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SPECIAL DELICACY. A Chinese store staff member fixes a display of special tikoy in one of the shopping arcades along R. Magsaysay Avenue four days before the celebration Chinese New Year. Tikoy symbolizes family unity because of its stickiness and enjoys brisk sales during this time of the year. Lean Daval Jr.
3 MEN FACE MURDER RAPS Victim wasn’t raped, but suspects charged for murder By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
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HE autopsy on the 17-year-old girl whose dead body was found in Barangay Tawan-Tawan, Baguio District in Davao City on Monday showed that she had not been raped as earlier suspected. Because of this, the Baguio Police Station has set aside the rape charges against the three men who were arrest-
ed on Wednesday morning for the crime. In a telephone interview yesterday with EDGE Davao, Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Milgrace C. Driz said police only filed murder charges against the suspects on Wednesday afternoon through inquest proceedings. The suspects have been
identified as Rufino Lamonay, 21; Roldan L. Anie, 27; and Dindo L. Anie, 26. The three were arrested two days after the body of the victim, Emma Joy Lorinton, was found after witnesses identified them. “Gi-set aside ang kaso na rape sa bata kay sa autopsy report walay indications, intact ang hymen and ni lacera-
tions kay wala (The rape case was set aside because the autopsy report showed no indication that she was raped. The hymen was still intact no laceration was found),” she said. Driz said the autopsy report said that the victim was negative for genital injury as well as presence of sperma-
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WHERE’S THE DISCIPLINE? Instead of using the overpass in Kilometer 11 in Sasa, pedestrians choose to risk their lives by crossing the road. Lean Daval Jr.
PDEA nets 3 big time drug pushers in Zambo
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HILIPPINE Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives arrested three alleged big time drug pushers and seized P170,000 worth of prohibited drugs in a buy-bust operation in this city. Joseph Ladip, PDEA regional director, said the buybust operation was carried out around 10:25 p.m. Wednesday at a pension house in Barangay Canelar. Ladip identified the arrested suspects as Ernesto Fernandez, Adzhar Mundoc, and, Habir Sali. Ladip said the suspects were arrested after “they conspired and agreed to deliver two heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing white crystalline substance of suspected shabu in exchange
for supposed P170,000.” He said arresting team confiscated from the suspects’ possessions two pieces of P500 used as marked money placed on top and bottom of bundled cut papers placed inside a brown window envelope. He said the estimated total weight of the methamphetamine hydrochloride locally known as shabu is more or less 100 grams with an estimated market value of P170,000. He said cases for violations of Sections 26 in relation to Section 5, Article II of Republic Act 9165 otherwise known as the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 are set to be filed against the suspects. (PNA)
KMU calls on lawmakers to favor overriding veto of SSS pension hike
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LABOR group held a protest action in front of the Social Security Systems (SSS) office in Bajada here to encourage the lawmakers to vote in favor of overriding the veto on the P2,000 SSS pension hike during the last session day of Congress on Wednesday. In a phone interview, Joel Maglunsod, vice president for Mindanao of Kilusang Mayo Uno (KMU), said that they will continue to press on the government to favor the SSS pension increase for senior citizens. Last January 14, Presi-
dent Benigno Aquino III vetoed the 2011 House Bill (HB) 5842 that irked different progressive groups, including the Gabriela and KMU, and called Aquino’s decision as “walay kasingkasing” (heartless). Maglunsod also hit Aquino’s counter offer of P500 to P1,000 as unacceptable and that the government should listen to the public’s clamor. He added that the proposed legislation has gone a long way since it was lobbied in the Lower House by Makabayan representative lawyer Neri Colmenares in 2011.
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Duterte seeks CARP review, vows free irrigation to farmers
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RESIDENTIAL candidate and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte described the country’s land reform program as “a farce” and a “total failure” and said as President he would ask for its total review and improvement. Speaking in a forum organized by the militant Kilusang Magbubukid ng Pilipinas with over 100 participants in the Balay Kalinaw of the University of the Philippines (UP) Diliman at noon on Wednesday, Duterte also reaffirmed his earlier commitment that as President he would give the country’s farmers free use of water for irrigation. Duterte told the farmer leaders to give him time to re-
view the land reform program to make sure it will really alleviate the plight of the landless farmers. “The land reform was a farce not because it was not given, but because there was no support from government,” he was quoted as saying by former North Cotabato Governor Manny Piñol. In most cases, Duterte said the land reform beneficiaries ended up selling back the land given to them by government to the original owners. “He might as well sell the land back to the land owner and his only consolation is he gets to hold big money,” Duterte said. He said he would focus first on determining what
would be needed to make the program effective for the beneficiaries. “What do we do with those who have sold back the land to the landowners? What do we do with those who still have the land but were not given support by government?” Duterte asked. Duterte also said that should he win the Presidency, he would order the crafting of a comprehensive agriculture map that would identify key food production areas in the country. He said he would direct the Department of Agriculture to “make me a color-coded map, (to) see which crop is best in this area and we can focus (on) the assistance, what we will
give to the farmers.” Duterte said identifying the crop suitability of the different key food production areas of the country would enable him to focus on the delivery of basic infrastructure and farm support services to the farmers. Reiterating his earlier public pronouncement of allowing the free use of water for the farmers to irrigate their fields, Duterte said he will prioritize the implementation of this new policy. “Ang una kong gawin, free water for the farmers, hindi na sila magbayad,” he said in response to questions raised by reporters after the forum. In an earlier interview in
when they encountered an estimated 60 New People’s Army (NPA) bandits belonging to the Pulang Bagani Command 3 of the Southern Mindanao Regional Committee. The rebels retreated after a 30-minute firefight. However, as 46th Infantry Battalion troops were conducting clearing operations, the NPAs detonated an improvised explosive device (IED) which killed two troopers and wounded two others. Batchar identified the slain troopers as 1st Lt. Ralph
Pantonial, a member of PMA Class 2010 and Pfc. Eulezys Bantulo and those wounded as Cpl. Melvin Velunta and Pfc. Jestoni Sabido Pantonial used to be spokesperson of the 46th Infantry Battalion, he added. The second encounter took place 6 p.m. in Sitio Biasong, Barangay Napnapan, Pantukan when around 10 NPAs fired upon a platoon of soldiers from Bravo Company of the 46th Infantry Battalion. After a five-minute firefight, the rebels withdrew
towards north and burned two houses in Purok 7, in the same area during their escape. Killed in the second clash was Pfc. Moreno. Wounded in this encounter was Cpl. Herbert Aquino, a member of the responding medical team, whose vehicle was mined by the rebels. All wounded troops are now undergoing treatment at the Metro Davao Medical and Research Center. Pursuit operations are still ongoing as of this posting. (PNA)
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PMA grad, 2 others killed, 3 hurt in ComVal clash
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GRADUATE of the Philippine Military Academy (PMA) was killed along with two troopers from the 46th Infantry Battalion while three others were wounded following a series of clashes with rebels in Panutukan town, Compostela Valley late Wednesday. Captainr Rhyan Batchar, 10th Infantry Division public affairs office chief, said the first incident happened in Sitio Sapang Tin-aw, Barangay Tibagon, Pantukan at 1 p.m. Government troops were on routine security patrol
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DCWD’s VP, Felcris, SM Lanang centers open on February 8,25
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HE Davao City Water District (DCWD) announced that its Victoria Plaza, Felcris Centrale, and SM Lanang Premier collection centers will be open during the holidays on February 8 and February 25 from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. to accept payment of water bills. However, its Bajada, Matina, and Toril offices will be closed on the said dates relative to the declaration of February 8 and 25 as special non-working holidays for Chinese New Year and EDSA People Power Revolution 30th anniversary, respectively. The water utility also advises that the due date for water bill payments falling on said
holidays remains as scheduled. General manager Edwin V. Regalado assured the public that DCWD’s technical and Central Information Unit (CIU) / Call Center operations will not be disrupted on the said dates to ensure continuous water service and offsite customer assistance. Likewise, DCWD customers may visit DCWD website (www.davao-water.gov. ph) and official Facebook page (www.facebook.com/ davaowater) or call the CIU / Call Center through the 24hour hotlines 297-DCWD (3293), 0927-7988966, 09255113293 and 0908-4410653 for queries and further updates. (Jamae G. Dela Cruz)
Drug pusher arrested in S. Cotabato town
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NTI-DRUG operatives arrested an alleged big time drug pusher in a raid on Thursday morning in the outskirts of Sto. Nino town in South Cotabato. Kath Abad, public information officer of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) in Region 12, identified the suspect as Jomar Ugalingan Ambalgan, 40, a resident of Barangay Ambalgan in Sto.
Nino town. Armed with a search warrant issued by a local court, she said their personnel raided the suspect’s residence in Purok 10x10 in Barangay Ambalgan at past 6 a.m. The operation was joined by elements from the South Cotabato Provincial Police Public Safety Company, Sto. Niño municipal police station,
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MORNING OFFERING. A Filipino-Chinese store owner lights up an incense stick in front of an image of the Buddha after offering a morning prayer inside a shopping arcade along R. Magsaysay Avenue in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.
Sulu roadside bombing injures 7 Marine troopers
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EVEN marine troopers were wounded in a roadside bombing believed to have been perpetrated by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) early Thursday in the province of Sulu, an official disclosed.
