Edge Davao 5 Issue 223 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

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Ateneo food poisoning

179 students paid By Che Palicte

Science/ Environment

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Sports

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HINabaNk Insurance broker Incorporated assistant manager Danny alipao, together with Reynald agustin, insurance branch manager of malaysian alliance assurance (maa) turned over yesterday a check amounting P826,892.41 as settlement for the victims of food poisoning last July to Samahan Central goard President maureen Villamor at the ateneo de Davao university.

An average of P15,000 per student hospitalized for up to five days

Maayo gyud ang naay insurance

more than a hundred people, mostly students, landed in the hospital after eating chicken “adobo” at lunch during an assembly at adDu auditorium in July 29, 2011 in what could be the first

FATENEO, 11

VOLUNTEERS. Students, government employees and members of several civic groups tirelessly volunteer to repack relief goods at the Department of Public Works and Highway compound yesterday more than a month after typhoon Pablo devastated the provinces of Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley Province. Lean Daval Jr.

From NMIS

P30 M allotted for slaughterhouses By EJ Dominic Fernandez

agum, mati, Padada and Digos slaughterhouses will receive financial assistance coming from the national government which will be implemented in 2013 as a part of the new program of the National meat Inspection

Service Region 11 to improve slaughter facilities. The Tagum and mati slaughter houses will be receiving financial assistance of 10 million pesos while the Padada slaughterhouse will receive 5 million pesos this

MX3: HITTING TWO BIRDS WITH ONE STONE

Disclaimer:: Garcinia mangostana is a Food Supplement and not a Drug. NO APPROVED THERAPEUTIC CLAIM.

year as a part of the national livestock program of NmIS Region 11, according to Dr. myrna Habacon, NmIS head in an interview she granted Edge. The Digos slaughterhouse will receive

FFROM, 11

2 THE BIG NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

Business permit renewal in Davao City now faster

ENEwal of business permits In Davao City has become faster compared to last year as several steps have been taken out, an official said. Dwight Domingo, officer-in-charge of the Davao City mayor’s Office business bureau Division, said Thursday at the I-speak media forum that from seven to 10 steps, it now takes four to five steps to renew a business permit. Removed from the steps are the certifications from the city’s regulatory offices such as the veterinarian’s office, environment and natural resources office, and health office, among others, as they are already included in the

pre-complied documents. The one-stop shop business permit renewal cited five steps starting with the business bureau office (bbO) for the required steps and submission of pre-required documents. For the second and third steps, payment for taxes and regulatory fees will be done with the City Treasurer’s Office, and for the fourth step, payment for the bureau of Fire Protection. The last step will be back to the bbO for the issuance of business logo, which may be released in less than a day. business permit renewal in the city is ongoing until January 21. Domingo cit-

FBUSINESS, 11

North Cotabato upbeat on tourism development By ChePalicte

uRINg the unveiling of the Fort Pikithistorical landmark last January 8 in North Cotabato, provincial governor Emmylou “lala” Taliño mendoza bared to media her plans for North Cotabatoas a tourist destination, particularly Pikit. among the tourist spotsin the province are asik-asikFalls in alamada, the zipline in makilala andthe Fort Pikit landmark. The governor said she is eyeing as her fourth project the man-made fish pen or a fishing village that is located also in Pikit.In this she is supported by the mindanao Development authority (mINDa) and that the project will be ready beforetheprovince cele-

bratesits centennial anniversary. “Tingnannatinkungpwedeng I-tie-up itosa Fort Pikitdahil kung pupunta man angmgabisitaditosa North Cotabato,parang package naangpupuntahannilanglugargayangasik-asik, yungzipline, Fort Pikit at yung fishing village,” mendoza explained. She added that there are still a lot of tourist spots to be developed in North Cotabato and they will try to promote and develop them. “In support of tourism and our cultural heritage we will put up a library on a budget of 20 million pesos inside the capitol for preserving our artifacts and everything that we have as our peace initiatives,” mendoza added.

INSURANCE. Danny Alipao, China Bank Broker Inc. assistant general manager (2nd from left), turns over a business check replica from Malaysian Alliance Assurance (MAA) worth P826,892.41 to Maureen Villamor, president of SAMAHAN Central Board of the Ateneo de Davao University (2nd from right) as a settlement for the 179 food poison victims last July 2012 at the Ateneo de Davao University campus on Roxas Avenue yesterday. With them are Reynald Agustin, MAA insurance branch manager (ext. right) and Reymond Samon, marketing assistant of China Bank. Lean Daval Jr.

DavNor Intensifies household awareness to disaster program By EJ Dominic Fernandez

ITH eight municipalities, three cities and 147 barangays affected by Typhoon Pablo, Davao del Norte will be intensifying household awareness to disaster in 2013 as part of the preventive measures program. according to Romulo Tagalo, Davao del Norte assistant provincial administrator, the disaster risk reduction management division of Davao Del Norte will “focus on household awareness as to disaster from February onwards.” “after Pablo and low pressure areas, Davao del Norte gov. Rodolfo del Rosario decided that we intensify the awareness campaign,” said Tagalo. before, he said, their

awareness campaign was only up to the barangay level, today they tend to go down to the household level by tapping the mother of each family to join their awareness orientations. He explained that “mothers are more concerned over the welfare of their families compared to fathers who are more focused on making a living.” Part of the awareness campaign are lectures on climate change, household preparation techniques, community level early warning system, and communication system where the household will communicate with the operation centers through texting. They will also be providing emergency kits

imposed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) will be implemented starting today which covers all the gun holders, private and off duty police and military personnel. Lean Daval Jr.

as the awareness campaign.” For the rehabilitation program, the provincial engineering office is already preparing a plan on how to rehabilitate affected infrastructures, especially the four bridges that were destroyed. Tagalo said “there are already work being done, for example, barangay Suawon, the RCDg bridge worth 29 million pesos requires 80 million pesos to restore while the other three bridges are less expensive at five million pesos each.” For mitigation measures, actions are being done like improving dikes, ripraps, and desilting of rivers which are all under the provincial engineering office.

postela Valley two days after the typhoon devastated the entire town. Typhoon Pablo wrought havoc on the provinces of Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental, particularly baganga town where it made landfall, Cateel, and boston. New bataan was the most devastated town of Compostela Valley. The financial assistance was broken down as follows: P2 million to Compostela Valley, P2 million to baganga, Cateel and boston in Davao Oriental and P1 million to Davao del Norte for the

flood victims. Early on, the employees of grand Regal Hotel here in Davao City gave up their Christmas party to help the typhoon victims. Hotel manager, Eldie bontia, said he was elated when the employees sacrificed their traditional Christmas party in solidarity with the victims of Pablo. The students of the Davao Central High School also gave up their Christmas party to raise some 100 thousand pesos for the victims of Pablo. [EJF]

SSS gives 5M to Pablo victims

ON GUARD. A policeman who is part of a troop deployed to secure government establishments where repacking of relief goods are being conducted is seen holding his service fire arm at the entrance gate of the Department of Public Works and Highways in Panacan yesterday. An electoral total gun ban

during these awareness orientations. Tagalo said this is still in the conceptual phase, adding “we are still preparing the program design for this, but the governor has already approved in principle that these will be the actions taken after Pablo.” PDRRmC has a 4-phase preventive measures program to minimize damage that may be caused by future calamities. The four-phase approach comprises of preparedness awareness, mitigation, response and rehabilitation. Tagalo said, “we are done with the response phase which is during the actual crisis, now we are starting the rehabilitation process, as well

ICTImS of typhoon Pablo have found some solace in the form of P5 million as assistance from the Social Security System. assistant vice president for southern mindanao, pawyer Noel Palma said the amount will be turned over to the Philippine National Red Cross in areas greatly affected by Pablo. “This is the SSS way of reaching out to the victims who have lost their homes and properties to the typhoon,” said Palma, who visited barangay andap, New bataan, Com-

SUBURBIA 3

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

DavNor firms up data capture system for disaster loss b

aNkINg on its initial wins in terms of disaster response and emergency relief, the provincial government is taking further steps in improving its system to sharpen the data it gets from the ground during disasters. The province has conceptualized a model for the systematic reporting of disaster loss, after governor Rodolfo del Rosario mandated the frontline offices of the Capitol to put in place vital mechanisms for the standard accounting of extent of damages. He said the accuracy of the report is very useful for decision makers, particularly in terms of making evaluations and providing calamity assistance, among other priorities. “we must establish all the necessary systems that we can think of, so we can come up with a credible and quality report,” del Rosario intoned, during the workshop on the establishment of a management information system (mIS) on the impact of disasters on agriculture held by the Provincial agriculturist Office (PagRO). The governor cited

Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario gestures as he stressed the importance of having a systematic accounting of disaster loss in order to produce an accurate report on the extent of damages brought by calamities. [Nobags]

the final consolidated report on the impact of Super Typhoon Pablo to the province of Davao del Norte, which sustained damages to agriculture worth P3.562 billion, as well as, to infrastructures costing P143.8 million. He said that if the various frontline offices of the

Capitol present diverging loss estimates in the aftermath of calamities, it could raise questions on the accuracy of the report and might affect the release of vital disaster assistance coming from the national government and other entities. Del Rosario revealed

the standard template generated at the disaster mIS workshop shall be replicated to other frontline offices of the Capitol, such as the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction management Division, Provincial Social welfare and Development Office, and Provincial Health Of-

Romulo Tagalo, Davao del Norte assistant Provincial administrator said that apart from the sports complex, they are also eyeing the partial completion of the gymnasium situated alongside the sports complex. Though not included in the budget for the sports complex, the refurbishment of the gym will entail about P60-P70million. Tagalo said that the recent typhoon and the pow-

er outages has hampered the refurbishment of the gym which governor Rodolfo del Rosario is eyeing to be fully-airconditioned in order for it to host mid-size events. However Tagalo said the gym’s façade will be completed in time for the DaVRaa. The province is expecting to host 4,000 to 5,000 athletes for the DaVRaa these includes sports officials and coaches. He said that they are ready to host

the event with accomodations being readied for the athletes and visitors. The 11-hectare modern sports facility located in mankilam, Tagum City, features a main arena with a 5,000 seating capacity grandstand, a rubberized all-weather track oval, a football field, outdoor playing courts, a 10-lane Olympic-sized swimming pool, warm-up pool and a clubhouse. [PIa/Rg alama]

Fornan said the accused has gone into hiding in Purok Talisay, barangay kayagod in Digos City after allegedly killing SPO1 Ronie badua, who was then assigned in antipas town. Ereola, records showed, is among the most wanted persons in North Cotabato. when Fornan was given information about Ere-

ola’s location, they immediately coordinated with the Digos City Police Office to arrest the suspect. Ereola was apprehended based on the arrest warrant issued in 2008 by Judge Rogelio Naresma of the Regional Trial Court branch 23 in kidapawan City, under Criminal Case Number 01-2008. On Friday, Fornan and

his men turned over to the court the accused for the commitment order. Ereola was the second most wanted person arrested in North Cotabato since last week. On monday, authorities in Carmen town arrested a homicide suspect who went into hiding for seven years. [malu Cadelina manar/ mindaNews]

DavNor sports complex eyed completion for DAVRAA event

HE Provincial government of Davao del Norte is looking at completing the P240-million Davao del Norte Sports Complex in time for the opening of the Davao Regional athletic association or DaVRaa in February of this year. The sports complex had a soft opening last December 12, but is not yet totally completed. among the works include façade and landscaping works.

