Edge Davao Vol. 15 Issue 284 | Saturday, March 18, 2023

EQUALITY ORDINANCE

Workers of the Department of Public Works and Highways 11 (DPWH 11) conduct a rehabilitation and maintainance of a portion of a road outside Azuela Cove in Lanang, Davao City on Thursday afternoon. Azuela Cove will be the starting and end point of the Alveo Ironman 70.3 Davao events.

Lean Daval Jr

‘Reyna’ pushes for implementation of pending anti-discrimination ordinance

EQUALITY ORDINANCE

UPMin positioning as AI hub in the region

By MAYA M. PADILLO

Newly-crowned Reyna Dabawenya 2023 Sheila Magpale III vowed to work hard for the implementation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the city’s Anti-Discrimination Ordinance, which is still pending.

Magpale said on Friday that the said ordinance lacks the participation of the different sectors and that until now it still has no IRR.

“Kulang siya sa participation sa different sectors mao na gamiton gyud nako ni akong title to collaborate with the different sectors para ma-implement ug ma

enact ang IRR sa atoang anti-discrimination ordinance,” she said over Davao City Disaster Radio (DCDR) on Friday.

Magpale informed the crowd during the pageant’s coronation night at the RMC Gazz Arena on Wednesday that the ordinance is still a piece of paper until now.

She wowed the audience

with her answer to the questions that focus on promoting gender equality and eradicating transphobia in Davao City.

“Many of us do not know that our Anti-Discrimination Ordinance in the city has not yet implemented rules and regulations. It is a sad fact that it is just a piece of paper. It doesn’t mean that it won’t happen it’s just prolonged. That is my humblest promise as Reyna Dabawenya to work with our government and LGU to enact the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance for

OVP-DOC releases over 1k food boxes for third tranche of Davao City fire relief ops

The Office of the Vice President Disaster Operations Center (OVP-DOC) on Thursday released food boxes to cover the third tranche of relief operations to those who were left homeless by the February 25 fire in Barangay 21-C and Barangay 22-C, Piapi, Davao City.

The OVP-DOC, together with the OVP Davao Satellite Office,

Philippine National Police and the Task Force Davao, led the distribution of relief boxes to 963 families or over 3,000 individuals affected by the conflagration.

Last February 27 to March 5, on its first tranche of relief operations, the OVP-DOC conducted feeding program, covering breakfast, lunch and dinner to the fire victims. The second

tranche of food boxes distribution was conducted on March 10.

The OVP Kalusugan Food Truck, a program of the OVP that seeks to help children suffering from malnutrition, hunger, and poor development, serves as the mobile food kitchen.

A total of 623 families from

The University of the Philippines in Mindanao (UPMIN) is looking to become a hub of artificial intelligence or AI in the region.

“One of our key programs right now is the Mindanao Innovation Initiative of which AI is one of our key programs under the initiative,” Chancellor Lyre Anni E. Murao said.

Another project is Genomics through the Philippine Genome Center Mindanao.

“You can marry these two technologies in future, by combining these two technologies you can create bio-markers for specific diseases cancer for example because we don’t have that yet for the Filipino population,” Chancellor Murao said.

She said there are several academic programs and research programs that is geared towards developing AI in the region.

Dr. Jose Ildefonso Rubrico, a professor at UP Mindanao has developed several AI technologies in the field of agriculture and disaster response.

“As early as 2018 we have already conceptualized this program, the Philippine Sky Artificial Intelligence (SkAI-Pinas) and the ASIMOV (Autonomous Societally Inspired Mission Oriented Vehicles) programs,” Rubrico said.

The SkAI-Pinas focuses on putting AI on remote sensing in order to hasten the widespread dissemination of satellite imagery data to Filipinos.

While ASIMOV uses unmanned automated vehicles (UAV) such as drones to help farmers detect the onset of banana diseases faster.

The ASIMOV is the DOST flagship research and development program in artificial intelligence and robotics. It comprises two projects; the Harmonized Aerial Watch and Knowledge based Survey or HAWKS project, and the Robot for Optimized and Autonomous Mission Enhancement Response or ROAMER.

The HAWKS (air component) and the ROAMER (land component) aims to developed AI enhanced robot technology capable of independent navigation, collision avoidance, vision-based feature detection and environmental mapping.

“These programs have really been conceptualized and implemented in order to help specifically ASIMOV the productivity sector and the agri-banana industry in Mindanao,” Rubrico said.

SkAI-Pinas and ASIMOV are spearheaded by UP Mindanao in partnership with the Depart-

The city government of Davao led by Mayor Sebastian “Baste” Duterte holds a caravan of government services in line with the celebration of 43rd Araw ng Barangay Bato, Toril District on Thursday. CIO

‘Reyna’ pushes for implementation of pending anti-discrimination ordinance

Davao’s religious sector decries SOGIE bill, says provisions discriminatory to religion, IPs

P1.5-B submarine cable won’t alleviate Samal’s power woes: consumers group

The P1.5-billion submarine cable project that will link up the Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos) to a grid in Pantukan, Davao de Oro will not alleviate the power situation in the island, a consumers organization in Davao Region said.

In a statement on Thursday, Davao Consumer Movement co-convenor Ryan Amper said that contrary to claims by the Northern Davao Electric Cooperative (Nordeco) a submarine cable won’t solve the power supply problem of Samal Island, considered a prime tourism destination of Davao.

Amper added the project has yet to secure approval from government regulatory agencies, particularly from the Energy Regulatory Commission, as well as from the local governments of Pantukan and Igacos.

He said the electric cooperative has not yet complied with the requirement of the Environmental Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the issuance of an environmental compliance certificate since the project “will have an impact on the environment.”

He said Nordeco should have prioritized fixing the existing submarine cable that was destroyed on Christmas Day last year, which would only cost the electric cooperative around P10 million.

He said this would provide an

By MAYA M. PADILLO

immediate solution to the power woes experienced by consumers on the island.

He said the group suggested building a cable system under the Samal Island-Davao City Connector bridge that would cost Nordeco about P200 million, which is cheaper compared to the plan of constructing a 25-kilometer submarine cable system from Igacos to Pantukan.

