Edge Davao 8 Issue 143

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

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EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

END OF A DREAM

2 COVER STORY EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

END OF A DREAM Friday’s events seemed like one taken out of a movie script. As the hours waned, the plot thickened, and the thrill escalated to a crescendo minute by minute.

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

A

PALL of gloom fell on a city whose dreams of seeing its own son steer the country were dashed for good.

The last day of filing of certificate of candidacy was the day of mourning and sadness for Filipinos who were hoping that the earlier decision of Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte not to run as president would change on the last minute.

On Thursday, Duterte’s executive assistant Christopher Lawrence Go and city administrator Jesus Melchor Quitain filed the Mayor’s COC. After the filing, Duterte called for a short media briefing and he said that he filed for the mayorship because his daughter former Mayor Sara Z. Duterte- Carpio is not ready to run as mayor.

What triggered the so-called Duterte-serye was ignited after Sara posted on her instagram account yesterday a photo a certificate of candidacy (COC) for Mayor with a caption “Digong, gahulat ko sa imuha (Digong, I am waiting for you). To all my Filipino fellows, you will make him President, otherwise, lagot kayo sa akin (you will experience my wrath). Tandaan niyo itong araw na ito. Wala kaming pera, wala kaming makinarya (Remember this day. We do not have money, we do not have machinery).”

After she uploaded the picture of her COC, supporters monitored the event in the social media hoping that there will be some sort of a miracle to happen. Some supporters also converged inside Magsaysay Park where the Commission on Election (Comelec) office located, waiting for Sara to come and file her COC as Mayor of the city.

People thought that time if Sara will file her COC, Duterte would withdraw his COC for Mayor and file another COC as president.

Duterte’s supporters in Manila who never left the thought that he would retract his COC for mayor and run for presidency, were elated upon knowing the news.

Friday’s events seemed like one taken out of a movie script. As the hours waned, the plot thickened, and the thrill escalated to a crescendo minute by minute.

Hopes lit up anew after reports came out on social media that Duterte already arrived in Manila conveyed by a private jet reportedly owned by a businessman.

It was 2:30 p.m., people were really excited as seen on their faces with the thought that it will be the beginning of change for the Filipinos. Even the local reporters did not miss the moment. Local news radio stations were giving updates to their listeners from time to time on the situation inside Magasaysay Park.

Even the politicians who filed their COC that time were also excited to wait if Sara to file her candidacy because even them

were also hopping the change to come. The employees of Comelec were also excited to see the former mayor to arrive in their office.

It was 4:00 p.m., an hour before the deadline, people were getting anxious to see Sara file her COC. Every vehicle went inside the park people were howling thinking that Sara arrived. Many cars went inside the park but she was nowhere.

FEND, 13

NEWS 3

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

Rep. Mylene’s re-election unopposed T

HE bid of Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano of Davao City’s Second District to be elected for the third and final term is unopposed.

Albano filed her certificate of candidacy (COC) minutes before the deadline of filing at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) city office inside Magsaysay Park yesterday afternoon in the presence of younger brother, former congressman Vincent J. Garcia, who arrived in the Comelec office an hour ahead.

In a statement she issued to Edge Davao, Albano said she is touched by the fact that nobody is opposing her bid to serve for the third and last term.

“It is an indication that the people of the district approved of what we are doing as their duly elected representative,” she said.

Aside from crafting laws and helping in legislative work as member of the House of Representatives, she said she had been able to cause the completion of several projects in District 2.

“I am very grateful for the excellent teamwork and assistance that she got from

Rattles off projects during the last 6 years

Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and Vice Mayor Paolo “Pulong” Duterte through the years,” Albano said, adding that her “excellent working relationship” with the Dutertes, there is a long list of achievements that “we are very proud of”.

She said that during the last six years at least four school buildings with 18 classrooms per building through PAGCOR worth P42 million, a 200-bed dormitory within the University of Southeastern Philippines campus for Paquibato District scholars, one of the most unique dorms in the country.”

“We were able to complete four district centers, upgraded barangay health centers, and put up new barangay halls in Tibungco, Pampanga, Cabantian and Pandaitan among many other projects,” Albano said.

“With the help of Rep. Sid Ungab (as chairman of the House committee on appropropriations) a bridge to connect Callawa in the Second District and Lampianao in the 3rd District has been funded,” she said.

Albano said “another good news to my fellow citi-

UNOPPOSED. Davao City Second District Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano files her certificate of candidacy (COC) for reelection a few minutes before the deadline of filing at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 11 on Friday afternoon. She was accompanied by his brother Vince, himself a former congressman. Lean Daval Jr. zens in District 2 is that electrification has snow reached sitio Butay of the hinterland barangay of Tapak.”

Starting this year, she said yearly flood control projects

are rising in Lasang, Mandug, Bunawan and in Jade Valley, Tigatto; a P 30-million farm to market road (FMR) and a bridge connecting Barangay Sumimao to the 3rd District,

a P20-million tourism road from Cabantian to rhe D’Leonor Resort in Brgy Comunal, with another P50 million budget for next year, widening and rehabilitation of Ma-

may Road and upgrading of its drainage.

She many more multi-million projects for the Second District are now in the pipeline.

4 NEWS

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

From allies to foes

Last-minute betrayal in Davao del Norte

D

AVAO DEL NORTE politics suddenly turned from ho-hum to interesting after two candidates made unexpected last-minute changes in their certificates of candidacy transforming some political personalities from allies to foes.

Observers called the sudden twists of events as “initial betrayals” which happen when parties renege on agreements or turn their backs on political covenants.

The incidents of betrayal involve two del Rosarios –outgoing governor Rodolfo del Rosario and his son, incumbent First District Congressman Anthony G. del Rosario.

What was initially agreed was for congressman Antho-

SEEKING RE-ELECTION. A Commission on Elections (Comelec) staff member puts on the name of incumbent Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte after lawyer Alexis Lumbatan filed his certificate of candidacy (COC) on Friday. Duterte, who is gunning for his second term, is running unopposed. Lean Daval Jr.

T

abf@edgedavao.net

HE Commission on Election (Comelec) in Davao City dismissed allegations made by supporters of Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte on social that the certificate of candidacy (COC) filed for mayor was invalid.

In an interview after the final hour of filing of COC on Friday night, Comelec 11 assistant regional director Marlon Casquejo said that the COC of Duterte is valid.

“We verified it this morning (Friday) and we see it as valid in form and substance,” he said.

The claim of the netizens that the notarial commission of lawyer Samuel Dagpin was already expired since it is dated December 2014.

Casquejo, however, said Dagpin submitted his notarial commission to his office and it stated that he can notarize up to 2016.

He said the December 2014 refers to the Professional Tax Receipt (PTR) which notarial lawyers usually get it every December for next year. He said the December 2014 is the date where Dagpin took his PTR

Port workers picket SUMIFRU for stalling CBA negotiations

P

ORT workers held a picket protest outside the SUMIFRU Wharf in Tibungco against SUMIFRU’s intentional dillydallying of collective bargaining negotiations. Wearing red armbands, around fifty workers of the multinational fruit giant’s cold storage unit under the union AJMR Labor Union-Association of Democratic Labor Organizations – Kilusang Mayo Uno (AJMRLU-ADLO-KMU) called on SUMIFRU to stop its dilatory tactics and submit its counter-proposal immediately to set the negotiations in motion.

“Judging by SUMIFRU’s actions, we cannot help but conclude that there is intent to refuse to bargain with us.

It has been more than forty days since we submitted our CBA proposal. Under the law, the employer is supposed to submit its counterproposal within ten (10) days but there has been no movement what-

soever,” said Rene Diamora, union president of AJMR Labor Union.

Diamora lamented that SUMIFRU is using their recent affiliation with federation ADLO-KMU as ground in stalling negotiations, blasting this as baseless because employers have absolutely no right to question a union’s organizational decisions. AJMRLU disaffiliated from yellow federation Southern Philippines Federation of Labor (SPFL) on August 6, 2015 and affiliated with ADLO-KMU on September 10, 2015. The union submitted its CBA proposal to SUMIFRU on September 14, 2015. On October 9, 2015, SUMIFRU through its executive Deogracias Mocam, wrote a letter questioning ADLO-KMU’s standing to represent the union in negotiations. Afterwards, a vilification campaign against KMU was launched in the port, clearly

for 2015.

Casquejo also explained the December 2012 date stated in the COC of Duterte was the issuance date of his Philippine Passport which he submitted during the filing.

“Ang katong nakita nako na 2012, kay giisa-isa man gyud to nako is the ID naiyanggi-submit which is his passport issued in 2012 and will expire on 2017 (The 2012 I saw was, I closely examined it, the ID he submitted which is his passport issued on 2012 and will expire on 2015),” he said.

Meanwhile, Casquejo said the weeklong COC filing was generally peaceful even if there were some supporters who converged outside the Comelec office because they were expecting someone to file on the last minute.

There were reports earlier that former Davao mayor Sara Z. Duterte-Carpio was to file her COC for mayor because of her Instagram post showing her COC. Casquejo said all the COCs filed were submitted to the Comelec law department for evaluation.

FLAST-MINUTE, 13

Anakbayan to Rody: Back progressive platform, bets

Comelec: Mayor Rody COC valid W

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

ny, also known as “AGR” to run for governor while incumbent Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio would run for congressman.

On the other hand, Governor Dolfo del Rosario would run for mayor of the Island Garden City of Samal with incumbent Vice Mayor Al David Uy as his running mate.

Last Wednesday, Governor del Rosario and Vice Mayor Uy filed their COCs in Igacos Comelec.

On Friday afternoon, Anthony del Rosario was accompanied by his father, Gov. del Rosario, and other family members to file his COC for governor. Suaybaguio had earlier filed his COC for 1st con-

ITH the “Duterte Serye” ending on the last day of filing of candidacy, youth group Anakbayan called on Davao Mayor City Rodrigo Duterte to continue pushing for pro-people advocacies even as he announced his final decision not to run for president in 2016.

The group specifically acknowledged Duterte’s commitment to resuming the now stalled peace negotiations between the Philippine government (GPH) and the National Democratic Front of the Philippines (NDFP) and address the root causes of the rebellion in the country.