Suspect in killing of cop falls

uTHORITIES have arrested in Digos City one of the suspects in the 2008 killing of a police officer in antipas, North Cotabato. Inspector Felix Fornan, chief of the antipas municipal police station, identified the suspect as Ricardo Ereola, whom they nabbed in a remote village at around 7 a.m. Thursday.

fice, among others. The new system will be subsequently rolled out to the different local government units of the province, to institute a uniform reporting of damages from the affected barangays and municipalities towards producing an accurate final

report in the wake of any calamity. The governor has also appointed OIC-Provincial Information Officer Romulo Tagalo to be the official spokesperson for the media and other organizations seeking information directly from the catastrophe. [Noel baguio]

Almario urges DepEd to promote RA 8525

akINg heed to the dire need of a suitable environment for students in the typhoon-struck district of Davao Oriental, Vice governor mayo Z. almario called on the Department of Education (DepEd) Division of Davao Oriental to get serious in actively promoting Republic act No. 8525 or the adopt-aSchool act of 1998. The adopt-a-School act of 1998 was enacted to seek help from the private sector in the upgrading and modernization of public schools through, among others, construction and/or development of school infrastructures, improvement of school human resource and upgrading of instructional materials and technologies, with primary focus in schools situated in poverty-stricken provinces. given the current condition of the education facilities in the 1st district, particularly in the municipalities of boston, Cateel and baganga,

which were devastated by the super-typhoon “Pablo”, now is the “most appropriate time” for the DepEd Division to encourage private enterprises in investing to the “rehabilitation and improvement of any public school in the province” – as posted by almario in the Vice governor’s Office (VgO)’s Facebook account. Vice gov. almario added that if DepEd pursues this measure seriously, it is most likely that many from the private sector will be more than interested to take part in this project; primarily, because it forms part of their corporate social responsibility, and secondly – as a bonus – because of the very promising incentives the adopting entities may avail therefrom. after all, from the words of former DepEd Secretary Edilberto de Jesus, “basic education is too big and too important a task to leave to the government.”

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT a

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

NGP commodity road map highlights agro-forestry

uTHORITIES identified several agro-forestry species for planting in nearly 70 percent of the 1.5 million hectares of land targeted for reforestation under government’s National greening Program. based on the 20132016 NgP commodity road map, such species and corresponding area allocated for each are coffee (87,903 hectares), cacao (60,725 hectares), rubber (111,194 hectares), bamboo (53,845 hectares) and rattan (27,900 hectares). The road map also covers timber (346,314 hectares), fuel wood (180,576 hectares) and other fruit trees (168,786 hectares). “Those are species that will contribute to national economic growth,” said NgP information officer Tess aquino. authorities included agro-forestry in NgP, recognizing the benefits of combining cultivation of trees and crops. Experts noted agro-forestry generates productivity, profitability and ecological benefits. The road map further shows regions with top area allocations include CaRaga (14,903 hectares for coffee), Region 2 (12,000 hectares for cacao), Region 9 (30,000 hectares for rubber), Region 11 (50,000 hectares for timber) as well as Regions 3 and 4-a (10,000

hectares each for bamboo). Region 4-a also received the largest area allocation for rattan (10,000 hectares). Cordillera administrative Region, Region 1 and Region 12 each received a top allocation of 20,000 hectares for fuel wood production. among regions nationwide, authorities likewise set the largest allocation of 20,000 hectares each

for Regions 4-b and 5 in terms of planting other fruit tree species. government launched the 2011-2016 NgP to help address poverty and food security. NgP also seeks to promote environmental stability, biodiversity conservation as well as climate change adaptation and mitigation nationwide. The Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources earlier reported

about six million families nationwide live in the uplands where poverty is rife. To help alleviate poverty, DENR already assured all proceeds from agro-forestry plantations shall accrue to NgP beneficiary-communities. For the remaining land due for reforestation under NgP, the 2013-2016 roadmap provides for planting indigenous species in protection forests (41,505

taught now in the primary and secondary schools, as a regular curriculum subject,” beltran said in a statement. Dr. Edilberto Oplinaria, DepEd malaybalay City division chief, said that right now, existing concepts and topics on climate change are integrated in the science subject. In pushing for environment as a subject, beltran cited that in December 2011, tropical storm Sendong hit the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan and misamis Oriental, destroying billions of properties and claiming hundreds of lives. On December 4, 2012, typhoon Pablo also hit the provinces of bukidnon, Compostela Valley and Davao del Sur, among many others in “a very unusual climatic occurrence,” beltran said. beltran said it was the first time in the history of the said provinces to be in the path of that kind of ty-

phoon, noting that Pablo “defied weather science.” bukidnon as a typhoon-free province, beltran said, is now a myth. “Indeed, something very unusual is happening to mother earth and that everybody should now do his share to reverse the situation,” beltran said. Education Secretary armin luistro was quoted in reports last year that the agency will include climate change in the curriculum, adding it will also employ more concrete measures such as the construction of more typhoon-resistant schools. He also reportedly said that even before tropical storm Sendong wrought havoc in December 2011, “schools nationwide have already intensified their environmental education and related activities.” In 2011, luistro issued DepEd Order No. 52 to intensify the teaching of environmental concerns to students, noting the many

calamities such as flooding and landslides the country face every year that, he said, may be traced to environmental neglect and degradation. The order is also pursuant to Republic act 9512, or the “act to Promote Environmental Education and For Other Purposes.” In a report at www. interaksyon.com, luistro said that disaster preparedness and risk reduction are also included in the basic education curriculum to help schools prepare in times of calamities. “lesson exemplars and teacher/student modules on the subject were developed, specifically for Science I and araling Panlipunan I,” the report added. The lesson exemplars contain strategies and methods of teaching disaster risk reduction. The modules serve as reference materials for students and teachers. (walter I. balane/mindaNews)

hectares) and Pas or protected areas (126,030 hectares). Protection forests are areas where trees are grown for forest cover and not for commercial harvesting. Pas are areas designated for conservation due to respective recognized natural, ecological and/or cultural values. The road map likewise calls for planting appropriate mangrove species with-

in (17,910 hectares) and outside (20,501 hectares) Pas around the country. mangroves, Pas and forestlands are among NgP’s target areas for greening. NgP’s other target areas for greening are ancestral domains, civil and military reservations, urban areas under local government units’ greening plans, inactive and abandoned mine sites as well as other suitable land. [PNa]

In developing countries Bukidnon SP urges DepEd to make UN studies show environment preservation a new subject New rising mercury threat

HE bukidnon Sangguniang Panlalawigan has passed a resolution asking the Department of Education (DepEd) to include in its curriculum a new subject on environment and its preservation as the “the global problem involving what is now universally known as climate change has affected the Philippines and its provinces.” majority Floor leader Nemesio beltran Jr., author of the resolution, which the provincial board passed last wednesday, said in a phone interview the subject or its equivalent must be part of the regular curriculum in the elementary and secondary schools nationwide. “The problems associated with climate change would entail a massive educational campaign about environment and how to protect it. Just as science and math are taught early in schools, so must the subject of environment be

OmmuNITIES in developing countries are facing increasing health and environmental risks linked to exposure to mercury, according to new studies by the united Nations environmental agency. Produced by the uN Environment Program, the studies note how parts of africa, asia and South america could see increasing emissions of mercury into the environment, due mainly to the use of the toxic element in small-scale gold mining, and through the burning of coal for electricity generation. “mercury, which exists in various forms, remains a major global, regional and national challenge in terms of threats to human health

and the environment”, uNEP’s Executive Director, achim Steiner, said in a news release on the studies. mercury, “a naturally-occurring, silvery-white metal that is liquid at ordinary temperatures” can be harmful to humans and the environment, according to uNEP. when released from industry and other manmade sources, it can circulate in the environment for up to centuries at a time. This, according to uNEP, means that it is likely to be several years or decades before reductions in mercury emissions have a demonstrable effect on mercury levels in nature and the food chain.[PNa/aPP]

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THE ECONOMY 5

SSS-DILG deal on business permit issuance for protection of workers T

HE Social Security System (SSS) has renewed its partnership with the Department of Interior and local government (DIlg) to strengthen the monitoring of businesses’ SSS compliance as part of the pension fund’s campaign to protect its members from erring employers. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. disclosed that a new agreement provides for regular sharing of information between the SSS and local government units (lgus), which will serve as basis in the issuance of business permits or licenses needed by employers to IT’S OVER. A worker starts to put away the Christmas lights of the tallest Christmas tree in Davao City owned by one of the malls in J.P. Laurel Avenue yesterday. Lean Daval Jr. continue operating every year. every year a list of regis- permits will be issued to tion of employers in their In an earlier arrange- tered employers, business the employer until the SSS assigned areas, we will also ment between SSS and owners or operators with delinquency has been set- update lgus of businesses DIlg dating back to 2001, SSS delinquencies. Em- tled. discovered to be operating employers and business ployers with overdue SSS “This SSS-DIlg agree- without SSS registration. operators were required to obligations will not be is- ment reflects the govern- This helps the concerned submit a Certificate of SSS sued a mayor’s Permit, al- ment’s aim to ensure that lgu to verify if they also Coverage and Compliance though lgus have the op- employers uphold their lack business permits,” he before they could secure a tion to issue three-month obligations to workers. added. business permit or license, temporary permits to give Employers also stand to lgus, on the other or “mayor’s Permit,” from these businesses time to benefit because this sim- hand, will give SSS branchtheir lgu during the busi- settle their delinquent SSS plifies the process of re- es a list of establishments ness renewal period at the accounts. newing their permits, and with new or renewed busistart of every year. If the validity of the ultimately promote a more ness permits, and another under the new agree- temporary permit has business-friendly environ- list of businesses granted ment, SSS branches will lapsed after three months ment,” de Quiros said. temporary permits, not latprovide their covered lgus and the employer is still “Since SSS account offi- er than the end of February on the last business day of non-compliant, no regular cers conduct ocular inspec- every year.

