P 15.00 • 20 PAGESwww.edgedavao.netVOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

DUTERTE SET TO FILE MOTION FOR RECON

Ella succumbs to winds, limps home with 94 in first round of PH Ladies Open P15

EDGEDAVAOSports

EDGE Serving a seamless society

DAVAO

THE legal panel of Davao City Mayor and presi-dential candidate Rodri-

go R. Duterte is set to file a mo-tion for reconsideration (MR) with the Commission on Elec-tions (Comelec) en banc after the First Division junked his motion asking Commissioner Ma. Rowena Amelia Guanzon to inhibit from the disqualifi-cation cases filed against him before the poll body.

Lawyer Vitaliano Aguirre, Duterte’s lead counsel, said the MR will be filed not later than Monday next week.

The First Division had earlier dismissed the peti-tion filed by Duterte seeking

Guanzon’s inhibition from the disqualification cases filed against him. The order was signed by the First Divi-sion Presiding Commission-er Christian Robert Lim and Commissioner Louie Tito Guia and Guanzon herself.

In dismissing Duterte’s petition, the First Division explained that “the grounds for inhibition of a Member of this Commission invoked by respondent Duterte are vol-untary, and not mandatory, as explicitly stated in Rule 4, Comelec Rules of Procedure.”

Aguirre, however, dis-agreed with the order.

“Contrary to (Guanzon’s)

position, our motion for her to inhibit based on prejudgment is not a voluntary ground but a mandatory one as we will show in our MR,” Aguirre said in a text message.

Duterte had cited three main reasons in asking for Guanzon’s inhibition from his DQ cases.

First, a cursory reading of the petition filed by Ruben Castor shows that “it does not contain any of the allegations” mentioned by Guanzon in her dissent.

Secondly, the motion said the allegations were “nev-er raised” as material issues during the December 18,

2015 hearings conducted by the Comelec First Division on the said petition.

Finally, at the time Reso-lution No. 10028 was promul-gated, “no petition was filed against Respondent Duterte raising said issues.”

Duterte’s lawyers said Guanzon “has not observed the essence of due process” that demands that a court “hears first before it con-demns, or proceeds only upon inquiry and renders judgment only after trial.”

At the same time, the motion noted that “(a)s if by some odd coincidence, the

Rody’s camp want Guazon to inhibit from DQ cases despite junking of earlier motion

By CHARLES RAYMOND A. MAXEY

FDUTERTE, 10

SUSPECTS. Police Regional Office (PRO) 11 spokesperson Chief Inspector Andrea dela Cerna shows the facial composite sketches of two of the seven NCCC Mall robbery suspects released by the Tagum City Police Office. Armando B. Fenequito Jr.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 20162 EDGEDAVAO

NEWS

ONE of seven men who allegedly robbed two jewelry stores inside

NCCC Mall in Tagum City, Davao del Norte was arrested by the police on Monday after-noon.

This was confirmed by Po-lice Regional Office (PRO) 11 spokesperson Chief Inspector Andrea dela Cerna in yester-day’s AFP-PNP Press Corps forum held at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) confer-ence room.

Dela Cerna identified the suspect as Salvador G. Dagong. The suspect had initially been identified as Francis Molo alias Atort but dela Cerna said was later determined to be Dagong

Dela Cerna said Dagong was arrested by police officers

in La Filipina, Tagum City at around 3 p.m. on January 18 through a warrant of arrest is-sued last year by Panabo City Regional Trial Court (RTC) Branch 34 Judge Dax Gonzaga Xenos for robbery with vio-lence and intimidation.

“He was under investiga-tion, but a witness positively identified this person as one of the suspects who raided the jewelry shops inside NCCC Mall,” she said.

The robbery was mounted at around 9:15 a.m on January 16. Armed with long and short firearms entered the mall, pointing their guns at the se-curity guard at the entrance.

The robbers simultane-ously ransacked the mall’s own jewelry section and Shir-

ley’s Jewelry, breaking the glass compartments of the said shops.

The suspects fled to un-known directions using three XRM motorcycles.

Dela Cerna said Dagong is so far the only suspect arrest-ed for the robbery incident last Saturday. Dagong is now under custody of Tagum City Police Office.

Dela Cerna said police still do not have the names of the six other robbers but the Tagum City Police Office has released the facial composite sketches of two of them based on the description of witness-es.

In the sketch showed by dela Cerna, the first man is around 30 to 35 years old,

wearing a yellow T-shirt at the time of the incident, medium built, standing 5’5” to 5’6”, and with fair complexion.

The other man is around 32 to 33 years old, wearing a faded brown t-shirt during the incident, and holding a short firearm. He was medium built and stood 5’1’’ to 5’2”.

Dela Cerna said the police are still reviewing the close circuit television (CCTV) foot-age of the malls for more infor-mation of the identities of the suspects.

She said the investigators theorize that an organized robbery group was behind the robberies because they fol-lowed the same style as other incidents in other parts of the country.

THE Department of En-vironment and Natu-ral Resources (DENR)

11 warned all political can-didates that they face pun-ishment if their posters are seen nailed on trees.

Speaking to reporters in yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps forum, DENR 11 com-munity environment and natural resources officer Bernardo Juson said Repub-lic Act No. 3571 prohibits the cutting, destroying, or injur-

ing of planted or growing trees, flowering plants and shrubs or plants of scenic value along public roads, in plazas, parks, school prem-ises or in any public ground.

“The politicians have al-ready received notices that posting of campaign posters in the trees is really prohib-ited especially if they nail it,” he said.

“Kung may may mga vi-olations, may mga charges na ipapataw lalo na sa mga

politiko (If there are viola-tions, charges will be filed especially on politicians),” he added.

Juson said while he can-not blame politicians if their supporters do not follow the law, they will be still liable for their act.

He said one candidate is already being charged for the violation. He did not divulge the candidate’s identity, how-ever.

Juson said during the

campaign period, the DENR 11 will strictly implement the prohibition and will im-mediately remove all posters from trees.

He said he is worried for the DENR personnel who will remove the posters because the candidates’ supporters might accuse them of siding with opponents.

He said his department will request police assistance to secure its personnel. AR-MANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

THE Philippine Coast Guard-Southeastern Mindanao (PCG-SM) is

set to deploy one of its patrol boats near the Holiday Ocean View in the Island Garden City of Samal (IGACOS) to secure the area.

Speaking to reporters in yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps forum held at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO), PCG-SM commander Commodore Joselito del Cruz said the de-ployment of a patrol boat in the area is aimed at deterring kidnapping incidents similar to the one that happened last year.

“May mga intel reports kami na na-receive na may

mga kidnap-for-ransom groups coming from Jolo, di lang dito sa Davao Region but also sa Su-rigao del Norte (We have been receiving intelligence reports that kidnap-for-ransom groups from Jolo are planning to ab-duct people not just in Davao Region but also in Surigao del Norte). They are targeting for-eigners,” he said.

On September 21 last year, armed men kidnapped four people from Holiday Ocean View. The victims were iden-tified Norwegian Kjartan Sek-kinstad, who is the operations manager of the resort; Cana-dians John Ridsel and Robert Hall; and Filipina Marithes Flor,

ABOUT P2.5-million worth of equipment to deal with incidents

relating to explosive and or-dinance was donated to the Davao City Police Office.

The turn-over ceremony was held at DCPO headquar-ters in Camp Domingo Le-onor yesterday (January 19.) high-ranking city and regional police officials led by Senior Superintendent Marvin Pepi-no deputy city director for ad-ministration and Senior Supt. Restito Gatera, Regional Logis-tics and Supply Division head attended the affair.

One of the new equipment is a bomb suit (EOD 9). The suit can protect bomb-dispos-al experts withstand impact of an explosion from a 60mm

mortar. Another equipment is a bomb disruptor used to dis-rupt the detonation of impro-vised explosive devices.

The equipment is part of a donation from the United States Government course through the Philippine Na-tional Police which was turned over last year. Among the equipment include post-blast investigation kits and explo-sives incidents countermea-sure kits.

The PNP in turn donated some of the equipment to the DCPO. Senior Superintendent Gatera said the equipment provides more protection to the DCPO EOD team as they are the ones responding to EOD related incidents hence

DEADLINE BEATERS. Business owners troop to the City Business Bureau Office to beat the deadline for the renewal of business permits at the Sangguniang Panlungsod yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

One of seven Tagummall robbers arrestedBy ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

abf@edgedavao.net

DENR warns candidates vs nailing posters on trees

PCG to deploy patrol boatnear Holiday Ocean View

Davao police receive bomb disposal gears

FPCG, 10

FDAVAO, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 3EDGEDAVAO NEWS

ALL six presidential can-didates are expected to attend the “PiliPinas

Debates 2016” organized by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) to be held during the campaign period for the May polls.

In Wednesday’s dialogue on the rules and regulations of the debates between the poll body, headed by Chairman Juan Andres Bautista, media organizations, and political parties, the representatives of

administration candidate Mar Roxas, Vice President Jejomar Binay, Sen. Miriam Santiago, Sen. Grace Poe, Davao City May-or Rodrigo Duterte, and OFW Family Club party-list Rep. Roy Señeres have committed to join in the scheduled discussions.

Bautista said the willing-ness to join the debates by presidential aspirants would benefit the electorate since they would be able to share their platforms.

“It will be good for our vot-

ers to see all the candidates. And we are glad that all six of them have promised to attend the debates,” Bautista, in an in-terview, said.

According to Atty. George Garcia, counsel for Poe, their participation in the debates would depend on the ruling of the Supreme Court (SC) on her disqualification cases.

On Tuesday, the High Court started the oral arguments on the lawmaker’s cases. The oth-er oral argument is set on Jan.

26.Atty. Antonio Kho, Duter-

te’s lawyer, on the other hand, said that they would “strongly recommend” for Duterte to at-tend the debates.

“We will strongly recom-mend to him that he attends the debates,” he added.

Earlier, the local chief ex-ecutive had expressed hesita-tions in joining such events.

Bautista reiterated that at-tendance of the candidates in

SENATE President Frank-lin Drilon on Wednesday urged Commission on

Election (Comelec) chair An-dres Bautista to wait for the Supreme Court’s (SC) final de-cision on disqualification cases of Senator Grace Poe before printing the ballots for May 9 elections.

“The more prudent thing to do is to wait for the final de-cision of the SC before printing ballots. So I’m strongly urging Chairman Bautista to defer the printing of the ballots,” Drilon said in a media interview be-fore the session.

Drilon clarified that he was not passing judgment on Poe’s disqualification cases, which are still pending before the SC.

“There is a possibility that the ballot which contains can-didates who are disqualified by the SC may cause confusion and chaos. So I strongly appealed to chairman Bautista to defer the printing of ballots,” he said.

He added that the credibil-ity of the 2016 elections would be put in question when the printed ballots contain names of candidates that the Supreme Court disallowed.

