Edge Davao 9 Issue 19

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

P 15.00 • 20 PAGES

www.edgedavao.net

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

TRIBUTE TO PARENTS. A grandmother kisses her grandson while the graduates offer a song as tribute to their parents in a graduation ceremony held at Fil-Asian Mission Academy, Inc. in Garcia Heights, Bajada yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

GENSETS NOW IN SAMAL IS. VM Al David Uy: Supply contract covers 10 yrs.

By ANTONIO M. AJERO

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IGHT giant modular generating sets from the Mindoro Grid Corporation arrived yesterday to end the powerless days, running for the 12th straight day yesterday, in the Island Garden City of Samal. This was announced

by IGaCoS Vice Mayor Al David Uy who told newsmen that the people of the city, including business establishments, could have easily lost P50 million to P60 million a day due to the total lack of electricity in the island.

He said the “conservative estimate” of the daily losses was based on the fact that IGa-

CoS has a population of 95,000 who had to buy everything, including potable water, due to the prolonged power outages, and the additional costs that companies had to incur while doing business in the island. The additional expenses would include purchase of generating sets by business firms.

Vice Mayor Uy said the Mindoro Grid and the Davao del Norte Electric Cooperative (Daneco) earlier signed an agreement for the company to provide the modular gensets for at least 10 years, while Daneco is looking for ways

to rehabilitate or replace the 30-year-old submarine electric cable between the island and mainland Davao. The cable was destroyed when MV Ecuador, an interisland vessel dropped anchor on the cable dragged and destroyed it in the process, cutting electrical supply to the island last March 17.

IGaCoS City Councilor Dan Gervacio, chairman of the city council energy committee, said the eight Mindoro firm gensets will provide a total of 8 megawatts, sufficient for the need of IGaCos which is only 6.7 MW during peak hours and 3.8 MW during daytime.

“We have made our own due diligence on Mindoro Grid firm and we have no reason to doubt its integrity and capability to fulfill it service contract with Daneco,” the vice mayor said.

Councilor Gervacio said that the ship carrying the modular gensets arrived in Davao City yesterday and was expected to proceed to Samal Island shortly.

Gervacio said that temporary station of the gensets will be in Barangay Caliclic near the AC Quiboloy Beach while its permanent station in

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VM PAOLO: EXPEL DISLOYAL MEMBERS Pulong wants Hugpong members not supporting Bello epelled

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

AVAO City Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte askedofficials of local political party Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod to remove all members who are not supporting the party’s candidate.

The Vice Mayor yesterday issued a statement after majority of the barangay officials in the third district who are also members of the local party have thrown their support to a candidate who is not a member of the party.

The vice mayor is referring to Alberto Ungab, brother of incumbent third

district representative Isidro Ungab, who is running in the third district against the party’s official candidate councilor Karlo S. Bello.

In an interview with EDGE Davao yesterday, Paolo said he sent a letter to Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod secretary general lawyer Jesus Melchor V. Quitain yesterday afternoon asking to expel the barangay officials from the party as those who do not follow the party’s endorsement are not respecting the laws of the party.

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2 NEWS EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

NO PANSIN. Students walk pass election campaign posters of local and national candidates along a sidewalk in Bo. Pampanga yesterday. Campaign season for local candidates officially started on Sunday. Lean Daval Jr.

Dads okay SB2 on first reading T HE Davao City council approved another supplemental budget for the salary adjustment of city government employees and officials.

In yesterday’s regular session, the city council passed on first reading Supplemental Budget No. 2 for this year.

This after councilor Danilo C. Dayanghirang, chairman of the committee on finance, ways and means, and appropriations, moved to consider his privilege speech to be referred to his committee for immediate discussion.

“I received a transmittal from City Hall signed by Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte about the adjustment of the salaries and wages of the city employees,” he said.

Dayanghirang said the salary adjustment will be for the regular employees, appointed

and elected city officials.

Since the salary adjustment became effective last January, this year, he said a committee hearing needs be conducted immediately due to its urgency.

Based on the certification issued by the local finance committee (LFC), there is P203.112 million available fund for the purpose The available fund came from the reversions and savings from the previous year’s budget.

Of the total available fund, P163.169 million came from the savings of the general fund, P33.544 million from the development fund and P6.369 million from the economic enterprise.

The document of appropriation is yet to be finalized during future committee hearings. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

Bill requires airlines to play Pinoy music upon arrival in PH

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EP. Jose L. Atienza, Jr. (Party-list, BUHAY) has filed a bill compelling international airlines to play Philippine folk music in their sound system immediately upon arrival in the Philippines.

In House Bill 5998, Atienza said such practice is being done by different countries worldwide such as Hawaii, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand where they have successfully utilized their own

music, songs and dances, leaving tourists going home with a better appreciation of their respective countries’ arts and culture.

Atienza said the proposal is intended as part of a more effective tourism promotion program in the country.

Likewise, Atienza proposed that Philippine music should be played in all public areas like tourist attractions, tourist buses and business

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Air Force uses chopper to stop Apo fire spread

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

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abf@edgedavao.net

HE Philippine Air Force (PAF) will continue its operation to put off the fire in Mt. Apo today.

Davao del Sur Provincial Risk Reduction Management officer Harry Chester Camoro told EDGE Davao yesterday that the Huey helicopter of the air force will start pouring buckets of water by 6:00 a.m. to stop the possible fire outbreak in the afternoon.

“We will go early because we are expecting good visibility around 6 or 7 a.m.,” he said.

Camoro said the operation of the air force yesterday only lasted for four hours because of poor visibility.

“The operation was stopped because there was a threat of rain but it did not come. Now the mountain is now covered with fog,” he said.

Camoro said the water

pouring operation of the helicopter started around 9:00 a.m. yesterday and ended around 1:00 p.m., releasing a total of 13 buckets of water in the activity. He said each bucket has 1000 liters capacity each.

He said the Davao del Sur government has already made a fire line in the Sta. Cruz area to prevent the spread of the blaze.

Camoro said as of 3:00 p.m. yesterday, there was still smoke seen in the area of Sta Cruz which prompted his team to raise its alertness level.

“Part of our strategy is to make a fire line to save the areas of Sta. Cruz, Kapatagan and Mt. Talomo of Davao City,” he said.

He said the fire has already damaged a total of 350 hectares in the Mt. Apo area.

HE Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) is still verifying reports that 10 crew members of a Taiwanese tugboat were reportedly kidnapped by the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) while passing off Tawi-Tawi waters.

“The AFP through the

WMC (Western Mindanao Command) has received initial information on the missing crewmen of a certain foreign owned vessel in the Zambasulta area. We could not yet confirm this information and at the moment, in the process of validating it,” AFP spokesper-

son Brig. Gen. Restituto Padilla said.

“We shall issue a statement once there is certainty that the said incident actually occurred. In the meantime, all our forces are on alert ready to assist if necessary and help ascertain the incident,” he added.

Reports claimed that the privately-owned tugboat had just come from Indonesia and headed for Manila when attacked by the bandits.

The tugboat was found moored at Languyan Island, Tawi-Tawi province on Sunday.

(PNA)

etano will work to extend the government’s crop insurance program should they emerge victorious in the May 9 elections.

The two also vowed to implement a non-collateral

credit fund for agri-workers to help them cope with the ill effects of extreme weather phenomena.

Cayetano made this pledge during a recent visit to Bacolod City’s sugar cane

workers.

Among the concerns raised by workers is the lack of alternative livelihood, particularly during off-season or in times of calamities when

AFP verifying report of Abu Sayyaf abduction of Taiwanese tugboat crew T

Duterte-Cayetano to extend gov’t crop insurance program

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O mitigate the effects of droughts and other natural calamities, the tandem of PDP-LABAN standard bearer and Davao City Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and running mate Senator Alan Peter Cay-

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

NEWS 3

Mt Apo forest fire affects NorCot, Erap picks Grace Davao del Sur, Talomo Mt Range F T HE forest fire continues to affect large areas of Mt. Apo as government and other stakeholders pooled resources to prevent further spread towards Talomo mountain range in Davao City and Davao del Sur areas.

The affected area is now estimated at 300 hectares.

Maj. Ezra Balagtey, officer-in-charge of the Eastern Mindanao Command Public Information Office, said a large portion of the fire is

within North Cotabato, although a fireline has already been established as a means to control the spread of the fire.

Balagtey said the assessment also showed large portion of the fire is now within Talomo Mt. Range and Davao del Sur. The damage assessment was conducted on Monday after the Tactical Operations Group (TOG) 11 together with personnel from Davao

del Sur Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (PDRMMC) took an aerial view of Mt. Apo. Another reconnaissance for possible conduct of heli bucket was conducted using the Huey rescue helicopter from central command in Cebu City.

Last night, a joint PDRRMC meeting of North Cotabato and Davao Del Sur was held at the Incident Command Post of PDRRMC-

North Cotabato in Lake Agco, Illumavis, Kidapawan City, North Cotabato. They have yet to determine the cause of fire.

Agencies have planned out to contain the fire, while other stakeholders such as mountaineering groups and IP communities.

The fire in Mt. Apo started Saturday afternoon at the peak and spread downhill towards the Kapatagan area in Davao del Sur. (PNA)

OUSTER DEMAND. Davao City Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte tells reporters yesterday he will respect the decision of his sister former Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio supporting incumbent third district representative Isidro Ungab’s brother Alberto as her congressional candidate in the third district over the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod’s bet councilor Karlo S. Bello. Paolo later on submitted a letter to Hugpong secretary general lawyer Jesus Melchor V. Quitain recommending the removal of the barangay officials in the third district who are supporting Ungab instead of Bello. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

ORMER President and incumbent Manila mayor Joseph Ejercito “Erap” Estrada on Monday endorsed the presidential bid of Senator Grace Poe, daughter of his best friend the late Fernando Poe Jr. Estrada made his announcement during his local party’s proclamation rally attended by an estimated 20,000 orange-clad supporters at the Liwasang Bonifacio. ”Mga kasama, mga kaibigan palakpakan po natin ang aking inaanak at susunod na pangulo ng Pilipinas, walang iba kundi si Grace Poe,” Estrada said in introducing Poe to the cheering supporters.

In his endorsement speech, Estrada described Poe as a woman with talent and heart, a daughter of his best friend, a mother, a wife and a Filipina. ”Her father never left me.

How can I leave her? A daughter of king and queen of the Philippine movie, you know already? Who is the king? Fernando Poe Jr. and who is the queen? Susan Roces,” he told the crowd.

Before endorsing Poe, two other presidential candidates Vice President Jejomar Binay and Davao City Rodrigo Duterte reportedly approached Estrada with the hopes of getting the support of the still popular former President.

In her response speech, Poe thanked her ‘godfather’ Estrada for endorsing her can-

didacy. ”Ninong maraming salamat po sa inyong pagendorso sa akin. Nakakataba po talaga ng puso. Alam ko ito ay isang desisyon na pinagisipan ninyong mabuti. Alam kong mahal ninyo ang aking ama pero alam ko na ang mga decision na ganito ay para rin sa bayan,” Poe replied.

Poe promised that she will not fail her godfather, saying “it would be a great honor to have a support from someone who loved so much by the people and who loved our countrymen.” ”Si Erap ang isang pinuno na kung saan kinakatawan ang ating ordinaryong mamayan.

Si erap ay nakakaramdam, nakikiisa sa inyo, hindi manhid, naiintindihan kayo, yan din an gaming isulong: isang gobyerno na nakakaramdam sa inyo mga sulirinanin, na magbibigay ng isang agarang solution para sa inyo,” Poe said.

Poe promised to the people of Manila that she will push for free lunch in all public schools and free tuition fee in the government universities and colleges. ”Muli sa aking minahal na ninong, maraming salamat sa inyong pagpili sa akin. Alam ko hindi nagging madali at dasal ko na hindi ko kayo papahiyain, na gagawin ko ang lahat para naman maitaas ang ala-alala ng aking ama at matulungan ang masang Filipino,”

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4 SUBURBIA EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Troops arrest KFRG leader in Zamboanga Sibugay

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OVERNMENT troops have arrested a leader of a kidnap-for-ransomgroup (KFRG) in the province of Zamboanga Sibugay, a military official announced Tuesday.

