Edge Davao 8 Issue 155 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

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WHY THE SHAVED HEAD. Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte explains to reporters why the Duterte children shaved their heads. The shaven head , according to him, is a show of support for their ailing mother who has cancer. Lower photo shows the Facebook post of the Vice Mayor on his first session sporting a Mohawk cut. Armando Fenequito Jr.

Vice Mayor explains ‘shaved head’is for ailing mother undergoing chemo therapy

‘IT’S FOR MAMA’ By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Vice Mayor Paolo Z. D u te r te

yesterday clarified that his and his brother Sebastian’s decision to shave their heads last week was not a call for their father, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, to run for President but was their show of support for their ailing mother, Elizabeth Zimmerman, who has cancer. “ W e joined our mother

since she is now undergoing chemotherapy, and since her hair started to vanish gradually, we shaved our hair,” Paolo said in an interview yesterday. He said his mother is already experiencing hair loss due to the medicines she has been taking for her cancer. Paolo said that there would be no sense to call on his father to run for president since he has already decided

not run. “Human na man ang filing of candidacy... modagan naman siya pagka-mayor (The filing of candidacy is already over... he decided to run again for mayor),” he said. Paolo said the chances are slim of Duterte substituting for Partido ng Demokratikong Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) standard bearer

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

FREE AT LAST. Private First Class (PFC) Niño Alavaro and PFC Marjon Añover of the 25th Infantry Battalion are covered with blanekts by personnel of Eastern Mindanao Command (Eastmincom) as they are brought to the Camp Panacan Station Hospital. The two were captured in a checkpoint manned by communist guerrillas in Monkayo town,

Troops foil rebel attack in Sarangani school

HE military has foiled an attack by suspected New People's Army rebels in a school construction project in Sarangani province last Nov. 1. The assault took place around 11 a.m. in Sitio Akbual, Barangay Upper Suyan, Malapatan town, the statement forwarded by 10th Infantry Division public affairs office chief Capt. Rhyan Batchar

Tuesday said. The firefight lasted for 20 minutes. No one among the government troops were wounded. The rebels quickly retreated afterwards. Batchar said the three-classroom school project was being constructed with the help of local officials, including Sarangani Rep. Manny "Pacman" Pacquiao and soldiers. (PNA)

No security threats for APEC Summit

ITH the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Leaders’ Meeting in Metro Manila just two weeks away, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) announced it is yet to detect any security threat that would mar the event. This was disclosed by AFP spokesperson Col. Restituto Padilla in a press briefing Tuesday. “There are no perceived threat that will hamper APEC,” he added. However, to ensure that no lawless or terrorist threat will mar the two-week proceedings, intelligence operatives are working overtime to protect the delegates from possible threats. Padilla said that their biggest concern at the moment are protest groups that are planning to stage actions against the event and perceived government failures.

He is urging organizers of the protests to stage their actions in designated areas and acquire the necessary permits. The APEC Leaders’ Meeting is scheduled from Nov. 17 to 20. “We are already prepared to host and appropriate security measures have been put in place already,” Padilla earlier said in a message to the PNA. He added that the military security blanket will stay until the successful conclusion of the event. “It will stay that way until the conclusion of the APEC,” Padilla emphasized. Earlier, the AFP’s Joint Task Force-National Capital Region (JTF-NCR) announced it is now conducting drills to prepare themselves for the so-called “CBRNE” or chemical biological radiological nuclear and explosives threat. JTF-NCR deputy com-

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Compostela Valley, on September 30 were turned over to Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte yesterday somewhere in Compostela Valley Province. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

Duterte to Aquino: Sack all MIAA officials By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte asked President Benigno Aquino to relieve all officials of the Manila International Airport Administration because of the series incidents of alleged ‘tanim bala’ or bullet-planting at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA). “I’d like to call the attention of the President that he must do something about it immediately. The president

should order for the relief of all officials connected with CAAP (Civil Aviation Security of the Philippines) and the Aviation Security Command, “ Duterte said in an interview on Monday night after he visited the tomb of his parents at the Roman Catholic Cemetery. The mayor said he wants to replace all the airport police in NAIA and allow the Army to take over security. He also said there are Spe-

cial Action Forces (SAF) operatives who have no work as of the moment because they are still waiting for their orders. “They can temporarily take over the situation,” he said. Duterte said believed there is a conspiracy among the police officers inside the NAIA, the porters, airline employees, and taxi drivers. “Kining tanan dili ni mahitabo kung walay konsabo (This will not happen if there is no

conspiracy),” he said. He said the “tanim bala” scam would not prosper without the police because they are the ones who arrest passengers who are caught allegedly carrying live bullets. The mayor said he was prompted to make his call after he learned that Augusto D. Dagan, a 60-year-old engineer of JV Angeles Construction Corporation (JVACC) which is han-

al Red List, the Francis S. Morales Resource Center said in a press statement Monday. The project will also affect six bird species endemic to Mindanao of the 74 bird species in the area, and a total of 17 mammal species and 10 reptile species. FSMRC said these findings are contained in the 2013 NI 43-101-compliant Technical Report and Preliminary Feasibility Study of M3 Engineering & Technology, a US-based consultancy firm contracted by St. Augustine Gold & Copper to

conduct the study in compliance with Canada’s National Instrument 43-101, which is supposedly required under Canadian laws. The copper-gold project was reportedly to be approved within this month, the group said. FSMRC further quoted he report as saying that several of the wildlife species found in the region “are listed as near-threatened or vulnerable by the IUCN, while others are protected by Convention on International Trade in En-

dangered Species (CITES), including 11 bird species, two (2) mammal species and five (5) reptile and amphibian species.” “Marine studies showed that several species of sea turtles, dolphins, whales, and seabirds live in the area. Sea cows and whale sharks also live in the region. The sea cow species and all species of sea turtle found in the region are listed as endangered,” the report said. “Phyto-, nano-, zoo-, and

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Group says mining project threatens biodiversity in Southern Mindanao A

N impending mining project in Southern Mindanao threatens the area’s biodiversity as well as the ecology of neighboring regions, an environment group said citing a technical report by an American consultancy firm. The King-king Copper-Gold Project will affect 12 “vulnerable or critically endangered” species of the 253 native or endemic plant species present in the area, as defined by the International Union for Conservation of Nature Red List and the Philippine Nation-

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

3 Davao ICON: Focusing on the booming real estate rd

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

LREADY experiencing a boom, the real estate industry in Davao City and the rest of the region got further boost with the staging of the 3rd Davao Investment Conference (ICON) from November 4 to 6 at the SMX Convention Center. The threeday activity was organized by the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. (DCCCII) to attract more investors not only into Davao’s real estate business but Mindanao as well. “The third Davao ICON is to promote Davao City as a premier investment location,” said Architect Daniel T. Lim, event chair

Architect Daniel T. Lim, event chair and immediate past president of the DCCCII

and immediate past president of the DCCCII. “This is an event to market Davao,” he added. Aside from real estate, tourism, ICT and manufacturing are also the sectors being given special emphasis by the major business activity in this part of the land. The 3rd Davao ICON will be attended by stakeholders in the real estate industry such as developers, realtors, as well as professionals involved in the land development and construction industry. Lim said they expect around 300 to 400 participants in this year’s edition of the biggest business event to

...they expect around 300 to 400 participants in this year’s edition of the biggest business event to take place in a city now experiencing a tremendous growth in real estate. take place in a city now experiencing a tremendous growth in real estate. Davao City is a major hub in Mindanao and boasts of a high growth rate that is even national than the national level, according to Lim. Aside from this, Davao is attracting investors because of its low power rate and quality water. The city is also adjudged one of the safest cities in the world today and the local government has imposed policies that are businessfriendly. “Mayor Duterte represents governance with integrity and respect,” Lim said. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duerte himself is giving the event a major boost with his presence in today’s opening ceremonies where he will be the keynote speaker. The 3rd Davao ICON is being staged in coordination with the City Government of Davao thru the Davao City Investment

Promotions Center (DCIPC) and City Planning and Development Office (CPDO). Also joining hands with the DCCCII in staging the 3rd Davao ICON are the Subdivision and Housing Developers Association (SHDA) and Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines (OSHDP). This year’s major backers are Damosa Land Inc., AboitizPower, Deca Homes by 8990 Housing Development Corporation and Ayala-Alveo. Lim earlier said the event also aims to educate local investors regarding the Comprehensive Land Use Plan (CLUP). Aside from the local businessmen, foreign investors not only on real estate but also on construction, manufacturing, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) and tourism are expected to attend the event.

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

DLI: Changing Davao City’s landscape By CHENEEN R. CAPON

HAT started as the first automotive dealer of US car maker Ford Motor Company in Davao has now become a builder of homes and communities, with a P5-billion portfolio in just 65 years. The big players in property development in the country like the Ayalas and the Sys may have catalyzed the real estate boom in Davao City in the early 2000s, but Damosa Land, Inc. (DLI) has taken advantage of its roots and established a stronghold in its own turf. Now what used to be the predelivery inspection area of Davao Motor Sales (DAMOSA) in Lanang has become one of Davao’s main commercial centers. Damosa District is just one of DLI’s many innova-

tive mixed-use complexes that have changed the landscape of the northern part of the city. The complex is composed of Damosa Gateway, Damosa Market Basket, Damosa Business Center, and the PEZA-accredited DAMOSA IT Park. The Damosa District not only paints a picture of how much DLI has grown but how a homegrown property developer can go side-by-side with the big players in the real estate sector. Aside from its development in the city, the DLI has also gone to developing its properties acquired by the late Don Antonio Floirendo in General Santos City and some areas in Davao del Norte like the city of Panabo where the company intends to develop its first industrial estate de-

velopment and the 88-hectare central business district (CBD) starting next year. DLI vice president Ricardo F. Lagdameo said DLI took a major leap in 2012 when it started nurturing homes and sustainable communities for Dabawenyos with its first high-end residential project, the seven-hectare Damosa Fairlanes which is just a kilometers away from the Damosa District in Lanang. Inspired by the Damosa heritage, the model houses in the Damosa Fairlanes, a boutique residential community, are named after Ford vehicles that the automotive shop once used to sell, like Lincoln and Marquis. The demand for better living in the city prompted DLI to invest in another development, Damosa Seawind, a 2.7-hectare condominium project in Sasa that used to be Sasa Onse. It will specifically cater to the dreams of young professionals, newly-weds, and starters to have a nurturing home while experiencing convenience right in the center of the bustling city of Davao. The construction of the condominium project is expected to start within the year. DLI also ventured into more projects, like the commercial McPod Building in MacArthur Highway, the Topaz Tower which houses BPOs and corporate offices in Damosa IT Park, and the expansion of Microtel in General Santos City which is part of the recently-launched Valley High.

Competition: setting the bar higher Others in the businesses might see negativity in the entry of Manila-based developers in Davao and in Mindanao, but for Lagdameo, the threat and challenges posed by the big players make homegrown brands like DLI take longer strides to keep at pace and be more competitive in its own market niche. And being

a homegrown company, DLI knows its market very well. It would have been easy for DLI to venture and explore other markets in other areas, but the need for better homes in Davao allowed the company to develop more residential projects to raise the quality of living here. “For us, it was never just about making profit but also about creating something new, something sustainable, something that can propel the region forward for decades to come,” Lagdameo said.” It’s been about creating jobs, providing education, and other types of assistance.”

