Edge Davao 7 Issue 224 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

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VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

PLAY TIME. Royal Mandaya Hotel K-9 handlers hold on to the dog cords of Princess (left) and Bruno (right) as the two canines play with each other before being deployed to their respective assigned areas at the hotel’s premises yesterday. Some establishments in Davao City have tightened their security after the deadly clash in Mamasapano, Maguindanao last Sunday. Lean Daval Jr.

MILF PROBES CLASH By JON JOAQUIN and ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

HE Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) is forming a Special Investigative Commission (SIC) to investigate last Sunday’s deadly Mamasapano, Maguindanao incident. “Our concern is the truth. There will be a lot of speculations as to what happened, and until what happened is established with credibility and integrity, the said incident will weigh down our current efforts to bring peace to our homeland,” MILF chair Mohagher Iqbal said in an

official statement on the incident. At least 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the PNP were killed Sunday in clashes with the MILF and with the Bangsmaoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) when the SAF, apparently without coordinating with the local mlitary and police as well as the peace process mechanisms of the government and MILF’s Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and Ad Hoc Joint Ac-

tion Group (AHJAG), entered Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town before dawn Sunday, allegedly to serve the warrants of arrest against the two high-value targets. Iqbal said in order to give meaning to the deaths of the police officers and MILF men, “we must resolve not to let something like happen again.” He said the MILF is convening a Special Investigative Commission (SIC) to investigate the incident. The SIC will be composed of members of

the MILF Central Committee and the Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Forces (BIAF) General Staff. “The mandate of the SIC is to gather as much reliable information and interview witnesses to establish the truth,” Iqbal said. “The SIC is given instruction to come up with a report to the Central Committee as soon as possible,” he added. The incident is apparently endangering the peace process, with two senators

FMILF, 14

INSIDE EDGE

THEY FINALLY MEET

Manny and Floyd exchange phone numbers at Heat game

SPORTS page 15

2 THE BIG NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

IN MOURNING. The Philippine flag in front of City Hall flies at half mast as the city government of Davao honors the 44 members of the Philippine National Police Special Action Force (PNP-SAF) killed in Mamasapano, Maguindanao by the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) last Sunday. Lean Daval Jr.

We just assisted in evacuation of dead, wounded: US Embassy U

S troops were not involved in the operations Sunday to get high-value targets Zulkifli bin HIr aka Marwan of the Jemaah Islamiyah and Abdulbasit Usman of the Abu Sayyaf, in Mamasapan town, Kurt Hoyer, Press Attache and spokesperson of the US Embassy in Manila said. Hoyer told MindaNews in a text message Tuesday morning that “at the request of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, US service members serving in JSOTF-P (Joint Special Operations Task

Force-Philippines) responded to assist in evacuation of dead and wounded after the firefight in Maguindanao.” “For details of the operation and its purpose, please check with PNP (Philippine National Police),” Hoyer said. At least 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the Philippine National Police were killed Sunday in clashes with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and with the Bangsmaoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) here when the SAF, apparently without

coordinating with the local mlitary and police as well as the peace process mechanisms of the government and MILF’s Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), entered Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town before dawn Sunday, allegedly to serve the warrants of arrest against the two high-value targets. Twelve other SAF personnel were reported injured while at least 10 MILF guerrillas were reported killed.

Local Governmetns Secretary Mar Roxas told a press conference in Cotabato City on Monday afternoon it was a “legitimate law enforcement action.” Unseen hand? Two days after the tragedy, officials have kept mum over who issued the order to send the troops to Mamasapano and why the issuing authority did not coordinate, given the policy of the Aquino administration on the “primacy of the peace process” and the timing of the operations.

Sunday was a day before the Senate was to conduct a hearing on the questions of constitutionality of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) and the House of Representatives’ Ad Hoc Committee on the BBL was about to start its executive committee meetings. The OIC PNP chief himself, Deputy Director General Leonardo Espina admitted in a press conference Tuesday in Manila that he was not informed about the SAF operations in Mamasapano. Espina’s admission further

Coordinating Committees on Cessation of Hostilities (CCCH) and Ad Hoc Joint Action Group (AHJAG), entered Barangay Tukanalipao in Mamasapano town before dawn Sunday, allegedly to serve the warrants of arrest against the two high-value targets. Twelve other SAF personnel were reported injured while at least 10 MILF guerrillas were reported killed. For his part, 10th Infantry Division Commander Major General Eduardo Año said it would have been better if the operatives had waited for their target to leave the MILF territory to effect his arrest.

“In my view, if you have a target person there that you need to apprehend, you need to wait for the target to go out of the area and apprehend him instead of entering those places,” he said. He said Mamasapano is part of what the military calls the SPMS (Sharrif Aguak, Pagatin, Mamasapano and Salbo) which is a known terrain of the MILF, Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter (BIFF), and Jemaah Islamiyah (JI). “In the SPMS most of the people residing there are relatives, so if you will attack one of them the tendency is they will help each other,” he said.

NE soldier died in an ambush in the vicinity of a telecommunications tower in Purok Mangga, Barangay Paquibato, Paquibato District, yesterday morning. According to 10th Infantry Division Major General Eduardo Año, two soldiers under the 69th Infantry Battalion were conducting Peace and Development Outreach Program (PDOP) at the said place when they were ambushed. “The two soldiers were specifically heading to the hospital because one of them is suffering an ear infection. While they were passing at the vicinity they were ambushed

AFP allays fears of conflict spillover By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

ASTERN Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) chief Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad yesterday said there is little possibility of a spillover of conflict to other areas of Mindanao after last Sunday’s deadly misencounter in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Speaking to reporters in yesterday’s Armed Forces of the Philippines-Philippine National Police (AFP-PNP) press corps media conference at The Royal Mandaya Hotel, Baladad said the possibility of a spillover or even another encounter is “very minor” because talks between the Philippine government and the Moro Is-

lamic Liberation Front (MILF) are now ongoing. “There is less probability that there will be another encounter. In my opinion the arrival of Marines in Cotabato City does not necessarily mean a reinforcement. It may just be routinary,” he said. At least 44 members of the Special Action Force (SAF) of the PNP were killed Sunday in clashes with the MILF and with the Bangsmaoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF) when the SAF, apparently without coordinating with the local mlitary and police as well as the peace process mechanisms of the government and MILF’s

bolstered speculations over social media that an unseen hand, referring to the United States government, may have been behind the operations. Hoyer denied this. Roxas told reporters in Camp Crame Tuesday that he had no idea why US troops were in Shariff Aguak and Cotabato on Monday. GMA News TV quoted Roxas as saying, “Baka kasama sa Balikatan, base is 6th ID ng AFP, baka andun sila providing whatever logistical support sa AFP. AFP

FWE, 14

Soldier killed in NPA ambush

by the New People’s Army (NPA),” Año said. One of the soldiers was killed in the attack while the other one, identified as Corporal Franey Neyra, managed to escape and report the ambush to the nearest detachment. Año said the rebels belonged to the Pulang Bagani Command (PBC) 1. Año condemned the ambush, calling it”‘obtrusive.” “I’m asking everybody, including human rights groups, to join us in the call for justice and make sure that we condemn the actions of the NPA,” he said. By Funny Pearl A. Gajunera

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS

DMEMS given deadline to clean up commissary

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Health Office (CHO) gave the Davao Medical Education Management Services (DMEMS), the company that operates three dormitories for Indian medical students of the Davao Medical School Foundation (DMSF), five days to comply with the structural requirement for its commissary. In an interview, CHO environment and sanitation head Robert L. Oconer told reporters that is DMSF does not comply with the order, “we will recommend to the Mayor for the total closure of the establishment.” He said the five-day period started last Monday afternoon. The CHO team will return on Friday to see if the management has complied with the requirements. He said the structural requirements to keep pests like rats and flies out at the DMEMS commissary at DMSsF Drive were still at “zero” as of last Monday. Oconer said the DMEMS

dormitory in Margarita Village, named Happy Home Dormitory, also has a structural violation, while the one along Jacinto Street has no violations. He said sanitation-wise, the three dormitories have no problems because management has improved them. Based on the CHO report dated January 14, the garbage bins at Happy Home Dormitory had no covers and plastic liners. Some of the toilet doors had no door knobs and some are damaged. Also, there were no proper fire exits in the building. The employees also have no health cards, the report said. The University Park Suites and Residences in Jacinto Street, for its part, has a business permit but not a sanitary permit to operate. The garbage bins have no covers and plastic liners, the report said. In the commissary at DMSF road, the dormitory has

LIKE A WALK IN THE PARK. Pedestrians conveniently walk at the side street near City Hall as Traffic Management Center (TMC) imposed stricter parking rules

FDMEMS, 14 in an effort to address traffic congestion in the area. Lean Daval Jr.

4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

EXECUTION. Eastern Mindanao Command (EastMinCom) chief Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad shows a photo of the body of former rebel Celso Villarin, who was allegedly executed by the New People’s Army (NPA),

which was exhumed in Lupon, Davao Oriental. Baladad was a guest of yesterday’s AFP-PNP press corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel. Lean Daval Jr.

Port developer planning to build own coastal road By CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

N official of the Davao City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) said Manila-based Mega Harbour Port Development Corp. is planning to build a coastal road running from R. Castillo Avenue to its proposed port in the reclamation area in Bucana. “The CPDO came up with a recommendation that the investor should build a completely separate road if it will pursue its port operation because based on our assessment, the operation of the port will have an impact on our traffic situation,” CPDO plans and programs division chief Engineer Jose Froilan T. Rigor said in an interview yesterday. Rigor said the operation of the port will bring in more cargo trucks and trailer trucks that might cause traffic

congestion in the downtown area. “The size of the Quimpo Boulevard is not big enough to cater to more vehicles. That’s impossible,” he said. Rigor said the proposed road has an estimated cost of P200 million. He said Mega Harbour is currently revising its plan due to its impact on traffic as well on settlers along the coastal area of the city. “Hopefully, they can do better,” he said. Rigor said the 200-hectare reclamation project might expand up to 400 hectare instead of the original plan to make a reclamation project which is 150 meters away from the mainland. The original proposal of the group was to start the project from Magsaysay Park

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DavNorte seeks ways to reopen provincial roads

HE Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Davao del Norte has tasked its legal committee to tap the provincial legal officer to find all legal remedies available to reopen provincial roads that had been closed last year by the Davao del Norte Penal Colony and Farm (Dapecol) management for fear of the Panama disease. During the SP session Monday, provincial engineer Raul Mabanglo reported to the provincial board that his engineering team could not yet pass the road to construct barrier canals, fences, tire baths, and other structures deemed vital for the reopening of the El Canto road in Barangay Bobongon and La Libertad road in Barangay

Balagunan, Sto. Tomas, Davao del Norte. The closure of the roads has caused inconvenience to thousands of people in at least six barangays located within the plantations of Tadeco and private growers as they were deprived of shortcut roads leading to other barangays and the national highway. Dapecol management closed the roads early last year reportedly on request of Tadeco, the country’s largest banana firm, which its management subsequently denied. Dapecol prison superintendent Venju Tesoro later owned up to the closure following advice from higher officials of Bureau of

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City to bring Araw ng Davao, Kadayawan fests nationwide By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City government is set to bring the Araw ng Davao and Kadayawan Festival celebrations nationwide. City Council committee on tourism and beautification chair councilor Al Ryan Alejandre said the city will promote the festivals nationwide to bring more visitors in. “Actually, isa ni sa mga gusto ni Mayor Rody (Rodrigo R. Duterte) na ma abot ta sa Luzon, ma abot

ta sa Visayas, ma abot ta partly Mindanao sa pagpromote nato sa Araw ng Davao and this coming Kadayawan (Actually, Mayor Rody wants it to reach Luzon, Visayas, and other parts of Mindanao in promoting Araw ng Davao and Kadayawan),” Alejandre said. He said a team has already prepared advertising materials for the Araw ng Davao celebration which will be released in February. Alejandre said the city

will distribute promotional materials and billboards all over the country telling the people to come and join the city’s celebration and see its beauty. Meanwhile, Aleajandre said since the election is just a year away, the executive committee is expecting more politicians to join the Araw ng Davao celebration. “It is probably one of the things that we would also expect, that there are politicians who will join us this year. We do not know

Tagum City Hall, suppliers getting ready for court battle

SECURITY SITUATION. Police Regional Office (PIO) 11 public information officer Superintendent Antonio Rivera talks about the security situation in Davao City following the deadly clash last Sunday between the Philippine National Police

Special Action Force and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters and Moro Islamic Liberation Front in Mamasapano, Maguindanao. Rivera graced the AFP-PNP press corps media forum at The Royal Mandaya Hotel yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

who they are,” he said. Alejandre said the committee is planning to expand the stage at Rizal Park fronting San Pedro Street because of the expected presence of more politicians. He said thee committees will set guidelines for the politicians to speak, adding they are only allowed to speak during the Civic Parade. Alejandre said the committee is yet to convene to discuss the events of the celebration.

