Edge Davao 9 Issue 16

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

DEVOTION. Catholic devotees participate in an early morning traditional station of the cross along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City in this file photo. The Edge Davao family joins the Catholic world in the observance of the Holy Week. Lean Daval Jr.

TIGHTENED S SECURITY

DuCay rally in Camiguin barred

TFD, DCPO to implement strict measures in DC for Holy Week

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

S

abf@edgedavao.net

ECURITY forces in Davao City are tightening security measures due to the recent bombing incidents in Brussels, Belgium, and the observance of the Holy Week.

Task Force (TF) Davao Commander Col. Cristobal Zaragoza told reporters that the threat in the city remained manageable but after the two explosions in Brussels on Tuesday, which killed at least 30 people and wounded 230, the security level was raised to ensure the safety of the people in the city.

Zaragoza said the com-

bined forces of the TF-Davao and the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) strengthened intelligence monitoring to assess the threat level in the city.

“There is always an existing threat in the city. However we did not monitor any specific threat yet,” the commander added.

The inspection in checkpoints as well as in all exit and entry points in the city will be stricter during the Holy Week period, he said.

He requested the public to cooperate with his personnel because the safety of all people is at stake.

For her part, DCPO spokesperson Chief Insp. Milgrace C. Driz said the police will also implement a heightened alert as declared by the Philippine National Police (PNP) national office.

Driz said the alert status is in line with the observance of Holy Week in the whole country.

“The Davao City Police Office will implement tighter security measures to prevent any untoward incident to happen, especially this Holy Week,” she said.

She said all police units in the city will be deployed

in the churches and other activity areas to secure public places.

“We will assign police from the Traffic Group in every church in the city to assist the public during procession,” Driz added.

There will be police personnel deployed in all places of convergence such bus terminals, seaports and airports to secure passengers who will go out of the city, she said.

“We will also conduct patrols in the subdivisions to ensure that burglars will not take advantage of moment,” she said.

UPPORTERS of Rodrigo Duterte are being prevented from attending the presidential candidate’s sortie in Mambajao, Camiguin today.

In a statement, Duterte and his vice presidential running mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano, are set to arrive in Camiguin Wedesday afternoon.

Peter Laviña, spokesperson and chief of Duterte media team, said they have confirmed reports about various forms of suppression being experienced by supporters today in Camiguin.

Vehicles with Duterte

stickers and posters were forced to the back of the line at the pier in Balingoan.

The electrical connection at the Mambajao Freedom Park was cut and homes nearby have been warned not to allow connection to the Duterte team, according to Laviña.

The sound system was also pulled out even though organizers had already paid for it. The owners were reportedly told they would not be allowed to do business in Camiguin if they do not comply. A sound system had to be rented from Cagayan de Oro City.

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EDGEDAVAO Sports Manny explains KO drought P16

2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

BARRED. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, who is statistically tied with Senator Grace Poe in the latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by ABS-CBN, addresses his supporters in one of his campaign rallies. Supporters of Duterte claimed that they were harassed and warned against attending the scheduled rally of the mayor in Camiguin allegedly by Liberal Party led by the Romualdo clan. Lean Daval Jr.

Duterte, Cayetano propose to form fishery department

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HE tandem of presidential bet Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and Senator Alan Peter Cayetano will create a department solely dedicated to address the concerns of small fishers and protect the country’s marine and aquatic resources.

In a statement, Duterte and Cayetano said, if elected, they will create a Department of Fisheries separate from the Department of Agriculture (DA) to give the fishery sector in the country a more focused attention and reduce red tape which greatly contributes to corruption.

This came up after their “Ronda Serye” listening tour with fishermen in Ormoc City in Leyte last Tuesday.

Cayetano said that the present DA is huge, prone to corruption and unmanageable. The senator also said that for a country surrounded by water, proper management of aquatic resources should be a priority, both for food security and livelihood improvement.

“Our plan to create a department of fisheries is an acknowledgment that the fishery sector has distinct problems and issues apart from

P700M released for resettlement

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HE Department of Budget and Management (DBM) has released P700 million intended for the construction of housing units for Informal Settler Families (ISF) currently living in danger areas and along easements of Metro Manila’s various waterways.

“This P700-M release will ensure that the informal settler families scheduled for resettlement this year will have safe, decent, and permanent housing waiting for them,” Budget Secretary Florencio B. Abad said.

There are 26,367 ISFs set for relocation this year under the Oplan LIKAS (Lumikas para Iwas Kalamidad at Sakit) Program, implemented by the Department of the Inte-

F DUTERTE, 10

rior and Local Government (DILG) in coordination with local government units (LGUs), the Presidential Commission for the Urban Poor (PCUP), National Housing Authority (NHA), National Anti-Poverty Commission (NAPC), and other agencies.

The P700 million forms part of the P1.2-billion DILG budget for the ISF Program in 2015. This month’s release follows the DILG’s submission of the required People’s Plans for the construction of Micro-Medium-Rise Buildings, the listing of project sites, and the names of beneficiaries.

Of the total budget of P1.2 billion, P509.61 million was released last year to cover the cost of administrative and pre-

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DCPO to intensify watch vs drugs, IED in Holy Week

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE Davao City Police Office (DCPO) will intensify its intelligence operation against the intrusion of illegal drugs even in the observance of the remaining days of the Holy Week.

DCPO spokesperson Chief Insp. Milgrace C. Driz said the drug suspects will take advantage to sneak illegal drugs in the city during holidays or if there are celebrations because the police and other se-

curity forces are more focused on areas of convergence. “ Lalo na pag Holy Week kay mingaw unya ang mga tao kay naka-bakasyon. So, mogara pud ni sila, (The sneaking of illegal drugs will become more rampant during the Holy Week because most people are on vacation. Then, these people will take advantage on the occasion),” she said.

Driz also said the arrest

of Renz Nicole N. Tuban, who tried to sneak four big sachets of ‘shabu’ (methamphetamine hydrochloride) at the Task Force Davao checkpoint in Sirawan, Toril on Monday night, was not part of the intelligence monitoring.

She said Tuban possessed a P1.8 million worth of shabu which were found inside his belt bag during the inspection.

For his part, Task Force Davao commander Colonel

Cristobal Zaragoza assured the public to intercept all illegal drugs in their checkpoints.

Zaragoza said expect more illegal drugs that will be confiscated in checkpoints because his men will not give any opportunity to drug suspects to enter the city easily.

“Kaya nga nakakita tayo ng shabu kahit nasa loob lang ng kanilang ID kasi tight ang ating security (Because of

F DCPO, 10

Tagum Coop 7-time chairperson to pass baton of leadership

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EARY-EYED but declaring happiness, the chairperson of the home-grown multi-billionaire Tagum Cooperative revealed that she will be leaving the ranks of officials of the Cooperative.

In her Welcome Remarks during the 49th Annual General Assembly in Tagum Cityon March 13, Tagum Cooperative chairperson of the Board Directors, Norma Pereyras claimed, “Tagum Cooperative is the best thing that ever happened in my life”.

“As I pass the baton of leadership to the next

setof officer, ako ihalad sa Ginoo ang akong nahimo sa Tagum Cooperative (I am offering to God what I have done for Tagum Cooperative). The 25 years of my life I have dedicated with passion and love to serve the Tagum Cooperative members, not only in happy times but even in the most challenging times,” she said during the Opening Program of the on-going 49th Annual General Assembly held at the Pedro B. San Jose Gym, University of Mindanao Tagum College, Tagum City.

Turned 70 years old in December last year,

Pereyras is no longer qualified to serve as officer of Tagum Cooperative based on a Resolution passed and approved during the Annual General Assembly four years ago, that set the age limit of officers, but she stressed that she would be a “vigilant” member.

Pereyras has been serving Tagum Cooperative as Chairperson of the Board of Directors for seven times, starting her stint as the first lady president of such Cooperative for three consecutive years from 1995 to 1998.

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Norma Pereyras

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO

Comelec to make May 9 polls most transparent election

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MID few concerns on possible election cheating and postponement, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) on Wednesday assured that the commission is working hard to make the upcoming May 9 polls as the most transparent election in the Philippines history.

During the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on the Automated Election System (JCOC-AES) public hearing on the election preparation at the Philippine Senate, Comelec chairman Andres Bautista said all safeguards are in place as provided by Republic Act No. 9639 or the

Automated Election Law. “All the safeguards will be in place for the 2016 elections and, in fact, we will endeavor to make this election as the most transparent election in the Philippine history,” Bautista told the JCOC-AES panel.

Bautista’s statement was in response to the recent Supreme Court (SC) final decision requiring the activation of the voter verified paper audit trail (WPAT) or the vote receipt printing feature of the vote counting machines (VCMs).

“For sure the SC decision created curveball in our

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Palace: Latest Pulse Asia survey shows tight race

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HE results of the latest Pulse Asia survey showed that the upcoming presidential and vice presidential elections would be a tight contest among the leading presidential and vice presidential aspirants, including bets from the ruling Liberal Party, a Malacanang official said on Tuesday.

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Hermino Coloma Jr. said administration standard-bearer Manuel “Mar” Roxas II and his running mate Leni Robredo have been moving continuously since the campaign period started last Feb. 9. ”They continue to solidify their support base,” Coloma said in reaction to the March 8-13 Pulse Asia survey commissioned by giant television network ABS-CBN. According to the survey, Senator Grace Poe of the Par-

tido Galing at Puso and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte of PDP-Laban are now statistically tied, getting 26 percent and 25 percent, respectively.

Opposition candidate Vice President Jejomar Binay and administration standard-bearer Mar Roxas came close with ratings of 22 percent and 20 percent.

In the vice presidential race, Senator Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and Senator Francis ‘Chiz’ Escudero are also statistically tied with 25 and 24 percent, respectively.

Roxas’ running mate, Camarines Sur Rep. Leni Robredo garnered 20 percent. ”We trust that our Bosses – the Filipino people – will choose wisely and well on election day and will opt for continuity of good governance that will ensure the attainment of inclusive growth and the fulfillment of our nation’s aspirations,” Coloma said. (PNA)

CONSTRUCTION. Laborers work on the structure of a building’s foundation at a construction site along R. Magsaysay Avenue in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Rody’s latest rating not surprising: Koko P

ARTIDO Demokratiko Pilipino-Lakas ng Bayan (PDP-Laban) chairman Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III said he was not not surprised by the surge of their standard bearer presidential bet Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte in the latest Pulse Asia survey. ”Actually, I’m not sat-

isfied with his numbers.

I think it is more than 25 percent. I think Mayor Duterte has the support of more than 25 percent of the voting population,” Pimentel said on Wednesday.

The leader of the PDP-Laban attributed Duterte’s positive survey performance to the consistency of his message such as all-out

war against crime, drugs and corruption. ”This is the message which is the call of the times.

According to the voters, they agree with such a priority and they believe that Mayor Duterte has the political will, has the leadership to do what he says he will do,” Pimentel said. ”So he has the credibility.

Comelec to bets: No campaigning on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday

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TIGHT MEASURES. Task Force Davao commander Colonel Cristobal Zaragoza says defense forces in the city implement a tighter security measures due to the observance of the Holy Week and the recent bombing incidents in Brussels, Belgium. Zaragoza was among the guests of AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

We’re not surprised. So we are very, very happy with the survey results and we are confident of winning the elections,” he added.

In the latest Pulse Asia survey commissioned by ABS-CBN, Duterte and frontrunning Senator Grace Poe are now statistically tied on the top spot with 25 and 26 percent, respectively. (PNA)

HE Commission on Elections on Wednesday reminded candidates running for national positions in the May 9 polls that campaigning is not allowed on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday.

Comelec Chairman Juan Andres Bautista explained that under Republic Act No. 7166, as implemented by Comelec Resolution No. 9981, campaigning on the said days of the Holy Week is strictly prohibited.

“To all our candidates, it is not allowed to campaign during Maundy Thursday and Good Friday,” he said.

Campaigning will resume on Black Saturday which also marks the start of the campaign period for local bets.

Section 5 of RA 7166 states that the Comelec may exclude Maundy

Thursday and Good Friday in the campaign period when issuing the Calendar of Activities.

Meanwhile, the poll body said the ban on construction of public works is set to take effect on Friday.

Also on Friday, the ban on release of public funds, appointment or hiring of new employees, creation or filling up of new positions, and promotion or giving of salary increases will start.

The said measure is based on Section 261 of the Omnibus Election Code, which lists down the prohibited acts during the election period.

