Edge Davao 5 Issue 92 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL.5 ISSUE 92 • JULY 11, 2012

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Science/ Environment Page 4 OFF-AIR. Starting 3 in the morning of July 10, the local stations of i-FM and RMN switched off their broadcasts as the workers commenced their strike against the management. The

Nation/World Page 7

Sara orders demolition of squatters’ shanties By Jade C. Zaldivar

Sports

Page 15

union said that the management failed to comply with their basic demands in the collective bargaining agreement, which includes wage hikes and decent benefits. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

team from the City Engineer’s Office Hall yesterday demolished the shanties put up on an empty lot in Matina Aplaya by illegal settlers conned by one Manolito Gavas. Gavas was detained last Monday in the talomo Police Station for dragging the name of Davao City Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio in swindling settlers to join his association which would help them own a parcel of land within an empty lot at Victoria Village, Matina Aplaya. Some of the settlers volun-

n Illegal settlers stopped from occupying empty lot n Con-man detained by police

tarily tore down their newlyerected structures. “What they have constructed, they shall de-construct and stop building,” Duterte-Carpio earlier said adding that she had given orders for the settlers to vacate the property which is owned by one Victoria Reformina. trespassing of the property started July 2 when about hun-

dred people entered it and began putting up makeshift dwellings on the lot Gavas claimed had been awarded to his association Veterans Legionaries of World War of the Walter Cushing Guerrilla Unit, Inc. through a Supreme Court decision. On Monday, the mayor ordered the detention of Gavas at the talomo police station following reports that the illegal

agreement both parties had signed last November 11, 2011 after a series of postponed meetings with the National Conciliation and Mediation Board (NCMB) 11. Rey Fabe, chairman of RDEU, said they will not go back to work unless RMN management will implement the collective bargaining agreement (CBA).

today, July 11, another meeting is scheduled between the management and union members with the NCMB 11, however, Fabe said if the meeting turns into some sort of a negotiation, they will not submit to it. Based on the CBA of last November, for the first year, all members of the union will be

settlers had used intimidation against the lot owner, Reformina, who wanted to enter her property. Duterte-Carpio said she is also mulling filing a complaint against Gavas who used the name of the city mayor’s office in his alleged swindling. Local television show Barangay Patrol last week was able to record Gavas claiming that the Supreme Court decision had been sent to the mayor’s office which allegedly allowed the settlers to occupy the empty lot.

RMN Davao workers stage strike A By Lorie Ann A. Cascaro

t 3:00 AM yesterday, two radio stations of the Radio Mindanao Network (RMN) Davao, DXDC and i-FM, went off the air following the decision of the RMN Davao Employees Union (RDEU) to stage a strike. The union members finally gave up hoping that the management would implement the

given a lump sum of P10,000 for five years and one day above length of service; and P6,000 for five years and below. the agreement also states that wage increase, rice subsidy, meal allowance and other economic provisions will be discussed in the next negotiation, supposedly last May.

FRMN, 13

THE BIG NEWS

Payong-payong

Standard color, design is for safety, Sara says By Jade C. Zaldivar

LL payong-payong units converted according to the city government’s standard design of an enclosed cab will be painted yellow to make them easily visible at night for the safety of passengers and drivers. Mayor Sara DuterteCarpio says the color yellow is the last color distinguishable by failing eyesight and attracts the attention of those with normal eyesight. the color is one of several safety features of the standard design, the mayor said. Both sides of the cab will have black chevron markings as a hazard sign. the top of the cab will be painted with a col-

or denoting its assigned route. the same color design will apply to tricycles which will eventually renew their franchise permits with the city legal office. the cab’s standard design will accommodate only four persons, including driver. “the law allows up to four passengers, including the driver. If you want to have more than three passengers, convert your unit into a tricycle,” the mayor advised. As the 30-day moratorium on impounding of illegally operating motorcycle ends by the fourth week of this month, after which the campaign resumes.

HE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) spearheaded a four-day seminar held July 7-10 at the Lupon Municipal Gym in Davao Oriental. the Peace Building Seminar (PBS) initiative through the 28th Infantry Battalion gathered officers and members of the municipal and barangay peace and order councils, barangay defense and other organized groups in the town. Resource agencies from national agencies and the religious sector also attended the seminar. Col. Rey Leonardo Guerrero of the 701st Infantry Brigade, who was formerly commander of task Force Davao, said that through the seminar the military along with national agencies were able to communicate with local leaders, reaching out to stakeholders of peace. “Members of the barangay should know, support and avail of a peaceful and progressive community which is the aim of

government. through the seminar we were able to detail to them the government’s programs and services,” he said in a statement. Representatives from the Departments of Health, Agriculture, Interior and Local Government, Social Welfare and Development joined the event as speakers. there were also civilmilitary services rendered from the Civil Registrar, Municipal Planning and Development Offices, the Philippine National Police, and Philippine Army. Col. Leopoldo Imbang Jr., commander of the 28th IB, said that communities have shown their support to government efforts as communities have been participating in their Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP). “the people are recognizing government efforts in keeping the peace in communities which is necessary in building the growth of the nation,” he said. [JAde C.

N order to prod government workers and institutions to perform their respective mandates above par, the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III will implement a performancebased system of bonuses that will be included in

the 2013 General Appropriations Act (GAA), said Budget Secretary Florencio Abad on tuesday. In a press briefing at Malacañang, Abad said this “innovation” of awarding bonuses to deserving employees and institutions is in line with

VOL.5 ISSUE 92 • JULY 11, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

Tag 592 violators of building permits from Jan-Jun, 2012 By Lorie Ann A. Cascaro

HE Office of the City Building Official, Davao City, apprehended 592 violators of the building permit law from January to June this year, a government officer said last tuesday. Engineer Alfredo R. Ruiz, chief of the inspection and enforcement division, said most of the violations or about 60% were for residential buildings, including those of informal settlers. Since the implementation of a new system, Bantay Balaud, (law enforcers), a task force for monitoring illegal con-

structions last August 2011, he said people have learned that constructing a building without permit is punishable. He pointed out that change of occupancy or reclassification such as from industrial to commercial under the city’s zoning ordinance requires building permits. Aside from violation of securing building permit for newly constructed buildings, other violations discovered during inspections include lack of fire exits, and no permit for extension or renovation.

Most violators constructed their building within a road lot or government property such as along the shoreline. those who construct within road lots will be ejected when the government decides to use the land, depending on the dialogue. However, some violators were not aware of the law, he said, adding that they were issued notice of violation and required to attend a dialogue within 15 days upon receipt of the notice. In constructing a resi-

dential building, one may be able to evade the requirement of a building permit unlike constructing a commercial building because a building permit is required in applying for a business permit. He said annual building inspections, which include mechanical and electrical safety, do not include residential, but only industrial, institutional and industrial buildings. Government buildings are under the overall mandate of the Department of Public Works and Highways, he added.

Military hosts peace seminar t

ATTACK ON LUMAD SCHOOLS. Students from the Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanogon Community Learning Center in Talaingod, Davao del Norte yesterday attended a dialogue with various government agencies in Ateneo de

Davao University to address the alleged harassments of state forces to the different schools of Indigenous People in Mindanao. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

In first 4 months

P32.99 M earned from building permits

ROM January to April this year, Davao City earned P32.99 million or 50.75% of the 2012 target revenue from the issuance of building permits and other fees, a city building official bared last tuesday. Acting City Building Official Engineer Jaime G. Adalin said property de-

velopment in the city is booming. He cited that from January to May 2012, 2,761 business permits were issued, more than 60% of last year’s total of 4,139 buildings permits. Permits issued include agricultural, institutional, commercial, industrial and residential building;

demolition; fence; and signs. Residential permits had the highest number with 1,595 permits; followed by commercial permits with 339, institutional with 45, industrial with 27 and agricultural with eight permits from January to May 2012. “According to inves-

tors who visited here, the target location of both foreign and local investors now is Davao City,” he said. He noted that their reasons for choosing Davao include the peace and order program of the city government, and the clean water being second

President Aquino’s directive to harmonize all performance-based management systems in government. “…(We) hope to strengthen also the accountability of public institutions and public servants to perform their

mandates and, therefore, we continue to deepen performance budgeting and harmonize all performance-based management systems in government,” Abad said. He added that the additional bonus is different from the usual

productivity enhancement incentive given to government workers and institutions every year. “But one innovation that we are going to introduce next year is a system of performancebased bonuses which can range from 5,000 to

35,000 pesos per employee on top of the productivity enhancement incentive of about 5,000 that they will be receiving,” Abad said. He said that more details on the incentive program will be given at a later date. [PNA]

FP32.99, 13

New system in giving 2013 bonuses mulled I ZALdIvAR]

EDGEDAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 92 • JULY 11, 2012

THE BIG NEWS

Davao transport groups hit LTFRB members n Want to have access with DOTC Secretary Mar Roxas to air their grievances

AVAO transport leaders are seeking the assistance of the Department of transportation and Communication (DOtC) in their “long standing sufferings” brought about by the alleged arbitrary and unilateral actions of the Land transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LtFRB) in gross violation of their rights. the transport leaders’ “collective sentiments” were expressed in a twopage letter addressed to DOtC Secretary Maneul “Mar” A. Roxas II, through undersecretary Rafael Antonio M. Santos dated July 4. the letter is signed by Manuel “Maning” Duran,

national vice chairman for Mindanao of 1-UtAK; edil Gonzaga, secretary general of transmissionPIStON; Carlos “Ka toto” Cirilo, president of the Mindanao Alliance of transport Operators, a PASANG-MASDA affiliate; Wenceslao “Willy” Bascones, president of the Metro Davao taxi Operators Association (MEDAtOA); and retired police supt. Hermenegildo Marante Jr., MEDAtOA chairman emeritus. the transport leaders told Secretary Roxas they are “left with no other option but to directly report to you our long standing sufferings brought about by the various orders and

FDAVAO, 13

COLORFUL MERCHANDISE. While texting using his cellular phone, a vendor tends to his stall along Uyanguren Street that sells colorful curtains. [KARLOS MANLUPIG]

SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL.5 ISSUE 92 • JULY 11, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

’ r o o p ‘ n i s l a r o c l h P f o t % r e 40 p x e s y a s , n o i t i cond S

OME 40 per cent of the Philippines’ coral was now assessed as “poor”–up from the previous 27 per cent, according to a report during the Coral triangle Initiative conference in Cairns Monday. the health of coral areas is diminishing in the Philippines due to interdependent factors, said Dr theresa Mundita Lim, director of the Protected Areas and Wildlife Bureau (PAWB) at the Philippines Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR). “It makes me cry,” she said. the Philippines’ marine areas were blighted by challenges common to many South-East Asian countries–overfishing, bad fishing practices, oil spills, hazardous waste from industry and agriculture, and the growth of coastal populations, said Lim.

