Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 80 | Saturday, July 16, 2022

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VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

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MORE RAPS Legal team of Mangacop files additional attempted murder cases vs Pepino STORY ON PAGE 2

A construction laborer works on the balcony of one of the units of a high-rise condominium building in J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City on Friday. Clamor for new wage hikes should also consider employers’ capability of shelling out more money, the Department of Labor and Employment said. Edge Davao

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Vice President Sara Duterte says the implementation of face-to-face classes in public and private schools nationwide will push through this coming November 2 to address learning loss. Edge Davao

MORE RAPS Legal team of Mangacop files additional attempted murder cases vs Pepino

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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he legal team of the family of Amierkhan Mangacop, the 19-year-old student, who was slain in a bar shooting incident, filed three additional attempted murder cases against Dr. Marvin Rey Andrew Pepino before the Office of the City Prosecutor on Friday.

Mangacop was shot seven times by alleged suspect Pepino at the parking area of Lugar Bar in in J. Camus

Extension, Brgy. 9-A, Davao City in Davao City last July 2, 2022.

Last week, San Pedro

Police Station initiated the filing of murder and violation of RA 10591 against Pepino.

This is after the National Bureau of Investigation-Davao Region (NBIDavao Region) submitted to the City Prosecutor’s Office on Friday the evidence gathered after its parallel probe.

“Ipa-file na lahat sa fiscal’s office this afternoon,”

said Investigator Juhary Guro of NBI-Davao Region in a text message.

Present during the filing were the parents of Mangacop.

The complaint for murder against Pepino was filed by police authorities on July 4, 2022, and the Prosecutor has 15 days to resolve the investigation.

However, the victim’s

city ordinance no. 0500-21 series of 2021 or the “No to Single-Use Plastics Ordinance of 2021”.

According to CENRO Information Education Unit Representative Orly Limpangog, during the ‘Go Clean, Go Green’ program Tuesday, the ordinance’s Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) is expected to be imposed in the city in the third quarter of 2022.

With this, the CENRO is ad-

vising all Dabawenyos, especially business owners in the food industry, to make the transition as early as today.

Limpangog said that the ordinance is not only aimed at managing the city’s solid waste but also to lessen the amount of garbage that ends up in Davao City’s waters and coastal areas. He said that during clean-up operations conducted by CENRO, single-use plastics

are among the majority of waste items collected from the city’s coasts.

“Kung ma-aprubahan na atong IRR, nagsugod na man ang sessions sa atong city council so maybe two to three months siguro niini maaprubahan atong IRR, then magstart na gyud mig dakop ani, aron ma-mitigate gyud nato ang mga single-use plastics na maabot sa atong kabaybayunan

FMORE, P10

Dabawenyos urged to drop single-use plastics ahead of regulating ordinance

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he City Government of Davao, through the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) is urging all Dabawenyos to start the shift from single-use plastic items, such as plastic cutleries and cups, to their recyclable or biodegradable counterparts.

This, as the office is set to fully implement restrictions on single-use plastics this year, as mandated by

FDABAWENYOS., P10

Renovation of Kadayawan Village fast-tracked for August 5 opening

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adayawan Execom Spokesperson Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre, in an interview over the Davao City Disaster Radio Wednesday, said that the renovation of the Kadayawan Village is being fast-tracked.

“Ang atoang budget sa renovation diha is Php 3.2 million. Dugay-dugay nata wala ka celebrate diha so medyo naay dapat ayuson (Our budget for the renovation is 3.2 million. It’s been a while since we had celebrations there so there are many things to fix),” Alejandre said.

He said that the Kadayawan Village, built for the 11 tribes of Davao City, is important because it is among the sites that tourists and locals visit to learn more about the tribal culture.

“Isa na sa adtuanan sa atong mga tourist and mga Dabawenyo to really observe unsa ang ilahang kultura (This area (Kadayawan Village) is the place where the tourist and the Dabawenyos observe the culture of the eleven tribes)” Alejandre said.

He said that the Kadayawan Tribal Village is “a way of educating the people about the way of living of the tribes living in the city of Davao.

Mirroring this effort, the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Education Arts and Culture has previously passed a

resolution requesting the Department of Education to include the culture and traditions of the 11 tribes in the curriculum.

“Gina-fast track gyud na diha nga ang atoang tribal village will be finished on August 5. Every week mi naay Execom meeting sa Kadayawan para ma-plantsa gyud nato. (We are fast-tracking the renovation of the tribal village so it will be finished on August 5.

Every week we have an Execom meeting to ensure that everything is smooth),” he said.

The opening of the Kadayawan Village on August 5 at the Magsaysay Park, as well as the Kadayawan 3D Mapping at City Hall Façade, will mark the preliminary activities before the opening of Kadayawan activities on August 15.

Alejandre said that the Bantawan Amphitheatre located inside the Magsaysay Park will be used by the tribes for their Bantawan Cultural Performances.

He said that the city is all set for the return of the face-to-face Kadayawan Festival and assured that minimum public health protocols shall be observed during the festivities.

Kadayawan sa Dabaw announcements are posted on the Kadayawan sa Dabaw Facebook Page: https:// www. facebook. com/kadayawanfest. CIO

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

NEWS

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A wooden ark under construction in Barangay Pasiagan, Bongao, Tawi-Tawi. Photo taken Thursday, 14 July 2022, by BONG S. SARMIENTO/MindaNews

Covid-19 TF proposes Saturday vaccinations Mandatory in-person classes to push through, says VP Sara

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ice President and Education Secretary Sara Z. Duterte insisted the implementation of face-toface classes in public and private schools nationwide will push through this coming Nov. 2 to address learning loss.

Duterte made the statement despite calls for reconsiderations due to the risks from the coronavirus disease (Covid-19) and the short vacation of teachers for the next school year.

In an interview, Duterte said the Department of Education (DepEd) Order 034 has been already approved

by President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. “Meron po tayong nacite na study doon sa ating presentation sa Pangulo, and this is a published paper already na there are really, truthfully learning losses sa mga bata kapag sila po ay nasa online classes or nasa distance learning… Nakalagay pa doon na it is more pronounced and learners are disadvantaged

at home. So ang ibig sabihin po noon, it is worse doon sa ating pamilya na naghihirap(We have cited a study on our presentation before the President, and this is a published paper already, that there are really, truthfully learning losses among children when they are in online classes or distance learning. It also indicated that it is more pronounced and learners are disadvantaged at home. Meaning, it is worse for poor families),” she said.

The vice president noted that schools still have until Oct. 31 to prepare for the full transition to an in-person class setup.

“For August 22 until October 31, options are indicated in our Department Order. First is the five-day in-person classes. Secondly, the blended modality. This is where [schools may opt to do] three days in-person [classes] and then two days remote, or distance learning. And then after they can

FMANDATORY, P10

By MAYA M. PADILLO

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istrict health offices are only operational from Monday to Friday.

“Isa sa mga ginatan aw nga mga propositions sa mga district health offices, daghan gihapon gusto ug Saturday pero ang district health offices or centers are only operational Mondays to Fridays lang pero isa sa mga propositions ng District Health Offices like Dr. Campaner of Agdao nagpahigayon sila ug Saturday nga rollout,” she said over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Friday.