Major Felimon Tan, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, said the incident occurred around 6:50 a.m. Thursday in Barangay Lagtoh, Talipao, Sulu. Tan did not release the
identities of the wounded soldiers except that they belong to the Marine Battalion Landing Team-10 (MBLT-10). The troops were en route to Barangay Kuhaw, Talipao from Barangay Katian, In-
danan to act as an advance forces when the convoy hit an IED. Tan said the injured Marines were promptly evacuated to the Trauma Hospital in
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City’s Chinese New Year party moves to Rizal Park By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
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HE Davao City Chinatown Development Council (DCCDC) will transfer the celebration of Chinese New Year from the usual venue of Sta. Ana Avenue to Rizal Park. Speaking in yesterday’s I-Speak Media Forum, DCCDC public relations officer Jasper Huang said the council decided to make the transfer to make the celebration more accessible to people. He said some of the Filipino-Chinese in the city
could not join previous celebrations because Sta. Avenue is not accessible to them. Huang said aside from accessibility, the DCCDC also wants to open the celebration to all the people of the city. “Karon mas gusto nato for the masses (Now, we want to open it for the masses),” he said. Huang said in this year’s celebration, the program will be more interactive with the audience.
Aside from live bands, the council also hired standup comedians to entertain the audience. Huang said there will be games, free t-shirt printing of the Chinese Zodiac, and free lugaw for the people. Huang said there will also be a street party after the new year countdown celebration. The booths in Rizal Park will open from 1 p.m. on February 7 all the way to 1 a.m. on February 8.
RABIES-FREE CITY. City Veterinarian Office (CVO) veterinarian 2 Gay Pallar urges the public to have their pet dogs and cats vaccinated to attain the agency’s target of a rabies-free Davao City by 2020. Pallar graced yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall. Lean Daval Jr.
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CVO: No avian virus in Davao By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
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HE City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO) assured the public that there is no avian pest known as Newcastle Disease (NCD) virus outbreak in Davao City. CVO disease and prevention control head Dr. Gay Z. Pallar said although there are reports of a problem besetting one poultry in the city, it
remains to be confirmed if it is NCD. “May nag-report na may problema daw yung poultry nila sa Sirawan pero hindi pa confirmed (There is a report in Sirawan, Toril about a problem in a poultry there but it is not yet confirmed),” Pallar said is yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall.
Pallar said most of the backyard poultry raisers in the city are given free vaccine every year. “This is one of the programs of the city government of Davao led by the City Veterinarian’s Office to give free vaccine,” she said. The NCD vaccine came from the P1.4 million budget of
the CVO along with other vaccines in different animals. The CVO also receive NCD vaccines from the Department of Agriculture (DA). “As far as we know from the office, we have no reports of NCD. Maybe in other places in the Philippines there are reported cases but nothing in the city,” Pallar said.
Every year, the city allocates 19,000 vaccines to the poultry raisers who will request for these. Pallar said the city government gave around 114,000 vaccines to different backyard poultry raisers in the city in 2015. A vial of the vaccine can immunize around 1,000 poul-
Cement sector posts 14% growth in 2015
F HAGGLING TIME. A customer negotiates the price of a second-hand stuffed toy at a sidewalk stall along R. Magsaysay Avenue in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.
ULL-YEAR sales volume of the local cement industry has increased by 14.3 percent in 2015, Cement Manufacturer’s Association of the Philippines (CEMAP) President Ernie Ordoñez said on Wednesday. Ordoñez said sales volume of cement last year reached 24.36 million tons which is 3.06 million tons higher than the sales volume in 2014 at 21.30 million tons. For the fourth quarter of 2015 alone, industry’s sales rose to 6.08 million tons. This is 16.6 percent higher than the same period in 2014 at 5.21 million tons.
Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala said the 5-year development plan reinforces crucial initiatives implemented during the administration of President Benigno S. Aquino III to address the challenges faced by the fishing industry and ensure that resources are protected and managed for future generations. Alfalfa said the CNFIDP reaffirms the commitment of the Aquino administration to the development of the fisherfolk and the industry as a whole. It
emphasized vital government initiatives which include our efforts to protect whatever is left of our pristine resources; to rehabilitate and restore degraded aquatic habitats; and to curb illegal and destructive methods of fishing and farming, among others. The fishery industry plan, which was crafted through consensus-building via a three-part series of fisheries stakeholders’ workshops in the last quarter of 2015, contains the targets and action
plans in capture fisheries, aquaculture, post-harvest and marketing subsectors for the next five years. For capture fisheries, the commercial fishing stakeholders targeted a 5 percent annual growth by exploring new fishing grounds while the municipal fisherfolk is hiking annual production by one percent. The aquaculture subsector agreed on increasing production of emerging high-value species and key species such
during Q4 2015 covering major repairs and repainting works to the façade and the interior of the convention center, including an overhaul of the front portals leading to the Halls and Function Rooms, and landscaping of the grand lobbies on the first and second levels of the building. Subsequently, the 2nd phase continues with the replacement of the entire flooring on all levels and major refitting of the 15 meeting rooms on the second level of the property. The renovation, coinciding with the
construction of the Conrad Hotel Manila - linked via two (2) bridgeways to the convention center – scheduled to open soon, is targeted for completion midyear. To complement the facility improvements, SMX is also adding more people to fulfill front-of-house functions and 24/7 operations. “The business is now about interaction with the clients. In order for us to operate like a hotel, there has to be stronger attention to detail and emphasis on service and overall event experience,”
said Walid Wafik Vice President - General Manager of SMX Convention Centers and Tradehalls. SMX Convention Center Manila opened November 2007. It operates five (5) other SMX properties and tradehalls across key cities in the Philippines, such as: SMX Aura, Davao, Bacolod, Megatrade Hall and Cebu Trade Hall, totaling to an inventory of approximately 39,000 sqm leasable space. In addition to this roster, the SM Hotels and Conventions group is opening SMX Cebu in year 2017.
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SMX upgrades to convention, exhibition facilities
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MX Convention Center, the premier venue for the Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions (M.I.C.E) industry in the Philippines, announces major facility upgrades to its 46,647-square meter flagship property SMX Manila in the Mall of Asia Complex, Pasay City. The renovation is set to open more opportunities for business as Metro Manila progresses to be the premier host capital of the country. The ongoing renovation started with its 1st phase
The CEMAP chief attributed the growth of the cement industry to higher investments in construction of the public sector backed with the private sector’s confidence in the government, new housing projects with low interest rates, and better weather condition last year. Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that public construction jumped to 51 percent in Q4 2015, surging from 3.3 percent in 2014. Government’s infrastructure spending has consistently expanded.
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Romualdez: Support for agri crucial to food security
DA launches 5-year development plan S for globally-competitive Phl fisheries T HE Department of Agriculture formally launched Wednesday the Comprehensive National Fisheries Industry Development Plan 2016-2020 (CNFIDP) with the aim of developing a more improved, globally-competitive and sustainable Philippine fisheries in the coming years. The CNFIDP was launched during the National Fisheries Industry Summit at the Philippine Trade Training Center in Pasay City.
try products. Pallar said the virus in poultries could spread immediately because it is an airborne disease. The DA earlier reported that the 41,000 poultry products killed in Central and Northern Luzon areas were caused by NCD that infected chickens since last month.
ENATORIAL aspirant Martin Romualdez today urged the national government to give priority to agriculture not only to achieve food security but also to emancipate farming communities from grinding poverty. “Full support for the nation’s farmers is imperative if we hope to improve their standards of living,” the lawmaker said. “Our economists have for the longest time lamented that the government has practically thrown the farmers to the wolves by neglecting them and not giving them what they need to heighten productivity and thereby raise household incomes”, he added. Romualdez also pointed out that the agriculture sector is among the most vulnerable to natural disasters such as strong typhoons and floods that destroy their crops, usually leading to millions of pesos worth of losses every year. Romualdez said he was glad that the legislature is moving in the right direction by passing more agriculture-related measures. For instance, the House of Representatives has extended the life of the Agricultural Competitiveness Enhancement Fund (ACEF) by seven years. House Bill 6162 extends up to 2022 the period of implementation of the ACEF,
which comes from the duties collected from the importation of agricultural products under the minimum access volume mechanism, including unused balances and collections from repayments from loan beneficiaries including interests. The ACEF fund aims to increase the productivity of farmers and fisherfolk by providing them support services like irrigation, farm to market roads, post-harvest equipment and facilities, credit, research and development, among others. The Fund also provides protection to farmers and fisherfolk from unfair trade practices such as smuggling, dumping of agricultural products or other similar acts of unfair trade practices. At the same time, the Senate has passed on final reading a bill creating a credit facility in the Land Bank of the Philippines to provide increased financial support to agrarian reform beneficiaries, small farmers and fisherfolk. Romualdez said these measures are all positive steps in helping the agricultural sector and should be followed through with more pro-farmer initiatives to demonstrate government’s concern or malasakit for their welfare. Romualdez is on his last term as congressman and is seeking a seat in the Senate in the May general elections.
