P 15.00 • 20 PAGES www.edgedavao.net VOL. 8 ISSUE 213 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 22 - 23, 2016 EDGE Serving a seamless society DAVAO ARRESTS HINT RODY IS RIGHT AFP official, Chinese national’s arrest on illegal drugs confirm Duterte’s warnings EDGE DAVAO Sports Phoenix enters PBA P16 P RESIDENTIAL frontrun- ner Rody Duterte, who has warned that the drug situation in the country has reached dangerous propor- tions, was proven right today when an active Marines col- onel and a Chinese national were arrested in a drug raid in Sta. Cruz, Manila. A report by Erwin Aguilon of the Radio Inquirer said that Col. Ferdinand Marcelino of the Philippine Marines and Chi- nese national Yan Yi Shou, 33, were arrested by a combined force of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police Anti Illegal Drugs Group in a raid early this morning. Seized during the raid were 64 kilos of “shabu” with an estimated street value of P320-million. Marcelino, the highest ranking military officer arrest- ed in the anti-drug campaign, was the director of the Special Enforcement Service of the PDEA before he joined the Ma- rines. Yan Yi Shou, according to the report served as a Chinese interpreter of the PDEA and had worked with Marcelino in the past. A PDEA statement said the raid was conducted on the ba- sis of a search warrant issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court based on the report that the place was used as a storage facilities of illegal drugs. Agents, however, discov- ered a large clandestine drug laboratory where Col. Marceli- no and Shou were also arrest- ed. PNP-AIDG Spokesperson Chief Inspector Roque Mer- deguia said both Marcelino and You were inside the drug laboratory when the raid was made. The raid and the subse- quent arrest of Col. Marcelino came on the heels of state- ments issued by Presidential frontrunner Rody Duterte that the illegal drugs situation in the country has gotten worse and that top government offi- cials were already getting in- volved in the drug trade. Duterte also warned that unless stopped, the country could become a narco state very much like Colombia and Mexico in South America where drug cartels have be- come so powerful that they di- rect engage government forces in armed encounters. At the Presidential Forum in La Salle University in Met- ro Manila yesterday, Duterte warned that the campaign against drugs and criminality could be bloody. He, however, assured the country that if elected Presi- dent, he would stop the drug trade in six months. Duterte has promised that he would step down as Presi- dent if the Filipino people did not feel any improvement in the illegal drugs and crime situation in the country in the first three years of his Presi - dency. MANNY PIÑOL NO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, seen here interacting with journalists in a file photo, says while he respects and supports gays, he won’t push the legalization of same-sex marriage if he is elected President. Lean Daval Jr.
Transcript
P 15.00 • 20 PAGESwww.edgedavao.netVOL. 8 ISSUE 213 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, JANUARY 22 - 23, 2016
EDGE Serving a seamless society
DAVAO
ARRESTS HINT RODY IS RIGHT
AFP official, Chinese national’s arrest on illegal drugs confirm Duterte’s warnings
EDGEDAVAOSportsPhoenix enters PBA P16
PRESIDENTIAL frontrun-ner Rody Duterte, who has warned that the drug
situation in the country has reached dangerous propor-tions, was proven right today when an active Marines col-onel and a Chinese national were arrested in a drug raid in Sta. Cruz, Manila.
A report by Erwin Aguilon of the Radio Inquirer said that Col. Ferdinand Marcelino of the Philippine Marines and Chi-nese national Yan Yi Shou, 33, were arrested by a combined force of the Philippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) and the Philippine National Police Anti Illegal Drugs Group in a raid early this morning.
Seized during the raid were 64 kilos of “shabu” with
an estimated street value of P320-million.
Marcelino, the highest ranking military officer arrest-ed in the anti-drug campaign, was the director of the Special Enforcement Service of the PDEA before he joined the Ma-rines.
Yan Yi Shou, according to the report served as a Chinese interpreter of the PDEA and had worked with Marcelino in the past.
A PDEA statement said the raid was conducted on the ba-sis of a search warrant issued by Quezon City Regional Trial Court based on the report that the place was used as a storage facilities of illegal drugs.
Agents, however, discov-ered a large clandestine drug
laboratory where Col. Marceli-no and Shou were also arrest-ed.
PNP-AIDG Spokesperson Chief Inspector Roque Mer-deguia said both Marcelino and You were inside the drug laboratory when the raid was made.
The raid and the subse-quent arrest of Col. Marcelino came on the heels of state-ments issued by Presidential frontrunner Rody Duterte that the illegal drugs situation in the country has gotten worse and that top government offi-cials were already getting in-volved in the drug trade.
Duterte also warned that unless stopped, the country could become a narco state very much like Colombia and
Mexico in South America where drug cartels have be-come so powerful that they di-rect engage government forces in armed encounters.
At the Presidential Forum in La Salle University in Met-ro Manila yesterday, Duterte warned that the campaign against drugs and criminality could be bloody.
He, however, assured the country that if elected Presi-dent, he would stop the drug trade in six months.
Duterte has promised that he would step down as Presi-dent if the Filipino people did not feel any improvement in the illegal drugs and crime situation in the country in the first three years of his Presi-dency. MANNY PIÑOL
NO SAME-SEX MARRIAGE. Davao City Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, seen here interacting with journalists in a file
photo, says while he respects and supports gays, he won’t push the
legalization of same-sex marriage if he is elected President. Lean Daval Jr.
THE Office of the Om-budsman Mindanao has reminded all incumbent
government officials who are seeking reelection that they are not allowed to use govern-ment vehicles in their respec-tive campaigns.
Speaking in yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at Davao City Hall, Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao spokesperson lawyer Gil Norman Ciudadano said reelectionists may not use government property for their political gain.
“Once the election period starts they are reduced as in-dividuals vying for a position,” he said.
Ciudadano said govern-ment officials running for
reelection should be care-ful about using government equipment because it might be construed by the people as taking advantage of their posi-tion for their campaign.
He said under the Omni-bus Election Code all elected officials seeking another term are prohibited from using for an election campaign public funds, money deposited in trust, equipment, and facilities owned or controlled by the government.
“Probably we must check the purpose why they are us-ing the vehicle. If it is govern-ment-related, it could be be-cause their term ends in June 30,” he said.
Ciudadano said anyone
can file a complaint against officials violating the Election Code during the campaign pe-riod.
He said his office will look into all evidences submitted and evaluate if the officials re-ally committed the violation.
Ciudadano said if an elect-ed official vying for another term uses a government vehi-cle for community service, his office will still seek the assis-tance of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to identify if it is an election violation.
“If there are certain mat-ters involving these things which may fall under the specific classifications of this election offenses, probably we will seek assistance from the
Comelec,” he said.He said so far, his office has
not yet received any complaint against officials in Mindanao who violate this rule.
Meanwhile, Ciudadano also also told all government employees and officials who are holding non-political office not to engage in partisan poli-tics.
He said government offi-cials who will be found guilty of electioneering will face a grave penalty.
“The government em-ployees must be reminded that if there will be a case filed against them, it presupposes to have a twin case, it would be a criminal as well as administra-tive case,” he said.
THE Davao City Public Employment Service Office (PESO) urged
all companies to pledge job vacancies for the Special Pro-gram for the Employment of Students (SPES) in order to help poor but deserving stu-dents get summer jobs.
“Gi-invite lang nako ang mga companies na gusto mag-tabang sa atong mga poor but deserving students na mo pledge ani nga program (I am
inviting all companies who want to help our poor but deserving students to pledge in this program),” PESO ad-ministrative officer Lilibeth Pantinople said in yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall conference room.
Pantinople said many stu-dents want to work especially during summer but are not accommodated due to lack of job vacancies.
“Daghan kaayo tag stu-
dent na gusto kaayo mo avail tapos kulang gyud ang mga companies (We have many students who want to avail themselves of jobs but we only have a few companies),” she said.
She said that participating in the SPES program will be an advantage to companies since they will only pay 60 percent of the daily salary because the remaining 40 percent will be shouldered by the Depart-
ment of Labor and Employ-ment (DOLE).
Pantinople said a student will be given only 20 up to 52 days to work in a particular company.
She said one of the com-panies in Davao City that pro-vides job opportunities is the McDonald’s food chain, which gives employment to 500 stu-dents.
Even with just a few com-
OPERATIVES of Davao City Police Office (DCPO) and the Panabo
City Police Station arrested one of the 10 most wanted men in Panabo City around noon last Wednesday.
The suspect was identi-fied as Edwin Y. Cornetes, 43, a resident of Tibungco, Davao City.
Cornetes was arrested in-side his house in Tibungco on January 20 by members of the Bunawan Police Station, DCPO Special Weapons and Tactics, and Panabo City Police on the strength of a warrant of arrest issued by Panabo City Region-al Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34 Judge Dax Gonzaga Xenos for
robbery.In an interview yesterday,
DCPO spokesperson Chief In-spector Milgrace C. Driz said the suspect was involved in a series of robberies in Panabo City.
Driz said Cornetes oper-ates not just in Panabo City but also in other parts in the region such as Tagum City and even Davao City.
She said the police are also looking for his possible involvement in the NCCC Mall Tagum robbery incident last Saturday in which two jewelry shops were raided.
A mall security guard was also killed in the heist.
FOR somebody whose camp crowed over Rody Duterte’s silence follow-
ing a challenge to a debate, administration presidential bet Mar Roxas came out as the laughing stock when he failed to show up at the first chance of meeting his former friend in a verbal encounter in De La Salle University in Manila Wednesday.
Called “The Leader I Want Forum” and billed as the first Presidential and Vice Presi-dential tandem debate spon-sored by DLSU and Rappler.com, the event was attended only by Duterte and his vice presidential running mate, Sen. Alan Peter Cayetano.
Rappler reported that Roxas begged off from the de-bate, first saying that he had a series of sorties in Nueva Eci-ja and later claiming that the LP standard bearer was sick.
“Dalawa, tatlo na ang hamon kay Mayor Duter-te nang debate, nasaan sila ngayon? Siguro yun ang dapat nating itanong,” Cay-etano was quoted by Rappler as saying.
Duterte did not miss the chance of rubbing salt to Rox-as’ wound when he said: “Ta-nong ko sa kanya, nakadro-ga siya? Nandito kami wala kayo. He failed to appear at the most appropriate time.”
PENSIONERS UNITE. Pensioners join a protest rally organized by progressive groups in front of the Social Security System (SSS) office along J.P. Laurel Avenue in Davao City yesterday to express their grievances against President Aquino after he vetoed a P2,000 pension hike approved by Congress. Progressive groups promise to stage bigger rallies in the coming days. Lean Daval Jr.
