Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 253 | Friday, Feb. 10, 2023

Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II leads the turnover and blessing of two new three-story school buildings of Catalunan Grande Elementary School in Catalunan Grande, Davao City on Wednesday.

SABONG MONEY

CTO anticipates higher revenue from operations of 2 cockpits in Davao City

By MAYA M. PADILLO

The City Treasurer’s Office (CTO) is anticipating higher revenues from two major cockpits in Davao City including the so-called Covid-19 “Ground Zero” which recently resumed operations in Davao City.

Maribel Paguican, officer in charge of the Davao City Business Bureau, said on Wednesday during Wednesdays at Habi at Kape media forum at

6.6 to 7.1

Ageologist from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) disclosed during a virtual press conference that the faults in Davao de Oro are capable of generating 6.6 up to 7.1 magnitude earthquake.

Geologist Jeffrey Perez said that the segment faults in Davao de Oro are part of

their operations after their temporary closure due to the pandemic.

Paguican said the CTO is expecting to surpass the revenue generated by the said cockpits pre-pandemic.

39 Special Forces soldiers held by MILF in Lanao Sur released

More than three dozen Special Forces soldiers earlier detained for more than 25 hours in Lanao del Sur by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) were released late Wednesday afternoon.

three Sunday operations of the two cockpits, the revenue collected reached almost P1 million.

Col. Michele Anayron Jr., commander of the 403rd Infantry Brigade, said the soldiers belonging to the Army’s 1st Special Forces Battalion were released after the arrival of the government and MILF Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) in Maguing town, Lanao del Sur Wednesday.

The soldiers—three Special Forces teams— have just raided a nearby camp of the New People’s Army’s (NPA) Sub-regional Committee 5 and were going home when they strayed close to the perimeter of the MILF camp, Anayron said.

Maguing shares borders with the municipalities of Talakag and Kalilangan of Bukidnon, which has a strong NPA presence.

“The soldiers are also safe and have gone back to their headquarters. We used the peace mechanisms to effect their release,” Anayron explained.

She said during the pre-pandemic, the revenue collected from the cockpit operations has reached P12 million and that CTO is expecting to surpass this as for just

In April 2020, former mayor and now Vice President Sara Duterte banned cockfighting in Davao City following the transmission of individuals with Covid-19 after attending the six-cock derby for the “Araw ng Davao” celebration at the New Davao MaFSABONG, P6

The MILF earlier “put on hold” the soldiers after they strayed close to the MILF’s 103rd Base Command in Barangay Dilimbayan, also in Maguing town, around 4:30 p.m. Tuesday.

The government and the MILF signed a peace agreement in 2014, ending the decades-old insurgency and paved the way for the creation of a new autonomous entity, the

Abreeza Mall, that the Business Bureau has already issued permits to the New Davao Matina Gallera and the Calinan Cockpit Arena, which have returned to FSPECIAL, P7

magnitude quake possible in DdO: Phivolcs

the Philippine Fault, which stretches around 1,200 kilometers starting from the Ilocos Region.

“Yong (6.0 magnitude) earthquake na nangyari last February 1 was generated by the Philippine Fault,” Perez said.

The Philippine fault has four segments in the province, namely, West Compostela Valley with a

length of 55 kilometers, 60-kilometer Central Compostela Valley, 20-kilometer East Compostela Valley, and 25-kilometer Nabunturan segment fault.

“Ang tatandaan natin is the longer the fault, the higher the magnitude it can generate,” he said.

Based on historical data, the West Compostela

Valley segment generated a 7.3 magnitude earthquake in 1891 or dubbed then as the Davao earthquake; while the Central Compostela Valley segment generated a 7.2 magnitude earthquake, which was named then as the Monkayo earthquake.

With these developments, Perez called on the residents of Davao de Oro

to always be prepared; since there are many sources of earthquakes in the province and there are still no instruments to predict its occurrence.

“Kailangan maging aware ‘yong mga tao kung sakaling magkaroon ulit ng mga lindol dito sa area niyo,” he said.

According to the report of the Provincial

Disaster Reduction and Management Office, as of February 7, 2023, the 6.0 magnitude earthquake with epicenter in Compostela town has wrecked 11 houses, partially destroyed 459 houses, and damaged 988 government centers and infrastructures worth a total of PhP 79.08 million. (PIA XI, Michael Uy)

Vice President Sara Duterte meets Malaysian Ministry of Education Fadhlina Binti Sidek to discuss the inclusion of disaster risk reduction and management mechanism in the country’s education system. FB page of Inday Sara Duterte

Rigo leads turnover of new school buildings

City awaits PBBM’s nod to make March 3 a non-working holiday

The Davao City Council has asked President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare March 3, 2023 a special non-working holiday in celebration of the 86th Araw ng Davao.

Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain Jr. said the request was already sent to Malacañang and the city is just awaiting for the President’s approval.

“Sa pagka-karon wala pa ko update if nag-issue na si President Bongbong Marcos ug proclamation. Ang agency na constantly ga-follow up ana would probably be our City Tourism Office. Hopefully, the proclamation is already on its way,” Quitain told Edge Davao.

The city council approved on Tuesday the resolution to declare March 3 a special non-working holiday in Davao City.

“For me making March 3 as holiday is good so that we’ll have a long weekend. March 1 will still be the founding anniversary and having the holiday on a different date is perfectly

fine,” Quitain said. Jennifer Romero, officer-in-charge of the Davao City Tourism Operations Office, expressed her support to the request of the city council.

“Yes, I am for this as well. For Dabawenyos to experience and enjoy the 86thAraw Ng Dabaw celebration; it’s a long weekend,” she said.

Araw ng Davao is an annual celebration to honor the city’s founding anniversary.

Among the highlights for this year’s celebration include the opening mass (Misa Pasasalamat) at San Pedro Cathedral and the opening program (Pasiugdang Pagsaulog) at Rizal Park on March 1; Hugyaw Dabaw (all-star variety show) at Rizal Park on March 3; Araw ng Dabaw Music and Arts Festival at the Davao Coastal Road in Bago Aplaya on March 4; conferment of Datu Bago Awards at The Royal Mandaya Hotel on March 8; Araw ng Dabaw CheerFCITY, P6

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II led the turnover and blessing of two new three-story school buildings of Catalunan Grande Elementary School in Catalunan Grande, Davao City on Wednesday.

Rigo, who represented his father Davao City First District Representative Paolo “Pulong” Duterte was joined by school principal Allan Rivera together with Talomo A District Supervisor Marilyn Marcelo, Education

Program Supervisor Argel C. Pingot, Education Program Supervisor, and Kagawad Chrystel Borras Macahig as representative of Barangay Captain January N. Duterte in the ribbon-cutting and blessing of the new buildings

wherein one houses 12 classrooms and the other with 15 classrooms.

“Pinaagi aning bag-ong school buildings, studying is more conducive and with these new classrooms, mas daghan pa nga mga kabataan ug istudyante dinhi sa barangay ug bisan dinhi sa syudad who will have access to basic secondary education,”

Rigo said.

He also emphasized that having an environ-

ment that is conducive to learning is the key to quality education.

Meanwhile, the teaching staff and personnel of the school, together with the students, thanked the Dutertes for their unending support and for endowing them with brandnew school buildings.

The school is set to use the new buildings on February 13, 2023, the first day of the 3rd Quarter for S.Y. 2022-2023.

Service disruptions on February 11 and 12 in Downtown Davao City

Davao Light and Power Co., Inc. will conduct three power interruptions on February 11 and 12, Saturday and Sunday, affecting customers in the downtown area of Davao City.

These service disruptions will be necessary to erect a 138kV pole near Crossing Milan, Buhangin.

The first power inter-

ruption will be for 45 minutes, anytime between 9:30 p.m. to 11:00 p.m. on February 11, Saturday. This is needed to transfer loads from the affected lines to nearby lines and avoid a longer duration of power interruption.

Specifically affected are customers along Mamay Road from Comus Grill to Crossing Daang

Maharlika Highway and neighboring areas; as well as those along Cabantian Road from Crossing Daang Maharlika Highway to Kingdom Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and neighboring areas.

Also affected are customers along Buhangin-Cabantian Road from Gaisano Grand Citygate Mall to Kingdom

Hall of Jehovah’s Witnesses, and neighboring areas. Customers along Mandug Road from Buhangin Central Elementary School to DMMA, and neighboring areas; as well as those along Daang Maharlika Highway from Crossing Mamay Road to Orange Grove Hotel and neighboring areas will FSERVICE, P6

Vice Mayor J. Melchor Quitain Jr. says the Davao City Council sent a request to President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. to declare March 3, 2023 a special non-working holiday in line with the

DTI identifies four key areas to curb inflation

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) has identified four key areas which policies and programs should be intensified to curb the rising inflation.

