Edge Davao 5 Issue 104

Black market na lang daganan ani kay wa pay tax.

EDGEDAVAO P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

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Science/ Environment

Page A1

Page 4

Blackmarket revs up

Davao miners stop selling gold to BSP

By ANTONIO M. AJERO

Property

Sports

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Page 16

A SHARP decline has registered in the income of the Davao region from gold production after many small scale miners and mining cooperatives stopped selling gold to the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas in 2011.

This was reported by Regional Director Maria Lourdes D. Lim of the National Economic and Development Authority (Neda) in Region 11 yesterday.

Lim and Regional Director Estrella R. Turingan of the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) in Region 11 discussed the Davao region’s economic performance in 2011 in terms of Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) as a special presentation of the ISpeak media forum at the Davao City Hall yesterday.

n Mining co-ops also stop selling as BIR ruled cooperatives no longer tax-exempt Lim said the mining sector suffered a decline in production from small-scale miners, a sector which contributes 98 percent of the gold output of the region, “as less gold is being sold to formal channels such as the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.”

She said this is due to the imposition of the two percent excise and 10-percent withholding tax im-

posed on gold produce in July of 2011.”

Lim also reported that the Bureau

FDAVAO, 13

Dabawenya US fencer goes for gold

By Neil Bravo

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n Gold figures down by 23% due to imposition of 2% excise tax and 10% withholding tax

few days before she competes in the 2012 London Olympics, top US fencing bet Lee Oropilla Bacani Kiefer asked that a support note written by her aunt be pinned right on the map of the Philippines in the huge message board inside the sprawling Olympic Games Village.

“We wrote one for Lee and tacked it on the USA map but then Lee said “put it on the Philippines on the map” - so I did! So if anyone who knows any athletes from the Philippines and they are wondering who Lee Kiefer is, please tell them she is half-Filipino and is thankful for all the support from Americans, Fil-Ams, and Filipinos in the Phiippines,” said Martz Angeles Coleman who visited the

18-year old Kiefer in the Games Village on Tuesday.

Kiefer, the United States’ bet for women’s individual foil event and ranked no. 7 in the world, will go for the gold on Sunday at the ExCel Centre where a total of 35 pistes will be used for fencing.

Kiefer’s mother is Teresa Bacani Oropilla who hails from Tagum City and married Steve Kiefer who is also a doctor and former fencing standout from Duke University. The Kiefer siblings—Alexandra, Lee and Axel-are all world-class fencers.

Janice Bacani-Carandang, another relative of Kiefer, told EDGE Davao that her niece wanted to be known that she relishes being

half-Filipina and asked for the prayers and support of Davao and the country.

“She is proud of her roots and she wants everyone to know that,” Carandang said of Lee who was raised by her mom to Filipino values.

“She’s very respectful and humble despite her accomplishments.

That story about

FDABAWENYA, 13

EYES ON THE PRIZE. Fil-Am fencer Lee Oropilla Kiefer of the United States guns for gold medal in women’s foil fencing on Sunday (Phl time) in the 2012 London Olympics.

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THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

DENR 11 exec to nip PDIC to sell 130 pieces of property New log smuggling in region in Davao to raise P243.88 million T HE PHILIPPINE Deposit Insurance Corp. is set to sell 130 pieces of property next month in a bid to turn assets it had acquired from failed banks into cash.

Officials said proceeds of the sale would help the stateowned firm boost the deposit insurance fund (DIF), thus strengthening its ability to services claims of depositors of shuttered banks.

In a statement, PDIC said the 130 pieces of property are estimated to be worth P243.88 million.

The assets, which are all in Davao City, include 59 residential lots, 42 condominium units and 29 parking spaces.

“PDIC has posted “For Sale” signs in public and strategic areas within the localities [where the properties are situated], the government-owned firm said.

The bidding for the properties is set on August 1 and will be held at the PDCI’s regional office in Davao City.

As the country’s deposit insurer, PDIC is mandated to take over assets and liabilities, the bulk of which are deposits gathered from the public, of banks that the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas orders closed.

Reasons for closing banks include observance of unsafe and unsound banking practices and insolvency.

Socoteco cuts power rate in SOCSARGEN

T

HE power rate in General Santos City and in the nearby provinces of Sarangani and South Cotabato has slightly dropped this month as supplies in the critical Mindanao grid continued to stabilize in the last several weeks.

Joy Celeste Alora, South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) information officer, said Thursday they are implementing a 13-centavo cut in the basic rate for residential consumers for the month of July as the cooperative posted a significant decrease in its generation costs during the period.

From the previous rate of 7.37 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) last June, the basic charge for this month has dropped to 7.2311 per kWh, she said.

The new rate would be incorporated into the bills for August of power

consumers in this city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato.

“This [power rate cut] is mainly due to the cooperative’s reduced utilization of power supplies from TMI (Therma Marine Inc.) and the stabilization of supplies coming from the NPC (National Power Corporation),” Alora said.

She was referring to the existing power sales contract between Socoteco II and TMI, which supplies an additional 35-megawatts to the area via its diesel-powered barges.

Alora said that from P99 million in June, Socoteco II’s obligations to TMI went down to P89 million this month.

She said the cooperative’s payments to TMI reached as high as P120 million at the peak of the

FSOCOTECO, 13

MILF infighting spoils Ramadhan

T

HE observance of Ramadhan, the holy month of fasting for Muslims, has been disrupted by fierce clashes among members of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), officials said yesterday.

At least 360 families in the towns of Sultan sa Barongis and Rajah Buayan in Maguindanao have reportedly fled to evacuation centers due to the clashes that erupted since Monday. A stray bullet has injured a 14 year-old girl.

Datu Zamzamin Ampatuan, chairman of Rajah Buayan’s Association of Barangay Captains, raised deep concerns on Wednesday following the large troop reinforcement from the warring MILF groups that forced residents to flee to safer grounds to avoid getting caught in the crossfire.

Around 80 armed men from Mamasapano town, serving as reinforcement, was seen heading towards the conflict zone, he said.

FMILF, 13

Last year, 31 banks – mostly rural banks – were closed.

Despite this, PDIC said the DIF, which is used to pay claims of depositors of closed banks, remains healthy.

PDIC President Valentin Araneta had said, however, that the state-owned firm wanted to liquidate its acquired assets to boost the DIF. He said that as of end February, the DIF stood at P72.62 billion, 12 percent more than the P64.91 billion recorded in the same month last year.

The DIF accounts for about 4 percent of total insured deposits in the coun-

try’s banking system.

PDIC targets to raise the amount to 5 percent of insured deposits.

Officials said PDIC was keen on keeping the DIF at a comfortable level to ensure prompt payment of insurance claims.

They said prompt servicing of deposit insurance claims was necessary to help keep confidence of the public in the country’s banking sector.

Regulators said that despite the string of closures in the rural banking sector, the value of assets of failed banks accounted for an “insignificant” portion of the entire assets of the rural banking sector. PDI

Newly designated Depatment of Environment and Natural Resources Regional Director Joselin Marcus Fragada said he would be establishing safety nets to curb smuggling of forest resources from Region 11.

“We’d like to find a way to regulate the shipment of logs from the region.” Fragada said.

Among the moves is the reduction of anti-illegal logging checkpoints to curb corruption. He says those checkpoints left standing should serve as honest-to-goodness checkpoints.

Another plan is the closure of illegal sawmills in the region, particularly in Davao Oriental. Those sawmills with no supply

contracts would be the first to go.

According to DENR-11 data, there are about 158 wood processing plants in the region of which 70 are still operating.

He said the DENR is eyeing to reactivate the Port Integrated Clearance Office (PICO) which is composed of different government agencies including the DENR to check the shipments before they are loaded into the ships.

Last June 29, about 55 container vans laden with P16-milliom worth of illegal forest products from Davao were seized in Manila’s Pier 16, the port of origin. The seizure led to the relief of various

FNEW, 13

DEMOLITION. Residents of Soliman Street, Agdao watch helplessly as one of the houses is being demolished on Thursday. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

NCCA rolls out P95 million for arts, culture projects T HE National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) is making available a P95 million fund for various arts and culture projects that will be rolled out under the NCCA Grants Program.

It is calling on cultural and arts groups, academic institutions, local government units, government agencies, local arts organizations, non-government organizations and private Individuals involved in arts and culture to submit their project proposals until August 30, 2012.

Renee T. Alavera, head of NCCA Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts

Section said that NCCA allots P5 million to each of the 19 NCCA committees to fund the project proposals that best suit their respective concerns.

Under NCCA’s Subcommission on the Arts are the committees on Architecture and Allied Arts, Cinema, Dance, Dramatic Arts, Literary Arts, Music and Visual Arts. The Subcommission on Cultural Dissemination includes the committees on Language and Translation, Communication and Cultural Education.

NCCA’s Sub-commission on Cultural Heritage handles six committees on Archives, Art Gallery, Historical Research,

Libraries and Information Services, Monuments and Sites, and Museums, and the Sub-commission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts oversees three committees on Central Cultural Communities, Northern Cultural Communities and Southern Cultural Communities.

Priority projects of the National Committee on Architecture and Allied Arts are production and development of multi-media interactive CD Rom, monograph and audio-visual materials, exhibition, lecture series and research.

The National Committee on Cinema is look-

ing for project proposals on screenplay development, post-production, workshops, film festival for non-government organizations, film festival for LGUs/ state universities and colleges/ national government agencies, publication or archiving.

The National Committee on Dance prioritizes proposals on dance workshop for teachers in special programs for the arts, dance production grant, LGU cultural assistance program, dance competitions and dance curriculum design.

The National Commission on Dramatic arts would like to have pro-

FNCCA, 13

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

THE BIG NEWS

3

Region 11 top economy in Mindanao

By Greg G. Deligero

T

HE Davao region remains as Mindanao’s top economy in terms of value in the Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP).

The region managed a total GRDP output of P224.8 billion in 2011, a 4.1% increase compared to P215.9 billion in 2010. “Among the Mindanao regions, the Davao region rebounded in 2011 as the top economy in terms of GRDP value while placing second in terms of growth,” regional director Maria Lourdes D. Lim of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA).

“The Davao region is going high,” she said. The region grew faster than Northern Mindanao (2.5%) and SOCCSKSARGEN (4.0%) but fell short of the Caraga region’s growth of 7.4% in 2010 and 9.6% in 2011.

Lim said the 4.1% growth in 2011 may be attributed to the sustained

performance of the services sector, particularly in the transportation, storage and communications subsector, as well as in real estate, renting and business services, which posted significant improvement at 8.6% and 13.0%, respectively.

She said the output from the region’s robust ICT sector, specifically the Business Processing Outsourcing or BPOs, was tallied under the business services subsector and pushed the growth of that subsector to a doubledigit growth of 13%.

“Also contributing to the real estate subsector’s good performance is the increasing demand for land and property development due to the strategic economic position of Davao Region and that of Davao City in Mindanao,” she said.

Lim said the region is expected to continue its strong

FREGION, 13

ECONOMY. Estrella R. Turingan, regional heaf of National Statistic Coordination Board 11, right, at the I-Speak media forum on Thursday at City Hall. With her is National Economic Development Authority regional director Maria Lourdes D. Lim. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

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SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Great white shark population lower than previously believed F

AR fewer great white sharks are cruising the waters off of California than previously thought, according to researchers who conducted a unique shark census in the northeastern Pacific Ocean.

“This low number was a real surprise,” said Taylor Chapple, a doctoral student at the University of California, Davis when he led the great white sharkstudy.

“It’s lower than we expected, and also substantially smaller than populations of other large marine predators, such as killer whales and polar bears,” said Chapple, now a postdoctoral researcher at the Max Planck Institute in Germany.

Counting the great white sharks was a handson activity. The researchers went out into the Pacific Ocean in small boats to places where great white sharks congregate, and lured the massive predators into photo range using a seal-shaped decoy on a fishing line.