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

SAP AG delivers real-time insight, extended planning S

CHEAP PRODUCTS. A sidewalk vendor arranges the different cheap house hold and personal care products that he is selling at the junction of C.M. Recto Avenue and San Pedro Street yesterday. The city’s Traffic Management Center which in charge to im-

plement the 1/3-2/3 sidewalk policy receives numerous complaints from the public against sidewalk vendors who are violating the said policy. Lean Daval Jr.

aP ag today announced new solutions to fast track retailers onto real-time analytics. The SaP Planning for Retail rapid-deployment solution enables real-time demand-driven forecasting and multiyear budget projections, while the SaP rapid-deployment solution for shopper insight delivers prebuilt analytics powered by the SaP HaNa® platform in both mobile and web formats. Retailers with limited resources that need to keep up with seasonal rushes or changing product demand can have these fully integrated analytics solutions up and running within seven to twelve weeks on average. accurate and immediate retail data have become increasingly difficult to secure. “with economic changes, customer fragmentation, erratic sale patterns and non-integrated IT systems that blur the operations aspect of retail,” said Nadine Rahman, head of RDS Sales of SaP asia Pacific Japan. “SaP Planning for Retail helps retailers achieve prompt and efficient visibility across channels and merchandise categories over a comprehensive period

of time.” SaP Planning for Retail produces detailed sales projections that can define corporate budgets three to five years in advance. with this foresight, retailers can better guard against overstock and shortage scenarios while offering a more enticing mix of products and prices per channel and per store. “SaP Planning for Retail is the desired solution as it provides accurate demand data and financial forecasting, that many planning solutions in the market are unable to do,” said adaire Fox-martin, senior vice president, Industries business Solutions, SaP asia Pacific Japan. The SaP rapid-deployment solution for shopper insight helps solve the delay that retail managers experience in accessing and analyzing sales, returns, and other transactional data. SaP HaNa provides sub-second rollup and interactive analysis of retail data not possible with traditional database technology. This data can be viewed though a mobile device for near-real-time analytics, accessible from anywhere.

Davao City seen to rise as meetings, events hub

HE holding of an international conference on meetings, incentives, conventions and events/exhibitions (mICE) in this flourishing city may just be all that’s needed to start off its rise as the sector’s hub in this part of the Philippines. This assessment from Davao business leader and educator Joji Ilagan-bian hinted at the wisdom behind the decision of the Tourism Promotions board (TPb) to choose this city as the site of the mICE Conference (mICECON) 2013. bian said Davao’s hotel accommodation and tourism infrastructure capacity had significantly expanded since the city hosted the aSEaN Tourism Forum (aTF) jointly organized by the TPb and the local government in 2006. “almost seven years hence, now we have what it takes to rise as a mICE hub, especially since Davao is also widely regarded as the capital of Southern Philippines and the bImP-Eaga (brun e i - I n d o n e s i a - m a l aysia-Philippines East aSEaN growth area),” bian stressed as she hailed the TPb’s support for the city’s aspirations. TPb Chief Operating Officer Domingo Ramon C. Enerio III says targeting the mICE market is a logi-

cal move for a city that has become the melting pot of the South and an international retirement haven, attracting investments in various facilities that cater to a cosmopolitan urban center with expanding corporate needs. “These developments in Davao City are factors we cannot ignore, presenting opportunities to gain a share of the $30-billion international mICE market that accounts for at least 50 million of the world’s annual tourism trips,” Enerio explained, citing the neighboring Singapore as raking in huge dollar receipts from mICE alone. Eyeing the same international market, particularly North america and Europe and the emerging bRIC (brazil-Russia-India-China) economies, Davao City will host the mICECON 2013 in its newly-opened SmX Convention Center on march 6-9. To participate in mICECON are international experts and delegates comprising meeting/event planners, destination management companies, incentive tour operators, hotels and resorts, airlines, convention and exhibition centers, national tourism organizations, local tourism offices, and industry association executives, among many others.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

MOTORING MOTORING 7

Nissan Almera debuts Jan. 16 N

ISSaN motor Philippines, Inc. (NmPI) is welcoming 2013 with the official introduction of Nissan’s much-anticipated best selling global sedan – the Nissan almera. NmPI will launch the all-new almera on January 16th, formalizing its entry into the highly competitive b-segment. The Nissan almera has been enjoying acclaimed success particularly in the u.S., Thailand and China, and has sold more than 500,000 units worldwide. NmPI is confident that its success will also be reflected in the Philippines. “The Nissan brand has always carried a great legacy and reputation for exceptional product quality and reliability,” NmPI President and CEO allen Chen said. “with the Nissan almera, consumers will be pleasantly surprised and pleased with the upscale design, features and comfort that will give more style, technology and space.”

already open for bookings, the all-new Nissan almera truly lives up to its promise of letting customers experience more. with upscale features and spaciousness that are usually found in more premium vehicles, the all new Nissan almera is priced competitively, in line with NmPI’s commitment of providing affordable cars at the highest levels of quality and functionality to Filipinos. what really sets the Nissan almera apart from the competitors are the premium features it has. Considered to be the biggest and most spacious car in its class, the all-new almERa boasts of generous leg room and trunk space that are comparable even to vehicles in the C-segment or those with 2.0l engines and above,

at a b-segment price. The all-new almera is also the first compact sedan equipped with a rear comfort f a n .

Designed to speed up the cooling of the cabin, this unique feature completes an outstanding and enjoyable ride like no other vehicle in its class. The Nissan almera is built on an all-new global “V” (versatile) platform

which utilizes a lightweight yet rigid body, powered by Nissan’s latest 1.5-liter HR15DE four-cylinder engine featuring with Continuously Variable-valve Timing Control (CVTC) offering excellent fuel efficiency.

only as a ‘mid-sized car’). Interestingly, the Sonata has the most total interior volume in its segment. The Sonata’s cabin continues with the same sculpted theme as the exterior. understandably, it debuts a much more modern, futuristic looking cabin. There are plenty of blue lights, digital displays, knobs and a Volvo-ish humanoid-look climate control display. with knobs and buttons abound, it sounds like piloting the Sonata takes effort. In practice though, it takes only a couple of minutes to get accustomed to the Sonata’s operation and everything works better than it looks, which is what really counts. under the hood is Hyundai’s 2.4-liter DOHC 16-valve four-cylinder engine. The all-aluminum engine, fitted with continuous variable valve timing is rated at 178 horsepower at 6,000 rpm and 23.3 kg-m of torque at 4,000 rpm. There’s only a single transmission available, and that’s Hyundai’s allnew six-speed automatic. Significantly, this sixspeed ‘box is Hyundai’s first proprietary six-speed automatic (the genesis used an outsourced aisin unit) that’s about 12 kilograms lighter and has 62 few parts than its fivespeed predecessor. It’s fitted with the H-matic manual shift mode as well as steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters.

Jumping into the Hyper metallic glS Premium, the Sonata exhibits good outward visibility despite the low seating position and swoopy body style. There is no blind spot that isn’t rectified by a simple mirror adjustment. Perhaps, the only achilles’ heel is the rear window which feels like a mail box slot, making some parking maneuvers somewhat difficult. good thing that reverse sensors are standard. Releasing the foot brake and slotting the transmission to drive (love the way the PRND indicators change color from white to red or blue when engaged), it’s time to set off in the Sonata. Off the line, the four-cylinder engine feels punchy and can deliver the goods to easily merge onto highway traffic. The power delivery is smooth and so is the sixspeed gearbox with imperceptible shifts. with a drag co-efficient of 0.28, the Sonata feels poised with low wind and mechanical noise. The only thing that ruins the serene experience are the low-profile 225/45 R 18 kumho Solus tires which did make a bit of a racket—perhaps a change of rubber is in order? Though Hyundai never claims the Sonata to be a four-door sports car, that’s how exactly it behaves when pressed into corners. The steering is nicely weighted and car’s

overall balance is surprisingly good and stable. The excellent suspension tuning makes for an enjoyable driving experience at spirited speeds. The Sonata’s new-found handling prowess is thanks to improved body rigidity over the outgoing model. at the same time, the Sonata sits on a fully-independent suspension set-up with macPherson Struts upfront and multi-links at the back. There are stabilizer bars front and rear as well. In addition, the glS Premium benefits from amplitude Selective Dampers (aSD). Tipping the scales at 1,508 kilograms, the Sonata is on the lighter side of the executive sedan scale and couple that with the sculpted body and efficient transmission, it should all equate to mind blowing fuel mileage figures. In truth however, the figures are much more down to earth with an average of

Preview: Hyundai Sonata

RaSE everything you know about yesterday’s Hyundai Sonata. Forget those memories, delete those mental images. about the only significant thing the all-new model has in common with its predecessor is the name on the trunk lid. Completely redesigned for 2011, the Sonata dumps the consistent ho-hum nature in favor for something truly dynamic and exhilarating. Styled by the Hyundai Design Center team in California, the Sonata carries the carmaker’s ‘fluidic sculpture’ design making it feel like the iPhone of executive sedans. It’s a fresh face in a segment filled with dullard looking fourdoors. Interesting and stylish, the Sonata offers an excellent mix of traditional sedan and fourdoor coupe rolled into one. It looks downright expensive thanks to some interesting cues such as the chrome strip running from the tail of the headlamps to the base of the C-pillar and the captivating glow of the lED brake lamps at night. Indeed, the Sonata is very pleasing to the eye. Visually, the Sonata suggests that it’s smaller than its two main rivals—the Honda accord and Toyota Camry. In reality, it’s classified in the North american market as a ‘large car’ along with the Honda accord (the Toyota Camry is classified

The Nissan almera comes in three variants – the 1.5l base manual, 1.5l base automatic and 1.5l mid automatic – with exciting colors including titanium grey, brilliant silver,

alpine white and bluish black. Experience more with the all-new Nissan almera – visit any of the Nissan dealership nationwide and schedule a test drive.

7.5 km/l in city driving, putting it just in line with other four-cylinder engined executive sedans. Hyundai is offering two engines and two trim levels for the 2012 Sonata: glS and glS Premium in both 2.0- and 2.4-liter guise. Priced at P 1,368,000, the glS gets cloth/leather combination for the seats with power adjustment for the driver, a single CD player with uSb and iPod cable, an auto-dimming rear view mirror and 17-inch alloys among others. The P 1,608,000 glS Premium adds side and curtain airbags, premium leather seating with power adjustment for both front occupants (with memory presets for the driver), an upgraded audio system with sub-woofer, a panoramic sunroof, a Smart key push-button engine start/stop system and 18inch alloys. at P 1,448,000,

the 2.0 limited lies smack in the middle with all the goodies of the glS Premium but with a 2.0-liter engine. Consider this as Hyundai’s response to the launch of the kia Optima. Though some people are still undoubtedly drawn to Hyundai because of its 5-year, 100,000 kilometer warranty, take comfort that the Sonata is much more than that. Not anymore is this car merely a guarantee on wheels. The 2012 Hyundai Sonata is part of the latest breed of Hyundai that feels emotionally connected to the driver. It’s easy to be impressed by the upscale styling, the spacious and modern interior as well as the tremendous value for money it provides. above all though, it’s the smiles provided by the driving excitement that sets the Hyundai Sonata on the top step of the executive sedan podium.

