Edge Davao 8 Issue 149

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

FAKE MONEY

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

DCPO warns vs. fake money as election season approaches

EARLY PRAYERS. A man solemnly prays for a departed loved one at Forest Lake Cemetery in Madapo Hills yesterday. Many people visit their departed relatives a few days ahead of the commemoration of All Saints’ and All Souls’ Day to avoid the crowds will troop to the cemeteries. Lean Daval Jr.

Chiz: No secret meeting with Binay in Davao EDGE DAVAO

The Vote 2016

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ENATOR Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero on Monday clarified that there was no secret meeting happened between him and former ally Vice President Jejomar Binay when the two met in a lunch gathering in Davao City last Sunday.

“It was not a secret meeting,” Escudero, a running mate of Senator

Grace Poe, said in a press conference in Cucina Ni Bunso restaurant in Quezon City.

Escudero said he was aware that Binay, an opposition presidential candidate in 2016, has also been invited by former Davao del Norte Representative Antonio “Tonyboy” Floirendo Jr. ”We were invited by the owner. It was newly-opened and we saw

FCHIZ, 10

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. abf@edgedavao.net

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HE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) warned the public on the circulation of fake peso bills especially as the Christmas season and the campaign period for the 1016 election approach.

In an interview yesterday, DCPO spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz said the Sta. Ana Police Station has recorded reports of fake money being used.

“Duol na ang election og duol na pud ang December, ang mga nagpayuhot og fake money magpaspas gyud ni silag pagpakalat (With the election and the month of December approaching, the people behind the fake money will work fast to circulate it in the city),” she said.

Driz said the places where the fake bills were used were in Barrio Obrero, at the Night Market in Roxas Avenue, and

in Ramon Magsaysay Avenue.

She said the usual fake bills come in P500 and P1,000 denominations. The most common victims are stores.

“Katong mga nabiktima i-hold ninyo ang tao na nagpakalat ani og tawag dayon mo og police (To the victims, hold the person and immediately call the police),” she said.

Driz said the police are monitoring the trail of the leader of the group that is printing and circulating counterfeit money.

She urged the public to be vigilant because the circulation of fake biggers will grow wider if it is not preempted.

On October 14, a certain Abubakar T. Angkong of Times Beach, Ecoland was arrested for paying for an “ukayukay” item using a fake P500 bill at the Night Market.

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

COMPLEX. A perspective model of the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Min) sports complex is shown from a tablet during a press briefing on the accomplishments of the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) with regional director Mariano R. Alquiza (right) and OIC engineer of District 2 Gene Lozano at the DPWH Davao City 2 District Engineering Office in Tugbok yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Officials close Lumad school named after slain missionary

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SCHOOL named after slain Italian missionary Fausto “Pops” Tentorio for Lumad (Indigenous Peoples) children in Barangay White Kulaman in Kitaotao, Bukidnon was “permanently closed” by village officials Friday, according to a press release from the Army’s 4th Infantry Brigade but the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network in Southern Mindanao condemned the “forced closure and destruction of the gate” that it said was done in the company of soldiers in civilian clothes.

In a press release dated October 23 and e-mailed to the

media at 11:23 p.m., the 4th Infantry Brigade in Malaybalay City said “no soldiers were involved in the closure (of the school)” and that barangay chair Felipe Cabugnason along with members of the Barangay Council and residents proceeded to Sitio Dao in Barangay White Kulaman at around 10 a.m. Friday “to implement the closure of the Fr. FaustoTentorio Memorial School,” operated by the Mindanao Interfaith Services Foundation, Inc. (MISFI).

The Army’s press release said barangay officials “permanently closed” the school

FOFFICIALS, 10

DCPO to public: Secure your home before going to cemetery

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HE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) has urged the public to apply security measures before leaving their houses this coming All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. In an interview yesterday, DCPO spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz said people should ensure they have locked the doors and windows of their house before going to the cemeteries.

She also urged people to inform neighbors, barangay officials, or barangay peace and order units (BPOU) that they will be going to the cemeteries so the people roaming around the community can be monitored.

“Amo silang pahimangnu-

an na dili sila magbiya sa ilang balay kung wala sila’y ibilin or kung wala sila’y mabilin ilang iingon sa ilang silingan (We remind them never to leave their houses without anyone left behind, or if there is no one to leave behind, tell their neighbors to look after their houses),” she said.

Driz said the BPOUs are tasked to monitor the communities and subdivisions in the city to ensure no robbers sneak in during the commemoration of All Saints’ Day and All Souls’ Day. She said the DCPO has been receiving reports that “Akyat Bahay” (burglary) gangs are planning to enter

FDCPO, 10

DPWH on 24-hour security after burning of equipment in UP Min

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the second district of Davao City has implemented a 24-hour security immediately after the burning of heavy equipment at the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Mindanao) on Monday last week.

“Our operation for the implementation of the construction of a road project from UP leading to Manambulan has completely resumed,” DPWH Davao City second district head engineer Gene P. Lozano said in yesterday’s press conference at the district office in Tugbok District.

The construction of the road is part of the UP Mindanao-Davao City Sports Complex Project.

Settlers in the area had been claiming several properties in Sitio 117 in Bago Oshiro, near the site of the proposed sports complex.

The settlers formed a human barricade on October 19 in protest of the construction of the sports complex. At the height of the protest action, a Molotov cocktail was thrown at one of the heavy equipment of contractor CLTG Builders.

The bulldozer and a nearby excavator caught fire.

Damage was placed at a total

of P120,000.

The incident led to the arrest of 12 settlers.

The residents, however, insisted that the homemade bomb was not from them since it was thrown from the direction opposite to the barricade.

Following the incident, Lozano said the DPWH asked assistance from the Philippine National Police (PNP) for the deployment of police force in the area where the arson incident transpired.

“We cannot avoid threats from the illegal settlers in the campus but what matter most is that we’re secured,” Lozano added. “They are now

restricted.”

He also said since the deployment of police force in the area, his district office is now conducting survey of the area for the road construction. “We have already issued the notice to proceed with the infrastructure project to the contractor,” he said.

Aside from the road project, the district office of DPWH in the area will be also in charge of the construction of the stadium which has initial funding of P50 million, as well as the P50-million UP Faculty facility.

Lozano said the construction of the other two projects has already started.

tensions during the implementation of the demolition,” she said.

Driz said the police will also make sure no human rights violations are committed by either side. It will also facilitate the filing of cases in case violations are committed.

She said the area is now peaceful a week after tension rose in the area. Construction of the sports complex is now ongoing, she added.

Driz said the settlers in the area should not resist the demolition because there is already a relocation area provided for them.

“There are negotiations already prior to the implementation of the demolition order,” she said.

Earlier, Duterte said the police should exercise force to let the settlers know that the rule of law should prevail.

DCPO won’t take lead in demolition at UP Min

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

T

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) will not take the lead in removing the settlers at the University of the Philippines Mindanao (UP Min) compound but will only assist the demolition team that will implement Mayor Rodrigo Duterte’s order.

Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte last week ordered the police to remove the settlers after learning that they had burned some heavy equipment of

a contractor on October 19 during a protest action against the construction of the Davao City Sports Complex.

In an interview yesterday, DCPO spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz said the mandate of the police is to facilitate the execution of the demolition order in the area.

“The police will just provide assistance because there is a demolition team assigned.

We will just assist if there are

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PDP-Laban affirms support for Diño

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HE Partido Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) has reaffirmed its support to Martin Dino, national deputy sec-general of the party, as its Presidential candidate in next year’s Presidential elections.

In a press conference, the party formally announced its support for the chairman of the Volunteers Against Crime and Corruption, saying his candidacy is crucial in addressing the problems on criminalities, corruption, drug and human trafficking, insurgency and poverty.

The PDP-Laban, which is a party of national convergence, is fielding Dino to be able to participate in the resolution of national, regional, and local issues and concerns “affecting the very existence of our people and country.”

The party, which has more than 10,000 active members and almost 200,000 associate and inactive members, has consistently participated in all national and local elections

since its formation in the 70s.

Dino, along with Davao Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, are the only two leaders of the party who are considered with national prominence and capability to run for president.

But Duterte, has consistently denied that he is interested in running for the presidency.

In a resolution, the party said that as early as last month, Dino and Duterte have been nominated during the consultations with national, regional and local leaders.

With Duterte’s inability to file his certificate of candidacy, PDP-Laban has decided to field Dino as its presidential bet.

The VACC chairman is a bonafide and active member of the party and has continuously articulated the vision, beliefs and principles of PDP-Laban as well as its platform of government, Dino, like Duterte, has been advocating for federal-

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Gov’t backs actions to stop violence vs Lumads: Coloma

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ALACAÑANG welcomes and supports calls by local government units (LGUs) in the National Capital Region (NCR) to stop the violence against Lumads in Mindanao, Communications Secretary Herminio Coloma Jr. said on Sunday.

The Palace official issued the statement during an interview over government-run Radio ng Bayan, saying he was informed that some LGUs in Metro Manila have passed resolutions regarding the situation of the indigenous people in the south.

“Nakikiisa ang ating pamahalaan sa lahat ng panawagan sa pagpigil sa karahasan laban sa ating mga kapatid na Lumad sa Mindanao. Ipinag-

papatuloy ng pamahalaan ang pagtataguyod ng kaunlaran at kapayapaan sa lahat ng mga lugar na apektado upang matiyak ang patuloy na paghahatid ng serbisyo publiko ng ating mga lingkod-bayan,” said Coloma.

“Maaalalang noong nakaraang linggo, mariing kinondena ng pamahalaan ang pagpaslang kay Mayor Dario Otaza ng Loreto, Agusan del Sur, isa sa mga matibay na nagtataguyod sa prosesong pangkapayapaan at pangkaunlaran ng mga Lumad at Manobo communities,” he further said.

Coloma also stressed that the national government is using its resources to ensure peace and order in indigenous

FGOV’T, 10

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

DURIAN TALK. Elementary students from a nearby school spend their lunch break chatting in front of the Durian-shaped water fountain at Quezon Park yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Davao City’s air quality getting better despite haze

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

HE air quality in Davao City is getting better despite the presence haze from Indonesia that has hovered over the city for a more than week.

“Daily monitoring of the bureau from October 17 to October 25 showed that the air quality in Davao City is getting better and expected get back in its original level in few days,” Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) division on air quality management staff Jeperneo Ylagan said during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Annex.

Ylagan said the EMB’s 24-hour daily monitoring revealed that the air quality as measured by the presence of

particulate matters in the air of the city is still “fair” because it is still the ranges from 55 to 154 microgram per normal cubic meter (µg/m3).

Ylagan said the air quality in the city is still within the safe level.

“The pollution in the air caused by the haze is decreasing for the past days,” Ylagan said. From 70 µg/m3 recorded in October 17 when the haze was first observed blanketing the skies of the city, it dropped to 40 µg/m3 last Sunday.

Ylagan said the high particulate level on October 17 was brought by the fine particles mixed with atmospheric moisture, smoke, and vapor suspended in the air from the forest fire in Indonesia.

The haze caused obscuration first in the skies of different cities and provinces in Mindanao and Visayas before it reached Luzon last week because of the southwest monsoon.

EMB chief Nestor Patnugot, who was also a guest in yesterday’s Kapehan, echoed Ylagan’s statement. “The air quality is fair meaning it is not alarming. It is still on the safe level,” he said.

Patnugot said the public has nothing to worry about since the air quality of the city is expected to reach the “good” level in a few days. Under this level, particulate matter in the air ranges from 0 to 54 µg/m3.

“Before the haze, Davao City’s air quality was good,” he

Agri losses reach P8.45B due to‘Lando’

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HIGH TECH. Employees form a queue in front of a biometric Bundy clock to have their fingerprints taken for their attendance during lunch break at the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH). Lean Daval Jr.

added.

Patnugot said there is still no order from the EMB head office and other national government offices to issue advisories that it is not safe to stay outdoors because of haze.

DOH 11 regional director Dr. Abdullah Dumama Jr. had earlier said long exposure to haze can cause upper respiratory tract infection to human which is manifested by cough.

DOH 11 senior health program officer Gloria O. Raut also said in an earlier press conference that exposure to haze is unhealthy especially for people with respiratory illnesses like asthma, bronchitis, cancer, HIV (human immunodeficiency virus), and for the very young and the elderly.

HE Department of Agriculture reported Monday that to date, the estimated cost of damages and losses to agriculture and fisheries due to Typhoon Lando have reached Php 8.451 billion in Regions I, II, III, IV-A and the Cordillera Administrative Region or CAR. According to the DA, a total of 369,199 hectares (has.) of production areas were affected,resulting in 511,691 metric tons (MT) of production losses.