Ombudsman tells reelectionists notto use gov’t vehicles in campaignBy ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
BBL in the House: Nonumbers, no quorumA DAY after House Major-
ity Leader Rep. Neptali Gonzales said he can-
not guarantee the passage of the Bangsamoro law before Congress adjourns again on February 5 because “we re-ally don’t’ have the numbers,” Monday’s session, the first af-ter a month-long holiday, end-ed at around 6:30 p.m. due to lack of quorum.
On Tuesday, when the roll call was made, 175 rep-resentatives out of 290 were reported present. But when the “turno en contra” on the Bangsamoro law started at 6:13 p.m. with San Juan Rep. Ronaldo Zamora followed by Zamboanga City Rep. Cel-so Lobregat at 6:57 p.m, the number of vacant seats also started increasing, prompt-ing Abakada party-list rep Jonathan dela Cruz to ques-tion the quorum at 8:01 p.m., leading to its suspension and adjournment by 8:09 p.m.
On Wednesday, the ses-sion was adjourned at 6:29 p.m., after the roll call showed only 144 members present. The House has 290 members; quorum is 146.
Speaking in mixed En-glish and Filipino, Gonzales said in an interview over DZBB last Sunday that “the truth is, we really don’t have
the numbers.”He said they know there
is wide support for it “but this wide support should be expressed by being present. You might say, ‘I am in favor of that’ but if you’re absent… that support is merely a ‘polit-ical statement.’”
He said that ‘political statement’ must be converted into actual attendance.
Sustaining a quorumGonzales said that in their
January 14 meeting with President Aquino in Mala-canang after the traditional Vin d’Honneur for the dip-lomatic corps, they told him about the problem on “how to sustain a quorum.”
The President was re-ported to have volunteered to personally call on the rep-resentatives to attend the ses-sions.
On Tuesday, the office of Speaker Feliciano Belmonte resorted to a text blast to get members to attend the ses-sion.
No quorum was mus-tered on Monday, the first of nine session days before it ad-journs on February 5 for the election campaign, and while Tuesday’s session did mus-ter a quorum, albeit briefly, it ended with the “turno en contra” still unfinished due to
lack of quorum.Lobregat, who spoke for
64 minutes, was supposed to have continued his “turno en contra” on Wednesday, fol-lowed by Bayan Muna party-list Rep. Neri Colmenares, but the session was adjourned until January 25, again due to lack of quorum.
Unacceptable status quoHaving agreed that “the
status quo is unacceptable,” the government (GPH) and the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) signed the Com-prehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro (CAB) on March 27, 2014 to pave the way for the creation of a new auton-omous political entity called the “Bangsamoro” to replace the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).
Aquino had earlier called the ARMM a “failed experi-ment.”
Replacing the ARMM with the Bangsamoro requires the passage of a Bangsamoro Ba-sic Law (BBL) which, under the agreement, is to be draft-ed by the 15-member GPH-MILF Bangsamoro Transition Commission (BTC).
The BTC is chaired by Mohagher Iqbal, concurrent chair of the MILF peace panel. (Carolyn O. Arguillas / Min-daNews)
WHILE most of Davao Region’s major in-dustries performed
well last year, the export sec-tor suffered a “setback” during the first three quarters of 2015, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) 11 said.
Reports from the NEDA 11 revealed that the value of exports dropped by 39.8 per-cent at only US$716.6 million against the previous year’s re-cord of US$1.19 billion.
“The decline in shipments was due to the lesser demand from major trading partners and major buyers of the re-gion’s banana exports such as Japan and China due to
the slowdown of these global economies,” the NEDA 11 re-ported.
Even Pilipino Banana Growers and Exporters As-sociation (PBGEA) executive director Stephen A. Antig had earlier noted that 2015 was not really a good year for the banana industry.
He said the sector suffered in 2015 as the volume of ex-ported fresh banana to Philip-pines’ major market dropped by 5.2 percent in the first 9 months of the year.
“This is lower compared than the volume of banana ex-ported by our members on the same period last year,” Antig said.
The 5.2 percent decrease in volume of exported banana was equivalent to 4, 822,989 boxes of 13 kilogram banana per box.
“Shipped banana by our members reached an estimat-ed of 170 million boxes last year,” he said.
Antig attributed the de-crease to the damage caused by the long drought season which started last year and is expected to worsen this year.
“Not only did the produc-tion decrease due to El Niño but the quality as well,” Antig said. “The size of banana fin-gers shrunk.”
The banana exportation also decreased as the de-
mand from Philippines’ major market like China and Japan dropped.
Unlike in the export sec-tor, the NEDA said growth was recorded in sectors of agricul-ture, tourism, infrastructure, social and security in 2015.
Meanwhile, the forecast on the economic performance of the region remained pos-itive this year as the region’s gross regional domestic prod-uct (GRDP) is expected to grow by 8.7 percent.
“Given the performance of Davao Region in 2015 in the face of global setbacks, the Re-gion can look forward to a sus-tained infusion of government funds for implementation of
priority projects in 2016 as in-dicated in the Government Ap-propriations Act or the GAA,” the NEDA 11.
The NEDA 11 said the total approved budget for 23 major agencies in Davao Region for this year is approximately P38.21 billion.
“This figure, however, ex-cludes the lump-sum appro-priations that may be later downloaded to agency region-al offices (AROs),” the NEDA 11 said.
Budget for agencies in the social sector earned the big-gest appropriation at about 55 percent or P20.93 billion with the Department of Education getting the biggest chunk at
P9.7 billion, followed by the Department of Health at P4.6 billion and the Department of Social Welfare and Develop-ment with P4.3 billion.
The next biggest alloca-tion went to Infrastructure sector at P14.6 billion and with DPWH getting 97.2 per-cent of the budget at P14.2 billion.
“It is expected that with the budget allocated for the implementation of govern-ment projects, as well as for other projects under the Pub-lic-Private Partnership or PPP Program, Davao Region shall be able to achieve its growth target of 8.7 percent in 2016,” NEDA said.
Davao exports drop by 39%
PART of the 5 million ca-cao seedlings for the Ca-cao Double-Up Program
of the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) are target-ed to be planted across differ-ent areas in Mindanao by the second quarter of this year.
“The Department of Agri-culture (DA) is now conduct-ing the bidding process for the five million cacao seedlings
worth P244 million,” MinDA executive director Janet M. Lopoz told reporters.
Lopoz said the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI) has already taken-up the invento-ry and accreditation of plant nurseries to ensure the quali-ty of cacao seedlings.
Meanwhile, the areas where the seedlings will be planted this year are still being
validated by a technical work-ing group formed by MinDA and other partner agencies.
Lopoz earlier said the P1.2 billion Cacao Double-Up Program will be initially im-plemented in 10 Mindanao areas planted with coconut trees.
“Among the areas were the municipality of Nawaan in Misamis Oriental, Agusan,
North Cotabato, Saranggani Province, Sultan Kudarat, Lan-ao del Norte and Davao Orien-tal,” Lopoz said earlier.
These are the localities were the local government units (LGUs) initially submit-ted areas that can be suitable for the implementation of the Cacao Double-Up Program, she added.
MinDA cacao program setfor implementation in Q2
THE Bureau of Cus-toms District 12 based in Davao City regis-
tered an over-all collection of P11.663 billion in 2015, exceeding its annual collec-tion goal of P10.7 billion by P962.8 million.
BOC 12 covers the port of Davao City and the sub-ports
of Dadiangas (General Santos City), Parang in Maguindan-ao province and Mati City in Davao Oriental.
BOC-12 District Collector Ricardo Butalid reportedly attributed the increase in col-lection to the cooperation of brokers, consignees, export-ers and importers who heed-
ed the call on them to pay their duties, fees and charges.
Butalid also thanked the men and women at the BOC Davao for performing their tasks and responsibilities as organic employees of the bu-reau.
Increase in collection last year was also recorded at the
port of Davao City and the port of Parang, Maguindanao, Butalid said.
The port of Davao was able to collect P10,433,251,598.92 or a P982,923,597 in-crease from its target goal of P9,460,328,001.92 while the port of Parang, under the lead-
BOC Davao’s ‘15 take exceeds collection goal
Contractors urged:Renew PCAB licenses
THE Department of Tour-ism in the Davao Region has reported an esti-
mated of tourism receipts at PHP26.7 billion for the first 10 months in 2015.
This was disclosed by DOT 11 regional director Roberto Alabado III who said that the figure was based on the indus-try performance for travel and tourism from January to Sep-tember last year.
However, Alabado said the figure will still increase with the remaining two months still being processed but already noted a 10.2 percent growth compared to the performance last year of the same period.
He attributed the ten months positive performance to tourist arrivals of domestic travelers at 1,857,099, foreign travelers at 121,604 and over-
seas Filipino, 4,870.Compared to last year, he
said domestic visitors regis-tered only some 1,690,729, foreign tourists, 104,700 with a slightly higher number for overseas Filipinos at 5,198.
The holding of major proj-ects and activities added to the continuing promotion of the region citing among others the participation in Tourism and Trade Bazaars at the Philip-pine Travel Mart, Madrid Fu-sion, he said.
He also said that there were familiarization tours for media coming from other countries and for the ADB di-rectors.
There was also the Singa-pore marketing, the Mt. Apo Boulder Face Challenge with participants both from inter-
Davao hits P26.7Btourism receipts
THE Philippine Con-tractors Accreditation Board (PCAB) has called
on contractors to renew their licenses soonest to avoid rush, delay and penalties.
Starting the first day of February, PCAB, an attached agency of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), shall be accepting renewal applications for the fiscal year 2016-2017.
To avoid the rush and de-lay in the filing/processing ore renewal application, contrac-tors are advised to observe and follow the Staggered Re-newal Schedule of PCAB Li-censes, through Board Reso-lution No. 376, series of 2014.
PCAB will strictly enforce the new schedule of renewal of licenses among contractors. Failure to file renewal appli-cations within the designated months shall be assessed the payment of P5,000 Addition-al Processing Fee (APF) plus
P5,000 Additional License Fee (ALF) if the renewal applica-tion is filed after June 30.
Meanwhile, PCAB-Davao is encouraging all unlicensed contractors, subcontractors, and specialty contractors to first secure a license before engaging or attempting into any construction activities.
This will help them avoid sanctions, measures being envisioned by PCAB and the Construction Industry Au-thority of the Philippines (CIAP) against unlicensed contractors as well as project owners involved in the ser-vices of unlicensed contrac-tors.
For inquiries, contractors may reach PCAB -Davao staff Alex G. Domingo at (082) 224-0511 local 417 and 420. They may also visit its of-fice at 4/F Mintrade Realty Building, Monteverde Avenue corner Sales Street, Davao City. DTI11/LTC/jmm
SUMMER JOBS. Davao City Public Employment Service Office (PESO) manager Lilibeth Pantinople announces the agency’s upcoming Special Program for Employment of Students (SPES) for this year during the I-Speak media forum at City Hall yesterday. SPES aims to help students aged 17 to 25 land summer jobs for 52 days. Lean Daval Jr.
