Edge Davao 6 Issue 47 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013

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Serving a seamless society

MAYOR: SLAIN COUNCILOR HAS OFFENDED MANY Page 2

THIS ONE’S FOR FACEBOOK. A female fan uses her cell phone camera for a rare photo with popular actor-race car driver-triathlete Matteo Guidicelli during the presentation of Isuzu D-MAX Cycling Team at the Atrium of SM Lanang Premier Saturday night. Lean Daval Jr.

DCPO favors 12 a.m. ban By EJ Dominic Fernandez

AVAO City Police Office (DCPO) director senior superintendent Ronald dela Rosa said mayor-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte’s idea of shortening the liquor ban ordinance from 2 a.m. to 12 a.m. would be an advantage to the policemen of the city.

In Monday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM Annex, Ecoland, “an earlier liquor ban would be more favorable to us (policemen) since it would mean that there will be a decrease in crime rate for two more hours.” Task Force Davao (TFD) commander Col. Casiano

DELA ROSA. We’re game. Lean Daval Jr.

Monilla was also in favor for the proposed earlier liquor ban, but said, it wouldn’t affect them that much since their job requires them to be on watch 24 hours a day. He said, drinking liquor is imbedded in the culture of the people, and even if there is an earlier liquor ban, people who love to drink will still look for another area away from the bars where TFD and police officers are usually stationed. Meanwhile, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) executive director Mary Anne Abundo said they are thinking of conducting a survey regarding this proposed earlier liquor ban. She said that they would be greatly affected since, “many members are owners of bars, resorts, hotels and tourism establishments that offers liquor.” Edge Davao editor-in-chief, Antonio M. Ajero,

FDCPO FAVORS, 10

INSIDE: DC polls peaceful, say DCPO,TFD Minbizcon to focus on ASEAN integration Davao’s Corteza wins China 9–Ball Open

2 2 16

2 THE BIG NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

DC polls peaceful, say DCPO,TFD

Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and Task Force Davao assessed 2013 elections in the city as peaceful and orderly. DCPO director senior superintendent Ronald dela Rosa and Task Force Davao commander Col. Casiano Monilla, both speaking in Kapehan sa Dabaw SM Annex, Ecoland Monday, had the same assessment on the Davao City elections as peaceful and orderly compared to the 2010 elections and the areas they were assigned to in the past. “The 2013 Election in the city was very orderly compared to the last elections, and compared to Davao del Sur, there are no election related violence incidents (ERVI) in the city,” said dela Rosa, who used to be assigned in Davao del Sur back in 2010. Dela Rosa said that

the reports from the New People’s Army (NPA) that they seized seven police officers in Paquibato for allegedly buying votes was just a black propaganda and that there was no truth to it. Monilla, on the other hand said, “there is a very big improvement in this year’s elections compared to the last, people now give more importance on voting.” Monilla was assigned in Pagadian back in 2007 and Basilan in 2004, where he said he witnessed ERVIs where “politicians would even kill just to serve.” According to reports, in Davao City’s second district, the NPA endorsed a certain candidate. “I won’t speculate if there were any payments made, but it is obvious that NPA had an interest in endorsing that partic-

FDC POLLS, 10

Arrested drug suspects congest Davao City jails

police official said that 90 percent of the population of inmates here are drug suspects who contribute to the congestion of premier police stations in the city. Sr. Supt. Ronald dela Rosa, director of the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), said their drive against illegal drugs has been relentless with the arrest of hundreds of suspected drug pushers and users. He said they are now looking for ways how to decongest the jails of Sta. Ana police station, San Pedro police station, Talomo police station, Buhangin police station, Sasa police

station, Bunawan police station and Toril police station. Dela Rosa said that anti-illegal drugs operation still has to continue since he initiated two months ago the socalled Oplan Tokhang (Toktok-Hangyo), which means, house-to-house visitation and talk with suspected drug offenders. He said the strategy has been very effective because they gained the support of the community. “The community is now more active and not just passive because they found out that we are serious in this drive,” he said. (PNA)

CLEANUP. Parent participates in “Brigada-Eskwela 2013,” an annual ‘bayanihan’inspired school clean-up which is a requirement for public school students, weeks

before the opening of classes at Vicente Hizon Elementary School in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Mayor: Slain councilor has offended many By EJ Dominic Fernandez

LAIN first municipal councilor-elect, Romie Almacin, of Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental has a lot of enemies, according to the town’s mayor, Vicente Orencia. In a TeleVision interview Monday, Orencia said, “daghan jud siyag’ naligsan (he has offended a lot of people).” Almacin was shot dead by unidentified motorcycle-riding men last

Sunday night while going to his farmhouse in Barangay Don Mariano Chicote on his motorcycle, according to Davao Oriental Provincial Police Office (DOPPO) director, Sr. Supt. Jose Carumba. Mayor Orencia ruled out politics as the reason for the Almacin’s death, because the election season is over. “I think, if he would be killed because of politics, he should have been

MINBIZCON. Anne Abundo, executive director of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), bares that the 22nd Mindanao Business Conference (Mindbizcon) slated on August 8 to 10 at SMX Convention Center of SM Lanang Premier will focus on moving forward towards Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) integration during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

killed before the end of the election,” said Orencia. According to the mayor, Almacid dealt with different issues in the town since he is a public official and he needs to be involved with the community, and that he may have offended “a lot” of people, not just “a few.” Orencia said, it’s too early to point fingers, and it would be best to wait

for the results of the authorities’ investigations. Meanwhile, Carumba said said they were looking into two angles on Almacin’s death – his active involvement in the campaign against illegal drugs and politics. “We are still conducting further investigation on the incident and we would not rely on speculation only,” he said in a phone interview (with reports from PNA).

Minbizcon to focus on ASEAN integration

HE 22nd Mindanao Business Conference (Mindbizcon) which will happen on August eight to ten at SMX Davao Convention Center SM Lanang will focus on moving forward towards Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) integration. This was bared Monday by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) executive director Mary Anne Abundo in the Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM Annex, Ecoland. According to Abundo, Minbizcon’s theme for this year is “Moving To-

wards ASEAN Business Integration” to prepare the business community of Mindanao in competing with the ASEAN Integration. This conference will have pre-consultations that will create concrete steps from the business sector and the national government agencies to meet the requirements of the integration concerning infrastructure and connectivity, logistics, trade and product development, tourism branding and human resources. Abundo said, “the business community in

FMINBIZCON, 10

SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 •TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

DTI-DO starts interventions for typhoon Pablo victims

ATI CITY, Davao Oriental – The Department of Trade and Industry in Davao Oriental (DTI-DO) has already jump started with its livelihood interventions for the Super Typhoon Pablo victims in this province. DTI-DO chief trade and industry development specialist Jose P. Calub said the Oplan PABLO or Program to AccelerateBuilding Livelihood Opportunities is the contribution of the DTI to the overall Rehabilitation Program of Davao Oriental with the theme “Building Back Better” spearheaded by the Provincial Government. The Oplan PABLO of the DTI addresses the economic and livelihood requirements of the affected beneficiaries under the Livelihood and Economic Cluster. It can be recalled that the province was among the most devastated areas when Super Typhoon Pablo hit the country last December 4, 2012. In the province, the widely-devastated municipalities are Baganga, Cateel, Boston, and some portions of Caraga. Estimated total cost of damage to crops, livestock, and fishery was pegged at P8.5 billion and trade and services cost of losses to establishments stood at P333-M for the three municipalities. Meanwhile, DTI-DO Provincial Director Ma. Belenda Q. Ambi said the figures would tell how enormous the losses are which the calamity

brought to the province. “Residents of these areas lost lives, properties, and means of livelihood. Most of them have relied much on their coconut farms which are now barren lands,” she said. It was learned that more than six million coconut trees were uprooted. As of April, the office has already conducted livelihood trainings/ seminars on drift wood processing, chili production and processing (the province is known for its dumang - chili pepper seasoning) and mud crab culture and gathering and met with various local government units (LGUs) and stakeholders for consultation. A market fair at the NCCC Mall was also participated by the producers of Davao Oriental including those from the PABLO affected areas in time for the the Arawng Dabaw last March 11-16. It is also notable that despite the Typhoon Pablo, a group of powdered chili producers from Cateel joined the International Food Exhibition (IFEX) last May 16-18 in Manila. Other livelihood and economic opportunities for SME beneficiaries that DTI – DO is looking into are establishment of community – based production centers on woven bamboo slats production, coco coir twining, seaweed production, and bamboo nursery and propagation. All these will be pursued in collaboration with other partner agencies and stakeholders.

REINVENTING THEIR TRADE. Instead of selling cigarettes on the main streets of Davao City which the city government strictly prohibits, street vendors like this one

hawk goods such as cleaning materials and other decorative items. Lean Daval Jr.

ENERAL SANTOS CITY-- The Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) is set to open the country’s first-ever community-owned water purifying station in a remote village in Isulan town in Sultan Kudarat. Gemma Rivera, DSWD Region 12 assistant director, said Monday a water purifying station project was recently completed

started in 2003. The official said the project, which was expected to begin full operations by the end of the month or early June, will mainly benefit 765 households within the project area. Rivera said the agency and community stakeholders spent a total of P846,638 for the implementation of the project, which was seen to end

the decades of suffering of villagers from insufficient potable water supply. “The residents were left with no choice but spend a portion of their meager income to buy potable drinking water to avoid consuming contaminated water and eventually get sick because of them,” she said in a statement. (Allen V. Estabillo/ MindaNews)

O R O N A D A L CITY— The ban on open pit mining in South Cotabato will remain a major stumbling block to the effort of foreign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) to operate the Tampakan project with the election of the new set of provincial officials during the May 13 polls. This after Rep. Daisy Avance-Fuentes (second district), who has been elected as the new governor, vowed to implement the ban on openpit mining in the next three years, or until 2016. It was Fuentes who signed the controversial

Environment Code that bans open-pit mining before stepping down as governor in 2010 after completing three straight terms. Fuentes (Nationalist People’s Coalition) defeated incumbent Gov. Arthur Pingoy Jr. (United Nationalist Alliance) on Monday’s elections on a vote of 117,855 and 111,214, respectively, or a margin of 6,641 votes. “I will implement the provisions of the Environment Code that bans open-pit mining,” Fuentes said, noting she was the one who signed the controversial measure. (Bong S. Sarmiento/MindaNews)

