Edge Davao 6 Issue 17 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

SALES TALK. Camella division manager James Austria of PCPI Avengers gives his clients a walk through of the miniature model of Camella Davao during the launching of the company’s newest project at SM Lanang Premier’s SMX Convention Center in Lanang, Davao City Saturday night. Lean DavaL Jr.

INdulge

Page A1

10 hotspots Kusug siguro ang signal?

DCPO bares list of Davao barangays under election watch list By EJ Dominic Fernandez

Business travel redefined Sports

Page 16

avao City police director Ronald de la Rosa has placed ten areas in Davao City in under election watch list. While he assessed the overall picture of the election season in Davao City as “good,” Dela Rosa said there are ten barangays from Paquibato, Baguio and Marilog Districts the Davao City Police office (DCPo) has placed under election watch list due to presence of communist rebels. De la Rosa bared this during the Kapehan sa Davao at Sm, an-

F10 HOTSPOTS, 11

Young guns rule

NOT MINDING THE HEAT. These young children do not mind the long hours of peddling handcrafted broom on a hot summer day along E. Quirino Avenue, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

2 THE BIG NEWS More woes to smokers

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

NEW ANTI-SMOKING ORDINANCE

By EJ Dominic Fernandez

ith more teeth and wider coverage, the city’s reinforced anti-smoking ordinance, ordinance No. 0367-12, will be fully implemented on May 31 in time for the eleventh anniversary of the city’s anti-smoking campaign. anti-Smoking task Force head Dr. Domilyn villareiz announced the implementation of the new anti-smoking ordinance during the Kapehan sa Davao at SM annex, Ecoland yesterday. villareiz said ordinance No. 0367 supersedes ordinance No. 043-02. according to villareiz, Republic act 9211

or the tobacco Regulation act of 2003 which regulates the packaging, use, sale, distribution and advertisements of tobacco products is not enough for a hundred percent smoke-free Davao City. She said this prompted Mayor Sara Duterte to sign the new ordinance last November 05, 2012. villareiz reported that there are 224 violators of Ra 9211 apprehended by the Davao City Police for the month of January in 2013, while there were only 17 for the same month last year. in 2012, there are 2536 apprehended violators of Ra 9211 and

FMORE WOES, 11

ELECTION SIMULATION. Some mall goers participate in a mock election conducted by the regional office of the Commission on Elections to help the public fully understand the functions of the PCOS machine during a

Comelec 11 sets ‘Operation Baklas’ By Che Palicte

vERSizED campaign posters and campaign materials mounted on non-common poster areas will be removed beginning this weekend, the Com-

mission on Elections (Comelec) regional office has announced. Comelec 11 will undertake “operation Baklas” on campaign materials covering both local and nation-

al candidates outside the designated poster areas as well as those found to exceed the standard sizes for campaign posters. Notices have been sent to candidates

found to have violated the Comelec rules on common poster areas and allowable campaign propaganda. Comelec 11 regional director Wilfred

FCOMELEC 11, 11

at Abreeza Mall along J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City yesterday. Dulcero later stopped to lash out at a photojournalist who was taking photos of her PCOS demonstration. Lean Daval Jr.

Teachers’ exam passers up 14%

hE Professional Regulation Commission (PRC)Davao Regional office which covers the areas of Davao City, autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (aRMM) and Caraga Region noted a 14 percent increase of passers for the Licensure Examination for teachers (LEt)in 2012. imelda Solon, professional regulation officer of PRC

in Davao Region told Edge Davao that there were6,211passersout of the 17,429 examinees in 2012 fromthe 3,098passers out of 14,294 in 2011. “Even if the LEt applicant decreases, we still noted an increase with regards to the successful examiners,” Solon added. She added that the reason for the decrease

FTEACHERS’ EXAM, 11

Comelec official lashes out at Edge photojournalist

ANNOYED OR ARROGANT? Ma. Victoria Dulcero, acting director III of Education Information Department Comelec in Manila, explains the functions of the PCOS machine during PCOS Demonstration launching

demonstration at Abreeza Mall along J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

EStERDaY’S public demonstration by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on the use of election machines turned out to be a humiliating experience for Edge Davao photojournalist Lean Daval Jr. Ma. victoria Dulcero, acting director iii of Education information Department from the Comelec’s head office in Manila, used the microphone to publicly announce that Daval Jr. was disturbing her presentation. Daval was positioning to get a good angle

on the demonstration by Dulcero at the abreeza Mall when he heard an annoyed Dulcero saying, “Pwede mamaya na magpicture-picture? i’m here to give information to the public, hindi lang para sa’yo. (Can you take pictures later?... this is not only for you).” Dulcero’s lashing of Daval Jr. caught the media attending the demonstration by surprise. “i was humiliated and disrespected, she could have approached me in a nice way. it’s not necessary that she’ll announce it to the public,”

Daval Jr. said. the Comelec conducted the precinct count optical scan (PCoS) machine demonstration to educate the public on its operations for the coming election. Dulcero later accommodated a one-on-one interview with a local television crew. at that instance, Daval Jr. had left the scene along with several local photojournalists who sympathized with the Edge photojournalist. “Suplada kayo (very unfriendly),” commented one photojournalist from a local daily.

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAOVOL. 6 ISSUE 17 •TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

‘Operation Compassion’ launches food program for Pablo victims

P operation Compassion int’l. inc. (oC), a non-government organization registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission and licensed to operate by the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), continues to strengthen its assistance to the victims of typhoon Pablo through the implementation of its food security program in New Bataan, Compostela valley. together with the Department of agriculture (Da), the local government units of New Bataan and the Province of Compostela valley, the independent Baptist Church of the Philippines (iBCP) and a NCR-based congregation, victory Christian Fellowship, oC will be using the same program used by Gawad Kalinga and conceptualized by Dr. aidz adalla of the UP College of agriculture. “the program aims to provide the families with the ability to eradicate hunger by growing vegetables in their back-

yard all year round using a sequence of planting that does not deplete the soil. the program also encourages organic farming and values-formation and is just the pre-requisite for the second stage of the program, which is a livelihood project for the groups involving smallscale farming,” explained Ciel habito, Chairman of BP operation Compassion int’l. operation Compassion has started implementing the program in four temporary shelters. these are the iBCP Compound with 20 families, the DSWD temporary Shelter site with 72 families, the Brgy. andap “a” site with 72 sets of families and the Bgy. andap “B” site with 65 families belonging to the Mandaya indigenous people group. to date, those in the iBCP and DSWD shelters have already cleared their communal gardening sites and each of the families involved now have their own plots measuring one-meter by 10-meters. the shelter sites in

Assistant Secretary Rolando Cucio speaks at the launching of the food security program in New Bataan, Compostela Valley. With him are (from left) Department of Social Welfare and Development Region 11 Policy and Plans

Division Chief Racquel Nuñez, Operation Compassion Chairman Ciel Habito, New Bataan Mayor Balbin, Department of Agriculture Focal Person for Region 11 Richard Ano and Compostela Provincial Agriculturist Nardo Simene.

Bgy. andap are yet to be cleared due to the rocky ground. Farm tools and seeds provided by the Da, oC and the New Bataan Mayor’s office will be distributed. among the victims of typhoon Pablo in 2012,

oC has chosen the municipality of New Bataan for its holistic community development program. Moreover, figures provided by the office of the Mayor of New Bataan reveal that there were 2,260 shelters totally

damaged by the typhoon in the area and 6,013 shelters partially damaged. operation Compassion is committed in establishing progressive and empowered families and communities. the

ger subjected to rigid assessment. instead, these areas will be turned over to the Philippine National Police for clearing, as per resolution of the joint peace and security council, according to him. While the PDoP continues in the rest of the barangays of the province, the general challenged both the army commanders, the LGUs and other agencies to maintain the areas which were already declared as clear from CNN influence. Governor Rodolfo del Rosario welcomed the army clearance given to the barangays, as he em-

phasized the importance of the tag to the development of the communities. “No matter what we do in trying to provide the services to the people, but if the CNN continues to have a hold of our people in the barangays, all our development efforts would surely be futile,” he said. as he puts it, the governor looks forward to the day the whole of Davao del Norte will officially be declared by the aFP as totally cleared from CNN influence, for the province to completely offer a safe haven for investors and tourists alike. [Noel Baguio]

52 DavNor barangays free from NPA influence

hE armed Forces of the Philippines (aFP) has cleared 52 barangays in five local government units of the province free from the affectation and influence of the communist rebels. the army’s area Clearing and validation Board (aCvB) has declared the CNN or Communist Party of the Philippines-New People’s army-National Democratic Front (CPPNPa-NDF) has lost their influence in 13 barangays of Panabo City; 17 in tagum City; four from the municipality of Kapalong; 14 from asuncion; and four barangays in San isidro town.

the clearance came as a result of the army’s peace and development outreach program (PDoP), which deployed peace and development teams that carried out medical civic action programs (MEDCaP), feeding program, livelihood projects, and Gulayan sa Barangay, among other interventions. Brigadier General Yerson Depayso, Deputy Commander of the 10th infantry Brigade, who presided over the aCvB meeting, bared the barangays which were obviously not infiltrated by the CNN, such as those in the poblacion area of most LGUs, were no lon-

organization partners with communities and other groups in extending emergency relief, holistic community development and protection of women and children in marginalized and vulnerable sectors of society.

PDEA busts policewoman, MILF member in Maguindanao raid

oUR persons, including a policewoman and an alleged Moro islamic Liberation Front member, were arrested Sunday in a buy-bust operation conducted by agents of the Philippine Drug Enforcement agency in the autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao. Supt. Felimon Ruiz, PDEa-aRMM regional director, said the raid was conducted after a weeklong surveillance jointly conducted by elements of the police, army and PDEa agents in Pacoma, Barangay Poblacion 2, Parang, Maguindanao. Ruiz identified the the arrested suspects as Police officer 1 Norhaya Madraza Sulayman alias tata, 29; Sammy Macapantao, 38, an alleged member of the Moro islamic Liberation Front; Charito Carim, and akmad Sarigan. the suspects did not

resist arrest when lawmen, backed by the military surrounded Pacoma, a residential area used as drug den by illegal drug operators. the raiding team, according to Ruiz, seized about 50 sachets of methamphetamine hydrochloride or “shabu.” the suspects will be charged with the following charges: violation of Section 11 (Possession of Dangerous Drugs) and Section 12 (Possession of Equipment, instrument, Paraphernalia), article ii of Republic act 9165, or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs act of 2002 and Republic act 8294 or illegal Possession of Firearms and ammunition. Last month, PDEaaRMM and elements of the army’s 68th infantry Battalion, also raided Pacoma and arrested 36 persons who were caught holding a pot session inside the drug den. [PNa]

uips

FREE. 10th ID Deputy Commander BGen. Yerson Depayso presides over the Area Clearing and Validation Board (ACVB) meeting, which cleared 52 baran-

gays of Davao del Norte from the influence of the New People’s Army. [Noel Baguio]

‘THE principle is that all those oil movements are tracked by big traders so the information is available and we should use it. The best info should be in or from Singapore.’