In a statement, Davao del Norte Gov. Edwin Jubahib said he is supporting the Tagum Chamber of Commerce and the Davao Consumer Movement “in their protest against the high power rates and poor services of Nordeco.”

He said the exorbitant power rates and poor services of Nordeco bear negative impact on the tourism industry, particularly in Tagum City and Igacos.

He said the availability of reliable and affordable power services is critical to ensure the comfort and safety of visitors.

He said tourism is a significant contributor to the local economy, but tourism-related businesses such as hotels, restaurants, and resorts in Tagum and Igacos “are facing increasing operational costs, which can result in higher prices for tourists” amid the higher power rates.

“Small businesses and industries that rely on electricity for their operations have been strug-

Areligious

sector in Davao City decried the provisions of the proposed sexual orientation, gender identity expression, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC) bill claiming that its provisions are discriminatory to religion including to the belief of the Indigenous People (IP).

Dennis Castillanes, spokesperson of the Davao Evangelical Association of Ministers, said on Wednesday that the eight bills, which were consolidated into the Comprehensive Anti-Discrimination (CAD) Bill being opposed by millions of Filipinos because of its discriminatory provisions.

“Our primary concern is CAD ang title but if you go deep down sa maong provisions it’s very discriminatory sa religious, IPs, and other straight communities. The Catholic Bishop Conference of the Philippines (CBCP) aired their concerns as well as the Iglesia ni Kristo. I joined two com-

mittee hearings ug nakita didto ang ilahang mga presentation. Probably, about 24 percent of the population ang ma-discriminate sa bill para lang paburan ang few. They’re making friends with the few by making enemies with the super majority,” he said during the AFP PNP Press Corps media forum on Wednesday at The Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Last month, the House Committee on Women and Gender Equality chaired by Bataan’s First District Representative Geraldine Roman conducted an initial FDAVAO’S, P10

Being pet-friendly can help build up Davao City to tourists: dad

Councilor Al Ryan Alejandre expressed on Thursday that making Davao City a pet-friendly city can help attract more tourists, particularly pet owners.

“Kung makabalo ang mga tao nga ang Davao City usa ka pet-friendly city makatabang sab kini sa pagpromote sa atong tourism industry kay makaaghat kini sa mga turista nga mubisita sa dakbayan dala ang ilang mga alagang hayop”, Alejandre said during the I-Speak media forum on Thursday.

Based on the latest data, the top ten destinations for pet-friendly travel in the Philippines in the second quarter of 2022 are Manila, Metro Manila; Baguio, Cordillera; Patuto, Calabarzon; Quezon City, Metro Manila; Taguig, Calabarzon; Cebu City, Central Visayas; Olongapo, Central Luzon; Nasugbu, Calabarzon; San Fernando, Ilocos; and Calamba, Calabarzon.

Meanwhile, Alejandre encouraged Dabawenyo pet owners to be responsible to ensure that the rights of the animals are pre-

served and protected.

Pet owners are also urged to have their pets microchipped.

One of the campaigns of the City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) is to completely implement a citywide pet registration that includes microchipping cats and dogs in the barangays to provide them with permanent identification.

Pet owners in Davao City may now visit the CVO and have their pets microchipped free of charge. Pet owners must provide their own microchips. By Maya M. Padillo

Davao Evangelical Association of Ministers spokesperson Dennis Castillanes claims during this week’s AFP-PNP Press Corps at The Royal Mandaya Hotel that the provisions of the proposed sexual orientation, gender identity expression, and sexual characteristics (SOGIESC) bill are discriminatory to religion including to the belief of the Indigenous People (IP). Lean Daval Jr.

PH biz encouraged to sell more to Chinese market

Filipinoentrepreneurs are encouraged to tap the 1.4 billion Chinese market, the largest in the world, as China appoints its new premier tasked to reinvigorate China’s economy from the impacts of the pandemic.

Executives from the Integrated Development Studies Institute (IDSI) and the Philippine Franchise Association (PFA) underscored that China is a key market where Filipino businesses should expand.

In a forum early this week, IDSI director George Siy said businessmen can take advantage of the Chinese market by selling fruits, especially banana

and durian.

Siy said the best way to penetrate the world’s biggest market is to partner with traders in Southeast Asia that have established distribution channels in China.

“China is buying so much fruits. The durian, they are buying hundreds of billions of dollars of durian from Vietnam and Thailand. Why are the Filipinos

not organizing? They are going to buy more bananas,” he said, adding the need for the Philippines to increase its banana plantations.

PFA president Chris Lim said Filipino franchising brands have to be present in the Chinese market in the future, as its size of market “should never be neglected”.

In an interview with the Philippine News Agency Wednesday, Lim said Filipino franchisors are also waiting for the “big brothers” in the industry to test their businesses in the Chinese

BOI approves P50-B telco infra project of Phil-Tower, Macquarie

The Board of Investments

(BOI) Thursday said it registered the telecommunications infrastructure joint venture project between independent tower firm Phil-Tower Consortium, Inc. and merger and acquisitions adviser Macquarie Capital worth PHP50 billion.

In a statement, the BOI said the approved project will involve the construction and operation of common telecommunications infrastructure facilities to improve internet connectivity across the

country, especially in remote, unserved and underserved areas.

“Phil-Tower, as an enabler of 4G and 5G coverage for smart cities, will provide innovative outdoor solutions through camouflage sites, micro poles, green towers and smart poles as a regional pioneer of in-building solutions,” it said.

As of last year, Phil-Tower has built over 200 telecommunication towers and will be rolling out more of these infrastructures in the coming months.

ERC mitigates prices amid volatile electricity market

The Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has assured the public it is implementing its mandate to promote competition and ensure a fair market in the energy sector to protect Filipino consumers from price shocks amid the volatility in electricity prices.

During the Pandesal forum at Kamuning bakery café in Quezon City Thursday, ERC chair Monalisa Dimalanta said while the Department of Energy (DOE) is improving the country’s power supply, ERC is also closely monitoring market developments that may push power rates higher.

be exposed to volatile global prices.

“We are currently enjoying Malampaya because it’s an indigenous source. It has no import costs like duties that are present in imported (LNG) and we are not exposed to volatility of global prices. We lose these benefits if the supply from Malampaya is discontinued. On the ERC side, how do we manage, how do we mitigate that exposure of consumers to the volatility of prices to imported resources,” she said in mixed English and Filipino.

