Edge Davao 8 Issue163 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

VOL. 8 ISSUE 163 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

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The fall and rise of Sonny Wagdos By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

njb@edgedavao.net

ONNY Wagdos was sitting on a chair and watching the athletics event of the Southeast Asian Games last June in Singapore. For a young, goal-driven middle distance runner, the images on television must be awe-inspiring, if not simply energizing. Not for the 21-year old Sonny, who won his first

BACK TO BACK CHAMP. Sonny Wagdos proudly raises his trophy after winning the Milo Marathon Davao qualifiers last Sunday after an injury sidelined him for three months. Lean Daval Jr.

Milo Marathon qualifying race last year in Davao. Those television images would have been a show of a lifetime had he made it to the Games where he was supposed to don the Philippines’ tri-colors and run the middle distance race. Out there in that lonely chair was nary a soul left for an exasperated young man who just blew his chance to

accomplish a dream. Sonny was clutching his right foot, still a bit swollen from the injury he sustained from the virtual non-stop grind in varsity athletic competitions, weekend races and a first international stint in Malaysia last December. You could read from his face all the frustration and disappointment. Had he not

overused his body, he would have been in the tracks of Singapore National Stadium and fighting for a gold medal. “Sakit kaayo na nawala lang ang tanan nako nga sakripisyo tungod sa akong injury (It is so painful that I lost everything I worked hard for because of the injury),” Wagdos told Edge Davao in an interview.

As he winced there on that desolate chair, he told himself that everything was a reminder that he is only human. The gold medals won in the varsity competitions (Private Schools Athletic Association (PRISAA) meets and the University Games), the National Open, the BIMP-EAGA Friendship Games, and even the week-

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

FOR REUSE. A worker from the General Services Office (GSO) prepares last year’s Christmas lanterns which will be reused for decorations around the city this year. GSO will use old Christmas lanterns and other Christmas decorations as part of the city’s effort to lessen expenses during the Yuletide season. Lean Daval Jr.

DISMISSED

Prosecutor junks case vs ‘Tanim Bala’ victim for lack of probable cause By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Prosecution Office (CPO) dismissed the illegal possession of ammunition charges filed against an engineer who was arrested at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City last October 30.

The dismissal of charges filed against Engr. Augusto D. Dagan was confirmed by City Prosecutor Nestor Ledesma yesterday in a telephone interview with EDGE Davao. Ledesma said in the seven-page resolution released

yesterday morning, the prosecution panel consists of Prosecutors Jay Karel Sanchez and Maria Cynthia Adao-Prat decided to dismiss the case slapped against Dagan, 60, a resident of Damacara Street in Quezon City, for lack of proba-

ble cause. Dagan was charged by the Aviation Security Unit (AVSEU) 11-Davao International Airport Police Station for violation of Republic Act 10591 or the Comprehensive Firearms and Ammunition Regulation Act.

Ledesma said there were two considerations why the panel junked the complaint by the AVSEU 11. The police, he said, failed to prove that the two bullets found in the pocket of the bag of Dagan are really ammunition.

“Ang kaso man gud nagifile was illegal possession of ammunition and therefore kinahanglan nimo i-prove nakatong na-confiscate from the possession of Engineer Dagan last October 30 na ammunition

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 163 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

IGNORE. Ice dealership workers ignore the possible serious health hazards to their consumers as they deliver ice cubes through a flooded area in Sta. Ana wharf without using proper containers. Lean Daval Jr.

PRO 11 to launch Oplan `Lambat Sibat’

HE Police Regional Office 11 is set to officially launch Oplan Lambat Sibat, a nationwide approach of the Philippine National Police (PNP) in seeking effective and efficient means for crime prevention and public safety. PRO 11 spokesperson Police Supt. Antonio Rivera said they have been implementing the program as a deliberate, programmatic and sustainable approach in managing police operation. “This new intensified anticrime campaign of the Philippine National Police aims to regularly audit crime incident reports at the police station level and use data thus generated to identify crime hot spots and crime patterns”, Rivera said.

He added that the intensified police interventions include strategically placed checkpoints, foot and mobile patrols, focused and intelligence-driven operations against most wanted persons and members of criminal gangs. He said PNP Oplan “Lambat Sibat” is implemented to guarantee the sustainability of police operations starting from the grassroots through strengthening its patrol system. “Police visibility is very vital not only as pre-emptive measure in safeguarding the community but more importantly it bridges the PNP closer to the public and in return shall build the latter’s trust

HOUSANDS of students led by groups Anakbayan, League of Filipino Students and National Union of Students of the Philippines will hold a nationwide campus walkout tomorrow to protest the upcoming Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders Meeting to be held in Manila next week. Students from University of the Philippines, Polytechnic University of the Philippines, University of Santo Tomas, De La Salle University and other schools will walk-out of their classes and march to Mendiola tomorrow to protest the APEC which they said have brought, among others, widespread poverty, tuition hikes

and the killings of lumad leaders in Mindanao. Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of youth group Anakbayan, said leaders of nations “bullying” us and “attacking our sovereignty” like the United States (US) and China should not be welcomed in the country. US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping are set to arrive in the country to attend the APEC meeting. “Big, powerful nations primarily the US, and now even China, are using the APEC to abuse the small nations like the Philippines. Why are we welcoming these bullies who are killing our people and in-

Most wanted Indon captured in Davao By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

N Indonesian national who is allegedly included in their country’s most wanted person list was arrested in Davao City by the joint operation of Police Regional Office (PRO) 11, Sasa Police Station and Indonesian National Police (INP) on Wednesday evening. PRO 11 identified the suspect as Danilo S.Wang-

kanusa, also known as Dodong Pakra, 46 years old, businessman and broker, and a resident of Sto. Niño Community in Km. 12, Sasa, Davao City. Police said Wangkanusa was arrested inside his house by virtue of warrant of arrest issued by the Indonesian national police on August 28, 2015

The suspect is facing charges for piracy and hijacking of an oil tanker Mt Rehobot carrying 1,100 KLI of diesel fuel in Sulawesi Waters on January 29, 2015. The apprehension of Wangkanusa was the result of the collaboration of the regional police and National Police of Sulawesi in Indonesia who requested PRO 11’s

assistance to apprehend the suspect allegedly hiding in Sasa. PRO 11 regional director Chief Superintendent Wendy G. Rosario lauded the operating elements for the accomplishment and emphasized that stronger cooperation between the PNP and INP is a big thing in solving crime in the two countries.

N environmental group is now urging all the presidential aspirants for the 2016 elections to include ecological agriculture in their platform of government. Speaking in yesterday’s I-Speak media forum, Greenpeace Philippines senior ecological agriculture campaigner Leonora Lava said the next president should look on the ecological agriculture matter because there is a really a big issue on the agriculture especially in farming. “Nakikita kasi naming sa sitwasyon ngayon sa buong Pilipinas na meron tayong malalalking isyu sa agrikultura (We just see in the situa-

tion in the whole Philippines today that we have big issues on agriculture),” she said. Lava said in the present years, the country has no comprehensive food policy that would ensure food supply. “Since we do not have the food policy and hopping that whoever will be the next president should implement a comprehensive food policy,” she said. Among the activities being launched by Greenpeace Philippines now is mobilizing the youth all over the country to help them urge the presidential hopefuls, according to her.

Lava said they targeting the youth whose ages range from 8 to 35 years old since this age bracket is the voting majority. Greenpeace Philippines is presently conducting a regional forum on the role of the Filipino youth in shaping the country’s food and agriculture at Ateneo de Davao University. The forum will end today. Lava said the gathering aims to get photo pledges from the students and other youth groups to pose in their picture along with a caption challenging the presidential candidates to take on ecological agriculture seriously.

She said the future the country’s food lies not just on ensuring the production but on how it is being produced. “We seldom associate the food we eat with the farmers who do backbreaking work to produce them,” Lava said. To have a good, safe, affordable and nutritious food, Lava said there should be support to the local farmers especially to those who practices ecological agriculture. “It starts by changing our perception and acknowledging the important role of farmers and the power we wield in shaping the future of our food and agriculture,” she said. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

Presidential hopefuls told: Include Anakbayan: Bullies ecological agriculture in platform not welcome in Phl A T F PRO, 11

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EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 163 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

Security a top concern for hotels

NEWS 3

By JON JOAQUIN jon@edgedavao.net

ECURITY is still a top concern for the hotel industry not just in the Philippines but worldwide as political upheavals, crimes, and natural disasters happen any time. Andre de Jong, vice president for Southeast Asia and Pacific operations of the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, said because of this, keeping guests safe is still the most important service a hotel can give to its guests. “We can talk about rooms, our food, our services, our

friendly staff, but these services are useless if the guests are not safe,” de Jong told Davao City reporters at Park Inn by Radisson Hotel yesterday. De Jong made the comment after being asked about the effect of the kidnapping case in the Island Garden City of Samal in September. The victims, identified as Kjartan Sekkinstad, a Norwegian national who is the operations manager of the Holiday

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Davao Light: Why are my bills so high?

AY day is almost here and you say to yourself, “ I can finally taste the fruit of my hard work!” But then one ugly thought comes in, “Oh but I have to deduct my monthly rent, gas bills, allowance, and my electric bill!” Then you kiss your money goodbye for the latter’s expenses you didn’t know what came from where. Well, maybe it is time to take a pause and just reflect on daily habits that you didn’t know is causing you big time money trouble. To help you start saving money, Davao Light and Power Co. highlight-

ed ways in which you’re probably using too much electricity, as well as some tips for using less. Improper use of lights and ceiling fans “Turn off lights when not in use” could be a cliche sometimes people take for granted. But rest assured than when you leave your lights turned on, your electric bills mark up high for no beneficial reasons at your side. Lighting is efficient only when used directly to provide light to specific areas of a room, such as couches,

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CHRISTMAS PREPARATIONS. City Administrator Melchor Quitain gives details of the city government of Davao’s upcoming Christmas celebration activities highlighted by the lighting of Christmas decorations at City Hall during yesterday’s I-Speak media forum. Lean Daval Jr.

