Edge Davao 5 Issue 227 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

EDGEDAVAO P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

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LTO arrests 200 over helmet law By EJ Dominic Fernandez

Suburbia

Sports

Page163 Page

lTHougH some 200 motorcycle riders have already been apprehended since the start of the implementation of Republic Act 10054 last Monday, the lTo is satisfied with the compliance shown by Dabawenyos. In the i-Speak press forum held at the city hall yesterday, the land Transportation office lTo

Relatively small number considering there are 60,000 registered motorcycles

Mga gahig ulo!

assistant regional director, Macario D. gonzaga, said, “I am very happy that most motorcycle owners in Davao City are compliant with RA 10054.”

FLTO, 11

Page 14

ACROBATIC. Two boys watch their peer performs an acrobatic dive at the Davao River bank along Quimpo Blvd., Davao City yesterday. Young boys who reside in the area usually spend their afternoons honing their acrobatic and diving skills instead of attending classes. Lean Daval Jr.

Militant NGO raps Braga proposal:

Code amendment counter-productive

HE Davao City Council was urged this week to push for the full implementation of the Watershed Code rather than amending it now. “Don’t put the cart before the horse,” said Interface Development Interventions . Inc. (IDIS) executive director Mary Ann

Fuertes, referring to the move spearheaded by Councilor Pilar C. Braga to favor energy producer Hedcor Inc., a subsidiary of AboitizPower, Inc. The amendment, which will pave the way for the exploitation of Tamugan River by Hedcor as a hydropower source, was scheduled for third

reading in last Tuesday’s session but was deferred after calls were made to certain key leaders of the City Council. “It’s counter-productive because we haven’t yet seen the extent of what the Code can do before suggesting amend-

FMILITANT, 11

2 THE BIG NEWS

No spoiled rice at DSWD depot

EPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development Region 11 director Priscilla Razon denied in a press conference last Wednesday at The Marco Polo Davao a report that there is spoiled rice in the DSWD depot. “We do not have on record spoiled rice in our depot,” Razon said, adding that a delivery truck consigned to a non-government organization (Ngo) had experienced a problem while travelling to Trento and had to unload all its cargo along the Agusan road and that there was no immediate

response and rescue to calls for help. Meanwhile, the cargo was exposed to rain and later to the heat of the sun before being loaded onto another truck that proceeded to Pablo-hit areas where they were unloaded, Razon explained. According to her, the relief goods that are being packed in their depot, particularly at the Department of Public Works and Highways in Panacan Davao City (DPWH) are safe for consumption. “We made sure that they would reach Compostela Valley and Davao oriental on time,” Razon said.

Public warned vs illegal checkpoints

FFICIAlS in Davao del Norte are advising the public to check the legitimacy of security roadblocks supposedly established to enforce elections laws. 1003rd Brigade commander Col. Buenaventura Pascual urges people to take note of some indicators that would attest to the authenticity of Comelec checkpoints. At the regular Provincial Peace and order Council meeting January 16 presided by gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, Pascual bared legitimate checkpoints, whether separately or jointly manned by the police and military, should bear signage announcing the security check and revealing the name of the team leader.

Police officers and army personnel manning checkpoints must also wear their prescribed uniforms and display their nameplates at all times. A marked patrol or military vehicle must likewise be present at the properly-lighted checkpoint area, among other signs. The brigade commander stressed that constituents need to scrutinize mobile checkpoints set up, particularly in farflung areas as they might actually turn out to be just a ploy used by lawless elements in their extortion and harassment activities to collect funds during the poll season. “our people should check whether these

FPUBLIC, 11

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

AERIAL INSPECTION. Sec. Corazon “Dinky” Soliman of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (5th from left) together with the delegate from New Zealand led by its ambassador to the Philippines Reuben Levermore King (4th from

Only Dutertes filed for security detail

By Che Palicte

AVAo City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, Vice-Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Association of Barangay Captains president Councilor Paolo Z. Duterte applied for security detailing with the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and Philippine National Police (PNP) upon the implementation of the

total gun ban declared by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) last January 13. lawyer Marlon Casquejo, Comelec assistant regional director confirmed this to media yesterday at the city hall weekly forum I-Speak. only the Dutertes have filed for security detailing. “The result is pend-

lem Jr., treasurer; Jose N. Valenzuela Jr., assistant treasurer; Ricardo V. Villegas, auditor; Antonio M. Ajero, public relations officer; Vicente R. Banes Jr., Severo P. dela Cruz, Antonio B. Partoza Jr. and Reynaldo B. Sazon, directors; and Era Devi g. lagaret and Buddy Mark C. Salonga, youth directors. Scholarship launch During the affair, incoming president Villa-Abrille will launch an impact project of his watch – a highschool scholarship project—to benefit poor and deserving elementary school graduates in depressed areas. The launching will be graced by CVA (Cesareo Villa-Abrille) elementary principal Emerlita D. Mapula and Holy Cross of Davao High School princi-

pal Jean A. legaspi whose schools will be involved in the scholarship. More inducting officers Four more inducting officers, all YMCA-Davao past presidents, will swear in other officers and new members into the chapter membership. They are past presidents Efren J. Veneracio Sr., gregorio R. Magnaye, Jose C. Sevilla and Martin T. Suelto. To be inducted new members are Rosino J. Almone, Dionilito M. Bagnol, Pribhu D. Balchand, Patrick Vincent N. Banes, Rosauro M. Borrromeo, DominadorMaphilindo o. Carillo, Rizaldo R. gonzales, garvin T. Jeng, Jerico C. Quijada, Virgilio C. Quijada, Miguel V. Torres and uyChing C. Siong.

Villa-Abrille, others sworn in as new YMCA leaders Sunday

EoNCIo P. VIllAA-ABRIllE, veteran civic leader and philanthropist, and 13 other community leaders will be installed Sunday evening as new officers of the Young Men’s Christian Association of Davao, Inc. at the Marco Polo Davao, Sunday evening. YMCA Davao is a four-decade oldChrist-centered voluntary lay movement committed to the upliftment of the Filipinos through the development of the youth into future leaders of the country. guest speaker leonardo R. Cortez Jr., superintendent of the Provincial Strategic Community Investment Team of SMI, will induct Villa-Abrille, a lawyer and his fellow officers, and

also the affair’s guest of honor and speaker. Also to be sworn in are Jose B. Custodio, first vice president; Fernando S. ongkingco, second vice president; Julito N. Pepito, corporate secretary; Pablo R. gonzales Jr., assistant corporate secretary; Paciencio M. Rosa-

left) arrives at the old Davao City International Airport from an aerial inspection of areas ravaged by typhoon Pablo Wednesday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

ing, but technically, naka apply na sila, but for now while we are waiting for the amended resolution of approval to come out, the applications’ are deemed effective on the day they were submitted, “ he added. Candidates for local positions may avail PNP and AFP assistance and also hire private detectives, provided they com-

P20T each

ply with all the requirements and qualifications laid down by the PNP. “The Comelec allows only two security detais per candidate from the AFP or PNP,” Casquejo said, adding that the bodyguards should always wear complete uniform while on duty. It is all right if a candidate employs more body-

FONLY, 11

Financial aid to 359 Pablo soldier victims By Anthony S. Allada

HE Philippine Army through the 10th Infantry Division facilitated voluntary financial donation to 359 soldiers who were among the victims of Typhoon Pablo. lt. Col. lyndon Paniza, spokesperson of the 10th ID, said the cash aid that could amount to P20,320.195 each soldier victim came from the collection of P90 one-day subsistence allowance from all personnel of the Philippine Army amounting P7,294,950. Paniza said the recipient-soldiers deserve the financial aid, considering that they were the first responders to the

search, rescue and retrieval operations at the height of the calamity. “Every soldier of the Philippine Army is dedicatedly doing their job to serve the country. It is timely to help them also in their need,” he said. It can be recalled that seven soldiers died, four are still missing and a number of them injured after the Army truck they were riding was washed away by rampaging mudwaters in Barangay Andap, New Bataan, Compostela Valley. Wounded soldiers were also earlier awarded with medals for bravery and willingness to offer their lives for others.

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAOVOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

USM classes suspended due to protest rally inside campus

lASSES have been suspended until Friday at the staterun university of Southern Mindanao (uSM) in Kabacan, North Cotabato after a rally staged by protesters, mostly faculty and students of the institution, became “unruly”, a school official said. The rally, according to Dr. Jesus Antonio Derije, university president, will continue until Thursday after the protesters secured a permit from the local government unit (lgu). The school management decided to suspend the classes, including those in the laboratory high school, to prevent students from being hurt while the rally is going on. Derije has ordered the university’s security personnel to protect at all cost the school’s premises. Supt. leo Ajero, chief of Kabacan PNP, said the protesters, now close to a thousand, were able to gain entrance by forcibly opening the main gate

along the uSM Avenue in Poblacion, Kabacan, around 11 a.m. Wednesday. The protesters, since then, were gathered in front of the administration building of the uSM where Derije is holding office. The protesters – led by Dr. Alimen Sencil, uSM’s deputy director for Community Extension Services; Dr. William dela Torre of the College of Fisheries; and Dr. Khaironesa Pahm – want Derije to step down from his post due to alleged graft and corrupt practices. They said they will continue their protest until Derije is kicked out from the school. Sencil said the uSM president no longer has “moral ascendancy” to lead the university because of several graft complaints. But Derije, whose reappointment order from the Commission on Higher Education (CHED) was handed to him on January 4, is holding on to his po-

FLOODED MARKET. A vendor sells vegetables even if the flood waters reach her stall in Butuan City on Jan. 11, 2013. Tropical depression “Bising” has affected at least 1,628 families or 5,962 persons in Butuan City. “Bising” so far has affected 13,000 families in three Mindanao regions. [MindaNews/Erwin Mascarinas]

sition. Derije, based on CHED’s order, will stay until 2016. He vehemently denied the graft charges, say-

ing he only inherited the problems during the past administration but is now fixing them. In fact, he said, the regional office of the Com-

Media groups express concern over threats on Kidapawan journalist

HE International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) has joined its affiliate, the National union of Journalists of the Philippines (NuJP), in expressing concern about reports of a threat against a journalist in Kidapawan City. Reports reaching NuJP said that a texter, who identified himself as a member of the Bagani,

was tasked to “silence” Joy Francisco, publisher and editor-in-chief of Southern Voice Journal (SVJ), a weekly tabloid based in this city. The text, using the mobile phone number 09214095902, was sent to two local radio reporters, one of them Abner Francisco, program director of Charm Radio and columnist of the SVJ, around 8:30 a.m. last Sun-

day. When the reporters tried to call the sender, the phone was already out of reach. It was not clear how the texter was able to get the personal numbers of the reporters. The texter, a self-proclaimed assassin, told the journalists a contract had been put out for the killing of Francisco for a fee of P100,000.

