VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
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EARLY CHRISTMAS P113M SB 3 OK’d on 2nd reading, P51M for employee incentives
EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society
INSIDE EDGE
Durian candy maker faces charges over food poisoning P2 Daily blackouts effect on economy minimal: DCIPC P3
DURIAN NIGHT. A young boy relishes every bite of durian during a night out with his parents at fruit stand along Magsaysay Avenue on Monday night. Durian fruits grown in Calinan, Davao City are starting to flood the city’s markets and are now selling for as low as P40 a kilo. Lean Daval Jr.
By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
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abf@edgedavao.net
HIS one’s for early Christmas. With the passage on second reading of the P113.4-million Supplemental Budget No. 3, 2,729 plantilla employees are bound to receive an incentive equivalent to a month’s salary. The Davao City Council has approved on second reading the proposed P113.4 million budget which has, for the
bigger chunk, payment of Productivity Enhancement Incentive (PEI) of the government employees in compliance with Executive Order No. 181 or the implementation of the provisions of the FY 2015, General Appropriations Act (GAA) on the grant of the 2015 Productivity Enhancement Incentive. The Council passed on Tuesday afternoon the proposed additional budget for
the General Fund Proper, the Development Fund, and the Economic Enterprises. The report of the committee on finance, ways and means and appropriation headed by councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang showed that P51.8 million will be allotted for the PEI. The committee report said the PEI, which is under the Miscellaneous Personnel Ben-
efits Fund of Lumpsum Appropriations and Economic Enterprises, got the highest share of the budget with an amount of P51.8 million in the General Fund Proper and P2.48 million from the Economic Enterprise or 48 percent of the total appropriations. In an interview, Dayanghirang said qualified city government employees will receive
FEARLY, 10
EDGEDAVAO Sports
Kadayawan cagefest opens today Page 16
2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO
VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
ANTI-KOTONG COPS. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte shows the huge identification that will be used by traffic enforcers from the different law enforcing units in the city. Duterte earlier suspended arrest of traffic violators in the city after receiving complaints that traffic enforcers of the Land Transportation Office (LTO), City Traffic and Transport Management Office (CTTMO), Highway Patrol Group (HPG), and Traffic Group (TG) are involved in extortion activities. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.
Durian candy maker faces suit over food poisoning By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
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abf@edgedavao.net
HE Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Durian Candy is planning to file a case against the owners of JJCM Food Products, manufacturer of Wendy’s Delicious Durian Candy, after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found E.coli bacteria in its raw materials. Speaking in yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps Media Briefing, SITG Durian Candy chief Senior Superintendent Aaron Aquino said the bacteria was found in the deep well water used in the company’s food preparation. Aquino said E.coli is bacteria found in animal and human waste.
“All other samples such food flavoring, sugar, margarine, and skim milk tested negative,” he said. Aquino said the FDA noted the presence of microorganisms on the durian candies of Wendy’s as well as its other products such as Blesses Durian Candy which was also sold in Surigao del Sur where a massive food poisoning occurred on July 10. Aquino said the machine, sugar container, the wrappings, and the chopping boards were contaminated with microorganisms which caused the poisoning. He said the deep well wa-
FDURIAN, 10
Short power interruptions
D
AVAO Light and Power Co. will implement short power interruptions on August 15 and 16 affecting customers connected to its Victoria Feeder 1, Gaisano Feeder 3, and Dumoy, Toril and Sto. Tomas Substations. On August 16, the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines will implement a Transmission Line Maintenance on its Davao-Digos 69kV transmission line affecting Davao Light’s Dumoy and Toril substations. As preparation for this service disruption, Davao Light will temporarily transfer the loads of the affected substations to nearby substations on August 15, for 15-minutes only, anytime between 4:30 a.m. to 5:00 a.m..
Specifically affected are customers from Dumoy Substation going to the entire Toril area up to Inawayan. Also to experience the power interruptions are customers in Bago Aplaya and Dumoy areas. Davao City Water District’s pumping stations in the above mentioned areas will also be affected by this short power outage. Meanwhile, two 30-minute power interruptions will be conducted on August 16, which is necessary to facilitate the Preventive Maintenance and Servicing on Davao Light’s Sto. Tomas Substation. The load from the said substation will be temporarily transferred to Tadeco feeder 2 for a short-
FSHORT, 10
Charges to be filed vs Lumad girl’s rapists By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA
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HE Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 is set to file charges against two unidentified men for the rape of a 14-year-old Lumad girl. The victim is one of the Lumads who evacuated to the United Church of Christ in the Philippines (UCCP)-Haran compound after alleged militarization in Talaingod. She was allegedly raped in Talaingod before going to Davao City. PRO 11 deputy regional director for operations Senior Superintendent Aaron Aquino identified the suspects only as alias “Galot,” around 40 years
old, and alias “Daniel,” around 20. Aquino did not say if the suspects were members of the military as alleged by progressive groups supporting the Lumads in Haran. Aquino said PRO 11 will file cases of violation of Republic Act 8353 or the anti-rape law within the week. “We are just waiting for the case summary report of the social workers from Talaingod, and after that we will file within the week,” Aquino said. Aquino also confirmed that the girl had been raped.
“Like I said, it doesn’t need penetration to be considered rape. Just by touching it, it constitutes rape already. All the medical examinations on the child have been done and only the the results of the social worker from Talaingod is needed,” Aquino said. The rape incident happened in Barangay Palma Gil in Talaingod prior to the evacuation of the Lumads from their ancestral domains. The girl had been the center of controversy after militant groups claimed she and her mother were whisked away from the Haran com-
pound on July 23 and made to board a police vehicle during a “rescue operation” for Lumads who had been staying there for weeks due to alleged militarization in Talaingod. Police have claimed the girl and her mother escaped from the compound. Meanwhile, Eastern Mindanao Command spokesperson Colonel Eduardo Gubat said they are willing to cooperate in the investigation of the rape incident. Progressive group PASAKA was the first to claim that a member of the military raped the girl.
Mandaya Hotel in Davao City. Dela Cruz said the victim, identified as Rodolfo Baligao, was beheaded by his captors after the local government of Dapitan and the family of the victim failed to pay ransom. “It has been confirmed that the barangay captain was beheaded after his cadaver was found around 9 p.m. last night (Tuesday),” dela Cruz said. Dela Cruz said Baligao was abducted on May 4 along
with two PCG personnel identified as Gringo Villaruz, 28, of Governor Generoso, Davao Oriental and Rod Pagaling. He said the status of the two PCG personnel is still undetermined and their district in Zamboanga del Norte is searching for them. Dela Cruz said the captors asked for P300 million in ransom for the freedom of the three victims during the first week of the abduction.
“But it went down to, I think if I am not mistaken, P3 million each for the Coast Guard personnel,” he said. Dela Cruz, however, said the PCG is implementing government’s no-negotiation policy. Last July, Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte asked the Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) to help secure the release of the two PCG personnel and the barangay captain. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.
Abducted Dapitan barangay captain found dead in Sulu T
HE barangay captain of Aliguay Island in Dapitan City, Zamboanga del Norte was found decapitated in Maimbong, Sulu on Tuesday night more than three months after reportedly kidnapped by the Abu Sayaff last May. Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deputy Chief of Staff Commodore Joselito F. dela Cruz confirmed this in yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps Media Briefing at The Royal
VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
NO BIOMETRICS. Commission on Elections assistant regional director Marlon Casquejo tells AFP-PNP Press Corps Media there are still 153, 691 registered voters in Davao City who have no biometrics. He said the city has 913, 700 voters but if the voters who have no biometrics will not comply voters will dwindle to 800,000. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.
Congress pressed to fast-track probe on abuses by state forces Legislative inquiry opens in Davao City today By JON JOAQUIN
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jon@edgedavao.net
S the House of Representatives convenes an “initial omnibus legislative inquiry” into human rights abuses today and tomorrow (August 13 and 14) in Davao City, New York-based Human Rights Watch (HRW) urged lawmakers to fast-track investigations of alleged human rights abuses by state security forces. The group noted that the inquiry will be held in Mindanao “where many of the alleged human rights violations, including extrajudicial killings, enforced disappearances, and torture, have occurred.” The lawmakers “also want to investigate the socalled Tagum Death Squad, which was allegedly financed and controlled by police and local government officials,” the group said in a statement. HRW deputy Asia director Phelim Kine lamented the “years of apathy” of Congress toward human rights violations by security forces, which
he said “makes it easier for perpetrators of abuses to literally get away with murder.” He said Congress is only now acting on the 22 resolutions that legislators have filed with its Committee on Human Rights since 2013 that call for investigation of specific allegations of human rights violations by the military and police. He said the initial omnibus legislative inquiry in Davao City, which is designed to jumpstart congressional attention to those resolutions, will gather more information about the cases in each resolution by interviewing victims and witnesses. Kine said the inquiry will result in a report detailing its findings and recommendations that it will then submit to Congress. It can recommend the filing of cases before the courts or the Office of the Ombudsman, which is empowered to pursue separate inves-
FCONGRESS, 10
SouthCot cops seize P8.2M in drugs in H1
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OLICE personnel in South Cotabato have recovered around P8.2 million worth of illegal drugs in various anti-drug operations during the first half of the year. Senior Superintendent Jose Arnaldo Briones, South Cotabato police director, said Wednesday they specifically seized the illegal drugs in 88 “successful” operations that they launched in parts of the province. During the operations, he said they arrested at least 118 drug users and pushers, some of whom were included in their drug watch list. He said they were able to file a total of 126 drugs cases
against the arrested suspects in various courts in the area. “These accomplishments were the result of our intensified supply reduction campaign in coordination with the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency,” Briones said. From January to July this year, the official said the Polomolok municipal police stations (MPS) launched the most number of anti-drug operations with 27, followed by Koronadal City police station with 18, Sto. Nino MPS with 11, Norala MPS with eight, Tboli MPS with six, Banga and Surallah MPS with 5 each and Tupi MPS with three. He said the South Cotaba-
NEWS 3
EDGEDAVAO
CANDY MAKER IN TROUBLE. Special Investigation Task Group (SITG) Durian Candy chief Senior Superintendent Aaron Aquino reports that owners of JJCM Food Products, manufacturer of Wendy’s Delicious Durian Candy, will be charged after the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found E.coli bacteria in its raw materials. Aquino attributed the poisoning to the poor food handling. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.
ABDUCTED BY ABU SAYYAF. Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) deputy Chief of Staff Commodore Joselito F. dela Cruz says the fate of PCG personnel Gringo Villaruz, 28, and Rod Pagaling allegedly abducted by Abu Sayyaf last May 4 in Dapitan is still unclear. However, dela Cruz bared that abducted barangay captain Rodolfo Baligao of Aliguay Island was beheaded and his body was found last Tuesday night. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.
Blackouts’ effects on economy minimal By CHENEEN R. CAPON
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crc@edgedavao.net
HE daily rotating power outages in Davao City which started on July 30, 2015 has had little effect on the city’s economy. In a statement, Ivan C. Cortez, head of the Davao City Investment Promotions Center (DCIPC), estimated that the city loses only between P3 million and P5 million per hour in the blackouts, which Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) implements in increments of up to three hours per day. He said the figure can even go to “near zero level” if one includes the spikes in sales for goods and services that are in demand like halo-halo, cold sweets, and rechargeable fans and flashlights “since the little inconveniences will drive some people to spend more than their daily budget.”
Cortez said the city’s businesses generate at least P578 million worth of transactions daily, with the bulk of transactions done between a 12-hour peak period between 7:30 a.m. and 7:30 p.m. “With the assumption that 85 percent of the daily transactions are done within the 12-hour peak period, this would give us P40.9 million as the city’s hourly worth of transactions during the 12hour peak period,” he said. But Cortez said he cannot directly assume that Davao City is losing P40.9 million right away per every hour of power interruption “simply because, on average, 70 percent of our daily transactions are related to meeting basic needs (like) food and clothing.” “Meaning, regardless of
the time of day when the power outage occurred, people will still buy and eat food and continue to meet basic needs within the 12-hour peak period. Given these assumptions, the highest figure you can have for hourly losses will be at P12 million per hour,” he said. Cortez said even the P12 million hourly estimate for losses during a blackout in the city is “with the assumption that all businesses totally halted operation during the entire hour of power outage.” He said this is “really not the case” since some businesses are equipped with standby generators and others can continue operation by using LED flashlights and turning to manual operations. “Our local economy is generally consumer driven. What does this mean in relation to
blackouts? Whether there is a one-hour or a three-hour power outage, the general picture of daily business transactions will still be consummated even during the outages (since people will transfer and flock to the establishments with generators) or will opt to delay the transaction until after power is restored. At the end of the day, the plan to consume will still be executed since the basics have to be met as set for the day,” he said. Cortez also noted that only five percent of the total businesses in Davao City are in the manufacturing sector. “This is the industry that will be most affected by power outages. But then again, generator sets now have become very affordable that these industries have most likely bought their own sets already,” he said.
