Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 56 | Saturday, June 18, 2022

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PRO-11 implements regionwide 5-day gun ban, suspends PTCFOR STORY ON PAGE 2

Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) implements regionwide gun ban and suspension of permit to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) from June 16 to 21, 2022 to ensure safety and security for the inauguration of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on June 19, 2022 at the San Pedro Square in Davao City. Edge Davao

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 56 • SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022

GUN BAN

San Pedro Street across Davao City Hall are closed to vehicular traffic starting June 16, 2022 as the city prepares the venue for the oath-taking on Sunday of outgoing mayor and Vice President-elect Sara Duterte. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

PRO-11 implements regionwide 5-day gun ban, suspends PTCFOR

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) has started the five-day regionwide gun ban and suspension of permit to carry firearms outside of residence (PTCFOR) at 12 midnight of June 16 to ensure safety and security for the inauguration of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on June 19, 2022 at the San Pedro Square in Davao City.

This is in line with the announcement made on June 15, 2022 by the Philippine National Police (PNP) that a gun ban for the sep-

arate inauguration rites of President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos, Jr. in Manila and Duterte-Carpio in Davao City will be imple-

mented.

The gun ban in Davao Region will be in effect from June 16 to 21 for Duterte-Carpio’s inaugural ceremony on June 19 and on June 27 to July 2 in Metro Manila for Marcos’ oath taking set on June 30.

Silo stressed that the suspension of the PTCFOR applies to the whole Davao Region starting June 16 until 21, 2022.

“We will be having a very strict border checkpoint and we identified 10 particular locations na

puwedeng pasukan kaya hinigpitan na namin. Lahat ng baril hindi na namin papasukin. Kasi pag na control natin yung pagdadala ng baril napakalaking bagay nito sa pagsesegurado na magiging mapayapa ang holding ng inauguration,” he said.

He said at the checkpoints, one of the priorities will be the checking of firearms.

“Kahit na may lisensya ka may violation ka because suspended ang PTCFOR.

FGUN, P10

USeP’s study on durian as natural preservative gets DOST backing

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he University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP) has received funding approval for research on the use of durian rind as natural preservative.

The Department of Science and Technology in Davao Region (DOST-11)

said Thursday the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) has committed over PHP900,000 for the study.

Prof. Judee Nogodula, head of the USEP College of Arts and Sciences Re-

search, the study aims to use the fruit’s rinds as natural bio-preservatives by isolating bacteriocinogenic Lactic Acid Bacteria (LAB) and extracting bacteriocin from fermenting durian rind.

“This research also aims to provide future solutions

to food safety issues,” said Nogodula, who also spearheads the project, in a statement.

USEP partnered with the University of the Philippines for the study, she added, DOST-11 said the proj-

F’USEP’s, P10

Sulu, Tawi-Tawi residents now drink desalinated water from the sea

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hat was thought to be impossible then — drinking water from the sea — has become real for residents of the southernmost provinces of the Philippines.

Various island communities in Sulu and Tawi-Tawi inhabited by Tausug and Sama-Bajau people, respectively, are now enjoying safe drinking water through the desalination project of the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

The project converts seawater into safe drinking water by reducing salinity..

On a sunny afternoon, fronting the port of the town hall of Hadji Panglima Tahil town in Sulu, Harma Laguib Madong, in her 40’s, queued her empty containers into two-pipe faucets connected to a machine.

Clear water gushed out from the faucet as an engine from a container van could be heard enforcing the desalination machine to function.

She is doing this everyday with her neighbors as she prepares meal for her family of four children.

She said she used to spend huge amounts to travel by boat to a nearby town to buy drinking water.

“I spent more than P50 per day for bottled distilled water,” she said. “Now that we have this machine, our drinking water is safe and free, a relief for me who is only a seaweed farmer,” Madong added in the vernacular.

Minister Naguib Sinarimbo of the Ministry of the Interior and Local Government said at least 14 desalination machines have been put up in the two island provinces.

Costing about P20 million each, the desalination machines have an output capacity of 22,000 liters of water per day and can operate for 8-10 hours, serving around 10,000 people in the community.

“Digging for wells in those areas was not an option since municipalities are surrounded by sea,” Sinarimbo said during its launching last year.

Locals were elated over this project.

Local officials and resi-

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activities this weekend.

Vendors along San Pedro Street, particularly those situated on Bolton Street, were asked to refrain from selling their goods and wares on Saturday (June 18) and Sunday (June 19) to make way for the estimated 25, 000 people who will be

FSULU, P10

San Pedro vendors told store closures temporary he Auxiliary Services Unit held a dialogue with some vendors from the San Pedro Square at the Osmeña Park on Wednesday.

This, after the unit received complaints from a few merchants who reportedly refuse to temporarily suspend their business

FSAN, P10

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 56 • SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022

NEWS

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Mati City strengthens its environmental efforts to protect Pujada Bay, which is one of the three bays in the city that is included in the list of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Association (MBBWA), through information education campaign (IEC) to the coastal communities specially on waste management . Edge Davao

Protesters reminded to stage rallies at Freedom Park Mati City steps up efforts to protect Pujada Bay

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he City of Mati is strengthening its environmental efforts to protect Pujada Bay, which is one of the three bays in Mati included in the list of the Most Beautiful Bays in the World Association (MBBWA).

Vice Mayor Glenda Rabat-Gayta said the city is assertive in its information education campaign (IEC) to the coastal communities, particularly on waste management.

“Since marami tayong coastal communities very assertive ang aming IEC at pinaigting namin ang aming kampanya sa waste management and other programs by partnering with the communities because we thought that the best way to solve this concern is to involve the communities so that they can be part of the solution. Basically ito ang number one. We cannot do it by ourselves kaya kailangan ng strong partnership with the communities particularly those living in the coastlines,” Rabat-Gayta said in an interview during the opening of the 19th Pujada Bay Festival and 15th Cityhood Day of Mati City on June 13, 2022.

Apart from addressing waste, the City of Mati is also stepping up its endeavors in protecting the bay from mining activities.

Mining activities have resonated in Mati City since the report of mining sites situated in the protected areas of Davao Oriental caused alarm to the environmental advocates.

However, the Mati City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) clarified that the mining site of the Austral-Asia Link Mining Corp. and Hallmark Mining Corp. in Barangay Macambol, Mati City, Davao Oriental is outside protected areas.

The Mati Cenro also reported that the site, comprising a total area of 17,215.49 hectares, is four kilometers away from the boundary of the Pujada Bay Seascape, which is a protected area.

“Lahat naman yan dumadaan sa City Council through resolutions before ma release ang documents and permits nila. I think we do study well kung ano ang area and we listened also to the voice of the community kasi sila yung greatly affect-

FMATI, P10

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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lthough there are no information on impending protests or rallies during the inauguration of Vice President-elect Sara Duterte-Carpio on June 19, 2022, Police Regional Office 11 (PRO-11) director Police Brigade General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. reminded the progressive groups to hold their activity in the designated rally area, which is at the Freedom Park along Roxas Avenue, Davao City.

Freedom Park is the designated place where rallyists can conduct protest without securing a permit.

