Edge Davao 5 Issue 74 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.5 ISSUE 74 • JUNE 16, 2012

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Serving a seamless society

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Property Page 7

For firms with 10 workers and up

Drug testing for workers backed By Jade C. Zaldivar

HERE is a snowballing support for the passage of a city ordinance requiring drug testing for workers in Davao City’s business establishments

n Proposal being heard by health committee with 10 or more employees. Having a local law that requires business establishments to conduct random drug testing on their employees would

only heighten Davao City’s image as a peaceful and investment-worthy city, Councilor Melchor Quitain told newsmen covering the I-Speak media forum at city hall yesterday. Quitain said that there has been no

n Defective ordinance does not include Dumoy, etc. in definition of water mote burial grounds due to something “lacking” or a legal “infirmity” in the existing ordinance. This view was raised by concerned sectors who fear a flaw in the ordinance may be used by sponsors in the council to get the

needed legislative approval. Controversy centers on the “Water Resources Management and Protection Code of Davao City,” or Ordinance 117-01, enacted in 2001 when the city council was led by then Vice Mayor Luis Bonguyan. Article 20 of the code says: “No cemetery

FDRUG, 13

‘Palusot’ feared in memorial park case By Ricardo Jr. A. Jimenez Contributor

HE Water Code of 2001 which disallows new memorial parks and cemeteries to rise in water-rich areas may actually pro-

Sports Page 14

F’PALUSOT’, 13

Follow Us On DOESN’T COOK RICE. A boy mans their fruit shop along the corner of Magsaysay Ave. and C.M Recto Ave. without taking notice of the street art above him. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 74 • JUNE 16, 2012

Gov’t to standardize PHL-made vehicles By Lorie A. Cascaro

HERE is a need to develop a standards for customized local road vehicles (CLRV), which are only made in the Philippines, like jeepneys, tricycles, and mini-buses to ensure safety among passengers. This, according to Albert Mariño, chief, policy coordination and monitoring division, Department of Transportation and Communication, Philippine Council for Industry, Energy and Emerging Technology Research and Development of the Department of Science and Technology DOST-PCIEERD, during the CLRV workshop yesterday at the Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City. Attended by fabricators, assemblers and repair shops of CLRVs in the Davao region, the workshop aimed to gather data through a national survey being rolled out by the (DOSTPCIEERD) and National Center for Transportation Studies all over the country. He said the survey is a two-year program which will provide data to be used to determine what international

INCREASING SUPPLY OF ILLEGAL DRUGS. Attorney Eliseo Braganza, Action Officer of the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council, said that there is an increasing supply of dangerous drugs entering the city from the nearby provinces. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

105% increase in shabu confiscation- PDEA 11 T By Jade C. Zaldivar

n P1.3 million worth marijuana seized from

HE Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency [PDEA] in Region 11 has noted an increase in the volume of drugs seized by the agency in the Davao region. PDEA 11 regional director Emerson Rosales said there was a 105.76-percent increase in the amount of shabu seized from January to April this year compared to the same period of 2011. “Shabu is second only to marijuana in terms of proliferation. There has been an increase in sha-

bu seized this year, from 52 grams in 2011 to 107 grams in 2012,” he said during a media forum at the City Hall. Rosales said there has also been an increase in the amount of marijuana seized with P1.1 million worth of the material confiscated by authorities in 2011 and P1.3 million worth seized in 2012. “This is a 20% increase in marijuana seized, composed of either in form of plants or leaves,” he said. The PDEA regional director stressed that the

increase in drugs seized is attributed to the increase in the number of operations done by the agency. “We heightened our operations. We had 76 operations in 2011 from January to April and we increased this to 133 this year,” he said. The increase in operations is also attributed to the much more cooperative citizenry, Rosales said. “Napansin namin na mas tumaas ang number of information we receive from civilians on suspi-

gram will still depend on the availability of funds, noting that the government’s general funds are insufficient. Under the National Greening Program (NGP), the DENR 11 was able to exceed by four percent its target of 2,757,000 trees in 2011 by planting 2,867,000 trees in 5,514 hectares. Although it seemed an impossible task at first, the DENR 11 was able to

achieve its target after different sectors volunteered to help in NGP activities. DENR 11 Regional Executive Director Jim O. Sampulna earlier said students topped the list of tree planters in their desire to help mitigate the effects of climate change. He added that it is an indicator that the department has gone a long way in

Jan-Apr 2012

F105%, 13

DENR 11 positive to plant six million trees in 2012

By Lorie A. Cascaro

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 11 is boasting that it will be able to plant 6,028,444 trees in 12,087 hectares this year. However, Hardinado V. Patnugot, Jr., regional technical director for forestry, hastened to add yesterday that the success of the pro-

EDGEDAVAO

standards will be adopted for CLRVs. The proposed standards, including policy regulations in implementing them, will be submitted to and evaluated by the Technical Committee 44 (TC 44) of the Bureau of Product Standards (BPS) of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI). He added that the TC 44 is the proper body to decide which among the international standards will be adopted for CLRVs. The Philippine National Standards for automotive products has adopted 19 of the UNECE regulations identified by the ASEAN as priority for reintegration, according to Ma. Teresita G. del Rosario, development specialist, BPSDTI. Del Rosario, who presented “road vehicle standards: mandatory and priority regulations in the ASEAN region” at the workshop, said the 19 UNECE regulations are mostly for basic safety and emission. She mentioned that currently the mandatory national standards for automotive products include seatbelts, pneumatic tires for passenger car, exhaust emission, safety glass,

FGOV’T, 13

37 fishermen remain missing in Sarangani; ‘Butchoy’ in PH

T least 37 fishermen remained missing in the storm surge that hit Sarangani Bay as two towns have declared a state of calamity due to the flashfloods, officials said on Thursday. Based on the consolidated report of the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) of Sarangani, a total of 307 persons have been rescued or washed ashore. “Most of them have returned home to Maasim,” Ben Solano, PDRRMO chief, said. Capt. George Ursabia, Commander of Coast Guard District South Eastern Mindanao, reported to PDRRMO Wednesday morning that there were no more rescued fishermen under their care. “All of them had been released and allowed to go home yesterday (Wednesday] morning. Search efforts are still ongoing for the remaining missing fishermen. Now I’m in Balut Island to oversee ongoing search and rescue here,” Ursabia said. The total number of missing persons is down to 37, from 88 on Wednesday. These are fishermen from Maasim town who were swept away by a storm surge on June 12, the PDRRMO said. Maasim Mayor Arturo Lawa said the Municipal Disaster Risk Reductio and Management Council dispatched search and rescue teams on Wednesday to Barangay Big Margus in Glan and will proceed to Balut Island to look for more survivors. Lawa said they have also placed the town under a state of calamity. Maasim is one of the two towns in Sarangani province affected by flashfloods spawned by heavy rains last Tuesday.

FDENR, 13 The other municipality is

Glan, which was put under a state of calamity on Wednesday. Initial assessment pegged the damage to crops and livestock in Glan to be at least P1 million, Two persons were earlier confirmed dead due to the flashfloods in Glan town. A total of 274 houses were either totally or partially damaged in Glan as a result of Tuesday’s flashfloods and storm surge due to a shallow low pressure area spotted in Mindanao. Search and retrieval operations are still ongoing in beaches along Sarangani Bay and up to Balut Island by teams from Maasim MDRRMO, the Coast Guard and the Navy. According to Glan MDRRMO, the total number of affected families in four barangays hit by flashflood is 765 families with 3,825 dependents. These are from barangays Poblacion, Pangyan, Cross, Big Margus and Laguimit. Most of the victims’ households were swept away by the strong current and thei fixtures and furniture and other belongings destroyed. Glan Mayor Victor James Yap Sr. led this morning a convoy of medical team, government employees and trucks loaded with rice for distribution to the affected barangays. This afternoon, the DSWD regional office 12 released a truckload of family food packs, tarpaulin and bedsheets for flashflood victims in Glan. In an “assessment of the incident,” Ursabia clarified later in the day that there was “no storm” on June 12, “just sudden change of weather and sea conditions due to the shallow LPA 100 kms south of Mindanao at the time that apparently induced the

southwest monsoon.” “Accordingly, it was so sudden that the change of sea condition was so abrupt, from calm to rough, with a wind of approximately 40 kts which lasted for more or less 25 hours (from 120100H June to 130200H June). Most of the fishermen were out at sea as early as in the evening of 11 June when the sea and weather were normal, not expecting such unusual change (of weather and sea conditions) as there were no signs of such in a progressive manner. Since Wednesday morning, weather in the said area has improved after the shallow LPA went up somewhere in Surigao. In short, it was an unusual phenomenon that those out at sea already were caught flat footed.” Meanwhile, the state-run weather bureau said tropical storm Butchoy (international name: Guchol) entered the Philippine area of responsibility before noon today. In its latest advisory, the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration said Butchoy was seen 880 kilometers east of Guiuan, Eastern Samar, packing winds of 85 kilometers per hour near the center and gustiness of up to 100 kph, moving westnortheast at 24 kph. The estimated rainfall is from 15-25 millimeter per hour. But Pagasa clarified the rains experienced in the country were not caused by the storm but due to monsoon trough and Habagat. Pagasa advised fishing boats and other small vessels not to venture out into the sea. Butchoy is expected to exit the country by Monday evening. [BONG SARMIENTO WITH REPORTS FROM H. MARCOS C. MORDENO/MINDANEWS]

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 74 • JUNE 16, 2012

Group says conspiracy behind Minda power shortage; calls for congressional inquiry T

HE Power Alternative Agenda for Mindanao (PALAG Mindanao) is seeking a congressional investigation on the reported power shortage in Mindanao, claiming they have proof to present that there was a conspiracy behind it. Engr. Nestor Degoma, PALAG-Mindanao chair, told MindaNews via telephone Sunday they got hold of documents from reliable sources that showed the reported power shortage was man-

made and allegedly a collusion of different agencies. Degoma said Congress has to look into the problem to dig into the truth as the independent power producers (IPPs) allegedly got about 30 percent above their nominated or committed capacity. Degoma cited that this was also the time the electric cooperatives signed energy supply agreements with the IPPs. He said they are approaching some congress-

BODY PAINS? Davao City’s Osmeña Park behind the Davao City Council building is an instant relief for people who are seeking for affordable massage services. Situated in an area which is shielded by the trees from the heat of

