin word tubercula, meaning small lump, referring to the small scars seen in tissues of infected individuals. There is nothing a person can do to not get TB. You can change your behavior to lower the risk of being infected with HIV, but you cannot stop breathing. Carried in sputum droplets, the TB bacteria – like the

coronavirus – are transmitted through the air. Even getting into a taxi that was occupied by a TB patient three hours before can lead to infection. “TB is spread from person to person through the air,” the WHO says. “When people with TB cough, sneeze, or spit, they propel the TB germs into the air. A person needs to inhale only a few of these germs to become infected.” Yes, that’s how infectious TB is. About one-quarter of the world’s population has a TB infection, which means they have been infected by TB bacteria but are not (yet) ill. Fortunately, these people cannot transmit the disease. “People infected with TB bacteria have a 5-10% lifetime risk of falling ill with TB,” the WHO says. “Those with compromised immune systems, such as people living with HIV, malnutrition or diabetes, or people who use tobacco, have a higher risk of falling ill.” Common symptoms of active lung TB are cough with sputum and blood at times, chest pains, weakness, weight loss, fever and night sweats. “When a person develops active TB disease, the symptoms may be mild for many months,” the WHO says. “This can lead to

delays in seeking care, and results in transmission of the bacteria to others.” People with active TB can infect 5-15 other people through close contact over the course of a year. Without proper treatment, 45% of these people with TB will die. Nearly all HIV-positive people with TB will succumb to the disease. Fortunately, TB is curable and preventable. An estimated 66 million lives were saved through TB diagnosis and treatment between 2000 and 2020, the WHO reports. Ending the TB epidemic by 2030 is among the health targets of the UN Sustainable Goals. “Active, drug-susceptible TB disease is treated with a standard 6-month course of 4 antimicrobial drugs that are provided with information and support to the patient by a health worker or trained volunteer,” the WHO says. “Without such support, treatment adherence is more difficult.” Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque III urged Filipinos to help fight the disease. “Let us end the stigma associated with tuberculosis,” he said. “TB is a treatable disease, and we can prevent deaths and possible outbreaks if TB is detected and treated early.”

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

MASSACRE OF ARMY TROOPS In the annals of Army history in Davao region, one of the bloodiest was the ambush of the soldiers from the 1st Scout Ranger Army regiment by New People’s Army (NPA) guerril-las. The ambuscade, which cost the lives of fifteen troopers and injured four others, was the costliest in terms of military lives lost in just a single incident. It took place on August 27, 1986, in the barangay Santa Josefa, San Vicente, Davao del Norte. In his report to Gen. Fidel V. Ramos, then AFP chief of staff, Brig. Gen. Antonio Lukban, acting deputy chief of staff for logistics, described the bloodstained episode as ‘a well-planned trap’ using land mines lodged along the route where armed forces were expected to travel. Prior to this, around two hundred rebels were strategically scattered in houses along the

ba-rangay road. For maximum impact, the insurgents planted fifteen mines in a similar number of huts, predicting that in case of ambush from their side the military operatives, outnumbered at the time of the happening, would seek cover in the shacks and accidentally trigger the explosives. The New Philippine Daily Express, quoting Lukban, later reported: ‘Much of the slain sol-diers… were badly mangled and peppered with shrapnels of the claymore mines.’ Although the rebels withdrew to avoid the oncoming military reinforcements, the ambush created a rift between the provincial government and the military organization in the area and undermined the image of the AFP in its preparedness to fight the insurgents. It took sometime before the

wrangle was resolved. Curiously, the bloody episode transpired after the provincial government led by Gov. Prospero Amatong and the NPA commanders agreed to forge a ceasefire. He blamed the Army for fielding two companies of Scout Rangers and violating the terms of the truce which stipulated that no patrols whatsoever would be deployed and the military must stay in the barracks. Days later, three senior military officers, angered by the turn of events, came out in the open and were allowed to be interviewed by the press. They denied accusations the military establishment violated the ceasefire signed on August 14, 1986, given that at the time of the incident the accord was not yet in full force. Brig. Gen. Romeo Recina, a

