Edge Davao 9 Issue 264

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES CLENCHED FISTS OF SUPPORT. Dabawenyos flash clenched fists to show their support to President Rodrigo Duterte during Saturday evening’s freedom rally at Rizal Park in Davao City. Lean Daval Jr

BISHOP P SLAMMED Worse than a hundred President Dutertes: Sara

Priests urged to join anti-drug advocacy

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ adlopez0920@gmail.com

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“I recently read a letter to the H, DEAR Archbishop (Soc Villegas). How dare you say that my father has singlehandedly defaced the late Cardinal Sin by Archbishop Soc Villegas and I was so disturbed by memory of the EDSA revolution.”

This was the statement made

by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio sent by the City Information Office to the media on Friday morning, February 24.

Mayor Duterte said Archbishop Soc Villegas is deeply worse than a hundred President Dutertes.

The recent statement of the mayor is rooted in how the archbishop, the elites and their friends forced down into the throats of the people a standard definition of freedom in the Philippines in the spirit of the bloodless revolution at EDSA in 1986.

the rant that I decided to take out my pen from retirement and practice once again the only talent that I have, writing,” Mayor Sara said.

The mayor also dubbed Villegas’ group as a bunch of delusional hypocrites, emphasizing that “while all of you were up there riding high on your horses, you failed

RESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte once again reiterated the uncompromising stand of his administration in the fight against illegal drugs in the country.

The President led the ceremonial turnover of a rehabilitation facility in Peñaplata, Island Garden City of Samal on Friday afternoon, February 24.

The facility was donated by the 1st Federation of Filipino-Chinese Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc..

In his message, the President hit some sectors who continued to criticize the current fight against illegal drugs, saying that most of them do not understand how the problem has deeply affected the country and the Filipino people.

He particularly mentioned the Catholic Church and the members of the clergy who continued to hurl criticisms against him

to notice that many of us down here empathize with what Rodrigo Duterte is saying because it is the hard truth. It is truly without the air of hypocrisy that we smell from your kind.”

She said that President Duterte perfectly underF BISHOP, 11 Photo by Lean Daval Jr

F PRIESTS, 11

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

ASEAN RORO LAUNCH. Philippine Inter-agency task Force on ASEAN RORO Chief and Department of Transportation (DOTr) ASEC for Maritime Fernando Juan Perez explains the process of trade between Indonesia and Philipppines upon the launching of Davao-GenSan-Bitung RoRo Shipping Service.

Bello reorganizes agencies, bureaus, offices under DOLE

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ABOR Secretary Silvestre Bello III has reorganized the agencies and offices of the Department of Labor and Employment.

Through Administrative Order No. 41, the DOLE chief conducted the re-clustering of its services to effectively implement its programs and render efficient public service.

“We have to do this for greater efficiency, cost-effectiveness and consistency in policy and program implementation to better serve the needs of the workers and immediately respond to their issues and concerns,” he said in a statement.

The order has designated Undersecretary Joel Maglunsod as the head of Labor Relations and Special Concerns Cluster, who will supervise the policy and programs operations of Bureau of Labor Relations, Bureau of Working

Conditions Bureau of Workers with Special Concerns and National Conciliation and Mediation Board.

He will be supported by Assistant Secretary Ma. Gloria Tango in overseeing the bureaus and in the review of orders arising from the conciliation and mediation cases that need immediate action by the DOLE chief.

On the other hand, Undersecretary Ciriaco Lagunzad III will lead the Workers Welfare and Protection, Human Resources, and Financial Services Cluster. He will oversee the policy program coordination of the Overseas Workers’ Welfare Administration Employees’ Compensation Commission and Occupational Safety and Health Center.

Lagunzad will be supported by Assistant Secretary Amuerfina Reyes, as they will be also tasked to look after

F BELLO, 11

6 more NPAs yield in Davao region

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

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adlopez0920@gmail.com

HE exodus of elements of the rebel New People’s Army to the folds of law continues in Davao region as six more rebels yielded to authorities, the Philippine army reported on Friday.

One of the NPAs surrendered to the army in Compostela Valley last Thursday, February 24 while five yielded to authorities on Friday morning, February 24 in Davao Occidental, 10th Infantry (Agila) Division chief information officer Captain Rhyan Batchar said.

Batchar identified the NPAs in their aliases as Jany, 23; Rudy, 20; Richard, 25; Brix,

18; Bunso, 18; and Egan, 18.

“We need to keep their identities as of the moment for security reasons. They are also being processed for possible assistance from the government,” he said.

Batchar added that Jany served as a squad leader of guerrilla front 33 and a resident of Calinan, Davao City.

He turned himself to 25th Infantry Battalion and the Philippine National Police (PNP) in Montevista town, Compostela Valley.

Rudy, a team leader and Richard are from Datal Anggas, Alabel, Sarangani prov-

ince; Brix and Bunso served as team leader and vice-team leader respectively who are residents of Pinalpalan, Malita, Davao Occidental; and Egan, a squad political guide who also turned-over an M-16 Armalite rifle is a resident of Pangaleon also in Malita town.

The five NPAs, who are all members of guerrilla front 71 operating in the provinces of Sarangani and Davao Occidental, turned themselves in to the troopers of 73rd Infantry Battalion in Malita.

Batchar said the latest NPAs who decided to go back to their families and commu-

nities all shared the difficulties they experienced while in the communist movement.

“The communist leaders failed their promises. Hardships and fear prompted them to return to the folds of the law.

They are now in their respective custodial units for interview,” he added.

Major General Rafael Valencia, 10th ID commander said NPA members are encouraged to return to the folds of law and avail of the government’s program.

“The NPA, which is never a people’s army, has become a

UPPORTERS of President Rodrigo Duterte and Senate President Aquilino “Koko” Pimentel III commemorated the 31st anniversary of the EDSA People Power Revolution by serving food to hundreds of children in a coastal village here Saturday afternoon.

About 400 pre-school kids benefited from the “Libre Kusina sa Mindanao” (Free Kitchen in Mindanao), a mobile Duterte-Pimentel feeding program launched in Barangay Macabalan in this city.

The event was organized

by supporters of President Duterte and Pimentel, in cooperation with local leaders of the Partido Demokratiko Pilipino Lakas ng Bayan (PDP Laban).

In a statement, Teresa Pimentel, convenor of the event, said the feeding program was the Mindanaons’ way of celebrating the anniversary of the 1986 People Power Revolution that led to the downfall of the Martial Law regime.

She said it was in Mindanao that the seeds of the protest movement against the late dictator Ferdinand Marcos also took root when then

opposition mayor, former Senate president Aquilino “Nene” Pimentel Jr. of this city openly criticized him.

The elder Pimentel’s opposition to the Marcos rule resulted in his imprisonment several times on trumped-up charges, becoming one of the steadfast leaders of the resistance against martial rule.

Part of his legacy was the founding of the PDP Laban in 1982.

Meanwhile, Barangay Gusa chairman Marlo Tabac, PDP Laban city council president for Cagayan de Oro, said the free “lugaw” (porridge)

was for everyone, especially the less fortunate residents of the city.

For his part, Barangay Macabalan chairman Norbel Saa said the office of Senator Pimentel got in touch with him to prepare the activity.

Saa said he chose pupils of six daycare centers in the villages here as the main beneficiaries of the program.

“We are very thankful that Macabalan was chosen as the venue for the feeding program. This is indeed an honor for us, and most importantly, for our children who benefited,” he added. (PNA)

Duterte urged to sign Cagayanons feed 400 kids to celebrate EDSA anniversary EO banning smoking S C ARDIOLOGISTS of the Manila Medical Center (Manila Med) and Philippine Heart Association joined medical communities and health advocates in calling on President Rodrigo Duterte to sign as soon as possible the executive order on zero smoking in public areas.

“On behalf of the Medical Center Manila, Philippine Heart Association, and of course, all the health care providers, we appeal to President Duterte to expedite the im-

plementation or the filing of the EO that controls cigarette smoking,” said Dr. Jorge Sison, chairman of the cardiology department of Manila Med. Sison noted the importance of the order in reducing the incidence of cardiovascular diseases.

“We appeal to the President to have it implemented by signing it into a law,” the cardiologist said.

A nationwide ban on smoking in public places was

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NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Palace backs reviving EDSA spirit, but warns against opportunists

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LIABILITIES. Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) 11 personnel clear up the metal structures and concrete blocks of the collapsed waiting shed outside Palma Gil Street on Saturday due to last Thursday’s

magnitude 4.6 earthquake. The agency will dismantle all the waiting sheds, especially those near schools, around the city as requested by parents. Lean Daval Jr.

ALACAÑAN on Saturday, February 25, said it agrees with critics in urging people to remember and to relive the spirit of nation-building that brought about the EDSA People Power Revolution 31 years ago but cautioned against political opportunists.

In an interview with Radyo ng Bayan, Presidential spokesperson Ernesto Abella said President Rodrigo Duterte remains focused on improving the lot of the Filipino through increasing infrastructure spending and convincing investors to do business in the country.

“We would wish that people were cooperative instead of focusing on you know, being adversarial. Well, criticism

Pantukan.

Elements of 46th IB and members of the Philippine National Police in Pantukan town were immediately dispatched in the area.

“This burning incident is a pure act of terrorism and shows that these lawless elements are terrorists and have no respect for human rights” Lt. Col. Licyayo said.

Pursuit operations are still on-going in the area, he added.

35-YEAR OLD overseas Filipino worker who was allegedly maltreated by her employer in Amman, Jordan is now under the custody of the overseas office of the Department of Labor and Employment .

According to Labor Attaché Florenda Herrera, OFW Josalyn Ombe, from San Andres Bukid, Manila is at the Philippine Overseas Labor Office.

“We are looking after Ms. Ombe and the POLO is providing her security and requirement,” she said in a statement.

Ombe was reported to have first sought assistance from a tabloid, where she exposed the maltreatment she was experiencing from her employer, whom she named as

Ahmed Saleem Marashdeh of Madaba Amman, Jordan.

It was learned that the OFW was redeployed on Nov. 30, 2016 to Jordan as a household service worker by World Class Inc. Agency.

The POLO-Jordan is closely monitoring the case for further developments but has already made some coordination regarding the victim’s legal action against her employer.

Meanwhile, the DOLE has given financial and livelihood assistance to the family of another OFW who was killed in Jordan on Feb. 5.

Labor Secretary Silvestre Bello personally handed over the financial assistance to Natividad Dalupang, mother of the victim Felma Dalupang Maramag. (PNA)

Council directed the management of Mati City Water District to ensure that there will be no shortage of water supply during the event. She added that they have requested the assistance of the Bureau of Fire Protection (BFP) in the city to augment water supply for washing and bathing.

Councilor Tiago further announced that local suppliers of purified water are being tapped because tap water is not advisable for human consumption. These potable water suppliers are required to secure permits so they will be held accountable should untoward incident happens.

In addition, the six-day sports

event will mean a good opportunity for the business of purified water suppliers.

Pursuant to Executive Order No. 4, the province’s electricity provider, DORECO, has made necessary arrangements so power interruption will not occur during the DAVRAA meet.

Meanwhile, for the prices of basic commodities, Jose Calub, OIC Provincial Director of the Department of Trade and Industry has told media that there is no apprehension about overpricing on goods and other basic necessities as price freeze is still imposed until March 24 of the current year.

Fare for public transport is also being constantly monitored by the local government to avoid unauthorized fare hike by some transport groups who might take advantage of the big event.

Governor Dayanghirang called on the media, whom he considers as partners for development, for their support not only in terms of promotion but also in the social preparation. “I would like to tap your help to promote awareness among our constituents, especially the transport sector and the businesses, of how they can contribute to the success of our activity,

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

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adlopez0920@gmail.com

Undetermined number of armed men torched a ten-wheeler cargo dump truck owned by Hexat Mining Corporation on Wednesday, February 22 in Purok 7, Sitio Upper Maubog, Barangay Tibagon in Pantukan, Compostela Valley.

The dump truck, with plate number WAO-662, driven by Rogelio Gerona left their mining camp in Sitio Diat Dos, Barangay Napnapan and was proceeding to their mining

AFP joins People Power wreath laying ceremony

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RMED Forces of the Philippines chief-of-staff Gen. Eduardo Año participated in the wreath-laying ceremony at the People Power Monument in Quezon City Saturday.

This was one of the activities held to commemorate the 31st anniversary of the first EDSA People Power revolt.

Año was the host of the ceremony, while former executive secretary Eduardo Ermita was the honoree representing former president Fidel V. Ramos.

“The AFP will continue to play a major part in commemorations like this of the EDSA People Power Revolution, not only during ceremonial activities and in securing the venue but in imbibing the lessons of unity, nationalism, patriotism and fortitude. These are the very same values that make the AFP a dependable institution and a force to reckon with,” AFP public affairs chief Col. Edgard Arevalo said.