“His commitment to pursuing just and lasting peace by addressing the root causes of the armed revolution should be picked up by other presidential candidates and should be a major agenda in the

2016 elections,” said Vencer Crisostomo, national chairperson of Anakbayan.

Crisostomo expressed admiration for Duterte’s audacious leadership style and noted his support to the progressive mass movement especially in Davao.

“Mayor Duterte is not someone who settles for empty rhetoric but has matched his talk with action,” said Crisostomo who cited the mayor’s repeated calls for the resumption of the GPH-NDFP peace talks, his condemnation of military harassment and killing of lumad leaders as well as his role in the release of various prisoners of wars in Mindanao.

He said Duterte, with youth organizations can push for a “people’s agenda” for 2016 which includes fighting

FANAKBAYAN, 13

WAITING FOR MYLENE. Supporters of Davao City second district Rep. Mylene Garcia – Albano enjoy the see-saw inside Ramon Magsaysay Park while waiting

FPORT, 13 for her to file the certificate of candidacy (COC). Armando Fenequito Jr.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

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6 THE VOTE 2016

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

ALL-OUT SUPPORT. Incumbent mayors of the 10 municipalities and one city of the province have strongly backed the candidacy of Governor Malanyaon’s standard bearer-- Rep. Nelson L, Dayanghirang -- as governor of the Province of Davao Oriental for next year’s elections.

Cora, mayors back Dayanghirang It’s Ungab vs Bello in DC’s 3rd District O UTGOING Davao Oriental Governor Corazon Malanyaon is strongly backing the gubernatorial bid of First District Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang, saying the man whom he described as “hard-working, strong-willed and benevolent leader” would continue the economic growth and development of the province.

Before facing the local media, the governor and all of the province’s incumbent mayors held a caucus here in which they declared full support for the gubernatorial bid of Rep. Dayanghirang who is running under the ruling Liberal Party.

The incumbent mayors from the ten municipalities and one city also disclosed that majority of barangay captains under their jurisdiction will also support Dayanghirang after the governor made a disclosure on her preferred successor.

“All of the province’s mayors including the barangay captains are one with me in pushing for the candidacy of Rep. Nelson Dayanghirang to be the province’s next governor,” says Gov. Malanyaon, who is the most awe-inspiring

figure in the political history of Davao Oriental as she brought a new political order to the landscape of a sunshine province.

When Malanyaon took over as governor in 2007, Davao Oriental was a deteriorating low-class province known not only as the perennial economic laggard of the Davao Region but also as hotbed of the long-running communist insurgency. The provincial government then could not raise enough revenue to fund its services for the underprivileged. Now on her last term, Governor Malanyaon has managed to transform her province into a first-class status that is now leader of agricultural production in the country. The province has become a model of competent and participatory local governance. Under the leadership of Malanyaon, Davao Oriental achieved a remarkable record being the most awarded local government unit in the country for its best practices in local governance.

In conferring the GawadPamanangLahi award to her, The Department of Interior

Suaybaguio faces Del Rosario for Davao del Norte governor

and Local Government says: “Her (Governor Malanyaon) leadership is the kind best described by the late DILG Secretary Jesse Robredo as ‘mahusay at matino.’ Hindi lahatngmahusay aymatino at hindilahatngmatino ay mahusay. Angkailanganponatin ay iyongmahusay at matino.”

Running unopposed in the succeeding two elections, Malanyaon was given unprecedented faith by her constituents for her competence and integrity as the people of Davao Oriental kept voting for her entire ticket. “We should always remember that we are given the opportunity to lead, not because of ourselves, but because people hope that we will be in the service of others,” says Malanyaon who is now running for representative of the First District here after completing her nine-year term of office.

For his part, Rep. Dayanghirang says that “with a thorough improvement in the people’s satisfaction with the local governance, residents of Davao Oriental now speaks with pride of their province. There is now a sense of ownership in

what has been achieved in the province under the leadership of Governor Malanyaon, and a strong commitment to sustaining those achievements. Public expressions of gratitude for her genuine public service has confirmed Governor Malanyaon’s place in the hearts of her people.” Dayanghirang’s running mate is incumbent provincial board member Nino SoteroUy. Governor Malanyaon has also fielded a “former tricycle driver,” Mati City Council member Delfin Dodo Miones, to run as representative of the vote-rich Second District here.

In pushing for the candidacy of Dayanghirang and Miones, Governor Malanyaon says her political team has the “most important quality to serve the people and that is the ability to work well with others, to listen to different points of view and the flexibility to accommodate the valid concerns of others.”

“Because we must always pay closer attention to the sentiments of the public. Only then can there be a genuine public service that is truly responsive to the needs of the people,”

FCORA, 13

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

I

T will be a one-on-one fight in the Davao City 3rd District congressional race after Engr. Alberto Ungab and youthful Karlo Bello filed their certificates of candidacy (COCs) on the last day of the filing period Friday.

The 52-year-old Ungab was accompanied by his older brother and last--termer congressman Isidro T. Ungab and a throng of supporters when he filed his COC at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) Friday morning.

The Ungab brothers and their entourage wore green shirts and chanted the hopeful’s nickname as they marched inside the park and into the Comelec office at around 9:30 a.m.

Earlier, Bello, who is also a last-termer city councilor, silently filed his COC under the ruling local political group Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod.

The elder Ungab said that although Bello is running under Hugpong, Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte has

given his blessings himself for his younger brother to seek the post.

“I had a long talk with the mayor Monday night and he told me my brother may also run if he wishes to. We are happy that he also recognized out efforts in the third district,” said Ungab, a staunch Duterte supporter.

Rep. Ungab said his proven track record and performance will be their advantage over Bello in the coming elections.

He cited numerous road projects and school buildings aside from increasing the number of teachers made the third district become progressive.

Ungab was even tearyeyed when he and his brother faced the media after the COC filing. They lost their father while they were still young.

There will not come a time, both assured, that they will be fighting for the same position.

“I’m proud of the accomplishment of my brother,” the younger Ungab said.

Tension grips Comelec office during last day of COC filing

R

ACING against time after a supposed ally kingpin suddenly endorsed a different candidate, last-termer Davao del Norte Vice Governor Victorio “Baby” Suaybaguio, Jr. withdrew his certificate of candidacy for congressman in the province’s first district and filed a new COC for governor against Congressman Anthony del Rosario (AGR) less than an hour before 5 p.m. deadline yesterday, Friday.

The vice governor in an interview past 6 P.M. Friday has only a short message for his running for governor: “It’s all but because of people’s clamor.”

The vice governor and the rest of provincial and district slates under Liberal Party and Kusog Baryohanon party filed their COCs lasting for about

an hour starting past 2 p.m.

Friday.

Many first thought there was just no hitch for the united groups of the LP and Kusog as Cong. AGR filed his COC for governor under LP, Board Member Alan Dujali as independent candidate, Suaybaguio for 1st district congressman under LP, ex-Cong. Tonyboy Floirendo (TBF) for 2nd congressman under Kusog, 5 candidates for board members in the 1st district under the LP, and the other 5 candidates in the 2nd district under Kusog.

But, later in the day, Suaybaguio was forced by circumstance to separate from the LP led by Governor Rodolfo del Rosario by withdrawing his COC for congressman and then filing a new COC for gov-

FSUAYBAGUIO, 13

ANOTHER UNGAB. Engr. Albert Ungab (right) is accompanied by his brother, Davao City Third District Rep. Isidro Ungab (center), upon his filing of certificate of candidacy (COC) at the Commission on Elections (Comelec) 11 Friday morning. Rep. Ungab groomed his younger brother to replace him in the city’s Third District helm. Lean Daval Jr.

INdulge!

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

HOLIDAY OCEANVIEW RESIDENCES:

Redefining luxury living

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

A RESIDENTIAL condominium with a perfect setting specifically for nature lovers will soon rise in the Island Garden City of Samal.

The project, the Holiday Oceanview Residences, is indeed a paradise discovered as it offers a breathtaking view nature can offer.

Wesley Bangayan, general manager of developer Holiday Garden Island Development Corporation, said they are the first to develop a residential condo project that is facing the beachfront, giving future homeowners a magnificent view of the sunrise and vista of the ocean.

“We are the first one to develop a condominium facing the beachfront for Samal Island,” Bangayan said. “This is a unique project.”

The Holiday Oceanview Residences is a fourstorey low-rise residential

condominium rested at Holiday Oceanvew in Barangay Ilihan, Babak District. Situated right beside the Oceanview Marina, this new enclave is something new and different from other developments.

The project has three buildings—one main and the East and West buildings, and covers two hectares of the 7.6-hectare Holiday Oceanview Samal project. The condo is just one of the three components of the Holiday Oceanview, which includes a village and ma-

HOLIDAY A4

We are the first one to develop a condominium facing the beachfront for Samal Island... This is a unique project.

A2 INdulge!

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

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EDGEDAVAO

INdulge! A3

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EDGEDAVAO

A4 INdulge!

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

HOLIDAY A1 rina.

Bangayan said construction for the midhigh project is now in full swing and they target to have this completed in 18 months.

The company launched the project in September, officially making it the first condo resort to serve Samal and very approximate to the island’s eco-tourism development.

“Basically, construction is now in full swing. We have finished the foundation for the West building and we will now proceed to the lay-outing of the main building,” Bangayan said.

He said the main strength of their project is that all units are facing the sea, facing the Davao Gulf.

The condominium project is composed of 95 units and highlighted with quality amenities aside from being nestled in a sol-

emn community that is ideal for residents who want to escape the hustle and bustle of city life.

Bangayan said their target market are investors and vacationers who want to go to the beach and entertain guests outside of their homes. The place is also less-affected by bad weather as it is inside the Davao Gulf.

“This is really an ideal place for relaxing and vacation,” he said.

Bangayan acknowledged the fact that their company is still new when it comes to real estate business, but said they are confident with the market because of the industry’s boom. He also sees a bright outlook for the company with the sector.

“Real estate is booming. For us, it is a good investment when it comes to real estate,” Bangayan said.

