Edge Davao 6 Issue 227 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

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Serving a seamless society

ONLINE APPEAL HOW TESDA MAKES TECH-VOC EDUCATION AN APPEALING OPTION By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

njb@edgedavao.net

ECRETARY Joel Villanueva of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) is a minimalist when it comes to strategies but wide and encompassing when it comes to opportunities. “Our mantra is creating government access,” said the young man heading the government’s key agency for advancing trainings for critical industries. He handles quite a complex sector in the national government bidding to carry the country’s economy to unprecedented highs. His strategy: “We make trainings accessible to everyone.” Villanueva bared to Edge Davao in an exclusive interview the policy directions of his office and the new-found

mass appeal of the technical-vocational education program—then frowned upon as a second-class (even ‘no-class’) career sector. Today, tech-voc education has become an appealing option, says Villanueva. “Technical vocational education and training has become an appealing option to many Filipinos, but for some, the necessity to be physically present in a classroom has become a barrier.” The TESDA Online Program or TOP, according to Villanueva, has reached 100,000 online enrollment covering 15 free courses. The TOP website now has over 5 million visits based on the data from Google Analytics showed that page views for http://www.e-tesda.gov.ph/ reached 5,117,681 since it went online in May 2012, up to January 15, 2014. .“Our online programs are key employment generators,” explained Villanueva. The TOP, managed by the e-TESDA project management office, has initially 15 courses, namely: Basic Computer Operation; Computer Hardware Servicing;

FONLINE, 2

2 ON THE COVER EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

GOOGLE IT. TESDA Secretary Joel Villanueva promotes the TESDA Online Program (TOP).

Online... FFROM 1

Game Programming NC III; Web Development; Waiter Servicing; Valet Servicing; Bus Boy Servicing; Room Attendant Servicing; Guest Room Attendant Servicing; Cleaning the Premises; Laundry Servicing; Cellphone Servicing; Fruit Grower; Diesel Engine Tune Up; Packaged Air Conditioner Unit Servicing; and, Curriculum Development. Villanueva said TESDA is planning to add 14 more courses in the future. To date, TOP recorded a total of 25,631 students enrolled in various courses. Users from the Philippines top those accessing the website, followed by those from Saudi Arabia, United States, United Arab Emirates, Singapore, Qatar, Canada, Hong Kong, Austra-

lia and others. TOP was designed to make technical vocational education and training (TVET) more accessible to potential trainees through the use of Internet technology. “TOP shattered the boundaries that hinder access to TVET because there is now the Internet. Now, even overseas Filipino workers, who want to specialize in a course can take the training and have a National Certificate after passing the assessment” Villanueva added. According to the TOP website, the online courses are free, but registration is required to be able to access the courses. As of January 15, 2014, total number of registered users of the

TOP website has reached 156,565, of which 22 percent are located overseas. “Some say that online education is not for everyone. The students have to be determined to do it. They have to finish the course because it’s important to them, it could be the key to jobs or to another level in their career,” Villanueva stressed. The TESDA secretary also touched on the government’s manufacturing resurgence program which hogs a big chunk of the 2014 national budget. Villanueva said TESDA has prepared 46 training programs catering to manufacturing industry. These courses consist of 30 directly-related and 16 indirectly-related programs.

Villanueva said TESDA aims at producing a pool of young experts with English proficiency—a distinct advantage of Filipino workers. He bared that the TESDA strategy is to recalibrate their dual training system (DTS)—the same system that saved Germany. The DTS offers tax incentives to partner private firms which take part in the Training for Work Program (TWFP). Villanueva said TESDA’s vision for the Davao Region is grounded on the agricultural sector. “We wanted to make our agriculture sector globally competitive. Davao is primarily an agriculture economy with distinct competencies in fresh and processed food production.

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

EDGEDavao Davao Partners

THE BIG NEWS

PCCI’S Dee: Manufacturing to make country competitive By CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

HILIPPINE Chamber of Commerce and Industry vice chairman Donald G. Dee said that for the Philippines to be competitive in the upcoming 2015 Asean integration, a manufacturing policy should be pushed. Dee, guesting at the 46th Annual Installation of Officers and Trustees of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc., (DCCCII) at The Marco Polo Davao Friday, told reporters that the only way for the country to achieve inclusive growth is through manufacturing. “The Philippine economy, while it is growing, is going on the basis of consumption and construction. If you look at the manufacturing sector, while it is positive for the past two years, the growth is very small,” Dee said. Countries in the region

like Thailand, Malaysia, Vietnam, Indonesia, and China depend on manufacturing as backbone of their economies, whereas the Philippines relies on the remittances of OFWs and Filipinos working in the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector, adding that this situation cannot create more jobs. “There are millions of Filipinos working in the BPO and that’s the reason our country moves forward, but depending on this alone will not generate employment and that’s why job opportunities are not happening and that’s why our economy is not inclusive,” he said. Manufacturing, according to him, can create jobs for the growing young population of the Philippines. “We’re going to focus on coming out and drafting an inclusive manufacturing

policy because we believe that’s the way we can absorb the young population we have.” He said that only through manufacturing can the country be an integral part of the regional supply chain in the 2015 integration. “For the electronics sector, we have to continue and go beyond producing chips. We have to do all the components,” he said. “We are very proud that in every cell phone there’s a chip made by Filipinos, but that is a very small part. We need to integrate more our industrial and manufacturing concerns to do more of that kind, not just one chip.” He said PCCII is working with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) for the drafting of the manufacturing policy, adding that economic growth will be sustained once it is

finished. Unemployment rate will drop by 30 percent within five years, Dee claimed. “This sector will bring us and make us a builtin supply chain of all the countries in the region, that’s the objective,” he said. Dee also said that there’s a need to train more skilled workers, because the country is already abundant with professionals like doctors, engineers, and lawyers. Earlier, the government allotted P5 billion for the revival of the manufacturing industry. The budget will be augmented by DTI, Department of Science and Technology (DOST), Department of Agriculture (DA), Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (Tesda), and Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE).

4 NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

Power plant

Davao City, Sta. Cruz agree on tax sharing T DILAPIDATED. A man walks through the dilapidated and roofless overpass in Tibungco, Davao City yesterday. Majority of overpasses in Davao City are now in bad state and need immediate repair. Almost all these structures were funded by the so-called Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) or pork barrel allocations of congressmen and senators. Lean Daval Jr.

BOC RIGODON

Davao has new district collector By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Bureau of Customs (BOC) port of Davao City has a new district collector after the former acting district collector Datu Samsom Pacasum and deputy district collector Edward James DyBuco were reassigned. The BOC assigned Ernesto Aradanas, a former army brigadier general assigned in Maguindanao. as the new district collector, Port of Davao. The BOC said that the latest round of personnel movements are meant to further strengthen the organization and implement operational efficiencies. The statement said that ten officials of the BOC were detailed to the Customs Policy Research Office (CPRO) while three others were transferred to the Revenue Collections

Monitoring Group, and to the Office of the Commissioner. “The detail of officials to CPRO or the transfer of personnel within the Bureau, for that matter, should not be seen as an indication of wrong-doing or misdemeanor on the part of our employees. Rather, these movements are part of the over-all reform program of the Bureau of Customs that are meant to strengthen the organization, streamline our operations and improve our performance,” Customs Deputy Commissioner Myrna Chua, said in a statement. The BOC said the reform agenda of the bureau includes short, medium and long-term programs that focus on capacity-building for the agency. CPRO will provide

Davao bone museum attracting thousands

much-needed recommendations and policy reviews necessary to chart the future of the Bureau of Customs. The officials detailed to CPRO were chosen precisely for their experience and expertise and are the most qualified to take on the job. Earlier, Pacasum and DyBuco questioned the legality of their transfer as a punishment for their having released imported rice upon order of the court. DyBuco, admitted that the transfer order issued by Commissioner Sevilla and approved by Finance Secretary Purisima was questionable, “it brought us pain, grave damage and humiliation.” The BOC Davao officials issued a seizure order on more than 100 container vans of imported rice

worth millions of pesos for failure of the consignee, one Joseph Mangupag Ngo, to show importation permit from the National Food Authority of Starcraft Int’l Trading Corporation. Through his lawyers, Ngo, however, questioned the seizure and petitioned the Regional Trial Court to issue a temporary restraining order to compel the customs officials to release the shipment. The RTC, through Judge Emmanuel Carpio, issued a TRO but it did not specify what bills of lading were covered by the TRO. On Friday, seven new officials from the Department of Finance-Office of Revenue Agency Modernization (ORAM) were detailed by virtue of two Customs Personnel Orders (CPOs).

