February is quite busy for Rodrigo “Rigo” Duterte II, son of Davao City First Congressional District Representative Paolo Duterte.
On February 16, 2023, Rigo spearheaded the distribution of wheelchairs, crutches, and nebulizers at the Office of the First Con-
Rep. Duterte. “Ang wheelchairs ug crutches para matabangan nato sila pag abot sa mobility while ang nebulizers para ni sa mga pasyente who had a hard time using inhalers tungod sa health issues or katong mga maglisod ug ginhawa,” Rigo said.
Rigo said these devices will aid the beneficiaries in accomplishing their day to day tasks, either personal or work-related.
The spate of killings in Pikit, North Cotabato was not due to a “religious conflict” between Muslims and Christians,” Bangsamoro Interim Chief Minister Ahod “Al Haj Murad” Ebrahim said.
Ebrahim belied that there is a war of retaliation between Christians and Muslim in Pikit, a first class municipality with a population of around 165,000 (2020 census).
The office of Rep. Duterte became a refuge for Dabawenyos who needed help for financial, education, health, and medical purposes.
The Department of Human Settlement and Urban Development and the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao signed a partnership to jointly undertake projects under the flagship Pambansang Pabahay para sa Pilipino (4PH) Program in the region.
DHSUD Secretary Jose Rizalino Acuzar and Sec-
retary Leo Tereso Magno, Presidential Assistant for Eastern Mindanao, signed the documents on Friday.
Secretary Magno expressed full support to the 4PH Program, branding it as a clear testament to President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.’s concern to the ordinary Filipinos, particularly Mindanaoans. For his part, Secretary
Acuzar cited the huge role of the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Eastern Mindanao in the ground implementation and the success of 4PH Program in the area.
Joining the housing czar during the signing of the Memorandum of Understanding were Undersecretary Samuel Young and Undersecretary Avelino Tolentino III.
This developed as more security forces were deployed to the troubled town with the local government unit (LGU) offering a bounty for information leading to the arrest of the suspects.
“Ang nangyayari diyan, parang pinapalabas na it is (a war) between Muslim and Christians,” Ebrahim, also the chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), said in a press briefing on Wednesday in
gressional District in Davao City. These items were requested and solicited by individuals in the office of FEBRAHIM, P6
Vice President Sara Duterte on Friday urged local leaders to uphold integrity and practice unity to realize true public service, as her political party Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) continues to expand.
In a speech, Duterte said membership in the Lakas-CMD entails the burden of public service and accountability.
“Today, we are reminded of our noble duty to uphold the highest degree of integrity and accountability in all our public pursuits. By accepting to become a member of a political party, we also accept the challenge to work in unity towards a common goal -the welfare of the people we serve,” she said.
Duterte made the statement during the joint Davao de Oro and Davao del Norte Lakas-CMD mass oathtaking at the Tagum City Historical and Cultural Center.
She reiterated that unity in leadership, down to local governance, would mean warm recog-
nition and development in the country despite diversity across cultures and ideologies.
“With a united political party, we can navigate the path to inclusive growth, and espouse good governance that sees beyond political colors and principles,” she added.
Duterte also recalled the administration’s eight-point economic agenda to point the targeted direction for the country within its sixyear term.
Partnership with IBP
Meanwhile, Duterte expressed her gratitude to Supreme Court justices for giving her advice on a possible partnership between the Department of Education (DepEd) and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP).
In another speech during the 50th founding anniversary of the IBP, Duterte, being the concurrent education chief, said she considers their advice to aid educators in legal matters.
“I sought their advice on how to help our pub-
FVP, P6
By MAYA M. PADILLOThe National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA 11) regional office reminded Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (CLIHC) on Friday to adhere to the revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Law for their unsolicited bid for the operation, expansion, capacity, augmentation, and maintenance of the Davao International Airport (DIA).
It can be recalled that CLIHC’s, which is under Udenna Corporation of Dabawenyo businessman Dennis Uy, said the unso-
licited proposal was remanded back to the proponent by the Department of Transportation (DoTr) because of the revised 2022
IRR of the BOT Law.