--Senator Serge Osmena III, chair of the Senate energy committee, commenting on oil smuggling. Philippine Daily Inquirer, April 5, 2013.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Akbayan asks Imee Marcos to bare accounts, return ill-gotten wealth M

EMBERS of akbayan Party-list yesterday staged a “caribbean-inspired” protest action in front of the office of the Presidential Commission on Good Government (PCGG) urging the body to step up its investigation of ilocos Norte Governor imee Marcos’ recently uncovered secret offshore accounts in the British virgin islands. Donned in colorful beach hats, goggles and snorkels, akbayan members also brought beach balls, lifebouys and even an inflatable swimming pool to dramatize their demand to Marcos to give the public a full disclosure of the details of the controversial accounts. “We call on the aquino administration, specifically the PCGG, to look into whether Gov. Marcos’ secret offshore accounts are part of the remaining Marcos loot,” akbayan Spokesperson Barry Gutierrez said. “all government agencies related to this issue must also be ready to act as the offshore accounts could have violated numerous anti-graft laws,” Gutierrez added. Gutierrez, who is also the former Director of the institute of human Rights (ihR) of the University of

the Philippines, strongly demanded that Gov. Marcos bares the details of the said accounts. “She owes the public an explanation. She has to explain where she got that money, who it put it there and why she failed to disclose it in her SaLN,” Gutierrez said. “She also has to explain why has secret bank accounts ‘vacationing’ in a tax haven such as the British virgin islands. Sana harapin ni Gov. Marcos ang mga tanong imbes na magtago sa likod ng kanilang mga abogado,” Gutierrez asserted. akbayan also pointed to the parallelism between the secret swiss bank accounts under her father’s name and her own trust fund in the Caribbean. “it seems that the late dictator’s DNa of corruption has been successfully implanted to his children who entered politics. in this case, it’s almost as if Gov. Marcos copied down to the last detail her father’s modus operandi in stashing away the billions he stole under a complex web of bogus foundations and secret bank accounts,” Gutierrez said. “Certainly, old bad habits die hard. her father had his own secret swiss accounts, she has her British

DISCUSSION. Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario of Davao del Norte and Tagum City Mayor Rey T. Uy are seen engaged in a discussion during their party’s recent campaign rally at the Freedom Park in Tagum City. A couple of months back,

there was a well publicized animosity between the province’s two political powerhouses which steamed from a rumor that Uy will challenge Del Rosario for the gubernatorial seat. Lean Daval Jr.

virgin islands trust fund. i guess Gov. Marcos is just being true to form,” Gutierrez said. akbayan reiterated its concern that the offshore accounts could be used to finance the Marcos family’s political bid in 2016. “We all know that the late dictator’s unrepentant son has ambitions to be the next Marcos in Mala-

its effort to reclaim all the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth before they squander what remains of it in financing a nightmarish political project to bring them back to the highest echelon of power,” Gutierrez ended. the investigation conducted by the international Consortium of investigate Journalists (iCiJ) and

canang. it wouldn’t be farfetched to think they will dip their hands to what’s left of the Marcos loot to jumpstart their political foray,” Gutierrez said. “We hope this latest discovery will reinvigorate the government’s efforts to recover the Marcoses’ ill-gotten wealth. it is only prudent for the government to conclude

the Philippine Center for investigative Journalism (PCiJ) have tagged ilocos Norte Governor imee Marcos and her sons as beneficiaries of a secret offshore trust based in the British virgin islands. Marcos has also failed to disclose this trust fund in her Statement of assets, Liabilities and Net worth (SaLN).

Casiño: Disenfranchisement of Villar bares migrants an impeachable offense political agenda

Assails Comelec, government for inadequate number of PCOS machines, ballots for Overseas Absentee Voting

aKaBaYaN senatorial bet teddy Casiño said the disenfranchisement of Filipino migrants because of a shortage of ballots and Precinct Count optical Scan (PCoS) machines may be an impeachable offense if it occurs on a massive scale as feared by various oFW groups. “the outright disenfranchisement of our citizens is a betrayal of the public trust which is an impeachable offense. it is preposterous for the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to succeed in expanding the overseas absentee voting (oav) when in hong Kong alone they reduced the number of PCoS machines from 22 to nine (9),” the progressive lawmaker said during his miting de avance in

hong Kong. Earlier last month, Comelec informed the Filipino community in hong Kong that while they increased the number of countries covered by the oav, they will reduce the number of PCoS machines in this country to only nine. “this is especially problematic because the registered voters in hong Kong have increased to 122,820 from 95,000 in 2010. i wonder how Comelec derived that 9 PCoS machines will be enough when the Filipino community itself has been protesting the move,” Casiño said. “While voting is up to 30 days, most of our Filipino workers are available on Sundays only. in 2010, 6,000 migrants voted on one Sunday of the oav. With the num-

ber of PCoS machines reduced and the precinct locations sparse, migrants fear that the number of actual votes will drop and thousands of oFWs will be disenfranchised,” the three-term congressman said. Casiño said this does not even factor in the insufficient number of ballots since Comelec reduced the number of ballots in hong Kong by 31,941, leaving that number of voters with no ballot allocation. this was due to an earlier delisting of 240,000 overseas voters which the Comelec later reinstated but without ballot allocations. Casino appealed to the Comelec to increase the number of voting centers overseas, especially in hong Kong, the Middle East and austra-

lia, where voters have to travel hundreds of kilometres and spend for airfare just to register and vote. hong Kong has been the top post for overseas absentee voting and is home to more than 150,000 Filipino migrants. the Makabayan Coalition candidate said he was determined to bring “takbo ni teddy” to the oFW communities in different parts of the globe. Casiño, whose platform focuses on the needs of the common folk, said he has long been involved in migrants issues, from initiating investigations into various transgressions of employers and recruitment agencies to crafting measures that help address problems faced by overseas Filipino workers.

oRMER Las Piñas Representative Cynthia villar, who is running for senator under the NP-team PNoy, said her advocacies are focused on agriculture, overseas Filipino workers (oFWs), women and family, education, livelihood, and jobs. Since 70 percent of poor Filipinos are in the agriculture sector, villar vowed to support them. ‘’We want to help the poor,’’ she said. ‘’once elected, i will push for a review of the agriculture and Fisheries Modernization act (aFMa),’’ she added. villar, who has consistently entered the ‘’Magic 7’’ surveys of those who are preferred by voters to win in the May national elections, said ‘’our farmers and fishermen need adequate backing in legislation. their requirements are the same but remain unmet until now, such as efficient and mod-

ern post-harvest facilities, irrigation systems, and farm inputs.’’ villar said she will pursue the creation of a separate department for Filipino migrant workers - the Department of overseas Filipino Workers (DoFW). She said there are 12 million oFWs all over the world, and some of them were not lucky enough in their work as they had been maltreated and suffered other forms of injustices abroad. ‘’We believe it is important that we have a separate department for oFWs to centralize all services and functions of oFW-related government agencies or bureaus,’’ she said. through the ‘’Sagip oFW Program’’ of the villar Foundation, where she sits as managing director, the three-term congresswoman said she has personally heard all the troubles and sad plight by migrant workers.

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Camella eyes more property investment By Greg G. Deligero

FtER unveiling its new township project last Saturday, the villar-owned Camella Communities is eying more property investment in Davao City where it has been operating for the past 18 years. “We are cooking up (another project) with a landed family,” said Camella Communities president Jerryle Luz Quismundo. She said the project, which will be located within the central business district, is both horizontal and vertical development. She did not disclose other details including the project cost and the land owner pending the finalization of their partnership venture. Quismundo, however, said that the standard Camella housing project usually costs at least half a billion pesos. Camella is a subsidiary of the country’s largest homebuilder, the vista Land and Lifescapes. Quismundo and other top company official joined Sen. Manny villar

in the formal launching last Saturday of Camella Davao, a self-contained master planned horizontal development over a 27-hectares property in Communal Buhangin, Davao City. a portion of the project is a joint venture with Compostela valley Gov. arthur Uy who owns a parcel of land within the

project. aside from residential units, the project also features a commercial area and lifestyle center. aside from the planned new project, Quismundo said they are also planning to expand other existing residential projects including the newly-launched Camella Davao.

“it has to be expanded. When we develop a project, we see to it that there is always room for expansion. it has to be expandable and accessible,” she said. Camella established its presence in Davao City felt in the mid-1990s with the opening of Solariega, a Caribbean-inspired, master planned subdivision

equipped with upscale facilities and amenities. it was followed by 22-hectare landscaped toscana in Bago Gallera and the ongoing Camella Northpoint, a British colonial themed condo development along J.P. Laurel avenue and the Mediterranean-themed Cerritos in Mintal. Quismundo said Ca-

mella Communities has also put up residential projects in tagum City, Cagayan de oro City, General Santos City and Butuan City and Pagadian City. the company is set to formally launch a ten-hectare project in Marbel, South Cotabato. “We are also looking at valencia City and Dipolog City,” she said.

