Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 240 | Thursday, Jan. 26, 2023

Students of the Davao City National High School brave rain as they attend their classes on Wednesday. Some provincial and local government units in the Davao Region have ordered the suspension of classes due to inclement weather brought about by a low-pressure area (LPA) hovering southeast of Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

CRIME OF PASSION

BGen Durante tagged as mastermind behind killing of businesswoman Plaza

By MAYA M. PADILLO

The Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Plaza named Brigadier General Jesus Durante III, former commander of the 1001st Infantry Brigade of the Philippine Army, as the alleged mastermind behind the killing of Yvonette “Yvonne” Chua Plaza.

The announcement was made in a press conference of SITG Plaza at the Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11) in Davao City on

Wednesday.

Apart from Durante, six soldiers were also identified for their alleged involvement in the mur-

der: Col. Michael Licyayo charged with murder and violation of PD 1829 (obstruction of justice); Staff Sergeant Gilbert Plaza (murder and violation of PD 1829); Sgt Delfin L Sialsa, Jr (murder and theft); Corporal Adrian Cachero (murder and theft); Private First Class (PFC) Rolly Cabal, PFC Romart Longakit, Noel Japitan, and John Doe alias “Jr” (murder); and John Doe alias “master

sergeant” (violation of PD 1829).

Early morning of Wednesday, the SITG filed a case of murder, theft, and obstruction of justice against the suspects.

“The results of the investigation were presented to the media gathered through the efforts of SITG Plaza and strong coordination of the 10th Infantry Division and the National BuFCRIME, P7

DA 11 readies for possible El Niño

The Department of Agriculture in Region 11 is readying for the coming of a possible El Niño induced dry spell in the latter part of this year.

Among these preparatory interventions include; introduction of drought tolerant varieties of crops, expanded irrigation areas, intensified campaign on the enrollment of crop insurance, information education

campaign of water saving techniques, buffer stocking seeds and pesticides.

“Then we have this seasonal climate advisory and farm outlook advisory mao na siya ang gina-panghatag sa para mainform atong farmers (these are given to inform our farmers),” says Joedel Leliza DA-11 Regional Disaster Risk Reduction Focal Other interventions in-

clude open surface pumps and spring development projects.

The PAGASA (Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration) in its climate outlook said that an El Niño is possible to occur after June or the latter part of this year.

“After June taas ang probability na magkakaroon ng El Niño” said PA-

GASA Davao Station chief meterological officer Lolita Vinalay during her guesting at Kapihan sa PIA on Jan. 20.

“Our office DOST PAGASA will issue El Niño watch it means 50% ang chance na magkakaroon ng El Niño then El Niño advisory kung magkakaroon na talaga ng El Niño, mararamdaman na natin ang impact,” Vinalay said.

Vice President and Education Secretary Sara Duterte said on Tuesday the Philippines is on the right track in its efforts to achieve one of the United Nations (UN) 2030 agenda, particularly the goal for an “inclusive and equitable quality education.”

In a speech, Duterte highlighted the administration’s efforts as the Department of Education (DepEd) joins the observation of the International Day of Education (IDE).

“This year’s theme ‘To Invest in People, Prioritize Education’ affirms that the new administration is on the right track,” she said.

“At the UN Transforming Education Summit in September last year, President (Ferdinand R.) Marcos Jr. announced our commitment to recover the learning losses from the pandemic and rebuild our education to be more inclusive, relevant, and resilient to future shocks and disruptions,” she added.

To address the learning loss and education mismatch for the future workforce, Duterte said budget allocation has been

increased.

“Following the eightpoint socioeconomic agenda of the Marcos administration, the Department of Education received the increased budget for the fiscal year 2023,” she said.

The education chief underscored the Philippines’ capacity to meet the recommended allocation for a country’s education sector, which is at around 15 to 20 percent of the total government appropriations.

“From PHP631 billion in 2022, we now have PHP719 billion in 2023, making the education sector’s percentage share of the total government appropriations within the recommended 15 to 20 percent,” she said.

Through proper investment and prioritization of the youth’s education and capacity-building, Duterte expressed confidence in progress in the years to come.

“I am confident that this is only the beginning of our renewed commitment to investing more in education and prioritizing the development of a future-ready workforce…

Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II enjoins Dabawenyos to practice waste segregation habitually at home to help address the waste problems of Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

PH on track to meet UN’s inclusive, quality education goal: VP Duterte

Rigo enjoins Dabawenyos to practice waste segregation habitually at home

Bong Go urges DMW to probe killing of an OFW in Kuwait

Senator Christopher “Bong” Go has urged the Department of Migrant Workers in coordination with the Department of Foreign Affairs and other relevant offices to conduct a thorough investigation into the brutal killing of a 35-year-old overseas Filipino worker based in Kuwait.

The burned body of Filipino domestic worker Jullebee Ranara was reportedly found in the desert in Kuwait this past weekend, according to local media.

“I am urging the Department of Migrant Workers, relevant government agencies and concerned embassies to conduct an investigation on this issue,” said Go.

“Dapat masiguro nating maayos ang kalagayan ng ating OFWs sa labas ng bansa. Mandato natin yan, ang protektahan ang bawat Pilipino saan mang panig ng mundo,” he added.

Additionally, the senator urged the government to protect and guarantee the safety of every Filipino working abroad.

“Tulungan po natin ang bawat Pilipinong nagsusumikap na magtrabaho sa ibang bansa. Dapat laging nakaantabay sa pag-alalay ang gobyerno. Magsilbi tay-

ong lakas ng bawat isa upang proteksyunan ang kapwa nating Pilipino laban sa abuso at mga nangsasamantala,” the senator said.

The official report on the incident is currently being awaited by the DMW and the DFA. Meanwhile, the son of Jullebee’s employer has already been arrested by Kuwaiti authorities, according to a statement from the DMW.

The DMW also suggested that, in light of the incident, the Philippines’ labor agreement with Kuwait be reviewed in order to better secure Filipinos working abroad in the Gulf state.

The recent incident has prompted some senators to raise important points about how to better protect overseas Filipino workers. During the Senate regular session on Tuesday, January 24, some senators have called on the government to impose a deployment ban in Kuwait.

