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Serving a seamless society
P 15.00 • 20 PAGES RODY’S POINT MAN. President Duterte confers with Presidential Management Staff head Christopher “Bong” Go as he delivers his speech before female police officers during the 9th National Biennial Summit on Women and Community Policing at the Apo View Hotel on Friday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.
LAWYER DISOWNS ‘SHABU’ IN ROOM But won’t accuse cops of planting evidence SC reinstates DCWD officials into the service A T LAWYER arrested for allegedly selling shabu to a policeman during a buy-bust operation denied ownership of nine sachets of the suspected illegal drug weighing 4.08 grams reportedly worth P14,000. In an interview with Bombo Radyo Davao last Saturday morning, Atty. Lorenzo B. Taasan said he doesn’t know where the illegal drugs came from. He said the goods must have been planted by the raiding policemen who arrested him. The policemen arrested Taasan inside Big Ben’s Apartelle in Barrrio Obrero last
Thursday. The policemen belonging to the Sta. Ana police station led by Chief Inspector Hamlet Lerios later charged Taasan with violations of Section 5 (selling of illegal drugs) and Section 11 (possession of illegal drugs) of Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehensive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002. Taasan who could be detained indefinitely as he is charged with an unbailable offense under the law also reportedly tested possible of illegal drug when he underwent a drug test. He told Bombo Radyo that he heard somebody knock at
the door of his apartelle room but when he opened it, he saw a policeman pointing a gun at him. Then he was ordered to drop to the floor while being frisked. When he got up he saw the alleged sachets of suspected shabu on his bed. He said the sachets of shabu must have been planted by the raiders. However when asked if he was charging the lawmen with planting evidence which is punishable under the law, he said he had no intention of doing it. “Gusto ko lang mabalik ang buhay ko na peaceful with
my family and I am allowed to practice my profession,” he told Ronie “Brix” Flores, Bombo anchorman and Francis Timbal, police reporter, who convinced Taasan to be interviewed on the air during the program yesterday. Taasan, 48, belongs to a family of popular law practitioners, including his late father, who was once a Davao City councilor during the time of the late Mayor Carmelo L. Porras. If proven guilty as charged, he faces the possibility of being disbarred from the practice of law. ANTONIO M. AJERO
HE Supreme Court, after finding the elements of bad faith and corruption as absent in the case of Grave Misconduct, has ordered the reinstatement into the service, effective Sept. 26, 2016, of four Davao City Water District (DCWD) officials namely Assistant General Manager Alfonso E. Laid, Department Manager Rey C. Chavez, Department Manager Arnold D. Navales, and Division Manager Rosindo J. Almonte. Also included in the case were retired General
Manager Wilfredo G. Yamson and resigned Department Manager Wiliam V. Guillen. The case emanated from infrastructure development projects the DCWD undertook in 1997. In November of that year, the DCWD Board of Directors, thru the recommendation of then General Manager Wifredo A. Carbonquillo approved to undertake the Cabantian Water Supply System project stage-by-stage with the simultaneous well drilling of two
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CANDLES FOR UNITY. Female police officers participate in the lighting of candles for solidarity during the last day of the 9th National Biennial Summit on Women and Community Policing at the Apo View Hotel on Friday afternoon. Lean Daval Jr.
Rody tags Agusan judge in‘narco list’ A By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA
GUSAN del Sur Judge Hector Salise has been included in President Duterte’s latest “narco list.” “I’ll name him publicly, I heard that he was ambushed somewhere, his name is on the list Judge Hector Salise. He is involved on a case fixing related to drugs and bungling,” the President said. The Chief Executive said he was informed that Salise was ambushed by unknown perpetrators last week. However, the President said he clueless on the motives behind the ambush. Based on reports, Salise was wounded after unidentified men fired at the SUV he was riding in at Brgy. Lemon, Butuan City on Sept. 23.
President Duterte stressed he would not name Salise if he was not sure on the information given to him. “I will not name you if I am not sure about it. If I named you publicly it will stain your name forever,” he said. President Duterte said the current narco list in his possession contains the names of thousands of government officials, police officers and members of the judiciary who are allegedly involved in the illegal drug trade. Asked when he will divulge the contents of the entire list, the President said he will ask the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) to conduct a final validation of the said list.
Palace takes swipe at Hitler allusion By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO
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njb@edgedavao.net
T SOME point nearing the May elections, political foes of President Rodrigo Duterte painted him as the modern day Adolf Hitler. The ploy did not work then. On Friday, the allusion to Hitler was resurrected once more and this time referring to the President’s anti-drug war and his recent pronouncements to kill all 3 million illegal drug users and pushers in the country.
Presidential spokkesperson Martin Andanar said on Saturday the allusion is another crude attempt to vilify the President in the eyes of the world. “It is a matter of record that the reference to Hitler did not originate from the President. Days before the May presidential elections, the President’s opponents introduced this issue to gain political mileage. It did not work,” Andanar said in a statement.
However, Andanar cautioned that the case is different from those who are outside the Philippines but whose views are shaped by unverified reports that they have been getting from Philippines as shown by the statements of US officials. “The President himself flatly rejected the Hitler comparison as can be seen in his reaction. The President recognizes the deep significance of the Jewish experience especially
their tragic and painful history,” Andanar said. He clarified that the administration does not wish to diminish the profound loss of 6 million Jews in the Holocaust - that deep midnight of their story as a people. Andanar cited that among Asian countries, only the Philippines gave a safe haven for Jewish refugees during World War II with lands in Marikina donated for the settlement of a
by US police officers. “They can do it but we can’t? I call that hypocrisy,” President Duterte stressed. The President explained that there is in fact a better way of arresting people. “You arrest him, you grapple with him, pin him to the ground, place him under handcuffs, and bring him to the station,” he said. Meanwhile, President Duterte cited the US government’s military interventions in Iraq and Syria which have caused massive destruction in these countries. He particularly noted the
“slaughtering” of civilians in Syria as part of the US’ efforts to oust its President Bashar al-Assad. President Duterte told the US Government, United Nations (UN) and Commission on Human Rights: “Do not pretend to be the moral conscience of the world.” The US, he said, must not act like a global policeman because it does not have the right to do that in the Philippines. “[The] US does not have any ascendancy to criticize given its own issues with killings,” the President said.
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ADDU hosts National, World Digong to critics: Stop being hypocrites Teacher’s Day Celebrations By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS
By RIA VALDEZ
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ROUND 4,500 teachers coming from regions 9, 10, 11, 12, converged on Sept. 30 at the Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) to celebrate National and World Teacher’s Day. The event was a collaborative effort of the Department of Education (DepEd) and ADDU. In a press conference in ADDU’s Pakighinabi Room, DepEd Undersecretary for Curriculum and Instruction Dina Ocampo said, “We are the only country who celebrates
month-long.” Based on DepEd memorandum 139, Ocampo said, National Teacher’s Month (NTM) shall be observed from Sept. 5 to Oct. 5 every year in accordance with Presidential Decree 242. She added the commemoration of NTM is also mandated under Republic Act 10743 which declares Oct. 5 of every year as National Teacher’s Day and World Teacher’s Day. According to Ocampo,
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RESIDENT Duterte once again hit back at foreign critics who have strongly condemned the spate of extra judicial killings (EJKs) in the Philippines since he assumed the presidency in July. “Stop being hypocrites,” the President said during a press conference last Friday in Davao City upon his return from a working visit in Vietnam. In particular, the firebrand Chief Executive trained his guns on American officials, telling them “not interfere in the country’s affairs.”
