Edge Davao 07 Issue 14

In a statement, Phil-ippine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA) 11 regional director Emerson R. Ro-sales who heads the Task Force Davao Cocaine and Other Illegal Drugs created by the City Mayor’s Office (CMO) said that at around 11:30 a.m. last Tuesday a certain Dondon, who is a container truck opera-tor, surrendered the three bricks of cocaine to PDEA office.

It states that Dondon wanted to turn over the missing bricks of cocaine to the authorities as he heard the call of the authorities over T.V. and radio inter-views. But he reportedly hesitated because he was afraid that he might be ar-

rested and punished for possession of illegal drugs.

“Nevertheless, he changes his mind and cou-rageously called the PDEA Regional Office XI Hotline Number to surrender the remaining bricks of co-caine,” says the report.

Rosales has urged the public to surrender the remaining eight bricks of cocaine by submitting it voluntarily to PDEA office or nearest police station in their area.

Last March 25, two bricks of cocaine were turned over to the law en-forcers of the city.

One was turned over by the security officer of Sum-ifru while another one was

P 15.00 • 20 PAGESwww.edgedavao.netVOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO [email protected]

EDGE Serving a seamless society

DAVAO

F8 MORE, 10

ONLY 8 BRICKS MISSINGThree more cocaine bricks returned

ONE SUMMER FUN, ONE DAVAO! Department of Tourism (DOT) 11 chief of tourism operations Eden L. David (3rd from left), together with City Tourism Officers Lisette Marquez (2nd from right) of Davao City, Bebot Ellera (leftmost) of Digos City; Provincial Tourism Officers Noel Daquioag (4th from left)of Davao del Norte, Christine Dompor (3rd from right) of Compostela Valley Province and Miguel Trocio (rightmost) of Davao Oriental; and Davao del Sur provincial consultant Joan Doromal (2nd from left), flashes the number 1 sign as part of the promotion of “One Summer Fun, One Davao!”, the summer event of Davao region, during Club 888 media forum at the Marco Polo Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

With three cocaine bricks returned last Tues-day, anti-drugs enforcement authorities have still to recover eight bricks of cocaine. The to-tal number of recovered bricks stands at 54.

SASA WHARF BOMBING ANNIVERSARY. Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte sprinkles holy water the exact site of a bomb explosion 11 years ago that claimed 17 lives and injured 56 others during the commemoration of the tragic incident yester-day. Lean Daval Jr.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 20142

WEATHER FORECAST

EDGEDAVAO

THE BIG NEWS

THREE drug suspects were killed in two separate buy-bust

operations conducted by Davao City law enforcers which resulted to shoot-out last Tuesday night.

The Davao City Police Office identified the sus-pects as Arola Yacob and Eddie Apra both residents of Muslim Village Barangay Ilang and Virgilio Leguis alias Poloy of Buhangin.

The police said the op-erations were conducted at around 8:40 p.m. in Purok 3-C, Bay Wave NSV Ilang. The report said that Yacob pulled out his gun after sensing that it was a police operation and pointed it to a police agent who acted

as poseur buyer. The other operatives in the perimeter saw and immediately shot the suspect killing him in-stantaneously.

After seeing Yacob fall, Arpa fired back at the police but he too was killed in the process.

In the crime scene, op-eratives recovered form the possession of Yacob a sachet of shabu with an estimated street value of P25,000 and a .38 revolv-er with three ammunition. The police also recovered .22 revolver and two empty shells from the possession of Arpa.

Earlier in Damaso Suazo corner Ponce Streets, a separate buy-bust oper-

ation was conducted by police operatives under the composite team com-posed of Davao City Police Office –Intelligence Divi-sion and the Investigation and Detection Management Branch (IDMB) resulted to the death of illegal drugs suspect Leguis at around 7:20 p.m.

According to the police report, Leguis reportedly drew-out his gun after sens-ing that one of the persons he was transacting with is a police officer. The suspect pointed his gun at the agent forcing the other members of the raiding team to shoot Leguis who sustained three fatal gunshot wounds in the chest and right arm.

The Scene of the Crime Operatives (Soco) recov-ered from the crime scene a 9mm pistol loaded with nine ammunition and two teabag size of plastic sa-chet of shabu estimated at P2,000 found inside the pocket of the suspect.

The two drug opera-tions came at the heels of last week’s raid which net-ted Aladin M. Guiabel , 38, Bai Rayhannah C. Guiabel, 28 and Monette A. Pata-don who are from Cotaba-to City.

The suspects were nabbed allegedly selling a P1.4-million worth of “sha-bu” to the operatives in J.P Laurel Avenue near Land-co Building last March 27.

THE joint forces of National Bureau of Investigation (NBI)

– 11 and Eastern Mindan-ao Command (EastMin-Com) raided an alleged explosives ‘tiangge’ last Monday morning yield-ing 11 sacks of ammonim nitrate (275 kilos) 1,132 meters of time fuse, 569 pcs of blasting caps, one drum of cyanide and three kilos of mercury chemicals in Poblacion Nabunturan, Compostela

Valley Province. The recovered explo-

sives and paraphernalia were turned over to Army Explosives Ordnance Di-vision for documentation and proper disposition.

The store owners and suppliers will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9561 for selling, man-ufacturing and dealing of explosives.

The raid, conduct-ed at around 9:00 a.m. Monday, was carried

out under the color of a valid search warrant re-sulting to the arrest of undisclosed number of suspects which the op-eratives did not name in the statement.

The report stated that from 2010, a total of 465 NPA landmines exploded were 138 people were killed, 345 wounded and destroyed many civilian properties and govern-ment facilities in Esatern Mindanao.

Lt. Gen. Ricardo Rain-er Cruz III, EastMinCom Commander, commend-ed the troops for sup-porting the NBI -11 in the said operations. Cruz said that they will con-tinue to support ani-ex-plosives efforts until all illegal suppliers shall cease from their nefari-ous activities and civil-ians are secured from the landmining activities he attributed as handiwork of the NPA. [ABF]

THE provincial govern-ment of Compostela Valley, in cooperation

with private sector, is plan-ning to build 118 bungalow houses for Typhoon Pablo victims in Maragusan town.

“We are targetting to build the 118 houses in 8 days,” Compostela Valley provincial tourism officer Christine T. Dumpor said.

She encouraged Dabawenyos and tourists to join the “Bayanihan event” and help in constructing

houses for the typhoon vic-tims.

“Instead of going to the beach or other places, they can help in building the houses for the typhoon victims who lost their houses in December 2012,” Dumpor said, adding that tourists who will partici-pate in project will be pro-vided with a “site trip” to different tourist destina-tions in Maragusan, dubbed as summer capital of Davao

Bomb ‘tiangge’ raided

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO [email protected]

3 drug suspects fallISLAND BOUND. Porters at Sta. Ana wharf in Davao City haul the passengers’ goods and belongings onto a motorized passenger boat plying the Davao City-Kaputian, Is-land Garden City of Samal route. Lean Daval Jr.

New bungalow houses eyed for Pablo victims

[email protected]

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

FNEW, 10

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 3NEWS

SORT OUT. Fresh fruits and vegetables which were just delivered from Calinan, Davao City are sorted out and repacked by vendors at the “bagsakan” area in Bankerohan Public Market yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

SECURITY MEASURE. The Marco Polo Davao’s security personnel conduct a routine security check on a taxi, a practice being implemented among the hotels and other establishments in Davao City on people and vehicle entering the premises of the hotel yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

THE provincial govern-ment of Davao Oriental is allocating P 25 million for the development of tourism infrastructures in identified tourism destinations in the province.

Provincial tourism of-ficer Miguel V. Trocio said that the budget will be used for the construction of viewdecks, toilets, infor-mation center and cafes in Cave Agustin, Busan Point, and Aliwagwag.

These areas are among the main tourist attractions in the province.

Trocio told reporters during the media forum at Club 888 that they are tar-geting to finish the entire project this year.

“At present, we are still

on the stage of site visita-tion,” Trocio said, adding that a group of engineers and architects are conduct-ing visits to come up with proper designs appropriate for each site.

Cave San Agustine is a historical site where St. Francis held a Christian mass. It also boasts pink color of the sand created by pulvorized pink corals. The sand becomes pink during afternoon.

Trocio also said that they are targeting to open to the public the Mt. Ha-miguitan Mountain Range after being closed in 2010 because of the ongoing as-sessment of UNESCO.

The result of the assess-

FOURTEEN of Davao City’s sixteen dis-trict health centers

will get P80-million worth of upgrades to improve their primary health care packages courtesy of the Department of Health.

Councilor Mary Joselle Villafuerte, chair of the city council’s committee on health, said that the upgrades will be complet-ed this year.

The grant from DOH, she said, would cover for the expansion of build-ings as well as the pur-chase of equipment, such as the districts’ birthing facilities.

Once finished, the up-grades would allow the district centers to be ac-credited by the Philippine Health Insurance Cor-poration (PhilHealth) in providing primary health packages, especially for maternal health care and other outpatient services.

But Villafuerte said the committee would be preparing the documents to get PhilHealth accredi-tation even before the im-provements are finished.

“This means that pa-tients from the barangays don’t have to avail of the city’s Lingap program at the Southern Philippines

Medical Center to get health care,” she said.

Villafuerte said the PhilHealth accreditation would also help the city’s district centers generate income, with more pa-tients accessing their ser-vices instead of going to the SPMC.

Those who would benefit are PhilHealth ac-credited patients as well as those identified by the DOH’s Pangkalahatang Kalusugan (Universal Healthcare) program.

The upgrades in the district health centers would be a small but sig-nificant step to help those

who are in need of prima-ry health care, Villafuerte said.

The DOH program would rely on data from the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) on identifying the beneficiaries.

According to DSWD’s Margie Cabido, planning and monitoring officer, the city has 19,877 house-holds who have been identified as beneficia-ries of the program as of March 7.

Marilog district has the highest number of beneficiaries at 1,442. [MindaNews]

Lapanday Foods Corporation (LFC) says that agrarian

reform beneficiaries who work at the Hijo Agrari-an Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (HARBCO) farms in Tagum City are not prevented from re-porting to work contrary to claims made by the co-operative officers.

Nelson Castro, LFC plantation manager as-signed to the Hijo Agrar-ian Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (HARBCO) farms says that the com-pany is not preventing workers to report for work but has limited its operations now as the ARBs themselves have not been reporting for

work since Monday.“We have a duty, based

on our contract with HARBCO, to manage the farm, and not allow it to deteriorate. The ARBs not reporting for work will ultimately not benefit the cooperative, the farm and themselves,” Castro said in a statement.

The ARBs refused to report for work when the security agency that deployed guards in the farms have been found to have committed acts that violate its service con-tract and even existing laws. “LFC must ensure the security and safety of all personnel, whether ARBs or not, which is part

THE reconstruction of Davao City Water District’s (DCWD)

main water pipeline in the Governor Generoso Bridge in Bankerohan has yet to commence as informal set-tlers occupying under the bridge refused to vacate.

.DCWD spokesperson Imelda Magsuci told Edge Davao in a phone interview yesterday that only 42 out of 126 residents in the area “engaged in self demoli-tion.”

The city government has encouraged the settlers voluntarily demolish their

structures to avoid unnec-essary damage to their properties. The original deadline was on February 20 but this was extended up to the end of March upon the request of the settlers.

“Gusto kasi nilang pata-pusin muna ang klase,” she said, adding that it was City MayorRodrigo R. Duterte who granted the request

.As of yesterday, major-ity of the informal settlers insisted they will not vacate the area unless the order comes from Duterte who is presently on official leave.

UNDER THE BRIDGESettlers mar construction of DCWD water pipeline

[email protected]

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

14 DC health centers get P80M from DOH

Lapanday: workers are not barred

LGU allots P25 M for tourism infra

FUNDER, 10

FLAPANDAY, 10

FLGU, 10


ABOUT a thousand government em-ployees participated

in the earthquake drill on Wednesday inside the Pro-vincial Government Center in Mankilam, Tagum City.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario said the exercise aims to promote awareness and to test the disaster re-sponse and preparations of government offices inside the Capitol Compound.