Senators Loren Legarda and Jinggoy Estrada argued that the government should refrain from sending OFWs to countries that are not signatories of the International Labor Organization Convention on Migrant Workers.

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II enjoined the Dabawenyos to practice waste segregation at home habitually and help address waste problems of the city.

Rigo, grandson and namesake of former president Rodrigo Duterte and son of Davao City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte, said every Dabawenyo has the responsibility to help in addressing waste problems of the city through effective segregation of wastes.

He said that segregation means less waste goes

to landfill, and good health for the people and the environment.

“These are simple practices that we need to adopt to our daily lives. Himoon natong habit magsegregate. Mao lang jud ang kailangan ani. We need discipline and we need to constantly remind ourselves of the right things to do,” Rigo reminded residents.

He also cited simple ways to manage waste at home like limiting the use of single-use plastic and composting.

“Ang pinaka effective na pag-segregate sa waste is by dividing it into two categories - bio-degradable and non-bio-degradable for waste collection, “ he said.

Rigo hopes that Dabawenyos will always remember the five R’s of waste management: reduce, reuse, recycle, recover, and residual management.

“Pinaagi niini makata-

bang ta nga mabawasan gamay ang problema sa atong city,” he said.

Earlier this month, the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) reported that the waste being generated right now is almost 1,000 tons per day.

Meanwhile, various individuals and groups are taking steps toward reducing waste in the city. The Toril Kalambuan Women’s Association recycles plastic wrappers and turns them into othFRIGO, P7

DA 11 exploring possible areas for red onion production in Davao Region

The regional office of the Department of Agriculture (DA 11) is now exploring areas for red onion production in the Davao Region amid the continued high prices of onion in the country, according to an official.

DA 11 regional executive director Abel James Monteagudo said on Tuesday that DA 11 is now exploring areas in Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Davao de Oro, and Davao

del Sur for onion production.

He cited the municipalities of Magsaysay and Matanao in Davao del Sur, which started planting red onions.

“In the case of the regional field office 11, we have areas in Davao del Sur that have been producing sibuyas. It’s not the sibuyas na malalaki but they are producing. Just a matter of giving them support and necessary

interventions,” Monteagudo said during the Agribiz media forum at SM Lanang Premier.

He also mentioned the instructions of the two former DA secretaries for the regional field offices to look for onion production areas.

“My predecessor directors as instructed by the previous two secretaries, specially Secretary Piñol, in 2017 na dapat maghanap ng mga areas

for sibuyas production. All regional field offices were given directives to look for production areas. Some regions really were able to identify and some came out failing due to climate adaptability, etc,” he said.

The Bureau of Plant Industry reportedly said that with the arrival of the onions recently imported by the government and with the increased supply soon, many are hoping its prices will drop.

Sen. Bong Go delivers a privilege speech in the Senate.

JASPER V. BACSAL General Manager / VP Operations

JOCELYN

GREGORIO

GARAY DELIGERO Editorial Consultant

MOSES

BILLACURA Sports Editor

“These are simple practices that we need to adopt to our daily lives. Himoon natong habit magsegregate. Mao lang jud ang kailangan ani. We need discipline and we need to constantly remind ourselves of the right things to do.”

the

RODRIGO “RIGO” DUTERTE

“At this point, we were able to connect the link and identified the mastermind as the one who instructed the liquidation of the victim. Sialsa in the extra-judicial affidavit implicated the mastermind as Brigadier General Jesus Durante III.”

In

as

MAJOR EUDISAN GULTIANO

Putting in order the list of division superintendents of schools of Davao since 1915 using available online sources is quite challenging. Going by the paucity of prewar Bureau of Education records and comparing these with the postwar book of Salvador L. Pacis titled ‘Davao: Its Progress and Future’ (1951), red flags are immediately observed.

Between 1915 and 1948, based on the tentative Pacis list, a total of sixteen individuals held the post of division superintendent of schools of Davao, including those who served in an acting capacity and the guys appointed by the Japanese during the war. A review of online documents does not provide a direct reference to some of the names being claimed to have served Davao, namely Albert Baker, George I. Smith, Urban L. Coble, Reece A. Oliver, and

ANTONIO

V. FIGUEROA FAST BACKWARD

LIST OF DIVISION SUPERINTENDENTS

John D. Stumbo.

The Pacis list, drawn from a hurriedly written book, identifies the division superintendents of schools of Davao, including their dates of assumption, as follows:

W. Ernest Crowe (191517); Henry C. Stanton (191719); Albert Baker (191920); Vernon D. Gibson (acting 1920; full-fledged, 1920-22); James E. McCall (acting, 1920; full pledged, 1922-23); George I Smith (1924); James M. Swartz (1924-25); Urban L. Coble (1931-33); Reece A. Oliver (1934-35); John D. Stumbo (1935-41; 1945-46); Bernardino O. Concepcion (‘Free Davao,’ 1942-45); Angel Cambronero (wartime, 1942-43); Agustin Pañares (wartime, 1944-45); Albert Haynes 1946-48; and Leon Gatmaitan who assumed office in 1948. (‘Free Davao’ was an adjunct of the guer-

rilla movement known as the USFIP, which stands for United States Forces in the Philippines.)

Nothing can be deduced from accessed files about Baker. About Smith, he joined the education bureau on June 6, 1913, and became acting division superintendent of schools of Cotabato (1921-23). Three years later, he became the principal of an agricultural school in Lanao and in 1927, as a high school principal in Pampanga.

Swartz, on the other hand, joined the Bureau of Education on July 3, 1911. In 1920-21, he was acting division superintendent of schools of Misamis before he was transferred to Camarines Sur (1922-23).

On September 4, 1`923, he went on furlough to the United States. After his stint in Davao in 1924, he was moved to Capiz as division

superintendent of schools.

Coble’s personal details are no less scarce. In 1925, he was appointed secondary school principal, in acting capacity, in Ilocos Norte. Two years later, he was the principal of an agricultural school in Catarman, Samar; he held the post for two years.

Oliver, meanwhile, joined the education bureau on June 9, 1914. For his part, Stumbo was acting high school principal in Surigao in 1925. The following year he moved to Capiz for the same post. In 1927, he was promoted to division superintendent of schools in Lanao Province. Haynes was the secondary school principal of Iloilo in 1925.