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Blue gold
Indigofera tinctoria (from the net)
rediscovered By HENRYLITO D. TACIO
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T was Sir Isaac Newton who is credited for introducing indigo to the world when he used the word to describe one of the two new primary colors he added to the five he had originally named, in his revised account of the rainbow. In Memoirs of the Life, Writings and Discoveries of Sir Isaac Newton, David Brewster quoted Newton as saying: “I desired a friend to draw with a pencil lines cross the image, or pillar of colours, where every one of the seven aforenamed colours was most full and brisk, and also where he judged the truest confines of them to be, whilst I held the paper so, that the said image might fall within a certain compass marked on it. And this I did, partly because my own eyes are not very critical in distinguishing colours, partly because another, to whom I had not communicated my thoughts about this matter, could have nothing but his eyes to determine his fancy in making those marks.” As a color name in English, however, indigo was first used in 1283. It was named after the indigo dye derived from the plant native to the tropics. The primary commercial indigo species in Asia was true indigo (Indigofera tinctoria, also known as I. sumatrana). In the past, extracting indigo dye from plants was economically important as blue dyes were rare. As a matter of fact, indigo was one of the oldest dyes to be used for textile dyeing and printing. “Many Asian countries, such as India, China, Japan, and Southeast Asian nations have used indigo as a dye (particularly silk dye) for centuries,” Wikipedia reports. “The dye was also known to ancient civilizations in Mesopotamia, Egypt, Britain, Mesoamerica, Peru, Iran, and Africa.” In the Old World, India is believed to be the oldest center of indigo dyeing. It was a primary supplier of indigo to Europe as early as the Greco-Roman era. The association of India with indigo is reflected in the Greek word for the dye, indikón. The Romans latinized the term to indicum, which passed into Italian dialect and eventually into English as the word indigo. Because of its high value as a trading commodity, indigo was often referred to as “blue gold.” In the 18th century, indigo was a major export crop
that supported plantation slavery in colonial South Carolina. Today, a large percentage of indigo dye produced – several thousand tons each year – is synthetic, which means it is prepared or made artificially. Indigo is the blue often associated with blue jeans. But there is a new project which tries to revive the art of traditional dye weaving. Thanks to Non-Timber Forest Products Exchange Programme (NTFP-EP), a collaborative network of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and community-based organizations in South and Southeast Asia. Established in Cambodia in 2007, the NTFP-EP started strengthening the capacity of forest dependent communities to manage their own forest enterprises. Over the years, it has developed various programs and now it expands on empowering indigenous peoples and forest communities to secure and defend their rights to land and livelihoods. One of the valuable income-generating projects it has identified is the Indigo Project. For one, it promotes the development and implementation of environmental and social standards in hand-woven textiles production. For another, it supports production and sourcing of
environmentally friendly natural dyes and fibers, establishes eco-friendly product standards, and scales production of eco-textiles. Aside from Indonesia, the Indigo Project reaches out to indigenous populations in upland and rural communities in the Philippines. Among the artisans in the country are members of Mangyan Alangan, Mangyan Hanunoo and Mangyan Iraya of the island of Mindoro; Higaonon of Bukidnon, Palaw’anon and Tagbanua of Palawan, T’boli of South Cotabato, Maguindanao weavers and those of Negros. “Right now, the ability of the indigenous people to manage and use their resources for their livelihood is threatened by pressures from mainstream society and by policies that don’t take into account their indigenous peoples’ culture and needs,” deplore Ruth Canlas, executive director of NTFP-EF Philippines. The NTFP-EF partners with the Custom Made Crafts Center (CMCC) as its integrated design and marketing arm to give project beneficiaries proper skills training that will allow them to combine modern technology with age-old practices. The goal is to produce world-class materials made of natural dye and fiber that can be promoted not only locally but to the
Artisanal hand-woven products using indigo dye (courtesy of Globe)
Indigo farm in Aklan (courtesy of Globe)
international market as well. Both the NTFP-EF and CMCC work with indigenous people in developing culture-sensitive livelihoods. They also extend assistance to sustainably manage the resources (non-timber forest products) used and help in capacity-building and product the technology development. One of CMCC’s banner programs is the Modern Indigenous (or Modi for short). “(Modi) is a lifestyle line that fuses traditional crafts with contemporary design and function,” a press release explained. “It is a synergy of Philippine tribal artisans and citybred designers to make culture-bound crafts up to date.” CMCC is one of the social enterprises being supported by Globe Telecom, one of the country’s leading telecommunications companies. “When we started the Indigo Project, there were no takers,” Benilda Camba, NTFP-EP Enterprise Development Coordinator, recalls. “It was only Globe who really worked with us on this.” Fernando Esguerra, Director of Globe Corporate Social Responsibility, pointed out why the company is supporting the project. “Globe believes that everyone should have a share in the country’s economic growth that is why we continue to focus on underserved communities which we can help by providing sustainable livelihood programs,”
he said. “Through these efforts, Globe hopes to offer viable economic opportunities – and with these, new possibilities for prosperity.” According to Globe, the traditional art of extracting and applying indigo on textiles has been forgotten over the years due to the emergence of synthetic dyes. For consistency of product and expediency in production, the CMMC sought assistance from the state-funded Philippine Textile Research Institute to combine modern technology with age-old practices, which was then taught to the community members. It takes three months for the indigo plant to flower, at which point, the leaves are gathered and manually fermented, filtered, aerated, and powdered. The CMCC buys the powdered dye that the communities produce, supplementing their livelihood and providing them additional income with very little capital. Both the NTFP-EP and CMCC benefit from the information and communication technology tools being provided by Globe. Among these are internet connectivity and mobile credit card payment facility through Globe Charge not mentioning the capacity building support and market access. “We’re not business people; we’re more involved in community development. But all this technology helps drive the business,” Camba said. But to Globe, it is not only about technology. In Aklan, as part of the company’s rehabilitation and recovery efforts, Globe and CMCC has expanded the program in the province to benefit more subsistence farmers and to take advantage of the vibrant weaving industry. After super typhoon Yolanda (Haiyan) ravaged Aklan, Globe and CMCC has expanded the program in the province to benefit more subsistence farmers and to take advantage of the vibrant weaving industry. In Madalag, for instance, it started with only one barangay. Globe reportedly added 10 more to its list of support-
ed barangays. The expansion helped communities to grow more indigo plants in the area. For a faster and more bountiful harvest throughout the year, the plants were grown in riverbeds, backyards, and vacant lots where the soil is rich with nutrients. Aside from Aklan, Globe is also helping establish natural indigo dye powdering facilities in Quezon, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Zamboanga, and Palawan. With Globe’s partnership, the CMCC has the capability of offering its products to customers in other parts of the world through Skype. “We’re not business people, we’re more involved in community development,” Camba said. “But all this technology helps drive the business.” According to some reports, one-half of the country’s population now has access to Internet. As such, small and medium enterprises have the potential of expanding their businesses through the World Wide Web. “The World Wide Web has long opened the channels to access international markets,” Reynaldo R. Huergas, president of IP Converge Data Services Inc., was quoted as saying by Business Mirror. “With social media and a myriad of available digital tools, local enterprises can overcome geographical boundaries and access new markets, particularly overseas.” Meanwhile, natural indigo dye is fast gaining a following among designers. Loungewear designer Twinkle Ferraren, a Filipino jeans maker, is using it to dye Japanese natural cotton. Filipino-American designer and textile technologist Anthony Cruz brings the product to his shop in California. In a press statement, Globe said: “By preserving this craft which is a traditional expression of the art and identity of indigenous and rural peoples, (we) are not only able to keep such customs alive but are also able to provide the communities a way to a better life in the face of growing marginalization.
