Dr. Richard Mata encouraged Dabawenyos on Tuesday to continue observing Covid-19 protocols to prevent transmission of the Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease (HFMD) in schools.
(DepEd-Davao),
there are still two cases believed to be from teaching and non-teaching personnel, while there are five probable cases of students.
“Maghugas ug kamot, alcohol, don’t touch your mouth, eyes and nose, clean your surroundings, ug facemask. Importante ang handwashing ug don’t
The Philippine Red Cross (PRC) and the Davao de Oro Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) have installed three temporary tent hospitals to help the Feb. 1 quake-damaged provincial hospital cater to patients.
touch your mouth pero makalimot kay bata man. As of the moment ang among suggestion is what we did with Covid-19 atong buhaton gihapon,” Mata said over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Tuesday.
He said HFMD is not a FKEEP, P10
The PDRRMO said the provisional field hospitals were installed on Sunday inside the compound of the Davao de Oro Provincial Hospital (DDOPH) in Montevista town, which was badly damaged by the strong tremor.
The establishment of the makeshift hospitals followed after some 90 patients were evacuated from the DDOPH and transferred to the Montevista Sports Complex
as structural intensity assessment (SIA) continue.
Governor Dorothy Gonzaga said the air-conditioned emergency field hospital, with a capacity of 14 beds each, is a big help in catering to patients who need immediate medical assistance.
“We will try to see what we can do to repair the (damages) in the DDOPH,” Gonzaga said. Currently, the DDOPH is limiting the number of admissions due to the damage sustained during the earthquake in its infrastructure based on the result of SIA.
On Feb. 1, the province was jolted by a Magnitude 6 earthquake with the epicenter traced in New Bataan town. (PNA)
The Department of Social Welfare and Development in the Davao Region (DSWD11) is currently seeking PHP115 million in funding to operate a residential care center for boys in Tagum City, Davao del Norte province.
In an interview Monday, DSWD-11 Protective
Services Division chief, Gemma dela Cruz, said they are seeking help from the provincial and local government units, private entities, and non-government organizations in operating the facility for boys classified as “Children in Situations of Armed Conflict” (CSAC).
The CSAC refers to
boys used as combatants, couriers, guides, and spies by terrorist groups and crime syndicates.
Dela Cruz said the funds will be utilized for three years for the professional service of the houseparents and furniture and fixtures.
Completed in 2021 through the Payapa at
Masaganang Pamayanan (PAMANA) program, the one-hectare facility provides temporary care for 25 to 30 exploited boys aged 17 years old and below for six months before they are reintegrated into their respective families and communities.
The 30-bed facility is currently inoperable due
to a lack of manpower and financial resources following the pandemic crisis.
“We are lobbying for the budget. We already had a meeting last week with Mayor Rey Uy and our Undersecretary for Inclusive and Sustainable Peace Alan Tanjusay,” Dela Cruz said.
She said the mayor committed to maintaining the facility with DSWD-11 personnel visiting the center periodically.
Dela Cruz said the children who were supposed to be at the center are currently housed in different government facilities across several regions in Mindanao. (PNA)
on Tuesdaythat there are already six confirmed cases of HFMD in the city, and
An official of the Department of Social Welfare and Development-Davao Region (DSWD-Davao Region) bared on Monday a total of 367 families served under the Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program (BP2P).
The BP2P is a government social justice program open to all eligible Filipinos wanting to start anew in the provinces. It aims to give the beneficiaries who decided to settle in their original hometown or in other resettlement areas opportunities such as employment and other livelihood to start a new life.
Lee Mecris Berdos, focal for the Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services / Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-asa Program (KALAHI CIDSS/BP2P) of DSWD, said that for the fiscal year 2021 they served a total of 73 families while for 2022 a total of 294 families.
These summed up to a total of 367 families with 1,072 family members.
“These are the low-income families that were affected by the pandemic and who lost their jobs due to quarantine protocols. In the Davao Region we started the implementation in March 2021 wherein we have the partnership with the National Housing Authority,” she said during the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao on Monday.
She said for this year they will be conducting eligibility validation for those families endorsed and who have returned to Davao Region.
The BP2P aims to provide hope for a better future for Filipinos through equity in resources throughout the country and boost countryside development.
The BP2P program will first and foremost address Metro Manila’s congested urban areas by
FKALAHI, P10
By MAYA M. PADILLODavao del Norte Governor Edwin Jubahib saw hope that Davao del Norte will have stable power supply with the filing of House Bill 6740 by Congresswoman Margarita Ignacia Nograles of PBA Party-list.
“With this, I fully support Atty. Nograles’ efforts to bring about this change and I urge our lawmakers to pass House Bill 6740 into law. The expansion of the energy services provided by Davao Light through the passing of House Bill 6740
will bring a much-needed solution to this issue,” Jubahib said in a statement.
HB 6740, expands the franchise area of DLPC, an Aboitiz Power firm, by including Tagum City, the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos), Asuncion,
Kapalong, New Corella, San Isidro, and Talaingod in Davao del Norte including the municipality of Maco in Davao de Oro, which are currently being serviced by the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco).
Nograles filed in Congress last month House Bill 6740 to expand the franchise area of the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to other areas in Davao del Norte including the Municipalities of Asuncion, Kapalong, New Corella, Talaingod and cities
namely Tagum and the Island Garden City of Samal. Jubahib said HB 6740, if enacted into law, is a major milestone for the province of Davao del Norte as the expansion of the energy services provided by Davao Light will bring about a positive change to the lives of our constituents, providing them with reliable and efficient power supply.
“This will lead to a more sustainable and productive environment, driving economic growth and devel-
The administration of the Municipality of Matanao mulls of prioritizing the construction of the schoolbuildings destroyed by the series of earthquakes two years ago.