He said if protesters opted to stage a rally in other areas of Davao City, they must secure a permit

from the city government of Davao by complying the requirements that include informing the city for the time and date of their activities.

He also said that rallyists must ensure that their activity will not affect the traffic.

“Complying with these three requirements the government, security forces will respect yung rights nila to assemble to that particular area. They should secure a permit kung mag-conduct sila na hindi gagawin sa Freedom Park,” he said.

This will also comply Section 15 of the Batas Pambansa BLG. 880 or an act ensuring the free exercise by the people of their right peaceably to assemble and petition the government for other purposes mandates that every city and municipality must designate at least one suitable “freedom park” or mall in

their respective jurisdictions which as far as practicable shall be centrally located within the poblacion where demonstration and meetings may be held anytime without the need of any prior permit.

In November 2018, the City Council of Davao passed an ordinance “prohibiting any act that impedes or obstructs the free flow of traffic along public streets and highways such as unauthorized road closures, setting up of barricades, stalling of vehicles, concerted group activities, or other similar acts.”

The ordinance also covers the staging of rallies.

ment’s Scholarship on Tertiary Education Program (STEP), the Medical Education Assistance Program, and the Law School Assistance Program.

Educational Benefit Systems Unit (EBSU) Technical Assistant Emilio D. Domingo Jr., in an interview on Davao City Disaster Radio Thursday, said that appli-

cations for scholarship programs are accepted from June 15 to 24, 2022.

Domingo said that a booth in front of the Davao City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) has been opened to accept applications and supporting documents.

Domingo said that maximum of Php25,000 is

allocated per scholar per semester for the STEP program.

He said that eligible scholars for tertiary education may choose the course and the school where they will enroll. Applications for state universities, however, are not accepted.

On the other hand, full

Davao City scholarships for 200 eligible students are now open

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he Davao City government has started accepting applications for its scholarship programs to support 200 indigent and deserving students who want to proceed to tertiary education or take up medical and law courses for schoolyear 2022 - 2023.

Scholarships are offered through the city govern-

FDAVAO, P10

4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 56 • SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022

Bukidnon-Daraghuyan Lumads gather for an evening meeting in Malaybalay City on Wednesday, 15 June 2022, to tackle development plans for their ancestral domain. MindaNews photo by H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

Bill requires BARMM restos to secure ‘halal’ certificate A

lawmaker in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) wants all restaurants and food delivery service groups to secure a halal certification and display it publicly in their establishments.

“Halal certification gives assurance to consumers that the food products are produced according to Shariah Law, and that they are clean, hygienic, environmentally friendly, and respect animal welfare,” Bai

Intan Ampatuan, a BARMM parliament member, said Thursday.

Ampatuan said having halal certification conspicuously displayed in restaurants will safeguard the health of BARMM constitu-

ents, while noting that halal food is now a growing business industry.

Under the lawmaker’s BTA Bill No. 189, or the “Halal Food Certification Act of 2022,” the BARMM government will require restaurants and even small roadside eatery businesses in the region to acquire a halal food certificate every year.

The bill prohibits the posting of halal passed certification and false representation of any product to be halal without the re-

quired certification, resulting in the cancellation of business permits.

Ampatuan’s proposed measure also requires the regional government to adopt measures that would promote halal food and related products; prohibit misrepresentation and false claims in the preparation and sale of halal food products; and provide adequate remedies and means of redress for aggrieved halal consumers. (PNA)

DOF warns Marcos administration against suspending fuel excise tax

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he Department of Finance (DOF) on Thursday cautioned the incoming administration of President-elect Ferdinand Marcos Jr. against suspending the collection of excise tax on petroleum products as it suggested alternative ways to mitigate the impact of fuel price hikes.

Several lawmakers and transport groups have been calling for the suspension of the excise tax on fuel to ease the impact of skyrocketing petroleum prices brought about by supply disruptions in the global market

amid the Russia-Ukraine war.

The DOF, however, claims that suspending taxes on fuel products is “not the most efficient approach to alleviating the conditions of affected sectors.”

Malacañang also maintained that the collection of excise tax on oil cannot be suspended despite rising oil prices, as the tax will fund government programs.

According to the Finance Department, the suspension of the fuel excise tax will reduce government revenues by P105.9 billion, or 0.5% of GDP, in 2022,

resulting in a higher deficit and government debt.

“An increase in deficit and debt, in turn, will potentially raise interest rates on government debt, thereby reducing much-needed fiscal space for funding crucial social and economic programs, more so now when the government needs to sustain and even boost the domestic economy’s recovery from the lingering pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict,” the DOF said.

The agency earlier said that the government’s running debt stock would have ballooned to P15.4 trillion,

or P2.2 trillion more than the projected P13.2 trillion by the end of 2022 had the Duterte administration yielded to legislators’ pressure to pass all pandemic relief measures and suspend the fuel excise tax.

The current excise tax rates for the major petroleum products are as follows: P10 per liter for gasoline, P6 per liter for diesel, P5 per liter for kerosene, and P3 per liter for LPG. “The suspension of the imposition of excise taxes on petroleum is also extremely regressive and pri-

FDOF, P10

BOI approves P119-M chicken farm to augment local supply

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he Board of Investments (BOI) has approved the PHP118.5-million chicken farm project of RCB Poultry Farm in South Cotabato that will augment the chicken supply in the region.

In a statement Thursday, the BOI said the project can produce 3.36 million kilograms of broiler chicken annually.

RCB Poultry Farm will utilize modern technology for poultry growing that

will be beneficial for the growth and health of broiler chicken while providing cost savings on feeds, water, and energy for the company.

“This innovative broiler chicken farm project has proven that we in the Board of Investments have offered relentless support to the country’s poultry sector.

We are making headways happen already, as we will continuously pursue our

FBOI, P10

BSP allays stagflation worries, sees sustained econ growth

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he Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas on Thursday said it does not view stagflation as an immediate risk for the Philippine economy.

Stagflation happens when there is slow economic growth, high inflation and a high unemployment rate.

In a statement, the BSP said it remains optimistic that the Philippines will sustain its economic recovery.

The country’s gross domestic product (GDP) growth reached 8.3 percent

in the first quarter, reversing the 3.8 percent contraction in the same period the previous year, the central bank noted.

The increased credit activity, ample domestic liquidity and favorable market sentiment could also boost economic activities, the BSP added.

Employment has also improved and is approaching pre-pandemic levels, it said. The unemployment rate eased to 5.7 percent in April from 5.8 percent in

FBSP, P10

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ECONOMY

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A vendor displays cotton candy near a school in Davao City on Friday. Edge Davao

GSIS releases P2210-B in loans to gov’t employees, pensioners

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he Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) has released a total of PHP221 billion in loans to 1.38 million active members and pensioners nationwide from January 2021 to May 15, 2022.

“We rolled out several programs under our Ginhawa for All benefit bundles to extend financial assistance at a time when our members and pensioners needed it most. Alam namin na GSIS ang inaasahang mangalaga sa seguridad at kapakanan ng mga kawani ng gobyerno.

Ang malaking responsibilidad na ito ay bahagi ng ating tungkulin (We know that GSIS will have to take care the security and welfare of the government employees.

This big responsibility is part of our mandate),” GSIS President and General Manager Rolando Ledesma Macasaet said in a news release on Thursday.