District Health Center of Agdao started operating even on Saturday.

“Hopefully this will be the beginning of rollout every Saturday sa atoang mga District Heath Offices pero as of now ang Agdao ang nag initiate sa, hopefully, other districts will also follow,” Schlosser said.

On July 4, 2022, the city’s district health centers started the anti-Covid-19 vaccination.

However, Schlosser said the turnout is still relatively

low.

“Admittedly medyo hinay gihapon just like sa malls and we are hoping, dili man gyud tanan tanan nagsabay or fully functional. Late this week nakaingon ta nga almost all district health offices nag fully functional for the rollout of the Covid-19 vaccine,” she said.

District health centers, she said, will serve as a onestop shop for the general population, A1 (medical

the matter.

“We will see unsa ang resulta sa survey,” Enoc said.

Dabawenyos need to register to be able to visit the library. The Davao City Library shared online what needs to do for a one-day visit to the library.

For the membership registration, additional information will be gathered from the visitors at the library. Upon entry, visitors need to proceed to the li-

brary’s front desk and bring a valid ID or any identification for verification purposes.

Things to remember: register on the day of visit because the generated QR Code will expire after 24 hours; take a screenshot of your QR Code if you happen to encounter errors regarding the download process; and if you accidentally lost the site after registration

FCOVID-19, P10

24/7 Davao City Library mulled

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he Davao City Library and Information Center will soon be accessible 24/7 to the public.

The new Davao City Library and Information Center officially opened on Friday.

Sandy Enoc, head of the Davao City Library and Information Center, said there is a clamor to open the library 24/7 and the board of the library is currently mulling it.

“Since naay mga clamor nga i-extend it up to 24 hours, ato na ng ginaistoryahan with the board and we will make a survey again,” she said over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Friday.

A survey was conducted during the height of the pandemic, but the result was 50/50 to open the library for 24/7. Enoc said the board has decided to make another survey regarding

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4 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

A vendor sorts tomatoes at Farmers Market in Bankerohan, Davao City on Thursday, 14 July 2022. According to the vendors, prices of tomatoes have gone down to as low as P8 per kilo due to oversupply. Mindanews Photo

‘23 nat’l budget needs efficient balancing act, DBM chief says Economy to absorb impact “ of BSP rate hikes: DIokno After the number crunching, it’s really PHP5.2 trillion so we really have to work on that given the assumptions by the DBCC (Development Budget Coordination Committee),” she told journalists Wednesday night.

The programmed budget for next year, which accounts for around 22 percent of domestic output, will continue to prioritize education, the 5-percent infrastructure spending, and social protection programs, among others, she added.

With the President concurrently serving as the

Secretary of the Department of Agriculture (DA), Pangandaman said the agriculture sector will be among the priorities of the government.

From being among the agencies that usually get lower budget, she said DA maybe included as among those that will get the top 5 highest funding for next year.

However, Pangandaman said nothing is specific yet.

“We’re doing the executive review board this week until the weekend,” she said.

Pangandaman said among those that will be looked into include agencies’ budget utilization as well as the priority programs.

She aims to present the proposed budget to members of the Cabinet by July 28 “and then we’ll give the NEP (National Expenditure Program) to Congress on August 22,” she said.

Under the 1987 Constitution, the NEP should be submitted to Congress within 30 days after the opening of the regular session of Congress, which is also the day of the President’s State-of-the-Nation Address (SONA).

It also mandated the SONA to be held every fourth Monday of July, which falls on July 25 for this year.

“I presented the timeline. He (the President) wanted to make sure we stick to the timeline and have it passed before at least December,” Pangandaman added. (PNA)

televised briefing.

He also noted that economic recovery and the administration’s plan to lower the prices of fuel and basic goods must also be discussed. Marcos, who temporarily heads the Department of Agriculture, promised food self-sufficiency and food security in the country to prevent the negative impact of crises.

Fuel cost has continued to increase in the past few months, while prices of food have also spiked due

to supply woes. “[Number 3 sa priorities] ay ‘yong mga hakbang na gagawin ng administrasyon upang maharap ang pangkasalukuyang kahirapan na nagdudulot ng pagakyat ng presyo ng krudo at ang epekto niyan sa presyo ng ibang bilihin,” he said.

“Mag-a-announce siya ng iba’t ibang mga hakbang ng administrasyon upang lalong matulungan ang pinakamahihirap sa ating bansa para hindi naman

Marcos told to detail plans for pandemic, economic recovery during his first SONA

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former Finance Secretary urged President Ferdinand Marcos Jr to detail his pandemic response plan and economic recovery strategy during his first State of the Nation Address (SONA).

Roberto de Ocampo, who was Finance chief during the term of President Fidel Ramos, said Marcos must prioritize the government’s plan in responding to COVID-19 amid the local presence of more transmissible vari-

ants.

The President earlier in the day named Health Spokesperson Maria Rosario Vergeire as the officer-in-charge of the health department.

“Ang pagtuloy ng proteksiyon against the pagsulong pa rin ng COVID upang mayroon tayong mga healthcare capability kapag bumabalik ang mga variant ng COVID. Sa palagay ko nagagawa na iyon at puwedeng maging priority,” said De Ocampo in a

FMARCOS, P10

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he continued recovery of the Philippine economy provides it the resiliency to absorb further increases in the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) key rates, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said Thursday.

Diokno told journalists that the BSP’s monetary policy normalization is among the factors in setting the 6.5 percent to 7.5 percent growth target for this year.

“The growth outlook is seen to be supported by the maintenance of loosened quarantine restrictions, as well as the positive impact of structural reforms, including CREATE (Corporate Recover and Tax Incentives for Enterprises Law), FIST (Financial Institutions Strategic Transfer Act), PSA (Public Service Act), RTL (Rice Tariffication Law) and FIA (Foreign Investment Act),” he said.

Diokno added that the national government would continue to adopt a gradual and calibrated path of fiscal consolidation to “help preserve the strong growth momentum.”

The domestic economy grew by 8.3 percent in

the first quarter of the year, higher than the previous quarter’s 7.8 percent and a reversal of the 3.8 percent contraction in the first quarter of 2021.

Economic managers recently slashed the growth target for this year from 7 percent to 8 percent after taking into account the impact of developments in the first quarter on economic growth, such as the uptick in coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19).

However, they hiked the 2023-2025 growth assumption from 6 percent to 7 percent to 6.5 percent to 8 percent.

Diokno said he expects the domestic economy to return to pre-pandemic levels by the middle or third quarter of this year.

“The BSP simply accelerated the normalization process,” he said. “The economy was growing at that rate before the pandemic, when policy rate was at 4 percent.”