THE Mindanao Develop-ment Authority (MinDA) urged farmers and pro-
ducers to ship more Mindanao products by acquiring an ini-tial of the three international certifications on agricultural standards.
MinDA executive director Janet M. Lopoz said with these certifications, farmers in the island region can get a sizeable slice in the multi-billion global export market.
Lopoz said these certifica-tions on the Global GAP (Good Agriculture Practices) are Or-ganic and Halal, Sustainable Forest Products and Friend of the Sea. These three certi-fications are being issued by Control Union International, a global one-stop-shop certi-fying body that offers a wide array of certifying programs which are recognized interna-tionally.
The Friend of the Sea cer-tificate “is a project for the
certification and promotion of seafood from sustainable fish-eries and sustainable aquacul-ture,” its website said.
“We will be meeting with the representatives of the Con-trol Union International by the end of January,” Lopoz said in last Wednesday’s media fo-rum at Habi at Kape in Abree-za Ayala Mall.
Lopoz said MinDA arrived with the three focused ac-creditations after conducting series of consultations among stakeholders in Mindanao.
She said producers and exporters who will be able to acquire these three accredita-tions will be given the authori-ty to use the Mindanao Collec-tive Trademark by the MinDA as the issuing body.
The Mindanao Collective Trademark will be used as a common trademark to signify good quality, global compet-itiveness and product origin,
Farmers told: Get agri certifications
F FARMERS, 10
EXTENSION? A car wash shop worker uses a portion of the road as an extension of the establishment as he washes a client’s vehicle along Roxas Avenue yesterday. Many establishments in the city use the road as extensions of their businesses, defeating the purpose of the government’s road-widening projects. Lean Daval Jr.
Facing the water crisisText and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO
(First of Two Parts)
WITHOUT water, life itself would cease to exist. As Albert
Szent-Gyorygi, Hungarian bio-chemist and Nobel Prize for medicine, puts it: “Water is life’s matter and matrix, moth-er and medium. There is no life without water.”
Water, next to air, is the element most necessary for survival. Science tells us that water makes up more than 60% of our body weight. Pro-teins make up only 18% while fats encompass 15%, minerals 4%, carbohydrates 2% and vi-tamins less than one percent.
A household of five needs at least 120 liters per day to meet basic needs – for drink-ing, food preparation, cooking and cleaning up, washing and personal hygiene, laundry, house cleaning, according to the Washington-based World-watch Institute, a global envi-ronmental group.
A person needs at least 24 liters of water daily or one liter per hour. Even when he breathes, he still needs water. “Our lungs must be moist to take in oxygen and excrete carbon dioxide,” wrote Leroy Perry in a Reader’s Digest arti-cle. “It is possible to lose half a liter of liquid each day just by exhaling.”
Water is indeed very im-portant. This is the reason why most residents in my home-town complain of lack of water. Every day, I have to wake up very early in the morning in order for me to take a bath. By 6 am, the water stops flowing. My sisters and in-laws have to save water in containers.
It’s not only the hassle of waking up early, saving water in containers but the problem of being bitten my dengue-car-rying mosquitoes, which hap-pened to my two nieces.
Last Monday morning, after checking my e-mails, I immediately went to the bath-room to take a bath. I assumed there was still water but lo and behold none came out from the faucet. To think of, it’s not summer yet.
It was good there was a container filled with water. I was lucky but my friend, who lives in Davao City, was not. That very same day, at lunch time, he posted in his face-book: “I was late for my work today. I didn’t take a bath until 8 am since there was no water.”
A couple of years back, a study conducted by the Ja-pan International Coopera-tion Agency listed Davao City as one of the “water-critical areas” in the country. There were actually nine and the 8
other cities were Metro Manila, Met-ro Cebu, Baguio, Angeles, Bacolod, Iloilo, Cagayan de Oro, and Zambo-anga.
More often than not, when there is water cri-sis, we blamed the water suppliers. In some instanc-es, people lam-bast those log-gers -- both legal and illegal -- as the reason why the country is now facing water problem. Other culprits include surging population, water pollution, and proliferation of industries and factories.
Unknowingly, our eat-ing habits has something to do also with the water crisis, forthcoming or currently being experienced in some parts of the country.
“The link between water and food is strong,” admits Les-ter Brown, president of Wash-
ington, D.C.-based Earth Policy Institute. “We drink, in one form or another, nearly 4 liters of water per day. But the food we consume each day requires at least 2,000 liters to produce, 500 times as much.”
In most of Asia, including the Philippines, water is the single most important com-ponent for sustainable rice production, especially in the traditional rice growing areas, according to Thierry Facon, senior water management
officer of the regional office of Food and Agriculture Or-ganization (FAO) in Bangkok, Thailand.
Current rice produc-tion systems consume a high amount of water. It takes about 3,000 liters of water to produce one kilogram of rice, reports the Laguna-based In-ternational Rice Research In-stitute (IRRI).
In his book, Food Revo-lution, author John Robbins
said that 23 gallons of water is needed to produce one pound of lettuce, 23 gallons for one pound of tomatoes, 24 gallons for one pound of potatoes, 25 gallons for one pound of wheat, 33 gallons for one pound of carrots, and 49 gallons for one pound of apples.
Meat production also con-sumes a lot of water. “Agricul-ture uses about 70% of the world’s available freshwater, and one third of that is used to grow the grain fed to live-stock,” reports the Worldwatch Institute.
Beef, the meat used in most fastfood outlets, is by far the most water-intensive of all meats. “The more than 15,000
liters of water used per kilogram is far more than is required by a number of staple foods, such as eggs (3,300 liters per ki-logram), milk (1,000 liters), or potatoes (255 liters).”
The US Depart-ment of Commerce 1992 Census of Ag-riculture’s Farm and Ranch Irrigation Survey, published in 1994, reported that one pound of pork needs at least 1,630 gallons of water to pro-
duce but in contrast one pound of beef requires 5,214 gallons of water.
“Producing beef is much more resource-intensive than producing pork or chicken, requiring roughly three to five times as much land to gener-ate the same amount of pro-tein,” the Worldwatch Institute points out. “Beef production alone uses about three fifths of global farmland but yields less than 5% of the world’s
protein.”Around the world, more
than 40% of wheat, rye, oats, and corn production is fed to animals, along with 250 million tons of soybeans and other oilseeds. “Feeding grain to livestock improves their fer-tility and growth, but it sets up a de facto competition for food between animals and people,” the Worldwatch Institute says.
Global meat production and consumption have in-creased rapidly in recent de-cades, with harmful effects on the environment and public health as well as on the econo-my, according to research done by the institute’s Nourishing the Planet project. “Worldwide meat production has tripled over the last four decades and increased 20 percent in just the last 10 years,” it said. “Meanwhile, industrial coun-tries are consuming growing amounts of meat, nearly dou-ble the quantity than in devel-oping countries.”
The Philippines is already experiencing water shortage and the crisis will be more apparent in the coming years. As the population continues to grow, it needs more land to be used for food production and more water to grow crops and raise livestock. Studies have shown that agriculture has the highest demand of all water use with 85% while the other sectors – industry and domes-tic – have a combined demand of only 15%.
“With the demand for wa-ter growing in all three cate-gories, competition among sectors is intensifying, with ag-riculture almost always losing,” Brown says. “Agriculture is by far the biggest consumer of water worldwide,” IRRI adds. -- (To be concluded)
Memorial Masses will be offered in the following chapel and churches on January 23, 2016.
SAN PABLO PARISH .......................................................................................................................................... 10:30 AMJuna Subdivision, Matina, Davao City
SAN PEDRO CATHEDRAL .............................................................................................................................. 6:00 PMSan Pedro Street, Davao City
REDEMPTORIST CHURCH ............................................................................................................................ 6:00 AMJ. P. Laurel Avenue, Davao City
STA. ANA PARISH ............................................................................................................................................. 6:00 AMSta. Ana Avenue, Davao City
SACRED HEART PARISH ................................................................................................................................ 6:00 AMN. Torres St., Davao City
ASSUMPTION PARISH .................................................................................................................................... 6:00 AMF. Torres St., Davao City
ASCENSION OF THE LORD PARISH ...................................................................................................... 6:00 AMGSIS Heights, Matina, Davao City
ST. JUDE THADDEUS PARISH ................................................................................................................. 6:00 AMGen. Malvar St., Davao City
ST. FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH .............................................................................................................. 6:00 AMMaa, Davao City
In loving memory from his wife DIANA, children: WALTER & MARIANNE, MILTON & DEBBIE, BECKY & PAUL SHUI, FRANK JR., & CRISENDA, PEARL & RAFAEL RODRIGUEZ, HENRY, JOCKSON & MARIZON & grandchildren: CHLOÉ DIANE ROSE & MATTHEW LOWE, MELLISSA DEBBIE & RAYMOND ONG, FRANCESCA DEBBIE, DIANA DEBBIE, LATIMER, MELANIE, FRANK III, FRANCIS CHRISTOPHER, FREDRICK CARLO, FRANCO CARLOS, NOELLE ANNE, ELAINE MARIE, SOFIA MAE, JED JACOB and JEREMY EDWARD & great grandchildren CHARLES MATTHEW LOWE, AUSTIN MICHAEL LOWE, THOMAS ALEXANDRE ONG and SAMMUEL BENJAMIN ONG.
The family requests for prayer for eternal repose of his soul.
EDGEDAVAO
FRANK N. LIU, SR.Founder and Former Chairman
November 16, 1916 – January 24, 1992SOUTHERN MOTORS OF DAVAO, INC.
DAVAO City Third District Rep. Isidro T. Ungab shared a piece of significant information last week when he announced that the budget for the first phase of the modern Davao City
Sports Complex in the amount of P450 million was fully provid-ed for in the 2015 and 2016 General Appropriations Act (GAA). Sounding ecstatic, Ungab said the inclusion of the amount in the national budget would mean that the sports facility will be put in place by 2017.
This, the lawmaker was quick to add, would also mean the real-ization of a common dream. Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte, the people of Davao, and he himself had long desired to have a sports complex in the city, and seeing this becoming a reality is one of the greatest accomplishments of the present administration.
“We have long desired to have this sports facility, and it was the dream of Mayor Duterte to build a modern sports complex for the people of Davao. Right now, we are seeing the realization of that dream,” said Ungab, his eyes beaming with happiness and pride as he made the announcement. This was understandable. It was Ungab who helped Duterte in realizing this dream, securing the needed funds as chair of the House Committee on Appropriations
and complimenting the mayor’s efforts just to make it all happen.Now, construction of the sports complex, which sits on a
20-hectare lot inside the University of the Philippines-Mindanao in Mintal, Tugbok District, is in full swing. The first phase of the project include the building of the indoor sports building or the UP Kinetics Building (P100 million), road concreting (P50 million), left side auditorium (P50 million), and first phase of the outdoor sports which is the track and field oval (P50 million).