To ensure the safety and security of the EDSA anniversary activities, the AFP through the Joint Task Force

National Capital Region has activated the Joint Task Group EDSA, which is responsible for security operations during the national celebration.

“The Joint Task Group EDSA is composed of about 200 security personnel from the JTF-NCR and Major Services. The task group actively coordinated with the NCRPO (National Capital Region Police Office) and MMDA (Metro Manila Development Authority) to cover the security aspect of the ceremonies and ensure the safety of our people who join ed,” Arevalo said.

The JTG EDSA included civil disturbance management, K-9 and explosive ordnance disposal, medical, and mobility teams.

A quick response force was on standby to respond to any disruptive activity.

The AFP also provided the ceremonial elements and medical teams for the pre-anniversary activities that began Wednesday. The military’s participation is in support of the EDSA People Power Commission and the Spirit of EDSA Foundation. (PNA)

plant at Barangay Pandapan, Tagum City when flagged down and burned by the LAGs. The driver and his companions were not hurt but the incident inflicted fear on them as well as the residents in the area residing near the site where the equipment was burned.

Residents also reported that the LAGs, after the incident, withdrew towards the area of Sitio Upper Maubog Proper, Barangay Tibagon,

F PALACE, 11

POLO rescues maltreated OFW from Jordan employer

AFP: Lawless groups continue A harass in ComVal people, firms AWLESS armed groups continue to inflict fear and harassments to civilian communities and business establishments in Compostela Valley, the Philippine army reported.

In a press statement to the media here on Friday, Lt. Col. Michael D. Licyayo, commander of the 46th Infantry Battalion denounced the recent harassment perpetrated

by LAGs and dubbed the same as act of terrorism.

is always ano, is welcome. Iba rin po ‘yung being adversarial,” Abella said.

He said what the country needs now are “people who are truly and sincerely nation patriot, nation builder,” and not people “who take advantage of political position for their own advancement.”

The Palace official also assured that there is no suppression of dissent, noting that the Duterte administration has allowed protesters to rally on the streets as long as they do not break law and order and interfere with traffic.

Meanwhile, Abella also commented on the statements that the arrest of Senator Leila de Lima is a political harassment.

DavOr is ready for DAVRAA hosting C

ITY OF MATI, DAVAO ORIENTAL – Governor Nelson L. Dayanghirang says that social preparation for the hosting of the Davao Region Athletic Association (DAVRAA) Meet on March 1924 is in full swing.

In a press conference held at the grand conference room of the Capitol on Thursday, February 23, the governor and other officials of the Provincial Government discussed the preparations of the province to welcome more than 6,000 delegates from other provinces.

Delegates and visitors who are expected to arrive starting March 12 will be billeted in eleven schools of this city. The Provincial Engineering Office is looking for alternative solutions to address the lack of bathing areas since the classrooms that will serve as billeting quarters to be shared by one team have only one comfort room.

Ensuring steady supply of water throughout the duration of the sports event, City Councilor Maria Gracia Tiago says that members of City

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RORO COOPERATION. Signing of the Memorandum of Cooperation among the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., General Santos Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc, and Asian Marine Transport Corporation for the operation of the Davao-GenSan-Bitung RoRo Shipping Service.

DOE to abide by TRO on retail competition T

HE Department of Energy (DOE) and the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) said they will abide by the Supreme Court’s temporary restraining order on the implementation of the circular on Retail Competition and Open Access (RCOA) in the electric power industry.

In a news release issued Friday, the department said they will however exhaust every legal means to defend DOE Circular No. DC201506-0010 (2015) on the pol-

icies to facilitate the full implementation of the RCOA, and ERC Resolution Nos. 5, 10, 11 and 28 (2016) on Retail Electricity Suppliers (RES).

Due to the legal complexities surrounding the restraining order, the DOE, ERC and the Philippine Electricity Market Corp. (PEMC) are still drafting a general advisory to guide RCOA stakeholders, without prejudice to future issuances.

The main issues being considered are whether

those who have already executed Retail Supply Contracts (RSCs) and were already registered and switched shall continue to honor their respective RSCs, and whether ongoing applications for registration filed before the Central Registration Body (CRB) may proceed voluntarily.

Also being considered are whether applicants who wish to withdraw or defer their registration before the CRB may do so consistent with the Retail Market Rules; and whether remaining contest-

able customers who have not yet secured their RSCs may continue to negotiate and exercise their power to choose.

The DOE said it will continue to conduct an information campaign and educate the contestable customers on the benefits of RCOA. The department also assured the public that extensive consultations and coordination efforts will continue towards the full implementation of the provisions of the law favoring the consumers’ power of choice. (PNA)

from the maximum rate of P1 million and standard deduction of P1 million,” DOF Assistant Secretary Mark Dennis Joven said during a hearing by the Senate ways and means committee.

“So basically, someone with a net estate of P4 million or lower will not be subject to that 6% estate tax,” Joven said. “We consider him or her not rich enough to be subject to the redistributive effects of estate tax.”

Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said at the presentation of the 2017 national budget last year that he was pushing for the lowering of estate tax rates to encourage the updated documentation of land ownership and the development of idle lands, which , in turn will “unlock the land market, help local government units raise more revenues and encourage more efficient land use that can help foster investments and create jobs.”

The NTRC has backed Dominguez’s proposal, with its Executive Director, Trin-

idad Rodriguez telling the committee chaired by Sen. Juan Edgardo Angara that substantially lowering the estate tax rate would “ease the burden of the heirs from the ordeal of paying the said tax after having suffered a loss of a family member, and shouldering many other expenses related to the death.”

“A flat tax rate is deemed simpler and easier to understand, enhancing the chances of higher tax compliance.

More specifically, setting the estate tax at 6 percent, meaning the same rate as the capital gains tax, and for that matter, also for the donor’s tax, is deemed more practical and reasonable,” Rodriguez said.

She likewise pointed out that imposing a uniform rate on all types of transfer transactions, either through sale, inheritance or donation, will minimize the tendency of taxpayers to resort to “manipulative tax planning” to minimize their tax liabilities.

Rodriguez bared the low compliance rate on the part of the heirs to settle their

tax liabilities, citing as an example that the tax returns in 2015 only totaled 43,123 or around 7% of total deaths in the country.

“Administrative efficiency could have also contributed to the low collection,” she said. “Also, the generous deductions from gross estate before arriving at net estate, which is the base of the tax, must have significantly narrowed down the tax base.”

Rodriguez noted that in 2014 and 2015, around 80% of tax filers had reported net estate worth of not over P200,000. “So that means that these are exempt tax filers. So any collection based on the records of the BIR, are mainly fines and penalties, maybe for late filing or late payment of estate tax,” she said.

Related to this is the tendency of some tax filers to overstate expenses if only to reduce their tax liabilities.

Thus, the proposal to simplify the estate tax system is timely and worth pursuing,

Various groups back DOF call for lower estate tax

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HE National Tax Research Center (NTRC) and several other groups have expressed their support for a legislative proposal granting a one-time amnesty on estate tax payments and lowering its rate from the current 5-20 percent to a flat 6 percent, as part of the Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP) of the Department of Finance (DOF) that is designed to make the current system simpler, fairer and more efficient, especially for low- and middle-income taxpayers.

To prevent the proposed uniform rate of 6 percent from inadvertently increasing the rates for estates charged 5 percent or lower under the current tax table, the DOF has proposed a hike in the P1 million threshold for family home exemptions to P3 million, on top of the standard deduction of P1 million.

“We seek to maintain the family home exemption at P3 million (plus a standard deduction of P1 million), [which] is an improvement

F VARIOUS, 11

BSP adopts 3-tiered licensing system T HE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas’ (BSP) policy-making Monetary Board (MB) has approved a three-tiered licensing system aimed to strengthen screening functions on financial institutions and align this with international standards.

In a statement Friday, the central bank said the enhanced Supervisory Policy on Granting of a License/Authority (Licensing Policy) “will also rationalize and streamline” the criteria that BSP- Supervised Financial Institutions (BSFIs) need to heed to ensure ease of doing business.

“The BSP thereby reaffirmed its policy of not restricting the scope of risk-taking activities of BSFIs, provided the licenses and/or authorities are in line with their business model and strategic direction, and the BSFIs demonstrate the capacity to implement these

strategies and the ability to manage attendant risks,” it said.

BSFIs need to meet the three basic prudential criterias for their license applications to be approved.

These criteria are CAMELs rating of at least “3”, governance and independent control functions that meet the financial institution’s size, complexity of activities and risk profile; and compliance with BSP directive.

“These criteria are intended to incorporate the licensing process into BSP’s enforcement regime, anchored on good governance, sound risk management and effective controls system,” the BSP said.

It added that the three-tier licensing system “promotes transparency of the licensing process and facilitates much faster action on applications.”

(PNA)

MF mission team cites PH economic growth

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N International Monetary Fund (IMF) mission team that visited the Philippines from Feb. 20-24, 2017 found the country’s monetary policy supportive of domestic expansion, with the latter forecasts to average at 6.8 percent for 2017.

In a statement Friday, the IMF said the mission team, led

by Luis E. Breuer, found that the Interest Rate Corridor (IRC), which the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) implemented since June 2016, “has strengthened monetary transmission.”

The auction- and information technology-based IRC is aimed at further strengthening the relationship between the central bank’s policy rates and money market interest rates as well as better manage inflation and promote long-term sustain-

able expansion of the economy.

With its implementation, the policy-making Monetary Board (MB) cut the BSP’s overnight lending or repurchase (RP) rate to 3.5 percent from six percent and the overnight borrowing or reverse repurchase (RRP) rate to three percent from four percent.

The 2.5 percent rate of the special deposit account (SDA) facility was kept.

The RRP serves as the IRC’s key rate, the RP rate is the ceiling rate and the SDA is the floor rate.

The IMF mission team also said the central bank had appropriately allowed the exemptions on the single borrower’s limit to lapse, which reduces concentration risks in the banking sector.”

The single borrower’s lim-

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EDGEDAVAO

PH-Japan trade ties T bearing fruit: Lopez

ECONOMY 5

Guidelines to formalize ‘5-6’lending out in March

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OLLOWING the successful state visits of President Duterte in Japan and Prime Minister Abe in the Philippines, Japanese bank Ogaki Kyoritsu Bank (OKB) initiated an investment forum in the Philippines recently (22, February) OKB is the first Japanese regional bank in the Philippines to successfully secure a license to operate as representative bank from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) during their anniversary celebration.

According to Lopez, the forum gathered 140 Japanese companies, 30 percent of which are SMEs, the largest mission to date from Japan this year. Following the visit of Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to the Philippines, there have been five missions to the

country both from Kanto and Kansai regions. “With all these missions to the Philippines at the first two months of the year alone, DTI is confident that the Philippines is getting a growing and larger share of the migration of Japanese SMEs to other countries. This is important as Japanese SMEs with decades of specialized technology under their belts can contribute to value added manufacturing, tourism, agribusiness, deepening and expanding our invetories of products and services, closing gaps and completing loops in our supply chain”.

“We hope Ogaki Bank remains partners with the Philippine government in pushing the country’s growth agenda of sustaining the momentum of development for inclusive

growth and shared prosperity for all Filipinos,” said Sec. Lopez.

OKB is headquartered in the Tokai region where most sizeable investors to the Philippines such as Ibiden, Toyota Motor Corporation, and Brother Industries Limited are also from.

“The Philippines traversed different prefectures across Japan promoting trade and investment opportunities,” said Sec. Lopez, highlighting initial touchpoints in Tokai, a region with the highest concentration of Filipinos, as well as the base of major Japanese companies with sizeable investments in the Philippines.

With both the Kanto and Kansai sides of the Japanese peninsula deploying organized business delegations in the Philippines, DTI efforts in Japan are

bearing fruit, according to the trade chief.

Prior to this forum, Secretary Lopez also delivered his keynote speech at the Bank of Tokyo MUFJ and Security Bank‘s first business matching forum which concluded over 200 business matching meetings.

It will be the Philippines turn to conduct an investment mission to Tokyo on February 28 as economic officials from DTI, Japan External Trade Organization (JETRO), ASEAN Japan Centre (AJC) and Philippine Society Japan Inc., and Philippines-Japan Economic Cooperation Committee, Inc. (PHILJECC) – Japan-Philippines Economic Cooperation Committee (JPECC) brief more Japanese investors. (PR)

HE government is finalizing the guidelines to formalize the ‘5-6’ lending scheme and is set to release the document by March, Federation of Indian Chambers and Commerce (Philippines) Inc. (FICCI) President Rex Daryanani told reporters.

Daryanani said the Department of Trade and Industry, Security and Exchange Commission (SEC), Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas, Small Business Corp., Department of Justice, Department of Foreign Affairs, Bureau of Immigration, National Intelligence Coordinating Agency, and the Philippine National Police are crafting the guidelines.