Meanwhile, monetary authorities said the strong growth of the domestic economy as of the first quarter of the year gives the cen-

FECONOMY, P10

EDGEDAVAO

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ECONOMY

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An attendant of a kiosk offering Indonesian dishes prepares to serve the food for customers at Davao StrEat Food Park along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City on Friday. Edge Davao

Wage hike push must also weigh employers’ ability to pay: DOLE P

DITO says ready to take on Globe, PLDT as subcribers hit 10.3 million

D

ITO Telecommunity said it has over 10.3 million subscribers as of July and over 5,500 towers, which would enable it to compete head-to-head with PLDT and Globe.

With this number of towers, the company is confident it could cover its commitment to cover 70 percent of the population in its third year, DITO Chief Technology Officer Rodolfo Santiago said during a virtual Kapihan with the press.

DITO’s services are also now available to over 600 cities and municipalities, nearing its year-end target of 800, he said.

“We are ready to run really and go head-to-head with our competitors,” Santiago added.

Meanwhile, DITO Chief Administrative Officer Adel Tamano said achieving these milestones was not easy but they are now prepared to fight with Globe Telecom and PLDT’s Smart who have more funds.

Tamano said their “superior product” and fair offers would help them become the number 1 telco in the country.

“Talagang toe-to-toe, talagang suntukan na to.

It’s not going to be easy,” he

added.

“We have such a superior product and also we treat the customer more fairly.

Filipinos will slowly realize that and take that to heart.

Filipinos gravitate towards that. That’s why I’m confident that the goal to become number one is not impossible,” he added.

In less than 3 years, the telco now has a 5 percent market share in mobile and about 9 percent share in the “data-centric” segment, DITO said.

Santiago also said Ookla’s report citing DITO’s entry to have “broken” the duopoly of Globe and Smart was “significant” to the telco industry.

Ookla said in a report that DITO’s entry improved overall 4G network and 5G network performance in the country.

Meanwhile, an OpenSignal report earlier said DITO has the fastest average upload speeds while Smart is leading in terms of downloads and 5G availability and Globe with most consistent quality of service.

Based on its government commitments, DITO DITO should achieve 80 percent in population coverage in its 4th year and 84 percent in its 5th year of operations.

mand kung hindi kung kakayanan po ba ng mga kumpanya, lalo na ng mga maliliit karamihan dito sa ating bansa,” he said.

“Tingnan din yung mga usapin na may kinalaman sa mga non-wage benefits, mga subsidy... pag kinompute mo ay may value din yan in terms of peso,” he

said.

(We should consider not just the demand, but also the ability of the company, especially because most of the businesses in the country are small. We should also look at nonwage benefits and subsidies... When you compute that, it also has some peso value.)

Laguesma said the government has subsidized fares in several routes to unburden commuters from rising fuel costs.

The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) is in the process of reviewing its existing programs to see which ones need to be strengthened and which ones are already outdated, Laguesma said.

The DOLE is also coordinating with the Department of Migrant Workers to quicken the transfer of several offices under the agency formed to focus solely on Filipino workers abroad, he said.

online shopping in the Philippines and most Southeast Asian markets has shifted to smaller devices,” it read.

The shift was likewise observed in other Southeast Asian nations.

On average, 5 percent of users browsing with their mobile phones in the region ended up in a checkout, while only 3 percent of desktop traffic resulted in a purchase.

Vietnam, however, was an exception to the trend.

“In this market, customers browse heavily on mobile, but still prefer to make the final purchase on desktop. We hypothesize consumer browsing patterns

and relatively underdeveloped mobile platforms explain this behavior,” i-Price explained.

According to the firm, “most Vietnamese online shoppers appear to be actively browsing during work hours and are more likely to be using their office desktops to complete their purchases.”

Compared to other countries, the group noted that the push for mobile adoption is also not as aggressive in Vietnam. i-Price attributed the move towards mobile phones to e-commerce providers’ effort to optimize their websites for smaller

devices such as through the development of mobile apps.

“Several popular merchants, such as The Gioi Di Dong and FPT, do not have mobile apps. Users can still access the e-commerce store via mobile, but many turn to the desktop version, where the larger screen allows for a more comfortable browsing and buying experience,” the group explained in the report.

“On the desktop, consumers have a comprehensive view of information, such as product specifications and payment details, which creates more confidence in the

roposals for fresh wage hikes should also consider employers’ ability to pay, the Department of Labor and Employment said.

Labor Secretary Bienvenido Laguesma said while workers have the right to clamor for higher pay, the public must also understand that not all employers are capable of shelling out more money.

“Dapat i-consider natin hindi lang ang de-

Mobile purchases in PH 2x higher than on desktop computers, study says

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nline shopping in the Philippines has rapidly migrated from desktop computers to smartphones, a study by e-commerce aggregator i-Price said.

The Malaysian firm’s recent report titled “The State of Online Shoppers in Southeast Asia 2021/22,” found that “mobile purchases in the country are now more than two times higher than those on desktops”.

“Five years ago, consumers were much more likely to buy online via their desktop computers than using their mobile devices. Times have changed – and so have consumer preferences. Today,

FMOBILE, P10

6 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

On the future of the stalled peace negotiations between the national government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP):

That is a decision that the President of the Republic will make.”

National Security Adviser CLARITA CARLOS

EDGEDAVAO

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

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

VANTAGE POINTS

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HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

BULLYING SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN FOR GRANTED It happened in 2016. I was in Tagum City where I was invited as a resource person in feature writing and science reporting.

Some teachers were talking about an incident of a minor being stabbed to death by a schoolmate. I got further information about the incident after reading it in a wall posted by one of my friends.

“What is the reason for this tragic incident?” I asked myself. It wasn’t only after reading a comment that the one who committed the murder was being bullied by the victim. I didn’t have the time to verify the post whether it was true or not but I am sure that bullying does exist in schools.

Some months before the said incident, there was this news about the daughter of then Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte who was “bullied by her classmate inside the school premises.”

According to the news report, Duterte contacted the father of the “bully” but it seemed the latter didn’t do anything about it.

He also called the attention of the school authorities but he was only told that the matter was already referred to the school’s guidance counselor.

Duterte has asked his lawyer to write a letter and send a copy to the father, the school, and the Department of Education. “Bul-

lying has never been given attention by the school,” Duterte was quoted as saying. “I think it’s about time. If you won’t do anything now, who are you waiting for to act on this law?”

Yes, it’s about time! I know what it is to be bullied. When I was still in primary grade, I was also bullied by a classmate bigger than me. At first, I didn’t pay attention to it. But when he started getting nasty, I became alarmed.

So, I decided to fight back – not literally but figuratively.

I befriended some classmates who were much bigger than him.

I “bribed” my friends by giving them snacks (I usually asked my mother to prepare more than what I could eat). Every time the bully went near me, I told my friends that he (the bully) was pestering me. Since then, he stopped bothering me.

Violence against children by their peers, in particular bullying, has received little attention in the Philippines, possibly due to the perception that bullying and fighting among children is part of school culture. “Away bata” is the common excuse for it – it’s “normal” or “a rite of passage” for children.

A 2009 study by Plan International and United Nations Children’s Fund on Violence Against Children in Public Schools in the Philippines showed that four

out of 10 children in Grades 1 to 3, and seven out of 10 in both Grades 4 to 6 and high school have experienced some kind of violence in school.