From 321 photographs of the uniquely jagged edges of the sharks’ dorsal fins, they identified 131 individual sharks.

From these data, they used statistical methods to estimate that there are 219 great white sharks in the region.

“We’ve found that these white sharks return to the same regions of the coast year after year,” said study co-author Barbara Block, a Stanford University marine biologist and a leading expert on

sharks. “It is this fact that makes it possible to estimate their numbers. Our goal is to keep track of our ocean predators.”

The study, published in the journal Biology Letters, is the first rigorous scientific estimate of white shark numbers in the northeast Pacific Ocean, and represents one of the best estimates among the world’s three

known white-shark populations.

Great white sharks also live in the waters around Australia and New Zealand, and off the coast ofSouth Africa.

Shark species around the globe have suffered steep declines in recent years. As many as one-third of the world’s sharks and other car-

tilaginous fishes are threatened, and shark numbers along the United States eastern seaboard have plummeted, some species by as much as 90 percent.

Great white sharks are classified as “vulnerable” by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature, but relatively little is known about the elusive species.

“This estimate only represents a single point in time,” Chapple said.

“Further research will tell us if this number represents a healthy, viable population, or one critically in danger of collapse, or something inbetween.”

Satellite tagging studies have demonstrated that great white sharks in the northeast Pacific

make annual migrations from coastal areas in Central California and Guadalupe Island, Mexico, out to the Hawaiian Islands or to the “White Shark Café,” a region of the open ocean between the Baja Peninsula and Hawaii where white sharks have been found to congregate – after which they then return to the coastal areas.

HE military has strengthened its support to line agencies to address the illegal logging activities in Eastern Mindanao area.

Commodore Romeo Santiago Nebres, deputy commander and spokesperson of the Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) said the latest activity involving the soldiers was the apprehension of more or less 1,000 Lauan logs and other varieties of wood drifted deliberately at the Liboganon River in Barangay Florida, Kapalong, Davao del Norte Tuesday.

He said members of the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force in cooperation of the members of the 10th Infantry Division, Davao del Norte Police Office, Provincial Environment and Natural Resources Office of Davao del Norte, and the City Environment and Natural Office confiscated the logs with approximate value of P2.4 million.

“It is part of the effort in line with the Presidential Executive Order No. 23, declaring a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural/residual forests and creating

the anti–illegal logging task force,” Santiago said.

Members of the Presidential Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force (PALTF) discovered the contraband Friday during an aerial survey on the forest cover in Davao Region.

Lucio Ceniza, member of the PALTF said they will seek the assistance of the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) and the Criminal Investigation Group to determine the identity of individuals behind the cutting of logs and their transport through the river so that proper charges can be filed

against them in court.

He said the task force needs to investigate further the persons behind the cutting and transport of naturally grown-species like Lauan and miscellaneous variety like the Falcatta.

The confiscated logs were turned over to the local government of Tagum City, Davao del Norte which will make armchairs and tables out of the contraband for distribution to public schools.

Joselin Frageda, new director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR 11) said

according to law, confiscated logs must be donated to the Department of Education (DepEd) to make chairs and tables for schoolchildren.

However, he said that hauling has become problematic given the vast confiscation done from the forest and on the road.

“That is why we would look for someone who fabricates chairs and tables like the local government of Tagum City under Mayor Rey Uy,” Frageda said.

He lauded Uy for allocating funds for the making of chairs and tables as he hoped that other local gov-

ernment units (LGUs) will follow Uy’s example.

Frageda said under his watch, confiscated lumber must be maximized for use of the people and not just to be left to rotten or allowed to disappear.

“I will come up with a memorandum of agreement with LGUs and the Church that will ensure transparency and guarantee that confiscated logs go directly to the making of chairs and tables,” he said.

He also stressed the need to address the depletion of the forest cover in the country. [PNA]

Military strengthens support to address illegal logging activities in Eastern Mindanao T

EDGEDAVAO

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

Stat Watch Analysis 1. Gross National Income Growth Rate (At Constant 2000 Prices)

5.8% 1st Qtr 2012

2. Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate (At Constant 2000 Prices)

6.4 % 1st Qtr 2012

3. Exports 1/ 4. Imports 1/ 5. Trade Balance 6. Balance of Payments 2/ 7. Broad Money Liabilities

USD 4,931 million May 2012 USD 4,770 million Apr 2012 USD -135 million Apr 2012 USD -209 million Mar 2012 P 4,580,674 million Apr 2012

8. Interest Rates 4/

4.1 % May 2012 P131,403 million May 2012 P 5,075 billion Apr 2012

9. National Government Revenues 10. National government outstanding debt 11. Peso per US $ 5/

P 42.78 Jun 2012

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

5,091.2 May 2012

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

130.1 Jun 2012

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.8 Jun 2012

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.7 Jun 2012

16. Visitor Arrivals

349,779 Apr 2012

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

18.8 % Jan 2012

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

7.2 % Jan 2012

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2009 - December 2011) Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2012

2011

2010

42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

43.31 43.64 43.27 43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52 43.70 44.17

45.11 43.95 43.49 43.44 44.31 45.18 46.32 46.30 45.60 44.63 45.74 46.31 46.03

Income deprivation

By Gico Dayanghirang

T

HE discourse on income deprivation is more often regarded as a social rather than an economic issue. But economists only know too well that income deprivation is just as important as any other factor influencing economic performance. The economy simply falters when a significant segment of society is unproductive.

Income deprivation in some sectors of society leads to less demand for goods and services, less sales for producers and less tax revenue for government. Moreover, income deprivation increases demand for social services which the state may not be able to provide because of a diminished tax base.

This then leads to social tension and unrest But the more damaging consequence of income deprivation is its long-term effect on health, education and productivity. The economy simply cannot move forward

when a significant segment of the population are in poor physical and mental health, are uneducated and are unable to be employed or to engage in productive activity. The economy goes into a stall under this condition.

Poverty incidence in the country is measured every three years.

The latest measurement has been in 2009. The figures are not encouraging. From 2003 to 2009, a quarter of the population of the country

OREIGN businessmen will be attracted to invest more in the Philippines if the government speeds up the bidding and implementation of the projects under the public-private partnership (PPP) program.

European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) president Hubert d’Aboville told PNA that the government needs “to truly open up” to increase foreign investments in the country.

He explained that “(there should be) no more chip in the shoulder” and instead “accelerate PPPs and facilitate foreign investments.”

“This will help the country to catch up with its dramatic lack of infrastructure and will create the

jobs we so badly need particularly in the countryside,” he stressed.

In 2011, the government announced 10 projects under the PPP program but has, to date. successfully bidded out one project – the Daang Hari-South Luzon Expressway Project, which was awarded to Ayala Corporation.

This year, the government aims to bid out at least eight projects.

Last June, the Department of Telecommunications and Communications (DOTC) published its invitation for interested parties to pre-qualify for the bidding of the P30-billion Light Rail Transit (LRT) Line 1 extension contract.

The project aims to extend by 12 kilometers (km) the 21-km Roosevelt-Baclaran line to Cavite.

has been consistently unproductive. Moreover, poverty is more pronounced among rural based sectors of the economy where 80% of the population resides. Surely no economy can move forward under this condition. Some serious policy intervention must be undertaken.

The ball is now in P-Noy’s hand.

So what has he been doing since assuming office in 2010?For one, delivery of basic services is now considerably better that corrup-

Poverty Incidence for Basic Sectors Philippines Fishermen Farmers Children Self-employed and unpaid family workers Women Mirgrant and formal sector Senior Citizens Individuals residing in urban areas

2003 24.9 35.0 37.0 32.7 28.0 24.0 14.6 15.1 11.1

tion is no longer an issue. In his SONA 2012 he has also vowed to complete implementation of agrarian reform by the end of his term.

Restructuringinvestment incentive policy to favor rural industrialization should be an ideal complement to agrarian reform to finally reduce to insignificance widespread rural poverty. This is a quarter of the population of the country becoming productive and contributing to overall economic growth.

2006 26.4 41.4 37.2 34.8 28.2 24.1 15.7 16.2 12.5

2009 26.5 41.4 36.7 35.1 27.9 25.1 16.7 15.8 12.8

PPP projects draw foreign investors F Other projects included in the PPP program are the construction of a road that will connect the North Luzon Expressway (NLEX) to the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX), the operation and maintenance of the LRT Line 2, the Laguindingan Airport and the Puerto Princesa Airport; construction of the Mactan-Cebu International Airport Passenger Terminal building, and the School Infrastructure project.

Recently, the Aquino administration was criticized for seeming lack of policy that is supportive of foreign investors citing among others the high cost of electricity.

Is the government really driving away investors by not putting in place measures that will help

ADVERTISEMENT. Three workers of an advertising company assemble the televisions for a LED television advertising billboard along San Pedro Street. [LEAN DAVAL JR.] as of august 2010

Cebu Pacific Daily Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Silk Air Mon/Wed/Sat Cebu Pacific Thu Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat

5

5J961 / 5J962 Z2390 / Z2390 5J593 / 5J348 PR809 / PR810 PR819 / PR820 5J394 / 5J393 5J599 / 5J594 5J347 / 5J596 5J963 / 5J964 PR811 / PR812 5J595 / 5J966 MI588 / MI588 5J965 / 5J968 5J965 / 5J968

5:45 5:45 6:00 6:10 7:50 7:50 8:00 9:10 9:40 11:30 12:00 18:55 12:55 13:35

Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Iloilo Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga Cebu-Davao-Cebu Iloilo-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Cebu-Davao-Manila Davao-Cebu-Singapore Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

6:15 6:25 6:30 7:00 8:50 8:10 8:30 9:40 10:10 12:20 12:30 13:35 13:25 14:05

Silk Air Thu/Sun Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri Philippine Airlines August Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippines Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Tue/Sat/Sun Cebu Pacific Daily Airphil Express Daily Philippine Airlines Daily except Sunday Philippine Airlines Sunday

MI566 / MI566 5J507 / 5J598 15:55 Z2524 / Z2525 5J967 / 5J600 PR813 / PR814 5J215 / 5J216 5971 / 5J970 5J973 / 5J974 5J969 / 5J972 2P987 / 2P988 PR821 / PR822 PR821 / PR822

18:55 15:00 Mani2Mani 16:05 16:35 16:55 18:00 18:40 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:20 22:20

foreign businesses expand in the Philippines?

However, d’Aboville said making the Philippines conducive for foreign investments is not just a job for the government but the private sector as well.

He pointed out that the high electricity cost in the country is already given and businessmen should not consider this issue a problem that the government should solve alone.

“This is a fight that has to be given solution with by the government and the private sector. We must combine our efforts,” he said.

D’Aboville said the key to this problem is to use electricity efficiently and be on the saving mode.

He explained that there are technologies that maximize electricity use without putting additional expense on the business.

He cited as an example using double-pane window on buildings, which is more energy efficient because it requires less energy compared to the traditional singlepane windows.

“We are not happy that electricity is very expensive but we have technologies today that substantially reduce our bills. We can save by going the right investment,” he said.

The ECCP chief said the government through the Department of Energy (DOE) is very supportive of measures and programs aimed at increasing energy efficiency. [PNA]

Davao-Singapore Cebu-Davao-Cebu 16:50 Cebu-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Cebu Manila-Davao-Manila Cagayan de Oro-Davao-Cagayan de Oro Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila Manila-Davao-Manila

15:20 15:30 16:45 17:05 17:45 18:20 19:10 20:30 21:00 21:00 21:50 22:50

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THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

DOLE seeks help of industries to find green jobs, products

T

HE Department of Labor and Employment(DOLE) has sought the help of industries to determine where the so-called “green jobs” may be found.

Cynthia Cruz, executive director of the DOLE’s Institute for Labor Studies said consultations are being conducted with non-government organizations, the private sector and other government agencies to tackle climate-friendly products and services and sustainable practices at workplaces. ”Much has been discussed on a global and local scale on what green jobs are.

