Edge Davao 8 Issue 6 by Edge Davao The Business Paper

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

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GAME CHANGERS

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

KEYNOTE. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte delivers his keynote speech before the delegates of the 27th National Convention of Prosecutors at SM Lanang Premier’s SMX Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

Rody: Sports complex should be in UPMin By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte said the proposed City Sports Complex should remain in the vicinity of University of the Philippines Mindanao (UPMin) and the settlers inside should vacate the area. In an interview on Wednesday afternoon, Duterte said he does not recognize the claimants’ issue in the UPMin campus in Bago Oshiro, Mintal since the area is known as government reser-

vation land. “Kanang claimants, I do not recognize them. Taga-Davao ko, gamay pa ko, reservation na sa army og goberno kanang University of the Philippines. 1949 diri na mi nahibalo ko kung kinsa ang tag-iya anangyuta (I do not recognize the claimants in the area. I am from Davao and since I was a child that the University of the Philippine ares is the reservation for the army and government. We were already here

6 ASG men, 2 troopers killed in Sulu firefight

IX Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) members and two government troopers were killed during an encounter in Sitio Nangka, Barangay Gata, Talipao town, Sulu Thursday morning. Another 13 soldiers were wounded along with an undetermined number of the bandits in the 10:30 a.m. firefight. Lieutenant Colonel Harold Cabunoc, Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) public affairs office chief, said the 32nd Infantry Battalion, a unit of Task Force Sulu, was conducting law enforcement operations when it encountered an estimated 300 ASG members under the command of Nil

Hairula, Hatid Sawadjaan, and Radullan Sahiron. In the ensuing gunbattle, six of the bandits and two company commanders were killed and another 13 were wounded. Cabunoc said they are still awaiting details on the government dead and wounded. The ASG men retreated towards to the vicinity of Bud Bagsak, prompting Task Force Sulu commander Colonel Allan Arrojado to deploy more pursuing troops. Cabunoc said fighting was still ongoing as of this posting. Pursuing units are being aided by attack helicopters and artillery strikes. (PNA)

since 1949 and I know who owns that land),” he said. Duterte said if the claimants do not have land titles to the land they are occupying, they must vacate the area because it is already a matter of public interest. “Para na sa edukasyon sa mga bata, hawa mo diha. Ako’y mangunay og bungkag diha (It is for the education of children. Get out of there. I will be the first one to destroy the structures there),” he said.

He said if the UPMin has no budget for the relocation of the settlers, he will allocate lots in the city’s relocation site in Los Amigos, Tugbok for the settlers. “Sa goberno na, kabalo sila na dili na ila (The government owns the area and they know that they do not own the land there),” the mayor said. Duterte said the P200 million budget for the proposed sports complex will be implemented any time as

soon as the city and UPMin arrive at an agreement. City council chairman of the committee on rules, privileges laws and ordinances councilor Bernard Al-agearlier earlier said he will call for a committee hearing within this month to clarify UPMin’s stand on the settlers. Al-ag said he will ask the administration UPMin for the plans for the settlers in the area before signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) on the proposed City

Sports Complex. Earlier,Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte said in the proposed City Sports Complex inside the UPMin is not feasible due to the problems of the claimants living in the area. The vice mayor said if the national government will allocate a P200 million budget for the sports complex, then it should just give it to the city government and let it find a place for the project outside of UPMin where a lot of claimants will be affected.

`Listening Tour’rolls off to Luzon Duterte says no to presidency, but calls for him to run mounting By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

FTER a successful trip in Northern Mindanao following the Holy Week break, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte resumes his listening tour on federalism with the Luzon swing late this week. Next stop will be the province of Cavite and Calabarzon region where Duterte is expected to make a strong push for a federal form of government in the country, an advocacy he has been championing lately with vigor and determination. And he is getting posi-

tive response, with support mounting by the day. “He had another warm reception in Iligan City. He was treated like a rock star upon his arrival and until he left,” said Peter Laviña, a former Davao City councilor who now serves as one of Duterte’s volunteers in his advocacy. Duterte was in Iligan last Tuesday as speaker during the 45th commencement exercises of the Mindanao State University-Iligan Institute of Technology (MSU-IIT). The local chief executive from Davao was greeted with a

standing ovation at the school gym after he was introduced by MSU-IIT chancellor Sukarno Tanggol. A forum on federalism was also held right after the commencement exercises where Duterte made another strong case for his advocacy. Laviña said Duterte was elated with the result of his campaign sorties thus far. “The mayor is in good spirits. He was happy with the turnout,” he said. From Iligan, Duterte will fly to Manila for a series of speaking engagements on fed-

eralism. William “Butch” Ramirez, another volunteer, said Duterte will be in Tagaytay City on April 11, then travels to Laguna on April 12 before travelling to Bacoor, Cavite on April 13. He will also speak on federalism in Batangas on April 17. But before that, Duterte returned to Davao Wednesday to address the 27thNational Convention of the Prosecutor’s League of the Philippines (PLP) at the SMX Convention Center of SM Lanang Premier. “I cannot be President,”

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EDGEDAVAO

4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

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Davao provinces shine in Rice Achievers Award

D GREETINGS. Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon of Davao Oriental and Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao Rodolfo M. Elman exchange pleasantries during the third day of the 27th National Convention of Prosecutors at SM Lanang Premier’s SMX Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.

Rody to prosecutors: Insist on allowances By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte urged all prosecutors in country not to follow the order of Department of Justice (DOJ) Secretary Leila De Lima prohibiting them from accepting allowances from the local government units (LGUs). De Lima had said last month during the 15th Integrated Bar of the Philippines (IBP) Convention in Cebu City that she would issue a directive prohibiting all prosecutors and employees of prosecution services nationwide from receiving allowances and other forms of benefits from LGUs. She said it is to ensure that

the prosecutors will not feel beholden to local politicians who might affect their independence and partiality in the discharge of their mandate. De Lima said the directive would be for strict compliance. But in his keynote speech during the 27th Prosecutors League of the Philippines (PLP) National Convetion at SMX Convention Center on Wednesday afternoon, Duterte said de Lima was wrong since there are laws that allow the LGUs to give allowances to prosecutors. He also said the order of de Lima is discriminatory because only prosecutors will be

War heroes honored, numbers dwindling

prohibited from receiving the allowance while others such as the court judge can still accept it. “If I may ask, why? What is the reason you came up with this silly thing?” Duterte said, addressing de Lima. The Office of the City Prosecutor has an allocation of P359, 937 in the proposed Supplemental Budget No.2 of Davao City as aid of the city government. In a separate interview, Davao Regional State Prosecutor Antonio Arellano cited to reporters the laws that legalize the allowance given by the LGUs to the prosecutors.

Arellano first cited Presidential Decree (PD) No. 1275 or the Creation of the National Prosecution Service which provides that LGUs will provide allowances to the prosecutors and employees “including even the rental for buildings and other requirements on the administration of criminal justice.” Under section 14 of PD 1257, “the salaries of provincial and city fiscals and their assistants shall be paid entirely out of national funds and included in the annual appropriations of the DOJ. This is without prejudice to the grant of allowances

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AVAO region bagged the major awards during the Agri-Pinoy Rice Achievers Award (APRAA) held recently in Manila.Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Compostela Valley were among the top 10 awardees for the provincial category. APPRAA is an annual search of the Department of Agriculture to recognize the country’s top rice producers. Adjudged top performing LGUs and farmers’ organizations were given cash incentives through Department of Agriculture (DA) Rice Program. The contest also aims to encourage commitment and ensure excellent performance of the LGU stakeholders and famers’ organizations to further increase yield and improve quality of their produce.

This in turn will help the country meet its rice self-sufficiency target. Among the three winner provinces, Davao del Sur emerged on the top rank for Region 11 as the province registers an average growth rate of 2% per year for the past six (6) years. With this scenario, the farmers still generated marginal and if not, subsistence income from their production because of high production cost and low price during harvest season. Another key factor in achieving APRAA is the support of local officials to rice production of Davao del Sur Governor Claude Bautista said that the province has allocated P300 million in support to the rice-farm mechanization.

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Studes express hope in peace journalism

TUDENTS and teachers from various schools in the Caraga Region expressed their hope for peace through responsible and balanced journalism during a peace journalism workshop at the Father Saturnino Urios University on Tuesday. Primy Cane, a former broadcast journalist based in Cagayan de Oro City who spearheaded the workshop, pointed out the importance of peace journalism, especially in Mindanao. “Mindanao needs peace journalism, the way a thirsty man needs water,” Cane said. She pointed out that after the Mamasapano tragedy, there was so much anger and “uninformed comments and opinions” one can read all over the social media. Cane, who recently finished her masters degree

from the University of Sydney through the Australia Awards Scholarships, expressed the need for a better way to convey “what really is happening by providing context, history and background, and doing more legwork and extra research” so the audience can realize that “violence is not the only solution to conflict.” She pointed out how peace journalism can help build a better perspective on what is really happening in the field away from the prejudice and hatred. Cane said that while she was taking up her Masters in Peace and Conflict Studies, all she could think of was how much her fellow Mindanawons “needed to hear and learn all that I was hearing.” “There is so much prej-

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By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

ILIPINO war veterans who fought the Japanese invaders during World War II and gave the country its freedom took center stage anew as they were honored during the 73rd Aaw ng Kagitingan Wednesday morning at the monument in Jones Circle. Their suffering and heroism remembered in a fitting ceremony organized by the City Government of Davao and supported by various groups, the war veterans showed up to the cheers of those in attendance. “The whole nation will remain indebted to these heroes who have inspired us and will continue to inspire us,” Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP)

Eastern Mindanao Command head Lieutenant General Aurelio Baladad said in his message read for him by Commodore Joselito dela Cruz, commander of the Naval forces. “To our war veterans, thank you for risking your lives to give this country its freedom, and for sacrificing your time, comfort and even your families to protect many Filipino generations,” Baladad added. City Administrator Atty. Jesus Melchor V. Quitain also lauded the war veterans for their heroism and promised them their sacrifices will not go unnoticed. “No words can express the

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SALUTE. Coast Guard district commander Commodore Joselito Dela Cruz leads the offering of the wreath dedicated to fallen World War II heroes who sacrificed their lives for the country’s freedom during the Araw ng Kagitingan celebration at the Veterans Memorial Monument in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

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EDGEDAVAO

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

best photographs and their stories T

HEY say photographs give life to every newspaper. Without images, newspapers will be dull and unattractive as each one of them represents a unique story that reflects the daily lives of

ordinary people in our society. As Edge Davao’s resident photojournalist, here is a collection of what I personally consider my most memorable photographs. These photographs are

not necessarily the best of the lot but they are the ones that carry a memorable story behind the experience of taking them. With each photograph is a brief recount of the story behind the image.