In a statement Wednesday, DTI said it will focus on monitoring consumer prices, improving the country’s logistics and supply chain, investment promotion and partnership with other government agencies.

The DTI said amid the faster increase in prices of goods and services, it closely monitors prices of basic necessities and also helps

in monitoring prices of agricultural products, which have been volatile in the past months.

It added it is coordinating with manufacturers to ensure stable supply and reasonable prices of basic necessities and prime commodities (BNPCs).

“The DTI continues to capacitate local price coordinating councils to en-

force monitoring, compliance and accountability of all stakeholders at various supply chain stages, including market masters, administrators, retailers and wholesalers,” DTI Secretary Alfredo Pascual said.

To manage consumer prices, Pascual said DTI has partnered with the Department of Agriculture (DA), the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to roll out Diskwento caravans and Kad-

iwa stores to provide Filipinos access to affordable agricultural products and manufactured BNPCs.

He said improving the country’s logistics infrastructure and supply chain is critical to reduce cost of goods.

“For this, we have the Supply Chain and Logistics Management Division under DTI that is working to lower logistics cost and simplify the transport of products from the point of origin to its destination,” he added.

PBBM eyeing Japanese investments in PH agri

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. is looking to talk with the Japanese as regards investments in the Philippines’ agricultural sector and its agricultural products entering the Japanese market.

Marcos made the remarks on board PR001 en route to his working visit here.

“Number one, that opens up [not just] the usual exchange of technology—but that’s an important part of it—but also, investment in agriculture, and, hopefully opening up markets in Japan for our agricultural products,” Marcos said when asked about his expectations.

“So that’s a very wide-ranging discussion. So, yes, we hope to do a lot in that regard [to accelerate our] agricultural development,” he added.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority showed that Japan is the Philippines’ third largest export market with $10.73 billion worth of export re-

Gov’t, biz encouraged to implement budget tagging on SDG initiatives

Public and private sectors are encouraged to implement budget tagging on their initiatives related to Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to monitor the country’s investments in achieving the SDG targets.

During the Partners’ Event and Knowledge Café of the Joint Program on Integrated National Financing Framework (JP-INFF) in Pasig City on Wednesday, United Nations Philippines

Resident Representative Gustavo Gonzales said it is imperative to integrate SDGs into national planning and budget processes and the private sector’s business model.

ceipts in 2021.

In the same year, Japan was also the country’s second largest source of imported goods with a total trade value of $11.11 billion.

During his five-day visit, the President is expected to engage in bilateral meetings with Japan’s business leaders.

Budget tagging aims to promote the prioritization of SDG-related programs, activities, or projects in planning, investment programming, and budgeting in national government agencies, local government units, and the private sector.

Gonzales said reporting and monitoring the public and private sectors’ financing in SDGs would help track and evaluate current spending on achieving these

targets. It will also help in identifying SDGs with the least and most investments to guide future expenditure on these initiatives.

He said that based on the report of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), achieving the SDGs would reach by 2065 at current trends thus, the need to boost spending on SDG-related initiatives.

“If we continue these trends, if we leave things continue as they are now, we will reach the SDGs by 2065. So, we are under huge pressure,” he added.

Gonzales said the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) has also made it more challenging to achieve the SDGs by 2030.

“The Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development, or OECD, estimated that there is around USD3.7 trillion as a funding gap between the actual financing needs to meet the SDGs by 2030 and of course, what is provided by current investment level, with Covid-19 pandemic created additional capital needs,” he said.

A technician repairs a mobile phone at a shop along San Pedro Street in Davao City on Thursday. Lean Daval Jr.

PBBM economic team to present biz opportunities to Japanese investors

Malampaya project remitted $13B to gov’t since inception: Prime Infra

Razon-led Malampaya facility operator

Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. said Wednesday that the gas field has remitted $13 billion to the national government since its inception over two decades ago.

The Service Contract (SC) 38 or the Malampaya project began operations in 2001.

“The SC 38 has generated and remitted to the Philippine government some $13 billion since its inception,” Prime Infrastructure Capital Inc. (Prime Infra) president and CEO Guillaume Lucci said in a statement.

The Malampaya gas field is operated through SC 38 granted to the consortium of Prime Energy Resources Development B.V. (Prime Energy)—a subsidiary of Prime Infra— Dennis Uy-led UC38LLC and state-run firm Philippine National Oil Company-Exploration Corp. (PNOC-EC).

