Edge Davao 9 Issue 163

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

NATIONWIDE SMOKING BAN. A smoker lights up a cigarette during lunch break in an alley along R. Magsaysay Avenue in Davao City yesterday. According to reports, President Duterte is expected to sign this month an executive order to ban smoking in all public places and public utility vehicles nationwide. Lean Daval Jr.

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

SHOOTING OF FARMER LEADER CONDEMNED

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ adlopez0920@gmail.com

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ILITANT group Bagong Alyansang Makabayan in Southern Mindanao (BAYAN-SMR) and the Compostela Farmers Association (CFA) condemned the fatal shooting of a farmer leader on Monday morning, Oct. 10, in Barangay New Visayas, Montevista town.

The victim, Jimmy Saypan, is the secretary-general of CFA and is now in critical condition in one of the medical facilities in Davao del Norte.

In a statement to the media issued on Monday, the CFA and BAYAN-SMR condemned the shooting of Saypan, a 48 year old Mandaya from Barangay Ngan, Compostela town.

CFA said Saypan was among their leaders who

bravely exposed the abuses of 66th Infantry Battalion in their area and also led the farmers in opposing the entry of Agusan Petroleum and Minerals Corporation (AgPet).

“Ginaprotektahan sa 66th IB ang AgPet, ug sa taas nga panahon ginahasi sa 66th IB ang mga lider sama ni Saypan nga nagdepensa sa ilang kaumahan ug kinaiyahan (The 66th IB protects AgPet and for the past years the 66th IB harassed the farmers who were protecting their farms),” the statement said.

Saypan reportedly has no other enemies except the 66th IB and the AgPet, the statement pointed out, adding they suspect the same group as behind the shooting of the farmer leader.

The shooting, they added, was meant to silence the farmers and their leaders in the area, as the CFA also recalled the shooting of their leader, Bello Tindasan and his son last year.

Though he survived the assassination attempt, the CFA said Tindasan is now facing trumped up charges.

The group also suspects the shooting was the result of the series of confrontations and lobbying by various groups demanding the 66th IB to remove their camps located in schools and communities in Compostela town.

The groups also expressed their grief, as the shooting of Saypan took place while the country is celebrating the Indigenous People’s month.

When reached by EDGE Davao on Monday, 10th Infantry Division Chief Information officer Capt. Rhyan Batchar said his office will wait for the result of the investigation being conducted of the Philippine National Police (PNP).

Batchar said 10th ID will only act based on the official result of the investigation by the PNP. He also called on the leaders of CFA to file formal charges in the proper forum regarding the alleged continuing encampment of the 66th IB in schools and communities in Compostela.

Batchar clarified that the stay of soldiers in the area has written consent from respective barangay and community leaders.

Stories of survival and hope

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HIRTY-FOUR days after that fateful Friday night on September 2, Dennis Larrida finally had the courage to go home to a house that is empty -- except for a few framed photographs and some toys that reminded him of his wife and son.

Roxas night market survivor Dennis Larrida returns to his home after recovering from his injuries.

His family has told him to not go home yet until he fully recovers from the death of his wife, Melanie Faith, and their son, 12-year-old Josh. They were among the 15 people who were killed in the blast onSeptember 2 that also wounded 69 others.

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

FIRST AID. Paramedics of Central 911 apply first aid to senior citizen Remedios Dela Torre after she fainted while crossing E. Quirino Avenue in Davao City yesterday. Dela Torre was later brought to the hospital by Central 911 personnel. Lean Daval Jr.

A month after the blast: Roxas night market alive once again

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T may take long for the psychological wounds brought by the deadly Roxas night blast to heal, but for Dabawenyos, getting back on their toes is a must.

Just a week after a powerful bomb ripped through a busy night market on September 2, leaving 15 people dead and 69 others injured, the night market is once again buzzing with activity.

For Dabawenyos, who have enjoyed the city’s peaceful life, no terror attack can scare them out of the streets.

A month after the tragic incident, business has bounced back, with the help of both locals and foreign tourists.

Mabel Balisi of Cavite

City said Davao didn’t lose its charm to the deadly blast. She still feels safe roaming the city even in the wee hours.

“The city is clean, no smokers in public places, and everybody feels safe,” Balisi said.

For Manila-based Fe Sanchez, who visited Davao after the blast, the magic of Davao lies on the Dabawenyos “who are so disciplined.”

“And your taxi drivers here are very honest, too,” she said.

Sanchez said she will keep coming back to Davao with her family.

Dabawenya student Cara Servantes, of Jose Maria College (JMC), said she feels safe in the city -- especially with

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Mayor Sara appoints VM Paolo as peace council co-chair, Aportadera as anti-drugs‘action man’

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AVAO City Mayor Sara Duterte has named Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte as co-chair of the City Peace and Order Council (CPOC) and also designated Michael Denton Aportadera, the City and Sports Office chief, as co-chair of the Anti-Drug Abuse Council (ADAC).

In her recently issued Executive Orders No. 12 and 15, Mayor Inday reconstituted the composition of the two local bodies that she both spearheads.

Vice Mayor Paolo’s CPOC is tasked to plan and formulate programs to ensure peace and order and the safety of the public in Davao City.

ADAC, meanwhile, was formed following a circular

issued by the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG) that mandated its creation in all levels of local government units.

DILG’s Circular No. 98227 was meant to address the prevalence of the use of illegal drugs.

Aportadera has already started to ironing out the process of implementing programs for drug personalities who have decided to surrender to the authorities. Among the programs is the outpatient aftercare program for drug dependents who surrendered for rehabilitation.

The aftercare program will be implemented and monitored at the barangay level.

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Zarate lauds GRP, NDFP panels for inroads

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

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adlopez0920@gmail.com

OR what he described as “fruitful talks” for the past four days during the second round of peace negotiations between the Government of the Philippines (GRP) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) in Oslo, Norway from Oct. 6 to 10, Bayan Muna Rep. Carlos Isagani Zarate lauded the GRP and NDFP negotiating panels for forging an agreement on the framework for socio-economic reforms.

“That a framework on

socio-economic reforms has already been agreed by the parties is already a big step forward towards resolving the almost five-decade old rebellion in our country,” said Rep. Zarate said in a statement.

Zarate, who is the vice chairperson of the House Special Committee on Peace and Reconciliation, was part of the six-member observer team from the House of Representatives to the GRP-NDFP Second Round of Talks.

The party-list solon also welcomed the government’s commitment to work for the expeditious release of political prisoners, especially those who are sick, nursing mothers and elderly.

After four days of negotiations, both panels agreed on the common frameworks and outlines on social, economic and political reforms and a commitment to grant amnesty to more than 400 political detainees.

Zarate added that includ-

ed in the four-day talks was the issuance of a joint statement that also laid down the outlines and frameworks of the remaining agenda of the talks – that include political and constitutional reforms and end of hostilities and disposition of forces.

“There’s a lot more to be done, thus, we urge the panels to stay the course and always consider the primordial interests of our country and people as their guide,” Zarate said

fuwaley.

According to Layson, the organization wants participants to better understand HIV-AIDS by going through the actual test.

“We believe that through education and experience, even in a small community like UP Mindanao, there can be a big difference on how society will deal with all of the prejudices, stigma and the discrimination regarding HIV/ AIDS,” she said.

With the rising number of HIV/AIDS cases in the city,

Layson said the UP Mindanao Mentefuwaley decided to conduct the test in collaboration with the Department of Health (DIOH), City Health Office (CHO), and the Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) of the Southern Philippines Medical Center.

Thirty nine individuals took the test, two of which were security personnel.

“HIV/AIDS cases in the country are significantly growing as time goes by and so is the stigma against HIV/ AIDS,” she said.

Layson also said the organization will closely collaborate with the CHO for similar activities that aim to create a greater awareness on the dangers of HIV\AIDS. Aside from HIV\AIDS test, she said the UP Mentefuwaley will also take part in the celebration of World AIDS Day this coming Dec. 1 in Davao City.

Data from the Department of Health’s (DOH) Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) show that out of

UP-Min org conducts free HIV test

By RIA VALDEZ

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N a bid to promote the welfare of the local LGBT (lesbian, gay, bi-sexual, transsexual) community, UP Mindanao Mentefuwaley conducted a free HIV/AIDS testing and counselling activity last Oct. 3, at the UP Mindanao Campus in Mintal, Davao City.

“The activity mainly addresses the prejudices, the stigma and the discrimination among those who are taking the test and those who are HIV/AIDS positive,” explained Kriska Nicole Layson, president of UP Mindanao Mente-

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Big prizes in SM City Davao’s 3-day sale

By RIA VALDEZ

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M City Davao will hold a 3-day sale from Oct. 14 to 16, with the mall offering up to 70% discounts on a wide range of items.

Aside from huge price markdowns, shoppers will also get the chance to win concert tickets, smart phones, and a brand new car.

On Oct. 14, customers can indulge themselves in a shopping spree using their SM Advantage, SM Prestige and BDO rewards card from 9 am to 12 noon where they can avail of more discounts and freebies from participating SM affiliate stores.

On the same day, shoppers can also win two platinum tickets to the Jadine in Love Concert.

All they have to do is to present a single receipt dated Oct. 14 and worth P10,000 of purchases at the SM redemption booth.

Moreover, shoppers can win a Vivo V3 smartphone and four roundtrip tickets from Manila to Hongkong, with a single receipt purchase of P1,000 and P5,000, respectively.

Shoppers will also have the chance to drive home a brand new Suzuki Ciaz.

Every P1,000 single or accumulated proof of purchase from any mall tenant entitles customers to one raffle coupon.

Shoppers, however, will have a greater chance of winning when they shop from Oct. 15-16, as the winners will be drawn on the last day of sale.

Customers must present their receipts at the redemption booth located at the mall’s main entrance to avail of the raffle coupons.

SM City Davao will be open until 11pm on Friday and Saturday.

the Philippines in general.

“This is also a way to thank the farmers,” Samson said.

He disclosed the festival’s director Maryo J. delos Reyes would announce the theme for next year’s festival and would make a call for the submission of scripts.

He added de los Reyes would also explain the purpose and objectives of this year’s theme “The Plight of the Farmer: His Trials and Triumphs.”

“The scripts that would be chosen would be given a grant,” said Samson.

This year’s finalists include: Free Range (modern drama) by Dennis Marasigan; Kakampi (magic realism)

by Vitor Acedillo Jr.; Paglipay (love story) by Zig Dulay; Pauwi Na (comedy road) by Paolo Villaluna; Pilapil (suspense action) by Jose Johny Nadela; Pitong Kabang Palay (drama) by Maricel Cariaga.

Each of the producers of the six feature films received a seed production grant of P 1,500,000.

Samson noted that only one film among this year’s batch of entries is star-studded. The film is “Pauwi na, directed by Paolo Villaluna and features established celebrities which included Bembol Roco, Cherry Pie Picache, Meryll Soriano, and Tessie Tomas.

HE City Government of Davao will unveil Tuesday the memorial to the victims of the September 2 Roxas night market bombing -- 40 days after the explosion that killed 15 people and wounded 69 others.

The unveiling will gather and reunite the survivors and the families of those who were killed in the blast.

A mass will be held at the blast site to mark the unveiling of the memorial at 4 pm. The 40th Day ceremony will be graced by

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte.