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

What Islamic finance can offer ( Conclusion ) ANAlYSIS By Edward HadaS

T EDITORIAL

Gunning the ban

HE election gun ban takes effect starting today, January 13, and will be enforced throughout the country for the next six months. The gun ban somewhat obliterates the growing clamor by gun ban advocates for a total gun ban in the aftermath of the rash of criminalities starting the new year. The election ban for firearms may be a welcome relief from the spate of killings which had revived the call for the total gun ban. before today’s ban takes effect, President aquino had made clear his objection to a total gun ban. a gun enthusiast himself, he had said the government will find other solutions to the problem and considers imposing a total gun ban as just trying to be cute. Don’t expect the President to ban the gun. He has effectively gunned down the ban proposition with his recent pronouncements and his early application for a firearms exemption in relation to the election-imposed ban. The Comelec, which blinked in its earlier pronouncement that the President is covered by the ban, has clari-

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fied that the President, as commander-in-chief of the armed Forces, need not apply for an exemption. The Comelec gun ban excludes the following: Vice President Jejomar binay, senators not running for re-election, and Cabinet secretaries. also granted exemption are regular officers, members and agents of government agencies performing law enforcement and/or security functions. Now with the gun ban imposed, expect those not exempted to rush to the Comelec to apply for exemptions. This early, a number of incumbent election-seeking Senators are reportedly applying for exemption. That’s only the start. Expect more politicians to seek exemptions using all the grounds available for them in order to be granted their requests. In the end, we will have elections with politicians moving about backed up by gun-toting security. what gives? In this country, we impose a ban on guns and let government itself gun the ban. Isn’t that trying to be cute? ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

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QUIPS

“You have three main choices for properly getting rid of your old or unused electronics: trade it, donate it or recycle it.”

GREGORIO G. DELIGERO Associate

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

HIS finance of “sharia arbitrage”, as mahmoud a. El-gamal of Rice university calls it in his book “Islamic Finance”, is largely based on a narrow understanding of two prohibited practices: riba and gharar, usually translated as interest and risk. For example, jurists declare that riba is avoided if a loan can be portrayed as a sale at one price and a gradual repayment at a higher price, even if the gap between the two equates to an interest rate of 100 percent. El-gamal is highly critical of this sharp practice. I am not competent to opine on Islamic law, but the current approach to Islamic finance certainly misses what is most valuable for non-muslims about riba and gharar: the way they fuse ethics with practice. If El-gamal is right, riba is best understood as unjust financial advantage, akin to certain legal definitions of usury. Following that definition, there is no riba when lenders and borrowers justly share the wealth created by a loan. loans, which have fixed interest rates and must be repaid, can be free of riba. Equity investments (common shares) are usually even more just. The forced repayment of principal on loans at maturity can be unjust on the borrower; that possibility is avoided with the permanent capital of equity. also, while fixed interest payments are sometimes unjustly low or high, shares’ variable dividends can reflect changing circumstances. Finance always involves commitments in an uncertain world, so risk can never be avoided completely. gharar, according to El-gamal, properly refers to unnecessary or inappropriate risks, as exemplified in the classical example of selling the pearl diver’s future catch before the actual dive. gharar seems to take in all unnecessary speculation. The prohibition is just, because financial gains should come from providing something of economic value, not from luck or from outwitting a trading partner about the risks of a bet. The excesses and dishonesty which led up to the financial crisis show that the current system has lost its moral compass, but a new one cannot be plucked straight out of some previous era. Traditional banks and insurers would be too small and unsophisticated for today’s global economy. Still, we can renew the best ideas of the past. between them, riba or gharar account for most of the objectionable practices of contemporary finance. They should be banned.

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Environment Secretary Ramon Paje in warning the public against recklessly throwing their old gadgets in the trash bin, noting the environmental hazards posed by improperly disposed electronic devices.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

Missing the point

ENERal Santos City mayor Darlene antonino Custodio is taking pains and splitting hairs addressing one of the maladies of a rapidly growing urban city. The sight of flooded streets, residences and villages are evoking images thereto only seen and captured by television in faraway metro manila. Not anymore. an hour of heavy downpour now guarantees that large portions of at least seven villages in the city will be submerged in deep waters. Yes, we can blame residents in communities for not taking care and disposing of their solid wastes as well as drains which are clogging up the city’s very limited drain system. but it is the first time I heard Custodio said the city is one huge catch basin of rainwater with unpredictable spillways. Is it woe to them who live in areas now prone to flooding, then? Custodio should ask her father adelbert and, before her, former mayor Pedro ‘Jun’ acharon Jr what they have done when the red flags were raised more than a decade ago. Or maybe she needs to travel back farther in time and read Patricio Diaz’s column ‘what a wrath’ in the 09 January 2013 issue of www.mindanews.com to better understand why we are now suffering from the sins of past commission and omissions. and if I may add to mr. Diaz’s anecdotes, my mother, who arrived here on the same boat that took manong Pat (as

I now call mindanao’s eminent chronicler of the moro issue) in 1939 as a sixyear old girl, said lagao, ligaya, katangawan and Conel were once teeming with dau and molave so large they could not be embraced by three people extending their arms around their trunks. Of course these are now gone. No use shedding tears for them. If these trees and forests were still around, we would not have been here now. No mayor, this city has never seen this flooding before. Not until recently. and yes, mayor. You were right. many of the city’s natural waterways are gone, buried and covered by concrete jungles of the city. and you were right, too. Somehow, city hall allowed many of these waterways titled to private owners. but to say the city is one huge flood catch basin is to cover up for the pathetic and unforgivable lack of foresight and poor hindsight of city officials. No, I am not entirely putting the blame on you mayor. I know how workaholic you are. but please spare us from the absurdity of putting the blame on everybody else except on them who could have

done everything to address this one issue of urban blight before and who should be addressing them today. when the city government started paving our city streets with concrete, it failed to accompany them with drainage system. when the functionaries of the city government started to issue development permits for the rising number of subdivisions and resettlement areas, nobody cared to also assess their environmental impact. well, they are now. but belatedly. For every square foot of paved streets, you take away the soil’s capacity to absorb drain and rain water. Once it cannot seep through the soil, water seeks its own level. Our basic science told us that. mayor, you are right. The city’s topography is now dictating the flow of our rapidly changing waterways but only because most of them they are either gone now or are already too narrow to accommodate the volume of rain and drain water. look at how floodwaters are bursting violently from underneath the drain and manholes along J. Catolico Street and the intersection near dxCP. There used to be a ditch that passed through Socoteco II office and what is now gaisano mall and spilled to a creek near the abandoned Caltex depot in bula. It is now gone. No thanks to those who allowed it to be condemned in the name of development. we understand the magnitude of the problem, mayor. but please do not miss the point. [Edwin g. Espejo writes for www.asiancorrespondent.com]

Of personal guns and political liberty

ONES and laPierre are representative of a wider group of Second amendment defenders who believe that government of any sort threatens their absolute freedom to act absolutely as they wish. Fear that federal agents would come calling inspired the Oklahoma City bomber, Timothy mcVeigh, and his co-conspirators. He, in turn, admired the anti-government stance of the branch Davidian sect in waco, Texas, in 1993, who armed themselves to the teeth to avoid being charged with sexually abusing children and other serious crimes. after fighting off federal agents for 50 days, 76 sect members and their children died in a fire rather than turn themselves in. Jones’s point – echoed by endless similar extremists who earn their living by stoking the fears of the impressionable – is belied by history. In the 250 years of the american republic, the government has sometimes overstepped the line between liberty and authoritarianism. and such despotism has come from the most unlikely sources. woodrow wilson’s clampdown on those who opposed america’s intervention in world war One was a shameful display of big government overreach. So, too, was Franklin Roosevelt’s rounding up and imprisonment of Japanese-americans in the wake of the attack on Pearl Harbor. many who are anxious about the diminution of civil liberties find the Patriot act, hastily passed after the September 11 attacks, too oppressive. but in each case relief from tyranny has not come from those with arsenals in their homes against the

( Conclusion ) OPINION

By nicHolaS wapSHott day the black helicopters arrive but by the patient, laborious, often tedious acts of patriots working through the democratic system. Some advocates of small government would be horrified at the suggestion that they are on the same continuum as the killers who declare their hatred of government the reason they go on a killing spree. Others, proponents of libertarian chic who express anti-government views to shock and scandalize their moderate neighbors, may be aware that they are playing with fire. It adds a dangerous edge to their humdrum personas. The american way is to choose not to be administered too closely by the state and to leave as many aspects of life as possible to private enterprise rather than big government. but a line has to be drawn and defended when the routine denigration of government begins to threaten lives. we may have reached that Rubicon at Sandy Hook. The impetus in the wake of the Newtown massacre to reform our gun laws to continue to protect hunters, sportsmen and those who would protect their households from intruders while keeping rapid-fire weapons away from the delusional and the deranged is now a live issue. Pressure on the president and Vice President Joe biden, who has been tasked to come up with a way forward, can be

exerted by those, like morgan, who find themselves at the eye of the storm. He may not welcome the notion, but Jones, in his strange way, is keeping the subject alive.

and there is a part to be played by those who control the media that gun owners watch. To quote laPierre out of context, “Too many in the national media, their corporate owners and their stockholders act as silent enablers, if not complicit co-conspirators.” after Sandy Hook, murdoch declared that something must be done, and fast, to avoid a repetition. He ordered the wall Street Journal and the New York Post, stout proponents of small government, to make gun control a top issue. If he genuinely wants to ensure that this time there will be sensible reforms, he will direct his employees at Fox News to lead the campaign to change attitudes toward a more responsible approach to gun purchase and ownership. So far, that leadership has not been evident. Corporations, advertisers, retailers and investment managers also have an important role. money talks more eloquently than a thousand chat show hosts. The decision by Cerberus, spurred by revulsion and sympathy, to sell the company that made the assault rifle that killed the Sandy Hook children offered a novel way forward. Similar acts of ingenuity are needed to ensure that the slaughter of the 20 children and six adults who died in Newtown just before Christmas amounts to more than just a passing phase in the news cycle.

