Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 118 | Tuesday, Aug. 30, 2022 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

P 15.00 • 12 PAGES@EdgeDavao edgedavao@gmail.comwww.edgedavao.netf EDGE Serving a seamless society DAVAO SPORTS P 12 VOL.15 ISSUE 118 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2022 GOODFEEL NO TIMELINE YET Samal Island-Davao bridge project groundbreaking depends on DPWH Vice President and concurrent Educa tion Secretary Sara Duterte graces the city government of Davao’s commemo ration of the National Heroes Day at the Unknown Soldier Monument at Os meña Park, Davao City on Monday. CIO STORY ON PAGE 2

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Abomb maker of the extremist Bangsam oro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) was killed in a clash with govern ment forces in Maguind anao, the military report ed Monday.Colonel Oriel Pangcog, Army’s 601st Infantry Brigade commander, said government troops were conducting a patrol in the village of Damablac, Ta layan, Maguindanao when they encountered about 20 heavily armed BIFF combatants around 1 pm. Sunday. A brief firefight en sued, Pangcog said, until the extremists led by Kha daffi Abdulatif, under the BIFF Bungos faction, fled. “As they fled, the BIFF mingled with the civilians in Barangay Damablac,” PangcogScouringsaid.the area, sol diers found a dead BIFF abandoned by his com panions on a roadside. Soldiers also found an improvised bomb com posed of two 60 mm mor tars with a unit of a twoway handheld radio as a triggering device. A civilian was caught in the crossfire and later identified as 46-year-old

The groundbreaking for the long-over due P19-billion Samal Island-Davao City (SIDC) Connector Project is de pendent on the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). By MAYA M. PADILLO

The City Govern ment of Davao will no longer impose hard lockdowns on es tablishments to control the transmission of in fections in case another surge of coronavirus dis ease (COVID-19) cases will happen, an official of the Davao City Task Force on coronavirus disease (COVID-19) said. Dr. Michelle Schlosser, spokesperson for the local task force in her program over DCDR 87.85 on Fri day reiterated the impor tance of keeping the bal ance between safety and economy.Sheadded that during the administration of Mayor Sara Duterte, the implementation of a “zon ing containment strategy” in offices and business es tablishments was stopped to help the local economy recover from the adverse impact of the pandemic. Schlosser said that local health authorities believe COVID-19 cases could be managed even without resorting to hard measures.“Thereason behind this is that we are able to manage the cases even without the need for lockdowns because the establishments would

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BIFF bomber slain in Maguindanao clash

The Philippine Insti tute of Volcanology and Seismology and the Sarangani provincial government has signed a partnership agreement on the use of a software ap plication designed to im prove disaster prepared ness.In a statement Monday, the Sarangani Information Office (SIO) said Phivolcs and the provincial govern ment will be collaborating on the use of the Rapid Earthquake Damage As sessment System (REDAS) software.Phivolcs and provin cial government represen tatives signed the memo randum of agreement on Aug. 26 at the regional of fice of the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) in the city, the SIO said. Engr. Allain Alcala, Sa rangani provincial plan ning and development co ordinator, and Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Officer Rene Punzalan witnessed the signing of the agree ment.In a separate state ment Monday, Phivolcs officer-in-charge Teresi to C. Bacolcol said: “It is important for local gov ernment in Sarangani and their residents to be aware and be prepared in terms of hazards.”

Phivolcs app to improve disaster preparedness in Sarangani prov

Consul General Li Lin of the Chinese Consulate General in Davao said the DPWH is the appropriate organization to release the timeline of the project. In an interview in June this year, Lin announced that the groundbreaking for the P19 billion Chi na-funded bridge was ex pected to happen last July. “We are waiting for the groundbreaking,” he said

groundbreaking depends on DPWH

2 EDGEDAVAO NEWS

No hard lockdowns in Davao City firms in case of COVID-19 surge

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VOL.15 ISSUE 118 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2022

NO TIMELINE YET

Civil Service Commission 11 (CSC 11) acting director III lawyer Mimie C. Enriquez-Mamicpic discusses during this week’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao the scheduled activities for the 122nd Philippine Civil Service Anni versary this year. Edge Davao during Monday’s inter view.Meanwhile, Lin is op timistic the project will be implemented.“Thereis substantial progress and we are opti mistic to see the carry out of the project through the joint efforts from the Chi nese side and the Philip pine side,” he said. In June this year, Chi nese Ambassador to the Philippines Huang Xilian and Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez signed a $350-million loan agree ment for the bridge, which is included in the outgoing Duterte administration’s priority infrastructure projects.“The agreement has been signed and the con tractors have been identi fied,” Lin said.

Samal Island-Davao bridge project

2Lt Valerie Mae Jequin to, the 16IB’s civil-military officer, said Labay used to be an NPA courier and was re sponsible for the purchase and delivery of supplies for the NPA before he surren dered to the Army. “Labay tipped off to the troops the site where he hid the cache which con tains one US Caliber30 M1 Springfield Rifle, 10 pieces of hand grenades, two im provised explosive devices, and ammunition,” Jequinto said in the statement. The 16IB believes the cooperation of Labay “significantly impacts the campaign of the national government to end local communist armed conflict.”

Nat’l Heroes Day commemoration in Davao City Former NPA ‘militia’ exposes rebel arms cache in Bukidnon PRO 11

Major Maria Teresita Gaspan, spokesperson of Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said public apology does not suffice consider ing the damage he has done not only to the integrity and reputation of the PNP and the entire Davao City but also the grief and fear he caused to the people.

EDGEDAVAO NEWS 3

Early this month, the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) awarded a total of PHP11.8 million to 251 former reb els through the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Inte gration Program (E-CLIP) in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon. Each surrenderer re ceived PHP15,000 as im mediate assistance, among other benefits. Bukidnon Governor Rogelio Neil Roque said the program for former rebels is proof that the govern ment has always attended to the needs of ex-rebels. “It’s been decades since this insurgency started, and today I did not see any rea son that we brothers and sisters fought each other for the sake of belief and digni ty,” Roque said. The Communist Party of the Philippines-NPA is listed as a terrorist organi zation by the United States, European Union, the United Kingdom, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, and the Phil ippines.