Pañares completed a Bachelor of Education at Western Illinois States Teachers’ College, USA, in 1926 as a scholar. That year he was appointed academic supervisor in Agusan. Two

years later he was acting supervisor of the training division of the normal school in Cebu Province.

Gatmaitan, erstwhile schools’ superintendent of Misamis Occidental, is the first full-fledged Filipino division superintendent of schools of Davao because Concepcion was only designated to discharge the Office of the Division Superintendent Schools. Concepcion’s assignment was confirmed by Stumbo in 1945 when he returned to Davao City after the war.

By 1960, Gatmaitan became the chief of the Home Industries Division of the Bureau of Public Schools. He is credited for organizing and administering the School for Philippine Craftsmen (now Bicol University, Polangui Campus), which President Carlos P. Garcia inaugurated on October 23, 1959.

THE PREJUDICE AGAINST OTHER HUMAN BEINGS

Being normal is about accepting what society tells you to do. The opposite of that is about having all the courage to live your life in your own terms. There is no comfort in believing that you are right at all times. The definition of living is rooted in wanting to be a little differaent from others. This is what true freedom means. But your convictions cannot be used to make others feel that they are less than human. To think that your moral position is supreme compared to those embraced by others is not a strength. It can only be a form of weakness. You cannot confuse that condescending attitude with moral courage.

I will describe the problem of exclusion. First, there is the exclusion of people. A person is metaphysically whole, but he or she is often judged on the basis of color, race, gender or sta-

tus in human society. Some people think of other human beings as their inferior. This can be observed in the way the powerful, including prominent celebrities, treat others. The ordinary man with a blue-collar job is given very low regard. Social injustice is rooted in the unjust treatment of the powerless in the margins of human society.

Second, there is the exclusion of cultures. The Renaissance period brought forth great glory to humankind. The advent of science gave rise to new ways of manipulating nature. With man’s tremendous power, the West has been able to put human reason into the pedestal. Nature became subservient to man. This ability has given man the seeming control of his fate. But indigenous cultures have remained attached to nature. Simplicity defined things for traditional wis-

dom. Yet, people prefer the superficiality of material culture over the value of what is natural.

Third, there is the exclusion of migrants. Citizenship has become the basis of the rights of men. A migrant worker is seen as an outsider who possesses no rights and who only want to be in a host country for economic reasons. This human being is treated unfairly, abused and exploited. Refugees are seen as a threat or a risk to national security. While social justice begins as a principle based on the equality of persons, its interpretation in the arena of international relations is that it is about the equality of citizens.

Fourth, there is the exclusion of voices. Some voices are silenced simply because they belong to individuals who are powerless. Being right or wrong no longer depends on the strength

of one’s arguments. Rather, it now depends on the positional advantage of people. In a masculine world, the voice of a father appears to be in full control of the affairs of the house. A mother is there simply to lend support, to care for the children, and to show compassion. But in terms of making major decisions, it is the male voice that prevails. A woman, in this way, gets the wrong idea that she must always be obedient or subservient to rules in a male-dominated society.

Changing the world will not only require reforming institutions. We also have to alter the course of how people see things. As moral subjects, we evaluate human action and make ethical judgments. In the end, everything becomes a question of values. Reason can only desire its old glory during the Enlightenment, but it has come

down crashing at the height of a post-mortem in which its foundations have been thoroughly shaken. Metanarratives are inadequate to explain how and why things come to be. Human freedom does not have one precise meaning nor a singular definition. Love, as transcendence, is beyond measure.

Goethe is right in saying that a teacher can only choose between two things: he can either inspire or be that instrument of fear. Indeed, exclusion is meant to instill fear and make people act like docile bodies, says Michel Foucault. We normalize a moral wrong when we are no longer critical of the demeaning ways of entitled personalities. Repressive power is no longer the main threat to the dignity of men and women. Rather, the problem has metamorphosed into a more virulent form – the prejudice against other human beings.

DA, egg stakeholders to discuss rise in prices

The Department of Agriculture (DA) will meet with egg producers and traders to address the rise of chicken egg prices despite enough supply, the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) on Tuesday said.

“President (and Agriculture Secretary) Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has ordered Department of Agriculture (DA) Undersecretary Domingo Panganiban to meet with egg producers and traders to determine why prices of chicken eggs have surged in recent weeks despite enough supply in the market,” the Presidential Communications Office (PCO) said in a statement.

During the Cabinet meeting, Marcos said the

DA must determine the reason behind the gap between the farmgate and retail prices considering that the administration is working to achieve its target of making affordable food available for Filipino families.

“So we will have to have a look to see how to control that because we cannot explain almost one-half of the profit margin that we are seeing. We cannot attribute it to cost,” he said.

As of Tuesday, the

prevailing price of medium-sized eggs in Metro Manila are at PHP8 to PHP9 per piece.

“The DA said eggs should just retail between PHP7 to PHP7.50 per piece given its farmgate prices. Reports show that eggs are being sold as high as PHP9.60 per piece,” the PCO added.

In an earlier press briefing, Philippine Egg Board Association chairperson Gregorio San Diego said the range of current retail prices for eggs is “too much.”

San Diego said the projected volume of egg production for this year remains stable.

“We think that is too much. Kasi dati rati from farmgate price, sentimo

lang ang idinaragdag hanggang sa market. Pero ngayon napakalaki na niyan (because before, from the farmgate price, the markup is just centavos higher up to the market. But now, that’s too big), it’s more than PHP2 per egg,” he said.

The DA earlier said the elimination of layers in the value chain will help prevent such price increases.

“We are coordinating with (the) (Philippine) Egg Board also to see the supply situation and if there are bottlenecks. Right now, what we are doing also is to eliminate certain layers of traders because that will also help bring down the price,” DA Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista earlier said.

Islamic banking is for everyone: BSP exec

Islamic banking is not exclusive to Muslims as it provides alternative financial products outside the conventional financial institutions, a ranking central bank official said.

Speaking during Tuesday’s Laging Handa briefing, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Assistant Governor Arifa Ala said the government is adopting a whole-of-government approach to ensure a lev-

el playing field for both conventional and Islamic banking systems.