FDA: Fake meds sold in legit drug outlets

VEN counterfeit medicines find their way to licensed drug outlets, an official of the Food and Drugs Administration on Thursday bared. Nemia Getes, chief of the Regulation Division 1 of the FDA, said a number of licensed community drugstores buy fake medicines from peddlers at a cheaper price. Aside from peddlers, Getes also revealed that counterfeit drugs are also sourced out from licensed distributors. “We are telling them to give us the identity of the peddlers but instead of pointing who the peddlers are, they would rather want to suffer the penalties,” Getes said at a forum on fake medicines sponsored by the Foreign Correspondents Association of the Philippines and the Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Association of the Philippines. She said during inspections conducted by

the FDA, some drugstores fail to produce a copy of the official invoices of drugs sold in their outlets. “Peddlers do not issue official invoices and under the counterfeit law, drugs should come with official invoices,” she said. Getes said drug outlets found violating Republic Act 8203 or the Special Law on Counterfeit Drugs face both administrative and criminal sanctions that include imprisonment of up to ten years and fine of up to P500,000. Despite the government’s stringent campaign against the proliferation of fake medicines, Getes admitted that there is no one convicted yet of violating the law on counterfeit drugs. According to Gen. Felizardo Serapio, Jr, Executive Director of the Philippine Center on Transnational Crime, the Philippines remains as one of the countries in Southeast Asia that is at

men to pass a resolution calling for the inquiry. Degoma said the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines was allegedly on top of the socalled “dagdag-bawas” in power supply allotment allegedly just to favor the IPPs. He considered the scheme as one of many ways how “power shortage” is manipulated. PA L A G - M i n d a n a o found out from the documents, he said, that the actual delivery of electric

power from the Agus and Pulangi power plants have been reduced during the reported period when Mindanao was purported to have a power shortage while those from IPPs were increased compared to nominated capacity. Degoma said there is an alleged technical manipulation to ensure proper dispatch of electricity to the grid based on the nominations made coming from the plant managers themselves. “One of them told us

the sun, a quick massage in a plastic chair is a simple treat with an inexpensive price. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

that they nominated a higher degree of plant capacity but was only told to generate lower capacity based on the systems control coming from the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines,” he said, as quoted in a press release by the Freedom from Debt Coalition. PALAG-Mindanao opposed the privatization of the Agus and Pulangi power complexes. Degoma said this week, they are supporting the Mindanao Development Authority’s (MinDA) proposal to create the Mindanao Power Corporation, as a government-owned and controlled corporation. He told reporters here Thursday the National Power Corporation became a part of the alleged conspiracy that used the shutdown of the Pulangi IV in April to May as a façade. PALAG-Mindanao held a Power Forum at the Diocesan Formation Center here as part of the activities of their second general assembly meeting. Milfrance Capulong, NGCP communication officer for Mindanao, denied there was a conspiracy led by NGCP. She told MindaNews via telephone Monday that as systems operator of the power grid, NGCP had to make “technical adjustments” to ensure that blackout or pro-

longed power interruptions are avoided. But she said calling it “manipulations” is way “very sensational.” She said NGCP is willing to sit down with anyone to discuss in simpler terms the technical adjustment they made. She noted there were calls for congressional inquiry on the problem but she maintained that “there was nothing arbitrary in what they did.” Degoma said they are determined to expose the real situation of the power industry in Mindanao after a seven-member team from PALAG-Mindanao inspected Pulangi IV on April 30 at the height of the shutdown, which he said became a prelude for rural electric cooperatives to be forced to buy power from IPPs. Degoma said Pulangi IV, taking cue from a directive of the Department of Energy, proceeded with the preventive maintenance even if they can still operate in full capacity. The plant, he said, was classified for ancillary or peak loading, used only for reserve. He added that NPC allegedly faked the repair because PALAG-Mindanao was in contact with the Iligan-based maintenance contractor and was told that it only cost P7.11 million.

FGROUP, 13

SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 74 • JUNE 16, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

UN environment summit opens, but prospects grim T

WENTY years after the first Earth Summit, a renewed bid to rally the world behind a common environmental blueprint opened in Rio de Janeiro against a backdrop of discord and economic gloom. Kicking off the socalled Rio+20 summit, Dilma Rousseff, president of host nation Brazil, called on “all countries of the world to commit” to reaching an accord that addresses the most pressing environmental and social woes. The UN conference, which marks the 20th anniversary of the Earth Summit -- a landmark 1992 gathering that opened the debate on the future of the planet and its resources -- is the largest ever organized, with 50,000 delegates. Around 115 leaders are expected to attend the main event itself on June 20-22 but a series of conferences grouping businesses, environmental groups and non-governmental organizations are being held in advance. This frenzy of contacts and deal-making could well be more fruitful than the UN Conference on Sustainable Development itself, analysts say, mindful of the failures of the 2009 climate summit in Copenhagen. Behind the scenes, there is incipient panic

over the draft summit communique after three rounds of preliminary informal negotiations left more than 75 percent of the paragraphs still to be agreed. The charter is supposed to sum up the challenges and spell out pledges to nurture the oceans, roll back climate change, promote clean growth and provide decent water, sanitation and electricity for all. The biggest divergences lie in four areas, according to sources close to the negotiations. They include action on climate change, protecting the oceans and achieving food security, and whether “Sustainable Development Goals” should replace the Millennium Development Goals when these objectives expire in 2015. The UN has not ruled out the possibility of intense negotiations continuing right up to the leaders’ summit that will be attended by French President Francois Hollande and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, among others. Nations all agree that the summit comes at a turning point, and its outcome is crucial. But privately delegates expressed doubt that a consensus on how to tackle these problems will be reached while many governments remain focused

File photo shows haze hanging over a busy road in Jakarta. On the eve of the summit, the world’s science academies warned that Earth faced a dangerous double whammy posed by voracious consumption and a population explosion. on the economic crisis. The European Union will fight to the last for credible commitments in Rio but it will be “very, very difficult”, the bloc’s environment commissioner Janez Potocnik said in Brussels on Wednesday. “After tough pre-negotiations in New York, unfortunately not enough progress has been made so we have some intense days ahead of us in Rio,” the commissioner said. Privately, EU negotiators were more forthright. “It will be very, very difficult to draw up concrete measures and fix dates,” one told AFP. “No promises were made during lead-up negotiations,” said another. “There was nothing concrete, just a lot of blahblah-blah and statements of intention.” French dreams of cre-

ating a World Environment Organization, for instance, are not expected to see the light of day. “At best there’ll be a bigger role for the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP),” said a senior European official. On the eve of the summit, the world’s science academies warned that Earth faced a dangerous double whammy posed by voracious consumption and a population explosion. According to UN figures, global food demand will double by 2030 and energy consumption will soar by as much as 45 percent, putting mounting pressure on finite resources amid growing social inequality, water shortages and global warming. “Rapid population growth can be an obstacle

to improving standards of living in poor countries, to eliminating poverty and to reducing gender inequality,” said a joint statement from the science academies. It emphasized the need to help millions rise out of poverty, brake trends of reckless consumption and address population growth through voluntary means such as education for women and access to contraception. “If the right conditions are in place, measures

that reduce fertility rates while respecting human rights can stimulate and facilitate economic development, improve health and living standards, and increase political and social stability and security,” it said. Notably absent from Rio will be US President Barack Obama, who is facing a tough re-election race at home, and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. The United States will be represented by Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Lumads not exempted from tree-cutting ban

epartment of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Secretary Jesse Robredo turned down the request of the indigenous peoples (IPs) from different towns in Agusan del Sur that the more than 3,000 pieces of seized logs owned collectively by them be returned unto them for humanitarian reasons. The DILG chief, however, is firm on his stand that no one is exempted, even the IPs, in the implementation of Executive Order No. 23 which bans cutting of naturally grown trees. “Please let us stop cutting forest trees. For your livelihood assistance, submit your names, contact numbers and names of your school children so that DSWD will provide each family CCT from DSWD,” Robredo told the Lumads. The CCT or Conditional Cash Transfer is a program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) that helps alleviate the plight of the poor. The IPs, mostly be-

longing to the Manobo tribes of La Paz, Talacogon and Esperanza, sought the help of former DENR Community Environment and Natural Resources officer Victoriano Vidal who is now chair of the Tribal Coalition of Mindanao to serve as head of their negotiating panel for the dialogue with the DILG chief. The dialogue that lasted for an hour with Secretary Robredo was held at the Butuan City Hall Conference Room Monday afternoon. Earlier, members of the Manobo Tribal Community in Agusan del Sur wrote a letter of appeal to President Benigno Aquino III and DENR Secretary Ramon Paje seeking early release of nearly 3,000 illegally cut logs that were seized along the Agusan River in Barangay Maguinda, Butuan City last June 4. The Lumads claimed that the logs which were harvested from their ancestral lands shall be used for the enrollment and other school expenses of their children. [PNA]

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

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

Exports rise by 7.6% in April T

HE country’s merchandise exports in April rose by 7.6 percent to US$ 4.64 billion from from $ 4.31 billion recorded in the same period last year, the National Statistics Office (NSO) reported on Thursday. Data from NSO showed that exports went up by 7.2 percent compared to the US$ 4.32 billion in March 2012. In the first four months, exports grew by 5.5 percent to US$ 17.51 billion from US$ 16.59 billion posted during the same first four months last year. Exports, which accounted for 35.3 percent of the total exports revenue in April fell by 23.8 percent to US$ 1.63 billion from US$ 2.15 billion registered in April last year. Compared to last month, electronic products were also down by 27.8 percent from US$ 2.26 billion posted in March

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

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 74 • JUNE 16, 2012

harness for motor vehicles with earnings amounting to US$ 134.53 million. This figure exhibited the highest growth rate among the top 10 exports by 145.9 percent from its year ago level of US$ 54.70 million. Exports of metal components posted at $ 120.69 million. It increased by 113.2 percent from US$ 56.61 million recorded in April 2011. Rounding up the list of the top 10 exports for the month of April 2012 were coconut oil including crude and refined with export revenue of US$ 89.41 million decreasing by 53.9 percent; gold extracted from copper ores and concentrates, US$ 78 million; bananas (fresh), US$ 55.02 million; petroleum products including refined petroleum products, manufactured from crude petroleum oil imported

on consignment basis, US$ 41.31 million and pineapple and pineapple products with proceeds billed at US$ 30.50 million. Japan remained as the country’s top destination of exports with revenue amounting to US$ 738.79 million, down by 0.4 percent from US$ 741.92 million recorded a year ago. This was followed by United States of America (USA) with total exports of US$ 677.47 million; Republic of Korea, US$ 658.43 million; People’s Republic of China, US$ 497.34 million and Hong Kong, US$ 405.54 million. Other top ten markets for April 2012 were Singapore, US$ 373.30 million; Taiwan, US$ 157.43 million; Thailand, US$ 145.52 million; Germany, US$ 140.30 million; and Indonesia, US$ 125.87 million.

UM gets first institutional ISO in Mindanao

HE UNIVERSITY of Mindanao (UM) received its ISO 9001:2008 certificate from Societe Generale De Surveillance (SGS) Philippines. The granting of the ISO certificate was held last June 13, 2012 at its Auditorium in Matina Campus, Davao City. ISO 9001:2008 is a global quality management standard focusing on quality management system. With this distinction, UM became the first educational institution in Mindanao to be awarded the ISO certificate due to its well established quality management system. In order to obtain an ISO certification, the organization applying for

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

2012. Articles of apparel and clothing accessories followed as the second top export earner in April 2012 with total receipts of US$ 151.20 million, or a share of 3.3 percent to the total exports revenue. It grew by 14.3 percent compared to April 2011 level of US$ 132.27 million. Woodcrafts and furniture, consisting three percent to total exports, recorded as the country’s third top export with revenue valued at US$ 137.55 million. It rose by 7.5 percent from US$ 127.95 million recorded during the same month in 2011. Ranked fourth in April and contributing 2.9 percent share to the total export receipts was ignition wiring set and other wiring sets used in vehicles, aircrafts and ships consisting only of electrical wiring

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

it must have a clear sense of focus, leadership, involvement of people, process approval, system approach, continual improvement, and factual approach to decision-making, among others. Gerald Dela Rosa, SGS representative, said during the certification ceremony that the UM created a benchmark in Mindanao. He said the recognition represented the hardwork of both the management, staff and students. “What you have started and accomplished is highly commendable. There is evident motivation to continuously strive to have better knowledge of your methodologies as of august 2010

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

and increase awareness in the importance of consistently improving your system,” he said. The SGS, is a multinational company headquartered in Geneva, Switzeland which provides inspection, verification, testing and certification services. It operates 1,350 offices and laboratories worldwide. Dela Rosa is accompanied by Mr. Arnold Dizon, another SGS Auditor, in presenting the ISO certificate to UM officials. Dr. Guillermo P. Torres Jr., UM President and chairman of the board, expressed his gratitude in receiving the certificate. “We are proud and deeply honored that the University of

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

Mindanao has received finally the ISO 9001:2008 certificate for quaity management system,” he said. He said that no other colleges and universities in Mindanao has this kind of recognition. Being ISO-certified will benefit the students and made the university at par with international educational institutions. “The education of the students will be recognized globally because once they receive their diploma there is also an ISO seal. ISO is the only accredited certifying organization globally,” he said, adding that they can gain an edge in terms of employment.