VANTAGE POINTS

Pablo, climate change and banana production in the Davao region ( Conclusion ) COMMENTARY By Monica ortiz

HE projections of less rainfall can even affect irrigated plantations because they reduce or remove the source of irrigation water. However, drought damage occurs most often in non-irrigated banana areas because many small growers and subsistence farmers do not have the facilities for irrigation. a shortage of water results in small, under-filled bunches. The climate projections of more rain in other months mean that there is the potential for more flooding and waterlogging. waterlogging causes a reduction in yield and plant size because it restricts root growth and causes shallow root systems. according to Dr. Edna aguilar of the university of the Philippines- los banos, waterlogging can hinder nutrient uptake and may cause greater susceptibility to diseases like Fusarium wilt. bananas can tolerate up to 48 hours of flowing water, but standing water will kill adult plants. Climate change also may influence the geographical distribution of plant diseases such as black Sigatoka (blS) whose spores are primarily distributed by rainfall. already, about 25% of the cost of a box of bananas belongs to Sigatoka control. when lowland temperatures begin to rise, it is possible that banana farms seeking to expand their production will move to highland areas where temperatures are lower and soils are more productive. This could mean expansion into sensitive environmental areas. Forests are typically cleared for banana plantations and this has numerous detrimental effects including increased flooding and soil erosion. The negative impacts of expansion because of climate change also need to be taken into account. Importance of banana and ways forward bananas are the world’s fourth most important food crop after rice, wheat and maize. It is considered the most popular fruit in the world and over one trillion individual fruits are consumed every year. according to the Department of agriculture, banana is considered the most important fruit crop in the country in terms of volume of production and export earnings. The Philippine banana industry contributes significantly to the agriculture sector and to the economy in general. banana production is a source of income and employment especially in the rural areas. In 2010, the Philippines produced 9 million metric tons of banana, making it the third largest producer in the world. Of this number, 3.8 million metric tons of bananas, or about 40% of production was from the Davao Region. more than 5.6 million smallholder farmers are dependent on the banana industry. as the Davao Region is the center of banana growing in the country in terms of hectares of land planted with banana and production, it is thus also the most exposed and most sensitive to climate-related losses to banana yields. The Davao Region should spearhead the stagnated discussion on House bill 5478 on the development of a National banana Research Center. given the many years of expertise developed in the region, it has the potential to serve as a leader and adviser to other growers throughout the country and in the Southeast asian region in the face of present and future hazards. The potential adverse effects of these changes should be studied further in order to prepare farmers to the adverse risks of climate change on such an important crop to Filipinos. [mindaViews is the opinion section of mindaNews. andrea monica Ortiz finished her master in Environmental Science at the university of Copenhagen and universitat fur bodenkultur in Vienna, austria in 2012. Her master thesis was “Climate Change Impacts on banana Production in the Davao Region of the Philippines].

10 AGRITRENDS

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

PHL posts surplus in 2012 rice production

HE Department of agriculture (Da) on Friday said the country has a production surplus of 464,820 kilos of rice in 2012. Da assistant Secretary Dante Delima, National Rice Program Coordinator, said palay production was estimated to reach 18.03 to 18.05 million metric tons (mT), higher than the 17.98 million mT forecast by the bureau of agricultural Statistics (baS) last year.

Delima said initial data revealed that the country already met the requirement needs of its rice supply for a population of 95.8 million Filipinos. “with a 1.90 percent annual growth rate, the country’s total population is now estimated at around 95.8 million with per capita rice consumption placed at 115 kilos. at this rate, annual rice consumption is pegged at 11.02 million mT,” he explained.

“If we compare the population rate with our production of 18.03 million mT, minus the 351,763 mT seed requirement for planting, our total rice equivalent at 65 percent recovery rate is around 11.492 million mT… more than enough to supply our food requirement,” he added. Delima, however, said that consumption requirement excludes the rice wastage and use in other purpose other than food,

saying that a review of the rice sufficiency data will confirm their estimates. “That is why it is important that we conduct a review of all the figures/ data with regard to our consumption. This will confirm that we are already sufficient in our rice production,” he said. The Da is currently pushing for a review of its rice sufficiency data, citing that the expected record-high palay production in 2012 is “already

Alcala to lobby ‘equal incentives’ be given to local agri producers

gRICulTuRE Secretary Proceso alcala Friday said he will propose to the Cabinet for “equal incentives” be accorded to local agricultural industry players amid calls for the bureau of Investment to cancel the tax incentives granted to a Thai firm. agriculture industry leaders have called on the government to revoke tax incentives granted to Thai firm Charoen Pokphand to save local producers from closing shop due to the alleged preferential treatment given by the bOI to foreign companies. In a resolution adopted during the 6th multi-Sectoral agricultural Summit held Friday at Club Filipino, it said the “unlawful grant of incentives and tax breaks by the bOI to Charoen Pokphand Food Philippines Corporation, a foreign-owned corporation, will kill the swine, livestock, aquaculture, and other allied industries in the Philippines.”

“The bOI move favoring Charoen Pokphand undermines our national sovereignty and food security. It will also result in the loss of employment for millions of Filipinos as the agriculture sector employs 33 percent of the entire Philippine labor force,” it said. abono party-list chairman Rosendo So said demands for the revocation of the incentives granted to Charoen Pokphand as well as the need for a more effective anti-smuggling campaign must be addressed by the government squarely. “These two issues are our biggest concerns, although for hog and poultry producers, the incentives granted to Charoen Pokphand cause us our biggest headaches,” he said. Domestic meat growers were also alarmed that the seven-year tax holiday granted to the Thai firm, along with a percent incentive for

the importation of corn and other raw materials would kill the local industry. agap party-list Rep. Nicanor briones, for his part, said the resolution approved during the summit would show that stakeholders in the agricultural industry are united. briones underscored the need for the bureau of Customs (bOC) to address as well the rampant technical smuggling of prime cut pork meat passed off as “offal”. On the other hand, National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc. Chairman Daniel Javellana Jr. said it is important to level the playing field by revoking the incentives extended to Charoen Pokphand and curbing the smuggling of prime meat cuts. “we have to save our industry. we hope President benigno aquino III will hear our sentiments and not wait for us to close shop one after the other. we know that globaliza-

tion is inevitable but give us time to prepare,” he said. Edwin Chen, president of Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines Inc., said the bOI should also change its policy of not consulting other government agencies and agricultural stakeholders in granting pioneering status to the Thai firm. Reports said that alcala was bypassed by the bOI in its decision granting pioneering status to Charoen Pokphand. “Charoen Pokphand is just the tip of the iceberg. what is to prevent other giant foreign firms from entering the country, distorting the playing field, flooding the market (with imported goods), and killing the local producers,” Chen lamented. Earlier reports said Charoen Pokphand purchased large tracts of lands in various areas in Central luzon as base of operations of its billion pesos projects. [PNa]

enough” to cover consumption requirements of the 95.8 million Filipinos. Delima said that they would start the review of rice sufficiency targets next month in line with the latest population and per capita consumption data provided by the National Statistics Office (NSO). Despite the surplus in production, however, Delima said the government may still import about 100,000 mT of rice this year to be used as buffer

stock, noting that the government needs to secure at least a 90-day rice supply to ensure stable prices. “Traditionally, we are only required to have at least 30-day buffer stock. but for security proposes, we have hiked our rice stock requirement to about 90 days. This will help the National Food authority to stabilize prices and ensure that we have enough supply of rice should there be calamities,” he said. [PNa]

‘Pablo’ affected small farmers in Davao Norte avail PCIC loan

aCH of the small farmers in Davao del Norte enrolled with the Philippine Crops Insurance Corporation (PCIC) are entitled to P20,000 per hectare loan purposely for rehabilitation of rice lands and banana farms destroyed by typhoon Pablo. PCIC is an attached agency of the Department of agriculture (Da) that provides financial help to small farmers in times of calamities. Romulo Tagalo, Davao del Norte assistant provincial administrator said at present, there are about 17 small farmers who applied to avail of the PCIC assistance. They can receive the amount as soon as their applications are approved by Da. Tagalo said the Sangguniang Panlalawigan has approved the enrollment of up to 2,000 hectares of farmland with PCIC to ensure that the crops are covered in case of calamity such as

the recent typhoon Pablo which destroyed billions of rice lands and banana farms in the three Davao provinces. He said both the farmer/beneficiary and the province will pay back the amount at 6.7 percent premium rate annually or P670 per year. The province will use the unspent calamity fund to pay the PCIC. Of the P61 million calamity fund of the province, P20 million was not used in 2011 and P41 million not spent in 2012, Tagalo said. He said most of the 17 farmers who applied for PCIC are those with rice lands. PCIC offers a variety of insurance coverage including rice crop insurance, corn crop insurance, high-value commercial crop insurance, non-crop agricultural asset insurance, livestock insurance, fisheries insurance and term insurance packages. [PNa]

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

13,000 hired in 2012 through DOLE’s job fairs in Region 12

HE Department of labor and Employment (DOlE) in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region facilitated the employment of around 13,000 jobseekers through various job fairs launched in the area last year. Chona mantilla, DOlE12 director, said Friday such figure was based on the total number of skilled and professional applicants from the region that were referred by the agency for overseas and local job placements in 2012. Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of general Santos, koronadal, Tacurong, kidapawan and Cotabato. based on the DOlE-12’s 2012 accomplishment report, mantilla said the agency launched 36 job fairs in coordination with local government units as well as several private institutions in the area. She said a total of 2,923 job seekers from the area or about 22

Ateneo...

percent of those assisted and referred for employment by the agency were “hired on-the-spot” during the job fairs. among the biggest job fairs staged last year in the region was the labor Day series, which were simultaneously held in this city and in the cities of Cotabato and kidapawan, she said. mantilla said 114 companies and job placement agencies from the area as well as other key cities in the country joined the activity. a total of 62 recruitment agencies offered 10,315 overseas placement opportunities for professional and skilled job seekers while 52 others opened 3,452 available local jobs, she said. The official said another major job fair was held on June 12 to highlight the country’s Independence Day celebration. aside from the job fairs, mantilla said they also held a series of consultations with local industries and the academe to help address the mismatch between

local manpower needs with the available skills training and courses offered by colleges, universities and technical-vocational schools in the area. She said the initiative is part of the continuing implementation of the “Project Jobs Fit: The DolE 2020 Vision.” The project earlier took off through a nationwide study that identified local and global industries that would drive employment growth and determine the skills requirements that would be in demand until the year 2020. In Region 12, the study noted that the agribusiness and aquamarine industries were expected to be the top job destinations for skilled workers in the area, as both were seen to dominate the labor market for the next 10 years. aside from the two industries, a surge in employment opportunities was also seen in the region’s oil palm, mining, and tourism industries. (allen V. Estabillo/mindaNews)

sity retreats and other activities for the past three years, he said. Villamor said the school covered all expenses, including hospitalization, hence the check she received will be turned over Jimmy Delgado the university treasurer. “It was really a traumatic incident and finally we get what we deserve,” Villamor added. alipao said this is their biggest amount of insurance released for only one incident. He

also confirmed that out of the 182 who filed for claims only 179 were proved qualified because they had proven they were bonafide students of aDDu at the time and had paid their insurance premium during enrollment. He added that they paid an average of fifteen thousand pesos (P15,000) per student hospitalized from three to five days, including doctors fees and treatment after their hospitalization.

tificate of accreditation from the NmIS. The Double a accreditation certifies that the facilities, equipment and operational procedures done in the slaughterhouse are capable of slaughtering livestock intended for domestic market whose movement is all throughout the Philippines. which means, they are compliant with good

manufacturing processes sanitation standard operating procedures Dr. Habacon said, “this means, we can be sure that the meat that will come out of that facility is clean because we will audit the safety of their water, their pest control program, process control, and make sure there are no cross contamination.”