Of the total amount of

loans granted, PHP165 billion was in multi-purpose loan (MPL), which benefitted 468,872 borrowers.

The loan aims to help active members, particularly those who have reached their borrowing limit and unable to pay their loans. MPL consolidates members’ existing loans and waives surcharges on in-default loan accounts.

In April 2022, GSIS launched the enhanced MPL program by coming out with the MPL Plus. Under MPL Plus, members may apply for up to 14 times their basic monthly salary, but not to exceed PHP5 million, depending on their premium payments. The loan has a low interest rate of 7 percent and its term has been extended to 10 years.

Under another loan product, the Computer Loan program, GSIS disbursed PHP7.6 billion in gross proceeds to 253,481 borrow-

FGSIS, P10

Duterte’s entrep adviser urges continued support for MSMEs

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residential Adviser for Entrepreneurship and Go Negosyo founder Joey Concepcion has urged the next administration to continue the support for micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs).

In a statement Thursday, Concepcion said he met with President-elect Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. on June 15 in the latter’s headquarters in Mandaluyong City as he put forward his MSME agenda and suggested ways for the country to move out from the pandemic.

Concepcion said the

meeting with the incoming Chief Executive was “meaningful and promising”, wherein they both agreed to support MSMEs to realize inclusive growth.

“Our MSMEs need access to money, market, and mentorship opportunities,” he said.

The adviser to outgoing President Rodrigo Duterte also shared how large corporations were able to include MSMEs in their value chain.

Moreover, Concepcion and Marcos also discussed how the country could move

FDUTERTE’S, P10

No double taxation in power rates: DOF

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eacting to recent statements made

by Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) chairperson Agnes Devanadera, the Department of Finance (DOF) has clarified that there is no double taxation in the imposition of value-added tax (VAT) in the electric power sector.

“There is no double taxation in the electric power industry. Because the EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) Law has unbundled the pricing at each stage of electricity production, the VAT is imposed separately in each stage of the production,” Finance Secretary Carlos

Dominguez III explained.

“But at the end of the day, if you look at the total bill, the entire electricity service is charged 12 percent VAT on the side of the consumer.”

For double taxation to exist, two taxes must be imposed on the same subject matter, for the same purpose, by the same taxing au-

thority, within the same jurisdiction, during the same taxing period; and they must be of the same kind or character, Dominguez said.

This statement was issued in response to Devanadera’s proposal to the next administration to remove the 12-percent VAT imposed on the generation charge, saying that the levy should be applied only on the distribution charge to avoid the supposed double taxation.

Under the EPIRA Law, it is mandated that the pricing of electricity should be disintegrated or unbundled, Dominguez said.

“With this unbundled pricing mechanism, VAT is imposed on every level of the value chain and not integrated vertically like other sectors,” Dominguez said, which means “the VAT paid on the distribution charge only accounts for the value-added in distributing the electricity and does not include the generation and transmission of power.”

On the alleged disparity between the taxation of power distribution utilities and generation companies, Dominguez explained that, like any producer of goods or services, the VAT paid on

solar projects.

Vivant’s target of increasing the share of renewables in its energy portfolio supports the government’s goal of improving raising the renewable energy share in the country’s energy mix to 35 percent by 2030 and up to 50 percent by 2040.

With these renewable energy projects in the pipeline, Sarmiento said its energy portfolio in

2023 will reach 500 MW, 20 percent or 100MW of which is renewable energy.

“We have some projects in the pipeline that we expect either (by) acquisition by next year, or some solar projects that we can hit completion by next year as well,” Vivant president Emil Andre Garcia said.

By 2030, the energy portfolio will increase to 1,000 MW, with renewable

energy sharing 300 MW or 30 percent of its total portfolio.

Aside from renewable energy projects, Vivant allocated PHP5 billion for water infrastructure projects, particularly bulk water, water treatment, and water concession.

In 2021, Vivant closed the year with PHP1.8 billion in net income, higher by 23 percent from 2020 earnings of PHP1.4 billion. (PNA)

FNO, P10

Holding company investing P25B for renewable energy projects

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isted holding company Vivant Corp. has allotted PHP25 billion in capital expenditures (capex) for renewable energy projects from 2023 to 2026.

In its virtual annual stockholders’ meeting Thursday, Vivant chief executive officer Arlo Sarmiento said this capex will be spent to build 196 megawatts of wind, 212 MW of solar, and 62 MW of hybrid wind and

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 56 • SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022

In reminding protest groups to secure a permit from the city government of Davao by complying the requirements that include informing the city for the time and date of their activities:

Complying with these three requirements the government, security forces will respect yung rights nila to assemble to that particular area. They should secure a permit kung mag-conduct sila na hindi gagawin sa Freedom Park.”

Police Brigade General Benjamin H. Silo Jr. Police Regional Office 11 (PRO-11) director

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 56 • SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER “It is much easier to become a father than to be one.” – Kent Nerburn in “Letters to My Son: Reflections on Becoming a Man” (1994) ***

Ah, to be a father.

“Becoming a father,” said the Oscar-nominated Hugh Jackman, “I think it inevitably changes your perspective of life.

I don’t get nearly enough sleep.

And the simplest things in life are completely satisfying. I find you don’t have to do as much, like you don’t go on as many outings.”

Unknowingly, to be a father is one of the hardest parts a man will undergo.

At one time, a close friend of American president Theodore Roosevelt asked him why he did not take a more active role in supervising his free-spirited daughter, Alice. Roosevelt purportedly replied, “I can be president of the United States, or I can attend to Alice. I can’t do both.”

Such is the quandary of most fathers. They can’t have both worlds; one can be neglected over the other. “To be a successful father,” advised American author Ernest Hemingway, “there’s one absolute rule: when

you have a kid, don’t look at it for the first two years.”

But Sigmund Freud contradicted that idea. “I cannot think of any need in childhood as strong as the need for a father’s protection,” he once said.

William Shakespeare, the father of English literature, agreed: “It is a wise father that knows his own child.”

Joe Kennedy knew this. For all his shortcomings, his loyalty to his children was absolute.

“My business is my family and my family is my business,” he said.

At one time, Kennedy told Steve Smith, “You know, when I was just trying out for the freshman team for some of those swimming meets, my dad was always there. He was always there. He did the same for all the kids.”

Spending time with your kids as they grow is one of the best things a father can give to them.

When Dr. Gordon Neufeld, a Canadian developmental psychologist, became worried about his 13-year-old slavish imitation of her peers’ language and bearing, he booked a weeklong vacation with her at a rented cottage.

Predictably, his daughter balked at the plan, “but we

gradually rediscovered the closeness we’d had when she was younger,” Neufeld recalls.

“When the week was over, we both agreed that it had been a great idea.”

An unknown author once wrote: “The greatest gift I ever had came from God; I call him Dad!” Yes, children emulate things from their father. Famous inventor Thomas Alva Edison had given his son, Charles Edison, one of the most remarkable lessons in life when he lost almost everything to fire. But Thomas was able, literally, rise from the ashes. Here is the story: On the night of December 9, 1914, the great Edison Industries of West Orange was virtually destroyed by fire. Thomas Edison lost two million dollars that night and much of his life’s work went up in flames. He was insured for only US$238,000, because the buildings had been made of concrete, at that time thought to be fireproof.

