Edge Davao 9 Issue 278

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

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Serving a seamless society

Stonefish baptized; Erap among ninongs

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TRIBUTE. One of the eight floats that depict the history of Davao from the time of Datu Bago until the present day Davao rolls along San Pedro Street during yesterday’s 80th Araw ng Davao Parada Dabawenyo. Lean Daval Jr.

HE youngest son of Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte and husband Manases Carpio was baptized at the St. Francis Assisi Parish in Maa at 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, March 16 in time with the celebration of the 80th Araw ng Dabaw.

Photos of the baptism rite were sent to the media by the Davao City Information Office.

Davao City Archbishop Romulo Valles officiated the holy mass and the baptism rite for Stonefish, whose real name is Marko Digong Duterte Carpio.

“The baptism ceremony for Stonefish was very private -- witnessed only by members of the Duterte and Carpio families and the godparents,” the CIO said in a press statement.

Ninongs of Stonefish include Waldo Carpio, Vice Mayor Paolo Duterte, Sebastian Duterte, Cyril Marasigan, Neil Canedo, Jacob Soriano, Charlie Tan, Elijah Manuel Pepito, Joy Lamanosa, Orlando Basilio Jr., Aaron Velasco, Joseph Estrada, Jefry Tupas, and Brian William Uy. Her Ninangs include Janette Velasco, Darlyne Rubio, Mayjoy Ramos, Charo Rejuso-Munsayac, and Joyce Domingo-Dapat. ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

OUST RODY DOJ, SolGen say impeachment plaint vs President baseless

By ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

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adlopez0920@gmail.com

HE first impeachment complaint against President Duterte was filed before the Office of the Secretary General in the House of Representatives on Thursday, March 16, by Magdalo party-list Rep. Gary Alejano .

Alejano cited in his complaint on five grounds, including alleged violation of the constitution, bribery, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption, and other high crimes.

However, the Department of Justice and the Office of the Solicitor General said that the impeachment complaint has no legal basis. (Separate story on page 2.)

In a press conference that followed the filing, Rep. Ale-

jano told reporters that high crimes allegedly committed by the President Duterte involved the killing of over 8,000 drug offenders and the reported 1,400 killings by the Davao Death Squad when the President was still the mayor of Davao City.

The killings of said drug defenders, Alejano pointed out, did not pass through the instituted democratic process in the country.

On the alleged corruption, the Magdalo solon said President Duterte should be impeached for amassing P2.2 billion in undeclared wealth.

He said the graft and corruption charges are supported by records of transactions and bank accounts.

He alleged that the President, when he was the mayor of Davao City, employed more than 11,000 ghost employees.

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Suntrust top sellers honored in grand ball

EDGEDAVAO Sports END OF THE ROAD P14

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

PROUD LOLO. President Duterte kisses his “apo”, Stonefish, after his baptism on Thursday, March 16 at the St. Francis Assisi Church in Maa. (CIO Photo)

Journalist, artist new Datu Bago Awardees

By JECIA ANNE OPIANA

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JOURNALIST and a visual artist were bestowed with the Datu Bago Award, the highest recognition by the city government to a Dabawenyo who has contributed to the city’s development and served as models of excellence to other residents of Davao City .

The awards were conferred to Rey Mudjahid “Kublai” Ponce Millan, a sculptor, photographer, painter and digital artist and Amalia Bandiola Cabusao, editor-in-chief of Mindanao Times.

Kublai was given the award for his exemplary works of art infused with humanity and indigenous culture. His creations, sculp-

tures and art installations, were deeply rooted in the social context of Mindanao’s grass root communities and have been cultural landmarks enjoyed by Davao residents and visitors. An advocate of art and social justice, Kublai works with indigenous children and has showcased his art in the national and global stage. The award was received by his father on his behalf because he was in Europe for an art tour.

Cabusao, on the other hand, is a veteran journalist and a strong promoter of campus and community journalism. She was bestowed the award for dedicating her life

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Surigao del Norte may still experience more aftershocks

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URIGAO del Norte may further experience aftershocks equal to or greater than this week’s magnitude 4.8 temblor arising from the magnitude 6.7 earthquake that rocked some parts of the province last month.

“Such aftershocks are still possible there so people must prepare accordingly,” said science research assistant Bhenz Rodriguez from State-run Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs).

A magnitude 4.8 temblor of tectonic origin struck Tuesday night (March 14) at 11

kms south 43° west of Surigao del Norte’s San Francisco municipality, said Phivolcs.

Phivolcs noted the temblor was reported felt at intensity V in San Francisco and Surigao City; intensity IV in Mainit, Malimono and intensity III in Alegria.

The moderately strong temblor was also reported felt at intensity II in Southern Leyte’s San Ricardo, Dinagat’s San Jose and Agusan del Norte’s Kitcharao.

“That temblor was another aftershock of the magnitude

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Impeachment plaint vs. Digong baseless T

HE government’s top legal minds on Thursday said that the impeachment complaint filed by Magdalo Party-list Rep. Gary Alejano against President Rodrigo Duterte at the House of Representatives has no legal basis. ”The impeachment complaint has no factual and legal basis. The allegations in the complaint are not anchored on concrete or solid evidence that would support findings of any of the enumerated grounds for impeachment. Mere allegations without proof are not evidence,” Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre II said.

The DOJ Secretary said the Duterte administration is not at all alarmed by the said act, adding that the President will continue doing what is good for the country and the Filipino people.

He said the complaint could be part of a wider plot to destabilize the administration though he did not provide details of the supposed plot to oust the President. ”That’s just part of efforts to destabilize the Duterte administration,” Aguirre said, who served as a private prosecutor in the historic impeachment trial of the late Supreme Court Chief Justice Renato Co-

rona.

For his part, Solicitor General Jose Calida slammed Alejano, calling him a “puppet” of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV, a staunch critic of the President.

He noted that Trillanes and Alejano were both part of the Oakwood mutiny and the Manila Peninsula siege in Makati City which failed to topple the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo. ”The mischiefs of the Magdalo outcasts, Senator Trillanes and his acolyte, Representative Alejano, are afoot again. Obviously, they have not learned their lessons in the Oakwood

and Manila Pen foolish misadventures to topple the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, they want a reprise of their failed dreams by filing an impeachment petition against President Rodrigo Roa Duterte,” said Calida.

He added that the move is a desperate attempt of “spoiled grown up brats” to destabilize the country. ”They will not succeed.

There are no valid grounds under our Constitution and laws to impeach President Duterte. I previously stated, impeachment won’t fly. My office, the Office of the Solicitor

HE government is set to form the Peace, Reconciliation and Unification Council (PRUC) in an effort to solve armed conflict in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) and other places in the south.

Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) Director General, Secretary Guiling “Gene” Mamondiong said that the PRUC is aimed at easing the tension at the ARMM and in Regions 9, 10 and 12 which are currently affected by armed con-

flict.

These areas which will be covered by the PRUC are Lanao del Sur; Lanao del Norte; Maguindanao; Sulu; Tawi-Tawi; Basilan; Region 9 and Region 12.

Mamondiong has been designated by President Rodrigo Duterte to head the PRUC. Some 25 to 30 members from the provinces covered by the PRUC will join the group. A leader will also be appointed in every team.

Members of the group will come from various sectors

such as religious, traditional, businessman and youth.

The PRUC is tasked to establish peace and order at the ARMM and in Regions 9, 10 at 12; disseminate reconciliation and unity among regions; communicate with various groups under their jurisdiction to forge agreement; partner with the government for an orderly reconciliation between warring clans and groups and campaign against loose firearms.

Mamondiong also led the program dubbed “Consulta-

tion summit on the role of the private sector in the maintenance of peace and order” last March 11 (Zamboanga City) for the provinces of Basilan, Tawi-Tawi and Zamboanga Peninsula; March 12, Lanao provinces and March 14, Maguindanao and Cotabato provinces.

It would be recalled that last year, the government focused on improving the lives of Mindanao residents through the Comprehensive Reform and Development Agenda. (PR)

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Gov’t to form PRUC for peace in Mindanao T

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EDGEDAVAO

Center against Illegal drugs inaugurated in Davao school

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WINNERS ALL. Mutya ng Davao 2017 winner Reina M. Kobayashi and her court, Diwa ng Davao, Caryl Jane Chua; Sinag ng Davao, Geamme Claire Lu; Pag-asa ng Davao, Marjorie Ormido; Patnubay ng Davao,

Angelique Stephanie Pasion; pose before dozens of photographers during the coronation night at the Davao City Recreation Center on Wednesday evening. CIO

Chemical engineering stude bags Mutya ng Dabaw crown

HE Ateneo de Davao University has set up its multi-disciplinary Center Against Illegal Drugs to complement efforts of the Archdiocese of Davao and the Davao City Government in the “war against evil.”

Archbishop Romulo Valles, who officiated at the blessing of the center on Wednesday morning, said he felt a “sentiment of joy and pride” as the blessing of the CAID “gives a sure sign of hope and action.”

Davao City went through a long and bloody war on drugs that involved killings by what has come to be known collectively as the “Davao Death Squad.”

The Center has four key programs: Healing and Recovery for Drug Surrenderers (HERDS), Drug Hotline and Referral Helpline, Mindanao Drug Trade Research, and Human Rights Training and Rights-based Policing and AdDU In-House Community Awareness.

Fr. Joel Tabora, University

do its part to stand for life,” he said.

Roawie Quimba, CAID head, cited church teachings about the “distinction between the error and the errant and that if a person commits an error, commits a sin, that person does not cease to be a person, the person continues to have his or her human dignity which is something that cannot be violated.”

He said CAID is “faithful and true to that conviction so that in a very concrete way, Ateneo de Davao under the umbrella of Archdiocese of Davao’s Sagop Kinabuhi Program does not give up on the drug reformists.”

Hotline/Helpline Prof. Apple Alvarez said the target clients of their 24/7 hotline/helpline are drug dependents, surrenderers / reformists, and their significant others.

She said seven licensed psychiatric nurses serving as hotline and helpline specialists will answer questions on

By JERMAINE L. DELA CRUZ

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EINA Kobayashi, 18, was crowned Mutya ng Dabaw 2017 on Wednesday night, March 15.

Representing Brgy. Buhangin, the chemical engineering student from Ateneo de Davao University bested 30 other candidates from other barangays during the event held at the Davao City Recreation Center.

The other finalists were Diwa ng Dabaw 2017 Carly Chua, Sinag ng Dabaw 2017 Geanne Claire Lu, Pagasa ng Dabaw 2017, Marjorie Ormido, and Patnubay ng Dabaw 2017 Angelique Pasion.

Reina Kobayashi wowed the crowed with her winning answer to the final question: “If you will be crowned to-

night, what is the life changing opportunity that will make you decide to give up the crown?”.

“I believe that to be Mutya ng Dabaw, is actually to have a pure passion for service. Therefore, given any circumstance I think Mutya ng Dabaw should be able to represent the people of Davao.