The consortium’s license for the project is set to expire in 2024.

The economic team of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. is scheduled to meet with the Japanese business community on Friday to tout the Philippines’ robust economy and lure more investments.

Prime Infra has expressed intent to seek an extension of the consortium’s license.

Lucci said the consortium remains committed to ensuring gas supply from the depleting Malampaya gas field.

“Our drop-dead day to produce new gas or new wells is the first quarter of 2026, and we hope we can actually accelerate that as much as possible while doing it safely and reliably,” he said.

“We’re here to stay, we’re here to invest, we’re here to dramatically increase gas production with the extended term of the service contract and resources available, and, more importantly, we are trying to make sure we produce at the least cost to consumers,” he added.

The Malampaya project is one of the country’s most important power assets, as it produces natural gas for power plants in Batangas City that account for around 20% of the Philippines’ total electricity requirements.

The holding of the fourth Philippine Economic Briefing (PEB) coincides with Marcos’ official visit to Tokyo from Feb. 8 to 12.

“President Marcos’ trip seeks to further strengthen the strategic partnership between the Philippines and Japan, including economic and defense cooperation,” the Department of

Budget and Management (DBM) said in a statement on Thursday.

“The PEB, scheduled on February 10, will have the country’s economic managers discussing investment opportunities in the Philippines,” it added.

The economic managers joining Marcos on the Japan trip were Finance

Secretary Benjamin Diokno, Budget Secretary Amenah Pangandaman, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas governor Felipe Medalla, and National Economic and Development Authority director general and Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan.

During the first part of the PEB, Diokno would present the country’s economic performance and outlook, while Pangandaman would discuss the important features of the 2023 national budget, as well as the Marcos adminis-

tration’s budget reform initiatives and priority legislative agenda, the DBM said.

The DBM said there would also be a panel discussion with the Philippine economic managers.

The second part of the forum would cover the infrastructure and industry sectors, it added.

The Budget department said Secretaries Alfredo Pascual (Trade), Manuel Bonoan (Public Works), Christina Frasco (Tourism), and Jaime Bautista (Transportation) would serve as panelists.

PEZA approves P6.4M investments in January

The Philippine Economic Zone Authority has approved investments worth P6.4 billion in January, despite the transfer of some business process outsourcing (BPO) locators to the Board of Investments which has no limit on locations, an official said Thursday.

PEZA Deputy Director General Vivian Santos said the agency was opening the zones for new types of investments and eyeing expansions to the countryside.

The 19 new approved investments include the development of IT center, ecozone export enterprises, domestic firms,

recycling facility as well as expansion of existing firms, among others, Santos said.

“This is just the first month of the year and we are confident that we will be able to reach our 10 percent increase in investment compared to the P140 billion we gathered last year,” she said.

“This early, it’s already 83.5-percent increase compared to the same period last year,” she added.

Some BPOs opted to transfer to the BOI from PEZA in order to pursue remote work while keeping their incentives. The BOI does not require firms to conduct activities within ecozones unlike PEZA.

The prices of several basic goods will increase based on the new suggested retail price (SRP) guide issued by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). Among the products that will have a hike in prices are canned goods, bread, milk, soap, batteries, and candles. Lean Daval Jr.

On the resolution to see Presidential declaration for March 3 as a special non-working holiday in Davao City in celebration of Araw ng Davao:

“Sa pagka-karon wala pa ko update if nagissue na si President Bongbong Marcos ug proclamation. Ang agency na constantly ga-follow up ana would probably be our City Tourism Office. Hopefully, the proclamation is already on its way... For me making March 3 as holiday is good so that we’ll have a long weekend. March 1 will still be the founding anniversary and having the holiday on a different date is perfectly fine.”

EDITORIAL The price of Felonia’s freedom

Almost ten years since his detention and trial as the primary suspect in the celebrated murder case of businessman Richard King in 2014, Col. Leonardo Felonia finally walked into freedom on Tuesday.

With a decision handed down by the Regional Trial Court Branch 14 of Davao City through Presiding Judge Gerardo C. Braganza dated February 7, 2023, the Court ruled that the Prosecution failed to prove with moral certainty that Felonia was the Principal by Inducement in the murder.

The case may still drag on to appeal depending on what happens in the reglementary period to file an appeal by the prosecution.