senior regional officer, criticized the pact for violating the pol-icies of President Corazon Aquino, saying ‘there will be no ceasefire with (the) return of the troops to the barracks (for) that will give the insurgents a free zone within which to operate with impunity.’ For his part. Brig. Gen. Lukban argued that the accord virtually gave rebels the freedom to operate in the western part of the province while Brig. Gen. Luis San Andres, AFP civil service relations chief, panned the governor for being used by the communist insurgents, adding: ‘It appears by his (Amatong’s) pronouncements and actuation that he is the officer in charge of the shadow government and the officer in charge of the present government in Davao del Norte.’ On the other hand, Maj. Gen.

Eduardo Ermita, AFP deputy chief of staff, contradicted Amatong’s statement by saying the soldiers assigned in the province and other parts of the country would not remain in the barracks but continue the patrol of their areas of assign-ment, saying ‘The Davao incident should serve as a lesson for the military not to lower its guard.’ The disgust generated by the bloody episode reverberated throughout the military institu-tion, apparently disappointed that the peace negotiations excluded them, which was a condi-tion setby the rebels for the agreement to be signed. The non-involvement of the AFP in the talks was also viewed by certain sectors as odd given that the military is the counterpart of the NPA if a ceasefire has to be agreed upon.

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VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

COMPETITIVE EDGE

SOUTH COTABATO CO-OP MAKES FRUITFUL COMEBACK THRU LANDBANK

T’BOLI, South Cotabato – The unexpected closure of its anchor firm and primary pineapple produce buyer pushed the Laconon 100 Multi-Purpose Cooperative (LMPC) to the brink of financial collapse in 2003. The cooperative struggled to recover and improve its operations in the years thereafter, forcing several members to pull their capital share out of the organization. In 2017, LMPC was given a fresh start after availing of a series of loans from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LANDBANK), which were used to expand the co-op’s operations and acquire

needed farm machinery, including four trucks, one tractor, one tractor implement and one service monitoring vehicle. Finally, with the support from LANDBANK, the cooperative was able to bounce back from previous losses and started gaining new members. In a bid to further expand its operations in the municipalities of T’boli, Surallah, Lake Sebu, and Banga, and to accommodate pineapple farmers who have yet to access financing from the Bank, the co-op renewed a P160-million loan line which was further increased to P200 million in 2020.

LMPC was also granted a P7-million term loan for the purchase of five hauling trucks to address the increasing logistics requirements, especially during the harvest season. The co-op availed of another P5-million loan from LANDBANK as working capital for cassava trading operations to support members who have not qualified for the pineapple growership program of its anchor firm. From a struggling cooperative managing 300 hectares of farmland with 150 members, LMPC has since expanded its area of production to 1,000

hectares with 1,187 co-op members. Since 2017, the timely credit of LANDBANK allowed LMPC to post steady growth in net income with an average production of 40,000 to 50,000 tons of pineapples per year—assisting the co-op to weather the economic challenges of the global pandemic. “Hindi kami iniwan ng LANDBANK sa panahon na kailangan namin ng suporta. Nandiyan ang LANDBANK bilang aming kaagapay para makabangon sa pagkakalugmok sa mga nakalipas na pagsubok. Nakabili kami ng mga makinarya at nakapagbigay ng hanapbuhay

sa aming mga miyembro at pamilya,” said LMPC Chairperson Rhoda O. Pecadizo. LANDBANK’s relationship with LMPC continues to expand, after the co-op was certified in December 2021 as one of the Bank’s Agent Banking Partners, offering basic banking services to unbanked and underserved communities. As an accredited fullsuite Agent Banking Partner, LMPC provides cash-out, cash-in, fund transfers, and bills payment services on behalf of LANDBANK, and facilitates the opening and issuance of LANDBANK Agent Banking Cards.