The governor stressed the importance of having the drill since Davao del Norte is traversed by three parallel fault lines, namely; the Central Mindanao Fault, Eastern Mindanao Fault and Davao River Fault.

The province was not able to participate in the first quarter simultane-ous nationwide quake drill held last March 19, since the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Manage-ment Council (PDRRMC) is deeply- engrossed in moni-toring the onset of Tropical Depression Caloy, which

put Davao del Norte under Signal No. 1.

The storm affected some 3,353 families or 16,765 individuals in the province last month.

But, no casualty was reported, courtesy of the strong disaster preparation and mitigation program of the province.

The Provincial Disas-ter Risk Reduction and Management Division (PDRRMD), which orga-nized the drill, used the scenario of a magnitude 6.9 earthquake with after-shocks.

During the alarm phase of the drill, the personnel followed the duck, cover and hold technique the mo-ment they heard the siren, before hurrying to the evac-uation area moments later.

Aside from the provin-cial offices, national offices located inside the govern-ment center also joined the drill, including the offices of the COMELEC, DILG, CSC, DTI, BIR, ROD, LTO, among

others. Del Rosario further

revealed the province continues to hold weekly

earthquake and fire drills in schools visited by the Advo-cacy on Disaster Awareness and Management (Oplan

A.N.D.A.M.) caravan. The program teaches

residents in disaster-prone barangays simple technol-

ogies that reduce their vul-nerability to calamities and help them build back better. [Noel Baguio]

4DAVAO DEL NORTE

GENERAL SANTOS CITY MONKAYO, COMPOSTELLA VALLEY

SARANGANI

EDGEDAVAO

SUBURBIA

DRILL. Provincial employees cover their heads as they hurried to the evacuation area during the earthquake drill at the Davao del Norte Capitol. [Noel Baguio/DavNor PIO]

Capitol holds earthquake drill

DTI -NERBAC 12 inten-sified its campaign for its Supply Manage-

ment thru Investments for Large Enterprises (SMILE) Program by coordinating with other government of-fices such as the Office of the Provincial Agriculturists in Sarangani and South Cotaba-to and Cooperative Develop-ment Authority.

In March 2014, at least

three Focused Group Dis-cussions (FGDs) featuring different SMILE Program identified opportunities were held in the provinces of South Cotabato (March 11 & 12 ) and Sarangani (March 19). generating a total of P2.2 Million worth of investment leads. These are between San Miguel Foods Inc and Mr. Lo-renz Kho (Jo-an’s Bakeshop) worth Php 1.2 M investments

involving 60 hectares of cas-sava plantation and consoli-dation and San Miguel Foods Inc and Kibut Farmers’ Asso-ciation worth Php 1M involv-ing 50 hectares of cassava plantation and consolidation.

Other investment leads that still needs to be mon-itored and followed up are between the following par-ties. 1) Joan’s Bakeshop with Jormel Barrics for supply of

camote & ube 2) Sarangani Cocotech Corp & RHL re: production & delivery of co-copeat block to U.S. 3)SMFI with SADIA FArms 4) The Farm & Palkan Multi-Pur-pose Coop 5)The Farm & LGU Tantangan’s developed group re: supply of liquid handsoap; 6) Frabelle and SAFECO re: supply of ban-ay-banay rice to Frabelle’s fishing vessels.

DTI-NERBAC 12 intensifies SMILE Program Campaign; conducts FGDs

THE provincial gov-ernment of Sarangani will continue pushing

for reforms in education in order to narrow down ed-ucational gaps in different school levels and sustain the momentum of its previous program, Governor Steve Chiongbian Solon said.

The provincial govern-ment of Sarangani recently formed the Governor’s Com-mission on Education (GCE) under the Sulong Karunun-gan, a component of the province’s Sulong Sarangani development plan. The new commission aims to combat deteriorating quality of edu-cation in the region by reviv-ing the Quality Education for Sarangani Today and Tomor-

row or QUEST, the education program of former Governor Miguel Dominguez.

QUEST was first insti-tutionalized in 2009 which earned the firm support of the Department of Educa-tion (DepEd). Many of the efforts formerly executed under QUEST were remedi-al in nature and limited to primary education. Under QUEST2, remedial efforts will include secondary and tertiary level to bridge ed-ucational gaps through improved student-teach-er skills development. It aims to raise awareness of the importance of educa-tion across communities by re-vitalizing citizens’ interest and participation

in school, and giving stu-dents productive and struc-tured activities during their school break.

Solon said that it is im-portant that improvements to the province’s education standard through the now expanded and enhanced QUEST2 system since it would help in creating eco-nomic opportunities and measureable results.

The GCE will start im-plementing QUEST2 this April and among the pro-grams included are reading instruction seminars, sum-mer internship program for college students, and reme-dial courses for elementary to secondary students.

“We must focus on the

primary issues of the prov-ince which are education and job generation,” Solon said, pointing out that hav-ing a strong education sys-tem is as important as the government’s campaign against poverty.

“Every Sarangan de-serves quality education. But a key issue here is that a person’s education must be tailored to their needs, abil-ities and context. So they must be enhanced and sup-ported by QUEST2,” Gov. So-lon stressed. “We’ve already enshrined education as a right in the Philippine Con-stitution. Now it’s up to us to make sure that education is not only delivered but also acquired.”

QUEST2 needed to improve education in province--Solon

KALAHI-CIDSS [also known as National Community-Driven

Development Program] un-derscored the importance of partnership, guidelines and transparency in pro-gram implementation as it launched its 3rd cycle here with a Municipal Orienta-tion.

The goal of Kala-hi-CIDSS was tackled during the orientation.

Local government of-ficials were re-informed about the main goal of the program, which is to train and mold different baran-gays to have access and control of key development decisions and resources through a guided process of community mobilization.

Per DSWD experience, social preparation and com-munity mobilization inspire people to become more responsive and most likely develop a sense of account-ability to their sub-projects.

Further, active involve-ment of stakeholders would help in maintaining com-pleted community projects later as it instills a sense of ownership toward the proj-ects.

Joel Quiño, Kala-hi-CIDSS Area Coordinator

of Monkayo eagerly dis-cussed program guidelines to barangay officials and beneficiaries.

He stressed that mon-itoring of the guidelines requires keen supervision, focused intervention, struc-tured learning and flexibil-ity to be able to meet the timeline of the sub-project.

“If program guidelines will be keenly observed through the cooperation of local government officials and beneficiaries, results of impact assessment in the future would be favorable thus satisfying the program objective,” Quiño added.

The municipal ori-entation was attended by Mayor Joselito B. Brillantes, barangay officials, DSWD program beneficiaries, In-digenous People represen-tatives, Kalahi-CIDSS mu-nicipal coordinating team and DSWD officials.

“I am enormously thankful of the project of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), because through their partnership and com-munication with us, we are now slowly eradicating the poverty in the community,” Mayor Brillantes said in an interview. [DSWD]

KALAHI-CIDSS:

Program guidelines, transparency vital

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 5EDGEDAVAO

THE ECONOMY

THE Board of Di-rectors of Security Bank Corporation

(PSE: SECB; “the Bank”) approved on March 25, 2014 the Bank’s plan to issue Basel 3 compliant Tier 2 bond.

The Tier 2 bond will be peso or U.S. dollar de-nominated with an issue size of up to Php 10 billion or USD 250 million and a tenor of 10 years, with the Bank having an option to redeem the bonds on the fifth year. The bond, which has a loss absorption fea-ture, will be compliant with Basel 3. The pricing and offering period will be determined depend-ing on market conditions and the date of Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) approval.

The Tier 2 bond issu-ance is part of the Bank’s proactive capital and bal-ance sheet management. In order to sustain the Bank’s healthy Basel 3 to-tal capital adequacy ratio and support continued business expansion, the Bank will be capitalizing

on the markets’ robust liquidity and will be ad-dressing the demand for viable alternative invest-ment instruments.

Last December 2013, the Bank redeemed the Basel 2 compliant Lower Tier 2 subordinated notes of Php 3 billion. As of December 31, 2013, the Bank’s Basel 2 total Capi-tal Adequacy Ratio (CAR) was 15.5% and Tier 1 CAR was 15.1%, which were well above the BSP’s minimum requirements.

The Bank’s Board also approved the declara-tion of a regular semes-tral cash dividend of Php 0.50 per share and a spe-cial cash dividend of Php 0.50 per share on the out-standing capital stock of the Bank for a total cash dividend of Php 1.00 per share for the semester, subject to BSP approv-al. The record date and payment date will be de-termined after receipt of BSP approval on the cash dividend declaration. This will be the 25th consecu-tive cash dividend issu-

ance to shareholders.Security Bank is re-

cipient of recent 2014 awards such as “Best Cash Management Solution” and “Best Service Provid-er and eSolutions Partner Bank” in the Philippines by The Asset;

“Excellence in Pay-ment Innovation” by The Retail Banker Interna-tional; and “Best Investor

Relations Company” and “Best CEO (Investor Relations)” by Corporate Governance Asia of

Hong Kong. In 2013, the Bank was recipient of key awards such as “Best Managed Bank in the

Philippines” by The Asian Banker ; “Best Do-mestic Bank”, “Best Do-mestic Debt House”, and “Best Overall Domestic Provider of FX Services” in the Philippines by Asi-amoney; and

“Best e-Banking Im-plementation Solution in the Philippines for Cebu Pacific Air” and “Best Ser-vice Provider and eSolu-tions Partner Bank in the Philippines” by The Asset.

Security Bank to issue bonds, OKs dividends


A NEW hybrid rice variety gives new hopes of a more

stable yield to farmers with its robust panicles and stems that poten-tially give 250 to 300 cavans per hectare, es-tablishing farmers’ net income of P100,000 to P200,000 per hectare.

The good yield of SL-18H of SL Agritech Corp. (SLAC) is bringing a jackpot income which may turn out to be a first for most Filipino farmers.

Farmers belonging to the Nagkakaisang Magsasaka Agricultural Primary MPC (NMAP-MPC) of Tabacao, Nueva Ecija, said SL-18H will definitely yield between 250 to 300 cavans per hectare at 50 kilos per cavan.

“It’s my first time to plant SL-18, and we’re confident of the yield. It gives many stems that are long. The ears of the grain are long. The grains are filled to the tip. If I don’t get at least 250 cavans here, I don’t like to farm anymore (joking),” said Ricardo Buenaventura, NMAP-MPC president.

He planted it on 10 hectares out of his 23

hectares.Buenaventura is

specifically expecting a net income of at least P155,000 even if he just gets 200 cavans.

“At P1,000 per bag (at P20 per kilo) from 200 bags, you get a net of P155,000 since cost is P45,000 to P50,000 per

hectare,” he said.But with 250 cavans,

that is an additional P50,000 or a total net earning of P205,000 per hectare which has never been experienced by av-erage Filipino farmers at all. His 10 hectares will give for him P2.050 mil-lion!

SL-18H even has mul-tiple benefits for farmers planting in the swamp area of Cabiao, Nueva Ecija, according to Dr. Santiago R. Obien, DA rice consultant.

“Rice farming in Cabiao is only once a year. But because farm-ers get a yield from the

good hybrid seed that is double compared to oth-er seeds, they still get the income from two seasons of planting,” said Obien.

One Cabiao farmer benefitting from SL-18H is farmer-leader Luisito delos Santos who is im-mediately expanding his SL-18H planting.

P51.4 billion Amount the Department of Budget and Management released for the rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in areas hard-hit by Typhoon Yolanda.

It figures P1.1 billion

Amount the Development Bank of the Philippines has set aside for relending to micro, small and medium en-terprises (MSMEs).