In his text, he identified a certain Jun obello, public affairs chief of North Cotabato 2nd district Representative Nancy Catamco, who allegedly met with a member of the Bagani to look for a gun-for-hire. The Bagani, a group of armed natives believed tasked to run after the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) rebels in the hinterlands,

“This is part of an ongoing reorganization directed (by PNP Director general Alan Purisima),” the official said. Monteagudo, who is due for promotion this year to the PNP Director rank, will assume as the new PNP Director for operations vice Director Samuel Diciano. His relief from the region was initially scheduled last Jan. 10 but it was scrapped on the last minute due to some changes. Monteagudo was supposed to be replaced by then Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao police director Chief Supt. Mario Avenido, who has since been replaced by Chief

Supt. Noel delos Reyes as acting regional police director. Calima, who presently heads the PNP’s Intelligence group, was initially assigned to the Police Regional office 1 or the Ilocos Region but it was later rescinded. “He’s a good fit here and I’m confident that we will be able to deliver beyond our expectations, especially during the election period,” Monteagudo said of Calima in a radio interview. The outgoing police official urged local officials and residents to give Calima the necessary support and cooperation as well as allow him “to show his

worth as regional director.” Meantime, aside from Monteagudo, the PNP also ordered the relief effective Wednesday of acting Sultan Kudarat provincial police director Senior Supt. Rolen Balquin. Balquin, who was reassigned to the Police Regional office 12, would be replaced by outgoing regional comptrollership head Senior Supt. Rex dela Rosa. Monteagudo said they expected the reshuffle following the assumption last month of PNP Director general Alan Purisima and with the upcoming May 13 midterm local and national elections. [Allen V. Estabillo / MindaNews]

FMEDIA, 11

2 Region 12 top cops to be relieved

Wo top police officials in Region 12 or the Soccsksargen Region are due for replacement this week as part of an ongoing revamp implemented by the Philippine National Police (PNP). Chief Supt. Alex Paul Monteagudo, Region 12 police director, confirmed Wednesday that he will be officially relieved from his post on Friday to give way to the assumption of Chief Supt. Charles Calima Jr. as the new regional police director. An official turnover of command is scheduled on Friday at the Police Regional office 12 headquarters in Barangay Tambler here, he said.

mission on Audit has just completed its auditing of the school. “Incidentally, the CoA has ordered some of those leading the ral-

ly to shed light on some questionable transactions where they were allegedly involved,” he said. [Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews]

Under cover of darkness, soldiers deployed to Tampakan mines site

large number of soldiers were deployed Tuesday under cover of darkness in the mines development site of foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc., which a wanted tribal leader described as a “deployment overkill.” Daguel Capion said on the phone Wednesday that they saw five military trucks coming from the direction of Kiblawan in Davao del Sur arriving in the mines development site and dispersed in different locations. “Why are they conducting a full military operation here? The deployment of many soldiers is causing fears among tribal members,” he said in Visayan. He wondered if the military deployment would be a prelude to the resumption of company activities in the mountains. Capion said the government troops have broken into smaller teams and have allegedly already gone deeper to the forests to conduct security patrols. He said the government troops disembarked in Sitio lafla, in Datal Alyong and in Datal Biao, tribal communities straddled by Bong Mal district,

which is at the heart of the mines development site. Capion is himself wanted by the law for the murder of three workers of a construction company hired by Sagittarius Mines for a road project in March 2011. He admitted responsibility for the killing, saying he and his group did it in disgust to the mining company for its alleged disregard to the rights of the tribal members. Capion said the massive troops deployment was the first since october last year, after his wife and their two children were killed in a military operation. The military claimed the victims were caught in the crossfire as they pursued Capion, contrary to the claims of environmental groups that they were massacred. Their death drew widespread condemnation from indigenous peoples, environment and human rights groups in Mindanao. Corporal Andy Santiago, a member of the Task Force KITACo, said he was at the pioneering camp of SMI when the military trucks passed by. The task force was

FUNDER, 11

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

More use of clean energy encouraged at world summit S

ouTH African Energy Minister Dipuo Peters said here Wednesday that although her country had a huge potential to increase solar and wind power, nuclear energy had to be part of the domestic energy mix in order to reduce carbon dioxide emission. Speaking to Xinhua at the ongoing three-day World Future Energy Summit (WFES) in Abu Dhabi which run its 6th edition, Peters said that solar energy and wind power would not be sufficient to satisfy South Africa’s growing energy needs. “our country’s important mining industry is most energy intensive.” She said South Africa would continue to produce nuclear energy at its two reactors in Koeberg at Western Cape to provide reliable and affordable energy to the country’s 52 million inhabitants. Nuclear power provides 5 percent of South Africa’s energy needs, while the bulk of electricity is delivered from coal and water power. Earlier in the day, u.S. energy corporation ExxonMobil said at the summit that the use of nuclear power in the global ener-

gy mix would double by 2040 “mainly due to the rising electricity demand and the desire to reduce Co2-emissions.” Minister Peters said that her government would review every two years its national energy mix. “If wind and solar power become more efficient in the future we are open for any major changes in our energy mix,” said Peters who added that the last plan was decided 5 days after the tragic meltdown in Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant following an earthquake and Tsnunami on March 11 2011. “We have reviewed the safety of the Koeberg reactors at this time and worked closely together with the International Atomic Energy Agency in Vienna to ensure our nuclear plant is safe,” said Peters. According to the government’s plan, 45 percent of the country’s energy needs shall be covered by renewable energy by 2025. The country plans to build solar plants with a combined power capacity of 5,000 Megawatts. on the advantages of nuclear power, Peters said it would help to re-

duce carbon emission and it was cheaper than renewable energy. “The price aspect is important, because small and medium enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of the South African economy” said Peters. SMEs would be hit the hardest if the price per kilowatt hour would increase sharply. Earlier in the day, the 159-member states comprising International Re-

newable Energy Agency IRENA, based in Abu Dhabi, published at the summit a study saying that Africa had the potential and the ability to fuel the majority of its future growth with renewable energy. With world-class solar and hydropower resources, complemented by bioenergy, wind, geothermal and marine resources in some regions, the report showed that Africa has

the opportunity to leapfrog to modern renewable energy, said IRENA. Asked if she regarded the german government’s decision in the wake of Fukushima to switch off all 15 nuclear power plants in germany by 2020 a mistake, Peters replied that her country cannot be compared to germany. “We are interconnected with our African neighbor countries,

provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of general Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. umpar said their assessment showed that the targeted planting sites, which are mostly located within upland areas in the region, could accommodate a total of 7,931,000 trees. “We are now in the process of delivering the seedling to the identified planting sites,” he said in a media forum in Koronadal City. In 2012, umpar said they were able to cover a total of 11,833 hectares of

public lands and planted about 4,452,000 trees under the NgP, which is now entering its third year of implementation. During its launching in 2011, he said they facilitated the planting of 2,332,500 trees in 4,705 hectares of combined public areas throughout the region. The official said they are planning to start the massive tree planting before the end of the month and eventually wind up by the end of November. He said the planting schedule was based on a directive issued by Environment Secretary Ramon Paje to regional environ-

ment personnel mandating that all field works or activities should be completed by the end of November. By December, DENR personnel were tasked to focus on the completing their reports and other related “paper works,” he said. Although acknowledging that their NgP targets for this year were quite high, umpar assured that they were doable. He said they have already linked with several private and government institutions and organizations in the region to help achieve this year’s NgP targets. [PNA]

the severe flooding in some low-lying areas in the past years. “The main problem there is the lack of storm drainage. The city is actually a flood plain so we should expect flooding after just two or three hours of heavy rains,” he said in a media forum in Koronadal City. The official explained that storm drains are mainly drainage canals built to contain water run-off during heavy downpour. He said the city has some drainage canals but they were mostly clogged

due to the accumulated wastes and could not withstand the volume of water that passes through during the rains. Paye said the city also lacks drainage channels that goes towards the Sarangani Bay, which is the main outlet of the area’s major rivers and other waterways. “(The city government) has to continually clear up its drainage canals and make sure that they flow naturally towards its outlets. unless that happens, the flooding problems there

would only worsen,” he later told MindaNews. An online geological website described flood plains as low, flat, periodically flooded lands that are adjacent to rivers, lakes and oceans and subject to geomorphic or land-shaping and hydrologic or water flow processes. City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio earlier said parts of the city are considered as catch basins of floodwaters coming from portions of the neighboring Sarangani and South Cotabato provinces.

DENR 12 eyes planting of 8M trees

NVIRoNMENT personnel in Region 12 are targeting to plant nearly eight million trees this year as part of the continuing implementation of the National greening Program (NgP) of the national government in the region. Muripaga umpar, regional technical director of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region 12’s Forest Management Services, said Thursday they have identified at least 15,862 hectares of public lands in the region as NgP planting sites for this year. Region 12, which is also known as the Soccsksargen Region, comprises the

MGB pushes for drainage system to prevent flooding in GenSan

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Mines and geosciences Bureau (MgB) has recommended the immediate development of a stable storm drainage system here in a bid to ease the perennial flooding in several parts of the area during rainy periods. Constancio Paye Jr., MgB Region 12 technical director, said Thursday their assessment showed that the lack of substantial storm drainage structures in the city has triggered

but germany is interconnected to almost every neighbor’s electricity grid.” However, South Africa and Congo were currently studying plans to connect their grids. once these plans were realized, South Africa could benefit from Congo’s hydro-energy plants, said the minister. Similar agreements had sealed with lesotho. [PNA/Xinhua]

Uniform flood alert system urged for Bukidnon towns HE Bukidnon provincial board passed a resolution Wednesday urging the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management office to adopt a uniform alert system in the province’s flood prone areas. Board member Jay Albarece, proponent, said it is high time for the use of a commonly understood warning system as “floods due to heavy rains have been the leading cause of fatality, injury and property loss.” “The recent practice of ordering the pre-emptive and often forced evacuation in the flood prone areas before the floods arrive has proven to be an effective way of preventing casualties in such calamities,” he added in his draft. Provincial board members unanimously approved the proposed resolution after deciding that an ordinance should follow through to ensure effective implementation. Albarece said the measure is to help ensure “a more timely, efficient and coordinated disaster preparedness among the local government units in the province.” “The present method of flood warning can be improved by adopting a uniform warning system for all the flood prone rivers, especially those which traverse multiple municipalities or cities in the prov-

ince,” he added. Albarece proposed a warning system but cited that it needed further technical review by weather specialists. He also proposed that every time heavy rainfall is expected in the province, the PDRRMo may consider issuing a separate and regular alert on the status of the usually flooded rivers. Albarece identified the rivers as Pulangi River in the towns of San Fernando, Maramag, Quezon, Don Carlos, Kitaotao, Dancagan, Kibawe, Damulog, and Valencia City; Maridugao River in the towns of Kalilangan, Pangantucan and Kadingilan; and Muleta River in the towns of Pangantucan and Maramag. He said Bukidnon’s cumulative disaster risk reduction and management fund of around P125 million from 2010 to 2012 is not enough for the support needed to cover damages to life, property and crops. Vice gov. Jose Ma. R. Zubiri Jr. told the provincial board Wednesday the provincial government needed additional P60 million to provide assistance to victims, including rice and corn farmers in the agriculture-rich province. Pablo, which struck last month, was the first typhoon that carried a storm signal number 3 to Bukidnon, a province that once claimed to be typhoon-free. [Walter I. Balane / MindaNews]

5 Davao Norte LGU insures 2T hectares of ricelands EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

THE ECONOMY

ARMERS in Davao del Norte may no longer be anxious about the onset of pestilence and calamities that could wipe their crops out with the enrollment of their farms in the Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation. governor Rodolfo del Rosario on Tuesday signed the memorandum of agreement for the insurance coverage of an initial 2,000 hecatres of ricelands in the province, together with PCIC 11 oIC Regional Manager Bonifacio Pales and Dioscoro granada, Board of Director of the PCIC Mindanao Sector. The governor said the insurance policies will guarantee payment for the farmers in the event that a portion or all of their crops can’t be harvested anymore due to onset of calamities or infestation of pests and diseases. Pales revealed Davao del Norte is the first province among the lgus in Mindanao to have inked a MoA with the PCIC for the insurance coverage of its farmlands. “Davao del Norte is the first province in Mindanao to have signed with the PCIC and I hope that the other lgus in the island will follow suit,” he

RICE INSURANCE. Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario (center), Philippine Crop Insurance Corporation (PCIC) 11 OIC regional manager Bonifacio Pales (right), and Dioscoro Granada, director for the PCIC Mindanao Sector, sign the memorandum of agreement for the insurance coverage of an initial 2,000 hectares of ricelands in Davao del Norte.

appealed. The national government subsidized 50 percent of the total premium rate for rice, while the province allocated P1,340,000 to shoulder 50 percent of the insurance premium due to the farmers. once the program proves to be successful,

the governor pledged to expand the insurance premium, which initially covers 2,000 hectares of rice areas for the dry season (Nov. 2012-April 2013). The insurance coverage will be equally distributed among the municipalities of Asuncion, New Corella, Car-

men, and B.E. Dujali. The province has a total rice area of 15,216 hectares during the wet season. With the subsidy coming from the government, rice farmers will contribute a meager share of 6.71 percent during the dry season, and 4.66 percent for the wet season, out of the total insurance

premium of about P2,500 per hectare. Pales revealed the effort of the province to insure the ricelands will further boost the PCIC’s coverage, which already constitutes over 60 percent of the total farmlands in the province, courtesy of the various agricultural coopera-

tives. Del Rosario has stressed the importance of insuring the farmlands to protect the farmers and fisherfolks from the occurrence of pestilence and natural calamities, which have become more intense with the advent of climate change. [Noel Baguio]