“By establishing an Islamic banking system, we will be providing the Filipino people, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, alternative financial products that can serve their requirements,” she said.

The Islamic banking system uses the Shari’ah principle wherein risks and profits are shared both by

the financial institution and the account holders.

“In an Islamic banking institution, a partnership is created and the clients and the Islamic bank share in the profits and risks arising out of investing those funds,” Ala said, explaining its difference compared to conventional banks wherein a debtor-creditor relationship is created whenever a person opens a bank account.

PH-US trade in 2022 exceeds $33B: envoy

United States Ambassador to the Philippines MaryKay Carlson said bilateral trade between the Philippines and the United States last year surpassed the USD33-billion level.

In a forum of the Makati Business Club (MBC) Tuesday, Carlson said 2022 was a banner year for the bilateral trade between the two countries.

She said Islamic banking is not new in the Philippines because the Al-Amanah Islamic Investment Bank of the Philippines (AAIIBP) was established in 1973, making it one of the first Islamic banks in Southeast Asia.

She was referring to the only Islamic bank in the country, which was established under Presidential Decree 264 as the Philippine Amanah Bank.

She said a big chunk of the trade value last year was exports to the US at around USD21 billion, making the US the top destination for Philippine exports.

US Embassy data also showed that two-way trade between the Philippines and US in 2021 reached USD30.2 billion.

The Philippines is one of the 119 developing countries that are benefiting from the US Generalized System of Preferences (GSP).

In a report of the US Congressional Research

Service last year, it said the Philippines is one of the top five beneficiary developing countries in terms of value of goods entering the US market in 2021 under the GSP along with Thailand, Indonesia, Brazil and Cambodia.

The trade preference program covers nearly half of tariff lines in the US.

Carlson is also optimistic about the trade ties between the two countries, with the Philippines joining the US-led Indo-Pacific Economic Partnership (IPEF).

The Biden administration aims to use IPEF to strengthen its engagement with Indo-Pacific countries such as the Philippines, Australia, Brunei, India, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia, New Zealand, Singapore, Thailand, Vietnam and Fiji.

Its four pillars include trade; supply chain; clean energy, decarbonization and infrastructure; and tax and anti-corruption.

PhilHealth 11 Field Operations Division chief Filbert Bryan Sollesta shares updates on the Universal Health Care and other programs of the agency during Wednesdays at Habi at Kape at Abreeza Mall in Davao City on Wednesday. Lean Daval Jr.

Q3 2022 economic growth maintained at 7.6%: PSA

Gov’t rationalizing ‘import schedule’ of

The government is rationalizing the importation schedule for sugar products to match the local production of the commodity, President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. said on Tuesday.

“Sa (On) sugar, we are beginning to rationalize this buying schedule, the importation schedule, so that we will match the crop here of the local producers of sugar,” Marcos said in a video message sent to Palace reporters.

The move, Marcos said, would help “normalize” the prices of sugar.

“Para hindi naman tayo nagpapasok habang mababa ang presyo ng asukal, so para mag-normalize naman ‘yung presyo (So, we would not import while the price of sugar is low. This would normalize the price),” he said.

Marcos made the remark in the wake of his recent order to establish a two-month buffer stock of sugar.

Marcos said having a buffer stock of sugar for

sugar:

PBBM

two months will help stabilize the supply and prices of the commodity.

This, as he stressed the importance of building up a sugar inventory to avoid shortage in the future.

“Again [for] sugar, to cut down speculation, we are guaranteeing a buffer stock of two months. So hindi magkaka-shortage, hindi dapat tataas ang presyo,” Marcos said.

The Department of Agriculture (DA) officials, during a sectoral meeting at Malacañan Palace in Manila, reported that the prevailing retail price of sugar from October 2022 to January 2023 was significantly higher compared to the price from October 2021 to January 2022.

They also noted that as of Jan. 8, the raw sugar production is at 877,028 metric tons (MT), higher by 22.41 percent compared to last crop year’s 716,485 MT.

The raw sugar stock balance is at 362,263 MT, 0.92 percent lower than the 365,633 MT of the previous crop year.

ThePhilippines’ economic growth in the third quarter of 2022 was maintained at 7.6%, the same as what was initially reported in November last year, data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) showed Wednesday.

The PSA’s announcement came a day before the government is expected to release the fourth quarter and full-year 2022 gross domestic product (GDP) growth rate on January

26, 2023.

In a statement, the Statistics authority said that although the third quarter GDP print was maintained at 7.6%, “changes were observed in all industries except

public administration and defense; compulsory social activities.”

The major contributors to the economic growth during the period were real estate and ownership of dwellings which grew 3.6% from 3.1%; financial and insurance activities which went up to 7.9% from 7.7%; and manufacturing which jumped to 3.8% from 3.6%.

The PSA revises the

GDP estimates based on approved revision policy, which is consistent with international standard practices on national accounts revisions.

The third quarter of 2022 is the Marcos administration’s first full quarter since it assumed office on June 30, 2022.

For the entire 2022, the government is expecting faster than the target 6.5% to 7.5% full-year GDP growth.

‘Think growth, think PH’: Econ team to foreign biz leaders

Whenever foreign business leaders and investment companies think of growth, they can think of the Philippines.

This was the message underscored by members of the Philippine economic team during the Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) held in Frankfurt, Germany on Monday (Philippine time) as they assured investors that diverse investment opportunities await them in the

country.

The PEB serves as the platform for the Philippine government to provide international business and financial communities with updates on the country’s robust economic performance and investment opportunities.

During the briefing, the economic team spelled out the reasons why the Philippines has a “comparative advantage” over other ASEAN countries in terms of its investment en-

vironment.

They cited the country’s structural reforms, young workforce, strong private sector support, priority on infrastructure spending, strategic regional coordination and stable political environment.

“This administration has more than a hundred implementation-ready infrastructure projects so if the investors are ready to come in, these are projects that are easy to implement,” said Department of

Budget and Management (DBM) Secretary Amenah Pangandaman in the discussion on the Marcos administration’s Build, Better, More program.

Department of Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno, in his keynote message, invited the German investing community to explore opportunities in the fields of telecommunications, airports, toll roads, agribusiness, renewable energy and shipping.

