Edge Davao 5 Issue 51

EDGEDAVAO

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

VOL.5 ISSUE 50 • MAY 15 , 2012

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Serving a seamless society

Indulge Page A1

Power Crisis

Mindanaoans to run Pulangi

By Jade C. Zaldivar

M

INDANAO Development Authority (MinDA) has recommended to President Benigno Aquino III that

pany (GOCC) administered by Mindanaoans.

n Antonino to PSALM: “Hindi niyo Secretary Lualhati Antonino of MinDA kami maloloko” yesterday said she has submitted her final

the Agus and Pulangi powerplants in Lanao and Bukidnon, respectively, should be run by a government owned and controlled com-

report to Aquino, the result of the latter’s order to find out whether the Agus and Pulangi plants will survive under new management.

FMINDANAOANS, 13

Science/Environment Page 4

Sports Page 16

RECOGNIZED. President Benigno Aquino III hands over a plaque to Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat as the provincial city was recognized as the Best Performing LGU in Community Fund for Agricultural Development (CFAD) Implementation. Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala (left) looks on. Six local government units in Mindanao re-

Ordinance vs corporal punishment pushed

By Lorie A. Cascaro

Follow Us On

ceived awards yesterdat from the president at Grand Regal Hotel yesterday as part of the People’s Organizations Congress of the Mindanao Rural Development Program.

[Rudolph Ian Alama]

A

network of civil society organizations (CSO) for children, Davao City Community-based Advocacy and

Monitoring Group (CBAMG) is calling for the immediate passage of a local ordinance that aims to promote positive and non-violent approaches to child discipline.

Upon the enactment of the proposed or-

dinance authored by Councilor Leah Librado, a comprehensive program will be formulated by the Davao City Council for the Welfare and Protection of Children (DCCWPC).

Speaking yesterday at the Kapehan sa

FORDINANCE, 13

2

THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Banana ban to China

Diversify your markets, PNoy urges growers

By Jade C. Zaldivar

P

RESIDENT Benigno Aquino III yesterday advised banana growers in Mindanao to diversify their markets following China’s stricter screening measures on bananas coming from the country.

Aquino said the announcement of a so-called banana ban last week has led him to discover that 30% of the bananas exports from the country were sent to China.

“Thirty percent ng ating banana sa iisang bansa napupunta which is very big. Instruction ko sa kanila dagdagan ang mga bansang pinapadalhan para di matali sa iisang bansa,” Aquino said during a press briefing at Grand Regal Hotel.

Aquino said allotting a huge portion of your supply to one market would entail dependency.

“Even last year that’s what I said. Dahil pagka nagka-problema ay naapektohan kaagad sila. They should consider other markets,” he said.

However, actions are already being made to negotiate with Chinese authorities to amend their strict screening of the country’s bananas.

Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said one team from the Department of Ag-

riculture is set to go to China carrying with them credentials of the banana’s quality.

“They will be there in opening the container vans (put on hold by Chinese authorities). At the same time, kasama na rin ang pag-imbita sa nga Chinese authorities na pumunta dito sa Pilipinas para i-check ang ating protocol before sending the bananas,” he said.

Aquino added that changes have also been made in banana plantations to following the requirements set by China.

Banana products from Mindanao plantations, many of which are in Region 11, are exported to markets such as Japan, the Middle East, South Korea, and Russia where demand for the fresh fruit has increased in recent years.

Philippine Banana Growers and Exporters Association (PBGEA) president Stephen Antig last May 10 bared that the banana exporting industry has lost a total of P1.44 billion since March 5 when China started to impose stricter regulations.

More than a thousand container vans of banana products are being held in major ports of China, including those in Dalian, Shanghai, Tianjin, Beijing, and Qingdao.

Under the new quality measures, if a single insect/ mealy bug is found in a box,

the whole container will be rejected “They will send back to origin or the Chinese government will dispose of them,” Antig said.

He said the country “is being bullied” by China.

It ias believed that the banana ban is caused by the ongoing Scarborough Shoal standoff in the West Philippine Sea, 120 nautical miles from mainland Zambales.

National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) secretary general Romulo Virola told Edge Davao that the country’s tourism is bound ‘to hurt’ from the standoff between the country and the so-called Asian dragon.

“What we’ve heard about cancelled tours to the Philippines (from China) could be just the beginning if the standoff continues,” he said.

Meanwhile, Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte on Sunday blamed the staging of Balikatan exercises in the country more than the Scarborough standoff for China’s rejection of banana products.

During his TV show Gikan sa Masa Para sa Masa, the vice mayor said the presence of American troops in the country is provoking China.

He added that the joint exercises between the Philippines and the United States will make China even more aggressive in its treatment of the country.

handling different cases involving children.

Bernie Mondragon of the Child Alert Mindanao said positive approaches will make the child understand and realize his or her mistakes without being physically hurt.

As cited by Relacion, letting the child face the wall after committing mischief is an example of positive approach because without being physically hurt, the child will realize his or her faults while facing the wall.

While society has become conscious of protecting women against violence, Bhong Binondo of the CWC committee on children’s protection said, all the more that we should be protecting the children from physical and psychological violence.

He added that it is not true that children are disciplined by inflicting physical pain on them, as it is not out of respect for their parents, but fear to be hurt again, that they refrain from committing similar deeds that caused their punishment.

Further, the Plan Interna-

tional is a project supported by the European Union and Plan Germany, which aims to strengthen the role of civil society in eliminating violence against children in the Philippines, particularly grave abuses such as corporal punishment.

Its expected results also include enactment of local ordinances and deliberation of a national bill prohibiting corporal punishment.

Relacion mentioned that in the national level, House Bill 4455, or the proposed positive discipline bill, principally authored by Representative Susan Yap, was approved on third and final reading in the House of Representatives.

Under HB 4455, the proposed prohibited acts are forcing the minor to kneel on stones, salt or pebbles; squatting; public humiliation; deliberate neglect of child’s physical needs; exposure to substances that can cause discomfort; and imposing tasks that the minor is incapable of doing such as forcing to skip sleep and verbal assaults.

Davao to host anti-corporal punishment confab May 16

By Lorie A. Cascaro

I

NITIATED by the Plan International to end corporal punishment and popularize positive and non-violent approach in disciplining children, a forum will be held on May 16 at Alexian Brothers Health and Wellness Center, McArthur Highway, Matina, Davao City.

Psychologists from Metro Manila will discuss psychological effects of corporal punishment in the confab, which will be participated in by members of the Council for the Welfare of Children (CWC), parents and public school teachers, according to Paul Relacion, project officer of the Plan International.

“This will also be a venue to discuss and push this month the proposed city ordinance on the promotion of positive and non-violent approaches to child discipline authored by councilor Leah Librado,” he said.

The confab also aims to spearhead parenting education among communities in the city, especially in terms of

THE LADY MAYOR. Davao City Mayor is all smiles during the visit of President Aquino in the city on Monday to grace the People’s Organization Congress held in the Grand Regal Hotel. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

Ombudsman: Corona had 82 dollar accounts

Chief Justice Renato Corona owned 82 dollar accounts in five banks as of 2011, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio-Morales said Monday, citing a report from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC).

Morales made this revelation as she took the witness stand on Monday’s trial, further indicting the chief justice.

Morales said Corona’s dollar accounts ballooned from a single account in 2003 to 82 accounts in eight years.

She said that according to the report, Corona made “significant withdrawals” during the 2004 and 2007 elections, and the week he was impeached in the House of Representatives.

The chief justice was said to have withdrawn $418,000 and transferred the amount in a trust fund on the day he was impeached.

She added that based on the report, Corona had a $10 million “transactional balance” which she explained as the “total inflow and outflow of funds that when through the system.”

This is apart from his “fresh deposits,” which refer to the “money that never moved,” amounting to over $12 million, the Ombudsman said.

The defense team presented Morales, who was later identified a hostile

witness, to prove that there is no evidence that Corona owns a $10-million dollar account and that the probe of the office of Ombudsman is illegal and baseless.

Lead defense counsel Serafin Cuevas tried to stop Morales’ testimonies because he said she is not competent to explain the 17-page AMLC report which was described as “strictly confidential” and contained a summary list of Corona’s 705 bank transactions in both of his peso and dollar accounts from 2003 to 2011.

But the court unanimously voted for the Ombudsman to show a present a report prepared by Morales and the Commission on Audit.

Morales said her office, within its power, is conducting a fact-finding investigation against Corona following a series of complaints accusing the chief justice of violations of the anti-graft and corrupt practices act for acquiring ill-gotten wealth.

She added that while the complaints did not specifically mention the

Quips

$10 million, she asked assistance from AMLC if they have documents of the chief justice’s bank transactions relevant to the filed complaints.

Cuevas, however, noted that the alleged multimillion dollar account is not included in the impeachment complaint.

“If the $10 million is not included in the impeachment complaint, then all the more reason that I should conduct an investigation,” Morales said.

Senate President Juan Ponce Enrile clarified that Article 2 of the impeachment complaint generally accuses Corona of untruthful disclosure of his statements of assets, liabilities and net worth.

“There is no question the $10 million is not included in articles, but the issue is inclusion or noninclusion of SALN. The amount is immaterial,” Enrile explained.

Morales was ordered to return tomorrow to continue to testify on Corona’s alleged dollar accounts. [PNA]

‘THE project will be a big boost to the economy. It will bring investors and this will provide employment and livelihood opportunities of Filipinos.’

--Vice President Jejomar Binay on Pagcor Entertainment City

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

DCOTT passengers lounge 85% done

By Lorie A. Cascaro

T

HE construction of the passengers’ lounge inside the city’s main transport terminal is already 85% done and work on it is expected to be done by June 30, a city official yesterday said.

Maribeth M. Lumactod, officer in charge of the Davao City Overland Transportation Terminal (DCOTT) said the project has a P6.2 million budget from the 20082010 collection surplus of DCOTT. Scheduled to be completed in 180 days, this was a proposed project of former DCOTT officer in charge Magno Adalin, Jr., and only implemented starting last January 1 due to budget concerns.

A two-storey air-conditioned building with a total area of 158 square meters per floor, the passengers’ lounge will have chairs, breast-feeding rooms, public assistance and four ATM machines from different banks on the ground floor.

A hostel for mass accommodation will be provided on the second floor, where the headquarters of Task Force Davao will be located.

Once in operation, the

hostel may dislocate providers of folding beds for rent at the terminal, Lumactod said, however, the board has to decide on it yet.

The board, which convenes once a month, is composed of City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, who will be represented by the city administration office, the city treasurer’s office, city council, bus operators and private sectors.

She said the new passengers’ lounge will help ease the conditions of passengers at the DCOTT, especially that the terminal has a 100% close coordination with Task Force Davao.

“The Task Force is already part and parcel of DCOTT’s security,” she added.

Everyday, the DCOTT accommodates 24 buses each for north and south bound of 18 bus operators.

Last year, the total collection of DCOTT was P21,573,440 with 107.86% collection efficiency.

Aside from buses, public utility jeeps and vans, taxes are also collected from 82 stands and 78 stalls and other privately-run facilities such as comfort rooms inside the terminal, said Lumactod.

Mother tongue to boost comprehension of lessons

M

OTHER tongue will definitely be taught starting this school year at public school in line with the implementation of K to 12 Basic Education Program.

Department of Education (DepEd) officials at the DepEd Tagum City Division however assured parents that their school children will continue to learn English speaking and writing while they sharpen cognitive skills through the aid of the Mother tongue.

Tagum City Division Superintendent Nenita Lumaad explained in a recent press conference that the use of the Mother Tongue is intended to help pupils, especially those in Grade I, better understand their lessons when taught and explained in local dialect.

“Why do we make it hard for Grade I pupils to understand their lessons,” she said.

“We will use the language that learners are most familiar with,” she added citing the principle behind teaching through the Mother Tongue.

Lumaad, however, made it clear that the Mother Tongue will not be used as the medium of instruction in subjects which practically should be taught in English,

but teachers can explain lessons using it to facilitate understanding.

She also said that English and Filipino subjects will still be taught in Grades I to III during which the teaching in Mother Tongue will be given focus.

The DepEd K to 12 primer said that the Mother Tongue Based Multi-Lingual Education will be implemented nationwide this coming school year 2012 to 2013 that will open in June.

A total of 921 schools including those for children of indigenous people, have already piloted the MTBMLE, and that this implementation will benefit from the experience of these 921 schools.