THE ECONOMY

Stat Watch

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

5.8% 1st Qtr 2012

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

6.4 % 1st Qtr 2012

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

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

8. Interest Rates 4/

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

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

P 42.78 Jun 2012

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

5,091.2 May 2012

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

130.1 Jun 2012

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.8 Jun 2012

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.7 Jun 2012

16. Visitor Arrivals

349,779 Apr 2012

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

18.8 % Jan 2012

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

7.2 % Jan 2012

Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2012

2011

2010

42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

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

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

EDGEDAVAO

Entry of foreign firm may kill local livestock industry, say l

AWMAKERS yesterday warned that the entry into the country of a foreign company engaged in the livestock business will kill the hog and poultry industries in the Philippines. Rep. Isidro lico (ATINgKooP Party-list), author of House Resolution 2920, said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and the Board of Investment (BoI) have granted the Charoen Pokphand, a Thai livestock company, with 7-year tax holiday, incentives for importation and other perks. The Thai company will invest P2.32 billion in a hog and poultry business in Central luzon. It will put up a hog production in Tarlac and Pangasinan, and poultry or broiler production in Bulacan and Nueva Ecija. The BoI said incentives and perks are not exclusive to the ALMOST FINISHED. A construction worker applies poultice to wall cracks, yesterday. Business experts in Davao City believe that the said area where Thai firm only. Filipino hog and a process done before the final paint coating, of an almost finished building new buildings are rising will eventually become the city’s version of Metro poultry raisers can also avail of in front of the Landco Corporate Center along J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City Manila’s Makati. Lean Daval Jr. the same incentives and perks if guanlao said the BoI apthe would register with the BoI. hog and poultry industry play- yard growers in the country,” pears to have put aside the “The entry of this foreign ers who have never received lico said. Rep. Agapito guanlao (Butil interest of the local industry, company will definitely kill the incentives or subsidy from the government,” lico said. Party-list) said the BoI has which is still suffering from local hog and poultry industries lico urged the House Comgranted the firm a 30-percent the negative effect of the losses and will affect the employment mittee on Agriculture and Food tax incentive to allow it to im- amounting to P28.5 billion beof thousands of people,” lico Security to invite the repreport corn and raw feed materi- cause of technical smuggling in said. sentatives of the DTI, BoI, the als. the past three years. lico said the perks and inDepartment of Agriculture and “Aside from the seven-year “It is time for Congress to centives granted to the Thai company will be disadvanta- the officials of the Charoen Pok- tax holiday, the Thai compa- start a deep probe into this at ny would also enjoy tariff free the soonest possible time. Algeous to the Filipino hog and phand to the inquiry. “The Thai company will importation of parent hogs, lowing the foreign company to poultry raisers and threaten flood the local market with its machines, corn and other feed operate in the country could be backyard, medium and large huge production of hog and ingredients, thus gravely af- the last nail on the coffin of the hog farms. poultry that could annihilate fecting the corn and sugar cane local hog and poultry business,” “The decision of the BoI is the small and medium backfarmers,” guanlao said. guanlao said. [PNA] grievously unfair to the local

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2009 - December 2011) Month

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

Major pharmaceutical firms slash medicine prices by 20%

ll major pharmaceutical companies have slashed prices of medicines for patient-beneficiaries of the Philippine Charity Sweepstakes office (PCSo) by 20 percent of their prevailing market price. Covered by the price reduction are the commonly requested medicines such as those used for chemotherapy and dialysis and other ethical drugs. This development came after the PCSo conducted institution-wide reforms intended to speed up financial transactions and assure suppliers of faster repayment to 45 days from the previous six months.

Dr. larry Cedro, PCSo’s manager for fund allocation said that pharmaceutical companies will also assure availability and proximity of medicine supplies by having hubs near PCSo assistance centers such as clinics and the 30 or so provincial branches. “Medicines requested for a patient outside of Metro Manila can now be delivered in the PCSo branch nearest the requesting patient,” Cedro said. He added that the previous requirement of securing price quotations from suppliers has been scrapped. A Memorandum of Agree-

ment (MoA) was signed by the PCSo Chairman Margarita P. Juico with a new set of pharmaceutical manufacturers, suppliers and distributors last January 15. These firms are Zuellig Pharma Inc. represented by its president and CEo Raymund Azurin; Metro Drug president and general manager Christian Eberle and retailer and contracting firm gB Distributors Inc. represented by Mark Allan Ramos, president and CEo. Zuellig and Metro Drug are major distributors of foreign makers Roche, Novatis and Sanofi which supply a range of

products from specialty medicines to ethical and maintenance medication. Earlier last year, a similar MoA was signed with country’s biggest local drug manufacturer, wholesaler and retailer united laboratories and globo Asiatico Inc., which provides such specialty medicines as those for chemotherapy and dialysis. These local and foreign drug companies expressed their willingness to do business with PCSo and government, citing meaningful reforms already achieved under President Aquino’s good governance thrust. [PNA]

as of august 2010

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

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

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

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

6:15 6:25 6:30 7:00 8:50 8:10 8:30 9:40 10:10 12:20 12:30 09:05 13:25 14:05

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

MI588 / MI588 MI566 / MI566 MI551 / MI551 5J507 / 5J598 15:55 Z2524 / Z2525 5J967 / 5J600 PR813 / PR814 5J215 / 5J216 5971 / 5J970 5J973 / 5J974 5J969 / 5J972 2P987 / 2P988 PR821 / PR822 PR821 / PR822

18:55 18:55 15:45 15:00 Mani2Mani 16:05 16:35 16:55 18:00 18:40 20:00 20:30 20:30 21:20 22:20

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

13:35 15:20 12:05 15:30 16:45 17:05 17:45 18:20 19:10 20:30 21:00 21:00 21:50 22:50

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013 COMMUNITY SENSE

Cyclists help in creating awareness for Liwanag World Festival in Davao T

HE awe-inspiring cycle to create awareness for the liwanag World Festival 2013 gave a very blissful and exciting atmosphere as the Padyak Tungo sa liwanag touched down QC Circle after a 175 km ride from Villasis, Pangasinan last Jan 9, 2013 with Jude Cabangal arriving first at around 9:10 in the evening followed by fellow cyclists, Felcon Rivera and Valerie Rose de guzman who arrived at 11:30 p.m. Jude is joined by members of Folding Bike Pilipinas and escorted him to the welcome dinner prepared by Firefly Brigade Philippines and Folding Bike Pilipinas for the Padyak Tungo sa liwanag Team. Individuals who represent lakbayani, MISSIoN Manila, global Media Society and gMA 7 online also came to show their support to Padyak Tungo sa liwanag 2013. Felcon Rivera continued cycling, in the afternoon of January 10, while Jude and Valerie stayed another night in Manila to

have a breakfast meeting with musician Joey Ayala, who composed and recorded the official liwanag World Fest Music. In the afternoon, Jude shared to have a meaningful conversation with gawad Kalinga founder, Mr. Tony Meloto, who is also one of the speakers for the liwanag World Festival. Kind-hearted Joey Ayala, offered his home in Tandang Sora, for the Padyak Tungo sa liwanag Team where the group stayed there for the night. The group left for Batangas at 7:45 in the morning of January 11, they are set to continue biking to Iloilo, Bayawan, Cebu, Cagayaran de oro until they reach Davao City on January 26, 2013, which is two days before the liwanag World Festival 2013. Meanwhile, cycling groups in Davao including Cycle for life and Davao Da-folding Society among others, who regularly gather every Wednesday, Thursday and Friday for evening rides are all set to meet the Padyak Tungo sa

liwanag Team in Davao and bike with them all the way to the finish line on the 26th. The Padyak Tungo sa liwanag commenced on January 2, 2013 starting in Palaui Island near Aparri in luzon, then Cebu

contribution for the typhoon victims. We help in the packing and distribution of relief goods. We feel their needs and we also witnessed how the provincial government implement measures to ensure relief goods are delivered to the victims,” he explained. In the “Dedication Day” of Davao oriental intended for Pablo victims, governor Malanyaon was emotional, as she expressed her sentiments with what happened, with the wreckage brought by

the typhoon, and how it affected the entire province. “Sometimes, I asked myself why this happened in the province. But as am convinced that everything happens for a purpose, this is reality that we have to accept. We have to help each other. We have to make the anguish lighter for them. The aftermath of the typhoon pained me as it did to the victims,” she said. Bandigan disclosed that many from the audience were teary-eyed listening to the governor.

co Polo Davao held last Wednesday (January 16). Razon said that the CSA are for permanent structures and hopes that the sites being prepared must not be prone to geo-hazards. She said a beneficiary of the Core Shelter Assistance will receive P125,000 with P70,000 coming from the DSWD and P55,000 coming from the National Housing Authority. For the moment the DSWD is constructing bunkhouses for families affected by the Typhoon which ravaged the region last December 4. About 60 bunkhouses are being built in Davao oriental of

which 20 have already been turned over. About 21 bunkhouses will be built in Compostela Valley Province. Each bunkhouses will temporarily host 10 families, Razon said each room can accommodate a family of five it will have a community kitchen, four comfort rooms (two male and two female toilets. Aside from the bunkhouses the DSWD is also planning to provide Emergency Shelter Assistance to those victims whose houses can still be repaired, a beneficiary of an ESA can receive P10,000 as housing assistance. [PIA 11/Rg Alama]

DONOR MISSION. Social Welfare Secretary Corazon Juliano-Soliman briefs members of the Donor Mission Tuesday on the humanitarian response undertaken by the Philippine Government and the local, national and international communities in

DavOr capitol employees throws full support to rebuilding efforts

ITH a membership of 615 regular members, the Provincial government Employees Association of Davao oriental (PgEA) is throwing its full support to the rebuilding efforts of Davao oriental under governor Corazon Malanyaon. Nenito Bandigan, PgEA President, said that the association is giving all out support to the moves of the provincial government even providing volunteer effort for the relief drive. “We gave our little

DSWD Core Shelter Assistance on

EPARTMENT of Social Welfare and Development is working on providing a Core Shelter Assistance to victims of typhoon Pablo whose homes were totally devastated. DSWD-XI Regional Director Priscilla Razon said that the project is expected to be started after six months as they are still identifying suitable sites for resettlement with the help of the Mines and geosciences Bureau (MgB). “We are awaiting recommendation for safe resettlement sites from the MgB.” Razon said during her guesting at the Club 888 media forum at Mar-

in Visayas and Davao in Mindanao. This initiative is in preparation for the liwanag World Festival 2013 to be held in the Philippine Women’s College of Davao on January 29 to February 2, 2013. As Jude describes in one of his text messages

Barangay Andap, New Bataan, province of Compostela, which was severely-hit by Typhoon Pablo. With her [from left] are Gov. Arturo T. Uy, Mayor Lorenzo Balbin [partly hidden] and DSWD Director Priscilla N. Razon. [DSWD]

last January 2: “Padyak Tungo sa liwanag 2013, a bicycle pilgrimage all over the country from Aparri on luzon, Cebu in Visayas and Davao in Mindanao from January 2-29, 2013. Through cycling we carry the ideals

of creating a sustainable country come January 29 when we launch the liwanag World Fest, a festival of Creativity and Sustainability. Please join us as we string beads of light all over the Philippines, let us Cycle for life…” [PR]

items to the neediest so that they can concentrate on rebuilding their lives. Enhancing local health care “Most of the health facilities in Baganga were either damaged or totally destroyed,” said Dr gundula Epp-graak, who works at the newly established Red Cross Basic Health-care unit in Baganga, a community of more than 53,000 people. “We hope to bring back the level of medical services that existed before typhoon Bopha swept the area.” Since it opened on 3 January, the health-care unit has already attended to more than 800 patients, and is now receiving 100 to 120 patients a day. Most of the consultations are related to acute respiratory infections, fever, acute watery diarrhoea, skin diseases and open wounds. Among those being treated are people with chronic diseases who have run out of their usual medications. owing to the widespread damage caused by the typhoon, they face a difficult time obtaining more of the drugs they need, which adds to the high level of stress they are already coping with as they try to rebuild their lives. “Many of them do not have enough money any

more to buy their drugs in the local pharmacy,” said Dr Epp-graak. The medical staff at the health-care unit have also been treating many women and children, like liezel Julian and her seven-month-old infant, who both had a bad cough, cold and fever. After hearing about the unit from a tricycle (tuk-tuk) driver, mother and baby went to receive medical treatment. “I am very happy that the Red Cross is here giving us this service for free. We lost everything during the typhoon – our house, livelihood, even food to eat,” said liezel. The ICRC, in cooperation with the Philippine Red Cross, has set up a health-care unit in Baganga municipality in Davao oriental province to attend to the pressing needs of the people around the area. The clinic, made up of six tents, is being supported by the Japanese, Norwegian, german, Canadian, Hong Kong and Finnish Red Cross national societies. The ICRC has provided construction materials to build the Philippine Red Cross’s advanced medical post, which is also providing much-needed medical care to people affected by the typhoon in Baganga.