Violation of the said prohibitions will constitute an election offense, which carries a penalty of one to six years imprisonment, removal of right to vote, and disqualification to hold public office. (PNA)

EDGEDAVAO

4 SUBURBIA

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

New classrooms for IPs in Davao A

SMUGGLED WILDLIFE. Animals such as monkeys, birds and a deer were seized at Lipata Port in Surigao City on Palm Sunday, 20 March 2016. The animals are believed to have come from Indonesia. Five persons suspected of transporting the animals were arrested. MindaNews photo by Roel Catoto

ROUND 169 classrooms in 69 different school sites will be constructed in Davao Region for the indigenous people (IP).

Cicero Aguilar Jr., deputy national program manager for Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan - Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery of Social Services (KALAHI-CIDSS), stressed that the establishment of classrooms is a partnership project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development Office (DSWD), Department of Education (DepEd), and the National Commission on Indigenous People (NCIP).

Aguilar disclosed that the project costs P500-million, which has been proposed by the DepEd to the Department of Budget Management (DBM) for funding.

According to the data from DSWD, Davao del Norte will get 71 new classrooms to be placed in Kapalong (32

schools) and Talaingod (39 schools).

For Compostela Valley, 16 classrooms will be built in Compostela, seven in New Bataan and two in Monkayo.

Some 46 classrooms will also be spread in Davao Oriental. Baganga will have 12 classrooms, Mati with ten, Caraga and Cateel with eight each, Lupon and Manay with three each and two for Boston.

In Davao City, eight classrooms will be placed in Marilog District and two in Baguio District.

For Davao del Sur, Sta. Cruz will gain seven new classrooms, Jose Abad Santos with four and two each for Digos City, Malita and Matanao.

Rannon Padrinao, project coordinator of Government of Australia-Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, emphasized that their team will start with their validation for the school sites on April. (PIA11, Michael Uy)

he EcoWaste Coalition and ‘running priest’ Fr. Robert Reyes, on Wednesday conducted “Lenten Walk for Mother Earth” from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources to the Office of the Ombudsman in Quezon City to advocate for chemical safety and zero waste and the adverse impacts of garbage dumping on the ecosystems.

A volunteer carrying a big wooden cross on his shoulders led the walk under the scorching sun, followed by over 80 participants, many of whom donned black veils and held banners and placards with pro-environment messages, including excerpts from Laudato Si of Pope Francis that says: “The earth, our home, is beginning to look more and more like an immense pile of filth.”

“The cross symbolizes the suffering of our dear Mother Earth due to the failure of many localities to close, clean up and rehabilitate polluting dumpsites across the country,” said Father Reyes.

“The cross also represents

our collective hope that ecological stewardship will triumph over the culture of waste and apathy that is defiling and killing God’s creation,” he added.

“Open dumping goes against Republic Act 9003, the Ecological Solid Waste Management Act, burying communities with wastes and poisoning humans and other creatures with harmful chemicals,” noted Aileen Lucero, National Coordinator, EcoWaste Coalition.

“By staging this walk, we proclaim the need to end this daily ‘crucifixion’ of Mother Earth in our throw-away society by closing the dumps and adopting practices that prevent and reduce the generation of trash,” she said.

“Specifically, we hold this walk to urge the Filipino nation to rally behind the Office of the Ombudsman in its earnest efforts to protect the environment from open dumping by holding erring officials accountable,” she further said.

In response, Ombudsman Conchita Carpio Morales assured EcoWaste Coalition of-

Pols reminded: Observe EcoWaste holds Lenten walk T trash-free campaigning T

HE Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 12 reminded local politicians to observe trash-free campaigning with the start of the campaign period this weekend.

Datu Tungko Saikol, DENR Region 12 director, said Wednesday local candidates should be environmentally-sensitive and make sure that their campaign activities are compliant to related regulations.

“These come by not putting campaign materials on trees and post streamers, posters, leaflets and the likes in prohibited areas that may

affect the environment,” he said in a statement.

The official expressed concern over supporters of some candidates who tend to forget the removal of campaign materials, especially those posted on trees, after their sorties.

He said some camps just leave behind or dump their campaign materials and paraphernalia in public areas.

“Most are unmindful whether they throw their trash in proper areas after the election,” Saikol said.

In line with the coming local campaign period, he said DENR-12 will strictly

implement the provisions of Republic Act (RA) 3571 and Presidential Decree (PD) 953.

RA 3571, as amended by PD 953, is a law that prohibits and punishes the cutting, destroying or injuring of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic values along public roads, in plazas, parks, school premises or in any other public ground.

“Both laws govern the protection and conservation of grown and growing trees, flowering plants placed along the public roads, plazas and parks that help beautify and provide healthy environment

to humans,” he noted.

The DENR launched in January the “Basura-Free Election 2016” campaign to ensure a garbage-free elections.

The agency partnered with the Department of the Interior and Local Government and the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the nationwide drive, which calls for the proper disposal of campaign material wastes and cleaning up of surroundings after the elections.

Comelec has set the start of the local campaign period for the May 9 elections on Saturday, March 26. (PNA)

The local government collected around P1.72 million in January and February last year, or an average of P860,000. The total collections for the first quarter of 2015 only reached PHP3.17 million.

The provincial imposition under mining and quarry covers sand and gravel tax; mining tax, mining permit fee, ore transport fee, occupational mining tax, verification fee, filing fee, permit fee, projection fee, processing fee, fines/penalties/surcharges, and, miscellaneous (delivery receipts).

With the two-month collection averaging P1.5 million, Flaviano said the provincial government’s share has already reached P1.233 million.

He said they are hoping to further improve their col-

lection record in the coming months to sustain its performance last year.

The local government’s mining and quarry tax collections reached a total of P14.37 million in last year, or P2.37 million more than its P12-million collection goal for the period.

Such figure increased by roughly P3.4 million or about 24 percent from its total income in 2014 that reached P10.90 million.

To further improve their collection record, Flaviano said they will continue with their intensified monitoring and enforcement activities against illegal quarry and mining operations in the province.

He said they have been regularly checking the operations various quarry and small-scale mining ventures to ensure that they are com-

pliant with the local government’s regulations.

SoCot earns P3M in quarry taxes in 2 months

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HE provincial government of South Cotabato has collected around P3 million in mining and quarry taxes in the first two months of the year, surpassing its target for the period.

Siegfred Flaviano, Provincial Environment Management Office (PEMO) head, said Wednesday their tax collections reached total of PHP1.43 million in January and PHP1.56 million in February, which are way higher than last year’s record for the same period.

He said increasing figure is mainly due to the enhanced collection and payment systems that they adopted this year.

“We’re continually improving our systems to make our services more efficient and ensure the quality of our operations,” he said.

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PROMOTED. Army Chief Lt. Gen. Eduardo Ano (left) honors Maj. Gen. Oscar Lactao, outgoing commander of the 4th Infantry Division in Camp Evangelista, Cagayan de Oro City on Wednesday (23 March 2016). Lactao was promoted to head the AFP Inspectorate General Office. Lactao is replaced by Maj. Gen. Benjamin Madrigal. MindaNews photo

by Froilan Gallardo

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

5 ECONOMY

Euro Towers to invest P1B for condotel project

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

P

crc@edgedavao.net

RIME real estate developer Euro Towers International, Inc. (ETI) will pour around P1.5 billion investment for the development of a residential component and renovation of the Apo View Hotel in Davao City.

“We’re targeting to start the construction next

year,”Jesse G. Clamor, finance and administration director and acting director for sales of Eurotowers, told reporters at the sidelines of the recent annual awarding of top performers for Vivaldi Residences- Davao, ETI’s first condominium project in Mindanao, at the Apo View Hotel last

week.

Clamor said the team is still finalizing the masterplan for the development project and expecting to complete the plan by the third quarter of this year.

“We’re planning to put up a total of three condominium buildings in the one-hectare

area where the Apo View Hotel is now standing,” Clamor said.

While there’s no plan to demolish the current structure of the Apo View Hotel, he said six more floors will be added on top of the existing nine-storey tower of the hotel.

“We do not want to de-

stroy Apo View because it is already part of Davao’s culture and history,” he added.

The developer group, he said, will renovate the interiors of the hotel and build a separate hotel lobby and entrance.

“The renovation of the hotel actually started November last year,” he said. “The project will be implemented in phases.”

Meanwhile, the ETI will also construct condominium building on the same site.

“The condominium towers will have a separate entrance,”he said adding the mix-used development, wherein a hotel is constructed beside a condominium, is an ongoing trend abroad and Metro Manila.

Meanwhile, Roy L. Estanislao, ETI director for construction and development group said the towers will be developed into high-rise condominiums.

“We plan to retain the Apo View branding,” he said.

PHL foreign trade up 15% to USD 11B in January

T STREET FOOD. A street vendor cooks Japanese cheese cake while his avid customers wait at Bankerohan Public Market yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

HE country’s external trade for January this year has increased by 15 percent to USD11.01 billion from USD9.58 billion in the same period in 2015.

Data from the Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) show that external trade value grew to USD11-billion level in the first month of the year after import receipt surged by 31 percent to USD6.83 billion despite the 3.9 percent decline in exports revenue at USD4.19 billion.

The country posted a trade deficit of USD2.64 billion in January.

Top trade partner of the country in January this year is Japan. Two-way trade with Japan reached USD1.68 billion with imports amounting to USD727 million and exports of USD950 million.

This was followed by China with total trade amounting to USD1.63 billion, United States with USD1.31 billion, Singapore with USD717 million, and Hong Kong with USD680 million.

Completing the top ten trade partner of the country for the month of January include Thailand, South Korea, Taiwan, Malaysia, and Germany. (PNA)

6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

Samal Holy Week visitors to reach 300T

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

A

crc@edgedavao.net

ROUND 300,000 domestic and foreign tourist visitors are expected to spend the rest of the Holy Week in different beach resorts in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS), the City Tourism Office said.

“We usually record the highest number of tourist arrivals in Samal every Holy Week,” city tourism officer Jennifer Cariaga said, adding the five-day period is also the busiest time for businesses every year.

Cariaga said the tourism office recorded some 300,000 guests during last year’s Holy Week break. “Beach resorts are usually full of visitors who

are coming from neighboring provinces and cities in Mindanao.”

However, this year’s tourist arrival is expected to decrease due to the total blackout experience by the island after M/V Ecuador’s anchor hit and dragged a portion of the submarine cable which connects the island from the mainland power grid.

Cariaga said the repair of the damaged submarine cable will take weeks before it will be fully restored.

However, the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (DANECO), the franchise holder, has already tapped the Mindoro Grid Corporation (MGC)

for a rental of a modular generator set which is expected to arrive on March 28.

Cariaga said the modular genset will have a capacity to supply six megawatts (MW) of power to the island which has a peak demand of only 5MW. She also said both the public and private sector are already pooling resourcing to ensure the continuity of business operations in the island which is positions as the region’s prime tourist destination.

Samal has over 70 beaches with eight high end resorts and the rest are special interest resorts. The high-end resorts, Cariaga said, are equipped

with facilities so that operation is 24/7. For the special interest resorts, the visitors stay overnight in tents and on the huts along the shore.

In 2015, the total tourist arrivals accounted to 758,000 while in 2014 there were about 650,000 people who visited the island.

According to her, a tourist staying overnight could spend about P4,000 per day while visitor on day tour spends between P500 to P800 a day.

Cariaga said most of their visitors during Holy Week are on family outing and spend the week exploring the island from the beaches, to waterfalls, caves, island hopping,

diving, snorkeling, biking and other adventure activities.

Other visits are facilitated by the parish church of the island.

Lieutenant Commander Dan August Cariño of the Philippine Coast Guard - Sta. Ana Station said it will be implementing a new rerouting scheme in Sta.Ana Port to ensure the safety of passengers and avoid the expected heavy traffic.

Cariño said the preparation for Oplan Semana Santa has already started since last month.

He said campaign on safety among boat riders are ongoing to make sure that

MinDA to seek ERC nod of Daneco genset deal

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LIVELIHOOD. A worker carries on his shoulder hundreds of plastic jars used as container for homemade peanut butter sold at Bankerohan Public Market yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

HE Mindanao Development Authority urged the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) to speedup the processing of the power sales agreement (PSA) rate application for the modular generator set intended for the Island Garden City of Samal which is now suffering from the island-wide blackout since last week.

“There is utmost urgency for Samal power problem and should be dealt with quick dispatch,” said secretary Luwalhati Antonino of MinDA said in a statement.

Antonino, who chairs the Mindanao Power Monitoring Committee (MPMC), noted that fast measures should be

S

Pantukan, Compostela Valley, were also placed under 30-day suspension.

Cabaltera added that 19 more union members, including nine union leaders, were given their walking papers.

The layoffs occurred merely days after the existing sole and exclusive bargaining agent (SEBA) of won the certification election (CE) last February 22, he said “The union sees the illegal dismissals as retaliation from the management and condemned the move,” the state-

ment read.