Twelve Mother Tongue languages will be offered as learning areas particularly Tagalog, Iloko, Kapampangan, Pangasinense, Bikol, Cebuano, Hiligaynon, Waray, Maguindanaon, Maranaon, Tausug and Chavacano.

In further clarifying issues hounding the implementation of K to 12, DepEd Tagum City Division met with the media practitioners of Tagum City, with whom DepEd sought assistance in explaining the relevance of K to 12. [PIA 11/JEANEVIVE DURONABANGAN]

3

GENUINE AGRARIAN REFORM. Militants stage a protest calling for genuine agrarian reform and an end to the alleged militarization in the rural communities during the visit of President Aquino in Davao City on Monday morning. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

PNoy lauds rural dev’t program in Mindanao P

RESIDENT Benigno C. Aquino III lauded yesterday the achievements of the Department of Agriculture’s Mindanao Rural Development Program (DA-MRDP) in alleviating the living conditions of the rural and coastal folks in Mindanao.

“Sa tulong ng MRDP, itinataguyod natin ang pagkakaroon ng sapat na pagkain sa hapag ng bawat pamilya, ang pagkakaloob ng disenteng trabaho, at marangal na pamumuhay (With the help of the MRDP, we can uphold the need of each Filipino family for adequate food, decent shelter and livelihood),” the President stated as he addressed more than 1,200 participants in today’s MRDP’s People’s Organizations (POs) Congress at Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City.

He said that the DA-

P

MRDP has been a partner of the government in addressing the welfare and needs of the Mindanao people, and in fast-tracking development in Mindanao.

MRDP is a poverty-alleviation initiative of DA with funding coming from the World Bank, and with equity shares from the national government and the 225 covered local governments in Mindanao.

The President hailed the program’s impact, citing the almost 17 percent increase in the rural folk’s annual income which is equivalent to more than P11,000 per year, since MRDP started providing assistance to farmers and fisherfolks in 2004.

Aside from this, he enumerated several projects of MRDP such as farm-tomarket roads, bridges, solar dryer, as well as rural and agri-fishery infrastructures,

saying “Na talaga naman pong nagpapaaliwalas at naghahatid ng oportunidad sa mga Mindanaoan.”

With the tangible impact of the program in improving the lives of the community, Aquino said people have high confidence over MRDP projects.

“Tunay pong kapag ang pondo ay matuwid na ginugugol, at nakakasabay sa pag-asenso ang Pilipino, ganado silang makilahok sa ating pong mga proyekto (Truly if the funds are spent correctly, and the Filipinos are catching up progressively, they will be eager to participate in our projects),” he said.

He also assured to strengthen more his reform agenda.

“Pagdating po sa kaunlaran, walang sinuman ang dapat maiwan—‘yan po ang bisyon natin (When it comes

to progress, no one should be left behind and that is our vision),” the President emphasized, saying that this could be attained through good governance and unity of the government and the people.

He further stressed that his administration would continue to give focus on the “land of promise.”

Before the President rendered his speech, he handed over citations and awards to seven POs and local government units during the “Parangal sa mga Bosing ng Kanayunan” awarding ceremony.

The awarding ceremony was the highlight of the PO’s Congress, aiming to give recognition to outstanding and best performing POs and local government units in the implementation of the DA-MRDP projects in their respective areas. [PIA 11/CARINA

no said.

Antonino, who was the head of the Philippine delegation to the 8th annual meeting of the WCPFC in Guam last March 26 to 30, said the lifting of the ban can greatly benefit the country’s fishing industry, especially in Mindanao.

She, however, pointed out that while the country is granted access, “efforts must also be exerted to prevent abuse.”

WCPFC banned commercial fishing in Pockets 1 and 2 of the high seas with

the issuance of Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) in 2008 to mitigate overfishing of big-eye and yellow-fin tuna and to limit the growth of fishing capacity in the Western and Central Pacific Ocean.

Pocket 1 covers Palau, Micronesia, Papua New Guinea, and Indonesia, areas closest to the Philippines where local tuna fishing companies frequently operate.

Pocket 2 is bounded by the countries of Solomon Islands, Fiji, Tuvalu, Nauru, Marshall Islands, Micronesia,

Papua New Guinea and parts of Kiribati.

These areas reportedly contribute 60 percent of the world’s tuna production.

The two-year fishing ban took was effective January 1, 2010 until December 31, 2011.

The Philippines is among the 25 member countries of WCPFC, which regulates migratory fish stocks such as big-eye and yellow-fin tuna in the Pacific.

Although the lifting of the ban is a huge success, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic

Philippine vessels allowed access to areas in Pacific fishing grounds

HILIPPINE fishing vessels have been authorized to fish in the seas of Pacific Ocean, the Mindanao Development Authority said.

MinDA chair Secretary Luwalhati Antonino said the Western and Central Pacific Fisheries Commission (WCPFC) has lifted the fishing ban on pockets 1 and 2 of the Pacific Ocean.

“Thirty-six Philippine fishing vessels are given limited access to fishing in pockets 1 and 2 of the high seas until February 2013,” Antoni-

L. CAYON]

FPHILIPPINES, 13

4

SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Mangroves: Going, going, gone?

Text and Photos by Jims Vincent T. Capuno

T

HE country’s mangroves are fast disappearing. In 1981, there were an estimated 450,000 hectares of mangrove areas in the country. Since then, there has been a decreasing trend from 375,000 hectares in 1950 to about 120,000 hectares in 1995.

At that time, one environmentalist wrote: “All over the country, whatever coastal province you visit, you see the same plight – desolate stretches of shoreline completely stripped of mangrove cover and now totally exposed to the pounding of the ocean’s waves.”

To prevent further losses of mangroves, lawmakers enacted Republic Act 8550 otherwise known as Philippine Fisheries Code of 1988 whose section 94 stated that the conversion of mangroves into fishponds or any other purpose is prohibited.

Although a World Bank report released in 2005 stated that mangrove cover in the country was “now relatively stable” – particularly those around Bohol and Siquijor islands – Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero III said that mangroves are still in peril.

“Notwithstanding, our mangroves are disappearing due to unabated deforestation in some parts of the country, poor management practices and sea level

rise as a result of climate change,” informs Dr. Guerrero, former director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development. The current rate of mangrove deforestation ranges from 2,000 to 3,000 hectares per year.

Mangroves are communities of trees in the tidal flats in coastal waters, extending inland along rivers where the water is tidal, saline, or brackish.

“There are 25 to 30 species of true mangrove trees and an equal number of associated species,” says Dr. Miguel D. Fortes, a marine science professor and technical consultant to various national and international institutions.

Mangroves are very important to marine life, Dr. Guerrero points out.

They serve as sanctuaries and feeding grounds for fish that nibble on detritus (fallen and decaying leaves) trapped in the vegetation, and on the bark and leaves of living trees. “(Mangroves) are important feeding sites for many commercially important fish species (mullet, tilapia, eel, and especially milkfish), shrimps, prawns, mollusks, crabs, and sea cucumbers,” the World Bank report adds. “Fry that gather in mangrove areas are very important for aquaculture.”

Mangroves also pro-

vide protection from storm surges and high winds associated with tropical typhoons. “This is very important in a country that is hit by an average of 20 typhoons a year,” says Dr. Fortes.

Mangrove forests also serve as protection against soil erosion.

Other important benefits from mangroves include: land builder through soil accretion; coastal pollutants trapper; and wildlife sanctuary.

Despite the economic and ecological benefits they provide, mangroves are on the verge of disappearance. “Mangrove forests have been converted to aquaculture, salt production, and human settlement,” the World Bank report notes.

The construction of tourism infrastructures like hotels and restaurants has also contributed to the destruction of mangroves. Equally destructive are the saltpond operations and mining activities.

Pollution has also taken its toll. The mangrove areas have been used as disposal for solid and liquid domestic wastes, oil, garbage, and pesticides.

The destruction of mangroves is detrimental to those living near the coastal areas. “Research in some areas of the world, as well as in this country, show that where mangroves have been protected, yields of fish have been high; where they have been destroyed, yields have been low,” reminds Dr. Angel

C. Alcala, former head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

There is good news, though.

In Tinambac, Camarines Sur, it has been reported that mangrove reforestation has improved the local fish catch. The new mangrove forest brought back red snapper fish species that had previously disappeared due to lack of habitat.

In Pangangan Island off Calape, Bohol, people have found in mangroves a natural ally to protect their island’s only road link to the mainland from typhoon damage.

The four-kilometer long causeway is protected by mangroves planted in recent decades by local school children.

The Philippines is not the only country experiencing mangrove loss.

In fact, more than one in six mangrove species

worldwide are in danger of extinction. Although coastal development is the primary culprit, other factors like climate change, logging and agriculture have contributed to their disappearance.

According to the firstever global assessment on the conservation status of mangroves for the IUCN Red List of Threatened Species, 11 out of 70 mangrove species (16 per cent) which were assessed will be placed on the red list of the World Conservation Union.

Atlantic and Pacific coasts of Central America, where as many as 40 per cent of mangrove species are considered threatened, are particularly affected.

“Mangroves form one of the most important tropical habitats that support many species, and their loss can affect marine and terrestrial biodiversity much more

widely,” pointed out Beth Polidoro, principal author of the study.

Mangrove forests grow where saltwater meets the shore in tropical and subtropical regions, thus serving as an interface between terrestrial, fresh-water and marine ecosystems. These forests provide at least US$1.6 billion each year in ecosystem services.

“The loss of mangroves will have devastating economic and environmental consequences,” says Greg Stone, Senior Vice President of Marine Programs at the Washington-based Conservation International. “These ecosystems are not only a vital component in efforts to fight climate change, but they also protect some of the world’s most vulnerable people from extreme weather and provide them with a source of food and income.”

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

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

47.032 46.851 48.139

48.161 48.146 47.905 47.524 48.217

48.458 47.585 47.207

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

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

5

U.P. econ dean appointed acting planning secretary

Balisacan vows to focus on addressing poverty, build on Paderanga’s achievements

P

RESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III recently appointed the dean of the University of the Philippines School of Economics (UPSE) as Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and Director-General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

Dr. Arsenio M. Balisacan will take over the post vacated

by Secretary Cayetano W. Paderanga, Jr., who resigned due to personal reasons.

“I am grateful to the President not only for giving me the opportunity to serve the Cabinet for the second time, but also for understanding the reasons why I decided to leave,” said Paderanga, who will be turning 64 years old this year.

Paderanga was also appointed to the same position from 1990 to 1992 during the administration of President Corazon C. Aquino, the mother

of the current President.

“NEDA will be in good hands with Dean Balisacan,” said Paderanga, who is also Balisacan’s colleague at the UPSE. Acknowledged in Asia as a leading expert on poverty and known as a leading development economist in Southeast Asia, Balisacan, who leaves his academic post for this new appointment, said he would build on the achievements and reforms paved by Paderanga.

“Sec. Paderanga has led in instituting changes in the planning, investment programming and M&E (monitoring and evaluation) processes within NEDA and the government. We will build on these reforms as we focus on reducing poverty and attaining inclusive growth that leaves no one behind,” said Balisacan.

As Acting Socioeconomic Planning Secretary and NEDA Director-General, Balisacan

will concurrently chair the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB), Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), and Philippine Center for Economic Development (PCED).

Balisacan will also be the vice-chair of the NEDA Board, the country›s highest development planning and policy coordinating body chaired by the President, as well as head of several interagency committees under the NEDA Board.

Prior to his UPSE deanship, Balisacan was DirectorChief Executive of the Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture (SEARCA) from 2003 to 2009, and Undersecretary of the Department of Agriculture in 2000, 2001 and 2003.

While serving as Agriculture Undersecretary, he was the country’s chief negotiator

in the Agriculture Negotiations of the World Trade Organization (WTO) and in various bilateral agriculture negotiations. Prior to joining the University of the Philippines, he was a research fellow at the East West Center in Honolulu, and an economist at the World Bank in Washington, D.C. Author and co-author of several books on the Philippine economy, poverty, and rural development, Balisacan has served as President of various professional organizations, including Philippine Economic Society, Human Development Network, and Asian Society of Agricultural Economists.

Balisacan holds a PhD in Economics from the University of Hawaii, a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economics from UP Los Baños, and a Bachelor’s degree in Agriculture (magna cum laude) from the Mariano Marcos State University.

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), in collaboration with the City Government of General Santos, participating cooperatives and donor institutions, launched today the General Santos City Credit Surety Fund (GSCCSF) at a formal ceremony at the Executive Ballroom of Family Country Hotel and Convention Centre, Mateo Road, Lagao, General Santos City.