These definitions have varied from country to country, from industry to industry.

We want to hear what industries actually think,” she said.

The DOLE has convened the different sectors Thursday for the Green Jobs Mapping Project at the Pan Pacific Hotel in Malate.

Green jobs, as defined by the International Labour Organization, is the “direct employment in economic sectors and activities, which reduce their negative environmental impacts, ultimately resulting in levels that are sustainable.”

These jobs include but are not limited to jobs that protect the ecosystem and

biodiversity, reducing energy, materials and water consumption and minimizing all forms of waste and pollution. ”The green jobs mapping project will enable the DOLE to measure the extent of greening in industries and therefore count green jobs,” Cruz said.

The sectors expected to yield green jobs are agriculture, fisheries and forestry, tourism, transport and construction, among others. ”These consultations with industries will help clarify how industries characterize green jobs and what activities fall under it,” Cruz said.

DOLE Undersecretary Lourdes Trasmonte has underscored the importance of the project. ”We’re trying to find out how we can be resilient in climate change. We should be more proactive,” she said.

Trasmonte cited as example that green jobs can be found in managing garbages. ”We can look on how to manage garbage so it can create jobs for our people through recycling materials,” she said.

The Philippine Labor and Employment Plan 20112016 calls for the mainstreaming of green jobs creation in labor market policies. [PNA]

OUTSTANDING MSMEs. Governor Migs Dominguez (center) with Councilor Nasser Suib (extreme left), Mayor Alfonso Singcoy (2nd from left) and Eddie de Asis (extreme right), senior trade and industry development specialist, pose with members of Balungis Women’s Association after the awarding of the plaque of recognition for being one of the three most outstanding Micro, Small, Medium Enterprises (MSME) in MALAPATAN, Sarangani last July 24,

at municipal gymnasium during the “USWAG Goes to Town” Malapatan leg. United towards a Strong, Wealthy And Globally competitive Sarangani (USWAG), is an adaptation of the MSME development week held nationwide every second week of July which Sarangani expanded into a month-long activity. [COCOY SEXCION/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE]

HE Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCII) in cooperation with the City Government of Davao will once again mount the Davao City Business Conference (DCBC) today, July 27, at Marco Polo Hotel.

DCBC is an annual event spearheaded by

tions were derived from the series of focused group discussions conducted by DCCCII together with the concerned parties confronted with these existing issues.

The chamber believes that as voice of the business sector, the aforementioned resolutions will at least address the growing concerns of the city.

Meanwhile, gracing the event are speakers

Guillermo M. Luz, CoChairman of the National Competitiveness Council who will discuss the Philippines’ global ranking and Bernardo M. Villegas, Founder of the Research and Communication of the University of Asia and the Pacific who will discuss the country’s economic briefing.

A segue launching of the 14th Davao Trade Expo will also take place during this event. [PR]

percent from the same period last year,” the Cabinet official added.

Also, imports of capital goods reached US$ 1.4 billion in May 2012, higher by 19.9 percent compared to US$ 1.2 billion in the same period last year.

The increase in import payments for telecommunication equipment and electrical machinery (23.0 percent), aircraft, ships and boats (94.6 percent), office and EDP machines (16.3 percent), land transportation equipment (35.6 percent), and power generating and specialized machines (7.9 percent) largely offset the lower import bill for photographic equipment and optical goods (-7.6 percent).

“The sustained growth in imports of capital goods was due to the broadly upbeat sentiments of businesses on the back of robust expansion and higher volume of production,” said Balisacan, who is also the director-general of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Furthermore, imports of consumer goods grew by 1.5 percent to US$

660.4 million in May 2012 from US$ 650.5 million in May 201, mainly due to higher imports of durable goods, like passenger cars and motorized cycle (which increased by 81.9 percent).

Balisacan cited a report from the Chamber of Automotive Manufacturers of the Philippines Inc. stating that domestic sales of vehicles increased by 30.7 percent year-on-year in May 2012 with 14,265 units sold.

He also noted the Association of Vehicle Importers and Distributors (AVID) report on an 11.0-percent increase in vehicle sales in the same period, reaching 2,255 units from 2,032 units a year ago.

Meanwhile, cumulative import payments as of May 2012 amounted to US$ 25.7 billion, lower by 1.9 percent compared to US$ 26.1 billion in the same period last year.

The trade-in-goods deficit in the first five months of this year narrowed to US$ 3.2 billion from US$ 5.4 billion in the same period a year ago, mainly due to better exports performance. [PNA]

10th Davao Business Conference to propel economic development T the Davao Chamber and for years now, became an avenue for the Public and Private Sectors to raise critical issues and recommendations confronting the city through formulations of resolutions.

Now on its 10th year, the proposed resolutions are to focus on priority private-public partnership projects, infradevelopment and agridevelopment projects.

These proposed resolu-

May imports rise by 10.1%

M

ERCHANDISE imports or the value of goods bought outside the country recovered in May 2012 due to the surge in inward shipments of mineral fuels and lubricants, capital goods, and consumer goods.

“This was a recovery from two consecutive months of year-on-year decline,” Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.

The National Statistics Office (NSO) reported that imports in May 2012 posted a 10.1-percent growth or US$ 5.4 billion from US$ 4.9 billion in the same period last year.

The value of overseas purchases of mineral fuels and lubricants surged by 88.1 percent year-on-year to US$ 1.3 billion in May 2012 due to the increased volume that grew by 53.2 percent from the same period last year.

“Even as crude oil prices eased in the international market, the value of overseas purchases of mineral fuels and lubricants surged by 88.1 percent year-on-year to US$ 1.3 billion in May 2012 due to the increased volume that grew by 53.2

EDGEDAVAO

PROPERTY

7

Five ways to live green in Camella Northpoint VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

Liverpool , Camella Northpoint’s 4th building, towers above the other condo buildings in this perspective. Liverpool will be the greenest building so far in this condo community with a premier address.

Camella Northpoint’s site location is set within a green surrounding.

OW many ways can also has an Atrium, a vertical your home allow shaft that allows the exit of you to live green? In warm air, further cooling the Camella Northpoint, living building. green is easy as it becomes This means the condo a part of your lifestyle. Here units will have less need are five ways to live green for air-conditioning, which in this landmark condo de- usually eats up a quarter of velopment that is the city’s the utility bills. That’s big premier address. savings for the homeown#1 Reduce energy con- ers, and a great reduction in sumption. Camella North- power usage. point’s green buildings are #2 Reduce fuel condesigned to harness nature’s sumption (and your carelements to its advantage, bon footprint!). Living in making full use of the natu- Camella Northpoint is like ral breeze and light to great- living within the nerve cenly improve the indoor air ter of north Davao’s growth quality and lighting of the area, only in a gentler, more condo buildings. tranquil setting. Its location The latest tower, Liver- gives its homeowners the pool, for instance, has Sky best advantage as far as getGardens that are open spac- ting to where they want and es that allow natural breeze need to go is concerned. into the building, cooling That’s because Cathe hallways and individual mella Northpoint’s locaunits of the condo tower. It tion at the junction of Buhangin Road and JP Laurel

H

Avenue in Bajada makes it near to all modern conveniences they want and need.

From schools, modern office and business centers, markets, banks, airport, malls, places of worship, supermarkets, restaurants—everything is easily accessible within a five to ten kilometre radius.

That means they can choose to walk, ride in public transport, or drive a very short distance to their desired destination, saving time, effort, and fuel. Moreover, they reduce their carbon footprint by reducing their carbon dioxide emission that contributes to climate change. #3 Reduce waste. One of the pil-

lars of environmental protection is the reduction of wastes that can find its way to the environment at large.

Camella Northpoint as a community meticulously practices waste segregation, which is mandatory to all homeowners as its property management team oversees its implementation in compliance to the city ordinance on solid waste disposal.

Not only solid wastes are managed in a green fashion in this condo community.

Wakefield Manor’s wellness pool with its salinated water does not require a lot of chlorine for maintenance.

Hence when cleaning or changing its water, there is less chlorine disposed. #4 Live a

green, healthy lifestyle. Living green is living healthy. In Camella Northpoint, living healthy can be as simple as enjoying the outdoors instead of being cooped up in your home.

With its verdant surroundings of olden trees, robust plant life, and P4 million worth of imported Caribbean pine trees, Camella Northpoint’s outdoor is a beautiful sight and a refreshing place to commune with nature. Homeowners can walk around the open spaces, admire the scenery, and take in the crisp scent of pine.

If exercise is their cup of tea for staying healthy, they can jog along the tracks while taking in picture-perfect scenery, or huff it up at the fitness gym at the clubhouse. Or dive into the wellness pool for a set of invigorating laps for a refreshing way to flex those muscles. In between laps, they can take a moment to float and feel nature around them: the azure

skies and billowy clouds, the chirping birds, and pine trees swaying gently to the breeze.

It’s the perfect way to cap their exercise for the day.

Best of all, it’s an experience they can have over and over again and it will not cost anything – one of the many privileges of a Camella Northpoint homeowner. #5 Live at Camella Northpoint. By now it’s a no-brainer that living in this British colonial themed condo development of Camella makes one think green, breathe green, and live green.

Because in Camella Northpoint, all the ways to live green mentioned above are not mere possibilities; they are realities.

Take the first step to living green by getting in touch with Camella Davao at 2/F Delgar Building, JP Laurel Ave., Bajada, Davao City, (082) 222-0963 and (082) 222-5221, and avail of up to P100,000 discount and a 36-month down payment term.

8

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Campaign finance as a civil rights issue ANALYSIS

BY LEO HINDERY

T

EDITORIAL

Budget for Mindanao

M

INDANAO, which has the lowest ratio of paved roads to overall road infrastructure among the country’s regions, is set to get a larger allocation from the national government’s proposed annual budget for infrastructure.

This was the good news reported in a national daily quoting Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson in a discussion with business leaders and senior officials of Mindanao in Manila.

The roundtable discussion was organized by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) and the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) with support from the US Agency for International Development (USAID) through its Growth with Equity in Mindanao (GEM) Program, which is implemented under the oversight of MinDA. Singson was candid enough to say that 69 percent of national roads in Mindanao are unpaved.

“It is clear that Mindanao should get a bigger share of the budget,” said Singson.

Under the proposed general appropriations law, Mindanao will get P27.62 billion, or 26.1 percent of the national infrastructure budget, up from P20.4 billion the previous year. This is heartening considering that infrastructure

EDGEDAVAO

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budget allocations for the other regions are: Northern Luzon, 24.1 percent; the National Capital Region, 14.6 percent, and the Visayas, 19.4 percent.

The objective of increasing infra sending in Mindanao is part of the vision of the Aquino government to improve the country’s attractiveness as an investment destination “by enabling seamless connectivity, and to lower the costs of communication and transportation.”

To be sure, this is not the first time that Mindanao’s infra budget has reached more than 25 percent. In fact, there was a time under a previous administration when it reached more than 30 percent. Of course, the big budget was not completely implemented because of certain supervening events that prompted the government to reduce infra spending in Mindanao.

Thus, this decision to increase Mindanao’s infra budget is merely a good intention. There is no assurance that the allocation will not be derailed and Mindanaoans will be disappointed once again.

While it is true that “hope springs eternal in the human breast” as the saying goes, what’s wrong with keeping our collective fingers crossed?