“Results of the survey show that peers perpetrate most forms of violence experienced by children,” commented Plan Philippines country director Michael Diamond. “Ridicule and teasing by peers are the most common experiences.”

Bullying, if you care to know, is “the use of force, threat, or coercion to abuse, intimidate, or aggressively dominate others.”

The behavior is often repeated and habitual. One essential prerequisite is the perception, by the bully or by others, of an imbalance of social or physical power, which distinguishes bullying from conflict.

“Behaviors used to assert such domination can include verbal harassment or threat, physical assault or coercion, and such acts may be directed repeatedly towards particular targets,” Wikipedia explains. “Rationalizations for such behavior sometimes include differences of social class, race, religion, gender, sexual orientation, appearance, behavior, body language, personality, reputation, lineage, strength, size or ability.”

By the way, if bullying is done by a group, it is called mobbing.

There are four basic types of

abuse which can be described as a form of bullying – these are emotional (sometimes called relational), verbal, physical, and cyber.

During the time of President Benigno S. Aquino III, Republic Act No. 10627 or the anti-bullying law was signed in 2013. Senator Juan Edgardo “Sonny” Angara, one of the principal authors of the law, called it “a huge step in protecting our children from the earliest forms of violence.”

The Anti-Bullying Act of 2013 requires elementary and secondary schools to adopt policies to prevent and address bullying.

The law defines bullying as “any severe or repeated use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture, or any combination thereof, directed at another student that has the effect of actually causing or placing the latter in reasonable fear of physical or emotional harm or damage to his property, creating a hostile environment at school for the other students.”

In Davao City, neophyte councilor Enzo Villafuerte is proposing an anti-bullying ordinance.

“Some people consider bullying a normal occurrence, a form of banter for which we as social animals are pre-disposed to,” he said in a privilege speech. “This may be true to a certain degree, however, once such banter pass-

es a certain threshold it exits the realm of innocence and becomes offensive, degrading, and even downright unbearable.”

Maya Padillo, the roving reporter of EDGE Davao, further quoted the chair of the Committee on Civil, Political and Human Rights for the 20th City Council: “The fact that bullying exists not just in the traditional school setting but has extended itself in the workplace and even in cyberspace suggests that there is nothing normal about it.”

The effects of bullying can be serious and even fatal. The link between bullying and school violence has attracted increasing attention since the 1999 Columbine High School massacre in the United States. That year, two shotgun-wielding students, both of whom had been identified as gifted and who had been bullied for years, killed 13 people, wounded 24, and then committed suicide.

By the way, what turns some children into bullies? There are no research data done in the Philippines but researchers, led

by Kris Bosworth of the University of Arizona, collected information from 558 students in grades 6 to 8, then divided the students into three groups: 228 who rarely or never bullied anyone; 243 who reported a moderate level of bullying; and 87 who reported excessive amounts of bullying.

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

REP. VELOSO’S ‘LOST’ BILL The journey to divide the old Davao Province started in the 5th Congress (1962-65).

Rep. Ismael L. Veloso, the city’s postwar kingmaker, filed in 1961 in Congress House Bill No. 36 titled “An Act to create the Provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, and Davao del Sur.” Though the bill cleared the House of Representatives, it failed to muster support in the Senate.

The bill’s explanatory note yields interesting details about Davao Province, then containing thirty towns and a city, as the second-largest in the country with a land area of 19,499 square kilometers (i.e., 194,990 hectares), a population of 438, 610, and an electorate of 194,326.

Under the legislation, Davao Oriental comprised the municipalities of Gov. Generoso, Lupon, Mati, Manay, Caraga, Ba-

ganga, and Cateel, with Mati as capital while Davao del Norte Province would comprise the towns of Babak, Samal, Tagum, Sto. Tomas, Asuncion, Kapalong, Pantukan, Panabo, Nabunturan, Mawab, Compostela, Monkayo, and Mabini, with Tagum as capital town.

On the other hand, the proposed province of Davao del Sur would comprise the towns of Santa Cruz, Digos, Matan-ao, Bansalan, Hagonoy, Padada, Sulop, Malalag, Malita, and Jose Abad Santos, with Padada as capital town.

Under the Veloso initiative, the provincial officials elected in the 1959 elections would continue to specifically govern the new province of Davao del Sur until their successors have been elected and qualified. The incumbent provincial treasurer and provincial fiscal, meanwhile, would continue to receive their salaries until a new

readjustment of salaries was made.

Meanwhile, the officials of the provinces of Davao del Norte and Davao Oriental, with the concurrence of the commission on appointments, were to be appointed by the President and held office until their successors have been elected in the next general elections and qualified.

Significantly, the bill, specifically Section 6, also required congressional representations, thus: “The Provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte, and Davao del Sur shall each have one Representative: Provided, That for purposes of Congressional representation, the City of Davao shall be included in the Province of Davao del Sur: Provided, further, That the present Representative for the province of Davao shall, during his term of office as

such, be the Representative for the Provinces of Davao Oriental, Davao del Norte and Davao del Sur until the Representatives for the provinces of Davao Oriental and Davao del Norte shall have been elected together with the local officials in the next general elections in 1963 and shall have qualified, in which event, the incumbent shall remain as the representative for the Province of Davao del Sur.” As to the funds, obligations, and properties assigned to the three provinces, if the bill had been enacted and approved into law, all the assets were subject to equitable distribution upon the recommendation of the auditor general and the approval of the President.

The proposed law was supposed to take effect on July 4, 1962, or on any date set by the President through proclamation. Failing to hurdle the

Senate, the bill was archived but was later refiled by Rep. Lorenzo S. Sarmiento and earned the credit as the ‘father of the Davao provinces.’

On May 8, 1967, President Ferdinand E. Marcos signed the initiative as Republic Act 4867; it was ratified on July 1, 1967.

Under this law, Davao del Sur’s capital town was moved to Digos.

Two new provisos, the extensions of the two sections cited in the Veloso bill, were introduced: (i) If the obligation of the province were contracted to finance the project of any one of the three provinces, the province concerned was exclusively responsible for such obligation; and (ii) the incumbent officers and employees needed to organize, or to complete, the provincial staffing of any of the three provinces shall be appointed in accordance with the law.

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COMPETITIVE EDGE

SHOPEE SELLERS SHARE TWO MAJOR TIPS ON HOW THEY WERE ABLE TO BUILD A SUCCESSFUL BUSINESS ONLINE MANILA, PHILIPPINES, JULY 13, 2022 - With inflation rising and economic recession looming, it may seem difficult for aspiring entrepreneurs to invest in an online business. Despite the economic situation and the challenges it poses, Davao-based Shopee sellers Shiela Reyes-Lao and Lou Putian prove that one can still manage to start an online business and become successful.

In a recent face-to-face event held by Shopee for Davao-based entrepreneurs, both sellers shared how easy it was to join and grow their businesses on Shopee, even in the face of economic uncertainty.

SY Glow Cosmetics owner Lou Putian’s e-commerce journey started when her husband, an Overseas Filipino Worker, was sent home in 2020.