Felonia’s acquittal was a result of a solid defense anchored on the weight of forensic evidence. In criminal cases, forensic evidence play a critical role in proving the innocence or guilt of a party. To Felonia’s advantage, object evidence presented by his team of counsel led by lawyer Caesar Europa Jr outweighed the testimonial evidence relied upon by the prosecution.

Objects don’t lie, as Europa would point out.

Nevertheless, we can expect the prosecution to take the case to the appellate court in the hope of reversing the decision. By the looks of it, this case is not going to end here.

Felonia has spent his last nine years behind bars where he should have completed his tour of duty as police officer. He has lost salary and benefits during those years he languished in jail. He was also denied off his chance to move up in the ranks of the PNP service.

Even as a free man, Felonia is unlikely to be reinstated as he is already of retirement age. That part of his saga will have to be left to his legal team handling the administrative side of his case.

This story has told us the sad fate of cops when faced with legal imbroglio. Yes there are bad cops and good cops as any basket of eggs will be. But it’s a reality and risk that men in uniform will have to face.

GREGORIO GARAY DELIGERO Editorial Consultant

MAYA

Vice Mayor

J. MELCHOR QUITAIN JR.

(Speech of Senator Risa Hontiveros at the international conference on “Transitional Justice in Bangsamoro: What’s Next?” organized by the ZFD Philippines and GIZ-CPS Philippines on February 8, 2023, Day 2 of the threeday conference in Davao City)

Greetings of peace and empowerment!

I would like to send my best wishes and express my solidarity with our friends from the government, the academe, civil society organizations, international partner organizations, along with everyone from the peace movement, who are taking part in the “Transitional Justice in Bangsamoro: What’s Next” conference led by ZFD Philippines and GIZ-CPS Philippines.

I am confident that today’s discussion on establishing transitional justice mechanisms in the Philippines will not only help us create or refine policies and strategies for achieving transitional justice, but also energize our efforts to institution-

SENATOR RISA HONTIVEROS PEACETALK

alize these policies and strategies as part of government initiatives to secure peace in the Bangsamoro.

Indeed, there is a great need for an effective and resilient transitional justice legal framework—one that will empower the state to address legitimate grievances and correct historic oppression, injustices and marginalization suffered by our brothers and sisters.

While setting up legal mechanisms for transitional justice were mandated by the explicit provisions of the Organic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, as well as the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro, the simple but undeniable fact is there can be no hope of achieving lasting peace without the justice being long sought by our kababayans in the Bangsamoro.

That was why in the 18th Congress, we filed the proposed “Transitional Justice and Reconciliation for the Bangsamoro

and Indigenous Peoples in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Act.”

The said bill seeks to establish the National Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission for the Bangsamoro and Indigenous Peoples in the BARMM. The said commission will be tasked with addressing grievances such as historic injustices, human rights violations and marginalization through unjust dispossession of people’s territorial rights, propriety rights, and customary land tenure, among other means.

Under this proposed law, the government particularly commits to:

1) Taking appropriate legislative, administrative and other measures to prevent violations;

2) Investigating violations effectively and impartially, and to taking action against those allegedly responsible in accordance with domestic and international law;

3) Providing victims of a human rights or humanitarian law

violation with equal and effective access to justice;

4) Providing effective remedies to victims; and

5) Providing guarantees of non-repetition.

Another salient feature of this bill is that it recognizes and protects the rights of non-Moro Indigenous Peoples within the BARMM, guarantees their inclusion in transitional justice mechanisms, and ensures equal protection of their rights in accordance with the 1987 Constitution and other laws like the Indigenous Peoples’ Rights Act.

The version of the “Transitional Justice and Reconciliation for the Bangsamoro and Indigenous Peoples in the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region Bill” which we filed in the Senate in the 18th Congress took into account the reports and findings of our friends from the Transitional Justice and Reconciliation Commission.

For the 19th Congress, we are currently in the process of refiling and upgrading this bill,

with new inputs from various stakeholders and in consideration of present and future developments in the BARMM and in the entire country.

Today’s discussion will surely help us further improve the “Transitional Justice and Reconciliation” Bill into the best version we can present to the nation, one that will best serve the interests of our kababayans, as well as genuine justice and lasting peace.

Friends, I know that the work ahead of us is filled with challenges and uncertainties. But we have already achieved so much for the cause of lasting peace and justice in the Philippines. Let’s continue to struggle, and to dare for peace and justice. The momentum of history is with us.