eryday lifestyle. Stay warm during cold nights with a stylish button down cardigan. Want to cook with ease? consider this multi cooker hot pot to be your helping hand in the kitchen. Upgrade your storage space with a multifunctional shoe rack organizer, which keeps your favorite pairs neat and orderly. Say goodbye to wrinkled clothing with this handheld steam iron, which you can use either at home or on your next trip. Improve your gaming experience with these noise cancelling gaming headphones, giving you that high quality sound without sacrificing comfort. Beat the heat when you buy this anti-heat portable clip electric fan, a compact, trendy item that lets you chill comfortably while being on-the-go. Be sure to check out these deals quickly as they’ll be on limited stocks on 6.6. Shopee launches a new in-app game in time for 6.6

Shopee is giving you more reasons to enjoy the 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale with the launch of its new in-app game. The game will be available to play on the Shopee app on June 1, where users will be treated with daily prizes including ShopeePay credits, Shopee coins, Shopee vouchers, and the latest must-have gadgets when they play and win! Here’s a little hint on this fun new game from Shopee: it will be about connecting different letters in order to solve puzzles! To know more about Shopee’s latest game and its official name, you can visit the Shopee Prizes page from May 30-31. You also get the chance to take home an iPhone 12 or an Instax Mini when you correctly guess the name of Shopee’s new game. Shop with up to 66% cashback and send money for free using ShopeePay This mid-year celebration is made even more special with ShopeePay,

Shopee’s integrated mobile wallet that allows you to conveniently pay for your purchases and settle transactions with no hidden fees. With ShopeePay, you can send money to any bank, e-wallet or any Shopee user for free and save more with cashback promos for bills payment, as well as cheap mobile load and data offers. Here are some Shopee-

Pay offers users can check out during the 6.6 -7.7 MidYear Sale: From May 29 to June 1, join ShopeePay’s QR Code Giveaway and get the chance to win up to ₱50,000. On May 30, get free ₱100 when you send money for the first time using ShopeePay (valid for new users). On June 6, get up to

This arrangement provides LANDBANK customers in T’boli with improved access to financial services and lower transaction costs, which is reflective of the Bank’s steadfast commitment to advancing financial inclusion in South Cotabato and the country as a whole. As LMPC celebrates its 25th anniversary this year, the co-op is looking to avail of additional term loans from LANDBANK to support its expansion plans. These include the acquisition of two tractors and the construction of a new office building and logistics facility with a gas station.

SHOPEE KICKS OFF THE 6.6-7.7 MID-YEAR SALE WITH ‘MAS MURA SA SHOPEE’ DEALS FOR FILIPINO SHOPPERS

The mid-year is the perfect time to reward ourselves and recharge for what’s to come in the second half of 2022. Shopee treats more Filipinos to a memorable mid-year shopping experience at the 6.6-7.7 Mid-Year Sale. To kick-off the mid-year sale, shoppers can look forward to “Mas Mura sa Shopee”* deals and enjoy ₱66 deals all day, shipping discount vouchers, and 10% off daily when they add-to-cart and checkout from May 27 to June 8. Score “mas mura sa Shopee”* deals as low as ₱66 at the 6.6 - 7.7 MidYear Sale As shoppers fill up their Shopee carts with their favorite finds, they can also discover “Mas Mura Sa Shopee”* [It’s cheaper on Shopee] deals with lowpriced items that are guaranteed to make their haul worth every peso. With 6.6 just around the corner, take your pick from the following items at only ₱66 that fit your ev-

66% cashback when you check out using ShopeePay. On June 6, check out “ShopeePay Near Me” to enjoy ₱1 and ₱6 deals from partner merchants ranging from food & beverage outlets, lifestyle brands, and more! To know more about the 6.6 - 7.7 Mid-Year Sale, visit the 6.6 Mid-Year Sale page on Shopee.

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VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

Fogging is recommended only in areas where there is a possible outbreak.

