Edge Davao 5 Issue 88

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VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

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Councilors junk 3 memorial parks

By Jade C. Zaldivar

T

he Davao City Council in last Tuesday’s session imposed a moratorium on memorial park applications following a majority decision junking two pending applications for the same.

n Moratorium needed before amendment of Water Code Majority council members rejected the applications of eternal Garden Memorial Park and Fairfield Memorial Park, both of which applied to locate

within the city’s Dumoy watershed area.

Councilor Bernard Al-ag, council health committee, was prompted to

FCOUNCILORS, 13

Science/Environment Page 4

Sports Page 16

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DAMAGED. Big waves leave 46 families with damaged shanties at Aroma Beach, Sabroso, Brgy. 76-A Bucana, Davao City early morning of Wednesday. [LEAN DAVAL, JR.]

Mindanao tops in gold, copper reserves

M

INDANAO has the biggest gold and copper reserves in the country, besting Luzon and the Visayas, according to the mineral reserve inventory which was revealed during a mining forum in Davao City last July 2.

Speakers at the forum held at the

Grand Men Seng hotel stressed the country’s potential in mining, saying that if extracted responsibly, the country can greatly benefit from its own mineral reserves.

To illustrate this point, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines chair Art Disini showed the results of their recent min-

eral reserve inventory.

Mindanao has P3,430,148,285 worth of gold reserve compared to Luzon’s P1,245,486,866, and the Visayas’ P338,512,800.

In copper reserve, Mindnaao has the most with P5,011,841,728 compared to

FMINDANAO, 13

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THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

CTO, DOT want more reports on the city’s hotel occupancy

By Lorie A. Cascaro

based on the submitted reports, the hotel occupancy rate between January and April this year was 47.97%.

Among the total tourist arrivals within the period, 147,486 were domestic tourists; 13,106 foreign tourists and 693 overseas Filipino workers.

In terms of nationalities, tourists from China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan comprised 37%; and those from the USA and Canada 21% of the total tourist arrivals.

Further, the reports show that tourists stay an average of two days.

For the purpose of visits, 32% of tourists visited for pleasure and vacation; 29% for commercial purposes;

and the rest visiting friends and relatives.

“There are some big hotels that have not yet submitted reports. These are understated figures, but we need to present this to be honest about it,” he told reporters.

Regional director Art Boncato said the department stops ranking cities in terms of tourist arrivals because the rate of submission is not the same in all cities. It’s not fair because we cannot compare apple to apple, according to Magnaye. he also mentioned that in the next two years, the city will have 1,000 additional rooms to the existing 5,000 rooms.

he Chamber of Mines said it would not interpose any objection to the latest revision of President Aquino’s still unreleased executive order on the new mining policy, but prodded Malacañang to release it as soon as possible “so that we can all move now.”

Artemio Disini, president of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines (COMP), said his organization of corporate mining companies “is already agreeable to the current rate (of government share) in the eO but it is really up to government to bring it up already.”

President Benigno Aquino was supposed to have signed the new eO on the revised mining policy last June 22 yet.

On June 20, he told Davao City reporters the new eO was being fine-tuned as some provisions were superfluous.

“If the government

really pushes legislation work (to update what it wants to be the level of government share), we do agree on the new rate.

Just remove the restrictions and moratorium on the operation,” Disini told reporters on the sideline of the Forum on Responsible Mining held Tuesday at the Grand Men Seng hotel here. he said a change in the rate of government share in mining revenues would need either legislation or “an agreement between the government and the industry.” he would not say, however, what the rate the government was thinking of on the stipulated excise tax, royalties and profit-sharing.

Current mandated rate is two percent excise tax. This is on top of the 30 percent contractor’s income tax, customs duties and fees, value added tax on imported equipment, goods and services, royalties in mineral res-

ervations, documentary stamp tax, capital gains tax, tax on interest payments to foreign loans and tax on foreign stockholders’ dividends.

The industry is also paying to host local governments business tax, real property tax, registration fee, occupation fee, community tax and “other local taxes depending on LGUs,” a COMP Powerpoint presentation said.

Disini said the delay in the release of the eO is making the mining industry uncomfortable, but he said the other concern of the President on environmental protection was already addressed in previous meetings and discussions with the Department of environment and Natural Resources.

“There are enough guidelines already,” he added. he said the delay has already caused concern among prospective

total 102 people, including children, displaced by flash floods in Banay-Banay, Davao Oriental following heavy rains there, were rescued by soldiers from the 10th Infantry Division.

Lt. Christy Isis Achanzar, an officer of the unit’s 10th Civic-Military Operation

Battalion, said the floods affected four barangays of the town, according to reports reaching military headquarters in Manila.

Anchanzar said they were helped in their rescue work by soldiers from the 28th Infantry Battalion, the Philippine National Police Banay-Banay town station,

and the provincial disaster risk reduction management council.

The displaced individuals are being sheltered and fed at the Banay-Banay Municipal Women’s Training Center.

The extent of damage cut by the flash floods has not been determined.

T SMALL ENTERPRISE WEEK. Davao City Investment Promotions chief Jason Magnaye invited the public on Wednesday to participate in the Small Enterprise Week that will be launched next week. KARLOS MANLUPIG

‘Gulayan sa Paaralan’ launched

By Jade C. Zaldivar

I

N support of the Busog, Lusog, Talino School Feeding Program, the 28th Infantry Battalion (IB) joined enrique Orencia elementary School and the local government unit of Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental when the “Gulayan sa Paaralan Program” was launched last July 2.

Funded by the military’s civil operations unit, the program aims to provide the school yard garden with vegetables even as parents and teachers are also encouraged to have their own backyard garden.

“Our objective is to provide fresh and easily available harvests to parents which they can cook to feed pupils of the school,” Civil Military Operations officer Lt. hermie Montelibano of the 28th IB said in a statement.

“We encourage parents to do their share by having their respective backyard vegetable garden to augment

n Donates garbage cans to schools their food consumption and make their children healthy,” he added.

These efforts are in line with the town’s Nutrition Month Celebration dubbed “Pagkain ng Gulay ugaliin, araw-araw itong ihain”.

“We build trust and confidence among different stakeholders in pursuit of peace and unity of the people of Davao Oriental and encourage them to be our partners toward peace and development,” Montelibano said.

Meanwhile, the 39th Infantry Battalion donated 60 garbage bins to 30 public schools in the municipalities of Bansalan and Sta. Cruz and in the City of Digos as part of its environmental Protection Advocacy in Davao del Sur. The garbage bins were received by Roger Manopol, school principal of Digos City National high school, in behalf of the other 29 public schools.

Commander of the 39th IB Lt. Col. Oliver Artuz said their objective is to encourage schools and students to advocate environmental protection through waste segregation.

“Waste segregation may seem to be simple and will contribute little in protecting the environment. But if all Filipinos will do the same, our little ways will have great impact in preserving and protecting the environment for future generations,” he said.

The garbage bins were courtesyof CJ Toyota Tsusho Philippines, Inc. in Brgy. Darong, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur intended for the 39th IB’s environmental protection program.

The 39th IB’s environmental Protection Advocacy includes forest protection, anti-illegal logging campaign, tree planting activities among others.

States, the Coast Watch Stations are equipped with highly sophisticated surveillance equipment, including radars, capable of monitoring sea, air and land spaces.

The Coast Watch Stations are spread in the towns of Kiamba, Maitum and Glan in Sarangani; Kalamansig in Sultan Kudarat; Balut Island in Davao del Sur; and Cape San Agustin in Generoso, Davao Oriental.

The Coast Watch Station is part of the Coast Watch South, a defense project that is also supported by the Australian government.

With CARAT 2012 in

its third day on Wednesday, Carney reiterated the exercises seek to enhance interoperability of the two countries’ naval and coast guard forces.

“We try to promote what’s operating on the maritime environment to help strengthen capabilities on anti-terrorism, anti-smuggling, anti-narcotics and in other venues of maritime security,” he told reporters.

Journalists were allowed Wednesday to board the missile guiding-frigate USS Vandergrift, one of the two US vessels docked at the Makar Wharf here.

The other one is the cutter

Naval exercises ‘not for intel gathering,’ says US admiral

T

he naval exercises between American and Philippine troops in the seas of Mindanao are purely “to enhance interoperability and not to gather intelligence data” in Mindanao, US Navy Rear Admiral Thomas F. Carney Jr. said on Wednesday.

“The naval exercise is part of an open source project. We’re promoting maritime domain awareness with the Philippine Navy [through] the Coast Watch Stations,” said the US Naval head of delegation to the Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) 2012.

Funded by the United

FNAVAL, 13

he Davao City Tourism Office (CTO) and Department of Tourism (DOT) 11 are asking hotels and other accommodation establishments to submit their hotel occupancy reports to create a full picture of tourism arrivals in the city and region.

Contrary to the CTO’s expectatons after the recent meeting with owners of accommodation establishments in the city, there only 52 out of 125 hotels submitted their occupancy reports.

City tourism officer Jason Magnaye, also the chief of the Davao City Investment Promotion Center, said

Chamber of Mines: wants release of EO on mining

T

FCHAMBER, 13

102 affected by flash flood in Banaybanay A

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

DCIPC expects investments rise

By Lorie A. Cascaro

he Davao City Investment Promotion Center (DCIPC) aims to achieve a 10% increase in investments in the city this year, a government officer said yesterday.

DCIPC chief Jason Magnaye bared that the city is targeting an increase based on data from the Business Bureau Division of the City Mayor’s Office in terms of capitalization, in both single proprietorship and corporations. however, he said the big factor in investments is the cost of a project, including the cost of buildings among

others, which his office cannot determine yet with the given data.

“We are trying to devise a way to quote project costs, like asking data from the city buildings’ office and other government agencies,” he told reporters during the Club 888 Media Forum at The Marco Polo Davao. he cited that the total capitalization of investments in 2011, according to the Business Bureau, was P187 billion, an increase by 2.2 percent from the capitalization of P183 billion in 2010.

Magnaye mentioned that an investor of a huge township project expressed

intention to locate in the city, but, specific details have not been divulged as yet. he also said that another investor, owner of instant noodle Lucky Me, started the construction of his factory in Tibungco, adding that the factory will provide some 100 jobs for locals.

The Dominic and Sons Group also presented its proposal to the City Mayor’s Office to put up a convention center in Lanang, with a capacity of 4,000 persons.

Magnaye said Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio had asked them to submit a traffic impact assessment of the project.

eNeRAL Santos City’s peace and order situation has significantly improved in the last six months with the total number of crime incidents in the area dropping by at least 23 percent.

Supt. Rolly Octavio, deputy city police director for administration, said Tuesday they have

recorded 228 crime incidents within the city from January to June this year or 68 less than last year’s total crime volume of 296 during the same period. he said the number of crimes against person dropped slightly to 65 from 66 last year while crimes against property significantly plunged with only 163 from last

year’s 230 incidents.

“This only shows that our crime prevention strategies were working properly and we’ve been getting enough support from our local communities,” Octavio said.

For crimes against persons, the police official said the reported homicide, physical injuries and rape cases post-

T

BUKO JUICE. Offering an inexpensive thirst quencher, a buko juice cart along Claveria Street is a sure hit for college students in the area. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

From P800M to P75M

Gold sold to BSP by small-scale miners drops by 90 percent

F GenSan crimes drop by 23% G FGENSAN, 13

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ROM P800 million in February to P75 million in March or about 90 percent drop.

A huge chunk of gold output from small-scale mining operations in the Davao region may have been sold in the black market instead of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP), keeping huge revenues from government coffers, authorities said.

Director edilberto Arreza, of the Davao regional office of the Mines and Geo-Sciences Bureau, told

reporters at the sideline of the Forum on Responsible Mining Tuesday that Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) Commissioner Kim henares bared the drop in gold sale during their meeting last month with the Davao Regional enforcement and Coordinating Council on Mining Taxation and Proceeds. he said henares disclosed that gold sold to the BSP was at least P800 million in February this year but plunged to only P75 million the next month.

Arreza said the re-

gional coordinating council has formed a task force to determine the existence of the black market and to persuade the miners “to sell back the gold to government or face the consequences, because we will run after them.”

