Edge Davao 5 Issue 47

EDGEDAVAO 17 die in fire P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10 , 2012

www.edgedavao.net

Serving a seamless society

Butuan City catastrophe

Indulge Page A4

By Philippine News Agency Butuan City Bureau

F

IRE-FIGHTERS retrieved 17 charred bodies from the quarters of the Novo Jeans and Shirts Company located on the 3rd floor of the Lamberto Tan Building in Butuan City that was razed by fire before dawn Wednesday.

n 3 hurt, one still missing n 15 firetrucks used in fighting

blaze Authorities said one person remained missing as of 1:30 p.m. yesterday while the three injured are now confined at a local hospital.

“Based on the accounts of Novo Jeans

and Shirts Enterprises management, a total of 21 sales ladies and personnel staying in at Novo’s living quarters on the third floor of Lamberto Tan Building, which the Novo Store is renting,” Caraga Bureau of Fire Protection regional director Fire Senior Supt. Mario Socorro C. Timonera said.

Butuan City Fire Marshall Aldrick Gomez told the Philippines News Agen-

F17 DIE, 13

Science/Environment Page 4 Sports Page 15

‘No excuses’ in plastic ban

A FAMILY THAT WORKS TOGETHER. A family of fruit and vegetable vendors tend to their makeshift stall at the Bankerohan Public Market. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

By Jade C. Zaldivar

Follow Us On

D

AVAO City Councilor Melchor V. Quitain said no one will be excused from the ban on using plastic containers of food and beverages.

n Ban effective June 28 n Food retailers informed

Effective June 28, the city will no longer allow the use of non-biodegradable materials such as plastic and

polysterene foam, commonly called ‘Styrofoam’ which is a brand name.

“No one can avoid criminal prosecution and conviction by claiming unawareness of the provisions of the ordinance because ignorance of the law excuses no one,” the councilor said on

FNO, 13

2

THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

32 Filipino repatriates return from Indonesia

By Lorie A. Cascaro

C

OMMANDING officer Luzviminda Camacho of the BRP Magat Salamat (PS 20) of the Philippine Navy said yesterday the ship brought back 32 Filipino repatriates from Indonesia after their joint patrol exercise with the Indonesian Navy last April 24.

The first female commanding officer of the Philippine Navy, she said the ship arrived in Indonesia last April 23 for the opening ceremony of the CORPAT PHILINDO on April 24 in Manado, and left Bitong, Indonesia for Glan, Sarangani last April 26 with the repatriates aboard. Sarangani.

The Filipino fishermen had been caught intruding into Indonesian waters, said Robert Empedrad, deputy commander for fleet operations and commander, Naval Task Force Seahawk of Naval Forces Eastern Mindanao (NFEM).

The four-day exercise near Balut Island between the Philippines and Indonesia ended last May 2 in Glan, Sarangani.

The biggest ship of the NFEM, BRP Magat

Salamat will be involved in another joint exercise with the Indonesian Navy in September, a twice a year event.

The CORPAT PHILINDO is a joint coordinated border patrol by the two countries’ navies in border areas that Philippines shares with Indonesia to patrol against maritime crimes that are prevailing in the area.

Patrolling the waters from Siargao, Davao Gulf to Poliok, Cotabato, the NFEM has nine ships deployed in different parts of Eastern Mindanao, and will soon have two additional ships, one of which, according to him, will be as big as BRP Magat Salamat.

He also mentioned that the Philippines’ border patrol agreement with Indonesia was established 36 years ago to address maritime crimes that are prevailing in the countries’ border crossing.

Empedrad cited poaching, piracy and illegal fishing, among others as possible maritime crimes along the sea lanes that they patrol, where commercial ships pass through.

SouthSpot launches TV stars workshop

“O

VERCOME your Shyness and Discover your Potential!” That was the challenge for the Batch 1 students of the SPOTLIGHT PERSONALITY EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP produced by SouthSpot Entertainment Network, in partnership with NCCC Mall and 104.3 The Edge Radio Davao.

Last May 5 Saturday, the students were launched on stage, via a fashion and talent showcase at the activity center of NCCC Mall of Davao, as the new stars of SouthSpot Channel’s new lifestyle program entitled Spotlight TV! The TV show is the workshop’s final output as part of its “workshop-on-air” curriculum designed by its Program Director JILL PALARCA. Jill is an MTV Producer/Director/Writer from New York Film Academy. She has directed MTV VJs such as Donita Rose, KC Montero, KC Concepcion, Belinda Panelo, Sarah Meier, Marc Abaya, Cindy Kurleto, Patty Laurel, and also the likes of Lucy Torres, Dominic Ochoa, Arnel Ignacio, and many more.

While in MTV, Jill Palarca has interviewed and produced segments

for Michael Buble, Mandy Moore, Matchbox 20, and many other local and international artists and bands.

Currently, she’s also a Communication Arts professor at the University of the Immaculate Conception and a freelance Events & Marketing Consultant.

During the 4-week workshop, the students were given intensive lessons in TV Hosting, Emceeing for Events, Radio DJ-ing, Print/Ramp/Commercial Modelling, Fashion Styling and Basic Make-up by Mary Kay Philippines. They were given actual on-cam hosting exercises as VJs, Talk Show Hosts, Field Reporters, and Lifestyle Program Presenters.

The students also got to experience a Fashion Makeover Photo Shoot with photographer Cookie Tan and stylists Frances Tendencia and Gia Osckie Selma from the Style Oven House, Ryan & Janice Salon and Hair Dazzle Salon.

Wardrobe was provided by WYN Fashion Ensembles, Jorgy & Missy, and Marmalade. Former model Skye Bangoy Dionela, and Miss Photogenic of Miss Earth Davao 2010 Angelina Arrozal were the students’ mentor in Ramp and Print

FSOUTHSPOT, 13

MORE PATIENCE. Motorists will have to bring more patience if they will pass through the Davao-Cagayan road as there are still partially closed sections of the road because of the on-going road rehabilitation operations. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

Military puts up P1.1-M infra

By Jade Zaldivar

I

NFRASTRUCTURE projects in Davao Oriental valued at P1.1 million were recently put up by the military through bayanihan efforts.

Two health stations were built in the barangays of Ilangay, Lupon and Maag, San Isidro while work was completed in the Rehabilitation and Improvement of Water System (RIWS) which which brings water supply to communities.

Civil Military Operations officer 1Lt. Hermie Montelibano of the 28th IB said the projects were completed through the combined participation of the community, the local and national government, and the military.

For its part, the 28th IB provided masonry, carpentry, and plumbing services for the projects.

“We saw the need for these projects following the consultation we made with the community leaders,” Montelibano said.

Davao Oriental province under Governor Corazon Malanyaon and District 2 representative Thelma Almario gave funds for the construction of the health stations and the RIWS. Half a million pesos was allotted for each barangay health station while P100,00 was allotted for the RIWS. “The provincial office, the office of the 2nd district and the Department of Health (DOH) financed these projects after we indentified them in our Rapid Needs Assessment Report,” Montelibano said.

Doctor Joy Sanico, provincial health officer, who provided the plans

FMILITARY, 13

45 families evacuated after Agusan Sur clash M

ORE than 45 families were evacuated from their homes at Barangay New Visayas in Trento, Agusan del Sur following the May 7 clash between the 25th Infantry Batallion (IB) and an Organized Crime Group (OCG) linked to the New People’s Army (NPA).

Lt. Col. Cesar Molina, commander of the 25th IB, yesterday said the families are now sheltered at the barangay hall of New Visayas and at the Multi-purpose Hall of Barangay Pulang Lupa.

“They were transferred to more secure shelters since their villages have been frequented by the OCG-NPA and some folks were reportedly harassed if they refuse to provide support and sympathy to the criminals,” Molina said.

The local government of Trento, through the Municipal Social Welfare and Development Office (MSWDO), has provided assistance and relief goods to the evacuees, he added.

Around 9:00 pm of May 7, troops of the 25th IB and around 30 members of OCG-NPA engaged in armed confrontation at Trento, Agusan del Sur. Four soldiers were reported wounded from the clash which lasted for an hour. The wounded in action (WIA) were immediately brought to Camp Panacan Station Hospital for immediate medical treatment.

Recovered from the OCG-NPAs were three landmines, one hand grenade, and several personal belongings, said Lt. Col. Lyn-

n 4 soldiers wound- dropped in Barangay New

ed

don Paniza, spokesperson of 10th Infantry Division to which the 28th IB is under.

Paniza said the group of OCG-NPA was spotted to have been operating at Monkayo, Compostella Valley near the boundary of Agusan del Sur. “They were tracked down. The engagement happened near the boundary of Comval,” he said.

Paniza said it was civilians who reported the presence of NPAs in their area, adding that civilian reports ‘are the key to successfully apprehend the members of organized crime groups and thwart any possible atrocities they will perpetrate.’

“We believe that the increasing reports from civilians (about the presence of OCGs) manifest the efficacy of the peace and development outreach programs of 10th ID,” he said.

Bombed Meanwhile, activist group Karapatan Southern Mindanao claimed that the military bombed the civilian communities causing their evacuation.

Karapatan spokesperson Pastor Jurie Jayme said a total of seven bombs were

Quips

Visayas.

“First there were four bombs, followed by three bombs. The residents reported that it was the military’s bombs that caused their evacuation,” Jayme said without further elaboration.

There are also differences in the reports from the military and Karapatan.

Karapatan said it was in the evening of May 6 that the military first entered the barangay.

“Two 6x6 armored trucks arrived boarded by elements of the 25th IB of the Philippine Army,” Jayme said adding that it was at 7:00 am that the OCG-NPAs and the military engaged.

Karapatan said alleged victims of the bombing incidents and leaders of organizations including Kilusang Magbubukid sa Pilipinas and Karapatan have conducted a dialogue May 7 with Trento town Mayor John Mark C. Billanes.

The group added that two local leaders Melchor Malimbasao and Fermen Ballos, Jr. have filed police blotters “after being threatened by some military elements to be killed once caught.” [JADE C. ZALDIVAR]

‘WE would like to foster a culture of compliance among companies and their contractors and subcontractors.’

--Labor Secretary Rosalina Baldoz BM

EDGEDAVAO

3

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

WARNING PROLIFERATION OF ADULTERATED FERTILIZER USED FOR AGRICULTURE

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The distribution and sale of adulterated fertilizer to unsuspecting farm workers has become rampant in recent years. The manufacture, storage, distribution and sale of adulterated fertilizer is punishable under Presidential Decree No. 1144, with imprisonment of up to more than twenty years.

A modus operandi of criminal elements is to connive with drivers of trucking companies which transport sacks of genuine fertilizer from the supplier, replacing the contents thereof with adulterated fertilizer.

ABIGAIL FARM SUPPLY, INC. with a store at Isulan, Sultan Kudarat, was recently victimized with the discovery of sacks of adulterated AMIGO PLANTERS fertilizer thereat.

LA FILIPINA UY GONGCO CORPORATION, owner of AMIGO PLANTERS fertilizer products, has recently instituted criminal complaints against those involved in the adulteration of fertilizer.

LA FILIPINA UY GONGCO CORPORATION and ABIGAIL FARM SUPPLY, INC., an authorized distributor of the former, will not tolerate the distribution and sale of adulterated fertilizer as these result in crop failures and renders the land unproductive, to the detriment of farm workers.

LA FILIPINA UY GONGCO CORPORATION and ABIGAIL FARM SUPPLY, INC. are coordinating closely to put a stop to the distribution and sale of adulterated fertilizer.

With the new security measures it has adopted, ABIGAIL FARM SUPPLY, INC. assures its customers that it only sells and distributes genuine AMIGO PLANTERS fertilizer products.

LA FILIPINA UY GONGCO CORPORATION TCG Compound, Across Old Airport Road Sasa, Davao City, Tel no. 082-234-8778

ABIGAIL FARM SUPPLY, INC

Kalawag III, Isulan Sultan Kudarat, Tel no. 083-2383020

4 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

The looming water crisis

By Jims Vincent T. Capuno

I

n one way or the other, every Filipino seems to experience it. When it becomes a hassle, everyone complains. But when it is gone, no one talks about it anymore.

So, how do you solve a problem like water crisis when the country is in fact surrounded by oceans of water? “The image of a water-rich Philippines is a mirage,” deplores Gregory C. Ira, former head of the WELLS (Water Equity in the Lifescape and Landscape Study) of the International Institute of Rural Reconstruction in Silang, Cavite .

Elisea Gozun, former secretary of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), agrees. “On a macro-level, it appears there is plenty of water, but we are now experiencing problems and, in some instances, some areas (of the country) are suffering from lack of water,” she points out.

The Philippines is endowed with rich water resources. Rivers and lakes cover 1,830 square kilometers – that’s 0.61 percent of the country’s total land area of 30 million hectares.

In addition, it has 421 river basins in 119 proclaimed watersheds.

Unfortunately, the country has only 1,907 cubic meters of fresh water available per Filipino annually.

This ranks the Philippines as the second lowest among countries with fresh water availability in Southeast Asia; Thailand tops with only 1,854 cubic meters.

By 2025, the country water demand is expected

to triple from the 1995 demand: from 1,303 cubic meters in 1995 to 3,955 cubic meters in 2005. “The country may be blessed with abundant water at this time, but we face an acute water crisis in the near future if we do not conserve this vital resource,” said Senator Loren Legarda.