The GSCCSF is a surety fund aimed at helping cooperatives and micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) gain access to credit from banks.

The surety fund is generated from cash contributions of participating cooperatives, the local government unit and other partner institutions.

BSP Deputy Governor Diwa C. Guinigundo and City Mayor Darlene Magnolia R. Antonino-Custodio led the signing of the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) ushering the creation of the GSCCSF as the

22nd Credit Surety Fund nationwide.

Fifteen (15) cooperatives from General Santos City joined the GSCCSF with an aggregate contribution of P2.5 million while the City Government of General Santos pledged to contribute another P2.5 million. Likewise, the Development Bank of the Philippines, Land Bank of the Philippines and

the Industrial Guarantee and Loan Fund expressed strong support to the CSF program with their counterpart pledges to the GSCCSF. The CSF program serves as an alternative lending window for mSMEs in the city. Businessmen are expected to take advantage of this credit enhancement scheme which has received wide acceptance from various stakeholders

since 2008. The CSF program also integrates a training component to help strengthen participating cooperatives in the areas of business plan preparation, credit appraisal, risk management and accounting. The BSP Monetary Board has agreed to allow banks to rediscount loans granted under the CSF program to encourage banks to lend more to the mSME sector.

BSP, GenSan seal coop partnership T

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

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

as of august 2010

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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

Power rates to dictate economic growth: Recto

S

ENATOR Ralph G. Recto yesterday reiterated his call on the Department of Energy (DOE) to let the Senate have a peek of what power rates would look like until 2016 to give business leaders a heads up in charting their investment or expansion plans, particularly in the manufacturing sector.

“A sneak peak of the power rate situation would signal predictability in the pricing and help industry players plan their expansion around this price scenario,” Recto said.

He said the “power price scenario” would also gain significance as consumers brace for a new wave of increase in power rates starting this month.

Recto had asked the DOE during last year’s budget hearings for a “power rate scenario” at least up to 2016 but the request has remained unheeded.

“I’m quite concerned that PSALM and Napocor would again pass on their debt and losses to the hapless consumers,” Recto said.

He said these same consumers – households, workers and companies would have to reach more from their pockets to pay increases in PhilHealth contributions, new taxes for “sin” products and the soaring prices of commodities brought about by volatile oil prices.

“Do they realize how much are they taking from the people’s pockets? That’s billions,” Recto said.

He said the high power rates are the single biggest stumbling block why the local manufacturing sector has not expanded and remained stunted over the years.

“We’ve the most expensive power rates in the region, are we still going to be the most expensive in 2016?” Recto said.

He added: “I guess it’s harmless to wish that even though power rates have no chance of coming down, it would at least not increase in the years leading to 2016.”

Power consumers will pay higher electricity this month after the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) granted the Napocor’s proposal to jack up their generation charges.

Napocor will increase its power charge in Luzon by 69.04 centavos per kilowatt-hour (kwh); Visayas by 60.60 centavos per kwh; and, Mindanao, by 4.42 centavos per kWh. Currently, Napocor’s effective rate for Luzon stands at P5.0160 per kwh; P4.0740 per kwh

in Visayas; and, only P2.9321 per kwh in Mindanao.

Recto nevertheless said government is actually imposing a new tax by passing on to consumers the burden of paying down the debts of Napocor through the new wave of power rate increases.

“The simultaneous power rate hikes in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao are practically new taxes to be shouldered by consumers since the proceeds will be used to pay down the multi-billion debts incurred by Napocor,” he said.

Recto said the power rate hikes by the state-run but debt-saddled Napocor would further make it difficult for the country to lure in investors particularly in the field of manufacturing due to its already high cost of power.

He also said he hoped that the rate increase by Napocor went through the scrutiny of the National Economic Development Authority (NEDA) for an investment impact study.

“NEDA should have taken a look at this to check if this was congruent to good policy,” Recto said.

The senator said he would rather keep the current electricity prices, increase ten-fold the investment portfolio and ultimately secure an investment grade status from multinational credit rating agencies.

Recto said the increased investment due to stable supply and steady power prices would translate to more workers being hired and other economic opportunities being created and expanded.

“Why not keep the prices at current levels, which should get a more economic rate of return rather than raise power prices and stymie investment,” Recto added.

“Instead of looking forward to the traditional Flores de Mayo, each consumer would be rudely treated to a spectacle called “Increases de Mayo,” Recto said.

The price hikes covers the pending joint applications filed by Napocor and the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management Corp. (PSALM) under the Generation Rate Adjustment Mechanism (Gram), which allows utilities to recover costs associated with fuel and purchased power, and Incremental Currency Exchange Rate Adjustment (Icera) Mechanism, which allows utilities to recover foreign exchange-related costs.

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Ungab to campaign for sin tax reform bill

T

HE chairman of the House Committee on Ways and Means today said the coming weeks prior to the adjournment provide ample time for him to convince the majority of House members to support the plenary approval of the amended sin tax reform bill of Rep. Joseph Emilio Abaya (1st District, Cavite).

Rep. Isidro Ungab (3rd District, Davao City) said there are enough compelling reasons for House members to ultimately support the plenary approval of the amended version of House Bill 5727, which was passed last week by the Committee on Ways and Means.

“There is an urgent need to reform the excise taxes for cigarettes and alcohol,” Ungab said.

First and foremost reason in enacting the measure, he said, is that the country has to comply with the ruling of the World Trade Organization last January. The Department of Trade and Industry previously explained the ruling provides that the country has to reduce taxes on imported distilled spirits.

“We have a compliance deadline to meet which is March next year,” Ungab said.

Secondly, Ungab said the government has to update the excise taxes of alcohol and cigarettes to their present prices and remove the annexes, which pegged the prices at 1996 levels.

“We have to subject the said excise taxes to indexation so as to adjust the same to inflation,” he

WHY IS ELECTRICITY A COMMODITY? North Cotabato Board Member Noel Baynosa said during the People’s Power Talk in Davao City on Saturday that it is ironic that power is now being considered as a commodity and not as a

C

Ungab said.

Lastly, he said the amended sin tax reform bill will generate more revenues for the government to finance the Universal Health Care Program of President Aquino.

Ungab also dispelled critics’ claim that committee approval of the amended sin tax reform bill last week was railroaded. “How can it be railroaded when there was so much time devoted to deliberate on the

bill?”

In fact, he said they have conducted several public hearings and consultations before the amended bill was called to a vote.

For now, Ungab said they are preparing the committee report and might submit it anytime this week.

As amended by the Department of Finance, the bill provides for a reclassification every two years of alcohol and tobacco products and abolishes the current price classification freeze. It provides for a shift to two tiers for tobacco products and three for alcohol products, based on net retail price. It also programs an 8 percent increase in the excise rates on alcohol and tobacco every two years, from 2015 to 2025.

public service. He added that this is one of the major points why the Electric Power Industry Reform Act (EPIRA) must be revisited. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

Scarborough Shoal rift affects chartered flights

HARTERED flights from mainland China are the most affected by the suspension of tour packages to the Philippines, according to representatives of Chinese Travel Agencies at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Sunday.

Most of the affected chartered flights are from Beijing, Shanghai and Xiamen, all bound for Boracay while the regular flights are not yet affected by the announcement, Shirley

Lai, a travel agency representative at NAIA for 30 years, said.

Lai said she handles around 20-50 Chinese tourists a day, which have flight schedules of the affected chartered flights of Air Philippines, Cebu Pacific, and Zest Air. She is expecting Chinese tourists on a package tour who are set to arrive on May 10, 11, and 12 for Boracay, but unfortunately the flights have been cancelled due to the announcement.

“Sana matapos na ang gusot na ito kasi sayang din ang pera na mapupunta sa gobyerno dahil lumalakas ang turismo dahil din sa mga Chinese na pumupunta sa atin,” Lai stressed, adding she is expecting the “worst to come” if the problem would not be resolved as early as possible.

Reports said Beijing International Travel Service and other travel agencies in China have halted all tours to the Philippines and stopped

accepting bookings until the situation improves.

China recently told its citizens they’re not safe in the Philippines and its state media warned of war, as a month-long row over rival claims in the South China Sea threatened to spill out of control.

And the Chinese embassy to the Philippines earlier warned its citizens in Manila to stay off the streets during the planned anti-China protests, which have taken place last Friday.

EDGEDAVAO

AGRITRENDS

7

Growing bananas VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

By Jims Vincent T. Capuno

“Banana is the most economically important fruit crop in the Philippines,” said the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD). “It is the only locally-grown fruit available year-round.”

The Philippines is the only Asian country to be included in the list of the top four leading banana exporting nations, according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).

The three others are from South America, namely: Ecuador (which provides more than 30 percent of global banana exports), Costa Rica, and Colombia. All four countries account for about two-thirds of the world›s exports, each exporting more than one million tons.

In popular culture and commerce, “banana” usually refers to soft, sweet “dessert” bananas that are usually eaten raw. The bananas from a group of cultivars with firmer, starchier fruit are called plantains, and are generally used in cooking rather than eaten raw. The word “banana” is derived from the Arabic word “finger.”

Unknowingly, banana is one of the most healthful fruits the world has known. Alexander the Great was so fascinated by the virtues of this fruit that he described it as “the heavenly fruit that tasted like nectar sweetened in honey.”

Health experts claim that banana is low in protein, free of fats but high in energy. A fully ripe banana has 20-25 percent sugar. It has a significant amount of B-vitamins, especially B1 and B6. B1 is a brain tonic whereas B6 re-

Lakatan

lieves, in particular, uncomfortable symptoms of the pre-menstrual tension syndrome like irritability, headaches, tender breasts, and water retention.

Researches conducted recently at the University of Minnesota, School of Medicine, substantiate earlier reports that high potassium diets (banana being one of these) lower blood cholesterol levels. Subjects getting extra dietary potassium are also less prone to hypertension, strokes and atherosclerosis and finally show significantly low mortality rates.

A major study reveals that diets loaded with potassium-rich bananas may be able to cut the risk of strokes by one third. Scientists feel that many people can be protected against strokes and heart attacks by minimizing sodium (common salt) intake and by consuming plenty of potassium-rich foods of which banana is one. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has just allowed the banana industry to make official claims for the fruit›s ability to reduce the risk of blood pressure and stroke.

If you are having trouble with stress, potassium-rich banana can help you. Potassium is a vital mineral, which helps normalize the heartbeat, sends oxygen to the brain and regulates the body’s water balance. When you are stressed, our metabolic rate rises, thereby reducing our potassium levels.

These can be rebalanced with the help of a high-potassium banana snack.

Aside from coconut, banana can be considered as “the tree of life.” Dondon Carlo P. Lejano, in an article

Banana which appeared in the quarterly publication of Bureau of Agricultural Research, wrote: “Aside from being eaten fresh, the ripe fruit can also be processed into jam, candies, and purees. On the other hand, the unripe bananas may be processed into starch and chips. Banana extracts can also be processed into wine, catsup and vinegar.”

The banana leaves have their uses, too. Lejano wrote: “In some areas, especially in the provinces, the banana leaves are believed to be medicinal and can heal openskin wounds faster. Aside from being used as packing materials in markets and other areas of trade, the banana leaves are also used for cooking purposes.”

There are several kinds of bananas grown in the country but the most popular ones are the latundan, lakatan, and saba. These are mostly grown in the backyard or as a component in an intercropping scheme with minimum care and management. Cavendish is the export variety grown by commercial ba-

nana plantations in southern Philippines, particularly in Davao.

For local market, the most profitable variety to grow is lakatan. “Fresh lakatan is very popular in the market,” PCARRD said. “However, supply does not always meet the high demand, especially in Luzon.”

How profitable is it to grow lakatan? According to PCARRD, even if you plant just one-fourth of the farm to banana, you will have an annual net profit of P24,000 in the second year and will shoot up to P69,000 in the ninth year. If you plant the whole farm with banana, you will get an annual net profit of P121,000 in the second year and then P304,000 in the ninth year.

“Lakatan fruits can be harvested 8-12 months after planting,” said the investment briefer prepared by PCARRD. “Suckers are allowed to grow for the next fruiting cycle and repeated for another cycle as long as plants are healthy.”

If you want to go into lakatan production, there are some things you have to consider. Banana can grow from the poorest to the richest type of soil with varying success. So, you must take into consideration your farm.