Gladys Garcia, Davao Experience Center team leader of Young Living Philippines, discusses during this week’s Wednesdays at Habi at Kape at Abreeza Mall the upcoming launch of Believe Kick Off Davao edition on February 18, 2023 at YLPH Davao Experience Center and the company’s promotions for Mindanao. Lean Daval Jr.

PRESENT:

Councilor Edgar P. Ibuyan Jr. - Presiding Officer

Councilor Marissa S. Abella

Councilor Nilo M. Abellera Jr.

Councilor Luna Maria Dominique S. Acosta

Councilor Bernard E. Al-ag

Councilor Wilberto E. Al-ag Councilor Al Ryan S. Alejandre Councilor Dante L. Apostol Sr. Councilor Conrado C. Baluran

Councilor Jessica M. Bonguyan

Councilor Louie John J. Bonguyan Councilor Pilar C. Braga Councilor Jonard C. Dayap Councilor Edgar R. Ibuyan Sr. Councilor Richlyn N. Justol-Baguilod Councilor Diosdado Angelo Junior R. Mahipus Councilor Rodolfo M. Mande

Councilor Jaffar U. Marohomsalic

Councilor Bonz Andre A. Militar Councilor Temujin B. Ocampo

Councilor Myrna G. L’Dalodo-Ortiz Councilor Alberto T. Ungab

Councilor Lorenzo Benjamin D. Villafuerte Councilor Trisha Ann J. Villafuerte Councilor Jesus Joseph P. Zozobrado III

ABSENT:

Vice Mayor J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr. - OB-Acting City Mayor

Councilor Bai Hundra Cassandra Dominique N. Advincula - OB- Administered the oath of the new Punong Barangay of Barangay Ula, Tugbok District

Councilor Augusto Javier G. Campos III - OB-Represented the City Mayor in the turnover of the Balay ng Pagbabago in Barangay Lasang

ORDINANCE NO. 0114-22 Series of 2022

AN ORDINANCE FURTHER AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 5003, SERIES OF 1997, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE COCKFIGHTING CODE OF DAVAO CITY,” AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NO. 0632-21, SERIES OF 2021

Be it ordained by the Honorable Sangguniang Panlungsod of Davao City, in session assembled, that:

SECTION 1. TITLE – This Ordinance shall be known as the “AN ORDINANCE FURTHER AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 5003, SERIES OF 1997, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE COCKFIGHTING CODE OF DAVAO CITY,” AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NO. 0632-21, SERIES OF 2021”.

SECTION 2. AMENDMENTS – Section 5, and Section 6 paragraphs (a), (c), and (d), of Ordinance No. 5003, Series of 1997, as amended by Ordinance No. 0632-21 Series of 2021, is hereby amended, to read as follows:

SECTION

SECTION 6. AMUSEMENT TAX ON ADMISSION

Imposition of Tax – There is being levied and imposed upon the proprietor, lessee, operator, or promoter of cockpits that charge admission or entrance fees within the territorial jurisdiction of the City of Davao, a tax on admission fee in addition to the taxes and fees imposed under Sections 5 and 9 hereof at the rate herein prescribed based on the gross receipts from admission fees, to wit:

i. Regular hackfight - 10% ii. Derby - 30% xxx xxx xxx

Time of Payment – The taxes herein imposed shall be collected as part and not in addition to the price of admission tickets at the time patrons or customers are admitted to the amusement places or establishments.

The taxes herein above imposed shall be due and payable within the first ten (10) days of the month next following that for which they are due, by the proprietor, lessee, operator, and promoter, and such taxes to be determined on the basis of a true and complete return of the number of gross receipts from admission derived during the preceding month. If the tax is not paid within the time fixed above, the taxpayer shall be subject to such surcharges, interest, and penalties as prescribed by this Ordinance.

(d) Administrative Provisions.

Remittance of Tax Surcharge for late remittance. – The proprietor, lessee, operator, or promoter of cockpits shall withhold the amusement tax on admission.

The amusement tax withheld shall be remitted to the City Treasurer’s Office within the first ten (10) days of the month next following that for which they are due. The proprietor, lessee, operator, or promoter concerned shall make a complete return of the gross receipts derived during the preceding month which shall be the basis for determining the tax due.

VOL.15 ISSUE 240 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

VOL.15 ISSUE 240 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 26, 2023

Failure to pay the tax within the time fixed herein above shall render those concerned liable to a surcharge of twenty-five percent (25%) of the original amount plus an interest of two percent (2%) per month on the amount due until the tax is fully paid but in no case shall the total interest on the unpaid amount or a portion thereof exceed thirty-six (36) months.

1. Admission Tickets – Admission Tickets will be used as one of the bases for collecting the amusement tax imposed in this Section. Cockpit operators must develop a unified application system, to be turned over to the City Government of Davao, that will allow sabungeros/ players to purchase admission tickets. Admission tickets must be dispensed accordingly.

Operators of cockpits shall keep a notice in big legible letters or numbers posted in a conspicuous place in front of the ticket booths showing the total admission price, which will include as a part thereof the city amusement taxes corresponding to each or kind of ticket.

1. Form of tickets, their registration – Every proprietor, lessee, operator, or promoter of cockpit shall provide admission tickets which shall be serially numbered, indicating therein the name of the amusement place, the price per ticket, and the kind of event—whether regular, derby or special event. The admission tickets must be embedded with a QR Code which will be subject for validation by the Office of the City Treasurer, upon entry to the cockpit.

Whenever there is a change in the admission fee after registration, a notice to that effect shall be registered with the City Treasurer and must be conspicuously posted in a place of business for the information of the public.

Sub-numbering of such tickets is strictly prohibited and the use of slugs and other substitutes for admission tickets is strictly prohibited. Upon entry to the gate, the admission ticket must be presented to the representative of the City Treasurer’s Office for QR verification. The gatekeeper shall then drop the admission ticket in a locked box or receptacle. The box or receptacle shall only be opened by the representative of the Office of the City Treasurer.

1. Verification and Inspection of Cockpits – The City Treasurer shall post an employee at the gate of cockpits for the purpose of verifying all tickets being sold thereat.

Likewise, another CTO personnel shall also be designated at the area as may be provided by the operator, for the purpose of monitoring the winning bets garnered by the operator per fight.