Personnel of Central 911 try to extinguish the fire that hit the Muslim Village in Zone 5, Km. 11 Sasa, Davao City on August 22, 2013. The fire burned down 270 houses leaving 300 families homeless.

Before he became a playing coach of Kia Sorento in the PBA, superstar boxer Manny Pacquiao played for The Royal Mandaya Hotel-CMO in the Kadayawan Invitation Basketball Tournament.

Cebu Pacific flight 5J 971 bound from Manila overshoots the runway and hits the non-cemented portion of the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City on June 2, 2013. None of the 165 passengers were hurt in the incident.

Movie and television personality Robin Padilla gamely poses with Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte during a brief meeting at The Marco Polo, Davao on March 7, 2015. The popular actor said he would support the mayor should he decide to run for President.

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Members of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name, Inc. from the different parts of the world participate in a Disneyland-inspired parade during the church’s 8th National Children’s Day celebration in time for the birthday of founder Apollo C. Quiboloy on April 25, 2013.

Davao City Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) chief Francisco Villaroman (right) checks high-powered firearms owned by members of a kidnap-for-ransom gang who were killed in a shootout with the Davao SWAT team at Allied Bank along C.M. Recto Avenue in Davao City on July 11, 2013.

An emotional Edge Davao editorial consultant Ramon M. Maxey, who spent the last seven years of his life with Edge Davao as editorial consultant, is comforted by his son, Charles, during the 72nd Araw ng Kagitingan commemoration at the Veterans Memorial Monument. Maxey passed away days after the photo was taken at the age of 91.

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ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

MEN ON A MISSION. The Edge Davao Editorial team led by (l-r) Editor-in-chief Antonio Ajero, managing editor Neilwin Bravo, associate editor Jon Joaquin, editorial consultant Charles Raymond Maxey, reporters Cheneen Capon and Armando Fenequito, and photographer Lean Daval Jr.

CHANGING THE GAME

At 7, Edge Davao embarks on a mission to steer onward and revolutionize

O what does a seven-year old tell you about? We learn from experience that seven-year-olds are much more adept at taking care of themselves -- not only in those day-to-day routines such as bathing, getting dressed and even getting themselves a bowl of cereal in the morning but also in relation to making decisions and choices for themselves.

It is that stage of expressing preferences and manifesting individuality. Seven year olds have the appetite of a linebacker and the restlessness of a quarterback. Constantly pounding. Constantly creating opportunities. Fun-loving but always wanting to run ahead of the pack. Oh, to be seven year old. Much like Edge Davao. Now, seven years old. If Edge Davao were a child, you’d see a high-energy kid out there with an eye for the prize. He’s focused and he’s restless. In 2008, a bunch of battle-scarred warriors in the community journalism business parented a weekly business newspaper. Marketing mogul Olivia D. Velasco and veteran editor Antonio M. Ajero led an organization in bravely treading the highly-competitive waters of the local community journalism industry. In this business, the word “bravely” may be a synonym for “stubbornly.” Stubborn as it may, Edge Davao entered an arena with players who have been around in the business for decades, not to mention having enormous resources too. Edge Davao wasn’t in there to make any monkey business either. It was serious. Dead serious.

The mission: Change the game. After four years in the weekly business paper platform, Edge Davao finally joined the mainstream battleground and battled with the rest in the race for daily newspaper supremacy. Armed with a dynamic and innovative bunch of editorial staff--a blend of veterans and young turks--Edge Davao knew what it was up to from the very start. But the paper was hell-bent on surviving the heat of the battle. The battlecry was simple--to be that one paper that’s “insanely different.” With a radical look and content that blazed a trail in the industry, Edge Davao gave Davao readers a different look at news. Fresh coverage, deep insights and uniquely bigger and colorful images. In no time, the wet-nosed tyro must have caused a ripple. It had become a benchmark in meetings elsewhere of some editorial board. Is it becoming a rock-my-world kind of existence? The Edge Davao organization is just too busy at work to even think about its impact on the competition. “Let’s just continue to work and beat ourselves,” Velasco continues to remind everyone in the organiza-

In the words of editor-in-chief Antonio M. Ajero: “It’s our inspiration for working harder. I told everyone in the newsroom to always strive to be at their best and to explore new things each day.”

tion from the editorial to production, to marketing and administration. And then there were the bonuses for hardwork. The trophies and plaques started filling the once empty rack. In the words of editor-in-chief Ajero: “It’s our inspiration for working harder. I told everyone in the newsroom to always strive to be at their best and to explore new things each day.” As a weekly business paper, Edge Davao won the Best in Science and Environment Reporting, and Best in Business and Economic Reporting in 2011 from the Philippine Press Institute (PPI). In its first year as a daily newspaper, it won the Best in Science and Environment Reporting and the Best in Business and Economic Reporting for the Daily Newspaper category in 2013. Last year, Edge Davao went on to score the biggest win of them all after it ran away with the 2014 PPI-Coca Cola Best Edited Community Newspaper award for Daily Newspaper category besting all community newspapers nationwide. At the 6th anniversary last year, Edge Davao celebrated with the theme

“ROAR” which stood for Responsible, Objective, Accurate and Relevant. This year on its 7th anniversary, Edge Davao resumes its quest for excellent service with its battlecry: “SOAR” which stands for “Steer Onward And Revolutionize.” Edge Davao looks ahead to more challenges--a lot of them will be of breaking limitations and setting trends in the media business. At seven, what can this paper do? The possibilities are endless. Seven-year-olds will display a formidable sense of adventure and thirst for information. That’s what it’s all about. The thirst for innovation and the appetite to transcend boundaries. One thing is sure. Being up is not enough.

Stubborn as it may, Edge Davao entered an arena with players who have been around in the business for decades, not to mention having enormous resources too. Edge Davao wasn’t in there to make any monkey business either. It was serious. Dead serious.

soar.7 up is not enough.

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

BITS & FACTS

007 As the central figure for his works, Ian Fleming created the fictional character of James Bond, an intelligence officer in the Secret Intelligence Service, commonly known as MI6. Bond was also known by his code number, 007, and was a Royal Naval Reserve Commander.

Fleming based his fictional creation on a number of individuals he came across during his time in the Naval Intelligence Division during World War II, admitting that Bond “was a compound of all the secret agents and commando types I met during the war”. Among those types were his brother, Peter, who had been involved in behind-the-lines operations in Norway and Greece during the war. Aside from Fleming’s brother, a number of others also provided some aspects of Bond’s make up, including Conrad O’Brien-ffrench, Patrick Dalzel-Job and Bill “Biffy” Dunderdale. The name James Bond came from that of the American ornithologist James Bond, a Caribbean bird expert and author of the definitive field guide Birds of the West Indies. Fleming, a keen birdwatcher himself, had a copy of Bond’s guide and he later explained to the ornithologist’s wife that “It struck me that this brief, unromantic, Anglo-Saxon and yet very masculine name was just what I needed, and so a second James Bond was born”. He further explained that: When I wrote the first one in 1953, I wanted Bond to be an extremely dull, uninteresting man to whom things happened; I wanted him to be a blunt instrument ... when I was casting around for a name for my protagonist I thought by God, (James Bond) is the dullest name I ever heard. —Ian Fleming, The New Yorker, 21 April 1962

In Davao, the sea smells good and beach sand is white

things I learned as a migrant in Davao City

BY JON JOAQUIN

FIRST stepped into Davao City in the summer of 1990. It was my first time to leave Luzon, where I had been living for 24 years, and I still remember the feeling 1.

Fast & Furious 7 Furious 7 (alternatively known as Furious Seven and Fast & Furious 7)[5] is a 2015 American action film. It is the sequel to the 2013 film Fast & Furious 6 and the seventh installment in the Fast & Furious film series. The film was written by Chris Morgan and directed by James Wan. It stars Vin Diesel, Paul Walker, Dwayne Johnson, Michelle Rodriguez, Jordana Brewster, Tyrese Gibson, Chris Bridges, Kurt Russell and Jason Statham. With the previous three installments being set between 2 Fast 2 Furious (2003) and The Fast and the Furious: Tokyo Drift (2006), Furious 7 is the first film of the series to mostly take place after Tokyo Drift. The film marks the final film appearance of Paul Walker, who died on November 30, 2013, with filming only half-completed. After Walker’s death, filming was delayed for script re-writes and his brothers Caleb and Cody were used as stand-ins to complete his remaining scenes. Furious 7 was released first in Australia and Mexico on April 2, 2015, and then in the United States on April 3, 2015, and was released in 3D internationally, a first for the series.

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I had when I stepped off the ship (yes, my team of campus missionaries took a ship because air fare was prohibitively expensive back then). We had boarded the ship in

The sea smells good. If you’re from Manila, you know that Manila Bay smells like rotten eggs. All that trash and — ugh — human waste has made the water not just dirty but also positively reeking. Up to the time I was 24 I actually thought seawater smelled that way. Imagine my surprise when I took a breath at the wharf in Sasa and realized that the air didn’t smell bad. To this day when I go to the beach I marvel at how fresh and clean the air smells. There are areas where the water is polluted, but on the whole the water surrounding Davao is still clean and beautiful. Beach sand is white. This may be obvious to Dabawenyos, but you have to remember that Manila Bay is surrounded by gray sand. I never liked going to the beach when I was a boy because the gray sand would get in my clothes and I would always feel so dirty. And maybe we just went to the wrong beaches when I was growing up, but I never saw white sand in any of the resorts we went to outside of Manila. It was only when I went to Samal Island on my first trip here that I saw white sand. It felt so clean that I didn’t mind that bits of sand had clung to my clothes and insinuated themselves in the nooks and crannies of my shoes.

Dirty surroundings are optional. It takes discipline to keep a city clean, and while Davao City isn’t perfect, it is leaps and bounds cleaner than Manila. One of the reasons is that I hardly see a resident throwing trash on the ground. As I walk around I see people holding onto their bits of candy wrapper or paper cups and waiting until they see a waste basket to dispose of it. Even the public markets are clean here. The city government does have its hands full trying to collect all the trash, and it admits that it doesn’t do it perfectly, but at least most people are conscientious about waste disposal. Food is good when prepared simply. Tagalog food is great but requires a lot of ingredients and preparation. Davao food is simple: just put a jaw of tuna, or a slab of pork, or a leg of chicken on a grill for a traditional sinugba. These can be marinated, of course, but even the marinade is made up basically of soy sauce and

the chaotic, congested, smelly, and dirty pier in Manila, but we landed in the clean and orderly wharf in Sasa. What a difference, I said to myself. I eventually decided to set-

tle here, and over the years I learned a few things that are simple and perhaps taken for granted by people who were born here but to me are huge realizations.

calamansi. The most complicated Davao dish I know is kinilaw, which is made up of chopped up raw fish, radishes, onions, cucumber, and vinegar. But since it’s not cooked it still counts as a simple dish.

