Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 160 | Tuesday, Oct. 18, 2022

HIGH RISK VILLAGES

HIGH RISK VILLAGES

Three barangays identified as high risk areas for Covid-19

By MAYA M. PADILLO

The

city government of Davao iden tified three high-risk barangays for Covid-19.

The announcement came despite the fact that the city is currently under the low risk Alert Level 1 status.

With the announce ment, residents are prohib ited to visit barangays 7-A, 11-B, and 13-B to avoid transmission of Covid-19.

Meanwhile, there are 27 moderate-risk baran

gays identified: 1-A, 3-A, 4-A, 6-A, 9-A, 10-A, 14-B, 17-B, 19-B, 25-C, 26-C, 31D, 34-D, 35-D, 38-D, A. An gliongto, Sr., Agdao Prop er. Atan-awe, Buhangin Proper, Catalunan Grande, Catigan, Eden, Governor Paciano Bangoy, Matina Crossing, Rafael Castillo, Ubalde, and V. Hizon, Sr.

All barangays not men tioned are considered lowrisk barangays.

Dr. Michelle Schloss er, spokesperson of the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force, has been reminding Dabawenyos to be always cautious even though the restrictions in Davao City have been relaxed.

She also noted that Covid-19- related deaths in Davao City remain in double digits and many of those who died are still un

vaccinated.

Last week, she report ed that from October 2 to 8, 2022, Davao City logged 10 Covid-related deaths, six of which were unvaccinated cases.

Schlosser urged the Dabawenyos to get vacci nated to be protected from the severity of the disease and death due to Covid-19.

She also encouraged Dabawenyos to avail of vaccines, with emphasis on booster doses.

DepEd allows private schools to continue distance, blended learning beyond Nov. 2

Private schools in the country may continue implementing distance and blended learning be yond Nov. 2, the Department of Education (DepEd) said in an order issued Monday.

The DepEd earlier man dated all public and private schools to shift to 5 days of in-person classes beginning

But in a department order dated Oct. 17, Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said private schools could still implement blended learn ing or full distance learning.

Under the blended learning scheme, private schools can have 3 days of in-person classes and 2 days of distance learning, and

thereafter, 4 days of in-per son classes and 1 day of dis tance learning, according to the order.

Private schools can also hold 5 days of in-person classes, the DepEd said.

All public schools, mean while, “shall have transi tioned to 5-days in-person classes” beginning Nov. 2, based on the order.

“After the said date, no public school shall be al lowed to implement purely distance learning or blend ed learning, except for those that are expressly provided an exemption by the Re gional Director, those whose classes are automatically cancelled due to disaster and calamities, and those

BOC Davao reinforces security measures against illegal drugs

Bureau of Customs (BOC), Port of Davao, being a member of the Inter-Agency Commit tee on Anti-Illegal Drugs (ICAD) Coordinating Group (RICG) XI, attended the enforcement cluster coor dination meeting last Sep tember 27, 2022, at PDEA Regional Office XI, Camp Captain Domingo E. Le onor, San Pedro, Davao City.

BOC Davao was repre sented by Customs Intel ligence and Investigation Service (CIIS) Chief, IO-II Felix A. Espino III, and En forcement Security Service

(ESS) District Commander, Sp/Lt. Jah T. Atencia.

The said meeting was also attended by other member agencies such as PDEA XI, PNP XI, and the Seaport Interdiction Unit on Anti-illegal Drugs. Among the matters dis cussed were drug trends in the far east region, an ti-illegal drug interdiction operations, and the PNP plans and programs, such as “OPLAN KALINAW”, which is a joint area secu rity community service and protection operation plan.

FBOC, P10

Gov’t encouraged to focus on renewable energy sources

Dependence on coal for energy will not help the country achieve its commitment under the Paris Agreement on climate change to cut greenhouse emissions by 70 percent by 2030, an environmental group said.

Mylai Santos, director of Ecoteneo at the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU), told MindaNews on Sunday that coal dependence is det rimental to local communi ties, including Barangay Ned in South Cotabato where “dirty coal is being mined by San Miguel Corporation.”

“Barangay Ned is 41,247 hectares in land area yet it is covered by 36,000 hectares of coal operating contracts covering Bagumbayan as well,” she said.

The Paris Agreement, which entered into force on November 4, 2016, targets to limit “global warming to well below 2, preferably to 1.5 degrees Celsius, com pared to pre-industrial lev els” as part of global efforts to combat climate change and adapt to its effects.

Under this agreement, countries “aim to reach

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte issues a department order allowing private schools in the country to implement distance and blended learning beyond November 2. Edge Davao

Delivery to correct address hounds PhilSys ID distribution

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Undersecretary Jose Faustino Jr., offi cer-in-charge of the Department of National Defense (DND), has credit ed the local chief executives and unity in the region as the primary factor in achieving the insurgen cy-free status of Davao Ori ental.

The Davao Oriental provincial government for mally announced its insur gency-free status on Friday, following the declaration of the Davao Region as insur gency-free on Oct. 12.

“Today, the people of Davao Oriental firmly and openly assert the right to live free from threats of the communist terrorist group in the region. Free to work peacefully and go above their days with hearts un burdened by the terror of an uncertain tomorrow,” Faustino said in a press briefing.

Faustino attributed the success to the efforts of stakeholders and civilian peace partners, as well as projects in the province which are strategic, im pactful, and meaningful to the communities, which led to the insurgency-free dec laration.

Maj. Gen. Nolasco Mem pin, commander of the 10th Infantry Division, at tributed the realization of an insurgency province to the institutionalization of the Whole-of-Nation Ap proach, good governance, and dedication of the local chief executives who pri oritize the welfare of the people.

“The good governance and commitment of the province of Davao Oriental, with the convergence of all public and private stake holders, brought us today to this victorious celebra tion of peace,” he said.

“In time for the celebra tion of a peaceful yuletide season, the official decla ration of this province as insurgency-free will be the most precious gift possible to the people of Davao Ori ental,” Mempin added.

For her part, Governor Corazon Malanyaon urged her fellow local chief exec utives to sustain the gains, for them to develop as one prosperous region.

“For so long a time we have dreamt and worked on achieving peace which was elusive. The road to peace was filled with humps and

The regional office of the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA 11) cited location or address that cannot be located/found as among the reasons why people are not able to receive their Nation al ID card.

For two years, the Phil ippine Identification Sys tem (PhilSys) or National ID encountered delivery issues to the dismay of peo ple who have applied for it.