“So it has to conform again with the revised IRR of the DoTr. Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corporation was requested to submit a revised proposal according to the revised 2022 IRR of the BOT Law. There is no deadline and it is really the call of the proponent when to submit the revised guideline. Suffice it to say that they should be compliant with the revised IRR,” NEDA 11 regional director Maria Lourdes D. Lim said during Kapihan sa PIA at NCCC-Victoria Plaza on Fri-
day.
Lim added that the framework as contained in the revised IRR should be more transparent to evaluate and implement the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects under the BOT Law.
“The greatest value and reduction of risks to both government and the private partner should be in place,” she said.
CLIHC was given the status of original proponent in 2018. The project includes expanding the
Adelegation from the Czech Republic has explored Davao City as an investment destination, according to the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center (DCIPC).
April Marie Dayap, officer-in-charge of the DCIPC, said in an interview that the Czech Republic delegation has explored investment opportunities in water, waste management, power,
energy, and manpower in Davao City.
“We are very happy that they are exploring Davao City as an investment destination sa ilahang lakaw. Blessed kaayo ta nga napili nila ang Davao and most of them are first timers here,” she said.
The delegation headed by Deputy Speaker of the Chamber of Deputies Jan Skopecek and Czech
Ambassador to the Philippines Jana Sediva arrived in Davao City on February 15, 2023. It was composed of seven members of the Chamber of Deputies, ten representatives from the Embassy of the Czech Republic in the Philippines, and 25 Czech businessmen.
“They are also looking at katong mga skills and potentials sa labor force sa Davao City. But most of
them are into waste management projects, waste treatment, and power,” Dayap said.
She said that the delegation is also looking at promoting agri-products from Davao City to the Czech Republic.
The Czech delegation also attended the business forum held at Dusit Thani Hotel on February 16, 2023.
On Chelsea Logistics and Infrastructure Holdings Corporation (CLIHC) to adhere to the revised implementing rules and regulations (IRR) of the Build Operate Transfer (BOT) Law for their unsolicited bid for the operation, expansion, capacity, augmentation, and maintenance of the Davao International Airport (DIA):
LOURDES D. LIM Regional Director, National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA 11)
Sports Editor
“So it has to conform again with the revised IRR of the DoTr. Chelsea Logistics Holdings Corporation was requested to submit a revised proposal according to the revised 2022 IRR of the BOT Law. There is no deadline and it is really the call of the proponent when to submit the revised guideline. Suffice it to say that they should be compliant with the revised IRR,”MARIA
“For the bureaucrat, the world is a mere object to be manipulated by him.” - KARL MARX.
*******
Let’s give Rep. Paulo “Pulong” Duterte a round of applause.
He is pushing for the passage of a law that provides subsidy or financial assistance to parents of children with disabilities (CWD).
Without doubt, this legislative concept is one of the most commendable proposals I have heard in years that should deserve immediate unanimous plenary approval and passage because it is sound and essentially fills in a great need.
(I am giving this proposal my total support because I personally know how it is to have a CWD in the family.)
Among the salient points are the “provision of a monthly P2K financial assistance to biological parents and court-approved guardians of children with disabilities
(CWDs) to help alleviate the challenges that continuously face them amid the rising costs of living.”
The beneficiaries as embodied in the proposal are “children below 21 years of age with physical and mental impairment that substantially limits one or more functions or activities.”
As expounded, CWDs refer to children with records of similar impairment or being regarded as having such an impairment.
While the government has for close to two decades summarily providing indigent and low-income families financial assistance as embodied in the 4Ps, this pro-poor program has suffered embarrassing moments.
The 4Ps was laudable in concept but was much abused in practice as monitoring of the program was at best lackadaisical and supervision became a robotic duty of those who were supposed to ensure its success.
The Duterte CWD proposal is easy to implement because
one can spot a child with disability just by initial contact and visual encounter.
