A personnel of Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources 11 (BFAR 11) displays crabs and other sea produce at the agen cy’s booth in the ongo ing Mindanao Trade Expo 2022 at the activity center of Abreeza Ayala mall in Davao City on Friday. Edge Davao
STORY ON PAGE 2 P 15.00 • 12 PAGES@EdgeDavao edgedavao@gmail.comwww.edgedavao.netf EDGE Serving a seamless society DAVAO SPORTS P 12 VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022 DOMINANTEJ BUS SAFETY
LTO 11 intensifies roadworthinessinspectionsterminalon
BUS SAFETY
The Provincial Health Office (PHO) has seen a slight increase in number of cases of COVID 19 starting mid of first se mester of the year Guesting in the recent Kapihan sa DavNor, Dr. Jo sephine Therese Parenas at tributed this slight increase to “leniency” in following the established health pro tocols of wearing facemask, social distancing and fre quent cleaning of hands. “Usahay man gud tun god kay gamay nalang kaayo ang atoang COVID-19 cases karon murag dili na kaayo ma feel ang presence ni COVID. Mao ng daghan nag tapok tapok, aside pa ana, atoang hand wash ing (Sometimes because we have lower cases of COVID-19, it seems we can no longer feel the presence of COVID that is why there are many gatherings and our handwashing),” she said. Dr. Parenas also pointed out the crucial importance of continuing vaccination to sustain the wall of immunity, pointing out that “immunity lowers four months after the primary vaccination. “So mao ng dapat mag pa-booster na pud ta usab. (That’s why we need to get a booster shot also),” she said. From 3,001 active cas es of COVID-19 in January F’LENIENCY’, P10 FBOC, P10
The Davao City Police Office has laid out a tight multi-layered security blanket for two of the major events in the 37th Kadayawan Festival namely “Pamulak” and “Indak-Indak.”
FBUS, P10 After finishing the first two quarters and a month for the year 2022, the Bureau of Cus toms (BOC), Port of Davao, continuously exceeded its monthly revenue targets for seven consecutive months. Based on revenue col lection reports, the Port of Davao, including its subports in Dadiangas, Parang, and Mati, was able to collect 25.71 billion pesos which also exceeded its cumula tive target of 22.93 billion pesos by 2.78 billion pesos for the said period. This is also higher by 0.11 percent compared to the 2021 reve nue collection performance (same period) of 22.20 bil lionThepesos.July 2022 revenue collection was also the high est collection performance with 4.54 billion pesos, or 35.55 % higher against its assigned target of 3.35 bil lion pesos, posting a surplus of 1.19 billion pesos. This is also higher by 0.22% com pared to the 2021 July col lection performance of 3.55 billionThepesos.saidachievement is attributed to the improved valuation and assessment of the Bureau, its digitalized
BOC Davao exceeds collection target for 7 consecutive months
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022
The city government of Davao is intensifying vaccination rollout for students by opening Saturday vaccination starting today (Aug. 13) at the People’s Park to prepare them for the opening of schools starting August 22, 2022. Edge Davao tions on jeepneys, vans, and buses at the city’s termi nals namely the Davao City Overland Transport Termi nal (DCOTT), van terminal at Gmall, the terminal at NCCC-Victoria Plaza, Venus Transport Van Terminal, and Buhangin Citygate Ter minal.“Karon gina-intensify namo ang terminal inspec tions kay kana nga pana hon mudaghan ang mga tao mugawas ug Davao ug muabot ug Davao aron muapil sa Kadayawan. Before pa lang sa Kaday awan nagasugod nami ug inspection sa mga termi nals ug road worthiness sa atoang mga public utility vehicles (PUV). Na timing pud na karon mag-abri na ang klase naisa namo ang among progama sa road safety measures Oplan Balik Eskwela at the same time mao na pud na ang
‘Leniency’ causes slight rise in COVID-19 cases in DavNor
2 EDGEDAVAO NEWS
The regional office of the Land Transportation Office (LTO 11) is inten sifying inspections at the city’s terminals to check on public utility vehicles’ road worthiness in anticipation of the influx of visitors in for the Kadayawan sa Davao celebration.ReyTzaddi Montene gro, deputy of LTO 11 Re gional Law Enforcement section, said even before “Kadayawan” LTO 11 has already conducted inspec Provincial Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon will tap the Philippine Councilors’ League Davao Oriental Federation to sup port her development agen da. Malanyaon expressed this intent in the recently held oath-taking ceremony following the election and proclamation, during which she was the administering officer. She wanted their sup port for legislations specifi cally on tourism, agriculture, and other economic drivers “that bid to uplift the prov ince’s economy and bring prosperity to the province”. “I hope that the League will be helpful, especially in my administration, by for mulating legislations that are very much needed to at tain the goals that we need, especially in these difficult times,” said Gov. Malanyaon. “Rest assured, with the representation of your offi cers, I will always give atten tion to your concerns. So, I just hope that we can work harmoniously, and I hope we get this province to move forward and attain the de velopment that we desire,” the Governor added. Newly elected PCL Pres ident Councilor Villademosa expressed his commitment to do his part. He vowed to support Governor Malanya on’s administration by “do ing what is righteous and providing a service from the heart.”He vowed to be the bridge between the coun cilors and the executive level while ensuring that he would serve as their voice in the Sanggunian.ThePhilippine Coun DavOr governor to tap LGU councilors for dev’t agenda
By MAYA M. PADILLO
FDAVOR, P10
LTO 11 intensifies terminal inspections on roadworthiness
Business leader appointed Honorary Consul for Finland
The city government of Davao is daystudentsvaccinationintensifyingrolloutforbyopeningSaturvaccinationstartingto day (Aug. 13) at the People’s Park.Vaccination Cluster head Dr. Joy Villafuerte said this will prepare the stu dents for the opening of schools starting August 22, 2022. “Nag request ang mga teachers kay mag face-toface na ang mga bata ug gusto nila ma-immunize ang mga bata kay maglisod man sila ug adto sa mga health centers nato ug sa mga vaccination sites. Tim ing man pud na Kadayawan busa mag-open mi Satur day at the People’s Park karong weekend up to the end of the month in prepa ration for the opening of the schools,” Villafuerte said over Davao City Disaster Ra dio (DCDR) on Friday. The said vax site will cater to adults, pediatric, 12 to 17 years old, and 18 years old and above and will administer Sinovac, Pfizer, and Moderna anti-Covid vaccines.“Atong i-prioritize ang mga students aron maha tagan ug higayon na mau na aron dili sila ma late sa opening sa ilang klase,” Vil lafuerteVaccinationsaid.
EDGEDAVAO NEWS 3
Authorities de stroyed on Thurs day 54 firearms seized from the New People’s Army at East ern Mindanao Command (EMC) in Naval Station Felix Apolinario, Panacan, DavaoNationalCity.