Biz establishments told: install Christmas lights By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

HRISTMAS is in the air. And, since it is only 41 more days to go before Christmas Day, the City Hall is now requesting all the businesses along San Pedro and Magallanes streets to install Christmas lights outside their establishments.

City Administrator Atty. Jesus Melchor V. Quitain made the request during yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at the City Hall conference room. He said the request for the business owners is in line with the city’s upcoming Pasko Fiesta 2015.

“So that, when open the lights here in City Hall on December 4, San Pedro, Magallanes and City Hall Drive will be included in the opening,” Quitain said. “As you noticed, in the past two year there are no activities in the areas,” he added.

The city administrator said he told the owners that having Christmas lights is one way of attracting customers. During the holiday season, he said, people will only converge in Rizal Park and Quezon Park and they will move

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4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 163 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

P20M released for GenSan abattoir T

HE Department of Agriculture (DA) has released an initial P20 million for the development of a modern regional abattoir complex here. Engr. Ginalyn Fe Cachuela, project manager of DA’s Socsksargen Area Development Project, said the funds will be utilized for the construction of the abattoir’s main building and other related facilities at its site in Barangay Sinawal

here. She said they completed late last month the bidding and awarding process for the project, which is a component of the agency’s food security program. “The preparatory works at the site are currently ongoing and we expect the construction phase to begin before the end of the month,” she told MindaNews. Cachuela said the con-

struction of the building and its component facilities will take about eight months. A DA-12 briefer said the project covers the development of an AA-grade abattoir as well as packaging and storage facilities. It was designed by the DA’s Bureau of Animal Industry, through the National Meat Inspection Service (NMIS). The NMIS said AA abattoirs have sufficiently ade-

quate facilities and procedures that make their products suitable for sale in all markets. Cachuela said the city government has committed a counterpart fund of around P15 million to cover for the acquisition of the required equipment of the abattoir. The local government will also provide for the operational and other logistical needs of the facility, she said. The official said the city

government had pushed for the construction of the facility due to the deteriorating condition of its abattoir. She said use of the city abattoir is currently limited as it has been downgraded to the A-grade for failing to meet the standards for the AA-grade category. DA-12 officials earlier said the abattoir will serve as the main processing facility for pork and other meat products

SoCot pork producers set to start exporting to Middle East in 2016

FREE VASECTOMY. City Health Office (CHO) assistant health officer Sam Cruz (left) invites Dabawenyos to avail of the free no-scalpel vasectomy at the City Health Office (CHO) today. Cruz, together with population control officer Jeff Fuentes, graced yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall. Lean Daval Jr.

that will be shipped outside the region. It will specifically cater to the processing of cut pork meat products that will be shipped starting next year to various markets in the Middle East. “We need an AA-grade abattoir here to ensure the quality of our meat products, especially those that will be shipped to other countries,” she added. (MindaNews)

ORK producers in South Cotabato and other parts of Region 12 will finally start early next year exporting cut pork meat products to various markets in the Middle East. Dr. John Pascual, livestock coordinator of the Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 12, said they are currently working on the arrangements for the delivery within the first quarter of 2016 of an initial 13,000 kilos of “pork-in-a-box” products from the region to buyers based in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), including overseas Filipino workers. He said they were able to enlist three Filipino food distributors in Dubai as consignees for the initial pork shipment.

Pascual personally went to Dubai late last month to negotiate with potential buyers and coordinate the entry of pork products into the UAE markets. “We will be sending a 40-footer refrigerated container van of choice pork cuts for the first shipment,” he told MindaNews. He said a 40-footer container van may accommodate around 200 heads of slaughtered swine at an average of 65 kilos each or a total of 13,000 kilos. The freight shipping time from the Makar port here to Dubai could take 13 to 15 days, he said. Pascual said he will meet with swine growers and pork producers here next week to

Group (CIDG). “Further, this office conducted dragnet operations particularly on the possible routes of the suspects,” Acosta added in his memorandum. The police chief refused requests for interviews several times. Last Monday morning, four robbers barged into the local branch of the United Coconut Planters Bank after they disarmed one of the security guards and held another at gun point. The shocked bank employees and clients dropped to the floor as the robbers swiftly took their loot – bags

containing cash from a depositor, which is the Surigao del Norte Electric Cooperative Inc., the lone power distributor in Surigao City and 11 towns in Surigao del Norte. MindaNews was able to see today videos of the robbery from different angles caught by CCTV. The robbery actually took only 40 seconds, not a minute as early reported. Allaniel Bumanglag, the manager of the bank, declined MindaNews’s request to have a copy of the videos. Bumanglag did not issue any statements regarding the

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Surigao cops run after bank robbers

HE Surigao City’s police force has created a tracker team to run after the robbers who carted away P4.4 million in cash from a bank here last Monday. Although tight-lipped on the issue, Supt. Reynaldo V. Acosta, city police chief, issued a memorandum today creating the tracker team composed of 20 policemen. Furthermore, a special investigation team has been set up, he said. This team has police officers from Surigao City, Surigao del Norte, and from the Scene of the Crime Operatives (SOCO) and the Criminal Investigation and Detection

MINDANOW. Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair Secretary Luwalhati Antonino presents the accomplishments of MindaNOW, a program that aims to harmonize the management of Mindanao’s

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natural resources, during the second day of the 1st Mindanao River Basin Organizations Conference at Grand Regal Hotel yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

5 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 163 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

Organic vegetables now at SM F

RESH organic vegetables are now available and sold commercially at the supermarkets of SM in Davao City. This was confirmed yesterday by the chief operating officer Ruth Macaraig of Organic Producer and Exporter Corporation (OPEC), one of the country’s leading producer of organic fruits and vegetables in the Philippines. “We’ve been preparing this for a long time. We know the demand for organic vegetables and fruits had been there, both on local and global markets. That’s why we want to be well prepared for this to meet the demand in Davao,” Macaraig said. A contract of consignment for organic vegetables had been signed recently between SM management and OPEC and a schedule for the initial delivery of freshly-harvested organic vegetables this week had been agreed. First delivery on Novem-

ber 12 is expected to take place at SM City Ecoland. A separate shelf for OPEC’s organic vegetables had been prepared at the SM City supermarket in Ecoland, set apart from conventional vegetables, according to Macaraig. “We’ve been preparing and waiting for the supply and delivery of organic vegetables to our supermarkets for some time now. Many customers had been asking us about organic vegetables,” says an SM supermarket merchandising official. OPEC’s fresh organic vegetables and bananas are officially certified by the Organic Certification Center of the Philippines (OCCP), along with official foreign certifications from Japan and Korea. A laminated copy of OCCP organic certification will be displayed beside the OPEC vegetable shelf at SM supermarket. The list of certified organic vegetables to be supplied by OPEC on consignment to SM su-

ICTSI unveils MICT mobile applications

N T E R NAT I O NA L Container Terminal Services, Inc. (ICTSI) has launched a mobile application that allows customers of the Manila International Container Terminal (MICT) to monitor their containers in real-time while on the go. Available for iOS and Android users, the MICT mobile app is designed to deliver information right at the port users’ fingertips. The app’s version 1.0 allows port users to use MICT’s Track and Trace system to check the status of their import and export shipment, truck entry and exit times, as well as vessel arrival and departure schedules. “The MICT mobile app is just one of the many innovations that MICT has in the pipeline. It’s a solid first step towards the technological advancements that we want to implement at the terminal,” says Christian Lozano, MICT Commercial Director. Another feature of the app is email support, which allows users to get

real-time customer service from MICT’s customer care department. The plan is to launch the app in stages, adding features with each new version. “This will allow us to fine-tune each feature before adding other features to the app,” explains Mr. Lozano. MICT’s clients should expect other features like billing calculator, client dashboard, MICT advisory, MICT EYES, ACTS online payment and the recently launched Terminal Appointment Booking System (TABS), to be integrated in the future versions of the mobile app. Users can visit www. mictweb.com for the download link to the MICT mobile app. Last month, ICTSI rolled out TABS in response to the increasing road traffic congestion in Metro Manila. The online container booking system is designed to minimize traffic in Manila’s roads and prevent container build-up as the holiday season approaches.

permarkets include tomatoes, eggplants, lettuce, cabbage, cucumber, squash, radish, pakchoi, cauliflower, broccoli, etc. OPEC president Koronado Apuzen said his company started producing organic bananas and organic vegetables several years ago to meet the fast growing demand of their Japanese and Korean buyers and has committed to

supply the market demand for organic vegetables in the local market here in the Philippines. (Philpress News and Features)

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EDGEDAVAO

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Davao nets P9M MICE revenue By CHENEEN R. CAPON

crc@edgedavao.net

ORE than P9 million in revenue poured into Davao Region this year as it positioned itself as a destination for meeting, incentives, conference and events (MICE) of the south. The revenue went to tourism-related establishments like the partner airline companies, convention centers, hotels, restaurants and resorts, among others. “Ten big conventions with at least 1,000 participants each availed our MICE packages and discounts this year,” MICE Davao chairman

Kennedy Kapulong said with each participant spends a minimum of P9, 000 on an average of three days of stay here. Kapulong said he was surprised that the recent kidnapping incident in a village resort in the Island Garden City of Samal last September did not caused any fear to early MICE signees, “The MICE business of Davao City was not actually affected. There were no cancellations made by the event organizers,” he said. Kapulong said among

USM rubber testing center to become first NRL in Phl

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) projected the Philippine Rubber Testing Center in the University of Southern Mindanao to become the first accredited national reference laboratory in the country by the second quarter of next year. “The Philippines is the only rubber-producing country with no national reference laboratory (NRL),” DTI undersecretary Zenaida Maglaya said. The Department of Science and Technology (DOST) is already working on the accreditation of rubber testing and laboratory facility in USM by the Philippine Accreditation Bureau. Accreditation under ISO 17025 is a basic requirement for a laboratory to qualify for a national reference laboratory (NRL).