“Musahamat’s design here is to eradicate the presence of leaders and staunch supporters of the KMU union because they do not want us around shouting for rights. We have been consistently standing up to the company’s policy of arbitrary dismissals. We have been helping “overstaying” workers or “job-orders” who exceed service for six months and one day attain regular status. The company’s answer is to dismiss them outright but we are here fighting for their

reinstatement,” said Cabaltera said.

He accused officials of the Musahamat Farms, Inc. of being an alleged “incorrigible union buster.”

“After the union’s February 22 victory in the certification election, Musahamat Farms, Inc. sent notices to 19 union leaders and members demanding explanation why they should not be dismissed from service for holding a picket protest on the dates February 9, 13, and 15,” he added.

self-sufficiency and with these modern farm technologies, farmers can expect lower operation costs, lesser post harvest losses, better quality products, and increased profit,” Estigoy said during the School-on-the-Air (SOA) on Rice Production and Mechanization Program graduation ceremony.

SOA is a training course organized by the DA’s Information Section with modules on agricultural banner commodities’ recommended practices and

technologies under DA-11’s information. Selected farmers will graduate based on their submitted written exam. The SOA was incorporated on DA 11’s Agri Pinoy radio program aired over DXRD 711 kHz, Sonshine Radio from 4-5 a.m. every Monday to Saturdays.

Among the machines recommended to boost rice production include farm tractors, combine harvester, mobile rice threshers, and mechanical rice transplanter.

“DA will provide technical

and capability training for farmer associations that qualify to avail themselves of farm machinery and equipment from the agency,” Estigoy said.

Meanwhile, Ma. Febe Orbe, DA-11 assistant regional director urged farmers to collaborate with DA to take advantage of the agency’s farm mechanization program.

“The role of our farmer is very important, they are the one who provide food on our table,” Orbe said. (PNA)

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DA urges farmers to increase efficiency through mechanization

I

N a bid to attain food security and sufficiency, the Department of Agriculture (DA) here has intensified its campaign on farm mechanization in the Davao Region.

Dr. Rodolfo Estigoy of the Philippine Center on Postharvest and Mechanization (Philmech) said farm mechanization lowers production cost and postharvest losses.

“Mechanization is one technological change that the country has to undergo to attain rice

exerted to address the total blackout situation in Samal resulting from its isolation from the Mindanao grid.

At the Board Meeting convened on Tuesday by the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (DANECO), it was learned that reconnecting Samal through the damaged submarine cable could take weeks.

It may be recalled that in the morning of March 17, 2016, the 13.8kv submarine cable line of DANECO connecting the entire island of Samal from mainland grid was severely damaged after being dragged by the anchor of M/V Ecuador of Seaview Cargo

F MINDA, 10

ECCP names Florian Gottein as new executive director

Dismissed bananeros picket MFI T OME banana workers from Pantukan picketed outside the corporate headquarter of the Musahat Farms, Inc. (MFI) in Pryce Tower last Wednesday to protest against the alleged illegal dismissal of some 52 workers.

In a statement, Esperidion Cabaltera, president of Musahamat Workers Labor Union (Farm II) - National Federation of Labor Unions – Kilusang Mayo Uno (MWLU-II-NAFLUKMU), said another 19 banana workers of Kuwaiti banana exporter based in Brgy. Kingking,

passengers follow safety precautions like wearing of life vest while on board the motorboats. They have also extended trainings to life guards who will be on duty during the peak holidays.

There are seven regular passenger boats that ferry passengers to the island and about 30 chartered boats ply the route during peak time like the Holy Week.

Cariaga said the PCG will be also deploying more than 30 personnel to different private resorts to ensure the safety of the travelling public during the remaining days of the Holy Week. (CRC with reports from PNA)

HE European Chamber of Commerce of the Philippines (ECCP) announces that Florian Gottein, currently the Vice President for Membership and Business Services, has been appointed as ECCP’s new Executive Director which will take effect immediately. He will succeed Henry Schumacher who will now focus on his role as the Advocacy Adviser in the Chamber. The ECCP network is composed of 770 members and with offices in Manila, Cebu City and Davao City.

“It is an honor to have been elected as ECCP’s next Executive Director and more than a privilege to be part of an organization like ECCP that delivers high quality services and innovative solutions to its members and clients. ECCP serves not only as the voice of the European business community in the Philippines but does also its part to improve the business environment in which our member companies are operating,” said Gottein.

“Over the past decades, Henry Schumacher’s vision and leadership have built ECCP into one of the major foreign chambers not only in the Philippines but in the whole region.

With the upcoming EU-Philippine FTA negotiations and a new administration coming in by July, it is a great time to start. The opportunity that lies ahead for ECCP and its members is enormous, and the ability to be part of this next chapter is simply exhilarating.”

Prior to his role as Vice President of Membership and Business Services at ECCP, Gottein worked for the Government of the UAE in Abu Dhabi and the Austrian Government. Gottein grew up in Austria and spent a year abroad as an exchange student at the University of the Philippines, Diliman. He graduated at the University of Innsbruck, Austria with a Master’s Degree in Political Science.

Florian Gottein

7 BIGGER PICTURE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

LENTEN FEATURE:

The day Jesus Christ died for us!

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

J

ESUS Christ, the central figure of Christianity, was born in Bethlehem in Judea. The chronology of the Christian era is reckoned from a 6th-century dating of the year of his birth, which is now recognized as being from four to eight years in error. Christians traditionally regard Jesus as “the incarnate Son of God,” and as having been divinely conceived by Mary, the wife of Joseph, a carpenter of Nazareth.

The name Jesus is derived from a Greek rendering of the Hebrew name Joshua, or in full Yehoshuah (Jehovah is deliverance). The title Christ is derived from the Greek christos, a translation of the Hebrew mashiakh (anointed one), or Messiah. “Christ” was used by Jesus’ early followers, who regarded him as the promised deliverer of Israel and later was made part of Jesus’ proper name by the church, which regards him as the redeemer of all humanity.

At the age of 33, his ministry in this world ended. He died for our sins – for all of us. First Peter 3:18 pointed this out: “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just of the unjust, that he might bring us to God.” By the way, here’s how Great People of the Bible and How They Lived chronicled Christ’s last day on earth: “At about 9 a.m., a small procession left the Antonia and slowly made its way to Golgotha (“place of the skull”), a hill outside the walls of Jerusalem where prisoners were executed. It was so named because its contour resembled a human skull. Jesus was accompanied by two other prisoners, a centurion and a few Roman soldiers.

“When they reached Golgotha, the soldiers stripped off the men and divided them among themselves as the crosses were assembled. Jesus suffered in silence as the soldiers nailed his wrists to the crosspiece with large iron spikes and drove another spike through both ankles. As they lifted his cross upright, his weight was supported by a peg jutting out from the cross between his legs. The soldiers placed a sign on the

cross, proclaiming, ‘This is Jesus the King of the Jews.’

It was a slow and painful death. Dr. Alexander Metherell -- a consultant to the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health of Bethesda, Maryland - interview by Lee Strobel for his book, “The Case for Christ,” explained how Christ died: “Once a person is hanging in the vertical position, crucifixion is essentially an agonizingly slow death by asphyxiation. The reason is that the stresses on the muscles and diaphragm put the chest into the inhaled position; basically, in order to exhale, the individual must push up on his feet so the tension on the muscles would be eased for a moment. In doing so, the nail would tear through the foot, eventually locking up against the tarsal bones.

“After managing to exhale, the person would then be able to relax down and take another breath in. Again, he’d have to push himself up to exhale, scraping his bloodied back against the coarse wood of the cross. This would go on and

on until complete exhaustion would take over, and the person wouldn’t be able to push up and breathe anymore.

“As the person slows down his breathing, he goes into what is called respiratory acidosis - the carbon dioxide in the blood is dissolved as carbonic acid, causing the acidity of the blood to increase. This eventually leads to an irregular heartbeat. In fact, with his heart beating erratically, Jesus would have known that he was at the moment of death.... Jesus died of cardiac arrest.”

But before he died, Christ delivered what is now known as His seven last words. His first cross utterance: “Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do” (Luke23:34). This was closely followed by: “Verily, I say to you, today shall you be with me in Paradise” (Luke 23:43).

At the crucial moment of His life, some family members and friends paid a visit to Him. When He saw them, he told to Mary (His mother), “Woman, behold your Son” and then turning to his disciple John, he urged to take care

of her and said, “Behold your mother.” Read John 19:26,27 for further details.

Here are the four remaining last words He uttered: “My God, My God, why hast thou forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46); “I thirst” (John 19:28); “It is finished” (John19:30); and “Father, into thy hands I commend my spirit” (Luke 23:46). After saying all these, he perished.

“Later that afternoon,” notes The Great People book, “one of Jesus’ wealthy Jerusalem followers, Joseph of Arimathea, went to Pontius Pilate and asked him for Jesus’ body, so that he might give him a proper burial. After making sure that Jesus was in fact dead, Pilate agreed to let Joseph take the body. The kind man removed Jesus’ corpse from the cross and prepared it for burial.” John 19:39-42 relates that Joseph was assisted

by Nicodemus.

“Joseph bound the body from head to foot in clean, white linen strips, sprinkling fragrant species between the layers. When he had finished, Joseph carried Jesus’ body into his garden, where there was a

tomb that had been hewn out of a large rock. Inside near the rear of the tomb was a couch, also of stone, and Joseph gently placed the corpse upon it. Then he rolled a heavy stone across the entrance and returned to his home.”

“The death of Christ has a prominent place in the New Testament of the Bible. The last three days of our Lord’s earthly life occupy about one-fifth of the narratives in the four Gospels (Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John),” writes Henry Thiessen in Lectures in Systematic Theology. “If all the three and a half years of His public ministry had been written out as fully as the last three days, we would have a ‘Life of Christ’ of some 8,400 pages!”

One Bible scholar commented that the death of Christ is mentioned directly in the New Testament more than 175 times. Since there are 7,959 verses in the New Testament, this would mean that one out of every 53 verses refers to this theme.

More than that, the death of Christ is the essential thing in Christianity. Writes Thies-

sen: “Other religions base their claim to recognition on the teaching of their founders; Christianity is distinguished from all of them by the importance it assigns to the death of its Founder. Take away the death of Christ as interpreted by the Scriptures, and you reduce Christianity to the level of the ethnic religions.

“Though we would still have a higher system of ethics, were we to take away the cross of Christ, we would have no more salvation than these other religions. Napoleon said when banished to St. Helena, that Alexander, Caesar, Charlemagne, and he found mighty kingdoms on force, but that Jesus Christ had founded His on love. This is true, if we mean love expressed in His substitutionary death.”

In his book, Jesus Christ Our Lord, Dr. John Walvoord agrees: “Christ in His death fully satisfied the demands of a righteous God for judgment upon sinners and, as their infinite sacrifice, provided a ground not only for the believer’s forgiveness, but for his justification and sanctification.”

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

EDITORIAL

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

Derailed

HE petition for a Writ of Continuing Mandamus and Writ of Kalikasan with Temporary Environmental Protection Order filed before the Supreme Court last Monday will imperil the allegedly overpriced P18.9-billion Sasa port modernization project. It is a controversial project proposed by the Department of Transportation and Communications and opposed by local government officials, the business sector and civil society in Davao City and neighboring areas due to several objectionable features.

In fact, latest word from insiders in the Public-Private Partnership (PPP) Center indicated that the bid submission scheduled on March 28 has reportedly been postponed to another month, the umpteenth time that this process has been reset.

“The mere filing of this petition will imperil the bidding process,” former Davao City councilor Peter Laviña said. Laviña is one of the petitioners in the group represented by lawyer Herminio Harry L. Roque, Jr. that filed the 26-page petition. The other petitioners include incumbent Davao City Councilor Diosdado Mahipus Sr., former councilor Pilar Braga and Antonio Vergara, urban poor representative Benjie Badal, and the Samal City Resort Owners Association, Inc (SCROA).

The petitioners charged that bidding for the project continued despite the lack of an environment permit, consultation among members of affected community and local government consent. The respondents in the case are Transportation and Communications Secretary Joseph Emilio A. Abaya, the DoTC, its Pre-Qualification Bids and Awards Committee and the Philippine Ports Authority (PPA).

The petitioners cited the urgency following the March 28 scheduled resumption which cited the seaport development as the first project lined up for the public-private partnership program of the current administration.

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Laviña, spokesperson of Davao City Mayor and presidential candidate Rodrigo R. Duterte, said in an earlier report that the project is allegedly intended to fuel the government’s spending for the campaign of its standard bearer Mar Roxas, who once headed the DOTC. He said that “the project is very anomalous from the start and that the DoTC has ignored the city government, so we need the highest court to do something to stop this anomaly.”

The project cost, which was pegged before at only around P3.5 billion when the Philippine Port Authority (PPA) conducted a study few years ago but ballooned to almost P19 billion as shown in the assessment of a firm contracted by the DOTC in 2013, is opposed not only by the city government but also the business sector.