Even today, there is already a water crisis. “Water resources are unevenly distributed throughout the country, often resulting in water shortages in highly populated areas, especially during the dry season,” a World Bank report notes.

In other parts of the world, the crisis is even worse. Scientists calculate that 7 percent of the human race today does not have enough water to survive.

This figure show that this will rise to 70 percent by 2050. “Most of humanity faces a future without the most basic of resources,” they claim.

When that happens, a war is more likely to happen. “Whiskey’s for drinkin’,” Mark Twain once wrote. “But water is for fightin’ over.” Ismail Seageldin thinks so, too.

“Many of the wars in the past were about oil, but the wars of the coming years will be about water,” he said those words when he was still the vice-president of the World Bank.

“Over the last three centuries, the growth in the volume of water withdrawn from freshwater sources for human use has been much more rapid than the growth in population,” reports the Geneva-based World Health Organization.

The volume of water withdrawal has reportedly increased more than 35 times, whereas human population has only increased by seven-fold, the United Nations health agency reports.

To think of, the world is awash with water. In total, there is about 1,400 million million million liters: about 100 billion liters per person. But the hitch is: 97 percent is sea water. The rest is fresh, but most of it is trapped underground or stored at the poles as snow and ice.

In fact, only 0.8 percent of Earth’s water is accessible and drinkable – about a billion billion liters. Given that a person’s minimum annual requirement is a million liters, there is still enough – on average. “Water, water everywhere,” wrote Samuel Taylor Coleridge in The Time of the Ancient Mariner, “but not a drop to drink.”

By 2015, nearly three billion people – 40 percent of the project world population – are expected to live in countries that find it difficult or impossible to mobilize enough water to satisfy the food, industrial, and domestic needs of their citizens.

“We need water for drinking, keeping clean, and making things – but, most importantly, we need it for farming,” said Professor Jim Wallace of the Institute of Hydrology in Oxfordshire.

“About three-quarters of the water we use goes on growing food.”

“The link between water and food is strong,” points out Lester Brown,

president of Earth Policy Institute, based in Washington DC . “We drink, in one form or another, nearly 4 liters of water per day. But the food we consume each day requires at least 2,000 liters to produce, 500 times as much.”

Consider rice: some 5,000 liters of water are needed to produce one kilogram of rice. “Water has contributed most to the growth in rice production for the past 30 years,” said the Laguna-based International Rice Research Institute.

“Unlike the energy crisis, the water crisis is life threatening,” said Dr. Klaus Toepfer, during his term as executive director of the Nairobi-based United Nations Environment Program. “The level of suffering and misery represented by these statistics is almost beyond comprehension.”

By 2015, tens of millions of people will have died from water-borne diseases, including an average of 6,000 children every day. “It is a grave moral shortcoming that 1.2 billion people cannot drink water without courting disease or death,” asserted Sandra Postel, director of the Massachusetts-based Global Water Policy Project and author of The Last Oasis.

In the Philippines, about “31 percent of illnesses are water-related due to lack of clean drinking water supply and efficient sanitary facilities,” said Rep. Bernadette R. Herrera-Dy of Bagong Henerasyon Party List.

Water for Life, Water for People, a United Nations publication, considered

water as “a priority field for action.” It emphasized the tragic impact the crisis has on “the everyday lives of poor people, who are blighted by the burden of water-related disease, living in degraded and often dangerous environments and to earn a living, and get enough to eat.”

It is also a question of equity. Poor households in the Philippines , for instance, spend a greater proportion of their income per month on water than do rich households. According to study done by the Asian Development Bank (ADB), an average Filipino poor household – reliant on vended water as the main water source – spends 80 percent more on vended water than an average rich household.

Whether rich or poor, averting water crisis should be everyone’s concern. As Senator Legarda said, “Water stress, amplified by climate change, will create a growing security challenge. We must avert any possible water crisis, which can lead to a food and health crisis if left unchecked.”

However, “we cannot talk of providing sustainable water to the people unless we protect the source of the commodity – the watersheds,” contends Gozun. Massive destruction of once-productive forested watersheds by loggers and uncontrolled land use from mining, overgrazing, agricultural expansion, and industrialization have contributed to water depletion.

Indeed, a healthy for-

est is one good indicator of a good watershed. “This is because forests can help to relegate the flow of water,” explains Patrick Durst, the regional forestry officer of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization.

“If the forest perishes, so will the life of people,” someone once said. “The trees are our source of life.

Without trees, there will be no water. If there is no water, there will be no life.”

Over extraction of fresh water underground may result to saltwater intrusion. Such is the case of Cebu which “can always become the country’s salt capital,” to quote the words of veteran journalist Juan Mercado.

Cebu reportedly pumps 275,000 cubic meters daily. Its coastal aquifer can recharge less than half.

Demand from population and industry will more than double by 2030. This “over-mining” permits salt water to seep in. The damage is irreversible. It takes 500 years or so to flush tainted underground reservoirs.

“Of all the social and natural crises we humans face,” commented Koichiro Matsuura, of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization, “the water crisis is the one that lies at the heart of our survival and that of our planet earth.”

“When the well’s dry, we know the worth of water,” noted American statesman Benjamin Franklin in 1746. Today, in many parts of the world, the well is, indeed, drying up!

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 47 • MAY 10, 2012

5

Palace steps in to stop ‘meat holiday’ A

holiday on pork, beef, and chicken products seems inevitable in the next couple of weeks as the Swine and Development Council, and the United Broiler Raisers Association have maintained their stand in conducting a meat holiday in protest of the government’s alleged inaction on “technical smuggling and over-importaion of meat.

Emergency meetings have been called in Malacañan to avert the looming crisis. The Departments of Finance (DoF) and Agriculture (DA), and the Bureau of Customs (BoC) were asked to sit down with the hog and poultry growers in a six-hour emergency meeting on Monday.

Swine and Development Council (SDC) and United Broiler Raisers Association (UBRA) officials had not completely dropped the threat to mount a holiday, but decided to hold it in abeyance for another two weeks.

“We have agreed to hold in abeyance the mounting of a

nationwide five-day pork and chicken holiday because Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala promised to put in place the corrective measures in two weeks,” said AGAP partylist Rep. Nicanor Briones.

“So far, so good. We hope this could lead to something more solid and for our demands to be acted upon as soon as possible without us having to resort to a nationwide pork and chicken holiday,” said Daniel Javellana Jr., council director and chairman of the National Federation of Hog Farmers Inc., referring to the meeting with concerned government agencies.

“This was the first time that the pork growers and poultry raisers met with the DoF, DA and BoC officials in one meeting,” said Edwin Chen, president of the Pork Producers Federation of the Philippines.

Customs Commissioner Rozzano Rufino Biazon, on the other hand, said the demands of the hog raisers and poultry growers were “doable”.

“Most, I already did be-

fore the meeting. The others, we just needed to explain to them. It was a good friendly meeting. Just as I said before, mag-usap-usap na lang instead of exchanges through media,” he said.

During the meeting, Biazon told the hog and poultry growers that he had already started a revamp in the importation section of the bureau.

“Commissioner Biazon and Secretary Alcala agreed to jointly purge the list of existing importers and scrutinize the new set of applicants,” said Durian Tan from the SDC. Briones said some of the Top 10 importers had allegedly “fictitious addresses and owners” while the No. 1 importer only had P31,000 in paid-up capital but was able to import some P650-million worth of frozen meat.

“We have nothing against the legitimate importers.

What we are fighting are the smugglers that flood the wet markets with imported frozen meat that was being passed off as fresh meat and unfairly dragging down the price be-

cause they do not pay the correct tariff,” he said.

Briones said government lost some P3.7 billion in revenues annually due to smuggling and over-importation.

Javellana said the DA and BoC were considering bringing back to 2007 level the 40 percent tariff on offals, skin, fats and rind.

The government had brought down to five percent the tariff on offal after the US government pressured the Philippines and lobbied to the World Trade Organization (WTO) to bring down the levy in exchange for a favorable action on the quantitative restriction (QR) on rice, he explained.

“We find it a bit unfair that we are being used as a bargaining chip for the QR on rice,” he said.

During the meeting, Alcala and Biazon also agreed to increase the reference price for swine to US$ 2.10, US$ 2.12 and US$ 2.97 a kilo from US$ 0.80, US$ 0.97 and US$ 1.23 a kilo for chicken from US$ 0.54.

ISITOR arrivals to the Philippines hit an all-time high of 1,148,072 during the first three months of 2012, posting an increase of 16.03 percent versus last year’s arrivals of 989,501 for the same period.

“During this period, visitors to the Philippines increased by 16 percent to hit almost 1.15 million. From this record, we have now achieved 25 percent of our international visitor target of 4.6 million for this year,” Tourism Secretary Ramon R. Jimenez Jr. said.

“The world is now starting to see that ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ is not just a bunch of words on a streamer.

It is a competitive argument for choosing the Philippines as one of the world’s top tourist destinations.

“Philippine tourism is poised to surge forward as we receive a steady increase of tourist arrivals, as seen in the first quarter of this year,” beamed Jimenez.

This strong tourism outlook was recently highlighted during the 45th Annual Meeting of the Board of Governors of the Asian Development Bank (ADB) in the Philippines when the Department of Tourism (DOT) convened foreign and local delegates in a forum on “Harnessing the Growth Potentials of Tourism” at the SMX Convention Center to showcase the

developments and investment opportunities in the country’s tourism industry.

In that tourism forum, Tourism Undersecretary Daniel G. Corpuz presented the recently completed National Tourism Development Plan (NTDP) highlighting the country’s growth potentials and investment opportunities available to the private sector, investors, bankers, fund managers and local government units.

The NTDP is a product of the most thorough inventory of tourist attractions in the history of the Philippines. It divides the county into 20 clusters and identifies the key gateways that will be the focus of massive development in the next four years.

“This forum is just the beginning of various road shows to inform partners, as well as encourage investors and funding institutions to support the implementation of the NTDP. There is much more to be done to make the Philippines more fun than it is now,” Jimenez told the articipants.

Still remaining as top five tourist-generating countries are Korea, US, Japan, China, and Taiwan. The Korean market maintained its big lead over the other producers, contributing 265,031 visitors for a share of 23.08 percent of the total tourist arrivals during the quarter.

This is a 16.04 percent in-

crease compared to last year’s arrivals of 228,398 visitors.

The US market captured 15.64 percent of the total arrivals or 179,561 visitors, growing at 6.35 percent compared to last year’s figure of 168,847 during the same period.

Meanwhile, visitors from Japan numbered at 104,558 or 9.11 percent of the total visitors, an increase of 3.85 percent from last year.

The fourth and fifth biggest generating markets are China and Taiwan, which consequently got the biggest double-digit growth rates of 77.53 percent and 37.49 percent respectively, comparing to last year’s figures.

China and Taiwan registered 96,455 and 57,745 visitor arrivals this year compared to last year’s figures of 54,332 and 42,000 visitors respectively.

“Our international exposure on CNN, promotional efforts in key markets, policy reforms to ease entry and enhance market access, and ongoing improvements in road and airport infra-

structure will help bring in more warm bodies. Therefore, we see no reason why we won’t hit our target of 4.6 million this year,” Jimenez added.

Other fast-growing markets include Australia with 47,651 arrivals for a share of 4.15 percent; Canada with 36,517 arrivals at 3.18 percent; Singapore with 35,975 arrivals at 3.13 percent; United Kingdom with 31,700 at 2.76 percent; Hongkong with 28,800 at 2.51 percent; Malaysia with 24,327 at 2.12 percent; and Germany with 21,106 at 1.84 percent share.

Overseas Filipinos contributed 4.65 percent to the total tourist traffic at 53,404 arrivals. This segment grew by 4.98 percent compared to last year’s volume of 50,871 visitors.

What sets the Philippines apart, Jimenez enthused, is that “the Philippines is about the Filipino, the Filipino and his infectious love of the things that the world tends to forget: family, friends and the communion with God’s beautiful earth.” (PNA)

‘It’s more fun in the Philippines’ a success, tourism arrivals hit 1.1 M V

Quips

(PNA)

‘IT is worth noting that contribution collections outpaced benefit payment by P3.2 billion—the highest recorded since 2002. This is in step with out objectives of continually building up Investment Reserve Fund and lengthening the actuarial life of the Social Security fund.’

--Social Security System President and CEO Emilio de Quiros. BM

as of august 2010

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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

6

THE ECONOMY

Globe revenues up by 6% in Q1

G

LOBE Telecom on Tuesday said its consolidated revenues went up by 6 percent to P20.2 billion in the first quarter from last year’s level of P19.1 billion.

The Ayala-led telco’s mobile revenues increased by 6 percent year-on-year from P15.6 billion to about P16.6 billion this period despite intense competition and continued price pressures.

At-end March, Globe’s subscriber base stood at 31 million, up 14 percent from the same period last year.

Broadband revenues were also up 13 percent year-on-year from P1.8 billion to P2 billion in the first quarter amid the strong take-up of its broadband services.

Globe, however, posted a net profit dropped of P2.74 billion in January to March period, down by 10 percent from P2.96 billion in the same period last year.

The comapny’s operating expenses and subsidy rose by 16 percent to P11.6 billion in the January to March period.

This was driven largely by higher subsidy and marketing expenses to acquire new and re-contract existing postpaid subscribers, support various brand-building initiatives, as well as product and service launches in the mobile business.