FFROM 1

case of mass food poisoning in the school’s history. Students and staff members who attended the student leaders’ assembly were rushed to various hospitals after complaining of dizziness and vomiting several hours after eating packed meals. The students noticed that the chicken “adobo” served by caterer mTC Rebosura tasted spoiled. mTC Rebosura has been providing food for those participating in univer-

From.. FFROM 1

P5 million as part of the national meat improvement program with the lgu as their counterpart. according to Dr. Habacon, “this new program will help lgu slaughterhouses meet the national standards.” To avail of this financial assistance, the slaughterhouse must first get a Double a Cer-

3.5 billion Pablo toll in Davao del Norte By EJ Dominic Fernandez and Che Palicte

YPHOON Pablo’s damage to Davao del Norte’s agriculture reached 3.5 billion pesos, according to the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and management. according to the final report of the PDRRm presented before the kapehan sa PIa yesterday by arlene Semblante, Provincial Social welfare Development Office (PSwDO) chief and Romulo Tagalo, Davao del Norte assistant Provincial administrator, the total agricultural damage from typhoon Pablo and floods brought about by by the low pressure area has already reached P3,561,915,995.00. also included in the report are the total land affected -- 16,828 hectares, and the amount of infrastructure damage which of P143,819,350.00 which will need P240,822,946.00 to repair. Some 12,114 families and 48,120 individuals were evacuated in eight municipalities, three cities and 147 barangays affected, the

Business..

report said. Davao del Norte gov. Rodolfo del Rosario rounded up the department heads at the capitol on the first day of work in 2013 at his residence to come up with figures to be submitted to malacanang palace for processing of calamity funds. according to Tagalo, “Davao del Norte, being one of the largest areas planted to banana, was greatly affected accounting for more than half of the 3.5 billion lost in kapalong plantations,” he continued saying, “which is why the governor is really eager to come up with a figure to be submitted to malacanang in the hope of also getting a fair share of the eight to 10 billion pesos in calamity funds.” He added, “It seems like, we are not noticed that much by the media because we manage well our relief and emergency operations, but the truth is, we are as badly hit as ComVal.” To address the damage inflicted by “Pablo” Semblante said “the Office of the Social welfare provided relief as-

sistance from the local government units and the national government to the families who were affected.” “The national and local governments worked hand in hand in providing relief,” she added. In addition to the response on the calamities, she said “we are campaigning and informing lgus to be able to resettle communities vulnerable to flood and landslide, especially those living near the river banks and transfer them to an area where they will not be affected during times of disaster.” There are further measures being done in response to the calamities such as the insurance for land owners which according to Tagalo, “right now P1.3 million is already allocated for insurance and 17 farmers are already processing their claims.” “as far as livestock is concerned, as early as December 14, the governor received a communication from the department of agriculture that the 8.1 million peso fund had already arrived.”

He said that more business permits were issued in January this year at 2,179, compared to the 1,748 in 2012. Domingo also said that there are 97 requests to open new businesses, which are mostly small businesses with a capital of less than P500,000. The number of new businesses in the city was reportedly 8.7 percent lower in 2012 compared to 2011, at 6,411 and 7,025, respectively. last year, the city reportedly had a total of 28,351 business permits renewed out of the 31,728 existing businesses with mayor’s permit. Domingo said that faster processing of a new business permit is possible if pre-required documents have been complied.

It can be issued in less than a day if such is the case, he added. Domingo said that the temporary authority to operate, which allows a business to operate within 30 days while complying with the requirements for business permit application, is no longer implemented this year to address the bbO’s concern with its data base. The bbO established “one-stop shops” for the renewal of business permits at the city council’s building and at the NCCC mall in matina here. On weekdays, accommodation of clients begins at 8:00 a.m. and ends at 8:00 p.m., and 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on weekends, Domingo said. [lorie ann a. Cascaro/ mindaNews]

FFROM 2

ed that there were 11,254 business permits renewed in the first eight days of the renewal period, which began last January 2. In the same period last year, he continued, there were 14,193 business permits renewed, a gap of almost 3,000 from this year’s figure. Domingo believed the number would still increase, as most business owners usually renew their permits near or during the deadline. He noted that the weather may have been a factor in the lower number of renewal, citing the intermittent rainfall here since the year began. “I don’t find any reason for them not to renew [their business permits],” Domingo told reporters.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

Realty 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) ready-for-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, inhouse 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.

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Notice is hereby given by lOYOla PlaNS CONSOlIDaTED INC. that CERTIFICaTE OF Full PaYmENT No(s).21045756 under lOYOla PlaN Contract No(s) 187233-1 / NNN430005322 issued to RImORIN, PERla C. was lost. any transaction entered into shall be null and void. (Edge 01/14, 21, 28)

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SPORTS 13

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013 REPublIC OF THE PHIlIPPINES REgIONal TRIal COuRT 11TH JuDICIal REgION OFFICE OF THE ClERk OF COuRT-SHERIFF DaVaO CITY

HOmE DEVElOPmENT muTual FuND, (HDmF) or Pag-ibig Fund, mortgagee -versus-

EJF-REm CaSE NO. 13, 736-12

gINa g. aPaTaN married to Rey g. apatan mortgagor/s.

x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x NOTICE OF EXTRa-JuDICIal SalE

upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under act 3135, as amended, filed by the mortgagee Home Development mutual Fund or Pag-ibig Fund against gINa g. aPaTaN married to Rey g. apatan with postal address at lot 5 blk. 7 Elenita garden Villas, Catalunan grande, Davao City to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of September 14, 2012 amounts to ( Php 1,139.012.99) Philippine Currency, inclusive of interest, penalty charges, plus attorney’s fees equivalent to TEN ( 10%) of the total indebtedness plus other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on February 7, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland,Davao City to the highest bidder for Cash or maNagER’S CHECk and in Philippine Currency, the following real property together with all the improvements thereon, to wit: Transfer Certificate of Title No. T- 428657 “ a parcel of land xxx (lot 5, blk. 7,xxx) , situated in barangay Catalunan grande, City of Davao, Island of mindanao.xxx Containing an area of ONE HuNDRED FIFTY (150) SQuaRE mETERS, more or less” all sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date,it shall be held on march 07, 2013 without further notice.

Prospective buyers are hereby enjoined to investigate for themselves the titles herein described real property/ies and the encumbrances thereon, if any there be. Davao City, Philippines, December 17, 2012

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF:

Noted by:

(SgD.) RObERT m. mEDIalDEa Sheriff IV

(SgD) aTTY. EDIPOlO P. SaRabIa, JR. Clerk of Court VI & Ex-Officio Provincial Sheriff (edge 01/13,20,27)

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation and Communications LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD

Regional Office No. XI Davao City

Petition for Renewal of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a FIlCab Ordinary Regular Service lEONISO P. TaN, Case No.2008Petitioner XI-00156 x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - x NOTICE HEaRINg

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a FIlCab Ordinary Regular Service on the route: CabaNTIaN ROuTE with the use of ONE (1) unit, which certificate will expire on april 21, 2013. In the petition filed on October 4, 2012, petitioner request authority to extend the validity of said certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized. NOTICE, is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this board on JaNuaRY 21, 2012 at 09:30 a.m. at this office at the above address.

at least, FIVE (5) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a one (1) daily newspaper of general circulation in mindanao

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time. This petition will be acted upon by this board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/or oral evidence. wITNESS the Honorable bENJamIN a. gO, CESO V, Regional Director, this 5th day of October 2012 at Davao City. TERESITA DELA PEÑA-YÑIGUEZ Chief Transport Development Officer

Kobe and wife kiss and make up Lakers superstar Kobe Bryant and wife Vanessa have cancelled their application for divorce.

OS aNgElES — kobe and Vanessa bryant are staying together. The los angeles lakers superstar and his wife both announced they’ve called off their divorce Friday (Saturday, manila time) on social media. Shortly after Vanessa posted the news on Instagram, kobe confirmed it on Facebook less than an hour before the lakers hosted the Oklahoma City Thunder.

“I am happy to say that Vanessa and I are moving on with our lives together as a family,” bryant wrote. “when the show ends and the music stops, the journey is made beautiful by having that someone to share it with. Thank you all for your support and prayers!” Vanessa bryant filed for divorce in December 2011, seeking to end a marriage that began in april 2001 and sur-

REPublIC OF THE PHIlIPPINES REgIONal TRIal COuRT 11TH JuDICIal REgION OFFICE OF THE ClERk OF COuRT-SHERIFF DaVaO CITY

HOmE DEVElOPmENT muTual FuND, or Pag-ibig Fund, mortgagee -versus-

EJF-REm CaSE NO. 13, 838-12

maNuEl l. lOZaDa, married to Elizabeth T. lozada mortgagor/s. x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x NOTICE OF EXTRa-JuDICIal SalE upon extra-judicial petition for foreclosure and sale under act 3135, as amended, filed by the mortgagee Home Development mutual Fund (HDmF) Pag-ibig against maNuEl l. lOZaDa, married to Elizabeth T. lozada, mortgagors with postal address at blk. 06 lot 56 , bahay Pagibig Heights Subdivision, Catalunan grande, Davao City to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of October 18, 2011 amounted to Php 243,913.65 Philippine Currency, inclusive of interest, penalty charges, plus attorney’s fees equivalent to TEN ( 10%) of the total indebtedness plus other legal expenses incident of foreclosure and sale; the undersigned Sheriff IV of the Regional Trial Court, Davao City, will sell at public auction on February 7, 2013 at 10:00 a.m. or soon thereafter, at the main entrance of Hall of Justice, Ecoland,Davao City to the highest bidder for Cash or maNagER’S CHECk and in Philippine Currency, the following real property together with all the improvements thereon, to wit: Transfer Certificate of Title No. T- 282216 “ a parcel of land (lot 5, blk. 6 of the subd. plan Pcs-11-000352, being a portion of lots xxx situated in the barangay of Catalunan grande, City of Davao, Island of mindanao.xxx Containing an area of ONE HuNDRED TwENTY ONE (121) SQuaRE mETERS, more or less” all sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above-stated time and date. In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date,it shall be held on march 07, 2013 without further notice.

This NOTICE will be posted in three(3) conspicuous public places in the City of Davao and in the place where the property is located and where the auction sale will take place for the information of the general public and the parties.