“My heart ached for him,” Charles said of his father. “He was 67, not a young man anymore, and everything was going up in flames. He spotted me.

‘Charles,” he shouted, ‘where’s your mother?’ ‘I don’t know, Dad,’ I said. ‘Find her,’ he told me. ‘Bring her here. She will

never see anything like this again as long as she lives.’”

The next morning, walking about the charred embers of all his hopes and dreams, Thomas said, “There is great value in disaster. All our mistakes are burned up. Thank God, we can start anew.” And three weeks after the fire, his firm delivered the first phonograph!

“The best gift a father can give to his son is the gift of himself – his time,” wrote C. Neil Strait. “For material things mean little, if there is not someone to share them with.” Another advice, “Live so that your son, when people tell him that he reminds them of you, will stick out his chest, not his tongue.”

Generally, children have fond memories of their father.

“My father used to play with my brother and me in the yard,” Harmon Killebrew recalled. Mother would come out and say, ‘You’re tearing up the grass.’ ‘We’re not raising grass,’ Dad would reply.

‘We’re raising boys.”

Clarence Budington Kelland has this recollection of his father: “He didn’t tell me how to live; he lived, and let me watch him do it.” Hank Williams, Jr. admitted: ‘My daddy, he was somewhere between God and (Hollywood actor) John Wayne.”

“I am not ashamed to say

that no man I ever met was my father’s equal, and I never loved any other man as much,” said Hedy Lamarr. Oscar-winning actress Halle Berry has the view in mind when she said: “I know that I will never find my father in any other man who comes into my life, because it is a void in my life that can only be filled by him.”

Ah, to be a father. “That is the thankless position of the father in the family – the provider for all, and the enemy of all,” deplored J. August Strindberg.

And oftentimes, children have a hard time understanding this role.

In The Bonfire of the Vanities, author Tom Wolfe wrote this statement in of his characters: “Sherman made the terrible discovery that men make about their fathers sooner or later... that the man before him was not an aging father but a boy, a boy much like himself, a boy who grew up and had a child of his own and, as best he could, out of a sense of duty and, perhaps love, adopted a role called Being a Father so that his child would have something mythical and infinitely important: a Protector, who would keep a lid on all the chaotic and catastrophic possibilities of life.”

How true, indeed!

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

COUNTRY’S WORST AIR DISASTER If was a catastrophe nobody wanted to happen but on April 19, 2000, at around 7:00 a.m., an Air Philippines jet flying from Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila crashed in the Island Garden City of Samal, instantaneously killing all persons on board. The tragedy eclipsed the 1998 incident when a Cebu Pacific DC-9 jet crashed on the slopes of Mt. Sumagaya in Gingoog City, killing 104 people aboard.

Washington Post, in an account filed on the same day of the accident, reported: ‘There was no immediate indication what caused Flight 541 to crash on the mountainous island 625 miles southeast of Manila, popular for its beach and diving resorts… the plane passed a routine maintenance check before taking off from Manila for Davao and the government weather bu-

reau said conditions were good at the time of the crash… the plane was carrying 131 people--124 passengers, including four babies, six crew members and a mechanic.’

The Boeing 737-200 aircraft with registration RP- C3010 was erstwhile owned by Southwest Airlines; it was first delivered in February 1978. At the time of the tragedy, it was piloted by Capt.

Evarisito Catipay with Capt. Don Sardalla, then 22 years old, as copilot.

BenCyrus G. Ellorin, reporting for MindaNews twelve years to the day the accident happened, wrote: ‘‘Flight 541 began to circle in low clouds, waiting for the plane on the ground to move off the runway. As it circled, Flight 541 slammed into the side of a mountain, 500 feet above sea level. The plane caught fire and

disintegrated, killing everyone on board. ‘Witnesses heard explosions before the plane, in service for twenty-two years already, crashed at Sitio Kamanlangan, Barangay San Isidro in Babak, some five nautical miles away from the Davao International Airport.

Deemed as the first Air Philippines plane to crash, domestic air transport authorities found nothing wrong with the aircraft’s technical aspect but the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration expressed apprehension the disaster was caused by Boeing 737200s’ rudder control system.

The plane chopped off and felled coconut trees. Recovered from the crash site were personal belongings. Though the weather was fair at the time, air traffic controllers were partly blamed for miscommunicating, thinking a Philippine Air Lines aircraft was

taking off, which prompted them to advise Flight 541 to continue its approach toward Runway 05. When it was found that no plane was taking off, the pilots of Flight 541 were advised to do a missed approach.

The last time there was radio contact with the crashed plane was at 7:01 a.m. when it was seven nautical miles on final approach to Runway 23, which, at the time, was not visible. Two minutes later, the control tower ‘went into blind transmission to guide Flight 541.’

The Chicago-based Nolan Law Group, an expert in aviation lawsuits, represented the families of victims and filed a multi-million-dollar class suit against the Chicago-based AAR Aircraft and Engine Group and Fleet Business Credit Corporation, owners of the leased aircraft.

When the case was ultimate-

ly negotiated amicably in 2007, each victim’s family received $1.2 million, or a total settlement of at least US$157 million, then the equivalent of P6.6 billion. It was the biggest settlement in the country’s aviation history.

The Illinois State Supreme Court was about to finish the class suite when the Lloyds of London, the insurance company, decided to settle. Central to the case was the discovery that the pilots failed to undergo a training course made obligatory by the aircraft’s manufacturer.

Although only 56 families chose Nolan Law Group as legal counsel, the amicable settlement was applied to all victims. For its services, the law office got 33 percent of the award, or roughly $52 million, a fair amount given that the firm did not ask for advance payments.

8

EDGE EDGEDAVAO DAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 56 • SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022

COMPETITIVE EDGE

‘ARTS IN HONG KONG’ CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED TO SHOWCASE CITY’S APPEAL AS AN ARTS AND CULTURE HUB TO A GLOBAL AUDIENCE This summer, bask in the warm glow of Hong Kong’s dazzling arts and culture scene – wherever you are in the world. Riding on the staging of international art and cultural events, the Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) is launching an ‘Arts in Hong Kong’ campaign to showcase to a global audience the city’s extraordinary and enduring appeal as an arts and cultural hub.

The campaign aims to further raise Hong Kong’s international profile, offering in-depth community arts and cultural tours and interactive art tech experiences to encourage local public and visitors alike to rediscover the city from a cultural perspective.

HKTB Executive Director Mr Dane Cheng said: “In-depth travel experiences have become a major global trend, and arts and culture are a key driver of this trend. The Hong Kong Tourism Board has organised an ‘Art Month’ promotion for the past nine years when interna-

tional events were held in town to generate citywide art vibes. As well as the staging of large-scale events, new world-class art landmarks such as M+ and the Hong Kong Palace Museum are also opening their doors, boosting Hong Kong’s allure as an arts and cultural travel destination. As the city’s arts scene becomes richer than ever, the HKTB will make ‘Arts in Hong Kong’ a yearround promotional platform to raise awareness of the city’s always-on, diverse experience of arts and culture, and establish Hong Kong as an Eastmeets-West centre for international cultural exchange.”

