Edge Davao 5 Issue 232 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

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Highest increase in years

City’s collection rose by 26.45 % By Antonio M. Ajero

P415.6-M in 2012 from P320.7-M in 2011

OLLeCTIONS of the Davao City government for 2012 jumped by an unprecedented 26.45 percent over a year ago. Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio said the collection performance surprised her and credited the aggressive efforts of teams under acting city treasurer Anastacio P.

Mayor Inday credits good work of teams under acting Treasurer and Business Bureau chief

Jardin Jr. and business and licensing division chief Tristan Dwight Domingo for the high collection.

“We also thank the taxpayers for their cooperation in the city government’s tax

FHIGHEST,11

Page 14

INSIGHTS. Vice Mayor Rody Duterte gestures while he welcomes delegates during the National League of Philippines Government Nurses Inc. conference at the Grand Regal Hotel Wednesday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

DCPSCC wish list:

Congrats Mayor Inday!

More CCTVs for river monitoring T By EJ Dominic Fernandez

he Davao City Public Safety and Command Center (DCPSCC) is eyeing to put 170 more closed-circuit television (CCTV) cameras along with a new

monitoring technology as pre emptive measures against crime and floods. Retired Col. Magno Adalin Jr., DCPSCC head, told reporters in the iSpeak forum at

the city hall yesterday that he has proposed for DCPSCC to set up some 170 more CCTV cameras around the city and a new tech-

FDCPSCC, 11

2 THE BIG NEWS

City to relocate informal settlers

he Davao City local government is planning to relocate informal settlers from disaster-prone areas, those who were affected by the flooding last weekend, a government official said Wednesday. Robert Alabado III, head of the City Planning and Development Office (CPDO), said during the Club 888 media forum at The Marco Polo Davao that the planned relocation has no timeline as it depends on the availability of funds. he added that it also depends on availability of land, relocation costs, acquisition of land, development of land, infrastructure and settlement, relocation expenses and housing costs. The city had set aside relocation sites for informal settlers outside the central district, particularly

in Los Amigos and Lasang villages, Alabado said. however, because these areas are far from their place of work, he noted, they did not leave their homes, citing the case of residents in flood-prone Matina Pangi. “We understand their situation as they prioritize their economic interests,” Alabado said. The city is eyeing to establish relocation sites where there are job opportunities, considering that informal settlers would rather risk their lives in residing near danger zones than lose their jobs, he noted. Alabado pointed out that moving them to places where there is no access to job opportunities “might be putting them into a critical

FCITY, 11

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

NEW PR HEAD. One Network Bank, the largest rural bank in the country, introduces its incoming media and public relations head, Arlene C. Largo (left), in a gathering with members of local media at Leandro’s restaurant on F. Torres Street, Davao City

EDGEDAVAO

yesterday. Largo, the bank’s former creative services section head, will replace Suey N. Asuncion (center). With them in the photo is ONB communications specialist Christian Ged Bagay. Lean Daval Jr.

Soldier dies, 6 hurt Monetary Board okays in landmine attack merger of ONB, RBSEI By Anthony S. Allada

soldier was killed while 10 others were injured when a landmine exploded while they were onboard military trucks at sitio Mainit, Barangay Calapagan, Lupon, Davao Oriental midnight Wednesday. Lt. Col. Lyndon Paniza, spokesperson of the 10th Infantry Division, identified the fatality as Private First Class Jhasam Diaz, assigned with the

28th Infantry Batallion based in Lupon town. Paniza said elements of the 28th IB who formed part of the security and rehabilitation operations in typhoon-affected areas in the province were on board two military vehicles when they were attacked. “The troops were part of the security the military is rendering in the rehabilitation typhoon

Pablo-affected areas. The NPA has again showed their barbarism and inhuman acts by disturbing our humanitarian assistance activities,” he said. Diaz was brought to the nearest hospital but was declared dead on arrival while injured soldiers were treated at the Davao Regional hospital in Tagum City and Davao Oriental Provincial hospital in Mati City.

del Rosario. “Carmen is always prone to flooding because it is situated below sea level and there is no way to eliminate floodwaters and there’s nothing we

can do about it except if we can dike some areas to prevent entry of water,” Del Rosario added. In an interview yesterday at the Mindanao Development Authority (MIN-

Relocation to higher ground, the best solution for Carmen By Che Palicte

eLOCATION of its residents is the best way to solve the recurring problem of flooding in the municipality of Carmen, Davao del Norte, according to Gov. Rodolfo

TEMPORARY. A flood victim cooks his family’s meal along the highway of Tuganay in Davao del Norte yesterday. While waiting for the flood water to subside, residents temporarily

FRELOCATION, 11

T’S all systems go for ONB’s delivery of modern and convenient banking services to the island of Panay. The Monetary Board of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, in its Resolution No. 30 dated January 3, 2013, has approved the merger of rural banking giant One Network Bank (ONB) and Iloilo-based Rural Bank of San enrique, Inc. (RBSeI), with ONB as the surviving bank. This signifies that Ilonggos, especially those in progressive communities of Panay who have minimal access to financial services, can experience the same innovative quality banking products, services and solutions long enjoyed by ONB clients in Mindanao. The merger agreement between ONB and RBSeI was sealed in ceremonies on April 21, 2012 at Days hotel, Iloilo City. RBSeI, with a net worth of P9 M in capital and P 119 M in assets, has five (5) regular branches in Iloilo City,

Guimaras, Passi, San enrique and Dingle plus one (1) business Development Office (OBO) in Lapaz, Iloilo city. The MB resolution also granted the merger incentives of converting the OBO in Iloilo City into a regular branch and the establishment of fifteen (15) new branches in non-restricted areas over a period of three (3) years. These six (6) RBSeI branches will bring ONB’s present branch network to a total of 92 regular branches and 5 Micro Branking Offices (MBO). This network will soon be augmented by previously approved five (5) ONB branches in Jaro, Pototan, Janiuay and Dumangas in Iloilo and Semirara Island in the municipality of Caluya, antique and 15 new branches as merger incentive, bringing ONB’s total network of branches to 117 by 2016. With the ONB-RBSeI merger approval, Iloilo will enjoy the convenience of electronic banking prod-

ucts like ATM, point-of-sale terminals, internet banking, inward foreign remittances, domestic interbank remittances, bills payment, online fund transfers, PChC MICR checking accounts and business loans. RBSeI’s branch in Jordan, Guimaras has already been equipped with a brand new ATM under ONB’s fleet of 134 onsite and offsite ATMs. More installations will follow as the integration of systems is pursued. Furthermore, ONB has acquired a new site for the relocation of RBSeI’s Dingle branch. Plans for the renovation and expansion of Jordan branch is also under implementation. earlier in 2012, ONB inaugurated its Makati Branch, the bank’s first branch outside of Mindanao. The ONB-RBSeI merger marks ONB’s venture into the Visayas, thereby realizing the bank’s endeavor to deliver its brand of modern and inclusive banking beyond Mindanao. [Ara C. Largo]

beside the Davao River which overflows when strong rains come, flooding the communities along its banks.

fore he decided to buy a house there. But since he had no other place to move to, the family assumed a foreclosed property there four years ago through the home Development Mutual Fund

After the floods

Jade Valley residents cry: ‘We have no place to go!’

built shanties along the highway in Tuganay and other floodhit towns of Davao del Norte. Lean Daval Jr.

“I

F we only have a choice, we don’t want to live here.” This is the common sentiment of those living in the flood-prone Jade Valley homes in Barangay Tigatto, Davao City. Jade Valley homes sits

Romeo Amistad knew that the subdivision where he lives is prone to flooding even be-

FAFTER, 11

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAOVOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

Agri damage in DavNor reaches P301M C

ONTINuOuS rains that has resulted to flooding in Davao del Norte province has resulted to a cumulative agriculture damage amounting to P301,705,290 as of January 21, 2013. This is only a partial and initial result as it does not inlcude the agricultural damages in the municipality of Kapalong yet. “The damage in agricultural is greater now compared to the damages resulting from Typhoon Pablo because the water level is higher now,” Provincial Agriculturist Dominador encarnacion said. encarnacion said up to 11,724.85 hectares of land and 1,952 farmers have been affected by the flooding in almost 64 barangays in the municipalities of Asuncion, New Corella, Carmen, Sto. Tomas and B.e. Dujali. hardest hit was the municipality of Carmen with agricultural damage worth P152,390,340 affecting 3,094.15 hectares and up top 1,944 farmers in 48 barangays. he said a total of 2,267.15 hectares of

DONATION. Former president Joseph Ejercito Estrada hands over a check worth P500,000 as part of his group’s P2.2M donation for typhoon Pablo victims to Compostela Valley governor Arthur Uy while Joseph Victor Ejercito (ext. left) and vice governor Ramil Gentugaya (ext. right) look on at the Compostela Valley

Province Capitol in Nabunturan, ComVal Province Wednesday afternoon. Of the total amount, P700,000 came from Erap, P500,000 from JV Ejercito and P1M from businessman William Gatchalian. Lean Daval Jr.

reproductive ricelands belonging to 1,694 farmers were submerged in floodwaters resulting to damages worth P20,510,340 million. While only 690 hectares of banana farms have been destroyed by the floodwaters,, it has a

higher value at P124.2 million. Vegetable farms in Carmen were also destroyed with damages amounting to P7 million. Also affected, he added, were brackish bangus, harvestable freshwater tilapia and hito.

encarnacion said 4,381 hectares of vegetative rice farms in Sto. Tomas worth P100.779 million were also destroyed by the flood. up to 2,477 hectares of agricultural products worth P25.790 million have also been destroyed

in Asuncion. The lands were planted to rice, corn, cavendish banana, cardaba banana, cacao and vegetables. In B.e. Dujali, P18.566 million worth of damages were recorded due to the destruction of 2,380 hectares of land planted

Saban resisted arrest and attempted to escape but the arresting team overpowered him, the official said. The suspect is facing two counts of robbery in Kidapawan City, and another in nearby Makilala town. he is also reportedly charged with arson after he and his group allegedly burned a hous-

ing unit in a subdivision here after ransacking it. These cases were filed against him when he was still a minor, police records showed. Saban was first arrested in March 2010, and as a minor, was detained inside the police’s youth custodial center. But he escaped from the center allegedly with

the help of his father, Danilo Saban, who was shot dead by motorcycle-riding gunmen in April 2012, police records said. Melocotones said they are looking into the possibility that Saban was part of the group that ransacked the Davao Central Warehouse here last week. [Malu Cadelina Manar/MindaNews]

ically in areas where the tarsiers had been sighted. “(eSI) will resume its research activity to complete the needed data that will be used for the establishment, development and management of a tarsier sanctuary in the area,” the mayor said in a statement. Tamayo said the proposed sanctuary covers 544 hectares in Barangay Linan, which is part of the critical MMPL. The eSI team, which is headed by its founder and president Dr. Pierre Fidenci, launched the tarsier research in December 2011 in two sites within the Mt. Matutum area. The research is in partnership with the De-

partment of environment and Natural Resources (DeNR), PAMB, Tupi local government, South Cotabato provincial government, Linan barangay council and various local non-government organizations working on the conservation of the MMPL. The municipal government of Tupi had endorsed eSI’s research project as part of its efforts to tap the tarsiers and its habitat for ecotourism development. The eSI team took a temporary break in October last year due to the expiration of its research permit from Mt. Matutum’s PAMB, which is a multisectoral body responsible for the admin-

istration and management of the declared protected area. The PAMB, which is supervised by the DeNR, granted eSI’s request for extension and renewal of the research permit during its 2012 fourth quarter meeting. Fidenci, a French conservation biologist, said the team has so far covered around 30 percent of the target research area and plans to double its efforts to complete the initiative in the next three to four months. he visited the area late last month to start the necessary preparations for the resumption of the research activity. [Allen V. estabillo/MindaNews]

Cops nab suspected thief in North Cotabato

OLICe arrested in Kidapawan City an alleged notorious thief operating in North Cotabato at around 8 a.m. Thursday. Insp. Arniel Melocotones, Kidapawan deputy police chief, said 19-year old Jestoni Saban was nabbed inside his rented house at Sinsuat extension following a surveillance operation.