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Vice President Sara Duterte led the commemoration of this year’s Na tional Heroes Day through a wreath laying ceremony at the Osmeña Park in Davao City on Monday. among our youth,” she said In her message, Duterte said the blood of the Na tional Heroes is the same blood of bravery, selfless ness, and love of country and fellowmen that con tinues to flow across the nation today —now per meating into the minds and hearts of many Filipi nos who have committed to the cause of rebuilding the nation from the rub bles caused by disunity, hatred, misunderstanding, and acts of hostilities per petuated by said.especiallyheartsgreatestusesonswecountrytagedcalanti-government,anti-people,andloterrorgroupsthathostheprogressoftheforalongtime.“Aswelookback,mayneversquanderthelesofthepastandinsteadthemtoawakenalltheheroesinsidetheofeveryFilipino,theyouth,”she“Today,letushonor

Jill Banta, regional coordinator of Plastic Free Pilipinas, airas her group’s opposition on the proposed resolution filed by Councilor Timujin “Tek” Ocampo requesting President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to fund Davao City’s waste-to-energy (WTE) facility during this week’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao. Edge Davao

By MAYA M. PADILLO Sara leads files charges against teen student for peddling fake news

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Duterte was joined by Vice Mayor J. Melchor Qui tain, city government de partment heads and mem bers of the security forces. Duterte urged the pub lic to remember the lives of the heroes and value their sacrifices and giving their lives for the freedom of the Philippines and the Filipi nos.“May we not waste the lessons of the past, and use them to awaken the hero ism of Filipinos, especially F SARA,

Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) is made true its warning on filing cases against individ uals peddling fake news online.The composite team of Regional Special Opera tions Group together with the Regional Intelligence Division (RID), personnel from Davao City Police Of fice, and the Regional An ti-Cybercrime Unit, tagged Charles Japheth Lagradante Luzada, an 18-year-old stu dent from Toril Davao City for allegedly posting unver ified robbery incidents in DavaoLuzadaCity. has since issued a public apology on his so cial media account for post ing series of fake news and information about alleged incidents of hold-ups, kid napping, and rape having transpired in particular ar eas in Davao City, Digos City, and Panabo City that cause panic among the public.

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In a statement, Police Regional Office 11 Regional Director Benjamin Silo Jr. said fake news spreading in social media is very alarm ing and has already caused panic and fear to the peo ple, likewise, discredits the effort of our police in main taining peace and order. “We hope that this will serve as a warning to the public to avoid spreading Aformer “Militia ng Bayan” member of the New People’s Army (NPA) has led government troopers to the location of the rebels’ arms cache in Bukidnon, the military said Monday.Ina statement, the Ar my’s 16th Infantry Battalion (16IB) said the former mili tia, only known as “Labay,” pinpointed the rebels’ hide out and arms cache in Ba rangay Hagpa, Impasugong, Bukidnon, on Aug. 27.

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Domestic pump prices are set to be hiked once again this week, with an oil industry source fore casting major movements: up by P1.30 to P1.60 per liter for gasoline, and die sel by P5.40 to P5.70. This comes as oil firms last week hiked prices per liter of gasoline by P0.70, diesel by P2.60, and kero sene by LatestP2.80.data available from the Department of Energy (DOE) indicate that year-to-date adjust ments stood at a net in crease of P18.15 per liter for gasoline, P31.70 per liter for diesel, and P27.10 per liter for kerosene as of August 23, 2022. For its part, the Land Transportation Franchis ing and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) said the FEJODAP is welcome to make a pe tition, which will still un FEJODAP to seek P2 hike in jeepney fares

CHINA,

The Duterte administra tion had canceled talks on oil and gas exploration with China, citing Constitutional limits.But China is expecting closer cooperation and even usher in a “golden era” of re lations with the Philippines under the Marcos adminis tration as it expressed readi ness to assist the Philippines in the following priority ar eas of cooperation: agricul ture, infrastructure, energy, people to people relations.

turningsurvive.ernmentP2added.ko-constructionbumalikperongtuloy-tuloysaid.paghahanap-buhay,”lukuyanmgapopamahalaanpanawaganofthedriversdonationalAccordingproducts.toFEJODAPpresidentRicar“Boy”Rebaño,jeepneyarenowbearingbruntoftheincreaselocalpumpprices.“Dalawangpisopoangkosaatingparanamanmaka-surviveitongdrivernatinnakasaaybumabaliksahe“Angakalanilamagtuitongpagbabapetroleumproductskabalintunaanbakahoitosapagulit,”he[WeareappealingforaincreasefromthegovforourdriverstoTheyarejustretotheworkforce as they expected the con tinuous decline of petro leum products but on the contrary, they may just re turn to construction jobs.]

In a bid to boost air trav el, the Department of Transportation (DOTr) is investing PHP2.5 billion to upgrade three airports so that they can accommo date more flights and pas sengers, Makati City Rep. Luis Campos Jr. said on Sunday.Under the DOTr’s PHP2.5-billion Aviation Infrastructure Program in the 2023 national budget, Tacloban City Airport, also known as Daniel Romual dez Airport, would receive the bulk of the new fund ing, or PHP1.42 billion, ac cording to Campos, House appropriations PHP500lioAirport,vice-chairperson.committeeCampossaidAntiquealsoknownasEveJavierAirport,wouldgetmillion,whileLao ag International Airport would receive PHP445 mil lion.The Civil Aviation Au thority of the Philippines designates Tacloban City Airport as a principal class 1 domestic airport, Laoag International Airport as a secondary/alternate inter national airport, and An tique Airport as a principal class 2 domestic airport.