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

ALBERTO DALILAN Managing NEILWIN L. BRAVO Sports and Motoring ARLENE D. PASAJE Cartoons

RAMON M. MAXEY Consultant

GREGORIO G. DELIGERO CARLO P. MALLO Associate Features and Lifestyle KENNETH IRVING K. ONG KARLOS C. MANLUPIG • JOSEPH LAWRENCE P. GARCIA LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR., Creative Solutions Photography LORIE ANN A. CASCARO • JADE C. ZALDIVAR • MOSES C. BILLACURA Staff Writers

Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG

JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

RICHARD C. EBONA IMELDA P. LEE Advertising Specialists

AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE

LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Cagayan de Oro City Tel: (088) 852-4894

MANILA MARKETING OFFICE

ANGELICA R. GARCIA | Marketing Manager Blk. 1, Lot 10, La Mar Townhomes, Apitong St., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 942-1503

(1st of 2 parts)

WO Supreme Court decisions are fundamentally transforming our political system and our democracy to a degree we may not grasp until the results of this year’s elections become clear. Never has our electoral process been more captive to vast – and mostly anonymous – sums of money from a handful of large corporations and wealthy individuals.

For all the scorn rightfully heaped on Citizens United, however, it’s actually SpeechNow v. Federal Election Commission that has been most destructive. SpeechNow allows not-forprofit organizations to accept unlimited contributions from individuals for independent expenditures, and this decision birthed both “super PACs,” which can accept unlimited contributions but must disclose donors, and “tax-exempt organizations” which are not subject to the disclosure requirements that apply to candidates, parties, PACs and super PACs. Under these recent court decisions, a handful of immensely wealthy individuals and CEOs and boards of directors of large corporations now legally direct tens of millions of dollars to funding an overwhelming stream of political ads on behalf of candidates from whom they obviously expect some sort of fealty once the candidates are in office.

Before we as a nation succumb to the complete abandonment of fairness and balance in our election process, we need to stop the bleeding. Institutional investors, policymakers and voters alike should demand administrative policies, legislative action and voluntary steps by corporations to dramatically limit corporate political spending.

To start, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), in conjunction with the FEC, should use its existing powers to force public disclosure of all corporate political contributions and lobbying expenses. The SEC is obligated to compel public companies to disclose whatever expenditures are material to the companies and, under its same public interest doctrine, to similarly compel disclosure of actions which might materially affect shareholders’ decisions to invest. While political contributions might not be material measured against the totality of earnings, their disclosure, I would argue, are material items of disclosure for the investing public. This disclosure requirement should also include contributions made through a “bundler” or intermediary.

Separate and apart from any regulatory action the SEC might take, executives should be pushed to not use company funds to influence elections.

The obvious voices to help advance this cause are the nation’s public pension funds.

Unfortunately, I have become convinced that no combination of this current Congress, the SEC and aggrieved shareholders will be enough to sufficiently rein in corporate political contributions and their undue influence.

The potential payoff for these corporations in preferential tax breaks and weakened regulations and oversight is simply too great.

EDGEDAVAO

W

Angat dam, dike sit on fault line

ITH the onset of the rainy season, critical eyes have once more been trained on the Angat Dam, which heretofore was recommended for immediate rehabilitation after discovery the 44-year-old structure and its dike in Norzagaray, Bulacan sit on a fault line.

There was fear that if the structure was damaged by an earthquake, it could flood surrounding cities and towns.

The Angat Dam, which began operations in 1967, six years after its construction, has a multipurpose reservoir that provides 97 percent of the domestic water supply of Metro Manila, irrigates about 27,000 hectares of rice land in Bulacan, and provides a flood control function that benefits several communities in Bulacan.

Experts have said an earthquake on the Western Marikina Valley Fault could trigger movement on the fault lines beneath the dam and its dikes.

If those were damaged, the experts warned, the flood would affect not only areas near the Angat River but extend both upstream and downstream into the flood plain of the Pampanga River.

That would be a devastating sight for some cities and towns in Bulacan, Pampanga and Metro Manila, the latter home to more than 15 million of the country’s 98 million population.

The flood waters in some areas of Norzagaray, Bustos and Baliuag could reach as high as 30 meters during the initial break of the dam and as high as 10 meters in Pulilan and Plaridel and all the way to Calumpit and Malolos City.

The Angat River Basin, on the south-

I

SPECIAL FEATURE

BY HONOR BLANCO CABIE eastern part of Central Luzon and originates on the slopes of the Sierra Madre, has a catchment area of 781 square kms and an estimated annual run-off of 873 million cubic meters, collecting from the main tributaries of Matulid and Maputi rivers.

The watershed area is bounded by Umiray River in the northeast, the Kanan River in the southeast, and the Marikina River in the south.

The river defines a huge semi-elliptical curve of about 12 kms long near Sitio Bitbit in Bulacan’s Norzagaray town.

At a few kilometers downstream, the river emerges from the mountain, flowing in a westerly course across the lowland plains of Bulacan before emptying its water into Manila Bay. Recently, the Manila Waterworks and Sewerage System said it is open to other experts assessing the structural condition of the 44-year-old Angat Dam. This is to support the feasibility study by a US-based firm for its P5-billion rehabilitation, according to MWSS Administrator Gerardo Esquivel, who said tapping independent experts should not stall nor hamper the rehabilitation process.

“We need all the help we can get, but we don’t want it to be the analysis [that leads to] paralysis [of the modernization project], which is awaiting President Aquino’s approval,” he said.

He was speaking at the Summit on Ef-

fective Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation Program sponsored by the Bulacan provincial government and the Integrated Bar of the Philippines.

Recently, officials said China is providing the Philippines P5.3 billion for the Angat Water Utilization and Aqueduct Improvement Project of the state-run Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Also recently, President Benigno Aquino III inaugurated the project, which involves the construction of an additional 9.9 kms to Aqueduct 6 and an interconnection facility that would ensure water flow from Angat Dam to La Mesa Dam in Novaliches.

The project aims to ensure water supply for Metro Manila’s 15 million residents and reduce the 394 million liters of wastage.

In his speech, the President said MWSS, under its new leadership, has turned around from a loss-making agency to a revenue contributor.

From P34 million in losses -- and amid generous bonuses to MWSS officials -- in 2010, the government agency earned P330 million in 2011, allowing it to pay the pension benefits of retired workers reaching P236 million.

MWSS also remitted P150 million in dividends to the national government.

Aquino credited Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson, who chairs MWSS, for the agency’s turnaround. He said the MWSS today put an end to the previous situation wherein only 41 million out of 146 million cubic meters of water was put to good use. [PNA]

To be part of it: the Olympics in a British way

N a purple and red uniform, the grayhaired Alan Farmer as an Olympic volunteer was warm-hearted and helpful.

“How can I help?” he would ask the journalists smilingly when they stopped at his desk in the lobby of a hotel.

Farmer retired from a telecom company. After knowing that the Olympic Committee were looking for volunteers, he applied.

It has been reported that London has a total of 70,000 volunteers. During the games, many of them will be working 10 to 12 hours a day without salary.

But Farmer didn’t seem to care much.

“It (the Olympics) is once in a life time, and I want to be part of it,” he said.

In fact, “to be part of it” is just what many British people feel as the Games are only two days away.

With a spectacular Beijing Olympics too magnificent and impressive for the world, the London Games, held amid economic depression in the Europe, might appear less luxurious. The stadiums may be less fancy and scintillating, some are even not completed yet, but that doesn’t hamper the local people from sharing the joy of the Games.

To showcase its culture, Britain launched a 12-week London 2012 Festival, or the cultural Olympiad, which was the biggest cultural festival in the history and aimed to have as many people involved as possible. According to the schedule, performances might pop up in the city without notice.

While roaming in London, you might

Monkey Business

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

SPECIAL FEATURE

BY XINHUA WRITER BAI XU run into a singer.

Last Saturday I saw a big crowd in front of a shopping mall of Westfield in east London, some putting down their bags or carrying their babies to listen to the songs from an apparently famous singer.

Theatrical plays were brought to the Trafalgar Square, which can be watched by everybody, rich or poor, free of charge.

The plays were so well-known, like the Lion King, Phantom of the Opera, and Singing in the Rain, that many were humming with the actors. It could give you an illusion that you were in a big chorus.

Even the homeless were given a stage to display their talent, when some 300 took over the Royal Opera House. Under a black hat and playing a wooden guitar in the spotlight, Bryan Morrison was no longer that architect who had mental health problem.

When Andrew McCutchion was preparing for his performance with poems, he was not the alcoholic any more-the dream of music inside him woke up.

The festive atmosphere was spread outside London as well, from the sunny beach of Wales to the unfrequented castle ruin near Scotland, from the hometown of Shakespeare to Hadrian’s Wall.

I stood amazed in the sea wind, to see hundreds of tents glowing under a starry sky whilst poems were whispered. Late as the event was, local people were dressed

in windbreakers and arrived to enjoy the peaceful night.

I sat dazzled by a bonfire, to find the ancient Stonehenge turned into a carnivalesque firegarden. The normally quiet site were suddenly packed with visitors at night, with a long queue still waiting outside to enter.

A communication officer told me that the megalithic monuments were off limit in ordinary days. “The Olympics gave us a rare chance to get closer to the Stonehenge,” she said.

Not only do people celebrate their culture during their involvement, but they enjoy sports as well.

Great Britain may not be raking in as many gold medals as the United States and China, but the popularity of sports was felt everywhere in the country.

In the parks of London you can see people, young and old, men and women, jogging every day inspite of wind and light rain. During the weekends, kids who are not even old enough for schooling play football guided by their community coaches. While watching their matches, I was overwhelmed by a strange idea that I may be gazing at a future Beckham or Rooney.

In the small town of Much Wenlock, where trains couldn’t reach and mobile phones have no connection, people have their own “Olympics” every year. Staff were all volunteers and everyone was allowed to register and compete in the arena of a primary school playground.

[PNA/Xinhua]

9

Vulnerable groups’ rights to reduce HIV COMMENTARY

BY MATTHEW RUSLING

A

CTIVISTS at this week’s global AIDS conference pushed for more rights for vulnerable groups such as sex workers in a bid to reduce new cases of the deadly disease that has ravaged countries worldwide.

The subject was the topic of several panel discussions and artistic performances at the 19th annual International AIDS Conference, which drew more than 20,000 researchers, activists and volunteers to an event that has not been held in the U.S. since 1990.

Advocates said pressure from law enforcement can drive the industry underground and make it difficult for health workers to reach those in commercial sex.

And reaching vulnerable groups such as sex workers are much more likely to contract HIV than the general population -- is critical to reducing overall levels of the disease worldwide, experts said. That is because clients could spread HIV to their wives or other partners outside the commercial sex industry to the general population.

A result of lax sex workers’ rights, activists said, was the alleged practice of police using condoms as evidence against sex workers.

Activists said the alleged tactic could fuel the spread of HIV among sex workers and their clients, as some in the sex industry have reported not carrying condoms out of fear of police.

Speaking Monday at the 19th International AIDS conference in Washington, Acacia Shields, a consultant with the Open Society Foundation, said police in the U.S. and elsewhere are confiscating condoms from sex workers, a practice she said was endangering the lives of those working in commercial sex and their clients.

New York, Los Angeles, Washington D.C. and San Francisco have reported high rates of HIV among sex workers and transgender women, and targeted HIV prevention among these groups is an urgent priority, activists said.

Anti-AIDS activists found the practice odd because U.S. government-funded programs distribute condoms to those in the sex industry, only to have them taken away by police.

Police, however, deny the charges.

Officer Albie Esparza, spokesman for the San Francisco police department, told Xinhua in a phone interview that the department’s new policy is not to collect condoms for prostitution related offenses.

Gwendolyn Crump, spokeswoman for the Washington Metropolitan police department, told Xinhua via email that there is “no prohibition against carrying condoms.”

Los Angeles Police Department (LAPD) spokesman Cleon Joseph told Xinhua via email “We are not aware on this type of activities with LAPD Officers.” The New York Police Department did not respond before press time.

Last week, a report by the Open Society Foundation found the same for six countries. The report, entitled “Criminalizing Condoms,” surveyed sex workers in Kenya, Namibia, Russia, South Africa, Zimbabwe and the United States.

It found that such police practices make sex workers more likely to have unprotected sex with clients.

Fifty-two percent of survey participants in the U.S. said they sometimes opted not to carry condoms because of stop-and-search practices.