In 2021, Macquarie Capital announced its investments in Phil-Tower as the advisory firm focuses on digital infrastructure investments.

It has over USD25 billion investments in the development of critical infrastructure projects such as transportation, social, communications, renewable energy and conventional energy infrastructure.

To improve the speed of internet connection and digital

Dimalanta said the country still benefits from the output of the Malampaya natural gas field, an energy source indigenous to the Philippines, with no additional import costs, such as duties and excise taxes, among others, compared to outsourced fuel.

With the service contract for Malampaya expiring in 2024, the DOE is looking at liquefied natural gas (LNG) terminal projects to sustain power supply.

Dimalanta also encouraged Filipinos to save and be efficient in their electricity use to manage energy demand.

As prices of commodities rise when demand increases amid limited supply, not saving on electricity can trigger hikes in power rates.

“We need to promote energy efficiency measures, change in behavior. We need to make sure that we only consume energy that we really need,” she added.

Meanwhile, former Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla on Wednesday proposed that the government should build its FBOI, P10

However, since these terminals will store imported LNG, Dimalanta said consumers will

Pedestrians buy ice cream from a peddler to fight off the very warm weather along San Pedro Street in Davao City on Friday. Lean Daval Jr.

FPH, P10

P17.7-B allocated to support PH tourism infra dev’t: DBM

Finance firm eyes 10M customer base this year

Officials of consumer finance company Home Credit Philippines (HCPH) are optimistic about increasing the number of its customer base to 10 million this year, as they bank on the recovery of demand from the pandemic.

The company hit a milestone last year when its customer base reached 9.3 million after it expanded its services to more lifestyle segments and categories.

In a briefing to celebrate the company’s 10th year of operations in the country Thursday, HCPH chief executive officer (CEO) David Minol said they want more Filipinos to benefit from its offerings .

“More than delivering innovative and accessible financial services, we celebrate the relationships we have built with our stakeholders and customers over the past decade, and this we choose to continue above the beyond,” he said.

In a reply to questions from the Philippine News Agency, the company said it is hopeful to hit 10 million customers this year also “because of the continued

Atotalof PHP17.7 billion has been allocated in this year’s national budget to fund the Tourism Road Infrastructure Program (TRIP), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) announced Thursday.

strong demand from customers across the Philippines.”

While inflation remains high and among drags to spending, along with the rise of interest rates, HCPH said it “provide(s) opportunities for people to afford their needed products by allowing them to pay reasonable down payment and flexible payment terms to help them manage their funds.”

Asked about the rate of default among its borrowers, the company said “we maintain a healthy NPL (non-performing loan) ratio given our responsible lending practices.”

“We at Home Credit observed an improved loan payment behavior of Filipinos in the past 10 years,” it added.

HCPH chief customer relations management (CRM) officer Petr Lukosz said their cash loan offering is among the products targeted to help Filipinos become more financially capable.

“We pride this product as the most flexible cash loan offering in the market, tailored fit to customers’ needs, and having the fastest approval and disbursement in one minute,” he added.

In a press release, the DBM said this amount is PHP602 million higher than the PHP17.087 billion from last year’s budget.

DBM Secretary Amenah Pangandaman emphasized the importance of providing funding support to vital infrastructure projects, which serve as the backbone of the economy.

“President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr. has been very consistent with his pronouncements that infrastructure development is a priority under this administration.

And so we, at DBM, shall do all we can to support the realization of this objective. And so we ensured that various infrastructure projects nationwide are allocated with necessary funds to support the Build, Better, More program,” she said.

Pangandaman pointed out that “mobility and connectivity” are vital components in tourism development.

“The Philippines has so many majestic places. But how will we attract tourists if there is no

transport infrastructure in place to get them to these destinations with ease?” she added.

TRIP is a convergence initiative of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) and the Department of Tourism (DOT).

The budgetary allocation is also in line with the DOT’s National Tourism Development Plan, which envisions a globally competitive, environmentally sustainable and socially responsible tourism industry that promotes inclusive growth through employment generation and equitable distribution of income.

The funds will be used for the construction, reconstruction, upgrading and improvement of FP17.7-B, P10

Lanao Norte weavers urged to grow as country’s major textile producers

Community weavers in Lanao del Norte province are encouraged to become major producers of Meranaw cultural textiles in the country.

In a statement Thursday, Governor Imelda Quibranza-Dimaporo called on members of women livelihood organizations in the province to become more productive in creating traditional fabrics.

“There are many (suppliers) who look for high-quality Meranaw fabrics around the country and I hope that these beneficiaries will become one of the major manufacturers,” she said.

The Department of Trade and Industry in Northern Mindanao (DTI-10) is continuously assisting the weavers by handing over sewing machines and equipment to

produce quality Meranaw wearables and handicrafts.

On Monday, the DTI under its Shared Service Facility (SSF) provided 10 sewing machines, two cloth cutting machines, and three sequencing and cutting tables worth PHP452,000 to the Pangutaman Women’s Association and the Islahiyyah Women’s Associa-

A vendor wraps an orchid at the Araw ng Dabaw Agri-Trade Fair inside Magsaysay Park in Davao City on Thursday, 16 March 2023. MindaNews Photo

In pushing for the implementation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the city’s Anti-Discrimination Ordinance:

“Many of us do not know that our Anti-Discrimination Ordinance in the city has not yet implemented rules and regulations. It is a sad fact that it is just a piece of paper. It doesn’t mean that it won’t happen it’s just prolonged. That is my humblest promise as Reyna Dabawenya to work with our government and LGU to enact the implementing rules and regulations of the ordinance for us to be fully protected regardless of our gender, regardless of who you are, we deserve equality.”

Newly-crowned Reyna Dabawenya 2023 SHEILA MAGPALE III

The name Dwight Filley Davis Sr. may not ring a bell to most people but to tennis aficio-nados he is remembered as the tennis player who founded in 1900 the Davis Cup, a global tilt that has so far produced a doubles champion for the Philippines. He was also the country’s American governor-general (1929-32) after leaving his position as the US secretary of war.