Due to environmental degradation, the Philippines has been identified as “one of 34 bio-diversity hotspots in the world” by Conservation International. So how will the poor condition of the coral reefs affect the Philippines? Prof. terry Hughes of James Cook University, who also sits as Federation Fellow of ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reef Studies, said that poor coral reefs will impact the country in terms of food security and sustainability. Corals serve as nurseries of small fishes so they can grow and be mature for breeding and supplying brood stocks, said Hughes during his recent visit in the Philippines. Reefs serve as important to rebuild food webs and ensure sustainable fish supplies. the lack of healthy

reefs will make breeding of fish populations more difficult and their dispersal more narrow, thus accounting for lesser supply to meet the demands not only in the Philippines but in other countries that are part of the Coral triangle. Increasing strain on marine management is not helping conservation efforts either. to date, over 50 million Filipinos depend on “the coastal ecosystem” for food and livelihood. the fisheries sector represented 3.84 per cent of the national gross domestic product (GDP). At least one million Filipinos are employed in the fisheries industry. they, however, are tagged to be the poorest sector in the country, with a poverty incidence of 41.4 percent, according to a report the National Statistical Coordination Board. Moreover, fish re-

mains to be the “principal form of protein” for Filipinos so overfishing and the decrease in fish populations will have effects on food security. Lim identified four key areas of future research in the country, particularly the monitoring of “interactive impacts of government responses” through programs such as Marine Protection Areas, assessing their ecological, social and economic dimensions. Assessment will be made of the “limits” to which resources could be used from coastal and marine resources, explained Lim. there will also be further development of incentives to encourage payment for ecosystem services, as well as sustainable financing mechanisms dedicated to helping protect the marine environment.

tary Ramon Paje. EO 79 provides that the target legislation must be enacted and take effect before new mineral agreements are entered into again, he noted. Paje believes it is fair to raise government’s collection of two percent excise tax and five percent royalty from extracting the country’s non-renewable mineral resources. the government collects royalties only from mining within mineral reservation areas (MRAs). MRAs’ mineral reserves and resources are intended for developing strategic industries in the country.

“We’re not satisfied with the existing sharing scheme and are looking at improving this through amendments to the Mining Act,” he said. Paje noted that the Department of Finance (DOF) already commenced studying the matter. In his statement on EO 79’s issuance, Department of Finance (DOF) Secretary Cesar Purisima said he is looking forward to working with Congress and stakeholders concerned in amending relevant laws that will rationalize the country’s existing revenuesharing schemes. He also hopes that such

coordination will result in a mining fiscal regime that is “easy to administer, promotes greater share to government, streamlines the process of revenue-sharing with local communities and maintain competitiveness of our country as an investment destination.” Preliminary data Mines and Geosciences Bureau (MGB) released last month showed that taxes, fees and royalties collected from mining totaled P94 million during 2012’s first quarter. the gross production value in mining during the same reference period hit nearly P20 billion, it also indicated.

New body to identify mining revenue-sharing options

HE new Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) that President Benigno Aquino III created will study other countries’ governmentmining sector revenuesharing schemes to develop the best possible domestic options that can be proposed for legislation. Such study is in line with Executive Order 79 which he issued on July 9 this year to help raise environmental protection and government revenues related to mining. “MICC will look into the best revenue-sharing practices,” said Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secre-

DENR and DOF are members of the Cabinet’s climate change and economic development clusters, respectively. In the EO, President Aquino constituted such clusters into MICC. He ordered MICC to assess and review all mining-related laws, rules and regulations, issuances and agreements “with the view to formulating recommendations to improve allocation of revenues and risk between the government and the mining sector.” Among MICC’s other tasks are developing its work plan for implementing EO 79 and mining-re-

lated reforms. President Aquino ordered MICC to submit the work plan within 60 days from EO 79’s effectivity. EO 79 shall take effect immediately upon its publication in a newspaper of general circulation, he said. MICC shall be cochaired by heads of the two clusters, President Aquino added. the Chief Executive said MICC’s additional members are the justice secretary, National Commission on Indigenous Peoples’ chairperson and Union of Local Authorities of the Philippines’ president. [PNA]

EDGEDAVAO

Stat Watch

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

3.5% 4th Qtr 2011

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

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

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

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

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

P 43.65 Dec 2011

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

3,999.7 Sept 2011

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

128.1 Jan 2012

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.9 Jan 2012

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.4 Dec 2011

16. Visitor Arrivals

284,040 Sept 2011

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

19.1% Oct 2011

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

6.4% Oct 2011

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

2011

2010

2009

Average December November October September August July June May April March

43.31 43.64 43.27 43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52

45.11 43.95 43.49 43.44 44.31 45.18 46.32 46.30 45.60 44.63 45.74

47.637 46.421

February

43.70

46.31

January

44.17

46.03

47.032 46.851 48.139

48.161 48.146 47.905 47.524 48.217

48.458 47.585 47.207

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 92 • JULY 11, 2012

Malacañan: new mining policy will lure in more investors t

HE Aquino administration assured that the new mining policy is globally competitive and attractive to domestic and international investment. Environment and Natural Resources Secretary Ramon Paje issued the statement during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday following the release of Executive Order No. 79 (Institutionalizing and implementing reforms in the Philippine Mining Sector providing policies and guidelines to ensure environmental protection and responsible mining in the utilization of mineral resources). “Our belief (is) that it is already attractive because I think the attraction would be more on the volume and quality of our deposits. We are already at par with the other countries except for these royalties and excise tax. And if we increase it, for example to five to seven percent, that is still within the international standard and that is what they are paying if they are operating abroad,” Paje said. Executive Order no.79 aims

to improve environmental mining standards and increase revenues to promote sustainable economic development and social growth, according to Paje. With the crafting of the EO, the government is now implementing a stricter enforcement of environmental laws and rules, and holding violators accountable. the mining policy is also paving the way for the government to implement other measures such as identifying additional areas closed to mining, the conduct of review of the performance of mining operations and cleansing of nonmoving mining rights holders, assess and improve small-scale mining conditions, the use of integrated maps and Programmatic Environmental Impact Assessment. the Department of Enviroment and Natural Resources (DENR) is tasked to conduct proper accounting of the Environmental Protection and Enhancement Programs (EPEP) of mining companies and to use geo hazard and multi-hazard maps and climate change fore-

Group lauds new policy

HE Chamber of Mines the Philippines (COMP) on Monday welcomed the Aquino administration’s new mining policy. In a statement, the group also said it will cooperate with the government in developing a rational revenue sharing scheme. “We will work with his (Aquino) administration and other stakeholders in finding mutually acceptable solutions to the issues of revenue sharing, environmental protection, and sustainable development,” it said. President Benigno S. Aquino III on July 6 signed Executive Order 79, which aims to improve environmental mining standards and increase revenues to promote sustainable economic development and social growth. the EO also does not allow

new mining agreements, pending legislation on revenue sharing between the government and mining companies. the group said the new policy “offers solutions that will encourage the development of the country’s mineral resources.” “the mining policy is a signal to all investors of government’s desire to establish a consistent and stable business environment founded on a level playing field,” it said. the COMP said it also respects the decision about closing certain areas to mining which includes protected areas, lands covered by agrarian reform, tourism development areas and other critical areas. “Environmentally critical and protected areas are, and should always be, preserved for future generations,” it said. (PNA)

casts in determining “go” and “no-go” areas. the Mining Industry Coordinating Council (MICC) is directed to carry out the explore use of mandatory and compulsory insurance coverage for mining

Finance

affected areas and to adopt the Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation and Liability Act of the USA. It is also tasked to conduct resource accounting or full-cost benefit analysis. (PNA)

‘Mining policy will boost industry’

INANCE Secretary Cesar Purisma on Monday said the country’s mining industry will further get a boost as well as protection through the issuance of Executive Order No. 79. President Benigno Aquino III signed the EO on July 6, 2012 after holding consultative meetings with all stakeholders in a bid to harmonize the country’s mining policies and regulations. Purisina explained that “the Philippines is indeed rich in mineral resources” thus, issuance of the EO seeks to develop a responsible mining industry within the confines of our other development objectives – agricultural productivity, eco-tourism promotion, and environmental protection.” “We are confident that by investing in a stronger regulatory framework and a more equitable revenue sharing mechanism, we are improving mining’s long-term growth potential,” he said in a statement. the EO aims to improve environmental mining standards and increase revenues to promote sustainable development and social growth in the local and national levels. It identified zones closed to mining applications namely for contracts, concessions or agreements and these areas include those enumerated under the National tourism Development Plan, the critical areas and island eco-systems, the prime agricultural lands covered by RA 6657, and the strategic agriculture and fisheries development zones and fish refuge and sanctuaries declared as such by the Department of Agriculture (DA). the government will not issue new mineral agreements pending the passage of

a legislative measure that will rationalize revenue sharing between the government and investors. However, mining contracts, concessions and agreements made before the issuance of the EO will remain binding but companies are required to comply with existing laws. Purisima said the government will meet all obligations in the mining contracts it has earlier committed into but stressed that “in the same manner, these contracts demand certain standards from whom they have been given.” “the President has instructed that all mining operations be reviewed to ensure they comply with the standards they have committed to in their contracts. those who fail to comply with their contractual obligations will be penalized,” he said. the Finance chief said “a thorough review of all mining operations – large scale and small scale – will strengthen and promote an efficient and effective regulation of the industry, as well as gain popular support for the development of our mineral resources.” “We urge the various private sector alliances, especially the Chamber of Mines, to join us in this review and police their own ranks,” he said. “We look forward to working with Congress and all the various stakeholders in amending pertinent laws to develop a fiscal regime on the mining industry that is easy to administer, provides greater share to the government, streamlines the process of revenue sharing with local communities, and maintains the competitiveness of our country as an investment destination,” he added. (PNA)

as of august 2010

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

THE ECONOMY

VOL.5 ISSUE 92 • JULY 11, 2012

EDGEDAVAO

‘Black’ taxis are instant attractions A house is not a home

house is not a home when there are people who try to destroy it and take advantage of their positions to get what they want. Let’s take this government official of this government agency that seems to have lost love along the way. Just imagine the surprise of investors when they were asked for airline tickets…no, they were demanded to give ticket vouchers, otherwise known as jetsetter’s pass, that she can use to fly around. Of course, the airline is not a low cost carrier. When this story reached the head of one company here, the man only quipped, “Maayo gani kana lang ang gipangayo, ang uban kay house and lot gyud ang pangayuon (Good thing she only asked for that, others would even ask for house and lots). With people like her in the industry, it comes as no surprise that a lot of houses remain to be houses and never become homes, others even being feasted upon by termites.

Double standards OW true are rumors from the grapevine that the city council approved, without batting an eyelash, the conversion of a low density residential development into a medium density one? the residential project is located in the same area where the city council made so much hullabaloo about three proposed cemeteries in the area. Oh well. the people behind the project come very influential families or was a payout made?