Maj. Filemon Tan, Western Mindanao Command (Westmincom) information officer, identified the arrested KFRG leader as Esmael Pingli alias Tago Pingli.

Tan said Pingli was arrested by the troops of the Army’s 102nd Infantry Brigade around 1:15 p.m. Monday along the highway between the municipalities of R.T. Lim and Tungawan, Zamboanga

Rye Glen Trinidad, head of the Mindanao Mountaineers Federation (in khaki polo) briefs members of the Bureau of Fire Protection on the Mount Apo trails in Barangay Kapatagan, Digos City in Davao del Sur on Monday, March 28, 2016. The fire started at the peak last Saturday afternoon. MindaNews photo

by TOTO LOZANO

Batanes, ARMM to get VCM weeks before polls

T Alert up in 4 Koronadal villages

due to sightings of armed men

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OLICE authorities have tightened security in four remote villages in Koronadal City in line with the start of the local campaign period for the May 9 elections.

Supt. Barney Condes, Koronadal City police chief, said Tuesday they have placed Barangays Cacub, Topland, San Jose and Esperanza under heightened alert due to the reported sightings of armed elements.

“We’re closely monitoring the situation in these areas to avert possible security-related

problems in the run-up and during the election day,” he said in a radio interview.

The official said they are specifically focusing their security operations in Sitio Sta. Barbara in Barangay San Jose that is considered as among the remotest communities in Koronadal City.

He said the area is not quite accessible and might pose some problems during the polls.

Sitio Sta. Barbara could only be reached so far through an alternative route in an adja-

cent municipality, he said.

The village is close to Koronadal City’s boundary area with Columbio and Lutayan towns in Sultan Kudarat and Tampakan in South Cotabato.

The mountains of Tampakan and Columbio hosts a guerrilla front of the New People’s Army that had been blamed over several attacks in the area these past years.

“These armed groups don’t necessarily stay in our area but they regularly pass by there and it’s a serious concern for local residents,” he said.

Condes assured that they are currently on top of the situation and making the necessary moves to ensure that upcoming polls in the area will be smooth, peaceful and orderly.

He said their security plan for the May 9 elections had long been in place as mandated by Philippine National Police central office and the Police Regional Office 12.

“We’ve been taking this matter seriously and we will not stop until we effectively address or resolve it,” he added. (PNA)

period for local candidates in the May 9 elections.

Comelec-South Cotabato has jurisdiction over this city and the province’s 10 towns and lone city.

“We’re currently monitoring our area for possible violations regarding the posting of campaign materials,” he said.

Laguialam said the team is tasked to immediately launch an “operation baklas” or removal of campaign materials if they would find any violation.

Comelec has set specific sizes for campaign posters

and other related materials as well as identified common poster areas within localities.

The move is based on the provisions of Republic Act 9006 or the Fair Elections Act. Laguialam said they had properly informed candidates regarding the campaign rules and regulations in a series of orientations in the past weeks.

He said all candidates, especially those running for provincial-level posts, have signed covenants declaring that they would obey or abide by the election laws and regulations.

“So far, we don’t have

problems with any of our candidates when it comes to compliance with the Fair Elections Act,” he said.

Laguialam reminded candidates and political camps to also remind and ensure that their supporters are also complying with the campaign regulations.

He said candidates may be held liable later on for violations that might be committed by their supporters.

“It’s important for everybody to strictly follow our election laws to avoid problems later on,” he added. (PNA)

ed to the media on Monday various improvised explosive devices (IEDs) recovered, disposed and defused by Army bomb experts.

Capt. Joann Petinglay, speaking for Task Force Central, said the IEDs were manufactured and dispersed by the outlawed Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters.

The Geneva-banned war materials were recovered

during the more than one month operations against the BIFF in Datu Salibo, Maguindanao.

It started when the outlawed group torched two heavy equipment of a private construction company dredging portions of the town for the flood control project.

When the Army responded, a full blown shooting war erupted and lasted until mid-

March, leaving five soldiers killed and 35 others injured, mostly by IEDs. Civilians near the clash area claimed more than 50 BIFF were killed in the operation but the Army would not confirm nor deny the report.

But an Army junior officer said the number of fatalities could be that high since the Army used air and ground

Comelec-South Cotabato activates‘baklas team’

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HE Commission on Elections (Comelec) in South Cotabato has activated a team that will lead the removal of illegally-posted campaign materials in the area.

Lawyer Kendatu Laguialam, Comelec-South Cotabato provincial supervisor, said Tuesday the team is composed of personnel from the Comelec, South Cotabato Provincial Police Office and the Department of Public Works and Highways.

He said the move is in line with the commencement over the weekend of the campaign

Sibugay.

Tan said the troops were conducting checkpoints when then spotted and arrested Pingli, who has standing warrants of arrest for kidnapping and illegal detention.

He said Pingli was involved in many kidnapping incidents here in the Zamboanga Peninsula the previous years.

He said among the incident Pingli was involved was the kidnapping of a local businessman, Inocente Bautista.

Bautista was kidnapped on May 27, 2008 in Barangay Tetuan and was released on June 9 of the same year. (PNA)

HE Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) will be one of the two areas in the country that will receive Vote Counting Machines (VCM) early as compared to other areas, the Commission on Elections (Comelec) said.

Commissioner Sheriff Abas, who was here over the weekend, said ARMM and Batanes province will receive VCMs, the machine that will be used during election day, that will be distributed to the region at least two weeks earlier. ”This is because of the fact that the region is composed of island municipalities that needs enough time for the delivery of election machines,” Abas told reporters.

Abas also announced that public school teachers who will act as board of election inspectors on the use of VCM will be retrained.

This after the Supreme Court directed the poll body to issue voters’ receipts on election day.

Abas said the teachers have been trained but with the new Comelec directive, they will undergo another set of training sessions, especially on the issuance of voters’ receipts.

It is needed due to issuance of voters’ receipt, as the casting of vote time has been adjusted from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. to 6 a.m. until 5 p.m. ”There is really a need for the teachers to be retrained,” Abas said.

Nationwide, the preparations as far as operation of VCM was about 90 percent but with the new ruling, the poll body starts back to zero.

The poll body will be using 92,000 VCM nationwide.

The ARMM, composed of the provinces of Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi, will receive its VCM from Comelec Manila in April and will be kept for safekeeping by the VCM provider.

Abas said the early distribution has been decided since ARMM has many island municipalities and villages that would be difficult to reach.

Meanwhile, police and military officials met here to continue assessing the peace and order situation of provinces and municipalities as campaign period starts.

Lawyer James Jimenez, Comelec spokesperson, has repeated its appeal for the local candidates to display campaign materials to Comelec designated common poster areas.

In ARMM, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources have started removing posters and propaganda materials posted on trees, parks and plants through its “Oplan Baklas (remove)” team.

At the same time, DENRARMM Regional Sec. Kahal Kedtag repeated its appeal to supporters of local candidates to spare the trees and display campaign materials in designated areas only. (PNA)

Improvised bomb blast Army presents 64 IEDs after operation against BIFF hits school in Lamitan

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N outlawed Moro armed group has been manufacturing improvised explosive devices aimed at killing or wounding combatants and non combatants alike in Maguindanao and nearby provinces, the military here said today.

It was clearly evident when the Army’s 6th Infantry “Kampilan” Division through its Task Force Central present-

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N improvised bomb explosion has destroyed a classroom of a school in Lamitan City, Basilan, a police official disclosed Tuesday.

Senior Insp. Gean Gallardo, Lamitan City police chief, disclosed the incident took place around 7:20 p.m.

Monday at the Dangkalan Elementary School.

Gallardo said while there

was no casualty, a classroom of the said school was destroyed in the explosion.

Gallardo said that personnel of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) have recovered parts of an improvised bomb at the blast site.

He said they are conducting thorough investigation to establish the identity of the suspects as well as the motive of the incident. (PNA)

5 ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Group presses formation of banana council

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

EEPING high hopes that the next administration will address strongly the challenges of the multi-billion banana industry, stakeholders will push for the establishment of the National Banana Council dedicated for the development of the sector.

“The Council will focus on the formulation and implementation of programs

and projects that will help the growth of the banana industry,” Philippines Exporters Confederation (PhilExport)-Davao president Ferdinand D. Marañon told reporters at the sidelines of yesterday’s forum on the regionalization of the Philippines Export Development Plan 2015-2017 at the Microtel by Wyndham- Davao.

Dubbed as one of Mindanao’s economic drivers, the industry has many issues threatening its development, he said.

Among the issues confronted by the banana industry are the lack of research and development activities, lack of government subsidy for planting materials, tightening global export market, and

regulations of local government units that undermine the growth of the industry.

Ranked as the second top export product of the country, Philippine bananas, Marañon said, is now threatened by Fusarium Wilt or the Panama disease.

In a separate interview, Department of Agriculture

BOILED CORN. A street vendor unhusks boiled corn she sells for P10 per piece at her makeshift store in Bankerohan Public Market yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

(DA) 11 focal person Virgelio Gutierrez said the Davao Region alone has already a total of 15,500 hectares planted to bananas affected by the soilborne disease.

Being the top regional producer and exporter of banana in the country, Davao Region has approximately 22,000 infected mats as of this month. Farms planted with

the granine variety of cavendish banana along with those planted with the local saba and lakatan varieties are the ones greatly affected by the disease.

Most of the affected plantations are located in Davao del Norte, Compostela Valley, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao City.

HE Davao Light and Power Comapny’s (DLPC) Feed-In Tariff Allowance (FIT-All) of will increase from P0.0406 to P0.1240 per kilowatt-hour (kWh) starting April 2016, In a statement, the implementation of the FIT-All is pursuant to Section 7 of Republic Act No. 9513, otherwise known as the Renewable Energy Act of 2008 (RE Law). The said bill was established to promote the development, utilization, and commercialization of Renewable Energy Resources.

Last December 2015, the Energy Regulatory Commission (ERC) through an order, provisionally approved an application of the TRANSCO, as fund administrator of the FIT-All, to collect an additional P0.0834/

kWh from customers.

Similar to the Universal Charge, the FIT-All is imposed on all On-Grid electricity consumers supplied with electricity through the distribution or transmission network. The same order from the Commission directs all electric distribution utilities, including Davao Light, to effect the implementation of the FIT-All as a separate line item in the customers’ bills and remit the same in accordance with the guidelines.

The impact of the FITAll to a residential customer whose consumption is 200 kWh per month will be an increase of P16.68 monthly. As mandated, the said charge is shown as a separate line item in the bill, particularly after Universal Charge.

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DLPC’s FIT-All to increase next month

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6 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

DTI urges sectors: Use export plan

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

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crc@edgedavao.net

N a bid to hit the targetted US$101.5-billion total export value by 2017, the Bureau of Export Trade Promotion (BETP) urges both the public and private sectors to anchor their regional development plan to the recently unveiled updated Philippine Export Development Plan (PEDP) 2015-2017.

Director Senen M. Perlada of the BETP, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), said both the private sector, the local government units in Mindanao as well as national government agencies should “be on the same page” on the development of the export sector.

“The export industry of Mindanao is not quite high but it is competitive,” Perlada said, adding the island is one of the country’s main exporters of fresh and processed fruits, preserved, processed and fresh fish as well as activated carbon.

Accounting for more than 10 percent of country’s total export value in 2015, Perlada

said, Mindanao ranks third, next only to the National Capital Region and Cebu.

“Mindanao is led by Davao for its banana and IT services, Cagayan de Oro and General Santos for its fish products,” he told reporters at the sidelines of the forum on the regionalization of the PEDP 2015-2017 at the Microtel by Wyndham yesterday.