Network-related costs such as electricity, fuel, rent, repairs and maintenance likewise rose as a result of an expanded 2G, 3G and broadband networks.

“We are pleased with our results this period, and the way we have built on and sustained the momentum of the last six quarters. Despite intense competition, we continue to make gains in our mobile and broadband businesses. This reinforces our commitment to our transformation agenda to better serve our customers,” said Ernest L. Cu, president and chief executive of Globe.

“The industry is entering a new phase, and we see 2012 as a year of

investments in our customers, in our networks, and in our systems and processes. We expect to emerge from this investment period with significantly improved capabilities, well-positioned to grow and deliver enhanced value to all our stakeholders,” he added.

P1.55million

2.9percent

It figures

AMOUNT of reward offered by the family of slain broadcaster and environment advocate Gerry Ortega for anyone who could provide information leading to the arrest of former Palawan Gov. Joel Reyes and his brother Coron Mayor Mario Reyes, accused of masterminding the murder of Ortega.

PLDT posts 13% revenue growth in Q1

The Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. on Tuesday said its consolidated revenues rose by 13 percent to P42.8 billion in the first three months of the year.

“Our first quarter results are in line with our expectations that industry stability would return in gradual but quite certain terms. As we continue the complex task of integrating Digitel/Sun Cellular into the PLDT Group, we are heartened by the opportunities for both synergy and growth we see arising,” Manuel V. Pangilinan, PLDT chairman, said.

With the addition of Sun Cellular, PLDT’s wireless service revenues increased 15 percent to P28.9 billion for the first three months, compared with the P25.1 billion recognized in the same period last year.

Without Digitel’s revenue contribution of P4.7 billion, wireless revenues would have fallen 4 percent to P24.2 billion as the 6 percent increase in wireless broadband cellular and the stabilizing of cellular data/text revenues were offset by the 8 percent drop in voice revenues.

Smart continues to lead the industry in terms of both revenues and subscribers.

PLDT’s net income fell by 6 percent to P10.1 billion in the first quarter from P10.7 billion in the same period last year.

Its core profit, which excludes foreign exchange gains or losses and other non-recurring income amounted to P9.3 billion in January to March period, lower than the P10.6 billion in the same period last year.

THE growth in the number of total college graduates in the Philippines in 2010. As can be gleaned from data released by the National Statistics Coordination Board (NSCB), the number of college graduates has been growing slowly in the last decade, threatening its supply of qualified human capital.

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Gov’t eyes P2 T budget for 2013 E

CONOMIC managers are considering a P2-trillion national budget for 2013, 10 percent higher than this year’s P1.816-trillion General Appropriations Act (GAA), a budget and management official said.

Budget and Management Undersecretary Laura Pascua on Tuesday told reporters that the P2 trillion is the ceiling thus, there is still a possibility of setting a lower budget.

“The increase in the budget will mean additional financing for social services, education,

health and infrastructure investments among others,” she said.

“We will try to do it (setting a P2 trillion national government budget) because we need to grow,” she stressed.

Pascua cited that in line with the increase in the budget, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) is currently meeting with officials of the various government agencies for technical budget hearings. The meetings will be held until June.

Relatively, DBM Sec-

retary Florencio Abad said the inter-agency Development Budget Coordinating Committee (DBCC) has not finalized the proposed 2013 national budget because economic managers have yet to check on their revenue projections for next year.

“As of today, revenue collections are improving and we hope to be able to hit the first trillion collection ever,” he said referring to the P1,066 trillion collection goal of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR).

Revenue goal of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) amounts to P347.1 billion.

As of last March, the government posted a P33.9-billion budget deficit, 29.4 percent higher than year-ago’s P26.2billion budget gap.

Revenues in the first three months this year rose by 11.7 percent to P360.97 billion over year-ago’s P323.1 billion.

Also, expenditures expanded by 13.1 percent to P394.88 billion form the P349.3 billion in the first quarter of 2011. (PNA)

n Violators will be

assistance program

DTI issues price guide SSS bares guidelines for school supplies for educational

C

HARGES of overpricing await those who do not follow the suggested retail prices (SRP) on school supplies, uniforms and bags, the Department of Trade and Industry said.

DTI Undersecretary Zenaida C. Maglaya said the SRP, which was published May 5, was agreed upon by DTI, was meant to ensure that prices of these products remain at reasonable levels and retailers observe the agreed price range.

Maglaya said that the SRP was agreed during a meeting with manufacturers and retailers.

“Since the guide prices are based on our agreement with manufacturers and retailers, if they will not follow then we are going to give them notice to explain whey they did not comply and if their explanation do not suffice then we are going to press for necessary charges of overpricing,” Maglaya said.

Already, the DTI has conducted its first of a series of 30 “Diskwento Caravan – Balik Eskwela Edition” in 16 key cities to provide as much as 50 percent discount on school supplies, uniforms and bags before the school opens in June.

Except for crayons and pencils, prices of all school supplies have remained stable and are expected to remain until classes start next month.

P25.5billion NET income posted in 2011 by the Social Security System, 12 percent higher than the P22.8-billion net income last year, according to SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emilio de Quiros.

charged with overpricing Prices of crayons have gone up because they are petroleumbased. Also, prices of wood used in pencil manufacturing have increased triggering an adjustment in prices of pencils, Maglaya said.

An 8-piece notebook is selling at P19.75 from P17 while a three-piece pack pencil is now at P19.75 from P17.75 depending on the brand.

The DTI has also reminded all manufacturers and retailers to observe proper labeling of their products like the number of pages.

The DTI has already lined-up a total of 30 “Diskwento Caravan” for the month of May alone in 16 key cities in the country to bring to consumers cheaper priced school supplies.

Maglaya reported that participants in last year’s caravans generated a total of P14 million sales. Prices of products sold at these caravans are pegged at factory levels enabling consumers to avail of discounts ranging from 10 to 50 percent.

The caravans are mostly in partnership with local government units, which provide for the venue.(PNA)

26

NUMBER of government infrastructure projects worth around P2.8 billion are now in various stages of implementation in the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao, according to Public Works Secretary Rogelio Singson.

T

HE Social Security System (SSS) has announced the terms of its new P7-billion loan window for college education and skills training, which is part of government’s efforts to enhance job prospects and ensure productive employment of current and future workers.

SSS Officer-in-Charge Edgar Solilapsi said members earning P10,000 or less a month can apply for the Educational Assistance Loan Program (EALP) to enable them or their dependents to defray enrollment costs for college, vocational and technical courses.

“The EALP aims to boost the country’s socioeconomic growth by developing a larger pool of competent professionals and skilled workers. It will also help workers upgrade their knowledge and skills to secure better jobs and provide a brighter future for their family,” Solilapsi added.

Members with at least 36 contributions -- including three monthly premiums within the past 12 months -- are eligible to borrow for educational expenses of one beneficiary.

The member must also be paying premiums based on a monthly salary credit of P10,000 or lower.

“The beneficiaries can be the SSS members themselves, legal spouses or

children. Unmarried members can use the loan for the education of their siblings,” Solilapsi said. “However, no substitution of beneficiary will be allowed to ensure that students finish their studies and obtain their degree.”

The maximum loan amount per semester or trimester is P15,000 for college and P7,500 for a vocational or technical course, which must be a two-year degree program or higher. Loan releases will be made payable to the school and must be used for tuition and miscellaneous fees only. The school must be accredited by the Commission on Higher Education or the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

Members have up to three years to repay the loan for voc-tech courses and up to five years for college degrees. The grace period before repayment, which will start on the date of the final loan release, is 18 months for semestral courses and 15 months for trimestral programs.

The P7-billion educational loan fund for private sector workers consists of P3.5 billion in national government subsidy and P3.5 billion from SSS. It can serve as a revolving fund that may be released to benefit more borrowers as these are recovered and collected, Solilapsi noted.

P61.4 billion $485-million

BUDGET for 2012 of the Department of Agriculture to fund major initiatives aimed at propping up food production and ensuring the Philippines will be able to achieve self-sufficiency by next year.

INFRASTRUCTURE Fund created by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) and the Asian Development Bank (ADB) to help address critical infrastructures problems in the region.

EDGEDAVAO

GAME CHANGERS

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

7

Soaring high!

By Lorie A. Cascaro

H

ERE’S ANOTHER opportunity for any Dabawenyo’s dream of seeing the world while earning coming true. No need of going to Manila, Subic or elsewhere to become a pilot, avionic, mechanic or flight attendant. A world-class flying school is now in Davao City.

It is the Asian International School of Aeronautics and Technology (AISAT) located at the AISAT Building at the corner of Sta. Ana Avenue and Leon Garcia Street.

AISAT is a brainchild of Albert Y. Pingoy, himself the president of the AYP Holdings, Inc. The AISAT idea became reality with the help of local investors Ricky Toehio, lawyer Myra Wee Toehio, and engineer Jon-

athan Palma, president of Acatech Support Specialist, Inc. Pingoy said aviation schools are clumped in Metro Manila, and Clark, now known as the aviation hub in the country.

“It doesn’t mean that if it’s in Davao, the quality of education is poor. It can be here so that students from Mindanao don’t have to go to Manila. We can offer here education and training which are at par

AISAT workshop/laboratory

if not even higher than their quality,” he said.

Being part of the industry with his own fiveyear old Aerowurkz Aviation, Pingoy saw the need for more workforces, and that he wanted to help the industry through the products of his flying school.

“The reason why we put up the school is because we see the need,” he said, adding that AISAT seeks to supply local and world market’s demand for quality aviation workers.

Pingoy cited current demand for 600,000 mechanics and avionics, and 72,000 pilots in Asia Pacific. He said one local

Dr. Albert Y. Pingoy (left) with Jonathan Palma (right) pose with the advanced composite repair equipment of the AISAT, one of the only two schools in the country that have this state-of-the-art equipment.

airline has announced plans of acquiring 100 airplanes in the immediate future.

He bared that just one plane would need 90 to 120 employees, excluding personnel for booking, accounting, marketing, food catering, janitorial and human resource needs.

Unbeknownst to most people, aviation is manpower-intensive, Pingoy said.

“It is really a sunrise industry,” he said. “Come to think of it, Malaysia and Indonesia are acquiring 200 to 300 aircraft in one buying binge, as if they’re just purchasing taxi cabs..

The AISAT has a guaranteed hire program, which entails the collaboration of parents, students and the school to lead the students from enrolment to employment.

Jonathan Palma, who owns the Asian College of Aeronautics in Iloilo, Bacolod, Manila and Clark, shared his company’s expertise in aviation education to the AISAT, and the Acatech offers its manpower support services to major international airports in the country.

“We are not competing with other schools like we are offering these courses, or we compare aviation to nursing or HRM. We are offering them an employment. But, to be employed you have be knowledgeable of the course kay mapaemploy man gyud

nato sila. Maangat nila ilang kinabuhi through employment ug lifestyle change, and hopefully they don’t blow it along the way,” Pingoy said.

To be formally launched this month, the AISAT eyes 200 students for the first batch, although the school building can accommodate up to 1,200 students in its air-conditioned classrooms.

It has a one-is-to-one ratio of tools and students so the trainings and lectures will be intensive and more focused, with highly advanced equipment that

the industry is currently utilizing.

Having a total of 11 years of experience as a pilot for corporate, commuter-passenger and cargo airlines and aerial spraying, Pingoy has a comparison between local and international standards of aviation schools as he started his pilot course in Davao City and finished in Oklahoma and Georgia.

He said AISAT is designed according to the international standards he experienced abroad.

He said aviation students there stay in a dormitory

FSOARING, 13

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

China’s desire for better US ties OPINION

BY ALBERT L. WEEKS

C

EDITORIAL

Lowcost carriers, low quality of service

C

OMPLAINTS over outrageous flight delays and other forms of poor service rendered by airlines, most especially the so-called low-cost carriers (LCCs), have become daily fair in the Philippines.

The pathetic situation makes us wonder if this country still has a government agency mandated to protect the interest of the riding public through a law we used to know as the Public Service Act. Most publicized flight delays are those of Cebu Pacific, but Air Philippines is fast catching up in volume and notoriety. The usual line mouthed by the top executives and drumbeaters of these airlines on their shortcomings is their being LCCs or “no frills” airlines. Being an LCC is not an excuse to be insensitive to the welfare of the passengers who pay for the service. The companies, especially CebPac, report billions in earnings.

The same complaints have been aired a thousand or more times, but the lapses keep on recurring, giving us the impression that the airline operators enjoy seeing their

EDGEDAVAO

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Door 14 ALCREJ Building, Quirino Avenue, 8000, Davao City, Philippines Tel: (082) 301-6235 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 www.edgedavao.net editorial@edgedavao.net marketing@edgedavao.net

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customers suffer, a kind of masochism that should have no place in the airline industry.

Cebu Pacific’s failure to inform passengers that their bags have been off-loaded at airport of origin will naturally worry, then incense passengers like Claudine Baretto, husband Raymart Santiago, et all. With frayed nerves and gathering anger due to Cebu Pacific’s miscue, no wonder the mauling of Inquirer columnist Ramon Tulfo took place.

With CebPac, Airphil and other airlines perpetuating low quality of service, more passengers will be enraged each passing day. Expect violent eruptions among hotheads similar to the “Thrilla in Naia” between the Santiagos and Tulfo to become commonplace in our airports We wonder what Secretary Mar Roxas is doing about all these, especially since congestion in Philippine airports is pinpointed as one reason behind of the flight delays. As secretary of the Department of Transportation and Communication, he should be on top of this bedlam in the country’s airports.