PHL Red Cross provides aid for 280,000 typhoon survivors

HE ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross are continuing their effort to help the victims of Typhoon Bopha (locally known as Pablo). More than a month after the typhoon swept away communities in eastern Mindanao and left more than 1,800 people dead or missing, needs are still immense. In the areas hardest hit, in Davao oriental province, almost 95 per cent of the roads, houses and crops have been destroyed. The ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross worked hard to respond to the emergency as it occurred, and are now attending to food, clean water, shelter, health care and other needs with the aim of helping people resume their normal lives. The ICRC and the Philippine Red Cross have scaled up joint operations after their initial emergency response. These efforts have focused on: • setting up a field clinic in Baganga to respond to the most urgent needs until normal facilities are fully functional again; • making supplies available so that people can take immediate steps to remedy their lack of shelter; and • providing food, potable water and basic household

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

When advertorial bites back ( Conclusion )

COMMENTARY

T EDITORIAL

Road blockade

HouSANDS of people occupied a portion of the Davao-Agusan national highway in Montevista, Compostela Valley last Tuesday protesting over alleged uneven distribution of relief goods to Typhoon Pablo victims. The road blockade closed the highway to traffic, preventing the movement of people and goods, including transport of food and other relief goods badly needed by people in barangays ravaged by the pre-Christmas typhoon. Critics, including Dabawenyos who have relatives in the devastated areas affected by the blockade, denounced the mass action as a form of anarchy. The organizers said the activity was a legitimate form of protest, asking for more equitable and expeditious distribution of relief goods. The barricaders who were organized by leaders of militant groups and veteran street parliamentarians demanded the release of 10,000 sacks of rice. They expressed their opposition to the involvement of the

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police and the military in the relief distribution, charging that such activity is part of the Armed Forces’ “Bayanihan” strategy, whose author, newly assumed Chief of Staff, lt. gen. Emmanuel T. Bautista, has vowed to make the New People’s Army “irrelevant” during his watch. The national police and the military establishment view the barricade as a political action masterminded by the left. As of this writing, police authorities are readying criminal charges against the blockade leaders, including a number of barangay leaders who allegedly took part in the activity which stalled traffic in a stretch of 25 kilometers for several hours last Tuesday. Whether the mass action was a legitimate protest or criminal violation of state laws will depend upon the appreciation by the court once the charges are indeed filed. Filing of charges is understandable to many people who think that failure to do so is tantamount to the State tolerating anarchy. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

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By Jack Shafer

HE Atlantic was remiss in another way – as are many other websites that publish “sponsor content.” Many advertisers (unwisely) want to make their copy look as much like editorial copy as possible so that naïve readers will confuse it with the genuine thing. In the case of the Scientologyadvertorial, it is almost indistinguishable from the look and feel of the Atlantic‘s usual editorial copy. The only effort made by either the church or the Atlantic to inform readers that the content came directly from an advertiser was a yellow-shaded “Sponsor Content” notice at the top of the piece and a tag at the bottom. The church and the people in charge at the Atlantic appear to have stupidly co-conspired to muddy the distinction. Shame on both of them for not providing more design clues that the advertorial was a Scientology pitch. Earlier, I stated that Scientology ad dollars can be collected in good conscience, a judgment I would extend to accepting ad dollars from North Korea, Exxon, nuclear power designers, tobacco companies, gun shows, and the North American Man/Boy love Association. The principle is simple: Accepting an advertisement implies no endorsement of the advertiser. Taking Ford’s money doesn’t mean a publication can’t or won’t accept money from Chevy – or anti-car groups. Nor does taking Ford money mean an advertiser must take Chevy’s money. It’s the publisher’shouse, and he is free to paint it any color he chooses, even Scientology blue, as long as he makes it clear that the paint job is an advertisement. By the time you read this, the great Scientology advertorial controversy will have largely blown over. The reputation of the Church of Scientology will not have suffered much. Indeed, some would describe its reputation as damage-proof. Readers exposed to the church’s self-promotion will surely recover. The only long-term victim of the controversy will be the Atlantic. As a rule, advertisers want to place their ads in the proximity of a certain type of editorial, with movie ads almost always landing adjacent to movie coverage and gadget ads adjacent to gadget coverage. general interest publications tend to sell a certain kind of reader to advertisers, such as the middle-to-highbrow reader attracted to the Atlantic. But advertisers also pay for placement in a mix with other advertisers. Tiffany, Cartier, Chanel, and other luxury-goods advertisers hog the opening pages of The New York Times not just because they’re frequently visited but because like-companies want their ads to be seen together to create a virtual agora. luxury advertisers also want – and The Times obliges them – space that’s free of ads that will debase the environment (herpes medication ads, political advocacy ads, get-rich-quick ads) or undermine their ads (designer knockoff ads, articles about how luxury goods are a scam). By running the loopy Scientology content, the Atlantic has signaled to its upmarket advertisers a disregard for them. I’d love to read the apology memo the Atlantic FedExed to Madison Avenue.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

Stop the ranting

ast Tuesday a throng of left-leaning organizations set up a barricade in the national highway in Montevista, Compostela Province. For the entire day, they hindered traffic in the main and vital artery that link the northern and southern regions of Mindanao. As a result about 25 kilometers of vehicles from both sides were stalled stopping thousands of commuters transport of goods to include truckloads of relief goods to victims of Typhoon Pablo. The despicable display of might in the pretext of right is brazenly deplorable. Their purported cause: That the relief goods are being hoarded, that the distribution of goods must not be done by the members of the Armed Forces of the Philippines. The other side issue is to stop logging and big scale mining. These of course are a lot of hogwash. They were there in fact attempts at discrediting the local government, the AFP and the national government agencies before the visiting foreign diplomats who wish to survey the extent of the devastation in the region and how the foreign aid are being handled and distributed. The leaders of the protest groups were visibly identified as communist fronts. We maintain that there is nothing wrong with espousing communist ideology but it is absolutely wrong and immoral for groups which were bussed into the site of demonstration to deprive commuters of passage in the national highway. The enthusiasm of many was on account of the false information which the group leaders disseminated that Manny Pacquiao and Mayor Rodrigo Duterte will be in the area to distribute goods. This was of course untrue. The police force tried to intervene and appeal to the leaders

OPINION By menardo WenceSlao to allow vehicles to pass through but to no avail. The policemen exercised maximum tolerance for they knew that if the bodily confront the radical leaders pandemonium will ensue. While force was necessary to deal with the haughty radicals, we understand that the police operatives cannot have that option given the public furor over the alleged illegitimate operations in the Atimonan, Quezon. The pretext that there were hoarding of relief goods has actually no bases. In a calamitous situation where all eyes are on the distribution of relief goods, it is simply not possible for any agency to hoard. Donors accompany their relief goods to centers of operations both in Comval and Davao oriental. once there, hundreds of volunteers are present 24/7 repacking goods for distribution. Because much of the areas affected are isolated, the provincial authorities which are on top of the situation have to seek the assistance of the military for the use of their manpower and vehicles to ferry the goods to destinations. The Coast guard and the Philippine Navy transport relief goods to towns at the eastern seaboard since roads and bridges were rendered impassable. The Philippine Air Force, ferry goods to extremely remote areas. The radicals trivialized the issue of fermented rice alleging that the stock stayed too long in the distribution center for which reason this gathered molds. But things like what they claim can happen. That part of delivery was part of the rice being transported from

Agusan to Comval which got stuck along the way because of engine trouble and was soaked by rain. Department of Social Welfare Director Precy Razon explained that that was very insignificant and unfortunate incident compared to the volume of rice and goods that they have delivered to all nooks and crannies of Comval and Davao oriental. She also stressed that DSWD has the list of every family in every barangay in the two provinces affected by typhoon Pablo. The distribution is now systematic and that they still have to hear complaints from recipients. We believe in DSWD Director Razon and Comval gov. Arthur “Chiongkee” uy and Davao oriental gov. Corazon Malanyaon. We just cannot subscribe to the allegation of the leftists that the goods are being used by the provincial officials to pursue their political agenda. They forgot that the two governors are running unopposed and are on their final term. We likewise cannot agree to the idea of not involving the AFP from the relief and rescue operations. These legal fronts conveniently forgot that several army men out to rescue victims of floods and inundations also perished as they undertook their mission. Pull out the soldiers and the facilities of the AFP and we will all be back in crises and the quagmire of insurmountable problems. If these demonstrators want to help and relieve of their suspicion that goods are diverted then let them volunteer in the repacking and distribution of relief goods, reconstruction of schools, roads and bridges. Stop this lip service to the typhoon victims. let us put a stop to this ranting for this characterizes the bystanders and the indolent.

AFP’s Bautista, author of the ‘Bayanihan’ security plan ( Conclusion )

Bautista also ordered the activation of 6th Special Forces Battalion and the Army governance and Strategic Management office that will carry out the transformation program of the Army. EFoRE that he was the commander of the 3rd Infantry Division based in Panay, Western Visayas. As a scout ranger, an Army elite unit whose mission is mostly to penetrate behind enemy lines, the young Bautista, like his father, is a warrior with a soft heart when he formulated the AFP’s new Internal Peace and Security Plan, popularly known as “Bayanihan,” during his stint as AFP deputy chief of staff for operations. The IPSP strategy involves innovative approaches and paradigm shifts in winning the peace in the government’s counter-insurgency program, stressing more in the implementation of livelihood projects in rebel-infested areas. This has resulted in the mass surrender of rebels the passed two and a half years. When he was commander of the 3rd Army Division, Bautista personally carried out the implementation of the “Bayanihan” program in Western Visayas and partly Central Visayas, particularly in Negros oriental and Siquijor. Bautista also commanded the famed 24th Infantry Battalion, the 7th Scout Ranger Company, 1st Scout Ranger Regiment, and served as platoon leader of

SPECIAl FEATURE By Ben cal the 26th Infantry Battalion, 4th Infantry Division. These assignments exposed him to various operational areas in luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. other positions he held outside the battlefield was internal auditor of the AFP. In that position, he assisted the AFP chief of staff in the efficient management of resources. He also served as assistant deputy chief of staff for plans in preparing strategic plans, formulating policies and managing the international affairs of the AFP. Bautista also served as senior military assistant to the Secretary of National Defense. In that position, he acted as the principal adviser of the defense chief on military matters and served as his liaison to the Armed Forces. other important positions Bautista held in the Philippine Army were Assistant Chief of Staff for operations, secretary, Army general Staff; Chief of Staff of the Special operations Command; and Chief of Staff of the 7th Infantry Division. Bautista also served as co-secretary of the Philippines-united States Mutual Defense Board and secretary of the AFP Modernization Board Executive Commit-

tee. He was also the plans officer of the AFP Civil Relations Service and an instructor at the Department of Social Sciences, Philippine Military Academy where he taught economics, military history and military strategy. Bautista continued to excel academically, finishing at the top of his class in the Scout Ranger Course, Infantry officer Advance Course, and the Army Command and general Staff Course. He is also a graduate of the Joint & Combined Warfighting Course at the Joint Forces Staff College, Virginia, uSA; the grade II Staff and Tactics Course in New Zealand; Symposium on East Asian Security (SEAS), Honolulu, Hawaii, uSA; and Security Sector Development at the Asia- Pacific Center for Security Studies, Honolulu, Hawaii. Bautista has a master’s degree in Business Administration from the university of the Philippines-Diliman, Quezon City. He is a recipient of various awards and was seven times decorated in combat. His awards in the military include five Distinguished Service Stars, gold Cross Medal for gallantry in action, Bronze Cross Medal for bravery, three outstanding Achievement Medals, 29 Military Merit Medals, five of which were earned in combat, Military Commendation Medals and various Campaign Medals and Ribbons. [PNA]

VANTAGE POINTS

Global fight against terrorism ( 1st of two parts ) SPECIAl FEATURE

By William m. reilly

CoRES of diplomats in the uN Security Council on Tuesday debated how to counter international terrorism and heard a call to implement social media to help combat “shrill appeals to intolerance and extremism.” uN Secretary-general Ban Ki-moon welcomed participants in the debate, a series of speeches by about 50 diplomats, including ministers, vice ministers, special envoys and permanent representatives to the world body’s headquarters in New York. Citing recent terrorist attacks in Pakistan, the secretary-general repeated condolences to families of victims and reiterated the united Nations’ support for the government’s efforts to combat terrorism. He addressed his remarks to Pakistani Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar, this month’s president of the Security Council. Speakers following the secretary-general took the cue and also prefaced their remarks with expressions of condolences. “Nothing can justify terrorism -- ever. No grievance, no goal, no cause can excuse terrorist acts,” Ban said, calling for removal of conditions that feed the problem. “Terrorism festers where conflicts are endemic, and where human rights, human dignity and human life are not protected and impunity prevails,” he said. “We have to drown out shrill appeals to intolerance and extremism with sound calls for compassion and moderation,” the uN chief said, expressing concern about “the increasing use of information technology to spread hate.” “Terrorists and extremists are exploiting social media networks to radicalize people. This is yet another arena where we have to replace the terrorist narrative with messages of peace, development and human welfare,” Ban added. Echoing Ban’s view, Khar warned that “short-sighted methods of dealing with terrorism can offer ideological fodder to the cause of terrorism.” “What we are looking for is a comprehensive and interlocking approach which is much more effective than our present effort,” she said. “It is conventional wisdom and a compelling reality that terrorism will not be defeated alone by law enforcement measures, or intelligence operations or military and security strategies.” Khar urged the international community to quash “terrorists’ misleading, distorted and malicious narrative and their demented ideology that justifies killing of innocent people.” “It is our responsibility to counter terrorists’ propaganda. our stories about human dignity and values should be louder than their criminal saga. We must move in concert to decrease the ideological space in which terrorists operate,” she added. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Cui Tiankai agreed with the Pakistani position that there is no single solution to combat terrorism. “Terrorism is the result of a complex array of political, economic and social factors; it cannot be resolved by military means alone. Counter-terrorism efforts must be combined with economic growth and proper settlement of regional conflict,” he said. “There should also be more dialogues and exchanges between different civilizations, religions and ethnic groups so as to promote mutual understanding, tolerance and harmonious coexistence,” Cui added.