The PEDP, signed on February 4 last year, contains strategies and approaches aimed at increasing total export by as high as 10.6 percent at the end of 2017 from the 0.9 percent slowdown last year.

Perlada said total export in 2015 hit US$86.815 billion, lower than the US$87 billion in 2014. He attributed the decrease to the slowing down of the merchandise export.

The setback of the country’s export industry was caused by the decrease in the product and services importation of China and Japan.

Despite the negative growth of the export industry

last year, the DTI set a target of US$94.5 billion total export value this year and US$102.4 billion by the end of next year.

The DTI desires to increase both the goods and services sector of the export industry focusing on key and emerging industries by using the four-pronged approach.

One approach that will be undertaken under the plan is to diversify the export markets, while another is “to identify and develop export capabilities in products where global demand is growing fast,” a report said.

The plan will also address the bottlenecks that affect the competitiveness of exports, and finally to harness “the potential of goods and services where the Philippines can be competitive but have yet to attain comparative advantage,” said Perlada in the report.

The plan will be implementing eight strategies zeroing in on different industries to achieve its target of increasing exportand reducing poverty, he said.

There will be six key export sectors, selected for their contribution to employment and volume of shipment. These are electronics, processed food and beverage, coconut oil, motor vehicle parts, computer and information services, and other business services.

On the other hand, the other four emerging export industries which have high-potential products are activated carbon, chemicals, metal components, and fresh and preserved fish.

Meanwhile, the European Union-funded Trade Related Technical Assistance (TRTA) Project 3 shelled out 8 million euros for the necessary support in formulating the approved plan.

The regionalization forum, funded by the TRTA Project 3, was attended by more than 200 participants from different LGUs, private sector groups, and national government agencies. The forum aims to cascade “the elements, components, activities, and programs of the PEDP all the way to the region”.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Marañon confirms rejection of Davao bananas by China

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HILIPPINE Exporters Confederation (Philexport) - Davao president Ferdinand Marañon confirmed that export bananas rejected

by China over the weekend came from Davao.

“The information that reached me revealed that the banana was exported by a multi-national banana company operating here,” Marañon told reporters yesterday. He requested not to name the company.

Marañon speculated that the reported disposal of 35 tons or two containers of banana was more than a port routine procedure as claimed by the Palace but a form of economic sabotage.

Without naming names, he said the multinational company which shipped the bananas to China is based in a country which has a territorial dispute with China. Marañon did not elaborate.

However, he said the two containers of Cavendish bananas with the equivalent of 2,700 boxes is too small and is not the first time to happen.

“It is too small a volume compared to the millions of boxes we export every year,” Marañon added.

On the other hand, Director Senen M. Perlada of the Bureau of Export Trade and Promotion (BETP) of the Department of Trade and Industry said the recent disposal of banana was part of the business.

“It’s upon the discretion of the Chinese customs authority to dispose the bananas if they find phytosanitary issues,” Perlada added. “It is still business as usual.”

Perlada said the rejected shipment could have failed the maximum residue limit test.

The Chinese market, according to him, was just strictly imposing its customs policy as a respond to the increasing demand for bananas.

“The demand for Philippine banana is so high now because their own bananas are affected by frost,” he added.

With increasing demand, Perlada said, the high price in the Chinese market is enticing even to those “unscrupulous traders”.

“Some Chinese traders are already doing direct transaction here,” he said, adding some foreign buyers are even willing to pay high prices.

“We are constant in our reminder to be vigilant. We have to avoid shortcuts,” he said. “It is important to undergo the proper process.”

Perlada said the Chinese market is one of the largest export markets for the Philippine banana, second to Japan.

Of the total US$450 million worth of exported Philippine banana last year, 25 percent went to China.

In Davao, the Chinese market is also one of the primary markets of both the small and multinational banana companies. The increasing buying price is also enticing local exporters to ship their banana to China.

Meanwhile, EDGE Davao tried to reach Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters Association executive director Stephen Antig for his comment but he did not respond back to text messages and calls. CHENEEN R. CAPON

Oil firms hike pump prices

O COASTLINE ROAD. Davao City first district councilor John Christopher T. Mahamud asks Mega Harbor representative Antonio Rex Chan on the road network on the proposed 200-hectare Davao Coastline and Port

Development Project which will be built from Bucana going to some portions of R. Castillo Street, Agdao. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

DA sees slight decrease in farm yield despite El Niño

I

N spite of the strong El Niño that has been battering the entire nation since September last year, the Department of Agriculture (DA) is optimistic that only a small percentage decrease in agricultural production will be felt.

From February 2015 to March 2016, some 313,356 hectares of land planted to rice and corn were reportedly affected by the weather phenomenon. This was 231,666 hectares less than the affected areas during the 2009-2010 dry spell.

The minimal damage, ac-

cording to agri experts, may be attributed to the prompt distribution of support and assistance, as well as the dissemination of information to farmers.

DA Secretary Proceso J. Alcala said that farmers knew better now and opted not to plant crops that were most susceptible to drought.

This time, he said, farmers grew drought-resistant crops including peanut, mongo, soybean and sweet potato, which reduced the chances of damage and loss.

At the onset of El Niño, the DA has laid-out adaptation

strategies to cushion the impact of the season -- deemed to be the driest and hottest of the year (2015-2016).

These include reinforced irrigation and water management, as well as intensified pest management and surveillance initiatives.

For aquatic resources, the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) said it had been in full command of monitoring and management activities -- keeping a close watch on all operations for both the fish capture and fish culture subsectors.

Aside from these, the

crop insurance system was enhanced. The Philippine Crop Insurance Corp. (PCIC) provides insurance protection to farmers against losses incurred from natural calamities, plant diseases and pest infestations.

Under PCIC’s crop insurance program for rice, a farmer may get indemnity ranging from Php 41,000-Php65,000 for the cost of production per hectare.

On top of all of these, the DA has steadily provided seed and vaccine support to the most affected communities.

Meanwhile, cloud seed-

IL firms increased pump prices of petroleum products on Tuesday to reflect changes in the international market.

In separate advisories, Pilipinas Shell Petroleum Corp., Petron Corp., Seaoil Philippines Inc., Phoenix Petroleum Philippines and PTT Philippines Corp. hike their gasoline prices by 40 centavos per liter at 6 a.m., March 29.

The oil companies, except Petron, also increased diesel prices by 20 centavos per liter.

Petron will only add 15 centavos per liter to its current diesel prices.

Shell, Petron and Seaoil also increased their kerosene prices by 10 centavos per liter.

Diesel prices in Metro Manila currently range from Php

ing, which is one of the most effective El Niño adaptation strategies, continues to bring in positive results.

In Mindanao, particularly in SOCCSKSARGEN, Alcala said he had called for additional hours of sorties, following a successful series of cloud seeding.

In other parts of the country, cloud seeding operations have already taken off -- resulting in scattered rain show-

21.25-24.62 per liter, according to the Department of Energy’s oil price monitor. It also has a common price of Php 23.

Gasoline prices also range from Php 33.65-41.35 per liter, while has a prevailing price of Php 38.60 per liter.

Bloomberg reported, citing data from Norwegian consultancy firm Rystad Energy, Sunday that old oil wells are expected to surpass fresh sources of oil supply in 2016.

The old oil wells traditionally produce less resource than new ones, which will likely reduce the glut in the world market that started in 2014.

Major oil-producing countries will also discuss their strategy to curb the fall of oil prices in Doha, Qatar on April 17, 2016. (PNA)

ers that provided a refreshing break for the arid farmlands.

But more than adaptation, Alcala said, the government continued to look for longterm and permanent solutions to the repetitive dilemma that is the El Niño.

As the DA dons full battle gear to combat the effects of drought, the nation is encouraged to take action as well.

As per PAGASA report, El

FDA, 10

7 ENVIRONMENT EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Climate change

threatens food production Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

“Ten thousand years have passed since the current pleasantly temperate period began, so another sudden shift is overdue. The notion that greenhouse gases could trigger such a rapid change keeps serious scientists up at night…

And since scientists today have little understanding of past climate flips, it’s impossible to say when the next one will start.” Gregg Easterbrook in an article, “A Skeptical Guide to Doomsday,” which appeared in Wired

Farmer is trying to save the rice that was flattened by strong wind.

E

VERY night, 490 million people in Asia and the Pacific go to bed hungry, according to the Asian Development Bank (ADB). To think, 2.2 billion people in the region rely on agriculture for their livelihoods.

By 2050, the region will be home to 5.3 billion people.

By then, 64% of the total population are living in the urban areas. To feed the ever growing number of people, 70% increase of the current food production is required.

Climate change is going to make food security problems worse in the region. “In 2050, more than half of irrigated rice area in Asia will face 5% to 25% loss due to climate change,” warns the Manila-based development bank.

Asia is not alone though. It will also happen in other parts of the world. “The accelerating pace of climate change, combined with global population and depletion of agricultural resources threatens food security globally,” reports the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).

Global food shortages will become three times more likely as a result of climate change, according to a report released by the Taskforce on Extreme Weather and Global Food System Resilience.

It has been estimated by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) that up to 25% of world food production could be lost by 2050 as a result of climate change, water scarcity and land degradation.

“Despite the technological advances in the second half of the 20th century, agriculture remains to be one of the most vulnerable sectors to climate change,” notes Apple Jean C. Martin in a policy advocacy.

“Climate change is more

Dry spell Coral reefs are set to be destroyed as the seawater turns acidic.

Less fish

disastrous to the agricultural industry of the Philippines and its neighboring countries than in other parts of the world,” warned Dr. David Street of the US Argonne National Laboratory.

According to agriculture scientist Julian Gonsalves, ag-

riculture and climate change are closely linked. “Agriculture is part of the climate change problem. However, it is also part of the solution, offering many opportunities for mitigating GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions,” he told SciDev.Net. “The agriculture sector is

expected to suffer the most serious impacts of climate change, and food security, nutrition and livelihoods will be affected if we don’t act soon,” Gonsalves, senior advisor at the Cavite-based International Institute of Rural Reconstruction, added.

The IFPRI agrees. “Agriculture is extremely vulnerable to climate change,” it says. “Higher temperatures eventually reduce yields of desirable crops while encouraging weed and pest proliferation. Changes in precipitation patterns increase the likelihood of short-run crop failures and long-run production declines.”

In Asia, the World Bank lists the Philippines as one of the top 12 countries “at highest risk to climate change.”

Droughts, floods, storms, rising sea levels, and greater uncertainty in agriculture were the reasons cited why the country was among included in the top list.

Currently, the Philippines is home to more than 100 million people. It has a total land area of 30 million hectares.

“With decreasing land area devoted to agriculture, higher prices of agricultural inputs, lesser people engaging into agriculture and education in agriculture, and now, the advent of climate change, feeding the nation is a huge challenge,” writes Amavel A. Velasco in an article which appeared in BAR Digest of the Bureau of Agricultural Research.

The country’s population, according to the Department of Agriculture, is predominantly rural (70%) and two-thirds of the population depend on farming for their livelihood. In terms of employment, about one-half of the labor force is engaged in agricultural activities.

With climate change be-

coming a reality, their work and other activities are in jeopardy. “Between 1971 and 2000, mean annual, maximum, and minimum temperatures in the country have increased by 0.14 degrees Centigrade,” said a report released by the Laguna-based Philippine Council for Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources Research and Development (PCARRD).

The Laguna-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) reported that climate change could reduce rice yields. Although its study showed that rice could benefit from higher levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, an increase in temperature would “nullify any yield increase.”

PCARRD says that about 5%-7% decline in yield of major crops in the country is attributed to climate change.

“The yield reduction is caused by heat stress, decrease in sink formation (number of spikelet per unit ground area), shortening of growing period, and increased maintenance for respiration,” said the line agency of the Department of Science and Technology.

Since 1980, the Philippines has been experiencing an increase in annual mean rainfall, and since 1990, an increase in the number of rainy days.