ARLENE D. PASAJE Cartoons

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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HINA’S granting permission for blind dissident lawyer Chen Guangcheng to exit the country to study law at New York University, plus other developments, indicate that Beijing may now be committed to improving relations with the United States. At least in the short term.

Part of the Chinese motivation to improve relations may stem from the upcoming presidential election in the US. Beijing would not relish a change in administration inWashington that meant all-out adoption of a Cold War policy by incoming conservative hawks. The reaction of Republican leaders to the Chen affair, as voiced in early May in no uncertain terms by the top candidate,Mitt Romney, was surely noted ruefully by the perceptive rulers in Beijing.

Allowing the Obama administration some space for “victory” on the Chen issue would earn President Obama some domestic favor, or at least avoid the accusation that he has weakly acquiesced to China and its human rights abuses in Mr. Chen’s case.

In addition to Beijing’s relative cooperation with Chen, the following new developments seem to presage a new Chinese posture of rapprochement.

The latest far-ranging talks between China and the US appear to have gone smoothly.

They took place in Beijing last week between a large American delegation led by Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and their Chinese partners. A smilingPresident Hu Jintao, together with heir-apparent Xi Jinping, showed up at the meetings, although the talks had not included Mr. Hu’s head-of-state counterpart, Mr. Obama.

There were positive signs that these bilateral discussions could lead to better SinoAmerican relations on several fronts: political, economic, and military. The Chinese leadership, displaying unusual friendliness, showed that Zhongnanhai, the “Chinese Kremlin,” had obviously appreciated the manner in which US officials had handled the sensitive Bo Xilai affair.

In February, the US consulate in Chengdu had obligingly handed over Wang Lijun, the “defecting,” powerful, and well-informed Chongqing police chief. Mr. Wang had told American officials that he feared for his life from Bo Xilai’s leadership, which Wang was exposing as deeply corrupt.

The American consulate, after all, could have used Wang to embarrass the top Chinese leadership by publishing transcripts of what he told the Americans. Yet the consulate declined to do so. Instead, the US officials immediately turned Wang over to the Chinese authorities.

And Mr. Bo was soon ousted.

Beijing’s handling of the Bo affair itself indicates a more reform-minded leadership, with great possible openness to warmer US relations.

Chinese media continue to reprint the Chinese leaders’ revealing instructions to Communist Party and government officials following the Bo purge. These orders include promises to rid the lower party and government organs of corruption and nepotism; urge the People’s Republic of China at all levels to adopt the standards of “modern states” toward the “rule of law.” This is opposed to what a party statement refers candidly to as “China’s thousands of years of ‘rule by man’.”

While strict censorship of China’s Internet prevailed during the Chen affair, the Chinese leadership nevertheless showed a human face with regard to Chen, his wife, and children. In the final days of the family’s stay in the Beijing hospital, the government provided them with medical care, fresh clothing, a cake for the son’s birthday, and so on. While this was obviously done “for show,” it seemed to indicate a regime posture of accommodation rather than confrontation.

[Albert L. Weeks, professor emeritus of international affairs at New York University, is the author of several books on world affairs].

Quips ‘THE United States supports a collaborative diplomatic process by all those involved for resolving the various disputes that they encounter.’

--US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton on the Philippine-China standoff in Scarborough Shoal. PDI

EDGEDAVAO

I

t is unfortunate that it took Rep. Daisy AvanceFuentes (2nd District-South Cotabato) to amplify a bill separating General Santos City from the First Congressional District of South Cotabato.

For more than 20 straight years, the South Cotabato first district congressional seat was controlled by the Antoninos.

First by Adelbert Antonino then his wife Lualhati before daughter Darlene served it out for three consecutive terms.

Their ally, Rep. Pedro ‘Jun’ Acharon Jr now occupies that position. It was Acharon who filed the bill reapportioning the first and second congressional districts of South Cotabato and separating General Santos City as a lone congressional district.

When the framers of the 1987 Constitutional apportioned the number of legislative districts, it set a minimum in the number of population (one congressional district for every 250,000 population). Little did they anticipate that General Santos City, whose population at that time was just a little over 180,000, will rise to become one of the highly ur-

P

ASSING through the recent government-sponsored Jobs Fair at the Gaisano Mall here the other week gave me a fairly good idea of the current wellpaid jobs available for Filipinos in many countries..

What seems so clear to me now is the vanishing demand for nurses, a career that hundreds of thousands of Filipino students wanted to take up at the height of its global demand in the 1990’s. It turned out to be just a “bubble” of a global job demand that in time burst---just like, well, a soap bubble.

With jobs for nurses diminishing, there seems to be a greater demand nowadays for maids, care givers, hotel workers, cooks, welders, drivers, engineers, plumbers, and of course, call center agents.

To this day, I still can’t fathom why hundreds of nursing schools started mushrooming all over the country at the peak of the world demand for nurses. At the time, there was a shortage of nurses to fill job vacancies in hospitals and medical centers all over the world.

Today, after more than ten years, there seems to be a surfeit of nurses for jobs in those hospitals. For schools who started offering nursing courses at the peak of the global demand, it turned out to be the wrong time for an overseas career.

Don’t you think it was absolutely wrong for those schools to enter the market for nurses at the peak of the world demand, without anticipating that after

Monkey Business

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

Long time coming banized cities in the Philippines.

Today, there are over 536,000 residents in General Santos City, well over the minimum. Based on the 2010 population census, it is now even entitled to two legislative districts.

I have been repeatedly putting forward this idea since relocating here in 1999. (In 1997, I was commissioned by former councilor Aristeo Albay to make a study for possibly re-districting Davao City into four congressional districts.

That paper was submitted to then 2nd District Rep. Manuel ‘Nonoy’ Garcia who said it cannot be done without amending the Constitution.)

The latest incident where I had the opportunity to discuss this matter was with then Rep. Darlene Antonino who, in 2010, was then running for mayor.

I understand that it will take an amendment of the Constitution to reapportion the congressional districts as it is incorporated in the transitory provisions. The law provides that no new district shall be created unless a new territory is created. Re-districting the city and South Cotabato will not result into the creation of a new province or city.

But it has been done before without resulting into amending the Constitution.

Darlene Antonino-Custodio, now city mayor, however said it cannot be done without resorting to charter change

which effect could lead to the opening of Pandora’s box.

Acharon was also not receptive to the idea when he was still a mayor.

The two were also lukewarm, if not dismissive, of dividing the city into two political and legislative district (east and west) with Silway River as its natural boundary, similar to nearby Sarangani whose two poltical districts is separated east and west by General Santos City (Sarangani, too, has a lone congressional district). This will enable the city to increase the number of seats in the city council which is long overdue.

Silway River serves as antural boundary between the east and west side of the city.

Having only 12 elected councilors for a city of over half a million is a political anomaly. Residents here deserve at least 16 councilors – eight for each districts – for wider representation. It will also lessen the campaign cost for candidates for the city council as they will no longer campaign at large. And it can be done without even having to disturb the congressional districts. But if it can be done simultaneously, why not?

It may be too late to effect changes in the districting and representation at the city council but this could be a good platform for next year’s local elections.

four or five years, that demand for nurses would no longer be there ?

One mother from Davao spent more than P200,000 for her son to finish the nursing course in four years, go into internship and pass the board exam so he could work abroad, only to end up as a call center agent. Another nursing graduate I know acquired a passion for farming and became a rice farmer, losing interest completely in his nursing career.

Most of these nursing graduates won’t accept a job in local hospitals because of the embarrassingly low pay, but can’t stomach the thought of working abroad far from their parents. That’s understandable of course, if they have a very strong bond with their parents. It’s such an utter waste of money and time studying nursing, spending countless hours memorizing medical terms and nursing applications, gaining experience as an intern in hospitals, only to dump them all later.

I still can recall warnings aimed at schools that were offering nursing courses left and right, even computer schools with no reputation to speak of, were offering them at the height of the nursing boom.

Nursing schools were mushrooming everywhere from Luzon, the Visayas and Mindanao.

Economists some years ago had warned of a “coming bubble” for nurses in the world’s hospitals, a point in time when there won’t be any foreign jobs available for nurses being produced by countries like Bangladesh, the Philippines, Indonesia, India, Pakistan, etc. simply because all the slots had been filled and there aren’t any more unless hospitals expanded their operations.

In Davao, almost all the big universities here--- Ateneo, University of Mindanao, Brokenshire Memorial, Immaculate Conception, USP, UP Mindanao, etc.--- offered complete nursing courses. There were also the smaller, so-called “schools” offering jack-of-all-trade courses like welding, care giving, radio-tv repair, driving, flying, auto mechanic---AND nursing.

What we saw, however, at the recent Jobs Fair was a huge demand for domestic helpers whose overseas salaries can range anywhere from P50,000 to P100,000 a month---- compared to only around P500 to P1,000 a month here. Although overseas household work can be oppressive and back-breaking, salaries like these that are higher than a bank manager’s can be very attractive for many people looking for good job opportunities abroad.

Most of those applying for these jobs as “house maids” for foreign employers are housewives, single mothers, widows, exteachers, high school grads and desperate people who are always broke, with barely enough to eat, dying to get out of a spiral of poverty in our country.

It won’t be a surprise if there are schools now offering courses for certified professional domestic helpers designed for overseas employers. A high-demand bubble is now developing for this type of low-class job opportunity and supply of domestic helpers is still chasing this rising world demand.

How and when this global market for domestic helpers is filled will depend entirely on how the country’s schools will respond to this rising demand…..

(Comments? Email me: tradingpost_ davao@yahoo.com)

Wrong time for overseas careers

9

Hackers’ glory days come to an end SPECIAL FEATURE

BY MA. TERESA YOSORES

H

AVE you ever been attacked by hackers? Or have you heard of high profile websites in the Philippines recently attacked by hackers such as the case of the University of the Philippines?

Hackers may seem to be spreading like a disease but, luckily, a cure has already been formulated to fight them before they totally consume the cyberspace.

Such cure has been formulated by the IP Converge Data Center, Inc. (PSE: ‘CLOUD’), the country’s first and only publicly-listed Internet data center and cloud services provider.

IP-Converge offers the world’s most advanced cloud-based Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) mitigation services through its partnership with US-based Prolexic Technologies, the world’s pioneer and leading solutions specialist for the mitigation of DDoS attacks.

DDoS attacks are probably the most expensive of all cyber crimes. They are same ones recently used against gov. ph websites purportedly by a group of Chinese hackers in relation to the two countries’ current Scarborough Shoal standoff.

DDoS is able to cripple a network for a period of time by using multiple computers that have been infected to send out bogus traffic to a specified target.

This bogus traffic floods networks causing them to go offline – resulting in lost revenues and harmed reputation. ”With the right people to support you, the worst DDoS attacks on your network or websites can be mitigated easily, allowing you to focus on your business.

No need to be a hapless victim to cyber criminals,” Percival C. de los Reyes, IP-Converge SVP for Managed Data Services, said.

Prolexic created the cloud DDoS mitigation space nine years ago. IP-Converge started providing Prolexic’s DDoS mitigation services in 2007; it has remained to be the only company in the country offering this kind of service.

“It is typical for government websites all over the world to experience DDoS attacks. As proven in the past, Prolexic can handle the most damaging attacks that government institutions can ever encounter,” de los Reyes said.

Prolexic has unparalleled experience fighting DDoS attacks against companies especially in the gaming and banking verticals.

According to Prolexic, companies in these industries are most susceptible to hacking attempts. Currently, more than 10 of the world’s largest banking organizations rely on Prolexic to fight complex DDoS attacks.

Moreover, because it services a large number of banking clients, Prolexic is most often the first to become aware of the types of attacks being used in campaigns against companies in this sector.

Prolexic’s Security Engineering and Response Team (SERT) is also constantly researching threats against the banking sector.

During its seminar on DDoS mitigation aptly entitled “Banking on Prolexic” held at Makati Shangri-la Hotel, IP-Converge and Prolexic discussed the dangers of DDoS attacks and how it has become more rampant in Asia over the past years.

Oliver Kwan, Prolexic vice president for sales – Asia, further equipped IT decision makers in attendance with knowledge on how to address the worst threats on online security especially in the banking and government sectors.

Notably, Prolexic offers the most sophisticated Time-to-Mitigate servicelevel agreement (SLA) of any company offering DDoS mitigation services. [PNA]

Quips

‘IRRIGATION systems could supply 15 megawatts of electricity in the country daily.’

--Agriculture Secretary Proceso J. Alcala. BM

10

SUBURBIA

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

DavNor launches Beat for Summer Heat 2012 W

ITH the rainy season still weeks away, Governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario invited tourists to maximize their summer fun and have an experience of a lifetime in Davao del Norte.

The governor cited the endearing world-class beaches, pristine reefs, enchanting caves, cascading waterfalls, stunning mountain resorts, vast plantations and rich cultural heritage are just some of the great comeons waiting for visitors to explore and enjoy.

“I would like to take this opportunity to invite everyone to Davao del Norte,” Gov. del Rosario said at the launch of

DavNor’s Beat for Summer Heat 2012 at the Abreeza Mall, Davao City last May 4, 2012.