10 NATION/WORlD NATION BRIEFS Ran aground

uS Navy minesweeper, the uSS guardian, ran aground in the Sulu Sea on Thursday and was stuck on Tubbataha Reef, the uS Navy said. No one was injured in the incident, which occurred at 2:25 a.m. local time on Tubbataha Reef about 130 km east-southeast of Palawan, the Navy said. There were no reports that any fuel leaked from the vessel.

Marching order

resident Benigno Aquino III on Thursday gave newly installed Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) chief lt. gen. Emmanuel Bautista his first marching order: ensure that the midterm elections in May will be peaceful and credible. Aquino, the military’s commander in chief, gave the order during the turnover ceremony in Camp Aguinaldo where Bautista replaced the retiring gen. Jesse Dellosa. “Ang hamon ko po sa inyo: ang AFP, kasama ng ating kapulisan, ang may obligasyon na siguruhing maidaraos nang mapayapa at may integridad ang darating na halalan,” Aquino said.

Profit

he Philippines is well poised to profit from Japan Prime Minister Shinzo Abe’s move to steer clear of China and move to Southeast Asia for capital expansion. Trade and Industry Secretary gregory l. Domingo told the Philippine Daily Inquirer: “I agree we will benefit, we are already seeing some of it now.” Japan is the country’s biggest business partner with total trade and investments of uS$13 billion and the third biggest source of tourists. Albay governor Joey Salceda, an economist, said that Japan’s fear of China’s increasing military and financial might would likely trigger the second massive outflow of Japanese direct investments.

Coldest

he Philippine Atmospheric, geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has recorded the coldest temperature in Metro Manila for this season on Thursday morning. PAgASA weather forecaster Aldczar Aurelio said an 18.8 degree-Celsius temperature had been recorded in the vicinity of the Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Pasay City, 6 am on January 17.

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

PHL birth control law takes effect

controversial birth control law came into effect in the Philippines on Thursday after more than a decade of bitter opposition from the influential Catholic church, with women saying the change came as a relief. The government is still threshing out how to implement the law, which proponents say will help moderate the nation’s rapid population growth, reduce poverty and bring down high maternal mortality. But Catholic groups have already shifted their battle to the courts, questioning the law’s constitutionality. The church, which counts 80 percent of Filipinos as followers, disallows the use of artificial contraceptives. A group of women lining up for contraceptives at a non-governmental organisation’s health centre in a slum area of Manila said the change of law came as a relief. Housewife Nerissa gallo, 44, who has already had 16 children, said it would bring contraceptives into the reach of the poor. She broke into tears as she recalled the difficulty she has faced in raising her children, four of whom died after suffering from diarrhoea. Asked about the church’s opposition, she said: “We don’t pay attention to that. They are not

Supporters of the Reproductive Health Bill (RH) celebrate as legislators pass a landmark birth control bill at the House of Representatives, in Quezon City, suburban Manila, on December 17, 2012. The controversial birth control law came into ef-

the ones who are giving birth again and again. We are the ones who have to find a way to care for the children.” The medical charity Merlin praised the law as a “milestone” but said more efforts were needed to make sure it was properly implemented. “There is likely to be cultural opposition... led by religious conservatives, which could make it hard for clinics to offer services,” country director, Maxime Piasecki, said in a statement. President Benigno Aquino signed the bill into law last month in the face of strong lobbying by the

fect on Thursday after more than a decade of bitter opposition from the influential Catholic church, with women saying the change comes as a relief. [AFP]

Catholic church, and religious leaders have vowed that the fight is not over. The church is now relying on lay groups that have filed petitions with the Supreme Court questioning the constitutionality of the law, said Roy lagarde, a spokesman for the country’s Catholic bishops. The bishops will hold a regular meeting this weekend where measures to oppose the law will be discussed, he added. The law’s chief author Congressman Edcel lagman said he was confident the court would uphold the change. “We have long expect-

ed that the opposition will go to the Supreme Court. We have prepared for this eventuality,” he told AFP. Although took effect as of Thursday, Hazel Chua, an official at the Health Department’s family planning unit, said they were still preparing implementation rules and regulations, which will only be released in April. under the law, government health centres will have to have a supply of contraceptives, unlike in the past when local mayors could be intimidated by the church into not providing birth control services, she said. [AFP]

WORLD TODAY Against women

group of hardline clerics protested outside the royal palace in Riyadh against the king’s decision to appoint 30 women to the kingdom’s top advisory body, a YouTube video posted on Wednesday showed. The footage of Tuesday’s demonstration showed clerics protesting what they said were “dangerous changes in the country and these latest appointments in the Shura Council that do not represent the philanthropists and the good people.”

ENguE is the world’s fastest-spreading tropical disease and represents a “pandemic threat”, infecting an estimated 50 million people across all continents, the World Health organization (WHo) said on Wednesday. Transmitted by the

bite of female mosquitoes, the disease is occurring more widely due to increased movement of people and goods - including carrier objects such as bamboo plants and used tyres - as well as floods linked to climate change, the united Nations agency said. The viral disease,

A child rests on a bed in Marka’s main hospital December 18, 2012. [REUTERS]

which affected only a handful of areas in the 1950s, is now present in more than 125 countries - significantly more than malaria, historically the most notorious mosquito-borne disease. The most advanced vaccine against dengue is only 30 percent effective, trials last year showed.

“In 2012, dengue ranked as the fastest spreading vector-borne viral disease with an epidemic potential in the world, registering a 30fold increase in disease incidence over the past 50 years,” the WHo said in a statement. late last year, Europe’s suffered its first sustained outbreak since the 1920s, with 2,000 people infected on the Portuguese Atlantic island of Madeira. Worldwide, 2 million cases of dengue are reported each year by 100 countries, mainly in Asia, Africa and latin America, causing 5,000 to 6,000 deaths, said Dr. Raman Velayudhan, a specialist at the WHo’s control of neglected tropical diseases department. But the true number is far higher as the disease has spread exponentially and is now present on all continents, he said. [Reuters]

Demand

slamist extremists and three of 41 hostages they are holding at an Algerian gas field demanded Thursday, in interviews with Al-Jazeera, demand that the army withdraw from the site so that talks can begin. one of the kidnappers, identified as Abu al-Baraa, also called for the release of Islamist extremists being held in neighbouring Mali. “our detainees for their’s,” he said, adding that his group has “contacted our leadership in Mali.”

To rise

ourist arrivals in Mauritius are expected to rise to the one million mark this year after numbers barely changed in 2012, largely due to sluggish growth in the island’s key European market, data showed on Thursday. Arrivals are seen increasing by 3.5 percent this year from the 965,441 registered in 2012, when they rose just 0.1 percent, the country’s statistics agency said.

Dengue is fastest-spreading tropical disease, WHO says C D

Limit

hey may have the money to pay for airtime but candidates in the May 2013 elections will no longer be allowed to bombard radio and television with campaign advertisements. This, as a new Commission on Elections resolution issued Jan. 15 limits candidates’ television ads to only a total of 120 minutes and radio ads to 180 minutes in all networks.

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Donors

ronies of Myanmar’s military junta which kept democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi under house arrest for nearly two decades have reached a milestone in their quest to rehabilitate their image: they’re now donors to Suu Kyi’s political party. While the Nobel Peace laureate’s willingness to accept military-tainted funds for education projects might jar with her international image, her supporters praised the move as politically shrewd and financially necessary.

Infighting

resh clashes erupted overnight between the Malian army, backed by French troops, and Islamist insurgents encircling the central town of Konna, military sources said Thursday. Fighting broke out on Wednesday afternoon near the town, whose capture by Islamist rebels last week prompted France to intervene in a bid to drive back the insurgents who have controlled northern Mali since April 2012.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

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LTO...

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He added, “There were more than 200 motorcycle riders who were apprehended since last Monday, but this is a relatively small number considering there are 60,000 registered motorcycles here.” RA 10054 in accordance with DoTC-DTI joint Administrative order No. 2011-01, series of 2011, states that “All motorcycle riders, including drivers and back riders, shall at all times wear standard protective motorcycle helmets while driving, whether long or short drives, in any type of road and highway.”

Militant..

RA 10054 also states that the drivers and riders of a motorcycle must have the Import Commodity Clearance ICC sticker from the Department of Trade and Industry. According to RA No. 10054, motorcycle riders who are not compliant will pay a fine of P1,500 for the first offense, P3,000 for the second offense, P5,000 for the third offense, and P10,000 including the confiscation of driver’s license for the fourth and succeeding offenses. gonzaga said they had given enough warn-

ing since “July of 2012 until the start of January on this law.” He added, “We will continue our operations of imposing RA 10054 until such time all motorcycle riders are compliant because we have no other intention but the safety of our motorcycle riders.” When asked about the authenticity of the sticker, as there are other motorcycle riders who might attach fake stickers on their helmets, gonzaga said, “We have no idea if the stickers are authentic, only DTI can determine their authenticity.”

under the proposed amendment, construction in the conservation and agroforestry areas will be allowed if the project is for the purpose of harnessing renewable energy and has been granted an Environmental Compliance Certificate (ECC) by the local Department of Energy and Natural Resources (DENR). This amendment clears the way for the Aboitiz-owned HEDCoR which is seeking to construct a 13 megawatt hydropower plant in Tamugan River, which is the only viable future source of Davao’s drinking water. This development has raised concerns among local environmentalists who fear that the future water supply will be affected as the hydropower’s operations will curtail the river flow and reduce the water content in the acquifers. Tamugan River has been identified in the terrain analysis

study as a high groundwater recharge area. This is one of the reason why, in its original form, the Watershed Code has defined Tamugan River as a conservation area, hence prohibiting any commercial development in the area. But HEDCoR has denied that its hydro scheme will have a negative impact on the river system. Fuertes called on HEDCoR to present the project in a public forum so that stakeholders, including the Watershed Management Council, will be informed on the details and impact of the proposed renewable energy project. “Dabawenyos need to be reassured that the HEDCoR project will not have an adverse impact on the aquifers. In the interests of transparency and public participation, HEDCoR needs to address the public’s concern on this issue,” Fuertes said. AMA

ignated checkpoints in front of army or Cafgo detachments. He said he has ordered his men not to conduct mobile checkpoints, so as not to confuse the public. If ever there is a dire need for the army to set up mobile checkpoints, Pascual assured his men will strictly follow the right procedures. Assistant police provincial chief Sr/Supt. Cesar Azares said all police units in

the province were already briefed on the standard operating procedure of manning checkpoints in order to ensure the civil, political and human rights of individuals are not violated. He advised the public to immediately report to higher commands checkpoints that do not follow the above-mentioned requirements, including even legitimate ones that abuse their authority. [Noel Baguio]

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ments. The Code was passed last 2007 but we only begun to implement it in the latter part of 2011,” said Fuertes whose group is very active in the Davao City Watershed Management Council (WMC), heeded by Mayor Sara D. Carpio herself. Fuertes pointed out that the WMC is currently implementing the ground delineation of the areas identified in the Code and spearheading the formulation of watershed management plans. “The most efficient way is that we implement the Code first and then learn from the weaknesses that can be seen during its implementation. only then can we know what specific provisions must be amended,” she said. Braga’s proposal seeks to revise Article 9 of the ordinance, which prohibits any conversion or construction on areas defined under the Code as conservation and agroforestry areas.