Members of the SCROA headed by Pastor Lozada Jr. said in the same report that “the association is filing this suit out of genuine concern regarding the impact of the proposed modernization not just on their respective businesses, but also on the ecology and environment of Samal Island as a whole.”

Bonifacio T. Tan, president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc., said as much as he is not opposed to any development, the implementation of the project will result in higher cost of handling fees and other port and shipping charges.

With the troubles bedeviling it now, our hunch is that the Sasa port modernization will not see the light of day under the outgoing Benigno Aquino III administration. It may have to wait for the new administration which is expected to assign implementors who will follow the law and respect and know how to consult local authorities and other stakeholders before proceeding with the gargantuan project.

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

Raised from the dead

EAR nothing; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has been raised again; he is not here!”

That was what the angel told Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome (the mother of James and John) when they went to the burial site of Jesus Christ.

The women visited the tomb to sprinkle more spices on the corpse. Jesus was buried on Friday afternoon and since Saturday was a Sabbath day, they were not able to do what they wanted to do. They planned of doing it on a Sunday morning.

“And very early on the Sunday morning, just after sunrise, they came to the tomb. They were wondering among themselves who would roll away the stone for them from the entrance to the tomb, when they looked up and saw that the stone, huge as it was, had been rolled back already,” reported Mark (16:2-4).

After the discovery of the empty tomb, the Gospels indicate that Jesus made a series of appearances to the disciples. These include the appearance to the disciples in the upper room, where Thomas did not believe until he was invited to put his finger into the holes in Jesus’ hands and side and beside the Sea of Galilee to encourage Peter to serve his followers.

His final appearance is reported as being forty days after the resurrection when he ascended into heaven, where he remains with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit until His second coming.

The good news is that Jesus was alive. He was raised from the dead. As recorded in the New Testament, the resurrection became one of the most compelling doctrines of Christianity, because, according to this doctrine, by rising from the dead, Jesus gave humanity hope of a life after death.

“The resurrection was undoubtedly the central proclamation of the early church from the very beginning,” explained Dr. Gary Habermas, author of The Resurrection of Jesus: A Rational Inquiry. “The earliest Christians didn’t endorse Jesus’ teachings; they were convinced they had seen him alive after his crucifixion. That’s what changed their lives and started the church.”

Theologian Gerald O’Collins puts it this way: “In a profound sense, Christianity without the resurrection is not simply Christianity without its final chapter. It is not Christianity at all.”

But skeptics, agnostics and non-Christians believe resurrection was a hoax. They have this theory that Jesus only fainted from exhaustion

on the cross, or he had THINK ON THESE! been given a drug that made him appear to die, and that he had later been revived by cool, damp air of the tomb.

In 1929, D.H. Lawrence wrote Love Among the Haystacks and Other Stories. In Henrylito D. Tacio one of the stories, the henrytacio@gmail.com author surmised Jesus escaped and fled to Egypt, where he fell in love with the priestess Isis. Hugh Schonfield, the man behind The Passover Plot (1965), alleged that it was only the unanticipated stabbing of Jesus by the Roman soldier that foiled his complicated scheme to escape the cross alive.

The question is: Did Jesus really die in the cross or was it a sham? In the book, The Case for Christ, Dr. Alexander Metherell told author Lee Strobel that that Jesus really expired while he was hanging in the cross. When he was interviewed, Dr. Metherell was a consultant to the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health and a board certified in diagnosis by the American Board of Radiology.

Here’s the explanation of Dr. Metherell on the cause of death of Jesus: “Once a person is hanging in the vertical position, crucifixion is essentially an agonizingly slow death by asphyxiation. The reason is that the stresses on the muscles and diaphragm put the chest into the inhaled position; basically, in order to exhale, the individual must push up on his feet so the tension on the muscles would be eased for a moment. In doing so, the nail would tear through the foot, eventually locking up against the tarsal bones.

“After managing to exhale, the person would then be able to relax down and take another breath in. Again, he’d have to put himself up exhale, scraping his bloodied back against the coarse wood of the cross. This would go on and on until complete exhaustion would take over, and the person wouldn’t be able to push up and breathe anymore.

“As the person slows down his breathing, he goes into what is called respiratory acidosis – the carbon dioxide in the blood is dissolved as carbonic acid, causing the acidity of the blood to increase. This eventually leads to an irregular heartbeat. In fact, with his heart beating erratically, Jesus would have known that he was at the moment of death, which is when he was able to

say, ‘Lord, into your hands I commit my spirit.’

And then he died of cardiac arrest.”

There are several other theories forwarded that Jesus Christ was never resurrected. There are those who believed that either Jesus or his disciples (or both) simply invented the entire thing. Christ, they claim, was simply a clever crook who read the prophecies regarding the Messiah in the Old Testament and set about arranging for them to be fulfilled by himself.

Others believed the early disciples were guilty of using some kind of primitive LSD. There are those who think only Jesus’ spirit arose. And there are those who believed that Jesus Christ was only resurrected in the heart of his friends.

Jesus Christ appeared no less than seventeen times after his resurrection. Five of these occurred during the first Easter Sunday, and six more took place between that time and his ascension. The remaining six happened between Pentecost and the completion of the Bible.

“Taken as a whole, the appearances are of such various characters and to so many people under so many different circumstances that the proof of the resurrection of Christ is as solid as any historical fact that could be cited in the first century,” comments Dr. H. L. Willmington in Guide to the Bible.

Why is there so much ado about the resurrection of Christ? The resurrection is the very linchpin of the Christian faith. The apostle Paul said in I Corinthians 15:17: “If Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins.”

Dr. Willmington puts the resurrection in a different perspective manner. “The resurrection of Christ is the Constitution, Bill of Rights, and Declaration of Independence of the Christian faith,” he pointed out. “The sign of Christianity is really not the cross, but an empty tomb.”

Finally, here’s a thought from Dr. Charles S. Braden, author of The Word’s Religions: “Men do not rise from the dead. People do not pass through closed doors. People are not suddenly snatched away or do not suddenly disappear into thin air. Yet the disciple Thomas in particular was told to put his hand in the wounded side of his master and to feel the nail prints in his hand. So perplexing is the story that many modern people have been led to question the truth of it, though they find it hard to explain all the circumstances which the Gospel narratives recount… By far, the larger number of Christians today are quite confident in their belief that the Gospel narratives of His resurrection are wholly to be relied upon.”

Strong leadership is preferred. The social mix requires a social contract with a strong leader. This is because the peace enjoyed is often fragile and uneasy. Conflicts and misunderstanding are often near the brim of everyone’s cup, and historical reminders, special dates, harsh words trigger hatreds that often are kept under a fragile lid. It takes the state to keep that peace and ensure that all parties come to a common table to relay issues and differences. The Bud Dajo massacre, Jabidah, various other conflicts are all too often conveniently forgotten yet strike a vital chord and rattle sensitivities. The iron hand keeps the peace and facilitates the dialogue.

This perhaps explains why in Davao, for instance, so called leftists and progressives are able to work with retired generals in the city government. Such a partnership is unheard of in Luzon. NGOs and sectoral groups are able to present their agendas with greater transparen-

cy, free from the MY TWO CENTS’ name calling and hatred often seen in Metro Manila.

Nonetheless, the underbelly of prejudice and inequality pervade in a land they once called their exclusive own, forcibly takJohn Tria en through the ecisouth@gmail.com machinations of a clever central government with the help of foreign colonists.

This kind of sensitivity needs to be refereed properly. Unlike in Luzon and the Visayas, the peace within Mindanao is premised on a strong partnership that can only happen when the lead-

er is strong, and worthy of trust, where lines of communication are open and dialogue is secure.

Without this necessary element, violence erupts easily.

Moreover, it must be clearly noted that whatever peace is attained is only sustained when its dividends are shared- the prosperity and cultural integrity that comes with a recognition of historical experiences and culture, and a new generation that is comfortable with the new dispensation emerges.

Truth be told, the coming generations ought to grow up with less prejudice to each other than their parents had is a requirement for the future share of peace under the Mindanao promise to be attained. This is the real dividend and deep benefit. What matters is that as children they grow up loved and happy, and the village that raises them, the entirety of Mindanao, is able to support their growth.

Lessons in politics from Mindanao (second of two parts)

VANTAGE POINTS

9

A house of shame?

M

ANILA

TIMES columnist Yen Makabenta is proposing the creation of a Hall of Shame (HoS) for public officials who have “dishonored and endangered our public life.”

In his column of March 11th, Makabenta postulated the following: “The country should establish a hall of shame to remind our people of certain personages who deserve a corner in the nation’s collective memory for acts of disservice and dishonor to people and country.”

Talking Point fully concurs with Makabenta’s unique and brilliant idea. It deserves utmost consideration of right – thinking Filipinos.

The HOS is a fitting home for deceivers, liars, scoundrels, traitors and betrayers of public trust – people who have no shame, honor and conscience.

Now, what exactly and essentially is this hall of shame as conceived by the Times columnist?

Let’s listen to him: “Since we are now in the Age of the Internet and the Digital Revolution, the hall can be established and maintained on the Web. There will be no need for a physical hall. Only a Website.

Makabenta’s initial batch of “honorees” in the HOS consists of the nine Supreme Court justices who ruled that Grace Poe is qualified to run for President of the Republic of the Philippines.

They are: Maria Lourdes Sereno, Presbitero Velasco, Diosdado Peralta, Lucas Bersamin, Jose Perez, Jose Mendoza, Marvic Leonen, Francis Jordeleza, Benjamin Caguioa.

According to Makabenta, these nine justices “should be enrolled in the hall lest our people and the media forget their singular acts of cowardice and betrayal.’

Makabenta’s initial list of HOS “honorees” include the 20 senators who impeached former Chief Justice Renato Corona on order of President Noynoy, and who were allegedly rewarded with 50100 million pesos DAP money.

The 20 senators are: Antonio Trillanes IV, Manuel Villar, Francis Escudero, Gregorio Honasan, Panfilo Lacson, Frankln Drilon, Juan Ponce Enrile, Sergio Osmena, Teofisto Guingona, Tito Sotto III, Aquilino Pimentel, Ralph Recto, Edgardo Angara, Alan Peter Cayetano, Pia Cayetano, Ramon Revillw, Francis Pangilinan, Loren Legarda, Lito Lapid, Jinggoy Estrada.

My own nominees for inclusion in the HOS are: President BS Aquino 3rd – for incompetence and intellectual dishonesty; Former PNP Chief Alan Purisima – for incompetence and indecent loyalty to P-Noy; Manuel Roxas 2nd – for extreme poor performance as DILG Secretary and for blindly subservient to P-Noy’s “Daang Matuwid” slogan; Florencio Abad – for being the architect of the unconstitutional DAP. Dinky Soliman – for scandalous failure as DSWD Chief.

Malacanang apologists Sonny Coloma Jr. and Edwin Lacierda – for deodorizing BS Aquino’s lies and blunders, warped logic and arrogant posturings.

Janet Lim-Napoles should be in the house of shame albeit she is not a government figure.

10 NEWS DuCay... FROM 1

A government employee also told a Duterte coordinator that they are being threatened with removal of benefits if they join the rally, including cash allowances.

Local coordinators also reported that local officials are threatening people with repercussions if they attend the Duterte-Cayetano rally.

“They were told to be delisted from 4Ps, PhilHealth, and scholarship programs,” Laviña said.

Market vendors were also told they would no longer be allowed to sell if they attend the rally.

The mayor of Mambajao is Ma. Luisa Romualdo, a member of the political clan that lorded over the island for decades. She is the wife of Camiguin Gov. Jurdin Jesus Romualdo.

Gov. Romualdo, when he was serving in Congress as member of the Nationalist People’s Coalition, was in fact implicated in the PDAF scandal.

In 2013, the Romualdos jumped to the ruling Liberal Party and are supporting Mar Roxas.

Laviña said the reign of traditional politics in Camiguin was the reason Duterte and Cayetano are visiting it.

“Trapo politics is reigning in Camiguin and we need to expose this ugly side of the island,” Laviña said. “Our volunteers and supporters are

being harassed, people are being warned not to be on the streets for the arrival of our candidates and not to attend the rally.”

Obviously, Laviña said, this is the handiwork of the Romualdos.

“The LGU is making it hard for us to hold a rally. But more than that, it is making it hard for the people of the beautiful island of Camiguin who want real change.”

The people of the island, he said, have been living in fear of the Romualdos for years.

Camiguin is one of the smallest yet one also of the poorest provinces because of warlordism.

“Let us be reminded that this is the kind of oppression and dirty politics that encouraged Duterte to join the presidential race,” Laviña said.