Mayor Vincent Fernandez of Matanao said the town has been badly hit by the quake being the epicenter of the magnitude 6.9.
He said the series of earthquakes impacted on
the school buildings.
“In fact, we had schoolbuildings that were totally damaged and no longer required retro-fitting. They need to be reconstructed anew,” Fernandez said.
He said they have already raised this concern to the Department of Education, asking them for help to rebuild our schoolbuildings.
Fernandez lamented
that up to this writing their plea has no response yet.
He said the municipality has 33 barangays and 42 school sites that need to be reconstructed.
Fernandez said some of these buildings were newly erected by were destroyed by the earthquake.
“The Matanao National High School is highly affected and it is now practically a ghost-town because
of the devastation. There were six buildings erected in the area, but could not be used because of the weak structural integrity,” he said.
Fernandez said they were advised by the Department of Public Works and Highways in Davao del Sur and their municipal engineers not to use and to abolish the buildings. F
Inflation in January accelerated further due to higher rental, electric and water rates as well as the continued rise in food and vegetable prices, according to data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority on Tuesday.
The consumer price index rose 8.7 percent, the highest since November 2008 and faster than the 8.1 percent inflation in December, the PSA said. January’s total breached the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ estimate of 7.5 to 8.3
percent.
Inflation in January is way above the government’s target range of 2 to 4 percent.
Housing, water, electricity, gas and other fuels posted an inflation rate of 8.5 percent in January from
7 percent in December, data showed.
Another major contributor to inflation for the month is food and non-alcoholic beverages at 10.7 percent inflation from 10.2 percent in December 2022, the PSA said.
Food inflation ballooned to 11.2 percent in January from 10.6 percent eh previous month, driven by the increase in vegetable prices at 37.8 percent from 32.4 percent in December.
Following the fast-
er-than-anticipated inflation in January, February’s outlook remains high at around 8.5 to 9 percent, BPI Lead Economist Jun Neri said.
“The rate of deceleration might be a little slower than anticipated, which will affect consumer confidence and overall growth could be affected by inflation affecting consumer confidence,” Neri said.
With inflation exceeding expectations, the BSP is
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has yet to finalize the latest suggested retail price (SRP) bulletin for basic necessities and price commodities, an official said Monday.
DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo explained that they are still negotiating the adjustment of prices after several manufacturers petitioned to increase prices in January due to higher production costs.
“We have seen justifications from the manufacturers kung bakit nila kailangan nila magtaas. Kasi varying ang percentage at peso value ng increases nila, marami tayong nakita na pwede naman o justified
Voting 250-0, the House of Representatives approved Monday on third and final reading the House Bill 6718 or the proposed “Freelance Workers Protection Act.”
A press release from the Speaker’s office explained that the said measure would provide protection and relief to over 1.5 million Filipino freelance workers.
naman,” said Castelo in a public briefing.
(We have seen justifications from the manufacturers why they have to increase prices. Because they have varying percentages
“As the digital economy expands, the number of Filipino freelance workers also increases. And if no laws are in place to protect our gig economy freelancers or to establish a formal grievance system to enforce their rights, they will be susceptible to all kinds of abuse,” House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez said in a statement.
“This is the reason a majority of lawmakers in
the House threw their support behind this measure. As a sector with an exploding growth spurt in the coming years, they need protective cover under our laws to ensure their transition as a significant driver of our economy,” Romualdez added.
Under HB 6718, a freelance worker is any natural person or entity composed of no more than one natural person, whether incorporated under the Securities and Exchange Commission, registered as a sole proprietorship under the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) or registered as self-employed with the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).
The bill states that this person must be “hired or retained to provide services, in exchange for comFHOUSE OKAYS,
The House Ways and Means Committee is eyeing to introduce amendments to the Corporate Recovery and Tax Incentives for Enterprises (CREATE) law and other relevant sections of the Tax Code to resolve issues regarding the value-added tax (VAT) exemption on importation and VAT zero-rating on local purchases in freeport zones.
During the committee hearing on Monday, Albay Representative Joey Salceda, panel chair, said it would remedy the inconsistencies between the CREATE law and its corresponding administrative issuances in connection with the classification of freeport zones as a separate customs territory and the availment of corresponding tax incentives.
He said the implementing rules and regulations of the CREATE Law limited the applicability of the VAT exemption on importation and VAT zero-rating on local purchases by a regis-
Thecity government of Davao has issued an executive order (EO) creating a Technical Working Group (TWG) to oversee the digitalization of the city’s revenue-generating application systems.
ment, hardware, or consultancy services.
tered export enterprise.
The CREATE Law, he added, does not distinguish between an export enterprise and a domestic market enterprise and used the term “Registered Business Enterprises”.
Citing reports from the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR), Salceda said that there are 4,136 registered export enterprises, which he noted is a “small portion of the universe” of those affected by the change in VAT treatment.
“The entire downward linkages of the export sector, especially small businesses with few resources for VAT refund applications, are bearing the costs,” Salceda said. “And of course, if they are unable to refund their costs, our export prices go up, costing us our competitiveness.”
According to House Resolution 490, the cross-border doctrine for ecozones and freeport zones has been rendered
EO 3, Series of 2023, signed by Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte on February 2, 2023, aims to integrate the Business Permit and Licensing System (BPLS), Real Property Tax Administration System (RPTAS)/Tax Mapping System, Integrated Infrastructure Permit System (IIPS), and Online Payment Sys-
tem into a centralized portal, the Davao City Citizens’ Service Portal, where residents can access various services offered by the city government.