“We had little to no income at the time. To continue paying our bills, I started selling bath and body care essentials haphazardly online until some of my loyal customers urged me to set up a Shopee store,” she shared.

In just 2 months after creating an account and learning how to market her products through the

platform, her sales greatly increased. “From barely making ends meet then, I’ve now been able to fulfill my dream of purchasing houses for family members and even establishing my own warehouse,” she added.

Meanwhile, Shiela of Cacao Culture, already joined Shopee in 2017. However, she and her team only focused their efforts on the platform after the pandemic affected their operations.

“Initially, our Shopee account was only meant to supplement our retail store sales. But when the pandemic hit, we were forced to close down our physical stores and outlets— prompting us to refocus our efforts on e-commerce,” she shared.

Since making the leap to e-commerce, Shiela grew her sales volume 7x. Cacao Culture’s growth and visibility on the platform also encouraged Shiela and her team to carry more Davaobased cacao brands and sell them nationwide.

Besides the need to shift to a new income stream, what drew both sellers to Shopee was how easy it was to onboard into and sell on the platform. “With Shopee, all you need is a mobile phone and internet connec-

tion,” shared Lou. “The convenience that Shopee offers allows entrepreneurs like me to manage my own business and care for my family, all from the comfort of my own home.”

Having benefited from the seamless Shopee experience to easily bring sellers online, Shiela also highlighted that growing and sustaining one’s business is another story and different kind of challenge.

Fortunately, Shopee offers tools like insights and

marketing solutions to help sellers further their business growth and visibility. Moreover, Shopee’s continuous logistics expansion nationwide also allows sellers like Shiela to reach more customers.

“As a Davao-based seller, I found it challenging to sell my products online and attract more buyers at the beginning. Through Shopee’s establishment of more hubs in Mindanao and the tools on the platform’s Marketing Center,

HOME CREDIT ANNOUNCES MOIRA DELA TORRE AS THE OFFICIAL AMBASSADOR FOR PARA SA LIFE CAMPAIGN

Manila – Home Credit Philippines (HCPH), the country’s leading consumer finance company, introduced singer-songwriter Moira dela Torre as the brand’s ambassador for its “Para sa Life” campaign that aims to share a message of hope for a better life for Filipinos.

Moira, the moststreamed Filipina artist for bigness, performed the theme song “Para Sa Life” of Home Credit campaign video.

“I loved it. It was so special to me,” Moira said, pertaining to the song. “I’m glad that Home Credit gives me the opportunity to be their ambassador so I can give

voice to that wonderful song to inspire more Filipinos,” she added.

The singer-songwriter behind the hit songs “Malaya,” “Tagpuan,” and many more believes that Home Credit’s new campaign can touch the hearts of millions of Filipinos.

“I really love that Home Credit allows us to have somebody to rely on. Back in college, I really wanted to buy a microwave for myself since I was living alone. But I knew that it was impossible for me to get one since I couldn’t afford it in cash,” Moira said laughing.

“Now, I love that Home Credit provides us the accessibility to purchase the

things we need in life while giving us the flexibility in our payment terms. And I’m happy that someone out there, who I once was like, can now buy their microwave because of Home Credit,” Moira added.

This campaign of Home Credit aims to inspire more Filipinos, be it the young professionals, couples starting a family, and those who have already established their lives — to pursue their life’s dreams, Para sa Life.

Bringing Home Credit Closer, Relatable to Filipinos Sheila Paul, HCPH’s Chief Marketing Officer, expressed her delight in the song being an inspiration to individuals

who aspire financial stability.

“This new song of Home Credit encapsulates the brand’s promise of companionship through the use of our easily accessible and affordable financial products for our Filipino consumers. Also, the song relays that Home Credit is ideal for young families and starting individuals who aspire to establish their lifelong plans and helping them turn small dreams into reality,” she shared.

Homonym, an agency specializing in sonic branding and end-to-end music and audio marketing solutions, helped Home Credit’s “Para sa Life” campaign with an effective combination of sight and sounds.

“Marketing strategies have turned to visual messaging these past two years and now, marketers are on the lookout to explore other senses that can work. This is where Sonic Branding comes in. It is a strategic, purposeful and consistent use of sound and music in branding and marketing to shape perception and behavior,” said Homonym founder and chief executive Mike Constantino.

By using studies that provide insight into the music habits of Filipino consumers, Homonym was able to determine Home Credit’s brand essence and fine-tuned it with the

I was able to attract more customers nationwide by setting up promotions, discounts, and vouchers,” she said.

Martin Yu, Director at Shopee Philippines said, “It is heartwarming to hear Lou and Shiela’s success stories as it is a testament to what sellers are capable of achieving on Shopee’s platform.

Through seller education activities, continuous advancement of platform features, nationwide hub

expansion, and other initiatives, we strengthen our commitment to deliver a safe and convenient online shopping experience for both our customers and sellers, no matter where they are in the Philippines.”

If you want to grow your business online and enjoy the numerous benefits of e-commerce, start your online selling journey with Shopee today. Download the Shopee app for free via the App Store or Google Play.

LOCAL FROM ILOILO HITS

P401M GRAND LOTTO JACKPOT PRIZE Mandaluyong City. A solo winner from Iloilo City hit the coveted P401M Grand Lotto 6/55 jackpot prize, having the winning combination of 02-18-4907-19-47 drawn on Saturday, July 09, 2022 and televised live at PTV-4.

The jackpot winner has yet to claim the prize at the Main Office at Sun Plaza Building, Mandaluyong City anytime soon.

Pursuant to RA 1169 (PCSO Charter) all winners have only a grace period of one (1) year from the date of draw to claim their prizes otherwise it will be forfeited and will be transferred to the Charity Fund to support various health related and medical programs of the Agency.

Winners are reminded to write their name and affix their signature at the back of the winning ticket before claiming the prize.

Prizes amounting to P20.00

preferences of the target market to produce a melody that portrays a positive vibe and the feeling of trust and respect.

“Sight targets the brain while sound targets emotions thus eliciting feelings.

By creating that emotional connection with the brand’s own signature sound, it will create a long-lasting effect on the target audience and increase familiarity with the brand,” he added.

Paul believed that tapping Homonym in the campaign made Filipinos relate to the message Home Credit

up to P10,000.00 can be claimed at any authorized Lotto outlet or at the PCSO Branch Offices in your area.

Prizes from P10,001.00 and up to P300,000.00 can be claimed at the PCSO Branch Offices in your area or at the PCSO Main Office in Mandaluyong City. Prizes from P300,001.00 and up to JACKPOT PRIZE should be validated and claimed at the PCSO Main Office.

PCSO Chairperson and Ad-Interim General Manager Anselmo Simeon P. Pinili encourages everyone to support the Agency’s gaming products to provide more individual and institutionalized assistance through the Agency’s various charitable programs.“Dito na kayo sa Larong may Puso, may tsansa na kayong maging milyonaryo, nakakatulong pa kayo sa libo-libo nating kababayan sa bawat ticket na nilalaro nyo.” By Justin B. Santos

wanted to convey.