“In terms of delivery we have a partner agency

yung PhilPost, sila yung naatasan para magdeliver sa mga ID. They have also their website for the track ing kung saan na banda yung ID natin. I think na de liver din nila (PhilPost) ang mga IDs natin but marami

kaming natatanggap sa of fice na hindi nila ma-locate (address). Seguro after the registration, others are al ready dead while others maybe sa block or lot sa ad dress kasi we are highly ur banized in Davao City,” said Baby Jean Alid, focal person for PhilSys-PSA 11, during Kapihan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex on Monday.

The Philippine Postal Corporation (Philpost) is tasked to deliver the IDs.

Alid also said that there

might have been a problem with the machines and that there were others whose names were ‘hit’ in the same manner as the clear ances issued by the Nation al Bureau of Investigation (NBI).

“There are so many reasons bakit hindi pa nila natatanggap sa back end isa na yung reason nasa delivery. Also we have dif ferent machines situated sa Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas

DTI 11 to start monitoring stores selling Christmas lights next month

The regional office of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI 11) announced that the agency will start monitoring Christ mas lights next month.

Lawyer Dianne Bay Gra do, Legal Officer III of DTI 11, said they will visit estab lishments selling Christmas lights.

“Usually gina-conduct namo ang monitoring by November naga-start nami ug monitoring sa mga es tablishments. Ug dili lang na

pag makita namo dakpon dayon namo, there is a pro cess na kailangan buhaton at naka plano siya lahat on the conduct of the monitor ing. Kung before November naga- monitor na ang amo ang field offices, although, gina-ingnan nila ang mga store owners na bawal ni na Christmas lights ug kail angan kani siya na number ang puwede baligya, ilah ang ingnan ang store na dili puwede,” she said.

She said if the store

owners continue to sell il legal Christmas lights, they will face possible arrest.

The DTI-Bureau of Phil ippine Standards (DTI-BPS) reminds consumers to only buy Christmas lights that bear the Philippine Stan dard (PS) mark or the Im port Commodity Clearance (ICC) sticker to be assured of the product’s safety and quality.

The agency reminded that Christmas lights in the market that do not bear the

PS mark or the ICC sticker are assumed to have not undergone the certification process of the DTI-BPS and pose risks to safety such as fire and electric shock.

Meanwhile, Grado an nounced that prices of the basic and prime commod ities in the Davao Region remain stable and if there is an increase it is only minimal and it is due to the transportation of the prod ucts and the expensive buy

Young Lumads perform during the Talaandig Day in Songco, Lantapan town in Bukidnon, on Thursday, October 14, 2022, to celebrate their day and the opening of the School of Living Traditions in their village. MindaN ews photo by FROILAN GALLARDO

Unity credited in DavOr’s insurgencyfree status declaration, says DND

DAR, Aboitiz renew ties for livelihood of farmers’ orgs

Agrarian

Reform Secretary Conrado Estrella III and Pilmico Foods Cor poration president and chief execu tive officer Tristan Aboitiz have renewed their partnership to promote sustainable agri-livelihood for the members of agrari an reform beneficiaries organizations (AR BOs) in the country.

The partnership was formalized through the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the Department of Agrari an Reform (DAR), Aboitiz Foundation, Inc. Aboitiz Equity Ventures (AEV), and the Pilmico Foods Corporation at the 21st floor, NAC Tower, 32nd

street, Bonifacio Global City, Taguig City on Oct. 14.

Under the MOU, Aboitiz Foundation and AEV will provide financial assistance for various live lihood programs for the ARBOs, and the Pilmico to provide technical and lo gistical support.

The DAR will identify potential ARBOs who will participate in the project, in coordination with the DAR provincial offices, where the partnership will be implemented.

Estrella thanked Aboitiz Foundation, AEV, and the Pilmico for their generosity, willingness, and kindness to help the most productive people in the country, the farmers.

“We would like to see the farmers be integrated and be part of the consum ers’ group for them to have better purchasing power. With that, they would have greater chances of suc

ceeding in any business they would engage in,“ he said.

Aboitiz said Pilmico and DAR’s partnership started in 2017 when they launched a livelihood dis tribution project for the ARBOs in various provinc es.

He noted that for the last five years, the part nership had provided hundreds of livelihood kits and technical training that helped create sustainable livelihood and accessible income opportunities for agrarian reform beneficia ries nationwide.

10 GOCCs under evaluation for privatization

About 10 govern ment-owned and -controlled corpo rations (GOCCs) are being mulled for privatization pending the evaluation of their financial and econom ic status, among others.

Governance Com mission for GOCCs (GCG) Chairperson Alex L. Quiroz declined to give specifics, citing the need to protect the GOCCs’ status pending the results of the ongoing assessment.

“Different GOCCs have their own peculiarities,”

Quiroz said.

The GCG has juris diction over 118 GOCCs, which excludes the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), local water districts, and re search institutions.

The agency is mandated to safeguard the govern ment’s rights and ensure that GOCCs’ operations remain transparent and responsive to the govern ment’s bid to provide ser vices to the public.

To date, only the Phil ippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. (Pagcor) has

openly discussed the possi bility of privatization given the questions on its role as regulator and operator of casinos.

Quiroz said the eval uation of Pagcor’s privat ization continues but he declined to give any de tails.

He explained that over all, the GCG is studying the viability of the continued operations of GOCCs, which employ about 600,000 per sonnel.

Among the GOCCs that are under the GCG’s juris

diction are the National Food Authority, Social Se curity System, Government Service Insurance System, Sugar Regulatory Admin istration, Subic Bay Met ropolitan Authority, Land Bank of the Philippines, De velopment Bank of the Phil ippines, Civil Aviation Au thority of the Philippines, and the Clark Development Corp.

The GCG has recom mended the abolition of 25 GOCCs now in various stag es of liquidation, its execu tives said. (PNA)

1.7M jobs to open under gov’t housing program

The Marcos adminis tration’s “Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipi no: Zero ISF 2028” program is expected to generate about 1.7 million jobs for Fil ipinos per year.

Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development (DHSUD) Secretary Jose Rizalino Acu zar said the jobs would be created annually when the program goes full blast with the construction of housing units.

“It is projected to have direct and indirect jobs in the sector especially in areas where mid-rise to high-rise units will be built,” Acuzar said in a news release on Sunday.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that there are 2.68 million unemployed Filipinos aged 15 to 64 years old as of Au gust this year.