6 THE ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO Stat Watch Mindanao power body steps up measures to bridge supply gap VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

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

5.4 4th Qtr 2012

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

6.8 4th Qtr 2012

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

USD 3,969.51 million Dec 2012 USD 5,135.46 million Nov 2012 USD -1,585 million Nov 2012 USD -209 million Mar 2012 P 5,171,689 million Dec 2012

8. Interest Rates 4/

3.6 % Jan 2013 P155,308 million Nov 2012 P 5,381 billion Nov 2012

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

P 40.67 Feb 2013

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

6,242.7 Jan 2013

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

132.4 Feb 2013

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.4 Feb 2013

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

3.8 Feb 2013

16. Visitor Arrivals

352,438 Nov 2012

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

20.9% Jan 2013

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

7.1% Jan 2013

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2012-February 2013) Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2013

2012

2011

40.67 40.73

42.23 41.01 41.12 41.45 41.75 42.04 41.91 42.78 42.85 42.70 42.86 42.66 43.62

43.31 43.64 43.27 43.45 43.02 42.42 42.81 43.37 43.13 43.24 43.52 43.70 44.17

It figures

17.5

N inter-agency body mandated to spearhead efforts for immediate and long term solutions aimed at improving the Mindanao power situation moves to fast-track measures to bridge current supply shortfall. the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC) led by the Mindanao Development authority (MinDa) and co-chaired by the Department of Energy (DoE) had asked for immediate approval of a pending regulatory petition for new rules governing the interruptible Load Program (iLP). MinDa expects the iLP measure to be able to draw around 100MW of capacity by encouraging large establishments all over Mindanao such as malls, factories and packing plants to run their standby generator sets at peak hours to ease up demand in the grid. “if we have just about 50MW made available within the grid because malls and industrial centers opt to use their generator sets, then that capacity would reduce brownout by at east 2 hours,” said Secretary Luwalhati antonino, MinDa chair. the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC), also a member of the MPMC has slated the public

hL is the second fastest growing economy (6.8%) and just by a hairline next only to indonesia (6.10%) among the five aSEaN countries. Worldwide, PhL is the 26th fastest growing economy among 196 economies being monitored by the National institute of Economic and Social Research (NiESR). this outstanding regional and global economic performance of RP is the outcome of an adequate and timely fiscal stimulus initiated by

hearing for the iLP petition in Davao City on april 10. MinDa had previously asked Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) to undertake a study and prepare the petition in behalf of Mindanao distribution utilities. “the filing for iLP petition is a necessary act by a distribution utility before ERC can amend its rules and effect new recovery rates making the scheme attractive to iLP participants,” antonino stressed. antonino said the current iLP rate which allows only for fuel recovery isn’t seem to be encouraging for mall owners or factories because it’s lower than the cost needed to run the generator sets. the prevailing rate is based on ERC’s iLP ruling in 2010. “We’re halfway through the 30-day period required to complete the process, therefore we hope ERC could come up with a favorable ruling within the month,” she added. other than the iLP, MPMC also expects the reopening of the 100MW iligan Diesel Power Plant (iDPP) end of this month to be generating 15MW power to the grid. as continuing rehab for other iDPP generating units are being simultaneously carried out, capacity is expected to go up to

30MW by april, 50MW in May and the full capacity by august. MPMC noted that the iDPP capacity had already been fully contracted by electric cooperatives serving the cities of General Santos, zamboanga and, iligan which are experiencing rotating brownouts.

P-Noy, election spending in 2010 and minimal leakage associated with corruption. it’s also well that the political opposition in this country is ignorant or doesn’t care much about economic policy. it has simply allowed P-Noy and his economic managers to have their way. But Barack obama in the USa has no such luck. he is up against a wall of fierce political opposition. obama has prevented the USa from sliding into a deep recession

also through a fiscal stimulus. But this initial fiscal stimulus has been woefully inadequate to quickly turn the US economy around and to prevent an increase in unemployment that has subsequently occurred. he has proposed a second and larger fiscal stimulus to further stoke the US economy and reduce unemployment. But by then the Republicans have taken control of the house of Representatives in mid-term election and have blocked any further stimulus

The number of tourism establishments in Davao City reached

650

but only

of which are natural attraction.

Source: Davao city touriSm office

P-Noy and Obama

HANDICRAFT. These ladies check out a hand-crafted plate on display during the recently concluded Batik Workshop and Indocraft

THE OWNERS of the Philippine Airlines said they are forming a consortium to bid for the P17.5-billion Mactan Cebu International Airport (MCIA) expansion project. The project involves the construction of a new world-class international passenger terminal building, with a capacity of about 8 million passengers per year; renovation and expansion of the existing terminal; installation of all required equipment; and the operation of both new and existing facilities.

Davao by the numbers

2013 at the Atrium of SM Lanang Premier in Lanang, Davao City. Lean Daval Jr.

3 of 4

PRESIDENT Barak Obama will return 5 percent of his $400,000-annual salary to the US Treasury to show solidarity with furloughed government workers.

THREE of four women in the US have lived with a partner without being married by the age of 30, an increasing trend that suggests cohabitation is now part of family life in the US, according to a survey of 12,279 women ages 15 through 44.

among the other measures being pushed by DoE include tapping of modular generator sets which can be rented for a fee and would be available within six to eight weeks upon agreement between Mindanao electric cooperatives and generator providers. [MinDa]

ECONOMIC ANAlYSIS

measure. Republicans subscribe to the same erroneous austerity policy as the only remedy to a recession. this is the same policy that’s now being implemented and is failing so badly in the Euro zone. But Republicans have been unreasonably adamant to have their way and thus losing the presidential election to obama for the second time. While it is now convenient for the Philippines to have a non-existent political opposition, it is not exactly an ideal situation. What if P-Noy and his economic managers were wrong in their economic policy prescriptions for the country? there would’ve been no opposition in the house of Representatives and the Senate just the same. this doesn’t bode well for our political system and the quality of people we elect in these otherwise hallowed institutions. Except for a very few truly deserving ones, the quality of most candidates contesting seats, especially, in the more powerful Senate isn’t at all inspiring.

BEIJING—In the first three months of 2013, levels of major air pollutants –nitrous dioxide and particulate matter – increased by almost 30 percent here in the Chinese capital from same period in 2012, according to a report by a Chinese news organization.

EDGEDAVAOVOL. 6 ISSUE 17 •TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013 SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

Shade tree selection guide For house yards, roadsides and parks

By Sofronio M. Jucutan

hiS guide provides information on how to select shade trees to plant. as now and never has been before, shade trees are becoming very important protection against harmful sun rays or ultra violet rays. trees are a protection against sunlight, hot and dry air, and for many other benefits the trees provide. Yearround in the tropics and during long summers in the temperate zone, trees cool homes, buildings, and surroundings naturally. trees when planted at proper sites, cared for, and grown, they reduce home and building cooling costs. Planted in the right place, grown up trees can reduce home and building cooling costs by up to 40%. Shade trees also add beauty and grace to property, to the neighborhood, as well as adding value to real estate properties more than any other type of plant. trees produce oxygen and help cleanse the air that people breathe by converting carbons into oxygen. tree roots contribute to the stability of the soil and help prevent landslide, hold excess rainwater thus decreasing run-off, rapid water flow, and mitigates the incidence of flood. the tree canopies also provide

a habitat for birds, and more importantly filter dusts and freshen the air, and as mentionedit is the shade that protect people from the sun’s harmful ultra-violet rays! We should be reminded that the earth’s ozone layer has been getting thinner, thus allowing more and more Uv rays getting through into the earth’s surface. Shading windows and roof is the surest way of reducing air conditioner’s energy consumption. one of the best ways to shade the home is to strategically plant shade trees. With today’s electricity costs, it pays to buy and plant tree seedlings that grow to become a large tree (5-30 meters tall), to shade the house’s roof and windows. of course selecting the correct tree type and are planted strategically to ensure that they effectively reduce energy costs. as an example, tropical Singapore has millions of mature trees in all its downtown streets and residential areas that provide refreshing shade for its citizens and residents. it was a result of a foresight by its founding father, Lee Kuan Yew, who as early as 1960, promoted tree-planting as a component of mov-

ing toward development and transforming the tiny island into a livable and highly urbanized tropical garden city-state. that now, with the millions of mature trees and its famous Botanical Garden, it is a very good place to live and work. But just imagine when Singapore is bare of its trees, that it is just an island about 2 degrees above the equator with its

steel and concrete buildings, with millions of cars and motor vehicles on concrete roads and streets under the scorching tropical sun, and all its industries operating,the island would look like a fireball, that the Singaporeans would be spending up to 40% more for cooling energy, and that very few would wish to live there. Fortunately they have planted millions of

hE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) will start at the end of this month a population count of tarsiers in Barangay Bobon, Mati City in Davao oriental, and Barangay Suaon in Kapalong, Davao del Norte, Joselin Marcus Fragada, DENR-11 regional director, said. the Protected areas and Wildlife Division (PaWD) of the DENR-11 will conduct the population count and assessment activities, he said. the results will be the basis for the PaWD, provincial environment and natural resources offices of Davao oriental and Davao del Norte, and some non-government organizations to craft the management plan for tarsiers. Fragada said the management plan for tarsiers in the Davao Region is “deemed necessary to be able to conserve and protect tarsiers and its habitat.” tarsiers in Mati City were discovered in 2001,

while those in Kapalong were discovered only last year, according to DENR11 information officer Bing Cordova. Richard villacorte, city administrator of Mati, said the local government unit “strictly enforces the ban on the catching and selling of tarsiers in Barangay Bobon and Barangay tamisan from 2001 up to present.” “Sometime in 2002 and 2003, we conducted site validation and tarsier documentation to confirm the reports. We have enjoined landowners in that area to preserve the tarsier habitat,” he said. Noel Daquioag, Davao del Norte provincial tourism officer said the tarsier population count “will be beneficial so we will know exactly how many tarsiers are there. then, we can advocate for their protection.” he said some groups in the village have undertaken several efforts to preserve the tarsiers. the Davao Speleological and Conservation So-

ciety, a non-government organization, will help the PaWD in the conduct of assessment and population count of tarsier in Kapalong. the tarsiers “could be an added attraction for Kapalong and for the province of Davao del Norte”, Daquioag said “our domestic tourists, especially those proximate to the province, need not to travel to Bohol to see the species,” he added. the Philippine tarsier (tarsius syrichta), is one of the smallest known primates and weighs 113 to 142 grams. No larger than an adult men’s hand, a tarsier’s head and body length is about 118 to 149 millimeters. the DENR administrative order No. 48, series of 1991, included tarsier as among the national protected wild species. Republic act No. 7586 or the National integrated Protected areas System act of 1991 “mandates the establishment of appropriate sanctuaries to

preserve and protect the Philippine tarsier.” the tarsier was declared as “specially protected faunal species” by former President Fidel Ramos on June 23, 1997. the proclamation prohibits the hunting, killing, wounding, taking away or possession of the Philippine tarsier. Possession of a Philippine tarsier is allowed only for educational, scientific, conservation-centered research purposes, upon the certification of the DENR secretary. inhabiting in rainforests, the Philippine tarsiers are threatened by human population growth, the DENR-11 said, adding the growing human population “causes more forests to be converted to farmland, housing areas and roads, and the dwindling of the forests through indiscriminate and illegal logging, cutting of trees for firewood and slash and burn method,” among others. [Lorie ann a. Cascaro/MindaNews]