“Banana plants require moist, deep, fertile and welldrained soil,” informs the Southern Mindanao Integrated Agricultural Research Center (SMIARC). Since it is sensitive to standing water, plant banana in the area where the water is easily drained.

For maximum growth and production, “lakatan has to be planted in areas with slightly acidic to neutral soil (ph 5.0-7.0), with temperature of 25-30 degrees Centigrade and with average

rainfall of 100-150 millimeters per month.” If you are not so sure about your farm, contact the Department of Agriculture in your area and ask them.

After the soil, the next thing to consider is the planting materials. Choose from any of the following: suckers, corms, or tissue-cultured planting materials. Suckers are vertical shoots arising from the mother plants.

Ideally, the suckers should be 100-150 centimeters in height and taken from disease-free and vigorous mother plants.

Corms are the underground stems of the banana that look like very large tubers. Select corms that are about 10-15 centimeters (about one-half kilogram) from disease-free mother plants. Each corm should have a minimum of one good bud.

Tissue-cultured planting materials can be obtained from recognized and reputable nurseries and are ready to be planted when they reach the five-leaf stage.

Farm facilities that you need in the production are a packing shed, a washing/delatexing tank and irrigation.

Bamboos are needed as support materials to the banana plants. Other basic tools and equipment include weighing scale, sprayers, bolos, knives, and ladder. Farm supplies consist of organic and inorganic fertilizers, pesticides, and packaging materials.

Here are some recommended cultural and other practices that are needed to produce lakatan successfully from SMIARC: Fertilize the plant · with 0.25 kilogram of urea plus 0.25 kilogram of muriate of potash every three months to ensure proper growth.

· Ring/Strip weed until the plants can provide shade to suppress weed growth. · Remove dry leaf sheaths and leaves quarterly using a pruning knife attached to a long pole. · Remove unwanted suckers by digging or cutting off from point of attachment to the mother plant or by severing a sucker at the ground level. · Debell bunches immediately after the appearance of the false hand.

The fruits are ready for harvest when the plant has six or less functional leaves (and turning yellow). The fruits are full, plump, round and light green and the angles in the fingers are rounded. Generally, this is about 12-14 weeks from flower emergence. Harvest the fruits not earlier than 80 hanging days.

For small bunches, SMIARC recommends that the harvester should cut the trunk slowly and partially (about one-third from the top) to ensure slow toppling of the bunch. Knife, bolo, sickle or hatchet may be used to do the operation. For easy handling, the harvester can hold the peduncle leaving about 30 centimeters of the stalk.

For big bunches, bamboo poles is recommended to support the upper portion of the bunch. The harvester moves the base of the pole slowly until the bunch touches the shoulder pad. He then cuts the stem of the bunch 46 centimeters above the fruit to provide a handle for the carrier.

“Work out marketing arrangements before harvesting,” suggests PCARRD. In order to get a good price for your fruits, “check established banana wholesalers and retailers in your area.”

8

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

Temporary consequence of economic reforms

A

EDITORIAL

Reforms needed for next DAVRAA delegations

F

ormer Southeast Asia’s Iron Woman and Fastest Woman Elma Muros said sports is easy to watch but hard to understand.

Elma told a group of coaches and trainors mostly from the Department of Education during the first ever Davao Sports Conference dubbed as SWEAT or Sports, Wellness, Acclimatization and Training. The three-day sports conference offers coaches ad sports trainors the breakthroughs in sports medicine, sports science, sports nutrition, and sports psychology, among others.

The sports conference is very timely, coming at the heels of the dismal performance of Davao Region Athletic Association (Davraa) athletes in the recent Palarong Pambansa.

The Davraa athletes placed a poor 10th overall in the recent Palarong Pambansa. It finished with 96.5 points in the Palaro scoring system after finishing with 9 golds, 12 silvers and 16 bronzes.

The performance of the Davraa athletes was considered “poor” by Davraa officials who were expecting to finish better than the 7thplace last year. The final output of the Davraa athletes was a far cry from the 733 points amassed by eventual champion NCR. Two Mindanao delegations finished better than Davao Region. Northern Mindanao was 5th and Cotabato Region was 7th.

So how can a big region like Davao fare so poorly in the annual school-based sports conclave?

There are a number of factors to consider.

First, let us consider the non-sports factors--the distance of travel in particular. Always, when the Palaro cycle goes to Luzon, we are the farthest from the Palaro host. Hence, the longer travel. You expect the rigors of travel to come in the way of the athlete’s performance where travel requires transport by sea or land. We do not have the luxury of travelling by air.

The Palaro has this cycle of hosting—Luzon-Visayas-Mindanao-Luzon. That means, there are two

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stops in Luzon and one in Visayas and Mindanao.

Davraa traditionally fares better in the Mindanao stop of the cycle. Last year in Dapitan City (Mindanao stop), travel was not a problem for Davraa athletes. The result was a 7th place finish.

Then there are the sports-related factors.

Training and selection process.

During the selection process for the Palarobound athletes, the Davraa meet was held in substandard venues in Compostela Valley. Compared to the selection process in Luzon and Visayas, we unfortunately lack the facilities that meet international standards and that leaves our athletes with no choice but to make do with available venues.

For example, you do not expect athletes who train in soil to excel in rubber tracks.

There is also a flawed system in the selection process where the team composition follows a strict distribution according to the placement in the Davraa regional meet.

Overall, the performance by the Davraa athletes is a reflection of the region’s collective sports program. Our strengths lie where LGUs have strong programs in focus sports like boxing with Panabo City, football and chess with Davao City, tennis with Compostela Valley.

There is a need to intensify the programs of LGUs in sports development for Davao Region to elevate its status in the Palarong Pambansa whatever the cycle is. This is not done overnight.

It takes commitment and a real understanding of sports training, selection and development of athletes.

As Elma stressed, sports is not as easy as it looks.

Hopefully, capability-building programs like the SWEAT sports conference will serve as a step in the right direction. We empower our coaches first for them to better understand this very complex world of sports.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

RAMON M. MAXEY Consultant

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

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

JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales

SOLANI D. MARATAS Finance

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AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

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PLACE WITH INTERESTING THINGS TO DO – One of the fastestgrowing trends in travel nowadays is theme hotels. There are concepts for every taste: from rooms decorated with authentic baskets and pottery made by the natives to an upscale spa that offer such nativeinspired treatment as virgin coconut oil and herbal plants, and of course, restaurants which feature seafood and local staples.

This is a real trend for travelers who have tried it. There’s a whole market segment of travelers from other countries and Asia who are no longer just looking for a place to hang their suits and plug in their laptops. They want a hotel with interesting things to do. Actually smaller hotels helped pioneer the idea.

Many travelers who used to stay in highconcept hotels whenever they are in a place where theme hotels are popular have become frequent guests at these establishments. Some of these hotels are likewise fitness freak’s paradise offering sports regimen and games: basketball, volleyball, tennis, badminton, swimming and facilities for sports clinic.

But we have yet to see a Davao City-based firm engaged in the hotel business that has a plan to open in the near future a purely theme hotel in the city which would focus on local history, its gracious traditions and culture of specific groups in the region. It would be fantastic to have this type of hotel in the locality and follow the growing trend in travel. oooOooo ECONOMIC STRUCTURE NEEDS TO BE CHANGED – A number of prominent economists and a small but increasingly vocal group of observers which is sometimes spiked with ardent critics insist that the real solution to the nation’s economic ills is not bad debt disposal or any economic fixes currently capturing all the attention, but structural reforms designed to remove governmental barriers to free market competition at the domestic level.

Theories and rules of logic suggest that economic problems besetting the country are only temporary consequences of reforms. Right now, economic analysts and financial experts argue that government people are just treating the symptoms temperately and just applying “band-aid” solutions on them because the country’s productivity woes are largely the result of alleged misguided or obsolete policy decisions.

But what is needed supposedly is a committed reform movement that would bring back quick economic recovery.

However, when it comes to reforms, the government suffers from what can be called a productivity problem of its own. As the population bloats dramatically in the years ahead the country’s productivity crisis will become even starker, as workers will have to perform even more work and more efficiently to maintain the same standard of living. The problem is that in purely economic terms, it is widely believed that increased productivity would lead to permanently high unemployment rate.

Many commentators and opinion makers, including leaders of different progressive labor groups, claim that high unemployment is unacceptable even if it is only a temporary consequence of reform. For one thing, they emphasize that higher productivity actually leads to lower prices, which spurs increased consumption and requires increased production – and of course, more jobs.

Some renowned economists and financial managers likewise noted that another factor holding back the government to implement economic structural reforms is the acknowledgement from all affected parties that it would almost certainly bring about lots of long-term pain, including numerous bankruptcies and high unemployment. There’s no doubt the country’s economic structure needs to be changed, but they further observed that people are afraid of the costs.

The source of the country’s economic ills and unemployment woes will not rebound until the performance of big business firms begins to turn around and structural reforms are adopted posthaste. With such changes, the experts say the country may manage to settle into a kind of well-off status and probably reach a positive level, and finish as an economic achiever. Experts predict that the high-growth story in the Philippines is about to come and that a long-run GDP growth rate of 1% per year is probably the best the country can hope for.

EDGEDAVAO

T

HEY used to soak t h e m selves in icy-cold springs or salty waters just off beaches until they quivered to the bones for that once in a lifetime rite of passage.

Nobody had bothered to explain why, but for the boys of summer, this ritual serves as an anesthetic. After all, there are no surgical knives to cause the pain, nor antiseptics for the cut. The quivering will dull the pain and minimize the flow of blood. No disinfectant and povidone-iodine solutions to prevent infection.

For the boys, it was the old fashioned young leaves from the guava fruit chewed to a pulp which was then spat as home-grown antiseptic on the slit of the foreskin.

Yes, those were the days when pubescent boys in loose, oversized T-shirts sans underwear nervously formed a beeline as they waited nervously for their turn in the annual summer ritual also called tuli in the vernacular (circumcision in English).

Those were the good, old days when elderly uncles or grandpas initiated their youngsters into manhood with crudely-made knives crafted by the neighborhood blacksmiths (are they still around?) serving as surgical instrument. The pointed tip of the razor-sharp knife was inserted under the penis’ foreskin which was hit sharply with a piece of wood (pukpok)

P

ERHAPS we may have underestimated the Chinese for a long time when it comes to supplying them fresh Philippine bananas.

All this time we thought China is one emerging market for bananas that doesn’t care much about fruit quality and fruit inspection since they’ve always been ordering only cheaper Class B bananas. These are the ones rejected by the strict Japanese market which only buys high-quality Class A bananas.

Maybe, just maybe, banana farmers, growers and exporters in Davao had grown lazy and complacent and comfortable with the thought that Chinese buyers in the mainland don’t really care about banana quality and care less about pests and insects that like to take a free trip to China on a slow reefer boat by hiding among the green fruit packed in 13.5 kilo carton boxes.

If they’re finally inspecting every box of Philippine bananas today, it’s something they should have done ever since this country began banana exports to the China mainland. Why they never bothered with this before, only Mao Tse Tung knew.

It took those Chinese navy ships with menacing guns guarding the Chinese fishermen harvesting (or stealing?) sea crabs at Scarborough Shoal in oil-rich Pagasa Reef-- to break this whole issue into the open. They aren’t supposed to be there, that’s what our government keeps saying, because that’s our

Monkey Business

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

The Boys of Summer: Philippine style to cause the foreskin to split open an expose the penis’ head on which the chewed guava leaves (pulp) was applied. It was not a sight for the squeamish to see, but the rite of passage was accomplished and the boy had become a “man”—in a manner of soeaking. He had become in just the wink of an eye a member of the “brotherhood of men.”

After all, no Filipino kid wants to be teased supot or pisot (vernacular terms for “uncircumsised” depending on which region one hails from.

Not all, however, are fans of circumcision.

Some call it mutilation.

Others say today’s practice of lopping and snipping the foreskin of infants is unethical and a form of human rights violation.

Human Rights Watch director for Asia Carlos Conde said “circumcision should only be done on adults.”

“I know it’s just the foreskin, but how is circumcision different from genital mutilation? And doing it on infants doesn’t make it any less barbaric — on the contrary, cutting the child makes it even more reprehensible because the thinking behind it is the child could only cry out in pain, not curse those who cause the pain,” the former New York Times correspondent said.

The Department of Health has issued an advice for those who will undergo circumcision to be psychologically ready.

With the increasing prevalence of human immune virus (HIV), the DoH agrees with

medical science that circumcision, one of the few rituals that both the Jews and the Arabs share in common, helps prevent the spread of the AIDS-leading virus.