Tarsier study in Mt. Matutum, resumes

FTeR almost three months of delay, a foreign conservation group has resumed its field studies on tarsiers in the mountains of South Cotabato after getting the approval of a local environment body. Tupi town Mayor Reynaldo Tamayo said the California-based endangered Species International (eSI) was given an extension by the Protected Area Management Board (PAMB) of the Mt. Matutum Protected Landscape (MMPL) to continue with its research activities on the Philippine tarsiers in the area. he said the initiative will cover parts of Barangay Linan of Tupi, specif-

banana, rice and vegetable as well as fgish pond and fresh water ponds. up to 69 hectares of fishponds in Panabo City have also been destroyed by the recent flooding amounting to P3.175 million.[LOVeLY A. CARILLO]

Uy to allocate more budget for disaster preparedness he Typhoon Pablo brings much lessons to the Comvalenyos. Those are lessons well-learned which prompted the provincial government to allocate more funds for disaster preparedness. Compostela Valley Province Governor Arturo T. uy, in ensuring the protection and people’s safety, created and activated the Provincial Disaster Risk and Reduction Management Council through executive Order No. 0012011. The team had been doing its tasks even before the disaster hits the province which includes among others the monitoring and implementation of forced and preemptive evacuation of local residents if sought necessary. PDRRMC already acquired several equipment such us rubber boats, ambulance, rescue ropes, torpedo cans, head gears, wet suits, rescue life jackets, masks with snor-

kel, rope gloves, head lamps, breathing apparatus, full body harness, genset, storm whistle, tropical booties, spine boards, combi tools, round jack, and extrication equipment for highway rescue. however, to intensify the preparedness, the governor wanted to invest more especially on trainings and to strengthen more the Community Based Disaster Risk and Reduction Management particularly in the organization of Barangay early Warning and evacuation System and Micro Mitigation System in all Barangays. Additional Personal Protective equipment for rescuers shall also be purchased including water level sensor and Automatic Rain Gauge. “We will bank more on preparations so we will be more aware and ready should there be any disaster that will confront us”, Governor uy said. [Rodielyn A. Manugas-IDS COMVAL]

4 SCIENECE/ENVIRONMENT

Gov’t authorities prioritize Tubbataha damage control

uThORITIeS target preventing more damage to Tubbataha Reef, the uNeSCO World heritage Site, where American navy minesweeper uSS Guardian ran aground last week. “We’re focusing on that ship’s removal from the area to avoid further damage there,” said Sec. Ramon Paje from Dept. of environment and Natural Resources which is part of the multi-agency group looking into the incident. he also said the group is discussing removal of oil from the ship. “Among our concerns is how to extract that oil as soon as possible to prevent it from leaking into the sea,” he said. Tubbataha Reef lies in marine biodiversity-rich Coral Triangle. “It’s part of the area experts identified as center of the center of marine biodiversity in the world,” Paje said. World Wide Fund for Nature Philippines already expressed concern about “immense hazards” which this organization said the stranded uSS Guardian is posing to Tubbataha’s underwater ecosystem. WWF reported the vessel’s holds “have taken in water” and “hundreds of meters of once-pristine reef have already been flattened.” Republic Act 10067 established 97,030-hectare Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park as a protected area.

PAs are identified portions of land and water set aside by reason of respective unique physical and biological significance, managed to enhance biological diversity and protected against destructive human exploitation, RA 10067 noted. under RA 10067, Tubbataha Protected Area Management Board is in charge of TRNP’s management and administration. RA 10067 penalizes acts like unauthorized entry in TRNP, non-payment of conservation fees, obstruction to law enforcement officers and destruction of resources there. “Damages to the reef shall subject the responsible person or entity to payment of administrative fines set by TPAMB based on current valuation standards and to payment of the cost of restoration,” RA 10067 also notes. RA 10067’s Sec. 31 on common penal provisions states that in case the vessel used in violation of this law is foreign-owned, the fine shall be thrice the maximum amount imposed for the offense committed. “The captain of the vessel shall suffer the maximum duration of the imprisonment for the offense committed,” RA 10067 continued. Paje said government will seek compensation for damages Tubbataha sustained from the incident. [PNA]

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

Greenpeace report unmasks danger from coal production A

new report by environment watchdog Greenpeace Southeast Asia debunked the long-held belief that coal, which the Philippines uses in energy production, comes cheap. “In reality, the Philippines is paying a very high price for coal,” said the report ‘Green is Gold’ which Greenpeace launched this week in Metro Manila. The report supported such conclusion with findings that coal-fired power plants are expensive to build. Operating such plants also incur other costs from havoc these wreck on the environment and health, the report continued. Greenpeace released ‘Green is Gold’ to further promote renewable energy (Re), citing this as the cost-effective, environment-friendly and healthier alternative to coal-fired power plants. “The Philippines’ Re potential is about 261,000 MW yet this resource remains not fully tapped,” said Greenpeace Southeast Asia exec. Dir. Von hernandez. he is calling on government to facilitate investments in largescale Re projects nationwide. Philippine Re resources include biomass, hydropower, the sun, wind,

ocean and geothermal energy. National Renewable energy Board Chairperson Pedro Maniego backed hernandez’ call, noting Re’s share of total Philippine power supply already shrank from 35 percent to 26 percent even if Republic Act 9513 (Re Act of 2008) prioritizes development of renewable power sources. he fears such share will dip further once the 23 pipelined coal-fired power plants around the country begin operating. “Re is key to sustainable development and the Philippines has abundant renewable sources so we must develop these,” he said. The pipelined coalfired power plants were proposed for construction in Zambales, Bataan, Quezon, Batangas, Camarines Sur, Iloilo, Leyte, Cebu, Misamis Oriental, Zamboanga Sibugay, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur and Sarangani provinces as well as in Davao City and Zamboanga City, ‘Green is Gold’ noted. “At least three possible new plants are in the middle of urban communities where these can inflict maximum damage,” the report warned, however. Citing a 2008 study, ‘Green is Gold’ reported building a new coal plant can cost

about $ 3,500 per KW at present. “If you add on financing costs, a typical new 600 MW coal plant has a price tag of roughly $ 2 billion,” the report said. ‘Green is Gold’ also describes coal and oil-fired plants as “huge water guzzlers.” “In the Philippines, where water is an increasingly rare resource, sucking up river water poses grave threats as does discharge of cooling water and waste water which may be linked to bleaching of coral reefs surrounding the coal plant of Masinloc and elsewhere as well,” the report said. The report likewise warned coal-fired plants cause “irreparable” environmental harm by acidifying waters and depleting soil nutrients, jeopardizing crop production. Carbon dioxide emissions from such plants contribute to climate change, the report further said. “The Philippines is already paying a heavy price for climate change with weather-related calamities last year,” the report noted. “Climate change is costing the Philippines real money and hurting the country economically. It doesn’t make sense for the Philippines to contribute to climate change through coal-

fired plants.” Available information shows last year’s weather-related calamities killed over 3,000 people, affected 15.3 million others and resulted in economic losses exceeding PhP26 billion, the report said. Coal-fired plants are also dangerous to health as these emit toxic air pollutants like lead, arsenic, mercury and sulfuric acid, ‘Green is Gold’ continued. The Philippine environment Monitor estimates air pollution costs the Philippine economy some $ 1.5 billion annually while the country spends over $ 400 million in direct health expenses, the report noted. “Coal makes people sick and that costs a lot of money, collectively,” the report added. “Sick people pay for the bulk of it themselves in cash and suffering but so does government, which has to provide public health care, and society which loses productive workers to illness or death. Soot from coal plants can trigger asthma attacks, heart attacks and strokes, cause irregular heartbeat and leads to premature death. Not only are coalfired power plants a major source of soot pollution but these are also one of the largest contributors to smog.” [PNA]

as well,” Paje said, noting that elections are a central part of our democracy and those who seek office need to lead by example. Stressing that election trash benefits no one and even worsens the garbage problem across the country, Paje said both candidates and voters must view the next three months as an “opportunity to build on the gains made” in enforcing the solid waste management law.

OMe fish species living in the icy waters of the Antarctic can cope with warming waters, giving hope that they might adapt to the rising temperatures caused by global climate change, according to New Zealand researchers. university of Canterbury biology professor Bill Davison said waters around the Antarctic Peninsula had risen in temperature by about 1 degree centigrade in recent years. “I have been pushing fish to a 5-degree to 6-degree temperature change. In the short term, Antarctic water temperatures are not going to change by this much. ultimately, things always change, and as temperatures increase so the distribution of animals in the marine environment will change,” Davison said in a statement Thursday. “My fish could well find themselves with a much more restricted distribution range, while other fish could move in and take their place,” he said.vOne of the greatest

immediate threats to the Antarctic environment was the invasion of crabs, said Davison, who has been studying fish physiology for about 10 years. “ Te m p e r a t u r e s have increased, but not enough to kill off the local fauna. however, it has risen enough that crabs, which have previously been unable to survive in this region, can now survive. “ Fish could survive in the Antarctic because they could produce anti-freeze to stop their blood freezing, he said. The bulk of his work had been on borch, a fish species that adapted to higher temperatures and radically changed its biochemistry and physiology, but this season he had concentrated on emerald rock cod, which did not adapt quite as well. “Waters around the Antarctic Peninsula have risen by about 1 degree centigrade. This doesn’t sound much, but actually represents a major shift in terms of the upper limits of some Antarctic animals.” [PNA/Xinhua]

Paje tells candidates: stick to earth-friendly campaign S e

NVIRONMeNT and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon J. P. Paje is urging political parties and candidates in the May mid-term polls to stick to earth-friendly campaign practices to ensure a waste-free election. Paje also warned candidates and their supporters against nailing election paraphernalia on trees and spoiling the surroundings with campaign trash. “We are calling on all well-meaning candidates to be mindful of the environment when they hit the election campaign trail. They should put waste avoidance and reduction at the heart of their strategy to win in order to minimize trash and its impact on the environment and humans,” Paje said. “We have seen death and damages wrought by typhoons in various parts of the country. It is about time candidates vying for national and local posts to think about the environment and consider the impacts of environmental degradation,” he added. Paje made the call in

anticipation of a deadly avalanche of campaign trash that would likely produce heaps of garbage all over the country. The environment chief reiterated a long-standing appeal to spare the trees of campaign materials. “Trees are also living creatures; they could get hurt or sick from infection. Worse, they could die if left untreated for a long time,” he said. Paje urged candidates

EDGEDAVAO

to use campaign paraphernalia made from locally-sourced and reusable materials instead of non-biodegradable stuff. he also asked candidates to instruct their supporters not to leave trash in campaign sorties and remove campaign posters and banners after the polls. “Let us change the face of Philippine politics with clean elections defined not only by an intelligent electorate, but a trash-free one

Antarctic fish species adapting to warming waters-- researchers

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

Vice Mayor Duterte is inducting officer

THE ECONOMY

DCCCII officers inducted tonight D

DELA CRUZ

PUENTESPINA

CABADA

AJERO

multi-awarded chamber. They are Angliongto, Tan, Gaisano, Quinto, Duerme and Dra. Monteverde, immediate past president. Angliongto once served as chairman of the Mindanao economic and Development Authority (Medco), forerunner of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDa). Angliongto, whose family owns Pujada Island in Mati City, is into real estate. he will serve as the chamber’s chairman for the second straight year in 2013. Tan is the president and CeO of Farma Auto Supply. Gaisano, president of JhG Trading, Inc., is into retail merchandizing, while Duerme is the senior assistant vice president for Mindanao of the

MONTEVERDE

DIOLA

QUINTO

TAN

GAISANO

ANGLIONGTO

LIM

AVAO CITY Vice Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte will swear into office an architect and 14 other business leaders and professionals as new set of officers of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce, Inc. during the 45th DCCCII annual installation of officers and trustees at Marco Polo hotel at 5 pm today. Daniel T. Lim, an architect who runs his own architectural company, will be installed as president, while veteran business leader Sebastian L.