“What will the Comelec do

if the Supreme Court upheld the Comelec en banc’s decision to disqualify Senator Grace Poe? Will the Comelec re-print the ballots? That will prove to be very costly and impractical,” Drilon said.

The Senate chief said that all these concerns aired by Bau-tista about his agency running out of time to print the ballots were unfounded fears, saying that the Comelec could always opt to hire more printers to meet its deadline.

Drilon also scored Comelec chairman Andres Bautista for his insistence to print the bal-

lots while the High Court was weighing on the issue, saying the move was very disrespect-ful to the Supreme Court.

“Pushing through with printing the ballots even before the SC can decide on the dis-qualification cases is equivalent to an utter disrespect to the Su-preme Court and its jurisdiction on the matter,” Drilon said.

Driloin said the SC was well aware of the time constraint and it knew its Constitutional mandate.

The SC has temporarily stopped the Comelec from can-celling Poes candidacy. (PNA)

POLICE operatives ar-rested two female drug pushers, one of then an

alleged big time player, in sepa-rate drug buy-bust operations at a crowded community here on Tuesday night.

Superintendent Samuel Cadungon, head of the city police’s criminal investigation branch, identified the suspects as Grace Galdo and Hiyas Papa alias “Ai-Ai,” both residents

of Barangay Dadiangas West here.

He said they nabbed the 43-year-old Galdo at past 7 p.m. at her house in Purok Sil-way San Roque after she sold a sachet of methamphetamine hydrochloride (shabu) to a police agent who posed as a buyer.

Recovered from the sus-pect were six large sachets of

A SUSPECTED bomber was killed in a shootout with policemen in Bas-

ilan province, a police official said Wednesday.

Chief Inspector Gean Gal-lardo, Lamitan City police chief, identified the slain sus-pected bomber as a certain Jabier Pinglias, a resident of Sitio Tinabacan, Barangay Ma-ganda in that city.

Gallardo said Pinglias was killed in a shootout around 7:20 p.m. Tuesday in Sitio Tinambacan, Barangay Ma-ganda, Lamitan City.

Gallardo said the shootout

ensued after Pinglias pulled a caliber .45 pistol and fired on the approaching policemen who went to Sitio Tinam-bacan, Barangay Maganda to serve an arrest warrant against the suspect.

Gallardo said Pinglias has a standing warrant of arrest as the latter is facing a criminal case before a court in Basilan province.

He said Pinglias was rushed to the Lamitan City District Hospital but was de-clared dead on arrival by the attending physician.

AN official of the Bang-ko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) urged the public

to adhere to Clean Note Policy to preserve the integrity of the Philippine currency.

Dorothy Joy Diaz of BSP Davao reiterated during the recent Biz Talk at Big 8 that crumping, writing on, defacing, tearing, and destroying in any manner Peso bill is punishable by law based on Presidential Decree 247.

According to PD 247, any person who does any of the activities, shall upon convic-tion be punished by a fine of not more than P20,000 and/or by imprisonment of not more than five years.

Diaz disclosed that a

pending bill in the Congress strengthens the Philippine currency imposing higher sanctions to anybody who de-stroy and removal of security features.

She also emphasized that if the security features of the Peso bill will be removed, the money will be considered mutilated without monetary value.

The security features of the New Generation Currency banknote series include the asymmetric serial number, se-curity fibers, security threads, optically variable device patch, optically variable ink, and see-through mark of pre-Hispanic script ‘Pilipino.’ (PIA11, Mi-chael Uy)

RESORT SECURITY. Philippine Coast Guard Southeastern Mindanao commander Commodore Joselito F. Dela Cruz (left) says the agency is set to meet the owners of Ocean View Beach Resort to discuss security measures such as the plan to station a patrol boat near the vicinity of the resort. Dela Cruz and Datu Lumansad Sibugan were guests IN yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum. Lean Daval Jr.

IT WASN’T US. Colonel Ricardo Nepomuceno (right), commander of 1003rd Brigade of the Philippine Army, insists that the 15-year old Lumad who was killed in Talaingod, Davao del Norte was a victim of pangayaw between opposing tribes and not by the military as reported earlier. Nepomuceno, together with Davao City Police Office (DCPO) spokesperson Chief Inspector Migrace Driz (left), was among the guests of yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum. Lean Daval Jr.

ROCKABYE. A candle vendor rocks the cradle of a fellow vendor’s daughter as the infant’s mother peddles her goods at the San Pedro Cathedral compound yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

Drilon to Comelec: Wait for SCdecision before printing ballots

Presidential bets vow to attend debates

2 female pushersnabbed in GenSan

Lamitan City policekill bombing suspect

BSP reminds publicon clean note policy

FPRESIDENTIAL, 10

F2 FEMALE, 10

FLAMITAN, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 20164 EDGEDAVAO

SUBURBIA

THE North Cotabato provincial govern-ment has placed its

entire area under a state of calamity as crop damage rose due to the effects of the El Niño phenomenon which was compounded by rat in-festation in five of its towns.

North Cotabato has 17 towns and Kidapawan City under its area of jurisdiction.

On Tuesday, the Sang-guniang Panlalawigan fast tracked the approval of the resolution declaring the stately misfortune as rec-ommended by the Provin-cial Disaster Risk Reduction

and Management Council (CDRRMC) chaired by Gov-ernor Emmylou Taliño-Men-doza.

Provincial Agriculturist Engr. Eliseo Mangliwan said the dry spell has so far dam-aged 27, 558.55 hectares of farm crops amounting to P238,017,916.35 due to wa-ter shortage and rat infesta-tion.

The farmland damage in-cludes coconut (9,956 hect-ares, P116 - M); corn (3,690 hectares, P50 - M); rubber (10,722 hectares, P48 - M); rice/palay (548 hectares, Php15 - M); oil palm (2,199

hectares, P6 - M); cacao (153 hectares, P2- M); and coffee (287 hectares, P713,000).

Two severely drought-af-fected municipalities were Alamada in the first district and Kabacan in the 3rd dis-trict of the province.

Mangliwan said the dry spell, felt since November last year, desiccated rain-fed and communal water irriga-tion systems, particularly in upland areas of the province.

More so, he said rat at-tack on huge agricultural farms in the towns of Ara-kan, Antipas, President Rox-as, Matalam, and Kabacan

continued despite efforts of their office to contain the problem.

The declaration of the state of calamity would al-low the provincial govern-ment to utilize its five per-cent calamity fund.

Initially, the provincial government has allotted P4 – M for cloud seeding oper-ations.

The Philippine Atmo-spheric Geophysical and As-tronomical Services Admin-istration (PAGASA) earlier announced that the drought would last until April this year. (PNA)

program, kids were buzzing around with expectant eyes as they watched Tagum Coop-erative staff members arrange pairs of slippers of various colors and put bags of grocery items in front of the guest ta-ble.

Mothers hovered with their kids who were disci-plined enough to follow in-structions to get in line for something wonderful to hap-pen.

“Gipukaw nako sila sayo para mag-andam na kay naay kalingawan ( I woke them up early this morning to prepare for festivity),” 34-year old Li-waya Landasan said of her ear-ly morning instructions to her nephews and nieces.

In lieu of Christmas songs and jingles, Tagum Coop’s Ed-ucation and Community De-velopment Program (ECDP) staff members played dance-

able music to the delight of the kids who swayed and stomped their feet along with the beat.

As their numbers were called, children picked their choice of slippers, and as fam-ily names were called mothers came forward to receive gro-cery items.

Tagum Cooperative offi-cials led by Board of Directors (BOD) chair Norma Pereyras and management officers led by general manager Juris Pe-rez headed the distribution of presents to some 100 families of Kagan Muslim community in Bacaca.

Among the goodies were a kilo of rice, powdered milk, coffee, sugar, noodles, sardines and powdered choco drink.

On top of the goods and slippers, the children and the adults were served with bihon and bread that Tagum Cooper-ative officers and members of

the staff were also eating after distributing the goodies.

“Pasalamat kami sa Tagum Cooperative kay nalipay ang mga tawo (We are thankful of Tagum Cooperative for giving joy to the people),” said Salome Fuertes, chair of the Cagan Women Community.

Adding to the joy of giving and receiving was the dance challenge that Pereyras threw to the crowd of men, women, teenagers, and children.

To those who took her challenge and matched with her dance moves, Pereyras gave cash prizes though small in amounts.

“We are just giving back the joy, the blessings and the bounty that Tagum Cooper-ative has been given by God over the years in service to our members and the community,” she said. (Tagum Coopera-tive)

TO better serve its constit-uents and provide good working conditions for

provincial government servants, the provincial government is con-structing a new capitol complex here, officials said on Wednesday.

Maguindanao Governor Esmael Mangudadatu said the P300-million worth provincial capitol complex project will be bankrolled by a funding loaned from Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP) late last year.

He said the site where gov-ernment offices will rise was once a dumping ground for victims of summary executions by lawless elements groups.

“One of those killed here was my school teacher,” Mangudadatu recalled after leading the inaugural rite and ground breaking for the construction of a new provincial capitol along a major highway ex-pected to become Maguindanao’s busiest road network once the structures are completed.

Buluan has been the tem-porary site of the provincial gov-

ernment after the old provincial capitol in Shariff Aguak town built during the administration of Man-gudadatu’s predecessor, Andal Ampatuan Sr., becomes synony-mous with the 2009 Maguindanao massacre.

The new building and offices will help improve and hasten the delivery of services to all sectors in Maguindanao.

A strong believer of education, Mangudadatu said the complex will also include a building that will encourage the young to avail themselves of provincial schol-arship program which has been going on for the last five years and have produced graduates.

A call center building will also rise where scholars of the Maguin-danao Program for Education and Community Empowerment (Mag-PEACE) can work as call center agents.

MagPEACE has already send-ing more than 5,000 scholars to different colleges in Mindanao.

As a pre-requisite, scholars

PUBLIC transportation fares in Region 12 are set to go down in the coming weeks

as a result of the series of roll-backs in fuel prices since last year.

Haron Nul, assistant region al director of the Land Transpor-tation and Franchising and Reg-ulatory Board (LTFRB) in Region 12, said Wednesday they are cur-rently working with their central office for the setting of new fare rates for passenger buses and other public utility vehicles that are operating in the region.

He said they are specifical-ly evaluating the applicable fare rates in line with the adjustments on the fuel prices.

But the final decision on the fare adjustments, which will be set as standard rates, will come from the LTFRB central office, he said.

“We’re still waiting for the or-der from our central office regard-ing this (fare rollback) but it will

surely happen soon,” he said in interview over radio station dxKR in Koronadal City.

Based on the prevailing fare matrix issued by LTFRB, the min-imum fare for buses in the region is currently at PHP8.50 for the first five kilometers and PHP1.35 for the every succeeding kilometer.

For jeepneys and other PUVs, the fare rates are set at PHP6.50 for the first four kilometers and PHP1.40 for every succeeding ki-lometer.

