Edge Davao 5 Issue 172

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VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

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Science/ Environment Page 4 Science\ Environment

Kaputian, IGaCoS

5 die, 22 hurt in bus crash

By Anthony S. Allada

Sports

Page 14

A

PASSENGER bus crashed into a mountainside Tuesday morning in Kaputian district, Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte, killing five passengers and injuring 22 others.

The fatalities were identified as driver Sinforiano Rubio, Jr. , Mary Hazel Monion, 17,

Passenger bus flips over after hitting a mountainside.

Milagros Cahanap, 60, Alfredo Baja, 57, and Marjun Senoc, 30.

They were declared dead on arrival at the Samal Emergency Hospital.

The 22 injured passengers were first rushed to the Davao

del Norte District Hospital in nearby Peñaplata district, but were later transferred to the Southern Philippines Medical Center in Davao City for medical treatment.

One of the 22 injured was

barangay captain Noel Estrera of Barangay San Isidro, Kaputian.

Others injured were Jenelyn Manayaga, Jason Nepomuceno, Jun Pamuso Pinedo, Helen Diototos, Michaela Diototos, Zaldy Diototos, Mary Ann Danwata, Flora Suarez, Elpidia dela Cruz,

FKAPUTIAN, 11

DIFFERENT VARIETIES. A florist arranges different varieties of flowers as people will start buying soon for the celebration of All Souls’ Day and All Saints’ Day at Bankerohan Public Market yesterday. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

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10 container vans of hot lumber awaiting disposal

By Anthony S. Allada

T

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) has yet to dispose of the remaining ten of 18 container vans loaded with illegal lumber seized last July 6 by DENR’s Task Force Pagbabago at the Sasa wharf here.

Lucio Ceniza, intelligence officer of the task force, said eight container vans

were already turned over to the city government of Davao on Thursday afternoon. The seized lumber were brought to Tagum City to be manufactured into chairs for distribution to various public schools here.

“We are still processing the papers of the other 10 container vans and in time

FCONTAINER, 11

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO Army brigade has Cagas thanks Robredo for help new commander in campaign vs loose firearms N VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

E W Ly- p ro m o te d Brig. Gen. Lysander Suerte is set to relinquish his post Wednesday morning as commander of the 1003rd Infantry Brigade under the 10th Infantry Division to Colonel Buenaventura Pascual in a turn-over ceremony at the brigade headquarters in Barangay Nueva Visayas, Sto. Tomas town in Davao Del Norte.

Suerte, who was brigade chief for almost two years, will be assigned as assistant division commander of the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) based in Panay, Iloilo.

He was among the 23 senior military officers who were promoted last week. Among them were 10th ID commander Ariel Bernardo from Brigadier General to Major General and 1001st Brigade commander Col. Roberto Domines Jr. to Brigadier General.

Suerte was instrumental in the successful implementation of the Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) in various barangays under the

brigade’s area of responsibility.

Buenaventura was formerly assigned with Task Force Zamboanga under the 1st Infantry Division.

He was replaced by his classmate in the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) Class 1984 Col. Glenn Macasero, who came from the 1001st IB. During the turn-over of command last Friday in Zamboanga, 1st ID commander Maj. Gen. Reiner Cruz lauded Pascual for the numerous accomplishments he made during his stint as the TFZ commander.

“I am proud of having Col. Pascual as one of the best performing officers in my division, the Army is so proud of him, congratulations on his promotion,” Cruz said.

Pascual served as the task force commander since October 2010. He is known for leading TFZ in consonance to its mission in support to Zamboanga City Police Office in securing the city against terrorism.

AirAsia rolls out big sale promo

F

Ly to Davao and Kalibo (Boracay) from as low as P499 all in fare and to selected international destinations from as low as P699 all in fare, these and many more are up for grabs as Philippines’ AirAsia rolls out its weeklong Big Sale promo starting last October 29.

The Big Sale promo is available for booking on AirAsia’s websitehttp:// www.airasia.com/ from 29 October – 4 November

2012, and the travel period will be from 1 May – 30 September 2013. Guests are also able to book their flights via AirAsia’s new and improved mobile apps as well which are available for download at Apple’s App Store for iPhone, Google’s Play Store for Android phones, or at mobile.airasia.com for WAP enabled phones.

Aside from domestic routes, AirAsia is offering

FAIR, 11

By ANTONIO M. AJERO and ANTHONY S. ALLADA

D

AVAO DEL SUR Gov. Douglas Ra. “Dodo” Cagas remembers the late Local Government Secretary Jesse Robredo for having extended assistance to the province when he was still alive.

During the recent quarterly meeting of the Regional Peace and Order Committee (RPOC) headed by Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, Cagas said that the August 2 raid on the residence of Mayor Jimmy “James” Joyce of Jose Abad Santos was at the instance of DILG Secretary Robredo.

Cagas said the raid, which was done after months of surveillance and sleuthing work by police intelligence operatives, some even posing as jobseekers in order to move freely in the town.

“After President Noynoy appeared on television to reiterate his 2010 order to the police to break up PAGs, I called up Secre-

tary Robredo and told him about the PAGs and gunsfor-hire in several towns of the second district and Digos City,” the governor said.

“He asked me to go to Manila and meet him in the Camp Crame office of Deputy Cacdac and the national intelligence chief,” he said, adding that the secretary directed them (PNP officers) to help in securing a search warrant from a Manila court.

“That was Secretary Robredo’s last act of helping me, because shortly thereafter, he died in a plane crash,” Cagas said.

“Were he alive today, I am certain he would continue helping me dismantle PAGs and arrest wanted gunsfor-fire. Sayang, he died.”

Earlier, Cagas said Secretary Robredo issued a SEAL OF GOOD GOVERNANCE to Davao del Sur in October 2011.

“It was part of our campaign against the presence of several partisan armed

CAGAS

ROBREDO

groups in my province,” the governor told Chief Supt. Jaime Morente, Region 11 police director, Brig. Gen. Ariel Bernardo, commander of the Philippine Army’s 10th Infantry Division and other RPOC members that the project could not have succeeded without the help of Robredo.

Armed with a search warrant issued by a Regional Trial Court in

Manila, the authorities swooped down on Joyce’s house and recovered two M16 Armalite rifles, two M16 Baby Armalite rifles, one Ingram assault rifle, one .9mm pistol, one rifle grenade, one Colt MK .45 pistol and assorted ammunition and magazines.

The raiding team also recovered one AK47 rifle, one Tavor assault rifle, one M16 Bushmaster rifle,

eteries.

“We will also conduct checkpoints in designated areas as precautionary measures to discourage people from bringing items to cemeteries,” he said.

Manuel Española, TMC deputy chief, said starting Wednesday they will set up road signs for the re-routing scheme to ensure smooth flow of traffic.

Española also advised vendors not to use sidewalks to sell their wares

to prevent creating traffic congestion at cemetery entrances .

“It is also practical that even if you have your own car, to avoid traffic, you better commute,” he said.

DCPO chief Sr. Supt.

Ronald dela Rosa earlier said that more than 1,000 DCPO personnel will also be deployed to provide security to the public while 250 traffic enforcers will be on hand to man traffic.

TFD to guard Undas days

T

HE Task Force Davao will deploy personnel to augment local police and Traffic Management Center unitato secure cemeteries during the All Saints Day and All Souls Day on November 1 and 2, 2012.

Lt. Col. Jerry Besana, TFD executive officer said that its Task Force Agila and Anti-Crime Unit are force multipliers for “Oplan Kaluluwa” against banned materials and prohibited acts in ceme-

teries.

Besana told reporters attending the weekly Tri-Media Organization for Peace and Alliance in Mindanao, Inc. (Tropa) at Macheca Restaurant that the troop deployment includes motorcycle-riding soldiers to monitor the movement of people entering and leaving the big cemeteries like Wireless Cemetery, San Pedro Memorial Park, Davao Memorial Park, Buhangin Memorial Park, Panacan and Tibungco public cem-

Drunks barred from cemeteries

A

BOMB-SNIFFING. A K-9 unit personnel and his bomb-sniffing dog closely watch province-bound passengers entering the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT) yesterday. In the coming days DCOTT will be jammed with thousands of

FCAGAS, 11

commuters going home to their respective provinces to commemorate All Souls’ Day. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

UTHORITIES do not only ban hard liquor from cemeteries, but also drunks.

Sr. Supt. Ronald dela Rosa, chief of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said that to preclude ugly incidents involving drunks inside cemeteries they would not allow them entry.

“This must be understood clearly to avoid unruly behavior, drunks will be barred from entering cemeteries),” dela Rosa said. “We will arrest violators who may have to be detained and extend their already long holiday some more.”

“We set up a police assistance center in the bigger cemeteries while

other policemen inside cemeteries will be roaming around to monitor disturbances and arrest violators,” dela Rosa added. “And that includes smokers since smoking is also prohibited there.”

Also banned are firearms, bladed weapons, loud music and gambling.

“It is very simple. If you do not want to encounter any hitch, abide by this prohibition.

That’s it,” dela Rosa said.

He said tarpaulins listing the prohibition inside cemeteries had already been posted beside police assistance centers at the entrance of cemeteries.

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 172 •WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

3

LGU Tagum to fabricate chairs for Davao schools T HE Local Government of Tagum City is set to fabricate school chairs for the Department of Education (DepEd) - City Schools Division of Davao as Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy officially received four (4) container vans containing lauan lumbers equivalent to 39,144 board feet which are originally donated by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the City Government of Davao last October 24, 2012.

Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte led the formal turn-over of the said lumber to Mayor Uy after the signing of the deed of donation with the DENR, local government units and DepEd. Said hot lumbers were stored in 18 container vans which are valued at 4.3 million pesos and was seized by the joint operatives of the DENR - National Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force and National Bureau of Investigation last July 16, 2012 in vio-

lation of Executive Order No. 23 mandating a total log ban.

In an interview, Mayor Uy estimated that it would take two months of school chairs delivery to the City of Davao using the donated lumbers and will commence on November.

DENR Usec. Demetrio L. Ignacio, Jr. expressed appreciation to the Local Government of Tagum City for taking the lead in fabricating “high-quality” school chairs out from confiscated logs.

The DepEd regional leadership, under the leadership of its new regional director Gloria D. Benigno, also thanked Mayor Uy for filling the gap of school chairs shortage in public schools in the region.

Director Benigno, along with Schools Division Superintendent Helen Paguican of DepEd Davao City, witnessed the personal and free delivery of Mayor Uy of about 220 pieces of school chairs to Sasa Elementary School right after the signing cer-

OMPOSTELA Valley is receiving an avalanche of funding assistance for health, agriculture and infrastructure development seen to bring people closer to government.

Technical Working Team head Manolo Serafin Cayme of the Provincial Special Projects Management Committee in an interview, revealed that funds are coming from the Office of Presidential Assistant on the Peace Process (OPAPP), Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP), Davao Integrated Development Program (DIDP) and from European development assistance sources.