Citing government stud ies, the DHSUD said at least

SIM registration act to reduce credit card fraud, CCAP says

The enactment of the SIM registration law will help curb credit card fraud and boost dig italization in the country, the Credit Card Association of the Philippines (CCAP) said on Monday.

President Ferdinand Bongbong Marcos Jr earli er signed Republic Act No. 11934 or the SIM Registra tion Act, which was expect ed to address SMS-linked and other types of scams.

Since the start of the

pandemic, there was a 21 percent increase in fraud ulent credit card activities, CCAP said in a statement.

The law is “a major step in removing the impedi ments towards digitaliza tion, of pinpointing where the problem really lies... It is a realization of our desire to institutionalize measures that protect our customers,” CCAP Chair man Rolando P. Ebreo said during the CCAP’s 42nd an

A vehicle carrying pigs passes through the Provincial Veterinary Quarantine Services Center in Makilala, North Cotabato. An agri group is pushing for the development of ‘First Border Control’ in the Philippines to prevent the smuggling of agricultural products. The group also suggested that the Department of Agriculture (DA)

have the shipments sent to a screening center first, where these will undergo phytosanitary inspection to see that these shipments are free from contaminated diseases such as the African swine fever (ASF) and avian flu. Edge Davao

PH ready for foreign investors in telcos, airports, roads: Diokno

LandBank disowns emails, text messages with

links

Land Bank of the Philippines over the weekend warned the public against fraudu lent emails and text mes sages which contain click able links, as it disowned any of these.

The

protection. “All emails and text messages allegedly from LandBank or a represen tative of the bank that has a clickable link is definite ly fake and part of a scam,” the advisory read.

ThePhilippines is ready to welcome revenue-generating foreign invest ments in telcos, airports and other industries, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.

The amended Public Service Act (PSA) has lib eralized several industries such as telcos, allowing 100 percent foreign ownership.

In an advisory, Land Bank said it does not send official emails and text messages with clickable hyperlinks, in line with its efforts to boost security and improve customer

LandBank is mandat ed to promote country side development while remaining financially vi able. It implements the Comprehensive Agrarian

Agri industry group calls for tighter border control to curb smuggling

An industry group is pushing for the de velopment of ‘First Border Control’ in the Philippines to prevent the smuggling of agricultural products.

Samahang Industriya ng Agrikultura (SINAG)

President Rosendo So said smuggled products often slip through the country’s borders without thorough inspection.

Sosuggestedthatthe DAhaveagriculturalship mentssenttoascreening centerfirst,wherethese willundergophytosanitary inspectiontoseeifthese shipmentsarecontami natedwithdiseasessuch astheAfricanswinefever (ASF) and avian flu.

“Diyannangyayariiy ongsmuggling,iyongfirst two layers, ang karga ay

“Foreign investors are now welcome to bring their capital into the coun try, especially in the fields

of telecommunications, air ports, toll roads, and ship ping,” Diokno said during the recently concluded Standard Chartered Bank (SCB) Sovereign Investor Forum on October held at the Ritz-Carlton in Wash ington, D.C.

Aside from encour aging investments to the country, the Department of Finance said Diokno briefed potential investors on the Philippines econom ic outlook, fiscal policies and its Medium-Term Fis cal Framework.

“The Framework pro motes transparency and credible commitment to pursue our socioeconomic goals while ensuring that the fiscal deficit will return to pre-pandemic levels and

the debt ratios to more sus tainable levels,” said Diok no.

“Overall, the Medi um-Term Fiscal Frame work aims to promote sus tainable long-term growth and sound fiscal manage ment,” he added.

The economic team of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. is dealing with elevated infla tion, high interest rate, de preciating peso against the

FPH, P10

Gov’t to help Siargao win back world prestige, says DOT chief

Tourism Secretary Cristina Frasco has as sured top officials and the people of Siargao Island of full support from the na tional government to bring back the island’s standing and stature as a top tour ist destination, not only in the country but also in the world.

This, as Frasco graced

the ceremonial breaking of a surfboard, one of the highlights of the opening of the week-long 26th Siargao International Surfing Com petition, on Saturday night.

Tourism, Frasco said, is a top priority in the de velopment agenda of the administration of President Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr.

Marcos, she added, has directed the Department of Tourism (DOT) to intro duce institutional changes to reinvigorate the tourism industry in the country after the outbreak of the pandemic and its rippling effects on the economy.

“And therefore, I am here to deliver the message to all of you, that the na

tional government is here to help Siargao recover and rise to the primary posi tion that it deserves in the world,” Frasco said.

She added that more tourism infrastructures and improved connectivity are among the priorities that the DOT will facilitate to help Siargao Island revive

The Land Bank of the Philippines warns the public against fraudulent emails and text messages which contain clickable links, as it disowned any of these. LandBank said it does not send official emails and text messages with clickable hyperlinks, in line with its efforts to boost security and improve customer protection. Edge Davao

GREGORIO

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA

MADAPO HILL’S HISTORIC PAST

Madapo Hill has always been associated with numerous noteworthy, historical events that date to as early as the Span ish colonial conquest of Davao. It was here that one of Datu Bago’s bronze cannons, the lan taka, was mounted as a second ary defense in case the big guns fixed at the Tagum (Bankero han) fortress were undermined or decommissioned.

When the Americans came, the knoll, due to its location, lush vegetation, and elevation, drew the attention of expatri ates. Rev. Robert Franklin Black, the first Protestant missionary in Davao, built a residence and mission house there. Later. Dr. Charles Thomas Sibley, first medical director of the Davao Mission Hospital (now Broken shire), also lived there with his family.

As Davao’s population grew, a gravity-dependent reservoir

that would provide water to the residents of the central busi ness district was constructed on the hill. This is the same hill ock where President Ramon F. Magsaysay, on Sept. 20, 1956, laid the cornerstone of the new reservoir of Davao Metropolitan Waterworks, the forerunner of today’s Davao City Water Dis trict.

During the war, some of the people who fled the city after Japanese forces arrived, initially sought shelter in the area. When collaborators reported the manhunt against individuals and families tagged as anti-Im perialist, the area was quickly vacated, forcing families to seek refuge in the remote sections on the western front. Towards the end of the conflict, just as the city was about to be liberated, guerrillas made use of the place as a staging position for am bushes.

Forested and situated adja cent to a public cemetery, the hill became a go-to destination for insurgents in the 1980s when chased by law enforcers after committing ‘revolution ary’ crimes in the city proper. Given its terrain, any fugitive can always seek cover under the hill’s foliage or jump down to the riverbank where his pursu ers cannot follow.