Artemio Disini Jr., president of the Chamber of Mines of the Philippines, said the drop in gold sale to the BSP should raise concern “especially that small scale mines now constitute 70 percent of gold production in the

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SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Aboriginal whaling wins partial victory T

he world’s whale body narrowly agreed to extend whaling rights for indigenous peoples in the United States, Russia and the Caribbean but opposition mounted to a hunt in Greenland.

The International Whaling Commission is notoriously polarized over whaling expeditions

by Japan and Norway. Aboriginal hunts have generally been less controversial as they are much smaller in scale and impact.

But at annual talks held in Panama City, proposals for new indigenous whaling quotas for the US state of Alaska and Russia’s far northeast hit a snag as they were presented in a package with Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

The small Caribbean nation kills humpback whales, which are renowned for their intelligence. Activists charge that the hunt uses cruel methods and is not truly aboriginal as it was started in the 19th century by white settlers.

The Commission voted 48-10 to authorize indigenous whaling for the next six years in the three countries, barely achieving the 75 percent needed to approve decisions.

It put off a vote on a separate bid by Denmark that looked set to fail.

That proposal would allow indigenous people in Greenland to hunt up to 1,326 whales between 2013 and 2018 -- including 10 humpbacks a year.

Australia, a staunch opponent of Japan’s whaling near its waters, said that Denmark was reneging on promises made two years ago when the Commission agreed after intense debate to let Greenland resume the killing of humpbacks.

Australian environment Minister Tony Burke said that Denmark had promised to reduce the overall number of hunted whales due to the higher yield from humpbacks.

“I think it’s important to be quite clear here that the resolution in front of us is about abandoning a consensus position,” Burke said.

The US-based Animal Welfare Institute has reported that 77 percent of restaurants in Greenland serve whale, leading the advocacy group to charge that the island is conducting commercial rather than subsistence whaling.

Denmark’s envoy Ole Samsing said that Greenland had a longstanding “non-racial” policy of not prohibiting ethnic groups from eating whale. he also rejected charges that the hunt of the ocean mammals was inhumane.

“There are no rules and regulation within the

A photo released by the Spectral Q/Whaleman Foundation shows activists demanding a South Atlantic Whale Sanctuary on July 1, in Panama.

IWC as to the humanity of the hunt in aboriginal society. If you can catch a whale with a baseball bat, then you are allowed to do that,” he said.

Samsing said that Greenland was spending heavily for more “decent” ways to hunt whales with cannons and grenades.

Australia, India and other nations that did not block the US, Russian and Caribbean package indicated that they would oppose Denmark’s proposal. A vote could be called later in the weeklong talks.

Latin American nations are also strongly against Denmark’s bid after unsuccessfully trying to vote down whaling in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

Brazil and Argentina are among Latin American countries that have been active in whale conservation. They attempted Monday to declare a whale no-kill sanctuary

in the southern Atlantic, a proposal defeated by Japan and its supporters.

Saint Kitts and Nevis, a tiny Caribbean nation allied with Japan, furiously criticized Latin American countries that opposed whaling in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.

“Some countries are trying to impose their will on a small vulnerable country,” delegate Daven Joseph said, charging that whaling opponents showed “colonialism rebirth” and “elements of racism.”

But Louise Mitchell Joseph, an environmentalist and daughter of a former prime minister of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, said that most residents did not eat whale meat and that it was a delicacy for a small niche.

She said that islanders had more economical ways to obtain protein and that whaling hurt tourism, the most vital in-

dustry for the Caribbean nation.

“It is a practice that we simply cannot afford as a country to continue.

The whaling activities of a small community should not be allowed to have such devastating impact on the rest of society,” she said.

The World Society for the Protection of Animals criticized the european Union for supporting the package, saying in a statement that its members “had the power to stop this unnecessary slaughter of humpback whales.”

Saint Vincent and the Grenadines will now have the right to kill up to 24 humpbacks between 2013 and 2018.

Russia’s Inuits and other indigenous people will be able to hunt up to 744 gray whales between 2013 and 2018, while native Alaskans will have the right to kill up to 336 bowhead whales over the same time period.

Young Philippine eagle recovered in Cotabato

O

FFICIALS of Barangay Poblacion 2, Cotabato City are set to turn over Tuesday to the Department of environment and Natural Resources (DeNR) a young Philippine eagle which landed a day earlier at a tree in the neighborhood.

Village council member Nitz herrera said the eagle, which stands 12 inches tall, refuses to eat fish but loves the meat of fresh chicken.

“The eagle just landed at a neighbor’s tree and from there we just got it gently,” herrera told a local radio station here.

She said they are awaiting the arrival of proper authorities, particularly those from the DeNR, for the eagle’s turnover.

The Philippine eagle is currently included in the list of endangered species worldwide.

The complete breeding cycle of the Philippine eagle is estimated to be around two years. It is one of the two largest eagles in the world, ranking second to the harpy eagle of Central and South America but only in terms of weight.

The Philippine eagle was named the national bird of the Philippines in 1995 by former President Fidel V. Ramos under Proclamation No. 615.

The home of the Philippine eagle, which number only less than 200, is Mt. Apo, the country’s tallest mountain situated in the boundaries of Davao and North Cotabato provinces.

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/

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

A

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

BOITIz Power Corporation, through its whollyowned subsidiary, Therma South Inc., signed contracts worth $ 546 million with local and foreign contractors for a 300-MW circulating-fluidizedbed coal-fired power generation facility to serve the Mindanao grid.

The project is located in Barangay Binugao, Davao City, and Barangay Inawayan, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. In a statement, Aboitiz Power said the contractors include Formosa heavy Industries Corporation, and a consortium composed of Black & Veatch and Leighton Contractors (Philippines), Inc. Under the contracts, Formosa heavy Industries will design, supply and erect the power block equipment.

While the Black & Veatch consortium will perform civil works as well as engineer, procure and construct the balance of plant systems and facilities.

Site preparation activities for the project started last April 2012 under a construction contract with First Balfour, Inc. Commercial operations of the first 150-MW generating unit are targeted on or before March 31, 2015, with commercial operations of the second unit following after three months.

The Therma South power project will generate up to 2,000 direct and indirect jobs during the estimated 37-month construction period.

“Anticipating tightness in the power supply in Mindanao, AboitizPower is committed to do what it takes to build the Therma South power project at the soonest possible time.

We have been an integral part of the Mindanao power sector since the 1930s. We will continue to invest in power generation projects to support the growth of Mindanao today and in the future,” said erramon Aboitiz, AboitizPower presi-

dent and chief executive officer.

Black & Veatch will bring considerable international expertise in leading the consortium. In 2011, engineering News-Record ranked it as the number one engineering company in power generation services.

“Our focus is to deliver an efficient and world class power solution in the region that supports this important need for critical energy infrastructure,” said Dr. hoe Wai Cheong, Asia and MeIeA regions Managing Director, Black & Veatch’s global energy business.

Leighton Contractors (Philippines), Inc has had a continuous presence in the country for close to 20 years, and is a subsidiary of leading international contractor, Leighton Asia, India and Offshore.

“We are proud to be part of the consortium awarded this project. Leighton has been an integral partner in the development of major building, mining

and power projects in the Philippines. We are looking forward to working with AboitizPower to deliver the Therma South power project,” said Boyd Merrett, Leighton Asia, India and Offshore’s executive General Manager for Mongolia, the Philippines and Guam.

The Therma South power project has received approvals from the Davao City Council and the Municipal Council of Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur. It was also granted an environmental Compliance Certificate by the Department of environment and Natural Resources through the environmental Management Bureau.

“This coal-fired plant will be equipped with state-of-theart technology that will meet stringent international health, safety and environmental standards to ensure that the facility will have the least adverse impact on the environment and surrounding communities,” Aboitiz said.(PNA)

Convergys eye Davao Uy vows to continue for new BPO facility OTOP in Comval

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

5

Aboitiz Power signs $546-M deal for coal-fired project in Binugao

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

9. National Government Revenues

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

47.032 46.851 48.139

48.161 48.146 47.905 47.524 48.217

48.458 47.585 47.207

C

ONVeRGyS, a major Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) firm is locating in Davao City, said American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines, Davao chapter president Sonny Dizon. however, Dizon did not give details as to when the Convergys will locate but it had identified sites in the north and in the southern part of the city .

Although the company had been recruiting call center agents in Davao City, he said, Converygs finally decided to locate here.

The company opened a single contact center in Manila in 2003. Todate, it has 15 contact center facilities in the Philippines -- 10 located throughout Metro Manila, 3 in Cebu City, 1 in Bacolod, 1 in Baguio City.

Dizon also said there were small-size American-own BPO companies now operating in Davao City, the latest was one from Las Vegas.

As this developed, Dizon, who is also consultant with the Davao City Mayor’s Office, said he was tasked by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio to come up with proposals for the opening of english proficiency clinic.

But the Mayor said that the

clinic would be used to train public school teachers, he said.

Meanwhile, Dizon, through the American Chamber of Commerce, said they requested American Consul Michael Schmell to isolate urban Davao in the negative travel advisory issued by the US government prohibiting American nationals to travel to Mindanao.

Dizon said the US Consult was in Davao City three months ago as guest of the Chamber’s General Membership Meeting. he said they endorsed through the Consul their letter request of which the American official said that the request would be forwarded to the Federal Government in Washington, DC. Dizon said that “not one life of US citizens was in danger as foreigners and American businessmen are in Davao and doing business here”.

Although Dizon was not keen of getting a 100 percent positive response to their request, he was still hopeful that new development would come. he said I think the advisory was outdated the fact that some of their nationals/businessmen were here now. (PNA)

G

OVeRNOR Arturo T. Uy has expressed commitment for the continued development of the One Town One Product (OTOP) program in this province.

The OTOP program is among the strategies being utilized for small and medium enterprise (SMe) development. It is being spearheaded by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Davao and local government units (LGUs).

Uy, being the Provincial SMeD Council (PSMeDC) chairman, manifested genuine support to all towns, even to those SMes that are pushing their ventures for economic progress.

Under the OTOP program, LGUs are guided in choosing their best product or service.

Among the guidelines being considered for OTOP adoption are the following: the municipality is known to produce such product; significant number of MSMes is involved in producing the product; contribution in gen-

erating investments; sales and employment in the locality; and such product could symbolize the town in a positive and unique manner, and preferred by the LGU or local chief executive (LCe).

During the PSMeDC meeting held recently here, updates and developments on the OTOP were presented as well as possible reforms to the program, based on the inputs from the participants coming from the various LGUs of the province in order to intensify the present implementation.

PSMeDC secretariat and DTI-Comval Program Office manager Atty. Lucky Siegfred M. Balleque said the agency is determined to assist every locality in pushing for the realization of its OTOP. he said DTI is presently enhancing and finalizing the status of the product identified by each town in a bid to evaluate and identify what particular assistance the agency can extend, especially in terms of packaging and marketing.

as of august 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

6

THE ECONOMY

Round - Up

Phil. Peso bests other Asian currencies

T

he Philippine peso posted the highest appreciation among Asian currencies to date but is among the lowest in terms of volatility, with both performances, reflecting positive of the economy.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) data show that as of July 2, 2012, the local unit has appreciated by about 4.33 percent against the US dollar.

“The appreciation has reflected the positive development in the economy particularly the improved fiscal position as well as the continuing external liquidity of the economy plus of course the robust GDP (Gross Domestic Product) growth that we experienced in the first quarter,” BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. The Singapore dollar came in second after strengthening by 2.70 percent; followed by the Thai baht at 0.44 percent and the Malaysian ringgit at 0.40 percent.

The New zealand dollar rose by 4.18 percent and the Australian dollar by 1.42 percent.

On the other hand, India’s rupee depreciated the most at 4.34 percent; followed by Indonesia’s rupiah at 2.82 percentl and Japanese yen at 2.44 percent.

Also, the euro has depreciated by 2.32 percent against the dollar during the same period.

In terms of volatility, the peso’s stood at 1.14 percent as of Monday this week. This was followed

by Singapore dollar’s 1.20 percent, baht’s 1.38 percent, rupiah’s 1.72 percent and ringgit’s 1.93 percent.

The yen’s volatility stood at 2.53 percent and the rupee at 4.76 percent.

Also, the euro’s was at 2.23 percent, Aussie dollar at 2.93 percent and the New zealand dollar at 3.10 percent.

Tetangco said the local currency “continues to be market determined” and is “moving in line with other currencies in the region.”