Walk out? INCE this elected government official has no sense of punctuality, he arrived in a very important meeting with investors a couple of hours late. Yes, a couple of hours late. He arrived so late that the people he was supposed to meet were already halfway out of the building when he arrived. And oh, the grandest dame of them all walked out as soon as an hour passed without any word from the government official.

By Prix D. Banzon

OME 20 brand new black Nissan Sentra taxi cabs are now plying around the city’s main thoroughfares as new means of transportation in the city. Mabuhay taxi manager Ryan L. Lim said their company wanted to help the transportation industry by providing their fleet with best facilities for the convenience of the passengers as well as maintain safety to both the driver and the commuters. the units were equipped with wireless POS (point-of-sale) terminals, where the passengers could swipe their debit cards in paying the fare, he said. Lim said they believe that cashless payments in cabs were safer. “the passenger can swipe their debit card when they don’t have cash or when denomination of their money is big and the driver don’t have enough bills for change,” he said. Bancnet and Megalink cards are the accepted debit cards and Mabuhay taxi and China Bank inked an agreement for the initial roll-out of the program. Chinabank assistant vice president and Area

Head for Mindanao Hudson Q. Uy said no service fee is charged even as the company collaborated with business and industry sector in providing better service and for the convenience of the public. He said cashless transactions had been growing rapidly. the POS system in the Philippines has been introduced in 1987. todate, over 50,000 terminals are serving around 30 million cardholders in malls, restaurants, hotels, small specialty shops, etc. Bancnet, Megalink and Expressnet launched the POS interconnection in 2010, opening gateways for further expansion of financial services and increasing the touch points for clients interface in the country. Lim said Mabuhay taxi has fielded 25 black taxis but only 20 are with POS. However, all the black units carry a Global Positioning System (GPS) used for dispatching. He said the black taxicabs here were also the first in the country with computerized dispatching. the driver of the cab gets direction through the GPS installed in their unit, while the central unit of their office re-

ceives the calls from clients, records the information and relay the direction to the taxicab nearest the place where the passenger wants to be picked up. Lim also said that the installed mechanism in the units could prompt the company to immediately dispatch help in cases of danger. Meanwhile, Lim said ultimately all their units of over 200 would be provided with GPS. He also said they would introduce some other features in their units for the benefits of the riding public. He also said they were gearing towards online booking for transportation service. A Manila visitor over the weekend told Jackie Mae Polantos, dispatcher of Mabuhay taxi stationed at SM City Davao to get her a black taxi because she wanted to swipe her debit card and have her photo taken with the newest edition of taxicab in Davao City. But Polantos even said Dabawenyos would line up to wait for a black taxi because they want to experience the services of a high-end public transport. (PNA)

HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) will regulate pawnshops more stringent now as these entities start serving as remittance platforms. In a briefing, BSP Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla Jr. said pawnshops are now catering to the public’s money transfer requirements as these entities now offer remittance services. to date, the central bank loosely regulates pawnshops since these are under the supervision

of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC). there are about 9,000 banks in the country but pawnshops number to about 19,500. Espenilla said there are municipalities in the country that are still not catered by banks and pawnshops along with drugstores among others but serve as alternative remittances centers. He said pawnshops dominate the money transfer market while payments centers along with banks are the major play-

ers in the bills payment service. Over 1,000 entities including drugstores have been tapped by a bank for its mobile banking service, he said. the central bank official said it is the poor who are served greatly by the pawnshops for their remittance requirements because this group is normally the unbanked members of the population. “Because of these developments we will closely regulate pawnshops,” he added.

percent to P151.30 billion over year-ago’s P129.69 billion. In the first five months this year, it expanded by 13.1 percent to P668.43 billion from the P591.04 billion in end-May 2011. Abad said drivers of spending growth include disbursements of the Department of Public Works and Highway (DPWH) on their infrastructure programs, the additional spending due to the one-

month earlier implementation of the last tranche of the salary standardization, and conditional cash transfer (CCt) program. the government bids to continue increasing spending particularly on infrastructure and social services to put in the necessary boost to domestic growth. Programmed expenditures for the first half this year is P885.288 billion while full-year program was set at P1.816 trillion.

BSP wants stricter rules for pawnshops t

Gov’t increased spending

HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) expects government spending to rise significantly in June 2012 on back of higher disbursements by the public works department, among others. “the numbers will be good,” Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad said in a briefing Monday. Last May, government expenditures rose by 16.7

EDGEDAVAO

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Doña Nenita R. Floirendo Ma. Linda F. Lagdameo, Antonio Floirendo, Jr. Ma. Christina F. Brias, Ma. Theresa R. Floirendo Ricardo R. Floirendo, Vicente R. Floirendo and Family

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EDGEDAVAO

Why single-sex education is spreading across the US Commentary By HeatHer HollingSwortH and JeSSie l. Bonner

EDITORIAL

Web of deceit

ANOLO Gavas is a story of a reallife Spiderman. Only that he is not the masked hero we can turn to. Gavas’ story tells us how a man can weave a web of deceit and perpetrate it even in the name of the highest tribunal of the land and the local government. He spun his lie by claiming to have a Supreme Court adjudication giving him the right to occupy and distribute idle properties anywhere in the Philippines. Gavas brandished the piece of document under the grant of a supposed Supreme Court’s en banc decision in favour of descendants of war veterans. this man claims as the head of a group he calls Veterans Legionaries of World War of the Walter Cushing Guerilla Unit, Incorporated and chair-president of Ambassador for Christ of Don Alejandro San Pedro Foundation. And like the famous line in Spiderman, “with great powers come great responsibilities.” And so Gavas foolishly took it to

EDGEDAVAO

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his storyline to help the poor own lands and build homes. that scheming storyline included parting with P250 for a membership to Gavas’ association and the right own a lot inside a private property in Matina Aplaya. Gavas and his fellow illegal settlers have started to build their homes in the said private property when they were stopped by police and the local housing agency upon orders by the City Mayor. He now faces charges for trespassing, malicious mischief and robbery. the Mayor is also mulling filing charges of estafa against this man. Gavas web of deceit finally caught up with him. Despite his arrest, Gavas was adamant on his supposed “powers.” there is a legal maxim that says fraud and justice do not dwell together. And Gavas, despite his Spiderman-like web of deceit, created quite a spin for a lie he would later have to bitterly chew, literally and figuratively. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

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(Conclusion)

EXt door, the third-grade girls opted for an “under the sea” motif. When they spotted Gilbert in their classroom door way, a few of the girls jumped from their seats and ran to give her a quick embrace. they learn the same curriculum, they still lunch and play at recess together, but the differences in their learning environments are apparent, from the blue chalkboards in the boy classrooms, to the red paper hearts that decorated the wall of one of the girl’s classrooms. these environments are driven by student interests and what they’re learning at the time, Gilbert said. Dr. Leonard Sax, the founder of the Pennsylvania-based National Association for Single Sex Public Education, contends the movement is about breaking down gender stereotypes, not promoting them. “We want more girls engaged in robotics and computer programming and physics and engineering,” Sax said in a telephone interview. “We want more boys engaged in poetry and creative writing and Spanish language.” For advocates like Sax, the increase in this form of learning is exciting, but it’s troubling for others. the ACLU launched a national campaign, teach Kids, Not Stereotypes, in May and sent cease-and-desist letters to school districts in Maine, West Virginia,Alabama, Mississippi and Virginia. the group also asked state officials to investigate single-sex programs in Florida, while sending public record requests to schools in another five states, including to Gilbert’s school in Idaho. Doug Bonney is legal director of the ACLU of Kansas and Western Missouri, where he successfully challenged single sex classes in Missouri’s Adrian R-III School District. He argues there’s no proof single-sex classrooms work while there’s plenty of evidence they actually enhance gender stereotypes and lead to sexism. “this isn’t the right step to address higher dropout rates by boys,” Bonney said. “they promote false stereotypes about sexbased differences that don’t exist. Promoting sex stereotypes can harm both girls and boys.” Both sides agree the idea is not new and has a long history in private schools. But Galen Sherwin, staff attorney with the ACLU Women’s Rights Project, said its history in public schools is much darker and has roots in the South, where it was broadly instituted in an effort to evade the desegregation requirements of Brown v. Board of Education to try “to prevent black boys from being in the same room as white girls.” “In the wake of Brown, many schools in the south integrated racially but segregated on the basis of sex,” Sherwin said. Nancy Levit, a law professor at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, addressed this issue at a meeting of the Association of American Law Schools: “think about it, in terms of race,” she said. “What would people say if the state paid for an all-white school or an all-black school? As long as there was a racial element nobody would have a problem seeing a constitutional difficulty.” the analogy drew a heated reaction from Sax, who argues that a federal judge in Kentuckydebunked this notion when ruling last year against parents who tried to block single-sex classes at a Breckenridge County school. Critics like the ACLU are out of line when they draw parallels to Brown v. Board of Education, Sax said. “Either they’re really stupid and not able to grasp what the judge is saying in the ruling, or they’re being deliberately misleading,” he said.

EDGEDAVAO

OCAL CULINARY FASHION – On several crowded, dusty roads in the business districts of Davao City stands a testament of the Dabawenyos entrepreneurship spirit: food venture. the key to the success of persistent business-minded people is actually found in a place dedicated to a uniquely local culinary fashion: roadside beef soup cooking or known locally as bulalo and balbakua. the small-time entrepreneurs’ dream is making their roadside eateries ubiquitous in, eventually, throughout the city. there is more. the bulalo and balbakua food business is symbolic of the Dabawenyos’ economic maturity in which both the risk of entering entrepreneurship and the potential reward are unsure. Fundamentally, the element of success in the beef soup cooking scheme is the preparation – fresh ox legs and tails, appetizing ingredients, equally fresh vegetables and flavorsome condiments. the bulalo and balbakua style of cooking, however, is not new. It has long been popular among locals, transient traders and frequent visitors in the once undivided province of Davao, and it is also similar to hot pot cooking in other provinces and elsewhere in the country with beef as the main part. What actually makes beef soup cooking uniquely Dabawenyo in taste is its spicy sticky soup of onion, garlic, ginger, chilies, peppers, and of course, secretlyprepared condiments. As you can see, diners usually sit on benches or stalls around a small roadside restaurant sipping sticky soup and dipping everything

HE four-day Bangsamoro People’s Assembly held by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front at its Camp Darapanan, Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao ended yesterday afternoon with a press conference by MILF Chairman Al Hadj Murad Ibrahim. More than 100 Mindanao, Manila and foreign media people were expected to attend, reported Luwaran, the MILF Central Committee on Information online publication. As reported an estimated half to a million from Mindanao, Sulu and Palawan areas as well as Manila together with invited foreign dignitaries attended the Assembly, which for convenience, is referred to in this article as “Darapanan 2012”. Darapanan 2012 is vital to the ultimate outcome of the peace negotiation between the Philippine Government and the MILF –now in its 15th year. the 28th Exploratory talks last May 28-30 did not end so well as expected – in fact, the Parties did not issue the customary “Joint Statement”. No meeting was scheduled for June or soon after; the panels were to have consultations with their principals. Darapanan 2012 is, in a sense, the MILF panel’s consultation through its