Supporting International Events and Promoting Hong Kong Culture to the World ‘Arts in Hong Kong’ is being rolled out in May with international events, including Art Basel Hong Kong and French May, along with a series of unique neighbourhood projects headlining a series of promotions to demonstrate

that large-scale art and cultural events have returned to Hong Kong.

The HKTB is working closely with the organisers of international arts events staged in Hong Kong to increase their reach an impact. It has teamed up with Art Basel Hong Kong to host online tours, for instance, and has invited Hong Kong artists to bring an explosion of colour to the streets by displaying their inspirational works on the city’s iconic trams.

The integration of arts and technology is a rapidly-growing trend, and the HKTB is stepping up its use of technology to promote art events and cultural landmarks. It has produced a video to promote the interactive virtual reality experience of French May’s highlighted programme Intraverse, and is supporting the promotion of the moving image work The Shape of Light – a joint presentation by Art Basel and M+ – as well as the Hong Kong Museum of Art’s outdoor artwork installation, Reso-

nance-In-Sight.

‘Arts in Neighbourhoods’ Street exploration of five cultural themes • Wander through Old Town Central, Sham Shui Po and West Kowloon and explore more than 20 cultural discovery hot spots under five major themes.

• The HKTB has created an interactive map with arts and cultural guides for each hot spot.

Stroll through the neighbourhoods and rediscover the artsy hotspots in Hong Kong. Unveil the hidden gems and uncover the neighbourhood stories from five new artistic perspectives.

• Explore more at: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/ca/explore/arts/explore-unseen-urban-arts.html Promoting Hong Kong to a global audience In overseas source markets, the HKTB is organising Hong Kong-themed arts events in new formats, inviting Hong Kong Super Fans active on the arts and cultural scene to showcase

arts events and raise the city’s profile in the international arts scene.

• Virtual tours with 1,000+ participants worldwide: - The HKTB is organising a range of arts-themed online tours for about 1,000 overseas media representatives, Hong Kong Super Fans, trade members and other stakeholders to promote arts and cultural attractions, including M+, the Hong Kong Palace Museum, the Tung Nam Lou Art Hotel, Biu Kee Mahjong, and embroidered footwear shop Sindart.

- The HKTB is teaming up with Art Basel Hong Kong to organise online viewing tours showcasing Hong Kong’s rich arts and cultural scene, targeting Mainland, and overseas media in the Greater Bay Area markets, Hong Kong Super Fans, and the travel trade.

• Hong Kong-themed artwork recreated overseas: - The HKTB is working with Hong Kong Super Fan

who wish to drive something special.

Said Mr Glenn Tan, Deputy Chairman and Managing Director, Tan Chong International Limited, “The all-new WRX is here to ignite your senses. From its stunning exterior and premium interior, to the sporty sound and powerful performance of its new 2.4-litre turbo boxer engine, the invigorating smell of the exhaust and the exciting handling, the WRX gives a raw driving experience that makes burning rubber fun. I am very confident that both the all-new WRX and WRX Wagon will totally ignite your senses, and remain crowd favourites that are much-loved by Subaru enthusiasts here.”

Subaru’s modern design philosophy “Dynamic x Solid” has been enhanced to also express “Bolder”, guiding the complete redesign of the WRX in both notchback-sedan and station-wagon bodystyles.

Compared to its predecessor, the new WRX is 75 mm longer, 30 mm wider and 10 mm lower than before, with an additional 25 mm in the wheelbase (2675 mm). The new WRX Wagon is 65 mm longer, 15 mm wider and 10 mm taller than the previous Levorg, with an additional 20 mm in the wheelbase (2670 mm).

Both models are built on the newest iteration of the Subaru Global Platform, with full inner frame

construction and expanded application of structural adhesive to greatly improve the car’s rigidity, a bedrock of performance driving capability.

According to Subaru’s internal studies, the torsional stiffness of the chassis is up by 28 percent for the new WRX and 44 percent for the new WRX Wagon.

Furthermore, the proportion of high-tensile steel sheets in the body has been increased from 4 percent to 9 percent (approximate inhouse data), which is good for collision safety.

The bonnet is still aluminium, like the older WRX, while the front fenders are now also made from the light yet strong metal, saving 2.3 kg.

The Style The styling of the new WRX and WRX Wagon was previewed by a pair of stunning Subaru concept cars – the Viziv Performance Concept at the 2017 Tokyo Motor Show and the Viziv Tourer Concept at the 2018 Geneva International Motor Show.

Not only that, key design elements of the two related prototypes actually made it to production.

For instance, the Viziv Performance Concept’s “forward-thrusting body with low centre of gravity”, “dynamic flare of the muscular fenders” and “bold glimpse of the exhaust in the rear bumper” have been productionised on the street-legal WRX. The front has been designed to give the impression of overwhelming performance at a glance. The striking hexagonal grille, with its honeycomb pattern repeated neatly above the fog lamps, is flanked by sleek LED headlamps with Subaru’s C-shaped light signature.

Of course, the classic WRX trademark, a functional scoop cut into the hood, is present and accounted for, feeding fresh air to the intercooler of the turbocharged boxer engine.

The athletic design of the WRX continues on the bodysides, which are dominated by eye- catching fender extensions to visually convey the all-wheeldrive power and blackedout lower sections to accentuate the road-hugging stance. Following the sports theme perfectly are the 18-inch aluminium-al-

and German artist Alexandra Unrein to host a twoday outdoor graffiti workshop at the Museum of Urban and Contemporary Art in Munich.

- In partnership with a France-based Hong Kong Super Fan, the HKTB is organising a trans-continental Instagram contest. Winners will receive a West Kowloon painting by a French street mural artist Elsa Jean de Dieu living in Hong Kong - Street murals are being created with Hong Kong themes in Australia, with QR codes redirecting visitors to DiscoverHongKong. com Find out more about ‘Arts in Hong Kong’: https://www.discoverhongkong.com/eng/explore/arts.html Members of the media can download the photos and videos below: https://assetlibrary. hktb.com/assetbankhktb/action/ b ro ws e I te m s ? c a te g o ryId=779&categ o r y Ty p e I d = 2 & a m p ; cachedCriteria=1

THE LEGEND IS REBORN AND READY TO IGNITE YOUR SENSES

The legendary Subaru WRX is back as a new-generation, all-purpose performance car which offers the sporty driving you desire and the practicality you need.

Motor Image Pilipinas (MIP), the exclusive distributor of Subaru vehicles in Philippines, is excited to announce the debut of the all-new, fifth-generation Subaru WRX and WRX Wagon today.

Subaru WRX in WR Blue and Subaru WRX Wagon in Crystal White specifications may vary across markets Our latest WRX models join the equally fresh second-generation BRZ coupe to make Subaru’s 2022 sports car lineup truly thrilling for petrolheads

Subaru WRX in WR Blue

loy wheels with 245/40 R18 high-performance tyres.

If the nose of the WRX looks fast, then the tail looks downright furious.

Just like before, there are two pairs of exhaust tailpipes with a fog lamp in the middle, but the rear bumper has become an imposing structure that seems to brace the sculptured sheet metal above and alongside.