DSWD to open first water purifying station in Isulan G in Barangay D. Lotilla in Isulan town through the national government’s flagship anti-poverty program Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan-Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS). She said it was so far the first water purifying station project that was implemented in any part of the country under the Kalahi-CIDSS since it

Tampakan project stalled Acharon to push GenSan as separate congressional district K

ENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The re-filing of a bill that seeks the separation of this city into a new congressional or legislative district will be the top priority if reelected South Cotabato (1st District) Rep. Pedro Acharon Jr. when the 16th Congress begins its sessions on July 1. Acharon said his office is now preparing the necessary requirements for the filing of the measure, which sets the reconfiguration of the first and second legislative districts of South Cotabato to pave the

way for the creation of a new legislative district in the area. “The city has long been qualified to have its own separate legislative district, so (the passage of) this measure is long overdue,” he said. The official said the separation into a new district also augurs well with the city’s development goals and direction. Acharon, who is a former mayor of this city, was reelected last May 13 for a second term to the House of Representatives under the administration-backed

Liberal Party-Nationalist People’s Coalition-Achiever’s with Integrity Movement (LP-NPC-AIM) ticket. He convincingly won over reelected Sarangani Rep. Emmanuel Pacquiao’s younger brother Rogelio of the People’s Champ Movement-United Nationalist Alliance. Acharon initially filed House Bill (HB) 6038 or “an act reapportioning the composition of the first and second legislative districts in the province of South Cotabato and thereby creating a new legislative district from such reapportion-

ment,” on March 19, 2012. It was referred to the House committee on local government on May 7 but failed to get past the preliminary discussions until the 15th Congress went on recess last February for the May 13 elections. South Cotabato (2nd District) Second District Rep. Daisy Avance-Fuentes, who co-authored HB 6038, earlier admitted that they ran out of time to have the measure calendared for committee hearings as it was filed “quite late.” (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

It’s still all in the family

Anakbayan: 2013 polls have zero credibility

HE discovery of a ‘statistically impossible’ pattern in the counting of votes in the recently-concluded national elections has been called by the youth group Anakbayan as the most compelling proof so far of the 2013 polls having zero credibility. In his account on the social networking site Facebook, Ateneo de Manila math professor Lex Muga noted that in eleven ‘intervals’ from the evening of Election Day to May 18, the distribution of combined votes for Team PNOY, UNA, and Independent candidates remained essentially the same: 60%, 30%, and 10%, respectively. The same was discovered by Computer Professionals’ Union (CPU) coordinator Rick Bahague in seven random samples taken of the vote counts from May 13 to May 16. Other netizens noted that when looking at the vote tallies of all senatoriables per region, the distribution of votes per candidates were also the same. “For the percentages of each Senatoriable’s votes to remain the same regardless of the region, or the time of the counting and the provinces who submitted their votes, is clearly a case of ‘statistical impossibility’. It cannot happen in real life naturally. It can only be the product of an ‘artificial process’”

EDGEDAVAO

said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan. “There is only one conclusion. To quote the fictional character Sherlock Holmes, ‘When you have eliminated the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth’. While the propaganda offensive of the COMELEC, along with the mind-conditioning effect of previous surveys, makes the idea of ‘automated election fraud’ hard to swallow, there is no other explanation” he said. The youth leader said that the occurence of massive electoral cheating would explain the deliberate attempts by COMELEC chairman Sixto Brillantes to make the elections as ‘non-transparent’ as possible. “No wonder COMELEC does not want an independent source code review, a parallel manual count, and the other things that watchdog groups have been saying are essential to maintain the elections’ credibility. The COMELEC knows that the fraud and cheating it has perpetuated cannot stand an impartial investigation” said Crisostomo. He concluded “The votes of the youth have not been counted! We call on everyone to condemn and further expose this most disgusting of acts by the COMELEC and the Aquino administration”

COMPLETE. The City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) led by their Chair Atty. John Paul Cubero (6th from left) finally proclaimed the ten (10) Newly Elected Councilors of the City of Tagum last Friday at 10 PM, May 17,

AVAO CITY – Twelve of 26 Mindanao provinces elected members of the same families to both executive and legislative posts: three father and son teams, two brother and sister teams, three teams of brothers, a team of bother and two sisters, a wife and husband team; a team of cousins and a team of son and parents. Seven governors-elect will be serving as governor for the first time but they have served previously in other posts or are sons of governors “graduating” at the end of nine years on June 30. Of 18 who sought reelection, two are not returning to the Capitol. But two former governors are returning to their post after spending three years in another elective post. Six others won even before the ballots were cast on May 13: they ran unopposed. Among the family teams elected, the Dimaporos of Lanao del Norte and the Plazas of Agusan del Sur -- the longest-surviving political clans in Mindan-

ao in half a century -- won again the gubernatorial post and their two congressional districts will again be represented by siblings in the case of the Plazas, and in Lanao del Norte, by parents. Governor Mohammad Khalid Dimaporo was

elected to a third term in Lanao del Norte while his parents Imelda and Abdullah, both former governors and representatives, will be representing Congress in the first and second districts. In 2010, the governor’s sister, Fatima Aliah, was elected to rep-

THANKSGIVING. Mayor-Elect Allan L. Rellon speaks before Tagumeños during the Ecumenical Service dubbed as

resent the second district, a post held by their father Abdullah from 1987 to 1992 and 2001 to 2010 and will be held again in 2013 to 2016. Imelda was governor from 1998 to 2007 and was elected to the 1st district in 2010 to 2013.

“Pasalamat Pag-Ampo” last May 18, 2013 at P.B. San Jose Gym, UM Tagum Campus. Photo by Leo Timogan of CIO Tagum

Tagum’s new leaders finally complete

HE list of new set of leaders who will help in unraveling Tagum City’s new chapter towards another era of development is finally known after the City Board of Canvassers (CBOC) of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) led by their Chair Atty. John Paul Cubero finally proclaimed last Friday at 10 PM, May 17, 2013, the ten (10) Councilors who will compose the 6th City Council of Tagum. On May 15, the CBOC already proclaimed incumbent Vice Mayor Allan L. Rellon and Councilor Geterito Gementiza as the Mayor-Elect and Vice Mayor-Elect of Tagum City, respectively.

Proclaimed as City Councilors last Friday are the following, based on their ranking: 1. Francisco Remitar (47,438 votes), 2. Alan Zulueta (42,856 votes), 3. Nicandro Suaybaguio, Jr. (39,802 votes), 4. Oscar Bermudez (39,540 votes), 5. Eva Lorraine Estabillo (35,749 votes), 6. Macario Bermudez (34,980 votes), 7. Tristan Royce Aala (34,293 votes), 8. Agripino Coquilla (32,925 votes), 9. Samuel Angoy (32,621 votes) and 10. Fernand Bordios (32,601 votes.) Tagum’s new leaders are set to take their oath of office on June 28, 2013 at the New Christ the King Cathedral, Gonzales Avenue along Sobrecary

2013 at the SP Session Hall. Proclaimed as City Councilors last Friday are the following, based on their ranking: Francisco Remitar (47,438 votes), Alan Zulueta (42,856 votes), Nicandro Suaybaguio, Jr. (39,802 votes), Oscar Bermudez 39,540 votes), Eva Lorraine

St., and will kick-off their three-year term starting on July 1, 2013. Meanwhile, Mayor-Elect Allan Rellon on Saturday, May 18, 2013, expressed gratitude to Tagumeños through an Ecumenical Service dubbed as “Pasalamat Pag-Ampo” held at P.B. San Jose Gym, UM Tagum Campus. In his remarks, the incoming local chief executive gave a preview of what his administration will prioritize under his EAGLE WINGS Program, which he bannered during his campaign for the city’s top position. Mayor-Elect Rellon also called for unity and cooperation among Tagumeños.

Outgoing Mayor Rey T. Uy, on the other hand, also expressed his support to the incoming administration. In a TV interview and through his public address to the city government employees during their Monday’s flag raising ceremony, the three-termer mayor said it’s his obligation as a Tagumeño to support the Rellon Administration. “Kung kinsa ang naa dira (whoever in the position), we must give utmost respect, cooperation and unity,” Mayor Uy said in his TV interview with reporter John Paul Seniel aired over GMA Davao’s morning newscast Una Ka Bai on Monday. Louie Lapat/Edwin of CIO Tagum

Estabillo (35,749 votes), Macario Bermudez (34,980 votes), Tristan Royce Aala (34,293 votes), Agripino Coquilla (32,925 votes), Samuel Angoy (32,621 votes) and Fernand Bordios (32,601 votes.). Photo by Leo Timogan of CIO Tagum

5 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013

CEB boosts Mindanao connectivity

HE Philippines’ largest national flag carrier, Cebu Pacific (PSE:CEB) increases connectivity to and from Mindanao, by adding flight frequencies and options to travelers headed for Zamboanga, Tawi-Tawi and Davao. Starting June 15, 2013, CEB will add two weekly flights using an Airbus A320 aircraft between Cebu and Zamboanga, making it a six times weekly service. Meanwhile, starting July 1, 2013, CEB will add thrice weekly flights from Manila to Zamboanga, and from Zamboanga to Tawi-Tawi, making it a 24 times weekly service and a daily service, respectively. The airline will operate a total of 32 weekly flights between Cebu and Davao also starting July 1, 2013, with the addition of four more weekly flights. “Cebu Pacific continues to develop its routes and hubs in Mindanao, to further benefit Philippine tourism and trade. These additional flights mean

more choices for our guests, be it same-day returns for business meetings or more opportunities for travel due to seat sales,” said CEB VP for Marketing and Distribution Candice Iyog. In Q1 2013, CEB grew its domestic passengers to and from Zamboanga by 17%, as well as its Davao hub in Davao by 20%.Travel between the Visayas and Mindanao also grew by 13%, while travel within Mindanao grew by 45%. CEB launched multiple flights from Iloilo, Davao and Cagayan de Oro in the 4th quarter of 2012. For bookings and inquiries, guests can go to www.cebupacificair. com, or call the reservation hotlines (02)7020888 or (032)230-8888. The latest seat sales can also be found on CEB’s official Twitter and Facebook pages. Those still booking flights may also sign up to be a CEB Club member through the Cebu Pacific website, for seat

sale alerts, easy management of flights and travel funds, and a faster booking process. CEB is slated to launch the following routes: Cebu-Mas-

bate (June 1, 2013), Cebu-Taipei (July 5, 2013), Manila-Phuket (August 16, 2013), as well as the airline’s first long haul flights from Manila to Dubai (Octo-

TEAM ISUZU D-MAX. Popular actor, racecar driver and triathlete Matteo Guidicelli (2nd from right) together with Isuzu D-MAX Cycling Team and Isuzu executives led by Southern Motors Davao vice president Kim Liu (2nd from left) flash thumbs up during

ber 7, 2013). CEB currently operates 10 Airbus A319, 25 Airbus A320 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. Its fleet of 43 aircraft is one of the most mod-

ern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2013 and 2021, Cebu Pacific will take delivery of 17 more Airbus A320 and 30 Airbus A321neo aircraft orders.

the presentation of Isuzu D-MAX Cycling Team at the atrium of SM Lanang Premier Saturday night. Lean Daval Jr.