Mayor Inday Sara said the memorial is in honor to the lives of those who died and survived the blast.

“We commit to forever remember the victims of the bombing on September 2,” Mayor Inday Sara said. “And we also commit to do everything possible to prevent or stop acts of terrorism from happening again.”

This memorial, Mayor Inday Sara said, will be a place “for prayer, for peace, and remembrance.” CIO

Davao City to host 1st ToFarm Film Festival

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GRAND SALE. SM City Davao Assistant Manager Engr. Nick Santos discusses the malls grandest sale event set on Oct. 14 to 16 where shoppers will get up to 70 percent in discounts and at the same time, have a chance to win awesome prizes. Lean Daval Jr.

HE 1st ToFarm Film Festival will be held from Oct. 12 – 18 at the SM City Davao.

This was announced by Jerome Samson, newly appointed provincial manager of the National Food Authority (NFA) during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Davao press forum at the SM City Davao, According to Samson, the festival consists of six 90 minute films, which highlight the major challenges being confronted by the country’s farmers.

“This would be a way to uplift them,” he explained, adding the film would educate the audience on the situation of farmers and agriculture in

City gov’t ramps up support T for drug surrenderees

By FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

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HE City Government of Davao has given hope to drug users who submitted themselves to authorities after President Duterte declared his intensified war against illegal drugs.

City Sports Division Office

Chief Michael Aportadera said that they are working hand in hand with different government agencies to help former drug dependents who want to turn a new leaf.

Aportadera said that they will assess each drug surren-

Palace blasts actress for ‘psychopath’comment

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HE Palace admitted on Monday that the “psychopath” term that actress Agot Isidro reportedly used to describe President Rodrigo Duterte is “going to the edge.” ”It’s really going to the edge,” Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella replied when asked about Isidro’s Facebook post that went viral.

Isidro criticized the President for daring the United States, European Union and other international groups to pull out aid to the Philippines in response to US and EU’s criticisms to the country’s strong campaign against illegal drugs.

The actress was referring to President Duterte’s recent statement: “Do not understand me and if you think it’s high time for you guys to withdraw your assistance, go ahead. We will not beg for it.”

In upholding the integrity of the country, President Duterte said the Philippines will survive “even if it’s difficult.”

The President added: “I’ll be the first one to go hungry. I’ll be the first one to die for hunger.

Do not worry but we will never, never compromise our dignity as a Filipino.”

Without naming name, the actress last Friday posted: “Unang-una, walang umaaway sa iyo. As a matter of fact, ikaw ang nang-aaway. (First of all, nobody is fighting with you. As a matter of fact, you’re the one picking fights with others).” ”Second, this country wherein 16 million out of 100+ million people for you is Third World. The way you talk, it’s as if the Philippines is superpower.

And excuse me, we don’t want to get hungry. Just be by yourself,

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deree in order to provide him or her with the appropriate intervention.

“We’re involving all departments including the NGOs (non-government organization) for the transformation of our drug reformists here in

the city and also to give them a new life after their illegal drugs activity,” he said.

Aportadera said the City Sports Division Office, in partnership with the Technical Education and Skills Devel-

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Memorial to Davao blast victims to be unveiled

AFFORDABLE RICE. National Food Authority (NFA)-Davao City provincial manager Edegary Roncal says during the weekly Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao that the agency will ensure that NFA will be available to marginalized families who can’t afford to purchase expensive commercial rice.

Lean Daval Jr.

EDGEDAVAO

4 SUBURBIA Paco-Arakan Valley roadwork Army to prevent clan war in Maguindanao on despite alleged arson attack T

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

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HE Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Regional Office 12 has committed to complete its on-going concreting projects in Paco-Roxas-Arakan Valley Road despite alleged threats made by rebels in Brgy. Salasang, Arakan, North Cotabato.

To recall, DPWH 12 Project Engineer Monarico L. Maraki reported that a dump truck owned by T-Square Construction Corporation, which was carrying out two road concreting projects in the area, was burned down last Aug. 17, 2016 by suspected

insurgents.

The contractor had expressed its alarm over the incident, particularly for the safety of crew and equipment on site, as the road project is scheduled to be completed by the end of the year.

DPWD 12 Regional Director Reynaldo S. Tamayo confirmed the incident, but gave the assurance the Paco-Roxas-Arakan Valley Road project will continue, adding the incident will not deter the agency from pursuing its goal of improving infrastructure in the province.

The Paco-Roxas-Arakan

Valley Road stretches 60.317 km. T-Square Construction Corporation is working on two road concreting projects spanning 2.625 km.

The projects are now 75 percent complete.

According to Tamayo, the paving of the Davao City-Bukidnon routes will help boost the socio-economic conditions in the nearby municipalities of Pres. Roxas, Antipas and Arakan.

However, he noted that untoward incidents such as the burning of equipment could have a dampening effect on the various infrastructure

efforts being implemented by the agency in the province.

Meanwhile, the reconstruction of Matigol Bridge in the municipality of Arakan is on-going and has a completion rate of 91.85 percent.

The bridge is being reconstructed as part of the full paving of the whole stretch of the Paco-Roxas-Arakan Valley Road which is targeted to be completed by next year.

It will serve as Central Mindanao’s western boundary leading towards the Davao-Bukidnon Road, which is separated by the Matigol River (DPWH-12).

HE military’s 601st Infantry Brigade has intervened to prevent bloodshed in a clan feud involving relatives of the principal suspect in the infamous 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

Colonel Cirilito Sobejana, 601st brigade commander, said he has summoned the family of Vice Mayor Bai Ameerah Ampatuan-Mamalapat of Shariff Saydona and Vice Mayor Akmad Ampatuan of Shariff Aguak, all from Maguindanao.

Sobejana urged the warring families to come to his office in Tacurong City for a dialogue which aim to prevent a bloody confrontation and dislocation of civilians.

Vice Mayor Ampatuan-Mamalapat of Shariff Saydona has a house in Baran-

gay Poblacion, Shariff Aguak which unidentified gunmen strafed on Sunday dawn.

Ampatuan Mamalapat immediately raised an accusing finger against Vice Mayor Akmad Ampatuan of Shariff Aguak who denied the vice-mayor’s allegations.

The two families, who are related by blood, are at odds over political issues and affiliations.

Police authorities in Shariff Aguak reported that unidentified gunmen strafed the house of Ampatuan-Mamalapat using M-16 and M-14 Armalite rifles. Nobody was hurt in the incident.

Last year, unidentified men tossed a hand grenade in the house of Ampatuan-Mamalapat but it did not explode. (PNA)

More detention cells at SouthCot jail sought

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AGAINST THE ODDS. Photo shows the burned down truck owned by a Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Region 12 contractor which is working on the Paco-Roxas-Arakan Valley Road project. DPWH 12 has vowed to complete the road project despite the incident.

ROVINCIAL jail authorities in South Cotabato are pushing for the establishment of additional detention cells to address overcrowding at the facility.

Juan Lanzaderas, acting warden of the South Cotabato Rehabilitation and Detention Center (SCRDC) or provincial jail, said they have recommended to the provincial government the immediate construction of a two-storey detention building and the conversion of some facilities into temporary cells to cope with penitentiary’s growing population.

As of Monday, he said the facility’s population has

Panabo marks Elderly Week

DTI picks 20 Gensan MSMEs as pilot T beneficiaries of mentoring program T

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in Region 12 has chosen at least 20 micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) here as pilot beneficiaries of its “Mentor Me” program.

Vannesa Clainre Pleña, DTI-12 information officer, said the beneficiaries were among the hundreds of MSMEs in the region that have signified to take part in the innovative program, which was formally launched by the agency here late last month.

She said they tapped the agency-led Negosyo Center here as the program’s main implementer.

“We decided to concentrate first at the Negosyo Center here to ensure its more focused implementation and prevent possible casualties from among the beneficiaries,”

she said in a press conference.

Under the program, Pleña said the 20 selected MSMEs will undergo a series of trainings and mentoring sessions led by volunteer professional organizations, the academe and established entrepreneurs.

She said the trainings, which includes 11 modules, covers basic to advanced entrepreneurial courses or subjects that will run for nine weeks.

She added the trainings will feature the development of entrepreneurial mindset, marketing, financial accounting for business and taxation.

Pleña said the beneficiaries will be assessed or evaluated on a regular basis to ensure that they are properly benefiting from the program.

“Once the program succeeds, we will cascade its im-

plementation to other areas in Region 12 that have existing Negosyo Centers,” she said.

DTI-12 has already established nine Negosyo Centers and two more are expected to open before the end of the year.

The existing Negosyo Centers are located in this city, Koronadal City, Cotabato City, Tacurong City, Kidapawan City, Alabel town in Sarangani, Surallah in South Cotabato, Midsayap in North Cotabato, and Isulan in Sultan Kudarat.

Pleña said among those who volunteered to serve as mentors for the MSMEs are local members of the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants and the General Santos City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.; business experts from the Notre Dame of Dadiangas University; and, executives of

local companies and business consulting firms.

DTI-12 earlier launched the program in partnership with the Go Negosyo’s Philippine Center for Entrepreneurship.

Ibrahim Guiamadel, DTI12 director, said the “Mentor Me” program is the first of the three components of the agency’s Negosyo Kapatid “Angat Lahat” Program.

He said it aims to help MSMEs scale up their businesses through weekly coaching and mentoring by business owners and practitioners on different functional areas of entrepreneurship.

“By the end of this program, we hope to produce more confident entrepreneurs with the right mindset and business know-how in sustaining and scaling up their enterprises,” he said. (PNA)

reached 1,179 or about 155 percent more that its maximum capacity of 500 inmates.

He said 1,079 of the inmates were male, while 82 were females.

Based on their records, Lanzaderas said illegal drug-related violations remain the top crime committed by detainees with 494 cases, followed by murder with 223, and rape with 184, he said.

Since March, the jail official said 122 suspects facing various drug-related violations were committed at the facility.

He said nine suspects charged with murder and 21 with rape were committed in the same period. (PNA)

HE City Government led by Mayor James G. Gamao, the City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO) in partnership with Panabo Senior Citizen’s Association (PASECA), celebrated Elderly Filipino Week dubbed as “Pagmamahal at Respeto ng nakababata, Nakapagpapaligaya sa nakakatanda” on Oct. 4, 2016 at the Panabo Multi-Purpose Tourism and Sports Gym, Barangay J.P. Laurel.

In his remarks during the event, Panabo City Mayor Rey P. Gavina encouraged senior citizens to register with their respective Barangays to avail of different benefits and services such as the 20 percent discounts on medicines and basic commodities using their purchase booklets, cash assistance of P5,000 for families senior citizens who passed away, and other benefits for registered indigent senior citizens.

“Akong ma advice sa mga senior citizens na mag kaon jud ta ug gulay labaw na ang saluyot kay wala ni spray ug pag ampo sa ginoo”, Gavina stressed.

For her part, CSWDO

Head Jeanette Lamoste recognized the joint efforts of Mayor James Gamao and Vice Mayor Janrey Gavina, with the support of former Mayor Rey Gavina, in providing cash assistance for the elderly members of the city.

Meanwhile, the celebration featured choral, dama, chess and dart tournaments, as well as song and dance presentations. The winners in the various competitions will represent the city in the Provincial Socio-Cultural and Sports competition on Oct, 7, at the RDR Gym, Davao del Norte Sports Complex, Tagum City.

