Edge Davao 5 Issue 31 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.5 ISSUE 31 • APRIL 18, 2012

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Serving a seamless society

Indulge! Page A4

Quitain wants

Push drug testing in business firms

By Jade C. Zaldivar

ICT HUB Page 7

AVAO City Councilor Melchor Quitain in a privilege speech yesterday manifested said he wants results of drug testing as a mandatory requirement for establishments prior renewing business permits. Quitain said he accepted the

All business establishments with more than ten employees will be required to conduct random drug testing.

suggestion of City anti-Drug Abuse Council chief lawyer Eliseo Braganza

proposing enactment of an ordinance which will mandatorily require all business establishments with more than ten employees to conduct random drug testing among them and to submit the results thereof to the city as a prerequisite to the issuance or renewal of their business permits. Quitain noted that although the Sta.

FPUSH, 13

Sports Page 14

WASHED. Children play with a dead milkfish (bangus) which washed ashore in Punta Dumalag where some 200 fish cages have been ordered closed by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on March 29 following Department of Science and Technology’s water analysis results showing presence of coliform and other pathogens. [JADE C. ZALDIVAR]

P350k worth of drugs, ammo confiscated Follow Us On

HIRTY-five grams of drugs worth P350,000 and ammunition were recovered from a businessman during an operation by the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) Davao region last April 13. Arrested at home was Alih Akbar

Ibbo Mahuranni, a.k.a. Akbar Akmad Musa, Alex, or Akbar, 32, married, a businessman and resident of Block 25, Lot 29, Luzville Subdivision, Panacan, this city. Confiscated from the suspect’s residence was one big pack of suspected

methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu weighing 35 grams with a street value of approximately P350,000, assorted drug paraphernalia, and two pieces of caliber .45 magazines with 15 rounds of ammunition. PDEA 11 regional director Emer-

FP350K, 13

ON THE COVER

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Cacao production up by 10% in 2016 By Lorie A. Cascaro

HE Davao regional office of the Department of Agricultural (DA) is targetting a 10% increase in cacao production by 2016, according to Melanie Provido, DA regional coordinator of high value commercial crops. She said initiatives to expand cacao production in the region are coming from the local government units (LGU) and private sectors. While Davao City maintains its strength in the industry, Compostela Valley province is expanding its cacao production significantly with the help of Governor Arthur T. Uy, she added. Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon informed the DA 11 about the cacao plantation and development program in her province, and that she would submit its concept paper anytime soon. There will be a forum on the subject on April 25 to be participated in by local industries, LGUs and the DA 11. The DA regional office will present its statement of support by the time the governor submits her concept paper. The LGU, together with private sectors, will handle the trainings and production, she added. Provido noted that the role of the private sector is significant in the cacao industry, considering that the government’s support is limited, which may be in the form of technical, equipment and facilities usually in the post harvest. “The private sector is here to develop the industry by expanding areas for cacao production and developing the quality of beans,” Provido said, citing the Agricultural Co-

operative Development International/Volunteers in Overseas Cooperative Assistance (ACDI/VOCA), Mars Philippines, and Puentespina Farm among other companies from the private sector. Charita Puentespina, chairperson of the cacao association and owner of Puentespina Farm in Calinan, Davao City, earlier announced the meeting of the Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao on May 8, which will be a venue for industry players to help in bringing back technology on how to grow cacao and rehabilitate cacao trees. “They have challenged us to come up with 100,000 tons of cacao beans by 2020 to supply Mars Cocoa manufacturing plants in China. The demand is great,” she told media earlier. To reach the target volume of cacao beans, there is a need to plant 70 million trees to yield at least 100,000 tons of cacao beans, but, lately, the demand increased to 300,000 tons. Two hundred million cacao trees should be planted by 2020 to reach the target volume of demand. V She cited ACDI/VOCA helping, contacting farmers, and establishing cacao nurseries to ensure quality cacao seedlings. In the mid-80’s, the Philippines produced 40,000 tons of dried beans annually, however, since 2007, production dropped to just 6,000 tons a year. Val Turtur, executive officer of the cacao association, said the country’s domestic demand is 50,000 tons annually. The Davao region contributes 70% of the total cacao production in the country, from 10,000 hectares.

PEANUTS. A peanut vendor hops from one jeep to another in the traffic snarl-up due to a road construction along Quezon Boulevard.[ KARLOS MANLUPIG]

ON3 Davao finalist TRACER, tested

HE product TRACER, the only winner in the ON3 Pitching Competition last April 15 at the Brokenshire College, Davao City, has been tried and tested by the region’s Department of Health (DOH) and Iligan City disaster management, said Samuel Matunog, president of Segworks Technologies Corporation. Pitched by Alvin Quiñones, research and development officer of the company, the TRACER is a data collection and reporting system that is well suited for e-governance. The system has been pilot-tested to collect public health data for DOH 11. Matunog, vice president of Industry and De-

velopment for Information and Communication Technology (ICT) Davao, said the users-midwives of the provinces of Nabunturan and Montevista found the system easy to learn and use. The DOH is now starting to deploy the system as it speeds up collection and improves the accuracy of the data they are tracking nationwide. TRACER had also been successively tested for disaster management in Iligan City for Typhoon Sendong. “I believe TRACER was selected by the judges as finalist because it is already tested and has existing and potential clients,” he said. The product pitched in last year’s competition, but the difference this year is

the TRACER has traction. It is tested in two settings, public health and disaster management. “We have five potential clients, in addition to the DOH. It is cloud-based, with mobile capability. In short, the system is more mature,” Matunog said. He is confident to make it to the Silicon Valley in California, USA, the capital of venture capitalists in the world. Winners from the national finals in July at SMX Mall of Asia will be trained in Silicon Valley for three months. The TRACER, the only finalist from Davao, and Mindanao, “is more mature than last year. So we are confident of our chances,” Matunog added. ON3 this year has fewer participants, but with

more quality coaching and mentoring time. The competition is a partnership of the Science and Technology Advisory Council (STAC) in Sillicon Valley, United States of America, and ICT Davao, Inc., Department of Science and Technology (DOST) 11, Department of Trade and Industry-Davao City Field Office (DTI DCFO), Davao City Local Government Unit (LGU) and Plug and Play Tech Center. It is a business plan competition among start-up companies and students involved in technology, including consumer web, Internet, mobile, wireless, social media, gaming, software, clean, and biotech, where in participants were given three minutes to pitch their plan. [LORIE A. CAS-

By Jade C. Zaldivar

taken a still to be identified chemical substance. The victim’s body, discovered by neighbors Remedios Abiabi and a certain ‘Felimon’, was reportedly in an advanced state of decomposition. Brigole’s wife Benita Tabinggo Brigole told the police that the victim, prior to his suicide, had a suicidal

tendency over his being impotent. “Brigole had previously attempted to commit suicide because of depression for failing to bear a child with his wife,” the police reported. No traces of physical injuries were noted on the body, after it was taken to the Rivera Funeral Parlor in, Panacan, this city.

Voyager goes nationwide Impotence leads man

HE first Mindanaobased company to have a digital mobile planetarium, the Voyager Educational and Event Services, will launch its Voyager Adventures nationwide campaign starting in Mindanao and soon to conquer the Visayas and Luzon. A whole-day activity held within a school campus or any suitable venue provided by the school, the Voyager Adventures highlights the digital planetarium show using lights projected onto the inner surface of a dome to simulate stars, moon, planets, and other interesting space objects. The Voyager Planetarium, the first in South East Asia, is the com-

pany’s own digital planetarium that can show the latest comets, accurate meteor showers, and recent photographs of planets taken by space missions. It also has space photo exhibit; games and quizzes; telescopes; special events such as stargazing camps or science fairs; and, special training for teachers, which includes the Cassini Teacher Training Seminar and Astronomy Updates Training Seminar. Enabling audiences to have a deeper understanding and appreciation of astronomy, the Voyager Adventures has an in-house astronomer specializing in astronomy education, and trained staff to set up and operate the equipment

during events. It is headed by Sayreville O. Harris, chief executive officer (CEO)/presidend for Philippines; Anyatti Abdula Orcullo, CEO/president for Brunei; Jonell L. Damuy, vice president for operations (Phils.); Rodion Herrera, head astronomer; and, Bamm Gabriana, consultant. The company believes that without an understanding and learning about astronomy and the universe, we would not have communication satellites, global positioning systems, or weather forecasting. “It’s clear that astronomy education should be revitalized and incorporated to strengthen science learning,” they said. [LORIE A. CASCARO]

CARO]

to commit suicide

businessman, reportedly despondent over his impotence, commited suicide inside his home last April 15. The body of Felix Hortisano Brigole, 40, married, a resident of Phase 2, Holiday Ocean View, Homeowners Federation, Upper Ilang, this city, was found dead at about 11:30 pmederation, Upper Ilang, this city at 11:30 pm. Preliminary investigation conducted by the Bunawan Police Station tended to show that showed that Brigole may have

Quips

‘THIS is not about energy, this is about attracting investments and creating jobs, and this is about securing the future of this region.’ --President Aquino during the Mindanao Power Summit in Davao City, Feb. 13.

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

Brownouts in GenSan stretch to over 3 hours

HE daily rotating brownouts in General Santos City and in neighboring areas rose to at least three hours Tuesday as the National Power Corporation (NPC) pushed through with the scheduled shutdown of the Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant in Bukidnon to facilitate its month-long rehabilitation. Geronimo Desesto, South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II) institutional services manager, said in an advisory that they were implementing three-hour and 15-minute rotating brownouts daily starting Tuesday as a result of the new power load cuts brought about by the Pulangi plant’s closure. He said they scheduled the power outages, which will run until April 30, in four phases based on the distribution of its 44 feeder stations. Socoteco II serves this city, the entire Sarangani province and the municipalities of Tupi and Polomolok in South Cotabato. Prior to the implementation of the new power curtailment schedule, Socoteco II had implemented two-hour daily rotating brownouts due to the power supply cuts imposed by the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines

(NGCP). NGCP imposed the load cuts due to the rising power supply shortage in Mindanao that reportedly stemmed from the dwindling capacity of the NPC’s hydroelectric plants in Bukinon and Lanao del Norte. Engr. Santiago Tudio, Socoteco I general manager, said the NPC shut down the Pulangi at around 9 a.m. Tuesday based on an advisory issued by the NGCP’s substation in Tacurong City in Sultan Kudarat. He said the plant’s closure means an additional deficit of around 180 MW to Mindanao’s power supply mix during the peak hours. In an advisory posted in its website, the NGCP said the island’s power deficit presently stands at 234 MW and is foreseen to increase to 243 MW on Wednesday and 248 MW on Thursday. On Monday, the reported power supply deficit in Mindanao was at 74 MW or 160 MW less than the current shortage. “The areas that would be hit hardest (by the new load cuts) are those that have high power requirements like Zamboanga City, General Santos City and the Agusan area,” said Tudio, citing the NGCP’s

advisory. In this city, which has a requirement of 105 MW, the NGCP further reduced its supplies by around 10 MW or a total deficit of 40 MW, he said. Since January, the NPC has cut down the area’s power supplies by 30 MW or around 30 percent of its power requirement. Socoteco II had forged a supply contract with the Aboitiz-owned Therma Marine Inc. (TMI) to augment the area’s power supplies by 23 MW, leaving its current deficit to around 17 MW. Tudio said that for Socoteco I’s service area, the average daily power supply cuts would reach around 5 MW based on the NGCP’s new load distribution schedule. Socoteco I, which has a peak requirement of 31 MW, covers Koronadal City, Lutayan town in Sultan Kudarat and eight municipalities in South Cotabato. “Our regular supply has been reduced to 25 MW but we have a contracted augmentation of 5 MW from TMI so the impact of Pulangi IV’s shutdown will be very minimal here. At worst, our rotating brownouts may only reach about 30 minutes,” Tudio said. [ALLEN V. ESTABILLO/

social development projects, a top official said. SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros, Jr. said the funds are available through the newly-created Business Development Loan Facility (BDLF) and

Social Development Loan Facility (SDLF), which consolidate SSS’ business and social loan programs. “The new SSS lending facilities enable us to offer financial assistance to a wider range of projects and borrowers. Coop-

SKIN INFECTIONS. Punta Dumalag kids frolicking in its waters showed skin infections on their bodies. Studies have proven a high content of coliform and other patho-

gens resulting from indiscriminate throwing of liquid and human waste into the coastal waters. [JADE C. ZAL-

‘Higher power rates bad for Mindanao economy’ SSS earmarking P7 billion I MINDANEWS]

for business, social loans

N a bid to help boost employment and spur national economic growth, the Social Security System (SSS) is earmarking a total of P7 billion for lending to private enterprises seeking funds for business expansion and

FSSS, 13

NCREASING the power rates in Mindanao will have “dire consequences” on the island’s economy, as its present rates are already high compared to those in key cities in Asia, a lawmaker yesterday warned. In a statement, Bayan Muna Rep. Teddy Casiño also said that President Benigno Aquino III’s premise that Mindanao has been unjustifiably enjoying cheap power rates is “totally wrong.” “True, Mindanao has lower power rates than

ANTI-BALIKATAN. The Mindanao-wide caravan versus Balikatan reached Cotabato City on Monday evening and was expected to arrive in Pagadian on Tuesday afternoon. With an expected 5,000 participants, the caravan aims to urge the government to defend the national sovereignty and patrimony of the country. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

DIVAR]