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

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

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 74 • JUNE 16, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

TADECO, agrarian beneficiaries strengthen ties, cooperation T

AGUM Agricultural Development Company (TADECO) and its partner agrarian reform beneficiary (ARB) cooperatives further strengthened their alliance as they altogether recently welcomed the ARBs’ new sets of leaders. A total of 120 ARBs from WADECOR Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (WEARBEMPCO), PAHECO Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (PEARBEMP-

CO), Central TADECO Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (CTARBEMPCO), and NESTFARMS Employees Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (NEARBECO) were inducted to office for a wholeyear term in 2012. Alexander N. Valoria, President and CEO of ANFLOCOR, the management and investment company of TADECO, commended the ARBs for upholding excellence and remaining steadfast in achieving their common goals despite

the many challenges that the banana industry recently faced. Valoria noted the various successful projects initiated by the partnership of TADECO and the ARB cooperatives that include livelihood and educational training programs. TADECO’s provision of home lots for the dwellings of the cooperative members also intensified with the ongoing land development at Brgy. Tibungol in Panabo City for the members of NEARBECO. Likewise, TADECO is

Land Bank lends P176.7-B to farmers, countryside

OANS of the Land Bank of the Philippines’ (LandBank) to its priority sectors reached P176.7 billion in the first three months this year, up about 10 percent, or P15.9 billion, from the P160.8 billion in the same period last year. Loans to priority sectors now comprise 73 percent of the Bank’s total loan portfolio of P242.2 billion. “LandBank continues to reach out to more key players which help spur countryside development. This signifies our commitment to improve the economic conditions of our countrymen in the rural areas,” said LandBank president and chief executive Gilda Pico. The priority sectors, reclassified as the Mandated Sector, cover the

small farmers (including agrarian reform beneficiaries) and the small fisherfolk and their associations. The second classification is Support for Agriculture and Fisheries, which includes agri-business, aqua-business, and agri-aqua-related projects of local government units (LGUs) and governmentowned and controlled corporations GOCCs). On the other hand, sectors classified as Support for National Government Priority Programs are the micro, small and medium enterprises (SMEs), communications, transportation, housing, education, health care, environmentrelated projects, renewable energy, and tourism. Pico said loans for agri-aqua related projects of LGUs and GOCCs

had the largest share of 25 percent amounting to P61.12 billion; followed by loans to small farmers and fisherfolk at 11 percent, amounting to P26.32 billion; and loans to microenterprises and SMEs at 10 percent, amounting to P25.19 billion. Meanwhile, loan releases to small farmers and fisherfolk from January to March 2012 reached P7.3 billion, 18 percent higher than the P6.2 billion last year. Pico said the loan releases were channeled through 535 farmers and fisherfolk cooperatives and 178 countryside financial institutions. More than 134,000 small farmers and fisherfolk nationwide benefited from this credit assistance during the first quarter of 2012.

ever through our low cost, high value travel fares,” Maan Hontiveros, AirAsia Inc. chief executive said. To commemorate the twin launch, AirAsia offers all-in promo fare from only P688 one way from Clark to Hong Kong and from only P588 one way from Clark to Macau starting 13 – 19 June 2012. The Filipino domestic carrier launched its first international flight to Malaysia on June 9 with afternoon flights departing daily from Clark to Kuala

Lumpur. The country’s newest low cost carrier will operate the new routes with brand new Airbus A320 operated by well-trained and experienced flight and cabin crew. “With AirAsia providing awesome and daily connectivity between these two popular destinations and the Philippines, we can tap tourists from Hong Kong and Macau to include a trip to our amazing beaches, diving spots and natural wonders in their itinerary,” Hontiveros said. (PNA)

AirAsia to launch PHL-HKG flights in July

HILIPPINES’ AirAsia said it will start flying from Clark International Airport to Hong Kong and to Macau on July 19. “These twin launches provide yet another opportunity for Filipinos to have access to Hong Kong and Macau’s attractions but more important for our OFW families here in Central and Northern Luzon where more than 30 percent of OFWs came from to reconnect and bring their families closer more than

now speeding up the land preparation for the 2nd phase of the homelot sites in Brgy. Tibungol and Brgy. Sindaton for the CTARBEMPCO and PEARBEMPCO members. Presently, the development of the 24-hectare homelot site in Brgy. Minda, Carmen is also complete with 178 units already occupied by WEARBEMPCO members. These, according to Valoria, with thirteen years of partnership between TADECO and the four ARB cooperatives, are clear mani-

The agrarian reform cooperative members of Tagum Agricultural Development Company (TADECO) namely WEARBEMPCO, PEARBEMPCO, CTARBEMPCO, and NEARBECO take their oath of office as new sets of officers.

festations of the joint efforts and hard work between the company and the ARBs. “You are not just successful; you have grown into matured cooperatives and have even become four of the best [cooperatives] in the country, with the leadership of all your committed and loyal administrators who feel for the members of the cooperative,” he stressed out. With its new sets of officers, the four cooperatives were invigorated to take on the challenge to keep up for the advancement of their group to altogether achieve their objectives. “We are happy because we feel that TADECO is indeed a family that has big dreams for the lives of its people… Our great recognition and respect for the blessings given to us thru the CARP program and with the great support of TADECO,” said PEARBEMPCO

Chairman Rolly Espartero. “On behalf of the Floirendo Family and TADECO management, I would like to reiterate our support to each of the cooperatives. Let us continue what we have started not just for our generation but also for the generations to come,” added Valoria. Gracing the event were Vincent R. Floirendo, President of the Davao del Norte Federation of Association of Barangay Captains, Nicasio Lemente, Provincial Agrarian Reform Officer of Davao del Norte, Ricardo R. Floirendo, Senior Vice President of ANFLOCOR, Alexis P. Cantil, Vice President for Agriculture Division of TADECO, and representatives from the local government units of Panabo and Carmen, Cooperative Development Authority, City Cooperative Development Council and Municipal Cooperative Development Council.

The development of the 24-hectare homelot site in Brgy. Minda, Carmen is now complete with 178 units already occupied by WEARBEMPCO members.

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PROPERTY

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New Camella Northpoint tower enhanced with green architecture

OMING from the success of its first three buildings which are now almost fully sold out, Camella is gearing up for the opening of the much-awaited 4th tower of its landmark condo development, Camella Northpoint. Camella has made this new building more exciting with its enhanced design following the principles of green architecture, making it another green building but better and more efficient, and making Camella Northpoint the city’s true premier address. Renowned architect Art Secuya, Camella’s Head for Planning, recently went to Singapore to get the latest trends and innovation on green architecture. Here he shares insights into this cutting-edge concept as applied to Camella Northpoint’s newest building, shoring up the company’s environmental commitment as June celebrates Environment Month. Q: What is a Green Building? A: A Green Building promotes wellness of the environment through efficient building performance. In layman’s parlance, it’s a structure that efficiently provides a pleasant experience to the user without a degrading impact to the environment. A simple comparison would be a room without ventilation, which requires air conditioning and in turn consumes a considerable amount of electricity. This is in contrast to a room that is designed to allow natural breeze inside without the aid of mechanical equipment. The room with proper ventilation can be called a green structure as it takes advantage of the natural breeze for ventilation, and by doing so does not require energy that impacts on the environment. Q: What Green Build-

Camella Northpoint’s green buildings allow homeowners to enjoy a healthier lifestyle. ing principles are applied to Northpoint’s newest building? A: In Camella Northpoint’s latest building, two Green Building principles are applied: energy efficiency and indoor environment quality. This condo building has architectural elements that harness the natural breeze to flow into the building and force hot air to exit. This promotes a pleasantly cool interior temperature in all residential units, lessening the need for air-conditioning.

It will have an Atrium, a vertical shaft in the middle of the structure that allows hot air to go up and exit through the skylight. It will also have a Sky Garden, spaces that open the facade of the building and serve as entry points of natural, cool wind, resulting to a cooler and more comfortable ambiance within the building’s interior and in the condo units. This also allows more natural light to cascade into the building, requiring less lighting during the day. The Interior Gardens

are green spaces inside the structure that promotes a healthy environment through the healing effect of natural plants. This is introduced on the same spatial elements mentioned, the Atrium and the Sky Garden. All these innovative features of Camella Northpoint’s fourth tower make it the first of its kind in the city. We built the first green condo buildings in Dava; this fourth building is greener with more indoor gardens and natural ventilation.

Renowned architect Art Secuya, Camella’s Head of Planning, talks about Camella Northpoint’s fourth green building, the first of its kind in the city.

Q: What natural elements played a significant role in the design development of Liverpool? A: There are two: sun and wind. In the Sun Path Analysis, the designers studied the sun’s position in a day’s cycle in relation to the layout of the building. The analysis showed us the most vantage layout for the building to avoid the hottest part of day. The Wind Path Analysis allowed us to design it to capture the natural breeze to ventilate the interior spaces. We considered the two major wind flows, what we locally call “Habagat” and “Amihan”, and how these affect wind behaviour in this part of the country. The analysis gave us free input on the best position of the building to maximize the benefits of free flowing wind. Q: What would be the long-term impacts of Green Buildings to its residents and to its immediate environment? A: Our homeowners get to enjoy healthier living by residing in a healthy building. This is also our own way of giving back to nature’s generosity, by creating green structures that will have the least impact on environmental integrity. It’s a win-win proposition, by harnessing the benefits of nature’s elements, we build an efficient structure that is

environment-friendly, and our homeowners benefit though healthy living as well as savings from less energy consumption. Q: Why did Camella choose to build Green Buildings? A: Being Green is intrinsic to Camella. We are aware of the positive benefits of nature to our homeowners, in the same manner that we are conscious of the negative effect to the environment of poorly designed, inefficient structures. In all our horizontal developments, we make sure we plant trees and provide green spaces more than we should. Our vertical structures are designed to harness the elements of nature and bring the wonderful healing effect of green spaces inside. We are aware that the comfort of our homeowners is linked to the wellbeing of our environment. In whatever we do, we always consider Mother Earth. It is a responsibility Camella takes to heart. Camella Northpoint is the first condo development in the city to have green buildings, providing its homebuyers the best value proposition for their investments. Inquiries are welcome at Camella Davao Office, 2F Delgar Building, JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, telephone numbers (082) 222-0963 and (082) 222-5221.