NARRA

DENR 11 to count tarsiers in Kapalong town, Mati City t

trees many years back. tree planting, however, is simple thing to do. only, it is site and climate-specific activity. and once the tree is planted and growing it would be difficult to replace, relocate or transfer. hence it would be of importance to consult a tree specialist, environmental planner, or a landscape architect to assist prior to planting. in choosing what tree to plant, first investigate tree characteristics such as tree height and canopy width when its grown up, look at the tree’s safety factor (dropping heavy fruit, falling branches when heavy with

rainwater, or whole tree tipping-over when stormy, and homing birds’ droppings), root movements affecting house foundation and concrete pavements, watering needs, pruning needs, required levels of clean-up (removing fallen fruit, flowers, twigs, and leaves), branches growing to reach power lines, and whether the tree roots may clog nearby drain pipes. as a guide in selecting the appropriate shade tree for varied purposes and applications, the following is a chart or checklist for some species commonly used for shading in the Philippines:

MOLAVE

uips

‘ALL oil imports must pay appropriate taxes regardless of origin or point off entry. Those who export are eligible for VAT (value added tax).’ --Senator Ralph Recto, on oil smuggling. PDI, April 5, 2013.

8 VANTAGE POINTS

EDGEDAVAO Is a culture of impunity worth the cost of PDAF or pork?

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

WORM’S EYE VIEW By Manny ValdehueSa

(Conclusion)

EDITORIAL

Bogus media in government agencies

hERE is some house cleaning inside the Bureau of Customs and it started with the ranks of media covering the agency. Customs Commissioner Ruffy Biazon has trimmed down the number of accredited mediamen covering the Customs beat from 300 to less than 100. the casualties are those the agency deemed as “hao-siao” or fly-by-night journalists. “hao-siao” (Chinese for fake or impostor) in media practice is a derogatory term used to refer to pseudo-journalists, those not employed by a reputable news organization but pass themselves off as journalists in order to cash in on payoffs and bribes made by news sources, particularly during elections. there is rhyme and reason in Commissioner Biazon’s directive to weed out bogus mediamen from the agency. this is actually nothing new. it has been reported in the past administration that there are some tabloid reporters who pass themselves as members of the media but actually operate inside the agency either as fixers or escorts of smugglers. the modus operandi is for these reporters to use their accreditation to gain access inside the agency. there was a report several years back that there are more reporters covering the airport and the Port area than those covering Malacanang or Congress. Despite the presence of so many members of the media, there were no stories or reports both on print and broadcast from the said reporters.

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it was also reported that there are more tabloids in the customs area than there are in the whole of Manila. More to these trivial facts, the print run of these papers are only 1,000 copies and are given away free in the customs area. Why? Because they are merely used to intimidate and extort from customs personnel who fear that their activities will be exposed. these so-called reporters brandish bigger iDs and bigger “MEDia” title printed on them. again, that too, is for intimidation purposes. Without saying these “hao-siao” media practitioners also exist in Davao, the Bureau of Customs is doing the right thing and should implement this not only in Manila but also in customs offices around the country. Whether or not there are mediamen spotted as regular habitués inside the customs offices here, the Bureau of Customs should extend the implementation of his “clean-up drive” to the rest of the country where there are customs offices. the Bureau of Customs should be commended for starting the move. Perhaps, other agencies may follow suit without having to cross the boundaries between the right to weed out government offices from unscrupulous activities of bogus reporters and the right of the media to exercise the time-honored freedom of the press. these fake journalists are indeed giving media a bad name.

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N any case, Pork Barrel funds have become a powerful incentive for seeking public office in our society. it attracts the shameless, the undeserving, and even the unemployable to seek elective office. it tempts incumbents to engage in graft and corruption, doing so with impunity—since it gives misuse and abuse of public funds an official cover and frees the Pork user/dispenser/ pilferer from culpability. CULtURE oF iMPUNitY these huge allocations that a congressman or senator spends as he pleases has multiplied corruption in our political system many times over. it has caused corruption to metastasize like cancer in our body politic, such that no district or its congressman today can claim to be free of corruption and abuse. Every congressman and senator is already tainted by the stigma of graft and corruption. Rightly or wrongly, the public presumes that no one in Congress is clean or honest. Everyone is tainted. and because not one of them bothers to render an account of where, how, or how much of his Pork allocation is spent beneficially, the silence is taken for a shrug—an evader’s noncommittal gesture of accepting ugly reality. Furthermore, there is a perception that, except for a very few, Pork Barrel projects are flagrantly substandard—but always bannered by billboards and streamers trumpeting the face or name of the pork-handler. it is unfortunate, because their visibility on the landscape serves as a constant reminder of rampant malfeasance—infrastructure that crumble faster than a congressional term, rundown public buildings, and so on. it is breeding cynicism if not loathing in the public mind. it poisons the youth’s perception of statecraft and lawmaking as something selfish, filthy, and utterly corrupt. Pork and its handlers’ abuses are incubating a Culture of impunity. Petty graft, grand larceny, even plunder in the name of “priority development assistance” are accumulating like barnacles on the hull of our Ship of State, infecting all legislative councils on all levels of the bureaucracy. Do Congress, its leadership, and at least some of its members realize that its addiction to Pork is spreading a Culture of impunity in our society? Do they not recognize the damage it is causing in our society’s ethos? the impact of this spirit of impunity will take generations to mitigate but not entirely to eradicate given the type of persons that cling parasitically to legislative walls on all levels—from Sangguniang Barangay to Municipal and City Councils, to Provincial Boards and to the two houses of Congress. it is time to rethink the Pork Barrel Scheme. More on this next time. [Mindaviews is the opinion section of MindaNews. Manny valdehuesa writes from Cagayan de oro and is the president and national convenor of Gising Barangay Movement inc. [valdehuesa@gmail.com]

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 •TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Generous political undertaking

oSt EXPENSivE PoLLS – Elections in the country are among the most expensive in the world, according to some noted political analysts. Unpredictable, as well as outspoken, no less than members of influential and filthy rich political clan in the locality described the May 2013 midterm elections as the most costly polls ever. They pinpoint the early filing of certificates of candidacy (CoC) the main reason why the midterm polls scheduled for May is being considered as the most expensive aside from being strenuous. For one thing, filing of CoC started on the first day of October last year therefore a candidate will have to spend as much money for six months before Election Day. as an unwritten rule, voters will expect an early “token” from aspiring candidates. indeed, even popular and savvy candidates would lose steam once they cannot spend for their constituents during the pre-campaigning period. Even worse for the unknown and neophytes including the tightwads and spend-thrifts candidates who are actually avoiding to spent even a small part of their fortunes. Given a crowded political race be-

“D

VANTAGE POINTS

cause of so many candidates aspiring public office and the participation of the party-list candidates, a large part of the game is generous undertaking specifically for those seeking sought-after posts. Spend-thrifts and tightwads on the other hand, will make their publicity bad and can mean almost certain death to their promising political career. Generous and liberal-minded bets who have lots of money to spare can catapult their career into the dizzying heights of political stardom. incumbents seeking reelection or aspiring higher positions no less have likely encountered “extra expenditures” during the six-month period, but with its proximity to public resources – financial or otherwise, they obviously enjoy considerable edge over the other highly ambitious bets. they continued utilizing their offices in going out

even during the pre-campaign period and reaching out to the voters in the guise of holding welfare-related and service-oriented undertakings. For others seeking reelection but have the penchant to earn “cute and pogi points” through grandstanding and self-aggrandizement, deceit, unmindful of their constituents and media antagonists, they should better fold up their tents and start packing - stay at home and keep isolated. Following that logic, Philippine politics is based on old-style money politics where an aspiring candidate has the financial capability to mount a massive political campaign and join the political race. they should have more than enough money in their war chest enough to finance the sixmonth pre-campaign period before the much-awaited moment of truth. Philippine elections actually are not for the tightwads and soft-hearted, but for those with deep, thick pockets oozing with cash intended for people mobilization, media visibility and critical last-day operations. this is the crucial part of being a political candidate. and for the soft-hearted and spend-thrifts, please think thrice before joining the political fray.

im Surigao, the capital town. Corporal Dandan (i cannot recall his first name after 68 years) dead from an enemy mortar shrapnel lodged in his brain in the Battle of Doyangan hill, Gigaquit. Sergeant Filoteo, killed with a Japanese bayonet. three classmates of mine in Surigao high—Pepito zerda, Uldarico Calinawan, Jose verano died without seeing the dawn of victory. the others were Sgts. Joe Bano, Fructuso Santander and one surnamed Berana who headed a team armed with two 81 mm mortars. We had another team of two 60 mm mortars, my weapon of choice, one of which i handled during our attacks on enemy garrisons in Bad-as and the other in Surigao, the capital which lasted from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. For those who knew him when he was assigned in Davao City as head of the Philippine Constabulary, Lt. Col. Constantino Leva, later assigned in agusan del Sur, headed our medical unit in the Combat Company, fought in the

Korean War and was successively promoted through the ranks. he was “tanting” (with the beautiful tenor voice) who died of a heart attack while in active service while assigned in Camp Crame. he was in his mid sixties. another comrade was Sgt. Jose “Joe” Sering, who would one day become governor of Surigao del Norte, and later president of the Philippine amateur track and Field association (Patafa) which he headed until his death. in retrospect, this Day of valor also holds a special meaning for me. one of the 35 ateneo de Manila RotC volunteers who fought in Bataan and survived the Death March and later in life rose through the ranks of the Bureau of Prisons to become its director like his father before him, married my younger sister, Regina, and produced eleven kids, all living, and more than 35 grandchildren. on this day, i salute the memory of my brother-in-law, Eriberto B. Misa Jr. who died in Davao City on January 3, 2010 at age 88 , a Knight of St. Sylvester, a Catholic Church honor granted him in recent years. i’m mighty proud of Bert and comrades in my combat unit who fought for country at a critical time in her history. i salute them all today.