The Federation of Jeepney Operators and Drivers Associ ation of the Philippines (FEJODAP) is set to peti tion for a P2.00 increase in fares, given the successive increases in pump prices of petroleum

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China hopes it can con tinue discussions with the Philippines and demon strate “flexibility” to pursue oil and gas explorations in the South China Sea and overcome legal obstacles, visiting Minister Liu Jian chao of the International Department of the Central Committee of the Commu nist Party of China (IDCPC) told“Seemsreporters.that there are some legal barrier or legal factors that are standing in the way of final consen sus. I hope that both sides will move about this issue in a way that is feasible, in China is ready to work with and engage the Philippines in a dialogue to main tain peace and stability in the region, stressing that the South China Sea disputes should not negatively affect the overall re lations, one of its ministers said, Sunday. a way that (is) practical so that the cooperation could be continued, could be real ized,” said Liu, who served as Chinese Ambassador to the Philippines from 2009 to 2011.“Ihope that the discus sions will continue. I hope both sides will demonstrate some kind of flexibility… without prejudicing each other’s claims, of their own positions so that the cooper ation could happen,” he said.

Three airports getting upgrade to accommodate more flights FTHREE, P10

China eyes resuming oil, gas exploration dialogue with PH

Campos said Bukidnon Airport, which is projected to commence commercial operations in 2023, would get PHP80 million, while the Ninoy Aquino Interna tional Airport would re ceive PHP43 million. “We are all for in creased spending to build up our aviation infrastruc ture across all regions,”

VOL.15 ISSUE 118 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2022

Workers cook pork crackling locally known as “chicharon” at a food stall inside a mall along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City on Monday. Edge Davao

4 EDGEDAVAO ECONOMY

Liu said China has been approached by the Philip pine side for assistance on agriculture and fertilizers

Philippine Coconut Authority 11 regional manager III Juvy Alayon says during this week’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao the government is aiming to increase domestic consumption of coconut oil to lessen the depend ency on the imported oil products. Edge Davao

It took a sitting president to concurrently serve as Agriculture secretary for the DA “to finally reap a budget increase,” Deputy Speaker Ralph Recto said. With Marcos at its helm, the Department of Agriculture will see its bud get shoot up by 44 percent, from PHP71 billion this year to PHP102.15 billion next year, the Batangas rep resentative said. “You can say that this is the beginning of the end of a funding drought,” Recto said in a news release on Sunday. He added that the in crease should be support ed because “to beat hunger, a country should not starve its farming sector of funds.” Recto said eight big ag ricultural agencies deemed as government corpora tions will likewise be get ting hefty increases in bud getary subsidy from the national government. From PHP46.2 billion this year, subsidies to the National Food Authority, Sugar Regulatory Adminis tration, National Irrigation Administration, Philippine Rice Research Institute, Philippine Fisheries Devel opment Authority, National Tobacco Administration, Philippine Coconut Author ity, and National Dairy Au thority will go up to PHP62 billion or 33 percent jump. Of the eight, the NFA will post the biggest hike, a 71 percent jump from PHP7 billion to PHP12 bil lion. This will allow NFA to hike its buffer stock capac ity from nine days to 15 days.Next is SRA, which has been earmarked a budget subsidy of PHP1 billion, up by 41 percent, from this year’s PHP712.2 million. At the so-called “DA Proper”, the Office of the Secretary (OSEC) will see its budget surge from PHP61 billion to PHP90.2 billion, a 48 percent or PHP29 billion hike. The OSEC will run the National Rice Program whose allocation will be doubled from PHP15.8 bil lion in 2022 to PHP30.5 bil lion in 2023. Of this amount, PHP19.5 billion will fund fertilizer support which, ac cording to Recto, “is a must

“That’s why there’s a need to amend the law. We have the second longest shoreline in the world. We have 36,000 kilometers of shoreline. It’s really embarrassing that we are importing salt from Australia [and] Chi na, and some also in Thai land and New Zealand,” he told ANC’s “Rundown”. Enacted in 1995, the ASIN law seeks to ad

Agri organization wants PH’s Salt Law amended

Gasoline up P1.40/liter; diesel, kerosene by P6.10/liter Tuesday

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make similar announce ments for the week. This is the second straight week that oil firms will implement a major increase, after firms hiked prices per liter of gasoline by P0.70, diesel by P2.60, and kerosene by P2.80 last week.Department of Ener gy-Oil Industry Manage ment Bureau Director Rino Abad earlier said prices may move higher due to the movement in the world market amid higher demand in the United States and Eu rope.Latest data available from the Department of Energy (DOE) indicate that year-to-date adjustments stood at a net increase of P18.15 per liter for gaso line, P31.70 per liter for diesel, and P27.10 per liter for kerosene as of August 23, 2022.

FDITO, P10 An agricultural group on Monday urged lawmakers to amend Republic Act 8172 or An Act for Salt Iodiza tion Nationwide to revive the country’s salt produc tionAccordingindustry. to Philip pine Chamber of Agricul ture and Food Inc. presi dent Danilo Fausto, the country imports 93 per cent of its salt require ment.

DITO Telecom hits 12M subscribers

Funding drought over as DA under PBBM reaps 44% budget increase

DITO Telecommuni ty Corp. on Monday said it already hit its year-end target of 12 million subscribers, fol lowing the launch of its commercial operations in MarchThe2021.company said its subscriber base reached 12 million last Friday, Au gust 26, 2022. It added that it has also boosted its coverage to over 600 cities and municipalities, effectively surpassing its 70% population coverage target.“Since we started our rollout in 2019, we have been developing our (standalone) 5G net work,” Chief Technology

VOL.15 ISSUE 118 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2022 5EDGEDAVAO ECONOMY

Cleanfuel will imple ment the same changes, excluding kerosene which it does not carry. The changes will take effect at 6 a.m. on Tuesday, August 30. Other firms have yet to Motorists will be greeted with heft ier pump prices on Tuesday, as oil firms announced another major hike to mark the second straight week of increases.

In separate advisories, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp. and Seaoil Philip pines Inc. said they will increase prices per liter of gasoline by P1.40, diesel by P6.10, and kerosene by P6.10.