Daryanani mentioned that he already met with President Rodrigo Duterte to explain the system used by ‘5-6’ lenders, a number of whom are Indians, and “appealed to him to legalize the money lenders”.

“In the olden days, you borrow five (pesos), then you pay six (pesos). That happened in a span of one week. That’s why it’s called ‘5-6’. It’s 20 percent interest rate,” he explained.

“That doesn’t happen now,” he stressed.

Under the present arrangement, the amount borrowed is payable in 60 to 120 days with a cumulative interest rate of 20 percent.

He cited that if one borrows P10,000, he will pay

P12,000 in four months, in effect paying the lender P100 per day.

“That’s an effective rate of 5 percent per month,” Daryanani pointed out.

He noted that the ‘5-6’ lending scheme is attractive to micro borrowers as it does not require any document and does not give any penalty for late payment.

“No documents. It’s trust.

Lenders give consideration if a borrower can’t pay on that day. No interest, no penalty if they can’t pay for that day,” he explained.

“If you talk about pro-poor, if you talk about poverty alleviation, with all due respect, these guys are helping the Filipinos.”

Moreover, Daryanani said the initial guidelines to formalize the money lenders include getting a permit for their lending business with a minimum capital of P1.0 million.

To acquire a lending permit, one shall have at least P1.0 million in capital.

The lenders shall also issue receipts and pay taxes to the government.

Daryanani estimated that 25,000 to 30,000 money lenders are engaged in the scheme.

If a lender has an initial capital of P1.0 million, some P30 billion would be circulating in the market for this lending model, he said. (PNA)

Half of fraudulent websites aimed to steal money: Kaspersky

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ASEAN INFO KIOSK. The pillars of the Philippine Information Agency (PIA) inaugurated last February 22 three sites in Davao of the information kiosk of the ASEAN (Association of South East Asian Nations) – in the Francisco Bangoy International Airport in Davao City, the Big 8 Hotel and Robinson’s Mall in Tagum City. First photo above shows PIA Region 11 Director Efren Elbanbuena, CAAP (Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines) Davao

manager Agnes Udang, PIA Director General Harold Clavite and PIA Deputy DG Gelo Villar at the kiosk official opening at the international airport terminal, while second photo below shows the three PIA officials with Big 8 Hotel general manager and Tagum City Mayor Alan Rellon during the opening of the kiosk at the hotel in Tagum City. (Photos by PIA 11)

PH, Cambodia intensify cooperation on rice research, production

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HE Philippines and Cambodia have agreed to boost their cooperation on rice research and production.

Department of Agriculture (DA) Secretary Emmanuel F. Piñol informed Cambodian Agriculture Secretary Dr. Ty Sokhun during his visit here this week that the Philippines seeks cooperation in learning new rice growing technologies, par-

ticularly in the development of new seed varieties and knowledge exchange on rice farming.

Piñol said he planned to visit Cambodia next September to explore agricultural joint ventures and to learn more about Cambodian rice farming technologies.

Seventy percent of Cambodia’s rice lands are rainfed while only 30 percent of their farmers use hybrid rice.

While most Cambodian rice farmers could only plant once a year, Cambodia remains one of the major rice exporters in Asia, with the Philippines a major destination for its rice exports.

DA officials informed the Cambodian delegation that the Duterte administration intends to ensure sufficient rice production to meet the growing demand of Filipino consumers.

Under the DA’s program, Agriculture Assistant Secretary for Operations and National Deputy Director of Rice and Corn Program Frederico Laciste Jr. said the Philippines aimed to increase the annual yield per hectare of local rice farms by investing on hybrid rice propagation so that rice farmers could eventually produce sufficient rice for the country’s needs. (PNA)

LOBAL cybersecurity firm Kaspersky Lab reported that almost half of fraudulent email messages or websites registered last year were aimed at stealing money from their victims.

An analysis of the financial threat landscape conducted by the company showed that the amount of financial phishing attacks increased by 13.14 percentage points in 2016 comprising 47.8 percent of all phishing attacks blocked by heuristic detection technologies.

Phishing is an attempt to obtain information such as usernames, passwords and credit details, often for malicious reasons, by disguising as a trustworthy entity in an electronic communication.

In 2016, Kaspersky Lab’s anti-phishing technologies detected almost 155 million user attempts to visit different kinds of phishing pages.

Almost half of heuristic detection were attempts to visit a financial phishing page where the aim was to obtain valuable personal information from users — such as their account numbers for banking, credit accounts, social security numbers, and the login and passwords they use to access online banking.

The cybercriminals intended to use this information to steal money from their victims. This is the highest share

of financial phishing registered to date by Kaspersky Lab. “Financial phishing has always been one of the easiest ways for cybercriminals to earn illegal money. You don’t have to be a skilled programmer, and you don’t have to invest lots of money into supporting infrastructure.

Of course, most phishing schemes are easy to recognize and avoid, but judging by what we see in our statistics, lots of people are still not cautious enough when it comes to dealing with financial data online.

Otherwise, we wouldn’t have seen so many attacks in 2016,” Nadezhda Demidova, senior web content analyst at Kaspersky Lab said in a statement.

Financial phishing opt to hack data from multinational banks, popular payment systems, Internet shops and auctions from the US, China and Brazil in their scams.

Kaspersky Lab experts advise users to take the following measures: always check the legitimacy of the website when paying online; validate the legitimacy of emails received especially from famous brands; not clicking links in suspicious emails or webpages and using a proven security solution with behavior-based anti-phishing technologies which may identify even the most recent phishing scams which have not been added to anti-phishing databases. (PNA)

6 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

EARLY BUSINESS REGISTRANTS. The City Mayor’s Office (CMO) and the Business and Permits Licensing Office (BPLO) awarded some 50 business establishments with plaques of appreciation on February 15 for being the earliest in updating

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

and renewing their business permits at the Investment Action Center Building. The awards and plaques of appreciation are given yearly to encourage businesses in the city to keep their permits and licenses updated. (GENSAN CPIO/Jan Rey P. Libunao)

ARMM leaders to back to DILG’s ‘Masa-Masid’ A

North Cotabato fisher capture another croc

O

FFICIALS of the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) on Friday assured Department of the Interior and Local Government Sec. Mike Sueno of their all out support in enforcing the agency’s “Masa-Masid” program aimed at eradicating corruption and drug problems in the country.

“Masa-Masid” refers to “Mamamayang Ayaw sa Anomalya, Mamamayang Ayaw sa ilegal na Droga,” was launched here with ARMM Gov. Mujiv Hataman and Roosque Calacat, assistant secretary for barangay affairs and community development of DILG-Central Office.

Speaking during the launching, Hataman assured

Calacat that Moro leaders and elected officials of their all out support in the implementation of the “Masa-Masid” in the autonomous region.

The launch was attended by hundreds of local leaders from Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

Also present in the event

held at Shariff Kabunsuan Cultural Center inside the ARMM compound here were officials from the police, military and non government organizations.

Lawyer Kirby Abdullah, DILG-ARMM regional secretary, will oversee the implementation of the program in the five provinces regional set-up. (PNA)

N a bid to improve its service delivery, the Police Regional Office-12 has unveiled a “one-stop-shop” for various police services at its regional headquarters in Barangay Tambler here.

Chief Supt. Cedrick Train, Region 12 police director said the newly opened Regional Headquarters Support Group (RHSG) building will mainly serve as a processing facility for various services offered by the regional police, among them the issuance of licenses and clearances.

He said it will complement with another nearby facility being constructed for the PRO12’s civil security group.

“It will accommodate the processing of requirements for

the application and issuance of firearms licenses, R2 or Regional Intelligence Division clearances and other related documents,” he said.

Train said the facility will be regularly manned by police officers and personnel from their clearance and licensing units.

“All transactions will be done at the one-stop-shop. People will no longer need to go to several building to get their clearances and other requirements,” he told reporters.

PRO-12 officials formally opened the two-storey RHSG building on Thursday in a ceremony graced by Senator Emmanuel “Manny” Pacquiao and several local government officials from different parts of the region.

Aside from the facility’s opening, the regional police held a ground breaking for its training complex’s quartering facilities and the blessing of the “Tahanan ng Lakan” building.

Train said the “Tahanan ng Lakan” building will serve as the home of police officers and personnel from parts of Region 12 assigned at the regional headquarters.

Dubbed “Pacman Building,” the additional building will house officers and personnel who would undergo training at the PRO-12 training complex, he said.

Senator Pacquiao has pledged some P5 million for the construction of the trainees’ quarters.

He had supported the con-

struction of the PRO-12 training complex and several other facilities at the regional headquarters.

PRO-12 named a facility at the training complex as “Pacman Hall” in honor of Senator Pacquiao.

The senator said these projects were just among the support that he has been giving to the Philippine National Police, especially the PRO-12.

“Hindi lang ito, marami pang tulong ang ibibigay natin dahil napaka-important ng trabaho ng ating kapulisan sa pagsiguro ng kapayapaan (It’s not just these, we will provide more help to the police as their work is very important in terms of ensuring peace),” he said.

(PNA)

paid right after they finish the desired activity,” Gaviola said.

The beneficiaries will be compensated with P206.00 per day within 20 days of work.

The rest of the fund would be utilized for other forms of intervention subject to approval by the DSWD -12 office.

The beneficiaries are set to conduct a cleanup activity in several waterways in the town that includes Nuangan River, which traverses through the center of the city.

Only last month, the DSWD- 12, through the city social welfare office, has also implemented P850,000 cash for work program for poor families in several villages here.

The program focused on expanding the “Gulayan sa Barangay” program that targets the villages to be self-sufficient in vegetable supply for supplemental feeding program.

Village officials recommended qualified beneficiaries of both social welfare programs. (PNA)

PNP-12 unveils‘one-stop-shop’for services I

Recovering drug users in Kidapawan promised assistance from DSWD

T

HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Region 12 has allotted P1 million for the cash-for-work program for self-confessed drug dependents in Kidapawan City.

Daisy Gaviola, acting city social welfare officer, said the program would open an opportunity to some 373 recovering addicts currently enrolled in the local government unit- initiated “Balik - Pangarap” program here.

“The beneficiaries will be

S long as the crocodiles, an endangered species, continue to destroy his fish nets and cages beside the vast Liguasan marshland, a 71-year-old fisherman vowed to continue capturing them.

As if becoming his hobby, the fisherman, Mamangkas Mangatong, captured on Wednesday a 7-foot female crocodile in Barangay Cuyapo, Kabacan town for destroying his source of livelihood.

The crocodile has been turned over to environment officials.

Mangatong said he noticed the reptile kept coming back to his cages and eating up his tilapia and other fresh water varieties.

Aware of the consequences of capturing or killing an endangered species, Mangatong said at first he lobbed stones toward the area where the croc was sighted. It moved away but at night it would return to attack his tilapia cages.

Mangatong has been doing it repeatedly for years because he does not want to capture or kill the crocodile but it continues to damage his source of income.

So on Wednesday, using his traditional method of catching a crocodile, Mangatong seized the reptile then alerted local environment officials of his catch.

Actually, it was his second

ASEAN INFO IN TAGUM. Philippine Information Agency Director General Harold Clavite and PIA-11 Regional Director Efren Elbanbuena led the opening

catch this month. On Feb. 8, Mangatong also captured an 8-foot crocodile in the same spot where he regularly netted reptiles.

The croc has been turned over to the Army’s 602nd Infantry Brigade camp where a huge pond is located.

Mangatong said he had already captured more than 40 crocodiles that have been damaging his fish pens and cages.

Scientifically known as “Crocodylus Mindorensis,” the endangered species can be found in the 200,000 hectare Liguasan marshland.

In 2007, environment officials conducted information dissemination program in the village, telling locals that capturing, selling and killing crocodile is prohibited by law.

In its website, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) said a penalty of P100,000 await anyone who capture and kill a crocodile, including a six year imprisonment.

In April 2014, two fishermen caught a 7.5-foot crocodile in Barangay (village) Dunguan Mlang, North Cotabato.

The 80 kilos reptile was later returned to its natural habitat on May 2, 2014. It was named by local environment officials as “Malang” from the town’s name, Mlang. (PNA)

of the ASEAN Information Kiosk at the Big 8 Corporate Hotel in Tagum City last Wednesday, February 22.

(DavNor Info Office Photo)

7 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

Malungon to energize 2,500 more homes

A

ROUND 2,500 households in remote communities in Malungon town in Sarangani Province are set to benefit from a European Union (EU)-supported rural electrification program of the Department of Energy (DOE).

Arnel Adanza, planning officer of South Cotabato II Electric Cooperative (Socoteco II), said Friday the preparations are underway for the implementation of the project, which will mainly involve the energization of far-flung villages in the area through solar home systems.

He said the DOE had given the go-signal for the cooperative, which was tapped as project implementer, to start its rollout in Malungon town.

Adanza said the initiative, which is a component of the DOE’s Access to Sustainable Energy Programme (ASEP), will be implemented in close

coordination with the municipal government.