Romualdo’s son Camiguin Representative Xavier , however, denied the claims of the Duterte-Cayetano camp.

In a report from GMA News Online, Xavier said that the people are free to campaign to any candidates.

“I heard about that. Not true. People in Camiguin are free to campaign for the candidates they support,” Xavier said in a text message.

“I believe they are just saying these malicious things because they couldn’t produce a big crowd for Mayor Duterte, who really isn’t very popular in Camiguin,” he added. █

land-based farming. It is also part of our effort to curb corruption sourced from unnecessary bureaucracy,” Cayetano explained.

He said that they will also expand available credit instruments for fisherfolk to provide them the needed capital to sustain their livelihood and protect them from 5-6 loan sharks.

The vice-presidential candidate also vowed to ensure

the fishermen’s safe working conditions, healthcare benefits and seriously study providing fixed wages to handline fishermen.

“Through bold solutions based on strong leadership, Mayor Duterte and I will end the disorder and corruption in the fisheries sector and ensure a better future for our fisherfolk communities,” Cayetano concluded. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

Shipping Corporation.

DANECO reported it is still assessing the full extent of damage and indicated that this could take weeks due to the difficulty of assessing the underwater cable, although a damaged portion had been located.

The submarine cable, with a holding capacity of 4 to 5MW transmits power from Davao Light and Power Co. sub-station to the entire Samal Island which is under the DANECO franchise.

Prior to the submarine cable incident, DANECO had signed a supply contract with Mindoro Grid Corporation (MGC) to supply 6MW modular generator set for Samal and targeted for commissioning this summer when power demand for the island peaks with the influx of tourists.

However, because of the incident and in exigency of service, DANECO proceeded to directly negotiate with MGC

for the immediate supply of any available modular diesel genset to operate on island mode in Samal.

According to DANECO, MGC would be able to ship the genset in a matter of days and can start delivering power immediately after installation work is done.

Antonino, however, pointed out that before DANECO could tap the MGC modular genset, it may need to secure PSA approval with ERC. “But given the situation, DANECO may start commissioning the MGC genset using an existing ERC approved rate for modular genset as benchmark,” she added.

On top of the modular genset solution, DANECO is also considering tapping existing generator sets of various establishments in the island through the Interruptible Load Program (ILP) for better management of the supply situation. CHENEEN R. CAPON

Duterte... FROM 2

MinDA... FROM 6

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strict security measure, we are able to discover shabu even it is just inside their identification card),” he said.

He said the strict inspection of passengers is not only

designed to halt the entry of illegal drugs in the city but also to avoid smuggling of improvised explosive device that might be used to bombed some vital areas.

It was during such period that Pereyras led the “transformation and cleansing” of Tagum Cooperative from corruption and put into effect the systems of good governance and financial discipline.

“I put my life at stake. I was ridiculed, misinterpreted and was even taken for granted. They filed cases against me as I defended Tagum Cooperative, but if God is with me, who can be against me?” she said as she recalled her experiences in 1995 to 1998.

She came back as chairperson of the Board of Directors in 2005 to 2006. She again held the BOD top cooperative executive seat in 2012-2013. Then she chaired the BOD in calendar year 2014-2015 and was given the seventh mandate to serve as Chairperson in 2015 to 2016.

Among the significant breakthroughs of Tagum Cooperative that Pereyras noted over the last 20 years was the steep decrease in delinquency rate from 68 percent in 1995 to 7.02 percentas of December 2015 and the 25year sustained advocacy on Gender And Development and Family Enrichment Program (GADFEP).

For over 25 years, the chairperson advocated for Gender Equality in the Cooperative as she strongly believes that “women and men are partners in progress and development”.

In fact, she was awarded as Tagumpay Excellence Awardee for Gender Equality (GE) and Development in 2015 by the city government of Tagum, back to back with the same award in 2016 during the 18thArawngTagum in March, the International Women’s Month.

It was in this month also that the multi-awarded Pereyras lectured on the GE advocacy of the Coop to institutions including the municipality of Carmen, 10th

Infantry Division in Mawab, and 1003rd Raptor Brigade in Santo Tomas where the armies, particularly Col. Mojica who was awakened by the importance of spending quality time with the family when at home, got inspired in handling relationship with their loved ones.

In the Tagum Biz Talk at Big 8, Pereyras was also invited to share the Gender Journey of the Coop where she expressed willingness to conduct seminar in GADFEP for the media to be aware of various gender issues in the family and society.

Meanwhile in the GA, Pereyras cited year 2015 as “extraordinary year” forTagum Cooperative as it reaped major accolades, among which were the ACCESS Silver Brand and the “GalingPook” Citizenship Award in recognition of its community services and its adherence to good governance.

ACCESS means A-1 Competitive Choice for Excellence in Service and Soundness that the Asian Confederation of Credit Union (ACCU) has developed as credit union quality assurance tool with pre-set 84 indicators of excellence perspectives. Tagum Cooperative is the only cooperative bestowed with Silver ACCESS Brand in Asia.

“We have raised the bar (of excellence in service), levelled up our products and services. We got out of the box; we set the trend in cooperative world,” she said in a nutshell the various accomplishments of Tagum Cooperative including the “rosy financial highlights” in 2015.

In her message, Pereyras urged members to “pray, discern and ask for wisdom in choosing the right officers” as she wanted to pass the baton of Tagum Coop leadership “to somebody who shares my vision and commitment”.

(Tagum Cooperative)

The affected workers, he said, “sent their explanation informing the company that the picket constituted freedom of expression and that it was conducted peacefully without disturbing or hampering regular operations.”

In a conciliation meeting on March 14, he said that representatives from the Musahamat Farms, Inc. manifested that they will terminate 19 union members, including 9 union leaders. On March 15, the union filed a notice of strike (NOS) at the National Conciliation and Mediation Board.

“Musahamat Farms’ abusive behavior towards its

workers is deplorable. What they did is clearly union busting. This company thinks itself as above the law. The workers’ issues are legitimate – right against illegal dismissals, illegal deductions, and regularization. The Labor Code does not exempt foreign employers from implementing labor laws and Musahamat should respect the law and the rights of Filipino workers,” Cabaltera added.

Meanwhile, the union is scheduled to conduct strike balloting on March 28 at Brgy.

Kingking, Pantukan, Compostela Valley. CHENEEN R. CAPON

Tagum... FROM 2

Dismissed... FROM 6

DBM... FROM 2

paratory activities, as well as the interim shelter or dislocation allowance for the target 26,367 families amounting to P18,000 per family.

The DBM said the development of People’s Plans is part of the process of facilitating the relocation of ISFs. The beneficiaries participate in identifying, conceptualizing, planning, designing, developing, and

managing the shelter projects.

More than 20,000 ISFs have already been relocated from waterways in Metro Manila since 2013, according to the DILG, the agency mandated to spearhead the transfer of ISFs living in danger and highrisk areas pursuant to Memorandum Order No. 57, issued

by President Benigno Aquino III in August 2013.

preparations for the upcoming 2016 elections but that is past, we have to move on and we are looking to catch up,” Bautista said.

Bautista said the Comelec, however, will only use ‘simple receipt’ as allowed by the SC ruling.

“Comelec to print only simple voters’ receipts for election. It will have no identifying marks, hashcode and security marks such as precinct number and time stamp,” Bautista said.

However, Marlon Garcia of Smartmatic technology manager said the simple receipt will have a date to be found on the left corner.

Bautista said they will also propose in the Comelec en banc to adjust the voting hours from 6 a.m. to 5 p.m. although the election staff including Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) can start preparation as early as 4 a.m..

“We are doing this to take advantage of the daylight. We want to start and finish while there’s still daylight,” Bautista said.

Pimentel advised the Comelec to do massive information about the voting hours to make the voters aware of the need to vote early.

The Comelec chairman explained that the SC decision would extend the voting time per voter from 20 seconds to at least one minute due to the time to be consumed for onscreen verification and printing of the receipts.

JCOC-AES co-chairman Senator Aquilino ‘Koko’ Pimentel III found ‘overkill’ the security features having receipts and on-screen verification.

Bautista agreed, saying “it might be an overkill if we will use both on-screen verification and voters’ receipts.”

Bautista has expressed some concerns on the timeline for the procurement of thermal paper since it has to go through regular procurement procedure that requires public bidding.

“The Comelec earlier asked government Procurement Police Board to allow emergency procurement for thermal paper and forego public bidding,” he said.

The Comelec chairman said asked the JCOC-AES to certify that the procurement of thermal paper is an emergency matter.

Rep. Elpidio Barzaga of lone district of Dasmarinas City said the JCOC-AES has no jurisdiction to make recommendation to forego the

public bidding requirement for the purchase of thermal paper.

Pimentel believes the Comelec is already in emergency situation, saying the commission has limited time to meet the deadline for the purchase of thermal papers that have to be delivered in 81 provincial treasurers in time for the May 9 elections.

Commissioner Robert Lim said the Comelec has already started retraining Board of Election Inspectors (BEIs) regarding the SC decision requiring the printing of the voters receipts.

“The retraining or training is critical because if you give a person without knowledge at all how to operate the machines, even the simplest procedures would not be implemented,” Lim said.

Bautista said the Comelec has to use PHP200 million from its savings to purchase thermal paper, scissors and receptacles.

Bautista, meanwhile, assured also the persons with disabilities (PWDs) and senior citizens will be given priority while medical assistance will be provided on elections day.

Pimentel also questioned why the VCM has no capability to cut paper properly, prompting the Comelec to purchase scissors.

Pimentel, however, said he will pursue the issue in the regular hearing of the Senate committee on electoral reforms under his stewardship.

On the Overseas Absentee Voting (OAV), Lim informed the panel that more than one million Filipinos abroad have registered for the AOV, surpassing the 2013 mid-term election’s numbers of 700,000 registered voters.

Lim said all systems go for the AOV set from April 9 to May 9.

Susan ‘Toots’ Ople of the Blas F. Ople Policy Center, however, said only few Overseas Filipino Workers (OFWs) got information about the AOV due to lack of Comelec’s efforts to reach out the Filipinos abroad.

The Comelec officials told the JCOC-AES that their target is 100 percent transmission of the election results during election day. Transmission test is set April 25 to 29.

In the country’s only third computerized election, the Comelec will use 92,509 VCMs, excluding 3,535 contingency VCMs to be distributed in different municipalities depending on the size of the area.

(PNA)

Comelec... FROM 3

11 ENVIRONMENT EDGEDAVAO

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Renewable energy:

Power from the sun

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

(Last of a Series)

“W

E all need electricity,” said Von Hernandez, Executive Director for Greenpeace Southeast Asia. “It is vital – it powers our lives, runs our hospitals and schools – we need it for every aspect of our lives. But we need it to be clean and sustainable.”

President Benigno S. Aquino III thinks so, too. “Having a reliable energy source is a foundation of progress,” he said. “The lack of access to energy has always been a major drawback to economic and social development. Without energy, government cannot deliver the most basic of its services – clean water, health, shelter, and education.”

By 2030, global energy consumption is projected to be 55% higher than it is today due to population growth, continued urbanization, and economic expansion. The largest share of this growth will almost certainly occur in the developing world – and that includes the Philippines – with most of the additional energy currently projected to come from fossil fuels.

Around the world, there is a growing realization that climate change, caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels, is a more serious threat to the international community than terrorism. The threat of climate change is as dangerous as war, warned UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon in early 2007. He added that upheavals due to impacts of climate change range “from droughts to inundated coastal areas and loss of arable land.”

All these, he believed, “are likely to become a major driver of war and conflict.”

This is where renewable energy comes into the picture.

Renewable energy technologies are now ready for use on a large scale and have the potential to meet world energy demand many times over, said Dr. Janet Sawin, a senior fellow at the institute and an expert on international energy and environmental policy.

“Renewable energy offers tremendous potential and, combined with improvements in energy efficiency, could fuel the economy of the future,” Dr. Sawin pinpointed. “The future is in renewable energy — not in outdated and environmentally destructive fossil fuels,” agreed Anna Abad, Climate and Energy campaigner for Greenpeace Southeast Asia.

Perhaps one renewable energy source that Filipinos should tap – and the country has plenty of it – is solar power. Thomas Alva Edison once said, “I’d put my money on the sun and solar energy. What a source of power! I hope we don’t have to wait till oil and coal run out before we tackle that.”

Recently, one of the remotest barangay in Digos City has been illuminated by solar energy, according to a Philippine Daily Inquirer report.

In Tugbok, Davao City, the Kahayag Farms is also considering of shifting to solar as its main source of water. “We are taking in consideration to utilize solar energy as our power source, at the same time for our water supply,” Mikhal Evasco, owner of the sustainable organic farm, was quoted as saying.