Monkey Business

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A vibrant but flooded city from vegetables to ox tail and cow vocal chords into the broth. Nonetheless, food enthusiasts say it’s not for the prim and self-conscious simply because a bulalo or balbakua meal is likely to be accompanied by lots of cold beer, if not bottles of liquor, and under a baking heat and sweltering summer day, plenty of sweat as well. Oftentimes, lowkeyed food lovers like drivers, salesmen, construction workers, and ordinary employees among others find the beef soup addictive – perhaps not surprising: roadside restaurants have been known to spike their sauce with especially and delicately prepared condiments. Despite the presence of fine gastronomic restaurants, grill joints and different food outlets throughout the city, the roadside eateries offering delicious bulalo and balbakua still posed a threat to these food establishments. that’s precisely because the ordinary people in the streets that comprised the bulk of customers continue to patronize a delectable beef soup meal at a very affordable price. On such hope hangs the roadside restaurant owners’ idea to consider an expansion plan. ooOoo CONCERNS ABOUt CItY FLOODING – City residents especially those living in low-lying and flood-prone areas are fuming mad that the city’s flooding woes are expected to worsen and alleged that the city government is not capable of registering its bite when dealing with the sewerage and drainage problems. I know that Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is remarkably a civil politician and at the same time understand she even could not hide her frustration and disgust at losing the chance to get additional funds from the central government for the ma-

jor repair of the city’s aging drainage system. Some years back, the city leadership likewise complained that the central government does not allocate enough funds for the city’s flood mitigation plan. If that weren’t enough, city officials on their own, have to put up with regular flooding and increasingly shoddy repair works. Whenever the rain is heavy, the city streets and flood-prone areas are filled with knee-deep or even up to waist-deep flood waters. Indeed, the city’s decades-old drainage and sewerage structures clearly required total and expensive repairs. the consensus is that things are only going to get worse if the city leadership will heavily rely on the financial assistance coming from the central government, which probably could take years to realize. the only way the city government can avert the looming flooding season is to work on its own – slowly but progressively. And that’s certainly what the city leadership, with the use of its reserve funds and support of the citizens, is apparently trying to do. Many city residents firmly believe the city officialdom’s decision to act on its own in dealing with the flooding woes is right, since Davao City – even if it’s a flooded city, of course, only during the rainy days still draws more trade, foreign investors and tourists than other bustling metropolis in the country less visited by floods. Despite the flooding problems, the city remains the ultimate destination for both business and leisure in this southern part of the Philippines. Idealists believe that with a complacent and effective city administration, Davao City still would do better – bad or good weather.

Beyond Darapanan 2012, what? opinion Patricio P. diaz

principals – the Central Committee and the Chairman – with the Bangsamoro people, the avowed source of the MILF mandate. the final position of the MILF in the ongoing peace talks will be strengthened by the inputs from the leaders – most especially from the 800 or so leaders that the Chairman and the Central Committee dialogued with last Sunday, the 8th. the dialogue was on the themes: First: Seeking the views of the Moro leaders on how to unify their voices and actions in the face of the difficult situation of the Moros today. Second: Seeking the views and support of the Moro leaders and the various organizations on ways to strengthen the current position of the MILF in its peace talks with the government of the Philippines (GPH). Resource speakers at this penultimate event were the MILF Chairman and the invited guests from the OIC (Organization of Islamic Cooperation – formerly “Conference”), the Malaysian third-party facilitator, the Secretary of the Office of the Presidential Adviser

on the Peace Process. the dialogue was open to the media and the other invited guests including elected local government officials and congressional representatives and the members of the government peace panel. Chairman Murad will summarize the inputs of Darapanan 2012 and clarified points with media at the closing press conference yesterday. Certainly, the media are expected to inform the country as well as the other parts of the world about what transpired at Darapanan 2012. It is expected that the MILF will furnish the Philippine government and its peace panel official copies of its report on Darapanan 2012. the MILF peace panel will go the 29th Exploratory talks – whenever that will be – with its position anchored on the united stand of the Bangsamoro leaders at Darapanan 2012. It could be safely said that the MILF position is – as the cliché goes – an “open book”. the crucial question that lies beyond Darapanan 2012 is how the Philippine government and its panel will respond to the Moro leaders’ views and what their ultimate position is after their own consultations. – [MINdANewS]

Time to curb the illicit global arms trade analysis By Frank Jannuzi and daryl g. kimBall

(1st of 2 parts)

ACH year, hundreds of thousands of civilians around the globe are slaughtered by conventional weapons that are sold, transferred by governments, or diverted to unscrupulous regimes, criminals, illegal militias, and terrorist groups. the enormous human toll from the unregulated trade of conventional arms undermines international security and impedes economic and social development. But the governments and arms brokers that contribute to crimes against humanity by pouring guns and ammo into conflict zones are not violating any international law and are often outside the jurisdiction of national laws. this hole in the fabric of international security can and must be fixed beginning this month. After three years of preparations, diplomats from the United States and more than 100 other countries are meeting at the United Nations in New York to work out a new legally binding, global arms trade treaty by a July 27 deadline. the goal is to establish common standards for the import, export, and transfer of conventional arms and ammunition. While the US and a few other countries have relatively tough regulations governing the trade of weapons, many countries have weak or ineffective regulations, if they have any at all. the result is that there are more international laws governing the trade of bananas than conventional weapons, like AK-47s. In the absence of international standards and effective national controls, irresponsible arms suppliers exploit the gaps for profit. For years, for instance, Russian firms have supplied helicopters to Syria which have reportedly been used by the Assad regime to attack civilian population centers in recent weeks. Weapons, ammunition, and equipment made in Belarus, China, and Russia continue to flow intoSudan, supplying government military forces that commit atrocities in Darfur and the Nuba Mountains regions. As US Assistant Secretary of State for International Security thomas Countryman said in April, when it comes to the arms trade there must be “a new sense of responsibility upon every member of the United Nations that you cannot simply export and forget.” the arms trade treaty won’t stop all illicit arms transfers, but it has the potential to change behavior by requiring states to put in place basic regulations and follow common sense criteria that reduce irresponsible international arms transfers and hold arms suppliers more accountable for their actions.[Frank Jannuzi is the head of the Washington office of Amnesty International USA. Daryl G. Kimball is executive director of the independent Arms Control Association in Washington, D.C.]

SUBURBIA

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EDGEDAVAO

Davao del Norte owes progress to Don Floirendo, Sr.

Balloons. The LGU of Carmen releases balloons as the funeral convoy of Don Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr. passes by on its way to his final resting place in Marapangi, Toril in Davao City. [PIO]

HE Province of Davao del Norte would not become what it is today if not for the “foresight and gutfeel” of Don Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr. Governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario said the province is indebted to the fallen banana magnate for transforming it from a swampy jungle some 50 years ago into the present booming agro-industrial economy and investment haven in the south. “We really owe a lot from Don Antonio Floirendo in so far as the manner the province was developed,” del Rosario said of his brother-in-law, who is considered as the father of the country’s export banana industry. After founding the Davao Motor Sales in Davao City, Floirendo put up in 1950 the tagum Agricultural Development Company (tADECO), which was initially involved in abaca production before shifting to cavendish banana, to become the biggest banana plantation in the world. Del Rosario recalled it was in 1948 when the then 32-year old Floirendo brought him and sister Nenita, the industrialist’s wife, to Davao City. He remembered the first time he set foot to survey the 1,000 hectares of idle marshland that his Manong tony bought in Panabo. “I was tagging along with him as his water

boy. I was only 15 years old then. this whole area was a virgin forest, a jungle full of monkeys, wild boars and leeches,” the governor nostalgically recalled. “My youthful memory can still vividly remember how Manong tony transformed this once primitive face of the earth into something alive and verdant.” Soon after, other banana plantations began to sprout in the province – making Davao del Norte the leading banana exporter in the country. the province now allots around 17,000 hectares for the banana industry, which now directly employs some 240,000 workers and earning for the country about $720 million a year. tADECO, which is the flagship company of the ANFLO Group of Companies (ANFLOCOR), now covers around 6,900 hectares of banana estate that produce millions of boxes of export-quality bananas annually. the visionary Floirendo built ANFLOCOR, a proudly Mindanao-based business conglomerate employing tens of thousands of professionals and workers for more than six decades. Aside from agri-business, it has interests in automotives, real estate, resort, trucking, financing, retailing, and race horse breeding, among others. Del Rosario, who once helped Floirendo expand

his business empire, said the departed kingmaker was like “a father to me when I was a young boy; a brother in later years, and a close friend in our twilight years.” According to him, the only consolation to his grief is to see Floirendo’s children continue the legacy of their father, who succumbed to pneumonia at the age of 96. the governor is confident that Floirendo’s namesake, Antonio “tonyboy” Jr., who is a former representative in the province’s 2nd district, is capable of bringing the corporation to new heights. “to tony Boy, in your eyes I now see the qualities of your father whom I truly admired; tony Boy - you are your father’s son,” he said. In response, the sur-

viving son made his sincere commitment to his father, saying: “I vow you can rest well in peace in God’s embrace, dear father. Your legacy shall not be wasted, it shall prosper more. It shall live on forever.” Flock of bigwigs and ordinary people thronged to the tycoon’s 5-day wake at St. Antonio de Padua Chapel in A.O Floirendo village, in Panabo City. thousands of people even more joined the funeral rites of the “Banana King” on July 6, 2012, with hundreds of children, supporters, sympathizers and Anflocor employees lining up the streets of tADECO, Carmen town and Panabo City, throwing flowers as his hearse headed towards his final resting place in Marapangi, toril, Davao City.

Our Gratitude

E feel truly blessed by the many gifts and blessings that the Lord has showered upon the ANFLOCOR Group of Companies through our Chairman, the late Don Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr. He was a father who toiled hard and worked his way up to provide for his family. He was a patriarch to thousands of people whose lives were transformed and uplifted. He was a philanthropist who touched the lives of many people through the conglomerate that he built and the AOF Foundation that he created. His passing is a great loss to the family that he formed and expanded through the years – the ANFLOCOR Group of Companies. He made a mark in our lives and his legacy will always remain in our hearts. the ANFLOCOR Group of Companies remains committed to the vision of our patriarch, which is to uplift the quality of life of the people of Mindanao. to everyone who offered a prayer, wreath, mass card, donation to the AOF Foundation, message of condolence, and those who visited the wake to offer their last respects to Don Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr., our sincerest and deepest appreciation for your expression of sympathy and love. Your thoughtfulness and prayers for Don Antonio were most comforting. God bless you all. Alexander N. Valoria President and CEO ANFLOCOR Group of Companies KIAMBA’S BEST. (Top) Governor Migs Dominguez and Board Member Cornelio Martinez (left) buy “Kiamba`s Best” as the common brand of the town`s produce during the opening ceremony of USWAG Sarangani 2012 Monday, July 9, at the municipal gymnasium. United towards a Strong, Wealthy And Globally competitive Sarangani (USWAG), is an adaptation of the MSME development week held nationwide every second week of July which Sarangani expanded into a month-long activity. (Left) A member of Kawas Seaweeds Processors Association cooks noodles made of vegetables at the opening of USWAG Sarangani (United towards a Strong, Wealthy And Globally competitive Sarangani) Monday, July 9, at the municipal gymnasium. Veggie-noodles making on the spot training is offered free of registration fee during the event.