HEN eight-year-old Rene Mamaril was brought to the Viacrucis Medical Clinic in Bansalan, Davao del Sur, he was very weak. He complained of having a headache and an off-and-on high-grade fever, which continued for three days. The doctor who attended the patient thought the boy was having some sort of flu. On the third day of his confinement at the clinic, Rene was complaining of abdominal pain. He vomited every now and then. He was having some measles-like rashes in his hands. The doctor became suspicious. So, on the fourth day of admission at the hospital, the doctor did some platelet count of the patient’s blood. It was up at 8:30 a.m. and went down by 5:00 p.m. The lady physician became more alarmed when Rene was restless and complained of chest pain and having difficulty in breathing. More so when blood was oozing from his nose and blood streaks were found in his saliva. It was already at 10:00 p.m. and she immediately referred

the patient to the nearby town of Digos, where hospitals are more equipped to handle such cases. After transfusions of blood and intravenous fluids, Rene began to feel better after a week of confinement in Digos Doctors Hospital and was on his way home on the ninth day. Rene was plain lucky. Dengue fever and its even nastier brother-inarms, dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF), are caused by the same virus. However, there are four distinct viruses that cause dengue fever, so a person living in a dengue-endemic area can develop four separate kinds of infections during his or her lifetime. Infection with one virus does not protect a person

Tires are ideal breeding sites of dengue-carrying mosquitoes.

WATCH OUT FOR DEADLY DENGUE

(SECOND OF TWO PARTS) By HENRYLITO D. TACIO from WHO

Breeding sites of dengue mosquitoes must be eliminated.

against infection with another. The World Health Organization (WHO) says dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bite of infected Aedes aegypti and Aedes albopictus mosquitoes. Most Aedes mosquitoes are found indoors rather than outdoors. The Aedes aegypti type prefers to rest in shaded places indoors, while Aedes albopictus prefers to rest in shrubs and trees. The Aedes mosquito is sometimes called the “tiger mosquito,” because of its

peculiar white stripes on its legs and back. Its peak biting time is after sunrise and at dusk – especially one hour before sunset. However, only female mosquitoes bite. That’s because only females are “hematophagous” (Greek for “blood eaters”). The adult female Aedes mates and takes its first blood meal about 48 hours after coming off its pupa stage. To lay eggs, it has to be engorged with blood, which may take two to five days. Each Aedes female can lay up to four batches of eggs – at least 40 eggs per batch – during its life cycles. The eggs hatch into “wrigglers” in two days, and after four days become “tumblers.” Not all tiger mosquitoes, however, are carriers of the dengue virus, but only those that have bitten people infected with dengue fever. It takes about 8-10 days to multiply in the female mosquito’s salivary gland before the insect can transmit the virus to human beings. “A person bitten by a dengue-carrying mosqui-

to does not immediately show symptoms of dengue fever,” says Dr. Dante Comedido, a former pediatrician at the Brokenshire Hospital in Davao City. “It takes from five to seven days for the virus to incubate in our body.” The breeding sites of Aedes mosquitoes are never far from human habitation, the WHO says. These mosquitoes live in such “places” as tree holes, bamboo stumps, earthen jars for water storage, discarded bottles and tins, old rubber tires, rain barrels for collecting rainwater, clogged roof gutters, coconut shells and husks, and canoes and small fishing boats. Inside the house or office buildings, the potential sites for the mosquito larvae are “any container that can accumulate water for up to seven days,” according to Dr. Enrique Tayag, one of the country’s dengue experts. These include uncovered water storage tanks, flower vases, saucers for ornamental plants, soft drink bottles, and met-

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school year 2022 to 2023. “While DepEd really wants to go back to face-toface, we are beholden to the fact that we have to comply with existing regulations of the IATF. The reality is that COVID-19 remains. We should not lower our guard just because we are vaccinated or we may have forgotten about it,” he said. He said guidelines provided by the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases only allow schools in areas under Alert