There was also an increase in inter-annual variability of onset of rainfall in the past decades. “This erratic rainfall pattern has greatly affected the planting schedule and other activities of the farmers,” the PCARRD said.

Extreme events – heat waves, drought, and heavy rainfall – have become more frequent. Between 1961 and 1998, there was an increase in hot days and warm nights.

There was increased occurrence of extreme rains causing flash floods, landslides, and inundation of low-lying areas.

Droughts normally associated with El Niño became more intense.

“All these extreme events caused massive crop failures and damages to agricultural irrigation facilities and infrastructures,” the PCARRD said. It singled out the 199798 El Niño events, which has brought considerable yield decline in rice and corn harvests.

This year’s El Niño is set to end by June yet. The Department of Agriculture said that drought caused by El Niño could slash first-semesterpalay output by 900,000 metric tons and corn production by 500,000 metric tons.

In Maguindanao, as farms

and rivers started to dry up due to the prolonged dry spell, “upland folk in the province have begun foraging for food, even resorting to eating a poisonous root crop if only to survive,” Philippine Daily Inquirer reported.

Water resources are especially vulnerable to climate change. “In a warmer world, we will need more water – to drink and to irrigate crops,” said the London-based Panos Institute. “Water for agriculture is critical for food security,” points out Mark W. Rosegrant, a senior research fellow at the Washington-based International Food Policy Research Institute.

“The link between water and food is strong,” says Lester R. Brown, president of Earth Policy Institute, also based in Washington, D.C. “We drink, in one form or another, nearly 4 liters of water per day. But the food we consume each day requires at least 2,000 liters to produce, 500 times as much.”

Agriculture is by far the biggest consumer of water worldwide. According to IRRI, a farmer needs a thousand gallons of water just to raise a ton of rice.

On the other hand, the emissions from burning oil, coal and gas are both heating up the oceans and making them more acidic. That is combining to reduce the amount of seafood that can be caught, according to Ocean-Based Food Security Threatened in a High CO2 World.

“Many fish stocks will suffer because their spawning and nursery grounds in coastal mangroves and lagoons will be engulfed by rising sea levels,” the Panos Institute reported.

According to some studies, climate change may become a more important threat to ocean fisheries than overfishing.

Less fish is bad news for Filipinos as they are among the world’s biggest fish consumers. After all, fish provides more than half of the protein requirement of the people.

Each year, a Filipino consumes almost 30 kilograms of seafood.

Meanwhile, the climate gone crazy continues. “Climate change is taking place before our eyes and will continue to do so as a result of the concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which have risen constantly and again reached new records,” deplored Michel Jarraud, secretary-general of the World Meteorological Organization.

EDGEDAVAO

8 VANTAGE

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

EDITORIAL

Political ads masquerading as commercial ads

H

ERE’S a part of a controversial detergent ad that was posted online last March 22: “Sabi ni nanay, huwag magnakaw.(Mother said, do not steal.)

Sabi ni lola, huwag mangupit.(Grandmother said, do not filch.)

Sabi ni tatay, huwag papatay. (Father said, do not kill.)

Sabi ni lolo, kung hindi pa handa, ‘wag pilitin. (Grandfather said, if you’re not ready, don’t force it.)

Pero sabi nila may kandidatong magnanakaw. (But they say there’s a candidate who’s a thief.)

May kandidato daw na kupitero. (They say there’s a candidate who takes what isn’t his.)

May kandidato daw na papatay ng tao.(They say there’s a candidate who will kill people.)

Bakit may kandidato na hindi pa handa? (Why is there a candidate who’s unprepared for the job?)

Tanong lang po. (We’re just asking.)

Sila po ba ang dapat asahan para sa aming kinabukasan? (Are they the right ones to trust when it comes to our future?)”

A commercial ad can be an advocacy and that is an acceptable practice in the advertising industry. But this ad by a detergent soap, whose owners are reportedly from Capiz and close friend of administration presidential candidate Mar Roxas, has obviously gone beyond the context of an advocacy.

The political undertones and the subjects referred to in the ads are clearly re-

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ferring to the political rivals of Roxas for these are well associated with the same campaign lines of the latter.

The online version of the ad has since been taken down as of Thursday evening, March 24. The ad featured four children are seen speaking directly to the camera.

The ad was also aired during the last Commission on Elections (Comelec) presidential debate on March 20 and heard over a provincial radio station last week.

While the detergent soap ad doesn’t name any of the 5 candidates in the 2016 presidential elections, it was pretty obvious who it is alluding to—Roxas’ rivals VP Jejomr Binay, Mayor Rodrigo Duterte and Sen. Grace Poe. It says nothing about Roxas despite criticisms against him during his stint as transportation secretary and later interior chief of President Benigno Aquino III’s administration.

The ad is titled “ACS Advocacy - Tanong TVC” in the brand’s official Facebook page. Despite that label as “advocacy”, the ad does not pass of as a legitimate one mainly for its perceived bias towards Roxas.

The airing of this political ad masquerading as an advocacy ad may fall under the Comelec’s definition of political ads and be charged for airtime spent. However, the technical question is that without Roxas’ name being mentioned in the ad, the Comelec may have to find a ground to allude the same to candidate Roxas.

Labelling the ad as advocacy is clearly a scapegoat by this company, a way out of the possible violation of election laws which prohibit companies from donating to campaigns.

This could be a bad precedent though if left unchecked.

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EDGEDAVAO

O

NCE upon a time, there were three priests who came together in a park. While talking with each other, they started to reveal their innermost secrets. “I have used the church’s money in building my mother’s house,” bared the first. “Please don’t tell anyone about this.”

“My problem is,” the second revealed, “I have impregnated a beautiful lady. She will deliver our baby soon.” Like the first priest, he urged that it, too, should be kept a secret.

“What about you?” the two asked the third priest.

“Mine is not really that immense,” he said. “I just can’t control my tongue. You see, when I hear some secrets, I can’t help myself but share them to others.”

Among Filipinos, gossiping is one of the favorite pastimes. This is the reason why gossip magazines are very popular. In addition, talk shows that feature some sort of the secrets of famous people are a hit among viewers.

In the olden times, gossip were resorted to normalize and re-inforce moral boundaries in a speech-community; foster and build a sense of community with shared interests and information; entertain and divert participants in gossip-sessions; retail and develop stories and even legends; build structures and social accountability; and reflect unvarnished and spontaneous public opinion.

In modern times, however, “gossip” has taken a new level. It simply means “spreading of rumor and misinformation, often through excited conversation over scandals.” Mostly, people don’t admit they are involved in gossip. Someone may say,

F

IVE popular, powerful and high-profile Filipinos with contrasting socio-economic and moral backgrounds want to be president of our nation and lead one million citizens to the “Promised Land” – Ilocos or Mindanao?

They are: 1. Jesus Jose Maria Binay (Jejomar) – A seasoned politician with vast executive experience in public governance; 6-term Makati City mayor; former MMDA Chairman; long-time president of the world’s second biggest youth organization (Boy Scouts); incumbent Vice President of the Philippines.

2. Manuel Araneta Roxas (Mar) – a former senator; former cabinet member (DTI, DOTC and DILG); lost to Binay in the 2010 vice presidential election.

3. Grace Poe-Llamanzares – former Chief of Movie Television Review and Classification Board; topnotcher, 2013 Senate race; very limited or scant government service; once renounced Filipino citizenship, swore allegiance to America but recanted some years later and then reacquired Filipino citizenship

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

VANTAGE POINTS

9

Favorite pastime “I don’t mean THINK ON THESE! to talk about her, but…” and what comes next is a litany of untruth facts.

The more interesting the gossip, the more likely it is to be unHenrylito D. Tacio true.

S o m e - henrytacio@gmail.com times, a gossip takes the form of a false sympathy. “I really took pity of my neighbor who is being beaten by her husband once he goes home drunk.” Others start the conversation with a question: “Is it true that the 17-year-old daughter of our school principal pregnant?”

Gossips have been catalogued in three different types: vest-button type (always popping off), vacuum-cleaner type (always picking up dirt), and liniment type (always rubbing it in). Which of these are very familiar to you?

“Gossip is one of the so-called ‘little’ sins that even Christians are often unable or unwilling to avoid,” said William McElroy. “It is, to be sure, a common sin, but can it truly be called ‘little’? Gossip can destroy reputations, disrupt families, divide neighbors, and cause widespread heartbreak and all to no purpose except the satisfaction that some find in passing on idle or malicious tales.”

There was a time when British statesman Winston Churchill who, in the twilight of his career, attended an official function.

Two dignitaries seated three or four rows behind him, spoke in whispers.

One said: “There’s Churchill. They say he’s failing badly.” The other replied: “So, I’ve heard. They say he’s not only feeble but growing more and more senile.”

As Churchill was leaving at the close of the session, he paused, leaned over to speak to his detractors and said, “They also say he’s hard of hearing.”

“Gossip,” novelist George Elliot once wrote, “is a sort of smoke that comes from the dirty tobacco-pipes of those who diffuse it; it proves nothing but the bad taste of the smoker.” Joseph Conrad states: “Gossip is what no one claims to like, but everybody enjoys.”

Bestselling author Erica Jong considers gossip as “the opiate of the oppressed.”

Sholom Aleichem describes gossip as “nature’s telephone.” Walter Winchell has this idea: “Gossip is the art of saying nothing in a way that leaves practically nothing unsaid.”

But how can you stop someone from gossiping about you? Mildred, the church gossip, and self-appointed monitor of the church’s morals, kept sticking her nose into other people’s business. Of course, several church members did not approve of her extra-curricular activities, but feared her enough to maintain their silence.

She made a mistake, however, when she accused Frank, a new member, of being an alcoholic after she saw his old pickup parked in front of the town’s only bar one afternoon.

Mildred emphatically told Frank (and several others) that everyone seeing it there would know what he was doing!

Frank, a man of few words, stared at her for a moment and just turned and walked away. He didn’t explain, defend, or deny. He said nothing at all.

Later that evening, Frank quietly parked his pickup in front of Mildred’s house, walked home, and left it there all night!

To end today’s column, allow me to share a story that was posted in the wall of a friend’s Facebook. It goes this way: Once upon a time, an old man spread rumors that his neighbor was a thief. As a result, the young man was arrested. Days later, the young man was proven innocent.

After he was released, he sued the old man for wrongly accusing him.

In court, the old man told the judge: “They were just comments, didn’t harm anyone…”

The judge, before passing the judgment, told the old man: “Write all the things you said about him in a piece of paper. Cut them up. On the way home, throw the pieces of paper out. Tomorrow, come here to hear the sentence.”

The following day, the judge told the old man: “Before receiving the sentence, you will have to go out and gather all the pieces of paper that you threw out yesterday.”

The old man said: “I can’t do that! The wind spread them and I won’t know where to find them.”

The judge then replied: “The same way.

Simple comments may destroy the honor of a man to such an extent that one is not able to fix it. If you can’t speak well of someone, rather don’t say anything. Let’s all be masters of our mouth, so that we won’t be slaves of our words.”

w h e n P r e s i d e n t Noynoy appointed her MTRCB Chair; a selfstyled savior of the poor, she props herself as political Joan of Arc. 4. Rodrigo Duterte (Digong) – 8-term Davao City mayor; self-styled crime buster; self-confessed lady’s man; nemesis of drug lords, gambling lords, smuggling lords, kidnapping lords, carnapping lords, evil lords.

5. Miriam D. Santiago (Pick-up Line Queen) – Who doesn’t know her, she with an acid tongue? The three-term senator believes that the presidency is only for intelligent, college-degreed, scholarly people. (Like her).

----000-----

men until power crushed their moral defenses. The incorruptible leader is strong-willed, God-fearing, and a man of conscience.

5. Honesty – It is still the best policy anywhere in the world. Countries that had dishonest leaders are still impoverished. Honesty is not just about keeping one’s fingers away from the cookie jar.

Of greater far-reaching consequence is intellectual honesty. Claiming achievements when there are none is intellectual dishonesty. Intellectual honesty is honesty first with yourself, and then with the people you have pledged to serve.