VOL.15 ISSUE 118 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 20226 EDGEDAVAO VANTAGE On the progress of the long-overdue P19billion Samal Island-Davao City (SIDC) Connector Project: There is PhilippinesidefromthetheseeareprogresssubstantialandweoptimistictothecarryoutofprojectthroughjointeffortstheChineseandtheside.ConsulGeneralLiLin Chinese Consulate General in Davao 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. NEILWIN L. BRAVO Editor in Chief Columnists: ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA • HENRYLITO D. TACIO • JOHN CARLO TRIA • MUJAHID NAVARRA • FRED C. LUMBA DENNIS R. GORECHO • VIDA MIA S. VALVERDE • HAROLD CAVITE • MOSES BILLACURA 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) LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. Desk 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 GREGORIO G. DELIGERO Consultant MAYA M. PADILLO Senior Reporter

Groundwater – which sus tains drinking water supplies, sanitation systems, farms, industries and ecosystems –needs to be protected from fur ther deterioration. Otherwise, we would wake up one day without water to drink and for otherRightpurposes.now,groundwater is being overused, polluted and neglected, experts sounded the alarm during the World Water Week.“It is our duty to ensure groundwater has its rightful place in all of our action plans,” urged Gilbert Houongbo, chair of UN-Water, in his video mes sage to an online session, titled “Groundwater: Making the in visibleGroundwatervisible.” accounts for 99% of all running freshwa ter on earth. “Groundwater is a critical natural resource, in visible but indispensable for life on our planet,” said Chief Audrey Azoulay of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UN ESC0).Nearly 50% of the world’s urban population depends on underground water sources, Azoulay noted that “more and more aquifers are being pollut ed, overexploited, and dried up by humans, sometimes with ir reversible tyterventionsInterfacingOtherwise,waterrelevantunderstood.ofcountry’sandandresourceonfor2022,WaterAccordingconsequences.”totheUNWorldDevelopmentReportgroundwateraccounts99%ofallliquidfreshwaterEarth.However,thisnaturalispoorlyunderstoodconsequentlyundervaluedmismanaged.EveninDavaoCity,thelargestcityintermslandarea,waterispoorlyWaterbecomesonlywhenthereisnogushingfromthefaucet.theydon’tcareatall.TheenvironmentalgroupDevelopmentInforSustainabili(IDIS)forecastsDavaoCity

MAKING THE INVISIBLE VISIBLE HENRYLITO D. TACIO THINK ON THESE!

According to IDIS, the Davao City Water District gets 98% of its water supply from ground water. Soon, the city will get its drinking water from surface water such as the Panigan-Ta mugan River in Baguio District. Each day, Filipinos consume 310 to 507 million cubic meters of water. “A household of five needs at least 120 liters per days to meet basic needs – for drinking, food preparation, cooking and clean ing up, washing and personal hygiene, laundry, house clean ing,” noted David Satterthwaite and Gordon McGranahan in their collaborative report pub lished in the State of the World 2007.Although water is a renew able resource, it is also a finite one. Less than three percent of the world’s water is fresh, and more than 75 percent of this is frozen - mainly at the North and South Poles. Of the remaining freshwater, 98 percent lies underground. People and land-dwelling ani mals can only access about 0.01 percent of the entire world’s water.Water is drawn in two fun damental ways: from wells, tap ping underground sources of water called aquifers; or from surface flows - that is, from lakes, rivers, and man-made reservoirs.About2,000 cubic kilome ters of freshwater are flowing through the world’s rivers at any one time; nearly one half the total is in South America and another one fourth is in Asia.“We cannot talk of providing sustainable water to the people unless we protect the sources of the commodity – the water sheds,” said Elisea Gozun when she was the head of the Depart ment of Environment and Natu ral Resources (DENR). In a report a couple of years ago, the DENR said that 90% of the 99 watershed areas in the country were “hydrologically critical” due to their degrad ed physical condition. Massive destruction of the once-pro ductive forested watersheds by loggers – both legal and illegal –and uncontrolled land use from mining, overgrazing, agricultur al expansion, and industrializa tion have contributed to water depletion.“From a high of 15 million hectares decades ago, the coun try has only about 5.4 million hectares of forestlands left,” Gu zonRiversaid. pollution has added to the water problem. The Philip pine Urban Sewerage and San itation classifies 37 out of 418 rivers as polluted, while the rest were seriously polluted. Eleven rivers were categorized as “bio logicallyHoungbo,dead.”the president of International Fund for Agricul tural Development, observed: “Improving the way we use and manage groundwater is an urgent priority if we are to achieve the Sustainable Devel opment Goals by “Decision-makers,”2030.”he add ed, “must begin to take full ac count of the vital ways in which groundwater can help ensure the resilience of human life and activities in a future where the climate is becoming increasing ly unpredictable.”“Waterisn’tjust a commod ity. It is a source of life,” said Sandra Postel, director of the Global Water Policy Project in Amherst, Massachusetts. “By means of water,” says the Koran, “we give life to everything.”

VOL.15 ISSUE 118 • TUESDAY, AUGUST 30, 2022 EDGEDAVAO 7VANTAGE POINTS

Atrocities of war in Davao were not the exclusive domain of Kempe-tai, the brutal Japa nese Imperial police force in volved in mutilating individu als suspected of anti-Japanese sentiment.Evidently angered by the in roads of the Japanese troops in Davao region, American troops and their Filipino cohorts com mitted war crimes on Decem ber 19, a day before the new colonizers took over the city. Though the figures cited in the account cannot be verified in dependently, the Japanese used the incident as a strong propa gandaSaburosuit.