President Duterte was reacting to US Senators Benjamin Cardin and Patrick Leahy who recently commented that President Duterte had chosen the wrong way in his fight against the illegal drug trade. According to the President, he is just “returning the favor,” as the US is very fond of criticizing others when in fact, human rights abuses are also happening in the Western country. “Why are you shooting the black people there when they are on the ground?” he said, referring African-Americans who have been recently shot
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Army reports of continued Duterte mourns passing of Miriam extortion activities of NPAs By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS
By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ
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adlopez0920@gmail.com
HE Philippine Army has revealed New People’s Army (NPA) rebels continue to carry out extortion activities despite the unilateral ceasefire the government and the Communist Party of the Philippines (CPP) declared in August this year. The army’s 73rd Infantry Battalion, in a statement to the media on Saturday, Oct. 1, said NPAs continue to invite small businessmen and storeowners in the upland barangays of Sarangani and Davao Occidental provinces to demand for cash. The army revealed the invitations were disguised as dialogues, but in reality, they were means to call the attention of businessmen and storeowners and convince them to shell out money. “They also force selected residents to pay them in exchange of the NPAs tactical defeat during their encounters against government forces last year. The rebels accordingly demand cash from those being invited as payment for not
giving financial and material support to the rebels for a long time since these areas had not been visited by them as a result of their tactical debacle,” the army’s 73rd IB said. The NPAs are also demanding payment for the m of barangay officials in the area to declare the rebels as persona non grata. The 73rd IB particularly reported one incident that took place last Sept. 25 in Barangay Datalanggas, Alabel, Sarangani Province wherein two village councilors identified only by their family names Calibay and Baan were fetched by a certain Arnel Culano, a known NPA sympathizer in the area. The report said that Culano accompanied the two barangay councilors to Sitio Tangis for a dialogue with rebels led by a certain Alias Joey. During the meeting, the army claimed both Calibay and Baan were threatened by Alias Joey and was forced to produce P25,000 each and a M16 rifle. The demand for money
REGRET. Justice secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II reiterates his regret of not having the opportunity to reconcile with the late Senator Miriam DefensorSantiago in connection with 2012 impeachment trial of the late Chief Justice
and gun, the army added, were forms of payment as the NPAs accused both councilors of providing information to government troopers that led to an encounter in February last year where 12 high-powered firearms were recovered by the army from the rebels, and led to the killing of Alias Brigol, the acting secretary of guerrilla front 75 and six other rebels. The two councilors were also accused of supporting the move to declare the NPAs as persona non grata in their barangay. In a separate incident last Sept. 27, another barangay councilor identified as Romeo Mansiguil from Brgy. Datal Anggas in Alabel was also abducted by the NPAs led by a certain Alias L3, the 73rd IB said. The councilor was released on the same day after he promised to produce P50,000 within one week. A storeowner identified only as Mr. Ompong from Brgy. Little Baguio, Malita, Davao Occidental was also invited by the
NPAs for a dialogue sometime in the third week of August this year in Sitio Akbual, Upper Suyan, Malapatan, Sarangani. The army said the storeowner was prevented by the rebels to return to his home unless he raised P20,000. His family only managed to produce P12,000 but the rebels released him after days in captivity. In the midst of the series of extortion activities of the NPAs, the 73rd IB has called on the rebels to stop their illegal activities. “We are calling the rebels in the provinces of Sarangani and Davao Occidental to stop the kidnapping and extortion of the poor residents and elected officials in the area,” Lt. Col. Ronnie Babac, commander of 73rd IB said in the statement. Babac added the continued illegal activities of the NPAs will put in jeopardy the spirit of the unilateral ceasefire declared by the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP).
Renato Corona wherein Aguirre was held in contempt by Santiago after he covered his ears while the senator was speaking. Aguirre made the statement upon their arrival with President Duterte from Vietnam. Lean Daval Jr.
DepEd for compulsory drug tests among teachers, studes By RIA VALDEZ
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HE Department of Education (DepEd) will be requiring all teachers and employees as well as applicants to undergo drug tests. This was bared by DepEd Asst. Sec. Atty. Tonisito Umali in a press conference on Sept. 30 at the Ateneo de Davao University. “This (drug test) isn’t implemented yet,” said Umali who said DepEd officials will have an executive committee meeting with Dep Ed Sec. Leonor Briones to further discuss
the matter. “There will also be a random drug test for students,” said Umali, although he stressed this will be done in a sensitive manner. He explained the rights of students have to be observed, while there is also a need to obtain the consent of parents before the tests can be undertaken. According to Umali, DepEd plans to come up with a random sample of at least 2 million secondary-level students
nationwide for the drug test. This student sample, he said, is in line with the budget of the Department of Health (DOH) which will fund the said test. Umali said that teachers who test positive of the illegal substance will be sent to rehabilitation centers, while those who are caught selling drugs will be subjected to administrative sanctions. Meanwhile, Umali said that drug education has already been integrated in the
curriculum of public schools starting at the fourth grade. “What we want is an advocacy,” said Umali, who wants to pattern the drug program after the DepEd’s campaign against junk foods. He said the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) has also partnered with LGUs to implement an advocacy campaign called “Barkada Kontra sa Droga” that aims to educate the youth sector on the ill-effects of substance abuse.
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RESIDENT Duterte condoled with the family of former Senator Miriam Defensor-Santiago who passed away last Thursday, Sept. 29. The senator, 71, succumbed to lung cancer at the St. Lukes Medical Center. The President likened the demise of the former senator to a loss of a “good guy.” The Chief Executive said he grieves with the family of the outspoken senator whom he considers as a major pillar of Philippine government. President Duterte also acknowledged the legislator’s husband Narciso “Jun” Santiago, a general of the Armed Forces of the Philippines, for the strength he has shown.
“To the children, I share your grief,” he said during a news conference in Davao City on Friday. The President said he will be at the wake of the former senator, whom he considered not only as a colleague in government but also among his good friends. “We have lost a great leader,” Duterte said, adding that he will miss Santiago’s “colorful language also and above all her brains.” Santiago was referred to as the “Iron Lady of Asia” because of her no-nonsense war against graft and corruption when she was serving the judicial, executive, and legislative branches of government.
President declines convict’s invitation “I
DON’T talk to criminals.” This was President Duterte’s response to reports that convict Jaybee Sebastian wants to meet him and disclose what he knows regarding the illegal drug trade inside the New Bilibid Prisons (NBP). Sebastian, a convicted kidnapper and carnapper, was among several high-profile inmates who were injured during a recent riot at the NBP. “He can go to the fiscal and ask for help if he wants,” the President told reporters during a media briefing after he returned from a two-day working visit in Vietnam. “Sinasabi ko, hiningi ninyo lahat ‘yan (I told you, you asked for all of this),” he said, referring to individuals who are involved in the narcotics trade. “Be careful what you wish for or what you want, because you might get it,” the President Duterte said.
Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II, who was also at the press briefing, said he is willing to hear what Sebastian has to say on the illicit drug trade in the national penitentiary. “I will only talk to his (Sebastian’s) lawyer if he wants to,” Aguirre told media in an ambush interview after President Duterte turned down Sebastian’s offer . According to Aguirre, he still doesn’t know what convinced the high-profile inmate to change his mind and disclose information on the Bilibib drug trade when he earlier said he only wanted to talk about “the anomalies in the food supply in the NBP.” “His [Sebastian’s] camp must document his revelations by executing an affidavit if he wants to reveal what he knows,” the justice secretary said. TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS
Duterte to US, EU: I am not a hypocrite P By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA resident Duterte has lambasted anew the United States and the European Union for portraying him as a cousin of Adolf Hitler without investigating the real reasons behind the spate of alleged extra judicial killings (EJKs) in the country. The President said he finds it disrespectful that the US government and the EU will hurl accusations at him based merely on threats he has made against criminals. According to the Chief Executive, these allegations by America and the European bloc have put not only him, but his whole country to shame. “What an idiot! A group of idiots in the purest form.
You know, when you want to charge me, you have to find out of the penal laws of this land would make a mayor liable if he threatens the criminals or intimidate the wrongdoers,” President Duterte said. “It was of course all right when I was mayor, because then, that would be about a miniscule of the affairs of the humanity on this planet. But when I am president, you put all Filipinos, especially outside, you put them to shame,” he added. The President said that he is used to being ridiculed as a politician, but he cannot take it if his countrymen become the target of such insults.
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Int’l pageants forge I partnerships with DOT
‘GO Mindanao’tourism campaign launched
By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ
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HE respective committees of the Miss Universe and Miss Earth pageants have forged agreements with the Department of Tourism (DOT) to conduct side activities in Mindanao to complement their main events. According to DOT Mindanao Officer-In-Charge Eden David, promoting international pageant in the country is part of her agency’s mandate, as it is DOT’s role to facilitate partnerhships between the government and private sector. “This is apt for Davao where we live a healthy life-
style and enjoy a clean environment, thus the ‘Life is Here’ tagline,” David said during a media forum organized by the DOT yesterday at the Marco Polo Hotel Davao. Celebrity Designer Rene Salud, who will direct the Miss Universe’s Mindanao Tapestry fashion show on January, noted the event is not part of the competition itself but is included in the advocacy program of the pageant. “This is the best time to promote Davao to the world through Miss Universe,” Salud said. He explained the fashion
show which will showcase the culture, arts and fashion of Mindanao, with a specific focus on fabrics and textiles produced by women of the island-region’s indigenous tribes. “Magti-trip tayo sa iba’t ibang bahagi ng Mindanao through fashion show,” said Salud. Aside from the Department of Tourism, the Mindanao Tapestry Committee has also partnered with Phoenix Petroleum, a Davao-based company, to promote the Miss Universe pageant. Meanwhile, Miss Earth
2015 Angelia Ong said several countries have expressed interest in hosting the homegrown pageant which was launched sixteen years ago in the Philippines. “Fortunately, we are able to bring back this year’s Miss Earth in the Philippines to showcase Mindanao this time,” said Ong. For her part, Lorraine Schuck of Carousel Productions, said they will try to bring all of the 90 Miss Earth candidates to Davao City and Samal Island. “As of now, we are working on the logistics,” said Schuck.