“I think now the peso is probably ahead in terms of value vis-a-vis the other currencies but that’s how the market perceives the currencies and we are just allowing the market to determine the rate. At the same time the volatility is one of the lowest,” he said.

“It really depends on how the market perceives the development. But looking at the prospects, I believe that our economic indicators will continue to provide fundamental support to the peso. It is a market rate,” he said.

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Coco water exports up by 1,200% C

OCONUT water (coco water), the water inside the adult coconut, which is often spilled out by coconut harvesters, has gained much in export earnings during the first quarter this year.

Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) Administrator euclides G. Forbes, in a press conference on Monday, said coco water gained foreign markets, particularly in the United States and some countries

in europe, and Switzerland, which obtained the highest percentage value. he said that although the United States remained the Philippines’ biggest importer of coco water, buying 4.8 million liters valued at US$ 5.3 million, Switzerland had been catching up as it imported 2,700 liters of coco water worth US$ 6,410 in the first four months this year, up by 1,324.44 percent from 600 liters worth US$ 450 for the

same period in 2011.

The Netherlands, also increased importation of coco water by 369.14 percent -- from 48,000 liters valued at US$ 43,200 to 225,189 liters valued at US$ 243,876.

The PCA chief said that total export sales reached US$ 6.6 million in the first quarter this year, up 174.36 percent from 5.99 million liters worth US$ 2.4 million during same period last year. he said coconut farm-

ers should be educated to give importance to coconut water.

At present, Forbes said about 95 percent of coco water is lost due to spillage. ”We have to disseminate information to our coconut farmers that they have to value the (coco) water inside the adult coconuts,” he said.

So far, Forbes said, only two companies were accredited exporters of the product.

am told by (Agriculture) Secretary Procy Alcala that the second quarter figures are most likely going to be higher than that,” said Secretary Ramon Carandang of the Presidential Communications Development and Strategic Planning Office (PCDSPO) in a media briefing in Malacanang on Tuesday.

“The government expenditures which we began to accelerate in December continue to accelerate even into the second quarter. So the

same factors that led to the growth in the first quarter seem to be present and perhaps even more in the second quarter, which is where we’re seeing some confidence that the second quarter growth could be stronger,” he added.

President Benigno S. Aquino III!, during an interview by Reuters this week, said he expects the country’s gross domestic product (GDP) in the second quarter to surpass the first quarter.

Asked by reporters if

they’ll be surprised if the GDP growth hits seven percent this year, Carandang said they are going to stick to five to six percent target for the whole year.

The global economic environment is gloomy at this time, Carandang said, resulting to a slower growth in the country. economic woes persist in Greece, Spain, and possibly Italy, Carandang said, noting China’s economy is also slowing down. Japan is also under recovery stage.

Palace optimistic for Q2 GDP growth

T

he Aquino administration sees continuing economic growth in the second quarter as a result of bullish agriculture sector and enhanced business activities due to accelerated government spending, a Palace official said.

“Is there reason for us to be optimistic about second quarter growth? yes. Number one, ‘pag tiningnan n’yo po ‘yung agriculture output in the first quarter, it grew by about one percent net. I

Foreign investments in Q1 provide 32,292 jobs

F

OReIGN direct investment (FDI) projects approved by five investment promotion agencies are seen to generate 32,292 jobs in the first quarter of the year from last year’s 32,347 jobs, according to the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB).

In a report, the NSCB said the Philippine economic zone Authorityapproved FDI projects are expected to create the most number of jobs at 21,972, or 68 percent of the total.

The Board of Investments would account for 8,201 jobs or 25.4 percent, while Authority of the Freeport Area of Bataan would share 1,385 jobs or 4.3 percent.

FDI projects that Clark Development Corp. and Subic Bay Metropolitan Authority (SBMA) would have a share of 1.4 percent and 0.9 percent, respectively, of the total expected jobs.

The NSCB also reported that the approved FDIs in the first quarter amounted to P22 billion, down by 16.3 percent

from P22 billion in the first quarter last year to P18.4 billion.

No investment pledges were received by BOIARMM during the period.

Among the investment promotion agencies (IPAs), SBMA registered the highest increase at 139.6 percent from P60.2 million in the first quarter of 2011 to P144.1 million.

BOI likewise recorded an increase of 53.3 percent to P3.7 billion from P2.4 billion last year.

On the other hand, PezA and CDC suffered double-digit declines of 27.7 percent and 13.4 percent, respectively.

The NSCB said the top prospective investing countries for the first quarter of 2012 include Japan, Netherlands and USA. Japan topped the list, committing P4.9 billion or 26.6 percent of the total FDI applications for the quarter.

Japan’s prospective ventures are mostly in manufacturing, particularly in the production of vehicles, wire harness, and various electronic and automotive components.

ON-AIR WIFI. Cebu Pacific is the first low cost carrier in Southeast Asia to offer OnAir wifi! CEB Chief Executive Adviser Garry Kingshott, OnAir Regional Accounts Director Sylvain Guilbon, CEB President and CEO Lance Gokongwei,

CEB GM for Long Haul Alex Reyes and cabin crew celebrate another innovation in the Philippine aviation industry—inflight wifi. Available soon on CEB’s long-haul flights!

Tourist arrivals increase in Boracay

T

OURIST arrivals in the island resort of Boracay signicantly increased during the first half of this year.

Caticlan Jetty port administrator Niven Maquirang said just for the period June 1 to 28, tourist arrivals reached 80,999 compared to 68,359 for the same period early last year.

With the development, Maquirang said tourists visiting the island resort has already exceeded the 700,000

mark starting from the month of January up to June this year, up by 41 percent compared for the same period in year 2011. he said tourists visiting Boracay from January to June 28 this year reached a record-high of 702,995 compared to a record of 498,742 tourists during the first six months of last year.

On the other hand, the number of domestic and Asian tourists for the first half of 2012 has

also increased, owing to direct regional flights from South Korea and Taiwan.

The port administrator also noted that despite the cancellation of bookings from China, the record still manifest a big influx of Chinese tourist coming to the island resort with 1,227 arrivals from that country this year.

Maquirang expressed optimism that Boracay will surpass its target of one million

tourist arrivals this year.

Meanwhile, port collections at the jetty ports in Caticlan and Cagban reached P10.358 million for June 1 to 28, 2012 compared to P9 million for the same month last year.

From January to June 28, 2012, the local government unit of the provincial government of Aklan also collected a total revenue of P103 million against last year’s collection of P71 million.

EDGEDAVAO

PROPERTY

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

7

Camella Cerritos, every homeowner’s choice

N

OW, owning a Camella home is easier and more affordable than you think with Camella Cerritos, a Mediterranean-inspired development sprawled over nine hectares of prime land along Mintal highway, Davao City.

Most homebuyers dream of living in one of Camella’s masterplan communities, but think these are beyond their reach. While all Camella communities possess an upscale appeal—with its stylish and functional houses, well-kept landscapes, and deluxe facilities and amenities—Camella Cerritos is made more accessible to many with its affordable prices.

Gone are the days when homebuyers had to settle for low-cost subdivisions and developers with no solid track record. With Camella Cerritos, they can easily afford their dream home and bask in the status of being a Camella homeowner.

Whether the homebuyer is a young professional, newlywed couple, young family, outof-towner, OFW, or an investor, Camella Cerritos has the ideal starter home for each one, as its homes are offered at a very low price range of P680,000 to P1.3 million.

For every type of homeowner, there is a Camella Cerritos home—from bungalows, to two-storey townhomes, and two-storey single detached homes. Bungalow models such as Andrea with a floor area of 25 sq. m. and Bianca with 31 sq. m. best suit newly-wed couples, out-of-towner students, young professionals, and even emptynesters.

There are also two-storey townhomes called Reanna with 40 sq. m. floor area and Margarita with 46 sq. m., and twostorey single detached homes Rina with 40 sq. m. and Marga with 46 sq. m. Any of these is ideal for families with two or more kids, young families, out-

of-towners who want a vacation house in Davao, OFWs who want to give their loved ones a new home or a vacation home for themselves, or those simply looking for a wise investment.

For any type of homebuyer, Camella Cerritos not only has the house but also the lifestyle they look for. For young professionals who want a charming neighborhood away from the traffic and congestion of downtown Davao, the wellmanicured lawns and lush landscape is a breath of fresh air when they come home after a hard day’s work.

The deluxe facilities and amenities—well-appointed clubhouse, swimming pool, open parks, playgrounds, treelined pathways, grand entry gate, and 24/7 security system with CCTV—make every young professional proud to own a home in Camella Cerritos. It is the fruit of their hard work, a symbol that they have made it in their career.

For parents who live outside Davao but whose children study in the city, Camella Cerritos is the perfect home base for those who go to UP Mindanao and Philippine Science high School in Mintal, or in one of the many reputable schools and colleges a short drive or ride away.

This friendly and idyllic community surrounded by perimeter fence allows students to focus on their studies. Parents will also feel good knowing their children are living in a secure, quiet neighborhood with the subdivision’s 24/7 security system hooked up with CCTV. even newly-wed couples or young families will not find

themselves wanting for anything when living at Camella Cerritos. Its convenient location along Mintal’s national highway makes it accessible to public transportation, with rides less than 20 minutes to downtown area.

Camella Cerritos is accessible to major malls, department stores and supermarkets like SM City of Davao, NCCC Mall in Maa, and Centrepoint in Matina Pangi. Rounding off the public utilities within easy access are hospitals, schools and universities, churches, public markets, banks, and bus stations, all a few kilometers away.

Living essentials will be within closer reach when Camella’s three-hectare commercial development, with Manila’s Starmall as the centerpiece, will be created to complement the residential project. This will boost Camella Cerritos’ appeal as offering the complete lifestyle

for any type of homeowner.

Camella Davao is a subsidiary of the country’s largest homebuilder, Vista Land & Lif-

escapes. All inquiries are welcome at 2/F Delgar Building (in front of Camella Northpoint), JP Laurel Ave., Bajada, Davao City,

telephone numbers (082) 2220963, (082) 222-5221, (082) 222-5223 (telefax) and 09178576572.

8

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Why there will be no foreign military intervention in Syria AnAlysis

L

EDITORIAL

Kadawayan gun ban

D

AVAO CITy Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio formally requested last week the Philippine National Police (PNP) to impose a gun ban during the month-long Kadayawan sa Dabaw, a fruit and flower thanksgiving festival, August 1 to 31, this year.

The request was coursed through the Davao City Peace and Order Council (DCPOC), headed by Mayor Inday herself.

The importance of such a ban can not be gainsaid most especially in a community like Davao City which has given primacy to law and order for the longest time.

The mayor’s proposal is laudable in that the ban will empower law enforcers to frisk everybody, especially suspicious-looking individuals and police characters, and confiscate their

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firearms not covered by a permit to carry, and those found to be simply unlicensed.

We don’t know about the legality of the move, but we trust that the leadership of the national police would weigh carefully the pros and cons of Inday Sara’s request and decide on the basis of what is the greatest good for the greatest number.

Of course, a ban is not self-executory.

The effectiveness or lack of it will still largely depend on how efficient it is implemented by the enforcers. Nothing beats a no-nonsense enforcement of the ban by agents of the law. By this, we mean the members of the Philippine National Police, those of Task Force Davao and other agents deputized to man the mobile and stationary checkpoints.

ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

RAMON M. MAXEY Consultant

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

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

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By John huBBel WeiSS

AST weekend’s international conference in Geneva seeking agreement on a path to resolving the crisis and escalating violence in Syria produced vague proposals for a transition government unlikely to go anywhere but Kofi Annan’s personal archive. Despite this failure, new human Rights Watch reports of systematic torture by the Assad regime, and the continuing call for intervention from many activists, including the Free Syrian Army, it is unlikely that there will be any armed foreign intervention in Syria as there was in Libya.

The tactical situation in Libya made intervention relatively easy: essentially all that was needed to prevent a massacre of civilians in Benghazi was to interdict Muammar Qaddafi’s forces along a single road running eastward along the Mediterranean shore to that city. This was done, and lives were saved. Such a situation does not exist in Syria, where the planes or missiles would have to attack formations surrounding many cities and towns as well as locate the bases of the less visible government-sponsored militias.

Whereas Libya’s regime was unpopular with just about everybody in the Arab world and the West, Syria – and the regime of Bashar al-Assad – is Russia’s last remaining ally in the region as well as the most important ally of Iran.