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EDITORIAL
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Davao heroes
IFE is here,” said Nimfa Usana Petel after getting back her mobile phone which she had dropped inside a taxi cab. She was thankful to the driver of the taxi for returning her phone and could not help but praise this act of honesty. This happened in Davao City early this year, just one of the many heartwarming stories of taxi cab drivers returning belongings left behind by their passengers. Ms. Petel, who is from Manila but is now living in the city, and so many other passengers have benefitted from these inspiring acts and saw for themselves that honesty reigns in this part of the land. So, it was just fitting for Davao City Police Office (DCPO) to honor 19 honest taxi drivers during its regular flag-raising ceremonies last Monday. With DCPO director, Senior Superintendent Vicente Danao, and City Tourism Operations Office chief Lisette Marques attending the event, the drivers took center stage as their best practices were rightfully recognized. For their uprightness, the
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drivers received citations, tokens, and even cash incentives from Danao. That the recognition is long overdue is not really for us to question, but the fact that the DCPO had come up with this kind of activity in honor of the modern day heroes of Davao City is one laudable move. Stories of honesty among taxi drivers bring inspiration not only to residents but visitors as well. Truthfulness is one courageous act that defines the character of a person, a virtue missing from most politicians and those holding office in government. These Davao taxi drivers, indeed, deserved the recognition: Danilo Dumalag, Roy Arboleda, Roger Calica, Irigo Sumaliling, Jupiter Fernandez, Danilo Lape, Eduardo Fernandez, Jerry Kuizon, Elmer Givertas, Richar Labor, Noel S. Ingcal, Samuel Apale, Victoriano Casurra Jr., Reynante L. Maitim, Jose Calles Gohetia, Bobby Caminero, Welfredo L. Rosalinda, Norberto D. Ayala, and Oliver P. Nualla. You are our heroes. ANTONIO M. AJERO Editor in Chief
NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO Managing Editor
AGAPITO JOAQUIN JR. Associate Editor
CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY Consultant
PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTE
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The city and the man
R
ECENTLY, Business Mirror came up with a report on the 10 best places to live in the Philippines. It was based on the 2012 Human Development Index (HDI) data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). Of the 10, nine places are in Luzon: Benguet (with an index of 0.842), Metro Manila (0.829), Rizal (0.805), Cavite (0.773), Ilocos Norte (0.731), Bataan (0.729), Pampanga (0.727), Laguna (0.721), and Bulacan (0.705). Only Iloilo in the Visayas made it to the list; it was ranked 10th, having an index of 0.691. One reader, presumably from Luzon, wrote: “Davao City is not included in 2012 Human Development Index (HDI) data released by the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA). What happened? Ipinagmamalaki pa naman ni (Mayor Rodrigo) Duterte na ang Davao raw ay ‘peaceful, may economic progress, mataas ang per - capita income at disiplinado raw ang mga tao?” I really don’t know why the reader reacted that way. I am not sure if he really read the whole news report. The HDI is measured based on three indices: life expectancy index, education index, and income index. If only the index include good governance, tourism facilities, and peace and order situation, Davao City will automatically be included in the list. “Human index nga so those you mentioned are not included,” a Manila-based reporter told me. There are three popular cities in the Philippines: Manila in Luzon, Cebu in the Visayas, and Davao in Mindanao. In terms of population, Davao is the third most populous metropolitan area with 2.26
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million people, THINK ON THESE! as of 2010 census. Metro Manila holds the distinction with 11.86 million people, while Cebu comes next with 2.55 million people. In terms of land area, Davao Henrylito D. Tacio City has a total henrytacio@gmail.com land area of 2,444 square kilometers, making it the largest city in the country. In comparison, Puerto Princesa has a total land area of only 2,381.02 square kilometers. Approximately, Davao is 7.8 times the size of Cebu and three times that of the entire Metro Manila. Davao City -- grouped with the province of Davao del Sur (for geographical and statistical purposes) but is governed independently from it -- serves as the main trade, commerce, and industry hub of Mindanao and the regional center of Davao Region. Most people living in the city -- and even national media -- described Davao City as among the safest cities in the country. In a news report, veteran journalist Aurelio A. Peña wrote: “Don’t be surprised if you meet someone in this city who tells you that it’s safe to walk around here because ‘Davao is much safer than New York.’ Unlike in the past when cops are easily terrorized by urban guerrillas or criminals with impunity, now it’s the other way around.” Recently, however, the claim of being a safe
city has been met with criticisms especially by the people from Metro Manila. “It’s a myth,” claimed Manuel “Mar” Roxas, who is running for president in this year’s election. According to the Liberal Party standard-bearer, Davao City has the fourth-highest number of crime incidents in the Philippines. “Myth, kathang-isip, imagination lang itong payapa sa Davao City. Hindi ko sila dinadown. Sinasabi ko lang ang statistics,” Roxas was quoted as saying in a presidential forum held at the Ateneo de Manila University, his alma mater. Perhaps in the past, Davao City was. In fact, it was known as “Murder City.” But later on, it earned the description as “one of the most livable cities in the Asia” (both sobriquets were bestowed by the defunct Asiaweek magazine). Indeed, Davao City has gone a long, long way. And the credit goes to the current mayor, Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is running against Roxas and four other contenders. In 1986, People Power Revolution installed Corazon C. Aquino as the new president. Duterte -- the son of the last governor of then undivided Davao Province who obtained a law degree from San Beda College in 1972, the same year that he passed the bar exam -- was appointed officer-in-charge vice mayor. In 1988, Duterte ran for mayor and won, serving until 1998. During his term, he did the most impossible task of restoring peace and order that was divided by religion and ideological belief. He also set a precedent by designating deputy mayors that represented the Lumad (the indigenous people’s group) and Moro in the city government (this was later copied in other parts of the country).
By the time his first term ended, Duterte had regained much of the city’s positive image as an ideal investment haven and tourism destination. During the 67th Araw ng Dabaw celebration, then President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo commented: “The Philippines is just catching up with Davao City which seems to be always leading the way for the rest of the country.” For such accolade, Duterte had this to say: “I hold it as an article of faith in government that there can never be development and progress in any city or province in the country, unless there is stability, unless there is peace and order.” To some, Duterte is a model crime fighter; to others, he is a mass murderer. “He is unorthodox as he is popular,” wrote Davao journalist Daisy C. Gonzales. “He gained fame (or notoriety) as a no-nonsense mayor in his fight against criminality. A good source of sound bite, he is his own effective propaganda machine. He is both loved and loathed.” Time, the weekly American news magazine, nicknamed him “The Punisher.” He has also been criticized by human rights groups and by Amnesty International for tolerating extrajudicial killings of corrupt officials and criminals. However, he denied any hand in the killings and blamed gang wars for the deaths, which included those of known drug trade players and other crime suspects. As he himself said in 2009: “If you are doing an illegal activity in my city, if you are a criminal or part of a syndicate that preys on the innocent people of the city, for as long as I am the mayor, you are a legitimate target of assassination.”
der equality. MY MILLENNIAL MIND It believes that all people regardless of their gender should have equal rights and must be treated with equal Vanessa Kate Madrazo respect and dignity. So, you are a feminist if you believe that men and women must have equal salaries given the same quality of work. You are a feminist if you believe that both men and women should equally have the chance to occupy leadership positions. You are a feminist if you believe that both men and women shouldn’t be sexually objectified but rather that they should be treated as multidimensional human beings with dignity. And you are a feminist if you believe that both men and women should equally share the burden of making decisions within the family.
with men. One of the goals of the feminist movement is to reverse the patriarchal system – the system in which men dominate most aspects in society. We have progressed, yes, but the foundation of feminism was rooted from the pervasive power imbalance between the two genders. Before, women were not allowed to own property or vote. Before, women weren’t believed to have the right to education or have a career. But even today, sexism still exists and is still pervasive. Men have several privileges over women. What are examples? Statistically, women are paid less in salary compared with men given the same qualifications. In some countries, men dominate family dynamics and subject women to housework and disallow them from pursuing careers of their own. Men also have the privilege to show some skin without being sexually harassed and being slut-shamed while society at large blames women for being raped because they wear shorts. These all add up to create a structural disadvantage for women in society. It’s called feminism because it wants to provide women with the same opportunities and the same respect that men already have. This in no way attempts to undermine how men can also be targets of gender stereotypes and social constructs about masculinity. But if you take
a look at stereotypes attached to men such as how men should not cook or clean, or how men should always be tough and not cry and be expressive about their emotions – these are traits that are commonly associated with women, but the way it is framed in the stereotype implies that these traits are undesirable because they show weakness. It still goes back to how women are treated in relation to men and it is very important that we change this.
A beginner’s guide to feminism
FEW days ago at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said the following: “We shouldn’t be afraid of the word ‘feminist.’ Men and women should use it to describe themselves anytime they want.” This was a very important statement coming from a man – to embrace feminism as an advocacy – more so because the word “feminist” is continually misconstrued by men and women alike without really understanding what it really means. Even celebrities misconstrue it (take Shailene Woodley, Katy Perry, and Beyonce, for example). So for those that know little about this, here are frequently asked questions about feminism as a starting point to understanding what it really means.
What is feminism not? Let’s begin first to understand what feminism is not. It is not man-hating. It’s not a feminist’s goal to suppress men’s rights, or oppose them any way. Nor is it about women being the dominating gender in society. It does not seek to undermine anyone’s rights. Nor does it only seek to support women who are already successful. So what is feminism? Feminism is a movement that forwards gen-
But if it’s about gender equality then why is it called “feminism”? That’s because women are in a disadvantaged position for the longest time compared
Do I need to be a woman to be a feminist? No. Both men and women can be a feminist so long as they believe in gender equality. In fact, Justin Trudeau emphasized the importance of men in the role of demanding a shift to promote women’s rights. It is important to recognize that these power imbalances exist and that they oppresses women. It is important to understand, however, that just like any movement, feminism contains gradients and are diverse in and of itself. There is more than one way to define what empowers a woman and there are a lot of debates within the movement itself regarding what to prioritize. But this should be a starting point for us to begin exploring – what are the different advocacies of the feminist movement? How pervasive is sexism in politics? In media? Or in the corporate world? What can we do to help?
10 NEWS
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Duterte... FROM 2 Davao City, Duterte chided Agriculture Secretary Proceso Alcala for shooting down his “free irrigation” advocacy. Alcala was quoted as saying that free irrigation could not be given because there would be no funds left for the maintenance of the irrigation facilities. “Bakit kung para sa bulsa nila, maraming pera. Bilyon-bilyon pero kung para sa mag-
Drug... FROM 4
CELEBRATION. Davao City Chinatown Development Council’s Jasper Huang gives the details of the activities for the forthcoming Chinese New Year celebration which includes the midnight countdown set on February 7 at Rizal Park. Huang was among the guests of I-Speak media forum at City Hall yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.