Public.. FFROM 2

checkpoints are legitimate ones,” Pascual said, especially now that the New People’s Army (NPA) is expected to set up their mobile checkpoints as they step up their collection of “permit-to-campaign (PTC)” and “permit-to-win (PTW)” fees from candidates in the runup to the elections in May. Pascual said units under the 1003rd Brigade will only be conducting regular inspections at des-

guards who are experts in hand to hand combat as the Comelec is concerned only with control of the use of firearms. The campaign period for national positions and registered political partylist bets starts on February 12 while for local positions it starts on March 29 and both campaigns end on May 11. Casquejo added that under Resolution 9615, political advertising will be broadened, with candidates and registered

Media..

political parties for national office allowed 120 minutes of television advertising, whether appearing on national, regional, or local, free or cable television, and 180 minutes of radio advertising, whether airing on national, regional, or local radio, whether by purchase or donation. For candidates and registered political parties for local elective positions are allowed not more than an aggregate total of 60 minutes of televi-

sion advertising, whether appearing on national, regional, or local, free or cable television, and 90 minutes of radio advertising, whether aired on national, regional, or local radio, whether by purchase or donation. “The CoMElEC is really pushing a fair election, although there are illegitimate advertisements we will see to it that we will try to control it especially during the campaign periods,” he added.

started late December last year after Sr. Supt. Roque Alcantara, former Cotabato provincial police director, was relieved from his post. Francisco, in her Free View column at SVJ, said that Alcantara’s transfer has something to do with the case filed against obello for keeping an unlicensed firearm in May last year. on January 4, Francisco spearheaded an indignation rally that condemned the relief of police officers in North Cotabato, which also included Supt. Renante Cabico, former Kidapawan City police director. Francisco is one of the conveners of Cotabato Watch, a group of media and other civil society organizations in North Cotabato that claimed to be an anti-corruption watchdog. But obello believed otherwise. obello, in his regular weekly program aired over radio station DXND, said the rally was politically motivated and that

Francisco and Cotabato Watch were used by one of Catamco’s political foes. He also said Catamco’s refusal to renew subscription of the SVJ angered Francisco and has used it since then in “destroying” the congresswoman. The IFJ and the NuJP, in a joint statement issued on Tuesday, have called on authorities to investigate the reported assassination plot against Francisco and to bring the perpetrators to justice. The IFJ reports that Philippines is one of the most dangerous countries in the world for media workers. The group said over 160 journalists have been killed in the Philippines after freedom was restored in 1986. The single worst media attack took place in November 23, 2009 where 58 people, 32 journalists included, were massacred in Ampatuan town, Maguindanao. [Malu Cadelina Manar / MindaNews]

said in another phone interview. Santiago could not provide more details and did not respond to a request that he send the contact details of Capt. Joel Wayagwag, the Task Force KITACo commander, as of 2:42 p.m. Wednesday. Capt. William Rodriguez, civil military officer of the 1002nd Brigade, confirmed the troops’ movement, saying in a text message that they passed by the mines development site “towards their detachments in Tampakan town.” John Arnaldo, Sagittarius Mines spokesperson, said that the company “is not aware” of the

movement of government troops within the company’s mines development site. Manolo labor, Arnaldo’s subordinate, said earlier on the phone that in any troop movement in the mines development site, the “in-charge is Task Force KITACo in coordination with its civilian unit composed of the mayors.” on New Year’s Day 2008, the base camp of Sagittarius Mines in Barangay Tablu in Tampakan town, which is near a military detachment, was attacked and burned down by the New People’s Army rebels. [Bong S. Sarmiento / MindaNews]

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was also identified as behind the killing in october 2011 of Italian missionary Fausto Tentorio in Arakan, North Cotabato. After Francisco learned on Sunday of the alleged assassination plot, she went directly to the Kidapawan City police office to put on record the threat on her life. The next day, obello, who was told about Francisco’s statement, made a counter-blotter saying there is no reason to kill the journalist as she is “not a threat” to the candidacy of his employer, Catamco. Catamco is seeking re-election this May. Francisco, who has been in the media work for more than two decades, said the recent assassination plot against her is “nothing new.” She said she expected the threats as some politicians, including Catamco, could not accept her hard-hitting commentaries. The exchange of heated arguments between Francisco and Catamco

Under.. FFROM 3

formed to provide security in the mountains of Kiblawan in Davao del Sur, Tampakan in South Cotabato and Columbio in Sultan Kudarat. The three municipalities straddle the mining project of Sagittarius Mines, whose application for an environmental compliance certificate (ECC) has been rejected by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. It denied the ECC due to the open-pit ban imposed by South Cotabato. “The convoy did not stop. I was told by company security guards that six-by-six trucks passed by last night,” Santiago

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EJF-REM CASE NO. 13, 886-12

SAMUEL M. JULAINE married to JENNIVIVE P. JULAINE 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 above-mentioned mortgagee against SAMUEL M. JULAINE , with postal address at lot 32,blk. 23 gallera de oro Subd., Bago, Davao City to satisfy the mortgage indebtedness which as of october 19, 2011 amounted to Php 300,270.03 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 21, 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- 253104 “ A parcel of land (lot 32, Blk.23xxx) situated in the Barangay of Bago, City of Davao, Island of Mindanao.xxx Containing an area of NINETY THREE (93) 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 21, 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. 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, January 2, 2013

FoR THE EX-oFFICIo SHERIFF:

Noted by:

(SGD.) CONRADO P. MACUTAY, JR. Sheriff IV

(SGD) ATTY. EDIPOLO P. SARABIA, JR. Clerk of Court VI & Ex-officio Provincial Sheriff (edge 01/18, 25, 02/1)

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EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

Lebron hits 20,000 mark o

AKlAND, Calif. — leBron James became the youngest player in NBA history to score 20,000 points and also surpassed 5,000 assists on a milestone night Wednesday (Thursday, Manila time), leading the Miami Heat to a 92-75 victory over the undermanned golden State Warriors. on a road trip that has had more bad news than good, James rewrote the headlines and the record books. He finished with 25 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds. James eclipsed both marks before halftime, helped Miami go ahead by 34 points in the third quarter and allowed

coach Erik Spoelstra to rest his starters — without debate — for the fourth. Dwyane Wade added 15 points, eight rebounds and six assists and Mario Chalmers scored 15 for the Heat, who had lost three of their last four away from home. David lee had 12 points and 11 rebounds and Jarrett Jack scored 16 in place of Stephen Curry, who sprained his twice surgically repaired right ankle during golden State’s morning practice. The team said X-rays were negative, and Warriors coach Mark Jackson said he doesn’t expect Curry to be out long. The Warriors, who upset the Heat 97-95 in Mi-

ami on Dec. 12, lost consecutive games for only the third time this season. With center Andrew Bogut already out indefinitely recovering from left ankle surgery, Curry’s absence turned out to be too much to overcome against the defending NBA champions. James and Wade just overwhelmed the Warriors from the start. Wade lobbed an alley-oop from halfcourt that James finished with two hands early in the first quarter. James hit Wade slicing down the lane for a dunk moments later for his 5,000th career assist, and James made a 3-pointer after falling hard on his right

elbow a play earlier to give the Heat a 23-14 lead. James, who made 11 of 20 shots from the floor, surpassed the scoring mark when he dribbled from the wing and pulled up in the lane to make an off-balance jumper with 2:45 remaining in the second quarter to give him 20,001 career points. He needed 18 points entering the game to be the 38th NBA player to reach the milestone. Previously the youngest player to score 20,000 points was lakers star Kobe Bryant, who got there when he was 29 years, 122 days old. James was 28 years, 17 days on Wednesday.

LeBron James became the youngest player in NBA history to score 20,000 points and also surpassed 5,000 assists on a milestone night.

Gasol returns against Heat E

l SEguNDo, Calif. (AP) -- Pau gasol has spent far too much of the past 10 days in dark rooms with no distractions. He’s eager to get back under the NBA’s bright lights as the los Angeles lakers try to get it together in time for a playoff run. gasol expects to return from a concussion on Thursday night when the lakers host the Miami Heat. The 7-foot Spaniard was optimistic about his health and the lakers’ chances after going through a short workout with his teammates Wednesday at their training complex. ‘’Everything felt good, and tomorrow will be a go,’’ said gasol, who has missed five games since Denver’s JaVale Mcgee accidentally elbowed him in the face. ‘’I’ll have to ease my way back into it, because this is the first day I’ve actually got some good work done on the court,’’ gasol added. ‘’After a week and a half of inactivity, your body needs a certain time to get back out there and perform at your best. ... It’s hard also to behave when you have a concussion and you’re at home, and they tell you no TV, no computer, no reading. What are you supposed to do? It’s hard just to stay still at home, especially if you’re an active person. So you learn it’s no joke.’’ gasol and the lakers (17-21) both realize they’ve got to recover

quickly from recent setbacks. Although they’ve won two straight heading into their visit from the defending NBA champions, the star-studded team is still facing an uphill climb in the second half of the season just to make the playoffs. los Angeles decisively beat Cleveland and Milwaukee over the past four days, but only after a sixgame losing streak that dropped them well out of the Western Conference’s top eight. The lakers are feeling a bit better about themselves after those two wins, particularly with Dwight Howard in top form since his return from a shoulder injury, but Kobe Bryant knows Miami will provide a better barometer on their collective recovery. ‘’It’s a good measuring stick for us to see how much we’ve improved since last week, when we played against several top teams and they all beat us,’’ Bryant said. ‘’This is a big test with the defending champs coming to town.’’ Yet Bryant realizes the lakers haven’t looked capable of contending with elite teams like Miami and oklahoma City, which routed the lakers last week. los Angeles’ four biggest stars have played together only for short stretches of the season, and gasol is eager to see how the lakers can handle coach Mike D’Antoni’s offense when they’re all together again.

14 SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 227 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 18-19, 2013

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Three-spree for TNT T

AlK ‘N Text saved the best for last, fashioning a masterful 105-82 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Wednesday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum to win the 2013 Philippine Cup with a 4-0 sweep. The Tropang Texters became the first team in PBA history to win the most coveted crown three straight seasons. It was their first under new coach Norman Black, who won his 11th PBA title in his return to the pro league after almost a decade coaching in college. “I’m really happy for

my players, they worked so hard this year,” said Talk ‘N Text coach Norman Black. Talk ‘N Text jumped out to another great start looking for the knockout punch, but a corner three-pointer by Paul lee to end the first half put the Elasto Painters within striking distance, 53-46. Rain or Shine made its move in the third quarter, cutting down the deficit to just two points, 65-63, on a Chris Tiu layup. But Talk ‘N Text rattled off five straight points capped by a Jared Dillinger three-pointer to put more distance heading into the

fourth quarter. The Tropang Texters broke the game wide open, taking the fight out of Rain or Shine completely by hitting a series of back-breaking shots. Back-to-back three-pointers by spiritual leader Jimmy Alapag gave Talk ‘N Text a 98-72 lead with less than three minutes left, sealing the deal for the Tropang Texters. Black, who became the first coach in PBA history to win titles in four different decades, dedicated the victory to Talk ‘N Text big bosses. “Maraming salamat MVP (Manuel V. Pan-

gilinan), he’s the best boss in the world,” said Black, who also thanked other team executives after the game. The scores: TAlK N’ TEXT 105 – De ocampo 19, Williams 15, Peek 15, Dillinger 14, Fonacier 13, Alapag 10, Castro 6, Reyes 5, Carey 4, gamalinda 2, Aban 2, Raymundo 0, Alvarez 0, Ferriols 0. RAIN oR SHINE 82 – Rodriguez 16, Cruz 13, Arana 11, Chan 9, lee 7, Belga 7, Quinahan 6, Tang 5, Tiu 4, Norwood 4, Matias 0, Ibanes 0. Quarters: 29-15, 53-46, 70-63, 105-82

The Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters (bottom, right) made PBA history on Wednesday, becoming the first team in the history of the league to win the all-Filipino title three straight years. Coach Norman Black (left photo) has won another title in his return to the PBA. Kelly Williams (top, right) was scintillating in Game 4.

BRUNO SUNDOV

Tower of vengeance A 7-3 Bruno Sundov will be reinforcing losing Philippine Cup finalist Rain Or Shine.

FTER loSINg in a sweep in the finals of the Philippine Cup, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters are out for a giant-sized vengeance. That comes in the form of Bruno Sundov, who will reinforce the squad in the Commissioner’s Cup. The 7-foot-3 beanpole will become the tallest import to ever play in the PBA when he suits up in the second conference. The Croatian center attended game Four of the finals, and shared his thoughts about the game.