For the first time, architect leads chamber Angliongto will take his oath as chairman. The other officers to be inducted are Antonio T. dela Cruz, executive vice president; Dr. Ma. Lourdes G. Monteverde, vice president for trade and commerce; Willfred T. Teves, vice president for agribusiness; Domingo T. Duerme, vice president for industry; Agatha ellen S. Valencia, vice

president for professional and service ventures; Maria Julieta R. Torrres, corporate treasurer; enrique M.O. Diola, corporate secretary; The trustee are Robert C. Quinto, BonifacioT. Tan, John Y. Gaisano, Dr. Roberto P. Puentespina, Yvonne P. Cabada, and Antonio M. Ajero. Six of this year’s officers are past presidents of the 45-year-old

FDCCCII, 11

TEVES

DUERME

VALENCIA

TORRES

6 THE ECONOMY Stat Watch

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

5.8% 1st Qtr 2012

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

6.4 % 1st Qtr 2012

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

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

8. Interest Rates 4/

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

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

P 42.78 Jun 2012

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

5,091.2 May 2012

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

130.1 Jun 2012

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.8 Jun 2012

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.7 Jun 2012

16. Visitor Arrivals

349,779 Apr 2012

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

18.8 % Jan 2012

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

7.2 % Jan 2012

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

2012

2011

2010

42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

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

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

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Camella tops off Nottingham, Northpoint’s 3rd building

AMeLLA is topping off Nottingham, the third building of their landmark British colonial themed condo development in Davao, Camella Northpoint, this Friday. Marking the placement of the last beam at the highest point of construction, Camella is holding a topping off ceremony with company executives and guests, symbolizing the near-completion of the 10-storey condo building. “This is a very good way to start the year, as Nottingham’s construction has been way ahead of schedule. Our contractor has once again shown their reliability and expertise in building condominiums,” remarked Marlon escalicas, Camella Davao GM. In just 18 months, Nottingham’s overall structure has been completed by Camella’s builder, MGS Construction Inc., a Triple-A land development construction company in the country. “With proper planning and preparation, plus the provision of two sets of formworks system, MGS was able to finish Nottingham in record time,” said MGS head engr Ferdinand Salcedo. Salcedo added that their company’s goal of achieving total quality in construction projects is achieved through their modern and pioneering building techniques, bolstered by their highly trained people, high-powered modern light and heavy equipment, and readily available resources. MGS Construction Inc. has been in the construction busi-

ness nationwide for almost 16 years now, building landmark projects for Crown Asia, Brittany Corporation, Camella, and Palmera homes. It has developed over 400 hectares of subdivision developments, catered by its entire fleet of over 80 light and heavy equipment, allowing it to simultaneously engage in several projects. It has completed almost 260 projects, 158 of which was land development, 39 commercial and convenience stores, 56 mass housing projects and seven mid-rise buildings. MGS prides itself of continually improving its manpower skills and upgrading its equipment to build top quality construction projects and lead in

the construction indsutry in the country. Camella is particularly pleased with the construction efficiency of MGS as it continues to cater to the growing demand for Northpoint units in the fourth and tallest tower, Liverpool, which shall soon be constructed in the second half of the year. “With Nottingham already fully sold out, our buyers want to see Liverpool soon,” said escalicas, adding that Nottingham homeowners are also eager to move in to their new condo home. Turnover of units in Nottingham is slated toward the third quarter of the year. As the newest premier address in the city, Camella Northpoint is located at the junction

of J. P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada and Buhangin Road, where its residents enjoy a modern lifestyle of privilege, comfort, and convenience. Nottingham’s topping off ceremony will be graced onsite by escalicas and other Camella officers such as Arch. Arthuro Secuya, Planning & Production head-Solvismin, other Camella staff, brokers, agents and unit owners. Camella is open to accept any inquiry on any of its communities at their offices at 2/F Delgar Building, J. P. Laurel Ave., Davao City (across Camella Northpoint), telephone numbers 222-222-0963, 222-5221, 222-5223, vismin@camella. com.ph, and website http:// www.camella.com.ph/.

he Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSe: CeB) flew 13.26 million passengers from January to December 2012, an increase of 11% over 11.93 passengers in 2011. CeB attributes this increase to strategic expansion in its domestic and international operations in 2012. It launched direct flights from Manila to hanoi, Siem Reap and Xiamen, as well as from Cebu to Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur last year. The airline also pioneered direct flights from Iloilo to hong Kong and Singapore. This expansion, as well as seat sales and strengthened

tourism promotions, led to notable passenger growth in the following international markets: Malaysia (21%), Taiwan (22%), China (29%), Vietnam (30%) and Brunei (32%). A total of 10 domestic routes were also launched, paving the way for more air travel in various parts of the Philippines. This includes flights from Davao to Dipolog and from Zamboanga to Cagayan de Oro, routes which were previously served by buses plying 12-14 hour rides. Domestic passengers from the airline’s Cebu hub grew by 20%, while its Davao hub grew by 16%.

“It is very fulfilling for us in the Cebu Pacific team to continue giving travellers new destinations, the lowest fares and direct flight options. The Philippines’ momentum when it comes to tourism buzz will be supported by Cebu Pacific’s expansion to more regions in the world,” said CeB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog. CeB is slated to launch twice weekly Manila-Bali (Denpasar) flights in March 16, 2013. It will also launch its long-haul operations with its first Manila to Dubai flight on October 7, 2013. Lowest year-round fares to Bali start at P3,499,

while lowest year-round fares to Dubai are as low as P6,999. CeB currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 24 Airbus A320 and 8 ATR 72-500 aircraft. Its fleet of 42 aircraft is one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2013 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 18 more Airbus A320 and 30 Airbus A321neo aircraft orders. For bookings and inquiries, guests can go to www.cebupacificair.com, or call the reservation hotlines (02) 7020-888 or (032) 230-8888. The latest seat sales and promos can also be found on CeB’s official Twitter and Facebook pages.

CEB flies 13.26 M guests in 2012 T 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 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

AGRITRENDS

Banana companies in Mindanao eyeing retrenchment of workers

ANANA companies in Mindanao are hinting on possible downsizing amidst the series of challenges experienced by the banana export industry since the first quarter of 2012, a group of banana growers and companies said. Stephen Antig, executive director of the Pilipino Banana Growers and exporters Association, Inc. (PBGeA), cited export earnings last year that were badly affected by the decrease in production volume brought about by several natural and man-made catastrophes. “Total export volume in 2012 was down by more than seven per cent (7.25%) compared to 2011 figure. The industry was caught in a quagmire as a result of the market crises, intermittent weather conditions, the onslaught of Typhoon Pablo in December 2012, and now the series of floodings that heightened the risk on the spread of

plant diseases including Fusarium wilt popularly known as Panama Disease,” he said. According to Antig, the rehabilitation of banana plantations damaged by Typhoon Pablo will run for at least nine months. Considering the size of the area that will have to undergo soil analysis and treatment, it will take some time before banana bunches can be harvested again. “We are talking of more than 14,000 hectares, with some areas not anymore fit for banana production”, he said. The PBGeA director said while the rehabilitation of farms is on-going, the activities in the production areas and packing plants will decrease, thus the need to rationalize the workforce. he said the move is mulled over to minimize the losses incurred by the banana companies in 2012 and to prevent further shortfalls in 2013. “It is a real fact. Ba-

nana growers have been hurting for long. The continuous appreciation of the peso has been making our situation more difficult. We have no other recourse but to resort to cost-cutting measures and minimize

operation costs, including payments for salaries and wages and the accompanying compulsory contributions, benefits and incentives intended for the workers”, Antig said. The executive direc-

tor of the largest and most organized association of banana growers and exporters in the country is, however, optimistic that the retrenchment of workers that some member-companies may be forced

to undertake would be temporary until such time that operations in production areas will be normalized. “Of course, we will be doing this in accordance to Philippine labor laws”, Antig added. (PNA)

ANNeReD by the crops, poultry and livestock subsectors, the country’s agriculture industry grew by 2.92 percent in 2012, grossing P1.4 trillion at current prices. Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said the three subsectors — which accounted for about 82 percent of total farm output — posted a combined growth of 3.6 percent. The fisheries subsector, which shared 18 percent to total production, dipped by 0.04 percent, mainly due to a 3.9 pecent decline in municipal fish catch.

The crops subsector played a major role, despite the adverse effects of typhoons and floods last year, as palay (paddy rice) and corn posted record harvests of 18.03 million metric tons (MT) and 7.41 million MT, respectively. Secretary Alcala said the record palay harvest — which was 8.1 percent more than the 2011 output of 16.68 million MT — was attributed to the 3.4 percent increase in total area harvested totaling 4.69 million hectares versus 4.54 million hectares in 2011. The 8.1 percent increase in palay harvest is

the highest rate achieved since the year 2000. he said more farmers were encouraged to plant immediately after the 2012 summer crop so they could harvest by August or September, and thereafter make a ‘QuickTurn-Around’ (QTA), or plant again on or before September. “Our efforts are paying off, and we would like to implement similar early planting and QTA schemes and cover more areas this year, and attain our sufficiency target of 20 million MT by end of 2013,” said the DA chief.

portune time to renew our partnership with IRRI, which has been a strong ally and supporter since 1960, as we are nearing our goal of rice sufficiency,” said Agriculture Secretary Alcala at the signing of this memorandum of agreement (MOA). Backed with full support from the Department of Agriculture, the 5-year agreement – “Sustaining rice self-sufficiency and food security in the Philippines” – outlines areas of collaboration to support,

extend, and fast-track the delivery of the Philippines’ Food Staples Sufficiency Program. These include producing and distributing high-quality and improved rice seeds; developing varieties that are able to withstand salinity, flooding, and drought; using geographic information systems to monitor rice crops; and exploring new and modern farming systems or technologies that would help expand current areas of production.