“The accreditation is expected to be awarded to the laboratory facility in USM by the second quarter of next year,” she said. Maglaya said the DTI provided additional laboratory equipment to the center at the under the shared service facility (SSF) program to assist the center in complying the requirement for it to be accredited. In addition, she also said that once the facility is accredited it will also comply with the commitment of the Philippines in having an accredited Asean Reference Laboratory by next year “The Philippines has a standing commitment to the Asean Consultative Committee on Standards and Quality-Rubber Based Products Working

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Phl ranks 4th in Asia for organic agri land

HE Department of Agriculture’s National Organic Agriculture Program (NOAP) on Thursday said that the Philippines now ranked fourth among the leading Asian countries in terms of land devoted to organic agriculture. Agriculture Undersecretary for Special Concerns Bernadette Romulo-Puyat said that from the initial baseline data of 14,140 hectares in 2006, the NOAP was able to devote an estimated 101,278 hectares to organic farming system. The figures are contained in the International Foundation for Organic Agriculture (IFOAM ) 2015 report. “Since the inception of the program in 2012, the DA has been actively promoting the adaption of organic farming in the country. According to the latest statistics, it is undeniable that more farmers are now shifting to organic farming and more consumers now prefer organic products,” Romulo-Puyat said. “With this development, the Philippines now ranks as the 4th leading organic country in Asia,” she said. Incidentally, Agriculture Secretary Processo J. Alcala was the main author of the Organic Act of 2010, a law which pro-

motes the development and promotion of organic agriculture in the Philippines. The law intends to promote, propagate, develop, and further implement the practice of organic agriculture in the country to improve soil fertility, increase farm productivity, reduce farmsource pollution, further protect the health of the farmers, consumers, and the general public, as well as save on imported farm inputs. President Benigno S. Aquino III has also declared the month of November of every year as the Organic Agriculture Month thru Presidential Proclamation No. 1030, enjoining everyone to provide national focus on the importance of organic agriculture. Romulo-Puyat said that in support of Proclamation No. 1030, the regional offices of DA will be conducting activities that promote organic agriculture such as organic trade fairs, regional organic congresses, and a series of school on the air programs about organic farming. Likewise, the Department of Education will spearhead a national poster making and essay writing contest to highlight the importance of organic agriculture. (PNA)

the big conventions here this year were the national conferences of Association of Tourism Officers of the Philippines (ATOP), Philippine Institute of Civil Engineers, and Nursing Association of the Philippines. “Organizers and participants of the events who availed our MICE packages availed special and discounted airline rates, special baggage, and booking assistance, among others,” he said. Under the two-year MICE incentives program 20152016 designed to make the

Davao City as a price choice event, MICE activities with as low as 300 up to 2,500 participants and above will receive incentives based on the number of delegates, including arrival assistance resources and discounts from participating shopping malls, hotels, airlines, among others. Kapulong said organizers who availed the incentives can use for free the information counters of the Department of Tourism (DOT) at the Davao International Airport during arrival and departure while the number of welcome

FARM-TO-MARKET ROAD. The proposed rehabilitation of the 3-kilometer PRDP farm-to-market road project in Brgy. Subasta in Calinan, Davao City will be linked to the existing cacao drying facility funded under the DA-High

ki8ts and leis for MICE will be determined by the number of delegates. In addition, a onetime full airport reception (VIP Lounge, lei reception and cultural performance) will be added for MICE with at least 1,000 delegates. The program will also help organizers and planners succeed in their MICE programs and projects in the city, Kapulong said. Earlier, ATOP president Alphonsus D. Tesoro said the city is ready to be a prime MICE destination in the coun-

try after the success of the recent national convention of tourism officers from different areas in the country. “Davao City is very well-prepared to host the convention. The city is indeed an established Mice destination,” he said. Tesoro added that he already attended several conventions in other areas he find Davao “really a Mice destination because it has ready facilities, stable peace and order and partnership between the public and private sector is very strong and apparent.

Value Crops Development Program. Subasta is renowned as one of the country’s leading producers of quality cacao beans. (Photo by: Ronell Tangonan/ DA-XI)

PRDP board approves P432.8M for Davao region’s road projects

HE regional project board of the Philippine Rural Development Project (PRDP) has recently approved P432.8-million farm-to-market road (FMR) projects. The four approved FMR projects were: 1.) Rehab of 10.23 km Sonlon-Camansa FMR in Asuncion, Davao del Norte amounting to P143.5 -million; 2. Concreting of 11.47 km Barayong-Mabini-Bala FMR in Magsaysay, Davao del Sur - P136.75-million; 3.

Rehab of 11.47 km Poblacion-Naboc FMR in Monkayo, Compostela Valley - P117.05; and Rehab and construction of 3.2 km FMR Purok 4-6 and 8 in Brgy. Subasta, Calinan, Davao City - P35.5-million. PRDP is a special project of the Department of Agriculture (DA), which aims to promote an inclusive, value-chain oriented agriculture and fisheries development. The PRDP Regional Project Advisory Board (RPAB), which evaluates and ap-

proves project proposals for PRDP funding in the region is chaired by the DA regional director with members from the DPWH, DAR, DENR, DILG and DTI. Davao del Norte planning chief Josie Jean Rabanos said the proposed Sonlon-Camansa FMR will reduce half of the travel time for transport of high-value crops such as cacao and cardaba banana. It will also reduce transport and hauling cost from P300 to P200-250. We are also

expecting expansion of farm production areas from 1,634 to 2,947 hectares as road access encourage farmers to produce more crops,” she said. Meanwhile Magsaysay Mayor Arthur Davin said the concreting of the Barayong-Mabini-Bala FMR in his town would facilitate development of commodity value chain from input provision, farming, processing and marketing of products such as cacao, rubber, mango, coconut,

in the Mindanao river basin. “MinDA has proactively coordinated with the Department of Public Works and Highways for the facilitation of funds in pursuant of the Executive Order No. 50,” she said. She said an additional of P800 million is reflected in the National Expenditure Program for next year “to be used for the most urgent and doable projects.” “We are expecting the full implementation of the projects recommended in the MRB Master Plan of which detailed engineering design in ongoing by the DPWH Central Office,” Antonino said. On the other hand, as part of mainstreaming the river basin development, there were alredy seven masterplans that were already endorsed by dif-

ferent Regional Development Councils. “The master-plan for MRB and Malungon-Buayan river basin has been endorsed by the cabinet cluster for Climate Change Adaptation and Mitigation,” Antonino said. “This move ensured the mainstreaming if river basins’ priorities in the budget of concerned agencies such as DPWH, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Agriculture, Department of Science and Technology, Office of the Civil Defense- national Disaster and Risk Reduction and Management Council;, Department of Social Works and Development, Department of Interior and Local Government, Department of Energy, Department of Agrarian Reform and

Housing and Land Use Regulatory Board,” she added. The crafting of the masterplan is under the MindaNOW! Nurturing Our Waters Program of the MinDA and DENR. It is crafted as the planning guide of RBOs and facilitate assistance and initiatives that will enhance their capacities in managing their projects. Launched in 2012 during the first Mindanao Economy and Environment Summit, the program aims to harmonize the management of Mindanao’s natural resource following the ridge-to-reef approach. “The MindaNOW! Program calls for all Mindanawons to nurture our waters, as shared resources and as shared responsibility,” Antonino said. CHENEEN R. CAPON

P2.21B for MRB since October

EMBER national government agencies of the river basin organizations (RBOs) have already implemented P2.21 billion worth of projects for the conservation of Mindanao River Basin (MRB) as of October this year, an official said. “This includes the construction of flood control systems along Rio Grande de Mindanao, Ala, Ambal-Simuay, Pulangi and Buluan River,” Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) secretary Luwalhati Antonino said during the second day of the 1st Mindanao River Basin Organizations Conference at the Grand Regal Hotel yesterday. Antonino said this is just part of the P9.52 billion funds for the implementation of six priority flood control projects

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7 AGRITRENDS

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 163 • FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 13, 2015

Growing organic rice gains ground Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO (Second of Two Parts)