DECEMBER 19, 1941, MASSACRE ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

Ogawa, vice pres ident of the Nippon Associa tion in Davao told a reporter of Domei, a Japanese news agency, that the US forces were the perpetrators of the massa cre of Japanese. The victims of the murders were sixty young Japanese internees, including women and children. He told Syonan Shimbun, a Japanese publication, that shortly after the Japanese occu pation of Davao, the American troops, after ‘leaving the Filipi no natives in the front lines, re treated after machinegunning the Nippon, killing 22, includ ing women and children.’ A day later, nine persons were butchered at the resi dence of the manager of Osaka Trading Company. That same day, two Nippon-zins were also murdered at the US military barracks. On December 23, twelve more Japanese migrants were killed in Malita, Davao Occidental, while there were several Nippon-zins reported missing in Digos City. The gruesome Davao City carnage was recognized by Maj. Gen. William Fletcher Sharp, commander-in-chief of the American and Filipino forces in Visayas and Mindanao. Asked by Yuji Hayashi, a news corre spondent of Syonan Shimbun, he admitted the incident, say ing:‘Yes, I heard that some American officers instigated the Filipino troops to massa cre Hippon-zin and committed atrocities on Dec. last year just prior to the landing of the Nip pon troops at the city of Davao. Upon hearing of the incident, I immediately ordered Briga dier-General Joseph P. Vachon, who was then in charge of the American and Filipino troops on the island of Mindanao, to investigate the cases, howev er, it was almost impossible to obtain any satisfactory results since all American troops had then retreated into the moun tain region. I am responsible for what happened over there and am ready to stand any tri al… I regret [it] deeply because it certainly is a shame on the part of the United States. Every time when I recall the Davao case and compare the present treatment I am receiving here, my heart Anotheraches.’US atrocity that made it to headlines took place on December 20, 1942, exact ly a year after the fall of Davao City in Japanese hands. But the story has a Accordingtwist.to an account (‘Davao Internment Camp Atrocity, Hero Remembered’) that saw print in Syonan Shim bun on May 3, 1943, Shigemi Nakajima, a Japanese nation al, was scalded to death after he discovered the plan of the American guards to poison 16,000 Japanese internees at Davao Penal Colony, an intern mentThecamp.plan was hatched fol lowing the Japanese takeover, which angered the Americans. When Nakajima learned of the diabolic plan, he warned the internees but the Americans knew of his duplicity. As a con sequence, the Japanese was seized and burned to death along with other Nippon resi dents. His death was predict ably deemed heroic by the Japanese who held memorial services in his honor, attended by many people, and his par ents who were from Nara Pre fecture.Comparably, American bru tality paled to Japanese war time atrocities which, among others, involved the fatal stab bing of infants, burying sus pects alive, burning of dwell ings of suspected informants, rape of women including nuns, beheading, and killing by firing squad. Even Filipinos who took side with the invaders were not spared from the mayhems.

“will experience a deficit of 69 million cubic meters (45% of the demand) of groundwater” by 2050 – that’s 28 years from now.“This will likely happen considering the growing popu lation and economic activities in the city,” IDIS said. “Added to this is the unabated destruction of water recharge areas in the uplands.”Aseveryone knows, the city’s tap water is considered to be the “best water in the world.” Its water is tested inter nationally to be the best quality of clean and safe water in the world. In fact, some believe the water is “absolutely perfect.”

The Social Security System (SSS) wishes to inform the public that its online channels includ ing its website (www.sss. gov.ph), SSS Mobile App, and uSSSap Tayo Portal will temporarily be un available.SSS’servers are un dergoing testing in preparation for the con tinuation of operations through its Business Re covery Center as oper ations in its Main Data Center have been affected by the fire that occurred at the UPS Room located on the ground floor of its main office building in Quezon City yesterday, August 28, 2022. SSS stakeholders are assured that all mem ber data records were not affected by the in cident.The SSS asks for their patience and under standing while all efforts are being made to restore the availability of its on line services as soon as possible.Inthe meantime, those with urgent que ries and concerns may send their messages to the SSS’ official email accounts operationsonlinewilldates).ViberTubeTwitterInstagramSecuritybookmediasss.gov.ph)gov.ph,gov.ph,serviceassistance@sss.tions@sss.gov.ph,(member_relaonlineprnhelpline@sss.ofw.relations@andsocialaccounts(FaceatPhilippineSocialSystem–SSS;atmysssph;atPHLSSS;YouatMYSSSPH;andatMYSSSPHUpAseparateadvisorybereleasedonceSSS’channelsresume

Astana Davao, the exclusive 3.6-hectare community at Barangay Matina, Pangi celebrates with the rest of Davao City the iconic Kadayawan Festival with amaz ing gifts for homeowners booking units during its Open House on Thursday, August 25, 2022. Cheryl Taniza, Sales Manager of Astana developer Johndorf Ventures Corporation (JVC), announces that the company joins in Davao’s Festival of Festivals to honor the resilience of its people in surmounting the challenges of the past few years.

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Together with the 390-unit Evissa village, Astana flanks Navona Davao. Units at Evissa and Navona have all been sold out. Brisk uptake of units within the three commu nities are buoyed by JVC’s solid brand promise of competitive pricing for reliable“Qualityproducts.homes and liveable communities are hallmarks that JVC con tinuously aims for in each of its properties. These features, plus more, we are proud to offer to the Dabawenyos in celebra tion of Kadayawan,” Tani za said, adding that Asta na units are being offered at low initial investment rates.Astana proposes a secure, peaceful and bal anced lifestyle with its park, playground, basket ball court, lagoon, sewage treatment plant, club house and multi-purpose area. The gated commu nity features a 14-me ter-wide markets.identialnitiesporaryfootprintcontinuesertyveteranJVCperienceanao.inresidentialhigh-quality,amongAstanaentrance.iscountedJVC’sportfolioofeconomicdevelopmentstheVisayasandMindWith36yearsofexinthebusiness,isanacknowledgedintherealpropsector.Thecompanytoexpanditswithcontemliveablecommucateringtotheresandcommercial

Kadayawan is back in-person, a victory of sorts, af ter being restricted to virtual celebrations in 2020 and 2021. The festival’s name comes from the Mandaya “madayaw,” translated as treasured or valuable.

Astana becomes ‘Madayaw’ COMPETITIVE EDGE

Astana’s Kadayawan Open House, to be held at the neighboring Navona Davao Clubhouse, offers more val ue to buyers this week with the addition of a ceramic tiles package and a 50” flat screen smart TV for each unit taken out during the event. Astana has a total of 277 two-storey townhouses each with 48 square meters of floor area hosting living and dining spaces, kitchen, toilet and bath and provi sions for three bedrooms. Every unit also has a garden space, a carport and service zone. Eighty percent of the residential units have been sold since the project was launched three years ago.