Most of the damages were in the rice sector with a total of 344,102 has. of rice lands affected, with production losses reaching 471,198 MT having an estimated value of Php 7.213 billion.

Meanwhile, damages to high value crops were placed at Php 780,273,408; fisheries

at Php 276,818,517; and corn losses at Php 146,498,170.

Region III incurred most of the damages in rice, with 225,946 has. of rice lands affected and with production losses reaching 393,440 MT having an estimated value of Php 5.991 billion.

In the meantime, the DA said that field validations in Regions I and III will be conducted from October 26-30 and November 3-7 in Region II. The validation team will be composed of representatives from DA field offices, regional field offices (RFOs) and the Philippine Rice Research Institute (PhilRice).

The DA said the result of the validation will be considered as the final report of the RFOs affected by Typhoon Lando. (PNA)

4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

KORONADAL CITY

Children to enlighten other children on rights, welfare

T DARING DRIVER. A motorcycle driver dares to carry a huge piece of furniture along the highway in El Salvador City, Misamis Oriental early morning Monday.

MindaNews photo by Bobby Timonera

SARANGANI

Maasim eco-tourism park elected one of Phl’s best E

STABLISHED in 2006, the Kamanga Marine Eco-Tourism Park and Sanctuary of Maasim was cited among 12 outstanding Marine Protected Areas (MPA) in the country for “implementing exemplary marine and coastal governance” for this year’s Para el MAR (for the Sea) Award for Most Outstanding Marine Protected Areas in the Philippines.

The 43.85-hectare Kamanga Marine Eco-Tourism Park and Sanctuary in Tampuan, Barangay Kamanga is just a border away from Alsonspower’s Sarangani Energy Corporation Power Plant.

“Since the very beginning, we don’t consider the power plant a threat at all but an opportunity for us to have clearer steps in protecting our MPA,” Maasim Mayor Aniceto P. Lopez Jr. said in his presentation on Thursday, October 22, at Greenleaf Hotel in General Santos City.

COTABATO CITY

“We owe this to the strong and active partnership between the local government and Sarangani Energy Corporation (SEC). They have helped us a lot,” he said.

In 2009, LGU-Maasim, SEC and the Conrado & Ladislawa Alcantara Foundation launched the Artificial Reef Deployment project, in a bid to restore Sarangani bay’s rich marine and coastal resources, thereby improve fish catch.

To date, 4, 300 concrete artificial reefs were distributed into the waters of Tampuan, Looc and Mangelen.

“From the start of our power plant construction, up to this day and onward, we remain committed to helping the local government keep Sarangani Bay a protected seascape,” Joel Aton, head of SEC HR-Admin and Project Assurance said.

SEC, along with community partners have successfully released two million healthy

bangus fry to the bay and have planted close to 35,000 mangrove seedlings with high survival rating for the past five years.

Meanwhile, DENR-12 Regional Executive Director Sultan Tungko Saikol has cited SEC’s 7,500 - hectare Watershed Protection and Development program as model of a strong private-public partnership particularly on the National Greening Program the government.

The project is set out to cultivate public and private lands with commercial agro-forestry crops like rubber, coffee, guayabano, jackfruit to name a few – giving highland farmers sustainable income.

As of April, 2015, SEC has already planted 1,012,900 seedlings at 2,303 hectares covering barangays Amsipit, Kablakan, Nomoh, Pananag and Lumatil –– benefiting 500 families to date.

Now on its 5th year, the Para el MAR is a biennial event organized by MPA Support Network (MSN), Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Department of Agriculture – Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (DABFAR), the UP Marine Science Institute and other supporting partners.

Also joining Maasim are San Salvador Marine Sanctuary and Reservation AreaMasinloc, Zambales; AgCa Integrated Marine and Coastal Wetland Sanctuary- Tinambac, Camarines Sur; Agsalin Fish Sanctuary- Gloria, Oriental Mindoro; Buntod Marine Sanctuary- Masbate City, Masbate; St. John Reef- San Carlos City, Negros Occidental; Iniban Marine Protected Area- Ayungon, Negros Oriental; Mantalip Marine Reserve- Bindoy, Negros Oriental; Sta. Cruz-Molopolo Marine Park Bird and Fish Sanctuary- Macrohon,

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2015 model OFW families announced T

WO families of Overseas Filipino Workers – one from Maguindanao and the other from Basilan – received the Model OFW Family of the Year Award (MOFYA) from the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration-ARMM (OWWA-ARMM) last week.

OWWA ARMM Director Amy Crisostomo said the families of Husna S. Sabtal of Lamitan, Basilan and Anao M. Madag of Matanog, Maguindanao are this year’s MOFYA awardees.

Sabtal, who worked as a household service worker in Saudi Arabia for 4 years, won the land-based category while Madag, a seafarer from Matanog, Maguindnaao was chosen for the sea-based category.

The winning OFW families were selected because they overcame the risks of overseas migration and focused on their goals of giving a better life for their families and became role models in their communities as well, Crisostomo said.

Crisostomo also urged other OFW families and OWWA scholars who are present during the awarding ceremony to learn from the best practices of the MOFYA winners and make them as inspiration for a better future.

The families of Husna Sabtal and Anao Madag, as regional winners will compete in the MOFYA national search in Manila later this year.

This year’s nominees were screened by a panel of judges from government line

agencies, non-government organizations, faith-based organizations, OFW sector and business sector and program partners.

MOFYA is an annual, nationwide search of the Overseas Workers Welfare Administration to honor and recognize outstanding families of Filipino migrant workers who have shown exemplary example of family solidarity, financial stewardship, civic/ community involvement, and entrepreneurship. (ORVRivera-PIA12)

HE Children’s Month celebration in South Cotabato next month will be underscored by a paralegal forum where both the speakers and participants are children ages 17 years old and below.

The forum, dubbed “Tingog Kabataan, Alamin ang Iyong Karapatan,” will be held at the Provincial Capitol covered court on November 28, Francis Paul Arca, focal person for the Provincial Council for the Protection of Children (PCPC), announced in a recent press conference.

Participants are 100 children representing different sectors as well as members of the Pag-Asa Youth Association of the Philippines Inc. (PYAP)South Cotabato Chapter and children that will be identified

by NGO partners Save the Children and World Vision.

“Speakers and resource persons of the forum are also children trained on paralegal issues by Saligan Mindanaw,” Arca said.

Saligan (Sentro ng Alternatibong Lingap Panligal) Mindanaw is a legal resource non-government organization involved in developmental legal work with women, workers, farmers and fishers, the urban poor, and local communities.

Saligan Mindanaw is also providing free legal services in the crafting of the new children’s code of the province South Cotabato. The 2015 Children’s Welfare Code is being deliberated at the Sangguniang Panlalawigan. Once approved, it will replace the province’s

DAVAO CITY

2001 Children’s Code.

“It is worth noting that children will be speaking to fellow children on their rights and will be training them what to do when they are in precarious situations like abuses,” Nelida Pereira, chief of the Provincial Social Welfare and Development said.

She said the event is part of the provincial government’s advocacy to educate young people on their rights as important members of the society.

Discussions on November 28 will revolve around the following topics: children’s rights are human rights, UN Convention on the Rights of Children, children’s participation, bullying, child abuse, and suicide prevention.

Apart from the Saligan Mindanaw-led forum, the PCPC will also conduct a series of forums on children’s rights and responsibilities in schools.

“In cooperation with lawyers from the Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP)-South Cotabato Chapter, PCPC will visit campuses across the province to conduct forums on children’s rights,” Arca said.

The campus forums will be carried out in partnership with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Department of Education.

Republic Act 10661 signed

by President Benigno Aquino on May 29, 2015 has declared November of every year as Children’s Month. In the past, Children’s Month was held every October. (DEDoguiles-PIA12)

PhilHealth conducts info drive on health care fraud awareness

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TOTAL of 95 representatives from government line-agencies, local government units, and non-governmental organizations joined the Regional Multi-sectoral Health Care Fraud Awareness Forum spearheaded by the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and held in one of the hotels here.

Ramon Aristoza Jr., executive vice president and chief operating officer of the Philippine Health Insurance Corporation, said the forum is part of the information-education campaign platform on the fraud awareness program of the agency being conducted annually in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao.

He said in Mindanao, earlier fora were conducted in the cities of Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro. Aristoza said common problems raised from various areas range from denied claims suspected as fraudulent, overlapping of claims, and claims which the patients denied that they were confined.

He said indigenous peoples are a preferential group subsidized by the government under

the household targeting system on poverty reduction by the Department of Social Welfare and Development.

“These lists come from the DSWD which submits to PHILHEALTH for the issuance of cards. They are priority groups meaning, they no longer have to pay their premium since they are subsidized by the national government,” Aristoza said.

Dr. Jennifer Raca, senior manager on benefits development and research department of the PHILHEALTH, urged patients to strictly follow the policy of the Bureau of Internal Revenue not to pay directly any professional fee to the doctors since their fee is already covered by the program.

She said aside from the need for doctors to pay their taxes accordingly, the patients must be aware that it is their right to be protected from this malpractice.

“The patients are often at a losing end since the payment for the doctor is not reflected in their claims,” Raca said.

She urged the BIR to help them monitor and minimize this abuse. (PIA 11-Joey Sem G. Dalumpines)

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

Sulu’s civet coffee invades int’l market T

HE civet coffee of Sulu produced by Muslim women and former rebels in Sulu has captured the international market.

Grown in the wild of Sulu, picked by the Alamid or the Philippine civet cat, the civet coffee beans are harvested and processed from the feces of the nocturnal animal known in English as the Asian Palm Civet.

Princess Kumala Elardo, chairperson of People’s Alliance for Progress Multi-Purpose Cooperative, said the civet coffee is the main product of their cooperative.

The business has grown that they were able to help

CHANGE THE GAME

marginalized farmers and even encouraged members of the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) and Abu Sayyaf to surrender their guns and use the cash reward for the coffee project.

The number of cooperative members has also grown to 2,200 or about 334 families directly involved mostly in the gathering of the beans in the mountains.

“We buy the beans from them at P3,000 per kilo,” Elardo said. The wild coffee is found in the mountainous area of barangays Panamao, Patikol, Talipao, Pangliam Espino.

According to Elardo, the project has improved the economic condition of these families from a status of no regular income before to an average income earners with P120,000 a year or P10,000 monthly.

“Our place now also has improved because the people already earn a living,” she said, adding that the families became productive and could already send their children to school.

The Sulu civet coffee labeled as Royal Coffee with brand name Kahawa Kubing comes in two packs with the 100 grams priced at P600 and the 270 grams at P1,500.

Elardo said their product was discovered by their buyers through the Coffee Origins Festival, which is organized every year by Philippine Coffee Board.

“We are regular exhibitor of the Coffee Origins and through this exposure our coffee gained interest from consumers both from here and those visitors coming from foreign countries,” she said.

Elardo disclosed that their initial production when they started in 2008 was only 30 kilos a year but increased to 300 kilos annually three years after.

And our target this year is pegged at 600 kilos, she said.

Elardo also disclosed they are receiving more orders that they are adding three more barangays for their production area namely Indacan, Kaligalan Kaluwak and Luuk.

“We hope to also expand our market both local and foreign,” she said.

Elardo said they have buyers of the civet coffee with distribution to France, Korea, Canada, Australia, the US and the Middle East.

On the other hand, Elardo said their cooperative was a recipient of an assistance in the form of equipment and other facilities from the government and private sector.

The Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) provided them with equipment such as pulper, dryer, grinder, roaster and de-huller.

The Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao provided them seed money of P500,000 which they use for their operation and initial capital.

To date, the cooperative has a capitalization of P10 million.

She said their cooperative also was given an award in 2013 by Go Negosyo with their Organic Wash Robusta product.

Elardo vowed to continue improving their production so that more residents will be involved in the project noting that the solution to the peace and order problem in their area is economic. (PNA)

Poaching of DOE execs by firms alarms solon BEST EDITED COMMUNITY PAPER 2013 & 2014 BEST IN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING 2014 BEST IN CULTURE, ARTS AND HISTORY REPORTING 2014

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HE LPG Marketers’ Association (LPGMA) has expressed alarm over the poaching of Department of Energy (DOE) executives by private companies being supervised by the agency.

“The DOE has been losing managers who are now working for private corporations whose business activities are being regulated by the department,” LPG-MA Rep. Arnel Ty, a House deputy minority leader, said.