Yes, circumcision is as old as religion with close to 70 percent of Muslims worldwide being circumcised.

According to a Wikipedia entry, “circumcision is most prevalent in the Muslim world, parts of Southeast Asia, Africa, the United States, the Philippines, Israel, and South Korea.

“It is relatively rare in Europe, Latin America, parts of Southern Africa, and most of Asia and Oceania. Prevalence is near-universal in the Middle East and Central Asia.

But still, more than half of the world’s male population is not circumcised by reason of culture and tradition.

One Filipino blogger, in fact, has dedicated his blog extolling the ‘virtues’ of being supot (supotandproud.blogspot.com), a derision that sometimes leads to fatal confrontation.

In the Philippines, especially in the provinces, local government officials are leading summer drives for kids to undergo this annual rite of passage.

Modern science and wider access to health care are, however, now affording kids painless incisions with antibiotics and antiseptics to boot when they go home. But elsewhere it is still the old fashioned way.

Now, go jump into the river!

Rejecting bananas, a China tit-for-tat

territory, but China stavs pat on their claim that it’s theirs and we have no business driving them away.

Perhaps, I have no right to argue about “our rights” or “their rights”, but a little funny thought suddenly sparked, recalling history that tells me that the Chinese were already trading with Filipinos in Butuan long before that Portuguese explorer Ferdinand Magellan discovered the Philippines in 1521.

Maybe, just maybe, China has always seen themselves as owning the entire South

Replacing the gap left by Philippine bananas will be the fruit coming all the way from Central America, specifically Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, etc. but these Chinese buyers will have to cope with much higher prices per 18-kg carton box.

China Sea, since their own country is written in the name of that large body of sea south of the China mainland. That’s why the Philippines wants to take it up with a world body that settles problems like these because there’s an

international law that says we own part of any sea which is within 200 kms. from our country’s coastline.

What we’re seeing now looks like a titfor-tat from China retaliating for our standing pat on our claim to Scarborough. They took it easy before with our fresh bananas entering the Chinese market despite those tiny creatures taking a free ride with the fruit because Pinoy banana exporters and growers were so nice and all, giving them lower CIF prices for class B bananas that were giving those Chinese buyers big profits in the China fruit market.

Replacing the gap left by Philippine bananas will be the fruit coming all the way from Central America, specifically Ecuador, Costa Rica, Honduras, etc. but these Chinese buyers will have to cope with much higher prices per 18-kg carton box.

Davao banana exporters, growers and farmers are now buckling under P2 billion in losses since this problem started last March 5.

Banana vessels are now stuck in a traffic jam in three ports of China, all their green bananas now rotting because Chinese quarantine authorities are blocking their entry and shippers have to put off the refrigeration that kept the fruit fresh.

It will be difficult for Chinese banana traders to make good money from expensive fruit. That’s why I don’t see this problem going further because it’s a loss-loss situation for both Filipino exporters and Chinese buyers. Simply put, both China and the Philippines are big losers in this controversy and all because of those stupid crabs at Scarborough Shoal.

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

9

Strengthening kindergarten education SPECIAL FEATURE

BY LOVELY RODRIGUEZ

P

RESCHOOL age is the perfect time for discoveries and new knowledge.

It is the foundation for developmental learning, for it is the period when a young mind’s absorptive capacity for learning is at its sharpest.

The Department of Education (DepEd) said kindergarten shall be made mandatory and compulsory for entrance to grade one because it is vital to the academic and physical development of the Filipino child.

DepEd’s implementing rules and regulations (IRR) under the Republic Act No. 10157, otherwise known as the Kindergarten Education Act, institutionalizes the kindergarten education into the basic education system and appropriating funds therefor.

The education department said having a pre-school education is very important to start one’s educational path, not only because its prerequisite but because its where the basic learning starts.

Kindergarten system is a 10-month program provided to children who are at least five years old in regular elementary schools.

Pre-school class uses thematic and integrative curriculum to prepare child for grade one.

Beginning school year 2011-2012, DepEd intensified efforts to attain universal Kindergarten coverage through different modalities and in coordination with concerned agencies on health, welfare and education of five-year-old children.

“As the year 2011-2012 approaches all children aged five years old must undergo kindergarten,” said Oldy Onaz, an education program specialist under DepEd’s pre-school department.

DepEd aims to promote inclusive education in reaching five-year-old children particularly those in poorest household, vulnerable, disadvantaged and underserved areas and to improve their readiness and foundation skills to be ready for primary grades.

The department added that Kindergarten class will focus on child’s total development according to his/her individual needs and sociocultural background.

It will also promote the delivery of complementary, integrative services for cognitive development, health and safety, care, nutrition, sanitation, psycho-socio-emotional, cultural and values formation activities.

Yet, reasons such as financial disability and child’s emotional and mental conditioning limits kindergarten enrollees but DepEd said that money may not be a big reason to stop the child from enrolling.

“We have public schools in here, there will be no increase because there’s no tuition fee,” Onaz said.

He added that parents are important in boosting their child’s interest to study in kindergarten which will also prepare her/him for school.

To invite more enrollees, DepEd pledged for more story books to provide opportunities for an individual child to look at pictures, browse and read independently, which are the crucial steps in their journey to early and lifelong literacy.

Those who fail to enroll in a pre-school class must undergo the Kindergarten Summer Program (KSP), an eight-week curriculum on readiness and foundation skills in the company of 20 to 30 children for three hours daily using eight week curriculum before entering grade one proper.

The kind of pupil that comes out from a school reflects the kind of teacher that the institution has. Thus, having a good teacher is one of the pre-requisites in having a successful kindergarten system since it is the first step to dealing with formal education.

Based on the Research and Statistics Division (RSD) there are only 3,236 pre-school teachers for about 1,671,254 pre-school pupils from 38,501 schools all over the Philippines as of April 2012.

According to DepEd, a kindergarten teacher shall have at least 18 units of Early Childhood Education (ECE) or its equivalent as determined by the education department.

Executed in a play based-manner, DepEd assured parents that their children can experience that learning could be enjoyable and meaningful at the same time.

On the other hand, since K-12 has been approved in Philippine education’s constitution, DepEd said the program will not affect preschool education.

Parents should push their little kids to love education in an early age. It will for sure help them a lot now and in the future. [PNA]

10

COMMUNITY SENSE

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

Mati receives award for agri development projects

T

DavNor convergence not for fighting insurgency An agriculture technician injects vitamins to the carabao of Alfonso Enoy during convergence outreach in Magwawa, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte. [NOEL BAGUIO/DAVNOR PIO]

By Noel Baguio

D

AVAO del Norte Governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario clarified the convergence initiative of the province is not intended to confront the insurgency problem but to promote the agenda of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. The governor said the primary objective of the Davao del Norte Convergence for Peace and Development is to be able to contribute to the realization of the agenda of the president, especially on peace and human development.

“This is not intended to fight rebellion. What we are trying to do is promote the agenda of President Aquino,” Gov. del Rosario

explained during the medical and social outreach in Barangay Magwawa, one of the farthest of Sto. Tomas town, this province.

About a thousand poor residents benefitted from the essential services brought by the frontline agencies of the province right at their doorstep, in coordination with the armed forces, the PNP and other agencies of the national government.

The services include free medical consultation, medicines, minor surgery and circumcision, laboratory, dental care, skin care and haircut, animal care, and legal consultation, among others. Toilet bowls, slippers, tooth-

brushes, vegetable seeds and fruit tree seedlings were also distributed.

Gov. del Rosario also addressed the concerns of the barangay during a dialogue with village officials, particularly on their request for a bridge and

EDGEDAVAO

road maintenance, covered court, water system and health center.

He said Capitol will continue to maintain the provincial road in the barangay, while looking into the possibility of converting it into a national road.

Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario addresses the concerns of village officials, as he brings medical and social services to the far-flung barangay of Magwawa, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte. [NOEL BAGUIO/DAVNOR PIO]

HE City Government of Mati received the award as the Best Local Government Unit implementing the Mindanao Rural Development Program’s Community Fund for Agricultural Development (MRDP-CFAD) yesterday, at the Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City.

No less than President Benigno S. Aquino III handed over the “Parangal sa mga Bosing ng Kanayunan” awards to local government units (LGUs) and peoples organizations (POs) which exude noteworthy performance in implementing Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP) projects.

Mati City Mayor Michelle Rabat personally accepted the award from the President.

Mayor Rabat said that her administration focused on dispersal of goats and cows for their first tranche, and vegetable farming using organic fertilizer and projects using coco by-products for the second tranche of their MRDP-assisted projects.

The awarding ceremony highlights the People’s Organization (POs) Congress which will be held at the Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City, providing a venue for MRDP organized POs and LGUs to be recognized as well as share their experiences, success stories and lessons learned from MRDP implementation.

Other LGUs to receive the award are Silay, Misamis Oriental of Region 10 as the Best Performing LGU implementing the MRDP Rural Infrastructure (RI) Project; Nasipit, Agusan del Norte of Region XIII as Best LGU implementing the MRDP Natural Resources Management (NRM)-Agro Forestry Management; Kalamansig, Sultan Kudarat of Region XII as Best LGU implementing the MRDP NRM-Mangrove Rehabilitation and

Management; and Roseller T. Lim, Zamboanga Sibugay of Region IX as Best Performing LGU implementing MRDPNRM Fish Sanctuary Management.

The municipal government of Roseller T. Lim will also be accorded a special citation for its rural infrastructure project implementation while the municipal government of Libungan, North Cotabato will also be receiving a special citation as the LGU to have shown overall sustainable CFAD Management.

The only people›s organization to receive the “Parangal ng Mga Bosing sa Kanayunan” is Doyos Eastern Coast Fishermen Consumers Cooperative of Carrascal, Surigao del Sur in Region XIII. It is being cited as the Best Performing PO implementing MRDP CFAD. Other than the awarding ceremony, the POs and LGUs will be sharing best experiences and practices for others to learn from, and to guide them in undertaking projects rolled out under the MRDP. A program under the Department of Agriculture (DA), MRDP is a poverty alleviation initiative in Mindanao under the Adaptable Program Loan (APL) facility of the World Bank, covering 225 towns in the 26 provinces of Mindanao.

Aside from RI, CFAD, NRM, Investment for Governance Reform (IGR) is one of the four major components of MRDP which rolls out a total combined funding of US$123.652 million from World Bank and from GOP-LGU counterparts.

MRDP released information says that more than 3,500 POs have been organized through CFAD and NRM components, and that 124,866 households have benefited from CFAD alone. (with PIA XI/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)

Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario, 2nd right, 1003rd Infantry Brigade Commander Col. Lysander Suerte, and Mayor Maximo Estela in an animated discourse at the convergence outreach in Magwawa, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte. [NOEL BAGUIO/DAVNOR PIO]

Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario distributes fruit tree seedlings to barangay officials at the convergence outreach in Magwawa, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte. Noel Baguio/DavNor PIO

Young boys anxiously wait for their turn during mass circumcision at the convergence outreach in Magwawa, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte. [NOEL BAGUIO/ DAVNOR PIO]

EDGEDAVAO

SUBURBIA

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

11

Davao Light Advisory

Bare 15-minute power interruption on May 17 T

HE southern area of Davao Light and Power Company’s franchise will be experiencing a 15-minute power interruption, from 8:00 AM to 8:15 AM, on May 17.

Ross Luga, corporate communications officer, said that the scheduled service interruption is necessary to facilitate the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines’ (NGCP) annual preventive maintenance servicing in one of its 2-150 MVA power transformers in its Davao Substation.

To keep the power interruptions within the least possible time, loads connected to the affected transformer will be transferred to the other 150MVA transformer. Nor-

malization or return of loads back to its normal set-up will be done after maintenance works will be completed.

Affected by this service interruption are the customers from Bankerohan Bridge going city south up to URC after Bago Bridge in Dumoy. This will include the whole areas of Matina, Maa, Ecoland, Bangkal, Catalunan Grande, Ulas, Puan and Dumoy.

Customers in Catalunan Pequeño, Mintal, Tugbok, Calinan, Baguio District and other nearby areas along Davao-Bukidnon Highway will similarly be experiencing the said power outage.

Also affected are some of Davao City Water District’s pumping sta-

tions in the south.

Davao Light apologizes for the inconvenience of these scheduled power interruptions but it will exert all efforts to restore electric service as scheduled or earlier. However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the schedule due to unavoidable circumstances.