N an effort to boost the tourism industry in Mindanao, the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Davao Metro Shuttle, in partnership with Mindanao and local government agencies, will spearhead a tourism campaign dubbed “Go Mindanao.” In a press conference at the Marco Polo Hotel on Friday, Carlo L. Uy, Davao Metro Shuttle president and CEO, said that aside from boosting tourism in Mindanao, the campaign also aims to create more economic opportunities for residents in the island-region’s rural communities. According to Uy, the company has invested P100 million for the tourism project which is composed of 50 buses that will travel to Mindanao’s top tourism destinations via the Davao-Buda-Bukidnon-Cagayan De Oro-Butuan-Davao route. He said Davao Metro Shuttle’s forty-five luxury tourist premium buses are all equipped with leather reclining seats, bigger television sets, GPS, WIFI, restrooms, and oth-
er amenities. Uy explained the fare of Go Mindanao Buses will be 10 to 15 percent higher than the usual fare, but will still be affordable for tourists. The CEO believes that Mindanao’s tourism sector holds so much potential, particularly for outdoor activities such as trekking. At the same press conference, DOT Mindanao OIC Eden David said the tour buses will travel hourly to destinations regardless of the number of passengers. “There will be bus stops and there the tourists will move around tourist destinations,” David said. She said information centers will be put up in designated locations for the convenience of the tourists, she added. The tourism official also expressed gratitude to the Department of Public Works and Highways for the support the agency has extended to the campaign. Jermaine L. Dela Cruz
PH shares SME agenda with Business Partner Cities
T PLEDGE OF SUPPORT. Marco Polo Davao marketing and Communications Manager Josef Ledesma signs on a commitment wall to signify the hotel’s pledge of support for the upcoming Miss Earth which will be held in Davao City and the Island Garden City of Samal (IGaCoS) this month. Lean Daval Jr.
DOE orders probe on low fuel prices in Mindanao
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HE Department of Energy (DOE) has ordered fuel suppliers in Mindanao to explain if the “unusual” low prices of petroleum products on the island violate laws. The DOE’s field office in Mindanao has reportedly observed that in a week’s time there was a huge reduction in fuel rates in Mindanao. “[T]he price adjustment of the oil companies in Mindanao from the period [Aug. 30 to Sept. 6, 2016] was a huge P3.00 rollback, which attracted
the attention of the agency,” the DOE said in a statement. While the reported fuel price reduction in Mindanao was a welcome development, the DOE cautioned that under the Oil Deregulation Law, the “sudden and sustained huge decreases in oil prices might qualify as an anti-competitive behavior.” The market behavior, the DOE said, puts both the smaller oil players and the consumers in a disadvantageous position in the long run.
“Smaller oil players may actually lose its market share and end up closing, allowing the remaining oil players the chance to dictate prices to the detriment of the consuming public,” the DOE said in the statement. DOE said that the retailing of gasoline through the “bote-bote” (bottle) scheme as well as the alleged smuggling of petroleum products from other countries may have an effect in the fuel price movement in Mindanao.
Usually found on roadsides, “bote-bote” vendors usually sell the petroleum products at a much lower price compared to the prices at gasoline stations. In Cagayan de Oro, a liter of fuel bought from a roadside retailer may cost PHP5 lower than in legitimate outlets. However, the DOE Mindanao field office has already coordinated with the local government units and the Bureau of Fire Protection to eliminate the “bote-bote” fuel retailing
ODFs will just be absorbed by the banks and will be subjected to reserve requirements. He said these additional funds are expected to be placed in treasury bills (T-bills), among others. These may also be placed with the central bank’s term deposit facility (TDF), reverse repurchase (RRP) facility and the overnight deposit facility
but Guinigundo pointed out that the deposits will be that of the banks and not the trust entities. ”For us, it will have limited impact (on M3). But it will provide banks with more resources that they can lend out and in the process continue supporting economic activities,” he said. Last July, M3 -- or the total money supply sloshing in
the economy -- posted a faster growth of 13.1 percent yearon-year from month-ago’s 12.4 percent due to sustained rise in credit. Trust entities were allowed to put funds in the central bank’s ODFs to help the central bank mop up more liquidity in the economy. ”But now that we have the
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Central bank executive confident of M3 D
OMESTIC liquidity is not expected to shoot up once trust entities are not allowed to tap the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) overnight deposit facilities (ODFs) starting June 2017. BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo told reporters Friday that trust entities’ funds that will not be allowed to be placed in the central bank’s
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HE Philippines has shared its initiatives to develop small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with 15 fellow Business Partner Cities (BPC). In a discussion with BPC members, Foreign Trade Officer Mario Tani said the development of SMEs remains a focus of the Philippines despite the change in administration. “The Philippine government is focused on achieving inclusive growth through a number of breakthrough programs focusing on SME development,” said Tani. He highlighted the Start-up Ecosystem Development Program (SEDP), a government initiative to support start-ups and innovation entrepreneurs that aims to establish a business environment conducive to the start-up community.
In fact, he said, at the start of the new administration, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) launched the QBO Innovation Hub, a facility that targets to link innovators, start-up mentors, funders, and the academe. The innovation hub also targets to encourage SMEs to collaborate and explore opportunities in the market. Manila is a member city of BPC, along with other cities in the Asia Pacific, which include Melbourne, Shanghai, Tianjin, Hong Kong, Mumbai, Jakarta, Osaka, Seoul, Kuala Lumpur, Auckland, Singapore, Bangkok, and Ho Chi Minh. The BPC network helps to promote interaction among businesses in the Asia Pacific to contribute to the economic development of each member city. (PNA)
Money supply grows to P8.7 T
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HE country’s money supply (M3) or the total money circulating in the financial system grew 11.8 percent year-on-year in August to P8.7 trillion, slower than the 13.1 percent growth in the previous month, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) reported Friday. BSP traced this growth to continued demand for credit, with domestic claims rising by 14.9 percent from last July’s 16.5 percent “on the back of sustained increase in credits to the private sector. Net claims on the central government posted an 18.2 percent hike from monthago’s 25.4 percent due to withdrawals by the national government of its deposits with the central bank. In peso terms, net foreign
assets (NFA) last August rose by 8.8 percent from 12.5 percent in the previous month. NFA is the difference between the central bank’s foreign assets less the liabilities to banks and quasi-banks. The BSP said the central bank’s NFA position continued to be boosted by foreign currency-denominated inflows from Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs), the business process outsourcing (BPO) sector and portfolio investments. Banks’ NFA position was also robust due to deposits with other banks and investments in marketable debt securities. ”The data suggests that the expansion in M3 remains manageable and consistent
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Food production
dehydrating water supply Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO “The agriculture of tomorrow will need a lot more water.” -- Colin Chartres, the director-general of the World Bank-funded International Water Management Institute *** Don’t think of water shortage only as a result of the drought and dry spell, but also by man’s eating habits. In fact, the more people eat meat and rice, the more they are contributing to the water scarcity problem. “The link between water and food is strong,” admits Lester Brown, president of Washington, D.C.-based Earth Policy Institute. “We drink, in one form or another, nearly 4 liters of water per day. But the food we consume each day requires at least 2,000 liters to produce, 500 times as much.” In most of Asia, including the Philippines, water is the single most important component for sustainable rice production, especially in the traditional rice growing areas, according to Thierry Facon, senior water management officer of the regional office of Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Bangkok, Thailand. Current rice production systems consume a high amount of water. It takes about 3,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of rice, reports the Laguna-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI). In his book, Food Revolution, author John Robbins said that 23 gallons of water is needed to produce one pound of lettuce, 23 gallons for one pound of tomatoes, 24 gallons for one pound of potatoes, 25 gallons for one pound of wheat, 33 gallons for one pound of carrots, and 49 gallons for one pound of apples. Meat production also consumes a lot of water. “Agriculture uses about 70% of the world’s available freshwater, and one third of that is used to grow the grain fed to live-
Tilapia ponds
stock,” reports the Worldwatch Institute.
Most water-intensive Beef, the meat used in most fastfood outlets, is by far the most water-intensive of all meats. “The more than 15,000 liters of water used per kilogram is far more than is required by a number of staple foods, such as eggs (3,300 liters per kilogram), milk (1,000 liters), or potatoes (255 liters).” The US Department of Commerce 1992 Census of Agriculture’s Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, published in 1994, reported that one pound of pork needs at least 1,630 gallons of water to produce but in contrast one pound of beef requires 5,214 gallons of water. “Producing beef is much more resource-intensive than producing pork or chicken, requiring roughly three to five times as much land to generate the same amount of protein,” the Worldwatch Institute points out. “Beef production alone uses about three fifths of global farmland but yields less than 5% of the world’s protein.” Around the world, more than 40% of wheat, rye, oats, and corn production is fed to animals, along with 250 million tons of soybeans and other oilseeds. “Feeding grain to livestock improves their fertility and growth, but it sets up a de facto competition for food between animals and people,” the Worldwatch Institute says. Global meat production and consumption have in-
creased rapidly in recent decades, with harmful effects on the environment and public health as well as on the economy, according to research done by the institute’s Nourishing the Planet project. “Worldwide meat production has tripled over the last four decades and increased 20 percent in just the last 10 years,” it said. “Meanwhile, industrial countries are consuming growing amounts of meat, nearly double the quantity than in developing countries.” The Philippines is already experiencing water shortage and it will be more apparent in the coming years. As the population continues to grow, it needs more land to be used for food production and more water to grow crops and raise livestock. Studies have shown that agriculture has the highest demand of all water use with 85% while the other sectors – industry and domestic – have a combined demand of only 15%. “With the demand for water growing in all three categories, competition among sectors is intensifying, with agriculture almost always losing,” Brown says. “Agriculture is by far the biggest consumer of water worldwide,” IRRI adds. Most precious asset “Water is the most precious asset on Earth,” says Dr. Sandra Postel, director of the Massachusetts-based Global Water Policy Project. It covers over 70 percent of the earth’s surface and is a major force in controlling the climate by storing vast quantities of heat.