Also known as Soccsksargen, Region 12 comprises the provinc-es of South Cotabato, Sultan Kuda-rat, Sarangani, North Cotabato and the cities of General Santos, Koro-nadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato.

Citing the latest fuel price ad-justments, which brought down the prices of diesel in the area to PHP22 to PHP24 and gasoline to PHP34 to PHP37 per liter, Nul said

Tagum Cooperative shares gifts to Muslim community

GAME TIME. Tagum Cooperative Board of Directors (BOD) chair Norma Pereyras (left) leads children in some games during the gift-giving activity in Barangay 19-B (Muslim Area), Bacaca, Davao City.

FIRST TIME. A foreign tourist enjoys her first carabao ride in General Luna town in Siargao Islands, Surigao del Norte. MindaNews photo by Roel N. Catoto

North Cotabato placedunder state of calamity

A DAY after Christmas last year, Tagum Co-operative went miles

away from its home office in

Tagum City to extend the hand of unity with Kagan Muslims in Barangay 19-B (Muslim Area), Bacaca, Davao City and

to share its blessings through its Pamaskong Handog.

At a distance from a shaded area where to hold a

Maguindanao to buildnew provincial capitol

PUV fare rollbacklooms in Region 12

FMAGUINDANAO, 10

FPUV, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 5EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY

THE implementation of the controversial P19-billion Davao Sasa

Port Modernization project will result to an 80 percent mark-up on port services in its first three years of operation, a Davao-based port operator said.

“And (the port services rate) further increases every three years thereafter,” Davao Integrated Container Terminal (DICT) president Alexander N. Valoria said at the month-ly meeting of the Rotary Club of East Davao where he was speaker.

Valoria said P19 billion in-vestment of any winning bid-der of the project will possibly increase service rates in the port just to recover its spend-ing during the 30-year conces-sion period.

The 19-billion moderniza-

tion project will be implement-ed through a public-private partnership scheme in three construction phases, for com-pletion from 2017 to 2020. The project aims to convert the decades-old port into a mod-ern container port.

The Department of Trans-portation and Communication (DOTC) said project involves the expansion and moderniza-tion of the existing port which includes the construction of a new quay and the installation of cranes, which will greatly boost efficiency, and thereby address port traffic congestion.

By improving the facility, cargo unloading will be cut down from three days to three hours and will increase capac-ity to 1.2 million twenty-foot equivalent units (TEU).

Although he is not against

High port fees seen with Sasa projectcrc@edgedavao.net

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

FHIGH, 10

ANOTHER LEVEL UP. Workers perofrm round-the-clock construction woek on the 33-level Aeon Towers project of FTC Group of Companies. Reputed to be the tallest in Mindanao when completed this December, the Aeon Towers is now on its sixth level of contruction where concrete piring has been reported 25 percent complete..

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

THE Philippines must continuously invest in improving the country’s

energy capacity to attain en-ergy security that will allow the country to sustain its rap-id growth and make it more inclusive, according to the Na-tional Economic and Develop-ment Authority (NEDA).

“As we continue to strengthen and improve the nation’s institutions, develop the country’s infrastructure, promote technological inno-vation, and pursue regulatory and structural reforms, we also have to carry out poli-cies and programs that will improve the competitiveness and productivity of our indus-tries. This cannot be attained without an efficient, secure and sustainable energy sector,” said Economic Planning Secre-

tary Arsenio M. Balisacan in his presentation at the 2016 Ener-gy Policy and Development Program (EPDP) Conference that was held on 12-13 Janu-ary at the New World Hotel, Makati City.

He underscored that ener-gy remains a crucial element in economic growth and devel-opment, stating the potential of the Philippines of reaching high income status by 2040 provided the economy grows consistently by 7.0 percent an-nually.

“While there have been improvements in infrastruc-ture, we still lag behind our neighbors. In particular, in-vestments in energy capacity need to be sustained, where the desired outcome is energy security,” said Balisacan, who

6 EDGEDAVAOTHE ECONOMY

DAVAO-BASED poultry champion Jonathan Suy said government

should extend support to farmers for the development of industrial farming in the country.

“Industrial farming will allow our farmers to increase their efficiency and boost their production,” Suy said during the Wednesdays at Habi at Kape at Abrreza Mall.

Suy said production of

farmers will boost up to 30 percent, thus making their participation in the Asean in-tegration more competitive.

The present policy of the government on land owner-ship and tillage, he said, does not allow farmers to be en-gaged in industrial farming.

Suy said the industrial farming system would require hundreds of hectares, far from the five hectares allowable land ownership policy.

“Who would want to in-vest in a five-hectare area,” he said.

For his sector, Suy said in-dustrial farming may help in increasing corn production, a commodity necessary for feeds production.

Corn inclusion is 60 to 70 percent of the cost of produc-tion.

Other Asean countries like Malaysia can dive into mass production of different

commodities because of the abundance of raw material like corn for feeds production, according to Suy.

He added that production cost may be driven down if the country will produce its own and start exporting instead of relying heavily on corn and feeds importation.

The Mindanao Devel-opment Authority said corn production in the island-re-gion has been increasing

since 2012. However, the long drought season is expected to pull down corn production in 2015.

In addition, the lack of post-harvest facilities which are supposed to increase qual-ity of Mindanao products also affected the poultry industry.

Meanwhile, MinDA execu-tive director Janet Lopoz said in the same event that the gov-ernment is already exploring new models which can be ap-

plied on issues on small land holdings.

Lopoz also said that there has been ongoing negotiation among the private sector to end quarantine issues on ex-portation of poultry products.

There was also discussion on development of poultry processing facilities in eco-nomic zones either in Panabo City in Davao del Norte, Gener-al Santos City or in Saranggani Province, according to her.

Gov’t told: Support industrial farmingcrc@edgedavao.net

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

THE Mindanao Develop-ment Authority (MinDA) is eyeing to pilot “pock-

ets of tourism loops” this year which will become part of the country’s priority program under the tourism component of the BIMP-EAGA (Brunei Darussalam, Indonesia, Ma-laysia, Philippines- East Asean Growth Area) Vision 2025.

MinDA executive direc-tor Janet M. Lopoz, speaking in yesterday’s Habi at Kape in Abreeza Ayala Mall, said those who will take part in the Philippine leg of the four-day BIMP-EAGA strategic meeting on February 23 to 26 will pro-

pose for a direct route between Bali in Indonesia and Davao in Mindanao.

“We’re targeting Bali be-cause it is an existing tourist destination. It is already gener-ating tourism receipts and we wanted to get a percentage of that,” Lopoz said.

Another pocket of tourism loop which the Philippine dele-gates prioritized to be included in the development blueprint of the BIMP-EAGA sub-region is the tourism loop with an entry point in Davao leading to the cultural communities in Lake Sebu in South Cotabato. She said it will pass the T’boli

cultural village in Davao del Sur.

The tourism loop start-ing from Davao City as entry point leading to Davao Orien-tal all the way to the beaches of Surigao is also one of the possible community-based eco-tourism destinations that the government targets to pi-lot this year as it seats as the new chair of the BIMP-EAGA council starting September this year.

Lopoz said the Depart-ment of Tourism (DOT) are now in an ongoing negotiation with two different Indonesian Airlines for the Bali-Davao

route as well as with Cebu Pa-cific which already have exist-ing regular flights but through Cebu going directly to Bali.

“We’re looking on the pos-sibility of having Cebu-Davao-Bali,” she added.

Lopoz said the negotiation was hold but will resume after the election.

The negotiation was led by the DOT, Department of Trans-portation and Communication and, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines, and other supporting agencies like the MinDA.

Aside from the tourism

MinDA to pilot tourism loops

THE ASEAN Tourism Fo-rum 2016 or ATF 2016 is expected to build on the

ASEAN tourism brand which in turn, contributes to countries’ tourism receipts, the Depart-ment of Tourism (DOT) said Wednesday.

ATF 2016 Philippine Host Committee Chairperson and DOT Undersecretary Benito Bengzon Jr. said that the ATF 2016 is a perfect representa-tion of how ASEAN countries have united into an ASEAN Economic Community (AEC).

“This (ASEAN tourism in-tegration) would pave the way for the eventual operational-ization of the AEC through the required points of connectivi-ty that should be set up while generating businesses and

incomes in the process and creating economies of scale,” Bengzon said.

Bengzon further point-ed out that there is no better time than to begin the ASEAN tourism integration than this year where fuel costs are much cheaper.

He noted that growth is meanwhile expected to be felt in the various industry sectors as soon as the region starts to reap huge dividends from at-tracting global attention to its rich and diverse resources.

ATF 2016 TRAVEX (trav-el exchange) Sub-Committee Chairperson Susan del Mundo for her part said that the Phil-ippines’ fourth hosting of ATF breaks the Philippines’ own re-cord in terms of exhibitors and

buyers.This year, there are around

1, 000 exhibitors and 457 ex-pected buyers from 64 coun-tries/territories.

According to the Tour-ism Promotions Board (TPB), the DOT’s marketing arm, the largest number of buyers from Germany, India, and USA all tied with six percent of the total number of buyers.

“ATF 2016 presents a sin-gular opportunity for the world for foreign buyers to see and experience a new and dynamic Philippines,” del Mundo said.

“We believe that this year’s host committee has created ample opportunities for dele-gates to experience the appeal of The Philippines,” she added.

The ongoing ATF 2016

kicked off Jan 18 and will run until Jan 22. Post-tours for buy-ers around the Philippines will meanwhile run from Jan 23 to 26.

ATF is a cooperative re-gional effort to promote the ASEAN region as one tourist destination. It involves all tour-ism industry sectors of the 10 ASEAN member states namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Phil-ippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

Among the highlights of the ATF will be the presen-tation of the ASEAN Tourism Strategic Plan (ATSP) 2016 to 2025, which, will work to-wards the development and growth of the region’s tourism. (PNA)

ATF seen to build on ASEAN tourism brand

FIVE tractors were turned-over recently to farmers in South Cotaba-

to to further boost implemen-tation of cassava granule pro-duction and marketing under the Philippine Rural Develop-ment Project (PRDP).

“We are moving forward. The five cooperatives contin-ue our positive and upbeat implementation of the proj-ect,” said Polo SamahangNay-on Multi-Purpose Coopera-tive(Polo SNMPC) Chairman Raul Gerada in his acceptance message during the ceremony.

Polo SNMPC is the lead proponent of the P39-million enterprise together with other cluster members: Self-Reliant MPC, San Jose MPC, Pobusilla MPC, and Topland MPC. They were initially released P20 million to jumpstart the im-plementation in June last year.

At least 250 cassava farm-ers directly benefitted from the enterprise when the proj-ect started last year. The clus-ters aim to increase beneficia-ries by 40 percent every year of implementation.