Cayme took particular notice of the transformation of some aspects of community living in upland barangay Panansalan in Com-

postela town, and how residents had changed the way they regarded the government after having seen and benefited from the P15 million infrastructure (with agro-forestry component) projects funded

by OPAPP through the Payapa at Masaganang Pamayanan (Peaceful and Resilient Communities) known as PAMANA A big chunk of the OPPAP PAMANA funds went to road rehabilitation, making the Mandaya populated upland barangay of Panansalan easily accessible, promoting easy transport of agriculture products to poblacion markets.

Recalling testimonies of residents, Cayme said that before the total rehabilitation of the five-kilometer road was done, they would not take risk going back to Panansalan from Poblacion Compostela beyond

DONATION. Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy (2nd from left) and Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte (3rd from left) sign the deed of donation of confiscated lauan lumbers last October 24, 2012 at Sasa Port in Davao City. Four container vans equivalent to 39,144 board feet were donated to LGU Davao that was also immediately turned over to LGU Tagum for fabrication of school chairs to be used by Davao City

schools. Other signatories include DENR Regional Executive Director Joselin Marcus E. Fragada, CESO III (1st from left), DENR Usec. Demetrio L. Ignacio, Jr. (4th from left) and Schools Division Superintendent Helen Paguican of DepEd Davao City (5th from left). [Louie Lapat/CIO Tagum]

emony.

Another 40 pieces of school furniture were also delivered to Bunawan El-

ementary School on the same day.

It can be recalled that Vice Mayor Duterte prom-

ised to give confiscated lumbers to LGU Tagum last July 25, 2012 after he and Mayor Uy jointly

facilitated the delivery of chairs in Alejandra Navarro Elementary School in Lasang, Davao City.

HE Armed Forces will not condone any acts of violations by its soldiers particularly in rules-of-engagement (ROE) this as the army has recalled its soldiers involved in the deadly October 18 clash in Kiblawan, Davao del Sur. The clash killed three civilians, a woman and two of her teenage sons when soldiers under the Bravo Company of the 27th Infan-

try Battalion raided a village in Kiblawan Town in Davao del Sur following reports of the presence of an armed group led by Daquil Capeon. The three killed were the wife and children of the armed group leader.

Colonel Leopoldo Galon group commander of the 5th Civil Relations Group of the Eastern Mindanao Command said that the soldiers involved including the battalion com-

mander Lt. Colonel Noel Alexis Bravo had been recalled to the headquarters of their mother unit the 10th Infantry Division based in Mawab Compostela Valley.

Galon said that soldiers will be undergoing preliminary investigation where the findings can be a basis for court martial and will also be submitted to proper government agencies such as the courts.

10am. Reverend Gideon Salutan, ECOFI Pastor and Kiblawan Municipal Tribal Chieftain, solemnized the wedding, which was witnessed by more than 1,000 residents and visitors.

Christian wedding is not a part of the common way of uniting two people in the Blaan community of Bongmal. Unification is done through the “samsong”, an indigenous marriage system, wherein

marriage is arranged by the parents through the “saktad” or an important agreement of the contracting parties. “Saktad” is finalized through the giving of “dowry”, a gift of money or property by a man to or for his bride.

Benjie Cawan, son of Ruben and Mary Grace Cawan, is a native of Malungon, Sarangani Province. His newly wed wife,

Comval receives Last frontier of army’s development funds immersion in DavNor T C 2:00 p.m. due to treacherous road terrain.

“But now, even at 7:00 p.m., they can travel back home,” Cayme said.

Aside from road rehabilitation, part of the OPAPP funds was spent for installation of a water system, training on upland rice production, technology transfer on vegetable raising and agro-forestry particularly planting rubber trees.

“With these projects, people feel the presence of the government,” Cayme said particularly taking Panansalan as an instance while revealing the place as a highly rebel-influenced area back in the 90’s.

Having turned over the Panansalan road project to the LGU, OPAPP again downloaded to the provincial government in June

FCOMVAL, 11

Ata-Manobo town:

IP Community held its first Christian wedding

T

HE Indigenous Peoples (IP) community of Blaan held its first ever wedding at Kiblawan, Davao del Sur on Sunday morning.

Celebrating the first marriage ceremony in Sitio Gumiket Ayem Bongmal, Barangay Kimlawis, Benjie Cawan and Robelyn Gulae exchanged vows in a Christian wedding at the newly constructed Bongmal ECOFI Church this

FIP, 11

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Half of world’s richest biodiversity zones remain entirely unprotected

D

ESPITE the growing number of nature reserves, national parks and other protected areas across the globe, half of the world’s richest biodiversity zones remain entirely unprotected.

Protected areas are being managed in a more equitable way, with a greater role for indigenous communities. But current investment in protected areas is only around half of what is needed to support endangered species, protect threatened habitats and deliver the full benefits that sustainably-managed protected areas can deliver.

These are among the main findings of a report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) that tracks progress towards internationally-agreed targets on the world’s protected areas.

The report was recently presented at the 11th Conference of the Parties to the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CDB COP 11) in Hyderabad, India. The study received the official backing of countries at COP 11 this week as a major contribution towards tracking progress on global efforts to increase protected areas.

Two years ago coun-

tries set a goal under the CBD that by 2020, at least 17 per cent of the world’s terrestrial areas and 10 per cent of marine areas would be equitably managed and conserved.

The Protected Planet Report 2012 says that protected areas have increased in number by almost 60 per cent, and in area by just under 50 per cent, since 1990. But the study states that poor management, under-funding and a lack of critical data on protected areas mean that the world is making insufficient progress towards the 2020 goals.

Produced by UNEP’s World Conversation Monitoring Centre (WCMC) in partnership with the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the study is the first in an annual series that will monitor global efforts to support and expand protected areas.

“Protected areas contain some 15 per cent of the world’s carbon stock and support the livelihoods of over one billion people, making them a crucial factor in supporting biodiversity, ecosystem services and human livelihoods,” said UN Under-Secretary-General and UNEP

Executive Director Achim Steiner.

“This new report provides not only the fact and figures required by decision-makers, but outlines ways to overcome fundamental challenges in the management of protected areas. It highlights the key actions required to meet international goals, and to harness the multiple economic and environmental benefits that sustainably managed protected areas can provide,” added Mr. Steiner.

Global protected area coverage According to the most recent figures, just over 12 per cent of the world’s terrestrial areas are thought to be protected today.

To meet the CBD target of 17 per cent, an additional 6 million square kilometres of land and inland waters would have to be recognized as protected by world governments - an area more than twice the size of Argentina.

Marine protected areas are lagging even further behind. Around 1.6 per cent of the global ocean area is protected, mostly in near-coastal areas. To meet the CBD target of 10 percent, an additional 8 million square kilometres

of marine and coastal areas would need to be recognized as protected - an area just over the size of Australia. However, the UNEP study states that the number of very large marine protected areas (MPAs) has grown significantly in recent years. Today, there are over 13 MPAs each with an area greater than 100,000 square kilometres. Overall, marine protected area coverage has increased by over 150 percent since 2003.

Coverage of biodiversity The UNEP study uses a number of indicators to asses the location of exisiting protected areas. These include ‘ecoregions’ (large areas with characteristic combinations of species distinct from adjcent areas) and other internationally-recognized biodiversity zones, such as Important Bird Areas.

The study finds that the global protected area network does not yet provide adequate coverage of the world’s terrestrial ecoregions. Latest figures show that half of the world’s key ecoregions only have 10 per cent of their area protected. A further 10 per cent of global ecoregions have less than 1 per cent of their area protected, sug-

gesting critical gaps in biodiversity protection.

Only 13 percent of the world’s marine ecoregions meet the CBD’s 10 per cent coverage target. The UNEP study says that a dramatic acceleration in the creation or expanasion of marine protect areas is needed to cover strategic sites and reduce biodiversity gaps.

The number of Important Bird Areas completely covered by protected areas has risen to 28 percent, yet just under half had no coverage at all.

This could have significant impacts on efforts to reduce the loss of species and habitats: • In Australia, 13 per cent of all threatened species and 21 per cent of critically endangered species are not covered by any protected area • In Africa, around 26 per cent of threatened bird species are not covered by any proected area Global datasets for Important Bird Areas and other key diversity sites have only become available in the last ten years.

More effort is needed, says the UNEP study, to ensure that decision-makers have access to updated data on the location of marine and terrestrial ecoregions.

The UNEP report says

that the ecological performance of protected areas also remains poorly understood. Further studies are needed to anaylze the impacts of protected areas on species, ecosystems and genetic resources.

This will also require improved, comprehensive datasets on protected areas, and on biodiversity trends outside protected zones.

Management and Governance - Key Challenges From small nature reserves to large national parks, all protected areas require effective management to achieve their objectives. Countries have also committed to managing protected areas in a more equitable way, where indigenous communities, civil society and other non-government bodies play an active role.

According to a 2010 study, less than a third of the world’s protected areas have a management plan in place, and only a quarter of all protected areas have been judged to have ‘sound management’.

Lack of funding, facilities and equipment, staff shortages and limited interaction with local communities are among the main barriers to effective management.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 172 •WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

THE ECONOMY 5

Bangsamoro can benefit from IT-BPO investment T HE Bangsamoro autonomous region of Mindanao created by the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement can benefit from IT-BPO investment, President Benigno S. Aquino III told delegates to the International Outsourcing Summit.

Organized by the Business Processing Association of the Philippines, IOS is an annual conference and exhibition attended by local and international IT-BPO industry executives.

In his keynote speech before Summit delegates, Aquino said the framework agreement is expected to usher in peace to the troubled region.

It will also serve as the blueprint for an eventual peace agreement with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

By addressing long-standing calls for political reform, the agreement is expected to foster private sector investment in the region.

“The agreement is a positive development for

the IT-BPO industry,” said Miguel Garcia, president and CEO of DTSI Group.

Garcia co-founded BPAP and currently serves on the association’s board.

“First, it will enhance the Philippine brand in general. Second, the Bangsamoro region can potentially offer a new talent pool to support growth of the industry,” he said.

DTSI Group is an award-winning provider of game-changing technology, advanced communications systems, and state-of-the-art facilities to global corporations.

A member company of NTT Communications, it has enabled more than 60 percent of call center seats in the Philippines.

Its clients include FORTUNE 1000 companies and mid-size investors alike, according to Garcia.

Garcia said the Bangsamoro region could eventually become an important IT-BPO hub.

“With increased investment in educational and communications in-

SERVICES. People living near the cemeteries take advantage of the incoming All Souls Day to earn by offering services like tomb cleaning and tomb painting. Seen in the photo is a painter commissioned to clean and paint a tomb at the Roman Catholic Cemetery in Madapo Hills yesterday. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

frastructure accompanied by appropriate investment incentives, the region can replicate the success of Davao,” said Garcia.

Davao City is the top Next Wave CityTM according to Next Wave Cities 2010–2011, a BPAP and Information and Communications Technology Office publication

that ranks emerging ITBPO hubs based on talent pool, infrastructure, cost, business environment and risk management.

In recent years, Davao City government officials have successfully attracted multiple IT-BPO operations to their city.

In a recent open forum with the Foreign Correspondents Associ-

ation of the Philippines, Aquino said the national government will invest P21 billion for improvements in basic services in the Bangsamoro region, including schools, teachers, and infrastructure.