And we all know, Dabawenyos as resilient people, they are able to stand tall against all those circumstances that may be thrown at them. Therefore if there will come a chance or a certain circumstance that I will be asked to give out my crown or my throne because of something I will definitely not do it. Because if this so, I will not be able to represent Dabawenyos that well, I will fail to do my re-

Top PNPA cadet from Cotabato city turns folks into‘celebrities’

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OTABATO CITY - “I am now like a celebrity, every people who know me and my family would congratulate me,” Yacobnor Enca said on Thursday.

Enca, a civil engineer, is the father of Macdum Enca, who topped the Philippine National Police Academy “Masidlak” Class of 2017.

The elder Enca was President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s campaign manager in Cotabato City during last year’s election.

He said he is eager to personally see the President grace the PNPA graduation ceremony as guest of honor.

The younger Enca, class valedictorian of PNPA “Masidlak” class, will lead 144 cadets in this year’s graduation rites in Silang, Cavite on March 24.

A consistent honor student, Macdum wanted to serve

his fellow Filipinos, and he saw the opportunity to do that through the police force. He joined the premier police academy in 2012.

He would always excel in his class, the proud father said of his son.

The elder Enca and his wife Zubaida said Macdum was “very studious, intellectual and has a high vision in life.”

“He is like a “walking encyclopedia.” Often, I would ask Macdum any question, and he has ready answers. So for us, that’s his moniker,” said the father, who also shared that he is now the happiest man on earth.

Upon his admission to the academy, the father said he was convinced his son could make it and become a police inspector in four years.

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sponsibility as a Mutya  and we know that Dabawenyo are resilient and as Mutya ng Dabaw, I, myself should be resilient.” said Kanbayashi.

Meanwhile, Diwa ng Dabaw 2017 Carly Chua bagged majority of the corporate awards namely Miss Novellino, Miss Pepsi, Miss Coca Cola, and Miss Globe. Othew awardees were Miss Manila Bulletin Angelique Pasion, Miss Kojie San Marra Silvosa, and Miss Phoenix Petroleum Geanne Lu. In an interview, Kobayashi firmly expressed her willingness to pursue her advocacy on promoting responsible parenthood in the community.

“Like what I have answered earlier (eliminations

round) I want to inculcate in the minds of parents kung unsa ang maayong pagpadako sa ilang anak,” she said.

Kobayashi also expressed her gratitude to all those who supported her during the pageant.

Sitting as one of the judges, Department of Tourism (DOT) Region XI director Roberto P. Alabado III stressed the role of the Mutya ng Dabaw title holders as an ambassadress of goodwill who will promote the city especially that Davao is now eyed by many foreign visitors and investors.

“With the beauty that they have and the intelligence they possess, I think they will be best to be our ambassadress for Davao,” said Alabado.

The Center Against Illegal Drugs (CAID) along Padre Zamora St. at the Ateneo de Davao University campus, inaugurated Wednesday, 15 March 2017.

MindaNews photo by Carolyn O. Arguillas President, said the establishment of the CAID “is part of the Archdiocesan effort to “stand for life.”

“We would like to state that we are in full support of the lawful efforts that fight deaths in our society but we also recognize that this is a very difficult and … complex fight and the Church and the universities and the schools and the parishes would like to

drug addiction and refer the drug reformist to rehabilitation centers and counsellors.

The hotline/helpline numbers are (082) 2986728, (082) 2986729, 09434944211 (Sun), 09121968535 (Smart) and 09563895131 (Globe).

Drug trade Prof. Neil Ryan Pancho, head of the research compo-

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TIDYING UP. A worker from the City Environment and Natural Resources Office (Cenro) cleans up the thrash left by revelers during yesterday’s 80th Araw ng Davao Parada Dabawenyo. Lean Daval Jr.

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JUNIOR DOUGHNUT MASTER FOR A DAY. A boy from Providence Home of St. Joseph munches the glazed doughnut he has decorated during the fun doughnut tour at Krispy Kreme SM City Davao on March STORE VISIT. Krispy Kreme SM City Davao opens its doors to kids of Providence Home of St. Joseph as it hosts a fun doughnut tour 16, 2017. Photo by Jermaine L. Dela Cruz on Araw ng Dabaw (March 16, 2017). Photo by Jermaine L. Dela Cruz

San Miguel nets P6B profit from food products in 2016

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AN Miguel Pure Foods Company Inc. on Thursday said its profit surged 26 percent to P6 billion last year on higher sales, volume and earnings growth across the food group.

SMPFC told the local bourse consolidated revenues ended 4-percent higher to Php111.6 billion, driven by the value-added and stable-priced segments and favourable selling prices of chicken.

“We’re very encouraged by the company’s strong performance in 2016 and we are determined to build on its momentum by investing in our brands and innovation to drive long-term profitable growth and enhance shareholder value,” said SMC President and SMPFC Vice Chairman Ramon Ang. Revenues from the Agro-Industrial business –consisting of Feeds, Poultry and Monterey Fresh Meats—grew 5 percent.

The company attributed higher sales to stable poul-

try selling prices and robust volumes benefiting from expanded distribution, increased trade penetration and effective marketing efforts.

The Branded Value-Added also business grew 7 percent on higher sales of processed meats, cheese, spreads, biscuits and ice cream.

Despite a 10-percent growth in volume, milling revenues declined by 4 percent due to a drop in global flour prices and increased competition.

Meanwhile, SMPFC’s food service business reported stronger sales across its primary channels, aided by the growing number of convenience stores and consumer preference for convenience products.

“For 2017, we’re working to further improve core operating margins by growing our value-added business, improving cost efficiencies, increasing distribution reach and aggressively expanding production capacities,” Ang added. (PNA)

Biz group lauds gov’t effort to curb smuggling, tax evasion

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HE American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines (AmCham) lauds effort of the Duterte administration to fight smuggling and tax evasion in the business sector.

“The American Chamber of Commerce in the Philippines commends and applauds recent decisive actions taken by the Duterte administration to raid stocks of manufactured products with counterfeit internal revenue stamps and thereby promote corporate tax compliance and ensure a level playing field for business in the country,” the business group said in a statement.

AmCham noted recent raid activities, including the seizure by the Bureau of Custom of P2.0-billion worth of smuggled and counterfeit tobacco products in warehouses in San

Simon, Pampanga as well as in General Santos and Zamboanga.

“With these developments, AmCham encourages the Philippine government to proceed vigorously to investigate the case against the said manufacturer, as the recent seizures may be the tip of an iceberg of tax evasion going back several years,” AmCham said.

“Based on the investigation, we call upon the government to prosecute the case for tax evasion and attempted bribery,” it added.

AmCham also pushes the government to take action against government officials involved in facilitating the tax evasion.

It noted that aside from tobacco products, smuggling of imported goods occurs in petroleum and other products. (PNA)

DA extends loan to Caraga farmers struck by calamity T

HE Department of Agriculture Regional Office in Caraga (Region 13) here, through its Agricultural Credit Policy Council, is extending a “survival and recovery loan” to farmers who were badly affected by recent weather disturbances in the area.

In a press release, DA Caraga said the loan assistance is “a sure and faster way” of helping affected small farmers recover from the farm losses they’ve experienced due to the recent severe flooding in the region.

DA Caraga also said that the recovery loan package

dubbed as “SURE,” which stands for “Survival and Recovery,” came about after Agriculture Secretary Emmanuel Pinol assessed the affected areas in Caraga. SURE loans gives access to farmers to avail of an interest-free loan package amounting to P25,000, which is payable in three years.

The loan is now implemented through DA’s Agricultural Credit Policy Council (ACPC) in partnership with conduit banks, cooperatives and other financial institutions, whichever is accessible to the farmers in affected areas.

The DA press release quoted ACPC Administrative Officer Noel Clarence Ducusin as saying that the “SURE program is a response of the government to help the farmers recover faster from damages brought by the intermittent weather condition and calamities.” ”After Secretary Emmanuel Pinol saw personally the extent of damage of the farms during his personal visit here in Caraga region, ACPC immediately formulated the guidelines of this kind of loan package,” Ducusin was quoted as saying.

The loan package is de-

signed to finance the requirements of rehabilitating the farms and or livelihood activities of fisherfolks to include the purchase of production inputs, repair of farm or fishery assets and acquisition of livestock or working animals.

Typhoon Auring and the tail-end of the cold front last January prompted 12 municipalities in Agusan del Sur, three municipalities in Agusan del Norte and Butuan City to declare a state of calamity.

Currently, ACPC is awaiting the final list of affected farmers who are qualified to obtain loan from the local government units. (PNA)

Philippines in the ongoing World Franchise Council International Franchising Week, hosted by the British Franchise Association (BFA) slated March 14 until 19 in Kensington, London.

The International Franchising Symposium is on March 16 to 17.

Lim will speak during the international franchising symposium in the afternoon of March 17 on the topic “Franchising in Asia Pacific” at a session titled “The Changing Face of Franchising from Around the World.”

Some of the leading Franchise Associations worldwide will share their experiences and some of the challenges and opportunities facing their countries today.

Lim noted that the Philippines’ main strategy is to go to countries with a significant number of Filipino expatriates.

Overseas Filipinos number about 10 million with high

concentration in the United States and the Middle East.

“But the objective is not just to serve overseas Filipinos but to use the support of this market to eventually go mainstream. That is why, Philippine franchises are willing to localize their product offerings,” he added.

Meanwhile, Sibal-Limjoco will conduct a Philippine franchise opportunities briefing for the Filipino community also on Friday at 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.

The briefing is in partnership with the Philippine Trade and Investment Center (PTIC) London, the commercial section of the Philippine embassy in London.

Prior to the briefing, the Philippine delegation will pay a courtesy call on H.E. Antonio Lagdameo, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of the Philippines to the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland.

Sibal-Limjoco said there are various reasons why the world is investing in the Philippines. “(It is) one of the fastest growing economies in the world (with) huge market of over 100 million,” she said, also noting the country’s number one ranking in the world for business English proficiency, the rising middle class and advanced retail infrastructure.

Sibal-Limjoco noted that franchising is being used by micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) as a strategy for expansion.

She identified key emerging franchise trends as travel and tourism-related businesses, retirement-related businesses, neighborhood restaurant rows as seed beds for future franchise concepts, regional culinary specialties going mainstream, food parks, and businesses that cater to convenience like self-service laundry and housekeeping service. (PNA)

Sustained growth seen for RP franchising sector

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HILIPPINE Franchise Association Chairman Emeritus Samie Lim has expressed optimism over sustained growth in the country’s franchising industry on the back of strong economy even amid foreign chain competition.

He said the growth would also be driven by the robust business process outsourcing (BPO) industry and remittances of overseas Filipinos.

“As long as Philippine franchises aim for global competitiveness, they need not worry about the continued entry of foreign franchises. That is why PFA has always advocated for a globally competitive franchise sector. We have to be global in our outlook, aspiration and practices,” said Lim, widely acknowledged as the Father of Philippine Franchising.

Lim, who is also chairman of the Asia Pacific Franchise Confederation, and PFA Vice Chairman Ma. Alegria “Bing” Sibal-Limjoco represent the

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EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY 5

Bello signs DOLE order tackling contracting and subcontracting

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FTER nine months of numerous dialogues and consultations with employers and workers, the Department of Labor and Employment has finally approved Department Order No. 174 on contracting and subcontracting on Thursday.