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DCWD customer service goes online

SIDE from going to Davao City Water District’s offices in Bajada and Matina to get updates on and inquire about water-related services, customers can also check its website at www. davao-water.gov.ph and official Facebook account “DCWD Davao” (https:// w w w. f a c e b o o k . c o m / davaocitywaterdistrict). Said services are in line with DCWD’s Customer satisfaction agendum which guides the water utility to continuously improve the way it attends to customer needs. the DCWD website allows customers to register their own account so that they receive updates on emergency and scheduled water service interruption through their emails. they can also view and compute their bills online if they know their account numbers and report leaks

through the website. Other information available in the website include matters related to DCWD operations and services, interactive maps of DCWD offices and collection centers, environmental protection programs, bids and awards, copies of official DCWD publication, among others. the DCWD Facebook account also informs customers of emergency and scheduled water interruptions. Compared to the website, it is more interactive in responding to queries regarding DCWD services such as water

service interruptions, new service connections, bills, among others. Inclusion of these online tools in responding to customer needs is a very effective means to increase the water utility’s visibility among Davaoeños. Said online services expand the reac1hes of DCWD’s customer assistance especially with the large number of people who have access to the Internet nowadays. With the addition of these two customer service methods to the already existing front line customer service assistants in the Bajada and Matina offices and its 24/7 call center that could be reached through 221-9412 or 09277988966, DCWD will be able to cater to customer needs faster and more efficiently. (JOvANA T. dUhAyLUNGSOd)

Electricity is something that children should not be afraid of but be knowledgeable about. Parents should involve children in electrical safety activities at home.

Kids-friendly electrical safety tips from Davao Light

HILDREN are curious by nature. they will always explore and touch anything around them. When at home, one of the many that interests them are electric appliances. If they are left alone with these gadgets being used, children may pull on its cord, topple the appliance or stick objects into its electrical outlet. Hence, it is important the we teach our kids electrical safety rules so

they can protect themselves and others from the dangers of electricity. Davao Light and Power Company gathers these simple safety tips which you and your child can practice at home.  Hide exposed cords and wiring, and always throw away or repair frayed wiring. If your children are old enough, involve them in conducting a safety check for uncovered wall outlets, loose cords and frayed

wires.  Kids today are very much involved in electronic gadgets which require access to electricity. teach them to avoid plugging too many electronic devices into one power source. Create a “three strikes, you’re out” rule, wherein, if more than three electronic devices are plugged into one outlet, the plugs of any additional devices must be plugged into a differ-

FKIDS, 13

COMMUNITY SENSE 11

12 NATION/WORLD NATION BRIEFS Running-mate

ECAUSE he’s often seen these days meeting with Manila Mayor Fred Lim, Cesar Montano may have unwittingly set off speculations that he’s being drafted as Lim’s running-mate in the 2013 elections against the tandem of former Pres. Joseph “Erap” Estrada and Vice Mayor Isko Moreno. If ever, it would be Cesar’s third time to run, the first having been in 2007 for senator and then in 2010 for governor of Bohol. to set the record straight, Funfare called up Cesar yesterday and he confirmed having met with Mayor Lim several times.

Suspended

MBUDSMAN Conchita Carpio Morales has ordered that Quezon City Councilors Roderick Paulate and Francisco Calalay Jr. be suspended for six months without pay while they are being investigated for allegedly maintaining “ghost” employees in the city government’s payroll. In a July 5 order released yesterday, Morales said the two councilors as well as their liaison officers, Flordeliza Alvarez and Vicente Bajamunde, are to receive no pay during the period because of the administrative case filed against them by the anti-graft agency’s Field Investigation Office (FIO).

Increase

ENAtOR Antonio “Sonny” F. trillanes IV has filed a bill seeking to raise the minimum pay of public school teachers to salary grade 20 or equivalent to P36,567.00 per month. the proposed salary grade is in accordance with the 4th tranche of the implementation of the Salary Standardization Law scheduled this month. At present, the basic salary of public school teachers is pegged at grade 11 or about P18,549.00 a month.

Banned

INING will be banned in protected areas and in tourism sites – including Palawan and Boracay – while no new permits for mining operations will be issued until Congress passes a new revenue sharing scheme that is more advantageous to the government. the new mining policy is contained in Executive Order 79 signed by President Aquino on July 6.

Funding

HE national government will spend P543.5 million for the preparatory activities for the two Public-Private Partnership (PPP) projects set for implementation this year, the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) said. Budget and Management Secretary Florencio B. Abad said that the government needs to spend an initial P259.3 million for the Daang Hari SLEX Link Road Project and another P284.33 million for the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) Expressway project.

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China launches naval war games

HINA’S navy will on tuesday begin annual military exercises off its east coast, state media reported, amid tensions over maritime territorial disputes with its neighbours. “According to our annual plan for exercises, the Chinese People’s Liberation Army’s navy will in the coming days hold exercise activities in the waters near the Zhoushan islands,” the ministry said in a statement on Monday. the ministry provided no other details on the war games. But the China Daily said the live fire naval exercises would start on tuesday and last for six days. the Zhoushan islands lie in the East China Sea not far from the coastal city of Shanghai. the China Daily said the exercises would not be held in any waters also claimed by another country. Last week, the ministry announced a ban on shipping and fishing vessels entering the designated exercise area, the

EDGEDAVAO

This file photo shows Chinese missile destroyer Haikou (171) docking in Hong Kong, in April. China’s navy will on Tuesday begin annual military exercises off its east coast, state media reported, amid tensions over maritime territorial disputes with its neighbors. paper said. the exercises come after Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihiko Noda said Saturday that Japan was considering buying a chain of islands at the centre of its bitter territorial dispute with China and taiwan. those islands in the East China Sea are called Senkaku in Japanese and Diaoyu in Chinese, and

are further to the east than the area where the imminent naval exercises are being planned. China reacted angrily to Noda’s remarks, as both governments reiterated their claims over the islands. China is locked in similarly tense disputes with Vietnam and the Philippines in the neighbouring South China Sea.

Vietnam and the Philippines have accused China of increasingly aggressive behaviour in the area. China claims essentially all of the South China Sea, home to vital shipping lanes and believed to be rich in oil and gas deposits. taiwan and Brunei and Malaysia also have claims in the waters.

Russian Wikipedia shuts down in protest at new Internet bill

HE Russian-language Wikipedia website shut down tuesday with a stark black line across its main page in protest at a bill it warned could be used to censor the Internet. “Imagine a world without free knowledge,” it said in a statement on an otherwise white page, saying amendments to be discussed in parliament Wednesday “could lead to the creation of extrajudicial censorship of the whole Russian-language Internet”. the amendments to an information law are being promoted as a crackdown on child pornography in particular, but the Ru.Wikipedia.org site warned that they could “prompt the creation of a Russian version of the Great China Firewall”. Russia already has a law “on protecting children from information that causes harm to their health and development,” it said, which was used to promote age certification.

WORLD TODAy Biggest

CIENtIStS are using the world’s biggest telescope, buried deep under the South Pole, to try to unravel the mysteries of tiny particles known as neutrinos, hoping to shed light on how the universe was made. the mega-detector, called IceCube, took 10 years to build 2,400 metres below the Antarctic ice. At one cubic km, it is bigger than the Empire State building, the Chicago Sears tower - now known as Willis tower - and Shanghai’s World Financial Center combined.

Shocking

damning report on the Australian military on tuesday detailed 24 allegations of rape that never went to trial and other claims that Defence Minister Stephen Smith admitted would “shock” people. the report was commissioned by the government last year following the so-called Skype scandal, when footage of a young male recruit having sex with an unwitting female classmate was streamed online to cadets in another room.

Cleared

N Israeli court acquitted former prime minister Ehud Olmert on two key corruption charges on tuesday while finding him guilty on a lesser charge, media reported. the Jerusalem district court cleared Olmert on charges of receiving cashstuffed envelopes and falsely billing trips abroad multiple times, but convicted him on the charge of granting favours to a former colleague during his time as a minister.

Cancer-free

IREBRAND Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez insisted that he is “totally” cancer-free and ready to take on what promises to be a tough re-election battle without “physical restrictions.” “Free, totally free,” he replied when asked by a reporter if he had beaten the disease, as he gears up for the bruising campaign against unified opposition rival Henrique Capriles ahead of the October 7 vote. File photo shows a computer screen displaying homepages of the Wikipedia site darkened on January 18 in a protest against US legislation intended to crack down on online piracy. The Russian-language Wikipedia website the amendments to the law, passed last week in a first reading, call for the creation of a federal register that would rule on websites carrying banned information, and oblige site owners and providers to close down the offending sites. the legislation high-

shut down Tuesday with a stark black line across its main page in protest at a bill it warned could be used to censor the Internet.

lights websites carrying child pornography, promoting drug use and giving advice on suicide. the bill is due for a second reading in the lower house of parliament on Wednesday. If passed it will go through several other votes seen as a formality before be-

ing signed into law by President Vladimir Putin. In Russia, the Internet plays a crucial role in disseminating opposition views through social networking sites including Facebook, twitter and Live Journal and is also used to coordinate protests.

Missing

newly ordained Chinese bishop has not been seen since he quit the state-sanctioned Catholic association on the weekend, amid new tensions between Beijing and the Vatican, reports said on tuesday. thaddeus Ma Daqin announced his split from the Chinese Patriotic Catholic Association (CPCA) during the mass at his ordination as auxiliary bishop of Shanghai on Saturday, according to Hong Kong and Catholic media.