KADAYAWAN ART. Hotel guests and visitors check out the photographs on display at the Kadayawan art exhibit at the lobby of The Marco Polo, Davao
FSOUTHCOT, 10 yesterday. The exhibit will run from August 10 to September 5 in time for the Kadayawan sa Davao 2015 celebration. Lean Daval Jr.
EDGEDAVAO
4 SUBURBIA
VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
RISE IN DENGUE CASES
Tampakan mulls state of calamity T
ANOTHER AWARD. City administrator and CDRRMC action officer Giovanni L. Rellon (third from left) and city DILG director Eliza P. Mendoza (fourth from left) receive the Gawad Kalasag Award in a ceremony at the Grand Regal Hotel, Davao City on August 11, 2015. Photo by Kareen Jane Gomez/CIO Tagum
HE municipal government of Tampakan is pushing for the declaration of the entire area under a state of calamity due to the rising cases of dengue infection that already affected 96 residents and left a child dead. Tampakan Mayor Leonardo Escobillo said Tuesday they have requested the municipal council to issue a calamity declaration to facilitate the immediate release of the town’s calamity funds to address the increasing cases of the disease in the last several weeks. He said the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council endorsed during an emergency meeting on Monday placing the down under a state calamity based on declarations earlier made by three of its 14
barangays. The provincial government of South Cotabato, through the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management, also cleared their planned calamity declaration, he said. “We really need this declaration to allow us to address the situation better using our calamity funds,” he said in a radio interview. Escobillo said the dengue outbreak started several weeks after the onset of the rainy season last June. He said the rains and the failure of residents to properly clean up mosquito breeding places caused the rapid spread of the disease in various communities in Barangays Poblacion, Kipalbig and Maltana.
IRE gutted three school buildings of a public high school here late Tuesday night, destroying various school equipment and documents. Senior Fire Officer 1 Melvin Brameda, investigator of the city fire station, said Wednesday the fire broke out at around 9:40 p.m. at a portion of the Home Economics (HE) laboratory of the Tinagacan National High School in Barangay Tinagacan. He said it eventually spread to the nearby Guidance Counselor’s office and the cookery laboratory of the school’s Senior High School Program. “It spread quite fast as the buildings there are interconnected and very close to each other,” Brameda said. He said fire trucks and personnel from the city fire office
and the South Cotabato Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce fire brigade responded to the scene and were able to control the fire about an hour later. Citing their initial investigation, Brameda said the incident could have started at the back portion of the HE building where its kitchen is located. He said school personnel noted that the kitchen was used by their cookery students on Tuesday morning. “They used firewood for cooking so there’s a possibility that there were embers left there that later triggered the fire,” he said. But the official said they are still validating such angle and are also looking at other possible causes of the incident, which left an initial estimated damage of P600,000.
hits GenSan Tagum City wins Fire public high school Gawad Kalasag F
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HE City Government of Tagum added another feather on its cap as it won the 2015 Gawad Kalasag Award for Best City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) for Region 11, making it as the official entry of Davao Region to the National Search for Gawad Kalasag. The CDRRMC, under its chairman Mayor Allan L. Rellon, bested fellow component cities in the region in the competition, which is the country’s premier annual award to local
governments for their outstanding contribution in the fields of disaster risk reduction and management and humanitarian action. It recognizes outstanding performance of the Local DRRM Councils, civil society groups, schools, hospitals and other major stakeholders in promoting significant DRRM-climate change adaptation (CCA) programs and innovations. City administrator and CDRRMC action officer Giovanni L. Rellon and City DILG
AVAO Regional Hospital (DRH) launched the Hospital High Impact Five (HI-5) program to reduce mortality and promote better health services. Led by the Department of Health (DOH), HI-5 is an inter-agency program that aims to attain the country’s Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) with full cooperation from the local government units and other health stakeholders. DOH 11 regional director Abdullah Dumama said the strategies to attain the MDGs include reducing infant mortality by 20 percent, reducing under-five mortality by 22 percent, reducing maternal mortality by 57 percent, reducing cases of HIV/AIDS by 40 percent, and increasing
the service delivery networks within the sector. “The capability and efficiency of the health professionals plus of course the three district hospitals of Davao del Norte and the Davao Regional Hospital, those are what increase the service development network” Dumama said. Governor Rodolfo del Rosario expressed all-out support of the provincial government to the Hi-5 program. He cited the zero maternal mortality rate among Lumad mothers in Talaingod, which is the only tribal municipality in the Davao Region with IPs comprising 70 percent of the town’s population. “No mother should die in childbirth,” del Rosario said. Charlene E. Luna
DRH launches HI-5 D
director Eliza P. Mendoza received the award last August 11, 2015 at the Grand Regal Hotel in Davao City during the culmination program of the National Disaster Consciousness Month. The institutionalization of the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) is one of the pillars of Mayor Rellon’s agenda on achieving genuine peace, safety, and security as stipulated in the EAGLE WINGS Program. Under Mayor Rellon’s watch, the office has focused
on expanding its capability by acquiring equipment to boost its action and response during emergencies and disasters, and even established a 24/7 operation center in the city’s motor pool. It has also trained organic and volunteer personnel while doing climate change adaptation programs and projects such as massive tree planting programs and boosting its infrastructure projects aimed at reducing the risks of urban emergencies such as flooding. Louie Lapat/CIO Tagum
FTAMPAKAN, 10
FFIRE, 10
HI-5. Governor Rodolfo del Rosario and DOH 11 regional director Abdullah Dumama unveil the Hospital High Impact Five (HI-5) program in Davao Regional Hospital, Tagum City. Reymund Faciol
5 ECONOMY
EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
Joint venture for reclamation project City, Mega Harbour to undertake multi-billion development
By CHENEEN R. CAPON
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crc@edgedavao.net
HE city government of Davao is set to enter into a joint venture agreement (JVA) with Ma-
nila-based Mega Harbour Corporation for the multi-billion reclamation project this year. City Planning and Devel-
opment Office (CPDO) division chief for planning Engr. Jose Froilan Rigor said the draft agreement is now at the
City Legal Office for its opinion. Once signed, the agreement will be reviewed by the
NEW CHEF. The Marco Polo, Davao’s new executive sous chef Alex Destriza (left) introduces himself to members of Davao media during yesterday’s Club 888 media forum at the hotel’s Eagle’s Bar. Destriza was joined by the hotel’s marketing and communications manager Joseph Ledesma. Lean Daval Jr.
National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA). The 200 to 400 kilometer mixed-use reclamation project will stretch from R. Castillo all the way to Bucana. The whole project will cost around P39 billion. Rigor said project will involve the reclamation of four islands, with the first three to be connected by a coastal road. The fourth island, facing Sandawa area, will be connected to the road leading to Quimpo Boulevard. The first island with an area of 75.01 hectare (ha) will be for port operation and government center. Rigor said the 39.24 hectare- second island will become the central business district and shopping center. The third island that will be allocated for tourist centers and residential resorts will have a total area of 59.47 has. The 40.89-hectare fourth island will be devoted for
township development, according to Rigor. “The developer intends to start with the Island 1 which will have the port operation and government center,” Rigor said. Once completed, the port operation of the first island will have a berthing capacity of 2.5 kilometers, twice the current capacity of the Davao Sasa Port. Rigor also said that the city government will have free hand on a five hectare property in the project. “The 5 hectare area could be used by the city for any kind of development project,” he said. Earlier, the original proponent of this reclamation project, the Mega Harbour, assured the local public-private partnership (PPP) board that it will coordinate with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources for the implementation of mitigation measures for its possible environmental impact.
6 THE ECONOMY
EDGEDAVAO
VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
Coal plant operational by 3rd quarter By CHENEEN R. CAPON
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crc@edgedavao.net
HE 150-megawatt (MW) Unit 1 of the Aboitiz Power-subsidiary Therma South Inc. (TSI) in Barangay Binugao in Toril District, Davao City will be available for commercial operation by the third quarter of the year, an executive said. “If all conditions are met, hopefully we can start the commercial operation by September,” Aboitiz Power
first vice president for Mindanao affairs Manuel M. Orig said yesterday. Orig recalled that the Unit 1 had undergone grid synchronization since last April and testing since last June. Orig said of the 150 MW generating capacity of the coal-fired plant, only 120MW is for contracted capacity for its 23 customer distributor utilities and electric cooper-
OCAL consumers will have more cause to patronize the weekly Friday Organic Farmers Market in Rizal Park, Davao City now that more small organic farmers are being certified under Davao’s Participatory Guarantee System (PGS). “The City’s PGS Brand levels the playing field among organic producers since small farmers can now afford organic certification unlike before, when the only available certification is from the Organic Certification Center of Philippines (OCCP) which is very expensive for the average backyard farmer,” Davao-PGS chair Nena Morales said. The Davao PGS Brand is a second-party organic certification recognized internationally by the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movements (IFOAM). Under the PGS system, an organic farmer is examined by a peer network of organic farmers and stakeholders which verify his compliance to established organic standards.
“Because of Davao-PGS, we expect more and more organically certified small farmers to participate in the weekly organic farmers market at Rizal Park,” Morales said. Friday organic market regulars Nanay Kiling Alibango and Angel Manangan are the most recent women farmers to be certified under the PGS brand. “Because we are now certified, we have more confidence in facing consumers who want to be reassured that the produce we are selling are organically grown,” said Alibango, who is a well-known organic farming practitioner in Barangay Wangan, Calinan District. Manangan, who is a member of the women’s farmer group Kababaihan Nagtataglay ng Bihirang Lakas (KNBL), said getting the PGS certification validated KNBL’s effort in teaching women farmers how to do organic farming. “Even if the PGS inspec-
More small organic farmers get certified L
FMORE, 10
UCPB posts P1.3 billion net income in the first half of 2015
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CPB continued to exhibit positive growth in the first half of 2015 by posting a net income of P1.3 billion, a 7% increase over the same period last year behind the sustained growth in its consumer lending business, fee-based income and trading gains. Consumer loans grew by 28% on the strength of sustained economic growth and increased consumer income levels against a 13% drop in corporate and commercial loans with the backdrop of continued liquidity in the domestic market. On the other hand, total deposit levels improved by more than 6%, marked by a 14% improvement in low cost CASA levels by P19 billion to P157 billion allowing the payoff of higher costing Time Deposits which declined by 11% to P50 billion thereby reducing deposit interest expense by more than 7%.. Thus, despite the drop in net loans receivable by 3%, net interest income still improved by more than 2% with loan interest income
increasing by 5% due to the higher yields earned from its consumer loan portfolio. Total non-interest income showed an improvement by 3.2% to P1.2 billion led by 7% increases in both service fees and trading incomes. On the other hand, operating expenses remained relatively flat with a slight 2% increase even with the 10% increase in manpower cost with improvements in employee compensation and benefits, and an increase in consumer business related head count. Net non-performing loans remained controlled at less than 3% of gross loan portfolio on the strength of improved credit quality processes and risk management particularly in the consumer lending business. President and CEO Jeronimo U. Kilayko expressed confidence that UCPB will sustain its growth momentum and is confident that the recapitalization will resume in due time to further boost the bank’s continued growth.
atives in Mindanao. The remaining 30 MW is for its inhouse operation. But, even the unit is still on the testing stage, it has already distributed power to some DUs and ECs in Mindanao. Some of the customers who contracted power from TSI were Davao del Sur Electric Cooperative, Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative,
Davao Oriental Electric Cooperative for Davao Region and other electric cooperatives serving cities like General Santos, Butuan, Koronal and Digos. It will also serve electric cooperatives supplying power to Zamboanga provinces, Misamis, the whole of Agusan and some parts of Cotabato. Meanwhile, the repair of the second 150 MW unit of
TSI will be finished by 2016. It’s commissioning is expected to start to next year after it was rescheduled due to the ongoing repair. The second unit of the 300MW coal-fired power plant was originally set it commissioning first quarter this year but it was disrupted by the Easter Sunday Mindanao-wide blackout last April.