Unlike the 4Ps where one needs to look into documentary records as to the financial incapacity of a prospective beneficiary, spotting a CWD and qualifying him (her) won’t even need a medical record.
For instance, talking to a mute or deaf or visually-impaired child, watching a CWD walk or run are enough proof that they are deserving of financial aid.
Of course, parents who have adequate income may not need this ayuda if the proposal is meant only to assist poor (even under-employed) parents and guardians of CWDs.
There should not be much contrarian argument or debate on this Duterte proposal although a wider and more extensive discussion in the plenary is necessary and ideal to cover all bases and leave no stone unturned.
Sometimes, I am beginning to think that with so many types of financial ‘ayuda’ the
“As long as greed is stronger than compassion, there will always be suffering.”Rusty Eric
There is an ongoing debate about imports and the effects of the same on farmers. There are several sectors who argue that imports hurt farmers and that there should be greater trade restrictions on importation of agricultural products. There are some, however, that argue that trade protection is not the key. They argue that increasing support for the farmers is more effective than restricting import and trade. In addition, many say that the true culprit for high prices of vegetables like onions are actually the unscrupulous traders and hoarders and not importation per se.
Even when retail prices
government has been doling out, this country may turn out to be a welfare state in the future.
And if it does, it is quite ironic because as a Third World country, we cannot even provide and secure food security for our citizens who continue to grapple with the rising cost of food prices.
This circumstance adds more reason why a favorable approval for the P2K monthly subsidy for parents of CWD is indeed necessary and of great need.
For one thing, jeepney drivers who earn daily wages when they go out and drive are luckier because the government continues to listen to their pleas because of the soaring fuel costs and vehicle maintenance.
If I may add, perhaps the Duterte proposal; should include a provision that “a continuous subsidy should be granted to biological parents and guardians until the CWDs finish college or such tertiary academic education even if they are past 21 years old.
This, I seriously think, will essentially serve the purpose of the ayuda because it will ensure, to a certain degree, that the CWDs will get to finish schooling that will capably help them seek and gain productive employment and income.
Life is getting harder these times.
The war between Russia and Ukraine has already dragged on for a year without any clear perspective of whether there is peace on the horizon.
Neither Russia, the invader, and Ukraine, the invaded, appear to be winning and neither is willing to raise the white flag.
Talk about pride.
And so, the world suffers in silence but its anger is quietly raging inside.
With this as a backdrop for color and emphasis, our narrative today should ring a bell among lawmakers in both chambers of Congress. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@ yahoo.com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!.
of onions or other agricultural products were high, the farmgate prices were still low. As such, the farmers did not actually benefit from the high retail prices. Farmers are forced to sell low because they have little alternatives in some areas. They have limited access to retail buyers and they have limited access to storage facilities. Most private cold storage facilities were monopolized by traders who reserved cold storage facilities very early thereby locking out farmers and farmer cooperatives.
One of the keys, therefore, to managing the prices and helping the farmers and fisherfolk is post- harvest logistical support in terms of cold storage facilities.
Last week, a bill was filed in congress that “seeks to es-
tablish a cold storage facility in every province for agricultural products and offer incentives for setting up such facilities to store farmers’ produce in and keep them fresh. The incentives shall be given to private entities and local governments that will establish such facilities and may be in the form of tax exemptions, subsidies and other forms of financial support.
Last month, the Department of Agriculture committed to build six cold storage facilities in four onion producing regions. The department of Agriculture and other related agencies have increased their budget items for the setting up of cold storage facilities. Government alone cannot, however, fill the large need for cold storage facilities. Private enterprises,
through social enterprises in joint venture agreements with cooperatives and farmer associations of local government units, must be encouraged with either subsidies, land use and other non-financial support such as tax breaks, customs duties breaks for importing cold storage facilities from other countries.
Social enterprises like Public Private Partnerships must be also encouraged with these incentives. In exchange, these social enterprises must ensure that logistics cost for farmers remain low or even subsidized in exchange for post purchase payments. The age of profit hungry traders must now end and the era of social enterprises must begin.