Ty made the statement shortly after President Benigno Aquino III formally swore inZenaida Monsada as the new Secretary of Energy, replacing Carlos Jericho Petilla, who is running for the Senate under the administration Lib-

eral Party.

Over the years, Ty said a number of undersecretaries, assistant secretaries and directors have left their DOE jobs to work for private petroleum firms, power producers and distribution utilities.

“The poaching has somewhat weakened the DOE as a regulator. Our sense is, the individuals in charge of enforcing our energy laws have become reluctant to reprimand or warn violators who could be their future employers,” Ty said.

To discourage the poaching, the lawmaker said he may propose amendments to the Code of Conduct and Ethical Standards for Public Officials and Employees, or Republic Act 6713.

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

DPWH 11 endorses bridge study

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 has endorsed to its central office the results of the pre-feasibility study (PFS) for the proposed construction of the Davao-Samal Bridge.

“The PFS is necessary to determine whether the proposal can proceed to the formal feasibility study,” DPWH 11 regional director Mariano Alquiza said in yesterday’s press conference at the DPWH district office at Tug-

bok, Davao City.

Alquiza said the proposal is “good as ok” on the end of the DPWH regional office and the ball is now in the hands of the DPWH central office and the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA).

“If all things go correctly and no hustle, the actual construction of the Davao-Samal bridge will start by 2019,” he said.

Meanwhile, he result of the PFS was presented by the

Gov’t to hike state workers’pay soon

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HE government will soon augment the salaries of state workers after the administration reported it already made progress in standardizing their salaries.

Quoting President Aquino in an interview this week, Deputy presidential spokesperson Abigail Valte said they are “making very good progress on that proposal because at the end of the day we want to be able to give our government workers a competitive standing as compared to their counterparts in the private sector.”

Valte said that so far, the government has already standardized the pay of workers in government-owned and/or -controlled corporations, and

the administration would want to replicate it to other agencies.

In the 14th SEIPI CEOs forum on Friday, the President said they were considering a new round of salary standardization increases.

“The idea is to match the private sector by about 70 percent of what a private sector employee gets and the bonuses will no longer be pro forma bonuses but rather performance-based bonuses,” the President said.

The Performance-Based Bonus (PBB) system is a merit-based incentive program that recognizes and rewards exemplary performance in government.

Launched by the Aquino administration in 2012, the PBB ultimately aims to im-

FGOV’T, 10

FPIC a must on projects in ancestral domain-NCIP

A

NY development to be undertaken in the ancestral domain, may it be initiated by the government or private sector, must secure free and prior informed consent (FPIC).

Eric Marteja, community affairs officer of the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP) – Compostela Valley, emphasized on Thursday (October 22) during the Pakigasayod sa Kinaiyahan segment of the Serbisyo para sa Masa program of the Sonshine Radio that the consensus of all indigenous cultural communities (ICC) / indigenous people (IP) in an area through an FPIC must be secured first by the developers before the project will be implemented.

Marteja said that the FPIC is stated in the IP’s Rights Act (IPRA) of 1997 and NCIP Administrative Order 3, series of 2012.

He stressed that only the ICCs and IPs have the right to determine and decide on the developments that will happen on the ancestral domain.

“These activities and proj-

ects that are covered for FPIC are those that are extractive, intrusive and large scale; non-extractive and small scale activities; and other processes that may affect the lives, beliefs, institutions, spiritual well being and the lands of the IPs,” he said.

Marteja also underscored that the priority development of the IPs are stipulated in the Ancestral Domain Sustainable Development and Protection Plan (ADSDPP).

“We also have areas that are excluded from any activities, which are included also in the ADSDPP. These are sacred grounds and burial sites, identified international and local cultural heritage sites, critical areas or reserved areas for special purposes of the IPs and others identified by the IPs in the ADSDPP.” Marteja declared that the NCIP can stop and suspend the implementation of any development programs and projects if after due investigation and proof the implementation violates any law, rules and regulations of the IPs. (PIA11, Michael Uy)

12 Japanese consultants constructed by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) during an exit conference last month following a public consultation on the stakeholders.

The PFS also contained results of the possible routes where the bridge can be constructed, he said in an earlier interview.

Alquiza said the consultants of the bridge that will link two cities are looking at eight possible routes for the

construction of the project..

One of the possible routes is from Km. 9 in Sasa, Davao City to Babak in Island Garden City of Samal (Igacos), where the planned bridge would measure more than one kilometer.

“The bridge will be more than a kilometer, shorter that the proposal to build the bridge in Panabo City which may reach 2 kilometers,” Alquiza said. The funding for the pre-FS came from the JICA.

The detailed engineering study of the poposed project is expected to come out in the next two years.

Alquiza said there is a need for the construction of the bridge to sustain the increase of tourist arrival in the island and entice more investors.

He said the bridge will improve the transportation and logistics paving the way to easier access of goods and products in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS).

Although the bridge is sure to adversely affect the operation passenger ferries, Alquiza said the business owners can resort to another route.

“These ferries can be used to transport people from Samal to Mati,” he said, adding it would be less than 30 minutes compared to the average three hour travel time from Mati to Davao City by land.

The proposed route is on Barangay Tagpopongan to Mati City.

STILL HARD AT WORK. Despite her advanced age, a woman peddles native products under the scorching heat of the afternoon sun to earn money for her family. Lean Daval Jr.

APEC calls for implementation of intelligent transport systems by member economies

A

SIA-PACIFIC Economic Cooperation (APEC) member economies are encouraged to implement the Intelligent Transport Systems (ITS) to enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of transport infrastructures, especially recognizing the significant safety and environmental benefits that may be realized simultaneously.

The ministers responsible for transportation in the APEC region made the call in their joint statement issued at the conclusion of the 2015 APEC Transportation Ministerial Meeting held here earlier this month.

“The development of ITS is essential to the improvement of the transportation system in the APEC region,” the APEC ministers declared.

The ITS are advanced applications that aim to provide innovative services relating to different modes of transport and traffic management and enable various users to be better informed and make safer,

more coordinated, and “smarter” use of transport networks.

Such systems vary in technologies applied, from basic management systems such as car navigation; traffic signal control systems; container management systems; variable message signs; automatic number plate recognition or speed cameras to monitor applications, such as security CCTV systems; and to more advanced applications that integrate live data and feedback from a number of other sources.

“We encourage economies to cooperate with the relevant authorities or organizations to ensure data protection and system integration and integrity,” the APEC ministers said in their joint statement. “In addition, security measures need to be put in place and actively maintained to support the use of big data in ITS applications.”

Consistent with initiatives to promote inclusive, user-friendly mobility, they also recommended that economies

explore how ITS can make transportation networks more accessible to persons with disabilities, older people, women, children and students, low-income populations, and other vulnerable groups.

Furthermore, the transportation ministers expressed their support for the Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Implementation Team and stress the importance of the application of GNSS technologies in achieving seamless and green intermodal transportation to enhance safety, security and sustainability.

In view of this, they encourage economies to continue to promote and adopt GNSS technologies, especially those that will contribute to the improvement of supply chain connectivity as well as to the enhancement of capabilities for preparedness to natural disasters and emergency response.

The 21-member economies of APEC are also encouraged to support a task force es-

tablished by the APEC Transportation Working Group (TPTWG) to explore the benefits and challenges of APECwide Transport Cards.

Last year, Korean President Park Geun-hye proposed the introduction of a transportation card that could be used anywhere in the member economies of APEC. The card proposed by the South Korean leader needs a standardized system of public transport fare technology.

It would allow people to use any type of public transport, railroad or expressway with one card, anywhere within APEC. This is similar to Korea’s national “One Card All Pass” system.

Park proposed the plan as a measure to enhance regional connectivity and promote the liberalization of trade and investment across APEC countries. Her proposal is reflected in the implementation report of the APEC Connectivity Blueprint. (PNA/PCOO News Release)

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

EDGEDAVAO TRAVEL

Walking on the Cloud Forrest skywalk.

A garden like no other IF THERE is something that makes Dabawenyo urbanites different from the rest of the Philippines is our love for flowers and gardens. This comes as no surprise as it is in Davao where one can find the national flower of the Philippines, the Waling-waling, as well as a multitude of well-manicured private gardens and resorts.

This love for flora is also shared by Singapore. A mere three-hour plane ride on SilkAir direct from the Davao International Airport, the Lion City has invested in the creation of beautiful gardens and parks for the locals as well as visitors to the island state to relax and enjoy.

From the 150-year old Singapore Botanic Garden which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the famous National Orchid Garden, to open spaces of East Coast Park, Singapore is a flower traveller’s dream destination as there are over 400 parks listed in Singapore’s National Parks system. The most striking park in Singapore however is the Gardens by the Bay. Located right beside the striking Marina Bay Sands, the Gardens by the Bay is equally captivating with its unique architecture. Even from a distance, one can see the 22-meter high Supertrees enticing guests to venture further into the gardens.

From the Dragonfly and Kingfisher Lakes, I slowly made my way through the park’s Heritage Gardens which is a collection of four themed gardens that will take you through the history and culture of Singapore’s three main ethnic groups and colonial past.

From the Malay, Indian, Chinese, and Colonial, each garden has a different story on the contributions of each ethnic group and how they used the plants for food, medicine, and shelter as well as how the plants shaped Singapore’s history and

SINGAPORE’S ‘GARDENS BY THE BAY’ At the Mediterranean area of the FLower Dome. economy.

Walking further, I arrived at the garden’s famous Flower and Cloud Domes.

Entry to the domes is at SG$28 (around Php935) with SilkAir boarding pass holders enjoying a 10% discount.

I entered the Flower Dome first, and what greeted me was an explosion of Chrysanthemums which was the conservatory’s themed floral display of the season. The greenhouse was expansive and was utterly columnless encasing its entire collection all under one dome. Unlike a typical greenhouse however, the air inside the dome was cool and crisp similar to the climate one would have in a temperate country.

Within the Flower Dome are themed zones which feature flora from Mediterranean regions, South Africa, California and

URBANISSIMO A4

Enjoying the chrysanthemum floral display inside the Flower Dome.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

EVENT

CRAFT BEER INVADES DAVAO

Text and Photos by Henrylito D. Tacio “IN HEAVEN there is no beer, that’s why we drink it here,” so goes the line of a song that was originally composed as a movie score for the film 1956’s Die Fischerin vom Bodensee.

“When we’re gone from here, all our friends will be drinking all our beer!”

The song came to mind when I was on my way to SM City in Ecoland. Apol Legario invited me to attend the Trivia Night of the Craft Beer Project. Since I don’t know much about beer, I asked my friend, Armando M. Mortejo, to join me.

As we were thirty minutes early, most of the tables were empty yet. Trying to make the most of my time, I decided to take some photos. I also interviewed the people who were offering the craft beer.

At P170 per bottle, it was indeed expensive. “Although we brew our beers, all the ingredients come from abroad,” one of the guys, whose name I had forgotten already, told me.

The thing is, these craft beers are not sold in any stores just like regular beers produced commercially. There are few places in Davao where you can buy them.

Since they are expensive, they are drunk after meal, usually dinner.

Only two local beer manufacturers join the Craft Beer Project. One is Fat Pauly’s that comes from Iligan City. The man behind this beer Paul Stuart del Rosario, who brews precious small batches of his hand-crafted beers.

It has been said that Paul uses all sorts of local ingredients to give his beers a unique Filipino flavor. Consider these: from wild pukyutan honey to mangrove marks and wild tuba yeast strains, from Philippine lime to other local fruits.

The other one is Joe’s Brew from Manila. Doing some research, I found that the brewmaster who founded the boozy beverage is Joey Viray. According to Alexei F. Villaraza, the beer came out from Joey’s interest in drinking.

“San Mig was a regular staple

in all our parties, so growing up that way, it only took time before I started trying out other beers, which included craft brews, whenever I was abroad,” Joey was quoted as saying by Villaraza, who wrote a feature on it for Philippine Star.

And it came to pass that he visited some relatives in California. It was there that “his creative and entrepreneurial juices started brewing,” to quote the words of Villaraza.

“My uncle works as a chef in one of the vineyards and we toyed with the idea of brewing our own beer at home,” Joey ad-

mitted. From there, he decided to take a six-month course on brewing beer at the University of California-Riverside.

“The instructors were local brewers from the area, all with their own bars. They would often bring samples of their brews and let us taste them. It was the best learning experience,” Joey recalled.

According to Apol, she invited several local producers of beer but due to time constraints and previous commitments, they were not able to come. “We have observed that there is already a community of people who

drink beer in Davao City,” she said. “And we thought of bringing other beers, which are locally produced, so people will have different choices.”