“This project will facilitate the flow of additional solar-powered light facilities for households living more or less three kilometers out from the last tapping poles,” he said.

Adanza earlier met with municipal officials led by Mayor Maria Theresa Constantino to formally present the project and forge collaboration for its implementation.

He said the identification of the beneficiaries will be assisted by the municipal government and barangay councils of the target communities.

Around 2,000 households had signified to avail of the project in a survey conducted

by Socoteco II from October to December last year, he said.

“But we’re targeting around 2,500 recipients for the pilot implementation,” he

ETROBANK Group’s stockbrokerage firm First Metro Securities Brokerage Corp. expects its business growing 30 percent this year with the launch of three new investment products, including the online trading platform for mutual funds.

First Metro Securities President Gonzalo Ordoñez said the firm also unveiled margin financing product and mobile app V2.0.

“Half of our business is online (though) we still have a lot of institutional accounts and foreign accounts. The bread and butter of the company are shifting now from institutional to online. But today, it is still on the institutional side. But i think, that’s the growth that we see,” he told reporters.

Ordoñez expects more investors, particularly millennials, to avail of these investment products through its

online trading system.

“Overall, we will grow about 30 percent this year, the bulk of that is online,” he said.

FundsMart offers new benefits and features, such as convenient one-stop access to mutual funds offered by the six biggest fund providers in the country, including First Metro Asset Management, Inc. Ordoñez further said under the margin financing, investors who have at least P200,000 worth of marginable stocks can apply for an account. Marginable stocks are those that one can use as collateral.

“You can make much more money, you can double your money, but you can also lose your money. So it’s for the more sophisticated investors.

The mutual funds are for the investors that are just entering the market,” he added.

(PNA)

F MALUNGON, 11

Regional scientific meeting in Davao T

HE National Academy of Science and Technology, Philippines (NAST PHL) will conduct its 39th Annual Scientific Meeting (ASM) on July 12-13, 2017 with the theme “Attaining Sustainable Development Goals: Philippine Fisheries 20/20”.

For this year, NAST PHL adopted the Sustainable Development Goals (SGDs) to be its overarching theme. The Agricultural Sciences Division, being the host division, agreed to focus on “fisheries” where science is critical. They are also interested in determining how these sectors will impact

the achievement of SGDs in the Philippines.

This annual activity of the Academy aims to convene a conference to determine how the Philippines will achieve the Sustainable Development Goals. It serves as the leading forum for the presentation of the results of scientific and policy research.

In line with the thrust of the Duterte administration, NAST PHL will conduct Regional Scientific Meetings in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. For Mindanao, NAST PHL will hold the two-day Regional Scientific Meeting in Davao

City on 13-14 March 2017.

This is in coordination with the Department of Science and Technology Mindanao Cluster (Region IX, X, XI, XII, CARAGA, ARMM).

Invited experts include: Dr. Cesar L. Villanor, professor at the University of the Philippines (UP) Marine Science Institute, who will discuss about the “Sustainable Sardine Production”; Mr. Alfred Pedrosa III, president of the Seaweed Industry Association of the Philippines, who will talk about the “Current Status of the Seaweed Industry”; Academicians William T. Torres

and Guillermo Q. Tabios III who will discuss “Fisheries Ecosystem”; Academician Reynaldo B. Vea who will present “Optimization of Fishing Vessel Design”; Dr. Glenn Doromal Aguilar, chancellor of UP Visayas who will talk on “Municipal Fishing Boats”.

Policy recommendations on appropriate interventions as agreed upon during the plenary sessions will be submitted to the Philippine government and the private sector.

More than 300 scientists and researchers from all over Mindanao are expected to attend this activity. (PR)

First Metro Securities sees 30% growth M

Gerry’s Grill opens 3rd branch in US P

OPULAR homegrown Filipino restaurant Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar opened its third branch in the US in the Kalihi neighborhood in Honolulu, Hawaii recently.

Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar, formerly known as Gerry’s Grill, is famous for its signature Filipino dishes, such as sizzling ‘sisig’, grilled seafood, pork barbecue, and crispy ‘pata’.

The other two US branches are located in Orange County and Union City, both in California. Gerry’s is set to open another branch in Houston,

Texas.

Gerry’s has more than 90 branches worldwide, mostly in the Philippines, three in the US, two in Singapore, and one in Qatar.

Gerry’s Restaurant and Bar founder Gerry Apolinario, Joe Quibuyen, franchise owners of the Hawaii branch, and Consul Joyleen Santos of the Philippine Consulate General in Honolulu led the ribbon-cutting ceremony, following a blessing of the 150-seater restaurant and its crew by Fr. Danny Laeda, a Filipino parish priest in Honolulu. (PNA)

BUSINESS MATCHING EVENT. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Secretary Ramon Lopez (4th from L) shared the toast with President of Security Bank Corporation Alfonso L. Salcedo (4th from R) and MUFG Corporate Finance & Strategic Advisory Division Mr. Makoto Kobayashi (3rd from L) yesterday (22 February) for the successful business matching event organized by Mitsubishi UFJ Financial Group, Inc. (MUFG). In celebration of the securing its full banking license in the Philippines, MUFG gathered more than 85 MSMEs for the largest, and first of its kind business matching event in the country which resulted to 200 meetings overall. “In line with the

president’s advocacy, the government will continue to promote investments and protect investments.” said Secretary Lopez. Participating companies in the event are from the distribution and manufacturing industry, healthcare and medical equipment, real estate and development, and agricultural and seafood products. Joining the event are 53 Japanese, 31 Philippine, two Thai and one Vietnamese company, which aims to increase the opportunity to promote cross-border trade. Joining the Secretary were Economic Minister of the Embassy of Japan in the Philippines Mr. Makoto Iyori (3rd from R) and senior officials from MUFG and Security Bank Corporation. (DTI Photo)

BDO posts record P26.1-billion income in 2016 B

DO Unibank, Inc. (BDO) delivered a net income of P26.1 billion in 2016 on the back of strong results across its core businesses. This matched the Bank’s earnings guidance for last year and is a record net income for the Bank.

Customer loan portfolio increased by 16 per cent to P1.5 trillion, while total deposits rose by 15 per cent to P1.9 trillion on the sustained growth in the Bank’s low-cost CASA deposits. Net interest income went up by 15 per cent to P65.6 billion, reflecting the quality growth in the loan portfolio.

Meanwhile, fee-based income grew by 15 per cent to P22.2 billion and insurance premium contributed P8.0 billion, as the Bank’s efforts at diversifying its income stream start to bear fruit. These fee

income sources compensated for the decline in trading gains to P4.8 billion. Overall, gross operating income settled at P107.2 billion.

The Bank’s operating expenses advanced by 27 per cent to P70.1 billion, primarily reflecting the consolidation of One Network Bank (ONB) and BDO Life Insurance. Excluding these, operating expenses would have risen only by 11 per cent.

The Bank set aside P3.8 billion in provisions for the year even as gross non-performing loan (NPL) ratio held steady at 1.3 per cent while NPL cover remained high at 139 per cent.

The Bank’s capital base stood at P217.5 billion, with Capital Adequacy Ratio (CAR) and Common Equity Tier 1 (CET1) ratio at 12.4 per cent and 10.7 per cent, respective-

ly. In January 2017, the Bank successfully completed its rights offer, raising a total of P60 billion (USD1.2 billion) in fresh capital and boosting the Bank’s consolidated CAR to an estimated 15.7 per cent. This will allow the Bank to support its medium-term targets and provide a comfortable buffer over higher minimum capital requirements with the staggered implementation of the Domestic Systemically Important Bank (DSIB) surcharge.

With a strengthened capital base, robust business franchise and extensive distribution network, BDO is well-positioned to benefit from the country’s growth momentum.

About BDO BDO is a full-service universal bank which provides a wide range of corporate and retail banking services. These

services include traditional loan and deposit products, as well as treasury, trust banking, investment banking, private banking, rural banking, cash management, leasing and finance, remittance, insurance, retail cash cards and credit card services.

BDO has one of the largest distribution networks, with more than 1,100 operating branches and over 3,600 ATMs nationwide. It also has 26 overseas remittance and representative offices (including one full-service branch in Hong Kong) in Asia, Europe, North America and the Middle East.

BDO ranked as the largest bank in terms of total assets, loans, deposits and trust funds under management based on published statements of condition as of December 31, 2016.

For more information, please visit www.bdo.com.ph. (PR)

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

EDITORIAL

T

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

Lest we forget

HE People Power Revolution is not lost.

tion led to the establishment of the Aquino regime and so it has

That, in a rather straightforward assessment, is the since then been associated with the Aquinos and their allies.

reality about the People Power Revolution of 1986.

The revolution in 1986 was the common ground among the

There is no denying the spirit of that revolution has not died. Filipino masses to end the long years of the Marcos dictatorship Perhaps it has waned in the normal passing of time, but it has that was really the force behind the revolution. remained in the hearts and minds of the freedom-loving Filipinos.

Today as we commemorate the 31st anniversary of the revo-

lution, some people including the church, use the spirit of Peo-

However, it is necessary to make brutally frank corrections ple Power to advance political interests and air their disagree-

on some people’s minds that the revolution that happened in ment with government policies.

EDSA and in many other parts of the country in that memorable

Lest some people forget, respect must be conveyed to the Fil-

days of February 31 years ago is a franchise of the Aquinos and ipino people who are the real spirit of the revolution. their supporters.

People Power is not and will never be a franchise to be owned

It is but coincidental that the force that propelled the revolu- by a few.

EDGEDAVAO

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EDGEDAVAO

T

HEN and now, Davao River, also known as Bankerohan River, has been an indispensable facet of Davao City’s progress, especially in transport and commerce. Months after the Port of Davao was opened on July 1, 1908, the construction of the 300-yard Santa Ana Pier followed.

The completion of the town’s first commercial wharf, which is now a tourist-oriented jetty, happened in 1909 with the help of members of the Davao Planters Association (DPA). Cost for the project was PhP29,946 when the dollar-peso currency exchange was 1 to 2. Connecting the pier to the town proper was the Beach Road, now Magsaysay Street, which was built at the cost of PhP6,762. Near the dock were warehouses and the Customs House.

The Mindanao Herald, in its Feb. 3, 1909 issue, described the pier under construction: “This port is located on the Gulf of Davao at the mouth of the Davao River, and is the center of a hemp producing region which is rapidly increasing in importance. It is there that the American planter has found a congenial climate and splendid opportunity to exercise his energies, and is the only place in the Philippine Islands where the American has taken hold to any great extent in plantation enterprises.

“In order that the pier might be located in better water and gain the protection of an island a short way from the coast, it was located about 1.5 miles north of the present anchorage, a road built to the site, custom house and bodegas erected, and, as mentioned above, construction on the pier proper is well under way.

“As an earnest of the public spiritedness and

I

N one hour of sustained physical exercise, the body can lose up to three quarts of water through perspiration. In that water are small amounts of “electrolyte” minerals – mainly sodium but also potassium – and carbohydrates (sugars), whose loss can lead to fatigue.

For most of human history, the remedy to fluid loss was simple: drink water. But since the 1960s, sporting enthusiasts have an alternative – the “isotonic drink,” containing not only water but also electrolytes and other minerals, plus vitamins, complex polymer carbohydrates and amino acids.

In the United States, one of the sports drinks which has become very popular is the water that comes from coconut trees. According to my sister, who now lives in the US, coconut water is available in supermarkets, health-food stores and even in some vending machines in single-serving sizes.

One American health magazine hails coco water as “America’s healthiest beverage” for providing enhanced hydration, essential nutrition and all five essential electrolytes (calcium, potassium, magnesium, phosphorous and sodium).

Consider this: When compared with a popular sports drink per 100 milligrams, coco water has more potassium (294 milligrams versus 11.7 milligrams), less sodium (25 milligrams versus 41 milligrams), more chloride (118 milligrams versus 39 milligrams), more magnesium (10 milligrams versus 7 milligrams), and less sugars (five milligrams versus six milligrams).

During the Pacific War of 1941-45, both sides in the conflict regularly used coconut water – siphoned directly from the nut – to give emergency

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

From Wireless to Santa Ana

VANTAGE POINTS

9

loyalty of the FAST BACKWARD Davao merchants and planters, they have contributed all of the piling for this structure, no small item in its final cost. The approach to this pier will be some 700 feet Antonio V. Figueroa in length, with a T-head 38 X200 feet, and will afford a depth of water of 24 feet to vessels docking there.”

After it was opened to shipping traffic, it started to accept direct importation, subject, however, to the restrictions of customs. Under the guidelines, most produce from the town of Davao via the wharf was first transshipped to Manila before these were dispatched to the United States. This arrangement resulted in high cost of living and bigger salary scale due to limited manpower supply working at the pier.