The development and
support for alternative or renewable energy powered cold chain technology must also be encouraged and supported to further driver the costs down.
Other than strengthening support to farmers through cold chain technology, there must be an increased effort to make life painful for traders who try to manipulate prices at the selling end while depressing the purchase price from farmers.
Last Feb. 6, House Speaker Ferdinand Martin Romualdez met with officials from the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Trade and Industry and called for “an all-out war against hoarders and unscrupulous hoarders of agricultural products.” Combined with support, govern-
Digital transformation and ensuring fairness of insurance premiums are among the keys to increase insurance penetration in the country, Finance Secretary Benjamin Diokno said.
In his speech during the Insurance Commission’s (IC) 74th anniversary celebration at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) on Friday, Diokno urged stakeholders to “find new ways” and make insurance products more accessible to all to encourage more Filipinos to have insurance protections.
“With new technol-
ogies, we can make our financial services more accessible, more efficient and more innovative. This will be instrumental in achieving greater financial inclusion across the nation,” he said.
To date, insurance penetration rate in the country is around 2 percent of the total population, needing the strong push to make insurance products more
accessible and affordable.
Diokno also emphasized the need to “ensure the fairness of premiums collected.”
“These products involve computations that are not readily clear to the public. It is our responsibility to ensure that products sold to our consumers are fair and truly protect them,” he said.
Relatively, Diokno called in the insurance firms to “actively support” the Philippine Sustainable Finance Roadmap, which aims to ensure a climate-resilient and low-carbon future.
A regular assessment and review of IC rules and regulations was also raised to make these in line with international standards.
He said the Marcos government aims for a “society that is prosperous, resilient, and fair”, which, he said, requires trust and transparency.”
“The road towards this vision will not be easy, but it is doable. With your support, we have a chance of achieving deep socioeconomic transformation where individuals are secured and communities are resilient, “ he added. (PNA)
Aside as a means to bring the capital market closer and more accessible to micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) is looking at crowdfunding as a means to steer away the public from investing in ponzi schemes and other dubious investments.
“On the part of the investor this is an opportunity for you to look into or learn alternative investment channels other than going into scams,” says SEC director Meonee Felizmenio Jr. during the SEC Roadshow on Capital Market Forma-
tion for MSMEs and Startups held Feb. 15 at the Pinnacle Hotel in Davao City.
Felizmenio said these companies looking for crowdfunding investments are vetted by the crowdfunding intermediaries or platforms.
“They make sure there are sufficient information about these businesses before you are invited to invest into it,” Felizmenio said He said when one invests in ponzi schemes the investors has little knowledge about the alleged company being invested in.
For investors in a
crowdfunding platform they can invest for as low as one thousand pesos
“So probably you are an investor and if you want to diversify then meron ka P10,000, you can look at the different businesses that are raising capital then invest separately,” Felizmenio said.
The SEC currently has three registered crowdfunding intermediaries.
He said through crowdfunding intermediaries MSMEs and Startups will have alternative sources of capital for their business.
“As a startup or MSME
Exportation of more products could enhance bilateral trade between the Philippines and Qatar.
During the two-day business matching session in Doha, Qatar that concluded on Thursday, Philippine ambassador to Qatar Lillibeth Pono said 2021 annual bilateral trade between Qatar and Philippines was around US$224 million, of which $46 million were exports from the Philippines.
there are lots of challenges for them to be able to access bank financing because there are already regulations dito sa sa banko before they can lend you money because as a part of it the risk would be covered so they require collaterals and it could be more than the amount you are borrowing,” Felizmenio said.
“For the crowdfunding intermediaries for business as long as you are willing to impart information, disclose information you may qualify to be accepted for financing into these crowdfunding intermediaries,” Felizmenio said.
Pono said this gap in the balance of payment in favor of Qatar can be minimized considering an International Trade Center report citing the Philippines has the potential to increase its exports of food and agro-based products to Qatar by over USD19 million.
“These are not only trade of products in Qatar market, it is promoting of great name of Philippines in this region,” she said.