On October 10, 1988, in the post-Marcos era, it became the site of a famous murder. Oscar Bantayan, deputy secretary general of the National Fed eration of Labor and national council member of the Kilusang Mayo Uno, was assassinated by men alleged to be state-spon sored paramilitary forces. Pre dictably, the blame was placed on the fledgling first Aquino ad ministration.

Bantayan’s killing was at tributed to his strong stance

SANTOS

against the policies of the labor department. He also partook in the drive for the non-use of pesticides in farms and planta tions launched by Japanese con sumer groups in 1985 thru the ‘Stop the Philippines Bananas Pesticide’ campaign that carped Standard Philippines Corp. for supplying pesticides deemed illegal in Japan.

In 2021, the Nonoy Librado Development Foundation, Inc. came out with a brief, poignant tribute to the fallen labor leader, stating:

‘On October 11, 1988, la bor activist Oscar Bantayan, then national council mem ber of the Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), was gunned down by suspected state forces. He re mained a staunch defender of workers’ rights at a time when political repression swept the country. ‘He was relentless in calling to end contractualiza

tion, and increase the national minimum wage, among oth ers. He was in picket lines with striking workers fighting for regularization, and a source of motivation for labor leaders, factory workers, unions, and communities. His death was greatly felt by the labor move ment and the people, but his life of service inspired others to follow the same path.’

In 1993, chiefly in the 2010s, the sectarian UCCP Haran Sanc tuary established on the hill’s grounds, became the provision al shelter for indigenous peo ples dislocated by the armed conflicts between government troops and insurgents. These clashes seriously affected the displaced shelter occupants and were constant reminders of the dangers when the government and the social activists collided during protest actions at the knoll.

(Delivered at the Sangguni ang Panlungsod of Davao City on Tuesday, 11 October 2022 by Mylai Santos, on behalf of the Sustainable Davao Movement)

Hiraya ug Kalinaw!

Greetings of peace and shared aspirations to you, the Honorable Councilors of the 20th City Council of Davao, and to fellow Dabawenyos in the gallery, our partners for a sus tainable Davao.

I appear before you today on behalf of the Sustainable Davao Movement (SDM), the conve nor of an Alliance for the reefs which will be directly affected by the SIDC/Samal bridge proj ect. I am Mylai Santos, Ecoteneo Director of the Ateneo de Davao University (The appearance we make here today is not mere eco-lala or “pangitag isyu.”)

We have a local marine bi ologist with us today who will be presenting after me. We are here as professionals, as con cerned citizens of Davao, and as global citizens facing the local and global environmental crisis together.

Please allow me to frame our concerns and share our position for realigning the bridge – that will take off from the Marine Protected Area of Bgry Hizon and land at Costa Marina, right

beside Paradise Reef.

Four days ago, the entire world was shocked when chil dren in the daycare center in Thailand were gunned down by an ex-police with drug use history. This image is difficult to un-see.

Society can sometimes be like the drug-crazed gunman.

We can be so addicted to the idea of what progress is that sometimes, we lose sight of what will happen to the chil dren, when for that idea, we compromise the environment that is already in a state of cli mate emergency.

Yes, progress can come from building more roads and bridges, but must we really cut down our ancient trees, condemn the mangroves and eliminate precious coral reefs on which marine life depends?

What benefits do we gain when the costs are too high? What can we gain that is worth it when we squander our future for a cheaper loan?

Last November 2021, this August body, sitting as the 19th City Council stood for the heri tage trees when it passed the Save Heritage Trees Ordinance.

Thanks to this Council, the Narra trees along Zamora street were spared from the DPWH culvert project this February

2022. The project had the nec essary permits (national and BLGU), but we raised our con cerns and mentioned the ordi nance. They proceeded with in stalling the culverts but thanks to shared environmental vigi lance, they steered clear of the trees.

Because of the LGU of Davao city the trees in Zamora stand today. Because of the LGU, led by the City Mayor, the Narra trees outside the Ateneo Grade School still stand today after they had been targeted to be cut down by DPWH in 2020.

Now more than ever, we need these trees, as our city pavements have reached 50 de grees Celsius, as per the urban heat study that IDIS spearhead ed last Friday.

The coral reefs in Davao Gulf, on both sides, Samal and Davao are like trees in the city and more: they are the rainfor ests of the sea. Marginal fisher folks and local communities will suffer more (as they have with the pandemic) when marine productivity drops as soon as the reefs are wiped out.

We need you, City Council of Davao, to once again be on the side of the people and the en vironment. Yes, the bridge may have been intended for the gen eral public, but the present de

sign overlooks the people who will be gravely affected by the destruction of the marine life ecosystem.

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) Report of the SIDC project glossed over the damage on the reefs and ma rine life (including cetaceans/ whales and dolphins – where at least 15 species have been sight ed in Davao Gulf since 2016). And the Project only assigned a weight of 10% on the environ ment as part of the criteria for choice of landing site.

How would this 10% justify the fact that the bridge will di rectly cross over the MPA (ma rine protected area) of Baran gay Hizon as recognized in the CLUP passed last January 2022?

How would this 10% ac count for the marine ecosystem in Paradise and Davao Gulf as a key marine biodiversity area (MBA) recognized by DENR as such since 2016?

In the Davao Gulf, #Marineli feishere and in the vicinity where the bridge will be put, the corals are not dead.

In our journey together these past years, Honorable Councilors, from Saving Shrine Hills, to 10% green spaces to the bike lanes, we have done good work for people and the Earth.

Let us continue doing good

together not only on our side of the Davao Gulf but also on the side of Samal. We are not against the bridge per se, we only ask for its realignment. As suming, without conceding that the bridge is an economic op tion, let it not be at the expense of the people and marine life in Davao Gulf.

Our youth and children place their expectations and hopes on us to do better than those who came before us.

Pope Francis has said, on the pandemic and the climate emergency that, “The most im portant lesson we can take from these crises is our need to build together, so that there will no longer be any borders, barriers, or political walls for us to hide behind.

We believe that this current City Council is a listening body, a body that will not just toe the line and cower before power being flexed by national agen cies – power that stomps on the rights of our children to their future.

I believe that this City Coun cil truly represents the people of Davao, and IS the voice of the people of Davao City and the en vironment which sustains it.