Various international agreements made since 1945 might seem to give legitimacy to international intervention, specifically to attempts to give effective aid to victims attacked by the Syrian government and its militias.

Chapter VII of the UN charter authorizes “such action by air, sea, or land forces as may be necessary to maintain or restore international peace and security.” French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius invoked this provision in mid June 13 when he said France would push the UN Security Council to enforce Kofi Annan’s peace plan and ceasefire. A probable ongoing Russian veto in the Security Council makes such a resolution unlikely to be adopted.

The would-be interveners would be left with only a “Kosovo” option: NATO actions, independent of the UN. yet even in the Kosovo crisis, the Serbian defeat depended on Russia’s eventual withdrawal of support for Milosevic as much as it did NATO’s bombing.

The Genocide Convention of 1948, signed by almost all countries, has not prevented any genocide from running its course, whether in Cambodia, Guatemala, Rwanda, or Sudan.

In any case, policy advisers would probably say that this convention does not apply to Syria because the targets of the regime do not fit the convention’s criteria: They are not a “national, ethnical, racial, or religious group;” they are “merely” political opponents, a category not included in the convention.

More relevant is the “Responsibility to Protect” resolution passed unanimously by the UN in 2005 accepting the responsibility of all governments to protect citizens of any other country being attacked by their own governments. The Responsibility to Protect resolution, however, leaves many avenues for states to escape having to intervene effectively, an escape that has proven to be the preferred option in cases like Sudan.

Mr. Assad has successfully kept out the international press and has prompted the failure of the UN monitor mission by restrictions and deliberately inadequate protection. The operators of amateur social media have not been able to compensate effectively for such blockage. World leaders could be hesitant to create an intervention policy based on the killing of children, for example, when it is not fully clear who did the killing.

They have perhaps learned a lesson from the babies allegedly killed in Kuwait in 1990

by Saddam hussein’s soldiers according to the congressional testimony of Kuwaiti diplomats. When investigators attempted to confirm these stories after Iraq was expelled from Kuwait in 1991, they turned out to be fabrications.

EDGEDAVAO

C

A N D I D ShOTS – For those of our countrymen wishing to leave the country and go to the “land of milk and honey” to look for greener pasture, it is extremely difficult. The Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) reports that the agency is having a hard time trying to accommodate all applicants because, daily, more than 3,000 of our kababayans want to become balikbayans. even so, I think that it must be even tougher to stay at home trying to make both ends meet. This adds one more reason that perhaps it is so tough being a Filipino. oooOooo BAD SITUATION – Recently, the news headlines circulating around stating that the Philippine government is more than willing to lend substantial amount to the emphatic International Monetary Fund (IMF) generated a varied of reactions from different sectors – some favorable while others tend to be highly critical.

The loan deal itself, which involves a staggering US $1billion, nonetheless, remains a “pledge” at this stage. The loan contract agreed upon between the Aquino administration and the IMF, if it pushes through is clearly a case for a better economic relation and cooperation to immediately respond to the financial needs of other friendly countries, according to the IMF. The assertive IMF probably has persuaded the present dispensation to pony up the said amount – maybe a financial aid package that has been promised earlier.

It will be expected – but not certain at

W

I T h Manny P a c quiao and his family spending summer in europe and probably already heading to Jerusalem, all has been quiet in the Land of Pacman.

All he is committed to, for now, is that he is fighting on November 11 against an opponent none of his camp can even identify yet.

The Bradley fallout has left many wondering if Pacquiao still has competitive opponents out there except for the one in jail that still continues to duck him.

Longtime lawyer and confidante Franklin ‘Jeng’ Gacal Jr agrees that finding one that will whet the appetite of boxing fans is getting harder by the day.

The welterweight division has dried up with so many would be contenders falling by the wayside. The latest was Victor Ortiz who quit after breaking his jaw in a fight against Josesito Lopez last Sunday. Perennial sparring partner Amir Khan also lost to Lamont Peterson, who in turn has been found positive for banned substance recently.

Timothy Bradley, to whom Pacquiao lost a controversial decision, simply isn’t attractive enough for Team Pacquiao, according to Gacal. Giving him a rematch will not only dignify one of the lousiest stickup decisions

Monkey Business

9 Lightning, no laughing matter in PHL VANTAGE POINTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

Disclosure is the key this stage how much interest rate would be generated from the huge loan agreement.

Already, some sectors have expressed disappointment over the reported loan deal entered into between the government and the IMF. But what seems to be upsetting many of our countrymen especially the ordinary people in the streets are things like the interlocking problems confronting the country – extreme poverty, massive unemployment and a strained economy.

Why should the present leadership entered into a loan contract with the IMF in the first place, when the government badly needs money for education, health care and medical services, food supply, shelter, infrastructure, so on and so forth? Part of the answer is that whenever there’s a friendly country that urgently needs financial assistance, as in the case of several european nations, others must be there to extend a helping hand. Perhaps the biggest point in Philippine’s favor is that the loan agreement with the IMF will improve not only economic relation but likewise mutual understanding, which in turn would encourage friendly countries to do the same thing in the event it’s our chance to ask for financial assistance.

Another part of the answer is that the government has enough cash reserve amounting to almost US$70 billion, according to the Bangko Sentral (BSP). Nevertheless, from a national policy point of view the money surplus cannot be used for other purpose other than what is being prescribed under a conjoint decree between a lending institution and the IMF. Ironically, for a developing country like the Philippines, which is surprisingly “oozing with cash” and capable of extending cash loans through the dic-

tations of the forceful IMF, the deal seemed like “adding insult to injury,” according to the aghast and disgusted public.

The more cynical thinks that such loan agreement is unwelcomed these days even if government reiterates that the contract is essential to better cooperation and economic relations with other countries. Are we a poor country trying to be rich, the people asked? Many of us probably read the wires years back and learned that some vocal critics of the IMF have lot of things to say about the latter – it is moving in a very different direction from where it was supposed to be.

All this might explain why a disclosure is in order – a key to erase out all the doubts surrounding the hastily agreed US$1B cash loan deal with the IMF. even noted foreign economic reform advisers and avid critics commented that the IMF is much too secretive and much too assertive in its performance. They take for granted that everything it says is good and the only question is whether the beneficiary government complies with the rules and regulations.

But the sad fact according to financial experts is that not all it recommends is so good. From their point of view, any government is in a dangerous situation when you have a closed and secretive institution that makes a lot of slip-ups. The IMF programs, therefore, should be made open, not only so that participants in cash loan packages would know what’s going on, but so that everybody can see the plans and recommendations – and where are they coming from and do they make sense in details. Well, many experts observed that most of the details counts, however, are unknown except if someone slips you an under-the-table copy of the programs. That’s a very bad situation.

in boxing in recent years. It would also be financially unattractive purse-wise. This early, Top Rank’s Bob Arum has already hinted that Bradley would get a bigger purse and a better slice in the PPV pie. The PacquiaoBradley fight, however, did not make one million PPVs. It was only the second time since the 2008 Oscar de la hoya fight that a Pacquiao ticket failed to hit the one million PPV buys (the other was the 2010 Joshua Clottey bout), also the last time Pacquiao fought three times in a year.

A fourth fight against Juan Manuel Marquez has been floated but other than expecting another close fight, there is nothing left for Pacquiao to prove against his arch nemesis. Two wins and a draw in three close fights should be enough to close that chapter.

At this point, it is also better to forget the dream Floyd Mayweather Jr. match. It sure will rival any fight of the decade in the history of boxing. But what can you do if the other guy just simply puts one hurdle after another to avoid Pacquiao? If it comes, it comes. If not, then woe to Mayweather.

Although Pacquiao has noticeably slowed down in his last three fights and failed to register a knockout victory beginning 2010, he is still the top pound for pound boxer and elite fighter who broke de la hoya’s will and battered the faces of Miguel Angel Cotto and Antonio Margarito.

Pacquiao and his team has two months to plot the fighting congressman’s short-

term boxing plans and eventually his future as a boxer.

2013 is election year in the Philippines and Pacquiao has a handful of local concerns. Chief among them is to decide whether he will continue to be a wallflower in the house of Representatives or be the action man that he is in Sarangani as candidate for governor. With so many leeches and sycophants around waiting for the stamp of approval as his choice candidates and facing prospect of seeing allies running against each other, Pacquiao has plenty of political distractions waiting when he returns from a well-deserved break. Then, he will also have to figure out how to help his brother win a seat in Congress as the latest in nearby General Santos is that Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio is no longer running for re-election but will trade places with Rep. Pedro ‘Jun’ Acharon Jr. It will be a formidable battle for his favorite sibling, who on his own is a village chief of Apopong.

Pacquiao has chosen a multi-task career while still enjoying unparalleled popularity as a top of the line sports athlete. he will eventually come at a crossroads where he has to decide which one he will give up.

Boxing and politics do not really mix well.

Both are fulltime jobs.

Perhaps the quiet time he is having now will give him the foresight which one he will give the ultimate calling.

Meantime, do not be deceived by the quiet front. [Edwin G. Espejo writes for www. asiancorrespondent.com]

Quiet front

speciAl FeAture By honor Blanco caBie

L

IGhTNING, an atmospheric electrical phenomenon, rips the sky apart almost daily in this Southeast Asian archipelago which has two seasons: the dry and the wet.

But particularly during the rainy season, which begins in June and ends in October and sometimes in early November, lightning strikes fear among many in the population of 98 million people.

Personified by the Classic Mayas as a rain deity classified by scholars as God K, this deity has a leg shaped like a lightning serpent and a forehead perforated by a lightning god.

But many in this country – in the urban centers as well as those in the far flung countryside, say lightning, which always claims victims during the monsoon, is not a light thing to brush off.

Only very recently, people from north and south of the capital have reported friends or relations – some of them young boys – who have died after they were struck by lightning in open spaces.

The worst reported case – as far as number is concerned – was when lightning struck a parked Philippine Airlines Airbus 320 on May 7, 2011 where nine workers took shelter from heavy rains.

The nine suffered injuries.

Not the recent victims who got the shock and died.

The deaths despite, the Philippines has not joined the group of countries which have recorded hundreds and scores as lightning victims in a year.

According to some authorities on thunderstorms and intense weather, lightning can occur with both positive and negative polarity.

An average bolt of negative lightning carries an electric current of 30,000 amperes (30 kA), and transfers 15 coulombs of electric charge and 500 megajoules of energy.

Large bolts of lightning can carry up to 120 kA and 350 coulombs.

An average bolt of positive lightning carries an electric current of about 300 kA — about 10 times that of negative lightning.

The voltage involved for both is proportional to the length of the bolt.

But, lightning leader development is not just a matter of the electrical breakdown of air, which occurs at a voltage gradient of about 1 megavolt per meter (MV/m).

According to these authorities, the ambient electric fields required for lightning leader propagation can be one or two orders of magnitude (10−2) less than the electrical breakdown strength.

Authorities say lightning rapidly heats the air in its immediate vicinity to about 20,000 °C (36,000 °F) — about three times the temperature of the surface of the Sun. They say the sudden heating effect and the expansion of heated air gives rise to a supersonic shock wave in the surrounding clear air.

It is this shock wave, once it decays to an acoustic wave, that is heard as thunder.

Authorities say lightning is an atmospheric electrical discharge (spark) accompanied by thunder, usually associated with and produced by cumulonimbus clouds, but also occurring during volcanic eruptions or in dust storms.

According to them, from this discharge of atmospheric electricity, a leader of a bolt of lightning can travel at speeds of 220,000 kms/h, and can reach temperatures of about 30,000 °C , hot enough to fuse silica sand into glass channels known as fulgurites, which are normally hollow and can extend as much as several meters into the ground.

There are some 16 million lightning storms in the world every year.

Lightning causes ionization in the air through which it travels, leading to the formation of nitric oxide and ultimately, nitric acid, of benefit to plant life below.

Lightning can also occur within the ash clouds from volcanic eruptions, or can be caused by violent forest fires which generate sufficient dust to create a static charge, authorities add. how does lightning form?

This, according to authorities is still a matter of debate.

Scientists have studied root causes ranging from atmospheric disturbances (wind, humidity, friction, and atmospheric pressure) to the impact of solar wind and accumulation of charged solar particles.

Ice inside a cloud is thought to be a key element in lightning development, and may cause a forcible separation of positive and negative charges within the cloud, thus assisting in the formation of lightning.