Garcia said the industry is both impressed with and appreciative of the Aquino administration’s significant support

of the IT-BPO industry, noting that good governance and increasing transparency have contributed to increasing investor confidence and fostering a healthier business climate.

The industry is expected to grow to .4 billion in revenues and 770,000 direct employees this year.

6

THE ECONOMY

Stat Watch

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

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

BSP continues reforms for PHL to achieve investment grade T

HE central bank vowed to continue reforms in the financial system to achieve an investment grade rating for the Philippines after Moody’s upgraded the country’s credit rating to a notch below investment grade Monday.

“In our case we will basically just continue to maintain macro stability and continue our reforms in the financial system to make sure it remains sound and stable. And hopefully at some point, with the concerted efforts of all government agencies concerned, as well as the private sector we would achieve investment grade rating at some point,” BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. told reporters.

The central bank chief said an investment grade rating for the country is “possible” in the short term.

Moody’s Investor’s Service revised upwards to “Ba1” from “Ba2” with ‘stable’ outlook the country’s credit rating on account of continued improvement in economic and fiscal performance amid negative global economic developments, better medium term economic prospects, and stable financial system.

The upgrade brought the

LANTERN. An expert Christmas lantern maker assembles a lantern made of shells that he sells for P1,000.00 to P8,000.00 depending on the size and the design along J.P. Laurel Ave. yesterday. [LEAN DAVAL JR.]

country’s credit grade level among the three major debt watchers, including Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor’s (S&P), at the same level.

Tetangco said the structural reforms undertaken with the private sector enabled the country to have a strong bank-

Puentespina Farms:

ing system “and have transformed our banks into effective financial intermediaries.”

He said the total of 100 basis points in the central bank’s policy rates this year will “help the economy withstand ongoing global economic strains and to support economic growth.”

To date, the BSP’s overnight borrowing or reverse repurchase (RRP) rate is at record-low of 3.5 percent and the overnight lending or repurchase (RP) rate is at 5.5 percent.

These were slashed with 25 basis points each in January, March, July and October.

Preparing flowers for the departed I T was not an ordinary day at a vast flower garden in Cadalian village, Baguio District here on Monday morning.

At least 32 workers were busy harvesting and packing flowers at Piktan farm of the Puentespina Orchids and Tropical Plants, Inc. for the expected increase in demand for All Souls’ Day on November 2.

Today, a total of 1,500 bundles with 12 stalks each of Chrysanthemums and Gerberas in different colors were scheduled for delivery to various parts of the country.

But including the King Toto farm at Carmen village, Puentespina Farms will supply some 30,000 bundles of each variety of Chrysanthemum and other flowers, and at least 10,000 bundles of Lisianthus for this season.

About four kilometers up-

hill from Piktan, the King Toto farm stands at 1,100 meters above sea level and grows temperate flowers such as Chrysanthemum, Lilium and Lisianthus.

“Our busiest time of the year on one single event is for All Souls’ (Day). The requirement for flowers is very high,” Angel Puentespina, general manager, told MindaNews.

The next peak season is the yuletide when flowers are in demand during the whole month of December, followed

by Valentine’s Day, he added.

Lilibeth Reyes, 44, a regular farm worker for 12 years now, said the harvest for this season is four times more than that of ordinary days with only 200 to 300 bundles a week.

And, for the Valentine’s season, she said they would only produce some 800 bundles of flowers for all varieties.

The packed flowers are delivered straight from the farms to different flower shops in the city, and to as far as Zamboanga, Surigao, Iloilo and Manila cities.

Puentespina said Manila gets most of flowers especially Lisianthus, which are sold at P120-P160 per bundle of five pieces.

He added that only about 20 percent of the Chrysanthemums go to Manila because of its high freight cost for being bulky.

Reyes, who is assigned to packing, said Class A bundles, which have stalks that are at least 70 centimeters long, are sold at P120. She added that Class B bundles, which have shorter stalks and mixed varieties of flowers, cost P90 each.

“We plant them all throughout the year. Every week we grow them and the volume depends on when we

want to harvest them,” Puentespina said.

He cited that the planting schedule depends on the variety and may range from 10 to 16 weeks per period.

But the volume of flowers is not fixed, he added, “We also look at the situation in the market. We plant more if there is a need to plant more.”

“Filipinos enjoy the use of flowers. Among them, during the All Souls’ Day they visit their loved ones in the cemetery, and it’s really a show of love and affection,” he said.

Even Reyes admitted she never gets tired of looking at the flowers, saying they, the farm workers, appreciate a perfect bloom, attributing its quality from their hard work and patience.

“If all flowers are sold out, we are very happy,” she said.

(Lorie Ann Cascaro/MindaNews)

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

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

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

COMPETITIVE EDGE 7

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 172 •WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

Lenovo strengthens smartphone line-up

O

PEN Communications, the exclusive distributor of Lenovo Mobile Phones in the country, announced a launch of new Android smartphones that would fortify its bid to build Lenovo and gain double digit market share in the smartphone market.

Recently, industry studies released

by GFK pointed to the Philippines as posting the highest growth in smartphones in Southeast Asia in the first half of 2012.

In August, Lenovo announced that they have reached the second spot in terms of market share in China’s competitive mobile phone market according to the report from Sino Market Research Ltd. Globally, Lenovo has also seized the top spot in terms of market share in the PC and laptop business.

“We are leveraging onLenovo’s brand recognition locally and globally to reach out to a broader consumer base to appreciate Lenovo’s brand of smartphones that are of dependable and durable quality and

with unique designs catered to the different needs of a smartphone user”, said John Rojo, business unit head of Open Communications.

MrRojo revealed the new models range from entry-level, to professional up tofull-featured entertainment devices.

The line-up includes A60+, the entry level smartphone that runs on Android 2.3 Gingerbread with a 2 Megapixel camera and Dual SIM capability for PHP 4,999.

Users can enjoy 5-inch screen goodness for PHP 14,999 with the S880 “phablet” which runs on Android 4.0 Ice Cream Sandwich.

For those that need to do business on the go, the P700i, an upgraded version of its predecessor the P700, runs on a Dual Core processor and offers the same large battery capacity of 2500 mAh at PHP 10,999.

Also at the same price point and with a Dual Core processor, the S560 has Dolby Digital ® Plus Technology for the music savvy.

Finally, the K860 is

OUTSTANDING IP TEACHERS. Sarangani Gov. Migs Dominguez presents the seven outstanding IP (Indigenous People) teachers representing each of the seven municipalities of the province during the provincial celebration of National Indigenous Peoples Thanksgiving Day last Monday, October 29, at the Capitol gymnasium. The awardees are (from left) Ginalyn Barcena from Malapatan, Karen Ruth Kusin from

positioned as the all-affordable full featured Quad Core entertainment device at PHP

19,999.

“Since June of this year, the market has been receptive towards our products. This has motivated us to bring in more smartphones that

Maitum, Noemi Suga from Kiamba, Diosdado Sol Sichon from Alabel, Ricardo Unda from Glan, Mateo Gulac from Maasim and Avelina Sarominez from Malungon. The governor has invited all IP professionals and employees at Capitol to join the event to deepen awareness, appreciation and celebrate the richness of our culture. [COCOY SEXCION/SARANGANI INFORMATION OFFICE]

cater to the broad segment of users that have yet to experience Lenovo quality and durability. We also expect that the arrival of the five new phones in the mar-

ket hascome just in time for the Holiday shopping rush as it hopes to provide wider and better choices for consumers today.”

is to help look for volunteers for RockEd Davao’s first major event, a book drive, art festival and concert this December.

RockEd Davao was organized just last October 18, with Gang Badoy, the founder of RockEd Philippines, coming to Davao herself to guide the founding group with its formation. “RockEd organizes these local chapters so the entire Philippines can have their own groups that promote alternative education and I can see that Davao City is more than ready to have its own RockEd.” The volunteers that will sign up at this event will have the privilege of becoming the first group of volunteers for RockEd

Davao and their events.

According to Monique Jopson, Secretary General of RockEd Davao, the volunteers will have a lot to look forward to as RockEd Davao already has a lot of events lined up for this year and next year.

This concert is absolutely free. Performances will start 7pm sharp and will last until 2am. Those who want to sign up for RockEd Davao can sign up anytime at the booth set up within the bar. Interested parties can visit RockEd Davao’s Facebook page for more information on this event, on how to volunteer, and updates on RockEd Davao events.

Tagum Coop reap RockEd Davao holds national awards volunteer sign-up event H

OME-grown Tagum Cooperative emerged this year as the “Most Outstanding Large Cooperative” and its chairperson, Norma Pereyras was adjudged as the “Most Outstanding Cooperative Leader.”

The awards were part of the Gawad Parangal Search for Most Outstandign Cooperatives, Coop Leaders and Cooperative Development Office in the local government units (LGU) that the Cooperative Development Authority (CDA) stages annually since last year.

The CDA GAWAD PARANGAL is “an awards and recognition program for cooperatives, local government units, partner organizations and cooperative leaders in recognition of

exemplary performance, best practices and good governance in bringing responsive services to the people and to the community.”

This year’s Gawad Parangal conferred awards during the 11th National Coop Summit held on October 10 at Limketkai in Cagayan de Oro City during which 27 regional nominees for outstanding cooperatives vied for the award, while 11 coop leaders and 12 cooperative development offices bid for the same national recognition.

Standing second to Tagum Cooperative for the large scale cooperative category was Dumaguete Cathedral Credit Cooperative of Dumaguete City while Oro Integrated Cooperative of Cagayan de Oro City

came in 3rd for the same category.

Tagum Cooperative also grabbed the Best in Cooperative Solidarity and Partnership special award.

Meanwhile, Pereyras got the Gawad Parangal Most Outstanding Coop Leader Award in time with her concurrent presidency of the Philippine Cooperative Center, replacing former Senator Butch Aquino who now sits as the chairman emeritus of PCC. Pereyras this year also reaped the recognition as Development Educator for Asia which was bestowed on her during the 14th Asian Union Development Education Workshop in Bangkok, Thailand from June 01, to 13 during which she served as a coach and mentor of the participants.

R

OCKED Davao, the Davao leg of RockEd Philippines, will be holding its very first volunteer signup event today, October 31, at Saless Moozika and Diner. This sign-up event will coincide with Saless’ annual Halloween concert and costume party.

The concert was organized in collaboration with The Rockshow Davao, DavaoMusicNation.com and Saless and will feature fifteen of the hottest bands from Davao like the Sound of Go, Kwatro Medya, Long Bond yellow Papers, and Anne Mendoza. There will also be a costume contest with cash prizes to be given to the winners. This sign up event

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Glan Tourism Master Plan in focus ( Last of three parts )

A

EDITORIAL

Economic euphoria

T

HINGS that matter are looking up for the Philippines. The most positive news this week has to do with the fact that the country is only a notch below investment rating by at least three of the world’s most respected economic watchers.

Moody’s Investors Service has upgraded the country’s credit rating, noting inroads in the economy and the country’s mediumand –long-term growth prospects.