(Mylai Santos is the Director of the Ecoteneo of the Ateneo de Davao University)

AT THE EXPENSE OF THE PEOPLE AND MARINE LIFE IN DAVAO GULF

EDGE

VXI, largest employer in Davao, opens a 5th site for expansion

VXI Global Solutions, a leading BPO and CX pro vider, unveiled its fifth site in Davao City, cementing its current legacy as the largest employer in the region. The company announced the new location at SP Dacud ao Loop, Agdao, Davao Park District, which will add to VXI’s over 40 global service locations and generate new job opportunities for citi zens in the region.

“We are very proud of our achievements here in Davao,” said Eppie Titong, VXI SVP and Country Man ager. “Our standing as the largest employer in this region not only allows us to employ and provide a livelihood to thousands of Davaoeños and their fam ilies, but also contribute to the growth and develop ment of the community at large. We cannot wait to grow our team even further with the launch of this new site in Davao Finance Cen ter”

The Davao City Invest ment Promotion Center (DCIPC) has recently rec ognized VXI Davao for its outstanding contributions to the success of the city’s economic development programs. VXI is currently the largest employer in the region with 7,000+ employ ees in existing sites at SM

Ecoland, Felcris Centrale, Robinsons Cybergate, and Robinsons Cybergate Delta.

“VXI is a great partner to the Davao Government and we’re happy to see their consistent growth through out the years.” said Mayor Sebastian Duterte. “VXI is one of the first BPO com panies who believed in the talent of Davaoenos and we are in full support of their expansion as they show case local capabilities at the world stage.”

Jared Morrison, VXI Chief Operating Officer (COO) added: “Davao is a key part of our business and we see this region growing even further in the next few years. In our nearly 10 years operating in Davao, the pas sion of Davaoenos to cus tomer service is something we can truly rely on. We are also very thankful for the support of the local govern ment for allowing us to set up world-class operations in this amazing location.”

The opening ceremo ny and press conference were graced by Davao City Councilor Bernie Al-ag rep resenting Davao City Mayor Sebastian Duterte. Mem bers of the VXI Executive Team present were VXI SVP and Country Manager Eppie Titong and VP Operations Jamie Salazar.

HONOR 70 5G SET TO LAUNCH TODAY, OCTOBER 18

HONOR Philippines is inviting everyone today, October 18, for the grand launching and unveiling of their newest roster of devices, including the much-awaited HONOR 70 5G.

HONOR’s

range device, the HONOR 70 5G, is set to captivate the crowd with its flag ship-grade IMX800 54MP Triple Rear Camera with superior vlogging features such as the Solo Cut Mode where you can select a subject to be focused in

a second video captured simultaneously with your current recording. It also has a 66W HONOR Super charge that gives you 60% in 20 minutes, and a stun ning OLED display with 1.07 billion colors for an immersive experience!

Globe Telecom speeds up AWS environment readiness with Stratpoint cloud services

Makati, Philippines – Globe, a leading digital solutions provider in the Philippines, recognizes the need to provide its nearly 92 million customers with more than just phone and data services in order to remain relevant if the company intends to provide Filipinos a digital lifestyle.

PH telcos’ existing positions are now experiencing a surge in ICT demand. The Philippines, from having been known as the ‘texting capital of the world’ has now taken the global lead in social media usage, with the average Filipi no spending 4 hours and 7 minutes per day on social media sites, according to the Digital Report in 2017 by Hootsuite and We Are Social.

To ensure that the company is able to address the chang ing needs of its customers, Globe deployed a steady stream of applications and technologies to support a digital life style. These include an online store for mobile gadgets and telco services, self-service applications for phone, data, and rewards monitoring, a convenient online payment service, and many more. In compliance with their cloud-first strat egy, these apps are hosted in Amazon Web Services (AWS), its cloud service provider of choice.

Acquiring physical hardware to host an application typ ically takes months. When Globe put in place a cloud-first strategy, the timeline was significantly reduced into days. Still, the telco giant keeps accelerating when it comes to in novations that will elevate their service levels and increase their market share.

On year one of the engagement, the company had 70 projects lined up to be hosted in AWS. Setting up the tech nical environments of a large volume of projects can be challenging since a mere delay of one day affects the entire project and possibly other projects that need support from the same team.

Through Stratpoint, Globe’s long-time partner for its many technology requirements, it initially deployed over 30 cloud professionals to handle and oversee the implementa tion, management, and support of the AWS environments for Globe’s projects in the pipeline.

Stratpoint is an AWS Advanced Consulting Partner and Solutions Provider, with certified AWS professionals skilled in technical architecture, cloud engineering, database man agement, network administration, infrastructure service operationalization, service operations instrumentation, automations and innovations, and more. The team’s mis sion is to help Globe optimize their AWS investment, hasten provisioning times, and ensure that their applications work excellently in AWS.

A few months into the engagement, Stratpoint and Globe already realized significant improvements in the pro cess by shortening the average environment provisioning time by 67%. It also achieved zero percent project defect month-on-month and realized more than US$200,000 in savings in one year due to cloud optimization.

RJ Mendiola, Globe’s Director for Operations and Main tenance Division, Infrastructure Technology and Services, welcomes Stratpoint’s support. “Stratpoint has proven to be a superb business partner to Globe for some years now. Above and beyond the technical capability, they imbibed the ‘malasakit’ culture, which transformed their services from transactional to relational. Stratpoint being on our backside allows us to focus on creating more values and better expe riences for our customers.”

MR dela Cruz, Stratpoint’s Chief Executive Officer said: “As an IT company, we take delight in helping enable life styles and businesses to be successful through tech. As a Fil ipino firm, continuous partnerships with forward-looking companies like Globe mean that we can contribute more to nation-building with our technological capabilities and by providing career opportunities for Filipinos.”

Eppie Titong, VXI senior vice president and country manager.

Davao City first district councilor Bernie Al-ag (left) and Eppie Titong, VXI senior vice president and country manager, joins in the unveiling of the new site of the call center company in the city last October 13.

Jaime Salazar, VXI vice president for operations.

ENDANGERED SEA CUCUMBERS FOUND IN DAVAO WATERS

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO Photos from DLPC, BFAR and Shutterstock

Anendangered sea cucumber – called “puti-an” and commonly known in English as sandfish – has been dis covered at the beach area of Aboitiz Clean ergy Park in Sitio Punta Dumalag in Mati na Aplaya, said a report disseminated by Davao Light.

Researchers from the University of the Philip pines-Mindanao (UP-Min) unearthed the existence of “puti-an” when they con ducted a rapid scanning in the beach area in Septem ber last year.

Dr. Ruth Gamboa, the lead researcher, cannot confirm, however, if the “puti-an” has existed in the area before. Back in 2015, the team also conducted a rapid scanning of the beach and the nearshore reef and they never encountered “puti-an” inside the obser vation transects.