Luzon and the Visayas. But Mindanao is actually paying much more than most major cities in Asia. In fact, residential consumers in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), Cagayan de Oro City, Northern Mindanao, and the Davao and Caraga regions are paying twice the electricity rates of residents in Seoul and Beijing,” he said Latest available comparative data show that Mindanao has an effective residential rate of P6.69 per kilowatt-hour (kWh). Luzon has P9.84 while Visayas has P8.19, Casiño said, citing the 18th EPIRA Implementation Report. But he pointed out that except for Caraga, all the Mindanao regions mentioned above have more expensive residential power rates than Hong Kong. “These areas in Mindanao, plus Cotabato City, Iligan City, SOCCKSARGEN, and the Zamboanga Peninsula all have higher residential rates than major Asian capitals like Taipei, Kuala Lumpur, Jakarta, New Delhi, Bangkok, and Shanghai, among others. All in all, Mindanao is paying an average of P1.82 per kWh more for electricity than the 31 major cities in Asia and Oceania surveyed by Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO),” Casiño said. He warned that making Mindanao’s power rates at par with those in the Visayas and Luzon will

make the island lose its competitive edge. “Good public policy dictates that power rates should be kept as low as possible to spur investments and keep prices of commodities low. But the President’s policy is to increase prices to attract private power firms whose objective is to sell power at the highest possible rates. It’s just crazy!” the lawmaker said. Casiño accused the President of “favoring private power firms that want high prices instead of consumers who want low prices.” “He should also see that Mindanao is different from Luzon and the Visayas considering that a large percentage of its power comes from hydropower that is cheap,” he added. “It is tragic that Mindanao’s reliance on hydropower is seen as a problem rather than the solution to the crisis. For so many decades, it has been the government-run hydropower plants that have kept prices low in Mindanao. The solution is to increase and further develop this cheap source of renewable energy, not replace it with expensive and dirty diesel and coal plants owned by private companies,” he stressed. He cited the case of Norway and New Zealand which rely 90 percent and 66 percent, respectively, on hydropower. [MINDANEWS]

SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Plastic bags: From boon to blight By Jims Vincent T. Capuno

SSAYIST Wendell Berry said it plainly: “Our economy is such that we cannot afford to take care of things: labor is expensive, time is expensive, money is expensive, but materials – the stuff of creation – are so cheap that we cannot afford to take care of them.” Such is the case of plastic bags. “Plastic bags could be the most ubiquitous consumer item on Earth,” wrote Brian Halweil of the Washingtonbased Worldwatch Institute. “Their light weight, low cost and water resistance make them so convenient for carrying groceries, clothing or any other routine purchase that it’s hard to imagine life without them.” Economies worldwide are following suit. “Since they were introduced in the 1970s, plastic bags have infiltrated our lives,” wrote Caroline Williams in an article which appeared in New Scientist. “Globally, we carry home between 500 billion and a trillion every year -- about 150 bags for every person on earth, or, to put it another way, a million every minute and rising.” Today, a growing number of environmentalists has considered plastic bag as public enemy no. 1. “Plastic bags are a waste of resources in that we use them once and throw them away,” Claire Wilton, senior waste campaigner for the London-based Friends of the Earth. Plastic bags start as crude oil, natural gas or other petrochemical derivatives that are transformed in plastic factories into chains of hydrogen and carbon molecules known as polymers or polymer resin. High-density polyethylene resin is the industry standard for plastic bags. “The polyethylene is superheated and the molten resin is extruded as a tube, sort of like the process of making pasta,” said Halweil. “After the desired shape is achieved, the resin is cooled, hardens and can be flattened, sealed, punched or printed on.” Although the lay person tends to think of plastic as a single material having numerous applications, more than 46 different polymers are actually in common use. A squeezable ketchup bottle, for example, is made of six layers of plastics, each engineered to do a different job, such as

to give the bottle shape, strength, flexibility and impermeability. The typical plastic bag that weighs just a few grams and is a few millimeters thick might seem thoroughly innocuous were it not for the sheer volume of global production: 500 billion to one trillion a year. Producing plastic bags uses about 20%40% less energy and water than paper sack production does, and generates less air pollution and solid waste, according to life cycle assessments by both industry and nonindustry groups. Officials from the plastics industry also note that plastic bags take up less space in a landfill and that neither product decomposes under the prevailing conditions in most landfills. That’s one side of the coin. The other side: Given the proper conditions, however, the paper sack would decompose rapidly, while the plastic bag would not. In reality, many plastic bags do not find their way to landfills. A survey conducted by the EcoWaste Coalition and Greenpeace Philippines in 2006 discovered plastic bags and other synthetic packaging materials to comprise 76 percent of garbage retrieved from Manila Bay. In Laguna de Bay, plastic bags make up 25% of the solid waste that is polluting the lake. “Plastic bags end up as litter as it makes its way to landfills, drainages and bodies of water, taking decades to decompose and damaging marine life when dumped into the sea,” said Senator Loren Legarda in a statement. The World Wildlife Fund for Nature claimed that nearly 200 different marine species die due to ingestion and choking from plastic bags. Some marine turtles (pawikan) die after eating plastic bags, which they mistake for jellyfish, squid, or some other food. Discussing plastics in general term, a report which appeared in Environmental Action noted, “Many of the chemicals used in the production and processing of plastic are highly toxic, resulting in hazardous wastes, toxic air emissions and discharges of toxic effluents into waterways.” The report further stated: “People don’t think plastic products are toxic because by the time they get to supermarket shelves, they’re not. But

ingredients in plastic production have dangerous properties for those who work with them or live near plastic factories.” And now the good news: Some manufacturers have recently introduced biodegradable or compostable plastic bags made from starches, polymers or polylactic acid, and no polyethylene. So far, these account for less than 1% of the market and are prohibitively expensive, according to the Biodegradable Products Institute, an association that promotes the use of biodegradable polymeric materials. Nonetheless, the organizers of the 2000 Olympics Games in Sydney, Australia, collected 76% of the food waste generated at the sports venues and the athletes’ village by using biodegradable food utensils and plastic bags that composted as easily as the food and that eliminated the need to separate the garbage. The composts were used to nourish city gardens the following spring. Elsewhere, governments and individuals are suggesting a more permanent solution that does not depend on new technology. In South Africa, the government took action in 2002 by requiring industry to make bags more durable and more expensive, to discourage their disposal – prompting a 90% reduction in use. In the Philippines, Senator Legarda, chair of the Senate committee on climate change, filed Senate Bill No. 2759, which proposes to groceries, supermarkets, public markets, restaurants, fast-food chains, and department and retail stores to refrain from using plastic bags. Another senator, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., filed Senate Bill No. 2749, which seeks to regulate the use of plastic bags

to minimize land-based sources of pollution and protect the quality of water. But plastic bags should not be the only one to be singled out. There are also plastic containers, which “poised to overtake glass bottles and jars (as container of food and beverages) by 2020,” reported The Future of European Food and Drink Packaging to 2015 The report – which covers 12 European countries in Western and Eastern European, Scandinavia as well as Russia and Turkey – predicts that plastic bottles, particularly PET containers, already added almost 12 billion units to annual

volumes between 2005 and 2010 and will add 17 billion units by 2015. PET is an acronym for polyethylene terephthalate, which is the plastic used to produce rigid containers such as carbonated soda bottles, mineral water, milk, fruit juices, sports and energy drinks, and ready-todrink teas. Most of the world PET production, over 60 percent, is used for synthetic fibers; PET bottles account for only 30 percent. The popularity of PET bottles is traced by the report to clarity, unbreakability, design flexibility, light weight, recyclability, economical production and improved ultraviolet light protection that ex-

tends the shelf life of PET packages. “In recent years, PET bottles have shown the strongest growth in the drinks sector by replacing glass bottles, liquid cartons and metal cans in many applications,” said the report which was commissioned by the industry consultant Pira International. While PET containers can be recycled, most people don’t do so. About 85 percent of PET containers are never recycled, according to the Container Recycling Institute. Just like plastic bags, PET containers mostly end up in landfills. Is this happening in the Philippines, too?

or “kuryentipid” tips to guide the public on how to bring down the usage and wastage of electricity, a basic consumer need. Making the most of the natural air and light available, using a ceiling fan instead of an airconditioner, unplugging lights, appliances and gadgets when not in use and organizing chores for more energy efficiency like washing with a

full load are among these “hot” tips. “By saving electricity at home and workplace, we not only cut back our monthly bills but also rein in greenhouse gases from the burning of fossil fuels, which contributes to environmental and climate pollution,” said Roy Alvarez, EcoWaste Coalition president. “Aside from conserving electricity, we urge the public to voice their

EcoWaste Coalition pushes electricity conservation; backs renewable energy

S leaders of the public and private sectors scuttle for solutions to prevent the power shortage in Mindanao from worsening, environmentalists have come up with practical steps that will moderate consumer demand for electricity. The EcoWaste Coalition, a waste and pollution watchdog, has prepared 22 “hot” electricity conservation tips

FECOWASTE, 13

EDGEDAVAO

Stat Watch

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

3.5% 4th Qtr 2011

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

3.7% 4th Qtr 2011 USD 3,342 Million Nov 2011 USD 4,985 Million Nov 2011 USD -1,643 Million Nov 2011 USD -114 Million Dec 2011 P4,442,355 Million Nov 2011

3. Exports 1/ 4. Imports 1/ 5. Trade Balance 6. Balance of Payments 2/ 7. Broad Money Liabilities 8. Interest Rates 4/

4.71% Oct 2011 P128,745 Million Nov 2011 P 4,898 Billion Oct 2011

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

P 43.65 Dec 2011

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

3,999.7 Sept 2011

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

128.1 Jan 2012

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.9 Jan 2012

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.4 Dec 2011

16. Visitor Arrivals

284,040 Sept 2011

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

19.1% Oct 2011

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

6.4% Oct 2011

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

2011

2010

2009

Average December November October September August July June May April March

43.31 43.64 43.27 43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52

45.11 43.95 43.49 43.44 44.31 45.18 46.32 46.30 45.60 44.63 45.74

47.637 46.421

February

43.70

46.31

January

44.17

46.03

47.032 46.851 48.139

48.161 48.146 47.905 47.524 48.217

48.458 47.585 47.207

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

Kim is new World Bank chief T

HE World Bank chose Jim Yong Kim, a Koreanborn physician, as its new president on Monday, extending Washington’s hold on the organization tasked with helping developing nations. Kim, a renowned health expert and educator, was nominated by President Barack Obama last month to head the 187-nation World Bank, established in 1944. The bank’s directors selected Kim in a meeting over Nigerian Finance Minister Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala. He succeeds Robert Zoellick, former deputy secretary of state. Kim will take up the post in July for a five-year term. Born in Seoul, the capital of South Korea, in 1959, Kim moved to the U.S. with his family when he was 5 years old. Kim has served as the president of Dartmouth College since 2009. He is known for tireless efforts to treat HIV/AIDS and tuberculosis in the developing world. Kim openly said his knowledge on South Korea’s industri-

alization and democratization will be of great help in working at the World Bank. The U.S. hailed Kim’s election, which kept alive the tradition of Americans leading the World Bank despite a challenge by some developing nations. Kim’s selection marks the first time that the head of the World Bank has been chosen through formal competition. “I appreciate the strong support offered to Dr. Kim from leaders around the world,” Obama said in a statement. “I am also pleased that this has been an open and transparent process, and would like to take this opportunity to acknowledge the outstanding qualifications and commitment of the other two candidates.” Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner also said, “Dr. Kim has a lifetime of experience solving complex problems. His deep development background coupled with his dedication to forging consensus will help breathe new life into the World Bank’s efforts to secure fast economic growth that is widely shared.”

Shift to local demand, emerging markets told

MERGING economies of the world should shift to more domestic demanddriven growth in order to push the global recovery forward, South Korea’s central bank governor said. In a speech made at Goethe University in Germany on Monday, Kim Choong-soo stressed that in order for the world to pull off sustainable growth and maintain financial stability, there is a need to forge closer international economic cooperation between emerging and advanced market economies. He added that for the world to move ahead emerging market economies need to play a greater role. The Bank of Korea (BOK) chief said emerging economies need to shift from external demand-driven growth to a more domestic centered growth. He said this latter type of growth will not only be less prone to drive a buildup of global imbalances but also contribute more to overall eco-

nomic growth. For advanced market economies, the BOK governor said there is a need to strive for fiscal balance with central banks needing to take steps to retrieve excessive liquidity in the market. He added that in the long run, central banks from around the world can take steps to form an “International Monetary Policy Committee” suggested by scholars that can serve as a mechanism for evaluating the overall effects of monetary policies and introduce multilateral guidelines to safeguard against financial sector breakdowns. Kim’s speech was attended by members of the European Central Bank, Germany’s Bundesbank and academicians. The governor, meanwhile, will fly to Washington to take part in the Group of 20 finance ministers and central bankers meeting slated for Thursday and Friday.

Jim Yong Kim

China confident on achieving 10% trade growth

HINA is confident on achieving the full-year target of 10-percent growth in foreign trade, despite slowed growth in the first quarter due to cumulative factors, the Ministry of Commerce (MOC) said Tuesday. In the first three months this year, the country’s exports and imports rose 7.3 percent from a year earlier. “The growth rate was relatively low. It was a result of cumulative factors from both home and abroad,” MOC spokesman Shen Danyang said at a press conference. The world’s largest exporter suffered from weak external demand, increasing trade competition and disputes, and rising costs for domestic enterprises in the first quarter, Shen said. Despite these difficulties, exports grew 7.6 percent compared to the same period last year. “It was hard earned and better than expected,” the spokesman said. He said weak growth in the United States and the European Union, China’s two major export markets, reduced orders for many Chinese exporters.