6. Delicadeza – This is one virtue that is almost extinct in our country. It is a strong moral sensitivity which enables an official to demonstrate decency and propriety.

7. High Political IQ – This is fundamental for a political leader. Ignorance or inadequate knowledge of the science of governance exacts a terrible price. We must take care not to elect a political ignoramus.

Who wants to be President?

Now let me end this light rumbling with a listing of what I call presidentialities – mental, intellectual, moral, emotional, physical attributes which a presidential hopeful should possess. These are: 1. Sanity – a candidate must be of sound mental health. A sane person knows what he can and cannot do. He knows what he doesn’t know. A candidate who promises to eliminate poverty should be dumped in the nearest mental dormitory.

2. Vision – a president must be a leader with a vision. He has that superior ability to perceive discern things, situations and events. A man of vision knows and sees the future.

3. Political will – it is strong determination, a diligent purposefulness. It is the power to act decisively in spite of opposition, friendly or otherwise. It is an effective tool for meaningful change and reforms.

4. Incorruptibility – Power corrupts, it is said. Many leaders were honest

10 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

GENSETS... FROM 1 Barangay Mambago is being prepared.

Councilor Mike Robledo, head of Task Force Marine Cable formed for the emergency situation, said his group is tasked to see to it that the shipping line responsible for the cable destruction will be made to answer for the damage the shipping company done to the island and its people as a result of the damaged cable.

Robledo said upon being notified about the cable disaster, Vice Mayor Uy immediately convened the City Council to tackle the emergency situation. As a result, the Council passed three resolutions: first, asking the Daneco and the National Electrification Administration and other concerned agencies to act on the problem;

second, asking the city legal office to look into the possibility of filing civil or criminal charges against the shipping company; and third, forming a Crisis Management Committee to handle this and similar emergency situations in the future.

Vice Mayor Uy said that the destruction of the submarine electric cable had occurred twice before, a reason the council years earlier asked Mayor Aniano Antalan to approve a resolution to form a crisis management committee.

He told reporters that the power situation, waterworks system, fire department and security are among the basic priority problems his administration will immediately tackle once elected city mayor in May.

“I asked the secretary general to choose either to remove the barangay captains supporting other candidates who are not member of the Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod specifically in the congress race in third district or accept my irrevocable resignation if they cannot remove these people, ” he said.

He said the party has rules which stated that whoever endorsed by the party should be supported by all members.

“Tabangan para sa iyang kadaugan (Help the candidate for his or her victory),” he said.

Paolo, however, said this rule is not followed by the members of the party who chose to support Ungab over Bello.

“Ang gituboy namo kay si councilor Bello man gyud og gituboy pud siya ni Mayor Rody. Duterte (The party endorsed by councilor Bello because Mayor Rody Duterte himself endorsed him),” he said.

He said he proposed to the party to remove the barangay officials who are supporting Ungab.

“They should not enjoy the benefits of the political party because they are not supporting the candidate of the political party,” he said.

Paolo said he will not wait the party to decide it after the election because it must be decided “now.”

“The purpose of the po-

litical party is to support the candidate during the election, so, what is the purpose if it will be decided after the election,” he said.

He said there are 76 barangay captains and 300 barangay councilors in his list that need to be removed in the party for not supporting the party’s candidate in the third district.

Paolo said he will respect the decision of his sister former Mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio endorsing Alberto Ungab as the third district representative but he will stick to the party’s decision that Bello is the official candidate.

“Si Mayor Inday og dili mo supporta niya (Bello) (If Mayor Inday will not support him then) it’s up to her, it’s up to the secretary general and also to the leadership of Hugpong,” he said.

In the letter sent to Quitain yesterday, Paolo said that the “delinquent” party members should be removed because these people attacked him politically and personally which raised a negative attitude to the party.

“This issue raised a negative attitude towards party members who are loyal and true to our political mandate,” he said in the letter.

He said in cases that political party member defy the official party line-up in the 2016 election should be sanctioned such as removal due to breach of party’s rules.

establishments such as hotels.

“This would also encourage hotels and business establishments to put up cultural shows to generate more interest and give visitors a better appreciation of the allure and beauty of the Philippine Islands by exposing them to Philippine arts and culture, through music, songs and dances,” Atienza said.

Atienza said the Philippines has an even richer reservoir of arts and culture than Hawaii and other countries, which somehow does not get promoted because most people would rather play western music.

“We believe that if the Department of Tourism (DOT) incorporates this into its tourism promotion program, every tourist would bring home a very vivid and clear impression of our country’s arts and culture that would make him want to come back,” Atienza said.

Under the bill to be known as the “Promotion of Philippine Tourism Through Arts and Culture Act,” all airline carriers coming from international destinations are required to play at least 50% in their pipe in sound system Philippine folk music upon entry into the territorial jurisdiction of the country. (PNA)

VM PAOLO... FROM 1

Bill... FROM 2

FAREWELL SONG. An elementary student breaks down as he and his fellow graduates sing their farewell song during graduation rites at Fil-Asian Mission Academy, Inc. in Garcia Heights, Bajada yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Duterte... FROM 2 productivity is low.

Cayetano said the plight of the agri-workers have to be addressed urgently.

“Seasonal employment is a problem that has long plagued our sugarcane workers. And with El Niño now in the picture, the disorder in their lives is bound to get worse. They need a government that has the political will to respond to their needs,” he stressed.

The tandem also vowed to provide better livelihood assistance to agri-workers throughout the country. One

way to do this is by expanding the government’s Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) to cover more beneficiaries and formulate a livelihood component for recipients.

They also plan to allot PHP1 billion per region for a capital-lending scheme.

In Negros, this could pave a way to modernize the sugar planting and milling industry by allowing sugar workers to be better equipped and trained to participate in the province’s industrialization.

(PNA)

These issues will be discussed and presented to the new set of cabinet secretaries of concerned national agencies in October during the two-day National Banana Congress at the SMX Lanang Convention Center in Davao City.

Marañon said the participants of the congress will also pass a resolution urging the government to intensify the distribution of disease-resistant varieties of banana like the Giant Cavendish Tissue Culture Variety (GCTCV) 219 and GCTCV 218 to affected small farmers in the region.

Fearing that all efforts will go down the drain, he also said the Philexport-Davao, organizers of this year’s banana

congress, moved the schedule of the two-day event in October when the new administration takes over.

“There will be no point if we will hold the event on the month of April when we know that the Aquino administration will end in few months,” Marañon said.

Marañon said it would be impossible to implement programs for the banana industry with only less than three months before President Aquino steps down.

“We would like to present the issues and concerns of the banana industry to the new government,” he said.

Some 1,000 stakeholders of the industry are expected to attend congress.

Niño will reach its peak this March, with 19 provinces in Southern Philippines taking the havoc of the drought.

These include Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Saranggani, Sultan Kudarat, Tawi-Tawi, Lanao del Sur, Basilan, Maguindanao and Sulu.

Two provinces in the Visayas (Negros Oriental and Siquijor), and one in Luzon (Palawan) will also be greatly affected.

Dry spell will continue to linger in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao particularly in Benguet, Pangasinan, Nueva Ecija, Tarlac, Zambales, Rizal, Occidental Mindoro, Bohol, Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley and Davao del Norte. (PNA)

Group... FROM 5

DA... FROM 6

Erap... FROM 2

Poe said.

Estrada also endorsed the candidacy of vice presidential candidate Ferdinand ‘Bongbong’ Marcos Jr. and PGP senatorial bets Manila vice mayor Isko Moreno Domagoso, Rep. Neri Colmenares, Rep. Sherwin Gatchalian, Richard Gordon and Juan Miguel Zubiri.

The Manila mayor also endorsed senatorial aspirants Sen. Serge Osmena, Francis Tolentino, Joel Villanueva, Cong. Martin Romualdez, Getulio Napenas, Manny Pacquiao

and Panfilo ‘Ping’ Lacson.

He was joined by her vice mayoralty running mate former 4th district councilor Dra. Maria Sheila ‘Honey’ Lacuna-Pangan and his candidates for congressmen, councilors from Manila’s six districts.

Estrada’s wife former senator Loi Estrada and incumbent Senator Joseph Victor Ejercito were also present in the proclamation rally that marked the start of the campaign for local candidates for the May 9 elections. (PNA)

assaults against the BIFF who were armed with dangerous Barret sniper rifles.

With the number of IEDs recovered, Petinglay said, the BIFF clearly aims to inflict more injuries, not only against government forces but also civilians.

“This is a manifestation that the BIFF will sow more terroristic activities in the area, with utter disregard for the safety of the civilians,” Petinglay said.

She said soldiers of the Joint Task Force “Kampilan” will continue to intensify its operations to clear the area IEDs “so that people in the community can go back with their normal lives.”

At least 3,000 individuals from several villages of Datu Salibo remain in evacuation sites and hoping the Army would give the green light soon for them to return home and rebuild their lives.

At 8 a.m. today, the Army bomb disposal unit will dispose by detonation all the confiscated, recovered and unserviceable high explosives in a disposal area in Barangay Semba, Datu Odin Sinsuat, Maguindanao.

“We would like to inform the public, especially those living near Barangay Sema, and Cotabato City that a series of explosions will be heard beginning this morning,” Petinglay said. (PNA)

“DA together with the Bureau of Animal Industry continues to work on eliminating rabies while promoting animal welfare and preventing animal cruelty. Increasing public awareness on the importance of dog vaccination will also continue throughout the region”, said Dr. Esther Cardeño, DA-Rabies Regional Coordinator.

In support to the Rabies Eradication Program, DA’s Regional Animal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory (RADDL) offers free rabies diagnosis

exam. The free laboratory exam is meant to encourage pet owners the submission of more samples from suspected animal rabies cases.

According to DOH, rabies from dog bites continues to be one of the leading causes of death in the country. On average, 200 to 300 Filipinos die from rabies each year. As of today there are 424 Animal Bite Treatment Centers (ABTCs) accessible nationwide where 21 ABTCs are in Caraga region.

(Rhea C. Abao, DA-Information Section)

Army... FROM 4

Dinagat... FROM 14

11 BIGGER PICTURE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Photo by Philippine Air Force Tactical Operations Group 11

Mt. Apo fire imperils Philippine Eagles nest sites T

HE executive director of the Philippine Eagle Foundation (PEF) has expressed concern over reports that the fire that started at the peak of Mt. Apo last Saturday afternoon is spreading towards Mt. Talomo, location of the nest sites of the critically endangered Philippine Eagles, as one of the eagles they are tracking there “seems to be missing.”

“We are very concerned for the Lumads, the eagles and all other wildlife who call Mt Apo their home. Already, one of the young eagles we’re tracking seems to be missing,” Dennis Salvador, PEF Executive Director told MindaNews.

He said the PEF is tracking two eagles in their natural habitat there using GPS transmitters: an adult female and a young eagle. PEF personnel track the radio signals from a miniature transmitter harnessed on the eagles’ back.

Salvador said the eagle is considered “missing” because “satellite signals cluser around one place which is unusual.” He said the satellite feed was obtained during the weekend.

According to the PEF website, tracking or tagging the Philippine Eagles in the wild is part of the PEF’s research agenda which involves “locating active nests, monitoring the breeding status of wild eagles and juvenile dispersal, tracking them to establish pattern in home

ranges and habitat use, and other aspects of the bird’s life history.”

Its field research also focuses on designing and executing habitat management plans and establishing forest corridors to bridge the small patches of forests remaining in Mindanao,” it said.

The PEF conducts tagging and monitoring of wild eagles to understand how they use their habitats and to determine its home range.

“To understand further their breeding behavior in the wild, our team routinely conducts nest surveys and monitors Philippine Eagle pairs to ensure their chick successfully matures and fledges. To make these possible, we have engaged communities to help us monitor and protect the nest sites within their area,” it said.

Salvador said their staff and volunteer forest guards “have been deployed not only

to check on the eagles but to help suppress the fire if necessary.”