Now, let’s go back to Trivia Contest. We called our team “Arman,” from my friend’s first name. At first, there were only two of us. But before the contest started, Jesse Pizarro Boga of Mindanao Times came. The beautiful and captivating Karla Stefan Singson, a well-known blogger, also came a few minutes.

And just when the contest was to start, Rudolph Ian Alama -- who works with the Philippine Information Agency -- arrived with already a beer at hand. (Just for trivia: all three of them have three names, if you have noticed.)

We answered most of the trivia questions (from movies to food) but not those related to novels (Jesse managed to answer the first question: Little Women).

We never knew if we won because we left early than the rest of the group. It was getting late and still had a work the following day.

that their experience of being subjected to wrong prejudice for being Muslims in the past, motivated them to pursue this cause for peace and understanding. Instead of nursing hate for the discrimination that they faced, they used this as an impetus to initiate change.

“We know that [the eradication of prejudice against Muslims] won’t happen overnight, but what’s important is that we

raise awareness on what is going on and we’re doing something to change this,” said Nathaniel.

Monsignor Elmer Abacahin of the Archdiocese of Cagayan de Oro personally vouched for the Mambuays’ advocacy, noting the strong moral foundations of the whole family that serves as an inspiration to others.

“The whole family is very involved in and committed to their inter-faith and inter-religious dialogues. In fact, we coordinate with the Mambuays in our efforts to reach out to Muslims,” said Rev. Msgr. Abacahin.

The Mambuay family received a cash prize of P300,000, P10,000 worth of Jollibee gift certificates, and a trophy designed by renowned sculptor Michael Cacnio for winning in the JFVA. They joined the roster of five other outstanding Filipino families championing various causes, who were also recognized during the Gabi ng Parangal para sa Pamilyang Pilipino awards night.

Family advocate of Christian-Muslim relations awarded in 5th JFVA THE Mambuay family, originally of Marawi City, was honored as one of the six exemplary Filipino families during the 5th Jollibee Family Values Awards (JFVA). The family’s mission to create a better understanding between the Muslim and Christian faiths through non-violent communication earned them the distinguished recognition.

The JFVA is the company’s annual search for exemplary Filipino families whose works of compassion and generosity make a significant difference in their communities. Now on its milestone 5th year, the campaign hopes the new batch of winning families will serve as role models and inspiration for other Filipino families.

The Mambuays, Nathaniel and Amina with their daughters Sarah, Lara, and Farrah, have been promoting a culture of nonviolence and peace by creating

conducive environments for dialogue and discussion, without fear of hostility. They started out by conducting peace seminars in their neighborhood, which later extended to nearby municipalities, and eventually to other regions.

In 2013, the family established Kalilintad Pilipinas, Inc. using their own funds and the help of a friend in Germany. The organization conducts trainings, work-

shops and seminars on peace and non-violent communication to different groups in Mindanao.

Youth peace camps were also facilitated by the Mambuay children.

Aside from the family’s core advocacy of promoting peace, they also extend educational support to less fortunate children and hold values formation seminars for prison inmates.

Nathaniel and Amina shared

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

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ENTERTAINMENT

Mark Herras, still best friends with ‘StarStruck’ competitor Rainier Castillo THEY may have aimed for the same title more than a decade ago, but they’re the best of friends today.

‘StarStruck’ Season 1 Ultimate Male Survivor Mark Herras has made a lot of friends in show business but none of those relationships will compare to his closeness with Rainier Castillo. Buboy, as he fondly calls him, became a brother to him even before they got to their season’s Final Judgment.

“Nag-mature kami [together]… Kahit may tampuhan [minsan, like] hindi siya nagsabing lilipat siya ng [network], hindi niya ko binati nung birthday ko, hindi siya pumunta sa burol ng erpats ko, mga ganung bagay… nakakatampo pero kilala ko siya bilang tao at bilang kaibigan so gets ko [siya],” Mark said.

Aside from Rainier, Mark also has a tight bond with ‘Star-

Struck’ Season 2 Ultimate Male Survivor Mike Tan. “Actually tatlo kami. Si Buboy saka si Mike Tan. Yung pagkakaibigan namin, [iba]. Best friends kaming tatlo [kahit] hindi kami [madalas] nagkikita.

Once in a blue moon lang… Kaming tatlo yung sobrang good friends na ‘pag may problema yung isa, [nandyan kami para sa isa’t-isa]. ‘Pag alam mo yung isa may topak, pinapabayaan lang namin,” he added.

The Kapuso star considers his friendship with the two as one of the greatest gifts of the reality-based artista search program to him.

“Kung merong magtatanong sa akin na sino yung best friends ko sa showbiz, Rainier and Mike [talaga. Kami] yung best friends na ‘di naman kayo kailangan lagi magkita pero once na nagkita kayo, parang ‘di kayo nagkahiwalay at all,” he declared.

UP AND ABOUT

Globe brings Star Wars BB-8 toy to PH as exclusive telco carrier

GLOBE TELECOM has once again upped the Filipino digital lifestyle experience by signing an exclusive deal with Sphero, an industryleading robotics toy company which creates connected toys that fuse emerging technology with the latest innovations in robotics.Globe isthe only Philippine telco to bring the revolutionary Star Wars BB-8 app-enabled droid to the country, much to the delight of Filipino Star Wars fans and gadget geeks.

Customers can already pre-order the Sphero BB-8 at the Globe GEN3 Store in Greenbelt Makati and soon in other GEN3 Stores nationwide.

Offered at P12,499.75, the BB-8is iOS and Android-compatible, housed in a durable polycarbonate shell and boasts of a Bluetooth smart BLE connection of up to a 100-feet range.

BB-8 was a character first revealed in the first teaser trailer for Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens in November last year.

BB-8 is an astromech droid, which operates approximate 30 years after the Battle of Endor. It has a domed head, similar to the R2 series of astromech droids, with the bulk of its body made up of a ball that the droid

rolls on. The BB-8 has something unlike any other robot: an adaptive personality that changes. Based on its user interactions, the BB-8 will show a range of expressions, learn the obstacles in an environment, and even perk up when given voice commands.

Sphero Channel Director for Asia Pacific Aurelien Joly highlighted that “the Disney part-

nership takes Sphero to the next level” as he showcased the hologram feature of BB-8 similar to R2-D2’s transmission of Princess Leia’s message in Episode IV: A New Hope.

“We are starting the Star Wars fever early in the countryas we bring the much-coveted BB-8 to Filipino fans with our exclusive telco partnership with Sphero. There is so much demand globally for this toy and we are very happy and excited to be carrying it in our Globe GEN3 Stores,” said Joe Caliro, Head for Retail and Transformation Management at Globe. “Starting this month, Star Wars fans can head over to our GEN3 Store in Greenbelt Makati to pre-order the BB-8 and soon in other GEN3 Stores nationwide. This is a wonderful experience to kick off the excitement that we all have for the showing of Star Wars Episode VII: The Force Awakens this coming December.”

In May this year, Globe signed a comprehensive and multi-year collaboration with Disney, giving customers access to videoon-demand, interactive content, theatricals, promotions and other related services across multiple devices, thereby affirming its relationship with otherDisneybrands such as Star Wars, Pixar, Marvel, and Maker.

October 22-27, 2015

PARANORMAL ACTIVITY 5: THE GHOST DIMENSION Chris J. Murray, Brit Shaw Katie Featherston R13

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

THE LAST WITCH HUNTER Vin Diesel, Rose Leslie, Elijah Wood R13

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

BLACK MASS Johnny Depp, Joel Edgerton Benedict Cumberbatch, *Kevin Bacon

R-16

R16

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

GOOSEBUMPS Jack Black, Dylan Minnette, Odeya Rush PG

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

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

TRAVEL

The Supertree Grove.

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parts of Spain and Italy. It is only in the Flower Dome where one can be amazed at a 1,000-year-old Olive Tree and then be enchanted just a few minutes later by a wonderful Royal Caribbean Palm courtyard.

After exploring the Flower Dome, I made my way over to the Cloud Forest Conservatory and was immediately greeted by the roaring sound of the world’s tallest indoor waterfall emanating from a 35-meter tall mountain covered in lush tropical vegetation. The air in this conservatory is cool yet moist with the smell of fresh mountain water.

Built to showcase plant life from tropical highlands up to 2,000-metres above sea level, the Cloud Forest is best appreciated with a descending walk from the top via its suspended walkways that jut out and around the man-made structure. The exhilarating walk allows one to see fascinating orchids, delicate ferns, colourful bromeliads, dazzling begonias and menacing carnivorous pitcher plants all planted onto the vertical wall of the mountain.

Aside from exploring the Cloud environment, a tour of the conservatory leads to the Black Box where one can learn more about the environment and about the garden’s selfsustainability.

Gardens by the Bay is truly a garden like no other in the world, providing visitors a chance to enjoy nature as well as learn about ways to conserve it. No wonder it is voted by Tripadvisor as one of the best destinations one should visit in Singapore.

Visitors to the Cloud Forest Conservatory are greeted by the road of the world’s tallest indoor waterfall. *** Business Park, Davao City now.

Flights to Singapore from US$190 *** via SilkAir are on sale until October Follow me on Instagram or on 31, 2015 exclusive for VISA card- Twitter at @kennethkingong for more holders in the Philippines. Log on to travel stories, foodie finds, and hapwww.silkair.com or visit the SilkAir penings in, around, and beyond DuDavao office at Pryce Tower, Pryce rianburg.

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

The weight is over

7 HEALTH

(or, why should you lose those extra pounds)

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“O

BESITY affects people of all ages and all social groups,” declares the Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO). “It is already threatening the future well-being and longevity of many youths, as well as the economic prosperity of countries.”

Obesity – the condition of a person having excessive weight for his/her height, build, and age – may be common in industrialized countries but it has already invaded the developing countries.

In fact, a few years back, the Philippines was ranked third as having the “fattest people” in Asia – after Malaysia and Singapore. At that time, about 500,000 Filipinos were classified as obese.

That figure may not be startling but what is alarming is that some of these obese are still children. A study conducted by the International Obesity Taskforce revealed that 1.8 percent of boys and 0.8 percent of girls between the ages of six and 10 in the Philippines are overweight.

If being overweight doesn’t seem all that bad, try this: Carry around an 8-kilogram of sugar, a 12-kilogram water jug, or a 40-kilogram backpack – all day, every day, for the rest of your life. See how your joints feel; check out your energy level. It’s not a great way to live.

Dave Barry once said: “I recently had my annual physical examination, which I get once every seven years, and when the nurse weighed me, I was shocked to discover how much stronger the Earth’s gravitational pull has become since 1990.”

It’s high time to lose weight. You don’t only feel

yourself good, but these things will also happen: Clothes look better in you.

You can enjoy activities you like. You reduce the amount of medication that you take.

And you make better impression among other people. But more importantly, your risk of having any of the following diseases is lessening: Coronary Heart Disease: “Coronary heart disease is caused by the buildup of plaque in the arteries to your heart,” notes the US National Institutes of Health.

“This may also be called hardening of the arteries. Fatty material and other substances form a plaque build-up on the walls of your coronary arteries. The coronary arteries bring blood and oxygen to your heart. This buildup causes the arteries to get narrow. As a result, blood flow to the heart can slow down or stop.”

The American Heart Association recognizes obesity as one of the major risk factors for coronary heart disease, a leading cause of heart attacks. According to the Framingham Heart Study, obesity increases an individual’s risk of heart failure from coronary heart disease by 104 percent. This is because obesity raises blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels, which lead to more plaque buildup in the arteries. Also, obese individuals have less HDL cholesterol, the “good” cholesterol that combats plaque buildup, than individuals of an acceptable rate.Diabetes: One of every 5 Filipinos has diabetes. According to a 2008 National Nutrition and Health Survey study, the biggest jump in the prevalence of diabetes happens between ages 40 and 49,

especially among those who are overweight.

“The lifestyle being followed by most Filipinos in this age group contributes to the risk factors associated with diabetes. The proliferation of different gadgets of communication and entertainment causes less physical activity.

Meanwhile, work-related stress can lead to over-eating and result to overweight and obesity,” pointed out Dr. Monica Therese Cating-Cabral of the Philippine Society of Endocrinology and Metabolism.

“We have been saying that diabetes is not a disease to be toyed with,” says Dr. Augusto D. Litonjua, president of the Philippine Center for Diabetes Education Foundation. “If left untreated, there may be serious consequences.”

Unless diabetes is carefully regulated, it can lead to heart disease, stroke, kidney disease, blindness, and foot disease.