Araw ng Kagitingan

aY of valor” – that roughly is the literal meaning of this column’s title, “araw ng Kagitingan” which commemorates that unforgettable day in our country’s history the fall of Bataan on april 9, 1942 when organized resistance by Fil-americn defenders against the invading Japanese imperial army ended. temporarily, that is. Because in august of 1945 the shoe was on the other foot when Japan surrendered to the US and its allies. as history also tells us. But this piece is not about the greatest of all wars at the cost of millions of human lives. this is about Filipinos who fought in that war as a matter of course, in their own little way. Some fell in the night, others survived to enjoy freedom once again after losing it--temporarily. among those who fell in the night were my comrades in the 114th infantry Regiment, 110th Division, United States Forces in the Philippines (USFiP), particularly in the Combat Company, hQ Battalion charged with the defense of regimental headquarters in the mountain village of tumurok, Gigaquit in what is now Surigao del Norte. there was schoolmate Sgt. Jesus Lagahit who drowned on our way to attack the enemy garrison

Surveys as anomalies

iKE in the US, preelection surveys in the Philippines have become a permanent fixture of the contests for the Senate and the p re s i d e n c y. the similarity ends there though. For while the surveys in the US largely reflect the voters’ appreciation of the candidates’ stand on the dominant issues of the day, the same cannot be said of the ones being done in this country. the former are an extension of public opinion shaped by an intelligent discourse, the latter a caricature of the Filipino as a Neanderthal political species. if the surveys in the Philippines mirror public opinion, it is of the kind formed by a warped set of criteria on who should govern in the next couple of years, if not for eternity, in the case of dynasties that have invaded the political landscape like a medieval plague. Yes, it’s part of public opinion, only that the public has lost the diligence for serious scrutiny, content with name-recall and fortuitous events like the death of a mother that catapulted an incompetent senator-son to Malacanang. Research institutions that conduct the surveys may brag about the science that they use. But the science is confined to technical controls, e.g. choice of respondents and methodology. there is nothing in these exercises that explain why the respondents choose this or that candidate. the choices are devoid of any logic in that they simply prove the advantage of being an incumbent, having a familiar surname and being seen on tv often. and this is precisely where the danger lies. Surveys tend to fill the vacuum created by an environment where debates on issues have taken a backseat in favor of mudslinging and intrigue-sowing. Credential no longer counts as shown by the presence of clueless entertainers, coup plotters and unrepentant beneficiaries of the Martial Law regime in the Senate, a chamber once reserved for the brightest minds of Philippine politics. (Forget the shameful presence of a pretender who has insisted until now that he had no hand in the cheating in Maguindanao in May 2007.) it’s as if one’s high standing in surveys could make up for the lack of intellect, let alone integrity and statesmanship. a candidate may no longer expect to be judged by his or her ability and stand on specific issues. he or she just needs to appear on media often and get a popular entertainer as endorser. having a familiar surname is a bonus especially if it happens to be the incumbent President’s and vice President’s. or make yourself look like a martyred ex-senator, and the voters are sure to throw caution to the fetid political air. Will the voters ever realize that for all their “scientific” pretensions surveys should not take the place of informed, critical choices? Maybe, but there’s no telling when. [Mindaviews is the opinion section of MindaNews. h. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail.com]

10 NATION/WORlD

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

RO-RO vessel route between PHL, Indonesia seen soon t

RaNSFER of goods between the Philippines and indonesia will improve soon, a business group said, as it announced planned rollon roll-off (Ro-Ro) vessel routes between the two countries. the Philippines’ first Ro-Ro vessel to its Southeast asian neighbors is set to sail by mid-year, the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and industry (PPCi) said Friday. the route will end at ports in Davao and General Santos in the Philippines and in Bitung in indonesia, the statement added. “the private sector has taken the lead in spearheading the implementation of the project through a bilateral arrangement,” PCCi President Miguel varela said. the project is expected to cut transport costs by about 10 percent compared to shipping goods through wooden vessels, PCCi claimed. transportation time

will also be reduced to at least one day and a half from two to three days using previous routes, it added. varela said the initiative is a milestone in improving connectivity with other members of the association of Southeast asian Nations and in expanding trade, tourism and investments. indonesia was the Philippines’ 12th biggest trading partner in 2012, receiving $837 million or 1.61 percent of the country’s exports, data from the trade department website showed. varela announced the planned Ro-Ro route after a meeting between PCCi, government and other stakeholders in preparation for the maiden voyage of the “Super Shuttle” Ro-Ro. a memorandum of agreement was signed between the chambers of commerce of Davao City and Manado City in indonesia during the Davao investment Forum in No-

SEA TRANSPORT. Workers stand by as sacks of rice are moved to a ship that will transport the rice to Sumatra Island, at Sunda Kelapa port in Jakarta April 1, 2013. Indonesia’s annual inflation rate accelerated in March to 5.90 vember. trade Secretary Greg-

ory Domingo welcomed the initiative and assured PCCi of full government

percent, driven up by prices of foodstuffs and tobacco, the country’s statistics bureau said on Monday. [REUTERS] support. “Definitely we want to pursue a more strategic

economic relationship with indonesia,” the Cabinet official said. [Yahoo!]

aUDi arabia’s King abdullah on Saturday ordered a three-month delay to a crackdown on migrant workers which has led to thousands of deportations, to give foreigners in the kingdom a chance to sort out their papers. the world’s top oil exporter has more than nine million expatriates whose remittances home provide important revenue for countries including Yemen, india, Pakistan and the Philippines. “King abdullah directed both the interior Ministry and the Labour Ministry to give an opportunity to workers in breach of the labour and residency regulations in the kingdom to clarify their status in a period not exceeding three months,” said a statement carried on official media. More than 200,000 foreigners have been deported from the country over the past few months, a passports department official said in comments reported by al-hayat daily

this week. the crackdown is part of labour market reforms aimed at putting more Saudi nationals into private sector jobs, where they now make up only a tenth of the workforce. the most recent central bank statistics, for 2011, showed nine in 10 working Saudis were employed by the public sector. the Middle East’s largest economy grew by 6.8 percent last year, but regards low employment among nationals as a longterm strategic challenge, a view given added impetus after joblessness in nearby countries contributed to revolutions. “the Labour Ministry does inspections inside the enterprises to make sure there are no violations to the labour system ... We will continue our work to make sure labour system regulations are applied,” Labour Ministry spokesman hattab al-Enazi told Reuters on Saturday before the king’s announcement. [Reuters]

king orders delay China rebukes North Korea, Saudi to illegal worker crackdown says no state should sow chaos S

hiNa’S leaders issued thinly veiled rebukes to North Korea for raising regional tensions, with the president saying no country should throw the world into chaos and the foreign minister warning that Beijing would not allow mischief on its doorstep. the weekend comments were the strongest yet by China in response to more than a month of North Korean rhetoric that has included threats to launch a nuclear attack on the United States and to

wage war with Seoul. No country “should be allowed to throw a region and even the whole world into chaos for selfish gain”, President Xi Jinping told a forum on the southern Chinese island of hainan. he did not name North Korea but he appeared to refer to Pyongyang. Former U.S. ambassador to China Jon huntsman said Xi’s comments were unprecedented. “it suggests to me, as i’ve watched the ratcheting up of frustration among Chinese leaders

DRILLS. North Korean soldiers with military dogs take part in drills in an unknown location in this picture taken on April 6, 2013 and released by North Korea’s official

over the last many years, that they’ve probably hit the 212-degree boiling point as it relates to North Korea,” he told CNN on Sunday. North Korea kicked off its latest round of threats after U.N. sanctions were imposed for its February 12 nuclear test, the country’s third. Despite the rhetoric, Pyongyang has not taken any military action and has shown no sign of preparing its 1.2 million-strong army for war, indicating the threats are partly in-

KCNA news agency in Pyongyang on April 7, 2013. [REUTERS]

tended for domestic consumption to bolster young leader Kim Jong-un. South Korean media said on Friday the North had moved two medium-range missiles to its east coast, but there has been no confirmation of such a move. Washington has said it would not be surprised if the North conducted another missile test. North Korean authorities have told diplomatic missions in Pyongyang they could not guarantee their safety from Wednesday - after saying conflict was inevitable amid joint U.S.-South Korean military exercises due to last until the end of the month. Staff at embassies appeared to be remaining in place over the weekend. South Korea said it was ready for any kind of action - including a possible missile launch - by Wednesday. analysts are also looking ahead to april 15, the birthday of the late Kim il-sung, North Korea’s founder and the grandfather of its current leader. the anniversary is a time of mass celebrations and occasional demonstrations of military prowess. [REUtERS]

uips

‘PLEASE do not buy smuggled oil because at the end of the day, you will be the one paying all the tax.’ --Commissioner Kim Henares of the Bureau of Internal Revenue

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

10 hotspots... FFROM 1

nex, Ecoland yesterday. he named the barangays as Lumiad, Mapula, Pañalum, Malabog and Paradise Embak in Paquibato district; Carmen, tambobong, and tawan-tawan in Baguio district; and Malamba and tamugan in Marilog district. according to de la Rosa, the May 13 election watch list has two categories. the first category is considered as an area where there is intense partisan politics, intense political rivalry, and election violence among politicians. the second category is considered as an area which is infested with communist rebels, the 10 barangays on the watch list fall under the second category. “Davao City has no intense political rivalry, if ever there are any; it is just minor, however,

the presence of the New Peaple’s army (NPa) in some areas is the problem,” de la Rosa said. he said, “the rebels usually take advantage of the election season by asking candidates for Permit to Campaign and Permit to Win payments to earn.” “there are politicians and candidates who give in to the extortion strategies of the NPas, but, of course, these politicians will not tell the authorities,” he said. he said the Joint Security Coordinating Committee (JSCC), composed of the police, military and the Commission on Elections (Comelec), will make sure that these areas will be managed during elections.” De la Rosa bared that 1,360 police officers will be deployed on May 13.