As the country’s American administrator, Davis, along with son and namesake, visited Davao in 1930 as part of his familiarization tour of the colony. It was deemed a pioneering trip for a government executive like him. At the time, the American Chamber of Commerce Journal reported in its September 1930 edition, Davao district was described as having “an area of 7,574 square miles, 4,847,185 acres, with 16

ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA FAST

DAVIS’ 1930 VISIT IN DAVAO

people to the square mile.”

Davis, a keen bystander, made two interesting comments during his trip, namely the utter neglect of the natives by the government, described as the “blackest page in American history in the Philippines,” and the land grabbing of indigenous lands. Without delay, he relayed his observations to Honorio Ventura, then interior secretary under the American administration.

His remark apparently triggered an immediate response in Manila. Though three decades late, the idea of opening reservations for the natives was broached. But the honest to good-ness execution of the concept, however, was only pushed seriously in 1974 with the creation of the Office of the Presidential Assistant on National Minorities (PANAMIN). Twelve years later, under the first Aquino lead-

ership, the Office for Southern Cultural Communities (OSCC) and the Office for Northern Cultural Communities (ONCC) were instituted.

The idea of creating reservations was seen by Davis as a way of stopping the incursion by Japanese investors in regions in and around the gulf of Davao. The creeping intrusion was viewed as “an international problem,” and the reservations were “a decent measure in behalf of the aborigines.” His observations were first-hand, and he got them from the nightly huddles he had with the tribes along the wilderness. So impressed was he in meeting the tribes that the journal called the Davao-Agusan region as “a veritable laboratory for the ethnolo-gist,” adding:

“One tribe is as modern as an army, it bestows sartorial insignia for every

H. MARCOS C. MORDENO SOMEONE ELSE’S WINDOWS

By Who among the commuting public wouldn’t want a comfortable vehicle? Everybody, driver or passenger, is wishing for a hassle-free ride to and from work, school or wherever. Who wouldn’t want a cleaner air to breathe? Only fools would say they love the smog of Metro Manila and the increasingly polluted air of other urbanized or urbanizing areas of the country. These are the central reasons for the government’s push to modernize the jeepney, the ordinary Filipino’s main mode of transport in most cities. Or, at least, that’s what our

man one of its braves exterminates: the dress of one chief who talked with Governor Davis attested a total bag of 134-evidently with no more observance of the game laws than a Christian army would exercise, when God got on its side, and with plenty of orthodox potting from cover.”

Targeting land-grabbers, consequently, resulted in the hunting of Japanese who were poaching of tribal clearings. The journal even cited an incident where a land grabber was ambushed:

“A Japanese, bent over his hemp-stripping, suddenly feels a crick in his back, an arrow from ambush, or a spear--then he doesn’t feel anything, not even the hemp rubbish piled over him,” adding: “That’s not a very nice game. But it isn’t any nicer to see your lands taken away from you and given to strange immigrants, by laws

WHAT PRICE JEEPNEY MODERNIZATION?

officials are saying. The question is, can the hard-up drivers afford it? Individual drivers could not obtain a loan on their own. They are required to be members of a cooperative first before they may avail of loans. That’s how banks operate, they make sure there’s a safety net for the money they lend, in this case, the cooperative as guarantor in case mamang tsuperdefaults on his obligation for reasons other than an unwillingness to pay I believe. A unit of the new jeepney costs around 2.4 million pesos. If a driver obtains a 10-year loan for that amount, that’s

240,000 pesos a year or 20,000 pesos a month. He needs to earn a minimum of 700 pesos daily for the amortization, excluding the interest. Now, how about his family’s needs? And, for new jeepneys that would run on Euro 4 diesel (if building electric-powered units is more expensive), what if prices of fuel and parts keep increasing? If you’re following, I’m not tackling this from a sentimental viewpoint, that is, trying to save a cultural icon that has outlived its usefulness vis-a-vis the need for a modern, energy-efficient alternative. It’s an issue of sur-

vival. The humanist in me could not bear to see thousands of families deprived of their livelihood as sacrificial pawns in the march towards transport modernization. All is not lost if the other stakeholders can “sacrifice” a bit, though. For one, maybe there’s a way to reduce the P2.4-million cost of each new jeepney, e.g., reducing the tariff on the imported engines and other parts as well as the taxes on the assembled units. I’m not pinning my hopes on the banks to reduce their interest rates. (It would be a miracle if they do.) Thus the other alternative is for the

you cannot read nor understand--with which sharpers stand ready to swindle you at every turn.”

The agrarian problem eventually reached the 1934 Constitutional Convention where Da-vao delegate Pantaleon Pelayo Sr., on September 20, 1934, exposed local politicians, mostly lawyers, for conniving with the Japanese in acquiring lands through marriage, dummy, or harassment. His feisty expose eventually led the convention to institutionalize a provision that makes ownership of land by foreigners as prohibited.

The land-grabbing of indigenous lands, sad to say, continues to this day despite the issu-ance of a certificate of ancestral domain title (CADT). A visit to the Davao-Bukidnon boundary, which has slowly been turned into a high-end resort country, tells a complete story.

government to subsidize part of the cost of building new jeepneys or shoulder the interest of the loans. It would be people’s money well-spent compared to the First Family going on junkets with dozens of hangers-on. Or compared to the shady Maharlika Fund. Or compared to the impending Constitutional Convention, which is self-serving on the part of the dynastic politicians. To the last one we should shout in unison, Para (Stop)! (MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. H. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail.com.)

Home Credit empowers 10 million Filipinos as it prepares for its 10th year in the Philippines

Home Credit Philippines (HCPH), the nation’s leading consumer finance company, is kicks off its 10th anniversary celebration with the goal of providing credit to more Filipinos and reaching 10 million customers by 2023. Home Credit, which made its long inroads into the country in October of this year, continues to gradually expand its operations, offering customers a complete ecosystem of products and services tailored to their individual needs and lifestyles.

In 2022, Home Credit finishes a strong year with 9.3 million customer base. Expanding its services into various lifestyle segments and categories has played a major role in enabling Filipinos to live more fulfilling lives.