A decade and a half later, Santa Ana pier, which was only used by small interisland steamers, and shipping district adjacent to it, figuratively due to wear and tear, were already in a state of disrepair “with danger signs plastered all over it by the district engineer.” To resolve the issue, the authorities proposed the prompt construction of a concrete pier, fearing the collapse of the dilapidated wharf would paralyze commerce in town.

Another account described the quay’s role in Davao’s growth:

“The shipping point is the barrio of Santa Ana, where are situated the hemp warehouses and the pier. The officers of the export houses are here; a lively community is developing. Adjacent plantations are situated up the Davao River. The town is on the north bank. The river empties into the gulf a short distance below the town, near Santa Ana. With the exception of Juan Anad, the owners of up-river plantations are Filipinos. Considerable quantities of hemp are shipped down the river and bought by Chinese dealers in Davao.”

Between 1910 and 1925, as an impact of the opening of Santa Ana pier, socio-economic changes were visible in the development of the town.

To link Daliaon on the south, a good 19 kilometers from the town proper, a road that allowed automobiles to pass was opened. Reaching the poblacion from there meant negotiating a small concrete ford at Talomo River and crossing Davao River on a light pontoon bridge, which was later opened to truck traffic. At the time, the entire province was already home to over 400 cars.

E.C. Walters, in an article titled ‘The Present Status and Volume of Davao Commerce,’ which appeared in the August 1925 issue of The American Chamber of Commerce Journal, wrote: “This [Davao-Daliaon] road has been built through an extensively cultivated district, yet the products of the district are hauled either to Talomo or Daliaon and transported by launch to Davao. A suitable bridge across the Davao River would completely change the system of transportation of the products of this district. A continuation of this road through Santa Cruz on to the Padada valley and beyond, and a few kilometers of roads in other directions would open up a

vast acreage of very fertile land now accessible only along the coast line of the gulf and inland along the banks of a few rivers navigable to small launches.”

Meanwhile, the sending of telegraphic communication to Manila via Zamboanga was made through a small station in what is now known as Wireless at Madapo Hills, near the Masonic cemetery. So inefficient was the budget of the station that it only had a budget for one bicycle messenger who delivered and picked up messages in the town proper and at the Santa pier for relay to Zamboanga. Due to this deficiency, it required more time to deliver a message from the wireless station to Santa Ana than thes transmission from Manila to Davao via Zamboanga.

Additionally, Walters added, “the time required to file a Santa Ana message via the Davao post office or the wireless station requires more time than for the transmission of the message to Manila. A land line from the wireless station to Santa Ana (where all the exporters have their offices) and the maintenance thereof would require a very small outlay of government funds, but would improve the service from four to twelve hours on each Santa Ana message.

“Mail communication is made possible principally by the interisland steamers, operating on a Manila, Cebu or Iloilo, Zamboanga and Davao schedule requiring from 20 to 25 days for the round trip. Requisitions sent from Davao by mail are ordinarily filled within six weeks. For the present no remedy is seen and the Davao merchant reckons this delay as one of the cost items of doing business there.”

In today’s parlance, we call it snail-paced mail.

plasma transfusions to wound- THINK ON THESE! ed soldiers.

“Medically, the buko juice is one of the purest sources of energy in the world,” says Dr. Jose P. Naval, an occupational physician based in Davao.

Henrylito D. Tacio “It is considered to be sterile henrytacio@gmail.com because of its sealed enclosure in the nut shell.”

The health benefits of coco water had been hailed as early as 1996. A news report carried

by Today said: “More and more studies on the coconut show that it has great nutritional and medicinal value, and can have a tremendous impact on the health and lives of people.”

The report cited the “years of scientific research by Dr. Eufemio Macalalag, Jr., chief of the Urology Department of the Chinese General Hospital.” It said the study has proven that “coconut water can help man stay healthy.”

The physician employed what he called as direct bukolysis. The report explained: “For the past year, Dr. Macalalag has been using coconut water from 6- to 10-month-old nuts in dissolving kidney stones in his patients by directly infusing the water into the kidneys.

In addition, the doctor also did extensive research on bukolysis and discovered oral bukolysis using fresh buko water, buko nectar concentrate,

or buko nectar concentrate powder in dissolving all kinds of kidney stones.

Dr. Macalalag, the report said, recommends the drinking of buko water from three fresh nuts daily to prevent renal disorders.

Meanwhile, American nutritionist Jonny Bowden, author of The 150 Healthiest Foods on Earth, considers coco water to be a “perfectly good option” for people who want to stay hydrated. “It’s high in heart-healthy potassium, with most brands providing about 700 milligrams in an 11-ounce serving – that’s lots more than you get in a banana,” he wrote. “It also has only about 60 calories per 11-ounce serving.”

Diabetics can also benefit from drinking coconut water. The Philippine Coconut Authority gives this information: “Potassium content ofwater is remarkably high at all nut ages. Together with sodium and phosphorus, potassium content also tends to increase with the ages of the coconut to peak at nine months. This characteristic of coconut water makes it a very good drinking water for diabetics. Diabetics waking from a coma recover quickly after drinking coconut water.”

There’s more to coco water than all these. Bruce Fife, considered the world’s leading expert on coconut and health, shared this anecdote in his book, Coconut Water for Health and Healing, on how coco water helped in treating cataract: “We discovered this by accident while on a cruise ship (years ago). A few of us were on an island day trip and wanted to get off the beaten tourist’s path so we hired a bus and driver to take us to the opposite side of the island (only 10 of us

on that big bus). A man and his wife were taking the cruise as a sort last hoorah before her scheduled cataract surgery, we later found out.

“Anyway, there was a beautiful beach with coconuts laying everywhere and we got thirsty, but there was no drinking water. So we decided to open up some coconut to quench our dry throats.

We found a local with a big machete and through sign language we convinced him to open coconuts for us. The woman with the cataracts got splashed in one eye by the coconut juice, and it burned a bit.

“We were all digging through everything we had for something to relieve her eye ‘injury.’ All we came up with was one moist washcloth. Her husband wiped her eye and placed the washcloth over it. About 10 minutes later she announced we should head back to the ship. We did.

“The next morning at breakfast she said that her eye was much better and that she could see very well. We examined her eye closely and could not see any signs of the cataract, which was quite obvious the day before. She said she wished she had gotten splashed in both eyes. Then the idea dawned on us to ‘splash’ her other eye.

“We did that very day as soon as we got ashore and also repeated the other eye too. This time we were prepared. We went to the local market, grabbed a coconut, opened it, and strained it through a washcloth into a plastic cup, dribbled the juice into both eyes, placed a warm washcloth over both eyes, waited 10 minutes, and the rest is history.”

Just a warning: what is being written here is basically for information. Before applying them, please talk with your doctor about it first.

Much ado about coco water

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PRRD to BTC: “navigate the hindrances ‘Kublai’and ‘Amy’are and obstructions; find a way to peace” Datu Bago Awardees

“N

AVIGATE the hindrances and obstructions. Hanapin ninyo ang daan hanggang patungo sa kapayapaan” (Find a way to peace), President Rodrigo Duterte urged members of the expanded Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC) at the launch late Friday afternoon at the Garden Pavilion of the Waterfront Insular Hotel.

It will be difficult, he warned the 21-member Commission that will draft the Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). “Mahirap ‘yan. It’s going to be a long journey but if there is a product that is acceptable to all, makikita ninyo ako” (I will be around), the 16th President of the Philippines and the first Mindanawon to lead the nation said.

“Ang gusto ko talaga mangyari ay kapayapaan (What I really want is peace) but it must be as one country, one nation and one flag,” said Duterte, who has repeatedly vowed to address the historical injustices committed against the Bangsamoro people.

He described himself as “a man in a hurry,” citing the threat of “extreme terrorism” of the Islamic State type. “We must avoid extremism or even entertaining or accommodating them because it will destroy all of us,” said the first President with a Moro bloodline.

Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process Jesus Dureza explained that BTC will “craft a new draft of what would be another enabling law that will implement the Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) but more than that it will attempt also to converge all the different laws that we have in order that at the end of the day, we have only one Bangsamoro in a very enlightened Filipino nation.”

Dureza said this is the first time that the President is a Mindanawon, the Senate President and House Speaker and the Chief Justice “who hails from Sulu and whose husband is from Davao City” are Mindanawons. Sereno was

born in Manila but her father is from Siasi, Sulu. Dureza is also a Mindanawon.

Re-launch Al Haj Murad Ebrahim, chair of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), referred to the event as “re-launch” as this is the second BTC in four years that will draft a new BBL. The BBL is the legal expression of the political agreement (CAB), signed by the government (GPH) and the MILF on March 27, 2014 and its passage will pave the way for the creation of the Bangsamoro, a new autonomous political entity that will replace the 27year old Autonomous region.

On February 25, 2013, then President Benigno Simeon Aquino III named the 15 members of the MILF-led BTC that would draft the BBL. The BTC started work in April 2013, submitted its draft to the Office of the President in April 2014, received a copy of the OP-reviewed and revised draft in late June, formally rejected the draft in early July and after a series of meetings of the peace panels and the OP, came up with an “agreed version” that was submitted to Congress on September 10, 2014.

The House and Senate committees that handled the draft came up with their own versions of the law that were criticized by the BTC as “watered down” versions that would make the future Bangsamoro even less autonomous than the ARMM. Congress adjourned in February 2016 without passing the law.

Rekindling hope “As we re-launch the BTC today, we rekindle the hope of thousands of our people for a peaceful and progressive Bangsamoro even if we are occasionally gripped by sadness at the failure earlier to pass the BBL,” Murad said, as he urged stakeholders to “look back at those experiences, not with bitterness, but with an examining eye so that we may dissect the problems and address them.”

“We must come out better prepared this time to respond to the challenges of legislation. The Filipino people must equally stand prepared to accept us as partners in achieving peace and progress, not only for this region but for the entire country,” she said.

“Perhaps, this second chance is the best second chance anyone could possibly have,” Murad said, echoing what Dureza said about the Mindanawon-led Presidency, Senate, House of Representatives and Supreme Court.

He said they are “more confident” now in achieving a lasting solution to the Bangsamoro Question than at any other time in their struggle “because we have a President who understands the history and the root cause of the Moro Question.”

“Taga rito ako and alam ko yung agony na dinaanan natin (I am from here and I understand the agony that we went through), the suffering that we had to undergo, the Christians, the Filipinos and the Lumads.

We must have peace at all costs,” Duterte said.

Addressing the 21 members of the BTC at the launch at the Garden Pavilion of the Waterfront Insular Hotel here that gathered around a thousand guests from the MILF, government, and other sectors, Duterte said: “You know the history, you know the equation here, you know the composition of the population, you know the religions here, you know the idiosyncrasies of the tribes.”

Federalism and BBL At a certain point, however, Duterte’s statements confused the crowd as he was apparently referring to the Constitution of a Federal Philippines instead of the BBL. In the latter part of his speech, he said violent extremism will destroy the country “pero kung marunong kayo and you must hurry, because if there is I said, on the third year meron kayong produkto at naipasa ng Congress, we will implement it.”

“And there will some changes there, and an election for and I advise you, maski na papaano do not forget at this time because of the so many islands and so many political parties and persons, sabihin ko na lang sa inyo, most of the people from Luzon guys, they don’t understand and they do not want it.”

“So you must in a newly formed set up, just choose in the mean time, you can do away with the Presidency, maybe a pure parliament but at this time, I would suggest go for the parliament of just like France. Have a good President, hindi na ako ‘yan. Because if you finish it in three to four years, there will be an election and it will provide an Office of the President, I will be automatically disqualified,” Duterte said.

He has repeatedly said federalism is the centerpiece of his administration. But he also promised during his visit to the MILF’s Camp Darapanan on February 27 last year that he would push for the shift to a federal system but “if it takes time, and if only to defuse tension, in my government I will convince Congress to pass the BBL then make it as a template for federal states.”

At the Cotabato City plaza hours later, he vowed “we will try to go federalism. Yang Bagsamoro sa mapa ngayon, wag nang galawin yan. Gawin na lang nating example na makopya sa lahat. Ang mangyayari nito, uunahin ko na lang pakiusapan ko ang Congress na we will pass the BBL (The Bangsamoro on the map now, let’s not touch that anymore.

Let’s make it an example for the rest to copy. I will immediately ask Congress to pass the BBL).

July deadline The Bangsamoro Peace and Development Roadmap of the Duterte administration actually targets the submission of the draft BBL by July 2017, before Duterte delivers his second State of the Nation

F PRRD, 11

Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte, the lone Mindanawon Presidentilal candidate, chants “Allahu Akbar” (Allah is Great) as he arrives at the venue of the Cotabato City rally on February 27, 2016. Duterte was warmly welcomed by the Moro people for whom he vowed his administration would “correct the historical injustice” committed against them. MindaNews photo by KEITH BACONGCO

T

HE Datu Bago Awardees Organization, Inc. through its Chairman, Dr. Guillermo P. Torres, Jr., with

the concurrence of Mayor Sara Z. Duterte, is pleased to announce the following Datu Bago awardees for 2017:

Rey Mudjahid “Kublai” Ponce Millan Kublai is a prolific artist who infuses his works of art with humanity and indigenous culture. His creations are deeply rooted in the social context of Mindanao’s grassroots communities.