HE Davao City government and the municipality of Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur have come up with an initial agreement on tax sharing of Therma South Inc. (TSI) coal-fired power plant located in the boundary of the city and Davao del Sur. Councilor Danilo Dayanghirang, committee on finance chairman, said in his privilege speech last Tuesday that they have done with the second talks last month and the 30 percent of the income tax will go to the principal office of TSI which is located in Davao City. “The remaining 70 percent, because they are encompassing in our boundaries in both LGUs

(Local Government Units) the Aboitiz group including Sta. Cruz wanted to have 50-50 sharing, but this was objected to by the city,“ said Dayanghirang . He said that the city supposedly wanted the 80 percent of the 70 percent and city administrator J. Melchor Quitain threatened the Aboitiz that he would not issue any permit to operate if this will not be settled. But Dayanghirang said that along the way both parties agreed that 50 percent of the remaining 70 percent will go to the city and 25 percent will go to Sta. Cruz and the other 25 percent will be the es-

FPOWER, 10

Diangan tribesmen ejected from homes

IXTY-four members of the Diangan tribe were allegedly forced to vacate their homes by a cooperative in Sitio Dolo in Barangay Manuel Guianga last Thursday, January 23, an official said. Chief Inspector Ariel Acala, station commander of the Tugbok police, said that 19 families evacuated to Sitio Kahusayan where another tribe is staying. According to the tribe, at least 40 members and workers of Jesus Christ Cooperative allegedly harassed them to reclaim the land. However, Acala also said that the cooperative claims the place had been abandoned and denied alle-

gations of the tribe. As of press time, police said the affected members of the tribe are temporarily sheltered in sitio Kahusayan. Acala recommended that officials from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources in Davao City intervene as the land is part of the Mt. Apo National Park. He suggested that the National Commission of Indigenous Peoples also interfere as it involves IPs, also called “lumads”. Police are still monitoring the peace and order situation in the area where in 2008 Datu Dominador “Doming” Diarog, of the Klata-Bagobos in Sitio Kahusayan was killed. [EPC]

By EMILORD P. CASTROMAYOR

epc@edgedavao.net

BONE museum for different species of animals, the first in Mindanao, has reportedly been visited by some 20,000 people in the first two years of its operation, according to its founder. Owner Darell D. Blatchley, a U.S. national, plans to expand the museum to exhibit more bones of marine and land animals. He bared this during its 2nd anniversary celebration last Saturday in Barangay Bucana, Trading Boulevard. “It’s been very well received by the public. Our

goal is education on animals in the Philippines, and elsewhere. As the museum grows we will never stop it from growing, we will continue to add more materials that can be used for education,” Blatchley said. In 2012, the museum tallied 8,000 visitors while in 2013 it recorded 12,000 people, including members of the department of tourism in Vietnam who wish to put up a bone museum of their own, Blatchley said, adding that students from many schools in Mindanao

FDAVAO, 10 FREE. Hungry residents of Bankerohan in Davao City crowd over the free “lugaw” provided by the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) last weekend. Lean Daval Jr.

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

BIGGER PICTURE

Developing Asia still grapples with high maternal mortality rate By PRIME SARMIENTO

NSURING women’s access to family planning education and services will slash high maternal mortality incidence and sustain the gains achieved in promoting maternal health in developing Asia, health experts said. Thein Thein Htay, deputy director general for public health in Myanmar, reported that from 1990 to 2008, Southeast Asian countries have made substantial reductions in maternal mortality. But Htay notes that results are uneven between countries. Htay, who was recently in Manila to attend a regional conference on reproductive health, reported that while Brunei, Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand succeeded in slashing mortality rate, such positive trend was not sustained by other countries in the region including the Philippines, Indonesia, Myanmar and Cambodia. Htay said greater intervention is needed to bring down the number of mothers who die from unsafe abortion, hypertensive

diseases, and postpartum hemorrhage as well as on neonates who fail to survive due to pneumonia, sepsis, and birth asphyxia. Meanwhile, a separate report presented by Tara Chetty, program director of the Fiji Women’s Rights Movements, enumerated several factors that harm women’s reproductive health in the Oceania region. These factors include low government spending on health, lack of access to comprehensive sexuality education, high rates of gender-based violence, unavailability of safe and legal abortion and the conservative interpretation of cultural traditions and practices. “We’re (Pacific islanders) not really conservative as we’d like to portray ourselves to be. We’re just conservative in realizing other people’s rights, especially that of young people who are supposed to know their place and to not to push the envelope,” Chetty said. Htay and Chetty’s reports only covered the

Southeast Asian regions. But latest data from the UN showed these reports actually reflects the situation of maternal health in developing Asia as a whole. The United Nations

DISASTER PREPAREDNESS. Around 13,960 Ateneo de Davao college students, faculty, staff and guests converge in the designated assembly points during the evacuation drill undertaken as part of the University’s disaster preparedness process. (Right) Prof. Jose Ma. Tomacruz, volunteer Deputy Chief Warden, helps monitor the proceedings while Mr. Jeremy S. Eliab (left), Assistant to the University President, leads the post-event self-evaluation. The CHED-required emergency drill took only 12 of the targeted minimum 15 minutes to clear all buildings. (ADDU IPO).

Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (UNESCAP) reported that with regards to health related Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the region is off-track on maternal mortality and universal access to reproductive health. UNESCAP said that there have been some improvements in women’s health, especially in East Asia, where women live longer than the world average. In South Asia, however, women have low life expectancy owing to high maternal mortality rate -- around 217 mothers die for every 100,000 live births. In a separate report, the United Nation Development Program (UNDP) said most countries in Asia-Pacific are not likely to

attain the MDG target of reducing the maternal mortality rate by three quarters in 2015. Only Bhutan, Iran, Maldives, Nepal and Vietnam have achieved the target so far while five other countries (Bangladesh, Cambodia, China, Laos and Timor-Leste) are likely to meet the target by 2015. In terms of access to sexual and reproductive health care services, the UNDP said that between 1990 and 2008, the proportion of women of reproductive age who are using (or whose partner is using) a contraceptive method rose from 58 to 67 percent. There is however a wide disparity in contraceptive prevalence rates between sub-regions. While Southeast Asia enjoys a high 60 percent prevalence rate, the Pacific had the lowest rate

in the region of 38 percent. Lack of access to health services -- such as access to the services of skilled doctors/midwives and contraceptives that will prevent unwanted pregnancies -- is one of the key reasons behind the high maternal mortality rate. UNESCAP said inadequate public health funding also contributed to this, noting that governments which spent more on health succeeded in bringing down maternal mortality rates. UNESCAP said maternal health is also related to women empowerment, noting that “literate, well-informed and empowered are in a much stronger position to decide on their number of children and care for them.” [PNA/Xinhua]

HANDS ON. Brgy. Police Eddie PIlapil (R) teaches an Ateneo de Davao Grade Six pupil the proper way of setting a seedling on the ground during a tree-planting activity at Purok 3-A, Brgy. Matina Pangi. The activity is part of the Meet the Jesuits series, a program intended to expose the graduating students of the Ateneo Grade School to the priestly vocation. (ADDU GS)

6 THE ECONOMY Stat Watch Indicator

Latest

1. Gross National Income 1. GrossRate National Income Growth Growth Rate2000 Prices) (At Constant

7.1 1st Qtr 2013 6.8

2.2.Gross GrossDomestic DomesticProduct Growth Rate Product (AtGrowth Constant 2000 Prices) Rate

7.8 1st Qtr 2013 7.5

(At Constant 2000 Prices)

3. Exports 1/ 3. Exports

4. Imports 1/ 4. Imports

5. Trade Balance Trade Balance 6.5.Balance of Payments 2/

7.6.Broad Money Liabilities Balance of Payments

2nd Qtr 2013

USD 3,741 million 5,045 FebUSD 2013 million USD 4,708 Sep 2013 million FebUSD 2013 5,711 USD -967 million million Sep 2013 Feb 2013 USD -665 USD -640 million million Sep 2013 Dec 2012 P 4,964,560 USD 692 million million Feb Jun2013 2013 P2.45,980,938 % million Mar 2013 Aug 2013

8. Interest Rates 4/

7. Broad Money Liabilities

P113,609 2.0 % million Sep2013 2013 Mar P P5,281 127,336 billion million Mar Sep2013 2013

9. National Government 8. Revenues Interest Rate 9. National Government

10.Revenues National government outstanding debt outstanding debt

P 5,609 P 41.14 Aprbillion 2013

11.Stocks Peso per US $ 12. Composite Index 6/

6,847.5 P 43.83 Mar Sep2013 2013

12. Stocks Composite

6,191.8 132.8 Sep2013 2013 Apr

13. Consumer Price Index

135.2 Oct2.62013

10.Peso National government 11. per US $ 5/

Sep 2013

13. Consumer Index Price Index 2006=100

2006=100 14. Headline Inflation Rate 14. 2006=100 Headline Inflation

Apr 2013

2.9 Oct3.12013

Rate 15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

Apr 2013

2006=100

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100 16. Visitor Arrivals

2.5

418,108 Oct 2013 Feb 2013

382,022 Aug 2013 20.9%

16. Visitor Arrivals

17. Underemployment 7/ 17. Rate Underemploymen

Jan 2013 19.2%

18. 18.Unemployment UnemploymentRate Rate7/

7.1% Jan 2013 7.3%

Rate

Jul 2013 Jul 2013

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2011-September 2013) Month Average December November October September August July June May April March February January

2013

2012

2011

43.83 43.86 43.35 42.91 41.30 41.14 40.71 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

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

FDA warns against false claims on alkaline, oxygenated water A

S more stalls that sell equipment or devices that claim to turn tap or bottled water into “alkaline” or “oxygenated” water continue to proliferate, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) cautioned consumers from the possibility of false claims. According to the FDA, vendors claim that “alkaline” or “oxygenated” water removes every known chronic disease condition, acts as a strong antioxidant, slows the aging process and promote greater absorption of nutrients. They also claim that alkaline water is rich in oxygen and that increased amount of oxygen boosts physical performance. The FDA noted that therapeutic claims made on drinking water as a ploy to promote and market water must be substantiated through valid clinical trials. “It is a violation of RA 9711, otherwise known as the FDA Act of 2009, to sell or offer for sale or use purification devices that allegedly produce water known as “alkaline water” or “oxygenated water,” the FDA said. The FDA also noted that it was also a violation to make therapeutic claims without a Certifi-

IN THE RIGHT PLACE AT THE RIGHT TIME. This peddler chooses the right place to sell ice drop where there is a gathering of residents in Barangay 5-A, Bankerohan, Davao City last weekend. Lean Daval Jr. cate of Product Registration (CPR). “Vendo-type outlets or re-filling stations, and those engaged in the

manufacture, importation and distribution of water with therapeutic claims should secure a License to Operate from the

FDA before applying for a CPR,” FDA said. “Consumers are advised not to fall prey to these unscrupulous ven-

dors and peddlers,” it added. “Drinking alkaline, oxygenated or ionized water does not change the blood pH level.” [PNA]

topher Papa said that the workstation-performance of Dell Precision M3800 addresses the need of the domestic market as businesses ranging from retail venture, media and entertainment, architecture, construction, and engineering among others in Philippines have been growing. The new model is also compatible for its on-the-go customers as the product is a 15-inch workstation, 18 millime-

ter thin and weighs less than two kilograms. ”As traditional workplace continues to evolve, our workstation customers are requiring more portable systems, but can’t afford to sacrifice performance for their critical software applications,” Papa told. On the other hand, Dell PowerEdge T20 is an additional to PowerEdge portfolio of the electronics company which is an entry-level uni-processor server.