Solar power is the conversion of sunlight into electricity, either directly using photovoltaics (PVs) or indirectly using concentrated solar power (CSP). CSP systems use lenses or mirrors and tracking systems to focus a large area of sunlight into a small beam.

PVs convert light into electric current using the photoelectric effect.

A company advertising solar power claims: “Solar power is an ecologically and environmentally friendly solution to your power needs.

Solar power virtually emits zero pollution. Unlike fossil fuels, solar power does not emit harmful pollutants which contribute to the greenhouse effect which leads to global warming.”

It adds: “The Philippines, which has the most expensive electricity in Asia, will continue to have increasing electricity rates in the future. By generating your own electricity you introduce long term savings and will no longer fully depend on power providers.

You also gain the reliability that when utility power lines are cut-off, you can still enjoy the electricity which you yourself generated using the power of the sun.”

Tapping power from the sun is not new in the Philippines. In 2001, the Environmental News Network (ENN) carried this news item: “In one of the world’s most isolated areas, where power generated by coal, oil or natural gas is not readily available, 150 villages are about to see the light of solar panels as a means of their first electricity.

“The lack of access to energy has always been a major drawback to economic and social development.

Without energy, government cannot deliver the most basic of its services – clean water, health, shelter, and education.”

“BP Solar and the governments of Spain and the Philippines have signed an agreement that will bring solar power to about 400,000 residents in the Mindanao region of the Philippines, where about one-third of the nation’s

rural poor live.”

The ENN report commented: ““Renewable energy in the Philippines is often more efficient than extending the electric grid. The prohibitive cost of building power lines and the difficulty of

transporting fuel for generators to remote, developing areas makes solar power an ideal solution.”

Solar power seems to be the right renewable energy for the Philippines. In an article published in Philippine

Daily Inquirer, Mio de la Cruz wrote: “On a scorching summer day in a tropical country like the Philippines, the sun beams out approximately 1,000 watts of energy per square meter of surface area that it shines on. If we could harness all that energy, then we could easily power our homes and offices for free.”

While solar power is indeed free and plentiful, the solar panels (the mirrors that catch the rays of the sun to turn water into steam that would turn the power-generating turbines) are very costly. “The cost of trapping sunshine and converting it into electricity is considered: approximately P1,000 per watt, way above the reach of the ordinary people,” de la Cruz wrote.

Those who want to avail themselves of 1,000 watts of solar power to run appliances in their home need to invest at least P1 million. But the good news is: The cost of manufacturing solar panels is getting lower every year. What’s more, their efficiency is increasing.

Solar power is indeed environment-friendly. As the ENN report puts it: “The solar systems in the Philippines will reduce the dependence of villages on non-renewable energy sources. The systems will also slow deforestation, as less wood will be cut to meet daily needs. Replacing diesel generators, the new solar systems will reduce air and noise pollution.” All photos were taken from the net

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EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

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EDGEDAVAO FOOD

Repertoire meals with

Davao’s upcoming food artisans

Fresh shrimp in crispy molo wrapper with avocado guacamole.

FOOD. UNIVERSALLY UNDERSTOOD; COLLECTIVELY ADORED. Nowadays, food talks transcends the four corners of the kitchen and has since made its way onto the hearts of everyone. It’s not rocket science – it’s just you, your cravings and your openness to the many flavours of the world in a plate.

Students of CACS Davao’s Diploma in Professional Culinary and Pastry Arts were treated to a realistic culinary journey – one that involved their knowledge, tested their confidence and established their patience inside the kitchen.

Last February 16 to 19, 2016, a repertoire meal showcasing their kitchen skills were put to the ultimate test. The students were grouped and tasked to prepare a 7 to 9 course thematic meal. From sim-

ple table breads to flavorful soups to main courses of shapes and sizes and of course, a sweet dessert to cap the entire meal, it was a gastronomic explosion

Paella negra from the Skills Program Legacy Buffet.

Ravioli stuffed with shrimp in spicy saffrom tomato cream sauce.

of flavours that made the nights exceptionally delicious every single time.

The mise en place and the cooking was just one part. Their dishes were served to a panel of judges both for tasting and assessing. Spearheaded by one of the country’s chef extraordinaire and CACS President and CEO, Chef Gene Gonzales, he was joined by some of Davao’s grown food enthusiasts that included restaurateurs to some of the metro’s well known Executive Chefs to friends from the media and government agencies. With it came the opportunity to scrutinize the dishes served, ask on their choices of food combinations and suggest on how they can improve their dishes.

The themes for each night varied immensely.

Still, one thing was prevalent. It was more than just bringing the flavours of the world under one roof but more so, utilizing what Davao city has to offer in terms of fresh produce.

Day 1: HOMEGROWN (Showcasing Davao’s local produce presented in modern living). Day 2: Seafood Feast. Day 3: Touch of France. Day 4: Seasonal Produce in France (A taste of seasonal fruits and vegetables of France) Last March 6, 2016, CACS Davao again opened its doors to parents, loved ones and media friends for their Skills Program Legacy Buffet. Together with their mentor Chef

Nicoise salad with cow’s brain bits, sous vide egg and coffee vinaigrette.

Toto Erfe, 11 enthusiastic training these young cuculinary artisans prepared linary artisans underwent an exhaustive buffet that inside the kitchen. The reshowcased their learnings, sults was something to be skills and the best flavours proud of. The buffet was of Davao. Leading the a combination of taste, team as Executive Chef texture and gastronomic was Antonio “Uno” Tupas. cravings – a variety of saThe dishes served were vory, sweet and everything reflective of the rigorous in between. From soups to

makis and rolls to mains and cakes, the event was bursting with gastronomic adventure in every station.

Make #TheRoyalChef your Thursday habit. Follow my messy food affair at the theroyalchefeats.wordpress.com and on Instagram @theroyalchefleebai

Chef Gene Gonzales (third from left) together with the author and the panel.

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TRAVEL

Spring season all year round

A gazebo framed by trees and flowers.

A well-manicured pathway.

Text and Photos by Henrylito D. Tacio

MOST INDUSTRIALIZED COUNTRIES -- the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, Japan, most of European nations, and even some parts of Africa -- experience four seasons: winter, spring, summer and autumn.

Among the four seasons, I really like spring; it follows winter and precedes summer. It is the time of the year when flowers are in full bloom.

Various colors in different forms come alive before your eyes: red, yellow, orange, blue, violet, pink and white.

In the United States, spring happens from March to May -- yes only three months. If you happen to visit in one of the foothills of Mount Apo (the country’s highest peak), you get to experience spring all year round.

“Once the plants starts to wither, the gardener immediately uproot all the plants and change them with new ones,” explains Richard Reyes, who accompanied us during the tour, on why flowers are always blooming.

A plant nursery is located at the back of the 8-hectare area (100,000 square meters). The plants are raised from seeds, stems or cuttings until they are ready for transfer as replacements for those that withered already.

The plants are handled with care by the gardener. In fact, the leaves of those that are attacked by pests are soaped individually. About 100 people are maintaining the sprawling

complex as each 10-square meter has a personnel incharge.

If during a tour you wonder why most of flowers are unfamiliar, it is because most of them are imported from other countries. Every day, at least seven trucks of water are consumed to maintain the gardens and its landscapes.

The place is located at barangay Tamayong in Calinan, Davao City. It takes more than hour (due to traffic and speed limit) to get there. You know you are almost there because you will find some pineapple plantation as you approached; fruit trees like durian and mangosteen also abound.

It is known as “The Garden of Eden Restored,” but most people preferred it to be called as the Covenant Mountain and Prayer Center. The reason: there’s a barangay in Toril named Eden and some visitors have mistaken it to be the place.

“Mountains have always placed a special role in God’s dealing with men,” its website points out. “The laws were given on a mountain. God has chosen a mountain wherein He would reveal His plan to man. God has given His covenant in a

Resting while enjoying the cool mountain air.

The area around the Blue Millennial building evoke shades of Europe.

mountain.”

The significance of the place is that it is the birthplace of the Kingdom of Jesus Christ, The Name Above Every Name. It was here that Executive Pastor Apollo C. Quiboloy was born, grew up and trained spiritually for five years.

According to Cristina San Pedro, who is the human resource manager, the building structures were completed within six

months of 24-hour nonstop construction in 1999.

“With his own team of architects and engineers, Pastor Quiboloy himself administered the construction,” she said.

There are three Millennial Houses which comes in three colors: yellow (where families or couples can stay), blue (specifically for men) and pink (for women). We were given the opportunity of going

inside of the yellow building and the rooms inside look like those in hotels.

At first, the place was only for the members of The Kingdom of Jesus Christ. “But five years ago, we opened it to the public,” San Pedro said. They allowed only 100 visitors per day. “If there’s more than that, a special arrangement from the management is needed.”

The place is open from 8 in the morning until 4 in the afternoon. Wearing of shorts, particularly for women, is strictly prohibited. Closed footwear is most preferred. Visitors are advised to bring their own umbrella to protect themselves from the scorching heat of the sun.

According to San Pedro, walk-in visitors are discouraged. “This is a private place and going inside is a privilege,” she pointed out. “Walk-in visitors may not be allowed to enter, especially if there are some church activities being done. Or the quota

of 100 persons is already reached.”

That’s why she advised to have a pre-booking arrangement first before coming to the place. All you have to do is go to their office at Jose Maria College near the Davao International Airport. Entrance fee is P150 per person. For further details, you can email them at info@kingdomofjesuschrist.org.

How do you get there?

From the downtown proper in Davao City, take a jeepney that goes to Calinan. Once you are in Calinan disembark at the area where there’s a lot of habalhabal or motorcycles. Tell the driver that you are going to Tamayong Prayer Mountain although it is more popularly known as Quiboloy’s. Ask first how much and tell the driver if he can wait for you when you return back (the place is far and secluded and you may have a hard time finding a ride going back).

For those with vehicles, go straight to Calinan.

From the Calinan junction, turn left to the town proper then proceed to the jeepney terminal.

Once you passed by the Wangan Bridge right after the jeepney terminal, go straight ahead going to barangay Sirib. From Sirib, turn right going to Davao Pineapple Plantation. When you get to barangay Cawayan, take the road going straight to Lower Tamayong (where you could see a big signage leading to the Covenant Mountain and Prayer Center). From Tamayong Barangay Hall, turn left, and go straight ahead.

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EDGEDAVAO

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ENTERTAINMENT

Michael V. renews contract with GMA AWAR D -W I N N I N G COMEDIAN and TV host Michael V. remains a loyal Kapuso as he renewed his contract yesterday (March 16) with GMA Network, Inc.

Present in the contract signing were GMA Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Atty. Felipe L. Gozon, GMA President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr., GMA Entertainment TV’s Senior Vice President Lilybeth G. Rasonable, GMA Consultant for Business Development Department II Marivin T. Arayata, GMA Vice President for Corporate Communications Angela Javier Cruz, GMA Assistant Vice President for Business Development Department II Janine Piad-Nacar, GMA Senior Program Manager Bang Arespacochaga and Bitoy’s wife and manager Carolina Bunagan.

During the contract signing, Michael V. revealed that he is very thankful with the way GMA has been taking good care of his career all these years, “GMA ang nagbigay talaga sa

akin ng pinakamagandang break, kaya hindi mawawala ang loyalty. More than work ang relationship, beyond friendship na nga.”

At present, he headlines the longest-running gag show Bubble Gang, familyoriented sitcom Pepito Manaloto and host of the

comedy-musical competition Lip Sync Battle Philippines.

Bitoy also said he is very proud that he is part of GMA’s success in terms of creating innovative and pioneering comedy shows in the country.

“Dito sa GMA, tayo ang nagpasimula ng magagandang comedy

series. I would say, ako tagasulong lang ng nasimulan ng GMA sa paggawa ng comedy. With Bubble Gang, 20 years na ganung katagal.

Proud talaga ako. Hindi lang para sa sarili ko, kundi para rin sa mga kasama ko, yung mga writers, the people behind the camera. Nandiyan sila to support us at nandiyan palagi to lend an ear whenever may suggestion kami at request.

Para sa akin, malaking bagay iyon. For a management and talent, dapat may ganun laging relationship.”

Atty. Gozon has nothing but praises for Michael V. and he is pleased that he continues to affirm his loyalty to the Kapuso Network, “I am more proud that he is with us. Ang hindi niyo alam, si Michael ay hindi lamang talent na nagpe-perform in front of the camera.

Malaki ang kanyang nacocontribute sa paggawa ng mga shows niya. He is not only a comedian; he is also a director, a writer. But the most important thing as far as I am concerned, Michael is a very, very decent artist.”

Atty. Gozon also revealed

that he is a fan of the ace comedian. “Isa siya sa mga hinahangaan kong comedian. Pinapanood ko ang mga shows niya. Ang tagal na nga Bubble Gang. At karamihan ng napapanood niyo ay siya ang nag-iisip, yun ang difference.”