Also present during the program were Chairman of the Committee Social Services Councilor Flopone Royle Catalan, representatives of Davao del Norte Gov. Anthony del Rosario, and Rep. Antonio Floirendo.

Tagum’s early celebration of Elderly Week is pursuant to Presidential Decree No.470 declaring the first week of October as Elderly Week, and gives importance to promoting the rights and the well-being of the elderly people. (Jasmine Paras/CIO Panabo)

5 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Civil Society groups support DOF tax plan C

IVIL society groups have thrown their support behind the comprehensive tax reform plan that the Department of Finance (DOF) is asking the Congress to pass in order to help the Duterte administration generate enough funds for its 10-point socioeconomic agenda for inclusive growth.

In a recent forum in Makati City, the head of one of these progressive advocacy organizations—Renato Redento Constantino of the Institute for Climate and Sustainable Cities—assured Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III that his group would exert “humongous effort” to get other sectors to support the DOF-proposed tax reform program.

“The new government is exciting, it’s bold, it’s fast and that I think is one reason why a large part of civil society is expressing not only its support but asking for ways by which it can help promote the goals of the administration,” Constantino told Dominguez, who had attended that tax forum at the City Garden Hotel with Undersecretaries Karl Chua and Antonette Tionko and Assistant Secretary Mark Dennis Joven.

“We will not only support measures in all public arenas, we will make a humongous effort to get other sectors to support the package by the government,” Constantino added.

By way of these tax policy and administration reform proposals, the DOF aims to generate enough funds to bankroll the

planned accelerated spending on infrastructure, human capital and social protection for vulnerable sectors, as the linchpin of the new government’s goal to free 10 million Filipinos from poverty and transform the Philippines into a high middle-income economy by the end of the Duterte presidency in 2022.

The DOF submitted to the House and the Senate its proposed Tax Reform Roadmap for Acceleration and Inclusion Act last month in keeping with the Duterte administration’s 10-point socioeconomic agenda.

Dominguez said the DOF tax bill was completed after the Department consulted with members of the Cabinet, legislators, former Secretaries of Finance, prominent economists, stakeholder and business groups, and with various foreign embassies, global financial institutions and joint foreign chambers signifying their support for the tax reform proposal.

Dominguez said that to mitigate the impact of the tax increases on poor and low income families, the DOF has proposed earmarking for highly targeted subsidies to fully protect the poorest 50 percent of households and partially protect the working class.

He said the ultimate goal is for the government to eventually raise and invest an additional P1 trillion per year in pro-poor and pro-growth public investments so the Philippines can become a high-income economy by 2040, or 24 years from now.

COOP POWER. Tagum Cooperative Director Miriam Baloyo (left) and General Manager Juris Perez talk about the scheduled activities of the cooperative for its 50th anniversary celebration on October 13, 2017 during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

Mobile app to facilitate agribusiness transactions

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

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HE agribusiness community has gone high tech.

This, after a mobile application called “Krops” was recently launched to help fa-

cilitate business transactions between the country’s agriculture producers and buyers.

The unveiling of the pioneering app coincided with launching of the Department of Trade and Industry’s (DTI) 11’s Mentor Me Program last Friday at Marco Polo Hotel Davao.

Joseph Calata, the app’s developer and one of the national mentors of the Mentor Me Program, said he invested around P10 million and spent about a year to create the mobile application.

According to Calata, 100 farmers, mostly from Bulacan and other neighbouring areas in Luzon areas have already downloaded the app which seeks to establish a chain of virtual agricultural supply stores across the country.

He explained the application is designed to assist both sellers and buyers by providing them with relevant information such as the farmer’s pricelist, and the locations of the buyers or the sellers.

“Although the DA has launched it last month, we are personally going to places to introduce this app to agribusiness players,” Calata said.

He noted the app will eliminate additional costs charged by brokers and middlemen by helping locate buyers and sellers of agricultural products in the Philippines and neighboring countries.

Among the main advantages of using the app, Calata pointed out, is that it allows users to identify themselves either a buyer or a seller and negotiate accordingly.

Upon opening the “Krops” app, it will immediately ask if the user is “Buying” or “Selling,” When one chooses “Selling,” the location of buyers who are near the seller or farmer will flash on the screen along with the location, price and the amount of the product available.

The app also enables users to sort prices from the least to the most expensive.

Calata advised farmers who have difficulty using android phones to seek the assistance of their children who are more exposed to internet and mobile-based technologies.

During the presentation of the application, Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Manny Piñol noted the app is

downloaded from the Davao City Water District website (www.davao-water.gov.ph).

Entries may be submitted via email to publicinfo_dcwd@ yahoo.com, via fax to 2828912, or thru personal submission to the Public Information/Relations Division (PI/RD) at DCWD Ma-a office (along Ma-a road near Luzviminda Village). Deadline of submission is on October 21, 2016. For more information, contact 297-(DCWD) 3293.

As a prelude to the Water Consciousness Month celebration, DCWD will also conduct its Goes-to-School Project at Teodoro Palma Gil Elementary School on Oct. 14, at the Vicente Hizon Sr. Elementary School on Oct. 21, and the Sta. Clara Elementary

School on Oct. 28. DCWD will also be giving away free bags and notebooks to students, as well as instructional materials to teachers.

Water Consciousness Month is celebrated yearly in Davao City, with DCWD as the lead agency as declared by the Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte through Proclamation No. 12 issued on Sept. 27, 2001.

Since then, DCWD has been organizing various activities to promote water conservation, water rehabilitation, and environment protection spearheaded by the PI/RD of the Community Relations and External Affairs Department in coordination with various departments of the water utility. (DCWD/John Winston Anthony C. Ajero II)

F MOBILE, 7

DCWD launches school competitions in during Water Consciousness Month

T

HE Davao City Water District (DCWD) has lined up a series of citywide inter-school competitions in celebration of Water Consciousness Month.

The DCWD will hold three separate competitions, which include a Science and Math Quiz Bee for public and private elementary students on Nov. 11; an extemporaneous speaking contest for college students on Nov. 18; and an on-the-spot poster making Contest for public and private high school students on Nov. 25. All events will be held at the SM City Davao Annex.

The DCWD is still accepting applicants for the said competitions. Entry forms and contest mechanics can be

6 ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

CIDAMI, SM to hold Chocolate Festival G

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

By TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS ET your sweet tooth ready.

The Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao (CIDAMI), in partnership with SM City Davao, will spearhead the 3rd Chocolate Festival slated from Oct. 14 to 16.

CIDAMI Executive Director Val Turtur said in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Davao at SM City Annex that this year’s festival will provide a venue for local cacao farmers to push for the development of the cacao industry in Mindanao.

“It will also give the chocolate makers in the region an opportunity to showcase cacao-based products and further develop interest in cacao products particularly in Davao Region,” Turtur said.

Aside from taste tests of locally produced chocolates made from Davao, Turtur added the festival will feature various cacao processing and chocolate production techniques.

“It is time that Davaoeños will have their own world-

class chocolate since that these products made of Davao’s cacao are already being sold in the international market,” he stressed.

Turtur noted that a lot of farmers in Mindanao are now engaged in cacao processing and exploring innovative ventures.

He also pointed out that foreign investors and non-local chefs have expressed their interest in cacao production.

Turtur revealed that cacao is being developed as a major Mindanao “brand” product since 90% of the country’s cacao come from the island-region.

“Holding this activity [chocolate festival] on a regular basis will help increase the interest of people,” he added.

Turtur hopes the development of Mindanao’s cacao industry will consequently help uplift the lives of local farmers.

The key to achieving this, he said, is for farmers to adopt proper techniques and systems in order to increase their production.

CHOCO FESTIVAL. Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao, Inc. (CIDAMI) Executive Director Val Turtur promotes the upcoming Davao Chocolate Festival 2016 set at the Annex Event Center of SM City Davao on Oct. 14 to 16 during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw. Lean Daval Jr.

7 DCCCII officers to attend nd 42 Phl business gab, expo President Rody, VP Leni to keynote conference

Philippines to host S ASEAN Elite Forum O

VER 200 young entrepreneurs and investors from Asia-Pacific countries will be attending the ASEAN Elite Forum in Manila slated from Feb. 10-13, 2017.

Andre Kwok, founder of Nanyang Entrepreneur Foundation, disclosed in yesterday’s Kapehan sa Davao at SM City Davao that entrepreneurs and leaders coming from diverse backgrounds across the ASEAN want to reach out to their counterparts particularly in South East Asian countries.

According to Kwok, the forum aims to exchange ideas, discuss projects and create partnerships among the delegates.

The event, he added, aims to highlight the need for the younger generation to participate in different projects that will develop their skills as entrepreneurs.

“We will be delivering a presentation that aims to foster better relations among the participants and create partnerships for future programs,” Kwok mentioned.

He added the forum will take a closer look at how synergy between trade and technology can be enhanced.

Kowk noted there is much to learn from such events, as these are opportunities for participants to exchange ground breaking concepts and ideas.

In the meantime, Kwok said there will be signing of a Friendship Alliance, an initiative of the ASEAN Entrepreneur Foundation.

“It aims to gather different organizations to work together and support the ASEAN Economic Community and other initiatives,” he added. TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

Rice supply, prices stable: NFA

T

HE National Food Authority (NFA) Region 11 has assured the public the supply and price of rice will remain stable despite the current weather conditions that have significantly reduced rice production in the Davao region.

According to Edegary Roncal, the newly-appointed provincial manager of NFA Region 11, shiploads of rice from Thailand and Vietnam were unloaded at the Tefasco Port in Tibungco on Monday to beef up the agency’s rice inventory.

“It [importation] was because of the crop damage brought by drought all

throughout the country,” Roncal said.

She revealed that 60 percent of rice production areas in Region 11 were damaged by the inclement weather.

Roncal, however, gave the assurance that there is nothing to worry about, as the rice supply in Davao is sufficient although rice importation will continue as part of the government’s contingency efforts.

She noted that rice prices, specifically of the well-milled variety, have remained stable at P27 per kilogram.

“If there had been any changes, the difference will

F RICE, 14

EVEN officers of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc. (DCCCII), led by board of trustees chairman John Gaisano Jr. and president Bonifacio T. Tan, are participating in the ongoing 42nd Philippine Business Conference and Expo, at the Marriot Hotel in Manila, Oct. 10-13.

President Rodrigo R. Duterte and Vice President Leonor G. Robredo will deliver keynote addresses in the conference with the theme “Giant Steps 2016 and Beyond.” VP Leni will deliver the opening keynote speech on Oct. 12, while President Duterte will give the final address at the closing of the PBC on Oct. 13.

Chairman Gaisano and President Tan will be discussants in the workshop on chamber management on Oct. 11. Gaisano will tackle chamber governance, while Boni Tan will discuss training and mentoring chamber officers and professional staffs.

The other DCCCII officers joining Gaisano and Tan are executive vice president and former president Sofronio

“Boy” M. Jucutan, vice president Teresita Pascual, vice president Belle Laya-Torres, trustee Annie E. Veloso and trustee Antonio M. Ajero.

The PBC is usually attended by close to a thousand officers of various business chambers across the country. It is a major undertaking of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), now headed by George T. Barcelon, president of Paramount Vinyl Corp.