The Aboitiz Group has expressed its commitment to assist the City Government of Davao in achieving this goal through collaboration in software develop-
The TWG is mandated to ensure efficient coordination between the City Government of Davao and the Aboitiz Group for this project. It shall oversee the digitalization of the city’s revenue-generating systems through integration with the Davao City citizens’ Service Portal.
The group consists of the city mayor as (chairperson), the city Administrator as co-chairperson, and the city treasurer as vice chairperson). The members are
representatives of the City Information Technology Center, City Legal Office, Permits and Licensing Division (Business Bureau), City Assessor’s Office, Office of the City Planning and Development (coordinator), Office of the City Engineer, Office of the City Building Official, City Accountant’s Office, and the Sangguniang Panlungsod Committee on Information and Communication Technology.
The TWG is also tasked to oversee and manage all
The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has vowed to continue helping the Department of Agriculture (DA) in monitoring the prices of onion in the markets even as the price of the commodity continue to decline.
DTI Undersecretary Ruth Castelo made the
statement during the Laging Handa public briefing as both DTI and DA on Monday confirmed that the new suggested retail price (SRP) of red onion will be at PHP125 per kilogram.
DTI Assistant Secretary Kristine Evangelista said the new SRP will be implemented starting Feb. 8.
“So iyong PHP125
ngayon ng Department of Agriculture, we will monitor again, imo-monitor natin ulit kung saan-saan siya makikita para rin masabi natin sa consumers kung saan sila dapat bumili (So the PHP125 (SRP) of the Department of Agriculture, we will monitor again, and we will monitor where consumers can buy them),”
Castelo said.
Based on DTI’s market monitoring on Monday, she said the highest price of red onion is around PHP300 to PHP350 per kilogram.
One of the leading supermarket chains is also selling red onion at PHP180 per kilogram, she added.
On the filing of House Bill 6740 expanding the franchise area of the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to other areas in Davao del Norte including the Municipalities of Asuncion, Kapalong, New Corella, Talaingod and cities namely Tagum and the Island Garden City of Samal by Congresswoman Margarita Ignacia Nograles of PBA Party-list:
GARAY
Editorial Consultant
BILLACURA Sports Editor
Senior Reporter
“With this, I fully support Atty. Nograles’ efforts to bring about this change and I urge our lawmakers to pass House Bill 6740 into law. The expansion of the energy services provided by Davao Light through the passing of House Bill 6740 will bring a much-needed solution to this issue.”
Davao del Norte Governor EDWIN JUBAHIB
With the popularity of the tv series “Maria Clara at Ibarra”, the grounds of Cultural Center of the Philippines (CCP) during the Pasinaya Open House Festival served as a venue of showcasing Spanish-influenced dances, songs and costumes.
“Pasinaya” means an inauguration or a grand opening of the many arts and cultural presentations offered by CCP.
Since 2004, Pasinaya also aims to provide a platform for artists and cultural groups from different fields such as music, theater, dance, spoken word, and visual arts. It seeks to showcase talents while nurturing the broadest public and creating new audiences through interactions and performances.
With the “experience-all-you-can, pay-what-youcan” scheme, the largest multiarts festival in the country once again filled various venues of CCP such as the Front Lawn, Liwasang Kalikasan, Tanghalang Ignacio Gimenez and its surroundings, and the parade ground of Vicente Sotto Street.
The theatres inside the CCP were not used due to the closing of the iconic 53-year-old main
building in January for a threeyear renovation project.
This year’s theme is ‘Piglas Sining” which CCP artistic director Dennis Marasigan explained: “We are breaking away from the notion that the CCP is just the building. We are emphasizing that CCP can be anywhere.”
Pasinaya returned onsite last February 3 to 5, 2023 after being cancelled as a face to face gathering for three years because of the COVID19 pandemic.
At least 3000 artists participated in the 75 performances of 89 groups from Baguio to Tawi-tawi with more than 21000 audience.
I overheard many students that they were amazed by seeing in person the performers in Spanish-influenced costumes primarily due to the tv series “Maria Clara at Ibarra” aired in GMA network.
Directed by Zig Dulay, the series is based on José Rizal’s novels Noli Me Tángere (Touch Me Not, 1887) and El Filibusterismo (The Subversive, 1891).
Both novels were about politically and historically driven fictional Philippines during the Spanish colonial period inspired
by Rizal’s living conditions, views, beliefs, and ideologies under the Spanish rule.
Noli centered on the atrocities done by priests during the Spanish era, as well as the abuses that occurred in society when the country were still under Spanish rule. In El Fili, Crisóstomo Ibarra returns for vengeance as Simoun.
Noli described Philippine society with its memorable characters: the melancholic fate of Maria Clara and the insanity of Sisa characterized the country’s pitiful state, which was once beautiful but turned miserable.
El Fili’s dark theme departs dramatically from Noli’s hopeful and romantic atmosphere. It signifies Simoun’s resort to solving his country’s issues through violent means, after his previous attempt in reforming the country’s system made no effect and seemed impossible with the corrupt attitude of the Spaniards toward the Filipinos.
The show features Klay Infantes (Barbie Forteza) who gets transported into the setting of Noli and El Fili and her involvement with the lives of Maria Clara (Julie Anne San Jose) and
“Most people do not really want freedom, because freedom involves responsibility, and most people are frightened of responsibility.” - SIGMUND FREUD.
*******
This is not a man’s name nor a woman’s.
A fellow not familiar with EDCA may even assume it could be a title or affiliation of a prominent person with a prominent group , bloc or association.
Sounds like it, right?
The acronym stands for Enhanced Defense Cooperation Agreement, an accord entered into by the Philippine government that has leanings on the 1951 Mutual Defense Treaty between the US and the Philippines.
EDCA has subtly supplanted the two former US military bases - Clark and Subic which are the largest American military locations outside the continental United States.