“O

rganic agriculture is the answer,” pointed out Jessica Reyes-Cantos of the Manila-based Rice Watch and Action Network. “It won’t only retain soil productivity but it can make farming viable. If farmers will have additional income from their land they will continue to plant rice.” That’s not the only reason why organic farming is becoming popular these days. “The fear of pesticide residues in foods is a common environmental concern,” notes a primer published by the Cotabato Agriculture and Resources Research and Development Consortium (CARRDEC). “Organically-grown foods taste better and are more healthy and nutritious. Moreover, they are more resistant to insects and diseases. Organically grown means grains, vegetables, or fruits were grown without commercial fertilizer and synthetic pesticides,” the primer adds. The primer, entitled Sustainable Ecological Agriculture Organic Rice, gives some details on how to grow the country’s staple food organically: from seed preparation to land preparation, from planting to management, and even from harvesting to seed preservation. Seed preparation: Choose seeds from among the best performing cultivars considering the following criteria: yield, adaptability, resistance to pests, and lodging. Soak seeds for 24 hours and set aside them for 24-36 hours. Sow seeds at the rate of 20-40 kilograms per hectare. Land preparation: Expand dike to 2 meters wide for other crops and animal housing. Clear dikes when rice has grown its stanch. Grasses serve as temporary harborage for insects and other predators. Prepare the land thoroughly to incorporate weeds into the soil. Harrow and level the field for better water management. Transplanting: Pull 18-21 day-old seedlings and transplant them immediately. Plant 1-2 seedlings per hill at 30 centimeters by 10 centimeters spacing. Replant missing hills 5 days after transplanting. Fertilization: There are several ways of doing this. First, you can use green manuring. Leguminous crops like mung beans are broadcasted one day before harvesting the rice. Allow the crop to grow and bear flower and plow it under at this stage. Crop rotation with leguminous crops improves soil condition and fertility. Farm wastes like rice

straw, leaves, and animal manure, can also be used. These are composted first. The compost conditions the soil and can be applied as follows: basal application during land preparation; first top dress at 10 days after transplanting; and second top dress at 30 days after transplanting. Soil fertility management may also be done even after harvesting. The field is allowed to rest to enhance soil fertility through nutrient recycling and accumulation of organic matter. In addition, weeds are allowed to grow for one month to one year. These are plowed under during land preparation for the next rice crop. Ecological pest management: There are four ways of doing this. One is through water management. Water, at 2-3 centimeters in depth, is allowed to come 7-9 days after transplanting. Allow golden snails to eat the growing weeds. With rice black bug infestation, drain the field three days before and three days after full moon. The second way is allowing ducks to come in. Herd ducks in the rice field 10-15 days after transplanting until booting stage. Maintain 10-15 centimeters water depth. Duck prey on insects and snails and serve as weeders. According to the agriculture department, the integrated rice-duck farming system is one of the best strategies in increasing rice productivity as it reduces labor and inputs characterized by its unused of artificial fertilizers and chemicals. Thus, shift from conventional way of planting using inorganic materials to this technology provides additional source of income and food to farmers. Pests can also be managed by planting insect repellant crops. Among those that can be planted along the dikes are kadios (pigeon pea), lemon grass, cosmos, and kakawate among others. All these can drive insects away. Lastly, the use of insect attractant is another way. Dead animals like frogs or rats and chicken intestines can be hang in some strategic places to attract rice bugs. Harvesting and post-harvest practices: Harvest palay when 80-85% of the grains are ripe. Thresh immediately using a single pass drum or “bulhot.” Dry palay seeds to 14% moisture content. Mill palay seeds using organic rice mill, that is, a rice mill that has been sanitized. Seed preservation: Choose good quality panicles (well-filled, free from insect damage). Bundle panicles and hang them in the shade.

F AGRITRENDS, 11

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8 VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

Tight watch

BUSIVE and erring public utility vehicle (PUV) drivers and operators continue to exist in the country despite stricter fines and penalties imposed by government. Among the violations being committed rampantly are trip-cutting, speeding, overcharging, reckless driving, and refusal to render services to the public or refusing to convey passengers to their destinations. Davao City, sad to say, has its share of these erring drivers who have become more abusive today in spite of the stiffer penalties and the iron-hand policy against violators of the City Government of Davao under Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte. They commit violations in almost every corner, as if to mock traffic law enforcers and Land Transportation Office and Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) Davao Region officials. If the LTO and LTFRB can only send personnel to areas like Gaisano Mall along J.P. Laurel Avenue where PUVs abound specifically during rush hour, chances are they can catch a few erring drivers at any given day. The most abusive of them are the drivers plying the Bunawan route. They refuse to convey passengers whose destination is Buhangin even if the area is included in their routes when their operators acquired their franchises.

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Down South, drivers plying the Toril route are also villains on the streets. Many also refuse to convey passengers whose destination is up to Matina only. Or, if they do allow a passenger to board whose destination is only Puan, these drivers charge the passenger P25, the jeepney fare from downtown to Toril. This is on top of their penchant for violating the speed limit of the city. Of course, LTO and LTFRB officials can always say they have not been remiss of their duty to remind passengers to report these erring drivers and operators, but much need to be done from their end to really put a stop to all these abuses on the streets as most passengers do not actually lodge a complaint or report their sad experiences to authorities. It’s good to see LTO men going out to man the streets and arrest traffic violators, but this sight when they are seen keeping a tight watch on violators are scarce. In the meantime, these abusive drivers continue to do their thing, and old and young passengers who want to go home early to rest and avoid the driving rain specially during peak hours will continue to face refusal. They will continue to suffer from these erring drivers, unless the LTO and LTFRB come up with a concrete action or work more religiously in trying to catch them. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief

NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor

AGAPITO JOAQUIN JR. Associate Editor

CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY Consultant

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P-Noy’s legacies: No wang-wang, Noynoying

OSEPH ESTRADA, Cory Aquino, Benigno Aquino II --- these are the three most incompetent presidents we ever had. P-Noy has amply exhibited past five years, a strong aversion to owning or accepting mistakes, errors in judgment, wrong, questionable and unwise decisions. Instead, he blames his predecesors (Estrada, Ramos, Marcos), the political opposition and the media for his failures. P-Noy and his apologists justify his incompetence with blatant lies deodorized by irrational imputations and autistic logic. P-Noy’s inherent weakness is that whenever major crises erupt, he remains inexplicably complacent, unaffected, undisturbed, unperturbed and unconcerned. Worse, he becomes incognito for several days. P-Noy has been voted the nation’s topmost political leader, but it is tragic that he does not seem to know how, and mysteriously refuses, to lead. I

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guess it is safe to assume that P-Noy was simply not a born leader. The Aquino presidency is no better than Estrada’s. While Erap was comical, outlandish and outrageous, P-Noy is pretentious, arrogant, insensitive, helter-skelter and intellectually dishonest. ---------- oooOooo ----------

DINKY AND THE STREET URCHINS Homeless and parentless street children who make Manila streets their playground will be hauled to a luxury resort for the duration of the APEC Leaders Summit meeting from November 16-20.

Why hide the children? To prevent APEC delegates from seeing one ugly side of our country. No, that’s not true, protested DSWD Secretary Soliman. She explained that bringing these children to a luxury resort is part of the agency’s program intended to give these less privileged children a taste of the good life. The timing is but incidental, she stressed. Of course, Dinky was lying, as always, whenever confronted with the truth. ---------- oooOooo ----------

GRACE POE’S WONDER WOMAN / DARNA SYNDROME Grace Poe wants to be President of the Philippines. Does she know what she is getting into? Does she have the needed experience, the administrative knowhow, the vision, the emotional strength and the intellectual capacity to lead the solve the problems of 100 million

people? How much does she know about foreign or international relations, social justice, socio-economic development, internal security, infrastructure, education, land reform, tax reform etc.? Poe must have credible answers to all the above questions. Otherwise, she has no business, much less, right to aspire for the highest political office in the land. She must get rid of that wonder woman/Darna Syndrome. ---------- oooOooo ----------

Grace has no one to blame but herself for the avalanche of disqualification cases that fell on her lap. She claimed that she is a natural-born citizen, and that she has met the 10-year residency requirement for a presidential aspirant. Poe must present concrete proofs to back up her claims. If she cannot, she just have to shut up and forget about Malacanan.

Should internet access be a right?

HE current generation probably can’t imagine life without the Internet, without having Google for convenient research, or Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to express ourselves or propel our social interactions, or Skype to communicate with loved ones who are far away from us. We’re pretty fortunate to belong in a liberal democracy that does not censor or restrict our Internet use, unlike other countries like China, Iran, and North Korea that severely censor if not block the use of social media. But exactly how necessary is Internet access to the exercise of our freedom of expression? In an information society, creating and sharing info has become a cultural phenomenon. There is no monopoly or concentration of control over who can create, gather, or share information. In fact, Internet users interactively contribute to this event through various platforms. It has become easier for people to virtually assemble themselves to

back up a MY MILLENNIAL MIND cause, or create a support system for people who s h a r e the same i d e n t i t y Vanessa Kate Madrazo or experience the same problems like depression, disability, or experiencing discrimination from being queer. The Internet has also helped people to fight for their rights in a revolution against the government such as the case with Egypt a few years back when Twitter enabled demonstrators to coordinate with each other to and mobilize their protests and inform the world about what’s happening on the ground. Academically, the Internet has made knowledge more accessible to people who need it without having to pay for expensive consults or books and encyclopedias, or enroll in cours-

es they might not afford or that may be inconvenient for them. There are no plenty of ways you can learn history, or philosophy, or even a language online. Should it be a right, then? When we talk about rights, we talk about certain freedoms that are necessary for individuals to live not just a life, but one that they choose to, to pursue their choices without any hindrance. Education is a right because people need it to make sense of the world, to pursue their careers or what they want with their lives, to be able to get a decent job and live with stability. The freedom of expression is a right because it’s necessary for the pursuit of truth, to make people and entities including the government accountable for their actions. The deprivation of both these rights entails a disadvantage because without education, people become ignorant, and without the freedom of expression, people become repressed and unable to speak up. In the same sense, the deprivation

of Internet access also represses people’s ability to assemble into a collective voice that without it they are at an inherent disadvantage when they are trying to go against an entity that otherwise has access. It hinders them from keeping up academically with the rest of the world that has more resources for knowledge. It isolates them and hinders them from belonging in a community that understands what they’re going through and that can help them fight for the same cause when otherwise they wouldn’t know how to find them. Internet access is and should be right in a sense that it must not be restricted. And in an ideal world, it should also be a right in a sense that government must provide it for people who don’t have it. But we’re far from an ideal world because governments including ours need to balance and channel their resources to solving plenty of other problems that are graver. That said, it doesn’t mean that this discussion should be ignored altogether.