2. Additional Guidelines/Requirements to be observed by Cockpit Operators – The following guidelines must be adopted by cockpit operators for the conduct of cockfighting operations in the City of Davao:

“NO TICKET, NO ENTRY” policy must be strictly observed in cockpits. No person must be allowed to enter the cockpit without presenting an admission ticket.

Cockpit operators must provide the personnel of the City Treasurer’s Office access to an area where monitoring of amusement tickets and winning center bets are possible.

Cockpit operators must declare with the City Treasurer’s Office the number of admission tickets considered part of the privileges granted to owners of fighting cocks, upon payment of the Entry Fee. Only a maximum of three (3) individuals can be admitted per paid Entry Fee.

Cockpit Operators must develop or establish a unified application system, to be turned over to the City Government of Davao, which must be able to meet the following specifications: d.1 IT Requirements

Set-up IT infrastructure that is secure, efficient, and effective; Set-up back-up for equipment and power to provide sufficient support to the operation of the Event; Cockpits must have internet connectivity. To prevent any issues, cockpit operators must set up a redundant internet connection; and, All cockpit operators in the City of Davao must adopt the unified system for their cockpit operations to hasten the monitoring of gross receipts subject to tax.

d.2. System Features

Bettors must be able to purchase system-generated admission tickets; Admission tickets must be serially numbered and must be embedded with a QR Code for easier verification. Said tickets must reflect the minimum details, including the price per ticket and kind of event;

Allow registration of game participants before sultadas can begin; and, Generate reports on the total number of fights/sultadas, total winning bets garnered by the cockpit operator, and total gross receipts on admissions.

The City Treasurer’s Office must be given real-time full access to the detailed record entry for audit purposes.

d.3. Ownership and Maintenance of System

Ownership of the unified application system, to be adopted by all cockpit operators within theCity of Davao, must be turned over to the City Government, upon deployment for use by all cockpits, to ensure the integrity of the system.

The City Government of Davao shall exercise full control over the system, including its database. The cockpit operators shall only be granted permission to input data or entries necessary for the conduct of the event.

In case there is a need to troubleshoot the system due to technical issues, the City Government of Davao reserves the right to demand technical support from the cockpit operators to address the same. A Service Maintenance Agreement must be executed by the cockpit operators and the City Government of Davao to provide the details thereof.

Section 9 of Ordinance No. 5003, Series of 1997, as amended by Ordinance No. 0632-21, Series of 2021, shall be re-numbered to Section 11 and amended, to read as follows:

SECTION 11. FEES – In addition to the taxes, fees, and other levies imposed by the City under Sections 5, 6, 7 and 8 hereof, the following fees shall be paid to the City Treasurer, pursuant to the provisions of the Local Government Code of 1991 (R.A. No. 7160) before any operation or activity can be conducted.

SPECIAL PERMIT FEE FOR COCKFIGHTING

(a) Special Cockfights (Pintakasi)

First three (3) days P 3,000.00

Succeeding days 2, 000.00/day

(b) Special Derby Assessment from Promoters of:

Two-Cock Derby 2, 000.00

Three-Cock Derby 4, 000.00

Four-Cock Derby 7, 000.00

Five-Cock Derby 8, 000.00

More than five-cock derby 18,000.00

Section 13 of Ordinance No. 5003, Series of 1997, as amended by Ordinance No. 0632-21, Series of 2021, shall be re-numbered to Section 15 and amended, to read as follows:

SECTION 15. PENAL CLAUSE – The penalty of fine not exceeding P5,000 or an imprisonment of not more than one (1) year or both at the discretion of the Court, shall be imposed upon

Republic of the Philippines City of Davao Office of the Sangguniang Panlungsod

any individual found falsifying the admission ticket and/or manipulating or compromising the security and integrity of the unified application system.

Any individual who enters the cockpit arena without presenting an admission ticket shall be fined not exceeding P3,000 or imprisonment of not more than one (1) year or both at the discretion of the Court, and the violator's cock, hens, and eggs, and all bets involved in the unlawful activity shall be confiscated in favor of the City Government, to be turned over to the City Agriculturist and shall be disposed of by the City Mayor in the manner provided by law, rules, and regulations.

SECTION 3. ADDITIONAL PROVISIONS – The following provisions shall be included in Ordinance No. 5003, Series of 1997, otherwise known as “THE NEW COCKFIGHTING CODE OF DAVAO CITY”, as amended by Ordinance No. 0632-21 of 2021, to wit:

SECTION 7. PLASADA TAX – There shall be imposed upon the proprietor/operator of the cockpit a tax on the plasada amounting to 1% of the total winning center bet.

The plasada tax shall be due and payable within the first ten (10) days of the month next following that for which they are due and the same shall be remitted to the City Treasurer within the said period.

Failure to pay the tax within the time fixed herein above shall render those concerned liable to a surcharge of twenty-five percent (25%) of the original amount plus interest of two percent (2%) per month on the amount due until the tax is fully paid but in no case shall the total interest on the unpaid amount or a portion thereof exceed thirty-six (36) months.

SECTION 8. SULTADA FEE – There shall be imposed upon the proprietor/operator of the cockpit fee per sultada amounting to the following:

Regular Hackfight - 200.00 Derby and Special Events - 500.00

Cancelled cockfights and cockfights with no winner (draw) shall not be subject to a sultada fee.

The sultada fee shall be due and payable within the first ten (10) days of the month next following that for which they are due and the same shall be remitted to the City Treasurer within the said period. Failure to pay the tax within the time fixed herein above shall render those concerned liable to a surcharge of twenty-five percent (25%) of the original amount plus an interest of two percent (2%) per month on the amount due until the tax is fully paid but in no case shall the total interest on the unpaid amount or a portion thereof exceed thirty-six (36) months.

SECTION 16. CITATION TICKET – A citation ticket shall be issued to any individual who enters the cockpit arena without presenting an admission ticket. The Citation Ticket shall state, among others, the name and address of the violator, the specific violation committed and the corresponding administrative penalty.

The Philippine National Police (PNP) and such other appropriate enforcers as commissioned by the City Mayor shall have the power to apprehend violators of this Ordinance and issue citation tickets.