In a press conference, Labor and Employment Secretary Silvestre Bello III signed the new DO, which “prohibits labor-only contracting and specifies other illicit forms of employment arrangements.”

“As one song goes, the wait is over. And yes, the long wait is indeed over. I have already signed the Department Order of Contracting and Subcontracting superseding DOLE Department Order No. 18-A,” he said in his speech.

Bello added that the order, reaffirms the Constitutional and statutory right to security of tenure of workers; applies to all parties in an agreement where employer-employee relationship exists; allows only permissible contracting and subcontracting as defined; re-enforces the rights of workers to labor standards, self-organization, collective bargaining and security of tenure and requires mandatory registration of contractors and subcontractors and provides clear procedures for cancellation of registration.

Aside from labor-only contracting, DO 174 also bans, the principal to engage in “Cabo”; contracting out of job or work through an in-house agency; contracting out of job or work through an in-house cooperative which merely supplies workers to the principal; contracting out of a job or work by reason of a strike or lockout whether actual or imminent; contracting out of a job or work wing performed by union members and such will interfere

with, restrain or coerce employees in the exercise of their rights to self-organization as provided in Article 259 of the Labor Code, as amended.

Likewise, the order prohibits requiring contractor’s/ subcontractor’s employees to perform functions which are currently being performed by the regular employees of the principals; requiring contractor’s/subcontractor’s employees to sign, as a precondition to employment or continued employment, an antedated resignation letter; a blank payroll; a waiver of labor standards including minimum wages and social or welfare benefits; or a quitclaim releasing the principal or contractor from liability as to payment of future claims; or require the employee to become member of a cooperative.

It also prevents repeated hiring by the contractor/subcontractor of employees under an employment contract of short duration; requiring employees under contracting/ subcontracting arrangement to sign a contract fixing the period of employment to a term shorter than the term of the Service Agreement, unless the contract is divisible into phases for which substantially different skills are required and this is made known to the employee at the fine of engagement and such other practices, schemes or employment arrangements designed to circumvent the right of workers to security of tenure.

Cabo refers to a person or groups of persons or to a labor group which, under the guise of a labor organization, coopertaive or any entity, supplies workers to an employer, with or without any monetary or other consideration, whether in the capacity of an agent of the employer or as an ostensible independent contractor. (PNA)

6 local, foreign firms keen on integrated LNG plant

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TOTAL of 26 companies have signified interest in building a Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Integrated Facility at the Energy Supply Base (ESB) of the Philippine National Oil Company (PNOC) in Mabini, Batangas.

PNOC President and CEO Reuben Lista said that six Japanese, two Korean, three Filipino, one Australian, three Singaporean, one American, seven Chinese, two Turkish and one from United Arab Emirates companies had submitted proposals or signified interest in building the LNG facility.

According to Lista, at least six firms have already submitted formal proposals. Other interested companies have only until the end of April 2017 to submit their proposals. The PNOC will then evaluate and make a shortlist of unsolicited proposals. ”We will eventually pick those which will best benefit the economy and the country and that investors are assured of their return on investment

because this is a continuing project. This is not only limited to 200 megawatts. If this works, we can go as high as 800 megawatts,” Lista said. ”This will be a complete facility. It will have a power plant, storage, re-gas, and liquefaction. Where they intend to put this up whether offshore, onshore or inshore, it will be up to their expertise and computation,” according to Lista.

The main objective is to build a storage facility to take care of the needs of LNG power plants in the future and to provide Compressed Natural Gas (CNG) to gasoline stations. Lista described LNG as “the fuel of tomorrow.”

The power output of this LNG integrated facility will support the Philippine Economic Zone Authority (PEZA) industries. “We have a social and moral obligation to help PEZA industries because they are starting industries so we should support them and the rest of the energy should go to the poorest of the poor.” Lista said. (PNA)

HAND-MADE BY LOCALS. A hawker peddles colorful hand-crafted lamps near a hotel in Bo. Obrero, Davao City yesterday. Dealers of native items in Davao City take advantage of the 80th Araw ng Davao celebration to showcase their products when large number of domestic and foreign tourists arrives in the city. Lean Daval Jr.

ASEAN pushes for investment action agenda during RP hosting

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LANDMARK document on increasing investments among ASEAN member states is being pushed during the ASEAN chairmanship of the Philippines this year.

In a statement Thursday, Philippine Head of Delegation to the Coordinating Committee on Investments (CCI) Ma. Corazon Halili-Dichosa said ASEAN CCI identified the Focused and Strategic Action (FAST) Action Agenda as its priority deliverables for the year.

The FAST Action Agenda aims to boost intra-ASEAN investments while strengthening

linkages between micro, small, and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and multinational enterprises (MNEs).

The FAST Action Agenda anchors its goals to the four pillars of ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement which include investment promotion, facilitation, protection, and liberalization.

First, the document aims for an ASEAN-wide assessment of the outstanding issues on Trade-Related Investment Measures (TRIMS).

It targets to identify TRIMS elements that the member states

may adopt and commit as negotiating strategy of ASEAN. Second, the action agenda is pushing for MSMEs and MNEs partnership through letters of intent for business collaboration.

Under this target, the Philippines will host an ASEAN outbound mission to promote investments in the region and facilitate business matching.

“Our goal is to showcase MSMEs as possible suppliers of products and services to MNEs. As we encourage them to strategically enhance their productivity, we will open up more opportunities for them to participate

in the regional and global value chains,” said Halili-Dichosa, who is also an executive director of the Board of Investments.

Third, the action plan eyes an assessment for the establishment of ASEAN Investment Tribunal, given that the economic bloc has forged various investment pacts in order to have consistency in the interpretation of these agreements.

Fourth, CCI aims for an in-depth evaluation on business registration requirements among the 10 member states in line with the investment facilita-

the P1,000 additional pension from their respective banks.

In fact, several of our partner banks have already credited the amount even earlier than the scheduled date,” Dooc said.

“More than 2.1 million pensioners will benefit from the release of the additional benefit as part of the March differential.

For the last scheduled release of the P1,000 differential for regular pensioners, an additional of more than 33,000 pensioners were added to our list from the previous month’s 2.07 million pensioners,” Dooc added.

Of the P2.1 billion set to be released on Friday, about P7.82 million will be received by the regular pensioners thru check which will be delivered by the Postal Service Office to the residence of the concerned pensioners.

According to SSS Office Services Department, the checks for the March differentials were mailed to Quezon City Central Office on Mar 9 and 10.

SSS has released more than P6.22 billion for the distribution of the P1,000 additional benefit for the January to March

2017 differential.

“Starting April, all regular pensioners, will receive the updated amount of their pension.

This means that their regular monthly pension will automatically increase by P1,000,” Dooc said.

“However for our pensioners who fall under the special cases, please refer to the specific dates of release that we have announced last week,” he added.

The SSS earlier enumerated the list of pensioners under

F ASEAN, 10

SSS releases March differential of P1,000 additional benefit

T

HE state-run Social Security System on Thursday said it has already released about P2.1 billion to its partner banks for the release of the last tranche of the retroactive P1,000 additional benefit for its pensioners for the month of March.

SSS President and Chief Executive Officer Emmanuel F. Dooc said qualified pensioners may already withdraw their additional benefit on Friday, March 17.

“Our pensioners may withdraw the March differential of

F SSS, 13

6 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

DOH-ARMM official to represent PH DOLE-12 releases livelihood grants to informal workers in US health exchange program T A RANKING official of the Department of Health-Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (DOH-ARMM) is bound for the United States for a threeweek global health professional exchange program.

DOH-ARMM Assistant Secretary Dayang Carlsum Sangkula – Jumaide is set to represent the country in the March 18–April 8 multi-regional project dubbed “Global Health: Building Country Capacity”, to be administered by the US–based Meridian International Center.

The event is a global health initiative sponsored by the US State Department’s

International Visitor Leadership Program (IVLP).

Program participants, who will come from 21 other countries, are medical professionals involved in health care and disease prevention education programs.

They include nurses, doctors, hospital administrators, educators, non-governmental organization (NGO) staff, social workers, and members of the media.

The program would kick off in Washington DC and include visits to Boston, Massachusetts; Minneapolis, Minnesota; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Salt Lake City, Utah; San Diego, California; and Atlanta,

Georgia.

More so, the program intends to introduce the role of the US federal states, municipal government agencies and NGOs in developing and implementing public health programs and policies.

Also lined up are visits to hospitals and research centers for presentation of health care trends, training and research in the field of public health, especially in cancer, stroke, diabetes, childhood and infectious diseases.

While there, Jumaide is expected to interact with global counterparts on sharing current success stories and challenges in medical

practice.

Jumaide started as a staff nurse at the Datu Alawaddin Bandon Sr. Memorial Hospital in Tawi-Tawi in 1993. She served as health information officer of the province from 2000 to 2006, and as project officer of the United States Agency for International Development from 2006 to 2010 in the region. She became a member of the ARMM Regional Legislative Assembly and is currently assistant secretary at the DOH-ARMM. The IVLP participants are nominated and selected annually by staff members of US embassies around the world.

(PNA)

grade 1 students and parents discovered how the app could enhance learning via games and stories.

Created by Smart in partnership with the Community of Learners Foundation and developer OrangeFix, the Batibot app is the first educational app in the Filipino language that is aligned with the kin-

dergarten curriculum of the Department of Education. It can be downloaded for free on Android devices.

During the caravan, parents were taught the importance of storytelling and how the Batibot app’s “Kuwentong Batibot” feature could nurture children’s love for this tradition.

Through games in the app, such as the Batibot classic “Alin ang Naiba?”, children in their formative years can also learn basic concepts like matching, sorting, and grouping. They are shown how to identify shapes, colors, numbers, the alphabet, and letter sounds. The children can also practice tracing letters with the proper strokes. (PR)

Smart sparks love for storytelling via Batibot app

A

NUMBER of students in Siargao, along with their parents, were recently introduced to the joy of storytelling enhanced by the fun and interactive Batibot app.

In a storytelling caravan organized by Smart Communications, Numancia Elementary School kindergarten and

HE Department of Labor and Employment’s (DOLE) office in Region 12 (Soccsksargen) has released about P2.64 million worth of livelihood grants to some 360 informal and marginalized workers in parts of the region.

Albert Gutib, DOLE-Region 12 director, said the assistance was released under the agency’s flagship Integrated Livelihood and Emergency Employment Program (DILEEP) and the Bottom-up Budgeting (BUB) scheme.

He said the beneficiaries were 49 women inmates of the South Cotabato Rehabilitation and Detention Center or provincial jail; 21 parolees of the South Cotabato Parole and Probation Office; 50 women workers in Tampakan, South Cotabato; 162 informal workers in this city; and 78 fish vendors in Midsayap, North Cotabato.

The livelihood grants, which were in the form of equipment packages and inputs or starter kits for small business ventures or projects, were separately released by the agency this month in coordination with the concerned local government units (LGUs), he said.

“These were livelihood projects chosen by the beneficiaries themselves that we found viable for funding and implementation,” Gutib said.

In a statement, DOLE-12 said the 49 women inmates and 21 parolees in South Cotabato received some P496,000 worth of grants.