6 THE ECONOMY

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013

BPI nets P8.4B Q1 revenues

ANK of the Philippine Islands continued to deliver sustainable growth as it reported a net income of P8.4 billion for the first quarter of 2013. This was 43% higher than last year’s P5.8 billion. At the end of first quarter, BPI’s total resources were P940 billion, 16% higher yearon-year as deposits grew by the same rate to P748 billion. In addition, the Bank was able to increase its assets under management to P758 billion or 6% more than same period last year. Net loans hit P514 billion, 19% better year-on-

year. Lending to top corporates was up by 25%, while the middle market and SME segments went up by 17% and 14% respectively. Consumer loans also grew by 15%. Gross 30 days NPL ratio was down to 2.1% from last year’s 2.5%. Reserve cover was 129%. The improvement in net income for the period was driven by the 21% growth in total revenues as the Bank took advantage of the favorable market condition to register securities trading gains. Net interest income was slightly up, as average asset base expanded by 15%. Net yields though,

contracted as interest rates continued to decline. Other non-interest income lines likewise improved, particularly service charges and commissions, trust fees, and corporate finance fees. Operating costs reached P6.6 billion or 7% more year-on-year due to higher regulatory, technology, manpower, and variable costs. Impairment losses, however was down from last year. BPI’s market capitalization as of end of March 2013 stood at P391 billion. Its Basel 2 Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) was 15.1%.

In its recently held Stockholders’ Meeting, leadership of BPI was turned over to its new President and CEO Mr. Cezar Consing. Outgoing President and CEO Mr. Aurelio R. Montinola III commented, “With a strong Team BPI, we are confident that BPI will continue to move forward with quality sustainable growth. I firmly believe that my successor, a competent and experienced professional with many years in the international banking arena, will further take the Bank to a new level and position BPI as one of the best Asean banks in the near future.”

HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) beat its monthly collection goal in April, the first time it did so this year. The tax agency said in a statement on Monday, May 20, it collected P148.99 billion in tax revenues in April, 4.43% higher than its P142.66-billion target. The collections were also 28.2% more than what it generated in

April 2012. April is traditionally the BIR’s strongest month because of the yearly deadline for filing income tax returns. The BIR missed its collection targets for the months of January to March. It raised P244 billion during the period, 10% below its P267-billion goal, but 6.6% higher than its collections in the first quarter of 2012.

OPERATIONS, NON-OPERATIONS Of the total collections in April, revenues from BIR operations reached P145.64 billion, up 28.4% year on year. Collections by the agency’s regional offices amounted to P52.02 billion, up 31.9% from April 2012. Collections from nonBIR operations or taxes imposed on government securities grew 19.87% to P3.35 billion.

2013 TARGET The bureau is optimistic it can hit its revenue goal for 2013. The BIR is tasked to collect P1.253 trillion for the year, over 17% higher than its P1.066-trillion goal in 2012. To shore up collections, the agency intensified its crackdown on tax evading self-employed professionals as well as small and medium enterprises. – Rappler.com

the Playoffs Promo.” Basketball fans will get a chance to collect eight limited edition aluminum sports bottles featuring 8 NBA Teams: Los Angeles Lakers, Oklahoma City Thunder (OKC), Houston Rockets, LA

Clippers, Boston Celtics, New York Knicks, Chicago Bulls, and Miami Heat. Every Phoenix fuel purchase worth P1,000 single or accumulated receipt entitles customers to purchase a 750 ml NBA aluminum sports

bottle for only P150. Promo runs in participating Phoenix stations nationwide from May 17 to June 17, 2013.

BIR beats collection goal

Phoenix - NBA launches promo HOENIX Petroleum Philippines partners with the National Basketball Association (NBA) to give Phoenix customers collectible NBA aluminum sports bottles with the “Phoenix-NBA On the Road to

It figures

NUMBER of first names of a 15year old male incoming high school senior who is enrolling at the Urdaneta City National High School this week. For lack of space, some of his 40 first names are Ratziel Timshel Ismail Zerubbabel Zabud Zimry Pike Blavatsky Philo Judaeus…His 21-year old older brother, Ramuel, has 20 first names.

590 ONE single ticket sold at a supermarket in Florida has won the highest Powerball lottery jackpot in history worth an estimate $590.5 million (P24.2 billion) last Sunday. The odds of winning were put at one in 175 million.

BY THE NUMBERS According to figures by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Taiwan is the Philippines’

5th

largest source of remittances from Asia below Japan ($1.009 billion), Singapore ($865.5 million), Hong Kong ($420.21 million) and Korea ($176.4 million). In 2012, overseas remittances coming from Taiwan totaled $167.98 million.

SOURCE: www.rappler.com

NEDA urges stronger private sector role

TRONGER support from the private sector is needed in the creation of high-quality and sustainable jobs to improve the lives of Filipinos, according to the National Economic and Development Authority. “The private sector holds the key to the generation of high-quality and sustainable jobs that our country needs. A stronger coordination of the government and the academe with them will help us address the unemployment problem that the country is facing,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan, in a recent forum organized by the Ayala Foundation, Inc. at the Ayala Museum, Makati City. The Cabinet official said that the rate of unemployment is very high, even among college graduates. In January 2013, the National Statistics Office reported that 608,000 people were added to the labor force from the same month last year. However, the number of the employed increased only by 606,000, which means that about 2,000 people were added to the ranks of the unemployed. “The rate of unemployment is very high among college graduates, which partly reflects a mismatch between what is produced by schools and what is required by the market. This also shows that there is in-

61,510 NUMBER of teacher vacancies in the public schools that the Department of Education has failed to fill due to lack of qualified teachers where the vacancies are located. This, despite a glut of licensed teachers.

sufficient conversation between the schools and the firms,” said Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General. Also, he added that the government is focusing on providing a catalytic mechanism for the private sector to create these jobs. This is because government resources are limited, with competing demands from various sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, and national security, among others. “Government actions should not substitute for the actions of the private sector. We do not want to solve the unemployment problem with a band-aid solution to create jobs,” said Balisacan. Furthermore, the Balisacan said that the government is looking into expanding employment opportunities in several priority sectors. These include agri-business, manufacturing, tourism, IT-Business Process Outsourcing (BPO), housing, infrastructure, and logistics. “These opportunities can be enhanced through increasing the employability of new job entrants through proper and sufficient training. But higher education institutions must also be encouraged to foster tie-ups with businesses and industries, aside from the government,” said Balisacan.

200,000 NUMBER of votes enjoyed by elected Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) governor Mujiv Hataman as margin over his closest rival, former Sultan Kudarat governor and congressman Pax Mangudadatu during the May 13, 2013 elections.

SCIENCE/ENVIRONMENT

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013

Hedcor continues its reforestation efforts A

BOITIZPOWER wholly owned subsidiary Hedcor reaffirmed its commitment to protect the watershed through its reforestation efforts. For the first quarter, close to 14,000 trees were already planted after a series of tree planting activities which covered 14 hectares in Sibulan, Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur and Tamugan, Davao City. Over 100 volunteers both from Hedcor and from the community took part. “We started early in our tree planting activities to achieve the goal of planting 200,000 trees this year. Our forester have identified the locations to reforest and we will partner with our host communities once more”, Hedcor vice president for Business Development Boy Jabonillo said. Last year Hedcor planted over 600,000 trees planted across the country with a survival rate of 87 percent. Now, the company targets to plant at least 200,000 trees to continue its efforts in preserving and protecting the environment. “We aim a surviv-

al rate of 90% for the trees planted”, Jabonillo said. Hedcor recognized the importance of a healthy watershed to its business of hydroelectric power generation. Employees are encouraged to plant at least 20 trees every year. Hedcor has been operating run-of-river hydropower plants since 1978, and started building its own in 1990. In its 35 years of operating hydropower plants, the company has done its part in the protection of the environment. Other than reforestation, the company embarks on other environmental protection activities such as river bank stabilization, road side rehabilitation and watershed management. A wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower, Hedcor has 19 run-of-river hydropower plants in the country. The company is ISO certified for Environment Management Systems and a recipient of Department of Energy and Natural Resources’ Seal of Approval as direct result of the company’s green practices.

STARTING ‘EM YOUNG. Hedcor’s Accounting manager Christine Guimbaolibot teaches a Bagobo-Tagabawa youngster on how to take care the environment through

planting trees. The company targets to plant 200,000 trees by yearend.

Extreme global warming less likely

XTREME global warming is less likely in coming decades after a slowdown in the pace of temperature rises so far this century, an international team of scientists said on Sunday. Warming is still on track, however, to breach a goal set by governments around the world of limiting the increase in temperatures to below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times, unless tough action is taken to limit rising greenhouse gas emissions. “The most extreme rates of warming simulated by the current generation of climate models over 50- to 100-year timescales are looking less likely,” the University of Oxford wrote about the findings in the journal Nature Geoscience. The rate of global warming has slowed after strong rises in the 1980s and 1990s, even though all the 10 warmest years since reliable records began in the 1850s have been since 1998. The slowdown has been a puzzle because emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases have continued to rise, led by strong industrial growth in China.