Meanwhile, rising costs for domestic companies made Chinese exports more expensive and less competitive. “Some orders, especially those of labor-intensive industries, were taken away by countries and regions in Southeast Asia,” Shen said. Rising trade protectionism also posed new challenges to Chinese exporters. In the first quarter, foreign countries filed 16 trade remedy cases against China, up 180 percent from a year earlier. Those cases involved nearly 3 billion U.S. dollars, more than double that in the same period last year, Shen said. As for imports, the spokesman said the growth fell within a reasonable range but was slightly lower than market expectations. Weak domestic demand, an anticipated deceleration of processing trade and falling commodity prices led to the slower import growth. The ministry had actively worked to help exporters and importers, and it was confident that the growth would pick up in the second quarter and the full-year target would be achieved, Shen said.

as of august 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

DA boosts fishing activity in Lake Lanao B

rgy. Borakis, Balindong, Lanao del Sur – Maranaos here have better reason to get up early, sail and do their fishing activity. This after the fisherfolk community were granted their new boats and fishing gear to boost their sluggish fishing livelihood. “For a long time, many of us were fishermen without a boat and nets of our own,” said Macalaba Saporna in his Maranao dialect. The livelihood assistance was from the local government unit of Balindong and the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP). MRDP is poverty alleviation initiative under DA aimed to uplift living conditions of select poor communities in Mindanao. Funded by the loan portfolio from the World Bank and equity share of the national and local government units, the program covers 225 towns in all of the six regions in Mindanao. In this coastal barangay along Lake Lanao, expectedly fishing is the main source of income. But the lack of fishing gear is also among their prob-

lem. “It was difficult even for subsistence much more for income generation. Lake Lanao is abundant in fish but we could hardly benefit from it,” said Saporna who is the president of the Borakis Ranao Association. So-called “people of the Lake”, the Maranaos are skillful fishermen whose economic activities are tied mostly on Lake Lanao known as the deepest freshwater lake and the second largest lake in the Philippines. “Before, those who do not have boats have to wait for the boat owners to comeback after their fishing. Only then can they sail and fish for their own catch,” said Saporna. Such arrangement was difficult but many of them was used to compromise lest there will be no food on their tables. Having to wait for the boat owners’ permission to use their banca is a waste of a lot of time and fishing has to be on the right time in order to catch more fish. “It was really difficult back then. Even as we wake up in the morning we worry whether we could have food on the table or much more extra catch to sell for

Boatmen. To boost their livelihood activities, the fisherfolk community living along Lake Lanao in Balindog, Lanao del Sur receive new boats and fishing gears from the partnership of the local government unit and the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program.[PHOTO BY SHERWIN B. MANUAL] income,” said Saporna. In the October 2011, the PO was able to access at least P250,000 funding from MRDP which they use to purchase 25 boats and nets for the first 25 beneficiaries. “Each boat means food on table and income since fishing is our main source of food and income,” he said. “They are in our priority list since many of the

families in that community belong to the poorest of the poor” Mayor Raysalam Mangondato said. “Since we are a fourth class town our IRA (Internal Revenue Allotment) cannot really provided the needed assistance especially on livelihood even if we wanted to. We need to prioritize our infrastructure, health concerns and other social services” said Mayor Mangondato.

“We find in MRDP a big ally. So we invested in the Program infrastructure projects like irrigation and roads. As well as potable water systems which many of our communities badly need and livelihood projects which they have long clamored for,” she said. Soparna said the boat and the fishing gears provided them has brought a renewed hope and confidence that income and

food on their table is somehow secured. “I notice our little village has become more alive now that many of us have boats of our own. In fact some fishermen here bring their catch to the nearby town’s market daily. Paired with our hardwork and skills, we are secured to boost our income and provide food for our families,” he said. (SHERWIN B. MANUAL/

a local beverage manufacturing company. The bulk of the equity inflows came from the U.S., Australia, Kuwait, and Canada. These were primarily directed to the following sectors: manufacturing, wholesale and retail trade, financial and insurance activities, real estate, and mining. Positive domestic economic developments, including strong external payments dynamics and favorable corporate earnings for 2011, helped boost investor sentiment. Reinvested earnings reached US$32 million in January 2012 as foreign enterprises opted to re-

tain their earnings locally, reflecting improving business sentiment. Meanwhile, the other capital account—consisting largely of intercompany borrowing/lending between foreign direct investors and their subsidiaries/affiliates in the Philippines—reversed to a small net outflow of US$5 million from a net inflow of US$149 million in the same period a year ago. The outflow was due to the repayment of loans by local subsidiaries to their parent companies and to higher trade credits extended to affiliates abroad.

Meanwhile, cumulative remittances for the first two months of 2012 reached $3.1 billion, higher by 5.6 percent than the level recorded in the same period last year. The continued inflow of OF remittances is supported by the sustained demand for Filipino manpower in various foreign labor markets. Latest data from the Philippine Overseas Employment Administration (POEA) showed that for the period January-March 2012, job orders for professional and technical, service and production workers increased by 24.6 percent to 200,010 in the comparable period last year. These are mainly intended for employment opportunities in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Taiwan, Kuwait, Singapore

and Hong Kong, among others. Going forward, the lifting of the bans imposed by POEA in deployment to Nigeria, Libya and South Sudan, following improved security conditions in these countries, could provide additional employment prospects abroad for Filipino manpower. Moreover, local banks and other financial institutions continued to expand their presence abroad to serve the remittance needs of Filipino workers. The improved accessibility of remittance centers, and the wider array of financial products on offer, supported the increase in remittances and encouraged more overseas Filipinos to send money to their families and other beneficiaries in the Philippines.

DAMRPD)

Major irrigation system to Money Talks shutdown for three months FDIs rise sharply in January 2012

major repair of an irrigation system that serves thousands of hectares of palay farms in the provinces of South Cotabato and Sultan Kudarat will push next month, an official said. Ramon A. Bugacia, National Irrigation Administration manager for South Cotabato, said the Allah River Irrigation System (ARIS) will be shut down to restore the dam’s efficiency. “From the original four months, we have reduced the repair work schedule to three months to minimize its impact on palay farmers because when their livelihood is affected, it also has effects on the [local] economy,” he told reporters recently. The major repair works include two dams that have not undergone major rehabilitation works since they were commissioned in the early 1970s. Some P138 million has been allocated to cover the rehabilitation of the dams and line canals. “This is the biggest annual budget that we have gotten so far since previously we were only

getting P30 million to P40 million a year, and this is because of the target of the Aquino government for food self-sufficiency and to stop rice importation by 2013,” Bugacia earlier said. Reynaldo H. Legaste, South Cotabato chief agriculture officer, earlier said the closure of the dams would affect an estimated 7,000 hectares of rice farms in South Cotabato and another 2,000 hectares in neighboring Sultan Kudarat. For the estimated 7,000 hectares of palay farms in South Cotabato that would be hit by the irrigation repair works, the yield would be equivalent to 28,000 tons or 28 million kilograms, Legaste said. “That is enough to feed the population of South Cotabato for three months,” he stressed. Based on the 2007 census, South Cotabato has a population of nearly 770,000 people. The estimated rice production loss in the province is equivalent to 30%, which normally is the surplus per cropping cycle that is brought to

other neighboring regions like Davao. Legaste said this may lead to an artificial shortage in neighboring regions that would lead to price increases, as the demand would overwhelm the supply. He failed to state though the possible price adjustment in the looming rice shortage projected to hit the area. In 2008, prices of rice almost doubled to P50 per kilo in Mindanao due to scarce global rice supply, sending a long queue of people in stores buying cheaper rice from the National Food Authority at a controlled volume. Today’s prices of premium commercial rice in South Cotabato range between P34 and P37 from between P30 and P35 per kilo a few months ago. Legaste said that farmers affected by the shutdown of the irrigation system would get subsidies if they resort to other crops. Also, they would still have an income since they would be hired as laborers in the irrigation system’s rehabilitation works, he said.

OREIGN direct investments (FDIs) posted net inflows amounting to US$766 million in January 2012, almost four times higher than the yearago level of US$214 million. This was achieved as a result of net equity capital inflows which stood at US$739 million during the month from only US$31 million in January 2011. In particular, gross equity capital placements reached US$761 million due to inflows arising mainly from the final tranche of the share purchase agreement for the acquisition of shares of stock by a foreign firm in

Remittances reach $1.6 billion in February 2012

EMITTANCES from overseas Filipinos (OFs) coursed through banks rose to $1.6 billion in February 2012, posting a year-onyear growth of 5.8 percent, Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco, Jr. announced today. About three-fourths (76.1 percent or $1.2 billion) of the total cash transfers for the month were sent by landbased workers while nearly one-fourth (23.9 percent or $0.4 billion) came from seabased workers. The top ten source countries of cash remittances from OFs are the U.S., Canada, Saudi Arabia, Japan, the U.K., Singapore, United Arab Emirates, Italy, Germany and Hong Kong, with these countries accounting for 86.3 percent of the total fund transfers reported by banks.

EDGEDAVAO

ICT HUB

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

Targeting the mobile market I

T’S not often that a two-year-old start-up becomes a $1 billion company. Yet Instagram, a popular smartphone application that allows users to tweak photos and share them with their friends, was paid that byFacebook Inc in a deal announced on Monday. The purchase of the San Francisco-based private company helps Facebook both strengthen its core photo-sharing services and take out a possible competitor all at once, analysts said. Venture capitalists that invested in Instagram before the Facebook deal reportedly doubled their money in the span of a few days. Few retail investors can take part in these early funding rounds that become hugely profitable once a company goes public or is taken over by a competitor. But there are ways to profit from the growingsocial media and mobile computing sectors that don’t involve giving money to a VC firm in Silicon Valley. TECH M&A HEATING UP The high price that Facebook paid for Instagram may be a sign mergers and acquisitions will pick up across the cashrich technology sector, potentially making large companies more attractive. “Facebook is very acquisitive and has a pretty robust M&A strategy which is only going to get more robust once they go public,” said Ed Zimmerman, the head of the technology group at Lowenstein Sandler, a law firm that works with venture capital and private equity firms to negotiate and close deals. Michael O’Bryan, the co-head of the M&A practice at Morrison & Foerster, said largetech companies such as Google Inc, Apple Inc and Microsoft Corp will likely step up their acquisitions this year to keep up with the rapidly expanding social media and mobile markets. These deals are focused more on finding products or apps that have buzz and momentum than on those that are profitable, he said. Purchases are typically meant to help them expand their platform of products and services in ways they may be lacking. Google may be especially prone to signing new deals to better posi-

tion itself for growth as its core business of web search and advertising faces new challenges. “We see the growth of semi-closed and prominent networks including Facebook, Twitter and Siri/Apps in general as an increasing threat to Google - not only as competition for ad dollars, but also to search quality and therefore monetization,” Daniel Ernst, an analyst at Hudson Square Research, said in March 29 note to clients. Google shares have been stagnant lately, despite the market’s 2012 rally. The stock price is down 2.9 percent since the start of the year, compared with an 8 percent jump in the S&P 500 index, based on afternoon trading on Tuesday. At around $633 per share, the company’s shares are well below the average analyst target price of $721, according to Thomson Reuters data. The company reports its earnings on April 12 after the bell. A jump in M&A activity would also mean more fees for the financial firms that structure deals. The value of global M&A deals dropped to $416 billion in the first quarter of 2012 from $737 billion over the same period in 2011, according to preliminary Thomson Reuters data. Mergers in the United States totaled $127 billion, a 60 percent drop from 2011. JPMorgan Chase & Co, Goldman

ACQUIRED. A photo illustration shows the applications Facebook and Instagram on the screen of an iPhone in Zagreb April 9, 2012. Facebook announced on Monday that it will pay $1 billion in cash and stock for photo-sharing application Instagram, making its largest-ever acquisition months before the No. 1 social media website is expected to go public. The popular Instagram application, which allows users to add filters and effects to pictures taken on their smartphones, has gained about 30 million users since it first launched in January 2011. JPMorgan trades at a price to earnings ratio of 9.6, well below the nearly 14 multiple of the broad Standard & Poor’s 500 index, and pays a dividend yield of 2.8 percent. It is

Sachs Group Inc and Citigroup Inc were the most active firms in the industry. JPMorgan may be one of the strongest firms of the group because of a diversified base that includes a strong credit card arm, according to analysts at Trefis, an online stock analytics service. The company recently announced it would raise its dividend by 20 percent, paying out 30 cents per quarter instead of 25 cents.

down 8 percent over the last 12 months, a figure that includes its 29 percent jump since the start of 2012. BUY THE TOLLTAKERS A less risky way to play the social media and mobile market could be to look at the telecommunications sector. AT&T Inc and Verizon Communications Inc, for instance, are the largest U.S. wireless data carriers and should be attractive

“The high price that Facebook paid for Instagram may be a sign mergers and acquisitions will pick up across the cashrich technology sector, potentially making large companies more attractive.”

to income investors, said John Manley, chief equity strategist at Wells Fargo Funds. “These are classic yield plays. They are bond substitutes, with the kicker that they are in a pretty good growth business,” he said. AT&T offers a divi-

dend yield of 5.8 percent. The company’s shares are largely unchanged since the start of the year, dropping only 0.3 percent. Verizon offers a yield of 5.4 percent. Its shares are down 8 percent since the start of the year. The iShares S&P Global Telecommunica-

tions ETF offers a way to expand this bet overseas. AT&T, Vodafone Group Plc, Verizon and Telefonica SA make up its largest positions. The $436 million fund yields 5.4 percent and costs $48 cents per $100 invested. It is up 1.3 percent since the start of the year.

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Entangling foreign frenemies COMMENTARY

EDITORIAL

If the price is right. . .

AST week Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte chaired a command conference to address the problem of so-called ‘guns for hire’ having infiltrated the city. People killing other people, whether in this country or any other country, is not news. It happens every day and for many reasons. Such happenings are a daily fare in media reports, and have become commonplace. But there are killings that are just plain murders for being premeditated or planned . This is where guns for hire come in. ‘Guns for hire’ are people who make a living by using their guns to kill other people--‘if the price is right’--so to speak, the price having been agreed upon between the hirer and the hired gun. The hired assassin may not have had any previous knowledge about his ‘target’. He could not care less, either, as long as he gets paid handsomely for the ‘hit’.