About 97.5 percent of all water is found in the ocean and only the remaining 2.5 percent is considered fresh water. Unfortunately, 99.7 percent of that fresh water is unavailable, trapped in glaciers, ice sheets, and mountainous areas. Water is drawn in two fundamental ways: from wells, tapping underground sources of water called aquifers; or from surface flows - that is, from lakes, rivers, and manmade reservoirs. Water is drawn in two fundamental ways: from wells, tapping underground sources of water called aquifers; or from surface flows - that is, from lakes, rivers, and man-made reservoirs. In the 1950s, the Philippines had as much as 9,600 cubic meters of clean water per person, according to Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero, former head of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Marine Research and Development. Four decades later, Filipinos must make do with little more than a third for that volume – 3,300 cubic meters per capita. Today, the Philippines ranks second from the lowest among Southeast Asian countries in terms of per capita water availability per year with only 1,907 cubic meters. Thailand is at the bottom, with 1,854 cubic meters. Vietnamese have more than twice what Filipinos get: 4,591 cubic
meters.
Necessary for survival Next to air, water is the element most necessary for survival. A person can go for more than three weeks without food (Mahatma Gandhi survived 21 days of complete starvation), but water is a different story. Water makes up more than 60 percent of our body weight. Proteins make up only 18% while fats encompass 15%, minerals 4%, carbohydrates 2% and vitamins less than one percent. Science tells us that our brain contains 74% water, blood contains 83% water, lean muscle has 75% water and bone has 22% water. A lack of water affects everything from our digestive tract to our immune system. It also helps regulate our body temperature. “Under extreme conditions an adult can lose 1 to 1.5 liters of sweat per hour,” Randall K. Packer, a professor of biology at George Washington University, wrote in 2002 article for Scientific American. “If that lost water is not replaced, the total volume of body fluid can fall quickly and, most dangerously, blood volume may drop.” Water is life, indeed. “There will be no peace in the world unless we are prepared to insure it now by tackling the problems of water, which in
some areas are catastrophic,” commented Roger Berthelot, former consultant of the United Nations Development Program. Postel believes water problems will be alongside with climate change as a threat to the human future, and global warming will worsen water problems. “Although the two are related, water has no substitutes,” she explains. “We can transition away from coal and oil to solar, wind and other renewable energy sources. But there is no transitioning away from water to something else.” Another something to think about: large-scale meat production also has serious implications for the world’s climate. It is a common knowledge that animal waste releases methane and nitrous oxide, greenhouse gases that are 25 and 300 times more potent than carbon dioxide, respectively. “The world’s supersized appetite for meat is among the biggest reasons greenhouse gas emissions are still growing rapidly,” Dr. Robert Engelman, president of Worldwatch Institute. “Yet properly managed and scaled meat production -- like the kind pursued by small-scale pastoralists on dry grasslands -- could actually sequester carbon dioxide. It’s largely a matter of rethinking meat at both ends of the production-consumption trail.”
8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO
EDITORIAL
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VOL. 9 ISSUE 157 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, OCTOBER 2 - 3, 2016
True colors
USTRALIA watched in excitement and jubilation as the Western Bulldogs won the AFL Premiership for the first time in 63 years. It was a win comparable to the Cleveland Cavaliers last June who also ended a 52-year wait for the city to win its first professional title in the NBA Finals. These two teams valued a rich history of struggle, keeping its faith, staying on its colors, and displaying determination to win that elusive title. In the history of these two teams, their culture, represented by their colors, is as important as its existence and aspirations. The AFL even had its league marketing slogan “#true colors” overemphasized. Teams are identified by their colors and everyone who knows their foty practically knows what are the colors of their teams. In the UAAP, two teams—Ateneo and La Salle--are willing to drop its colors as a protest action against the bloody extra-judicial killings, Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and the human rights violations.
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Officials of the two schools apparently wanted to amplify its opposition to the bloody war against illegal drugs and other issues through the two schools’ rivalry. An Ateneo-La Sale game always fetches a jampacked crowd anytime. So this could be a perfect avenue to layout those placards and protest colors. When does the call for protest become voluntary and not is easily the issue here. A number of people reacted strongly against using sports as a vehicle of protest. Likewise, the manner in which officials of the school ‘order’ the school community through a memo is not voluntary and did not emanate from the students who we are sure come to the basketball game for the school spirit. It is an accepted hallmark of democracy, this saying: “I may not agree with what you are saying, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Yes, we can take our right to free speech at any venue, but that right emanates from within, from our very own colors, unforced, unmandated.
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VANTAGE POINTS
9
The US and ASEAN: Far from “rebalanced”
T is widely known that current US President Barack Obama spent precious childhood years in indonesia, since his stepfather is an Indonesian academic. This “exoticness” is part of his charm, with which he tried valiantly to obtain a “rebalance” for his country in Asia, all in the face of an aggressive China, a restive Japan, and a rogue North Korea. An aggressive China that over the last three decades has solidified its trading relationship with the rest of Asia has proven to be a potent barrier to US influence, what with the former Communist country now supplying almost all Asian countries with important goods such as machinery, electronics and other items formerly supplied by Japan and Korea. This, in great part, has allowed many Southeast Asian countries like Malaysia, Thailand and Indonesia to
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VOL. 9 ISSUE 157 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, OCTOBER 2 - 3, 2016
HEN presented with this anomaly, at least, I rose to condemn it.” These were the very words of the late Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago, uttered at the height of the impeachment proceedings at the Upper House of then Chief Justice Renato Corona. Once in a generation, it is believed that someone of heroic proportions comes along to plant his/ her seed of heroism into our life. Miriam Defensor Santiago, who said goodbye to this world last Thursday (Sept. 29) lived a life of legendary proportions a la France’s Joan of Arc. Pardon the comparison but if you had followed closely the life of this feisty senator, you, the reader, would surely agree with my assertion. A scholar and student leader during her days at the University of the Philippines, Miriam showed her mettle by distinguishing herself in public service afterwards. She never kowtowed to any wrong-doing. To her, a wrong is a wrong and it could only be right-
push their MY TWO CENTS’ own industrialization since affordable components enable assembly of vital products which they use to John Tria supply their ecisouth@gmail.com people and export within the region. Given these realities, observers will note that the united States under Barack Obama took a sharp interest in the affairs of this bloc, having worked through a scheme that ensures his country’s place in the groups’ annual meetings via the following measures: 1. The East Asian Summit (EAS) is a regular meeting between the
ASEAN has become an important area of influence for the US mirrors the regard with which the rest of the West holds it. That it is the fourth largest trading partner of the US whose total trade volume (larger than China), should make American legislators take
notice. All these efforts such as to achieve the “rebalance”, the “pivot to Asia”, the TransPacific Partnership (TPP) as expressed, are manifestations of a longer term ASEAN strategy designed to put the US within practical membership in the regional grouping. However, his performance in the last ASEAN summit in Laos, a country that the US bombed aggressively almost 50 years ago, leaves much to be desired. In his last year in office, and in spite of all the efforts outlined above, he still failed to achieve that rebalance he was working hard to achieve. The abrasive meetings with Putin, the “carpetgate” with China, and the response he got from Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte indicates that the relationship with Asia he will leave to his successor is far from “rebalanced”.
ed with a SPECKS OF LIFE rectifying righteousness. After serving as an RTC j u d g e , her incorruptible Fred C. Lumba attitude caught the attention of the powersthat-be and she was appointed Commissioner of the graft-ridden Bureau of Immigration & Deportation. Being a no-nonsense legal mind, she was able to rid the BID of an embedded syndicate that used its clout to employ a protection racket that involved foreigners needing quick solutions to their immigration status in the Philippines. This sly but methodical practice has resulted in the multiplication of immigration problems that made the Philippines a haven for wanted foreign criminals. But Madame Miriam, quick to know this scheme, was able to cut the malpractice down to a minimum
during her brief term. Her prominence as a disciplinarian and exemplary public service record again caught the attention of the highest authority and she was appointed to the Cabinet as Secretary of the Department of Agrarian Reform (DAR). As she rose prominently from one government position to another, Miriam was able to observe from her vantage point the deep, big gap between the rich and the poor, the social injustices suffered by her marginalized countrymen. These ideals and her deep sense of compassion for her countrymen did not just grow out like a seed protruding out of the ground. Miriam possessed them as she was growing up, a product of proper nurturing by her father, a former judge himself, and mother, a college dean and educator. Miriam displayed more of her feisty character when she became a senator. Rebounding from a narrow loss in the 1992 presidential elections, the native of La Paz, Iloilo focused her efforts at legislation. Up
to this day, she was the only senator who has filed the most bills. Miriam pursued higher learning in foreign institutions like Stanford, Harvard, UC-Berkley et al. For her wit, candor and intelligence, she is adored by her countless supporters, young and old alike. They invoke her idealism as we did when we were also in our youths. Miriam swapped her productive law practice and quiet private life to a career in politics, admitting that it was her late dad who convinced her to run. It is very apparent, if you look back to Miriam’s sterling record in the senate that she was indeed a big asset to the organization, lending her wisdom and excellent grasp of judicial and constitutional issues with flourish and fervor. Miriam will certainly be missed. Her advice to aspiring young leaders: “Don’t be like me. Be better!” She is the one of the best presidents we never had. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo. com.) God bless the Philippines.