Examining recent temperatures, the experts said that a doubling of carbon dioxide concentrations in the atmosphere above pre-industrial times - possible by mid-century on current trends - would push up temperatures by between 0.9 and 2.0 degrees Celsius (1.6 and 3.6F). That is below estimates made by the U.N. panel of climate scientists in 2007, of a rise of between 1 and 3 degrees Celsius (1.8-5.4F) as the immediate response to a doubling of carbon concentrations, known as the transient climate response. OCEANS The U.N. panel also estimated that a doubling of carbon dioxide, after accounting for melting of ice and absorption by the oceans that it would cause over hundreds of years, would eventually lead to a temperature rise of between 2 and 4.5 C (3.6-8.1F). Findings in the new study, by experts in Britain, the United States, Canada, Australia, France, Germany, Switzerland and Norway, broadly matched that range for the longterm response. But for government policy makers “the tran-

sient response over the next 50-100 years is what matters,” lead author Alexander Otto of Oxford University said in a statement. The oceans appear to be taking up more heat in recent years, masking a build-up of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere that passed 400 parts per million this month for the first time in human history, up 40 percent from pre-industrial levels. Professor Reto Knutti of ETH Zurich, one of the authors, said that the lower numbers for coming decades were welcome. But “we are still looking at warming well over the two degree goal that countries have agreed upon if current emission trends continue,” he said. Temperatures have already risen by about 0.8 Celsius (1.4F) since the Industrial Revolution and two degrees C is widely viewed as a threshold to dangerous changes such as more floods, heatwaves and rising sea levels. “The oceans are sequestering heat more rapidly than expected over the last decade,” said Professor Steven Sherwood of the University of New South Wales in Australia, who was not involved in the study.

8 VANTAGE POINTS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Vox populi

W EDITORIAL

An ordinance that smells good

T LONG last, Davao City has a septage and sewerage ordinance. For a bit of education, septage means “waste contents inside a septic tank,” while sewerage refers to “the removal and disposal of refuse liquids and surface water through a system of conduits.” The ordinance addresses a long felt need of this 76-year old premier city of Mindanao, one that would solve horrendous problems in health and sanitation. These problems usually result in diseases, many of which are life-threatening. This ordinance partly addresses street-flooding that has long bedeviled many poverty-stricken areas where the percentage of households without sanitary toilets is high. Actually, the ordinance was approved by the city’s Sangguniang Panlungsod in 2010 yet, but it took time to complete the implementing rules and regulations (IRR). The ordinance is all about septic tanks – that all types of buildings,

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including residences, should have septic tanks, and toilets. Enforcement of the ordinance will not be a walk in the park, given the culture of Dabawenyos, or Filipinos, for that matter, which frowns on impositions that require “additional cost.” As with most laws, a strong political will by city hall is needed. Enforcement of the ordinance will be doubly difficult if the government itself is wanting in leadership. For instance, the law against smoke-belching vehicles is hard to implement if government vehicles are themselves among the culprits. We’re sure that a lot of observant citizens will be ever-ready to heckle government once they find out that schools and other government buildings are built without the septic tank and sanitary plumbing designs required in the ordinance. On the other hand, if the ordinance is strictly enforced, it is destined to be one of the legacies of the Sara Duterte administration.

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RAMON M. MAXEY Consultant

GREGORIO G. DELIGERO Associate Editor

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HENEVER, and wherever, the recent mid-term election in Davao City is the subject of conversation among politics-minded Dabawenyos, someone invariably comes up with the observation “wala may lami kay walay kontra ang mga Duterte” (a quaint Visayan term referring to the absence of a thrilling electoral contest for the uncontested positions of city mayor and vice-mayor. Former mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and son ABC president Paolo ran for those posts, respectively, without opposition. The elder Duterte garnered 473,375 votes while Paolo had 437,266. Never mind the number of votes. Both could have gotten many more, except that many voters did not bother voting for the two sure winners. As to why no other politicians dared to challenge the Dutertes, the reason is plainly obvious. Eversince Rody Duterte was elected mayor in 1988 and stamped his style of governance over his constituents, he has become the face of Davao City itself, so to speak. In the city’s history, the fight for political supremacy in the city’s three

“Never mind the number of votes. Both could have gotten many more, except that many voters did not bother voting for the two sure winners.”

congressional seats had never been as intense as that for the entire city, and the electorate is aware of the vast difference. Whoever is the city mayor rules the roost. The three congressmen may be said to hold sway in their respective bailiwicks, but it certainly is not the same as being mayor of a city of over (give or take) 1.3 million people. Davao City is what it is today mainly because of Rody Duterte and his way of doing things according to his vision of an ideal metropolis, a veritable melting pot of indigenous tribes, migrants from all over the country attracted by the city’s mild climate and its obsession to remain relatively peaceful under the Duterte dictum---a city that will always be “dangerous” to all types of criminals and criminality. With a fresh mandate as chief executive, Dabawenyos can look forward to more of Rody Duterte’s leadership. Haven’t you noticed how Davao’s physical and economic landscape has changed dramatically these last few years? That’s what happens when you have the political will to do what is right despite criticism, especially from people whose own selfish political ambitions were ignored by the very people they had wanted to rule over. Vox populi.

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 •TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

VANTAGE POINTS

Return to good, old values

IT MAY PROVE TO BE A DIFFICULT AND DAUNTING TASK – As we ponder the litany of I-told-you-so prescriptions from over-bearing candidates during the election campaign period for the country’s purportedly socio-economic and political malaise, spare a thought for upright, old Filipino values. No, not the authoritarian kind beloved of opposition-allergic strongmen and autocrats, but the likes of thrift, hard work, learning, perseverance, humble living and humility, which played as much role in the boom as exports, technology, capital and productivity. It was good that the midterm election is finally over and people expect highly that things are going to get better with the election of a new set of public officials – senators down to the local levels. Well, I suppose that may prove to be a difficult and daunting task. They will be judged on how well they manage to fulfill their litany of pledges and promises – free education, free medical and health care, job generation, shelter and food program, low prices of basic goods, infrastructure development and so on and so forth. But more than this, people want to see our political leaders continue to adhere to noble, old ideals. Clearly, tough decisions and radical policy shifts are needed to improve more the country’s robust and vibrant economy, but they won’t work without the collective efforts and right principles guiding our elective officials of differ-

ent political inclinations. The effort to get the Philippine’s socio-economic and political condition back into a better shape actually has to include a return to the ethics that made the country world-beating. The country badly needs political leaders who would strive hard for economic self-sufficiency and improve the citizens’ living standards through the efficient delivery of basic social services and, not just mere lip service. In the finger-pointing during the campaign jaunts between the opposing political parties over the apparent slumping economic growth, tottering financial system, slipping competitiveness, abject poverty and massive unemployment among others, the erosion of enriching the values must rank high supposedly in the list of ultimate whys. Over the years, however, more and more of the nouveau rich, particularly political personalities have sought to impress with wasteful display of wealth, power and influence. What all that profligacy has done for inflation and the country’s account deficit – noted economists and financial experts know only too well.

Our new elective officials from top to bottom including the incumbents should not undermine those who have installed them in the levers of power nor should covet wealth and power above all else. They should always bear in mind the worth of principles. Take frugal living and the aversion to debt, credited for the country’s high savings rate, not to mention the strong currency, bullish stock market, improved investment and credit ratings. Hard work and learning are other values, which have slipped out of fashion a bit among our present crop of public officials. Many of them presume that they are faced with a choice between pursuing economic growth and intensifying the delivery of basic social services. In fact, it should be possible to do both. What is of greater concern to the cautious public right now after making a choice during the midterm elections is that the new elective officials, after being proclaimed and to assume office soon will forget the virtuous, old Filipino traits, often with little or no regard at all to the marginalized sector in society? It is senseless to bicker at this point whether the present dispensation failed the people in their expectations or not. What is more important for our new leaders is to stand fully committed to maximize the potential of every Filipino to his wholeness, fulfillment and dignity as human being and a vision that the country will be great again.

daughters. We do not elect to come out of their wombs. But we can elect to be better human beings because of our mothers, regardless of parenting style or lack thereof. I know of mothers who will do anything for their children. Always saving the very much adult offspring despite the downward spiral into irresponsibility and waywardness because that is what a loving mother should do. Consequently, she suffers and puts her life on hold. I know of mothers who do not do anything for their children and let other people raise them. I know of mothers who do not want to accept help for their child even if there is a glaring need. I know of mothers who are so poor and illiterate that raising children means nothing more than feeding them. Never mind that these children roam the streets, beg, and mindlessly perform sexual acts that are bestial at such a tender age. (Two very young children were caught at the Autoville Compound of F. Torres St, naked and mimicking sexual intercourse, to the horror of business es-

tablishment owners there.) I know of mothers who work themselves to the bone to ensure the children’s security and future. I know of women who want to become mothers but cannot; women who are on the way to being mothers but choose to terminate the journey; and women who accidentally become mothers. Whatever the mothering, whatever the woman, the mother plays a pivotal role in our lives. The hand that rocks the cradle is indeed the hand that rules the world. Even the most powerful man in the world is molded by his mother. Even the most patriarchal Muslim fundamentalist is touched by his mother. Even Christ’s role in our salvation history would not have found fruition without His Mother. It is thus that as we have chosen our leaders, let us also recognize and appreciate our mothers. Even the mother that is scorned makes or breaks the person. She has a hand in who, what, why, where, and how we are. She has a hand in who, what, why, where, and how our nation’s leaders are. In her lie the twin powers of building and destroying the nation. So to my mother, Cherie Valverde, I honor your gift of life and love. Even if we do not seem like mother and daughter, I am thankful and proud that I sprung from you. I did not elect you to be my mother but I am willing to bet that God definitely and infinitely knows best and chose you for me.