He also said they are ready to face the challenge despite the presence of the big players in Samal like Landco and Filinvest.

“Our competitors are already established. They are there already so that’s one of the challenges,” Bangayan said.

“Another challenge is establishing a name for us. Our Group of Companies is already known in Davao but we are rookies in real estate and this is also a challenge for us.

But, whatever we start we will finish it by hook or by crook,” he added.

But, despite them being new in real estate, Bangayan assured whatever projects they develop these are quality ones like the Holiday Oceanview Residences.

With the construction of the condo, Bangayan said tourism in

Samal also got a major boost, specially with the convergence program of the Department of Tourism (DOT) and Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) that will develop roads in tourist spots all over the country.

EDGEDAVAO

7 ECONOMY

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

Apo View eyed for residential project

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR. abf@edgedavao.net

T

HE Apo View Hotel, one of the oldest hotels in Davao City, will soon be transformed into residential building, developer Euro Towers International Inc. announced.

“In the next three to five years we will start our development which will be the prime residential address in Davao City,” Euro Towers chief operating officer Maricar Encarnacion said during the Vivaldi Residences Davao Buyer’s Night on Friday night.

Encarnacion said Apo View Hotel is one of the landmarks of the city.

She said the development of hotel might start after the completion of Vivaldi Residences Davao by 2018.

Meanwhile, Euro Towers’ construction and development director Roy L. Estanislao said the company will work hard to finish the Vivaldi project on time.

Estanislao said right now the project is still on the foundations of the 37-story condominium project.

He said that the founda-

VIRTUAL REALITY SHOWROOM. A woman takes a look on the virtual reality showroom of the Vivaldi Residences Davao, the first of its kind the Philippines. The amenities and facility of the units are featured in virtual reality showroom. Photo at left shows Euro Towers International tion of the building is comprised of 70 board place which has a 60 meters depth and 1.8 meters in diameter.

“Whatever delays we encountered during the foundation work, there are

other stages in the construction that we can recover,” Estanislao said.

The company could complete the foundations building by February next year so that the project will

construction and development director Roy L. Estanislao gives an update of the condominium project during the company’s Davao Buye’s Night Friday at the Apo View Hotel. Armando Fenequito Jr.

proceed to the next phase, according to him.

“We see to it that the foundation will really carry the building,” Estanislao said.

He said one of the con-

siderations in building the foundations is the soil quality of the area that might affect the set construction schedule.

Estanislao said the company is now on the bidding

process for the structural works of the proposed high rise condominium.

“In our program, the structural works will start

by February next year also,” he said.

8 THE ECONOMY

EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

El Niño damage to crops now P300M

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

T

crc@edgedavao.net

HE damage to Davao Region’s agriculture sector due to the long moderate dry spell has already reached more than double as of third quarter of this year, an official said.

Department of Agriculture (DA) 11 assistant regional director Maria Febe T. Orbe told reporters that total damage to crops in the region has already reached about P300 million as of this month.

This is higher than the damage to Davao’s rice and corn last May which reached P120 million due to the moderate El Niño.

“Crops including rice and corn are the most affected sector,” Orbe said.

Affected rice production areas because of the El Nino are located in the provinces of Davao del Sur and Davao del Norte.

Corn production areas

HE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) was awarded a high rating of “very good” in the Annual Enterprise Corruption Survey (AESC) 2014/15, Social Weather Stations (SWS) pice president Linda Luiz Guerrero announced.

In order to reach this rating, an institution must have scored within the range of +50 to +69. Alongside DTI, the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Social Security System (SSS), Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), and Office of the President got the same rating, out of the 36 government institutions surveyed for its sincerity in fighting corruption.

For the past two years, DTI is getting the same rating which is a significant improvement from the 2009 survey to which the agency was rated “Good.”

Other results showed that there is a slight improvement for the bureaucracy on other metrics according to the said survey.

Sixty-two percent said that, “The government can be run without corruption” against the 38 percent who said that “Corruption is part of the way the government

works”, which is an improvement compared to last year’s figures with only 54 percent affirmative.

Part of the survey, too, asked the respondents on their stand in the passage of a strong law on the right of people to information from the government would reduce corruption. It is observed when compared with the past cycles, from 78% to 90% supporting the bill.

Such results were learned during the conduct of the Annual Enterprise Survey on Corruption (AESC) 2014/15 at the Pinnacle Hotel, Davao City last September 22 by the National Competitiveness Council (NCC).

The roadshow gathered participants coming from government agencies, local government units, academe, private sector, and among others who are involved in the AESC. “Being part of its core values, the Department of Trade and Industry has always committed itself to upholding integrity; I am glad that all our efforts through the years, has paid off as reflected in the public’s perception of our agency,” DTI-XI Regional Director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi said. DTI11/ MAB/jmm

THIRD year Chemical Engineering student of the University of Mindanao (UM) topped the recent Regional Inventions Contest and Exhibits of the DOST. Neil Sumampong’s study garnered top points from judges coming from the science bureau as well as the Davao Inventors Association and the Technology Application Promotion Institute.

Sumampong worked solo on his study titled “Sweet Potatoes: A Degradation Catalysis Component of Biomate Added High Density Poly-Ethylene Plastics”, or the production of bio-oxo degradable plastics which can break down through just exposure to air or the ground. It was conducted

for about a year and chosen on the criteria of creativity, marketability, environmental impact, and presentation last October 3.

“Everything is surreal because the other inventors were in their fifth year, and I was only in my third. They were working by team, and I was the only individual [in my study],” Sumampong said.

He added the study was conducted with the enviromnent as his primary concern, as the project was also done with discarded ‘kamote’ or sweet potatoes to lessen waste in the course of his study.

Sumampong will join other regional winners in next year’s National Inventions Contest and Exhibits in Luzon.

DTI gets ‘very good’ rating in AESC 2015 T

UM student bags top place in RICE A

in the upland areas in Davao del Sur and Davao Occidental were also damaged because of the long drought season that is expected to peak this month.

High value crops like banana in the production areas of Davao del Norte were also affected as well as the vegetable production areas in Compostella Valley.

DA 11 supervising agriculturist Herna M. Palma

earlier said that the damage to rice sector has reached to a total of P51.28 million, while corn damage has reached about P68.81 million as reported by the agency’s monitoring since early March of this year.

Palma said the total loss went up after the province of Davao del Sur submitted its report.

The damaged planted area for rice is now at

1,427.81 hectares while the figure for corn is 3,547.57 hectares, totaling 4,975.38 hectares for the whole region.

During the second quarter, the province of Davao del Norte recorded the highest loss in the rice sector amounting to P41.14 million from 688.81 hectares of damaged rice fields, followed by Davao City with P5.6 million, Compostela Valley with P4.4 million, and Davao del Sur with

P130,200.

For corn, Davao City incurred the highest loss of P61.58 million from 2,142.50 hectares of damaged corn fields, followed by Davao del Sur with P3.89 million, and Davao del Norte with with P3.33 million last May. Orbe said the damage in expected to increase since the El Nino is expected to last until the second quarter of the year..

DIFFERENT STROKES. This hograiser conveys livestock along Bunawan, Davao City on Saturday through his multicab vehicle which doubles up as family car as well. NJB

East Coast closure for fishing vessels pushed

A

WOMEN’S organization based in Governor Generoso in the province of Davao Oriental is pushing for the closure of the east coast from the operation of commercial fishing vessels reportedly exploiting the fishery resources in the area.

“Fishermen from different local coastal communities surrounding the East Coast are not fully benefitting from the resources because of the presence of commercial fishing vessels which are not event registered under the region, ”Agraryong Reporma Samahang Kababaihan chairman

Conchita Masin said during the Kapehan sa Isla at the Blugre Café at SM Lanang Premier last Friday.

Masin said these commercial fishing vessels from General Santos City exploit the fishing ground in the East Coast with the usage of active fishing gear like bagnet and ringnet.

The area is known to be part of the migratory path of yellow fin tuna, Aside from tuna, these vessels also catch pelagic fishes like anchovies and big-eyed scad or matambaka that directly proceed to the fish land areas in General Santos with-

out being attributed to the region’s fish production record.

Marine experts from the Oceana Philippines, a non-government organization, the east coast including some part of the Davao Gulf has been part of the spawning area not just for tuna but a lot of pelagic fishes and sardines.

“The operation of these vessels adversely affects the fish catch of our fishermen,” Masin, a fisherman herself, added. She said that there are more than 3,000 fishermen from the surrounding municipalities Masin said local govern-

ment areas surrounding the coast, including the municipalities of Boston, Taragona, Cateel and Manay, are also pushing the closure of the area from the operation of fishing vessels.

“Tama na ang panahon na nagtamasa ang mga dagko, amo na pud mga ginagmay (It is time for us the small fishermen to benefit from the rich resources of our sea),” Masin said.

She said these commercial fishing vessels which are owned by big companies in General Santos City will not

dated to better manage the electric cooperatives (ECs) of the country. After typhoon Yolanda left the country in 2013, the NEA helped in providing loans needed by ECs to replace toppled electricity poles and distribution lines.

PAGASA warned that typhoon “Lando” will make its landfall on Saturday. It is currently heading east of Baler, Aurora.

Typhoon “Lando” has maximum sustained winds of

130 kph near the center and gustiness of up to 160 kph.

Despite the typhoon’s eye still located 510 kilometers (km) East of Baler, Aurora (15.6°N, 126.3°E) on Friday, PAGASA has already raised public storm warning signal #1 (PSWS #1) and PSWS #2 around the country.

Meanwhile, the grid operator, National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP), said on Thursday it has completed its preparation to minimize

the impact of the typhoon to power transmission facilities.

The firm also said its Overall Disaster Command Center would monitor all the power restoration activities, reports and updates from its Regional Command Centers.

NGCP holds the franchise of the National Transmission Corporation, which allows it to operate the transmission lines around the country. But, the state still owns the power assets. (PNA)

DOE, NEA ready for typhoon ‘Lando’

P

RESIDENT Aquino on Friday said the Department of Energy (DOE) and the National Electrification Administration (NEA) have completed their preparations for typhoon “Lando.” ”The DOE and the NEA are ready in case the areas which are hit by the typhoon lose power,” the President said in a press conference Friday.