AGUM City Mayor Allan Rellon and suppliers are both girding for court battle on the termination of contracts on the deliveries of materials to the new City Hall amounting to more than P200 million. City legal counsel Arman Seras said Rellon is “ready for the expected legal issue” that would arise following the final termination of contracts of the questioned deliveries. He said the affected suppliers had received the final termination letters of the city government two weeks ago. This developed as the office of Mayor Rellon bared that a total of P612 million have so far been spent on the project. Seras said Rellon’s decision to terminate the contracts has the “full support” of the advisory

committee created for the completion of the new City Hall. The advisory committee is composed of the mayor, City Vice Mayor Geterito Gementiza, the City Council’s infrastructure committee chair, and representatives of the Commission on Audit (COA) and Development Bank of the Philippines (DBP). In earlier interview, Rellon had said he will not be paying for the slightly over P200 million worth of deliveries of materials that suppliers had claimed had already been used for the construction of the still unfinished new City Hall during the time of former Mayor Rey T. Uy. Rellon said the deliveries were “questionable” and “had not been delivered” for use by the new City Hall in

FTAGUM, 14

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

BFAR 11 to implement moratorium on issuance of fishing vessel licenses By CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

HE Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 11 will implement a moratorium on the issuance of license and other clearances on commercial fishing vessels and fishing gears starting this June and for the next three years. BFAR regulatory division chief Jose Villanueva on Wednesday said the moratorium is needed to reduce the number of fishing vessels and fishing gears used in the Davao Gulf and other bodies of water surrounding the region. The increasing number of fishing vessels, he said, have caused exploitation of the marine life. “The moratorium will not be only implemented in the region but also in other region. Based on our studies most fishing grounds in country are marked “red” because it’s already over-exploited and there’s presence of heavy fishing effort,” Villanueva said. Based on the BFAR administrative Circular No. 253 series of 2014 dated October 8,2014, the moratorium was

arrived at after result of a study in 2008 by the National Fisheries Research and Development Institute showed there was “heavy exploitation rate in nine of major bays and gulfs attributed to unabated fishing pressure and destructive fishing practices.” A study also by the National Stock Assessment Program (NSAP) of the Department of Agriculture-National Fisheries Research and Development Institute (DA-NFRDI) revealed that “exploitation levels of most if not all commercial pelagic species for the last five years have exceeded estimates of potential yield.” Villanueva said that aside from the studies, the Article 192 of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea which Philippines is a signee mandated the bureau to protect and preserve the marine environment. He added that article 7.2.8 of the Code of Conduct for Responsible Fisheries (CCRF ) that urge the state “to take measures to prevent or eliminate overfishing and excess fishing capacity and to ensure

that levels of fishing effort are commensurate with the sustainable use of fishery resources.” In view of these premises and as part of precautionary approach to fisheries management, BFAR will implement the moratorium on issuance of clearances and permits on commercial fishing vessels and gears. Commercial catcher fishing vessel, as describe in the order, are “any boat, ship or other watercraft 3.1 gross tons and above, equipped to be used for taking fishery species.” Gears, on the other hand, may include surrounding nets, seine nets, trawls, gill nets, scoop nets, liftnets, falling gear, traps hook and line, drive-in nets and dredges. The moratorium will apply to any commercial fishing vessel utilizing all types of nets and gears whether active or passive; conversion of passenger or cargo vessels into fishing vessels; to owners of unregistered and unlicensed commercial fishing vessels

FBFAR 11, 14

COMMITMENT FOR AGRICULTURE. Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima meets with Her Majesty Queen Maxima of the Netherlands, who serves as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for De-

velopment (UNSGSA) on January 22. Secretary Purisima and HM Queen Maxima discussed Philippine efforts on financial inclusion and promoting SMEs, with a focus on increasing commitments to supporting the agriculture industry.

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

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New Durian Hotel to have 600 rooms By Antonio M. Ajero

NEW hotel will rise on the site where the mothballed Durian Hotel is located along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Bajada, Davao City. It will have a total of 600 rooms, making it the biggest hotel in the Davao Region. This was learned

from a source in the hotel industry who requested anonymity for lack of authority to speak on the matter. The source added that construction of the hotel will start in June this year. At present, the biggest hotel is Marco Polo Davao with 250 rooms.

N a bid to fast track the implementation of projects under its flagship Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP), the Department of Agriculture (DA) is planning to establish a special processing unit for the initiative. Agriculture Undersecretary Emerson Palad, PRDP national project director, said they are currently studying the mechanisms for the proposed special unit, which will mainly handle the processing of requirements for sub-projects that will be covered by the program. “We’re looking at creating a separate processing unit in the central office that will have a dedicated staff who will exclusively cater to PRDP projects,” he said in a press conference here on Monday afternoon. Palad, who was here for the Mindanao leg of the World Bank’s review mission for the PRDP, said the bank already endorsed the move as a strategy to further fast track the implementation of the P27.5 billion program. The official said they pushed for the creation of the special unit to help speed up the processing and approval of various requirements involving PRDP projects. He said the move is also

aimed to facilitate the early release of funds and the implementation of the projects. Palad acknowledged that a number of projects have been facing delay in terms of implementation due to the failure of their proponent local government units in complying with the requirements. He said among them was the municipal government of Isulan in Sultan Kudarat province, which proposed for nine farm-to-market road projects worth around P213 million. Isulan officials earlier said it took them about year to comply with the requirements of their sub-projects that included detailed engineering designs, feasibility studies as well as social and environmental impact studies. “We’re hoping to address these concerns with the establishment and activation of the proposed processing unit,” he said. Palad said they are presently waiting for the completion of the DA’s rationalization program to allow the proper assignment of personnel to the new unit. He said the implementation of the plan is currently ongoing and they are specifically filling up vacancies in the agency’s major unit with regular workers. (MindaNews)

Processing unit for PDRP projects under study I

NEDA gears up for APEC Senior Officials’meeting

HE National Economic and Development Authority is host to five related meetings of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation First Senior Officials’ Meeting (APEC SOM1) from January 31 to February 7, 2015 in Clark Freeport Zone, Pampanga. The NEDA serves as focal agency to the meeting of the Economic Committee (EC), EC Workshops on the APEC New Strategy for Structural Reform (ANSSR), Joint EC- Group on Services (GOS) Meeting, and the Seminar on United Nations Commission on International Trade Law (UNCITRAL) Model Law Instruments. Deputy Director-General Emmanuel F. Esguerra serves as the convenor of the GOS, and as chair of the meeting of the APEC Policy

Support Unit (PSU) Board. “The turnout of the GOS meeting is something to look forward to because there are potential gains that the Filipinos can enjoy from this industry as we move toward a greater regional economic integration,” said Esguerra. Meanwhile, the Economic Committee and its related workshops and activities will focus on the committee’s contributions to the APEC 2015 priorities, structural reforms and their implementation. DDG Esguerra is the Vice Senior Official of the Philippine delegation to the Senior Officials’ Meetings while Economic Planning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan will speak on the Philippine experience in structural reform at the ANSSR workshop on February 2.

Being built still along J.P. Laurel Avenue (also known as Davao-Agusan Highway) this time in Lanang, near SM Lanang Premier, is a 300-room hotel tentatively called JTC Tower Hotel (after the name of its reported owner, Mayor Jose T. Cuyos of Rosario,Agusan del

Sur, a mining town.) The Durian Hotel and site were reportedly acquired by its new owners from the Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company at a price of some P400 million. The new owners also reportedly acquired a portion of land near the Victoria Plaza,

the city’s oldest and first mall, which will become the new entrance of the hotel. The entrance of the old Durian Hotel was located along J. P. Laurel Avenue, which was not ideal because it was so close to the street. Also an unconfirmed

report said that the hotel will actually be a complex of three buildings. Once the hotel is completed, Davao City will have a total of 9,000 hotel rooms, according to Ms Eden L. David, chief tourism operations officer of the Department of Tourism in Region 11.

The indigenous peoples community of Tagum engage in dressmaking and beadworks craft-making skills with the help from the Department of Labor and Employment and the City Government of Tagum. (Leo Timogan/CIO Tagum)

Indigenous peoples engage in livelihood project

IFFERENT tribes that comprise the Indigenous peoples and cultural communities here engaged in arts and crafts cum livelihood project for Indigenous People. The project, a joint undertaking funded by the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) and the City Government of Tagum, was implemented under the Grassroots Participatory Budgeting Process (GPBP). The GBPB is a budgeting process implemented by the national government

to make governance and public resources allocation more responsive to local needs, thus contributing to poverty reduction and inclusive growth. The project has a total amount of P250, 000.00, twenty percent of which is being shouldered by the City Government of Tagum. The city, through the Tribal Affairs Office, identified 40 members of the indigenous tribes from the different barangays as beneficiaries of the project. These tribe members, who are residents of Barangays

Nueva Fuerza, Pagsabangan, Canocotan and Magugpo East, had a training on tribal dress making and beadworks making. The Public Employment Services Office facilitated the training and will also coordinate with other Tagum-based peoples organizations which were granted funds through the GPBP. The training was conducted in accordance with Mayor Allan L. Rellon’s developmental thrust on education, employment and culture, and is likewise es-

poused in the Indigenous Peoples Rights Act of 1997, which prescribes the recognition, respect, and protection of the rights of IP/CCs to preserve and develop their cultures, traditions, values and institutions. The ongoing activity-training, which formally started on January 21 at the Tribal Museum, had its opening ceremony on January 20. The training will end on February 10, which will also be the graduation ceremony of the rainees. (Richi D. Gulle of CIO Tagum)

projects under SLP. Rebecca Santamaria, DSWD-XI assistant regional director for operations, said the agency engages with partners and takes direction from the framework “Bantay, Gabay, Tulay at Kaagapay” that ensures transparency and capabilities enhancement for the program implementation. Santamaria bared that the agency has allocated a budget amounting to P291 million for the SLP this year, saying “With this big budget, we need help from partners to tightly watch over the implementation of projects.. We need stewardship

for (this) government money.” She said that an agency or organization could help DSWD in monitoring and evaluating the progress of a project, or could share the expertise for skills and knowledge enhancement for a project under SLP. An organization could also propose to DSWD a viable and appropriate project for a specific community beneficiary, she added. The SLP is one of DSWD programs that aims to provide a source of additional income for the poor families listed under the agency’s Listahanan or the National Household Tar-

geting System for Poverty Reduction (NHTS-PR), an information management system that identifies qualified beneficiaries for the social protection services. Santamaria said the Listahanan has registered 272,000 poor households in Davao Region during the first round of assessment in 2009, adding that the listed poor families are targeted to be served until 2016. DSWD-XI has already served 77 per cent of the total poor households in the region, she added. (PIA-11/Carina L. Cayon