Tony S. Peralta, chairman of the Euro pean Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP)-Southern Mind anao Business Council, was appointed as Honorary Consul of Finland for Mindanao. tween Finland and Davao City and as well as Mindan ao,” he told Edge Davao. Peralta said he sees good prospects in environmen tal technology in the area of reforestation in Davao City’s critical watersheds and wa ter management. He said these are timely given the strong challenge of climate change to Mindanao as an agricultural economy. “The prospects of cacao exports to Finland is also a good opportunity. The advancement in food pack aging technology is a good opportunity for Davao and Mindanao businesses to consider,” he said. He also said that the promotion of investment prospects in Davao City to Finnish businesses is a con tinuing process that hinges on the competitiveness of
Spokesperson Major Alex Mindalano, the firearms underwent process of segregation, microetch ing, and approval before those were sent for demil itarization.Beforethis, a total of 835 firearms were also demilitarized in the area of Eastern Mindanao sinceSome2019.144 high and low powered firearms were cut in Tagum and Cagayan de Oro on 2019; 16 in Davao City on 2020; and 675 in Butuan City, Mawab, and Cagayan de Oro on 2021. The ceremonial de militarization was part of the visit of NSA Secretary Carlos in Eastern Mindan ao Command. She also had an ex ecutive session with the heads of the Regional Peace and Order Council, Regional Development Council, and different government security agencies.Carlos also met with the former rebels at Hap py Home in Barangay Ma hayag, Bunawan, Davao City.The FRs are from the dismantled Sub Regional Committee 5 headed by Ida Marie Montero alias Ka Mandy. (PIA XI/Michael Uy)
Cluster Representative Dr. Zamzam Zailon, during the I-Speak Media Forum, said that they saw the need to conduct another mass vaccination on August 13, 20, and 27, dubbed as Bakuna Satur
City starts Saturday vax for students at People’s Park Authorities demilitarizes 54 NPA firearms in Davao City
FCITY, P10
European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP)-Southern Mindanao Business Council chair Tony S. Peralta promises to promote two-way bilateral trade between Davao City as Finland after he was appointed as Honorary Consul for Finland. Edge Davao
Security Ad viser Secretary Clarita Carlos, Department of National Defense Offi cer-in-Charge Senior Un dersecretary Jose Fausti no Jr, and National Task Force To End Local Com munist Armed Conflict Executive Director Re tired General Emmanuel Salamat led the ceremoni al demilitarization. The firearms were tagged as surrendered, captured, confiscated, andAccordingsurrendered.to EMC
Peralta said with this ap pointment comes the oppor tunity to further promote two-way bilateral trade be tween Finland and Davao City and as well as Mindan ao. “It is indeed an honor to be appointed as the Hon orary Consul for Finland in Mindanao. With this ap pointment comes the oppor tunity of further promoting two-way bilateral trade be FBUSINESS, P10
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022
By MAYA M. PADILLO
4 EDGEDAVAO ECONOMY
The Intellectual Prop erty Office of the Phil ippines (IPOPHL) reported Thursday that the number of intellectual prop erty registration from Janu ary to June 2022 increased from last year and even ex ceeded the pre-pandemic level.Intellectual property filings in the first half of the year reached 23,410, higher by 1.6 percent in the same period last year at 23,048 filings. These include registra tion of patents, trademarks, utility models and industrial design. First semester filings this year also surpassed in tellectual property registra tion in the first half of 2019 at 22,968IPOPHLfilings.said 2019 is a record year for the agency in terms of intellectual proper ty registration. “The increase in the first half is reflective of the eased Covid-19 (coronavirus dis ease 2019) restrictions and reignited economic activi ties and IPOPHL’s amplified awareness and education initiatives,” IPOPHL director general Rowel Barba said in a statement.Ofthetotal intellectual property registration, bulk of the filings were trade mark registration reaching 20,300 -- 12,514 were fil ings from residents, while non-residents accounted for 7,786 filings. Trademark registra tion for pharmaceuti cal, health, and cosmetic products had the highest number of filings in the January to June 2022 pe riod at 6,145, followed by agricultural products and services at 5,403 filings, while scientific, informa tion and communications technology at 4,697. Registration for patents reached 1,949 applications, mainly driven by pharma ceuticals, organic chemistry, andOnbiotechnology.theotherhand, utility model applications reached 622 and industrial design filings reached 539.
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022
2022
Intellectual property filings in H1 surpass pre-Covid level
Apo Agua gives water pipelines to barangay in Baguio District
The 14 associations in the province are the latest recipients of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) 11’s liveli hoodEachkits. of the identi fied groups whose mem bers reach 401 received a business package worth P10,000, which totaled to a budget of P140,000. During the awarding activity recently at Baran gay Mamali in Mati City, 11 associations were given processed food livelihood kits, two with wearable and homestyle, and one with ag riculture.The Pangkabuhayan sa Pagbangon at Ginhawa (PPG) program is in line with the department’s mandate to assist specifically eligible micro enterprises affected by fire incidents and other calamities ensuring the re building of their businesses. This is in partnership with the local government units (LGUs), private organiza tions, and barangay offices, amongDTI-Davaoothers.
Oriental chief for business development Sylvia R. Ordiz shared that as a legal basis, section 7 of the Republic Act No. 9501 or the Magna Carta for MSMEs stated that the MSME De velopment Council, chaired by the DTI Secretary, shall be the primary agency re sponsible for the growth and development of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country. This will be done by facilitating and closely coordinating na tional efforts to promote the viability and growth of the sector.Apart from providing them with something they can start up with, the of fice also conducted certain training activities, particu larly those on entrepreneur ial mind-setting and values formation, financial literacy, and pricing and costing. Ordiz noted that the capacity-building interven tions are geared towards helping the beneficiaries in managing their respective organizations.Sheadded that the kits provided were specifically requested by each of the beneficiary associations. “We really want to be as responsive as we can to clients’ needs. This is the very reason why we did this initiative in such a way that we will give them what they exactly need,” sheShe,said.however, challenged the beneficiaries to manage and take care of what was given to them, making it sus tainable. She further said that the government can just do so much; hence, it is up to the associations to take re sponsibility for making the operation self-sustaining.
These additional pipe lines will complete Tawan tawan’s second water pipe line system, which will tap their current water source to the barangay’s newly con structed water reservoir. In turn, this will help increase the barangay’s water supply, addressing the urgent need for ample water supply and improving the lives of over 600 households. “This donation is such a big help to our communi ty as this is one of our main problems in the barangay. We are already using the Further strengthening its long-term commitment to its host communi ties, Apo Agua Infrastuctura, Inc. (Apo Agua) recently turned over 2,220 meters of water pipelines to Barangay Tawantawan in Baguio District. The barangay will use the donated pipelines to expand its existing water system, which will help augment its water supply distribution. pipes, and it has served more water to 600 house holds. I hope to have more projects with Apo Agua that can help benefit the constit uents of Barangay Tawan tawan,” said Barangay Cap tain Ricardo Gierran. “Dako among pasalamat sa Apo Agua sa ilong kas ing-kasing na paghatag ug pipes apan nadungagan og patubig ang among ba rangay. Pito ka purok ang nakabenepisyo sa proyek to. Nagtipon pud mi alang sa nakatabang na Water System Management nga seminar ni Apo Agua para sa paglambo sa among pag mentinar ug padagan sa among patubig sa barangay (We thank Apo Agua for providing us with addition al pipes that increased our water distribution. Seven puroks from our barangay have benefited from this project. We also thank them for conducting an informa tive Water System Manage ment that will help improve our water system mainte nance and operations),” said Elma Casinillo, member of Tawantawan’s Barangay Waterworks and Sanitation Association (BWASA). “As we work towards completing the Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project
14 DavOr associations latest benes of DTI 11’s livelihood kits FAPO, P10
Davao City Third District Representative Isidro Ungab, Davao City Water District General Manager Mildred Aviles, and Apo Agua Operations head Shake A. Tuason grace the turn over of 2,200 meters water pipelines from Apo Agua Infrastuctura, Inc. to Barangay Tawantawan. Also present during the event are Apo Agua Pro ject Manager Dorcas Ho, Tawantawan Barangay Kagawad Jimmy Enoch, and Third District Councilor Alberto Ungab. Contributed photo
Avante Agri-Products will be supplying fresh and processed commodities to Bananah & Co. PTE. LTD, a wholesale seller of fruits and vegetables.Initialproducts for deliv ery are fresh pineapple and papaya but will later include other products including fresh banana, durian, cala mansi concentrate, and ba nana chips. A minimum of one 40-footer container per week for both banana and papaya will be arriving in Singapore within two weeks from the signing based on the agreement. Avante Agri Chief Execu tive Officer and General Man ager Lalaine Lam adds that a weekly price quotation will be prepared for the products prior to the scheduled deliv Atrading agreement between a Davaobased fruit exporter and a Singapor ean company was signed during an investment mission here.