The NEA is an attached agency of the DOE and is man-

FEAST, 13

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

9 ENVIRONMENT

Countdown for vanishing birds

By HENRYLITO D. TACIO

L

AST September 7, 36-year-old Bernie Apal and his two companions were on their way to the barangay hall to get residence certificate. They tried to follow the short-cut way instead of the usual road going to the place.

While walking, Apal saw a bird that was entangled in tree-roots near the Tomari Creek within the area of barangay Sibulan in Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. Even though the bird was in a cliff, Apal decided to rescue it. In the ten years he has been living in the barangay, it was the third bird of such kind he had seen.

Apal, a Bagobo-Tagabawa farmer, thought the bird was dying as it was unresponsive and scrawny.

The bird’s left eye was also injured as a result of trying to escape from the vine. It was assumed the bird was hunting for food when it got itself strapped in the perennial vines that grow near the roots of trees.

Apal had to walk for three hours to reach the barangay hall in Sibulan and turned over the bird to the authorities. The barangay captain contacted Hedcor, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Aboitiz Power which operates a run-of-river hydropower plant in the area, and asked to do something to save the bird.

Hedcor immediately bought the bird -- which was identified later on as a pinsker’s hawk-eagle -- to

the Malagos Garden Resort, where Dr. Roberto “Bo” Puentespina, Jr. is having a sanctuary for rescued birds.

When Dr. Puentespina saw the eagle, he was adamant at first. The survival was slim at the bird was suffering from dehydration and starvation. “People who want to rescue birds must give them water every now and then,” he suggested.

In order for the birds not be restless during the travel, Dr. Puentespina suggested that the eyes be covered perhaps with a clean sock. Also, the birds must be wrapped to avoid their wings to move.

Dr. Puentespina nursed the hawk-eagle back to health and provided vitamins and medication. When it was brought in for treatment, the eagle’s weight was only 500 grams. A month later, it gained 300 grams more. “The only thing I did to help the eagle was to give it my tender loving care,” he said.

After 37 days of intensive care, the hawk-eagle -- which was given the name “Mabikker,” a Bagobo-Tagabawa term for “strength and power” -- was released in the area where it was rescued.

Among the criteria identified before the hawk-eagle was release were good body condition and the ability to fly. In addition, the injured eye had already fully recovered. When all these considerations were met, the hawk-eagle soared back again to its original habitat.

Bernie Apal, the man who rescued the trapped pinsker’s hawk-eagle

The rescued pinsker’s hawk-eagle released into the wild

“I am very happy that the bird will go back to the forest again,” said Apal, adding that other people must do the same to protect the remaining natural species which God has given to Filipinos.

Rene Ronquillo, Hedcor president and chief operating officer, hailed Apal of what he had done. In a program prior to the release of the hawk-eagle, he pointed out: “With this action of Bernie Apal, we learn what real partnership is (all about). The fact that the community’s immediate action of reporting the incident to us means they trust us… We are real partners in taking care not just the environment but the biodiversity as a whole.”

The pinsker’s hawk-eagle is endemic to Mindanao and can be found in other parts of the country. According to Birdlife International, there are 16 different species of hawk-eagles all over the world.

The pinsker’s hawk-eagle has not been fully studied by Rene Ronquillo holding the hawk-eagle before it was to be released.

science yet. In fact, its taxonomy is still a matter of debate among scientists. Some believe it is a subspecies of the Philippine hawk-eagle so it is given the scientific name Spizaetus philippensis pinskeri. There are those who think it is a full species and classify it as either Nisaetus pinskeri or Spizaetus pinskeri.

Estimates from the Birdlife International show the total wild population of both Philippine and pinsker’s hawk-eagle at between 1,000 and 2,500 individuals. Both hawks and eagle come from the family Accipitridae.

Unlike the Philippine eagle, which is considered an endangered species, the pinsker’s hawk-eagle is considered a threatened species. According to the International Union FOR Conservation of Nature (IUCN), endangered species are those whose populations are in danger of extinction while threatened species have populations highly depleted to the minimum.

In its latest State of the World’s Birds report, Birdlife International singled out the Philippines as one of the four countries in Asia as among 10 countries with the highest numbers of globally threatened birds (the other three are Indonesia, China

and India).

Also listed by IUCN as threatened species are Bagobo babbler, black-faced spoonbill, blue-breasted flycatcher, blue-caped kingfisher, Cebu black shama, celestial blue monarch, Chinese egret, grey imperial pigeon, Japanese bittern, Japanese yellow bunting, long-billed creeper, Luzon wren-babbler, Mindanao parrotfinch, Mindoro bleeding heart pigeon, Negros fruit dove, Negros bleeding heart pigeon, Negros tree babbler, nicobar pigeon, Philippine water redstart, short-crested monarch, spot-billed Pelican, Sulu bleeding heart pigeon, Sulu hornbill and white-throated jungle flycatcher.

Aside from Philippine eagle, the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) also listed these two birds as endangered species: blue-naped parrot and rufous hornbill.

Birdlife International has identified 604 bird species found in the country -- that’s 6% of the world’s total number of known birds. A third of the bird species are endemic or can only be found in the Philippines.

The IUCN considered a species rare when these can be “found only in one particular area or only in a few areas in the country in highly specialized habitat types” and “occur only in very small numbers.” Example is Oriental dowitcher, which is known in the science world as Limnodromus semipalmatus.

Vulnerable species have still sizeable populations but the number is under threat from serious factors and thus likely to become endangered soon. The white-necked stork, goodfellow’s jungle flycatcher

and Philippine bullfinch are considered as vulnerable species.

Environmentalists blame the habitat loss as the primary factor in the decimation of the bird species in the country. The State of Philippines Birds, published by Haribon Foundation and Birdlife International, said that about 67% of the country’s birds spend their life or part of their life in a tropical forest.

In Cebu, which has completely lost its primary forest, one species and several subspecies have joined the dodo into extinction.

The status of the endangered Philippine eagle is another case in point. Studies have shown that a pair of Philippine eagle needs at least 7,000 to 13,000 hectares of forest as a nesting territory.

Hunting has also contributed to the decimation of several bird species. Many birds are consistently caught for meat.

Last year, there was a news report of seven men who were illegally hunting wild Philippine ducks inside a protected area in Pantabangan town in Nueva Ecija.

To save the country’s wildlife species, the government signed Wildlife Resources Conservation and Protect Act under Republic Act 9147. The law stipulates the fine and penalties of those who kill and destroy wildlife species: imprisonment of 2-4 years and/or a fine of P5,000 to P300,000 for critical species; imprisonment of one 1-2 years and/or a fine of P2,000 to P200,000 for endangered species; imprisonment of 6 months to one year and/or a fine of P1,000 to P100,000 for vulnerable species; and imprisonment of 1-6 months and/or a fine of P500 to P50,000 for threatened species.

EDGEDAVAO

10 VANTAGE

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

EDITORIAL Understanding Rody

T

HE dream is over.

Mayor Rodrigo Duterte was missing on Thursday.

Missing again on Friday. Where was he on those highstrung moments for the legions of his supporters anxiously awaiting for his anticipated filing of Certiciate of Candidacy for President?

Only he knows.

And perhaps those belong to the first layer of his inner circle.

As the hours waned on Friday, it was like a pall of gloom fell on Davao City and many parts of the country where believers of a political change spurred by a Duterte presidency exist. The waiting was almost killing the diehard Duterte supporters. On social media, every post relative to him were flooded with likes and shares. Here was a man many wanted

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to be their President.

In the end though, he was nowhere in the vicinity of the Commission on Elections. He did not even leave home. Not boarded a plane. Not even prepared a COC for President.

Are we taken for a ride? Some may think so. However, here was a 70-year old man people want to run the country for the next six years. That may seem easy to think. Have they placed themselves on the man’s shoes? Perhaps not. There were simply overwhelming assumptions. The task, afterall, could be daunting. And it was understandable if he hesitated.

It’s enough that the country knew there was a man people wanted to run but did not. He could probably be the only one who gave the Presidency a serious thought while the others are intoxicated and engulfed by the spectre of power in their hands.

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EDGEDAVAO

J

UST because it rains every now and then, it doesn’t mean El Niño is no longer with us. Don’t be fooled. The climate cycle in the Pacific Ocean with a global impact on weather patterns is still wreaking havoc in some parts of the world.

According to Mike Halpert, the deputy director of the Climate Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the current El Niño is considered to be “one of the strongest on record.”

Here’s what Live Science says of El Niño: “The cycle begins when warm water in the western tropical Pacific Ocean shifts eastward along the equator toward the coast of South America. Normally, this warm water pools near Indonesia and the Philippines.

During an El Niño, the Pacific’s warmest surface waters sit offshore of northwestern South America.”

More often than not, those who are directly hit by El Niño are farmers as crops are destroyed due to dry weather. Without water, agricultural crops have a hard time growing. Production is likely to drop.

But businesses also suffer -- as a result of long brown outs and black outs. Without electricity, those products that are to be stored in freezers and refrigerators are bound to deteriorate.

Every time there is El Niño, Mindanao faces power shortage. The reason: About half of island’s power supply (52% to be specific) is still being produced by hydropower plants. Yes, you read it right. So, when these

S

ENATOR Grace Poe’s statement, even if made during an ambush interview, on the link between federalism and political dynasties has revealed her flip-flopping approach in dealing with dynastic politicians.

Sad to say, she is no political maverick after all.

But more critically, such a remark also showed her lack of understanding of federalization. So just to be clear. Federalism does not perpetuate political dynasties. It is actually patronage politics fostered by a highly centralized system of government that does.

The fact is political dynasties are a huge obstacle to federalization because they undermine local governance. According to the International Guidelines on Decentralisation and Strengthening of Local Authorities issued

by UN-HABITAT─ “Political decentralization to the local level is an essential component of democratization, good governance and citizen engagement”.