It’s OK to be syano. There are times that the big city can overwhelm us, but there’s nothing wrong with that. When I left Manila there was only the LRT, and we used tokens to get in. Now there’s also the MRT, and the two systems use fare cards that I must confess I’m still not comfortable with up to now. I invariably forget that I need it not just to get in but also to get out (I always hold up the line behind me as I search my wallet for the card). But it’s OK to be like that in Manila — just as it’s OK for newcomers in Davao to be dumbfounded at the sight of clean streets and clean waters, and to realize that they can walk around the city at any time of the day or night. It’s all part of life; we’re all different, and we accept ourselves and each other just as we are. It’s not OK to be looked down upon. There is an attitude among Manileños that those living outside the Metro are somehow less sophisticated than they are. They even have a derogatory word for it: syano, short for probinsiyano, the hapless guy who doesn’t know how to ride the MRT or order food at a restaurant. While some of these stereotypes are true (see number 6), a lot of it is just urban pride rearing its ugly head. We journalists unfortunately get a lot of this. Many times the “provincial” or “local” media are treated as second class citizens when it comes to coverages of the President or other bigwigs. In one infamous incident last year, Davao City media were kept out of the coverage venue while their Manila counterparts — who arrived late — were allowed to walk straight in. Life doesn’t have to be complicated. Life in Davao City can be as simple (or as complicated) as you want it to be. Go to work in the morning, come home early enough at night to enjoy dinner with family. Go out to the beach or the mall on weekends. Repeat. It never gets old. And it’s entirely doable because there’s not too much traffic on the roads and you can get from place to place within a reasonable amount of time. If you want a simple life, get out of Manila and settle in a place like Davao.

The most complicated dish here is the kinilaw. Fodo is best when prepared simply.

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ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

Remembering Ram Maxey

F he were alive today, my father would have resented this article. Writing an article about him makes my dad uncomfortable, but our managing editor Neil Bravo insisted Ram Maxey deserves one, having spent the last seven years of his life at Edge Davao as consultant. I, for one, don’t really write in the first person approach. It’s not my style. I don’t even write columns and I rarely post on Facebook, except in the last couple of months when Mayor Rody Duterte has been busy promoting his advocacy on federalism. “You have to, this time,” Neil told me, fully aware of the story of the man who passed away almost a year ago, a journalist and a war veteran who loved his children and grandchildren so much. Well, my dad lived for 91 years and definitely enjoyed life to the fullest. He had a colorful life, I should say. Although life was hard for him and the family, he still had joyous times with us around him, especially his grandchildren. My father drew us together. Every time I came for a visit in his house in Buhangin, he had this penchant of sending SMS to my siblings telling them that I was around. Sometimes, I was the one being informed: “Boy, punta ka sa bahay. Andito si Alan. Bibili ako one case of beer.” He was informing me of my younger brother’s visit, and so there we would gather in his house for some drinks. These occasions were many, especially during nights when Barangay Ginebra or the Los Angeles Lakers were playing. That’s what my father was when he was still alive. He wanted the family together all the time. My sister Angel, who now lives in Switzerland, revealed to me what dad had told her once while she was in Davao for a vacation: “You know Baby, I’m at my happiest when I’m watching basketball with your brothers.” He was a friend and my textmate. He always sent messages informing me of the running score of a PBA basketball game, and during out-of-town coverage he would always open a conversation by asking what hotel I was staying and what food we were eating. Boy, how I miss my textmate. But if his admiration for Ginebra and the Lakers was public knowledge, there are several facts about my father that most people don’t know.

Few people know that Ram Maxey marched in the streets against Marcos in the early 80s, was detained once for curfew in the 70s, and survived malaria and mortar fire and nearly drowned during the Japanese occupation in the 1940s. He fought against the Japanese invaders during World War II. He was a second year student at the University of the Philippines when war broke out and, after liberation, finished college at the Far Eastern University with a

degree in journalism. After that, he became a police reporter for an evening paper assigned at the Manila area. He also ventured into sports writing and resumed his journalism career years later in General Santos City where I was born at the Calderon clinic in 1967. My father then moved to Davao City when he was hunted down by government forces following Marcos’ declaration of Martial Law and stayed here for good. He admired Mayor

Rody Duterte so much because of his brand of governance and leadership. He praised the mayor if he had done something good for the people of Davao, but was not afraid to criticize him if he felt the local chief executive was making a wrong decision. This is not actually the first time that I wrote about my father. I also did an article about him when I was still with another paper, but that was different. It was not in the first-person narrative and he was still alive then. So, imagine

the difficulty I had in writing this piece. I initially couldn’t figure out how to start even as I searched for words as the image of his face kept flashing on the screen as I was writing this. Even going inside the Edge Davao office brings back memories of my father. It was here where he pounded those keyboards while writing columns and editorials, or editing stories of reporters. Yesterday, I attended the Araw ng Kagitingan ceremonies at the Jones Circle. I was teary-eyed

during the program, for it was here in the same place where my father was sitting during last year’s rites, the second and last time he graced the important event honoring our war veterans. You really grieve when you lose someone so dear to you, especially a father. But life has to go on.

10 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

Seven years

T is said that the human body changes every seven years; that is, each cell in one’s body is different now from seven years ago. It is like we are reborn every seven years. And if some experts are to be believed, we also undergo psychological changes every seven years, such that the way we act and view the world is different now than from a mere seven years ago. In a manner of speaking, we are a different person every seven years, for better or for worse. But the fact that we change means that each moment that we live is cause for introspection to see if the changes are desirable and beneficial not just to ourselves but, more importantly, to others. In the case of Edge Davao, the last seven years have been filled with numerous milestones that we believe allow us to move forward and become the publication that Davao and its environs deserve. From being a weekly paper to a daily one, we have become part and parcel of life in these southern parts , covering important events and those that would have slipped through the radars of other media outlets. We have developed an eye for detail, and our nose for news is something we have honed over the last years. Our

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efforts were rewarded last year when we were chosen Best Edited Newspaper by the Philippine Press Institute (PPI) -- an award we do not take lightly because it was built on the hard work of every single staff member of Edge Davao. More than that formal award, however, is the recognition given by the community itself to our efforts. As the challenger in this industry, we have seen how our pages have impacted the lives of people in a way that is relevant and positive. Our features on such people as Randy Halasan -- who would eventually win a Ramon Magsaysay Award for his work in educating his Matigsalug students -- give us the impetus to keep doing what we are best at. We do not want to be stuck in the past however; as they say, we are only as good as our last issue. We recognize the ever-changing landscape of the media industry, and in the next seven years -- and beyond -- we will endeavor not only to catch up but to blaze the trail for others to follow. We believe, however, that while technologies and methodologies change, the need for people to be informed will be constant. That is our mission, and we will do our best to fulfill that for the benefit of the community. 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

KENNETH IRVING K. ONG ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. BAI FAUZIAH FATIMA SINSUAT AMBOLODTO CHENEEN R. CAPON MEGHANN STA. INES Reporters NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN Lifestyle FUNNY PEARL GAJUNERA LEANDRO S. DAVAL JR. CHA MONFORTE ARLENE D. PASAJE Photography Correspondents Cartoons Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. Columnists: CARLOS MUNDA • HENRYLITO TACIO • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • GREGORIO G. DELIGERO BORBON • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY Economic ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG ZEN CHUAAnalysts: • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

the national association of newspapers

GENERAL OFFICE SANTOS CITY CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING OLIVIA D. VELASCO JOCELYNRICHARD S. PANES C. EBONA SOLANI D. MARATAS OLIVIA D. VELASCO SOLANI D. MARATAS MARKETING OFFICE | Marketing Manager General Manager of Sales SpecialistFinance General Manager DirectorAdvertising FinanceLEIZEL A. DELOSOLEIZEL A. DELOSO | MarketingEDMUND Manager P. RENDON

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Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Unit 6, Southbank Plaza Velez-Yacapin Sts. Marketing Specialist Cagayan de Oro City General Santos City Cagayan de Oro City Tel: (088) 852-4894

Tel: (088) 852-4894

Mobile: (Sun) 0925-357-3460 (Smart) 0907-202-3844

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ANGELICA R. GARCIA | Marketing Manager 97-1 Bayanbayanan Ave., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 654-3509

EDGEDAVAO

E all dream. Whether you are young or old, you go into that mysterious world when you sleep. “Dreaming is an act of pure imagination, attesting in all men a creative power, which if it were available in waking, would make every man a Dante or Shakespeare,” H.F. Hedge once said. “Dreaming permits each and every one of us to be quietly and safely insane every night of our lives,” dream expert William Dement tells us. Dr. Edgar Cayce considers dream as “today’s answers to tomorrow’s questions.” And from the TV hit series, ‘X-Files,’ comes this quotable quote: “Dreams are answers to questions we haven’t yet figured out how to ask.” We have known some great writers who took their inspiration from dreams. “I’m sure we would not have had men on the Moon if it had not been for (H.G.) Wells and (Jules) Verne and the people who write about this and made people think about it. I’m rather proud of the fact that I know several astronauts who became astronauts through reading my books.” So said Arthur C. Clarke while addressing the US Congress in 1975. Yes, he was the same guy who wrote Technology and the Future. In the said book, he penned: “The only way to discover the limits of the possible is to go beyond them into the impossible.” Remember the words of The Impossible Dream, the theme song of the 1972 movie, Man of La Mancha (portrayed by Peter O’Toole, who received an Oscar nomination

S they say, hindsight is 20-20 vision. Looking back, it is clear now how myopic the central government had been in its treatment of Mindanao, failing to help its peoples build capability not only to provide for their own needs but also to expand its contribution to the national economy. “Imperial Manila” paid little attention to the island-region’s needs in education and opportunity—to bring Mindanaons up to par with the rest of the country if not the world. Little consideration, if any, was given to enabling them to cope with their needs, not even to empower them in their own backyard. Appointees from Luzon and Visayas were brought in to administer Mindanao provinces. One of them was the grandfather of incumbent senator T. G. Guingona III—the late Teofisto J. Guingona Sr. from Guimaras, Iloilo. He was appointed governor of Agusan and held other posts until he represented all of Mindanao and Sulu in the Senate. Later on his son, Teofisto “Tito” Guingona Jr., followed the same path, became senator, and served briefly as vice president.