DSWD 11 seeks partnership with private sector, CSOs for livelihood program implementation

HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region XI sought partnership anew with various government agencies, private sector, non-government organizations and civil society organizations in the implementation of the Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) this year. In a partnership forum held Tuesday in the city, DSWD-XI has called on the support and commitment of the agencies and organizations from all over Davao Region for a strengthened and successful execution of the initiatives and

7 BIGGER PICTURE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

MACO’S MAINIT SULFURIC HOT SPRING

One unique destination By OLAN EMBOSCADO/THE TRAVEL TELLER

OME to Mt. Leonard Kniazeff, one of the 22 active volcanoes identified by PHIVOLCS, the town of

Maco in Compostela Valley teems with geological attractions that will surely entice those who seek a unique eco-adventure

experience. One of these is the Mainit Sulfuric Hot Spring. Unlike most hot spring resorts where warm waters are contained in manmade or natural pools, Mainit Sulfuric Hot Spring is a waterfall with cascading warm waters. This unique destination is located at the hillside of Barangay Mainit, so accessible and a walking distance from the highway. When we got to Mainit Sulfuric Hot Spring, it was the steaming view of the cascading waters that first took my interest. It was a new sight to me seeing hot steaming waters freely flowing from different geological formations. Hot springs are among my favorite places to bathe or swim in. There is healing

power and rejuvenating effect every time I soak my body in one. But bathing under the hot cascading waters is something I have never tried in the past. In my desire to experience it first hand, I rushed to the hot waterfall base only to realize the waters were really hot. I had to soak my feet first in the gushing warm waters for a few minutes to adjust to the temperature. When I was done, I ran to the cascading waters trying to test if I can brave its warmth but to no avail. I told myself to wait until dusk so it wouldn’t be that warm. And so I contented myself going around scrutinizing every inch of this fascinating place that was a new sight to my eyes. There are many in-

teresting things I noticed about Mainit Sulfuric Hot Spring. Geological formations where the hot waters cascade are all yellowish in color. This is mainly because of the sulfuric content of the water flowing on it. Mainit Sulfuric Hot Spring is a favorite place for locals living nearby. In fact, some of them would just come to bathe and then leave. Others would stay longer to enjoy the healing waters of the hot spring. People come and go. Aside from being a better place to relax, everything here is cheap. Entrance fee is surprisingly at P5 per person. Cottages are available for rent at very cheap rates. There is also one store at the side selling basic com-

modities. For overnight stay, rooms can be rented for P300 a night. Maco’s Mainit Sulfuric Hot Spring is one unique geologic attraction in Davao Region that eco-adventure lovers should not miss. The fact that it is a hot spring and at the same time a waterfall is something one should see and experience – indeed one unique destination to visit. HOW TO GET THERE: From Tagum City Overland Terminal, take a passenger jeep or bus that plies the Tagum-Massara Route. Tell the bus driver to drop you off at Mainit Sulfuric Hot Spring in Barangay Mainit. The place is popular among locals. A huge sign bearing its name is placed along the side.

EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

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A winning war

HOPE springs eternal in the human breast,” goes an idiomatic expression taken from an essay by Alexander Pope, which means it is man’s nature to be optimistic and hopeful that a bad situation will get better in the future. That is exactly what is happening in the continuing war against graft and corruption in Mindanao. As can be gleaned from the latest report of Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo Elman, more than the natural tendency to be optimistic, there is statistical data to back a claim that the fight against corrupt government men and their accomplices (partners in crime, if you please) is winning. In a speech before investors, business executives, and professionals who are members of the Rotary Club of East Davao last week, Elman reported that only last year, the office dismissed a total of 42 government factotums found guilty of committing different violations of the law. This is an average of three dismissals a month, the highest so far in a given year. Indeed, it is an impressive record in a country where it takes forever to get a verdict on a court case. We were able to successfully meet our target of disposing all administrative and criminal cases docketed in 2010 and earlier,

EDGEDAVAO

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said Elman happily, adding that as of December 12, 2014, the Mindanao Ombudsman disposed a total of 1,109 cases, leaving only 979 pending cases, the lowest since 2000, he said. Elman, who became Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao in March last year after more than 20 years of working in that office rising from the ranks, also painted a rosy picture of the nationwide performance of the Office of the Ombudsman. “Case disposition has been gaining momentum with the Ombudsman surpassing the 6,691 cases resolved in 2013, with no backlog cases docketed in 2010 and below,” he told the Rotarians. At the start of his report to the club, Elman quoted Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales, as saying “The year 2014 has not been good ….to those who failed to live up to the high standards of public service. A Deputy Ombudsman was indicted. Three incumbent senators and five ex-congressmen were indicted as well. A number of Cabinet and local government officials met the same fate. A senior fire officer and a senior city prosecutor were caught in flagrante delicto in separate extortion attempts.” If we have more Elmans under the leadership of a Morales, there is reason to hope Filipinos will win the war against corruption. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

AGAPITO JOAQUIN JR. Associate Editor

CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY Consultant

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IFE can be compared with the Olympic Games, according to Pythagoras. There are a few men and women who “strain their muscles to carry off a prize.” There are those who “bring trinkets to sell to the crowd for a profit.” There are also those who “seek no further advantage than to look at the show and see how and why everything is done.” If you ask me in which category most people belong to, I would pick the third one. They would rather see what’s going on with the lives of other people who are going to the top. They are those who would say, “How I wish I had his opportunities in life.” The thing is, all of us are given opportunities in life. We just don’t harness them to the fullest. We don’t want to discover our talents. We allow others to carry our burdens instead of solving them. We want success to be offered in a silver platter. But such is not the case in reality. Life is a constant struggle. Life is a matter of choice. “The hardest thing to learn in life is which bridge to cross and which to burn,” David Russell once said. Either you choose to become successful or a failure. Don B. Owens, Jr. also said, “Many people fail in life because they believe in adage: If you don’t succeed, try something else. But success eludes those who follow such advice. Virtually everyone has had dreams at one time or another, specially the youth. The dreams that have come true did so because people stuck to their ambitions. They refused to be discouraged. They never let disappointments get the upper hand. Challenges only spurred them on to greater effort.” Remember British Prime Minister Winston Churchill? It took him three years to get through the eighth grade because he had trouble learning his own language. But what is interesting about Churchill is the fact that years later, the Oxford Universi-

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

VANTAGE POINTS

The power of determination ty requested him to deliver THINK ON THESE! a commencement address. He accepted the offer and as usual, he arrived for the event with his usual props – a cigar, a cane, and a top hat. Henrylito D. Tacio With dighenrytacio@gmail.com nity, Churchill settled the crowd as he stood confidently before his admirers. When it was time for him to speak, he stood up and went to the platform. Then, he removed the cigar and carefully placed his top hat on the lectern. Looking directly at the eager audience and with authority ringing in his voice, he declared, “Never give up!” Several seconds passed. He rose to his toes and shouted again, “Never give up!” His words thundered across the audience. There was profound silence as Churchill then reached for his hat and cigar, steadied himself with his cane, and left the platform. His address was finished. Norman Vincent Peale seems to agree with the philosophy of Churchill. “Lots of people limit their possibilities by giving up easily,” he said. “Never tell yourself this is too much for me. It’s no use. I can’t go on. If you do, you’re licked, and by your own thinking, too. Keep believing and keep on keeping on.” When I visited the United States for the third time, I bought a copy of Reader’s Digest in an airport while waiting for my plane bound for Columbus, Ohio. One of the articles that caught my attention was the one saying, “Yes, I Can!” It featured seven stories of people who proved the naysayers wrong.

Who doesn’t know the award-winning film director Steven Spielberg? He is the man behind these box-office hit movies: Jaws, Close Encounters of the Third Kind, E.T., The Color Purple, Schindler’s List, and War of the Worlds. What most people don’t know is the fact that he was no scholar and his classmates even teased him. In his article, Fran Lostys wrote: “In his sophomore year of high school, (Spielberg) dropped out. But when his parents persuaded him to return, he was mistakenly placed in a learning-disabled class. He lasted one month. Only when the family moved to another town did he land in a more suitable high school, where he eventually graduated.” When he was still a kid, he used to run around with an 8 mm camera, shooting homemade movies of wrecks of his Lionel train set. So, after graduating from high school, he enrolled in a traditional filmmaking school. He was denied so he opted to enroll in English at California States College at Long Beach. In 1965, he visited the Universal Studios and met Chuck Silvers, an executive in the editorial department. Silvers liked Spielberg so he invited him back sometimes to visit. And that was he did the following day. Lostys wrote: “Without a job or security clearance, Spielberg (dressed in a dark suit and tie, carrying his father’s briefcase with nothing inside but ‘a sandwich and candy bars’) strode confidently up to the guard at the gate of Universal and gave him a casual wave. He was in.” What happened next was sort of lifted from the movie, The Secret of My Success. In an interview, Spielberg recalled: “For the entire summer, I dressed in my suit and hung out with the directors and writers (including Silvers, who knew the kid wasn’t a studio employee, but winked at the deception). I even found an office that wasn’t be-

ing used, and became a squatter. I bought some plastic titles and put my name in the building directory: Steven Spielberg, Room 23C.” It paid off for everyone. I was reminded of a poem given to me by a friend when I was still in college. It goes this way: “If you think you are beaten, you are. If you think you dare not, you don’t. If you like to win, but you think you can’t, it is almost certain you won’t. “If you think you’ll lose, you’re lost. For out of the world we find: success begins with a person’s will. It’s all in the state of mind. “If you think you’re outclassed, you are. You’ve got to think high to rise. You’ve got to be sure of yourself before you can ever win a prize.” The poem ended with this statement: “Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger woman or man, but sooner or later the one who wins is the one who thinks, ‘I CAN!’” How true, indeed. To get through the hardest journey, we need to take only one step at a time, but we must keep on stepping. An unknown poet says it well: “When things go wrong as they sometimes will, when the road you’re trudging seems all uphill, when the funds are low and the debts are high, and you want to smile, but you have to sigh; “When care is pressing you down a bit, rest if you must, but don’t you quit. Life is queer with its twists and turns, as every one of us sometimes learns, and many a failure turns about when he might have won had he stuck it out. “Don’t give up though the pace seems slow – you may succeed with another blow. Success is failure turned inside out – the silver tint of the clouds of doubt, and you never can tell just how close you are, it may be near when it seems so far. “So stick to the fight when you’re hardest hit – it’s when things seem worst that you must not quit.”

Center for MY TWO CENTS’ Agribusiness talks about Liwayway being able to open 12 manufacturing plants in China and one each in Indonesia and MyanJohn Tria mar. Such ecisouth@gmail.com a feat considering that they started simply as Oishi prawn crackers which I used to buy for less than a peso each in the 1980s. San Miguel Beer has been brewed and sold in Vietnam, Hong Kong, China, and a few other Asian countries. Jack ‘n Jill snacks are part of every Malaysian and Singaporean child’s growing up years for more than two decades. ASEAN integration and the

lowering of trade barriers within Asia as a whole forces us to build even better brands. Brands are vital to sustaining marketability of products especially with the entry of competition. Weak brands are eaten up by competitors, but strong brands endure. You can be a smaller company but have a stronger brand. Oriental Battery’s acquisition of the Motolite Brand is one such case. In the 1990s the parent company of Oriental Batteries acquired CC Unson Manufacturing, which made Motolite Batteries. It was determined then that Motolite was a stronger brand and could help them sell more batteries. True enough, they killed the Oriental Battery Brand and strengthened the Motolite brand’s position. This eventually led to their near dominance of the local Battery market, nearing 80 percent. On top of that, it sells almost a third of all car batteries in Malaysia and has a good chunk of the Australian battery market.