The Unit 2 attained damage in its auxiliary parts of its boiler, including air-preheater and electrostatic precipitator. Once all the units are operational, industry leaders and government officials expected that it will ease the tight Mindanao power situation that is confronted by growing demand and limited power supply.
COAL DOME. The iconic coal dome of the 300-megawatt (MW) coal-fired power plant of Therma South Inc. (TSI) situated at Barangay Binugao in Toril District, Davao City. The coal dome has a capacity to contain two to three month coal supply for the power plant. TSI is a subsidiary of the Aboitiz Power Corporation. CHENEEN R. CAPON
New BPO firm to hire 200 workers C
ALIFORNIA-BASED Open Access BPO will initially hire 200 employees both for its voice and non-voice operation in the next 6 to 8 months. “Our Davao branch will basically cater two San Francisco-based technology companies,” Open Access BPO president Henry Chang told Edge Davao during the opening of its office located at the corner Jacinto Extension and Quirino Avenue last Tuesday. Open Access specializes in multilingual content moderation and customer support for businesses worldwide from across many industries, including technology and internet-based sector like the Fortune 500 and
Travel Advisor. It offers multilingual IT solutions to international clients in 25 different languages like Arabic, Bahasa Indonesia and Malaysia, French, Cantonese, French, Danish, English, Italian, Filipino, Greek, Japanese, and Polish, among others. The firm also has operation in California, Taipei in Taiwan and in Makati. Its operation started in 2008. Down to its fourth and newest location and second in the Philippines, Chang said around 30 to 50 agents will cater the two foreign technology companies. “Our newest branch in Davao will cater our new and incoming clients,” Chang
said. However, only English accounts will be handled by the Davao site. Chang said the company is now on the period of soft hiring. “Our commercial operation will commence by next month, September,” Chang said. Meanwhile, Open Access chief executive Ben Davidowitz the company said the company expanded here because of the abundant supply of skilled talents and cheaper cost of operation. “Davao provides educated and skilled English-speaking agents at a 30 percent cost reduction,” Davidowitz said. “This gives us the op-
portunity to save more money for those companies looking to cut cost while maintaining the same standard.” He also said that the firm is already looking on the possibility of expanding its operation here for its business continuity. At present, the Davao site has a seating capacity of only 200. “We’re planning to partner with a developer for the construction of our own building by 2016,” Davidowitz said. The expansion of operation of the firm is only limited to facilities accredited by the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA), according to him. Cheneen R. Capon
try remains to be the key driver of growth for Megaworld. “The backdrop of the Philippines’ vibrant economy continues to benefit the local property market as evident in our first half results. We look forward to another bright year for Megaworldas we focus our efforts on aggressively expanding our townships across the country, and providing new and innovative offerings in residential, office and commercial businesses. This year, five new townships will be launched which will give us around 400
hectares of land for development,” says Francis Canuto, Megaworld chief finance officer. The company’s strong performance in its rental business, which includes offices, malls and commercial centers, contributed to the sharp growth in the first half earnings. Rental income reached P4.21-billion in the first half of 2015, soaring 22.25% year-on-year from P3.44-billion in 2014. Earlier this year, the company revised its 2015 rental income target from P8-billion to P9-billion as
it continues to expand its rental portfolio across townships. “We remain steadfast in strengthening our recurring income businesses. This year, we are opening new malls and office towers that will allow us more opportunities for leasing growth. Megaworld is on-track in achieving its P10-billion target in rental income next year,” Canuto said. Last month, Megaworld announced that it is cementing its leadership as the largest office space developer and
Megaworld H1 net income jumps 12.51% to P5.43B
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EGAWORLD, the Philippines’ biggest developer of integrated urban townships and the largest lessor of office spaces, achieved a net income of P5.43-billion during the first half of 2015, 12.51% higher than P4.82-billion (net of P11.62-billion non-recurring gain) during the same period last year. The company’s aggressive expansion of its pioneering concept of integrated urban townships and mixed-use communities across the coun-
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The project seeks to target the young professionals, newly married couples, and those who aspire to move to a better place in an urban setting.
Seawind launch
a Hawaiian-themed party By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY
DAMOSA Land Inc. (DLI) threw out a party to launch its Seawind development Saturday evening. Food was in abundance and drinks flowed as top executives of the Anflocor Group and DLI spent grand time with city government officials and guests in the Hawaiianthemed party held at the Damosa Car Park. It was also the night when the homegrown developer formally welcomed its newest member of the family, ABS-CBN Star Magic talent Jodi Sta. Maria, the company’s new brand ambassador who flew all the way from Manila for the significant occasion. World-class Filipino performers El Gamma Penumbra and Davao talents who recently won the World Championship of Performing Arts (WCOPA) entertained the host officials and guests during the special night. It was indeed a big
night for Damosa Land for Seawind is another quality residential project the company is building on a 2.7-hectare area in Barangay Sasa. The project seeks to target the young professionals, newly married couples, and those who aspire to move to a better place in an urban setting. Only a quarter of the property will be developed, dedicating the rest of the area for road networks and amenities such as clubhouse and open spaces for leisurely activities. The project, which will include six buildings,
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UP AND ABOUT
CELEBRATE KADAYAWAN at EDEN NATURE PARK & RESORT DON’T MISS the Kadayawan Festival in Davao City which is known as the “festival of festivals in Mindanao” on August 17-23. Kadayawan is Davao City’s most anticipated and wellattended festival in celebration of life, culture, and a thanksgiving for a bountiful harvest.
Visit Davao and discover the food, culture, and the most colorful festival. There is no better and fun place to visit and celebrate the amazing bounties of nature at Eden Nature Park & Resort’s Kadayawan celebration. Eden Nature Park is one of the country’s most promising tourist destination, featuring a wide range of exciting activities of all ages. Perfect for families and tour groups, the resort is the perfect spot to commune with nature, scenic ambience, and cool mountain weather all year round. Take your friends and guests to a journey with the Mindanaoans as they pay homage to cultural and indig-
enous legacies at Tinubdan. Tinubdan also features an educational tour of indigenous cultural heritage of Mindanao. Witness the live cultural performance of Kultura Edeng at Tinubdan on August 21-23 from 9a.m to 4p.m. Don’t leave Eden without indulging in a healthy feast of fresh garden salad harvested from Eden’s farm which uses the state-of-the-art hydroponic technology. Day tour packages are available at P550 per person inclusive of buffet lunch, and P220 per head inclusive of plated
snacks. Eden takes pride in its heart pumping adventure ridesSkyrider, Skycycle, and Skyswing which are marketed to both thrill-ride enthusiasts and patrons seeking an extreme ride. There is something for everyone to enjoy, with an accommodations also available for those who truly want to make the most of their vacation in the park. For reservations, call (082) 299-1020, 299-0313, or visit our website at, www.edennaturepark.com.ph.
GT Cosmetics launches GT Papaya Lotion, new look for GT creams line
FROM making 50 handcrafted papaya soap bars a day in 1994, GT Cosmetics Manufacturing, Inc. is now offering GT Papaya Lotion for local and international markets. GTCosmetics, the Cebu-based maker of soaps and skin care products, today introduced its GT Papaya Lotion in a press launch. Aside from the launching of the new lotion product, the event likewise highlighted the unveiling of the new look of the company’s creams line. This includes a classy new container, a new box, and increased content from 15 grams to 20 grams at no additional cost. Models ramped on-stage carrying oversized GTCosmetics Papaya Lotion and GT creams in new packaging wearing the Bohemian Luxe Themed Amano Line of Dexter Alazas. Engr. Leonora B. Salvane, GTCosmetics Founder and Chief Operating Officer, de-
scribed the GT Papaya Lotion as a moisturizing and whitening lotion that is intended for the young, active and on-thego market which explains the smaller, easy to bring along tube. “All these are GTCosmetics Manufacturing’s way of appreciating and thanking our loyal customers for their continued patronage and support for our products as we move towards the ASEAN Integration by end of this year,” said Salvane. Celebrating its 21st year this year, GTCosmetics Manufacturing plans to harness the opportunities in the emerging markets of Asia. It is making itself ready to make the most of the opportunities offered by this year’s ASEAN Integration. The cosmetics firm is now ISO 9001:2008 certified and is proceeding with working on the process of securing other ISO level certifications. This makes sure the satisfaction of customers by strictly observing of international regula-
tory standards. GTCosmetics Manufacturing’s third manufacturing plant which is likewise compliant to global standards is set to be finished by first quarter of 2016. The firm currently operates 2 factories: the first is an expansion of the Salvane residence in Liloan while the second opened in 2012 in Marilao, Bulacan. From making only handmade papaya soaps from natural extracts 20 years ago, GTCosmetics now produces more than 700,000 items monthly across its full line of skincare products from moisturizing and bleaching creams, sun block, clarifying toner, and lotions. GTCosmetics Manufacturing products are distributed nationwide through stores Watsons, SM Supermalls, Robinsons Malls, Gaisano Malls, Metro Malls, Mercury Drug, and Prince Hypermart chains, among many others. It is also available abroad in the US and Canada.
Kadayawan arts and eats at the Pinnacle Hotel THE Pinnacle Hotel and Suites celebrates Kadayawan with a display of famous Davao durian, wooden Ph i l ippi ne Eagle sculptures, and Mindanao handicrafts at its lobby.
There will also be a showcase of modern Mindanao art by Boy Credo on his third solo exhibition from August 16 through to the 24th also at the Pinnacle Hotel’s Grand Lobby. Foodies will want to try the Pinnacle Hotel and Suites’ Kadayawan fiesta lunch buffet on August 21 which will feature Davao delicacies as well as a presentation by Kadayawan dancers. For more information or reservations you may call (082) 3005885, 300-1881, 221-3025 or email The Pinnacle Hotel and Suites at marketing@thepinnaclehotel.com.
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FOOD SECOND STOP on our month long exploration and re-introduction of the best local dining places of Davao is the newest hidden gastropub gem, Perch Modern Kitchen + Bar. Opening its doors to the food and photo hungry people of Davao and neighbouring places, it is not only about its name... it too speaks forth of a menu that will surely have you say goodbye to your calorie counting ways.
Still on its soft opening (been operating since April 18, 2015), Perch made it clear that they are here to serve more than the usual. For them, it’s not only about serving good food or picture ready dishes. For Perch, it’s about creating an identity and standing out amidst the many other bars and restaurants in town. So, what sets them apart from the rest? Aside from their al fresco dining section that overlooks Quimpo Boulevard and up-scale ambiance perfect any time of any day, have you seen their menu? Their menu is a treasure chest of dishes that will make you hungrier than usual. From appetizers to pizza, salads and main courses, you’ll surely have a hard time making that choice. Best way to do? Order one of each and take turns admiring the taste and flavour of your choices. Now, that’s how you sample dishes. Also, when dining
at Perch, don’t forget to bring your handy-dandy camera with you. Not only do they serve some would-be favourites but every dish they cook is social-media-worthy. Take that snap, post it on your virtual wall and let your friends salivate. You’re welcome for the tip. From friends and those who have been to Perch,
PERCH
Modern Kitchen + Bar
they rave of one dish that they highly recommend. Bacon Chips, either salted or candied, is that one perfect pica-pica that will have you licking your fingertips in a snap. If you are feeling adventurous, order their Truffle or El Diablo Fries, Panko Crusted Oyster Sisig, or Roasted Bone Marrow.
Want to share the calories and the goodness to your friends? Have a taste of their LongCheeLog, Kaldereta or Three Cheese Truffle pizza. Rewarding your self with something sumptuous after a week of stress and overthinking? Then better order a plate of Truffsilog, Perch Rising Sun Angus Burger Steak, Osso Bucco Rissotto or their crowd favourite Angus Rib Eye Steak. Not only is Perch filled with delicious dishes; they too serve local and imported drinks. Now, looking for a one-stop dining place is easy. Here at Perch, not only do you en-
joy a meal but you can also relax with a cold drink on hand on any given night. Perch Modern Kitchen + Bar is located at the 2nd Flr, Al Fresco, Felcris Centrale, Quimpo Blvd, Davao City. Operating Hours are Mondays to Sundays 10:00 am to 2:00 am. For reservations, you can call them at 0930 119 7713. Email them at perch. davao@gmail.com Facebook fanpage: https:// www.facebook.com/perchdavao Make #TheRoyalChef your Thursday habit. Tag me on instagram @herroyalheiress for your delicious food finds!