FDAVAO, P10 Retailers still bullish on growth outlook FDIGITAL, P10
Davao City fruit exporter signs deal with SG firm
Digitalization has paved the way for people to have faster and more efficient processes but smaller companies are facing some challenges in keeping up with technology, according to a report. A construction industry benchmark report released Thursday by Procore Tech nologies Inc., a global pro vider of construction man agement software, showed that 98 percent of the 259 Philippine-based firms that joined the survey across several countries in the Asia Pacific last February expressed optimism on the outlook for the construction industry conditions in the next 12 months. It said digital transfor mation is a “big catalyst” to the growth of the industry but smaller firms are find ing it hard to easily adapt to theseResultschanges.of the survey showed that 26 percent of the respondents have also said that their business es are already being digi tal-first and 56 percent said they are “well on the way” to their digital transformation journey.Italso indicated that around 65 percent of the re spondents from the Philip pines have increased their digital investments in the last 24 However,months.the challenges to the digitalization bid in clude changing established behaviors, 44 percent; over coming concerns around data security, 43 percent; and costs involving how to transfer processes digitally, inadequate software solu tions, and lack of support from technology providers and vendors. In a press briefing, Pro core Vice President of Asia Bruce Wells attributed the challenges in the shift to digitalization in the con struction industry to tech nologies being built by tech people and not those who are really involved in the construction company. He said the digital trans formation is not simply in vestment in technology but “being committed to doing this“It’sproperly.”anopportunity to change the way you’re doing things,” he added. Wells said that while smaller construction firms are finding it hard to keep
The Philippine Retailers Association (PRA) re mains optimistic with the retail sector’s growth trajectory despite the rising inflationDuringrate.the 28th National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2022 in Pasay City Thursday, PRA president Rosemarie Ong said the sec tor is getting back from the setbacks of the pandemic and is “showing dynamic growth recovery” amid challenges, such as inflation and supply bottlenecks.Inflation rate in July was 6.4 percent, higher than the 6.1 percent in June.
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022 5EDGEDAVAO ECONOMY
A handshake caps the agreement signed between Avante Agri-Products from Davao City (represented by Chief Executive Officer Lalaine F. Lam) and Singapore’s Bananah & Co (represented by founder Mr. Jason B.Y. Nah) was one of the highlights of the Mindanao Business Forum held at the Orchard Garden in Singapore. Wit nessing the signing are (from L-R) Department of Agriculture XI Senior Agriculturist Marvin Auxillo, Vice Con sul for Economic, Cultural and Filipino Community Relations of the Embassy of the Philippines in Singapore Joy Anne B. Lai, Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry Vice President for Mindanao Arturo Milan, Mindanao Development Authority Chairperson Secretary Maria Belen S. Acosta, CESE, and Deputy Executive Director Assistant Secretary Romeo M. Montenegro. Photo by MinDA
The rising inflation also tamed the country’s gross do mestic product (GDP) growth in the second quarter of the year at 7.4 percent, lower than the 8.2 percent in the first“Iquarter.think it will continue given that there is inflation, because really, we saw the excitement of people as we go back outside. But of course, I’m still very positive that we will achieve even more,” Ong said at the sidelines of the event.She added some retailers have expanded double-digit coming from a low base in 2021 as they were challenged by pandemic-related con cerns like coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) Delta vari ant and stricter community quarantine.“Byand large, in retail, we are all good. We see people going back to the physical format, they are going back to face-to-face now,” Ong said, adding that the continued mobility will support the re covery and expansion of the industry. The PRA executive also encouraged its members to adopt innovation and tap the opportunities brought by dig ital technology.TomOliver, consultant to top Fortune 500 chief execu tive officers and chairman of The Tom Oliver Group, said in his keynote speech that “very few” companies were able to tap the full potential of digital technology and most retail companies were not able to use the online space efficiently. “You have to understand that the future of retail is –it’s physical and digital. It’s a com bination of click and brick and mortar —it’s click and mor tar... The future of retail is this seamless, intuitive harmony between experiencing your brand online and experienc ing it in the stores,” Oliver said. (PNA) eries.“Since prices for fruits like papaya and banana can go up a dollar or two, we need to agree on a weekly basis,” Lam Meetingssaid.leading to the partnership have already kicked off back in April when Bananah & Co. was sourc ing for potential partners in Davao City. The agreement was fi nalized at the sidelines of the Mindanao business mission in Singapore this week. “We are looking forward to a productive and efficient supply chain with good qual ity and reasonable prices,” Bananah & Co. Founder and Managing Partner Jason B.Y. NahInsaid.addition to supplying commodities in Singapore, Avante Agri is also looking at investments in farm de velopment and expansion in Mindanao.“Investments like these can ensure that their volume and quality requirements are met,” Lam sentiment,BelenAuthorityMindanaoadded.DevelopmentSecretaryMariaS.Acostaechoesthisurginginvestors
Digital transformation to spur construction industry growth