Davao an investment haven for real estate development The change in Davao City’s landscape as well as the changes coming up in the horizon have been continuing for the past 10 years. Subdivisions, malls, and commercial buildings are sprouting everywhere. The real estate and construction industry is growing at a double-digit rate every year as investments from both local and Manila-based companies pour in. “We believe in the potential for development in the region,” Lagdameo said. “It won’t be easy and it won’t happen overnight. But then again, nothing successful and sustainable happens that way.” Lagdameo said Davao City and its neighboring areas have been experiencing a surge in investment since the late 2000s with the entry of big players “but there’s still room for more growth.” “The development of industries in the region has a long way to go,” he said. “It has just started.” And it is not just the property development sector that will continue to grow in the region but also food manufacturing, agriculture, and Information and Communication Technology (ICT)-Business Process Management (BPM). Lagdameo said the growth could be hampered by lack of good infrastructure and a conducive business environment. “The government should create an environment where companies can flourish,” he said, adding that there are some laws and regulations that inhibit companies from growing at maximum level. For instance, real estate companies and developers here fear that the implementation of the a new zonal valuation would hamper the growth of the industry as well

DLI vice president Ricardo F. Lagdameo

as burden taxpayers with higher real property tax. Industry players here said it would have a negative domino effect on the growing economy of the Davao Region because it will raise the value of some land during acquisition. “In the long term, it would be expensive to do business in Davao,” Lagdameo said. But Lagdameo also recognized the need to increase the land valuation because it has been more than a decade before it was raise. However, he said it would be more effective if the Bureau of Internal Revenue will increase it gradually, starting at 50 percent. “With this proposal, I hope the city will grow for 10 to 15 years more,” he added. Moving forward DLI will take another leap next year as it ventures into the development of bigger mixed-use communities and industrial estates as well as the expansion of its port, all in Panabo City in the province of Davao del Norte. New big ticket projects of the homegrown brand include the development of an 88-hectare mixed-use central business district in a property owned by the Floirendos in Panabo City. Lagdameo said the first of the project will include the development of a 34-hectare area for residential with two subdivisions that will have an area of five hectares each. The second part of the multi-year development project will have 30 hectares allotted for the

commercial and tourism component which will still have a residential areas. The rest of the 88 hectare project will be for the last phase which is still being finalized. Another project that will change the landscape of the Davao Region is the establishment of the 63-hectare PEZA-accredited Anflo Industrial Estate that will be just beside the Davao International Container Terminal Services (DICT), a port owned by the Anflocor. “The industrial estate will be very suitable for the operation of locating manufacturing companies because of its proximity to the port,” Lagdameo said. It can cater to light to medium manufacturing companies that are involved in food manufacturing and food processing, among others. The third project to be undertaken by the company is the expansion of DICT and the rehabilitation of its fourth berth and addition of another quay crane. It will increase the existing 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) by another 150,000 TEUs. “Once rehabilitated, the DICT will have a capacity of 400,000 to 450,000 TEUs,” Lagdameo said. These three projects will be showcased during the 2nd Davao Investment Conference on November 4 to 6 at the SMX Lanang Convention Center which will focus on drawing investors on the real estate, tourism, manufacturing, and ICT industry of the region.

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Nograles dares Honrado to resign over laglag-bala

NEWS 3

By JON JOAQUIN

OUSE Committee on Labor Chair and Davao City Rep. Karlo Alexei Nograles yesterday dared Manila International Airport Authority (MIAA) General Manager Jose Angel Honrado to resign and not wait for President Benigno Aquino to sack him. Nograles made the dare in response to Honrado’s statement on Monday that he would resign only if told to do so by the President. “Resignation is voluntary,” Nograles said. “You do not wait for the appointing authority to tell you to resign. Because of delicadeza you are supposed to voluntarily tender your resignation. I dare you to submit your resignation to the President effective today and you just wait for him to accept or reject it,” he added. Nograles said the “sordid

image” of the NAIA, ironically named after the father of President Aquino, turned from bad to worse when Honrado was appointed MIAA general manager. He noted that Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) already earned various embarrassing labels, including its tag as the world’s worst airport, all under the term of Honrado. “Honrado therefore should voluntarily resign his post out of delicadeza,” he said. “NAIA just used to be world’s worst airport but now, it has become the world’s only airport with a bullet farm because of this tanim-bala racket. All these things happened under the watch of Honrado. There was never a time when NAIA was the object of so

Roxas vows to look Escudero sees‘tanim-bala’ as threat to PHL tourism into Sasa port project I

F unstopped, the ‘tanim-bala’ (bullet-planting) modus operandi in the country’s airports could threaten the gains that the administration of President Benigno Aquino III achieved under the ‘It’s More Fun in the Philippines’ campaign, Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero warned on Tuesday. “Three of our islands have just been recognized as among the 10 best in the world, but who would want to come here if they can’t even get out of the airports without being victimized by unscrupulous and seemingly unstoppable syndicates?” Escudero said. According to the Philippine National Police-Aviation Security Group, apprehensions on ammunition increased from 12 last year to 30 as of Nov. 1. Of these, seven were recorded in the last two weeks.

HOT RUN. Trainees of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) 11 take part in an afternoon run under the heat of the sun. Lean Daval Jr.

FNOGRALES, 10

“The crooks behind this ‘tanim-bala’ are not just planting bullets, they are sowing a sense of insecurity among travellers that will be difficult to address later on,” Escudero said. “The government has to end this ‘tanim-bala’ scheme now or we will lose our advantage as an emerging travel destination,” he added. The Philippines had 4.27 million visitors in 2012 and 4.68 million in 2013. Visitor arrivals increased to 4.83 million in 2014, with the biggest number—461,383 and 487,654—arriving in January and December, respectively. “We expect a deluge of balikbayans soon. Are we going to put all of them through this Russian roulette of ‘laglag-bala’ in NAIA?” Escudero asked. International arrivals by

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ORMER Local Government Secretary Manuel “Mar” Roxas II, Liberal Party candidate for President, has vowed to look into the controversy hounding the multi-billion peso Sasa port modernization project in Davao City. Roxas made the commitment in answer to a question about the project posed by businessman Bonifacio Tan, past president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), during a forum wherein Mar and three other presidential candidates presented their platforms of government as part of the two-day 41st Philippine Business Conference and Expo at the Marriot Hotel in Newport City, October 26 and 27.

Tan, a rubber exporter, told Roxas that the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) is going ahead with the December 10 bidding of the P19-billion project, despite numerous objections from the Davao business community, local officials and other stakeholders affected by the project. Tan said that no less than the Regional Development Council in the Davao Region (RDC 11) had asked DOTC Secretary Joseph Emilio Aguinaldo Abaya to inform the council about the issues but the secretary failed to show up during an RDC executive committee meeting slated on October 21. A source at the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 11, which acts as the RDC secretariat, said the

Ensure the proper relocation/resettlement of informal settlers affected by the project; and Ensure that the project shall benefit not only the private port operator but also the port users in the form of better and affordable services, and more importantly, opportunities for sustainable employment and entrepreneurial activities of the people of Davao Region. Aside from the unmet pre-conditions of RDC 11, Dabawenyos also complained the project does not have the consent of the local government of Davao City as there was no prior consultation done, contrary to the provision of the Local Government Code.

aspired to become councilor of Panabo City. In Davao del Sur, listed as disqualified bets are Pablo Cambarejan Villaber, who ran for vice governor and congressman in the province’s 1st legislative district; Ronald Lumabe Banac, who vied for the Digos City council and as member of the provincial Board; Kenn Tabay Lacia, who filed his candidacy as Matanao municipal councilor; Cesar Chavez Puerto, who ran for Matanao councilor and vice mayor; Tañada Bagarang Pinto, who tried his luck for a seat in the Santa Maria municipal council; Serafin Dualdo Calnapat, who separately contested the positions of municipal councilor and vice mayor of Santa Maria; and Leonardo T. Lee Uy, who ran for councilor

in the same town. In Davao City, six former candidates were disqualified or life, namely: Bernard Sabino Custodio, who ran for city councilor and Congress, 1st district; Anacleto Belleza Millendez, who contested the 1st district congressional seat; Carlos Jimenea Cirilo, who vied for city councilor, 1st district; Rogelio Alabata Montajes, for city councilor, 3rd district; Rogelio Cañete Paconla, for city councilor, 1st district; and Rodrigo Jomoc Sulamin, for city mayor. Under the Omnibus Election Code, the SOCE violation was punishable as an election offense but has been repealed under Republic Act 7166, an act providing for synchronized national and local elections

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Comelec disqualifies for life 18 Davao poll candidates I

LIMITED VIEW. A vendor has to peek under the Christmas lanterns hanging from his customized “trisikad” to see the road while peddling his goods along R. Castillo Street yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

DOTC had not indicated when it would act on the RDC 11’s request for a meeting. RDC 11, headed by Davao de Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario, earlier passed a resolution endorsing the controversial project but on five pre- conditions. The pre-conditions are: Acquisition of additional 6.2 hectares of right-of-way (ROW) per NEDA-ICC (Investment Coordination Committe) recommendation shall be secured immediately; Ensure that appropriate compensation is paid for the private properties that will be acquired as additional rightof-way; Specify in the terms of reference (TOR) who will shoulder the payments of the Real Property Tax;

N a move that reminds candidates and parties to submit their “full, true and itemized”poll expenses, the Commission on Elections (COMELEC) has disqualified for life eighteen (18) Region XI candidates who failed to file their statement of contributions and expenditures (SOCE) in the past two or three elections. Perpetually disqualified in Davao Region are: Arturo Aaron Marcojos and Vedorin Mallaidan Takasan, who ran for municipal councilors in the towns of Maco and Pantukan, Compostela Valley Province, respectively,; Reynaldo Panadero Alba and Rey Buenconsejo Perez, who vied for seats in the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) of Tagum City; and Larry Panes Garcia, who

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COTABATO CITY

DOT-12 conducts accreditation caravan for tourism establishments

T total of 352 business establishments in Region 12 have undergone inspection and assessment for accreditation by the Department of Tourism (DOT12). Nelly Nita Dillera, DOT-12 regional director, said DOT has conducted a week-long accreditation caravan in the provinces of North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, South Cotabato and Saranggani and the cities of Cotabato, Kidapawan, Tacurong, Koronadal and Gen. Santos City. Accreditation processes were conducted in hotels, resort, pension houses, tourist inns, motorist hotels and

CARAGA

GENERAL SANTOS CITY

400 advocates, health workers T to join nat’l HIV/AIDS summit A

on November 25 at the South Cotabato Gymnasium and Cultural Center in Koronadal City. He said they already received confirmation from some of the targeted participants, which will include officials from the DOH central office, HIV/AIDS program coordinators from various regions, local government officials and HIV/AIDS advocates. “We’ve been getting good feedback about the upcoming summit and we’re expecting the full participation of our stakeholders,” he said. Codilla said the DOH has allocated some PHP1.1 million

for the conduct of the summit, which is mainly aimed to heighten local awareness about the deadly disease. “Our goal is to develop effective strategies against the spread of the disease and to strengthen the HIV testing program,” he said. Codilla earlier said the event will be highlighted by presentations on various researches and studies regarding the treatment and prevention of HIV. He said a group of medical experts based in Manila will specifically introduce fresh strategies on HIV prevention and the handling of new cases.

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration had listed the province as among the vulnerable areas for the onslaught of the El Niño. But the province was delisted in its advisory last month due to the onset of rains that affected parts of Mindanao. PAGASA officials here said they still expect the El Niño to affect the area in the next two months. Owing to this, the local government’s Animal Production and Processing Center (APPC), continued with its preparations against the negative effects of the dry spell, which is expected to last until the first quarter of 2016. Dr. Raul Teves, APPC chief, they trained the center’s personnel on silage making and other related strategies.

He said such move is mainly aimed to ensure the availability of food for the center’s large animals during the El Niño. “The process of ensilage is to preserve green forage crops so that our supplies could be properly apportioned and maximized,” Teves said. Teves said they are now introducing the technology to the city and municipal levels, through their agriculture and veterinary offices. “This technology will really help our farmers, especially when the available pasture is not good during dry season,” he said. Teves added that DA-12 has committed to provide funds for the construction of a silage storage facility at the APPC in line with the project’s rollout. (PNA)

South Cotabato to stockpile veterinary drugs for El Niño V

ETERINARY personnel in South Cotabato are planning to stockpile veterinary drugs and feed concentrates to mitigate the impact of the El Niño phenomenon on the area’s livestock. Dr. Flora Bigot, acting head of the Provincial Veterinary Office, said Tuesday they are set to submit a proposal to the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 12 for the allocation of funds for such purpose as part of their preparations to counter the effects of El Niño. She said DA-12 has allocated around PHP15 million under its El Niño mitigation fund for the purchase of essential veterinary drugs and feed concentrates. “We will avail of that provision so we will be better prepared when the calamity intensifies later on,” she said.