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Davao justices, a rare breed By ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA

BROWSE of the three-volume ‘Justices of the Supreme Court of the Philippines’ written by Victor J. Sevilla, covering eighty-five years (1901-85), has provided us interesting insights into the personages that have graced the halls of the high tribunal. Sadly, the same paperback, which contains brief biographies of justices, yielded nobody that originated from Davao region, either by birth or residence. Davao got it first representation in the Supreme Court only during the Cory Aquino administration when Leo D. Medialdea, born on Aug. 17, 1927 in Davao City, was appointed on May 02, 1988. He served the high court until his death on November 06, 1992, after undergoing a triple heart bypass operation in the United States. Medialdea, a law graduate of Ateneo de Manila, was the seventh SC associate justice to die in office after Fernando Jugo, Ramon Diokno, Gregorio Perfecto, Ignacio Villamor, Carlos Imperial and Charles Johns. (Fred Ruiz was the first and only chief justice to die in office.) He was succeeded

by Justice Camilo Quiazon. Married to Fe F. Ocampo, with whom has four children, Medialdea was in the prosecution and judicial service of the government continuously for 39 years.

Senior associate justice Born in Davao City, Justice Antonio T. Carpio, who graduated Law from the University of the Philippines as valedictorian and cum laude in 1975, was appointed SC associate justice on October 26, 2001. He landed sixth in the 1975 Bar exams. He earned his tertiary course in Economics from Ateneo de Manila University five years earlier. As a campus journalist, he was chair of the Editorial Board of the Philippine Law Journal of the UP College of Law, editor-in-chief of The Guidon, school paper of Ateneo de Manila University, managing editor of the Philippine Collegian, the UP school paper. In private practice, Carpio founded the Carpio Villaraza and Cruz Law firm. He was elected president of the Integrated Bar of the Philippines, Pasay-Makati Chapter, director of U.P. Law Alumni Association, and direc-

tor of Philippine Bar Association (PBA). He was also professorial lecturer of U.P. College of Law, chief presidential legal counsel of the Office of the President, former member of the UP Board of Regents, member of the Technology Transfer Board of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), and special representative of the DTI for textile negotiations. Presently, he chairs the SC Second Division and the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET). In October 2012, despite being the most senior associate justice and acting chief justice, Carpio was bypassed by President Benigno S. Aquino III who appointed Sulu-born María Lourdes Aranal-Sereno as new SC chief justice. Given his distinguished achievements, he was awarded the Presidential Medal of Merit (1998), the Outstanding Achieve-

The Supreme Court building ment Award in Law (1991) from the Ateneo de Manila Alumni Association, recipient of the Distinguished Alumnus Award (2002) from the Ateneo de Davao Alumni Association, and conferred a Doctorate of Laws, honoris causa, by the Ateneo de Davao University (2009). Appellate court justices The first Court of Appeals (CA) justice to be appointed was Leopoldo M. Abellera, founder of Rizal Memorial Colleges, who was not born in Davao. His family arrived in Davao City during the Commonwealth period. In concurrent capacity, Abel-

lera later served as head of the Bureau of Transportation, forerunner of the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LTFRB) in the 1960’s and prior to this served three terms as city councilor after the war. In 1990, he was bestowed the Datu Bago Award, the highest honor given to a Davao resident. It would take half a century when another Dabawenyo would be elevated to the appellate court. On May 4, 2006, Romeo F. Barza, a native of Lupon, Davao Oriental, earned the distinction as the first post-Marcos CA justice from the region. Prior to his appointment,

Barza was judge of the Regional Trial Court (RTC) of Batangas City, president of Region IV RTC Judges Association, RTC judge of Makati, national president of the Philippine Judges Association (PJA) and trustee of the Philippine Judicial Academy. Barza finished elementary and high school education at the Ateneo de Davao, and took up Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service and Law at the University of the Philippines in Diliman. He also completed a program of instruction for lawyers at the Harvard Law School. He is married to Dr. Marilyn Cabal.

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EDGEDAVAO EVENT

Davao’s address for life and style opens WITH a cool, posh, and chic new look, Durianburg’s fashion and lifestyle mecca, Chimes Specialty Boutique, opened its doors last November 7 at Felcris Centrale amid much fanfare. A mecca for fashionable Dabawenyos who have a discerning taste for unique high quality items, the upscale specialty store has remained the place to shop when one is looking for worldly finds without leaving the comfort of home. Dabawenyos were more than excited to attend the opening with everyone dressed to the nines. Guests also flew in from Manila and abroad just to attend the occasion hosted by the fabulous Sea Princess herself, Tessa Prieto-Valdez. The guest of honour for the unveiling of the store together with Chimes’ new sleeker and more elegant logo was none other than the mayor of Davao City, the Hon. Rodrigo Duterte, we was more than game to take a few selfies from the guests in attendance. As soon as one enters Chimes at the Felcris Centrale mall, one would feel transported around the world, making real the Yap family’s decade-long dream of bridging the international re-

tail market right to Davao’s very doorstep. The one-stop lifestyle store offers a wide variety of products, ranging from Japan’s Shiseido cosmetics; Clinique cosmetics and skincare, Victoria’s Secret and Bath and Body Works fragrances and body pampering products from the United States; Brazil’s Ipanema and Grendha footwear; Santas towels and linens from Thailand; as well as France’s Langchamp bags. Together with the best products of the world, Chimes also carries clothing designed by renowned local Philippine designers such as Maureen Disini, Charina Sarte, Regilioso, K & Company and Florence as well as fabulous accessories by Aranaz and Jo of Joyce Orena. Trully, Chimes is a place where one can celebrate life and style. Where one can shop for the best of what the Philippines and the world can offer all conveniently located in the heart of Davao City.

EDGEDAVAO

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EVENT

MX3 takes over Oracle Arena together with Kapamilya stars WITH 7,000 excited audiences inside the Oracle Arena of Oakland, USA, DMI Medical Supply and ABS-CBN One Kapamilya Go came as a big surprise for Filipino Kababayans last October 25, 2015. The concert festival, held at the home of 2015 NBA Champions Golden State Warriors, brought all the Filipino main casts of the top-rated Philippine drama TV series “Pangako Sa’Yo”, and the world class ASAP performers of the country highlighting the theme “Galing ng Filipino”. DMI Medical Supply, Inc. was delighted to be a partner of this TFC event as they organized pre-show activities and shared MX3 gift packs to electrify the concert plus festival. Interested buyers swarmed MX3 booth as they inquire about the health benefits of MX3 products and that MX3 capsule improves the immune system, MX3 Plus with co Q10 and L-Carnitine gives healthy metabolism, and both MX3 Coffeemix and MX3 Tea that stimulate an individual’s well-being. MX3 concerted games hyped-up the audiences: MX3 Wave, MX3 Hooray with each participant enacts ‘Sakit Mo I-arte Mo”- Hypertension, Asthma, Hyperacidity and UTI. The arena and the open plaza outside were filled with a memorable joyous festive mood. The Champions of Philippine Entertainment, Daniel Padilla, Kathryn Bernardo, Jodi Sta. Maria, Ian Veneracion and Angelica Panganiban,

pumped the Filipino and foreign fans of the hit TVseries Pangako Sa’Yo. In addition, musical icons Charice, Eric Santos and Morisette Amon joined the dynamo. The concert festival event gave the audiences a chance to come face to face with the singing champs and teleserye royalties, and a chance to enjoy the games and prizes, and booth activities from “One Kapamilya Go 2015 sa Oracle Arena” partner, DMI Medical Supply Company, Inc./ MX3. In all these joyful moments, our fellow Kababayans will always be the “winner” in our hearts wherever we go and wherever we share. Mabuhay Global Pinoy- all blessings flow! DMI-MX3 Company is setting its foot globally with a business model on ‘Business for Mission”. For more information about the MX3 Products, visit MX3 website at www. mx3.ph or call/text 09188888-693.

Up to 50% off on posh finds at SM Accessories’ Privado Sale GET an early Christmas treat from SM Accessories! Grab huge discounts from a wide range of luxury brands at the Privado Sale slated on November 12-15 at the SM Store in SM Lanang Premier. During the 4-day sale, shoppers can avail of up to 50% off on great selections of branded eyewear, watches and jewelry. SM Advantage, SM Prestige, BDO Rewards, Primo and Mom Card members get an additional 20% off and 0% interest for up to 12 months on a minimum purchase of P3,000 on the said dates. Posh finds include aviators, wayfarer sunnies, classic and casual timepieces, sporty watches, and fine jewelry. Catch the SM Accessories’ Privado Sale at SM Lanang Premier! For inquiries, call 285-0943. You may also visit SM Lanang Premier on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram for sale alerts.

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EVENT

Seda Abreeza co-sponsors dinner concert for Shine Foundation The urban lifestyle hotel shares the spirit of giving and generosity as it partners in “A Night Before Christmas,” a benefit concert for SHINE Foundation. AN EARLY Christmas event is all set this November 14, 2015, Saturday, 6PM at Seda Abreeza for a dinner concert dedicated for the benefit of the Self Help in Independent Experience (SHINE) Life Skills Center Foundation Inc.. Seda Abreeza, along

with other partner brands and organizations, serve as the sponsors for this event.

The event, dubbed as “A Night Before Christmas” features the Agdao Violin Institute. The organization was founded by David Evans in 2003 and aims to share their talent and

craft with the children of Agdao, Davao City through the gift of music. It gives scholarship through learning the violin, viola and cello, to deserving and talented Agdao kids. Since it was established, the institute held at least one concert/recital every year. The institute also accepts non-Agdao students who want to learn to play the violin by offering it for a very minimal fee. It is AVI’s way of blessing others. Their own advanced students teach the new students as a way of paying back what they have also learned from AVI. This tries to diminish the usual notion regarding the Agdao community

by providing the youth productive activities to venture on. The dinner concert is for the SHINE Foundation, a life skills program for the differently-abled adolescent and adults. Focused on enhancing the well-being of the differently-abled, the foundation ensures that there is growth and the individuals’ needs are attended to. Seda Abreeza has partnered with the foundation for this cause to further give back to the community. Advancing its set of Christmas events through the concert, the urban lifestyle hotel is bound to launch all its offerings for the holiday season later this month as well.