Cancer: According to US National Cancer Institute (NCI), oobesity is associat-

ed with increased risks of the following cancer types, and possibly others as well: esophagus, pancreas, colon and rectum, breast (after menopause), endometrium (lining of the uterus), kidney, thyroid, and gallbladder.

In the United States, a study done in 2007 showed that about 34,000 new cases of cancer in men (4 percent) and 50,500 in women (7 percent) were due to obesity. “The percentage of cases attributed to obesity varied widely for different cancer types but was as high as 40 percent for some cancers, particularly endometrial cancer and esophageal adenocarcinoma,” the NCI said.

Gallstones: Often misspelled as gall stones, gallstones are stones that form in the gall (bile) within the gallbladder. (The gallbladder is a pear-shaped organ just below the liver that stores the bile secreted by the liver.)

The US National Digestive Diseases Information Clearinghouse said that peo-

ple who are obese, especially women, have increased risk of developing gallstones. Obesity increases the amount of cholesterol in bile, which can cause stone formation.

“Lots of times, gallstone don’t cause any problems at all,” says The Doctors Book of Home Remedies. “When gallstones do cause pain, it’s usually because one has gotten stuck in a duct, blocking the flow of bile. If that happens, you’ll have steady, severe pain in the upper abdomen that lasts at least 20 minutes but may continue up to four miserable hours.”

Gout: Gout strikes like a bolt from the blue. Its excruciating, throbbing pain often hits at night, turning the skin red-hot and leaving the affected joint swollen and tender.

Worse, an attack can last for days.

Controlling your weight is crucial if you have gout.

Results from a 52-year follow-up study published in 2010 at Boston University School of Medicine found that

obesity is a leading risk factor for gout. Approximately 71 percent of people with gout are overweight and 14 percent are obese.

In the past, gout was known as the “king’s disease” because it almost always afflicted the well-heeled. Aside from Franklin, other famous people who suffered from gout include Henry VIII, George IV, Charles V, Alfred Lord Tennyson, Immanuel Kant, Samuel Johnson, John Milton, Isaac Newton, Nostradamus, and Thomas Jefferson.

Sleep apnea: According to sleep experts, there are three types of sleep apnea: obstructive, central, and mixed. Of the three, obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is the most common. Despite the difference in the root cause of each type, in all three, people with untreated sleep apnea stop breathing repeatedly during their sleep, sometimes hundreds of times during the night and often for a minute or longer.

“Individuals with the disorder often complain of morning headaches, constant fatigue, listlessness and moodiness,” Dr. Jeffrey Heit wrote in Health Guide. “They can fall asleep almost anywhere. These are the people who easily fall asleep watching television, a movie, or just sitting at a red light. More seriously, they can fall asleep while driving.”

Dr. Heit says OSA is much more common in obese individuals. It is believed that the airway of the obese individual becomes obstructed by large tonsils, enlarged tongue and increased fat in the neck, all pressing on the airway when the pharyngeal (throat) muscles are relaxed with sleep.

Now is the time to lose weight. As Jean Baudrillard puts it: “The obese is in a total delirium. For he is not only large, of a size opposed to normal morphology: he is larger than large. He no longer makes sense in some distinctive opposition, but in his excess, his redundancy.”

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

D

Counterfeiters

ID the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) just say that one of the possible sources of the fake peso bills currently making the rounds of Davao City and presumably the rest of the country are candidates in next year’s election? It would seem so, and we must say the fact that no one seems surprised is telling of the kind of politics we have in this country. In a press conference yesterday, DCPO spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz warned the public against the circulation of counterfeit money especially as the Christmas season and the campaign period for the 1016 election approach. Her exact words were: “Duol na ang election og duol na pud ang December, ang mga nagpayuhot og fake money magpaspas gyud ni silag pagpakalat (With the election and the month of December approaching, the people behind the fake money will work fast to circulate it in the city).”

The suspicion has long been held by the people, but now the Philippine National Police (PNP) has virtually confirmed that some candidates actually do engage in counterfeiting in order to fund their campaigns. It is no secret that running for a post can cost an arm and a leg, and those who do not have money or cannot get supporters to cough up the necessary amount apparently resort to less than legal means just to be elected to office. The specter of narco-politics still hangs thick in the air as the

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Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) recently confirmed that it is monitoring the activities of some politicians in illegal drugs, and now we have counterfeiting is another grave matter to be worried about.

It goes without saying that the circulation of counterfeit money — especially in large enough quantities — is bad for the economy. It reduces the value or real money and increases prices due to inflation, an unauthorized one at that. Also, since companies are not reimbursed when they get paid with fake money, they would tend to raise their prices. Ultimately the entire society is affected and not just those who have the misfortune of being handed a fake bill. The DCPO has not given an indication of how big the problem is, but in this scenario we must presume the worst if only to make ourselves more vigilant about the matter.

How does one solve a problem like this? The police will have their hands full, and so it will take cooperation from the community. One thing we will not recommend, however, is detaining a person who happens to pay for an item using a fake bill. For all we know, that person is himself a victim, and holding him is to add insult to injury. Call the police, yes, but do not make a victim out of a possible victim. Besides, if the police are right, the ones we should watch out for are the very people who want us to vote them into office.

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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HE Bureau of Immigration last week released a deportation order declaring US serviceman Joseph Scott Pemberton an undesirable alien. Pemberton is facing trial for killing a transgender Filipino.

The order drew loud protests from militant groups which considers the order as a “goodwill” gesture for US President Obama who will attend the APEC meeting in Manila this coming November.

Who is undesirable?

Let’s recall to mind and retrace the tragic rendezvous of Joseph and “Jennifer”.

The two met at a bar in Olongapo City on the night Pemberton was on furlough. They found each other desirable and in no time they sashayed their way to a nearby motel for a night to remember.

It was when the two were alone in a room, and after some uneasy moments, that Joseph discovered Jennifer was undesirable because horror of horrors, Jennifer was a HE not a SHE! However, once inside, one of them found the other undesirable.

------- 000000 ------GRACE POE’S MESSIANIC DELUSIONS. Presidential dreamer Grace Poe said days ago that she will present all evidence that will prove

P

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

Undesirable

her Filipino citizenship at the proper time.

Well, Your Honor, the proper time is NOW, not later. Poe’s biological parents must come out NOW while their ambitious daughter is pilloried with disqualification cases. Now is the time to come to aid of their daughter.

Now, the who factor. It is public knowledge that Sen. Francis Escudero is Poe’s loudest barker and rah-rah boy. He has hypnotized Grace so completely that she is under his spell. Grace imagines that she could win the presidential race as easily as she topped the 2013 senatoorial contest. That’s the tragedy of her illusion.

Chiz is using Poe as his stepping stone to his own presidential dream. He knows that the presidency is too heavy a burden for Grace who will be forced to step down due to mental and physical exhaustion. As Vice President, Chiz will readily succeed Poe as President.

Neat, ha. And sinister.

------- 000000 ------THE WHAT AND WHO FACTORS. What is it that pushes Poe to capture Malacanan despite her utter lack of pertinent qualifications?

Who is behind her uncontrollable desire to be the leader of 100 million citizens?

Let’s tackle the what factor. It is highly probable that Grace believes – or hopes – that she can repeat Erap’s magical win in the 1998 presidential race. Erap’s tremendous popularity is now seen and felt by Grace. Hence she thinks she can do another Erap. This is her illusion.

------- 000000 ------If Grace Poe is elected President, it will be a national disaster more damaging than Typhoon Lando.

If Mar Roxas wins the presidency, it will be continuation of P-Noy’s blunders which are justified by autistic logic.

If Miriam captures Malacañan, she will introduce pick-up lines in the curriculum in all colleges and universities.

If Vice President Jejomar Binay becomes President, he will introduce the best features of Makati city in all major cities of the country, and proclaim Makati the capital city of the Philippines.

0.17% of the ocean floor, they THINK ON THESE! are home to perhaps one-quarter of all marine species. “Essential life-support systems” necessary for human survival is how the World Conservation Union describes them.

UnfortuHenrylito D. Tacio nately, coral henrytacio@gmail.com reefs, which have been called as “Eden beneath the waves,” are on the verge of extinction.

This is particularly true in the Philippines, whose coral reef area -- estimated at 26,000 square kilometers -- is the second largest in Southeast Asia.

The Inventory of the Coral Resources of the Philippines in the 1970s found only about 5% of the reefs to be in excellent condition, with over 75% coral cover (both hard and soft).

Another study conducted in 1997 showed only 4% of reefs in excellent condition (75% hard or soft coral cover), 28% in good condition (5075% coral cover), 42% in fair condition (25-50% coral cover), and 27% in poor condition (less than 25% coral cover).

Some years back, leading marine scientists ranked the coral reefs in the Philippines as among the most threatened in Southeast Asia. Among those listed as culprits were overfishing, destructive fishing, sedimentation, and pollution.

“Although coral reefs have always been subject to natural disturbances – disease, predator outbreaks, and climatic disruptions such as hurricanes and the El Niño – natural damage is now being compounded by human-induced disturbances,” noted Coral Reefs: Valuable but Vulnerable,” a discussion paper published by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF).

There are three major types of coral reefs, according to Dr. Angel C. Alcala, former head of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources. These are fringing type (those found on the edges of islands and which constitutes 30% of the country’s coral reefs); the barrier type (best exemplified by the Dajanon Reef of Central Visayas); and the atoll (of which the Tubbataha and Cagayan Reef in the Sulu Sea are ideal examples).

Unknowingly, corals are the dried and bleached skeletons of soft-bodied animals that live in the warm, sunlit waters of tropical seas and look more like plants and rocks than animals.

The main part of the real coral is the polyp – the extraordinary flower-like animal with a tubelike body and finger-like tentacles. “Coral polyps

get nutrition in two ways,” explains Lindsay Bennett, author of globetrotter island guide, Philippines. “They catch their food by means of stinging tentacles that paralyze any suitable prey – microscopic creatures called zooplankton – and also engage in a symbiotic relationship with zooxanthellae that live within the polyp structure.”

Coral polyps reproduce in two ways: asexually (by the division of existing individual polyps) and asexually (by combining egg and sperm from two different polyps). “This results in a free-swimming polyp that will be carried by ocean currents to find a new colony and commence a new reef,” Bennet writes.

The coral reef is the world’s most diverse marine ecosystem, and one of its most productive.

It is home to some 4,000 species of fish (approximately one-quarter of all marine fish species), along with a vast array of other life forms – molluscs, crustaceans, sea urchins, starfish, sponges, tube-worms and many more.

In the Philippines, for instance, more than 40 million people live on the coast within 30 kilometers of coral reef. Approximately, two million people depend on fisheries for employment, with about one million small-scale fishermen directly dependent on reef fisheries. The country’s reefs yield 5 to 37 tons of fish per square kilometer, making them very important to the productivity of fisheries.

“The Philippines is a major supplier of fish to the live reef food fish trade, a billion dollar industry in the Asia-Pacific region,” noted the Washington-based World Resources Institute (WRI).

“In 2007, the Philippines exported at least 1,370 tons of coral trout (Plectropomus leopardus), one of the trade’s most important species in terms of volume, which fetched an estimated retail value of about US$140 million.”

“Despite considerable improvements in coral reef management, the country’s coral reefs remain under threat,” said Dr. Theresa Mundita S. Lim, director of the Biodiversity Management Bureau of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources.

The Philippine government made and introduced many laws in an attempt to protect the natural environment on the islands and in the national territorial waters. But the government cannot do it alone; help from individuals are also needed to save the reefs from total annihilation.

“We are the stewards of our nation’s resources,” said Rafael D. Guerrero III, former executive director of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development, “we should take care of our national heritage so that future generations can enjoy them. Let’s do our best to save our coral reefs. Our children’s children will thank us for the effort.”

And yes, we need to start rethinking about using sunscreen lotions.

Sunscreens and coral reefs

EOPLE go to the beach to swim. The Philippines being a tropical country, the sunrays that hits the skin is too intense. In the United States, people usually apply sunscreens to help protect their skin from being burned.

Actually, sunscreens are products combining several ingredients that help prevent the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) radiation from reaching the skin.

Two types of ultraviolet radiation, UVA and UVB, damage the skin, age it prematurely, and increase your risk of skin cancer.

According to Skin Cancer Organization, UVB is the chief culprit behind sunburn, while UVA rays, which penetrate the skin more deeply, are associated with wrinkling, leathering, sagging, and other light-induced effects of aging. They also exacerbate the carcinogenic effects of UVB rays, and increasingly are being seen as a cause of skin cancer on their own.