We do not elect our mothers

was once asked that what if my mother and I were of the same age in school would we have been “barkada”. I automatically answered no. The theoretical question sparked a flurry of reflections and conversations among friends. Responses ranged from heartwarming, amusing, to mean and resentful. I gave a very factual answer and just said my mother and I were too different. When I relayed this exchange to Mama, she wasnot pleased as she apparently felt that mothers and daughters should have warm affections even in a theoretical world. And there lies the beginning of so many differences. She is all heart, all feeling, and all sentiment. No complex convolutions of the mind, just straight up doing what is simply good or needed. A beautiful and youthful domestic goddess who warms homes and hearts, any man would be proud to have her in his home and arms. When my husband and I were still dating, he expressed he wants to have somebody like Mama. In my head, I go “uh-oh, we’re in trouble.” When a board director from work appreciated how I am, she commented, “Anggalingsigurong mother mo.” But when Mama just steps back and lets me wander in life, she wonders where I get it. Whatever differences and idiosyncrasies we may have, it cannot be denied that our bonds are preordained. We do not elect to be their sons and

Did people vote to decide or merely to comply? WORM’S EYEVIEW BY MANNY VALDEHUESA

(1st of two parts)

AGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Now that the elections are over, it is said that the people have spoken, that they have decided what sort of government they want to have, that they have made it clear how government is to perform, or that those who represent them in it will behave in accordance with expectations—i.e. conscientious, responsive, transparent, and accountable. Is it fair to say these things? Or is it fairer to say that people merely voted to comply with unwritten covenants that accompany patronage, favors, and gimmicks that they are party to in the course of selection? How about the observation that most, or certainly a large number of the voters, made their choices on the basis of popularity and name-recall? These are legitimate questions in light of what is now universally admitted that vote-buying, vote-selling, and related corruption have become so widespread, occurring before and during the electoral period. Pork Before the vote-buying, there was widespread use of Pork Barrel funds (or simply, Pork) which congressmen and senators showered on local projects to impress the community and win its approval and support at election time. Initiating such projects has nothing to do with a lawmaker’s duty, much less is funding them with taxpayer money, but they do it because it impresses naïve, impressionable, or corrupt voters. In other words, they use it to manipulate perceptions in the community, to create a favorable opinion. It is done in the name of development, but in reality it is personal propaganda and promotion, i.e. self-glorification designed to promote re-election. And all of it, from start to finish, including the billboards trumpeting the lawmaker’s name, is funded by taxpayer money. So widespread is this cavalier spending of the taxpayer’s money by lawmakers that it has attained the status of normality. Pork-funded projects are now a regular feature in every community, a sight so common that it is taken for granted as part of the landscape both in its environmental and political sense. Note, for example, that hardly anyone gives it any significance, not even the fact that it has become a major source of corruption, or the fact that Pork allocations attract greedy, unscrupulous traditional politicos—TRAPOS—and keeps them in office. No one questions how it finances their expensive campaigns year-round. Very few voters are aware of it happening in their own backyard. Worse, no one seems aware how Pork fills the bottomless pockets of politicos all the time (effortlessly!) since kickbacks and commissions from projects are regularly funneled into their accounts by contractors and suppliers. Patronage politics Handouts to provide immediate relief are the stock-in-trade of a TRAPO—money for fare, a few kilos of rice, a job referral, a few square meters of urban land or a sidewalk to squat on, a few doses of medicine, funeral expenses, or even a cake for a wedding, etc.. Instant gratification with no thought of the future or for the kind of governance that creates opportunities greater than what political favors could ever provide.

10 NEWS

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

PNP, AFP refocus on crime, terror after polls

OLICE and military authorities in the city are back to fighting crime and terror following the proclamation of all winners in the recently concluded midterm senatorial and local polls. Senior Superintendent Ronald de la Rosa, director of the Davao City Police Office said the police in the city are back to the normal mode in pursuing law enforcement duties against all forms of criminality. “We are back to normal mode. I told my policemen to focus on the activities and campaigns we did prior to the elections,” he said. De la Rosa also reminded all licensed firearm holders that the election gun ban continues to be effective up to June 12. He said after June 12, the election gun ban will be lifted and persons with official permits to carry firearms outside of residence can again enjoy the privilege. Colonel Casiano Monilla, commander of the Task Force Davao said his soldiers have been ordered to improve their competence so that they can serve better the residents of the city. He said the Task Force Davao complements with the DCPO in anti-crime campaign. Monilla said that on

a regular basis, the military contingent conducts checkpoints to prevent armed elements from other areas from entering the city. He said the TF Davao still conducts regular patrols within the urban center and assists the police in the inspection of people and cargo in all transport facilities within the city. Monilla said the TF Davao also complements with the Philippine Navy and the Philippine Coast Guard and the Maritime Police in guarding the shoreline of the city. He assured that the unit has enough manpower resources and logistics to function effectively. “We just need to improve further the capacity of our personnel through giving them more training so that they will master their delegated tasks,” Monilla said. He revealed that the sole order given by Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is to prevent terror groups from bombing the city. Monilla said Mayor-elect Rodrigo Duterte also issued him the same order. “All our efforts are directed towards preventing any terror attack in Davao City,” he said. (PIA XI-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

asked media men who attended the Kapehan on who were in favor and who were against this proposed earlier liquor ban. Only one media man raised his hand in favor of the proposed 12am liquor ban, while 11 raised their hands in opposition. This earlier liquor ban is an initial move that Duterte is planning for as

he will become the mayor of the city again soon. This proposed earlier liquor ban is a tweak of the “Public Safety, Peace and Order ordinance of Davao City under paragraph d), Section 3. Article A, which states, “all establishments selling intoxicating liquor and beverages are hereby prohibited from selling the same after 2:00 o’clock in the morning.”

DCPO favors.. FFROM 1

Minbizcon..

FFROM 2

Mindanao aims to attain boarder economy on 2015 which will make the products of ASEAN countries, such as Thailand and Vietnam, flow easily into the Mindanao market, and the same thing will happen to our (business community in Mindanao) product.” “Just last year, we (Philippine Chamber of Commerce Inc. PCCI) an agreement with the Indonesian business community to have a Davao-General Santos-Bitung (Indoneisa) roll-on-roll-off vessel, which will boost

the ASEAN integration,” she said. According to Abundo, the last time Minbizcon was held in Davao City was in 2004. According to the DCCCII press release, Minbizcon is an annual business conference that gathers senior business leaders, members of the chamber of commerce, government policymakers, investors and other foreign trading partners to network exchange ideas on improving business climate and competitiveness. EJ D

BRIGADA ESKWELA. Parents take part in “Brigada-Eskwela 2013,” an annual “bayanihan”-inspired school clean-up which is a requirement for public school

students, weeks before the opening of classes at Kapitan Tomas Monteverde Sr. Elementary School in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Parents volunteer for ‘Brigada Eskwela’ T

HE Brigada Eskwela clean up drive kicked off yesterday in all schools of the city with parents, students and teachers helping one another to prepare the classrooms, buildings and surroundings for the opening of classes on June 3, 2013. Emerita Mapula, principal of the Cesario Villa-Abrille Elementary School at Barangay 76-A lauded the support of the parents in the clean up activity. She also urged other stakeholders in the community to participate. Mapula said the barangay government of 76-A has set Wednesday to help in the preparation

of the schoolyard for the opening of classes. “I ask all stakeholders that through the Bayanihan spirit, we contribute to the preparation of our school so that the students can directly attend to their classes on the first day of school,” she said. Mapula said volunteers may bring cleaning materials like stick brooms, soft brooms, soap and rags to speed up the cleaning of walls, rooms and pathways. She said the Brigada Eskwela has been part of the school preparation for the past two years, for a week prior to the opening of classes. “It is part of the

national school operation every opening of classes so that when the students come, they proceed to the learning sessions instead of cleaning the schoolyard,” Mapula said. Genelito Atillo, spokesperson of the Department of Education 11, observed that residents were able to accept the need to cooperate in the preparing the schools through the Brigada Eskwela. He said it is good that they see for themselves the favorable impact of the clean-up drive to the enthusiasm of their children to go to school. Atillo said the Brigada Eskwela has brought

unity and cooperation among the stakeholders in the community composed of the pupils, parents, school personnel and the local government. He said the program has saved time and resources to both the students and the DepEd which used to spend P20 to P30 million for manpower alone. Atillo said that through the Balik Eskwela, the students will attend to their classes right away on the first day of school, unlike in the past when they had to allot two weeks to do the clean up consequently affecting the school calendar. (PNA)

ular candidate,” said Monilla. Dela Rosa, who observed that the cases of Commission on Elections (Comelec) Gun Ban violators decreased as the elections drew near, reminded gun owners that the gun ban is up to June 12. He said, “the crime index of davao City decreased because of the election gun ban, since

it can help us check the movement of people who could possibly commit criminal acts.” “The checkpoints that are being conducted by the authorities in line with the gun ban make the criminals hesitant from committing crimes,” said dela Rosa. Dela Rosa is also attracted to the notion of entering into politics saying that “it would be

a great opportunity after retirement.” A lawyer, Neil Dalumpines, asked dela Rosa a personal question just out of curiosity on whether he (dela Rosa) will enter politics after retiring, considering the fact that he is gaining popularity and even the attention of mayor-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte. Dela Rosa answered, “I’m not saying I will, but

I will cross the bridge when I get there.” “Who wouldn’t want to be in that position (politics)? There are even people who would kill just to be able to serve, but running for a political position is very expensive, it can’t be attained through simple “Tokhang” (Tok tok-Hangyo, a DCPO program against illegal drugs),” dela Rosa said. EJ D

DC polls... FFROM 2

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 •TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

NATION/WORLD 11

Gov’t says Taiwan will provide add’l security to protect Pinoys M

PARALLEL INVESTIGATION. Taiwanese probers are returning to Manila for a ‘parallel investigation’ with the Philippines over slain Taiwanese fisherman. Photo by Jedwin