14.7 million Number of indigent families that will benefit from the government’s comprehensive health program. Through the “Alaga ka para sa Maay-os na Buhay” (Alaga Ka), the beneficiaries will receive micronutrient supplements, maternal and neonatal care package and family plan-ning. The beneficiaries will also get free treat-ment package for tuberculosis from govern-ment hospitals.

Stat Watch

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2011-September 2013)

Month 2013 2012 2011

Average 42.23 43.31December 41.01 43.64November 41.12 43.27October 41.45 43.45

September 43.83 41.75 43.02August 43.86 42.04 42.42

July 43.35 41.91 42.81June 42.91 42.78 43.37May 41.30 42.85 43.13April 41.14 42.70 43.24

March 40.71 42.86 43.52February 40.67 42.66 43.70January 40.73 43.62 44.17

7.1 1st Qtr 2013

7.8 1st Qtr 2013

USD 3,741 million

Feb 2013USD 4,708

million Feb 2013USD -967

million Feb 2013USD -640

millionDec 2012

P 4,964,560 million

Feb 2013

2.4 % Mar 2013P113,609

million Mar 2013

P 5,281 billion

Mar 2013

P 41.14 Apr 2013

6,847.5 Mar 2013

132.8 Apr 2013

2.6 Apr 2013

3.1 Apr 2013

418,108 Feb 2013

20.9% Jan 2013

7.1% Jan 2013

1. Gross National IncomeGrowth Rate(At Constant 2000 Prices)

2. Gross Domestic ProductGrowth Rate(At Constant 2000 Prices)

3. Exports 1/

4. Imports 1/

5. Trade Balance

6. Balance of Payments 2/

7. Broad Money Liabilities

8. Interest Rates 4/

9. National Government Revenues

10. National government outstanding debt

11. Peso per US $ 5/

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

16. Visitor Arrivals

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

Indicator Latest

1. Gross National Income Growth Rate (At Constant 2000 Prices)

6.8 2nd Qtr 2013

2. Gross Domestic Product Growth Rate (At Constant 2000 Prices)

7.5 2nd Qtr 2013

3. Exports USD 5,045 million

Sep 2013

4. Imports USD 5,711 million

Sep 2013

5. Trade BalanceUSD -665

million Sep 2013

6. Balance of Payments USD 692

million Jun 2013

7. Broad Money LiabilitiesP 5,980,938 million

Aug 2013

8. Interest Rate 2.0 % Sep 2013

9. National Government Revenues

P 127,336 million

Sep 2013

10. National government outstanding debt

P 5,609 billion

Sep 2013

11. Peso per US $

P 43.83 Sep 2013

12. Stocks Composite Index

6,191.8 Sep 2013

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

135.2 Oct 2013

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.9 Oct 2013

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

2.5 Oct 2013

16. Visitor Arrivals 382,022 Aug 2013

17. Underemploymen Rate

19.2% Jul 2013

18. Unemployment Rate 7.3% Jul 2013

6 THE ECONOMY

FRESHWATER FISH. A moro woman sells haluan (mudfish) at P100 each bunch in Barangay Bagolibas, Aleosan, North Cotabato. This freshwater fish, which is commonly grilled, comes from the marshy villages of Aleosan. [MindaNews photo by Keith Bacongco]

IT’S easy to find an opti-cal shop in a commer-cial center or a mall,

but it’s not easy to find customized service that one expects when looking for eye care.

Visual Gears at the ground level of Abreeza Ayala Mall offers not only superior ophthalmic lens and frames; it also prides itself on giving custom-ized eye care to patients with eye concerns. While some shops are frontlined by sales people with the eye doctor relegated to the back, at Visual Gears, patients are attended to by the resident optome-trist and his trained staff.

Visual Gears is owned and managed by Dr. Mi-chael Monterola who hails from a family of li-censed optometrists that

own several optical shops in the city. Opening his own shop allows Dr. Mike to put to good use his over a dozen years of local and international experience in optometry.

Dr. Mike acquired his professional license after earning a degree in op-tometry at the Centro Es-colar University in 1989. For the next 15 years, he harnessed his skills and expanded his knowledge and experience working as an optometrist in Saudi Arabia, Miri Sarawak and Kota Kinabalu in Malay-sia, Brunei Darussalam, and Kuwait.

His expertise on ophthalmic lenses was gained from four years of engagement as a Sales and Lens Consultant for Essilor Philippines of the

prestigious Essilor Inter-national. As the Essilor consultant for Mindanao, he also received technical training in Singapore.

Essilor is a French company that is the world leader in ophthalmic lens-es and ophthalmic optical equipment. It also owns Nikon ophthalmic lens-es and Swissflex frame products which are pop-ular among Hollywood A-listers.

“I travelled all over Mindanao to update op-tometrists and ophthal-mologists on the latest products and innovations of Essilor lenses, and did trouble shooting to help them implement sales and marketing strate-gies,” said Dr. Mike.

This is the competi-tive advantage of Dr. Mike-

-the technical know-how and knowledge of the latest innovations in oph-thalmic products in the market. He makes full use of this advantage to better serve his patients by providing them cus-tomized eye care.

His shop is the only one in Davao that can provide cus-tom-made transition lenses, adding on two-toned tint over transition lenses to make it 80% to 90% darker than the usual one-tone 70%. Dr. Mike does that by work-ing closely with the labo-ratory using his technical knowledge.

Dr. Mike believes in the importance of com-municating well with his patients to get accu-rate and complete in-

formation to allow him to match the product to their work habits, activi-ties, and lifestyle.

“I give all the options available to them and let them decide what they need and want,” he said, because with a vast line of products circulating in the market today, pa-tients may find it difficult to determine the right one for them.

Visual Gears is locat-ed at the front of Rob-inson’s Supermarket in Abreeza Ayala Mall along JP Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City. It is open during mall hours to cater to patients need-ing eye refraction ser-vices and offers the latest and the best ophthalmic lens and frames, as well as fashionable eyewear.

New hybrid rice gives hopes to farmers of stable income

Visual Gears optical shop opens at Abreeza

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 7EDGEDAVAO

ENVIRONMENT

“WE wish to highlight the i m p o r t a n t

link between water and power, and how they are highly dependent on each other,” said Ramon J.P. Paje in a statement during the World Water Day celebra-tion last March 22. He not-ed that producing energy uses water, and providing freshwater uses energy.

Paje, who is the head of the Department of En-vironment and Natural Resources (DENR), said that water and power face growing limits and prob-lems. “In fact, much of our generated power relies on water, while many Filipinos rely on electrical power for domestic water supply,” he pointed out.

Power from water comes in the form of hydro-power. In Mindanao, 52% (662 megawatts) of its pow-er comes from hydropower. Oil contributes 24% (311 MW) while geothermal is the source of 8% (98 MW). The remaining 15% (302 MW) comes from coal.

Throughout the coun-try, over 15 million people still have no access to elec-tricity, according to the en-vironment department. In addition, about 17 million Filipinos have no access to safe drinking water.

In the 1950s, the Philip-pines had as much as 9,600 cubic meters of clean water per person, according to Dr. Rafael D. Guerrero, for-mer head of the Philippine Council for Aquatic and Ma-rine Research and Develop-ment. Four decades later, Filipinos must make do with little more than a third for that volume – 3,300 cu-bic meters per capita.

Today, the Philippines ranks second from the low-est among Southeast Asian countries in terms of per

capita water availability per year with only 1,907 cubic meters. Thailand is at the bottom, with 1,854 cubic meters. Vietnamese have more than twice what Filipinos get: 4,591 cubic meters.

But water is not the only problem the Philip-pines is facing. As summer is just around the corner, the country is expected to experience power shortag-es again.

It’s nothing new actu-ally. Almost two decades ago, then energy undersec-retary Rufino Bomasang told participants of a media briefing on business and economics reporting at Los Baños, Laguna: “Our short-age of electricity is a real, serious problem that we cannot downplay. But if we focus exclusively on it, we run the risk of seeing just the trees and not the forest.”

The scenario has not changed even until now. Mindanao, the country’s second largest island, is ex-pected to have blackouts of up to six hours a day during the summer months. In some parts of Luzon, Vi-sayas, and Metro Manila, rotating brownouts is the name of the game.

With the international theme, “Water and Ener-gy,” the World Water Day celebration urges the inter-national community to tap water as source of energy. Electricity produced by water movement has been used for decades. About 16 percent of the world’s electricity is generated by hydropower.

According to the Wash-ington-based Worldwatch Institute, the world’s top five producers are Canada, China, Brazil, the United States and the Russian Fed-eration. Several countries, including Brazil and Nor-

way, obtain almost all their electricity from this one source.

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

“Growing interest in developing hydroelectric power is largely an out-growth of governments’ desire to be more self-suffi-cient in energy and to pro-vide low-cost electricity,” wrote Cynthia Pollock Shea in Renewable Energy: To-day’s Contribution, Tomor-row’s Promises.

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

The Department of Energy reports there are 1,081 hydropower poten-tial sites scattered through-out the country. In a recent media briefing, 11 poten-tial sites for hydropower plants are identified in the regions of Caraga, Soccsk-sargen, and Davao.

Although hydropow-er is considered environ-ment-friendly, there are those who disagree. Some environmentalists believe that hydropower from man-made dams produce significant amounts of car-bon dioxide and methane, which are greenhouse gas-

es closely connected to cli-mate change.

“Large amounts of car-bon bound up in trees and other plants are released when a reservoir is initial-ly flooded and the plants rots,” Worldwatch points out in a recent report. “And as plant matter settling on the reservoir bottom decomposes without ox-ygen, it leads to a build-up of dissolved methane, which is released into the atmosphere when water

passes through the dam’s turbines.”

To operate well for many decades, hydro proj-ects require sound man-agement, not just of equip-ment, but of entire wa-tersheds. “Hydroelectric power will not be truly re-newable until the functions of flood control, irrigation, transportation, power production, tree planting, fisheries management, and sanitation are coordinated within the overall goal of

maintaining healthy and productive rivers,” Shea re-minded.

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

With water comes powerTEXT and PHOTOS By GERRY T. ESTRERA

Waterfall is a good source of hydropower

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 20148 EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

Wheels of justice

OLIVIA D. VELASCOGeneral Manager

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EDITORIAL

THE Office of the Ombudsman (OMB) last Tuesday filed with the Sandiganbayan plunder and other cases against Senators Juan Ponce Enrile, Jinggoy Estrada amd Ramon Revilla Jr., businesswom-

an Janet Lim Napoles and several others in connection with the P10-bil-lion pork barrel scam.

The OMB’s ruling came eight months after the multi-billion scam in-volving the now outlawed Priority Development Assistance Fund (PDAF) broke out, angered taxpayers who denounced the anomaly and led the Supreme Court to declare PDAF as unconstitutional.

The Ombudsman’s special panel indicted the three senators for plun-der and several counts of graft for pocketing some P597 million in kick-backs or commissions from their PDAF. The OMB also directed the filing of plunder or graft cases against Napoles, Jessica Lucila “Gigi” Reyes, En-rile chief-of-staff; Richard Cambe, Revilla’s chief-of-staff; Ruby Tuason, alleged representative of Enrile and Estrada; Pauline Labayen, Estrada’s staff; Dennis Cunanan, director general of Technology Resource Center; and several other government officials and employees of non-govern-ment organizations.

“After a careful study of the case and the evidence presented, it was decided the answer of the respondents was not sufficient to overturn the complaint and there was sufficient evidence to show that they committed the offense,” Assistant Ombudsman and spokesman Asryman Rafanan was quoted as saying during a press conference last Tuesday.

Estrada and Revilla denounced the filing of the plunder complaint as political persecution against them by the Aquino administration and their allies.

Jinggoy, who’s still vacationing abroad, branded the Ombudsman’s ac-tion and the release of the findings of the Senate Blue Ribbon Committee headed by Sen. Teofisto Guingona III on the PDAF scam as an “April Fools Day” operation. Bong Revilla called the Ombudsman’s finding of probable cause to indict him, the two other senators and several others for plunder a “brazen resolution.”