The PowerEdge T20 has large internal storage capacity that also allows consolidation of data and applications from multiple desktops and workstations. ”This is an ideal server for Small Office and Home Office (SOHO), the Dell PowerEdge T20 will help improve access to information, simplify processes and get more done in less time,” Dell said in a press statement. Allan Divinagracia, Team Leader of Dell

Global BV Enterprise Solutions Group, noted that the new PowerEdge T20 is best for the growing number of small and medium enterprises (SMEs) in the country which gives them business operation efficiency. Meanwhile, Papa said that Dell will be launching more models this 2014 and will bring them to the Philippine market as the multinational company is optimistic with the country’s economy.

Dell adds new models in workstation D

ELL Inc. has added new models in its workstation and Poweredge portfolio as it started the year by launching Dell Precision M3800 and Dell PowerEdge T20. Dell Philippines introduced to the domestic market the newest workstation model, Dell Precision M3800, which features workstation-performance and mobility. Dell Philippines country manager Chris-

as of May 2013 Cebu Pacific Daily Zest Air Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun Philippine Airlines Daily Cebu Pacific Daily Cebu Pacific Thu

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

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

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

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

Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat 5J965 / 5J968 13:35 Silk Air Mon/Sat MI588 / MI588 13:35 Silk Air Wed/Sun MI566 / MI566 15:20 Silk Air Thurs MI551 / MI551 12:05 Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 5J507 / 5J598 15:00 Philippine Airlines August 15:55 Mani2Mani 16:50 Zest Air Daily Z2524 / Z2525 16:05

Manila-Davao-Manila Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Davao-Singapore Cebu-Davao-Cebu

14:05 18:55 18:55 15:45 15:30

Cebu-Davao-Cebu

16:45

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

AGRITRENDS

Lambanog export starts mid-2014

OCALLY produced “Lambanog” (coconut wine), derived from coconut tree, will soon conquer the world as the Philippine Firewater Distillers Inc. will start exporting this product, Tito Osias, Balik Probinsya Program convenor said on Friday. Osias said that coconut farmers and their families who have shifted jobs as they invaded Metro Manila will have a second option because their former job will be fruitful in the coming months when the Lambanog export starts invading the world. “We will need more workers and farmers to plant coconut trees around the country because we expect Lambanog to be one of the major export of the country in the future,” Osias told reporters at the weekly forum Balitaan sa Hotel

Rembrandt. He said bringing “true entrepreneurship” in the countryside will surely change the economic status of farmers because the company who will process the Philippine coconut wine will start competing with Whiskey, Brandy and even Vodka. “The demand of local wine will increase as the demand of farm workers also increases. That is why we are promoting Balik Probinsya program to give former farmers a second thought that they can have a decent living in their respective provinces with their loved ones,” he pointed out. The so-called “Lakan Premium Lambanog” will be in the market starting middle of this year but refused first to divulge where they will make their first export of truly Philippine wine. [PNA]

North Cotabato farmers get rice mill Agri sector lacks investment sub-projects to increase productivity B T

WO rice mill sub projects were turned over by the local government of North Cotabato and the Department of Agriculture in Region 12 in a bid to increase rice productivity, officials said today. Beneficiaries of the projects were farmers in Barangay Nasapian and Gen. Luna, both in Carmen, North Cotabato. Each rice mill sub-project costs P500,000 and funded through the counter-parting scheme with 60 percent or P300,000 coming from World Bank, 20 percent from the DA-Mindanao Rural Development Project

through Community Fund for Agricultural Development or P100,000 and another 20 percent from the local government. Graciano Lumen, DA-12 Project Officer and representative of DA executive director Amalia Jayag-Datukan, lauded the performance as shown by farmers that earned them the projects. The farmer-beneficiaries were members of Nagkakaisang Samahan ng mga Magsasaka ng Malmar (NAGKASAMMA) aand Carmen Agricultural Resources Development–Producers Cooperative (CARD-PC). Mokamad Bituanan, chairperson of CARD

PC, said the project was an added facility for them to become more productive and help achieve the government’s rice sufficiency program. Abdulwahid Yunos, NAGKASAMMA president, said the project has inspired them to double their efforts and contribute to rice production in the province. In 2012, NAGKASAMMA was a recipient of Gawad Saka awards for the effective management of the organization and improve its members’ livelihood. The annual search aims to recognize farmers groups that have contributed in the total rice production campaign of

the government. CARD-PC and NAGKASAMA were among the major suppliers and exporters of certified seeds for the United Nation’s Food and Agriculture Organization (FAOUN) North Cotabato Governor Emmylou “Lala” J. Taliño-Mendoza lauded the two farmers’ groups and said they should be emulated by other organizations in the province. She vowed for more support to farmers, stressing the province is basically agriculture. The DA provincial office said Barangay Nasapian and Gen. Luna have about 600 farmer families planting rice and corn. [PNA]

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) has assured it will pursue reforms in the rice procurement of government to curb the reported smuggling and cartel of the staple food. DA Undersecretary and Spokesman Emerson Palad, in a statement on Friday, said one of the reforms is the filing of charges against individuals or groups including its personnel that are found to be involved in the smug-

gling of rice in the country. “The Agriculture Department and the National Food Authority (NFA) is committed on pursuing reforms that will ensure the transparency and efficiency of the government’s rice importation and procurement program and remains determined to achieve the goal of producing rice and other staples that we need,” he said. The DA reiterated it strongly condemns rice

smuggling, which described as a form of economic sabotage as the government loses taxes due to illegal entry of imported rice. It also depresses the price of locally grown palay, therefore decreasing farmers income. Palad appealed to concerned sectors to cooperate in the government’s efforts to combat economic saboteurs and protect the interests of farmers. Likewise, he stressed

that DA Secretary Proceso Alcala, who was being implicated in the alleged “rice cartel,” has consistently opposed the entry of illegal agricultural commodities and has pursued the country’s goal of rice self-sufficiency through implementing programs that increase productivity and income of farmers. Rice smuggling is estimated to have cost the country around P7 billion in foregone revenues. [PNA]

DA to pursue reforms in gov’t rice procurement T

ASED at Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice) found in their studies that low investment in research and development (R&D) slows down agricultural productivity. In a volume of the 12-monograph series in Productivity Growth in Philippine Agriculture authored by Flordeliza Bordey and Sergio Francisco of PhilRice Socioeconomics Division, they stated that the country’s ability to feed an increasing population or total factor productivity is declining. Reports from the budget division of the Department of Agriculture showed that R&D had a 0.08 percent-share of public spending compared to infrastructures, regulatory services, and production support in 2001. This less than a percent-share declined to half in 2002 and 2003. It increased to 0.06 percent in 2004 and 0.05 percent in 2005. Published late last year, the book showed that the country has low public investment in R&D compared with Indonesia, Malaysia, India, and China. In 2002, Indonesia spent USD 177M; USD 424, Malaysia; USD 1,355M, India; USD 2,574 M, China; while the Philippines only spent USD 141M.

“The conclusions from the studies imply that the decline in productivity growth is caused by the inability of the country to allocate its resources efficiently, and to policies that intervened in the process of resource allocation,” the authors said. With their findings, they concluded that R&D investments in agriculture in general have not received priority attention from the government. “The continued under investment would have a negative implication on productivity. This needs to be addressed to realize the high benefits from agricultural R&D,” the authors said. In the case of rice, the economists found that among public investments in R&D, extension, production subsidy and irrigation, only R&D generated cost savings or was able to spend less money than the expected cost. Despite spending less, R&D activities had improved agricultural productivity through researches and technologies. The monograph series was supported by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agriculture, the Bureau of Agricultural Research, and PhilRice.