The rating is Ba1, one notch higher from the previous Ba2, offering a stable outlook better than the target of government.

Moody’s rating aligned with those of two others –Fitch Ratings’ and Standard and Poor’s.

The last time the Philippines was rated one notch below investment grade by all three debt watchers was in 2002, according to a news account yesterday in the prestigious BusinessWorld.

Overall, Moody’s praised the Philippines for demonstrating considerable economic strength and fiscal resilience.

The rating is a recognition of the country’s capability for faster growth, lower inflation, exchange rate appreciation and an increase in foreign exchange reserves while maintaining “trend debt consolidation.”

EDGEDAVAO

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Investment grade indicates that a government bond has a relatively low risk of default, among other significant meanings.

It would attract more investors to the country.

Of course, such a positive scenario does not yet call for economic euphoria. So many things still have to be done, in order not to squander the economic gains of the country so far.

We do not exactly know what else needs to be achieved in order to finally reach investment grade. But we are certain that the government of President Noynoy should continue treading the straight path, fighting corruption, and introducing other reforms. All these will factor into the lure of our country to visitors, especially big-time investors.

We are not yet considering the greatest lure of them all –the impending peace in Mindanao rendered achievable by the framework agreement for Bangsamoro (FAB) signed recently by the government and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front.

Minus the dwindling number of spoilers and recalcitrant, peace in Mindanao will trigger an economic boom never before experienced in the country’s history.

The scenario gives us a nice feeling.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

RAMON M. MAXEy Consultant kENNETH IRVING k. ONG Creative Solutions

GREGORIO G. DELIGERO CARLO P. MALLO Associate Special Project Consultant LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. • JOSEPH LAWRENCE P. GARCIA Photography

JADE C. ZALDIVAR • VICky BERDINA M. DE GuZMAN ANTHONy S. ALLADA • AQuILES Z. ZONIO 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 • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance 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

MONG others, the Glan To u r i s m Master Plan calls for the overhauling of its local revenue code.

Borrowing certain provisions from the Tourism Act of 2009, tourism investors may be granted certain fiscal and non-fiscal incentives.

This is a medium-term goal, partly requiring the designation of an area as a tourism estate zone, with the help of the Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA). Subject to its adoption by the local legislative body, new tourism investments in Glan will enjoy a 5-year tax holiday while existing investments will be granted a 2-year tax holiday, provided there will be extensive upgrading of their facilities. New and existing establishments may be awarded social responsibility tax discount for a maximum of 50% of the cost of undertaking environmental protection, cultural heritage preservation, sustainable livelihood programs and other CSR activities. Existing business regulatory procedures will be streamlined and simplified, partly inspired by the excellent Davao City experience and recommendations contained in a study conducted by the Asian Institute of Management.

Completing the business development component of the GTMP, partnerships will be inked between TIEZA, DOST-TRC, DTI, PCA and BOI, among others. These will involve technology transfers, skills development and enhancement and trainings---all designed to make tourism as a significant component of the local economy with socio-economic benefits spread out to various strata.

In many cases in the country, unchecked tourism development results to conflicts among stakeholders. Some vested rights are threatened by business interests of outsiders who put up investments in the area. Many local people, particularly those unschooled in resort management and business end up as on-call and contractual workers; they become the proverbial cog in a wheel. Many do not become part of the economic production core, maybe because of lack of capital, skills or opportunity to do so. If implemented faithfully, the 5-year GTMP will provide the impetus for the formation of localized and indigenous economic machinery that will be part of the tourism supply chain.

This may involve the formation of cooperatives among skilled residents that will produce quality food icon and pasalubong items. Glan is currently known for its famed Gumasa beach area but there are equally excellent destinations that remain not fully developed. Pristine lakes are found in the hinterlands, surrounded by authentic cultural communities. Many of them still wear their traditional dresses and ride domesticated horses. They need not be uprooted from their homes, unlike what other LGUs are doing in many parts in Mindanao. Tours may be organized, bringing in tourists to their communities and let them experience local culture not in a non-invasive manner. Riding horses and traversing the same river several times before one reaches the communities will provide a different experience.

Finally, as an innovation designed to prepare the local population for the booming industry, GTMP also calls for the inclusion of tourism and travel management as additional items in all education levels in local schools. Through the Alternative Learning System approach of DepEd, young pupils and students will learn more about their local destinations and attractions, tourism-oriented activities, environmental conservation, basic introductory concepts in tourism, community-based tourism, “voluntourism”, issues and challenges to the industry and even tourism-oriented handicrafts making. This corresponds to the state policy urging LGUs to create and nurture a healthy culture of tourism among the people. It will also potentially eliminate sources of conflicts, particularly the feeling of being alienated and neglected in favor of much-moneyed non-resident investors. Access will be provided, giving them opportunity to be part of the value chain and, in the process, become key stakeholders. Luang Prabang in Laos and Bali in Indonesia arezz just some of success stories in community-based tourism development where local residents become part of the chain and, in the end, gain a sense of importance and empowerment.

GTMP is not the quintessential solution, just a laudable stimulus. Much of the work remains in the hands of the local government and the various stakeholders. At the beginning of the project, they were challenged not to allow the GTMP become another addition to their office shelf or a dull collocation of words. It was a challenge they earnestly accepted.

EDGEDAVAO

G

Squatting problem is unalterable fact

OVERNMENT ACTION IS PAyING OFF – The relocation of people in the urban areas displaced by a series of demolition campaigns is perhaps one of the thorniest prevailing issues confronting the government. Housing experts sift through the numbers to show that the government’s resettlement budget is nowhere near adequate. They fault the estimate not only in terms of the amount of compensation for the displaced residents or, better still, known as “illegal settlers” but also on its tally of the residents to be forcibly moved.

In most occasions, settlers whose houses are destined to be demolished offer their opinions. They argued that resettlement proposal sounds clearly efficient but by the dislocated residents’ bald descriptions it brings home the bitter, inexorable reality of things inching up to gobble up their homes and swallow up their livelihood. All indications suggest that after the demolition, which is sometimes violent because of the instigation of self-proclaimed human rights advocates and militant groups, most of the affected residents will be left to rise from scratch and their standard way of living will indeed plunge.

The displaced settlers, mostly illegal occupants don’t need to be told.

As they informed concerned government agencies, their situation at their new designated relocation sites can’t compare to their daily task from previous dwellings especially in making a living. The upheaval is even greater for many of them who earn money directly from urban-based employment and other undertakings such as vending, peddling and scavenging among others. They will also have to learn new skills like farming,

P

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EOPLE visiting a cemetery in the Manila suburbs of Malabon for the first time on All Saints’ Day are bound to be surprised upon seeing an unusual tomb decoration where Lucifer appears to be getting the upper hand in a sword fight with the Archangel Gabriel.

This grisly and spine-tingling scene is found at the Tugatog Cemetery, one of Malabon City’s three public cemeteries.

It is a far cry from the usual depiction where Archangel Gabriel is seen handily trouncing the Devil.

Aside from this, a short skit is also etched on the tomb’s headstone wherein Lucifer appears to be mocking the mortally-wounded Gabriel at sword point, telling him God has no real power on the earth and that even the Almighty’s most loyal followers would follow him, given the right price.

The scene ends with Archangel Ga-

hog-raising or somehow find other means of livelihood. Not only that, these jobseekers will likewise be competing with thousands of other relocated settlers who have already availed of housing units in resettlement areas.

Was it difficult for the government to persuade “illegal settlers” to accept a resettlement offer? The important thing was that, although they are part of the problem, government should always treat them as victims of social injustices and of uncertainties. Government organizations (GOs) and concerned agencies task to undertake the socialized shelter program of the present dispensation therefore must provide them with additional skills to either survive or find jobs in their newfound area of residency. Government had to start with symbolism. If it wants to ask the relocated people to work harder in order to survive, then they also have to work even harder to provide remedies to the problems confronting the displaced residents.

The sudden resurgence of sprawling commercial centers, modern shopping malls, high-rise condominiums, IT centers and cyberparks are primary blamed for the series of demolitions specifically in the urban poor territories.

It happened not only in Davao City but elsewhere in the country’s other bustling metropolis. The stultification of the poor and lower middle-class has ignited alienation - resentment in the urban poor population. Resentment is boiling over into

A grisly tomb decor SPECIAl FEATURE

By Priam F. NePomuceNo briel pleading for God’s help even as he desperately wished that humanity will not be further led astray by the Evil One. The tomb and its rather perplexing statues is reportedly owned by the Bernardo clan, many of whose surviving members are now settled abroad.

There are two versions of why the clan patriarch opted to put up this rather strange display in their cemetery plot.

The first one, often narrated by many of the city’s senior citizens, claimed that the clan patriarch was cruelly tortured and abused by the Japanese invaders for helping the guerrilla movement during World War II. The pain and anguish reportedly suffered by the clan patriarch made

violence as demolition squads and police dispersal units have to quell uproars when authorities ordered the demolition jobs – wrecking squatter colonies and slum dwellings that were home to hundreds of families to make way for a plant or commercial establishments.

Property consultants, real estate brokers and business analysts, on the other hand, disagree with the observation that the growing economic chasm is creating friction between the haves and have-nots. But thick-witted human rights activists and obdurate militant groups are even more callous in their accusations to the extent of saying that the government’s pursuit of selective development – building call centers, technoparks and other macro projects while at the same time demolishing squatter colonies to make way for giant shopping malls is anti-poor and anti-masses.

But more serious still is the inadequacy of government funds for socialized housing and resettlement areas for “illegal settlers” that are exploding in size and is predicted to rise at increasing speed. Nonetheless, government currently is offering assistance that is within the range of the budget for relocation and housing materials. It’s good enough that the country’s present leaders were acknowledging that the destitution of the thousands of displaced families is not an interminable, unalterable fact but something that should be the priority of any government. Government experience shows that painful, but appropriate actions in dealing with the country’s worsening squatting problem do pay off. But they will take time – and not just a little courage and determination to fulfill it. him lose his faith in God’s goodness and justice, considering that he was a very devout Christian and family man before the war.

The second version, which is more logical and less grisly than the first, claimed that the family put the diorama up to remind people to always be faithful to God and never be led astray by Satan and his followers.

It also said that despite God’s manifest power over all things, natural and supernatural, the Almighty can do nothing to save people who have voluntarily surrendered their souls to the Devil, and thus leading to their eternal damnation.

It is also interesting to point out that nowadays, no one actually visits the above-mentioned tomb during the All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day commemorations except curious tourists eager to see Malabon’s devilish tomb. [PNA]

9

Why I am voting for Teddy Casiño

G

ENERAL SA N TO S CITy (MindaNews/29 October) -- Frankly, I would have voted for him no matter what, but because of the little conversation I had with Rep. Neri Colmenares some three months back, checking Teddy Casiño’s name in the ballot for senatorial candidates next year made it easier. you see, I was never a fan of the mainstream Left coalescing with the today’s mainstream political parties.

Not only are today’s political parties ideologically and organizationally incompatible with the politics of the Left, they also represent the political and economic interests of the very political system it is trying to supplant.