However, the status quo in the Philippines paints the contrary picture. A respected political commentator articulates the dire situation so poignantly this way─ “In the 1970s, there was only one dictatorship in the country: the Marcos dictatorship. Today, we have many ‘small dictatorships’ in the form of political dynasties.”

The concentration of local government authority in a single family has two notable results.First, accountability in office is no longer a standard for public servicefor blood relations would expectedly trump over the pub-

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

VANTAGE POINTS

11

Power shortage h y d r o p o w e r THINK ON THESE! plants have insufficient water supply, the result is less electricity.

Mindanao gets most of its power supply from Agus in Lake Lanao and Pulangi Henrylito D. Tacio in Maramag, henrytacio@gmail.com Bukidnon.

I have learned that as of October 12, the level of Pulangi was at 285.5 meters above sea level and Lake Lanao at 699.997 meters above sea level. “(This is) still very comfortable, but with a discharge rate of around 80 centimeters per day, this will soon be depleted especially if no rains come in to replenish the water supply,” my source said.

My source reminded me that the shutdown rate for Lanao is at 698.15 meters above sea level. Since 699.15 meters above sea level is already “critical,” there is no other recourse but forced the power plants “to cut down on production.”

Electricity produced by water movement has been used for decades. In fact, about 16 percent of the world’s electricity is generated by hydropower.

According to the Washington-based Worldwatch Institute, the world’s top five

producers are Canada, China, Brazil, the United States and the Russian Federation. Several countries, including Brazil and Norway, obtain almost all their electricity from this one source.

Hydropower can be generated by water falls (the first hydroelectric plant was built on Niagara Falls in 1878), rushing rivers and streams, and manmade dams, all of which allow a controlled amount of water to pass through the pipes that spin turbines – creating electricity.

“Growing interest in developing hydroelectric power is largely an outgrowth of governments’ desire to be more self-sufficient in energy and to provide low-cost electricity,” wrote Cynthia Pollock Shea in Renewable Energy: Today’s Contribution, Tomorrow’s Promises.

A World Bank report in the 1980s showed the Philippines as one of the “thirteen largest additions to hydroelectric capacity in developing countries.” From an operating capacity of 940 megawatts in 1980, it went up to 2,195 megawatts in 1985. In 1998, the total hydropower capacity stood at 2,304 megawatts or almost 20 percent of the country’s total installed capacity.

The Department of Energy reports there are 1,081 hydropower potential sites scattered throughout the country. In a recent media briefing, 11 potential sites for hydropower plants are identified in the regions of Caraga, Soccsksargen, and Davao.

Although hydropower is considered en-

vironment-friendly, there are those who disagree. Some environmentalists believe that hydropower from man-made dams produce significant amounts of carbon dioxide and methane, which are greenhouse gases closely connected to climate change.

“Large amounts of carbon bound up in trees and other plants are released when a reservoir is initially flooded and the plants rots,” Worldwatch points out in a recent report. “And as plant matter settling on the reservoir bottom decomposes without oxygen, it leads to a buildup of dissolved methane, which is released into the atmosphere when water passes through the dam’s turbines.”

To operate well for many decades, hydro projects require sound management, not just of equipment, but of entire watersheds.

“Hydroelectric power will not be truly renewable until the functions of flood control, irrigation, transportation, power production, tree planting, fisheries management, and sanitation are coordinated within the overall goal of maintaining healthy and productive rivers,” Shea reminded.

In the final analysis, however, “hydroelectric power creates virtually no pollution problems,” writes H. Steven Dashefsky, the man behind Environmental Literacy: Everything You Need to Know About Saving Our Planet. “Small-scale projects cause little harm to the environment, but larger projects are environmentally destructive.”

Meanwhile, with El Niño still upon us, expect rotating brownouts every now and then!

ue to suffer inept and corrupt dynastic leaders, those who can and are willing to push for reforms but do not have the inherited political advantage are effectively denied the right to run for public office because of the “monarchical” character of local government.

Indeed, Filipinos who are more qualified, passionate and patriotic, including many from the youth ranks, are unfairly deprived of the opportunity to establish clean and effective local governance.

Both these outcomes have become the bane to the socio-economic progress of local communities in the country. According to a groundbreakingstudy on political dynasties by the Asian Institute of Management Policy Center in 2012—lower standards of living, lower human development, and higher levels of deprivation and inequality persist in the districts governed by local leaders who are members of a political dynasty.

The more alarming development is that thefattest dynasties—those with the most number of family members in elective office—are actually ensconced in the poorest parts of the country.

Now such a chokehold of local dynasties on local governance brings to bear serious doubts on our country’s readiness to shift to a federal form of government. There is a very real fear that enhancing local autonomy with political dynasties still having their way in local government will prove disastrous for local communities.

In fact, Senator Poe later on clarified that

what she actually meant was that increasing local authority can further entrench these traditional families in their positions of power thereby condemning many Filipinos in perpetual misery.

This belated elucidation does not really improve her position because she has aligned herself with dynastic families. A move which leads to the suspicion that she is against a shift to federalism because the status quo has proven beneficial to her political ambitions.

Simply put, dynastic politics which thrives on the currentubercentralized structure could be her ticket to Malacañang.

I think many will agree that Senator Poe’s gaffe has shown she has been tutored well in the ways of patronage politics by her Number 1. Senator Chiz Escudero after all carries the flag of the tribe of political dynasties with enviable distinction. Indeed if pundits are to be believed, the road to the top jobs in the land is theirs for the taking.

Unfortunately the good lady senator has fallen in a terrible sinkhole by disrespecting the federalism aspiration shared by millions of Filipinos, most of whom are most likely from Mindanao. Forsaking this popular advocacy to forge dynastic alliances will be her mistake that may never to be forgiven. Nor forgotten.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaNews.The author is an independent legislative and policy consultant. He conducts research on current issues in state-building, decentralization, and constitutionalism.)

The most unforgivable gaffe COMMENTARY

BY MICHAEL HENRY LL. YUSINGCO lic’s demand for checks-and-balance amongst officials in local government.

Obviously, when this happens unabated graft and corruption infects local governance itself.

The second effect of dynastic dominance in local government is the steady deterioration of the quality of leaders being elected to office. Indeed, Professor Ronald Mendoza, arguably the most avid anti-political dynasty advocate around, bitterly laments that meritocracy in governance is actually “dying at the hands of political dynasties.”

According to Colombian academic, Pablo Querubin, inPolitical Reform and Elite Persistence: Term Limits and Political Dynasties in the Philippines, political elites in the Philippines are so entrenched in their dominant position they have become essentially insulated from political competition.

Sadly, being in this station of privilege and impunity for so long has led to the inculturation of a myopic and parochial governance frame of mind. Clearly demonstrated by the local politico who can only be bothered by short-term projects that have an immediate and perceptible impact and most likely simply as a knee-jerk response to the clamor of the day from his or her supporters.

And worse, as local communities contin-

12 TRAVEL

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

Exploring the mysterious

WAKULLA SPRINGS Text and Photos by Henrylito D. Tacio

“WHY don’t you come and visit me sometime?”

The invitation came from my Filipino-American friend, Gregory C. Ira, who now lives in Tallahassee, the capital of the state of Florida. In an e-mail, he wrote, “If you have the time, I will bring you to the Wakulla Springs.”

It was very tempting. But what’s so special about Wakulla Springs?

Actually, Greg sent me the invitation when he learned that I was already in the United States. At that time, I was staying with my uncle Carl and aunt Aida in Columbus, Ohio.

When I learned that they were going to Alpharetta, Georgia to visit their son, Chris, I told them the idea of going to Florida. My uncle agreed – “if and when we still have time,” he clarified. The words of William Ward flashed into my mind: “We use time, or time uses us.”

Although I was excited, I did not inform Greg about it. I didn’t want them to be disappointed should we won’t come. Then, the day came when we went to Alpharetta. It was a long, exhausting trip. I was able to meet my cousin and his soon-to-be wife, Beatrice, who is a Mexican.

On the last day, my uncle came to me and said, “Okay, Henry, we will be going to your friend’s place.” Those were music to my ears. After all, the last time Greg and I saw each other was almost a decade ago when he visited me in Davao. Actually, he was there

for a water project in General Santos City. He paid me a visit at our home and stayed for the night.

It was already dark when we arrived at Tallahassee. Since we didn’t know the place, we called Greg and he gave us the direction in going to his place. To make the long story short, we found our way.

Greg welcomed us with. After a few introductions, we went straight inside the house, where we met Joy, Greg’s wife, who was busy preparing for our dinner. As I had great time with the Ira kids, my uncle Carl and aunt Aida were also talking with Greg, trying to know each other.

During our dinner, I inquired about Wakulla Springs. “It’s Florida’s mysterious, primordial beauty that has been preserved in a rustic, 1940s-era setting,” Greg replied.

“The place has always been a tourist attraction, but commercialism is kept a minimum.”

That sounds very interesting,

my uncle commented. “Are we going there tomorrow?” my aunt inquired. Greg just nodded his head in approval.

That was where we went the following day. Joy wasn’t able to come with us since she was working.

The three children also had their classes. So, there were only four of us together. The trip was about 45 minutes from Greg’s house.

Reading the information written at the entrance, I found out that Wakulla comes from the Seminole Creek word that means “strange and mysterious waters.”

Interesting, I told myself.

The place had been enjoyed by native Americans for thousands of years before the Europeans arrived. Ponce De Leon twice visited the site, perhaps hoping it would prove to be the Fountain of Youth.

On his second trip, in 1521, he discovered quite the opposite. A battle with the local Indians ensued, and De Leon was hit by an arrow that would cost him his life.

The heart of the park is the beautiful Wakulla Spring. Crystal

clear water flows from the spring to create the Wakulla River, one of the last pristine rivers in the United States. The park is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and designated a National Natural Landmark.

According to Greg, Wakulla Springs has been studied since the 19th century. The “magical spot in the woods where water gushed forth from the ground” was well known to paleontologists since 1850 when skeletal remains of mastodon were recovered.

As we looked at the water, the words of Joy the night before came to my mind. “Wakulla Springs is one of the world’s largest and deepest freshwater springs,” she said.