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

EDITORIAL

Inequality, ignominy and the death penalty

ITH Senator Tito Sotto, you’ll never know when to laugh or get serious. The actor-turned-Senator, who was doggedly pro-life advocate in the debate on the RH (Reproductive Health) Bill issue, is now pro-death with the death penalty reimposition. He wants the capital punishment reinstated to stem the rising tide of heinous crimes. Last time we checked, the death penalty law was repealed in 2005 by then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. The death penalty was imposed as a capital punishment for high crimes during the time of President Marcos before President Cory abolished it. In 1993, the death penalty was reimposed under President Ramos and it took six years before the death chamber saw its first victim in Leo Echegaray. And now, Senator Sotto wants the death penalty back after a string of criminalities that involved young victims, big-time illegal drugs syndicate, and corruption in government. Sotto believes the measure will have a chilling effect on criminals resulting to a deterrent in crime incidence. With death penalty imposed, the spectre of death should cause criminals to backtrack from committing heinous crimes. The debate on death penalty, though, is not as easy as Senator Sotto thinks. Here, you have to ensure one given—that the wheels of justice will turn not only for the rich but more importantly for the poor—for those who cannot afford lawyers, and for those tried without due process. If you cannot even ensure that the justice system will work the way the blindfolded lady of Justice stands as a

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living symbol of the cold neutrality of the courts. Going to court is not cheap. Getting justice is not fast. In between, you need money to move your case—money to get yourself a lawyer (unless you settle with the government-assigned counsel), money to get pieces of evidence, money to bring witnesses to court, and money to feed you and your family while you wait for the resolution of your case. If you are a detention prisoner, it gets more difficult. You need a lot of patience and endurance to live in detention while you fight for your case. Sadly, how many are behind bars for the crime they did not even commit? Then again, if we think of the victims of heinous crimes, we wish the death penalty be at once restored. If only it would be that easy. It’s easy to sentence to death a poor man who has committed murder or rape. On the other hand, it is never easy to sentence a rich man, politician, or government official who has committed plunder and corruption. In this country, crimes vary depending on one’s status in life. Robbery is for the poor and plunder is for the rich. Fencing is for the poor and smuggling is for the rich. Even detention cells are not the same for the poor and the powerful. Reimposing death penalty will only add inequality to ignominy. Yes, in a jurisdiction that metes death to heinous crimes, the poor will die in the chamber while the rich will recover in hospital rooms. We cannot call it justice.

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

Observe a wait-and-see attitude

OTHING IS SURE WHAT IT SEEMS – After months of continuous dialogues both the government (GRP) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) peace panels are confident the quest for lasting peace in Muslim-dominated areas in Mindanao will be fulfilled. However, despite a positive result of the peace accord there is still a need to thoroughly inform the people in affected areas concerning the Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro (FAB) entered into by the GRP and MILF and the implications of any final decision on the matter. The FAB has been the subject of much discussion and debates and it has been said that it would take more than just an acceptable deal to reach the main objective of the new Bangsamoro autonomous region. Principal crafters of the Framework Agreement said the proposed new Bangsamoro autonomous region is long overdue therefore imperative and urgent. And because of the deferment, the aspirations for peace and unity continued to elude the people of Muslim Mindanao. Much has been said that the creation of an expanded autonomous territory will enable its constituencies to improve governance, people empowerment and hasten development of the Bangsamoro homeland. The GRP-MILF peace panels agreed on many aspects after months of meetings and on the final phase they were certain to lay the “final touches.” Representatives from different groups that helped on the peace process were the witnesses of the signing of the so-called ‘momentous event’ that opened opportunities in the creation of the Bangsamoro entity and its expected realization on or before 2016. A panel of Malaysian observers acted as facilitators during the series of discussions in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The Aquino administration thanks the Malaysian government for its crucial role that resulted to successful

talks despite ‘considerable political and personal risk.’ Other figures who have in one way or another contributed to the smooth processes of the Framework Agreement were MILF chair Al Haj Murad, chief negotiator Mohagher Iqbal and a MILF contingent composed of legal luminaries. The success of FAB is the utmost concern of both the government and the MILF because it is the foundation that would give Christians, Muslims and Lumads the opportunity to dwell in harmony, peace and unity. But some are pessimistic still, saying that experts on Mindanao affairs declared that unless the GRP-MILF negotiating panels undertake steps to formulate a practical deal along with a social, political and electoral system, they will not be able to solve the basic problems and achieve the goals and aspirations of the autonomous region. To drive their point, the FAB has been given negative interpretations what with one of the main characters of the Organic Act and first regional governor of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Nur Misuari obviously is out of the picture. But government was quick enough to cushion a negative impact stating that the MNLF actually has forged a ‘solidarity agreement’ with the MILF which the former vehemently denied resulting to the horrifying Zamboanga siege. Moreover, the government assured the MNLF a representation in the proposed Transition Commission and in the crafting of the Basic Law in the creation of the Bangsamoro

autonomous region. The Aquino administration likewise affirmed that the MNLF and other stakeholders are not going to be marginalized because they will still play a major role for peace and unity in Muslim Mindanao. But it appears, though, that at this stage the MNLF-Misuari faction has started hurling invectives and bitter side comments on nationwide media and deplored the acts of the GRP-MILF peace panels. Displeased and disgusted Misuari likewise is set to file a petition before the United Nations for the decolonization of Mindanao. The group is also relying heavily on three petitions asking the Supreme Court to declare the new Bangsamoro peace agreement with the MILF illegal and unconstitutional. Amid Misuari’s plans to protest the peace pact before the International Court and the SC, and lately instructed his armed followers to prepare and brace for a worse case scenario, government insisted the peace deal with the MILF was in accordance with constitutional processes. While the talks now on its final stages still the “final touches” are subject to indepth discussions and intelligent debates and even some lawmakers and constitutional experts foresee that it is still going to be a long and tedious process. Quietly but clearly, constituents in the autonomous region are consequently becoming disenchanted with their present system of government. How much more with an expanded land and sea territorial limits? Still and all, FAB should get the nod of Congress and there must be success in the forthcoming referendum before the GRPMILF negotiating panels can be confident that the Bangsamoro task will be triumphant. In the meantime people in the Bangsamoro homeland will have to observe a wait-and-see attitude while the peace brokers should never assume of anything yet.

Replace mean-spirited with civic-spirited

T would do Mindanao society a lot of good if those who truly care about its fate— Bangsamoro advocates, for example—learn to pay a little more attention and effort to governing and civilizing their community. GOVERNING is simply another term for managing. Overseeing human as well as non-human resources of the community, such that they produce progress and improve quality of life for all. CIVILIZING is humanizing the neighborhood, making it more orderly; rendering it conducive to harmony, solidarity, and mutual cooperation; thus pave the way to progress and prosperity. These are citizen duties, the means to advance social and economic progress by replacing the mean-spirited with the civic-spirited. Doing so is what affirmative action means. It is the concrete way to strengthen the grassroots. It secures the building blocks of the republic which are its basic communities (barangays). Affirmative action is especially effective when citizens who are not perceived as regular activists are the ones doing it. They command respect by virtue of their station or calling, and thus are more likely to attract cooperation or a local following. Visibility The initiative need not be spectacular or entail extraordinary effort. Often just by being present or visible in the arena of action helps a lot already. Simply by showing concern about social or governance issues makes local society sit up and take notice. It alerts the neighborhoods that something important is taking place. It arouses interest and makes people watch out for something momentous to happen. And that’s a step

WORM’S EYEVIEW BY MANNY VALDEHUESA away from getting involved. Visibility on the part of the middle and upper classes is especially important. Looked up to or idolized as the movers and shakers of society, they are generally viewed as the most successful sector of the community. Thus they can set off fads, fashions, and trendy social practices. Pace-setters, they’re influential, which is why they are referred to as “leading citizens” or the elite, which usually means they’re worthy of emulation. As such, any civic involvement on their part attracts others, encouraging wider public participation. Properly motivated, they can actually trigger change or reform—in attitudes, in values, in people’s work ethic. They can enrich community relations by inspiring others to be civic-minded—in the process, neutralize the mean-spirited and stop them from exploiting people and the weakness of the political system. Elite Influence Because the elite are often the local employers, teachers, professors, or pastors, they are in a unique position to impart desirable values and ethical standards that are essential for the public service, and also for the private sector of the community. Others are there too—bankers, managers, lawyers, and heads of civic clubs like Rotary or Jaycees. Individually or collectively, they can propagate better practices for professionals and service providers. They can also promote wholesome pur-

suits that discourage habits that suborn graft and corruption or induce practices that create injustice. Then there are the artists and craftsmen, writers and editors, reporters and broadcasters. They too have valuable contributions and perspectives that civilize community living further—refining manners, preventing violence, condemning crime or barbarism, facilitating the wheels of justice. They have an essential role to play in smoothing the way for reforms to take place. Even if only through personal example, all of them—directly or indirectly, individually or collectively—can discourage wrongdoing and make behavioral change, crowding out the mean-spirited with the civic-spirited in the community. Civic Spirit The one ideal we must all strive to attain is to be able honestly and without dissembling to claim that life in the neighborhood is better because of our presence in it. The question to ask therefore should be: Is my barangay a pleasant or progressive place today because of what I and my neighbors did or contributed to it? From such attitude emerges social change and reform… subtly, gently, and more effectively than sermons or seminars. [Manny was former UNESCO regional director for Asia-Pacific, secretary-general of the Southeast Asian Publishers Association, a director at the development academy of the Philippines, vice chair of the Local Government Academy, and 2004 PPI-UNICEF awardee for outstanding columnist. He heads Gising Barangay Movement as national convenor and president. valdehuesa@gmail.com]