EDGEDAVAO

SSS Media Advisory: Temporary downtime of online channels

Seven-year old Sophia Ferrer Ladaran is not your ordinary young girl. The daughter of US-based nurses from Davao City is making waves in the world of fashion. She is an image model for top brands in the US starting a career at a very young age of three.

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Text by HENRYLITO D. TACIO Photos courtesy of Joanna F. Ladaran

EDGEDAVAO GAME CHANGER

Among the brands So phia modeled for were Gap, Skiphop, Nike, Levi’s, Hur ley, Care.com, Disney, Nick elodeon, 3Brand, and High Sierra. “Sophia works with a well-known agency in New York City,” says Joanna, who is from Davao City. “Brands contact the agency directly if they want to work with Sophia.”Sophia always loved fashion even as a toddler, according to her mother. “One day, someone sug gested that I submit her to a modeling agency,” Joanna recalled. “I just did it on a whim and was not expect ing to hear back. I actually ended up forgetting that I evenSurprisingly,submitted.” she re ceived an e-mail from the three agencies asking to meet Sophia. “We met with them individually, they of fered to represent her and we picked one that was the best fit for her,” Joanna said. “We have been with the same one since and we love them!”The Ladarans were very much happy that their daughter would become a model. Her first modelling stint was with Gap, which was like a dream job for most child models. “Our daughter got it as her first gig, which was exciting,” she said. (The Gap origi nally targeted the younger generation when it first opened, with its name re ferring to the “generation gap of the time.”) At seven, Sophia man ages to keep a good balance between school and mod elling.“Sophia knows that modelling is more of a hob by and she understands that school is very im portant,” Joanna said. “She maintains her grades and actually does very well in school despite having to miss some days for model ling.”As mother to a young model, Joanna doesn’t handpick which brand or brands her daughter would model. “I actually don’t have any that I can think of,” she said. “Our goal is to make sure she has fun, make friends, and make the most out of the experience while she is in it.” Luckily, Sophia enjoys modelling a lot so it always translates to those pho tos taken of her. An ad of a brand could take anywhere from one hour to six hours to do.More often than not, an adult accompanies Sophia when an ad is being taken. “There always has to be a trusted adult with Sophia at all times when she mod els,” Joanna said. “It is usu

FDAUGHTER, P10

Utain Kalatungan. Sol diers brought him to the Maguindanao provincial hospital for treatment. Major Gen. Roy Gali do, 6th Infantry Division commander, reiterated an earlier warning against the BIFF, saying the “Army is ready to use its might against them,” but its door remains open for those who surrender peacefully.

PRO 11...

“The 6th ID is offering peace and the BIFF may avail of it soonest,” Galido, concurrent commander of the Joint Task Force Cen tral,Sincesaid. January this year, five BIFF have been killed and 154 surrendered to the government in Central Mindanao. (PNA)

FROM 3 false information and post ing fake news on any social media platform. We will also pursue and investigate any post for clout which may affect public safety and order” he Investigatorssaid. are now preparing complaints for violation of Article 154 of the Revised Penal Code, which states: Any person who by means of printing, lithography, or any other means of publication shall publish or cause to be pub lished as news any false news which may endanger the public order, or cause damage to the interest or credit of the State. In relation to the Cy bercrime Prevention Act of 2012 or Republic Act No. 10175 the penalties for crimes committed by, through, and with the use of information and commu nications technologies shall be one degree higher. Likewise, under Repub lic Act 10951, the penalty for violations of Article 154 shall be imprisonment for six (6) months and a fine ranging from P40,000 to P200,000.Itcan be recalled that Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte reminded the Dabawenyos to verify in formation before posting online. He also urged the public to report any crime incidents to the police. On August 26, 2022, an unverified kidnapping at tempt involving a Grade 9 student of the Doña Carmen Denia National High School (DCDNHS) went viral. An official of the said school denied the incident. By Maya M. Padillo

THREE... FROM 4 Campos said in a news re lease on Sunday. “There’s no question that airports are powerful generators of economic growth, jobs and income.”“They facilitate mobil ity of people and goods, which also benefits con sumers and industries, es pecially micro, small and medium enterprises (MS MEs) that now account for 99 percent of the 958,000 registered business estab lishments in the country,” Campos said. He said bigger and bet ter airports are also indis pensable to the country’s overall disaster readiness. “They enable us to rap idly deploy emergency first responders as well as relief supplies and equipment to regions hit by typhoons, earthquakes, and other natural calamities,” Cam posThesaid. Philippines has been tagged as one of the world’s most disas ter-prone countries, being at the center of a typhoon belt and within the Pacif ic Ring of Fire frequented by volcanic eruptions and earthquakes.Campos said govern ment funding for aviation infrastructure is usually spent to construct, rehabil itate, or improve runways, taxiways and aprons, air traffic control buildings as well as passenger and car go terminals.Themoney is also spent on aircraft refueling facil ities, fire and rescue sta tions, powerhouses, water and sewage systems, and perimeter fencing, among others, Campos said. (PR)

FEJODAP... FROM 4 dergo evaluation. “They can always file a supplemental petition in our office and we will hear and evaluate it according ly,” LTFRB Chairperson Cheloy Garafil said in the same report.

VP SARA...

FROM 9 ally myself or my husband.” Sophia is not only in modelling but in acting as well. “We have an exclusive contract with the agency for both modeling and act ing,” Joanna said. Parents are always proud of their children and the Ladarans are not an exception. “It always feels very surreal to see your kid in an ad or a website,” Joan na said. “You think to your self, wow that’s my kid! I am always in awe watch ing her model, as well. She knows exactly what to do and what movements to make. There’s a sense of confidence that she has while she does it, like she’s not only 7 but an older per son knowing exactly what the photographer needs. We are all very proud of her.”Joanna is the daughter of Dr. Rey Ferrer (the twin brother of Dr. Roy Ferrer). The Ferrers came to the United States in 2000. As fate would have it, Joanna met Ryan. “He worked in the same nursing home my mom worked at,” she re membered. “We met there when I volunteered for school, we became friends and stayed that way for a few years and the rest is history.”The couple has three children and Sophia is the eldest. The two others are boys: Camden and Roman. What are her future plans for Sophia and her other two “Whateverkids?they would like to do,” she pointed out. “I want my kids to fig ure out what they like and what they don’t like and have the opportunity to excel in it or to fail. Failure is a part of life and that is how they learn. “One of the points I drive though, is commit ment. Once you sign up for something, you have to see it through to the end and then you can give it up if you don’t like it but defi nitely try and give it your all before you just quit. “For example, Sophia loves to model and she un derstands that sometimes she has to wake up super early for a job. She can’t just be like ‘no it’s too early I won’t go’ because she com mitted to modelling and that is part of the job. The same applies to both our boys, as well.”