August 13 – 16, 2015
FANTASTIC 4 / * ATTACK ON TITAN Part 1 Miles Teller, Kate Mara, Michael B. Jordan/ *Haruma Miura, Kiko Mizuhara PG/ *R16
11:30 | 1:40 | 3:50 LFS / *6:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 LFS
THE LOVE AFFAIR Bea Alonzo, Dawn Zulueta, Richard Gomez R13
12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS
MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE 5 Tom Cruise, Rebecca Ferguson, Jeremy Renner PG
R-16
11:20 | 2:00 | 4:40 | 7:20 | 10:00 LFS
THE MAN FROM U.N.C.L.E. Alicia Vikander, Henry Cavill, Hugh Grant PG
12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS
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SEAWIND A1 three of which will have seven stories while the other three will have eight, is the first venture of Damosa Land into vertical developments. Building Seawind underscores DLI’s confidence in Davao’s real estate market. And, as DLI vice president Ricardo “Cary” Floirendo Lagdameo puts it, the growth in real estate development in Davao Region proves the region is now ready in real estate industry. “I think we all know
that Davao Region is the fastest growing region in the country today, the reason why we’re so bullish on Davao now,” says Lagdameo “As a company, we see that there is still opportunity. Why do we have to flock in Manila or Cebu when Davao Region has so much to offer in terms of tourism, BPO, real estate and agriculture,” he adds. Seawind is making good in sales for the company, or shall we say its units are selling like pancakes. It’s first two
towers have already been sold out. “When you think about property developers, trust is a big factor. It’s easy to build a building and anyone can make the same building today but if there’s no trust and sincerity, the efforts will go to nothing,” Lagdameo said. Damosa Land recently opened the condominium project’s showroom and customer lounge at the Damosa Market Basket so clients can “walk” into a Seawind model unit, both
in studio type or 2-bedroom configurations. With Tower 3 being readied for launching, Damosa Land is being flooded with interested buyers as the units reserved are now up to half the total number of units. Last Saturday’s affair marked another important event in the history of Anflocor Group and its real property arm Damosa Land Inc., the Floirendo-owned company that is rich with heritage and tradition, and known for excellence.
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Is there a solution to the looming food crisis? Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO
Rice production is dwindling
“F
ar from decreasing, the number of hungry people in the world is currently increasing.” – Director-General Jacques Diouf of the UN Food and Agriculture Organization
For several years, the world has been producing less and less food per person -- and the reserves are dwindling. The result: hunger. “The number of hungry people in developing countries increased by 18 million in the second half of the 1990s to some 800 million today,” reports the Washington D.C.based Worldwatch Institute. “Worldwide, nearly 2 billion people suffer from hunger and chronic nutrient deficiencies.” But some sceptics don’t believe it. They find it hard to imagine having a food crisis because “farmers can always bring more land into cultivation,” or so they thought. “That assumption is unwarranted,” deplored Lester R. Brown, when he was still the head of the institute. “Food cannot be grown just anywhere; it can’t be grown in places where land is too cold, too dry, too steep, or too barren. It also can’t be grown where there is no water or where the soil has been degraded by erosion.” Of those lands that are still free from all the constraints mentioned above, “nearly all is already in cultivation,” Brown pointed out. In addition, “some of the most erodible land is slowly losing its productivity.” Vegetables may soon vanish, too.
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If the cropland areas are no longer expanding, some believe that by raising the output, particularly fertilizer, from the existing croplands, food production can be increased. While it was the global strategy that worked for four decades, increasing the amount of fertilizer to be used won’t help at all. “It’s like a baker adding more and more yeast to the dough,” Brown explained. “The substitution of fertilizers for land, for formula that worked so well for farmers for nearly half a century, is now failing them.” But developing new varieties may help. As Brown said, “Unless plant breeders can develop new varieties that can effectively use still larger quantities of fertilizer, the world’s farmers will have trouble reestablishing safety growth in food output.” It’s not only land and fertilizer that are needed to grow crops. Water is a much needed requirement. A kilogram of rice takes about 1,000 kilograms of water to grow. A kilo of beef takes much more. A large part of the world’s food production depends on supplementing rainfall with irrigation -- either from under-
ground aquifers or from rivers. “Yet, both groundwater and surface water are becoming scarce,” Brown said. Jules Verne long ago suggested that when the world reached the limits of food production on land, it could turn to the oceans. But that, too, is now reaching beyond its limit. United Nations marine biologists count 17 major oceanic fisheries, and report that all are now being fished at or beyond capacity, thirteen are in a state of decline. “As a result of our failure to stabilize population before reaching the limits of oceanic fisheries, we now face a declining seafood catch per person -- and rising seafood prices for as far as we can see into the future,” Brown said. Is there a possible solution to the problem? “I now say that the world has the technology – either available or well-advanced in the research pipeline – to feed on a sustainable basis a population of 10 billion people,” Nobel Peace Prize winner Norman Borlaug pointed out. “The more pertinent question today is whether farmers and ranchers will be permitted to use this new technology?” Dr. Borlaug, touted to be the “Man Who Saved A Billion Lives,” was referring to biotechnology. “While the affluent nations can certainly afford to adopt ultra low-risk positions, and pay more for food produced by the so-called ‘or-
ganic’ methods, the one billion chronically undernourished people of the low income, food-deficit nations cannot,” the American agronomist deplored. Biotechnology encompasses an array of tools and applications that allow scientists to manipulate the genetic materials of plants, microbes, and animals. These methods provide ways to modify the characteristics that are passed from one generation to the next. Ismail Serageldin, during his time as vice-president of World Bank, see biotechnology playing a crucial part of agriculture in the 21st century. “All possible tools that can help promote sustainable agriculture for food security must be marshaled,” he said, “and biotechnology, safely developed, could be a tremendous help.” Biotechnology’s primary contribution to the agricultural sector will be to increase the actual amount of food that can be grown on the planet. The ultimate challenge now is how to produce enough food for the growing population. From 2 billion in 1935, the Fish and other marine products are fast disappearing from the waters.
world’s population doubled to 4 billion in 1975. By 2000, the world was home to 6 billion. In 2030, there will be about 8 billion people inhabiting this planet. Plus there are the issues of climate change: rising temperatures and changing precipitation patterns. “Climate change is a major challenge for agriculture and food security,” said Dr. Randy A. Hautea, global coordinator and Southeast Asia Center Director of the International Service for the Acquisition of Agribiotech Applications (ISAAA). The tools used in biotechnology include gene cloning, tissue culture, microbial culture, DNA-marker technology, and genetic engineering. The latter is the most controversial as it is the method used in developing genetically modified organisms (GMOs). GM/biotech or transgenic crop is a plant that has a novel combination of genetic material obtained through the use of modern biotechnology, according to a fact sheet circulated by the Southeast Asian Regional Center for Graduate Study and Research in Agricul-
ture (SEARCA). “GM technology can address problems that cannot be solved through conventional crop improvement methods,” the fact sheet informs. “It enables plant breeders to bring together in one plant useful genes from a wide range of sources, not just from within the crop species or closely related plants. “This powerful tool allows plant breeders to attain a desired trait combination faster and address urgent concerns like the development of crops that are resistant to biotic (diseases and pests) or abiotic stresses (drought and waterlogging), and with increased yield and improved food and nutrient quality,” the fact sheet adds. But are GM foods safe to eat? “Foods produced using genetic modification are as safe as foods produced using conventional breeding techniques,” assures the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). “Genetically modified foods are as safe as other foods available on the market.” The Geneva-based World Health Organization (WHO) declared that different GM foods go through the global food safety process called Codex Alimentarius Risk Analysis of Foods Derived from Modern Biotechnology under which these foods are not found to be risky to human health. “GM foods currently available on the international market have passed risk assessments and are not likely to present risks for human health,” said the UN health agency in a statement. “No effects on human health have been shown as a result of the consumption of such foods by the general population in the countries where they have been approved. Continuous use of risk assessments based on the Codex principles and, where appropriate, including post market monitoring, should form the basis for evaluating the safety of GM foods,” it added.
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EDITORIAL Punish violent vendors
T
HE city government of Davao, in its effort to allow everybody to earn a living, has been very considerate to sidewalk and other ambulant vendors over the years. City Hall occasionally provides spaces to vendors especially during important events like Araw ng Davao and Kadayawan, and even allows a portion of the sidewalk for them to sell their goods even if it’s against the law. Because of this consideration and leniency on the part of the city government, vendors have been allowed to do their trade almost undisturbed. For as long as they don’t sell illegal products, vendors in Davao are also earning income for them to feed their children and send them to school. It is this tolerance of City Hall that has also made these vendors abusive and even violent, and last Saturday’s incident in Bankerohan Public Market showed their ugly side and served as a reminder for the city government on how lenient it has become. One member of the city’s demolition team was hurt when the vendors hurled rocks and stones at the government workers trying to remove illegal stalls along the Bankerohan road. This was
EDGEDAVAO
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the second time vendors in the area created a riot. Not long ago, the same vendors in the area also turned violent when demolition team members tried to move in to perform their mandated task. Even Yusop Jimlani, head of the drainage maintenance and demolition unit, was quick to describe the incident as the worst thing that ever happened to his team. The riot also forced city administrator Atty. Jesus Melchor V. Quitain to summon the erring vendors for a dialogue at City Hall. Even as we appreciate the swift action of Atty. Quitain on the issue, we call on the city government to punish those responsible for the riot by filing appropriate charges against them. For so long a time, these vendors have been violating City Hall’s one third, twothirds policy. Calling them to a dialogue and reprimanding them is not enough. Members of the demolition team were attacked and those responsible must suffer the consequences of their action. Failure to do so will mean the city government can expect more violent attacks against members of the demolition team.
AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation
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Courage to be healthy
T takes courage to be healthy. It takes courage to make decisions about one’s health that run counter to the mainstream medical establishment. It takes courage to be critical of the food we eat when popular culture bombards us with the notion that food that is big, meaty, juicy, and processed is desirable. It takes courage not to consume what is slaughtered and what is sweet, two main culprits in the rise of lifestyle diseases such as cancer and diabetes. I was once rushed to a premier hospital in Makati City in the wee hours of the morning. Intense pain in my lower abdomen was crippling. After the requisite examinations, I was directed to immediately undergo blood transfusion and surgery. I flat out refused; partly because I did not like the idea of someone else’s blood in my body and mostly because I did not want to make such a crucial decision under pressure and without other consultations. They were insistent but I was adamant about my rights. I had to sign a waiver saying that I will not hold them responsible for any untoward outcome. I consulted with family and friends who are into integrative medicine. I then transferred to a friendlier hospital that allowed me to take camote tops juice to raise my blood count and did not subject me to
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the surgeon’s knife. With alternative effective modalities, I eventually emerged healthy and whole, but I had to have the balls to stand up to the pressure. W i t h the rise of fast food chains like Jollibee and McDonald’s, eating has become more about the convenient and the tasty. No thought is given to health, not to mention environmental, repercussions. Cows slaughtered wholesale, genetically modified chicken and potatoes, acid-forming soda are what we unthinkingly ingest. Health be damned. Lami man gud. So we eat anyway and worse, allow our children to eat such garbage. Never mind that financiallyand emotionally-draining disease will beset us later on. Lami lagi kayo. It takes discipline not to be tempted by such food stores practically found in every corner. It takes courage not to succumb to the commercial and popular
especially when doing so entails less effort and conflict. Dr. Jesuscita Lao Sodusta has authored a very readable book, Health on Zero Budget. She details with sound science natural health measures to prevent and ease illnesses. E.g. Take lemon water to prevent acidosis which we incur by eating red meat, processed meat, and refined food like bread and sugar. Children should not be given processed meats like sausage, bacon, and hot dogs at all. She goes around the country giving life-changing lectures that empower us to take charge of our health. We do not have to be mindless recipients of doctors’ advice. We need to be critically armed and informed to be partners with them in our common pursuit of overall wellness. Normally, we do not associate the virtue courage with our health. In these times, however, there is an extra need to be more vigilant in the way we take care of our health. It takes courage to live a good healthy life for our loved ones. It takes courage to choose to live as a whole human person that is not fragmented and driven by the appetitive desire to consume the slaughtered and the sweet. It takes courage to do this good on the fundamental health level so that we can do a greater good that is meaningful to a greater number.