VANTAGE POINTS

Miserable excuse SOMEONE ELSE’S WINDOWS

H. MARCOS C. MORDENO

NYBODY who has either read Victor Hugo’s Les Miserables or seen its movie version would surely love to hate Inspector Javert for persecuting Jean Valjean no end simply because the latter stole a piece of bread. It’s not that the story’s main character committed no crime, but that his crime could not justify the pain and suffering he goes through till the end. Far greater offenses have been forgiven, why can’t stealing a piece of bread to feed a hungry stomach in troubled times – the setting of the story is the French Revolution – be condoned? Now here’s a story closer to home, one in which the plot revolves around no less than President Benigno III and some Cabinet members who hatched the socalled Disbursement Acceleration Program (DAP). Acting on nine petitions questioning the constitutionality of DAP, the Supreme Court has asked these officials to explain if there is any legal basis for it. It may be recalled that it was Senator Jinggoy Estrada who revealed the existence of DAP in a privilege speech where he alleged that it was used to influence the senators into convicting impeached Chief Justice Renato Corona. The releases of funds came after the impeachment trial which saw Corona thrown out of the country’s metaphorical equivalent of Mount Olympus in Padre Faura Street in Manila. At the resumption of oral arguments on DAP on Tuesday (January 28), Malacanang officials asked the Supreme Court to dismiss petitions seeking to declare the controversial presidential pork barrel as unconstitutional. Their argument: The petitions had become moot and academic since DAP had been terminated. In other words, you may not question something that’s already “extinct,” as Solicitor General Francis Jardeleza put it. Budget Secretary Florencio Abad tried to put icing on the cake when he said the DAP “had already served fully its purpose and that was why the economic managers recommended its termination to the President.” Offhand, Jardeleza’s argument sounds logical. But if you’re a fan of National Geographic channel, you must have noticed that extinct species like the Tasmanian tiger continue to preoccupy evolutionary scientists. They know there’s no way these species can spring back to life. They just want to offer answers how and why these animals became extinct, and what lessons can be learned from such phenomenon. The same thing can be said of the controversial DAP. While the program may have already become “extinct,” the questions surrounding its legality – not to mention political motivation as alleged by Senator Jinggoy Estrada – have not been resolved to everybody’s satisfaction. Thus the Supreme Court must rule on whether or not the executive branch, by instituting DAP, had exceeded its authority on the disbursement of funds whose purpose had been defined by Congress under the General Appropriations Act. This is the meat of the petitions questioning the constitutionality of DAP. If the Supreme Court relents and dismisses the petitions on the basis of Jardeleza’s argument, here’s the catch – like the dinosaurs in the fictional Jurassic Park DAP may just rear its ugly head again under the current administration or its successor in another guise but for basically the same purpose, that is, as political leverage to keep the lawmakers submit to the wishes of Malacanang. Perhaps Corona’s haters would say in private that his ouster was a blessing regardless of the sinister means that the Palace supposedly employed against him. But that’s precisely the danger – using devious means to punish perceived crimes, in Corona’s case, betrayal of public trust and other impeachable offenses. [MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews. H. Marcos C. Mordeno can be reached at hmcmordeno@gmail.com]

NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

DSWD gives focus on development By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

SEEKING ASSISTANCE. Hundreds of Dabawenyos troop to City Hall drive in Davao City where the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) put up a temporary satellite office to accommodate those who are seeking for medical assistance. Lean Daval Jr.

ANTI-GRAFT GROUP CALLS

Conviction of 9 officials of Sarangani awe-inspiring By AQUILES Z. ZONIO

Correspondent

N anti-corruption group in Sarangani hailed the decision of the Sandiganbayan meting out a penalty of reclusion perpetua to two incumbent Sangguniang Panlalawigan members and seven others involved in the controversial fund scam in 2003. In a mobile phone interview, Rev. Avelino Sichon, chair of Sarangani People’s Action for Reform & Good Governance (Spare-Go), told Edge Davao that the decision of Sandiganbayan was awe-inspiring. On Thursday morning, the Anti-Graft court sentenced to life imprisonment two incumbent and seven former officials of Sarangani tagged either as masterminds or conspirators in the systematic looting of taxpayers’ money. Found guilty by the Sandiganbayan’s First Division were incumbent Sangguniang Panlalawigan members Cornelio C. Martinez Jr. and Eugene L. Alzate, former SP members Lelibeth Canillo-Prospero, Hernando L. Sibugan, Juanito H. Purisima, Marlind L. Marcelo, Redempto Y. Abiso and Jesus H. Desedilla, and former executive assistant Amelia Constantino-Zoleta. In addition to the life terms, the nine were ordered to each pay a fine of P475,000 and to joint-

ly indemnify Sarangani province in the amount of P475,000. They were also disqualified from holding public office. The 33-page decision was penned by Associate Justice and First Division chair Efren N. de la Cruz. “Truth and justice triumphed after 11 years of pursuing the case. I was so touched. Albeit delayed, yet it shows that there’s hope for justice in this country,” Sichon said. Diversion of Countrywide Development Fund (CDF) of then Sarangani Rep. Erwin Chiongbian through fictitious personalities and organizations started here in 2002 long before the Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) scam was exposed to the public. It was Mary Ann Gadian, a computer operator in the office of the late Vice Gov. Felipe K. Constantino, who blew the lid off the multi-million scam in 2003. Gadian, who turned state witness, was terminated from the service by Constantino for exposing the scam. All in all, 16 cases were filed against 17 former provincial officials and employees for what the Commission on Audit said was the systematic looting of at least P46 million from Sarangani’s coffers during the threeyear term of then Governor Miguel Escobar.

Escobar was also himself convicted, together with former provincial treasurer Cesar Cagang and management and audit analyst Vivencia Telesforo in one of the cases. In its decision, the court gave credence to the testimony of Gadian who told the court her only responsibility was “to make fictitious transactions in order to get money from the government.” In her testimony, Gadian claimed she was called upon by the defendants to do “dirty tricks” in April 2002 by producing P20,000 for each of them for a trip to Manila. Gadian added she made it appear the P475,000 was to go to a nongovernment organization called Sea Angels Aqua Marketing Cooperative as requested by supposed chair Wenilo Bravo for a “bagoong-making venture.” She admitted that both Wenilo Bravo and Sea Angels were fictitious names she came up with to facilitate the transaction. “The court subjected Gadian and her testimony to close scrutiny and found that she was a credible witness, and that her testimony was credible in itself,” the decision said. Alzate, who was elected number one board member in the election last May, served as one of the advisers of Gov. Steve

Chiongbian-Solon, nephew of the late Sarangani Rep. Erwin Chiongbian. Alzate, in his campaign sorties, decried the case as mere political harassment. He expressed confidence then that truth and justice will eventually prevail. Alzate was included in the charges for allegedly misapropriating P300,000 from the CDF of the late Rep. Chiongbian for his wedding in Cebu, which was held in time for a study tour of Sarangani executives and department heads. He also reportedly brought a government-issued vehicle to Cebu. When asked for his reaction, Solon said in a text message “I need to get all the official details first. As always we need the wheels of justice to run its course.” Sichon added this should serve as a lesson to incumbent provincial officials here as well as to all those involve in public service nationwide. “They should serve the people with utmost honesty and integrity. This case should make public officials realize that there’s such a thing as accountability,” Sichon said. Sichon added that the people behind Spare-Go felt elated that their humble struggle and vigilance ended up in the conviction of public officials involved in the fund anomalies.

abf@edgedavao.net

T’S not just social welfare, but also development. This was the earlier statement of Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) assistant secretary Camilo G. Gudmalin during the 65th anniversary of the department last month. Gudmalin said that their poverty alleviation programs will continue until poverty is eradicated at the end of the term of President Benigno Simeon Aquino III. “DSWD also made a commitment to contribute in bringing about 2.3 million poor families out of poverty. We targeted that and will be able to accomplish this target by the end of this administration- meaning 2016,” said Gudmalin, adding that this number represents the beneficiaries of Conditional Cash Transfer (CCT) commonly known as Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps). But, many issues have come up as there were beneficiaries who were not really poor. There were reports that some of the beneficiaries were public school teachers and members of the Philippine National Police while the deserving poor families were not included to the program of DSWD. That is why DSWD 11 launched the second nationwide household assessment dubbed ‘Lisatahanan’ last Thursday. This is part two of the National Household Targeting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS - PR). Mae P. Valentin, regional field coordinator of the program, told reporters in a press briefing that the DSWD renamed the NHTS so that it will be easily remembered by the public. The ‘Lisatahanan’ is an information management system that identifies who and where the poor are nationwide. It is a database on poor families as reference for national government agencies in identifying potential beneficiaries who de-

serve the assistance of social programs and services. Based on their information, this program will cover 15.3 million households in all rural and pockets of poverty in urban areas. Valentin said that in this program there are 46 variables or criteria if a certain family is really living below the poverty line. She enumerated some examples of the criteria of the new program, such as the house condition, family composition if there are children studying and there school and someone in their family member who worked abroad. Then she cited the accessibility of the house to schools and health centers, the appliances etc. “Then, isulod siya sa isa ka model that is the Proximate Model Test (PMT) stattictical model siya na mag-weigh og mag estimate sa income sa isa ka pamilya. Base pud siya sa poverty threshold sa isa ka municipality pag mo gawas sa estimateincome na below siya mao tong (indicator) apil siya sa poor,” Valentin said. She said that in this second round they will also conduct a validation after they gather data on a certain area. “Magpagawas mig listahan after sa +conduct kung kinsa ang identified as poor, i-post na siya sa mga brangays and the barangay can tell,” She said. Valentin said that this program will not just be used by their department but also to other government agencies which also offered social services program. “Kaning data sa ‘Listahanan’ i-share namo ni sa ilaha para mo ni ilang basehan kung naa sila’y mga programs,” Valentin said. Among the agencies which will avail the data of this program are Philippine Health Insurance Corparation and Department of Energy, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources.

have visited the museum. As the museum grows, Batchley also plans to have new bone collections, including skeletons of African elephants, giraffes, and rhinoceroses, etc. by the end of this year. However, he would need a large amount of money for transportation of the skeletons.