In the meantime, while Filipinos may enjoy the sight of lightning bolts splitting the sky, authorities advise them to avoid open spaces, staying under tall trees and raising their mobiles for possible signals – all good conductors of lightning power. [PNA]

10

SUBURBIA

Dujali is all set for economic boom

T

he province’s governor envisions the inland town of Braulio e. Dujali to teem with business and tourism activities as a major stopover site of travelers, traders and tourists traversing the Davao del Norte-Bukidnon road.

In a talk with Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Undersecretary Merly Cruz during the recently held Kadagayaan Festival, Governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario proposed the idea of the pooling resources of agencies of the government in a convergence strategy to bring about development in Be Dujali.

Asked how he would describe Be Dujali in five to 10 years time, he projected it to host inland resorts where visitors could go fishing, and that he envisioned it to accommodate about 100 trailer trucks a day in a wide terminal. he pictured amenities for travelers such as cottages and entertainment establishment to rise in Be Dujali where he expected travelers and traders to spend their day after crossing the Davao del Norte-Bukidnon Road, which will soon become fully operational.

Del Rosario said entering the inland town has already been made easy through access points in adjacent towns of Sto. Tomas, Kapalong and Carmen and in the cities of Tagum and Panabo.

Located in the 2nd Congressional District of Davao del Norte, Be Dujali lies 52 km away from Davao City and 27 km from Tagum City.

A low-lying, floodprone area, Be Dujali was carved out from Panabo City and the municipality of Carmen. It was created into a separate town by virtue of Republic Act 8473 approved on January 30, 1998.

To fund the envisioned development for Be Dujali, Del Rosario thought of applying the Convergence for Peace and Development strategy that his administration is using to bring in the needed government services to target far-flung barangays. he also thought of having Dujali placed under the National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC) focused area where agencies such as departments of agriculture, science and technology and trade and industry including the Technical education for Skills Development Authority (TeSDA) can pour their resource to realize the planned development for Dujali.

Cruz said Be Dujali along with the municipalities of Kapalong, New Corella and Talaingod were among the 609 towns that DTI had placed under NAPC as focused areas for food production.

Cruz looked forward for Be Dujali to become a “convergence showcase” where various government agencies put together their resources to build and develop a town.

She introduced Governor del Rosario to DTI development planner Romy Castanaga whom she expected to draw up a development plan for Be Dujali, together with a technical working group.

In line with del Rosario’s vision for Be Dujali, Cruz projected the town to rise as a fishing village which would not only be good for raising Pangasius for export but also for fishing leisure.

She envisioned it to become a “halfway home” for travelers ,and a place that would be transformed into an environment-friendly community integrated with commercial and large-scale business developments just like the Nuvali of Ayala Land and the yulo family.

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EDGEDAVAO

7 seaports to undergo rehabilitation

T

he Department of Transportation and Communications (DOTC) has allotted P93.8 million to improve several ports in the country in anticipation of increased commercial shipping activities.

In a statement posted on its website, Transportation and Communications Secretary Mar Roxas said the Aquino administration will rehabilitate and expand the seaports in Corcuera, Romblon; Sto. Domingo, Bacacay, and Pili—all in Albay; Palid, zamboanga Sibugay; Melga, Dinagat Island; and Placer, Surigao Del Norte.

“These projects are a key component to the commitment of the government to provide convenient, affordable, reliable, efficient, and safe transport. These

will also respond to the steady expansion of shipping activities— shipcalls, cargo throughputs, and passenger and container traffic—which made it a necessity to expand and upgrade the country’s port community,” Roxas said.

The Corcuera Port project in Romblon is the biggest among the DOTC’s port development projects, worth P28.7 million. It aims to improve the regular and special boat trips from Corcuera to Calatrava in Tablas Island as well as to the provincial capital of Romblon; Banton Island, and San Agustin.

Next is the P28.4million port project in Placer, Surigao Del Norte. The port serves all sea crafts within the municipality and from the neighboring islands and towns.

The Bacacay Port project in Albay is also scheduled to be improved to handle the expanding number of shipment of coal products coming from island barangays. The project cost is estimated at P9.6 million.

The Pili Port job in Albay will amount to P8.7 million so that the docks can be expanded to accommodate not only motorized bancas plying Pili Bay but also handle the expected increase in the fish and other aquaculture production in the area.

In Sto. Domingo, Albay, its port lies strategically between Legazpi City and Tabaco City. It caters not only to boats of fisher folks, but also pump boats carrying tourists on island-hopping tours in several islets off the shores of Al-

bay. The project will entail a cost of P8.6 million.

Meanwhile, the Palid Wharf in zamboanga Sibugay will be improved to the tune of P4.9 million so that it can provide a connection to Buluan Island—a flora and fauna sanctuary that offers breathtaking underwater sceneries populated by untouched corals as well as 21 observed families of fishes, giant clams, and marine turtles.

The P4.9-million Melgar Wharf project in Dinagat Island aims to make the port as one of the main entry points from Surigao del Norte to Dinagat Island. The wharf will also serve the fishing activities in the area and transport of passenger and goods from/to San Jose, Surigao Port and other nearby barangays.

Davao Regional Hospital offers ‘Type Z’ benefits

D

AVAO Regional hospital (DRh) is now one of only three hospitals in Mindanao contracted by the Philippine health Insurance Corp. (PhIC) or Philhealth to offer the Case Type z benefits for life-threatening illnesses.

Philhealth together with DRh Tuesday launched the Case Type z Benefits which packages financial assistance for patients of “catastrophic illnesses” particularly Acute Lymphocytic Leukemia (ALL), Breast Cancer, Prostate Cancer and Kidney Transplant.

Aside from DRh, the Southern Philippines Medical Center and the Northern Mindanao Medical Center are contracted by Philhealth to roll out the Case Type z Ben-

efits package which grants P210,000 for ALL; P100,000 for Breast Cancer; P100,000 for Prostate Cancer; and P600,000 for Kidney Transplant.

During the launching, Department of health (DOh) assistant secretary Dr. Romulo Busuego, DRh chief of hospital, cited the newest health insurance package of Philhealth as a “significant improvement” to increase financial risk protection of Philhealth members.

Through the Case Type z Benefits of Philhealth, the costly and highly technical health services of the four covered illnesses are now being made accessible even to the least fortunate, Dr. Busuego said.

NEW ROAD. KALAHI-CIDSS community volunteers work together during the implementation of the 1.2-kilometer road improvement sub-project of Barangay Zaragosa in Manay, Davao Oriental. To date, KALAHI-CIDSS in

partnership with community volunteers and local government units has completed 264 sub-projects throughout Davao Region.

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A day of smiles at Abreeza Mall

A

BReezA Mall welcomed 20 children from Operation Smile by treating them to a day of fun-filled activities last June 23, 2012. This is part of Abreeza’s commitment to continue the “Inspire Campaign” which launched last December. The children are patients of Operation Smile afflicted with cleft lip, cleft palate and other facial deformities.

The kids with their parents & guardians were treated to watch “Madagascar 3: europe’s Most Wanted” at the Abreeza Cinema. Not only did they get to watch the latest kid’s flick of the month, they

also enjoyed treats from Mc Donald’s. energy and excitement rose when the children were allowed to play at The Timezone Gaming Area at the (location 3rd level or 2nd level) of the mall . When they thought that the afternoon of fun was almost over, Mc Donalds surprised them with another round of snacks plus entertainment from their favourite Mc Donalds character. The kids went home tired but happy and will always remember their fun filled afternoon at Abreeza as they hold on to the freebies that they were able to take home.

Jen and Lutz of Abreeza distribute goodie bags to the Children’s Hour beneficiaries

All Smiles from the Children’s Hour beneficiaries and volunteers, Operation Smile volunteers, and the Abreeza Team

269-new police officer of PRO 11 oath to serve and protect the people

A

total of two hundred sixty-nine (269) new police recruits of Police Regional Office 11 started their training last July 2, 2012 after the oathtaking ceremony administered by PRO 11 Regional Director PCSUPT JAIMe h MOReNTe. PRO 11 completed its quota of 269 Police Officer 1s’ for the first phase of Regular and Attrition Recruitment Program for Calendar year 2012, wherein 234 males and 35 females passed the standard qualifications.

These 269 new PNP recruits had undergone

the meticulous screening process and complied all the requirements set forth the by Regional Screening Committee.

They passed all the rigorous qualification process like the agility test, neuropsychiatric test, medical and dental test and the Final Interview.

RD PRO 11 PCSUPT JAIMe h MOReNTe, CeO VI urged the new recruits to value integrity and service. he added to have a positive attitude towards the duration of their training and that they must be true to their oath to serve and protect the people and

not to abuse the privilege of being a person in authority.

After the said ceremony, the new PNP recruits will undergo one (1) year Public Safety Field Training Program (PSFTP) to train and to prepare them for the basic work and function of the PNP. Also, they will undergo the PNP SCOUT and other trainings intended for their greater responsibilities as public servants.

The new police recruits will receive a monthly salary and other benefits of police personnel.

COMMUNITY SENSE 11

12 NATION/WORLD NATION BRIEFS

A

Shot dead

67-year-old Dutch missionary who was reportedly assisting farm workers in hacienda Luisita was executed in front of his office in Barangay Telebastagan here at past noon yesterday.

Willem Geertman, executive director of the Alay Bayan Inc. (ABI), was shot in the back by two unidentified men as he knelt just a few feet from his office inside L&S subdivision at around 12:45 p.m.

T

Dead

wo people were killed by a collapsing wall as heavy rains pounded the Philippine capital Tuesday, bringing floods that have been worsened by garbage clogging the city’s sewers and drains, officials said.

Waist-deep floods swamped low-lying areas of Manila after a dam near the city overspilled and had to open its gates, swelling rivers downstream, said Anna Orallo of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council.

Nevada flight

P

ASSeNGeRS traveling from Manila, Philippines to Las Vegas, Nevada, will now arrive at the new US$2.4billion airport terminal 3 opened June 28 at Las Vegas McCarran International Airport, the seventh busiest airport in the US. Philippine Airlines (PAL) is the only Philippine carrier serving the ManilaLas Vegas route, via Vancouver, bringing tourists to the so-called “entertainment Capital of the world” which receives a total of 40 million visitors a year. In response to the increasing number of Asian tourists to Las Vegas, there will be four flights per week from Manila, it was announced this week, using the widebody Airbus A340 aircraft.

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

West trying to ‘distort’ Syria deal says Russia

EDGEDAVAO

R

USSIA accused the West of seeking to distort an agreement for a political transition in Syria, after international peace envoy Kofi Annan said a ceasefire was imperative.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov hailed the Geneva accord based on proposals by Annan as an “important step” but said that Western capitals had read more into the final statement than what was written on paper.

“These (Geneva) agreements are not there to be interpreted. They mean exactly what is said in the communique and we need to follow the agreements that were made,” he said. his comments came soon after Annan spokesman Ahmad Fawzi told reporters a “shift” in positions by Russia and its diplomatic ally China at the Geneva talks should not be underestimated.

A two-day meeting of opposition groups which has been held behind closed doors in Cairo meanwhile ended late Tuesday with a consensus statement, according

LEGAL NOTICE

Notice is hereby given that pursuant to Rule 74, Section 1 of the Revised Rules of Court, JULIA SUSAN B. CASTILLO issued an AFFIDAVIT OF ADJUDICATION BY SOLE HEIR OF ESTATE OF DECEASED PERSON ,as the only surviving heir of VALERIANA B. CASTILLO who died intestate in the City of Davao, on January 18, 2012,executed per Doc. No. 53; Page No. 11; Book No. IX; Series of 2012 OF THE NOTARY PUBLIC ANTHONY P. BANZALI

Asylum seekers

A

N Australian navy ship was standing ready on Wednesday to help a boat carrying up to 180 people, presumed to be asylum seekers, authorities said, the third boat to send distress signals in the past three weeks between Indonesia and Australia.

About 90 people died after a boat carrying asylum seekers sank on June 21 and around 120 were rescued after another boat sank in the same area a week later.

Nuclear village

A member of the Free Syria Army walks past a destroyed Syrian forces tank in the town of Atareb in northern Aleppo province on July 2. Russia accused the West of

seeking to distort an agreement for a political transition in Syria, after international peace envoy Kofi Annan said a ceasefire was imperative.

to egypt’s official MeNA news agency.

The conference was boycotted by two of the largest groups -- the Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC) and the Free Syrian Army.