He invited tourists to visit the white sand beaches of the Island Garden City of Samal including the Guinness World Record bat sanctuary in the Monfort Bat Conservation Park in Tambo, Babak District; the natural caves and waterfalls of San Isidro, New Corella and Kapalong; the vast banana plantations of Panabo and Sto. Tomas; the award-winning best practices of Dujali; the historic Ising Monument in Carmen; the Madgao river in Asuncion; the numerous events being staged by Tagum City;

and, the rich cultural heritage of Talaingod, among other major attractions of the province.

The tourist destinations, summer promotions and products of the province were showcased in the Beat for Summer Heat 2012, which will run up to May 22, 2012 at the mall’s activity center.

In a message read

by Executive Assistant Giovanni Gulanes, del Rosario said the activity intends to “redefine the hot summer sun and to make the weather more inviting and truly festive” to visitors.

Provincial Tourism Officer Noel Daquioag said the event is part of the One Summer Fun, One

Sarangani in Photos

MAITUM, Sarangani (May 7, 2012) - Mothers from barangay Malalag showcase their dancing skills at the culmination program of Binuyugan Festival 2012 Monday, May 7, at the Municipal Gymnasium. The group is the grand

EDGEDAVAO

Davao project organized by the One Davao Tourism Officers Association (ODTOA), in cooperation with the Department of Tourism (DOT)-XI. The ODTOA project started on April 14, 2012 with the aim of promoting the summer activities of the different destinations in the Davao Region.

The governor further bared Davao del Norte now ventures on a tourism industry that is more eco-friendly and community-based, especially through the recent launch of its Ugmad Komunidad program, which converged the tourism, sports and livelihood programs of the provincial government.

prize winner of the “Kending kending” showdown during the Search for Mother of the Year.

MAITUM, Sarangani (May 7, 2012) - Governor Migs Dominguez and his legislators, Board Member Bryan Reganit (2nd from right) and Board Member Lim Gacula (6th from right), turn over a check amounting to P1.7 million to Mayor Elsie Lucille Perrett (5th from right), Vice Mayor Tito Balazon (3th from right) and the chairmen of recipient-barangays as the provincial counterpart to the school building projects of KALAHI-CIDSS for barangays Maguling, Pangi, Tuanadatu, Ticulab, New la Union and Wali with a total project cost of P10.6 million. The turn-over was held Monday, May 7, during the culmination program of Binuyugan Festival 2012 and 53rd Foundation Anniversary of Maitum.

MAITUM, Sarangani (May 7, 2012) - Governor Migs Dominguez expresses his thanks to the constituents for the support they have given him, may it be a political or personal support, at the culmination day of Binuyugan Festival 2012 and 53rd Foundation Anniversary of the municipality Monday, May 7, at the Municipal Gymnasium. Governor Dominguez is in his last term as the chief executive of the province.

MAITUM, Sarangani (May 7, 2012) - Ken Bandayanon, a photographer from Davao City, is congratulated by Binuyugan Festival chairman and Provincial Board Member George Perrett as Mayor Elsie Lucille Perrett is giving the award. The mayor is assisted by photo contest organizer Beth Ramos Monday, May 7, during the culmination program of Binuyugan Festival 2012 and 53rd Foundation Anniversary of the municipality. Bandayanon, a consolation prize winner, also received the awards in behalf of consolation prize winners, Susing Tinapay and Rhonson Ng, and Norman Jadulang, 2nd prize winner, who are all Davao-based photographers.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

COMMUNITY SENSE

Get that PostPaid plan for mom this Mother’s day!

I

T’S that time of the year again when we get to celebrate the most important women in our lives – our mothers.

Surely, some of you are like “Oh no! Mother’s day is a few days away and I’m sitting here without a gift whatsoever!” Now, before you go to the nearest bookstore and grab a greeting card like you do every year, you may want to put things into perspective.

For mom, the best gift would always be being with her family, which is something that might not always be possible, given some circumstances. You can, however, keep yourselves constantly connected through Sun Cellular’s special Mother’s Day offer!

Why not give your mom a new Nokia Asha 200 which comes with a Sun Cellular Plan 350, and you will not just get a free phone with your subscription, you will get free movie tickets for two (2) for a blockbuster movie of your family’s choice. The plan, by the way, comes with an unlimited Sun-toSun calls and texts, and 250 texts to other networks.

Would you like a brand- -new Blackberry phone? If you say yes, then certainly mom will, too! Get her the Blackberry Curve 8520 that comes with Sun Cellular’s Plan 600 and let her enjoy unmatched connectivity with unlimited Sun calls and texts, unlimited Blackberry Messenger,

unlimited Facebook and Twitter, and unlimited access to the Blackberry browser! Mom’s sweet new Blackberry Curve 8520 also comes with a leather handheld cover – perfect for keeping mom’s new phone safe from the careless hands of your little brothers and sisters!

For more information on how to avail of Sun Cellular’s Postpaid plans and hassle-free services, log on to www.suncellular.com.ph. You can also check for updates on other services that Sun Cellular offers by logging on to their official Facebook page: facebook.com/suncellularph or on Twitter: twitter.com/suncelltweets.

Sun Cellular is a member of the PLDT Group.

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LOCATION Matina, Davao City Matina(Diversion) Davao City Bunawan, Davao City Indangan, Davao City Bincungan, Tagum City

AREA (sq.m.) PRICE/sq.m.

17,940

P2,500

3,831

P1,500

41,408

P800

7,056

P1,200

27,411

P1,000

OUTSTANDING PRESIDENT. UP Mindanao Professor and Architect Jean Marie v. Juanga (holding trophy) was awarded “Outstanding Chapter President”, for her service as United Architects of the Philippines Davao

Chapter President, at the 38th United Architects of the Philippines National Convention, held on April 20, 2012 at the SMEX Convention Center, Mall of Asia, Pasay City, Metro Manila.

LOCATION

AREA (sq.m.) PRICE/sq.m.

Villa Josefina Resort Village, Dumoy Toril, Davao City

Minimum of 240 sq.m.

P5,985

St. Joseph Homes, Sirawan, Toril,Davao City

Minimum of 150 sq.m.

P3,600

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: 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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NATION/WORLD

NATION BRIEFS Ready

T

HE defense team said they are now ready to discuss the dollar account issue and present Chief Justice Renato Corona himself as witness before the impeachment court.

“We are ready to meet this issue head-on.

We will confront the $10 million alleged account,” defense counsel Jose Roy told the senator-judges.

T

Apology

HE Tulfo brothers are sorry for making remarks perceived as threats against actor Raymart Santiago and his wife Claudine, according to a report.

Broadcast journalist Erwin Tulfo has apologized, on air, in behalf of his brothers Raffy and Ben, a day after they spewed tirades against the actor who figured in a brawl with their elder brother Ramon.

Assured

M

ALACAÑANG on Tuesday assured the public that it is intensifying programs to address incidents of hunger in the country.

In a text message, deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said the Department of Social Welfare and Development “is intensifying our supplementary feeding program and expanding the 4Ps (Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program).”

M

Nullify

AJORITY of senators filed a joint resolution nullifying voters’ list of the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) to ensure clean and honest elections in the region.

The resolution signed by 18 senators also tasked the Commission on Elections to immediately conduct a new general registration of voters in all the municipalities and cities in the ARMM.

V

Disgusted

ICTIMS of human rights abuses during the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines are disgusted.

Former first lady and now Ilocos Norte Rep. Imelda Marcos has emerged as the second richest in the House of Representatives, while thousands of the victims are still awaiting government compensationfor their sufferings.

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

PHL a bad place to be a mother? WORLD TODAY I S

T may be more fun in the Philippines for tourists, but apparently not for mothers?

U.S.-based children’s welfare advocacy group Save the Children urged Congress on Tuesday to pass the Reproductive Health Bill, saying the Philippines has already become a bad place to become a mother.

On Save the Children’s latest State of the World’s Mother’s Report, Philippines slipped to 52nd from 49th last year. The index is based on maternal health, education, economic status, and child health and nutrition.

“The new ranking is evidence of the continued deterioration of women’s and maternal health in the Philippines. There is a lack of investment on family planning education and effective contraception, as well as inadequate access to affordable reproductive and maternal health services, all of which needs immediate attention,” said Anna Lindenfors, Save the Children’s country director in the Philippines, said.

She said around 40 percent of Filipina women give birth without the assistance of a skilled attendant

Flesh capsules

OUTH Korea has intensified a crackdown on the smuggling of capsules from China containing the powdered flesh of dead babies, taken by some as a cure for disease or a way to boost sexual performance, a customs official said Tuesday.

The gruesome practice came to light Sunday when Korea Customs said it had uncovered 35 attempts to import a total of 17,451 such capsules since last August.

BAD CONDITION. A mother and her children tries to gather their belongings after their home was removed by government demolition men during an eviction operwhile just half use “effective contraceptives.”

Save the Children also urged government support for breastfeeding programs, saying Filipina mothers can help ensure their children’s nutrition that way.

“Our report shows that a single nutrition intervention can help prevent stunting in children. Policies and programs must be put in place in to ensure all mothers have the support they need to choose to breastfeed if they want to,” Lin-

ation at a community near Nueve de Pebrero Ave. corner Shaw Boulevard in Mandaluyong City.

denfors said.

Save the Children said their statistics suggest mothers who grew up malnourished will likely also have babies who are underweight.

Save the Children said that if things go unchanged, the Philippines will fail to meet the Millennium Development Goal to reduce maternal deaths by 75 percent in 2015.

“The passage of the RH Bill will also ensure that the government will invest in

having adequate number of midwives, community health workers, emergency obstetric care facilities, mobile health services and maternal healthcare benefits,” it said.

Versions of the RH Bill have yet to hurdle debates in Congress. Senate Majority Leader Vicente Sotto III, who opposes the bill, has said debates will have to be moved to July to make way for other legislation. He also said senators still have questions about the bill.

UN hears bleak assessment of Annan’s Syria peace push

U

.N.-Arab League mediator Kofi Annan and the U.N. peacekeeping chief gave a bleak assessment to the Security Council on the situation in Syria, where fighting continues and fears of full-scale civil war are increasing, U.N. diplomats said on Tuesday.

“Troops continue to press against (the) population, yet more discreetly,” a council diplomat said in a summary of Annan’s remarks to the 15-nation council. “(Annan cited) limited progress on the military front. The onus remains with the government to prevent further militarization of the conflict.”

The comments from Annan and U.N. peacekeeping chief Herve Ladsous added further doubts about Damascus’ commitment to Annan’s peace plan, which is aimed at ending a 14-month assault on opposition protesters calling for the ouster of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. They were also likely to deepen doubts among Western powers that Annan’s plan has any chance of success.

Annan told the council via video link from Geneva that his six-point peace plan is not an “open ended commitment (but) a possible last chance to avoid

C

Inauguration

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HOUSANDS of Russian soldiers on W e d n e s d a y marched across Red Square watched over by newly-inaugurated President Vladimir Putinto mark the 67 years since the victory over Nazi Germany in World War II. Over 14,000 servicemen in all were to march across the famous cobbles in the annual Victory Day parade which was to also include Russian missiles and other military hardware in a display of Moscow’s military might.

S

DEMONSTRATION. Female anti-government protesters display their hands, painted with the colors of the flags of Yemen, Egypt, Tunisia and Syria, during a demonstracivil war,” said another of the four council diplomats who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity.

Ladsous told the council that there has been a “noticeable reduction in the use of heavy weapons, a decline in the conduct of large scale military, but now more discreet military operations continue, large scale arrests,” an envoy said.

“Syria still resorts to heavy weapons,” a diplomat said, adding that Ladsous

tion demanding that relatives of Yemen’s former president Ali Abdullah Saleh be dismissed from senior army and police posts. [REUTERS]

said there was still an “intrusive presence of Syrian security” in cities.

Annan told the council that he was especially concerned human rights violations might be intensifying, with more arrests and torture.

“People known for advocating non-violence have been arrested,” Annan said, according to one of the diplomats.

Annan also told the council that “a reduction in

(military) operations is not meaningful if replaced by other forms of violence,” another envoy said.

A U.N.-backed ceasefire was announced for April 12 as part of Annan’s peace plan, along with the deployment of an unarmed U.N. observer force of up to 300 monitors. While there was an initial reduction in violence and U.N. observers have been gradually deploying, a full ceasefire has yet to take hold.

Prepared

HINESE vice foreign minister Fu Ying said Beijing was fully ready for an escalation of a drawn-out maritime standoff with the Philippines, as a tense row over a disputed shoal continues.

“The Chinese side has... made all preparations to respond to any escalation of the situation by the Philippine side,” she told a Philippine diplomat in Beijing Monday, according to a statement posted on the foreign ministry website.

Bombing

UDANESE war planes have launched renewed air strikes against South Sudan, violating a UN Security Council resolution to end weeks of a bitter border conflict, the South’s army said Wednesday.

“The Republic of Sudan has been randomly bombarding civilian areas,” said Southern army spokesman Kella Kueth, who said the air strikes hit the border states of Upper Nile, Unity and Western Bahr el-Ghazal on Monday and Tuesday.

T

Racists

EN alleged members of a white supremacist group training near Orlando and Disney World for a “race war” have been rounded up in a series of arrests in central Florida, authorities said.

The arrests were based on evidence from a confidential informant who infiltrated the neoNazi organization known as the American Front 17 months ago, according to an arrest affidavit.