He is Davao’s favorite culture and arts ambassador as his many art works can be seen all over Davao City and Mindanao. His unique sculptures and art installations have become cultural landmarks and enjoyed by Davao residents and visitors alike.

A staunch advocate of art and social justice, Kublai works with disadvantaged children - children in conflict with the law, orphans, abused children, and indigenous children - through free art workshops and fundraising exhibits for children’s artworks.

Kublai has showcased Davao City’s art and culture in the national and global stage through his creations. He is the first Davaoeño and Filipino artist to create and display a life-size Nativity sculpture at the St. Peter’s Square in the Vatican, Italy for the entire Christmas season of 2010.

He is being recognized for his contribution to the development of Davao’s culture and arts.

Amalia “Amy” Bandiola Cabusao Amy is a veteran journalist and staunch promoter of campus and community journalism. She is the editor-in-chief of Mindanao Times, the oldest newspaper in Mindanao. She is also a radio program host and documentary filmmaker.

Not content with just writing and publishing community stories, she dedicates her life to building the capacities of young people, especially women and girls and indigenous youth, in communicating and storytelling.

She organizes regular summer workshops in journalism for local and international writers and promotes peace and conflict sensitivity in reporting Mindanao. Recently, she launched the first Journalism Institute for Mindanao, based in Davao City, aimed at developing media research, providing venues for continuing education among journalists and mass communication students and offering internships for them in the region.

Amy is the first from Mindanao who was awarded the prestigious Ninoy and Cory Aquino Fellowship for Professional Development for her dedication to upholding press freedom and journalistic ethics, and for providing valuable training opportunities to promising Filipino journalists.

She is a fellow of the International Center of Journalists in Washington, DC and is part of the World Editors Forum.

The Datu Bago awardees are recognized for their outstanding, exemplary and selfless contribution to the growth and development of Davao City through its greatest resources, its people, and for their invaluable contribution to the preservation of the Dabawenyo culture heritage.

The Datu Bago Award is the highest award that the Davao City government bestows on its constituents.

The 47th Conferment of

Datu Bago Awards 2017 will be one of the major events during the celebration of the 80th Araw ng Davao. It is set on the 15th of March 2017 (Wednesday) at The Royal Ballroom of Royal Mandaya Hotel, Davao City.

The Awards Night will be highlighted by the presence of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, His Excellency Rodrigo Roa-Duterte as the Keynote Speaker. Patmei Bello-Ruivivar/Tisay R. Torres

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STYLE

EDGEDAVAO

Rocky’s two scents worth THERE’S NOTHING MORE ATTRACTIVE than a man who looks and smells good. Nobody knows this better than Rocky’s Barbershop, one of Davao’s most preferred for keeping men well-groomed, presentable and manly. The grooming mecca which has been in business since 1996 is recognized as the first barbershop to be situated inside a mall here in Davao.

As it has just newly celebrated its 20th anniversary last year, it is now coming out with another significant first as it launches its own exclusive fragrance line for men. This is an interesting direction to take for Rocky’s, further distinguishing itself from other grooming lounges around

the city that have only gone as far as hair products.

“It’s about the finer side of Rocky’s,” said Kay Gempesaw, the marketing coordinator of Rocky’s Barbershop, “The initial product introduced are the Rocky’s signature fragrances.” Gunning for a more holistic grooming

experience for their customers, Kay and her team have come out with two fragrances initially that embody what their brand and their customer is all about. The fragrances, respectively named 1996 and Adventure, essentially capture who the Rocky’s man is -confident in his masculinity, strong, fearless, open- minded and optimistic.

As this successful chain of barbershops looks to become a one-stop venue where men can comfortably have all their grooming needs met, the services have since expanded to include hair spa treatments and color styling which is a nod to its keeping up with the times.

The introduction of the exclusive fragrances will bridge the aesthetics with

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the sensation of freshness seamlessly for a total Rocky’s experience.

It took more than a year to arrive at the formulation of its first two fragrances and the collaboration with French company Charabot, the oldest fragrance house in the world, made the finished products all the more meaningful and special. Though they

are geographically far apart, the perfumery and Rocky’s run along many parallels. Both are familyowned enterprises and have withstood the test of time in their respective fields. These similarities bolstered their view that they could create something significant together and indeed they did. After weeding through different scent profiles and running market studies,

Rocky’s was able to shortlist two fragrances after numerous submissions which were then named 1996 after its year of inception and Adventure.

Classic and traditional is what the 1996 perfume exudes. It is woody, aromatic and musky with lemon and lavender on the top notes, tarragon and thyme for the middle notes and patchouli and musk for the base notes.

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Adventure is the second fragrance and targets the younger, daring and modern “Rocky’s Man.” It bears a light and fresh citrus, woody marine fragrance with lime and bergamot for top notes, cedar wood for middle notes and grey amber and musk for base notes. Both are of obvious quality. Formulated as perfumes, their scents last and aren’t cloying nor too aggressive.

Both scents will come in 50ml. bottles and will be sold at Php 350 only in all Rocky’s branches in Davao City - Victoria Plaza Mall, Abreeza Mall, Gaisano Mall of Davao, SM City and SM Lanang Premier.

“Through the years, Rocky’s is lucky to have gained the loyalty of the men in Davao. In fact, Rocky’s has become a tradition for a good num-

ber of families in the city passing the men’s grooming practice from one generation to the next,” Kay shares. “We are hoping that with Rocky’s 1996 and its fragrances, it will become a tradition as well. We are looking forward fro Rocky’s 1996 to grow beyond the fragrances in the future to include an exclusive line of men’s grooming products.”

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Bishop... FROM 1

stood what the spirit of EDSA is, otherwise, he would not have told her to never to forget that night 31 years ago.

“And I now believe that he understands it better than you do,” she added.

Mayor Sara recalled that evening of February 25, 1986, while in a deep sleep, was interrupted by her father, now President Duterte, to get dressed because they have to go downtown.

“Timan-i ninyo ning gabhiona ni. Ayaw ninyo kalimti. (Remember this night.

Don’t forget this.),” the mayor recalled the statement of her father while they were driving that evening.

“I have a memory of myself standing on the stairs of the San Pedro church bell tower, listening to the incessant ringing of the bells. I did not understand what was happening, but I surmised that it must be something very important because my father had to get me out of bed to watch cheering and partying adults on the streets,” she recalled.

Mayor Sara added that the celebration of the 1986 EDSA revolution is important but only to commemorate what the people did for the country at a certain period in our history.

“Since 1986 and until seven months ago, I remember that our nation has been hounded by corruption, crime, territorial war of gangs and druglords, extrajudicial killings, narco politics, terrorism, protracted rebellion, abuse of

power in government, political bickering and the entry of foreign mafias,” she said.

The country’s problems, she added, did not start when President Duterte took office.

“How dare you call us pimps of the EDSA spirit and yet it is you who cannot accept what has happened to our country since 1986. How dare you say that we are trying to prostitute the meaning of EDSA,” the mayor said.

She also criticized Villegas for preaching about freedom as if he invented the same.

“Let me tell you what freedom is. It is to live a life that is free from your selective moral standard. This is what the meaning of EDSA is,” she pointed out.

She said that Duterte won the presidency because people like Archbishop Villegas ignored the wrongs that are happening in the country.

“All you desired was to put into power a leader who walks and talks like you -- someone who is definitely not Rodrigo Duterte,” she emphasized.

The mayor also reminded Villegas: “When your friend failed as a President, I cannot remember you calling it the rape of EDSA. You just swept it under your glitzy rugs and you moved on, back to business -back to acting as if you can save us all from hell.”

Mayor Sara added: “Unfortunately for you Archbishop Villegas, this is not a biased commentary on your letter to the dead because I am not a fan of President Duterte.”

Abella explained that De Lima’s arrest is based on probable cause.

“Linawin po natin na ‘yung kanya pong kaso ay kriminal.

Hindi po ito pulitikal na bagay,” he said.

“As you can very well see, the way it’s all played out, is everything was played also in the open in media, wala naman pong naitago and you know, for all intents and purposes, everything was objective… everything was done objectively and with fair play,” he added.

In the same radio interview, Abella noted that the

Social Weather Stations (SWS) survey conducted in December 2016 on the optimism of job availability showed a record high of +37, the highest net optimism since 1998.

Abella said the Duterte administration is focused in creating 1.2 million jobs annually.

“It will be addressed by attracting more foreign investments, increasing infrastructure spending, the ease of doing business, improving the ease of doing business in the Philippines tsaka ‘yung pagdedevelop po ng ating human resources,” he said. (PNA)

said in a statement.

Under the project, Adanza said household-recipients will be provided with solar home systems that would be

capable of energizing three bulbs or fluorescent lights, a radio set, a television set, and charging of cellular phones.

(PNA)

Address on July 27.

The next ARMM elections is on May 13, 2019. If the BBL is not passed by then, the ARMM elections in 2019 will proceed as scheduled.

BTC chair Ghazali Jaafar on February 18 told MindaNews in Sultan Kudarat Maguindanao that he is confident they can submit the draft BBL before the President’s SONA on July 27.

At least nine commercial buses for the MILF delegation that assembled at Camp

Darapanan in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao, traveled early morning for Davao City.

Senate President Aquilino Pimentel III was a no-show and did not send a representative. House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, Jr. was a no-show, too, but Maguindanao Representative and Deputy Speaker for Mindanao Bai Sandra Sema was present. Sema said she counted around 18 representatives who attended, most of them from Mindanao. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

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IN DREAMLAND. A fisherman takes an afternoon nap at the edge of his boat at Sta. Ana Port in Davao City on Saturday. Lean Daval Jr.

Priests... FROM 1 and the anti-drug drive of the government.

President Duterte encouraged the members of the clergy to start their advocacies against illegal drugs in their respective communities.

“Go to the barangays and convince people who are into drugs to get away from it,” the President said.

He also reiterated his previous stand of taking full responsibility over the outcomes of the fight against illegal drugs.

“I am not denying any responsibility if there is any,” the President said, emphasizing that he assumes responsibility over the actions of the members of the Philippine National Police even the military who faithfully perform their tasks and duties to fight the drug menace in the country.

He said his administration will continue to defend

communities against illegal drugs and the people who are behind it.

“I took my oath to protect the Filipino people. That’s my job,” he pointed out.

The President also expressed sadness over the fact that some pioneers in Davao region need to work hard before earning their money and ordinary workers will need to exert all their efforts to earn something for their families – while those who are behind illegal drugs will only need to cook “shabu” and earn millions.

He also conveyed his gratitude to the FFCCCII for donating the facility to help those who wanted to recover from drug addiction.

The facility is the first among the 15 buildings committed by FFCCCII to be completed in Luzon, Visayas, and Mindanao. ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

one of the campaign promises of President Duterte back in May last year.

The “smoke-free Philippines” EO that the President has yet to sign has been patterned after Davao City’s Comprehensive Anti-Smoking Ordinance that was enacted when he was mayor of the city.

Meanwhile, the PHA reminded the public of the num-

bers 52100, which stands for five servings of vegetables and fruits a day: maximum of two hours gadgets use; one hour of vigorous activity; zero sugary beverages; and zero smoking.

Smoking not only leads to heart disease and various forms of cancers; it also contributes to air pollution, the association said. (PNA)

considering the fact that we are showcasing our place to our thousands of guests from across the region. To tell them that we are all one in this endeavor and to discourage those who might take advantage,” says the Governor.

With the event’s theme “One Davao Region, One Goal:

Excellence Through Sports”, the DAVRAA Meet is expected to spur local economic activity and will provide income to both small and big local businesses such as hotels, restaurants, transport sector, and markets, among many others.

By Riza M. Golez/Photo by Eden Jhan Licayan

it (SBL) was approved for a three-year implementation starting in 2010 but was extended for another three years to ensure fund sources for projects included in the public-private partnership (PPP) initiative.

However, the BSP’s MB decided to let the extension lapse

by Dec. 28, 2016 after noting that “there are sufficient feasible funding alternatives already available to PPP project proponents” such as entry of more foreign banks. (PNA)

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6 more... FROM 2 nuisance propaganda army of the communists, hence their members have become unwitting pawns of the aging CPP leaders wallowing in the comforts of foreign lands,” Valencia

pointed out.

Batchar said a total of 33 NPAs already left the communist movement and returned to the folds of the law since February 1 this year.

the DOLE’s human resources and financial affairs, as well as to handle or take charge of the department’s internal auditing services.

Undersecretary Dominador Say will be leading the Employment and Policy Support Cluster, with the support of Assistant Secretary Alex Avila.