The City Mayor may deputize Barangay Officials or representatives of the private sector, non-government organizations, and government organizations in the strict implementation of this Ordinance, as the need arises.

SECTION 17. NO CONTEST PROVISION – Any individual who is apprehended or cited for violation of entering the cockpit arena without an admission ticket and who does not wish to contest the violation and is willing to pay voluntarily the administrative penalty imposed upon him/her prior to the filing of formal charges with the proper court shall be allowed to pay a penalty of One Thousand Pesos (P1,000.00) with the City Treasurer's Office to avoid being criminally prosecuted within three (3) days from apprehension. Otherwise, the case shall be prosecuted in court. The No Contest Provision can only be availed once. All proceeds from the payment of the herein penalty imposed shall accrue to the City's General Fund.

SECTION 4. RE-NUMBERING – The following Sections in Ordinance No. 5003, Series of 1997, as amended by Ordinance No. 0632-21, Series of 2021, shall be renumbered as follows:

1. Section 7 (Cockfighting Officials) shall be renumbered to Section 9;

2. Section 8 (Licensing of Cockfighting Officials) shall be renumbered to Section 10;

3. Section 9 (Fees) shall be renumbered to Section 11;

4. Section 10 (Anti-Fraud Measures) shall be renumbered to Section 12;

5. Section 11 (Complaints and Protests) shall be renumbered to Section 13;

6. Section 12 (Suppletory Rules) shall be renumbered to Section 14;

7. Section 14 (Penal Clause) shall be renumbered to Section 15.

SECTION 5. SEPARABILITY CLAUSE – If for any reason, any section or provision of this Ordinance shall be held to be unconstitutional or invalid by competent authority, such judgment or action shall not affect or impair the other sections or provisions hereof.

SECTION 6. REPEALING CLAUSE – All other city ordinances, Executive Orders and Rules and Regulations, which are inconsistent with this Ordinance are hereby deemed amended, repealed or modified accordingly.

SECTION 7. EFFECTIVITY CLAUSE – This Ordinance shall take effect upon approval hereof.

ENACTED, on the 5 th day of December 2022, by a unanimous vote of all the Members of the Sanggunian, there being a quorum.

CERTIFIED CORRECT:

CRIME...

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reau of Investigation 11 (NBI 11). Plaza’s death went viral with all the speculations that are being posted on social media,” said Major Eudisan Gultiano, spokesperson of Police Regional Office 11 (PRO 11).

She said PRO 11 director Brig. Gen. Benjamin Silo Jr. immediately activated “Yvonette Plaza Special Investigation Task Group” to spearhead and coordinate the prosecutorial efforts of the PNP.

Along with the activation of SITG was the P1 million reward for whoever can give information/s that could lead to the identification of the perpetrators.

“With the said P1 million reward, several informants surfaced until one witness was able to identify one Adrian Cachero as the motorcycle driver and Delfin Sialsa as the gunman. The course of the investigation headed towards the involvement of some personnel from the 1001st IB. At this point the Philippine Army

PH... FROM 2

With more than 13 million young people, the largest in our country’s history, we are poised to benefit from this demographic dividend,” she said. Challenges, reforms Duterte said the young people are facing various challenges, hence the need for authorities to work closely with all other stakeholders to ensure child protection.

Cited among the chal-

RIGO...

coordinated with PRO 11 after a certain “Longakit” went missing,” Gultiano said during her presentation of the SITG Plaza link analysis.

Plaza was gunned down by two men on board a motorcycle on December 28, 2022 in front of her rented residence at Purok 18, Buttercup Street of Green Meadows Subdivision in Barangay Sto. Niño, Tugbok district.

Gultiano said Cachero, Sialsa, and Japitan surrendered pieces of evidence which include the gun used, a motorcycle, and a jersey. Japitan was instructed to dismantle and change the color of the motorcycle. They took the personal belongings of the victim that include her bag, cellphone, ID and credit card were turned over to Licayo and were burned by Staff Sergeant Plaza.

Gultiano said Cachero implicated Licyayo as the one who gave them the instruction of the whereabouts of the victim and provided the logistics.

lenges posed against the welfare of learners were susceptibility to various forms of abuse, drug addiction, violent extremism, climate change, human trafficking, gender equality, inclusion and sustainable development, among others.

“Second batch of our child protection specialization course for focal persons in the central offices, regional offic-

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er useful materials, such as slippers, table mats, flower vases, bags and many others and sold for profit.

A start-up enterprise Limadol is also campaigning for the reduction of waste in sanitary landfills through composting.

This enterprise collects food waste in certain puroks in Barangay Tacunan and

BONG...

“At this point, we were able to connect the link and identified the mastermind as the one who instructed the liquidation of the victim. Sialsa in the extra-judicial affidavit implicated the mastermind as Brigadier General Jesus Durante III,” she said.

Gultiano added that they were able to recover the Macbook from the house of the victim containing photos, emails, and messages from Durante.

“Also the victim posted on her Facebook account that she was maltreated and the victim had information blackmailing Durante,” she said.

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) director Colonel Alberto Lupaz said crime of passion is the motive behind the murder of Plaza.

“Our pieces of evidence were able to establish the relationship between General Durante and the victim at may mga substance na binigay ang mga witnesses na nagkataon na nagselos,” said Silo.

es, and schools division offices is ongoing, where child protection specialists will in turn empower child protection committees in schools and protect learners from abuse, and support their entire wellbeing,” Duterte said. The DepEd earlier launched child protection hotlines to make contact offices more accessible to complainants.

ATTESTED:

CHARITO N. SANTOS Secretary to the Sangguniang Panlungsod (City Government Department Head II)

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Senator Raffy Tulfo, on the other hand, suggested that screening should be conducted for employers wanting to hire OFWs.

Senator Joel Villanueva noted that Jullebees’ death was not an isolated incident because it had previously occurred many times in Kuwait. In 2019, Filipino household service worker Jeanelyn Padernal Villavende was also murdered by her Kuwaiti employer.

Go then expressed deep disappointment over the unfair treatment of OFWs, saying, “Nakakalungkot dahil sa kabila ng pagsusumikap ng ating mga OFWs sa ibang bansa ay may mga taong tumatapak ng kanilang dignidad.”

feeds it to their Black Soldier Flies. Compost products are also available in the market as packed organic fertilizers.