EDGEDAVAO

17 die...

FFROM 1

cy (PNA) that the remains of 17 store workers were so far found by his firefighters and members of the Butuan Search and Rescue Team (BUSART) of the city government.

Timonera and Gomez identified 12 of the dead workers as Bella Rose Dumagpit, 26, married, who is six months pregnant; Princess Grace Sari, 19, of Tangub City; Judilyn Ori, 23, of Dipolog City; Pinky Disipulo, 19, of Tandag City; Jessie Duyuhan, 25, from Agusan del Sur; Marites Morgado, 30, of Santiago, Agusan del Norte; Mylene Larasan, 26, from Zamboanga del Norte; Liezl Dalaygon, 21, of Ozamis City; Gladys Saavedra, 24, from Ozamis City; Maribel Buyco, 22, married, from Bukidnon; and Junalyn Amor, 27.

One of the fatalities was a Novo store supervisor who hailed from Surigao City. He was only known with her nickname Krang-Krang.

Gomez said three sales ladies were able to escape from the third floor of Tan Building which served as their sleeping quarters but suffered burns. The three are now confined at the Elisa R. Ochoa Memorial Maternity and General Hospital here.

The sales ladies were identified as Vicky Velez,

21, from Tangub City; Grace Canoy, 22, a resident of Pagadian City; and Marilyn Tulo, 24, from Aurora, Zamboanga del Sur. Novo Department Store is owned by Chinese nationals, according to Amy Deligero, one of the assistant store supervisors in their branch in this city.

Deligero, a stay-out personnel, told the PNA at the fire scene here, that there are 21 sales ladies who were staying in on the third floor of Novo Department Store. She said most of the stay-ins were not residents of Butuan City.

Gomez said they received a fire alarm around 3:55 a.m. Wednesday. Fire trucks from nearby towns in Agusan del Norte also arrived to help.

“The fire was put out after more than two hours with the involvement of 15 fire trucks from Butuan City, Cabadbaran City and other towns in Agusan provinces,” Gomez said PNA at the fire scene Wednesday morning.

Of the 10 towns and one city of Agusan del Norte, only four towns have fire trucks.

Butuan City has four fire trucks but only three are serviceable at the moment. [PNA]

SouthSpot...

FFROM 2

modelling.

The Spotlight Stars also acted in a music video featuring the song “Beautiful” by Group 1 Crew, a chart-topping hit on 104.3 The Edge Radio.

The SPOTLIGHT PERSONALITY EMPOWERMENT WORKSHOP is the only workshop in Davao City that offers this complete and well-rounded program designed to help young people build their confidence by encouraging them to embrace their body shapes and sizes, by opening their hearts and minds to the world around them, by coaching them how to speak well and think creatively, and by nurturing their talents to bring out the finest traits of their “real” personalities. It’s all about polishing diamonds in the rough!

Open to all girls and boys aged 8-16, the workshop will be conducted at the SouthSpot studios.

Batch 2 sessions will run from May 14-29, Monday to Friday (10AM to 5PM), with a Grand Finale Workshop on May 30 at NCCC Mall. Tuition fee is Php 7,000 which is inclusive of all materials, handouts, and DVD copies of all their video recordings and photographs. Students

13

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

will receive a printed portfolio of their fashion photo shoots. They will perform on stage for a fashion and talent showcase. They will also act in a music video, and star in their own TV show to be produced by SouthSpot.

There’s definitely no other workshop in town that offers the same experience and value for money.

Enrolment for Batch 2 is now going on. Limited slots only so register at SouthSpot Studios, 59-B Aala Bldg., F. Iñigo St., (formerly Anda), Davao City. Look for Jill Palarca or Lucille Saniel.

For inquiries, contact 09228384981 or 271-8905. Or visit the website www.spotlightworkshop.blogspot. com for more details.

This workshop is produced by SouthSpot Entertainment Network, and copresented by NCCC Mall and The Edge Radio Davao. And supported by The EDGE Business Paper, Well Ants, Dimsum Diner, Scrumble Rumble, Andy’s Cupcakes, Cubiyertos Catering, Almans Pastries, Plaza del Carmen, Whistle Top, Matina Town Square, Philippine Women’s College of Davao School of Fine Arts and Design, Renaissance Haute Couture, Kasuotan, Wedding Bells, and Wedding Channel.

House body okays unitary excise tax

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HE committee on ways and means of the House of Representatives on Wednesday approved House Bill 5727 or “An Act Restructuring the Excise Tax on Alcohol and Tobacco.”

With a vote of 46-14, the House ways and means body, chaired by Davao City Rep. Isidro Ungab, approved in its committee hearing HB 5727, which seeks to impose a unitary excise tax on tobacco and alcohol products.

Cavite Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya, author of the proposed measure, said the passage of the bill would not only increase government revenues but also result in a higher revenue share for tobacco farmers while actually financing the universal health care program of the government.

FFROM 1

The bill has been identified by President Benigno S. Aquino III as one of the priority measures of the administration and included in the Legislative Executive Development Advisory Council (LEDAC) agenda.

“The first full year of the implementation of the bill alone will lead to more than P60 billion in additional revenues to the government, half of which would come from tobacco,” said Abaya.

He said total revenues in the implementation of the new sin tax were projected to reach almost P140 billion by the fifth year, the bulk of which would fund the universal health care program.

The Cavite solon said a shift to a unitary system would simplify tax administration and would be less prone to corruption.

“Foregone revenues due to price/brand clas-

sification are estimated at P35.5 billion for tobacco and P11.39 billion for fermented liquor for the year 2010 alone,” he said.

“A unitary system would lead to greater revenues for the national government,” he said.

Malacanang earlier endorsed the passage of the unitary excise tax that would give the government additional revenues.

Palace Spokesman Edwin Lacierda said the present rules had created practically a monopoly, where one company had controlled a market share of more than 90 percent.

“The sin tax reform will provide competition among the other players. In fact, that would increase the productivity or purchasing power of the tobacco industry,” he said.

Aside from removing a monopoly in the tobacco industry, Lacierda said, the proposed measure

aimd to rationalize the collection of sin taxes in the country to get more revenues for the government.

On the other hand, Quezon Rep. Danilo Suarez, in a press briefing, said he was surprised by the timing in the passage of HB 5727 as there would be elections next year.

Besides, he said “there was very little or no time was given to the players, the various stakeholders (to hear their side).”

“In the event that this measure will be made into law, I just would like to inform you that there will be increase of (prices) of distilled spirits and cigarettes by next year,” he said.

For his part, Chris Nielson, president of Philippines Manufacturing Inc. and Fortune Tobacco Corp. (PMFTC), said they were not satisfied with the way the House committee ways and means approved the new sin tax measures.

May 8.

Quitain, the city legal officer before he ran for office in 2010, said the ban is provided in the Davao City Ecological Solid Waste Management Ordinance of 2009.

The ordinance states that “the use [non-biodegradable materials] shall be completely banned in Davao City starting June 28.”

“Only recyclable, biodegradable or reusable containers are allowed to be used as food and beverage containers,” Quitain said in his privilege speech during council session.

City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) head Joseph Felizarta said his office conducted seminars on the matter attended by food retailers during the renewal of business permits early this year.

“Cenro also distributed letters last month April,” he said in a text

message.

City Planning and Development Office (CPDC) head Robert Alabado said the city is consistent “in its drive to be a green city.”

“By using reusable plastics and banning very thin plastics and styro which can be used only once, we can partly solve our urban floods caused by clogged drains,” he said.

“With this we’ll be reducing the amount of residual wastes dumped into our sanitary landfill,” Alabado added.

However, street vendors but aired their dissatisfaction with the ordinance.

“Wala man untay problema kung kwekkwek lang ang istoryahan kay among gamit kanang stick man ug paper plate. Ang problema kay ang sa buko juice.

Ambot unsaon kay bawal na man kaya ang plastic cellophane. Ang cups basi dili pud pwede,”

said Rael Mangayan, 21, a kwek kwek and buko juic vendor.

Mangayan said he may violate the law so long as he does not get caught.

“Ang tao mauhaw man gyud na. Mangita ug mainom. Kung di ko makitan nga mugamit ug plastic cups padayon lang ko,” he said.

Other street vendors said they have not heard of the provision but reckon this could be because they’ve only started vending last year.

A couple with two booths, one for fishballs and another for maruya, said the ban will affect their small business.

“Mumahal ang gasto kay bawal na ang plastic.

Naa may uban nga gusto take-out ang softdrinks.

Among ginatransfer sa cellophane. Ang juice namo amo pung ginabutang sa plastic cups.

Maapektohan gyud ang among negosyo kung ang dapat namo paliton katong mga papel nga cups. Mas mahal man to,” said Lita Donayre, 34.

No...

Military...

FFROM 2

for the two health stations cited the militaryontribution.

“We appreciate the initiative of Lt. Col. Leopoldo Imbang in providing us manpower support.

The delay in implementation was only due to insufficient funding to meet the labor cost,” Dra. Sanico said.

Thirty households are beneficiaries of the 28th IB’s Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP), said Aldren Daganato, barangay chief of New Visayas in Lupon.

“1Lt. Francisco Lingat and 1Lt. Montelibano, their soldiers in my barangay together with my people, were able to complete the Rehabilitation and Improvement of the Water System at Purok 4, New Visayas, Lupon,” he said.

Other barangay chiefs who expressed their thanks were Sani Hanani of Barangay Ilangay and Arnel Guadalquiver of Barangay Maag for the military’s support and contribution to community development.

Soaring...

FFROM 7

in order to focus on their studies.

A few meters from the new school is the Homitori at Bangoy Street Corner Sta. Ana Avenue, owned by the Toehio couple. It is an appropriate dormitory for AISAT students where rooms are airconditioned; with internet connectivity and a gym. Homitori offers free breakfast to dormers.

Courses offered in AISAT include two-year aircraft maintenance technology; two-year aviation electronics technology; two-year airline computer science major in airline operation and management; 720 hours aircraft structure maintenance course; 45-day flight attendant train-

Quips

ing course; private pilot flight course; private pilot ground course; commercial pilot flight course; flight instructor course; and, flight attendant training.

“Aviation is the mode of transportation of the future, if not already at present kay nagsulod naman ta sa future. And it’s a game changer, because it will change the way people think about travel, about doing business, and about lifestyle,” said Pingoy.

A pilot, physician, entrepreneur and sports enthusiast, Pingoy said “Like in surfing, we are riding the right wave that drives our economy, so that we can advance faster.”

‘IN any transition, there will b a lot of changes relating to the ways of doing things. And, therefore, we in Asia should continue to focus on the fundamentals so that we can adapt to our changing role.’

BM

--Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima.

EDGEDAVAO 14 SPORTS Cebu, CDO, Bukidnon, Cotabato Pia Cayetano remembers Palaro teams in Davao Football Festival L VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

W

ITH three days to go before the biggest football festival in Davao City takes centerstage this weekend, several teams from Visayas and other parts of Mindanao have confirmed their participation in the Davao Summer Games Football Festival.

The two-day football competition, sanctioned by the Davao Football Association and organized by the Duaw Davao Festival Foundation in partnership with the host Davao Crocodile Park FC,

offers cash prizes and trophies in 16 categories.

Don Bosco of Cebu is sending two teams in the Boys 11 and Boys 12 categories while OLLES of Bukidnon will be taking part in Players 6, Players 7, Players 8, Players 9, Players 10, Boys 11, Boys 12, Boys 13 and Boys 16. Digos City is entered in Boys 12, Boys 14 and Girls 14 and Cagayan de Oro’s MAPFRE has two teams in the Boys 11 and Boys 12 divisions.

Black Knights of Davao City has entered teams in Players 8, Play-

ers 10, Boys 12, Boys 14, Players 9, Boys 11, and Boys 16.

In the men’s division, Cotabato City has already confirmed their participation while Solido FC has a team in the women’s division along with Team DDS. Match Commissioner Ching delos Reyes said more teams are set to register late Wednesday to catch the deadline for registration.

A total cash bonanza of P284,000 has been allocated by the city government of Davao for

the tournament serving as one of the core events of the Davao Summer Games, the competition side of the 2nd Davao Summerfest.

12 football fields will be used for the tournament at the Davao Crocodile Park which formally kicks off Saturday with action in the Players 6,8,10, Boys 12, Boys 14, Girls 14, Boys 18 and Women’s Open. On Sunday, competitions in the Players 7,9, Boys 11, Boys 13, Boys 16, Girls 13, Girls 16 and Men’s Open take place.

WINNERS. Winners of the recent 1st Tony Garcia Caddies Golf Tournament pose with Baby Garcia and children Teddy and Imee, and grandchild Johan.

Labajo wins TonyGars caddies golf tourney

T

HIS time, the bagtoters took over at the course they normally walk with the game’s bosses in a tournament dedicated to a man whose love for the sport and the game’s unsung heroes is unparalleled.

Mario Labajo emerged as the biggest winnerby pocketing the Class A Division of the first ever Antonio “TonyGars” Garcia Caddies Tournament at the Davao City Golf Club on Monday.

Labajo tamed the Matina layout to beat eventual runner-up Tonge Labajo for the title. Larry De Asis finished third.

In Class B action, Totong Turbela routed the field besting Jojo Ebaclas and Bobon Echavez who would up second and third, respectively.

Mel John Salebat showed a lot of promise in the Junior Golf 12 years old and under which he ruled over second placer Yuon Bisera and third

placer Samantha Beltran.