250 ARMM farmers complete Agri sector grows by 2.92% in 2012 farming techniques training B

WO hundred fifty farmers from the seven towns of Maguindanao province on Wednesday received certificates of completion in the Farmers’ Field School mass graduation ceremony hosted by the region’s Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF). Spearheaded by the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s (ARMM) agriculture and fisheries department with partnership from PhilRice and Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), through its Technical extension Project for Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao, the rice-based training is aimed at improving farming strategies while enhancing available technologies to boost agricultural production. The recipients of the program were from chosen barangays in the municipalities of Sultan Kudarat, Datu Paglas, Guindulongan, Pagalungan, Datu Saudi Ampatuan, Datu Piang and Datu Salibo. The training had remarkably received sup-

port in the grassroots and even among the women sector with a substantial number of them completing the training. Among them was Bai Nona Sedik, 70, of Magaslam, Datu Salibo, Maguindanao. In a spontaneous declaration of farmers’ testimony, Sedik lauded the program which accordingly substantiated applicable technologies for increased yield. “Its only now that we really felt government’s attention and surely it will make us more productive, though at my late age,” she declared. During the same program, Cabinet Secretary Norkhalila Campong expressed high hopes on the region’s agricultural potentials, placing ARMM at rank, while rooting on primary crops of rice, corn, and cassava. For her part, engr. Maritess Maguindra, secretary of the region’s agriculture and fisheries department extended her appreciation to the Japanese partners in prompting technical assistance

while instituting technological proficiency which targets to uplift socio-economic condition in the region. “We express optimism confronting the challenges in agri-fishery development in the region,” she said. The ARMM reform agenda is pegged on socio-economic programs geared toward development which in this case embracing farmers’ satisfaction to alleviate living conditions even at the grassroots level,” Maguindra added. Late last year, OIC-Governor Mujiv S. hataman stressed that the regional government should also push for agribusiness development and enumerated a number of investment meetings with local and international business groups. earlier, Del Monte subsidiary Delinanas Development Corporations poured in P569 million worth of investments for a banana plantation in Maguindanao that targets to generate more than 800 jobs in the region. [PNA]

PHL secures access to IRRI’s cutting-edge rice technology

N agreement to help Filipino rice farmers produce more rice under the Philippines’ Food Staples Sufficiency Program was recently signed by Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala and Director General Robert Zeigler of the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). The FSSP is aimed at the country achieving self-sufficiency in rice and other food staples this year – the National Year of Rice. “Indeed, this is an op-

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

By Nicholas Wapshott ( 1st of two parts )

COMMENTARY By Tian ying

EDITORIAL

Climate adaptation

ATeR SNAKe, the Chinese zodiac sign for 2013, might not have anything to do with it. But for a long time now starting in 2012 until this month, water-related disasters like typhoons and flooding, not to mention tsunamis have wrought destruction to lives in the country and other parts of the world. It is not difficult to comprehend that we may have to live with this kind of calamity more often we used to. The means that people should be prepared for these disastrous event. Such preparedness must include the people’s willingness and readiness to move out of disaster areas at moment’s notice from the authorities. Tremendous amounts of public money are

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spent by government on victims, destroyed public works and other infrastructure projects, and wholesale rehabilitation of communities hit by floods and food and relief assistance to victims. Those who defy the laws and cause the calamities to become more destructive should be prosecuted and punished. Aside from tightening the laws, government should now put more money on projects that would mitigate or cushion the impact of natural disasters if they happen. The city government of Davao is in the right track by making its urban planning adapt to climate change. Climatic abnormalities are now normal and it would be a grave mistake to ignore them. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

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Re we about to be sucked into a currency war? As the world economy continues to splutter, countries are looking for ways to break out of the mire. One way of gaining popularity is to promote growth through making exports cheap. The key to an export-led recovery is to devalue a national currency, thereby lowering the prices of exports. By allowing its currency price to slide, a nation can launch a surreptitious trade war against its commercial rivals. Western nations have for years accused China of taking an unfair trade advantage by keeping its currency, and therefore export prices, artificially low. By allowing their currencies to devalue, Western countries are fighting back. There are indications that the early skirmishes of a currency war have begun. This is a dangerous business. If countries undercut their competitors’ prices by devaluing their currencies, the stability of the world economy is put at risk. A full-fledged currency war invites deflation, a ruinous downward spiral of prices that in turn invites a worldwide recession. The cause of the conflict lies in the failure of the chosen measure to offset a Great Recession since 2008: wave after wave of “quantitative easing” (Qe) by central banks to beat stagnant growth. Qe was intended to funnel cheap money into national economies to boost economic activity and increase aggregate demand, thereby creating growth and jobs. But persistent Qe has had an important unintended consequence. It has removed a key measure by which traders judge sovereign interest, or the ability of a country to pay its way. Before the financial freeze of 2008-9, traders who worried about a country’s solvency would decline to buy government bonds or insist on a punishingly high return. That mechanism became confused when, to head off a precipitous Great Recession, finance ministers from the leading industrial nations agreed to pump vast amounts of newly minted money into their economies until the danger had passed. Qe, or the buying of government bonds by central banks, was intended to reduce general borrowing costs and allow businesses to borrow cheaply to invest, and thereby employ the jobless. That did not happen. Banks — fearful of making imprudent decisions similar to the ones they made on mortgage lending that plunged the world economy into a slump in the first place — have been hoarding money, have bought other banks with it, or have awarded it as bonuses to their executives. Businesses, fearful of making large investment decisions so long as demand remains sluggish, have also sat on their cash reserves. The result is the low- to no-growth economy we are currently enduring. John Maynard Keynes thought this would happen. As he told Franklin Roosevelt, it is “like trying to get fat by buying a larger belt.” Providing endless supplies of cheap money cannot in itself lead to growth. Measures to promote demand can best do that. Meanwhile, traders have been deprived of the way they traditionally reflect their assessment of a nation’s economic worth. When central banks furiously buy government bonds to keep interest rates low, the bond price mechanism becomes redundant. But traders can continue to express their sovereign concerns via the currency market. It appears some functions of the distorted bond market have been replaced by the currency market. As Paul Kavanagh of Killik Capital told the BBC, “The bond market is, for want of a better word, being manipulated by this Qe buying at the moment, making it very hard for it accurately to express sovereign interest, where currencies maybe are.” Currency prices have always been a good reflection of a country’s worth and have become even more so since Qe.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

Cameron’s backward-looking speech ( 1st of two parts )

RITAIN is at a fork in the road with a choice to make about what role it will play in the 21st century. Yet, Britain’s Prime Minister David Cameron’s long-awaited speech about europe is a miscalculation that will leave everyone frustrated. With the speech, British euro-skeptics are denied an immediate referendum on eu membership, and pro-europeans in Britain will lose their voice in the debate about europe’s future while their country’s energy is wasted on renegotiating existing powers. Meanwhile, the rest of the world will have to deal with a quest for special treatment rather than have a reliable British partner at a time of uncertainty. Worst of all, Cameron’s promise to go for a cosmetic renegotiation followed by a campaign to stay in the eu is designed to obscure rather than resolve the fundamental dilemma facing his compatriots – a choice between two radically different British futures. On the one hand, the euro-skeptics, who have held Cameron hostage in parliamentary votes on europe, have a clear agenda.

OPINION By Mark Leonard They have set out a modern argument that is very different from the blimpish isolationism of past decades. In the place of old arguments about european super-states destroying British sovereignty, they have an entirely new narrative of a Britain “tethered to the corpse” of the euro zone. They claim that the single market ties British business in red tape; the Customs union holds Britain hostage to the protectionist lobbies of all member states; and the free movement of people is flooding its labor market with immigrants. The eu seems a fossilized relic of the 20th century in a new digital world. What matters to the skeptics, in the words of conservative columnist Matthew d’Ancona for GQ, is “not post-colonial reach or the ability to fight alongside America in military interventions, but the real freedom to trade globally.” he concludes: “What is so bad about being a new Singapore off the shore of

europe?” The new euro-skeptics think that the modern era transcends geography, uniting the world economically and politically in the cloud. The countries they admire the most – such as Australia, Dubai and Singapore – have successfully managed to carve out a global role without being hung up on trying to shape the world. What the new skeptics want flows naturally from former Prime Minister Gordon Brown and Cameron’s foreign policy of trying to pull back from what Cameron saw as the “over-reach” of the Blair era. The “Brameron” era has been characterized by a move away from both Washington and the eu, a sense of the primacy of economic diplomacy, and a greater interest in the troops in Afghanistan and aid workers in Africa than the pursuit of traditional influence. The intellectual rationale for this move is that while Britain may enter a “new elizabethan age” where it retains a global outlook, it should refuse to be drawn into disputes about the shape of the euro in europe’s backyard, in which it has little interest.

Hindsight: They could have been saved

he uK-based Seafish said installing a VMS could reach £8,744 for a threeyear coverage, installation and frequency rate every five minutes. That is roughly P550,000 for the duration or P183,000 per vessel per year. But Dexter Teng, operations officer of TSP Marine Industries, said fees will depend on the satellite provider/server. “Fees should not be expensive but the number of poles (where the VMS onboard sends positional and other data to server) … those are expensive. It will depend on how many poles per day,” Teng said. According to ROM Communications, “A VMS unit is about the size of a small radio with an antenna. Data is sent to a satellite orbiting the earth, relayed to a station on the ground and then sent to the designated vessel-monitoring centre in near real time or at a pre-determined time intervals. “VMS units are available with a backup battery that allows it to continue to operate in the event of a vessel power failure.” The VMS is often referred to as the blue box of fishing vessels. however, it does not have the standard transponder of the black boxes of airplanes that will send signal of its location in case of a plane crash. But its backup battery could help rescuers in the event of mishaps and distress calls in the open seas. Barrientos however said not all Philippine fishing fleet could afford to install a VMS on their vessels. One Philippine tuna fishing fleet consists of a catcher vessel, four to five light boats and at least a fish carrier. But Teng said the WCPFC should also address compatibility of VMS and how it works with different systems. “These are issues that WCPFC will have to resolve,” he said. VMS was primarily designed to monitor the location of fishing vessels in relation to the origin of their catches. With growing concerns over dwindling tuna stocks, the WCPFC agreed to several conservation measures, including closing some pockets of high seas to tuna fishing during specific periods of the year. The VMS is supposed to discourage illegal and unauthorized fishing in the high seas as well as regulate fishing activities in exclusive economic zones and municipal waters of WCPFC member countries Looking back, Teng said the VMS could have helped them track, in real time, the location of their fishing vessels in relation to the path of Pablo. “Combined with robust weather and distress monitoring system, we could have saved

( Conclusion)

the lives of our fishermen,” Teng said. Dead of the night Marfenio Tan, former president of the Socsksargen Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries (SFFAI), said most base radio communications of fishing companies are turned off during the night, which explains why many distress calls may have gone unheard. But it may also have not mattered at all. Pablo (international code name Bopha) was one of the strongest typhoons to hit the country in recent years. With sustained winds of up to160 mph (260 km/h), Pablo wrought havoc unseen in Mindanao for decades. “It was the first time our fishermen encountered a perfect storm,” Tan said. Inland, Pablo flattened coconut trees and chopped banana plantations like a lawnmower. It left in its path more than 1,000 dead and over 800 missing. At least P17 billion (uS$415 million) in properties, infrastructure and crops were damaged when it was all over. Some towns in Compostela Valley and Davao Oriental are yet to go over with the tragedy with rehabilitation at least more than a couple years ahead. The tuna industry in General Santos City said it sustained more than P640 million losses in lost vessels alone. In the aftermath, Tan said it is essential for companies to regularly monitor the weather as well as location of their fishing vessels. An avid game fishing enthusiast, Tan is no stranger to the elements of the weather. he continuously monitors the weather situation in the open seas and raises the red flag at the slight swelling of the seas and difference in height of waves. Tan, a reserve commodore in the Philippine Navy, said the change of direction of Pablo may have also contributed to the unprecedented high number of fishermen casualties. Pablo was predicted to hit landfall in Surigao del Sur but it veered several degrees downward at the very last minute, hitting with full might Baganga town in Davao Oriental on December 3. Montgomery Montealegre said he escaped Pablo when he left their catcher vessel on November 30, a day ahead of schedule. he said the catcher boat was at coordinates 09-

129, some 302 kilometers off Baganga, when he left for shore. They were already moored in Mati, Davao Oriental on December 2 when Pablo hit landfall. his son Mark Gil was supposed to follow him on board a catcher vessel the following day. Mark Gil never made it to Mati. he is among the 109 still missing fishermen from LPS Fishing which suffered the most number of fishermen lost in thigh seas and the most number of fishing vessels (15), including 3 catcher boats. Dominic Salazar of Thidcor Fishing said its catcher vessel FB Queen Mary sent its last radio message on December 3 at coordinates 07-53-75, 128-22-38 and 07-50-13, 128-2554. The Philippine Navy said the location was 198 kilometers east of Baganga Point, right in the eye of Pablo. Sailing at a speed of 12 knots per hour, FB Queen Mary would have reached Baganga in 10 hours. But by then, it would have been too long and too late. On board FB Queen Mary were 19 fishermen who are now presumed dead. Three of the crew members of one of its light boat complement were found alive. The other crew member was swallowed by the seas. The tuna federation here however said VMS and other communications equipment alone will not guarantee saving the lives of fishermen in distress situation. The tuna industry and the city government do not have statistics on the number of fishermen who were lost in the seas. That could top over a thousand over the years. They now have a number to start with. But Teng said the Pablo tragedy should also spur the government into investing in live-saving search and rescue assets. “A dedicated search and rescue (S&R) assets or two that are on call during bad weather conditions and in cases of distress calls,” Teng explained. If anything, industry sources said, Pablo exposed the inability of the Philippine government to respond to distress call and to launch massive search and rescue operations “without endangering the lives of rescuers.” SFFAI also said it will ask for government help in putting up a “robust” weather monitoring system that can alert fishermen on incoming weather disturbance. Most fishing industries are relying on websites that are tracking weather patterns around the globe. This may be a tad too late for the fishing companies who lost their fishermen and fishing vessels. But at least the painful Pablo tragedy taught them that caution and erring on the side of safety are now primordial concerns in dealing with similar incidents in the future. [edwin G. espejo writes for www.asiancorrespondent.com.]