Once again, best wishes to everyone taking part in the “Transitional Justice in Bangsamoro: What’s Next” conference. Mabuhay ang kapayapaan, mabuhay ang BARMM, at mabuhay ang Pilipinas!

HELPLESSNESS AND POVERTY & VICE VERSA

“Today, more than ever before, life must be characterized by a sense of Universal responsibility, not only nation to nation and human to human, but also human to other forms of life.”DALAI LAMA.

*******

Desperation and the instinct to survive are what force man to resort to whatever means his hands can lay on, sadly, regardless of the consequences.

In our case, since overseas work was introduced in the seventies to the Filipino worker in search of income and employment, the attraction of working abroad and the sizable income and compensation received in dollars have been incalculable and magnetic.

Sorry tales of families selling their small farm lots and animals to produce the money to pay for the services of a recruitment agency have been written, televised and filmed which have not deterred OFWs and their

families from going abroad to work despite perilous circumstance and conditions.

The legislation and organization of the Department of Migrant Workers that took away the responsibility of looking after the welfare of oFWs from DOLE is much appreciated because theirs is specialized service geared to protect and enhance the working situation of millions of Pinoy workers abroad.

Much that the gory slaying of Juliebee Ranara, an OFW in Kuwait, touched anew a very sensitive chord in our moral discipline and consciousness.

Ranara’s death is the thirdif my memory serves me right - such slaying in Kuwait that prompted the DOLE in the previous administration to craft and forge a new agreement with Kuwaiti authorities for a better and much improved treatment of Pinoy workers, especially domestic helpers.

The senate hearing on Ranara’s murder ran emotionally high as Sens. Villanueva and

Tulfo took turns in berating the recruiting agency for the latter’s utter lack of concern and monitoring omission in promptly responding to assist Ranara and prevent what has now been a regretful result.

The call by the senators to impose a temporary ban on the deployment of OFWs in Kuwait was met with resistance from DMW Sec. Susan “Toots” Ople who, instead, sent a fact-finding team to Kuwait to assess and validate.

However, Ople ordered that the ban will apply on first time applicants for work assignment in Kuwait until everything settles down.

According to reports, the suspect has been in the custody of Kuwaiti authorities. As is practiced in most Muslim countries, if the aggrieved party agrees to receive monetary compensation for the grief and sorrow rendered upon the former, the criminal offense is voided and declared null, and the suspect is released from jail.

With the helplessness by

which we learn and read of the situation the Ranara family is in, I wonder if my hunch could be correct.

I think the family and parents of the suspect will use all available remedies so that their son will not find himself behind bars and the family can thus avoid suffering indignities in their social circle.

As I see it, the DMW, who has OWWA and POEA as its attached agencies, has the tough task of reviewing the accreditation list of recruitment agencies engaged in the deployment of OFWs overseas so that there is no recurrence of the Ranara tragedy.

Sens. Villanueva and Tulfo were exasperated with the lame rationalization Ranara’s recruitment agency gave the senate committee.

You would have been, too if you witnessed and watched the proceedings on live TV or FB coverage.

It appears to me that OFWs are like a material commodity to be purchased, emailed and

get paid via GCash.

This is how cheap Pinioy labor recruiters treat human lives.

For as long as they get paid handsomely with their commissions from their clients overseas, this is all they are more concerned about.

It is good that the license of Ranara’s recruitment agency has been promptly canceled and revoked.

This action will put all labor recruiters on their toes and hopefully OFWs will get more attention when they need assistance.

For this matter, we heard that nearly 300 OFWs in Turkey have been affected by the super 7.8 strong earthquake that claimed more than 6,000 lives - including children in both Turkey and Syria.

Helplessness and poverty (or vice versa) drive Pinoy families against the wall.

Kapit sa patalim, ika nga. (Email feedback to fredlumba@ yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

DARE FOR PEACE AND JUSTICE: THE MOMENTUM OF HISTORY IS WITH US

FRED C. LUMBA SPECKS OF LIFE

SABONG... FROM 2

tina Gallera in March.

The New Davao Matina Gallera was tagged as the “ground zero” of the Covid-19 outbreak not only

in Davao City but in Mindanao as well.

Meanwhile, Paguican reported that the Business Bureau surpassed last

year’s output by generating 42,856 renewal applications, which is an increase of 4,017 compared to last year’s 38,839.