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Davao Oriental celebrates 17th Kalindugan Festival

MORNING CATCH. A boy shows off his catch from a river in Bonbonon, Iligan City. MindaNews photo by Bobby Timonera

ROUND 400 health workers and advocates from various parts of the country are expected to attend the 1st National HIV/ AIDS (Human Immunodeficiency Virus/Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome) Summit slated later this month in Koronadal City. John Codilla, HIV/AIDS focal person of the Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said Tuesday they are currently finalizing their preparations for the summit, which it will co-host with the Department of Health (DOH) in Region 12. The summit will be held

home stays. Of the 352 business establishments inspected, 208 will soon receive accreditation from DOT. It has a total of 3,134 rooms that can accommodate tourists, Dillera said. “We would like to ensure that these accommodation facilities meet national and international standards in tourism,” Dillera said. To date, Dillera added, the region has more than 50 tourist establishments and front liners that are DOT accredited. As such, they will be included in the DOT’s media promotions here and abroad. Dillera said 144 accom-

Organizers are planning to invite top HIV/AIDS advocates, including celebrity Vice Ganda, to grace the summit, he said. South Cotabato has one of the case highest detection rates for HIV/AIDS in the last two years based on the DOH’s records. The IPHO already recorded 98 new HIV/AIDS cases this year that were mostly detected during the series of testing activities that it conducted. The new cases have brought the total cumulative incidence in the province to 317. (PNA)

HE Mandaya community in Sitio Sangab inCaraga town once more showcased its culture and traditions during its 17th of celebration of the annual Kalindugan Festival on October 27 and 28, 2015. Replete with songs and dances showcasing the Madaya culture and traditions, the celebration brought the Mandayas here a sense of pride and identity over their deep-rooted cultural heritage, making it one of the most venerable and well-known festivals in the province. This annual festival aims to preserve the tribe’s customs, traditions and beliefs by instilling these to the community especially to the young generation. During the festival, various activities were showcased to further the cause. Among them is the “Panawagtawag

sang Bakal’lag” or Prayer to the Spirits led by the community “balyan” or priestess. According to the elders, this prayer is the highest form of worship of the Mandaya people with the intent of asking for blessing and guidance. Different local schools also gave presentations depicting their daily lives in the community, history and traditions in the form of dances and songs. Adding more glee to the crowd were the traditional Mandaya games such as katut-katutan, bagudan, agut-agutan, gutgutan, busog-busugan, sumpitan, ligidan and padamaan which were played by the young and old. Present during the event were the officials from LGU Caraga headed by Mayor Alicia Mori, NCIP Provincial Head Julius Mabini, DepEd Division Superintendent Feliciano A.

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ACROSS THE RICE FIELD. A young Lumad woman rides a horse across a ricefield in Molmol, Jose Abad Santos, Davao Occidental. MindaNews photo by KARL GASPAR

5 ECONOMY

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3rd Davao ICon gets underway

Rody is keynote speaker in today’s opening By CHENEEN R. CAPON

D POWER INTERRUPTIONS. Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) executive vice president and chief operating officer Arturo M. Milan announces the implementation of up to two and a half hours rotating

blackouts in its franchise areas after the power supply in Mindanao grid decreased. Milan made the announcement in a press briefing with Davao City media on Monday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

Damosa Land showcases big projects in ICon H

OMEGROWN Anflocor Group of Companies will showcase three of its newest big-ticket projects in the Davao Region during the three-day Davao Investment Conference (ICon) starting today until November 6, Friday, at the SMX Convention Center. Damosa Land Inc., (DLI) vice president Ricardo “Cary” F. Lagdameo the three projects include the development of bigger mixed-use communities and industrial estates as well as the expansion of its port, all in Panabo City in the province of Davao del Norte. Among the new big-ticket projects of the homegrown brand include the development of an 88-hectare mixeduse central business district (CBD) in a property owned by the Floirendos in Panabo City. The project will be undertaken by DLI, the property arm of the Anflo Group of Companies. Lagdameo said first part of project will include the development of a 34-hectare area for residential with two subdivisions that will have an area of five hectares each. The second part of the multi-year development project will have 30 hectares allotted for the commercial and tourism component which will still have residential areas. The rest of the 88-hectare project will be for the last phase which is still being finalized. Another project that will change the landscape of the Davao Region is the establish-

ment of the 63-hectare Anflo Industrial Estate (AIE) of the Anflo Industrial Estate Corporation (AIEC), a subsidiary of the ANFLOCOR, next year. Situated in the Barangay of San Vicente in Panabo City, the recently proclaimed Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) Special Economic Zone by the Office of the President is suitable for manufacturing and warehousing agro-industrial components. The AIE will be just 300 meters away from the Davao International Container Terminal Services (DICT), a port owned by the Anflocor. “The industrial estate will be very suitable for the operation of locating manufacturing companies because of its proximity to the port,” Lagdameo said. The soon to rise PEZA zone in Panabo City can cater to light to medium manufacturing companies that are involved in food manufacturing and food processing, among others. The third project to be undertaken by the company is the expansion of DICT and the rehabilitation of its fourth berth and addition of another quay crane. It will increase the existing 250,000 twenty-foot equivalent unit (TEUs) by another 150,000 TEUs. “Once rehabilitated, the DICT will have a capacity of 400,000 to 450,000 TEUs,” Lagdameo said. The project cost of each project is still being finalized, he added. CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte will be the keynote speaker in today’s opening of the threeday 3rd Davao Investment Conference (ICon) at the SM X Lanang Convention Center. “May I take this occasion to encourage the stakeholders in these concerns to participate in this event for after all Davao City has everything to offer to investors,” Duterte said in a statement. Duterte said the ICon “will once again put Davao City on the investment map via its theme: Live. Work. Play. ” The three-day event will

highlight the real estate, manufacturing, ICT and tourism industries “which are in the driver’s seat of Philippine economy.” Event chairman Architect Daniel Lim on Tuesday told Edge Davao that all is set for the opening of the ICon, which will run up to Friday. An Investor’s Night will also be held tonight also at the SMX Convention Center. “This year’s industry focus is on the promotion of the real estate and property development not only in Davao City but also of the region,” Lim said.

However, the event will also showcase the region’s tourism and ICT sector in a bid to showcase the booming investment climate as well potential and growth of these two industries in the city as well in the Davao Region. “Davao, as progressive as it is now, still shows a very promising future ahead especially in real estate and infrastructure,” Lim said in a statement. Lim said the 3rd staging of Mindanao’s premier business investment event is geared towards magnifying investment

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

TOAST FOR CAMELLA. Camella executives led by Southern Mindanao cluster head Marlon Niño Escalicas are joined by representatives of bank partners, networks and guests in offering a toast during the launch of Camella Amarillo housing project in Panabo City recently. Lean Daval Jr.

ICTSI posts USD136-M profit

HILIPPINE port operator International Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) booked a slight 0.3-percent surge in net income to USD136 million in the first nine months of 2015 on the back of higher revenues. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, ICTSI said revenues from port operations increased 2 percent to USD792 million in January to September from USD779.2 million during the same period last year. It recognized gains on the sale of a non-operating subsidiary in Cebu, the termination of management contract in India and the net settlement of the insurance claims in Ecuador and Poland. ICTSI said it also gained on the sale of Yantai Rising Dragon International Container Terminal (YRDICT) as part of the consolidation of the terminal operations at the Port of Yantai in Chi-

na; and the writedown of intangibles at its terminal in Argentina. The port operator handled consolidated volume of 5,768,248 twenty-foot equivalent units (TEUs) in the first nine months, up by seven percent from 5,410,224 TEUs handled in the same period last year. It attributed the increase in volume mainly to the continuing volume ramp-up at ports in Mexico and Honduras, new shipping line contracts and services at port in Pakistan, and increased demand for services at Subic Bay International Terminal Corp. The Group’s eight key terminal operations in Manila, Brazil, Poland, Madagascar, China, Ecuador, Pakistan and Honduras, which accounted for 82 percent of its consolidated revenues in the first nine months of 2015, grew two percent compared to the same period last year. (PNA)

DOT joins World Travel Mart in London 2015

HE Department of Tourism (DOT) and its marketing arm, the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB), are among the 5,000 exhibitors from 186 countries and regions present in the World Travel Market (WTM) London 2015 which kicked off at the ExCel in London, the United Kingdom, on Monday (Philippine time). The four-day business-to-business exhibition allows over 50,000 senior travel industry professionals, government ministers and international press to network, negotiate and discover the latest industry opinion and trends at WTM. During the event, the department showcased its 2016 tourism campaign “Visit the Philippines again” which DOT Secretary Ramon Jimenez Jr. said “will have similar events held in Visit the Philippines 2015 plus much more.” “We wanted to create a program (campaign) that induces revisiting or new visits because it is a stronger retail orientation,” Jimenez told

reporters in an earlier interview. He said that DOT and TPB are putting up together tour packages somehow meant to reward tourists for patronizing the country. Visit the Philippines again will welcome the second edition of Madrid Fusion Manila, the biggest culinary event in the Philippines and Southeast Asia, and the second edition of MTV Music Evolution, a concert to bring to life the evolution of a music genre. According to WTM London Senior Exhibition Director Simon Press, there are a total of 247 new exhibitors participating in the event this year. “The fact that WTM London has signed up almost 250 new exhibitors shows how immensely important the global travel trade sees this event,” Press said. “With many opportunities to network and conference sessions that cover the whole spectrum of the industry, there is no better place to do business than WTM London,” he added. (PNA)

`Tanimbala’ has no effect on tourism yet: DOT exec By JON JOAQUIN

OURISM Assistant Secretary Art Boncatoyesterday said the alleged “tanimbala” scam at the Ninoy Aquino International Airport (NAIA) has not had an adverse effect yet on the tourism industry, particularly in Mindanao. In an online interview with EDGE Davao, Boncato, who is in London for the World Travel Market, said the Department of Tourism (DOT) is trusting that the Department of Transportation and Communication (DOTC) will deal with the matter correctly. “The DOTC, as earlier announced, is on top of the in-

vestigation. We put our faith in the department. The Philippines continues to achieve new highs in arrivals and we look forward to a very busy last two months of the year and to an even busier 2016,” he said. Asked if there have been reports of tours or events being canceled due to the alleged scam, Boncato said “nothing of that sort” has happened yet. Numerous reports of bullets being discovered inside the bags of passengers at the NAIA have led to suspicion that airport workers and officials are planting them in order to extort money from the victims.

The reported scam has even reached Davao City. Last October 30, Augusto D. Dagan, a 60-year-old engineer of JV Angeles Construction Corporation (JVACC) which is handling the construction of the bulk water project of AboitizPower and Davao City Water District (DCWD), was arrested and charged after being caught in possession of two 9mm bullets at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport. Mayor Rodrigo Duterte said he believes Dagan was a victim of the scam and suspects that the bullet recovered from his bag had already been planted at the NAIA and was only caught at the Davao air-

port. For her part, Davao City Tourism Operations Office head Lisette Marques said her office has discussed the matter with the new DIA manager EfrenNagrama. “They are ruling the Davao incident as an isolated case pending final investigation,” she told EDGE Davao. But she said visitors to Davao City, especially foreign ones, could become wary because most of them have to pass through the airport in Manila. So far, though, her office cannot yet trace and complaint or cancelation to the “tanimbala” issue.

tration. “The BuB as a reform program promotes improvements in government openness, accountability and responsiveness. Through this program, we’ve institutionalized people’s participation in the budget process to gain a better understanding of their needs and requirements, and ensure these are met,” Abad said. “It is an unprecedented process and we’re proud to have been able to implement it in this administration. But it should continue to be supported in the next administration. Its success is inceptive and as a mechanism for transparency and participation, its potential remains largely untapped,” he added. The 2016 Budget supports the expansion of the BuB. Local poverty reduction projects identified by communities and LGUs in 1,514 cities and municipalities have been allocated P24.7 billion: an increase from P8 billion in 2013 for the projects identified in 595 cities and municipalities. “Fiscal transparency has become the norm in the

Aquino administration in its pursuit of empowerment and good governance reforms. At the top of these reforms is transparency of budget processes. Through these reforms, we have dramatically improved our standing in global benchmarks of budget transparency,” the budget chief said. “The International Monetary Fund has declared that our country exhibits good and advanced practices in several areas of its new Fiscal Transparency Code, for example. Meanwhile, the International Budget Partnership’s Open Budget Survey for 2015 ranked the Philippines as number one in Budget Transparency in the ASEAN because of programs such as BuB,” Abad added. The GIFT recognition comes in the wake of US Ambassador to the UN Samantha Power’s citation of BuB during her speech at the opening plenary of the same OGP summit. Power said during her speech that BuB had “resulted not only in greater citizen involvement in the creation, implementation and evaluation of programs, but it’s also

meaning that the programs themselves are tailored for the communities rather than invented by some bureaucrat in an office that’s not in touch with what people really need.” Last September 24, 2014, the Philippines was granted the Gold Open Government Award for BuB in the inaugural OGP Awards at the United Nations Head Quarters in New York City. The country was recognized for its outstanding efforts to deepen citizen engagement in the budget process, one of the three gold awards given out to recognize innovative and citizen-driven initiatives in designing and implementing public policy. The two other awardees were Denmark and Montenegro. The OGP-Fiscal Openness Working Group—which is coordinated by GIFT—supports and promotes the implementation of budget and fiscal transparency commitments made by OGP governments. These fiscal openness commitments range from making fiscal information accessible to any activities that involve public participation in policy development or implementation.