Levels 1 and 2 status to hold face-to-face classes. “Those who have started already can go fullblown. If the situation remains okay, students can be allowed to go to schools, subject again to existing policies like, for example, in one classroom there is a maximum number allowed of learners,” he added. He said the parents are not forced to have their children attend classes in schools even with the current limited face-to-face classes. (Antonio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

we have been continuous, constant. In fact, our registration process is still ongoing.) Aside from monetary compensation for the loss of their livelihood, PUJ drivers and operators may also opt to avail of reskilling programs to be provided by the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA), wherein jeepney drivers may adapt skills in bus driving, automotive, metals and engineering, etc. that can assist their integration into the HPBS. The city government is also expected to come up with a list of skilled APs that will be prioritized for integration into the HPBS. However, APs also have the option to transition into other forms of livelihood by availing of courses from TESDA, accepting scholarship grants from the Com-

mission on Higher Education (CHED), or receiving livelihood kits from the Department of Industry (DTI). Remarking on the importance of a sustainable public transportation system, Domingo said that competitive cities such as Davao can only remain competitive and livable with sustainable and dignified public facilities. He reminded Dabawenyos that they deserve a clean and convenient mode of transport, adding that, “We deserve something like this—convenient public transportation. What we are trying to implement here has been implemented all over the world for so many years. It’s not an impossible project. It’s overdue. Long-delayed na kaayo ni for us. We owe it to ourselves to have this kind of public transportation.”

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas Governor Benjamin Diokno as Finance secretary, Philippine Competition Commission chairperson Arsenio Baliscan as Socioeconomic Planning secretary, Monetary Board Member Felipe Medalla as BSP governor. The proposed budget, contained in the NEP, is accompanied by the President’s budget message, which encapsulates the budget’s policy thrust and priorities. Under the Constitution, the NEP will be submitted to Congress within thirty days from the open-

ing of the regular session. The House of Representatives and the Senate will open the first regular session of the 19th Congress on July 25. The House of Representatives (HOR) will deliberate on the President’s budget, while the Senate in turn conducts a parallel review, according to Pangandaman. “The two houses of Congress will then meet through the bicameral committee to reconcile the different versions of the budget bill. The bill will be transmitted to the President for approval,” she said.

tax reductions, among others. But raising taxes while most Filipinos are still suffering from the impact of the pandemic seems untimely, she said. “Wag muna itaas ang buwis kasi nagdaan sa maraming trial ang ating mga kababayan. Parang hindi pa tama na itasas at this point,” she said. (Let us not raise taxes since Filipinos have been through a lot of trials. Hiking taxes doesn’t seem right at this point) The incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr faces the responsibility of paying the country’s ballooning debt while maintaining an accelerated pace of eco-

nomic recovery. In a statement, Malacañang said that “reducing” the government’s debt remains a priority, adding that Duterte’s economic team has proposed a fiscal consolidation and resource mobilization plan, which contains “fair, efficient, and corrective tax measures.” “These include the expansion of the value-added tax base by removing ineffective VAT exemptions except for some sectors, among others, to generate revenues,” said acting presidential spokesperson Martin Andanar. These proposals, however, are still subject to the approval of the next administration, Andanar said.

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and their families but also the teaching and non-teaching personnel. “We will not just target the students and we will also be targeting the family members if ever naa pay wala nabakunahan and also katong mga educators kasi importante na bakunado ang atong teaching and non-teaching personnel of

the school. We will be doing booster shots also for them. Mao na gina-work- out sa DepEd and the vaccination cluster para makakuha ug masterlist sa bawat school,” Schlosser said. On May 27, 2022, the city rolled out its schoolbased vaccination at San Roque Elementary School in Bajada, Davao City.

will be really studied in the next administration and will include the population dynamics na binabanggit ko and we are part of one of the committees there, we are supporting the strategic activities there,” he said. Earlier, Go, who is a proponent of the BP2 program, welcomed the support from the private sector as various groups expressed intent to participate and contribute to the government’s push for accelerated regional development. The senator encouraged more businesses to follow suit and invest in

areas outside the country’s urban centers. “(I)sa sa mga layunin ng ‘Balik Probinsya’ program ang pagsigurong handa at kaaya-aya ang mga probinsya para sa mga bagong negosyong ipapatayo ng mga mamumuhunan,” said Go. In May 2020, Duterte signed Executive Order No. 114 which institutionalizes the program as a “pillar of balanced regional development”. It instructs concerned agencies to prepare and implement the BP2 Program.