WANT TO BE AN ASTRONAUT OR A FAIRY TALE PRINCESS? Get a FREE blanket and pillowcase set for a minimum 3,000 single receipt purchase on regular priced items from the Children’s and Infants’ Wear Departments of The SM Store on November 16-30, 2015. Hurry, collect all designs now!

ENTERTAINMENT

MTRCB’s 3rd Family and Child Summit focuses on Youth FOR its 3rd Family and Child Summit (FCS3), the Movie and Television Review and Classification Board (MTRCB) will be focusing on the youth.

Dubbed “Matalinong Panonood Para sa Kabataan,” FCS3 will be held at St. Mary’s College in Quezon City on Saturday, November 14, from 9:00am to 5:00pm. FCS3 will serve as a platform for young people, with the support of their parents and the community, to talk about the media and entertainment they see, and consider issues on audience-sensitivity and age-appropriateness in content. Experts and industry stakeholders will dialogue

with 700 students from various colleges and universities at the daylong conference with celebrities from major television networks to serve as hosts, moderators, and performers. Also participating are teachers belonging to the Philippine Association of Communication Educators (PACE). Among those who will impart knowledge to the youth are Bro. Armin Luistro, FSC, Secretary of the Department of Education (DepEd), Mr. Nicco De Jesus, President of the Marketing and Opinion Research Society of the Philippines (MORES), and Sr. Consolata Manding, FSP, Directress of the Pauline Institute for Communication in Asia (PICA).

Guest panelists include renowned economist, educator, and former Commissioner of the 1987 Constitutional Commission Dr. Bernardo Villegas, Ms. Josa Marie Salazar of the National Council for Children’s Television (NCCT), and actresses Yayo Aguila and Danica SottoPingris together with their children, as well as MTRCB Board Member Bibeth Orteza and son Rafa Siguion-Reyna. Lending star power to the occasion are hosts Robi Domingo and Bianca Umali, together with moderators Suzie Entrata-Abrera, Niña Corpus, Pia Arcangel, and Ginger Conojero. Also gracing the event as performers are The Voice Kids, Climax

Band, and cast members of the phenomenal Pinoy contemporary musical Rak of Aegis. Acknowledging the duty and mission the Agency has in the formation of the next generation of Filipinos, MTRCB Chairperson Eugenio “Toto” Villareal says: “The MTRCB continues to act as the public’s bridge to understanding the media and to instilling the right values in children.” Highlights of FCS3 will be seen in MTRCB Uncut’s TV Special airing on November 22, from 7:00pm to 8:00pm, on Net 25. FCS3 will also be featured in MTRCB Uncut sa Radyo Inquirer (AM 990 kHz) on November 23 from 2:00pm to 3:00pm.

November 6 – 10, 2015

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

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

SPECTRE Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz, Ralph Fiennes PG

1:00 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 LFS

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

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

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gyud to siya para maging liable siya (The case filed was illegal possession of ammunition and therefore they need to prove that the bullets confiscated from Egnineer Dagan last October 30 were really ammunition to make him liable),” he said. Ledesma said that under section 3 of the law, it is stated that before it will be constituted as ammunition there are four components to be considered. “Number one bullet, number two gunpowder, number three cartridge case and number four is primer or loaded shell for use in any firearm,” he said. “Therefore, even if you confiscated a bullet from the person that itself will not make a person liable for illegal possession of ammunition,” he added. He said a bullet will not be automatically considered as ammunition because it is one part of the whole. “Unfortunately, based on the complaint of the police, while they referred the items that had been confiscated from engineer Dagan to the Police Crime Laboratory for ballistic examination, no documents were submitted with regards to the result or findings of the evidence,” he said. Ledesma said the police should have presented the result to the prosecution panel to prove that the bullets confiscated were really ammunition. “Isa na siya sa grounds na nay nakompiska na balam but wala na prove na angbala is an ammunition under the definition sa Republic Act 10591 (It is one of the grounds that there was a bullet confiscated but was not proved that it was an ammunition under the definition of Republic Act 10591),” he said. He said the panel also found Dagan to have no criminal intent to do the prohibited act by possessing bullets in the airport based on the circum-

stances found. The panel really examined the circumstances whether Dagan really had the intent to bring bullets, according to Ledesma. “Say for example, una, unsang klaseng tao ni si Engnieer Dagan. Ikaduha, nganong naa siya sa Davao, unsay purpose niya sa Davao and number three ang mga circumstances prevailing na sikat na ni siya, widespread na ang kaning mga tanim bala magdala pa ba gyud ta og bala na duha ka buok? (Say for example, what kind of person is Engineer Dagan. Second, why he is here, what is his purpose in Davao and third, the circumstances prevailing that this tanim-bala is already popular and widespread and we still bring bullets)?” he said. Ledesma said that based on the certification from the Firearms and Explosives Department of the Philippine National Police, Dagan has no registered firearms in their office. He said Dagan is already 60 years old and he may have the interest to possess guns and that he is also a professional since he is an engineer. Ledesma said that the engineer just arrived in the city due to the invitation of the Davao City Water District (DCWD). Dagan was invited for the purpose of determining the potability of the water in Tamugan River where the Bulk Water Facility will be built. It is impossible also for a person who has a criminal intent to just keep the bullets in the pocket of the bag where it is easy to be discovered, Ledesma said. He said a person who wants to perpetrate crime need to keep it some will really cover it inside the bag where people will not see or observe it. “Maybe, an unscrupulous individual put it in the outer compartment of his bag,” Ledesma said.

bank heist as per advice from their head office. Police investigators are also probing a possible inside job angle. Aside from this, they are also reviewing videos in past robbery incidents in the city this year, which victimized a

pawnshop and a businessman, among others. Police Supt. Reynaldo V. Acosta, chief of police in Surigao City has been tight lip on the issue who several times refused to be interviewed. (Roel N. Catoto / MindaNews)

discuss the specific details of the shipment and the arrangements for the consolidation of their produce. He said they will tackle the pricing of the pork products, freight costs and other related expenses. They will also set some strategies to ensure the quality of their produce and eventually sustain the shipments, he said. As of October, DA-12 already certified eight companies in the region for the planned pork shipments to the UAE.

Six of these companies are based in this city while the two others are located in South Cotabato. Region 12 is presently the country’s leading producer of “pork-in-a-box” producers. Data from the DA Region 12’s Veterinary Quarantine Services showed that the region produces around 120,000 heads of excess hogs annually that were valued at around P1.09 billion. In terms of pork, the area produces around 12,000 metric tons a year that were valued at P1.97 billion. (MindaNews)

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and confidence towards our personnel,” he said. “PRO 11, under the leadership of Police Chief Supt. Wendy G. Rosario, is serious in its effort to thwart criminality within our area of responsibility especially during

occasions where crimes are expected to be at its peak”, he added. With this at the helm, PRO 11 now credits it for an increase in crime solution efficiency and for a reduction in crime incidents.

out from these places because some of the establishments are dull. Quiatin had called a meet-

ing among the owners last Wednesday, but emphasized that the request to install lights is not compulsory.

Oceanview Resort; Canadians John Ridsel and Robert Hall; and Filipina Marithes Flor, the live-in partner of Hall, were abducted from the resort on September 21 by 11 armed men onboard two motorized boats. The kidnappers have released a video demanding a ransom of P1 billion for each victim. “It’s challenging,” de Jong said. “Many countries are exposed to turmoil, political unrest, and natural disasters. It constantly happens.” De Jong said the Southeast Asia and Pacific region is “on the path to stability” but can still go through its own sets of problems. “The most important thing is safety and security. The moment the guest arrives in the

airport we have to keep them safe. Hotel service is useless without safety,” he said. De Jong said the Carlson Rezidor Hotel Group, which operates Park Inn in Davao City, has a strong security program in place. “We make sure there is no gap in terms of security,” he said. The Asia Pacific is a key market for Carlson Rezidor, with more than 100 operating hotels and a target of 200 hotels in the region by 2020, according to De Jong. In the Philippines, Carlson Rezidor operates Park Inn by Radisson Davao, Radisson Blu Cebu, and the upcoming Park Inn by Radisson Clark which is expected to open in December 2015.

chairs, kitchen tables and work spaces. Thus, one must start practicing using light only in occupied specific areas and letting go of inefficient incandescent light bulbs in replace of energy-efficient CFL (Compact Fluorescent Lamps) bulbs. Same applies with ceiling fans. We Filipinos usually have a wrong habit of not turning off fans even if nobody’s using them, thinking that they will make the area cooler if you leave them as be. Again, turn off everything when they are not in use. Faulty, Old, or Forgotten Appliances An old cord charger, a faulty thermostat (you set it too low or too high), a refrigerator door with a poor door seal, or those frosts inside a freezer that you never defrosted, clogged air filters in your air conditioners - these

are small things that give you the biggest reason for wasting a lot of thousands in your wallet. Make sure to address these problems by cleaning and checking these appliances on schedule, not when you just remember it. The Charging Saga Continues And sometimes, it never ends. With the technology we have today, it is inevitable for one person in a household not to charge gadgets such as Laptops, Phones, MP3, Camera, and surprisingly, a lot more. Two solutions: First, make sure to not overcharge. And when it has reached 100%, unplug it immediately. Unnecessary charging not only costs money, it can shorten your gadget’s battery life. For more ideas on how to conserve energy, visit www. davaolight.com.

and banana. Romeo Celeste, planning chief of Compostela Valley Province said the rehab of Poblacion-Naboc FMR in Monkayo is expected to reduce half of transport and hauling cost from P40 to P20. It will also reduce travel time of farm commodities especially rubber cup lump from 30 to 15 minutes. “The FMR project in Brgy. Subasta on the other hand will further boost the cacao production in the area and will link beneficiaries of DA-funded drying facility and cacao center to the buying centers in Calinan proper,” DA regional director Remelyn Recoter said. Recoter who also chairs

the RPAB said that approved subprojects will be endorsed to the Mindanao and national project offices for review and issuance of No Objection Letter. While PRDP fast tacks implementation of various subprojects it also ensures that quality standards and transparency mechanisms are observed. The program adopts science-based tools such as geo-tagging to monitor each phase of project cycle. It also uses value chain analysis to check that infrastructure projects are within the identified priority value chain in the area,” she said. (Noel T. Provido/DA-XI).