CHINA... FROM 4 and that both sides will con duct consultations on the matter.Onenergy, he said China is ready to work with the Philippines in developing hydropower, nuclear power, solar and wind energy. He also proposed stron ger collaboration with the Philippines in the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and latest initiatives launched by President Xi Jinping such as the Global Development Initiative and Global Securi ty Initiative.Whilein Manila, Liu met with Philippine officials in cluding Foreign Affairs Sec retary Enrique Manalo and House Speaker Martin Ro mualdez.Liusaid the South China Sea was not a dominant top ic in his talks with Manalo, focusing instead on how to strengthen cooperation in various areas and how Chi na canLiuassist.also expressed ap preciation for the Philip pines’ reiteration of its “One China Policy” after US House Speaker Nancy Pelosi visit ed Taiwan.Liuhopes that the Philippines will proceed with projects with China after consensus has been reached, saying a “strong will” is needed to carry on what has been discussed. He expressed hope that Filipinos “will have access to the convenience of railway transportation as soon as possible.”“Ihope that the two sides will have a serious, pragmatic, and reasonable discussions and consulta tions on these projects so once agreed upon, once consensus is reached, the projects will be carried for ward,” he said. “We just don’t want to spend too much time dis cussing and discussing and discussing on whether it is feasible or a feasible project or (if it) is too costly or less costly because in the early stages of consultations, all these were agreed upon,” he said.“So then, I think, we can have a good mech anism for both sides to reach consensus on all the details, factors, and ele ments that are needed in finalizing the project.”

FUNDING... FROM 5 Officer Rodolfo Santiago said in an emailed state ment.“Our goal has been to allow Filipinos to expe rience heandformcountry5GDITOtechnologynext-generationandweinareexcitedtobringtomoreareasinthetotrulytransdigitalconnectivityonlineinteractions,”added.Globalinternetspeed monitoring firm Ookla has described DITO as a market disruptor, saying that the Philippines is a “duopoly no more” as it recognizes the impact that DITO had in trig gering dominant play ers Globe Telecom and PLDT’s Smart Communi cations to beef up invest ments to improve their services and keep their subscribers.DITOis mandated to cover 70% of the popu lation this year as part of commitments to the gov ernment when it secured frequencies, license, and franchise as the third ma jor telco player.

AGRI... FROM 5 dress the country’s mi cronutrient malnutrition “through the cost-effec tive preventive measure of saltTheiodization.”lawrequires ute.”import,produce,iodizeersproducers-manufactur“alloffood-gradesalttothesaltthattheymanufacture,tradeordistrib

DITO... FROM 5 at this time when fertilizer prices have gone through the “Whenroof.” crops are denied of nutrients, the resulting low harvest deprives our people of nutrition. ‘Yan ang nangyari sa (That’s what happened in) Sri Lan ka,” Recto said. Under the DA plan, PHP5.2 billion will be plowed to the corn sector, PHP5 billion to livestock, PHP2 billion to high value crops, and PHP5.2 billion to fisheries. Other agencies slated to receive bigger funds are the Fertilizer and Pesticide Authority, up 66 percent, or from PHP156 million to PHP259 million, and the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, from PHP4.7 billion to PHP6.3 billion, a 35 percent boost. The DA will also be ramping up infrastructure spending, allotting PHP13.1 billion for farm-to-market roads and PHP29.5 billion for irrigation.Rectosaid he is sup porting the budget increase in agriculture, “not because it is what the President has asked, but this is what the peopleThewant.”planned increase in the DA budget comes on the heels of a global study tag ging the Philippines as the most food insecure in East and Southeast Asia and 146th out of 171 countries.

NO HARD... FROM 2 suffer. Once placed under lockdown, operations will stop, and the company will suffer losses. That’s what we want to prevent,” sheShesaid.said the local gov ernment intends to bal ance health and economy by trying to contain the transmission of the virus without affecting the op erations of the business es. She said the business process outsourcing com panies (BPOs), banks, restaurants, schools, and other establishments have been trained to ca pacitate on what must be done in case an outbreak of COVID-19 cases hap pens within their jurisdic tion.“For several months, we’ve had several train ing sessions for them. We have trained them on how to do their own contact tracing, so that at their level they would know who will be quar antined and isolated. We have taught them that the companies or estab lishments will not suffer from the consequence of being closed down. They are very responsive and cooperative and because of this, we were able to contain workplace trans mission,” she said. She added the local government is closely monitoring the cases of COVID-19 in the city after the month-long Kaday awan festivities that drew a huge crowd. In a press release, Schlosser reported 620 COVID-19 cases with a positivity rate of 13.8% as of August 21. Schlosser has yet to release the total number of cases in the city as of August 28. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

FROM 3 our National Heroes with a promise that their sacri fices will serve as our light and inspiration as we vow to protect the integrity of our independence and the interest of our nation against those who wish for us to fail, to fall, and to break as a nation,” she add ed. Meanwhile, the Vice President has been busy doing rounds in various schools of the country since the opening of classes.

Fausto said the coun try last year imported 646,000 metric tons of salt, which is the being used as fertilizer for coco nutSen.trees.Joel Villanueva has described as “shame ful” for the Philippines to import majority of its salt supply despite being an archipelagic country. He has filed Senate resolution to look into how the government could revitalize the coun try’s salt making indus try. Last week, the Depart ment of Trade and Indus try has assured the public the country has sufficient supply of salt even as prices have increased.

FROM 3

Liu said China is ready to welcome Marcos for a visit to China at a convenient date.