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EDGEDAVAO Worries from investors ANALYSIS

EDITORIAL

Political will

ANY of the country’s social problems have worsened because of lack of political will on the part of our leaders to do their job as mandated. For us who are not political scientists, political will is simply the willingness or desire of a political authority to exercise his mandated power and duty for the public good. So now, we know that the wanton rape of our forests and destruction of the environment has been due to lack of political will on the part of those who are empowered to enforce the concerned laws. Lack of political will on the part of the government agency duty-bound to implement the law may have been caused by cowardice and corruption. It is the corrupt and the cowards who can readily mouth a litany of excuses for not doing their job. This was true with officials of the then Bureau of Forestry who were on the take from loggers who destroyed our forests. This is true with police, other law enforcers and their political bosses who have failed to stop the jueteng scourge and other forms of illegal gambling even as this piece is being written. It is lack of political will that is behind the ex-

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acerbation of such other social problems of the country as human trafficking, prostitution, illegal squatting, graft and corruption itself, just to name a few. We should therefore be elated if our law-enforcers show some political will like prosecuting those who have violated the law. One example is the filing by the city engineer’s office of cases against about a hundred families who have illegally occupied a titled property at the back of the Blue Post billiard hall along J.P. Laurel St. Without prejudging the case, there is really need for authorities to be vigilant against this form of anarchy, as the owners of this property have every right to be protected like other citizens of the country. However, we expect Jaime Adalin, deputized building official whose office is located in the city engineer’s office, to exercise the same zeal in running after violators of the National Building Code, whether rich or poor. Take note that these violators, especially wealthy owners of buildings and other multi-million peso structures, which block waterways and cause destructive floods that adversely affect all of us, if not checked. 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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LEIZEL A. DELOSO | Marketing Manager Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Cagayan de Oro City Tel: (088) 852-4894

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BY ERIC J. LYMAN

NVESTORS on Wednesday negated months of austerity measures and confidence building, driving the yield on newly-issued Italian bonds to levels not seen since the height of the economic worrying in Italy late last year. Former European Commissioner Mario Monti, an economist, took over as the head of a technocrat government last November amid fears that Italy could fall victim to the European debt crisis, and he immediately went to work renewing investor confidence in the country’s long-term prospects. Until Wednesday, it appeared to work: bond yields peaked in December before slowly falling over the first months of 2012. That was reversed Wednesday, when Italy paid 3.97 percent on 6.5 billion euros in 12-month bonds. Just a month ago, it paid 2.34 percent in a similar sale. Yields jumped on secondary markets as well, with the benchmark 10-year bond trading 0.7 percent higher at 6.22 percent at the close of trading Wednesday, its highest close since Jan. 25 and increasingly close to the 7-percent threshold economists say is unsustainable. Analysts said investors were spooked by the European Union (EU)’s 100-billion-euro bailout of Spanish banks last week. Spain became the fourth European country after Greece, Ireland, and Portugal to need bailout money in the last year, and it is by far the largest. “Investors are worried that after what happened in Spain, Italy could be next,”said Jonathan Wilder, an economist with investment bankers Hildebrandt and Ferrar. “Italy has been doing its best to silence those fears, but so far the results have been mixed. Baseline indicators (in Italy) remain worrisome but they are much better than Spain’s.” Nicholas Spiro, director of Spiro Sovereign Strategy, said that markets are no longer treating Italy and Spain differently, “which may be a sign that panic has set in.” He said Italy’s problems is selling its short-term bonds was a sign that “Italy is bearing the brunt of the fallout from Spain’s request for EU assistance.” Monti warned a week ago about the risk of “contagion” for Italy from the problems in Greece and Spain, and just before Wednesday’s debt sale he said that Italy was suffering from the judgment of investors “who do not nurture an innate sympathy for our country” -- implying it was prejudice rather than an objective evaluation of the country’s fundamental economic health that is weighing Italy down. That is a message Italian Ministry of Economy officials have labored to make it recent days. “Performance and perception do not always move step in step,” a ministry spokesman said Monday. To be sure, Italy’s budget deficit is much smaller than Spain’s in relative terms: 3.6 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) for Italy compared to 8.9 percent of GDP for Spain. But Italy’s overall debt is still around 125 percent of GDP, and at 1.9 trillion euros it is big enough that it would probably be impossible to bail the country out if it was needed. Economic growth for Italy remains moribund, and consumer confidence is near all-time lows. “Italy is doing what is can to improve growth and pay down debt but investors are impatient,” Wilder said. The Monti government says it will not back away from its reform plans, which include tax increases, government belt tightening, a focus on tax compliance, and removing government red tape. But one problem comes from the fact that political opposition to the reforms is growing and the Monti government’s political capital is shrinking as popular support erodes: pollsters report that support for the Monti government has slipped from nearly 80 percent when he first took power to around 40 percent now. But Monti has support from at least one high-profile corner: on Wednesday German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble threw his support behind Monti’s increasingly unpopular reforms. “If Italy continues along Monti’s path there will be no risks,” Schaeuble said. [PNA/XINHUA]

EDGEDAVAO

IKE the shock created by Manny Pacquiao’s controversial loss to American Timothy Bradley last Sunday, Miami Heat’s loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in game one of their best-of-seven championship series must have stunned basketball enthusiast. Watching alone at home, I can only imagine the disbelief of Heat fans out there who thought their team would breeze through the finals. In today’s opener however the Thunder showed they have championship DNA too. Leaning on three-point shots, the Heat dominated the first half, 54-47. But the Thunder ended the period with a rousing buzzer beater from James Harden above the free throw line, a shot that heralded what was to unfold in the next 24 minutes of the game. In the third quarter, the Thunder was steadily chipped away at the Heat lead. Employing a suffocating defense, the hosts limited their guests to 19 points while scoring 27 to grab the lead for the first time, 74-73, at the end of the period. They never looked back after that. Oklahoma sustained their flurry

ANDID SHOTS – With the accelerating growth of Davao City, squatter colonies and crowded neighborhoods, in particular, have found themselves co-existing with adjacent factories and cottage industries. Pollution and health experts note that many establishments throughout the city hide their activities behind high walls and spew a wide range of toxic wastes through secret passages into nearby rivers and waterways or indiscriminately throw them into open dumpsites. The consequences of the reckless disposal of toxic substances can be disastrous, especially in areas where population density tends to be high – exposing large numbers to the risks of poisoning. The law governing toxic waste (R.A. 6969) is generally considered more progressive than other environmental laws. Unfortunately, enforcement is lackluster. Sad to lament, authorities focuse their sight on the opposite direction – for obvious reasons. --O-LOOKING FOR ALTERNATIVES – Some confident government economists may say it’s not yet about time to press the panic button because the country’s economic storm is starting to clear. No less than newly-appointed National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan mentioned that the Philippines’ general economic mood has slowly but gradually improved and the prevailing trade is-

Monkey Business

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Cooling down Miami throughout the fourth quarter, making two straight field goals in the opening minute for a 78-73 spread that forced Heat head coach Erik to call a timeout. That didn’t seem to matter, as the Thunder offense remained relentless in their scoring chores, and their defense resulted in at least three turnovers on the Heat. More telling were the fourth period outputs of the superstars of both teams. Durant piled up 17 of his 36 points, including four free throws, in the final quarter. In contrast, only six of James’ 30 points came in the fourth quarter, four also coming from charities. James’ backup, Dywane Wade, only made seven points, including a free throw, in the closing quarter. He scored a total of 19. Oklahoma’s Russell Westbrook on the other hand canned six of his 27 points in the fourth period. Worse for the Heat, they had a measly fast break output of four points throughout the game. The Thunder had 24 fast break points, which should make the Heat realize that they were slow in getting back to defense at each turnover or once the opponents get the defensive rebound. As a young team, the Thunder love to run.

One thing going against the Heat is that they’re finding it next to impossible to disrupt the Thunder’s offensive rhythm. The Thunder has at least three or four men who can play the point well and can be fielded at the same time. This is unlike the case with the Boston Celtics whose execution relies much on Rajon Rondo. But all other things considered, the biggest predicament for the Heat is how to stop Durant and Westbrook, or Durant and James Harden, or maybe, these three stars. And we’re not talking yet of Serge Ibaka, Derek Fisher, Nick Collison, and Thabo Sefolosha. In addition, the Heat showed in game one that their bench could not plug the holes if their stars, James and Wade in particular, perform below par. But I do believe game two will be war. The Heat will use their whole arsenal in trying to even the series before going home for games three and four. James, I think, will prove he did not become Most Valuable Player for nothing, if only to prevent a 0-2 setback. My prediction for the series: the Thunder in six games. ]MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. H. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail.com]

Diversify the markets

sues may have only “modest effects” on the economy. For now, the economy is clearly gaining ground despite the previous export issues that surfaced amid the diplomatic standoff between the country and China which asserts it has exclusive right over the controversial Panatag Island or Scarborough Shoal. The tension prompted emphatic Chinese authorities to issue a travel advisory to its citizens against traveling to the country, which resulted to the suspension of numerous tour packages. The country’s brighter economic outlook is partly due to the fact that, after the import ban imposed by China on Philippineproduced Cavendish bananas due to strict phyto-quarantine requirements and other stringent barriers, and circumstances not outright painful to the country’s trade activities were bound to seem like a collective sigh of relief. Encouraging signs that the economy is perking up are feeding expectations that the country may soon see resurgence in growth led by stronger export undertakings as government efforts to diversify the markets had been undertaken posthaste. In any case, the country’s banana growers and exporters are looking for alternatives after losing at least P1.44 billion since China strictly implemented tighter quality restrictions about three months ago. The alternative if possible is to divert banana exports to other Asian and Middle East countries. The NEDA people are highly optimistic that there are many potential markets waiting to be tapped and other opportunities aside from China, which is not the only market to watch.

Within this financial climate, NEDA executives and other concerned government line agencies say the recent trading setback would be considered a “shock” therefore there is an urgent need for the business sector whether agriculture, tourism or industry to diversify the market to make them less vulnerable to economic shocks. Even China’s travel advisory and suspension of tour packages are not likely to cripple the country’s tourism industry. Based on statistics, it is not only China which has made the Philippines famous and popular as the place where tourists and frequent visitors always make things better – an ultimate destination for doing both business and leisure. Barring disasters such as major calamities – typhoons and floods, the country expects a higher growth rate in the months ahead or until next year, which will help spur demand for export of intermediate and capital goods. Forget China for now because there are more potential markets waiting to be explored. But until we diversify the marketplace, the same problems are going to linger right under our noses. The NEDA people also cited the shocks such as the triple tragedy that happened to Japan last year and the massive floods that severely hit Thailand. The “economic shocks” fit into the pattern of effects on our economy, which are almost similar to what occurred in Japan and Thailand. Government economic experts and financial analysts say the only way a country can defend itself from that kind of shock is really to diversify the market. And they say it like they mean it. Really, gentlemen?