Phl bottom-up budgeting cited as best practice in fiscal transparency T

HE Global Initiative for Fiscal Transparency (GIFT) recognized the Philippine government’s Bottom-up Budgeting (BuB) program as one of five Best Practices in Fiscal Transparency from around the world during the Open Government Partnership (OGP) summit in Mexico City last week. The other programs cited are Mexico’s Education Reform Program, Cameroon’s Budget Transparency in Local Governments, Brazil’s Thematic Budget, and an international project called Aid on Budgets being piloted in the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Haiti, Moldova, Nepal, and Senegal. In their declaration, GIFT noted that “in 2015, 1,514 cities and municipalities (92% of all in the country) had joined the program and it has so much demand it would be difficult for future governments to discontinue.” Budget Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said, notwithstanding the program’s success and recognition, BuB’s potential remains untapped and thus deserves to continue in the next adminis-

INdulge!

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EDGEDAVAO WOMEN

Wholeness, not perfection AS MOMS, we want to give the best to our family. Most of the time, we give too much and leave ourselves with so little. While children look up to us moms as their go-to Wikipedia who has answers to all worldly questions, we, in fact, sometimes feel as naïve or unsure as they are.

Whether you’re a working mom or one who stays home, we tend to lose sight of our concerns and needs amidst our day to day responsibilities and undertakings for the family.

Little do our kids know that their supermama basically just stepped into this role without so much of a clue nor do we have ready answers to our own mind boggling questions, such as “what to do with our leftover meat?” Raise your hand if you can relate! Whether you’re a working mom or one who stays home, we tend to lose sight of our concerns and needs amidst our day to day responsibilities and undertakings for the family. It is that innate maternal instinct that makes us pay heed to our loved ones first and put ourselves last. We tend to forget that we, too, have needs that have to be addressed in order for us to stay in our element and devotedly give our fullest. This is one realization I got from a workshop I recently

attended. 100% Whole Mom is a passion project by three celebrity mothers namely Chesca Garcia-Kramer, Carla “Rica” Peralejo-Bonifacio and Marlien Faustino-Montenegro. It is a community based initiative

that aims to provide moms an avenue for openness, inspiration and fellowship through a series of workshops that tackle three subjects which we can all relate to --- the Home, Beauty and Heart. In the workshop, each of the

trio shared practical advices on how to cultivate a happier MOM, which would equate to a happier home. As moms are the heart of every family, Rica said, “We should also care for

METRO MOM A4

EDGEDAVAO

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UP AND ABOUT

Say I do to Bridestory

Southeast Asia’s leading wedding marketplace earning trust of vendors A Southeast Asian company is taking the wedding industry by storm. Using technology to their advantage, Bridestory connects wedding professionals to couples across the globe in the most convenient way possible. It is the leading wedding marketplace in the region.

“Wedding vendors are very good at what they do, however, not all of them can market their brands in an appropriate way, which is an important factor for success. Bridestory is here to solve that problem,” said Kevin Mintaraga, Chief Executive Officer of Bridestory. The platform works both as an inspiration site and a directory of wedding professionals. Through Bridestory, couples can get inspirations from a catalogue of works accomplished by professionals. Bridestory also enables wedding professionals to expand their reach by providing an avenue for couples around the world to contact them easily. After launching in January 2014, Bridestory has garnered the trust of couples and vendors in its home country, Indonesia, as well as from neighbours such as Singapore and Australia. Over 15,000 vendors from 39 countries, including 12,000 hailing from the Southeast Asian region, are doing busi-

ness with the help of Bridestory. Vendors are categorized based on their expertise, be it dress and attire or photography, among others. Bridestory already has 200 local vendors shortly after launching their Philippine website (www.bridestory.com. ph) last August. “Bridestory has a good reputation overseas for featuring the best wedding inspiration for readers and serving as a channel for different suppliers to feed the needs of particular clients,” said Sheena Caburog of Mayad Studios, who signed up in August. ”We expect for Bridestory to continue upholding the same here in the Philippines, inspiring couples to get the best for the best days of their lives,” Caburog added. Mayad Studios have been commissioned to photograph weddings around the world including ones in Fiji, Africa, India and London among others. Bridestory is the right partner for vendors aiming to seize the opportunities of the growing digital market, adds Mintaraga. “We signed up with Bridestory because of the market and its potential. We don’t usually join bridal fairs so we only get to promote online,” said Chyv Reyes of MangoRed, a photography studio in the Philippines. MangoRed photographed the weddings of Kitchie Nadal and Carlos Lopez and Iya Villa-

nia and Drew Arellano. According to Similarweb, a traffic estimator tool, Bridestory has become the most visited wedding website in Southeast Asia by August 2015, with more than 500,000 visits per month. A tech company at its core, Bridestory provides their vendors with invaluable electronic data. “We give real time leads

with contact and measurable marketing. We have experts on digital marketing and we invest on optimizing the vendor’s online presence via digital marketing tools,” said Mintaraga. The company has just launched their very own vendor app, Bridestory Pro, which enables vendors to manage and promote their business in

Bridestory through mobile devices. Bridestory Pro allow vendors to view their profile statistics, receive notifications regarding inquiries from users, manage such queries, manage their subscription, and update their business profile information. With Bridestory, vendors can promote their products globally and receive inquiries from prospective clients. Vendors will be able to self-upload and update their portfolios to the site. In addition, there is a vendor tagging feature with which vendors can ‘tag’ others who they collaborated with on a project. “Bridestory is a great platform because when couples find something, they can easily see the vendor in the tag and they can connect with them,” said Reyes. Bridestory also owns an international blog and a social media network with a global audience of more than 2 million. Wedding inspirations submitted by both couples and vendors are featured daily in these channels. Weddings are becoming more “imaginative, creative and personal” all at once said Caburog. Through Bridestory, vendors can show couples their unique touch. With Bridestory, wedding professionals can help more couples around the world make their special day, the best there is.

Smart to offer iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus in the Philippines on Nov 6 UNRIVALED mobile services leader Smart Communications today announced it will offer iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, the most advanced iPhones ever, beginning on Friday, November 6. iPhone 6s 16GB will be FREE on Plan 2000 for 30 months, while iPhone 6s Plus 16GB will be FREE on Plan 2499 for 30 months. On the other hand, Smart Infinity, Smart’s premium postpaid brand, offers iPhone 6s 128GB under Infinity Consumable Plan 5000 or two units of iPhone 6S 16GB under Consumable LTE Plan 8000. iPhone 6s on Plan 2000 comes with a super-sized 10GB data allowance every month for videos, music and games; plus All-Month Surf, for unhampered access to

websites and apps like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, and chat apps like Viber, Whatsapp, Line and Messenger, among many others, throughout the 30-month period. On the other hand, iPhone 6s Plus on Plan 2499 is inclusive of a super-sized 15GB data allowance every month and All-Month Surf throughout the duration of the contract. The breakthrough features of the iPhone 6s and 6s Plus can only be optimized when you are on the country’s biggest and most advanced network, according Kathy Carag, Smart Postpaid Head. “With the iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus, Apple has once again pushed the boundaries of mobile innovation, allowing us to achieve so

much more with our phones and experience the Smart Life with entertainment, convenience and peace of mind on the go,” said Carag. “iPhone’s Live Photos lets us capture and share our best moments in a revolutionary way, while its advanced hardware allows us to fulfill all our passions and swoop smoothly from one app to the next – without worrying about efficiency or battery life. For sure, with these new iPhones, we can get more of the Smart Life experience and enjoy the widest breadth of mobile content that only Smart’s nationwidest network can deliver – from your choice of apps, games, music, movies and more – all at your fingertips.” The iPhone 6s and iPhone 6s Plus will be available in all Smart Stores nationwide.

IT’S THE PRIVADO BRANDED ACCESSORIES SALE FROM NOVEMBER 14-17 AT ALL THE SM STORE BRANCHES NATIONWIDE! Get up to 50% off on more than 100 luxury brands of eyewear, watches and jewelry such as RayBan, Esprit, Gucci, Tommy Hilfiger, Jimmy Choo, F&C, The Jeweller, Citizen, Timex, Quicksilver and a lot more when you visit us with your SM Advantage, SM Prestige, BDO Rewards and Mom card. What are you waiting for? Glam up for the season with the greatest deals at Privado Branded Accessories Sale!

EDGEDAVAO

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INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

FDCP pitching ‘Escape to Manila’ and ‘The Bells of Balangiga’ at AFM THE Film Development Council of the Philippines is organizing a Philippine film production pitching session entitled “Love, War and History” at the upcoming American Film Market (AFM). The pitch will feature the films “Escape to Manila” and “The Bells of Balangiga” and will be held at the AFM studio on November 7 (Saturday) at 10:00am, in Santa Monica, California. Foreign producers and distributors are expected to attend the session. FDCP hopes for an international co-production with the Philippines on both film projects. “Escape to Manila” is a romantic adventure that tells the story of two Jews, Anna Cassel and Ralph Preiss, who must

battle between Krag and bolo, the brief shining moment of liberation becomes a victory that is pyrrhic—and poetic— sparking a century-old struggle to return the bells back to their rightful home. The script was written by Jose F. Lacaba and placed 1st in the FDCP’s “kaSASAYan: Historical Scriptwriting contest”

forget their old lives to forge new ones, as they escape Nazi tyranny and head for the Philippines, after President Manuel L. Quezon helped allow for the safe entry of

Jews into the country. The script was written by writers Amado Angelo Lacuesta and American producer and screenwriter Scott Rosenfelt. The “Bells of Balangiga”

back in 2010. The American Film Market (AFM) is the premiere global marketplace where Hollywood’s decision-makers and trendsetters all gather under one roof. The AFM is a marketplace where production and distribution deals are closed, with over 8,000 industry leaders in attendance.

depicts a historical event where a nation’s pride and freedom rang out against America’s colonial presence in the idyllic tropical town of Balangiga. In the unequal

Janine Gutierrez ‘Wears Her Mood’ on the cover of Mega magazine JANINE GUTIERREZ graces the cover of another fashion magazine.

This time, she played around with different styles with fellow cover girl Kelsey Merritt for Mega magazine’s November 2015 issue. Mega magazine, in their Instagram account, explains the concept: “With enough legroom to play around with style, we celebrate the season of excess and saturation by living out different fashion feelings. Are you feeling a little festive, glamorous, or blissed out? This month, we invite you to indulge yourself and wear your many moods.” In what they also called a “co-created fashion story,” the two ladies were “decked out in fashion’s latest whims and flights of fancy and [played] muse to lensman BJ Pascual.” Mega magazine features three different covers available for print, digital, and a downloadable copy. The print version features Janine and Kelsey in all-white ensembles While the e-mag version captures sion was inspired by the Studio 54 days - the famous them in monochrome. The downloadable ver- disco in the late 70s to early

November 4 – 5, 2015

SICARIO Emily Blunt, Josh Brolin, Benicio Del Toro R16

1:00 | 3:15 | 5:30 | 7:45 | 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

EVERYDAY I LOVE YOU Liza Soberano, Enrique Gil, Gerald Anderson G

80s - had women in full on make-up and lots of sparkly accessories.

12:20 | 2:45 | 5:10 | 7:35 | 10:00 LFS

GOOSEBUMPS Halston Sage, Jack Black, Amy Ryan PG

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

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge! WOMEN METRO MOM A1 ourselves. We can’t give what we don’t have and we can’t love if we’re not loved.” Marilen, who is an interior designer by profession, shared her expertise in keeping an organized dwelling by marrying space and family dynamics. Movement and functionality are two of the factors which make a more breathable and orderly home. As she would put it, “Keep it simple and sustainable, a system which you can impart to your children, spouse or household help. Don’t forget to set a monthly cleaning schedule.” Next to speak was Chesca, who generously gave tips on everyday makeup. According to her, it’s important to know what suits you. Using pieces from her go-to makeup brand, Happy Skin, she did a quick makeup demo with her quirky and forever-young mother as model, who happily sat in front and joked around with workshop participants. Joining Chesca for styling tips, the ladies disclosed some of their secrets in keeping a functional wardrobe, with pieces which they can keep and tweak from day ‘til night. For this segment, they chose clothes and accessories from their partner establishment, Debenhams. Rica gave the last talk and she focused on the mom as a person, how one can nurture her heart and soul simply by

caring her herself and enjoying what she loves and what she wants to accomplish (spiritually, emotionally or physically). I’d have to say this girl’s energy and fun-loving spirit are so contagious. She ignites laughter in every room and is able to keep things light and entertaining, even when she’s tackling matters that are close to the heart. I’d like to think every mother is a work in progress. We grow and learn by experience. Perfection is not the key. What matters is what keeps you whole. While Rica, Marilen and Chesca don’t claim to be experts, they are driven to forge a more open environment for moms

to share their own experiences and be each other’s support system. As Rica added, “Isn’t it nice to talk to people who are also on the same boat?” Follow https://www.facebook.com/wholemomPH and @wholemomph on Instagram for more tips, information and workshop schedule.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