Strong brands represent the greatness of your product, creating customer loyalty and keeping that customer base strong despite the entry of cheap imitations or competitors. Just recently, we visited Lola Abon’s durian candies and their main competitor, Apo ni Lola across the street. Both stores vie for visitors, making their street in Lanzona Subdivision a tourist mecca of sorts, spurring the entry of other establishments. Between the Lola and the Apo I saw a wellspring of creativity that pushed the boundaries of durian candy making. Ice cream, baked products, accessories, and other merchandise – the backyard business has become an SME. It is hoped that as we grow and diversify our businesses, we build a Filipino brand that’s more than just be skindeep beauty of our Ms. Universe bets, but an inner strength and power beyond Motolite, Oishi, Jack ‘n Jill, San Miguel, the Lola, and the Apo.

MJ Lastimosa, and the need to build brands to compete globally

HE loss of fellow Mindanaoan MJ Lastimosa in the Ms. Universe pageant only serves to prove what a great brand the Philippines has become in international beauty competitions. I’m a fan of beauty, but not a terribly big fan of beauty competitions myself, but that’s another story. Over the last decade Pinays have made it to the inner circle of winnables in such beauty contests, within the same league as Argentina, Yugoslavia, or Russia in international basketball- always within striking distance of the championship, and ever the strong contender. Over all it’s a good, respected place to be. Perhaps the same is true with our Filipino products as they compete within the Asia Pacific region. Brands like Jollibee with several outlets all over the Asia Pacific and the united States and Oishi of Liwayway manufacturing. Davaoeño agribusiness exponent Rolando Dy of the University of Asia and the Pacific’s

10 ICT HUB EDGEDAVAO

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What???!!! Facebook’s down??? N

O storm selfies, hookups, status updates. With Facebook and Instagram down for nearly an hour overnight, what were legions of users to do? Turn to Twitter, of course. To talk about Facebook. The hashtag “#facebookdown” generated a cascade of tweets, including an image of a T-shirt with the words “I survived #facebookdown.” Companies such as Coca-Cola took it as a viral marketing opportunity. Of course companies that depend on Facebook and Instagram to reach their customers, like the dating app Tinder, had to wait. More than 7,500 websites had services affected by the Facebook outage, according to Web tracking firm DynaTrace. For most, though, it was just a blip. While Facebook certainly has become an important communications tool for some 1.35 billion people worldwide, a temporary shutdown does not have the same crippling effect as the loss of electricity, water, the Internet or a city’s public transit system. It’s also a lesson, perhaps, in what happens when we rely heavily on a free service that, while very sta-

ble, cannot promise 100 percent uptime. “Kind of like the snowstorm that was supposed to cripple New York City, this didn’t have much of an impact on Facebook,” said Debra Aho Williamson, an analyst with research firm eMarketer. “It was over quickly, it was easily fixed and life came back to normal fairly quickly.” It’s possible that companies that rely on Facebook’s login tool to let people access their sites and apps lost a “little bit of traffic” or a tiny bit of ad revenue, she said, but it’s unlikely to have had a big effect given the brief nature of the outage. “Life will go on, I think we’ll all survive,” Williamson said. At midday in Asia, users of PCs and Facebook’s mobile app reported they lost access. Facebook and Instagram also were down simultaneously in the United States, Australia and the U.K. After Facebook was restored, some users reported that the site was loading slowly or not functioning fully. On its website for developers, Facebook said the “major outage” lasted one hour. Facebook says an internal technical change affected its configuration

DISASTER. The Facebook outage saw cartoons like this, from 2014, being reposted by many users on Twitter. systems and denied that it was hacked. Lizard Squad, a group notorious for attention-seeking antics online, had claimed responsibility on Twitter for the outages. Guillermo Lafuente, a security consultant at MWR InfoSecurity, said a technical fault is more plausible than a hack. A denial-of-service attack would have made the sites unreachable rather than accessible with an

error message displayed, he said. Facebook’s use of multiple data centers also meant an attack on one would have affected one region; this outage was global. Also, restoring service would be a matter of reversing the technical changes, which matched with the brevity of the outage, LaFuente said. The temporary loss of service may be Facebook’s biggest outage

since Sept. 24, 2010, when it was down for about 2.5 hours. Outages were more common in the site’s early years, when its backup systems and data centers were not as robust as they are now. These days, the Menlo Park, California-based company routinely tests its infrastructure and sometimes even takes down part of it intentionally to check its resilience. The outage came a day

ahead of Facebook reporting its quarterly earnings. Lizard Squad on Monday claimed it had defaced the Malaysia Airlines website and would release data from the airline. Its previous hacking claims have been mostly aimed at gaming or media companies such as Sony’s PlayStation network and Microsoft’s Xbox. YOUKYUNG LEE and BARBARA ORTUTAY, AP Technology Writers

Record iPhone sales drive blowout quarter for Apple

PPLE had another blowout quarter thanks to its new plussized iPhones, which helped the company smash sales records for the holiday season. Apple said Tuesday that it sold 74.5 million iPhones during the three months that ended Dec. 31, beating analysts’ expectations for the latest models of Apple’s most popular gadget, introduced in September. The surge in iPhone sales drove the company’s total revenue to $74.6 billion, up 30 percent from a year earlier.

CEO Tim Cook said on a call with analysts that demand for the phones was “staggering,” and noted that results would have been even higher if not for the impact of the strong dollar on overseas sales. Net income rose 38 percent to $18 billion, as Apple reported earnings of $3.06 a share. Analysts surveyed by FactSet were expecting earnings of $2.60 a share on revenue of $67.39 billion. Apple also forecast revenue for the current quarter between $52 billion and $55 billion. The midpoint of that

range is just below the average analyst estimate of $53.6 billion for the period ending in March, when sales typically fall from their holiday season peak. Apple Chief Financial Officer Luca Maestri said in an interview that revenue for the current period will increase between 14 and 20 percent from a year ago, despite the strong dollar, which has forced other companies such as Microsoft to lower their forecasts. “We feel very good about the March quarter,” Maestri said, while calling the Decem-

ber results “pretty amazing.” Apple has set records with each new version of its iPhones. By comparison, the company sold 51 million smartphones during the holiday quarter in 2013, when its iPhone 5s and 5c models were new on the scene. Bigger screens are one reason for the popularity of the iPhone 6 and 6 Plus. Apple had resisted when other companies such as Samsung began introducing smartphones with bigger screens. But its iPhone 6 has a 4.7-inch screen, measured diagonally, while the 6 Plus screen measures 5 . 5 inches. That compares to a 4-inch screen on iPhone 5 models. “It took Apple a long time to come to grips with the fact

that the market did want the bigger screen,” said Gartner tech analyst Van Baker. “They finally closed the gap on a feature they were missing, which their competition had capitalized on.” The surge in sales of Apple’s signature smartphones helped make up for an expected decline in sales of iPad tablets. The company sold 21.4 million iPads, down 22 percent from a year earlier. Sales of Mac computers rose 9 percent, and Apple saw overall revenue gains in all geographic regions. The new models also helped Apple increase its share of the China market. Apple doesn’t break out iPhone sales by country, but a report issued Tuesday by research firm Canalys estimates that Apple sold more smartphones in China during the last quarter than any other maker, including South Korea’s Samsung and the Chinese companies Huawei and Xiaomi. Still, some experts worry that Apple’s strength could become a weakness. Apple makes more money from iPhones than any other product, including its iPods, iPads and Mac computers. That could leave it vulnerable as the overall smartphone mar-

ket shows signs of slowing growth, warned Colin Gillis, a tech stocks analyst with BGC Partners. He notes that Apple depends on iPhones for nearly two-thirds of its revenue. “Selling north of 70 million of anything is fantastic. But what’s going to happen a year from now?” he asked. “The strength today has potential to become a weakness down the road.” Maestri downplayed those concerns. “We are growing our portfolio in many ways,” he told The AP, citing the upcoming Apple smartwatch, which will ship in April, and the recent launch of Apple Pay, the company’s mobile payments system. He also said iPad sales were “a bit better than we were expecting” and added that new apps for business users, produced in partnership with IBM, should help iPad sales in the future. Apple shares closed Tuesday at $109.14, down 3.5 percent, but rose over 5 percent in after-hours trading on the report. The stock has gained more than 50 percent over the last year, making Apple the world’s most valuable company with a market capitalization of $651 billion. BRANDON BAILEY, AP Technology Writer

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11 CULTURE & ARTS

EDDIE ROMERO:

Portrait of National Artist as Film Director By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

NE thing that sets the Philippines apart from other countries is its cinema. Most of the produced films -- from the past to the present -- give us a glimpse of the culture of how Filipinos live and change through the times. They are actually the mirror of Filipinos and the country itself. Film directors, who sometimes serve as script writers themselves, are the instruments in making these movies possible. Perhaps one of the most important people who exerted a lot of influence on Philippine cinema was Edgar Romero. Romero’s career spans three generations of filmmakers. Wikipedia noted some of these films that brought the culture and arts of the Philippines: “His 1976 film Ganito Kami Noon…Paano Kayo Ngayon?, set at the turn of the 20th century during the revolution against the Spaniards and, later, the American colonizers, follows a naïve peasant through his leap of faith to become a member of an imagined community. Agila situates a family’s story against the backdrop of the country’s history. “Kamakalawa explores the folklore of prehistoric Philippines. Banta ng Kahapon, his ‘small’ political film, is set against the turmoil of the late 1960s, tracing the connection of the underworld to the corrupt halls of politics. His 13-part series of Noli Me Tangere brings Philippine national hero José Rizal’s novel to a new generation of viewers.” When asked what got him into the showbiz, Eddie Romero – also known as Eddie S. Romero, Edgar F. Romero, E.F. Romero, Edgar Romero, Enrique Moreno, and Edgar Sinco Romero – replied: “I fell into the film business.” Along with Gerry de Leon, Lino Brocka, Ishmael Bernal, and Fernando Poe, Jr., Romero was honored as National Artist by the National Commission for Culture and the Arts (NCCA). His films, the citation states, “are delivered in an utterly simple style – minimalist, but never empty, always calculated, precise and functional, but never predictable.” Manunuri ng Pelikulang Pilipino’s Agustin Sotto called Romero “a filmmaker of substance.” In an article, he wrote: “Eddie Romero is that rare individual in Philippine Cinema: a man of erudition and consummate artistry working in conditions inhospitable to the tasks of general excellence. “While the industrial mode of Philippine Cinema may be typified as crass commercialism and unmitigated sensationalism, Eddie Romero is counted among the very few artists who have managed to overcome the centrifugal mediocrity of popular concerns and produce works of great impact and astonishing originality. “As one of Philippine Cinema’s leading scriptwriters and directors, he has a few peers. He is also an indefatigable in-

dustry and cultural leader as well as a pioneer in the field of international co-productions.” The critics circle bestowed Romero a Gawad Urian for directing “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?” released in 1979. This film was selected as the country’s entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 49th Academy Awards. Romero also received five screenplay awards from the Film Academy of Movie Arts and Sciences (FAMAS) for the following films: “Buhay Alamang” (1952), “Aguila” (1980), “The Passionate Strangers” (1966), “Durugin si Totoy Bato” (1979), and “Ang Padri-

no” (1984). Perhaps not too many Filipinos know that Hollywood award-winning director Quentin Tarantino has drawn upon Romero’s film “Twilight People” (1972) as an inspiration for his “grindhouse” homages. Two years ago, on May 28, Romero died of cardiopulmonary arrest. He was 88. Malacañang issued this statement: “His work spanned generations; Mr. Romero influenced numerous filmmakers, both here and abroad, to tread the same path and to aspire for the same sweeping ambitions that he held dear. His accomplish-

ments form the legacy that Mr. Romero has undoubtedly left Philippine and global cinema.” Romero was born on July 7, 1924 in Dumaguete City and grew up in a charged atmosphere of literacy and political engagement. His mother, Pilar Sinco, was a schoolteacher while his father was a Secretary of Education and a Congressman. His uncle, Vicente Sinco, served as president of the University of the Philippines before the war. “Given this background, it is not surprising that he exhibited precocity in the literary arts,” Sotto wrote in his article. Indeed, Romero himself admitted that writing was his

first and foremost passion. “I have been writing since the early age of seven or eight,” he said. When asked by a reporter about his writing and how he creates stories, he replied that it comes to him naturally. He explained that one doesn’t have to push himself to write: “If you do that, it’s hard. You have to go through a lot of learning.” Lena S. Pareja, who wrote a short biography of the film director, says Romero had been a writer ever since he learned to read and write. When he was in high school in 1936, he sold his first short story to