motor cars may THINK ON THESE! rock slightly. V. Strong: Generally felt by most people indoors and outdoors. Many sleeping people awakened. Some are frightened; some run outdoors. Henrylito D. Tacio Strong shaking and rocking are henrytacio@gmail.com felt throughout the building. Hanging objects swing violently. Dining utensils clatter and clink; some are broken. Small, light and unstable objects may fall or overturn. Liquids spill from filled open containers. Standing vehicles rock noticeably. Shaking of leaves and twigs of trees is noticeable. VI. Very strong: Many people are frightened, many run outdoors. Some people lose their balance. Motorists feel like driving with flat tires. Heavy objects and furniture move or many be shifted. Small church bells may ring. Wall plaster may crack. Very old or poorly built houses and man-made structures are slightly damaged, though well-built structures are not affected. Limited rockfalls and rolling boulders occur in hilly to mountainous areas and escarpments. Trees are noticeably shaken. VII. Destructive: Most people are frightened and run outdoors. People find it difficult to stand in upper floors. Heavy objects and furniture overturn or topple. Big church bells may ring. Old or poorly built structures suffer considerable damage. Some well-built structures are slightly damaged. Some cracks may appear on dikes, fish ponds, road surfaces or concrete hollow block walls. Limited liquefaction, lateral spreading and landslides are observed. Trees are shaken strongly. VIII. Very destructive: People are panicky. People find it difficult to stand even outdoors. May well-built buildings are considerably damaged. Concrete dikes and foundations of
bridges are destroyed by ground settling or toppling. Railway tracks are bent or broken. Tombstones may be displaced, twisted or overturned. Utility posts, towers, and monuments may tilt or topple. Water and sewer pipes may be bent, twisted or broken. Liquefaction and lateral spreading cause man-made structures to sink, tilt or topple. Numerous landslides and rockfalls occur in mountainous and hilly areas. Boulders are thrown out from their positions particularly near the epicenter. Fissures and fault rupture may be observed. Trees are violently shaken. Water splashes or slops over dikes or banks of rivers. IX. Devastating: People are forcibly thrown to the ground. Many cry and shake with fear. Most buildings are totally damaged. Bridges and elevated concrete structures are toppled or destroyed. Numerous utility posts, towers and monuments are tilted, toppled or broken. Water and sewer pipes are bent, twisted or broken. Landslides and liquefaction with lateral spreading and sandboils are widespread. The ground is distorted into undulations. Trees are shaken very violently with some toppled or broken. Boulders are commonly thrown out. River water splashes violently or slops over dikes and banks. X. Completely devastating: Practically all man-made structures are destroyed. Massive landslides and liquefaction, large scale subsidence and uplifting of landforms, and many ground fissures are observed. Changes in river courses and destructive seiches in lake occur. Many trees are toppled, broken or uprooted. Unknowing, at least 5 earthquakes per day occur in the country. “Based on distribution of earthquake epicenters, the most seismically active part of the country is its eastern section containing eastern Mindanao, Samar and Leyte with an average of 16 perceptible earthquakes per year,” Philvolcs reports. Just a word of reminder: After earthquakes, be prepared for the aftershocks. These are usually weaker earthquakes that follow the main shock of an earthquake sequence.
The earthquake intensity scale
K, Davao City will not be spared from destructive earthquake. Based on data from the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs), the city will be affected should the 7.2-magnitude earthquake that struck Monkayo in Compostela Valley in 1893 happen again. Desiderio Cabanlit, Philvocs regional director, told Davao media that should it recur, Davao in less than a minute will experience a “7.0- to 7.1-magnitude and ground shaking.” A fact sheet obtained by this columnist said that the Philippines had been affected by 10 earthquakes with magnitude greater than 7.0 for the last 35 years. “Hence, the likelihood of these destructive earthquakes occurring again in the future is indeed very strong,” it said. Recently, Philvocs came up with 10 intensity scales of earthquake. The intensity scale, which is a measure of how an earthquake is felt in a certain locality or area, is “based on relative effect to people, structure, and objects in the surroundings.” The Philippines has been using it since 1996, replacing the Rossi-Forei scale. Let’s take a closer look at them so you become familiar if such intensity happens in your place: I. Scarcely perceptible: It is perceptible to people under favorable circumstances. Delicately-balanced objects are disturbed slightly. Still water in containers oscillates slightly. II. Slight felt: It is felt by few individuals at rest indoors. Hanging objects swing slightly. Still water in containers oscillates slightly. III. Weak: It is felt by people indoors especially in the upper floors of buildings. Vibration is felt like the passing of a light truck. Dizziness and nausea are experienced by some people. Hanging objects swing moderately. Still water in containers oscillates moderately. IV. Moderately strong: It is felt generally by people indoors and some people outdoors. Light sleepers are awakened. Vibration is felt like the passing of a heavy truck. Hanging objects swing considerably. Dinner plates, glasses, windows and doors rattle. Floors and walls of wood-framed buildings creak. Standing
A
Inspired or entertained?
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JOKE used MY TWO CENTS’ often enough is no longer funny after a while. It gets tired, and people grow weary of it. Politics as usual has already transcended the usual horse trading of the elite. In the past we were largely John Tria impressed by the ecisouth@gmail.com wealth and exploits. Sometimes their intellect and eloquence enthralled us as we listened to their debates. Decades after, their lives and the surrounding drama pulled our sympathies in towards them. Politics has successfully morphed into a passion play we love to watch and imagine ourselves participating in, often identifying as victims in epic, didactic conflicts. Any society that continues to love Kris Aquino for what she is has been captured in the thrall of the emotions, such as the tearful recalling of the parents’ struggles and the sad cycle of her personal affairs. What the new breed of politicians discuss on the Senate floor or in committee hearings means less than the circumstances of their personal lives and the personal politicking they engage in, whether they smile at, or talk to each other in whatever manner evoking whatever emotion. All the world and the Senate and house floor is a stage. They are elected on the merits of their person more than other things. Of the five presidentiables, four are running in great part to the merits of their parents’ presidential record or unfulfilled presidential aspirations, while one is egged on to run out of remembrance for her husband. All four encourage us to hanker for their parents and husband – showing that their mystique or almost forgotten story is what gives them the right to make the run for Malacañang. You have Grace Poe, the daughter of an actor who many feel should have been President. She may be legally Filipino but married to a foreigner with whom she shares several foreign children. At one point even her father’s citizenship was put in question. Perhaps the crux of this may irk libertarians among us who howl at those who criticize her having some form of foreign citizenship. Those reacting will tell the critics to mind their own business. But doesn’t that quandary merit some deeper analysis? Suppose the foreign spouse and children belong to a country with whom we have conflict of interest such as border or territorial disputes? Wouldn’t that be a compromise for the chief executive? There is Alan Cayetano, the son of an American mother, who loves to name drop his dad, as he did years ago, who will be remembered as the one who bailed him out of probably his only brush with the law as a student politician who rallied against American military bases. There is Bongbong Marcos out to regain, disprove, prove, or otherwise help us recall the supposed past lost glory (or infamy) of his parents. Mar Roxas is out to live out the loss of his father Gerry, who also dreamed of recapturing his own father’s failed run for the presidency. Even the name of Leni Robredo has come up. Carrying her husband’s name and reputation seems to have encouraged many around her to seek a higher position. In her two years as Camarines Sur representative, I hope that what she has successfully pushed by way of legislation for the larger Philippines is clear to her and her support group. Politics ought to be about policies and the polity where such policies exist. Protagonists in the arena, therefore, need to have a clear conviction. The next president needs to have a strong sense of his own policies, which, truthfully, can nurture the seeds of whatever reforms many are seeing to be the seeds of a greater Philippines to come. The subsequent reform process is going to be rough and painful, and will proceed after the term of the next president. To be successful in the long term, the high growth economic model needs to be tempered with the rules to promote equity. Many of these measures to improve inclusivity of important social sectors (the poor), and the protection of vulnerable (the hitherto marginalized) still need to be put in place or actively implemented. They matter because more people participating in the economy is good for sustaining the economy, making it more profitable for all. For both to happen, we need a President with the gall to see this through. Perhaps more than any election, 2016 is about whether the things we have supposedly achieved are worth pursuing. The tall order of such an endeavor requires the next president to build a strong idea on how things ought to be done, to rally people and crack the whip when necessary, and by that, having the credibility, integrity, strength of decent character to bring a good number to the side of sustained governance against the chaos and cacophony of adverse reaction. Like a tired joke, dancing, talking, crying, or dressing your way to Malacañang just wont be funny anymore.
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the PEI which is equivalent to their one month salary. “Pero katong nay kaso dili sila makdawat (But those with pending cases cannot receive the PEI),” he said. Dayanghirang said employees with unsatisfactory performance in previous years will also not also receive the PEI. The appropriations for Development Fund ranked second with a total of P47. 6 million or 42 percent of the total appropriation. The budgets are the reversions of current year and prior year’s appropriations due to some changes of priority programs and projects as requested by the proponents, some of which were coursed through the offices of city councilors,
and financial assistance from DBM. During the committee hearing, some amendments were presented and accepted by the committee such as the request councilor Karlo S. Bello for the amendments of his reversion. The total appropriations for the General Fund Proper which is P62,881,054.09, will now be decreased by P444,224.00, making the new total appropriations for General Fund Proper P62,436,830. The same amount of P444,224.00 will be added to the Development Fund particularly on Non-Infrastructure Projects under Social Development Program, thereby making the new appropriations P48,126,311.24.
ter was used by Wendy’s to wash the materials and equipment used for manufacturing the candies. Aquino attributed the poisoning to the poor food safety preparation of the manufacturer. “We now know that the food poisoning happened because of food preparation – the hygiene and the area of manufacturing plant,” he said. Aquino said the SITG will meet today (Thursday) and discuss the appropriate case that will be filed against the owner. Earlier, FDA Davao supervisor Deborah S. Legaspi said the owner has already committed a violation by not having a license to operate from the FDA. She said the Business Bureau had explained to the owner, Janet Aquino, that her
company should possess an FDA permit but the owner still failed to comply with the rule. Legaspi said every food manufacturer and drug store is mandated to get a permit from the FDA because it concerns public health safety. An FDA permit, however, is not a requirement in getting a business permit from the city, she added. Last month, the SITG checked the sanitation of the place and asked the owner how her personnel handle their products. This after her company was cited as the source of the candies that downed around 1,900 children in Surigao del Sur. Some of the ingredients and equipment were checked and temporarily seized for laboratory test purposes.
Clash of Clans and Candy Crush, among others, without data charges or the need to connect to a Wi-Fi spot. Globe also holds a partnership with entertainment companies such as NBA and HOOQ to give customers a premium video streaming experience on mobile and broadband devices. During the second quarter of the year, Globe forged a comprehensive and multiyear collaboration with The Walt Disney Company Southeast Asia to offer a complete suite of entertainment experiences to its customers. The collaboration aims to give Filipino customers access to video-on-demand, interactive content, promotions and other related services across multiple devices and affirms the relationship of Globe with Disney whose brands include Disney, Pixar, Marvel, Star Wars and global leader in shortform video, Maker Studios. The telco company also brought back its partnership with leading social networking site Facebook to reinforce its drive to boost internet penetration in the Philippines and pioneer more ways to get Filipinos connected to Facebook without data charges.
Globe offers its customers Facebook with free data with a new in-app feature that allows customers to choose the type of Facebook access, Free Facebook for 7 Days for TM customers, and Free Facebook with a GoSURF subscription. “Our commitment to enabling the Filipino digital lifestyle remains solid as evidenced in our innovative offers and partnerships that brought the performance of our mobile data business to another all-time high. We believe that this business model is the most appropriate path for us to meet the changing needs of our customers as the world of data becomes more pervasive in their lives. With the growing adoption to more connected devices, Globe expects its mobile data business to create deep revenue streams for the company in both the near and long-term period,” Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Daniel Horan added. To support the growing demand for bandwidth-heavy services such as broadband and data, Globe spent around P11.4 billion in capital expenditures in the first half of 2015.