“Our goal of making the Philippines financially strong is realized year after year, one client at a time. With 10 years of service in the country, we aim to serve 10 million customers by the end of 2023 and serve even more Filipinos in the coming years. In addition to providing innovative and accessible financial services, we celebrate the relationships we have built with our stakeholders and customers over the past decade and have chosen to continue these across borders,” said Home Credit Philippines’ David Minol, Chief Executive Officer.

As a leading consumer finance

provider that pioneered domestic buy-now-pay-later (BNPL) services, Home Credit has expanded its local roots and deepened its understanding of the local market over the past decade. . The company recognized the need to expand its lifestyle offerings and financial solutions to better support the ever-evolving needs and demands of this new generation of Filipinos.

Over the years, Home Credit has grown to his 15,000 robust affiliate stores in 75 states nationwide and has aggressively expanded its online presence through the My Home Credit app. The company also has partnerships with some of the country’s biggest brands and retailers, offering a vast selection of over 300 lifestyle products, from gadgets and smartphones, home appliances and furniture, to bicycle and motorcycle accessories, sports equipment and many more.

Since entering the country in 2013, Home Credit has empowered millions of Filipinos to access more financial solutions through its expanded range of product options.

Aside from product loans, the company also offers existing customers with good payment histories the opportunity to avail themselves of Cash Loan, which helps them to be more financially capable. To date, Home Credit has disbursed over 1.8 million Cash Loans to its customers,

in which 90% of the contracts were signed digitally and 20% of the applications were processed through the My Home Credit App. Home Credit boasts of having the fastest cash loan approval and disbursement in 1 minute – the best in the market. Customers can enjoy the flexibility of the Cash Loan offers ranging from Php 3,000 to Php 150,000 and repayment terms from six to 48 months.

Home Credit believes that availing of its financing products is not

the end of the customers’ journey but only the start of it. The company wants to further build meaningful relationships with its customers and be their ally in advocating proactive measures to keep themselves and their families safe and protected.

With this, Home Credit also offers solutions to give the best protection to its customers. They have the option to purchase a range of protection packages: Device Protection which can be upgraded with an extended warranty for accidental damage protection; Extra Care for flexibility in managing payments; Home Content to protect and cover home belongings from any unfortunate incidents; and an innovative Personal Payment Protection that offers unlimited telemedicine service, death and accident coverage, and medical reimbursement.

As the lifestyle partner of every Filipino, Home Credit remains steadfast in its mission of empowering Filipinos, Para sa Life. The company has focused on advocating financial literacy, which aligns with Home Credit’s thrust of championing environmental, social and governance (ESG).

Last year, Home Credit’s flagship financial literacy program Wais sa Home reached more than 20 million Filipinos across the country and has driven onsite financial literacy programs in various provinces, particularly in the communities of Pampan-

ga, Iloilo, Guimaras, Capiz, Antique, and Aklan.

The company also commits to a greener earth with 30 million sheets of paper saved in overall transactions, an equivalent of 2,000 trees conserved due to its digitalization initiative. Aside from that, Home Credit also promotes equity by providing more substantial purchasing power for women who comprise 52% of its customer base.

Home Credit, as the market leader in the consumer finance sector, not only finds strength in numbers but in the strong connections it has made among stakeholders and consumers alike. In its 10th year in the Philippines, the company seeks to become a standard in the consumer finance industry with its commitment to innovation, customer satisfaction, and financial inclusion.

Home Credit Philippines is a financing company duly licensed and supervised by the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). To know more about the latest updates from the company, visit its official website www. homecredit.ph. You may also follow its official Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok accounts. Customers are also encouraged to download the My Home Credit App on Google Play to learn more about the latest promos and see what’s new in the Marketplace.

CONNECTING DOCTORS, PATIENTS IN FARAWAY PLACES VIA RXBOX

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

DOST

Mario, now 68, lives in a remote barangay in Bansalan, Davao del Sur. He said that he had never been to a hospital when he was younger. But lately, he has a hard time seeing things. Since he could not move well, as he used to do, he gained weight.

He would never know what he is suffering from had it not been for a medical mission conducted in their area. His younger brother helped him to join the other residents. One of the doctors examined him closely. He was told that the reason his vision was waning was due to diabetes.

Mario was still lucky. He found out what disease struck him. But others living in far-flung areas don’t have such blessings. In fact, 60% of the 94 million Filipinos today die without seeing a doctor. That’s one for Robert Ripley’s “Believe it or not.”

The reasons for such a high rate: lack of medicines and other life-saving technology, improper distribution of health workers, geographic isolation (particularly those in the islands or without electricity), and commercialized medicine (expensive and out of reach of the poor people).

So, how can these deprived people be helped? To think, the government launched the Universal Health Care (UHC), also referred to as Kalusugang Pangkalahatan, during the administration of Benigno Aquino, Jr. Through UHC, all Filipinos are provided “the highest possible quality of health care that is accessible, efficient, equitably distributed, adequately funded, fairly financed, and appropriately used.”

UHC is a government mandate aiming to ensure that every Filipino shall receive affordable and quality health benefits. Yes, despite the gains of the health sector in recent years, the challenge of delivering improved health care services remains.

One of the constraints identified is “the availability of, access and equity of access to, health professionals and health facilities,” adding that “90% of specialists and 60% of tertiary hospitals are in urban areas” like Metro Manila, Cebu, and Davao.

Another constraint is “the archipelagic nature of the country where there are many geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas.” The Philippines, after all, has more than 6,000 islands.

Some experts have identified one possible solution: maximizing the established benefits of information and communications technology (ICT) in health care. Doing so will “enable communication and connect patients, health technology, and health providers.”

Thus, the idea of RxBox came into existence. Touted to be “one of the most important tools generated by the research community,” RxBox is a multi-component program designed to provide better access to life-saving health care service in isolated and disadvantaged communities in the country. It is among the efforts of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) for so-called “Smarter Philippines.”

RxBox is an instant hit in areas where it has been introduced. “There’s a big change since we know we have a device which we can really trust. Just in the result alone, we already know what to do,” said a public health nurse in Sabtang, Batanes.

“If that device is not around, I don’t know if my child and I are still alive today since our lives

Photo courtesy of

EQUALITY...

us to be fully protected regardless of our gender, regardless of who you are, we deserve equality,” she answered.

She emphasized that the ordinance is not just for the LGBTQ community but for all specially the minority group.