In a number of panels at this week’s conference, sex worker advocates blasted what they said were blunt police tactics used to combat human trafficking. [PNA/ Xinhua]

10

HERITAGE

EDGEDAVAO

t o a s r s o t t s o t o M 6 n 3 r e y h e t a u rs o S

By Carlo P. Mallo

G

ROWING up, the sight of this single-storey warehouse like structure was a welcome relief as it signaled that school was just another block away. On the way home in the evening, its display window helped us pass time while being stuck in rush hour traffic.

There have been many changes along that stretch of MacArthur Highway, between Ateneo de Davao Grade School and Ma-a intersection – old houses have been torn down, grasslands have been replaced with malls, old commercial buildings replaced with new ones, and the old wooden building of the Ateneo now replaced with its new complex.

But this structure, which we all know as Southern Motors, has remained the same. Sure, there are tweaks and renovations every so often but the building and the entire motor pool at the back is relatively the same as it was established in 1949. Just look at how high the highway has elevated over years of repair compared to the elevation of Southern Motors.

Just like many of my generation and those before me,

I had little idea as to what Southern Motors really was about, except that they sell cars and pickups by Isuzu.

During a conversation with Frank Liu III, or Kim, as everyone calls him, he said that their company was originally established as Southern Motors, Inc in 1949 under the Yutivo and Sons Group of Companies, SMI as the company was referred to based on its acronym managed the network of branches handling distribution, parts and service in Visayas and Mindanao.

The compmany then sold General Motors Corporation vehicles such as Chevrolet, Pontiac, Opel, Holden, Vauxhall and Isuzu including genuine parts and provided full service repair and maintenance shops. By 1953 the late Frank N. Liu, Sr. patriarch of the present day company joined the Davao office as Branch Manager until 1973 when General Motors decided to take more active control of the business.

In that same year as part of GMs new plan they required that the Yutivo Group divide the network of branches into three independent companies, which became North-

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late GENALIN T. MANGUDADATU, has been EXTRA – JUDICIALLY SETTLED executed by his heirs per Doc. No. 370; Page No. 74; Book No. XXXVI; Series of 2012 of the NOTARY PUBLIC FRANCISCO M. VILLANO (EdgeDavao July 13,20,27)

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

ern Motors in Luzon, Cebu Southern Motors in Visayas and Southern Motors of Davao, Inc. in Mindanao.

In July 2, 1973 under the leadership of the late Frank N. Liu, Sr. Southern Motors of Davao, Inc. was incorporated and approved by the Securities Exchange Commission with an all Filipino ownership. On that day Southern Motors of Davao, Inc. or SMDI as it is also presently known became the exclusive franchised dealer of General Motors Pilipinas (GMP) for Southeastern Mindanao and continued to provide the products and services of GM. When the American car companies slowly withdrew from the Philippines in the late 80s SMDI became the exclusive authorized dealer of Isuzu Motors Pilipinas Inc. in 1991 and sold all Isuzu brand new vehicles covering the whole of Southeastern Mindanao.

In 1996 Southern Motors of Davao, Inc. became the exclusive franchised dealer of Isuzu Philippines Corporation, distributing brand new Isuzu Vehicles for Southeastern Mindanao alongside operating a Five Star motor vehicle repair shop duly accredited by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) which continues to the present day.

It has been 63 years since the first car rolled out of the Southern Motors building on MacArthur Highway, and we can expect more cars to roll out in they years to come.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

USEP ROTARACT CLUB incoming Pres. Gian Angelo Gianan (2nd from right) and the other officers take their oath of office before Rotary Club of South Davao Pres.

Scott Nimmo (rightmost) at the Research Development

and Extension Hall, USEP Barrio Obrero Campus. Partially shown are Immediate Past Pres. Ira Louise Santos and Pres.-Elect Ashton Senarillos (3rd and 4th from the right). [PHOTO BY RHODORA NIMMO]

USEP Rotaractors inducted T

HE 22nd installation and turnover ceremonies of the Rotaract Club of the University of Southeastern Philippines (USEP), sponsored by the Rotary Club of South Davao for more than two decades now, was held at the Research Development and Extension Hall inside the USEP campus, last Saturday, July 21.

Pres. Gian Angelo Gianan and the other officers of the Rotaract Club of South Davao took their oath of office before RC South Davao Pres. Scott Nimmo in a simple program hosted by Vanessa Mae Bendero and Gaylyn Paloma.

The other officers inducted were Ashton Senarillos – president-elect, Vanessa Mae Bendero – internal VP, Ma. Ira Santos – external VP, Zheena Mae Mendez – secretary, Shyvonne Tabucol – asst. secretary, Joenalyn Galang – treasurer, Joven Dave Lozada – P.I.O., Jeralyn Rellon and Kristille Sasota - finance directors, Rudolf Jim Matalam – professional management director, Normandell Parojinog – community service director, and Jessell Dayon andChristian Ratal – club service directors.

In his inaugural speech, newly installed Pres. Gianan, a graduating 5th year civil engineering student, asked Rotaractors “to become committed members in order to succeed in achieving the club’s mandate”.

Paraphrasing Henry Ford, he said, “Rotaractors coming together is our beginning, Rotaractors keeping together brings progress, and Rotaractors working together spells suc-

cess.”

Pres. Gianan called on his fellow Rotaractors to share their time “so that we can work hand in hand in achieving our projects and the DRR’s Thrust”, and “its mandated legacy, Fellowship thru Service.”

Before the formal turnover of leadership, outgoing Pres. Ira Louise Santos, now Rotaract district secretary for Visayas and Mindanao areas, in her valedictory speech, said she was grateful for the opportunities gained in the Rotaract Movement.

While pursuing a course in Literature at the university, Ira Santos became an advocate of the movement, a dean’s lister, consistent scholar and a writer. Formerly, she was over-all chair of the Mindanao-wide District Assembly that her club hosted last year - when she was Assistant District Rotaract Representative for Davao Area, as well.

Aside from the induction of new Rotaractors by Pres. Gianan, another highlight of the program was the speech of the guest of honor, Rtn Scott Nimmo, the first ever non-Filipino club president of RC South Davao.

While “University days are the best days of your life, yet you cannot stay here forever,” he admonished them. Pres. Scott also challenged the youth “to get on in the world to become a success.”

He encouraged the Rotaractors to “let Rotary be your edge”...“Use it and make connections to mark you out.”

Introduced by Joepril Pableo, Pres. Scott, a native of Bellshill, Scotland, com-

pleted veterinary medicine and surgery at Glasgow University. A generous and kind-hearted civic leader, Pres. Scott is married to Rhoda Gabunada, now president of the South Davao Rotary Spouses Circle.

Zheena Mendez, club secretary, delivered the welcome address. In his closing remarks, Pres.-Elect Ashton Senarillos thanked the Rotarians for their support and financial assistance. He also expressed the club’s special appreciation to Prof.

Emma Gobantes for her effort in enabling the club to have the hall as induction venue. And he extended congratulations to his fellow Rotaractors for a successful event, and notably, to fellow officers for their induction and officership.

Attending South Davao Rotarians andspouses who were acknowledged by Shyvonne Tabucol included PDG Nonoy Villa-Abrille, club secretary Michael Chellathurai, IPP Arthur Uy, Rtn. Rein Ultee, Spouses’ Pres. Rhodora Nimo & PE & Sec. Merelyn Chellathurai. Also present was Noel Gianan, father of the incoming president, among others.

The Rotaract Club of South Davao, USEP Chapter, a universitybased club sponsored by the RC South Davao, is a service club for young men and women aged18 to 30, addressing their communities’ physical and social needs while promoting international understanding and peace through a framework of friendship and service. The Rotaract Club of South Davao is one among the more than 8,400 clubs in about 170 countries.

COMMUNITY SENSE 11

12

NATION/WORLD

NATION BRIEFS On bail

F

ORMER president and Pampanga Representative Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo is temporarily free after posting a P1 million bail for her poll fraud charges Wednesday.

Arroyo, who has been under hospital arrest at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center (VMMC) due to her bone ailments since late last year, left the hospital around 2:30 pm, television footage showed.

Her convoy however had to endure a group of protesters, mostly from League of Filipino Students who blocked the way. After the brief delay, Arroyo arrived at La Vista subdivision in Quezon City where supporters cheered her on.

Coverage

W

ITH Filipinos watching the live media coverage of the selection process for the next Chief Justice, the government is more likely to choose wisely, Senator Francis “Kiko” Pangilinan on Wednesday said.

The Judicial and Bar Council’s (JBC) televised interviews of Chief Justice nominees deepens public awareness on issues in the justice system, Pangilinan said in a statement, noting that this will likely make Filipinos focus on issues and platforms rather than personalities.

O

Pessimistic

NLY three in 10 Filipinos with disability are optimistic that their quality of lives will improve in the coming months, based on the Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey results.

The nationwide survey used face-to-face interviews of 1,200 persons with disability (PWDs) last December 3-7, 2011.

It found that 29 percent of PWDs expect their personal quality of life to improve in the next 12 months (optimists), while 18 percent said they don’t expect it to improve (pessimists).

A

World-class

GRICULTURE Secretary Proceso J. Alcala has asked the hog industry to explore the export market for pork, saying the establishment of world-class slaughterhouses is premised on maximizing the industry’s potential overseas.

Alcala’s marching orders to his subordinates at the Department of Agriculture (DA) is to find sites that are viable, meaning they should be adjacent to piggeries and corn farms that provide the feeds for hogs.

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Canada ‘spy’ sold US, Australia, UK secrets A

WORLD TODAY New offensive

L-QAEDA’S front group in Iraq said Wednesday that a wave of attacks that killed 113 days earlier marked the launch of a new offensive, as officials said seven people died in new unrest.

The spate of violence nationwide on Monday, which also wounded more than 250 people, was the worst to hit Iraq in more than two and a half years and shattered a relative calm that had held in the lead-up to the holy Muslim fasting month of Ramadan.

A

Canadian naval officer arrested this year for allegedly leaking secrets may also have compromised top level Australian, British and American intelligence, a report said Wednesday.

Jeffrey Delisle, a naval intelligence officer, was charged in Canada in January with communicating over the past five years “with a foreign entity, information that the government of Canada is taking measures to safeguard”.

Canadian reports said Ottawa expelled four Russian diplomats in the aftermath of Delisle’s arrest, although Moscow denied this.

On Wednesday the Sydney Morning Herald, citing Australian security sources, said Delisle also allegedly sold to Moscow signals intelligence -- information gathered by the interception of radio and radar signals -- collected by the United States, Britain, Australia and New Zealand.

It said much of the information was more highly classified than the disclosures attributed to US Private Bradley Manning, who is accused of releasing a vast cache of classified files to whistleblowing website WikiLeaks.

Photo illustration of a Canadian naval vessel on patrol in the Arctic. A Canadian naval officer arrested this year for allegedly leaking secrets may also have compromised

top level Australian, British and American intelligence, a report said Wednesday.

The newspaper said Delisle was the subject of high-level consultations between the Australian and Canadian governments and was discussed at a secret international conference in New Zealand earlier this year.

An Australian security source quoted by the newspaper said Delisle’s access was “apparently very wide” and that “Australian reporting was inevitably compro-

mised”.

“The signals intelligence community is very close, we share our intelligence overwhelmingly with the US, UK and Canada,” a former Australian Defence Signals Directorate officer said.

An Australian Defence Department spokeswoman said the government did not comment on intelligence matters.

“However, the Aus-

tralian government takes national security very seriously and is continually reviewing and strengthening policies, practices and techniques to ensure Australia’s national security,” she told AFP. New Zealand Prime Minister John Key refused to confirm whether the intelligence conference took place and said he could not discuss matters of national security.

according to the health department and the United Nations’ Development Programme (UNDP).

Ten new infections are being detected every day, three times the rate of just a few years ago, the UNDP said.