Several members of the Cabinet of President Duterte’s administration, the Senate President, Speaker of the House, the country’s top businessmen and captains of industry will join the conference as discussants and panelists in the plenary sessions on vital topics and current issues.

Among the topics are Sulong Pilipinas: Propelling the Economy to Highest Levels of Growth; Competitive Infrastructure: Building the Foundation of a Resilient Economy ; The Philippines in ASEAN, East Asia Economic Community and the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation: Moving Beyond the Rhetoric; and

Challenges in the Slow Internet in the Philippines; among other important topics.

Among those invited to speak are Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III, House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, secretaries Carlos G. Dominguez of Finance, Ismael Sueno of Interior and Local Government, Benjamin Diokno of Budget and Management, Rodolfo Salalima of Information and Communications Technology, Alfonso Cusi of Energy, Mark Villar of Public Works and Highways. Arturo Tugade of Transportation, Ramon Lopez of Trade and Industry, Emmanuel F. Pinol of Agriculture, and Wanda Corazon Teo of Tourism.

Also joining as panelists are Deputy Director-General Rosemarie Edillon of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), Ambassador of Australia to the Philippines Amanda Gorely, Ms Teresita Sy-Coson, chair of Banco de Oro and member of the ASEAN Business Advisory Council, Jose Ma. Concepcion III, president and CEO of RFM Corp and chairman of the ASEAN Business Council

(Phils), Jaime Augusto Zobel de Ayala, chairman and CEO of Ayala Corp. and Andrew Tan, CEO of Alliance Global Group.

A very interesting topic for businessmen and economists is the “One Belt, One Road,” a $1.4-Trillion geopolitical initiative of the People’s Republic of China that calls for the building of highways, railways and sea ports that will benefit close to 80 countries and 4.4 billion people across many continents.

Jin Yuan, commercial attache of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China to the Philippines, Deng Jun, country head of the Bank of China-Philippines, Yasuhiko Ota, editorial writer of Nikkei, Inc., Lu Jianzhong, Chairman of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce and JeanGuy Carrier, executive chairman of the Silk Road Chamber of International Commerce will compose the panel for the presentation.

According to DCCCII executive director Maan Doromal, the winningest city chamber is nominated for the nth time as the country’s best chamber.

AMA

What started out as as a small-scale cooperative organized by 38 founding members who each contributed P80.00 as capital share, the Tagum Cooperative has blossomed into one of the biggest in Mindanao and in the country with assets totalling P4.017 billion.

Despite encountering setbacks years ago wherein its delinquency rate reached 68 percent, the coop was able to bounce back and achieve a 6.71 percent delinquency rate.

According to Miriam Baloyo, Tagum Cooperative Di-

rector, it is important for organizations to stick to their strategic plans, as this will enable them to effectively resolve key issues, particularly those related to finances.

“The strategic plan should also be supported by operating budget,” added Baloyo.

She added that in order for financial organizations to thrive, they must etablish committees that will focus on treasury management, financial transaction investment and reserves, controllership

Tagum Cooperative celebrates golden anniversary

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

O

NE of Mindanao’s leading cooperatives will hold a fifty-week celebration to mark its golden year in the industry.

The Tagum Cooperative will kickstart its 50th anniversary on Nov. 15 with a grand raffle draw that will give away a Mitsubishi Strada GLX 4x2 MT and a Mitsubishi Mirage GLX 1.2 Gas Hatch as major prizes.

“The raffle ticket is available for P50.00 only,” said Juris Perez, general manager of Tagum Coop.

Aside from the raffle draw, the cooperative has also lined up other activities which include a summer camp, trade fair, basketball and volleyball tournament, youth congress, “Fiesta Serbisyo” caravan, sportsfest, launching of the historical wall, PWD Day, Kasalang Kooperatiba, gender congress, launching of the Coffee Table Book, IP Day, Accredited Partners Fellowship Night, Officers’ Night, Employees’ Night, Success Stories, a tribute to pioneering members, and a talent show.

F TAGUM, 7

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Stories... FROM 1

On Wednesday, Dennis decided to return home. He cleaned the house, arranged the photographs, and reminisced the memories he had with Melanie Faith and Josh.

“I am finally home now,” said the 45-year-old Dennis who was also wounded in the bombing.

Before this, Dennis met with the other survivors of the blast and the families of those who died. The meeting was for them to share their stories and listen to the stories of how others are coping with the loss of their loved ones.

“Despite what happened, I realized that there are a lot of reasons to be thankful for,” he said. “This could be difficult.

I maybe alone, but there is no other way but to move on.”

Emelita said it took a while for Erickson to accept his situation.

“It’s hard, but I have to be strong for him,” she said. “I had to go to the bathroom to cry.”

But Ericson has already accepted what has happened.

“He’s started to be the same person that I used to know,” she said. “He’s smiling and laughing now.”

And there are no more bathroom episodes for her.

Acceptance IT WAS past 10 in the evening when Ericson Nacario and his wife, Emelita, arrived at the night market along Roxas Street.

Life at the night market was just starting to peak at that time. People milled about the street, under patches of smoke that wafted from the food stalls on one side of the busy road.

The couple approached a group of therapists. Ericson, 37, wanted to have a massage.

He sat on a plastic chair, relaxed, and prepared for a back massage.

Then a bomb exploded.

The explosion sent people to the ground -- wounded if not dead. The air smelled of blood. The deafening explosion was followed by a chorus of screams for help.

When Emelita looked up, she saw her husband drenched in blood. Still dizzy and confused, she dragged him away from the blast site. She brought him near to a parked van. She asked for help but the lady inside the vehicle turned them down. She continued to drag her wounded husband until a passenger jeepney offered a ride. The driver, an old man, brought them to San Pedro Hospital.“I understand why the lady refused,” Emelita said in an interview, noting that the woman might have been confused and scared herself.

But she was thankful for the old man who offered help.

Had it not been for the man, Emelita believed her husband would not have made it. She never saw the driver again.

“He never came back to the hospital. I was hoping he would have returned because I was never able to thank him,” she said.

On September 26, doctors performed a skin drafting procedure on Erickson’s right upper arm. Doctors also placed a stainless steel on his right foot.

New lease on life IT TOOK two days for April Ann Cruz to realize what happened that fateful Friday night. The 20-year-old pre-school teacher was at the blast site to ‘unwind’ with friends.

“It took two days for it to sink in -- the blast, the fear, pain, and the anxieties,” she said.

After the shock, April Ann was taken over by the immense feeling of joy and gratefulness for the second life.

“What happened extremely changed my life,” she said.

“But I was given a second lease on life. I am very thankful for this.”

Her healing and recovery was made easy but getting in touch with the other survivors and the families of the other victims.

Only a little over a month, three suspects were arrested.

The three were linked to the Lanao del Sur-based Maute group, the military said.

Mayor Inday Sara Duterte lauded the arrest. She, too, urged Dabawenyos not to be broken by fear, hate, and senseless violence.

“It is, however, important for us to remember that the arrest must ultimately lead us to the dismantling of terror groups in our midst or result in the failure of more senseless acts of violence and extremism,” the mayor said.

She said Dabawenyos must be “vigilant and show the world that we do not surrender to fear nor do we allow terrorism to cripple our humanity and undermine our values.”

And to surrender to terrorism was not just about to happen -- not even to the victims.

Definitely not to April Ann who, even if she’s confined to a wheelchair, refuses to allow the incident to clip and end her dreams.

“I am the breadwinner of my family,” she said. “If I will not fight back, if I surrender, no will stand for me and my loved ones.”

Once she fully recovers, April Ann wants to go back to work again.

“I just can’t wait to fully recover. I must go to work,” she said. CIO

and reviewing policies on good governance.

In the last 49 years, Tagum Cooperative, with a current membership of 75,121 and a total deposit of P70 million, has evolved into a global icon for its varied products and services intended to uplift the socio-economic and spiritual

lives of its members and the community.

The coop is one of the top-performing cooperatives in the country gaining Finance Organization achieving Certified Credit Union Standards (FOCCUS) and Alabama Cooperative Extension System (ACES) brands.

Tagum... FROM 6

NEWS 7

EDGEDAVAO

ASEAN ELITE FORUM 2017. Nanyang Entrepreneur Foundation Founder Andre Kwok gives the details of ASEAN Elite forum 2017, a conference for Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) and will be attended by delegates from 19 countries, in time for the ASEAN 50th anniversary slated on Feb. 9 to 10 in Manila. Kwol graced yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

Mayor... FROM 2

The members of ADAC are heads of the DILG and different LGU departments and offices including the Office of the City Administrator, Department of Education (DepEd) City Division Office, City Prosecution Office, City Social Services and Development Office (CSSDO), City Health Office (CHO), City Information Office (CIO), Davao City Treatment and Rehabilitation Center for Drug Dependents (DCTRCDD, and the City Legal Office.

The Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 11, the Regional Trial Court 11, Office of the Liga ng mga Barangay, and representatives from nongovernment organizations and religious groups are also members of the council.

The CPOC, on the other hand, is composed of the chiefs of the DILG Davao City, Davao City Police Office (DCPO), City Administration Office, Public

Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC), City Prosecution Office, City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC), Bureau of Immigration (BI), Task Force Davao, Philippine National Police (PNP) Regional Office, and PDEA 11.

The chair of the Peace and Order and Public Safety Committee of the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP), National Bureau of Investigation (NBI), Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group 11, Philippine Maritime Police, and the Philippine Navy are also members of CPOC. The other members are the heads of PNP Aviation Security Group-11th Police Center for Aviation Security, Coast Guard 11, Office of the Civil Defense 11, Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCCIII), the City Administrator, and the Mayor’s Chief of Staff. CIO

opment Authority (TESDA), will provide the ex-drug dependents with livelihood programs sports and basic disaster operation training programs that will help uplift their lives.

As of the moment, more than 9,000 drug surenderees that are on the list of the Police authorities will undergo the above mentioned programs.

For their part, the Central 911, will train the former users to become their barangay’s first responders in times of disasters.

Central 911 Chief Emmanuel Jaldon said that they will conduct disaster response trainings among the drug reformists to enable them help their barangays in times of disaster.

The Regional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) 11 has already conducted a similar training for 33 drug reformists in six identified disaster prone barangays in the city.

“After the training we will continue to evaluate their ef-

ficiency so that we can give a recommendation to the baangay to absorb them, and maybe it can be their livelihood since some barangay responders are paid,” Jaldon said.

In the meantime, the City Cooperatives Development Office has also pledged to give trainings to the drug reformists.

According to City Cooperatives Head Julius Adrian Oxales, his office will help educate the reformed drug users on the benefits of cooperatives, and convince them to establish their own cooperatives.

“Our office is very willing to help the on their future endeavors. Through the cooperative orientations they can have a general knowledge of the possible benefits of a cooperative,” he said.

Oxales added that if the cooperatives will be established within two to three years, they will be entitled to receive a minimum of P100, 000 to P300,000 as a financial assistance.

The NFA official hopes that despite the star-studded cast of “Pauwi na,” the viewers will also patronize the other films.

“We believe in quality above all,” Samson said, as he

promised the audience that all the films have very high standards in terms of their cinematography, as well the respective advocacies they are promoting. RIA VALDEZ

City... FROM 3

Davao... FROM 3

UP-Min... FROM 2 the 234 reported HIV-AIDS in Davao City this year, seven of the patients have already passed away.