Ronel Tagaan won the title in the 13-15 years old class over Marvin dela Cerna and C. Lajera.

The Ladies division title for caddies, umbrella girls and tee girls went to Michelle Bugwat who topped her class over Michelle Abatay and Anna Lou Mendoza.

A total of 64 male caddies, 34 female caddies/ umbrella girls/tee girls, 18 kids ages 13-15 yrs old, and 11 kids ages 12 yrs old and below joined the tournament held in celebration of the late golf patron’s birthday.

Garcia was a topnotch golfer who suited up for several editions of the PAL Seniors Interclub and long-time regional president of the PGAP and the NGAP before he succumbed to illness.

Baby Garcia and children Imee and Teddy and grandson Johan gave away the prizes to the winners.

Mobil 1 Run set May 27 T HE Mobil 1 Fun Run For a Crippled Child is set on May 27 at 4:30 a.m. in an out and back course at the Roxas Avenue in Davao City.

“This is for the benefit of the crippled children age 12 years old and below in the Mindanao Nobles Foundation Inc. of the Southern Philippines Medical Center Orthopaedic ward,” said organizer Randy Cadiogan Tuesday at the weekly SCOOP at the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

“We intend to put up our own hospital for the crippled children and burn victims here in Mindanao,” said Cadiogan, who added that they have been helping 300 victims every year.

Also present were ErleneCastillon and Crystal Joy Lamique, regional sales manager and mar-

keting head, respectively of the Mobil 1.

“We’re targeting at least 2,000 runners to join,” Lamique said.

The race will have the 3K and 5K for an entry fee of P300 and 10K for P450 only with free singlet, race bib, snacks and finishers certificate. Free Mobil utility tool will also be given away to the first 250 registrants of the 10K run. Trophies, medals and gift certificates are up for grabs to the top three finishers.

“There are also lots of raffle prizes at stake,” Castillon said.

The race will be managed by the Vantage Sports Promotion under Kenneth Sai. The registration has started at Adidas in Gaisano Mall and Flying V gas station in Bankerohan. (LDR)

ET me share with you a memoire written by our good friend Senator Pia Cayetano, a certified athlete and sports-loving legislator, of her memorable experience in the Palarong Pambansa. As the country’s top student athletes converge this week in Lingayen, Pangasinan for the 2012 Palarong Pambansa, Senator Pia recalls her own time when she was a young spiker playing for NCR. Here is Pia’s story: “In the school year 1982-83, I was 16 years old, a sophomore in the University of the Philippines (UP) and a varsity volleyball player. That year, my UP team won the University Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP) volleyball championships.

We were on the moon.

Next on our list was the Palarong Pambansa.

But first we had to beat the same teams we played against in the UAAP for the chance to represent the National Capitol Region (NCR).

Unfortunately, we lost to Far Eastern University (FEU).

But as it turned out, the FEU team wanted to put up a really strong team and invited three of us from UP – me, Lyra Resurreccion and Patty Inocencio-Ortega, and another player from UST to join their team. Patty reluctantly begged off due to the demands of her vet med classes. But Lyra and I went on to join the NCR selection.

The FEU team trained in the mornings. The UP team trained in the evenings after class. So my UP teammates and I worked out a schedule where we trained with the FEU team 2-3 days of the week in the mornings and the other days, we played with our UP team.

I had never been to the Palaro, but some of my UP teammates were Palaro veterans. I had heard their stories and dreamt of playing one day. This was enough reason for me to take on the extra training load.

Finally, it was time to head to Tacloban City, Leyte. The NCR team was led by no other than Michael Keon, the Gintong Alay head.

‘Starry-eyed’ at Palaro The NCR team was housed together in a public school. I loved the energy and the thought of living and breathing sports.

Each team was assigned a classroom that would serve as their sleeping quarters. The classrooms were filled with cots with mosquito nets that protected us from mosquito bites so long as your net didn’t have holes.

When I arrived at the Sports Complex, I was as starry-eyed as any first time athlete would be.

On the opening day of the games, they were announcing the names of some known athletes who were participating and one of them was track star Lydia de Vega. I remember running up the bleachers to get a good view of the track when she was about to compete.

She was mesmerizing.. she was grace in action.

On our second night, I woke up with a horrible sore throat and a fever which I knew meant I was

coming down with a mean case of tonsilitis. For this reason, our coach and Lyra, my UP teammate decided I would be better off staying at a friend’s house so I could rest and possibly recover in time for the games.

When the volleyball games started, I wasn’t fully recovered but insisted that I was well enough to play. I didn’t come this far to miss playing with teams from all over the country in a complex full of other athletes and supporters.

Memorable competition The games were held in the BR Sports Complex.

Our first game was in an outdoor court with gravel in the days when beach volleyball did not exist yet.

The whole stadium was filled with people.

We played against a number of teams including three very tough teams, the teams from Regions 6, 7 and 4. Some of the best Philippine National team players were from those regions and were playing on those teams - Thelma Barina, Grace Antigua, Joji Maranga, and the Jao twins from Cebu.

I already knew them as I had trained with them over the summer when I was invited to train and try-out for the national team.

Our team played really well.

I remember the shock on the faces of our opponents when many of my spikes went in and scored points. I was a relatively new face. I was less experienced than most but I was tall, a lefty and had been through serious training under my UP Coach Su Arrastia Rojas.

A lefty is always a team’s secret weapon because there are not that many lefties, so it’s harder to predict our play. We played hard, won some and lost some. In the end, we finished third.

But I felt like a winner after playing my best against the very best.

‘Time of my life’ What is forever etched in my memory is the deafening cheers of our supporters, jumping in the air at sunset, diving in the sand at the height of noon.

I had the time of my life playing against the best of the best in the country, living with my teammates and on one particular night, witnessing a midnight raid as my teammates painted the face of another teammate with nail polish.

To this day, I always ask people going to Leyte to bring me back the two local delicacies I first discovered during the Palarong Pambansa - chocolate moron and binagol.

So that’s what I took home with me -- the experience of playing against the best in my sport, meeting amazing athletes in other fields, making new friends, and a lifetime of unforgettable memories.”

INdulge!

PEOPLE

Finger-licking

indulgence!

By Carlo P. Mallo Photo by Ariel Balofinos

AND that is exactly how finished my slice of carrot cake – swiping my finger on the last traces of cream cheese on the plate and licking it off. The carrot cake was so good that I almost forgot to eat for the rest of the day.

You may ask my friend, Ariel, who also happens to be our photographer that day, and he’ll tell a similar experience with the blue cheese cake in this quaint patisserie along Legaspi Street.

The same can be said for the dashing chef behind all the finger-licking good indulgence, Joel Rodriguez, who aptly called his patisserie, Osvaldo’s.

“When I looked up for names, I saw Osvaldo’s and it means divine power,” Joel said.

The cake shop, which also doubles as the kitchen, has a fridge-full of cakes that can make anyone grow a couple more of sweet teeth and your stomach grumble in hunger. While there may be a handful of patisseries in town, what sets Osvaldo’s apart is the integration of local flavors into the cakes and pastries.

“From pomelo, passion fruit, durian, chocnut, and ube, I have used these flavors with my products,” Joel said.

Also, the cakes at Osvaldo’s are how cakes should

His passion for cakes just continued growing that when he went to the United States, he studied cake decorating at Wilton.

be. “I do not shortcut. I do not use substitutes as I want people to taste cake as how cake should taste like,” Joel enthuses.

His love for baking, believe it or not, started with a turbo broiler. Joel remembers that he used to watch his sister bake cakes.

“I got inspired. I remember baking my first cake, which was a yellow cake.

The inside of the cake was raw while the outside was burnt,” Joel said.

In high school, Joel started selling his cakes to his classmates. His passion for cakes just continued growing that when he went to the United States, he studied cake decorating at

Wilton.

“I just love the feel, the texture; baking cakes excites me,” Joel said.

Just last October, Joel and his sister, opened Osvaldo’s to formally introduce the finger-licking indulgence to the people of Davao. Just a few months later, Osvaldo’s Cakes are on everyone mouth and lips.

“Word gets around pretty fast here in Davao, and people here know what they want, especially now that the taste of Dabawenyos have greatly evolved into sophistication,” Joel said, while handing me another slice of cake, which I’m sure I’ll finish with a swipe of my finger.

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VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

ENTERTAINMENT

John Travolta accused of sexual battery by two masseurs

THE massage industry is piling on John Travolta all of a sudden.

The movie star was hit with a second NSFW sexual-battery complaint in five days, this one filed by an unidentified masseur who claims that Travolta exposed and touched himself while being given an in-room massage at an Atlanta hotel.

Both plaintiffs are represented by the same attorney, Okorie Okorocha, who filed the original complaint on behalf of John Doe No. 1, and then filed an amended complaint today adding John Doe No. 2 that now charges Travolta with sexual harassment in addition to assault, sexual battery and intentional infliction of emotional distress.

“This second ‘anonymous’ claim is just as absurd and ridiculous as the first one,” Travolta’s attorney, Marty Singer, tells E! News. He said yesterday that Travolta wasn’t even on the West Coast on Jan. 16, when John Doe No.

1 claims an incident occurred.

As for John Doe No. 2...

In the amended complaint first obtained by Radar, the second plaintiff states that he was booked to do an in-room massage for a “Mr. White” on the 15th floor of an Atlanta-area resort and, when he asked a coworker to do it instead, saying he didn’t like in-room appointments, the coworker declined and told him that the guest in question had been banned from the spa he used to work at in Los Angeles.

John Doe No. 2 claims that Travolta had a “strange demeanor” and his eyes were bloodshot when he walked into the room, undressed and climbed on the table. The actor then, per the suit, pushed the sheet away, complaining that it was “sticky.”

The complaint states that Travolta then proceeded to ask the masseur to pay special attention to his buttocks during the rub-down.

The plaintiff claims that

Travolta had an erection and “spread his butt cheeks open.”

Plaintiff No. 2 then claims that Travolta flipped over on the table and started to “grab, rub and caress” the masseur’s

HOTorNOT

Brad Pitt models Chanel No. 5!

YES, it’s a scent for a woman, but if ever there was a man pretty enough to render that particular point moot, it’s Brad Pitt.

Proving yet again that his musky appeal knows no bounds, E! News has exclusively learned that Angelina Jolie’s better half is shooting a commercial for Chanel’s signature No. 5

scent.

Reps for neither Pitt nor the perfume house have commented on the new partnership, but a source tells E! News that the actor will be shooting his first perfume ad in London sometime this week (the superstar family has set up their most recent homestead in the UK).

And for his endorsement troubles, Pitt will be bringing home some serious bacon for the Jolie-Pitt clan, with his paycheck for the spot somewhere in the seven-figures.

The Chanel No. 5 ad will be released overseas sometime later this year.

Makes scents to us. (E! Online)

upper thighs and buttocks, and then tried to put the masseur’s hand on his scrotum.

Travolta then wanted the masseur to rub his abdominals, the suit claims, but he refused to cover his penis and the masseur objected. John Doe No. 2 then alleges that, with about 15 minutes left in the massage session, Travolta began masturbating and the plaintiff “said he had to go.”

John Doe No. 2 is asking for at least $2 million in damages, as is John Doe No. 1.

And they’ll get nothing, as far as Travolta’s lawyer is concerned.

“The attorney who filed the lawsuit on behalf of his second anonymous client...was notified that his first client’s claims were totally false and fabricated, since our cli-

ent was not in L.A. when anonymous ‘Doe No. 1’ claims he interacted with John Travolta,” Singer said.

“Significantly, although the same attorney made the fabricated claim for Doe No. 1, there was never any claim made by anonymous Doe No. 2 before he filed his specious lawsuit. Before the attorney for the two anonymous plaintiffs filed the claim on behalf of the second person who refuses to disclose his identity...it is obvious that he checked media reports that my client was in Atlanta working on a movie.

“However, the claim by Doe No. 2 is just as fabricated as the claim by Doe No. 1,” Singer concluded.

“Our client will be fully vindicated in court on both of these absurd and fictional claims.”

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INdulge! A3

Pizzaccademia: School of Pizza FOOD ENTERTAINMENT

NOT too thick. Not too thin. Dangerously crunchy. Generously smothered with melted cheese.

That is what you get with every serving of Pizzaccademia’s pie.

This new concept pizzeria in Davao City is owned and managed by the heir apparent to Davaoeno Pizza royalty. Jordan Cuison, son of the former proprietor of Papa’s Pizza-- the benchmark of simple, no-nonsense pizzerias in Davao-- together with his friends Karla Pillerin and Franz Ong opened Pizzaccademia last April 14, 2012 with a strong albeit silent bang.

Since then, the pizzeria has been carving a name for itself by catering to new pizza lovers who enjoy old school tastes. Of course, they also cater to the crowd that still craves for good old Papa’s Pizza. So what is the difference between Papa’s Pizza and Pizzaccademia?

Not much, really. They still serve their comforting pies and other menu favorites but present it with new flair. As the name suggests, Pizzacademia is the school of pizza.... and they run with the idea. In fact, when you enter their quaint shop, you are greeted by a black board with their full menu on it.

The place is peppered with school-time memorabilia like old yearbooks, identification cards, and grade school text books that we all used to hate. The good news

is, at Pizzaccademia there is little to hate. Especially when it comes to their food.