His collections come from Thailand, Indonesia, Russia, United States and the Philippines. Also skeletons donated by individuals and some organizations. The museum charges a minimal entrance fee of P40 for kids and P50 for adults to view some 500 different skeletons.

crow or the money will go to bank where both LGU will go to court and present a waiver and whichever waiver will win will get the remaining 25 percent. “The instruction of the mayor (Rodrigo R. Dute-

rte) is to give what is fair and equitable. Meaning in the mind of mayor Rody na kung unsay angayan ihatag sa Sta. Cruz, ihatag –og unsay anganyan ihatag sa ato ihatg diri, ” Dayanghirang said. [ABF]

Davao... FFROM 4

Power... FFROM 4

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

MOTORING

Every Ducatisti’s dream

Ducati announces F Dream Tour 2014 D

UCATI announces the 2014 edition of the Ducati Dream Tour, a series of factory-organised 3-day tours through the twisting landscape of the Tuscany-Emilia Apennines. Riding Ducati’s latest motorcycles, each trip will include a guided tour of the Ducati factory and museum, with one additional “special package” tour dedicated to the long-awaited World Ducati Week 2014, the international gathering of Ducatisti being held in Misano 18-20 July. Available online in the Experience and Ducati Travels section of Ducati.com from 27 January, each Ducati Dream Tour presents a thrilling itinerary that passes through some of Italy’s most stunning landscapes, guided by the highly experienced former Paris-Dakar competitor, Beppe Gualini, and his skilled team of professional test-riders. Their route is specially designed to ensure the very best enjoyment of the region of Emilia and the superb riding experience provided by the exciting Ducati motor-

cycles. The Ducati models available in the tour package include the brand new for 2014 Monster 1200, the Monster 796, the Multistrada 1200 S Touring, the Diavel, Hypermotard and Hyperstrada. Each Ducati Dream Tour will span a long weekend, starting on Friday with a late-morning rendezvous at the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, Italy for registration and lunch, followed by a guided tour of the factory and museum to provide a fascinating prelude to a weekend of pure Ducati pleasure. All participants will be carefully looked after by a dedicated tour team, managing everything from luggage transfer in the support vehicle to the hand-over of the Ducati motorcycles. The first day ends with an overnight stay at the splendid Hotel Resort Palazzo in Varignana, located in cool, verdant hills that provide the perfect place to enjoy the fabulous local food and wine in addition to the magnificent spa inside the resort.

OR a true Ducatisti, there are a few musts – tour the factory and visit the Ducati Museo in Borgo Panigale, and ride the machines on their homeland roads. And the Ducati Dream Tour package makes these must-do activities possible. For 2014, there will be nine weekend Ducati Dream Tour events running from May through September. Each one will include a guided tour of the Ducati factory and museum, and three-day tours through the Tuscany-Emilia Apennines. The bikes available for the tour include the new 2014 Monster 1200, the Monster 796, the Multistrada 1200 S Touring, the Diavel, Hypermotard and Hyperstrada. The July 18-20 tour will be a favorite for many, considering it includes a trip

to Ducati Week 2014 at Misano MotoGP. That week, thousands of Ducatisti will cheer on Ducati Team MotoGP riders Cal Crutchlow and Andrea Dovizioso. Available online in the Experience and Ducati Travels section of Ducati. com, each Ducati Dream Tour presents a thrilling itinerary that passes through some of Italy’s most stunning landscapes, guided by the highly experienced former Paris-Dakar competitor, Beppe Gualini, and his skilled team of professional test-riders. Their route is specially designed to ensure the very best enjoyment of the region of Emilia and the superb riding experience provided by the exciting Ducati motorcycles. Each Ducati Dream Tour will span a long weekend, starting on Friday with

a late-morning rendezvous at the Ducati factory in Borgo Panigale, Bologna, Italy for registration and lunch, followed by a guided tour of the factory and museum to provide a fascinating prelude to a weekend of pure Ducati pleasure. All participants will be carefully looked after by a dedicated tour team, managing everything from luggage transfer in the support vehicle to the hand-over of the Ducati motorcycles. The first day ends with an overnight stay at the splendid Hotel Resort Palazzo in Varignana, located in cool, verdant hills that provide the perfect place to enjoy the fabulous local food and wine in addition to the magnificent spa inside the resort. The next morning, the Resort Palazzo of Varignana will be the starting-point

for the longest and most captivating day of the tour. Saturday’s route winds through over 270km of excellent motorcycling roads to Mugello, home to one of the most beautiful race circuits in Italy and the theatre of breathtaking battles in the MotoGP world championships and a regular testing ground for Ducati. Sunday’s itinerary covers a further 250km of the spectacular route, returning the Ducati Dream Tour riders to Bologna later in the afternoon. With this year’s World Ducati Week event attracting Ducatisti from all over the world, Ducati is offering an attractive package that combines the incredible event with the Ducati Dream Tour. This tour provides the classic Dream Tour itinerary in addition to a ticket to WDW2014.

IKE its 200cc sibling in 2013, the manic KTM 390 Duke is the 2014 CNBC TV-18 OVERDRIVE Bike of the Year. The 390 Duke thwarted strong competition from the allnew Royal Enfield Continental GT to bag the award. The Import Bike of the Year was given to the Kawasaki ZX-10R, while the People’s Choice Award again went to the KTM 390 Duke. Six motorcycles were shortlisted for our rigorous track testing at the Chennai race track over a period of two days. Besides the KTM 390 Duke and the Royal Enfield Continental GT, the others in

fray for the top honours were the Mahindra Centuro, Bajaj Discover 100M, Honda CB Trigger and the Hyosung GV650 Aquila Pro.

These motorcycles were judged on the basis of the build quality, ride and handling, styling (exterior and interior), value for money and affordabil-

ity, engine and transmission and fuel efficiency. The motorcycles that were launched in 2013 were eligible for the CNBC TV-18 OVERDRIVE Awards 2014.

KTM 390 Duke is 2014 CNBC Bike of the Year L

EDGEDAVAO

BIGGER PICTURE

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

Say hello to the Horse! By Lean Daval Jr.

AVAO City’s Filipino-Chinese community, clad in red Chinese garments, warmly welcomed the Year of the Green Wood Horse with traditional lion and dragon dances, cultural performances and giving of red packet called angpau –anything that brings good luck and fortune. And what our Fil-Chi friends in Davao do, so do moat Dabawenyos. Legend has it that Lunar New Year is the most important traditional Chinese festival observed by Chinese communities worldwide. Each year in the Chinese calendar has a corresponding zodiac animal and last Friday marked the turnover from the Year of the Snake to the Year of the Green Wood Horse. Kung Hei Fat Choi, everyone!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11TH Judicial Region BRANCH 16 Davao City

IN RE: PETITION FOR CORRECTION OF ENTRIES IN THE OFFICE OF THE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF DAVAO CITY IN THE BIRTH CERTIFICATE OF RICHARD REY LIPONGGO LOS BAÑOS, HIS MIDDLE NAME FROM LIPONGGO TO NAKAHARA, HIS PARENTS DATE OF MARRIAGE FROM APRIL 20 1986 TO JULY 12, 1987 AND HIS PARENTS PLACE OF MARRIAGE FROM NEGROS ORIENTAL TO DAVAO CITY SP.PROC.NO.12, 863-13 RICHARD REY LIPONGGO LOS BAÑOS Petitioner -VersusTHE LOCAL CIVIL REGISTRAR OF DAVAO CITY Respondents,

X==========================x ORDER

Acting on the verified filed by petitioner through counsel respectfully prayed of the Honorable Court with the Rules of Court and hearing, the Honorable Court adjudge and order the office of the Local Civil registrar of Davao City to effect the correction in the Birth Certificate of herein petitioner, particularly his middle name, from Liponggo to Nakahara, his parents date of marriage from April 20, 1986 to July 12, 1987, and his parents place of marriage from Negros oriental to Davao City. Finding the said petition to be sufficient in form and in substance, it is hereby ordered that said petition be set for hearing on March 6, 2014 at 8:30 AM on which date, time and place, all persons who are interested may appear and show cause if any, why said petition should not be granted. Let a copy of this Order to be published in a newspaper of general circulation at least once a week for three (3) consecutive issues at the expense of the petitioner.

The Local Civil Registrar, Davao City and the Assistant City Prosecutor are cited to appear on said date of hearing, in order to show cause, if any, why said petition should not be granted. SO ORDERED Davao City, Philippines, December 12, 2013. (Sgd) EMMANUEL C. CARPIO Presiding Judge

1/27/2/3,10

Realty FOR SALE:

1) 1-hectare commercial lot at P10,000/sq m, along National Highway, facing east, beside NCCC Panacan, Davao City. 2) 17,940sq m commercial lot at P2,500/sq m, along Matina Diversion Road. 3) 3,831 sq m lot along Matina Diversion Road. 4) 41,408 sq m commercial/ industrial lot at P800/sq m along the National Highway, Bunawan. 5) 7,056 sq m at P1,200/sq m commercial/residential lot along Indangan Road, Buhangin District. 6) 27,411 sq m commercial/ industrial lot along the National Highway in Bincungan, Tagum City. 7) 116.15 to 245.92 sq meters , at P5.5M to P12.3M commercial/ office condo units in Bajada, Davao City. 8) 699 to 1,117 sq m at P4,100/sq m commercial lots at Josefina Town Center, along the National Highway, Dumoy, Toril. 9) Ready-for-Occupancy Residential Properties: 4BR/3T&B in a 240 sq m lot with 177.31sqm floor area (2-storey) at P4.8M in an exclusive beachfront community in Dumoy, Toril.; 3BR 2-storey in a 71.25 sq m 2-storey in a 143sq m lot in an exclusive flower village in Maa, Davao City; 180 sq m lots with 71.25sqm to 126.42 sq m floor areas, priced at P3.751M to P5.773M in an exclusive mountain resort community along Matina, Diversion Road. 10) 1BR/2BR residential condo units located in Bolton, Maa, Obrero, Davao City. 11) FOR ASSUME (RUSH): 1BR res’l condo unit in Palmetto, Maa. P600K negotiable. Note: Items 1-9 can be paid in cash, in-house or bank financing. If interested, please call Jay (PRC REB Lic. 8237) at 0922-851-5337 (Sun), 0908-883-8832 (Smart) or send email to propertiesindavao@yahoo.com.