He said they will be mobilized to build firebreaks to stop the spread of the fire.

At least 200 persons in the North Cotabato and Davao side of Mt. Apo have volunteered to help construct fire line or fire breaks.

Digos City Tourism Officer Edgardo “Bebot” Elera told MindaNews in Barangay Kapatagan, Davao del Sur Monday that the fire was still very far from human population and that efforts are being undertaken to construct fire lines to prevent its spread.

“This fire clearly will impact people and wildlife adversely in the next few years.

As another natural heritage is diminished, it once again brings to fore the issue of mitigation and law enforcement on crimes against nature. How much more are we

really prepared to lose before we act on this?” Salvador asked.

Described by the late aviator, Charles Lindbergh, as “the air’s noblest flier,” the Philippine Eagle (Pithecophaga Jefferyi), declared national bird in 1995, is listed as ‘Critically Endangered’ on the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species.

The IUCN said the number of these majestic birds “has seen a steep decline, primarily due to habitat destruction,” noting that since the 1960s, vast tracts of tropical forest had been cleared for commercial development, cultivation and mining activities.

The PEF estimates a population of “only 400 pairs remaining in the wild.”

The PEF’s Philippine Eagle Center in Malagos, Davao City, hosts a total of 35 Philippine Eagles, 20 of them bred

in captivity.

The IUCN also observed that while a major captive breeding program is underway in Mindanao, “the key conservation need is to prevent any further forest loss within the range of this species.

As of Monday afternoon, there was no available data as yet as to the number of hectares destroyed by the fire in the country’s highest peak. As of 5 p.m. Monday, the Eastern Mindanao Command which sent two aircraft to do an aerial survey morning and afternoon, reported that “large portion of fire is now within the side of Talomo mountain range and Davao Sur area.”

There were reports that the fire had destroyed from 200 to 300 hectares but Elera said he cannot confirm these reports. Kidapawan tourism officer Joey Recemilla, also head of the Ecoturism Com-

mittee of the Mt. Apo Natural Park-Protected Area Management Board told MindaNews that as of Monday, the Bureau of Fire Protection had declared “fire out” in the North Cotabato side of the mountain.

Comprising 54,974.87 hectares, Mt. Apo Natural Park (MANP) is one of the Key Biodiversity Areas of the country.

The Park straddles two regions -- Davao City and Davao del Sur’s Bansalan, Digos and Sta. Cruz in Region 11 and Kidapawan City and North Cotabato’s Makilala and Magpet towns in Region 12.

Mt. Apo has an elevation of 9,692 feet (2,954 meters above sea level). It is classified by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) as a “potentially active” volcano.

(Carolyn O. Arguillas / MindaNews)

Photo by Philippine Eagle Foundation

12 CLASSIFIEDS

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EDGEDAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENTS Serving a seamless society

EDGEDAVAO GENSAN PARTNERS Serving a seamless society

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

EDGEDAVAO STYLE

THE PLAY ON CLOTHES: Versatility is the key, high & low altitude dressing.

On Caye: M&S checkered polo over crewneck shirt & jogger pants; On Kara: Classic striped top, M&S Collection navy chino & dotted scarf; On Bella: M&S Collection top & light blue cotton cropped pants.

Summer Sojou rn

SUMMER IS THAT MOST-AWAITED TIME OF YEAR FOR TRAVEL, whether it be a trip to another coast or a full blown holiday in hot sandy beaches or the breezy highlands. Wherever you choose to be, summer gives families the opportunity to make new memories together and experience a different adventure.

To help make one aspect of a summer trip as smooth and enjoyable as possible, it’s best to get everyone involved in the planning.

Where to go? What to bring? Anticipating climate conditions and your itinerary and purpose help in mapping out your wardrobe and essentials for the days you’ll be out.

Kara Francisco, a mothA STYLISH SERVING. On Kara: Classic grey wool blend cardigan over striped top & M&S Collection cropped chino.

er of three, shares how she plans her family’s summer getaway, with her kids’ bucket list and requests in mind. Will it be a trip to the island or up the mountains?

“Personally, I like the idea of going up the mountains because I have always loved the cooler climate because I like the feel and scenery of freshness,” Kara confessed.

Her daughter, Bella, loves the beach. “I like the sun, the sand and the sea. I prefer the beach with waves, the higher the waves the better,” she said with a big smile, the excitement evident in her voice.

In the family of five, the mother and daughter tandem are tied by adventure.

Where the thrill is in sight, whether it be the zip lines, roller coasters or whatever vertical and gravity rides there are, you’ll find these two in the line.

“Bella has bungee jumping and sky diving on her bucket list. The men in the family, my husband and two boys, unfortunately, don’t share in the joy of any adrenaline rushing activity,” said Kara, pointing out the boys’ fear of heights

METRO MOM A4

BEACH BABIES. On Bella: M&S Collection striped tankini, cropped beach pants and accessories.

On Caye: M&S Men’s ensemble of white polo, red shorts & sunglass.

EDGEDAVAO

A2 INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

UP AND ABOUT

Get the new Samsung Gear VR on Globe Platinum Lifestyle Plan THE LAUNCH OF THE LATEST SAMSUNG GALAXY MODELS, S7 and S7 edge showed today’s digital generation how a smartphone can truly be part of life’s everyday adventures. Complementing the new phones is the introduction of the latest device that will open up a whole new world of entertainment - Samsung Gear VR.

Allowing one to experience a new dimension of mobile entertainment, Samsung Gear VR lets Globe Platinum customers see more inspiring moments as it comes FREE with the Platinum Lifestyle Plans.

A Globe Platinum exclusive offer, by visiting www.globe.com.ph/platinum-S7, customers can pre-order their new Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge on any of the Platinum Lifestyle Plans starting at Plan 3799 to get their free Samsung Gear VR. Redefining what a phone can do, the Gear VR changes content is enjoyed and experiences are shared. It boasts a super AMOLED display, wide field of view, precise head-tracking and low latency. Carrying a more comfortable design, it is now 19% lighter, with a larger touchpad for easy and accurate control.

With a growing library

of Gear VR-compatible content, one can also live through their favorite movies or play the coolest games, as it all comes to life in 360° of detail.

“The Samsung Gear VR lets our Platinum customers discover a whole new way to fully enjoy their digital lifestyle. It not only compliments their new Samsung Galaxy S7 or S7 edge, but it also allows them to maximize the rich mobile data and premium content they have on their Platinum Lifestyle Plans.

With the Gear VR, they will be able to watch movies or play games like never before. We are also happy to be the first in the Philippines to release and handdeliver the new Samsung Galaxy S7 and Gear VR starting last March 14 to some of our Platinum customers personally by their Platinum Relationship Managers.” says Globe Platinum Brand Head,

Kaisie del Carmen.

To complete the Gear series, Platinum customers also get a special 15% discount voucher* for the Gear S2 when they avail of the new Samsung S7 or S7 edge on a Platinum Lifestyle Plan. The Samsung Gear S2 smart watch allows one to view notifications at a glance, send SMS and track daily physical activities with the fitness tracker.

The new Platinum Lifestyle Plans lets one stay inspired and connected to everything they love with an upgraded mobile data allocation starting at 15 GB alongside complimen-

tary access to a slew of the best in premium content from Spotify, HOOQ, and NBA League Pass. Staying in the loop and keeping in touch is also more enjoyable as the plans come with free access to Facebook, Viber, Yahoo! Mail, and Gmail. All Platinum plans have built-in unlimited calls and texts to Globe and TM. Plan 4999 and Plan 7999 come with unlimited all net calls and texts and corresponding consumable roaming allowance. Unlimited landline calls are also available for Plan 3799 and Plan 7999.

Staying true to the Plat-

inum experience, the new Lifestyle Plans are crafted to fit today’s digital savvy and dynamic lifestyles through its worry-free roaming service and international travel privileges, premium rewards, priority service and a dedicated relationship manager.

The new Samsung Galaxy S7 and S7 edge are both IP68 water and dust resistant in up to 1.5 meters of water and for up to 30 minutes protection against dust ingress.

Both have a DSLR-like Real Pixel Camera that is the world’s 1st dual photodiode sensor (2PD) in mobile that provides su-

perfast autofocus. The new models also promise brighter and clearer images with f/1.7 lens and faster shutter speed that minimizes motion blur.

Available in Black Onyx and Gold, each have an expandable memory up to 200GB and faster processor, smoother graphics, 4GB RAM and a larger battery and faster charging.

The new Samsung Smartphones will be available in Globe stores nationwide starting March 19, 2016. To discover the inspiring world of Globe Platinum, visit www. globe.com.ph/platinum.

‘GLAMPING BY LIFESTYLE’ RETURNS TO LEVEL UP 2016 SUMMER SIREN FESTIVAL ‘GLAMPING BY LIFESTYLE’ IS MAKING A COMEBACK to the Summer Siren Festival at Crystal Beach in Zambales from April 8 to 10.

Lifestyle, the premiere cable channel for women, has once more teamed up with leading adventure company Travel Factor to promise another fabulous beach glamping experience to party-going adventure-seekers.

After pioneering what has become a travel phenomenon to adventure enthusiasts, Lifestyle brings a combination of luxurious accommodations and unforgettable in-destination experiences and activities to this year’s edition of the ‘Glamping’ experience.

The experience includes glamping tents by Coleman, spruced up with an airbed, linens and pillows. A lamp

and a fan make the experience extra comfortable.

Completing the list of lifestyle activities are yoga sessions, flow arts and poi dancing, hula hooping or hand-drumming, and cross fit workouts.

Aside from the music festival, glampers will also be treated like stars with a welcome dinner and daily breakfasts, a butler service, and recreational products such as a Lifestyle Glamping kit that contains glamping and beach essentials, a Summer Siren Festival kit, and a whole lot of exciting freebies.

With the Summer Siren Festival stage as backdrop, expect the country’s top artists such as Marc Marasigan, Travis Monsod, Ebe Dancel, Hale, Moonstar 88, Mother Bass, The Zombettes, Katsy Lee, BV, Quest, David Ardiente, Cheats,

CRWN, among others, to dish out the perfect soundtrack of summer.

The nation’s most celebrated DJs will also grace the event for great party nights to remember.

‘Glamping by Lifestyle’ successfully debuted at last year’s Summer Siren Festival with hundreds of glampers in attendance, receiving lots of positive reviews.

With no tent to pitch, nor sleeping bags to unroll, or fire to build, Glamping by Lifestyle is the ultimate camping experience.

Bask in the summer sun in style at ‘Glamping by Lifestyle’ at the Summer Siren Festival. Book your tickets now at http://travelfactor.org/ summersiren. For more information on the event, visit https://www. facebook.com/lifestyletvph and tune in to Lifestyle on SKYcable channel 52.

BEAT THE HEAT with your style and enjoy the coolest treat from SM Accessories and McDonald’s as they go together this summer. Get a FREE McFlurry with Oreo for every single receipt purchase worth P1000 from Men’s, Ladies’, Children’s and Character Shop departments.

Promo runs from April 1-30. Hurry now and get this cool offer at The SM Store branch near you!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

ENTERTAINMENT

Mikael Daez shares painful experience in Cambodia A LT H O U G H MIKAEL DAEZ IS ALWAYS READY FOR ADVENTURE, he did not anticipate how difficult and painful it would be to learn a martial art.

The Kapuso actor had to learn the Khmer martial art Bokator when he portrayed Marco in Fight For Love, a coproduction between GMA and the Cambodia Television Network.

“It was hard ‘cause it hurts. My body is not used to fighting but there, sinabak talaga ako, seven days [a week], six hours a day. I was tired. More than tired, my body just hurt,” he told GMANetwork.com.

He trained alongside professional fighters, urging him to bring his A-game.

“These guys trained for years to harden their

body, their bones and their muscles. So ako, wala talaga. [It was] seven days [of] six hours [each of] pain but it was worth it kasi there were two major fight scenes.