On December 12, 2012, the members of the Sanggunian enacted City Ordinance No,041712, Series of 2012 otherwise known as the Anti-Discrimination Ordinance of Davao City” to ensure respect for the rights of individuals, without discrimination of any kind as to sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, race, color, descent, national or ethnic origin, religious affiliation or beliefs, and to foster peace within the territorial jurisdiction of Davao City.

“Before ko nagjoin sa Reyna Dabawenya, gi-ask nako ang akong sarili kung unsa ang akoang tumong or purpose. Gusto gyud nako ug equality sa atoang syudad. Mao ni ang akoang plano if ever madaug ko, which is gihatag gyud sa Ginoo,” Magpale said.

Reyna Dabawenya is among the activities of the 86th Araw ng Davao. Magpale III bested 19 other candidates.

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Barangay 21-C and 360 families from Barangay 22-C of Piapi, Quezon Boulevard have been identified by the City Social Welfare and Development Office as internally displaced. Some of the affected residents are seeking shelter at the evacuation centers in Barangay 21-C Gym and Barangay 22-C Covered Court, respectively. OVP MEDIA

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ment of Science Technology- Advance Science and Technology Institute (DOST-ASTI).

These are two of the nine AI projects in the country launched by the DOST Philippine Council for Industry, Energy, Emerging Technology Research and Development (PCIEERD) in April 2021.

Meanwhile, Chancellor Murao said the academe’s role is to support the innovation ecosystem.

“We are here to help develop the critical manpower that would be needed in the future for jobs related to AI,” Murao said adding that they will also be supporting programs on research and innovation related to AI.

She cited the soon-to-be offered Bachelor in Data Science program which is a concrete action in supporting iniatives towards AI.

“The innovation ecosystem is there and the academe is always there to support this ecosystem,” she said. (PIA/RG Alama)

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own power plant with a capacity of 500 megawatts that will be used only when there is thinning of supply from private sector’s power generation facilities.

DOE Assistant Secretary Mario Marasigan said during the Laging Handa public briefing Thursday the agency is reviewing this proposal as this will require amendments to the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA), which privatized the power sector. (PNA)

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consideration of the eight bills seeking to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or sex characteristics and providing penalties for violation thereof.

These are House Bills 222, 460, 3418, 4177, 4277, 5551, 6003, and 7036 authored by Reps. Roman, Juan Carlos ‘Arjo’ Atayde, Antonio Legarda Jr., Harris Christopher Ongchuan, Christopher De Venecia, Arlene Brosas, Patrick Michael Vargas, and Edwin Olivarez, respectively.

Roman believed that the time is ripe to enact the SOGIE Equality Bill.

Castillanes cited House Bill 222, Section 5i “denying a person access to or the use of establishments, facilities, utilities, or services, including housing, open to the general public on the basis of SOGIESC: provided that the act of giving inferior accommodations or services shall be considered a denial of access or use of such facility or service: provided further, that this prohibition covers acts of discrimination against juridical persons solely on the basis of the SOGIESC of their members or their target constituencies” as unjust.

“Halimbawa kung ako adunay hotel unya ang akong religious belief nga ang akong hotel i-open lang nako sa straight hetero couple unya dili nako i-open sa mga homosexuals kay mao na ang akong faith and belief, kung imo silang balibaran puwede ka nila kasuhan unya ang kaso puwede ka makamulta ug P100,000 to P500,000 mapriso ka between one year to 12 years,” he explained.

“Naa pa’y baker, naay nag ask sa iyaha nga homosexuals na magpabuhat ug cake nga naay duha ka figurines nga lalaki nga maghalok. Against man na sa iyaha, gibalibaran niya, ang nahitabo gikasuhan siya. Niabot sa Supreme Court maayo na lang ang SC naghatag sa iyaha ug pabor like the liberty of conscience pero the fact na gikasuhan ka, nakagasto ka, ang stress nimo, ang journey sa imohang kaso.

In 2017, Senator Joel Villanueva asked Senator Riza Hontiveros the same incident like the baker puwede ba siya kasuhan sa bill to which Hontiveros replied “yes” it’s a violation of the law,” he added.

Castillanes conveyed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, questioning, intersex, and asexual, (LGBTQ) community that the religious sector is not against them but against the provisions of the bill.

“Gusto namo ipaabot sa LGBTQ, kami sa religious sector dili gyud mi against kung unsa ang inyong choice, kung duna may grupo na dili gusto ug discrimination, kami nga grupo kay nasulat sa Bibliya God hates partiality, choice man na nila, dili mi manghilabot, we respect them.

Ang sa amoa lang against mi sa mga proviisons nila nga maka discriminate sa tanan, against mi sa privision sa SOGIE bill. We welcome them in our community,” he said.

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tion in Maigo and Poona Piagapo towns, respectively.

Other beneficiaries are the Verg’s Curtain Shop in Lala town and the Atlas Farm School in Tubod.

DTI Provincial Director Jane Marie Tabucan said that all SSF is under a “shared system” and is not given to one micro, small, or medium enterprise only.

gling due to the high power rates imposed by Nordeco. This puts them at a disadvantage compared to their competitors in other areas, which can lead to a negative impact on our local economy,” he added.

Jubahib said “households in our province also suffer from the consequences of the poor services of Nordeco.”

“With the increasing power rates, many families struggle to pay their bills and make difficult decisions on allocating their limited resources,” he said.

He said House Bill 5077 of Davao del Norte 1st District Rep. Pantaleon D. Alvarez, HB 6740 of Rep. Margarita Ignacia B. Nograles of PBA Partylist, and HB 7047 of Rep. Sandro L. Gonzales of Marino Partylist seek to expand the franchise of the Aboitiz-owned Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC).

“With this, I urge the public to join us in supporting these bills and advocating for fair and affordable power rates and high-quality services for all,” he said.

These bills were filed after President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. vetoed HB 10554, which sought to amend Republic Act 11515, extending for another 25 years the franchise granted to DLPC.

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market.

“Appetite (of opening in) China, not as much, but it is something we are trying to open up. I think we’re waiting for our ‘big brothers’ to mentor us on how we should do in that market,” he said. “You see someone else do it, we ask them how. What’s good about the Philippines –the people who have done it before you, they are willing to share even (though) they are competitors.”