ICT HUB

VANTAGE POINTS

The demographic effect ANAlYSIS By edward HadaS

he populations of many countries are declining in a time of peace and prosperity. That unprecedented and basic change in society must indicate something, but what? The experience of Japan, where the trend is most advanced, provides some hints. until about 1950, Japan followed the once universal pattern of population increasing along with incomes. Then the birth rate began to decline. By around 1970, the birth dearth began; from then on there have been too few babies to keep the population constant. For the past two decades, roughly 140 children have been born to every 100 women. At that rate, each generation is about a third smaller than the last, although lengthening life expectancies kept the total Japanese population from falling until 2011. One effect of this demographic transition is undeniable. It has sharply reduced the size of the dynamic core of the economy: the people who are starting their adult life. They bring ambition, flexibility and a strong desire for new housing and amenities. In Japan, this group, the people between 20 and 25 years old, is a quarter smaller now than in 2000, and is set to decline by another 15 percent over the next two decades. Demographic factors are not the only reason Japan’s GDP growth has been slow – 0.6 percent annual rate over the last decade – but they have played a major role. Still, the top heavy age pyramid – far more old than young people – has not obviously crippled the Japanese economy. In the last decade, GDP growth per working-age person has increased at a respectable 1.1 percent annual rate. It is probably unrealistic to expect a much faster pace. unlike the ageing societies of Korea and China, Japan cannot produce and invest more to catch up with the richest nations; it is already a world leader. In comparison to european nations with equally low birth rates, Japan has far fewer immigrants to contribute to GDP. Indeed, the demographic surprise in the Japanese economy is probably not that growth has been slow, but that it has not been slower. The workforce might well be expected to become less productive and innovative as its ages and shrinks. But the only sign of that in Japan, and in europe, is a loss of global market share in the fastest moving consumer-facing high tech sectors – and demographic stultification is not the only plausible explanation for that retreat. It seems that modern economies can work remarkably well with relatively few young people. Modern financial systems may be another matter. even before considering demographics, they are probably the weakest aspect of industrial economies: inefficient, costly and prone to explosions. The productive economy can easily shift from feeding babies to taking care of old people. For the financial economy, the corresponding shift could prove disastrous. In Japan and many Western countries, giant pension funds have been built on the economic fiction that societies can pay pensions out of savings. In fact, the income of the elderly always comes out of current production. Supposed pension savings have already helped distort bond markets and government finances – pension fund purchases of Japan’s government debt have contributed to some of the lowest yields in the world, funding fiscal deficits which are among the world’s highest as a share of GDP. The time will come when there will be fewer young savers to buy bonds than old pensioners who wish to sell them. At that point, the distortions would reverse: yields rise sharply, provoking a massive financial crisis. Bold and determined politicians could avert trouble by using their power to neutralise harmful financial instruments. however, great political leaders are rare these days – and I think the new generation gap contributes to the shortage.

10 NATION/WORlD NATION BRIEFS

Denied

Warned

enate President Juan Ponce enrile denied insinuations of having a romantic relationship with his chief of staff, Atty. Gigi Reyes, a day after Senate Minority Leader Alan Peter Cayetano questioned Reyes’ power over Senate matters. “If they’re implying that she is my girlfriend, well, I’m too old for that. I do not look old at all... from my waist up I am still very well, but from my waist down, well, I do not know about that. Maybe once in a blue moon if ever,” enrile told

eijing has warned Manila against any moves that may complicate or escalate tensions between the two nations, in response to the Philippines’ seeking united Nations arbitration over its territorial claims. China-Philippine ties were frayed last April after a Philippine warship first prompted a serious impasse in the waters off China’s huangyan Island in the South China Sea. Observers said Manila’s high-profile lawsuit was just “political posturing” and it has shown little willingness for one-on-one negotiations on relevant disputes.

Vast

he Philippines is sitting on vast renewable energy potential of more than 250,000 megawatts of power that can save money, generate jobs and make electricity available and affordable to more Filipinos, Greenpeace said in a report yesterday. The economy stands to benefit from massive renewable energy investments and does not need to rely on outdated and destructive fossil fuels, according to the report titled “Green Is Gold: how renewable energy can save us money and generate jobs”.

Resurfaced

he Commission on elections is affording midterm polls candidates the “right to reply”, a move seen by a media watchdog as unnecessary, contradictory and foreboding. The right of reply, which has drawn flak when proposed as a bill in 2009 and when introduced as a provision in a pending legislation, has resurfaced in tightened Comelec campaign rules. “All parties and bona fide candidates shall have the right to reply to charges published or aired against them,” Comelec Resolution 9615 said.

Local office

earch giant Google has set up a local office in the Philippines, a move seen to “change” Ph’s internet landscape. Manuel L. Quezon III, undersecretary for Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning, who represented President Benigno “Noynoy” Aquino III at the company’s launch said he is optimistic that Google Philippines’ presence would lead to innovations.member, was poised to send out the Notice of Violation informing the uS government of its transgressions, including penalties, on Tuesday afternoon, said

Jose Ma. Lorenzo Tan, WWF-Philippines vice chairman and chief executive officer.

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

COA rules

EDGEDAVAO

Enrile can realign Senate’s savings

WORLD TODAY

orth Korea said on Thursday it planned to carry out a third nuclear test and more rocket launches aimed at its “arch-enemy” the united States in response to tightened uN sanctions. The announcement prompted a call for restraint from the North’s sole major ally China and a warning from rival South Korea to heed the demands of the international community.

V Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago during an ambush interview at the Senate in Pasay City

eNATe President Juan Ponce enrile has the right to realign Senate’s savings. This was how the Commission on Audit (CoA) addressed Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago’s complaint against enrile’s discretion of augmenting the operating budget of some senators. In a letter dated January 21, CoA chair Maria Gracia Pullido-Tan cited Section 53 of General Appropriations Act (GAA) which justifies enrile’s action. “The President of the Philippines, the Senate President… the heads of the Constitutional Com-

missions enjoying fiscal autonomy… are authorized to augment any item in (the GAA) from savings in other items of their respective appropriations,” Tan told Santiago. “Congress has also authorized other government agencies to augment these,” she added. On January 10, Santiago asked Tan if enrile has the right to give away “Christmas gifts” amounting to P2-million additional budget for Maintenance and Other Operating expenses (MOOe) to every senator. Santiago questioned enrile’s authority to do so after the senate president

exluded her and Senators Antonio Trillanes IV, Pia Cayetano, and Alan Peter Cayetano from receiving the same amount in December 2012. She said they only received P600,000 each in November. But Tan clarified the MOOe budget is not a discretionary fund and should only be used for travelling, communication, repairs and maintenance, as well as transportation and delivery, among others. “As above mentioned, the additional MOOe must be used for the purposes as listed in the GAA. use as pork barrel is not among them,” the COA head add-

ed.

he uS Navy said Thursday it needed to remove thousands of litres of oil from a minesweeper stuck on World heritage-listed coral in the Philippines, warning it was too bad-

ly damaged to be towed away. The 68-metre (224foot) uSS Guardian, which became embedded in the Tubbataha Reef a week ago, will have to be lifted onto another ship

or barge, a process that might take another fortnight, said Rear Admiral Thomas Carney. “The option that we hoped to be able to tow the ship off the reef is not available,” said Car-

ney, who heads the uS Navy’s logistics group in the western Pacific. “It’s too badly damaged. It’s got hull penetrations in several places, and there’s a significant amount of water inside the ship right now.” he said the Guardian had listed after being battered by huge waves, and the most pressing issue was to remove 57,000 litres (15,000 uS gallons) of fuel. “The first priority is to get the fuel out of the ship as soon as possible,” Carney told reporters. Carney described the salvage operation as “a very deliberate, complicated process” involving at least two more uS Navy vessels that could take up to two weeks to complete. “It depends on the environmental conditions out there as to how safely we can proceed,” he said of the timeline. [AFP]

Tan emphasized Santiago’s office has received more than P15 million worth of additional budget for MOOe last year. “It appears from records submitted by the Senate accounting office tour resident auditor that additional MOOes were given to members of the Senate at different dates during 2012,” Tan said. “For your office, we note that a total of P15,492,292 was given on various dates in March, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December as additional MOOe,” she added.

US Navy to pump oil from ship stuck in Tubbataha

This photo, taken on January 22, 2013 by Philippine Coast Guard (PCG), shows a coast guard wading through water as he tugs a boat towards the US navy minesweeper, USS Guardian, which remains trapped at the Tubbataha reef off the western island of Palawan after it ran aground on January 17

Nuclear

Target

ice President Nicolas Maduro said unidentified groups had entered Venezuela with the aim of assassinating him and the head of the National Assembly as President hugo Chavez recovers from cancer in Cuba. Maduro provided no proof of the claim, which he made at a rally to mark the end of a dictatorship in the OPeC nation 55 years ago. he said he and the energy minister would travel to havana on Wednesday to see Chavez.

Split

ali’s Islamist Ansar Dine (Defenders of the Faith) rebel group, which holds swathes of the country’s vast desert north, has split and the breakaway faction said Thursday it was ready for peace talks. The newly-formed Islamic Movement for Azawad said in a statement that it “rejected all forms of extremism and terrorism and was committed to fighting them”, adding that it wanted a “peaceful solution” to the Mali crisis.

Lifted

S Defense Secretary Leon Panetta will lift a ban on women serving in combat, officials said -- a ground-breaking move after a decade of war that saw female troops thrust onto the battlefield. The decision marks yet another sweeping change for the uS military under President Barack Obama, who led a drive to end a prohibition on openly gay troops.

Tribal leaders

ro-government tribal candidates strengthened their grip on Jordan’s parliament after Wednesday’s general election, boycotted as rigged by the Muslim Brotherhood-led opposition, according to preliminary results. State television on Thursday listed most of the 150 seats contested, saying they were won by independents, candidates with limited political agendas who rely on family and tribal allegiances rather than party backing.

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

Highest...