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022 Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ OLIVIA D. VELASCO General Manager Printed by Zion Accuprint Publishing Inc. Door 14 ALCREJ Building, Quirino Avenue, 8000, Davao City, Philippines Tel: (082) 301-6235 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 www.edgedavao.net editorial@edgedavao.net marketing@edgedavao.net CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Cagayan de Oro City Tel: (088) 852-4894 RICHARD C. EBONA Advertising Specialist SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance EDGEDAVAO Providing solutions to a seamless global village. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief Columnists: ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO • JOHN CARLO TRIA • MUJAHID NAVARRA • FRED C. LUMBA • DENNIS R. GORECHO GREGORIO G. DELIGERO • VIDA MIA S. VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE ANA MARIE G. SILPAO Layout ATHENA JILLIAN BRAVO NIKKI MEGHANNGOTIANSE-TANSTA.INESFERINASANTOS Lifestyle edgedavao@gmail.com MANILA MARKETING OFFICE RICHARD C. EBONA Product Development officer Address: No. 18 Purok 4B, Madelo Street, Lower Bicutan, Taguig City Mobile number: +63 947 265 2969(smart); +63 916 955 8559(globe) NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. Correspondent OLIVIA D. VELASCO President SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance JASPER V. BACSAL General Manager / VP Operations JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE the national association of newspapers LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. Consultant MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter 6 EDGEDAVAO VANTAGE On the intensified vaccination rollout for students by opening Saturday vaccination starting today (Aug. 13) at the People’s Park: Nag request ang mga teachers kay mag faceto-face na ang mga bata ug gusto nila maimmunize ang mga bata kay maglisod man sila ug adto sa mga health centers nato ug sa mga vaccination sites. Timing man pud na Kadayawan busa mag-open mi Saturday at the People’s Park karong weekend up to the end of the month in preparation for the opening of the schools.” DR. JOY VaccinationVILLAFUERTEClusterhead
In the wild, important agri cultural plants, from bananas and guavas to cashews, dates and figs, rely on bats for pollina tion and seed dispersal. Tequila is produced from agave plants that in the wild rely on bats as their primary pollinators. The Monfort conservation foundation manages the mil lions of bats residing in a cave with five openings at barangay Tambo, Babak District of the Is land Garden City of Samal. These bats, Monfort said, play a big role in durian production in Davao Region. The flower buds of duri an reportedly open for one hour during the night, which allows the fruit bats to pollinate them. Bats are always associated with Dracula, the prince of dark ness who sucks blood from his victims. In movies, they are part of evil“Therecreatures.areso many miscon ceptions about bats,” Monfort said. “Many people think bats are blind, dirty and carriers of rabies virus. Those are myths. Bats are not blind and do not become entangled with human hair.”Most people feared bats be cause of rabies, a deadly disease. “All mammas can contract ra bies; however, the vast majority of bats do not,” informs the BCI briefer. “Bats that contract the virus die from the disease, usu ally quickly, and pose little risk to people who do not attempt to handle them.” As for sucking bloods, there are only three bat species that do that: the common vampire bat, the rarer hairy-legged vampire bat and the white-winged vam pire bat. “The common vampire bat is often seen feeding on the blood of horses and cows while the latter two prefer birds,” the brieferResearchersstated. are studying an anticoagulant found in vam pire bat saliva as a possible new treatment for human stroke pa tients.Bats can be found almost anywhere in the world except the polar regions and extreme deserts, defenders.org states. They find shelter in caves, crev ices, tree cavities and buildings. Some species are solitary while others form colonies of more than a million individuals. More than 1,330 species of bats account for about 20% of all mammal species, BCI claims, thus making bats the second largest group of mammals in the world. For their body size, bats live longer than any other order of mammals. On average, the maximum recorded life span of a bat is 3.5 times greater than other mammals of similar size. Bat species are known to eat fish, frogs, birds, spiders, and small mammals like mice or other bats. According to BCI, frog-eat ing bats identify from poisonous frogs by listening to the mating calls of the males. Frogs counter by hiding and using short, diffi cult-to-locate calls. “A single large bat colony can eat up to half a million pounds of insect pests in one night making them the most effective natural insect controllers,” said the Phil ippine Bat Conservation, Inc. The Philippines is home to 26 indigenous bat species –more than any other country. Unfortunately, most of these bats are threatened, if not facing extinction. “The threat to bats in the Philippines is quite serious considering that very little lit erature and research have been published about them,” Monfort lamented.TheGarden City of Samal, for instance, has about seventy caves, which used to be inhab ited by bats. Most of these caves are now empty.
HEADS OF STATE AS GUESTS ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD
Mosquitoes are considered as public enemy number one. In fact, they are deadlier than serial killers. They can kill a person or do mass execution all at once. Every year, mosquitoes kill 725,000 people, according to the Geneva-based World Health Or ganization (WHO). Beating their wings 300 to 500 times a second produces that distinctive whine that novelist D.H. Lawrence de scribed as a “small, high, hateful bugle” in his Mosquitoesear. have been around since time immemori al. While the dinosaurs had be come extinct, these blood-suck ing creatures are still with us. Much as we want to exterminate them, they keep on coming back. They may be small but they are deadly. They transmit se rious diseases such as dengue fever, malaria, yellow fever, Zika virus, and Japanese encephalitis. In recent years, they have been in the news for carrying a whole host of new deadly blood-borne diseases.Unknowingly, mosquitoes have predators called bats. While most people also think of bats as pests, some bats are actually pest controllers eating thousands of insects every night. “A single bat can eat up to a thou sand mosquitoes in just one hour,” said a fact sheet published by Philippine Bat Conservation, Inc (PBCI). “A single large bat colony can eat up to half a mil lion pounds of insect pests in oneInnight.”the United States, scien tists have concluded that in sect-eating bats save American farmers a minimum of 3.7 bil lion dollars each year by reduc ing crop damage and limiting the need for pesticides. Bats play essential roles in keeping populations of night-fly ing insects in balance around the world, according to the Bat Con servation International (BCI). “The millions of Mexican freetailed bats from Bracken Cave in Texas, the largest bat colony in the world, eat up to 200 tons of insects nightly,” it said. Unknown to many, bats are the frontline warriors against climate change. “They are polli nators,” said Norma Monfort, the founder and president of Mon fort Bat Cave and Conservation Foundation, Inc. “They maintain so many species of plants, trees and fruits that are habitats for other important species. If we lose them completely, we stand a great chance to never again enjoy the wonderful fruits and plants we have today.”