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vading our nation with a red carpet? This is treason and is a real embarrassment,” he said, reacting to the government statement asking protesters not to “embarrass” the country with protests. He said the right “welcome” to give these leaders is protest, and assailed the President Noynoy Aquino for being a willing puppet to the “imperialist” nations. “Aquino’s P10 billlion welcome is again, a grand betrayal. Hiding the poor just to please leaders of the big nations is imeldific, slavish and despicable,” he said. He said the APEC’s push for further “globalization” will further worsen the poverty, economic backwardness of the nation and the attacks on our sovereignty.

“APEC policies have meant low wages, high prices and tuition rates, privatization of public services and the abuse of our environment and resources. The push to adapt the US Trans Pacific Partnership Agreement as a regional integration framework will mean further exploitation of poor nations in the region. This will also mean giving up further the nation’s sovereignty to big nations,” he said. He called on patriotic Filipinos to join the protests against the APEC and standup for our sovereignty against Chinese and US bullying. “We cannot be silent while the government is selling out our sovereignty and our people to big bullies. Let’s go out and march,” he said.

As stated in the first part, some Filipino farmers are now growing organic rice. In Bohol, rice farmers are also doing it. In fact, the province is mobilizing to become a hub of the aromatic and nutritious organic rice. “Local farmers are now gearing towards the production of organically-grown rice to respond to the needs of healthier living and to the country’s drive towards food security and environmental protection,” reports the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCAARRD). Filling Up The Senses: Bohol’s Tourism and Organic Rice Production, published by PCAARRD, features the success stories of two farmer-scientists – called “Magsasaka Siyentista” (MS) – who made the difference in growing organic rice. “Farming aromatic rice the natural, organic way helped improve the quality of my farm’s soil and increase my income,” Primitivo R. Sarigumba, a 51-year-old farmer from Jimilian, Loboc. The commerce graduate with a major in accountancy had been farming for 25 years already but it was not until he

adopted organic farming that he found he could effectively decrease his production costs through the use of organic fertilizer. “I didn’t worry about the high cost of seedlings because I knew the very low cost of organic fertilizers would balance off the costs,” said Sarigumba, who is now a member of science and technology-based farm (STBF) project which allowed him to further explore the world of farming and discover new ways of increasing his yield. The other farmer – Florencio L. Gentallan – is already deceased. But the former civil servant was being looked up by farmers in the municipality of Maribojoc because of his influence in helping them improve their own farming methods. Gentallan’s advocacy on natural farming resulted in the adoption of his farming practices by 30 local farmers. “Going organic is going healthy and wise,” he was quoted as saying. “With the utilization of natural materials from our farm, we are sure that what we consume is chemical-free. Not only that, we are also able to reduce the costs of our farm inputs; thereby increasing our income.”

Sister and brother The third Dabawenyo to make it to the CA is Davao-born Justice Socorro B. Inting, who obtained her Bachelor of Laws degree, cum laude, from the Ateneo de Davao University in 1980. She was appointed CA associate justice in 2009. Before joining the appellate court, Inting served as presiding RTC judge in Manila, presiding Metropolitan Trial Court (MTC) judge in Makati, prosecutor and public attorney. Outside the government, she privately practiced law. She was formerly treasurer of the IBP-Davao del Sur Chapter and the PJA. Three years later, her brother, Justice Henri Jean Paul B. Inting, also a law graduate from Ateneo de Davao University, cum laude, followed her in the appellate court. J.P. Inting took his pre-law course, a degree in Psychology, from the University of San Carlos Cebu, and his elementary and secondary education from Ateneo de

Davao. After passing the bar, he worked as senior corporate attorney in the National Housing Authority (NHA), senior CA supervising staff attorney, public attorney at the Public Attorney’s Office (PAO), and in succession as assistant city public prosecutor, presiding MTC judge and RTC presiding judge, all in Quezon City. In October 2012, he was appointed associate CA justice. The Inting siblings are the children of retired Regional Trial Court Judge Enrique and Ursulina B. Inting. (Dario C. Rama, a lawyer, was never appointed to the SC or CA. The appellation ‘justice’ attached to his name evolved as an informal title due to his appointments as member of the Commission on Elections (COMELEC), a quasi-judicial body; chair of the Presidential Anti-Graft Commission (PAGC); and postmaster general and chief executive officer (CEO) of the Philippine Postal Corporation.)

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Largest vetiver water billboard launched

LARGE part of the Tullahan River turned green on Thursday as San Miguel Brewery Inc. launched what could be the country’s largest floating billboard made of vetiver. The project is part of the 125th anniversary celebration of San Miguel Corporation that embarked on a campaign hoped to engage everyone into becoming instruments for #SMCBetterWorld. SMC through its subsidiary, San Miguel Brewery Inc. that operates one of the company’s breweries in Valenzuela City, led the launch in partnership with the San Miguel Foundation Inc. and the Vetiver Farms Inc. Vetiver grass (Chrysopogon zizanioides), is a perennial bunchgrass native to India that is most closely related to sorghum but shares many mor-

phological characteristics with other fragrant grasses including lemongrass, citronella, and palmarosa. The use of vetiver grass is gaining popularity as it is one of the most convenient, effective and affordable means in preventing soil erosion, stabilization of embankments, and land rehabilitation. It is also used to protect fields against pests and weeds. Oil extracted from its roots is also being used as base by top perfumers and cosmetics companies around the world. The almost 400sqm vetiver water billboard’s layout resembles that of the San Migue Pale Pilsen’s 125th anniversary logo and spreads along the McArthur Highway side of the river. Ms Noah Manarang, president and CEO of Vetiver Farms, Inc., said the vetiver pontoons

can help improve the water quality of Tullahan river which was declared ecologically dead in the 90s. The grass which roots can grow up to three meters can help absorb excess nitrogen and phosphorus in the river as well as regulate oxygen demand for fishes and other aquatic life. “The launch of this vetiver water billboard not only upholds San Miguel’s tradition of implementing novel Corporate Social Responsibility programs. It is also a fitting tribute the heritage of our flagship brand, San Miguel Pale Pilsen, which is also celebrating its anniversary this year,” said SMB Inc. President Roberto N. Huang. SMB Inc. has also been involved in a number of initiatives aimed at rehabilitating the river, including “Ilog ko, Irog Ko,” “Tulong-tulong sa Tullahan 1 and 2,” among many others.

Group for at least one accredited Asean Reference Laboratory (ARL) by 2016,” Maglaya added. Aside from the center in USM, the DOST has also established the Philippine Rubber Research Institute in Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay that has just started its operation this year as well as the rubber testing and laboratory facility in Zamboanga Peninsula “to facilitate the needs of natural rubber producers in the area as well as neighboring provinces .” She said the facilities are located in Mindanao because

the island-region is the main source of rubber production in the country. “Ninety-nine percent of rubber production of the country is in Mindanao.” Among the major rubber production regions in Mindanao area in davao, Zamboanga Peninsula, Caraga, Northern Mindanao, Soccksargen, and the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao. Although the Philippines has just implemented its development plan for the rubber industry, Maglaya considered it as one of the eight priority industries of DTI under the National

Industry Cluster Capacity Enhancement Project (NICCEP) as one of the most advanced “… as it has been able to already in-

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tegrate development initiatives in all level of the value chains from upstreams to downstreams.” CHENEEN R. CAPON

Christmas Bonus Sale at SM City Davao, Nov 13-15!

hristmas comes early at SM City Davao as the mall rolls out a weekend of great discounts for early Holiday shopping on November 13-15. Avoid the rush and shop at SM City Davao’s Christmas Bonus Sale! Enjoy up to 70% off on great finds and shop for extended hours until 10 PM on Friday and Saturday. Catch the Christmas Music Specials with Java Jive on November 13, 5PM and Musikademy on November 14, 5PM. Get the Kitty Christmas bug and strike a pose at the Hello Kitty Holiday Set with hundreds of Sanrio plush toys! Everything’s at SM City Davao for a Kitty Holiday Celebration. Like SM City Davao on Facebook or @SMCityDavao on Twitter and @SMDavao on Instagram for event and promo updates. Call 297-6998 for inquiries.

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FAST TIME. The clock reading 1:33:01, Judelyn Miranda crosses the finish line as a back-to-back champion of the Milo Marathon Davao qualifiers. Lean Daval Jr.

Judelyn Miranda keeps on pushing By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

BACK TO BACK. Judelyn Miranda raises her trophy after winning the Milo Marathon Davao qualifiers. Lean Daval Jr.