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VANTAGE POINTS

Reaching the impossible dream for his perfor- THINK ON THESE! mance). The first stanza goes this way: “To dream the impossible dream / To fight the unbeatable foe / To bear with u n b e a r a b l e Henrylito D. Tacio sorrow / To henrytacio@gmail.com run where the brave dare not go.” Joe Darion, who wrote the lyrics, scribbled the second stanza with these words: “To right the unrightable wrong / To love pure and chaste from afar / To try when your arms are too weary / To reach the unreachable star.” Many years ago, there lived a very old man in North China. His house faced South and right in front of his door stood the two gigantic peaks of Taihung and Wangwu. They blocked his way to the south. So, he sat down with his sons and made a solemn promise and then got out his hoe. They made up their minds to hack away those two mountains. A neighbor saw them set to work and shook his head. “How stupid can one get?” he told the father. “It’s absolutely impossible for you to carry away these might mountains.” The old man smiled and replied, “Well, when I die, my sons will carry on the work.

When they die, my grandsons will continue what I have started. Yes, the mountains are high but they won’t get any higher. But our strength can still grow. With every bit of soil that we carry away, we come closer to our goal. It is better to do something, than just sit around and complain that those mountains keep out the sunlight.” And with complete conviction, the old man kept on digging. God saw what he was doing. He was moved to send two of His messengers to earth. They lifted the two mountains onto their shoulders and carried them off. The Bible states, “The things which are impossible with men are possible with God” (Luke 18:27). This must be the reason why French novelist (1957 Nobel Prize for Literature) Albert Camus commented, “We turn toward God only to obtain the impossible.” “Impossible is a word only to be found in the dictionary of fools,” commented French emperor Napoleon Bonaparte. “I love those who yearn for the impossible,” admitted German playwright Johann Wolfgang von Goethe. “It’s kind of fun to do the impossible,” Walt Disney, pioneer of animated cartoon films, declared. History is replete with impossible stories. Demosthenes stuttered. He filled his mouth with pebble and walked the seashore shouting at the waves until in spite of his handicap he became Greece’s most famous orator. To England, Horatio Nelson is the greatest naval hero. Yet, he never conquered the

seasickness which assailed him the first time he took to the water and kept recurring all his life whenever he boarded a ship. What grander symphonies were ever written than Beethoven’s? And yet the master melodist was deaf and never his own immortal music. Glenn Cunningham, who hung up new records for the mile in running, had both legs so badly burned that he was expected never to be able to walk again. Against all odds, he defeated the impossible. If you think you cannot do the task, don’t quit. You know somewhere and somehow, you can do it. As American editor and writer Elbert Hubbard puts it, “No one ever gets far unless he accomplishes the impossible at least once a day.” Again, here are the remaining words of the Impossible Dream song: “This is my quest to follow that star / No matter how hopeless, no matter how far / To fight for the right without question or pause / To be willing to march into hell for a heavenly cause, “And I know if I’ll only be true to this glorious quest / That my heart will lie peaceful and calm / When I’m laid to my rest / And the world will be better for this / That one man, scorned and covered with scars / Still strove with his last ounce of courage / To reach the unreachable star.” “Well, the tragedy is over,” Albert Camus wrote. “The failure is complete. I turn my head and go away. I took my share in this fight for the impossible.”

paying a steep price. ***** When the policy of accelerating the island’s colonization was adopted (through inter-island migration from Luzon and the Visayas), no one bothered to look into its adverse effects, short or long-term. Slowly but surely, like erosion eating up the hillsides and riverbanks, mindless exploitation ate up nature’s endowments and the livelihood afforded our people and communities. Worse, greed and the urge to aggrandize ravished the indigenous cultures, scraping away their value systems, turning common sense and folk wisdom upside down, corrupting tradition, stultifying political development. Naturally, from the exploited landscape and its diminished capacity to accommodate people, aggressive development, and the aggrandizing urge, there arose a tension which brought us to today’s intersection between autonomy and secession. ***** The big question now is: will the Bangsamoro Basic Law do better for Mindanao than what PNoy considers as the “failed

experiment” of the Autonomous Region for Muslim Mindanao? And another: where does Imperial Manila get its confidence that regional autonomy will work out fine among feudal minded Mindanaons when it can’t even demonstrate how it works on a modest scale in the lowly barangay? Hindsight tells us that wishful thinking cannot substitute for good government or participatory governance, which must be inclusive. Negotiating with oligarchs and armed bands just isn’t good enough. But since they’re at it already and well into what they say is the last lap, let’s wish them good luck! What choice have we got? But please, no more violence! (Manny is former UNESCO regional director for Asia-Pacific; secretary-general, Southeast Asia Publishers Association; director, Development Academy of Philippines; member, Philippine Mission to the UN; vice chair, Local Government Academy; member, Cory Government’s Peace Panel; awardee, PPI-UNICEF outstanding columnist. He is chairman/convenor, Gising Barangay Movement Inc. and author of books on governance. valdehuesa@ gmail.com )

What hindsight tells us

THE WORM’S EYEVIEW BY MANNY VALDEHUESA ***** It’s a measure of their stewardship, and of their successors, however, that to this day Mindanao is distinguished as having eight of the 10 poorest provinces in the nation—a performance that should make their progeny and dynastic heirs hang down their heads in shame and guilt. Our island region had plenty going for it early on: vast natural resources, friendly and generous peoples, multi-cultural allure for entrepreneurs and adventurers, strategic trading position, and so on. But the central government paid less attention to such exciting and lucrative prospects than the capitalists and economic exploiters did—seeing Mindanao’s vast plains as ideal sites for plantations, its forests as God’s gift to loggers, and its minerals in their boundless potentials. For the politicos’ lack of foresight, the over-exploitation they fostered, and the abuses they tolerated, everyone today is

12 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

Cacao industry gets big boost By CHENEEN R. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

ACAO will be among the top commodities that will be prioritized under the Davao City’s City Commodity Investment Plan (CCIP) 2015-2018, an official said. City Planning and Development Office (CPDO) planning division head Engr. Jose Froilan Rigor said the CCIP is needed for the approval of funding under the Department of Agriculture’ s Philippine Rural Development Program (PRDP). “Based on our proposal, priority programs for cacao

industry for the next three years are the construction of a nursery, farm to market roads (FMR) and extending financial assistance to our farmers,” Rigor told Edge Davao. Rigor said cacao is one of the prime commodities of Davao City that has a bright future in the export market. “The cacao industry has a huge potential because of its large demand in both local and international market,” he said. Cacao stakeholders pro-

‘Pomelo Festival’ opens at SM Lanang Premier

HE first-ever Davao Pomelo Festival will be launched today at SM Lanang Premier as part of the six-week citywide sale and events extravaganza Visit Davao Fun Sale (VDFS). SM Lanang press relation manager Acey Puno-Reyes said the event will be co-presented by the Davao Pummelo Stakeholder’s Association, Inc. (DPSAI). It aims to promote and support the production and export of pomelo, one of the foremost fruits grown and harvested in Davao City. “As a food tourism effort, it also intends to create increased awareness and appreciation for the fruit people love for its sweet, juicy and tangy taste,” she added. Among the leading pom-

elo producers participating in the Davao Pomelo Festival are Nenita Farms, Davao Golden Pomelo, Inc., HellenCabalida, Sheba Marie Elefante and Rosemarie Ambay. She said foreign and local tourists are invited to visit and get a taste of Davao’s favorite fruit at the Pomelo Market from April 10 to May 17; and, “once hooked to the mouthwatering goodness of pomelo, they can join the fun at Eat-AllYou-Can fest happening all Saturdays and Sundays during the period.” On April 18-19 and 25-26, the public is invited to witness Pomelo Dishes and Drinks Chef Demos at the festival. Featured chefs will show how the fruit can spice up and enhance

FPOMELO, 15

jected that there will be a global cacao supply shortage by 2018 because of the increasing demand and the looming problem on Ebola disease in cacao-producing countries in West Africa. Rigor said aside from its growing global demand, cacao has vast plantations here that the city have to take advantage of. According to the City Agriculture Office (CAO), the city has a total of 3,485hectares with the biggest chunk located in Calinan District with a total

of 998.49 hectares. Other areas are in the districts of Baguio, Marilog and Tugbok. Of the total planted area, 70 percent or 2,409.44 hectares are productive, as shown in the CAO records. Other areas planted with cacao are Buhangin, Talomo and Bunawan. In 2013, production volume of Davao City reached 1,129.73 metric tons (MT) or 0.84 MT per hectare. This is 29 percent of Davao Region’s total production of 3,844.30 MT last year.

In the proposed CCIP, it is noted that during the five year period 2009-2013, the production volume of Davao City reached an average of 6.58 percent per year. The minimal increase in area planted was compensated with improvement in yield which increased on the average by 5.32 percent. Identified potential areas for cacao are around 14,164.73 hectares. However, there is still more areas that can be planted with cacao.

Rigor said different departments in the city involved in the project have to finalize how much will be the propped total budget for cacao. Rigor said other commodities that the city is proposing for funding are cardaba banana, abaca, cassava and rubber. The proposed CCIP will be up for approval by the development council and the City Council of Davao before it will be submitted to DA 11 for final approval and endorsement.

HELP. A Marco Polo, Davao staff member helps a foreign guest locate some of the city’s top tourist destinations using a map at the lobby of the hotel yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Tax package eyed to offset RDR: Samal bridge best to connect to Panabo cut in 2015 revenue target BY CHA MONFORTE, CORRESPONDENT

CONOMIC managers are proposing a tax package that would offset the proposed cut in government revenues for 2015. This after the inter-agency Development Budget Coordination Committee (DBCC) on Tuesday recommended a total of Php 66.9 billion cut in government’s revenue target to Php 2.275 trillion, down by 2.6 percent compared to the Php 2.337 trillion earlier. Budget and Management Secretary Florencio Abad, in a briefing Tuesday night, said revenue target of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) was cut by Php 46.96 billion. Bulk of the cut was due to lost revenues from the measure that increased tax exemption cap on bonuses from Php 30,000 to Php 82,000. The measure was signed into law by President Benigno Aquino III last February.