Sunscreens vary in their ability to protect against UVA and UVB. In its website, skincancer. org, this has been stated: “Sunscreens should be applied 30 minutes before sun exposure to allow the ingredients to fully bind to the skin. Reapplication of sunscreen is just as important as putting it on in the first place, so reapply the same amount every two hours. Sunscreens should also be reapplied immediately after swimming, toweling off, or sweating a great deal.”

Applying sunscreen may prevent sunburn and protect against skin cancer, but a new study said that doing so may also kill the ecologically-fragile coral reefs.

A team of international scientists found that oxybenzone, a common UV-filtering compound, is in high concentrations in the waters around the more popular coral reefs in Hawaii and the Caribbean.

“The chemical not only kills the coral, it causes DNA damage in adults and deforms the DNA in coral in the larval stage, making it unlikely they can develop properly,” said a news report. “The highest concentrations of oxybenzone were found in reefs most popular with tourists.”

The study was published in the journal Archives of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology. University of Central Florida professor and diving enthusiast John Fauth co-authored the study with Craig Downs of the nonprofit Haereticus Environmental Laboratory in Clifford, Virginia, and Esti Kramarsky-Winter, a researcher in the Department of Zoology at Tel Aviv University in Israel.

Across the world each year, up to 14,000 tons of sunscreen lotions are discharged into coral reef, and much of it “contains between 1 and 10 percent oxybenzone,” said the authors, who estimated that “at least 10 percent of reefs at risk of high exposure.”

Although coral reefs -- touted as the marine equivalent of tropical rainforests -- occupy just

VANTAGE POINTS

9

On the denial of privilege

L

IFE is unfair.

MY MILLENNIAL MIND

That has to be one of the most truthful clichés that people will ever hear in their lives, and it is a Vanessa Kate Madrazo reality that no person can deny. Birth is a lottery, after all.

We don’t get to choose where we’re born and under what circumstance.

We can’t choose whether to be born poor in a war-torn rural area exposed to gunfire between soldiers and rebels or to be born rich in a gated community in the capital city of the country. Many of us are lucky enough to get by as middle class, whatever that means for a Third World country.

But not a lot of people realize that because of birth lottery, life is easier for them and harder for others.

When you’re born wealthy, you can readily spend for food and shelter. You can readily spend for education. You can readily spend for medication when you get sick. And you won’t be starving during the times you’re unemployed.

When you’re born poor or even middle class, everything becomes a risk, and everything becomes expensive. Going to school is costly so you may have to get part-time jobs.

But getting part-time jobs can exhaust you and affect your studies and may force you to just quit school to work full-time at a job that pays little because you don’t have a degree. Being sick is also costly and having to buy medicine takes money from the family food budget, so you’d rather be sick for a while instead of starving. Being jobless compels you to skip most meals and starve, which may push you to unimaginable choices that sacrifice your own welfare and dignity just to live.

The point is, people have much fewer choices in having fewer resources in the starting point of life.

Many people, however, merely look at their current position in relation to others as a result of pure merit – meaning, if your family is well-off, and you are working at a known company in a high rank, it’s because you worked hard for it and you deserve it. But a welder in the construction site who is poor and in a blue-collar job is viewed as lazy and therefore deserves to be there, too.

It really surprises me how common this rhetoric is but it doesn’t work that way because no matter how hard that welder works in his entire life, his income will always be a thousand times less than yours if you have a college degree and employed in a white collar job.

It’s OK – in fact way better – to admit that some of us have privilege – an advantage in life – and to admit that we didn’t achieve everything on our own. It’s good to acknowledge that part of the reason we were able to get a good education and live in a city like Davao is because we were lucky enough to be born in a family that was relatively well-off. It’s good to admit that because doing so makes us more conscious of the ways in which people are raised up the ladder at the expense of others, and makes us more sympathetic to the people who are less fortunate.

It makes us understand that sometimes achieving equality means having to give more to others for them to have a more equal chance at pursuing the good life. It makes us less greedy and less selfish.

Privilege is relative and varies from person to person. Some have less than others, and some experience it in a different way. But having one and recognizing that we have it shouldn’t scare us to guilt but instead humble us and inspire us to think about how we can act against the system that perpetuates the imbalance.

The unfairness of life is a fact. But it’s one that we can strive to change and reduce.

10 NEWS Chiz... FROM 1

each other. But it is not true that we were in a private room. Everybody was there and I just ate lunch,” Escudero explained.

Escudero said he personally relayed to Poe his meeting with Binay after the lady senator inquired about the reports of Escudero and Binay meeting. ”In the course of campaign and pre-campaign, the candidates would reach see each other if they will be invited in one gathering. It should not be made a big issue,” Escudero said.

He assured that Poe has nothing to worry about “because it’s a public place.” ”In fact, he (Floirendo)

welcomed everybody and he said to me that he will also invite Poe if she was in the area,” Escudero explained. ”We did not talk politics.

We were all there to enjoy the food,” he added.

Poe is the leading presidential candidate but facing disqualification case due to her residency and citizenship.

Escudereo, also a leading vice presidential candidate, supported Binay in the 2010 elections but their alliance turned sour in 2013 when Binay’s United Nationalist Alliance (UNA) junked Escudero from the opposition’s senatorial ticket after he joined the Liberal Party (LP)’s Team Pinoy. (PNA)

“because of lack of legal documents such as permit to operate, and as threat to the safety of the people living in their barangay.”

The press release quoted Sunny Ray Amit of the Department of Education as saying the students can be absorbed by the Integrated School in the same barangay.

The Fr. Fausto Tentorio Memorial School had 55 students until last month — mostly from the Pulangiyon and Matigasalog tribes — but only 24 this month as the rest were scared following warnings allegedly from village officials that the school would be demolished “kahit nasa loob ang mga bata” (even if the children are inside), Rius Valle, spokesperson of the SOS Network in Southern Mindanao, said.

Cabugnason, according to the Army’s press release, said it was a “peaceful and successful closure of MISFI school.”

The press release, however, did not indicate how the closure was implemented.

MindaNews checked Saturday and Sunday with Capt.

Lorenzo Siobal of the Civil Military Operations of the 403rd Infantry Battalion, who issued the press release, how the closure was done, if the school was padlocked or demolished.

Siobal sent no reply as of 6 p.m.

Sunday.

But SOS Network Southern Mindanao, in a statement dated October 24, strongly condemned the “forced closure and destruction of the gate” of the school.

The statement said teachers and parents reported that “soldiers led by Brgy. Captain Felipe Cabugnason forced villagers at gunpoint to destroy their school to make it appear the school demolition is ‘voluntarily done’ by the villagers.”

According to the SOS statement, at 10 a.m. on Friday, Cabugnason “together with at least three soldiers in civilian clothes, forcibly entered the school grounds and destroyed the school,” that the school building was “partially damaged and was padlocked by Cabugnason.”

Valle said teachers had to suspend classes when the village officials arrived.

Cabugnason, according to the SOS statement, “even con-

fiscated cellular phones and cameras of teachers and students, stopping them from taking photos and videos of the incident.” Cabugnason could not be reached for comment.

The SOS Network said Cabugnason had repeatedly attempted to close the school since October 1 “by signing a barangay memorandum forcing the closure of the school based on allegations that the construction of the said school was facilitated by the New People’s Army.” The statement said the Department of Education in Northern Mindanao had presented documents that the Tentorio/MISFI school have complied with the requirements.

“This attack shows the absurdity of the military and the barangay officials in White Kulaman to destroy an institution that serves the children, in gross violation of international accords on the protection of the children’s right to education and protection of schools from military attacks,” the SOS Network said.

It urged the Department of Education and the Department of Interior and Local Government to suspend Cabugnason “for gross violation and abuse of power.” It also asked that the military be pulled out from the area and that the school be reopened so the children can resume schooling.

The SOS statement said Cabugnason ordered the teachers and students who are not residents of White Kulaman to leave the village.

Valle told MindaNews that out of the remaining 24 students, four from Sitio Dao were not allowed by the barangay captain to leave.

The rest of the students — 20 of them including residents from Barangay White Kulaman – and two teachers, evacuated to Arakan in North Cotabato, hiking three hours to reach the parish in Arakan where the office of the Fr. Fausto Tentorio Foundation, is located.

Fr. Tentorio was parish priest of Arakan when he was gunned down on October 17, 2011 in the garage of the parish convent as he was about to board his vehicle to attend the monthly Presbyterium in Kidapawan City. (MindaNews)

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ism which is the main advocacy of PDP-Laban.

Before his affiliation with VACC, Dino was a barangay chairman in Quezon City with “sterling records and irreproachable character. He has been known in many parts of the country because of his advocacy for national peace and for the empowerment of the barangays nationwide. He is also known and acknowledged as one of the brilliant leaders of the Liga ng mga Barangay.

In accepting the party’s

endorsement, Dino said it has been his dream to institute reforms in government.

“Tinatanggap ko po ang hamon ng partido na tugunan ang panawagan ng taong bayan sa isang tunay na pagbabago sa ating pamahalaan at lipinan,” he said.

“Masarap mangarap ng bagong umaga. Pero dapat siguruhin muna natin na ligtas ang ating mga sarili at ating mga anak sa mga kriminal at nagbebenta ng droga, kasi baka di ka na abutin ng umaga,” he added.

59; Jonathan C. Sudaria, 25; Andres I. Igbali, 51; Diosdao I. Igbali, 51; Allan C. Logronio, 41; Rodrigo M. Alaba Jr., 22; Floramea B. Carmina, 36; and Rosita T. Montilde, 48 before City Prosecution Office (CPO) on Tuesday afternoon.

The respondents, who are all residents of Purok 117 in the area, were submitted for inquest procedure before Prosecutor Stella Esparagoza-Camino for arson.

CPO records showed that some of the suspects also face other cases. Sudaria, Galindo and Flor are facing direct assault while Carmina, Pailan,

Rafuls, Macrayo, Igbalic, Logronio, Alaba, and Montilde are facing a case of disrespecting a person in authority.

The suspects and other residents in the area had made a human barricade in the area and posted a tarpaulin stating “117 Bago Oshiro Farmers Association Davao City Ipaglaban namin ang karapatan sa lupa (We will fight for the right to this land).”

Police said the group was led by Logronio who said that the settlers said they will fight for their rights to the property in the area even though the City Council had already

approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the city and UP Min for the establishment of the sports complex.

communities.

“Gusto natin na mabatid at maunawaan ng mga lokal na pamahalaan sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng ating bansa na ang buong pamahalaan ay ginagamit ang mga resources nito para itaguyod ang katahimikan, kaayusan at kapakanan ng ating mga kapatid na katutubo

o indigenous peoples o Lumad communities sa Mindanao,” he added.

Marikina City is the first LGU in Metro Manila to urge the government to stop the attacks against Lumads through Resolution No. 15-235, which was approved by the 14-member city council on Oct. 14.

Principally sponsored by Councilor Joseph Banzon, the resolution condemns the series of Lumad killings in Mindanao and the destruction of their indigenous culture.

Other LGUs which are taking action on the plight of the Lumads are Quezon City and Caloocan City. (PNA)

Southern Leyte; Buluan Island Marine Sanctuary- Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay; Lanuza Marine Park and SanctuaryLanuza, Surigao del Sur; and Uba Marine Protected AreaCortes, Surigao del Sur. Over 200 entries from

all over the country were screened by evaluators from the Philippine Association of Marine Science (PAMS).

Para el Mar had also recognized the scaled-up, collaborative management efforts of three MPA networks namely:

Batangas Marine Protected Area and Bantay Dagat Network- Batangas; Central Negros Council for Coastal Resources Development- Negros Occidental; and Lanuza Bay Development Alliance- Surigao del Sur.

prove the delivery of goods and services to the public as well as institute a culture of excellence in public service across the bureaucracy.

The PBB is “a top-up bonus to be given to personnel of bureaus or delivery units in accordance with their

contribution to the accomplishment of their department’s overall targets and commitments.”

The bonus is given when the department achieves the performance targets under their respective so-called major final outputs and also

their priority program commitments earlier approved by the President.

The government is adjusting the salaries of state workers to discourage them from being involved in corruption, the President said.

(PCOO News Release)

at home in the Philippines,” says Anne.

Sustainable income with professional growth Is freelancing sustainable, though? Can people actually make a living off online work?

Through freelance talent marketplaces like Upwork, skilled customer service professionals in the Philippines could join a vibrant digital marketplace that allows them to earn competitive pay and valuable experience from the comfort of

their own homes, in their own countries.

We’re living in a connected era that is making it possible to work together via the Internet.