Among the patients who have been found HIV positive

from January to June this year, 223 are male and 11 female.

The patients’ ages ranged from 14 to 48 years old and come from various sectors of the community.

visible police, military and barangay auxiliaries doing their security rounds.

“My friends and I are always here at the Roxas night market. We love the food and enjoy everything about Roxas,” Servantes said.

“We can really see that the local government is working very hard to ensure the safety of the people. That is why we feel so safe here,” said Adam Samilo, another JMC student.

For vendors of the popular

night market, the re-opening of the night market was a way to show that Dabawenyos can rise above challenges.

“Business at the Roxas night market is slowly getting back to normal, people are going out of their houses to join the nightly festivity here,” said 77-year-old popcorn vendor Hermi Nigildo.

In the words of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte:“We refuse to bow down to terrorism.” CIO

do not drag us. Many people are already starving, then you’ll make them starve more,” she added in Tagalog.

Isidro also said: “I know a psychiatrist. Why don’t you have check-up? You’re not bipolar.

You are a psychopath.” (PNA)

patterned after Grab and Uber, the world’s biggest and widely-used online transport app.

According to Piñol, Krops will help potential buyers find sources of farm products within their locale.

The agriculture secretary said the DA is currently finalizing the directory of Krops.

“We have to gather all the data and information about

farm suppliers.”

To help farmers gain access to the app, Piñol said the DA is planning to set aside P30 million to purchase 10,000 smartphones, which will be distributed to various farmers’ groups all over the country.

The application can be downloaded for free at Google Play and will soon be available on IOS.

A month... FROM 2

Palace... FROM 3

Mobile... FROM 5

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late ROMEO PEÑANUEVA MANOG has been the subject of an Extra Judicial Settlement of Estate executed among his heirs, per Doc. No.49; Page No.10; Book No. XII; Series of 2016, of the NOTARY PUBLIC MARK PETER M. QUILANETA 10/4,11,18

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

EDITORIAL

F

A house full of rodents

ORMER president Fidel Ramos understands what he is talking, especially when he says we are losing badly because we are stuck in this bloody issue on killings.

FVR was the very first name mentioned by President Rodrigo Duterte in his inaugural speech last June 30 when he assumed the presidency.

Everyone remembers he thanked Ramos for his support in making him president. Ramos was among those who convinced President Rodrigo Duterte to run in the May 2016 elections.

After 100 days, Ramos is saying that the country was “losing badly” over this span of time under the Duterte administration. But he also cited the reason why and that is the people’s divide on this bloody war on drugs.

In the first installment of a two-part opinion piece for the Manila Bulletin on October 8, Ramos wrote: “In the overall assessment by this writer, we find our Team Philippines losing in the first 100 days of Du30’s administration – and losing badly. This is a huge disappointment and let-down to many of us.”

The former president criticized the bloody war on drugs and Duterte’s tirades against the international community.

He cited areas where Duterte missed out advancing because he was stymied in the bloody drug war and his constant troubles stemming from his foul words.

Ramos singled out poverty alleviation and enhancement of national security weren’t handled better.

Ramos said Duterte was “stuck in unending controversies about extrajudicial killings of drug suspects and in his ability at using cuss-words and insults

EDGEDAVAO

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instead of civilized language.”

In his time, Ramos was a classy statesman owing from his disciplined military background. He was constantly pounded too by the leftists because of his friendly relations with United States. He was a media favorite, sometimes toying around and exchanging roles with photojournalists when ‘selfie’ wasn’t even a word yet.

Ramos’ assessment of President Duterte’s first 100 days could be used by the present leadership as a lesson in leadership finesse and wisdom if at all it treats the cigar-chomping leader as its elder.

Being president emeritus, President Duterte will not lose anything sobering down and listening from time to time to FVR. He need not be FVR, but he can well use FVR as his adviser who has been there and has done that.

The first 100 days should not be the yardstick of the future of this administration. The country may be losing badly now because the people are also to blame.

We are stymied in this debate over the bloody illegal drugs campaign which has basically been the counterforce of the Duterte train towards change.

This war on drugs is bloody, as we have been warned, because we are like living in a house infested with rodents and left unchecked by its previous occupants. When the next tenant came and discovered the house was infested by rodents, eliminating the colony is his first concern.

Doing that is necessarily bloody, but that is the only way to rid the house of rodents.

AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JR Circulation

GENERAL SANTOS CITY OFFICE CAGAYAN DE ORO MARKETING MARKETING OFFICE

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

EDGEDAVAO

I

9

Are we still a colony of America?

AM tempted to ask this in view of the imposing shadow continuously being cast

by Uncle Sam on Third World countries like us.

Today, there is a great need for the Philippines to find new markets outside of her traditional partners, search for new friends that offer promising horizons to co-explore and establish our own identity as an independent nation and people.

We may not quite agree with the “colorful” language being used by our President in expressing his disgust and disappointment with the US of A but let us first agree with him that indeed America’s foreign policy towards us has not been that pleasant and a-building.

To begin with, America sells war to survive. This is a globally-acceptable fact.

For two decades, hundreds of thousands of young American recruits were made to believe the war in Vietnam was worth its weight in gold. Finally exhausted, the US surrendered and withdrew, after sacrificing the lives of nearly 200,000 American soldiers, with many MIAs. Next, they searched around the world

F

VANTAGE POINTS

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

ROM time to time, it makes the headline of some local papers in the city.

And it is not coming down but going up! I am referring to the cases of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS), which is caused by human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).

From January to June this year, 234 cases of HIV/AIDS have already been recorded (take not of that, recorded and the figure doesn’t include those unrecorded!) by the Reproductive Health and Wellness Center (RHWC) under the National Epidemiology Bureau of Department of Health (DOH).

Of that reported total, seven had died already, according Dr. Jordana Ramiterre, the RHWC head physician. She disclosed the heart-wrenching information during the i-Speak press briefing last week.

Only 11 female cases were recorded and the rest (223) were males. Homosexuals garnered the most number of cases (119) compared to bisexuals (96 cases). The record confirmed the previous findings of a research which stated that homosexuals and bisexuals “are at greater risk of acquiring the disease.”

“About 83 cases were classified as youth (15 to 24 years old) this year of which 13 were reported to have been recorded as of June 2016,” Dr. Ramiterre was quoted as saying by EDGE Davao’s Tiziana Celine S. Piatos.

Davao City started recording HIV/AIDS cases since 1984. With the 234 cases in the six months of this year, the total number of HIV/AIDS cases in the city has swelled to 1,661. “We have been intensifying our campaign, particularly on the prevention education,” Dr. Ramiterre pointed out.

peddling the SPECKS OF LIFE cause of human rights as the bedrock of American ideals and governance policy. Hiding behind this double-edged Fred C. Lumba principle, America plunged headlong one after the other into Afghanistan, Iraq Libya, and Syria.

As is now revealed, America and its UN allies did not find WMDs (Weapons of Mass Destruction) which they accused Saddam Hussein of possession and for which the dictator was overthrown and hanged thereafter.

Sadly, until this very day, Iraq has not recovered and is still mired in deep internal troubles with intermittent violence here and there.

Libyan is done away with but Syria, while terribly experiencing the same exasperating US intervention done with the former, is

surviving the onslaught of opposition rebel forces as well as attacks from ISIS elements.

I like the expression, though somewhat angry, of Pres. Digong who took the US to task when he said: “We are not your servants!”

I think I understand his fear that if this government allows the US to continue meddling in our political affairs and the way our government is run, we could go the way Afghanistan, Iraq, Libya and Syria have gone.

To this very day, I have this uneasy feeling that the Americans have not ceased treating us as their former colony what with the great impunity they impose their “wisdom” upon us like our leaders were just out of kindergarten class.

We are a proud race. I believe as you probably share that we can stand on our own two feet and that we can survive the trials and sufferings the country is currently undergoing.

The Americans think and still like to assume that they made us into what we are today.

They are wrong. They taught us the wrong things in shaping our thinking and

our way of life.

They taught us that “planting rice is never fun.” They taught us that “guavas are ripe and the monkeys came one day.” They brainwashed us into embracing the colonial mindset that our hope is always anchored on American support and generosity.

The Americans “succeeded” in their subliminal strategy.

Look at us today. We are pitifully at the mercy of Western influence because we were taught we COULD N OT STAND AND SURVIVE WITHOUT THEM. Aren’t we already satisfied with US donations of second-hand military equipment?

How come the tiny city of Singapore survived and prosperously established itself among its peers in the world of independent nations? What makes them different from us?

Pres. Duterte is merely sending this message: Respect us by not meddling in our internal affairs. We deserve to determine by ourselves the kind of life we want to live. We know what is good for us. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo.com.) God bless the Philippines!

It’s not only THINK ON THESE! in Davao City that HIV/AIDS cases are going up. This is true in most part of the country. In fact, the May 2016 report of the DOH’s HIV/ AIDS and ART Henrylito D. Tacio Registry said henrytacio@gmail.com that around 25 Filipinos get diagnosed with HIV every day!

“The reality is that (this epidemic) is here to stay for 10 to 15 years,” Dr. Genesis Samonte, Epidemiology Program of the DOH, was quoted by Rappler. “As this generation ages, more and more people will have HIV.” The sad thing is that our neighboring Asian countries, new cases of HIV/AIDS are decreasing. “We’re the only one – along with Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Pakistan – increasing in HIV prevalence,” Dr. Samonte said.

HIV is a stage where there are no physical symptoms visible. In AIDS, the disease is manifested with malignancies and infections. “Between HIV and AIDS, there is a window period of as much as five years,” said Dr. Ramiterre.

AIDS is caused by a deficiency in the body’s immune system. “It is a syndrome because there are a range of different symptoms which are not always found in each case,” explains Dr. John Hubley, author of The AIDS Handbook. “It is acquired because AIDS is an infectious disease caused by

a virus which is spread from person to person through a variety of routes. This makes it different from immune deficiency from other causes such as treatment with anti-cancer drugs or immune system suppressing drugs given to persons receiving transplant operations.”

We have to stop the spread of HIV before it’s too late! “If we don’t contain this plague now, HIV will be a threat to every Filipino,” wrote Atty. Dodo Dulay in his “Manila Times” column.

An ounce of prevention is better than a pound of cure, so goes a saying. And “the only way to stop (HIV/AIDS from further spreading) is prevention,” says Dr. Samonte.

“There’s no vaccine to prevent HIV infection and no cure for AIDS,” says the Mayo Clinic. “But it’s possible to protect yourself about HIV and avoiding any behavior that allows HIV-infected fluids – blood, semen, vaginal secretions and breast milk – into your body.”

But how? “Know your HIV status,” the AIDS Institute suggests. “Everyone between the ages of 13 and 64 should be tested for HIV at least once. If you are at increased risk for HIV, you should be tested for HIV at least once a year.”

Another suggestion: “Abstain from sexual activity or be in a long-term mutually monogamous relationship with an uninfected partner.” But if it is not possible to do such thing, you should “limit your number of sex partners. The fewer partners you have, the less likely you are to encounter someone who is infected with HIV.” Still another way: “Do not inject drugs. If you inject drugs, you should get counseling

and treatment to stop or reduce your drug use.” And for those young people who are not circumcised yet, you better do it. “Male circumcision has been shown to reduce the risk of HIV transmission from women to men during vaginal sex,” the AIDS Institute says.