LIm said China is a huge market where businesses do not have to compete for its current 1.4 billion consumers.

This year, China has eased its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) restrictions after almost three years of the pandemic.

Early this week, it appointed Li Qiang as the new prime minister.

Li is tasked to lead the economic recovery of China, with consumer spending expected to rebound. (PNA)

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connectivity in the country, the past administration issued policies to fast-track the approval of applications for telecommunication infrastructure projects.

The Marcos administration also addresses bottlenecks in permitting and licensing for key investments by issuing the Executive Order No. 18 last month establishing the green lanes for strategic investments.

“The order designates the BOI as the single point of entry for the endorsement of strategic investments qualified for green lane services. The move aligns with the government’s effort to create a more business-friendly environment and provide ease of doing business to attract more strategic investments to the country,” BOI said.

The new EO will help BOI achieve its investment approval targets, which were increased by its chairperson, Trade Secretary Alfredo Pascual, to PHP1.5 trillion at the end 2023. (PNA)

were in danger then. We didn’t know if my child was okay or if my blood pressure was okay. Maybe one of us died already,” said a 19-year-old mother, also from Sabtang, Batanes.

“Now, even rich people come here for consultation,” said Dr. Iris Tagaro of Villareal, Samar. “Members of our staff are empowered, unlike those from other rural health units that if there’s no doctor, there’s no consultation. Here, they have high regard for our nurses and midwives.”

As of January 2023, there are 781 units of RxBox that have been deployed in the country’s geographically isolated and disadvantaged areas. the whole country, according to a press release from the Department of Science and Technology (DOST).

“We want the device to be placed in areas where doctors are hard to find and traveling to the cities is a big problem,” said the National Telehealth Center (NTHC), an agency which equips doctors and health workers with eHealth and Telemedicine tools for quality health care.

Actually, the RxBox is a product of NTHC’s collaboration with the Electronics and Electrical Engineering Institute of the University of the Philippines-Diliman and the Advanced Science and Technology Institute of the DOST.

Funding for the project comes from the Philippine Council for Health Research and Development (PCHRD) of the DOST. An RxBox unit costs around P100,000. But should it be multi-produced, the cost can be lowered to P80,000.

What makes the RxBox unique is that it has a sensor that can measure the patient’s blood pressure to detect cardiovascular problems, especially hypertension. It also has an electrocardiogram (ECG) which can monitor the heart’s movement. This is helpful for people with acute and chronic heart problems.

Another sensor is the pulse oximeter, which can measure the level of oxygen in the patient’s blood. This sensor can help detect lung and cardiovascular problems. It also comes in handy during the coronavirus disease pandemic.

There is also a fetal heart monitor (that measures the baby’s heart rate while in the womb and can help detect fetal distress at critical times of the pregnancy and delivery) and maternal locometer (which measures the strength of contraction of the mother’s uterus especially during delivery).

Through the RxBox, patients in far-flung areas may receive advice from doctors and health workers situated elsewhere.

The NTHC further explained: “The RxBox can capture medical signs with its built-in sensors, save the data in an electronic medical record (using the Community Health Information Tracking System or CHITS), and transmit the information via internet to clinical specialists in the Philippine General Hospital.”

According to the Department

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roads and bridges connecting to declared tourist destinations.

Under the 2023 national budget, the PHP17.689 billion budget will be distributed to tourism infrastructure projects in Ilocos Region, Cordillera Administrative Region, Cagayan Valley, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, Mimaropa, Bicol Region, Western Visayas, Central Vi-

of Health (DOH), RxBox helps address the lack of doctors in the provinces, with 90% of specialists and 60% of tertiary hospitals clustered in urban areas.

The RxBox project is “a testament to what we can accomplish together as one – guided by our vision to bring Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) closer to our communities,” said DOST Secretary Renato U. Solidum Jr. in a press statement.

He said that the recent COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need to address the problem of access to quality healthcare, which the RxBox was developed for even before the start of the pandemic.

“Through the RxBox multi-stakeholder project, we have immensely contributed to saving lives especially during the height of the pandemic. Through our courageous and dedicated employees, we were able to reach far-flung and isolated places to deliver science and technology interventions. This entails working closely with the communities that we serve and respond to their needs. This project will continue to transform healthcare and people’s lives as long as we continue to work as one,” he said.

Sec. Solidum also added that Filipinos often overlook the importance of health, “but we must keep in mind that the greatest asset and most important natural resources of any country is its citizens.”

He quoted the old adage which said, “Health is wealth.” “The overall health of every citizenry determines the long-term progress of their country. People are the wealth generators, so we must take care of them,” he said.

Incidentally, Sec. Solidum said that affordable healthcare and strengthening primary healthcare in underserved communities are among the priorities of President Ferdinand R. Marcos Jr.

“We at DOST share these goals and will continue to be instrumental in developing innovative solutions that will prepare our country to withstand another pandemic should there be a similar experience in the future, and to promote the health and well-being of our kababayans,” he pointed out.

Dr. Jaime C. Montoya, PCHRD executive director, echoed the same opinion. He said that seeing many rural communities benefit from the project made it “totally worth it.”

Spanning the administrations of four presidents and four DOST secretaries, Dr. Montoya said that efforts from the conceptualization of the RxBox Project in 2009 up to the actual deployment is really worth it, definitely worth it.

“If there is a technology that really benefits the Filipino people, this is it. The RxBox really captures the concept of Universal Health Care. This is what science is for,” he said.

RxBox, he surmised, is a good example of the whole-of-country approach – that everyone has to converge for the grassroots.

sayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Northern Mindanao, Davao Region, Soccsksargen and Caraga Region.

In his first State of the Nation Address, Marcos said the country must have more international airports and road improvements to attract more visitors and fast-track tourism’s recovery.

Hawks sign Serbian guard Bogdanovic to $68-M deal

NEW YORK, United States - Serbian 3-point sharpshooter Bogdan Bogdanovic has agreed on a four-year contract extention worth $68 million with the NBA’s Atlanta Hawks, according to multiple reports on Thursday.

Bogdanovic declined an $18 million player option for next season to reach a longterm deal with the Hawks,

according to ESPN and The Athletic, citing unnamed sources.