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er duration of power interruption. Transfer of load will be conducted from 12:01 a.m. to 12:30 a.m. and normalization or return to its normal set-up will be from 4:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m.. Affected customers are those from Marsman NAPCO going to areas of La Libertad, Casigang, San Miguel, Dujali, Kinamayan, Balisong, Salvacion, Esperanze, San Vicente, Magupisong, Mabaos Bubungon, Balagunan, Sindatun, Lower Panaga, New Visayas, Sto. Tomas proper, San Jose, Pantaron, Lungaog, Talonggo, Kimamon, Pag-asa, New Katipunan, Luna, Sampao and other nearby areas. Moreover, customers along J.P. Laurel Avenue from El Bajada Hotel going to Redemptorist Church and areas along Bacaca road going to
corner Diversion road, which includes Rolling Hills, El Rio and other nearby areas, up to underpass in Milan Buhangin will experience a 15-minute power interruption on August 15 anytime between 7:00 a.m. to 7:30 a.m.. This will also affect customers along Maa-Buhangin Diversion road which is from Monteritz up to underpass in Milan Buhangin. The service disruption is necessary to facilitate the testing and commissioning phase of Davao Light’s Victoria Substation. Davao Light apologizes for the inconvenience of these scheduled power interruptions. But it will exert all efforts to restore electric service as scheduled or earlier. However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the schedule due to unavoidable circumstances.
to police’s provincial anti-illegal drugs special operations task group conducted three anti-drug operations. Based on the Dangerous Drugs Board (DDB) value of the seized drug items, the Sto. Nino MPS posted the biggest haul with 720 grams of methamphetamine hydrochloride or shabu worth P5.4 million, he said. Briones said the Koronadal City police station posted the second biggest haul with P2.3 million, followed by Tupi MPS with P1.23 million. Overall, the police official said the recovered shabu reached 1,280 grams while the dried marijuana leaves
was about 29.5 grams. When compared to their accomplishment last year, Briones said the number of illegal drugs apprehended in the area increased by more than 500 percent or from 225 grams in 2014 to 1,280 this year. Board member Agustin Dema-ala Jr., Provincial Anti Drug Abuse Council action officer, said they were so far satisfied with the accomplishments posted by the anti-drug operatives. He added that the council has increased its budget for rewards and incentives for successful operations from P1 million in 2014 to P2.6 million this year. (PNA)
tigations and prosecutions of human rights-related cases. Kine said Congress “must initiate these proceedings before it adjourns in June 2016 or it will have to refile the resolutions and start all over again.” “The House of Representatives can and should send a powerful message against impunity by making this week’s inquiry in Mindanao an opportunity to jumpstart long-overdue congressional scrutiny of serious human rights abuses,” he added. According to HRW, the majority of the 22 human rights abuse-related resolutions filed before Congress by various legislators since 2013 “call for investigation of specific allegations of human rights violations by the military and police.” HRW said legislators have also issued resolutions looking into alleged cases of children falsely accused by the military of being child soldiers. Lawmakers “also want to investigate the so-called Tagum Death Squad, which was allegedly financed and controlled by po-
lice and local government officials,” the group said. HRW said calls for accountability by government officials “have not brought an end to the extrajudicial killing of activists and journalists, torture, or enforced disappearances.” “Although the number of such cases has decreased since 2010, when President Benigno Aquino III took office, they still occur fairly frequently. President Aquino had made several commitments in the past to address these abuses, but his administration has to date produced few significant results,” the group said. Kine said Congress “needs to demonstrate that it’s on the side of rule of law and the victims of human rights violations by supporting thorough and transparent investigations into such abuses.” “Congress can show that it’s serious about tackling impunity by fast-tracking investigations into alleged human rights abuses and supporting the congressional inquiry in Davao City,” he added.
Rey Abrenica, one of the teachers who were able to respond to the scene, said they only managed to save a personal computer (PC) set, a cabinet, several electric fans and a liquefied petroleum gas tank
from the burning buildings. He said a number of PCs, office and classroom furniture, cooking equipment and implements as well as school and student records were destroyed in the fire. (PNA)
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VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
Tampakan... FROM 4 As of Tuesday, he said 34 confirmed infections each were recorded in Barangays Kipalbig and Maltana, and 28 in Poblacion but there could be more unreported cases. He said a child of Barangay Maltana chair Cesar Ureta earlier died due to complications caused by the disease. “Most of the patients have already recovered but there are still some who are confined in various hospitals,” he said. The mayor said the local government earlier shouldered the laboratory fees of the patients but their assistance was quite limited to the lack of available funds. He said they will utilize part of the calamity funds to assist the hospital expenses of the remaining confined or admitted patients.
Escobillo said they will also expand their ongoing fogging activities to prevent the disease from spreading to other areas. But the official acknowledged that a regular cleanup of mosquito breeding places is still the most effective way to counter dengue. He said they have coordinated with the barangay councils to remind residents to make a daily habit the cleaning of their surroundings as well as the conduct of search and destroy activities for breeding places of mosquitoes that possibly carry the deadly dengue virus. The campaign enjoins residents to devote at least 15 minutes in the morning and in the afternoon for the clean-up activities, he added. (MindaNews)
landlord in Fort Bonifacio, spending around P20-billion for 12 state-of-the-art office towers in the next three years. These office towers are expected to provide another 350,000 square meters of office spaces in Fort Bonifacio, adding to the existing 300,000 square meters of office space inventory that Megaworld holds in this booming district. Residential business, on the other hand, continued its momentum as real estate sales soared to P13.43-billion from P12.01-billion, posting 12-percent growth, during the same period last year. Boasting a 4,000-hectare land bank, Megaworld is now one of the biggest residential condominium developers in the country especially in the fastest growing metropolitan centers of Makati and Fort Bonifacioas well as emerging regional centers outside Metro Manila. Meanwhile, consolidated core revenues of the Megaworld Group, which includes Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI),Empire East Land Holdings, Inc. and Suntrust Properties, Inc., amounted to P20.93-billion for the first half of 2015, up 13.56 percent from P18.43-billion during the same period in 2014. As the country’s pioneer in integrated urban township developments, Megaworld now has 18townships all over
the country, namely: Eastwood City in Quezon City, (18.5 hectares), which holds the distinction of being the country’s first cyberpark; Newport City in Pasay City (25 hectares), which is the home of Resorts World Manila; McKinley Hill (50 hectares), McKinley West (34.5 hectares), Uptown Bonifacio (15.4 hectares) and Forbes Town Center (5 hectares), all in Fort Bonifacio; The Mactan Newtown in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu (28.8 hectares); Iloilo Business Park (72 hectares) and Sta. Barbara Heights (173 hectares), both in Iloilo; Boracay Newcoast in Boracay Island (150 hectares) and Twin Lakes in Tagaytay (1,300 hectares) of Global-Estate Resorts, Inc. (GERI), a subsidiary of Megaworld; as well as Woodside City in Pasig City (12.3 hectares); Southwoods City in the boundaries of Cavite and Laguna (561 hectares); Davao Park District in Lanang, Davao City (11 hectares); Alabang West in Las Piñas City (62 hectares); Suntrust Ecotown in Tanza, Cavite (350 hectares); and The Upper East (34 hectares) and Northill Gateway (50 hectares), both in Negros Occidental. Over the past 25 years, the Megaworld Group has developedover 342 completed residential and office buildings covering a total area of around 6.4 million square meters.
tion was rigorous and strict, this certificate made it worthwhile because this means that the City has guaranteed that our crops are truly organic,” Manangan said. The City Agriculturist’s Office (CAO), the City Veterinarian’s Office (CVO), and the Department of Agriculture (DA) are among the agencies working in the Davao-PGS Committee. At present , five organic farmers and farms have already been awarded PGS certificates, including recent Lunhaw Awardee winner Kahayag Farms. Another 20 are currently being assessed by a pool of PGS inspectors, under the supervision of the DavaoPGS committee. The Go Organic Davao City (GoDC) network, meanwhile, is optimistic that this development will strengthen the or-
ganic food niche in the market. “No longer can Dabawenyos say that organically certified food is only for the rich. With the affordable cost of PGS certification, small organic farmers can be certified at minimal expense. This keeps the prices of organic produce low for the average consumer to afford,” said Interface Development Interventions (IDIS) Watershed Campaigns Officer Joy Enriquez. IDIS, as a member of GODC, has also been advocating for organic agriculture as a climate-change mitigation strategy. “Not only is organic farming a sustainable way to achieve food security among Dabawenyos, but it is also a climate change mitigation strategy since organically grown crops tend to be climate resilient,” Enriquez said.
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ICT HUB 11
EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
Syndicate earns $30 million by hacking into PR firms’ networks By JON JOAQUIN
T
jon@edgedavao.net
HE computer network of a major New Yorkbased public relations firm which has been serving media outlets all over the world – including publications in the Philippines like EDGE Davao – had been hacked by a syndicate that stole yet-to-be published press releases containing non-public financial information that was then used to make trades that allegedly generated approximately $30 million in illegal profits. In a statement in its website, the US Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) said it had arrested five of nine defendants in their homes in the US states of Georgia and Pennsylvania. Four defendants are located in Ukraine and international arrest warrants were issued
yesterday for their arrests, the FBI said. Aside from PR Newswire, the syndicate also hacked into the networks of Marketwired L.P. and Business Wire. The nine people were charged in two indictments unsealed yesterday in Brooklyn, New York, and Newark federal court. The FBI said the indictments, which were unsealed yesterday, charge the defendants with hacking into the newswires and stealing confidential information about companies traded on the NASDAQ and NYSE in what is “the largest scheme of its kind ever prosecuted.” “The defendants allegedly stole approximately 150,000 confidential press releases from the servers of the news-
wire companies. They then traded ahead of more than 800 stolen press releases before their public release, generating millions of dollars in illegal profits,” the FBI said. “The defendants were a well-organized group that allegedly robbed the newswire companies and their clients and cheated the securities markets and the investing public by engaging in an unprecedented hacking and trading scheme,” U.S. Attorney Fishman said. “The defendants launched a series of sophisticated and relentless cyber attacks against three major newswire companies, stole highly confidential information and used to enrich themselves at the expense of public companies and their shareholders,” he added.
PR Newswire, for its part, said it has cooperated with the relevant government agencies conducting the investigation that led to the charges. “We would like to commend the U.S. Government for their diligence and continued focus on this matter,” PR Newswire CEO Robert Gray said in a statement. “At PR Newswire, we take security very seriously and are dedicated to protecting our information and systems. As cybersecurity threats continue to evolve, so will our Information Security practices,” he added. The company said the FBI announcement highlights the fact that cyber-attacks “are becoming increasingly sophisticated and cybersecurity is more important than at any point in the digital age.”
privately backed incubator and accelerator, said that the Philippines should logically be the next budding tech startup destination but also added that much work still needs to be done to build the local startup ecosystem. “We are committed to our vision of nurturing technology startups from the Philippines and the Southeast Asia to help them scale to the region and globally,” said IdeaSpace President and Co-Founder Earl Martin Valencia. “With all the sectors interested to support startups - private sector, academia, government and non profit - the country could be one of the worlds best environments for budding entrepreneurs,” said Valencia. He also added that initiatives like GOAB help grow existing startups and inspire entrepreneurs to launch their businesses IdeaSpace has co-invested with 500 Startups in startups like real-estate portal Zipmatch.com. ZipMatch. com co-founders John Dang and Chow Paredes met some of their investors in the first GOAB conference in Boracay in 2013. GOAB lead organizer and TechTalks.ph founder Tina Amper meanwhile stressed the role of GOAB in helping making this a reality by bringing together startups, entrepreneurs, and designers to take part in a laidback yet dynamic and prolific interaction on tech, entrepreneurship and business opportunities. “Participants get full attention of just about everyone in GOAB as it’s a destination conference. People have to be in Boracay for 2-3 days so you have multiple opportunities to meet people, network, deepen the relationship before you go back to real life. No need to travel abroad to meet interna-
tional tech startup leaders as they are coming to Boracay,” she said. GOAB is unique as an international conference due its fun by the beach yet productive atmosphere that offers participants opportunities to not only learn the latest on tech and entrepreneurship
but also to network and secure business deals. “GOAB is Southeast Asia’s most relaxed, friendly, and fun conference. Real relationships get made. Deals get done. And it’s by the beach. You can’t miss this,” said Khailee Ng, also of 500 Startups as its Managing Partner.