The Guingona Report also urged the Senate committee on ethics and privileges to investigate the three senators and conduct hearings to disci-pline its members. Guingona’s committee also indorsed it findings to the Integrated Bar of the Philippines and the Supreme Court for the lawyers involved –Enrile, his chief of staff Gigi Reyes and Revilla’s staff Cambe –for possible disbrarment and disciplinary action.

Instead of showing a bold face like Estrada and Revilla, Enrile, a known brilliant lawyer and political strategist, was silent about the findings of the Ombudsman.

A good reaction to the announcement of the findings of the Om-budsman and the Guingona committee belongs to Senator Francis “Chiz” Escudero who said that the indicted personalities should welcome the action as an opportunity to defend themselves and prove that the allega-tions are not true. Will Enrile, Estrada and Revilla, the first senators to be indicted for plunder, think so to?

What has Malacanang got to say about it? Communications Secre-tary Herminio Coloma could not have said it better when he stated “The wheels of justice are moving forward. We share our people’s hopes on the final resolution of these cases.”


BY CARMELA C. DURON

SPECIAL FEATURE

AQUILES Z. ZONIOCorrespondent

VANTAGE POINTS 9EDGEDAVAO

A glaring example

Revive the Davao Council of Culture and Arts ?

CRITICAL AT A TIME WHEN THE CITY NEEDS ADDED FUNDS – In-efficiency, negligence and indeci-

siveness are mannerisms that form part of the system of governance in a Philip-pine setting. Many personnel in different agencies especially in the national level have been remiss on their jobs and we have also a law enforcement that is pock-marked with inefficiency and slackness.

First, let us look at our surroundings. Davao City has its own share of the prob-lem. One glaring example is the city’s alleged miserable tax collection system specifically on real property tax. It is so degrading to know that real property tax-es amounting to more than P1 billion last year alone due to the city government have not been paid based on the findings of a team from the City legal office (CLO) that is investigating the fix.

There are just too many instances probably in tax collection where there can no transparency, no openness and no efficient utilization of collection effort. It is very critical at a time when the city badly needs additional funds to start new projects that will ensure progress and development. Yet billions of uncollected taxes run down the drain for obvious rea-sons.

Top city officials make sure there is an in-depth investigation into the alleged negligence and incompetence of some personnel of the tax collection division under the City Treasurer’s Office (CTO), the lead agency tasked to undertake and supposedly intensify tax collection. The

effort to get the crucial is-sue known to the unknow-ing taxpaying public has to include a clear explanation of the real cir-cumstances behind the tax delinquency problem.

To the extent that it dampens the expectations of the taxpaying public of higher tax collection that supposedly would generate measures to increase the city budget, a no non-sense probe is high-ly commendable. The real tax deficiency mess is just the latest controversy that hounds the city government. The revela-tion is only the “tip of the iceberg,” so to speak. It is an indicator that other forms of taxes – from business, amusement so on and so forth may have also been haunted by the same problem.

And so, while investigators may have enough reasons to conduct a thorough probe and dig deeper into the real cause of the problem, the city coffers seem to be hurting. Matching words with action means doing something about the city’s tax delinquency jumble and it is there-fore appropriate to unmask posthaste the people who are allegedly responsible for the mess.

Moves to unravel the secrecy behind the bind have become more and more ur-

gent. Those people found to be responsi-ble for the tax collection fix that involves staggering amount of money should be made to explain or be prosecuted if nec-essary. With the revelation public dissat-isfaction has risen with the perception that the city leadership has been unable to tackle, in particular, intensive tax col-lection drive.

What has the tax delinquency prob-lem got to do with the tax collection di-vision which is under the direct super-vision of the CTO? Faced with mounting criticism over the chaos, concerned CTO officials may be able to do more than just put a smiling face during media inter-views. The tax deficiency fix will never stop unless concerned officials make sys-tematic change in the tax collection pro-cedures.

The wary public could not just allow the disturbing situation to continue un-abated. More than that, officials should set the example of going after tax evaders, and going after the “big fish.” Our leaders should have to find the appropriate and potential solutions to the predicament right now because money in the form of taxes is tool for development rather than to promote interest in self-vested en-deavor.

Of course, the irate and aghast public first wants to see that “heads will roll” and that authorities should crack the whip ruthlessly if need against people found to have violated government rules and procedures. This is what we called great changes in the near future.

ONCE UPON a time in the distant past, there was this thing called the “Davao Council for Cultural

Affairs” which was supposed to pro-mote arts and culture in this southern city.

As far as my memory could take me into the deepest abyss of my mind, I was somewhat part of this council when the Philippine literature giant Aida Rivera Ford was at the helm.

There were many cultural projects and activities that were set into mo-tion by this council, known then as the DCCA, but I can’t remember them very clearly or how significant they were at that time during the early 1990’s. But what was clear was that Ford herself was at the front and center of all these activities because many of them were held at her Ford Academy of the Arts located between Ladislawa Village and San Pedro Village.

Since Ford’s background is heavy in literature, I remember attending writ-ers’s workshops either as a participant or as a member of a working commit-tee, or watching a number of one-act plays or excerpts of longer stage plays performed by local actors and actress-es at the top floor of her FAA building at Ladislawa.

The school itself was set up as a formal institution for local artists who want to earn a degree in Fine Arts--- not in literature (like in Silliman U and other universities) but mainly in painting--- which is what many tal-

ented young people want-ed in Davao at that time. A number of Davao art-ists finished their Fine Arts degree at the FAA and turned into p r o d u c t i v e professional artists.

Personally, this was what I wanted to see flourish and grow during that time when DCCA was still alive and kicking--- the spread of creative writ-ing not only in poetry but most espe-cially in fiction writing and the flour-ishing of the performing arts, not in cultural dances, but in the stage pro-duction of one-act or three-act stage plays. I also wanted to see the growth of Davao artists who can churn out works in water color, acrylic and oil colors and seen in regular exhibits of their works at the malls.

But all these didn’t happen and DCCA has probably died a natural death or if I’m wrong, just lying dor-mant like our own Mt Apo. Ford can’t do all these things all by herself, she needs a group of dedicated people who wants to see the growth of cre-ative arts and culture in Davao.

We’re happy to see, of course, the revival and growth of the arts and cul-

tural heritage of various tribal groups in Davao region spearheaded by the Department of Tourism, as well as many “performing dance groups” from different schools and provinces. Unfortunately, there seems to be no theatre group producing stage pro-ductions of one act plays written by either Filipino or foreign playwriters.

It would have been nice if the Davao Writers’ Guild started by the former UP Mindanao chancellor Ricky Ungria can take up the cudgels of reviving the DCCA and set up as a sub-unit of the National Commission of Culture and Arts or NCCA.

With the Guild now run by Ate-neo literature professors who can run their own creative writers’ work-shops to train new writers and poets, Ungria would be the best candidate to head the new DCCA if and when they decide to revive this group in Davao--- being one of the top officers of NCCA and now a long time resident here.

Funding for DCCA cultural proj-ects, whether for writers’ workshops, stage productions, dance festivals, painting exhibits, seminars, etc can easily be tapped both from the Davao city council and the NCCA--- and Un-gria is very good at this, having put up a lot of arts and literature events in the past as former head of the writ-er’s guild.

(Comments ? Email > [email protected])

“PUBLIC service must be more than doing a job ef-ficiently and honestly. It

must be a complete dedication to the people and to the nation,” forty-four-year old Joseph Bantayan, a parent leader of Barangay Santiago, Caraga town, Davao Oriental lives by this mantra.

Selected as the municipal entry of Caraga for the 2013 Search for Hu-warang Pamilya, Joseph is an epito-me of a well-rounded public servant. He served as PTA President for four cummulated years.

He is also a “kaabag” (church lay minister) for 10 years now. Joseph has been a parent leader in Caraga since the program started in 2008. He was also identified as a federated parent leader of the program.

Joseph and his wife Rosemary, 39, own a small sari-sari store to aug-ment the daily needs of the family. Joseph is a college undergraduate while Rosemary graduated from a vocational course in dressmaking.

Trusting on the importance of ed-ucation, Joseph and Rosemary pur-sued their children’s studies despite the monetary challenges they face.

“ I regret deeply that I did not fin-ish my course in Civil Engineering, that is why we strive really hard to let our kids finish their studies. Even though that is the only bequest we can leave them with,” shared Joseph.

As luck would have it, all of Jo-seph’s children - Alexis Jomari, 14, and in Grade 7; Virgil Mayo, 11, in Grade 6; May Anne Bernadette, 9, in Grade 3; and Vincent Jorenz, 7, in Grade 1 excel both in academic and non-academic activities.

During last year’s elections, Jo-seph ran and was elected as a Baran-gay Kagawad.

“Of all the 25 candidates, I was the only one who did not shed a cen-tavo. I believe that the people chose me because they saw my sincerity in serving as a parent leader for Pan-tawid Pamilya,” Joseph beamed.

It is Joseph’s first term as baran-gay kagawad. He receives a monthly honorarium of P5,400.00.

Despite the vast responsibility as kagawad, Joseph chose not to leave his responsibility as a parent leader.

“I will continue being a parent leader, even though I am already serving as a kagawad. I was molded as a public servant and a leader here in Pantawid Pamilya. Even in my own humble way, I want to return the goodness that the program has shown my family and my communi-ty,” Joseph added.

Joseph and some 6,000 parent leaders in Region XI have been help-ing shape the future for all Pantawid Pamilya beneficiaries in the region since 2008.

As Edward Everett Hale, a famous writer, puts , “I am only one, but still, I am one. I cannot do everything but I can do something. And, because I cannot do everything, I will not re-fuse to do what I can.”

Pantawid Pamilya has been keep-ing children in school and families healthy since its onset in 2008. At present, Davao Region has 194,789 household beneficiaries in all 4 prov-inces, 6 cities, 43 municipalities cov-ering 2,217 barangays. [PNA]

Pantawid parent leader as public servant

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BLISTERING HEAT. These mothers cover their young children with towels to protect them from the blistering heat of the sun while crossing the busy Quimpo Blvd. in Davao City yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

recovered in the evening in the same area.

On the evening of March 22, joint forces of the Crim-inal Investigation and De-tection Group (CIDG) – 11, Davao City Police Office – Investigation and Detec-tion Management Branch, Bunawan Police Precinct and Bureau of Customs re-covered 24 kilos of cocaine concealed in 24 bricks.

The next day, another 27 kilos were recovered by Bunawan Police Precinct. Of the 27, 23 kilos were turned-over by Noel G. Ta-mayo, driver of Sumifro after he found the cocaine at the back seat of the truck while it was parked inside

the container yard at 11:00 a.m. on Sunday. Around 12:05 noon of the same day, the four kilos were found by Eliseo F. Jupore in a generator set.

Rosales said earlier that cocaine has a market value of P6,000 per gram or P6 million a kilo.

In an initial investiga-tion, the van came from Hong Hong Kong which arrived in Manila last De-cember 21, 2013 and later ended up in the city last January 8. It was alleged-ly placed in the container repair area beside Sumif-ru Wharf and later trans-ferred to the compound on March 19.

Region because of its cold climate.

“We are aiming to in-tensify the safety of our people by building houses away from high risk and flood prone areas,” she said.

The two-bedroom house which has its own living room, comfort room and a terrace will cost P85,000 each.

Dumpor said the pro-vincial government imple-ments the project in part-nership with Gawad Kalin-ga Foundation.

“We are expecting as-sistance from local and in-ternational organizations,” she said during the media forum at Club 888 at the Marco Polo Davao.

Dumpor also an-nounced the opening of a hotel and a resort in mu-nicipality of Pantukan and

Monkayo which are expect-ed to boost the tourism in-dustry in the area.

The PJRB Inland Resort in Monkayo and Marina Ho-tel just opened this year.

Other new resorts in the province are Jino’s Garden Resort, Sea World Oasis and Lawis Magsayap Beach Re-sort in Pantukan.