These comprise livelihood starter kits for beauty care, carinderia, rice cake making, beads making, slip-

per making, car washing, vulcanizing, and ice cream making.

In Tampakan, some 50 women beneficiaries received P300,000 worth of livelihood packages for beauty care, carinderia and rice cake making ventures.

The beneficiaries are members of the Lampitak Women’s Association and Tampakan Beauty Care Services Association.

In this city, the 162 beneficiaries got P1.057 million worth of sewing machines for dressmaking and manufacture of bags and rugs.

The beneficiaries are skilled women from the city’s 26 barangays who recently graduated from a dressmaking vocational course facilitated by DOLE and the city’s Public Employment Services Office.

The 78 fish vendors in Midsayap, North Cotabato received new business equipment and raw materials worth P783,850.

The beneficiaries, all members of the Midsayap Fish Vendors Association, specifically received raw materials, jigs and tools consisting of 3,000 kg. of assorted fish, two digital stainless steel bench weighing scales, and two pallet trucks.

Gutib said the assistance also included the enrollment of the beneficiaries for one year in the group micro-insurance program of the Government Service Insurance System.

He added that the agency will regularly monitor the progress of the livelihood projects through the concerned LGUs. (PNA)

DSWD-12 to release P600 rice subsidy of 4Ps beneficiaries

More Filipinos urged to save, invest S

OCIAL enterprise The Global Filipino Investors Inc. (TGFI) encourages more Filipinos here and abroad to save and invest their money properly to take advantage of the growing Philippine economy.

TGFI Chief Executive Officer and Founder Floi Wycoco said they aimed to reach one million Filipinos to gain financial education over the next five years.

Wycoco said target segments were overseas Filipino workers (OFWs), families of

the OFWs, the millennial market and office workers.

The Group has now over 90,000 community members and growing, and has communities in more than 12 countries.

“From handling your finances to doing a business, there is a need for proper financial education,” he said in a press briefing. “People should realize that we have to make financial education popular, it should be part of culture of every Filipino family.”

Wycoco noted that financial literacy covered different segments including business, agriculture, investments and entrepreneurship including franchising.

TGFI will hold the Financial Literacy Summit at the SMX Convention Center in Manila this April 1 and 2, targeting an audience of 3,000 composed of OFWs and their families and millennials.

“We are starting to tap the millennial market starting with the Financial Literacy Summit. We think they are the

next generation,” he added.

With the theme “Learn to Earn”, this Summit will have 40 renowned speakers from different industries from chief executive officers, market leaders, celebrities and politicians that support financial literacy advocacy.

The summit’s tracks include investing; earning online, freelancing and startups, real estate and entrepreneurship.

Marvin Fausto, business development consultant at

F MORE, 11

T

HE Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) in Region 12 will release before the end of the month the P600 rice subsidy of local beneficiaries of the national government’s expanded conditional cash transfer program.

Bai Zorahayda Taha, DSWD Region 12 director, said their central office has issued the go-signal for the release of the additional cash assistance to more than 250,000 active beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps in the region.

She said the rice subsidy was included in the P72.11 million approved budget for Region 12 in line with the implementation of the program this year.

Taha said the additional assistance is part of the government’s efforts to address “hunger problems that the poor households continue to battle.”

She said President Rodrigo R. Duterte announced the sub-

sidy during his first state-ofthe-nation address in July last year as a strategy to address the problem.

“The President wants that the poor households are able to eat every day,” Taha said in a statement.

But the official clarified that only 4Ps beneficiaries who are “active and compliant” with the program’s conditionalities are entitled to receive the additional P600 subsidy.

She said these conditions are: school attendance of at least 85 percent per month for children enrolled in the elementary and high school; compliance of mandated preventive check-up for children aged five years-old and below, and deworming for those in the elementary level; submission to pre and post natal care at health centers of pregnant household members; and, attendance to the monthly family development sessions (FDS).

“We are hopeful that the additional cash grant will be

F DSWD, 11

7 SUBURBIA

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

Fifteen busloads of delegates from Davao City have arrived in the City of Mati this morning to participate in the 2017 DAVRAA Sports Event on March 19-24. The delegates have made a stopover at the Pintatagan Welcome Park in Banaybanay town. Delegates were all praises to the park’s beautiful

ambiance. Some commented of how clean the comfort rooms were.

Arriving at the City of Mati, they were warmly greeted by Vice Governor Niño Uy and the members of the Arrival, Welcome & Departure Area Committee. They were entertained with a tribal dance performed by

students of Caraga National High School.

Delegates from Davao del Norte have also arrived yesterday and now familiarizing themselves with the Sports Venues. Photo by Eden Jhan Garay Licayan

127 ex-MILF fighters in Maguindanao get livelihood assistance from OPAPP I O

DavOr implements greenhouse gases emissions reduction activities

NE hundred twenty-seven decommissioned combatants of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) received livelihood assistance in ceremonies held Wednesday inside Camp Darapanan, the main MILF headquarters in Sultan Kudarat, Maguindanao.

Eighteen more former MILF combatants from North Cotabato would receive their assistance soon.

Today’s beneficiaries came from Maguindanao province. The agricultural interventions to them include 103 carabaos with implements, 83 cattle heads, goats,

poultry animals, rice and corn seeds, rubber and fruit seedlings and fertilizers.

Witnessing the turnover of farm support resources were Government of the Philippines (GPH) Implementing Chair for the Bangsamoro Irene Santiago; Office of the Presidential Advis-

er on the Peace Process Asec.

Rolly Asuncion; MILF Implementing Panel Member Prof.

Abhoud Syed M. Lingga; MILF- Bangsamoro Islamic Armed Force Spokesman Von Al-Haq; and Department of Agriculture Usec. Ranibai Dilangalen, among others.

(PNA)

ect.

to provide the project site as counterpart.

Engineers from China’s Tonji University visited the site for an ocular inspection two weeks ago, he said.

“The drug rehabilitation center will have a capacity of 150 beds and will operate a recovery clinic,” he said in a statement.

Alejandro said the facility will be operated and managed by the DOH and will cater to drug dependents from Region 12.

Also known as Soccsksaren, the region covers the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cotabato, and the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

He said the development of the center is expected to provide employment opportunities to qualified residents as well as livelihood for community stakeholders at the site. (PNA)

P350-M regional drug rehab center to rise in Sarangani

T

HE national government has allotted around P350 million for the construction this year of a regional drug rehabilitation center in Alabel town in Sarangani province.

Dr. Arvin Alejandro, Sarangani provincial health officer, said the Department of Health (DOH) has issued the go-signal for the development of the facility, which will be implemented under the “Grant-Aid Dangerous Drug Abuse Treatment Rehabilitation Centers Project.”

He said Sarangani and Agusan del Sur were chosen as recipients of the project, which is supported by the government of China.

The project was noted as one of the outcomes of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s state visit to China last year.

DOH officials and representatives from the Chinese Embassy in Manila signed a memorandum of understanding on Monday for the implementation of the proj-

The signing ceremony was witnessed by Sarangani officials led by Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon and Vice Governor Elmer de Peralta.

Alejandro said the drug rehabilitation facility will be constructed in a three-hectare lot in Barangay Kawas in Alabel, the province’s capital town.

He said the provincial government, through Governor Solon, had committed

N response to the international call to conduct and implement an adaptation and mitigation measures for the global warming and climate change, the provincial government of Davao Oriental has implemented several activities.

Dolores Valdesco, officer incharge of the Provincial Office for Environment Management (POEM), formerly ENRO, revealed during the Kapehan sang Kapitolyo sang Davao Oriental that the provincial government under the leadership of former governor and now Congresswoman Cora Malanyaon of District 1 and the present administration headed by Governor Nelson Dayanghirang has implemented several activities that include to reduce Green House Gases (GHG) emissions.

She said to reduce GHG emissions, the forest must be included in the program.

The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCC) and the Kyoto Protocol required that signatory countries to reduce their GHG emissions but forest was not included. At a gathering in Montreal, Canada in 2005, a group of countries led by Papua New Guinea introduced an idea called REDD or Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation.

Another gathering in Indonesia (2007), the Bali Action Plan was declared that calls for Policy approaches and positive incentives on issues relating to reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation in developing countries and enhancement of forest carbon stocks in developing countries where REDD morphed to REDD+ (REDD Plus).

“As there was a wide consensus on the importance of integrating forests into emissions mitigation, the Province of Davao Oriental has implemented the REDD+,” Valdesco said.

She narrated that REDD+ was implemented in three mu-

nicipalities, namely, Tarragona, Manay and Caraga with a four component project titled “Capacity Enhancement for a Davao Oiental Province-wide Top to Bottom Natural Resources Management, Biodiversity Conservation and Carbon Stock Enhancement Program.

Its components include Formulation and Mainstreaming of the Provincial Forest Land Use Plan (PFLUP), Formulation of the Implementing Rules and Regulations (IRR) of the Provincial Environment Code, Formulation and Implementation of an Information Dissemination Plan for Communicating the Environment Code and the Corresponding IRR to the Component LGUs as the Anchor of their Respective City/Municipal Environment Code, Creation of Sustainable Natural Resources Management-schooled (SNRM) Davao Oriental Council of Tribal Elders, and Continuing Forest Resource Assessment for non-covered component LGUs. The SNRM-schooled Tribal leaders is already accomplished and formed the Davao Oriental Provincial Tribal Organization for Sustainable Natural Resources Management (DOPTRIO-SNRM).

REDD+ or Plus refers to the increased removal of GHGs through Conservation of forest carbon stocks, Sustainable management of forests and enhancement of carbon stocks. REDD+ has been implemented here in the Philippines by German International Cooperation (GIZ) since 2009 particularly in Palawan, Southern Leyte and General Nakar as pilot areas. Later on, the project selected three provinces as replication areas: Albay, Eastern Samar and Davao Oriental.

The MOA for implementation of REDD+ in this province was signed on November 7, 2014.

GIZ REDD+ in Davao Oriental is headed by Forester Rogelio Abalus with his staff Forester Joise Honor, Jr, Riena Mae Godin and June Mark Quiroga.

8 VANTAGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

EDITORIAL

A

Winners and bitter losers

NOTHER presidency, another impeachment complaint.

Long before he declared his candidacy, President Duterte (then Mayor of Davao City), had said he does not want to become President because he is sure he will face impeachment with his leadership style.

Less than a year into his presidency, his prediction became a reality. An opposition lawmaker filed an impeachment complaint in the House of Representatives on Thursday against President Duterte, calling for his removal for what he alleged were high crimes, betrayal of public trust and abuses of power.

Rep. Gary Alejano accused Duterte of offenses he said were worthy of impeachment, from concealing assets and conflicts of interest, to drug-related extrajudicial killings and running an alleged “death squad” when he was mayor of Davao city.

This did not come as a surprise though.

When he surprisingly won the elections last year beating the powerhouse Liberal Party, President Duterte was in for a bumpy ride with the Liberals.

President Duterte was carried through victory by the masses—a silent force in the face of a very well-funded election train of

EDGEDAVAO

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the Liberal Party.

Even Alejano knows it is not going to be an easy one for his complaint to progress in the House.