The project initially got funding from the 2015 GAA in the amount of P250 million. For the 2016 GAA, the sports facility was appropriated P200 million more to complete the second phase of the outdoor sports, track and field oval, and swimming pool in the amount of P150 million and the construction of the right side au-ditorium in the amount of P50 million. The first phase of the proj-ect is eyed for completion by mid of 2017.
There was not much fanfare when construction of the sports complex started last year, but the people of Davao have all the rea-son to be excited knowing that the facility they have been yearning to have all these years is finally being erected. The dream is now a reality.
Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ
OLIVIA D. VELASCOGeneral Manager
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DAVAO City has been named among the four agribusiness centers in the Philip-pines. Two other cities are from Mindan-
ao: Cagayan de Oro and General Santos. Metro Cebu is the only city listed not from Mindanao.
“Mindanao is the seat of many agribusiness centers in the country,” wrote Rolando T. Dy, the Executive Director of the Center for Food and AgriBusiness of the University of Asia & the Pacific. “Most of the agri-food exports originate from there. Among these are: banana, coconut oil and products, processed fish, rubber, and palm oil.”
Agribusiness in other parts of the world is a big business; it generally refers to large agricul-tural plantations. But in the Philippine context, it is not merely production of farm products.
“(Agribusiness) also covers processing and marketing, as well as the supply of inputs,” wrote Dy in an article which was published in Marid Agribusiness Magazine. Actually, that’s how Harvard’s Ray Goldberg defined it in 1954. “It is only now that the definition is sinking among the public. It is only now that the value chain concept is infiltrating most mindsets.”
According to Dy, Davao City is the service center of Davao region. For one, it is home to large coconut oil mills: Davao Bay, Interco, Legazpi Oil, New Davao Oil, and Pacific Oil, to name a few.
“Superstar Coconut is a large dessicated co-conut exporter,” Dy noted. “Near the city is the
huge Franklin Baker dessicat-ed coconut and coconut water plant.”
Also located in Davao are five activated carbon plants (Davao Central Chem-ical Phil-Japan, Premium AC, Mindanao AC, and Philips Car-bon) and two biodiesel plants (Bioenergy and Freyvonne).
Davao City is also known for several banana chips plants (See’s International, Snap Snax, Arcmen Food, Koki Food, and others), fruit pro-cessing (Profood, Minco and Lola Abon), frozen saba banana (Sagrex Food) and cacao tablea (Puentespina and Tsokolate de San Pedro). Nu-triasia (banana ketchup) has a plant in the city.
Four large feed mills (San Miguel BMeg, Pilmico, Vitarich and Julu) call the city as its home. NQF and Calixtra are among the meat plants Davao is known for.
“There are public and private ports serving international routes,” Dy reported.
In Central Mindanao, the service center is General Santos City, also called Dadiangas. At least six canned tuna plants are located in the
city: Alliance, Celebes, Genera, Ocean, Philbest, and Seatrade.
“It is home to nine companies that are eight exporters of high value tuna products: Angel Seafoods, East Asia Fish, Frescomar, Phil Kingford, Eastern Visayas Seafoods, RDExport, San Andres Fishing Industry, and Sta. Cruz Sea-foods. RD also exports processed shrimps,” Dy said.
Also in General Santos are Cargil Oil Mill, Century Food (coconut water), and SM Com-modities (corn). “The area is served by an in-ternational port,” Dy wrote.
Cagayan de Oro City is the regional capital of Northern Mindanao. Among the agri-food chain players are: Del Monte (fruit cannery), Limketkai Manufacturing (vegetable oil), Nes-tle (coffee), Pilipinas Kao (coconut oleo-chem-icals), Cagayan Corn Products, Cagayan de Oro Oil and Ricor Oil (coconut oil), and Amley Foods (dried mango).
Liwayway/Oishi (snack foods) has a plant in the city. “Gardenia Bakeries Philippines, Inc., the country’s biggest breadmaker, is now look-ing at Cagayan de Oro as a suitable bread plant location,” Dy said.
Bounty Fresh, General Milling and San Mi-guel B-Meg and GAMA are operating feed mills. The latter has also a chicken dressing plant. Asia Brewery can also be found in this city. Likewise, Universal Robina Corporation’s plant in nearby El Salvador produces snack foods.
“As the region’s processing center,” Dy said, “Cagayan de Oro draw raw materials from its periphery as well as from imports.” Like Gen-eral Santos, it is also served by an international port.
Of the six agribusiness centers, five are also located in Mindanao: Bukidnon, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, North Cotabato, and South Cotabato. The only other province join-ing the list is Negros Occidental (which domi-nates the country’s sugar industry).
Described as the banana capital of Asia, Davao del Norte is a leading producer of Cav-endish banana, banana chips, cacao, and ban-gus. The banana firms include Tadeco, Dole, Sumitomo Fruits, and Unifrutti, Lapanday, Marsman-Drysdale, Hijo Resources and three Herbco cooperatives.
The key banana chips exporters are Prime Fruits, Four Seasons, and Tagum/El Coco.
As for Davao del Sur, Dy gave this informa-tion: “The province has a diversified agriculture producing banana, banana chips, sugar, desic-cated coconut and rubber. The leading com-panies are Franklin Baker, Coco Davao (desic-cated coconut and coconut water), ECJ Farms, Davao Sugar Central, and Lapanday Foods.”
North Cotabato is a leading rubber produc-er and processor. Bukidnon, on the other hand, is a key producer of pineapples, corn, sugar, highland banana and livestock. It has also oil palm, highland vegetables, rubber and coffee.
THE credibility, as well as integrity, of the Commission on Elections and of the 2016 election is at stake in the disqualification
cases against Sen. Grace Poe’s presidential bid at the Supreme Court. So is the validity of the Constitution and of applicable jurisprudence.
Will the Court uphold the decision of the Commission cancelling Poe’s (COC) certificate of candidacy for president due to material misrep-resentation regarding her citizenship and resi-dency requirements or give in to the pleas of Poe and her supporters to let the voters decide in case her qualifications are found wanting?
If the Comelec decision is reversed its au-thority will be weakened; and so will be that of Section 3 of Article VII of the 1987 Constitution and the decided Supreme Court cases it applied to vet Poe’s COC. That will establish the doctrine — “Let the voters decide” (equated to “vox po-puli”) – to be followed in ultimately deciding the qualification of candidates.
Concerning the credibility of the 2016 election, whichever way the Court decides, two “must-dos’ must prevail: First, the Court must promulgate its decision before February 1 when the printing of the ballots starts. Sec-ond, Poe should accept the decision as she had promised, even if it is adverse to her, foregoing the filing of a motion for reconsideration.
However, there will be no credibility prob-lem whatsoever if the Court promulgates its decision before February 1 finding Poe’s citi-zenship and residency qualifications without defect and Comelec readily bows to the Court.
PromulgationIf the oral arguments that started on Jan-
uary 19 will end on January 26 as scheduled, the Court has five days to promulgate a deci-sion that will determine whether Poe’s name is included in or deleted from the ballots when the printing starts. Five days is short. Can the
Comelec extend for the second time the start-ing date to February 8? That will give the Court ample time.
At present, the Comelec is under Court or-der not to cancel Poe’s certificate of candidacy. Without knowing the final status of Poe before the printing starts, the Comelec will have to in-clude her name in the ballots.
With her name in the ballots, complicated problems will ensue should Poe be disqualified eventually. Foremost, she can be voted upon – the votes considered as “stray”. The stray votes that can be in millions will result not only in massive disenfranchisement but in doubt as to who the real winner is. The stray votes if cast for the other candidates will be significant to determine the true winner. The doubt and other forms of complication must be avoided.
Considering the urgency of the case, there is no doubt the Court will give it top priority.
AcceptanceWill Poe oblige, complying with the second
“must-do”, should the Court not side with her contrary to her assurance in the media? Indica-tions are that she will exhaust all legal remedies before bowing down and out. Instead of humbly accepting her disqualification, she files a motion for reconsideration (MR).
She has 15 days after receiving the decision to file MR. That will prevent the Court from lifting its temporary restraining orders that stopped the poll body from cancelling Poe’s COC. The TRO will be in effect until the MR is fi-nally resolved – a time that will be well after the start of the printing the ballots even if extended from February 1. Poe’s name will remain in the
ballots.Poe has waged a media blitz to sustain her
supporters’ morale and, very obviously, to in-fluence the thinking of the Supreme Court jus-tices. The only way to preempt Poe’s rejection of the second “must-do” is for the Court to adopt Poe’s line of thinking and reasoning then re-verse the Comelec’s decision.
Will this happen?
Best OptionBy how Poe’s counsel, Alexander Pobla-
dor, was grilled in the January 19 hearing of oral arguments, Poe is uncertain of a favorable decision. Justice Mariano del Castillo, who will write the decision, led the dissection of her cit-izenship and residency qualifications. Of the four other justices who interpellated Poblador, Justice Marvic Leonen was Poe’s only source of hope.
Poe’s media blitz has placed the Court in a precarious balance. However, it appeared in the January 19 hearing — unless a new tone turns out on January 26 — that the Court will render an adverse ruling regardless of a backlash from her millions of supporters – she, being the most popular of all the candidates. The stray votes will be inevitable to mar the credibility of the May 2016 election.
There is a possibility that Leonen’s plea for the foundlings can sway the majority to favor Poe. If Poblador’s argument that under Para-graph 8 of Section 4, Article VII of the 1987 Con-stitution only the Supreme Court sitting en banc “shall be the sole judge” regarding the “qualifica-tions of the President” prevails – amplified by Ar-ticle IX(C), Section 2(2) that limits the jurisdic-tion of the Comelec over qualifications of candi-dates to those for local government offices only — the Comelec decision will be thrown out.
In that event, Poe will be able to run while her qualification is being directly questioned
before the Court. This question Justice Teresita Leonardo-de Castro posed to Poblador is meant for all: “Is it good for our people to vote for some-one whose qualification is uncertain and whose qualification can be overturned?” In fact, it can be any time before the votes are canvassed or immediately after. Not only the credibility but also the integrity of the May 2016 election will still be at stake.
The decision of the Comelec was not to disqualify Poe for failing to meet her residen-cy and citizenship qualifications but for the cancellation of her COC due to “material mis-representation” regarding her residency and citizenship to affirm she is qualified.
The best option for the Court is to disqualify Poe outright if it finds the “material misrepre-sentation” is true, promulgate its decision be-fore the printing of the ballots starts, and lift the TRO. Leave it to the Comelec to minimize the fall-out from the stray ballots.