United states and its allies and the different ASEAN member states 2. A US ambassador to ASEAN based in Jakarta to represent the country in the regional body 3. The transpacific partnership (TPP that includes trade concessions and programs, has been aggressively pushed. The Philippines has yet to sign up to this offer. 4. The Sunnylands Ranch meeting early this year was unprecedented in that it was the first ever summit of ASEAN with the United States taking place on US soil.
Maid Miriam
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wells in Cabantian and Communal as the initial stage and to do so through direct negotiation (negotiated procurement) with Hydrock Wells, Inc. Also in the same month, PBAC-B members, Yamson, Chavez, Navales, and Guillen, having considered the “public outcry for water” in Buhangin, Cabantian, Lanang, Sasa, and Panacan, dispensed with the advertisement requirement. Instead, they sent invitations to Hydrock, AMG Drilling and Construction, Inc., and Drill Mechanics Incorporated to drill the two projects. However, only Hydrock and AMG submitted their quotations. DMI declined, as its drilling rigs are not available for immediate use. Further, AMG requested to implement the project in July 1998 due to unavailable equipment at the time of the invitation. Given these facts, the PBAC-B asked the head of agency to recommend to the Board of Directors for the projects to be awarded to Hydrock given the urgency, importance and necessity of the said projects, while taking into account its track record, efficiency of performance and quoted price. In 2008, the Office of the Ombudsman ruled that cir-
cumstances of the project did not call for the application of the exception to the general rule on competitive public bidding. The “public outcry for water” cannot be considered as a justification to resort to direct negotiation (negotiated procurement). Hence, they were meted the penalty of dismissal from the service. This decision of the Supreme Court nullifies the ruling of the Court of Appeals dated Dec. 6, 2010 which affirmed the decision of the Office of the Ombudsman of Mindanao dated Oct. 26, 2007 and Nov. 28, 2007 wherein all said officials were found guilty of misconduct. The Supreme Court ruled that there was no evidence establishing that these officials “conspired and colluded to rig the procurement process of the well drilling projects”. There was also no evidence showing that they benefitted from the procurement of the projects. However, the Supreme Court ruled that said officials should be held accountable only for a lesser offense of Simple Neglect of Duty for failure to strictly comply with the procurement procedures stipulated in P.D. No. 1594. (Jovana T. Duhaylungsod)
Jewish community. “More farmlands were offered in Mindanao for the Jewish settlers. The President knows this and values our strong historical ties with the Jewish people,” he said. Andanar explained that the President’s reference to the slaughter was an oblique deflection of the way he has been pictured as a mass murderer. Andanar clarified that President Duterte merely made a
conclusion that while the Holocaust was an attempt to exterminate the future generations of Jews, the current campaign against illegal drugs will nevertheless result in the salvation of the next generation of Filipinos. US Defense Secretary Ash Carter and Germany’s Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesperson Michael Schaeffer earlier criticized what was reported in the media as the President’s statements.
NTM has been celebrated since 2008 with the help of non-government organizations. Meanwhile, the DepEd official said the DepEd is working hard to improve the country’s education system, specifically by helping teachers improve the preparation of their lesson plans. She revealed the education department is also developing a new planning system that would enable teachers at the same grade level to jointly develop lesson plans. “Books have also been updated,” added Ocampo, explaining these books were revised to attune them to the K-12 curriculum. She also bared that Philippine history, particularly the history of the Bangsamoro people will also be included in
the Grade 5 and 6 curriculum. When asked to provide an update regarding the enrolees at senior high schools, Ocampo reported that more students enrolled in Grade 11 as compared to those who graduated from Grade 10. “This is good news indeed,” she said, noting that more students have continued their schooling. With the establishment of senior high schools, Ocampo said the salaries of teachers have also increased, as the entry level position has been raised from level 11 to level 15, This means that entry level teachers will receive a monthly salary of P22,000. However, she noted that as a result of this salary increase, a lot of private school teachers are now transferring to public schools.
with ensuring non-inflationary growth. Moving forward, the BSP will continue to monitor monetary conditions closely to ensure that liquidity in the system stays in line with price and financial stability,” the BSP said.
BSP data also show bank lending, excluding banks’ placements with the BSP’s overnight borrowing or reverse repurchase (RRP) facility rose by 17.3 percent, lower than month-ago’s 17.7 percent. (PNA)
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VOL. 9 ISSUE 157 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, OCTOBER 2 - 3, 2016
TOUR BUS PROGRAM. Department of Tourism (DOT) Mindanao Officer In Charge Eden David (right) signs a Memorandum of Agreement with Davao Metro Shuttle (DMS) represented by its President Decarlo Uy (second from left) for the Mindanao Tour Bus program at The Marco Polo Davao on Friday.
Mindanao Tour Bus program is a project spearheaded by DMS and supported by DOT which aims to ferry tourists all over the island by taking missionary routes to tourist destinations. Alma Uy and daughter Ciara witnessed the said MOA signing. Lean Daval Jr.
69 lumad schools in Davao region
By RIA VALDEZ
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gion. This was revealed by Atty. Alberto Escobarte, Dep Ed region 11 director, in a press conference last Sept. 30 at the Ateneo de Davao University. “We have a P500 million budget for 251 schools [in the region],” said Escobarte, adding the budget for the
69 lumad schools will come from this fund. According to Escobarte, these schools which are now under construction will be under the management of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD). While these schools still are being constructed, barangays halls be used as temporary classrooms. “The classrooms will be
designed to fit their culture,” noted Escobarte, who said the schools will be completed by next year. The schools, he said, are situated in Talaingod, Capalong, and some areas in Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur. Asked on the number of teachers the DepEd will be hiring for these schools, Escobarte said he doesn’t know the exact figure but
assured the public there are enough teachers to meet the needs of the student population. He explained the teachers are multi-graded which meant they are trained to handle more than one grade level. Escobarte said lumad schools will follow the K-12 curriculum, but will be contextualized according to their culture.
“You can call me anything, but I was never into or I am never into hypocrisy like you,” he said. President recalled the instance when the United States denied passage to migrants who were escaping from the brutal wars in the Middle East. He also asked why the US and EU would worry about the 1,000 deaths in the Philippines when there were in fact 2,000
or 3,000 innocent civilians who were killed when they did not allow migrants to enter their territory. President Duterte said he was willing to kill all the criminals in the country to save the next generation of Filipinos. “I’d be happy to slaughter them. I would like to finish the problem of my country and save the next generation from perdition,” he said.
er bigger bandwidth and faster data speeds to mobile users.
scheme. On the alleged smuggling of oil products, the DOE said it is talking with the Bureau of Customs since the smuggling of oil may hurt the petroleum industry.
Aside from the petroleum industry, the economy and the delivery of basic services of the local government units (LGUs) in Mindanao and the rest of the country would also be affected due to “taxes lost.” (PNA)
IRC and the TDF, then we feel that we have sufficient mechanism for mopping up liquidity,” he said, citing that trust entities’ objective is really to manage investments.
With this development, Guinigundo said the central bank encourages trust entities to think of ways to efficiently manage funds under their care. (PNA)
“We are delighted that this event has never failed to improve,” the governor said in her message during the opening of the surfing cup last September 23, adding that every year, more have come to realize the beauty of Siargao, the significance of the surfing event, the warmth of the
people and the joy of being in touch with the blessed environment that the island have. The governor also took pride that surfing, as a water sport, has now gained more appreciation and recognition with its inclusion in the most anticipated 2020 Olympics in Tokyo, Japan.
wireless data service that is commercially available. These efforts are part of a three-year network rollout plan submitted by PLDT to the NTC. The plan includes Smart’s goal to cover 95% of the country’s cities and municipalities with high-speed mobile internet service by the end of 2018. “We are accelerating our LTE deployment because this will enable us to deliver faster, more reliable, and affordable internet services throughout the country,” said Joachim Horn, chief technology and information advisor at PLDT and Smart. Boracay tourist Rhaymond Ursal and his friends said they were “very happy” with their Smart LTE experience on the island. “We’ve had a lot of uses for our mobile data connection here. Apps download quickly, and there’s no lag when we play Pokemon Go.” “Signal is good even indoors. Last night, we streamed movies in our room and there was no long buffering,” Ursal added. Boracay was the site of several technological firsts for Smart as well as the Philippines, including the firing up of LTE in 2012 and the deployment of LTE-Advanced (LTE-A) last April. Smart fired up LTE-A using a capability called carrier aggregation, which involves the combination of two or more frequency bands to deliv-
HERE will soon be 69 lumad schools operating in the Davao Re-
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Hard figures back customer testimonials Smart LTE tests conducted in Boracay in mid-June showed that page loading was fast, consistent, and successful 99% of the time. This figure is much higher than the 61% success rate recorded in April. Smart also achieved a 100% success rate in loading web pages on the first try. All attempts to stream videos without buffering were successful. Smart LTE average download speeds also improved by 50%, from 14 Mbps to 21 Mbps. Meanwhile, an LTE-A speed test conducted in August posted a download speed of 120 Mbps, and an upload speed of 28 Mbps. The Boracay mobile data experience is a snapshot of what other areas in the country are expected to experience, as the PLDT Group’s three-year network program is rolled out throughout the country. Smart’s drive to boost data coverage and capacity across the country forms a major part of the PLDT Group’s capital expenditure program. PLDT has set aside about P43 billion in total capex for 2016. It has allocated an additional $100 million to utilize the additional frequencies previously assigned to SMC. [END]
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FOOD
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LEFT: Edward Liwag and his barista crew at Coffee Grounds. TOP AND LEFT: House roasted Ethopian coffee beans. The resulting espresso shot is rich and creamy with hints of chocolate, cinnamon, and spice with a light acidic finish.