EDGEDAVAO

SoCot gov defends ban on open-pit mining

outh Cotabato Gov. Arthur Pingoy has insisted that the provincial environment code which bans open pit mining method is consistent with national law which upholds the general welfare of the people. Pingoy made the statement following the issuance Monday of Executive Order 79 which aims to reconcile national mining policies with local legislations and raise more revenues for the government. the governor said he believes the presence and planned operation of Sagittarius Mines Inc. (SMI), which is inconsistent with the provincial environment code, may have led to the issuance of the executive order. He maintained the new executive order cannot overturn the provincial environment code without the government and proponents of open-pit mining resorting to legal action. “I am not against mining but we have a long history of them and they are not among the desirable results we expect,” Pingoy said. the Xstrata PLC-controlled SMI is holder of the tampakan Copper and Gold Project which is said to contain the largest untapped copper and gold deposits in Southeast Asia. On Monday, SMI said in a statement that the executive order “is a positive step

RMN...

towards promoting a responsible mining industry in the Philippines and we welcome the recognition of the need for consistency between national laws and local ordinances.” SMI also claimed its tampakan project would “establish a blueprint for modern, large-scale mineral development in the Philippines.” the company has repeatedly announced it is pouring US$6B in investments for the development of the project. It is set to start commercial operations by 2016. But the Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) denied its application for an environmental clearance certificate early this year. the EMB cited the existing provincial environment code in rejecting the application of SMI. Pingoy said he would like to see how large-scale mining operations leave behind their mining site after the lifespan of their operations. “I have yet to see what the post-mine would look like under the 1995 Mining Act,” said the governor who recently welcomed officials from toledo City. toledo was once host of Asia’s biggest copper mining operations, the Atlas Consolidated Mining Development Corporation. Pingoy believed the province can still do without mining. [edwIN G. eSPeJO/MINdANewS]

FFROM 1

But management failed to negotiate, saying that Eric Canoy, the owner, would not yet be around. Thus, the RDEU filed a notice of strike with the NCMB for management’s refusal to negotiate. Yesterday, supervisors of radio technicians took over the RMN Davao AM station, by feeding it with

P32.99...

programs from Manila. Fabe bared that the station’s management in Davao attempted to employ technicians from RMN General Santos City, replacing the engineers on strike, but did not succeed due to the strikers’ resistance. “Hiring new employees to replace us is not allowed by the law,” he said.

FFROM 2

in quality in the world. “Davao City will become the hub of high-rise buildings in Mindanao,” he said, adding that the city has more available lots for expansion. Property development in the city may also be viewed through the increase in the amount collected by the City Building Office. With a target collection of P65 million this year, the CBO collected a total of P56.70 million in 2011; P49.93 million in 2010; P46.04 million in 2009; and, P44.56 in 2008. Adalin said a significant portion of the col-

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lection is made up of surcharges and administrative charges, indicating that the national building code has been implemented because for so long citizens had not been abiding with the law. He mentioned that as one of the revenuegenerating offices of the city government, it will have an increasing trend in collection not because many will still be violating the law, but because of the growing number of buildings that will pay for annual inspection, while there will be new buildings to be constructed in the coming years. [LORIe A. CASCARO]

Moro leaders bid for ‘higher unity’

ANGSAMORO leaders bid for greater unity over the weekend through a three-day dialogue facilitated by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) inside Camp Darapanan, its administrative complex in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao. this developed as the Malaysian facilitator of the peace talks between government and the MILF revealed that another breakthrough in the parties’ ongoing negotiations is afoot. Speaking at the opening rites of the Bangsamoro Leaders Assembly on Saturday, tengku Dato’ Ab Ghafar Bin tengku Mohamed likened the peace negotiations between government and the MILF to reading a book. “Before, they were not only reading different chapters; they were reading different books,” tengku said. “today, they are now reading the same chapter. (And) by end of July, they would be reading the same paragraph,” he added. the panels are set to meet in Kuala Lumpur next week. the upcoming breakthrough comes barely three months after the highly lauded 10 Decision Points that the

Davao...

peace panels signed in April. the agreement laid the basic principles for a future negotiated settlement to end over four decades of Moro rebellion in Mindanao. MILF chair Al Haj Murad Ebrahim said 550,000 Moro from various regions in Mindanao gathered in Camp Darapanan for the assembly’s opening rites. MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said among the large contingents were from Lanao and Western Mindanao. “We salute you for this show of unarmed force” for peace, presidential adviser on the peace process teresita Quintos-Deles said of the throng of participants. the opening rites also gathered diplomats, functionaries of local and national governments, and representatives of various civil society groups and development agencies. Shared goals the assembly happen amid the growing international interest on Moro unity especially at a time of increasing prospects of concluding soonest the peace negotiations between government and the MILF. Apart from preparing the Bangsamoro for an eventual political settlement, MILF vicechair Ghazali Jaafar said there

is a need to achieve understanding of “common steps, approaches and strategies” to hasten the goal of ending historical injustices on the Moros. “We come here to listen and learn from each other,” said Lanao del Sur Rep. Pangalian Balindong, a former MNLF official. Speaking before the assembly, Maguindanao vice-governor Ismael Mastura proposed the formulation of a manifesto “calling for Bangsamoro unity on the shared goals of justice, peace and freedom.” the young Mastura said he is volunteering to be the first one to sign such manifesto. His father, Datu Michael Mastura, is a senior member of the MILF peace panel. On Sunday, the Moro leaders’ assembly formally took place with Iqbal facilitating the process. It was off-limits to reporters. Iqbal said the day-long dialogue was designed to have “free-willing discussions” with Moro leaders from various sectors and organizational and party affiliations to get their ideas mainly on “how to achieve higher unity” and their feedbacks on how the MILF handled the peace negotiations. “the MILF is just one among

the many participants. Here, we seek to achieve inclusivity because after all, our struggle is not for the MILF but for the Moro people,” he stressed. Before the dialogue was started in the morning, MILF chair Murad Ebrahim, tengku and Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) diplomat tahir Ahmad Saif delivered inputs. Also present were Moro leaders who hold positions in government, traditional leaders, and those from civil society.

even affording the latter the opportunity to be heard,” the transport leaders said, adding Iway and Garcia “even had the gall to rule that the DOtC Memorandum dated February 2, 2011 of Usec Aristotle Batuhan was ineffective and unenforceable.” the transport leaders also reported that board members Iway and Garcia hastily and illegally granted an application to operate black colored taxis in Davao City over the objection of various transport organizations. they said that under the Revised LtFRB Rules of Procedure, the authority to grant an application to adopt a color scheme for taxis belongs to the

regional director who issued the taxi franchise. “Regional Director Go has been completely bypassed, ignored and disregarded despite the fact that he is the most knowledgeable of the prevailing local situations, public pulse and sentiments as we are constantly in touch and in dialogue with him on a daily basis,” the transport leaders said. they said they are seriously alarmed by Iway’s and Garcia’s penchant to

violate the law and disregard LtFRB rules. they added that the “recently reported ‘resurrection of dead franchises’ of Pantranco bus lines is one such eloquent proof of their wrongdoing.” the transport leaders appealed to Roxas that they be given direct access to his office, saying they would appreciate it if they are granted an opportunity to meet and confer with the DOtC secretary anytime.

the assembly is also aimed at further expanding support for an upcoming peace deal, especially in managing its transitional phase. “Admittedly, the MILF has limited absorptive capacity vis-a-vis the huge task of managing a peace transition. that is why we are reaching out to groups and individuals who share our passion for a template of Moro empowerment,” Iqbal said. ‘Momentum of peace’ Asked what tengku’s hints mean, MILF chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal said it could be the Malaysian diplomat’s “impression from his shuttling between the parties.” “that is his view. He is in a position to assess it that way,” Iqbal added. (MINdANewS)

FFROM 3

decisions arbitrarily and unilaterally issued by the currect LtFRB board in gross violation of our rights.” “In one case,” they said “Board Members Manuel Iway and Samuel Julius Garcia blatantly transgressed the law and the Revised LtFRB Rules and Procedure when they assumed jurisdiction over applications for taxi franchise which were filed with LTFRB-Regional Office No. XI in Davao City in derogation of the powers and prerogatives of Regional Director Benjamin Go.: they (Iway and Garcia) nullified various orders of Regional Director Go without the benefit of hearing and without

Kids...

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ent source.  Power outages can frighten children. Make a household safety plan in case of an outage. Have your child help you find (but not touch) devices that require unplugging, such as televisions, computers and refrigerators.  Even when outdoor, teach your child what to do if he comes upon a downed power line or pole. tell them to back away from any downed power line he sees and to go tell an adult

immediately. Even if not sparking, downed power lines can still conduct electricity. Electricity is something that children should not be afraid of but be knowledgeable about. Parents should involve children in electrical safety activities at home so that they will know the danger that it might bring them if used improperly. this will not only help you prevent electrical fires but above all will ensure that your kids are safe.

David...

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that saw the tigers defy the odds by making it all the way to the best-of-seven finals, while Caguioa claimed the award during the Commissioner’s Cup despite missing several games in the semis after Yap accidentally poked him in the eye in their semifinal encounter. Once the candidates are determined, voting will be decided through statistics (40 percent), media votes (30 percent), players votes (25 percent), and votes from the Commissioner’s Office (5 percent). Meanwhile, a four-way race is shaping up for the Rookie of the Year award, with Paul Lee of Rain or Shine, Jayvee Casio of Powerade and Marcio Lassiter of Petron in the hunt and Barangay Ginebra’s Dylan Ababou trying to make a

solid case for himself in the homestretch. Lee, drafted No. 2 overall, shows the way with 25.8 SPs, and appears to have a clear path at the once-in-alifetime award as the Elasto Painters are in strong contention for a finals berth in the season-ending tournament. top pick Casio is in second with 24.1 SPs but his chances have dimmed now that the tigers are already out contention. Lassiter is in third with 21.4 SPs, but he missed most of the Boosters’ campaign due to an injury. that leaves Ababou as the biggest threat to Lee’s Rookie of the Year bid. the one-time UAAP MVP out of Santo tomas amassed 17.9 SPs for fourth place, with the Kings still very much in a position to make the finals.

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Holy Child drops Ateneo in OT By Neil Bravo

OLY Child School of Davao turned the tables around archnemesis Ateneo de Davao University with an 86-73 overtime win in the opening of the 2012 Duterte Basketball League Inter-Private High School Junior Championships. the two schools’ storied rivalry peeled another chapter before a capacity crowd at the Gaisano Skygym which also reopened its doors to local hoopdom after being mothballed for a while due to repairs. the Reds made sure they make a rousing impact on their rivals and the rest of the field unleashing its might in the extra period with the terrible troika of Rowei Dignos, Al Rashid Indin and

Kenneth Aguanta at the firing end. Dignos, Rashid and Aguanta conspired for 49 points for the Reds. the Blue Knights were led by Dale Soriano and Sean Africa who combined for 28 between themselves. In other games over the weekend, Ford Academy upset Agro 69-58 while Assumption College of Davao demolished Emar 106-64 in the tournament organized by the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas Davao City Chapter under Atty. Oying Melodias. 23 private schools in Davao are taking part in this two-divisional league supported by the City Government of Davao through Mayor Inday Sara Duterte and Vice Mayor Rody Duterte.

Drafted players of the Phoenix Cup Season 4 basketball tournament undergo a values formation seminar before the opening of the league recently at the Davao City Recreation Center. The seminar is aimed at preparing the young hoopsters of their responsibilities as athletes.