FOR THE EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF:

Noted by:

(SgD.) SERgIO lEONaRDO J. TuPaS Sheriff IV

(SgD) aTTY. EDIPOlO P. SaRabIa, JR. Clerk of Court VI & Ex-Officio Provincial Sheriff (edge 01/7, 14, 21)

vived a sexual assault accusation against the five-time Nba champion guard. The bryants have two daughters, Natalia and gianna. but kobe and Vanessa haven’t acted much like a divorcing couple in the past year. Vanessa and the bryant daughters have attended many lakers home games, waiting for bryant to emerge from the lakers’ locker room and leaving Staples Center together. Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation and Communications LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Office No. XI Davao City

Petition for Renewal of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a FIlCab Ordinary Regular Service

RuEl u. YbaNEZ, Case No.2001Petitioner XI-02990 x- - - - - - - - -- - - - - - - - - - - x NOTICE HEaRINg

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a FIlCab Ordinary Regular Service on the route: EmIlY HOmES (CabaNTIaN) ROuTE with the use of ONE (1) unit, which certificate will expire on December 31, 2013. In the petition filed on October 2, 2012, petitioner request authority to extend the validity of said certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NOTICE, is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this board on JaNuaRY 21, 2013 at 09:00 a.m. at this office at the above address.

at least, FIVE (5) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a one (1) daily newspaper of general circulation in mindanao

14 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

Candy-sweet Sharapova T

HE australian Open starts next week, but even if maria Sharapova gets bounced in the first round she is off to a hot start in 2013. why? because her candy line, Sugarpova, has been killing it for the fourtime grand Slam champion. according to a bloomberg report, Sharapova is set to more than double her initial investment in the candy company in just the first year as projections skyrocket for the gummy candy introduced in the united States in august.

Sharapova put up $500,000 for the candy company, chump change for an athlete as marketable as the 2012 French Open champion, but the 25-year-old gets somewhere around $1.10 per bag sold of the $5.99 bag of gummy candy and people seem to be interested. we don’t really have a big budget at all for marketing and advertisement,” Sharapova said. “So it’s pretty incredible that the awareness that it has so far is where it is.” How is it taking off ? I hope you’re sitting

down, but social media has been a huge help. If it was me, and I made $1.10 off every bag of this candy sold, I’d be sitting in candy shops wherever I went pushing this stuff like a guy with watches inside his jacket. (and maria, articles this are like probably helping you out so, ya know, a little something for the effort?!) Sharapova might have name brands accredited to her fame, but having your own business set to do this well has to feel good.

EDGEDAVAO

Maria Sharapova is making good out of court. Will she make good on the court this year?

AUSTRALIAN OPEN PREVIEW

Azarenka, Serena in same draw m

ElbOuRNE, australia (aP) -Victoria azarenka and Serena williams are in the same half of the draw at the australian Open, setting up the possibility of a semifinal match between the defending champion and the title favorite. Top-ranked azarenka has lost 11 of her 12 matches against williams, who increased her career haul to 15 grand Slam titles last year by winning at wimbledon and the u.S. Open. williams has won five australian titles, more than any other woman in the Open era, and is in dominant form after winning 35 of her past 36 matches. That run included a 6-2, 2-6, 7-5 comeback victory in the u.S. Open final after being just two points away from defeat to azarenka. No. 2-ranked maria Sharapova, the French Open champion, is on the other half of the draw with No. 4 agnieszka Radwanska, No. 5 angelique kerber and No. 6 li Na. She could meet Venus williams in the third round. Sharapova, runner-up to azarenka last year at melbourne Park, will meet fellow Russian

Olga Puchkova in the opening round. ‘’I don’t pay attention too much to the draws because we could face anyone from the first round to the finals, and you have to be ready to face that opponent,’’ Sharapova said. Novak Djokovic’s bid for a third consecutive australian Open title got a boost when No. 2-ranked Roger Federer and u.S. Open champion andy murray both landed in the other half when the official draw was made Friday. Top-ranked Djokovic will face Paul-Henri mathieu in the first round and also has fifth-seeded Tomas berdych in his quarter of the draw and fourth-seeded David Ferrer in his half. Ferrer is the highest-ranked Spaniard in the tournament in the absence of 11-time major winner Rafael Nadal, who hasn’t played on the tour since the middle of 2012 due to a left knee injury. ‘’He was a top-20 player before. He knows what it’s like to be on the big stage. He has a lot of quality - a lot of experience,’’ Djokovic said of mathieu. ‘’There are expectations for someone who is in my position,

but I am looking forward to it.’’ Federer will play benoit Paire of France in the first round and has a potential third-round match against local hope bernard Tomic. Federer, a four-time australian Open winner, could face murray in the semifinals. murray, who ended a 76-year drought for british men at grand Slam events when he won the u.S. Open last year, will start his run against Robin Haase of the Netherlands and has a potential quarterfinal against sixth-seeded Juan martin Del Potro, the 2009 u.S. Open champion. On the women’s side, azarenka has a firstround match against Romania’s monica Niculescu and is in the same quarter as former No. 1-ranked Caroline wozniacki and seventh-seeded Sara Errani. Serena williams will play Edina gallovits-Hall of Romania in the first round and is in the same quarter as 2011 wimbledon champion Petra kvitova and 19-year-old american Sloane Stephens, who is seeded 29th. kvitova has a tough opener against 2010 French Open champion Francesca Schiavone.

Victoria Azarenka is the top seed in the women’s draw of the Australian Open.

INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

FOOD

Hearty dining at Bulgogi Brothers Hot and comforting Kimchi Jjigae.

Bulgogi Brother at SM Lanang Premier.

have to say that the past week has been a bummer with rains throughout the day and the cold weather putting a damper on my otherwise sunny personality. So imagine my pleasant surprise when Lisa of The Bistro Group (the same company who brought T.G.I.Friday’s and Italiannis to Davao) called to invite me for lunch at Bulgogi Brothers, their newest restaurant concept in Durianburg.

All was well, but due to some technical problems, the lunch was postposed to another date and Lisa had to fly back to Manila.

But as fate would have it, Ms. Amy Palisoc, VP for Corporate Planning for The Bistro Group, went ahead with the soft opening the next day and I was off to meet the original Gangnam. Located at the second floor, Fountain Court area of SM Lanang Premier, Bulgogi Brothers is an authentic Korean restaurant that specialises in authen-

The Bulgogi Brothers special with their trademark heart-shaperd patties.

tic Korean cuisine. So we started lunch with some appetisers like kimchi, stir-fried eggplant, pickled kangkong, edamame beans, and boiled quail eggs. And as with any true Korean restaurant, all the appetisers plus the house tea are complimentary. “The kimchi we serve in the restaurant is imported from Korea,” says Amy “this is because we want to ensure that the flavours of our dishes are the same as with the other 38 Bulgogi Brother stores in South Korea.” Given the miserable, overcast weather, our group decided to order a pot of Kimchi Jjiggae, a heady and hearty stew of ripened kimchi, pork, tofu, and rice cake. Amy insisted that we try the Haemul Gunjung Mandu, crispy fried dumplings with seafood that is served with a spicy bean sauce, which is one of her favourites. Of course not to be forgotten are the traditional Korean grilled dishes that Bulgogi Brothers is known for. Deriving its name from the word “bulgogi” which literally means “fire meat” in Korea Bulgogi Brothers serves assorted roast meats that includes prime

FHEARTY, A4

An assortment of free appetizers.

A2 INdulge! UP aND aBOUT

Healthy lifestyle at SM Davao, Jan12-28

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

aRTs aND CUlTURE

Religion in the museum By Carlo P. Mallo

HOliDays are over and it’s time to face the aftermath. Do not be wracked with holiday guilt over all those tasty holiday treats. sM City Davao helps you manage post-holiday fitness with Healthy lifestyle campaign from January 12-28. Jumpstart your physical routine at sM Davao with exciting and heart-pumping activities your favorite mall down south has prepared for everyone. Visit Holiday Gym and spa fitness caravan on January 12 and 13 at The annex Event Centre. avail of free fitness testing, scoliosis screening and pampering in the morning and check out fun martial arts demo at 1PM. at 3 PM, join the cardio combat and get free tips on healthy food preparation. Cap the afternoon with a Zumba Party at 5 PM. Metrolifestyle brings fun to getting fit. Dance those holiday fats away with their Zumba Marathon on January 18. Be calm and practice focus on January 21 with free basic yoga session. On January 25, turn the heat up with Kickboxing at The annex Event Centre. Plus, get tips on how to quit smoking on January 16 and learn how to about healthy living on January 23 with Central lab. avail of health screenings on both days for free! Restart and get back on track. Begin your healthy 2013 at sM City Davao. For inquiries, call 297.6998. like sM City Davao of Facebook or follow @smcitydavao on Twitter for event and promo updates.

NEW YEARS AT EDEN. Eden Nature Park welcomed the New Year with their ‘Beats & Vibes’ party, a Mardi Gras-inspired ball at the resort’s Vista Restaurant. Families and friends joined in the festivities as they all-together greeted 2013.

THe Filipino Catholic’s faith is so strong that being surrounded by images from the Spanish era felt like being in front of a friar – only that I was in one of the vast temperature controlled halls of the National Museum one sunny afternoon of December 2012 in Manila. Looking at the religious icons, including an entire altar that was salvaged from an old church in the island of Bohol, shows how devout the Filipinos are. It also shows the skills and craftsmanship of Filipino carvers. From the intricate images of the archangel San Miguel slaying Lucifer, the various images of the Virgin Mary, an ivory image of Jesus on the cross, and a hundred other reli-

Times have changed and so has the Vatican. And it is time that the Filipino Catholic Church do so, too. gious icons is a testament to how much influence Catholicism has on the Filipino nation. It is so great in fact that the country proudly hails itself as the only Christian nation on this side of the planet, yet we only have one cardinal in the College of Cardinals, and two saints. And just like in the Spanish era, politicians fear priests more than the very people who elect them into power to the point that they’d stall crucial legislation just because the priests say so. And yes, I think people are more dutiful in giving money to the church than they would if it were their taxes they were being asked to pay. And we have a bishop who proclaimed that the havoc brought about by Typhoon Pablo (international name:

Bopha) was due to the fact that our country was entertaining the thought of having a Reproductive Health Bill passed into law. Times have changed and so has the Vatican. And it is time that the Filipino Catholic Church do so, too. One cannot claim to be connected with the times just because the Catholic Bishops Conference of the Philippines has a Twitter account, neither would a

Facebook account do that. Priests cannot be friars anymore. There is already enough pain and suffering on earth that the notion of hell just pales in comparison. Just look at the mother who has to raise 10 children in a shanty just because she felt obliged to give in whenever her husbands asks for it just because it is what their parish priest said during the marriage. Or look into

the eyes of a child who has nothing to eat has not had any vaccines because his parents are not prepared to have him yet and did not know of contraceptives. Or worse, did not even know what sex was because no one taught them that. Let us leave the friarkind of faith in the museum, alongside with ivory icons. We don’t have that much elephants in the wild anymore.

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

ENTERTaiNMENT

Britney Spears leaving Simon Cowell’s The X Factor DON’T hold against her.