“Philippines Free Press,” a national magazine then run by its American founders. His transition to filmmaking, however, started when movie director Gerardo “Gerry” de Leon asked him to write a movie (that was after de Leon read some of his stories). According to Romero, he was scared at the opportunity, as a career in Filipino movies was not in his plans – much less writing in Tagalog. So, Romero told de Leon that he could write one in English, but not in Tagalog, since he was Visayan. “And he said, go ahead and write it. I speak Tagalog, so I can do the translation,” Romero recalled. It was through this invite that Romero’s first screenplay, “Ang Maestra” was born. All in all, Romero made 51 films – either as scriptwriter, producer, and/or director. Sampaguita Pictures gave him his big break when he was in his early 20s. In 1947, he directed his first film, “Ang Kamay ng Diyos.” It topbilled Gerry de Leon (as himself), Carmen Rosales, and Leopoldo Salcedo. In 1951, Romero became the first recipient of the Maria Clara award for best director for “Prinsesa at Pulubi,” an adaptation of “The Prince and the Pauper.” In 1953, his film “Ang Asawa Kong Amerikana” won for Luciano Carlos the best screenplay award at the Asian Film Festival. In 1957, Romero – together with his mentor, Gerry de Leon – started producing films for the foreign B-film market. The first movie he did was “The Day of the Trumpet.” While the film was shown in the United States, he encountered Burgess Meredith, who wanted to work with him. They did and the output was “Man on the Run” (1958). “After this successful venture,” Sotto wrote, “Romero set up Lynn-Romero Productions with Kane Lynn, a retired Lt. Commander of the American Navy who had connections with the Texas oil people and who had a yen for filmmaking. Lynn was in charge of the finances while Romero took over the production side. Among the films they produced were ‘The Scavengers’ with Vince Edwards, a film set in China about the search of an American fighter pilot for his estranged wife and ‘Terror is a Man,’ a horror film that received good reviews from the ‘New York Times.’” When Lynn-Romero Productions was dissolved in the early sixties, Romero set up Hemisphere Productions which continued the co-production ventures. Among those he produced and co-directed were “The Walls of Hell,” “The Passionate Strangers,” “Manila: Open City, “The Brides of Blood Island,” and “Mad Doctor of Blood Island.” In the seventies, his production company turned out exploitation films for Roger Gorman’s American-International. To name a few: “Twilight People,” “Woman Hunter,”

“Black Mama, White Mama,” “Beast of the Yellow Night,” “Beyond Atlantis,” “Savage Sisters,” and “Sudden Death.” In 1975, realizing that he had been living in the United States for so long, he returned to the Philippines and made “Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?” The film was set at the turn of the 20th century during the revolution against the Spaniards and, later, the American colonizers. Romero followed it with “Sinong Kapiling? Sinong Kasiping?” (1977), “Banta ng Kahapon” (1977), and “Agila” (1979). The 1980s saw him directing “Palaban” (1980), “Kamakalawa” (1981), “Desire (1982), and “Hari sa Hari, Lahi sa Lahi” (1987)

In 1992, his 13-part series of “Noli Me Tangere” brought the country’s national hero José Rizal’s novel to a new generation of viewers. He also did “A Case of Honor” in 1991. In 2008, Romero made “Teach Me to Love,” the last fulllength feature he did. During a break, a reporter asked Joey Romero, who served as the film’s executive producer, to talk about his father’s longevity and artistry. “My father’s body of works has made him a National Artist,” the younger Romero was quoted as saying. “Until now, ‘Aguila’ and ‘Ganito Kami Noon, Paano Kayo Ngayon?’ don’t look dated. They continue to move and affect viewers. His films are timeless!”

Petition for Approval of Sale and Transfer of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ-Dual Ordinary Regular Service

Petition for Renewal of a Certificate of Public Convenience to operate a PUJ DUAL Ordinary Regular Service

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation and Communication LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Office No. XI Davao City

Case No.2015-XI-00018 (2002-XI-01916) ALBERTO G. ANIB, Petitioner-Vendor LOYD S. ANIB, Petitioner-Vendee

x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - --x

NOTICE OF HEARING Petitioners request authority for the Approval of Sale and Transfer executed by ALBERTO G. ANIB in favor of LOYD S. ANIB of a Certificate of Public Convenience with Equipment issued in this case authorizing the operation of a PUJ-Dual Ordinary Regular service on the route MANUEL GULANGA and for cargoes as dual service from said route to any point in Region XI with the use of ONE (1) unit, which Certificate is still valid and subsisting up to September 26, 2017. NOTICE, is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on FEBRUARY 11, 2015 at 09:50 a.m. at this office at the above address. At least, TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a one (1) daily newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao

Parties opposed to the granting of the petition must file their written opposition supported by documentary evidence on or before the above date furnishing a copy of the same to the petitioner, and may if they so, desire appear on said date and time.

This petition will be acted upon by this Board on the basis of its records and the documentary evidence submitted by the parties, unless the Board deems it necessary to receive additional documentary and/or oral evidence. WITNESS the Honorable BENJAMIN A. GO, CESO V, Regional Director, this 15th day of January 2015 at Davao City.

TERESITA DELA PEÑA-YÑIGUEZ Chief Transport Development Officer

Republic of the Philippines Department of Transportation and Communication LAND TRANSPORTATION FRANCHISING AND REGULATORY BOARD Regional Office No. XI Davao City

Case No.2000-XI-01067 EDGARDO A. CALIBJO, Petitioner

x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - --x

NOTICE OF HEARING Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of an PUJ-DUAL Ordinary Service on the route: TUGBOK and for cargoes as dual service from said route to any point in region XI with the use of ONE (1) unit, which certificate will expire on September 11, 2015. In the petition filed on January 7, 2015, petitioner requests authority to extend the validity of said certificate to operate along the same route with the use of the same unit previously authorized. NOTICE, is hereby given that this petition will be heard by this Board on FEBRUARY 11, 2015 at 09:10 a.m. at this office at the above address. At least, TEN (10) days prior to the above date petitioner shall publish this Notice once in a one (1) daily newspaper of general circulation in Mindanao

TERESITA DELA PEÑA-YÑIGUEZ Chief Transport Development Officer

CLASSIFIED

There’s a better way to get attention. Advertise

EDGEDAVAO

Call: 224-0733 • Tionko St., Davao City

with

EDGEDAVAO CLASSIFIEDS

DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE Notice is hereby given that the

estate of the late EDUARDO TUDIJA MANZANO has been the subject of

an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT

executed among his heirs per Doc. No.485; Page No. 97; Book No. XXIV;

Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC RICHARD D. TUMANDA 1/29,2/5,12

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. That CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s)66294 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 297823-6 issued to PATERNO KIMPO was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void. 1/22/29,2/5

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. That CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) 66293 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 297821-4 issued to MARIETTA A. KIMPO was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void. 1/22/29,2/5

Billiard Supplies

Phone Nos.

Cell Nos.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

INdulge!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

FOOD

Tuna overload at

Kusina sa Subli A

popular sa lt water fish, Tuna is a table staple that everyone loves and enjoys. Believed to live up to 50 years, tuna can be a good source of omega-3 (approx. 300 milligrams per serving). Also, a good source of protein for a leaner and fitter body.

In the Philippines, Davao in particular, tuna and its many delicious servings abound in the metro. From simple dishes to the most gourmet and extravagant of them all, tuna is a certified craving satisfier. Any tuna dish is perfect anytime, anywhere. Kusina sa Subli is the brainchild of someone who loves to explore flavors and of course, who loves to eat. Located at a subdivision, you not only taste an array of affordable and delicious dishes but also have a grand time minus the hustle and bustle of urban noise. What’s more, the place is a relaxing haven perfect for a nightcap or a munching session with family and

Grilled Tuna Belly

Buntot ng Tuna at Kusina sa Subli. friends. Their menu is simple and their food is a different story. The smell of freshly grilled tuna is invigorating. Cooked juicy and served hot off the grill, you can verily taste the freshness of the fish with every bite. Mix and match sauces to fit your palate and explore the flavors of the sea. I personally love the Grilled Tuna Belly – sweet, juicy, and charred to perfection. They also serve a variety of appetizers, soups, and soon on their menu, sweet desserts to compliment a meal of savory flavors. More so, they have an array of drink choices perfect for an explosive tuna feast. Now, retreat-

ing to a quiet sanctuary of sweet and savory is possible with Kusina sa Subli. Make every day a reason to celebrate! Head to Kusina sa Subli and experience a most gastronomic time with your family and friends. For reservations, call them up at 0943 497 8165 or (082) 297 0237. Like, share and follow them on facebook https:// www.facebook.com/kusinasasubli and instagram http://instagram.com/ kusinasasubli for updates and food must-try! Make #TheRoyalChef your Thursday habit! Email me at leebay457@yahoo. com (subject:RoyalChef) or tag me on instagram (herroyalheiress) for your delicious pics and food finds!

Paella Negra

Grilled Tuna Panga

Hot off the grill Stuffed Squid is perfect any time of the day.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge! UP AND ABOUT

Sing your heart out and enjoy the latest flicks with Smart, Deezer, and Blink WHETHER it’s movies or music that you like, wireless services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is bringing you an ‘entertainment for all’ package that powers your mobile lifestyle needs with the help of mobile entertainment apps Deezer and BLINK.

If you’re one of those who often mishears the lyrics of your favorite songs, global music streaming service Deezer has good news for you: now you can sing along to your favorite tracks with lyrics baked right into Deezer’s mobile and Web apps. And to make things even sweeter, Smart is throwing in an added treat for users who subscribe to its Deezer music packs by way of a FREE movie through BLINK, the country’s premier movie and TV series streaming app. Simply subscribe to the Deezer 250 Flexibundle as an add-on to your current postpaid plan and enjoy full and unlimited access to Deezer’s 35 million tracks, thousands of playlists, FREE 250 of allnetwork texts and now one free movie via BLINK accessible via its Web, Android, and iOS apps. “Smart is bringing ‘entertainment for all’ to its subscribers so they can have fun and fulfill their enjoyment needs anytime,

whether it be music from Deezer or movies from BLINK,” said Kathryn Carag, Postpaid Marketing Head at Smart. “This latest promo from Smart will surely give users a worry-free way to enjoy the hottest tracks and the latest flicks powered by the country’s largest network.” Movies, Music and Lyrics With over five million Google searches performed for song lyrics every day, music fans’ thirst for getting the words right is bigger than ever. Deezer’s unique Lyrics feature now makes access to lyrics even more simple – and much more fun. Deezer partnered with LyricFind, the world’s leader in legal lyrics solutions to offer the first-ever implementation of synchronized lyrics from a major streaming service. “Our team of transcribers has been capturing and time-stamping lyrics literally for years,” said Lyr-

icFind CEO Darryl Ballantine. “We are excited to be launching this with a brand that is as international as we are. This is a huge day for music fans.” To instantly enjoy the latest feature of Deezer, simply download the app on your iOS or Android phones or visit www. deezer.com. Using your Smart Postpaid account, subscribe to the Deezer 250 Flexibundle by dialing *121# to avail. Subscribers can enjoy music anytime, anywhere with no addi-

tional data charges when they subscribe to Deezer Flexibundles. BLINK is a new and innovative mobile app that lets them watch Hollywood blockbusters and TV shows on their mobile phones, with access to the latest movies such as The Equalizer, The Fault In Our Stars, X-Men: Days of Future Past, and 22 Jump Street, among many others. To enjoy your FREE BLINK movie, log in or create an account on www.blink-now.com and watch your movies via the BLINK iOS or Android apps. The Deezer and BLINK promo is part of Smart’s ‘Internet for All’ commitment to its subscribers, which promises to bring not only affordable access to the Internet, but the most complete suite of apps and content services for all their needs as well. This promo is valid until March 31, 2015. For more details, visit smart. com.ph/postpaid/seasons.