Although the total of 9,669 confirmed cases is relatively small in a population of nearly 100 million people,

authorities acknowledge many more cases likely remain undetected and point to the concerning upward trend.

The Philippines is one of only seven countries globally where HIV cases have risen by 25 percent or more since 2001, according to the UNDP. “This is a worrying explosion of HIV cases marked

by a shift in the way the virus is transmitted,” Philip Castro, the UNDP’s HIV/ AIDS programme officer in the Philippines, told AFP. He said 87 percent of new infections were attributed to unprotected mento-men sex (MSM), in a country where condom use overall is one of the lowest in Asia.

“What’s more alarming is that more than 60 percent of (those engaging in) MSM had reported having unsafe sex in their last contact,” Castro said.

Lack of public education about HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, as well as the shame of living with the disease, also prevent many from acknowledging infections and seeking help, health experts said.

They lay a lot of the blame on the powerful Catholic Church, of which 80 percent of the population are followers, for spreading a conservative message they say has led to a lack of understanding and tolerance about condoms.

Gay sex fuels HIV rise in Catholic Philippines

G

AY sex in a conservative Catholic society where the influential church forbids the use of condoms is fuelling an alarming rise of HIV infections in the Philippines, experts warn.

The Southeast Asian country is facing a HIV epidemic, with sex between men making up nearly 90 percent of all new cases,

With a bang

HE “It’s more fun in the Philippines” fever has officially reached Kuala Lumpur, thanks to the successful launching of the Philippine Tourism Fair in Malaysia on Friday, the Philippine Embassy in the Malaysian capital said.

The Embassy relayed to the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) in Manila that the Tourism Fair was “launched with a bang” at the Lower Ground Concourse Area of the Berjaya Times Square in Kuala Lumpur.

EDGEDAVAO

A gay activist is silhouetted on a rainbow flag during a rally at the University of the Philippines in the town of Los Banos, Laguna province, south of Manila. Gay sex

in a conservative Catholic society where the influential church forbids the use of condoms is fuelling an alarming rise of HIV infections in the Philippines, experts warn.

L

Blunder

ONDON’S Olympics got off to an embarrassing start when North Korea’s women footballers refused to play after a mixup over their national flag, in one of a series of blunders.

Hosts Great Britain had kicked off the sports festival, years in the making and costing billions of dollars, with a 1-0 win over New Zealand as women’s soccer got under way two days before the opening the ceremony.

@tweeter-in-chief

C

AN any world leader rival Barack Obama’s popularity on Twitter? With more than 17 million followers, @ BarackObama is by far the most watched of the 264 accounts surveyed in “Twiplomacy,” a study of Twitter usage by heads of government, published by public relations firm BursonMarsteller on Thursday.

Obama was the first head of state to sign up on the social media service and the PR firm said he sent the most popular tweet of any world leader, which read: “Same-sex couples should be able to get married.” His popularity ranks him fifth in the entire Twitterverse, just behind @britneyspears, according to the study.

A

Warning

LLEGED Colorado shooter James Holmes reportedly sent a warning package to a psychiatrist at his former university with a notebook and drawings of his plans to massacre people.

Holmes, 24, is accused of shooting 12 people dead and wounding 58 more at a cinema on Friday in Aurora, outside Denver, as young moviegoers packed the first midnight screening of the latest Batman film, “The Dark Knight Rises.”

S

Nuclear

TRONG expansion of nuclear power as a carbon-free energy source in Asia is expected to press ahead despite the Fukushima accident in Japan that soured sentiment in some countries, a benchmark report said on Thursday.

An earthquake and tsunami crippled the Fukushima plant in February 2011, leading to the closure of Japan’s 50 reactors and spurring Germany to pledge to close all of its nuclear reactors by 2022.

EDGEDAVAO

Dabawenya...

Davao...

FFROM 1

FFROM 1

of Internal Revenue’s new ruling that it will no longer exempt cooperatives from paying taxes, has prompted mining cooperatives in the gold-rush town of Nabunturan to stop selling their gold to the BSP. An insider in the mining industry told Edge Davao that in order to avoid paying high taxes, a big number of miners are now content to sell their gold produce to traders who in turn smuggle the gold out of the country in bulk.

The insider said the practice of small-scale

New...

miners in Mt. Diwalwal of selling to the blackmarket instead of the Central Bank was rampant during Martial Law because at the time, Central Bank was buying gold at prices way below the buying prices in the blackmarket.

“We do not know how Executive Order No. 79 recently issued by President Aquino can address the problem, especially so that EO 79 seeks a bigger share of mining revenues for the government,” the insider said.

The insider also clari-

fied that selling to the Bangko Sentral merely slowed down, not totally stopped.

The miners are known to the Bangko Sentral which will be surprised if they suddenly stop selling their gold to the bank.

The Edge Davao source said “gold production continues, but a great part of the gold is sold to the local blackmarket because its dealings are not subject to tax, pays a higher price, and cannot be traced in terms of money earned from gold and in terms of volume of metal being sold out.”

establishment of PICO inside the Davao Port. They are also identifying three local government operated ports and one private port in the region where the PICO could be setup. For private ports the DENR 11 head said would need the permission of the port owner.

They are also anticipating the acquisition of walleye imaging systems which are handheld x-rays that could see through solid container vans. Using this technology Fragada says will not necessitate the opening of container vans.

He said that the DENR is in the process of acquiring the Walleye and said that they are expecting two units to be given to the region.

Another strategy is making shipping lines accountable and liable for the contraband they transport. This will make the carriers become more responsible in checking what cargoes they are transporting.

Fragada said that with these safety nets they are confident that no illegally cut lumber will be shipped out of the Davao.

MILF...

especially now that we are on the homestretch of the negotiations. It is high time that the MILF resolves peacefully these infightings, ‘ridos’ or clan wars within its ranks,” Ferrer said.

Reports said that Kumander Kubota of the MILF 105th base command and Kumanders Basco and Morris of the MILF 106th base command have been intensely fighting along with their respective followers in the last three days.

The skirmishes among the MILF commanders were reportedly triggered by a land dispute involving a 20-hectare land in Sitio Kinalinan, Barangay Tukanakuden in Sultan sa Barongis town.

The clashes have escalated in nearby Barangay Kulambog where reinforcements from the 105th base command were blocked by their nemeses.

Col. Mayoralgo dela Cruz, commanding officer of the Army’s 1st Mechanized Brigade, said the firefights have displaced hundreds of families from Barangays Gadungan, Kulambog and Tukanakuden in Sultan sa Barongis. Other evacuees fled to the nearby village of Caridad in Lambayong,

Sultan Kudarat.

“We can only monitor the situation because that is an internal conflict between the MILF. What we do now is to prevent the escalation of the gun battle to [populated] areas to ensure the safety of civilians,” dela Cruz said.

The Integrated Provincial Health Office, headed by Dr. Tahir Sulaik, has deployed an emergency response team to the municipal health office in Sultan sa Barongis to look of the welfare of the evacuees.

At around 2pm on Wednesday, as the intense gun battle had just started, fourteen yearold Diana Kanapia was hit in her right thigh by a stray bullet. She was immediately rushed to the provincial hospital in Shariff Aguak town.

Earlier on Wednesday, representatives from local and international peace monitors and the GPH-MILF Joint Coordinating Committees on the Cessation of Hostilities arrived in the area but failed to pacify the situation.

The MILF Central Committee has yet to release a statement about the squabble of their troops.[FERDINANDH CABRERA/MINDANEWS]

[PIA 11/RG ALAMA]

FFROM 2

Ampatuan, former undersecretary at the Department of Energy, urged the government, the MILF, and the International Monitoring Team to step in and end the conflict.

He also requested the military to set up a “buffer zone” to protect the civilians.

“The conflict started last Monday, we heard sporadic gun fires. Sadly, this happened despite our observance of Ramadhan. We call on the MILF leadership to settle the dispute,” Ampatuan said.

In a statement yesterday, Brigadier General Leo Cresente Ferrer, senior military adviser to the government peace panel, also urged the MILF leadership to impose discipline among its forces and peacefully resolve infightings instigated by “ridos” or clan wars among its base commands.

Ferrer made the call in the midst of news of positive developments on the peace table that points to a possible signing of a peace agreement between the two parties, as well as in deference to the celebration of the holy month of Ramadhan.

“We call on the MILF to show their collective sincerity and commitment to the peace process

the note in the Games Village is a testament that she wants to be known as a Filipino also even if she is playing for the United States,” she added.

Kiefer practiced with some of the competitors already in London including Japan’s Kyomi Hirata on the build up to the foil competitions right on Day 1 of the quadrennial Games. A photo of Kiefer in practice was prominent in some London newspapers prior to the start of the Games.

The world’s biggest sports spectacle opens to-

Socoteco...

morrow in London with more than 14,000 athletes from 205 countries taking part.

One of the youngest bets in the US team to the Olympics, Kiefer earned her Olympic berth by winning in the recent world championships. She will be joining the Notre Dame varsity after the Olympics and a strong showing in London is expected to catapult her to star status in the American sports scene.

According to sports observers, Kiefer has a

good chance of winning a medal in London although the fencer herself is not in a hurry. She looks forward to be in top form by 2016 when she would be competing in her second Olympics.

Meantime, another Dabawenyo in Mark Anthony Barriga arrived in the Games Village recently after a short pre-Olympic training in Cardiff, Wales on his build up to the Olympics boxing competition. He will begin his quest for the lightflyweight gold on July 31.

power demand.

Alora that since last month, the power supplies generated by the NPC and transmitted by the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) have been stable and consistent, resulting to reduced mandatory power curtailments or rotating brownouts in the area.

Based on the NGCP’s power outlook advisory to electric cooperatives on Thursday morning, she

said the Mindanao grid’s capacity stood at 1,092 MW. She cited a deficit of 180 MW, which are prorated to all local electric cooperatives in Mindanao.

“Based on EXPERIENCE,

with translation, writing of literary biographies and literary performances/reading programs.

The National Committee on Music prefers proposals on applied music training/workshop, annotated performance, music creation while the National Committee on Visual Arts prioritizes proposals on research and dissemination on creative industries, visual arts residency, visual arts competitions, visual

arts workshops, publication of catalogues, arts in public spaces, urban landscape design competition.

Meanwhile, the NCCA Sub-commission on Cultural Communities and Traditional Arts is looking for project proposals preferably on trainings, seminars, workshops, for lecture, congress, conference, lakbay-aral, arts camp, community assembly, research and community festivals.[PIA 11/ JEAN-

FFROM 2

FFROM 2

regional DENR officials led by then Regional Director Jim Sampulna.

In his defense, the former regional head said that the forest goods were inside a closed container van and had no probable cause to warrant the opening of the said vans, Warrantless searches on closed container vans is a power vested upon the Bureau of Customs alone and not with the DENR. Under the proposed set-up container vans should first get permits from the DENR thru the PICO. Fragada said that they are initializing the

13

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

power shortage Mindanao in April.

Power demand within the service area of Socoteco II, which is also serving an expanding industrial sector, presently peaks at 105 MW daily.

The cooperative operates 44 power feeder stations in the area.

But its contracted supply from the NPC, which varies on a monthly basis, only reaches 72 to 74 MW or short by 31 to 33 MW based on the area’s peak

NCCA...

THE

IMPACT

OF

SHORTAGE

MINIMAL

OF

FOR

SUCH

WILL

US

AMOUNT

ONLY

HERE.

BE

THERE

WILL

BE

SOME

BUT

THEY

WILL

NOT

ONE

HOUR

AND

AFFECT

MORE

THAN

MORE

THAN

WILL

NOT

TWO

FEEDER

BROWNOUTS

STATIONS,”

TAKE

ALORA

ADDED. [ALLEN V. ESTABILLO/MINDANEWS]

FFROM 2

posals on regional network building, theater craft development and capability building, production grant, traditional theatre Program.