Economic tensions between
the US and China during the Trump regime have dampened the warm diplomatic relations between these two world powers such that the issue has widened its geographical coverage that now includes the exasperating irritants in the West Philippine Sea (South China Sea).
The visit of former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi to Taiwan late last year added more fuel to the fire because Beijing accused Washington of violating the One China policy agreed upon by these two giants.
The Americans appear to be successful in exploiting the EDCA to further their military coverage in the South China Sea as they have expanded the use of FOUR (4) more strategic areas in addition to the initial five locations..
In a bid to accelerate the full implementation of EDCA, $82M has been allocated to allow more rapid support for humanitarian and climate-related disasters and shared challenges that need prompt response.
(Dennis Trillo).
The Spanish colonization of the Philippines brought many Western influences including religion, social customs, dress, dance and music.
Pasinaya featured Spanish dances like the waltz, mazurka, the Spanish jota, paso doble, and others with costumes that were transformed to suit the climate and the temperament of the people.
Known as the “traje de mestiza” during the Spanish colonial era, the María Clara gown is a type of traditional dress worn by women in the Philippines, named after the mestiza protagonist of Noli and El Fili.
It is an aristocratic version of the baro’t saya and is traditionally made out of piña, the same material used for the barong tagalog.
The Maria Clara gown traditionally consists of four parts: a blouse (baro or camisa), a long skirt (saya), a kerchief worn over the shoulders (pañuelo, fichu, or alampay), and a short rectangular cloth worn over the skirt (the tapis or patadyong).
The novels are part of our
Three areas chosen were located that have close proximity to China in the provinces of Cagayan, Zambales and Isabela.
US Defense Sec. Lloyd Austin, who recently visited, and Philippine counterpart DND Sec. Carlito Galvez jointly announced the agreement.
Naturally, China wasn’t too happy about this development, commenting that the new EDCA sites are adding more tensions than there are already.
Cagayan Gov. Manuel Mamba has protested the choice of his province as an EDCA site because it is very close - by nautical miles - to China’s southern regions.
News reports said he feared that Cagayan and his constituents might become a consequent target should there be any untoward incident between the US and China.
Of course, the fear is not without basis.
In fact, just for the sake of rational argument, the entire country would be in China;s ra-
dar screen if things go sour, militarily speaking.
For clarification, the EDCA was agreed upon in 2014 to promote the interoperability; capacity building towards AFP modernization and the strengthening of the AFP’s external defenses.
The EDCA also promotes maritime security and domain awareness by way of constructing facilities and infrastructure upgrades, and the storage and prepositioning of defense equipment and supplies.
So, regular military exercises and drills participated in by American soldiers and their Philippine counterparts are scheduled as top priorities.
It is too late to back out of EDCA because the circumstances appear to warrant what the country needs to repel the imperialist hegemony that China is already bearing upon us.
The numerous ugly fishing incidents in our territorial waters (Exclusive Economic Zone) told of the arrogant pa-
student life, along with his other great literary works.
We were required to memorize Mi Ultimo Adios in Spanish classes at the University of the Philippines (UP) which is a poem written by Rizal before his execution by firing squad on December 30, 1896.
The lamp that contained the paper of “MI ULTIMO ADIOS” was given to him by Juliana Gorricho Pardo de Tavera who is the mother of Juan Luna’s wife Paz Pardo de Tavera. Both soon met a tragic end at the hands of Luna in Paris.
Though Juliana’s surname is spelled “GORRICHO”, I am still doing my research that there is a possibility that my surname is related to her.
Lines of the poem state: “I will go where there are no slaves, tyrants or hangmen, Where faith does not kill and where God alone does reign.”
(Peyups is the monicker of University of the Philippines. Atty. Dennis R. Gorecho heads the seafarers’ division of the Sapalo Velez Bundang Bulilan law offices. For comments, e-mail info@sapalovelez.com, or call 09175025808 or 09088665786.)
trol ships of the Chinese Coast Guard that shooed away and scared Pinoy fishermen from fishing in the Scarborough Shoal near the coastline of Masinloc, Zambales.
This has been going on for years and it looks like a solution, though temporary, may be in sight.
The Philippine government must stand firm and proceed from a position of strength in its bilateral relations with China.
The recent state visit of PBBM to China and his eyeball to eyeball meeting with XI Jin Ping may hopefully spell positive for the mutual benefit of the two countries.
There are many more issues and concerns that need to be ironed out and the Philippines appear to be a pawn in the chessboard where the US and China are the top two grandmasters dueling for the world championship. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo. com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
SM Supermalls furthers its sustainability journey by opening the first ever inmall e-vehicle (EV) charging stations in Davao City at the SM Lanang Premier.
The launch happened on Monday.
It has a park, pop, and plug your EV at SML’s wallbox Pulsar Plus AC-charger. It also features a charging power of up to 7.4kW and supports EV brands such as Audi, BMW, Fiat, Ford, GMC, Mercedez-Benz, Porsche, Volkswagen, Hyundai, among others.
“As you go out of the city and explore other provinces, never worry again about running low on battery because as long as there is an SM mall, there’s an EV charging station. So to our dear shoppers, travel anywhere, charge anywhere only here at SM Lanang Premier,” said Engineer Jonathan Nick Santos, assistant vice president for operations-Mindanao 2 of SM Supermalls.
Located at the basement parking of the mall, the charging stations are open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily and free of charge.
SM Supermalls is the first
mall chain to establish in-mall EV charging sites in the country, with multiple installed chargers in 27 malls.
The free EV charging station advances SM Supermalls’ zero emission agenda, which aims to decrease carbon footprint while addressing air pollution problems all over the country.