“As a reliable financial partner of Filipinos, Home Credit has a greater mission of helping its consumers better manage their finances and promote financial inclusion.

With music as a huge part of our lives, we at Home Credit saw the value of building our sonic identity and communicating our messages through music to make more people relate to the message of hope and trust that we are trying to convey,” said Paul.

9 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

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I

n the past, people ate durian less because the fruit was less available aside from the fact that it was expensive. These days, when you can already eat durian all you can, people are still eating less. The reason: high blood pressure.

Hypertension – as high blood pressure is known in medical parlance – once uncontrolled can lead to complications, including heart attack and stroke, aneurysm, heart failure, weakened and narrowed blood vessels in your kidneys, narrowed of torn blood vessels in the eyes, metabolic syndrome, trouble with memory or understanding, and dementia.

But what most people think about durian is just a myth. Eating durian does not trigger your blood pressure to spike, according to Dr. Bernard Chiew, a cardiologist at the Davao Doctors Hospital.

Dr. Chiew, one of the top heart specialists in Davao if not the whole Mindanao, said that there’s no evidence that shows durian can cause the blood pressure to in-

crease when eating durian.

A study which was published in International Journal of Food Properties supported his claim. It investigated the correlation between durian intake and the elevation of blood pressure and heart rate in healthy males. The participants consumed either placebo, 250 grams or 500 grams of durian flesh. The blood pressure and heart rate were measured at various intervals up to 24 hours.

“Both systolic and diastolic blood pressure remained normal for groups given durian,” the study said. “However, a significant increase in heart rate was observed in the group given 500 grams of durian at half an hour to 2 hours. A modest amount of durian intake did not affect blood pressure and heart rate

DOES EATING DURIAN REALLY CAUSE

HYPERTENSION? Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

The fruit that smells like hell but tastes like heaven.

in healthy individuals.”

But despite this fact, people still believe eating durian causes hypertension. However, there are those who don’t think so.

“That’s not true at all,” says Maria Lehrie A. Para-

dillo, a nurse. “During my first pregnancy, I used to eat durian seven times a day when durian was in season and my blood pressure remained normal.”

Like other fruits, du-

rian should be eaten in moderation. “No scientific or medical proof that it can cause high blood,” said Val Turtur, president of the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao, Inc. “When you eat much more than the average, it may cause hypertension. Everything that is too much may cause the rise of blood pressure.”

Eating too much durian may be fatal. In 2009, a government worker in Thailand died after eating 5 durians in one setting.

In Singapore, a businessman who ate 4 durians in a row also died in 2012.

There’s also this myth that eating durian and drinking beer at the same time may kill you.

“There is no scientific evidence to show that this is a lethal combination,” explains the website healthxchange.sg. “It is more likely to cause bloating, indigestion and discomfort as your liver has to work extra hard to metabolise both fats and sugars in the durians and the alcohol, especially if you have consumed both in excessive amounts.”

The International Medical University’s Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine

shares this bit of explanation: “Sulphur-containing volatiles in durian can inhibit the activity of the enzyme aldehyde dehydrogenase – which helps our liver to process alcohol – by up to 70%.

Some people in Asian origin have an inherited deficiency of the enzyme.

This may perhaps explain the claim that durian and alcohol is a deadly mix, especially when someone with a deficiency of this enzyme consumes durian and alcohol together.”

If you are diagnosed with diabetes, try to limit your intake of durian or better still, don’t eat.

“Durians are high in sugars such as fructose and glucose,” reminds raffleshealth.com. “People with diabetes may experience a rise in blood sugar if too much of it is eaten. This may cause symptoms such as blurry vision and nausea.”

“People with diabetes can eat durian, as long as they keep within the recommended two servings of fruit per day – two durian seeds equal one serving of fruit,” healthhub.sg suggests.

Perhaps one reason why people think that durian can cause high blood

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family has requested that the investigation and case files including those in the possession of the PNP Davao Cybercrime Unit for Forensic be transferred to NBI 11.

NBI 11 vowed to dig deeper and conduct a thorough parallel investigation in the case of Mangacop after the City Prosecutor’s Office issued an order requiring all investigative units to submit additional pieces of evidence.

Mangacop’s uncle, Anwar, thanked the NBI-Davao Region headed by Regional Director Jonathan Balite for the unbiased and speedy investigation.

“Thank you sa NBIDavao Region headed by Regional Director Jonathan

Balite sa patas ug paspas nga imbestigasyon. Nag-file pud mi ug tulo ka kasong attempted murder against Dr. Pepino. Karon naa na sa mga kamot sa fiscal ang kaso. Kami po ay nagasalig sa patas nga dagan sa kaso ug unta makamit ang hustisya sa pagkamatay sa akoang pinalanggang pag umangkon,” he said.

The legal team also denounced the taking of mugshots of some of the witnesses by the personnel of San Pedro Police Station without any cases filed against them.

“We will be filing appropriate cases against those involved in the coming days,” the legal team said in a statement.

(When our IRR is approved, which may be in two or three months since the city council has already started its sessions, then we will start apprehending violators in order to mitigate the presence of single-use plastics in our coastal areas),” Limpangog said.

The ordinance not only regulates single-use plastics in business establishments but also their individual use. Establishments that wish to retail single-use plastic products will have to pay P10,000 for a “special permit to sell” while those who wish to distribute or use these in large amounts (e. g. during events or special occasions) will have to pay P5 for each single-use plastic to obtain a “special permit to distribute”. Establishments that have failed to secure the special permit to sell or distribute single-use plastics will be fined and may even be foreclosed.

Business owners that have recently renewed their business permits were told to display anti-single-use plastics campaign posters

in their establishments.

Establishments that have relied on plastic, cutleries, straws, cups, cup lids, plates, egg trays, hand gloves and other single-use plastics are advised to transition into using items made of biodegradable or reusable materials before the IRR of the ordinance is fully set in place. Limpangog said that businesses such as fast-food chains have already started to make the transition. “Ang mga dako na fast-food chain dinhi parehas sa Mcdo, Jollibee, ang ilang ginagamit karon [utensils] kay mga kahoy na (The big fast-food chains like McDonald’s and Jollibee are now using wooden utensils),” Limpangog added.

The administrative penalty for first-time violators of the ordinance is set at P1,000, or they may render an 8-hour environmental service; the second offense entails a P3,000 fine or a 16-hour environmental service; meanwhile, the maximum penalty is set at P5,000. CIO

sila masyadong maapektuhan at mabigyan sila ng tulong ng gobyerno habang mayroon tayong sitwasyon na ganito.”

Among the former finance chief’s proposals were the strengthening of public-private partnerships, proper implementation of TRAIN Act and

Public Service Act, and the safe reopening of in-person classes this year.

Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno earlier said they plan to tax digital services and continue the P6,500 fuel subsidy to “targeted” beneficiaries to help revive the economy.

purchase,” it added.

The Malaysia-based form also observed that online stores invested heavily in marketing initiatives to encourage mobile purchases.”

For instance, some e-commerce players drive shoppers to their handheld platforms by developing e-wallet features, creating coupons, and offering discounts exclusive to mobile users.