This country is besieged with a very divisive political environment. If not cour d’etat, impeachment is a regular fare for administrations to face. It is the price of leadership. No one wants to lose and just lose sitting down.

We have seen it happen in the past. It happened before. It is happening now. This vicious cycle will not end because politics in this democracy is characterized by bitter losers and crab mentality.

No one wants a government to succeed. There will always be one who will win, one who will lose and who wants to topple down the winner.

What pitiful mentality do we have as a nation? People never give chances for government to flourish and push with its reforms.

Whatever happens to this new impeachment complaint, it will definitely not be the last. There will be no stopping this culture of desperation.

Woe to this brand of politics. It’s a game we just can’t win.

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EDGEDAVAO

N

EGATIVELY as it seems, the stark, harsh truth staring us in the face is that not everyone is willing to lend a hand in solving the problems that poverty brings.

A very sad fact, isn’t it?

While we agree that poverty is the scourge that haunts our nation, only a handful are genuinely interested and courageous enough in getting rid of this malaise.

(Under the Duterte administration, leadership is not wanting.

The President has shown genuine love for the poor and is consciously doing something about it. Did you see how quickly he handled the much-delayed rehabilitation of the Typhoon Yolanda victims?)

In this country, if you search extensively the minds and souls of society, you will discover that people are only willing to help if they see that their “charitable and altruistic” actions get media space and are noticed.

Poverty can only be defeated if we COLLECTIVELY PUT OUR

D

ON’T look now but Tigatto was a town in the twilight years of Spanish rule when Lapanday (formerly Belen), the former stronghold of Datu Bago in 1848, was host to a sprawling abaca plantation owned by Syrian migrant Juan Awad. When the Catholic missionaries arrived on the area, the place was a predominantly Moro enclave.

Tigatto was given the name Alberique by missionaries, and it was situated on the riverbank of Davao River, about 6.5 miles (10.46 kilometers) west northwest of Davao, according to the 1902 Gazetteer of the Philippines.

As a township, the Americans assigned in the area two teachers—a male and a female—to attend to the educational needs of children.

With the arrival of priests in the area, Tigatto, which counted Ma-a as one of its districts, became Chritianized in 1900. The pueblo was first organized 1895 as can be deduced from a letter dated December 6, 1896, which Fr. Saturnino Urios, SJ, the parish priest of the Davao, wrote while at Peñaplata, in Samal Island. In his communiqué to the Mission Superior, he mentions of a trip to Al-

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Poverty of the mind and spirit EFFORTS, HEARTS AND MINDS AGAINST THE EVILS THAT FOMENT IT. Unfortunately, there are scheming sectors who want poverty to stay because they use it as a convenient leverage to exploit the poor and underprivileged.

Let us consider our own history.

What prompted our national hero Dr. Jose Rizal to write his novels Noli Me Tangere and El Filibusterismo?

It was principally to expose the abuses of the Spanish colonizers and the friars! For nearly four hundred years, the Spaniards taught us to be timid and scared, to be cowardly obedient to their whims and remain unlettered and ignorant.

Today, it is perfectly right for the millions of poor Filipinos living under the poverty line to denounce those who are treating them like as if the Spanish regime is still in effect.

The millions of indigenous Filipinos and other minorities have, since long time past, not been

SPECKS OF LIFE Fred C. Lumba getting what they deserve. Most grew up unlettered, ignorant and neglected. This has been a major roadblock why it is so difficult to integrate them into our society.

The political circumstances of the past and the present have not intertwined to benefit those who have less in life. Ironically, those who have more are getting benefitted by law through sheer political manipulations and connections.

Thomas Paine, an English immigrant and colonist who became one of the founding fathers of the United States, wrote in Common Sense that “government, even in its best state, is but a necessary evil; in its worst state, an intolerable one.”

Some, if not most, of our national leaders, when facing the media, express their mental anguish about the poverty that has hemmed in our people. They have ideas how to kick poverty out of our lives.

Unfortunately, while talking sensibly they don’t translate their ideas into concrete, positive action. Why? Because most of them have the elitist’s mindset. Most of them saw the light of day cared for by nurses in first class hospitals and were raised with silver spoons in their mouths. They are of the cacique brand.

They did not know POVERTY from Adam (no pun intended).

So, we go back to the premise of collectively integrating our efforts at licking this scourge. Can it

be done?

If the business sector, the taipans and the captains of industries (the oligarchs who belong to the one percent richest in this country), the national elective and appointive officials, the bureaucracy, the common tao, the church (the priests, pastors and the laity), the IPs, Muslims and other minorities, the police and military and the barangay officials join hands in taking POVERTY head on, we can triumph over it.

Problem is – people rush off to different directions.

We are divided. Polarized, disunited and disfigured. Too many geniuses in our midst.

There is the propensity to determine the colors that one wears. The tangerines, the yellows, the oranges and the greens and blues don’t want to merge with other colors for a better mix.

Poverty of the mind and spirit stalks us no end. (Email your feedback to fredlumba@yahoo. com.) GOD BLESS THE PHILIPPINES!

people back to the upper hinterlands in search of sustenance.”

Despite their efforts to survive, “several [residents] have succumbed to hunger and misery, above all among the Moros living on the lowest-lying lands.”

In an earlier letter, Fr. Urios also cites Alberique as one of the “settlements in interior,” along with Oyanguren, Garellano, Oran, Melilla, Aviles, Segorbe, and Santa Isabel. Where these other population centers were situated and what are their present names are engaging subjects for future researches.

In the 1917 Report of the Philippine Health Service, filed after the 1916 flood that put the town of Davao under water, the place was already home to the Tigatto Public School.

Affirming the classification of Tigatto as a town, was a letter dated June 1, 1916, from Fr. Mario J. Sauras to Fr. Jesus Jose Iglesia, SJ, the provincial of the congregation in Davao, saying: “Dearly beloved confrere: I have just arrived from the neighborhood of Tigatto where, thanks to the favor and help of some good Filipinos, the feast of the Blessed Patriarch and Spouse San Jose,

patron and protector of the small town, was celebrated today, the day of the Ascension of the Lord.”

At the tail-end of the war, Tigatto bore the brunt of aerial bombings after the Japanese forces fled to the area. According to the History of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 115 (1988), on May 7, 1945, napalm bombs were put down directly on top of the Japanese naval headquarters at Tigatto and blanketed the building in flames. The enemies suffered heavy casualties that hastened the collapse of the retreating foes.

Although the area almost became an abandoned settlement following the rise of insurgency in the late eighties, the disintegration of the Marcos in 1986 saw the return to normalcy of a former town that today stands out as a subdivision township. Some of the residents there are descendants of Christians relocated from Hijo in 1892 under the stewardship of Fr. Urios.

Classified as rural by the Philippine Standard Geographic Code (PSGC), Tigatto, a district of Buhangin, is now home to close to 15,000 inhabitants and host to a growing thriving number of commercial establishments.

The town of Alberique

berique, most likely in November 1896, to attend the celebration of the town’s fiesta whose patron saint was St. Saturninus.

“It was the first such celebration in that settlement. The Moros are more advanced than addicted; Alberique is far, if not one hour away and, besides, it was my patron’s day. For these reasons, we noted much activity there; also, growth and good mixture of new and old Christians. The Davao principalia [elite class] came to greet me. We proposed a toast and served something prepared by the ch0ir leader. At the same time, they gave us something to honor the Assessor and the Medical Officer who ate with us, since we had invited them to the feast.”

This being the first fiesta, the town of Tigatto could have been established a year earlier.

This is corroborated by an earlier letter dated October 17, 1895, which Fr. Jose Alque, S.J., later the second director of the Manila Observatory, sent to his Mission Superior from Davao while en route to Mati from a visit in the town of Alberique: “Sunday, September 22, I left with Fr. [Lorenzo] Peiro for Alberique, the new Moro settlement

FAST BACKWARD Antonio V. Figueroa close to the Davao River, about nine kilometers from the sea. The site is excellent. The temporary church is very poor, the huts half finished, the streets well laid-out but choked with brambles for land of hands. The general impression is that of a town abandoned as it was just beginning to be built.”

Fr. Algue, a meteorologist and scientist, attributed his grim observations about the town to the famine that spread to the lower section of the Davao Gulf, which affected “dispersed newly established settlements and forced

10 NEWS OUST... FROM 1

Alejano also told reporters that a supplementary complaint regarding the President Duterte’s alleged secret arrangement with China over the ownership of Benham Rise, an act that he said was tantamount to culpable violation of the Constitution will also be filed in Congress.

Complaint build on lies But for House Speaker Pantaleon Alvarez, the impeachment complaint against President Duterte will not prosper.

Alvarez told reporters on Thursday that Alejano’s complaint lacks sufficiency in substance and is built on lies.

He also described the move as “stupid” as the complaint is baseless.

The accusations of state killings, graft and corruption are all fabricated, he added.

“That is stupidity, you know? We know that all these charges are fabricated. They seem to believe their own lies,” the speaker told reporters.

He also expressed confidence the impeachment complaint will not fly in the House of Representatives.

House Majority Leader Rodolfo Fariñas also told reporters that a public official can only be impeached on acts committed while holding his present office.

Fariñas said most of the allegations in the impeachment complaint took place when President Duterte was still the chief executive of Davao City.

“Since the allegations made while President Duterte was mayor were widely publicized and known by the voters when they elected him as President, the clear mandate given to him by the people has to be respected,” the majority leader pointed out.

Meanwhile, Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre also gave his comment to the media on the filing of impeachment

complaint, saying that it has no factual and legal basis.

The allegations, Aguirre added, are not based on concrete and solid evidence that will support the five grounds the complainant enumerated.

“Mere allegations without proof are not evidence,” Aguirre said.

He added that the complaint is part of the plot to destabilize the administration of President Duterte.

Solicitor General Jose Calida, for his part hit Alejano, saying that the Magdalo solon is a “puppet” of Senator Antonio Trillanes IV. Trillanes is a staunch critic of President Duterte.

Both Alejano and Trillanes were part of the Oakwood mutiny and the siege of Manila Peninsula in that attempted to topple the administration of former President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, Calida added.

In a statement to the media, Calida said: “The mischiefs of the Magdalo outcasts, Senator Trillanes and his acolyte, Representative Alejano, are afoot again. Obviously, they have not learned their lessons in the Oakwood and Manila Pen foolish misadventures to topple the government of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, they want a reprise of their failed dreams by filing an impeachment petition against President Rodrigo Roa Duterte.”

He said the impeachment complaint will not succeed, noting that the same has no valid grounds under the Constitution.

“My office, the Office of the Solicitor General, is ready and raring to crush their puerile and futile attempts to destabilize our country. Let’s unite and rally behind our duly elected President. Let’s defend the Republic and our President in any forum. This time, the gloves are off,” Calida added in the statement.

6.7 earthquake off Surigao last month,” said Rodriguez.

Citing latest available data, Phivolcs reported 302 aftershocks from such earthquake as of 8 a.m. Monday (March 13).

Forty-two of those aftershocks were felt, Phivolcs noted.

According to US Geological Survey (USGS), aftershocks are smaller earthquakes that occur in the same general area during the period following a larger earthquake.