Apart from SM Lanang Premier, SM will also be rolling out its free EV charging stations in SM Center Tuguegarao Downtown, SM City Clark, SM City Trece Martires, SM City Sta. Rosa, Sky Ranch Tagaytay, SM City Naga, SM City Cebu, SM Seaside City Cebu, SM City CDO Uptown, and SM CDO Downtown Premier.
While fish is not an important source of calories in the human diet, it does have an important role in the food supply of many communities, especially in developing countries like the Philippines.
“Fish protein is generally recognized as a valuable ingredient in a balanced diet,” said Dr. Veravat Hongskul, former regional fishery officer of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization. “It is of high biological value and contains essential amino acids not normally found in staple food.
“The oil from the fish,” he continued, “also contains essential fatty acids, which are necessary for the proper development of the brain and the body. Where staple foods are available, a small quantity of fish can contribute significantly to increasing consumption by improving the overall palatability of the food and add to its nutritive value.”
During his time, Jules Verne suggested that when the world reached the limits of food production on land, man could turn to
the oceans. Unfortunately, many countries have been doing just that over the past several decades.
“Between 1950 and 1989, the fish catch expanded more than four-fold, climbing from 22 million tons to 100 million tons,”
Lester R. Brown reported in his feature, “Facing Food Scarcity.” “During the six years since then, the catch has leveled off. Contrary to the prognosis of Jules Verne, we reached the limits of the oceans first.”
In the Philippines, fish provides more than half of the protein requirement of almost all people. But in recent years, the average annual consumption has declined from 37 kilos to just 30 kilos. “Unless we look for other sources of protein, the food intake of Filipinos will be greatly affected,” said an official of Bureau of Fisher-
ies and Aquatic Resources (BFAR).
The Philippines is among the largest fish producers in the world, the World Bank report states. The commercial, municipal, and aquaculture fisheries account for 36, 30, and 24 percent of the total fisheries yield, respectively. Its annual total fisheries yield is estimated to be worth
around US$70 to UD$110 billion (equivalent to about 2-4 percent of the country’s gross domestic production over the years).
Dwindling fish supply
Unless something is done soon, fish production may soon collapse. Dr. Salome Bulayog, an associate professor of the department of economics at the Visayas State University, said the
aquatic marine resources of Sogod Bay in Southern Leyte have been deteriorating in recent years.
Home to a variety of fishes, Sogod Bay is a major fishing ground for the 11 municipalities that surround it. Mangko or frigate tuna (scientific name: Euthynnus affinis) is its major fishery resource. Seasonal influx of this shallow-water tuna species has provided food and livelihood to the people of Sogod and nearby municipalities.
“Frigate tuna used to abound in Sogod Bay and was a major source of income in the 70’s until the 90’s,” said Dr. Bulayog, who headed the study. “But today, fishermen could hardly catch fish.”
“Likewise, reef species population is also dwindling,” added the study, which was conducted in 1994 yet. “Fishermen have to spend longer to catch a kilogram of fish; some even have to be farther from the shore.”
And so it came to pass that the wealth of oceans, once considered boundless, has proven finite. Touted as “the poor man’s protein,” fish is now a resource coveted -- and fought over by countries.
“We are running out of fish and running out of time. For a country known for marine biodiversity, there are
very few fish left to catch,” Vince Cinches, Oceans Campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia, was quoted as saying.
“Like the other vital resources such as forests, Philippine fisheries are about to collapse,” deplored Jethro P. Adang, the director of Mindanao Baptist Rural Life Center (MBRLC), a non-government organization based in Davao del Sur.
Fish farming Fish are the “last wild meal” in the human diet. If the oceans are running low on many of humanity’s favorite fish, the solution would seem obvious: raise more seafood down on the fish farm, expanding the maritime version of agriculture known as aquaculture. After all, aquaculture has been a source of human protein for nearly 4,000 years, especially in Asia.
In recent years, aquaculture has become big business. Supermarkets in affluent countries are awash in scallops farmer-raised in China, mussels nurtured in New Brunswick and penreared cod from Newfoundland. One-quarter of the world’s shrimps are raised in ponds in 50 countries, with Thailand and Ecuador leading the harvest.
Fish farming is more advantageous than raising livestock. “For every kiloFAQUACULTURE, P10
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serious disease but can be contagious.
Symptoms of HFMD usually include fever, mouth sores, and skin rash. The rash is commonly found on the hands and feet.
The disease is common in infants and children younger than 5 years old.
“Virus ni siya nga maghatag ug luas ug aside sa luas naa’y rashes na kasagaran mugawas sa tiil ug sa kamot ug sa iyahang private areas.
Dili ni siya HFMD nga gikan sa hayop, human HFMD ni sya nga virus. Karaan na kaayo ni nga sakit. Magtakod takod gyud ni siya. Dinha sa iyahang laway apil ang blisters ang takod ana. Kung maghatsing makatakod pud kay mulupad man ang droplets spray. Murag chicken pox ang pattern pero maayo ra pud after a week,” he explained.
He also said that the reason for the increase in cases is probably because it was not seen due to the pandemic wherein most of the children were at home.
“Ang isyu ingon ani, in my whole years as a pediatrician karon ra ko nakakita ug HFMD after two to three years, ngano man? Nagtago tag two to three years, wala ta nag face-to- face so daghan bata ang wala nagka HFMD in two to three years pero virgin kaayo ang ilahang immune system because there was no expo-
and peso values in their increases, many of them seem justified.)
“‘Yung iba na pwede naman but too high, we negotiated with the manufacturers kung pwede mababa muna or we can divide in tranches ‘yung kanilang movement,” added Castelo.
(Some increases are too high. So, we negotiated with the manufacturers if we can reduce it or divide it in tranches.)