Frasco added that this is not the first that the name of Duterte-Carpio has been dragged in false statements and that they are anticipating that this will not be the last of these nefarious attempts to discredit, attack, and attribute lies and conjectures against Duterte-Carpio as she transitions into the role of the Vice President and the Secretary of Education. She enjoined the public to be circumspect against persons and groups who will no doubt continue to proliferate disinformation against Duterte-Carpio in

the coming months and years due to their vested interests. Recently, the Office of Vice President-elect also warned suppliers and contractors of DepEd against people presenting themselves as her representatives and allegedly collecting advance payments for DepEd projects. Contractors, suppliers, and the general public are strongly urged to exercise prudence when dealing with individuals and/or groups claiming to represent the Office of Vice President and DepEd. By Maya M. Padillo

rangay, og less than 100 people ang attendees gikan sa proximity lang, og walay involved na monetary incentives sa ilang mga padula. So mao ra na gi-classify ra namo na sila as major and minor.” (Major sports events will have over 100 attendees or expected attendees; then, if it is planned and arranged by an organizer; and third, if the event involves participants from different groups from other barangays, cities, or different clubs. That is our classification of major events. Minor events will only be organized by small groups, like homeowner’s associations, barangay, with less than 100 people attending from the venue’s proximity, and without any monetary incentives for the participants.) On top of this, PSSCC Head Col. Angel Sumagaysay, during an interview with the Madayaw Davao program on Thursday, said that the PSSCC permit, as well as the Special Mayor’s permit, apply not just to major sports events but to all major social events to be held in the city. He

reminded organizers of major events to not only focus on adherence to the minimum public health standards but to arrange for precautionary procedures for other emergencies such as fires and earthquakes as well. “Ang atong ginahimo karon sa Davao City, actually dugay na ani, kinhanglan man gud, kung ikaw ang event organizer, dapat tagaan nimo og importansya ang security and safety aspect sa imong event … In case of fire, in case of linog, kining mga exits dapat padulong ni sila sa mga evacuation areas”. (What we have always done here in Davao City, if you are an organizer, you are required to give importance to the security and safety aspect of your event … In case of a fire or an earthquake, you must have emergency exits leading to the evacuation areas.) Sumagaysay added that the safety assessment and other security services of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and Bureau of Fire Protection Region XI (BFP-XI) will be lent to major events free of charge. CIO

al and plastic pails for water storage. Dengue might have remained primarily a concern of the military had not its more virulent form – the DHF – been recognized as a new disease in the Philippines in 1953. By 1975, DHF had become a leading cause of hospitalization and death among children in many countries, especially in Southeast Asia. The epidemic is now so serious that dengue fever, according to most experts, has replaced malaria as the most important mosquito-borne viral infection in the world. Although there are various factors for the reemergence of dengue as a public health threat in recent years, epidemiologists believe the rapid urbanization that is not accompanied by development of proper water supplies and waste disposal is one of the main reasons why dengue cases are again on the rise. Rapid population growth and urbanization after World War II has resulted in endemic dengue. An insufficient supply of piped water in the country, for instance, makes it necessary to store water for drinking and washing; this situation, along with poor sanitation and crowding, helps to create conditions that favor the breeding of Aedes mosquitoes. In Bansalan, Davao del Sur, for instance, the water shortage which most homes experience every now and then has contributed to the surge in dengue cases in recent years. Because they don’t know whether there would be water gushing from their faucet the following day, residents have no recourse but to store water in large drums. These drums are the major habitats of most larvae. Those placed inside houses provide perfect breeding sites for the disease-carrying mosquitoes. Most experts are in the contention that the only way to prevent dengue is to eliminate or reduce the mosquitoes that carry that virus. How can this be done? One good way is to eliminate the breeding places of the dengue-carrying mosquitoes. A fact sheet published by the Silang-based International Institute of Rural Reconstruction (IIRR) shares the following information: * Cover water containers. Tight covers on water storage containers will prevent the mosquito from laying their eggs there. If the cover is loose, mosquitoes can go in and out. * Septic tanks and soakaway pits. Cover and seal these tanks and pits so that dengue mosquitoes cannot breed in them. * Removal of rubbish. Garbage articles and other rubbish found around houses can collect rainwear. They should be removed or smashed and buried in the ground or burned, where there is permissible. * Biological control.