The electric utility’s Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition (SCADA) allows Davao Light to remotely control switches in the substations and along the distribution lines making it efficient in implementing maintenance works or restoration of power supply at its barest minimum during service interruptions.

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

LOCATION 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

ANFLOCOR brings joyful summer to employees’ kids

I

T’S summer. It’s school break. The kids usually go outside to spend their time playing until they get bushed and wornout. Others are glued to their TVs and game consoles, while many find ways to stay occupied throughout summer and think how to really make this break worthwhile.

At Anflo Management and Investment Corporation (ANFLOCOR), the employees’ kids or dependents enjoy this long vacation with fun and helpful activities that enhance their skills and creativity.

“As much as we want the employees to enjoy the summer by yearly organizing a summer activity for them, we also want to extend this summer fun to their kids or dependents.

That’s why we came up with this summer workshop for them to avail of

for free!” said Nelson R. Umblero, Senior Manager for Human Resource and Training Department of ANFLOCOR. For this, ANFLOCOR prepared a series of summer courses for the kids or dependents of its employees for them to be productive, while still having fun this summer.

Last April 16 to 20, fifteen (15) budding martial artists relished the fun and excitement of the martial arts summer workshop held right at the training room of ANFLOCOR. No less than Philippine Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bahk Do Inc.’s chief instructor and Davao City’s Red Knights Soo Bahk Do Club Master Steve Grandeza trained the enthusiastic kids with the basic skills in martial arts.

The kids learned various self-defense tech-

niques, primarily Moo Duk Kwan Soo Bahk Do, which included basic stunts, blocking, punching, and one-step sparring. Each of the participants was able to perform these approaches through a test drill where each had to defend himself or herself against the other participant using the techniques that they learned and practiced.

“I am very happy to have joined the workshop.

I learned a lot especially on how to defend myself in times of threat” said 9-year-old Christian Benedict Mariano.

Confidence, leadership qualities, and the importance of determination, discipline, and dedication were imparted as, according to Grandeza, “these are the fundamental values in martial arts especially in achieving one’s goal.”

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

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

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

POWER. South Korea’s President Lee Myung-bak (L), China’s Premier Wen Jiabao (C) and Japan’s Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda hold their hands together as they

EDGEDAVAO

pose for photographs ahead of the fifth trilateral summit among the three nations at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, May 13, 2012. [REUTERS]

Asian powers agree on trade pact talks C

HINA, Japan and South Korea agreed at a summit on Sunday to launch negotiations for a three-way free trade pact they said could help fend off global economic chills, but the talks are expected to be long and difficult because of decades of rivalry.

The three nations are major traders, and together accounted for 19.6 percent of global gross domestic product and 18.5 percent of exports in 2010, according to a feasibility study issued by their governments last year on the trade pact.

“Northeast Asia is the most economically vibrant region in the world,” Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao told reporters after talks in Beijing with Japanese

Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda and South Korean President Lee Myung-bak.

“The establishment of an FTA will unleash the economic vitality of our region and give a strong boost to economic integration in east Asia.”

China is the biggest trade partner of Japan and South Korea. A free trade treaty could lift China’s GDP by up to 2.9 percent, Japan’s by 0.5 percent, and South Korea’s by 3.1 percent, the official Xinhua news said in a commentary, without citing the basis for its estimates.

But agreeing on a fullyfledged pact, which has been on the table for a decade, will not be easy.

The three northeast Asian neighbours are di-

vided by political distrust, trade barriers, and diverging investment policies, as well as regionwide worries about China’s expanding economic and military power.

The proposed treaty must also vie for attention with the United States’ push for a broader Trans-Pacific Partnership, a trade liberalisation initiative that has drawn in nine countries, with Japan also expressing interest. Ch i na and South Korea are not part of those negotiations yet.

At the summit in Beijing, the three leaders also agreed a three-way investment treaty - a stepping stone to the bigger and much more contentious goal of a free trade deal said Xinhua.

said.

With total shipments worth $470.96 million last year, bananas are the Philippines’s second-largest agricultural commodity export after coconuts, according to government data.

China is the Philippines’ second-largest ba-

nana market after Japan.

The fruit issue first came up a month before Chinese maritime surveillance vessels prevented the Philippine navy from arresting Chinese fishermen on a disputed South China Sea shoal in April, sparking a tense stand-off.

Philippines works to heal banana split with China

T

HE Philippine government said it was working to resolve mass delays of Philippine fruit exports to China, amid a tense stand-off between the two countries over disputed maritime territory.

Philippine fruit export leaders have been quoted as saying that shipments, especially bananas, were rotting in Chinese ports because pests had been discovered in some produce, prompting stricter quarantine inspections.

President Benigno Aquino’s spokeswoman Abigail Valte said: “We are confident that this can be resolved given that our banana exports have already passed the stringent (standards) in Japan.”

The agriculture and trade departments as well as the plant industry bureau were talking with their Chinese counterparts on how to resolve the problem, she

POVERTY. Children scramble to get a ticket for free meals offered by a feeding programme in a squatter area in Baseco, Tondo, Metro Manila. Asia and the Pacific could see a seven-fold return on their investment in urban disaster risk management, if they devote resources into protecting cities across the region that are increasingly vulnerable to the impacts of natural calamities, an Asian Development Bank (ADB) official said during the first day of ADB’s 45TH Board of Governors annual meeting.

[REUTERS]

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

Mindanaoans...

Ordinance...

FFROM 1 “We want it to be a Mindanao-controlled power corporation. Dapat GOCC pa rin ang may control,” Antonino told Edge Davao in an interview at the Grand Regal Hotel.

She said that following the April 11 power summit held here in Davao City, she had a meeting with the President to discuss the viability of all the suggestions made.

However, President Benigno Aquino III did not commit to whether he would approve the Agus-Pulangi power plants turn-over to a GOCC. It should be noted that the president has always stated his support for the Agus and Pulangi power plants’ privatization.

Aquino however said that the deliberation is ‘reaching its final stages’ and that ‘the turn-over has been carefully studied.’

“Bago magkaroon ng turn-over kailangang masagot muna lahat ng tanong sa mga na-iminungkahi (ng stakeholders) dito. Sa ngayon tinatapos na ang pagaaral,” said Aquino, referring to the suggestions made during the power summit.

Such deliberations, the president said, has led to answers such as whether the Agus-Pulangi is earning or losing profit as what

FFROM 1 the Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) have earlier said.

“Nakita na ang (sagot sa tanong) kung kumikita ba o hindi, paano ba ang systema para mai-deliver ang power at maiwasan nang magkaroon ng power shortage,” said Aquino, who attended the People’s Organization Congress organized by the Mindanao Rural Development Program (MRDP).

Not to be fooled While studying the turnover of the Agus-Pulangi plants to a new administration, Antonino said “calculations were made” and it was found that the power plants are earning.

Not only this, it was found that the plants could also “pay its debts and in the long run finance the repair of other power plants.”

“You know what, we used the same figures they used in saying na malulugi ang Agus-Pulangi. We made our calculations for a different management and we saw na hindi malulugi. Paano nila nasabi na nalulugi na ang laki ng kita?” Antonino said.

The MinDA secretary chided the statements of PSALM president Emmanuel R. Ledesma Jr. for stating that the two hydroelectric plants in Mindanao are losing money.

“They said lugi by P15 billion between 2001 and 2011. Papaanong lugi na the plants earn P6 billion annually, P68 billion since 2001.

Ang laki ng difference,” she said.

“Weeks ago the government spent P7 million.

Three weeks lang ni-repair and the plants gained 100 megawatts. Bakit hindi ito nangyari noon. You knew the plants subsidize the power of other plants why did you let the plants to deteriorate?” Antonino said with a note of irritation.

Once turned over to new management, the MinDA secretary said the AgusPulangi plants will earn enough to pay its debts.

“It will take a long process before the debts are paid and eventually be able to pay for repairs of other plants. But you know what, someone talked to me as if to discourage me. At least now (with the Agus-Pulangi plants set for a new management) they know that Mindanao will no longer step aside on this,” she said.

“Alam na natin ang katotohanan. At least aware na sila na hindi nila pwedeng lokohin ang mga taga-Mindanao. Hindi kami kumikibo pero nakatutok kami. Yan ang gusto kong sabihin,” Antonino added.

a combined (fresh and frozen) Freight on Board (FOB) value amounting to US$311-million in 2010. During the same year, the total tuna industry is valued at Php23-billion.

Moreover, the industry employs at least 100,000 people ranging from fishing to canning, processing and other auxiliary services.

The United States, European Union, and Japan are among the top export destinations of tuna according to Antonino.

“It is encouraging to note that despite the global economic challenges, Mindanao trade has remained bullish,” Antonino said.

She added that the Aquino administration recognizes the challenges being faced by the fishing industry that is why MinDA shall continue to lobby

for necessary measures and policy recommendations in order to spur and strengthen Mindanao’s economy and to generate jobs for Mindanawons.

“These [challenges] must not stall us from pursuing our vision of growth and expansion to serve the growing domestic and global demands.

This calls for us to creatively find ways to boost the [tuna] industry,” said Antonino.

Records indicated that with the fishing ban, tuna production last year dropped to 503,000 metric tons last year as compared to 575,000 MT in 2010.

Director Perez, explained access of the Philippine fishing vessels will only be limited to traditional fresh and ice chilled fishing vessels operating as a group. [PIA 12]

Davao City Water District acting general manager Edwin V. Regalado said the water service interruption is needed to allow the tapping of the newly installed 4-inch diameter Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC) pipeline to the existing 4-inch diameter PVC pipeline for the mainline improvement at Purok 6, Carpio Compound along

Tigatto Road. Once the project is completed new service connections can be accommodated.

Affected customers are advised to store enough water prior to the scheduled water service interruption as water supply may be restored earlier if work goes smoothly or later if unforeseen problems arise.

Philippines...

FFROM 3 Resources (BFAR) stressed that Filipino fishing vessels must adhere to the fishing standards being imposed by the international commission.

“We must live up to the expectations of WCPFC,” BFAR Director Asis Perez said.

He added that the Philippines “must satisfactorily comply with the provisions of the CMM if we want to continue fishing in pockets 1 and 2 beyond 2013”.

With this new development, the SOCSKSARGEN Federation of Fishing and Allied Industries Incorporated (SFFAII) is optimistic that the tuna industry shall continue to contribute significant gains to Mindanao’s economy.

Tuna remains as one of the top exports of Mindanao with

Advisory

Water interruption May 17

A

nine-hour water service interruption will be experienced by DCWD customers residing in Buhangin particularly in Bread Subd., Pioneer Village, Carpio Compound and along Tigatto-Buhangin Road (from Panorama Homes Subd. To Cabantian Road) on May 17 from 8:00 AM until 5:00 PM.

13

Dabaw, Café Rysus, SM City Davao, Bhong Binondo of the committee on children’s protection under the council for the welfare of children (CWC) said the ordinance will be a great leap towards the end of culture of corporal punishment, especially in the city.

“The ordinance does not primarily aim to prosecute the parents but to advocate the end of corporal punishment, and to educate adults that positive approach of disciplining children is not an alternative of corporal punishment but the correct way,” he added.

Most reported cases of child abuse in the city were corporal punishment, he said, citing cases in 2010, such that 144 cases were reported to the Davao City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO); There were 101 reported cases of corporal punishment in the women and children protection unit of the Southern Philippines Medical Center; 395 cases in the women and children’s protection desk of the city police office; 161 cases in the Tambayan Center for Children’s Rights; and, six in

the UCCP-Pag-ugmad sa Kabatan-onan sa Davao.

Binondo underscored that the figures do not include unreported cases, which makes the scenario more alarming.

Provisions of the proposed ordinance include allocation of two percent of the total budget of the local council for children, which comprises 20% of the entire budget of the city; and, two percent from the budget of the Sangguniang Kabataan office.

Also guesting at the Kapehan, project officer Paul Relacion of the Plan International and Bernie Mondragon of the Child Alert Mindanao both bared their own experiences of physical punishment by their parents and how they were affected by such.

Mondragon cited cycle of violence as an effect of the culture of corporal punishment, such that parents, who are doing it to their children, were once victims of corporal punishment as well.

Further, Relacion mentioned that in a 2011 study conducted by the Plan Philippines, shows that three out of four parents (75%) say

they use corporal punishment to discipline their children, while 83% of children say their parents use corporal punishment to discipline them.

The study also shows that effects of corporal punishment on children include sudden shifts in mood and loss of respect for authority; anger, fear, self-pity and depression; and confusion or questioning of their parents’ love for them.