USGS noted aftershocks represent minor geological re-adjustments along portion of the fault that slipped at the time of the earthquake.

Philippine authorities said the February 2017 Surigao

earthquake’s strongest aftershock so far -- a magnitude 5.9 temblor earlier this month -- damaged 83 houses in the province.

Reports also said an elderly person died of cardiac arrest after that aftershock while another person sustained injuries from a wall’s collapse from that seismic event.

Aftershocks occur as underground rocks disturbed during earthquakes move while settling into place, noted Phivolcs science research specialist Mylene Enriquez.

She noted such rocks differ in movement during settling.

“That’s why an earthquake’s aftershocks aren’t always of the same magnitude,” she added.

tion goal of ACIA. “Ease of doing business through facilitation of business registration in any ASEAN Member States (AMS) will significantly contribute in making the region a more attractive invest-

ment destination. An in-depth assessment of the business registration requirements of AMS will support and contribute to ACIA’s key objectives of increasing intra-ASEAN investments,” Halili-DichoCsa noted. (PNA)

Surigao... FROM 2

ASEAN... FROM 5

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

EVER WATCHFUL. Police personnel stand guard in front of the spectators as part of the tighter security measures being implemented during yesterday’s 80th Araw ng Davao Parada Dabawenyo. Lean Daval Jr.

Impeachment... FROM 2

Journalist... FROM 2

General, is ready and raring to crush their puerile and futile attempts to destabilize our country. Let’s unite and rally behind our duly elected President. let’s defend the Republic and our President in anyforum. This time, the gloves are off,” Calida stressed.

“Representative Alejano is a toady of his braggart patron, Senator Trillanes. They are not even in the league of Don Quixote so this impeachment won’t fly. It will crash like a rudder-

less plane flown by witless pilots,” he added.

Alejano, in his complaint, said the President has committed culpable violation of the Constitution, betrayal of public trust, graft and corruption and “other high crimes”.

President Duterte holds majority support in the House of Representatives, where a vote of one third of all members is needed to transmit the complaint to the Senate for trial. (PNA)

to building the capacities of young people especially women and girls and indigenous youth in communicating and story-telling. She organized regular summer workshops in journalism for local and international writers and promotes peace and conflict sensitivity in reporting especially for Mindanao. She was recognized for her dedication to uphold press freedom and journalistic ethics and for providing valuable training opportunities to

promising Filipino journalists.

“I am truly overwhelmed and so thankful with this recognition, more so because I am the fourteenth Times-man to receive the Datu Bago Award,” said Cabusao. Since 1999, she had been working for Mindanao Times which had been in the industry for 71 years.

Kublai and Cabusao were two new additions to the 155 Datu Bago Awardees who were given recognition since 1969.

nent said they are ” interested in looking at the mechanics, the processes, the hierarchy, the organization of the drug trade” because in their review of literature, there are only a few studies on the issue.

Pancho said they will initially focus on six cities — Davao and General Santos, Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, Zamboanga and Cotabato — to find out the extent of the drug industry in Mindanao.

The areas were chosen based on income and population because “to some extent, naay bearing and income ug population because drug trade normally coincides with other economic activities,” he said, adding they also want to look into the point of contact between the local drug trade and the regional players in Southeast Asia.

situation and at the same time look at the requirements on mandatory random drug testing in schools.

“We will try to discuss what will be the implications for educational institutions if we run random mandatory drug testing,” he said.

Cabarde said they will also conduct trainings on rightsbased policing and has coordinated with the Human Rights Affairs Office of the Philippine National Police (PNP) for a trainers’ training on May 17 to 19 in Davao City for human rights action officers from all regions nationwide “to create a pool of trainers within the PNP on HR-based policing.”

Healing and Recovery For the healing and recovery for surrenderers / reformists, Dr. Melba Manapol, project head, said they have committed to assist 28 barangays in coordination with the City Anti-Drug Abuse Council (CADAC) and the Archdiocese’s Sagop Kinabuhi and other universities.

Manapol said the city has 11,000 surrenderers and they will be able to assist at least around 3,000 surrenderers and their families.

“We will support the initiatives in the barangays so we target and intend to form and develop at least six to 10 core volunteers that will hopefully ensure that surrenderers or reformists in each of the barangays are taken care of in terms of .. various social needs,

rehabilitation needs.”

Manapol said part of the process is to do profiling and screening of the surrenderers “so that we are able to identify what are their particular needs.”

She said those who are severely affected will be referred to the city government for further support and assistance in the rehabilitation institution but those who are on the “moderate” level, can be supported through the healing and recovery program.

Manapol said the economic side will be attended to under the HERDS component, where livelihood trainings may be initiated by the university’s School of Business or referred to the Department of Social Welfare and Development and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority.

attended to by Catholic schools and the state-run University of Southeastern Philippines.

He said they are talking with the parishes and the Basic Ecclesial Communities so that when the drug reformist returns to the community, the community would be more receptive.

Valles refers to the CAID’s programs as “the Ateneo forte.”

Tabora said the war on drugs is “a real war and it is a war against evil in our society, abetted by internationally organized groups who have a lot of money and who have a lot of arms and the effect of this activity is very negative on our population.”

“I think as much as possible,” Tabora added, “we all have to stand for a lawful response of the government agencies to this evil, from the level of the church, from the level of the university. We have to be able to trust I think that those who are in charge of the law enforcement will take the means necessary in order to protect the general population against this evil.”

Tabora said the university “is not in the position to dictate on the security forces how to do their jobs… we want to make a contribution to the fight against illegal drugs and we will do it in a way where we understand our competencies and confine ourselves to that.”

(Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

Center... FROM 4

Human rights-based policing Lawyer Romeo Cabarde, chair of the University Community Engagement and Advocacy Council (UCEAC) and one of the persons heading the Human Rights Training and Rights-based Policing and in-house community awareness program, said they will run learning sessions to help prevent drug addiction. He said they were preparing for a Town Hall forum that afternoon with the regional director of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency PDEA who was set to speak on the drug

War against evil Valles said Sagop Kinabuhi has a map of the city’s 182 barangays where one could easily see which barangays are attended to by which school or institution and which barangays are still waiting for assistance.

Davao Archbishop Romulo Valles at the blessing of the Ateneo de Davao University’s Center Against Illegal Drugs (CAID) on 15 March 2017.

MindaNews photo by Carolyn O. Argulllas He said there are now close to 50 barangays that are being

INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

EVENT

EDGEDAVAO

Suntrust top sellers honored in grand ball

By JECIA ANNE OPIANA

I

T was an evening of grace and elegance as the Davao and Tagum office of Suntrust Properties Inc. held its Suntrust Grand Ball Annual Awards Night 2017 Sales Kick-off March 4 at the SMX Convention Center.

“Tonight is the night we celebrate our victory,” said Atty. Harrison M. Paltongan, Suntrust president. He also expressed his appreciation to the sales workforce for their contribution to the company.

With the awardees on their long gowns and tuxedos, awards were given to top-sellers of the months October, November, December of the year 2016 as well as the top sellers for the quarter who have per for med outstandingly and have exceeded their sales target.

Plaques, cash, incentives as well as marketing support and team-building budgets were given away as prizes.

For the training and recruitment awards, Ice

Breaker Awards were given to Beverly S. Palma Gil, Porche Vincent Florida, Valerie Sumogod, Rey Allen Escaño, Jesus Mequila Horus, Arianne Christine Neri, Jovelyn Ricablanca, Janeth Lynn Abrio, Lirio Sambaoa, Genesis Abatayo, Angelita Ladroma, Pamila Nasol, Evelyn Libre, Neil Patrick Milan, Luis Marius Quiblan, Rhyan Zurita, Chona Sta. Ana, Angelita Tabin, Justhin Nasataya, Sonylyn Libre and Jaime Cuestas.

For the monthly

Suntrust A3

First vice president for sales, marketing and BDD Mr. Jerry R. Rubis

Engr. Leonora P. Guttierez, AVP for Regional Operations

EDGEDAVAO

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More highlights of the event

EDGE DAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

Suntrust A1

awards, Best Trainer Awards were given to Rey John Pantinople, Zenaida Reyes and Jerby Auxillo. Best in Activation Awards were given to Milagros Esther Guinoo and Henry P. Jaum. The annual Best in Activation Award was given to Mark Oliver P. Tolentino.

The top awardees were Eriberto S. Potente, Jr. of the Sales Division Head category who have made a total of P1.51 B converted sales, bringing home a brand new Toyota Fortuner; Zarah Joan P. Gallardo of the Branch Sales Manager category with P 413.7 M converted sale and taking her brand new Toyota Avanza with her; and Charmie delos Santos of the Direct

The awardees Seller category with P 308.36 M converted sale and taking home her new Toyota Vios.

Also present in the

grand ball were the company’s first vice president for sales, marketing and BDD Mr. Jerry R. Rubis, Engr. Leonora P. Gut-

tierez, AVP for Regional Operations and Mr. Lemuel Podador, Chairman of (Podador Navarete Santiago) PNS Land Cor-

poration.

Suntrust has garnered an estimated total of P3.2 billion target sales for Davao City and Tagum

City for 2016, and P10 billion for the whole Philippines. This year, Suntrust targets to reach P12 billion total sales.

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

11 MOTORING

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

Two 15-minute power interruptions on March 19 in Bangkal & Catalunan Grande

D

AVAO Light and Power Co., Inc. will conduct two 15-minute power interruptions on March 19, Sunday, from 12:00 AM up to 12:15 AM and from 7:00 AM to 7:15 AM affecting customers connected to Bangkal Feeder 1.

These service disruptions will be necessary to transfer the load from Bangkal Feeder 1 to nearby lines to conduct line upgrading works.

Specifically affected are customers from crossing Bangkal going to Kurbada So-

riano up to crossing St. Xavier Seminary in Catalunan Grande.

Davao Light apologizes for the inconvenience of these scheduled power interruptions. But it will exert all efforts to restore electric service as scheduled or earlier. However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the schedule due to unavoidable circumstances.

Please contact our 24/7 Call Center Service at 2293572 for any power interruption that will fall outside the given indicated schedule. (PR)

COL Financial Philippines, hopes that the Summit will help more Filipinos learn managing their money and investing in their future.

“This next 10 years is going to be the most critical era period of the Philippines.

Filipinos should learn about investing (now) because after 10 years, 20 years, the econ-

omy will slow down because the demographic is going to be much older,” he explained.

As the Philippine economy is expected to grow 6 to 7 percent over the next 10 to 15 years, Fausto said it was imperative for Filipinos, especially the ones who are earning, to save and invest their money properly. (PNA)

used (by the beneficiaries) for its intended purpose,” she said.

Taha said they will utilize the FDS to ensure that the beneficiaries are informed of the relevant provisions on the rice subsidy.

4Ps is a poverty reduction and social development strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to “poorest of the poor” households to improve their health, nutrition and education.

The program provides beneficiaries cash grants of P500 a month for health and nutrition expenses and P300 a month per child for educational expenses. A household with three qualified children could get P1,400 monthly.