7 HEALTH

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Irradiated food is safe to eat By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

N some science fiction novels, space explorers feed themselves by popping pills into their mouths which are supposed to contain all the nutrition the travelers need and in the amounts they required. Whether that will happen or not, no one knows. Present reality, however, has not yet reduced astronaut and cosmonaut food into tiny capsules and pills. What they are still eating is regular food which are irradiated or exposed to low intensities of radiation. The reason why they eat irradiated food is to eliminate possible food poisoning from their list of problems. Studies by the US Center for Disease Control in 1999 estimated that foodborne diseases cause approximately 76 million illnesses, 325,000 hospitalizations and 5,000 deaths in the United States each year. “Irradiation can be used to effectively eliminate organisms that cause foodborne illness, such as Salmonella, Campylobacter and Escherichia coli,” said a brochure prepared by the Food Irradiation Education Group of the University of Wisconsin (UW). Aside from prevent, irradiation can also preserve food. “Irradiation can be used to destroy or inactivate organisms that cause spoilage and decomposition and extend the shelf life of food,” the brochure said. Irradiation can also control pests. According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization, about 25$ of all food production around the world is lost after harvesting to insects, bacteria and spoilage. “Food irradiation can help reduce losses and

can also reduce dependence on chemical pesticides, some of which are extremely harmful to the environment,” the brochure pointed out. Irradiation can also be used to sterilize food, “which can then be stored for years without refrigeration.” Sterilized food is useful in hospitals for patients with severely impaired immune systems, such as patients with Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome or undergoing chemotherapy. Food irradiation is defined as “the process of exposing foodstuffs to ionizing radiation, energy that is transmitted to the food without direct contact capable of stripping electrons from the food.” The first definite work with radiation preservation was carried out on hamburger at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1943. It showed that hamburger could be sterilized by high doses of X-rays. Since then, several studies have been conducted not only in the United States but in other countries as well. “Food irradiation is permitted by over 60 countries, with about 500,000 metric tons of foodstuffs annually processed worldwide,” the Wikipedia reports. “Irradiation is also sued for non-food applications, such as medical devices.” Irradiated food is not radioactive and is therefore safe to eat, assured Luvimina G. Lanuza, head of the Philippine Nuclear Research Institute’s Irradiation Services Section of the Department of Science and Technology (DOST). In a forum last year, Lanuza explained that food items do not become radioactive at energies used in irradiation. In

fact, “there are no known toxicological, microbiological, or nutritional problems encountered in irradiated food.” Food which has undergone radiation does not stay irradiated. It is just like cooking. Subjecting food to doses of infrared radiation (heat) is the traditional human method for killing off dangerous microbes. You don’t eat food containing bits of burning charcoal. Here’s another explanation from UW brochure: “Just as the airport luggage scanner doesn’t make suitcase radioactive, this process is not capable of inducing radioactivity in any material, including food.” Gamma processing, one of the technologies involved in radiation, uses gamma-rays from a Cobalt-60 source. “It ensures precision and high penetrability of products even in their final packaged form, causes minimal rise in temperature, does not alter the product’s texture and freshness, leaves no chemical residue, and retains the product’s taste, color, and flavor,” a DOST press release said. In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has approved irradiation of meat (beef and pork) and poultry (chicken) and allows its use for a variety of other foods, including fresh fruits and vegetables, and spices. According to the UW brochure, any changes made by irradiation are so minimal that it is not easy to tell if a food has been irradiated. In fact, irradiated food is wholesome and nutritious. “All known methods of food processing -even storing food -- can lower the content of some nutrients, such as vitamins,” said a brochure, Preserving Food and Agricultural Products by Radiation, published by DOST. “At low doses of radiation, nutrient loses are not significant. Even at higher doses, irradiation

does not adversely affect the nutritional quality of food,” the DOST brochure added. As irradiation is a cold process, it can also be used to pasteurize and sterilize food without causing changes in freshness and texture of food unlike heat. “Unlike chemical fumigants, irradiation does not leave any harm-

ful toxic residues in food and is more effective,” the DOST brochure said. Unfortunately, irradiation cannot be used to make spoiled food good or to clean up “dirty food.” The DOST brochure explained: “If food already looks, tastes or smells bad (sign of spoilage), it cannot be ‘saved’ by any treatment including irradiation. While irradiation can reduce or eliminate spoilage bacteria or pathogenic microorganisms which may

have been present in spoiled food, it cannot improve its sensory properties.” Just a reminder from UW: “Irradiation is not a replacement for proper food-handling. Irradiated food need to be stored, handled and cooked in the same way as non-irradiated food, because they could still become contaminated with disease-causing organisms after irradiation if the rules of basic food safety are not followed.”

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8 VANTAGE

VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

EDITORIAL Protecting freedom

ITH yet another journalist being killed in the Philippines, one cannot help but wonder if freedom of expression is really alive and well in the country. Jose Bernardo, correspondent of Manila-based radio station dwIZ and columnist of the tabloid Bandera Pilipino, was gunned down on October 31 — two days, as the National Union of Journalists of the Philippines (NUJP) notes, before the world commemorates the International Day Against Impunity on November 2. Bernardo is, the NUJP adds, the 30th journalist slain under the term of President Benigno Aquino, a person who had during his campaign in 2010 promised to uphold freedom of speech and freedom of expression in the country. The promise was widely held to be sincere because the Aquino family itself had been a victim of impunity with the assassination of former Senator Benigno Aquino in 1983. Alas, President Aquino’s government has been largely ineffectual in protecting the lives of those who literally risk it all in order to serve the people’s interest. One small glimmer, however, comes from — of all places — Congress, where the House Committee on People’s Participation has endorsed plenary approval of the proposed “New Public Assembly Act” to ensure the people of their constitutional rights to free expression. Normally we would cringe at any congressional action that purports to serve the cause of freedom of speech (remember the cybercrime law?), but this one seems to be the

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exception. According to the principal authors, the rights to free expression include the rights to peaceably assemble and to petition the government for redress of grievances without unnecessary and unreasonable impediments. To this end, the proposed law includes limitations to interference of law enforcement authorities and private individuals who do not agree with the purpose of the public assembly. Of course the proposal also puts some responsibilities on the part of the protesters, including the need to submit a notice to the local chief executive who has jurisdiction over the area where an assembly is to be held. This is nothing new and has been the standard operating procedure for those who want to hold mass actions; indeed, the proposed law also says in cases where the local executive does not act on the notice, the same is deemed approved. If this remains the rule, then we may actually be seeing a more lax treatment of those who want to speak up. There is a need to stand up for freedom of speech in this country, and we could all use legislation that would strengthen, not weaken, the constitutional mandate that no law shall be passed “abridging the freedom of speech, of expression, or of the press, or the right of the people peaceably to assemble and petition the government for redress of grievances.” The Philippines has a sorry record when it comes to protecting journalists; let’s hope it does the people right by protecting everyone else’s.

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N a citizens forum, Melchor spoke about his dismay that a local government refused to extend support to a student athlete who was competing in a national sports event. He was turned down because “there was no room for that kind of support.” Even more appalling is that another athlete ended up playing for another local government because it was the latter who shelled out funds for him. The citizen was curious as to what kind of sports program his local government unit is supporting. In that forum, other citizens talked about how to make government more accountable to the people. As a participant of that forum, I thought also of my role as a journalist and educator. I know there is much I can do. Honestly, the work of educators is hard labor. You are required to take part in your institution’s functions. In the case of a state university instructor, you are not just required to prepare lessons, give lectures, check and record students’ performance, and submit grades. You are required, as it should be, to do research and contribute to the creation or test of theories and existing body of knowledge to do extension work to help the poor and the under developed, and to be involved in production. It sounds like an overload to require a teacher to manifest his social responsibility in the aspect of citizenship. However, one’s citizenship

“D

ON’T lose hope. Do your part. Believe that God has better plans for you!” That was what Atty. Nick Mabale Caraquel posted in his Facebook account recently. Atty. Caraquel is now an immigration lawyer in the United States (www.idream-america.com). He grew up in Crossing Manikling in San Isidro, Davao Oriental, the son of a barber and a seamstress/terminal vendor. The sixth of seven children, he attended San Roque Elementary School. He graduated from Maryknoll High School of Lupon before going to Ateneo de Davao University, where he took BS Industrial Engineering. From there, he took his law studies at Xavier University/Ateneo de Cagayan University. He passed the bar in 2003. In 2012, he was admitted to New York State Bar. On why he posted those words, he explained: “This is intended to inspire some of my friends who are overwhelmed by life’s struggles.” According to him, people who are in their lowest moments should not look up but rather look down and see people below them. “It will not take long when you will realize that others are less lucky than you are,” the handsome lawyer pointed out. “Then use that realization to gain strength to move forward.” He knew what he is talking -- because he experienced it himself. “I grew up surrounded by people who constantly tell you ‘You cannot do this/that, you will never survive the journey, it is not what you know but whom you know, etc.’ Atty. Caraquel continued: “Those are the people who are not willing to extend help even if they can. If you think that stopping for a year selling banana cues was the worse, you are wrong. Surviving college not able to eat three times a day or in days for 5 years was extremely

VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

VANTAGE POINTS

Minding governance is never apart from one’s work as educator. In my capacity, I can claim that my duty is only to explain economics and journalism to my students. Add to it, I can post on Facebook about my supposed concern for this and that. After scores of likes and shares, I’m good. Or so it seems. Perhaps, someone will suggest that checking governance has to be left to government functionaries. Are mechanisms of checks and balance still working? They should do that, that’s their job. Others might probably offer the advice: leave it to the activists or the rebels to call the attention of the government and to rally the people behind. Wait a minute. Think before you click. If I claim to be an educator or any purveyor of public information, I have a duty to others. There is no point forming the youth’s mind for science, letters, engineering, arts, laws, or any field of specialization, if they will not learn to respect one’s self and the rest of humanity. I think it is important for the modern day educators to connect lessons of whatever field to the reality at present. It is a must for a citizen

of this country to understand how its people are governed, how people’s resources are used, among others. More than just knowing how to “Write a News story,” “Solve for the price elasticity of demand” “Test the acidity of a substance” and many others it is also important to address “Who to vote for mayor?” “How to help keep the community clean and green?” and “What to do if someone offers bribe for a transaction with the student council?” I get it as my take away from “Understanding Public Finance,” one of the most useful trainings I attended recently and organized by the Citizens Action Network for Accountability. It focused on “Local Budget and Audit Report”. I find this useful because it develops the public’s ability to understand the financial transactions of the government in particular and that the citizens have a say in these processes. For reporters, this is a requirement. They must be able to see the budget process, how it should reflect the priorities of the local government (read priorities of the constituencies of local governments), how it is implemented or executed, and how it is being monitored or evaluated. For citizens, this is a must. It is essential for citizens to keep tab of the transactions of government as they are purported to be the real

boss of public officials. Rightly so, the public has the right to know. Unfortunately, this notion of the public getting to know how public money is collected and used is passed off as a motherhood statement (apologies to mothers). The public’s right to know is not (yet) supported by any mechanism to ensure its protection. If the public will not be given the chance to know, there is no penalty for those who fail to provide it. (Talk of the long delayed passing of the Freedom of Information Act which is provided for in the Constitution.) If people mind the way government works and see how they can participate in the process, there is greater hope for good governance. I remember Melchor. He said he can do nothing about his LGU’s decision not to support a child’s request for funds to compete in a national sports event. He said he would look for other LGUs who are willing to support. I hope his tone was more hopeful. Many say the presidential slogan, Senate budget hearings and more cases before the Ombudsman can lead to “matuwid na daan.” Maybe, but I see better signs if citizens have budget or finance literacy. Maybe if they mind governance, they can do more against ignorance and abuse. (Walter I. Balane teaches economics and journalism at Bukidnon State University.)