The greatest outflow of water ever measured at the spring was in 1973, at almost 860,000 gallons per minute. That’s over 1.2 billion gallons a day! On the average, 250,000 to 400,000 gallons of water a minute flow from the spring’s huge single opening.

Where does the water come

from? “Cave diving teams, under permit with the park have explored the massive cave system, swimming 180 feet down to the spring opening, then back into the labyrinth of underground tunnels that come together to form the Wakulla Spring,” our tour guide informed.

“They have swum many, many miles back into the system, underground, underwater, in the dark, sometimes at depths of 360 feet.

These underwater explorers have come nowhere near the end of this gigantic system, and the exploration continues,” the guide added.

Two boat tours operate daily, and both are worthwhile. You’ll see an abundance of wildlife, including a host of birds and alligators. Greg said that during the winter, the spring becomes a prime spot for bird watching as thousands of migrating species pass through.

When water conditions permit, “glassbottom boats” drift over the bowl of the Wakulla Spring, providing breathtaking views of mastodon bones, unique limestone formations, and playful schools of freshwater fish. You will also be treated to the antics of -- hold your breath! – “Henry, the pole-vaulting fish.” Don’t laugh, I didn’t make this up!

Some of the scenery here will probably look familiar, since it was the backdrop for several movies.

The first Tarzan movie, featuring Olympic champion swimmer Johnny Weissmuller, was filmed at Wakulla Spring. Scenes from the classic Tarzan movies, Tarzan’s Secret Treasure and Tarzan’s New York Adventure, were shot throughout the park and included several locals as stand-ins and the use of elephants and monkeys on the set. (Don’t fail to see the socalled “Tarzan tree.”)

Wakulla was also the other-worldly setting for Creature from the Black Lagoon and part of Airport ’77 (yes, the one that starred Jack Lemmon).

After the boat ride, the park still offers many diversions. Though the water is a chilly 70 degrees, there is an excellent swimming area. “During summer, I usually bring my three kids to swim,” Greg said.

A word of caution though: Swim in the designated area only.

As stated earlier, the Wakulla River is home to various wildlife species, including alligators. Also, swimming is not allowed above the headspring.

By the way, entrepreneur, financier, and railroad magnate Edward Ball built a Spanish-style lodge and resort in 1937. In the lobby of the lodge rests ‘Old Joe,’ legendary guardian of Wakulla Springs.

For generations, this eleven-foottwo-inch alligator kept watch over swimmers and bathers from his perch on the far side of the spring.

Shot by poachers in 1967, ‘Old Joe’ was preserved and put in his place of honor by Mr. Ball. The formal Azalea Dining Room in the lodge is well known for its Deep South cuisine and seafood.

Meals are moderately priced, and the dining room is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

END... FROM 2

Around 4:45 p.m.,15 minutes before the deadline, people were still hoping Sara to file even the remaining time was already slim. There were people were shouting that Sara’s husband lawyer Maneses Carpio was spotted near the Comelec office. Supporters thought that her husband was her representative to file Sara’s COC. However, not even Carpio arrived.

Supporters began to feel another disappointment, when the staff of Comelec shouted ‘time is up.’ Some of them started to shed tears and said it was a painful event for them.

Duterte supporter Erlinda Selorio who was inside the Comelec office waiting for Sara to come, was teary when asked for her reaction.

“Sakit kaayo para sa amoa kay daghan man gud kaayo nagalaum sa ilaha na modagan ba pero wala diay (It is painful for us because many were hoping that they will run but nothing happens),” she said.

Selorio said her other co-supporters were also confused on the event because they really expect and hope that Sara file her COC. She said even if some of the supporter were already hungry staying in Comelec office waiting for Sara to file but earn nothing.

Barangay 4-A Kagawad Marites Biernes who shaved her hair on Thursday morning responding the call of the former mayor to supporters of her father to shave hair to show support for Duterte’s possible filing for presidency.

Biernes said she shaved her hair believing that Duterte will really give big changes to the country knowing his heart for the poor.

“Suportado namin si Mayor para maging president dahil alam namin kung gaano siya magmahal sa mga mahihirap (We support the mayor to be the president because we know how he loves the poor people),” she said.

She said less fortunate people in the city were given free medicine and hospital assistance while there were also food packs given every Monday.

On Saturday, Duterte issued a statement through City Information Officer Leo Villarreal.

Duterte said “Let’s gather our thoughts on this. Heavens are crying and we can’t just leave it at that. I hope we continue talking. The journey has just began. I hope and pray that in the future we can find a common cause that will bind us again to work for the good of our country.”

The wait is finally over.

The dream has come to a halt.

in the hope of stalling negotiations.

“SUMIFRU’s actions are downright disrespectful of the union. We voted through a general assembly to change our federation because we wanted to fight for a good CBA, a CBA that favors workers in terms of wage increase, benefits, and tenure. We are going to fight to get a good CBA with ADLO-KMU by our side as our federation. SUMIFRU must stop making excuses and begin negotiations with us by submitting their counter-proposal immediately,” Diamora added.

Among the union’s CBA proposals include wage increases for regular rank and file workers amounting to P2000 per month for the first year; P1500 increase per month for the second year; and P1500 increase per month for the third year and much-improved leave and other benefits.

Diamora also revealed that they are wary of management’s current maneuver as they have received reports that the latter has been calling on their individual members and instructing them to withdraw their support for the union. In addition, the management has hired new workers beyond the operation’s manning requirement, an act which the union

suspects is prelude to their replacement in the workplace.

Meanwhile, KMU lambasted SUMIFRU’s machinations against a union that the labor center said was merely fighting against long-term neglect and repression. Carlo Olalo, spokesperson of KMU Southern Mindanao, said that SUMIFRU has a long and notorious history as a union buster and workers’ rights violator.

“SUMIFRU’s sins against its workers are numerous. It has created a system in the banana plantations where it can escape accountability to the workers by hiding under the mantle of its service providers.

It implemented a piece rate wage scheme in the plantations unilaterally and reduced workers’ wages by at least half. We will not allow SUMIFRU’s devious schemes to prosper and oppress any worker throughout SUMIFRU’s supply chain,” Olalo explained.

Olalo added that the union’s protest is just and proper and SUMIFRU is violating the union’s right to organize and collectively bargain under the ILO Conventions 87 and 98. It is only through the militant and collective actions of workers that anti-worker schemes of capitalists like SUMIFRU are defeated,” Olalo expressed.

says the governor.

Among the incumbent mayors who support the gubernatorial bid of Dayanghirang are: City of Mati Mayor Carlo Rabat, Banaybanay Mayor AdaliaTambuang, Lupon Mayor Domingo Lim, Governor Generoso Mayor Vicente

Orencia, San Isidro Mayor Tina Yu, Tarragona Mayor Nestor Uy, Manay Mayor Antero Dayanghirang, Caraga Mayor Alicia Mori, Baganga Mayor Arturo Monday, Cateel Mayor Camilo Nunez, and Boston Mayor RebeccoRosit. By Ferdinand Zuasola

Port... FROM 4

Cora... FROM 6

EDGEDAVAO

Last-minute... FROM 4

gressional district.

However, before the last day of the filing of COCs ended, Suaybaguio suddenly withdrew his COC for Congress and replaced it with a new COC for governor.

In Igacos, Vice Mayor Uy also withdrew his COC for vice mayor and replaced it with a new COC for mayor. Suddenly, the del Rosarios are being opposed by former allies.

Anthony could have been unopposed in the gubernatorial post, while his father is facing Roger Antalan, brother

of incumbent and last-termer Mayor Aniano. Before Aning, Roger was mayor of IGaCoS for three terms.

In a video footage taken by journalist Ruel Dagsangan, the visibly irked AGR confronted Suaybaguio for suddenly running against him. As of this writing last Saturday night, the filmed confrontation already registered 674 shares and 36,981 views, which can be considered political advertisement for free.

With a report from BEN TESIORNA.

for free education at all levels, genuine agrarian reform, living wage and employment for all, defence of national sovereignty, basic social services, peace based on justice, and the rights of marginalized sectors.

“Duterte can also help boost the candidacy of Makabayan senatorial bet Neri Colmenares and significantly increase the representatives of progressive partylists in congress,” he said.

stop its operation in their area not until the national government interfere.

“They will not stop fishing even the water run dry there,” Masin said.

However, Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources (BFAR) 11 regional director Fatma M. Idris said the closing of the east coast would need a Fisheries Administrative Order (FAO) from its central office.

“Surrounding LGUs should issue a collective resolution expressing their desire to close some part of the east coast from the operation of the commercial fishing vessels,” Idris said.

The resolution will then proceed to the National Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Council for evaluation.

She said the closed season in some areas in the East Coast will be only implemented if it is backed up with necessary

scientific data.

Idris said the region’s fish production has been declining in the past few years because the fish catch is not recorded under the Davao Region but to General Santos.

Allegedly, the tuna fishing ground is not in the seas of General Santos City anymore but in the Davao Gulf and east coast.

Oceana Philippines policy director Edward Lorenzo said the closed season or area is implanted as government’s last resort in fishery management.

The closed season is also implemented in the Davao Gulf through Administrative Order (JAO) No.02 of the Department of Agriculture and the Department of Interior and Local Government. The closed season is already on its second year of enforcement.

CHENEEN R. CAPON

the regional communication summits, Smart also developed the Batingaw app for OCD-NDRRMC. The Batingaw mobile app, which can be downloaded for free at Google Play Store and Apple App Store, is a handy resource and reporting tool for nationwide disaster management.

An active partner for disaster communications, Smart has also been consistent in providing immediate libreng tawag services to areas affected by disasters. During Yolanda, Smart’s satellite services connected Tacloban and other affected areas to the rest of the world. Smart also offers a web-based disaster communi-

cations solution called Smart Infocast, which has been proven effective in disseminating weather forecasts and warnings.

Smart as an organization has embraced preparedness, and has been aggressively promoting the culture of preparedness to its partner organizations under its #SafePH program. More than just providing communications as relief during disasters, Smart has also taken an active role in strengthening the capacity of high-risk communities to prepare for, manage, and recover from the impact of disasters.