However, let Poe disprove the skeptics. She is honorable. She promised to abide by the deci-sion of the Court. She will be most admired if in living up to the promise, in the event of an unfa-vorable decision, she will no longer file a motion for reconsideration
Regarding her Senate seat, the Court must let her keep it until her term expires while she is trying to identify her biological mother or father. Should she fail to, she should not be al-lowed to run for reelection in 2019. If she can, she will be more mature to run for president in 2022. By then, there will be no question about her residency. (Comment” is Mr. Patricio P. Diaz’ column for MindaViews, the opinion section of MindaNews. Mr. Diaz is the recipient of a “Life-time Achievement Award” from the Titus Brands-ma for his “commitment to education and public information to Mindanawons as Journalist, Edu-cator and Peace Advocate. You may e-mail your comments to [email protected])
tive initiatives also included bills that protect the consti-tutional right of all citizens to quality and accessible education, promoting health development and social ser-vices, institutionalization of urban land reform and housing, and strengthening of agrarian reform and agri-culture. He also filed a bill on Drivers Education Program for inclusion in the senior high school curriculum.
In addition, he advocat-ed bills on economic and local government reforms, dispensation of justice, pro-gressive system of taxation, protection of the sanctity of the ballots, and the adoption of measures on global warm-ing and climate change.
Some of the significant congressional efforts he pursued tenaciously were the approval of the bill re-quiring the use of middle names in all documents and transactions; the renewal of the franchise granted to a broadcasting system; the declaration of March 31 as ‘Panabo Day’; establishment of addition court branches in his district; the opening of a Registry of Deeds office in Panabo City; the affirmation
of August 14 as ‘Foundation Day’ of Santo Tomas town; and the establishment of a Special Economic Zone in Samal, a bill first filed by Rep. Floirendo.
Family and membershipMarried to Dawn Zu-
lueta (nee Maria Rachel Taleon) with whom he has two children, namely Jacobo Antonio and Ayisha Madlen, Lagdameo is a member of the powerful Commission on Appointments and chairs the committees on Tourism and Economic Develop-ment, and Trade and Indus-try.
He is also a member of the committees on Agrarian Reform, Ecology, Legislative Franchises, Mindanao Af-fairs, Accounts; and the Joint Congressional Oversight Committee on Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (COCAAP).
Outside Congress, he was past president of Rota-ry Club of West Davao, and is Board member, co-chair-man, and trustee of the Ban-tay Bata 163 and the People Collaboration for Economic and Environment Manage-ment (PCEEM). (AVF)
she said.MinDA consultant Engr.
Merly T. Cruz earlier said the trademark was registered last February 2015 in the Intellec-tual Property Office (IPO) and “comes as a symbol that em-bodies four essential factors- scale, quality, delivery and traceability.”
“It is a voluntary standard that is seen to strengthen the enterprises and industries of Mindanao by ensuring the compliance with the demands of the world market,” Cruz said.
A collective mark is a spe-cial form of trademark that distinguishes the product based on its geographical or-igin, material, mode of man-ufacture or other common characteristics of goods and services, according to Cruz.
The Mindanao Collective Mark is “designed to provide a platform for a comprehensive program leading to a distinct good quality and increased
competitiveness of Mindan-ao’s product.”
“The Mindanao Collective Mark will represent the intent of Mindanao’s industries to thrive in the local and interna-tional market,” Cruz said.
The collective mark, she added, will become Mindan-ao’s trademark “worthy of the trust and confidence of the market.”
The guidelines and code of practice are being planned and will be formulated by the Mindanao Collective Mark Core Group composed of Min-DA and other different govern-ment agencies and industry players.
The guidelines and proto-cols for the trademark is ex-pected to be ready by the end of first quarter.
Lopoz said MinDA will be prioritizing to give premium to value-added products of three champion commodities of Mindanao which are cacao, coffee, and coconut.
panies participating, Pantino-ple called on students to ap-ply for the SPES program this summer.
“For all students and out-of-school youth who want to avail themselves of the SPES program, just visit the PESO office on the first week of Feb-ruary because we will give forms,” she said.
She said students should bring along their require-
ments such as a photocopy of their birth certificate and income tax return of their par-ents to prove that their fami-ly’s net annual income has not exceeded P119,000.
“For those parents who are not employed by compa-nies such as drivers and ven-dors, just bring an affidavit of low income from their baran-gay,” she said. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
He later on said that the candidates who were invited but did not show up “must have their own reasons” for not attending, but “I’m only saying that, not that it’s re-grettable, but, I’m sad.”
In a format designed by the organisers, the Presi-dential and Vice Presidential tandems were supposed to present their platform of gov-ernment and programs.
They were also expected to respond to questions from the representatives of the ac-ademe, the audience and the social media.
All of the tandems were reportly invited - Roxas and Leni Robredo, Jejomar Binay and Gregorio Honasan, Mir-iam Defensor-Santiago and Ferdinand Marcos Jr., and Grace Poe Llamanzares and
Francis Escudero.In the absence of the four
other tandems, Duterte and Cayetano had the crowd all for themselves and all the time to explain their pro-grams of governance.
Duterte, with his signa-ture sarcastic remarks, tough talk and jokes, captivated the audience and the won the hearts of many with his frank and straight forward answer to questions raised.
Roxas, on the other hand, who made a big issue about Duterte’s silence when he challenged the Davao City Mayor to a debate, not only lost the opportunity to show his debating prowess but also missed the chance to respond to his former friend’s searing accusations about his “in-competence.” MANNY PIÑOL
Driz also said based on po-lice information, it is possible that Cornetes was involved in a series of panel truck rob-beries in the Buhangin area in Davao City.
She said the suspect was always accompanied by a cousin every time they robbed
a panel truck.She also said the investi-
gators are validating if Cor-netes was charged by the Bu-hangin Police Station last year. “It is possible that he has oth-er cases from other police sta-tions in the region,” she added. ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.
“These areas were chosen based on the preparedness of the area for planting. The criteria were set by a tech-nical working group (TWG) composed of MinDA, PCA, De-partment of Agriculture and Department of Trade and In-dustry,” Lopoz said.
These areas, she added, have organized farmers as-sociations and cooperators which will be the beneficiary of the program.
Under the program (Ca-cao Double-Up), both the pri-vate and public stakeholders of the cacao industry are tar-geting to double –up Mindan-ao’s cacao production and at-tain 100,000 metric tons (MT) of cacao production by 2020, which will be used to at least
supply the 10 percent global deficiency of 1 million MT.
Data from MinDA showed Mindanao is the biggest pro-ducer of cacao in the country, supplying almost 90 percent of the country’s total cacao production.
The Davao Region, mean-while, gets the biggest chunk in Mindanao share with more than 90 percent coming from cacao production areas here.
Last year, the Cacao In-dustry Development Asso-ciation of Mindanao, Inc. es-timated the country’s total cacao production at 12,000 to 13,000 metric tons (MT) cacao produced last year, of which 11,000 to 12,000 MT came from Davao. CHENEEN R. CAPON
ership of Port Collector De-siderio Cabatana and Jamail Marohomsalic had a total col-lection of P91,051,875 or an increase of P22,990,801.77 from its P68,061,073.53 tar-get last year.
However, the ports of Da-diangas and Mati City failed to reach their collection targets last year, he pointed out.
Dadiangas had a collection goal of P1,205,714,184.28 but was able to collect only the amount
of P1,126,036,572.07 while the Port of Mati only collect-ed P3,598,374.00 far below its target of P12,137,012.10 last year.
Butalid said he is con-fident that BOC 12 will be able to exceed further their assigned goals for 2016 as he urged officials and employ-ees in their district to work harder as a team in order to achieve and surpass their target collection goals. Con-tributed
national and domestic, the Samal – Talikud Convergence, and the hosting of Zeghram Cruise ship.
Alabado also reported some major MICE events in the region namely, the midyear PICE Convention, the Palar-ong Pambansa, Association of Tourism Officers of the Phil-ippines, Philippine College of Physicians Midyear Conven-tion, Davao International Trav-el Expo, NAITAS General Mem-bership and Business Meeting, Philippine Nurses National Convention and Insular Life Convention.
The other contributor to a good performance was the increased connectivity. Ala-bado cited Air Asia that re-es-tablished the Davao-Manila-Davao, Cebu Pacific launched their Davao direct flight to Sin-gapore and SilkAir added more Davao-Cebu-Singapore flights.
In 2015, new tourism products were developed with the creation of new tour pack-ages and the development of new attractions.
He also mentioned an en-
hanced agritourism through Asia’s Fruit Market, the new Samal tour packages which included agricultural tour, the Taklobo tour and the Talikud tour, the Marilog Highland Ag-ritour.
The development of cul-tural villages was among the efforts undertaken last year fo-cusing on the Bagobo Cultural Village and the potential Sang-ab Mandaya Cultural Village, he said.
As to human resource development, Alabado said the region was a recipient of the ADB-CIDA Industry Skills Training Project of 6 grant-ees to receive free trainings to cover human resource man-agement, CB tourism, securi-ty certification, etc. with 414 trainees.
There were also some 40 various trainings for the re-gion’s tourism stakeholders were conducted on homestay program, customer service, communication skills and get-ting to know you tourists with 2,099 persons were trained. (PNA)
SO far, eight presidential can-didates are included in the initial certified list of can-
didates of the Commission on Elections (Comelec) for the May national and local elections.
Based on the List of National and Local Candidates for Verifica-tion posted on the Comelec web-site, www.comelec.gov.ph, those who are running in the highest post in the land are: Jojo Binay (United Nationalist Alliance, UNA), Miriam Defensor Santia-go (People’s Reform Party, PRP), Rody Duterte (PDP-LABAN), Mel Mendoza (Pwersa ng Masang Pilipino, PMP), Grace Poe (Inde-pendent, IND), Mar Roxas (Daang Matuwid, Liberal Party (LP), Roy Seneres (WPPPMMM, Partido ng
Manggagawa at Magsasaka) and Dante Valencia (IND).
Also included in the partial list are six vice presidential and 52 senatorial bets: Alan Peter Cayetano (IND), Chiz Escudero (IND), Gringo Honasan (UNA), Bongbong Marcos (IND), Leni Ro-bredo (LP), and Antonio Trillanes IV (Independent).
Those who are running for the 12 senatorial seats are: Raffy Alunan, (IND), Ina Ambolodto (LP), Tonyboy Aquino (IND), Godofredo Urquiza (IND), Levi-to Baligod (IND), Greco Belgica (IND), Walden Bello (IND), Sandra Cam (PMP), Joel Catmon (PGRP), Mel Chavez (WPPPMM), Neri Col-menares (MKBYN), Leila de Lima (LP), Isko Moreno Domagoso
8 make it to Comelec’s initiallist of presidential candidates
(PMP), Frank Drilon (LP), Larry Gadon (KBL), Win Gatchalian (NPC), Dick Gordon (IND), TG Guingona (LP), Risa Hontiveros (AKBYN), Princess Angel Jaafar (IND), Eid Kabalu (IND), Atty. Lor-na Kapunan (AKSYON), Princess Jacel Kiram (UNA), Alma Moreno Laxamana (UNA), Panfilo Lacson (IND).