3 MEN... FROM 1
tozoa. Driz had earlier said according to witnesses, Roldan Anie was the one who hit Lorinton with a piece of wood and raped the victim. Dindo was the one who held the victim while Rufino served as the lookout. She said the suspects could have been under the influence of illegal drugs while committing the crime. Lorinton’s body was found in Purok Hanagdong in Barangay Tawan-tawan at
KMU... FROM 2
Around 100 members of KMU-Mindanao joined the rally on Wednesday and vowed to monitor who among the legislators would attend the session and vote in favor of overriding the veto. “Congress knows that the public is waiting on them to deliver this veto override today. We are demanding Congress to show up and make a last-ditch effort to save the pensioners before it goes into recess. They owe it to the senior citizens,” Maglunsod added in a statement. He said the group had met with the senior citizens federation leaders, workers in the formal and informal sector, drivers, and migrant workers “in calling for a regional alliance to push for the P2,000 SSS pension hike should the override veto fail to pass.” Maglunsod said they are not losing hope even if lawmakers will not favor of the overriding, adding that they will continue to push for the passage of vetoed legislation in the next administration. “Among our numerous consultations with senior citizens’ associations and workers’ groups, there is unanimity that other proposals below the P2,000 level
around 5 a.m. on February 1. She had no underwear and her pants had been lowered to her knees, leading investigators to believe she had been raped before being killed. The victim sustained wounds in different parts of her body and a hack wound on her chin. The victim’s grandfather told police that his granddaughter had gone to Sitio Camarag in Barangay Tambobong for a religious meeting at around 1 p.m. on January 31. across-the-board pension increase is unacceptable. There is also unity that the pension hike, being long overdue, will now be up to a strong alliance of stakeholders in this issue who will place enough pressure on Congress, SSS, and the executive branch to make the pension hike possible,” Maglunsod added. In an earlier statement, Carlo Olalo, spokesperson of KMU-Southern Mindanao, said: “The government is lying through its teeth. The proponents of this bill had carefully studied the financial capacity of the SSS, including all possible sourcing, such as improving the collections and penalizing delinquent employers who do not remit SSS premium contributions of worker-members.” He added that Aquino must cut back on the bonuses of SSS executives rather than depriving the senior citizens of pension hike if “the president is worried about insolvency.” Maglunsod said they will resort to mass movements if the government refuses to hear the public clamor. A series of rallies led by Gabriela and KMU-SMR had been held since the veto last January 14. Antonio L. Colina IV
Sulu... FROM 4
Camp Bautista, Jolo, Sulu. He said they were airlifted around 9:25 a.m. to this city and were taken to Camp Navarro General Hospital for fur-
ther medical treatment. The troops continuous pursuit of the ASG brigands in Sulu is aimed to neutralize the group. (PNA)
as bangus (milkfish), tilapia, shrimps, seaweeds and shellfish. The post-harvest group settled on further reducing post-harvest losses from 25 percent to 15 percent while the trade and marketing sub-sector accepted to increase quantity and value of traded fishery products for domestic and export consumption. Alcala lauded the efforts of all the stakeholders in crafting the industry development plan which he said would lead to inclusive growth in the fisheries sector which, he said, is the most vulnerable sector in society. “Formulating the CNFIDP would have not been possible without the persistent efforts of government and the private sectors. Inclusive growth can be achieved when our resources had been fully restored, protected and managed,” he said. He likewise thanked Congress for passing the amendments to the Fisheries Code which harmonized the strategic actions identified by each sub-sector. “The amendments to the Fisheries Code was likewise very timely as it provides the stakeholders a solid legal framework in coming up with a more responsive industry plan,” Alcala said. The Agriculture chief also hailed the continuing support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) to ensure the sustainable development of the Philippine fisheries industry. The USAID has been instrumental in the development of the first CNFIDP 2006-2025 and the present medium term plan for 2016-2020.
In response, Michael S. Klecheski, the Deputy Chief of Mission of the US Embassy in Manila, said that the USAID is happy to have played a role in helping the Philippines on biodiversity management issues. “Fisheries and ocean biodiversity issues are among the tremendous priorities of the US government. We are happy to be a part of this and it has been a wonderful experience working with the Department of Agriculture and its Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR),” Klecheski said. Meanwhile, Senators Cynthia Villar and Loren Legarda, who were among the notables present during the summit, expressed their full support for the success of the CNFIDP. The lady senators were instrumental in the passage of the amendments of the Fisheries Code, which President Aquino signed into law last year. Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Food, said she would be introducing a bill that would mandate all local government units (LGUs) to set aside a certain amount of their respective budgets for aquaculture in support of the CNFIDP and to boost food security as a whole. “Aquaculture for small fisherfolk would be crucial for the future of Philippine fisheries. If ocean catch fails, we can rely on aquaculture for food security,” she said. Legarda, for her part, vowed to push for the creation of a Department of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources in order to strengthen the government’s thrust towards an inclusive and sustainable fisheries sector. (PNA)
DA... FROM 6
sasaka, walang pera,” Duterte said. During his talk to the farmer leaders, Duterte also promised to restart the train services from Bicol to Manila and to implement the long-delayed Mindanao Railway System. The Davao City Mayor was the only Presidential candidate who responded to the invitation of the KMP to speak in the forum.
South Cotabato police’s Highway Patrol Group and Army’s 27th Infantry Battalion, she said. Recovered during the raid were two heat-sealed transparent plastic sachets containing suspected methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu weighing about 0.5 gram and with an estimated market value of PHP3,750. Abad said they have long been monitoring the movements of the suspect, who was tagged as directly involved in the illegal drug trade in the area. “He (Ambalgan) is included in our target list in Barangay Ambalgan,” she said. Barangay Ambalgan is a
known drop-off and distribution point of shabu by suppliers supposedly coming from Cotabato City and Maguindanao. The suspect is reportedly a relative of barangay chair Pudin Ambalgan of Upper Sepaka in Surallah town who was nabbed in a raid staged by PDEA-12 at his home in Barangay Ambalgan on Nov. 20 last year. Abad added that the suspect, who is currently detained at the PDEA-12 lockup here, will be charged on Friday for violation of Section 11 or possession of dangerous drugs, Article II of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. (PNA)
From 1.8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) in 2010, it increased to 5.0 percent of GDP in 2016. In absolute value, government’s infrastructure budget
in 2010 was at USD3.8 billion while the 2016 budget is targeted at USD17.4 billion which is 4.6 times higher when the Aquino administration started. (PNA)
Mayor Joseph Evangelista, concurrent chair of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC), said that close to P30 million worth of value crops that included rice, corn, coconut, rubber, and sugarcane were damaged by the scorching climate in 266 hectares of farmlands here since November last year. A total of 553 farmers from the city’s 18 villages
were severely affected by the drought, he added. Moreover, the mayor said farm yields from three remote villages here namely Onica, Macebolig, and Kalaisan, were racked up by rodents in numerous attacks. Evangelista said a locally initiated calamity intervention program is underway to combat dengue, rat and rice black bug infestation all at the same time. (PNA)
ment scheme can go on for a year but there will come a time that it will no longer entice investors or the market will be already saturated. The SEC-Davao is planning to hold a series of investor information seminar nationwide, kicking off in the city sometime in March this year to educate the people on the investments scams like “how to detect, what to avoid, and how to report.” “At the same time, we will also present what alternative investments that are legitimate aside from the usual investments that are registered with SEC,” Francisco said. SEC-Davao also issued advisories to inform the public who are these companies who have been issued with cease and desist orders for violating
SEC policies. “After all, the first line of defense should be investors themselves,” Francisco said. “You have to educate yourself in investing in general. You can check with Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE) if you want go into stocks,” he added. “Generally speaking, if the investment product or scheme appears to be too good to be true with fantastic returns, it cannot be from a legitimate investments and you have to be careful,” Francisco warned. He said that some individuals are drawn into investment scams because of greed even if they know that returns cannot be certain. “There’s no substitute for hard work,” Francisco stressed. Antonio L. Colina IV
Cement... FROM 6 North... FROM 14
SEC... FROM 14
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Art & Sole
SNEAKERS MAY BE HAVING THEIR MOMENT, but flipflops will always have its place under the sun. That being said, the new year means another reason for Havaianas to shout out their thanks through their annual Obrigada. ‘Obrigada,’ which means ‘thank you’ in Portuguese, is the company’s yearly gathering of top local media personalities
and it has always been celebrated with aplomb by MT Martish Corporation, the Exclusive Sub Distributors of Havaianas in South East Mindanao. Events thrown by Martish, whether public launches or intimate gatherings, are always
much awaited as its team helmed by Managing Director Marga Nograles is known to really pour its efforts in creating themed parties that are always affairs to remember. Well, this year, it seems Martish is set to pour art and sole to create a special makeshift design studio of sorts for all its guests this February 10 at Yellow Hauz. Does the establishment name already ring any creative bells? The quaint coffee shop is known as the home base of April San Pedro, the
artistic and ingeniously crafty mind behind I Am Artisan. Guests will be invited to throw on their figurative artist’s smocks and put their calligraphy kits to use during a 1 hour and 30 minute workshop that will culminate in designing their own Havaianas canvass bags. Guests will also be given a sneak peek of Havaianas summer collection and the chance to personalize them further by choosing from a wide array of
summer pins. The artistic bursts will all not surely only happen at the stroke of calligraphy brushes as Fuji Film is set to lend out their fun INSTAX Polaroid cameras for all attendees to use for unlimited imaginative mementos. Whereas it is already guaranteed to be a fun gathering every year with
media friends, adding to this year’s mix of people are a handful of chosen artistic influencers who will embody the artsy theme of this year’s event. Martish is training the design spotlight on some of their favorite creative minds from Davao to know what inspires them. They have gathered the likes of painter Dadai Joa-
quin, plastic surgeon Rina Angeles, makeup artist Carine Bacani, fashion designer Bobby Castillo and pastry artiste Joel Rodriguez to lend inspiration along with some of Havaianas’ graphically standout pairs. Let’s hope rubbing shoulders with these creative geniuses will help me unleash my inner artist.