The province has more than 30 existing inland re-sorts and hotels.

As part of the One Davao, a marketing strat-egy of the Department of Tourism 11 which aims to promote all summer des-tinations in the region, the province of ComVal will launch three new diving sites and five snorkeling sites on May 3 during the launching of the Summer Beach Feast in Pindasan, Mabini town.

“This hurdles the recon-struction given that we only have nine months,” she said.

The Department of Pub-lic Works and Highways (DPWH) granted DCWD two years to reconstruct the main pipeline which is vital in the supply of water from the main source in Dumoy to downtown and other areas in the northern part of the city.

“We are so late because the whole reconstruction would take one year,” Mag-suci said.

“DPWH wants the pipe

to be replaced immedi-ately because it may affect the weight capacity of the bridge”.

She said that members of the Local Housing Board (LHB) held an emergency meeting at the City Hall yes-terday to look for “appro-priate action.”

“The local government will be the one to conduct the demolition,” she said.

Demolition Unit head Retired Col. Yusof Jimlani said he is still waiting for the mayor’s order to con-duct the demolition. [CRC]

of its contract with HARB-CO. This begins with the assurance that the secu-rity provider is not itself committing any viola-tions,” Castro said.

Last Monday, the PNP Region 11 Security Agen-cy and Guards Supervi-sion Section, led by Police Chief Inspector Jay Gacis Dema-Ala, accompanied by legal officer Police Ma-jor Arnold Barcenelia, of the PNP Davao del Norte , conducted an inspec-tion of the guards of the United Field Sea Watch-man and Checkers Agen-

cy (UFSWCA), and in the process, confiscated two high powered unlicensed firearms, according to a report by the PNP.

Lapanday urges all HARBCO ARBs to return to work so that the farm operates fully. If only limited operations con-tinue, and HARBCO mem-bers still do not report for work, they will cause extreme damage to their farms, and as losses have now been incurred, this shall continue, unless full operations resume imme-diately, Lapanday said.

ment is set to be released June.

In 2010, the provincial government of Davao Ori-ental submitted application to United Nations Educa-tion, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) for the inclusion of the area in the World Heritage List.

“The mountain range is a home to a total of 1,380 species of flora and fauna with 341 species endemic to the Philippines, includ-ing the critically endan-

gered Philippine eagle and the Philippine cockatoo as well as the Shorea poly-sperma, S. astylosa and the orchid Paphiopedilum ad-ductum,” an earlier report said.

According to the UN-ESCO, the Mt. Hamiguitan Range Wildlife “is the only protected forest noted for its unique bonsai field or ‘pygmy’ forest of 100-year old trees growing in ultra-mafic soil”.

“Mount Hamiguitan is

an ultramafic terrain giving rise to an ultramafic forest and associated diverse habitats and flora and fau-na. At the national level, this sanctuary is a conser-vation interest. At a global scale, it is known to be a habitat of globally import-ant species of plants and animals,” UNESCO said.

If approved, it will be joining five other Heritage Sites in the Philippines in-cluding Tubbataha Reefs Natural Park, Puerto Princ-

esa Subterranean River National Park, Rice Ter-races of the Cordilleras, Historic town of Vigan, Baroque churches of the Philippines.

These sites are consid-ered to have an outstand-ing universal value to hu-manity.

Trocio said that they are targeting to increase by 25 percent the number of tourist arrivals which reached100,000 last year. [CRC]

SEN. Miriam Defensor Santiago on Wednesday said the recently-signed

Comprehensive Agreement on the Bangsamoro is uncon-stitutional because it violates the principle of constitution-al supremacy.

The lady senator said the CAB which includes as an integral part some 12 agree-ments, including the 2012 Framework Agreement on the Bangsamoro, said the Agreement establishes not a mere autonomous region as provided for by the Consti-tution, but a substate which will exercise certain sover-eign powers that should be reserved only for the central government.

Santiago, a former pro-fessor of constitutional law at the University of the Philip-pines, appeared to be partic-ularly incensed by the Agree-ment which provides in Part 7, para. 4, subpara. (b), that one of the functions of the Transition Commission is the following:

“To work on proposals to amend the Philippine Constitution for the purpose of accommodating and en-trenching in the Constitution the agreements of the Parties whenever necessary without

derogating from any prior past agreements.”

Santiago, chairperson of the Senate committee on constitutional amendments, said the provision is “beyond ridiculous.”

”The basic function of a constitution is to list the powers of the state and to list the rights of the citizens. The constitution is a list of sovereign powers that are reserved for the government, meaning to say, all the three branches. This is the princi-ple of constitutional suprem-acy. It is beyond ridiculous to state that the Philippine Constitution should accom-modate the agreements of the Parties whenever nec-essary,” Santiago said in her commencement speech at Gordon College in Olongapo City.

After reciting this pro-vision, Santiago said in her trademark expression: “Say again?! Wh a - a - a - t ?! The Agreement embodies the consent of the executive branch to amend the Philip-pine Constitution, in order to accommodate the Agree-ment!”

Santiago also said that preliminary studies show that the Agreement appar-

ently contains provisions very similar to those con-tained in the Memorandum of Agreement on Ancestral Domain (MOA-AD) which the Supreme Court previously declared as unconstitutional.

”Both the MOA-AD and the Bangsamoro Agreement appear to facilitate the se-cession of the Bangsamoro from our country, in a man-ner similar to the secession of Kosovo and Crimea,” she said.

Santiago listed the rea-sons why she believes that the Bangsamoro will turn into a substate, as follows:

a. The powers of the cen-tral government shall be de-termined by the Agreement, thus turning Bangsamoro into a substate.

b. The Autonomous Re-gion for Muslim Mindanao, which is provided for by the Constitution, will be abol-ished by mere agreement with the MILF, which is not surprising if you consider that the Bangsamoro has be-come a substate.

c. Allocation to the Bang-samoro of all powers exer-cised by the national govern-ment over local government units.

d. Although the Consti-

tution provides that natu-ral resources belong to the state, in the Bangsamoro territory, only Bangsamoro will have exclusive jurisdic-tion over natural resources.

e. The Annex on Power Sharing gives to Bangsam-oro so-called “exclusive powers,” which is defined as a tautology, as “powers or matters over which author-ity and jurisdiction pertain to the Bangsamoro govern-ment.”

f. Only the Bangsamoro shall be under a ministerial form of government, while the rest of the country will operate under a presidential form of government.

g. The Agreement in Part 7, para. 4, subpara (b) enumerates the functions of the Transition Commission which at present is report-edly drafting the Bangsam-oro Basic Law. One of the functions of the Transition Commission is as follows: “To work on proposals to amend the Philippine Con-stitution for the purpose of amending and enriching in the Constitution the agree-ments of the Parties when-ever necessary without derogating from any prior peace agreement.” [PNA]

Bangsamoro agreement unconstitutional – Santiago

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 11

Edge Davao hiring 3 reporters

EDGE DAVAO is a need of three staff-writers/reporters for its expansion program.

The reporters will be assigned to the business, science/environment and political beats.

Applicant must be a graduate of a four- year college course. Experience is not needed although preferable.

Interested parties may send their ap-plication letter to Mr. Antonio M. Ajero, Edge Davao editor, thru email address [email protected]. For inqui-ries, please call Mr. Ajero thru mobile phone 09052422686 or landline 221-3601.

EDGEDAVAO

COMMUNITY SENSE

ON March 29, 2014, SM Lanang Premier hosted the Earth

Hour celebration at its Fountain Court grounds to promote greater awareness on climate change and re-inforce its commitment to environmental sustainabil-ity. More than 6,600 people participated at the event.

This was the second time that SM Lanang Pre-mier marked the Earth Hour. What set it apart from the previous year’s cele-bration was the two-part component of the event – a switch-off program and a lights-out party dubbed ‘Spectra’ – that the mall staged on Saturday.

Gracing the celebra-tion was Atty. Chelin Joan Sonza-Alug, Chief Admin-istrative Officer of Depart-ment of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Region XI. Addressing the relatively young crowd, she

encouraged participants to do their share in helping curb climate change.

At exactly 8:30 pm, SM Lanang Premier turned off 100% of the mall buildings’ lighted logos and 50% of in-terior and perimeter lights to respond to the global call to save the planet.

Amidst the darkness and the sudden rain, The Fountain Court radiated a festive atmosphere as ‘Spectra: The Earth Hour Blacklight Party’ kicked off with the bare sound of drumbeats that lasted for an hour and the sight of people dancing, albe-it soaking wet, wearing neon paint and glow-in-the-dark bracelets.

Spectra, which was co-presented by Manic Nightnings Productions, lingered on throughout the night with the coun-try’s hottest female DJ duo, Deuce Manila fea-

6,600 join SM Lanang Premier’s Earth Hour Switch Off event

turing Kat DJ and Patty Tiu, playing exhilarat-ing beats that brought the crowd to its feet. Davao-based DJs Torch and Wacky Masbad also spinned dynamic mixes during the party.

The Earth Hour cel-ebration at SM Lanang Premier raised climate change awareness among participants, especially the youth. It was support-ed by the DENR Region XI, Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc., Team

Titans Davao, Philippine Siberian Husky Club In-corporated-Davao Pack, and Park Inn by Radisson Davao.

SM Lanang Premier joined the 47 SM Super-malls across the nation and 6 in China for the annual Earth Hour cele-bration, which was held in partnership with the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), to high-light the statement that the time to action against global warming is now.

DENR Region XI Chief Administrative Officer Atty. Chelin Joan Sonza-Alug gives a short message at the Earth Hour event.

Participants from Phoenix Petroleum Philippines, Inc. led by Corporate Affairs Manager Ben Sur (left) show support for the Earth Hour.

The 60+ symbol of Earth Hour lights up The Fountain Court.

The large crowd at the Spectra party held at SM Lanang Premier.DJs Wacky Masbad and Torch with Kat Dalisay of Manic Nightnings Produc-tions at the Spectra event.

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 201412 EDGEDAVAOCLASSIFIED

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ADMIT IT! We all love our crispy lechon skin, tender and juicy steak, as well as sinful calorie-filled deca-dent chocolate cakes. Each bite from these diet-busting bombs is sure to tickle your taste buds and elicit a smile. But what if we can take away most of the fat and meat and substitute them for healthier fare? Would you still smile? Fortunately you can at Sea Green Cafe and Lifestyle Shop. I had been hearing of Sea Green for the longest time and had wanted to give the place a taste but no thanks to deadly deadlines as well as laziness, I was not able to until last March when my “BPA” group fi-nally decided to give Sea Green a visit. The interior of the cafe was light and airy with touches of shabby chic all around. I love their lifestyle shop area which sells or-ganic soaps, honey, wheat grass and other healthy treats. Sea Green’s menu was simple yet was well thought out offering appe-tisers, main courses, pasta, salad, soup, sandwiches, and brunch. I have to warn meat lovers though, as you cannot find any trace of beef nor pork on Sea Green’s healthy menu. Given that we are al-ways a hungry bunch we decided to each have our own orders. I went for

Sea Green’s Pan Grilled Fish with Cauliflower Rice, Booboo went for the Calamari Pesto Spaghet-tinis, while Ann went with a Smoked Salmon Eggs Benedict. Emil and Christian ar-rived almost at the same time as Otoi. Emil or-dered the Creamy Pesto and Vegetable Linguini

INdulge! VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014

EDGEDAVAOFOOD

Light eats at Sea Green

while Christian and Otoi both ordered the Creamy Smoked Salmon Linguini. I loved the Pan Grilled Fish with Cauliflower Rice. The fish was cooked properly and was flaky to the bite. The hint of gar-lic butter added a punch of flavour to the fish. The Cauliflower rice which was actually made entirely of cauliflower was superb and I would highly rec-ommend it for people who want to say goodbye to rice but still wish to have some rice with a meal. The group also enjoyed their pasta dishes although the Creamy Smoked Salm-on Linguini as well as the Calamari Pesto Speghetti-nis were a little bit on the salty side.