And, these effects may lead to aggressive or violent behavior of in schools, juvenile delinquency, and loss of self-confidence among children.

The CBAMG is composed of representatives from Child Alert Mindanao, Adolescent Health Advocates, Tambayan Center for Children’s Rights, Mindanao Action Group for Child Rights and Protection, Talikala, Kaugmaon Foundation, Lawig Bubai, Luna Legal Resource Center for Women, Balay Pasilungan, UCCP-Pagugmad sa Kabatan-onan sa Davao, Darich Foundation, DMSF-IPHC, Offices of Councilors Librado and April Dayap, DCCWPC, and village councils of Crossing Bayabas, Toril Proper, Panacan, Lapulapu and Agdao.

14

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Sorry end for Phoenix cagers T

HE amazing run of the rag-tag squad of Phoenix Petroleum ended in a sour note when they learned they have been disqualified for suiting up two ‘non-resident’ players.

Phoenix Petroleum marketing supervisor Neb Bulaclac said their team which strung up four straight wins to easily qualify for the crossover semifinal round in the ongoing Coca Cola PBA Youngstars have been disqualified because of questions on the eligibility of two of its players.

Two of the players in

the Phoenix line-up reportedly are not residents of Davao City which was the basis for the disqualification.

“We don’t understand.

First, we were admitted because it is an open competition not school-based.

Now, we are disqualified because two players are not residents of Davao. It’s very saddening that it must come after we won four games,” said Bulaclac.

Bulaclac said there was no formal complaint shown to them nor was there any written decision of the disqualification.

The EDGE attempted

to reach tournament commissioner Rico Biliran on Monday but he cannot be reached.

The names of the two players will be held under wraps because they are minors, but it was reportedly found by organizers that the two were from the Island Garden City of Samal. Organizers reportedly maintained that the tournament is exclusively for Davao City resident only.

Bulaclac said nothing of such requirement was written in the tournament rules nor discussed in the coaches meeting prior to the tournament.

giging beterano nila,” said AirAsia Philippine Patriots coach Glenn Capacio.

Even after they held a 19-point lead in the third quarter, the Slammers had momentum going into the fourth after a 9-0 run to trail by eight points, 49-57.

Chang Thailand also got a break when Miller was ejected in the game after his second consecutive technical foul for complaining a foul called on him against Thailand’s Apriromvilaicai early in the fourth period.

The Slammers made four of the six free throws awarded due to the technical foul and came to within four points.

But the Patriots regained their composure thanks to the locals.

With the Slammers threatening at 59-55, the locals turned their game a notch

higher. Ramos converted a jumper followed by back-toback three-pointers by Wainwright and Fernandez to grab a 69-58 lead.

Arellano hit 10 of his 11 points in the first half that saw the Patriots jump out to a 36-23 lead after two quarters.

“Lagi namang nandyan ang mga imports kaya ang gusto ko talagang makita na may contribution lagi ang mga locals especially now that we are going to the semis,” said Capacio.

Johnson had 15 points while Miller added 11 points, nine rebounds, four blocks and four steals. Wainwright added 11 points including three triples.

The Warriors clinched the number three spot in the playoffs with a 92-85 victory over the Singapore Slingers.

Park, is also supporting it together with the Philippine Sports Commission.

Participants will first learn the basic of kayaking before they will enjoy the kayak competition featuring the separate categories in the men’s singles and women’s singles. Registration fee is only P250 inclusive of the resort entrance fee, boat ride, raffle and a certificate.

Cash prizes and medals will be awarded to the top three winners of each category.

“We hope to discover

new potentials in boat paddling that might follow the footsteps of Amina Anuddin and Sanita Kasim,” said race director Lito delos Reyes of Bugsay Dabaw.

Anuddin and Kasim were discovered in a kayaking race held in Samal before they became members of the Philippine Dragon Boat team that won in the world championships. Anuddin is still an active dragon boat competitor based in Manila while Kasim is now happily married to an Englishman and now lives in Warwickshire, England.

Patriots slam Thailand in ABL W

Rugby clinic held today

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HE fast-rising sport of rugby or flag football will have a demonstration clinic today at the Davao Crocodile Park with no less than some members of the Philippine Volcanoes.

The Rugby Clinic is part of the ongoing Davao Summerfest organized by the Duaw Davao Festival Foundation, the festival arm of the city government.

Volcanoes coach Expo Mejia will be leading the Volcanoes in the clinic where kids aged 12 and above are expected to participate. The clinic will be held for free and will start 9:00 am.

“We are inviting all those who are interested in rugby to join the volcanoes in the camp,” said Lisette Marques, executive director of uaw Davao Festival Foundation.

Mejia will also be attending the Davao Sports Conference today to lecture on Rugby 101 at the Davao City Recreation Center. The conference formally opened yesterday with lectures in women in sports by legendary track queen Elma Muros and sports science and medicine by Dr. Alejandro Pineda.

ITH a playoff spot already in the bag, the AirAsia Philippine Patriots leaned on their locals in the late goings to pull out an 80-74 win over the Chang Thailand Slammers over the weekend in Bangkok to cap off their elimination round campaign in the ASEAN Basketball League.

Rob Wainright, Marcy Arellano, Jonathan Fernandez and Aldrech Ramos backed the Patriots up even with the ejection of Nakiea Miller and Anthony Johnson playing with a groin injury.

The Patriots finished their elimination round campaign with a 16-5 record and will face the Indonesia Warriors in the semifinals starting on May 27.

“Naipakita ng mga bata ang character nila. Hindi sila nag-panic at lumabas ang pa-

Samal Summer Kayakfest 2012 set T

HE Samal Summer Kayakfest 2012 is set on May 26, Saturday at Bluejaz Beach Resort and Water Park at the Island Garden City of Samal.

“This is our support to the Department of Tourism’s Visit Samal Island program,” said Charito Aranda, president of the Dabaw Tourism Operators Association (Dabtoa), which is again the main presentor of this year’s summer event.

Dabtoa member Jasmine Middleton, who owns Bluejaz Beach Resort and Water

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TRAVEL

Lake of legends and culture Text and Photos by Jims Vincent T. Capuno

LOCATED in South Cotabato, Lake Sebu is often dubbed the “summer capital of Southern Philippines” as its climate is pleasantly cool (due to an elevation of 1,000 meters high from sea level). At night, the temperature gets cold and is pleasurable for those who seek the highlands and mountain feel.

DONGON Falls

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But what makes Lake Sebu special?

Let me count the ways. For one, the town is an ancestral domain of the indigenous T’bolis. According to legends, they are descendants of the survivors of a great flood. A man named Dwata warned the people of an impending great flood. But the tribe refused to listen, except for two couples, La Bebe and La Lomi, and Tamfeles and La Kagef. Dwata told them to take shelter in a bamboo so huge they could fit inside and in this way survive the flood.

The first couple was the ancestors of the T’boli and other highland ethnic groups. The second couple descended the other Filipino indigenous groups.

The T’bolis are noted for their t’nalak, a sacred cloth made from abaca which is exchanged during marriages and used as a cover during births. “The T’boli t’nalak is distinctive for its overall tie-dyed design patterns laid on the entire surface of the cloth,” hailed the National Commission for Culture and Arts (NCAA). “The highly stylized repetitive patterns depicting amphibious forms and plant elements pulsate in rhythmic cadence in definite hues of rust red, deep brown, and satin black against the light sepia hue of the abaca fiber.”

A trip to Lake Sebu is not complete without going to the T’boli Museum. In the museum, which is actually a T’boli house, you see colorful costumes, bead accessories, brass made products and other souvenir items. You also get a glimpse of the clay pots used by T’bolis in cooking their food. You can even play the musical instruments – if you know how!

Aside from T’bolis, Lake Sebu is also home of the Tasadays, the cavedwelling and primitive, stone-age tribe that lived in isolation in high

FISH cages

CULTURAL presentation

ZIPLINE

T’BOLI House

caves of the primary rain forest area.

It is for this reason that the Department of Environment and Natural Resources has recognized the claim of both tribes that the lake and its surroundings are under their ancestral domain.

The municipality has three beautiful lakes, the biggest of which is the 354-hectare Lake Sebu (from which the name of the town got

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PUNTA Isla Resort

CHICHARON tilapia

its name). The two other lakes are named Seloton (48 hectares) and Lahit (24 hectares).

It is in the biggest lake where you can watch magnificent sunrises and sunsets in panoramic view. The kaleidoscopic scenery and incandescent light in this picturesque place, surrounded by serene waters, make it a photographer’s paradise.

During early morning or early evening, when the coldness can be felt that fogs rise above the lake. In some instances, according to have witness the phenomenon; the fogs drape the lake, making the large body of water totally invisible.

It is not clear how water is fed into the lakes, but the overflow cascades down a flight of seven waterfalls, one of its several outflows.

These falls are spectacular and will remind you of the power of nature.

However, only two are accessible; the others have yet to have access trails.

Going to the upper portion, in first waterfall, you have to ride a

SERENE Lake Sebu

habal-habal (a motor bike with an extended back seat to accommodate up to 4 other passengers) to get there. The first one is considered a block type of waterfall, owing to huge water that comes from the biggest lake. The rapid gush and fall of waters from some 40 feet above makes traversing the river dangerous near the area where the falling water hits.

You have to take a short hike to reach the second waterfall, which is a plunge type. Going down may take your breath away, but once you see the second waterfall you will be totally mesmerized by its beauty -- as it has a height of more than 100 feet. Even from a distance, the fall is magnificent! The very small tributary from the top is almost inconspicuous but the rapids and the falling water from 80 feet is just too astounding.

The waterfall’s location is also mind boggling. It looks like it was actually etched like a crater in a mountain side with different layers of rock representing geological times clearly lined up in the in the overhang.

For those who do not like to trek, you can ride the 700-meter zipline from the first waterfall to the fifth waterfall. To return, you have to take the 400-meter zip from fifth waterfall to second waterfall. My friend Jose Rey L. Subaldo, who accompanied me during the visit, said: “The amazing thing about the zipline is you get to see the awesome view on top of the waterfalls.”

If zipline is not your thing of adventure, then you might try the cable car. Ramon Ponce de Leon, the provincial government officer, told a local daily that an investor has initiated talks with the provincial government “on their intention to operate cable car tours at the Seven Falls.”

Seeing the waterfalls may be

magnificent, but the highlight of the town is taking a boat ride around the placid lake. For P400, you could hire a motor boat good for 8-10 persons in addition to your personal tour guide and boat man. During the boat tour, you get a glimpse of shoreline houses and the numerous tilapia farms. Don’t miss to see the inhabited Isla Grande (which looks like a sleeping crocodile from a distance).

By the way, wild boars and Philippine deer, both considered endangered animals, live around the lake.

The lake and the surrounding rainforest are natural habitat to egrets, kingfishers, swallows, herons, Philippine cockatoos, and kites. If you are lucky enough, you might also see an endangered tarsier near the lush forests of seven waterfalls.

There are good resorts in town, with guided boat tours, recreational facilities and hotel accommodation. Among them, Punta Isla Lake Resort tops as it has a good view of the lake. Also, it is the only resort which has a floating restaurant. Imagine the cool weather, the breathtaking views, and the freshly grilled tilapia, which are raised in cages at the lake. Other tilapia delicacies they served include chicharon tilapia, tilapia foyong, tilapia rebusado, tilapora, kinilaw na tilapia, nilasing na tilapia, pinaputok na tilapia, and daing na tilapia.

How do you get to Lake Sebu?

Well, there are flights from Manila to General Santos City (about three and a half hours by bus from Davao City). At the bus terminal, take bus bound for Koronadal (often referred to as Marbel, its old name) and get off at the Koronadal bus station. The trip is about 45 minutes.

From Koronadal, take the Yellow Bus to the town of Surralah (about 38 minutes). From Surralah, take a jeep to Lake Sebu (about 43 minutes).

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ENTERTAINMENT

The Avengers hit $1 billion NOT even the darkest of shadows can stop the Avengers.

Not even Johnny Depp.

The Avengers keeps making box-office history.

The Marvel team-up movie will gross $103.2 million from Friday to Sunday, its studio estimated this morning, becoming the first film to break nine digits in its second weekend domestically, and pushing it past the $1 billion mark worldwide.

Johnny Depp’s Dark Shadows, meanwhile, could’ve used the help of a superhero—or three.

The 1970s-set gothic vampire tale, made for a reputed $150 million, was toothless in its debut, managing only about $29 million.