Teachers’exam...

PCOS DEMO. Commission on Elections 11 regional director Wilfred Jay Balisado welcomes guests to the PCOS Demonstration launching at Abreeza Mall on J.P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City yesterday. The PCOS machine demonstra-

FFROM 2

of LEt examineescould be the decreasing number of enrollees in the different colleges and universities. She also bared that a total of 8,139 applied for the March 2013 LEt examinations. “We can’t identify yet if the population increases or decreases since we still have an exam in September of this year,” she added.

Solon said that the following requirements are needed for the LEt application: Birth Certificate issued by the National Statistics office (NSo); original and photocopy of the official transcript of Records; Special order Number; Current Community tax Certificate (Cedula);Commission on higher Education (ChED) rec-

ognition or permit to operate for graduates of new schools/programs; and three recent identical copies of passport size pictures in plain white background with complete name tag. “So far there is no additional requirement added in filing the LEt examinations for this year,” Solon said.

of cigarettes in entertainment, accommodation and public establishments. Unlike city ordinance 043 – 02, city ordinance 0367 – 12 will not allow the designation of smoking areas inside the establishments anymore. Establishments can have designated smoking area as long as it is outdoors, and the designated area must be approved by the anti-smoking task force which is 10 meters from the entrance, exit and pathways of the said establishment, villareiz said. She said, “if these establishments will not follow, then we can

have the Business Bureau close their establishment.” People who are caught violating the ordinance will be apprehended and given a citation ticket so that cases will be filed. the ordinance also allows civilians to apprehend violators. after citation, violators will undergo counseling. For those who are caught violating the ordinance, the first offense will have them pay a fine of P1,000 or one month imprisonment, second offense will be P2,500 or two months imprisonment, the third will be P5,000 or 4 months imprisonment.

More woes...

FFROM 2

only 596 in 2011. Despite the increase in the number of Ra 9211 violations, villareiz said the law has a lot of loopholes. “this is why city ordinance no. 0367 – 12 was created to have our own stricter ordinance,” she said. City ordinance No. 043 – 02 is a new ordinance which now prohibits smoking on sidewalks with or without roofing, public conveyance and cemeteries. the ordinance has also been expanded to include the prohibition of water pipes, shisha, electronic cigarettes, and any product that has nicotine content. it also prohibits selling

tion is a project of Comelec which will run from April 8-30, 2013 and aims to educate the voting public. Lean Daval Jr.

More women are seeking public office t

aKE it from these lady politicians. More women are treading the political path in Davao City because they believe that women make good leaders. First district reelectionist Mabel Sunga-acosta and second district congressional candidate Joji ilagan-Bian, said during the Kapehan sa Philippine information agency (Pia) that they observed an increase in the number of women politicians in Davao City. acosta said that there is a need for more women in the city council because, by nature, women are multi-tasking “which makes them great lead-

ers.” “a lot of people say that women are emotional, but i believe that this is a positive attribute for being a leader because this makes her empathize to her constituents which is good for servant hood,” she said. ilagan-Bian also noticed a growing number of women leaders, not only in politics, but in the business, education and other sectors. She said, “women are born nurturers which is an important characteristic in politics because it can help build a strong connection between the leader and the constituents.”

“Women are open-minded, flexible, and even work more than eight hours a day just like what a mother does at home who works from sunrise to sunset, and we bring these traits wherever we are,” she said. acosta pointed out that Sara Duterte is a very good leader based on her performance during her term as mayor in Davao City. She admired how Sara spent time with her family with her new born son, “because the first seven years of a child is the formative year and this is the period when a mother should concentrate on her child.”

may be readily seen or read or where there is heavy pedestrian and vehicular traffic in the City or Municipality. Balisado added that they have noted those candidates who didn’t follow rules in terms of poster sizes and not placing posters on the designated areas. “We will get those oversize posters and posters of candidates who placed their posters outside common poster areas (CPa),” the lawyer explained.

Balisado added that the assigned election officers in the city were able to send notices to the candidates (whose names he didn’t divulge) who did not follow the Comelec rule in CPa’s in particular. Balisado, however, said that they didn’t make any CPa maps to guide the candidates but stressed that they have enough instructions through the listings and guidelines given by the Comelec.

Comelec 11...

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Jay Balisado told media during the precinct count optical scan (PCoS) machine demonstration yesterday at the abreeza Mall, that Comelec will formally start the “operation Baklas” after a meeting with the election officers this week. Comelec Resolution 9615 provides that common poster areas shall be allowed only in selected public places such as plazas, markets and barangay centers where posters

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VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Realty

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SPORTS 13

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

EDGEDavao

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BIG DEBUT. China’s Olympic boxing star Zou Shiming debuted with a big win as a professional boxer.

Once banned by Mao, there’s a bright future for boxing in China

NCE MaCaU – Boxing was banned in China under Mao zedong because it was deemed too Western and too violent. But if top promoter Bob arum gets his way — and he usually does — the country will be the future of the sport. “For any serious business person… it’s a country of 1.4 billion people and it’s a country that’s emerging economically to be a real super power,” said arum, founder and chief executive of Las vegas-based top Rank promotions. “it’s a country where people are just starting to have the opportuni-

ty to sample what we in the West are used to, like professional boxing. “i think if it’s done right, this will be the premier audience for the sport of boxing in the world,” arum, 81, told reporters after staging a night of boxing at the grandiose the venetian hotel-resort in the casino haven of Macau. arum has lumped his bets on China’s twotime olympic champion zou Shiming, who was making his professional debut on Saturday. top Rank estimated 300 million people in China would tune in live to watch the 31-year-old flyweight.

zou defeated the unknown Mexican Eleazar valenzuela on a unanimous points decision in their four-round non-title bout. the home hero reportedly picked up a cool $300,000 for his trouble. the zou-valenzuela match-up got top billing even over a WBa/WBo world title fight. “if it’s done right, only if it’s done right,” arum said of his undisguised ambition of tapping into China’s vast population and their growing wealth. “You can’t give them junk, you have to give them quality and do it in a sensational place like the venetian arena.

14 SPORTS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Phoenix hails 10 Jr. NBA finalists By Neil Bravo

START ‘EM YOUNG. Young basketball players perform some drills in the Big Time Basketball Camp held at the Davao Christian High School from April 1-6

and handled by Basketball Coaches Association of Davao City (BCAD). (Boy Lim)

hoENiX Petroleum, event partner of the Jr. NBa Regional Selection Camp in Davao recently, is proud to have produced four finalists from Davao City and six others from Bukidnon, Gen. Santos and Bacolod. the ten promising basketball players were picked by coaches headed by Camp Director Sefu Bernard of NBa asia in the second leg of the nationwide Jr. NBa camp. the Davao regional selection was attended by 499 aspiring Jr. NBa players aged 10-14 on april 1 and 2, 2013 at the University of Southeastern Philippines Gym. advancing to the National Camp are Paolo Coquilla, Mahloney tarRepublic of the Philippines Department of transportation and Communications LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional office No. Xi Davao City

Petition for Renewal of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUB ordinary Regular Service. DAVAO METRO SHUTTLE CORP., Petitioner

Case No.95-Xi-01352

x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -x NOTICE HEARING

Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a PUB ordinary Regular Service on the route: Davao CitY-NEW BataaN (CoMvaL PRoviNCE) via taGUM CitY, NaBUNtURaN, MoNtEviSta, CoMPoStELa aND viCE vERSa with the use of oNE (1) unit, which Certificate will expire on February 28, 2014. in the petition filed on March 7, 2013, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said Certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized.

NotiCE, is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on aPRiL 15, 2013 at 10:30 a.m. at this office at the above address. at least, FivE (5) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a one (1) daily newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time. this petition will be acted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/or oral evidence.

WitNESS the honorable BENJaMiN a. Go, CESo v, Regional Director, this 7th day of March 2013 at Davao City. TERESITA DELA PEÑA-YÑIGUEZ Chief transport Development officer

ranza, Cornelio Reta, and John Cañete from Davao, Jan Gabriel Sobrevega and Jose antiporda from Bacolod, John Lloyd Bernales and Lorenz viajar from Bukidnon, anthony Sistoza from General Santos and Earl vincent areola from Cagayan de oro. the finalists bested 30 other regional finalists and will represent the Mindanao region at the National training Camp of the Jr. NBa in Manila. they were chosen for their all-around basketball skills and for how they exhibit the Jr. NBa core values of Sportsmanship, teamwork, attitude and Respect. the Jr. NBa Davao regional selection camp culminated in the planting of 500 Narra seedlings in the 235 hectares, Malagos Watershed last april 3, 2013. it was participated by Phoenix Philippines Foundation together with the Jr. NBa, Davao City Water District, PNP, and Philippine Coast Guard auxiliary CGaDSEM.

NZ gears up for tie with PHL Cuppers

EW zealand will chase an immediate return to the top tier of tennis in asia/oceania when they play the giant-killing Philippines in the group two Davis Cup final. victory in the abandoned round two tie against Pakistan in Myanmar sets New zealand up for a showdown on September 13-15 against Philippines after they beat thailand 4-1 at home at the weekend. New zealand were demoted from group one last year but wins over Lebanon and Pakistan have them on the verge of a return. Rated the 39th best nation on Davis Cup rankings, New zealand will start favourites following their 5-0 win over the Philippines at hawera in 2011. the 42nd-ranked Philippines boast world No.784 Ruben Gonzales as their best singles player, but New zealanders Dan King-turner, artem Sitak and Marcus Daniell are all ranked considerably higher. Sitak was beaten in the opening singles match against Pakistan on Friday but New zealand were then awarded victory in the tie by Sri Lankan referee ashita ajigala due to an unplayable court surface. Pakistan, as “hosts” of the neutral tie in Yangon, were deemed culpable.

INdulge!