To know more about Smart’s preparedness initiatives, visit

This advocacy for health is not possible without the support from many partners. P&G continues to work closely with UNICEF, the Department of Education and the Department of Health to promote health and hygiene in communities. In partnership with these key institutions, P&G has built handwashing facilities and implemented hygiene education programs in public schools nationwide. Safeguard also collaborates with various organizations to help promote handwashing with soap,

most recently among 8,000 school children in Tacloban.

For close to 50 years in the Philippines, Safeguard continues to be a champion of family health through its promise of superior protection against disease-causing germs. Its improved Triple Shield technology with patented Zinc Pyrithione (ZPT) delivers this promise: New Safeguard not only provides protection against more types of germs, but also helps reduce the regrowth in between washes.

Anakbayan... FROM 4

East... FROM 8

Smart... FROM 15

Safeguard... FROM 15

NEWS 13

Suaybaguio... FROM 6 ernor as independent candidate when ex-Cong. Floirendo returned to the Comelec provincial office a little past 3 P.M. accompanying ex-Cong. Pantaleon “Bebot” Alvarez.

Alvarez filed his COC for congressman under the PDP-Laban party.

After the filing, Alvarez and Floirendo had a photo session inside the Comelec office with the latter raising the hands of Alvarez to manifest his endorsement.

The vice governor was first thought-of as the common standard-bearer for congress for the first district by the allying LP and Kusog especially when Floirendo of the latter party has since been joining with the LP group of Gov. Del Rosario.

The governor filed his COC for mayor in the Island Garden City of Samal last Wednesday with incumbent Vice Mayor Al David Uy as his runningmate to fight against the tandem of ex-Mayor Roger Antalan for mayor and Mayor Aniano Antalan for vice mayor.

Ex-Cong. Floirendo was with the LP and Kusog provincial and district slates filing their COCs at the Comelec office inside the Capitol compound and Floirendo himself filed his COC for congressman in district 2 past 2 P.M. to past 3 P.M. yesterday.

Accompanying them were some 100 LP and Kusog candidates from towns led by their mayors after they partook a rather late lunch at around 1 P.M. at the Tahanan ng Gobernador as they waited for the arrival of Floirendo.

But a “small ruckus” came in after they partook their lunch when a wide tarpaulin was being hoisted as a backdrop for a supposed photo session before the COC filing, which Floirendo objected to.

The tarpaulin has a décor of tiny LP marks in blue color with large watermarked LP ribbon in stylized form at the bottom.

When it was hoisted, a cardboard figure of the governor was also made to stand at its left.

An apparently displeased Floirendo was seen walking to and fro on Tahanan floor and was overheard to be saying he did “not want to be preempted” and that he is “not a Liberal.”

Floirendo was also overheard saying to dining groups in Tahanan that Suaybaguio is not his congressional bet to support to but ex-Cong. Alvarez.

The photo session was cancelled with Cong. AGR seen to be making instructions to assistants hoisting the tarpaulin.

At past 2 p.m. the group then proceeded to walk to the nearby provincial Comelec office.

In an interview, ex-Cong.

TBF said that he looked up the LP and Kusog as independent to each other “but what is most important is we combine the personalities inside (the two parties) for the good of the province.”

Since the 2010 polls, the LP led by the Del Rosarios and Kusog led by Floirendo have been strong and actually the parties ruling in district 1 and 2, respectively.

Ernel Bual, publisher of Ronda Balita weekly, said that at past 4 P.M. when Suaybaguio was still inside the Comelec of-

fice filing his COC for governoR, an apparently angry Cong. Del Rosario arrived and then and there confronted Suaybaguio on “high voice” asking why the vice governor filed for governor as he (AGR) could just have finished his last term in congress and not run for governor.

The vice governor was silent and tried to approach Del Rosario and gave him a handshake but Del Rosario did not receive it, Bual added.

Board Member Shirley Belen Aala made a side show, when she frantically arrived on the scene and tried to withdraw her COC as she planned to run for vice governor, but a call reportedly from the governor had prevailed her.

“There was really tension inside the Comelec at that time, we were just mum,” Bual added. She was with some 10 local mediamen, Suaybaguio kins and political supporters and staffers of both sides witnessing the event happened, along with Comelec provincial officer Atty. Gay Enumerables and her employees.

Del Rosario and his group later left, without getting any concession from the hurt Suaybaguio.

The vice governor was so hurt by alleged backstabbing and double-faced talks and power moves.

For his replacement to run for congressman, the vice governor picked his nephew, lasttermer Tagum City Councilor Nicandro “Nickel” Suaybaguio, Jr. to vie against much older Alvarez, and ex-Cong. Arrel Olano.The latter filed his COC Friday morning.

There are two other obscure candidates running for congressman in the first district, while ex-Cong. TBF smartly became unopposed, so with Board Member Alan Dujali for vice governor.

District 2 Kusog candidates have only one potent rival, last-termer Panabo Councilor Jannet Tanong, while District 1 LP candidates have two potent rivals--last-termer Tagum Councilors Francisco Remitar and Allan Zulueta.

Suaybaguio has been closely siding with and casting his consistent loyalty to the Del Rosarios since their first tandem with the governor in 2009 polls, but the vice governor was ostensibly forced to separate with heavy heart when ex-Cong. TBF ostensibly made political lobotomy against VG Baby for an apparent friendship’s sake with Alvarez.

VG Baby has long been saying he is a friend of both Floirendos and Del Rosarios, and in fact heartily announced in public that he could not have been an elected public servant and in politics going to 4 decades now had it not of the advice and prodding of TBF’s late father and Tadeco founder-owner, banana magnate Don Antonio Floirendo, Sr. Meanwhile, few pundits said that with the emerging alliance of Suaybaguio and Antalans it is feared that the governor is put at much risk for a humiliating defeat in his twilight mayoral bid in the island he considered as a “jewel to be polished.”

VG Baby, too, is automatically thrust to ally with equally strong rival groups to LP and Kusog that are present in all towns and cities in the province in this election. – (Cha Monforte/Correspondent)

14

EDGEDAVAO

DISMAYED Duterte supporters speak up

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

By VANESSA KATE MADRAZO

P

EOPLE from all over the country react in dismay over Duterte’s no show in COMELEC Manila for not filing a COC for presidency but some Dabawenyos want him in Davao instead and approve of his filing for re-election as city mayor.

Many believe that Duterte leaving Davao is unimaginable as he has set a high bar for leading the city and keeping it secure.

Becky Osorio, 39, said “If he wants to serve Davao City then so be it.

The city is better off with his governance.”

Abbie Cabig, 20, celebrates Duterte’s decision.

“I’m so happy because Mayor Duterte will still serve the Dabawenyos instead of the whole Philippines. I’m not saying that I’m selfish but we need Duterte here in Davao than the whole Philippines.”

Carly Chua, 20, shares the same sentiment.

“Davao is not Davao without Duterte. Even though I believe that he encompasses the qualities and has the capabilities of becoming a president, either way, I would support him no matter what.”

Some citizens, however, expressed their sup-

port for Duterte no matter what he decides.

“Okay lang naman na tumakbo sya ng pagkamayor. Nasa kanya naman iyo. Kung ano ang laman ng COC, suportado ko siya,” said Jovani Maguindanao, 24.

“For me, okay lang kung tatakbo siyang mayor uli. Mas lalong okay kung tatakbo for President. I 100% support him,” said Jennifer Bolunos, 26.

Many Dabawenyos, however, are saddened by his decision.

Denise Terio, 20, said, “[It’s] disappointing. The Philippines needs him.”

Several citizens thought that Duterte’s persistent no was a tactic of some sort, or a reverse psychology strategy to gain mass support. His supporters expressed their unwavering backing for him through a shave campaign with a hashtag #justDUit and until the final hours before filing closes through the hashtag #DU30 and #Duterteserye.

Trisha Dulanas, 19, said, “I honestly feel let down because I’m interested in what he can do for the country but we can’t force him if he feels he is not meant for pres-

idency. I guess his ‘no’ means no and was never a ploy to gain attention.

He finally ended speculations of running when he disappointed his supporters by not showing up to file a COC for presidency. There is, however, a silver lining as many believe.

“At least we are still sure that the governance in Davao is still under him,” said Gilson Po, 20.

Erlinda Selorio, Duterte supporter, read cover story

CHANGE THE GAME

BEST EDITED COMMUNITY PAPER (DAILY) 2013-2014 BEST IN ENVIRONMENTAL REPORTING BEST IN CULTURE, ARTS AND HISTORY REPORTING

EDGEDAVAO Serving a seamless society

Barangay 4-A Kagawad Marites Biernes, read cover story

Blazing the trail in innovative journalism.

15 COMPETITIVE EDGE

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

Smart backs regional disaster Safeguard raises Hands for Hygiene communications summit D

ELEGATES from the Region 10 disaster communications summit affix their signature on the commitment wall to indicate acceptance of their responsibilities as members of Rapid Emergency Telecommunications Team in the region.

To help institutionalize disaster communication protocols, mobile leader Smart Communications (Smart) committed to support the Office of Civil Defense’s (OCD)

first-ever regional disaster communications conferences, dubbed as ICT Bayanihan.

Smart is the first telco partner of OCD in co-organizing these regional meetings.

“The importance of communications in the entire disaster risk management process cannot be overemphasized. For a country of many islands like the Philippines, located in an area being visited by at least 20 typhoons a year, this series of regional summit

focused on communications is exactly what we need,” said Smart Public Affairs Community Partnerships Senior Manager, Nova Concepcion. “And as member of the Emergency Telecommunications Cluster of the NDRRMC, we saw it fit to support the ICT Bayanihan of the OCD,” Concepcion added.

The regional conferences aim to institutionalize rapid emergency telecommunication teams to lead immediate response and support when

AMENDED AFFIDAVIT OF SELF-ADJUDICATION WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS

Notice is hereby given that several parcels of land and share of stocks/ bonds of the late SIMEON L. MADAJE has been the subject of an Amended Affidavit of Self-Adjudication with Waiver of Rights executed among his heir particularly as follows:

Per Doc. No.01; Page No.01; Book No.24; Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC BIEN MARIE G. BOLCAN 10/19,26,11/2

ZION

ACCUPRINT PUBLISHING, INC.