As for condom, the institute suggests that you use correct condom and do it consistently. “Latex condoms are highly effective at preventing transmission of HIV and some other sexually transmitted diseases,” it explains.

The Mayo Clinic adds this information: “Use only water-based lubricants. Oil-based lubricants can weaken condoms and cause them to break. During oral sex, use a non-lubricated, cut-open condom or a dental dam – a piece of medical-grade latex.”

What if you think yourself of being exposed to HIV? “Obtain medical treatment immediately,” the institute says. “Sometimes, HIV medications can prevent infection if they are started quickly. This is called post-exposure prophylaxis.”

Immediate medical treatment is also recommended to pregnant women who are HIV-positive. “If you are HIV-positive, you may pass the infection to your baby,” the Mayo Clinic states. “But if you receive treatment during pregnancy, you can cut your baby’s risk significantly.”

One of the best ways to prevent the spread of HIV is to tell your sexual partner if you have HIV. “It’s important to tell anyone with whom you’ve had sex that you’re HIV-positive,” the Mayo Clinic says. “Your partners need to be tested and to receive medical care if they have the virus. They also need to know their HIV status so that they don’t infect others.”

Going up

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EDGEDAVAO TRAVEL

Getting to Siargao Island

Travel diaries:

TOP: Taken at 4:30am in the morning, this huge outrigger boat or lantsa was already full when we arrived at Surigao City’s Boulevard, the jump-off point for Siargao Island.

WHEN I FIRST HEARD MY THIRD INVITATION TO VISIT SIARGAO ISLAND, I WAS ECSTATIC WITH EXCITEMENT, yet I kept my expectations to a bare minimum lest I get crushed with disappointment of another cancelled trip. Definitely, there’s only one thing on my mind when I think of Siargao: surfing.

For two years since I’ve first had the chance to ride a wave while standing on a surfboard, Siargao Island was that elusive mystical paradise that visitors endlessly rave about, with a lot of them saying they never wanted to leave the place.

I’ve heard these stories countless times, but never really couldn’t form of offer my own opinion of the place since I haven’t been there personally to experience it’s so called magic and charm.

I know, it’s quite surprising I’ve have never been to Siargao, but that’s the reality. I have always been looking forward to visiting the island and finally, the opportunity came!

As our travel date grew closer, excitement slowly mounted inside me, which made me think of the things I would need to bring for the trip. I normally pack for a trip just an hour before I leave which, to others, is quite stressful but for me is a seamless and almost mindless method of putting stuff insidea suitase.

This trip was different because I started packing and planning two days before! Honestly, I’ve never packed like this in my whole life.

Unfortunately, there aren’t direct flights from

Davao to Siargao Island.

If I wanted a quick travel time, I could fly out from Davao to Cebu, and then grab the Cebu to Siargao flight that Cebu Pacific offers. There were no promo fares at that time and I had the luxury of time so riding the bus was the most practical choice.

Commuting would entail riding the bus from Davao City to Butuan City, to Surigao City and board a vessel for Dapa Port in Siargao Island.

Veteran travelers would recommend taking late night bus trips such as the ones which leave Davao City at around 10:00 pm or 12:00 to avoid extended travel time. A ticket for an airconditioned bus from Davao to Butuan costs P520. There are trips that leave every two hours during the night and then hourly if it’s daytime.

Our group decided to grab the 12:00 midnight trip and after seven hours of traveling, arrived in Butuan City terminal by 7:00am the following day. The travel time could have been shorter if there weren’t many road repairs and if the bus didn’t stop at the major bus terminals along the way. I think the only time a bus could truly be labeled as “non-stop” is when it is already full packed when it leaves the

LEFT: This was the closest I could get to Lake Mainit, the fourth largest and deepest lake in the Philippines. On the way from Butuan City to Surigao City, this lake can be seen passing from the provinces of Kitcharao in Agusan del Norte to Alegria, Surigao del Norte.

BOTTOM: While waiting for the bus en route to Surigao City, I noticed this eatery or carinderia in the Butuan City Bus Terminal still uses firewood to cook their meals.

terminal and no longer makes any stop-overs.

After grabbing breakfast from one of the carinderias at the Butuan terminal, we quickly boarded another bus for Surigao City. Riding a private vehicle would take around two hours, depending on the vehicle’s speed. Riding

the bus would take a little over three hours, depending on the length of the stops and number of passengers.

Arriving in Surigao City by mid-afternoon, we proceeded to Gateway Hotel to check-in and rest since we were to board the first trip out of Surigao

City for Siargao Island.

There are three types of vessels you can ride out of Surigao City.

The Roll-on/Roll-off or RORO run by Montenegro Shipping Lines which is designed to carry vehicles, takes four hours to reach Siargao Island.

There’s a vessel, called the Fortune Angel, similar to the RORO but only ferries passengers. It takes about three hours to reach the island.

My favorite vessel that only takes two hours from Surigao City to Siargao Island is a huge outrigger boat or “lantsa” in the local dialect. Capable of holding probably less than 50 people and a couple of motorbikes, this vessel is the fastest way to get to Siargao. It’s advisable though to get the first trip out to avoid the big waves if you want to ride this.

As early as 4:30am, the first boat was already fullpacked and people were still arriving in droves and lining up along Surigao’s Boulevard. If you wanted to get on the Fortune

Angel or the RORO, you could opt to head straight to the port instead. The boat, which was already full, had its crew randomly telling people to take the “Fortune Angel” instead.

Across the sea from Surigao’s Boulevard, it was still dark and the sea pitch black, unable to see anything at back of the boat.

Beyond the darkness, I could see hidden behind land masses and rolls of stratocumulus clouds, the sleepy orange glow of the rising sun.

It was then my attention returned to the Boulevard port where we were still waiting to board our vessel. The city had woken up with a festive spirit, as the late September air made its presence felt. After all, there is a fiesta today in the neighboring island of Siargao.

Stay tuned next week for the continuation of this Siargao Island series. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out my blog: www. millennialmermaid.com and sign up for exciting pre-launching surprises!

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TRAVEL

Glan celebrates 17th Lubi-lubi Festival

GLAN ISN’T ONLY KNOWN FOR ITS CLEAN AND CLEAR WHITE SAND BEACHES; it is also rich in culture – and coconuts - thus the municipality is dubbed as the “Coconut Queen of the South.” This has given birth to the Lubi-lubi Festival, which is celebrated by residents to showcase the local coconut industry, as well as pay homage to Sta. Catalina de Alexandria. The event also coincides with the municipality’s 102nd founding anniversary.

The 17th Lubi-Lubi Festival sa Glan kicked off on Oct. 4 with a thanksgiving mass at the Rizal Park, along with the inauguration of the newly installed CCTV cameras and streetlights

around the plaza, led by Mayor Tata Yap and Vice Mayor Vivien Yap, along with local officials and town folk.

Throughout the week, people from all over Glan, gathered at the town plaza, with non-stop events and festivities lined up such as the Tour Town Glan Festival of Talents and Bazaar.

The Bazaar, which was open the whole week long, consisted of seven booths occupied by the Great Glan Gourmet Getaway group and local schools.

The event is the brainchild of Glan’s Tourism Officer Ma’am Lodar Escobillo. The booths

featu vari the of co M of T duct stud op t with ches man danc ing gam Th ed t ince case

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ured local delicacies and ious handicraft highlighting many uses and by-products oconut.

Meanwhile, the Department Trade (DTI) - Sarangani conted a handicrafts training for dents, which aimed to develtheir skills and link them up h the local business sector. A ss tournament by Congressn Roel Pacquiao’s, hip-hop nce competition, poster makcontest and other fun-filled mes was also held.

The festival not only celebratthe abundance of the prove’s coconut, but also showed the talents of residents,

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

as well as the place’s rich cultural heritage. The festival commemorated Municipal Senior Citizen’s Week with an event dubbed “Hudyaka sa Kadalanan” which was spearheaded by the DSWD, to promote the senior citizen’s rights, raise and address issues affecting them, and remind them of their privileges with an emphasis on the important role they play in nation-building.

On the same day, Glanians also celebrated IP Day, showcasing cultural dances, rituals and various traditional Blaan games.

The LGU of Glan has faithfully fulfilled its mandate of recog-

nizing and protecting the rights of indigenous cultural communities/indigenous peoples (ICCs/IPs) within the framework of national unity and development.

Would the Lubi-Lubi festival be complete without a Coco Culinary Competition? Three schools showed their culinary chops on Oct. 6, creating new and delicious dishes for visitors to sample. The event was judged and sponsored by Gerardo’s School of Culinary Arts.

Night time came and the spotlight focused on the 10 Mutya ng Glan 2016 candidates who strutted their modeling chops across the event’s stage.

The following day was filled with different sports events such as the Tennis tournament and the Barangay Basketball championships.

One of the most awaited event was the Street Dancing Competition, and by 12nn, the streets of Glan transformed into a giant stage, as eight contingents from Glan, Gensan and even Davao del Sur danced their hearts out to win P300,000 grand prize . Colourful

costumes, huge smiles and movements painted the towh during the parade. The parade was followed by the Drum and Lyre contest and the Street Dance Competition.

The grandstand was filled with spectators who seemed unmindful of the noontime’s scorching heat, as they lent their to support to their bets. Among the special guests were Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) Sec. Mike Sueno. All the performances were breath taking.

But there can only be one champion, and Landan National High School of Polomolok, South Cotabato took home the grand prize for the second time! Glan Central Elementary School SPED Center won second place, while Sagayen National High School bagged the third price. In the evening, Aegis rocked the park, and was followed by a jaw dropping fireworks display.

Follow me on Twitter or Instagram, @mskyriemoon for more adventures in and around my wonderland that is Gensan, Tuna Capital of the Philippines.

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‘The Greatest Love’ cast launches Alzheimer’s Disease awareness campaign ABS-CBN afternoon series “The Greatest Love” has joined the campaign to raise awareness of Alzheimer’s disease as it recently held the “Remembering Our Greatest Love: An Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Forum.”

Kapamilya stars Sylvia Sanchez, Dimples Romana, Matt Evans, Arron Villaflor, Ruby Ruiz and Alex Medina, as well as the program’s production staff and creative team all came together to better understand the disease and use their influence to spread understanding of it. Neurologist Dr. Darwin Dasig, President of the Dementia Society of the Philippines (DSP) also spoke at the forum to shed light on the disease.

The program launched its campaign before the end of September, which is designated as Alzheimer’s Disease Awareness Month, to share the misconceptions about the diseases and impart the experiences of families that are affected by it.

In “The Greatest Love,” Gloria (Sylvia) loses pieces of her memory after she is diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Meanwhile, Sylvia turned emotional as she narrated her experi-

ence spending some time with an Alzheimer’s patient as her preparation for the role.

“I hope it does not happen to me.

It’s frightening. Hopefully there is someone who loves me just as much and will take care of me,” said the veteran actress.

King of Talk Boy Abunda, meanwhile, shared in a VTR his experiences dealing with his mother who has dementia. The forum’s attendees also turned emotional when an ABS-CBN employee recounted the challenges she and Alzheimer’s

disease-afflicted mother have had to face.

As the program ended, Dr. Dasig thanked the show’s production team for using the program as an effective and realistic portrayal of the life of Alzheimer’s disease patients and their families.