CLASSIFIEDS 13

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

WANTS YOU!

Account Executives (3) - Male / Female, not more than 30 years old - Candidate must posses a Bachelor/ College Degree in any Business field. - Willing to work under pressure, flexible, persuasive, can speak fluently and computer literate - A team player - With Basic Salary, Transportation, Communication, allowance + Commission For interested applicants, you may send your resume to: HR Department EDGEDavao

Doors 13 & 14 Alcrej B;dg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel. No. (082) 221-3601 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com

14 CLASSIFIEDS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

EDGEDavao Gensan Partners

EDGEDavao Davao Partners

Tel No. (083) 553-2211 / (083) 877-0019 / (083) 878-0308

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May previous apply in employment person at Human Resource Department, YBLI in Office, General Santos Resource Drive, May apply person at Human Koronadal City. YBLI Office, General Santos Drive, Department, Koronadal City.

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VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

EDGEDAVAO

EVENT

The top three.

The Ciudades outdoor bike and photo challenge By Fauziah Fatima Sinsuat-Ambolodto AS the sun appears on the horizon to shine in all of its glory, participants of Ciudades’ Outdoor Event were all excited to get their sweats rolling last Saturday, January 25, 2014.

From bike enthusiasts to photo amateurs and professionals, the vast wonder of luscious nature awaited for the festivities to begin. As Ms Chai Abaya and Rhonson Ng took the stage, everyone appeared to have woken their creative sides. As instructions and mechanics were given to exciting photographers, participants to their monthly MTB Biking Skills Clinic started arriving in their colorful gears and bikes.

The Canon awardees.

Tents of food and Canon products, with Ms Monique Libo-on and her crew, greeted everyone to an event of fun under the sun. Clicks after another could be heard all throughout the field as every participant look for their special nook to shoot. The participants ranged from amateurs to hobbyist to media men and professionals. As the sun pierced in everyone’s skin and sweat beads trying to distract one’s concentration, the hunt became a fun search and bikers took the track with gusto. To make it even more exciting, Popong Landero entertained the crowd all day long. Indeed, it was an adventure to look forward to -- again!

Popong Landero.

For the Photo challenge, 15 participants were recognized and of the 15, three garnered the top spots earning their

way to cheers and accolades from fellow participants. The top 15 entries will be showcased at the Abreeza Mall of Davao.

A2 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

Leading Asia Pacific mobile operators form M2M alliance Eleven leading Asia Pacific mobile operators under Bridge Alliance formed the region’s largest Machine-to-Machine (M2M) alliance today, offering a ‘one-stop-shop’ experience for M2M deployment across the Asia Pacific region and effectively becoming a center of excellence for M2M services and solutions to attract partnerships and provide customers with an end-to-end M2M regional capability. M2M technology functions by connecting communication hardware to a physical asset: anything from a delivery truck, service vehicle, motorcycle, boat, production machine, an ATM terminal, freezer, elevator, data center, vault and so on. Information about its present status and performance can be transmitted to a computer system and used to automate a business process or a consumer action. Data is extracted straight from a machine with limited or no human intervention. These elements benefit industries through faster operations, more accurate data gathering and improved efficiency in terms of manpower, time and costs. This service was first introduced in the Philippine market by Globe Telecom under its Enterprise Business Group in August 2011. Aside from Globe Telecom (Philippines), the Bridge M2M Alliance comprises of Airtel (India), AIS (Thailand), CSL (Hong Kong), Maxis (Malaysia), MobiFone (Vietnam), Optus (Australia), SingTel (Singapore), SK Telecom (South Korea), Taiwan Mobile (Taiwan) and Telkomsel (Indonesia). Together, the group serves a combined base of over 570 million subscribers, making it the largest M2M alliance in the Asia Pacific region. Bridge M2M Alliance eliminates the complexity of dealing with multiple operators by offering seamless delivery of regional M2M services across geographical borders. The Alliance will also improve customers’ service experience through enhanced interoperability, service levels and customer support. Alessandro Adriani, CEO of Bridge Alliance, noted that: “Asia is made up of highly varied economies, uneven technological development and diversified regulatory requirements. As a result, multinational businesses find it extremely difficult to navigate the intricacies of the region and to fully capitalise on economies of scale. The evolution of Bridge Alliance in the M2M business is an indication of the commitment from the 11 operators to overcome these challenges for the success of customers’ businesses.”

KAPAMILYA STAR TOPBILLS DUO CANADA LAUNCH. TV and movie personality Paolo Avelino (far right) graced Globe Telecom’s official launch of DUO Canada during the Fiesta ng Kalayaan at the Mississauga Celebration Square in Ontario, Canada. Avelino encouraged more than 10,000 Overseas Filipinos in attendance to keep in touch with their loved ones in the Philippines without having to worry about expensive IDD costs with DUO Canada, which assigns a virtual Canadian number to any Globe mobile number in the Philippines. For only C$25 per month, Avelino said that calling back home can be fast, affordable, and easy, just like calling any number in Canada. Customers who subscribed to DUO Canada were treated to a $10 discount off the subscription fee as well as the chance to meet and greet Avelino. Lucky audience members who participated in the activities and games also received freebies from the leading telecommunications company. To register to a DUO Canada service, subscribers can fill out an online form at duocanada.globe.com.ph with their Globe or TM mobile number of their choice and they will be assigned a virtual Canadian number. With just C$25 monthly, subscribers can enjoy big savings when calling family and friends in the Philippines. To know more about DUO Canada, log-on to duointernational.globe. com.ph.

MX3 joins Dinagyang Festival 2014

ILOILO’S Dinagyang 2014, the biggest Festival in Iloilo was a festival sight to see. A showcase of Filipino traditions reflecting religious and cultural presentations: fluvial and solemn foot procession, salvo of thousand drums, Ati contest and tribal dance all through street parade.

As GMA Regional Network held series of Mall Shows with their hottest stars on television as well as participating the street parade, MX3 has given it’s full blast support to ensure that folks and visitors who join the celebration will surely treasure the momentous event in the Ilonggo calendar. Morning blast started

by MX3 Team with gift giving: the MX3 eco-bag and thousands of free MX3 product samples. People gladly received their freebies. Afternoon came with

more exciting activities at Robinsons Place Iloilo. Big stars Dingdong Dantes, Jennylyn Mercado, Mark Herras and Yasmien Kurdi set to lead the celebration. Intensify-

ing the cheers of the audience was MX3 Hooray as MX3 openhandedly gave out MX3 Product Bags as prizes to winners of the game. It’s a great day for everyone!

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

ENTERTAINMENT

Anne believes ABS-CBN is her ‘family’, defends Vhong CONCERT SWEETHEART Anne Curtis has found a true family in ABS-CBN, and this is why she had no doubts to stay with the network for another two years as she renewed her exclusive contract last Jan 29. “I have found family. They’ll always have faith in you no matter what,” Anne stated. The actress confirmed that her new contract includes her stint as co-host of “It’s Showtime” and a teleserye every year, including the iconic “Dyesebel” written by Mars Ravelo. “It’s every girl’s dream to become a mermaid, so to be able to portray one that’s part of the history of Philippine literature is such an honor,” she said. Anne also shared that they will start taping for “Dyesebel” this weekend in Coron, Palawan. Meanwhile, Anne became emotional when asked to comment on the controversy involving her close friend and “It’s Showtime” co-host Vhong Navarro. “For me kasi, I’m just happy that he’s safe. I’m happy that he’s getting through this. Because it’s hard to be in his situation, it was traumatizing. So I’m happy that he’s getting through it, he’s

being strong,” she said. She is also not convinced that there are other women, who have been sexually assaulted by Vhong Navarro who will speak up according to some news reports. “He is the same person on and off-screen. He’s too good. He’s kind. For me, he always treated me well. He has always been a gentleman to me, so I have nothing bad to say about

Vhong.” Anne said in defense for Vhong. Present during the contract signing were ABS-CBN president and CEO Charo Santos-Concio, chairman Eugenio Lopez III, broadcast head Cory Vidanes, TV production head Laurenti Dyogi, business unit heads Reiley Santiago and Deo Endrinal, Viva Entertainment’s Veronique del Rosario-Corpus.

‘Human Speed Bump’ in Stan Lee’s Superhumans this Sunday On GMA News TV this Sunday, superpowers made popular in comic books come to life in “Stan Lee’s Superhumans” – from the super strength of the ‘Human Speed Bump’, to the amazing agility of a real-life Spiderman. In 2009 in Milan, nine trucks weighing a total of over 30,000 pounds ran over American body builder Tom Owen in quick succession, a feat most fitting for the man known as ‘The Human Speed Bump’. On this epi-

sode, host Daniel BrowningSmith witnesses firsthand this amazing spectacle of strength. Tim Cridland, from the USA, claims to be able to switch off pain. His seemingly ‘superhuman’ ability to go beyond normal pain thresholds by impaling himself with skewers with little or no bleeding is extraordinary. Derek Paravicini is a blind, autistic, 30-year-old British man with an incredible ‘superhuman’ gift. Derek can remember and accurately

re-play any song he ever hears! And Jyothi Raj, known as India’s very own ‘Spiderman’, is known to scale walls at an unbelievable speed. After discovering his spider-like climbing abilities, he started to push himself further by climbing higher and higher structures, always without a net or safety rope. Dubbed in Filipino for Philippine free TV, “Stan Lee’s Superhumans” airs every Sunday at 4:45PM, on GMA News TV Channel 11.