Technology is enabling companies of all sizes to structure their support teams in order to meet their customers’ demands all over the world.

Last year, one of the fastest growing categories on Upwork was customer service. BPO call center representatives are still in high demand across all

areas of expertise, including live chat support, technical support, email support, and call handling. This constant demand for customer service agents allows experienced Filipinos a healthy stream of work, which gives them the opportunity to take charge of their own careers and focus on the desired income stability while enjoying the advantages of choosing who to work with, where they work from, and for how many hours.

houses during these days.

“As our intelligence network in the barangays, the BPOUs are also tasked to monitor the carnapping groups or ‘bukas koste gangs.’

(The BPOUs) are wearing civilian clothes and are not easy to be identified,” she said.

She said members of the City Mobile Group will be assigned to conduct foot patrol to be assisted by the BPOUs. Driz said the DCPO is also monitoring all the dormitories and boarding houses in the city since these establish-

ment are also vulnerable to burglary especially since it is currently semestral break for most schools.

Meanwhile, Driz said the DCPO has already set security measures in place in all the cemeteries in the city.

She also reminded the people going to the cemeteries that there are prohibited acts inside the cemeteries such as bringing bladed weapons, alcohol and liquor, sound systems, and cigarettes. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

He also said he does not want any police officer to be hurt as they enforce the law.

Duterte said the police can forcibly arrest the settlers without maximum tolerance if the latter begin throwing stones at them.

The mayor said he has been telling the settler to leave the area because the government will use the property for the general public.

On October 20, Tugbok Police Station filed cases against Bonnleey P. Pailan, 35; Michael J. Rafuls, 30; Jayson R. Vedeflor, 33; Raul M. Galindo, 40; Cresencio N. Macarayo,

UP Min... FROM 2

Gov’t... FROM 3

Maasim... FROM 4

Gov’t... FROM 6

1st world... FROM 11

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

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

Case No.2003-XI-00152 ALLAN N. MIRAFUENTES, Petitioner x- - - - - - - - - - - - - - --x

NOTICE OF HEARING Petitioner is a grantee of a Certificate of Public Convenience issued in this case authorizing the operation of a FILCAB Ordinary Regular Service on the route: ECOLAND SUBDIVISION (SM CITY OF DAVAO) with the use of ONE (1) unit, which certificate will expire on December 31, 2015.

In the petition filed on October 20, 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 NOVEMBER 10, 2015 at 09:40 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 20th day of October 2015 at Davao City.

TERESITA DELA PEÑA-YÑIGUEZ Chief Transportation Development Officer

11 COMPETITIVE EDGE Smart’s daily gadget giveaways SE Asia adopting EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

S

MART Communications has announced the daily Share the Joy Gadget Giveaway promo that has been giving consumers their most awesome, surprise-ofyour-life moments.

Under this new consumer-empowering campaign, Smart Prepaid, Smart Postpaid, and Smart Bro subscribers are experiencing the ultimate joy felt only when you get a new premium gadget for FREE. Poised to equip all its subscribers with his or her digital swag, Smart’s gadget giveaway promo will allow more Filipinos to live the Smart Life and further realize their passions with each new device seeking its rightful owner the way a Fairy Godmother grants an unexpected turnaround for lucky subscribers.

Pulling all the stops “We do our best to be consistent in our advocacy to allow more Filipinos live the Smart Life,” said Smart executive vice president and consumer business head Ariel Fermin.

“So after rolling out useful apps and mobile content, introducing exciting promos, and bringing subscribers to concerts here and abroad, we are now pulling all the stops

to empower our subscribers to live out their passions and experience the Smart Life.

Now that you know how to live the Smart Life, we now equip you with the means to continue doing so,” he added.

This also serves as a testament to Smart’s consistent dedication to inspire and take care of its subscribers. And to amplify the spirit of inspiration in this promo, Smart has tapped Jasmine Curtis to be the face of this new offer.

Gateway to awesome moments “I’ve heard several stories of unfulfilled passions and that drives me to continuously help in campaigns that inspire and empower people,” said actress-host and Smart brand ambassador Jasmine Curtis. “This is why I feel honored to be the face of this new promo, which allows more Filipinos to live the Smart Life.”

She further adds that this is a good step towards helping more subscribers to experience the power of digital living in the same way that she does every day. “These gadgets aren’t mere gadgets, but a gateway to awesome moments with loved ones and a wealth of exciting opportunities – whatever your pas-

sion may be,” she emphasized. #ShareTheJoy to win Smart’s new promo is all about sharing the joy of living the Smart Life by giving subscribers a chance to win instant gadgets, load and enjoy exclusive discounts until December – for every registration to top Smart Prepaid promos or through recontracting or subscription to a new Smart Postpaid Plan.

To join the promo, Smart Prepaid subscribers simply have to register to any Big Bytes or UCT offer to earn a letter. Just complete the word

‘JOY’ and instantly get FREE Big Bytes 10 or a chance to win a brand new smartphone.

Smart Bro Prepaid users, meanwhile, simply have to register to any Big Bytes offer to earn a letter, then complete the word JOY for a chance to win a brand new tablet or Smart Bro Pocket WiFi. On the other hand, recontracting or new subscribers of GSM and Smart Bro are encouraged to play the “Spell J-O-Y” slot machine game for a chance to win the latest smartphones or Smart Bro Pocket WiFi.

Bloomberry Foundation co-funds construction of new PMA barracks B LOOMBERRY Cultural Foundation Inc. (BCFI), in partnership with the Manila Bayshore Heritage Foundation Inc (MBHFI) recently signed a memorandum of agreement to co-fund the construction of a four-story cadet barracks on the grounds of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) in Fort del Pilar in Baguio City.

Undertaken in cooperation with the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (PAGCOR), the new barracks is estimated to cost P305 million, and is one of several barracks that will house more than 1,000 cadets. On completion of construction, this will be the newest and most modern.

“The BCFI and Solaire Resort and Casino are hon-

ored to be part of this project for the benefit of our cadets, who are the future defenders of the Republic,” BCFI president Donato C. Almeda said.

A groundbreaking ceremony along with the lowering of the time capsule at the PMA grounds marked the start of construction. This was headed by Philippine National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, PAGCOR

Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat Jr., PMA Superintendent Oscar Lopez and other high ranking officials of BCFI and MBHFI. The new barracks is PAGCOR’s second project for the PMA following the modernization of the 62-year old sports complex. BCFI and MBHFI are continuously raising funds to support PAGCOR’s CSR initiatives.

GROUNDBREADKING. (From left) BCFI president Donato Almeda, National Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin, PAGCOR Chairman and CEO Cristino Naguiat Jr., MBHFI COO Steve Riley, and PMA Superintendent Lieutenant General Oscar Lopez.

‘sharing economy’

W

IFI Master Key, a free WiFi hotspot-crowdsourcing app, is seeing a surge in popularity in Southeast Asia as it helps a growing community get online in the region.

The Shanghai -based startup, which lets users easily and safely connect to free WiFi hotspots shared by other users, is growing rapidly to become one of the frontrunning proponents of the “sharing economy.”

The app has climbed this week to be ranked 10th on Google Play’s tools app chart in the Philippines. In Indonesia , it has also seen its popularity surge to the 10th place of the tools app chart.

It comes after the app became the #1 tools app in Malaysia last month, while also becoming the #5 most popular free app in the country. In Vietnam, it became on September 22 the #1 tool app, and the #5 free app in general.

Founder and CEO Chen Danian said in a recent speech that WiFi Master Key has become an important tool for many on-demand services in China.

“WiFi Master Key will help more and more people get online for free, while providing better mobile services as we

dig deep into our expanding data pool,” he said.

The fast-growing company set up in May a regional headquarter in Singapore – strategically located to tap into fast growing markets in the region.

When a user shares a WiFi hotspot with the community, other users can use the shared information in the database to get online for free. To protect privacy and security, the app does not reveal any shared WiFi passwords; instead, it encrypts and stores the shared information in its cloud database.

Launched in September 2012 , WiFi Mastery Key sets the record of being China’s youngest unicorn mobile Internet company to achieve a billion-dollar valuation earlier this year, after closing a $52 million Series A funding.

As of August 2015, the app has connected a total of 700 million users, 360 million monthly active users, and an average of close to 30 million connections daily.

Key features of the app include safe WiFi sharing without revealing shared passwords, in-built signal detector, customizable power saving settings, tethering function, among others, to enhance the connectivity experience.

1st world opportunities without going abroad

F

OR many Filipinos, success starts by going abroad. The reasons are varied, with some traveling to other parts of the globe to seek out higher salaries, more career opportunities, or a lifestyle they’ve always dreamed of.

A 2014 survey by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) estimated that there were 2.3 million overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) during the six-month period of the survey. A large percentage of these OFWs were laborers, but a good number at 11.4 percent were professionals working on project management, accounting, customer service, and other similar jobs.

The search for greener pastures is not without sacrifices, and leaving the country almost always means leaving behind friends and family to pursue a successful career. The story is the same for Anne Guevarra, who found a great opportunity in a publishing company in Dubai. The company offered a much higher salary compared with what the average customer service company could give in the Philippines. The only problem was that it was a long way from home. Still, it was a good career, and it would provide her with enough to help support her family.

It was while she was working in Dubai when she heard about online freelancing.

Friends who did freelancing on Upwork shared that they were earning almost as much as her, but without having to leave home or the country and with more freedom as a self-employed business owner. This piqued her interest, and upon setting up an Upwork profile, she saw the wide range of job opportunities available to her.

She then made a huge decision—to take the risk, move back home, and start freelancing.

Anne left Dubai in 2011.

Back in the Philippines, she immediately got her first freelancing job for a client she had a long relationship with.

Working with online clients earned her more money than what she used to make; in four years’ time, she was earning four times the pay of local customer service professionals.

However, it’s not just the higher earnings that she gets to enjoy as a freelancer. In her current role as Project Support Manager, she works with the Internal Operations Manager of her new client and handles all of her client’s consultant clients. In the few years of online freelancing, she has managed to build a successful—and lucrative—business while staying in the country.

“I never thought I could build a career online, as I was so used to the office setting.

Now I am building a career but

F1ST WORLD, 10

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DAVAO CITY MAIN OFFICE JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel: (082) 224-1413 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 GENERAL SANTOS CITY MARKETING OFFICE EDMUND D. RENDON Marketing Specialist Mobile: (Smart) 0909-424-7990 MANILA MARKETING OFFICE ANGELICA R. GARCIA Marketing Manager 97-1 Bayanbayanan Ave., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 654-3509

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

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NEWS 13

Fire hits Zambo slum community M

AYOR Ma. Isabelle Climaco-Salazar on Sunday led the distribution of relief goods to residents whose houses were razed in a fire that hit a slum community earlier at dawn in an east coast barangay in this city.

Salazar was assisted by personnel of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) and the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) as

the city government swiftly responded to provide assistance to the fire victims.

Salazar said that part of the relief goods given to the fire victims were donated to the local government by the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and the Filipino Chinese Chamber of Commerce.

Superintendent Dominador Zabala Jr., Zamboanga City Fire District (ZCFD) fire marshal, said 20 houses were razed to

the ground in a fire that broke out around 1 a.m.

Sunday at kilometer 4, Barangay Talon-Talon, east of City Hall.

Zabala said investigation showed the fire start-

ed at the residence of Eric Bulagao and rapidly spread to nearby houses mostly made of light materials.

Zabala said the origin of the fire was electrical short circuit and the estimated

property damaged was more or less PhP720,000.

Meanwhile, Salazar has ordered the assessment and validation of the affected residents for the grant of assistance the soonest

possible time.

The mayor likewise ordered the conduct of health check-ups on the fire victims particularly the children, women and senior citizens. (PNA)

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH DEED OF DONATION

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late EVENCIO G. FILIPINAS has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH DEED OF DONATION executed among his heirs per Doc. No.262; Page No.53; Book No. XI; Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC FAIRY FAITH B. RABAGO-AGUSTIN 10/13,20,27

STREET DANCE. Bukidnon celebrates the annual Kaamulan with a street dancing competition in Malaybalay City on Saturday (October 24, 2015). Shown in photo are dancers from Malitbog town. MindaNews photo by H. Marcos C. Mordeno

14 EDGEDAVAO Sports

NATIONAL CHAMPS

VOL. 8 ISSUE 149 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 27, 2015

Ateneo booters win Milo Little Olympics title

Members of the triumphant Ateneo squad that represented Mindanao in the 2015 National Milo Little Olympics in Sta. Cruz, Laguna. From Abing Lim

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

A

TENEO de Davao University, representing Mindanao, captured the 2015 Milo Little Olympics National Finals boys elementary football title at the Laguna Sports Complex in Sta. Cruz.