He will supervise the Bureau of Local Employment Institute of Labor and Studies and Philippine Overseas Employment Administration.

They will be performing the cluster function, including the supervision of the Planning Service and Information and Publication Service.

Avila will also assist all the cluster heads in the discharge of their functions relative to the formulation of plans and policies, and should ensure policy coherence to the eightpoint labor and employment agenda.

The Human Capital Development and Regional Operations Cluster will be headed

by Undersecretary Bernard Olalia, his responsibilities include policy and program coordination of the Professional Regulation Commission National Wages and Productivity Commission and National Maritime Polytechnic He will be supported by Assistant

Secretary Federico Abuan Jr., in overseeing the cluster, including the supervision of DOLE Regional Offices.

The Legal, Legislative and International Affairs cluster of DOLE will be handled by Undersecretary Claro Arellano with Assistant Secretary Ma. Joji Aragon. They will be responsible for the policy and program coordination of the National Labor Relations Commission, as well as the operations of International Labor Affairs Bureau including all Philippine Overseas Labor Offices as well as in supervising the Legal Service, Department Legislative Liason Office and the International Labor Affairs Bureau.

Moreover, Assistant Secretary Mariano R. Alquiza will support Arellano on the general works/services, infrastructure or building concerns and other related services.

On the other hand, the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority, by virtue of Office of the President Executive Order No.1, series of 2016, is transferred under the supervision of the Office of the Cabinet Secretary.

However, per Republic Act No. 7796 or the TESDA Act of 1994, the labor secretary will remain the chairperson of the TESDA Board. (PNA)

she added.

Aside from the NTRC, the League of Provinces of the Philippines (LPP) and the Financial Executives Institute of the Philippines (FINEX) also backed the proposed estate tax reforms during the Senate hearing.

LPP Executive Director Sandra Tablan Paredes said the local government units also support the amnesty plan and even the repeal of the estate tax, given that

LGUs find it difficult to collect this tax because she believes that paying the government is the last thing on the mind of families grieving the death of their loved ones.

FINEX national affairs committee chairman Eduardo Yap said his organization is also supporting the reforms in the estate tax as this would help “simplify the tax system, encourage voluntary compliance and likely raise revenue collections.” (PNA)

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12 HEALTH EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

If bites could kill (Second of Three Parts)

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

I

N 2015, the dengue mortality in the Philippines reached 600 – that’s 0.35% case fatality rate (CFR). “(The figure) is basically very high because in comparison to other countries, the incidence would have supposed to be lesser if we use their CFR,” says Dr. Richard T. Mata, who serves as the official consultant on dengue prevention and control at the Department of Health.

“If we use Singapore’s CFR which is only .035%, the deaths could have only been 70 and not 600 for the Philippines,” he contends. “By using Thailand’s CFR of .09%, the dengue mortality rate in our country would go down to 180 instead of 600.

Malaysia even has a lesser CFR of 0.28%, which means there could be 560 deaths than our 600.”

“Dengue fever is a dreaded disease but the majority of deaths are actually preventable,” says Dr. Mata, a pediatrician who has a clinic in Panabo City. “Caring for dengue patients have become almost an everyday task,” he admits.

Even before he was tapped by the health department, Dr. Mata is already known for his anti-dengue advocacy. In fact, he makes his own website – www. solving-dengue-fever.com, which he updates regularly – to educate thousands of people around the world on the truth about dengue fever.

Hydration “There is a big information gap between the public and the medical professionals,” he points out. “The public believes that the main cause of dengue deaths is the decrease of the platelets while medical professionals know that the deaths are due to the complications of the plasma leakage that causes severe dehydration that results to multi-organ failure.”

This simply means that dengue fever is all about: the dengue-carrying mosquitoes live in the water and the solution to the problem is also water. “It’s about hydration,” says Dr. Mata with conviction.

What actually he is point out is the process of providing an adequate amount of water to body tissues of a dengue patient. “In dengue, our blood vessels will appear to have some holes through it and so the fluid, which we call as plasma, leaks out and causes dehydration among patients,” he explains.

But it’s not only water, which plasma contains, that comes out but platelet as well. “This is the reason why the platelet decreases because it comes out of the holes of the blood vessels,” he says.

Dr. Mata says that just like an ordinary wound, the blood vessel holes heal within six days.

“That’s why in dengue, the plate-

let is observed to have decrease until the sixth day of fever and from there, the platelet starts to increase again as the holes begin to close,” he says.

What really kills a person with dengue is not due to low platelet counts but dehydration.

It occurs when a person loses more fluid and his body doesn’t have enough water and other fluids to carry out its normal functions. “Dehydration is the killer,” he declares, “low platelet is only secondary.”

Dr. Mata explains that even if the platelet continuous to decrease each day for as long as the patient is fully hydrated with dextrose and oral fluids, the patient is safe. “The best indication the patient is fully hydrated is that he keeps on urinating with an interval of one to three hours,” he says. “If the patient does not urinate for more than 5 hours and looks very weak and sleepy, he can be in a brink of either hypotension (low blood pressure) or kidney failure.”

Low platelet To further explain the dengue problem, he talks of another disease called idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP).

“This is a disease where in the child has a low platelet from weeks to years in duration,” he explains. “I have some patients who have this disease. Some will have platelets as low as 10 or lesser, but once you see them you can’t believe that their platelets are that low. They are still playing and active despite the fact their blood platelet status is low.”

The ITP patients may have low platelet count “but they are not suffering from dehydration, which is not part of ITP but it is present in dengue cases.” According to him, “if an ITP patient will develop severe diarrhea and will not be brought to the hospital, he or she will develop severe bleeding just like dengue.”

In simpler terms, it’s the fluids that matter. “The low platelet will only cause harm if the patient is dehydrated,” Dr. Mata says.

Here is his brief explanation on the matter: “The truth is that even if the platelet of a dengue patient is low, but as long as the patient is properly hydrated, the patient will not give us any problem. Therefore, we need to bark at the right tree, the right tree is the fluids and not the platelets.”

In his experience, Dr. Mata discovered that dengue comes in various types. Not all dengue cases are created equal. “Some are very mild and some are very strong,” he says. “To understand it, we need to still look at it in the degree of fluid dehydration. The ones that are mild are those not so dehydrated and those that are toxic are those severely dehydrated.”

Now, going back to his “theory” about those holes in the blood vessels of dengue patients, thus causing the fluids and platelet to sip out. He classifies dengue into mild, moderate, severe and very severe. “What made these dengue types different from each other are simply the sizes and the amount of the holes it gives the blood vessels of the patient,” he explains.

To illustrate, he used a plastic bag filled with water. “If I will use a needle and put a few tiny holes through it, will the water inside drain immediately?” he asks. “Certainly not. This is therefore the mild one.”

Drinking water According to him, drinking lots of fluids can easily compensate the minute loss. “That’s why you can hear dengue patients who survived without even being admitted in the hospital, they fortunately have small holes,” he says. “But what if I will use a nail and place holes in the plastic bag? Of course, the leaking will be faster and sooner than you expect. If only all dengue patients come in with tiny leaks in their blood vessels then everything will be easy and not messy.”

It is in those having big holes that water replacement is a necessity – and immediately.

“It will just be a matter of time the patient will dehydrate that can cause the kidney be damaged and result to other organ failures,” Dr. Mata says.

This is the reason why dengue is very different from diarrhea, which is also a disease of dehydration. “In diarrhea, you

F HEALTH, 13

Top: Dengue patient (Photo courtesy of Dr. Richard Mata) Left: Dr. Richard Mata during his lecture at Panabo City

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

13

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HEALTH... FROM 12 can easily estimate the amount of fluids that goes out with stool and thus estimate the amount that is needed back to compensate the loss,” he says. “In dengue, you cannot see the fluid coming out literally because the plasma leakage only brings the

fluids outside the blood vessels but still inside the body.”

This is what Dr. Mata believes: “The majority of dengue deaths are caused by lack of fluids that come in compared to the amount of fluids that come out of the blood vessels.”

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There are those who believe that other dengue deaths are due to too much fluid that caused congestion in the lungs.

His answer: “Congestion in dengue is caused by lack fluids in the first days of illness causing kidney failure which resulted to inability of the body to urinate.

The outcome: congestion. Thus, it is still dehydration to begin with. Solving this balance will solve dengue.”

There are also those who think some dengue patients die because of low platelet which causes gastro-intestinal bleeding. “Those deaths were not really due to low platelet but due to dehydration that cause low blood supply to the intestines.

This causes ulcer formation that resulted to bleeding and plus the fact that there’s a low platelet the bleeding won’t stop. But if there was no dehydration – even if the platelet is less than 10 – the patient will still not develop intestinal bleeding. I have proven that so many times in my practice,” Dr. Mata assures.

Although there is now a vaccine for dengue, there is still no specific treatment for the disease.

But Dr. Mata recommends aggressive fluid replacement.

“Dextrose plus oral fluids is the key,” Dr. Mata suggests. “If the patient is already admitted, he needs to continue taking oral fluids like Oresol and water to push him to urinate at one- to 3-hour interval.” (To be concluded)

14 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

BEN BE BACK

RIM RATTLER. Davao hoop fans will be delighted to see ‘Big Ben’ Mbala play in the city anew.

‘Big Ben’Mbala returning to play for TRMH-CMO in Araw hoops

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

B

njb@edgedavao.net

EN Mbala will be back afterall.

The Royal Mandaya Hotel-City Mayor’s Office DLSU Green Archers co-owner Glenn Escandor revealed on Saturday that the prolific 6-7 Cameroonian will be back to suit up for the team.

“Yes, Ben Mbala is playing for the Green Archers in Davao,” said Escandor, who shares ownership of the outfit with long-time partner Secretary Christopher “Bong” Go. The explosive Mbala, who was a major factor in La Salle’s title conquest in the recent UAAP wars, was earlier reported to have received a call up for Cameroon national team duty.

Apparently, DLSU basketball godfather Danding Cojuangco prevailed upon Mbala to stay, according to Escandor who is also a board of trustee member of the Samahang Basketball ng Piipinas (SBP).

With Mbala back in the fold, the reigning UAAP Season 79 champion De La Salle Green Archers are all set to defend its title in the forthcoming 80th Araw ng Dabaw Invitational basketball tournament set March 23-26 at the Davao City Recreation Center.

The Green Archers, who beat archrival Ateneo de Manila in the finals last December, will be representing The Royal Mandaya Hotel-CMO outfit.

However, crowd favorite

Jeron Teng, who was named UAAP Finals MVP, will not be back. Teng is now playing in the D League for AMA Computer College and is eyeing the next PBA Draft. Another player who wil not be returning is Thomas Torres.

Coach Aldin Ayo will be steering the Green Archers who will now be in full force with the fiery Ben Mbala back.

Former Ateneo de Davao coach Miggy Solitaria will sit as one of Ayo’s regular assistants.

The other members of the squad are Justine Baltazar, Andrei Caracut, Mark Dyke, Jollo Go, Andrew Langston, Aljun Melecio, Kib Monalbo, Brent Paraiso, Jason Perkins, Prince Rivero, Ricci

Araw ng Dabaw Arnis tournament set March 4-5

T

HE 80th Araw ng Dabaw Arnis Tournament gets going on March 4-5 at the Entertainment Are off the Gaisano Grand Citi Mall in Ilustre Street.

The two-day tournament is organized by the Davao City Sports Development Division in cooperation with Kapatirang Doble Olisi Escrima and Arnis Philippines.

“We are expecting participants from Davao del Sur, Davao Del Norte, Comval and Gen. Santos City,” said Mario Palazuelo, Arnis Philippine representative for Davao.

Palazuelo said winners will receive medals and certificates. Up for grabs are the class champion, 1st runner up and

2nd runner up. There will be a Novice Category to encourage beginners to participate in the said event.

“There will be no cash prizes,” Palazuelo stressed.

The event will be one of the basis for drafting players for the coming Batang Pinoy and for Philippine National Games for all Davao City participants.

Palazuelo, however, clarified that winners do not automatically qualify for the Davao City team to the Batang Pinoy Games.

“They are qualified to undergo intensive training before they can be part of the final selection for Davao City Arnis Team,” Palazuelo added. (NJB)

single round robin. The top teams after the eliminations square off for the championship where a P100,000 top kitty and a trophy awaits the winner.

The runner-up receives

P60,000, second runner-up, P40,000, third runner-up P30,000 and the last two squads P20,000 each.

The tournament is sanctioned by the Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas 11.

Davao Jones Academy against new entry Daniel R. Aguinaldo National High School, Philippine Women’s College against another new entry Davao City National High School, and Agro Industrial Foundation College against Ford Academy.

Ronel Leuterio, Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) 11 liaison officer, said the inter-secondary schools hoopfest will provide the venue for promising young cage talents in Davao City to hone their skills.

“A lot of our young players needs this exposure and this level of competition to sharpen their skills. We also hope to someday see some of them graduate to the big leagues and eventually the PBA or the national team,” Leuterio told

Edge Davao in a message.