The 30-year-old guard is averaging 14.1 points, 3.2 rebounds and 2.9 assists a game for Atlanta while shooting 43.7% from the floor and 40.1% from 3-point range.

Bogdanovic, who helped Serbia to a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was selected by Phoenix with the 27th pick in the 2014 NBA Draft.

After playing three seasons in Sacramento, he joined the Hawks in 2020

FRED C. LUMBA SPORTS KEN YULO, WESLEY, PBA ET AL

Barring unforeseen and sorowful circumstances, Pinoy sports fans may now lay claim that Carlos Yulo could be the next Olympic gold medalist in the 2024 Paris Summer Games.

The diminutive gymnastics star came home Tuesday wearing two gold medals around his neck from his sojourn in the FIG (International Gymnastics Federation) World Championship series in Doha, Qatar and in Kazakshtan.

Not so much media fanfare was there but Yulo’s twin golds in the floor exercise and parallel bars should earn him some monetary rewards.

Also, the Senate and the House

of Representatives make the traditional awarding of respective resolutions commending winners of world championships,

Remember that these are no mean feat as Yulo defeated all the best in his category, including the Tokyo gold medalist and other podium winners.

At this time of his sporting life, the Malate kid has developed an overwhelming self-confidence that he could take the world in the palm of his hands.

This was the positive attitude Hidilyn Diaz exemplified after missing the weightlifting gold in the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics.

The rest is up to our sports leaders and Yulo’s NSA to prepare him mentally, physically - even spiritually - for the biggest event in Paris.

Like Caloy, Fil-Am super GM Wesley So is also advancing positively in his pro chess career. The Bacoor, Cavite native most recently topped the American phase of the Armageddon 2023 Chess Tournament and has qualified for the finals.

So, who leads the FIDE chess circuit ahead of Tata Steel champion Anish Giri and defending titleholder Fabiano Caruana, is at this time battling over the board elite opponents in the 2023 American

Cup being held in St. Louis, Missouri, the chess capital of the USA.

The three-time US chess king is also a fixture in the Champions Chess Tour where he, alongside world champion Magnus Carlsen, reigning 2022 Fischer Random Chess winner Hikaru Nakamura and 2022 US titlist Fabiano Caruana, will battle it out with four other super GMs who qualified in the preliminaries.

Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer will be happy to see sister team Brgy. Ginebra beat TNT at the close of the elims. Should this happen, the Beermen could take the number one spot (assuming they repel a hardfighting ROS five

and helped Atlanta reach the 2021 Eastern Conference finals, losing to Milwaukee. The Hawks were ousted last season in the first round by Miami.

The Hawks stand eighth in the Eastern Conference this season at 34-35.

in their last game) and engage the number eight qualifier in a twice to beat quarterfinal outing. SMB is wary because JunMar Fajardo is in the injured list and may take quite a time to return. If the boys of RSA survive, the next matches are definitely going tougher and Fajardo’s absence in the middle is a scary thought.

I don’t know how the Gin Kings can advance over TNT when they don’t have Japhet back yet.

Besides, there’s no denying that Tropang Giga is on a roll despite its embarrassing results in the EASL in Japan. (Email feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.)

Atlanta Hawks guard Bogdan Bogdanovic (R) dribbles beside Washington Wizards forward Deni Avdija (L) during the first half of the NBA basketball game between the Atlanta Hawks and Washington Wizards, at Capital One Arena, in Washington, DC, USA, 10 March 2023. EPA-EFE/MICHAEL REYNOLDS

Arnis to the world?

Come Saturday and Sunday, March 18 to 19, at the Emelio Ramos National High School, seven-year-old boys and girls up to 18-year-old players are competing in the 86th edition of the Araw ng Dabaw Arnis Invitational.

Mario Palazuelo, a long-time sports leader in Davao City for the Philippine Eskrima Kali Arnis Federation, said they have continued organizing the arnis tournaments because in the first place, arnis is our national sport.

However, if you take a closer look at media coverage, it is basketball, boxing, volleyball or billiards that look like our national sport because every Filipino knows how to play it.

Republic Act 9850 made arnis our official national sport but unfortunately, this is overshadowed by the popularity of other sports disciplines.

I remember a story about how our good friend, Hyoung Joo Kim came to Davao in the 1970’s (or was it 80’s Johnny?) to promote

South Korea’s national sport, taekwondo. After their training in South Korea, Mr. Kim and his other classmates were sent abroad to propagate their sport.

Basically, it was an “invasion”.

Now, take a look at taekwondo as a sport. It is played all over the world and because of its popularity, it is now part of the Olympics, starting in the 1988 Summer Olympics in Seoul.

Mario said they would like to see the day when arnis is played in the Asian Games and Summer Olympics.

From what I read, in some Hollywood action movies like Mission Impossible and Bourne, there are Filipino arnis masters who were hired as consultants to teach movie stars for specific fight scenes, specially in the use of sticks and knives.

The question is can we use the South Korean Formula for arnis?

Sure, we can but that needs the concerted effort of our national and local government leaders, big corporation owners and the educational system to make it work.

For example, if we make Filipino movies, we have to come up with a scene or several action scenes that promote arnis as a sport.

Who is the country’s most popular actor or actress? Let them promote arnis.

Make arnis a mandatory sport in the conduct of LGU Palaro through the National Physical Fitness and Sports Development Councils.

All public and private elementary, high school and college physical education classes must have arnis as part of the program.

We have 115 million Filipinos as of the 2022 Census.

Just imagine if for many years in the school system, they have mastered arnis as a sport, if it is even possible to be awarded licenses to teach, and should they go overseas for work, they can offer their services to some martial arts school or even open their own arnis school.

O di ba? Filipino national sport offered to the world!

What do you think, Mario? Will we still be alive to see that day?

Former senator Migz Zubiri, the 1989 Arnis World Championship winner, must have already thought of that, Mario noh?

If so, then we can probably see the day when arnis becomes part of the Asian and Summer Olympic Games.

* * *

For comments, kindly email mpb_sports@yahoo.com. Salamat!

BLOCKED. Intense action during the ongoing 86th Araw ng Davao basketball tournament at the Davao City Recreation Center. SBP photo/Fermyl