“I am thankful to the strong leadership and part-nership of the Department of Agriculture led by Secre-tary Proceso Alcala, the DA 12 headed by Regional Ex-ecutive Director AmaliaJay-ag-Datukan, and the Local Government Unit of South Co-tabato under Governor Daisy Avance-Fuentes for making

things happen,” Gerada said.In a separate interview,

Polo SN MPC Manager Karen Daguro said that the tractors will be used to make land preparation of the existing 250-hectare cassava farm easier and more efficient, and expansion of their farm areas.

“Part of cassava gran-ule production project in-cludes construction of nursery for planting mate-rials, acquisition delivery/hauling trucks, setting-up truck-scale, postharvest and processing facilities such as granulators, mechanical chip-per, solar dryer, warehouse, and organic fertilizer plant,” Daguro said.

In November last year the first wave of farm inputs com-prised of cassava granulators and cassava chippers here handed to the cluster mem-bers.

Daguro said that they will turnover soon trucks and additional moisture meters which are now ready for pro-curement.

PRDP is a six-year govern-ment platform designed for an inclusive, value chain-ori-ented and climate-resilient agriculture and fisheries sec-tor. It will be implemented by the Department of Agricul-ture and jointly funded by the World Bank, national govern-ment and local government units. (PRDP RPCO12/PSOM-indanao)

Machinery boost PRDP Socot cassava project

Energy security neededto sustain high growth

HABI’T KAPE. Janet Lopoz (left), executive director of Mindanao Development Authority and Davao-based entrepreneur Jonathan Suy graced the regular Wednesdays at Habi ‘t Kape press conference at the Abreeza Mall. (Photo courtesy of Alexander Lopez)

FMINDA, 10

FENERGY, 10

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 7EDGEDAVAO

SCIENCE

Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

(Second of Two Parts)

AMONG Asians, rice means life. In fact, the domesticated grass --

whose origin may go back to more than 130 million years -- provides more than half the daily food for one of every three persons living on earth today.

In the Philippines, rice is the leading staple food. As the late food epicure Doreen Fer-nandez wrote: “If we did not have rice, our deepest comfort food, we would probably feel less Filipino.”

According to the Bureau of Agricultural Statistics, Fili-pinos spend more on rice than any other food. A survey con-ducted by the line agency of the Department of Agriculture showed that Filipinos, espe-cially those from low-income households, are depending solely on rice more than ever for their daily dietary energy supply and dietary protein because it remains the most affordable food in the country.

Although rice (known in the science world as Oryza sativa) is basically a complex carbohydrate, its protein con-tains all eight of the essential

amino acids and complements the amino acids found in many other foods. It is low in sodium, fat, and fiber, it is easily digest-ed.

Most of the rice available in the market is enriched, which means, besides its other assets, it is also supplemented with iron, niacin, and thiamine. But most of these added nutrients are lost if rice is washed before cooking or drained afterward.

“One more rice please!” That call, which rings at dining time in all karenderias, best sums up the eating habits of the typical Filipino to whom eating is a matter of filling up. Meat, fish, and other viands are expensive while rice is not. Since most people can’t fill up with ulam, they fill up with rice.

Fortunately, rice does not only help solve hunger but also “hidden hunger,” the colloquial term for micronutrient defi-ciency. It happens when peo-ple get enough macronutrients (such as carbohydrates, pro-tein, and fat), but not enough micronutrients (vitamins and minerals) for optimum health.

Two years ago, the State of Food and Agriculture report of the Rome-based UN Food

and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said that two billion peo-ple suffer from one or more micronutrient deficiencies.

“The impact of hidden hunger on people’s health is very real,” the Laguna-based International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) said in a state-ment. “It can result in more frequent and severe illness and complications during preg-nancy, childbirth, infancy, and childhood.”

These days, farmers are doing their best to produce more food for the ever grow-ing population. “Producing enough food energy to main-tain the world’s population is not enough,” deplores IRRI. “Even if energy requirements are met, billions of malnour-ished, poor people will contin-ue to live in poor health, with low productivity and an infe-rior quality of life. Nutritious foods that meet minimum daily nutritional requirements must be produced.”

Enter the controversial golden rice. It is called so be-cause it contains beta carotene, which is converted to vitamin A when eaten. “Because rice is so popular in the Philippines,” says IRRI, “providing rice that

is more nutritious and that contains beta carotene could help boost people’s vitamin A status. In turn, this could re-duce the extent and impact of vitamin A deficiency among Filipinos.”

Vitamin A is found natu-rally in many foods, including liver of chicken, beef, pork, and fish. Most of them, howev-er, can be found in root crops (carrot and sweet potato) veg-etables (broccoli and tomato), and milk products (cheese and butter), and fruits (papaya, mango, melon).

Most of these sources, however, are beyond the reach of poor people, particularly those living in shanty places, upland areas, and rural com-munities. So, some scientists came up of an unthinkable idea: that of putting vitamin A in rice, as 89% of Filipinos con-sume rice on a daily basis.

Normally, rice plants pro-duce beta-carotene in their green parts, but not the grain that people eat. Golden Rice is genetically engineered to pro-duce beta-carotene in the edi-ble part of the plant.

Using genetic modification techniques, respected scien-tists developed Golden Rice us-ing genes from corn and a common soil microorganism that together produce beta carotene in the rice grain.

According to IRRI, conventional breeding programs could not be used to develop Golden Rice because rice variet-ies do not contain significant amounts of beta carotene.

Credited for discovering the Golden Rice were Ingo Potrykus, who

was 65 at that time and was about to retire as a professor at the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Zurich, and Peter Beyer of the University of Freiburg. “My team targeted vitamin A deficiency because this is one of the largest health problems worldwide,” Prof. Potrykus was quoted as saying.

In 2005, scientists develop the current version of Golden Rice. In the Philippines, the first generation golden rice was first tested in advanced field trials in IRRI in 2008. The second generation of selected varieties was field tested in the wet season of 2010. At the state-owned Philippine Rice Research (PhilRice), confined field trials of advanced lines were conducted in February to June 2011.

“The field trials are an im-portant step in evaluating the performance of golden rice and to determine if it can be planted, grown, and harvested just like other popular rice va-rieties,” PhilRice said in a state-ment. “These trials are also part of the safety assessment of Golden Rice.”

In 2009, results of a clinical trial of Golden Rice with adult volunteers from the US were

published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. The trial concluded that “beta carotene derived from golden rice is effectively converted to vitamin A in humans.”

A summary for the Amer-ican Society for Nutrition suggested that “Golden Rice could probably supply 50% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance (RDA) of vitamin A from a very modest amount — perhaps a cup — of rice, if consumed daily. This amount is well within the consumption habits of most young children and their mothers.”

Although golden rice was developed as a humanitarian tool, it met significant opposi-tion from environmental and anti-globalization activists. Studies have found that gold-en rice poses no risk to hu-man health, and multiple field tests have taken place with no adverse side-effects to partici-pants.

In a feature which ap-peared in The New York Times, one of those interviewed made this very thought-provoking statement on Golden Rice. “This technology can save lives,” he said. “But false fears can destroy it.”

Gettingto know

golden riceCarrying rice plants

Rice field

Ready for harvest

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 20168 EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIALThe Davao Region’s future

ONE who wants to have an idea the direction Davao Region is taking in developing itself and its people ought to pay attention to the plans and advocacies of the Re-gional Development Council of Region 11 particularly the priority projects that the

Council intends to tackle in the first two quarters of 2016 before the new administration elected in May takes over.

Davao del Norte Gov. Rodolfo P. del Rosario, RDC 11 chairman for years enumerated 11 such priorities during a press briefing at the NEDA (National Economic Development Authority) regional office in Bangkal, Davao City last Friday.

“As we start the year, the Council calls all our partners to apprise stakeholders on the development efforts of this region to achieve our goals for growth and prosperity on to ensuring stability and inclusiveness of growth,” as the RDC 11 chairman urged “our media development partners to rally with us in this effort.”

The 11 priorities are:--The implementation of the Roadmap to Address the Impact of El Nino (RAIN) pre-

pared by the cabinet-level El Nino Task Force, which is chaired by the Socio-economic Plan-ning Secretary;

-- Linking Davao Region’s industry clusters with global value chains as this shall signifi-cantly bring stability and growth opportunities for the region’s small and medium enter-prises (SMEs);

-- Implementation of the Davao Food Terminal Exchange Complex in Toril, Davao City;-- The review of the Davao Light Rail Transit (LRT) Project proposed by the Davao City

government with an estimated cost of about US$ 885 million;-- Closure of issues related to the Davao Sasa Port Modernization Project costing P18.9

billion;-- Ensure the completion of the 300-MW San Miguel Corp. Global Power Coal Plant Proj-

ect in Malita, Davao Occidental;

-- Ensure, together with the Department of Public Works and Highways, the conduct of the Full-blown Feasibility Study for the Samal Bridge Project;

-- Secure, together with the Department of Transportation and Communication, Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines and the Public-Private-Partnership Center, the im-plementation of the development, operation and maintenance of the Davao International Airport;

--The updating of the Davao Region Human Resource Development Plan, which shall address issues on jobs-skills mismatch and the responsiveness of the region’s human re-source to both domestic and global labor requirements;

-- Advocate the passage of House Bill 4412 and HB 2292 into law to establish the Davao Regional State University System, the first ever regional state university in the Philippines; and

--The conduct of preparatory activities towards the formulation of the Davao Region Successor Plan, 2017-2022, together with its accompanying, the Results Matrices, the Re-gional Development Investment Program and the Regional Development Research Agenda.

A closure look at the list reveals that at least five of the big-ticket projects are situated in Davao City. Most of these projects costing billions of pesos address the region’s develop-ment challenges, particularly those concerning smooth movement of people and goods like the Sasa port modernization, the Light railway transit, the international airport, the Davao City-Samal bridge and the establishment of a food terminal in Toril.

Fortunately or unfortunately, the projects come at a time that we are holding a national election wherein we will choose our next leaders who’ll have the power to make them hap-pen or throw a monkey wrench at them to prevent their successful implementation for one reason or another. Concerned Dabawenyos and stakeholders certainly hope the results of the polls will not frustrate them. More than ever that is how important the May election is to Dabawenyos.

Columnists: MA. TERESA L. UNGSON • EDCER C. ESCUDERO • AURELIO A. PEÑA • ZHAUN ORTEGA • BERNADETTE “ADDIE” B. BORBON • MARY ANN “ADI” C. QUISIDO • LEANDRO B. DAVAL SR., • NIKKI GOTIANSE-TAN • NICASIO ANGELO AGUSTIN • EMILY ZEN CHUA • CARLOS MUNDA Economic Analyst: ENRICO “GICO” G. DAYANGIRANG • JONALLIER M. PEREZ

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PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTEthe national association of newspapers

THE Christmas is already over but the bad boy El Niño (it was named after the little Jesus as it comes during the month of De-

cember) is staying and will string bring some destruction in the Philippines, particularly Min-danao and Visayas.