Also, Php 16.9 billion of it was due to expansion of the list of minimal benefits such as those under the collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) and productivity incentives schemes, which are exempted from income tax. Also, revenues of the Bureau of Customs (BOC) was slashed by Php 20 billion due to the impact of lower oil prices. Under the said proposal, BIR’s revenue goal for this year will now be Php 1.67 trillion from Php 1.72 trillion while BOC’s would be Php 436.4 billion from Php 256.4 billion. Abad said the tax package entails both legislative and administrative measures, thus, they will coordinate with lawmakers for its approval. In the same briefing, Finance Undersecretary Jeremi-

FTAX, 15

AVAO del Norte Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said that, considering the congestion in Sasa area, the long-dreamed-of Samal bridge is better off to span from Barangay JP Laurel, which is the first barangay of Panabo City right after northernmost Barangay Lasang in Davao City. In an interview, the governor said his proposal to build the bridge “is not in Sasa seaport” in Davao City, citing congestion characterized by the presence of cruising ships and ferries, the airspace for the landing and take off planes in nearby Davao International Airport, the vehicular traffic and high volume of economic activities in the area. He added that the Barangay JP Laurel in Panabo City is sparsely populated and its shoreline during low tide

could dry up some 300-meter length littoral zone, the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high (the area between tide marks). He said that somehow a sort of flyover across over the littoral zone would first be constructed and then connected to the suspension bridge, a type of bridge in which the deck (the load-bearing portion) is hung below suspension cables on vertical suspenders. Similar construction works would also be made at the other end of the bridge at Babak district in Samal Island. The bridge is shorter by about one kilometer if it spans between Sasa and Babak compared to about 3 kms. if it spans connected to JP Laurel but the latter can be offset by its advantages, he said. This being his idea, but the

final location would still hinge on the result of the feasibility study. As to the funding of the bridge, the governor, who is also chairman of the Regional Development Council (RDC)-XI, bared that follow-up efforts to President Aquino are still being made at present. The bridge is estimated to cost around P10 billion. He said though the P90 million funding for the feasibility study of the project has already been approved and it is coursed through the Dept. of Education. Del Rosario said that certainly the cost of the bridge is smaller compared to what was recently endorsed by the RDC for Bicol headed by Albay Governor Joey Salceda of constructing a bridge that would connect the island-province

of Catanduanes to mainland Bicol through the province of Camarines Sur. It is already touted as the incoming longest bridge and labelled as the Friendship-Tourism Bridge with a distance of 10.8 kilometers between the two points. The proposed bridge in Bicol is five times longer than San Juanico Bridge which presently holds the title as the longest bridge in the country with its 2.6-kilometer span linking Samar and Leyte provinces. The Samal-Davao bridge is needed to boost the island’s competitive advantage, being one of the 10 sites in the country declared by tourism authorities as a first-class eco-tourism destination and at the same time “free the island from stagnation and underdevelopment”, said the governor.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL A1

TIP FOR VISITING GOURMETS

7 most durable restaurants in Davao City By Antonio M. Ajero, Cheneen R. Capon, Bai Fauziah Fatima Sinsuat Ambolodto, and Kenneth Irving Ong

S its contribution to tourism, particularly to foodies who constitute a big chunk of foreign and domestic tourists, Edge Davao, on the occasion of its 7th anniversary, hereby identifies the seven most durable restaurants in Davao City, eateries which have survived the vagaries of time and rode triumphantly over the highs and the lows of economic tides. That they have lasted this long -- a number of them first opened their doors to customers more than half a century ago—tells volumes of how they have continuously pleased the gourmets with the superior kind of food they offer and the excellent service they render.

The top seven are Dencia’s, Harana, Sarung Banggi, Bistro Rosario, Yellow Fin, Marina Tuna, and Ahfat. The other “durables” are Jaltan, Asia Restaurant, and Swiss Deli. Worth recommending to tourists are half a dozen more, except that they have been established less than seven years ago. Purposely not included in the survey were restaurants which are not part of a hotel or a mall and those that specialize in smorgasbord or “eat-all-youcan” fairs.

Dencia’s Dencia’s tops them all. It is the restaurant that perhaps every Dabawenyo grew up with starting with its first site at the corner of Gov. Vicente Duterte and Legaspi streets. Unbeknownst to many, Dencia’s was born along historic Escolta in Manila. Olegario Brito, the founder, and wife Sootee decided to move to Davao City as the rental rates in Escolta, at the time, the country’s top shopping center, were skyrocketing. There was a log-

ging boom in Davao then and the Britos heard so much about it from friends and fellow businessmen. They established the Davao Dencia’s Restaurant Inc. It is without fear of contradiction that one can say Dencia’s is the favorite of Davao foodies from all generations. Carlota “Charlie” Lazaraga, a Mutya ng Dabaw runner-up in the 70s who later became Mrs. Benigno “Bobby” Aquino III, deceased nephew of martyred former senator Benigno ”Ninoy” Aquino Jr., says she loves

TIP A2

A2 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

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all the recipes that Dencia’s offers, but her favorites were and still are tokwat baboy, siopao, garlic chicken, lugaw, pancit and lumpia. Businessman Jose B. Custodio who turns 80 this month likes all that ,too, in addition to bihon tostado special and camaron rebusado. Former vice mayor Louie Bonguyan, civic leader, lawyer Leoncio “Nonoy” Villa-Abrille and Sebastian “Anggie” Angliongto, former head of the MEDCO (Mindanao Economic and Development Council) could only chorus in agreement. This season being summer, Dencia’s is always full of vacationing balikbayan senior citizens ordering their favorite dishes early in the morning.

Yellow Fin Believe it or not, Yellow Fin started as an eatery for bodyguards and drivers of politicians dining in a steakhouse also owned by the Angeles family. It was called Karenderia back then. In 1992, the steakhouse closed and the owners focused on strengthening Karenderia because of its charisma to Dabawenyos. Located originally along Quimpo Boulevard, the bamboo-made eatery served mostly the same food until today: sinigang na baboy, giniling, and tuna dishes, among others. Years later, the Angeles Family rebranded it to ‘Yellow Fin because of the varieties of tuna delicacies it offers. By then, it had expanded its homegrown food dishes and renovated the area without changing the ambiance of the place. Almost 23 years later, Yellow Fin has expanded to Lanang, Torres Street, and in front of SM Lanang Premier, still offering the dishes it has become known for. Yellow Fin customers just can’t get enough of the adobo tuna buntot, greaseless chicken, the sizzling seafood platter, tuna fish laing, their original halo-halo, sizzling bagaybay, and kinilaw. Yellow Fin general manger Juan Carlos D. Angeles -- who seemed genuinely surpised that the restaurant has become a Davao icon -- said the reasonable price and the quality of food keep their clients coming back. Marina Tuna “Putting up the restaurant was my last ace,” 60-year old Domingo “Doming” 0. Ang, Marina Tuna chief executive officer, said as he sat comfortably at his restaurant at Kilometer 8, Barangay Pampanga in Sasa, Davao City. For Ang, an accountant by profession and a self-confessed fish lover, Marina Tuna, a seafood market and restaurant, is a product of his hard work and disappointments on life. After Ricsan Development Corporation, his father’s com-

Dencia’s goes to its “Marina Tuna Lugaw Kitchen Feeding Program.”

Yellow Fin

Marina Tuna

pany, bogged down in his 30’s and his planned fish cannery in Toril did not prosper, Doming knew that his faith and passion were among his last reasons to hold on. “The restaurant used to look more like an office than a dining place when we opened,” he said. “I didn’t have much capital. The last money I had was P80,000 to P100,000. I had to borrow from a friend to whom I owe the most.” The once small resto, named after his only daughter Marina Theresa, expanded and

can now cater to up to 200 people at a time. Sir Doming, as his employees call him, closely supervises the management himself. His restaurant grew with his own personal touch. Still on his working boots on the morning of the interview, he said he starts his day at 7 a.m. by looking at his fish aquariums at the back of his restaurants. A devotee of Our Lady of Guadalupe, he also attributed his succeess to his diligence and expertise to choose the best

quality of tuna and seafoods to be served at his restos. “I personally handpick the tuna and other seafoods,” he added. “I can say we serve the beat sashimi not only in Davao but also nationwide.” Only premium class of tuna and other seafoods are used in Marina Tuna. Among his top sellers are tuna sashimi, tuna panga, tuna eye soup sinigang, tuna belly gril, crispy tuna tail, tuna kinilaw, and swordfish belly grill. This visionary man styled and created the menu himself.

Among his unique food dishes. was the tuna kare-kare. Ong said the quality of food and service keep his costumers coming back And for almost 15 years, Ong has been giving back his blessings by feeding poor Dabawenyos. Since 2006, Marina Tuna has been tapped by Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte to supply Tuna Lugaw for the government feeding program. Today, every meal purchased is equivalent to a bowl of sumptious tuna lugaw that

Ahfat Seafood Plaza Ahfat Seafood Plaza is an institution – no question about that. With its favorable location, it’s no wonder that what began as one has sprung into thre in the course of just 17 years. Since the opening of its first branch at the Victoria Plaza Compound on October 20, 1998, it has been regarded as a definite gastronomic dining place of locals and foreigners alike. A home-grown Davao restaurant, Ahfat Seafood Plaza embodies the Dabawenyos’ love for good food, quality service, and value for money. With patrons coming from all corners of Davao, Mindanao, the country, and even the world, it is no wonder they chose to operate in one of the most peaceful cities in the world. What makes Ahfat special? It’s more than it being special but rather it being extra special. With an abundant and extensive menu, you are assured of a delicious time whenever you take a bite of any of their dishes. They offer an array of Chinese dishes tweaked to suit local palates. Best sellers include their Garlic Chicken, Lobster Tail, Crabs, Green Seafood Soup, Patatim, Dragon Ball, Vegetable and Seafood Noodle, and Steamed Pigik (Imelda Fish). They also serve some of the best tasting appetizers and desserts in town. What began as a one-man business venture is now a family corporation wherein the children are steering the wheel. Driven with passion and the dedication to succeed, each of them plays a vital role in keeping their 3 branches in top condition. Indeed, the evolution is prevalent in each of their branches (second branch opened July 16, 2005 and third branch opened October 31, 2010) – expanding into a bigger space, with more round tables to cater to guests and VIP rooms to make every cele-

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EDGEDAVAO

ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL A3

bration personal – Ahfat thinks forward towards making everyone’s dining experience a most memorable one. Surely, a family as zealous and committed as theirs will not only make a name for themselves now but establish a legacy that will be remembered from generation to another.