The wider range of affordable internet-enabled gadgets is also another macro trend that drove online shoppers to make purchases through their phones, i-Price pointed out.

“Smartphones and tablets have made it easier for consumers to browse and

buy online,” it said.

Although mobile platforms account for most of the checkouts in the past year, desktops still play a “key role” in e-commerce in the Philippines as well as in Malaysia and Singapore.

Based on the study, device penetration in the aforementioned markets is still high.

“Online shoppers show hybrid browsing and buying patterns, moving across multiple platforms as they transition through the purchase funnel (Awareness, Research, Decision to Purchase),” the report revealed.

An example of “hybrid browsing” is when an online shopper would look for

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front-liners), A2 (senior citizens), A3 (persons with comorbidities), A4 (essential workers), A5 (indigents), pediatric population 12 years to 17 years, and pediatric population five years to 11 years.

There are 18 district health centers tapped to

conduct the Covid-19 vaccination rollout. Almost all the centers have started except in Paquibato District due to logistic problems.

“Usa na lang ang nagpabilin ang Paquibato District and hopefully this coming week maka-rollout na pud sila,” Schlosser said.

and were not able to get a copy of your QR, click the button at the top right, and click “I’ve been here before” to restore your filled-out details.

“Kailangan mag-online registration para pag-abot nila sa library magkuha na lng ug picture and after that makuha na pud nila ilang library card,” Enoc said.

Enoc said there is an annual library membership fee of P30 and at P100 Dabawenyos can avail of the free internet for one hour, borrow books, and use the library.

The library is open from

7 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday to Friday.

Meanwhile, a separate President Rodrigo Roa Duterte Presidential library in Davao City to honor the President’s life and work, and accomplishment as a great leader was also proposed by Vice Mayor-elect J. Melchor B. Quitain, Jr. Quitain added that such a library is a befitting tribute so that generations of Dabawenyos will be able to research and be educated about Davao City and the beloved President of the Republic of the Philippines Rodrigo Roa Duterte.

shift to four days of in-person classes and one-day distance learning. Or they can mix up,” she said in mixed English and Filipino.

But from Nov. 2 and beyond, all schools must shift to in-person classes with the implementation of “physical distancing whenever possible”.

“The reason why we included the ‘physical distancing shall be implemented whenever possible’ is that, this is one of the considerations included because we don’t want to add, add on the burden of additional classes in schools due to distancing,” she said.

This means that the DepEd will not be setting a standard size or learners’ capacity per room, as school spaces vary in size.

No eating together Duterte also discussed the strict prohibitions on

eating, given the limited spaces which might increase the probability of transmission.

“This is one of the instances, where we remove our face masks, so eating together, should be prohibited, and if the spaces are limited inside the schools, [learners] should be separated from each other by eating while facing the same directions.

So [learners] will not be facing each other,” she added.

The education chief, meanwhile, encouraged parents or family members, especially the vulnerable ones, to avail themselves of the booster shots against Covid-19 since children were found to be of high recovery rate than them.

She noted that maintaining the minimum health protocols would be of significant help alongside vaccination. (PNA)

tral bank leeway to continue its tightening cycle.

BSP Governor Felipe Medalla announced earlier in the day an off-cycle rate hike of 75 basis points, the highest so far this year since the 25 basis points increase in May and the 50 basis points increase last month.

Medalla said the decision of the policy-making Monetary Board during their regular meeting on Thursday aims to address

increasing price pressures and the continued key rate hikes by other central banks.

“By taking urgent action, the Monetary Board aims to anchor inflation expectations further and temper mounting risks to the inflation outlook. In particular, policy action is intended to help manage spillovers from other countries that could potentially dis-anchor inflation expectations,” he said.

(PNA)

products using their phones during their daily commute, research more thoroughly on the products using their desktops at work, and then check out via their tablets at home in the evening.

“E-commerce companies track this user behavior to tailor and target their marketing strategies. From in-depth reviews to technical information and product specifications, content needs to be adapted according to the stage in the buying journey,” i-Price said.

It went on: “Detailed

product guides are effective in attracting customers during the awareness and research stage. Email marketing campaigns and remarketing can be effective in converting those who have added products to their cart without checking out.”

The study was based on data gathered from 125 million unique users on iPrice Group websites from six South East Asia key markets (Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Singapore), spanning from January 1, 2021 to April 30, 2022.

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is because of its “heaty” characteristic. Although it cannot be found in the dictionary, it often refers to “characteristic of elevated internal temperature, sweating or fever.”

Some doctors suggested that this “heaty” feeling after eating durian causes a temporary rise in blood pressure and body temperature.

Dr. Hu Chang Hock, an advisor of the Malaysian Medical Association, advised those with hypertension or diabetes or both must not eat too much of the fruit. “Durians can cause the blood pressure and sugar level of people with hypertension and diabetes to shoot up,” he told The Star. “If you have both illnesses and you take an alcoholic drink with durians at the same time, you will put more poison into your body.”

Durian is a nutritional powerhouse. The fruit contains 147 kilocalories of energy, 1.47 grams of protein, 27.09 grams of carbohydrate, and 3.8 grams of total dietary fiber, according to the National Nutrient Database for Standard Reference. Its total lipid (fat) is 5.33 grams.

Durian contains the following minerals: calcium, iron, magnesium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, and zinc. Among the vitamins it contains are: vitamin C, thiamine, riboflavin, niacin, vitamin B6, and vitamin A. The potassium it contains is one of the reasons why durian, in fact, keeps your blood pressure in check. “Durians are rich in potassium, which is important in maintaining the balance of salt and fluid in the body to regulate blood pressure,” raffleshealth. com explains. “A healthy blood pressure places less stress on your heart and blood vessels, which improves your heart health and reduces your risk of cardiovascular diseases.”

In this time of pandemic, eating durian helps. “The fruit contains vitamin C, an antioxidant that protects against harmful free radicals, and supports your immunity against infections and vital attacks,” states raffleshealth.com.

If you are having trouble getting a good night’s sleep, try eating durian.

“The higher levels of melatonin, the hormone that controls your sleep cycle, the better you sleep,” says Apple Chan, a dietitian at Gleneagles Hospital in Singapore. “Durian contains tryptophan, an essential amino acid that is required to increase the levels of melatonin. So, eating a seed of durian near bedtime may help you sleep better.”

Feeling weak, why not eat durian. “Next time you need an energy boost, consider a durian seed instead of reaching for that cup of coffee or energy bar,” Chan suggests. “Being high in carbohydrates, durian could also provide that energy boost when

needed. Two seeds may give you as much energy as a medium-sized banana. The high potassium content in durians can also help reduce fatigue and relieve anxiety.”

Eating too much durian, however, is not good if you want to lose weight. A durian can have anywhere from 885 calories to 1,500 calories depending on its size. Those who consume a durian in one setting can rack up as much as 68% of the daily 2,000 calories recommended for an average adult. “One seed durian (about 40 grams) has 54 calories,” says healthxchange.sg.

Durian is one of the most controversial fruits around.