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That’s all that matters to him. While the guns for hire reported by the police were supposed to be used to settle quarrels between family members or against business rivals, etc., still murder is murder and it is the duty of the police to keep an eye on such groups with special attention to the fact that there is an election coming up. That will attract the attention of guns for hire. The history of Philippine elections is replete with instances where hired goons in many election trouble spots in this country played their roles to the hilt. While we may feel relieved that one or two groups of alleged hired guns left Davao City after Vice Mayor Duterte warned of dire things to come to them unless they left town pronto, they are probably just across the border waiting for any call for their ‘expertise’. If the price is right. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

RAMON M. MAXEY Consultant

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

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

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BY IAN BREMMER

T’S often said that kinship runs deeper than friendship. Lately, when it comes to chumminess among world leaders and their colleagues in neighboring countries, friendship has trumped citizenship. Until recently, it was rare to find leaders willing to forge friendships with candidates across borders or to find would-be leaders campaigning inside foreign countries. There are good reasons for that: Candidates who cross these lines can find it harder to win elections or to govern once the electoral test is passed. Their foreign friends can pay a price for backing the wrong horse and for forfeiting a bit of diplomatic leverage once they find themselves sitting across the bargaining table from the man or woman they campaigned against. Consider three current examples. Angela Merkel and Nicolas Sarkozy German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s support for the re-election bid of French President Nicolas Sarkozy is especially startling. It’s hardly surprising that Merkel wants Sarkozy to win. The two leaders have forged a durable personal relationship as they navigated their way through Europe’s ongoing crisis of confidence. The French and German leaders deserve considerable praise for their well-coordinated bid to bolster the euro zone. But for Merkel, there’s a big difference between privately willing Sarkozy on and campaigning at his side across France – particularly at a time when Sarkozy trails Socialist Party challenger François Hollande significantly in opinion polls. Given the populist mood in France, Merkel’s stated reasons for supporting Sarkozy – that he is a conservative candidate whose party is philosophically aligned with her own Christian Democratic Union – sounds less like a boost for his campaign than a nail in his coffin. And in the end, Merkel will have important work to do with France’s next president, whoever that turns out to be. Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev Of course, Obama has a bromance of his own. In March, Russia’s presidential election drew allegations of voter fraud both at home and abroad as the country’s top two politicians switched jobs – again. Yet the U.S. president has offered little criticism of President (soon-to-be Prime Minister) Dmitry Medvedev and has even indicated a preference for working with him over his partner and puppet master, Vladimir Putin. Former President George W. Bush once claimed to have “a sense of [Putin’s] soul,” but Russia’s once-and-future president is no great fan of the United States and gets plenty of political mileage out of attacking U.S. foreign policy. Why, then, would Obama try to build a friendship with the only man with whom Putin must share the spotlight, a man with little real leverage in Russia’s elite politics? Even as Secretary of State Clinton is challenging Putin on human rights, her boss is using Dmitry to “transmit” messages to Vladimir. The job of head of state is tough enough, and the various international crises of the past four years have done nothing to make it easier. Yes, world leaders can feel a kinship that comes with membership in an elite and demanding club, but some of their friendships aren’t doing them – or their constituents – any favors.

EDGEDAVAO

ROM THE snow-capped mountains of freezing Europe to the rice paddies of steaming-hot Bansalan, ts a long way half around the world for Fritz, a Swiss in his 50’s, to find a pretty Bagobo wife, Maguinda, who bore him four beautiful half-Swiss, half-Bagobo children. When Fritz insisted that I join his family for Chinese dinner at Ahfat Seafoods behind Victoria Plaza Mall a couple of months ago, I turned up on time in the early evening, not because I really wanted to go, but because I turned him down with some stupid reasons the first time he invited me. This time, I didn’t regret showing up because the whole Bagobo clan of his wife came down from the mountains of Bansalan, filling half of Ahfat and turning it into a Bagobo village pow-wow for the night. I was seated three tables away from him when he noticed me, his arms upraised, calling me. “Over here, Boyaks! Sit beside us! I just ordered some big crabs,” he yelled above the din of the Bagobo dinner crowd, all Pinoy relatives of him and his entire Swiss-Bagobo family. They included his wife’s mother, father, sisters and their families, brothers and their families, wife’s brothers and sisters and all their families, as well as his wife’s grandmother and her families. It was probably the biggest family reunion I’ve seen in my entire life. Seated beside me at the round dinner table was Simon, one of his two big sons in their early 20’s, while seated next to his wife Maguinda was his other son Lehman and teen-age daughter Monique, who didn’t look like Swiss or Bagobo either. At least to me, they looked like Brazilians, if you can imagine a Caucasian who had stayed too long under the tropical sun, turning their white skin to deep tan,

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

When a Swiss falls in love with a Bagobo almost too brown for comfort. Simon, who can talk English rather well for a Swiss, confided to me that he’s joining the Army after he finishes school in Switzerland, a neutral country that never fought in any war in its history. I was a bit confused, knowing that the Swiss don’t know how to fight a war, being so nice and all. All I can think of a Swiss Army is their “Swiss Army Knife” and those medieval guards in colorful Shakespearean costumes with swords and lances guarding the Vatican, the smallest nation on earth. “Don’t tell my father, I’m joining the Army”, he whispered.. “Ya? I thought your country doesn’t have an army,” I said, keeping my voice low above the din of blabbering clan. “We do have an army, not everyone knows that we do.” “Y-You mean you have a secret army?” “Not so secret of course, it has its own website.” “Do they train you to kill?” “Not really, we help people stay alive.” “You mean, you don’t learn to fire a gun and shoot?” “We’re trained to dismantle guns, clean them and ---“ “And learn to pull the trigger?” “Not really, we keep the guns safe for people.” Our talk was going nowhere, so the impression I got from him was that the Swiss still remain the most peaceful people in this raging planet, probably the only refuge for restless, trigger-happy Pinoys who want nothing more than the smell and touch of a .45 or an M-16 and the sound of a gun being fired. What excites Simon and his father Fritz more than anything else is their big concrete house which is almost finished in the mountains of Magsaysay, near the villages of their Bagobo relatives near Sultan Kudarat who have become an adopted family to them, all these years when Maguinda made Switzerland, the world’s richest country, her home.

Probably by Swiss standards, they don’t see themselves as “rich” but modestly well-off enough to have their own home in a picturesque mountain near Zurich, a place so beautiful you don’t need Heaven anymore, because you’re right there. Besides having their own beautiful home there, their children all go to school from grade school to high school to college ---all for free. Zurich, as we all know, is the place where Swiss banks stash away all the billions of dollars and euros from greedy companies that don’t want to pay taxes and from government officials who hide their huge cuts from multi-million dollar deals. These idiots trust Swiss bankers so much because they know how to keep their mouths shut, even Hitler’s money and treasures were kept safe for many years before they were discovered. Make no mistake about their lifestyle--- they didn’t want to stay in a worldclass hotel like Marco Polo when they visited Davao early this year. They checked-in and settled for a week or two in a small, run-down hotel at C.M. Recto Street that had cockroaches crawling on the blankets of their beddings at night and rats peeping thru small holes under the hotel doors. Fritz walked around this city in a worn t-shirt, unkempt hair and rubber slippers, looking like a street hawker, but he quietly bought a couple of big condo units at the soon-to-built Ayala condo project Aeon Tower in Bajada, paying for them in full because he couldn’t stand stashing too much euros in his bank account because he feels more secure with Swiss francs more than any other currency in the world. “Who’ll stay in your condos when they’re finished?” “My children will, of course,” Fritz said. “And if they won’t ?” “It’s an investment for us, value will grow” he winked, breaking into a smile. [Comments? Email : tradingpost_davao@ yahoo.com]

Marine species protection is PHL, China mutual concern

IKE the Philippines, China is as concerned in protecting endangered marine species that Chinese fishermen harvested from the disputed Scarborough Shoal, west of Zambales province, the Chinese embassy in Manila asserted on Tuesday. Over the last weekend, Chinese fishermen were found to have gathered tons of giant clams, varieties of sharks, and other marine animals during their incursion last weekend into the disputed shoal, called “Huangyan” by China and “Panatag” by the Philippines. Philippine authorities attempted to confiscate the loot, which were caught in waters used as a research area by the Philippine side in line with the Philippine Fisheries Code but the vessels eventually returned to China with their catch. Quoting Chinese Ambassador Ma Keqing, Philippine Foreign Secretary Albert del Rosario said that the Chinese fishermen will be duly investigated in China and will be punished accordingly if found in violation of both domestic and international laws on endangered species. Beijing and Manila are signatories to CITES (Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species) and related international laws. Amid a flurry of diplomatic negotiations for a way out of the very public dispute by two friends, del Rosario still expressed that “Chinese ships are currently engaging in illegal activities well within the Philippine Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ).” He had told the press it is regrettable that the Philippines failed to recover the catch, insinuating there was duplicity on China’s part. The issue of endangered species in Scarborough was addressed by Zhang Hua, spokesperson of the embassy, in response to press queries. He also pointed out that the presence of the research vessel “M/V Sarangani” in the disputed territory infringes on China’s rights in the South China Sea, raising further “grave concerns.”

Monkey Business

SPECIAL FEATURE

BY GLORIA JANE BAYLON Meanwhile, del Rosario has proposed that the Philippine-China dispute of territorial sovereignty and maritime jurisdiction be brought before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas (ITLOS). He conceded that the Philippines is no match with China’s “myriad more ships and aircraft.” The Chinese embassy in Manila has not reacted to del Rosario’s call for Beijing to join in the effort for international legal mediation. But the embassy noted that as of 2 p.m. on April 16, Philippine vessels remain in the area. Both insist they are on their own territories and would not budge. The heat over Scarborough continues as the 2012 two-week joint military exercises between the Philippines and United States opened on Monday morning. Authorities were quick to dispel speculations over the timing of the China-Philippine confrontation in Scarborough and the Philippine-US military exercises. Some drills of the mutual interoperability scheme will occur in Palawan, the administrative province for Philippine-claimed atolls in the Manila-Beijing disputed Spratlys. The embassy reiterated anew its position that Scarborough is “inherent” Chinese territory. On the other hand, it debunked Philippine claims of ownership, saying that the same island (which is named in Spanish-era map of the Philippines as the Baja de Masinloc) has never been referred to as part of Philippine territory in the international Treaty of Paris. The treaty ceded the Philippines to the U.S. as a spoil of the Spanish-American War in the late 19th century.

In fact, Zhang noted that until 1997, “the Philippine side has never disputed China’s jurisdiction and development of Huangyan Island.” Furthermore, “the Philippines indicated on a number of occasions that Huangyan Island was beyond its territory.” The Philippines’ embrace of the principle of EEZ of the UNCLOS (United Nations Convention on the Law of the Seas) is both a misrepresentation and an abuse, according to China’s National Institute of South China Sea Studies. “It is groundless,” said the embassy, explaining that “UNCLOS allows coastal states to claim a 200-nautical-mile EEZ, but coastal states have no rights to infringe on the inherent territory and sovereignty of other countries.” The embassy said that adopting the Scarborough’s “geographical proximity” to the Philippines rather than to China as a basis of Manila’s territorial claims is irrelevant because such theory “has long been dismissed by the international law and practice.” Philippine claims based on the EEZ principle was filed with the UNCLOS in the nick of time in 2009, following the passage of the Philippines Archipelagic Baselines Law or Republic Act 9522. Wracked by criticism, the law was eventually upheld as constitutional in August 2011 by the Supreme Court. The critics of R.A. 9522 claimed it “weakens” the country’s territorial claim to parts of the Spratlys. The concept of “regimes of islands” was introduced in the claims for the Scarborough Shoal and Kalayaan Island Group, whose biggest atoll is the Pagasa township of the province of Palawan. The concept allowed for an unshaky claim of territorial jurisdiction, according to its critics. Behind diplomatic curtains, Manila and Beijing said bilateral diplomacy holds the key to the settlement of their dispute. But fanned by nationalist claims, non-diplomats in both capitals play to the press. [PNA]

Misplaced fears SOMEONE ELSE’S WINDOWS BY MARCOS C. MORDENO

O matter how hard I did, I couldn’t find the flimsiest reason for the Philippine government to fret over the scheduled launching of North Korea’s Unha-3 long-range rocket that will bring a weather satellite into orbit and hype it as a security threat. The rocket is unarmed, and that’s a clear-cut assurance it isn’t aimed against any imagined target, not even against either of its two nemeses, Japan or South Korea. If this is the case, why would the Philippines embroil itself in an issue in which it has no direct stakes? The government was acting irresponsibly by spreading fears and treating the event as if a nuclear weapon was about to be launched. Some elements of the media only added to the confusion by uncritically echoing Malacanang’s alarmist statements. Last night, I was aghast to know that a multi-awarded [kuno] broadcast journalist found it all right to feed her viewers with “news” that tended to portray that the rocket launch could wreak terrible havoc on us. Now, aside from the need for the media to be sober and discreet in reporting events related to the rocket launch, let’s be candid about other things and not indulge in delusions. The Philippines is a nobody when it comes to geopolitics. Whatever we say on North Korea’s plans won’t create a ripple in Pyongyang, although it will earn for President Aquino a pat on the back from President Obama with a complimentary “that’s my boy.” We are a nobody when it comes to geopolitics. In fact, we can’t even assert our legal, historical right to Sabah in Northern Borneo. Don’t brag about PNoy’s eagerness to defend the country’s sovereignty over the Kalayaan Group of islands in the disputed Spratlys. He is speaking from beneath the shadow of Capitol Hill, and presumes that the US military will automatically come to the rescue in case the tension in the West Philippine Sea escalates into a shooting war. Disgusting indeed that the Philippines should find it in its best interest to embrace a confrontational stance toward China and North Korea only because we are banking on America’s equally aggressive brand of diplomacy as our insurance policy. In short, our role in Asian geopolitics has not and could not go beyond that of being a comic, if nervous, elf standing on the shoulder of one of two mean giants out to destroy each other. [MindaNews/H. Marcos C. Mordeno writes mainly on the environment, human rights and politics. He can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail.com]

Quips

‘EPIRA (Electric Power Industry Reform Act) has not worked for the island of Mindanao after 11 years of implementation.’ --Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, president of the Confederation of Provincial Governors, City Mayors and Municipal Mayors League Presidents of Mindanao. PDI

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VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