M. Llobrera

Taiwan, PHL agree on parallel probe

AIWANESE Minister for Foreign Affairs David Lin said on Sunday, May 19, that Taipei and Manila have reached a consensus on initiating a joint investigation into the shooting of Taiwanese fisherman in Philippine waters. “Both sides have agreed to arrange for the other side to conduct fact-finding trips in their respective countries to discover the truth behind the fatal shooting and have shown willingness to cooperate with each other during their individual investigations,” the Taipei Times quoted Lin as saying. Taipei Times reported that the bilateral cooperation on the case was termed, both by Lin and Philippine Justice Secretary Leila de Lima, as a “parallel investigation” instead of a “joint investigation” to avoid concerns on both sides about sovereign interference. “With the consensus, both sides will determine an agenda and items of cooperation for their investigations on the principle of reciprocity to facilitate the uncovering of the truth and subsequent punishment of those responsible,” Lin added. Lin’s remarks came after Taiwanese probers who arrived in Manila last week returned to Taiwan without a consensus with the Philippines. He said “the tense atmosphere

last week was not conducive to negotiation, which was why the investigation team returned on Saturday seemingly empty-handed.” However, Manila Economic and Cultural Office (MECO) Chairman Amadeo Perez told Rappler that he has yet to confirm Lin’s statements regarding the parallel investigation between Taiwan and the Philippines. Earlier, De Lima said that it would be “impossible” to conduct a joint investigation with Taiwan as the Philippines “is a sovereign country” with its own processes and justice system. ‘Premature’ During a press conference on May 18, the Taiwanese investigators reported that the Taiwanese fisherman, 65-yearold Hung Shih-cheng was “intentionally murdered” by the Philippine Coast Guard. The Taiwanese team said that based on forensic examination by the Taiwanese authorities, bullet holes were mainly found in the cabin where the Taiwanese fisherman hid, which made the shooting intentional. But Communications Secretary Ricky Carandang rejected Taiwan’s “murder” allegations and reminded that an investigation has been ongoing. “There is an investigation ongoing so any premature statements that tend

to confuse the issues and inflame passions should be avoided,” Carandang said. MECO’s Perez echoed Carandang and said in an interview on dzBB radio Sunday that the Taiwanese probers acted prematurely. Perez said they were trying to set up a meeting with Philippine counterparts, and the team should have waited for the results of the Philippine investigation. Inquirer reported that a source, who had knowledge of the investigation, said the coast guards and two Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) employees aboard the surveillance vessel MCS-3001 admitted firing on the Taiwanese fishing boat but only in “self-defense.” “The fishing boat with passengers speaking a foreign language approached at full speed and attempted to ram the Philippine vessel, but the bigger [BFAR] vessel was able to [maneuver and the fishing boat missed it by a meter],” the source said. The source also disclosed that after the near miss, a shirtless crewmember of the fishing boat came out on deck and made motions “as if daring the coast guards to come after his boat.” The source said it was “unclear” whether the shirtless man who taunted the coast guards was

Hung and how the fisherman was hit. OFWs backlash Despite the Philippine government, through MECO, has already conveyed its sincere apologies over the tragic incident, the Taiwanese government still sanctioned and ban the hiring of new workers from the Philippines. In an interview with VOANews, Migrante International Chairman Garry Martinez said workers with pending applications for jobs in Taiwan will be hit especially hard. This is because even before they leave, they may owe recruitment and other application fees, which come to one month’s salary or more, Martinez explained. “They’re asking for the bank to give them money and there is some collateral and the big interest to the loan shark. That is the problem they are facing now,” Martinez said. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte disclosed on Friday that the Philippines has already made a contingency plan for Filipino workers wishing to come back from Taiwan. There are currently 87,000 Philippine workers in Taiwan and labor authorities said nearly 2,000 new applications are submitted monthly. – Rappler.com

ANILA -- The Taiwan government intends to provide additional security to protect Filipinos in Taiwan amid reports of assault and discrimination against Filipino nationals staying there, a Palace official said on Monday. Deputy Presidential Spokesperson Abigail Valte said in a press briefing in Malacanang that the Philippine government remains optimistic that the harassment and assaults against Filipinos in Taiwan will be stopped after Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou vowed last week to protect the Filipinos there. Last Friday, the Taiwan’s leader called for calm and promised to protect Filipinos residing and working in the island. “I understand, that their leadership has already expressed intent to provide additional security and we’re hoping that the reported incidents will not be repeated,” Valte said. The Manila Econom-

ic and Cultural Office (MECO) had already organized a team that will document reports of harassment and assaults against Filipinos in Taiwan and relay it to Taiwan’s foreign ministry. “Our counterparts there are already working with the relevant ministries in Taiwan for the investigation of these attacks,” Valte said. Valte said the Philippine government is calling on the Taiwanese people not to harass the Filipinos there because they have nothing to do with the shooting death of a Taiwanese fisherman last May 9 off Batanes. The Philippine government assured that contingencies are now in place in case there is an exodus of Filipinos from Taiwan. The Department of Labor said it is looking at other markets such as South Korea, the Middle East and Malaysia that could absorb Filipino workers affected by the current diplomatic row with Taiwan. (PNA)

Comelec proclaims last three winning senators

HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) en banc, sitting as national board of canvassers, proclaimed on Saturday the last three winning senators in the May 13 midterm elections at the Philippine International Convention Center (PICC) Forum in Pasay City. The final three senatorial candidates proclaimed in front of their family members were former Las Pinas Congresswoman Cynthia Villar, Joseph Victor Ejercito-Estrada and reelectionist Gregorio Honasan III. Senators-elect Nancy Binay and Aquilino Pimentel III, who snubbed the first two proclamations for the top eight senators due to what they claimed as lack of basis, finally showed up to formally receive their certification as senators-elect of the Republic. The Comelec decided to proclaim the last three winning senators after a tallied certificate of canvass (COC) from Lanao del Sur province gave the 12th and last placer Gre-

gorio Honasan II more than 700,000 lead votes over former senator Richard Gordon The final list of the 12 senators-elect based on the number of votes they received from 129 of the 301 Certificates of Canvass include Grace Poe with 20,147,423 votes; Loren Legarda (18,482,961 votes), Alan Cayetano (17,408,543), Chiz Escudero (17,332,952), Binay (16,445,515), Sonny Angara (15,858,995), Bam Aquino (15,388,992), Pimentel (14,584,612), Antonio Trillanes IV (13,995,603), Villar (13,696,120), Ejercito (13,552,991) and Honasan (13,070,031). The 12 senators-elect would serve six-year terms and will join the 12 other senators elected in 2010. They are Juan Ponce Enrile, Miriam Defensor-Santiago, Vicente Sotto III, Sergio Osmena III, Ramon Revilla Jr., Pia Cayetano, Jinggoy Estrada, Lito Lapid, Ralph Recto, Teofisto Guingona III, Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Franklin Drilon. (PNA)

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VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

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SPORTS 13

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VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

Smart backs SarBay Run W

FINALS MVP. Papa John’s Pizza PBA Presscorps Finals MVP Sonny Thoss receives his plaque.

IRELESS leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has once again partnered with the provincial government of Sarangani for this year’s Sarangani Bay Run for the Environment. The fun run, which was organized by the Sarangani provincial government, is one of the highlights of the annual Sarangani Bay Festival. The run, which Smart is supporting for the second straight year, will help protect and conserve marine resources in Sarangani Bay and Davao Gulf. Proceeds will fund WWF conservation and climate change adaptation projects in Mindanao, as well as the initiatives of Spectrum - a consortium of non-government organizations (NGOs) based in the region. “We are proud to be part of this worthwhile undertaking. This is not just a fun run to celebrate the Sarangani Bay Festival but also a call to the public to help in efforts to protect and conserve

the marine biodiversity in the region,” said Atty. Maria Jane Paredes, head of Smart Public Affairs in Visayas and Mindanao. The run will be held on March 24 at Gumasa, Glan, Sarangani, home to the famous beach in the southernmost part of the country. The Sarangani provincial government has been holding the Sarangani Bay Festival since 2005 and activities like the Run for the Environment are in line with its goal to protect and promote the bay and the sea creatures that thrive in those waters. Sarangani Bay is a 230-km stretch of shoreline that is not only a major source of seafood but is also a fast-rising center of marine eco-tourism in the country. Smart continuously engages in partnerships with organizations that include LGUs, the academe, NGOs, government agencies and the private sector to help raise awareness on the need to protect and conserve the environment.

Edge, Mulatto rule Samal kayakfest

DGE Outdoor retained the open men’s tandem title while Mulatto bagged the mixed tandem crown in the 3rd Columbia-Samal Summer Kayakfest held Saturday at the Sunset Beach Park in Babak, Samal Island. Marjun Balaite and Dorina Ararao took the individual titles while the pair of John Jay Laurente and Alex Soguilon retained their title in the men’s open tandem by clocking two minutes and 01.29 seconds in the 300-meter sprint finals. Laurente and Soguilon beat Beefit Gym’s Tope Eyao and Peter Villocino (2:02:58) and Mulatto’s Jerson Ray Royana and Jun Sanchez (2;05:83) in the championship. Royana, however, combined with her girlfriend Glenda Andoy to capture the Mixed Tandem category with a time of 2:09:15. They defeated the pairs of eXscape Idiots’ Pen Jagonase and Weng Racho (2:10:28) and Beefit Gym’s Jun Sanchez and Carol Legacion (2:11:35), who settled for second and third, respectively. Marjun Balaite and Dorina Ararao of Escape Route shared the limelight by topping the individual honors. Balaite, who offered his victory for her ailing

partner Chai Araneta, clocked 2:08:70 to cop the Novice Men’s Singles. He was followed by swimming coach Karlo Rodriguez (2;09:81) and Nino Uyanguren of TriSOS (2:17:22) in second and third, respectively. Ararao, on the other hand, topped the distaff side with a time of 2:29:67 to beat substitute entry Kim delos Reyes of Smoker Fight MMA (2:41:15) and Natasha Carpina of University of San Carlos (2:48:63) in the finals. The Alpha Phi Omega (APO) Fraternity still went home with the biggest delegation. The youngest participants were Troy Canete, 6, and Aisah Priscille Fernandez, 9. APO’s Tata Villafuerte, 56, and Sky Cable’s Zenaida Elacoza, 53, were the oldest entries. “This has been the biggest gathering of kayakers, both veterans and beginners,” said race director Jun Bacus, president of Bugsay Dabaw. More than 100 showed up in the event held in commemoration of the Ocean Month. Sunset Beach Park owner Jorge Garcia, Mae Sanchez of Columbia Sports Company and Dabaw Tourism Operators Association (Dabtoa) vice-president Lino Lee awarded the prizes to the winners.

INdulge!

VOL. 6 ISSUE 46 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, MAY 19-20, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

FOOD

One thrilling grilling! I love meat. Fried, roasted, stir-fried, you name it! Meat brings out the primal instincts of any man and nothing stirs it up more than a delicious grilled steak, nothing except more grilled meat.