The envoy added that Philippine products meet global standards of quality therefore, these are marketable and can stand with the dynamics of ups and down in the global trade of economic environment.
Pono said Filipino products and personal health care are not just for Filipinos and Asians but these also cater to
the taste of all other cultures, noting enormous opportunities to enhance trade between both the countries.
She said Qatar ranks 41st among the trade partner of the Philippines. Qatar is home to over 260,000 Filipinos and large number of other Asian expatriates that means a substantial size of Qatari population has similar taste.
In the same event, Foreign Trade Service Corps (FTSC) Assistant Secretary Glenn Peñaranda thanked the ambassador for her presence and support to the visiting delegation and the Philippine products.
Peñaranda said his delegation was not visiting just to trade their products but also pursue mutually beneficial business relationship.
He said the Philippines is blessed with fertile lands, rich and diversified marine resources and highly skilled manpower, as it aims to serve mainstream market of Qatar.
Peñaranda headed the 14-member Filipino exporters’ delegation to the business matching event in Qatar organized by the embassy of Philippines in Qatar, in collaboration with the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry.
The government must explore ways to reduce fees paid by foreign shipping firms when hiring Filipino seafarers to avoid a decline in employment numbers, a stakeholder said on Friday.
Hiring Filipino seafarers has become more expensive, said WMOC President and CEO Rachelle Lopez said, who also organized the recent Expo Maritime Philippines 2023.
She said aside from Filipinos, foreign shipping lines are now looking at other nationalities as crew members since hiring Filipino seafarers has become a bigger investment for companies due to high expenses.
Expenses include fees, permits and tests that need to be paid, she said, adding that the potential employment decline is based on her observations and that there is no data available yet.
“To tell you honestly, sobrang nagkakaroon na tayo ng decrease of numbers in employing seafarers. There are some principals na inaayawan ng mga Filipino seafarers kasi namamahalan sila,” Lopez said.
(We are having a de-
Theemployment rate in Davao Region stood at 96.5% in October 2022, according to a report released by the Philippines Statistics Authority (PSA)Davao Region on Thursday.
Region in Muslim Mindanao posted the highest increase from 94.4% in July to 97.5% in October 2022.
crease in numbers employing seafarers. There are some principals who are avoiding Filipino seafarers since its more expensive)
“Kailangan lang talaga natin tutukan, kailangan natin tingnan ano pa ba yung pwedeng tanggaling mga fees doon para maging marketable ulit ang mga Filipino seafarers,” she said.
(We need to focus on looking at reducing the fees)
For example, a crew change of 21 to 22 people in Manila would cost shipping companies about a million pesos, but firms pay a smaller amount in other countries like Singapore, Lopez said.
Lopez said the government should also support the maritime sector by collaborating in the reduction of fees, improving training, and procuring additional vessels for training.
The European Commission is set to release its order to recognize or not the Standards of Training, Certification and Watchkeeping of the Philippines.
If it finds the local standards unfavorable, the jobs of about 50,000 Filipino seafarers on European vessels
Based on the October 2022 Preliminary Employment Situation in Davao Region, the agency said the employment rate for this period was lower by 0.6 percentage point from 97.1% reported in July 2022, indicating that around 33,000 Dabawenyos became unemployed.
The region’s employment rate was higher compared with the national employment rate estimated at 95.5%.
Among all regions in the country, the Zamboanga Peninsula posted the highest employment rate at 98% while the Bangsamoro Autonomous
The unemployment rate in Davao Region worsened from 2.9% in July 2022 to 3.5% in October 2022, it said.
The agency said 2.31 million workers were accounted for in the region during this period, with a Labor Force Participation Rate of 62.1%.
In terms of underem-
ployment, the PSA-Davao reported that at least 7.8% of the total workers in the region were reported to be underemployed in October 2022.
“Underemployed persons or employed persons who: expressed their desire to have additional hours of work in their present job or to have additional job, or to have a new job with longer hours of work,” it said.
(Antonio L. Colina IV/ MindaNews)
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) interest rate hike is not an effective solution to curb the inflation in the country, according to an economist.