SA NGALAN NG AMA, INA AT MGA ANAK 2D Robin Padilla, Daniel Padilla R 13

12:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 6:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 LFS

BRIDE FOR RENT 2D Kim Chiu, Xian Lim PG 13

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

THAT AWKWARD MOMENT 2D Zac Efron, Miles Teller, Michael B. Jordan R 13

R-16

12:25 | 2:20 | 4:15 | 6:10 | 8:05 | 10:00 LFS

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY: THE MARKED ONE 2D / * I, FRANKENSTEIN 2D Andrew Jacobs / *Aaron Eckhart R 13/ *PG 13 12:00 | 1:35 | 3:10 LFS / * 4:45 | 6:30 | 8:15 | 10:00 LFS

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

Hog’s Breath Steakhouse’s thanksgiving dinner By Fauziah Fatima Sinsuat-Ambolodto Saturday, January 25, 2014 – Hog’ Breath at the SM Lanang Premier has been serving patrons and steak enthusiasts for a year now. With its homey ambience and soul certified crew, the restaurant is a definite food hub for everyone. As an expression of their gratitude for the support over the past year, Hog’s Breath invited their loyal clients and VIPs to a night of food and merrymaking. Serving their famous Natural Prime Rib Steak, Succulent Baby Back Ribs and Australian sweet dessert, Pavlova, Hog’s Breath wishes for more happy and satisfied years! Cheers!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 227 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2-3, 2014

The secret world of

SPORTS 15

ANDRAY BLATCHE T

Nets center is ready to play for Gilas A

NDRAY Blatche of the Brooklyn Nets in the NBA is seriously considering playing for the Philippines in the upcoming FIBA World Cup if his naturalization papers come out, Carlo Pamintuan of Yahoo Philippines reported. “I said I’m interested, so there’s a good chance of it happening,” Blatche reportedly said in an interview with Mike Mazzeo of ESPN New York. Blatche explained that he doesn’t know how naturalization works but is looking forward to the opportunity so he can get in shape for the next NBA season. “Basically, just go over there, and I can imagine just win,” he said. “Play. Hoop. Win. Whatever. I don’t know.” Blatche has often joked about his being half-Filipino. It all started when his then teammate JaVale McGee approached him to broach

the idea of playing for the Philippines. Then with the Washington Wizards, McGee was tabbed to be naturalized for the Philippine basketball team. However, the process was halted because of the huge amount needed to cover the NBA player’s insurance. Now playing for the Brooklyn Nets, Blatche has had a string of good games with starting forward Kevin Garnett having the worst season of his career. He now wants to be balled “Young Seymour” because he makes people want to “see more” of him on the court. Blatche is 6-foot-10, 27 years old. An eightyear NBA veteran, he had a tumultuous start to his NBA career but no one questioned that the talent was there. In the current season, he is averaging 12 points, six rebounds, two assists, and a steal per game.

H E world o f Andray Blatche — an often colorfully odd place — is expanding. After finishing practice with the Nets on Thursday, Blatche casually and rather comically confirmed an international report that he was being recruited to join the Philippine national basketball team before the FIBA World Cup this summer. Blatche, 27, is from Syracuse, more than 8,000 miles from Quezon City, where the Philippine team trains. The incon-

gruity of all this was met Thursday with bewilderment on social media and laughter inside the Nets’ practice complex. Even Blatche was a tad hazy on the details. “I’m not too quite sure about anything about it,” he said. “They brought it to my attention, and I was like, ‘Yeah, that sounds cool.’ ” On Blatche’s end, it may actually be that simple, and as a whole, the situation may not be quite as random as it seems. Blatche said he first learned about the opportunity through the Denver Nuggets’ JaVale McGee, his friend and former teammate. McGee has been on the Philippine Basketball Association’s radar since he traveled to the country for an exhibition game during the N.B.A.’s lockout season. Blatche guessed that McGee made connections while traveling overseas for Peak, a Chinese sportswear company that sponsors him. Within FIBA rules, the most common way that a player can represent a country different from his birthplace is if

at least one parent or grandparent was born in that nation. This is prevalent among players in the United States because of its big talent pool and general diversity, said Craig Miller, a USA Basketball spokesman. Roy Hibbert of the Indiana Pacers, for instance, has played for Jamaica because his father was born there, although Hibbert is currently trying to restore his eligibility to play for the United States. “But it doesn’t sound like these guys fit that criteria,” Miller said of Blatche and McGee. Rather, Blatche and McGee would have to be naturalized as citizens by the Philippine government. The naturalization process was how Becky Hammon, a W.N.B.A. player from Rapid City, S.D., came to represent the Russian women’s team at the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games. Blatche said the Philippine team contacted him only a few days ago. According to The Philippine Star, Congressman Roberto Puno filed two separate bills this week in the Philippine House of Representatives to have the players naturalized before the June 30 roster deadline for the World Cup, which will begin in August in Spain. FIBA rules permit only one naturalized player per 12-man roster. McGee has been rehabilitating a stress fracture in his left tibia, and the Philippine team, The Star said, is viewing Blatche as a backup of sorts for him. “Honestly, it just came out of left field,” Blatche said. But left field is where Blatche often feels most at home. As he settled into a seat at the Nets’ practice complex Thursday, he asked a group of reporters to refer to him as Young Seymour. “The crowd wants to see more,” Blatche said more than once. “I’m going to give them

more.” When first asked about his involvement with the Philippine team, Blatche said he was Filipino. Then he said he was half-Filipino. “I’m going to go back home,” he said before adding, “Nah, I’m messing with you.” Blatche then seemed to claim to be related to Marivic Lardizabal, the Nets’ manager of basketball operations, who is of Philippine descent. And he also asked a reporter about his background. “I thought you were Filipino, too,” Blatche said. On a more serious level, he said, the experience could be a positive one on numerous levels. “I’m looking at it from the standpoint that I can go where I’ve never been before,” he said, “and also it’ll give me an early head start to get ready for training camp and for the season.” Blatche is known for his easy temperament and occasional eccentricity, so the news about his possible Philippine naturalization, as odd as it may have been, seemed to fit well with his personality. Few other players have a playing style that seems as much like a pure distillation of their personality and speech patterns, and it is easy to see why his services could be in demand around the world. Blatche, a 6-foot11, 260-pound center, possesses an improvisational streak that belies his height and size. He likes to pump fake and shimmy and shoot from afar. He likes to dribble behind his back. It is possible that not every move is carefully considered. But Blatche has been a big contributor this season off the bench, averaging 12.1 points and 6.0 rebounds per game. His effort on the defensive end, where the team as a whole has seemed revived this month, has been noteworthy, too, and his unpredictability has often seemed like his greatest strength. His next move, then, could take him to a country on the other side of the world that he has never visited and seems to know very little about.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. VOL.66ISSUE ISSUE227 227• SUNDAY-MONDAY, • SUNDAY-MONDAY,FEBRUARY FEBRUARY2-3, 2-3,2014 2014

Make way for ‘Gregzilla’ GUARDING GREGZILLA. Marc Pingris of San Mig Coffee applies pressure on 7-foot Ginebra center Greg Slaughter. Nuki Sabio

F the story of Mikkel Bolante of InterAKTV should be the basis, then make way for the official Greg Slaughter moniker—“Gregzilla.” On Friday night after Barangay Ginebra leveled the semifinals series with corporate sister San Mig Coffee in the PBA My DSL Philippine Cup, “Gregzilla” fired 21 points on 8-for-11 shooting from the field and grabbing a game-high 12 rebounds despite sitting out the entire fourth quarter. With that kind of gigantic performance, Barangay Ginebra’s 7-foot-tall rookie— recently nicknamed ‘Gregzilla’ in the PBA — is definitely living up to his moniker. In the InterAKTV re-

port, Slaughter came out strong from the opening tip, dominating the Mixers’ frontline for nine points in the first quarter and never looking back. He had 15 points by the halftime break, leading his team to a 48-32 advantage. “We knew we had to come out really aggressive today. Just set the tone early. In that last game, it came down to the very end. It was 50-50 on that. I think we just came out with a little more urgency,” Slaughter said after the game. The rookie big man gave some credit to teammate LA Tenorio, who fed him the ball in great position all night long. “I did a really good job, getting the ball on pick-androlls and when they were

fronting LA’s passes were just really on the money, the lob passes,” Slaughter said. “Fortunately, some of my early shots were going in, just got into a rhythm early.” Slaughter admitted that he felt this was the best performance of his young PBA career, though it wasn’t because of his gaudy numbers in the game. Instead, Slaughter pointed out that playing well on the biggest stage — the playoffs — is what made him proud of his strong showing. “I guess you could say it was probably the biggest game of my career. It’s the semifinals now and these are all very important games,” he said.

NTIPOLO City representative Robbie Puno is confident that separate bills at the House of Representatives to confer Filipino citizenship on NBA players JaVale McGee and Andray Blatche can be passed in time for the two men to join the Philippine national men’s basketball pool.

“We can fast-track it if there is no opposition to it, bills that get sidetracked are bills that are controversial,” Puno told News5. Puno was also the author of the bill that gave Filipino citizenship to Marcus Douthit, who has competed for the Philippines in the FIBA Asia Championship in 2011 and 2013. The legislator has

been a fierce advocate of naturalizing two more players to join the Gilas Pilipinas pool in time for the FIBA Basketball World Cup in August. Gilas coach Chot Reyes is hoping that both McGee or Blatche can get their Filipino citizenship by June 30, when he is due to submit the initial 24-man lineup for the FIBA tournament.

Lawmaker confident of passing McGee, Blatche bills