The state-run Philippine News Agency (PNA) reports that Mindanao and Visayas will experience “very dry” conditions in the first half of 2016 as “the prevailing strong El Niño will further affect Philippine rainfall patterns.”

According to the forecast of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the coun-try will experience “below-normal to way be-low-normal rainfall” from January to March owing to El Niño.

“By the end of March, about 40% of the country, or 32 provinces, will likely experience meteorological drought conditions,” the weath-er bureau said. It defines drought as “three con-secutive months of way-below-normal rainfall condition.”

In Davao Region, the provinces that are most likely to suffer from drought are Davao del and Davao Oriental. Other provinces in Mind-anao which may bear the brunt of less rainfall include Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-Tawi.

In Visayas, the areas affected by drought are Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Cebu, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Bili-ran, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar and Samar. In Luzon, at risk for drought are Palawan, Albay, Camarines Sur and Catanduanes.

In Davao City, the government has already allocated “P60 million for the procurement of

new equipment and repair of agricultural in-frastructures,” according to Mindanews. The allocation was “in a bid to cush-ion the impact of El Nino that was projected to last until June this year.”

Antonio L. Colina IV, author of the Mindan-

ews report, quoted Melani Provido, regional coordinator of the High Value Crops Program of the regional office of the Department of Ag-riculture, that they are preparing areas that are least likely to be affected by El Niño for vegeta-ble farming.

But among the areas that are already se-verely affected by El Niño, they would suggest to farmers to shift to drought-resistant crops such as mongo and cassava. “They should plant vegetables that can survive dry spell just to sur-vive. After that, they can go back to their normal planting cycle,” Provido was quoted as saying.

No one knows precisely when El Niño first struck. Historians are dating the phenomenon at least as far back as the early 1500s, when the Spanish conquistadores entered South America amid raging storms. Some 400 years before that, there were some records of terrible sweeping through pre-Columbian communities.

Originally, Spanish fishermen named the event as “Corriente del Niño.” The word “corri-ente” describes the appearance of a warm ocean current flowing from time to time in the eastern equatorial Pacific region along the South Amer-ican coasts. The word “Niño” was traditionally

associated with the birth of Baby Jesus, as it was observed around Christmas. It was used to be considered a local event along the coasts of Peru and Ecuador. Through the years, “corriente” was dropped out, leaving only “El Niño.”

According to the Global Environmental Out-look 2000, El Niños are not natural disasters but natural variations in climate. They normal-ly occur every three to five years, lasting 6-18 months. Between El Niños, there are often pe-riods marked by a cooling of the surface waters of the same area of the Pacific, a phenomenon called La Niña (“the girl”). The whole cycle is called the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO).

The ocean current is characterized as “a mysterious, massive pond of warm, nutri-ent-poor seawater” which produces a periodic shift in ocean temperatures and atmospheric conditions in the tropical Pacific. El Niño varies the surface temperature of the central eastern part of the tropical Pacific by up to 4 degrees Centigrade, with associated changes in the wind and rainfall patterns. This condition dis-rupts weather around the world leading to nas-ty extremes.

The Philippines Recommends for Water-Sav-ing Technologies for Rice and Other Crops, pub-lished by the Department of Science and Tech-nology (DOST), said farmers can still vegetable crops even in times of drought and/or dry spells. “Vegetable cropping after rice usually co-incides with the dry season,” it noted. “This crop may use residual soil moisture, supplemented by irrigation, underground supplies, or tank storage. Farmers may also take advantage of the drop in river levels to cultivate riverbanks.”

In water-scarce areas, farmers can make the most efficient use of available water. “To do this, the growers decide how much and which crops to plant, or whether to plant at all,” the book said. “However, it is unwise to plant crops

that cannot be properly irrigated because there are no drought-tolerant or -resistant vegetable varieties in the market.”

The DOST publication said that irrigation and water use in vegetable farming varies with the production system and ecoregion. “Vege-tables are known as succulent products,” it ex-plained. “In general, these consist of more than 90% water.”

As such, vegetables require good water supply for optimal productivity. “They are able to produce a crop during short periods of high moisture availability and respond well to con-trolled delivery of water, which enhances water use efficiency,” the book said. “On the contrary, drought conditions drastically reduce vegetable productivity.”

Meanwhile, the Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) said, in a press statement, Davao City will remain “to experience a very critical power supply situation due to the ex-tended El Nino phenomenon forecasted until May 2016.”

According to the press statement, DLPC “is managing the very tight power supply situation by optimizing on its power supply contracts with the following: 100 megawatts (MW) with Therma South Inc.’s coal-fired power plant, 30 MW with Therma Marine Inc.’s power barges, 52 MW with Hedcor Sibulan, and 4 MW with Hedcor Talomo.”

“Davao City is becoming very attractive to investors which can be gleaned from the entry of players in the real property, manufacturing and business processing sectors. However, power supply in Mindanao is still in a precari-ous state with lack or no reserves. As an electric distribution utility, the best that we could do is secure additional power contracts to sustain the bullish business climate,” Arturo Milan, a DLPC official said.

WITHIN minutes of the Pope’s ar rival, just a year ago this same month, the Filipinos’ spirit was uplifted, similar

to the way people await the Nazarene and an-ticipated the Sinulog Festival of the Sto. Niño in Cebu. This month on this year, the contracep-tion budget was scrapped in the Senate with-out valid justification. January seems to be a month char acterized by close interac tions be-tween religion and State – does it ever change?

Secularism is defined as the strict separa-tion between religious institutions and State, but more importantly, the treatment of all reli-gions as equal before law. That’s how we expect government to act. Yet in many ways, when you are a Christian in this country, you are privi-leged. There are some benefits that only mem-bers in this specific religion only enjoy, whether or not the law intends it.

What are examples of these? When you are a Christian, there are a lot of members in Con-gress who are going to speak for your interests (whether or not those interests are something

you agree with). Your r e l i g i o u s communi-ty’s accep-tance of a particular law will be of high con-sideration in the pass-ing of laws, and the moral standards that you use, com-pared with other religious institutions. Your religion’s beliefs are usually used to determine laws on healthcare (contraception), or mar-riage (divorce and gay marriage), or education (sex education).

Crimes committed by your members are not used to create stereotypes about Christi-anity. News media doe’t label a murderer as a “Christian” murderer nor a corrupt politician as a corrupt “Christian” politician, even when

some of them openly claim to be godly. Your religion will never be a symbol of nepotism and corruption in your region even when there are politicians from your religion who do machi-nate political dynasties and corruption.

When you go to places outside Mindanao, you won’t ever get rejected while trying to hail a cab while wearing an important religious symbol – like the cross for example. People will not avoid you and will even assume the best in you if you wear representations of your re-ligion.

Does this make Christians bad people? Of course not. Christianity is just as valid as any religion practiced in this country and this in no way means that being openly expressive about your faith is wrong. But it is important to be aware about how the general society and gov-ernment behave towards your religion com-pared with others.

I’ve studied in Catholic schools all my life and I belong to a faithful Catholic family, and if there’s one thing I know for sure is that this

religion also believes in social justice. In that spirit, it cares for other people’s wellbeing as well. But that doesn’t disprove the fact that the privilege does exist, which is why it needs to be called out. I don’t suggest for society to be bi-ased to different religions, too. Not at all.

We should reaffirm what the Supreme Court once de clared, that it is crucial for reli-gion and State to re main separated because it is prejudicial to both sides, for there will come situations where one will corrupt the other to forward their own goals.

We recognize that reli gion helps reinforce import ant values – like right to life and social justice – and that this faith is vital to individ ual expression. That’s why State, for one thing, pro-tects religious expression, and why religious institutions are not taxed. But that re lationship ends when State needs to make decisions on behalf of its citizens.

Religion and State should never be at war with each other, but they should never marry each other just as much.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 VANTAGE POINTS 9EDGEDAVAO

On secularism and religious privilege

El Niño strikes back

Henrylito D. Taciohenrytacio@gmail.com

THINK ON THESE!

Vanessa Kate Madrazo

MY MILLENNIAL MIND

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 201610NEWS

High... FROM 5

Duterte... FROM 1

PCG... FROM 2

Davao... FROM 2

Presidential... FROM 3

2 female... FROM 3

MinDA... FROM 6

Maguindanao... FROM 4

Lamitan... FROM 3

Energy... FROM 6

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EDGEDAVAO

SAVE THE TREES. Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) 11 community environment and natural resources officer Bernardo Juson reminds politicians that they are not allowed to mount campaign posters on trees. Juson graced yesterday’s AFP-PNP Press Corps media forum. Lean Daval Jr.

of the modernization project, Valoria said the P19 billion PPP project will have the same capacity with the private-sec-tor owned DICT which invest-ed only P4.5 billion to upgrade their facility that has been op-erational since 2012.

In addition, he said the PPP project for Sasa “does not provide for break bulk cargo handling which is very import-ant for Davao City business” nor lurks on the possibility of developing it into a tourism port.

He noted that the region’s potential for cruise tourism is huge while the break bulk cargo has been an important logistics element for the city’s thriving economy.

In 2014, Valoria noted that Sasa port handled 500,000MT of steel, wheat, fertilizer, motor vehicles, heavy equipments and cargo that are not suitable for container shipping.

“This is the only PPP proj-ect that is designed to compete with the private sector,” he said, adding that the manage-ment of DICT also intends to increase the capacity of the container terminal by July this year.

In 2015, the total contain-er through-put in DICT was 267,238 TEU which was 17.2 percent higher compared in 2014and having a market

share of around 56 percent of all the foreign container trade.

Valoria said there were no consultation with Davao busi-ness groups, consumer groups, concerned citizens and even the Davao City Council prior to the start of the bidding process last year.

The DOTC, he added, failed to consider the “huge traffic congestion the project will cause in the northern part of the city which is already con-gested.”

“Even an undersecretary of the Department of Works and Public Highways in fact commented that will re-create the huge traffic mess they have in the port of Manila,” Valoria said.

The DOTC also proceeded with the project even without complying with the pre-condi-tions required by the Regional Development Council like ac-quisition of additional area for expansion.

Valoria also said these issues were also presented during a senate hearing led by senate committee on public services chaired by Senator Sergio Osmeña late last year.

Various groups have been calling for the postponement of the bidding process for the port development project which already drew interest from five big companies.

said allegations were found in the petition filed by (Universi-ty of the Philippines Student Council Chairman JP) Delas Nieves on Dec. 22, 2015, five days after the issuance of the en banc resolution.”

In his petition, Delas Nieves had sought to block Duterte’s presidential bid supposedly because he is sub-stituting for fellow PDP-Laban member Martin Diño, whom

Delas Nieves said is not a legit-imate candidate.

“Nowhere in his petition did Castor allege that he was questioning the documents filed by Respondent Duterte,” Duterte’s lawyers said.