Harana, Sarung Banggi, and Bistro Rosario Among the restaurants Dabawenyos grew up with are the establishments that are owned and operated by the Lizada family led by their matriarch, Ms. Rosario Lizada. Harana was the first restaurant that the Lizada family opened in June 29, 1966. The first Harana was located at the backyard of Ms. Lizada’s brother in Juna Subdivision. The restaurant opened there because it was near Philippine Women’s College where Ms. Lizada used to teach. “Harana’s first customers where students of mine,” recalled Ms. Lizada. The restaurant had a garden-style concept serving Filipino food. “We named the restaurant Harana after the old tradition of serenading,” added Rosario. Harana was followed by Peter Pan, which opened on May 8, 1968 along Ilustre Street. Peter Pan was famous for its hot pandesal which was served even in the afternoon. “It also helped that our area had three movie theaters back then. You could see lines of people queuing up to buy hot pan de sal,” Ms. Lizada said. After Peter Pan, she opened Sarung Banggi in 1973 at the corner of Ilustre and Duterte Street. After three years, the restaurant was moved to its present location in 1976. Sarung Banggi serves steak and Western style cuisine. After acquiring land along Torres Street, Ms. Lizada decided to build a restaurant housed in a more elegant standalone building and this was to become Bistro Rosario. The restaurant was opened on December 21, 1989 just in time for Christmas. Ms. Lizada revealed that Bistro Rosario was named such because when they applied for the name Peter Pan, they were disapproved because it was al-

Swiss Deli

Ahfat Seafood Plaza

ready a trademark owned by a studio. “So my husband decided and said ‘gawin na lang natin ito na Bistro Rosario for you.’” beamed Ms. Lizada. When asked how the her restaurants were able to stand the test of time, Ms. Rosario reveals that it is not just because of good food but it is also because of top quality service. “We invest in our people. We give them benefits as well as incentives. In fact, many have worked for many years and have retired already. That is how long they have stayed with us.” Aside from top quality ser-

Sarung Banggi

vice, Ms. Rosario also believes that the prices her restaurants are also what make clients go back to her restaurants. “I believe that pricing should be fair, we are not thinking only of profit, but we want to share the food experience to the people,” she said. When asked what her plans are for the future of her restaurant group, Ms. Lizada reveals that she has already retired from making the major decisions of the group and has handed down the management to her daughter Amylou Lizada-Aarts. “I have been very careful when it came to planning for the future of the

Harana

Bistro Rosario business, that is why even up to the last moment, even until now I am still there to check.” reveals Ms. Lizada “Because I always tell my children to not depend on just the business but to go also on their own to make the business grow. Benjie has his own food businesses and my grandchildren are also helping to manage SarungBanggi.” And with thenew generation of the Lizada family ready to steer the family business, it may seem that the restaurants Ms. Rosario Lizada founded will be there to serve new generations of Dabawenyos.

Swiss Deli We promised you eight restaurants, but this piece really deserves an eighth, one that has also proven itself to be a durable icon in the city’s food scene. The Italians and Europeans have learned that eating is not just a way to fill their

stomachs and their hearts but to also create new friends and share stories over a bottle of wine. In Davao City, both experiences are present in Swiss Deli and Restaurant located along Lanang. Established by Romano Venuti and Markus Kehl, Swiss Deli and Restaurant was originally built to showcase sausages and processed meats products produced by the Swiss Deli. However, it has become a haven for international cuisine and best tasting wines. Venuti said their clients in the restaurant cannot get enough of their top seven dishes: Sausage Platter, Swiss Steak, Chicken Zurich Style, Swiss Fondue, US Angus Ribeye, Assorted Cold Cuts, and Seafood Chowder. The crisp smell of the wooden crate in Swiss Deli’s underground wine cellar will also surely set a good mood for a conversation. With its wall decorated with bottles

of wines and liquor imported from Australia, France, South Africa, Chile, Italy, Switzerland, Spain and USA, one cannot resist sipping a glass of wine after a good plate of food. Venuti said customers patronize Swiss Deli because it is capable of delivering high standard of excellent services, competitive and reasonable price, and quality and value for money. The 11-year old restaurant also has imported deli items. Among the products that the Deli offers are sausages, hams, bacons, cheeses, sauces, US Angus Steaks, Australian tenderloin steaks, lamb meat, ostrich steak, turkey with special roasting arrangements. It also has a wide array of imported and local deli goods like pastas, coffee beans, marmalades, chocolates, biscuits, juices, pickles, variety of liquors, spirits, German beers and more.

A4 ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL

EDGEDAVAO

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ZION ACCUPRINT:

Growing with the people

“People is what makes a company successful. You need to take care of them” - Zion Accuprint founder Olivia D. Velasco

By CHENEEN R. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

HERE are 4P’s of marketing, these are product, price, promotions and place (distribution). But for Zion Accuprint founder Olivia D. Velasco, a fifth factor -- people -- is as important, if not, the most important factor of business success. “People is what makes a company successful. You need to take care of them,” Zion and Edge Davao general manager Velasco said. Just like any fruit-bearing tree, you need to take care of it before you can expect a sweet fruit. Zion Accuprint started in 2008 when Velasco got out of Sunstar Davao and started a publishing house capitalizing mainly on her experience handling the operations of her former employer for 23 years. Throw in a lot of guts to it and that’s how it all started. “I am thankful for the experience I learned from Sunstar and thankful for the opportunity given by Mr. Elpedio Damaso,” she told this writer while recollecting the days when she woke out of

bed to tell herself this is what she wanted to do. With the help of friends like Jonjon Ramirez of Cortez Printing where she loaned Zion’s first Heidelberg machine, Velasco was able to put up. Soon after, Zion paved the way for the establishment of Edge Davao which also became the first to have a CTP machine among local newspapers in Davao. Zion began with four employees, including herself. She gave proper benefits, minimum salary to her three employees – Helia Mamaed, Cherry Pajariliaga, and Zaldy Jimeno. From 4, Zion grew to 11 while Edge Davao has a total of 12 employees to date. “Gusto ko if ever mag grow ang Edge and Zion, (our employees) grow with us.

Ayoko ng iba ng pag nasa taas na puro na lang profit tapos ung mga nasa baba . Gusto ko yung sabay,” Velasco said. Her guiding principle was simple--building the company together with her employees. She wanted to enjoy the fruit of hard-

work with her employees. Noe eight years old, the year for Zion is a year for innovation. “We need to grow with the times. Zion will continue to grown under a new younger and innovative management along with Edge Davao,” she said. “Pagtulungan

natin kasi dito tayo nabubuhay ingatan natin ang ating resources.” Well said. Now, Velasco has her eyes trained on the new challenges but with an open mind for revolutionizing change in this world she passionately lives.

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ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL 13

JAKE DUPAY:

Printing out the future

BITS & FACTS

By CHENEEN R. CAPON crc@edgedavao.net

HEN almost all employees of Edge Davao and Zion Accuprint Publishing have left the office, one person stays behind to make sure the newspaper comes out the next day: Jake G. Dupay. Jake used to be a freelance technician working on mobile units or computers at a friend’s stand located in San Pedro and Uyanguren almost eight years ago. “My interest in computers started when I was in high school where I worked as a computer laboratory assistant,” he said. “I took a computer technician course for one year and graduated in 2003.” From checking broken LCDs and motherboards, Jake is now busy supervising over-all jobbings for layout for Zion’s client and even Edge Davao newspaper as the prepress supervisor. Thirty-year old Jake entered Zion in 2008 as a layout artist. He left the company for more than one year in 2010 because of the pressure on his job. “I was pressured because I was the only layout artist then,” he said. But the arrival of the of an equipment called Computer to Plate (CTP) pulled him back to the Zion family in 2011. “The new machine appeared to be a challenge that I should conquer,” he said. During the day, Jake is busy talking with clients

regarding their layout specifics. His office hours don’t end at five, however, because he needs to make sure that all the plates are good to go. Married for almost eight years to Rhona-

belle, he said all his hard work pays off with satisfying benefits and salary. “My job here improved the status of my life. It’s hard to be a freelancer because there’s no security. There’s no as-

“The new machine appeared to be a challenge that I should conquer”

surance I would be able to provide food on our table,” he said. Originally from Bucana in Lasang, Davao City, Jake said he would like to stay with Zion for the next 10 years to enrich his learning and skills. “I would like to start a small business 10 years from now,” the soft-spoken but humorous Jake said. He said he is working for his wife and for their future children. When Jake turns off his computer at night, it is not only the newspaper or a student yearbook that is printed clearly but also the future of his family.

No. 7 Jaworski Robert Vincent Salazar Jaworski (born March 8, 1946 in Baguio City, Philippines), also known as Sonny Jaworski, Bobby Jaworski, Robert Jaworski, Sr. or simply Jawo, is a former Philippine senator, basketball coach and Manila Industrial and Commercial Athletic Association (MICAA) and PBA basketball player.

Known as The Big J and called The Living Legend during his playing days, Jaworski was a former playing coach—the first ever in the PBA in 1985—for Ginebra San Miguel. In 2000 he was honored as one of the PBA’s 25 Greatest Players of all time. Jaworski’s no. 7 is arguably the most popular number in the history of the PBA.

The 7 World War II Battleships The seven World War II battleships HIJMS Nagato, HIJMS Mutsu, HMS Nelson (28), HMS Rodney (29), USS Colorado (BB-45), USS Maryland (BB-46) and USS West Virginia (BB-48)

Production team

14 PROPERTY

EDGEDAVAO

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AEON Towers construction moving right on schedule

ONSTRUCTION of the 33-level Aeon Towers, the signature project of local developer FTC Group of Companies, is moving on as scheduled. Latest construction updates showed that the project is now at 31 percent of the overall total project cost to date and 21.2 percent of the overall work coverage. As of February 15, the bored pile and diaphragm works is fully completed at 100 percent. The cast capping beams on the diaphragm wall is also reported at 100 percent. The 33-level AEON Towers project is beamed as the center of Davao’s evolution--a structure that embodies the spirit of Davaoeños, towering over the Davao City landscape. When completed in 2016, Aeon Towers will become the tallest skyscraper in Mindanao. Located right at the heart of central business district, the AEON Towers stands among major educational centers, public

service and health facilities, places of worship, business districts, commercial hubs and entertainment complex. It is within city access from the city’s major tourist attractions. To live there is to live right at the center, where everything is just within your reach. The AEON Towers exudes with the perfect balance between boldness and tradition, between a carefree lifestyle and a progressive mindset. Now, one can finally experience state of the art condominium living in Davao’s tallest residential building. Created, designed and conceptualized by Architect Dennis J. Litonjua, the mixed used revolutionary condominium tower offers a formidable designs that mirrors the architect’s uncompromisingly high standard of excellence and professional aggressiveness, creating a total experience of dynamic creativity and technical expertise. It will house a hotel, restaurants, fitness gym, shops, BPO and condominium units.