Also included in the list of senatorial candidates are: Mr. Juror Lagare (IND), Rey Langit (UNA), Mark Lapid (AKSYON), Dante Liban (IND), Romeo Ma-ganto (LAKAS), Edu Manzano
(IND), Allan Montano (UNA), Mon Montaño (IND), Getulio Napeñas, Susan Ople (NP), Emma Orozco (IND), Sergio Osmeña III (IND), Manny Pacquiao (UNA), Mr. Coop Paez (IND), Samuel Pagdilao (IND), Jovito Palparan Jr. (IND), Kiko Pangilinan (LP), Carlos Jeri-cho Petilla (LP), Ralph Recto (LP), Roger Rodriguez (IND), Martin Romuladez (LAKAS), Roman Romulo (IND), Dionisio Santia-go (IND), Vicente Sotto (NPC), Francis Tolentino (IND), Joel Tes-daman Villanueva (LP) and Migz Zubiri (IND). (PNA)
REMINDER. Office of the Deputy Ombudsman for Mindanao spokespersons lawyer Faith Presbitero and lawyer Gil Norman Ciudadano remind reelectionists that they are not allowed to use government vehicles and other properties for their respective campaigns. Presbitero and Ciudadano graced yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall. Lean Daval Jr.
ducted a little outreach activity at a loving home for the aged in Calinan, Davao City. There are cur-rently sixteen residents of this relatively new caring institution. Some suffer from debilitating diseases while other are simply
too old to be left alone. Some are lucky enough to be visited by their rela-tives, while the rest rely solely on the loving care of the social workers. We prepared simple gifts and brought some food. I played my violin while my
other friend, Edwin Luis, belted out some standard songs of the 80s. It was Edwin’s idea that we share little blessings specifically among those old people. He is, by the way, a former scholar at Ballet Philip-pines, and now manages the Drag Artist Davao, the city’s premier drag queens and impersonator group. We were also joined by my other friend, Denise Bunayog of Davao Danac-esport Council and Min-danao’s sole adjudicator accredited by the World Dancesport Council based
Perhaps, to a certain extent, Dr. Patch Adams is right. The world’s worst disease is indifference. Anyone who had watched the movie “Patch Adams” understands this better. Or, as Bob Moorehead, in “The Paradox of Our
Time”, succinctly puts it, “We’ve been all the way to the moon and back but have trouble crossing the street to meet the new neighbor…conquered outer space but not inner space….” Last December, we con-
PEOPLE
EDGEDAVAO
THESE DAYS, kids and young people alike are more enamored with tangible, material things. They spend more time with gadgets and other mundane stuff – in the mistaken belief that these inanimate objects represent all the good things the world has to offer. Well, there is no attempt at judging the pen-chant of a generation here, except that Ein-stein might be turning over in his grave right now if he discovers how attached to technol-ogy many individuals are and how detached they are from the rest of the humanity.
INdulge!
COMPASSION A4
The messages in the bottles are literal tools in encouraging people to be more compassionate and
understanding.
Aile Althea Mana-ay Danggan, my 10-year-old niece, learning the value of compassion and kindness. This is the most poignant photo of our little outreach activity at the home for the aged.
The makeshift venue of my rudimentary violin “recital” is made up of a dilapidated videoke machine at the retirement home.
Message in the bottle:CompassionBy Jonallier M. Perez
One of the bottles we found hanging at the retirement home. They contain messages from the aging residents of the institution.
THE YEAR OF THE RED FIRE MONKEY is predicted to be a rare year for those born under this Chinese zodiac sign. This is a favorable year for new business ventures and changing of careers. If you are born in the Year of the Monkey, everything you dreamed of can be achieved this year. This is reason enough to celebrate its coming at the Waterfront Insular Hotel Davao. A lavish Chinese-inspired dinner buffet will be prepared by Executive Chef Victor D. Barangan and his award-winning team at the Café Uno on February 7, 2016. For only Php 888.00nett per
person, wine and dine on the specially prepared succulent dishes and coupled with a complimentary Mango Sago beverage. The traditional Lion Dance, and other rituals for prosperity, will precede this copious culinary display
in the hotel Lobby. The celebration does not stop there as we will also have a sumptuous lunch buffet of Chinese-inspired cuisine on February 8, 2016 at only Php 750.00nett per person. Come with your friends and family and bring in prosperity and good fortune in this iconic cultural celebration. For inquiries, reservations and updates on our events, promos and culinary offerings, contact us at (082) 233 2881 to 87 or 300 8881 or visit our website at www.waterfronthotels.com.ph. Like us also on Facebook at www.facebook.com/waterfront.davao and follow us on Instagram and Twitter at WaterfrontDavao.
Waterfront Insular Hotel to celebrate Chinese New Year
EACH YEAR millions gather in the Queen City of the South, Cebu City for the Sinulog Festival. This celebration attracts Filipinos and foreigners from around the globe. The month-long celebration is highlighted by the street parade that showcases col-orful costumes, joyful dancing and the exhilarating beat of the drums. This year, the Sinulog Festival 2016 adopted the theme “ Sinulog Goes Global”. The festi-val also had other fun fares that included art exhibits, cultural shows, concerts, pageants and concerts.
DMI-MX3, proud of its Fili-pino roots, also took to Sinulog its commitment to provide the best health products to Cebua-nos. MX3 participated in the GMA event at the Ayala Center Terraces last January 15, 2016. Free flowing coffee was served to event goers to boost their energy. MX3 coffee is already a favorite among many here and abroad because of its excel-lent taste and added benefits. To provide revelry, games like MX3 Hooray were participated by the cheerful audiences. Win-ners were generously rewarded with MX3 gift packs. DMI is always delighted to reach out and be with a significant ele-ment of the company, our cli-ents. GMA artists Mark Herras,
Joyce Bernal,and Kylie Padilla provided entertainment to the eager Cebu crowd. The overwhelming number of people who flock to witness the event each year shows how the Sinulog remains to be Cebu City’s proud attraction. MX3 also wants to allow as many peo-ple from all corners of the world to gain from the goodness of its products. The active ingredient is derived from the exocarp of the Mangosteen, the “Queen of the Fruits”. MX3 has alpha, beta and gamma mangostana which can help in the maintenance and improvement of one’s health. The vision of DMI is not only to let people to try MX3 but also to share the word of God, the best food for our body and soul.
Bailey on first solo album: It’s a dream come true
IT’S A SERIES OF JOB INTERVIEWS every Filipino should not miss. As the country gears for the upcoming Eleksyon 2016, GMA News and Public Affairs takes a closer look at the candidates seeking the country’s highest government position through its special Wanted: President. The Election Special, which will air on Sundays beginning January 24, is a series of one-on-one interviews with the frontrunners of the 2016 presidential race and will be facilitated by GMA News pillars Mike Enriquez and Mel Tiangco. In an hour-long episode, each presidential aspirant will pass through the scrutiny of the esteemed Kapuso broadcast journalists, answering questions that aim to help the voting public
decide who to elect come May. The “job interview” will touch on various topics ranging from the candidate’s personality, his/her stand on various national and international issues, his/her involvement in various controversies, and his/her concrete action plans for the country’s future. For its pilot episode on January 24, Mike sits down with Vice President Jejomar Binay, who answers the allegations of corruption hurled against him regarding the so-called “Hacienda Binay”, the alleged overpriced Makati City Hall building II, and the Boy Scout land deal. As he puts his best foot forward, the Vice President shares his thoughts about the Commission on Audit and his ideas as to how
best to eradicate corruption in the government. Binay also takes a stand on the death penalty, the freedom of information bill, and other controversial issues. On a lighter note, the Vice President opens up about his personal life, even sharing his latest spat with his wife, Elenita. Furthermore, Binay explains why Pambansang Bae Alden Richards is the perfect actor to portray him in a biopic. Wanted: President’s second episode, meanwhile, will feature former DILG Secretary Mar Roxas as interviewed by Mel Tiangco. The rest of the presidential aspirants are scheduled to grace the said program in the following weeks. Catch “Wanted: President” starting January 24, 2016, 9:30 p.m. on GMA-7.
FROM BEING AN INTERNET SENSATION who performs covers songs of popular artists, “Pinoy Big Brother 737” 4th Teen Big Placer Bailey May is now ready to conquer the industry with songs and an album he can call his own. Now a certified recording artist, Bailey has just released his first-ever, self-titled solo album under Star Music. “I’m so blessed to have my own album and to have worked with such great writers and producers. It’s also an awesome blessing that my dream has come to
be a part of the Star Music Family. God is good,” said Bailey. The Global Gwapito of UK is indeed blessed to have worked with Inspirational Diva Jamie Rivera, who served as his album’s overall album producer. Jamie also composed two tracks on the album – the catchy “Can You Be My Girl” and Bailey’s first single, “Gusto Kita.” His fans will also surely love the hiphop-laced “Boom goes My Heart,” the sparkling “Now We’re Together,” the inspiring “Gotta Win,” and Bailey’s version of “Build Me Up,
Buttercup.” “Bailey,” which includes minus one versions of all the tracks, can now be streamed on Spotify and will soon be available at all record bars nationwide. Digital tracks can also be downloaded via leading record stores all over the country and in online music stores such as iTunes, Mymusicstore.com.ph, Amazon.com, and Starmusic.ph. For more information, visit Starmusic.ph or follow Star Music’s official social media accounts at Facebook.com/starrecordsphil, Twitter.com/starrecordsph and Instagram.com/Starmusicph.
‘Celebrity Playtime’ doubles fun on weekendsDOUBLE YOUR DOSE of fun and laughter every weekend by watching ABS-CBN’s talk- comedy- game show “Celebrity Playtime,” which will start airing on Saturdays (4:45 PM) and Sundays (5 PM) beginning January 23. “I’m very thankful that people appreciate the
show. I’m used to doing ‘Deal or No Deal’ and ‘Minute to Win It’ where there is a bit of tension and I need to make the player nervous. On ‘Playtime,’ it’s very light and all fun,” said host Luis Manzano. As the happiest hour on TV continues, the competition between its
teams intensifies. Team Ka-Familiar composed of Karla Estrada, Nyoy Volante, EA Guzman, and Melai Cantiveros remains the defending champion with a total of P1.6 million in earnings. Their rival, K Brosas, Pooh, Chokoleit, and Pokwang of Team Building, vow to do their best and defeat the other team. Which team will win this weekend? Don’t miss “Celebrity Playtime,” Saturdays and Sundays on ABS-CBN. For updates on the program, like Celebrity Playtime (TV Show) on Facebook and follow @celebplaytime on Twitter or @celebrityplaytime on Instagram.