Romantic getaway at Park Inn by Radisson Davao PLANNING a sweet escape with your sweetheart this Valentine season? Book Park Inn by Radisson Davao’s Romance Package and delight your loved one with a number of treats to add sparkle to your overnight stay. This package for Standard Room accommodation is priced at only Php4,500.00 net per night. Aside from the complimentary bottle of wine and breakfast for two, you also get to enjoy a special couple’s dinner in the hotel. Guests who are checking in on February 14 get to partake in RBG’s Valentines dinner buffet, while those who are staying on other dates (from today until February 28) will have a 4-course candlelit dinner at either the Pool Lounge or the RBG Al Fresco area. Special

limited offer from January 22 to February 28, 2015. Book through the website page http://www.

parkinn.com/hotel-davao/hoteldeals/romance-package-2013 or call +63 82 272 7600.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

ENTERTAINMENT

TV’s mo story be IN LIFE, we all experience pain when people dishonor what is right and dignify what is wrong: a struggle that can only be won when love triumphs over all else.

This February, GMA Network presents this human struggle in the most dramatic interpretation via its newest afternoon series KAILAN BA TAMA ANG MALI. The series will take the audience through the challenging journey of choosing what is right or wrong when it comes to love. This provocative and intriguing soap opera stars sought-after leading man Geoff Eigenmann as Leo, a sweet, loving but possessive man; Kapuso leading lady Max Collins as Amanda, the wife of Leo, a breadwinner, careeroriented and responsible woman; versatile actor Dion Ignacio as Oliver, Amanda’s boss, who will eventually fall in love with her; balik-Kapuso actress Empress Schuck as Sonya, a woman who falls in love with Leo in spite of his marital status. Kailan Ba Tama ang Mali revolves around the intertwined lives of Amanda, Leo, Oliver and Sonya. It will push viewers to go through the exercise of choosing - a decision-making process narrated in levels so emotional, riveting, and engaging. Each and every episode will leave viewers feeling vindicated or incriminated, making the series more unpredictable and

at the same time making it a reflection of one’s personal struggles. In the story, estranged couple Amanda and Leo re-

s in n lo e

BBC’s ‘Earthflight THIS JANUARY, take a breathtaking flight on the wings of birds across six continents and experience its greatest natural spectacles from a bird’s-eye view, as GMA airs BBC’s “Earthflight”.

Each episode explores a different continent, with birds providing a dramatic narrative of their journeys across it. In North America, snow geese and bald eagles struggle

from the Gulf of Mexico In Europe, grey cranes loping horses of the Cam barnacle geese get lost ov In South America, the c brightly coloured mac through mountains and Other episodes take in th ing landscapes of Africa Australia. Using an array of de board cameras, drones

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

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ost compelling love egins this February 9

spectively found new love n the arms of Oliver and Sonya; with Leo begetting a ove child with Sonya. However, an illness incapacitates

Leo, a tragedy that realigns their lives and forces them to dignify what they believe is right, no matter how wrong it may be for other people. Is it right for Leo to fall for Amanda again despite having a child with Sonya? Is it right for Amanda to think of leaving Oliver after everything he’s done for her? Is it right for the common-law wife to get in the way of the rekindling love and happiness between the husband and the lawful wife? Under the direction of Gil Tejada Jr., Kailan Ba Tama ang Mali also stars Shamaine Buencamino as Auring, the doting mother of Amanda; Ryza Cenon as Rita, the caring sister of Sonya; Chariz Solomon as Bianca, the liberated friend of Sonya; Ash Ortega as Angeli, the younger sister of Amanda; Ervic Vijandre as Joseph, the best friend of Leo; Ken Alfonso as Thomas, the best friend and business partner of Oliver. The creative team is composed of Creative Director Roy Iglesias; Creative Head Dode Cruz; Creative Consultant, Concept Creator, and Headwriter Denoy NavarroPunio; Writers John Kenneth De Leon and Anna Levita Macapugay; and Brainstormers Renei Patricia Dimla, Tina Velasco and Liberty Trinidad. KAILAN BA TAMA ANG MALI, created by the GMA Drama group, is headed by Executive-in-Charge of Production Lilybeth G. Rasonable; VP for Drama Redgie A. Magno; AVP for Drama Cheryl Ching-Sy; Program Manager Ali N. Dedicatoria; and Executive Producer Joy LumboyPili. TV’s most compelling love story KAILAN BA TAMA ANG MALI premieres February 9 and will air Monday-Friday on GMA Afternoon Prime.

Manila Pavilion’s new superior rooms THE Manila Pavilion Hotel proudly announces a fresh chapter in its series of room renovation projects with the completion of its newly renovated Superior Rooms. With a design that boasts soft-toned and Zen type vibe to increase natural daylight in each room, the newly transformed Superior Rooms of the Manila Pavilion feature interior design that celebrates harmony and functionality from furniture arrangements to floor patterns.

The fully-renovated Superior Rooms are spacious guestrooms that feature sophisticated furnishings with warm and inviting color palette to create a distinguished yet comfortable ambiance. With a choice of king, twin, and family, the new Superior Rooms allow guests to relax in total comfort. Its rustic-chic design creates a fresh and vibrant

atmosphere ideal for recreation or business travel. In addition, to meet guests’ business and entertainment needs, all rooms have been equipped with the latest technology and facilities, such as complimentary wireless Internet access, spacious work desk, and flat screen televisions, among others. Dramatic upgrades to Manila Pavilion’s new Superior Rooms identify the mid-century origin of the property with warm wood tones, stylish and functional furniture with enhancements to guest bathrooms. The promised convenience of this metropolitan haven makes it a great option for family time or attending one of the city’s conventions, leisure tours, or sporting events. Apart from enjoying the spectacle of the sea, being situated at the heart of the city has pinned the Manila Pavilion Hotel firmly at the commercial and business centers’ map while making relaxation and entertainment sites in close proximity. Visit the Manila Pavilion

Hotel at United Nations Avenue corner Maria Orosa Street in Manila. Log on to www.waterfronthotels.

t’ airs on GMA

o to Canada. dodge galmargue and ver London. condor and caws travel d rainforest. he astounda, Asia and

evices - ons and birds

trained to fly right alongside microlights - the series takes us over the planet’s most incredible landscapes and wildlife spectacles, and reveals what it’s like to fly like a bird. Narrated in Filipino by news anchor and environmentalist Raffy Tima, this stunning, aerial adventure will air on GMA every Wednesday and Thursday night, after Saksi, starting on January 29 on GMA7.

com.ph or call 5261212, for inquiries and reservations; Like or Follow @WaterfrontMNL, for regular updates.

January 23-27, 2015

AMERICAN SNIPER Bradley Cooper, Sienna Miller R 13

11:40 | 2:15 | 4:50 | 7:25 | 10:00 LFS

TAKEN 3 Liam Neeson PG 13

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

ANNIE Quvenzhane Wallis, Jamie Foxx, Cameron Diaz PG 13

R-16

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

MORTDECAI/ *BLACKHAT Johnny Depp / *Chris Hemsworth R 13/ *R 13

12:00 | 2:20 LFS / * 4:40 | 7:20 | 10:00 LFS

A4 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

EVENT

Matimco opens showroom at SM Lanang Premier THE COUNTRY’S leading provider of quality architectural and structural wood products – Matimco, Inc. – has recently opened its showroom, “House of Wood,” at the 3rd Level of SM Lanang Premier.

Matimco CEO President and CEO Charlie Liu led the said launch with Davao-based architects and engineers in attendance. The Matimco House of Wood, a showroom that is designed to promote appreciation and love for wood, lets customers see and experience firsthand superior quality wood products such as trusses, doors, mouldings, flooring, and other processed structural and architectural wood products. Wood specialists are available to answer customers’ queries as well. Founded in 1963 at Mandaue City, Cebu, Matimco caters to a diverse market of contractors, design professionals, homeowners and various institutions looking for the finest wood products. Matimco is the first and only ISOcertified wood processing and treatment plant in the country. Its various brands – Matwood, Weatherwood, PCW, Muzu, nuwood, gudwood and Trusswood – have been widely used in the most luxurious and elegant homes, resorts, and hotels nationwide. Interested parties may visit Matimco House of Wood at the 3rd Level of SM Lanang Premier or call (082) 295-0670. They may also check Matimco’s webDavao-based architects/designers Arch. Reyval site at www.matimco.com. Crisologo, Arch. Vanessa Crisologo, and Arch. Ericson Europa at the cocktails held at the event.

Matimco Retail Channel Manager Edwin Cleofe, Project Manager Alvin Sebastian, and Retail Store Manager Alan Lugo join the wood specialists of House of Wood, SM Lanang Premier..

Archt. Jim Villagomeza and colleagues from Makati Development Corporation-Davao attend the opening of Engr. Pia Borromeo and Engr. Gerald Borromeo. House of Wood.

LEFT PHOTO: The Matimco Team at the launch of the showroom at SM Lanang Premier: (from left) Ian Torralba, Sales Director; Billy Arrienda, Marketing Director; Charlie Liu, President and CEO; Gary Cayco, Operations Director; and Edwin Cleofe, Retail Channel Manager. TOP: Matimco President and CEO Charlie Liu addresses the guests at the launch of House of Wood.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 â&#x20AC;˘ THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

EDGE

EDGEDAVAO

Serving a seamless society

DAVAO

WANTS YOU!

ZION

ACCUPRINT PUBLISHING, INC.

MACHINE OPERATOR (Printing Press)

Qualifications:

Account Executives (2) - Male / Female, not more than 30 years old - Candidate must posses a Bachelor/ College Degree in any Business field. - Willing to work under pressure, flexible, persuasive, can speak fluently and computer literate - A team player - With Basic Salary, Transportation, Communication, allowance + Commission For interested applicants, you may send your resume to: HR Department EDGEDavao

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

- At least high school graduate, not more than 30 years old - Physically and mentally fit - Can handle minor repairs of the machine - Has the ability to be cool under pressure of deadlines and complex projects - Experience of at least one year Door 14 Alcrej Building, Quirino Ave., 8000 Davao City, Philippines E-mail: marketing@edgedavao.net zion_publishing@yahoo.com Telefax: (082) 2213601 Website: www.edgedavao.net

NEWS

MILF... FFROM 1 – Alan Peter Cayetano and Joseph Victor Ejercito – withdrawing their authorship of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) bill. In the House of Representatives, Davao del Norte second district Rep. Antonio F. Lagdameo Jr. clarified that he did not withdraw his support of the passage of the BBL. In a statement, Lagdameo said what he wants are answers. “We need to know and understand what happened and why,” he said. Lagdameo said the incident should be answered by authorities so that similar tragedies may be prevented in the future. Iqbal, for his part, reiterated the MILF’s “full commitment to the peace process with the Philippine government.” “An enduring peace and justice remain to be our primary objective. In this regard, all actions and pronouncements of our political and military units of the MILF should advance and adhere to this primary objective as much as possible and with due regard to the safety and security of our people and communities,” he added. Iqbal, however, indicated

that the incident happened because the protocols that had been established were not followed. “The MILF have been in negotiations with the Philippine Government for some time now. During this time both parties have established protocols, ways of proceedings and mechanisms which support and keep the peace. Adherence to these mechanisms have created a peaceful environment and lessened actual hostilities through the years. It is unfortunate but not entirely surprising that when parties do not follow established protocols lives are placed in harm’s way. We therefore recommit ourselves to follow these processes and protocols,” he said. Iqbal said the incident was “unfortunate” and expressed his “deepest sympathies to the families and fiends of those who died in the armed encounter.” “The emotions of loss and pain are not alien to us Bangsamoro and Mujahideen. Nevertheless, respect and solidarity are due to all, irrespective of which side they belong,” he said.

no business and sanitary permit to operate. The report also noted a lot of flies and some rats in the kitchen area. The presence of domesticated animals such as dogs and cats was also observed.