SAVING BATS FROM EXTINCTION HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022 EDGEDAVAO 7VANTAGE POINTS
Given its distance from Ma nila, the seat of the national government, Davao is regarded a secondary place of visit for foreign dignitaries and heads of state. This is particularly ac curate when an observer de scribes the archipelago’s gover nance as Manila-centric. In fact, only a handful of prime minis ters have been in Davao prior to and during their ascendancy as heads of state. One of them was Japanese prime minister Yasuhi ro Nakasone, dubbed in some accounts as the ‘father of Ianfu,’ the Japanese military brothels where ‘comfort women’ were vi olated during the war. Nakasone was a 22-year-old navy first lieutenant when he landed in Davao in the second half of December 1941 before moving to Indonesia where he opened houses of pleasures. In an article he wrote for TIME magazine on December 2, 1991, he recalled his stay in the city, saying:‘Iwas aboard a transport in the Palau Islands, waiting for word to go to the Philippines. When I heard of the attack on Pearl Harbor, I felt glad that we had won the first strike. At the same time, worries crept over me like a black cloud: if the U.S. really fought back, Japan might lose. On Dec. 20 we landed in Davao on Mindanao Island and took the airport.’ His contingent did not stay long in Davao; as paymaster, his involvement was not on the battlefield but behind the desk. He was later sent to Balikpa pan, Indonesia, where he built a bad reputation. Decades later, he confessed involvement in the building of bordellos for ‘com fort women.’ In his 1978 memoir, Owarinaki Kaigun (The Endless Navy), he wrote: ‘I commanded 3,000 men. When I arrived there [in Balikpapan, Indonesia] a few of my men attacked local wom en or indulged in gambling. So, I had difficulty in constructing Ianfu for these men.’ In 1962, before she became Israel’s prime minister, defense minister Golda Meir visited Cali nan district after business from Manila when Elias B. Lopez who was Davao City mayor. She was here for some exploratory talks, especially about investment, and joint cooperation. The most important figure bar none to visit this predomi nantly Christian southern city of Davao was Pope John Paul II, then Vatican’s head of state, who flew to Davao after his Vi sayas itinerary to celebrate a massively attended Mass at the old Davao International Airport in February 1981. The visit was part of his expansive trip that brought him to numerous coun tries in Southeast Asia. The pon tiff, canonized on April 27, 2014, met dignitaries and high-rank ing city officials at the airport lounge after the eucharistic ob servance. In February 1994, Malaysian Prime Minister Mahathir Mo hammad was on an official visit to Davao City during the sec ond term of city mayor Rodrigo Duterte. The occasion was the launching of the East ASEAN Growth Area (EAGA). When Duterte, as president of the re public, visited him on July 16, 2018, at the Prime Minister’s Office in Putrajaya, Malaysia, he recalled this Meanwhile,visit.Jose Ramos-Hor ta delivered a peace lecture at Ateneo de Davao on January 8, 2009. He was then president of his country. He served as prime minister, from 2006 to 2007. On January 13, 2017, Jap anese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe traveled to Davao City to meet President Duterte at his family home the first head of state to make an official visit to the country during the Duterte administration. Sadly, on July 8, 2022, Abe, the longest-serving prime minister of Japan, was fatally shot while attending a campaign event in the Nara re gion. He was delivering a stump speech ahead of Sunday’s upper house elections when an assas sin sneaked from his back and shot him. He was only 67 when he died. On September 11, 2019, Her Excellency Madam Halimah Ya cob, President of the Republic of Singapore, had a dialogue with the youth from numerous tribes and sects in Mindanao at Ateneo de Davao University (AdDU).
Mendoza is the hus band of Cotabato Province Governor Emmylou “Lala” Taliño-Mendoza and Santos is the governor’s daughter. Mendoza took his oath before Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez on July 26, 2022. The father-daughter tandem is anticipated to represent the Province of Cotabato to Congress to advocate issues and con cerns besetting the province that needs congressional interventions that include peace-building initiatives, labor, disaster, environment, education, and health. The Province of Cotaba to is a landlocked province in the Philippines located in the Soccsksargen region in Mindanao. Its capital is the City of Kidapawan with some of its barangays un der the jurisdiction of the nearby Bangsamoro Auton omous Region of Muslim MindanaoMendoza(BARMM).obtained his Bachelor of Laws degree from the University of San Carlos-Cebu and passed the Bar in 1988. His passion for the labor sector also led him to pursue studies in this field earning certificates from the International Labor Organi zation (ILO) and complet ing the Financial Analysis Program for Labor Leaders in Turin, Italy in 1995 and Occupational Safety and Health Course also in Turin,
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 20228 EDGEDAVAOEDGEDAVAO BIGGER PICTURE
Running in the family
The election of Trade Union of the Philippines (TUCP) Party-List Rep. Raymond Democrito Cañete Men doza as the new House Deputy Speaker and Representative Samantha Taliño San tos as the House Assistant Majority Floor Leader received positive response from the Cotabateños as the province now has a strong representation in Congress. Italy in 2000. He started his career in the labor sector as an Executive Assistant of the Associated Labor Unions –TUCP in 1995 and became the national vice president for education and informa tion in 2001 and acquired the designation of national vice president for National and International Affairs in 2008. He is currently the national vice president for Mindanao affairs. At the House of Repre sentatives, he is the chair man of the Committee on Poverty Alleviation with the Magna Carta of the Poor as the flagship bill, which ensures better targeting of resources intended for the poorest of the poor. It also identifies the basic rights of the poor which are the right to food, the right to employ ment and livelihood, the right to quality education, the right to shelter, and the right to basic health services andMendozamedicines.has authored bills pending first reading that include House Bill (HB) 01512 or an act strengthen ing workers’ right to securi ty of tenure and criminaliz ing labor-only contracting, which he filed on July 7, 2022; HB 01513 or an act strengthening the rights of government employees to self-organization; HB 01515 or an act instituting the Magna Carta of Filipino seafarers; and HB 01514 or an act providing civil service eligibility and permanent appointment to all govern ment casual and contractual employees under job orders and contract of Meanwhile,service.Rep.Santos, a soft-spoken but strongwilled and empowered woman, did not blink and accepted the responsibility as one of the leaders of the House.
By MAYA M. PADILLO
A neophyte politician, Santos has her mother’s tenacity and compassion to serve the Cotabateños with service anchored on the governor’s “Serbisyong Totoo” program. In line with Santos’ pri ority to establish mecha nisms that are responsive to the needs of the people, as well as champion legisla tions that are inclusive and grounded, she filed the fol lowing bills and resolutions: House Bill No. 2572- an act establishing the Office for Clan Conflict Prevention; House Bill No. 2573- Nation al Religious Freedom Ap preciation Day Act; House Bill No. 2574- an act estab lishing the Cotabato sports training center; House Bill No. 2575- National Commis sion on Disability Act; House Resolution No. 95- a resolu tion urging the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) to re view issues regarding the unavailability of all racks and major strands in public and private schools nation P10
FRUNNING,
HELPING PEOPLE’SINDIGENOUSGROUPS
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022 9
Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO
Randy Hasalan was a recipient of the Ramon Magsaysay Award for Emergent Leadership in 2014.
In 2014, Davao City’s Randy Halasan was given the coveted award for “his purposeful dedication in nurturing his Matigsalug students and their commu nity to transform their lives through quality education and sustainable livelihoods, doing so in ways that re spect their uniqueness and preserve their integrity as indigenous peoples in a modernizing sub-groupMatigsalug,Philippines.”adistinctoftheManobo, is one of the 11 tribes of Davao City. The name was a combination of two words: matig (which means “from”) and salug (meaning “river”). Originally, they were people living near the Salug River, now called Davao River. Most of this indige nous group live in the Tig wa-Salug Valley in San Fer nando, Bukidnon. In Davao City, they can be found in the Marilog District. In the past, these people practiced a hunt ing-and-gathering lifestyle with minimal agriculture. “Signs of their earlier life style are now found in their cultural and artistic expres sion, as evidenced by their costumes of bright colored mid-rib blouses and short skirts, and skilled hunting and gathering techniques,” Wikipedia stated. “This early lifestyle,” the free encyclopedia contin ued, “is also depicted in their music, songs, dances, poetry, epic and spiritual expres sions. Matigsalug men wear knee-length tight-fitting pants and turbans decorat ed with beads and tinged with goat or horse hair.” Halasan was a public school teacher in Pegalon gan Elementary School in Sitio Pegalongan, Malam ba, Marilog District. Randy Halasan studied and ob tained his postgraduate and undergraduate degrees in Educational Management and Elementary Educa tion, from the University of Southeastern Philippines. To reach Pegalongan, Halasan had to spend seven hours: two hours by bus, an hour over extremely rough roads by habal-habal motor cycle, four hours of walking, and crossing the waters of two treacherous rivers. “It is a truism that it takes a village to raise a child,” said a press release from the Ramon Magsaysay Award Foundation (RMAF). “But it seems equally true that it takes just one per son to launch this collective process of education. In the Philippines, where a pub lic school system has been in place for over a century, many communities remain either unserved or under served.“Where physical access is difficult and dangerous, the government’s presence weak and facilities are mea
Randy Halasan is now a project director of the Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (courtesy of Randy Halasan).