On Saturday, world powers agreed a plan for a transition in Syria that did not make an explicit call for President Bashar al-Assad to quit power,

but the West swiftly made clear it saw no role for Assad in a unity government.

Meanwhile, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said Russia will not attend a “Friends of Syria” meeting in Paris on Friday aimed at coordinating Western and Arab efforts to stop the violence in the country.

“Russia was invited.

They made it known that they did not want to participate, which is not a surprise,” he told reporters.

Russia, a traditional ally of Syria, and China did not attend any previous meetings of the group.

In Washington, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said the Russians were free to decide whether to attend the Paris talks or not.

try, in an embassy statement quoting spokesman Liu Weimin, called on all parties to maintain “peace and stability” in the South China Sea. “We have noticed the reports,” the ministry spokesman was quoted as saying.

“It is the hope of the Chinese side that peace and stability can be maintained... and parties concerned do things conducive to regional peace and stability,” the statement said.

It did not specify the Philippines or the United

States or mention the almost-three month long dispute between China and the Philippines over the Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea. The Scarborough Shoal dispute began after Chinese government vessels blocked Philippine ships from arresting Chinese fishermen near the shoal on April 10.

Both countries have been pressing their respective claims to the area with the poorlyequipped Philippines seeking the support of its main defense ally, the

United States.

China claims nearly all of the South China Sea, even waters close to the coasts of neighbouring countries. The Philippines says the shoal is well within its 200-nautical-mile exclusive economic zone.

The shoal sits about 230 kilometres (140 miles) from the western coast of the Philippines’ main island of Luzon. The nearest major Chinese land mass is 1,200 kilometres northwest of the shoal, according to Philippine navy maps.

PHL downplays US spy plane request T he Philippine government said the deployment of US spy planes, suggested by President Benigno Aquino, was just one option to monitor the country’s territory, as China appealed for stability in the region.

“If they happen at all, they are surveillance flights, they are not meant to be provocative. There’s no offensive capability here,” said the president’s spokesman Ricky Carandang.

China’s foreign minis-

WORLD TODAy

B

UFFeTeD by industry worries about high electricity costs on one side and public safety fears about nuclear power on the other, Japan’s leaders are still struggling to craft a coherent energy policy more than a year after the Fukushima disaster.

Critics say Prime Minister yoshihiko Noda, whose top priority is raising the sales tax to curb bulging public debt, is caving in to Japan’s “nuclear village” - a powerful nexus of utilities, bureaucrats and businesses - by restarting the first of Japan’s 50 reactors to come back on line since the crisis.

Reshuffle

M

yANMAR President Thein Sein plans to reshuffle his cabinet and appoint a new vicepresident soon to reduce the influence of anti-reform ministers and accelerate changes in the former pariah state, several members of parliament said.

The reshuffle is expected in the current session of parliament that begins on Wednesday and could sideline some hardliners by reducing their responsibilities in the 37-member cabinet or give them new roles, said the members.

A A

The Philippine government said the deployment of US spy planes, suggested by President Benigno Aquino, pictured in March 2012, was just one option to monitor the country’s territory, as China appealed for stability in the region.

Huge blaze

N explosion at an oil refinery in an industrial area of Bangkok sparked a massive fire early Wednesday, sending a thick column of smoke into the air that could be seen across the Thai capital.

No one appeared to have been injured in the blaze, which began after a loud blast at around 7.30 am local time (0030 GMT), according to a spokeswoman for the refinery firm.

Released

Chinese city has released 21 people who were detained after a clash between police and residents protesting against a metals plant they feared would poison them, city officials said on Wednesday, the second unusual official concession in two days.

Thousands of people in the southwestern city of Shifang took to the streets over the past three days against the government’s plans to allow the building of a copper alloy plant, the latest unrest spurred by environmental concerns in the world’s second-largest economy.

EDGEDAVAO

Councilors...

Mindanao...

FFROM 1

propose the moratorium after 17 councilors voted “no,” only two voted “yes,” and two others abstained on the application of Fairfield.

On the other, 15 councilors thumbed down the application of eternal Garden, while only four voted “yes,” while two others abstained.

The moratorium will stay, according to Al-ag, until the Watershed Management and Protection Council headed by Davao City Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio is done with the watershed delineation project which will specifically identify where the city’s watershed areas are located.

The moratorium will likewise affect the application of Forest Lake, the third memorial which applied in the Ulas area.

The establishment of memorial parks above the Dumoy aquifer and its surrounding areas is strongly opposed by the barangay government of Dumoy headed by barangay captain Jesse Mar Culaste, the United Residents of Dacoville led by engineer Conrado Vidanes and other individuals and groups, including members of the Davao Watershed Management Council. Part of the op-

Gold...

FFROM 1

positors are siblings of businessman Francis Ledesma, owner of Fairfield memorial park.

Councilors Arnolfo Ricardo Cabling and Marissa Salvador-Abella who are leaders and spokespersons of the watershed management council vowed to move for the amendment of the Water Code to include Dumoy aquifer as major water resource where projects like memorial parks are prohibited.

The watershed delineation project was started last June 5 as directed by Mayor Duterte-Carpio.

Ricardo Jimenez Jr., retired broadcast executive and secretary of the Dacoville residents group, thanked the members of the city council for showing concern for the preservation of the Dumoy, undeniably the city’s biggest source of potable water. he said the councilors’ action can also be credited to the vigilance shown by the oppositors.

“My goal for the declaration of the moratorium is to give time to the watershed management council to submit to the City Council the detailed and updated map of the city’s water resources,” Al-ag told edge Davao.

Al-ag said that with such information, the City Council would be better equipped to decide on applications for memorial parks.

“I will wait for the water(shed) management council to interpret Article 6 of the city’s Water Code and to clearly delineate the water resource areas,” Al-ag added.

The city’s Water Resources Management and Protection Code 2001 disallows new memorial parks and cemeteries to rise in water-rich areas.

Article 6 of the code only declares areas as principal water sources of Davao City: a) Calinan to Dacudao, b) Calinan to Malagos, and c) Sirawan. however, the code does not name the areas of Dumoy, Baliok, Bago, Puan and Ulas which are known water resource areas from which the Davao City Water District operates 39 of the 54 deepwells.

During a council deliberation the ‘missing’ provision of the code’s Article 6 was raised.

The council resolved that the Water Code needs to be amended, but before this the city should first define its watershed areas.

GenSan...

FFROM 3

country.”

Jesus Dureza, former Presidential Adviser for Mindanao, told reporters during a break at the mining forum held at the Grand Men Seng hotel ascribed the estimated 90 percent drop in gold sale to the recent move of the BIR to collect excise and withholding taxes on top of other taxes.

Dureza, who also served as chair of the Mindanao economic Development Council and later the Mindanao Development Authority under the Arroyo administration, said government could easily collect 12 percent of the total gross value of the gold sold. “They were startled by the 12 percent.

They have not been used to paying taxes,” he said of the small-scale miners.

Arreza noted that that the sudden drop in gold sales began during the implementation early this year of BIR Revenue Regulation 7-2008, which required imposition of two percent excise tax and five percent withholding tax on gold that the miners produced and sold to

13

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

the BSP. The regulation was crafted in 2008. The law requires small miners to sell gold to the BSP, which would be refined and included in the country’s Gross International Reserves. “I think government should look closely into this situation,” Dureza said, referring to the plight of small scale miners and the need for government to acquire through sale, the gold from them.

Arreza said the number of small scale miners wa still the subject of an inventory, but he said their number would not be less than 50,000 spread in the Diwalwal gold rush in Monkayo, and Boringot complex in Pantukan, Compostela Valley province. Dureza and Arreza were at the Forum on Responsible Mining organized by the JCI Senate Philippines and attended by a panel from the Chamber of Mines and representatives of various sectors, including leaders and representatives of the sector opposing large scale-mining. [MINDANEwS]

Luzon’s P1,649,532,232 and the Visayas’ P1,373,388,000. however, for nickel, Luzon posted the highest reserve with P428,702,472 while Mindanao has a reserve of P381,899,952, and the Visayas with P1,160,952.

“As it had been said before, the Philippines is like a poor man sitting on a mountain of gold,” Disini said, adding that the Philippines has a mineral wealth of $840 billion and ranks 3rd in the world for its gold reserve, 4th for copper, 5th for nickel, and 6th for chromite.

Chamber...

projects set for execution this year to 2018, while some started last year.

“These new projects total an investment worth $15.3 billion, with an annual revenue of $12-14 billion,” Disini said.

“These would have a total direct employment of 410,000 jobs and applying the multiplier effect of 5 this would mean there would be 2,050,000 direct and indirect jobs.

This has a projection of benefitting 10.25 million Filipinos as direct and indirect beneficiaries,” he added.[JADE c. zALDIVAR]

ciation of the Philippines (CeAP), which publicly declared in its conference last year that it was opposing the Philippine Mining Act of 1995.

Government has projected mining to be a banner revenue-generation industry. Last year, mining generated P13.7 billion for government.

“This is roughly 10 percent of the total gross revenues of the industry.” “If the restrictions were lifted, government should expect this share to go up to 40 percent to 50 percent more as

tax holidays expire and companies would be paying the exact provision of the law,” he said.

Government share would still go higher if the 17 prospective investors would enter the industry. There are already 17 mining operations in the country, many of them large scale.

The COMP estimated a potential mining wealth in the country reaching $840 billion, or about P47 trillion. This would be 10 times its annual gross domestic product. [MINDANEwS]

FFROM 2

investors. “It’s getting too long already. We thought the eO was to be issued soon”.

The President ordered a moratorium on mining operations while he directed his mining team to craft an eO which was apparently prompted by the holding in January this year of an international mining conference among “like-minded” opposition to large-scale mining using open-pit method. The gathering was held at the Ateneo de Davao University, a member of the Catholic education Asso-

FFROM 3

ed decreased in number but murder cases in the area increased significantly during the period. he said they recorded only one homicide case compared to the two in the same period last year while the number of physical injury cases dropped to 33 from 35 last year.

Octavio said they only monitored five rape cases compared to 11 in the same period last year.

But for murder, the number of reported cases within the city’s 26 barangays increased to 26 from only 18 last year.

Among them was the killing last January of Tatak News publisher Christopher Guarin in Barangay Lagao.

Police officials had tagged an alleged notorious gun-for-hire group operating in the city as behind Guarin’s murder but the killer remains at-large.

Citing results of their investigation, Octavio

Prominent group JCI Senate Philippines, which organized the forum, declared that it supports ‘responsible mining’, inviting representatives from both the pro and anti mining sectors as well as those from the academe.

“We are not here to persuade but rather to educate on what mining is and what potential the country has,” said zamboanga del Sur Governor Antonio Cerilles, president of JCI Senate Philippines.

Disini said the national government has approved 17 new mining

Naval...

FFROM 2 attributed the increase in the number of murders to the influence of alcohol and operations of alleged guns-for-hire, especially by suspects riding motorcycles in tandem.

City Mayor Darlene Antonino-Custodio said some of the previous murder cases in the city were triggered by longstanding land conflicts.

The city government has sought the intervention of the National Commission on Indigenous Peoples in resolving the pending ancestral domain claims in the city to prevent more bloodshed among conflicting land claimants.

Meantime, for crimes against properties, Octavio said they only recorded 76 cases of robbery, 64 theft, 23 carnapping and zero for cattle rustling.

Last year’s robbery cases hit 107 followed by theft with 100, carnapping with 24 and cattle rustling with one.

[ALLEN V. EStAbILLO / MINDANEwS]

ship USCG Waesche.

They will be deployed on Friday to the seas outside Sarangani Bay for the on-shore naval exercises that would include live firing in an area spanning 100 by 140 miles. They are expected to be back at the Makar Wharf here on Sunday. CARAT 2012 will end on July 10.

Commodore Philip L. Cacayan, Naval Forces eastern Mindanao commander, said that advisories have been issued to avoid accidents involving commercial vessels and fishermen while the naval exercises are ongoing.

“Appropriate maritime information has been disseminated to all units transiting the area for the actual at-sea exercises not only at the local but also at the national level,” he told reporters.

Carney said the training with the Philippine Navy in Mindanao is a “tremendous benefit to the US forces as [they[ are not familiar with the area.”

It’s an opportunity to train with forces that

know the water space and familiar with the environment, he added.