When Jimmy Kimmel, an American television host of Jimmy Kimmel Live, had his first taste of durian, he said: “It is a kind, the line between horrible and terrible, is right on that line.”

“It smelled like you’d buried somebody holding a big wheel of Stilton in his arms, then dug him up a few weeks later” was how the late Anthony Bourdain, a renowned American food critic, described durian.

One foreign scribe wrote it aptly: “Love it or hate it – there’s no emotion in between. People either swarm to it like bees to honey, or bolt from the room. They faint with lusty joy, or they faint, period, with a handkerchief pressed to their nostrils.”

In his book Following the Equator, Mark Twain wrote about his durian experience in Southeast Asia: “It was a strange fruit, and incomparably delicious to the taste, but not to the smell.”

The American humorist further wrote: “We found many who had eaten the durian, and they all spoke of it with a sort of rapture. They said that if you could hold your nose until the fruit was in your mouth a sacred joy would suffuse you from head to foot that would make you oblivious to the smell of the rind, but that if your grip slipped and you caught the smell of the rind before the fruit was in your mouth, you would faint.”

British naturalist Alfred Russell Wallace had the same experience. After a visit with the Interior of Borneo in 1855, he observed the offensive smell of durian in the house; some persons did not even attempt to taste it. “This was also my own experience when I first tried to taste it in Malacca; but in Borneo, I found a ripe fruit on the ground, and eating it out-of-doors, I became a confirmed durian eater.”

Because of the durian’s “foul-smelling odor” that most airlines don’t allow the fruit on board. In Singapore, the Asian country with the most rigid policy and rules concerning the care for the environment, the durian is forbidden even on subway-stations and trains.

VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS 11

The Suns refuse to let star center Deandre Ayton go.

PHOTO: AP

Ayton stays with Suns match Pacers’ offer

P

HOENIX — Deandre Ayton finally has his new deal from the Phoenix Suns, who simply weren’t willing to let him get away for nothing.

A person with knowledge of the situation said the Suns quickly decided to match a $133 million, fouryear offer sheet that Ayton agreed to Thursday (Friday, Manila time) with the Indiana Pacers. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the Suns had not publicly announced the decision.

The Athletic first report-

ed Phoenix matching the offer. ESPN first reported that Ayton had agreed with the Pacers.

The move means the Suns — at least for now — keep their nucleus of Ayton and the All-Star backcourt of Devin Booker and Chris Paul. The trio pushed Phoenix to the NBA Finals in 2021 and a franchise-record 64 wins during the most recent regular season.

The No. 1 pick in the 2018 draft, Ayton was eligible to get an extension from Phoenix last summer.

That didn’t happen, and he became a restricted free agent this summer — meaning Phoenix had the chance to match any offers. Once Indiana made its move, the Suns countered quickly.

Phoenix has been linked to interest in acquiring Brooklyn star Kevin Durant during the offseason, but Ayton can’t be used as trade bait because of the new deal.

The Suns’ move is a blow to the Pacers, who were hoping to add Ayton as a pivotal piece in a promising young core that includes

22-year-old point guard Tyrese Haliburton, who was acquired in a February trade with Sacramento.

Ayton — who turns 24 later this month — had a shaky start to his career but became a critical component in the Suns’ run to the Finals.

He’s part of the 2018 draft class that includes Dallas’ Luka Doncic and Atlanta’s Trae Young. The two guards have had more individual success, but neither has made it as far in the playoffs.

The athletic 6-foot-11 Ayton is powerful in the low post and has developed a strong mid-range game. He averaged 17.2 points and 10.2 rebounds per game

team win.

Even without Ayton, Pacers president of basketball operations Kevin Pritchard may not be done wheeling-and-dealing. Indiana has three potential first-round picks in next year’s draft and enough players and assets to help other teams looking for a salary-cap dump.

The Pacers announced Thursday that they waived four players — Duane Washington Jr., Nik Stauskas, Malik Fitts, and Juwan Morgan.

They were part of Indiana’s trade that sent guard Malcolm Brogdon to Boston, clearing enough cap space to make the pursuit of Ayton or other players realistic.

Fajardo powered his way into the cup and converted a layup against Joseph Gabayni and Aldrech Ramos with 19.6 seconds remaining in the extra period.

Fajardo would make the bonus free throw off Ramos’ sixth foul to cap a rare perfect clip from the charity stripe.

Javi Gomez De Liano had a chance to win it, but despite getting past CJ Perez, he could not convert the go-ahead layup at the final buzzer.

Fajardo finished with

26 points, 10 rebounds, and nine assists for the Beermen, who clinched the top seed in the quarterfinal round plus a twice-to-beat advantage.

Marcio Lassiter added 23 points, seven rebounds, and eight assists, while Perez got 20 points, five rebounds, one assist, four steals, and one block for the now 9-1 SMB side.

Eric Camson put up 20 markers, two boards, two dimes, and one steal for Terrafirma, which remained winless after nine games. (PNA)

SMB seals top seed in PBA quarterfinals

S SMB center Junmar Fajardo scores underneath. PBA

last season while shooting 63.4% from the field and 36.8% on 3-pointers.

Much of the criticism about Ayton has been about his maturity. He was suspended 25 games without pay by the NBA in 2019 for violating the league’s Anti-Drug Program by testing positive for a diuretic. He was also benched for part of Game 7 of the team’s second-round loss to Dallas this year after appearing to exchange words with coach Monty Williams.

Still, he is generally popular with his teammates.

Booker and Paul often praised Ayton, who did a lot of the little things to help the

an Miguel evaded what could have been the biggest upset so far in the PBA Philippine Cup after subduing Terrafirma by just one point in overtime, 109-108, on Thursday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

June Mar Fajardo scored the game-winner for San Miguel as he did not just show his strength inside the paint but even his improved passing abilities that brought him just close to a triple-double.

12 SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.15 ISSUE 80 • SATURDAY, JULY 16, 2022

Filipino boxer Manny Pacquiao has officially retired. Sean Michael Ham, TGB Promotions

ENOUGH, MANNY

Roach prefers Pacquiao to stay retired

C

oach Freddie Roach said he would be willing to train Manny Pacquiao should the boxing champ decide to come out of retirement.

But the esteemed boxing trainer, who is know for his ring partnership with Pacquiao, said he prefers his prized pupil to stay retired.

“I don’t think he has anything more to prove. He’s done everything he can, I feel. He doesn’t owe anything to anybody,” said Roach in Boxingscene.

“If he does wanna come back and fight again, I hope he picks me as his trainer.”

With Roach’s helo, Pacquiao became boxing’s only 8-division world champion.

Although the Filipino sports

icon has retired from the sport following his loss to Yordenis Ugas in 2021, he is set to lace his gloves again for an exhibition match against Korean martial artist DK Yoo. “Right now, he’s traveling,” Roach said. “He likes going to different cities. He brings his family and his wife with him. He likes to travel. He’s doing something he enjoys. His wife doesn’t want him to fight anymore, from what I hear.”

“If he calls me and asks me, I’ll tell him, ‘You don’t need to prove nothing to anybody in the world.’”