CITY... FROM 3 SERVICE... FROM 3

dance Competition at the Davao City Recreational Center on March 11; Araw ng Dabaw Sayaw Pinoy Folkdance Competition at

SM City Davao on March 12; Reyna Dabawenya coronation night at the RMC Petro Gazz Arena on March 15; Mutya ng Dabaw cor-

also be affected by this service disruption. Also affected are customers along JP Laurel Avenue, from Davao Light Bajada Office to Flyover, and neighboring areas; as well as those along Buhangin-Lapanday Road from Flyover to Davao Basic Steel Inc, and neighboring areas.

Meanwhile, the normalization or return of loads back to their normal set-up will be for another 45 minutes, anytime between 5:30 a.m. to 7:00 a.m. on February 12, Sunday.

Specifically affected are customers along Mandug Road from Buhangin Central Elementary School to DMMA and neighboring areas; as well as those along Daang Maharlika Highway from Crossing Mamay Road to Orange Grove Hotel, and neighboring areas.

Also affected are customers along JP Laurel Avenue, from Davao Light Office to Flyover, and neighboring areas; as well as those along Buhangin-Lapanday Road from Flyover to Davao Basic Steel Inc, and neighboring areas.

Separately, an eighthour power interruption will be conducted from 10:00 p.m. on February 11, Saturday until 6:00 a.m. on February 12, Sunday.

Specifically affected are customers in some parts of Buhangin along Buhangin-Lapanday Road from Davao Basic Steel Inc to Buhangin Central Elementary School including Spring Valley, Sandawa Village, and Pag-asa Homes.

Davao Light apologizes for the inconvenience brought about by these scheduled power inter-

onation night at the USEP Gymnasium on march 17; and Parada Dabawenyo from Roxas Avenue to Rizal Park on March 18.

ruptions. But it will exert all efforts to restore electric service as scheduled or earlier. However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the schedule due to unavoidable circumstances.

Safety is of paramount importance to the company and Davao Light reminds the public to always take extra precautions when passing by activity area/s where line repairs and maintenance are being done. Please heed and follow warning signs, especially in areas where personnel operate heavy equipment.

Please contact our 24/7 Customer Contact Service at 229-3572, 6553572 (Panabo), 0917864-2793 (Globe), or 0920-970-1357 (Smart) for any power interruption that will fall outside the given schedule.

CHITO MALABANAN JABONG!

HAIL TO THE KING

It happened in the third quarter of the regular season game between OKC Thunders and the Los Angeles Lakers. With barely 10.9 seconds left in the third quarter, Lebron executed a step back jumper that catapulted him to the top of the scoring record of the NBA. After months of anticipation and debate cum drama, its finally settled. Lebron James is the new King of Scoring.

I would stop my statement at this point. No my dear, I won’t dwell on the controversial GOAT for basketball. It’s highly debatable. Making scoring record history is no mean feat in this era of physical and highly technical basketball. Lebron deserves the accolade for breaking the record and his name is already cemented in basketball’s hall of fame for that feat.

The debate for basketball’s GOAT or Greatest

Of all Time is so intense and emotion filled since basketball is dominated by players with varying strong personalities and a very solid fan base. Unlike in Football where Tom Brady’s claim attracts less attention nor Lionel Messi who’s almost in equal footing with the great Pele, the GOAT for basketball as of press time is far from being settled. It will remain at that I guess for a long time.

In golf much has been said about the GOAT. Bobby Jones, Arnold Palmer, Gary Player and Jack Nicklaus at the peak of their career have the inside track for the

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Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (BARMM).

But more than 20 years ago, the government and the MILF already have agreements that resulted in the creation of the GPHMILF Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and the Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), bodies that facilitate coordination to avoid misencounter between government troops and MILF forces.

Anayron said the delayed release of the soldiers was due to the late arrival of the government and MILF CCCH teams in Barangay Dilimbayan.

He said the government CCCH team led by Brig. Gen. Eduardo Gubat arrived at the MILF camp before lunch Wednesday while the

title but none among them has been crowned the official title as the greatest of all time for this gentleman’s sport.

Tiger Woods has been hailed at the early part of his career as probably the greatest of all time when he started winning, dominating the sports and breaking records but nonetheless greatness in golf does not dwell only about records nor longevity but more weight has been factored for the character of the person. As we all knew, Tiger fell from grace when his extra curricular activities were exposed and when he started to get injured as father time caught up with him.