Don’t miss the extraordinary story of a woman’s unconditional, uncompromising, all-encompassing love for her children in “The Greatest Love” after “Doble Kara” on ABS-CBN or ABS-CBN HD (SkyCable ch 167).

VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

Alden Richards to host the 21st Asian Television Awards AFTER HIS SUCCESSFUL CONCERT AT THE KALLANG THEATRE LAST JULY, Phenomenal Star and Philippines’ Pambansang Bae Alden Richards will be back in Singapore to host the 21st Asian Television Awards at the Suntec Singapore Convention & Exhibition Center on December 2.

Alden will be joining Adrian Pang, Stephanie Carrington and Baki Zainal to host Asian TV industry’s most significant and celebrated event which recognizes excellence in programming, production and performance.

He is best known as one half of the phenomenal ALDUB loveteam with Maine Mendoza from the longest-running and undisputed Philippine noontime show “Eat Bulaga!”.

“It is truly an honour to be hosting this year’s Asian Television Awards and celebrate the best television content that Asia has to offer.” said Alden Richards.

Don’t miss the delayed telecast of the 21st Asian TV Awards on December 11, 9.30PM, on GMA News TV.

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 163 • TUESDAY, OCTOBER 11, 2016

The young man who would serve the president

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“T

HE best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others,” Mahatma Gandhi once said. Marian Wright Edelman added: “Service is the rent we pay for being. It is the very purpose of life, and not something you do in your spare time.”

Those two quotable statements came to mind about the Atty. Kelvin Lester Lee, whom Dean Antonio La Viña of Ateneo School of Government described as “one of my best and most idealistic students from Ateneo Law School.” He may still be young but God has given him a chance of a lifetime by serving the Philippines as the assistant secretary of the Office the Executive Secretary of the President.

It so happened that Lee is a friend and we both used to write a column for “Sun.Star Davao.” And that was I met him for the first time – in a Christmas party convened by the local daily at the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

We, like most columnists, were invited to join the party.

I arrived early and there were too few people then. Then, Lee came – alone. Since there was no one to talk with, I decided to have a conversation with him.

After that, we met several other times. And before we knew it, we became friends.

Even if he was busy with his job as a lawyer, he usually come during my birthday – which was just four days after the New Year’s celebration – if he is around.

His name intrigued me.

So I asked him how he got his unique name. “My mom said she named me Kelvin because she named me after the temperature, which was named after a Lord Kelvin,” he said. “I am not sure how true this is; I never verified it.”

Lee, who was born in Davao City, attended grade school at the Ateneo de Davao University and then went to Davao Central High School (at that time known as Davao Chinese High School). He left Davao to study Chinese and work in a foreign company there in Beijing. But after two years, he came back

to the Philippines and went to study law at the Ateneo de Manila University.

“The Ateneo de Manila entrance exam was the only one I was able to take that year when I came back from China,” he replied when asked why he studied in Manila and not in Davao. “Thankfully I passed that exam.”

Anita Hill once said: “One of the things I was taught in law school is that I’d never be able to think the same again - that being a lawyer is something that’s part of who I am as an individual now.” But Lee never dreamed of becoming a lawyer.

“I just wanted to give it a try,” he said. “And found I was a surprisingly good fit for it.”

As a lawyer, he has five ideal lawyers. Only one of them is a foreigner: Sir Thomas Moore, an English lawyer, social philosopher, author and statesman who was venerated by Roman Catholics as Saint Thomas More. “He stood by his faith and principles,” he said on why he admired More.

The other four lawyers are all Filipinos. President Rodrigo R. Duterte heads the list (“a successful prosecutor and leader”) with Father Joaquin Bernas (“an eminent constitutionalist”) at the bottom list.

The other two lawyers are: Salvador Medialdea (the current Executive Secretary, whom he described as “a successful lawyer”) and Loreto Ata (“a brilliant thinker and jurist”).

Both are alsoDuterte’s legal counsels and are senior partners of the Medialdea Ata Bello Guevarra Suarez Law Firm.

According to him, his mother knew that he was taking law when he was going to college. As for his father, he didn’t know. “My father passed away when I was 7 so I don’t know what he thinks,” he said.

“But I like to believe that he is happy that I became a lawyer.”

Becoming a lawyer is no bed of roses. When asked what was the hardest part of becoming a lawyer, Lee replied: “Very long hours of studying and studying and studying.” That’s a lot of studying, indeed.

After graduating and passing the board exam, he worked at the Siguion-Reyna Montecillo and Ongsiako law firm. “To be enterprising and to work hard to succeed,” he said on what he learned while working the law firm. But he quit and returned to Davao. “Family matters” was the reason he cited on why he came back.

Lee is happily married to his beautiful wife whom he called Dot. They two have two daughters. “(Fatherhood) changed me a lot,” he said, adding that as a father he is “very loose” and “very indulgent, but strict as needed.”

Being a father is one of the best things he could ask for.

“The love your kids show you is real,” he said. “You will never be as loved as you are by your young children, I think. (A close second is the love your parents have for you). There is no feeling quite like it, to know that someone loves you as much as that. That’s what makes it one of the best things.”

Love comes from the most unexpected places, so goes a

line of a song. But for Lee and Dot, it wasn’t. In fact, both studied in the same college – Ateneo de Manila – but the two never met during the entire four years of study.

“We only met after college,” Lee revealed. “Thankfully, we had many mutual friends and our relatives knew each other.

It was only a matter of time before we met, and I thank God we did.”

They were bf-gf for around 4 years. There’s an interest-

ing story on how he proposed marriage to Dot. “I rented a yacht for use in Manila Bay as a surprise,” he recalled. “But we got into an accident so I proposed instead in the parking lot of a hospital in Manila, right in front of a sign that said ‘Bawal Umihi Dito,’ which I didn’t see until she said yes.”

Among the presidents, past and present, he admired Duterte the most. “He is proactive and very action oriented,” he said. “He gets things done,

which isn’t always the case with other leaders.” He also described him as “a no nonsense guy, and when he tells you he will do something, he will do it.”

On whether he was totally surprised when offered as the assistant secretary of Atty. Medialdea, whom he worked on a number of cases before he became the Executive Secretary, he said he had an inkling already.

“I had an idea I would be offered the position, so I wasn’t exactly surprised,” Lee pointed out. “It felt great to be appointed though. Very few people get an opportunity to help the country and serve the people in Malacañang. I am excited and raring to go at this opportunity.”

For his parting words, Lee urged: “Trust the President. He means well and only wants the best for our country. He wants to solve our major problems, even at the sacrifice of his own life. Though his style may be unorthodox, rest assured he means to get things done. And we believe he will succeed.”

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Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT 11th Judicial Region RTC Branch 10, Davao City

ANNE YAP-HECHANOVA, EVANGELINE L. YAP, MARIAM YAP-RONQUILLO, JANE YAP-TAN, INES JOSEPHINE YAP-MUYCO, Plaintiffs,

CIVIL CASE NO.: R-DVO-16-02426-CV FOR: JUDICIAL PARTITION OF PROPERTY.

-VS-

THE HEIRS OF RALPH L. YAP, namely, RUBINA E. YAP, GLADYS E. YAP, CHRYSANT MIRACLE E. YAP and KEVIN E. YAP, Defendants. x------------------------------x

COMPLAINT

COME NOW, plaintiffs by counsel and unto the Honorable Court, most respectfully aver, THAT : 1.

2.

3.

A. THE PARTIES

Plaintiffs are all of legal ages, Filipinos, married and widow respectively and residents respectively of Davao City, Philippines and New York, USA, but all of them could be served with summons and other processes of the Honorable Court at 111 San Pedro St. , Davao City, care of Evangeline L. Yap;

Defendants heirs of the late Ralph L. Yap, namely Rubina E. Yap, Gladys E. Yap, Chrysant Miracle E. Yap and Kevin E. Yap, are widow and children/heirs of the late Ralph L. Yap, all of legal ages, Filipinos and could be served with summons and other processes of the Honorable Court at their last known address at 111 San Pedro St., Davao City; B. CAUSE OF ACTION

Plaintiffs, in a Decision dated November 25, 2015 rendered by the Regional Trial Court of Davao City, Branch 16, denominated as Civil Case No. 36,262-15, were declared co-owners of a property previously registered in the name of the late Ralph L. Yap, consisting of One Hundred Sixty Five (165) square meters per Original Certificate of Title No. 146-2013000044 , certified copy of said decision and Title are hereto respectively attached marked and submarked as Annex “A” and “B” ;

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9.

In fact, the Honorable Court , page 6, paragraph 1 of said Decision, had directed the Office of the Register of Deeds of Davao City to issue a new Title No. under the names of plaintiffs herein , that is ½ share for Evangeline Yap , the rests for 1/14 share and 1/14 aggregated share for the defendants ; Said Decision had become final and executory and in fact a Writ of Execution had already been issued by the aforesaid Court, copy of which is hereto attached marked as Annex “C”; Based on the said Decision of the Honorable Court, except for plaintiff Evangeline L. Yap who would get 82.50 square meters( 165 sq.m x 50%), the rest of the plaintiffs would get 11.785 square meters(165 sq.m. x 1/14) and so with defendants as their aggregate share; In view of the said sharing, plaintiffs herein have decided that it would be best for everyone to just sell the aforesaid property, save for the 11.785 square meters allotted to the defendants since the latter could not be located and contacted anymore despite diligent effort, to at least inform them of the said intention and a chance to amicably settle their differences; in fact even before the filing of this action and when the aforementioned case was filed against herein defendants, earnest effort had been exerted by plaintiffs herein to settle their controversy amicably but the same failed; Considering the fact that defendants could no longer be found in their last known address nor could they be contacted for the purpose of letting them know and agree to that intended sale of the property which could have rendered this Complaint unnecessary, it becomes imperative now to partition the property between plaintiffs herein and the defendants based on their respective share;

The property in question has still to be resurveyed and there is no specific portion thereon yet that would be occupied by anyone among the parties herein but since the plaintiffs are in agreement to sell their whole share on the property, assigning them to a particular part thereof is no longer necessary but indispensable for the defendants however whose whereabouts are unknown and therefore could not give their take on the matter;

10. Consequently, plaintiffs have identified a portion of the property of the same size as theirs, that is 11.785 square meters thereof, located in the area defendants used to occupy which would give them free access anytime, copy of a sketch for said location is hereto attached marked and submarked as Annex “D”; 11. Rule 69, Section 1 thereof, of the Rules of Court as amended, provides as follows:

Section 1. Complaint in an action for partition of real estate. – A person having the right to compel the partition of real estate may do so as provided in this Rule, setting forth in his complaint the nature and extent of his title and an adequate description of the real estate of which partition is demanded and joining as defendants all other persons interested in the property.

12. Resort to conciliation between parties before the Office of the Barangay Captain of 38-D, could not be made since as stated earlier, defendants could no longer be found in their last known address and whose whereabouts could not be ascertained anymore by the plaintiffs;

13. The estimated, market or assessed value of the land in question is P 247,500.00 , while that of the improvements is pegged at P 142,500.00 as determined by the Davao City Assessors Office, copies of its assessment are hereto attached marked and sub-marked as Annex “E” hereof.

WHEREFORE, it is respectfully prayed of the Honorable Court that the aforesaid property be judicially partitioned in a manner prayed for by the plaintiffs herein.