It was the highlight of the show, so I knew that coming in,” he added.

He knew that the opportunity to star in an international project didn’t come often, so he endured the pain and focused on enjoying the experience.

“I just wanted to make the most out of it, and it was such a good experience. [It] taught me so much…

[Bokator] was culturally unique… [and it] was pretty cool ‘cause I had to learn [so much of it],” he concluded.

Fight For Love is set to air on GMA Network as a mini TV series in two parts – on April 17 and April 24.

Baby Zia’s first swimsuit photo gets more than 1.1M likes NETIZENS CAN’T GET ENOUGH OF BABY MARIA LETIZIA’S CUTE PHOTO. Last March 24, the Kapuso Primetime Queen Marian Rivera shared on Instagram the first swimsuit photo of her princess.

The adorable picture was taken during their Holy Week vacation in Palawan where Zia rocked her pink and purple swimsuit!

In fact, the photo went viral since it was uploaded on Marian Rivera’s Facebook account. It has gotten over 1.1 million likes as of writing.

Glaiza de Castro reveals childhood dream NOT A LOT OF PEOPLE KNOW THIS, but Kapuso star Glaiza de Castro secretly wants to transform into an animé character.

She has always been a fan of animated Japanese television series since she was young through her brother’s influence.

Though she has played a lot of roles all throughout her showbiz career, the actresssinger wants to try Cosplay. She has also been learning Nihongo

and has participated in activities such as “Eiga Sai” Japanese Film Festival 2015.

The former The Rich Man’s Daughter star revealed it inside

the Preview Magazine March issue. She posted on Instagram about it as well, “Torn between two samurais. On this month’s issue of Preview, Chapter Five titled

“Revenge of the Geek,” I shared how I got into animé and other things most people don’t usually find interesting.

Haha. Check it out if you’re in it for a thrill.”

Eugene Domingo reveals 3 facts about her acting E U G E N E DOMINGO HAS BEEN IN SHOW BUSINESS FOR 25 YEARS, capturing audiences through her offbeat yet comical characters.

Though she has been acting on stage and in front of the camera for more than half her life, Uge has yet to reveal a lot of things about her brand of acting.

“Most of the time I myself am surprised of the cameo roles I do and always very excited to do it. Big thanks to

the team for the never ending productive collab,” Eugene shared on her Instagram.

She also added,

“Then, I make sure to be fair. Our dear cast should also be ready to be surprised themselves and so far we are very

lucky to have actors that are so GAME!!! Yes, they do not realize what will really happen until director commands – ACTION!” Her revelation came with an excerpt from Dear Uge’s recent episode where she is seen giving a mouthto-mouth resuscitation to the unconscious character of Sam YG. Eugene ended her post with another fun fact. The comedienne concluded, “Let me share that the #best is yet to come for you #dearuge viewers! Only on @gmanetwork.”

March 28 – April 1, 2016

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

11:00 | 1:45 | 4:30 | 7:15 | 10:00 LFS

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

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

KUNG FU PANDA 3 / *HELE SA HIWAGANG HAPIS Jack Black, Angelina Jolie, Dustin Hoffman/ *Piolo Pascual, John Lloyd Cruz G/*PG

12:00 | 2:00 LFS / *4:00

LONDON HAS FALLEN/ *ALLEGIANT Gerard Butler, Morgan Freeman/ * Shailene Woodley, Theo James R13/*PG

11:05 | 1:10 | 3:15 LFS / *5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

STYLE METRO MOM A1

SUMMER CHIC. On Bella: M&S Collection Lily shirtdress and Indigo straw hat.

Fashion: Marks & Spencer Spring/Summer 2016 collection available in Abreeza Mall and SM Lanang Premier Photography: Wizbren Ang Styling & Make-up: Otoy Mercado

and her husband’s vertigo.

“By default, I am my daughter’s companion,” she said.

Caye, the older of the two male siblings, shares with his sister is the love for the water, “I prefer beach because I like swimming over hiking,” he said grinning.

“It’s always a compromise,” replied Kara, “The family sits down and choose a vacation spot where both the cool weather lovers and sun worshippers can have fun,” citing a couple of places they went to last year and drove from up to the mountain and down to the beach.

“It’s always best that everyone in the family enjoy. It makes the trips memorable each time.”

“This is what’s beautiful about Mindanao, it has the best of both worlds. We don’t need to travel far to get to a mountain or a white sand shoreline. Everything is within driving distance. It’s traveling economically minus the plane ride for five.

Even on a very short break or a spur of the moment decision to take a trip out of town, the family can enjoy either destination, even both.”

When it comes to packing, the family makes sure they have enough gear for the cold and hot weather.

“It’s about knowing which important articles to bring so as not to be lugging heavy luggage from one destination to another,” said Kara, “Pack light, breezy clothes for the beach and a couple of cardigans for the cold weather. Sunblock, of course” “Travel light but stay stylish, a tip I learned from my mom. That and be presentable at all times.”

BOHEMIAN COOL : On Kara: Indigo printed shirtdress; On Bella: Indigo embroidered blouse & M&S Collection striped shorts.

For this year’s summer break, the family is escaping the heat and heading to a mountain resort in Dahilayan, Bukidnon. It’s a six-hour drive from Davao City.

“Dahilayan reminds us of Baguio—it takes hours of driving to reach, cool weather and hundreds of pine trees,” reminisced the Francisco couple.

Bella will have a time of her life at the resort’s zipline and base jumping, and the water babies can go white water rafting, which is a couple of hours away from the place.

“If they’re still itching for the sand and sea, they can always head to our hometown in Mati after the trip.

They have all summer to enjoy the beach,” said Kara.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

EDGEDAVAO

We are now hiring for the ff. job vacancies:

1. CUSTOMER SERVICE OFFICER (C.S.O.) Scope of Work: • Handling of customer services (e.g. inquiries, complaints, scheduling of services) • Preparation of quotation for clients • STARTING SALARY: P12, 000 (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 2. TECHNICAL ENGINEER (T.E.) Scope of Work: • Installation/Programming/Configuration for the ff. products *CCTV, PABX, PABGM, INTERCOM, BIOMETRICS, ACCESS CONTROL, FIRE ALARM • STARTING SALARY: P13, 000 (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 3.ACCOUNTS MANAGER (A.M.) Scope of Work: • Sales & Marketing for New Clients • STARTING SALARY: P15, 000 UP (BASED ON PRIOR EXPERIENCE) 4. STORE SUPERVISOR Scope of Work: • Responsible for daily store operation • Handling of manpower

Please email your resume to: sales@vmtech.com.ph or marcxtian@yahoo.com For walk in applicants, you may call the ff. branches: Cebu Office: (032) 2380912 Globe: 09173293471 • Sun: 09255014723 Davao Office: (082) 2212789 Globe: 09177952469 • Sun: 09322448030

13

5FROM RP15boxers ...

(SPORTS)

time and again with left-right combinations. The three judges all scored the match 30-27 for the Bukidnon Air Force man.

The only damper in the Philippine schedule was Roldan Boncales’ loss to Oizhas Sattibayev of Kazakhstan (#4 seed) in the flyweight division. It was a close, exciting fight between two speedy fighters, and the judges found the Kazakh as the winner by scores of 29-28 twice and 30-27. Boncales had won his first assignment against a Vietnamese Friday.

The Tuesday quarterfinals will see the five remaining RP boxers in action: Ladon vs.

Al-Kaabi (Iraq), Fernandez vs.

Alwadi (Jordan), Charly Suarez vs. Dheeraj (India), Marcial vs.

Kazemzadehposhtiri (Iran) and Nesthy Petecio vs. 5-time world champion Mery Kom Hmangte of India.

ABAP executive director Ed Picson says this is “where we wanted to be at this juncture.

At least two more wins for each boxer will get them slots to Rio. And I think all five can get there if they want it badly enough.”

Picson reiterated to the boxers ABAP president Ricky Vargas’ pledge that if they qualify they will not only get incentives but will be given more extensive training and support in the run up to the Olympics.

The top three boxers in the men’s division and the top two in the women’s class book a ticket each to the Summer Olympiad in Rio de Janeiro this August.

14 COMPETITIVE EDGE EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Smart reminds subscribers to stay vigilant vs criminals

A

A product of help

W

HILE most of the people had travelled away from the humdrum of the city to savor the silence of the Holy Days, I just stayed home and watched TV programs about the life and sufferings of Jesus Christ.

After watching, I was reminded of an event - the launching of the One Thousand Harps Foundation, Inc. last March 3 at CAP Auditorium where I was invited as one of the guests. I was touched on how the foundation was created as I was moved to write about it and the travailed-life story of the founder who happened to be a student of Sta. Ana National High School where I teach for 27 years.

Allan Del Campo Roberos, before he became the president and founder of the foundation, grew up with a hard life as he was orphaned at the age of 16 where he left his province and made a big decision to stay in Davao for good even though he knew no relatives here. Life was so young and tough that he didn’t know how to battle life in the city. Alone but never lost hope.

Facing difficult situation, he went through all kinds of hard labor. He had experienced of somewhat like begging to his neighbors just to have a handful of food to endure from hunger. Thinking his life, his

dream, his future, he worked as a houseboy not only to continue his studies but to survive.

In his life’s journey, his faith in God never ceases. He never gives up on Him. He is blessed with generous people who never tired of helping and providing his needs. These people taught him to face the test of times and be resilient to stand firm to restore his hopes.

As a product of help, Roberos’ dreams are within reach as he was able to finish his studies and enrolled in college. Whatever he had, he shared it to others especially to the children. The value of giving is in his heart.

When he founded the One Thousand Harps Foundation, Inc. in 2015, he based it on his own life story that underprivileged children need care, attention and love. Its ultimate purpose is to address the needs of these lowly children so they can be helped to reach their dreams in life.

“I am a product of great help and there is nothing more beautiful than to give back to the community –the simple act of kindness – of which have made me become of what I am now. I thank God for making One Thousand Harps Foundation, Inc. an instrument to restore hope to young people, to help them and be ready to face the future with God’s great

Dinagat now rabies-free

T

HE Province of Dinagat Island has been declared rabies-free zone and a local declaration was conducted last March 16 by the Department of Agriculture and Department of Health, lead implementers of the Rabies Eradication and Control Program. These include the municipalities of Basilisa, Cagdianao, Dinagat, Libjo, Loreto, San Jose and Tubajon.

“This is the fruit of our labor as we push strategic measures in eliminating rabies in our province. Our advocacy through information awareness and mass dog vaccination campaign paved the way for us to be rabies-free,” said Dr. Aimee A. Jimeno, Provincial Vet-

erinarian.

The PLGU-Dinagat Islands implemented dog control measures through the enforcement of local ordinances in accordance with Republic Act 9482 or the Anti-Rabies Act of 2007.

“This included impounding of stray dogs from all municipalities”, Dr. Jimeno added.

With seven municipalities added, there are already 35 rabies-free zones in the country.

Out of the totaled rabies-free zones 8 municipalities are from Caraga region including the municipality of Socorro, Surigao del Norte. This is the result of the intensified campaign of DA, DOH and LGUs against the disease.

FDINAGAT, 10

love,” Roberos revealed.

During the grand launching event, the foundation had helped more than 700 poor families in the city and had extended community programs such as feeding, giving of school supplies and relief goods, scholarship grants and services such as financial literacy campaign, alternative learning system, values, attitudes and family foundation and providing trainings to equip the children to become better citizens in the society.

As the guest speaker,

Councilor Pilar Braga had only few ardent words to say, “… it’s a wonderful, noble, unique foundation because it takes care of the poor children.”

In this Holy Week, we are reminded that Jesus Christ suffered and died on the Cross to save us from sins. We don’t need to be nailed on the cross just to show how grateful we are. This inspiring story of Allan D. Roberos - is a great manifestation on how to payback the great sufferings Jesus has done to us in this Lenten Season. BY JESAME R. MOISES

MID reports that unscrupulous individuals have been trying to commit crimes by posing as telco repairmen, mobile leader Smart Communications has given tips on how to protect yourselves from being victimized: • Do not entertain contractors/repairmen when you do not have a pending request for repair or troubleshooting. Relay the same advice to the rest of the household, including helpers.