Overturn of death sentences SPECIAL FEATURE BY GLORIA JANE BAYLON

EIJING—Tighter lower court procedures has led to a sharp decline in the number of death sentences overturned by China’s Supreme Court since 2007, said Tuesday’s headline story of the Beijingbased influential English-language newspaper, China Daily. This meant that before death penalty cases reached the High Court, the lower courts’ decisions stand on their own merits and are practically unassailable in terms of quantum of evidence and sterner observance of procedural laws that the High Court had seen no legal basis for overturning them. Quoting the Highest Court’s Director of Research Hu Yunteng, China Daily said “just seven per cent of cases ordering capital punishment were rejected in 2011, compared with 10 in 2010 and 14 in 2007.” This percentage of overturned verdicts falls “as review policy is working,” reporter Zhang Yan noted in his article. This should make the lower “courts more cautious on death cases,” said the newspaper’s headline on June 12. However, even the Chinese reporter could not get Hu to reveal how many people have been executed annually, only that “the total number was falling each year.” Murder, robbery with extreme violence, rape and kidnapping and violation of the anti-narcotics law are among the capital offenses in China. Hu did not indicate which convictions on which capital offense were overturned, but illegal drugs and narcotics are considered a menace to society affecting larger swaths of the populations, so China is generally unforgiving of persons committing antinarcotics offenses. in 2011, four Filipinos have been among the foreigners executed in China for violations of its anti-narcotics law -— a capital offense punishable by lethal injection -- despite pleas from President Benigno S. Aquino for at least a commutation to life imprisonment and a personal visit by Vice President Jejomar Binay with the Magistrate of the Supreme Court in Beijing. Binay, a human rights lawyer, asked for humanitarian, international rules-based human rights consideration but to no avail. Their execution was nationally mourned by the Philippines, where a noticeable population of both illegal and legally-deployed overseas workers have been lured into well-financed international drug syndicates. Still, of the approximate 50 Filipinos still in different prisons in China for anti-narcotics offenses, less than 10 Filipinos have received final sentences, with a few being appealed or under review by the High Court. Of the latter, at least one conviction on death row by an Appeals Court was overturned and modified to a life term following a review of the convict’s case. The Filipino was pregnant when arrested and gave birth inside the prison. The child was later brought home to the Philippines to be raised by the convict’s family. Many other foreigners have been executed for crimes related to drugs -— Japanese, British and Pakistanis, among them. The list for local Chinese convicts is even much longer. Such drugs are a menace to society and such criminals are scums of the earth, of the lowest kind, the Chinese embassy in Manila has described antidrugs-laws offenders. (PNA)

SUBURBIA

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Left to Right: Datu Carlito Anglao, Manobo Chieftain; Mr. Guillermo Aponte, Chairman, Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines; Ms. Edith Villanueva, President, Sugar Industry Foundation; Hon. Jose Maria Zubiri III, Representative 3rd

EDGEDAVAO

District of Bukidnon; Brother Armin A. Luistro FSC, Secretary, Department of Education; Mr. Lawrence Jeff Johnson, Country Director, International Labor Organization.

Coca-Cola Philippines Inaugurates the 90 Little Red School House in Bukidnon

The Company affirms its commitment to help address child labor by providing education to the youth in sugarcane-producing communities

eaffirming its commitment to create positive impact to communities, the Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines Inc. (CCFPI) together with its program partners: the Sugar Industry Foundation, Inc. (SIFI); Bukidnon Sugar Company (BUSCO); Department of Education; the local government of Quezon Bukidnon; and the Quezon Manobo Tribal Association inaugurated the 90th Little Red Schoolhouse in Barangay Butong, Quezon, Bukidnon. The construction of this four-classroom school building is part of CCFPI’s efforts to address child labor in sugarcane producing communities in the country. The Quezon National High School – Apyao Annex is the first high school under CCFPI’s Little Red Schoolhouse Program. In September 2010, Coca-Cola joined the International Labor OrganizationInternational Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (ILO-IPEC), the government of Bukidnon and the Sugar Industry Foundation Inc. to launch

a four-year program to eliminate child labor in Bukidnon. Recent ILO statistics showed that Bukidnon was among the four provinces in the country with high number of child laborers, among them more than 2,500 children and youths between 9 and 17 years of age. These young people are engaged in laborious work within the sugarcane plantations, rice fields, and other agricultural industries. A study conducted by Xavier University revealed that these children, who are mostly of high-school age, chose to work to help their families, rather than attend secondary education. Extreme poverty and lack of school facilities force youngsters to drop out of school. “This Little Red Schoolhouse is a milestone for us, not only because it is the very first high school facility constructed under the Little Red Schoolhouse program, but more importantly because it addresses two pressing issues concerning our youth: child labor and the limited access to high school

education. We hope that this new schoolhouse will draw the young people of Barangay Butong away from working in the fields and keep them in school, aiming and working for a brighter future” said Cecile Alcantara, President of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines. Guillermo Aponte, President and General Manager of Coca-Cola Philippines, said respect for human rights that includes addressing the issue of child labor is fundamental to the culture of Coca-Cola. “Across the world, we work to make sure all people are treated with dignity and respect. We take proactive approach to secure these rights in every workplace, in our bottling system, in our supply chain and in communities where we operate. With respect to child labor, The Coca-Cola Company proactively participates in mitigating child labor particularly in its agricultural supply chain in more than 20 countries including El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and the Philippines,” Aponte said.

“We set policy, convene experts, and engage with governments, NGOs and other companies around the world. At the same time, we collaborate with suppliers, industry groups and local stakeholders to address the issue with farmers at the local level,” he added. Aponte also thanked its local partners DepEd, ILO, SIFI, BUSCO, the local government of Bukidnon and the Quezon Manobo Tribal Association for allowing Coca-Cola to participate in this very important program for

the youth of Quezon, Bukidnon. During the turn-over ceremony, Certificate of Scholarship on Associate of Sugarcane Production and Management was awarded to 20 beneficiaries. The District Tripartite Council of the Sugar Industry also presented the Code of Conduct on the Elimination of Child Labor in the Sugar Industry in Bukidnon. Guillermo Aponte, president and general manager of Coca-Cola Philippines; Bro. Armin

Luistro, secretary of the Department of Education; Jeff Johnson, country director of the International Labour Organization; Edith Villanueva, president of Sugar Industry Foundation Inc. (SIFI); Jose Ma. Zubiri, III, congressman of the 3rd District of Bukidnon; Alex Calingasan, provincial governor of the Province of Bukidnon; Gregorio Gue, municipal mayor of Quezon, Bukidnon and Cecile Alcantara, president of Coca-Cola Foundation Philippines led the inaugural event.

Pantawid Program in Malita. 75-year old Maria Rosales of Brgy. Poblacion, Malita shares her joy because of Pantawid Pamilya. Her granddaughter will graduate from the program this year but this did not dampen her spirit, instead she hopes to help the program implementation in their municipality as a volunteer. (DSWD/SHERYLL JANE B. SANICO)

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NEW VEGETABLE MARKETS. A new book on Philippine vegetable markets was published by the faculty and staff of the UP Mindanao School of Management and Curtin University, Western Australia. The book, “Institutional Market Survey Report”, is the product of a research program to study the institutional demand for fresh vegetables in the Philippines arising from new consumption patterns, such as the increasing number of Filipinos shopping at supermarkets, and of food being consumed through food service and fast food outlets. The book aims to help smallholder vegetable producers enter these high-value markets through collaborative

marketing groups. The book authors are Curtin University Professor Peter Batt, UP School of Management’s Dean Sylvia Concepcion, Assistant Professor Luis Antonio Hualda, Research Associates Marilou Montiflor and Jerick Axalan, and Maria Lourdes Lopez of Professional Institute for Management Advancement. Copies of the book were given to farmer-partners in South Cotabato, Bukidnon, and Davao City. The research study was funded by the Australian Centre for International Agriculture Research (ACIAR). Copies are available through telephone number (082)295-2188.

TURNOVER. Director Ester A. Versoza of DSWD revs up the brand new 4 x 4 multi-cab unit following the turnover Wednesday by TUCP (Trade Union Congress of the Philippines) through PBGEA (Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association) to the DSWD Home for Girls and Women. Also in photo are [from left] PBGEA Executive Assistant Betty Francia, DSWD Asst. Director Priscilla N. Razon, TUCP Political Officer Jessie Pagaran, and DSWD Operations Chief Rebecca A. Santamaria. (DSWD/CARMELA CADIGAL-DURON)

Department of Science and Technology Regional Office No. XI (DOST XI) Assistant Regional Director Eduardo P. Tesorero turns-over the Ovicidal/Larvicidal Trap (OL-Trap) Kit to DepEd Davao City Assistant Schools Division Superintendent Ma. Antonia P. Diaz with DOH Dengue Program Manager Antonietta Ebol during the Launching and Orientation of the School-Based OL-Trap Roll-Out on June 13, 2012 at DepEd Division Training Center, Quirino Avenue, Davao City.

COMMUNITY SENSE 11

12 NATION/WORLD NATION BRIEFS

Upheld

HE Supreme Court (SC) upheld yesterday the legality of the government’s P1.8-billion purchase of precinct count optical scan (PCOS) machines for next year’s automated midterm elections. Voting 11-3 in a special session, justices of the high court dismissed the consolidated petitions of various groups seeking to stop the Commission on Elections (Comelec) from purchasing 82,000 machines used under a lease agreement in the 2010 polls from the Netherlands-based Smartmatic.

On top

IVE Philippine universities placed in the top 300 universities in Asia, according to the 2012 rankings of the international research organization Quacquarelli Symmonds Intelligence Unit (QSIU). University of the Philippines Diliman in Quezon City remains the best university in the country as it ranked 68th in the list, followed by the Ateneo de Manila University which ranked 86th.

Most improved

HE Philippines was cited as the fifth most improved country in the world, rising two notches to rank 133 from 135th last year, in the 2012 Global Peace Index (GPI). The Institute for Economics and Peace released the 2012 GPI, an annual measure of global peacefulness ranking 158 nations based on their ongoing domestic and international conflict, safety and security in society and militarization.

Won

HILIPPINE billionaire Lucio Tan has won a decades-long legal battle to keep the fortune he built up during the dictatorship of Ferdinand Marcos, according to his lawyer. An anti-graft court ruled on Wednesday that the government’s 1987 seizure of some 22 billion pesos (about $520 million at current exchange rates), was illegal, lawyer Estelito Mendoza said in a statement. President Benigno S. Aquino III said on Wednesday that he remains committed to resolving claims on the disputed Scarborough Shoal in the West Philippine Sea peacefully through diplomatic means.

Diplomatic

HE President said, in his speech keynoting the commemoration of the 37th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the Philippines and China held at the Manila Hotel, he was appreciative that China shared his sentiments that maintaining peace and stability in the region would be beneficial for all.

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EDGEDAVAO

‘Forced abortion’ picture A causes uproar in China

WORLD TODAY

RAPHIC images posted online showing the bloody corpse of a baby whose mother was allegedly forced to terminate her pregnancy at seven months have caused an uproar in China. Rights groups say authorities in north China’s Shaanxi province forced Feng Jianmei to abort her pregnancy on June 2 because she was unable to pay a 40,000 yuan ($6,270) fine for exceeding China’s “one-child” population control policy. Authorities in Zhenping county, where the abortion took place, said that Feng had agreed to the procedure, but a relative told AFP that she and her husband had opposed the abortion. The relative, who asked not to be named, also confirmed the authenticity of a photograph posted online of Feng on a hospital bed next to the blood-smeared body of her baby. Outraged Chinese web users expressed doubt that Feng had agreed to the abortion, and even staterun media outlets condemned the procedure. “Who would ever drop a bleeding baby beside its mother?” posted one Chinese web user on Internet news portal Netease.com. “This is what they say the Japanese devils and Nazis did. But it’s happening in reality and it is by no means the only case... They (the officials) should be ex-

Successful

sophisticated orbiting telescope that uses high-energy Xray vision to hunt for black holes in the universe launched on Wednesday after an aircraft-to-rocket takeoff, NASA said. The Nuclear Spectroscopic Telescope Array (NuSTAR) was lifted into the skies by Orbital Sciences’ L-1011 aircraft, carrying a rocket on its underbelly that later launched the satellite.