The boot-lid spoiler, trunk garnish that cuts across like a black katana blade, and LED combination lamps with their magma-inspired lighting effects complete the look of the WRX’s “Tokyo turbojet” rear.

Even though the WRX and WRX Wagon are cut from the same Japanese cloth, the two cars clearly differ in their design direction.

The WRX pays stylistic tribute to rallying in an obvious fashion, especially in its flashy special colour Solar Orange, whereas the WRX Wagon is styled as a classy sports tourer, available with a choice of chic white paintwork, either Ceramic White (both bodystyles) or Crystal

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Tilapia harvesting can be fun.

AQUASHADE TECHNOLOGY HELPS

TILAPIA REPRODUCTION Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

M

ore and more Filipinos are now raising tilapia in their farms and ponds.

The Davao City Agriculturist Office (CAGRO) is very much aware of this. So much so that last June 10, it distributed 125, 000 fingerlings to the agricultural districts in the highlands of the city.

The distribution was the first of the four rounds that will be carried out this year to the eight agricultural districts of Tugbok, Baguio, Calinan, Marilog, Toril, Paquibato, Bunawaan, and Talomo.

The tilapia fingerling distribution, which has a budget of around P4 million this year, aims to provide the aforementioned areas – described as “far from the coasts and sea resources” – with fish supply in a bid to promote food security.

“This is part of our regular program,” explained Leo Brian Leuterio, CAGRO Officer-in-Charge, told the City Information Office (CIO). “We have fisheries programs not just in coastal

Aquashade can help produce more fingerlings.

areas but also in communities in the highlands. It is for food security, food production; and we do this regularly.”

The tilapia fingerlings were handed over to pond-owners across barangays of the recipient districts.

According to CIO, 22,500 tilapia fingerlings were allocated each to Marilog, Baguio and Paquibato while Calinan got 25,000 fingerlings.

Other districts received less: Tugbok with 13,750 fingerlings, Buhangin-Bunawan with 7,500, Toril with 6,250, and Talomo 5,000.

While the fingerling distribution can be lauded, the problem is how can these pond owners sustain their production once the tilapia fishes have grown out?

Although tilapias are prolific when it comes to breeding, the hitch is the fingerling production is not enough. Some fingerlings don’t survive because of the warm waters where they were hatched.

The Central Luzon State University has come up with a solution: aquashade technology. This involves installation of netting materials on top of the pond, particularly during the summer months. It is proven to reduce water temperature by more than 3°C during the hottest period of the day.

“The favorable conditions for breeding that is provided by the technology is expected to increase spawning rate and seed or fry production by more than 100 precent (%) in both pond-based and hapa-based seed production systems,” said the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

The DOST funded the two-year project, “Promotion of Aquashade Technology in Luzon to Increase Low of Nile Tilapia Seed Production During Warm Months.” CLSU’s Dr. Emmanuel M. Vera Cruz led the study which was financially

Tilapia is now the second most popular fish next to bangus.

supported by the DOST’s Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD).

“The technology helps improve tilapia production in the Philippines affected by increasing water temperatures especially during warm months of the year,” the DOST said in a press release. “Warmer water temperatures hinder fish reproduction.”

Perhaps some pond owners in the highlands districts of Davao City can come up together and follow such intervention.

The CLSU – after the success of its study – is now promoting the technology in various parts of Luzon.

Eleven hatcheries in Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Isabela, Batangas, Laguna, and Albay have already installed aquashade technology in their farms.

Tilapia hatchery operators can consider different available aquashade designs. The G.I. pipe frame design uses G.I. wires to support the greenhouse net for shading. It is durable and long lasting. It can withstand strong winds brought by typhoons.

On the other hand, aquashade design that uses bamboo frame made

of bamboo poles design with the lowest input cost, utilizes bamboo as poles.

Greenhouse net (CCM2082/W-W-SLV) with 40% shade effectivity (3.6m x 50m, silver color) is recommended for the aquashade technology.

Romel Martinez, owner of R2M Aquafarm located in the Science City of Muñoz, Nueva Ecija, is one of the recipients of the project.

He attested increase in production and income using aquashade technology since 2021, despite adverse extreme weather conditions.

In Davao Region, a non-government organization based in Kinuskusan, Bansalan, Davao del Sur is also doing the same thing in their tilapia ponds.

“We have so many farmers who come to the center to buy tilapia fingerlings,” said Jethro P. Adang, director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC).

“When we read about the aquashade technology, we tried to adopt it in our farm.

“Sure enough, our fingerlings production increased,” he continued.

“Now, farmers can buy the tilapia fingerlings they need

FAQUASHADE P10

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I would like to inform the public na the suspension of the PTCFOR applies to the whole region not only in Davao City. Gusto kong bigyan ng emphasis na we are going to implement all the prohibitions incorporated in the various ordinances of Davao City at isa na dito yung prohibition sa paggamit ng drone,” he said.

Meanwhile, Silo said

PRO-11 will be deploying 2,722 police personnel during the inauguration.

He also urged the public to support the security cluster and comply to the policies that will be implemented by the police, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP), and the city government of Davao to ensure that the inauguration will be peaceful and orderly.

ect is funded through the Regional Research Fund (RRF) facilitated by the Regional Health Research and Development Consortium (RHRDC), the regional arm of DOST-PCHRD.

The grant fund will cover expenses such as supplies, materials, technologies, transportation, maintenance, and laboratory technicians that will serve in the project. (PNA)

dents said the desalinated water did not differ much from bottled water in terms of quality.

In South Ubian town, Tawi-Tawi, residents have relied mainly on rains since immemorial, a burden for those who needed to go to nearby municipalities to secure drinking water.

“The cost and the time make like difficult for us,” said Fatima Araza, a resident of South Ubian.

“For those who own motorboats they can have unlimited drinking water, for us with no fixed income, securing safe water is not easy,” he added.

“If it rains, people here are happy until the rain is over,” said Mayor Hadzri Matba of South Ubian.

“Actually, when Minister Siarimbo visited us last year, he boosted our morale. At least we have a regional government that we can rely on,” he said.

attending the oath-taking of Vice President-elect Mayor Sara Duterte.

ASU Head Paul Bermejo, in an interview with the City Information Office Wednesday, said that the vendors who refused to obey the directive erroneously assumed that the ASU meant to permanently shut

down their business activities. He pacified the complainants by clarifying that the unit had no intention of suspending their activities for good. The ASU Head told the complainants they can instead move to another area for the weekend, just until the inauguration is finished.

ers. It is a loan window that grants a PHP30,000 assistance to GSIS members for the purchase of a computer unit for their work-fromhome arrangement or their children’s online classes.

The computer loan is payable in three years with 6 percent interest per annum.

This year, GSIS extended the implementation of the program for another three months (or until June 2022) to give more time for the 1.56 million qualified members to avail of the loan.

GSIS also processed a total of 64,381 applications under the GSIS Financial Assistance Loan (GFAL) program from 2021-May 15, 2022, disbursing a total amount of PHP27.8 billion.

GFAL is a balance- transfer facility aimed at enabling GSIS members settle their outstanding loan balance with other lending institutions with reduced interest rate and longer payment term. Through GFAL, GSIS

intends to improve the financial capability of GSIS members and save them from the bondage of debt.