The motion added that even Castor admitted in his urgent ex parte motion dated December 11, 2015 that “the sole legal issue” in his petition is the COC of Diño.

the live-in partner of Hall.Dela Cruz said despite the

kidnapping incident, there are still many yachts docked in the area. He said the PCG-SM is set to meet with the management and the security officers of Hol-iday Ocean View today.

He said the PCG plans to place the patrol boat on the yacht basin in the Maritime In-dustry Authority (MARINA) 11.

The PCG-SM has two patrol boats, one deployed in Babak, IGACOS and the other one at the Daliao Fish Port in Toril, Davao City.

Dela Cruz said the patrol boat in the Daliao Fish Port will be transferred to Holiday Ocean View after the meeting with the management.

He said aside from provid-ing security against possible abductors, the deployment of patrol boats will also help deter dynamite fishing which he said is rampant in the area.

Dela Cruz said another meeting with other resort owners in IGACOS will be held next week to talk about securi-ty matters in the area. ARMAN-DO B. FENEQUITO JR.

they must be well-equipped.DCPO spokersperson chief

inspector Milgrace Driz said the equipment would be of big help to the EOD team partic-ularly in responding to situa-tions like bombing incidents.

A spate of bombing inci-dents rocked parts of Mind-

anao in 2014 and 2015, one of those incidents occurred in Davao City November 18 last year, when a bomb exploded in a passenger van while tra-versing Ecoland in this City, two people were wounded in the explosion. (PIA/RG Ala-ma)

the forthcoming debates is not mandatory.

He noted that the candi-dates’ failure to attend would be a disadvantage on their part.

“It is to their disadvan-tage if they don’t attend. This is huge opportunity for the candidates to have the chance to talk to the people for free. If they do not want to attend, I think that the voters might take that against them,” the poll body chief added.

Guidelines of the debate have yet to be finalized and are still subject to further amend-ments.

The Comelec is organiz-ing three presidential debates

in the next three months. The first will be held in Capitol Uni-versity in Cagayan de Oro City on Feb. 21; followed by the one in either University of San Carlos in Cebu or University of the Philippines – Visayas in Il-oilo on March 20; and the last in University of Pangasinan in Pangasinan on April 24.

Under Republic Act 9006, or the Fair Election Act, the Comelec may require national television and radio networks to sponsor at least three na-tional debates among presi-dential candidates and at least one national debate among vice presidential candidates during the campaign period. (PNA)

component, the Philippine delegate will be also proposing for connectivity of develop-ment corridors in Mindanao to other areas in the sub-region through improvement in infra-structure.

Lopoz said the Asian De-velopment Bank (ADB) has already formed a team that will look into connectivity en-hancement of the BIMP-EAGA.

The country’s delegate will also propose for the inclusion of development of food hubs between Mindanao and other

BIMP-EAGA nation members while other proposals will be focusing on socio-cultural as-pect of the development of the sub-region.

The strategic meeting will be a venue for delagates to consolidate and finalize the in-puts for the BIMP-EAGA Vision 2025.

Lopoz said it will include updates on the developments and achievements of each na-tion based on the earlier devel-opment blueprint of BIMP-EA-GA. CHENEEN R. CAPON

is also NEDA Director-General.“This means ensuring the

availability, quality, and afford-ability of electricity,” he added.

Balisacan cited the World Economic Forum report, which showed that the Phil-ippines scored only 4.2 out of seven in terms of sufficiency and reliability of power sup-ply. Also, almost 20 percent of households in the Philippines do not have electricity, and those who do—households, commercial establishments and industries—have to pay a high price for electricity, which is almost twice the average price in Southeast Asia.

“This means that we are losing out in competitiveness, thereby limiting our export orientation. Additionally, our energy and electricity con-sumption per capita is the low-est among eight countries. If we equate convenience as hav-ing access to more automated gadgets, then this means that

we are the most deprived in terms of convenience,” the Cabinet official said.

The EPDP currently assists the Philippine government in research, capacity-build-ing, and in developing poli-cies and strategies that will make cost-effective use of resources, promote sustain-able energy development, and make electricity accessible and affordable to Filipinos. It was launched by the UPEcon Foundation and the United States Agency for International Development in 2014. Balisa-can currently chairs the EPDP Steering Committee.

The two-day EPDP Con-ference 2016 convened pol-icymakers, practitioners, ex-perts and academics to discuss policy and research issues in energy such as forecasting energy demand, optimal fuel mix, market testing of power supply agreements, and power plant approvals.

shabu with an estimated street value of P120,000, two cell-phones, various memory cards and the P500 marked bill used in the buy-bust.

Cadungon said they have long been monitoring the movements of Galdo, who is listed number three in their drug watch list.

“We received a tip that her supplier will be making a ma-jor delivery so we decided to stage the operation,” he said.

The official said the sus-pect is considered as among the biggest shabu pushers in their village, which also serves as her main base.

He said Galdo supplies shabu to smaller runners and directly sells them to users even in small units.

“She sometimes trades small units of shabu for minor

items like memory cards,” the police official said.

Meantime, Hiyas was ar-rested about an hour later by operatives of the Police Re-gional Office 12’s regional spe-cial investigation and detection team at her house in Purok Sil-way San Vicente.

The suspect’s house is around 100 meters away from Galdo’s, who allegedly serves as one of her suppliers.

Recovered from Papa’s possession was a sachet of shabu worth P6,500 and a P500 marked bill used in the buy-bust.

Cadungon said the two suspects will be charged for violation of Republic Act 9165 or the Dangerous Drugs Act, specifically Section 5 or selling and Section 11 or possession of dangerous drugs. (PNA)

He said they recov-ered from the possession of Pinglias a caliber .45 pistol with ammunition, a bladed weapon, parts of improvised bomb, a mobile phone battery attached to a circuit board, and two sachets of metham-phetamine hydrochloride lo-cally known as shabu.

Gallardo disclosed that Pinglias was allegedly in-volved in the Lamitan City port bombing and in the bombing attempt at the police

station.A water tank and win-

dow glasses of the passenger terminal building were de-stroyed when an improvised bomb exploded around 9:20 p.m. Monday at the port lo-cated in Barangay Kulay Bato, Lamitan City.

Another improvised bomb, which failed to explode, was recovered around 7 p.m. Monday in front of the police station in Barangay Matibay, Lamitan City. (PNA)

once finished studies are to serve Maguindanao in whatever em-ployment they will have for two years before they can work some-where else.

Mangudadatu stressed that whoever wins as provincial gov-ernor in the coming elections should allow the completion of the provincial capitol so it will not be moved from one bailiwick to another, as in the past.

Mangudadatu, now on his second term as provincial chief executive officer, is seeking reelec-tion.

The capitol was first estab-lished in Shariff Aguak after the birth of Maguindanao.

It was later moved to Sultan Kudarat town in Maguindanao.

When Ampatuan became governor, he moved the capitol to Shariff Aguak. (PNA)

a rollback in bus and other PUV fares is now necessary.

In Metro Manila, a transport group already called for 50-centa-vo reduction in the jeepney mini-mum fare of PHP7.50 in the wake of the rollback in fuel prices.

Nul said they have not re-ceived any petition so far from local transport groups and con-sumer organizations regarding the fare rollback but said they are closely monitoring the situation in the area. (PNA)

What Bulgogi Broth-ers does is simplicity at its best, grilling up honest-to-goodness, delicious, ten-der and juicy meats with-out covering up too much using rich sauces. Of course the secret to why this Korean restaurant scores high marks in the meat department is the fact that they use USDA certified beef. Imagine digging into a generous platter of per-fectly seasoned, marbled beef that is grilled right before your very eyes. The meat actually cooking in its own rendered fat, no butter added. The smell is just simply divine. For starters one can or-der Bulgogi Brother’s fa-

mous BBQ Platters which are priced affordably and can feed a small group of up to three (of course ap-petites may vary). One can choose from four platters: BBQ Bone-in Ribs, Beef Brisket Bulgogi, and Un-yang Style Bulgogi; BBQ Bone-in Ribs, Boneless Beef BBQ, and Beef Belly; Rib Eye Steak, Boneless Beef BBQ and Pork Belly;

and Rib Eye Steak Bone-less Beef BBQ, and Beef Belly. If you happen to be with a bigger group (or have a bigger appetite), I would suggest ordering any of the Korean Prime Platters. The Korean BBQ Platter, which features a combination of US Angus

Choice Ribeye, Boneless Short Ribs, Beef Brisket Bulgogi, Unyang Bulgo-gi, and Pork Sausage is a good choice for meat lov-ers like me while the Big Grill, which comes with a choice of bone-in short ribs marinated in special bulgogi sauce or seasoned with salt and pepper is a great way celebrate the flavour of beef, nothing is

FOOD

EDGEDAVAO

I LOVE A GOOD MEAL, a proper appe-tiser, a hearty soup, a main course and some dessert. But at times, I just want to embrace my primal needs and go simple and meaty instead, and Bulgogi Brothers does just that.

INdulge!

Imagine digging into a generous platter of perfectly seasoned,

marbled beef that is grilled right before your very eyes.

The smell of grilled meat is intoxicating.

Bulgogi Brother’s Big Grill comes with beautifully marbled beef and a pot of soup made from the rib (left).Kids will love the Kiddie Set which comes with Pororo fruit juice.

The Prime Korean BBQ Platter is a meat-lover’s dream date.

Tables at Bulgogi Brothers are always festive and full of meaty goodness.

Meat mattersMeat matters

wasted as even the rib is made into a rich pot of soup. All the platters also come with complimentary refillable side dishes and piping hot tea for that authentic Korean restau-rant vibe. Kids can also have their fill thanks to Bulgogi Brother’s

three Kiddie Sets which come with a main dish of either Sweet Bulgogi, Mini Dump-lings, or Fried Chicken, sweet potato fries, corn kernel, rice, soup and Pororo fruit juice. Bulgogi Brothers is located at the second floor Fountain Court of SM Lanang Premier.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

My favorite congee is of course the one that my mom makes whenever I am home – the savory type. I also love the sweet-ened congee – champora-do. However, since we live in different zip codes, I rely on what’s on my kitchen – a staple fixture in my bowl would be strips of fried nori sheets (with a hint of salt and pepper), fried minced garlic, egg strips and shredded chicken. Most often, I experiment with shabu-shabu balls for a different take. It works... for my taste, that is. Now, I’ll share with you some of my favorite congee recipes. These are from different websites that I personally cook and swear by. I’ve read some-where that congee is mak-

ing a big splash this year.. so, let’s get right into it. (I’ve tweaked the recipes to suit my taste and crav-ings. Do so if you wish)

GENERAL INSTRUC-TION Using a deep pot, boil the rice with more the necessary amount of wa-ter, you can use either type or rice. Instead of water, you can use stock (I prefer

A2 INdulge! EDGEDAVAOFOOD

Congee comfort all daySERVED AS A MEAL ON ITS OWN, con-gee (or lugaw as we know it) is often a break-fast staple and whenever one is ill. It’s also considered as a late supper favorite for some. Typically thick, it is like a canvass that can withstand any color, flavour, and texture. Hence, the congee can be eaten any time of any day.

chicken or vegan stock). There are those who season their boiled rice with salt and pepper. However, you can add anything of your prefer-ence.