Passion for the Bean
BELOW: Edward finishes a cafe latte with latte art.
WHETHER TO KICK START THE MORNING, END A SUMPTUOUS MEAL, join an afternoon pick-me-up, or just as an excuse to get together and gossip with friends, a good cup of coffee never fails to perk up my day. More so if that cup of Joe is well-balanced and properly made.
Since Durianburg has blossomed into a coffeeloving city, there are now a range of cafes one can choose from. One of my personal favourites has to be Coffee Grounds at the far end of Roxas Avenue. From my first sip of their espresso, I was hooked. The shot’s rich, nutty, lightly spiced, chocolatey notes with an elegant finish opened my eyes on how beautiful and complex coffee can be. Since the cafe was brimming Coffee Ground’s interior is cozy and is condusive for meetings, with customers during conversations, or some quiet “me time”.
my first visit, I decided to return to the shop and obtain more insight on coffee making from Coffee Grounds’ Senior Barista Edward Liwag. “Here at Coffee Grounds, we are extra passionate when it comes to preparing and serving coffee,” said Edward “We try to do everything ourselves to craft coffee that is truly artisanal.” Edward reveals the entire process of roasting, grinding, and coffee extraction is all measured and timed. “We source and blend the best coffee beans we believe the Dabawenyos would love and we roast them to the proper colour to fully unlock the bean’s potential.” “Our regulars love coffee that is rich and caramelly with just a hint of chocolate, and we achieve Coffee Ground’s Selfie Coffee alows one to have their photo printed and served on top of a cold coffee frappe. that with our careful
roasting and extraction process.” added Edward, as he carefully prepared my cafe latte. It was fascinating watching him carefully grind and weigh the coffee beans, tamp it onto the expresso extractor, and finally extract the golden brew at an exact temperature. “We have a passion to create the best tasting coffee and the measurements ensure the taste of the coffee is the same every time.” Aside from the cute latte art, Coffee Grounds also serves cold coffee concoctions as well as Davao’s first and only “Selfie Coffee” which I was supposed to try the first time around but was not able to due to technical difficulties. This time, however, I was able to order a cup and I would say it is the ultimate customisation experience and a blast to have your very own selfie photo on top of your drink. Try to order this drink when hanging out with friends and I’m sure you’ll find yourselves
grinning from ear to ear. “We want to always push the boundaries of coffee and to have more Dabawenyos learn to love and appreciate good coffee, and that is why Coffee Grounds was established - to be the ground where coffee lovers can come together,” explained Edward. He also revealed plans to hold coffee appreciation classes, as well as coffee cupping sessions and latte art workshops in the near future for those who want to learn more about coffee. Asides from great coffee, Coffee Grounds also serves pasta, pizza, as well as entrees. Coffee Grounds is located at Roxas Avenue at the Golden Lion Dormitel Building. It is open daily from 2 in the afternoon to one in the morning. For big groups or events, Coffee Grounds also has a function room. Follow Coffee Grounds on Facebook or on Instagram at Coffee Grounds Davao.
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VOL. 9 ISSUE 157 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, OCTOBER 2 - 3,
PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS
UP AND ABOUT
Silkair launches new mobile app and exclusive launch fares SILKAIR, THE REGIONAL WING OF SINGAPORE AIRLINES, has launched a new mobile app which offers travellers greater travel convenience from booking to boarding. Designed to be fast and intuitive, the mobile app aims to provide users with a functional and seamless user experience. Key features of the mobile app include flight booking and itinerary management. For a limited time only, from now till 31st of October 2016, ‘app-clusive’ launch fares will be offered to new users who download the app. All-inclusive fares start from USD180 to Singapore, USD750 to
Europe, USD660 to Australia amongst other destinations. Users can personalize the SilkAir mobile app home screen to show relevant flight updates and information, while push notifications can also be enabled to receive prompt check-in reminders for upcoming trips. Travellers flying from Singapore Changi Airport can also enjoy the Mobile Boarding Pass feature which allows for more efficient flight check-in1. Additionally, the mobile app will allow KrisFlyer members to view their membership details such as miles and tier information in an easy-to-read design. “SilkAir is constantly improving and enhancing our various digital touch
points to keep up with the changing landscape of the travel industry. With the SilkAir mobile app, customers can expect greater control and convenience when it comes to planning their travel itineraries.” said SilkAir’s Vice President Commercial, Mr. Ryan Pua. Built in conjunction with MTT, a Travelport Company and leading pro-
vider of digital travel solu tions, the new SilkAir mo bile app is now available fo free download at the App App Store and the Goog Play Store. The mobile ap is compatible with iOS and 9, and all Android ve sions released after 4.0 respectively. Users can loo forward to more featur that will progressively b added in future updates the SilkAir mobile app.
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Gas up and Go with Go Hotels and Phoenix Petroleum
C E L E B R AT I N G THE OPENING OF GO HOTELS LANANG-DAVAO, Go Hotels and its first joint venture partner Phoenix Petroleum, invites travelers to avail of its Gas Up an Go promo.
For every minimum of 800 pesos single fuel purchase in selected Phoenix branch, a purchaser can get one 888 pesos VATexempted coupon. Present this receipt to the forecourt crew and get one coupon valid for one room only and maximum of 2 nights stay. Upon check-in at Go Hotel Lanang, present this coupon and Phoenix Petroleum receipt. Walkin guests and guests with
EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society
reservation may avail of the promo. Promo period runs from September 20, 2016 to October 31, 2016 and stay dates runs from Septemeber 20, 2016 to December 31, 2016. Coupon can be claimed 60 days from end of promo period. This offer is available in Phoenix branches in Maa, Tierra Verde, Matina, Damosa, Sasa 2, Lizada, F. Torres, Cabantian I, Tigatto, Catalunan Grande, Dumoy 1, Calinan 2, Dumoy 3, Laverna, R. Castillo, Lanang, Dacudao, Bacaca, Mintal, Mankilam, Samal, Liwayway, Digos 1, Digos 2, Darong, Balutakay, and Odaka. For more information about the promo, visit www.gohotels.com.ph.
SM STORE’S LINEN FAIR. Head over to Baby Company and enjoy great deals from the Project Nursery Promo! Get up to 50% off on select linen items from your favorite brands like Bloom, Disney Baby, Castle, Bedtime Baby, Owen and Quilted Giraffe. Plus get a free animal bedside lamp for a minimum of P2000 single receipt purchase of any bloom item exclusive to Mom Card Members! Visit Baby Company now and catch the Project Nursery promo until October 31! See you there! See posters for details.
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Alden Richards still a Kapuso; renews exclusive contract with GMA 7 PA M BA NSA NG BAE ALDEN RICHARDS REMAINS A LOYAL KAPUSO as he renewed yesterday (September 27) his exclusive contract with GMA Network, Inc.
Present in the contract signing were GMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, GMA President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., GMA Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong, GMA Films President Annette Gozon, GMA Entertainment TV’s Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable, GMA Consultant for Business Development Department II Marivin T. Arayata, GMA Vice President for Drama Productions Redgie Acuña-Magno, GMA Vice President for Corporate Affairs and Communications Angela Javier Cruz, GMA Senior Assistant Vice President for Alternative Productions Gigi Santiago-Lara, GMA
one can reach the stars while keeping his feet firmly on the ground. Kaya tayo ay lubos na
Artist Center Assistant Vice President and Head for Talent Imaging and Marketing Unit Simoun Ferrer and Senior Program Manager for ETV Charles Koo. Alden said that he is very happy to renew his contract with GMA which has been very helpful in fulfilling all of his dreams, “Masaya po talaga ako to be part of GMA and to be still part of GMA in the years to come. I remained loyal to the Network and GMA has been very good to me and very supportive; I can feel the support and love coming from them.
I really feel at home here. It’s where my heart is.” Alden is considered to be one of the Kapuso Network’s homegrown, talented and versatile actors. At present, he is recognized as one of the most credible endorsers and most admired male personalities in the country. Alden is likewise a multi-platinum recording artist. Aside from being one of the mainstays of the hit noontime show Eat Bulaga, Alden is part of the iconic primetime series Encantadia as Lakan, “My experience po with Encantadia has been very fun. Kumba-
ga, it’s another dream of mine that came true now that I am part of the cast. I am very thankful po kasi the feedback is very positive.” During the contract signing, Atty. Gozon said he is very proud of Alden’s achievements since he is one of the Network’s successful home-grown artists for many years now, “Alam mo si Alden, not only he is one of the biggest stars of GMA but also he is one of the biggest stars in the country. We are also proud of the humility he has shown throughout this journey, he is a living proof that
nagagalak dahil napili niyang manatili sa GMA, kung saan siya nagsimula and where he belongs.”