The BSP on Thursday decided to continue with its policy tightening, bringing key policy rates to levels last seen in 2007.
“Tantanan na ang pagtataas ng interest rate dahil ang nangyari sa atin pinapakita lang na ang interest rate ay hindi epektibong instrumento para pigilan
ang pagtaas ng presyo ng mga bilihin,” economist and Pamantasan ng Lungsod ng Maynila president Emmanuel Leyco said.
Leyco said the increasing prices of goods in the country are not demand driven but due to the lack of supply.
“Yung pagtataas ng mga presyo ay hindi dahil sa maraming namimili, maraming pera ang mga tao, kung hindi kakaunti ang nabibili ng mga mamamayan lalong lalo na sa pagkain so kung ito ay pro-
duction induced na inflation maski itaas ang interest rate hindi ito magiging epektibo,” he said.
He said ensuring sufficient supply of goods should be immediately addressed.
“Sa palagay ko buong taon ay patuloy na tataas ang presyo ng mga bilihin kung hindi matutugunan,” he said.
The BSP said it expects that the prices of goods will increase to 6.1% this year. It surpassed the target of 2 to 4% which can possibly
be achieved in 2024.
“Global food [and] market uncertainties, continued domestic shortages in key food items, additional fare hikes with elevated oil prices, and the higher expected wage adjustments in 2023,” BSP Governor Felipe Medalla said.
Medalla also raised the need “to mitigate the impact of persistent supply side pressures on food prices, including creating positive measures and significant progress to boost productivity.”
Cotabato City.
He noted that they wanted to avoid what happened in the late 1960s where Muslims and Christians were involved in deadly retaliations.
Ebrahim said he already met the LGUs and the security sector to avert the situation from going out of bounds or return to the late 1960s where Christians and Muslims killed each other in apparent retaliation.
He recalled the violence in the area during the 1960s “was triggered by the Manili Massacre,” where some 70 Muslim Moros, including women and children, were killed inside a mosque in Carmen, North Cotabato by Christian militiamen.
While he noted the conflict between Muslims and Christians in the 1960s stuck to the public mind, he asserted that it was not a religious war.
Ebrahim said they are now in the process of “finally addressing the problem in Pikit.”
On Thursday, Justine Abalon, 15, was shot by still unknown suspects while tending their store in Barangay Fort Pikit. He was rushed to the hospital but did not survive.
Shortly after, farmer Lopez Guiama, 42, a resident of Barangay Balongis, Pikit, was also shot in Barangay Fort Pikit. He was brought to a local hospital and reportedly in critical condition.
On Tuesday, Fahad Dilabuan Guiamalon, 13, a junior high school student, was also killed while his two other minor companions were injured during a gun attack in Pikit.
After a presentation on Investment opportunities in Davao City, a business matching was held to en-
Since September last year, the local media reported at least 30 killings in Pikit, all of them remain unresolved.
Pikit Mayor Sumulong Sultan said they traced a video of the suspects riding in motorcycles in Thursday’s two gun attacks.
Sultan said the LGU would give an unspecified monetary reward to information leading to the suspects’ arrest.
Citing information from barangay officials, Sultan also disputed claims that there is a religious war between Muslims and Christians in his town.
Col. Harold Ramos, North Cotabato provincial police commander, said Friday that additional police and military forces have been deployed to Pikit to beef up security in the area.
He added that they are already preparing the criminal cases against the suspects traced through security cameras.
Pikit officially belongs to North Cotabato. However, it lost 22 of its 42 villages after they voted for inclusion to the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao during the plebiscite in 2019.
The villages that opted for inclusion are now part of the so-called Bangsamoro Special Geographic Area (SGA), where many of the killings reportedly happened.
A total of 63 villages from six towns in North Cotabato are part of the SGA.