Dessert was a one-two affair as we decided to share an order of Sea Green’s Strawberry French Toast as well as their Tofu Cheesecake.

The Strawberry French Toast was nicely balanced with just a kiss of pow-dered sugar to add some sweetness. The fresh straw-berries really upped the

flavour of what would have been an ordinary dessert. Sea Green’s Tofu Cheesecake on the other-hand was a light baked cheesecake served with an orange supreme and some candied pili nuts. The cheesecake was not too sweet and paired well with the orange as well as the nuts. I just wish I could taste the sweet soya flavour of the tofu more as well as have more orange wedges to add more acidity to the dense cheesecake but it was well worth the taste and I don’t mind having seconds. Given that the many of Durianburg’s citizens are already fasting because of lent, Sea Green would be a good choice to splurge a bit while “fasting.” Follow me on Instagram or on Twitter at @kenneth-kingong for more travel stories, fooride finds, and happenings in, around, and beyond Durianburg.

AMERICAN rapper Kid Ink and British pop-rock band Na-tives said their first time singing to the Filipino crowd at the groundbreaking 7107 International Music Festival was nothing short of amazing and memorable, especially be-cause they got to join an impressive line-up artists like Ken-drick Lamar, Kaskade and Red Hot Chili Peppers before an upbeat, inspired audience. “The energy of the whole festival was just amazing. I ac-tually used it as fuel to my performance thinking I should be reciprocating such warm reception,” Kid Ink told the press at the festi-val. Only 27 years old, the rapper, aptly named for his many tattoos, rose to popular-ity for his infec-tious style that is quite evident in his latest collabo-ration with Chris Brown for the hit single “Show Me.” “The Filipinos are very musi-cal – there’s just music anywhere, and seeing how many people could play music and sing so well was actu-ally intimidating for us,” Natives guitarist Jack Fairbrother told the media in a separate gathering. “It was just a pleasure to get the chance to share our music to this side of the world and listen to the local musi-cians as well. It was one great experience not only for our fans but for us artists,” related vocalist Jim Thomas, who also described the band’s upcoming “Indoor War” album as a collection of songs that tell of a person’s struggle from darkness to light, from pessimism to optimism.

Unlimited music streaming appAside from performing and mingling with their fans at the festival, both Kid Ink and Natives were thrilled to learn that their songs are available on Spinnr, a one-of-a-kind music app that makes possible unlimited music streaming access to more than three million songs from the country’s big-gest online music portal. Kid Ink and Natives had the chance to tinker with the app, which is powered by Smart, a major sponsor of the music festival. “Spinnr works really great. It’s quite affordable too for what it allows you to do, like stream and download music and create playlists you want,” said Kid Ink. “On my end, it’s one fine thing for us because we get to share our music to more people,” he added. “With a lot of artists, songs and features, it’s like having your own music festival on your phone!” said Thomas. “It’s good technology at work,” said Fairbrother. “Spinnr gives people access to more music and artists so they con-tinue learning and honing their own taste and personality.” For as low as P2.50 a day or P49 for 30 days, users can enjoy unlimited music streaming from SPINNR on their PCs, smartphones and tablets with no added data charges. For first time users, a 15-day FREE TRIAL is available. The SPINNR app is available and free to download on the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store. For more information, please visit www.spinnr.ph.

A2 INdulge! VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014EDGEDAVAO

Kid Ink, Natives bat for unlimited music

streaming app Spinnr

UP AND ABOUT EVENT

Bright Seeds Preschool finds its place in the sunIT was a dream come true for Dabawenya educator and former Hijos de Davao muse Lea Tionko-Imperial and long-time friend and co-teacher Cathy Gempesaw as they opened Bright Seeds Preschool last April 1, with family and friends in full attendance “We are excited to have this new project.” beams Lea, “We believe that chil-dren are replications of God’s love. They remind us the joys and simplici-ties of life. Now, while we are appreciating and loving them, we need to also nuture their minds and hearts to allow them to grow in becoming the persons that they are in-tended to be.” The duo envisions Bright Seeds Preschool to be a centre for nurture through international teaching methods. “We design our programs and activities is such a way that the children will learn new

concepts and skills and at the same time, appreciate and value what they are learning.” adds Lea. “It is important to us that they will also see the presence of God’s love for them, the people and the things around them, helping the students become smart, sociable and adaptive per-sons without compromis-ing their individuality.” Kids and some kids-at-heart were later invited to

an enjoyable art and craft session at the school’s air-conditioned room. Bright Seeds Preschool is currently offering sum-mer activities such as a Toddlers’ Playgroup for kids two years old to three, on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from April 21 to May 9, 10:30 AM to 12:00 NN; Children’s Arts and Craft Workshop for kids three to five years old, daily classes from April

23 to May 7 from 1:30 PM to 3 PM; and Reading Enrichment Program for kids four to six years old, daily from May 5 to May 23 from 9:00 AM to 10:00 AM. For more information you may call Bright Seeds Preschool at (917) 5400988 or 3003286. Bright Seeds Preeschool is located at JTL Plaza along Doña Vicenta Road in near Chowking Bajada.

By Kenneth Irving OngPhotos by Silvia Gempesaw

GEAR UP for a more exciting summer as IT girls Solenn Heussaff and Isabelle Daza introduce viewers to a more hip, more stylish and more adventurous weekend on GMA News TV’s lifestyle program Taste Buddies, the home of fashion, food and lifestyle. Now on its sixth season and airing on a new times-lot, every Saturday night at 8:45pm, Taste Buddies continues to explore new trends, fun places to hang-out, fresh adventures and even the latest fashion to-gether with some celebrity guests.

Since it premiered in 2012, Taste Bud-dies has visited vari-ous famous and inter-esting plac-es all over the coun-try. The show has also featured budget-friendly activities for barka-das, unique dining places for couples, fun-filled places for the family, and even pay-for-less fashion for today’s fashionistas.

S o l e n n and Belle have also proven that they are more than just pretty faces. From aerial to folk danc-es, and even KPOP dance craze

to body flexing Capoeira, Muay Thai, Jujitsu and Krav Maga, the Taste Buddies hosts are very much willing to try all these. “This season, we can all have a peek into Solenn and

Belle’s personal lives as they share more of themselves to our viewers. We involve them more in planning out our episodes, asking what they want to do and who they want to be with in our eps. Also, in a new segment we call Quickie Quiz, the girls will try to squeeze out juicy information from our guests for the entertain-ment of our Kapuso view-ers,” shares Senior Assistant Vice President for Entertain-ment TV Gigi Santiago-Lara. Catch the all new exciting episodes of Taste Buddies this summer every Saturday, 8:45pm, on GMA News TV.

“MIRABELLA” lead stars Julia Barretto, Sam Con-cepcion, and Enrique Gil gathered thousands of Ka-pamilya viewers for an ul-timate bonding experience in the ‘Mirabella Summer Sundate’ held recently at Ayala Fairview Terraces in Quezon City. The teen stars personally thanked their fans for the warm support to their show and treated them with an afternoon filled with show-stopping surprises and romantic production numbers. To-gether with Julia, Sam, and Enrique were co-stars Mika

dela Cruz, Diego Loyzaga, Alora Sasam, Noemi Oine-za, Nikki Bagaporo, Paulo Angeles, Ryle Santiago, Marinela Sevidal, and Alexa

Macanan. Meanwhile, TV viewers will surely be more hooked in “Mirabella” as Jeremy (Enrique) and Ter-rence (Sam) enter the life of

Mira (Julia). How will the two young men change the cruel world, where Mira grew up in? Will Mira finally find the love and acceptance she has been longing for from them? Don’t miss the dra-ma series that will change the true meaning of beauty, “Mirabella,” weeknights, af-ter “TV Patrol” on ABS-CBN Primetime Bida. For more information about “Mirabella,” visit the show’s official social media accounts at Facebook.com/MirabellaOnline and Twitter.com/MirabellaOnline.

THE Meteor Fever is of-ficially on! Filipinos all over the world warmly received the return of the “Meteor Garden” on Phil-ippine television Mon-day afternoon, as part of ABS-CBN’s celebration of more than ten years of Asianovelas in the coun-try. For its pilot telecast, “Me-teor Garden” hit a national TV rating of 16.2% com-pared to two of its rival pro-grams from GMA, “Innamo-rata” (9.3%) and “Borrowed Wife” (9.6%), according to data from Kantar Media. The phenomenal Tai-wanese series also trended worldwide via social net-working site Twitter and swept five out of the top ten worldwide trending topics. Even Shan Cai herself, Barbie Xu, showed her sup-port and tweeted about the much-awaited come-back of “Meteor Garden.” “I heard the Philippines is going to play ‘Meteor Gar-den’ again. Thank you for your overwhelming love and continued support. I hope you enjoy watching

it as much as you loved it ten years ago. Thank you and I hope to see you again soon,” said Barbie in her personal Twitter account @itsbarbiexu. Nostalgic tweets poured from netizens who remi-nisced their younger years back when the Meteor Fe-ver first hit in 2003. Filipinos online also raved about the gorgeous boys of F4,

Dao Ming Si’s pineapple hairstyle, the red card, and even requests for the Asian-ovela’s weekend replays. ABS-CBN’s newest after-noon series “Moon of De-sire” also created a buzz last Monday after it launched back-to-back with “Meteor Garden.” Viewers warmly received the story of Ayla (Meg Im-perial) and scored 16.6%

in national TV rating vs GMA’s “Villa Quintana” with 9.7%. The show also landed a spot in the top Twitter trending topics worldwide. Don’t get left behind and watch afternoon’s tele-visions newest summer habit. Watch “Moon of De-sire” after “It’s Showtime” followed by “Meteor Gar-den” in ABS-CBN’s Kapami-lya Gold.

INdulge! A3VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014EDGEDAVAOENTERTAINMENT

‘Meteor’ fever hits country once more, trends on Twitter worldwide

Julia, Sam and Enrique’s ‘Sundate’ draws thousands of fans

GMA News TV’s lifestyle show Taste Buddies enters season 6

Hot or not?

Rita Oria rocked the house with the perfect Mc-Donald’s uniform designed by Brit-ish dresser Mos-chino. Minus the belt, there’s some-thing fun about the business-meets-the-circus style. The bold colors pop and the vintage tie at the blouse neckline is a lovely touch but would it have helped sell more Big Macs?

PG 13

PG 13

PG 13

PG 1312:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

R-16CAPTAIN AMERICA:

THE WINTER SOLDIER 2D

11:20 | 2:00 | 4:40 | 7:20 | 10:00 LFS

DIARY NG PANGET 2D

11:40 | 2:15 | 4:50 | 7:25 | 10:00 LFS

DIVERGENT 2D

Chris Evans, Scarlett Johansson

12:00 | 2:30 | 5:00 | 7:30 | 10:00 LFS

SON OF GOD 2D

Diogo Morgado, Roma Downey

James Reid, Nadine Lustre

Shailene Woodley, Theo James

A4 INdulge! VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014EDGEDAVAOFOOD

TRAVELLING has always been a refuge away from the hustle and bustle of city life. No, I am not one to complain but there are days where I seek for a fresher and serene en-vironment – aside from my room, that is.

The best thing about travelling? Aside from the ecstasy of packing your things, the scenic and tour-ist spots to visit – I always look forward to the food! Yes, I am a foodie and I al-ways make it a point to be one with the locals and eat where they eat. Although not always the case, I try to be where the crowd is to feel like a local and not a tourist.

When my schedule heaved a sigh of relief from

work to pack, I took it and flew straight away! The Im-perial Palace at Lapu-Lapu City is an ultimate stayca-tion destination. It was more than a hotel, it was an empire of everything you could ask for under the sun. Aside from the pristine water that surrounds it, the place roared with enticing flavors that could verily have your baby fats jump-ing for joy! From a full buf-fet of breakfast around the world, a poolside snack to an Asian themed dinner, it was such so good to pass on.