John Travolta, Michael Pitt/* Yael Grobglas, Yon Tumarkin
12:00 | 2:30 LFS / *5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS
Christian Bale, Steve Carell,
Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt/*Harrison Ford, Mark Hamill, Carrie Fisher
THE 5TH WAVE
Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson
January 22 – 26, 2016
A4 INdulge!PEOPLE
in London. It was fun. There were two pow-erful imageries that af-ternoon. One was the message-in-a-bottle in-stallation art, with bottles hanging above a little pond containing supposed messages of the aging resi-dents of the institution. We encouraged the man-agement to make it more permanent as the installa-tion is both a potent sym-bolism. The messages in the bottles are literal tools in encouraging people to be more compassionate and understanding. An-other equally powerful image was when my niece, Aile Althea, was handing out the gifts while doing the traditional Filipino “mano” gesture. The poi-gnant and heartwarming scene made many resident cry. The home-for-the-aged phenomenon is generally an anathema to the kind and caring disposition of the Filipino psyche. We are basically a warm and caring people. We are kind even to strangers, perhaps partly explaining why many expatriates choose to spend their retirement years in the Philippines. We are Asia’s friendliest people and this is probably one of our biggest tourist
assets. It is not always the white-sand beaches, ma-jestic falls, breathtaking vistas and other amazing destinations, among oth-ers. Institutions, like the homes for the aged, there-fore, are something alien to our culture and the whole concept is largely not acceptable, except in more urban areas. Davao City has a very slowly in-creasing population of old people admitted to similar institutions. Eco-nomics appears to be the common denominator, al-though there may be a lot other reasons why a fam-ily chose to or is forced to admit its aging member to a retirement home. The bottles contain a generic message. And the message is simple: com-passion. The moment we stop caring for each other is the moment we lose our humanity. Dr. Adrian Helmsley, a leading fic-tional character in the “2012” apocalyptic movie, said that. And there can be no more eloquent and emphatic way of saying it. The message is also clear. At some point in our lives, we need to act more as a citizen, as a member of a society, as an active player belonging to a larger, car-ing community. We need to act less as an individual.
And what better way to ensure kindness and com-passion of the generations than starting it with our children and young peo-ple, like Althea. It is about time that we do our little share.
COMPASSION A1
Our little group joined by personnel and management of the retirement home in Calinan, Davao City.
Edwin Luis, formerly of Ballet Philippines and a regular visitor of the home for the aged, belts out some standards songs to the delight of the residents.
The grandson also risesTHE son of former Philippine envoy to Mexico, Spain and the Court of St. James
Antonio M. Lagdameo and Linda Floirendo (eldest daughter of the late banana mogul Don Antonio O. Floirendo and wife Doña Nenita P. del Rosario), Rep.
Antonio F. Floirendo, Jr. is the second person in the family and the third in the clan to join politics.
Anton Lagdameo:
HANDS FULL. Instead of relaxing now that he isn’t running for any position in May, Rep. Lagdameo instead has his hands full helping his friends in their own campaigns. He regularly accompanies Sen. Bongbong Marcos during sorties around the country. Recently he joined the senator and Rep. Martin Romualdez, who is a candidate for Senator, during their visit to Davao.
thored but failed to pass Con-gress due to lack of material time was House Bill 1876, “An Act Designating Philippine National Performing Arts
Companies, Defining Their Roles and Functions as such, and Appropriating Funds Therefore”, also known also as the National Performing Arts Bill.
The salient features of the bill included the provi-sion that instead of Congress passing laws to recognize performing arts, it sought the creation of a selection com-mittee composed of experts to screen and acknowledge
national performing artists in the fields of ballet and contemporary dance, choral ensemble, orchestra, and the-ater group.
Under the legislation, a compromise bill integrating the position of the Cultur-al Center of the Philippines (CCP), National Commis-sion for Culture and the Arts (NCCA) and some performing arts groups, the mandatory re-assessment is done every five years.
Other billsRep. Lagdameo’s legisla-
Preceding him was uncle, Antonio R. ‘Tonyboy’ Floiren-do, Jr., who served three terms in Congress (1998-2004). In 2010, Antonio G. del Rosario, son of incumbent Davao del Norte governor Rodolfo P. del Rosario (Doña Nenita’s young-er brother), won a seat in Con-gress.
Curiously, Don Antonio, the patriarch, despite his popu-larity as a kingmaker in Davao region during his halcyon days, never threw his hat into the political arena. Instead, he acted as inspiration, support-er, father figure and motivator to emerging politicians. The old man’s inspirational role in Davao politics speaks volumes of the illustrious pedigree Rep. Lagdameo has while serv-ing Congress for three terms (2007-16).
Education and experienceLike former senator and
Interior and Local Govern-ment secretary Manuel A. Rox-as II, former Socio-Economic Planning secretary Solita Col-las-Monsod, and former sen-ator and Education secretary Raul S. Roco, Rep. Lagdameo earned his degree in Business Administration from the pres-tigious Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania (USA) in 1989. His alma mater also recognized his contribu-tions in public service when he was recently included in its prestigious “Notables List,” which is a select group of civic and political leaders from all over the world who have grad-uated from the University of Pennsylvania.
Before joining politics, Anton, as he is fondly called, immersed himself in business, testing his Ivy league know-how in actual management and honed his personal skills in understanding the complex world of global business. He worked for Manufacturers Ha-nover Trust Bank in Manhat-tan, New York, as credit analyst (1989-92) before transferring to National Westminster Bank, also in New York, a year later. Completing his professional stint abroad was as director of Cambrick Trading Ltd. in Lon-don (1993-96).
Upon his return to the country, he joined Anflo Man-agement & Investment Cor-poration, the flagship firm of his grandfather, as vice-pres-ident (1996-2007) until he
was convinced to join politics to replace his uncle who was in his third term in Congress as representative of Davao del Norte’s second district.
Barangay at heartTaking off from his uncle’s
‘Barangay una’ (community first agenda), Rep. Lagdameo institutionalized the Baran-gayanihan (from barangay + bayanihan), a village-based co-operative endeavor designed to bring growth directly to the grassroots. The initiative does not only reflect his polit-ical thrust but replicates the pro-masses corporate concept Don Antonio embraced when he first launched his agricul-tural undertakings.
Under the Barangayani-han concept, Lagdameo has focused his non-legislative efforts in strengthening so-cio-civic commitments to his constituents, promoting social justice and equality, encour-aging education and lifelong learning, and supporting tour-ism and sustainable progress.
In Congress, these advo-cacies are translated into bills that underscore the signif-icance of roads as channels of development in accessing remote communities, ensure the delivery of basic services to far-flung areas, and the trans-port of farm products to the central market.
Three of the infrastructure bills he filed in Congress are the conversion of the circum-ferential road of the Island Garden City of Samal, the junc-tion highway linking Tuganay, Carmen-Kinamayan-Sto. To-mas Road, and the Tagum-Sto. Tomas road as national thor-oughfares.
He also introduced HB 5489, with cousin, Rep. Antho-ny del Rosario, as co-author, seeking the establishment of the Philippine National Banana Research Center, to be known as the Antonio O. Floirendo Sr. Banana Research Center, in Panabo City.
Although lacking in publicity but getting good reviews from ben-eficiaries, Lagdameo’s livelihood initiatives, skills training and agri-based projects, and other socio-economic enterprises in remote and underprivileged com-munities has endeared him to the constituents. Growing up
in the family plantation with his grandfather as muse, his rural engagements have be-come his personal inspiration and guide.
Beyond politicsA little known fact about
Anton is his way in linking with people, amicably and professionally. Although com-ing from an affluent family, his connections, within and outside the realm of politics, reflect so much about his down-to-earth image. Having matured immensely in nine years of legislative exposure, he has become an emerging social figure, building his own niche and creating an identity that reflects his maturity in both business and politics.
In the coming 2016 elec-tions, Rep. Lagdameo’s leader-ship potentials will further be highlighted by his involvement with some popular figures running for national office. As early as today, pundits have already christened him as Sen. Ferdinand R. Marcos, Jr.’s Min-danao ‘campaign strategist’, a recognition many concede is apt.
At age 48, undefiled by political propaganda, Rep. Lagdameo’s stars keep shin-ing, prompting observers to comment the grandson of Don Antonio has finally carved out a name for him-self, a distinc-tion built on his reputation as a workaholic.
POLICE have arrested 12 suspected violators of the election gun ban in
Davao Region since January 10, the start of the election pe-riod which ends on June 8.
Speaking in Wednes-day’s AFP-PNP press confer-ence, Chief Inspector Andrea G. Dela Cerna, spokesperson of Police Regional Office 11, said the arrests occurred ei-ther during police operations or at their checkpoints.
The police have 1,514 checkpoints in the region, she added.
Most of the suspects were from Davao City. The others came from Davao Oriental, Davao del Sur, and Composte-la Valley.
The gun ban penalizes
carrying and transporting of firearms in public places, in-cluding any building, street, park, private vehicle or public conveyance, unless a person has secured a certificate of au-thorization from the Commis-sion on Elections.
Davao City Police Office spokesperson Chief Insp. Mil-grace Driz said some of the nine suspects arrested in the city were also found in pos-session of illegal drugs such as shabu.
She added that two of the nine suspects claimed they were bringing firearms for self-defense as they were get-ting death threats.
The Comelec created the Committee on the Ban on Firearms and Security Per-
sonnel to implement the gun ban and rules on the use of security personnel or body-guards during the election period.
It is composed of a senior Comelec officer, the Armed Forces of the Philippines and Philippine National Police.
Soldiers and policemen on duty are exempted from the gun ban.
Also exempted are the President, the Vice President, members of Congress and Cabinet secretaries, members of the judiciary, the Ombuds-man, chairs and commis-sioners of the Civil Service Commission, Commission on Audit and Commission no Hu-man Rights. (Antonio L. Coli-na IV/MindaNews)
12 arrested in Region 11for violation of gun ban
SEVEN members of the Abu Sayyaf Group (ASG) surrendered to govern-
ment troops in the province of Basilan, a top military offi-cial announced Thursday.
Major General Gerardo Barrientos Jr., Joint Task Force Zambasulta, said the seven members of the ASG surren-dered,with firearms, on two separate days – Monday and Tuesday – in Sitio Bohe-Bohe Pahu, Barangay Camalig, Un-gkaya Pukan, Basilan.
Barrientos identified the ASG surrenderers as Sulaim-an Kasaran alias Abu Jaid, Marwin Asan Kasaran alias
Hadjie, Derwin Asan Kasaran alias Dikki, Halid Asan Kasa-ran alais Nasirin Awwalin, Hadzmin Kuluman Kasaran alias Ammin, Faisal Laudmin Kasaran alias Issa and Ballie, and Salman Najallon Kasaran alias Sat and Mhanz.