Aside from MPL, computer loan, GFAL and GFAL Educational Loan, GSIS also offers the regular policy loan and emergency loan.

It released PHP8.8 billion to 355,956 policy loan borrowers and another PHP5.519 billion to 165,352 emergency loan borrowers from January 2021 to May 15, 2022.

Policy loan is a program where members may avail of from their GSIS life insurance policy. The loan, bearing an 8 percent interest rate, may be paid either through monthly amortization or deduction from a member’s existing life insurance policy contract.

Emergency loan, on the other hand, aims to assist government employees and old-age and disability pensioners in times of natural calamities and disasters.

out from the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic by eventually lifting the state of public health emergency and removal of alert level system.

“I suggested to the President-elect that we should eventually have to plan how we can move out of a pan-

demic mindset to ensure our country’s economic growth,” the Go Negosyo founder added.

Concepcion is also optimistic that the next administration will closely work with the private sector in helping the growth of MSMEs and towards economic recovery.

(PNA)

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and half scholarships are offered for Medical and Law schools.

“Meaning sa full bayaran nato ang ilang tuition ug miscellaneous plus naa silay 20,000 na book allowance para sa mag med ug para sa mag law school 8,000 nga book allowance.

Kung half-scholarship ang meaning ana half sa tuition and miscellaneous ang bayaran and half sa benefit sa book allowance nimo (Full scholarship means that their tuition and miscellaneous will be paid and

Php 20,000 book allowance for Medical School and Php 8,000 for Law school.

Half-scholarship this means half-tuition and miscellaneous will be paid and half of the benefit for book allowance),” he said.

Domingo said that applicants should also pass at least a 93 percent general average for incoming college students and 85 percent for medical and law school and they must have no failing grades. A onechild policy will also be implemented.

ed when things go wrong.

We’d like to be very proactive sa stand namin when it comes to protecting the environment and we do dialogues with the communities,” Rabat-Gayta said.

Apart from Pujada Bay, Mayo and Balete Bays are

also part of the list of the MBBWA. Among the criteria in the Most Beautiful Bays tag include the community involvement in environmental protection and all the three bays have complied with the requirements. By Maya M. Padillo

marily benefits higher-income households,” the DOF said.

“An increase in deficit and debt, in turn, will potentially raise interest rates on government debt, thereby reducing much-needed fiscal space for funding crucial social and economic programs, more so now when the government needs to sustain and even boost the domestic economy’s recovery from the

lingering pandemic and Russia-Ukraine conflict,” the DOF said.

The agency earlier said that the government’s running debt stock would have ballooned to P15.4 trillion, or P2.2 trillion more than the projected P13.2 trillion by the end of 2022 had the Duterte administration yielded to legislators’ pressure to pass all pandemic relief measures and suspend the fuel excise tax.

goal of attracting more investments,” Trade Secretary and BOI chairman Ramon Lopez said.

The new farm aims to lessen the threat of supply disruption for chicken meat and also manage inflation by increasing the supply.

The project also eyes

to lessen the dependence on imported chicken amid global supply disruptions and biosecurity risks.

With the new poultry farm in South Cotabato, it is projected to increase chicken production in Soccsksargen region by up to 2.71 percent.

inputs can be offset against the output VAT imposed on the sale of electricity to consumers.

“VAT exemption is not the solution. If the intention is to unburden consumers, the next administration needs to review the existing policies on power generation pricing,” he said.

According to Dominguez, removing the VAT will not necessarily translate into a 12-percent reduction in prices.

He explained that VAT-exempt businesses do not charge output VAT and also could not recover the VAT they pay on their own inputs. “Thus, this input VAT becomes an additional cost to them and to recover this, it is passed on to the consumers.”

The price of electricity in the country remains high compared to other ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian) countries because of the high costs associated with power generation.

Meralco’s first-quarter 2022 report shows that generation charge is the largest component of an electric bill across all customer classes.

In the first quarter of this year, the levy should be applied only on the distribution charge to avoid the supposed double taxation at around 59 percent of the total average bill at P5.24 per kWh, while taxes comprised only about 11 percent.

“We cannot afford to give another VAT exemption as this leads to distortionary and less equitable tax systems,” Dominguez said.

“VAT exemption creates discrimination among similar businesses. Thus, it should remain broad-based and allow for few exemptions.”

It can also be recalled that recently, several parties have called for a suspension of excise taxes on petroleum to help mitigate the increasing fuel prices.

The DOF has cautioned the next administration against suspending excise taxes on petroleum as it is not the most efficient approach to alleviating the conditions of affected sectors. “The better and more equitable way to address the impact of the increasing fuel prices is to provide swift and targeted support to the vulnerable sectors.”

MATI ... FROM3

DOF ... FROM4

BOI ... FROM4

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AQUASHADE... FROM9

in their farms. In the past, some came to the center only to find out there was no stock anymore.”

“Fish is the main source of protein for the Filipino,” Adang said.

On the average, every Filipino consumes 98.6 grams of fish and fish products each day, a study of the DOST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) showed.

“Raising tilapia is a winwin situation for farmers,” Adang said. “The family can have their free source of protein and they can have additional income when they sell whatever surplus they have.”

The MBRLC is a good source of tilapia fingerlings.

Farmers who want to undergo tilapia culture can also avail the training program it offers. “Our center is open to those who are interested in raising tilapia in their backyards or farms,” Adang said.

“No fish – with the probable exception of the common carp – is more widely cultured than tilapia,” wrote John E. Bardach, John H. Ryther, and William O. McLarney, authors of Aquaculture: The Farming and Husbandry of Freshwater and Marine Organisms.

It was British naturalist A. Smith who gave the fish its name in 1840. The word tilapia is derived from the African bushmen’s word for “fish.” According to Ethelwynn Trewaves of the British Museum’s (Natural History) fish section, the natives’ word commenced with a clicking sound that Smith interpreted as til.

Fishery experts dub tilapia as “aquatic chicken” because it possesses many positive attributes that suit them for a wide range of aquaculture systems. For one, tilapia tolerates a wide range of environmental conditions. For another, it is highly resistant to diseases and parasitic infections.

Other good traits of tila-

pia include excellent growth rates on a low-protein diet; ready breeding in captivity and ease of handling; and more importantly, wide acceptance as food fish.

After bangus (milkfish), tilapia is now the second most important fish in the Philippines. It has gained popularity among Filipinos who cooked the fish in different ways. It can be either fried or grilled. It can also be made into a sinigang (a sour soup using tamarind, santol, guava or calamansi as a base) and paksiw (similar to sinigang only it uses vinegar).

In fact, tilapia has replaced galunggong (scad) as the poor man’s fish. Nutritionists claim that 100 grams of tilapia provides approximately 93 calories, with one gram of fat (0.5 grams saturated), 55 milligrams cholesterol, 37 grams sodium, 0.5 milligram iron, 19.5 grams protein, and 90 milligrams Omega-3 fatty acids.

But there’s more to tilapia than just providing food.

In the United States, tilapias are stocked in the canals that serve as the drinking water sources for the cities of Phoenix, Mesa, and others. The fish reportedly help purify the water by consuming vegetation and detritus, thus greatly reducing purification costs.