Iligan grateful of Comval’s contribution to GK houses W A

FTER 15 days of continuous build unmindful of the heat of the sun and the sudden outpour of the heavy rain, the 24 houses built by more than 300 Comvaleño’s with Governor Arturo T. Uy showing the way along with the local chief executives of the 11 municipalities of the province which was started last March 24, 2012 was finally turned over to the City Officials of Iligan last April 9, 2012 in time of the kick off of the Gawad Kalinga National Build dubbed as “BAYANI CHALLENGE 2012: PILIPINAS NGAYON NA!” at Barangay Sta. Elena. Barely 4 months after the traumatic Typhoon Sendong, people of Iligan particularly residents of

Barangay Santiago are hopeful that there is really sunshine after a storm. One Elma Saga, 46 years old and a resident of Barangay Santiago who lost 4 members of the family can’t stop herself from crying, “Dako jud akong pasalamat sa mga taga COMVAL labi na kang Governor Uy kay bisan layo kaayo nianhi jud dire sa Iligan para mutabang ug himo ug balay sa mga sama namo nga nawad-an ug balay ug namatyan ug kapamilya nga hangtod karon wala pajud nako makita akong anak, inahan ug bayaw.” She added that living in the tent city will always remind her of that unfortunate event on December 17. USWAG GK COMVAL

SIGNING. Holcim and the provincial government of Compostela Valley inks a MOA signing for the latter’s “Galing Mason” program. Holcim is a constant partner

ComVal LGU gears up for Summer Sportsfest 2012

Action Officer Mr. Raul C. Timogtimog in delivering the message of Governor Uy during the turn over program shares the motivation why in just half a month the 24 colorful houses were built. “Unity and cooperation is the key. The collective effort of more than three hundred volunteer builders from the different municipalities of our province plus the spirit of volunteerism, our love and passion to help. Despite the unpredictable weather, still our volunteer builders whom we call as “buhay na bayani” manages to smile and even extend working time beyond the 8 working hours of a government worker because volunteerism becomes our virtue,” Timogtimog

said. Governor Uy is very thankful of the vibrant support of all the partner stakeholders like Therma Marine-Aboitiz Power, Apex Mining Company, and other teams from the town of Compostela, Monkayo, Laak, Mabini, Maco, Mawab, Nabunturan and Pantukan especially to those volunteers who had been spending their holy week away from their families just to finish the houses. With an optimistic heart, Governor Uy and the rest of COMVALEÑOS is looking forward that SENDONG survivors will move forward and live a productive life believing that there is rainbow after the rain. (RODIELYN A. MA-

in terms of skills training to which Comval now has its first NCIII certification. (A. DAYAO/IDS COMVAL)

Canon Mindanao Region Staff takes part in Tagum’s Care for School Chairs Program

CANON’S SMILE OF HOPE - Miss Karen Joie Cabonce, Canon’s Head of Operations for Mindanao shares a light moment with City of Tagum Mayor Rey T. Uy during their Bayanihan Painting and Sand Papering session last April 14, 2012 at Tagum City’s Motorpool of which she led his 23-man team to paint chairs and sand papering session in support of the Care for School Chairs Program which is a brainchild project of the local chief executive. Also in the photo are the Canon donations in support of the Care for School Chairs Program to wit; 40 gallons of paints, 30 pieces of paint brush and 100 pieces of sand papers.[ PHOTO BY LEO TIMOGAN OF CIO TAGUM]

ITY of Tagum, Davao del Norte, Philippines - It was a fruitful weekend for about (23) twenty three employees of Mindanao Region Staff Davao-based Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc. as they joined the ranks of many private groups which answered the call for Bayanihan Painting and Sand Papering by the City Government of Tagum in support of Mayor Rey T. Uy’s brainchild project dubbed as “Care for School Chairs Program.” Held April 14, 2012, the said personnel engaged in a two-hour painting and sand papering session at the Fabrication Section of the Tagum City Motorpool where Mayor Uy welcomed them and extended his gratitude to their group for taking part in strengthening the city’s “social responsibility.” Record shows that a total of 79 chairs were

HILE the province successfully hosted the 11th Davao Regional Athletic Association (DAVRAA) Meet on April 11-15, 2012 at Don Lorenzo Sarmiento Sports Complex in New Bataan, it is also busy preparing for the upcoming Summer Sports Festival this May at the Capitol. Jayvee Tyrone Uy, the Sports Provincial Coordinator, who will implement a “One Child, One Sports Policy”, conducted a series of consultation and preparatory meetings with the event managers and municipal coordinators. Such policy is to allow a player to participate and focus only on one event, avoiding the player to be over exhausted. And also to give a chance to other youngsters to partici-

pate the friendly games, thus enjoying a fun-filled, healthy summer. Municipal Coordinators are also required to submit as early to the Sports Committee, their complete list of players for eligibility check. The Provincial Coordinators and their respective events are Raymundo Pajarito on Lawn Tennis, Florentino Go and Elias Gabonada on Basketball, Jonas Templaza on Volleyball, Juanito Auxtero on Football, Napoleon Montero on Table Tennis, Jenes Miñoza on Chess, Vivien Palada on Badminton, Angelito Cahanap on Boxing, and Ronald Generalao on Cheer Dance. The Tournament Director is Erwin Mesias. All of them are Capitol personnel. (GRACE ALMEDILLA, IDS-COMVAL)

NUGAS-IDS COMVAL)

Update on “Care for School Chairs Program”

CANON DAVAO BONDING FOR A CAUSE - Employees of Mindanao Region Staff of Canon Marketing Philippines from Davao strike a pose with City of Tagum Mayor Rey T. Uy last April 14, 2012 at the Fabrication Section of the Tagum City Motorpool where Mayor Uy welcomed them and extended his gratitude to their group for taking part in strengthening the city’s “social responsibility.” The team spent two hours in painting and sand papering session as a support to the city’s Care for School Chairs Program. Canon also donated 40 gallons of paints, 30 pieces of paint brush and 100 pieces of sand papers.[ PHOTO BY LEO TIMOGAN OF CIO TAGUM]

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painted during the activity, already enough for two classrooms in the far-flung areas. In an interview, Miss Karen Joie Cabonce, Canon’s Head of Operations for Mindanao lauded the city government’s initiative in distributing chairs to the schools even if it’s not already part of Tagum’s area of responsibility. She further stressed that her group will be willing to volunteer again, if time permits. Davao-based Canon Marketing Philippines, Inc. also donated (40) forty gallons of paints, (30) thirty pieces of paint brush and (100) one hundred pieces of sand papers. Prior to the afternoon’s activity, the group sauntered in the city’s wetlands through the Tagum City River Cruise. They also visited the city’s must-see destinations like the iconic

CANON KID PAINTING KIDDIE CHAIRS – Kiddie Euri Alpante, a son of a one employee of Canon Marketing Philippines also takes part in painting chairs with endurance and dedication during their Bayanihan Painting and Sand Papering session last April 14, 2012 at Tagum City’s Motorpool. Amused, City of Tagum Mayor Rey T. Uy who is the brainchild of the project dubbed as “Care for School Chairs Program gave three kiddie chairs to him and to two other kids who joined the team. [ PHOTO BY LEO TIMOGAN OF CIO TAGUM]

CANON MALE EMPLOYEES IN ACTION - Male Employees of Canon Marketing Philippines doing sand papering during their Bayanihan Painting and Sand Papering session last April 14, 2012 at Tagum City’s Motorpool in support to Tagum City’s Care for School Chairs Program. The said personnel engaged in a two-hour painting and sand papering school chairs from confiscated logs. [ PHOTO BY LEO TIMOGAN OF CIO TAGUM]

TAKING THE LEAD ON PAINTING - Miss Star E. Algones, ICP-Supervisor, Mindanao Region of Canon Marketing Philippines is serious in painting chairs with a huge intention to support the Program. She is among the 23 employees of Mindanao Region Staff Davao-based Canon Marketing Philippines who trooped the Bayanihan Painting and Sand Papering session last April 14, 2012 at Tagum City’s Motorpool to volunteer for Mayor Rey T. Uy’s Care for School Chairs Program.[ PHOTO BY LEO TIMOGAN OF CIO TAGUM]

new city hall, the La Filipina Public Cemetery, the New Christ the King Cathedral and experienced dining in the city’s night market. As of this writing, a total of (35, 422) thirty five thousand four hundred twenty two pieces of school furniture (armchairs, desks, kiddie chairs, teacher tables, computer and working table), just a short span of time for almost eight

months were already distributed by the Local Government of Tagum thru the initiative of City of Tagum Mayor Rey T. Uy which fabricates school chairs from confiscated logs and are later distributed for free to different schools as part of his ‘Social Responsibility’ to its neighboring Cities and Municipalities in Davao Region.(EDWIN AND LOUIE OF CITY INFORMATION OFFICE – TAGUM)

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VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

DCWD and WMYC stage th 12 Eco Camp for youth T

HE Watershed Management Youth Council (WMYC)’s 12th Eco Camp themed as Listen! ACT NOW (Act and Care Together, Nurture Our Watershed) was held in Malagos Park from March 30 until April 1. Lined activities in this three-day event were all geared to heighten awareness and involvement of the 165 high school and college students in Davao City in protecting the watersheds. Highlights of said camp were insights on environmental protection and different activities promoting watershed preservation. The opening ceremonies welcomed the participants with an inspirational message from Imelda T. Magsuci, DCWD official spokesperson and manager for community relations and external affairs. Invited speakers were Giovanni Saludar of the National Youth Commission who talked about the importance of the youth’s role in making positive changes in the world today and Chinky Peleño of Interface Development Interventions who discussed the Watershed Code of Davao City. City councilor Marissa Salvador-Abella was also present to induct the new set of 2012 WMYC officers. In her message, she said that the youth’s active involvement in activities promoting watershed and environment protection is a vital part in the success of these campaigns. Capping the first day was an amazing race contest which tested the

participants’ endurance and teamwork. More resource speakers shared insights to the camp participants on the second day. Ellanena J. Gabuya, DCWD’s community relations officer, talked about the National Integrated and Protected Areas System or the NIPAS ACT of 1992 and Luz Antiampo of the National Commission on Indigenous People Davao City regional office discussed the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act or IPRA. The forum was followed by an ECO tour at the neighboring Philippine Eagle Center where the campers marvelled at the animals and enjoyed an informative video on the famous monkey eating eagles. One of the highlights of the camp was the eliminations for the Recylaband competition where camper contestants made use of recyclable materials to perform popular songs. Lyrics were modified in order to carry the message of watershed protection and preservation. Out of the five bands that auditioned, only three qualified and these were the Bandaot, Band for all Season and Improntu Rock Band. Finals will be held in June this year. The last day of the camp opened early with a fun run themed as “Ikaw at Ako, Takbo Tayo Para sa Tubig”. Participants started from the campsite at Malagos Park, made their way to Baguio District and then back to the campsite. Hon. Rachel P. Zozobrado who graced the event praised

the young environmentalists for their active involvement in environmental protection and encouraged them to continue with their cause. In the afternoon, winners of the Essay Writing Contest were announced and awarded: Morriz dela Peña, Maljun Lambac and Keren Mnhz Chispa, the first, second and third placers, respectively. Summing up everything that the campers learned in the three-day camp was the presentation of their respective action plans on the issues surrounding the proper implementation of the Watershed Code, IPRA law and NIPAS ACT to better address watershed protection and preservation. DCWD has always regarded the youth as an integral part in its watershed rehabilitation campaign. This is the main reason why the District has been supporting WMYC’s Eco Camp conducted yearly for twelve years now. Co-sponsors of said camp include the offices of Councilors Abella and Zozobrado, University of South Eastern Philippines, International Association of Traffic and Safety Sciences (IATSS), Alternative Catering Services, IATSS Forum Philippines Alumni Association, Goldilocks Inc., Iluminada Farms, Nanay Bebengs Restaurant, Naty’s Lechon, RDL Pharmaceutical Laboratory Inc., Vitarich, Inc. and Taipan restaurant. (Jovana T. Duhaylungsod)

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LOCATION Lot Area Flr. Area Blk. 4, Lot 10 Villa Josefina Resort Village 240 sq.m. 177.31 sq.m Dumoy, Toril, Davao City

For Inquiries: 12th WMYC Eco Camp. Resource speakers (from L) Giovanni Saludar of the National Youth Commission, Ellanena J. Gabuya of Davao City Water District, Chinky Peleño of Interface Development Interventions and Luz Antiampo of the National Commission on Indigenous People Davao City regional office share valuable information to young environmentalists to help them in their campaign for watershed protection.

Please Call : PRYCE CORPORATION c/o SONNY MOLE Contact No. : 0922-‐879-‐0036 / (082) 224-‐2686 Email ADD : sonitomole1223@yahoo.com

PRICE P4.8 M

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Lost

HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has lost a P600-million tax case against multinational oil company Petron Corp. (Petron). In a ruling promulgated on March 21, 2012 but was released to the media on Tuesday, the SC, through Associate Justice Maria Lourdes Sereno, dismissed the appeal filed by the BIR for lack of merit.

Dispute

HE Philippine government said on Tuesday its dispute with China over the Panatag (Scarborough) Shoal in the South China Sea could be brought before the International Tribunal on the Law of the Seas (ITLOS), and invited Beijing to join in this effort In a statement, Philippine Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert del Rosario said that “international law would be the great equalizer” and conceded that the Philippines is no match with China’s “myriad more ships and aircraft.” American troops will learn from their Filipino counterparts various techniques in jungle survival during the 12-day Philippines-United States Balikatan Exercise now on its second day.

Jungle

MERICAN troops will learn from their Filipino counterparts various techniques in jungle survival during the 12-day Philippines-United States Balikatan Exercise now on its second day. Maj. Manny Garcia, spokesman for the Philippines in the Balikatan 2012, told the Philippines News Agency that the jungle survival training began Tuesday morning at the Molave Complex in Fort Magsaysay, Nueva Ecija. The Molave Complex is a huge jungle area located in the sprawling 55,000-hectare Fort Magsaysay, the largest military reservation in the country.