Good progress

A pregnant woman waits to cross a road. Graphic images posted online showing the bloody corpse of a baby whose mother was allegedly forced to terminate her ecuted.” Another web user, posting on popular forum clubkdnet.net, said China’s family planning system had been “openly killing people for years in the name of national policy” adding: “What is wrong with society?” China has implemented its draconian family planning policy since the late 1970s in an effort to control a population that has grown to 1.3 billion people, the world’s largest.

pregnancy at seven months have caused an uproar in China.

Under the policy, urban families are generally allowed to have one child, while rural families can give birth to two children if the first is a girl. “Feng Jianmei’s story demonstrates how the one-child policy continues to sanction violence against women every day,” said Chai Ling, head of the US-based rights group All Girls Allowed. China’s official media also condemned the case, but said the controver-

sial family planning policy should remain in place. A commentary in the state-run Global Times newspaper said in English that late-term forced abortions should be “condemned and banned,” but that they “shouldn’t be a reason for refuting the whole (one child) policy”. Officials at Zhenping county hospital, where the abortion allegedly took place, refused comment when repeatedly contacted by AFP.

HE UN atomic watchdog said Wednesday “good progress” was being made in enhancing global nuclear safety, almost a year after implementing an action plan in the wake of the Fukushima disaster. The programme implemented by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last September involves fresh assessments of the world’s 440 nuclear plants and emergency measures, as well as more voluntary “peer review” visits by foreign experts.

Spy Bases

HE United States military is expanding a secret network of air bases across Africa in order to spy on Al-Qaeda and other militant groups,the Washington Post reported. The surveillance is carried out by small, unmarked turboprop planeswith hidden stateof-the-art sensors that fly thousands of miles (kilometers) between air bases and bush landing strips across the vast continent, it said.

US military to help PHL monitor its coastal waters M T

Spotlight

HE US military said it planned to help the Philippines monitor its coastal waters as Manila faces an escalating dispute with China over territorial claims. The Pentagon revised earlier comments and said there was no firm plan to deliver a landbased radar to the Philippines, but that a radar could be part of future assistance. “We are in the initial planning stages of assisting the Philippines with a National Coast Watch Center,” Major Catherine Wilkinson told AFP. The center is designed “to create an overall picture of what is going on in the Philippines’ territorial waters,” she said. “Right now we are discussing a range of options and no details have been finalized. Ra-

dars may be an eventual part of the package but it hasn’t been determined yet.” The cost and the time line for the project were still being worked out, she said. The Philippines has requested radar, patrol aircraft and naval vessels as it seeks to bolster its position in a row with China over the Scarborough Shoal, which lies near the main Philippine island of Luzon. China claims the area along with virtually all of the South China Sea up to the shores of other Southeast Asian nations, including Malaysia, Vietnam and the Philippines. The Pentagon’s comments came after President Benigno Aquino paid a visit last week to the White House, where he was offered a robust show of support. Plans to help Manila

reflect Washington’s strategic shift towards Asia amid a growing rivalry with Beijing, with the South China Sea at the center of the contest, analysts said. “Land-based radar is one of the practical ways the United States can simultaneously boost Philippine defense capabilities and signal Washington’s long-term commitment to Asia,” said Patrick Cronin, senior adviser for Asia at the Center for a New American Security, a Washington think tank. China may choose to defuse tensions with the Philippines just before a gathering of the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations next month, Cronin said. “But it is also possible that China is determined to humiliate the Philippines and, indirectly, the

United States,” he told AFP. Manila’s request for US military help marks a reversal after the Philippines evicted the American military from its vast naval base at Subic Bay in 1992. It was unlikely the United States would look at providing military aircraft at a time when China may be preparing a conciliatory gesture, Cronin said. “If China persists with embarrassing the Philippines, then I have no doubt aircraft sales will follow,” he said. Tensions between Beijing and Manila escalated in April when Chinese and Philippine vessels approached the Scarborough Shoal, which lies near the main Philippine island of Luzon. Manila says the rock formation falls within its exclusive economic zone.

YANMAR prisoner-turned-parliamentarian Aung San Suu Kyi began a tour of Europe almost certain to attract the kind of fanfare that will test the patience of the reformist generals now in power after decades of army rule. The popular Nobel Peace laureate landed at Geneva’s Cointrin airport on Wednesday night, wearing three white roses in her hair and smiling and waving to the crowd.

Talks

EW French President Francois Hollande travels to Rome on Thursday for talks with Mario Monti ahead of a key four-way summit, as Italy struggles to shake off rumours it may be heading for a bailout. His visit comes amid fresh fears that Eurozone leaders may have failed to control the spiralling debt crisis, which has forced a struggling Spain to ask for aid and may see Greece bow out of the zone after an election this weekend.

EDGEDAVAO

Drug...

‘Palusot’...

FFROM 1

opposition to the proposal for the City Council to require establishments with more than 10 employees to conduct random drug testing among them. “Investors would naturally want to invest in an area which is peaceful,” the lawyer legislator said, adding that “drugs bring nothing but disruption of peace in society and without peace business cannot proliferate.” On the other hand, development is hindered,” he said. The resolution proposing such an ordinance is now with the Committee on Health chaired by Councilor Bernard Al-ag. If enacted, it will become another landmark ordinance for Davao City. “It will only add to the city’s prestige as an antidrug city, that the govern-

Gov’t... FFROM 2

diesel emission and pneumatic tires for commercial car. The mandatory national standards for other products, she added are safety helmets for motorcycle, inner tubes, and brake fluids among others, while head restraints and seats are among those that are not yet mandatory. During the workshop, participants were asked to fill out a form for national survey of manufacturers and assemblers of CLRVs. The survey form is asking information about vehicle

FFROM 1 ment and people are one in promoting peace,” Quitain said.

The idea for such an ordinance came from the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council action officer Eliseo Braganza. Whop also guested in I-Speak. It was the subject of a recent privilege speech before the City Council by Quitain. Braganza said that having such an ordinance would create a “sweeping effect” in the campaign against drugs. “The truth is, almost all sectors of society have a problem with drugs. Young people, those who work for call centers, jeepney drivers, taxi drivers. Hindi ito concentrated sa slum areas which is a misconception,” Quitain said.

specifications, engine specifications, emission, transmission, fuel tank, electrical system, wheels and tires, safety devices, windshield glass, and bumper, among others. Mariño mentioned that PCIEERD-DOST also gathered stakeholders for information and education campaign conducted each in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao. “Primarily the goal of this program is to upgrade the level of quality of automotive products used to manufacture the CLRV because usually there are not well engineered,” he said.

or memorial park shall be located within water resource areas (WRAs). By definition, WRAa are the location of principal source aquifer of Davao City containing huge volume of water available for appropriation. Article 6 of the code defines the areas as principal water source of Davao City, and protected from certain acts or activities. They are a) Calinan to Dacudao, b) Calinan to Malagos, c) Sirawan. Surprisingly the principal sources of the “Dumoy water” such as those found in Baliok, Dumoy, Bago, Puan and Ulas are not included in the water code. What the code mentions though is in section d): “All other areas as the council may hereinafter identify and declare as WRAs.” This section in the code was what prompted a Davao City Water District resource person to say there was something “lacking” in the code’s coordinates. Councilor Arnulfo Cabling, a former chairman of the city council committee on environment, thinks the water code was having a legal “infirmity”, which could be corrected only by an amendment by the entire legislative body. Lacking DCWD representative Ronald Munoz, requested to give his opinion on the code during a committee hearing

105%...

on housing chaired by Councilor Bernard Al-ag, said that there was something “lacking” in the enumeration of identified and declared WRAs. He said what was lacking was the inclusion of Dumoy, Baliok, Bago, Puan up to Ulas where 39 out of the 54 DCWD production wells are located. Councilor Al-ag confirmed Munoz’s observation. Using a power point presentation using an enlarged map showing the three WRAs, he said “if we draw a straight line to connect the three coordinated, we have a triangular shape. Those within the triangle are WRAs” Unfortunately, he said the known water-rich areas such as Baliok et al are found outside the triangle. He added he has no reason to question the map since it was prepared by the Office of the City Planning and Development Coordinator, hence, it is official. Drawing his own conclusion, he added that since Baliok et al are not declared as WRAs, even if this is where most of the DCWD wells are located, it is safe to assume that there is no legal impediment to recommend application for memorial parks where they are to be situated. Infirmity In a separate interview, Councilor Arnulfo Cabling, a past committee chair on

DENR...

environment, remarked that the code as worded appears to have an “infirmity.” He said he could not comprehend how a major piece of legislation that impacts on the environment is flawed. The only way to remedy the problem is to amend the ordinance by the entire council, he added. No show For his part, Al-ag said he has exerted enough effort to invite experts who had a hand in the crafting of the code to come and share their insights on the whys and wherefores of the code. Among the invitees were Councilor Pilar Braga, a member of the 12th city council, a key figure who sponsored the water code, and journalist Rene Bartolo who was a member of the technical working group that crafted the law. Twice we gave the invitations, and twice, they did not come, he said. So we are left with no option but to submit the committee’s recommendation for action in plenary session. Opposition Opposition groups led by Dumoy barangay captain Jessie Mar Culaste said key to the resolution of the conflict between contending parties, the pros and the cons, is no less than the Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio who is an environmentalist. He said his group pre-

pared a resolution requesting the city mayor to call for a moratorium on memorial park projects until technicalities, what is lacking, or infirmities are ironed out. The code calls for the mayor to create the Water Code Council in which she is the chair to oversee the effective implementation of the code. An opposition group from affected communities, led by the United Residents and Homeowners Association of Davocille Inc, under Conrado Vidanes, alerted their members of possible “palusot” where vested interest may use legal technicalities to fix the problem. Palusot “Palusot” was coined by Ilocos congressman Rudy Farinas to pin down the Chief Justice during the concluding arguments of the impeachment trial in the senate. Oppositors are aware that there are several applications in the Al-ag committee for memorial parks such as South Grove (now Fair Fields) in Baliok, Eternal Gardens Cooperative in Lubogan, Toril, and Forest Lake in Ulas, Talomo proper. Not too long ago, Vice Mayor Rody Duterte in an interview, said one area for graft and corruption is in the processing of application for reclassification of properties or exemption from the Zonification Ordinance of Davao City.

partner agencies along roadsides, riverbanks, and in timberland and watershed areas. The partner agencies include the Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association, HEDCOR Sibulan, Barangay local government units of Davao City, Kabalikat sa Maunlad na Buhay, Inc., 3D-A Veneer Processing Plant and Apex Mining Co., Inc. The NGP was promul-

gated through Executive Order No. 26 signed by President Benigno Aquino III on February 24, 2011. It is a six-year program that aims to plant 1.5 billion seedlings in public lands of the country. It also aims to reduce poverty, promote food security, environment stability, biodiversity conservation and enhance climate change mitigation and adaptation.