The report said the food preparers were not wearing proper sanitary suits and protective garments. The entire preparation area was very filthy and full of stains, the report added.

up to Bucana, but because of CPDO’s recommendation it might start from R.Castillo. Rigor said that it will be a mixed-use development project that will have an area for government center, industrial, commercial, residential, and port operation. Affected settlers identified by the CPDO will be relocated

to tenement housing in the reclamation project where they will be also employed. Rigor said CPDO is also accessing the possible environment and economic impact of the reclamation project which almost similar to the reclamation project implemented in Cebu and Metro Manila.

and gears who fail to avail of the grace period which started last November of last year until May of 2015. However, the moratorium will not apply to the renewal of existing vessels and gears, “provided, that should there be an increase in the gross tonnage of the commercial fishing vessel subject of the application for renewal” but not exceeding 250 gross tons. The moratorium will not also cover the issuance of construction or importation clearances and licenses for the “replacement of sunken, destroyed or de-commissioned registered and licensed commercial fishing vessel provided that should there be an increase in gross tonnage of the replacement vessel.” BFAR will coordinated with Maritime Industry Authority (MARINA), Na-

tional Telecommunication Commission (NTC), Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) and Philippine Fisheries Development Authority (PFDA) and local government units (LGUs) for the implementation of the moratorium. Violators will be subjected to administrative penalties that may include: “inclusion in the unreported and unregulated fishing (IUUF) List of fishing vessels and persons involved in IUU fishing” and “suspension of the issuance of catch certificates, health certificates, registration or relevant BFAR approvals or market accreditation.” Judicial penalties include imprisonment for six months and fine equivalent either to the value of catch if the commercial fishing vessel is caught in the act of fishing or P10,000.

DMEMS... FFROM 3

Port... FFROM 4

BFAR 11... FFROM 5

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

THREAT. Elected Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR) Halila Sudagar threatens to file a case against National Commission on Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) if she is refused her seat in the City Council. Photo taken during the selection process for the Indigenous People’s Mandatory Representative (IPMR). Lean Daval Jr.

We... FFROM 2

is part of recovery.” On Monday, US military troops in civilian clothes were seen assisting local police in airlifting the wounded on board a non-military helicopter from the PNP provincial headquarters in Shariff Aguak to the Army’s 6th Infantry Division’s Camp Siongco in Datu Odin Sinsuat. The presence of US troops fueled speculations of US participation in the operations to get Marwan, a Malaysian national on the list of the US government’s most wanted terrorists and who was reported killed three years ago in what was media reports described as a “US-backed airstrike” in Jolo, Sulu. Marwan’s remains, however, were not found in the aftermath of the dawn operation that left at least 54 persons dead. $5 million + $1 million The United States’ National Counterterrorism Center in its website said Zulkifli, 49, an engineer trained in the United States, is believed head of the Kumpulun Mujahidin Malaysia (MM) allegedly a terror group, and a member of the Jemaah Islamiyah’s central command. “Since August 2003, he has been present in the Philippines, where he is believed to have conducted bomb-making training for the Abu Sayyaf Group,” the NCTC website said. Zulkifli carries a $5m (220

million pesos) reward for anyone who could provide information leading to his arrest, the NCTC said. Abdul Basit Usman, described by the NCTC as a Filipino citizen, a “bomb-making expert” with links to the Abu Sayyaf and the JI, carries a million dollar (44 million pesos) reward. Evergreen MindaNews asked Hoyer why the American troops were in civilian clothes and why the helicopters were not US military helicopters. When followed up mid-afternoon, Hoyer said he was “still working on it.” MindaNews sources in the Philippine military said the civilian helicopters that were used on Monday are Evergreen helicopters based in Zamboanga City, where the JSOTF-P is also based. Zamboanga-based journalist Frencie Carreon, who covered the US military there from 2000 to 2010 said the Evergreen helicopters “belong to an Alaska-based US private contractor subcontracted by the US military and deployed in the Philippines to help the US soldiers or their partners or beneficiaries, sometimes for medical evacuation, especially when there are persons in medically critical situations.” Hoyer, in a text message late Tuesday evening, said

the JSOTF-P “uses contract civilian helicopters to support its efforts to train and assist Philippine security forces in Mindanao.” He said these helicopters “are flown by civilian pilots and provide 24/7 support to the JSOTF-P and when requested (by) our partners.” Examples of requested support, he said, “include casualty evacuation of security force personnel and occasional emergency humanitarian assistance support.” Hoyer said this year alone, the helicopters “have supported AFP and PNP casualty evacuation operations from both Basilan and Sulu, for example,” and Mamasapano. “All JSOTF-P support operations and specifically helicopter flight operations are coordinated with the AFP and the Philippine air traffic control services,” Hoyer said. He failed to answer why the soldiers were in civilian clothes. JSOTF-P An Associated Press report on June 27 last year said the US was disbanding the JSOTF-P. US troops returned to the country in January 2002, through the Balikatan military exercieses, just a few months after the September 11, 2001 terror attacks in the United States, purportedly to “help illequipped Filipino forces contain a bloody rampage by Abu

Sayyaf gunmen.” The AP report said “US backed Philippine offensives whittled the militants’ ranks from a few thousand fighters — mostly drawn from desperately poor hinterland villages — to about 300 gunmen who survive on extortion and kidnappings for ransom while dodging military assaults.” It quoted Hoyer as saying “our partnership with the Philippine security forces has been successful in drastically reducing the capabilities of domestic and transnational terrorist groups in the Philippines.” Hoyer was also quoted as sayin the success had led U.S. military planners in coordination with their Philippine counterparts “to begin working on a transition plan where the JSOTF-P as a task force will no longer exist.” The AP report said “about 320 American military personnel left in the south,” citing Hoyer as the source. A Philippine Star report on July 4, 2013, Lt. Gen. Rustico Guerrero, chief of Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) said the JSOTF-P will remain inside the camp of Westmincom to continue to assist and provide support to the local military. “What I know is that it (JSOTF-P personnel) was just reduced,” Guerrero said. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

Apokon, Tagum City. “There were POs (purchase orders) but there were no deliveries as certified by the city engineer’s and general services offices,” he said in an interview. Four POs for various construction materials claimed to be procured were dated as early as 2011 while the latest was dated May 2013, which were not within his incumbency, he said. Four suppliers are affected by the contract

termination but only three responded to the letters of termination sent late last year. These are the Ashlee General Merchandise Wansee Company, Inc., Durian Center, and Robins Home Depot. Their supposed payment would be sourced from the P231 million loan that the city government availed itself of during Mayor Uy’s time from DBP. Expenses and cost including the P231 million for the new City Hall total to

over P800 million already. The mayor said the concerned contractors had responded to his letters of termination and cautioned him that they would file several cases against him. This reporter tried but failed to contact Mayor Uy for comments. But councilor Dr. Oscar Bermudez, in defending Uy, said Rellon and other executive officials should “prove beyond reasonable doubt” in court that the deliveries were non-existent

“or he must be prepared to face the consequences.” Bermudez said Rellon had allegedly spent about half a million pesos covering the P1,500-per-day fee for the five engineers hired as COA’s third-party evaluators and assessors for the technical audit of materials that went to the new City Hall. Rellon, for his part, said he is determined to complete the new City Hall “before the end of December 2015.” Cha Monforte, Correspondent

Corrections. Dapecol has long been in partnership agreement with Tadeco on banana production in which eligible inmates work as laborers and earn income. The construction of tire

baths and other quarantine facilities was earlier considered by Dapecol officials as requisites for the re-pening of the roads. Board Member Alan Dujali sounded the urgency to

resolve the row over road right of way even as he informed colleagues of another being closed leading to Tanglaw village in BE Dujali town as he was informed that passersby were already being notified by

Dapecol guards. Mabanglo said there is a need to forge a right of way agreement between Dapecol and the provincial government. Cha Monforte, Correspondent

Tagum... FFROM 4

DavNorte... FFROM 4

VOL. 7 ISSUE 224 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 29, 2015

SPORTS

EDGEDAVAO

THEY FINALLY MEET Manny and Floyd exchange phone numbers at Heat game

LOYD Mayweather Jr. and Manny Pacquiao have finally met — in person. And now talks might get serious about them meeting in the ring. The fighters were both sitting courtside, directly across from one another, at a Miami Heat game on Tuesday night. Mayweather went over to Pacquiao at halftime, the men shook hands and chatted briefly, then exchanged phone numbers. “He gave his number to me and said we will communicate with each other,” said Pacquiao, adding that he had never before met Mayweather in person. Asked to clarify if the exchange meant the two would negotiate directly about meeting in the ring, Pacquiao said that was the case. Mayweather did not respond to a question asked by an AP reporter. “Not now,” one of his security guards said, as Mayweather fiddled with his phone. A bout between the two would almost certainly be the richest ever in boxing, potentially grossing as much as $250 million. Mayweather’s take alone could exceed $100 million. Mayweather said last

month that he’s ready to make the fight happen May 2. Asked Tuesday if that date can finally be the one, Pacquiao — who has said it’s time to give boxing fans what they want — nodded and said “yes.” When Mayweather said he wanted the May 2 fight to happen, he said Pacquiao promoter Bob Arum had been the main obstacle for it not coming together in the last five years. Mayweather repeated his old charges about Pacquiao not wanting to do blood tests prior to the fight for it not happening five years ago. He also has no doubt that he could beat Pacquiao. “I know that he’s not on my level,” Mayweather said last month. Pacquiao has a similar confidence, saying on Twitter recently that “I can easily beat @FloydMayweather, I believe that.” It appears to be happenstance that Mayweather and Pacquiao were together on Tuesday. Pacquiao has been in Miami for several days, after serving as one of the judges in the Miss Universe pageant at Florida International University. He was supposed to leave Tuesday night but said

Keys upsets Venus in Australian Open

ADISON Keys continued her dream run through the Australian Open on Tuesday, this time defeating one of her childhood idols en route to the semifinals. It took three sets, but unranked Keys beat No. 18 Venus Williams, 6-3, 4-6, 6-4. Trailing 4-1 in the second set, Keys needed a medical timeout to receive treatment on her left thigh. It seemed to do the trick, as she then came back and broke Venus’ serve twice to even the score at 4-all. But Venus had some fight left in her, as she answered with her own break and served out the set. In the third, Venus

F the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather megafight won’t happen as I have the hunch to believe it is going nowhere, allow me to make a suggestion. This one is addressed to EA Sports or Xbox. The brains at Sony could also get a hint from this one for its Playstation 5 edition. We need these computer guys to make the fight happen if Bob Arum can’t. So why don’t these video games developers make the Manny Pacquiao-Floyd Mayweather megafight the biggest computer game in history. This crazy idea ain’t new, I tell ya. It has been done before. Mayweather is not the only champion in history who could go down without a loss

jumped out to a 3-1 lead, seemingly in control of the match. But Keys again rallied back. She earned three straight breaks to close out the win. Overall, Keys had 34 winners and 45 unforced errors; Venus had 10 winners and 38 unforced errors. “It’s amazing, you just have to embrace the moment,” Keys said after the match. “And I get to enjoy another moment next round.” To advance to her first Grand Slam final, Keys will have to beat No. 1 Serena Williams, who advanced to the next round with a 6-2, 6-2 win over Dominika Cibulkova.