“We are happy about the findings of the rapid scanning conducted by UP Mindanao in the park. It inspired us to continue our conservation efforts, not only for the endangered Hawksbill Sea turtles, but for the other marine spe cies that consider the park a safe haven,” said Rodger Velasco, president and chief operating officer of Davao Light, an Aboitiz

Power subsidiary.

Known in the science world as Holothuria scabra, “puti-an” is also known as garlic bread sea cucumber as its upperside has wrin kles and sometimes black bars, thus resembling a garlic. It is classified as en dangered species on the In ternational Union for Con servation of Nature (IUCN) Red List because “its pop ulation face a high risk of extinction in the wild.”

“To be classified by the IUCN as ‘endangered’ means that ‘puti-an’ fish ery monitoring and regu lations should be in place to prevent the species from being critically endangered or worse, extinct,” Dr. Gam boa said.

There are some 1,250 known species of sea cu cumbers that are related to starfish and sea urchins. The Philippines is home to 200 species and “puti-an” is one of the 40 species that are commercially import ant.

Aside from “puti-an”, the UP-Min researchers also found another species called Stichopus horrens or “hanginan.” This reef species is called durian sea cucumber in English as its large soft conical thornshaped structure resem bles that of the skin of the durian fruit.

“Hanginan” is classified as a vulnerable species, meaning its population is in a continuing decline and their rate of reproduction cannot catch up with the rate of harvest. “In time, there is a possibility that those species will also be endangered,” Dr. Gamboa said.

The discovery of the sea cucumbers is being hailed by the management of the Cleanergy Park, an eight-hectare ecological preserve and biodiversity conservation site. The park is a sanctuary for endan gered marine turtles and over 100 bird species, in cluding 12 birds which are endemic in the country.

Sea cucumbers – called so because they look like their vegetable counter parts – are among the most commercially-exploited aquatic species in the coun try for their reported med ical, pharmaceutical, gas tronomical and commercial

For centuries, sea cu cumbers have long been a staple in diets, mainly in soups, stews, and stir-fries. They are highly nutritious,

described as “tonic food” and provide more pro tein and less fat than most foods. Most are processed and sold as “trepang,” which is easier to store and

handle than the fresh prod uct.

Anecdotal accounts from the 18th century hold that the daily harvest of sea cucumbers from Philippine waters could be measured in sacks. “Commercial ex ploitation of sea cucum bers dates back to the late eighteenth century,” point ed out Poh-Sze Choo of the WorldFish Center. “Almost all of the sea cucumbers harvested are processed into the dried form and ex ported predominantly.”

“There are no restric tions on the export of any species of sea cucumbers even though some species have reached endangered

The edible sea cucumber (BFAR).

Researchers from UP-Mindanao conducting their study (Davao Light)

Sea cucumbers thrive under the seabeds (Shutterstock) use.

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implementing Alternative Delivery Modes,” it added.

In a statement, the Coordinating Council of Private Educational Asso ciations of the Philippines (COCOPEA) — a group of private school admin istrators — thanked the DepEd for “giving primary consideration to students’ and parents’ choice of [learning] platforms.”

“This (new policy) also

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The accomplishment re port of PDEA XI for the 1st Semester of 2022 was also discussed.

Collection District XII, headed by District Collec tor Atty. Erastus Sandino B. Austria, under the leader ship of Commissioner Yogi

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global peaking of green house gas emissions as soon as possible to achieve a climate neutral world by mid-century.”

The Philippines signed the Paris Agreement on April 23, 2016, and it was subsequently ratified by the Senate on March 23, 2017 under the administration of former President Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Engr. Nilo Geroche, di rector of the Department of Energy-Mindanao Field Office, told “Wednesday’s at Habi at Kape” at the Abreeza Mall, that the non-renewal sources are from coal and oil-based, comprising 51% and 18%, respectively, of the island’s electricity mix.

He said the hydro sourc es, which previously sup plied majority of Mindan ao’s power mix, contributed 26%, solar at 2%, geother mal at 2% and biomass at 1%.

Geroche said the sup plies of coal and oil in the Philippines are imported. For coal, he said 97% comes from Kalimantan Indonesia.

Dr. Jean Lindo, envi ronmental activist who co-chairs Panalipdan! Min

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gives the flexibility needed to strengthen innovation in basic ed schools and maxi mize the benefits of hybrid learning modalities even as we also integrate in-person classes in schools,” COCO PEA said.

The DepEd is pushing for the return of the traditional classroom setup to address learning losses prompted by school closures due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

(BSP) meron din ibang na load sa isang machine, may machine na nagka-clog. An other reason is may mga information tulad ng sa NBI na may hit,” she said.

She assured that PSA is doing its best to facilitate and speed up the release of the ID cards.

“On the part of the PSA, we apologize,” she said.

blood type, marital status, date and place of birth, ad dress, generation date, QR code, and a 1x1 photo.

To claim the ePhilID, one must first make an appointment through the PhilSys website.

status, nor is there a size restriction on any sea cucumber species for ex port,” wrote Ph-Sze in his paper, “The Philippines: A hotspot of sea cucumber fisheries in Asia.”

Filemon L. Ruiz, will contin ue to coordinate with other law enforcement agencies in maintaining efforts to curb smuggling, entry of anti-social commodities, and other contrabands within the Philippine bor ders.

Meanwhile, Alis en joined the people in Davao Region to register for the ePhilID, which would serve as an alternative ID for those who still have not yet received their physical Na tional ID card.

Persons who have al ready registered for the National ID can also start claiming their ePhilID by setting an appointment online and then printing it out for their use. The print ed ID shows information including a full name, sex,

“This is part of the pro active strategy of the PSA for the purpose of our dig ital ID system. With this ePhilID, we will be able to have our registrants immediately enjoy being registered with our Phil Sys. This ID has the same validity and functional ity as the PhilSys ID card. We would like to enjoin everybody yung hindi pa nakakatanggap ng kanil ang physical ID to visit our mall-based registration center and bring with you the transaction slip yung binigay sa atin during the registration sa PhilSys ID,” Alid said.

The UN Food and Ag riculture Organization (FAO) reported the Phil ippines has been a major exporter of the processed “trepang” for the last sev eral centuries. In 1993, the Philippines was the second major producer and exporter of dried sea cucumber in the world.

In Palawan, sea cu cumber processing in volves four major steps: cleaning, cooking, smoke drying and sun drying.