So when former representatives Satur Ocampo (Bayan Muna) and Liza Maza (Gabriela) “coalesced” with Manny Villar in the 2010 general elections by agreeing to be included in the latter’s senatorial lineup, they not only ended up defending their decision. They also find themselves in an awkward situation where they were made to explain why they were in the same boat with Ferdinand “Bongbong” Marcos Jr. True, the son should not be made to suffer for the sins of the father. But Bongbong then showed no remorse whatsoever for what his father did to the thousands of activists who were killed, made to disappear, jailed and suffered from the atrocities of his father’s dictatorship. Neither now nor tomorrow will he show remorse judging by his recent statements.

I met Teddy in a small hotel in Makati some three months before the 2010 elections and raised the issue.

Teddy, then already the first nominee of Bayan Muna and was running for a third and last term as party-list representative, said they would have preferred to join forces with Liberal Party of then presidential candidate Benigno Aquino III but the social democrats and anti-Left forces within the said coalition had effectively eased them out – nay blocked them out.

Then, the Liberal Party secretariat was dominated by disgruntled former members of both the underground and legal Left and its ideological nemesis, the Social Democrats.

Realizing that a serious campaign to win a seat in the Philippine senate needs party machinery, the Left chose the lesser evil from among the political parties in Villar’s Nacionalista Party while consolidating its own political base which are the people’s organizations it has built through the years of its political struggles.

The results of the 2010 elections of course did not yield the desired results even though these were not unexpected.

But what made the effort even less attractive now is that the Left was not able to strike long-term alliances with Villar’s NP which is now in an alliance for political convenience with Aquino’s Liberal Party.

Even more so, no long term political gains were achieved in that short-lived alliance.

So when Colmenares and I had breakfast in one of the coffee shops here in General Santos, I readily offered an unsolicited advice: Teddy Casiño, the Left’s most recognizable political figure, should run independently.

“Meaning, it is no longer the politics of winning?” Colmenares asked me.

I essentially said it is better to lose honorably than win in a prostituted way.

The Left’s time will come when it will.

Now that Teddy is running independently, I have no choice but to vote for him. [Edwin G. Espejo writes for www. asiancorrespondent.com]

10 NATION/WORlD NATION BRIEFS Increase

F

ilipinos employed as household service workers in Hong Kong have a reason to celebrate as the foreign government approved an increase in the monthly minimum wages.

Hong Kong’s Labor department has recently announced its approval of a 4.8-percent hike in monthly minimum allowable wage of foreign household service workers to to HK$3,920 (P20,872) from HK$3,740 (P19,913), Labor Secretary Rosalinda Baldoz said in a statement.

Decriminalization

T

he government’s policy-making body on gender equality and women’s empowerment is echoing the United Nations’ call for the decriminalization of prostitution.

But it opposes its legalization, which could allow it to be sold, marketed, and taxed like plumbing and other services.

The Philippine Commission on Women (PCW) views prostitution as an exploitative system that commodifies and dehumanizes women, men and children who are being victimized within the system, PCW Executive Director Emmeline Verzosa said in a statement.

A

Surrender

co-accused of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in the P300-million Philippine Charity Sweepstakes Office plunder case is ready to surrender, according to Justice Secretary Leila de Lima.

On Tuesday, De Lima said former PCSO official Jose Taruc V has signified his intention to yield, although she admitted they still do not know whether the accused is abroad or is merely hiding in the Philippines. “Jose Taruc has sent surrender feelers over the weekend,” De Lima told reporters in a chance interview in Manila.

Dismiss

“

I have always been a Filipino.” This was what actor Aga Muhlach told the Commission on Elections (Comelec) when he personally attended the hearing of his disqualification case in Intramuros, Manila.

Accompanied by his wife Charlene Gonzales, Muhlach asked the Comelec secretariat to dismiss a case filed against him by a certain Gilmar Pacamarra.

EDGEDAVAO

White House race scales back after deadly storm U

WORLD TODAy Condemned

kraine’s ruling party was set Monday to beat the allies of jailed ex-premier yulia Tymoshenko in legislative elections that observers condemned as a setback for the ex-Soviet state’s nascent democracy.

Prime Minister Mykola Azarov predicted that the Regions Party had won an outright majority in Sunday’s ballot following a disappointing performance by another opposition group led by world heavyweight boxer Vitaly Klitschko.

P

RESIDENT Barack Obama and his Republican challenger Mitt Romney looked to console the nation and show leadership Tuesday after a devastating storm struck days ahead of election day.

Both candidates scaled back their White House campaigns as Hurricane Sandy carved a path of destruction across the US eastern seaboard on Monday, with Obama returning to the White House to lead the disaster response.

Now they will have to tip-toe back onto the campaign trail, resuming their closely-fought battle for the White House and showing leadership in a time of crisis without being seen as exploiting suffering for political ends.

Romney, who canceled some campaign appearances Monday, was set to attend a storm relief event Tuesday in Ohio, a key battleground state, at the same place where a campaign event had been announced before the storm.

Obama can meanwhile harness the power of incumbency by directing relief efforts and addressing a storm-battered nation from its highest podium.

Coming so close to the

US President Barack Obama speaks to the press in the briefing room of the White House in Washington on October 29, 2012 after being briefed in the Situation Room on the status of Hurricane Sandy as it approaches the Atlantic coast of the United States.

neck-and-neck election on November 6, the historic storm threw closely planned campaign strategies into disarray as it threatened to dampen early voting, and drown out the candidates’ closing arguments.

“The great thing about America is, when we go through tough times like this, we all pull together,” Obama warned after meeting emergency officials at the White House and ditching events in battlegrounds Florida, Ohio and Virginia.

“The election will take care of itself next week.

Right now, our number one priority is to make sure that we are saving lives,” he said.

Romney also cancelled some events Monday evening as a mark of sensitivity towards millions in the path of the storm, but went ahead with scheduled appearances in Iowa and Ohio.

He was also briefed by the deputy administrator of the Federal Emergency Management Agency, Richard Serino, on the storm re-

lief effort, aides said.

“The damage will probably be significant, and of course a lot of people will be out of power for a long time,” Romney said in Iowa Monday.

“Hopefully your thoughts and prayers will join with mine and people across the country as you think about those folks who are in harm’s way.”

“We love our fellow Americans -- wish them well,” he said, and appealed for supporters to make donations to the Red Cross.

OURISTS traveling in the Philippines not only visit the country for its natural wonders or historic sites but also to do some shopping, a new study shows.

The Philippine capital city of Manila outperformed almost 15 Asian cities in the Economist Intelligence Unit’s new

“Globe Shopper Index Asia-Pacific” report.

Manila was ranked 11th out of 25 overall, with a score of 51.5 index points on five categories deemed important to shopping travelers.

These are the variety of shops, affordability of products, convenience, hotels and transport, as

well as culture and climate.

It followed the top 10 Asian-Pacific shopping cities namely Hongkong, Kuala Lumpur, Shanghai, Beijing, Singapore, Sydney, Bangkok, Tokyo, Seoul and Delhi.

“Geographically, spiritually and culturally set apart from mainland

Southeast Asia, Manila can feel different than the rest of Asia,” the report said.

“Shoppers will admire colonial architecture, stunning stone churches and lively town plazas as they stroll between shops,” it added.

Manila’s best performance is in affordability, where it ranked 8th. It also landed among the top Asia-Pacific cities in terms of convenience, sharing the 10th spot with Mumbai.

“Relaxed visa regulations make it easy to enter the country, while the city offers both affordable dining and public transport,” the report said.

Manila posted a slightly weaker performance in the culture and climate sub-index, where it ranked 11th, and hotels and transport, 16th.

Its worst performance, however, is in the shops sub-index, where it ranked 18th. “Manila does not offer a wide range of international brands,” the report said.

New test

S

cientists have come up with a test for the virus that causes AIDS that is ten times more sensitive and a fraction of the cost of existing methods, offering the promise of better diagnosis and treatment in the developing world.

The test uses nanotechnology to give a result that can be seen with the naked eye by turning a sample red or blue, according to research from scientists at Imperial College in London published in the journal Nature Nanotechnology.

Re-appeared

T

he wife of North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un has re-appeared after dropping out of the public eye for 50 days amid fevered rumours that she was either pregnant or had fallen out of favour.

North Korea’s official Korean Central News Agency (KCNA) said Ri Sol-Ju joined her husband at a musical performance and a football match in Pyongyang on Monday.

Manila outperforms 15 Asian cities in ‘shopping’ index Reforms U T

Patrol boats

T

he Philippines will buy five patrol boats from France for about 90 million euros ($116 million), partly to guard disputed areas in the South China Sea, the coastguard said Tuesday.

Rear Admiral Luis Tuason, the chief of the poorly-equipped coastguard, said one 82-metre (271-foot) ship and four 24-metre (79-foot) patrol craft would be delivered by 2014.

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

A shopping mall in Manila. [Photo by Voltaire Domingo/NPPA Images]

S Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on Tuesday was set to meet war-scarred Bosnia’s three presidents at the start of a Balkans tour in which the EU foreign policy chief will join her in pushing for reforms.

Clinton will be joined

by Catherine Ashton in Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo and the pair are expected to urge leaders to overcome ethnic divisions and seal peace by achieving European Union and NATO membership.

T

Harsh

wo women from punk band Pussy Riot sentenced to jail for an anti-Putin protest in a Moscow cathedral face harsh, Soviet-style prison camps where their lives may be in danger due to a lack of medicine and no hot water amid sub-zero winter temperatures, according to a recently released band member.

Pussy Riot’s protest has attracted global attention because of the twoyear jail sentences meted out to its members for what prosecutors called “hooliganism motivated by religious hatred”.

11

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 172 •WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

KAPUTIAN...

FFROM 1

Alberto dela Cruz, Bonifacio Tecson, Seclian Marcosa, Jenelyn Salinas, Sweet Angel Munio, Judith Munio, Panime del Mar, Juvylen Baja, Danilo Munio, Lorencita Masepenkenya, Hara Palacio, and a still unidentified person.

The tragedy occurred past 11 a.m. Tuesday while the Island City Express bus was on its way from Davao City to Kaputian in the Island Garden City of Samal.

The ill-fated vehicle, with body number 8831 and plate number LWU

812, was carrying about 30 passengers when its brakes malfunctioned while descending towards Sitio 16, Poblacion, Kaputian and crashed against the mountainside and flipped over.

The bus is owned by the wealthy Bangayan family who recently built a high-end hotel in Babak district, IGaCoS. It crossed over to the island city aboard a ferry, also owned by the Bangayans, at Km. 11 in Sasa, Davao City. [ASA]

CONTAINER...

FFROM 1

they will also be turned over to the city,” Ceniza said in an interview Tuesday morning.

He said there was one claimant for four container vans, who claimed that his confiscated lumber were planted species which reportedly were not covered by Executive Order 23, otherwise known as Declaring a moratorium on the cutting and harvesting of timber in the natural and residual forests and creating the Anti-Illegal Logging Task Force.

AIR...

Ceniza said they could not immediately release the vans without first ascertaining the legality of the transport of the lumber, adding that the lumber inside the 18 container vans could be worth P4.9 million and were to be transported to Manila.