Chicken Congee by http://theasiangrandmother-scookbook.com/ I’ve tweaked this rec-ipe a bit by adding more savory spices. Also, I’ve experimented on this rec-ipe with additional Indian spices and herbs.2 cups cooked white rice5 cups water½ pound chicken bonesthick slices fresh gingercloves of garlic, smashed1 green onion, tied into a knot¼ red onion Soy sauce, salt, garlic powder and white pepper to taste. Sesame oil for drizzling (optional). In a medium pot, com-bine the rice, water, chick-en bones, ginger, garlic, green onion, onion and bring to a boil over high

heat. Skim off any scum or foam that rises to the sur-face. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer. When the rice grains are swollen and the mix-ture is as thick as oatmeal, the congee is ready. If it gets too thick, add more water. If it’s too thin, cook it until it reaches the de-sired smoothness and thickness. Remove the bones, gin-ger, garlic, green onion and onion. Add soy sauce, salt, and white pepper to taste. Ladle into individual bowls, drizzle with sesame oil and/or kecap manis, and garnish as desired.

Korean Sweet Rice Soup from http://www.fla-vorandfortune.com/ This is the very recipe I use. This was something I ate when I was in Singa-pore and as such, went on the internet and searched for a feasible recipes with ingredients we have. Sometimes, I use the same kind of dates.

2 teaspoons minced dates1 Tablespoon honey½ cup pitted sliced dates½ cup honey2 cups short grain rice1 cup pine nuts Soak minced dates in 1 Tablespoon honey for an hour. Do the same with the sliced dates in an-other bowl with the larger amount of honey for 2 to 3 hours. Grind rice, with two cups of water, in a blender until smooth. Remove and add the sliced dates. Put rice mixture in a large pot. Add 6 addition-al cups of water. Bring to a boil and simmer for an hour, stirring periodical-ly. If it gets too thick, add more water, a quarter of a cup at a time. Toast the pine nuts in a dry fry pan until lightly colored. Cool, then grind. Do this in a mortar and pestle. Add ground nuts and simmer for five minutes. Serve in individual bowls, topping each with a little of the minced dates and

honey.

Ginger Chicken Rice Por-ridge http://www.chow-hound.com/ More like what we usually have here, this is bursting with ginger fla-vor. Sometimes, I add cay-enne pepper for an added kick.6 cups water4 cups low-sodium chick-en broth1 ½ pounds chicken, skin removed1 cup long-grain white ricefresh ginger, sliced2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as neededfreshly ground white pep-per, plus more as neededchopped fresh cilantro, for garnishsliced scallions, for gar-nish

Make #TheRoyalChef your Thursday habit! I am on Instagram (@theroyal-chefleebai) and twitter (@royalchefeats). Blog: the-royalchefeats.wordpress.com

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

INdulge! A3EDGEDAVAOENTERTAINMENT

TEEN STAR Yassi Pressman has become popular not only for her sexy body but for her awesome dance moves as well. Watch the Dance Floor Princess herself as she graces “Sports U” this Thursday (January 21) and shows viewers how she achieved her body and what exercises they can do to have their own. Meanwhile, anchor Dyan Castillejo also features two more stories that will inspire anyone to stay fit and healthy. Raymond Reyes shows everyone that it is possible to trim down one’s weight no matter how huge one may be with the proper diet and exercise to stay fit and healthy.

Cancer patients in Muntinlupa, meanwhile, try their best to engage in Zumba classes to maintain their own health and fitness in the Dyanfit segment. “Sports U” aims to promote athletes who have inspiring stories to share and may possibly become future sports stars of the country. It also promotes fitness and healthy lifestyle by looking into how celebrities stay in shape. Tune in to “Sports U” this Thursday (January 21), right after “Bandila” on ABS-CBN. Follow their Facebook page at http://facebook.com/SportsUtv and official Twitter account (@SportsUTV) for more updates.

Kuya Germs home for his last parade

Yassi shows how to achieve a fit body

man. Wala na siyang ibang inisip kung hindi kami: pamilya, kaibigan, and his contemporaries. My father is known as a star-builder and I can probably say that most of the stars in the industry came or started from him. But now I will share to you why he is successful in doing that because every child has a dream. My father would be the one to spark that light. He believes that for every child that dreams, they deserve to be given that opportunity to achieve their dreams. That is the secret of my father,” said Federico.

For his valuable contributions and loyalty to the network, GMA management presented a posthumous plaque of appreciation and recognition to Kuya Germs. A funeral mass was held on the morning of January 14 at GMA 7 before he was laid to rest at the Loyola Memorial Park in Marikina. Asia’s Songbird Regine Velasquez-Alcasid rendered a heartfelt song for the Master showman during the mass. Federico once again thanked all the people who paid tribute and supported his Papa throughout his career.

A GALAXY of the brightest and biggest stars, TV personalities and media executives gathered together last January 13 at GMA Network to pay their last respects to the Master Showman German “Kuya Germs” Moreno and honour his life of love, loyalty, and passion. Hosted by Dingdong Dantes and Jean Garcia, the necrological service for Kuya Germs was overwhelming with memories and fondness for the beloved showbiz icon. From his humble beginnings as a janitor in Clover Theatre, to his thriving career in Sampaguita Pictures, up to his ground-breaking variety shows in GMA including Germside, Germspesyal, GMA Supershow, That’s Entertainment and Walang Tulugan with the Master Showman, Kuya Germs became the industry’s star builder extraordinaire because of his hard work, integrity, perseverance, and most of all, love for his craft. He was a well-loved pillar of the Philippine entertainment industry and throughout his highly-celebrated career, he was truly the epitome of a loyal Kapuso as he spent almost 5 decades of his showbiz life at his second home, GMA Network. It was graced by GMA Network Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Felipe L. Gozon and his wife Mrs. Teresa M. Gozon, former Congressman Gilberto M. Duavit Sr.,

GMA President and Chief Operating Officer Gilberto R. Duavit Jr., GMA Board Directors Joel G. Jimenez and Laura J. Westfall, GMA Films President Annette Gozon-Abrogar and Executive Vice President and Chief Financial Officer Felipe S. Yalong together with Kuya Germs’ family, friends, former colleagues in the media and the Kapuso community and other Network officers. Expressing his admiration and testifying to Kuya Germs’ loyalty is Atty. Gozon, “Speaking for myself, I cannot imagine a broadcast network without Kuya Germs.…but I think Kuya Germs will appreciate more if we keep his legacy alive by loving and nurturing show business with all our hearts and all our minds and with utmost sincerity.” “Mahigit na 45 years si Kuya Germs dito sa Kapuso Network. And in most of my dealings with him, in

my capacity as CEO, we were often guided only by gentleman’s agreement. Kuya Germs is not a man who needed written contracts. I could not help but admire by how he was driven by trust; trust that people will always be good-hearted and live up to their commitments. Kuya Germs was also all about loyalty. May mga unos man kaming pinagdaanan noon, hinangaan ko ang kanyang pagiging mapagkumbaba at ang kanyang likas na pagmamahal sa GMA. His humility truly made him a person larger than life,” said Atty. Gozon. Proving as well how Kuya Germs was man of humility and generosity were eulogies from his close friends including Gilberto M. Duavit Sr., Joel G. Jimenez, GMA Senior Vice President for Entertainment TV Lilybeth G. Rasonable, First Vice President for

Program Management Jose Mari Abacan, Marichu “Manay Ichu” Maceda of Sampaguita Pictures, Manila Vice Mayor Isko Moreno, and Cecilio Pedro of Lamoiyan Corporation. Though in deep sadness, Kuya Germs’ family led by his son Federico, grandchildren Jorell, Francheska, Raffy and Gabby, niece and family matriarch Dr. Vivian Nite dela Cruz, and nephew John Nite also expressed their gratitude to the people who paid tribute to Kuya Germs and shared their fondest memories of their ‘Papa.’ “I think everybody knows that he is a hardworking person. Monday to Sunday he works and that’s how dedicated my father was, and that’s how he loved his professions because he prayed for it, he asked for it. Every single opportunity that he got, he took care of it, he loved it, he gave his all. He is a generous

R13

R16 / *R16

G12:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 | 6:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 LFS

ALVIN & THE CHIPMUNKS:THE ROAD CHIP

Bella Thorne, Kaley Cuoco-Sweeting, Justin Long

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

THE BIG SHORT

12:00 | 2:00 | 4:00 LFS / * 6:00 | 8:00 | 10:00 LFS

CRIMINAL ACTIVITIES/ *JERUZALEM

John Travolta, Michael Pitt/* Yael Grobglas, Yon Tumarkin

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

Christian Bale, Steve Carell,

Ryan Gosling, Brad Pitt

THE 5TH WAVE

Chloe Grace Moretz, Nick Robinson

January 20 – 26, 2016

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

After the success of the Mindanao Culinary Fes-tival last June 2015, the Davao Culinary Festival aims to replicate this suc-cess and will provide op-portunities for Davao’s culinary service practi-tioners and academe to display their talents in a one-of-a-kind culinary competition.

“It all started as a dream,” said LTB Chefs Association president Sally San Juan.l “The Davao Culinary Cup is envisioned to provide opportunities to the in-dustry and the academe to display their talents in this competition and at the same time may open window of opportuni-

ties.” Chef James Antolin of LTB Manila, who was also present for the event, was also excited of the up-coming event which will be held this coming June. “We were pleasantly surprised at the creativ-ity of the participants last year and we are looking forward to more exciting and creative dishes this

year.” exclaimed Chef Antolin. Other guests included Department of Tourism XI regional director Ro-berto Alabado III, Joel Pascual of WOFEX, and Chef Michelle Robin who shared her competition experience last year. The Davao Culinary Cup will be held in June this year.

A4 INdulge!EVENT

CAPTURE THOSE PRECIOUS MOMENTS WITH YOUR LOVED ONES. Get a free photo session and one Family or Precious Portrait print when you buy a minimum of P1,000 single receipt purchase at the Children’s and Infants’ Wear Departments of The SM Store nationwide. Promo runs from January 15 to February 29, 2016.

THE LTB CHEFS ASSOCIATION togeth-er with PCC Manila, WOFEX World Food Expo and SM Lanang Premier launched the Davao Culinary Cup last January 14 at the Atrium of SM Lanang Premier.

By Kenneth Irving Ong

Davao Culinary Cup launched

DOT-XI Regional Director Roberto Alabado III.

LTB Davao president Sally San Juan.

Chef James Antolin of LTB Manila.

The Davao Culinary Cup is officially launched.Mindanao Culinary Festival Silver Medalist Michelle Robin shares her experience.