ger, and people are too poor to even claim an education, the work of public school teachers is nothing less than heroic, and yet largely goes unheralded,” the RMAF fur therItsaid.was in 2007 when Halasan first arrived in Pegalongan. What Hala san thought was only for a short time became seven years. The RMAF observed: “Moved by compassion for the children who have to walk miles and cross rivers just to get to school, and who often fall asleep in class from hunger and fatigue, and driven by a sense of duty to help the impover ished and defenseless forest tribals against the encroach ments of powerful outsid ers, Halasan has embraced the Matigsalug community as his own. He has turned down offers for reassign ment, and his family often does not see him for many weeks on end.” In his sixth year at Peg alongan Elementary School, he became the head teacher. With such capacity, “Hala san proactively lobbied with higher authorities to expand the Pegalongan school. What was once a two-room, two-teacher schoolhouse is now a permanent school with nine rooms, eight teachers, and 210 students.” Here’s what RMAF fur ther said: “Through his rep resentation, a cultural-mi nority high school has been established, with Halasan as teacher-in-charge. Con vinced that education is key to the Matigsalug’s survival in a changing world, he has convinced parents to keep their children in school; discouraged the customary practices of early and ar ranged marriages; and pro moted values of self-help and egalitarianism in the community.”Inanemail interview, Halasan gave this update: “There are already hanging bridges, agricultural equip ment, more teachers and classrooms and the com munity is now engaged with government programs. The agricultural equipment has helped the community in crease their productivity.”
FHELPING, P10
During the time of the presidency of Rodrigo R. Duterte, he was appointed as one of the commission ers of the Presidential Com mission for the Urban Poor. He accepted the offer with sadness though. “I was sad because I have to leave the Matigsalug tribe,” he admit ted. “I treated them as my family and I lived with them for 11 years. It was such a heartache experience. I definitely missed living a simple life with them, espe
EDGEDAVAO GAME CHANGER
Of the five persons who received the prestigious Ramon Magsaysay Awards – touted to be the Nobel Prize of Asia – from Mindanao, at least two of them are from Davao region. Both of them also have the same distinction: they had a program for uplifting the standard of living of indigenous people’s groups.
Harold R. Watson received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for International Understanding in 1985.
The famous Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT), which can help control soil erosion in the uplands.
The National Commis sion for Culture and the Arts also gives this information: “From the beginning and up to the present, the Bagobo are the predominant inhab itants of the vast areas ex tending from the west coast of Davao Gulf to the high reaches of Davao’s famous and significant mountain ranges of Mount Apo or Apo Sandawa to the tribal peo ple.”Now, going back to Wat son. Hearing them talking about their problems, he thought of helping them. So, when he was given the opportunity as director of the Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), just a walking distance away from MCBA, he decided to up lift the nutritional status of those living in the uplands. First, he introduced rab bit raising. Then, he created Food Always In The Home (FAITH), a vegetable garden ing that can provide fresh vegetables all year round. In just a 100-square-meter garden, the family can har vest tomato, eggplant, cu cumber, alugbati, sweet pep per, squash, malunggay, and beans daily. Green manures (from the kitchen garbage and grasses) are placed in side the basket or trench composts. “We call it the ‘re frigerator in the farm,’” Wat sonWatsonsaid. also introduced new breeds and methods of raising ducks, goats, pigs and pond fish; better veg etable seed; and ideas for utilizing ipi-ipil and other nitrogen fixing trees for feed andWatson,forage. together with his Filipino counterparts, also tried to find a solution to one of the biggest prob lems of farming: soil ero sion. The possessescreepingvividly,”anconqueringcomingthanmylentsidersWorldwatchWashington-basedInstituteconsoilerosionas“asicrisis.”“Soilerosionisaneneofanynation–farworseanyoutsideenemyintoacountryanditbecauseit’senemyyoucannotseehesaid.“Itisaslowenemythatsoontheland.”Althoughitseffectsare not significantly felt at pres ent time due to adoption of high-yielding varieties and genetically-modified crops, the erosion problem must be faced right now. “Land is not being re made,” Watson said. “Soil is made by God and put here for man to use, not for one generation but forever. It takes thousands of years to build one-inch of topsoil but only one good strong rain to remove one inch from un protected soil on the slopes of mountains.” It was in the mid-1970s that Sloping Agricultural Land Technology (SALT) came into existence. A study conducted at the MBRLC showed that a farm tilled in the traditional manner erodes at the rate of 1,163.4 metric tons per hectare per year. A SALT farm, on the other hand, erodes at the rate of only 20.2 metric tons per hectare per year. The rate of soil loss in a SALT farm is 3.4 metric tons per hectare per year, which is within the tolerable range. Most soil scientists place ac ceptable soil loss limits for tropical countries like the Philippines within the range of 10 to 12 metric tons per hectare per year. In comparison, the nonSALT farm has an annual soil loss rate of 194.3 metric tons per hectare. In 1985, the RMAF recog nized Watson for “encourag ing international utilization of the Sloping Agricultural Land Technology created by him and his co-workers to help the poorest of small tropicalToday,farmers.”Watson is already retired and is now back in his birthplace in Mississippi. “Soil is made by God and put here for man to use, not for one generation but forever,” Watson pointed out.
DIGITAL...
Villafuerte reported that in terms of the accomplishment, for prima ry doses, the city has already reached beyond its target, however, it is facing a chal lenge in accomplishing the target for 5 to 11-year-olds. “Probably because, nat ural man na ang parents ma-worry na sila na ang ilang mga anak so ga wait and see ra pud na sila. So far as of August 12, 2022 maayo man ang atoang vaccination returns. Wala ma’y kahadlukan. Amo lang giawhag ang parents to pro tect their children and we would like them sana dal hon nila sa vaccination site for the vaccination against Covid,” Villafuerte said. By Maya M. Padillo of the New York Yankees was the last in the majors to wear No. 42, doing so through his final season in 2013. The NHL, upon Wayne Gretzky’s retirement in 1999, said his No. 99 would be retired league wide in honor of that sport’s all-time scoring leader.And now, Russell gets the same treatment. It also seems fitting that he and Robinson — both barri er-breakers — are linked again. Russell called Rob inson a hero, once saying that “he showed me the way to be a man in profes sionalRobinson,sports.” clearly, held Russell in high esteem as well. Rachel Robinson, his widow, asked Russell to be a pallbearer at her hus band’s funeral in 1972.
portunity for further edu cation, which I don’t see any hindrances to that and I think that’s happening. This is cer tainly not unique to construc tion but applies to multiple industries,” he added. (PNA)
DAVOR...