They were the first group to surrender to the govern-ment since the ASG was orga-nized in the 90s.
Barrientos said they turned in assorted high-pow-er firearms that include three M-16 Armalite rifles, one cal-iber .30 M1 Garand rifle, one M-79 grenade launcher, and one caliber .45 pistol.
Barrientos said they will be duly endorsed to the Gov. Mujiv Hataman of the Au-tonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) “for re-habilitation and integration into the mainstream of our society.”
“The ASG members re-alized that fighting the gov-ernment and enduring hard life in the mountains is a lost cause,” he said.
He said surrender of the seven ASG members was made possible through the help of the populace and mu-nicipal government of Ung-kaya Pukan. (PNA)
THE much-await-ed Grand Finals of the Davao Monthly
Chess Challenge will be held on January 30 at 10 AM at the NCCC Food Cove, second floor of NCCC Mati-na.
“Game 1 will start at 12:30 noon while the awarding of prizes is at 5 p.m.,” said organizer Manuel “Gogo” Alba at the SCOOP Session of The Royal Mandaya Hotel last Tuesday.
A total of 54 qualified players from last year’s monthly competitions are seeing action.
Among those seeing action are the 12 players who also recently qualified to the Grand Finals of the NCFP National Age-Group Chess Championships in Manila led by veteran in-ternational campaigner John Marvin Miciano of Davao City.
Miciano, who won the Under 20 in the recent-ly-held NAG Mindanao Qualifying in Koronadal City, will be seeing action in the U18 category together with Davao’s James Rhey Bantugan (U20 3rd place) and Bhing Joel Gimony (U18 2nd place), General Santos City’s Alberto Dio-lola Jr. (U18 champion) and Cotabato’s Sumail Iii Sekak (U16 champion).
The other qualifiers in the U18 are David Rose Birinaga, Allan Daven de Asis, Joertz Gimony, Fran-cis Javier Guimalan, Earl Rhey Huliganga, Kurt John Placencia, Tahseen Salud-song, Joshua Noel Tiagan and lone female player Honey Grace Buenafe.
Added in the Under 18 category are 2015 Araw ng Dabaw champion Gino Angelo Asuncion and run-ner-up Japheth Aaron Jo-seph Caresosa,
Pitted in the Under 14 category are Davao’s Blanche Ellyz Bongato (U14 boy 2nd place), Flor-ence Faith Guevarra (U16 girls 2nd place) and Queen Peralta (U14 girls 3rd place). Also seeing action are Ambar Juneeza Ambor, Alrtiz Jefferson Amor, Chris Maynard Ampon, Princess Joy Atupan, Chris Angelo Bactad, Rochelle Althea Dula, Jude Nathaniel Enoc, Niel Sebastian Enoc, Prin-cess Rose Mamparo, Lorie Jean Sumi-og, Jeff Daniel Vitor, Irish Yngayo and Lor-raine Yngayo.
Four other players, who also won in the NAG Mind-anao Qualifying are playing in the Under 10 division - Panabo’s Sean Kenneth Amor (U10 boys cham-pion) and Ghian Michael Aleria (U8 boys champion), Davao’s Jackie Lou Andoy (U10 girls 2nd place) and Arfred Nathaniel Sanchez
(U8 boys 2 place).The other qualifiers are
Jasmine Rei Amoncio, Jirah Loui Andoy, Vneshdyl Bur-eros, Jude Emmanuel Cor-age, Christian Anjo Dumog-ho, John Dale Fernandez, Angel Jhoanna Habangdon, Keihzerhan Ryne Hangad, Alijah Rae Lumangtad, Wesley Joven Magbanua, Caerel Shane Mantilla, Jan Chelsea Mendoza, Charlene Moulic, Ryan Gabriel Rasay, Gabriel John Umayan, Sa-mantha Umayan and Irish Mae Vitor.
“Medals and surprise gift items will be awarded to the winners while three chess sets will also be raf-fled,” said Alba.
The tournament is also supported by IA James In-fiesto, regional director of the National Chess Federa-tion of the Phils. (NCFP).
Chief Arbiter is RA Jo-seph Gener Palero who is assisted by CA Ely Acas.
A RANDOM chess tournament is set on February 13 and
14 at the Jardin del Roca Mountain Resort in Eden, Bayabas, Toril.
The champion will pocket P5,000 and a tro-phy while the second, third and fourth placers will get P3,000, P2,000 and P1,000, respectively. The 5th to 10th placers will each earn P500.
Registration fee is P200 with free coffee. All players must bring their own chessboard and chess clock. Mode of play is 45 minutes per player for a
7-round Swiss System.“This is to allow local
players who will be play-ing in the Bobby Pacquiao random team tourney a tune-up and to familiarize themselves with the rules of random chess,” said or-ganizer Atty. Jong Guevarra.
Meanwhile, the Bobby Pacquiao Random Chess Festival is slated on Feb. 19 to 26 at the SM General Santos City.
It will have a Team Standard, Individual Rapid and Individual Blitz compe-tition. A total of P2 million in cash prizes are up for grabs.
LOIS Kaye Go held her own against fan-cied rivals and came
through with a gutsy, ea-gle-aided two-under 70 to grab a one-stroke over Princess Superal at the start of the Philippine La-dies Open Golf Champion-ship presented by Champi-on Infinity on Wednesday at Tagaytay Midlands.
Go, a 16-year-old shot-maker from Cebu Country Club, was three strokes ahead but bogeyed the par-5 No. 18, which Superal
birdied from close range.The Cebuana ace hit
three birdies and the same number of bogeys and made eagle on No. 16 to take charge in the event organized by the Wom-en’s Golf Association of the Philippines.
Superal, seeking a fol-low-up to her Hong Kong Ladies Amateur title two weeks ago, also birdied Nos. 5 and 13 but dropped shots on Nos. 9 and 17.
Yuka Saso matched par 72 for third while Pauline
del Rosario, the reigning Thailand Amateur Open champion, had a three-over 75 in a tie with Angela Legaspi.
Sofia Chabon, anoth-er TCC bet, carded a 76 for joint sixth with Wack Wack’s Felicia Medalla and Mikha Fortuna.
Thailand’s Onkanok Soisuwan had a 79 for a share of 12th with TCC mainstays Sam Martirez and Bernice Ilas. Ashia Nocum and Amelia Legaspi shot 81s, while Thailand’s
Kan Bunnabodee limped with an 82 in the premier Open division of the tour-nament backed by Inquir-er, Taishan Insurance Bro-kers, Inc., MEC, Jewelmer, G&W Clubshares, inc., Vermogen and supported by the Tagaytay Highlands Ladies Chapter, Alabang Ladies Golf Chapter, Can-lubang Ladies Chapter, Forest Hills Ladies Circle, Manila Golf Ladies Chap-ter, URC-C2, Midlands Golf Club, Rockport and Impact Golf magazine.
Serbia’s Novak Djokovic stretches to hit a shot during his second round match against France’s Quentin Halys at the Australian Open tennis tournament at Melbourne Park, Australia on Wednesday. REUTERS/Thomas Peter
WORLD number one Novak Djokovic swept regally into
the third round of the Aus-tralian Open on Wednesday before being forced to deny any involvement in the tennis match-fixing scandal that has dogged the first three days of the grand slam.
The Serbian defending champion granted Quentin Halys a 100-minute audience on Rod Laver Arena before despatching the French teen-ager 6-1 6-2 7-6(3) but he enjoyed a less comfortable ride in the post-match media conference.
Alerted to a story in an Italian newspaper suggest-ing his loss to now-retired French player Fabrice Santoro in Paris in 2007 was fixed, the 28-year-old denied it point blank.
“It’s not true,” he said when told he had been ac-cused of deliberately losing. “What it is to say? I’ve lost that match.”
“Anybody can create a sto-ry about that match or for that matter any of the matches of the top players losing in the early rounds, I think it’s just absurd.”
View gallerySerbia's Djokovic and France's Halys shake …
Serbia’s Novak Djokov-ic (L) and France’s Quen-tin Halys shake hands after Djokovic won their …
Before the media confer-ence, the last of the day, it had appeared the reverberations from Monday’s media reports alleging numerous top-50 players had been flagged up for possibly throwing match-es but not investigated by the tennis authorities, were fad-ing.
Back on court, Djokovic was joined in the third round by women’s champion Sere-na Williams, 17-times grand slam champion Federer and Maria Sharapova who all made short work of their sec-ond-round opponents.
PROMISING. Davao girl Alessandra Christine “Ella” Nagayo practices her putting before round 2 of the Philippine Ladies Open at Tagaytay Midlands.The 12-year old Nagayo carded a 22-over 94 on Day One as she faltered with the strong winds.
PHOENIX IS NEW PBA TEAMSale of Barako Bull to Davao-based oil firm confirmed by PBA
16 EDGEDAVAOSports
BUYOUT. The Barako Bull franchise, which parades former San Miguel and Ginebra players, is now owned by Phoenix Petroleum ending years of knocking on the pro league’s doors.
DAVAO-BASED oil firm Phoenix Petroleum Philippines finally accomplished its long cherished
dream of owning a PBA franchise as it became the leaguer’s newest team.
The PBA board on Wednesday unanimously approved the sale of the Barako Bull franchise to Phoenix Pe-troleum, closing the book on a team that over the past years has come under fire for questionable trades and alleged collusion with other ballclubs.
The pro league an-nounced the sale at the end of a special board meet-ing where c h a i r m a n and acting president and CEO Robert Non of S a n Miguel Corp. bared that all existing players and coaches under contract with Barako will be ab-sorbed by the new team owners.
The PBA said that Phoenix owners led by CEO and president Den-nis Uy will be invited to a regular board meeting
on January 28 to formalize the sale.Edge Davao tried to reach Uy yes-
terday but he was in an important meeting and could not be reached for comment. It was not also disclosed how much was the cost of the transac-tion.
The entry of the leading i n d e -
pendent oil company comes five years after its first attempt to join the pro league with a planned acquisition of a franchise solely owned by George Chua failed to get a majority vote from the board.
The sale also marks the de-p a r t u r e f r o m
t h e
PBA of Barako co-owners Chua and Bert Lina, although the team’s owner-ship has been the subject of rumors over the past years amid contentious trades done with teams owned by the SMC group.
Chua was the previous owner of the multi-titled Red Bull
franchise while Lina used to own Air21 Express until its sale to NLEX two years ago.
Phoenix will now inherit a team made
up mostly of cast-offs from San Mi-guel-controlled balllcubs who
have revived their careers with the franchise, among them JC Intal, Josh Urbiztondo and Willie Wilson.