“The duration of each process depends on the species and the size of the specimens,” wrote Sabine Schoppe of the State Poly technic College of Pala wan.

danao, said the Philippines should double its efforts on developing more renew able energy sources as the adverse impact of climate change is real.

She said other countries “are overtaking their high targets.”

When one gets the infor mation that 69% of our en ergy comes from fossil fuel and see that other countries are achieving 98% RE (re newable energy), one would get really disappointed,” she said.

She said based on the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Ener gy Program 2020-2040, the country targets to source electricity from 35% renew able energy by 2030 and 50% by 2040.

“This is very low target,” she said “The dominance of nonRE reflects the love of deci sion-makers for dirty energy for whatever justification or excuse they have. I think this also reflects the fact that the corporate world clouds the capacity of decision makers to make scientifically sound choices,” she said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

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ing of the products.

“Basically stable ang prices sa Region 11 sa mga basic necessity and prime commodities and products. Kung meron man increase,

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bumps. Now, finally peace is here, peace is now a lucid reality,” Malanyaon said.

Earlier, Davao Ori ental was declared as Conflict-Manageable and Ready for Further Devel opment after the success ful implementation of the Peace and Develop ment Outreach Program (PDOP) in 2013.

Likewise, the Com munity Support Program (CSP) further led to the sur

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which is very minimal ta laga, the reason would be transportation or yung retailer mismo mahal ang kuha sa products,” she said.

By Maya M. Padillo

render and neutralization of key New People’s Army (NPA) personalities includ ing the front secretaries of Guerilla Front (GF) North and 18 in 2016.

On Sept. 19, the Provin cial Peace and Order Coun cil of Davao Oriental passed Resolution Number 01 de claring the whole province as insurgency-free after GF’s North, South, and 18 were all dismantled from 2021 to 2022. (PNA)

Filipino fishermen re portedly harvest all the sea cucumbers they could find due to the high in come from it. Depending on the quality of drying and the species, a kilo of dried sea cucumbers can fetch between P3,000 and P8,000.

The high price and de mand for sea cucumbers in the world market fueled the massive exploitation of these resources in the country. As Naga, the pub lication of the WorldFish Center, reported in 1987: “The steady demand for sea cucumbers from oth er countries has made sea cucumber harvesting an attractive source of in come for many Filipinos. In many islands and coast al villages, the income de rived from it constitutes a significant portion of a family’s livelihood.”

“Yes, we used to have a lot of sea cucumbers in our coastal areas,” admits Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III, a fishery expert and academician at National Academy of Science and Technology. “They have been depleted because of over-harvesting.”

All is not in vain though. The Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Re sources Research and Development (PCAAR RD) has come up with a national program on sea cucumber that would restore the fishery and bring back a viable eco nomic activity.

“The program aims to establish a sustainable and globally competitive sea cucumber industry, which provides equita ble economic benefits to various stakeholders and maintain the productivi ty and biodiversity of the sea cucumber fishery in the country,” said PCAAR RD, a line agency of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

Aside from those men tioned earlier, sea cucum bers are also important in the ecosystem where they thrive as they are capable of bioturbation or tur bulence. “They churn up the seabed when feeding,” animalfunfacts.net states. “To be more precise, they swallow the sand and feed on the algae that live in it. In the end, well ventilated and clean sand comes out ‘at the other end.’”

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eight workers are needed in the construction of a hous ing unit within a certain pe riod.

The national housing program aims to provide shelters for over six million families in six years, or a mil lion housing units per year until 2028.

To accelerate production and reduce reliance on the General Appropriations Act, funding for the housing pro

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.. FROM 5 garlic or other products atiyongsalikodaywhite onions...doonpumapasok iyongtechnicalsmuggling,” So added.

Last Thursday, more than2tonsofwhiteonions were seized at the Zam boangaCityAirportCargo Terminal.

The DENR said the shipmenthadnolegaldoc uments,whichisconsid eredaviolationofthePlant Quarantine Law.

gram will go directly to inter est support for beneficiaries.

The DHSUD seeks PHP36 billion interest sup port per year and calls for the active involvement of both government and com mercial banks in the financ ing side.

“With this program, we will also be tapping the economic pump-priming potentials of the housing sector,” Acuzar said.

Bureau of Customs spokespersonArnaldodela TorreJr.saidtheyarestill investigatingtheincident.

Meanwhile,Agriculture UndersecretaryKristine Evangelistaclarifiedthat therearenoimportper mitsforwhiteonions,so thereisnosupplyofthem even in cold storage.

“Therearenoimport permitsforwhiteonions. Thereshouldbenowhite onions,”Evangelistasaid.

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“As of date, Pilmico has donated a total of 177 livelihood kits amounting to PHP17.2 million. As we close to 2022, we target

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niversary forum.

“With the SIM regis tration law, we are set, as a nation, to combat that malice and to once again add a layer of protection for our Filipino consumers. It will help mitigate, if not prevent, scam messages that contain links used to lure the victims into giving out their information,” he added.

CCAP Executive Direc tor Alex Ilagan said the group had also launched consumer awareness cam

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.. FROM 5 its tourism industry.

The DOT chief also asked the leaders of the House of Representatives present during the occasion to support the initiatives of the agency for the recovery of Siargao Island.

House Majority Leader Manuel Jose Dalipe of the 2nd district of Zamboanga City and Deputy Speaker Vincent Franco Frasco of

to add to this number by distributing gilt packages and bakery livelihood kits across different areas of the country,’ he said. (PR/PNA)

From its heyday of being the world’s second producer, the Philippines dropped to the eighth slot in 2015.

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paigns to educate the pub lic on emerging scams to fight credit card fraud.

CCAP is working with the Bangko Sentral ng Pil ipinas and other agencies and stakeholders for con sumer protection, debt re lief and credit education.

Meanwhile, the Depart ment of Information and Communications Technol ogy said the implementing rules and regulations of the SIM registration law will be out 60 days after the mea sure’s effectivity.

US dollar, ballooning debt, widening trade deficit, de layed poverty reduction goals and the scarring im pact of the COVID-19 pan demic, among others.

Diokno said head winds could be mitigated by following the 8-point economic agenda which includes lowering the debtto-GDP ratio, generating more jobs and sustaining a robust economy, among

LANDBANK

Sandfish – as they are called sometimes – are good for the marine envi ronment. In fact, they are called the earthworms of the sea as they loosen and improve the soi. More importantly, they enrich the water with important nutrients that help en dangered corals grow and ensure that the water is less acidic.

others.