Manny Pacquiao and Floyd Mayweather Jr. were both sitting courtside at Tuesday’s Bucks-Heat game in Miami, on opposite sides of the court. his flight was canceled — as many were in South Florida because of the crippling effects felt nationwide by the havoc a winter storm caused in the New York and Boston areas. So Pacquiao decided to come to the Heat-Milwaukee Bucks game. He’s a noted basketball fan and has a good relationship with Heat coach Erik Spoelstra, who is of Fili-

pino descent. Mayweather has been a regular courtside attendee at Heat games for several years. And it just so happened they picked the same game. Pacquiao said he didn’t expect to see Mayweather — who had a seat just a few feet from Spoelstra’s spot on the side of the court where the Heat have their bench. Spoelstra met with Pac-

quiao before the game and said he was “totally shocked” to see Mayweather on the same night. If the fight happens May 2, it would occur somewhere around the end of the first round of the Eastern Conference playoffs. “I hope we’re extremely busy at that time, May 2,” Spoelstra said, “and I hope they’re very busy as well.” Mayweather, the WBA

and WBC welterweight champion, hasn’t lost in 47 fights. Pacquiao, the WBO welterweight titleholder, is 57-5-2 in his career. Even the Heat in-game marketing arm weighed in on the buzz surrounding the potential fight. They put photos of both fighters on their video screens during a firsthalf stoppage in play, with the caption “Coming in 2015?”

James barely missed any game time after that anxious moment, and he finished with 32 points to help the Cleveland Cavaliers to their seventh straight victory Tuesday night, 103-95 over the Pistons. Kyrie Irving matched his season high with 38 points. The Cavs never trailed in the second half, but when James hit the deck and didn’t immediately get up, that was plenty to be concerned about. ‘’That is obviously a time of worry, which is the understatement of the year,’’ Cleveland coach David Blatt said. ‘’In a situation like that, you

are just hoping he is OK.’’ James quickly came back in the game, and his two-handed breakaway dunk early in the fourth put Cleveland up 80-68. Greg Monroe had 17 points and 12 rebounds for the Pistons, who pulled within eight and had the ball late in the fourth quarter, but Kentavious Caldwell-Pope was unable to connect from 3-point range. James drew a foul at the other end and made both free throws to make it 88-78 with 2:56 to play. Caldwell-Pope was fouled by James while shooting a 3-pointer with 2:00 re-

maining, and that trio of free throws made it 90-83. The Pistons got the ball back, but Andre Drummond missed a layup, and Irving connected from beyond the arc. The Cavs avenged a 23-point home loss to Detroit late last month. That game was part of a seven-game winning streak for the Pistons, but now Detroit is struggling to overcome the loss of Brandon Jennings, who ruptured his left Achilles tendon last weekend and will miss the rest of the season. IRVING’S BIG NIGHT Irving was 6 of 10 from 3-point range. The rest of the Cavs went 3 of 24.

Irving, James help Cavs push win streak to 7

EBRON James came leaping in to try to stop Jodie Meeks as the Detroit guard drove to the basket during the final seconds of the third quarter. After colliding with Meeks, James put his hands out to break his fall before sliding across the floor on his stomach. ‘’I was scared, because I broke my wrist on a fall like that in high school,’’ James said. ‘’I was either going to land on my face or break the fall with my hands, but when I hit, both my arms went numb. I’m OK now - it was just something like a stinger - but I wasn’t sure at first.’’

One crazy idea for one crazy fight in his career. Before him, there was Rocky Marciano. The legendary Marciano (born Rocco Francis Marchegiano) was World Heavyweight Champion from September 23, 1952, to April 27, 1956. Marciano had a record of 49-0 with 43 knockouts. Mayweather is 47-0 with 26 Kos. Long after Marciano retired, the next heavyweight star was Muhammad Ali who built his empire in the 60s towards the 70s. Now, would you imagine Marciano and Ali battle each other in a megafight? Naah. It’s just not possible. Not only because Marciano retired at the prime of his career. Not only because Marciano would have been in his

LET’S GET IT ON

Neil Bravo

40s and Ali in his 20s. Not only because they existed in two different boxing eras. There was no way it could happen because Marciano died on a plane crash in August 31, 1969. Which leads us back to the question: Why would an undefeated champion retire early or avoid challengers just

to keep their record clean? I am not saying Marciano avoided the best in his career. He fought Roland La Starza (37-0) twice and he fought Joe Louis. He just retired too soon at age 32. To this day, it intrigues me why. So here’s Floyd Mayweather at 47-0 and once retired, apparently avoiding Manny Pacquiao and keep his unblemished record. That too, intrigues me why. So if Floyd is not interested, let’s go back to our video game proposal. Let them fight in a video game with simulated moves and characteristics. Let the video game freaks in us decide this megafight. As I have said, this ain’t new.

Marciano and Ali fought in a videogame entitled The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali. The geniuses of videogames then made it more interesting by coming up with two versions. One version had Marciano winning. Another version had Ali winning. That was late July 1969, and according to boxing historians shortly before his death, Marciano participated in the filming of the fantasy The Superfight: Marciano vs. Ali. How the heck the guys did it? Simple. The two boxers were filmed sparring, then the film was edited to match a computer simulation of a hypothetical fight between them, each in their prime. It aired on January 20, 1970, with one version having Marciano winning and the second version

having Ali winning. The two fighters had memorable words of the videogame. Marciano said when asked if he could have defeated Ali in a real fight: “I’d be conceited if I said I could, but I’d be lying if I said I couldn’t.” For his part, Ali jokingly dismissed the results as racist, saying “That computer must’ve been made in Mississippi.” Now, for the Pacquiao vs. Mayweather megafight, the two fighters could leave it all to us to answer the question who is the best boxer in the planet. Oh, I’d love to play this game. And to make it a little more realistic, throw in Mommy Dionesia in the audience please. Life powers and energy boost included.

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. VOL.77ISSUE ISSUE224 224••THURSDAY, THURSDAY,JANUARY JANUARY29, 29,2015 2015

UNITING PEOPLE

Palarong Pambansa 2015 to advance peace in Mindanao by Noel Baguio/DavNor PIO

AVAO del Norte, January 28, 2015 – The Palarong Pambansa 2015 will showcase sports as a universal language that has the power to break down barriers, unite people and foster peace. The Organizing Committee of the event unanimously approved on Tuesday the

peace-themed official logo of the Philippine National Games, with the slogan, “Sports: Breaking Borders, Building Peace.” Governor Rodolfo del Rosario, Chair of the Palaro Executive Committee revealed the body chose peace as the main theme of the games, since it has always

been the perpetual issue in the Mindanao region. He said the Committee drew on the inimitable power of sports in promoting the ideals of harmony, brotherhood, solidarity and tolerance. “Through this year’s Palarong Pambansa, we will show to the world how

sports could be a powerful tool in achieving peace,” del Rosario said. In a separate engagement, the governor hailed the sporting event as a golden opportunity for the people of Mindanao to pull together as one in rallying behind the passage of the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL).

Palarong Pambansa 2015 Executive Committee Chair Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, center, gestures as he pushes peace to be the apt main theme of the national games on May 3-9 in Tagum City, Davao del Norte. noel baguio/davnor pio

“This Palaro will not only glorify sports but will unify all Mindanaoans

in rallying the support of the whole country for the passage of the BBL. So we can finally attain the elusive peace in the island,” he said. The official logo depicts the dominant image of an artistic dove that carries with it an olive branch having 17 leaves representing the regions of the country. Three flaming tails of the dove stand for the tri-people diversity of the Palaro delegations, emblazoned with elaborate designs of the Muslim artwork okir, fishes that portray Christianity and the beadworks of the indigenous people. Literally underscoring the logo is the banana leaf

that aptly represents Davao del Norte, as the ‘Banana Capital’ of the Philippines. Del Rosario bared the banana also embodies t h e resilience o f the Dab a onon people, who have constantly emerged stronger and better from natural calamities, “just like the ever-enduring banana plant.” The governor was seen lately personally supervising the heavy preparations for the country’s largest sports conclave, which will be held on May 3-9, 2015 in Tagum City, this province. “I want to make sure that everything is moving according to schedule,” he stressed, while checking the finishing works at the Davao del Norte Sports and Tourism Complex.

CMO outlasts IBP Davao ALA boxers to hold public workout Jan. 31 C T ITY Mayor’s Office played steely confidence and implausible composure to mount a last second surge en route to a pulsating 68 – 67 victory over IBP Davao on Monday night in their Basketball Friendly Series at the Davao City Recreation Center. Eric John Flores made the game winning shots at the foul line with 8 seconds remaining in the game after he was fouled going to the basket. Flores’ freebies capped an improbable run down t h e stretch as the CMO widened the series lead, 36 – 10.

Downed by 9 under the final two minutes of the game, the City Hall dribblers relied on the clutch plays of Flores, Christopher “Bong” Go, Joel Aberilla and Warren Cloribel to pull ahead and seal the win. Go, the sweet-shooting trusted-aid of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, scored gamebest 29 points as Flores and Cloribel made 13 and 12 respectively. The game was far from over after the Flores free throws that came after IBP’s Armand Dioso missed two gift shots with the door still open for the resilient Davao lawyers. IBP Davao muffed two opportunities that could have turn the game around with ChokCadiogan missing a second chance attempt to allow CMO escape on the jaws of defeat. Caiogan led IBP Davao with 17 as Dioso and Gil Ciudadano had 16 apiece. The win completed a sweat retaliation for the CMO’s 82 – 74 loss in their first encounter of the year last week. The series of games were part of the IBP Davao’s build up on its title retention bid in the 2015 National Convention for Lawyers Basketball Tournament set on March in Cebu. IBP Davao topped the Mindanao leg last November in Tagum City. (Rico Biliran)

Christopher “Bong” Go of the City Mayor’s Office puts up a shot against IBP Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

HE world-class boxers from the ALA Boxing Stable will be holding a public workout on January 31 at 5 p.m. at the SM City Davao to promote the Pinoy Pride 29 slated on Feb. 7 at University of Southern Philippines Gym in Bo. Obrero. Head trainer Edito Villamor said that the five prized fighters are reigning WBO International junior welterweight champion Jason

“El Nino” Pagara, WBO Intercontinental junior featherweight champion Genesis Servania, WBO and IBO International junior bantamweight champion “King” Arthur Villanueva, promising boxers Mark Magsayo and Arjan Canillas. Pagara (34 wins-21 KOs, 2 loses) will defend his title against Mexican challenger Cesar “El Dolar” Chavez (23 W, 11 KOs, 7 L) for 12 rounds in the main event while

WBO International junior welterweight champion Jason “El Nino” Pagara (2nd from left), WBO Intercontinental junior featherweight champion Genesis Servania (2nd from right), WBO and IBO International junior bantamweight

the undefeated Servania (25 W, 11 Kos) stakes his crown against another tough Mexican Juan Luis “Perla Negra” Hernandez (17W, 9 KO, 3 L, 1 D).Villanueva, also undefeated in 26 fights with 14 KOs, gets his biggest challenge against former WBO world flyweight champion Julio Cesar “Pingo” Miranda (38 W-29 KO, 11 L, 2 D) in a 10-rounder.The 19-year old Magsayo (9 W, 7 K0) takes on Sukkasem Kiethyongyuth

of Thailand in 10 round 126 lbs. bout while Canillas fights Stevi Ferinandus of Indonesia for 8 rounds (137 lbs.). Pinoy Pride, the television’s mega boxing series is a partnership of ALA Sports Promotion International Inc. together with the Philippines biggest television network ABS-CBN. ALA Promotion’s first Pinoy Pride in Davao City was the 19th edition held April 20, 2013 at the USEP gym. – LDR

champion “King” Arthur Villanueva (right), promising boxers Mark Magsayo will be holding a public workout on January 31 at 5 p.m. at the SM City Davao to promote the Pinoy Pride 29.