Trade missions

series of trade missions to Argentina, Brazil and Chile is being planned by the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) in the latter part of 2012. According to PCCI President Miguel B. Varela, these missions were results of market briefings that PCCI organized recently which provided companies and entrepreneurs clearer understanding of the potentials of the Latin American region.

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

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North Korean leader relies on his grandfather’s legacy T

WORLD TODAY Hopeful signs

HE Dalai Lama said there are hopeful signs that China will push through political reforms in China and Tibet in order to avoid another “cultural revolution.” But the exiled Tibetan leader warned that there were still “worshippers of the gun” in Tibetan areas of China, where more than 30 protestors -- many Buddhist monks and nuns -- have set themselves alight since March 2011.

N aura of strong leadership was hardly sensed when North Korea’s young head of state Kim Jongun delivered his first public speech on Sunday to mark the centennial of the birth of the communist state;s founder Kim Il-sung. In stark contrast to the autocratic image of his late father Kim Jong-il, the fledgling leader, thought to be in his late 20s, looked down and fidgeted while reading the script in an unenthusiastic, monotonous voice. Although the speech went smoothly given his lack of experience, the outside audience cast doubts over whether he would be able to maintain the delicate mix of coercion and forced public consent - the key elements his family’s dynastic rule is based on. “He looked somewhat daunted by the fact that it was his first time to deliver the speech to a gathering of tens of thousands of people. He appeared to imitate Kim Il-sung, but was lacking confidence and energy, though he might have practiced a lot,” said Ahn Chan-il, director of the World North Korea Research Center. Observers said that his

New president

North Korea’s young head of state Kim Jong-un. relatively weak appearance indicates that Jong-un, who gained top posts in the ruling Workers’ Party and the National Defense Commission last week, still needs more time to establish firm leadership. Unlike his father, who was groomed for about two decades to officially take power in 1998, Jong-un rose to power only after a few years of preparation.

“Kim Jong-un looked like a man wearing someone else’s clothes, appearing uneasy with his (leadership) role yet. He has yet to be fully trained for the national public speech and thus looked nervous,” said Kim Heungkwang, head of the North Korean Intellectual Solidarity. “As he looked shy when he received cheers at a parliamentary session rather than showing an image of his

wielding a formidable power, he doesn¿t look as if he has already held a strong leadership control.” Palpable during Sunday’s speech was what analysts called an “imitation” of Kim Il-sung, whom the grassroots still have considerable nostalgia for. His gestures and appearance were apparently designed to conjure up the image of the beloved leader.

career-driven mentalities and limited space are seen as key drivers of a fertility rate that is one of the lowest in the world by some measures, with an average 1.04 births per woman according to the World Bank. Ng, who believes monogamy in general is “behind the times”, thinks another factor driving Hong Kong’s sexual timidity is sky-high property prices. Younger Hong Kong residents typically live at home deep into their 20s or 30s because they can’t afford to marry and move

out earlier, meaning that many sleep in close proximity to their parents in cramped apartments. “Hong Kong is too crowded and lacks the privacy people need to have sex,” said Ng, who organised the fifth Hong Kong Sex Cultural Festival which took place last month. The festival, held jointly by the Family Planning Association of Hong Kong and the Hong Kong Sex Education Association, aimed to promote more liberal views on sex

in the socially conservative southern Chinese city. And in a sign that traditional Chinese attitudes towards sex may be changing, a record number of visitors showed up at the recent 2012 China Adult-Care Expo of adult wares in China’s biggest city of Shanghai. This year’s expo -Asia’s largest trade fair for the adult industry -- was the biggest in the event’s nine-year history, attracting thousands of visitors, Hong Kong’s South China Morning Post reported.

Hong Kongers urged to have more sex

experts are urging Hong Kongers to strip off their reputation as some of the least active lovers in Asia to get more out of their sex lives and overcome challenges of privacy in a cramped city. “People say Hong Kongers have the least amount of sexual knowledge in the world. One of the reasons is they have no place to have sex,” said professor Emil Ng, associate director at the Family Institute of the University of Hong Kong. Financial pressure,

Hurting

USSIAN Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Tuesday that unspecified external forces are seeking to undermine efforts to bring peace to Syria. “They are doing this by delivering arms to the Syrian opposition and stimulating the activity of rebels who continue to attack both government facilities and ... civilian facilities on a daily basis,” Lavrov said in televised remarks.

Lifting

RAN has called on the West to look to lifting its sanctions if it wants to quickly resolve the showdown over Tehran’s disputed nuclear activities, a prospect swiftly ruled out by Washington. Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi outlined his country’s message in an interview with the news agency ISNA on Monday, following milestone talks at the weekend in Istanbul between Iran and world powers.

Strong quake

Awarded

HE Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) has awarded a retail electricity supplier’s (RES) license to Ecozone Power Management, Inc. (EPMI) of the Ayala Group. The ERC granted the license based on EPMI technical and financial capability to operate a supply business. EPMI is headed Mr. Antonio Aquino, who is the Director and President of Ayala Land, Inc. (ALI).

ORMER guerrilla Taur Matan Ruak has won East Timor’s presidential run-off by a wide margin, preliminary results showed Tuesday, in a pivotal year for the nation almost a decade after independence. Ruak, who had campaigned in military fatigues to highlight his role in the fight against Indonesian occupation, won 61.23 percent of the vote, according to figures from the elections secretariat, which organised Monday’s polls.

MINDANAO POWER. President Benigno S. Aquino III explains the chart on the Mindanao Grid Load during a press conference on the Mindanao power situation at the President’s Hall in Malacañang on Monday.[JAY MORALES/PNA]

powerful 6.7 magnitude earthquake struck near Chile’s eastern port of Valparaiso early on Tuesday, shaking buildings as far away as the capital Santiago, but there were no reports of significant damage and the country’s main copper mines were unaffected. One elderly man died as a result of a heart attack brought on by the quake, which struck 26 miles (42 km) north-northeast of Valparaiso, and 69 miles (112 km) northwest of the capital Santiago, but there were no other reports of injuries.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

Push... FFROM 1

Ana police station was recently cited for its high apprehension rate on drug crimes, this only means that ‘there is proliferation of drug pushers and users.’There creeps among us a menace most vile which threatens to tear apart our city’s social fabric. It feeds on money, eats it way into levels of society. It refers to illegal drugs and illegal addiction,’ Quitain said. While Capt. Ronald Lau, station commander of the Sta. Ana Police was commended for his success in combating drugs in his area, this is at the same time alarming. The increase in arrests translates to more pushers and users. Quitain also shared a personal experience wherein a woman asked for help, wanting her son to be killed for being a drug

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addict. ‘Without hesitation she said, ‘attorney, I want my son to be killed. He is a drug addict. He is the source of trouble in the family. Whatever precious things we have were taken by him. This morning he took the money I was saving for the family’s food and when I tried to stop him, he struck me – me, his own mother. That’s why, attorney, I want him to be killed.’ Quitain said he advised the woman to report her son to the police…but nonetheless he was awe-struck. ‘This is the reality that confronts us.’ The councilor then appealed to the religious to strengthen their campaign against drugs as he ‘fears more the anger of God than the authority of the law.’

son Rosales said cases for violation of possession of dangerous drugs and possession of equipment, instrument, apparatus, and other paraphernalia for dangerous drugs will be filed against the suspect as indicated in Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. “The suspect is now temporarily detained at the Davao City police jail facility while the seized suspected illegal drug was submitted to the Philippine National Police Regional Crime Laboratory in Ecoland for lab examination,” Rosales said Monday said. The operation was backed by the search warrant issued by Judge

to allow natural air and light in. 2. Install skylights wherever possible to maximize the daylight. 3. Switch off lights, radio and television sets and other energyconsuming devices when not in use. 4. Wipe lamps and fixtures clean to improve illumination as dust decreases brightness and energy efficiency as well. 5. Reduce the strength of lights to only what is needed. Use lights that are low in wattage for places where bright lights are not required. 6. Make sure that outdoor lights are switched off during the day. 7. Turn off appliances and gadgets at the power socket when not in use since these still consume electricity even on standby mode. 8. Use a fan to keep cool instead of an airconditioner. Ceiling fans, in particular, can make you feel few degrees cooler while consuming less electricity. 9. Use an air-conditioner sparingly, set the temperature at about 25 degrees Celsius, keep the filter clean and ensure the unit is serviced regularly for more efficient cooling. 10. Organize household chores like cleaning, cooking, ironing and washing more efficiently and try to do these with lesser frequency. 11. Put leftover food on top of newly-cooked rice to warm it instead of using the stove, toaster or microwave. 12. Set fridge temperature at 5°C, organize items to allow airflow and do not overload. Cover liquids and foods

to control moisture that makes the fridge work harder. Also, leave enough room around it to allow the heat to escape from the condensing coil and compressor. 13. Refrain from keeping the refrigerator door open longer than necessary, check the gaskets and make sure the door shuts tightly to avoid cooling loss. Defrost regularly. 14. Allow hot foods to cool first before putting them into the refrigerator. 15. Thaw frozen foods before you cook them to lessen energy use. Defrost them inside the refrigerator as this helps in cooling the fridge. 16. Keep your washing machine loads at maximum; wash manually if possible. Save laundry wash water for cleaning and other purposes. 17. Use just the right amount of detergent to avoid extra rinsing. 18. Hang clothes to dry instead of using the electric dryer. 19. Choose not to iron clothes whenever possible. If needed, do ironing in big batches. Start with clothes that need lower temperatures, avoid heating and re-heating the iron and use the residual heat for delicate items. 20. Use the “kulambo” (mosquito net) instead of electric mosquito repellants. Keep your surroundings clean and dry to prevent mosquitoes and other pests like roaches and rodents from breeding. 21. Save water by turning off the faucet when you brush your teeth or wash your face

Ecowaste... FFROM 4

preference and support for safe, socially acceptable, non-nuclear and renewable energy investments and projects to address our country’s growing power needs,” he added. A far-reaching shift from fossil-fuels such as coal, oil and gas to nontoxic renewable energy sources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides and others could provide sustainable solutions to the nation’s perpetual problems with rising energy demands and costs, the EcoWaste Coalition said. Practicing what it preaches, the group has boosted energy saving moves within its office in Quezon City ahead of the Earth Day on April 22. Beginning April 16, its staff will consciously let the daylight flow into the office and refrain from switching on the lights and air-conditioners to the extent that is possible. Office glass windows will be kept clean and open, unnecessary clutter removed and indoor plants installed to improve air circulation and keep the temperature pleasant and bearable. Meals and snacks served for official meetings will be “meatless” as meat requires more “burning” by the body and hence produces higher body heat. Fresh local fruits and vegetables will be offered instead. Toward reduced electricity consumption, pollution and expenditures, the EcoWaste Coalition invites consumers to consider the following “kuryentipid” tips: 1. Open the curtains, drapes and windows, as well as remove clutter,

SSS...

P350k...

Pelagio Paguican of the Regional Trial Court 11. Rosales noted that this was a collaborative effort of the PDEA with the community. “This serves as a warning to all drug pushers, that the PDEA and the community remains vigilant against illegal drugs,” he said. “We are asking everyone to help the government attain its vision for a drug free Philippines by reporting to us those who are involved in illegal drug activities,” Rosales added. He further noted that the citizenry can contact PDEA through telephone no. (082) 222-3045, and mobile nos. 0939-5433405 and 0933-1481-387. [JADE C. ZALDIVAR]

and do take shorter showers as these also save electricity used for pumping the water. 22. Plant vegetables and fruit trees to shade your house from the sun and water them after sundown. Get some indoor plants to make the house cooler. [PNA]

erative, non-government organizations and even Barangay Micro Business Enterprises or “BMBEs’ can also borrow,” he said. The BDLF caters to businesses ranging from micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) to large industries. Social institutions offering education and training programs., helath care and medical services such as schools and hospitals can borrow under the SDLF. The P7-billion allotment, which will act as a revolving fund will be divided as follows; P1 billion for agriculture, fishing and forestry; P2 billion for projects in construction, manufacturing, utilities, mining and quarrying; and P4 billion for the services sector. De Quiros said SSS will disburse the funds to eligible borrowers through a conduit arrangement with participating financial institutions (PFIs). Borrowers can pay in monthly, quarterly semi-annual or annual amortizations of up to 15 years. Our enhanced loan guidelines are more flexible and responsive to borrowers’ needs,” he said. “For example, we

removed various caps on the loanable amount. It will now depend on the project’s actual need and the borrower’s credit capacity, provided it will not exceed P500 million.” De Quiros said PFIs can advance the disbursement of loan proceeds as long as the borrower completes its application within the prescriptive period, which the SSS extended from 120 days from the date of initial release under its previous guidelines to six months. “The interest rate will depend on prevailing market rates. Borrowers have a one-time option to switch from a variable interest rate, which is repriced every six months, to a fixed rate that applies for a period of three years,” he said. De Quiros said the agency conducted a briefing on this new loan guidelines for PFIs and banks at the SSS corporate headquarters in Diliman, Quezon City. Interested parties can call the SSS Housing and Business Loans Department at 920-6401 local 5129 or 5115 or send an email to desilvamt@sss. gov.ph or carandangao@ sss.gov.ph.

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No big deal for Manny

SLAM. JC Intal scores on a vicious dunk during Game 3 of the B-Meg Derby Ace-Ginebra Kings series in the PBA Commissioners Cup. The winner of this series advances to the winner of tonight’s winner-take-all Game 5 between Talk N Text and Barako Bull. That series has become a bloody encounter with Ranidel De Ocampo (below, right photo) taking a cut in his eyebrow.