The take marks a steep come-down not just from Depp’s last collaboration with Tim Burton, the blockbuster Alice in Wonderland, but from the actor and director’s last live-action horror tribute, Sleepy Hollow, which bowed with a far stronger $30 million more than a decade ago.

Dark Shadows also fell short when judged against the Twilight movies, which, to date, each scored bigger opening days than the Depp film’s opening weekend.

In its defense, Dark Shadows did have unprecedented competition.

The Avengers has sped to 11th place among Hollywood’s all-time worldwide blockbusters, blowing past the likes of The Dark Knight and Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows Part 1.

Domestically, it is the fastest film to hit $200 million, a feat it accomplished in 72 hours last weekend, and the fastest film to hit $300 million, a milestone it needed just nine days to achieve.

At $373.2 million now stateside, it is about a day away from surpassing the still-rolling Hunger Games, and becoming the year’s No. 1-grossing film.

Elsewhere, the antiAvengers, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, posted the best weekend, theater for theater, outside of The Avengers. The Judi DenchMaggie Smith film grossed a Top 10-worthy $3.1 million from only about 150 theaters.

The Eva Mendes dramedy, Girl in Progress, likewise was strong, coming up with $1.4 million and a Top 10 showing from only

about 322 screens.

John Cusack’s The Raven and Jason Stratham’s Safe both made quick exits from the rankings.

Here’s the complete rundown of the weekend’s top movies, per Friday-Sunday domestic estimates as reported by the studios and Exhibitor Relations: 1. The Avengers, $103.2 million 2. Dark Shadows, $28.8 million 3. Think Like a Man, $6.3 million

4. The Hunger Games, $4.4 million 5. The Lucky One, $4.1 million 6. The Pirates! Band of Misfits, $3.2 million 7. The Five-Year Engage-

ment, $3.1 million 8. The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel, $2.7 million 9. Chimpanzee, $1.6 million 10. Girl in Progress, $1.4 million

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EVENTS

Happy 26th, Rob Twilight star turns 26 years old!

IF Robert Pattinson was in the midst of a quarter-life crisis, we sure couldn’t tell.

The Twilight thesp, who celebrates his 26th birthday Sunday, kind of ruled when it came to the young Hollywood scene during the last year (he was dubbed our own celeb of the year, after all), scooping up People’s Choice Awards and heating up things off-screen with co-star Kristen Stewart to boot.

And let’s just say Pattinson didn’t kick off the year leading up to his big 2-6 as one of Time Magazine’s most influential people for nothing.

Before the handsome star, who turned millions into Twihards, wrapped up his last scene on the Breaking Dawn: Part 2 set, Pattinson was busy wooing Stewart, canoodling with the starlet around the globe, and more local stomping grounds like Indio, Calif. for the Coachella Music Festival.

But, it wasn’t all X’s and O’s for the ubiquitous actor.

Pattinson geared up for a post-Twilight transformation, moving on from the hypnotizing heartthrob role that made him famous, to darker characters like a billionaire who nearly loses everything (along with his sanity) in one day in Cosmopolis (set to be released this year).

Along with Cosmopolis came Bel Ami, a romance flick in which he had quite the steamy scene with Christina Ricci.

Pattinson also went on to nab the role of a military interrogator who hunts down Saddam Hussein in a psychological thriller flick called Mission: Blacklist due to hit theaters next year.

And being the do-gooder that he is, Pattinson helped build a school for teen girls in Cambodia.

Needless to say, we can’t wait to see what the next 12 months have in store for R.Pattz.

And we’re hoping today’s celebration involves Stewart (lest we forget, he helped her ring in her 22nd birthday this year). (E! Online)

VOL.5 ISSUE 51 • MAY 15, 2012

7 motherly tips from Joan Rivers

JOAN Rivers is both an iconic comedian and a Fashion Police star.

But most important, she’s also a mom to daughter Melissa.

And this Mother’s Day, we thought who better to offer up a few things to keep in mind as we prepare to celebrate the women who made us what we are today?

So here now are seven essential things to know from Ms. Rivers herself.

Read ‘em, remember ‘em and, of course, laugh at ‘em.

Mom would be proud.

1. Don’t shake them when they’re young. They’ll make you pay when you’re old.

2. When all else fails, remind your kids how tough your labor with them was.

3. Always give them the freedom to make mistakes.

And then never miss an opportunity to say “I told you so.”

4. If mother really was really right, we’d have no Kate Gosselin or Octomom.

5. Sometimes you’re their best friend, sometimes you’re their enemy,

but you’ll always be their bank.

6. The best gift you can ever give mom is just understanding that, right or wrong, she did her best.

But also, a nice diamond heart wouldn’t kill you, you ungrateful turd.

7. And last of all, never forget: The good parts of you are from your mother and the bad parts are from your father.

Need more words of wisdom?

Among the Top 3

Jessica is the underdog

By Ed Sicam | Switching Channels JUST like the song from “Dreamgirls» made famous by Jennifer Holliday on Broadway and Jennifer Hudson in the movie version, Jessica Sanchez is not leaving «American Idol» this week. With her show-stopping rendition of «And I Am Telling You I;m Not Going,» and a competent version of Etta James›s «Steal Away,» the Fil-Mexican-American singer secured a spot in the Top 3 along with Joshua Ledet and Phillip Phillips.

British-born American singer Hollie Cavanagh got the lowest number of votes and finally got eliminated after landing in the bottom 3 several times.

Her fourth place finish is remarkable if we consider that she auditioned in Season 10 and got eliminated early.

Jessica elicited a standing ovation from the three judges who accorded her the same honor when she sang Whitney

Houston›s «And I Will Always Love You» in March.

As Randy Jackson, Jennifer Lopez and Steven Tyler raved about her number, it was apparent Jessica was still trying to recover from her emotionally exhausting performance.

There were tears welling in her eyes. Where does a 16-year-old get the angst required for a song that deals with a singer who is being let go?

Before she did her number, there was a short feature on her «Idol» experience. She admitted that she was traumatized when she got the lowest number of votes in April and needed to be saved to stay with the show. With the «Dreamgirls» song, she was in effect reaching out to the audience and trying to convince everyone that «you›re gonna love me.»

Well, it looks like she succeeded because the viewers have given her enough votes to be in the Top 3. For now, she has already equaled the achievement of Fil-Am

girl Jasmine Trias who was also in the Top 3 and ended up in third place in Season 3.

Last has the advantage There were secondary factors that benefited Jessica on the show. She was the last finalist to sing and the last singer usually has high recall with the audience. Then when snippets of the contestants’ numbers were played, it was Jessica’s final notes that played at the end.

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SPORTS

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James leads Heat past Pacers

MVP job Guard Dwyane Wade of the Miami Heat reacts against the Indiana Pacers in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals.

Forward Lebron James of the Miami Heat plays against the Indiana Pacers in Game One of the Eastern Conference Semifinals in the 2012 NBA Playoffs on Monday at the American Airines Arena in Miami, Florida. The Heat defeated the Pacers 95-86.

M

IAMI -- LeBron James was promised some rest. It never came.

The MVP didn’t care, not after he and the Miami Heat struck the first blow against the Indiana Pacers.

James accepted his third MVP trophy from Commissioner David Stern before the game, then scored 26 of his game-high 32 points while playing every second of the second half - adding a season-high 15 rebounds as well - as the Heat survived some rough stretches to beat the Pacers 95-86 on Sunday in Game 1 of their Eastern Conference semifinal series.

‘’I just looked at him straight in the eyes and said, ‘You can flat-out not get tired, period,’’’ Heat coach Erik Spoelstra said. ‘’And he made MVP plays on both ends of the court.’’

Dwyane Wade scored 29 points for the Heat, who won the game but lost Chris Bosh for the second half and possibly longer. Bosh scored 13 points before leaving late in the first half with a lower abdominal strain, with the team saying he was being scheduled for an MRI exam to determine the severity. ‘’Hopefully (Monday) we get good news,’’ Wade said. ‘’We all just want to make sure Chris is healthy.

So that’s all we know right

now. Our brother is going to go (Monday) to see if he can get back out there and play with us. If not, then we’ve got to have someone step up very big.

You can’t fill Chris Bosh’s shoes, but you can have a few guys step up. So we’ll see.’’

David West and Roy Hibbert each scored 17 points and combined for 23 rebounds for the Pacers, who got 10 points each from Darren Collison and George Hill.

Indiana controlled long stretches of the first half and didn’t trail by more than two points at any time until the fourth quarter, when it was outscored 25-16.

Indiana shot 50 per-

cent in the first half, 30 percent in the second. ‘’We started to get defensive stops,’’ James said. ‘’We started getting things rolling.’’

Game 2 is Tuesday in Miami. ‘’We’re not just here to play. We’re here to win,’’ Hibbert said. ‘’We need to win Game 2 and come back strong.’’

Playing one star down, James and Wade raised their games accordingly after halftime.

They combined for 42 points in the third and fourth quarters, four more than the entire Indiana roster. The Pacers scored 16 in the fourth, and James had that many alone.

with an 82-72 win over the Memphis Grizzlies in Game 7 on Sunday. ‘’That’s why it’s seven games,’’ Martin said. ‘’If you don’t do it before, you get another chance. So they did what they had to do, they came and stole home court back on our floor. ... We had a chance to close it out. We

knew we let it go, an opportunity get away.’’

The Clippers blew an eight-point lead in the fourth quarter Friday night.

So Martin huddled the Clippers together at the start of the fourth quarter Sunday, and the veteran led the bench in outscoring the Grizzlies 25-16. Chris

Paul had the only bucket by a starter in the final 12 minutes, and the Clippers’ bench outscored the Memphis reserves 41-11 overall. ‘’Our bench was our MVP,’’ Clippers guard Randy Foye said. ‘’They realized what they had to do. We had a lot of guys hurt, so we just continued to grind.’’

Clippers advance M

EMPHIS, Tenn-The Los Angeles Clippers refused to let a third chance to knock the Memphis Grizzlies out of the playoffs slip away.

Kenyon Martin scored seven of his 11 points in the fourth quarter, and the Clippers advanced to the Western Conference semifinals

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SPORTS

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Sports breakthroughs

Davao Sports Conference tackle sports science, medicine, women in sports

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SWEAT. Former Olympian Elma Muros shows some of the limbering up exercises during the 1st Davao Sports Conference dubbed as Sports Wellness, Exercise, Acclimatization and Training (SWEAT) at the Davao City Recreation Center.

(Boy Lim)

HE first ever Davao Sports Conference formally opened on Monday at the Davao City Recreation Center.

Duaw Davao Festival Foundation executive director Lisette Marques welcomed the delegates of the three-day conference which is one of the components of this year’s Davao Summerfest. The conference is the capability-building phase for sports.

City Sports Development Office officer-incharge Pocholo Elegino acknowledged the partnership of the city government and the private sector in promoting sports programs in the city. The conference is expected to uplift the capabilities of coaches and instructors from the various sports associations in attendance like the Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA), Davao Association of Catholic Schools (DACS), schools and colleges, barangays, LGUs, and

sports clubs.

Track legend Elma Muros also graced the opening program of the conference dubbed as SWEAT (Sports Wellness, Exercise, Acclimatization and Training).

Muros, one of the finest athletes produced by the country in decades, later lectured on “Women in Sports” and did some sample training methods.

“When you train, you inspire and motivate. You do not punish your athlete,” Muros said. “Athletes perform better when they are inspired and driven to succeed.”

Dr. Alejandro Pineda of the Philippine Center for Sports Medicine spoke on “Breeakthroughs on Sports Medicine and Sports Science.”

On Tuesday, Roxanne Narciso of the PCSM will speak on Sports Physiology. The sport of rugby will also be introduced for the first time here with Philippine Volcanoes coach Expo

Mejia speaking on Rugby 101. A demonstration and training will be held at the Davao Crocodile Park with some members of the Volcanoes.

For Sports Marketing, Aurora delos Reyes of Vision Sports will be the resource speaker.

The three-day conference is open free to sports administrators, coaches, PE instructors, athletes, sports clubs and organizations, and LGU officials.

The conference is one of the highlights of this year’s Davao Summerfest put up by the city government thru festival organizing arm Duaw Davao Festival Foundation.

AMA Computer College of Davao is the official Summerfest I.T. solutions provider while the other sponsors are Davao Light . and Power Corporation, International Pharmaceuticals Inc., H20 Water, SM City Davao, and Nature’s Spring Water.