The operation came a week after the task force also intercepted 55 container vans of hot lumber at North Harbor in Manila.

Ceniza said the origin of the vans were traced to Davao City. [ASA]

FFROM 2

all in promo fares from its hub in Clark International Airport to Hong Kong and Kota Kinabalu from as low as P699, to Kuala Lumpur and Singapore from as low as P1,499.

Freddy Herrera, AirAsia Inc. Head of Commercial, said, “We are offering this big sale promo to celebrate Clark airport’s milestone when it welcomed its one millionth passenger, Rose Navarro, who incidentally arrived from Hong Kong via Philippines’ AirAsia flight PQ7306 last week. Our airport crowd is getting bigger and bigger with passenger traffic expected to reach 1.4M this year.”

Staying true to its commitment to transparency, efficiency, high value service and affordable fares, AirAsia has included base fare, fuel surcharge, processing fee and government mandated fee such as aviation security fee in all its promo fares.

Guests are encouraged to pre-book their check-in baggage allocation onlinealong with their flight bookings as they are able to save up to 66% as compared to checking-in their bags over the airport counter.

Apart from that, guests are also able to pre-book their in-flight meals with a wide variety of hot meals available on board with an option to book up to two meals for each guest.

Check-in baggage allocation, in-flight meals, PickA-Seat, travel insurance and more are all available online and guests are able to add or make changes to their booking very simply through ‘Manage My Booking’.

Philippines’ AirAsia call center also accepts booking of regular fares via +632 588 9999 from Monday to Sunday at 0800hrs to 2100hrs (GMT +8).

Guests from Metro Manila may also purchase seats through AirAsia Travel & Service Centers (ATSC) located in SM North EDSA in Quezon City, in Mall of Asia in Pasay City and in Angeles City, Pampanga. Davao guests may visit ATSC in Gaisano Mall.

For more updates on AirAsia’s latest innovations, as well as promotions, activities and contests, connect with them via Twitter (twitter.com/ AirAsiaPh) or Facebook ( fa c e b o o k . c o m / A i r AsiaPhilippines).

CAGAS...

COMVAL...

FFROM 2

one cal. 40 pistol, scope and rifle, and assorted ammunitions and magazines inside the bedroom of the town mayor.

The raid came after authorities confirmed reports that a cache of firearms was being kept in the house of the mayor in Barangay Caburan Small.

Joyce was charged with violation of Republic Act 8294, otherwise known as Illegal Possession of Firearms and Explosives.

Prosecutor Perfecto Ordaneza of the Provincial Prosecution Office in Digos City also ordered the release of Joyce’s security escorts, namely, Ronnie Pandamon, Arnel Dioni-

IP...

FFROM 3

sio, Victorino Venancio, Hernan Miguel, Floro Arquillano, and Boroy Tilo for lack of evidence.

Based on the resolution there was no probable cause to charge the six security escorts.

During the RPOC meeting, Cagas urged the PNP and the AFP commands in the region to move against the guns-for-hire operating in Davao del Sur and not to hesitate to kill them as they have killed so many innocent victims.

Unless these armed men are neutralized, people can not expert a peaceful election in the province next year.

FFROM 3 Robelyn Gulae, a native of Tampakan, South Cotabato and a member of the ECOFI Church, is an orphan of Ronie and Mercedita Gulae, who were both killed in an ambush believed to be perpetrated by bandits last June 2011. Both chose the Christian way of wedding after their “saktad” in exchanging their vows in order to formally seal their marriage in Church and under the Philippine Law. “The wedding and attendees only showed that despite the recent incidents, the area is generally peaceful. We want to show everyone that we fully trust the government and the Army here in Bongmal in its investigation as it search for the truth behind the doubts and complications of the situation”, said Chieftain Neraldo “Dot” Capion in his native tongue.

The 1002nd Brigade provided transportation assistance to the attend-

ees and free photo and video coverage during the wedding. Moreover, a total of 52 principal sponsors were included in the guest list of the couple. Among the sponsors were the Officials of the Kiblawan Municipal and Barangay LGU, Tribal Chieftains and Army Officers and personnel.

“In spite of the recent incident, the Army, being a supplemental vehicle of the government, will continue to deliver its basic social services to the community. The people of Bongmal trusts us and we will return that trust through public service.

The collaboration and coordination of the Army, the Tribal Councils and the people in the area are proof that the IP community are one with the Army in the pursuit of justice, lasting peace and development”, added Cpt Joel Wayagwag, Commander of Task Force KITACO.

this year, a P28 million funds for road rehabilitation, with bridge construction component, intended for the towns Monkayo and Montevista to provide easy access to the towns’ farflung areas.

Cayme projected that the road network in the province of Compostela Valley will open up and provide easy access to isolated areas with the coming in of another additional P29 million funds from OPAPP through its PAMANA program.

He said requirements are being processed with the corresponding approval of the Sangguniang Panlalawigan, giving authority for Provincial Governor Arturo Uy to enter into a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with OPAPP. Compostela Valley is also a recipient of P2.1 million infra funding from OPAPP PAMANA coursed through the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR) and another P1 million funds from the same source, for carabao breeding.

DIDP has also extended development assistance to Compostela Valley, pouring in P6.4 million for the Nabunturan farm-to-market road with bridge component project which is recently completed and turned over to the local government.

Cayme further revealed that DIDP is bringing in another

P14.7 million funds for a farm-to-market road in Mawab town. He said a notice to proceed has been issued, marking the start of the project implementation to be completed in 256 days.

Meanwhile, MRDP has also earmarked P16 million for crumb rubber processing plant that will be put up in Laak town, and that another P30 million from MRDP will be used to roll out an irrigation project to water a wide rice potential area in Barangay Kidawa, also in Laak.

On the other hand, the province also got funding support for Rural Health Units (RHUs) improvement, and for health facilities enhancement which takes particular improvement of hospital wards, delivery rooms, nurse stations, building expansion and fixture supplies of the four provincial hospitals located in the towns of Montevista, Maragusan, Laak and Pantukan.

For provincial hospital health facility enhancement, Compostela Valley got P38 million in 2010; P29 million in 2011; and that another P48 million is set aside for the province in 2012 but it is still up for bidding processes.

[PIA 11/Jeanevive D. Abangan]

Edge Davao hiring editor, 3 reporters EDGE DAVAO is in need of an editor and three staffwriters/reporters for its expansion program.

The reporters will be assigned to the business, science/environment and political beats.

On the other hand, the editor will supervise the reporters and do gate-keeping tasks.

Applicant must be a graduate of a four- year college course. For reporters, experience is not needed although preferable. The editor should have at least one-year experience in editing.

Interested parties may send their application letter to Mr. Antonio M. Ajero, Edge Davao editor, thru email address ajero_antonio@yahoo.com. For inquiries, please call Mr. Ajero thru mobile phone 09052422686 or landline 221-3601.

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EDGEDavao

Serving a seamless society

-

Accounting Clerk

Female, not more than 30 years old A graduate of BS Accountancy, Knowledge of related computer applicants, Familiar with basic bookkeeping procedures, - Attentive to details and accurate, - Well organized and - Can work with mininum supervision

Account Executives (2)

- Male / Female, not more than 30 years old - Candidate must posses a Bachelor/College Degree in any Business field.

- Willing to work under pressure, flexible, persuasive, can speak fluently and computer literate - A team player - With Basic Salary, Transportation, Communication, allowance + Commission For interested applicants, you may send your resume to: HR Department EDGEDavao Doors 13 & 14 Alcrej B;dg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel. No. (082) 221-3601 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

Realty

EDGEDAVAO

Health and Wellness

FOR SALE:

1) 1-hectare commercial lot at P10,000/sq m, along National Highway, facing east, beside Nccc Panacan, Davao city. 2) 17,940sq m commercial lot at P2,500/sq m, along matina Diversion road. 3) 3,831 sq m lot along matina Diversion road. 4) 41,408 sq m commercial/industrial lot at P800/sq m along the National Highway, Bunawan. 5) 7,056 sq m at P1,200/sq m commercial/residential lot along indangan road, Buhangin District.

6) 27,411 sq m commercial/industrial lot along the National Highway in Bincungan, Tagum city. 7) 116.15 to 245.92 sq meters , at P5.5m to P12.3m commercial/office condo units in Bajada, Davao city. 8) 699 to 1,117 sq m at P4,100/sq m commercial lots at Josefina Town center, along the National Highway, Dumoy, Toril. 9) readyfor-Occupancy Residential Properties: 4Br/3T&B in a 240 sq m lot with 177.31sqm floor area (2-storey) at P4.8M in an exclusive beachfront community in Dumoy, Toril.; 3Br 2-storey in a 71.25 sq m 2-storey in a 143sq m lot in an exclusive flower village in Maa, Davao city; 180 sq m lots with 71.25sqm to 126.42 sq m floor areas, priced at P3.751M to P5.773M in an exclusive mountain resort community along matina, Diversion road.

10) 1Br/2Br residential condo units located in Bolton, maa, obrero, Davao city. 11) For aSSume (ruSH): 1Br res’l condo unit in Palmetto, maa. P600K negotiable. Note: Items 1-9 can be paid in cash, in-house or bank financing. If interested, please call Jay (Prc reB Lic. 8237) at 0922-851-5337 (Sun), 0908-883-8832 (Smart) or send email to propertiesindavao@yahoo.com.

PRIME PROPERTY FOR SALE ROBINSONS HIGH LANDS, 173 sq. meters, 1.5 M, Direct Buyers only Contact: 0926-305-1555 0942-966-2444

APARTMENT FOR SALE 3 Door Apartment, lot 320 sq. m.

Located at Bo. obrero near Victoria Plaza 10 m, Direct Buyers only contact: 0932-532-7304

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EDGEDavao Gensan Partners

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NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No(s). 1000033 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract NO(s) LLL 430000997 issued to CORAZON G. AMIZOLA was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

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Deadline for submission of materials is 12:00 NN. Deadline for Friday and Saturday issues is 5:00 PM. Deadline for Sunday and monday issues is Saturday 12:00 NN. For more information, please call our Advertising Office 2213601; 301-6235 and ask for Jane or chay.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 172 •WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

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Edge Davao hiring editor, 3 reporters EDGE DAVAO is in need of an editor and three staffwriters/reporters for its expansion program.

The reporters will be assigned to the business, science/environment and political beats.

On the other hand, the editor will supervise the reporters and do gate-keeping tasks.

Applicant must be a graduate of a fouryear college course. For reporters, experience is not needed although preferable.

The editor should have at least one-year experience in editing.

Interested parties may send their application letter to Mr. Antonio M. Ajero, Edge Davao editor, thru email address ajero_antonio@yahoo.com. For inquiries, please call Mr. Ajero thru mobile phone 09052422686 or landline 221-3601.

14 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Abueva named Player of the Week

A

LASKA rookie Calvin Abueva has been named PBA Player of the Week for the period of October 22-28 after leading the Aces to back-to-back victories in the Philippine Cup last week.