Of course unlimited steaks that are cooked to near-perfection is a rarity here in Durianburg. Lucky for meat-eaters like me RBG, the Park Inn by Radisson Davao introduced their Thrill of the

Grill offer. I was doubly lucky to have been invited by the hotel’s marketing and PR manager Meg Sta. Ines to have a go at the buffet. To say extensive was an understatement as RBG’s buffet spread was truly a gastronomic treat with an assortment of appetisers, cheeses, salads and entrees to choose from. The main attraction though is the grill where unlimited US Angus beef steaks are properly grilled and served to hungry diners like me. “The grill is our trademark here at RBG,” says executive chef Chef Ritchie Yves “Ric” C. Loteria who joined us at the chef’s table

“and we pride ourselves in serving US Angus beef steaks that are grilled right in front of you.” The Thrill of the Grill experience is definitely a unique one in Davao’s food

landscape. And given that it is affordable at only P595 net for lunch (Saturdays and Sundays) and P795 for dinner (Friday until Sunday), it is a buffet that one definitely must try.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge! UP AND ABOUT

VOL. 6 ISSUE 46 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, MAY 19-20, 2013

TRAVEL

Get ready for the school rush at the SM Store IT’S time to kick start the school year with the latest campus trends! Make the grade with our varsity-perfect black and sporty footwear from the Children’s Shoes department – with its wide selection of styles to suit each student. Schoolwork has never been this fun as you can hit the books in style with our colorful and stylish totes, backpacks and trolleys. Start the year right and get an A+ in style in the SM Store’s latest school shoes and bags collection! Visit the 2nd Floor Annex Building, SM City Davao today until May 31!

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THE premier one-stop, nonstop destination in the country, which breaks away from the conventional and bequeaths its guests with superlative entertainment and world-class lifestyle alternatives, continues to flourish NOWADAYS, we live a fast-paced life and much as Resorts World Manila delivers its top-ofimportance is given to mobility. Whether you’re a the-line excellence to its growing following. student, a professional or a regular Joe, it is imperative for us to be able to do what we need or want to do anywhere and anytime. With the emergence of the Android operating system, we can now be armed with the right tools to be more productive and efficient in our daily lives.

Android-run handsets such as phones and tablets are packed with features that can make our lives run much smoother. From the pre-existing programs in the handset that will enable us to check documents to games and applications available in Google Play, we can install and customize our handsets to fit our personal requirement. On the entertainment front, there is also a multitude of games and apps — many of which are free — to keep us from being bored; like for example, when we’re stuck in traffic. With Sun Cellular’s Sundroid Rush, getting an Android handset has become affordable now more than ever. Through this firstin-the-market offering, you can get an Android phone and tablet under one affordable plan, which you can both personally use or share with a friend or loved-one. Sun Cellular Sundroid Rush includes the Starmobile, Alcatel and Samsung editions under Sundroid Plans 450, 600 and 999 respectively; all of which are packed with Sun Cellular’s best value offering of unlimited text and calls to Sun. With this best-in-the-market Android deal from Sun Cellular, there is no reason to be left behind. So make the good choice and get your Android handsets for a more productive, entertaining and efficient lifestyle. For more information on these and other services that Sun Cellular offers, check for updates by logging on to their official Facebook page: facebook. com/suncellularph or on Twitter: twitter.com/suncelldeals. Sun Cellular is a member of the PLDT Group.

Resorts World Manila, the first of its kind integrated lifestyle destination in the country, is the latest installment from the growing Resorts World franchise, a brand synonymous to world-class entertainment and lifestyle attractions. Situated in the periphery of the NAIA Airport terminals, the lifestyle hub is sensibly the first choice for tourists who seek a splendid holiday in Manila. Being a prime haven of superlative hotels, world-class entertainment, an array of the most sumptuous international cuisines, a lavish shopping complex, and more enticing attractions, Resorts World Manila is also the perfect place for every lifestyle enthusiast as it stands out among the rest with its complete range of amenities and attractions that is all within reach. Experience the genuine Filipino congeniality twinned with a deluxe sophistication that is at par with the best in the world and revel in the diverse leisure pursuits that only Resorts World Manila can offer. Ticket To First-Class Relaxation At Resorts World Manila, guests are always welcome to a lavish and relaxing first-class abode. With three world-class hotels in its estate, Resorts World Manila has everything you need for a soothing and tranquil stay. The first all-suite luxury hotel in the country, MAXIMS Hotel offers you its exclusive features in-

cluding the latest in hotel technology and an inimitable butler service fit for royalty 24/7. With 168 Suites, 3 Royal Villas, and 1 Presidential Suite. MARRIOTT caters to the astute traveler with its internationally recognized first-class service and superb amenities for both business and leisure. Check-in at any of MARRIOTT’s 323 Guest Rooms, and 19 Suites. Resorts World Manila also caters to the prudent backpacker who wants to get the most reasonable rates without sacrificing quality. Lodge in at the REMINGTON Hotel, and stay in one of its 623 Standard Rooms, and 89 Serviced Apartments. Be it for corporate trips or grand leisure holidays, Resorts World Manila’s line of hotels can provide the unmatched executive service and accommodation that our valued guests truly deserve. Welcome To The Perfect Getaway Resorts World Manila is the perfect getaway for local and foreign tourists as it stands out among the rest with its complete range of amenities and attractions to suit its guests’ every need, pioneering the incorporation of assorted lifestyle options in one accessible complex. The newest and most exclusive lifestyle scene is also at Resorts World Manila, with the advent of the Genting Club for member executives who wish to relax and unwind in a plush setting. The chief venture of

leisure and entertainment specialist Travellers International Hotel Group, Inc., which is a joint venture between corporate titans Alliance Global Group, Inc. and Genting Hong Kong, Resorts World Manila offers free membership to its patrons who wish to avail of the many offers and promos of the lifestyle hub. An extensive range of lifestyle pursuits is within

reach at Resorts World Manila, and the first class service and atmosphere, which it provides its guests, only gives verity to its stamp as a world-class haven where nothing truly compares. For more information on membership, reservations, show schedules, and other details, visit us at www. rwmanila.com or call the Tourist Hotline at (02) 9088833.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 46 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, MAY 19-20, 2013

EDGEDAVAO

ENTERTAINMENT

Pregnant Beyoncé hits the stage in Switzerland PREGNANCY hasn’t slowed Beyoncé down one bit. Well, exhaustion may have kept her from performing in Belgium, but she was back onstage Friday when the Mrs. Carter Show World Tour touched down in Zurich, Switzerland at Hallenstadion Arena. And isn’t the not-showing-yet superstar a vision? Bey’s next show is tomorrow in Milan, after which she’ll hit eight more cities (including Antwerp, the city

she had to regretfully cancel on) before capping the European leg of her tour in

London on June 1. A source tells E! News, which first broke the news that Blue Ivy was going to be a big sister, that Mrs. Shawn Carter’s pregnancy will most likely not affect her North American dates, starting with a June 28 show at Los Angeles’ Staples Center. Perhaps she’ll make a 2011 MTV VMAs-style announcement on one of those nights and give the crowd just one more reason to cheer.

Jennifer Lawrence wows in white during Catching Fire party before almost actually catching fire JENNIFER Lawrence rocked the red black carpet. The actress stunned last night at The Hunger Games: Catching Fire party during the Cannes Film Festival, when she slipped into this gorgeous, white strapless Christian Dior dress with a printed detail on the side, which was accentuated by her bright fuchsia Manolo Blahnik pointed stilettos. Lawrence was also joined on the carpet by her costars Liam Hemsworth and Sam Claflin, and director Francis Lawrence. While partying in the VIP section Saturday night, J.Law

almost actually became the Girl on Fire. No, seriously. An 8-foot column with a platter of candles reportedly fell on top of her and

Hemsworth, but luckily no one caught on fire (no pun intended—OK, maybe a little), and the duo seemed to laugh it off.

Kristen Stewart “heartbroken” over Robert Pattinson break-up KRISTEN STEWART and tending Coachella and issues up until yesterday. Robert Pattinson have spending time together in They felt this was best for called it quits...for now. New York, where Kristen at- the time being. A source tells E! News the Twilight stars broke up Saturday, after more than three years of dating. Although those close to the couple believe this will be just a temporary split, the source said K. Stew is “heartbroken” and “so sad” over the break-up. “They are going to stay living at Kristen’s house because of the dogs,” the source continued. “It’s not fully over or he would have moved out.” After proving they could make it through a rough patch after Kristen cheated on R.Patz with Snow White and the Huntsman director Rupert Sanders, the couple looked like they were back on for good, doing everything from celebrating Kristen’s 23rd birthday to at-

tended the Met Gala. However, things started to get rocky for the onscreen, off-screen couple after that fashionable affair. Kristen was reportedly planning a birthday get together for Rob, who quietly turned 27 last week, however, reports state the actor ditched those plans. Meanwhile, the pair hasn’t been spotted together since they landed at LAX on May 8. A source tells us the root of the couple’s break-up is “priorities” and the pair had been trying to iron our their

Robsten fans shouldn’t get too down over the couple’s split, though. “They will be back together in no time,” the source said.

INdulge! A3

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 6 ISSUE 46 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, MAY 19-20, 2013

PLACES

Lounge chic haven By Kenneth Irving Ong

ASK anybody about having a good time in Davao City past nine pm in the weekend and one would be hard-pressed to find a decent place to go to unwind. Blame it on a lack of design savvy or a lack of service training, but places where one can lounge about and socialise with friends are rarity in Durianburg and it is this frustration that made a group of friends composed of young Dabawenyo entrepreneurs open Oak & Barrel.

Located at the Autoshop compound, Oak & Barrel is immediately cozy and inviting, doing away with a boring wall and instead opening up the bar with a huge glass wall in the front. The bar’s high ceiling and open layout makes sure that guests can socialise with each other while not feeling cramped in unlike most bars that dot Durianburg. The interior of the bar is an eclectic mix of modern with hints of old world details. I love the sketch-up wall art as well as the wide blackboard where the bar’s food offerings are scrawled on. Cocktail tables that are located on the outdoor area resemble huge barrels which add to the appeal

and look of the place. More lounge-like than a drinking hole, Oak & Barrel also provides comfy nooks as well as proper seating inside for urbanites to just chill and relax. The sound level of the house tunes they play is also toned down a bit to ensure

that conversations can be heard and one need not to shout at each other for the latest gossip or happenings. Owing to its name, Oak & Barrel serves wines as well as spirits and various imported and local beers. The concept is to fuse all the social drinks togeth-

er under one cozy place where people can choose whatever kind of drink they want. And based on the happy clicking of glasses and occasional giggles and laughs, I have a feeling the Oak & Barrel is just what the Dabawenyo urbanite wants.