The 4Ps only used to cover households with children up to age 14 but was expanded up to age 18 to allow beneficiaries in the elementary level to continue their schooling until high school.(PNA)

More... FROM 6

DSWD... FROM 6

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Meet the diesel-powered

W

Honda CRV

E don’t have to wait two weeks to see it in all its glory. Feast your eyes on the all-new 2017 Honda CR-V 1.6 EL 4WD. AutoInfo says the 2017 CR-V is quite the looker. Instead of going sporty, it seems to be embracing luxury and distinctiveness. LEDs are now found in both front and rear ends with the headlights (with daytime running lights) and taillights having them. The front grille features a honeycomb mesh decorated by a large chrome trip that ties it to the corporate Honda face. At each corner, this range-topping CR-V has Toyo-branded 235/60 R 18 tires.

At AutoInfo’s first drive at the Chang International Circuit in Buriram, Thailand, the outlet has confirmed that it’ll come with 7 seats. And the interior, instead of going all sporty, seems to echo the sheet metal. It’s luxurious with piano black accents going hand-in-hand with wood paneling. The front seats are power adjustable while the second row offers a 60/40 splitfold mechanism with two stages of recline. The rear doors open at 90 degrees allowing easier access to the third row. The CR-V offers ventilation ducts up to the second row.

It also seems Honda is going for a techier feel this

time around too. The 2017 CR-V (at least with the diesel engine) comes with an elec-

trically actuated transmission. Reminiscent of the Legend luxury sedan and Pilot SUV, the traditional PRNDS is accessed not by a shift lever but by buttons. AutoInfo says it takes time to master this new layout, but at least paddle shifters are present on the steering wheel for quick up or down shifts. In addition to the push-button style selector, the CR-V gets a digital gauge cluster with the tachometer now being a bar at the top. A large touchscreen allows access the infotainment system.

Now comes the most interesting part: the drive.

While we all know the 1.6-liter i-DTECserves up a torque buffet with 350 Nm of torque and 160 horsepower to boot, the biggest surprise is the 9 speed automatic. With wider ratios than a conventional 6-speed unit, the CR-V’s gearbox can actually skip gears. It can go from 9th to 5th or 7th to 4th directly. And with Honda resisting the temptation to go dual clutch, our Thai friends report smooth performance.

EDGEDAVAO

12 AGRITRENDS

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

Organic farming against land degradation Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

F

ROM a swamp area where mechanics dumped trash to a place teeming with vegetable crops, fruit trees, herbs, ornamentals, livestock, fish and poultry today, the Peñalosa Farm has gone a long, long way indeed.

Located right at the back of a mall in the heart of Victorias City, the 0.9-hectare farm is one of the top agri-tourism destinations in Negros Occidental. “We can address the problem of poverty by teaching people about farming,” said Ramon Dayrit Peñalosa, Jr., the owner of the farm.

“Mr. Organic,” the moniker Peñalosa earned for venturing into organic farming and stuck to it like a glue, really never thought of becoming an agripreneur. When his former business, bus transport system, closed down, he was left with a property that was used before as garage and repair area for vehicles.

“We had to think of something that would make our property into something productive,” recalled organic guru and pillar of organic farming in Negros Island and Western Visayas. “So, we tried something far off from bus lines.”

In the beginning, he planted kangkong in the property,

particularly near the water-logged areas. Later on, the whole area was swamped with kangkong. He decided to raise pigs, which he found out to be viable. He added more pigs and before he knew it, he was already raising 40 pigs all

in all. He thought of raising tilapia, ducks and chickens. He planted fruit trees and vegetable crops.

It was just a matter of time that he learned about integrated farming. From there, it was just a step away from organic agriculture.

One of the banner programs of the Department of Agriculture, organic agriculture is “an agricultural production system that avoid or largely excludes the use of synthetically compounded fertilizers, growth regulators, pesticides, livestock feed additives, and genetically modified organisms and products,” informs Lucille Elna Parreno-de Guzman, author of the report, “Organic Agriculture: A SLM Strategy for LDN in the Philippines.”

SLM is an acronym for sustainable land management while LDN refers to land degradation neutrality. The latter is defined as “a state whereby the amount of healthy and productive land resources, necessary to support ecosystem services, remains stable or increases within specified temporal and spatial scales.”

Organic agriculture has been practiced in the Philippines since time immemorial

but it was not until in 2010 that the government formalized by signing Republic Act No. 10068 or the Organic Act of 2010.

The Act encourages the farmers to adopt this sustainable farming technology

throughout the country. The government has been mandated to “promote, propagate, develop further and implement the practice of organic agriculture in the Philippines that will cumulatively condition and enrich the fertility of the soil, increase farm productivity, reduce pollution and destruction of the environment, prevent the depletion of natural resources, further protect the health of farmers, consumers and the general public, and save on imported farm inputs.”

The report of Parreno-de Guzman is part of the cross-country research project, “Sustainable Land Management: Adoption and Implementation Constraints,” which was conducted with support from Economy and Environment Program for Southeast Asia (EEPSEA) and the ELD (Economics of Land Degradation) Initiative.

The Bureau of Soils and Water Management (BSWM) of the Department of Agriculture has identified organic agriculture

as one of the systems that can combat land degradation. It does by helping improve soil fertility, preventing wind and water erosion of the soil, improving water infiltration and retention capacity, reducing surface and ground water con-

sumption and subsequent soil salinization, and reducing ground and surface water contamination.

Parreno-de Guzman conducted her study at the municipalities of Liliw, Nagcarlan, Majayjay and Magdalena in Laguna and in La Trinidad in Benguet. She wanted to assess the land degradation situation in the aforementioned towns.

“I also want to know if the farming systems they adopted help avoid, reduce or reverse land degradation,” she said.

According to the researcher, chemical pollution of soil and water bodies is the main land degradation issue in both provinces. “This is mainly due to the continuous and indiscriminate use of chemical inputs in farming,” she reported.

In her study, she found that organic agriculture has

been practiced in La Trinidad 1 0 years earlier than those in Laguna. “Farmers who have converted to organic agriculture did so mainly due to observed and experienced negative health effects in using chemical fertilizers and pesticides,” she wrote.

Aside from agrochemicals, farmers in both provinces also apply raw or partially decomposed chicken manure as fertilizer.

“Although the use of chemical fertilizers, pesticides and chicken manure has had minimal effect on physical land degradation, its effect has been largely on the chemical properties of the soil and of surrounding water bodies,” Parreno-de Guzman wrote.

Although organic agriculture is one of the best methods in combating land degradation, Parreno-de Guzman observed there are certain issues that limits its widespread adoption. These are: knowledge-intensive (“no one recipe

that fits all”), decrease in yield during conversion period (due to imbalance in soil nutrients), laborious production (when producing organic fertilizers and concoctions), high initial investment (particularly on vermicomposting or the production of organic fertilizer with the use of earthworms).

More importantly, there is a high cost of organic certification. Section 17 of RA 10068 said it bluntly: “Only third-party certification is allowed (for agricultural produce) to be labeled as organically produced.”

The report also provided six recommendations, among them: gradual conversion to avoid drastic reduction in yield; regulate the marketing and use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides; farmers to organize into associations to get government support; strong support from the academe; a niche market for organic produce; and organic certification be made affordable and accessible to small producers.

Meanwhile, Peñalosa believed that the success of his integrated organic farm is because of his belief in the Almighty, the Supreme Being who is the source of all knowledge. “A farmer who does not know how to pray,” he declared, “is not a good farmer.”

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017

EDGEDAVAO

Top... FROM 3

“Becoming a police officer is an honor for our family,” the elder Enca said.

His mother described his soon-to-be police inspector-son as a “gifted child.”

“He never spent time playing DOTA or any computer games, he would rather go home straight and study,” the mother said.

“Who is not happy?” the husband asked, revealing that his wife cried hard when told her son topped the 2017 PNPA graduates.

Macdum, whose name was taken from Islamic missionary Sheik Mhakdum who brought Islam in the country in the 14th

NEWS 13 century, was the fourth among six siblings.

The father said he named his son Macdum because he wanted him to be a faithful Islam believer.

Before joining the academy, Macdum was a grantee of a one-year student exchange program of America’s Field Services Intercultural Program in St. Louis, Missouri. “With his chosen career, I am sure he is ready to die for his country,” the father said.

He said he is raising funds for his family to be present during Macdum’s graduation, as this is only once in a lifetime event. (PNA)

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late ATHENA LULETTE ANGLIONGTO EMBATE has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS executed among her heirs, per Doc. No. 487; Page No. 99; Book No. 28; Series of 2012, of the NOTARY PUBLIC JEFFREY JEFFERSON Y.CORONEL 3/3,10,17

SSS... FROM 5

special cases who will receive their P1,000 benefit increase on different dates, particularly on Mar 31, May 12 and 26.

Among the pensioners who will receive the P1,000 additional benefit on March 31 under the special cases are those with death claim with more than one payee and one of them is overpaid; payees with withheld share; pension with payees under different guardians; and those covered by a Bilateral Social Security Agreement between the Philippines and other countries and the Portability Law. Likewise, pensioners on suspended status due to non-compliance with the Annual Confirmation of Pensioners but are up for resumption from January to March are scheduled to receive the additional benefit on Mar 31, provided they have already reported to SSS for the resumption of their monthly pension.

Meanwhile, retiree-pensioners who availed of the advance 18 months retirement pension from August 2015 onwards will receive the P1,000 additional benefit on May 12 to cover the remaining months starting January 2017.

Pensioners with settled initial disability, death and retirement (DDR) claims from November 2016 to April 2017 as well as those who filed for adjustment in their pension will be able to withdraw their P1,000 additional benefit from their bank accounts on May 12.

(PR)

14 EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017 PROUD KNIGHTS. The Ateneo de Davao University Blue Knights reached the semifinals on thier first stint in the SM NBTC National Finals.

END OF THE

ROAD

Blue Knights bows to St. JudeCavite in SM NBTC Div 2 semis

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO njb@edgedavao.net

ADDU Eliminations Results: March 13, at Palm Coast Marina 9:30 am – ADDU 80, Ormoc City NHS 33

7:30 pm – ADDU 62, St. Benilde-Laguna 35 March 15, at MOA Arena

11:30 am – ADDU 87, STI-Malolos 58

7:30 pm – ADDU 65, St. Jude-Cavite 84

D

AVAO City champion Ateneo de Davao University bowed out of the 2017 SM NBTC National Finals Division 2 after losing to a superior St. Jude-Cavite 65-84 on Wednesday night.

Playing two straight games in a span of eight hours, the Blue Knights could not sustain their momentum despite leading the match midway into the second quarter.

Ion Angeles fired 20 points and 5 rebounds for the Blue

Knights while Francis Gabriel Escandor bucked foul trouble to hit 14 points, collared 2 rebounds and blocked one shot. Josh Barrientos added 11 points and 10 rebounds while the usually hot Axel Doromal could do no better than 8 points.

Ateneo shot only 32.35 percent from the field and 18.8 from downtown. In contrast, Cavite shot 47.3 from the field and 29.41 from beyond the arc.

Cavite also outrebounded Ateneo 49-41 and played the ball

around much better with 21 assists as against the Blue Knights’ 7.

Paul Ryan Limpangog led the Cavitenos with 13 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists and 3 blocks.