Tilapia also serves as a natural, biological control for most aquatic plant problems. Tilapia consumes floating aquatic plants, such as duckweed watermeal, the most “undesirable” submerged plants, and most forms of algae.

In Thailand, tilapia is becoming the plant control method of choice in reducing, if not eliminating, the use of toxic chemicals and heavy metal-based algaecides. In Kenya, tilapia helps control malaria-causing mosquitoes. Tilapia consumes mosquito larvae, which reduces the numbers of adult females, the disease’s vector.

I hang around superstars — and if you hang around superstars, good things happen.”

- Fast start Curry, an ever-present throughout the highs and lows of the Warriors’ journey since 2015, led a balanced offensive effort as Golden State became just the second visiting team to lift the trophy on Boston’s home court after the 1985 Los Angeles Lakers.

Jaylen Brown led the Boston scoring with 34 points while Al Horford added 19.

A pulsating game swung decisively in Golden State’s favor during the first two quarters.

The Celtics, trying to force a game seven, had opened with intent, racing into an early 14-2 lead against a Warriors side caught napping.

But Boston’s fast start was the cue for a spectacular burst by Golden State, who tightened their defense to secure key stops and then began to find the target at the other end.

After cutting the Boston lead to six points at 22-16, the Warriors pulled away, with Green, Curry and Poole all rattling in 3-pointers to put Golden State into a 2722 lead at the end of the first quarter.

Two more Poole 3-pointers in the opening moments of the second quarter helped the Warriors sprint into a 15-point lead, up 37-22 after a 21-0 run – the largest run in NBA Finals history.

The Warriors maintained the 15-point advantage up to half-time, leading 54-39 at the break.

Curry ominously looked increasingly comfortable from beyond the arc, and a step back three from 28 feet put the Warriors into a 72-50 lead – a 22-point margin their biggest lead of the night in the third quarter.

But Boston refused to surrender, and Horford brought the Garden crowd to its feet after a layup and a free throw got the Celtics to within nine points of the Warriors at 74-65.

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Warriors guard Stephen Curry holds the Larry O’Brien Trophy, following the Golden State Warriors’ Game 6 win on June 16, 2022. John G Mabanglo, Shutterstock Out/EPA-EFE

Warriors finish off Celtics in Game 6 to win NBA title

T

he Golden State Warriors defeated the Boston Celtics 103-90 Friday (Manila time) to win the NBA championship 4-2.

A game of runs ended with Golden State keeping its poise — behind some stout defense and Steph Curry’s timely sniping — and clinching its fourth championship in eight years, a finish that seemed improbable just two years ago when the Warriors were at the bottom of the league.

Finally, Steph Curry wins NBA Finals MVP Curry, adjudged Finals MVP, finished with 34

points, including 6 of 11 from behind the arc. He also had 7 rebounds, 7 assists, 2 steals and a block.

NBA Finals: Why missing all 9 3-pointers doesn’t bother Curry Andrew Wiggins added 18 points, 4 steals and 3 blocks, and again defended Jayson Tatum admirably.

Draymond Green chipped in 12 points, 12 rebounds and 8 assists, saving his best performance of the series for last.

Warriors on brink of NBA title as Wiggins punishes Celtics According to ESPN Stats & Info: The Warriors are the first team to win 4 championships in an 8-season span since the Bulls won 6 from 1991-98.

After winning 5 titles as a player, Steve Kerr wins his 4th ring as a coach. He is the 7th individual to win 9+ championships as a player and coach, last achieved by Phil Jackson.

Only 6 players in NBA history have 4 rings, multiple league MVPs, and a Finals MVP — LeBron James, Michael Jordan, Magic John-

For leading the Golden State Warriors to the NBA championship on Friday (Manila time), Steph Curry was awarded the Finals MVP, his first in four title runs.

Curry finished with 34 points in the series-clincher, responding from a subpar performance in Game 5.

But his signature moment in these Finals was in Game 4, where he carried the Warriors to a crucial victory in Boston.

In Golden State’s past

three titles, Curry was denied winning the award.

In 2015, Andre Iguodala was named Finals MVP; in 2017 and 2018, it was Kevin Durant.

Golden again! Curry, Warriors top Celtics to win NBA title “I’m so proud of our group, I thank god every day that I get to play this game with some amazing people,” an emotional Curry said afterwards.

“This is what it’s all about, especially after

everything we’ve gone through in the past three years.”

In the 6-game series, Curry averaged 31 points, 6 rebounds and 5 assists, while shooting 48% from the floor and 44% from 3-point territory.

On top of the Finals MVP, he won the inaugural Magic Johnson Western Conference MVP. In February, he took home the All-Star Game MVP. — Agence France-Presse

son, Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Tim Duncan and, now, Curry.

NBA Finals tied, as Curry leads Warriors past Celtics in Game 4 “I’m so proud of our group, I thank god every day that I get to play this game with some amazing people,” an emotional Curry said afterwards.

“This is what it’s all about, especially after everything we’ve gone through in the past three years.”

The win completed a

dramatic journey back to the pinnacle of the NBA for the Warriors, who just two seasons ago had the worst record in the league as the franchise battled injuries and the departure of key personnel.

“At the beginning of the season nobody thought we’d be here - except everybody on this court right now.

It’s surreal,” Curry added.

“We were so far away from it. We hit rock bottom with injuries and the long

road of work ahead, trying to fill in the right pieces with the right guys.

“You never take this for granted because you never know when you’ll be back here.”

Delighted Warriors coach Steve Kerr admitted the team’s fourth championship of his reign had been the most unexpected.

“This might be the most unlikely one,” Kerr said. “But

FWARRIORS, P10

Curry is NBA Finals MVP at last

The Warriors quartet of forward Andre Iguodala, forward Draymond Green, guard Klay Thompson, and guard Steph Curry flash the four-sign on Friday (Manila time) after winning that many NBA championships. John G Mabanglo, Shutterstock Out/EPA-EFE

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

EXCELLENT PERFORMANCE PRRD awards PSC Chief Ramirez with the Presidential Medal of Merit Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez receives his Presidential Medal of Merit at the Malacañang Palace, Thursday.

P

resident Rodrigo Duterte conferred a Presidential Medal of Merit to Philippine Sports Commission Chairman William Ramirez in simple rites held at the Malacañang Palace, Thursday.

Along with only a handful of cabinet members and heads of agencies, Ramirez received the said award from the president for his unparalleled work as the government’s sports agency chief.

Ramirez thanked Duterte for the opportunity to lead the PSC and be part of the President’s team.

“The President asked me, Butch, how long have you been with me? I realized I have worked with him for more than 15 years in different capacities,” said the only two-term PSC chief.

“When one works in government he goes about his work because it is his responsibility and commitment. I did not expect this,” shared Ramirez who dedicated the award to the athletes, coaches and PSC employees saying that he is privileged to represent them, and that the recognition is a nod to the collective hard work of all involved in Philippine sports.

The Presidential Medal of Merit was established in 1949 and is awarded by the President of the Philippines in recognition of meritorious achievements and services.

VOL.15 ISSUE 56 • SATURDAY, JUNE 18, 2022