Last November, the Bangsamoro government created Task Force Reconciliation to address the spate of killings in Pikit town. (Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews)
courage the exploration of partnerships among Czech Republic and Davao City participants.
lic school teachers with regard to their loan obligations,” she said. “They gave me good advice and I am looking forward to partnering with the Integrated Bar of the Philippines to help our public school teachers with regard to their problems sa mga utang nila at sa mga kontrata nila (in their loans and contracts).”
Besides legal assistance, Duterte assured the DepEd is doubling its
efforts to address the concerns of teachers. These include the review and updating of the Magna Carta for Public School Teachers with the aid of legislators, the provision of free medical checkups through a partnership with the Department of Health (DOH), and addressing concerns of teachers for their insurance and benefits through coordination with the Government Service Insurance System
terminal building at the airport, establishing a parallel taxiway, upgrading the facilities on the airside and the ground, and adding contemporary airport information technology systems.
The modernization of the DIA is expected
(GSIS), among others.
The DepEd also vowed to hire teaching and non-teaching personnel
to boost the economic growth of the Davao Region and the rest of Mindanao to a higher level through increased trade and tourism activities.
It also aims to boost passenger traffic at the airport by up to 15.1 million passengers per annum.
to drop unnecessary loads of teachers, particularly their administrative tasks. (PNA)
Frankly, for several days, I was a bit bothered by the information provided by our editor in chief Neil about differently-abled athletes, receiving only 50% of the incentives enjoyed by “regular” national athletes who won medals in international tournaments.
The “National Athletes and Coaches Benefits and Incentives Act” was signed by President Benigno S. Aquino III in 2015, which I believe, after eight years needed to be improved.
With the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games fast approaching, a “regular” national athlete winning a gold medal can receive P300,000 and a differentlyabled champion in the ASEAN Para Games will win P150,000. Silver medalists will get P150,000 as a “regular” national athlete and P75,000 for the differentlyabled national athlete.
I clearly emphasized the word “national”, repeatedly, to bring home the point that all of them are actually “national athletes”.
I remember one afternoon at the Almendras gym where the National Amateur Boxing Championships were held through the efforts of ABAP-XI regional president Councilor Bing Reta and senior advisor Congressman Nonoy Garcia, Amateur Boxing Association of the Philippines (ABAP) president Manny Lopez was talking about the importance of wearing the official uniforms of a national athlete.
Once a Filipino athlete qualifies to represent the country to an international competition, he is accorded the right to wear the country’s official colors. Our proud flag is prominently shown on the left side of the jacket, close to our heart.
That is how we respect our national flag and the people we represent.
National athletes are our elite sports competitors and they have made all the sacrifices to achieve it.
That afternoon as a young sportswriter, I understood the importance of wearing the national colors as an
athlete.
So, what then is the difference of Henry Lopez, a para-athlete in chess, to Sydney Tancontian, a regular national athlete in the sport of sambo?
Nothing, right?
Both of them train well and compete internationally, both of team wear the country’s official uniforms and both of them are national athletes. Both of them are Filipinos. Both of them are humans.
So unsay deperensiya lagi? Wala, di ba? Therefore, the logic behind giving 50 percent less to another national athlete is illogical. Right?
No offense meant to the lawmakers that crafted that Act.
But it is about time to amend that Incentives Act. All national athletes are equal. Period.
* * *
For comments, kindly email mpb_sports@yahoo. com.
It is difficult to pass judgment on the individual responses of people who are called upon to serve the flag and country.
Often there are interestspersonal and otherwise that get in the way.
In the Philippine case where it is hosting qualifiers for the 2023 FIBA World Championship, those who are supposed to render “patriotic” service to the national team are sometimes “not ready’ because they are either nursing injuries or they have conflict in time and availability.
We are not pointing our fingers at anybody but when the country’s national pride and honor are at stake, those who
are highly qualified and believe they need to offer their services, should - ideally - make themselves available.
I mean, these chaps should raise their hands and say “I am available.”
Some advance the rationale that, as hosts, the Philippines is already assured of a slot in the tournament proper, that whether we win or lose to visiting teams like Lebanon and Jordan, won’t adversely affect our status in the competition.