Britney spears has decided to leave simon Cowell’s The X Factor after serving as a judge for the second season, whose ratings, by the way, were less than spectacular. sources tell E! News that conversations about the third season’s judging panel were underway during the holidays and the popster’s return was not part of that discussion. That wouldn’t exactly be a surprise to the 31-year-old spears, who made up her mind to jump ship before she was pushed out so she could get back to focusing on her music career and her upcoming eighth studio album, sources say. Britney was paid a whopping $15 million for a season’s worth of work, but recent reports indicated that Cowell was displeased with spears’ lackluster critiques at the judge’s table, calling her “boring.” No word yet who will take the “Oops” singer’s place alongside simon and Demi lovato as Fox and the show’s producers haven’t made an official

announcement about her exit. The 53-year-old Cowell already told E! News in December that fellow judge l.a. Reid was planning on exiting. But when asked whether he thought spears would stick around during the network’s TCa presentation on Tuesday, Fox president Kevin Reilly was noncommittal.

“For next year, i don’t know,” he said, though he was quick to add he wanted her back. Guess she made it easy for him. The network had no comment on Britney’s exit, and neither did Cowell, whom Reilly said was currently on vacation and “hasn’t talked about any of this going forward.”

Kate Middleton’s royal birthday celebration: Watching Cirque du Soleil with Prince William TURNs out, Kate Middleton’s “private” birthday celebrations were a little more public than the pregnant royal let on. E! News has exclusively obtained photos and details of how the Duchess of Cambridge celebrated her 31st birthday—namely, with Prince William, her sister Pippa Middleton, brother James Middleton, and parents Carole and Michael Middleton, at a london showing of Cirque du soleil. The royal party arrived to london’s Royal albert Hall around 7:15 p.m. last night, and headed straight into a private room (and bar) on the premises. The mama-to-be (who still didn’t seem to be sporting much of a baby bump) no doubt abstained from the libations, and the group made their way to the royal box of the hall only after

the lights dimmed. Will, Kate & Co. were seen paying rapt attention to Kooza, the particular Cirque du soleil show they attended, laughing, clapping, gasping, pulling her hair across her face and curling into William (it is tense, after all), and intensely concentrating throughout the performance. at one point during the show, a clown onstage has his crown stolen, and pointed into the crowd, asking, “Who has my crown?” Well, you can see where that was headed. Both Kate and mama Carole burst into laughter at the remark and cast glances at Wills, who clearly saw the humor and giggled right alongside them. The party retired back to their private room for the 25-minute intermission and again returned for the second half of the

show, leaving the theater at the performance’s conclusion, around 10:45 p.m. all told, it seemed to be an early night for the duchess, as her journey back home was likely a short one—the Royal albert Hall, as it happens, is located just across the street from Kensington Palace. as for the birthday girl, she certainly seemed to have enjoyed herself throughout the proceedings, giggling and laughing for the duration of the show. in addition to her immediate family, Kate’s party posse included pal sophie Carter, cousins lucy and adam Middleton, pals Teddy Foyle and David Jardine-Paterson, and Kate’s old schoolmates Trini Foyle and Emilia Jardine-Paterson. and, of course, some security. a duchess with a little prince (or princess!) on the way just can’t be too careful these days.

INdulge! A3

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge! FOOD

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

Hearty... FFROM A1

cuts of beef marinated in a number of ingredients that enhance the meat’s flavor and tenderness. Bulgogi Brothers claims to have not only found the secret recipe to the perfect Bulgogi but also offers many ways to enjoy it—the Unyang (the classic patties), Gwang-Yang (seasoned beef with sweet sauce), Seoul (sliced beef with vegetables, fruits, onion and soy sauce) and from the melt-in-yourmouth rib-eye to the soft and rich goodness of Bulgogi Brothers’ special heart-shaped beef patties, every morsel was a bite closer to meat-lover’s heaven. There is something to tasting delicious rib-eye steak that brightens up a gloomy day and I have a feeling Dabawenyo carnivores will be packing this place full, thanks to the beautiful USDA beef that Bulgogi Brothers use for all their bulgogi dishes. Those cows definitely did not die in vain and are well cooked and presented table-side. I would have wanted to cap the lunch with some wine and Korean shoju

Complimentary savory salad greens.

but I guess that will have to wait until my next visit since it is too early to get smashed, so for this meal, I paired my meal with their delicious Citrus Cooler, which pairs very well with the rich dishes we were tasting for lunch. Although the week had many ups and downs, dining at Bulgogi Brothers was an ultimate high for me, ending my damp week warm and comfy, with a piping bowl of hot stew, some hearty heartshaped patties, and tender-delicious rib-eye. You can reach me on Twitter and on Instagram @kennethkingong for more foodie and travel finds in, around and beyond Durianburg.

Bulgogi Brothers’ melt in your mouth Rib-eye.

Fried seafood dumplings.

Bulgogi Brothers also has a selection of shoju.

Dining at Bulgogi Brothers is an interactive, casual experience that is fun and filling.

How to do bulgogi at Bulgogi Brothers

BUlGOGi Brothers is known for their “bulgogi” or “meat on a fire” and one of their best sellers is their Bulgogi Brother’s special. The special consists of assorted bulgogi that is cooked and served table side. Normally in Korea, it is the diner’s responsibility to cook the meat and this is how you do it, although it is nice to be spoiled sometimes and have the server cook the meat sometimes...

Step 1: Ordering

Order your bulgogi platter. I suggest you get the special or the one with the ribe-eye and boneless short ribs.

Step 2: Grilling

Cook the meat on your table-top convection grill. No need to add oils. Do not press the juices out of the meat! Flip the meat after a few minutes

Step 3: Eating

Remove the meat from the grill and dip into either the chili sauce, chili bean paste, or my favorite, steak salt. Eat and enjoy!

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

SPORTS 15

AUSTRALIAN OPEN PREVIEW

Murray eyes more slam success m

ElbOuRNE (Reuters) - achieving a lifetime goal can leave some players content but may also blight their ambition. For andy murray, however, nothing could be further from the truth. The Scot’s victory at the u.S. Open last September came on the back of his Olympic triumph the previous month and was the fulfillment of a dream. but with the new calm that success brings showing in his improved demeanor on court, the 25-year-old is more determined than ever to add more grand slam titles to his tally, starting at the australian Open, which begins in melbourne on monday. “The u.S. Open and the Olympics made me extremely motivated,” murray told reporters this week. “It wasn’t a case of ‘Oh, everything’s done now’. “It’s taken a long time to get there and to win those sorts of events. I know the feeling when you do win them now and it’s worth all of the work that you put in. “In the past, there were loads and loads of questions. I wasn’t physically strong enough. I wasn’t mentally strong enough. I didn’t listen to my coaches. I was spoilt. “whatever it was, none of that really bothers me anymore. I’m just looking for ways to keep improving.” The next chapter begins on monday when murray bids to become the

Andy Murray of Great Britain is looking for more Grand Slam titles.

first man in the Open era to follow up his first grand slam title by winning the very next one. It is a difficult task; Pete Sampras, who went on to win 14, took 11 grand slam events to win his second title, while Novak Djokovic, the man murray beat to win in New York, took 12 more slams to win another one. murray picked up where he left off in 2012 by winning his first event

of this year in brisbane and will go into melbourne as the second favorite for the title behind Djokovic. In the past 12 months, murray has transformed himself from the nearly man of tennis into a national hero. when he lost to Roger Federer in the final at wimbledon last summer, his fourth defeat in grand slam finals, the knives were out. Critics claimed that murray had missed his

window of opportunity, that as he entered the second half of his twenties, his powers would begin to wane. lENDl FaCTOR but when he struggled to hold back the tears in an emotional runners-up speech at wimbledon, the effect was to bring the public on his side, perhaps more than winning the title would have done. and when the Olympics came round at the same

venue just a few weeks later, he produced inspired tennis to beat Djokovic in the semi-finals and then wipe Federer off the court in the final. The foundations had been laid and he maintained his form and focus in New York to beat Djokovic and become the first british man to win a grand slam singles title for 76 years. “I was motivated to get back into the gym and get

even stronger,” murray said a week after his u.S. Open victory. The australian Open represents the anniversary of his partnership with Ivan lendl as coach, a relationship many feel was the key to getting murray over the line. Darren Cahill, a respected coach and television pundit with ESPN, says the former world number one has had a huge impact on murray.

16 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 223 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, JANUARY 13-14, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Gilas nips Lebanese 5 S

maRT gilas-Pilipinas began its 24th Dubai International basketball Tournament campaign on a winning note, rallying past mouttahed of lebanon, 79-77,

early Saturday morning at the al ahli gym. The lebanese club team paraded three imports led by marc Salyers and a sprinkling of members of the national team

You can now buy your weekly paper fill of in-depth business news and features from any of these establishments still at Php 15.

led by Rony Fahed. Still, that didn’t deter the national team, majority of which are composed of cadet players from the national pool, from pulling off a stunning win capped by its comeback from a harrowing 0-11 start. “beat mottaheed of lebanon w 3 uS imports & 3 natl team players after being down by 15 in d 1st,” tweeted national coach Chot Reyes in his account @coachot. by halftime, the Filipinos were already on top 41-40 and went on to engage mouttahed in a dogfight in the second half. Naturalized player marcus Douthit led Smart gilas with 20 points, while Ronjay Enrile finished with 10 points – all in the opening half – as he led the Nationals’s big first half fightback. garvo lanete added 15, while kevin alas had 9. gilas takes on al ahli of the host country next on Sunday morning, before capping its schedule in group b preliminary against Sporting amarex of Jordan.

PHL FIBA ASIA CAMPAIGN

PBA vows full support for Gilas

ba commissioner Chito Salud has assured the pro league’s full support to the national squad, which will be playing before home fans when the country hosts the Fiba asia men’s championships this august. “as early as last year, we’ve already passed a resolution in the board for an all-out support to our Smart gilas team that will utilize our professional players. we are fully committed to this,” Salud told mediamen during Friday night’s press conference held at the mOa arena. although top players shied away from the gilas practice over the holidays for the 24th Dubai International tournament, Salud guaranteed

that all the Pba team owners are “on board” in helping the national team field the best team possible in the event serving as a qualifier for the 2014 world championships in Spain. “These (support of other teams) are minor details in the bigger scheme of things because these can be resolved reasonably by team owners. I assure everyone that all the team owners are on board on this,” he added. Currently, the Smart gilas 2.0 under coach Chot Reyes has brought in a team made up mostly of cadet pool players and reinforced by just three Pba players - center Jay-ar Reyes and Ronjay buenafe of meralco and kg Canaleta of air21.

Reyes earlier included Petron’s big star arwind Santos and top rookie draftee June mar Fajardo in his wish list but the duo apparently weren’t allowed by SmC management to join the gilas practice. For his part, manny V. Pangilinan said all he could do in his capacity as Samahang basketball ng Pilipinas president is to “appeal to his fellow team owners.” “we can only appeal to the team owners of the Pba since we have no compulsive powers. Now that we’re hosting it, we hope they will, just like what Rain or Shine team owners have said,” said Panglinan, who is expected to spend a fortune for the Fiba asia hosting.