‘Geeks on a Beach’to feature 500 Startups’Dave McClure
“S
EE you in Boracay!” were the words of Silicon Valley startup guru Dave McClure who will speak during the Geeks on a Beach (GOAB) international tech confab. GOAB will be making its third comeback on August 2021, this time in world-famous Boracay Island where it all began 3 years ago. McClure also graced last year’s GOAB held at the Moevenpick Beach Resort Hotel in Cebu. He is prominent in the tech world as the founder of the 500 Startups, a global accelerator and seed fund investing firm that has set its eyes on Asia as one of the fastest growing tech communities in the world. Before founding 500 Startups in 2010, McClure was already an angel investor frequently investing and advising in startups. He was also a consultant of several high-tech companies like Microsoft and Intel and worked for companies such as PayPal and Facebook. “The Philippines is a country full of smart and creative people — it’s a perfect place for entrepreneurship to flourish and grow,” said McClure. He added that 500 Startups is interested in a number of startups in the country, though nothing has been finalized yet. 500 Startups has invested in over 500 startups or innovation-driven enterprises related to web search, social media, and mobile app platforms. It now has local partners in Malaysia (500 Durians fund), South Korea (500 Kimchi), and Thailand (500 Tuktuks). It is gearing for even stronger penetration in the Southeast Asian region. PH is next GOAB co-presenter IdeaSpace, the country’s largest
COMMITTED. According to Globe Senior Advisor for Consumer Business Daniel Horan, Globe Telecom’s commitment to enabling the Filipino digital lifestyle remains solid as evidenced in the innovative offers and partnerships that brought the performance of its mobile data business to another all-time high in the first six months of 2015.
Globe cements lead in mobile data segment
G
LOBE Telecom continued to dominate the country’s mobile data segment after posting mobile browsing and other data revenues of P9.5 billion in the first six months of the year, a 53% growth from previous year’s level at P6.2 billion. On a quarterly basis, second quarter 2015 revenues reached P5.1 billion, up 16% from previous quarter at P4.4 billion. This achievement brought the contribution of mobile data revenues to total mobile revenues by 23% as of 1st half of 2015, coming from 16% the previous year. With mobile data business growing at a rapid pace, data users from overall Globe mobile customer base have grown to 37% during the same period, a substantial increase from previous year’s 17%. Wireless data traffic on the Globe network has also increased by 82% year-onyear with the growing number of smartphone users and applications that leverage the inter-
net.
“Our mobile data revenues have once again exceeded our expectations, maintaining its robust double-digit growth during thefirst half of the year. We are confident that we can sustain this growth momentum as we are well-positioned and equipped to offer the best products and services to cater to the market’s growing demand for quality digital content with our topnotch partnerships backed by our modernized network. We will continue to uphold our leadership in the digital space by creating the best digital lifestyle experience for the Filipinos,” Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu said. The significant growth in mobile data revenues was driven by the steady take-up of its GoSURF consumable data plan which comes with free access to Facebook, Spotify, and top mobile games such as
FGLOBE, 10
Google founders form Alphabet
G
OOGLE’S founders have formed a new company and have placed the ubiquitous search engine under its wings. In a blog post on August 10, 2015, Google CEO Larry Page said they are creating a new company called Alphabet to make Google “cleaner and more accountable.” The new company’s website is as unconventional as it gets: abc.xyz. It will have Page as CEO and Google co-founder Sergey Brin as president. Page said Alphabet is
“mostly a collection of companies,” the largest of which is Google. “This newer Google is a bit slimmed down, with the companies that are pretty far afield of our main Internet products contained in Alphabet instead,” he added. Page said Alphabet will contain health efforts like Life Sciences, which works on the glucose-sensing contact lens, and Calico, which is focused on longevity. “Fundamentally, we believe this allows us more
management scale, as we can run things independently that aren’t very related. Alphabet is about businesses prospering through strong leaders and independence,” he said. Page also announced that Google will have Sundar Pichai as its new CEO. “(Pichai) has really stepped up since October of last year, when he took on product and engineering responsibility for our Internet businesses. Sergey and I have been super excited about his progress and dedication to
the company. And it is clear to us and our board that it is time for Sundar to be CEO of Google,” he said. Page said Alphabet, Inc. will replace Google, Inc. as the publicly-traded entity. “All shares of Google will automatically convert into the same number of shares of Alphabet, with all of the same rights. Google will become a wholly-owned subsidiary of Alphabet. Our two classes of shares will continue to trade on Nasdaq as GOOGL and GOOG,” he said. Jon Joaquin
12 CLASSIFIED
EDGEDAVAO
DAVAO CITY MAIN OFFICE JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel: (082) 224-1413 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 GENERAL SANTOS CITY MARKETING OFFICE EDMUND D. RENDON Marketing Specialist Mobile: (Smart) 0909-424-7990 MANILA MARKETING OFFICE ANGELICA R. GARCIA Marketing Manager 97-1 Bayanbayanan Ave., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 654-3509
VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
VOL. 8 ISSUE 96 • THURSDAY, AUGUST 13, 2015
EDGEDAVAO
PCG tightens eye on foreign vessels calling at Davao port T
HE Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) is tightening its watch on foreign vessels calling port in Davao as part of its effort to strengthen security. Guesting during the recent Tagum Biz Talk at Big 8 Hotel, Commodore Joselito Dela Cruz cited the foreign vessels as “possible sources” of outside threats to Davao City’s relatively peaceful situation. “Davao City is a peaceful city, but of course, the threat could be coming from the outside. As mentioned the foreign vessels coming in, we do not know, could be in the guise of
transporting goods,” he said. Projecting a worst-case scenario, he said foreign vessels could be carrying “hazardous materials or weapons of mass destruction.” Because they are containerized, foreign vessels can hardly be detected carrying harmful cargoes, he said. Dela Cruz cited this situation as a major challenge for PCG in Southeastern Mindanao which covers the Davao Gulf along which local economies are growing, expanding, and venturing into exports industry. “In Davao Region, the
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economic activities are progressing. We also have to take a look at the security aspect of the progress,” he said. Meanwhile, Dela Cruz revealed moves of coordinating with agencies of the national government protecting the Philippine waters particularly the Philippine Navy to come up with a maritime security plan for Davao Region. He said he looks at the security plan as complementary to the growing economy of the Davao Region which has also become a major transshipment point of foreign vessels calling at the Davao Port to pick up bananas, the major export product of the region, and other goods. The focus on security aspect of the Davao Port also stems from the concern raised by the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA). Dela Cruz revealed that MinDA had received an advance info sent through
email from the United States Coast Guard which conveyed its plan “to blacklist the port of Davao.” “Pag galing ang vessel dito di ka basta makakadaong sa port sa US; you have to undergo inspection,” he said referring to Port of Davao. He, however, said the US Coast Guard “advance info” relayed informally is just “a plan” and that “we still have time to rectify the (port security) deficiencies”. He said such deficiencies were noted by the US Coast Guard “when they came here early this year to inspect the port of Davao”. The US Coast Guard implements the International Ship & Port Facility Security (ISPS) Code which “we should adhere to,” Dela Cruz said. “When they came here, they had findings on deficiencies in (Davao) port; may chance pa naman na i-correct ito (There is a chance to correct this.),” he said. (PIA 11/ Jeanevive Duron-Abangan)
NEWS13
Int’l folklore fest opens in Koronadal T
HE entire city practically dazzled on Monday afternoon as the country’s first-ever international folkloric festival formally opened in grand fashion. Thousands of residents and visitors crowded the city’s sidewalks and the sprawling South Cotabato Sports Complex to witness various showcases of international and local cultures through dances, songs and traditional instruments. “This is a historic day for the city and the entire country. For the first time, our country is hosting an international folkloric festival and it is right here in our city,” said Koronadal City Mayor Peter Miguel. The festivity, dubbed “Pyesta Kolon Datal: Koronadal International Folklore Festival,” started with a grand parade at around 3 p.m. of around 400 cultural performers coming from nine countries and seven national and regional contingents. It was followed by the opening ceremonies that were highlighted by performances from the participating contingents as well as a spectacular musical fireworks display. The foreign performers, who were aptly garbed in their traditional costumes, were from Slovenia, Japan, Russia, Turkey, Mexico, Poland, Indonesia, Chinese Taipei and Sri Lanka. The other participants are the ECD Dance Company of the
Philippines, PNU (Philippine Normal University) Kislap Sining Dance Troupe, Philippine Barangay Folk Dance Troupe, University of the Philippines Filipiniana Dance Troupe, Koronadal City’s Hinugyaw Cultural Dance Troupe, Zamboanga National High School Dance Troupe and the Bukidnon State University Dance Troupe. The festival, which is slated until Aug. 18, was organized by the city government in coordination with the Paris-based Council of International Organization of Folkloric Festival (CIOFF). CIOFF is an official partner of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization or UNESCO and is accredited with its Intangible Cultural Heritage Committee. Miguel said the local government pushed for the hosting of the festival as part of the year-round celebration of the city’s 75thfoundation anniversary and to showcase the city’s first inhabitants — the B’laan tribe. He emphasized that the city, which evolved from a settlement area established in January 1940, got its name from B’laan words kolon and datal, which literally means a cogonal plain. “We’re giving tribute to our roots. They’re (B’laans) a big part of what the city has achieved through these years,” he said. (MindaNews)
14 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO
Faculty members of Jose Abad Santos High School, Division of Manila participate in the Reef Quest drill before exploring the waters during Primer Group of Companies’ Nature Class activity held last April 14 to 15, 2011 at the Divers Sanctuary, BaunBatangas. The Reef Quest is a coastal adventure that aims to raise environmental awareness among educators.
Davao to hold first ever Pecha Kucha Night By VANESSA KATE F. MADRAZO, ADDU Intern
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AKILA Davao is gathering four people from the local film industry to present in the first Pecha Kucha night in Java Jive, Quirino Avenue with the theme: Minute Movies: Telling Big Stories Through Short films. Filmmaker Bagane Fiola, sound designers Maki Serpaio and Jad Montenegro, and multimedia artist Gian Enrique were invited to deliver short presentations that aim to inspire young and aspiring filmmakers. Pecha Kucha is an event
that gathers creatives for a mini-conference of invited people and follows a 20 by 20 format of presentation where each presenter is allowed to showcase 20 slides with 20 seconds per slide. After which is a question and answer portion where the audience gets to ask the presenters for an engaging conversation. Pecha Kucha is a Japanese word that translates to “chika-chika” and began in 2003 in Tokyo as an event that gathered architects, designers, and like-minded people to show-
case their work. “We have a lot of creatives in Davao that don’t have an avenue,” Jessica Madrazo, social media manager of Dakila said about wanting to put up this event in Davao. Furthermore, the rationale behind the 20 by 20 format is to push presenters to be concise and witty instead of lengthy and boring especially in tackling their insights to a young audience. Film is only the first theme that this event will feature. “It could also be about sub-
cultures, or ideas and issues that need to be talked about,” Madrazo said. This is the first of its kind this year with three more incoming. Pecha Kucha is open to everyone interested and will begin on August 15, Saturday from 5PM to 7PM. Dakila also has a call for entries for one-minute short films about modern heroism in a contest called Cineminuto which runs until August 28. For more details you can visit dakila.org.ph/cineminuto.
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Bringing the teachers to a bigger classroom I MPARTING the significance of environmental conservation has long been acknowledged as an international advocacy. While different non-government organizations encourage every individual to play their roles to realize this cause, there’s no better influencer than educators themselves. Bearing that in mind, Primer Group of Companies – the company known for the retail and distribution of premium consumer brands in outdoor, urban lifestyle and travel – holds its Nature Class project which gives chosen science public school teachers a firsthand experience of the outdoor environment. As a result, these academicians will be able to relay the importance of eco-consciousness to their students. Through Primer Group’s Center for Outdoor Recreation and Expedition (C.O.R.E.), the environment education program provides fieldwork opportunities and training from scientific experts and environmental conservationists to the privileged teachers, empowering them to teach their students how to be more appreciative of science and respectful to the balance of nature. Since its inception in 2011, the Nature Class has immersed the educators of Manila in its activities startingwith those who teach in Jose Abad Santos High School, Master Teachers of Manila Science Association, and other science department heads. This time, C.O.R.E. is looking to target Pasay West High School with 10 Science teachers on July 25-26. According to Kristine Villaflor, Program Manager, the program enables the teachers to give their students more animated lectures on science and raise awareness on environmental protection. “The way to conservation starts with the teachers’ immer-
sion in nature,” Villaflor said. “We targeted the educators as primary audiences because they are the pillars of learning in the academe, the mover of education. They are the key agents in the learning process who are responsible for imparting what they learned to their students and the rest of the school organization.” She added, “The Nature Class facilitates the fostering of appreciation among individuals, giving them the opportunity to have a personal encounter with the environment. Coupling this with a comprehensive knowledge-sharing from experts helps make this initiative more fruitful.” The project is divided into three different activities – Marine Reef Quest (the pilot activity for the program), Bird Quest, and Nature Tree Walks. For the Reef Quest, teachers are encouraged to go snorkeling to expose them to marine life; the birdwatching activity serves as a platform to give the educators a 360-degree view of the ecology, with emphasis on the preservation of the country’s biodiversity; and the native flora tree walk which familiarizes the teachers with the species of native plants and their botanical uses. As the main proponent of the project, C.O.R.E. organized the overall conceptualization and implementation of the Nature Class, involving the planning, execution, and monitoring of the project components such as the timeline, budget, resources, logistics preparations, coordination and other administrative arrangements. Likewise, Primer Group took part in funding the project’s sponsorship by distributing premium brands for equipment, tools and other support items to further this thrust. The company also tapped organizations who can send subject experts and resource speakers to the immersion.