APO... FROM 4 (DCBSWP) and delivering water across Davao City, we also continue to look at op portunities to further con tribute to our host commu nities. While Tawantawan is one of the host communities that will not directly benefit from the DCBWSP, we hope that introducing smaller but sustainable water solu tions in their area will help address their basic water needs,” said Anna Lu, Presi dent of Apo Agua. Apo Agua also extend ed its support to Davao City Water District by helping ramp up its water truck ini tiative to District II, while the DCBWSP is at its final stretch of completing its project construction. In ad dition, Apo Agua is current ly conducting road resto rations from its pipelaying activities at multiple sites across fourteen (14) ba rangays in the Second and Third Districts of Davao City. Apo Agua recently an nounced that it is taking the lead role in the construc tion of Davao City Water District’s Davao City Bulk Water Supply Project to fasttrack its completion that will provide 300 million liters of safe water daily to over one million Davaoeños.
NBA... FROM 11
DAVAO...
CITY... FROM 3 days, in the same venue after the success of the “Bakuna Para sa Katawhan Karong Kadayawan held last July 26 to 30, 2022. The activity will be con ducted in partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), United States Agen cy for International Devel opment (USAID), and other sectors that are willing to help the city government of Davao reaches the national vaccination target of 100 percent coverage for senior citizens and 50 percent vac cinationMeanwhile,target.
FROM 5 to look at value-adding in vestments as a priority when linking up with their Mind anao”Wecounterparts.alreadyhave the vast lands and the ideal cli mate in Mindanao. If we pair it up with the right invest ments in infrastructure, pro cessing, and renewable ener gy, we can scale up our trade and economic activities,” she added.The business mission in Singapore is a four-day event that aims to present Mind anao as an ideal investment destination for top global market hubs such as Singa pore.Follow-through activities are expected to take place in the near future according to Tan Teck Lee, Country Head (Thailand, Malaysia, and Philippines) of the Singapore Business Federation. “We are working with the Department of Trade and Industry and the MinDA for a conduct of an overseas mission trip early next year to visit investment areas in Mindanao,” he said.
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 202210 EDGEDAVAO BUS... FROM 2 HELPING... FROM 9RUNNING... FROM 8 wide; House Resolution No. 96- a resolution urging the Environmental Manage ment Bureau of the Depart ment of Environment and Natural Resources Region 12 and the Department of Trade and Industry to pro vide technical skills training fir the integration of a Com prehensive Waste Mana gement Program for the Province of Cotabato; House Resolution No. 97- a reso lution urging the Depart ment of Interior and Local Government to encourage all local government units to issue Anti-Discriminato ry Ordinance/Policy on the basis of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identification and Expression (SOGIE); House Resolution No. 98- a resolu tion urging the Department of Health and the Philippine Council for Mental Health to conduct an assessment on the compliance of local gov ernment units to Republic Act No. 11036; and House Resolution No. 99- a reso lution urging the National Commission on Senior Citi zens to fast track the crafting of a Harmonized National Program for Senior Citizens. Inspired by her moth er, Santos aimed to excel in school. She finished her pri mary education at the Uni versity of the Immaculate Concepcion (UIC) in Davao City and her secondary at Abba’s Montessori (Com plete name and location). She applied both at the University of Sto. Tomas (UST) and at the University of Melbourne in Australia for her college degree. In 2014 after graduating from secondary education, Santos flew to Australia to take up a one-year founda tion course to ensure her en try to the university. During her time at the University of Melbourne, she took up two major courses, Bachelor of Arts in Anthropology and Bachelor of Arts in Sociolo gy. In 2018, she fulfilled her goal of finishing her studies in the field she always de sires. She graduated with flying colors and two de grees tacked on her wings. Like her mom, 25-yearold Santos is congenial and it interests her to talk and listen to ordinary people be cause she knows she’ll learn one or two important life lessons from them. cially the simple bonding I have shared with them and making plans to improve their lives, especially the children.”Harold R. Watson, an American Baptist mission ary from Mississippi, United States, came to the Philip pines in the 1960s. He start ed as a teacher but was later appointed as camp manager of Mount Carmel Baptist As sembly (MCBA) in Kinusku san, Bansalan, Davao del Sur. It was at the MCBA that he encountered some tribal groups like those belonging to Bagobo. During those encounters, he learned that most of them are living in the hinterlands and prac ticed upland farming. With less sources of protein, some of their children were nutri tion-challenged.“TheBagobo live in houses scattered near swid den fields, linked by kinship under powerful regional da tus,” csueastbay.edu wrote. “The Bagobo are considered the most colorful people of the Philippines, heavily em broidering their abaca cloth ing with beads and stitch work. They also produce fine metal craft, working in brass, bonze, and iron, and are known for their betel boxes. The constant jingling of innumerable tiny brass bells attached to the clothing is a Bagobo trademark.”
FROM 2 cilors League serves as an avenue for the councilors to raise their concerns to effec tively perform their duties and responsibilities as leg islators.The election was facili tated by the PCL Comelec led by the Department of the Interior and Local Government Provincial Office chaired by Pro vincial Director Orle Ca baobao. Other members are City Councilor Delfin Miones and PanlalawiganSangguniangSecretary Maximino Nazareno. ‘LENIENCY’...
among programa sa prepa ration sa Kadayawan,” Montenegro said in a press forum.Montenegro said during inspections, LTO enforc ers will check the vehicles, driver licenses of the driv ers, and registration of the operators as well as road sign inspection to the taxis and jeepneys to check their roadworthiness.“Thestandard proto cols in terms of the road worthiness of a vehicle, while flagging down a ve hicle gina- check namo first ang signaling light, suga sa sakyanan, importante pud ang mga ligid hilis na ba kaayo ug dapat pa ba pada ganon sa dalan, mao na ang gina-check nato ug kung buak na ba ilang wind shield, side mirror ug any other makita na nagsupak sa balaod na RA 4136 gina para gyud nato,” he said. He said those vehicles that were found to have vio lations and then continued plying on the road are being issued with a Temporary Operator’s Permit (TOP). “So far the bus terminals during inspection compliant man sila. Ginahatagan namo sila ug warning na dapat i-comply and the next time na wala nila gi-comply isyu han na sila ug TOP,” he said.
FROM 3 the city to attract potential businessPeraltalocators.saidthat the oth er important factors that have led foreign businesses here are the landmark legis lation on the amendments to the Foreign Investment Act, and the Public Service Laws among others. He is among the busi ness leaders in Davao City who have been chosen as honorary consuls for Mind anao namely Joji Ilagan Bian for Bangladesh, Mary Ann Montemayor for Hungary, Dr. Malou Monteverde for Mexi co, Naty Fortich for Spain, Si mon Bakker for the Nether lands, Dr. Peter Faistauer for Austria, Rowena Vida-Lisbo na for Denmark, Jorge Mar quez for Israel, and Guilbert C. Go for the Czech Republic. “We need the connection to more countries so that there are more opportuni ties,” Peralta said. His formal inauguration will take place once Ambas sador Juha Markus Pyykkö comes back from his over seas trip. “Yes it’s already official as the appointment to the posi tion has been recognized by the DFA. It’s only the formal inauguration of the office here in Davao City, which will be graced by the ambas sador,” Peralta said.