TNT-Barako Bull Game 5 tonight T

ALK ‘N Text and Barako Bull meet for one final match to determine who goes on to the Finals of the PBA Commissioners Cup. Gametime is set at 6:30 pm tonight at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The winner in tonight’s Game 5 will take on the other semis victor between B-Meg Derby Ace and Ginebra Gin Kings who were playing Game 4 late last night. The Llamados lead that series 2-1. Last Monday, with their backs against the wall, the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters showed poise inside the court, letting their game do the talking. The defending champions blew past Barako Bull, 108-90, in Game Four to force a do-or-die fifth game. Despite receiving a boxer’s cut near his right eyebrow after an accidental elbow by Don Allado, Ranidel de Ocampo finished with 23 points to

lead the Tropang Texters’ assault. Their lead went up by as much as 29 points, 80-51, in the third quarter. Each of the 14 Talk ‘N Text players scored for coach Chot Reyes, who warned that the series is far from over. “All we did was tie the series. We can’t celebrate, not for one minute, and we can’t be satisfied. We’re only halfway there,” he said. Reyes said his wards need to be ready for the knockout match, which is expected to be a physical affair. “Game Five is an allout war. We need the same kind of energy and focus just like what we showed tonight.” He said he doesn’t expect Talk ‘N Text to have momentum coming into Game Five. “What I’ve learned is that in a series, one win is just one win, and the margin of victory is not a factor.” Apart from shooting

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well, Talk ‘N Text also mustered great defensive effort to contain Barako Bull import Gabe Freeman, who scored just six points. It was the lowest output for the two-time Best Import in his 59-game PBA career dating back to 2009.

Trillo replaces Banal

After 22 years with Tim Cone, the Alaska Aces are making another coaching change after just seven months. Alaska team manager Joaqui Trillo has announved that erstwhile assistant Luigi Trillo, his son, will be taking over head coaching duties for Joel Banal, who has resigned from the team. Banal was signed by the Aces to a three-year deal last September to replace Cone. But under the new coach, Alaska stumbled to its worst finish in an all-Filipino conference, finishing ninth in the Philippine Cup. The Aces improved its stand-

ing in the Commissioner’s Cup, finishing fifth. “The goal of the Alaska franchise is to be in the semis of every conference and we did not meet that goal in the past two conferences, so I wanted to give management the chance to look at options,” said Banal in a statement released by Alaska.

ANNY Pacquiao is no. 24 on Google’s list of most popular athletes of all time. At no. 24, Manny is ahead of such big stars as Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat no. 29, Derek Jeter no. 28 and Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees no. 32, Jenson Button no. 26, Peyton Manning no. 31, Michael Phelps no. 30 and yes, even Tim Tebow who barely made it to no. 50. The Google’s list is based on their search engine. The top 50 list are those with the most number of searches. The honor of being no. 1 went to football demigod Cristiano Ronaldo. David Beckham was no. 4, Tiger Woods no. 5, Lebron James no. 6, Michael Jordan no. 8 and Kobe Bryant no. 9. His archrival Floyd Mayweather is only no. 33. Manny is not only recognizable by his face but also by his name in the global stage. Whether he is only wearing shorts or wearing an Armani suit. Easy for us to say that you can spot Manny in an ocean of humanity. That face. That look. You can’t get wrong spotting a Manny Pacquiao. You see him just about everywhere now. Let me borrow that radio punchline: kailangan pa bang imemorize yan? So how in heaven can the President miss Manny from a crowd? This incident happened last Friday when the President came over for what was supposed to be the Mindanao Power Summit here in Davao. I could only smile deep inside how the President’s men, per-

haps now getting used to be the best alibi-makers this side of the world, can come up with their reasons this time. Aha. There goes Valte. There were just too many Congressmen in the crowd. Yes, there were. That’s right. But Manny is just five steps away I guess the President can even smell his Pacman eu de toilette scent. But the President did mention some names. Not Manny’s. Oh, he was not in the prepared speech. Why, is it a sin for the President to adlib a portion of his speech as he normally does? Not a big deal for Manny, though. He was there to listen to what is good for his people in Sarangani. Manny is so used with the introduction—he has been introduced to the “thousands in attendance and the millions around the world” by no less than the world’s renowned emcee Michael Buffer. Any acknowledgment by the President would pale in comparison unless he blurts a “let’s get ready to ruuuumble.” No big deal says Manny. Ever the gentleman that he is. Oh yes, a few days ago, Manny just joined the political party of Vice President Jejomar Binay. Now that, to the President, is big deal.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Summer skin hazard HEALTH

UMMER is back and that means family reunions, outings, travel, adventure and a lot of sun in the beach! It sounds a lot of fun indeed but we have to look out for the following skin hazards and other possible situations we might get into for the sake of adventure, fun and excitement this summer.

• Jellyfish - The tentacles of a jellyfish contain venom that can cause a painful or sometimes lifethreatening sting. Stings are usually accidental, caused by carelessly handling a jellyfish, or swimming or wading among them. A jellyfish sting may cause intense pain, rash and welts, and may progress to vomiting and muscle spasms. Severe reactions can cause difficulty breathing, coma, and death. For most jellyfish stings, putting vinegar on the stung areas helps deactivate the “stingers,” or nematocysts. Some types of jellyfish stings (like the box jellyfish) require immediate medical care. Flood the area with vinegar and keep still until help arrives. • Stingrays - A stingray’s tail has serrated spines that can cause cuts and puncture wounds. The spines also contain venom. Stingrays aren’t aggressive so injury usually occurs when a person accidentally steps on one. Stingray Sting symptoms can include sharp pain, bleeding from the wound, vomiting, chills, and paralysis. Death may even occur. Most stingray injuries require immediate medical care. If help isn’t readily available, immerse the injured area in hot water, remove the stingers, and scrub the wound with soap and fresh water. Apply pressure to stop the bleeding. • Skin Reactions to Henna Tattoos – There are skin irritations and allergic reactions from henna temporary tattoos, especially socalled “black henna.” Black henna may contain the “coal tar” color p-phenylenediamine, which can cause allergic reactions such as blistering or even scarring in some people. Henna itself is made from a plant and produces a brown or reddish-brown tint. Other ingredients are added to produce other colors, or to make the stain darker and last longer. • Mosquito Bites - Mosquitoes aren’t just annoying; scratching a bite can cause a skin infection, too. Mosquitoes can also carry malaria, dengue fever, and other diseases. To protect yourself from mosquitoes, apply insect repellent and cover up when you go outdoors, use door and window screens, and get rid of standing water in your yard, which is where mosquitoes lay their eggs. • Ticks - If you enjoy the outdoors, be careful of ticks --

they can attach to you as you brush past grass and plants. Ticks don’t always carry diseases, and most bites aren’t serious. But they can carry diseases including Lyme disease. A bite can also trigger an allergic reaction. Be sure to remove a tick properly. To prevent tick bites, keep arms, legs, and head covered in grassy areas and use tick repellant. • Bee Stings - Most reactions to bee stings are mild, causing minor swelling, pain, and itching. Severe allergic reactions occur in some people, with symptoms including hives, swelling of the mouth or throat, and difficulty breathing. If you have a severe anaphylactic reaction, lie down and remove the stinger. Give yourself an epinephrine injection, if you have access to one, and get immediate medical care. If you don’t have an allergic reaction, remove the stinger, clean the sting site, apply ice, and take an oral antihistamine for itching. A delay in removing the stinger increases the amount of venom you receive. • Chiggers - Chiggers are tiny mites found in tall grass or weeds. They attach to the skin by inserting tiny mouth parts to penetrate and liquefy the skin cells on which

they feed. Their bites are painless. But after a few days of being attached to the skin, chiggers fall off -- leaving very itchy red welts. Over-the-counter products can help relieve the itch, but see a doctor if your skin appears infected or the welts seem to be spreading. • Flip-Flop Hazards - They may be fun and fashionable, but flipflops offer little protection against stubbed toes, glass cuts, puncture wounds, or having a heavy object smash your foot. Another danger: insect and snake bites. Emergency room physicians on both sides of the country report seeing adults and children with snake bites to the feet while wearing flip-flops or sandals. Consider wearing closetoed shoes that offer better protection this summer. • Poisonous Snake Bites - Bite symptoms may include severe burning pain at the bite site, swell-

Her bite may cause sharp, shooting pain up the limb, but it may also be painless. Look for one or two red fang marks, redness, tenderness, and a nodule at the bite site. Muscle cramps, nausea, vomiting, seizure, and rise in blood pressure may follow soon after a bite. Seek medical care if bitten. • Skin Cancer - Skin cancer is the uncontrolled growth of abnormal skin cells that results in tumors that are benign or malignant. There are three main types of skin cancer: basal cell carcinoma, squamous cell carcinoma, and melanoma. Consult a doctor if a mole or spot changes in size, shape, or color, has irregular edges, is more than one color, is asymmetrical, or itches, oozes, or bleeds. • Heat Rash - The result of blocked sweat ducts, heat rash looks like small pinkish pimples and is usually found on body areas covered by clothing. Most coming that spreads out from the bite, mon in children, it may also afweakness, trouble breathing, and fect adults in hot, humid climates. changes in heart rate. Bite severity Most rashes heal on their own. depends on many factors, includ- To alleviate symptoms, apply cold ing the amount of venom injected, compresses or take a cool bath. Air bite location, and a person’s age dry and avoid lotions. If baby’s skin and health. Seek immediate medi- is irritable to the touch, ask your cal care if you think you’ve been doctor about using calamine or bitten by a poisonous snake. hydrocortisone cream. • Nonpoisonous Snake Bites • Sunburn - Too much exposure - A bite may leave fang marks or to the sun’s UV rays can result in other puncture wounds that can the redness and pain of sunburn. be treated at home to relieve symp- Sunburn usually appears within toms and prevent infection. How- hours after sun exposure and may ever, large nonpoisonous snake take weeks to fade. Pain relievers, bites, such as those from pythons cold compresses, aloe, hydrocortior boa constrictors, can cause in- sone, or moisturizing creams may jury to skin, joints, bones, and ease discomfort. Second-degree muscles because of the force of the sunburn -- characterized by redbite. See a doctor for these bites. ness, swelling, and blistering – is • Black Widow Spiders - Wood usually more painful and takes piles and tree stumps -- that’s where longer to heal. See a doctor if you poisonous female black widows have a blistered sunburn. To prehide. The female has a bright-col- vent sunburn, use a sunscreen of ored “hourglass” on the underside. SPF 30 or higher when outdoors.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

EVENTS

Blinged out Easter at the Waterfront Insular Hotel

IT was an eggciting Easter Sunday as both kids and parents had a blast at Bling It On! Waterfront’s Easter Sunday Special. To compliment the kids hip outfits, a kiddie salon catered to the young stylistas. The stations included a personal hair stylist, face painting artists as well as a DIY personalized wristband booth. Yummy sweet treats were handed out as well from the soft serve ice cream booth and the cotton candy booth. Various games for both the young and the young-atheart kept everyone busy with tons of laughter at the parents enthusiasm. Kid fashionistas displayed their own stellar baskets and matched it with bling bling Easter eggs they decorated themselves. The hotel manager, Rouel Guanzon awarded the most creative basket owners with passes to Pool Aquarius. A fashion show was also held to crown the most stylish little girl and boy, Mr. & Ms. Bling 2012. Lastly, the highly anticipated Easter egg hunt was quite a scramble as the winner with most eggs collected a total of 66 eggs!

TRUST Home Depot holds 1st Summer workshop T RUST TRUST Home Depot to provide for each family member. Inside the newly built one-stop-shop along Quimpo Boulevard is a veritable warehouse of home necessities for the dads and moms, and activities for the kids as well.

This summer, Davao artist and painter, Mary Anne Tan-Guinoo, will be conducting “Kids at Art (and Adults, too!)”, the first art workshop of TRUST Home vDepot. The 10-day course will run from May 2 to May 23, 2012, with classes every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Classes for kids ages 4-12 will be in the morning from 10-11:30A.M., and for adults ages 14 and up, classes will be in the afternoon from 2-4:30P.M. Both classes will be conducted in the depot’s activity area.

“Kids will be taught the basics of art where each lesson is like a step on a ladder. They will learn to draw basic shapes, and this will lead to illustrating complex figures by combining these shapes. The class will then progress to the proper color rendering of their artwork using a variety of mediumsCray-Pas, watercolor, poster paint,” said Mary Anne. “To hone the child’s creativity further, there will be handicraft making lessons as well,” she added. “The same teaching concept will be applied to the adults, but on an extensive program. It will be a progression of lessons that will tackle basic art element thru drawing, color mixing and rendering, and shading and painting. This intermediate to advance level class will be using pencils, pastel and oil paint as their mediums to interpret still life, landscape and more,” pointed out the artist.

To culminate the art workshop, on May 26th, 2012, Saturday, the “summer art studio” of TRUST Home Depot will transform into an art gallery exhibiting the best artworks of the participants. Mary Anne ended by sharing her thoughts, “For any artist- young, adult, budding or seasoned, an exhibition is always an exciting moment. It is a time to share, and it is a time shine.” Bring out the artist in you and your kids, join “Kids at Art (and Adults, too!)” at TRUST Home Depot. (Limited slots only). Supporting the summer art workshop in bringing out creativity in kids (and adults, too) is Faber-Castell. For inquiries, please call 298-7878, 295-3588. Or visit : Trust Home Depot on Facebook. TRUST Home Depot is at Ecoland Drive, Quimpo Boulevard, Matina (formerly Task Force Davao).

Summer is here at SM City Davao! DUMBFOUNDED on what to do this season? Fret not. SM City Davao spells the fun this summer! Enjoy more summer days by staying fit. Join the free Zumba Summer Party hosted by the Holiday Gym and Spa on April 14-15, 3 PM and dance the afternoon away at The Annex. Plus, learn more about your body and your health at the Global Pinoy Center Health and Wellness Symposium on

April 20 (Saturday), 2:00 PM at the Event Centre. On April 20 and 22 Friday, jam with Metamophosis and the Inigo siblings Angelo and Telly as they perform your favorite summer soundtrack in acoustic. And on Saturday, April 21, learn some cool moves from the Groove Unlimited Hip-hop Summer Workshop at 1 PM and 5 PM, The Annex. Plus, in celebration of Earth day, the Voyager Planetarium brings the

universe closer to home April 20-26 at The Annex Atrium. Avail of priority passes by turning in recyclables at SM’s Earth Day Fair on April 20 at the Parking C. This summer, it’s all hip, all here! Visit the City’s hippest hub SM City Davao! For inquiries, call 297.6998 local 126. Visit www.smcitydavao.blogspot .com or like SM City Davao on Facebook for event and promo updates.