Laguna.

Mindanao blanked North and Central Luzon 7-0 in their third and final outing to dominate the event with three wins in as many games.

Jasper Lim, who was adjudged best midfielder, Cesar Pietro Feliciano and Raphael Cesar Balan scored a brace each while Sebastian Mari Rendon added one goal in the one-sided match.

Earlier, Mindanao turned back NCR and South Luzon 2-1 on goals by Lim and Balan before following it up with a 4-1 shellacking of Visayas on the brace by Balan and goals by

Lim and Simon Guinoo.

The team, coached by Henry Rhey ‘Ewee’ de Leon, Ronoel ‘Noi’ Garfin, and Albert Ryan ‘Abing’ Lim, also picked up four special awards. Best Goalkeeper award went to Zane Garfin, Jasper Lim was Best Midfielder’ Cesar Pietro Feliciano was Best Attacker, Raphael Cesar was Best Striker while the Most Outstanding Player award went to Naz Rafaele An-

gelo C. Pascual.

The team is composed of Jemriz A. Advincula, Raphael Cesar P. Balan, Simon D. Guino-o, Francis Paolo Vito D. Echavez, Gabriel Antonio C. Juaneza, Sebastian Mari A. Rendon, Cesar Pietro D. Feliciano, Matthew James D. Espino, Zane Riznelle R. Garfin, Jasper Rex S. Lim, Urikoe Christoffe C. Uy, and Naz Rafaele Angelo Pascual.

1st ICTSI Mindanao Jungolf tourney opens at Apo

V

YOUNG TURKS. Davao Jungolfers Sam Beltran, Ella Nagayo, Yvonne Bisera, Ken Zunio and Daniel Nagayo pose during yesterday’s practice round.

ETERAN internationalists Alessandra Christine “Ella” Nagayo and Zeus Sara will lead the charge of the Davao City junior golf contingent as the 1st ICTSI Mindanao Junior Golf Championship gets going today at the Apo Golf and Country Club.

The ICTSI-sponsored tournament is the biggest ever junior golf tournament in Davao City with the best jungolfers from all over Mindanao taking part in the 54-hole event that plays the first 18 holes at Apo today, and the final 36 holes at RPV on October 29-30.

The 11-year old Nagayo, who finished fourth in the Veritas Junior Golf World Championship in Pasadena, California and 86th in the US Kids

World Championships in Pinehurst, North Carolina, will be competing in the girls 1112 years old category while Sara will be taking part in the boys 9-10 years old division.

Ella’s younger brother Daniel Luis will also be competing in the boys 9-10.

Ella ruled her group in a junior golf tournament over the weekend at the rolling layout of Rancho Palos Verdes while Sara topped his own division, besting Daniel Luis.

Also seeing action for the junior golfers of Davao are Samantha Beltran and Yvonne Bisera. Beltran will vie for honors in the girls 13-14 division while Bisera will try to win the title in the girls 1517 division. NEILWIN JOSEPH BRAVO

DC bets still searching for gold in Batang Pinoy

A

FIRST-TIMER high jump bet and a bunch of veteran chess campaigners put Davao City in the medal board early as the 2015 Batang Pinoy Mindanao Qualifying Leg kicked off at the South Cotabato Sports Complex.

Mark Anthony Casenas made an auspicious debut as he captured the silver in the boy’s high jump as Earl Mantilla and Irish Yngayo settled for silver in the chess blitz boys and girls competition respectively.

Casenas, a student of Tugbok National High School and Batang Pinoy first timer, cleared the 1.60 meters high jump bar to finish behind gold medal winner Jasper Marinas of North Cotabato who registered with 1.66 meters at the South Cotabato Sports Complex.

South Cotabato bet Chermin Dagmil pocketed the bronze medal with a leapt of 1.57 meters.

“It was a close fight for the gold. Mark Anthony slightly fumbled in his best jump at 1.65 meters and the gold medal winner recorded 1.66 meters,” said athletics coach Randy Saberon who admitted of the slip-up jump.

Mantilla, a national finalist in last year’s Batang Pinoy

in Bacolod, placed second with 6 points behind gold medalist Japheth Aaron of Panabo City who had 6.5 points.

Yngayo, who won the rapid event gold in last year’s Batang Pinoy National Finals in Bacolod, faltered in the third round of the seven rounds competition to settle for silver at the Gaisano Grand Citimall Koronadal Activity Area.

The prized chesser Yngayo bowed in the tiebreak to Davao City’s Barangay-endorsed Quennie Peralta who copped the gold.

Both scored 6 points.

Davao City’s Honey Grace Buenafe, who finished with 5.5 points, pocketed the bronze medal.

Mantilla and Yngayo are poised to make a huge comeback in the standard and rapid competition.

Over at the Koronadal Comprehensive National High School, Davao City blanked Tagum City, 10 – 0, in girls softball.

Ace pitcher Irene Lumanas lived up to her billing as the Davao City team went off to a rousing start.

Davao City girls basketball team defeated Gen. Santos City, 15 – 7, to open its title retention bid on the right track at the Barangay Zone 1 covered court.

DOUBLE GOLD MEDALIST. Independent entry Ice Cuasito, daughter of Dr. Rovic Cuasito, won 2 Golds for Modern standard- 3 dance (juvenile C) & 5 dance (Juvenile A) at the recent Batang Pinoy Mindanao Leg Dance Sports competition held at Koronadal, South Cotabato.

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SBP MINDA/REGL CHAMPS. Members of the Ateneo de Davao University SBP team led by coaches Ramon Pido and PASSARELLE MINDA/REGL CHAMPS. Ateneo de Davao University Passerelle team with coaches Miguel Solitaria, HarFrankie Argoncillo with their championship banner. ry Hipolito and Mark Bonifacio.

BLUE KNIGHTS SWEEP Ateneo bags Milo BEST Minda regional cage titles

STRONG MOVE. Onin Miguel Develos of Ateneo de Davao University drives past his Ferndale International School of Zamboanga during the SBP Mindanao/Regional Finals.

A

TENEO de Davao University earned its trip to the National Finals after coming out with respective wins at the close of the Milo Best Mindanao Regional Finals held over the weekend played at the Davao City Recreational Center (Almendras Gym).

The Blue Knights under coaches Ramon Pido and Frankie Argoncillo needed only a miracle shot from guard-forward Christian Blanco who drilled a triple with 4.6 seconds left in the fourth canto to complete a come-frombehind win over Bukidnon Faith Christian School Incorporated,

53-50 for the SBP Mindanao Regional title. The youthful Blue Knights trailed as much as six in the final minute before sparking a 4-0 run which highlighted a pintsized Aaron Amaneo lay-up to tie the match at 50-all off a tap from forward-center Onin Miguel Develos.

Pido called his last timeout with 28 seconds left after a miss

by Bukidnon Faith that prompted an inbound play that saw Blanco drilling the pivotal triple on the left wing coming from forward Rochie Amoguis.

Bukidnon Faith which led the half, 24-19 could have sent the

Vintage form Kobe begins 20th season

‘It’s just one game: Tim A

B

ARANGAY Ginebra San Miguel may have been beaten soundly by rival Star Hotshots to open its SMART BRO PBA Philippine Cup campaign, but Gin Kings coach Tim Cone remains unperturbed.

“First game. Really, in the big scheme of things, I’m sure the fans don’t want to hear about this, but on bigger scheme of things, who cares?

It’s just one game,” Cone told sportswriters after the game.

“If you continue doing this six or seven games from now, then you can get on me.”

Tim Cone’s teams are known to start slow, but show off their deadly form when it matters, peaking at the right time and win titles.

“We don’t have to be good right now. We have to be good come playoff time.

We’ll get better and hopefully, we’ll be good at the right time. I really like this team we had. I think we have a good future ahead of us,” said Cone.

The winningest coach in PBA history added that while he doesn’t want to fast-track his team’s improvement, he still hopes to find the team’s identity and see better games soon from the team many fans believe has been

underachieving.

“Another few games that bothered us won’t bother us anymore. I’m still figuring out who to play, what the rotations are. I didn’t get Dave Marcelo in the game and he’s been playing really well for us. I’m still trying to figure things out where the rookies get into. AJ (Aljon Mariano) is playing very well,” said Cone.

But Cone is upbeat about the team’s capability of becoming a great squad, with the team’s veterans leading the way.

For one, the Gin Kings twin towers of Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar combined for 54 points and 32 rebounds, but didn’t get enough contribution from their star-studded line up against the Hotshots.

“It shows our capability, the offense are directed to them (Slaughter and Aguilar). They’re gonna have opportunities to put on big numbers. But it’s a 50-50 offense. I think our problem was we didn’t get LA (Tenorio), and Mark (Caguioa), and Chris (Ellis), and Sol (Mercado) and Joe (Devance) into a rhythm tonight. Those guys got to be able to contribute.

But that falls on me,” said Cone.

FTER a glittering career spanning three decades, the final curtain is slowly coming down on Kobe Bryant — but few are expecting a Hollywood ending for the Los Angeles Lakers superstar.

Bryant heads into the final 12 months of a lucrative twoyear contract against the backdrop of a familiar guessing game as to whether this will or will not be his last season as an NBA player.

The 37-year-old five-time NBA champion, who has suffered a series of debilitating injuries in recent seasons that have curtailed the autumn of his career, wearily fields questions about his future.

Some experts, notably former Lakers coach Phil Jackson, have predicted that Bryant will find it impossible to walk away from the game and will seek a final contract at another franchise if he does not extend with the Lakers.

Bryant, who has spent the entirety of his career in Los Angeles, says however that he has not made any decision about a retirement date as he prepares to embark on what will be his 20th season with the outfit.

“I don’t know what will be the decisive factor,” Bryant said. “How do we know when it’s time? Derek Jeter, Michael Jordan, it was different for all of them. Will I wake up one morning and say ‘That’s it’? Is it a gradual thing?”

game into the five-minute extension but foiled its chances with an attempt behind the arc on its last play as time expired.

For Ateneo’s elder counterparts under coaches Miguel Solitaria, Harry Hipolito and Mark Bonifacio it was sweet in going back to the Mindanao Regional Passerelle finals after losing its chances last year next to Holy Child College of Davao. This year they earned their trip to the National Finals also at the expense of Bukidnon Faith Christian School Incorporated, 68-46. The Blue Knights took an early lead, 22-12 in the first canto before cruising to

Bryant admits that the seemingly endless questions about his retirement date “can be a pain in the ass.”

“But when I sit back and think about it, it’s cool, because it means that I had a very good career, people respect my career,” he said.

Lakers president Jim Buss meanwhile has hinted the club could be ready to hold discussions about an extension, arguing Bryant’s status as a franchise legend has earned him the right to exit on his own terms.

“I’m not going to sit there and say, ‘This is it, Kobe, you’re done,’ because it’s not my decision — it’s his decision,” Buss said in August.

Tough season looming Yet the prospect of the upcoming season providing Bryant with the opportunity of riding into the sunset after another glorious chapter to his Lakers career are slim to non-existent.

Last season the Lakers had the second worst record of any side in the formidably strong Western Conference, winning only 21 games and losing 61.

It was the second season in a row the Lakers had failed to reach the playoffs, and a third failure to reach the postseason seems the likeliest outcome for the 2015-2016 campaign.

There are also serious question marks about Bryant’s ability to stay the course.

In each of the three previous

a halftime advantage, 31-19 and never looked back.

Milo Best National Director and Founder Nick Jorge along with city coordinator Michael Chad Boufard awarded the winners with their respective medals and trophies during the awarding rites after the games.

Ferndale International School of Zamboanga City took third place honors on both SBP and Passerelle categories plus the Sportsmanship Award.

Ateneo de Davao University gears up for the National Finals which is set on December 5 and 6 in Baguio City.

VETERAN. Kobe Bryant, the 37-year-old five-time NBA champion, who has suffered a series of debilitating injuries in recent seasons that have curtailed the autumn of his career, wearily fields questions about his future.

years he has suffered serious injuries that forced him to end his season p re m a t u re ly.

In 2013 he sustained a ruptured Achilles, which was followed by a fractured knee in 2014 before a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder cut short his 2014-2015 season .

Bryant increasingly sees his role as a mentor to the next generation of Lakers, which includes the likes of Julius Randle, Jordan Clarkson and D’Angelo Russell, the talented 19-year-old rookie who was just seven months old when Bryant arrived for his first Lakers training camp way back i n 1996.

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