David leads MVP race

PItFIRE Gary David remained on top of the race for the season MVP award, but the failure of Powerade to advance past the eliminations of the PBA Governors Cup is likely to hurt his shot at the coveted individual honor. the latest Statistical Points (SPs) released by the league showed the tigers’ shooting guard still on top with 34 SPs in 49 games by the end of the eliminations. the next four players after him, however, are still seeing action in the singleround semis, giving them enough opportunities to catch up. At No. 2 is Petron’s Arwind Santos with 31.7 SPs (41 games), followed by twotime and reigning MVP James Yap of B-Meg with 29.0 SPs (49 games); Jayson Castro of talk `N text, who has 28.8 SPs and has played the most number of games with 51; and Ginebra’s Mark Caguioa with 28 SPs (35 games). Under league rules, a maximum of six players can be eligible for the MVP, with three of the spots reserved for the Best Player of the Conference (BPC) winners, and the rest to come from among the statistical leaders. Both David and Caguioa are automatic candidates for the award on the strength of the BPC honors bestowed upon them earlier in the season. David took the conference title during a memorable Philippine Cup campaign

FDAVID, 13

CALTEX DELO RUN. Ezer Marin, Business Consultant of Chevron Phils.(2nd from left) announces the Delo Kadayawan Half Marathon slated on August 19, 2012 while Aldrin Laruscain, Finish Lubricant Sales Manager of Chevron Phils.(2nd from right), Kenneth Sai (left) and

Pilsen Suzara of Vantage Sports (right) listen during DSA Forum on Tuesday at Tower Inn. The event is presented by Chevron Phils. and organized by Vantage Sports. [LeAN dAvAL, JR.]

Learn to lose

t’S amazing how celebrity couple Anthony and Maricel Pangilinan unified the interest of their siblings and nurtured a passion for sports and excellence. Anthony and Maricel were in town together with their running kids— Ella (15), Donny(14), Hannah (12) and Benj (10). Baby Solana (11 months) is already part of team Pangilinan in several fun runs on stroller. Anthony admits he was the only one who was into running while the rest of the family were busy doing something else. Maricel, the former actress, is writing books other than doing commercials and endorsements, and writing her column for Philippine Star. Hannah was into gymnastics, Donny was into table tennis, and Benj was suffering from a heart ailment. Fun run was no fun at all where the rest of the family were mere passive spectators. And so Anthony slowly brought them all into running “with little incentives, and little motivations.” Until team Pangilinan was on the road together. One race after the other, the team slowly transformed itself into a competitive unit. Not just that, they all had fun doing it. “Everyone in the fami-

ly has different reasons for running,” Anthony bared. Hannah, he says, want to be part of the team. Donny wants the timex watch (team Pangilinan is part of team timex). Or Benj wants the shoes. team Pangilinan has already in its name several trophies and medals in several races here and abroad. Anthony ran the New York Marathon last year while Maricel will take her turn this year as one of the official Philippine representatives sponsored by timex which is also the official timekeeper of the prestigious footrace. But what Anthony, a motivational speaker, wants to emphasize is for parents to teach kids how to lose. While most of us are brought up into a culture of winning, and where second place is nothing of an achievement, Anthony wants to inculcate in kids the value of humility. “We will not win all the time.” Anthony is right. there will be failures and losses along the way. Our children should learn how to deal with them. It will strengthen them more. Makes them better individuals. “Let us teach them humility.” I know of some parents who will punish their kids

if they lose. Cruelty should not be the accessory of losing. this is not the barbaric times. We raise new breed of athletes who will be responsible for themselves, who will value training and preparation, and who will be ready to face the changing winds of competitions. A few days ago in the Wimbledon finals, Andy Murray was just three sets away from breaking the long British drought that dated since 1936 when Fred Perry became the last Englishman to win the title at the All-England Club. Murray lost to Roger Federer who ended his own long dry spell of a Grand Slam title. How painful it was for Murray to have come so close and lose before the nation. But Murray was a class of his own. Instead of whining in defeat, Murray proudly said in his emotional speech—“I am getting closer.”

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hEALTh

Veggie cooking tips Vegetables can be truly yummy and nutritious! Most people do not eat vegetables because they do not know how to prepare them. some vegetables can be eaten fresh. There are various ways of preparing, cooking or presenting vegetables.

• Boiling is one of the most common ways of cooking vegetables such as in nilaga and sinigang. Preferably, simmer vegetables in a minimum amount of water because soluble nutrients in vegetables such as vitamin C and b-complex will be lost in cooking with water. • Steaming is the best way to cook vegetables. Not only does it avoid using any type of fats in the cooking process, but it also protects the nutrients in the vegetables because none of the vitamins are lost to the water and drained away. steaming also preserves the color and nutritional value of vegetables to a very high degree. Vegetables can also be cooked by putting on top of rice in the last stages of cooking. • Stir-frying is a cooking method that can preserve the good flavor and color of vegetables. It is a method of cooking where sliced vegetables and meat are quickly fried in a large pan over very high heat while constantly and briskly stirring them. The cooking technique requires a minimum amount of fat and results in a food that is crisp and tender. • Broiling is a method of cooking by exposing food to direct heat, either on a grill over live coals or a gas burner or electric coil. broiling differs from roasting and baking, because in broiling, the food is turned during the process so as to cook one side at a time. Vegetables that can be broiled include squash, corn, red and green bell pepper, asparagus and even mushroom. Choose the vegetables that are firm and fresh. sprinkle both sides with salt, pepper and any desired spice such as ginger or garlic or any spice desired. • Microwaving preserves the color and texture of

right away retains intact vitamins and minerals that are easily absorbed by the body. Preparing smoothies is a good way to get the fibers, phytochemicals, and other complex compounds found in vegetables that are lost during preparation. In addition to the nutrients, vegetable smoothies contain more water and provide variety of texture and taste of vegetables. We should remember to rinse vegetables thoroughly. Rinse only before eating or preparing to prevent spoilage. When washing vegetables, follow these steps: • Clean all surfaces and utensils with soap and hot water, including cutting boards, peelers, counter tops, and knives that will

touch fresh produce. Wash hands with soap and warm water for at least 20 seconds before and after handling fresh vegetables. • Rinse those fresh vegetables with skins and rinds that are not eaten, under clean running water and avoid using detergents or bleach. Remove the outer leaves of leafy vegetables such as lettuce and cabbage before washing. Produce with firm skin, such as potatoes, may require rubbing with a vegetable brush while rinsing under clean running water to remove all soil. Happy veggie cooking and eating to all! Make veggies part of your lifestyle to add life to your plate and your diet!

UP AND ABOUT • Always keep vegetables slightly firm to the bite; do not overcook. • Cook mild flavored vegetables in the least amount of water possible. • To cook vegetables quickly and reduce flavor loss, start cooking them in boiling water. add iodized salt to the cooking liquid to reduce the loss of flavor. • Cook strong flavored most vegetables better than vegetables, such as onion, other conventional cook- cabbage, garlic, leeks, cauing. Microwaving requires liflower, broccoli, turnips only little water or no water and radish in an uncovthus more nutrients are re- ered container to allow the tained. strong flavors to evaporate. Vegetables contain valu- • Vegetables that are able and protective nu- grown below ground trients which may be de- should be cooked starting stroyed during handling, with cold water because of storing, cooking and even their high starch content. serving. Knowing the kinds Vegetables grown above of nutrients found in veg- ground should be cooked etables and how these are starting in boiling water to usually lost are important reduce cooking time. to get the nutrients needed. some people may think Vegetables must be cooked that eating vegetables alcarefully to preserve and ready ensures that their diet enhance their flavor, tex- is healthy. While vegetables ture, color and more im- are very healthy, it is importantly, the nutrients. portant that these should There are simple rules be consumed as part of a when cooking vegetables: diet that includes the three • Vegetable fiber gives basic food groups, i.e. the vegetables shape and firm- gO, gROW and glOW ness. Fiber is affected by foods. Have a diet that inmany things in the cooking cludes a variety of whole process. They are tough- grains (rice, corn, cereened by acids such as lem- als), lean meats, fish and on juice, vinegar and toma- poultry, nuts and legumes, to products. On the other fruits, dairy, plenty of water hand, alkali and heat soften and liquids and at the same fibers. to serve crisp, fresh- time, limits high fat, high tasting vegetables, learn to sugar and salty foods. Vegcontrol these factors. etables can be included in

the diet in several ways. • Buy fresh vegetables in season, because they cost less, are of very high in quality and nutrients. • Use a variety of vegetables to keep the meal interesting. • Try crunchy vegetables like carrots, lettuce, and cucumber, raw or slightly steamed. • Plan meals around a vegetable dish. For instance, for “pinakbet” and then add other foods to complement it, like fish. • Use pureed, cooked vegetables such as potatoes to thicken stews, soups and gravies. • Prepare vegetables in different ways by boiling, stir-frying, steaming, grilling and baking. • Eat vegetables like carrots, cucumber, tomatoes, celery with a dip or low-fat dressing. • Add shredded vegetables such malunggay, kangkong, chopped onion leaves and carrots to instant noodles to improve nutrititive values. • One of the ways to add vegetable to your diet is by blending. a vegetable smoothie provides an alternative to some people who do not like the taste of vegetables when cooked. smoothies have the same quality and contain more nutrients than cooked vegetables. eating raw vegetables (make sure it is clean) or drinking its juice

This July, remember the flavors of your childhood as Café Marco features much-loved Filipino signature dishes. “Relive the magic of authentic Filipino cuisine crafted in the ilocano, Kapampangan, Bicolano, Cebuano and Mindanao kitchens,” said Danilo C. herrera, Marco Polo Davao’s Food and Beverage Director. Exciting dinner buffets this month include lechon, the Filipino party mainstay, and rellenong manok, hamonado, galantina, and morcon. savor the freshness of the seafood selections: sinugbang pusit, daing na bangus, and sinigang na hipon. sip and dig into the goodness of bulalo and binakol. Delectable sweets include the honeyed leche flan and turon (banana slivers with langka strips) and other old-time favorites, such as cuchinta, bibingka and biko. “Our Café Marco chefs expertly orchestrate flavors to create a refreshing style of modern Filipino cuisine with a twist here and a bow to tradition there,” herrera added. special limited offer available daily for dinner from July 11 to 31, 2012 for only Php 990 net per person. To start your journey to the heart of Philippine gastronomy, call 221-0888 local 7222 for inquiries and reservations.