Mr. Duavit said that he is very happy that Michael V. is a Kapuso and the network will continue to provide good projects for him, ”Si Michael V. ay hindi lamang haligi at kasamahan, kundi isang kinahahangaan at tinitingalang kasamahan natin na Kapuso. We are ecstatic. Bitoy stands out as being unique in his generation. Whether it’s the quality of his performances, what he writes, talagang hindi lamang bukod tangi o nangingibabaw. Kundi walang katumbas. At sa paniniwala ko at least personally, ay parang hindi pa napapanganak ang susunod sa yapak niya. So that accounts in good part for how well his programs perform and how highly he is regarded, hindi lamang nating mga Kapuso kundi ng mga manonood.”

SKYcable features ‘The Nanny’ exclusively on Hits Channel

TV REBOOTS have been springing of late, bringing to life hit knockouts ready to delight new audiences.

But for the standout situation comedy, The Nanny, which premieres in the Philippines on HITS Channel on SKYcable on March 25, no reboot will be able to replace the original just yet. Its star, Fran Drescher, in a press interview reminds audiences why it’s going to be just as popular today.

“I think that there are some universal aspects to it. Everybody can relate to that two-class household, with the upstairs-downstairs, the working class meets the aristocracy,” Drescher said.

The ‘90s hit show features Drescher in the role of Fran Fine, a woman from Queens who had just been dumped by her boyfriend and becomes the unlikely guardian to the three children of Broadway producer, Maxwell Sheffield, played

by Charles Shaughnessy.

Her unusual way of caring for the kids would prove to be effective that even the stiff upper lip Maxwell would eventually find her endearing.

The offbeat pairing

added spice to the dynamics of its characters.

“It’s truly a laugh out loud funny show,” Drescher said.

It’s also very friendly to audiences composed of families. “It’s the only show that I can sit down with my family and we all enjoy it together, we look forward to that half hour every week,” Drescher added.

Asked whether the show would find new audiences, Drescher said “I think that the laughs that show brings you, the journey that the character makes in finding who she is and being fulfilled, the relationship she has with her mother and the kids, is kind of juvenile and really funny, and trying to meet Mr. Right, it is as current today as it was then.”

The show highlights

Fran’s influence on the children—Maggie (Nicholle Tom), 18, Brighton (Benjamin Salisbury), 16, and Grace (Madeline Zima), 11—who all overcome their own teenage and comingof-age troubles.

It also of course helped that The Nanny was ahead of its time in terms of fashion. “It’s a visual feast, the clothes were amazing.

Women’s Wear Daily just wrote a big article about how The Nanny ‘90s costumes are in vogue today as much as they were in the ‘90s,” she said.

The newly married Drescher has since stepped into numerous other roles outside television. She is involved in advocacies and is, in fact, busy with her own health organization c a n c e r s c h m a n c e r. o r g ,

of which she is also the president.

Without a doubt, she has successfully molded her character into an iconic persona that it’s no longer hard to imagine her inviting audiences to watch the show in that famous Queens accent, “Hi, I’m Fran Drescher. Please watch The Nanny on SKYcable,” before trailing off in that signature laugh.

The Nanny is being featured exclusively on Hits Channel on SKYcable. HITS is a channel available only on SKYcable and Destiny Cable which broadcasts the most popular and criticallyacclaimed series in TV history. Included in the line-up that even younger viewers can enjoy are M*A*S*H, The Golden Girls, MacGyver, Seinfeld, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Grey’s Anatomy, and The X-Files.

SKYcable subscribers in Metro Manila, Rizal, Cavite, Laguna, and San Jose Del Monte, Bulacan can catch HITS on CH 137; while subscribers in Baguio, Cebu, Bacolod, Iloilo, Dumaguete, Davao and General Santos can catch it on CH 620. Destiny Cable digital subscribers can tune in on CH 137.

March 26 – 27, 2016

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill PG

1:00 | 4:00 | 7:00 | 10:00 LFS

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE 3D Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill PG

2:00 | 5:00 | 8:00 LFS

HELE SA HIWAGANG HAPIS Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz PG

1st Half 1:00 | 2nd Half 5:30

BATMAN V SUPERMAN: DAWN OF JUSTICE Ben Affleck, Henry Cavill PG

12:00 | 3:00 | 6:00 | 9:00 LFS

EDGEDAVAO

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FOOD

A victorious feast for the graduates

Serving the Peanut Butter Fluff Pie.

A GOOD EDUCATION IS ACHIEVED THROUGH HARD WORK AND PERSEVERANCE AND THE CULMINATION OF ALL THE EFFORT ONE PUTS INTO IT IS DURING GRADUATION. All the sweat, tears, and blood shed for a defining moment in life calls for a celebration and the people behind the Philippines’ largest buffet restaurant believe they have the best treat for graduates.

Instead of fancy frou-frou treats, Vikings Davao goes the comfort food route, giving graduates and their guests dishes that not just celebrate a momentous occasion but fill everyone with good memories as well.

Dishes such as Beef and Mushroom Lasagna and Graduation Ring Pizza are sure to be family favourites as these are fun and familiar to everyone. Festive dishes such as Paella Valenciana, Porchetta, as well as a hearty Cioppino-style Seafood Stew ensure that everyone will have their fill.

My favourite new dishes though would be from the cold kitchen.

The Grilled Greek Potato Salad is a light and crisp dish that pairs well with any grilled meat in Vikings Davao’s carver section, while the

Hot Salmon Salad (which is inspired by the typical Hot Prawn Salad) is a mix of sweet and savoury with a much needed crunch to go with the buttery rich fried salmon.

And because Vikings is famous for giving out treats, graduating students of class 2016 for kindergarten, elementary, high school, and college: bachelor, master or doctor degree get to eat free as long as they are accompanied by three paying adults.

Just present either your school ID together with your diploma, graduation photo, or graduation program with the graduate’s name on it. The promo is available for lunch or dinner.

Vikings Lanang Davao is located at the ground floor Fountain Court area of SM Lanang Premier.

Paella Valenciana.

Hot Salmon Salad.

Porchetta.

NEWS 13 DA 13 launches new management info system Davao Sur farmers revive coffee plantations T

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

HE Department of Agriculture headed

by Regional Director Edna Mabeza officially launches its Performance Management Information System (PMIS) during its Employees’ Mini Program in Butuan City.

The system would allow the management to monitor the accomplishment of the

various banner programs and gauge exactly how well a program is performing.

“We have launched this online tool for us to be more efficient and accurate in our reporting,” said Mabeza.

Its real-time interface feature shows a graphical presentation of the current status of Major Final Outputs’ (MFO) Accomplish-

EcoWaste... FROM 4 ficers that “the Environmental Ombudsman team of investigators and prosecutors are working double time to ensure that the complaints filed by the National Solid Waste Management Coalition (NSWMC) are acted upon to protect our ecosystems from the negative

impact of illegal dumping activities.”

It will be recalled that last March 11, the Deputy Ombudsman for Luzon and Environmental Ombudsman Gerard A. Mosquera ordered more than 300 local government officials to submit an

EDGEDAVAO

ment (Monthly, Quarterly, Semi, and Annual) Report using bar graph, line graph and pie graph.

This system has the ability to make more informed decisions based on collected substantial data. “Here we wouldn’t have a reason to be inexact in our reporting especially in putting of remarks to each intervention,”

said Josefa Gidacan, chief of Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PMED).

Aside from its ability to manage the data (add, edit and delete) and automatically display the data in the table, it would also create a cumulative calculation of total amount or quantity per MFO. “Overall, this would provide a ‘snapshot’ performance,” said Andrew Augious, Information System Analyst II of PMED. Augious highlighted that the system also has the ability to export the table to PDF and EXCEL format and soon would have a special feature of disaggregating data and generate report from the provincial, district, municipal and barangay levels.

“I hope all our goals and strategies are already aligned. I am expecting that through this system we will keep in mind our targets and act effectively in accomplishing them,” said Mabeza.

(Fretcher D. Magatao, DA13)

explanation on the complaints.

The local officials were given a non-extendible period of 30 days to reply and submit their Safe Closure and Rehabilitation Plan (SCRP) that must include a proposal to immediately close open dumpsites.

This order came at the heels of the filing of 50 complaints by the NSWMC for violation of R.A. No. 9003 last

February 10 against 600 local government officials from 13 administrative regions. The law mandated the closure of open and controlled dumpsites from 2004 to 2006. The complaints were signed by NSWMC Commissioner Romeo Hidalgo, a representative of civil society in the commission and a member of EcoWaste Coalition. (PNA)

F

ARMERS from the hinterland Purok Pluto, Sitio Balutakay in Bansalan, Davao del Sur have been reviving their coffee plantations after almost decades of hiatus for lack of local market demand.

Ariel Dubria, member of the board of the Balutakay Coffee Farmers Association (BACOFA), said that coffee trees were totally banished in their community in the 1980s and then replaced with vegetables to earn the farmers a living.

He said they started growing coffee trees again following a resurgence of local demand in early 2000 but the progress is barely even half, explaining that the preceding growers were as not receptive to government and non-government support.

Around 60 farmers are engaged in coffee farming, with at least 50 hectares estimated to have been planted with Arabica coffee trees. Each hectare has around 1,800 to 2,000 trees.

“Some of the farmers before would hide if there were NGOs visiting us here. So when we took over, we really make sure to get every single opportunity to avail of the assistance...We planted coffee again because there was a stable market in 2000 up to now. The cost to produce vegetables was also very expensive,” he said.

The community is located 400 to 1,000 meters above sea level at the foothills of Mt. Apo. Dubria said the downside of vegetable farming is that

they would always plant after harvest. Unlike coffee, the farmers will just have to wait until the next harvest season.

Some of the non-profit organizations who came to help them get back on their feet are the Kapwa Upliftment Foundation, Inc., Catholic Relief Service, and ACDI-VOCA of the US Department of Agriculture.

They have offered support for farm inputs, technical assistance, and marketing.

He said they are also among the beneficiaries of ACDI-VOCA’s Mindanao Productivity for Agricultural Commerce and Trade (MinPACT), an $8-million project that seeks to “increase agricultural productivity and trade in Western and Southern Mindanao.

Cocoa, coconut, and coffee farming families in these areas will benefit from higher yields and product quality, as well as better access to services and markets.”

He said they also underwent trainings on good husbandry and post-harvest processing from the best of the lot in world’s best coffee-producing countries Ethiopia in Eastern Africa and Colombia in South America.

“Our coffee passed the taste and quality standards of the cupper from Colombia,” Dubria said.

Harvest peaks between October and January, which yield the farmers around 10 to 20 metric tons of dried coffee beans, he said. (MindaNews / Antonio L. Colina IV)

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14 HISTORY

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

Alien contributions (UNBEKNOWNST to most Dabawenyos of today are the contributions of foreigners to the socio-economic development of Davao City and neighboring areas in Region 11 which used to be the undivided Davao Province. As a special feature in the celebration of Araw ng Davao marking the 79th founding anniversary of Davao as a chartered city, Edge Davao has commissioned journalist-historian Antonio V. Figueroa to write articles on foreigners, chiefly from the Middle East, who settled in Davao and started many ventures that helped shape Davao’s future as the virtual capital of Mindanao. — The editor)

British imprints in Davao

BY ANTONIO V. FIGUEROA

A

SIDE from the Portuguese, Spanish, and Dutch legacies, English contribution to Davao is a least known aspect of the region’s rich historical link with Britain. In fact, based on account, three of the most famous travelling Britons, born in different centuries, had reached Davao Gulf and had direct contacts with the natives.

The Englishmen’s common interest in exploring the regions adjacent to the Spice Islands, in Indonesia, happened at a time when public interest in spices, colonization, and global trade was high so much so that it became a popular trade staple in Europe.

Consequently, the euphoria led to many voyages conducted by maverick explorers wanting to reach the uncharted territories in the East.

As they crossed the open seas, these mariners never failed to record their observations, and the accounts they have left behind provide a wealth of knowledge of the people and areas they made contact with.

One British detail

that’s often overlooked has something to do with the world’s largest bloom, the Rafflesia, named after Thomas Stamford Raffles, an English statesman who founded Singapore. In the forests of Maragusan, Compostela Valley Province, Rafflesia mira, one of four Philippines species of this parasitic plant, can be found.

Pirate Drake Francis Drake (15401596), English vice admiral, privateer, navigator, and politician who was knighted by Queen Elizabeth of England, first sighted the islands of Sarangani and Balut on board the vessel Golden Hind, while sailing towards the Spice Islands, in Indonesia, on October 22, 1579.