• If you have indeed requested such services from your fixed line or mobile service provider, please get the exact day and time their personnel would arrive.

• Once the repairmen arrive, check their IDs and scrutinize the details of their Service Order before letting them into your house. Take a picture of their vehicle’s plate number.

Remember that scammers can still victimize you even without personal contact. Here are tips on how to outsmart them: Be wary of people asking you to send an SMS to 808 or 2292. 808 is Smart’s official Pasaload number, while 2292 is Sun’s Give-A-Load number. If someone tells you to send a text message to this number in exchange for prizes, refunds, discounts, or free prepaid load, do not be fooled. You would only be sending your precious mobile credits to that scammer.

To protect subscribers, Smart and Sun now require them to confirm Pasaload and Give-A-Load requests to make sure they are aware that they are making the transactions.

Be extra careful when dealing with callers or texters using unknown numbers, especially when they tell you that you’ve won a raffle or promo that you did not even join in the first place. Please note that Smart always notifies its promo winners via registered mail and a call from phone number 7777.

When in doubt, you may verify Smart promos by calling *888 using your Smart mobile or tweeting @SmartCares.

Verify the identity of people claiming to be your relatives. Don’t just believe anyone who claims to be your relative from abroad who has a new roaming number. Get in touch with your loved ones through their old numbers to verify.

Verify emergency claims. If someone calls to tell you your loved one has been involved in an emergency and needs money immediately, do not panic.

Call the said loved one to confirm that you’re not being scammed.

Be careful with personal details. Do not post the details and photos of your identification cards such as passport, driver’s license, TIN, etc. on social media.

Do background checks on online sellers and people offering loans and investments over the Internet. Consult experts before making transactions and parting with your hard-earned money.

To report text scams, please get in touch with the National Telecommunications Commission’s One Stop Public Assistance Center (NTC OSPAC) via landline number (02) 921 3251 or (02) 926 7722 or email address ospac@ntc.gov.ph.

“In line with the month-long celebration of Araw ng Dabaw, the Sports Division under the City Mayor’s Office held the Chess Tournament at Damosa Market Basket Atrium. Nearly a hundred children were able to participate and outwit each other in the said event

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

LAST HOME STAND Azkals host North Korea in Asian Cup second-round qualifiers T

HE Philippine men’s football team seeks to finish its Asian Cup qualifying second-round campaign on a high note as it hosts North Korea at the Rizal Memorial Stadium on Tuesday night.

After putting up a brave stand in a close 1-0 loss to group-leading Uzbekistan last Thursday, the Azkals return for its last home stand, taking on the North Koreans at 8 p.m.

The Filipino booters have already been eliminated from the World Cup qualifers but are still firmly in the running for a maiden appearance in the 2019 Asian Cup. A victory for the third-running Azkals will guarantee them a spot in the third round

of the Asian Cup qualifying, while a loss will send them into a playoff for a berth.

After impressively holding North Korea to a scoreless draw in a defense-oriented match in Pyongyang last October, the Azkals seek to take the fight to their higher-ranked foes to get three points.

“We have to play a little bit of football,” Azkals coach Thomas Dooley said on Monday in the pre-match press conference. “They just have to have the confidence they can do it against a team like North Korea.” “(But) the players are focused,” the German-American mentor added.

Phil Younghusband and Stephan Schrock are

still out due to injuries, but Misagh Bahadoran, the team’s top scorer in the tournament, and Manny Ott are back after serving respective one-game suspensions.

“I’m looking forward to have those two quality players back,” Dooley said.

James Younghusband also makes his national team return, joining rookies in Loyola Meralco teammate Daniel Gadia and Kaya FC midfielder Miguel Tanton.

“The Azkals are a very promising team…but we came here to win,” said North Korea coach Kim Chang Bok, whose team aims to supplant Uzbekistan from the top of the five-team standings, entailing automatic entry to the third round of the World Cup qualifiers.

SPORTS 15

Misagh Bahadoran is back afetr serving a one-game ban. Jerome Ascano

boxers pugs in quarters After Davao’s Suarez and Petecio, 3 more 5ofRPOlympic qualifiers Pinoy pugs in QF of Olympic qualifying Q E UMIR Felix Marcial, Rogen Ladon and Mario Fernandez scored victories to make it five Filipinos in the quarterfinals of the Olympic qualifying event in Qian’An City in Hebei, China.

Lightweight Charly Suarez of Davao del Norte and women’s lightweight Nesthy Petecio of Davao del Sur came up with wins on Monday to lead the way for Filipinos into the quarterfinals of the Asian-Oceanian Olympic Qualifying Event at the Tangshan Jiujiang Sports Center.

Marcial, seeded No. 1 in the welterweight class, lived up to his billing with a thirdround technical knockout of Australia’s Kori Istafanos.

Istafanos tried to keep his distance but Marcial connect-

ed on several huge punches.

Hungarian lady referee Veronika Szuchs stopped the fight after the second standing 8 count.

Light flyweight Rogen Ladon, a bronze medalist in the World Championships in Doha last year, had his hands full with his Japanese foe Tosho Kashiwasaki but got a 2928, 29-28, 30-27 decision.

Bantamweight Mario Fernandez, a back-to-back Southeast Asian Games gold medalist, proved too much for Turkmenistan’s Yakub Meredov, getting similar 30-27 scores from the three judges.

Roldan Boncales lost to Oizhas Sattibayev of Kazakhstan in the flyweight division, the judges scoring the bout

Nesthy Petecio

Charly Suarez

all for the Kazakh fighter, 2928, 29-28, 30-27.

Ladon takes on Iraq’s Al-Kaabi on Tuesday, Fernandez battles Jordan’s Alwadi, Suarez faces India’s Dheeraj, Marcial squares off with Iran’s Kazemzadehposhtiri

and Petecio fights five-time world champion Mery Kom Hmangte of India.

The top three boxers in the men’s weight divisions and the top two in the women’s classes book a ticket each to the Rio Olympics in August.

the same level in their respective sports.”

Esta bared that members of the national team that saw action in the 2015 Singapore ASEAN Para Games will also see action in the meet also supported by the Department of Interior and Local Government (DILG) and the Department of Education (DepEd).

Filipino campaigners captured 16 gold, 17 silver and 26 bronze medals to place seventh overall in the 10-nation Singapore Para Games.

The PHILSPADA official, however, explained that entries who best national athletes during the five-day sportsfest will not automatically be included in the na-

tional pool “because we have to look at their performances and compare them with our present records, especially in the measurable sports.”

Simple opening rites will usher in the 5th PSC-PHILSPADA Para Games at 4 p.m. on Tuesday at the Marikina Sports Center track oval led

by PSC chairman Richie Garcia and POC president Jose Cojuangco Jr. and PHILSPADA chairman Mike Barredo.

Also invited to grace the affair are Education Secretary Armin Luistro, Local Government Secretary Mel Senen Sarmiento, Congressmen Miro Quimbo, Yeng Guiao, Wes Gatchalian and Anthony del Rosario, and Mayor De Guzman. (PNA)

2016 PSC-PHILSPADA Nat’l Paralympic Games underway

C

LOSE to 600 disabled athletes from Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao get to strut their wares as the 5th PSC-PHILSPADA National Paralympic Games swings into to action at the Marikina Sports Center and neighboring venues on Tuesday.

“We have a bigger field compared to last year because we have more sports so we now have a total of 10 disciplines in all,” said Philippine Sports Association for Disabled Athletes executive director Dennis Esta.

Esta said that included in the fifth edition of the sportsfest supported by the Philippine Sports Commission, Philippine Olympic Committee and the Marikina City

government led by Mayor Del de Guzman are athletics, swimming, badminton, chess, boccia, powerlifting, goalball, table tennis, wheelchair basketball and tenpin bowling.

He added that yesterday and most of today was set aside for the classification of athletes depending on the severity of their disabilities in four categories: visually impaired, orthopedically handicapped, intellectually disabled and deaf.

“Our medical staff will classify our athletes based on the four categories mentioned to determine how severe their disabilities are,” he explained. “This is done so that athletes will be going up against rivals with virtually

IAN’AN, Hebei Province, China – Monday was a busy and productive day for the Philippine National Boxing team at the Asian-Oceanian Olympic Qualifying Event currently being held at the massive Tangshan Jiujiang Sports Center here.

Eumir Felix Marcial, seeded NO. 1 in the welterweight class, lived up to his billing as he TKO’d his Australian rival, Kori Istafanos in the third and last round.

The Aussie, actually a transplanted Sudanese, looked intimidating with his stocky, muscular built. But he seemed aware and weary of Marcial’s power and skill.

Istafanos was content with running around to keep out of

harm’s way. Marcial however, caught up with him several times and unloaded power bombs. The Hungarian lady referee Veronika Szuchs issued two standing 8 counts in the third round and stopped the fight after the second one.

Another top seed, Rogen Ladon of the light flyweight division, a bronze medalist in the World Championships in Doha last year, had his hands full with his Japanese foe, Tosho Kashiwasaki. The Bago City native eked out a 29-28, 29-28, 30-27 decision.

Bantamweight Mario Fernandez, a back-to-back SEA Games gold medalist, proved too much for Turkmenistan’s Yakub Meredov whom he jolted

F 5 RP BOXERS, 13

Army in 10th IDBF World Club Crews Dragon Boat

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HE Philippine Army (PA) will be deploying a team to participate in the 10th IDBF World Club Crews Dragon Boat Championships in Adelaide, Australia on April 1-10.

The PA team, named the Army Dragon Warriors, will participate in the Small Boat Division, Men’s Open Events and Mixed Events (2,000m, 500m and 200m) or a total of six different events, said Army spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao. The team won two gold medals and set world records in the 500m and 200m events during the 9th CCWDBC held in Ravenna, Italy in September 2014.

For the first time, the Army will allow the participation of female paddlers during the world championships.

“I wish you all the best. Be the ambassadors of goodwill in Dragon Boat sport,” said PA commander Lt. Gen. Eduardo M.

Año.

Seven members of the Army Dragon Warriors were part of the team that captured five golds and two silvers during the 9th IDBF World Championships in Tampa Bay, Florida in 2011.

The Army Dragon Warriors is a SEC-registered Dragon Boat Club that is also a member of the Philippine Dragon Boat Federation.

In 2015, the team emerged as the overall champion of the national dragon boat regatta participated by different club teams around the Philippines.

Among the corporate sponsors of the team include Cherifer Premium and Mighty Sports; and for other sponsors, PCSO, Smart Communications, AFPSLAI, Gameville PAFCIPIC and PAGCOR. The team will depart for Australia on April 1 and it is expected to return on April 11.

(PNA)

16 EDGEDAVAO Sports Gilas Pilipinas prospect Jordan Clarkson says allegation of sexual harassment hurled against him and Lakers teammate Nick Young is no more than a ‘miscommunication.’

VOL. 9 ISSUE 19 • WEDNESDAY, MARCH 30, 2016

Gilas backs Clarkson despite accusations G

ILAS Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin is hoping the sexual harassment allegations that Jordan Clarskon as well as Los Angeles Lakers teammate Nick Young are facing turn out to be unfounded.

The Filipino-American Clarkson, a national team prospect, and Young were accused of making “vulgar, sexual” gestures directed toward Alexis Jones, an activist, and her mother in Hollywood last week.

“I just hope that there’s nothing there,” Baldwin said on Monday after Gilas practice. “We support Jordan.”

“But we expect a certain standard of behavior from anybody that would be representing Gilas,” the American-New Zealander mentor was quick to add. “We’re hopeful that it’s erroneous and false charges.”

Clarkson said it was merely a “miscommunication on both sides.”

“We have to let the process play out,” Baldwin said. “I just wish Jordan well.”