EDGEDA

A2 INdulge! ARTs AND CULTURE ENTERTAiNMENT

Trendspott

It has always been a habit of mine to start each month with a glimpse of the latest in style. Fashion glossies are constant page turners for a fashiononymous like me, who finds inspiration from style dictators and channels each look through multiple ventures on cyberspace and other trend hubs. I know some of you are also in transit to next season’s wardrobes and must haves. so, here I am, drawing you a layman’s guide to what’s in and lookbookishque, as I flip through one style manual at a time. Brace yourself They seem to be a rehash of the friendship bracelets I used to see in school back in the 90’s. Remember those yarn twistables you exchanged with close friends? These braided beauties have found their place in the fashion scene as they are given a modernized touch with anything glittery and hippie. accessory designers have drawn inspiration from this and even modified it to become necklaces made out of carefully spliced clothing patterns and a few other pantones. Knit one, purl two. Doily patterns are in, and not only with clothing. From saccharine colors of French macarons to pop hues, these yarn-wrapped and crocheted accessories are the juxtaposition of dainty and fancy. For the love of prints Reviving retro look are paisley prints in women’s clothing. These are nostalgic prints that go all the way from the 1960’s. at first glance, the print looks like a teardrop, or the shape of the kidney, to some. Now on its comeback, it takes a cross between the classy and the hippie inspired styles on the high street. You’d see them on pantsuits, dresses, and blouses, adding enigma to your outfit as onlookers swirl their eyes away. another style that is making its comeback is the Renaissance prints. The Old World transcends to the modern cosmos with much decadence and opulence in prints, beading, embellishments, and rich colors. From velvety feel and intricate beading, to gold and black accents, these trademark élan of the Renaissance period now has streetified renditions in coats, tops, and dresses, a new slang for the legendary Marie antoinette style. Olympian glam london Olympics a-

The Old World transcends to the modern cosmos with much decadence and opulence in prints, beading, embellishments, and rich colors. calling, sports luxe has taken its place in the fashion arena with glamorized sweatpants, shapely shorts showing more skin, and stylized baseball jackets. a cheat guide to the finish line would be the sports savvy spread of Preview’s June issue, with anne Curtis, georgina Wilson, Isabellle Daza, Liz Uy, and solenn Heussaff on the cover. better yet, hit on the Youtube link again and get a refresher course of their version of the Call Me Maybe video. Towering heights These are shoe-business of those who dare. The likes of Camille Co and laureen Uy are seen wearing colorblocked heels and heel-less wedge. Consider them as the new generation of the ladylike pumps. Flirty Skirty Peplum adds some sexiness and elegance to your make your simple attire. You can spend less hours accessorizing by wearing a peplum dress / top / skirt, as you’d already have ruffles attached to your waist, just enough to draw attention to yourself.

UP AND ABOUT

Design the save Mother Earth with art! sM supermalls opens an ecobag design competition for all high school and College students enrolled in the school year 2012-2013 in the Philippines. Four (4) winners will receive Php 25,000 and the new iPad each. Plus, the winners’ schools will also receive Php 25,000 for their environmental project. To join, artists must come

up w bag d egori Air. T the o and smsu ourec forma desig Ap iPads also g

DAVAO

VOL.5 ISSUE 92 â&#x20AC;˘ JULY 11, 2012

ting this July

e new SM Ecobag and win an iPad!

with four (4) individual designs based on the caties Earth, Fire, Water and They then need to fill out online registration form upload entries to www. upermalls.com/designycobag in JPEG or RAW mat (maximum of 2MB per gn). part from the cash and s, the winning designers get to see their creations

on the new edition of sM Eco Bags! Get that artistic thinking cap on and design the coolest eco-friendly bag! Contest runs from July 13 to August 9. For more information, please call 297.6998 local 126 or visit www.smsupermalls. com or www.smcitydavao. blogspot.com . You may also like sM City Davao on Facebook for promo updates.

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ENTERTAiNMENT

Suri’s interest will be top priority Philip Seymour Hoffman cast in “The Hunger Games” sequel LET the games continue: None other than acting heavyweight Philip seymour hoffman has been cast as head gamemaker Plutarch heavensbee in the film adaptation of suzanne Collins’s best-selling novel “The hunger Games: Catching Fire.”

TOM Cruise and Katie holmes do have a divorce settlement in place.

But you do not know what it entails, according to holmes’ attorney, who is shooting down reports that claim to detail the estranged duo’s purported custody arrangement regarding daughter suri. “There are numerous inaccuracies in the reports regarding the purported contents of the agreement reached between the parties,” lawyer Jonathan Wolfe said in a statement to E! News. “The agreement is confidential and its terms will not be disclosed.” But they sure are being discussed!

TMZ and Radar are currently engaged in their own mini custody battle, with each claiming ownership of certain tidbits regarding Cruise and holmes’ little girl. Both outlets are reporting that holmes will get what amounts to primary custody of suri with visitation rights for Cruise, but Radar claims that holmes wants her own employees (nannies, security team, etc.) to accompany suri on visits with her dad—and TMZ says that’s “absolutely, 100 percent false.” The dueling reports also both state, however, that scientology and what can and cannot be discussed around suri is detailed in the agree-

ment. What holmes and Cruise have confirmed is that they (and their lawyers) toiled away on an agreement with suri’s best interests in mind. “We want to keep matters affecting our family private and express our respect for each other’s commitment to each of our respective beliefs and support each other’s roles as parents,” they said in a statement released earlier today. While suri settles in with her mom in the Manhattan apartment holmes leased last month, Cruise touched downin Mammoth, Calif., this afternoon to finish shooting the sci-fi thriller Oblivion.

Avengers Hangover

is scarlett Johansson dating a new guy?

Well, lookie what we have here. The sultry scarlett Johansson decided to take a little break from a thing we call life and instead, soak up some sun on a boat in italy. Jealous? We are, too. But who is that fine gentleman sunbathing next to her? And more importantly, are they wearing sunscreen? The Avengers star, who rocked a white bikini with some shades and a visor to fend off the sun’s strong rays while yachting by the town of Taormina, was spotted with a muscular (and tan!) fella who clearly embraces European swim-

wear with those short shorts. And, while there’s no word on whether or not sun protection was used, we doknow who her man friend is. scarlett’s rep confirms to E! News that the guy soaking up Vitamin D next to her is her bodyguard of

two years,Marco, and the only thing he’s touching on that boat is his Blackberry. The actress is still dating the first mystery man we spotted her with back in January, who was indentified as advertising exec Nate Naylor.

heavensbee is the head gamemaker of the 75th annual hunger Games -a role left open in the first story by the gamemaker seneca Crane (played by Wes Bentley), who came to an unfortunate end. As fans will remember from“The hunger Games,” the gamemaker controls the fate of the characters -- as in who lives and who dies -- in the televised death match.

The role is a complicated and important one. heavensbee seems to have a secret agenda, and it’s not clear until the end whose side he will take. in short, it’s a complex role perfect for a star who’s equally comfortable onstage (“Death of a salesman”) as he is in independent films (“ides of March”) and blockbusters (“Mission:impossible iii”). [Related: Adams on Reel Women: salma hayek’s Working Mom in

‘savages’] And -- spoiler alert -heavensbee’s character also appears in the final installment of the triology “Mockingjay,” so prepare for a healthy, or at least crafty, dose of the 44-year-old. The “Moneyball” star will join returning cast members Jennifer Lawrence, Josh hutcherson, and Liam hemsworth, as well as a new director, Francis Lawrence. The film opens November 2013.

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Who is next on Nonito’s radar?

Nonito Donaire has Jorge Arce and Toshiaki Nishioka as possible next foe. The Donaire camp has announced a fight with Arce in October is favoured over the Japanese.

HO is on the radar of Nonito Donaire? Is it Japanese WBC super bantamweight titlist toshiaki Nishioka or the charismatic Mexican future Hall of Famer Jorge Arce? From the looks of it, the boxing rivalry between the Philippines and Mexico is sure to live on.

With Nonito Donaire ensuring the Philippines a steady flow of galactic boxing stars, the looming battle is going the way of the great Mexican fighter. With that, the enduring boxing war goes on and on. this shaped up after there was only one name that stood out when talks revolved

JORGE ARCE

around who the Filipino Flash should fight next. Mexican warhorse Jorge Arce was the runaway winner and top Rank head Bob Arum said it’s green and go for a Donaire versus Arce showdown at Staples Center in Los Angeles. Arum said he doesn’t even see a reason why the fight will

Country: Mexico Record: 60-6-2 (48 K.Os) Former WBO Bantamweight Champion Age: 32 Height: 5’4 Stance: Orthodox

be held in Las Vegas or someplace else other than southern California. Southern California is home to millions of Mexicans and the fact that many Filipino migrants also reside in La-La Land is reason enough for the 80-year-old Hall of Fame promoter to bring the fight there. “there is still no exact

date but it’ll be in October,” said Arum from Los Angeles, barely 24 hours after Donaire overwhelmed Jeffrey Mathebula of South Africa at Home Depot Center. While Donaire wasn’t really challenged by the softpunching Mathebula, such cannot be said once he gets into the ring with somebody

TOSHIAKI NISHIOKA

like the 32-year-old Arce, known for his never-say-die attitude in the ring. Unlike Mathebula, Arce is a much better puncher (606-2 with 46 knockouts) and he is notorious for his body shots. Donaire (29-1 with 18 knockouts) should be in for a real challenge.

Country: Japan Record: 39-4-3 (24 K.Os) WBC Super Bantamweight Champion Age: 35 Height: 5’6 1/2 Stance: Southpaw

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EDGEDAVAO

SM hosts Futsal League Neil Bravo of the organizing Bravetower explains the mechanics of the 5 30 Cup InterClub Futsal Tournament at the SM City Annex during the weekly Kapehan sa Davao at SM City Davao Mall. (LeAN dAvAL, JR.)

HE exciting sport of futsal (indoor football) goes to the Annex of SM City beginning July 17 for the 5 30 Cup Inter-Club Futsal tournament. Only the first 12 clubs will be accommodated in the first ever futsal league to be staged inside the new activity area of the SM City Davao mall. “We are excited to host futsal here at the mall and we hope that everyone comes to witness the games after of-

fice hours,” said SM City Davao marketing officer Lara tonogbanua. the tournament, organized by Bravetower Events Promotions, is open to all men’s futsal clubs in the region. Each team will be composed of 12 to 15 players excluding those who are active varsity players and members of FA men’s clubs actively playing in current PFF Open Men’s tournaments. “We encourage all futsal clubs to join as we are serious in elevating the sport and bringing it closer to people whether they are football fans or not,” said Neil Bravo of the organizing Bravetower outfit. “We will start with the men’s tournament and we hope to expand to include women’s and juniors late this year,” Bravo added. the tournament is

supported by the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) through Commissioner Buddy Andrada and executive director Guillermo Iroy, Jr., Futsal de Davao headed by Eric Seighdipour, and Phoenix Petroleum. Among the teams who have already confirmed their participation are CF Garelli, Belisario FC, Instatech, KMMPC, Crocs FC, and Alia Orange FC. During the official announcement of the event at the Kapehan sa SM Davao, Bravo explained how the game of futsal is played inside the mall. “We will install nets around the playing area and we will be using the official low-bounce futsal balls,” he said. Registration is still ongoing. Interested teams may contact Ching delos Reyes at 09266508203 or Christian Ea at 09237280441.

Team Pangilinan led by celebrity couple and Timex endorsers Anthony and Maricel Pangilinan and kids Ella, Hannah, Donny, Benj and Solana with Timex Marketing Director Gemma Pagsibigan and Vantage Sports president Kenneth Sai.