A day or two later, his crew reached Davao Gulf and saw the Samal cluster which he called the “foure Ilands,” presumably in reference to the island-like formations, including two peninsulas, that are visible from the southernmost point of the gulf. Norman Joseph William Thrower, in ‘Sir Francis Drake and the Famous Voyage, 1577-

1580’ (1984) wrote about this event: “Although [Drake] saw two islands named Samal and Talikud within the upper reaches of the large gulf, he mistook the eastern and western peninsulas bordering this body of water for two more islands… His confusion was instigated by a two-centuries-old belief that a nonexistent St. John’s island was located off the northeast coast of Mindanao.

One might wonder how two peninsulas could be mistaken for two islands, but the answer is simple: at the southern latitudes of Samal and Talikud, Drake could not see the land uniting the two peninsulas at the head of the gulf.”

Drake’s entry into the Pacific marked the first time that piracy entered the region, which was then beyond the commerce of privateers and pirates.

East of Davao Born in Edinburgh, United Kingdom, Thomas Forrest (1729 –1802) was an English navigator who originally worked for the British East India Company. In his 1775

travelogue titled ‘A Voyage to New Guinea and the Moluccas from Balambangan’, he made mention of the population centers found around the gulf of Davao.

While Forrest did not actually visit these areas, his reportage cited the presence of settlements in Eu (Iho), Sumoolog (Lupon), Tukka, and Baloe, now part of the province of Davao Oriental, and buttressed the position that Iho remained a vibrant community that was in existence in the 18th century.

There are very few details about Forrest‘s account of Davao but his travelogue has a lot of information on the British activities in Mindanao and Sulu and the regions south of the Philippine archipelago.

Landor’s Mati Arnold Henry Savage Landor (1865–1924), an English painter, explorer, writer, and anthropologist who toured the world, reached Mati, Davao Oriental in 1902. This was his second trip to Davao region but he used Zamboanga as takeoff in his first

sojourn.

He described Mati, now a city, as “a well-protected bay affording good anchorage, islands screening the entrance of the harbour; but the place is at present too isolated to be of any substantial use.”

During this time, only four years after the Americans took over the archipelago, Mati was “on the east coast of [the] peninsula, a desolate place which was for many months, absolutely cut off from the world.”

In his book The Gems of the East, published in 1904, Landor depicted Davao as a place with “very little of interest” and an “old Spanish settlement which has gone through many vicissitudes, it is now a sort of tumbling-down place, with luxurious drinking-saloons kept by Armenian (most likely, Russian) money-makers or by Spaniards.”

New preoccupations British involvement during the United States pre-war occupation was far and between and it was limited to business in Manila hemp with Japanese and retired American

soldiers turned entrepreneurs, which was Davao’s primary crop.

After, on the day the US granted the Philippines her independence, Great Britain and Northern Ireland, collectively known as United Kingdom (UK), established diplomatic relations with Manila on July 4, 1946.

In business, Davao trade links with UK was further strengthened in 2014 when the Board of Investments approved the location of Cybercity Teleservices (Phils.), Inc., a 99% British company, classified as ‘new export services provider’, to operate in the city. The new business process outsourcing (BPO) investment costs Php119 million and is estimated to open more than 2,000 job placements.

Today, an estimated 10,000 Britons reside in the islands, mostly expatriates and retirees. In Davao, the Englishmen have organized themselves into a clique. Adding a touch of British home is a place known as Drifters British Pub and Apartelle, at Nova Tierra, north of the city.

(Left to right) Navigator Forrest, pirate Drake, and anthropologist Landor

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016

SPORTS 15

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CMO wallops 10th ID for 1st win T

HE City Mayors Office clinched its first win in the ACQ Cup at the expense of 10th Infantry Division, 110 – 98, at the ACQ Gym on Tuesday.

Sweet-shooting Christopher “Bong” Go fired ten triples to finish the game with 36 points and lift the City Hall dribblers to victory.

CMO bounced back hard behind the heroics of Go, the trusted executive aide of presidential contender Mayor Ro-

drigo, after losing its debut game.

Weng Farochillen and John Barot chipped in 19 and 16 points respectively for the City Hall dribblers.

Five 10th ID players came up with double digits led by Lorona who had 26.

But still couldnt pull the trigger to steal the win from the Mayors men.

Borromeo scored 16 as Mahilum and Paragoso made 15 and 14. Blazo had 12.

Lakers snap 4-game skid

Kobe Bryant plays over 30 minutes, making 7 for 18 field goal attempts. AP

Filipino boxers promise to go on the attack in Olympic qualifiers in China T

HE Association of Boxing Alliances in the Philippines (ABAP) has laid out a simple battle plan for the six boxers seeing action in the Asia-Oceania Olympic qualifying tournament in Qian’an, China from March 25 to April 2.

“Our boxers are focused on being dominant. They should be the ones to carry the fight,” said ABAP executive director Ed Picson during the Philippine Sportswriters Association (PSA) Forum at Shakey’s Malate.

“The judges are looking for dominance and aggressiveness,” said head coach Pat Gaspi.

The Philippines will send five male and one female boxer to the China event, each one of them hoping to nail slots in the Rio Olympics in August.

Picson said in the men’s division, the top three boxers in each weight class will earn Olympic slots while in the women’s division, only the gold and silver medalists will advance.

The two bronze medalists in the men’s side will figure in a box-off to determine the third qualifier.

Representing the Philippines are lightfly Rogen Ladon, flyweight Roldan Boncales, bantamweight Mario Fernandez, lightweight Charly Suarez and welterweight Eumir Felix Marcial in the men’s side, and flyweight Nesthy Petecio in the women’s category.

Coach Boy Velasco, who joined 15 ABAP boxers to a three-week training camp in the United States recently, said hopes are high for all six boxers.

“They are our top contenders. These boxers are all ready to qualify to the Olympics,” he said in the forum backed by San Miguel Corp., Shakey’s, Accel, and the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.

The team, including coaches Roel Velasco and Romeo Brin, left on Wednesday morning for Qian’an.

After failing to clinch Olympic slots in the World Championships in Doha, Qatar last October, Ladon and Marcial are more determined to make it.

Suarez, a silver medalist in the 2014 Asian Games and current standout in the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) tournament, as well as Boncales and Petecio are equally determined.

But Picson said it’s not

getting easier to qualify.

“Our boxers are going through the eye of the needle. But we are happy with our preparation. Our training camp in the United States was very productive,” said the ABAP official.

“We are very excited with this group. This is the best team we’ve had in seven years and hopefully it will translate to more qualifiers and eventually medals in the Olympics,” Picson added.

After the event in China, another qualifying tournament, the Final World Olympic qualifier, is set in Baku, Azerbaijan from June 14 to 26.

Ricky Vargas, the ABAP president, is also confident the boxers will give their best, and promised them all-out support once they qualify to the Olympics.

nas Sambo Federation Inc. (PSFI) was organized in Davao City with the blessing of Federal International Amateur Sambo (FIAS) as the world body’s official national organization in the country.

Last November 12-16 2015, for the first time the country through PSFI participated in the World Sambo Championship in Casablanca, Morocco, the Philippines’ lone entry finished 7th in the Combat Sambo category.

Pedro Quitain III, the president of PSFI said the national tournament will help spread the awareness of the sport in the country. He said many teams from across the country are signifying their intention to join the tournament which will be held in Abreeza Mall in Bajada, Davao City.

“Sambo’s fast rising popularity in the country may be attributed to its similarities to Mixed Martial Arts (MMA), albeit with the protective gears.” Quitain said.

According to Quitain, Sambo is the perhaps one of the very few sport whose national governing body is located in Davao City. He said they are working on getting accreditation from the Philippine Sports Commission and the Philippine Olympic Committee.

The First Pilipinas Sambo National Competition will have sport sambo (youth under 19) and combat sambo (men above 18) tournaments in the one-day competition.

Winners for the event will represent the Philippines in the Asian Beach

Games in Vietnam on October 2016. (PIA/RG Alama)

Russian martial art holds first national tourney in Davao City

S

AMBO, a form of Russian Martial art will hold its first national tournament in Davao City this coming March 31.

Sambo is an acronym for Samozaschita Bez Oruzhiya or “self-defense without weapons.” It was developed by the then Soviet Red Army in the 1930s to improve their hand-to-hand fighting techniques. It integrates the techniques of judo, jujitsu and wrestling.

Among its famous practitioner is Russian President Vladimir Putin who learned the sport at the age of 14.

He was conferred the title Master of Sports for Sambo in 1973. Sambo is currently practiced in 105 countries with the Philippines being newly involved in the sport.

Last year, the Pilipi-

J

ORDAN Clarkson scored 22 points, Kobe Bryant added 20 and the Los Angeles Lakers snapped a four-game losing streak with a 107-100 victory over the Memphis Grizzlies on Tuesday night (Wednesday, Manila time).

Bryant scored 12 points in the third quarter, but the superstar sat out the final 4:20.

Brandon Bass got eight of his 18 points in the fourth while Los Angeles’ younger players closed out an unlikely victory over the playoff-bound Grizzlies, who had won the clubs’ first three meetings of the season.

The Western Conference-worst Lakers wrapped up an eight-game homestand with three wins, beating contenders Golden State and Memphis.

Tony Allen made all 12 of his shots while scoring 27

points for the Grizzlies, who had won two straight. Zach Randolph and Lance Stephenson added 16 points apiece.

Bryant suited up for the fourth time in Los Angeles’ last 10 games, and he appeared to be in a good mood throughout his final showdown with Vince Carter, Matt Barnes and Allen.

Kobe recently called Allen the toughest defender he faced in his 20-year NBA career, and his long-standing connections to several Grizzlies perhaps explained why he’ll attempt to play back-to-back games with his sore shoulder instead of sitting out this one before Wednesday’s game in Phoenix.

Bryant missed his first five shots and went 1 for 7 in the first half, but quickly heated up in the third quarter with a series of shots that had his adoring fans on their feet.

Novak backs off money remarks after Williams, Murray criticism

W

ORLD number one Novak Djokovic backed off comments that men’s tennis players should make more than women on Tuesday as Serena Williams and Andy Murray led a stinging chorus of criticism at the remarks.

A furious row over the gender pay gap in tennis erupted at the weekend, when Indian Wells tournament director Raymond Moore said women should get “on their knees” to thank male players for money in the sport.

Moore was forced to apologize before resigning late on Monday.

Djokovic fueled the controversy however after stating that he believed the pay gap was justified, adding that women go through “hormones and differ-

ent stuff.”

Williams, who has won 21 Grand Slam singles crowns to 11 for Djokovic, condemned the Serbian star’s remarks on Tuesday.

“It has been, I would say disappointing,” Williams said. “I wouldn’t say my son deserved more money than my daughter because he’s a man. It would be shocking.”

Djokovic has a 17-monthold son, Stefan, but Williams openly wondered how he would explain himself to a future daughter.

“He’s entitled to his opinion,” Williams said. “If he had a daughter, he has a son right now, he should talk to his daughter and say, ‘Your brother deserves more money than you.’

Novak Djokovic of Serbia returns the ball to Feliciano Lopez of Spain during their match at the ATP Dubai Duty Free Tennis Championships February 25, 2016. Ahmed Jadallah, Reuters

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports

Manny explains KO drought M

ANNY Pacquiao has built his reputation of a hard punching swarmer, who has left a trail of fallen opponents on his way to boxing stardom.

But it has been a while since we saw the Filipino champion knock out his foe. The last time he did that was when he stopped a “bigger” Miguel Cotto at a 145 pound catch-weight in 2009.

Pacquiao explained that since he become a welterweight it has become tougher to score knock out victories.

The Filipino boxer started out as a flyweight and climbed as high as junior middleweight before eventually settling in the 147-pound weight class.

“It is harder to knock out opponents in the 147-pound division. Because, in fact, my natural weight is 140 pounds,” the Pacman told Boxing Scene.

Pacquiao said that if he

chooses to lose weight, he might still be able to make it as a lightweight. “If I demand a little more of myself - I can get down to 135 [pounds],” he said.

But Pacquiao will have one last career fight against Timothy Bradley Jr. on April 9. It will be at the welterweight class.

His trainers said Pacquiao is determined to bring back the knockout to end his career with a bang.

“I believe in Coach Freddie [Roach] when he said Manny still has the punch to knock anyone out,” Pacquiao’s longtime assistant trainer Buboy Fernandez told Eddie Alinea in a report for PhilBoxing.

Fernandez explained that their training program is designed to help Pacquiao regain his explosiveness that led to his knockout victories in the past.

“Plus the fact that he

himself announced that this fight is gonna be his last, so gusto na rin naman niyang mag-retire gloriously,” he said. “At nakita mo naman ang ensayo niya mula umpisa, bugbog talaga ng katawan.”

VOL. 9 ISSUE 16 • THURSDAY - SATURDAY, MARCH 24 - 26, 2016