DCCCII... FFROM 5

FFROM 1 collection effort,” Inday Sara said in a text message to edge Davao. The good news was initially broken by acting city administrator Zuleika Lopez while presiding over the Davao City Watershed Management Council, in behalf of the lady mayor. As of January 22, she said, the city government had already collected P415,653, 930. This was P84,854, 321, or 26.45 percent, more than the P320,799,609 recorded collections as of January 22, 2012. Lopez said, though,

DCPSCC...

that the final figure will be available on January 31 yet after the collection data are collated. The city administrator echoed Mayor Sara’s statement crediting the aggressive collection efforts of the Jardin-led city treasurer’s office and the recent streamlining of the systems involved in the processing of application for, and renewal of, business permits. Lopez said the current good business climate in the city is another factor behind the increased tax collection. Business and licens-

ing division chief Domingo said “the bulk of revenue we generated was from local taxes on the gross sales/receipts of business, and the regulatory fees such as, but not limited to, occupational permit fees, building permit fees, electrical fees, garbage fees, health certificate fees, laboratory fees, mechanical permit fees, mayor’s permit fees, plumbing fees, sanitary permit fees, signboard permit fees, solid waste management fees, zoning fees, fees on stickers, tax clearances and others.

capture through video analytic camera the water level in these particular areas of the Davao River which will be sent back to us at the DSPSCC to determine safety of the river.” “These will serve as early warning devices because these locations are still upstream of the river and it takes two hours for the water to reach the downtown area, which means we will have

enough time to warn, flood prone baranggays in the downtown area,” he added. he added that the Telemetry Monitoring System in Calinan and Tamugan should be made a priority. When asked if the families affected by the flood could go back home, he replied, “it is safe to go back home, however, they must remain vigilant to be safe.”

ed to higher ground, for example in certain areas of Panabo and Sto. Niño in Carmen which have not experienced flooding,” Del Rosario explained, adding that the volume of water in the recent flooding was threefold due to the recent six-day rain in Davao del Norte. he added that the light but incessant rain in the province didn’t cause

much damage to both agriculture and infrastructure. Davao del Norte had organized and trained volunteers in disaster reduction management and well prepared for any rescue operations to be made. They also have life-saving equipment, rubber boats and dumptrucks in case they are needed for rescue.

person of the Kalipunan ng Damayang Mahihirap Davao City, earlier said informal settlers in the city who had been displaced from the mountains, face the risk of living by the riverbanks as they do not have their own land. he said the government has to provide an adequate housing program for them that will not sacrifice their livelihood. Alabado said the city government will explore housing schemes for the informal settlers so that they can be relocated. he said the Gawad Kalinga and the City Agriculturist’s Office are

looking into possible projects near relocation sites that can perk up the economy in the area and provide jobs for the settlers. “We have to plan our resettlement area to entice them to relocate,” Alabado said, noting that the CPDO is there to help in ensuring public safety. The flooding last Sunday hit 15 of the 182 barangays here, causing evacuation of over 15,000 families, mostly living by the riverbank and residential areas identified as highly susceptible to geo-hazards. [Lorie Ann A. Cascaro / MindaNews]

FFROM 1

nology called Telemetry Monitoring System that will determine water level in the Davao River.” Adalin was reacting to questions which had to do about the swelling of the river during heavy rains, thereby causing floods that affect more than 14,000 families. Adalin said, “I have proposed to put a Telemetry Monitoring System in Tamugan or Lacson , Calinan to determine and

Relocation... FFROM 2

DA) office in Bajada, Davao City he said that Carmen is among the flood-prone areas of Davao del Norte like Panabo, Dujali, Asuncion, Kapalong and Tagum City. he said that it might be impossible to relocate all the residents of Carmen, but he would be talking to Mayor Marcelino Perandos about relocation. “I will be suggesting that they will be relocat-

City... FFROM 2

position economically.” Informal settlers have their own risk assessment, which, according to him, is “very acceptable.” he said flooding happens only once in 10 years, but unemployment even just for a week can cause people to suffer from hunger. “We have not explored more ways for them to own land. We have to look for ways,” he said. They are not just informal settlers, but also people who do not have the capacity to own land, adding that housing projects in the downtown area are unaffordable for them, Alabado stressed. Toto Bolcan, spokes-

Philippine Airlines. Monteverde, the first medical practitioner and the third lady to head the chamber, is an obstetrician-gynelocologist. She is the president of the Monteverde Aqua Ventures Corporation. Quinto runs his own company, Jhaymarts In-

After...

dustries, Inc., dealing in waterworks equipment and materials. The board is composed of two lawyers, two architects, a physician, a veterinarian, two engineers, a certified public accountant, a techno-prenuer and media ex-

ecutive, among others. Philippine Chamber of Commerce president Miguel B. Varela will keynote the affair with the theme “Building the Future: Bringing, Creating and Sustaining A high Quality Organization.”

riverbank, around 300 meters away. They, too, admitted they were aware of the flooding in the past. “But we have no other place to go, ” said Bautista. In one of the concrete posts, his relatives left a mark about five feet high, which reads: “Danger level.” “That means if the floodwater would almost reach that mark, we should evacuate,” he said while scraping the mud from the pavement at the gate. The flood on Sunday, Bautista added, was higher by almost a foot than in 2002. Residents of Jade Valley homes told MindaNews that floodwaters in 2002 reached as high as five feet. On Saturday evening, Davao’s Central 911 already issued a warning to those living along the banks of the Davao River that water level may rise due to heavy rains. But when the water rose to chest level, many of the residents were trapped on roofs or in the second floor of their houses. Forced evacuation started around midnight that Saturday. The morning after, the Army, Central 911, police and rescue volunteers used jet skis and rubber boats to rescue those who were trapped. The City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) reported that some 2,000 families or about 40,000 persons from 15 barangays were affected by the floods.

Worst than 2002 Bonifacio Gustosani Jr., 50, said Sunday’s flood was the worst he has experienced. Born and raised in Tigatto, he said the Davao River has been overflowing even before the subdivision was built. his house is about 80 meters away from the river, but still, they were not able to save their belongings, including appliances, because the water rose too fast. They had to run to higher ground, to the highway, which is 50 meters away. Rowena Padogdog, in her mid 40s, also failed to save her belongings. She said that after the big flood in 2002, there were floods every year, but only up to the knees. When the water rose chest level on Saturday evening, they sought refuge in the second floor of their neighbor’s house. No choice But amid the frequent flooding, Padogdog said they will not leave Jade Valley homes since they have nowhere else to go. “We have no choice but to stay,” she said. By dawn of Monday, floodwaters started to recede, residents said. But some parts of the subdivision remain flooded with knee-deep waters. Like Padogdog, Amistad is also left with no choice but to stay. But he added that if the city government will decide to relocate them, he would be willing to accept it. “But if not, we will just stay here,” Amistad said. [Keith Bacongco / MindaNews]

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“We were looking for an affordable house, so we chose this place,” he said. Amistad, who used to live with his in-laws in the ecoland area, said it was his son, a call center agent in the city, who acquired the property. They learned that the previous owner was disheartened by the frequent flooding and eventually stopped paying the monthly amortization. Amistad said his son Weng now pays the monthly amortization of P2,300. “We were told by the real estate agent that the flood will never happen again,” Amistad said. “But what happened on Sunday, according to our neighbors, was even worse than the flood in 2002,” the puppy vendor lamented. The Amistad house is 10 meters away from the edge of the riverbank. There is yet another house closer to the river, but it was abandoned by the owner two years ago because of the frequent flooding. Over the danger level Last Sunday’s flood did not only submerge the houses close to the river, but even those as far as a kilometer away. Yet another Jade Valley resident, Berly Bautista, said that he too assumed the house. The previous owners, relatives of the Bautista family, moved to another place after the flood in 2002. The Bautista home is much farther from the

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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.

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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

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SPORTS 13

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

Davao bikers in Padyak sa Liwanag

By Neil Bravo

IKe eNThuSIASTS from Davao converge this Sunday to officially welcome to the city the bike entourage of the “Padyak Tungo Sa Liwanag” pilgrimage. According to local organizers, interested participants may join the meet-up at the assembly point in NCCC Mall in Maa at 5 o’clock a.m. Ride out is set at 5:30 a.m. The entourage will then proceed to the meeting point at Barangay Lacson in Calinan. “We are inviting every bike enthusiast to join us and in a way express our sentiments for a better world,” said Monica Ayala of Cycle for Life, one of the local partners of the Padyak Bike Pilgrimage. Ayala reminded the

Davao’s regular night riders belonging to the Davao Da Folding Society (DDS) and Cycle for Life will be part of the entourage for the Padyk Tungo sa Liwanag bike pilgrimage this Sunday in Calinan. (DDS Photo)

participants to follow the basic bike rules like mandatory helmets, water, food provision and zero-waste. “Through this Salubong, bikers from different cycling groups converge and merge along the

routes of “Padyak Tungo Sa Liwanag” bike pilgrimage, this is our way of expressing support to this attempt to popularize the bicycle and the biker as our tools to bring sustainability to the forefront as one of the building blocks

for rebuilding a nation in the spirit of bayanihan,” said Ayala. “This is essentially the heart of the Liwanag World Festival,” she added. Ayala stressed that “at the Liwanag World Festival,

like-minded groups and individuals shall present through booths and exhibits their Sustainable Initiatives, sustainably produced goods and locally available products and innovations, inspiring lectures by local and inter-

national invited speakers, how-to workshops, creative presentations by local and domestic Filipino artists come together in the midst of political and economic turmoil and the effects of climate change happening globally.”

AUSTRALIAN OPEN

All pumped up M

eLBOuRNe, Australia (AP) -- On the eve of the Australian Open, Novak Djokovic was asked if he had noticed anything different about Andy Murray. ‘’he has a shorter haircut,’’ said the fivetime Grand Slam winner, smiling. But the top-ranked Djokovic then turned serious because Murray’s makeover is no joking matter. The 25-year-old player from Scotland is attempting to win a second consecutive Grand Slam after a breakthrough year that included wins at the London Olympics and the u.S. Open. he arrived in Melbourne with a new demeanor, a sense of calm and confidence. ‘’I think mentally something switched in his head,’’ Djokovic said. ‘’And he just started believing much more in his abilities. ‘’Now that he’s done it, he’s definitely right up there, one of the first few favorites for any tournament he plays.’’ The third-seeded Murray advanced to the semifinals Wednesday, grabbing a spot in an all-star lineup featuring the top four players. Djokovic is in the first semifinal against No. 4 David Ferrer, who took the spot in the absence of an injured Rafael Nadal.

Third-seeded Murray faces No. 2 Roger Federer in the latest rematch in a tight rivalry. Murray leads Federer 10-9 in the series, including last year’s Olympic final. But he has played the Swiss star in three Grand Slam finals and lost them all. ‘’I’m expecting a tough match,’’ said Federer, describing Murray as clever and tactical. ‘’he’s changed his game around a bit. he’s playing more defensive. I’m looking forward to it.’’ Federer is aiming for his 18th Grand Slam. The Swiss star stamped his authority on center court by beating the athletic Jo-Wilfried Tsonga 7-6 (4), 4-6, 7-6 (4), 3-6, 6-3 to reach the Australian Open semifinals for a 10th consecutive year. After losing, Tsonga picked his favorite to win the tournament: ‘’I would say Andy, for the moment. But it could change, of course.’’ Murray won his quarterfinal against Jeremy Chardy of France 6-4, 6-1, 6-2 to extend a streak of straight-set wins into the semis. Of all the men in the draw, Murray is technically the freshest, having spent less time on court - just under nine hours in the past 10 days. Chardy walked into his post-match news conference saying he couldn’t believe how well Murray had played.

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

4 venues for PAL Interclub By Neil Bravo

OR The first time in the long history of the PAL Interclub, four courses will be used for the annual golf tournament which swings back to Cebu after a long hiatus. Dubbed as “4 at the Fore”, the 66th edition of the event will be played from February 21 to March 3. The Seniors’ event is slated on Feb. 21 to

24, while the Men’s tournament is from Feb. 27 to March 2. Likewise, PAL vice president for corporate communications Joey De Guzman said the Media tournament is scheduled during the two day break, Feb. 25 to 26. Sports editors, reporters and photographers from the country’s leading media organizations as well as foreign media

entities will be contesting the exclusive side event for the press. Mike Besa of Impact Golf Magazine won last year’s event in Davao while Musong Castillo of Manila Bulletin was the winner in 2011. For his course familiarity, Nimrod Quinonez, managing editor of Freeman Cebu, will be the sentimental favourite. For the Senior’s, our host clubs are Alta Vista

Golf and Country Club and Club Filipino de Cebu Golf Club. For the Men’s edition, venues will be at the Cebu Country Club and Mactan Island Golf Club. “The press centers will be at the Alta Vista Golf and Country Club and Cebu Country Club for the Seniors’ and Regular tournaments respectively,” De Guzman said in an advisory to the media covering the event.