I am no Laker fan but I love Kobe Bryant and I adored Magic Johnson, my top choice as top point guard of all time. Lebron for me is only on transit in his jersey as a Laker but he won’t stay long and won’t be remembered as a Laker.

I am a fan of one great player, a charismatic person who floats in the air with those gravity defying, jaw dropping shots day in and day out. His acts were known on that era as Hangtime which reminds me of a favorite sports column I followed and idolized during those years. The same column that gave so much influence in my writing.

But enough of GOAT for basketball for the mean time. Let’s give our snappy salute to the new NBA scoring leader.

Hail to the King.

MILF team led by its chair, Butch Malang, arrived around 2 p.m.

“After a short talk, the soldiers were released and allowed to leave the MILF camp,” Anayron said.

Malang earlier coordinated with Gubat on what to do with the detained soldiers in barangay Dilimbayan.

“In this regard, we would like to seek your recommendation with regard to the proper handling of the said 39 soldiers in reference to existing ceasefire protocols,” Malang said in his note to Gubat.

Malang also said it was improper to say that MILF troops disarmed the government soldiers, but it was just a request to lay down the firearms as negotiations were being held.

PSL Head for Basketball Operations and PBA legend Leo Isaac in yesterday’s DSA Forum at SM City Davao. (DSA)

Tourism and sports, reminds me of BIMP-EAGA

Vice President Sara Z. Duterte praised the tourism regional offices for its Mindanao campaign recently, for working together in the promotion of various leisure and tourism destinations in the island. Sweet!

Mindanao is blessed with beautiful sights and sounds, thanks to the diversity of our peoples, Lumads, Christians and Muslims who after many years have found their way to peacefully co-exist.

Although, we have to admit that there are still certain areas in Mindanao where peace building work needs to continue. Thanks to Fr.Romeo Saniel, OMI and his team who have been conducting workshops in former battleground areas between the AFP and MILF, reinforcing their program to keep the Zone of Peace and Space for Children.

During the time of North Cotabato Governor Manny Pinol, we used to cover their sports events because our idol Gov is a former sportswriter and so he values the presence of the working sports media in promoting sports in his province. Thanks idol Gov Manny!

We are lucky that in Davao, the private sector has been very active in backing sports activities. And just recently 7-Eleven sponsored a 42-kilometer race that started and wrapped up at SM City Davao. University of Mindanao also hosted the Philippine Amateur Track and Field Association (Patafa) Trials in Matina.

With the backing of the City Sports Division, the AFP-PNP Invitational Basketball Tournament is ongoing at the Davao City Recreation Center and the city sports agency is in the thick of things preparing next month’s Araw ng Dabaw Sports Festival.

Around the Davao Region, you will notice that the conduct of tourism and sports events are easy to organize because of a better peace and order condition.

In Western Mindanao, local sports

leaders have been trying their best to organize events too and luckily there were never any untoward incidents reported.

Tourism and sports events are two great partners in the development of Mindanao. And with the support of both government and non-government agencies, Mindanao will fully develop economically.

The main cities of Mindanao have built its sports complex which can also double as a venue for any tourism events.

After the Davao City Athletic Association (DCAA) Meet, the Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) Meet is next. Sports events, you see, are indeed closely tied to tourism.

We love to see local events conducted in the major cities of Mindanao and makes me wonder if our regional tourism officials in Mindanao have also thought of the Brunei-Indonesia-Malaysia-Philippines East Asean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) to be revived by conducting sports and tourism events.

Right after the 1996 Palarong Pambansa, the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games followed in the Davao Region that brought not only athletes but tourists. I remember then DOT assistant regional director Roger G. Layson, who also writes a regular column for the community paper Mirror, was so busy handling the media by assisting them in the news coverage. Thanks to then President Fidel V. Ramos for fully backing the BIMP-EAGA.

It would be lovely to see in Mindanao, the revival of the BIMP-EAGA, now that things have normalized.

You see, our friendly neighbours would love to come back to Davao again. Would that be a lovely sight?

It would be lovely, indeed.

* * * For comments, please email mpb_ sports@yahoo.com.

PSL Commissioner Marc Pingres (with mic) invites the local basketball fans to its Super Tour Davao on Thursday’s (February 9) at the DSA Forum held at the SM City Davao on Thursday. With him are PSL President Rocky Chan and PSL CEO Mayor Dinko Bautista. (DSA)