The DTI last updated the SRP bulletin in August 2022.
Castelo also said DTI
aspects of the project, ensuring the successful digitalization and integration with the Davao City citizens’ Service Portal; provide periodic updates to the city mayor on the progress of the project; develop policies and guidelines to guide the development of the project; and perform any additional duties as deemed necessary by a competent authority.
HOUSE...
sure kay naa ra sila sa balay. So karon nakita naman pero kani gyud ang expectation muputok gyud ning sakita kay daghan pa man wala naka try ani,” Mata said.
He said that ideally, children who have HFMD should be absent to prevent transmission in schools, but because some parents are afraid that their children’s absence from class may affect their academic performance, others just let their children attend school even though they were sick with HFMD.
Mata recommended that schools should implement a system that would assure parents that their children will still cope with their lessons in case they’re having HFMD.
“Hangyo nako sa mga schools nga mag announce sila ug system on how a child can cope with sa ilahang klase. Kay mag sinikreto ang uban unya nag eskwela gihapon kay dili gusto ma behind sa lesson mao nang nagtakdanay tanan kay dili mag absent. Doorknob lang daan kintahay naa koy hand, foot and mouth, ang akong laway naay virus, syempre maggunit gunit ko sa akong baba so naa nay laway sa akong kamot, manggunit ko ug doorknob, so ang doorknob naa nay virus ug tanan mugunit anang doorknob, gunitan nila ilang baba, puwede na sila matakdan,” he said.
Secretary Alfredo Pascual will make the announcement of the updated bulletin once it is finalized, adding market prices will not move without its publication.
“As of now, consumers can [be] rest assured ‘di po gumagalaw ang presyo ng lahat ng mga products ng nasa SRP bulletin ng DTI. Until we make a new publication after the August 2022 publication tsaka lang pwede mag increase ng prices ang retailers natin sa merkado,” she added.
A Secretariat, composed of the City Information and Technology Center and the City Treasurer’s Office, shall support the TWG and handle all administrative and secretarial duties.
The City Government of Davao shall fund the operational expenses of the TWG, following the standard accounting and auditing procedures. CIO
ineffectual and inoperative, which is contrary to the CREATE Law which recognizes these zones as separate customs territories, He said the panel will file a resolution expressing the legislative intent of the CREATE law, as well as a bill clarifying ambiguities in both the CREATE law and the Tax Reform for Acceleration and Inclusion (TRAIN) law for indirect exporters and local suppliers.
He said the veto of the TRAIN law’s portions on VAT perks for some local suppliers and enterprises does not amend the law, or supersede the more recent CREATE law.
“The President’s veto cannot amend the law. And in this case, the law did not make a distinction about who is VAT zero-rated and who is not. Neither should the implementing rules, or the implementor,” he said.
opment in Davao del Norte.
HB 6740 is a necessary piece of legislation that must be passed into law. For far too long, the residents of Davao del Norte have suffered from the perennial problem of unstable power supply and exorbitant power rates. This has hindered the growth and development
encouraging people, especially informal settlers to return to their home provinces and assist them in this transition with support
of our province, and it is time for this to change,” it said.
In July last year, President Ferdinand Marcos vetoed House Bill 10554, an Act Expanding the Franchise Area of Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. (DLPC), which would effectively end the franchise of current holder, Nordeco.
FROM 9 GUV... FROM 3 gram of dry feed, we get one kilogram of fish meat,” said Dr. Uwe Lohmeyer of the Deutsche Gesselschaft fur Technische Zusammernarbeit (GTZ), a German Technical Cooperation. “This is a far more favorable rate than in the case of say, pigs: to produce the same quantity of pork, a farmer – given the same quality of inputs – has to provide three kilograms of feed.”
and incentives on transportation, family, livelihood, housing, subsistence, and education, among others.
By Maya M. PadilloHe said they are currently coping with the education of children in the makeshift area closed to the municipal hall.
“We encounter problems like looting of computers and this is a problem aired by public school teachers,” Fernandez said.
He said he has to divide
the Special Education Fund for two education divisions to jump-start the repairs.
“The fund was used for the construction of roof and flooring, while our trucks deliver aggregates for the construction of the children’s temporary learning center,” Fernandez said. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)
seen to hike interest rates by at least 25 basis points, Neri said. Meanwhile, ING Bank Manila’s Senior Economist Nicholas Mapa said even a 50 bps hike is also now on the table for the central bank.
Inflation for 2023 is seen to average 4.5 percent before easing back to within target by 2024, according to government estimates.
Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government has identified measures
to keep food price movements consistent with its inflation and food security objectives.
“A robust and resilient agriculture is vital to ensuring that we have enough supply of food and to keeping food prices stable, especially as we continue to face global headwinds and are exposed to natural hazards. Importantly, it serves as foundation for a strong economy, as agricultural products move up the value chain,” Balisacan said.
pensation, as an independent contractor to do work according to one’s own methods and without being subjected to the control of the hiring party, except only as to the results of the work.”
The press release explains that the measure also mandates that a written contract be executed by any hiring party with the freelance worker that contains the extent of the services retained or obtained
and important details such as the amount of compensation and the schedule of payment.
Likewise, the measure penalized unlawful practices such as the engagement of a freelance worker without a contract or payment of compensation later than 15 days after the date stipulated by both parties with a fine of not less than P50,000 but not more than P500,000.
Meanwhile, Castelo said the agency will soon release the new SRP for basic goods.
“We have seen justifications from the manufacturers why they have to increase at so much,” she
Though a novelty in much of the world, aquaculture has been practiced through the ages. Oyster culture, for instance, thrived in ancient Rome and Gaul. But some records showed that aquaculture originated in China. According to historical accounts, net making and fishing methods were already developed during the reign of Fu Hi in 1953 B.C.