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EVENT
By Henrylito D. Tacio IT WAS TOO LATE FOR CHRISTMAS and New Year’s celebrations and too early for Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day. But more than a dozen sales managers of hotels and resorts from the cities of Davao and Tagum convened for their annual gathering.
“We were supposed to have this meeting last year during the Christmas season,” explained Gina May Aranda, then the president of Hotel and Resort Sales Managers Association (HRSMA). “But since all of us were too busy with all the parties being the peak season, we had to postpone the meeting.” Last week, the group finally had the opportunity of getting together again at Big 8 Corporate Hotel in Tagum City. Now on its 18th year, it started only with the sales managers of hotels. But later on, sales managers of resorts joined the association. “Do we need to continue this group,” asked Aranda. Most of those in the audience chorused: “Yes, we have to.” According to Aranda, there are 24 members of the association. But some are inactive. Among the active members are: Marco Polo, Pearl Farm Beach Resort, Park Inn Radisson, Eden Nature Park and Resort, Seda Abreeza, Waterfront Insular Hotel, Big 8 Corporate Hotel, Apo View Hotel, Pinnacle Hotel, Malagos Garden Resort, Grand Regal Hotel, Hijo Estate, Castle Dream, Microtel, Royal Mandaya Hotel, El Bajada Hotel, D’Leonor Hotel and Tropika Hotel. During the gathering, Aranda shared -- via power point presentation -- the accomplishments of the group in the past year. She pointed out some facts and figures from the Department of Tourism and how these visitors outside of the two cities stayed in hotels and resorts. After the meeting, an election of new set of officers was held. Seda Abreeza’s Kathleen Namuag was elected as the new president. There were two vice presidents: for internal affairs, Waterfron’t Insular Ho-
When hotel and resort sales managers gather
tel-Davao’s Jessica Segura was elected with Big 8 Corporate Hotel’s Oliver Golosino for external affairs. Elected secretary was Thea Dimaano of Park inn Radisson while Jimmy Cosechay of The Ritz Hotel at Garden Oasis was treasurer. Auditor was Jeane Pardo of Pinnacle Suites and Dominador Del Rosario of
Grand Regal Hotel-Davao was press relation officer. The Board of Directors are: Big 8 Corporate Hotel’s Roxan M. Obregon, Waterfront Insular Hotel-Davao’s Jennifer Romero, and Eden Garden Resort’s Gina May Aranda. The night was not complete without the food -- lots of them -- and games.
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ENTERTAINMENT
Vice and Angel turn emotional over ‘PGT’ hopefuls TWO EMOTIONAL AND HEARTFELT PERFORMANCES touched the hearts of both viewers and the judges last weekend as auditions continue in the world-class talent reality show “Pilipinas Got Talent.”
Operatic singer Raynier Dalde burst into tears after judges Freddie Garcia, Angel Locsin, Robin Padilla, and Vice Ganda gave him a standing
ovation following his rendition of the popular hit “All of Me.” When Vice asked why he teared up, Raynier explained that he rarely gets praised and got overwhelmed that they stood for him. Even Angel was trying her best to hold back her tears while she was commenting since she was deeply moved by the performance. Hopeful Micah Cate, meanwhile, was given a second chance to continue
her PGT journey when Vice changed his mind and let her move forward in the competition. The phenomenal box-office star initially said no to the heartfelt rendition of “Beautiful” by Micah, who has a cleft palate, until he realized that he made the wrong decision. Vice, who was already very emotional that time, apologized to Micah and gave her a tight hug. These were only two
of the inspiring stories of triumph that viewers get to watch week by week in “Pilipinas Got Talent.” The Manila leg of auditions is still airing and so far, more than 10 acts made the cut. One lucky act--- the contemporary dancers Power Duo--goes straight to the semi-finals after Robin chose them to be his Golden Buzzer act. They are the first act to receive the Golden Buzz in PGT history.
Glaiza de Castro plays a mistress in ‘Karelasyon’ KAPUSO SINGER-ACTRESS Glaiza de Castro will be the malevolent boss-mistress to Rafael Rosell in this Saturday’s episode of Karelasyon.
Glaiza will play the character of Madam Zandra, who earned the reputation as “Satan’s mistress” because of her icy and catty disposition. A self-confessed man-hater, Madam Zandra will surprise everyone when she falls in love with Celio (Rafael), one of the employees in her company. But can Zandra lower herself to become a mistress to Celio who happens to be married to Liway (Mara Lopez)? Or will the boss from hell use all her power, influence, and money to keep the love of her life all to herself? Join Carla Abellana as she features another unique love story in Karelasyon this Saturday, February 6, after Eat Bulaga on GMA.
Cinema One kicks off Valentines with cable TV premiere of ‘That Thing Called Tadhana’
CELEBRATE the beginning of the love month with a hugot feast and great conversations on life and love via the cable TV premiere of the hit Cinema One Originals film “That Thing Called Tadhana” on Cinema One this Sunday (February 7). Relive the story of Mace (Angelica Panganiban) and Anthony (JM de Guzmans), two strangers who embark on an ultimate road trip in Baguio and Sagada to forget about their heartaches and to find an answer to the question, where do broken hearts go. “That Thing Called Tadhana,” which gained commercial and critical success, is the country’s highest grossing Filipino independent film. It also reaped numerous honors including Audience Prize for Best Picture and Best Actress award for Angelica Panganiban in the 2014 Cinema One Originals Film Festival and four nominations in the prestigious 38th Gawad
February 5 – 9, 2016
PRIDE & PREJUDICE & ZOMBIES
Urian Awards. The movie also won as the grand prize winner of the 2015 Guam International Film Festival as the best narrative film feature. Antoinette Jadaone’s film also earned positive reviews from notable film critics and was considered one of the best films of 2014 and 2015. “There are two things that define the Filipino romantic comedy: kilig and manufactured
conflict. What is strange and ultimately so memorable about That Thing Called Tadhana is that it eschews both. It strips romance down to its core,” said critic Philbert Dy of Click The City. Fall slowly in love like Mace and Anthony this Sunday with “That Thing Called Tadhana” only on the number one channel Cinema One this Sunday at 8PM. Encore airing will be on February 13 at 9PM.
Lily James, Sam Riley R13
12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS
EVERYTHING ABOUT HER Vilma Santos, Angel Locsin, Xian Lim PG
12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS
THE REVENANT Leonardo DiCaprio, Tom Hardy R16
1:00 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 LFS
THE BOY / *DIRTY GRANDPA Lauren Cohan, Rupert Evans/ *Robert De Niro, Zac Efron R13/*R16
12:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 LFS / *6:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 LFS
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FOOD Lychee and Black Jelly.
Sweet Chili Shrimps.
Twice Cooked Chicken.
KUNG HEI FAT CHOI! Welcome the Year of the Monkey at RBG All Day Dining Restaurant and Al Fresco. Feast on a delectable selection of Chinese Cuisine with your family and friends on Sunday, February 7, 2016, 7:00 PM onwards. “Our Culinary team, headed by Sous Chef Ma. Kristina ‘Teng’ Collantes, is filling up our buffet stations with a delicious spread from appetizer to dessert. Certified best sellers include premium seafood items, flavorful entrees and decadent des-
serts,” enthuses the hotel’s General Manager, Mr. Pavan Kakar. The buffet offers for soup features Crab and Corn and Molo Wanton Soup. The entrée includes Steamed Broccoli & Bok Choy in Tausi Sauce, Special Chinese Noodles (served with rice buns), Sweet Chili Shrimps, Twice Cooked Chicken Beef Brisket, Hoisin Roasted Pork Ribs. Buffet highlights include Roasted Pork Lechon, Roasted Lapu-Lapu with Sweet & Sour Sauce, Crab Stir Fry, Steamed Pompano with Light Soy and Dimsum Station.
Among the assorted desserts are the Year of the Monkey Cake, Buchi, Nian gao, Lychee & Black Gulaman, Egg Tarts, Mango Sponge Cake and Seasonal Fruits. All families dining will also witness the Dragon Dance plus, they can pick from our jar of specially designed Fortune Cookies to know what the year has in store for them. Special limited offer for Chinese New Year’s Eve Buffet on February 7, 2016 at 7PM is for only P850 net per person with free flowing fruit juices. Call 272 7608 for reservations and inquiries.
Crab Stir Fry.
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AirAsia offers great deals at PTAA Travel Expo 2016
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IRASIA, voted the World’s Best Low Cost Carrier for seven consecutive years, is offering exclusive budget travel deals and lowest fares to Cebu, Davao, Boracay, Palawan, Bohol, Tacloban and to international destinations in Malaysia, Korea, China and much more at the 3-day travel sale hosted by the Philippine Travel Agencies Association in SMX, Mall of Asia in Pasay City. The Travel Tour Expo is on its 23rd year and has been regarded as the grandest annual event in the travel and tourism industry. The travel fair starts on Friday (February 5) and will run until Sunday, (February 7) with over 300 participating exhibitors from various industries such as airline, hotel, resort including travel, tourism and tour operators. Best travel deals for AirAsia flights to and from Davao are
also available at the travel expo in conjunction with the formal launch and announcement of Visit Davao Fun Sale with outdoor sports activities, eco-tourism package tour, beach and entertainment parties already lined up for summer this year. AirAsia services Manila-Davao with 3x flights daily departing from Manila’s NAIA Terminal 4 at 6:20AM, 3:35PM and 8:10PM. The airline also offers multiple flights daily from/to Cebu, Bohol, Palawan, Kalibo (Boracay) and Tacloban. AirAsia’s international flights include direct flights to various points in Malaysia, China and Korea from Manila, Cebu and Kalibo. Keep updated with AirAsia’s latest promotion and activities via twitter (@ AirAsiaPH), Facebook (facebook.com/AirAsiaPhilippines) and on Instagram (@AirAsiaPh).