Abueva, nicknamed “The Beast,” averaged 17.5 points and 10.5 rebounds last week for the Aces while making several game-changing plays.

“He is a ball of energy who brings so much passion to the game for us,” said Alaska head coach Luigi Trillo in an interview with PBA.ph.

Abueva, picked second in the PBA Rookie Draft, completed his NCAA career at San Sebastian and immediately made an impact for Alaska despite being an undersized forward in the PBA. “We are using him at the forward position. We have not even tried him out in the wing or point guard position. I cannot

remember a (local) player who could play all five positions,” Trillo said.

“He reminds me of our past import – Sean Chambers,” he added.

“Undersized with a very big heart.”

Against Air21, Abueva scored 16 points and grabbed 12 rebounds in their 92-81 victory. He added 19 points, nine rebounds, three assists and one steal in their 87-69 rout of Ginebra last Sunday.

Abueva has normed 15.7 points and 12.3 rebounds in his first three games as a pro, all Alaska wins. The Aces have now won four straight games after opening their season with back-to-back losses. “(Abueva) is really a game-changer. When he comes in, you feel na nakaka-intimidate siya. And to do it at the 4 (power forward) spot. It’s amazing. He’s (just) 6-foot-1,” Trillo said.

Murray blames compressed calendar for pullouts

P

ARIS - Andy Murray predicted scheduling trouble for future late-season ATP events once the World Tour Finals leave London after 2013, with the new compacted annual calendar likely to force some hard choices among players.

The fourth-ranked Scot spoke before his second-round start at the Paris Masters, a week after leaving organisers in Basel, Switzerland, high and dry by withdrawing with a back injury from that event.

Now Paris Bercy and tournament director Guy Forget is paying the price as well with the injury absence of world number one Roger Federer, which leaves Novak Djokovic on

course to top the year-end rankings for the second straight year.

Djokovic lost the ranking to the Swiss on July 9 after 53 weeks when Federer won his seventh Wimbledon title.

But the ATP said that Federer ended any chance of a return to the yearend top spot as he lost the weekend Basel final to Juan Del Potro and then withdrew from Paris with niggling injuries.

Djokovic started the year by defending his Australian Open title and boasts a circuit-leading 7011 match record going into Paris.

With the race for the final two spots in the yearend event going down to the wire in Paris before

Monday’s start of the eight-man wrap-up, injury retirements figure in the equation as well.

In Valencia a week ago, London contenders Jo-Wilfried Tsonga and Janko Tipsarevic both quit firstround matches in pain.

Murray said that with the London season-ender starting next Monday without a gap between the end of Paris and the first round-robin match in the British capital, players are unlikely to be willing to risk playing three weeks in succession.

That was not the case until this year, when the ATP -- bowing to perceived player demands -- squeezed an extra two weeks of play out of the calendar, yielding an ending on November 12.

Serena: The best is still to come

Serena Williams of the US returns a shot to Maria Sharapova of Russia during their final tennis match of the WTA Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, Sunday.

I Frely John Ochia, 1st Tide Marathon Tenpin Bowling Open tournament coordinator, left, and Invictus Lorenzo, NCCC entertainment supervisor, announces the first-ever extended bowling

tournament slated on November 11 and November 18, 2012 at NCCC Mall Davao’s B3 in the weekly Davao Sportswriters Association media forum at Tower Inn yesterday. LEAN DAVAL JR.

STANBUL - Even after 15 Grand Slam titles and at the age of 31, Serena Williams says the best is still to come, after ending a remarkable comeback season with the WTA Championships title she first won over a decade ago.

“I definitely think I can improve some more,” she said after battering an inform Maria Sharapova to a 6-4, 6-3 defeat with an outstanding display of serving and heavy hitting in Istanbul on Sunday.

“Especially when I was out there I thought, ‘Okay, I want to work on this in November’ (during the close season). And, ‘Oh, okay, I’m

going to work on that one in November’.

“So, I was thinking of all these things I can work on and I can improve on. I think every day, whether it’s life or whether it’s playing tennis, we always can improve as people or as whatever we do.

“The day I feel that I can’t improve, I think that’s the day I should probably hang up my racket.”

If Williams’ prediction is right, then the achievements of Martina Navratilova and Chris Evert, who each won 18 Grand Slam titles, may be within her reach. That has only been bettered during the open

era by Steffi Graf, who won 22.

Williams has won the Olympics, Wimbledon and US Open titles in the last four months -- a dramatic turn-around from a 12-month absence in 2010 and 2011 in which she suffered from a badly cut foot and life-threatening blood clots on her lungs.

The US player is probably capable of improving her net game in singles significantly and perhaps varying the pace and angles of her ground strokes more as well. The crucial imponderable will be her ability to maintain fitness.

INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

STYLE

Depth of field

AsIde from promoting and advocating life insurance, businessman Paul Borromeo maintains a good balance by taking time off for family life and to capture still life.

I remember talking to one of his closest friends, and he proudly pointed out that Paul showed a lot of promise in the field of photography even when they were in high school.

“He has always had the eye for great photos.”

Hip and cool at 44, Paul is like a kid full of ideas every time I see him work at photo shoots. It’s like seeing Paul in his own wonderland, creating magic through his rabbit hole of a lens. It has always been such an ease to spearhead and execute projects with him in the wing. We’ve col-

laborated over series of PR and advertising campaigns since 2007, and, to this day, I remain one of his loyal fans.

His visually arresting art and style has spurred the

interest of thousands of shutterbugs and netizens.

Check his friends list on Facebook and you’ll understand what I mean.

What’s so great about this man is his passion to share ideas with curious minds. He devotes time to reply to questions and throw in a few tips and suggestions to budding artists, whether on line or in close encounters.

What he has, he shares.

It’s just like giving back all the knowledge that helped hone his skills and made him who he is now in the industry. “After all, my art is a collaboration of so many happy coincidences. It’s a product of shared ideas and experiences from pros and other practitioners

who I’ve had the privilege of working with.”

At the early age of 11, Paul started off with a Kodak Instamatic, which was given by a family friend, and his love affair with photography blossomed while he experimented with lights and shadows. “I got caught up with the idea of freezing time and emotions, and documenting a part of history and the past.”

“Then I joined the yearbook committee when I was 16. Given the unlimited rolls of film I was supplied with, I had the best time going around campus to photograph scenes and images of high school life.”

“I got even more hooked into photography when the digital cameras came out.

At that time, I explored more with landscape,

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge! uP AND ABOuT

Privado nationwide luxury sale at SM Department Store

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Don’t miss this last chance to strut in style for less this holiday season brought to you by the only fashion accessories authority, SM Accessories!

HEALTH

Avon leads the charge against breast cancer Celebrates the 20th year of its Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer campaign.

FACt: Breast cancer remains the top killer of Filipino women. And this is a harsh truth that poses a challenge to every individual, whether patient, family member, friend or fellowman—a challenge to put this knowledge to life-changing use, and walk the talk by actively participating in the fight against this deadly disease.

Avon’s Corporate Communications Manager, Ada Cruz-Lopez (center) and the volunteer oncologists at the Avon Let’s Walk the Talk booth at SM City Davao.

SM City GenSan “Take on the Trash”

ExEcuTivES, officers and staff of SM city General Santos together with General Santos city Local Government unit thru city Environment and Natural Resources Office, supported the 27th Annual international coastal clean-up last October 6, 2012 at Zone 6, Barangay Bula, General Santos city.

The coastal clean-up drive is for ocean conservancy which helps illustrate the problem and to highlight the need for all of us to work together and find solutions in making our ocean and waterways cleaner by taking on the trash.

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

Avon’s KGBC ambassador Sarah Lahbati.

Avon, the company for women and foremost advocate of breast cancer, once again leads the charge and marks the 20th year of its Kiss Goodbye to Breast Cancer (KGBC) campaign with this year’s breast cancer awareness events.

Themed Let’s Walk the talk, KGBC’s 2012 series takes Avon’s call to action a step further by inviting Filipinos to come face to face with the life-threatening condition and proactively and concretely deepen their involvement in the cause.

Launched in the Philippines in 2002, KGBC aims to help provide access to care and support to medically underserved Filipinas. With yearly walk and run events and fundraising products in the country, the company for women has been able to help establish the Breast Cancer Center at the Philippine General Hospital (PGH) and offer free consultation, initiate support groups for sufferers, and provide much-needed equipment to provincial hospitals. to date, Avon has raised Us$740 million worldwide for research and advancing access to breast cancer care.

Now on its 20th anniversary, the campaign focuses on providing an experiential glimpse into the realities of breast cancer via a 20-day nationwide KGBC Let’s Walk the talk tour.

Highlighting the importance of early detection

Members of Davao’s media try out the “breast vests”.

The back of Avon’s KGBC booth promotes early breast cancer detection.

At the “breast vest” education section of the booth.

and the merits of regular breast examination, the tour featured educational sessions on how to do a self-breast exam – Avon even had ‘breast vests’ produced to help participants understand and feel what actual lumps feel like – and free breast examinations by attending physicians. The tour also offers opportunities to get to know the disease more through the poignant stories and experiences of survivors.

“Breast cancer will continue to be the number 1 killer of Filipino women if we don’t educate them,” says Avon Philippines President and General Manager Kanwar Bhutani. “With Let’s Walk the talk, we ask you to help us build a community where people understand that the best way to fight the disease is through early detection and awareness. “ The Avon KGBC’s Let’s Walk the talk tour was recently held at at sM davao from October 25 to 28 as well as at AVON Las Piñas from August 20 to 22; AVON taft from August 27 to 29; AVON shaw from september 3 to 5; AVON edsa from september 10 to 12; and sM Cebu from september 27 to 30; truly, with Avon, each individual is now presented with the incredible opportunity to step up to the plate and Walk the talk in the fight against breast cancer; and in doing so, make a concrete difference in the lives of others.

VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

ENTERTAiNMENT

Adam Levine stands up for Christina Aguilera over weight criticism

ADAM Levine and christina Aguilera may argue incessantly over talent on The voice, sometimes even nastily.

But if there’s one thing the Maroon 5 singer wants the world to know, it’s that outside the NBc reality competition, he’s got his fellow coach’s back, especially from the haters who criticize her over her fluctuating weight.

“People shouldn’t say those kinds of things because, f--k you. it’s like, come on guys, grow up,” Levine, 33, told reporters

at a Friday Q&A in New York city when asked about the knocks the 31year-old songbird has taken over her curvy figure.

“The one thing about the culture right now— celebrity culture particularly—that is so ugly is [that] people feel like they can just say nasty things about other people… she gets a lot of it,” Levine added. “it pisses me off.

Of course i have her back, of course i defend her.”

The Maroon 5 frontman not only decried the “bullying” the “Your Body” singer has received, but

he also took time to address the heated feuds between the two of them on The voice, comparing the spats to the kind of fights siblings have.

“The fights that everyone thought we were having were fictional— we never hated each other, we never were having some sort of secret battles that everyone thought we were having,” Levine noted. “They were silly bickering things that brother and sister would do. it’s not nearly what everybody thought… We’re all good, christina and i.”

Glad to hear it.