failure in any of the power generation equipment, this will automatically result to a shortfall and blackouts. Therefore, we must not be complacent. We must continue to acknowledge the urgency of increasing the generation capacity in Mindanao,” he added as quoted by interaksyon.com. Engr. Rudy Brioso, NPC OIC vice president for Mindanao, denied they were part of the conspiracy. He admitted that they could have delivered as much power even if they did not proceed with the shutdown. But he said

the maintenance work was a scheduled one, from April 17 to May 17. He also noted that the NPC spent about P60 million for the maintenance, not just P7.11 million as cited by Degoma. Degoma said they could wait for the congressional inquiry to proceed, adding the NPC officials and employees could just be “victims” of the alleged conspiracy. He added that the face of the conspiracy could be very complex and it could be repeated in the future. [WALTER I. BALANE / MIN-

FFROM 2

cious activities in their communities. This is only an indication that people are against drugs and their proliferation in communities,” he said. “We highly commend and promote this active participation from the the people,” he added. Last June 4, PDEA deputized 130 members of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to strengthen their campaign against drugs. “The cooperation between PDEA and the Philippine National Police has been very effective. We are continuing our monitoring and operations against drugs. This actually brought and mga sunod sunod na operations we have this month of which data we will still collate,” he said. During the deputizing ceremony, it was stressed by authorities that barangays will be monitored for drug related activities. Rosales said that as of recent data, 85% of heinous crimes are commit-

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ted under the influence of drugs. “Drugs destroy a person’s psyche. He loses his sense of morality and makes it easy for him to cause harm to other people. In this sense we cannot let drugs spread in communities which hold the basic unit of society. It has nothing but ill effects on society,” he said. The 130 policemen recently deputized by PDEA 11 are considered among the best performers in the local police units. Part of PDEA’s campaign against the proliferation of illegal drugs nationwide, the 130 members of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) are expected to conduct in-depth investigation on drug activities in the city and eventually conduct raids in barangays. During the ceremony Davao City Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the main guest of the ceremony, told the newly deputized DCPO members not to be tempted by money involved in

drugs. “The temptation is there and it’s very great. You are considered the cream of the crop – discipline yourselves. Kung iniisip niyo ang anak niyo hindi mo yan gagawin,” he said. “Drugs will destroy the next generation,” he said adding a warning to policemen caught seeking their personal interest while in the campaign against drugs. “Kung kamo mga pulis mu-apil apil ana pag-bantay gyud mo. I am appealing to you as a Filipino, save the next generation,” Duterte said. Duterte also stressed that he has always supported the work of the police and sees it as an honorable job to serve the state and protect the people. “Sa inyo ko. Inyo ko. Do your job. I would rather see a dead criminal than a dead policeman. Do not hesitate to shoot them down if they try to escape. I will back you up,” he said.

its information campaign geared towards climate change mitigation and adaption. Sampulna also attributed the success of the NGP implementation in the region to the volunteers, including the CommunityBased Forest Management holders and other partner agencies. It was reported that some 450,631 seedlings were planted by different

Group... FFROM 3

“With that they can already restore Pulangi IV to its full capacity? It’s unbelievable,” he added. Energy Secretary Jose Rene Almendras announced on May 11 that the completion of repairs on the Pulangi IV hydroelectric plant has addressed the problem of insufficient reserves in the area. But he also noted, as quoted by Manilabased news media, that while the situation is out from “crisis,” it is still at a critical stage because of the lack of contingency reserves. “Thus, in the event of a

DANEWS]

SPORTS

All set for Maxima Trail Run in Samal

By Neil Bravo

HE first ever Maxima Trail Run Challenge reels off on Saturday at the Maxima Aqua Fun Resort in the scenic Island Garden City of Samal. Only 60 slots are open for participants in the 15-kilometer race set at an out and back course beginning and ending at the Dizon-owned Maxima Aqua Fun Resort in Barangay Cawag, Penaplata. Marlon Torrentera, race di-

rector, said the event will put to test the extreme trail-running skills of the participants who are expected to come from Davao City, Samal, Panabo City and Tagum City. “Maganda ang scenery, mahirap ang trails,” Torrentera said. Up for grabs are the titles in men’s and women’s categories with medals. Gift certificates and a cash bonanza of P3,000 for the champion, P2,000 for the runner-up, and P1,000 for the second runner-up. The fourth to tenth placers will receive medals

Suzuki Philippines President Satoshi Uchida and Phoenix Petroleum Philippines Chief Operating Officer Romy De Guzman seal the event partnership on May 29, 2012 in Taguig City. With them are Suzuki Philippines General Manager for Motorcycle Sales and Marketing division Eiji

and gift certificates. Registration Fee for the event is P500. It will be the first ever trail run to be hosted by Maxima Aqua Fun which is under the umbrella of the Dizon-owned PSD Adventures. Supporting the event are Coca Cola, General Hardware Corporation, Davao Trapal, Davao Crocodile Park, Mt. Apo Highland Resort, Zip City, Tribu K’Mindanawan, Zorb and Waterball, and the Mindanao Travel Channel.

EDGEDAVAO

Jason Forte of the Alaska Aces soars high in this bit of action in the PBA Governor’s Cup.

Koyabashi, Suzuki Philippines Managing Director Catalina Calderon, Phoenix P AVP for HR, Brand, and External Affairs Atty. Raymond Zorrilla, and Phoenix AVP for Lubes and Chemicals Alberto Alcid.

WBO to review fight O

NE of boxing’s major sanctioning bodies will review Timothy Bradley’s controversial split decision victory over Manny Pac-

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quiao, the first step toward what promoter Bob Arum hopes will be ‘’clarity’’ in the judging of the fight. WBO President Francisco ‘’Paco’’ Valcarcel said

in a statement Wednesday that the WBO’s championship committee will review video of the fight with five ‘’recognized international judges’’ and

make a recommendation. He said the WBO does not doubt the ability of the scoring judges. Most reporters seated ringside and the vast majority of fans inside the MGM Grand arena on Sat-

urday night thought Pacquiao had easily defended his welterweight title against Bradley. The first surprise came when ring announcer Michael Buffer announced that there was a split deci-

sion, and the biggest surprise came in the reading of the scores. Jerry Roth had it 115-113 for Pacquiao, while judges Duane Ford and C.J. Ross had it for Bradley by the same score.

INdulge! STYLE

Style Origin Mensweek BEWITCHING, dashing, and out of the ordinary --- This is how I’d describe the men who paraded on the runway in last weekend’s Style Origin Mensweek Fashion Show at the Abreeza-Ayala Mall.

spite the impression on these clothes being high fashion, the fabrics and cuts look very modern, comfortable, and they complement (and define) every man’s physique. I’m sure a lot of women would agree with me if I’ll ask for rerun / reThe menswear was peat of the whole show... the perfect closing to Maybe, next time, with our afternoon delight as corporate wear. Filtered a new set of designers. it showcased the differ- preppy hues of yellow, And so as not to put too ent looks of men beyond red, and orange were much pressure on the orthe generic jeans, shirt, played well with mono- ganizers, we promise not and rubber shoes. The chrome, earth tones, and to complain if we’ll see segment is actually one tempered palettes. De- the same set of models. of the main highlights of the Style Origin series being toured around the Philippines, featuring the collections of 23 Filipino designers. Davao’s most eligible bachelors graced the catwalk with Manila’s finest, swaddled in the creations of Gian Romano, Bang Pineda, and Ronan Opina, and wardrobe essentials from global brands such as Ellesse, Marithé Francois Girbaud, Penguin, and Giordano. Actor Rayver Cruz caused a bit of stir among women as his tall stature was followed by a series flickers from DSLR’s and mobile phones. I guess those photos have already found their way on Instagram by now. Each set was an assortment of tasteful pieces that range from elegant suits, casual staples, and

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EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

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ARTS & CULTURE ENTERTAINMENT

Fab Filipiñana finds at Chimes

THERE are times when souvenirs are merely just a reminder, simply to be kept on the door of your refrigerator or on a desk collecting dust. That is why whenever I travel, I make it a point that my souvenirs are usable and, as much as possible, hand made. Imagine my excitement when Chimes Specialty Store, together with Davao EcoCrafts, opened a Filipiñana section at the third floor of Chimes along Sales Street. The section was stocked with many wonderful and well-designed baubles, gift items, fashion jewelry, and accessories that are made in the Davao Region, everything hand made and everything with as much local content as possible. I love the fact that not only are the products made with local content and craftsmanship, but also the

fact that every sale of the products benefit the craftsmen and women behind every bead, every weave, and every knot making the products. My personal favorites are the abaca and hand made paper by TADECO, the super detailed and über fabulous minaundieres by Crystal Seas (their intricately designed clutch bags are already the rage in Japan and sell for three times the price of what they sell locally), and the exquisite jewelry by Oskar Atendido, which have stories behind every filigree. These are not only great as gift items or pasalubong, but are valid, wearable, usable, and fabulous fashionista finds. Of course don’t just take my word for it. Visit Chimes Specialty Store along Sales Street and see how fab Filipiñana can be. Follow me on twitter @ kennethkingong for foodie finds, travel tips, random ramblings and happenings in and around Durianburg.

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EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

After her nipple flash, comes Madonna’ s ass Bon anniversaire, Ashley

WE suppose the real news here would be if Madonna had actually decided to keep herself covered up.

and Mary-Kate Olsen!

But, alas, just days after she opted to bare her breast while performing “Human Nature” in Istanbul, the 53-year-old singer decided to expose another part of her anatomy in Italy on Tuesday. Yep. The Material Girl decided to, um, express herself yet again on stage while belting out the same song at Rome’s Stadio Olimpico. With her back to the audience, Madge proceeded to unzip her pants, pull them down and expose her rear. Hmm. First a boob, now her butt. We shudder to think what’s coming next.

THE blond-haired, blue-eyed beauties have come a long way from their days of sharing the role of googly-eyed Michelle Tanner. Despite all Full House fans’ pleas, America’s favorite set of fraternal twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley Olsen, turn 26 today. Fraternal? Is it even possible for fraternal twins to look so much alike? Nevertheless, with multiple ambitions in the fashion world, the Olsen twins prove they plan on remaining wildly successful. The young entrepreneurs s were honored just last week at the 2012 CDFA Fashion Awards, where the ultra-talented duo’s clothing line The Row won Womenswear Designer of the Year. We may always remember the Olsens first of all for Full House and a slew

Mark Whalberg goes back to, err, High School?!

IMAGINE trying to pay attention in class with a hunk like Mark Wahlberg sitting next to you— yikes!

The actor, who dropped out of school in the ninth grade, announced that he’s going back to high school starting later this month in an effort to get that diploma. But you won’t be catching him walking down the halls (sorry). Wahlberg will be continuing his education courtesy of a new online program based in New Orleans. “It’s an actual diploma,” Wahlberg told David Letterman on Late Show last night. “I’ve got to take up all the courses that I missed, and I’m a little nervous.” “They’re going to give me whatever credits I already have, which is probably like one or two,” he

joked. “But I’m going to make it happen.” Seeing that he has “a lot of downtime on sets in the trailer and stuff,” the actor hopes to “just ... blast through it—hopefully

do it within six to eight months.” Are we the only ones that find Mark Wahlberg getting in touch with his inner nerd supersexy? Didn’t think so.

of movies they starred in together as youngsters, but with their amazing track record in fashion and behind the camera, we can’t wait to see what’s still ahead for the accomplished pair!