a challenge.” THINK ON THESE! To his friends who seemed there’s no future for them, he urged: “Don’t lose hope my friend. Have faith. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger, re- Henrylito D. Tacio member?” Having read henrytacio@gmail.com his post, Andy Villareal commented: “Nick, I extremely felt the admiration of your individuality that you are such a remarkably amazing person that you unveiled to the whole world how you grew up. In other words, financial difficulty is not the hindrance to fathom your wildest dream. And I strongly believe with the inspiring message that serves as a model and lessons whoever happened to read such wonderful anecdote of your life.” Atty. Caraquel is not alone. I can also attest it. My father was a mechanic and my mother was at home taking care of the children -- nine of us. I saw the hardships we were facing then. When I was in high school, I decided to help -by being a newspaper boy during summer. All the money I earned during the summer, I spent it buying notebooks and other school supplies not only for myself but for my siblings, too. I saved what I had to pay for my tuition for the whole year. I did it for four years! “Nothing in this world can take the place of persistence,” American president Calvin Coolidge once said. “Talent will not; nothing is more common than unsuccessful men with

talent. Genius will not; unrewarded genius is almost a proverb. Education will not; the world is full of educated derelicts. Persistence and determination alone are omnipotent.” In Paris Spleen, author Charles Baudelaire recalled: “A friend of mine, the most innocuous dreamer who ever lived, once set a forest on fire to see, as he said, if it would catch as easily as people said. The first ten times the experiment was a failure; but on the eleventh it succeeded all too well.” William Cullen Bryant rewrote Thanatopsis a hundred times. Edward Gibbon rewrote his Autobiography nine times. Plato wrote the first sentence of his Republic nine times. And yet, it took Virgil twelve years to write his Aeneid. All men seemed to follow the statement of Andre Dubus. “Don’t quit,” he said. “It’s very easy to quit during the first 10 years. Nobody cares whether you write or not, and it’s very hard to write when nobody cares one way or the other. You can’t get fired if you don’t write, and most of the time you don’t get rewarded if you do. But don’t quit.” Remember Thomas Alva Edison, the American inventor and businessman? He developed many devices that greatly influenced life around the world, including the phonograph, the motion picture camera, and a long-lasting, practical electric light bulb. “Edison was by far the most successful and, probably, the last exponent of the purely empirical method of investigation,” Nikola Tesla wrote. “Everything he achieved was the result of persistent trials and experiments often performed at random but always attesting extraordinary vigor and resource. Starting from a few known elements, he would make their combinations and permutations, tabulate them and run through the whole list, completing test after

test with incredible rapidity until he obtained a clue. His mind was dominated by one idea, to leave no stone unturned, to exhaust every possibility.” “Nothing great will ever be achieved without great men, and men are great only if they are determined to be so,” Charles De Gaulle reminded. Some people considered being a handicap as a liability. But it should not hinder people from becoming successful. Demosthenes stuttered. So, he filled his mouth with pebbles and walked the seashore shouting at the waves until in spite of his handicap, he became Greece’s most famous orator. Clarence Chamberlain, the aviator who flew the Atlantic, could never pass the standard test for depth perception, but they closed an eye and gave him a license anyway, and he became one of the safest of fliers the world has ever known. Glenn Cunningham, who hung up records for the mile in running, had both legs so badly burned that he was expected never to be able to walk. His handicap – and sheer determination – proved a blessing. Napoleon Bonaparte failed as an essay writer, William Shakespeare as a wool merchant, Abraham Lincoln as a storekeeper, and Sean Connery as coffin polisher – but none of them gave up. They moved into other fields, tried other things for which they were better fitted, with the results we all know. Here’s a timely reminder from Richelle E. Goodrich, author of Eena, The Tempter’s Snare: “Don’t ever give up. Don’t ever give in. Don’t ever stop trying. Don’t ever sell out. And if you find yourself succumbing to one of these for a brief moment, pick yourself up, brush yourself off, whisper a prayer, and start where you left off. But never, ever, ever give up.”

BEYOND THE FOUR WALLS

BY WALTER I. BALANE

Never give up

10 NEWS Vice Mayor... FROM 1

Martin Diño who withdrew his candidacy last week. “It is a long process. There are many steps that need to be done before the substitution will be approved by Comelec (Commission on Election),” he said. Last week, Paolo posted a photo of himself with Sebastian and their sister former Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio on Facebook with the hashtag “Kalbo para sa pagbabago,” which Sara had used during the week of the filing of certificates of candidacy (COC). Sara herself had shaved

her head and called on the people to do the same thing, apparently to call Duterte to run for president. Many supporters responded to Sara’s call and shaved their heads, including some councilors and even some national officials. Mayor Duterte himself, however, apparently knew what Sara was actually saying, telling reporters that his daughter was mocking him. A source who requested anonymity said it was Elizabeth who asked Duterte not to run for president.

dling the construction of the bulk water project of AboitizPower and Davao City Water District (DCWD), was arrested last week and charged after being caught in possession of two 9mm bullets at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City. Duterte said he suspects that the bullet recovered from the bag of Dagan had already been planted at the NAIA and was caught at the Davao airport. Dagan was submitted for inquest procedure before the City Prosecution Office last

Friday. Police said the engineer was about to fly to Manila at around 9:40 a.m. on October 30 when Security Screening Officer (SSO) 1 Arell Mark M. Villareal saw the image of two bullets in his traveling bag through the X-ray monitoring machine. When the bag was opened, two 9-mm bullets were found. Villareal immediately turned over Dagan to AVSEU 11 for investigation, after which he was referred to the Sasa Police Station for the filing of the case.

ichthyoplankton, as well as coral and benthic species were found in abundance during oceanographic surveys which included diving surveys. The sea grass density ranged from 772.0 to 3,174.2 shoots per square meter,” it noted. M3 said that given the threats “it will likely be necessary to implement ongoing monitoring for these species and modify Project activities accordingly to avoid habitat disturbance.” It also recommends that a “comprehensive Biodiversity Action Plan, including a well-designed biodiversity offset program, will be developed and implemented with full consideration of all threatened, endangered, and vulnerable species.” For its part, FSMRC said that aside from addressing the threats to biodiversity, the Aquino government must “look at the adverse social impact this foreign-owned mining project will impose not only on the five barangays directly within the project area but also on neighboring communities whose water supply will also be affected”. “Health problems and loss of livelihood are also expected to result from the King-king

copper-gold project,” it said. “The DENR must see to it that these recommendations are being addressed. However, given the government’s track-record in allowing environmental plunderers and destroyers to go on with their business like in the 2012 Philex mine spill, we expect another disaster to happen if this project will push through. Thus, we register our strong opposition to the King-king copper-gold project,” it said. “These concerns must not be dismissed by the Aquino government as simply anti-mining propaganda. If the Aquino government cannot protect our treasured biodiversity, who will?” it added. The NI 43-101 is a “codified set of rules and guidelines for reporting and displaying information related to mineral properties owned by, or explored by, companies which report these results on stock exchanges within Canada. This includes foreign-owned mining entities who trade on stock exchanges overseen by the Canadian Securities Administrators, even if they only trade on Over The Counter (OTC) derivatives or other instrumented securities.” (MindaNews)

air reached 473,841 in August; arrivals by sea were registered at only 6,848 visitors, according to the DoT. Sixty-one percent of those arrivals entered through Manila airports. Cebu and Kalibo had the next biggest share of international arrivals. Escudero said he would not be surprised if the modus operandi that plagues Manila now would soon happen in other international airports in the

country. Last week, a 60-year-old engineer who was flying to Manila from Davao was found in possession of two bullets at the Davao International Airport. Like most of the victims, he said he did not know how the bullets got into his luggage but he was charged nonetheless for illegal possession of ammunition. He was released after posting a Php150,000 bail. (PNA)

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mander Col. Vic Tomas said that exercises to deal with this threat is part of their “full spectrum risk management preparedness protocols”. Ongoing now are drills and rehearsals to ensure that their units can respond to any eventualities quickly and efficiently. “(Ongoing now are) continuous coordination, rehearsal, testing of capabilities of (various) task units and of course, how fast we can we respond to any crisis situations,” Tomas stressed. The AFP’s CBRNE capability got a boost last September with the donation of

USD1-million worth of CBRNE equipment. The equipment is sufficient to equip a platoon of specialized troops. Soldiers or those trained in dealing with CBRNE would be the first responders should threats arise from these types of weapons. “They are highly trained and they basically are mobile. We have the equipment as you see. It can be transported either by land through the M-35 and if it is required to other islands in other parts of the country, it can be transported through the C-130s,” the AFP said. (PNA)

and for electoral reforms, which decriminalized the offense. Section 14 of the same law, however, still requires the filing of SOCEs. In part, the provision states: “Except candidates for elective barangay office, failure to file the statements or reports in connection with electoral contributions and expenditures as required herein shall constitute an administrative offense for which the offenders shall be liable to pay an administrative fine

ranging from P1,000.00 to P30,000.00.” The law also requires the payment of fines within one month from receipt of notice of such failure, regardless of the results of the elections, or even if the candidates or parties concerned did not receive any contribution or make any expenditure. For the second commission or subsequent offense, the fine is doubled, on top of the penalty of “perpetual disqualification to hold public office.” Antonio V. Figueroa

modation facilities need physical improvement and training for its personnel to be accredited by the tourism office. “Once these reforms and improvement are completed, these establishments will receive accreditation from DOT12 and the promotional package that the tourism office is promoting,” she said. Dillera said among the DOT team inspected were establishments’ arrival and departure area, public areas, bedrooms, bathrooms, food and beverages, kitchen areas, lounge, amenities as well as

business business practices. “We would like to ensure that these establishments that cater to local and foreign tourists meet the international standards,” Dillera said. Dillera said the benefits of being an accredited business establishment, among others, is their inclusion in international promotional program, technical support, DOT initiated training and invitation for international events. Having a DOT accreditation, a hotel can avail of exemption from liquor ban, she said. (PNA)

Tamondong Jr, and Department of Tourism Regional Director Roberto P. Alabado III. Director Alabado stressed the great potential of the Mandaya community in Sangab as a hub for cultural tourism just like the Igorots of Sagada, Mountain Province and the T’bolis of Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. “Let’s teach them (the tourists and foreigners) what authentic Filipino culture is. Let’s teach them the Mandaya culture,” Alabado said. Meanwhile, Marietta D. Palmera, Chief of Staff of the Provincial Governor’s Office, who represented Governor

Corazon T. Nunez-Malanyaon, said that about 400 housing units are now ready for distribution to families, who were adversely affected by typhoon Pablo here in Sangaband other nearby sitios in Brgy. Pichon, Caraga, as part of the Typhoon Pablo rehabilitation program of the province. After the recognition of Mt. Hamiguitan as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, the governor is now eyeing another historic leap for the provincethe recognition of the Mandaya Community in Sangabas a UNESCO Intangible World Heritage Site. (Francis Moyoko/ PIO)

market share, a global metric used in determining market leadership across telcos worldwide. Visit any Globe or AllPhones store nearest you to get the limited edition Globe

myLifestyle Plan 499 and 599 with Surf More until November 30, 2015. To know more about Globe myLifestyle Postpaid plans, visit http://www. globe.com.ph/mylifestyleplan, or call 730-1010.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 155 • WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 4, 2015

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Stakeholders, chiefly companies involved in shipping and arrastre services, said the project study done by the International Finance Corporation and Development Bank of the Philippines was based on several unrealistic growth assumptions and outdated statistics. During a public forum organized by the chamber of commerce, executives of stevedoring firms said that the criteria set out by the DOTC in the instruction to prospective bidders (ITPB) to pre-qualify “were unjustifiably discriminatory against local players.” On their allegation that the study was based on wrong assumptions, they said at present, majority of the volume of foreign container traffic has already transferred to a private port in Panabo City. According to the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA) statistics, Sasa Port’s share of container traffic in 2014 was only 233,112 TEUs compared to 378,880 TEUs serviced by private ports. But the project’s documents still presented an erroneous graph showing that Sasa port’s share of container traffic in 2014 is 500,000 TEUs. The same is true with the figures in 2015, when it said that the container traffic will slightly increase to 550,000 TEUs. In reality, the container traffic in Sasa is decreasing since most of the volume will go to Panabo, particularly to the Davao International Container Terminal (DICT). They also pointed out that aside from the DICT, the ICTSI/Razon group is building another modern international container terminal in Tagum

City, less than 20 kilometers from Panabo. The reality of the worsening road traffic congestion in Sasa and nearby barangay Panacan was also ignored in the study. Roxas, whose speech and reactions were the most applauded during the presidentiables’ forum, requested for Tan’s business card so he could be informed about the details of the issues. A former senator and secretary of three departments --the Department of Trade and Industry, Department of Transportation and Communication, and Department of Interior and Local Government, the LP standard bearer said government projects that are strongly opposed by stakeholders are usually snagged by long court litigations resulting in huge waste of taxpayer’s money and government time. He said a Roxas presidency would push for judicial reforms to hasten court processes resulting in swift justice and avoid delay in resolving business disputes. Other presidentiables who appeared one after the other before some 1,500 members of 113 chambers of commerce around the country were Vice President Jejomar Binay, Senator Grace Poe and Senator Miriam Defensor Santiago. Of all four candidates, only Roxas requested the audience to join in asking questions, thus changing the format of the program which was designed to allow only newsman Coco Alcuaz of International Business Times to ask the questions.

much ridicule and scandal on a constant basis until Honrado came along,” Nograles said. At the same time, Nograles asked the Department of Justice (DOJ) to conduct a special inquiry on the “laglag-bala” cases in order to get to the bottom of the apparent extortion racket that victimized hundreds of travellers, many of them overseas contract workers. He said there is a need to conduct an inventory of all past arrests due to alleged confiscation of ammunition and seek a review of all cases that

were filed in court, including those that were already given judgment by the regional trial courts. “This discovery of this socalled ‘laglag-bala’ scheme at the NAIA has opened up serious doubts as to the authenticity and legitimacy of all the previous arrests involving alleged seizures of ammunition,” Nograles said. “We owe it to the victims of these laglag-bala scheme to review their cases, even re-open them if necessary, so that we can truly give justice to these people,” he added.

trends and opportunities not only in Davao City but also throughout the region. It also aims to strengthen both foreign and domestic linkages that will eventually help establish Davao region as the investment hub of the Philippines, he said. For the staging of this year’s Icon, the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII) partnered with three government offices and associations like the Davao City Investment and Promotion Center, Subdivision and Housing Developers Association and the Organization of Socialized Housing Developers of the Philippines.