“It’s a fast-paced game and sometimes players were rushing too much. They need to calm down a bit. But I’ve also noticed good shooting,” said Sundov, who has already started working out with the team. “We just need to do the right things. My teammates rushed their shots during game Four. Hopefully we could do the right things next conference and play together. Whatever my team asked me to do, that I will do. Whatever it takes to win.”

The well-travelled import said he had learned so many things playing against some of the best players in the world. “I’ve played with and against Steve Nash, Michael Finley, Reggie Miller, Jermaine o’Neal, and Paul Pierce among others and I’ve learned valuable things while playing for them and against them,” said Sundov, who played for five NBA teams — the Indiana Pacers, Boston Celtics, Cleveland Cavaliers, New York Knicks and the Dallas Mavericks.

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MOVIES

To the battlefield in Kathryn Bigelow’s

Zero Dark Thirty By Jay Rosas

By now, Zero Dark Thirty, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, has become the most divisive film of the year, with some denouncing its fascist leanings and others calling it one of 2012’s best. In an online film forum I participate in, me and others who like the film have been called either fascist or torture apologists and even worse, American lapdogs, which I think is not only unfair but rude, especially coming from a person who has not even seen it yet. First thing, see ZD30 first before labelling it anything so that your arguments for hating the film (should you hate it) is grounded on the film’s points and not some writer or critic, or a general perception brought about by the criticism on the film.

yes, ZD30 brings up torture, but it is not central to it—it is not the film’s subject matter. The lack of the film’s stance against it should not diminish its credit, should not belittle the immense talent of Bigelow as a director, and the powerful female character at the film’s core, played with such a commanding force and subtlety by Jessica Chastain. The other day, Bigelow finally came out in defense of the film in an LA Times interview—unnecessary, I think, because the work should stand by itself and the burden of argument and action should now rest with the audience, and even the government. By being ambiguous in its stance, or the lack of it, ZD30 pushes even more the arguments about and against torture, or as tagged in the war on Terror parlance, enhanced interrogation tactics. The effectiveness of torture in threshing out relevant information that led to the capture and death of osama Bin Laden remains unclear from the film’s point of view. Though the

filmmakers claim their accounts came from a CIA source (apparently the character of Chastain is based on the same female agent referenced to in Claire Danes’ character Carrie Mathison in Homeland), the main confession of the Saudi Group detainee Ammar at the first act of the film is largely debatable. was it really because of the bluff (the agents admitting prior to that interrogation that no amount of

investigative work turned in by the agents sans torture which eventually led to the real Abu Ahmed, the trusted courier of UBL? This ambiguity, and others may call it ambivalence, does not take away the exposition of torture itself— torture is torture—it is despicable and inhumane, and it was approved under the Bush administration in its persistent, almost paranoid obsession to quash the enemy.

Structurally, the film is a procedural. I would compare its trajectory to that of David Fincher’s Zodiac, which exposes the similar theme of obsession—a detective cop spending most of his professional life in capturing a serial killer. torture can make Ammar confess) or was it also due to sleep deprivation, after a bout of waterboarding and other tactics before it? Do we also discredit the expert

Structurally, the film is a procedural. I would compare its trajectory to that of David Fincher’s Zodiac, which exposes the similar theme of obsession—a de-

tective cop spending most of his professional life in capturing a serial killer. In the end, when he faces up to the killer, we are caught up in his web of obsession that it really does not matter anymore. In ZD30, the capture of UBL became the very antithesis of its narrative arc, an anticlimax to the gripping and efficient 20-minute search into the enemy’s lair. we thought we’re going to see an osama (or an actor who resembles like him), we expected some heightened bulletridden encounter, but in the end, all we got was an abstracted façade projected through one of the digital cameras photographing his dead body, and then the navy Seals proceeded with their standard protocols expediently. But while there where hits, there were also misses—other captives refusing to give out the cor-

rect information, an attack which killed off one of the agents in a main American base, the mission’s priority being threatened with the new washington directive—driving home its procedural nature that also takes its toll, physically and emotionally, on those working on the ground for it. It is this facet that is similar to Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal’s oscarwinning The Hurt Locker, only this time most of the action takes us back to the drawing board than in the actual battlefield. The scenes and dialogue are dealt with matter-offactly, almost like a piece of a lengthy by-parts reportage on the subject of the capture, which can be attributed to Boal’s journalistic roots reporting on Iraq while embedded in one of the military units (the one in The Hurt

Locker). The screenplay is complemented by effective editing and deft camerawork—the handheld, and most notably, night-vision cinematography employed in the search—presenting a documentary-like vibe that does not dramatize the story as some mere revengefantasy triumph. It focuses on the hunt, sometimes obsessively, more than the hunted. which is really what the film is about—the obsession and paranoia over the capture of Bin Laden perfectly lodged and characterized in Chastain’s character, Maya, a CIA agent taken from D.C. to the dusty and perilous terrain of Pakistan and Afghanistan. we learn that she has spent 10 years of her work focusing on UBL and that her credibility though briefly mentioned was slowly built as the narrative progressed and not because of a back story. while her personal life remains a cipher, Maya’s character is not one-note. Chastain is a gifted actress whose nuances are as powerful and indicative of the motivation and arc of her character. There is a simmering passion to what she does, and the film, makes it clear that this is a story of a woman wading through a male-dominated territory, proving herself and work not because of spite (although she has reason to) but because of worth. Comparisons to Homeland and its main CIA agent Carrie Mathison are expected, particularly because both ZD30 and the Showtime TV series feeds on the same themes and issues brought about by the 9/11 attacks. Zero Dark Thirty is in fact an “American“ film, as much as Ben Affleck’s Argo is (which, if I recall, also earned flak for its supposed right-wing leanings). However, to say that the depiction of torture is an endorsement of it is simply misguided. Rather, it exposes the reality of torture as part of the moral and ethical predicament of war, and of America for that matter. The debate and final judgment on it should not end with the film alone. However, it is a bleak territory, and that sense of moral bleakness is perfectly captured in that last scene, echoing both a sense of alienation and emptiness— a roomful of questions and uncertainties that Maya, in her physically and emotionally exhausted state, continues to grapple with. To what end was all this? Rating: 4.35/5

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Christ Fellowship Church to hold video lectures with Purpose Driven Life author “What on Earth am I here for?” this is the golden question that most, if not all, people ask as they course through life. Well, it is sure that you are not an accident! You were created by God for a purpose, and until you discover and understand it, life will not make sense. Starting this January 20 to March 10, 2013, Christ Fellowship Church will have an event called “40 Days of Purpose” showcasing a series of six video lectures by Dr. Rick Warren, the author of the best-selling book “Purpose Driven Life” that answers life’s most fundamental question: “What is the purpose of my life?” Everyone is invited to join this important event in a comfortable home setting nearest you! Over a hundred host homes in Metro Davao will be showing these exciting video lectures, so there are plenty of locations and days to choose from. this is just six-week event that only requires one meeting a week at your preferred host home location. try the first session without any commitment, and see if you’ll like it. What is even better is that this is absolutely FREE! Every participant attending the 40 Days of Purpose video small group session, you will receive a copy of the New York times best-seller, “the Purpose Driven Life” book, for only P50 For more information you may visit Christ Fellowship Church this Sunday at 777 V. Mapa Street, Davao City (in front of Yellow hauz Coffee Shop) in the morning at 9am or the evening at 5pm. You may also call Christ Fellowship Church at 224-3007 and 284-3436.

The Jabbawockeez at Abreeza ONCE aGaIN, abreeza Mall opens the year with a bang as it takes Davao on its feet with internationally acclaimed hip hop dance group, the Jabbawockeez! taking centerstage is the all male, dance phenomenon who won the first season of MtV reality series america’s Best Dance Crew (aBDC) in 2008, in the final leg of a series of shows in ayala Malls across the country. the Jabbawockeez consists of eight members, namely: Kevin “KB” Brewer, Joe “Punkee” Larot, Phil “SB” tayag, Chris “Cristyle” Gatdula, Rynan “Kid Rainen” Paguio, Jeff “Phi” Nguyen, Ben “B-tEK” Chung and tony tran. With their signature plain white masks and gloves, the crew takes the audience to a whole new level of music and dance with their creative choreography and synchronized moves. Each member brings his individual techniques to complement the crew’s collective moves, forming their distinctly original style in hip hop dance. a brainchild of crew members’ Joe Larot, Kevin Brewer and Phil tayag, the Jabbawockeez was formed in 2003 to showcase freestyle dance, bringing artistic expression and music together. Later, with the addition of other members, the crew performed in various events in San Diego and Los angeles and first gained fame in their national television appearance in america’s Got talent in 2006. after their victorious stint in america’s Best Dance Crew, they garnered worldwide recognition, with their own headlining show on the Strip in Las Vegas, numerous tV appearances and dance tours across the Pacific to australia. In 2012, they were given hip hop International’s Living Legend of hip hop award, honoring their significant contribution to the dance community. all roads lead to abreeza Mall as Davao’s dance enthusiasts take a first-hand look in this one-time big-time international show. Get down to the beat with the Jabbawockeez and special guest SuperCr3w on January 20, 6 pm at the abreeza Mall activity Center. a first in Davao, this is one party you wouldn’t want to miss! For more information, visit abreeza Mall on Facebook and twitter or call the Concierge at 321-9332.

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Sen. Bong Revilla, Marian Rivera, Dingdong Dantes heat up Cebu ‘s Sinulog Festival! THIS weeKenD, GMA network proudly brings its biggest primetime stars - bannered by Box-office King Sen. Ramon “Bong” Revilla Jr., Primetime Queen Marian Rivera, and two-time Metro Manila Film Festival (MMFF) Best Actor Dingdong Dantes - to Cebu to join in this year’s celebration of the Sinulog Festival.

on Friday (January 18), Marian, who is also FHM’s cover girl for the magazine’s 150th issue, will be joined by the rest of the Temptation of wife cast - Dennis Trillo, Glaiza de Castro, Michelle Madrigal, Bettina Carlos, and Rafael Rosell - in the Kapuso Mall Show at Gaisano Capital-Casuntingan, Mandaue City at 3:00 PM and the Kapuso night at the Ayala Terraces Cebu at 5:00 PM. Meanwhile, at 6:00 PM, the festive mood extends all the way to western Visayas particularly in Kabanlakan City , negros occidental with the Sinulog Sa Kabanlakan: Kapuso Fiesta. Set to grace the event are Indio’s Alden Richards, Forever’s Isabel oli, comic duo Moymoy Palaboy, and Queen of Soul and Party Pilipinas mainstay Jaya. Then on Saturday (January 19) at 3:00 PM, appearing together with Dingdong for the Kapuso Mall Show at Gaisano Grand Fiesta Mall, Tabunok are his leading ladies from Pahiram ng Sandali - Max Collins and Lorna Tolentino. on the same day at 4:00 PM, Pahiram ng Sandali’s Kristoffer Martin, Paroa: Ang Kuwento ni Mariposa’s Barbie Forteza, and Forever’s Isabel oli will give Cebuanos an additional treat via the Kapuso Mall Show happening at Gaisano Grand Mall Mactan. The excitement further intensifies as the cast of the

newest Kapuso epicserye Indio featuring Sen. Bong, together with Alden, Jennylyn Mercado, ehra Madrigal, and Rhian Ramos join Dingdong, Max, and Lorna in another engaging Kapuso Mall Show at SM City Cebu event Center at 5:00 PM. on Sunday (January 20), one of the festival’s highlights - The Sinulog Grand Parade - which will tour along the major streets of the city, is about to become merrier and all the more vibrant with the Kapus o stars’ par-

ticipation. Sen. Bong and Rhian join the parade from 8:00 AM to 12:00 nn, while Alden and ehra take over the spot from 1:00 to 6:00 PM. GMA Central and eastern Visayas Station Manager, Ms. Ann Marie o. Tan, says: “January is a busy month for us Cebuanos as this is the time of the year when we come together a s

one with pride for our beloved patron saint, Senyor Sto. niño. And I am very positive that my fellow Cebuanos are thrilled that GMA network is joining in the fun and excitement brought about by this oneof-a-kind festival.” The full details of the network’s participation in the 2013 Sinulog Festival will be featured in the twopart special of the weekly travelogue “Let’s Fiesta” airing on February 10 and 17 via the network’s regional stations in Bicol, Cebu, Davao, Iloilo, Dagupan, Ilocos, GenSan, Bacolod, and CDo.