Carney said the US troops in the CARAT exercises would be celebrating the American Independence Day with a social activity Wednesday night inside the Makar Wharf.

Although US troops in the CARAT exercises are banned from R & R, “they are enjoying the hospitability the Filipinos have shown them,” he added.

So far, the exercises have been in-land or in the shorelines, such as the small boat hostage rescue drill in the boundary of this city and Maasim in Sarangani.

Capt. Joseph Lipiec, who spoke for the US Marine team, appeared satisfied with the training exercises with the Philippine troops.

“I’m very impressed with the Philippine Coast Guard as well as the Philippine Marines,” he said.

Lipiec claimed that the night vision goggle “used by the Filipino troops is better than theirs.” [bONG S. SARMIENtO / MINDANEwS]

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SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Phoenix Petroleum Assistant Vice President for Brand, HR and External Affairs Atty. Raymond Zorrilla makes the ceremonial toss with Davao City Councilor Marissa Abella during the opening of the Trip Ko Phoenix Fuels Season 4.

Phoenix Season 4 underway F

By Neil Bravo

ROM campus backyards to backyard lots, make no distinction about it, they come from all corners of Davao to pool individual skills for team success.

That, in essence, is what the Phoenix Fuels Season 4 Basketball Cup is all about.

The only non-schoolbased league devoted to cagers aged 16 years and below, the fourth edition of the tournament showcase the 120 aspirants who survived the gruelling tests to make it to the elite league.

Saturday’s opener saw Team Accelerate Vega winning over Team Cyclomax Force 63-61 while Team zoelo extreme nipped Team Cycle Fork Oil 75-74 in the other opening day match.

The fourth season attracted some 1,500 aspirants during the series of tryouts handled by the coaching pool. From the initial numbers, only 120 players made the roster of the eight teams in the tournament. The designated teams are Cyclomax Titan, Cyclomax 4T, zoelo extreme, zoelo Diesel, Accelerate Vega, Accelerate Supreme, Cycle Fork and 2T Max. According to tournament rules, the teams are handled by pre-selected coaches--Dindo Pastor, Bayong Villaflor, Nick Serafica, Alex Albores, Dodong Cagampang, Avel Guno, Noy Pido, Bert Malinao, Allan Josol, eddie Salac, Rhoderick Conda, Aladin Saldua, Roy Josol, Jigger Saniel, Bambie Santander, and Arman Villanueva.

Overseeing the tour-

nament are Commissioner Cadel Mosqueda and Tournament Director Goldie Delvo.

A 2-hour values formation seminar was held a day before the opening of the Phoenix Basketball Cup, attended by the players and their coaches. house rules, players’ decorum, and roles of the parents were tackled.

Speaker Dr. Luis Jose Presbiter gave a talk on “how to Become a Better Team Player.” Workshops and fun group presentations were also held as part of the seminar.

As incentives to players, Phoenix shouldered the team uniforms on top of practice and game allowances.

The Phoenix Basketball Cup will be played over nine Sundays and will culminate during the Kadayawan Festival in August.

Phl youth chessers savor triumph

D

avao’s FIDE Master austin Jacob Literatus bagged another bronze medal in the blitz competition as the Philippines capped its campaign in the 2012 asian Youth Chess Championship by winning a gold and a pair of silver and bronze medals at the conclusion of the weeklong meet in Hikkaduwa, sri Lanka. official results from the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) bared that the 15-year old Literatus drew with eventual gold medal winner FM Javanbakht Nima of Iran to settle for the bronze. a Koushik of India won the silver.

Literatus also took the bronze in he standard boys Under-16 event earlier.

“It was a fine performance.

We are proud of the achievements of aJ,” said James Infiesto, who heads the NCFP in Davao. shania Mae Mendoza provided the lone gold for the Filipino chessers by topping the rapid competition. It was actually a 1-2-3 finish for the country in the event as stephen Rome Pangilinan and Justin Mordido took home the silver and bronze, respectively.

The other PH medalists in the June 24-July 1 tournament held at the Hotel Chaya Tranz were MC Dominique Lagula and Literatus, who bagged silver and bronze medals in the blitz competition.

Lagula, a native of Bay-

Davao’s AJ Literatus, newly-minted FIDE Master and winner of two bronze medals. ombong, Nueva vizcaya, came close to winning the gold, but failed to convert his winning position and ended up in a fighting draw against

eventual champion Zhao Zhouqiao of China.

Zhao finished with six out of a possible nine points, while Lagula had 5.5 points.

INdulge!

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EDGEDAVAO

Fresh out of the oven!

FOOD

By Carlo P. Mallo

Last month, thousands of students started their lives anew as freshmen in their respective tertiary educational institutions. There were different ways of welcoming the freshmen into their new homes for the next four years, but none quite like what Ichef had in store for its new students.

Inspired by her experience during her study abroad, Nicole Hao-Bian, vice president for Educational Development of the JIB Group of schools and Companies, initiated a new way of welcoming their first year students through a cook fest.

The whole school, yes, all students, faculty, and administrators, gathered one afternoon to cook a giant 9 square meter pizza!

Who knew that the ingredients of the pizza actually stand for something?

When I asked the students about it, they said that the pizza ingredients stand for the following: tHE DOUGH. It represents as a base or foundation. We all need a good foundation to hold on to as we all hone and enhance our skills further in our profession. tHE saUCE. It serves as a binding agent. We, as chefs, need to work hand in hand together to produce quality meals. tHE CHEEsE. It represents flavor, like all good cheeses, as it ages, it gives more flavor. as we mature as chefs, must also create our own flavors. tHE BELL PEPPER. It represents spice or tenacity.

We must have great tenacity

in cooking so we can have the will and inspiration to cook great meals. tHE PINEaPPLE. Its eyes represent guidance of our chef trainers as they mold us to be better chefs. tHE BEEF. It denotes harmonious state in love and business. as students, we’re not only trained to cook but also we’re trained to run our own business.

Making the pizza as a team symbolizes the unity of Ichef on working towards success. Like making pizza delicious, so as making the taste of success delicious more than it should be Baking the pizza entails patience. Patience indeed is a virtue. and as the adage goes, all good things come to those who wait.

While waiting for the pizza to cook in the oven, the students had a blast sharing their talents in singing and dancing. and mind you, they can dance.

That afternoon reminded me of all the jitters, excitement, and cheek-blushing moments during one’s freshman year. seeing your crush down the hallway, entering the wrong classroom, not knowing anyone in class, or wearing the school uniform on a wash day! Oh, how I miss what it’s like to be back in school. to the freshmen, good luck and do well in school. For the meantime, let’s have some more pizza!

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

ENTERTAINMENT UP AND ABOUT

Play an active role in the Liwanag World Festival ThERE is another world and another Philippines emerging in the very midst of decay and pain. To reveal, see, experience and fully appreciate this world, is the task of Liwanag: World Festival on Creativity and Sustainability.

From 29 January to 02 February 2013, thousands of people (and millions more thru tri-media) will converge in Davao City, Philippines to see the glowing contours of such a world. Liwanag will showcase brilliant, heartcentered initiatives in all dimensions of sustainability: ecological, economic, cultural, political, societal, human, and spiritual.

Our hearts will pound with resonance, excitement and love as we start to truly see and experience this diversity of inspiring initiatives. For these initiatives, taken together, are the elements of the future world that is alive and growing amidst us today.

Come to LIWANAG. Contribute your inner Light to the flame of hope and Love that is permeating the world!

JOIN the Liwanag Workshop Courage on July 14-15, 2012, 8am to 5pm at the 4th floor, Philippine National Red Cross bldg, beside Marco Polo hotel. The registration of Php500 covers venue rental and facilitator’s plane trip so please bring your own pens and paper for note taking. Interested parties may call Maya Vandenbroek or Kate Estember at 0917-7174668 or 09081535326. You can also post a message on the Tuburan Institue’s FaceBook page.

SM Little Stars 2011 shine in China ThE SM Little Stars 2011 Grand winners are set to embark on a 5-day tour in the Imperial cities of China from May 25 to May 29, 2012.

These very young and talented kids will get a chance to experience and learn more about the rich culture of China as they tour various places and scenic spots around Xiamen, Jinjiang, and Gu Lang Yu Island.

SM Little Stars 2011 Grand winners Steven J. Ocampo and Rowena Anne M. Grado, together with first runnerup Kate Gellian P. Viñas, will also be able to watch the live Grand finals of SM Little Stars China 2012 and get to know their counterparts. Moreover, they showcased their talents at SM Jinjiang for everyone to see.

Truly, SM Little Stars enables kid participants to fully shine their brightest while giving them an experience of a lifetime.

This year’s competition, standards are higher and bigger prizes are at stake!

Bright, charming and talented kids aging 4 to 7 years old are invited to join the SM Little Stars Preliminary Screening on July 7, 2012, 11 am at SM City Davao The Annex Event Center.

To join, interested parties may register at www.smsupermalls.com/smlittlestars to get registration numbers.

Registration forms are also available at the Mall Admin Office located at the Second Floor of the Main Mall. Duly filled out forms must be submitted along with a copies of the child’s birth certificate (original and photocopy), and 2 copies of 4R size photos (one close-up, one full body) at the Marketing Department of SM City Davao.

Registration runs until July 7, Saturday.

Lucky contestants who pass the preliminary screening will get an opportunity to undergo trainings and workshops prior to the regional and national finals.

For more information, can call 297.6998 local 126.

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

FOOD ENTERTAINMENT

By your side:

Recipes inspired by music

by Bai Fauziah Fatima Sinsuat Ambolodto, MBA

WE call it, YOU call it I CALL IT LOVE

You think I’d leave your side baby, You know me better than that You think I’d leave you down when you’re down on your knees, I would not do that I’ll tell you you’re right when you want And if only you could see into me

Just like this 2007 Lionel Richie song, caffeine is a known anti-depressant. In fact, even a small dose can up your mood. I usually put this song on repeat all day long and I am all hyped up. a simple yet heart wrenching love song that speaks of unspoken words and feelings towards another person.

This song actually encapsulates the cliché “action speaks louder than words”.

For those in love or those who think they are in love or who wants to be in love, listen to this and feel the love.

MOODy. That would have to be the best adjective to describe me. yes, I am moody. My mood depends on the type of music I listen to in the morning. ask the people I wake up to and they will tell you that my phone’s playlist sets how I go about my day. For the past few weeks, I have been hooked to three amazing songs. and when I say hooked, it means on repeat all day long for days.

By your side by sade has been my go to song for this week. Being all emotional because of certain events, I feel I can relate to the song.

Not because of a particular someone (yeah NatE I know what you are thinking) but the song makes me feel relaxed. Give it a listen and you’ll see what I mean.

I CALL IT LOVE Beef Baby, I Don’t Know what love is, Maybe I’m a Fool I just know what I’m feeling, And it’s all because of You Don’t tell me, I Don’t Know I want the TRUTH, Cause THEY call it

Ingredients 500 grams tenderloin, trimmed Dry Rub: 1/4 cup instant coffee powder ½ tablespoon cinnamon powder 2 tablespoon brown sugar ½ teaspoon Korean Chili powder 1 tablespoon garlic powder Pinch of dried thyme Pinch of dried rosemary Freshly cracked black pepper salt Olive Oil Cheese strips Butchers twine Procedure: Make the dry rub: In a bowl, combine all ingredients and mix well. set aside.

The coffee rub may be prepared ahead of time. store in airtight container and could be last for a month. Could also be used for chicken.

Prepare the beef: trim

beef and cut a slit to form a pocket in the middle. Rub the beef with the coffee rub on both sides and inside the cavity. Insert the cheese and secure using butcher’s twine. Drizzle with olive oil. set aside and marinate for two hours.

Heat a grill pan on high heat until smoky. Drizzle a small amount of oil and sear beef on all sides until it turns brown. take beef off the pan, cut butcher’s twine and slice beef into medallions. Cook beef medallions on the same pan until well done or to your liking. serve hot of the grill or on sizzling plate with your own gravy.

TAKE CARE Shrimp ‘Cause if you’ll let me, here’s what I’ll do I’ll take care of you I’ve loved and I’ve lost.

This Drake and RiRi song has been on my playlist for the longest time. This is my go to good mood song of the three. I love the simplicity of the song and its powerful lyrics. Just like this recipe, getting all those asIaN flavors exploding in

our palates makes us crave for more.