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ENTERTAINMENT

Is Versace going to make Angelina’s wedding gown?

And other details you need to know ASIDE from the obvious “When?!” we know you have other questions about Angelina Jolie and Brad Pitt’s wedding plans.

Though the details of their “promise for the future” remain as mysterious as the bride-to-be’s smoldering gaze, we’ve still dug up plenty of info about the pending Jolie-Pitt nuptials. First off, who’s going to design what will be the most-talked-about item of clothing since Kate Middleton became a duchess? Aka, Jolie’s wedding dress. Irish bookmaker Paddy Power, Europe’s largest betting company, puts longtime Jolie go-to Versace in the lead with 5-2 odds. (Which, of course, begs the question: Can you sew a thigh-high slit into a bridal gown?) “There is little doubt that the Brad and Angelina wedding will be the showbiz story of the year,” a Paddy spokesman said. “With both the media and the public already speculating on every element of the wedding, we thought it was only fair that we offered our customers the chance to bet on it.” Of course! Nipping at Versace’s spike heels are Max Azria, Giorgio Armani, Elie Saab and British brand Amanda Wakeley. Royal wedding standout Sarah Burton of Alexander McQueen is a ways back at 25-1. Also worthwhile bets at the moment are Jolie wearing her hair up with flowers, Pitt wearing a navy blue tie and sporting “designer stubble,” and the couple tying the knot in France and honeymooning in Italy. And, if you have money to burn, odds stand at 3-1 that Jennifer Aniston will attend. Speaking of France, where the couple live part-time at the 1,000-acre Château Miraval in Aix-en-Provence, what if the couple do decide to swap vows there? As American citizens, will they have to go through the process in the U.S. as well in order for it to be legal? “Usually when people get

married overseas, if they don’t meet the residency requirements of that country, what they do is they have a ceremony over there but actually get their marriage licence over here and they get married over here,” family law attorney Lisa Helfend Meyer tells E! News. “So, they could have two marriages.” As did Bruce Willis and Emma Hemming, who had a ceremony on Turks & Caicos and then made things legal in California, and Tony Parker and Eva Longoria, who had a legally required civil ceremony in Paris before their blowout wedding in the countryside. Also to have a legal marriage in France, a couple must provide blood tests for the necessary documentation and live in the country for a minimum of four weeks beforehand. Sounds doable for Pitt and Jolie! E! News has learned that there has been ongoing construction at Château Miraval, where they always planned to get married. “The workers on their estate here have been buzzing about it for ages,” a source says. (Pitt’s rep, in saying that the couple had not yet set a date, also kept mum on location possibilities.) But even before the couple get a marriage license and actually tie the knot, legally or otherwise, there’s the matter of that other batch of

paperwork celebs and other high-earning folks are quite familiar with—the prenuptial agreement. “They will have a prenup, there is no question in my mind,” Meyer says, referring to Jolie and Pitt. According to Forbes, Jolie’s net worth has been estimated at $120 million, and Pitt’s at $150 million. “There are lots and lots of complexities as to why they will have a prenup—especially with the kind of money that they make—when they

have children and when they have multiple residences,” Meyer adds. “It is so important because this is a new stage in their relationship—they’ve never been married, only cohabited. I think it is critical when you have that amount of assets to have a prenuptial agreement before you get married, that way you have a clear understanding of what is yours and what is the other person’s.” But mainly, we’ll keep you posted on the dress.

A4 INdulge! ENTERTAINING

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

Six Summer sips

WHAT is better than lying on the sand by the sea all day in the middle of summer? Doing it with a cool cocktail in hand.. Instead of indulging on the usual cool cocktails we enjoy by the beach or pool, why not expand your cocktail vocab and try these equally refreshing cocktail treats this season?

Pomelo-Mansi Mojito: This Pinoy take on the Classic Lime Mojito is not only refreshing, but also quite easy on the budget. Perfect for newbie cocktail makers; this just might make it big in the country real soon. Here is how you make this gourgeous Rum-tinged drink: a. In a cocktail shaker, muddle together six mint leaves and two pieces of calamansi. b. Add one and a half ounces of White Rum and some ice and shake until the drink is well blended. c. Pour over a highball glass and top with Pomelo Soda. Watermelon Margarita: Not many people have tried this tropical treat yet but one taste is enough o convince any cocktail connoisseur to make this a staple at their bar. Here is how you can make this refreshing cocktail: a. Cut up a ripe Watermelon and remove seeds. b. Liquefy the fruit in a blender and measure out sixteen ounces. Transfer this to ice cube trays and freeze. c. Once the Watermelon juice is frozen, pop the cubes out into a blender and add the juice of half a lime (or that of three pieces of Calamansi), six ounces of Tequila, three ounces of Triple Sec, and a table spoon of Powdered Sugar. d. Blend until you get a smooth slush. e. Transfer to a Margarita glassed with sugar or salt on the rim and garnish with a Watermelon wedge. Lychee Martini: This opaque cocktail is starting to make waves in the city thanks to more and more establishments finally realizing the potential of this nut fruit for cocktails. This Asian take on the classic Martini is interesting and refreshing especially when served icecold. The floral-citrus taste of the lychee is best enjoyed with clean-tasting Vodka and some great company. a. In a cocktail shaker combine one and a half ounces of Lychee Liqueur, an ounce of Vodka, and a dash of Lycheeflavoured Syrup (the syrup that comes with canned Lychees) with some ice cubes until cool and well-mixed. b. Pour the mixture in a Martini glass and garnish with

some canned Lychee fruit. Malibu Bay Breeze: This cocktail is deceivingly simple. It looks like a regular juice drink but packs the kick and edible interest that the Coconut Rum brings. Create this easy cocktail to celebrate the season of the sun. here’s how: a. Grab a highball glass or any tall glass you have at home. b. Fill one-fourth of the glass with Cranberry Juice. c. Pour the same amount of Pineapple Juice to fill half of the glass. d. Add a shot of Coconut Rum. e. Stir and top with some ice. f. Garnish with a piece of Pineapple

Mango Bellini: This festive drink combines the Philippines’ favorite fruit with some bubbly. This creates a cocktail that is both fizzy and velvety. Here is how to make the Mango Bellini: a. In a champagne flute combine an ounce of chilled Mango Juice with two ounces of chilled Champagne. b. Garnish with a slice of Mango Pina Colada: The national cocktail of Puerto Rico—The Pina Colada just might be the most popular Summer cocktail in the world. The taste of Pineapple and Coconut definitely reminds us of lazy days by the beach and the more enjoyable summers of our past. To remember all those wonderful seaside memories, make this cocktail by following these simple steps: a. In a blender, combine two ounces each of Coconut Cream, Canned Pineapple Juice, White Rum, and half a cup of crushed ice. b. Pour over a Pina Colada glass and garnish with a piece of cherry or slice of Pineapple.

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

FALLEN goalkeeper Tats Mercado of Air Force-Phoenix Petroleum is helpless as he watches the ball roll in during their UFL match against the Green Archers FC at the University of Makati field.

Bulls lose, Heat closes in

No Presidential respect for his tux? C Manny brings out his shorts A

FTER the apparent snob by President Aquino despite getting all dressed up in a tux while attending a Power Summit in Davao last week, Congressman Manny Pacquiao is back to his boxing shorts where he commands global respect. Manny Pacquiao showed up for a light training session early this week in a place where he started making a name for himself. The Filipino puncher was supposed to start at 2 p.m., but it was a bit past 3 when he emerged from his large SUV to begin his workout under the supervision of Buboy Fernandez. Last Friday, Pacquiao was among the several Mindanao congressmen who attended the Mind-

anao Power Summit. In his speech, the President failed to acknowledge Pacquiao who was sitting right in the front row, just five steps away. The apparent ‘snob’ created ripples in the political front as it came in the heels of Pacquiao’s announcement of his affiliation with the political party of Vice President Jejomar Binay. So much for politics, less than two months before he meets Timothy Bradley on June 9 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Pacquiao hit the mitts for eight rounds, toyed with the speedball and did crunches, a repertoire that won’t be repeated as he starts the next phase of his buildup when he gets to Baguio City to reunite with Freddie Roach. If some of his fans are

worried sick that their idol is starting to slip, Monday’s workout should calm their fears because Pacquiao looked dead-serious in hitting the mitts as though he was hitting Bradley. Pacquiao’s workout was watched by a small but highly-appreciative crowd, some of them residents of Paquita Street, where the former L&M Gym used to stand. Now, the same spot where Pacquiao once trained when he was still being managed by the late Rod Nazario is the location of a six-level building called MP Tower, which is the headquarters of Pacquiao’s various businesses. But in the next few weeks, Pacquiao will train under the watchful eyes of Roach, who has come up with a battleplan that he

Monday night, ensuring the Clippers would end the second-longest active postseason drought in the league. ‘’I’m happy we can get Blake on TV in May,’’ DeAndre Jordan said. Griffin had 11 rebounds and Jordan grabbed 12 in the Clippers’ fourth straight victory and 12th in their last 14 games. Their 38 wins are the most since the franchise had 40 in 2006-07. ‘’This is a great feeling,’’ said Paul, whose acquisition shortly before the lockout ended has played a key role in the Clippers’ changing fortunes. ‘’We can celebrate it, be excited about it tonight but tomorrow we’re back at work.’’

Kevin Durant led Oklahoma City with 24 points, Serge Ibaka and James Harden added 12 points each, and Russell Westbrook was held to nine as the Thunder’s two-game winning streak ended. San Antonio beat Golden State to move percentage points ahead of the Thunder in the race for the No. 1 seed in the West. ‘’There’s no time to panic right now,’’ Durant said. ‘’We have to win the next game in order to get our momentum back.’’ The Clippers didn’t need the victory to achieve their immediate goal, but they played like they wanted it in the fourth quarter, outscoring the Thunder 26-11.

hopes they would perfect by the time they uproot the training camp for the Wild Card in Los Angeles one month before the fight. Roach has been keenly awaiting for Pacquiao’s arrival and can’t wait to kick off training the world’s premier fighter. Russian Ruslan Provodnikov is expected to arrive anytime next week to serve as a sparring partner. Two more sparmates will join Pacquiao in the US.

HICAGO — Struggling Washington upset injury-nagged NBA win leader Chicago 87-84 while the Miami Heat, also without a key star, rallied late behind LeBron James to defeat host New Jersey 101-98. As a result, the Heat closed the gap on Chicago in the fight for the best overall record in the Eastern Conference and a home-court playoff advantage into the NBA Finals, Miami improving to 43-17 while the Bulls fell to 46-15. The Heat play host to Chicago on Thursday in what figures to be a critical showdown to decide which of them will be the overall top seed in the East for the playoffs, which begin on April 28. Chicago played without reigning NBA Most Valuable

Player Derrick Rose, who missed his 24th game of the lockout-shortened season with a sore right foot, and Britain’s Luol Deng, who has a right rib injury. Miami was missing star guard Dwyane Wade, who was rested by the Heat, while the Nets lacked star Deron Williams, who was nursing an injured right calf. At Chicago, a James Singleton dunk gave the Wizards an 82-77 lead with 1:40 remaining but C.J. Watson answered with a jumper for the Bulls. John Wall hit one free throw but Watson sank another jumper to pull Chicago within 83-81. At New Jersey, LeBron James scored eight of his game-high 37 points in the last 90 seconds to rally the Heat. Cris Bosh added 22 points and 15 rebounds.

Playoff-bound Clippers beat OKC

OS ANGELES (AP) With some help, the Los Angeles Clippers had already clinched their first playoff berth in five years before they tipped off against Oklahoma City. Then they went out and earned it. Nick Young scored 19 points off the bench, Blake Griffin added 17 and Randy Foye 13 to beat the Thunder 92-77 on Monday night. ‘’It is something that we’re happy about, but by no means is that all we want,’’ said Griffin, who like a lot of his teammates will be in the postseason for the first time. ‘’That was one of our goals coming in, but it goes farther than that.’’ Houston lost to Denver by three points earlier

WINNER. Karen Macapagal of Smart Communications receive her medal from Castol Philippines marketing officer Rey Encomienda after finishing 3rd in the 30-39 female category of the recent Run with the Masters organized by Vantage Sports and sponsored by Castrol. (BIBOY NGOJO)

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 31• APRIL 18, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

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RUNNING KIDS. Children entered in the Kiddies 500-meter race in a mad dash at the start in one of the sidelights of the Vantage-Castrol Run with the Masters last Sunday at the Davao Crocodile Park. [BIBOY NGOJO]

Philta XI-B bares tennis events

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HE Philippine Lawn Tennis Association Region XI-B (Philta XIB) will be holding summer workshops and hosting a series of national ranking tournaments in Davao City next month. Philta XI-B regional vice president Carol Angel bared that the chapter will be holding the Prince Who’s

Next Summer Tennis Workshop from May 1-18 at the Ecoland Tennis Center. The workshop will be handled by coach Alex Bernan who is the vice president for Philta XI-B. Aside from the workshop, the chapter will also be hosting the Milo Junior Tennis Cup Mindanao leg on May 10-13 at the Ecol-

and Tennis Center with Eco 2 and Eco 4 as back up venues in case the entries swell. After that, there will be a Prince NextGen Davao Leg tournament on May 18-20 also at the same venues. To cap the summer, Philta XI-B will be hosting the Cebuana Lhuillier Davao Leg tournament at the Ecoland Tennis Center

on May 23-25. “We are quite busy but upbeat of the tournaments and the workshop that we will be holding over the summer. This is our initiative to push for the development of the sport in all levels,” said Angel. The Philta XI-B events will be part of the Davao Summerfest 2012.