So what do I recommend?

I know it is a little odd to start with a sandwich recommendation when I’m writing about a pizza place, but Pizzaccademia’s version of a great sandwich is hard to pass. The Pop Steak Sandwich delivers more than just a pop; it is an explosion of savory goodness in your mouth. This sandwich, made of perfectly cooked slices of premium tenderloin strips smothered in a silky mushroom gravy, embraced by two moon-shaped buns, is an experience in itself. The taste is perfect. The salty mushroom gravy that is counterbalanced by the slightly sweet bun makes for a perfect appetizer or meal in itself. And at a measly seventy-five bucks per pop; this is easily the most affordable piece of culinary heaven.

Among their Pizza’s I would recommend the Beer Drinker’s. This piece of pie is topped with tapa, a traditional breakfast staple in the

country that is made of thin slices of salty and sweet beef.

Together with capsicums and onions; this pizza flavor definitely goes well with some cold beer. And yes, they serve that too.

If you want more variety on your plate, you may also try the JB’s Quatro Stagione. Also known as “Four Seasons” this pizza flavors comes with two slices each of your preferred Pizzacademia offering. Yup. You get to choose all the four flavors that go in it. I suggest you try a combination of Jordan’s Pizza Primav-

era (The Vegetarian Pizza.

Light, crunchy, and fresh), Polynesian Pizza (An innovative twist to the Hawaiian Pizza. This one comes with anchovies, pineapple, and ham), Beer Drinker’s, and Sicilian Pizza (Ground beef and vegetable pizza) Also, Pizzacademia allows you to pick two flavors in one pie when you order from the Regular Pizza items on their menu.

Try out these gorgeous pizza offerings at Pizzaccademia at Door 1 Tiffany’s Place Building Loyola Street Obrero Davao City.

A4 INdulge!

FOOD

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 47 • MAY 10, 2012

Let’s go no bake!

by: Bai Fauziah Fatima Sinsuat Ambolodto, MBA

“I’d give up chocolate, but I’m no quitter...”

-Anonymous GOING through a heartbreak is never easy. One either sleeps like sleeping beauty, shops like “le heiress Paris” or eats like there is no tomorrow. Me? I crave for Dark Chocolates -- the darker the better. Further, Dark Chocolate is said to be good for the heart, the brain, helps control blood sugar, is full of antioxidants, contains theobromine(has been shown to harden tooth enamel thus lowering the risk of cavities) and is high in vitamins and minerals (potassium, copper, magnesium, iron).

This simple yet addictive recipe came up during my recent meltdown. I was trying to cheer my self up so i ended up with a nobrainer no bake chocolate brownies that became an instant hit to my nephews Datu Rashid and Datu Norms. Give it a try and see the magic of chocolate unfold before you.

Happy Cooking!

NO BAKE CHOCOLATE BROWNIES ALA DATU NORMS (makes 26) Ingredients: 400 g digestive biscuits (I used Marks & Spencers) 300 g chocolate buttons (I used Goya DARK CHOCOLATE easy to

melt chocolate buttons) 100 g nuts, roughly chopped 1/2 c dried cherry, roughly chopped 1/2 c dried mangoes, roughly chopped 1/2 c dried papaya, roughly chopped 1 stick butter 5 tbsp light syrup 1 pack store bought meringue, mashed up Directions: 1. Break the biscuits into small pieces directly into a large bowl. Add the nuts, dried mangoes, dried papaya, cherries, mallows and meringue and mix together.

2. Put the rest of the ingredients into a separate heat proof bowl and put on a low heat over a pan of simmering water (DOUBLE BOILER) until the butter and chocolate buttons have melted.

3. In a clean bowl, combine the biscuits and the chocolate mixture. Mix thoroughly to avoid lumps.

4. Line the molder (i used a rectangular brownie molder) with plastic cling film. Dump and pat down the mixture until it sets.

Refrigerate for 3 hours and cut into desired sizes.

I would like to thank my 3 year old nephew, Datu Raees Norman, for

helping me come up with this recipe. He was my little chef-taster. Love lots Datu Norms.

For the picture, I used a polvoron molder.

NO BAKE EGGELSS CHOCO PEANUT BUTTER AND OATS COOKIES Another quick, easy to make and fun recipe for after school or playdate snack. Its an eggless recipe which requires no baking at all. If you think you dont like no-bake cookies, these will change your mind for sure. Its also a perfect recipe to get kids involved in the kitchen.

Ingredients: 2 cups sugar 4 tbsp. cocoa powder 1 stick butter 1/2 cup milk 1 cup peanut butter 1 tbsp. vanilla extract 3 cups oatmeal Directions: 1. In a heavy saucepan bring to a boil, the sugar, cocoa, butter and milk.

Let boil for 1 minute then add peanut butter, vanilla and oatmeal. Stir so the oatmeal is coated with the chocolate mixture.

2. On a sheet of waxed paper, drop mixture by the teaspoonfuls, let it cool completely and harden.

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SPORTS

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15

Die another day L

Denver stays alive, beats Lakers in Game 5

OS ANGELES (AP) -- JaVale McGee went out with the attitude that Game 5 was the last game of his life. The other Denver Nuggets played their own mental games, some drawing inspiration from Lakers center Andrew Bynum’s comment about how closeout playoff games can sometimes be easy.

The Nuggets went deep into their motivational wells for an impressive win at Staples Center, and not even Kobe Bryant could prevent the Lakers from getting on a plane back to Denver.

Andre Miller scored 24 points, including two free throws with 12.8 seconds left, and Denver survived Bryant’s late scoring barrage in a 43-point performance, avoiding playoff elimination with a 102-99 victory over Los Angeles on Tuesday night and trimming the Lakers’ series lead to 3-2.

Jordan Hill of the Los Angeles Lakers is boxed out by Arron Afflalo and Kenneth Faried of the Denver Nuggets in the second quarter in Game Five of the Western Conference Quarterfinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on Wednesday at Staples Center in Los Angeles, California.

Bulls bounce back C HICAGO (AP) The Chicago Bulls aren’t quite finished after all. They’re still in a dire situation, though.

Luol Deng scored 24 points, Carlos Boozer added 19 points and 13 rebounds, and Chicago beat the Philadelphia 76ers 77-69 on Tuesday night to avoid a firstround playoff exit.

The top-seeded Bulls finally won without point guard Derrick Rose, building a nine-point halftime lead and staying in control down the stretch to pull within 3-2. Game 6 is Thursday in Philadelphia, and the way Chicago sees

it, maybe, just maybe, some of the pressure is now on the 76ers. ‘’Definitely,’’ Deng said. ‘’We’re in a situation where we know if we lose we go home. After tonight’s game, they’re going to feel a little pressure and try to close it out.’’

It’s been a brutal series for the Bulls.

Rose tore the ACL in his left knee late in the opening win, casting a huge cloud over a team that came in eyeing another big run after reaching the conference finals a year ago, and things only got worse from there.

In Game 2, there was

a second-half collapse at home. In Game 3, there was center Joakim Noah spraining his left ankle, and in Game 4, the Bulls came up short again.

With Rose out for the rest of the season and Noah sitting out his second straight game, Chicago came in looking like a team that was ready to bow out.

Instead, the Bulls locked down the Sixers, holding them to season lows for points and shooting ( 32.1 percent). And with Boozer and Deng coming up big, Chicago kept its season going. ‘’You can’t let one game

all of a sudden get you spinning in the wrong direction,’’ Sixers coach Doug Collins said. ‘’We didn’t expect to beat the Bulls four straight. This is a damn good team.’’

Deng played more like an All-Star after averaging just eight points in the previous three games, hitting 4 of 5 3-point attempts - three in the fourth quarter. He also grabbed eight rebounds. Boozer tied a career-playoff high with six assists, and the Bulls came out on top just when their season appeared to be unraveling.

They still have no room for error.

MHFI, the proceeds will also go to the Mindanao Thalassemia Foundation, Inc. and SCOOP Davao. The race is presented by DMI Medical Supply and Davao Farms and sponsored by Bodivance, Jansenn, Dole-Stanfilco, Apo Drinking Water, Reisan Marketing, Mr. and Mrs. Hernani Pascua.

It is supported by the Department of Health and the Southern Philippines Medical Center while the

Vantage Sports Promotion under Kenneth Sai will manage it.

There will be a 12K, 6K and 3K run which will blast off at 5:15 a.m., 5:25 a.m. and 5:30 a.m. respectively. It will be followed by a 3K walk which will later start at 5:35 a.m. The 3K run will have two separate categories for competitive (14 years old and below) and non-competitive (15 years old and above).

The entry fees are P250 for 3K walk and run and P300 for the 6K and 12K. “We have limited slots only for the 12K. But all entry fees are inclusive for race singlet, race bib, certificate, snacks plus a chance to win raffle prizes,” said Amarylis Bisnar of MTFI. The available singlet sizes are from XXL, XL, Large, Medium, Small and XS on a first come, first served basis only.

Race for Life on May 20

T

HIS year’s Race for Life is set on May 20 at 4:30 a.m. in an out and back course at the Rizal Park in Davao City.

“This is in celebration of the International Thalassemia Day,” said Dollie Cunanan, RN of the organizing Dr. Gerardo Cunanan Mindanao Heart Foundation Inc. last Tuesday at the weekly SCOOP of the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

Aside from the DGC-

McGee had 21 points and 14 rebounds for the sixth-seeded Nuggets, who barely survived a frenetic finish. Denver had a 15-point lead midway through the fourth quarter against the lifeless Lakers, but Bryant engineered a swift comeback before his final three shots missed. ‘’I was just glad we didn’t go to overtime,’’

Miller said. ‘’There was too much energy in the building. A veteran team like that will fight their way back, and they know how to finish games. We found a way to contain them.’’

Bryant scored 12 points over the final 4:45, hitting four 3-pointers that trimmed the Nuggets’ lead to 98-96 with 59 seconds left. Bryant then missed a potential tying 5-footer and a 3-pointer, but Denver missed two of four free throws before Ramon Sessions hit a 3-pointer with 12.8 seconds left, trimming the Nuggets’ lead to one point.

Los Angeles had two more chances to tie after the veteran Miller’s free throws, but Bryant and Sessions missed 3-pointers near the buzzer. ‘’It definitely means a lot, but we’re still down, and we still have games to win - in a row, at that,’’ said McGee, who had the best game of his first career playoff series. ‘’It’s really hard to stop Kobe, but if we stop the bigs, then Kobe can do what he does, and we’ll have a really good chance to win.’’

Game 6 is Thursday night in Denver. The thirdseeded Lakers are one win from a second-round date with Oklahoma City, but they’ve still got work to do.

Guess the NBA champion challenge

I

N LINE with the ongoing 2012 NBA Playoffs, Nike Athletic Club is holding a fun activity for all basketball enthusiasts by guessing the 2011-2012 NBA champion.

“The winner will get a limited edition Lebron James backpack,” said Kae Castro of Nike Athletic Club yesterday at the SCOOP of the Royal Mandaya Hotel.

“It is so simple to join.

There is no need for any purchase,” she added.

All interested participants just need to LIKE one of Nike Athletic Club’s Facebook pages and guess the East and West Conferences Champions plus predict who will eventually become the 2011-2012 NBA champion.

Nike Athletic Club will get all the names of the participants with the correct combination. The winner will be drawn on June 26 at 6 p.m. at the Nike Athletic Club Flagship Store at the 2nd floor of the Abreeza Mall.

Participants can post their names and guesses today until 8 a.m. of May 10. The winner will be formed through the Facebook page and can claim their prize in their Athletic Club shop of choice.

For more details call (082) 3210081 or visit Facebook pages: Nike Athletic Club Flagship Store Abreeza Mall (http://www.facebook. com/nikeathleticclubabreeza), Nike Athletic Club SM City Davao &Gaisano Mall.

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SUMMERFEST. Coach Jose Maria Cabalfin teaches a young boy from Barangay Mandug how to handle the ball during the Davao Summerfest Football Camp held at the Davao Crocodile Park football field. The football camp will run until May 26. (Boy Lim)

SWEAT Sports Conference on May 14-16 S

PORTS practitioners will get the opportunity to be updated with the latest sports training with the staging of the Davao Summerfest Sports Conference dubbed as SWEAT or Sports Wellness, Exercise, Acclimatization and Training on May 14 to 16 at the Davao City Recreation Center.

The SWEAT Sports Conference will be open free to all sports enthusiasts from the academe,

barangays, local governments, and sports associations. It is one of the major components of this year’s Davao Summerfest.

Former Olympian Elma Muros-Posadas will spearhead a battery of speakers for the three-day conference. Muros, once Asia’s fastest hurdler and best long jumper, will be lecturing on the topic “Women in Sports.”

The other speakers and topics in the threeday conference are Dr.

Alejandro Pineda of the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine who will talk on the topics Sports Medicine, Sports Science and Doping, and Roxanne Narciso who will talk on Sports Psychology. Philippine Volcanoes coach Expo Mejia will picture on Rugby 101 with a demonstration from some members of the Volcanoes.

Another interesting subject is Sports Marketing.

Interested participants may register with the City Sports Development Office while onsite registration will open from 8:00 to 9:00 am on May 14.

“This is a good opportunity for all our sports coaches, administrators, and even athletes to upgrade their knowledge and capabilities in sports conditioning and training,” said Orly Escarilla, spokesperson for the Davao Summerfest.