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

TRAVEL

Business travel redefined at the Raffles and Fairmont Makati It is all about the luxury of convenience, this is my experience with a weekend stay at Makati’s newest landmark, the Raffles and Fairmont Makati. Situated right at the heart of Ayala Center, the twin luxury hotels are just mere meters from Ayala’s Greenbelt Mall and newly constructed Glorietta Mall. In fact, I can literally feel the energy of Greenbelt right across the window of my spacious Deluxe King room at eighth floor of the stunning hotel. The modern look of the stand-out 30-floor building that houses both Raffles and Fairmont was conceived by leading architects Arquitectonica while the impressive interiors were done by the renowned interior designer company Bent Severin International. Modern architecture alongside the rich, cultural characteristics of Filipino design creates a sophisticated, elegant look abound with Filipino art and furnishings. This is evident the moment you set foot on the Fairmont’s lobby where beautiful art pieces and installations greet you on your arrival. I love the Flying Fish installation as well as the gigantic sculptures behind the front desk that resemble antique vinegar jars. Business deals can be made at the Fairmont Lounge or at the vibrant all-day dining restaurant, Spectrum, that features five “culinary theatres” that are designed for guests to appreciate their food being prepared and served. People with a sweet tooth may like to visit the hotel’s chic pastry boutique, Café Macaron instead for their fresh desserts, pralines, pastries and, my favourite, macaroons in all flavours and colours. For the business traveller, Fairmont Makati means total convenience and time saved given that most of the major offices are located a stone’s throw

Clockwise from left: The Flying Fish art installation and the giant jars at the lobby of the Fairmont Makati. My spacious King room. The Raffles and Fairmont Makati is an architectural gem. The view of Greenbelt Mall from my room.

Situated right at the heart of Ayala Center, the twin luxury hotels are just mere meters from Ayala’s Greenbelt Mall and newly constructed Glorietta Mall. away. Meetings outside the hotel are fast and easy to go to, even on foot, giving the business traveller more time to relax and unwind (I suggest a visit to the hotel’s trademark Willow Stream Spa for some detox), away from the traffic of Metro Manila. For the shoppers, the Fairmont Makati is a heaven sent with thousands of stores, restaurants, bars and museums to choose from literally next door to the hotel, giving shoppers

Top left: My complimentary Fairmont President’s Club card that gives me perks and freebies for ever night I stay at a Fairmont Hotel worldwide. Top right: The Fairmont Makati’s pool. Left: Keeping fit is easy at the Fairmont’s gym which overlooks the makati skyline. Bottom: The Fairmont’s Gold Lounge. more time to shop more and relax in an urban oasis. For more information, please call the Raffles Makati at +63 2 555 9777 and the Fairmont Makati at +63 2 555 9888. Or, visit raffles.com/makati and fairmont.com/makati. Connect with the Raffles and Fairmont Makati on Facebook: facebook.com/ RafflesMakati and facebook.com/FairmontMakati. Follow me on Twitter and Instagram for more travel stories, foodie finds and happenings in and around and beyond Durianburg

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge! UP AND ABOUT

Fitness to another level with Zumba Sentao ThERE’S something about shaking and swivelling your way to a slimmer physique that makes getting fit a lot more fun. Whether you’re a Zumba newbie or a seasoned devotee of the popular program, you’ll have no problem tackling this latest workout, Zumba Sentao, which combines high-energy cardio with strength-training. In addition to the fitness program’s sizzling dance moves, Zumba Sentao incorporates a chair that exercisers can use as a support, a step, and a bench, making it possible to fluidly move from a dance combination into a set of triceps dips. Muscle-toning moves like pushups, squats, lunges, and crunches also make their way into the mix. Zumba Sentao has the same energy and party-like atmosphere that you’d expect from a traditional Zumba class, but the chair adds that extra element to help take your workout to the next level! Zumba Sentao classes are held every Tuesday, Thursday and Friday at the Metrolifestyle Fitness Center at F. Torres St., cor. E. Jacinto, Davao City. You may call 2956995 and 228-6182 for more details.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

MOVIES

Box Office:

Evil Dead kills, G.I. Joe: Retaliation marches on

Sun Cellular offers more affordable SunDroid Rush: MyPhone Edition! SUN Cellular continues its busy streak in providing the best deals in town with its Sundroid Rush series. Launched October last year, the Sundroid Rush gives you at least two amazing gadgets – a tablet and a phone – in one plan! Earlier Sundroid rush editions featured Alcatel and Samsung devices, which by far have become two of the best deals in the market during their respective launch periods. This time, Sun Cellular is coming up with one more Sundroid Rush edition– this time from local the local mobile phone giant -- MyPhone. Needless to say, this will be another one of those “too good to be true” packages, which only Sun Cellular can give you. But first, the details. Media hogs out there might want to check out MyPhone’s MyPad 2 tablet, which boasts of a massive 7” touch-screen and 1ghz of processing power. Add to that the 2 megapixel camera and Wi-Fi capabilities, the MyPad 2 is more than enough to give you the multimedia fix that you might always want to take with you. And then we have the MyPhone A818 Slim, which going by its name, is as sleek and light as they come. The A818 Slim features a nifty 3.5” touch-screen, a 3.2 megapixel camera, and yet again, a 1ghz processor. Its best feature? Dual-sim capabilities. Who knew you could fit all that in one tiny package? Of course, since it’s called the SunDROID Rush, both of these gadgets are running on the Android operating system, expanding both gadgets’ usefulness and wow-factor a few notches higher. The best part of all this is that you can get both handsets for only P450 a month! SunDroid Plan 450 gives you both of these with unlimited Sun calls and texts, 250 texts to other networks, and 20 hours of mobile internet. Needless to say, this will be another one of the good choices you can make with Sun Cellular. Join the SunDroid Rush now! For more information on these and other services that Sun Cellular offers, check for updates by logging on to their official Facebook page: facebook.com/suncellularph or on Twitter: twitter.com/suncelltweets. Sun Cellular is a member of the PLDT Group.

thIS weekend’s moviegoers were in the mood for a scare. Evil Dead, which premiered this week, killed the competition at this weekend’s box office, raking in $26 million and knocking G.I. Joe: Retaliation from its number one spot. The success of the creepy remake of Sam Raimi’s 1981 cult classic was a bit of a surprise, considering

that it pulled in $2 million more than expected (and garnered some praise from critics), according to USA today. Meanwhile, family flick The Croods tied action-packed G.I. Joe for the second spot with $21.1 million. The animated flick has earned a total of $332.6 million globally, making it the second film to do so this year (Oz the Great and Powerful was the first). Jurassic Park 3-D also got off to an impressive start this weekend, nabbing $18.2 million in its debut. This is good news for Universal, which is using the 3D re-release

to gear audiences up for Jurassic Park IV, according to the hollywood Reporter. The film is set to hit theaters in June 2014. here’s a complete look at the weekend’s top movies, per Friday-Sunday studio estimates and stats as compiled by Box Office Mojo: 1. Evil Dead, $26 million 2. The Croods, $21.1 million

3. G.I. Joe: Retaliation, $21.1 million 4. Jurassic Park 3D, $18.2 million 5. Olympus has Fallen, $10 million 6. tyler Perry’s temptation, $10 million 7. Oz the Great and Powerful $8.2 million 8. The host, $5.2 million 9. The Call, $3.5 million 10. Admission, $2.1 million

SOAK UP THE SUN WITH SM LADIES’ WEAR. It’s time to soak up the Sun and get a limited edition summer beach mat from March 26 to May 15. Get a free beach mat for a minimum single-receipt purchase of P2,500 of regular priced items from SM Ladies and Girls Teens Wear Department. Don’t miss out on this fashionable summer giveaway and collect all 4 colors. Head on to the Ladies’ and Girls Teens’ Wear section at all SM Stores near you from March 26 to May 15 only.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Selena Gomez’s song “Come & Get It” premieres early, crashes Ryan Seacrest’s website SELENA GOMEZ is on a roll!

After making lighthearted fun of her breakup with Justin Bieber on The Late Show with David Letterman, and dominating in a breakthrough role in irrevant flick Spring Breakers, the 20-year-old songstress proved she’s still got her millions of fans behind her. her new single “Come & Get It” was leaked to the web ahead of it’s scheduled world premiere on Ryan Seacrest’s radio show Monday. So Seacrest and Selena decided to out-leak the leakers and released the song early. Selena addressed the situation in a quick video message, telling fans: “I’m actually kind of excited because you can finally hear it!” She directed fans to listen to the official version of the catchy Indian music influenced tune on

APRIL 6, 2013

1 2 : 6 + 2 : , 1 * 12:00 2:15 4:30 6:45 9:00

1:00 3:40 6:20 9:00

1:15 3:40 6:05 8:30

THE HOST 2D (PG-13)

THE CROODS 2D

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1:30 4:00 6:30 9:00

1:00 3:40 6:20 9:00

12:30 3:10 5:50 8:30

G.I JOE 2: RETALIATION 2D (PG-13)

Seacrest’s site. The good news? Selena’s legion of fans flocked

G.I JOE 2: RETALIATION 2D (PG-13)

IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN 2D

(GP)

IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN 2D

(GP)

1:15 3:50 6:25 9:00

G.I JOE 2: RETALIATION 3D

(PG-13)

to hear the tune. The bad news? They crashed Ryan’s website.

Kathy Griffin’s talk show cancelled KAThY Griffin’s talk show stint is over (for now).

After two seasons, Bravo has cancelled Kathy, the comedienne confirmed during a stand-up show in Cincinnati Friday. According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Griffin told the audience Bravo execs informed her Thursday that they planned to pull the plug on the show. Griffin also confirmed the news via Twitter Saturday, writing, “Sad but tru. Appreciate your kind words, Ph,” in response to Perez hilton’s tweet regarding the show’s cancellation. So, what’s up next for the former My Life on the

D-List star? Reports have swirled that Griffin and Anderson Cooper have a hourlong show in the works

for CNN, but neither have confirmed that news just yet. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Jessica Simpson continues to flaunt her growing baby bump NOT many moms-to- wore a plain black top be can rock a grow- with a leopard-print maxi ing belly like Jessica skirt and denim jacket. Simpson. The Fashion Star menThis isn’t the first or second time we’ve seen the star strutting a larger baby bump, but this fashionista continues to make that protruding belly of hers look so chic! While enjoying a nice lunch at King’s Fish house in Calabasas, Calif., with the family today, Simpson

tor seems to be sticking to black with a lot of her maternity wardrobe choices lately, whether it be a similar black top or a black maxi dress. It also looks like Maxwell’s mommy has taken a liking to her decision to opt for flats over sexy stilettos, as seen by her

IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN John Lloyd Cruz , Sarah Geronimo GP

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

G. I. JOE RETALIATION-3D

choice of wearing flipflops today instead of something with a higher heel, and it just works. Kudos, Jess.