ALL seven times, rise up eight. Judelyn Miranda has been to the National Finals of the annual Milo Marathon seven times. An eighth stint would make her one of the veteran women runners and at a ripe age of 30 years old, she must be facing the twilight of her career. Seven times, she ran in the grueling 42.195-kilometer National Finals. Her best finish was fourth in 2012 and last year landed 13th. She was always a challenger but never a national champion. But Judelyn is not giving up on her dream. The lady security personnel at the Tagum City local government and a mother of one is a stubborn competitor, and that has been her secret to staying in the thick of battle be it in on the

road or at the workplace. Last Sunday, Judelyn earned an eighth stint to the National Finals after emerging as back-to-back winner of the Milo Marathon’s Davao qualifying race. “Dili ko mosurrender (I won’t surrender),” she told Edge Davao shortly after the race. “Habang nay chance, sige lang paningkamutan nato na makuha (As long as I have the chance, I will try my best to get it).” Sunday’s win wasn’t easy. Aside from a new course that required some uphill stretches, Judelyn was grieving inside. His uncle, Toto Gullera, who took care of her and her two sisters when they were young, died in Camiguin last week and was buried two days before the race. “Wala ko nakaadto kay tungod naa may race (I could not go be-

cause of the race),” she said almost sobbing. “Kabalo ko na naa sya gitabangan ko niya (I knew he was there and he helped me win this).” Judelyn clocked one hour and 32 minutes and 57 seconds— her fastest qualifying time in the 21-kilometer distance. Judelyn recalled that it was their uncle who took the three Miranda sisters to his care because their parents had to work. It was her uncle, a former boxer, who nurtured her competitive spirit and egged her to take on running after discovering she loves to run races in elementary. She admitted having trained sloppily because of her hectic schedule at work. “Kaduha ra ko sa usa ka semana makatrain kay busy kayo ko sa trabaho (I trained for

only two times a week as I was busy with work),” the petite muscle-bound Miranda said. Last year, she spent her winnings building up her new home in Tagum City. With her latest winnings, she said she is going to share it with her uncle’s family. “Dili mabayran ang iyang sakripisyo (I cannot pay off his sacrifices),” Judelyn said. After years of running and logging perhaps the most mileage among women runners in the local scene, is she not hanging up her shoes yet? “Dili pa. Maluya ko kung dili ko makadagan (No, not yet. I will feel weak if I don’t run),” Judelyn said as she looked forward to another crack at the women’s title in the 39th edition of the country’s longest running footrace.

The fall and rise of Sonny Wagdos ...

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SMALL STEPS TOO BIG. Three young kids cross the finish line of the Milo Marathon Davao qualifiers. The small strides meant big in promoting the competitive spirit of children as well as promoting a healthy lifestyle. Lean Daval Jr.

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ly loot he won in local races were but living reminders of a life-changing lesson. Sonny looked to one day getting up and getting back on the road again—slowly, but surely. For three months, Sonny did not don his running shoes. He patiently waited until the pain would go. One morning in October, Sonny got up early and decided to go out on a morning walk. He was surprised he did not feel any pain. “Napansin nako wala nay sakit. So nagsugod ko ug jog unya mao na to, balik na akong regular na dagan (I noticed the pain was gone. So I started to make regular jogs and just like that I am back with my regular runs),” Sonny said narrating the three weeks he had to train for the race. Sonny had won last year’s race summoning inspiration from his late father who died in a motorcycle mishap some years back. Now, he summoned his own dream. Like a real champion, he bucked the painful setbacks and pulled

himself up back to form. But it was not to be that easy. Out to block Sonny’s comeback was a no ordinary foe—no less than reigning national Milo Marathon champion Rafael Poliquit was in the starting line side by side Sonny. And then there was also Michael Echalico, his friend and fierce rival in local races. At the bark of the gun, the highly-favored Poliquit jumped right onto the lead and running a blistering pace that left Sonny and Echalico shaking their head in disbelief. Poliquit ran like a thundering thoroughbred leaving them behind to eat dust. Sonny kept Poliquit in sight through half of the difficult race toughened by uphill climbs as the national champion built an imposing 100-meter lead. His patience paid off as fatigue got the better of the winded Poliquit as he gasped for air and eventually dropped out of the race. Sonny saw his opportunity and the champion that he is, raced home practically by his

Catchfire Run set Nov. 15

VERYTHING is set for the staging of the First Catchfire Run in Davao City on Sunday, November 15. This was announced by the four organizing Christian groups led by Dr. Hansel Magno of the Brotherhood of Christian Businessmen and Professionals (BCBP). The other three prominent groups behind the run are Ligaya ng Panginoon (LNP), , Couples for Christ and Familia. Tom Tan, run man or race director, the Catchfire Run will start at 5 a.m. at the Victoria Plaza Parking Area which will also be the finish line. He said the non-competitive run will be in the 3-kilometer, 5-kilometer and 10-kilometer categories. The participants will be

asked to donate P200, P250 and P300 depending upon their category. Magno said that the run will have “One Team, One People, One Mission” as theme. The run will be a prelude to Davao’s first Catchfire Prayer Rally on Nov. 22 at the Almendras Gym. This is the Davao City version of the highly successful prayer rally started in Manila five years ago. The prayer rally is timed with the Feast of Christ the King celebrated every second to the last Sunday of November. Dr. Magno said the latest Catchfire Prayer Rally in Manila was attended by 25,000 members of the four Christian groups which have now become global in membership. AMA

SDD-CMO extends deadline for Sports Awards to Nov. 16

HE Sports Development Division-City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO) has extended the deadline for the submission of nominees for this year’s Davao City Athletes Awards Night to next Monday, November 16, 2015. The SDD-CMO had initially set the submission period from October 12 to October 30, 2015, but decided to extend this to give the national sports organizations (NSAs) and other sports groups more time to send in their nominees. However, the SDD-CMO is giving emphasis on athletes who have excelled during national and international competitions this time unlike last year where athletes who won in local and regional levels were also honored. The cover period for the selection of our deserving athletes is from October 1, 2014 to October 31, 2015.

A committee composed of SDD-CMO personnel, Department of Education and various sports groups invited to be part of this activity will evaluate the nominees and eventually select the outstanding athletes. With this, the SDD-CMO is now inviting the city’s different NSAs and other sports groups to send their nominees at its office at Almendras Gym Compound, Quimpo Boulevard during office hours from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. For inquiries, the NSAs and other sports are asked to see program director Pocholo Elegino, or contact him through our office tel. nos. 221-00-31. The sports activity is being organized by the City Government of Davao thru the Sports Development Division-City Mayor’s Office (SDD-CMO) and tentatively set on December 18, 2015 at a still undetermined venue.

lonesome for a glorious victory. He has just made his return as champion of the same race he won last year. Some things flashed back on his mind. Last year, he abandoned his chance of running in the National Finals of

the country’s most prestigious footrace for a stint in Malaysia. Now, he is determined to run his first full marathon. “Lahi kayo ang feeling na makadaug ka sa Milo Marathon. Dili mapantayan ang fulfillment (It’s a different feeling

winning the Milo Marathon. Nothing can match that fulfillment),” he said after the race. And then he remembered the time he was just sitting there on that chair of desolation. For three long months that was.

“We fall, yes. But as champions, we must learn to get up and get back,” said the pigtailed Sonny, clutching his glass trophy as he was welcomed back to the winners’ tent and onto the winner’s chair—a familiar sight, a familiar feeling.

WEET-SHOOTING guard Christopher “Bong” Go stood out on his first game in nearly a month to help the City Mayors Office settle an 80 - 80 draw with the vastly ripen Anflocor in Game 6 of their basketball friendly series on Wednesday night at the Davao City Recreation Center Almendras Gym. In his return from shoulder injury, Go dished out an excellent shooting performance all the way to his 26 points output marked with four three pointers.

The trusted aide of Mayor Rodrigo Duterte showed no ill effects of the troubled shoulder that kept him off the court for three weeks. Beanpole forward Joel Aberilla scored 18 points as John Flores had 14 for the City Hall dribblers who pegged their record at 4 wins and 2 draws. The standoff kept the Anflocor winless. It was the second draw fin the CMO and Anflocor series. To-Ong and Arquiza had a breakout game for Anflocor scoring identical 18 points

apiece. CMO won the last outing behind the 48 points performance of Go who shot seven triples in the winding minutes of the match to complete an improbable fight back for the win. Anflocor was looking pretty good to nail its first win in Game 4 with only 5 seconds remaining and leading by 3. But Go did not let CMO to go down. With the time running out, Go took a pass at the top of the circle, dribbled his way

to the right wing and launched a quick highly contested shot that swished off the net to tie the count and settle the game to a 103-103 draw. (Rico Biliran) Box Scores: CMO – 80 Go 26, Aberilla 18, Flores 14, Cloribel 8, Escandor 5, Casan 4, Peloton 3, Rosal 2, Poliquit 0, Cruz 0, Reyes 0. Anflocor – 80 To-Ong 18, Arquiza 18, Mejorada 12, Yap R. 9, Yap 7, Calma 4, Solis 4, Zapanta 4, Quinones 2, Yap 2, Suachi 0, Lagdameo 0.

Go returns, holds Anflocor to standoff S

PG scores double double

AUL George scored 26 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Indiana Pacers to 102-91 victory over the Boston Celtics on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time). C.J. Miles had 17 points and Monta Ellis added 13 for the Pacers, who posted their fifth win in six games. Evan Turner led Boston with 20 points, while Isaiah Thomas had 14 and Jared Sullinger scored 11 with 11 rebounds. The loss snapped a two-game winning streak for the Celtics. Boston was just 4 for 24 on 3-point attempts. George, who had averaged 31.7 points in the last three games, fell short of his third 30-point effort in four games. The Celtics sliced

it to 90-87 on Turner’s turnaround along the right baseline with 7:28 to play, but the Pacers scored the next eight points to take control. George triggered the run with a jumper from the top of the key and followed with one from the lane. Thomas then turned the ball over and Ellis had a fast-break layup. Ian Mahinmi closed the spree with a reverse layup. George hit consecutive 3-pointers during an 11-0 run midway into the third, helping the Pacers to an 81-74 lead after three quarters. Boston went to the free throw line 19 times in the third, making just 12. The Celtics’ final 10 points of the quarter came from the free throw line, but they made only six of their 20 shots from the field in the quarter. The Pacers hit 10 of 18. DOUBLE DOUBLE. Paul George of Indiana hit a double double against Boston. AP

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