Artificial hatching of fish was already known in China about 2000 B.C. It was before 745 B.C. when Fan Lei or To Chu Kung wrote his classic on the culture of the common crap. Emperors Yao and Sun in 2357-2205 B.C. and the kings of the Chan Dynasty in 1134-247 B.C. encouraged the people to fully develop China’s fishery resources.
The Roman during the first century A.D. considered fish among the most highly prized delicacies. They built fishponds and stocked them with fish. Stocking of lakes and other freshwater units was also practiced.
In Japan, fish farming before the Second World War was so widespread that fish breeding was undertaken by 162,000 fish hatcheries. The most important species raised in freshwater ponds were carp, eel, goldfish and trout. In saltwater, the following were raised: seaweeds, oysters and clams.
It was the Malay emigrants who must have introduced the first fishponds of the Philippines long before the Chinese traders came to the country. “Our fishpond practices in most respects are similar to those of the Indonesians rather than those of Chinese,” said a Filipino marine expert.
Highly productive and sustainable
If the fish-farming industry succeeds in transforming itself so as to become highly productive and sustainable, what will it look like? Here’s what Anne Platt McGinn, a Worldwatch Institute researcher, suggests:
societies in the future may not be hamburger, but the fishburger.
· There will be a shift in what kinds of fish people like. In recent years, growing numbers of people have shifted from meat-eating to vegetarian diets. For some of the same reasons, in future years, many more could shift from eating carnivorous fish to eating varieties that are lower on the food chain.
· More fish will be produced locally, and the fish served in restaurants will be more likely to be local – and therefore more likely to be fresh.
· There will be a great variety of fish-farming methods used – some based on outdoor ponds, some based on fenced-off areas of rivers or bays, and some in buildings. But virtually all would integrate fish production with other industrial or ecological activities: growing hydroponic vegetables, recycling urban waste, purifying fresh water, keeping rivers or wetlands healthy.
· Consumers of fish will be more likely to believe that how the fish are raised is an important ecological and ethical issue. It is consumer awareness, more than government regulation.
If it goes well, the farmed fish of the future will be both a thriving local industry in every area of the world and a major opportunity for business investment. Because of its nutritional benefits, fish farming will move from a boom-town industry to a more stable and less exploitative sector of the mainstream economy.
Ecological impact
But like most technologies, aquaculture has its shares of liabilities. “The inevitable expansion of fish farming in the developing countries could cause increased pollution, greater damage to already vulnerable wild fisheries, and competition for water and land use,” the World Fish Center pointed out.
“This poses a potential threat to the environment as well as the livelihoods and food security of poor people in developing countries,” it added.
said. Castelo said the current SRP of basic commodities should still be based on the August 2022 list, and there should be no movement on the SRP until the new bulletin will be issued. (PNA)
For those unfamiliar with the acronym, ‘GOAT’ is shorthand for Greatest Of All Time.
James may very well be the GOAT, based on his longevity, his accomplishments, how no one in NBA history has been so hard to stop for 20 years and counting. Abdul-Jabbar should be in the conversa-
tion as well; his sky hook — a one-handed shot released high over his head, impossible for any defender to stop without the use of a stepladder — is one of the most dominant weapons basketball has ever seen.
Michael Jordan won six NBA championships with the Chicago Bulls on his way to becoming a global icon and might have been
· Fish will be more popular than ever. In the past half-century, fish consumption has boomed, but as the industry takes better advantage of its inherent resources efficiencies, it will be boom even more. The most ubiquitous food of urbanized
the greatest competitor in the sport’s history. Golden State’s Stephen Curry is the most prolific 3-point shooter the game has ever seen and still going strong. The Lakers’ Magic Johnson and Boston’s Larry Bird had a rivalry that brought them both multiple championships and might have saved the NBA in the 1980’s. San Antonio’s Tim Duncan spent nearly two decades
But there is a possible solution. As Dr. Mark W. Rosegrant, of the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute pointed out: “It is possible to avoid trade-offs to the environment and the poor, while meeting growing global demand for fish. Environmental impacts of aquaculture can be minimized through environmentally friendly technologies and by increasing the efficiency with which fish meal and fish oil are used to feed farmed fish.”
in the league and was maybe the most fundamentally solid player ever.
Wilt Chamberlain scored 100 points in a game and once averaged 50 for an entire season. Kobe Bryant had an 81-point game, finished with five championships and spent years being simply unstoppable. And Bill Russell won 11 championships with the Boston Celtics.
It’s about to happen. LeBron James is finally on the brink of passing Kareem Abdul-Jabbar for the NBA’s career scoring record, the torch getting passed from one member of the Los Angeles Lakers to another.
James is 35 points away from Abdul-Jabbar’s total of 38,387. The record-breaker could come as early as Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) when the Lakers host the Oklahoma City
Thunder or Thursday in Los Angeles against the Milwaukee Bucks.
Here’s the significance of James passing Abdul-Jabbar:
WILL THIS RECORD BE
BROKEN AGAIN?
Perhaps, but no time soon. James is on pace to eclipse the 40,000-point mark next season and is under contract for one more season after that as well. And even then there’s no guarantee that he won’t continue playing; he has said many times he would like to stay in the NBA long enough for his son, LeBron James Jr. — he goes by “Bronny” — to get to
the league, something that won’t happen until 202425 at the earliest.
The closest player currently in the NBA to James on the all-time list is Brooklyn’s Kevin Durant, who has 26,684 points. Durant would probably have to play at least another six or seven seasons just to catch Abdul-Jabbar’s mark — and who knows how far James will raise the bar by then.
Philadelphia’s James
Harden and the Lakers’ Russell Westbrook are just over 24,000 points apiece. Both of them are all-time greats, but they’re not going to catch James.