BreakfastThe moment I stepped in-side Familia Café at the ground floor, I was wel-comed with nations from all over the world. Yes, I felt like a tourist in my own country. The massive dining hall could probably seat more than 500 and it was packed every single day. From typical Filipino breakfast to continental and Korean, you can find it all here. Have some fresh fruits with your cereals, jam and butter on your toast or a porridge with mashed ba-nana – the choices is un-limited. If a meat eater, go over their meat section and have it cooked on the spot. Pancakes? See it bubble up with under your nose. Sweet Tooth? No prob-lem! They have a never ending display of sweet pastries, assorted cakes and chocolates of colors, shapes and sizes! It was more than a buffet – it was Willy Wonka in the flesh.

SnackPoolside snacking is a ne-cessity more than a want. When planning to get a tan, you should not forego the experience of sipping fresh coconut juice from the fruit while submerged in their pool. Yes, their bar is right in the pool. Imagine floating while seated– it was that awe-some. The food was also superb. Had the oppor-tunity to try their vanilla-cucumber shake while bit-ing off my grilled chicken and pepper wraps while submerged, it was just so perfect.

NoonWith the sun radiating like no other, you cannot help but be one with nature and enjoy a meal or two near the beach, on the shore and inside a beautiful cabana. I mean, you are on vaca-tion… indulge, spend and forget about the bill – for a

while, that is. Lunch was a tomato, cheese and basil pizza and a big bowl of halo-halo to beat the heat. Curl up in one of the lounge chairs and eat under the sun – just don’t forget the sunscreen.

DinnerIt was Asian for dinner at Cheo San at the ground floor of the right wing of the palace. If you happen to not know anything on the menu or just want to play safe, allow Executive chef Kenny to order for you. While waiting for my sau-téed chicken with mush-room, stir-fried beef with vegetables, fried shrimp gyoza, steamed broccoli and garlic rice, enjoy their welcome appetizers of fer-mented green papaya, nuts,

kimchi and radish. The dishes were healthy, fresh and delectable to the palate. It was refreshing and very delicious. I loved the fact that the spices were not overpowering and just en-hanced the meat and veg-etables. Overall, the meal was a perfect way to end a hot, splashing day! The next time you want to truly enjoy time for yourself, check in and in-dulge. Never let work in-tervene with your gusto to recharge! Be a part of Davao’s Thursday habit! Send me your recipes, questions, suggestions and comments and be featured. Email me at [email protected] (subject:RoyalChef) or fol-low me on instagram (her-royalheiress)!

An indulgent staycation at Imperial Palace Cebu

EDGEDavao Davao Partners


THE Philippines’ lead-ing airline, Cebu Pa-cific Air (PSE:CEB)

launched two new inter-national destinations on

March 30, 2014. The air-line became the first Phil-ippine low-cost carrier to operate direct daily flights from Manila to Tokyo (Nar-

ita), and four times weekly flights from Manila to Na-goya.

“We are very excited to finally be able to offer Cebu

Pacific’s trademark low-est fares to these two new destinations in Japan. With our seat sales, seamless Manila airport terminal connection and extensive network, we hope to stim-ulate travel and bring Jap-anese tourists to various destinations in fun Philip-pines,” said Candice Iyog, CEB VP for marketing and distribution.

“Similarly, we hope these two new destina-tions will enable many Fil-ipinos to explore Japan for leisure or business travel. Japan is now more acces-sible and more affordable with Cebu Pacific flights,” she added.

Lowest year-round fares start at P5,499. CEB fares to Nagoya and Narita are up to 70% lower than other full-service airlines.

CEB also operates daily flights between Manila and Osaka, for as low as P3,999.

On March 30, 2014,

CEB launched daily ser-vices to Tokyo (Narita), uti-lizing the airline’s brand-new Airbus A320 fleet. The flight departs Manila at 5:25am, arriving in To-kyo at 10:35am. The re-turn flight departs Tokyo at 11:45am, and arrives in Manila at 3:45pm.

On the same day, CEB launched its Manila-Na-goya-Manila service, with a Tuesday, Thursday, Sat-urday and Sunday frequen-cy. Departing Manila at 3:20pm, the flight arrives in Nagoya at 8:25pm. The return flight departs Na-goya at 9:10pm, and ar-rives in Manila at 12:10am the next day.

For bookings and inquiries, guests can go to http://www.cebupacif-icair.com/, or call the reser-vation hotlines (02)7020-888 or (032)230-8888. The latest seat sales can also be found on CEB’s of-ficial Twitter (@cebupacif-

icair) and Facebook pages. Aside from Tokyo,

Nagoya and Osaka, CEB offers flights to 21 other international destinations, namely Bali, Bangkok, Bei-jing, Brunei, Busan, Dubai, Guangzhou, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh, Hong Kong, Incheon (Seoul), Jakarta, Kota Kinabalu, Kuala Lumpur, Macau, Phuket, Shanghai, Siem Reap, Singapore, Tai-pei and Xiamen. It also op-erates the most extensive network in the Philippines with destinations such as Boracay, Palawan and Coron.

CEB’s 51-strong fleet is comprised of 10 Airbus A319, 30 Airbus A320, 3 Airbus A330 and 8 ATR-72 500 aircraft. It is one of the most modern aircraft fleets in the world. Between 2014 and 2021, Cebu Pa-cific will take delivery of 12 more brand-new Airbus A320, 30 Airbus A321neo, and 3 Airbus A330 aircraft.

13

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Cebu Pacific launches new flights to Tokyo, NagoyaWE’RE HIRING!

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 201414 SPORTS EDGEDAVAO

Djokovic wins 4th titleSONY OPEN

A SENATE panel on Tuesday convened to discuss the natural-

ization of Andray Blatche, a measure that would allow the NBA player to suit up for the Philippines in the FIBA Basketball World Cup.

The Senate justice sub-committee hearing was chaired by Senator Sonny Angara, who is also the au-thor of the bill.

Its counterpart measure

in the House of Representa-tives, authored by Antipolo City representative Robbie Puno, has already been ap-proved on third reading. Once the Senate version is approved, the bill would be forwarded to President Benigno Aquino III to be signed into law.

Senator Koko Pimen-tel, the chairman of the Committee on Justice and Human Rights, and Senate

Majority Leader Alan Pe-ter Cayetano attended the hearing.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas executive director Sonny Barrios, Gilas Pilipi-nas coach Chot Reyes, as-sistant coach Jong Uichico, team manager Aboy Castro, and naturalized player Mar-cus Douthit were also in at-tendance.

Angara said the Sen-ate is targeting to pass the

measure before the June 30 deadline for submitting a 24-man lineup for the FIBA World Cup.

“Susubukan natin. Na-kita mo naman, tatlong senador dito e suportado dyan at ang alam ko yung iba, susuporta din. Hope-fully, ma-meet natin yung deadline to finalize,” said Angara.

IMMEDIATELY after the first fight between Manny Pacquiao and

Timothy Bradley, a survey was done among boxing experts regarding their scorecards for the fight.

The official result was a split decision victory for Bradley with judges Duane Ford and CJ Ross giving him the nod 115-113 while Jerry Roth scored it 115-113 for Pac-quiao.

In the survey among 123 boxing experts, 121 score the fight for Pac-quiao, one scored it for Bradley, and one had it even. None of the 121 experts who scored it for Pacquiao were from the Filipinos.

Dan Rafael of ESPN and Harold Lederman of HBO had it 119-109 for Pacquiao. Kevin Iole of Yahoo Sports, Gareth Davies of London Tele-graph, Lance Pugmire of Los Angeles Times, and Tim Stark of Queensberry Rules all had it 117-111 for Pacquiao.

All of these boxing personalities were both-ered by the result with HBO’s Jim Lampley saying “I don’t think we’re blind. I think Harold Lederman is the best scorer alive. And I think that is a terri-ble, bogus decision,” right after the decision was an-nounced.

“I’m dumfounded. I don’t know what to say. I have no comment. I’m to-tally confused,” said late great Emmanuel Steward.

“Timothy Bradley has scored an upset split de-cision victory over Manny Pacquiao. God only knows how,” replied Lampley in utter disbelief.

While the whole world was upset with the de-cision, Pacquiao appar-ently took it in stride. In deep preparation for his

rematch against Bradley on April 12 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas for the WBO welterweight title, Pacquiao revealed that the loss never bothered him.

“That is boxing. It is part of the game and you cannot let yourself get too upset over it or else it will consume you. Judges are human. You cannot expect them to be perfect,” Pac-quiao said in his most re-cent blog post for the up-coming rematch against Bradley. “In the first fight against Tim Bradley, I was over it before I returned to the dressing room. To Freddie Roach and me, and apparently everyone else who watched the fight – except for two – I won the fight.”

“The first thing I said to Freddie when we saw each other in the dress-ing after the fight was, ‘He [Bradley] ran just like we knew he would.’ We never discussed or debated the decision because it was so obvious that I had won the fight and nearly every round,” he added.

Pacquiao ended his blog by saying there is something differ-ent about the way he prepared for the fight against Bradley. “There is something different in this training camp. There are a lot of people who doubt I can fight the same way I fought when I knocked out Oscar De La Hoya, Ricky Hatton, Erik Morales, and Marco An-tonio Barrera,” Pacquiao said. “I want to prove to them that I am the best. I am inspired. I am the challenger. I know I will need to outbox and out-speed Bradley. And that is what I will do. This is the first time I have chal-lenged for a world title that I lost.”

TIGER Woods chose surgery to heal his ailing back over a

quest for another green jacket, announcing Tues-day that he will miss the Masters for the first time in his career.

Woods said on his website that he had sur-gery Monday in Utah for a pinched nerve that had been hurting him for sev-eral months, knowing the surgery would keep him from Augusta National next week for the first time since he was a senior in high school.

The No. 1 player in the world is a four-time Mas-ters champion.

‘’After attempting to get ready for the Masters, and failing to make the neces-sary progress, I decided in consultation with my doc-tors to have this procedure done, Woods said. ‘’I’d like to express my disappoint-ment to the Augusta Na-tional membership, staff, volunteers and patrons that I will not be at the Masters.

‘’It’s a week that’s very special to me,’’ he said. ‘’It also looks like I’ll be forced to miss several up-coming tournaments to focus on my rehabilitation and getting healthy.’’

The Masters gets the highest television ratings of any golf tournament, and Woods commands most of the attention, even though he last won a green jacket in 2005. He won his first Masters in 1997 when he set 20 re-cords, from youngest Mas-ters champion at 21 to his 12-shot margin of victory.

‘’I know Tiger has been working very hard to return to form, and as I have said many times, Tiger has a lot of years of good golf ahead of him,’’ Jack Nicklaus said. ‘’I hate to see him robbed of some of that time by inju-ry. But we all know he is doing what is in the best interest of his health and future. I wish him well on a speedy recovery.’’

Nicklaus played 154 straight majors for which he was eligible until he missed the 1998 British Open because of an ail-ing left hip that he had replaced a year later. Nicklaus rarely had injury p r o b -l e m s i n

compiling 18 profession-al majors, the record that Woods wants. Woods has been stuck on 14 majors for six years.

Woods has had four surgeries on his left knee, and now his biggest con-cern is his back.

He has been coping with back issues since last summer: a twinge in the final round of the PGA C h a m -p i o n -ship and spasms in the final round of The Bar-clays that c a u s e d him to fall to h i s

knees. Then, they returned with alarming regularity recently in Florida.

He withdrew after 13 holes in the final round of the Honda Classic with what he described as low-er back pain and spasms.

TIGER WOODS. Out of the Masters.