NEWS

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

Listening... FROM 2

Davao... FROM 4

Duterte told a large number of convention delegates who listened attentively. Everywhere he goes, or every city or locality that he visits, the Davao mayor had been met with mounting clamor for him to run in the 2016 Presidential elections. A good number of those in the PLP convention at the SMX wore shirts expressing their support to Duterte and had hoped that he will finally utter the words they had been aching to hear. Early last month, Pulse Asia released a survey showing Duterte cornering 12 per-

cent and landing third in the list of preferred candidates for President. His camp saw this as an excellent performance in spite of the fact that Duterte has not declared he is seeking the highest position of the land. But, despite his remarkable showing in the survey, Duterte had been stating time and again that he has no money and that he is too old for the job. His volunteers have one realization, though. Each time Duterte rejects such clamor, calls for him to run for President get louder and louder.

udice against this beautiful island and its generous people, and I grew up influenced by this culture that people would ask me if my island is as scary and dangerous as it is portrayed in the news. While in Australia, I decided that I wanted to become part of the solution to correcting this grossly skewed misconception of Mindanao,” she stressed. During the open forum, the students expressed their optimism and called for the importance of responsible journalism through advocating peace. Jamila Loren Tingzon, a third year communication student at FSUU and president of its Communication Guild, revealed that the workshop was an eye opener for the students. “We were all clueless about it. It’s not taught in

school, and I think it should be,” she said, referring to peace journalism. She promised to help spread the cause. “With peace journalism, people will have more hope towards a much better life,” seconded Cybil Pearl Alegria, a high school student from Trento, Agusan del Sur. Reynaldo Hipitulan, a teacher who headed the delegation from Bayugan Central Elementary School, said he was delighted that at such a young age, the students had a “grasp of the idea of peace education and journalism.” He expressed optimism that the students will understand the importance of peace and incorporate this “in the way they write and hopefully develop them into better writers in the future.” Erwin Mascariñas/MindaNews

“We need to unite and set parameters to identify actual demand and the volume requirement for rice production so that we can eliminate surplus and stabilize prices of rice,” Bautista added. Apart from the successful provinces, Banaybanay, Davao Oriental won as the outstanding municipality, while San Isidro Farmers Association of Davao del Norte and AlbatanaBluconMalabis from Davao del Sur won as the Outstanding Irrigators Association respectively. The winning provinces received P4-million each while the outstanding municipality received P1-million. The cash grants will be utilized to further enhance rice production in the three provinces. Moreover, 12 outstanding agricultural extension workers

(AEW’s) and one local farmer technicians (LFT’s) from Davao region were also recognized for and received P20,000 each. Director RemelynRecoter said that remarkable performance of the three provinces has significantly contributed to the increased of rice production in the region from 421,692 metric tons (MT) in 2013 to 452, 267.00 metric tons (MT) in 2014. “We commend our local officials and farmer leaders including the agricultural extension workers for partnering with DA in ensuring that the necessary interventions such as production support, infrastructure, and technical assistance are in place to boost rice production in the region,” Recoter said. (Mishel C. Castilla/ VerceliReambonanza - DA-11)

gratitude that the entire nation has for you. We can only say that your sacrifices will not be in vain,” Quitain said. He, however, noticed that the numbers of war veterans attending the annual rite are declining. “It’s really unfortunate that your numbers are dwindling,” Quitain said. “But every time you need assistance from

the city government we are always there to help you.” From last year’s list of 20 surviving war veterans in Davao, the number went down to only 14 this year, some of whom event failed to grace yesterday’s ceremony as they are either bed-ridden or sick.

the flavor of food and beverage with a dash of creativity and imagination. The Davao Pomelo Festival is part of the Flavors of the Philippines campaign of the Department of Tourism (DoT)

for VDFS. It is supported by the Davao City Government, the Department of Science and Technology DOST), the Department of Agriculture (DA), Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) and REDD-Ltd. (PNA)

to the above-mentioned fiscals by their respective local governments, in amounts not exceeding 25 percent of their basic salaries.” It also stated that the salaries of clerks, stenographers and other subordinate employees in the offices of the provincial and city fiscals shall be paid by the province or city. Arellano also quoted the Republic Act (RA) 7160 or the Local Government Code of 1991 which allows LGUs to provide assistance to the prosecutor offices in the country. “The third is the new law which was enacted several years ago that is Republic Act No. 10071 (“Prosecution Service Act of 2010”) which also allows local government units to grant allowances to prosecutors provided that the allowance will not go beyond 50 percent of their basic salary,” he said. Under section 16 of RA 10071, the salaries and allowances of regional, provincial and city prosecutors and their assistants, and the members of the prosecution staff, including the prosecution attorneys, shall be paid entirely out of national funds and included in the annual appropriations of the DOJ. Provided, however, this provision is without prejudice to the grant of allowances to

the prosecutors by their respective local governments in amounts not exceeding 50 percent of their basic salaries Arellano said the PLP, Chief Prosecutors Association and Regional Prosecutors Council already wrote a letter to de Lima asking her to reconsider the order. “We are with her in her desire to really come up with higher standards of governance. But we are saying, considering the situation of the prosecution on the field in the regional areas in the regional offices and in the cities and provincial offices, the resources from the national government is very inadequate,” he said. “It is good that the law provides that, if there are instances where the resources of the national government will be inadequate, then the local government should assist... When the local government exercises governmental functions such the administration of criminal justice, this is exercising a function not just a separate entity but as an entity of the state,” he added. Arellano admitted receiving an P8,000 monthly allowance from the city government, which he said is uniform to all prosecutors in the city and the region.

as Paul Jr. said they would submit a copy of their proposal to President Benigno III.

”We are scheduling a meeting with him,” he said. (PNA) RMA/JS/EDS

Studes... FROM 4

War... FROM 4

Pomelo... FROM 12

Soar... FROM 7

Rody... FROM 4

Tax... FROM 12

BITS & FACTS

Big 7 Harry Potter characters The “big seven” Harry Potter characters: Harry Potter, Hermione Granger, Ron Weasley, Ginny Weasley, Neville Longbottom, Luna Lovegood and Draco Malfoy.

7 Dwarfs The Seven Dwarfs are a group of dwarfs that live in a tiny cottage and work in the nearby mines. Snow White happened upon their house after being told by the Huntsman to flee from the Queen’s kingdom.

When the Seven Dwarfs return home, they immediately become aware that someone sneaked in secretly, because everything in their home is in disorder. During their loud discussion about who sneaked in, they discover the sleeping Snow White. The girl wakes up and explains to them what happened and the Dwarfs take pity on her, saying: “If you will keep house for us, and cook, make beds, wash, sew, and knit, and keep everything clean and orderly, then you can stay with us, and you shall have everything that you want.” They warn her to be careful when alone at home and to let no one in when they are away delving in the mountains. When the Queen disguised as an old peddler ties a colorful, silky bodice onto Snow White which causes her to faint, the Seven Dwarfs return just in time and Snow White revives when the Dwarfs loosen the lace. When the Queen dresses as a comb seller and gives Snow White a poisoned comb, the Seven Dwarfs save her again. The Queen then appears disguised as a farmer’s wife and gives Snow White a poisoned apple, of which she takes a bite. This time, the Seven Dwarfs are unable to revive the girl, because they can’t find the source of Snow White’s poor health and, assuming that she is dead, they place her in a glass coffin. After some time has passed, a Prince traveling through the land sees Snow White where he strides to her coffin, and instantly falls in love with her upon being enchanted by her beauty. The Seven Dwarfs let him take the coffin, and as his servants carry the coffin away, they stumble on some roots and the piece of apple comes out of Snow White’s throat, reviving her.

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DAVAO CITY MAIN OFFICE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY MARKETING OFFICE

Director of Sales

Marketing Specialist

JOCELYN S. PANES

Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel: (082) 224-1413 Telefax: (082) 221-3601

EDMUND P. RENDON

General Santos City

Mobile: (Sun) 0925-357-3460 (Smart) 0907-202-3844

MANILA MARKETING OFFICE

ANGELICA R. GARCIA Marketing Manager 97-1 Bayanbayanan Ave., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 654-3509

VOL. 8 ISSUE 6 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, APRIL 10 - 11, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 17

Police, PDEA seize P200K shabu in Dipolog buy-bust C OMBINED police and Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) operatives arrested a suspected big time drug pusher and seized an estimated P200,000 worth of methamphetamine hydrochloride locally known as shabu in Dipolog City. Superintendent Ranie Hachuela, Dipolog City acting police chief, identified the ar-

rested suspect as Joseph Elli Anthony Abucay, 27. Hachuela said Abucay was arrested in a buy-bust operation around 12:51 a.m. Wednesday in Barangay Barra, Dipolog City. Hachuela said the arresting team confiscated from the suspect’s possession 17 plastic sachets -- one largesized, 12 medium-sized, and four small-sized -- of suspect-

ed shabu with an estimated market value of P200,000. Also confiscated was P250 in “marked money” consisting of two P100 bills and a P50 bill, a mobile phone, and paraphernalia used in the trade of prohibited drugs. Hachuela said the suspect was detained while appropriate charges are set to be filed against him. (PNA)

the past 70 years will remain unchanged,” Ishikawa said. He said the collaboration between the Philippines and Japan has been expanding through security and defense cooperation. Apart from these collaboration initiatives, Ishikawa added that Japan would continue to be trading partner and donor of official development assistance (ODA) to the Philippines. “We are always one of the largest investors to the Philippines and have been the number one donor of ODA for decades, not to mention projects for infrastructure and socioeconomic development. We provided humanitarian assistance and disaster relief when typhoon ‘Yolanda’ hit this country,” he

said. For his part, US Ambassador Philip Goldberg said many countries continued facing challenges and threats, particularly fighting the scourge of international terrorism. “In 2015, as in 1942, we face challenges and threats together as partners, friends, and in many cases now, family. Whether we are fighting terrorism or responding to the devastation of natural disasters, we face them together. And when the Philippines is threatened, it is not alone,” he said in the same event. On April 9, 1942 or 73 years ago, 76,000 Americans and Filipinos gave their lives fighting in defense of freedom and liberty of Bataan and Corregidor. (PNA)

Japan, US vow continued support for peace efforts

APAN and the United States have assured the Philippines of their continued support in addressing challenges and threats, foremost among them terrorism. In his message during the anniversary of Araw ng Kagitingan delivered in Mt. Samat, Bataan, Japanese Ambassador Kazuhide Ishikawa said peace building in Mindanao was among the top priorities for assistance from Japan. “Japan has also been contributing to the peace, stability, and prosperity of the Asia Pacific region throughout these 70 years as peace-loving nations, as one of the best partners of the Philippines, and as an ally of the United States of America,” he said. “The path Japan has taken as a peace-loving nation in

EDGEDAVAO

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ANNIVERSARY SPECIAL 19

Top 7 International Athletes

OUR PICK. (l-r) Muhammad Ali, Michael Jordan, Tiger Woods, Pele, Jackie Robinson, Roger Federer and Wayne Gretzky.