September 30 – October 4, 2016
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11 COMPETITIVE EDGE
EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 157 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, OCTOBER 2 - 3, 2016
Davao Chong Hua turns 92; Chairman recalls glory days T
HE DAVAO CHONG HUA HIGH SCHOOL, formerly Davao Central High School, at the corner of J.P. Laurel and Sta. Ana avenues in Davao City, celebrated its 92nd founding anniversary last September 28. Jacob “Jake” Chua, chairman of the school’s board of trustees, thanked many people responsible for the establishment of the school, starting with the late philanthropist Don Francisco Tan Juna Lim Villa-Abrille who donated several hectares of his land so that the school would have a cam-
Davao Central High School
pus. “Knowing the importance of education and its game-changing role in the lives of people, Don Francisco donated a large tract of land that would easily cost billions of pesos on present-day valuation,” Chua said in his anniversary speech, adding that the donor was “a self-made man who, like many of our great grandfathers, endured so much hardships in coming to this land in search of greener pasture.” “Indeed, Don Francisco’s altruism and love for his fellowmen are legacies to be fol-
Jacob Chua lowed by younger generations looking for men of sterling character as role model to emulate,” he said. Chua also recalled the glory days of the school and
the names of great men who passed the portals of the school. They include Tony Tancaptiong, the world renown Filipino billionaire who owns Jollibee, Greenwich Pizza, Red Ribbon, Mang Inasal, Chowking and many other successful enterprises, and national artist Ang Kiu Kok. Chua appealed to students, alumni, faculty members, parents and supporters of the school to continue contributing to the growth of the school which is now facing some modern-day challenges. AMA
Republic Cement, TESDA Two Cebu companies partner with train 147 new welders
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HE Republic Cement Group, a leading cement and building materials manufacturer and construction solutions provider, continues the success of its community development initiatives as 147 graduates of its Iligan Plant’s skills training program recently received National Certificates II (NC II) in Shielded and Arc Welding from the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA). “Republic Cement is firmly committed to the development of our host communities, including providing relevant skills training that can translate into employment opportunities both here and abroad,” said Renato Sunico, president of Republic Cement and Building Materials, Inc. (RCBM). The newly certified welders represent the second batch of trainees under the program, which has since produced over 200 graduates. The project mostly benefits indigent and unemployed members from its two neighboring communities, Barangays Kiwalan and Acmac in Iligan City. Under the program, which is implemented in partnership with TESDA and the Barangay Councils of Kiwalan and Acmac, scholars undergo a to-
tal of 324 hours of intensive training in order to receive a certificate. NC II is part of TESDA’s Technical Vocational Education Training (TVET) Qualification and Certification System, which validates that its program graduates are equipped with the technical aptitude in all relevant competency requirements and standards prescribed by the industry. Apart from offering livelihood opportunities, the program promotes equal opportunity and gender diversity, having trained over 20 women in the Shielded and Arc Welding course, a traditionally male-associated profession. Sunico further noted the partnership with TESDA is part of the company’s capability-building efforts, helping to expand the local pool of skilled workers from which it can hire contractors for its expansion requirements. He adds that most of the welding contractors currently servicing Republic Cement’s Iligan Plant are products of the skills training program. “This is one way that Republic Cement builds shared value in our host communities,” Sunico explained. “Our skills training program is one way for us to contribute to the communities’ overall well-being.”
Republic1: Man at work: one of the scholars of Republic Cement’s skills training program, which aims to provide better job opportunities to members of their host communities.
AboitizPower on renewable energy J
PARK Island Resort and Waterpark and NKC (Nakanishi Metal Works Co. Ltd), both operating in Mactan, Cebu, signed power supply contracts with Aboitiz Power Corporation under the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) regime. “We chose renewable energy because we want to help protect the environment,” said JPark Island Resort President
Justin Uy. Uy explained that JPark aims to strengthen its reputation as an environment-friendly and responsible tourist destination and chose AboitizPower based on trust. JPark has tapped AboitizPower to be its sole provider of electricity for two years. The resort’s total monthly demand is 2.5 megawatts (MW), which will be taken mainly from
the Tiwi-Makban geothermal plants in Albay and Batangas. NKC, manufacturer of bearings, hardware supplies, conveyor and other industrial equipment, also chose Cleanergy, AboitizPower’s brand of renewable energy. NKC, needs 2.3MW a month to power its operations within the Mactan Economic Zone 2 in Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu. The Energy Regulatory
Boracay shows the way
Commission (ERC) requires contestable customers—those with average monthly usage of 1 MW and up—to source power from retail electricity suppliers starting Dec. 26 this year under the Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) regime. Starting June 26, 2017, the threshold is set to drop to 750 kwh, allowing more establishments to benefit from competition among power producers that will vie over prices and services. Competition can drive prices down under the RCOA, AboitizPower Chief Operations Officer Luis Miguel Aboitiz said after the power supply contract signing between AboitizPower and JPark Island Resort and Waterpark. Aboitiz said he expects more big consumers to subscribe to AboitizPower as their retail power supplier. According to the ERC, there are about 970 contestable customers nationwide. Of the total, more than 120 are operating in the Visayas.
Smart’s network rollout boosts LTE coverage
S
MART Communications’ ongoing deployment of its mobile internet service via a combination of low-band and high-band frequencies is starting to pay off, with subscribers in initial deployment areas reporting significant improvement in their mobile data experience, particularly indoors. Subscribers in Boracay experienced stronger mobile internet connectivity after Smart implemented a quad-band LTE (Long-Term Evolution) setup on the island. This involves the use of the low-band 850 MHz frequency and the high-band
1800, 2100, and 2300 MHz frequencies. “I used to get EDGE signal but now I get LTE. My connection remains strong even when I’m inside a building. I’m really happy, especially because I need mobile internet now more than ever,” said local Joyce Mationg. Low-band frequencies like 700 and 850 MHz have longer range and better indoor penetration. These enable Smart subscribers with compatible phones to have strong and stable internet connectivity in more areas, even inside buildings. Improving indoor pen-
etration is critical, as international and Smart’s own studies show that bulk of mobile internet users use data services inside buildings. High-band frequencies, on the other hand, provide additional capacity. These allow the Smart network to support more mobile data users and provide them with more bandwidth.
Accelerated LTE deployment The use of these frequencies is being further enhanced by Smart’s ongoing deployment of 700 MHz in different areas of the country. Smart
recently gained access to the 700 MHz radio frequency previously assigned to San Miguel Corp. (SMC), under the co-use arrangement approved by the National Telecommunications Commission when Smart’s parent company PLDT acquired the SMC telecom business. Under the same arrangement, Smart also gained access to 2300 MHz frequencies which it already deployed in Boracay. Smart is rapidly deploying frequencies specifically for LTE, which is the fastest
F BORACAY, 10
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EDGEDAVAO
NEWS 13
PH, Vietnan forge alliance vs narco trade By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA
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HE Philippines has forged an allegiance with the Republic of Vietnam in line with its war against the illegal drug trade, according to President Duterte. In his arrival speech, the President said the two countries have agreed “to explore ways to intensify law enforcement cooperation against transnational crime including the illegal, drug trade.”
President Durterte said the agreement is part of Vietnam President Tran Dai Quang’s commitment to boost his country’s strategic partnership with the Philippines. He said that Vietnam has commited to share intelligence data which the Philippines can use to monitor the international drug personalities entering or leaving the country. “They will share intelli-
gence data – I’ll be sending some military and police to serve a specific purpose and it will be a concern of the two nations but the entire regions,” the President said. According to the Chief Executive, Vietnam is also waging a war against the illegal drug trade, similar to what the Philippines is doing under his administration. “They are so strict about
it. And, do not mess up with these guys. They have been at war for so many generations. They will not hesitate to finish you off,” he said. Duterte said that through these bilateral exchanges, they are eyeing to establish a drug free ASEAN. Vietnam also pledged to support the Philippines as it take the leadership role in APEC 2017.
RESIDENTIAL Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus G. Dureza Jesus Jess Dureza emphasized that while the government negotiates with the different revolutionary groups in the formal peace tables, he stressed the importance of engaging “the bigger peace table” where the Filipino people sit. “We always say that we negotiate across the table with the rebel groups to find peace, but let us not forget that there is a bigger peace table out there. We want that bigger table to be part of the process so that everybody will have ownership
of the outcomes,” Dureza said during yesterday’s Closing Ceremony of this year’s National Peace Consciousness Month at the Quezon Memorial Circle. He added that the government’s peace work right now must engage the people with more transparency and inclusivity so that “every Filipino supports the agreements that we will sign on their behalf.” Dureza led the launch of two major initiatives that aim to promote a more inclusive and transparent peace process. First is the partnership with the country’s premier
university, the University of the Philippines (UP), and second is the new mobile application geared towards the millennial generation. Dureza signed a partnership with UP President Alfredo Pascual that commits UP to give technical support to the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process (OPAPP) for the ongoing peace negotiations between the government and the National Democratic Front (NDF), which will resume next week in Oslo, Norway. The next round of talks will tackle the Comprehensive
Agreement on Social and Economic Reforms (CASER), which is most commonly referred to as the ‘heart and soul of the peace process’. “UP will provide expertise to the table to bring consensus points in very contentious issues that we are going to tackle,” Dureza explained. To reach the young people – the millennials – OPAPP launched the mobile application (app) called “PeaceBOC” or Peace Buddies Organizing for Change, the first of its kind app created by a national government office.