The National Commission on Literary Arts is looking for proposals on creative writing workshops, training workshop for translation, training workshop for criticism, literary competitions, publication of anthologies

Region...

FFROM 3

economic position in 2012 due to more economic opportunities like the renewed boom in property development as Davao City amends its investment code and by “exempting new business projects from paying real property taxes for up to five years instead of allowing them not to pay certain local government fees as imposed by existing ordinances. “ “The amendment also proposes for the inclusion of both power generation and green technology on the priority list. Another factor that would contribute to more infusion of investments will be the offshoot of a trade mission to Singapore set in July to promote not only tourism, but also information and communications technology and property development,” she said.

Another opportunity, Lim said, can be found in the ICT sector which “is expected to continue its robust

performance.”

She pointed out that the BPO Association of Davao targets to employ about 4,000 call center agents for 2012 and the entry of Convergys, the country’s biggest BPO, that will recruit 1,000 agents by the start of 2013.

Lim cited the ICT scholarship from Malacañang where P10M is allocated for Region 11, the expansion to Knowledge Process Outsourcing such as those non-voice sector that would cater to health IT, back office outsourcing, engineering and design outsourcing, graphic design and animation and the recent accolade received by the Philippines as the world’s best country in business English proficiency by a California-based IT company.

She also pointed out the trade missions to Russia and Europe to seek new markets for Cavendish banana in the wake of China market’s

EVIVE DURON-ABANGAN]

stricter quarantine regulations and “the accelerated government spending particularly for infrastructure development is expected to boost higher regional economic growth in 2012.”

Another opportunity, according to Lim, is President Aquino’s issuance of Executive Order No. 79 that spells out the government’s policy on mining, a move that would influence the development of US$12 billion worth of new projects over the next five years.

“This EO also promotes mineral processing in the country instead of merely exporting the minerals.

Through the facilitation of the Regional Development Council (RDC) 11, the DENRMines and Geosciences Bureau is continuing its implementation of its ‘use it or lose it’ policy and focuses on expediting the 35 approved exploration permits,” she said.

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SPORTS

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EDGEDAVAO

Spinetingling Olympics opening

T

HE London 2012 opening ceremony will be a spine-tingling extravaganza that exceeds expectations, thrilled audience members said after witnessing the final rehearsal for Friday’s showpiece spectacular.

And despite their excitement, those lucky enough to get a sneak peek vowed to keep the surprises secret after the show’s Oscar-winning director Danny Boyle pleaded with them not to ruin it by giving the game away.

Games volunteers and troops were given tickets to the final run-through as a thank-you for their efforts, while members of the 15,000-strong cast were able to reserve tickets for friends and family.

The 60,000-odd crowd seemed filled with enthusiasm as they flooded out of the Olympic Stadium late Wednesday.

“That was absolutely amazing. I wanted to whoop,” said Hilary Midgley from Darwen in northwest England, whose daughter was in the show.

“She hadn’t told us anything so we didn’t know what to expect. She told us how she was dressed and I was just about able to pick her out.

“It was beyond my wildest expectations.

“It would have spoilt it for us had we already known what was in it so we’re not going to tell anybody.

“Anyone who does should be ashamed of themselves!

“My daughter’s been rehearsing since the beginning of May, we know how many hours she’s put in and it would just spoil everybody’s hard work.”

The theme of the £27 million ($42 million, 34.5 million euro) spectacular is “Isles of Wonder”, inspired by a passage from William Shakespeare’s play “The Tempest”. The show is set to be watched by a vast global television audience.

Boyle -- who won an Academy Award for directing “Slumdog Millionaire” -- and his team, have explained their guiding ideas for the spectacle.

Fellow film-maker Stephen Daldry, the Games ceremonies’ creative director, revealed the show champions “the rich heritage, diversity, energy, inventiveness, wit and creativity that truly defines the British Isles”.

It is “a journey which will celebrate who we are, who we were and who we wish to be.”

INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

ARTS & CULTURE

Alessandra de Rossi’s

Adrift

I am in a place where everything moves in a dream-like pace while emotions come rushing in plenitude; a place where it is easy to be aware of everything around me yet the only thing I can focus on is my thoughts. In a sense, I have been caught in a trance where the ambience is overwhelming and messages are relayed coyly through mood and music. I am in a part of me that is seldom visited unless caused by a stimulus as deep and as thoughtful as the subject that is causing this unexpected visit to the artistic side of my brain.

Tonight however, I am crashing in the world of the arts and letting go of everything logical because I have chosen to write a review of Alessandra de Rossi’s latest project, an Electronica/ Chillout album. It is that type of album; one that makes you drop everything and really listen.

In the part of me that still understands logic (as it is not always easy to fully switch back to the logical side of your brain once you have been drenched in the arts for x number of hours) I realize that the primary reason why this album, Adrift, has the ability to immerse its listener into a world where nothing makes sense, and everything is measured by emotion, is because it was made purely by the artistic side of the brain.

And that is probably what sets this album apart.

Adrift, for many considerations, does not follow the mould of “sure-fire hits”.

It does not sound like any other OPM album, and does not talk about cheesy

love. It does not follow the traditional music flow, and unlike most OPM songs, it makes use of ambiance and mood to create a story and a denouement instead of relying on high notes.

If you plan to listen to the album just to find out how good a singer the multi-awarded actress is, you might be surprised because this is not an album that plays strongly on vocal proficiency; and that is probably its greatest strength. It does not try to highlight the singer’s voice for the sole reason that this was not made by a vocalist; it is an album of artistic elegance rather than of vocal gymnastics. As the songwriter, composer, singer, and producer of the album, Alessandra’s first musical foray feels much like a proper, beautiful book. A true masterpiece.

You see, great books do not rely on the ability of the writer to use big words or their grammatical proficiency. Truly great books rely on their ability to make the reader feel something, realize something, experi-

ence something, and immerse themselves totally in the text. In many ways, this album achieves that.

The reason why I say that this is a product born almost completely from the artistic side of the brain is because it does not follow the backbone of popular music; it does not even follow conventional musical counts. Sometimes, the vocals come chiming in after an instrumental introduction that only lasts a bar.

Sometimes the song ends abruptly. Sometimes, the vocals play second fiddle to the beat. Sometimes the vocals even act as added percussions. Sometimes a song dedicates a full thirty seconds for the introduction just to put the listener in the proper mood to really understand the message that is enveloped in the lyrics. And sometimes the accompaniment is filled with too many elements that your auditory is overwhelmed and you are left with no choice but to stop and truly experience the song… and then its climax ends and you are left with a fleeting dry down that leaves you feeling still.

Even the way it is released or promoted veers away from convention. The album is free to download for everyone (visit facebook.com/adriftalessandraderossi) and does away with mall shows or televised interviews and relies solely on social networking accounts for promotions.

Because the musical genre is not something a lot of us have been accustomed to, the experience may leave us in a pensive or confused mood, depending on the person listening. Admittedly, it is not for everybody. It is a genre that grows on you; somewhat of an acquired taste. Adrift is, in many ways, not made for mass consumption. It is a work of art, one made to fulfil the artist’s need for expression rather than sell copies. It may never get the airplay it deserves, may never climb the charts, or may never be heard in

clubs.

But maybe that is not even important. Like many wonderful works of art, the album moves you to think, it moves you to feel, it moves you to experience it and be immersed in it, and makes you want to do it all over again once all the eleven tracks are done. Maybe what is really important is that it manages to move you at all. Whether you enjoy the sound or not, the fact that it makes you debate with yourself is testament of true artistic work.

And for a debut album, that is definitely noteworthy.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

UP AND ABOUT ENTERTAINMENT

Htc introduces the One S Davao City, Philippines — July 20, 2012 — HTC One™ S is the brand new handset from HTC, which combines a sleek and slim design with a super-fast dual-core processor – the ultimate combination of powerful technology and impressive style. Perfect for taking pictures, watching videos and keeping up with the latest music, news and fashion trends, this phone combines everything needed to complement an active lifestyle. Wrapped under a high-resolution 4.3inch screen, the HTC One S is jam-packed with the latest smartphone technology making it a onestop device for all things social.

Available in two striking finishes, matte Ceramic Black and the ultra-chic Gradient Silver, this phone is leaps ahead in the style stakes. Those looking for a highly durable handset will love the unibody design in ultramatte black, which feels soft to touch yet is super scratch-resistant. Alternatively, the sophisticated light-to-dark gradient finish is perfect for those looking for a stylish accessory. You’d be proud to use this phone, thanks to its crafted, well-designed, exquisite finish.

Challenging traditional digital compact cameras, the HTC One S delivers super-fast instant im-

age capture and excellent picture quality through its unique ImageSenseTMtechnology.With a blisteringly fast 8 megapixel camera that autofocuses faster than the blink of an eye, alongside a host of advanced camera functions, users will never miss that perfect shot.

Fashion fanatics can capture the catwalk or latest street styles by snapping multiple images using the continuous shooting mode, record the action as a film and simultaneously take still shots, or even extract high-res images directly from the video later on. Music fans can make use of the low-light capabilities so they never lose the perfect picture in a dark concert venue or record the live performance on the HD camcorder. Proud friends and family never have to miss a one-off photo opportunity again, with the camcorder’s slow-motion setting making the quickest glimpse of a wedding or graduation a moment to remember. Also snapping and sharing pictures when out with friends is easier than ever via the camera’s smile detection and quick focus technology. Combine this with an easy-to-use interface that allows sharing at the tap of a screen, the next perfect profile picture is just around the corner.

For those who love music, this phone integrates Beats AudioTM for authentic, studio-quality sound so, whether blasting heavy house tunes or relaxing to

the latest acoustic sessions, it will feel as if the artist is performing right in front of you. Keep up-todate with all the latest tracks by listening to live streaming services and accessing over 50,000 international stations through internet radio. The new Music Hub allows users to gather all these services and applications together, providing one go-to place for all things music. Those with a busy lifestyle will also appreciate the in-built HTC Media Manager software, which makes it even easier to wirelessly up-

date libraries and transfer songs without connecting to a computer.

To ensure that precious photos, music and files are never lost, the super slim handset comes with 25GB free Dropbox

BOOKS

First choreography book in the country to be launched in Davao Works of premier dance choreographer Agnes Locsin featured PREMIER choreographer Agnes Locsin will launch her book, Philippine Neo-Ethnic Choreography (A Creative Process) on Friday, July 27, at 6 PM at the Locsin Dance Workshop along Quirino Ave.

The book, published by the UST Press, is the first of its kind in the country.

Here, Agnes Locsin reveals her creative process in transforming her ideas into dance movements that bear

her distinct philosophy of the human body and its capabilities for expressing beauty and feeling. In her own words, Locsin takes us step-by-step— from building the concept of the dance to doing extensive research—to perfect the neoethnic routines she helped popularize and make her vision take place and shape in and through her dancers.

She also traces the development of neo-ethnic choreography in the Philip-

pines and how it continues to inspire other choreographers today. This book will greatly benefit dance students, teachers, choreographers, enthusiasts, and art lovers interested in the art of choreography.

The book will be launched before the premiere of Locsin’s newest choreography, PUNO: Pangatlong Galaw which will be staged at the Locsin Dance Workhsop on July 27, 28, and 29 at 7pm.

For tickets and inquiries call Gigi at 09169095099.

space, meaning everything needed to protect those memories or the treasured music collection is backed up and stored safely online.

The HTC One S is available with a selection of accessories which enable users to get even more out of this powerful device. The impressive HTC wireless Media Link HD enables the phone to connect directly with a HDMI-enabled television, taking all content stored on the phone onto the big screen with a swift three finger swipe across the phone’s screen. Gamers can also make the most out of TV streaming by activating mirror mode and transforming the handset into a games controller, whilst showing-off their skills on the big screen. Those who can’t bear to miss a call or text need not worry, as the phone’s multitasking ability means users can still call and message without interrupting a movie, ‘slideshow’ or game.