Sorry, Silver Fox:

Anderson Cooper’s Live talk show canceled

ANDERSON cooper probably isn’t breaking into a giggle fit today: His syndicated daytime talk show, Anderson Live, has been canceled.

Telepictures, which syndicates the Warner Brothers-produced chatfest, announced Monday that the low-rated show, which had undergone several changes in its second season in an effort to boost audience interest, won’t return for a third. “We are extremely proud of Anderson and the show that he and the entire production team have produced,” read the statement. “While we made significant changes to the format, set and produced it live in its second season, the series will not be coming back for a third season in a marketplace that has become

increasingly difficult to break through.”

The news comes as several new daytime entries, including shows hosted by Survivor’s Jeff Probst and Ricki Lake, have struggled to find their footing in a crowded, competitive landscape. Anderson Live will continue to air new episodes throughout next summer.

“i am very proud of the work that our terrific staff has put into launching and sustaining our show for two seasons,” cooper said in his own statement. “i am grateful to Telepictures for giving me the opportunity, and i am indebted to the audience, who have responded so positively. i look forward to doing more great shows this season, and i’m sorry we won’t be continuing, but i have truly enjoyed it.”

Launched in the fall of 2011, Anderson Live arrived with high expectations, considering the pedigree and appeal of its host. Though his talk show may be ending, cooper can comfort himself with the fact that he still has two other gigs— Anderson cooper 360 and contributing to 60 Minutes—to keep him busy.

INdulge! A3

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

STYLE ENTERTAiNMENT travel, and street photography.” sometime 2003 or 2004, Paul was introduced to some of the most respected photographers in the davao community. These were names which he just once read in newspapers or exhibits. “I remember tatay Rene (Lumawag) showing me how to properly use my Nikon 5700, in one of the Kadayawan sunrise events. I also got a bit of enlightenment from Chiaw Yap, who gave me detailed pointers on lights and shadows. Through them, I got to understand the so-called passion in photography. The fascination wasn’t more on the technical aspects, but on sharing ideas instead. In the process of immersion with the Camera Club of davao, I got to meet fellow enthusiasts who formed online groups and shared ideas and critiques to make the craft better.”

“I also got to meet Rhonson Ng during the AseAN tourism Forum, and we, together with Jojie Alcantara, became steadfast friends and photo buddies since then. In one of those days when Rhonson and I used to hang around their studio, I met a model friend of theirs, Karen Johnson, whose elegance drew me closer to portraiture. soon, I found myself going deeper into this wonderful rabbit hole of creativity, and invested heavily in portraiture when I did my first workshop with Manny Librodo in Iloilo.”

With much passion and interest in honing his craft and sharing his ideas, he took the big leap by constructing his own studio, just within the comfort of home. In 2009, Leadfoto studios was born.

“The idea came from my wife, Nina. she suggested that I just set up a studio near our house. Then my sister pointed towards a vacant family property in our area. together with saldy Mascardo, I began designing what I envisioned to have --- a studio where artists could meet and share in a non-commercial environment.”

With fellow collaborators, Paul staged numerous productions and photo shoots which further increased his fan base on Facebook and around town.

He inspired more photographers to step out of their perceived self, think out of the box, and just have fun experimenting. “to this day, Leadfoto studios continues to evolve and grow. It is not a commercial studio, but a venue to create. Photo workshops

such as the Lyrical Light series originated in Leadfoto, the same way make up seminars of tiny Pili and Mae Ann Cortez and satellite workshops by Marlon Advincula have been born out of this studio as well.” “slowly, through the past 3 years, we have been able to gather like minds in forming an unofficial team of fashion stylists, hair and makeup artists, models, and other photo collaborators. As time passes, Leadfoto studios will always be a venue for collaborations.

It will always be an artist’s playground.”

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EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 172 •WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

Kobe, Lakers chase milestone titles

L

OS ANGELES - The Los Angeles Lakers and superstar Kobe Bryant are chasing twin milestone titles as the 67th NBA season opens Tuesday, counting on two key additions to help them regain Western Conference supremacy.

With one more title, the Lakers can match the Boston Celtics’ record of 17 NBA crowns, while Bryant could match Michael Jordan’s six career championships.

At 34, Bryant has been to the NBA finals seven times. With more than a thousand regular-season games under his belt -- and with the Lakers still feeling the sting of their five-game second-round playoff ouster by the young Oklahoma City Thunder last season -- the club have spared no expense in bringing in big man Dwight Howard and veteran point guard Steve Nash.

The Lakers will pay their players $100 million this season, plus tens of millions more in luxury tax for the privilege.

“It’s a big investment made in the team,” said Spain’s Pau Gasol. “Everybody has a lot of expectations about the team. We ourselves have a great desire of accomplishing all those expectations.”

However, the build-up to Tuesday’s season-opener at home to Dallas has been anything but smooth.

The Lakers went 0-8 in the pre-season, and Bryant is questionable for Tuesday’s game with a strained right foot suffered in one of those defeats.

Whether the infusion of more star talent pays off with a title depends on how well those talents mesh and whether they all stay healthy.

Howard is one of the top defenders in the league, but he arrived from Orlando still seeking full fitness in the wake of back surgery that forced him out of the London Olympics.

Nash, a a two-time NBA Most Valuable Player, has never won an NBA title, and in fact never played in the finals.

The 38-year-old Canadian, who has spent much of his league career trying in vain to get the Phoenix Suns past the Lakers, says he’s looking forward to life on the other side.

many weeks for conduct detrimental to the team.

Dallas had to dump West to make room for Eddy Curry, a journeyman center who was picked up last week after San Antonio let him go. Curry likely will get the start against the Lakers because Chris Kaman and backup Brandon Wright are battling injuries.

West, who has bipolar disorder, indicated in a series of tweets after the second suspension that his future in Dallas was in doubt.

The eighth-year pro was involved in a pair of locker room incidents during the

preseason. He was on his second straight one-year contract for the veteran minimum, which was $1.2 million this season.

Part of West’s value a year ago came from being a younger, experienced player to help aging point guard Jason Kidd and another 30-something guard in Jason Terry. But the Mavericks have a much younger backcourt after getting Darren Collison from Indiana to replace Kidd when they missed out on Deron Williams and adding free agent O.J. Mayo to fill Terry’s scoring role.

Los Angeles Lakers’ Kobe Bryant (right) and Dwight Howard

Mavericks get rid of West

D

ALLAS -- The Dallas Mavericks are moving on without guard Delonte West, and their starting center for Tuesday night’s season opener on the road against the Los Angeles Lakers will likely be someone who wasn’t even on the roster a week ago.

The Mavericks waived West on Monday, the eve of a second straight season with a major roster makeover. West was part of the first retooling a year ago, and figured to be a valuable role player again before two suspensions in as

“It is one of the marquee franchises in our league and has a great franchise history,” Nash said of the club. “Those are characteristics you can’t say about every club.

That’s something that I feel proud to be part of and excited to hopefully continue the legacy.”

Bryant insists that chemistry won’t be an issue.

“All the pieces fit,” he said. “We all do different things. We all fit together naturally. We just have to keep doing the things we have been doing our entire careers.”

three races to go despite not having won yet this season.

“I think my return to Formula 1 has gone pretty well and the team has done a very good job all year so far,” said Raikkonen.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect to be fighting for the drivers’ championship this season when you look at where the team was in 2011, so it has been great to be on the podium so many times and to score points on a regular basis.

“I feel very comfortable with Lotus and we share the same philosophy of racing. Continuing with the team was an obvious choice for me and I’m

looking forward to making another step forward together next year.”

Team principal Eric Boullier said after Sunday’s Indian Grand Prix that neither Raikkonen nor French team-mate Romain Grosjean were likely to win any of the season’s final three races.

“Realistically I would be kidding people if I said we would win a race this year,” he said. “yes I can be frustrated at not getting this missing, or elusive, win but we had a good start to the season with a new package and two new drivers. If you put us in the same position next year then it will be a different story.”

Raikkonen re-signs with Lotus for 2013

Finland’s Kimi Raikkonen

“

Dallas Mavericks guard Delonte West (13) talks to head coach Rick Carlisle during a break in play against the Phoenix Suns in the first half of a preseason NBA basketball game in Dallas.

WE’RE delighted Kimi is staying with us for 2013,” the British-based team said on their official Twitter feed after posting a link to a film clip on YouTube which hinted at the news.

Raikkonen, who won the 2007 title with Ferrari, made his Formula One comeback this season after ending a switch to the world rally championship.

The Finn has been the most consistent driver on the grid, with 14 successive scoring finishes and every racing lap completed. He has been on the podium six times in 2012.

The 33-year-old is third in the championship, 67 points off the lead, with

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VOL.5 ISSUE 172 • WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 31, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Manny begins 5-week training in Los Angeles

H

OW to beat Juan Manuel Marquez convincingly will be the main focus of Manny Pacquiao’s Los Angeles camp which opened yesterday at the Freddie Roach-owned Wild Card Boxing Gym in Hollywood, California.

There will be the usual roadwork, punching the mitts, heavy bag, double end and speed ball and sparring, but the high-

lights of the second leg of preparations spread for five weeks before the team proceeds to Las Vegas, site of Pacquiao’s fourth fight against Marquez, will be the mapping out of strategies on how to erase the doubts that marked the combatants’ first three fights.

“Besides the nitty-gritty in preparations, Freddie and I will be studying carefully the

tapes of our previous fights as well as other fights of Marquez to determine what kind of strategy we will be using to win convincingly, if possible via knockout,” Pacquiao told this writer in a brief telephone interview upon his arrival in LA Saturday night (Sunday in Manila).

“As both of us, Freddie and I have promised, we have to win by KO, o kung

hindi man mapatulog, kailangang bugbog-sarado ang kalaban para mahinto na ang mga sali-salita na hindi kumbinsido ang panalo ko or I robbed him of victories,” the eight-division world champion and ‘Fighter of the Decade’ honoree said.

Pacquiao and his team rested the whole day Sunday to remove the jet lag brought about by a 13-hour direct flight from Manila although he said that had it not been a Sunday, he could have opted to start training immediately.

“I am really very eager na mag-start. Busog na busog na ako sa ensayo bago pa lang lumipad dito kaya I feel na my body wouldn’t mind if we start early. Ang lakas na ng katawan ko as a result of our three-week stamina-building regimen while in General Santos City,” he said.

Assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez agreed, saying, “Since we started preparations in GenSan, hataw talaga si Manny sa ensayo. That’s why it’s no surprise na madali niyang ma-recover ang stamina nya.”

“Actually, yung strategy, nasimulan na rin naming pag-aralan while still in GenSan,” Buboy, Pacquiao’s boyhood buddy disclosed. “Nadiskubre kasi namin na si Marquez pala ay nagsimula sa boksing as left-handed. ‘yung pagiging right-handed niya, lately lang niya na-develop.”

“That’s probably the reason why Manny finds his style difficult. Bukod sa alam ni Marquez kung saan siya pupunta para mag-counter, malakas din talaga ang kaliwa niya,” Buboy said. “Kaya pagsabak ni Manny dito sa Wild Card with Freddie, madali na.”