Dallas’ Luka Doncic is averaging 27.4 points per game so far in his career. But for as great as Doncic is, he’ll need to average that many points for another 14 seasons or so before he gets to the 38,000-point mark.
So unless the NBA adds a 10-point shot, the record won’t be broken for a very, very, very long time.
HOW DID JAMES GET TO THIS POINT?
James entered the NBA straight out of high school; Abdul-Jabbar had a college career before he was eligible to join the league. James was 18 when he scored his first NBA points; Abdul-Jabbar was 22.
It took Abdul-Jabbar 20 seasons to get to 38,387. James will catch him in his 20th season.
James has been durable, especially over the first three-quarters of his career. He missed only 71 games in his first 15 seasons. Since joining the Lakers 4-1/2 seasons ago, he has missed nearly 100 games. But he has always avoided major injury; part of that is just good luck, but much of it is because he reportedly invests more than $1 million annually on his body.
For almost the entirety of James’ career, keeping The King fit has fallen on the shoulders of Mike Mancias, one of the most-trusted members of James’ inner circle. Mancias never wants any credit for his work; he shuns limelight the way James blows past defenders. But in 2019, when James was revealed as The Associated Press’ male athlete of the decade for the 2010’s, Mancias shed a tiny bit of light on James’ work ethic.
“He does whatever it takes when it comes to fulfilling his commitments to everything,” Mancias said, “especially his game and his craft.”
DIDN’T JAMES BREAK THE RECORD LAST YEAR?
Official NBA records are based solely on regular season games. Playoff games are in their own category. That’s why the record, for almost 39 years now, has been Abdul-Jabbar with 38,387 points. But when adding postseason games to that total, Abdul-Jabbar actually retired with 44,149 points.
And that’s the figure James — again, when adding in his playoff points — eclipsed on Feb. 12, 2022, in a Lakers loss against the Golden State Warriors. So while that is “a” record, it’s not “the” record.
In a perfect world, great athletes are muscle-bound, strong, powerful, fast and gifted with an extraordinary skillset.
We find them on basketball courts, boxing rings, football pitches, athletics tracks and fairways.
They are the classic modern
day specimen of Hercules and Hermes.
They are the envy of mediocre men and the eye candy of screaming collegialas.
The perfect world can be cruel. Biased for looks and brawns.
On the other hand, in a not so perfect world are heroes just as
mighty and proud.
I am talking about athletes whose strengths do not rely on muscles, looks, dexterity, speed and strength. And in my book, they are as mighty as any gladiator. Brave, Courageous. Determined. Unruffled.
I am talking about our ath-
letes with disabilities. Better referred to as differently-abled athletes if we are to prefix on the positive sphere. Whatever, they are heroes in their own right.
I remember the time I first met and interviewed Ernie Gawilan, two-time Paralympian and the first Filipino Asian Para Games gold medalist, and this was way before he became the face of para athletes in the country. Ernie’s greatness was founded on a deeply-motivated desire to overturn a bitter childhood into a life of recognition and self-worth. The financial rewards are but a bonus for a man who wanted to stay in the water to hide three underdeveloped extremities. It is in the water, neck high, that Ernie first felt the meaning of equality.
Three days ago, five not so ordinary men playing in a not so ordinary tournament scored a not so ordinary feat. The Philippines’ para chess team finished in the podium of the first ever FIDE Chess Olympiad for People with Disabilities at the Crown Plaza Hotel in Belgrade, Serbia.
Poland, the top seed, swept their assignments for a perfect 12 points in an elite field of 26 teams from 33 countries. IPCA placed second with 10 points while the Philippines, India, Serbia 1, and Uzbekistan wound up with 8 points each. After the tiebreak system was applied, Team Philippines was proclaimed third.
The team is composed of FIDE Master Sander Severino, NM Henry Roger Lopez, NM Darry Bernardo, playing coach NM James Infiesto, and Atty. Cheyzer Crystal Mendoza.
Two of the team members are from Davao and both are good friends of mine. Henry is a classmate in Law School at the University of Mindanao and James is a friend from way back our college days in Ateneo de Davao University. I am proud to have known these two legends.
More than being my friends, my respect to these athletes as esteemed as I respect anyone else who excel in sports. That’s because I see them as co-equals.
Is a third place finish of a Philippine team in the Chess Olympiad for the Differently-abled as prestigious as say, the third place finish of the Caloy Loyzaga and Frankie Rabat-led Philippine basketball team in the 1954 FIBA World Championship in Ginásio do Maracanãzinho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil?
Many would beg to disagree not because chess does not compare to basketball in terms of competitiveness, but because a competition among regular athletes as against special athletes are on different levels.
Unfair? Yes. But that’s the reality.
Even in our laws that extend incentives to achievements in sports pays less to athletes-with-disabilities (AWDs) than regular athletes.
RA 10699 or the Athletes Incentives Act was passed to include athletes-with-disabilities (AWDs) within the cash incentive scheme. It repealed RA 9064 which did not include AWDs in cash incentives for their athletic achievements unlike their able-bodied counterparts.
However, here’s the disparity. AWDs receive only half the incentives of regular athletes in competitions of similar level like the Olympics, Asian Games and SEA Games.
It is this glaring disparity that needs to be checked by level-headed and conscientious legislative minds. It’s about time we correct an injustice that has beleaguered sports for a long-time.
I know it’s going to be a lengthy debate so we will leave that to who ever picks up this narrative. What, to me, is important now is that in their not so perfect world, these gritty men of lesser abilities are worthy of scoring victories the able-bodied can. Like the latter, they are our sporting treasures.
Mabuhay ang atletang may kapansanan!