If we subscribe to this theory, then why the heck should the country (the SBP in particular) waste its time prepping for the Asian qualifiers when the need of the hour is for Gilas to finally choose the “Dirty
Dozen” who will compose the RP national team in the FIBA August event?
This has been my argument if it doesn’t matter to our countrymen whether we lose or win in the Asian qualifiers.
I echo that time is of the essence.
The earlier the “DD” is formed, the better as they will have more time to jell with each other, familiarize with their individual moves and commit to heart the myriad plays designed by the coaching staff.
The fact of the matter is that the Gilas coaches will need to determine if superboy Kai Sotto, Japeth Aguilar and JunMar Fajardo are healthy and available by the time the August
FIBA window comes around.
This by no means will include Jordan Clarkson who is tapped as Gilas’ import.
Justin Brownlee, already naturalized, is waiting by the wings just in case.
However, if anyone or two of the three - Sotto, Japeth and Fajardo - miss inclusion, former Ateneo center Ange Kouame should be available (although he is reportedly in the injury list) to augment the team’s dilemma in altitude.
Veteran Kelly Williams, a former PBA MVP, has been promptly buzzed to get ready though.
These are the probable headaches for coach Chot Reyes.
Gilas’ 1, 2 & 3 are okay with many to choose from but the 4 and 5 positions are terribly lacking.
In a super event like the FIBA Worlds, we have to put our best foot forward and exploit our home court advantage as do all other previous hosts.
The trio - JunMar, Japeth and Sotto - are actually irreplaceable.
Reports say Reyes will reveal the “DD” for the 6th qualifying window one day before the confrontation with Lebanon at the 50,000-seat Philippine Arena.
Hmmm… (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.)
GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!
Last week, I received an email from the Philippine Airlines. It was an invitation to play in the media tournament of the PAL Interclub golf tournament.
Nostalgia immediately crept into my senses, my brain waves.
The golf tournament for the media is one of the anticipated sidelights to the biggest team golf tournament in the Philippines. I have joined the tournament in each of the time I covered the event except for the last time in Clark as I had just come off a back surgery.
Among the sports coverages I have been through in my journey as a sportswriter, the Philippine Airlines (PAL) Golf Interclub will rank among the most memora-
ble ones. Old memories of the PAL Interclub flashed back in cinematic quality. Those memories seem to play out in my mind’s eye playing like an old Super 8 home movie and vintage Technicolor. It is in the PAL Interclub where the country’s sports media formed a fraternity of sorts. It’s in those Interclub coverages that I bonded with the icons in Philippine sportswriting I was looking up to as a young boy enamored with the sports pages. The likes of Al Mendoza who became my kumpadre, Lito Tacujan, the late Ernie Gonzales and Roger Flores, Jun Engracia, and Ding Marcelo. There’s the contemporaries like my kumpadre from Cebu Nim-
rod Quinones, Jong Arcano, Rey Bancod, Musong Castillo, Doods Catacutan and the late Teddyvic Melendres and Peter Alegre.
Of course, there’s the eminent rulesman Jake Ayson and the boys of PAL like Jonathan Gesmundo and Charlie “Davao” Erojo.
Between ourselves are hundreds of lost dimpled balls, acres of divots, cases of San Miguel Beer and bottles of Johnny Walker, boxes of Spam cooked in cubes the way Roger Flores wants it, and pages and pages of chronicles of this amazing tournament.
If I have the chance, I would not hesitate to fly on board the country’s flag carrier and play
two weeks from now and create new memories this time in 10-bit 4K.
As soon as I received the invitation, I looked at the email and imagined myself planting a wooden tee on the ground between two white cornerstones. Delicately placed a trusty Srixxon dimpled ball. Stepped back and looked ahead, took three steps
as the barker on the mic blurts: “Next on the tee, Neil Bravo.”
I flicked the email straight to a waiting email address.
“Kumpadre Chito (Malabanan), it’s your turn.”
Chito, our resident sports columnist, is heading to the PAL Interclub for the first time as a media participant.
Make great memories, Chito.