Aside from the PSA, Dio kno also championed the country’s “game-changing reforms” that are seen to bring back its high-growth trajectory including the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enter prises Act (CREATE) and the amendments to the Retail Trade Liberalization Act, and Foreign Invest ments Act.

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Reform Program (CARP), provides assistance to small farmers and fisher folk, and serves as an offi cial depository of govern ment funds.

Cebu’s 5th district joined Surigao del Norte 1st dis trict Rep. Francisco Jose Matugas II during the cere mony.

“The resumption of this international surfing cup is not only a celebration of the fact that you have been able to put this up for 26 years but also a celebration of the strength of spirit of the peo ple of Siargao,” Frasco said.

The bank ended the first half of the year with a P20.3-billion net income, reflecting a 94% growth from the P10.3 billion it recorded in the same pe riod last year.

The advisory comes as personalized scam text messages have been prev alent in the country, with the National Privacy Com mission (NPC) finding dif

ficulty in determining the source of information.

Telco firms in June said they already blocked mil lions of “smishing” messages, referring to the practice of sending text messages pur porting to be from legitimate organizations with the aim of obtaining users’ personal information.

The Department of Information and Com munications Technology (DICT) said it is now coor dinating with other coun tries to issue warrants against those involved in smishing schemes.

Canusa, Cruz emerge top golfers at UPLB 7th Loyalty Cup

By MOSES P. BILLACURA

Mendrado

Canusa IV emerged as overall net champion and Patrick Cruz bagged the overall gross ti tle in the University of the Philippines Los Banos 7th Loyalty Cup, October 15, at the South Pacific Davao Country Club.

Canusa, principal archi tect of the K+C Architects and one of the owners of Omerta

Bistro and Lounge, finished the round with a 69. Cruz submitted a gross 75.

Albert Cainghug shot a 70 to share the limelight by taking the class A net crown. Ayi Roca won via count back against Bong Lindo for the first run ner-up honors after sub mitting similar 71s. Randy Arevalo had a gross 77, one stroke better than runner-up Chiboy Apostol as Karlo Mercado finished

second runner-up.

In class B, countbacks settled things for net cham pion Randy Mendoza, first runner-up Dennis Madraso, and second runner-up Mark Oropesa. Addy Briones’ gross 80 was just enough for the other champion’s trophy over Oying Caturan (81) and second runner-up Christian Gacuban (82).

FRED C. LUMBA

Is this good news or bad news?

Well if you are an Ateneo fan, it is bad news.

On the other hand, if you root for UP, then it’s good news.

Overall, it is positive news for collegiate basketball.

No longer is there a domi nant UAAP team imposing its superiority over the rest.

There is now a new ball club on the block that is prov ing without doubt that others like them which have suffered endless humiliation in previous decades can rise up if they dili gently pursue achievable goals and objectives.

(NU did it once seven or so

years ago. But it has not repeat ed. Perhaps, with a 4-1 win loss card the Bulldogs could pull a surprise, huh?)

Decades before, whenever Ateneo crossed paths against UP, one already knew the pre dictable results.

Thirty six years of waiting for its second UAAP championship trophy is mighty too long. The Fighting Maroons are definitely living up to its name these days.

The Diliman dribblers are now looking for its third - and a repeat of its glorious triumph last year.

They are no longer push overs nor the league’s favorite whipping boys.

Edipolo “Bal” Sarabia Jr. won via count back too over runner-up Erwin Pa nimdim after both carded 71s. Hermes Torralba set tled for the second run ner-up honors in class C. Ever Hernandez finished with a 90 for the gross title followed by Mandred La was as first runner-up and Michael Masipag as second

runner-up winner.

Albers Rutchie fired a 71 to bring home the ladies net title and Milou Babol’s 82 gave her the gross crown.

Every October, UPLB graduates celebrate the Loyalty Day and organize an Alumni Homecoming.

(With reports from Roland Jumawan)

UP SHAMES ATENEO ANEW

But we have to thank Ateneo for helping motivate their fellow Katipunan opponents. And DLSU, too. Otherwise, the crowd that faithfully follows the tournament will dwindle and dwindle.

So, can the OT win by the Diliman dribblers over the Ate neans (75-71) in the first round be considered the yardstick to measure UP’s might as “the” title favorite in the 85th UAAP sea son?

I used the definite article “the” because Ateneo and DLSU - predicted to crowd UP for the championship - have both suf fered stinging losses to the for mer.

I tell you, these setbacks are

difficult pills to swallow.

Both coaches owe it to their talented crop of players who are giving their all to preserve the integrity and pride of their re spective schools.

In this particular first round match up, it was easy to guess Baldwin’s coaching strategy.

There was only Padrigao to rely on. As you saw it, UP concen trated much of its defense on the shifty Ateneo sniper who nearly single-handedly led the Blue Ea gles to victory. Aside from a 15 point contribution and several assists, Padrigao launched the triple that extended the game to overtime.

Baldwin failed to utilize

Kouame - as he did in previous seasons - as Ateneo’s first option to loosen and sag out the tight defense against his shooters.

On the other hand, shoot ing and scoring among Mon teverde’s boys was just about evenly distributed. Season 84 ROY Carl Tamayo finished with 20 after contributing just 2 points in the first half. Spencer, Diouif and Lucero had 14, 12 and 10, respectively, including a couple of important steals.

Don’t miss the exciting sec ond round.

Expect a new bench strategy from the coaches. (Email feed back to fredlumba@yahoo.com.)

Winners of the UPLB 7th Loyalty Cup with their trophies.(Photo by Roland Jumawan)

SWEEP

Holy Cross dominates 1st Rigo Duterte futsal tourney

By MOSES P. BILLACURA

Holy Cross of Davao dominated the Oc toberfest’s 1st Rigo Duterte Futsal Tournament, held over the weekend, at the Ayala Azuela Cove.

Holy Cross ruled the men’s division and the women’s squad proved they can be champions too.

The women’s team defeated the RMC Solido, 3-0 in the finals after their counterparts bested the Intan gibles, 2-1.

With no practice sessions for a week because of their academic ex ams, the Holy Crossians just followed the directions of coaches Melchor Anzures, Jerry “Kalag” Altivo and Manny Yu to secure the victories.

Prince Louie Flores and Jessa Mae “Bem” Aranas were voted most valu able players.(with reports from Man ny Yu and Melchor Anzures)

Members of the Holy Cross of Davao College women’s squad that won the 1st Rigo Duterte Cup football festival.