The Blue Knights thus completed their first ever SM NBTC finals stint with 3 wins in 4 games.

Ateneo opened with a 80-33 massacre of Ormoc City National High School and St. Benilde-Laguna 62-35 on Monday’s doubleheader. They beat STI-Malo-

los 87-58 on Wednesday morning to complete the sweep of the eliminations.

Completing the cast for the Blue Knights are Isaac Selgas, Joachim Weill, Joshua Go, Jan Rubiato, Matthew Martinez, Dom Cane, James Bacalso, Jethro Taculin and Kenneth Batilo.

“The boys did their best. I am proud of them,” said coach Miggy Solitaria who will bow out as the Blue Knights’ bench tactician to join De La Salle University in the UAAP.

Rockets sink Lakers 139-100 Aldridge returns

R

OCKETS guard Lou Williams found the perfect cure for his recent shooting woes - a good, old-fashioned revenge game.

Williams scored 30 points against his former team and James Harden had

his 17th triple-double of the season to lead Houston over the Los Angeles Lakers 139100 on Wednesday night.

Williams broke out of a shooting slump against his ex-teammates. He was just 7 of 30 on 3-pointers (23.3

percent) in six March games before regaining his touch in this one.

Houston sent Corey Brewer and a first-round draft pick to Los Angeles in a trade for Williams three weeks ago. The deal paid off for the Rockets on Wednesday night as Williams went 7 for 9 from beyond the arc and made his first seven field goal attempts, including four straight 3s. ‘’It had been a while,’’ Williams said. ‘’I’ve had some ups and downs. It’s been a while since I shot the ball that well. Tonight was just a good night for me. I felt confident in my shot.’’

Harden had 18 points, 13 assists and 12 rebounds as Houston handed the Lakers their 11th loss in 12 games. ‘’We’ve got so many good players and good scorers that he doesn’t have to figure anything out,’’ Harden said about Williams. ‘’He’s just being patient. Tonight, he got it going, and it was good for us.’’

Brewer, meanwhile, had four points in 22 minutes.

With D’Angelo Russell struggling to find a rhythm

and in foul trouble much of the game, Los Angeles leaned heavily on Julius Randle, who gave Houston fits all night. Randle muscled his way into the paint for a career-high 32 points and eight rebounds. ‘’I just have to be more aggressive and look to score and run the floor,’’ Randle said. ‘’It’s all stuff that I already know that I have to be more consistent with.’’

Rookie forward Brandon Ingram and Jordan Clarkson both scored 18 points for Los Angeles. ‘’We just have to keep getting better. It’s a process,’’ Ingram said. ‘’Some of us have never been through this before, and the thing we’re going through right now will only make us stronger.

We just need to continue to come in and try to get better.’’

But the Rockets’ 3-point shooting proved overwhelming for the young Lakers as Houston drained 18 of 43 from outside the arc (41.9 percent). Houston scored 46 points in the fourth quarter, mostly from reserve players while the Rockets held a comfortable lead.

SLIP. The Los Angeles Lakers’ Jordan Clarkson falls onto Ryan Anderson of the Houston Rockets.

but Spurs lose

T

HE Portland Trail Blazers did not have a team meeting or scream at one another after suffering their ‘’worst loss’’ of the season.

The compacted NBA schedule makes it necessary to forget quickly. Portland understood that and it led to their ‘’best win of the year’’ just 24 hours after a blowout loss.

Damian Lillard scored 36 points and the Trail Blazers defeated the San Antonio Spurs 110-106 on Wednesday night, spoiling LaMarcus Aldridge’s return from a health scare.

C.J. McCollum added 26 points for Portland, which was coming off a 23-point loss in New Orleans on Tuesday. ‘’That had to be probably our best win of the year,’’ Blazers coach Terry Stotts said. ‘’To beat a team like San Antonio on the road. Not only that, but how we won. I thought it was one of our better games as far as staying focused throughout the game.’’

Portland needed that focus in an emotional game for San Antonio.

Aldridge returned after missing two games with a minor heart arrhythmia. He was cleared Wednesday morning and does not have any playing restrictions.

‘’I feel good,’’ Aldridge said. ‘’It felt good to be back out there. We didn’t get a win, so that’s kind of tough to deal with. (But) happy to be out there with the teammates, just be playing again.’’

Kawhi Leonard had 34 points to lead San Antonio (5215), which had won 11 of 12 entering the game but fell one game behind Golden State for the league’s best record.

Aldridge had 19 points and seven rebounds, including nine points in the final quarter. ‘’I felt like my rhythm was good early and then I think my touch was off around the rim.

That kind of bothered me,’’ Aldridge said. ‘’I definitely played better at the end. It’s the first game back. I’ll get better.’’

Trailing 104-97 with 1:45 remaining, San Antonio closed within two points as Aldridge scored five consecutive points on a layup and a powerful dunk that led to a three-point play. After Leonard missed a short runner, McCollum made a pair of free throws to end the Spurs’ streak and give Portland a 106-102 lead.

Patty Mills then hit a 3-pointer from the right corner off a feed from Leonard, but Lillard made four straight free throws to seal the victory for the Trail Blazers.

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Duno to get hero’s welcome in Gensan N

EWLY-MINTED World Boxing Council (WBC) Youth Intercontinental lightweight champion Romero “Ruthless” Duno, who recently scored a sensational second round knockout against previously unbeaten Mexican Christian “Chimpa” Gonzales in Los Angeles, will be given a hero’s welcome in General Santos City on March 22.

Duno and Sanman Promotions Chief Executive Officer Jim Claude Manangquil are arriving at 9 a.m. aboard a Philippine Airlines from Manila.

They will fly from Los An-

geles on March 20 going to Manila.

Duno’s manager Dexter “Wang Yu” Tan, Chief Finance Officer of Sanman, who also watched the fight last week, is arriving home earlier.

“There will be a motorcade before Duno will pay a courtesy call to our beloved City Mayor Ronel Rivera,” said Manangquil in a text message.

Duno has been trained by former world champion Rodel “Batang Mandaue” Mayol at the Wild Card Gym of Sen. Manny Pacquiao’s chief trainer Freddie Roach since December.

Duno, 21, first knocked down the hometown favorite Gonzales in the opening round with a right straight on the chin. But Gonzales of Buena Park, California, was saved by the bell.

In the second round, Duno again landed a vicious wild punch to send again Gonzales down on the canvas. Gonzalez tried to stand up but was still wobbly on his feet prompting referee Thomas Taylor to stop the fight in 57 seconds of the second round.

Duno now has a record to 13 wins with 12 knockouts and only one loss.

fication, coaches education and sports science.

Mindanao LGUs, according to the manifesto, also want to have a genuine sports promotion and development program in their respective localities and adopt the mass-based and grassroots development program of the PSC for the latter to defray LGUs’ cost in sports

PSC and requesting also the full release of the five percent of Pagcor funds to the PSC. “The manifesto of support from the governors and the mayors is very positive for us. Our commitment is there but with lack of funds we could not bring the trained coaches to hold sports programs in all areas of Mindanao that seek com-

promotion and in their participation in different national games and conduct of sports science and coaching seminars, among others, in their areas.

The PSC had been receiving only 2.5 of the five percent from Pagcor pursuant to Section 26 of the Republic Act No. 6847.

Rellon, who is also executive vice-president of the League of Cities of the Philippines, said that the five-percent share of the Pagcor annual income will enable PSC’s programs be available in the grassroots level.

“Sports development should be felt in all corners of the country,” Rellon said during the open forum with PSC officials headed by no less than Chairman William “Butch” Ramirez himself.

He also vowed to also make a similar proposal to the League of Cities of the Philippines for another possible endorsement backing

munity-based sports development programs,” Ramirez told sports reporters after the directional meeting.

PSC Commissioners Charles Raymond A. Maxey and Ramon Fernandez were also present during the meeting that allowed attendees to air their various concerns from funding constraints and lack of trained coaches and athletes, among others.

Mindanao LGUs want release of 5% PSC share from Pagcor M

ORE THAN 150 participants in the Philippine Sports Commission’s directional meeting with officials of local government units (LGUs) of Mindanao signed Thursday a manifesto of support to the PSC as they sought the help of President Rodrigo R. Duterte’s office to intercede in the full release of the five percent of PSC’s share of the income of the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation (Pagcor) as mandated by law.

Tagum City Mayor Allan Rellon and Kidapawan City Mayor Joseph Evangelista jointly proposed the passage of the manifesto later signed by participants that included city and municipal mayors, vice-governors, provincial board members, city councilors and sports coordinators from 50 Mindanao LGUs at the Pinnacle Hotel and Suites in Davao City.

The manifesto underscored the need for the full release of the five percent share of PSC from Pagcor’s income as the national sports agency aims to support the grassroots sports development program in Mindanao.

The manifesto also sought the President to revive Executive Order No. 63 issued on March 1, 1993 on the creation of Provincial, City, Municipal and Barangay Physical Fitness and Sports Development Councils (PFSDC); and EO No. 64 issued also on March 1, 1993, on the adoption of the National Policy and Program of “Sports for All” by concerned government agencies; and promote and develop sports in the grassroots level through the implementation of Philippine Sports Institute (PSI) which include talent identi-

SPOILED RETURN. LaMarcus Aldridge of the San Antonio Spurs returned to the line up but the Spurs lost to the Toronto Raptors.

TEAM DUNO. Romero Duno (seated) with (from left) trainer Rodel Mayol, Sanman Promotions CEO Jim Claude Manangquil and CFO Dexter Tan. (Photo by RAMON FALGUI)

Lucky shots at the 9th Phoenix Open Golf Tournament

A

STROKE survivor won P1 million after he hit a holein-one at the 9th Phoenix Open golf tournament on March 11, 2017 at the Rancho Palos Verdes Golf and Country Club in Davao City. Jeremiah Co’s return to golf after recovering from a stroke last year proved fortuitous as he celebrated his new lease on life.

For the individual division of the Phoenix Open, Jung In Kyu won in the Over-all Gross and Boy Ariba in the Over-all Net. Taking home the Gross Champions awards

were Jaime “Boy” Tan Sr, Eugene Chiong Sr., Mark Villorente, and Vic Rosario for Class A, B, C, and D respectively. Lito Bario and Boy Arriba emerged champions in the Partner Division, while the Team Division was won by the DKGA 1 team of Kim Il Gyu, Lee Bong Hee, Han Duk Gi, Lee Jae Un, and Park Kwang Youl.

Over 250 golf enthusiasts from the Philippines and outside the country joined the ninth golf event of Phoenix Petroleum.

Department of Agriculture Secretary Manny Piñol and TV5 President Chot

Reyes graced the ceremonial tee-off, while reigning Miss Earth 2016 Katherine Espin graced the awarding ceremony.

All proceeds of the Phoenix Open will go to the Phoenix Philippines Foundation to support its programs for Education, Environment, Health, and Outreach.

The 9th Phoenix Open was presented by Pioneer Insurance and F.F. Cruz & Co., Inc. and co-presented by Brenton Engineered Products Corp. and Mechatrend Contractors.

Hole-in-one sponsors were Mercedes-Benz and Tata Motors.

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 278 • FRIDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 17 - 18, 2017