In a bowl, combine minced garlic, minced and mashed ginger root, minced onion, fresh desiccated coconut, deveined, shelled and pounded shrimps, salt and pepper, garlic powder, flour, an egg and ice cubes. Mix thoroughly.

Form mixture into balls and pat in between your palms to form into flat patties.

Deep fry patties until golden brown. Dry off in paper towels to remove excess oil. serve over hot rice or as appetizers with your favorite dip. a Big Happy Birthday to my good friend, confidante and business partner, FREaH RaMOs. Nothing but the BEst of everything in this world. Gorater!

Loveyah also to my good friend IVaN BaGtas.

Massive love from the JsO peeps! Loveyah Oh and yeah, please DO tHE WaLK! tell me what you think of this week’s recipe. Email me your questions, suggestions and comments at iamtheroyalchef@gmail.com. Happy cooking!

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

LiLo wraps up Connor Cruise speaks up comeback movie What did Tom’s son tweet about the split?

LINDSAY Lohan certainly has a lot to celebrate this week.

TOM Cruise and Nicole Kidman’s son Connor Cruise has never spoken publicly about his famous family.

But on Sunday, he apparently took to Twitter with a tweet that seems to have been inspired by the collapse of his dad’s marriage to Katie holmes. “#LaFamilia Always.

Friends Come And Go, But Family Is Forever,” the 17-year-old retweeted.

And a friend of the hollywood offspring now tells me...

They’re not surprised

by Connor’s post. “he is very close to his family,” the friend said.

“But he is also very down to earth and you would never know he was the son of Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman.”

The friend described Connor as “a very welladjusted kid,” who is also close to his sister Isabella.

As for holmes, Connor never “truly got close” to his stepmother, nor does he talk about her or Suri much—at least not publicly, the friend said.

Connor is an aspiring deejay who commands a minimum of $5,000 to spin tunes for an event. his gigs—he goes by the name DJ CSquared—have included the opening of the New

Era flagship store in West hollywood, gay bar The Abbey’s Oscar viewing benefit for AIDS Project Los Angeles and a hollywood bash celebrating the launch of McDonald’s Chicken McBites.

Anderson Cooper says ‘Thank you’ for the support

ANDERSON Cooper says ‘Thank you’ for the support

It was the sound of the closet door opening that was heard around the world.

When Anderson Cooper publicly acknowledged he was gay for the first time yesterday, it was— and continues to be—big headline news.

Twitter has been full of love and congrats from all corners of the earth.

So what does the Silver Fox think of all the support?

“I appreciate all the nice tweets,” Cooper tweeted earlier today. “I am in Botswana working but want to wish everyone a great 4th of July!”

While Ellen DeGeneres, Kelly Ripa and Neil Patrick harris were some of the very first celebs to post messages to the CNN star...

The tweets keep on coming.

Some more of our favorites include: Jesse Tyler Ferguson: “ One of the reasons I look up to my friend @andersoncooper is his amazing eloquence. Very proud of him!”

Johnny Weir-Voronov: “Very proud of @AndersonCooper. I recently shared an airplane ride with him and he smells of baby powder and sunshine. Well done sir.”

Tyra Banks: “Congrats for sharing your truth @ andersoncooper. You’ll always be the Silver Fox!” LeAnn Rimes Cibrian:

“Rock on @AndersonCooper for being a brave, classy man. Much respect!”

Sara Bareilles: “I applaud @andersoncooper for being authentic and honest with the public. It helps others feel brave too.”

Sarah hyland: “Women across nation are grieving that Gloria Vanderbilt will never be there motherinlaw. So proud of @andersoncooper. You silver fox you :)” Kristen Bell: “A bold and beautiful statement by someone who is smarter than all of us, journalist @ andersoncooper.”

The comebacking actress turned 26 years old on Monday, and production on Lindsay’s Elizabeth Taylor Lifetime biopic Liz & Dick is officially complete!

“We have wrapped principal photography on Liz & Dick and Lindsay Lohan and Grant Bowler’s performances are picture perfect,” producer Larry Thompson told E! News exclusively. “The cinematic drama of the Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton love story which unfolds on screen is much more exciting and everlasting than the drama during production that took place off screen.”

So, what’s LiLo’s take on the fabulous news?!

She’s thrilled!

“Thank you for all the birthday wishes! Also— that’s a wrap on Liz & Dick— thank you to all my fans, crew members, friends & Lifetime!” Lindsay tweeted today.

Thompson also revealed that they combined the wrap party with a birthday party last night, complete with a cake built in the shape of a pyramid and with the message “happy Birthday to the Queen of the Nile” (in honor of Taylor’s famed Cleopatra performance).

Production on the Lifetime flick hasn’t been totally smooth sailing. Just four days after filming began, Lindsay was involved in a car crash on the way to the Liz & Dick set, sending her to the hospital and her Porsche to the tow yard.

One week later, paramedics were called to tend to the Liz & Dick star, when she was believed to be unconscious in her hotel room. It was later determined that she was fine, just simply “extremely exhausted” and “slightly dehydrated” from the grueling filming schedule.

Congratulations, Linds!

We can’t wait to see the final result when Liz & Dick airs on Lifetime Nov. 3.

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

EVENTS ENTERTAINMENT

Of love, food, and foodies Chingale, Spanish sausage, and goose pate served with artesian bread.

Slicing the spanish sausage.

DaVaO’s foodies are a varied bunch that can always find an excuse to have a meal. Be it from simple street food all the way to the fanciest restaurants, you can be sure the Dabawenyo foodie will always be first in line for the newest finds, and I have not found crazier and more passionate foodies than sausage) from Italy taking Carmina and Raffy. the crown. It was smoky Carmina had actually been planning a dinner for friends for the longest time to share the different cheeses and sausages she was able to purchase on her last trip to Europe.

Thankfully after a couple weeks of planning around each other’s schedules, everyone was finally got each other’s schedules free.

Knowing that Carmina and Raffy, the couple behind Davao City’s 5-star caterer The Crazy Cook, are sticklers for detail and taste, everyone are sure they were ready for a gastronomical feast. and a feast it was with beautiful French, Italian and English cheeses and artesian breads baked by Raffy. My personal favorite though was the sinfully delicious truffled honey that pairs well with almost every cheese. also on the menu are a couple of sausages, with the chingale (wild boar

Trisha, Mia and Chiara.

and had a chewy texture without the gaminess associated with wild meats.

I was also pleasantly surprised with a locally made smoked sausage which tasted quite nice and paired well with the wines we brought. and as the night progressed more food (!) came. truffled pasta, sausage stuffed trotters (which Raffy calls an Italian version of sPaM), and my favorite callos which came all the way from Carmina’s mother-in-law in Manila.

Of course what is a meal without a proper dessert?

Enter Joel’s blue cheese, walnut and fig cheesecake.

When drizzled with truffle honey, it went over and above beyond spectacular and was the perfect end to the evening.

Follow me on twitter @ kennethkingong for more foodie finds, travel happenings, and random urban ramblings.

The cheese board

Truffle honey

Clockwise from left Emil S., moi, Carmina, Malouchi G., Cyril B., John P., and Marissa T.

Emil S., Malouchi and Louie G., and Carmina.

Karen A. and Joel R. of Osvaldo’s.

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012

15

Is this the Real Deal?

Fantasy basketball artists have made these photos of Andrew Bynum (in Magic no. 17) and Dwight Howard (in Lakers no. 12) swapping uniforms. This deal could happen if the Magic and Lakers agree to the deal that will swap both All-Star players.

T

Magic wants nothing but Bynum for Howard

he more Dwight howard rants, the closer he gets to

L.A. As the Orlando Magic work to unload superstar center howard, management has narrowed down on a potential real deal centered on Los Angeles Lakers All-Star center Andrew Bynum.

The Lakers and Magic have had talks about a possible deal, and plan to talk further about constructing a trade.

No deals are imminent, and the process has remained fluid as teams

have begun to inquire with more serious offers for howard.

Sources say there is one other trade scenario for a significant player that intrigues Magic general manager Rob hennigan, but that target is unclear. Before the Magic would agree to consummate a trade for Bynum, they would need to know they could sign him to a contract extension, sources said.

Bynum is entering the final year of his contract in the 2012-13 season.

What’s more, Bynum wouldn’t nearly be

enough to satisfy hennigan’s desires for a return on howard. The Lakers would need to send draft picks and absorb long-term money off the Magic’s payroll, sources said.

The Lakers offered Bynum to the Magic for howard at the March trade deadline, but the deal never materialized because howard eventually waived his early termination option for this summer, and Orlando pulled howard off the market.

The Magic are in no rush to make a deal for

howard who is rehabilitating from back surgery in Los Angeles, and it’s unclear whether he would even be ready for the start of the regular season in November. however positively the Magic feel about Bynum, they still need the Lakers to take back one of their expensive veteran contracts – hedo Turkoglu or Jason Richardson – as part of any proposed trade. With Bynum, Orlando could use cap space to quickly retool its roster around him and become an eastern Conference con-

tender. Bynum is coming off his best season for the Lakers, averaging 18.7 points and 11.8 rebounds. Still, his immaturity at times left Lakers coaches and officials unsettled about his disposition to be an everynight dominant player.

Nevertheless, the Lakers believe that once they bring howard into their winning culture, the hollywood celebrity scene and tradition of great centers, that there’s no team elsewhere offering salarycap space to sign him in 2013 that could get

howard to leave for less money than they could offer him with his Bird Rights. The Lakers have wanted to know that howard would sign an extension should they trade for him, but with the Nets’ salary cap space gobbled up, the chances of howard agreeing to a deal will likely increase dramatically. howard’s next Adidas deal will be worth significantly more money – perhaps even double – if he’s playing in the major market of Los Angeles or New york.

16 W

SPORTS

IMBLeDON, england -- The sounds were new to Serena Williams, and the feeling on Centre Court was different. The result, though, was quite familiar.

Playing under the retractable roof for the first time on the court where she’s had some of her biggest triumphs, Williams defeated defending champion Petra Kvitova 6-3, 7-5 to reach her eighth Wimbledon semifinal on Tuesday.

While rain disrupted play elsewhere at the All england Club, Williams used another commanding serving performance to overpower the fourthseeded Czech. Williams hit 13 aces - including three in the last game - to end Kvitova’s 11-match winning streak at Wimbledon. her last loss here also came against Williams, in the 2010 semifinals.

The 30-year-old Williams will face either second-ranked Victoria Azarenka or Tamira Paszek of

Austria.

Angelique Kerber advanced to her first Wimbledon semifinal by beating fellow German Sabine Lisicki 6-3, 6-7 (7), 7-5 in a match under the roof.

Lisicki, who knocked out Maria Sharapova, saved three match points in the second set and served for the match at 5-3 in the third. But Kerber rallied to win the last four games, finally converting her fifth match point when Lisicki sent a backhand wide.

Outside Centre Court, it was a start-and-stop day at Wimbledon, as the persistent rain continued to cause headaches for organizers.

Play was delayed for about 30 minutes on the outside courts in the morning, and two more rain delays interrupted play for a total of about three hours after that.

Andy Murray and Florian Mayer still found enough time between the showers to wrap up sus-

VOL.5 ISSUE 88 • JULY 5, 2012 pended matches and reach the quarterfinals. In another fourth-round match that was suspended on Monday, Jo-Wilfried Tsonga overcame an ailing back and a one-set deficit to beat American Mardy Fish 4-6, 7-6 (4), 6-4, 6-4.

David Ferrer also advanced in the first match on Centre Court, where organizers again came under scrutiny for their use of the retractable roof. Their decision to open and then close it caused the start of Ferrer’s match against Juan Martin del Potro to be delayed by about 40 minutes. Ferrer needed less than two hours to beat del Potro 6-3, 6-2, 6-3.

Murray made the last eight for the fifth straight year by beating the 16thseeded Marin Cilic 7-5, 6-2, 6-3, while Mayer ousted Richard Gasquet of France 6-3, 6-1, 3-6, 6-2. American qualifier Brian Baker’s remarkable run ended with a 6-1, 7-6 (4), 6-3 loss to 27th-seeded Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany.

Roll the

Roof Serena wins, Sharapova slayer loses

After defeating Maria Sharapova, Sabine Lisicki (shown here during her win over Sharapova) would go down against compatriot Angelique Kerber in the quarterfinals of Wimbledon.

EDGEDAVAO