PRIDE OF DIGOS. Up-and-coming singer KZ Tandingan graces the latest issue of M (Life in Living in Mindanao) Magazine. Tandingan is the first grand champion of the reality-singing contest X Factor Philippines, an ABS-CBN franchise of the US-based television program. M Magazine is available in more than 200 outlets nationwide.

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American Idol: Mariah Carey, Nicki Minaj and the hype premiere at last! PRESUMaBLY some new talent was discovered on the 12th season premiere of american Idol.

But what everyone really wants to know, of course, is what Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey were really like in action—and whether they could stop taking jabs at each other long enough to judge at least a few aspiring singers. Well, so long as more hopefuls like Mike Buonopane don’t mind kicking off their auditions while the two divas argued about Nicki’s hat and whether Mariah was dissing it by saying she’d have brought her dog if she knew “accessories” were allowed. “I was admiring the hat!” Mariah insisted. (alas, the panel didn’t particularly admire Buonopane’s first-out-of-thegate non-singing.) teena torres, a 28-yearold alumna of a Camp Mariah singing program, fared better. “I gotta go first, I’m sorry,” Mariah insisted in being first to sing teena’s praises. “We’re all sitting in awe, blown away,” interjected Nicki, giving the first sign that Idol is going to resemble the View this season. Because of the editing and the hype, we may never know just how problematic the ladies on the panel are,

but Mariah’s seemingly overstated antics and Nicki’s eye-rolling at least made for compelling (for these two hours, at least) television. as for the gents, Randy Jackson can judge in his sleep (“the vocals, no,” was all he said at one point), and Keith Urban proved to be the cut-

hearing loss in both ears; and ashlee Feliciano, 20, whose family fosters medically challenged children. Quite the assemblage! too bad they spent so much time on bad news—there was way more rejection than fighting tonight (though the tease is that things

est thing out of New Zealand since Bilbo Baggins and a complete gentleman throughout. (Lucky he has the accent to keep him from being boring.) and, happily, the talent pool in New York City offered up 41 promising fish, including 21-yearold music student Christina Isabelle; 23-yearold Shira Gavrielov, who had a No. 1 single in Israel; 24-year-old Brooklynite Frankie Ford, who honed his craft singing on the subway; student and blueberry farmer Sarah Restuccio, 17, who’s proficient in both country and “Superbass”; 18-year-old angela Miller, who has partial

get super-juicy on tomorrow’s Chicago-set episode). “I feel like we jell well,” Nicki declared at the end of the New York round. and, for the record, we’re happy that 28-yearold Brett holt didn’t have to actually experience the kinda cruel trick played on him in the editing process: all of the judges said enthusiastic yeses following his uneven take on Nat King Cole, after which a little cartoon frog appeared, channeling the fact that the yeses weren’t real, followed by the judges’ unanimous dismissal of him. Seriously, what was that?!

Jennifer Lopez: I want an Academy award haVING more kids different things.” vulnerably and in a very isn’t the only thing If the day comes that vulnerable emotional that Jennifer Lopez she is nominated for the way as well.” would love to do. coveted gold man, we She keeps fit with a J.Lo also wants an academy award. “I think everybody that has ever taken acting seriously would love to be recognized in that way,” Lopez told me yesterday while she and Jason Statham were promoting their new crime thriller Parker (in theaters Jan. 25) at the Four Seasons Beverly hills. “Of course! Why not?” She’s even thought about her acceptance speech. “It changes every so often over the years,” Lopez, who recently signed with power talent agency Caa, said with a laugh. “Different people,

can’t wait to see what she’d wear to the show. “Oh, trust me,” she said. “I’ll be ready.” She certainly was body-ready when she filmed a scene in Parker in which Statham’s character makes her strip to her underwear and bra. “It was nerve-racking,” Lopez remembered. “I was like, ‘Oh, how is this going to look? Who’s lighting this?’ But you know, I had to get in shape physically but also emotionally. I had to build up to it mentally, prepare yourself to know you are just going to be standing there naked

trainer from tracy anderson, but admits she sometimes strays. “I should be more healthy, to be honest,” Lopez said. “My kids eat healthier than I because you want them to be healthy. But I have bad habits from, you know, growing up in the Bronx—hawaiian Punch, Kool-aid! the more sugar, the better!” Lopez also admits she could have done american Idol “longer, but I just felt like I gotta go on tour and I have these movies to make…I think it’s a good time for me to do more movies.” You hear that, Oscar?

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SM Prime opens 5th mall in the ‘Chicago’ of China

SM PRIMe HoLDInGS, Inc., the country’s largest mall developer and operator recently opened SM City Chongqing, its fifth mall in China. Located in Southwest China, it is the country’s fifth shopping mall in China after SM City Xiamen, SM City Jinjiang, SM City Chengdu, and SM City Suzhou. Known as the Chicago of the east, Chongqing is one of the four municipalities directly under the Central Government of China after Beijing, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Guangzhou. An economic center upstream of the yangtze River, Chongqing’s three thousand years of history highlights the broad and deep Bashu culture, where the root of prosperity is rooted. Today, Chongqing has several economic and technological zones and is a major railway hub. The city also boasts of cultural heritage and natural attractions, and is the starting point of the yangtze River Cruise, which explores the impressive scenery of China’s Three

Gorges. The 149,080 square meter six -level mall is located in Chongqing’s rapidly developing yubei district. with its strategic location and transport accessibility, the mall will serve a population of approximately 30 million residents in the city of Chongqing. SM City Chongqing’s exterior design features “fish scale” panels accented by lighting a “fish scale” overlaps. Slanted glass panels define entrances at the lobby, giving customers a grand welcome. Customers get a grand welcome as they enter as beige tones create a warm, cordial, and clean feeling. Huge skylights not only give customers a sense of awe, but also providing the mall with natural lighting, making it environmentally friendly. navigating around the mall is easy, as the planning of retail shops focuses on the circulation flow. A dazzling array of beautiful exhibits of goods can be seen through either sides of the mall lobby to enhance the shopping experience. with 85% of the mall awarded to various tenants, SM City Chongqing offers a mix of local and

The SM Store is one of SM City Chongqing’s anchor tenants

Yubei District Mayor Yulin Huang (4th from left) and SM Prime Holdings President Hans T. Sy (3rd from left) share honors in the ribbon cutting ceremony during the grand launch of SM City Chongqing, SM Prime’s fifth mall in China. They are shown with SM Prime Holdings Chief Finance Officer and Executive Vice President Jeffrey Lim, Chongqing Commerce Commission Vice Director Guohua Chen and SM Store President Jorge Mendiola

international stores with Vanguard Supermarket, SM Department Store, and wanda Cinema as its anchor tenants. Junior anchors include Vera Moda, ongly, Jack & Jones, watsons, Starbucks, and Kidswant. SM City Chongqing is the sixth SM mall to be opened by SM Prime this year after SM City olongapo in Zambales. SM City Consolacion in Cebu, SM San Fernando in Pampanga, SM City General Santos in Cotobato, and SM Lanang Premier in Davao. SM Prime now has a total of 51 malls in the Philippines and in China with a combined GFA of 6.3 million square meters.

The 149,080 square meter six -level mall is located in Chongqing’s bustling Yubei district. The mall’s atrium has a skylight that is not only grand in design, but is also environmentally friendly

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SPORTS 15

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

All pumped up • Bloody lip and bad knee, Serena breezes through • Sharapova, Venus on collision course • Azarenka advances

ElBouRNE, Australia (AP) -- Apart from a swollen lip that helped take her mind off her injured right ankle, Serena Williams emerged unscathed from her second-round win at the Australian open on Thursday. Summoning all her experience from 15 major titles, including the final two of the last season, Williams lifted her tempo on the biggest points - winning an 18-minute game to open the second set, finally cashing in on her fourth break chance. Nineteen minutes later, she finished off a 6-2, 6-0 win Thursday over No. 112-ranked garbine Muguruza with an ace at 128.7 mph - the fastest she can remember serving. ‘’I’m on the up and up, I feel. It can only get better from here,’’ she said, adding that she wasn’t bothered by the ankle problem that caused concerns during her first-round win. ‘’obviously when you go out to play you’re heavy on adrenaline and you’re really pumped up,’’ she said. ‘’usually I feel injuries after the match but so far, so good. I felt pretty, much better than I ever dreamed of expecting to feel.’’ Williams couldn’t explain how she hit herself in the face with her racket in the sixth game, a blow that left her bleeding from the lip. ‘’But it’s oK,’’ said Williams, who played cautiously and kept most points short. ‘’It’s a war wound.’’ ‘’I think it happens to everyone, but I have never busted it wide open like that. So, yeah, I was like, ‘oh, no. I can’t have a tooth fall out.’ That would be horrible.’’ Williams planned to play doubles later with sister Venus, and will play her next singles match against Japan’s Ayumi Morita on Saturday. As for the injury from Tuesday’s match, she said, it was better to keep it moving and warm. With temperatures touching 106 degrees late Thursday, defending champion Victoria Azarenka

Serena Williams bucked a busted lip and a bad knee to move into the next round.

made sure she wasn’t on court long. The top-ranked Azarenka practically danced into Rod laver Arena for the first match of the day, and said she’s starting to find some rhythm after beating Eleni Daniilidou 6-1, 6-0 in 55 minutes. ‘’I felt like I’m back into the competitive mode,’’ she said. ‘’I was really focused that was for sure the best part of the game for me.’’ The No. 94-ranked Daniilidou only won 10 points in the first set and was shut out in the second despite having triple break point in the fourth game. Azarenka had her friend and musician RedFoo in the stands watching and signing autographs, and said she went onto the court listening to a ‘’great mix of disco music and a little bit of new music. I really start to like it a lot there’s no words really.’’

The 23-year-old Belarusian won her first grand Slam title in Melbourne last year, during a 26-match winning streak to start the season. ‘’It’s pretty difficult to duplicate something like that,’’ she said. ‘’All I can do is try.’’ Players wore ice vests and were shielded by umbrellas during the breaks in play as the temperature increased during Day 4 after three days of relatively cooler conditions. The heat didn’t seem to bother 42-year-old Kimiko Date-Krumm, who advanced 6-2, 7-5 over Shahar Peer of Israel. She’s the oldest woman to win a singles match at the Australian open. other women advancing included former No. 1-ranked Caroline Wozniacki, No. 14 Maria Kirilenko, No. 16 Roberta Vinci, No. 20 Yanina Wickmayer

and Elena Vesnina, who beat No. 21-seeded Varvara lepchenko of the united States 6-4, 6-2. Former u.S. open champion Svetlana Kuznetsova beat 26th-seeded Hsieh Su-wei of Taiwan 6-2, 6-1. u.S. open champion Andy Murray had a 6-2, 6-2, 6-4 victory over Joao Sousa of Portugal. Murray, who ended a 76-year drought by British men in grand Slam tournaments with his win at Flushing Meadows last year, didn’t allow Sousa a single break point chance. ‘’When the sun came out, it was extremely hot. When it wasn’t, it was fine. There was no humidity,’’ he said. ‘’When you get the combination of the heat and the humidity is when it’s normally at its worst. I’ve played in worse conditions. ‘’But it’s still very hot. A good match to get done in straight sets. ‘’

Russia’s Daria Gavrilova uses ice bags to cool down during her second round loss to Ukraine’s Lesia Tsurenko at the Australian Open tennis championship in Melbourne, Australia.

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Victoria Azarenka reaches out to return a forehand in her second round match. The top-ranked Azarenka practically danced into Rod Laver Arena and said she’s starting to find some rhythm after beating Eleni Daniilidou 6-1, 6-0 in 55 minutes. See Australian Open story on page 15.

MANNY FIGHTS IN SEPTEMBER

Backtrack Bob

T would be beneficial to everyone if Manny Pacquiao decides to sit it out until September. That’s the sentiment of Top Rank chief Bob

Arum, who is close to begging for Pacquiao to just use the long vacation to get himself examined by experts in las Vegas. The hiatus, according

to Arum, will also be used by Top Rank to promote the proposed fifth fight between Pacquiao and Juan Manuel Marquez. Arum is eyeing a September 14 encounter

between the two following the sudden ending to their fourth fight. Pacquiao was winning and in control of the fight when a counter right hand by Marquez sent

the Filipino to dreamland in the dying seconds of the sixth round of their 12-round welterweight contest. Arum said a plan to have Pacquiao engage in

a non-title tuneup fight in April doesn’t make sense. “That’s unnecessary,” said Arum, referring to Pacquiao adviser Mike Koncz’s desire to see Pacquiao in action in Asia.