FROM 2 2022, cases substantially dropped to only 23 in April, slowly increasing to 29 in July; and this leaped to 45 in July.“So increasing s’ya, al though 1 or 2 digits lang ang pag increase, daku gi hapon sya nga data sa atoa, kay dapat continuously pa ubos lang jd ta. (So it is in creasing though 1 or 2 digit only, it is still a significant data because it should be continuously decreasing),” she said.” As of August 11, PHO Davao del Norte reported 19 new confirmed cases bringing to a total of 80 ac tive cases in the province. On the new confirmed cases, 12 are from Tagum City, 4 are from Panabo City, 2 are from IGACOS, and 1 from Kapalong. BOC...
FROM 2 and modernized systems, the highly improving econ omy resulting to higher vol ume of importations, and the intensified collection efforts of the said Port which prevent revenue leakages and the collection of all law ful revenues.DistrictCollector, Atty. Erastus Sandino B. Austria commends the perfor mance of the Collection District XII for their un tiring service. He likewise commends the Port stake holders for their trust and support of the reforms and programs of said Col lection District.
FROM 5 up with larger companies in terms of their digital trans formation journey, there are lots of opportunities around. “In general, I think, there is a great opportunity for agencies, governments to do more in educating the in dustries that they’re serving in terms of what best prac tices look like and help the folks along the way,” he said. Wells said small compa nies should not be alone in figuring out the ins and outs of digital“Certainlytransformation.there’sop
BUSINESS...
Davao Oriental’s PBA legend Dong Polistico dies
Former PBA hulking giant Adriano “Dong” Polistico died of heart at tack on Wednesday in his home town in Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental. with the Milk Kings (now Aces) and Beermen. He was part of Alaska’s first-ever champion team in the 1991 Third Conference and later became part of the Philippine team put togeth er by Norman Black for the 1994 Asian Games in Hiro shima.The former Letran cen ter played for Welcoat in the PBL and briefly with the Iloilo Megavoltz in the MBA before retiring in 2000. Veteran players’ agent Danny Espiritu said Polisti co was based in his home town in Davao during his retirement and even served as an elected public official. On Wednesday, Espir itu said he got a call from Polistico’s best friend who informed him that the for mer PBA player had died after suffering a heart at tack.“Palaban sa court, pero mabait sa labas,” said Espir itu said of his former player, Espiritu said a short tribute will be made at the PBA semifinal games on Wednesday for Polistico and former Abante sports col umnist Malou Aquino, who died of cancer on Tuesday. Jojo Lastimosa, Ato Agustin, Bong Ravena, and coach Norman Black re membered Polistico very well as a hulking center who played physical on the court, but was a shy and gentle person outside of it. Now team manager of TNT Tropang Giga, Lastimo sa had a memorable stint with Polistico at Alaska as the former Letran player was the starting center of the franchise when it won its first ever PBA champion ship during the 1991 Third Conference.“Memorable yun kasi siya yung big man namin. First championship ng Alas ka yun, kaya very historic for the franchise,” said Lasti mosa, noting it was also the first league title for Polistico, then Alaska coach Tim Cone, and resident import Sean Chambers.“Soitwas a shock to see him go.”
Bill Russell’s No. 6 jersey is being retired across the NBA, a first for the league.The NBA and the Nation al Basketball Players Associ ation announced Thursday (Friday, Manila time) that the number worn by the 11time champion, civil rights activist and person good enough to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach was being permanently re tired by all 30 teams. “Bill Russell’s unparal leled success on the court and pioneering civil rights activism deserve to be hon ored in a unique and historic way,” NBA Commissioner Adam Silver said. “Per manently retiring his No. 6 across every NBA team ensures that Bill’s transcen dent career will always be recognized.”Players who currently wear No. 6 — including the Los Angeles Lakers’ LeB ron James — may continue doing so. But the number cannot be issued again, the league said. All NBA players will wear a patch on the right shoulder of their jerseys this season, the league said, and every NBA court will display a clover-shaped logo with the No. 6 on the sideline near the scorer’s table. The Boston Celtics have “separate and unique rec ognition for him on their uniforms” planned, the NBA said. Russell died on July 31 at the age of 88. He was the most prolific winner in NBA history, an 11-time cham pion during a 13-year career — winning the last two of those titles as a player-coach — and the first Black coach in any of the major U.S. pro sports to win a champion ship.He marched with Mar tin Luther King Jr., stood with Muhammad Ali and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom from President Barack Obama. And having his number retired leaguewide puts him in a very exclusive club. Major League Baseball permanently retired No. 42 — in honor of Jackie Robinson, who broke the big league’s color barrier — with the understanding that those who were wearing that number could contin ue to do so.
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 2022 11EDGEDAVAO SPORTS
The NBA and the National Basketball Players Association announced Thursday (Friday, Manila time) that the number worn by Bill Russel, the 11-time champion, civil rights activist and per son good enough to be enshrined in the Basketball Hall of Fame as both a player and a coach was being permanently retired by all 30 teams. He was 55. The bruising 6-7 center, who won PBA champion ships with Alaska and San Miguel, began his career as a lumbering giant who is way above his peers play ing for Davao Oriental in the Southern Mindanao Region al Athletic Association (now DAVRAA) meets. He briefly played for University of Min danao until he was picked up by the Letran Knights in the NCAA. The 6-7 Polistico was picked fourth overall by Alaska in the 1988 PBA Rookie Draft and played nine seasons in the league
Mariano Rivera
FNBA, P10 Dong Polistico (extreme right) played for San Miguel Beer and Alaska in the PBA.
NBA honors Bill Russell by retiring no. 6 league-wide
VOL.15 ISSUE 104 • SATURDAY, AUGUST 13, 202212 SPORTS
EDGEDAVAO
DOMINANT EJ
Casintahan wins Fore-ever Golf tournament with a 68 By NEIL BRAVO
Casintahan fired a gross four under par 68 to bag the overall gross hard ware in the event orga nized by the Forefathers GolfSharingClub. the limelight with Casintahan is Michael Lim who scored the overall best net scorecard of 68. Roderick Lo fired a un der par 71 to pocket the Division 1 gross title best ing John Paul Tamayo who carded a 72. Noel Beleren took home the Division 1 net title with a 69 winning by countback over Oying Caturan.InDivision 2, Phil Smith carded an 80 to edge Thirdy Ibuyan for the gross title while Erwin Panim dim had a 70 and won by countback over Manfred Lawas in another wire-towireJobiebattle.Rabat lored it over in Division 3 winning the gross trophy after firing a 91. Manny Lagat came in second with a 92. The net title went to Kim Tae Jung (72) who beat Jess Pani sales by countback. In the ladies division, multi-titled Maricel Kim ran away with the gross title after firing an 86 edg ing Anci Galicia (87) while Park Myung Seon (72) topped Maribel Lee for the netIncrown.theside events, En rique Romero-Sales had the most accurate drive on hole no. 10 with a dis tance of one inch while Jumil Gencianeo took the nearest to the pin award on hole no. 17 that left him 142 inches. Forefathers head Atty. Ramon Edison Batacan handed over the prizes to the winners during the awarding ceremony at the RPV Clubhouse.
EJ Casintahan receives the Fore-ever golf glass trophy and the champion’s brown jacket from Forefathers president Atty. Ramon Edison Batacan. Roland Jumawan photo
Ace parbuster EJ Casintahan ruled the recent Fore-ever Golf Tournament held July 30-31 at the Ranch Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club.