Dureza highlights role of the bigger peace table and the youth in the peace process P
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EDGEDAVAO Sports 15
UNDAUNTED Malacanang shrugs off‘Black Sunday’game By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO
M
Secretary Martin Andanar
njb@edgedavao.net
ALACANANG on Saturday downplayed the ‘Black Sunday’ basketball game between archrivals Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University saying it is an exercise of democratic freedom. The ballgame was set yesterday in the 79th season of the Universities Athletic Association of the Philippines (UAAP). Officials of the two schools came out with a memorandum on Friday calling on their students and school community to wear black to the game in protest of the extrajudicial killings, Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and violations of human rights— all attributed to the Duterte administration. “We understand there is
call from Ateneo de Manila University and De La Salle University to wear black on Sunday’s UAAP men’s basketball game to protest the Marcos burial at the Libingan ng mga Bayani and to condemn the spate of extrajudicial killings in the country,” Presidential Communications Office head Martin Andanar said in a statement. “We live in a democracy where everyone is entitled to give an opinion, air his grievance, or voice his solidarity or disagreement with the government as long as the means used is peaceful, legal, and constitutional. As we learned in our class, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I’ll defend to the death your right to say it,” the statement read. The Palace appeared un-
daunted by the protest game saying, “Feel free, therefore, to express your concern on the burning issues of the day in the same way that we encourage both Ateneo and La Salle communities to step up and bring the blessings of their quality education by helping the government transform the many communities of the poor in our society. The menace of illegal drugs has also swept away human rights and human lives which are some values we are taught in school.” Andanar said the administration is encouraging everyone to join the anti-drugs campaign of the Government “as we now enter the second phase which includes treatment and rehabilitation and education and counseling of drug dependents.”
Earlier, Fr. Joel Tabora, SJ, president of the Atneo de Davao University said the battle against illegal drugs is a battle that has to be fought. “We must be able to fight drugs by bringing about a condition where drugs are no longer necessary. ‘Thou shalt not kill’ also has to be applied to the millions that are being victimized by this illegal drug trade,” Tabora said. Commissioner Charles Raymond Maxey of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) likewise asked the two schools to leave sports free of politics. “Let the players and their supporters wear their true colors, be it blue or green. Politics must never be injected into sports. This is b-a-s-k-e-t-b-al-l,” Maxey told Edge Davao in an online message. PSC Commissioner Charles Maxey
prize each. “Whitaker surfed a great final day making the most of the waves on offer at Cloud 9. He utilised the lefts and rights, walls and barrels to post solid scores all event. It was his lightning quick backhand snaps that saw him post a heat total of 12.85 (out of a possible 20) to win the Final,” the World Surf League (WSL) said in its websitewww.worldsurfleague.com. In a statement he gave to WSL, Whitaker said the win was a dream come true as it was his third qualifying series and he expected low results. “This is only my third QS event so I had low expectations, especially being a 16-year-old with all the older guys, it doesn’t feel real. Coming up against Philmar (Alipayo) was scary because local knowledge is so im-
portant here. I’ve seen him switch-footing in barrels and doing all sorts of crazy stuff so I knew it would be tough. With this win I’m keen to look toward more QS events and try and get into the QS 6,000’s next year,” he said. The young champion, during the competition had to duke it out with 63 other professional surfers from other parts of the world. “This win is not only the perfect remedy for Whitaker but the best result of his young career,” the WSL added. International surfing is one of the big sporting events held every year in Siargao Island, together with international game fishing. For this year’s surfing event, the local government unit (LGU) of General Luna is expecting to earn more than P100 million due to the influx
of local and foreign tourists. For three weeks in September, more than 8,000 tourists came to General Luna to witness the surfing event, as 2,000 of the visitors were foreigners. General Luna Mayor Jaime Rusillon said the LGU spent around P5 to P7 million in preparations for the surfing event. During the three-week period last month, all of the 450 air-conditioned rooms in all resorts in General Luna were fully booked. Other gainers of the event aside from the resort owners were those in the transport and food sector, the mayor added. Surigao del Norte Governor Sol Matugas also lauded the yearly staging the surfing event.
Young Australian wins 22nd Siargao Int’l Surfing Cup PAL Ladies Interclub: Fair challenge from John Hay By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ
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adlopez0920@gmail.com
16-YEAR OLD Australian emerged as this year’s winner of the 22nd Siargao International Surfing Cup held at Cloud 9, General Luna, Siargao Island, Surigao del Norte from September 23 to 29. Sandon Whitaker won the Siargao Cup by 1.63 points against second placer, Philmar Alipayo of the Philippines. Whitaker garnered a total 12.83 points against Alipayo’s 11.20 points, the official tally of the event reported. The young Australian went home with $US 8,000 prize while Alipayo was awarded with $US 5,000. Other winners of the tournament include Mitchell Parkinson and Shane Holmes, all from Australia who won 3rd place. Parkinson and Holmes went home with $US 2,500
TOP OF THE WORLD PH girls win World Juniors team title
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UKA Saso climed the individual crown and powered the Philippines to the World Junior Girls team title on Friday at Mississaugua Golf and Country Club in Ontario (Saturday, Manila time). The 15-year-old Saso, who has won on the Philippine professional ladies golf tour, had a final-round 2-under 70 for a 286 total and a six-stroke win over Jennifer Chang of the US, who also closed with a 70.
Saso, Harmie Nicole Constantino and Sofia Angela Legaspi had a 2-over 578 in the three-to-play two-tocount event. The Philippines wound up nine strokes clear of defending champion South Korea. “I feel happy and honored to win this trophy and this tournament,” Saso said. “Winning with this group is special because we have known each other since we were kids.” Constantino
scored a closing 75, and Legaspi fired an 80. “It really means a lot, especially with this big event. It gives us a lot of experience and confidence,” said Legaspi. The United States was third at 15 over. Constantino vowed to work even harder, saying they will try to be back and defend the title, showing a big smile when told no team has won the event two straight times.
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LEADING THE CHARGE. Yuka Saso, already a winner on the Philippine ladies pro tour, comes up with another huge win.
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HE PAL Ladies Interclub field will be up to a “fairly challenging” test starting Oct. 4 when the 2016 edition of the tournament tees off at scenic Camp John Hay Golf Club here. Tournament director Henry Arabelo will supervise the set-up of the well-manicured layout, a Jack Nicklaus-designed gem that is about 5,000 feet above sea level. Playing as a par-69, the tournament will use the regular men’s tees, which will be just under 4,700 yards with pins to be placed strategically to ensure fairness and toughness at the same time, according to Arabelo. Manila Southwoods-Masters will be shooting to win the centerpiece Championship Division a sixth straight time that would extend its unprecedented streak as Cebu Country Club tries – again – to dislodge the Carmona-based lasses. Pauline del Rosario, who finished second to Princess Superal in the professional ICTSI tour for the second straight time on Friday, will be spearheading SW-Masters’ charge
with Abby Arevalo taking a leave because of studies in the United States. Arevalo, who is on a golfing scholarship at San Jose State, was the individual champion in Bacolod last year where she led SW-Masters to a comefrom-behind win. Sister Irina and Junia Gabasa will be the main bets of Cebu CC, which will also be missing the services of ace Lois Kaye Go even as trophies in the Founders, Sportswriters and Friendship Divisions are also up for grabs in the 72-hole event. Teams will be represented by four players each day, with only the top three scores to count and each player playing just two rounds over four days, making fielding an integral part. Major sponsors of the 72hole championship include Solar Entertainment Corp., Airbus, Business Mirror, Mareco Broadcasting Network, People Asia and Manila Broadcasting Corp. Other backers are Philippine Daily Inquirer, Fonterra, Mega Fiber, Mastercard, Tanduay Distillers and Zalora.
ERRENCE Romeo, who dazzles fans with his deadly shooting and mouth-dropping crossover, is now a certified superstar in the PBA. The good-looking guard has joined a long list of millionaires after signing a threeyear deal with Globalport, dispelling loose talk that the explosive third year pro is unhappy with the team. “Everything is now in order, we are happy with the deal that Terrence is sticking
with us,” said Globalport team manager Bonnie Tan. “Terrence is a marquee player so we want him to stay with our team. Actually, his contract was sealed just after our campaign.” The Gilas veteran is guaranteed a maximum monthly salary of P420,000. Excluding perks like game win bonuses, Romeo, 24, will get P15.12 million in three years, enough to validate his status as the league’s newest superstar.
Romeo signs P15-M deal with Globalport T
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