Lakers center Dwight Howard is injured again but what is troubling are the rumors that he may be on the trading block.

Philippine Sports Commission chairman Richie Garcia, a regular campaigner in the PAL Interclub Seniors event, is expected to see action again in the 66th PAL Interclub in Cebu. (PAL photo)

Lakers lose 4th straight

M Howard injured, trade rumors up M

eMPhIS, Tenn. (AP) -- Lakers center Dwight howard has aggravated his right shoulder injury against the Memphis Grizzlies and is out for the second half. howard was 0 of 4 from the floor and had two points before he flexed his right shoulder and headed to the locker room with 2:21 left in the second quarter. he did not return for the start of the second half. Lakers officials say howard aggravated the shoulder that has a torn labrum and already had him listed as probable for the game. howard had two rebounds and a blocked shot in just over 14 minutes. howard’s injury comes at the heels of a midseason trade rumors. As the grapevine involving Dwight howard begin to gain traction, one team that was once among the frontrunners to make a bid to acquire the All-Star has reportedly lost interest. According to the New York Daily news, the Brooklyn Nets are happy with Brook Lopez as their

center and will not make a play for howard via trade or in the offseason should he elect to test free agency. It’s yet another sign that the Lakers’ season has taken an incredible turn in the wrong direction after so much promise. What a difference half a season makes. The Lakers are 17-24 and in third place in the Pacific Division. Dwight howard is right in the middle of a circus of a situation in Laker-land with the wrong coach running the wrong system with the wrong players. howard hasn’t been awful this season, but he hasn’t been himself, either. The numbers don’t tell the whole story -- he’s averaged 17.1 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.5 blocks per game in 38 games played in 2012-13, but in doing so, he’s struggled to find any rhythm within the framework of the new offense under head coach Mike D’Antoni. Why are the Nets sticking with Lopez? even though he hasn’t rebounded at the same rate as howard, his production is similar. he’s

averaged 18.5 points, 7.4 rebounds, and a careerhigh 2.1 blocks per game. Additionally, he’s no t nearly as much of a liability at the free-throw line, which is a major concern to any team late in games. This season, he’s shot at a 74 percent rate and is a 79 percent free throw shooter for his career. howard is right around 50 percent for this season and his career. Still, there are bigger reasons: No drama The NBA isn’t that far removed from its “Dwightmare,” where howard effectively held the Orlando Magic franchise hostage before eventually being traded out of Central Florida. he’s made no commitment to Los Angeles at this point, and he’s shown a propensity for wavering on nearly all aspects of his game and contract situation. In his post game interviews, he’s cited everything from not getting enough shots to lack of effort as being the culprit for the Lakers’ woes this season. The Nets don’t want any part of that.

howard’s health While looking at the numbers doesn’t show a glaring decline in production, watching howard play absolutely does. The three-time NBA Defensive Player of the Year is clearly not himself, and is still suffering from the effects of back injury that caused him to miss the end of last season after undergoing surgery. A torn labrum in his right shoulder caused him to miss three games in January, and it’s uncertain whether or not he’s completely free of pain in that respect, either. The bottom line is that if he’s damaged goods, then teams will shy away from him or be unwilling to give what the Lakers feel is market value. even if the book on howard is being exaggerated and he’s not immature, soft or injuryprone, then the Lakers are still hurting him by association. Their gross under-performance has teams like the Brooklyn extremely tentative to make a move for him and reevaluating their take on howard.

eMPhIS, Tenn. (AP) -- A team meeting didn’t help stop the losing, and this season just keeps spinning away from the Lakers. Darrell Arthur scored a season-high 20 points and Mike Conley added 19 as the Memphis Grizzlies beat Los Angeles 106-93 Wednesday night, handing the Lakers their fourth straight loss and 10th in 12 games. ‘’I do think they play as hard as they can play, and that’s what’s scary,’’ coach Mike D’Antoni said of his Lakers, who are now 2-10 in January. ‘’I mean I don’t know how we can play harder or blame something else. We just didn’t play well.’’ Kobe Bryant said he felt comfortable with what he said in a team meeting before the morning shootaround. he said he doesn’t know if his message to Dwight howard got across. When asked if he hoped it did, Bryant simply answered with a seemingly sarcastic ‘’No.’’ And Bryant said this season certainly is getting up there when asked if it was his toughest in the NBA. ‘’That Rudy T (Tomjanovich) one was a pretty hard one, too,’’ Bryant said.

That was 2004-05, when the Lakers last missed the playoffs when Tomjanovich was coach part of a 34-48 season. These Lakers are 17-25 after losing their seventh consecutive road game. D’Antoni had talked before the game about having an All-Star team with players not having learned their pecking order. Then howard missed the second half after aggravating his sore shoulder just before halftime. D’Antoni said the center will be re-evaluated in Los Angeles. Memphis got to celebrate a big win, a day after trading three reserves to Cleveland. That meant, even with the signing of D-League player Chris Johnson, Memphis only dressed 10 players before clinching the season series over the Lakers with one game left in Los Angeles on April 5. ‘’It was just a great team win,’’ Memphis coach Lionel hollins said. Rudy Gay, Zach Randolph and Tony Allen added 12 points apiece as Memphis improved to 12-0 when scoring at least 100 points. Randolph also grabbed 10 rebounds. The Grizzlies scored a seasonhigh 60 points in the paint, compared to 34 for the Lakers with howard out the second half.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

STYLE

Victor Victoria Words and fashion styling by: Meghann Patricia Sta. ineS Photographer: Paul BorroMeo | leadFoto StudioS hair and Makeup artists: tiny Pinili and Melody roSS tinoy Model: Jovine naraJoS clothes: Forever 21

GoinG back in time, i remember the title from the 1982 musical film of Julie Andrews, where she portrayed the role of a female soprano who found a career in being a male singer impersonating as a woman. nowadays, it seems like boundaries no longer exist in terms of what men can do that women can’t. History, time and again, has told us of powerful women

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A2 INdulge! EnTERTAinEMEnT

Aretha defends Beyoncé’s lip-synced national anthem O say can you sing when it’s freezing outside?

Aretha Franklin did, at President Barack Obama’s first inauguration ceremony in 2009—but she understands why Beyoncé didn’t. And, regardless, she says her fellow diva did a “beautiful job.” “When i heard the news this evening that she was prerecorded, i really laughed,” Franklin told ABC news yesterday. “i thought it was funny because the weather down there was about 46 or 44 degrees, and for most singers that is just not good singing weather.” But the queen of soul “really cracked up,” she said, when she found out the weather was actually 40 degrees on Monday. “i thought it was really funny, but she did a beautiful job with the prerecord...next time i’ll probably do the same.” Franklin pulled “My Country, ‘Tis of Thee” duty back in 2009, the song sung (live) by Kelly Clarkson at Obama’s swearingin this week. The u.S. navy

Band’s Sea Chanters Chorus sang the national anthem four years ago. But though lip-syncing “never crossed [her] mind,” Franklin thinks her voice was affected by having to wait around in the cold. “Had i not had to sit that long, i had to sit for 45 or 30 minutes and it was much colder, it was in the 20s,” she recalled to ABC. “i just wished i could have sung the moment i got there. if i could have walked on immediately and sung, it wouldn’t have affected my voice the way it did.” Yes, there was a music legend singing underneath that show-stopping hat. And while the matter of

whether or not Beyoncé opted for her prerecorded version of “The Star-Spangled Banner” isn’t really up for debate, even though the u.S. Marine Corp would ultimately only confirm that the Marine Band didn’t play live, Cnn is now quoting an “inauguration official” who assured the news outlet that the star did indeed lip-sync. Her recorded vocal was “spot on,” the official said, and the go-time decision to use it was “all Beyoncé.” Beyoncé posted some photos of her rehearsal session, but has otherwise remained silent in response to the increasingly uncontroversial controversy.

American Idol recap: Nicki Minaj and Mariah finally fight Judging by the stony look on Mariah Carey’s face whenever nicki Minaj proceeded to dominate the conversation, sometimes with a British accent...

Trouble was definitely brewing. Tonight’s American idol featured The Fight, the infamous showdown in Charlotte, n.C., between nicki and Mariah that instantly went viral and provoked talk of a greater feud being waged behind the scenes. “That’s a wrap for today!” executive producer nigel Lythgoe is seen proclaiming in footage captured on that fateful day. But it turns out that nicki was mad at everybody, not just Mariah, when she walked off the panel, announcing, “i’m done!” nicki had taken exception to her fellow judges’ handling of aspiring “soulful country” artist Summer Cunningham (who made it to Hollywood, BTW). “Why are we taking her apart?” she wondered aloud as Mariah, Keith

urban and Randy Jackson insisted that Summer shouldn’t deny that her voice is best suited for country music, despite her comment that she had already done “the country thing.” “That’s like saying, ‘i did the brain-surgeon thing,’” retorted Keith (as much as the cheery crooner can possibly retort to some-

thing). “Thirty years, a little help, insight,” Randy deadpanned, touting his own resume in response to nicki’s concerns. “Oh, you’re right,” nicki said, “maybe i should just get off the f--king panel.” “That was my move,” Mariah lamented as the rapper left the room. “i was going to do that the next time she ragged on me.” insisted Randy: “i was gonna walk out!” “Shut the f--k up,” nicki

can be heard saying offcamera as her fellow judges carried on. “now i totally understand why she got mad,” tweeted @number1barb, one of the many opinions retweeted by nicki Minaj tonight as the drama unfolded on TV at last. Flash to day two, when even auditioner Brandy Hamilton is nervous about what sort of mood the judges are going to be in post-dustup. Well, the talented Brandy had no need to worry—but the emotional 25-yearold navy reservist still said, “Please don’t fight, it makes me sad” as she was dashing out the door to share the good news. And, after all that hype, Charlotte ended on a high note (on TV, anyway), with Seretha guinn offering up LeAnn Rimes’ “How do i Live” and the theme song from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air to score herself a ticket to Hollywood. “incredible,” praised nicki, who must have been pretty glad that, after walking away, she decided to come back.

VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

“Tony Award classic return

THe story goes. Wellknown composer Vernon Gersch meets aspiring offbeat female lyricist, Sonia Walsk. it’s the token story of boy meets girl, boy falls in love with girl, girls falls head over heels for boy – only, the kookiness of Sonya mixed with the wisecracks of Vernon leads to one hilarious scene after the other.

it’s the show that the new York Post dubs as “fun [as] it is funny, full of blithe good humor, hilarious jokes and witty, pointed characterizations” while the new York Daily news calls it “engaging light entertainment.” Based on the real-life relationship of the show’s Broadway creators, the late, great Tony Award-winning composer Marvin Hamlisch (“A Chorus Line”) and Grammy Award-winning songwriter Carole Bayer Sager (“Michael Jackson,” “Celine Dion”), THeY’Re PLAYinG oUR SonG takes a peek into the trials that both Sonia and Vernon undergo before finding true love. Co-presented by The Rockwell Club and The Peninsula Manila, this romantically offbeat comedy musical, which features hit songs like Fallin’ and i Still Believe in Love returns to Manila after more than a decade via one of the country’s leading theater groups, 9 Works Theatrical. The musical also marks the return of singer-actress nikki Gil to the stage. nikki, who regularly appears on the noon-

time variety show ASAP 2012, is one of the longest running VJs for MYX music channel. She is also a trusted brand ambassador and spokesperson for various advocacies, as well as a TV actress and a singer with several albums under her belt. She also once played the role of elle Woods in Legally Blonde the Musical, and Charity Hope Valentine in 9 Works Theatrical’s critically acclaimed dance musical, Sweet Charity. “i’m actually very excited to start rehearsing for the show but at the same time, very nervous,” intimates nikki about having to play the role of Sonya. While this is her fourth theatrical production (“Legally Blonde,” “Seussical the Musical”), she says that performing onstage is always nerve-racking. not to mention, the role was once played by her idol, Tony Award-winner Lea Salonga. “i love Lea and anything that has to do with her,” Gil quips fondly, adding, “She really brought the role of Sonya to life in the previous staging. i’ll just have to bring something different to the table… my own version.” Thankfully, Gil finds herself in good company and is reunited with 9 Works Theatrical’s Artistic Director Robbie Guevara (“RenT,” “The Wedding Singer”) as her Director, as well as actor Lorenz Martinez who plays Vernon, her romantic lead in the show. Lorenz Martinez is one of the top theater actors in the country. His inherent gift of quick comic timing and tenor singing voice has enthralled

audiences both locally and abroad and makes him the perfect candidate to play the role of Vernon. Currently appearing in Resorts World Manila’s “The King and i” as Lun Tha, he has also appeared in shows like Forbidden Broadway, 9 Works Theatrical’s The Wedding Singer, Rogers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella (Asian Tour), The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, and the netherlands production of “Miss Saigon” as the engineer, among others. “it’s weird but also very exciting that i’ll be sharing romantic scenes with Lorenz, who was my assistant director for Sweet Charity,” she says. “But i know that he’s also one of the most versatile characters in Philippine theater today. i will surely learn a lot from him.” As to being directed again by Guevara, she lauds him for allowing her to discover and grow with the character of Sonya. “i love that Robbie allows me to explore,” she says. “i’m looking forward to working with him again.” Guevara is one of the most well-respected actors in Philippine theater and has performed in numerous productions here and abroad, most notably in the Manila production of “Miss Saigon”

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EDGEDAVAO

d-winning” ns to Manila

where he understudied the role of engineer. it was a role that he would eventually play in the Asian and UK tours of the show. He is also the visionary behind 9 Works Theatrical’s critically acclaimed productions of “Songs For a new World,” “RenT,” “The Wedding Singer,” and most recently, “Sweet Charity.” For THeY’Re PLAYinG oUR SonG, Gil and Martinez will be joined by some of the finest actors in the country today. Among which are James Stacey, Reb Atadero and noel Rayos who will play a bevy of roles in the show as the male ensemble, as well as Peachy Atilano, Anna Santamaria, and Jill Pena in the female ensemble. The Artistic Team is led by Robbie Guevara (Director), Joseph Tolentino (Musical Director – instrumentation), Lionel Guico (Musical Director – Vocals), Mio infante (Scenographer and Costume Designer), Martin esteva (Lighting Designer), Gemini Quintos (Choreographer), Chuck Ledesma (Sound Designer), Twinkle Zamora (Costume execution), Kalila Aguilos (Costume Stylist), Joseph Pascual (Photographer), Tin Samson (Magazine editor), and Larry Palma (Graphic Designer).

The Production Team is led by Santi Santamaria (executive Producer), Anna Santamaria (Company Manager), Toff de Venecia (PR Director), Jonjon Martin (PR Manager), GM Hernandez iii (Marketing Manager), Carlos Canlas (HR Manager), Sunshine Domine (Production Manager), and Aries Alcayaga (Stage Manager). *** THeY’Re PLAYinG oUR SonG will run at the Carlos P. Romulo Auditorium, RCBC Plaza, Makati from

February 8 to March 3 and is co-presented by The Rockwell Club and The Peninsula Manila, with special participation of SM Accessories For tickets, call 9 Works Theatrical at 586-7105, 09175545560 or Ticketworld at 891-9999. You may also visit www.9workstheatrical.com or follow them on Facebook (9workstheatrical) or Twitter (@9WT). THeY’Re PLAYinG oUR SonG is presented by special arrangement with SAMUeL FRenCH, inC.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013

Victor... FFROM A1

Truth be told, women throughout history have been playing the role of men - in movies, in art, and in everyday life. taking over the throne of kings. Truth be told, women throughout history have been playing the role of men - in movies, in art, and in everyday life. in the world of fashion, more and more designers have crossed the thin line which defines menswear from female clothing. The industry has relaxed its attitude to gender, and became more accepting of diversities. in a way, androgyny has ignited the imagination of many fashion designers and photographers, and some designers would even feature a male model as their “female muse.” While it may seem that androgynous dressing is only a hype of today’s world, the mixing of gender clothing and roles has always been around. For one, Joan of Arc in the 15th century dressed as a man to gain access to Charles Vii. over the years, women’s fashion has taken a masculine turn and evolved into a large-scale trend. Unisex clothes have blurred the masculine-feminine boundaries and became a refreshing style in different settings. The gender bender trend is easily made up of key pieces such as pinstriped and herringbone check (plaid) suits, tux-

edo jackets, trench coats, slouchy wide legged pants, cigarette pants, baggy knitwear, waistcoats / vests, crisp collared white shirts, leather jackets, oxford / spectator shoes, and neckties. Women nowadays can just shuffle through their boyfriend’s closet to search for an outfit for the day. Male clothes on women not only come as functional and practical, they also create a sexy and provocative look. The boyfriend’s shirt (which is basically a man’s polo) is now considered a wardrobe staple for women. in most cases, they try to retain the “lady-like” edge by choosing formfitting pieces and matching them with a stylish purse or bag. Androgyny has always been as source of interest and intrigue. While it touches on culture and diversities, there is always something empowering and liberating in suiting up. it projects a sense of independence. it validates that women are of the same level of power and strength as the other kind, enjoying the best of both worlds in a stylish kind of way. We think this is one trend that will be enjoyed by women for many more centuries to come.

SPORTS 15

EDGEDAVAO VOL.5 ISSUE 232 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, JANUARY 25-26, 2013 AUSTRALIAN OPEN

Another Li-nsanity M

eLBOuRNe – China’s Li Na crushed Maria Sharapova 6-2 6-2 to advance to the final of the Australian Open on Thursday. Sharapova had conceded only nine games coming into the match but Asia’s first grand slam singles champion broke the Russian three times to capture the first set and twice in the second to serve for the match at 5-2. With the temperature rising above 34 Celsius (93F), the 30-year-old Chinese kept her cool to close out the match in one hour and 33 minutes on the second match point when Sharapova clubbed a return into the net. Li, also a finalist in 2011, will play Victoria Azarenka or Sloane Stephens in the final. Meantime, Maria Sharapova has earlier set an Australian Open record to advance to the

Teen run ends

semi-final against Li Na, who ended Agnieszka Radwanska’s perfect start to the tennis season. Second-seeded Sharapova, who won the title in 2008, beat ekaterina Makarova 6-2, 6-2 in an all-Russian quarterfinal at Rod Laver Arena. Sharapova has dropped nine games in reaching the semi-finals of the season-opening Grand Slam, the fewest since the tournament moved to a 128-player draw in 1988. “If I start the match well, I want to follow through with that along the whole way,” said Sharapova (25). “That’s the important thing. It’s not to think, ‘Oh, well, should I just give away a few games.’ It’s not really a mentality of a

of their quarterfinal in Melbourne 12 months ago. Makarova, seeded 19th this year, upset higher-ra n ked players Marion Bartoli and

Li Na of China celebrates during her women’s singles semifinal match against Maria Sharapova of Russia. Li won to set up a finals meeting against former champion Victoria Azarenka who stopped the run of teen sensation Sloane Stephens at the Australian Open tennis tournament in Melbourne.

winner.” Sharapova, who withdrew from her only tune-up event because of a collarbone injury, fired twice as many winners as Makarova in a repeat

Angelique Kerber to reach the last eight. Four-time Grand Slam singles champion Sharapova faced the

former French Open winner Li for a place in Saturday’s final. Sharapova leads Li 8-4 in career meetings. ‘Tough matches’ “I’ve beaten her the last few times that we’ve played, but they’ve always been really tough matches,” said Sharapova. “She’s had a great start to the year and is playing really well.” Sixth-seeded Li of China earlier ended Radwanska’s run of 13 straight victories, including 26 sets in a row, to reach her third Australian Open semifinal. Li, 2011 runnerup at Melbourne Park, beat number four seed Radwanska 7-5, 6-3 at Rod Laver Arena 12 days after losing to her in Sydney. She is seeking her second major title after becoming the first Chinese player to

win a Grand Slam singles title at Roland Garros two years ago. “To win a Grand Slam, you have to win seven matches,” said Li (30). “Before I thought, ‘If I win, who will I play in the fourth round or fifth round?’ Now . . . I’m just taking it match by match.” unforced errors Radwanska served for the first set after Li made three unforced errors and a double fault to give her a 5-4 lead, only for the Pole to lose her service to love. Li held before taking the first set and broke to love for a 4-2 lead in the second set and went on to book her place in the semi-finals. “Some of the games she didn’t let me do anything,” said Radwanska. “Very deep balls all the time. Good serve. She was really playing good tennis.”

eLBOuRNe (Reuters) Victoria Azarenka overcame troubling injuries to end the fairytale run of American teenager Sloane Stephens on Thursday and advance to the Australian Open final against China’s Li Na. Last year’s champion, despite the effects of injuries she appeared to sustain to her left knee and then her ribs, was relatively comfortable against the 19-year-old Stephens to run out a 6-1 6-4 winner. The 23-year-old Belarusian, however, will look forward to two days recovery before the final against Li, who had demolished Maria Sharapova earlier, after she appeared to sustain the injuries early in the second set. Azarenka looked flustered for the rest of the match and her frustration level increased when Stephens saved five match points when the Belarussian was serving while leading 5-3, but she took her next opportunity on Stephens’ next service game.

ALL PUMPED UP. The four semifinalists in the men’s division of the Australian Open are all pumped up. Top, Andy Murray (left) versus Roger Federer (right) and lower photo, David Ferrer (left) versus Novak Djokovic (right).

16 SPORTS

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TOUGH DEFENSE. Defense is the name of the game as typified by these two teams from Ford’s passerelle squad (lower photo) and Ateneo’s mini squad (top). TRMH Photo

eSCANDOR CuP

Ateneo battles resurgent Ford

By Neil Bravo

eague-leading Ateneo de Davao university tests the momentum of a resurgent Ford Academy side at the resumption of the 1st emilio D. escandor Cup basketball tournament on Saturday at the RMC Gym. Ateneo and Ford had a two-week break from action and will have to shake off the rust in their much-anticipated encounter. The Ateneo-Ford match is set at 10:30 am. “This is a very interesting matchup considering that Ateneo wants to protect their record while Ford is aching to take over the league leadership. There is a great motivation for Ford to beat Ateneo, but there is also a lot of pride in the Blue Knights,” said Jek Melendres, tournament commissioner. Ford Academy is riding high on a threegame winning streak to catch up the unbeaten Ateneo (3-0) in the Passerelle Division of this three-divisional tournament sanctioned

by the Samahang Basketbol sa Pilipinas (SBP) and organized by the Royal Mandaya hotel in honor of the late RMh patriarch. Another team hotly in pursuit of the lead, holy Child, is at second place in the standings with a 2-0 slate and will be watching keenly from the sidelines in the Ateneo-Ford setto as they play the Blue Knights the next day. If Ateneo wins over Ford, it will go for win no. 5 against its bitter rivals who are seeking to keep their own streak intact. Before that, the Reds will play a doubleheader on January 26, hoping to chalk up two more wins to move abreast Ateneo. They take on Assumption College of Davao (1-2) at 9:00 a.m. and come back at 1:30 pm on January 26 to play cellar dweller Daniel R. Aguinaldo National high School (0-4). In the lone Mini Division match on that day, Assumption College of Davao (12) meets uIC (1-1) at 12:00 noon.