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Mosquito wrigglers can be controlled by small larva-eating fish. Bacterial pesticides will also kill mosquito wrigglers. * Chemical control. Safe and easily-used larvicides can be placed in water containers to kill developing wrigglers. The Department of Health (DOH) has initiated community clean-up operations in areas where dengue outbreaks are often reported. It also launched a public information campaign by giving illustrated flyers (both written in English and the country’s national language) describing dengue fever’s symptoms, cure, preventive measures and other key information. “The community should be educated on the factors causing dengue because its cooperation is vital to its control,” said the health department’s national coordinator of the communicable disease control service of DOH. The health department is also encouraging Filipinos to practice the 4-S campaign against dengue. It stands for Search and destroy mosquito-breeding sites, secure Self-protection measures like wearing long pants and longsleeved shirts and daily use of mosquito repellent, Seek early consultation, and Support fogging/spraying only in hotspot areas where increase in cases is registered for two consecutive weeks to prevent an impending outbreak. “The first step to prevent dengue is within our homes,” says Health Secretary Francisco T. Duque. “It is important to remove any space or container that can hold unnecessary stagnant water which may become breeding sites of mosquitoes.” During the rainiest months of the year – from June to November – the government is promoting an anti-dengue program in which communities are mobilized in campaigns to search for and destroy wrigglers and breeding sites of dengue mosquitoes. The so-called “three A’s” – asin (Tagalog term for salt), alcohol, and aceite (oil) – are used to kill the wrigglers. These three ingredients can be poured in waters where wrigglers live to annihilate them. “We can control dengue if we all work together,” says Dr. Allan Schapira, an epidemiologist who worked previously at the regional office of the World Health Organization (WHO) in Manila. “Every individual, every family, every builder, every building administrator, every company owner, every mayor and every village head have to make sure that there are no, absolutely no, uncovered water containers or receptacles that mosquitoes can breed in. By doing this, we might be able to save someone from death.” Meanwhile, the mosquitoes are in the shadows, waiting for sunrise to strike.

VOL.15 ISSUE 44 • SATURDAY, JUNE 4, 2022

SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

Dabawenyo Olympic para swimmer Ernie Gawilan.

500 participants receive PSC para sports coaching F

ive hundred participants received coaching lectures in para-powerlifting, para-badminton, para-cycling, football 5-a-side and sitting volleyball in the second edition of the Philippine Sports Commission Para Sports Coaching Webinar Series.

The five-day coaching program which started on Monday featured coaches and ex-

pert practitioners who shared fundamental coaching and experiences in five para sport

disciplines, in partnership with the Philippine Sports Association for the Differently Abled (PHILSPADA) and the Philippine Paralympic Committee (PPC). “After our first successful edition of our coaching webinar last year, we decided to bring it back to introduce new para-sports and boost the knowledge of our

coaches and trainers in para-sports,” said PSC Oversight Commissioner for para-athletes Arnold Agustin. PHILSPADA and PPC President Michael Barredo graced the first day of the webinar series and talked on the history and foundation of para-sports in the country, together with PPC Secretary-General Walter Torres and