The Mintal Resource Collectors Association (MirCA) started as an individual scrap buy-and-sell business or commonly known as “Bote-Bakal”, before the Philippines, Indonesia, and Sri Lanka (PHINLA) Project. In 2021, the

lay sa pamilya, huwag na po sanang madagdagan pa ang kanilang dinaranas na pasakit,” said Go.

“Kaya nga isinulong natin kasama ng ating mga kasamahan ang Department of Migrant Workers sa pangunguna ni Majority Leader Sen. Joel Villanueva,” he added.

Go was one of the authors and co-sponsors of the Senate version of Republic Act 11641 which created the DMW. It is the consolidated version of an earlier measure he filed which sought to create the Department of Overseas Filipino Workers, ensuring the efficient and effective delivery of key government services.

barangay local government unit of Mintal and through the support of PHINLA formed the association through their solid waste management program.

MirCA has 30 members who depend on their livelihood in the local recycling industry. MirCA collects recyclable materials in the households.

cil Against Trafficking to investigate, pursue and help prosecute illegal recruitment and human trafficking cases.

“Kung anumang tulong ang kakailanganin ng pamilya ng biktima ay handa akong tumulong sa abot ng aking makakaya in coordination with our DMW and officials,” Go assured.

Go has always been a staunch advocate for the rights of OFWs in support of the government’s efforts to assist distressed nationals which was a cornerstone of the Duterte administration.

President Pro Tempore

APPROVED: ______________, 2022 Temporary Presiding Officer cns/kjtq

SEBASTIAN Z. DUTERTE

ATTESTED:

ATTY. FRANCIS MARK H. LAYOG Acting City Administrator

AN ORDINANCE FURTHER AMENDING ORDINANCE NO. 5003, SERIES OF 1997, OTHERWISE KNOWN AS “THE COCKFIGHTING CODE OF DAVAO CITY,” AS AMENDED BY ORDINANCE NO. 0632-21, SERIES OF 2021

“Hindi ko po lubos na maintindihan, na kung sino pa iyong mga tapat at masisipag sa kanilang trabaho, ay sila ang na-aagrabyado at nadedehado. Lantaran na po ang kawalan ng respeto sa ating mga OFWs,” he added.

He then issued a call to action, urging the Philippine government to collaborate in order to ensure that OFWs’ rights are respected and that they are protected.

“Ayaw ko po talagang may makitang mga Pilipino sa ibang bansa na naloloko, naaabuso, o naagrabyado. Masakit na po ang mawa-

The law streamlined the organization and functions of all government agencies related to overseas employment and migration through the creation of the DMW.

The DMW operates as a one-stop shop for both documented and undocumented OFWs, rendering government services from pre-employment to employment and reintegration.

To further ensure the protection of the migrant workers, the DMW is also mandated to regulate private recruitment agencies. In addition, it will work alongside the Department of Justice and the Inter-Agency Coun-

Years ago, he assisted several OFWs from Kuwait, forced to engage in illegal sexual services in 2019, and who sought the Senator’s help after they were repatriated. Go specifically facilitated the provision of legal and medical assistance for those suffering from diseases related to forced sexual services while those looking for work were also extended the necessary help.

In December 2020, Kuwaiti criminal court sentenced to death by hanging a Kuwaiti woman for killing Filipina domestic worker Jeanelyn Padernal Villavende in December 2019. The husband was sentenced to four years in prison for covering up and not reporting the crime.

EDGAR P. IBUYAN JR.

HOPE FOR HOOPS

Bong Go lauds PBBM for signing into law Brownlee naturalization

“Nagpapasalamat po ako kay Pangulong Marcos sa pagpirma ng batas na nagbibigay ng Filipino citizenship kay Justin Brownlee,” said Go.

“Naniniwala po ako na deserving siya ma-naturalize kasi naka-blend in na siya hindi lang sa basketball team natin kundi pati na rin sa kultura ng Pilipino. I am sure napamahal na siya sa mga Pilipino, and ang mga Pilipino ay napamahal na din sa kanya,” Go added.

The law shall take effect immediately after it is published in newspapers with wide circulation or in the Official Gazette.

“To Mr. Brownlee, nawa’y patuloy mong isapuso ang pagiging isang Pilipino. Mahalin mo ang Pilipinas at isapuso ang tungkulin ng bawat mamamayang Pilipino na magsilbi sa bayan at unahin ang interes ng Pilipinas,” he stressed.

The citizenship bill, co-sponsored by Go, was approved by both the Senate and the House of Representatives last month, particularly so that Brownlee would be qualified to represent Gilas Pilipinas as a naturalized player. Go also co-authored the Senate version of the measure.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas hopes to have Brownlee make his debut with Gilas Pilipinas at the Asian qualifiers for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in February.

With Brownlee on the Filipino side,

Go said that this development can bolster the country’s chances in various international competitions including the upcoming FIBA World Cup.

“Sana ay pumasok tayo sa Final Eight at manalo. Suportahan natin ang ating koponan. Ang panalo ng ating national team(Gilas Pilipinas) ay panalo ng buong sambayanan,” said Go.

The country will co-host the competition with Japan and Indonesia, which will be held at the Smart Araneta Coliseum and the Mall of Asia Arena from August 25 to September 10 this year. The country will also host the final phase of the competition.

Brownlee came to the Philippines in 2016. He initially joined the Philippine Basketball Association competitions as a replacement import. He then showcased his talents which helped Barangay Ginebra claim its first PBA championship in eight years. Since then, he has assisted and led his team to achieve five PBA championships in 2016, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021.

“Si Brownlee may pusong Pinoy at ‘never say die’ attitude. Ito po ang pinakaimportante. Alam kong naisapuso na niya ang ating mga tradisyon at kultura. Higit sa talento nya sa basketball, ipinapakita nya ang puso nya na lumaban para sa Pilipino at ang pagmamahal nya po sa ating bayan,”

Sen. Bong Go with newly naturalised cager Justin Brownlee.

he said.

Senator and Chair of the Senate Committee on Sports Christopher “Bong” Go lauded President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. for signing into law Republic Act No. 11937 which grants Filipino citizenship to Ginebra import Justin Brownlee.