Davao ICon aims to bring together buyers, investors as well as industry experts to discuss business opportunities, success stories, best practices locally and in the ASEAN region and eventually build partnerships, thus bringing more people and investment to Davao, Lim added. Aside from plenary sessions, there will be also Investment Conference Exhibits, investment conference, investors’ night, housing madness and a business matching This year’s ICon is expected to draw more than 300 to 500 participants both investors, industry players and industry experts alike.

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Globe’s new postpaid plan offers more data

LOBE Telecom is strengthening its leadership in the postpaid segment as it lures new postpaid customers with a new postpaid promo plan that offers bigger data allowance and free content in the advent of the digital revolution. Looking to give customers value for money in their postpaid plans, Globe unveiled its limited edition myLifestyle Plan 499 and 599 equipped with the Surf More data service with bigger data allocation. The line-only Plan 499 comes with 3GB of data while Plan 599 has 1.5GB of data with a free Samsung J1 or Lenovo A5000 device. Both plans come with an additional 1GB of data to use Spotify Premium or HOOQ free for 3 months. All myLifestyle plans come with unlimited calls and texts to Globe and TM, 1 GB of Globe Cloud Storage for 24 months, and access to a richer digital lifestyle with a choice of either a Navigation, Explore or Fitness pack. Customers can navigate the city with Google Maps, GrabTaxi, MMDA and Waze, Explore and travel with Agoda, Cebu Pacific, Looloo, Philippine Airlines, Trip Advisor, and Zomato, or keep fit with the help of myFitness Pal, Strava, and RunKeeper. “The myLifestyle Plan has become a driving force in today’s shift to the digital lifestyle as it gave customers a full smartphone experience with complete access to content and apps that have become indispensable in our lives today,” says Erli Valdez, Vice President for Postpaid Business at Globe. “With the lim-

ited edition myLifestyle Plan, we are extending the reach of this innovation to more wouldbe postpaid users, especially those that look for a postpaid plan which will give them value for money because of bigger data allowance so they can surf longer, as well as free content to enjoy their digital lifestyle.” Customers can further boost their plan by adding more packs for their calling, texting, and surfing needs such as Surf Packs for their mobile internet needs from GoSURF99 for 100MB of mobile internet to as much as 15GB monthly with GoSURF2499; Lifestyle Packs, which includes Music (Spotify), Productivity (Work Bundle for access to Evernote, Gmail, Yahoo Mail, and Globe Cloud), Life (Navigation Bundle, Explore Bundle and Shopping Bundle for access to Amazon, AyosDito, eBay, OLX, and Zalora), and Social (Chat Bundle for access to Viber, Facebook Messenger, KakaoTalk, Line, WeChat, and WhatsApp; Photo Bundle for access to Instagram, InstaSize, Photo Grid, and Photo Repost; Chat Bundle for access to Viber or Facebook Messenger; and standalone access to Facebook or Twitter); and Classic Packs to get extra calls and texts to other networks, as well as landline and international services. Globe remains the dominant player in the country’s mobile postpaid segment with revenues of P15.8 billion during the first half of the year. The phenomenal growth in revenues gave Globe the upper-hand in terms of revenue

F GLOBE, 10

Digital learning in Tawi-Tawi through Smart TechnoCart

LOSE to 500 students in three schools based in Tawi-Tawi are now experiencing fun and interactive learning using mobile digital tools courtesy of mobile leader Smart Communications. Bato-Bato Central School, Datu Halun Laboratory School, and Provincial Housing Laboratory School each received a Smart TechnoCart, a non-traditional laboratory that can be easily wheeled from one classroom to the next. It contains 20 seven-inch tablets, a laptop, a projector, and a Smart BRO pocket WiFi that comes with an initial load for Internet connectivity. Each tablet in the Smart TechnoCart comes pre-installed with the Batibot app, the first mobile application for literacy aligned with the K-12 curriculum. The app, which can be downloaded for free on Android devices, is

designed to help children develop essential thinking skills through fun-filled games. The TechnoCart package also comes with a one-year subscription to the learning management system called Smart One Campus. This platform allows school administrators and teachers to track and measure the performance and progress of students. The Tawi-Tawi schools are just three of 15 public schools all over the country to which Smart donated TechnoCarts. The laboratories have also been donated to schools in Basilan, Bacolod City, Cebu, Albay, Parañaque City, and Pangasinan. Getting kids excited about school “We started deploying Smart TechnoCarts only last August, but we are already receiving very good feedback from teachers. One teacher in Albay says her students now

find learning so exciting that they go to school even when classes are suspended. They look forward to using the Batibot app on the tablets,” said Smart public affairs senior manager Stephanie Orlino. Developed by Smart in collaboration with the Community of Learners Foundation and startup partner OrangeFix, the Batibot app has interactive features like the classic game “Alin Ang Naiba,” where children are asked to identify what is different from a group of objects and pictures. Kindergartners can also practice writing by tracing letters on their device, and sing along to Batibot songs via the app’s videoke feature. Meanwhile, the “Kuwentong Batibot” feature provides children with access to stories in Filipino, with the aim of establishing a firm foundation for early and emergent literacy.

Nestled in a prime location at Ecoland Drive corner Peacock Street in the southside of Davao City, Verdon Parc is easily accessible to key commercial and business districts in the city, with the airport, several commercial hubs, schools, hospitals and places of worship being just a few minutes’ drive away. Inside the residential units, spaciousness and serenity characterizes the enclave’s ambiance. Its expansive leisure spots enmeshed in modern tropical design is also seen to remind future residents of a true vacation paradise. “Our genuine resort design fits perfectly with Davao’s tropical environment, great views and surrounding ocean,” explained Yap. “We are very excited to introduce our residential developments in the area, starting with Verdon Parc. Our nature-infused, wide open spaces conducive for intensive relaxation and lumiventt technology will be new here.

mium amenities, service facilities and lush greeneries all around. We are proud to say that this is a high-quality, luxury development but is reasonably priced,” said Yap. Some of the featured amenities available here include a swimming pool complex composed of a lap pool, kiddie pool and a leisure pool, multi-purpose court for activities such as badminton or basketball, a fully equipped fitness gym, a children’s playground and an interactive art and outdoor fitness park. The development is also envisioned to feature a closely-knit community where residents can get a chance to build fun memories with family, friends, and neighbors. Features such as the trellis-covered footpaths and landscaped gardens promote laidback morning and afternoon strolls. The gazebos, cabanas and grill pits scattered around the development are also ideal for huddles and picnics. At the heart of all the amenities is the clubhouse where residents can receive guests or simply unwind in the lounge areas while enjoying a full view of the expansive surroundings. Also, for family events, a multi-purpose hall and function room at the clubhouse need only be reserved. A game area, on the other hand, is readily available for smaller gatherings and parties. Even more than leisure, the condominium’s living spaces al-

Call for sponsors Orlino said individuals and institutions could help bring digital learning to more public school students by sponsoring Smart TechnoCarts. “Each TechnoCart package is worth P200,000. But interested sponsors need to raise only half of this amount to donate a TechnoCart to a public school. Smart will shoulder the rest,” she said. “Sponsors can be a company, foundation, local government unit, an individual, or even a group of friends,” Orlino said, adding that last September, the Asian Carriers Conference sponsored Smart TechnoCarts for four schools in Cebu. To know more about Smart’s education initiatives, as well as how to sponsor Smart TechnoCarts for schools, please visit www. smart.com.ph/learnsmart.

DMCI Homes’maiden venture set to redefine condo-living in Davao

RIPLE-A property developer DMCI Homes has just made its mark in Davao City with its recent acquisition of Verdon Parc, a 2.9-hectare condominium development that the real estate company obtained from its affiliate, DMC-Urban Property Developers Incorporated (DMC-UPDI). Verdon Parc offers a vibrant metropolis whose progressive yet peaceful character is expected to naturally make it the next destination of choice for real estate ventures. DMCI Homes brings its trademark resort-style living

proposition in the city while complementing the best that the locale has to offer. DMCI Homes’ Sr. Marketing Manager, Jan Venturanza said that as the center of business and education in Mindanao, they recognize the tremendous potential of condo living in Davao City. The fact that it’s been consistently recognized as a next-wave city for IT-BPO companies also adds credence to this. “Davao is a safe and secure haven where home seekers can readily find growth and wellness,

On-going construction of Verdon Parc’s Martel building as of October 2015

judging from the businesses and investments currently underway there,” Dennis Yap added, Project Manager at DMCI Homes. “For professionals, young families, students, and entrepreneurs, Davao is the ideal place to pursue one’s career and dreams. We are sure that Verdon Parc will become the place where they can find that much-needed ‘calm and wellness’ after a long day’s work.” “With Verdon Parc, we are finally bringing our unique brand of quality and value to Davao City” Venturanza said.

A moderately-priced luxury Like in all its residential developments, the maiden venture of DMCI Homes in Davao will have lots of spaces where individuals, family members and friends can gather and relax. As such, more than one hectare of the project will be dedicated solely for indoor and outdoor amenities where people of all ages can relax and enjoy their leisure time. “We will have complete pre-

low rejuvenation and peace of mind. The next three of Verdon Parc’s four residential buildings will be built using its developer’s pioneering Lumiventt technology seen in its flagship hi-rises like Flair Towers and La Verti Residences to name a few. The innovative design allows natural sunlight and air to flow freely into the units and buildings through the three-storey high openings called sky patios. The sky lounges at the top floors, in addition, offer unobstructed views of the whole of Davao, including sunrises and sunsets at the ocean’s horizon. “The condominium’s first residential building and core amenities are set to be completed next year while the second building will be launched around the first quarter of 2016. In the following months, we will release new project details, as well as 3D renderings of Verdon Parc”, Yap said. Aside from Verdon Parc, DMCI Homes is looking for at least two more projects in Davao to venture into in the near future. “Future plans are definitely underway,” enthused Yap. “Expanding in Davao is also our way of contributing to the progress of the city – through quality homes that redefines condo living in the area.” Verdon Parc banks on DMCI Homes’ quality construction, as well as its holistic approach to developing a tasteful environment and distinctive lifestyle offered at best value prices.

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NEWS 13

GenSan to close open dumpsite T

HE city government is planning to close down its open dumpsite early next year in preparation for the operationalization of its sanitary landfill. Tess Garay, planning officer of the city environment and natural resources office, said Tuesday they are currently working on the strategies for the total closure of the city dumpsite, which covers portions of barangays Bawing and Tambler. She said the closure is in line with the targeted opening of the city’s PHP300-million sanitary landfill in Barangay Sinawal on the first quarter of 2016. It is also in compliance with the local government’s commitment to the Department of Environment and Natural Resources’ Environmental Management Bureau (EMB) and the National Solid Waste Management (SWM) Commission, she said. Garay added that the city’s Ecological SWM Technical Working Group (TWG) has spearheaded preparations for the dumpsite’s closure. “We’re have started planning and studying the appropriate measures and processes for the dumpsite’s closure,” said Garay, who is a member of the TWG. Regarding their assessment, she said the city dumpsite already needs to be closed down due to the area’s deteriorating condition.

She said an earlier audit of the site showed its “scary situation” due to the continuous waste incineration. Garay clarified that the burning was not intentional but caused by materials which ignited after some time. City Mayor Ronnel Rivera earlier ordered the immediate stoppage of the burning at the city dumpsite as the smoke emanating from it has reportedly been affecting the landing of some aircraft at the city international airport. The mayor specifically directed the city’s waste management office to address the problem and set control measures. As for the city’s sanitary landfill, Garay said the construction and development works at the site is now in full swing. She said the project’s construction is being monitored by its project management team led by city environment and natural resources officer Valiente Lastimoso. The city government pushed for the construction of the sanitary landfill at a 63.3-hectare site in Baraga Sinawal in compliance with the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act of 2001 or Republic Act 9003. Republic Act 9003, which was signed into law by President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo in 2001, provided for the closure of all open dumpsites in favor of sanitary landfills

MAKING THE CUT. A worker cuts the concrete road along Quirino Avenue in Davao City to make room for the concrete pipes that will be installed as part of the city government’s drainage rehabilitation program. JON JOAQUIN and ordered the segregation of recyclable and non-recyclable wastes. The project is funded by a soft loan from the World

Bank’s Support for strategic Local Development and Investment Project, which is coursed through the Land Bank of the Philippines.