Other relief just and equitable under the circumstances are likewise prayed for.

May 31, 2016, Davao City, Philippines.

DENNIS G. DAGOHOY Counsel for the Plaintiffs Suite 202, 2nd Floor JMS Bldg., No. 88 Maya St., Ecoland, Davao City PTR No. 6786877; 01.05.16; Davao City IBP No. 989165; 12.07.15; Davao City Roll No. 38726 MCLE Comp. No. V : 0019614

Republic of the Philippines) City of Davao……………….….) s.s. x----------------------------x VERIFICATION/CERTIFICATION

WE, ANNE L. YAP-HECHANOVA, MARIAM YAP-RONQUILLO, JANE YAP-TAN, VIOLA YAP-DUMDUM, EVANGELINE L. YAP, INES JOSEPHINE YAP-MUYCO, of legal ages, Filipinos, married and widow respectively and residents of Davao City, Philippines and New York, USA, under oath depose and say, THAT: We are the Plaintiff in the above-entitled case; we have caused the preparation of the foregoing Complaint; We have read and understood the said Complaint and that the allegations therein are true and correct based on our personal knowledge or based on authentic documents;

We hereby CERTIFY that have not commenced any other action or proceedings involving the same issues in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or different divisions thereof, or any tribunal or agency, that based on our personal knowledge, no such action or proceeding is pending in the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals, or different divisions thereof, or any tribunal or agency, and that should We learn of the pendency of other action or proceeding before the Supreme Court, the Court of Appeals or different divisions thereof or any other tribunal or agency, We shall undertake to inform the Honorable Court of such fact within five(5) days therefrom.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 31st day of May 2016 at Davao City, Philippines.

ANNE L. YAP-HECHANOVA Affiant SSS ID No. 03-4603599-1

MARIAM YAP-RONQUILLO Affiant SSS ID No. 04-3007224-2

JANE YAP-TAN Affiant CRN ID No. 0111-1707013-9

VIOLA YAP-DUMDUM Affiant Passport ID No. 524045751

EVANGELINE L. YAP Affiant OSCA No. 13-001248

INES JOSEPHINE YAP-MUYCO Affiant PRC No. 0020270

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 31st day of May 2016 at Davao City, Philippines, affiant exhibited to me their respective identification document as above-described.

DOC NO. : PAGE NO : BOOK NO : SERIES OF :

216 45 118 2016

DENNIS G. DAGOHOY Notary Public for and in the City of Davao Until December 31, 2017 Suite 202, 2nd Floor, JMS Bldg., No. 88 Maya St., Ecoland, Davao City Serial No. 116-2016; Roll No. 38726 PTR No. 6786877; 01.05.16; Davao City IBP No. 989165; 12.07.15; Davao City

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Rice... FROM 6

only be 50 centavos at 212 accredited retail stores in Davao,” Roncal added.

Roncal also said her staff who visited Davao del Sur did not find evidence of a spike in rice prices in the province.

She added the stocks of NFA rice in Davao stands at 360,000 bags, beefed up by the unloading of another 20 thousand metric tons from Thailand.

“The NFA rice serves as a buffer to the supply of commercial rice that remains abundant in the stores and

markets today,” she said.

Roncal said the NFA buffer would last until January 2017 – or about the same time the farmers would have already planted rice after the El Niño season.

“The supply of commercial rice remained stable, and traders have the knack of finding supply elsewhere in case of a shortage,” Roncal added.

Roncal pointed out their office has not received any complaint or indication of a rice shortage in the region.

TIZIANA CELINE S. PIATOS

fully sold out while ongoing sale for Building 5 is said to be brisk.

“If you have a good product with a very reasonable price, your sales will speak for itself,” said Garces.

Matina Enclaves is a mixed

use residential development project of Esdevco located at Quimpo Boulevard in Ecoland.

Interested parties may inquire and schedule site visits at the Matina Enclaves Showroom at Genesis 88 Building, Ecowest Drive, Davao City.

Esdevco fetes Monthly Top Sellers

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

E

njb@edgedavao.net

SDCANDOR Development Corporation (Esdevco) threw another thanksgiving lunch for its monthly top sellers for September and cited them for their

accomplishments.

Dubbed as Matina Enclaves Top Sellers Lunch Banquet, the Davao-based real estate development firm feted its top sellers for the month at The

Royal Mandaya Hotel’s Kamayo VIP Lounge last Friday.

The sales accomplishments were reckoned from September to October this year.

“It’s our pride to have sales

people who are working with us passionately and we will not just let these accomplishments pass without thanking them and acknowledging their efforts,” said project head Gerald Kent Garces.

The September awardees were Charity Furog, Shiena Mae Furog, Gilbert Monecillo, Ryan Sayson, Julie Mc Llyn Pinol, Letty Ablas, Nestor Granado, Rebecca de Leon, Reynold Barber, Solomon Banez, Fara Irmina Diaz, and Eric Villasor.

The first four buildings of The Residences sector of The Matina Enclaves have been

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HOT HANDS Go sizzles with 42 as CMO downs B

DCPO for first win in AFP-PNP hoops

ASKETBALL-PLAYING cabinet executive Christopher “Bong” Go shot season high 11 treys to propel City Mayors Office to a 114 - 96 debut win over Davao City Police Office in the 2016 AFP-PNP Basketball Tournament on Friday at the Davao City Recreation

Center Go, the special assistant to President Rodrigo Duterte, dropped a total of 42 points for the hot-shooting CMO squad.

CMO was on fire bombarding DCPO with barrage of three pointers that kept the Policemen out of sync.

Presidential Assistant for Sports Glenn Escandor added trouble for the already disarrayed Policemen.

Escandor nailed 3 triples, scoring all his points at behind the arc.

Estong Uganap paced the Policemen with 30 baskets.

His breakout game went to naught as DCPO fell short in defending the striking CMO perimeter shooting.

Weng Farochillen and JR De Guzman chipped in 14 markers each to help the cause of CMO. Zozobrado made 15 as Palarca had 14 for the DCPO.

Blatche back, but not for Gilas IMPORT. Naturalized Filipino Andray Blatche is playing for China in the FIBA Asian Champions Cup.

A nas.

NDRAY Blatche is back playing in the international scene, but not for Gilas Pilipi-

The naturalized Filipino is currently see-

THE PRESIDENT’S MEN. Secretary Bong Go (right) fired 42 points while Presidential Assistant for Sports Glenn Escandor (right) contributed 9 all from the three point range.

Murray wins China Open

A

NDY Murray won the China Open in Beijing on Sunday, defeating Grigor Dimitrov 6-4, 7-6 (2), in a hard-fought match that featured plenty of acrobatics from both players.

Playing in his ninth final of the season, the top-seeded Scot broke Dimitrov in the first game of the first set and again in the fifth game of the second. Murray looked to have the match in the bag serving at 5-4, but the Bulgarian finally broke his serve, then held his own to force the tiebreaker.

The finals victory was Murray’s first in three attempts at the China Open, having reached the quarterfinals on his debut and the semifinals in 2014.

Agnieszka Radwanska had an easier time of it in the women’s final, handily defeating Johanna Konta 6-4, 6-2.

The third-seeded Pole added to her 2011 victory in the Beijing tournament, notching up her 20th career title and third of 2016. She took the victory without dropping a set throughout the tournament.

Radwanska broke Konta in the third game but then was broken back in the eighth

before holding her service to take the first set.

She established her dominance in the second set, breaking Konta twice before serving out for the win with an ace.

“That was a really special week for me,” Radwanska said in post-match comments. “I really played great tennis, especially against top players.”

Radwanska has now won both of the pair’s encounters.

She sealed the victory with just six unforced errors to Konta’s 29.

The 11th-seeded Konta was making her first Beijing appearance and had already assured herself of a place in the next WTA top-10 rankings — the first British woman to do so since Jo Durie in 1984.

“I guess it’s pretty cool.

I’m very pleased with my progress over the last few years, and hopefully, yes, still many more places to climb,” said Konta, who was making her first appearance in Beijing. “But as of now I’m really enjoying my journey, I’m really enjoying working hard and really working towards playing matches like these against players like Agnieszka, so hopefully I’ll have many more in the future.”

ANDY MURRAY. First China Open title

S

ing action in the FIBA Asia Champions Cup, suiting up for hosts China Kashgar, China’s lone team in the tournament.

China Kashgar is composed of players from the Xinjiang Flying Tigers, Blatche’s mother club in the Chinese Basketball Association.

In his first game, Blatche scored 10 points and eight rebounds in a 9669 victory over Al Shorta of Iraq.

The FIBA Asia Champions Cup is a tournament featuring some of the continent’s top clubs.

This year marks its comeback after a two-year absence.

The Philippines doesn’t have a team in the tournament.

Representing Southeast Asia instead is ASEAN Basketball League champions Malaysia Dragons.

Spain blanks Albania in WC Qualifiers

PAIN got off to a slow start at Albania but eased to a 2-0 victory on Sunday (Monday, Manila time) in European qualifying for the 2018 World Cup behind second-half goals by Diego Costa and Manuel “Nolito” Agudo.

Spain dominated from the start as expected, but

it struggled to create many significant scoring chances against Albania in steady rain at the Loro Borici Stadium in Shkoder.

The first goal came after a mistake by Albanian goalkeeper Etrit Berisha, who mis-hit the ball while trying to clear it from the back and gave

it to Vitolo. The striker passed to David Silva and he set up Costa’s easy goal from inside the area in the 55th minute.

The second goal was a well-placed shot by Nolito, who found the far corner from a tight angle after evading a defender inside the area in the 63rd.

“It could seem like an easy game but we knew it was going to be complicated,” Nolito said. “We really needed these three points.”

Albania entered the match with a two-point advantage over Spain and Italy, which drew 1-1 when they met in Turin on Thursday.

Import stopper goes to work for Ginebra B

ARANGAY Ginebra guard Sol Mercado has built a reputation as one of the best offensive players in the PBA. Now playing under a defensive-oriented coach in Tim Cone, the ‘Sol Train’ is proving that he’s much more than just a one-way player, taking on the responsibility of slowing down Meralco’s Allen Durham, the Best Import awardee of the conference, in Game 2 of the Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup finals.

“I started right from the start on Durham. From there, I knew I was gonna guard him,” Mercado told sportswriters after the game.

“I take pride on my defense. We tried to make him work. I was just trying to wear him out on the perimeter and tried to be in front of him in the post.”

The strategy was a suc-

cess as Mercado held the import to just 22 points and 15 rebounds, numbers that pale in comparison to Durham’s 46-point, 13-rebound performance in Game 1.

He also got a crucial stop on Durham in the endgame, helping secure the win for the Kings.

Even Durham had to give credit to Mercado’s defense, which was effective despite the height difference.

“It caught me a little off guard. He’s a tough defender,” the Meralco import admitted.

Meralco coach Norman Black said he wasn’t surprised that Mercado was assigned to defend their import, something Ginebra has done before.

“I thought Sol did a great job defending on him tonight. We’ve seen that in the last series when Sol was guarding (San Miguel import Elijah) Millsap,” added Black.

DEFENSIVE PRIDE. Sol Mercado of Ginerbra San Miguel puts the shackes on Meralco import Allen Durham.

Mercado said that he’s now comfortable with his transition from a mere scorer to a defender and he had his coach, Cone, to thank.

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