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 •TUEDAY, MAY 21, 2013

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Zach attacked Spurs handle Zach, rout Grizzlies in Game 1

WRESTLING. Memphis Grizzlies guard Jarryd Bayless (7) wrestles a rebound away from San Antonio Spurs center Boris Diaw (33) and San Antonio Spurs guard Cory

Joseph (5) during Game 1 of the Western Conference Finals in San Antonio, TX. (Nikki Boertman/The Commercial Appeal)

AN ANTONIO (AP) -- The San Antonio Spurs opened the Western Conference finals resembling the past champions who’ve been there so many times before. The Memphis Grizzlies looked like the first-timers still trying to adapt to their first conference finals appearance. Tony Parker had 20 points and nine assists, Kawhi Leonard scored 18 points and the Spurs struck first by beating Memphis 105-83 on Sunday. San Antonio raced out to a 17-point lead in the first quarter, then came up with a response when Memphis rallied to get within six in the second half. Both teams pulled their starters with over 5 minutes left and the Spurs leading by 21. ‘’I can promise you this: Nobody’s happy in our locker room, because we were up 2-0 (in the West finals) last year and we lost,’’ Parker said. ‘’It’s just one game. It means nothing. We still have a long way to go.’’ The Spurs avoided a repeat of their Game 1 loss when the teams met two years ago in the first round. The Grizzlies went on to knock San Antonio out of the playoffs as the top seed that time. Memphis has lost its opener in each round in this year’s playoffs, re-

Herrera arrives for Pinoy Pride XX

Rafa, Serena win in Rome M

OME (Reuters) Rafa Nadal made short work of his great rivalRoger Federer to win the Italian Open, his sixth trophy of the year, 6-1 6-3 on Sunday. The crowd sitting in the sunshine at Rome’s Foro Italico watched Nadal race to victory in 69 minutes on the red clay. The Spaniard, back in his best form after last year’s long injury layoff, spent less time on court than Serena Williams who won her fourth consecutive tour title when she thrashed former world number one Victoria Azarenka 6-1 6-3 to take the women’s title earlier on Sunday. Nadal, seeded fifth, dominated the first set, winning 20 of 25 points

at one stage, as the Swiss second seed produced a string of unforced errors. Federer raised his game in the second set, breaking a nine-game losing streak to go 1-3, but Nadal was in no mood to slow down. Despite being broken as he served for the match at 5-1, Nadal went on to complete his 36th win in 38 matches this year. “It’s a very important day, a very happy day for me after a difficult year last year,” Nadal, speaking in Italian, told the crowd after the trophy presentation. “It is really emotional for me to win a tournament with such a long history as Rome. See you next year.” Nadal, 11 times a

grand-slam winner, was sidelined for seven months with a knee problem and said he was delighted to be back in form. “I am just enjoying the moment and valuing it more than ever because I know where we were just a few months ago,” he said. “Being here a few months later with all I have achieved is really more than a dream.” American Williams, who has not lost a match since Azarenka defeated her in the Doha final in February, completely overpowered the Belarussian in the women’s final. The top-seeded Williams, 31, hit nine aces and 41 winners in the two sets, taking 93 minutes for victory. Her win, 11 years after

she won her only previous Rome title, follows successes in Miami, Charleston and Madrid and will give her confidence for the French Open which starts next weekend. “It wasn’t easy, nothing is ever easy,” Williams said. “Last year I was feeling excellent on clay but didn’t do that great at Roland Garros; this year I’m cautious and I want to work hard and stay focused and win every point I play, and not slack at all.” Williams admitted that she would, however, allow herself one deviation from her usually strict training diet - an Italian ice cream. “This is what I was waiting for,” she said. “I’ll have pistachio - it’s the only one I get.”

covering from an 0-2 hole in the first round against the Los Angeles Clippers and an 0-1 deficit against Oklahoma City in the West semifinals. Game 2 is Tuesday night in San Antonio. ‘’We just didn’t play well. It’s not anything specific,’’ coach Lionel Hollins said. ‘’It’s just that we were running too fast, we missed some layups, we were taking bad shots and our defense was really awful. And the Spurs played well.’’ The NBA’s stingiest defense wasn’t up to its usual standards, allowing the Spurs to hit 53 percent of their shots and a franchise postseason-record 14 3-pointers while All-Star power forward Zach Randolph struggled. Randolph had just two points, getting his only basket with 9:26 left in the game. He had a playoff-best 28 points and 14 rebounds in his last game, as Memphis eliminated defending West champ Oklahoma City in Game 5 on Wednesday night. ‘’Obviously, he’s their best scorer. He’s a beast inside,’’ Parker said. ‘’We know he’s not going to play like that every game. It’s just sometimes it happens.’’ The Grizzlies started to rally as soon as Randolph came out of the game for the first time in the second half.

EXICAN fighter Aaron “La Joya” Herrera arrived in Cebu City for Pinoy Pride XX as the challenger of Jason “El Nino” Pagarra for the WBO International Light Welterweight Championship bout this Saturday, May 25, 2013 at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino. Aaron Herrera has a record of 25 wins (KO 17), lost 1 (KO 0), 0 draw with a total of26 fights having a KO% of 65.38 compared to Jason Pagara who has a record of 30wins (KO 19), lost 2 (KO 0), 0 draw with32 fights in total having a KO% of 59.38. Aaron Herrera left from Merida, Yucata, Mexico last May 18, 2013. As per Team Herrera before they left Mexico “what we can assure you is that Aaron Herrera is having first-

line preparation and will be at war come Saturday and is very confident that he will win over Pagara” Pinoy Pride XX will also be featuring Genesis “Azukal” Servana fighting against Indonesia’s no. 1 rated Super-Flyweight fighter Isack Junior and Jimrez “The Executioner” Jaca fighting against a former WBC lightweight Champion from Mexico, Jose Emilio Perea. Tickets are already available for purchase and reservations at the following outlets: ALA Gym at the BTC, ALA Gym PaseoArcenas in Banawa, ALA Gym Bridges Town in Mandaue, Pacific Mall Mandaue, SM City Cebu, SM City Consolaciom, ALA Promotions Office and at the Waterfront Cebu City Hotel and Casino lobby.

VOL. 6 ISSUE 47 • TUESDAY, MAY 21, 2013

Davao’s Corteza wins China 9–Ball Open D

AVAO City’s Lee Van Corteza placed the Philippines on top of the billiards world again after winning the 2013 China Open 9-ball in Shanghai, one of the biggest pool tournaments in the world. Playing with his trademarked calm and cool demeanor, all the while exhibiting a deadly stroke and a fierce, quiet fortitude, Corteza staked his claim to stardom today as he defeated Taiwanese veteran Fu Che Wei in the finals. The win means that the China Open title remains in the Philippines at least one more year, as Corteza’s win follows countryman Dennis Orcollo’s victory in 2012. The victory, besting a quality field of 64 top players from around the globe, is easily Corteza’s biggest to date in a professional career that has spanned nearly two decades. For the last five of those years, Corteza’s pedigree had already been established far and wide. Everywhere he has played fellow players and fans could see that under Corteza’s humble veneer and boyish smile lays a deadly serious and focused professional with a noticeable swagger that oozed confidence. This is a man who has something inside him that doesn’t allow him to flinch under pressure. This is a man who knows how to close out a match. All of these traits were on full display today in front of over 500 people at the Shanghai Pudong Yuanshen Stadium arena. The match was played at an extremely high quality with 12 of the 17 played racks being break and run outs. The outcome turned on just a few mistakes, and it was Corteza who took advantage and nailed the door shut every time he was given the opportunity. As they had all week, both Corteza and Fu remained untouchable in their respective semi-final matchups which took place earlier on Sunday morning. Corteza easily defeated surprise entry Omar Al-Shaheen of Kuwait, 11 – 3. Fu put a halt to the marvelous run of former two-time world champion Wu Jiajing, 11 – 8. In the finals, the 34 year old Corteza won the lag and broke and cleared the first rack in the alternate break match. The pair traded racks and neither missed a single ball as the Filipino led 2-1. Corteza’s first chance to gain some distance came in rack four when he cleared off a Fu miss on the 1-ball to take a 3-1 lead. Corteza broke and ran the next rack to move up 4-1. The Filipino would never be threatened the rest of the way. Fu continued to play well, and continued to break and run racks, but so did Corteza plunking the cue

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ball dead square in the center of the table on the break and potting 2, 3 and once even 4 balls. Down 7-5, Fu had a brilliant opportunity to narrow the lead in rack 13 when Corteza scratched. Fu was clearing the table beautifully until he missed an easy 8-ball and was soon down 8-5. Fu forced a foul in the next rack to close to 8-6, but Corteza, as all great champions do, put pedal to the medal and sprinted home, while Fu wilted down the stretch. Corteza won going away, 11-6. Afterwards the low key Corteza was typically reserved, but the satisfaction of his accomplishment was all too clear. “I’m so happy right now I really don’t know what to say,” Corteza said. “This tournament is so hard there are so many good players. I tried not to be under pressure and I really enjoyed myself this match. That was one of the keys today. I was relaxed. And that also helped me to stay focused the whole time. “For me this means a lot to win this tournament. It’s been three years since I won a big tournament. And the way I won this, playing really well and of course I get a few lucky rolls, this is going to give me a lot of confidence in the coming months. This is a big win for my career.” As expected Fu was disappointed as the loss meant his second defeat in the final of major in the course of one year. In 2012 he lost in the finals of the World 8-ball championship in Fujairah, United Arab Emirates to fellow Taiwanese Chang Jung Lin. Fu indicated that while he was playing well all week, he could never get 100% comfortable with the new tip he had put on his cue stick the just before the China Open began. “I had a problem with my cue tip today,” Fu said through an interpreter. “Just before the tournament I changed my tip and I’m really not used to it. But before rack 13 I felt like I was playing good. Then when I missed that 8-ball in that rack, that was it. After that I didn’t play good. And he also played good. He deserves to be the champion.” For the victory Corteza takes home $40,000 while Fu pockets $20,000. The World Pool-Billiard Association(WPA) is the world governing body of the sport of pool.

DAVAO PRIDE. Former US 9-Ball Open champion Lee Van Corteza from Davao City, shown here in file photo, won the China 9-Ball Open.

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