Officer-in-Charge Tricia Rana. “We thank our active partners in PHILSPADA and PPC for supporting this event that will surely strengthen our programs,” added Agustin. “Participants who completed the webinar series will be awarded with a certificate, official shirt, an official Pilipinas Para Games (PPG) medal

and a compiled module from the webinars,” said PPG Project Director Jan Errol Facundo. Last year, 500 participants also took part in the first edition of the webinar series with goal ball, para-swimming, wheelchair basketball, para-athletics, and para-table tennis as featured para-sports from October 9 to 15.

with Steph” with SEA Games award-winning dancesport duo of Stephanie Sabalo and Michael Angelo Marquez. The webisode will showcase the graceful movements of Sabalo and Marquez as they lead a Dancesport Clinic with women of all ages in a small community in Bay,

Laguna. The Sabalo-Marquez tandem led the Philippines’ dancesport team to a successful SEA Games stint by bagging the country’s first gold medal in the Latin Cha Cha event while clinching silvers in Latin Jive and Five Dances. During the 2019 Phil-

ippines SEA Games, their tandem also won a gold medal in the Five Dances Latin and Paso Doble and clinched a silver in the Kaunas Open held in Lithuania. Their dynamic dance team has exemplified sports excellence in dancesport and gained the respect of the global audience.

PSC Women in Sports Oversight Commissioner Celia H. Kiram is glad that the Sabalo-Marquez dance duo made time to demonstrate the basic steps in dancesport for the women of Bay, Laguna. “It means a lot that they are sharing their expertise on dancesport because it is one way of

inspiring young girls and women to enjoy the sport. This is a way to introduce the sport on the ground as well as show Philippine sports excellence in action,” Comm. Kiram states. Kiram will also share interesting and fun facts on dance in her regular segment “K-Isport.”

SEAG Dancesport champions on PSC Rise Up Shape Up

he Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) continues to celebrate the success of the national team in the recently concluded 31st Southeast Asian Games held in Hanoi, Vietnam. The PSC’s ‘Rise Up! Shape Up!’ special episode this Saturday, June 4, is entitled “Step Forward

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Sports events in Davao City will need application for permits according to the guidelines.

PERMITS NEEDED

Davao City implements guidelines for sports events

he Davao City Sports Development Division has issued guidelines for those organizing sports events in Davao City. The City Sports Office regulation involves two sets of rules for minor and major sporting events. In an interview during the Madayaw Davao program aired over the city-owned Davao City Disaster Radio on Wednesday, Davao City Sports Office Head Mikey Aportadera said that aside from facilitating the issuance of permits for sports events, the City Sports will also be monitoring the actual proceedings to ensure that public health precautions, as well as the safety and security plans of the organizers, are observed and maintained throughout the events. He said, “Ang tumong gyud aning processing of permits is because number one, we are still anticipating kanang mga possible surges, mga ingana, so mas maayo na lang na wala na lang gyud mi nagkumpyansa. (The purpose of these permits is, number one, we are still anticipating a possible surge of COVID cases so we deemed it better to not be complacent.) According to the guidelines, minor events, such as barangay sports competitions, will require organizers to present a letter of intent to the City Sports Office detailing the security and safety plans for the event. Organizers must also

secure a certification from the barangay concerned, which will be attached to the letter. The permit from the City Sports Office must be acquired five days before the event. Major sporting events shall require organizers to present a letter of intent detailing safety and security plans, as well as emergency plans, to the City Sports which will then endorse it to the PSSCC. Upon acquisition of PSSCC permits, organizers will proceed to the City Business Bureau to acquire Special Mayor’s Permit. All certificates must be secured 15 days before the sports event. The City Sports Office Head added that major and minor sports events are classified based on the size and scope of the activity, saying, “Ang major events mag-exceed og 100 people ang mu-attend or expected; unya if its planned and arranged by an organizer; unya ikatulo, if the event involves participants from lain-laing grupo, barangays, cities, or different clubs. Mao na sila ang classification sa mga major events. Ang minor events will only be organized by small groups, kanang mga homeowner’s associations, ba-

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