DYNAMIC DUO. Marcial Catangui (left) and Dexter Nonato carry their bikes after winning in their respec-tive age-categories in the Ciudades Terra Series held March 30 at the Ciudades race track in Mandug. Cat-angui topped the 35-39 years old by clocking 50:03 while Nonato clocked 49:47 to place second in the 30-34 category. They will be teaming up for Team Mountain Hardware in the coming Mt. Apo International Boulder Challenge on April 26-27 in Sta.Cruz, Davao del Sur. (Photo by Tomas Jose S. Iñigo)

FUTURE ELITE RIDERS. Cycleline’s Loyd Berame (3rd from left), champion in the 20-29 yrs. old category, is flanked by 2nd placer Jed Lopez (left) and 3rd placer Renmark Legasan of Team Rody Duterte during the awarding of Ciudades Terra Series held March 30 at the Ciudades race track in Mandug. (Photo by Tomas Jose S. Iñigo ./ CSDD-CMO)

Bradley loss doesn’thound Manny

Senate takes up Blatche naturalization

No Tiger in Masters

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014 15SPORTSEDGEDAVAO SPORTS

DALLAS (AP) -- Ste-phen Curry and Klay Thompson

combined for a couple of clutch jumpers, and Jer-maine O’Neal stepped up on both sides of the floor.

It was that kind of night for the Golden State Warriors.

Curry made a tiebreak-ing jumper in the final second of overtime, lifting Golden State to a 122-120 victory over the Dallas Mavericks on Tuesday.

‘’Incredible win for us,’’ coach Mark Jackson said. ‘’We had everything going against us. They had all the momentum. Guys re-ally stepped up and made plays.’’

Curry had 23 points and 10 rebounds. Thomp-son led the Warriors with

27 points, and O’Neal fin-ished with 20 points and eight boards.

O’Neal blocked a Dallas shot with the game tied at 120, setting the stage for Curry’s winning move. He dribbled the ball to the left side of the court and hit from 20 feet.

‘’I had missed a couple in regulation and a cou-ple in overtime that I felt were good, so I just knew to keep shooting it, and thankfully it went in,’’ Cur-ry said.

Jose Calderon, who made a big 3-pointer in overtime to give Dallas a 120-118 lead, found him-self 1-on-1 with the War-riors’ point guard.

‘’That’s not the first time he made that shot,’’ Calderon said. ‘’It was

pretty close. He’s a great player. If we made a couple of shots, we would have won.’’

The Mavericks called timeout, but the inbounds pass failed to connect as time ran out.

Dirk Nowitzki led Dal-las with 33 points and 11 rebounds. He had 16 in the Mavericks’ 41-point second quarter.

Dallas had a three-point lead until Thomp-son made a 3-pointer with 1:01 remaining in regula-tion. He also hit a 3-point-er from the right corner with 2:18 left in overtime to pull Golden State within a point at 117-116.

On a night when the Warriors were without their injured starting cen-ter and power forward,

O’Neal was 9 for 12 from the field in 33 minutes.

‘’(O’Neal) was fantas-tic - finishing at the rim, diving to the hoop, setting screens, forcing them to defend,’’ Jackson said. ‘’He makes arguably the big-gest play of the game with the blocked shot. He’s an incredible basketball play-er that’s had an incredible career, and he’s finishing it his way.’’

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- - The Portland Trail Blazers are hoping

they’ve put all the bad hab-its behind them with the playoffs on the horizon.

And with a healthy La-Marcus Aldridge providing his usual numbers, they are confident that they can make some noise in the postseason - with or with-out home-court advantage.

Damian Lillard scored 34 points, Aldridge had 31 points and 15 rebounds, and the Blazers beat the Los Angeles Lakers 124-112 Tuesday night.

‘’We had a rough stretch, but now we’ve kind of picked it back up and we’re going in the right direction at the per-fect time,’’ Lillard said. ‘’Now that we’re close to the postseason, we want

to have that rhythm going into the playoffs - because that’s what we play the regular season for.’’

The Blazers’ fourth straight win, coupled with Houston’s loss at Brooklyn, moved Portland within 1 1/2 games of the Rock-ets for fourth place in the Western Conference and home-court advantage in the opening round of the playoffs. The Rockets have three games in hand.

The Blazers have six games left on their sched-ule, five of them at home. One more win will give them their 12th 50-win season in the franchise’s 44-year history. But the last four times the team won 50 or more games, they didn’t make it past the first round of the post-season.

BROOKLYN – The Brooklyn Nets clinched a playoff

spot by defeating the Hous-ton Rockets to extend their home win streak, getting 32 points from Joe Johnson in a 105-96 win Tuesday.

Johnson shot 13-of-21 from the field and drained four-of-eight three pointers for the Nets, who set a fran-chise record with their 14th straight home win at the Barclays Center arena.

“We felt very resilient,” Johnson said. “The guys stepped up and made plays. We had a lot of wide open shots.”

The Nets won 13 con-secutive home games twice in the 2001-02 season.

Brooklyn improved to 40-33 on the season and wrapped up a berth in the Eastern Conference play-

offs.Shaun Livingston tal-

lied 17 points and six re-bounds and Deron Wil-liams added 12 points for the Nets, who have won three straight and seven of the last nine.

James Harden sunk all 16 of his shots from the free throw line and fin-ished with 26 points for Houston, who have lost back-to-back games after winning five straight.

Omer Asik finished with 12 points and 23 re-bounds in place of Dwight Howard, who sat out with a left ankle sprain.

Chandler Parsons had 16 points, eight rebounds and four helpers for Hous-ton, who were not only missing Howard but also Patrick Beverley with a knee injury.

THE Philippine nation-al men’s football team on Tuesday named

the players who will suit up for the Azkals during their training tour in Qatar this month.

Brothers Phil and James Younghusband of the Loyola Meralco Sparks headline the 22-man line-up that also includes hold-overs Ed Sacapaño of Phil-ippine Army-General Trias International FC, Patrick Reichelt of Ceres-La Salle FC, Chris Greatwich of Kaya FC, Jeffrey Christiaens and Jason De Jong of Global FC, and foreign-based players Rob Gier, Juani Guirado and

Martin Steuble.Coach Thomas Dooley

also tapped Nate Burkey of Pachanga PLDT Home Fibr, Simon Greatwich of Loyola, Ruben Doctora and Simone Rota of Stallion Gilligan’s, Anton Del Rosario, Nicholas O’Donnell, Andrew Liauw and Kenshiro Daniels of Kaya, Mark Hartmann, Am-ani Aguinaldo, Charles Pet-tys and the debuting Curt Dizon of Global.

The Azkals will play Nepal on April 11 and Qa-tari club Al Ahli SC on April 14 in Doha as part of their preparations for the Asian Football Confederation Challenge Cup in Maldives

in May.They are looking to

clinch their first victory un-der Dooley. The team drew Malaysia and lost to Azer-baijan last March in his first tests after taking over the squad last January.

After playing in Qatar, the Azkals will fly back to the Philippines to play fa-miliar foe Malaysia before a hometown crowd in Cebu on April 27.

The Azkals are look-ing to win the tournament crown in the Challenge Cup next month where the champion earns a ticket to the prestigious Asian Cup in 2015.

WINNING SHOT. Stephen Curry #30 of the Golden State Warriors shoots the game winning shot against the Dallas Mavericks on April 1, 2014 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. (Photo by Glenn James/NBAE via Getty Images)

MAINSTAYS. Phil and James Younghusband will lead the Azkals in the Qatar training camp.

Curry drills dagger

Azkals bare training camp unit

Streaking Nets sink Rockets

Lakers sink further deep

VOL. 7 ISSUE 14 • THURSDAY, APRIL 3, 2014EDGEDAVAOSports16

THE Davao leg of the 2014 Coca-Co-la PBA Youngstars

will hold a tryout on April 10 and 11 at the Gaisano Grand Skygym.

Tryout will start at 10:30am.

Organized by the Duterte Basketball League (DBL), the two-day tryout, a prelude to the 2014 Coca-Cola PBA Youngstars Davao leg tournament, is open to all kids aged 13 to 16.

Coca-Cola Philip-pines and the PBA tied up for the third straight year to bring one of the country’s favorite pas-time closer to kids this summer.

Outstanding per-formers in the tryout will earn a chance to play in the Davao leg tournament among the ten teams that will vie for the right to represent the region to the region-al finals slated in Zambo-

anga City second week of May.

Each team will be composed of 12 play-ers aged 13 to 16 years old. A team shall consist of three 13 year-olds (born 2001); three 14 year-olds (born 2000); three 15 year-olds (born 1999); and three 16 year-olds (born 1998).

Teams will be di-vided into two groups and will play in a single round-robin format, ac-cording to the DBL state-ment.

The top two teams from each group will then advance to the crossover semifinals with the top finishers fight for the champion-ship.

The Davao leg tour-nament is sanctioned by the Samahang Basket-bol ng Pilipinas (SBP) regional office XI under regional director Regino “Boy” Cua.

THE 5th Holiday Gym and Spa 3-on-3 Me-dia Basketball tour-

nament is set on April 12 at 8 a.m. at the HGS Gym.

This was announced yesterday by tournament director Ted Uy at the SCOOP Session of the Roy-

al Mandaya Hotel.The early registered

teams are Monster Radio, ABC TV 5 and two teams from GMA Davao.

“We’re expecting more teams since the deadline is on April 8,” Uy said.

Among those expect-

ed to join are SCOOP Davao, ABS-CBN Davao and UMBN-Mindanao Times.

Each team shall be composed of four players only with a registration fee of P600. The champi-on will earn a trophy plus

gift certificates from Hol-iday Gym and Spa.

The second and third placers will also get gift certificates.

Only the legitimate media practitioners are qualified to join in this annual tournament.

THE Mayor Duterte Game Plan contin-ues this hot sum-

mer with the launching of the Davao City Summer Sports for Peace Festival on April 25 at 4 p.m. at the People’s Park.

City Mayor Rody Dute-rte will lead the open-ing program together with City Administrator Melchor Quitain, City Tourism Officer Lisette Marquez and City Sports Development Division OIC William “Butch” Ramirez.

“Various sports activi-ties are also lined up this summer as still part of the Mayor Duterte Game Plan,” said Ramirez during a meeting with repre-sentatives of the national sports associations held today (April 1) at his office at the Almendras gym.

The inaugural event will be a fun run on April 27 at 5 a.m. in an out and back course at the Rizal Park. It will be held in co-ordination with Vantage Sports of race organizer Kenneth Sai.

“We’re tying up with various event organizers also to help us make this a really successful pro-gram for the community,” Ramirez said.

Also included in the summerfest are the 4th Daba-Daba Ultimate Fris-bee on May 2-4 at the Tionko field, downhill mountain bike in Maa and

the first Davao Dragon Boat Festival on May 1-4 at the Baywalk, Queensland.

“We’re also holding different sports clinics particularly for the baran-gays,” said Ramirez.

Among the events lined up for the free sports clinics are basketball, vol-leyball, futsal, arnis, chess and cycling. Main venue will be at the Almendras gym.

“We will also hold free seminars for sports marketing, sports med-icine, events organizing and sportswriting,” said Ramirez, a former chair-man of the Philippine Sports Commission.

The summerfest is part of the Duterte Game Plan that has a baran-gay sports development program; individual and team sports competiti-tion management; facili-ties, equipment and phys-ical plan; sports medi-cine; and school based sports development pro-gram.

“We want to make Davao City a healthy, pro-active and livable com-munity through sports and recreation,” said Ramirez.

For those interested to join the seminars and clinics, contact tel. No. 22-0031 or visit CSDD-CMO office located at 2nd floor, DILG Building at the Al-mendras gym compound.

DC Summer Sports for Peace Festival set

3-on-3 Media basketball at Holiday Gym

2014 Coca-Cola PBA Youngstars Davao Tryout on April 10-11


ARAW BASEBALL. A young pitcher shows fine form at the mound (top) as teams from Maryknoll High School of New Corella (red) and Magsaysay-Bansalan-Matanao boys of Davao del Sur see action during the resumption of the 77th Araw ng Davao Sports Festival baseball competition Friday morning at the University of Mindanao Matina campus diamond. (SKIPPY LUMAWAG/SDD-CMO)

Edge Davao 07 Issue 14

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