A BETTERWORLD FOR THE PAWIKANS. Aboitiz team members demonstrate their passion for the environment by joining the campaign to help save the critically-endangered pawikan, which has made the Aboitiz Cleanery Park in Punta Dumalag, Davao City its breeding ground and home.
Aboitiz launches campaign to preserve pawikan sanctuary
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HE Aboitiz Foundation has launched a campaign that aims to raise funds for the protection and preservation of the critically endangered hawksbill turtle in Punta Dumalag, Davao City, one of the last few remaining natural habitats for species of its kind.
Titled “#BetterWorld for the Pawikans,” the fundraising drive will not only secure the sanctuary for the hawksbill turtles but also spread greater public awareness on how everyone can help to ensure its survival amid climate change and environmental degradation. Punta Dumalag is a chosen breeding ground of the elusive pawikan turtles, as well the other 66 other species of trees, birds, and fishes. Aboitiz helps preserve this sanctuary through the Aboitiz Cleanergy Park, an eight-hectare outdoor biodiversity center that protects
the pawikan while paving the way for a new model of urban-based habitat conservation and biodiversity management. “We want to include more people from all walks of life to share our advocacy for the pawikans. Their presence in Davao testifies to the rich biodiversity God has given our country. Building a BetterWorld for the pawikans is not just our responsibility but also our gift to the next generation,” said Erramon I. Aboitiz, President and Chief Executive Officer, Aboitiz Equity Ventures, Inc. To date, the Aboitiz
Cleanergy Park was able to release 1,876 hatchlings as of December 2015. These baby turtles are expected to go back to the same spot where they were hatched so they can lay eggs. This is the reason why it is important to preserve their natural habitat to increase the chances of reversing the decline of their species. To take part in creating a BetterWorld for the pawikans, visit aboitizfoundation. org and click the ‘Donate’ button. Use #BetterWorld in your social media posts to show your support for the cause.
Weather Phl educates young communicators
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AEON TOWERS. Construction of the 33-level Aeon Towers, developed by homegrown firm FTC Group of Companies, has reached 70 percent concrete pouring for the sixth level. The turnover of the mega project, which is expected to put Davao City in the map for the tallest skyscraper in the entire Mindanao, is in December this year.
RIVATE weather information provider Weather Philippines Foundation (WPF) called on young communicators to be #WeatherWiser and informed about critical weather situations, especially in a country beleaguered by typhoons. WPF General Manager Dave Valeriano posed the challenge to over 300 students from various colleges and universities nationwide who gathered for the annual Students’ PR Congress & Grand Prix held in Quezon City last Jan. 30. Recognizing the important role that public relations play in informing, motivating, unifying, and mobilizing various sectors in disaster preparation and recovery, the weather group enjoined the students to use available information to their advantage. “As socially-responsible communications practitioners, you have the capability to empower people with the knowledge that
can save lives, and create a #WeatherWiser nation for a better world,” Valeriano told the students. In 2012, the Aboitiz Foundation and Union Bank of the Philippines, in partnership with MeteoGroup, established WPF to empower communities with tools and information that can be used in preparation for a typhoon. WPF complements government’s efforts in reducing weather-related disaster-risks in the country with critical and localized weather information that is accessible through weather.com.ph and the WeatherPhilippines mobile app launched last year. To date, WPF has deployed 777 automated weather stations nationwide.
“Following the aftermath of typhoons Ondoy and Pepeng, the Aboitiz Group realized the need to create a more sustainable way of helping communities during typhoons. There is a much bigger need than just investing on donations and post-disaster recovery,” Valeriano said.
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VOL. 8 ISSUE 224 • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENT Serving a seamless society
EDGEDAVAO GENSAN PARTNER ESTABLISHMENT Serving a seamless society
Advertise with
EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society
Tel No. 082.221.3601/224.1413 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com marketing@edgedavao.net
VOL. 8 ISSUE 224 • FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2016
EDGEDAVAO
FOR IMMEDIATE HIRING A leading distributor of Irrigation System, Agricultural Machinery, Generator and Heavy Equipment immediately needs sales personnel to complement its staff, with the following qualifications: 1. Licensed Agricultural Engineers or Licensed Mechanical Engineers; 2. Male or female, 24-35 years old; 3. Background knowledge or sales experience in agricultural machinery, irrigation system, generators or heavy equipment is an advantage; 4. Must be willing to travel within the island of Mindanao. Interested applicants should submit application letter, bio-data and transcript of records to:
INTERNATIONAL HEAVY EQUIPMENT CORPORATION
Km. 7 McArthur Highway, Bangkal, Davao City Tel. Nos.: 285-0685; 297-5851 Fax No.: 2975849 Email add: info@ihecdavao.com, info@ihec.com.ph
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National government debt at P5,954B as of end-2015
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HE National Government’s (NG) outstanding debt was recorded at P5,954 billion at the end of 2015. This figure is higher by 3.8 percent or P219.30 billion as compared to the end-2014 level. Month-onmonth, a slight increase of 0.03 percent or P1.92 billion was recorded relative to the previous month’s level. In a statement, the Department of Finance (DOF) said with full-year GDP growth reaching 5.8 percent, debt in proportion to GDP has kept a gradual downward trajectory to 44.8 percent in 2015 from 45.4 percent last year. The improvement in the debtto-GDP ratio, a usual measure of sustainability, can be attributed to the sustained accelerated pace of economic growth in tandem with disciplined fiscal spending that moderated borrowing requirements for the year. “The Philippines is fully committed to a proactive liability management strategy to keep our debt structure resilient. I am optimistic we can further trim down our debt-to-GDP ratio, which from 52.4 percent in 2010
has narrowed to 44.8 percent in 2015, a 7.6 percentage point (ppt) difference,” Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said. NG domestic debt amounted to P3,884 billion, 1.7 percent or P63.78 billion higher than the end-2014 level. Relative to November 2015 figures, domestic debt decreased by 0.3 percent or P11.33 billion due to the net redemption of government securities amounting to P11.35 billion offsetting the P0.02 billion upward adjustment in peso value of foreign currency domestic liabilities due to peso depreciation. NG external debt increased by 8.1 percent or P155.52 billion year-on-year to P2,070 billion, amounting to 15.6 percent of GDP--a 6.6 ppt reduction from 2010’s 22.2 percent. Month-onmonth, external obligations grew by 0.6 percent or P13.25 billion. This was due to the combined effect of net availments worth P3.81 billion and peso depreciation as dollar- and 3rd currencydenominated debt gained P2.18 billion and P7.26 billion in local currency valua-
tion, respectively. “A challenging external environment calls for consistent discipline in making sure productive debt works in our favor. We will continue to stretch average maturities reasonably (now at 10 years) and keep a healthy preference for domestic financing (now at 67 percent),” Purisima noted. NG guaranteed obligations amounted to P438 billion, which increased by 2.7 percent or P11.68 billion from a year ago. Month-onmonth, guaranteed debt decreased by 0.5 percent or P2.38 billion due to net repayment on guarantees amounting to P5.29 billion. This reversed the effect of currency fluctuation that raised the peso value of guarantees by P2.91 billion. “The average Filipino now lives in a time when news about government debt, usually a headache to all, is now one of many examples of consistent yearon-year improvement being made by our country. We hope this trajectory of better and better news can be kept for the next 6 years and beyond,” Purisima added.
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North Cotabato registers P170-M loss to drought T D
AMAGE to agricultural crops in North Cotabato as brought about by the ill effects of drought– spawned El Nino weather phenomenon has reached P172-million, the provincial
agricultural office said. Data obtained from the office noted that of the total damage, P55 million worth of rice and corn crops destroyed was due to rat infestation. The same report indicat-
DRY SPELL. A farmer in Kalasuyan, Kidapawan City digs some more to deepen a well for the community’s farms while his buddies pull up the soil. A nearby river, the main source of water, has dried up because of the El
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SEC warns vs five firms with investment offerings
ed that the province has not experienced sufficient downpour for rain-fed farmlands over the past three months, with the dry spell even causing some small river tributaries and creeks to dry up.
In this city, local legislators swiftly approved during a session on Tuesday the release of calamity funds to cushion the effect of the famine.