Users who spend time behind the wheel can wirelessly link up the phone to a car sound system thanks to the HTC Car StereoClip, allowing them to take full advantage of the phone’s integrated mapping and navigation services, whilst blasting out the latest hits from the music library.

For a super-fast, super-slick phone, which is guaranteed to turn heads, visit www.htc.com to learn more about the HTC One S. The HTC One S is now available across various networks forPhp 26, 990.

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Cheating Kristen E! Online has the first dibs

TALK about a blindside.

E! News has learned that Kristen Stewart had a fling with her Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders.

Stewart attended the Teen Choice Awards with her Twilight costar and reallife boyfriend Robert Pattinson just two days ago.

“Kristen is absolutely devastated,” a source tells People. “It was a mistake and a complete lapse in judgment.” Us Weekly has also plastered a photo of Stewart and Sanders on its cover that would indicate the two had a romantic relationship.

Reps for neither Kristen, Rob nor Rupert have commented on or moved to clarify what went down, including the possibility of whether this is all one big misunderstanding.

However, a source close to Pattinson tells E! News that Pattinson has always found fame “very difficult and isolating” and has long thought of Kristen as “the only person who he can talk to about that, and he feels like they are both on the same level and they understand one another.”

“He worships her,” the

source said. “He doesn’t think there is another woman on the planet who is as beautiful and kind as her. He wants to be with her 24/7, he wants to marry her...as far as he is concerned, Kristen is his perfect match...Kristen is perfect to him. That’s why he’s always known that someday she would be his wife.”

And while Stewart seems to have the most to lose, PR-wise, Sanders isn’t without his own baggage: the British director is married to 33-year-old model, Liberty Ross (who incidentally also starred in SWATH

as Queen Eleanor), and they have two young children, Skyla and Tennyson, together.

As for what this means for the erstwhile Bella Swan and Edward Cullen, that, for now, is anyone’s guess, though as any good Twihard knows, have been together throughout the filming of their blockbuster movie franchise. Though it’s hard to pin down an exact date of their coupling, they went full-on public with their much-rumored relationship back in the spring of 2010.

And while the promo-

“I love him, I love him, I’m so sorry.”

E! News confirmed yesterday that the 22year-old had a dalliance with the 41-year-old director and married father of two, while Us Weekly published photos of the

two having a rendezvous.

So far Pattinson, 26, nor Sanders has deigned to comment on the situation. Meanwhile, Sanders’ wife, British modelactress Liberty Ross, has pulled the plug on her Twitter account.

Kristen issues an apology over affair Kristen Stewart has bypassed damage control and gone straight into apology mode.

After admitting her “devastation” over her indiscretion with Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders yesterday (and hours after the full photographic evidence emerged today), Kristen has issued a heartwrenching public apology to her better half, Robert Pattinson.

“I’m deeply sorry for the hurt and embarrassment I’ve caused to those close to me and everyone this has affected,” she said in a statement to People.“This momentary indiscretion has jeopardized the most important thing in my life, the person I love and respect the most, Rob.

tional rounds for the final installment of their franchise, Breaking Dawn Part 2, will be a bridge to cross once they get to it, at least there will be no tense sets to return to. Production on the film wrapped up this spring.

What does the legal wife have to say?

CELEB watchers are still picking their jaws off the ground following the shocking revelation that Kristen Stewart allegedly cheated on Robert Pattinson with her married Snow White and the Huntsman director, Rupert Sanders.

The scandal’s key players, though, seem to have taken swifter action.

Sanders’ wife, model-actress Liberty Ross—who actually played Stewart’s mother in the movie—posted a mysterious tweet just hours before news of the supposed affair exploded.

What did it say?

“Wow.” Simple.

But that’s not all.

The last user she followed was Us Weekly—which ran a photo Monday of Stewart and Sanders canoodling— before deactivating her Twitter account altogether. Ross, who has two young children with Sanders, also recently blogged for U.K. Vogue about her family’s vacation in Hawaii, following Snow White

and the Huntsman’s promo blitz.

“We are getting some R&R on the north shore of O’ahu after a lengthy press tour for Snow White & The Huntsman,” she wrote on July 4, posting photos from the vacay.

“It’s so beautiful here - we are staying in an artists house right out on a point with waves crashing either side of us.”

Even more intriguing, she had also written an earlier blog post about the film’s world premiere and even included a pic of her with Stewart and costar Charlize Theron—but that post now seems to have been taken down.

“Last night was quite a night for me and my family - the worldwide premiere of Snow White and the Huntsman,” she wrote. “We have lived and breathed this project every day now for two years, so to release it to the world last night was extremely exciting.”

It remains to be seen how the fallout will affect the film’s sequel, which is reportedly moving ahead with both Stewart and Sanders.

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Bundle of joy

By Carlo P. Mallo

THERE is no joy like that of a grandmother seeing her ‘apo’ joining the Christian world. That was how Philippine Star’s Edith Regalado looked like as her second grandchild, Joshua Daniel was being baptized at the San Pedro Cathedral.

Baby JD with daddy jon and mommy kai

Ninang Charish, Ninong Leo, Ninang Euger, Mommy, Daddy, KZ, Ninong Marlon and Lola Elena

Joshua Daniel is the first born of Tita Edith’s daughter, Kai. Ninongs and ninangs, who are mostly close friends across different fields, were in full force to show their love and support for the new bundle of joy.

As the case is in most Filipino gatherings, the baptism also turned to be a reunion of sorts as media friends and other key personalities gathered under

With Ninong Leo Magno & Ninong Tony Boy Florendo

one roof to catch up with each other.

And in true Tita Edith fashion, sumptuous reception followed with overflowing food. Oh, before I forget, the lechon was really good; I wonder when the next baptism that Tita Edith will throw again.

Again, welcome to the Christian world, Joshua Daniel!

With ninong Sen. Chiz Escudero

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

Lee Bacani Oropilla Kiefer

A day in the Olympics Village

By Neil Bravo

A

few days before the start of the 2012 Olympics, the world’s grandest sports spectacle, teenaged fencing sensation Lee Kiefer was in the pages of London newspapers.

The Games will not formally open until Friday night (early Saturday morning in Phl time) but Lee has started to make heads turn.

She is among the youngest competitors in the US Olympic squad but she definitely is among those who could light up the competitions and sneak a surprise.

Lee practiced with Japan’s Kyomi Hirata and looked exactly like her father’s description of her smooth moves a la ballerina. A photograph of Lee showed the youthful Notre Dame standout in glowing fluorescent green Nike shoes.

Lee’s aunt, Martz Angeles Coleman and husband Bill had the chance to visit

proper on Saturday (Sunday in Phl).

Lee met her aunt with another US fencing teammate Gerec Meinhardt into the Games Village. She was in shorts and a red USA shirt and matching flipflops. Lee showed preference for Asian food at t h e vast

the

halfPinay fence r i n the sprawl- ing Olympic Games Village, home of the more than 14,000 athletes from 205 countries in the duration of the Games.

Lee and the rest of the US fencing team are billeted at Mira House Building 3.

Her relatives and friends described her as “looking pretty relaxed” going into the competition

Games Village foodcourt and McDonald’s chocolate chip cookies.

The Kiefer family—father Steve, mother Teresa, sister Alex and brother Axel—are joining Coleman in London to form what they call as Team Kiefer Cheering Squad.

Davao-based aunt Janice Bacani Carandang said she hopes Davao and the country will pray for Lee

when she goes for the gold medal on Sunday. “We hope the people of Davao will pray for Lee, she is proud of her roots,” said Carandang of Kiefer who was in Davao in 2004 when she was 10 and already a budding fencer.

Coleman narrated an inspiring story when she visited Lee at the Games Village. She said they wrote a note for Lee on a piece of paper and tacked it on the huge Support Map, a board where supporters can tack notes on the map of the participating countries.

Lee reportedly asked to tack the note on the Philippine map so people would know that she is from the

Lee gets a drink from one of the machines inside the Village (left photo). With teammate Gerec Meinhardt in Building 3 of the Mira House where the US fencing team is billeted (middle photo). With aunt Martz Angeles Coleman and Bill

Philippines.

“Lee said “put it on the Philippines on the map” so I did!

15

(Top photo) Team USA’s Lee Oropilla Bacani Kiefer, the halfPinay who traces her roots in Davao, warms up with Kyomi Hirata of Japan during a practice session ahead of the 2012 London Olympics at the ExCel Centre. She will attempt to win the gold medal in women’s foil event in fencing on Day 1 of the Olympics (Sunday Phl time). (Below) Lee waves the US flag at the Games Village. (Top) Lee’s calendar shows a hectic schedule, and (lower photo) her USA banner and a recent magazine where she was featured.

knows any athletes from the Philippines and they are wondering who Lee Kiefer is, please tell them she is half-Filipino and is thankful for all the support from Americans, Fil-Ams, and Filipinos in the Phiippines,” Coleman narrated.

Coleman said Lee told her that n the Games Village, “she would see some Filipino athletes and sometimes feels like coming up and saying “Hey, I’m Filipino, too.” She ends up looking at them with a peculiar smile.

“I thought that was charming,” said Coleman.

Carandang hopes the Filipino athletes

So if anyone who The notes tacked in the Support Map first in the US map (left) and in the Philippines map (right).

Coleman inside Lee’s room. (Photos courtesy of Martz Angeles Coleman)

and the rest of the country will learn to embrace Lee “as our very own.”

When Lee Bacani Oropilla Kiefer takes en garde position in the fencing piste on Sunday, you can expect a burning pride inside her that’s truly Filipino.

“She is as Filipino as everyone of us,” Carandang noted.

16 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 104 • JULY 27 - 28, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Phl Olympians march in 146th L

ONDON — Team Philippines will march 146th in the order of parade among 205 competing nations when this city welcomes the sporting world with a glitzy opening rites on Friday night.

As the country’s flag-bearer, weighlifter Hidilyn Diaz will stride into the 60,000-seat Olympic Stadium first in line among the 25 Filipino athletes, coaches and officials dressed to the nines for the momentous occassion.

The Filipino group will wear a stylish, Rajo Laureldesigned Filipiniana attire in rayon fabric, and a hat known as salakot back home during the opening rites which begin at 9 p.m. (4 a.m. Saturday, Manila time) to the booming sound of a 27-ton bell.

“I’m excited to join the parade and carry that flag,’’ said Diaz in Filipino, as she joined a lot of household names

like tennis champion Maria Sharapova of Russia and Los Angeles Lakers’ star Paul Gasol among the athletes accorded the honor.

“It’s a dream. I am happy,” Diaz told countrymen while posing for souvenirs during a dinner tendered by one of the team’s sponsors on Tuesday during which she won 300 pounds as a raffle prize. “’Not everyone is chosen for that role, so I’m blessed.’’

This marks the first time since the Philippines first competed in the 1924 Olympics in Paris that a female athlete has been bestowed that privilege, which was given to boxing icon Manny Pacquiao during the 2008 Beijing Games.

The 10 other Filipino athletes—archers Mark Javier and Rachelle Cabral, boxer Mark Barriga, BMX rider Danny Caluag, long jumper Marestella Torres, long-distance

bet Rene Herrera, shooter Brian Rosario, swimmers Jasmine Alkhaldi and Jessie Khing Lacuna and judoka Tomohiko Hoshina—will join the parade which is expected to last until midnight.

Joining them are chief of mission Manny Lopez, Philippine Olympic Committee chair Monico Puentevella, businessman and shooting head Mikee Romero, coaches Yasuhiro Sato of judo, Chung Jae Hun of

archery, Joseph Sy of athletics, Tony Agustin of weighlifting, Gay Corral of shooting and administrative officer Arsenic Lacson.

As the birthplace of the Olympics, Greece will march first while the rest, except for host Great Britain, will parade in alphabetical order.

Coming out last will be host Great Britain, which is represented by 542 athletes, the biggest in its history.