Is in need of:

MACHINE OPERATOR (Printing Press)

Qualifications:

- At least high school graduate, not more than 30 years old - Physically and mentally fit - Can handle minor repairs of the machine - Has the ability to be cool under pressure of deadlines and complex projects - Experience of at least one year

Send application letter & resume to: HR Supervisor ZION Accuprint Publishing, Inc. Door 14 Alcrej Building, Quirino Ave., 8000 Davao City, Philippines E-mail: marketing@edgedavao.net zion_publishing@yahoo.com Telefax: (082) 2213601 Website: www.edgedavao.net

there are disasters.

The most recent summit was held in Cagayan de Oro for Region 10, which was the first region in Mindanao to hold the event. The Region 10 Summit was attended by public and private agencies, and fully supported by the regional offices of the National Telecommunications Commission and the DOST-ICT Office.

Northern Mindanao is committed to help out when needed to respond. OCD 10 Regional Director Ana Cañeda emphasized the significance of the quick and effective response within the first hour of an emergency situation.

DOST-ICTO Regional Director Evamay dela Rosa, on the other hand, stressed the value of dedication and practice for the plans to be effective.

“We should not stop here.

Let us revisit and ensure that we have the mechanism in place and that these mechanisms are clear to everyone,” dela Rosa said. “Let’s capacitate the rapid emergency telecommunications team and ensure that the Region 10 emergency telecommunications cluster is able to install, operate, and maintain a system of communication that will reconnect us to related LGUs, emergency operation centers, NDRRMC’s operation center during and post disaster,” dela Rosa added.

Apart from co-organizing

FSMART, 13

O

CTOBER 15, 2015 marked the 8th year that Global Handwashing Day (GHD) was celebrated around the world. Founded by the Global Private-Public Partnership for Handwashing in 2008, this day is dedicated to increasing awareness of the importance of handwashing with soap. Procter and Gamble (P&G), through its flagship soap brand Safeguard, is not only one of the founding members of this partnership, but also continues to be a key advocate of GHD in the Philippines. This year was no different as Safeguard Philippines brought this annual celebration simultaneously to three key cities: Manila, Cebu and Davao.

This year’s local theme “Linis Lusog sa Global Handwashing Day” focused on proper handwashing with soap as a cost-effective solution to prevent diseases, including diarrhea and pneumonia. According to World Health Organization, approximately 13 children die because of diarrhea every day, accounting to almost 5,000 deaths annually. National statistics also indicate that an estimated 37 children under the age of five die from pneumonia per day. Diarrhea and pneumonia continue to be the top causes of child mortality in the Philippines. This year marks the deadline of the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), the fourth of which is to reduce child mortality.

While the country has made progress in MDG4 over the past few years, the interventions that reduce preventable deaths like diarrhea and pneumonia will continue to be important beyond 2015.

Many Filipinos are still not aware that disease-causing germs can be found in seemingly unlikely places.

A study conducted by P&G showed that disease-causing germs may be found on everyday items like mobile phones, ATMs, kitchen sinks, water bottle and many more.

In three key cities nationwide, Safeguard’s celebration of GHD aimed to educate students and parents alike about the surprising, everyday sources of germs.

Through a fun scavenger hunt for germs, students searched through different locations like the school, the home and the playground for germs to collect. Thinking that they found the germs, they were surprised to discover that there was more than meets the eye. A UV light revealed that an invisible lotion was unknowingly applied on their skin while they searched through the locations. This lotion simulated the invisible, disease-causing germs from everyday items.

While disease-causing germs are everywhere, these are easy to remove with proper hygiene and frequent washing with soap. Everyone can prevent diseases and improve health by washing with soap. A review of multiple studies that handwashing with soap cuts the incidence of diarrhea by nearly half. Furthermore, a study in Pakistan found that the same habit also reduced the number of pneumonia-related infections by more than half. Clean hands will help prevent transmission of disease from one person to the next. Clean hands will help keep families, classrooms, schools and communities healthy.

FSAFEGUARD, 13

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

DAVAO CITY MAIN OFFICE JOCELYN S. PANES Director of Sales Door 14 ALCREJ Bldg., Quirino Ave., Davao City Tel: (082) 224-1413 Telefax: (082) 221-3601 GENERAL SANTOS CITY MARKETING OFFICE EDMUND D. RENDON Marketing Specialist Mobile: (Smart) 0909-424-7990 MANILA MARKETING OFFICE ANGELICA R. GARCIA Marketing Manager 97-1 Bayanbayanan Ave., Marikina Heights, Marikina City Tel: (02) 654-3509

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO

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NOTICE OF LOSS Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. that CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s)

CO21004138 under Loyola Contract No(s). NNN130005529 issued to LEO LIBRORANIA 21032765 under Loyola Contract No(s). NNN130005523 issued to MERLITA PALIJO under Loyola Contract No(s). 1076475-1 issued to NONA ABONETE were lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

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Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

10/5/12/19

NOTICE OF LOSS

Notice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS CONSOLIDATED INC. That CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) 1000033 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 271915-8 issued to CORAZON G. AMISOLA was lost.

Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.

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18

EDGEDAVAO

Advertise with Tel No. 082.221.3601/224.1413 Email: edgedavao@gmail.com marketing@edgedavao.net

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

EDGEDAVAO Sports

VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015

NOT QUITE. Calvin Abueva of Manila North fails to carry his team to the semis of the FIBA 3x3 World Tour.

19

ASEAN HOOPS

Pilipinas Aguilas to play home games in Davao, GenSan

By NEILWIN JOSEPH L. BRAVO

I

T’S FINAL. The Pac-

quiao-Powervit Pilipinas Aguilas is bound for the ASEAN Basketball League (ABL) set to start October 26 in

Bangk o k , Thailand.

On Friday, Aguilas team consultant and spokesperson Randy Caluag said during the FAST Fridays media f o rum

at the Archipelago 7107 by Barrio Fiesta at SM Lanang Premier that management of the Aguilas have been taken over by the Pilipinas Legends Group under its president Dick Balajadia who will be coi-owning the team with boxing superstar Manny Pacquiao.

“I am here to announce that Pilipinas Legends has taken over Pilipinas Aguilas and with this partnership with Congressman Manny Pacquiao, we are ready to set sail for the ABL,” Caluag said.

The Aguilas will be playing home games in Davao City and General Santos City and will be debuting on October 29 at the University of Southeastern Philippine (USEP) Gym in Davao City against the Bangkok Mono Vampires.

The Aguilas will be coached by former PBA star Zaldy Realubit with two-time PBA Best Import Arizona Reed and University of the East forward Charles Mammie as

PILIPINAS AGUILAS. Randy Caluag, team consultant of the Pacquiao-Powervit Pilipinas Aguilas announces the ABL home games in Davao. Lean Daval Jr. imports. The locals will be composed of Willie Miller, Ali Austria, Nico Elorde, Adrian Salada, Jondan Salvador, Sundae Salvacion, Carlo Sharma, and Fil-Am Jeremy King.

Interestingly, Salvacion hails from Davao and played

for the Rizal Memorial Colleges before making his way up to the PBA. Salvador is another player popular in Davao having played for the Davao Eagles in the now defunct Metropolitan Basketball Association (MBA).

Manila North bows out in quarters

P

HILIPPINES’ Manila North put up a tough fight against defending champion NoviSad AlWahda but still bowed to a 21-13 result to crash out of the quarterfinals of the FIBA 3×3 World Tour Final Friday (early Saturday morning Philippine time) in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.

The underdog Filipinos faced a daunting task of overcoming the No.1-ranked team in the world, but were still able to give some scare

against the hosts in a highly physical battle.

NoviSad grabbed an early 4-1 lead after two straight longrange jumpers. But Manila North came back and didn’t back down against their bigger opponents, engaging them in a rugged match.

Troy Rosario had a chippy encounter with a NoviSad player, getting hit in the face as Manila North trailed, 8-5.

He then made two free throws that sparked a run for the Filipinos.

After Rosario’s charity conversions, Vic Manuel scored a

putback before Calvin Abueva treated the crowd with a thunderous slam to tie the game at 9-all.

However, NoviSad kept its poise and buried two consecutive two-pointers for a 13-9 lead. The Filipinos continued their rough battle against the hosts who saw their players go down against the highly physical plays of Manila North.

But NoviSad was just too much. Leading 19-13, the squad made two game-winning free throws to seal the score at 21-13 with still over two minutes left.

Royal Mandaya Hotel Cup reset to Oct. 24

By VANESSA KATE MADRAZO

F

MANDAYA CUP. Neil Baquiran of The Royal Mandaya Hotel shows the league home page during the FAST Fridays media forum at the Archipelago 7107 at SM Lanang Premier. Lean Daval Jr.

OUR collegiate squads and two high school varsity teams make up the field of The Royal Mandaya Hotel Cup basketball tournament which has been reset to October 24 from its original playdate of October 17.

The tournament, according to Neil Baquiran, Royal Mandaya representative, is invitational and will bring Philippine Women’s College, San Pedro College, Holy Cross of Davao College, and the University of Immaculate Conception for college, to the game.

The same is true for Ateneo de

Davao University High School and Assumption College of Davao.

The Ateneo team is the only team to be composed of purely high school students while ACD is a composite of high school and college students.

The competition aims to support and hone local players in Davao and is set as a training ground for bigger tournaments that they will join including the Milo National Cup and Palarong Pambansa 2016.

Baquiran said that Division 2 players are very promis-

ing in terms of skill set.

The tournament will proceed to a semifinals game after the eliminations round and will have cash prizes for winners. The champion will be given P10,000, followed by the first runner up with P7,000, second runner up with P5,000 and the third runner up with P3,000.

The opening ceremony and first round will be on October 24, Saturday in the Genesis 88 Gym along Ecoland Phase 3, Matina in Davao City and the games will happen until December 5 or 6.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 143 • SUNDAY-MONDAY, OCTOBER 18 - 19, 2015