Bruce Willis , Dwayne Johnson PG-13

12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 |10:00 LFS

THE HOST *IT TAKES A MAN AND A WOMAN R-16

PG-13 GP

Gerard Butler /*John Lloyd Cruz 12:40 | 3:00 | * 6:30 | 08:50 LFS

G. I. JOE RETALIATION Bruce Willis, Dwayne Johnson PG-13

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

A4 INdulge! TRAVEL

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 â&#x20AC;˘ TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Lent well-spent at Pearl Farm hOLy WEEK was indeed a complete holiday for the families who stayed at Pearl Farm Beach Resort. Observance of the traditions of Lent was well emphasized in the activities prepared for the guests. Those whose stayed earlier took part in the Palm Sunday Mass held at the Malipano Chapel, while many joined the group in meditation during the Sunsrise & Sunset yoga sessions including the Way of the Cross during Maunday Thursday & Good Friday. Every night until Black Saturday was Movie Night by the beachfront of Mandaya Beach, where many enjoyed the evening sea-breeze under the stars while watching inspirational movies on a huge screen. Easter Sunday being the culmination of the Lenten Season was full of exciting events for the whole family. The Malipano Chapel was filled with guests attending the Easter Sunday Mass officiated by Fr. Rico Fernandez who conveyed his appreciation for Pearl Farm in ensuring that the spirit of Lent is very much alive in this resort. At the Malipano Pa-

vilion beach, kids and their parents enjoyed eggpainting followed by the exciting Easter Egg-hunt where kids dashed around the beach and searched around the trees and the

sand for those brightlycolored eggs. Inside the Pavilion, the kids were in awe for the Magic Show prepared by the team from Bonjee Entertainment. Family in tandems excitedly navigated the pristine waters of Malipano Pavilion beach for the Kayak Race which draw loud cheers from everyone watching in the gorgeous beachfront. By lunchtime at the alfresco restaurant at the Mandaya Beach, there was a guessing game on the number of egg-shaped chocolates inside the jar. The closest guess was awarded a stuffed-Bunny

and the jar of egg-shaped chocolates. The fun continued in the afternoon at the Mandaya pool area, with Easter Bunny splendidly entertained the kids and their families with balloon-forming tricks. The teens with their mom and dads also had a blast in the egg-catching game. Indeed the celebration went well, with guests taking the boat back to Davao with smiles to bring back home. And one was overheard saying she enjoyed all the time for the past 3 days, and asked her Dad if they can spend holy Week again at Pearl Farm next year.

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS 15

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

Escandor fires 22 in Genesis win G

LEN Escandor fired four triples on his way to a 22-point effort to lead Genesis 88 in a demolition job of DaSia GhQ 99-49 at the resumption of the Escandor Group of Companies Basketball tournament on Sunday. Escandor, a former standout at the ateneo de Davao University in college, rekindled his old shooting magic with two treys in the second period to tear the game wide open 60-24 at the turn. Shaking off jetlag after arriving from a trip to the United States only

a day earlier, Escandor added another two in the fourth period for 8 points in the stretch as the Genesis 88 squad notched their second win in as many outings. GhQ, whose playing coach Jek Melendrez stayed on the bench for the entire game, dropped to a 1-1 win-loss card. Francis Gabriel Escandor also sat out the match for Genesis 88 but his absence was hardly felt as Jong Ferrando and Bobby Dimberdz added 17 and 16, respectively. Benjie Sobiaco fired 20 for GhQ. (NJB)

SP cagers enter finals S

aNGGUNiaNG Panlungsod narrowly escaped with a 74 – 72 squeaker over City Civil Registrars office’s in their pulsating semifinal round encounter to earn a ticket to the finals in the 76th araw ng Dabaw – DaChEa Basketball tournament Category a at the Davao City Recreation Center alemendras Gym on Friday. the vice Mayor’s office-led team played with more poise down the stretch as they held off a strong CCRo rally in the dying seconds to clinch the first ticket to the finals. SP, last year’s losing finalist, will take on the winner in the other semifinal match that pit topseed City Environment

and Natural Resources and defending champion and fourth-ranked General Services office. Christopher “Bong” Go did almost everything offensively in the first half and the rest of the City Council-based dribblers got the job done in defense down the stretch to seal the win. the sweet-shooting Go, the executive assistant to acting Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, finished the game with a scorching 34 points, including ten baskets from behind the arc. art atablanco contributed 15 baskets for SP which bucked the lackluster performance of its frontline Greggy Delica, Dindo Pastor and Marvin Mondigo. (RiCo BiLiRaN)

ISN’T IT IRONIC?

THAT’S MY SHOE. In a mad scramble for the loose ball, a DASIA GHQ cager got mixed up with the ball and a Genesis 88 player’s shoe in this bit of action in last Sunday’s Escandor Group of Companies Basketball Tournament at the

Genesis 88 Gym. Genesis 88 with Glen Escandor (81) scoring 22 points beat GHQ 99-49. Lean Daval Jr.

Literatus opens bid in style D

avao’S FiDE Master austin Jacob Literatus opened

Literatus

his campaign in the 2013 National age Group Chess Championship on Sunday, barely 24 hours after an ‘angel’ brought him back to the tournament he was close to missing. the chess prodigy from toril, who has an ELo rating of 2131, claimed his first victim in John vincent Merabe in the 16 and Under category of the tournament serving as qualifying school for this year’s asean Youth age Group Chess Championships set

this June in thailand. Literatus turned up at the taguig City University auditorium a day after his stint was saved by Kingking Copper Gold Mines, inc. who funded his trip. the stint of Literatus and the rest of Davao’s bets were in jeopardy after the National Chess Federation of the Philippines (NCFP) sent the tournament invitation only last March 27. the tournament is under management of Jayson Gonzales of the NCFP who happens to

be at odds with NCFP regional president James infiesto of Davao. other Davao bets also won their opening Day assignments with John Ray Batucan upsetting a higher-ranked Mark Christian Nazario in the 20 and Under class. Batucan’s brother Neptali ii was not as lucky as he dropped his first outing to McDominique Lagula in the same category. Ella Grace Moulic also bowed to Rachelle Joy Pascua in the Girls 16 and Under category.(NJB)

oS aNGELES (aP) -Chris Paul held up the red t-shirt reading ‘Can’t Stop Los angeles’ for a quick post-game photo. he didn’t put it on, and neither did his Clippers teammates. there was no celebrating on court or in the locker room after they beat the Lakers 109-95 on Sunday to clinch the Clippers’ first Pacific Division title in franchise history against a team that has long overshadowed them. ‘’it just feels like something we were supposed to do,’’ said Paul, who had 24 points and 12 assists. ‘’it means we’re headed in the right direction. We’re not satisfied. We understand this is something small compared to the big picture.’’ Blake Griffin had 24 points and 12 rebounds as the playoff-bound Clippers swept the Lakers 4-0 for the first time since Donald

Sterling bought the team in 1981. the 1974-75 team, known as the Buffalo Braves, had the franchise’s only other sweep of the Lakers. Fans chanted, ‘’Sweep! Sweep!’’ in the closing seconds. Sterling accepted a congratulatory handshake from a fan after the game. ‘’it’s always good to sweep a team in your division, in the West,’’ said Griffin, savoring the first division title of his young career. ‘’i’m proud of how we won the game a little bit differently. We kept up a nice tempo the whole game.’’ Jamal Crawford had 20 points off the bench, Deandre Jordan had 13 rebounds and Caron Butler scored 14 points for the Clippers, who knew that even if they lost, they could have clinched later Sunday if Utah won at Golden State.

Loss to Clippers could lead to Lakers downfall L

SURVIVAL SAGA. Kobe Bryant covers his head in frustration after the Lakers lost to cross-town rival Los Angeles Clippers.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 17 • TUESDAY, APRIL 9, 2013

young guns rule SFOSA GOLF TOURNAMENT

By Neil Bravo

hE young turks of Davao took over from the grizzled veterans in the Sports Foundation of St. andrew (SFoSa ) Golf tournament over the weekend at the Davao City Golf Club.

15-year old Billy tapucar, hitting with surgical precision, scored a gross 40 on the Modified Stableford system of scoring to emerge the overall gross champion in the event made extra tough by the scorching summer heat. tapucar, who recently graduated from high school at the ateneo de Davao University, outshone two other promising young parbusters from Gen. Santos City in brothers Romer Beran who settled for second with 39 and Diether Beran who had a 34. Former junior golf standouts also emerged big winners with Pittjun Batu winning the overall net title with a 43 besting fellow jungolfers EJ Casintahan and tonino Callao (39) who finished second and third, respectively, after the tie was broken via countback. another teener, Jonathan Cabreros, 17, of the Colegio de San ignacio bagged the

gross title in Class B with a 32. Cabreros overcame an errant putt on the 17th when he two-putted for bogey before recovering in the 18th with a par. Bert Pogoy settled for second with a 31 and Pet Deloria was third with a 29. Cirilo Lasaca (44) won the Class B net title besting SFoSa president and tournament chairman Frank Buno (43) and Boy arriba (41). Maribel Lee won the Ladies gross title with a 21 while Stella Barnes took home the net title with a 40, besting Jing Sara (40) by countback and Neneng Revilleza (38). the other winners are Richard Bad-ang for Class C gross title, Michael ang for Class C net, Gil Bullecer for Class D gross, Dhatz Maulana for Class D net, Fred albarillo for the 55-65 years old gross, alex agbayani for the 55-65 net, Jun hilario for the 66-above gross, and Romeo Yian for the 65-above net. “We thank all the golfers who took part in this tournament, you have contributed much to the success of our event,” said Buno in his speech during the awarding rites. More than 200 golfers took part in the two-day golfest staged for the benefit of the crippled and burnt children.

EDGEDAVAO Sports

YES! Jonathan Cabreros lets out a victory punch after sinking a par on the 18th hole to win the Class B gross title in the 2013 SFOSA Golf Tournament at the Davao City Golf Club on Sunday. Inset, Pittjun Batu studies his line of putt. Batu went on to win the soverall net title. Contributed photos by Tom Iñigo