Escandor tapped Leuterio to oversee the tournament as part of the basketball body’s year-round program.

Defending champion Holy Child Learning Center will be back to try to retain their title against archnemesis and twotime champion Ateneo de Davao University. The other prominent teams are darkhorse Assumption School of Davao and Ford Academy of the Arts.

This year, public schools Davao City National Hih School and Danniel R. Aguinaldo National High School are joining the prestigious event for the first time making it more interesting.

“Now, it’s going to be more competitive,” said Leuterio. “With the addition of

DCNHS and DRANHS which are the top two public school teams in the city, the tournament is wide open.”

Bunched with the Reds in Group B are Ford, Agro Industrial Foundation College, Holy Cross of Davao-Sasa, Daniel R. Aguinaldo National HIgh School and Davao Jones Academy.

The Blue Knights meantime will have as groupmates Assumption School of Davao, Jose Maria College, Emar Learning Center, Davao City National High School and Philippine Women’s College.

Each group will play single round robin with the top two squads advancing to the crossover semis. Ties are broken by the winner-over-theother rule otherwise, the quotient system applies. (NJB)

Escandor Cup hoopfest underway 8 am: Game 1: Game 2: Game 3: Game 4:

ARNIS TOURNAMENT. Exciting arnis action returns on March 4-5 at the Gaisano Grand Citi Mall. (DCSDD photo)

Rivero and Abu Tratter.

To u r n a m e n t commissioner Cholo Elegino said the other teams which have confirmed participation are former UAAP champion National University Bulldogs, University of the Philippines Fighting Maroons and Montana Pawnshop.

Still awaiting confirmation are Pacman Warrriors and the Ateneo Eagles.

Elegino said from four teams, the tournament will be expanded to six and will have two groups playing

T

Opening ADDU - JMC DJA-DRANHS PWC - DCNHS AGRO - FAA

HE year’s biggest secondary hoops tournament is underway as 12 teams vie for the prestigious 2017 Escandor Cup. The tournament formally got off on Sunday with Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas (SBP) 11 board of trustee member Glenn Escandor, who founded the tournament four years ago, declaring the cagefest open.

As of presstime, two-time champion Ateneo de Davao University played its first game against Jose Maria College.

The other games pit

FINAL MEETING. SBP liaison officer Ronel Leuterio (third from left, front row) with coaches during the final meeting of the 2017 Escandor Cup Inter-Secondary basketball tournament. SBP photo

VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

SPORTS 15

Rodel Mangulabnan, Luisita team reacts after missing his putt at hole 12

Luisita regains PAL seniors title. Members of Luisita team celebrate their winning moments after captures the title in the championship round seniors division of the 70th PAL Golf Interclub Tournament 2017 at the Apo Golf and Country, Davao City. They are, from left, Allan Aleare, Rodel Mangulabnan, Chito Laureta, Jeric Hechanova (team captain), Eddie Bagtas, Benjie Sumulong, Raffy Garcia, Jingy Tuazon, and Edmund Yee.

70th PAL Seniors Interclub complete results:

CHAMPIONSHIP Luisita 594 (145-159-151139), Canlubang 583 (124-162147-150), Del Monte 570 (143146-152-129), Eagle Ridge 524 (131-137-143-113)

FOUNDERS Orchard Seniors 545 (138-130-140-137), Negros Occidental 525 (125-133-126141), Manila 522 (132-122125-143) Valley Golf 521 (125131-127-138), Cebu Country Club 521 (130-137-121-133), Pueblo de Oro 512 (135-126126-125), Camp John Hay 508 (127-130-124-127), Wack Wack 497 (130-114-125-128), Apo 494 (130-128-110-126), Villamor Airbase 491 (137116-128-110), Davao City 488 (132-130-106-120), Alabang Country Club 474 (128-121111-114), Iloilo 469 (110-114116-129), Social Redhawk 436 (106-105-104-121), Veterans 429 (115-112-98-104), Bay Area 377 (98-66-117-96), Club 1872 Los Angeles 377 (92-10975-101), Via Verde LA 358 (9793-84-84), Brotherhood Sharp GC 153 (36-67-50-0)

AVIATORS Manila Southwoods 506 (125-126-129-126), Alta Vista 502 (126-129-129-128), Riviera 498 (130-125-117-126), Fil Am Hawaii 481 (117-114119-131), Rancho Palos 474 (134-111-112-117), Camp Evangelista 457 (115-108-123111), Guinhalaran 456 (114126-114-102), Zamboanga 444 (120-125-99-100), Team Coral Ocean Point 442 (106106-113-117), South Bay 432 (112-99-108-113), Lanang 431 (108-124-106-93), Forest Hills 432 (109-112-89-113), Taotaomona Guam 412 (90-11297-113), Bacolod 394 (102104-87-101), Vancouver 392 (100-100-85-107), Bay City GC Alameda 389 (96-101-109-83), Club Filipino Cebu 386 (10097-82-107), IAGC San Diego 381 (85-103-96-97), Cotabato 375 (91-97-89-98), SF Heritage 366 (100-98-83-85), PGA Qa-

tar 360 (88-94-93-85), Canphil 352 (99-66-111-76), Greenhills West 296 (44-77-96-79), EZ Par 270 (62-76-53-79)

SPORTSWRITERS Iligan 415 (96-103-112104), Baguio 414 (101-106119-88), San Juanico Park 412 (103-120-96-93), South Cotabato 411 (104-109-112-86), Van City 404 (85-109-109101), UP Tee Jots 397 (93-89106-109), Melbourne Pinoy 395 (99-97-110-94), Guam Seals 393 (88-104-107-94), Team Brookside 389 (98-91107-93), Sarangani 388 (105104-76-103), Fil Am Fairfield 384 (85-87-109-103), Paoay Seniors 384 (101-97-94-94), Fil Oz Sydney 379 (108-99-8884), San Francisco Maharlika 367 (91-96-101-79), Phil Am Central Florida 363 (92-95-9284), Mabuhay 356 (88-84-9985), PGA British Columbia 348 (66-95-86-101), San Francisco Crystal Springs 332 (72-10083-77), Dirab 327 (90-93-8163), Pinoy Vancouver 324 (7687-71-90), Fort Bonifacio 316 (97-79-85-55), Mt Malindang 295 (89-86-51-69), Austral Asian Social 278 (89-93-6135), Skywest 252 (65-81-4660)

FRIENDSHIP Lumbia 371 (86-105-9684), MSU 368 (90-76-108-94), Travelers 358 (74-92-97-95), Bennett Valley 357 (97-86105-69), Guam Seniors 332 (86-85-77-84), San Francisco Peninsula 330 (72-85-84-89), Winner’s Circle 325 (73-9674-82), Guam Compadres 325 (79-86-92-68), Leyte 314 (7385-81-75), Filcansa 310 (88-6278-82), Moffett Field 301 (7777-69-78), Fil Am New Jersey 301 (85-94-60-64), Fil Am SFO 292 (71-82-66-73), Parbreakers 278 (82-60-69-67), West Covina Warrios 250 (80-53-6156), Tri City 249 (57-77-57-58), Pittsburg Fil Am 238 (61-6860-49), Sandbagger of Vancouver 218 (42-84-21-71), Greater Vancouver 186 (62-37-40-47)

Eddie Bagtas at hole 12

RELENTLESS TO THE END Rancho Palos Verdes scores best finish for local teams

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

T

njb@edgedavao.net

HE homeboys of Rancho Palos Verdes fought hard to the end and finished a respectable fifth place in the Aviator Division of the 70th Philippine Airlines Seniors Interclub on Saturday.

Playing the final round at home, the RPV swingers scored its second best round of the tournament with an aggregatte 117 built around the solid rounds of Deo Cura and Faisal Samanodi.

Cura recovered his old form after a listless second round which saw him limp home with a 28, this time scoring 42 points on the PAL System of Scoring. Samanodi added a 40 while Randy Cadiogan chipped in a 35. Lito Dublan’s 30 did not count in the four-to-play three-tocount team event.

Overall, RPV tallied 474 on earlier rounds of 134,

L

111, and 112.

Manila Southwoods topped the Aviator division with a four-day total 506.

Alta Vista, RPV’s sister club from Cebu, placed second with a 502, falling short of its last day rally.

The other Davao team in the division, Lanang Golf and Country Club, wound up 11th after scoring an aggregate 431 built on rounds of 108-124,106 and 93.

Robert Te scored a team best 34 for Laanang on final day while Bong Belen added 32 and Dennis Salvador 27.

The 26 of Pepito Veloso did not count.

In the Founder’s Division, co-host Apo Golf and Country Club dropped to 9th place while erstwhile contender Davao City Golf Club suffered a major letdown by falling to 11th.

Apo got a pair of 43s

from Boy Tan and lawyer Manny Nitorreda while popular host Ting Castillo carded a 40 for a final round 120. Jose Tesado’s 35 did not count.

Apo tallied 494 on runds of 130-128-110-120.

The Matina-based DCGC, which tallied 488 (132-130106-120), got 43 from Isagani Gasal, 39 from Napoleon Manajero and a 38 from Agriculture Secretary Manny Pinol. The 36 of Frank Buno did not count.

Orchard topped the Founders division with a 545 (138-130-140-137) while Negros placed secpnd with a 525 and Manila Golf third with a 522.

Luisita ended the twoyear reign of Canlubang by completing a wire-to-wire victory in the Championship Division.

The Tarlac-based squad,

reinforced by four club champions, collected 594 points in the four-day event, beating Canlubang by 11.

The 70th PAL Interclub Platinum sponsors are Mareco Broadcasting Network, A&E Networks Asia, RMN Networks, The Manila Standard, Fox Networks Group, Rolls-Royce, TV5, MasterCard, TFC and Business Mirror.

Major sponsors include Asian Air Safari, Airbus, Primax Broadcasting Network and Sabre Airline Solutions while Corporate sponsors are Baron Travel Corporation, Boeing, MX3, GE Aviation, Bombo Radyo Philippines, Asia Brewery, Tanduay Distillers, Sabre Airline Solutions and Tourism Promotions Board.

The donors are Shangri-La at The Fort, Trinity Insurance and Eton Properties.

Jingy Tuason or Alan Alegre counted for 139 points.

Canlubang, which started the day 22 points behind Luisita, rallied behind a pair of 52s by Abe Rosal and Dave Hernandez, but managed to cut the lead to half after closing out with 150.

Rene Unson, Canlubang’s third scorer, finished bogey-bogey-double bogey for 48.

Del Monte, which trailed Luisita by 14, unravelled in the final round, limping home with 129 points.

Arsenio Mondilla led Del Monte with 46 followed by Erning Apas 44 and Virgilio Adag 39.

Eagle Ridge brought up the rear in the championship division with 524 following a final-round 113. Scoring

for Eagle Ridge were Alfredo Pareja 39, Youn Hwan An 38 and Cesar Castro 36.

It was Luisita’s 16th title, reinforcing its status as the most successful club in the seniors’ event.

“This team will carry us in the next eight or 10 years,” said Luisita non-captain Jeric Hechanova who initiated the revamp after losing to Canlubang last year in Clark, Pampanga.

Aside from Mangulabnan, Luisita’s new recruits were Raffy Garcia, Edmund Yee and Alegre.

For all intents and purposes, Canlubang lost its title on the first round where it made its worst score ever – 124 points.

“I don’t know what happened. Everyone played bad-

ly that day,” said Canlubang team owner Luigi Yulo.

After that horrific first round, the Sugar Barons outscored Luisita by 10 points.

The 70th PAL Interclub Platinum sponsors are Mareco Broadcasting Network, A&E Networks Asia, RMN Networks, The Manila Standard, Fox Networks Group, Rolls-Royce, TV5, MasterCard, TFC and Business Mirror.

Major sponsors include Asian Air Safari, Airbus, Primax Broadcasting Network and Sabre Airline Solutions while Corporate sponsors are Baron Travel Corporation, Boeing, MX3, GE Aviation, Bombo Radyo Philippines, Asia Brewery, Tanduay Distillers, Sabre Airline Solutions and Tourism Promotions Board.

Luisita regains PAL seniors title

UISITA ended the twoyear reign of Canlubang by completing a wire-towire victory Saturday at the close of the 31st Philippine Airlines Senior Interclub golf team championships.

The Tarlac-based squad, reinforced by four club champions, collected 594 points in the four-day event, beating Canlubang by 11.

Rodel Mangulabnan, one of Luisita’s four recruits, scored 50 points at the Apo Golf and Country Club, matching his first round output.

The rest of the Luisita squad struggled, but had enough cushion to hold off Canlubang’s spirited rally.

Eddie Bagtas, Luisita’s top gunner, dropped six shots in the front nine on his way to 45 points while the 44 of either

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 264 • SUNDAY - MONDAY, FEBRUARY 26 - 27, 2017