A4 INdulge! FOOD ENTERTAINMENT

EDGEDAVAO

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Going Pinoy at Antonio’s Bar and Grill By Kenneth Ong

FOODIES in search of good food in Davao flock to the best Filipino restaurant in the city, Antonio’s Bar and Grill. The restaurant’s unparalleled reputation is a reason enough to try its contemporary Filipino dishes, all prepared by highly skilled staff that cook and serve with passion. A couple of Antonio’s signature dishes include the Inihaw na Bangus sa Dahon ng Saging, where the traditional Filipino inihaw na bangus dish is served with a twist and made tastier with the scent of banana leaf and stuffed with herbs and tomatoes. Davao foodies, as well as travelers, have been salivating over their bestseller, the Crispy Pata. Not only is it crispy but savory as well, much to their customers’ delight. Other sumptuous dishes include the Crispy Tuna, Sugbanok, Deep Fried Chicken wrapped in Banana Leaves, Grilled Catfish, Stuffed Shrimp and Pomelo Salad. A meal is not complete without their refreshing Melon Mansi drink. The cold concoction is probably the best fusion of Davao local fruits, the watermelon and calamansi. Dining in Antonio’s is similarly refreshing as well, withlit tables and spacious seats. Young and old alike often visit the establishment, whether for a fun day out or for business since the restaurant is one of those that caters best services. Antonio’s Bar and Grill is located at SM City Davao, Groundfloor (299-3904), Metro Lifestyle Complex Building, Torres St.,(2254394), and its newest branch whichat the 3rd floor of Abreeza Mall in front of Poshnails.

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

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Game 2 Preview:

Who’s the tougher tag team? Attack mode Westbrook is ready

KLAHOMA CITY – The Miami Heat dropped the first game of the NBA finals to Oklahoma City and one of the biggest reasons was their failure to keep point guard Russell Westbrook in check. Westbrook finished with a team-high 11 assists, eight rebounds and 27 points as Oklahoma City delivered the first blow of the best-ofseven championship series with a 105-94 win. The Thunder could take a 2-0 series lead with a victory in Thursday’s game two, also at home at the Chesapeake Arena. “I only know one way to play and that is to stay in the attack mode,” said the 23-year-old Westbrook at Wednesday’s practice. “I can’t change my style now because it got me to this point. “That is how my coach and my teammates want me to play and that is all that matters.” Westbrook gave the Thunder their first lead of game one with 16 seconds to play in the third quarter by finishing off a three-point play to make it 74-73. His success against the Heat Tuesday snapped a string of four sub-par performances against Miami. It was in contrast to his play in two games against the Heat in the regular season where he shot just nine-for-26 and fourfor-16. It was the same story last season as

EDGE SCOREBORD

Westbrook shot sevenfor-22 and five-for-16 against the Heat. In those four games, Westbrook averaged four turnovers per game. Westbrook said he now has great chemistry on the floor with teammate Kevin Durant and they are always looking for each other as a passing option or to help finish off an offensive play. “Kevin knows when two guys are on him he passes to me, so I have to stay in the attack mode,” Westbrook said. “There have been games where it is frustrating trying to figure it out (between the two of them) but that is part of the learning process. “We have gotten better at that the last few games and we are doing a great job of closing games out.” Westbrook, who starred at UCLA in col- Russel Westbrook and Kevin Durant of Oklahoma will be a tight act together in Game 2. lege, was just three assists short of his career high (14) for a playoff game and he posted his second double figure assist game of this post-season on Tuesday. He says the key to winning Thursday is to give themselves a head start by playing better in the first quarter. “We definitely have more to give,” Westbrook said. “We will start off the next game playing a lot harder defensively and if we do that you will see what this team can bring to the table and what we can do for a 48-minute game.” Miami Heat’s Dwyane Wade and Lebron James play it light in the eve of Game 2.

Wade: I’ll step up

KLAHOMA CITY – In the aftermath of the Miami Heat’s second-half meltdown in the opening-game loss to the Oklahoma City Thunder in the NBA Finals, the spotlight is focused on the spotty play of All-Star Dwyane Wade. The Heat guard scored 19 points but hit only seven of 19 shots and was at times listless in the 105-94 loss to the Thunder at raucous Chesapeake Energy Arena on Tuesday. Wade acknowledged that in order for the Heat to win their first National Basketball Association (NBA) championship since 2006 he will have to be more assertive and take the pressure to score off league Most Valuable Player LeBron James. He added, however, that he did not want to overreact after one game of a best-of-seven series. “That’s when you start thinking too much, too many questions start coming up in your mind, you start over-analyzing things,” he said. “I want to score more points, I want to get my team to give us an opportunity to win the series. “I’ll be more aggressive. Looking for my opportunities a lot more, probably more than I have of late. So that will be my change.” Oklahoma City, playing in its first championship series since 1996 when the franchise was located in Seattle, outscored the Heat 24-4 on fast-break points in the series opener. Heat Erik Spoelstra vowed to slow the Thunder’s frenetic pace while finding ways to free up Wade, an eighttime All-Star and former NBA scoring champion. Game Two of the series is Thursday night in

Still hounded by Messi L

Cristiano Ronaldo of Portugal is still hounded by fans of Leo Messi of Spain in the EURO Cup 2012.

VIV, Ukraine – Cristiano Ronaldo could do with a goal — and without mention of Lionel Messi at Euro 2012. The 27-year-old Portuguese superstar has yet to score in the tournament and a succession of missed chances in the thrilling 3-2 win over Denmark ended with Danish fans chanting ‘Messi! Messi!’. It was the last thing the Real Madrid player needed to hear the name of the threetime world player of the year being chanted after the Argentinian superstar left Ronaldo trailing in second place in the La Liga scoring charts last season. Needless to say Ronaldo fired off his own riposte –

hitting its target more effectively than he had done in the match. “Do you know what he (Messi) was doing this time last year? He was going out of the Copa America in the quarter-finals.” Ronaldo’s lack of goals should not come as a complete surprise as he has scored just five times in 15 games at major finals since appearing at Euro 2004 in his homeland. With the added burden of the captaincy on his shoulders many have wondered – probably the same people who say that like Messi he leaves his best form at home when he dons his national jersey – whether he could handle that as well.

Ian Poulter of England hits a tee shot during a practice round prior to the start of the 112th U.S. Open at The Olympic Club in San Francisco, California.

Oklahoma City. “We’re used to having the advantage on fast break opportunities, and they dominated that area 24 to 4,” Spoelstra said. “When we defend and we impose our will by being disruptive and aggressive, it opens up opportunities for us in the open court. “And when we get our attackers in the open court, their confidence soars. In the half court we have to find ways to execute with more precision, to get (Wade) in places he can be aggressive and get into the paint.” Durant shines James had 30 points but was eclipsed by Kevin Durant, who scored 17 of his 36 points in the final quarter, helping the Thunder overcome a sevenpoint halftime deficit. Spoelstra said it too early to write the Heat’s epitaph. “Our focus will be on playing more to our identity tomorrow night,” he said. “They imposed their identity more than we did in that game. We didn’t feel we played well. “They’re a part of that, okay, but we didn’t play to our identity. And yet we still were four or five plays from coming away with a win. “That’s some of the resourcefulness about our group. Usually at the end of games we find a way.” James admitted there are times he will tell the 30-year-old Wade to pick up his game and be a little selfish with the ball. “A lot of times I try to let him figure it out on his own, but sometimes I go to him and tell him I need one of those games from him, I need one of those performances from him because he still has it,” he said. “He knows he still has it, too, but every player needs a little kick every now and then, no matter how time tested they are. “I try to continue to let him know how important he is to this team, which he should know, but he also needs to be D Wade and not worry about deferring as much.”

SPORTS

Despite the loss to Timothy Bradley, Manny Pacquiao will get his citation from colleagues in Congress.

Congress to fete Manny

ESPITE losing to American Timothy Bradley, boxing superstar and Sarangani representative Manny Pacquiao brought fame and honor to the sport and to the nation and deserves to be honored, a party-list group said. Filing House Resolution 2501, the Ako Bicol partylist said the fight showed Pacquiao’s “determined nature.” “He continues to bring pride to the Filipino people,” the group said of Pacquiao, now a Saranggani congressman. The party-list group, which has three representatives in the House of Representatives, shared the sentiments of a number of boxing spectators that Pacquiao was the real winner of the match. “Paquiao, the Filipino people and boxing fans world-

wide were hijacked of victory. The audience, media, and boxing experts all pointed to Pacquiao as the winner; even the computer-generated statistics would confirm this but Pacquiao chose to be the honorable sportsman that he is,” the group said. “Pacquiao has proven, once again, that he serves as a role model to the Filipino people who he inspires with his perseverance, determination, and admirable work ethic,” it added. Pacquiao has been the recepient of various accolades from the government, including the Congressional Medal of Distinction, the highest award given by the House in November 2010 following his win against Mexican Antonio Margarito in Arlington, Texas, which gave him his eighth world title.

VOL.5 ISSUE 74 • JUNE 16, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Phoenix partners with Suzuki for moto racing P

HOENIX Petroleum Philippines has sealed a deal with Suzuki Philippines in sponsoring the 2012 National Drag Racing Championships, the country’s premier drag racing event. The 2012 NDRC has two major race events-the Turbo Suzuki Cup 2012 and the Suzuki Race Wars 2012. “Like Suzuki, Phoenix Petroleum aims to

promote safety riding and road discipline to motorcycle enthusiasts. More than being an oil company, Phoenix fuels passion and life,” said Phoenix Petroleum Chief Operating Officer Romy De Guzman. De Guzman and Suzuki Philippines President Satoshi Uchida led the MOA signing on May 29, 2012 in Taguig City. The Turbo Suzuki Cup will feature 6 quali-

fying legs in Luzon, while 5 qualifying legs will be held in Visayas and Mindanao for the Race Wars. In November 2012, the Regional Finals for Luzon will be held in Clark, Pampanga and the Regional Finals for Visayas and Mindanao at Tagum City. The National Finals will be held in Manila on December 2012. The registration for this year’s Turbo Suzuki Racing Cup and Race

Wars is free for all 11 legs to be held all over the Philippines. The Turbo Cup and the Race Wars will each cover primarily three categories: Suzuki Raider 150 Category; Suzuki Underbone 115cc category for the Smash Raider J, Raider Pro, Shogun Pro and Shogun R; and Suzuki Scooter 130 cc category for Nex 115, Skydrive, Hayate and Step.

The announcement was made last Tuesday by tournament director Goldie Delvo during the SCOOP Forum at the Royal Mandaya Hotel. “We’re truly very excited since we have added two more teams this year,” said Delvo. The teams are the Cyclomax Titan, Cyclomax 4T, Zoelo Extreme, Zoelo Diesel, Accelerate Vega, Accelerate Supreme, and two new teams, Cycle Fork and 2T Max.

A new set of coaches and assistant coaches has also been commissioned by organizers. “Last year’s line-ups will not be the same since we have new players, while the old players will be drafted,” said tournament commissioner Cadel Mosqueda. Delvo said that at least 20 players from the public schools, who saw action in the Under-16 league are now enjoying full scholar-

ships from different private schools in Davao. “The students and parents from the private and public schools have also developed camaraderie and friendship because of this league,” Delvo said. Also added in the first and only non-school based tournament for the youth in Davao City presented and organized by Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc., is the one-day value formation program for the players.

Phoenix 4 drafting set Saturday

OACHES will get a final glimpse of the remaining aspirants to the 4th Trip Ko Phoenix Fuels Basketball Cup on Saturday at the Davao City Recreation Center. The drafting of the players for the eight participating teams to the fourth edition of the emerging basketball tournament for players aged 16 and below will be the final stage of the selection process which attracted some 1,500 aspirants.