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Niño. This well used to be only six feet deep but has dried up, too. Enough water came out at 20 feet deep. MindaNews photo by Geonarri Solmerano
HE Security Exchange Commission (SEC) has received reports of five companies with similar investment scheme as the Jacama Sales and Marketing that was closed down last month by Davao City’s Business Bureau for violation of the Local Revenue Code of 2005. During Wednesday’s forum at Habi at Kape, SECDavao extension office head Javey Paul D. Francisco said that reports cited these five companies, as yet unnamed, as being engaged in soliciting investments from the public, although the agency has yet to launch a fact-finding to verify reports. “We received raw information but we have to validate. If the information is accurate, we have to get testimony… whether from us, or from the public that this is how they operate,” he said. He added that that investment companies would be required to have a minimum paid-up capital of P50 million plus their products must have a clearance while the individual salesmen must secure a license. The Jacama was reportedly offering a cash back guarantee sales program to investors as the main product, although its permit with city only granted them to operate as a retailer of general merchandise. Francisco added that the
company had drawn 15,000 to 20,000 investors before it was stopped by the city. “It’s only when they start operating or there are complaints that you can start investigating. It’s better if they register now so they can be monitored because there will be declarations as to the persons involved,” he said. The firm’s business registration is reportedly with the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) since it is a single proprietorship. But Francisco added that before a company can offer investment contracts to any individuals, it must be registered with SEC first, otherwise it must be stopped. “If it has something to do with pyramiding, or selling of products but the main source of income is recruitment and the product is just the front, then that’s DTI (jurisdiction). If it entices people to invest promising fantastic returns over a short period of time, then that’s an investment scam within the SEC jurisdiction,” he said. Francisco warned the people of this kind of pyramiding scam, as he emphasized that this system “distorts entrepreneurship because what happens is that your income comes from the investment of the other people.” He added that this invest-
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DESTINY T
HE San Miguel Beermen made sure it owned a piece of history – and the championship – after becoming the first PBA team to come back from a 3-0 deficit to win a playoff series with a 96-89 win over the Alaska Aces in Game 7 of the SMART BRO PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena. San Miguel’s historic feat, dubbed by fans as the ‘Beeracle’, allowed the team to clinch the 22nd championship in the franchise’s history. It was also the second All-Filipino crown in as many seasons for the Beermen, who have now won the title in three of the last four conferences. June Mar Fajardo, who missed the first four games of the series, led the way with 21 points and 15 rebounds while Chris Ross also put up a heroic performance with 21 points – including four three-pointers – alongside five rebounds and five assists. Marcio Lassiter added 15 points while Arwind Santos added a double-double with 13 points and 10 boards. Alaska put up a gutsy stand in the fourth quarter, where they outscored SMB 38-28, but could not get the job done in the end. Chris Banchero led the Aces, now the runners-up to the Beermen for a third time in the last three conferences, with 21 points while Calvin Abueva had 16 points and nine rebounds. Vic Manuel, who had a breakout series for Alaska in these finals, finished with just three points while playing on a sprained ankle he hurt early in the game. Alaska coach Alex Compton
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San Miguel completes historic PBA comeback with dramatic Game 7
made some unusual decisions to start the game. He burned all three of his mandatory timeouts in the first half before the game could even begin, leading to what was essentially a six-minute delay to the game. He then made a platoon substitution to start the contest, replacing four players from his starting lineup with Abueva, Manuel, Sonny Thoss and RJ Jazul, many of whom regularly come from off the bench. At the halfway point of the first quarter, a glimpse at the Alaska bench saw them in a huddle, not even paying attention to the game. The gamesmanship barely seemed to affect San Miguel, though, as they jumped out to a 15-8 lead even before their MVP, Fajardo, saw any action. ‘The Kraken’ entered at the 4:30 mark of the game and immediately made an impact, posting up on his undersized defender Noy Baclao for an easy two points. An additional free throw awarded to Ronald Tubid on the rebound play gave the Beermen a double-digit lead, 18-8, late in the first. Some late three-pointers from Alaska sharpshooter Dondon Hontiveros kept the Aces in the game with San Miguel’s lead trimmed down to just six, 22-16, at the end of the first period. Fajardo went to work getting some scoring done in the second quarter as the Beermen maintained their lead early in the period. Alaska twice made runs to trim the difference down to four points but some big shots by Ross from long distance pushed San
Miguel’s lead back up to 10 points, 38-28 Alaska, though, got a late flurry in, closing the half on an 8-3 run built around a JVee Casio three-pointer and a fastbreak finish from Ping Exciminiano to make it a five-point game, 43-38. Ross, who started the game alongside Alex Cabagnot in the SMB backcourt, led San Miguel with 11 points. He was the lone player in double figures with Ronald Tubid coming closest with seven points. Alaska didn’t have anyone with more than six points but had 11 different players contributing
at least two points while San Miguel only had eight. San Miguel shot a much-higher percentage in the first half, 41% to Alaska’s 31%, but turned the ball over 17 times compared to just six. San Miguel, though, delivered what seemed like the knockout blow in the third quarter. Fajardo toyed with Alaska’s interior defense en route to 11 big points in the third quarter while Cabagnot, Ross, Santos and Lassiter made some huge impact baskets as they blew the game wide open, taking leads of as high as 21 points, 68-47, after a big 25-7
from 3-point territory. His 11 3s tied a career high. The defending-champion Warriors (45-4) continued on their run by tying the 1966-67 Philadelphia 76ers for the best 49-game start in NBA history. Along with Curry’s 51, Klay Thompson scored 24 points and Draymond Green had 12 points and 10 rebounds. Wall led the Wizards (2126) with 10 assists and his sea-
son-best 41 points. Curry made his first six shots from the field, including his first 5 3-point attempts, and finished the first quarter with 25 points on 9-for-10 shooting. The Warriors led 43-28 after the first and let the lead slip to nine with Curry on the bench for the first portion of the second. Back on the floor, Curry just kept scoring. His 36 points
at halftime were the most of any first half in his career and broke the Verizon Center record of 34 set by Michael Jordan on Dec. 29, 2001. Curry went 3 of 10 in the third quarter. With him actually missing shots, the Wizards cut a 14-point halftime deficit down to two at one point and three at another until Golden State went on a 10-0 run to take the game back over.
SMB players, officials and supporters celebrate an unlikely championship.
run right outside the two-minute mark of the quarter. With June Mar looking a lot like his old self in and around the post area, the Beermen dominated the period scoring 25 points – the most of any of the first three periods – while holding the Aces down to just 13. Alaska, which once seemed on the verge of a sweep in Game 4 of the series, faced a 17-point deficit heading into the final quarter of the conference. But Alaska showed some signs of life in the fourth as Casio drilled in a three-pointer and made a big defensive play in a
nice sequence where Exciminiano finished on a play and Casio stole San Miguel’s inbound pass before finding Chris Banchero for another two points, 70-58. Cabagnot hit a three-pointer to stem the tide but Abueva – who had only six points in the first three periods – started to get going, attacking the hoop and earning trips to the line. Banchero, too, made some big plays, spearheading the Alaska fastbreak as the Aces came charging back. Abueva and Banchero scored all of the points in a 12-2 Alaska run that made it a five-point game, 75-70, with 7:35 remaining.
Curry scores 51 points as Warriors down Wizards Federer sidelined after
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TEPHEN Curry scored 36 of his 51 points in the first half to offset a monster offensive game from John Wall and the Golden State Warriors pulled away to beat the Washington Wizards, 134-121, on Wednesday night (Thursday, Manila time) for their eighth straight victory. Curry made 13 of his first 14 shots and finished 19 of 28 from the field and 11 of 26
undergoing knee surgery
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OGER Federer will be out of action for up to a month after undergoing arthroscopic knee surgery in Switzerland to repair a torn meniscus, his agent at TEAM8 Tony Godsick told Reuters on Wednesday. The 17-times grand slam champion suffered the injury away from a tennis court the day after his Australian Open run ended in the semi-finals last week. Federer has withdrawn from the ABN AMRO World Tennis Tournament in Rotterdam and the Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships in February. “I am so disappointed to have to miss Rotterdam and Dubai as
they are two of my favourite tournaments on the ATP World Tour,” said Federer, who is the reigning champion in Dubai having won the title for the seventh time last March. “While this is an unfortunate setback, I feel grateful that up until now I have remained mostly healthy throughout my career,” the 34-year-old Swiss added. “My doctors have ensured me that the surgery was a success and with proper rehabilitation, I will be able to return to the Tour soon.” The world number three has won two Rotterdam trophies among his 88 titles.
Suarez scores four as Barca rout Valencia 7-0
L Warriors guard Stephen Curry makes 19 of 28 shots in almost 36 minutes of action. AP
UIS Suarez scored four goals and Lionel Messi grabbed a hat-trick as Barcelona all but wrapped up their King’s Cup semi-final by crushing Valencia 7-0 in the first leg at the Nou Camp on Wednesday. Barely seven minutes had elapsed when Neymar stole the ball from a careless Andre Gomes in midfield, raced forward and passed to Suarez who rifled a shot across goal past Matthew Ryan. Barca went two up when Sergio Busquets sent a long ball down the right which Aleix Vidal pulled back for Suarez to blast past Ryan. “Great result which puts us closer to the objective,” Suarez told Movistar. “There’d have to be
a catastrophe to not play the final.” Valencia struggled to contain a Barca side with Neymar, Messi and Suarez creating danger almost at will. Gary Neville’s side rarely got near goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen as Barcelona produced one of their best performances of the season with Andres Iniesta and Messi playing in their ninth King’s Cup semi-final in 10 seasons. Messi scored the third after a neat backheel from Neymar. On the stroke of halftime Barcelona were awarded a penalty when Shkodran Mustafi brought Messi down and was sent off but Neymar hit the post to leave the score 3-0 at the interval.
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