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The Anti-Terrorism Council also formally designated the Nation al Democratic Front as a terrorist organization on June 23, 2021, citing it as “an integral and insepara ble part” of the CPP-NPA that was created in April 1973. (PNA)

In January last year, the Department of Pub lic Works and Highways signed a P19.32-billion contract with a Chinese firm for the design and construction of the bridge. The 3.86-kilometer, four-lane bridge is seen to boost Samal’s tourism sec tor and overall economic development.

The REDAS software can simulate earthquake hazards and compute and assess earthquake and other hydrometeorologi cal impacts, he said. Sarangani province and its neighboring prov inces and cities have been experiencing earthquakes as it is within the periph ery of several earthquake faults.“The Makilala-Malun gon Fault, the Cotabato Trench, and the two active volcanoes—Mt. Matutum and Mt. Parker, are among potential earthquake gen erators that may affect Sa rangani,” the official said. Provincial board mem ber Joseph M. Calanao said a resolution has been passed authorizing Gov ernor Rogelio Pacquiao to enter into an agreement with Phivolcs. (PNA)

PHIVOLCS...

Opposite hitter SalamatgharamalekiAytak scored 14 spikes and one service ace while Mahsa Saberi had 11 attacks and four service aces. Reyhane Karimi had eight points, including four blocks. Opposite hitter Ste fanie Weiler and middle blocker Kara Inskip led the Australians with 10 points apiece. Weiler, who had three blocks and one service ace, scored eight points in the third set. (PNA) Filipino pole vaulter EJ Obiena took top honors in the True Athletes Classic 2022 meet, held Sunday in Leverkusen, Germany. Obiena cleared 5.81m on his second try, enough to win the gold over Rutgar Koppelaar of the Netherlands and Kur tis Marschall of Australia. Both Koppelaar and Marschall also cleared 5.81-m on their second try, but faulted in their previous vaults whereas Obiena needed just one attempt to clear 5.63-m. The Filipino athlete attempted to set a new personal best but fal tered thrice at the 5.95m mark.Thegold in Leverku sen continues a string of good results for Obiena, who won bronze in the World Athletics Champi onships in Oregon in July where he set a new Asian record of 5.94-m. He followed it up with a third place finish in the Silesia leg of the 2022 Wanda Diamond League, then won the 26th anne.theenaletesweek.inStabhochsprung-MeetingInternationalesJockgrim,GermanylastBeforetheTrueAthClassicevent,ObihadplacedthirdatAthletissimainLaus

Obiena wins gold at True Athletes Classics

Philippines’ Ernest John Obiena won the gold in the True Athletes Classic 2022 meet on Sunday in Leverkusen, Germany.

Pinays finish 6th in AVC Cup

Host Philippines put up a good fight despite losing to Chi nese Taipei in three straight sets, 26-28, 21-25, 21-25, on Mon day in the battle for fifth place in the 2022 Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women at the Phil Sports Arena in Pasig City.

Middle blocker Ce line Domingo scored 12 attacks and one block, Michelle Gumabao had seven attacks and two blocks while Jessica Mar garett Galanza and Jea nette Panaga chipped in eight points each as the country finished sixth, its best performance in the tournament. In 2018, the Philippines was ninth. Down 15-17 in the third set, the Philippines rallied to tie the count twice, the last at 20-all on Galanza’sChinesespike.Taipei mount ed a 5-1 run behind cap tain Chang Li-Wen and outside hitter Chen TzuYa to clinch the victory before a crowd of 3,500. Team captain Chang Li-Wen had 14 spikes, three blocks and one ser vice ace. She scored nine points in the third set. Opposite hitter Chen Tzu-Ya contributed 11 points and middle block er Huang Hsin-Yu had scored five spikes, one block and one service ace.

The Philippines settled for sixth place in the Asian Volleyball Confederation (AVC) Cup for Women after losing to Chinese Taipei in straight sets, 26-28, 21-25, 21-25, on Monday at the PhilSports Arena.

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“The wins and losses we had in this AVC Cup are priceless. It will be a big help for us if given a chance again to play in in ternational tournaments,” said Philippine team cap tain Julia Melissa Mora do-De Guzman in a postmatchHeadinterview.coach Sherwin Meneses said the team will take a two-day break before going back to prac tice in preparation for their stint at the Asean Grand Prix in Thailand. “From ninth place in 2018 to sixth in 2022, it’s a great improvement,” Philippine National Vol leyball Federation presi dent Ramon “Tats” Suzara said.Earlier, Iran outplayed Australia, 3-0 (25-19, 2518, 25-22), to settle for seventh place.

File photo

EDGEDAVAO

Playing before a hometown crowd, the Phil ippines routed Saudi Arabia by 38 points, 84-46, at the 2023 Fiba World Cup Asian qualifiers on Monday and for a moment, Philip pine basketball felt good. GOOD

FEEL

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Gilas SaudismothersArabia84-46

Jordan Clarkson was im pressive in his first home game for Gilas, treating the 19,829 fans in attendance to a dazzling 23-point, 5-re bound, and 5-assist perfor mance before heading back to the NBA and returning in time for the World Cup next year. The NBA Sixth Man awardee’s steady presence was key in the Philippines fi nally breaking the floodgates wide open in its 23-point third quarter, where Gilas led by 25 points, 61-36 heading into the final canto.

Clarkson’s job was done by then as the rest of the Pi noys followed his lead and extended the advantage to its highest at 40, 84-44, after a Calvin Oftana floater in the lastKai1:10.Sotto also had his share with a double-double effort of 16 points, 13 boards, and four blocks before head ing back to Australia for his second season with the Ade laide 36ers. It was a testy start for Gi las as its quest to chase high lights led to a lethargic open er that saw Saudi Arabia take control early and hold a sixpointDwightlead. Ramos, fortunate ly, was there to provide the spark to light up a telling 10-0 run that turned the game around and gave the hosts a 35-23 second quarter lead. He finished with nine points, six rebounds, and two assists to help the Philippines even its standing at 3-3 be fore its pair of away games in the November window. But defense also tightened up after the break, with Saudi Arabia being held to just 18 points in the second half.