The city government awarded the project in 2010 to construction firm R-II Builders Inc. and the Philippine Ecology Systems Cor-

poration Consortium, which were mainly tasked to “design, build and operate a solid waste management and disposal facility.” (PNA)

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TEAM LEADER

DRAFTED. Bobby Ray Parks Jr. of the Philippines is seen by Texas Legends coach Nick Van Exel as a team leader in the making.

Texas Legends coach Van Exel sees Parks as leader on and off court

HE Texas Legends training camp opens on Monday in Frisco (Tuesday, Manila time), and coach Nick Van Exel is excited to start working with the retooled squad where Filipino star Bobby Ray Parks is set to see action. Seventeen players will battle it out for places on the Legends team in the NBA Development League. Only three are returning players and the team is excited with the new batch of players, with Parks emerging as Texas’ top selection in the draft at 25th overall, sixth in the second round. “I love Bobby Ray Parks, I thought you know when he played with the Mavericks Summer League team, he’s a guy who can shoot the ball well, he can attack the basket,” said Van Exel, a former NBA All-Star. Van Exel, a tough guard who played with a teenage Kobe Bryant with the Lakers in the late 90s, was impressed both with Parks’ talent and work ethic. “He’s a great defender, he plays the passing lanes, he goes after steals.” Listed at 6 feet 4 inches, Parks is only 22 years old but Van Exel believes the two-time MVP awardee in the UAAP could be a leader both on and off the court for the Legends. “He’s a quiet player but he gets the job done. I think he’s the type of player that can be a lead-

er in your locker room just by the way he works,” he said. “He’s a hard worker, he just want good things to happen to himself and his team, so I‘m real excited about Bobby.” The Legends were 22-28 last season and are expecting to make a big leap with the retooled squad. “I thought we did a great job of picking guys who play both ends of the court … we’ve got guys who can score the ball, whether it’s penetration and attacking or just flat out shooting the three,” said Van Exel. “So we got a great group of guys, I’m really excited to get the opportunity to coach ... looking forward to it.” Texas Legends president Malcolm Farmer is also upbeat about the team’s chances this season and described Parks as a “young man from the Philippines who’s got a lot of upside and can really develop into an effective player for us.” Renaldo Balkman, banned from playing in the PBA after an outburst during a game an altercation with his own teammates, played last season with the Legends. The Legends start the new campaign on the road against the Austin Spurs on November 13 and Oklahoma City Blue November 15. They play their home opener on November 20 against the Spurs.

Manny talks up Floyd rematch on Dubai arrival

IGHT division world boxing champion Manny Pacquiao arrived in Dubai on Monday night and struck the right chord in his first interaction with the media. “I feel so happy to be here in Dubai. This is my first time, thank you for the warm welcome, especially to the Filipino people of Dubai,” he said. The 36-year-old Filipino fighter is in the emirate with the Mahindra Enforcers, a Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) team, which he owns, coaches and plays for. The Enforcers will be playing against the Alaska Aces in a PBA Philippines Cup tie at Al Wasl Club from 7pm on Friday. American boxing legend Mike Tyson also arrived in Dubai on Mon-

day morning to ‘support’ Pacquiao, according to a source, a puzzling claim given that Pacman won’t be playing in the event due to injury. Pacquiao injured his shoulder in his last fight to America’s Floyd Mayweather Junior, which he lost by unanimous decision in May of this year, and he will be out until March 2016. Asked about the possibility of a final fight sometime in April before hanging up his gloves at the Dubai airport, Pacquiao was forthright: “Of course I would like to have my next fight in Dubai, we are working on that. Is a re-match with Mayweather likely? “I don’t know yet but I am open to a re-match with him but it depends on the negotia-

tion. I am open to fight anybody, there’s Amir Khan, the re-match with Floyd, but there’s also Danny Garcia and Terrence Crawford on the radar,” he said. A source close to Pacquiao’s camp told Gulf News that Tyson’s arrival could be to support the Filipino legend in possible upcoming discussions with his hosts here in Dubai regarding the location of his final fight, a potential rematch with Mayweather next April. “Yes he [Mike Tyson] is in Dubai maybe to support Manny for his last fight to be staged in Dubai,” said the source. “More celebrities are expected to come,” the source added. A local organiser of the PBA matches in Dubai this weekend also posted on so-

cial media: “Mike Tyson just arrived in Dubai this morning. Is it possible that we could see him on November 6 at Al Wasl Sports Club?” Last month, Pacquiao was invited to visit Doha, Qatar, to observe the World Amateur Boxing Championships, and he left enough hints there that he was courting the region as a potential host venue for his next fight. While in Dubai, Pacquiao will visit his legion of fans at the du Store at Dubai Mall on Wednesday from 4pm, followed by a similar appearance at Go Sport at Mall of the Emirates after 6pm on Thursday. “I am in here for the next few days, I will go around and see the beauty of Dubai, meet the Filipino people and play basketball,” the icon said.

Aguilas-Heat reset T

HE much-awaited return of the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) here in Davao City slated today Nov. 4 at the University of Southeastern Phils. (Usep) Gym was reset to another date. “Due to the technicalities with the TV coverage and other important matters with regards to the league, the game of the Pacquiao Powervit Pilipinas Aguilas against the Saigon Heat on Nov. 4 has to be reset to another later date,” said Aguilas team manager Randy Caluag in a phone interview. Team owner Sarangani Province Rep. Manny Pacquiao left for Dubai last Monday with his other basketball team Mahindra Enforcers of the PBA to play the Alaska Aces on Friday night. “We will announce the new date of the ABL soon,” said Caluag. The Aguilas won their debut last Oct. 29 by nipping the visiting Mono Vampires of Thailand, 79-78, at the USEP gym. But the Aguilas mentored by

former PBA superstar Zaldy Realubit bowed to the Westports Malaysia Dragons, 82-107 at the MABA Stadium in Malaysia on Oct. 31. The Dragons banked on the brilliance of their imports for a lopsided win against the Aguilas reinforced by former PBA best import Arizona Reid and the burly Cameroonian Charles Mammie. The Aguilas is also bannered by former two-time PBA Most Valuable Player Willie Miller, ex-pros Sunday Salvacion, Jondan Salvador and Val Acuna and peppery guard Erik Salamat. During the game against the Vampires, Reid topscored the Aguilas with 21 points while adding 12 rebounds and 4 assists. Mammie had a solid outing with 14 points and 14 rebounds while Acuna scored 10 points off the bench. Miller added 12 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists while Salamat also had a good showing with 8 points, 3 rebounds, 5 assists, and 5 steals.

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SPORTS 15

THE WINNERS. L-R: Ding, Liren(4th place), So, Wesley(1st place), Anand, Viswanathan(3rd place) & Giri, Anish (2nd place)

CHESS MILESTONE So upsets top field, wins Bilbao chess tourney T

HE Bilbao Chess 2015 also popularly called the 8th Grand Slam Masters Final took place in Bilbao on 25 October to 1 November 2015. Since its 1st edition (2008), it is considered one of the world’s strongest annual chess tournament. The previous winners have been Magnus Carlsen (2011 & 2012), Levon Aronian (2009 & 2013), Veselin Topalov (2008), Vladimir Kramnik (2010) and Viswanathan Anand (2014).

CHAMP. Filipino-born GM Wesley So of the US holds his trophy.

The Participants This year event, 8th edition, is a 4-player double round-robin tournament with the participation of the defending champion & 5-time world champion Viswanathan Anand (India’s#1 & World’s #4), Anish Giri (Netherlands’ #1 and World’s #5), Ding Liren(China’s #1 & World’s #8) and Wesley So (USA’s #3 &

World’s #12). This strong-tournament had an average rating of 2785.75, a category 22 (27762800). Philippine-born GM Wesley So representing USCF, a first timer in Bilbao, defeated the 2nd seed Anish Giri in a two game tiebreaker blitz match 4-1 after both tied 8 points in the 6-round standard/classical chess with 1 win and 5 draws apiece. The tournament regulations used the Sofia Chess Rules and the football scoring system of 3-10. V. Anand and Ding, Liren had drawn in the last round in their own battle for 3rd place with both scoring 5 points but Anand with a higher tiebreak points took 3rd place with Ding, Liren settling for 4th place overall. Wesley So after his brilliant win in R1 against Ding, Li-

the rest of the Eastern Conference champions had enough to push back the undermanned Sixers. James scored the milestone basket on a dunk with 8:07 left in the fourth quarter. The

30-year-old James became the fifth active player with 25,000 points and the 20th overall. He joined Dallas’ Dirk Nowitzki, San Antonio’s Tim Duncan, Minnesota’s Kevin Garnett, Los Angeles’ Kobe Bryant and Paul Pierce of the Clippers.

ren’s pet King Indian Defense (KID), where a number of experts described the win as one of the most spectacular games of the year, protected that slim lead until Anish Giri catched up in R4 by scoring his 1st ever win against V. Anand in standard/classical chess. Where all other matches ended in fighting draws except these two wins in R1 by Wesley So and in R4 by Anish Giri, the two players tied at 8 points a piece after R6 and had no other recourse but to move on to 2-tiebreaker blitz matches as required by the tournament’s regulations. Wesley won the 1st tiebreaker game and settled for a draw in the 2nd game and the title, his first ever category 22 title in his young career at age 22. Wesley just turned 22 last October 9. With the win Wesley So now joined the ranks of for-

mer Bilbao Chess Masters/ Grand Slam Masters Final champions that includes the current World Champion(WC) Magnus Carlsen, former WC Vladimir Kramnik and Viswanathan Anand, former FIDE WC Veselin Topalov and former world nr2 rated player Levon Aronian. Wesley had gained +7.8 rating points to bring his Live Rating @ 2774.8 or 2775 come December 2015 FIDE rating that currently ranks #10 in the Live Rating list. His Tournament Performance Rating (TPR) was 2851.

AMARCUS Aldridge scored 19 points, Kawhi Leonard had 18 points and 14 rebounds and the San Antonio Spurs beat the New York Knicks, 94-84, on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time) to give Tim Duncan a milestone victory. Duncan had 16 points, 10 rebounds and six assists in his NBA-record 954th victory with one team. He passed Hall of Fame point guard John Stockton, who went 953-551 with the Utah Jazz. Duncan, in his 19th season, is 954-381. Tony Parker also finished with 16 points. Carmelo Anthony scored 19 points for the Knicks but struggled to just 4-of-17 shooting while often guarded by Defensive Player of the Year Leonard. Anthony was coming off a season-best 37 points on Saturday in a victory at Washington. Aldridge followed his best game with the Spurs, a 24-point performance in a 95-87 victory in Boston on

Sunday, by shooting 8 of 15 and grabbing six rebounds. Rookie Kristaps Porzingis had 13 points and 14 rebounds for the Knicks but left the game with 2:49 remaining when Anthony appeared to land on Porzingis’ head while taking a shot. Porzingis was on the floor trying to retrieve a loose ball under the basket. Anthony picked it up first and shot, then tumbled backward over the Latvian. Porzingis remained down, holding his head while play continued. Porzingis had a highlight moment earlier in the game, climbing high over Aldridge from behind to throw down a follow dunk. The Spurs led by just four with under 9 1/2 minutes remaining when Manu Ginobili made a 3-pointer, and the lead was never less than five again. Ginobili talked the Spurs into letting him play despite coach Gregg Popovich’s intentions to rest him on the second night of a back-to-back.

Next stop for GM Wesley So 2015 Qatar Masters Open December 19 – December 29 Doha, Qatar

2016 Tata Steel Chess January 15, 2016 – January 31, 2016 Wijk aan Zee – Netherlands

scores milestone James youngest to reach 25,000 mark Duncan victory as Spurs top Knicks L L

EBRON James became the youngest player to reach 25,000 career points, leading the Cleveland Cavaliers past the winless Philadelphia 76ers, 107-100, on Monday night (Tuesday, Manila time). James had 22 points, TIGHT GUARDING. Miami Heat forward Luol Deng applies pressure on Lebron James of Cleveland.

11 assists and nine rebounds and rallied the Cavs in the second half against a scrappy Philly team that had built a 15-point l e a d . James a n d

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