Smart, Shell, Manila Observatory boost Davao’s preparedness I NDUSTRY stalwarts Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart), and the Shell Companies in the Philippines have joined forces with the Manila Observatory to strengthen Davao City’s capacity to prepare for adverse weather conditions. The partnership called for the co-location of Manila Observatory’s automated weather stations in Shell gasoline stations in various parts of Visayas, and Mindanao. Smart will provide the connectivity so the equipment, which was funded by Shell, will be able to transmit data to Manila Observatory’s central database for analysis and study. Eight Shell stations in various parts of the city have been identified to host the weather monitoring equipment. The partners also held a climate change resiliency conference, which was attended by representatives from the local government unit and agencies, as well as students and members of the academe. “We are hoping this new collaboration—Manila Observatory’s research capa-
bility; Shell’s hosting of the equipment and financial support; and Smart’s connectivity, will prove to be our perfect storm to better equip our people in preparing for these inevitable adverse weather events,” said Deborah Anne Tan, department head/VP, Enterprise Risk Management at Smart. “Shell being a leader in power, energy and gas technology, continuously advocates to make best use of our world resources and to enable sustainable development of the communities and nations we live in. With projects such as the AWS with Manila Observatory, we hope to illustrate that collaboration and partnership is possible in powering sustainable progress,” said Sankie Simbulan, Shell Social Performance Manager. “We are extremely excited by this partnership as it provides opportunities to generate new knowledge through scientific research on climate, and risk and resilience in coastal cities. These coastal cities are vital to socio-economic and ecological resilience. They are sites
of investment in infrastructure that link them to the national economy, through the services they provide, as well as employment and livelihood for local and migrant populations. All these, however, make them both exposed and vulnerable to extreme events,” said Antonio Yulo-Loyzaga, executive director of the Manila Observatory. Back in 2013, Smart, together with the Ateneo de Manila University, Manila Observatory, and the Philippine Disaster Recovery Foundation agreed to collaborate on climate change research to support disaster preparedness efforts in high-risk areas. This partnership with Shell for the installation of the automated weather stations is a result of that commitment to develop a scientific research and monitoring system that will strengthen disaster preparedness efforts in high-risk areas in the Visayas and Mindanao, including Davao City. The Department of Environment and Natural Resources has classified six
Partners for climate resiliency. Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) has partnered with the Shell Companies in the Philippines, and the Manila Observatory to build the capacity of Davao City to prepare for adverse weather events. Photo shows Manila Observatory’s Genie Lorenzo and James Simpas briefing the partners including Smart’s Network Manager for South Mindanao, Engr. Rommel V. Robillos (3rd from left) and Smart Senior Engineer Elvan dela Rosa (4th from left). barangays in Davao City as “most vulnerable” to disasters brought by climate change based on data of the city’s Comprehensive Land Use Plan. The agency has identified Talomo, Matina Aplaya, Matina Crossing, Matina Pangi, Tigatto and Maa as most vulnerable to flooding, winds from rains, seawater rise, and rain-induced land-
slides. “At Smart, we have embraced disaster preparedness as a way of life under our SafePh program. We know all too well the adverse effects of climate change on our business operations. With climate change, the company’s ability to maintain a resilient infrastructure becomes more challenging,” said Ramon R.
Isberto, head of Public Affairs at Smart. “We also know first-hand from our participation in various programs how important disaster preparedness is to the lives of people. Partnerships like this will go a long way in helping save lives and attaining zero casualties during disasters,” added Isberto.
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SPORTS15
EDGEDAVAO
WINNING BETS. Dancesport athletes from Davao City show off their medals and trophies won in the recent Hong Kong competitions. Below, Davao’s Dennis Bunayog works as adjudicator. DCSC Photo
Davao dancesport bets shine in HK By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO
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njb@edgedavao.net
HE Filipinas Ballroom Amateur League (FiBa-AL) headed by chairperson Jeannette Ortiz and president Denise Bunayog took part in the recent 23rd Come Dancing Cup - HongKong Open DanceSport Championship 2015 in Wanchai, Hongkong. The multi-nation event was held on August 9, 2015 at
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the HK Convention and Exhibition Centre. Bunayog, a member of the Davao City Sports Council Inc. said in his report to the DSCSC Board that the Davao delegation won a gold in the Senior Latin event through the tandem of Randy Cortez and Milagros Sasin and third place in the Under-18 (Youth) Latin event through the pair of Rodel
Banal of Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School (DRANHS ) and Myrthle Chloee Ramos of SPED-Bangkal. Bunayog was also invited as one of the adjudicators in the prestigious event. “It was an honor to be invited in that prestigious event. Thank you so much for your support to our organization,” Bunayog said.
match Hahn at 6-under 138. Yin lost to Eun Jeong Seong last month in the US Girls’ Junior final in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “Confidence. Maybe momentum,” Yin said. “I didn’t play golf for three days after I went back home (from the Girls’ Junior), so I took a break, which is good.” The 21-year Hahn, from Henderson, Nevada, had a 70. She’ll be a senior at Vanderbilt. “Staying patient was a big factor,” Hahn said. “Ball-striking wasn’t as good as yesterday. I was kind of crooked off the tee, found myself in the rough a lot, hitting punch shots, but I gave myself the best chances to save or get up and down for par.” Nelly Korda of Bradenton, Florida, broke the women’s course record with a 66 to tie for third with Australia’s Hannah Green at 5 under. The 17-year-old Korda, sister of LPGA Tour player Jessica Korda and daughter of for-
mer tennis player Petr Korda, birdied eight of the first 14 holes, but dropped strokes on her 16th and 17th holes. “It was amazing,” Korda said. “I’ve never been 8 under par, the lowest score (I’ve ever) shot was 7 under. To come one short of it is kind of a little sad, but I’m happy with how I played.” Petr Korda caddied for his daughter. The 18-year-old Green had a 68. Defending champion Kristen Gillman, 17, of Austin, Texas, tied for ninth at 2 under after a 71. The 15-year-old Seong, from South Korea, tied for 22nd at even par after a 70. Ellen Port, the oldest player in the field at 53, failed to qualify. The 2014 US Curtis Cup captain, from St. Louis, followed her opening 77 with a 72. The youngest, 14-yearold Anne Chen of Sugar Land, Texas, also dropped out. She shot 82-78.
Princess exits from US Women’s Amateur
NGEL Yin shot a 5-under 67 on Tuesday (Wednesday, Manila time) to share medalist honors with Jennifer Hahn in the US Women’s Amateur. Princess Superal, the US Girls Junior champion last year, fell short of the Match Play, however, adding a 78 to her opening 75. One of nine USGA champions in the field, Superal left herself some catching up to do after the slow start, then had a rollercoaster second round that featured two birdies, six bogeys and a double-bogey at Portland Golf Club. Playoffs were still to be played to determine the who will make it to the final places in the top 64, who will battle it out in Match Play. Daniella Uy also did not make it to the next phase after a second-straight 77. The 16-year-old Yin, from Arcadia, California, had seven birdies and two bogeys to
2 MORE FOR PBA?
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Salud bares plans for 2 expansion teams, women’s league
N expanded D-League, retired players’ trust fund, two expansion teams, and a sports academy are some of the long-term programs the PBA is trying to look at in the next five years. The undertakings are part of the projects presented by league president and CEO Chito Salud before the PBA board headed by chairman Robert Non at the end of its annual planning session at the Tokyo Hilton here on Wednesday. Salud stressed the matters are all concepts right now but which he hopes would be able to realize within the time frame of three to five years. As the D-League enters its fifth season, Salud stressed the need to expand it and stage tournaments in Cebu, Davao, and Luzon, particularly in the Ilocos region. But wait, there’s more. The former commissioner also disclosed the possible creation of a D-League featuring
women’s players. “We will embark on that. Give us a year and we’ll introduce a women’s D-League,” said Salud in his media briefing in the presence of Non and new commissioner Chito Narvasa. Salud also bared the league is again open to the idea of accepting at least two expansion franchises after welcoming Blackwater and Mahindra (formerly KIA Motors) to the fold last season, bringing to a record 12 the total number of member teams. But he made it clear, opening the gate anew for possible new companies would depend on the way the Elite and Sorento will perform after their rather disappointing campaigns in their maiden season. “We will accommodate expansion teams, maybe two
within the next three to five years depending on the performance of the last two that we accepted,” said Salud. So far, Hapee Toothpaste and Racal Motors are the two firms which already submitted letter of intents to join Asia’s first ever play-for-pay-league. And then, there’s the welfare trust fund and sports academy, which Salud said would benefit the players’ themselves. The league executive clarified the retired players welfare fund should not be confused with the existing players’ trust fund, which according to him, pertains strictly, solely, and exclusively to educational needs.
16 EDGEDAVAO Sports BATTLE OF THE
BIGS
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BEAU BELGA TRMH CMO
TRMH-CMO faces Montaña, Goldstar debuts against MP Pacman today By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net
GAMES TODAY 4:00 PM -- OPENING PROGRAM First Game-- TRMH-CMO VS. MONTAÑA Second Game -- GOLDSTAR VS. MP PACMAN
VIC MANUEL GOLDSTAR
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LANDRY SANJO MONTANA
LL eyes will be on Beau Belga as the national team mainstay and the PBA’s meanest banger makes his debut with The Royal Mandaya Hotel-CMO today against Montaña Pawnshop in the opener of the 2015 Kadayawan Inter-Commercial Invitational. Basketball-crazy Dabawenyos are expected to fill the Davao City Recreation Center anew as the most anticipated stint of the 6-5 Rain Or Shine star usher in the new season of the annual cagefest which will also feature defending champion Goldstar going up against a ‘mysterious’ MP Pacman side that is rumored to have the Kia mainstays from the PBA’s expansion franchise. The TRMH-CMO tussle is set at 5:00 p.m. after the 4:00
pm opening ceremonies with no less than Mayor Rodrigo Duterte as guest of honor. Goldstar and Pacman play at 7:00 p.m. Belga will team up with PBA veterans John Ferriols, Jojo Tangkay, Brian Heruela, Bonbon Custodio, Ronnie Matias, sweet-shooting Mark Macapagal and beanpole Mark Andaya along with foreign reinforcement Mike Harry for the Hoteliers who will be coached this time by Rey Josol. The Pawnbrokers, with Nick Serafica at the helm, will parade high-scoring import Landry Sanjo and former Kia mainstay Hans Thielle. It will also have old reliables Biboy Clavel, Ferdinand Lusdoc and Glenn Manlangit. For Goldstar, retaining the title will be difficult this time with the field stronger and more balanced. More surprising though is their decision to go All-Filipino.
The Hardwaremen will anchor their title retention bid on the broad shoulders of Vic Manuel of Alaska Milk, Leo Najorda of Barako Bull, and Eric Rodriguez of Letran. Jay Collado, Pong Escobal and Leomer Losentes are also returning to the Goldstar fold despite rumors of internal squabble. But the buggest mystery remains the Pacman squad of boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao. As of presstime, the Pacman squad are set to arrive from Manila last night. “That means, this is no longer the Pacman team from Gensan,” said Rico Biliran, tournament director. Earlier, the Pacman squad is said to be composed of the current Kia players in the PBA. The team will be known as Mahindra when the next season of the PBA opens.