HE list is long and daunting, but we have to pick the top from our very own perspective. This list was made with the influence on mind throughout our years of sportswriting experience. Without a doubt, Muhammad Ali had the biggest imprint of them all from his glory days as Cassius Clay, to his ditching of compulsory

military enlistment, to his fight in Manila and his saga against Parkinson’s Disease. The rest of the list are a bevy of athletes in different sports disciplines from Michael Jordan (basketball) to Pele (soccer) to Tiger Woods (golf) to Roger Federer (tenis) and to Wayne Gretzky (ice hockey). 1. Muhammad Ali

First three-time world heavyweight champion Won 22 heavyweight championship fights with 19 successful defenses

2. Michael Jordan Five-time NBA MVP; sixtime NBA champion (Finals MVP for all six titles) 10-time NBA scoring champ (most in NBA history)

3. Jackie Robinson First African-American player in modern era of major league baseball All-Star in six straight seasons from 1949 to ‘54 4. Pele 1,281 professional goals in his career, fourth-most all time Only player to win three

World Cup championships; youngest goal scorer in a World Cup final at age 17

5. Tiger Woods Has won 14 majors, second-most all time 10-time PGA Player of the Year, most all time 6. Roger Federer Held world No. 1 ranking for 302 total weeks, most all

Cycleline riders joining Tour de Dos

HE powerhouse Cycleline cycling team of Butuan is joining the Tour de Grande Dos mountain bike cross country race set on May 10 in Barangay Catalunan Grande in Talomo District. Team manager Lito Patayan confirmed his team’s participation to Mark Martin Severino, Grand Knight of the organizing Knights of Columbus Council No. 9573. Cycleline showed its dominance inn the recently-held Araw ng Dabaw Criterium Challenge held at the Davao Crocodile Park last March 21. Tour Pilipinas veteran Cesar Lapaza Jr. of Cycleline ruled the Open Elite category followed by former Team Rody Duterte’s Ronnie Urdaneta and Cycleline’s Gilbert Enarciso in second and third,

respectively. Enarciso also topped the Junior category for 18 years old and below by beating his own two teammates Warren Sagarino and Robin Ray Derro, who finished second and third. Another Cycleline rider Jade Lopez clocked 23 minutes. 54.92 to win the 23 under category. Davao’s Eric Dhave Apinar and Cycleline’s John Earl Sagarino finished second and third. More riders are expected to register during the event. Registration is still on-going at the San Isidro Labrador Parish in Catalunan Grande. Registration fee is P350 with free pack lunch and race bib. Severino said proceeds will go to the on-going construction of the San Isidro Labrador Parish Pastoral and

Formation Building in Barangay Catalunan Grande. The event will be held in celebration of the San Isidro Labrador Fiesta, is sanctioned by Philcycling in coordination with the Davao City Sports Consumer Cooperative. Barangay Captain January Duterte, president of the Association of Barangay Captains (ABC) in Davao City is the invited guest speaker. A total cash prize of P49,000 with medals will be awarded to the top three finishers of the Open Elite, 23 Under, Junior (18 under), Veterans (30-39), Masters (40-49), Ladies Open, Golden Boys (50 and above), Legend (60 and above), Fat Boys (minimum weight of 180 lbs.) and Executive (25-45 yrs. Old with PRC license or updated business permit under the

rider’s name). The race route starts and ends at San Isidro Labrador Parish. Each lap has a distance of 16.2 kilometers with only the Open Elite, 23 Under and the Veterans having a total of two laps. The riders will kick off from the parish church going to Sitio Awa, passing Sitio Ubat turn right to San Miguel towards Sto. Nino Ilihan, Sitio Guadalupe, turn left Samantha Homes to Sitio Toril, Matina Pangi Road, Diversion Road, turn right for the Pink Sisters and go back to the parish. The top three finishers in the Open Elite, 23 under, Junior and Veterans will receive P3,000, P2,500 and P2,000 with medals.The top three placers in the other categories will earn P2,000, P1,500 and P1,000 with medals.

7. Wayne Gretzky Won Hart Trophy as NHL’s Most Valuable Player a record nine times NHL career and single-season record holder for goals, assists and points.

Rory seeks slam, Tiger chases no. 15

FAMILY AFFAIR. Tiger Woods waits to put as girlfriend Lindsey Vonn, son Charlie and daughter Sam look on during the Par 3 Contest. Ezra Shaw, Getty Images

time Seven career Wimbledon singles titles, tied with Pete Sampras for most all time

OP-RANKED Rory McIlroy chases his third consecutive major victory and a career Grand Slam while Tiger Woods stalks his first major title since 2008 when the 79th Masters begins Thursday. Perfect playing conditions at iconic Augusta National greeted golfers for the final practice session on the eve of the year’s first major championship, tension already mounting even for those who already own the green jacket symbolizing Masters supremacy. “Feeling the pressure at Augusta and winning it, I know that I can do it, so it helps a little,” defending champion Bubba Watson said. “You’re still nervous. You’re still scared. But at least I have won a couple times.” McIlroy could join Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player, Gene Sarazen and Woods as the only players to have won each of the majors

at least once. The 25-year-old Northern Ireland star would be the first European to do so. “I’ll sleep OK,” McIlroy said. “If I get five or six hours I’ll be happy. Lucky I’ve got an early tee time.” McIlroy, who plays alongside Americans Phil Mickelson and Ryan Moore with a 10:41 (1441 GMT) morning start, has stressed that he expects to have many more chances at winning the Masters if this one does not result in a victory. “He has that opportunity and he’s going to have that opportunity for decades to come,” Woods said. “I’m sure he’ll have many green jackets in his closet before it’s all said and done.” It would also be McIlroy’s fifth career major win after the 2011 US Open, the 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and last year’s British Open. If he does don a green jacket Sunday, McIlroy would join Woods and Ben Hogan as the only men to win three majors

BITS & FACTS

Air Jordan 7 Retro Inspired by the nighttime lights of Barcelona, the newest color of the Air Jordan 7 Retro is a snapshot from the historic summer of 1992. The upper features black nubuck and smooth leather with pops of Infrared 23 and Retro. The shoe was launched last March 7 on Nike.com.

20 EDGEDAVAO Sports

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MAGIC 7. (l-r) Manny Pacquiao, Efren Reyes, Paeng Nepomuceno, Onyok Velasco, Gabriel Elorde, Felicisimo Ampon, and Paulino Alcantara.

Edge Davao’s Top 7 Filipino Athletes

HIS one is another hard list to make. A lot of changes along the way but we stick to the impact these athletes made in their respective fields of sporting battle. Of course, our consensus no. 1 is boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao with his eight world division titles and a chance at being the first conqueror of unbeaten Floyd Mayweather Jr. Then we have the ‘ultimates’ in their own turf--Paeng Nepomuceno in bowling, Felicisimo Ampon in tennis, Efren Reyes in billiards, Mansueto Velasco (amateur boxing, and Gabriel “Flash” Elorde (pro boxing) and Paulino Alcantara (football). 1. Manny Pacquiao World Titles: WBC Flyweight Champi-

on (112 lbs) IBF Super Bantamweight Champion (122 lbs) WBC Super Featherweight Champion (130 lbs) WBC Lightweight Champion (135 lbs) WBO Welterweight Champion (147 lbs) WBC Light Middleweight Champion (154 lbs) (2) WBO Welterweight Champion (147 lbs) Minor World Titles: IBO Light Welterweight Champion (140 lbs) The Ring/Lineal Championship Titles: Lineal Flyweight Champion (112 lbs) The Ring Featherweight Champion (126 lbs) The Ring Super Featherweight Champion (130 lbs) The Ring Light Welterweight Champion (140 lbs)

2. Rafael Nepomuceno He is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for three records: 1) for most Bowling World cup wins, 4, in three different decades.) for being the youngest ever to win the Bowling World Cup (at 19 years of age. In September 2003 issue of the Prestigious Bowlers Journal International named Paeng as the Greatest International Bowler of All Time. 3. Felicisimo Ampon 1934 Far Eastern Games champion (gold) 1936 Philippines Amateur Tennis Championship, quarter-finalist 1937 Philippines Amateur Tennis Championship, finalist 1937 Davis Cup singles champion 1948 Wimbledon Plate

champion 1950 Pan American Tennis Championships 1952 French Open, quarter-finalist 1953 French Open, quarter-finalist 1958 Asian Games men’s singles, 2nd place (silver)

4. Efren “Bata” Reyes Most number of world titles won in billiards Regarded by world pool stars as the greatest billiards player of all time First Asian to be inducted into the Billiard Congress of America’s Hall of Fame. Ranked no. 2 in Pool & Billiard Magazine’s “Fans’ Top 20 Favorite Players” poll.

5. Mansueto Velasco 1996 Olympics silver medalist 6. Gabriel Elorde

World Junior Lightweight Champion, he won the title in 1960. In 1963, he was inaugurated as WBC and WBA champion. He still holds the junior lightweight division record for longest title reign, and is considered as one of the greatest junior lightweight champion in history. It spanned for seven years, and in doing-so he legitimized the division. Elorde is considered as one of the best Filipino boxers of alltime along with eight-division world champion Manny Pacquiao and flyweight champion in the 1920s, Pancho Villa. He was much beloved in the Philippines as a sports and cultural icon, being the first Filipino international boxing champion since middleweight champion Ceferino Garcia. 7. Paulino Alcantara Filipino–Spanish footbal-

ler and manager. He spent most of his playing career at Barcelona and was the first Filipino and Asian player to play for a European club. He also played for Catalonia, the Philippines and Spain. Alcántara made his debut for Barcelona at the age of 15 and remains the youngest player to play or score for the club. He also scored 100 goals in 69 matches, making him the club’s highest goalscorer (counting goals scored in both official games and friendlies). After retiring as a player in 1927 at the age of 31, he became a doctor. On 3 July 1927, Barcelona played against Spain in a testimonial match in his honour (Spain won 2–1[4]) and he later served as a club director between 1931 and 1934. In 1951, Alcántara became a coach and managed Spain for three games.