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 11EDGEDAVAO

COMPETITIVE EDGE

THE Congressional Poli-cy and Budget Research Department (CPBRD)

of the House of Representa-tives may include in its priori-ty list in the next Congress the proposed Open Access Law of Globe Telecom for the tele-communications industry.

In a letter to Globe, CP-BRD requested for additional details on the telecommunica-tion company’s proposal of an Open Access Law as a way to mitigate bureaucratic red tape and other political hurdles that stand in the way in the deployment of telecommuni-cations and broadband infra such as cell sites.

Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo said an Open Access legislation for the telecom industry would help minimize bureaucratic red tape and expedite the is-suance of all relevant permits for all telecommunication facilities at the local govern-ment level.

“Legislation of an Open Access law is extremely im-portant if we are to support growth and development of the next generation. The inter-est that the CPBRD has shown for our proposal further moti-vates us to remain aggressive in developing a robust tele-com infrastructure that we hope will support business ca-

SEVEN personnel of the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) in

Region 12 were recognized for their outstanding work per-formance by the Civil Service Commission (CSC) through its PAGASA Award (Group Cate-gory) under its Honor Awards Program for 2015.

In her message during the awarding ceremony held at the DOLE 12 conference foom last January 18, 2016, DOLE regional director Ofelia B. Do-mingo said the regional agency is full of potential and qualified employees who can be nomi-nated to awards programs of different agencies.

“I am proud to say that DOLE 12 employees are all hard working and should be recognized. Continue to do your best with the right atti-tude and we will reap more awards even in heaven. We also hope to receive the Philip-pine Quality Awards (PQA) this year,” Domingo said.

For her part, CSC Region 12 chief human resource spe-cialist Angelica Capao-an said the CSC will continue to recog-nize deserving public servants through its Honor Awards pro-gram.

“Anyone can be nominat-ed as long as she or he shows exemplary performance in public service. We continue to encourage government em-ployees to be committed with

their work by recognizing them through HAP,” Capao-an said

Recognized with the CSC PAGASA Award (Group Cat-egory) are Domingo, Ruby B. Carrasco (Chief LEO), Rossalve Mylene N. Tamse (AOV), Je-meia Mae C. Eslabon (Sr. LEO), Mechelle T. Olog (LEO III), Mar-nie Dave S. Eballes (ISA II), and Oliver B. Sespeñe (Statistician II).

The seven DOLE 12 per-sonnel were nominated by OIC-assistant regional director Naomi Lyn C. Abellana because of their exemplary perfor-mance which contributed to the success of the online sys-tems for the Special Program for the Employment of Stu-dents (SPES) and Registration of Workers Association (RWA)program in 2014.

The CSC Pagasa Award is conferred on an individu-al or group of individuals for outstanding contribution/s resulting from an idea or per-formance that directly benefit more than one department of the government.

Its criteria include the noteworthiness of outstand-ing performance or contribu-tions, impact of performance, reliability and effectiveness of the innovation, consistency of performance, and demonstrat-ed teamwork, cooperation, ca-maraderie and cohesiveness. (KZT)

LAZADA Philippines (www.lazada.com.ph), the country’s

one stop shopping and selling destination, kicks off its first big sale of the year, the Chinese New Year Sale.

A wide assortment of unique finds for the year of the fire monkey and discounts as high as 88 percent across 15 categories will be up for grabs from January 26 to February 8.

Prosperity shops will take over the Laza-da website where cus-tomers can avail them-selves of Lucky 88 and Lucky 888 deals. P88 items include Casio Be-side Men’s Silver Stain-less Steel Strap Watch, Diva Designs Swarovs-ki Crystal Heart Studs, while items like the Oli Casual Mstyle Low Cut Sneakers, Nankai-02 20000mAh Power Bank with free Mini Power Bank Mini Foldable Mo-nopod will be sold for

only P888.Special categories

to make the most out of the year of the monkey include Everything Red & Gold, Feng Shui Home and Lucky Charms Shops.

Adding to online shopping fun, vouchers and special deals from the wheel of fortune onsite game will allow customers to push their luck and win additional discounts.

Playful monkey finds for both kids and the young at heart are also available at smart prices:

Start the year right by enjoying huge dis-counts of up to 88 per-cent off from the leading online shopping destina-tion in the country. Laza-da’s Chinese New Year Sale is just the beginning of a year filled with lucky breaks on a wide assort-ment of products with the best prices. Shop now through desktop or mobile.

MICROSOFT Corp. CEO Satya Nadella announced a new

three-part initiative to ensure that Microsoft’s cloud com-puting resources serve the public good. As part of this initiative the recently formed Microsoft Philanthropies will donate $1 billion of Microsoft Cloud Services, measured at fair market value, to serve nonprofits and university re-searchers over the next three years.

Microsoft’s three-part commitment focuses on en-suring the cloud can serve the public good in the broadest sense by providing additional cloud resources to nonprofits, increasing access for univer-sity researchers and help-ing solve last-mile Inter-net access challenges.

“Microsoft is empow-ering mission-driven or-ganizations around the planet with a donation of cloud computing ser-vices -- the most trans-formative technologies of our generation,” Nadella said.

Nadella was to speak on Wednesday at the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland. “Now more than

70,000 organizations will have access to technology that will help them solve our great-est societal challenges and ultimately improve the hu-man condition and drive new growth equally,” he said.

Cloud computing has emerged as a vital resource for unlocking the secrets held by data in ways that cre-ate new insights and lead to breakthroughs not just for science and technol-ogy, but for the full range of economic and so-

cial challeng-es and the delivery of better human services. It can also improve communications and problem-solving and help or-ganizations work in a more

productive and more efficient manner.

In September 2015, 193 heads of state and other world leaders unanimously adopted 17 sustainable development goals to achieve by 2030. This ambitious agenda -- which in-cludes ending poverty, ending hunger, and ensuring afford-able, reliable and sustainable energy for all -- will only be achievable with the benefit of

significant inven-tions and tech-

nology innovations. The scale and computational power en-abled by cloud computing will be essential to unlocking solu-tions to this list of some of the

world’s seemingly unsolvable problems.

“We’re committed to help-ing nonprofit groups and uni-versities use cloud comput-ing to address fundamental human challenges,” said Mic-rosoft President Brad Smith. “One of our ambitions for Microsoft Philanthropies is to partner with these groups and ensure that cloud com-puting reaches more people and serves the broadest array of societal needs.”

“Access to technology is critical to the operations and services of NetHope and its

44 humanitarian non-profit member

organizations,” said NetHope

CEO Lau-ren Woodman. “The power of cloud computing will create exponential value for all we do to serve the millions of people in our communities around the world.” PRNewswire

Proposed Open Access Law maybe a priority in next Congress

Lazada welcomes the yearwith Chinese New Year Sale

DOLE 12 wins 2015CSC Pagasa Award

OPEN ACCESS. Globe General Counsel Atty. Froilan Castelo (left) and Globe President and CEO Ernest Cu during a recent forum.

pabilities of local industries,” Castelo said.

According to Castelo, the quality of existing telecom-munication infrastructure in a given locality is oftentimes a direct result of the LGU permitting environment. He pointed out that securing dif-ferent permits at LGU level could become very challeng-ing, from the sheer number of permits to the different polit-ical personalities that mobile operators have to deal with.

Castelo emphasized that permit or regulatory fee im-

posed by various local gov-ernment units should cover only the reasonable costs of regulation. Prior to enactment of any pertinent ordinance, local government units con-cerned should be mandated to present itemized proof of said regulatory costs. A public hearing involving telecommu-nications companies and oth-er stakeholders within their jurisdictions should also be conducted prior to the enact-ment of any local ordinance. Also, when these costs are requested in writing, a local

government unit should also respond with the requested information in writing.

CPBRD also requested for details of Globe Telecom’s stand on the reallocation of the 700 megahertz band, the 90 MHz of which is currently underutilized. Globe is ad-vocating for the immediate harmonization and equitable distribution of the 700 MHz of frequency to sufficiently provide for rapidly increas-ing data traffic amid growing smartphone use in the coun-try.

Microsoft to donate $1 billion in cloud computing resources

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 201612CLASSIFIEDS EDGEDAVAO

Advertise with

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

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 13EDGEDAVAO NEWS

EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS

Notice is hereby given that the estate of the late EUGENIA J. TOLENTINO has been the subject of an EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF STATE WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS executed among her heirs per Doc. No.388; Page No.78; Book No.42; Series of 2015, of the NOTARY PUBLIC ELISA D. EVANGELISTA-LAPIÑA

01/7/14/21

Tribal leader says Alamara not behind killing of Lumad student

WAR GAMES. Young boys play with improvised guns using banana stalks inside the UCCP Haran compound in Padre Selga Street, Davao City. The compound serves as refuge for indigenous peoples who left their villages due to military operations. MindaNews photo by Toto Lozano

MEMBERS of the para-military group Ala-mara were not respon-

sible for the killing of a 15-year old Lumad student in a village here on Sunday, a tribal leader said.

In an interview on Tuesday, Datu Lumansad Sibogan, mem-ber of the council of elders of the Ata-Manobo Tribal Council of Elders Association of Talain-god, said Alibando Tingkas was killed during a “pangayaw” or tribal war in Sitio Laslasakan, Brgy. Palma Gil, Talaingod.

He said Tingkas, his grand-son, was killed by Joven Salan-gani who took revenge against the victim’s family after his

uncle, Donato Salangani, was killed by alleged members of the New Peoples’ Army (NPA) on the same day.

Donato was allegedly shot by Luib “Bagani” Daus, Dala-his “Carlos” Manlulugpis, and Tudtud Ladahay under one Commander Jose of the NPA for turning his back on the group.

In a press release, the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network also named Joven Salangani, whom it tagged as an Alamara member, as a suspect in the killing.

In an emailed statement, the 10th Infantry Division said Donato Salangani declared a pangayaw after learning that

his daughter, Tessie, 18, died inside the Haran Evacuation Center in Davao City, a facility run by United Church of Christ of the Philippines but he had not seen her remains.

It said the 10th ID received reports that Donato was har-vesting abaca with his wife, daughters and other com-panions “when he was shot to death by a group of NPAs at Sitio Sambulangan, Barangay Baugan.”

It added Tingkas was a member of the tribe to which the suspects in Donato’s killing belong.

Citing a blotter report obtained at the Office of the

Ata-Manobo Council of Elders of Talaingod, the statement read that Colorot Salangani, the wife of Donato, reported they were ambushed by rebels using M4, AK-47 and M14 ri-fles at Sitio Sambulongan, Ba-rangay Baugan.

“The council of elders re-solved to call the two sides to the office of the tribal elders to settle the killings through their tribal justice system,” it said.

Alamara or not?Sibogan denied the pres-

ence of Alamara in their com-munity and said it was the NPA that caused the conflict.

He added that Tingkas had

already stopped from attend-ing classes at the Salugpongan Ta Tanu Igkanugon Communi-ty Learning Center, a Lumad-run school about two years ago.

The school is located in Si-tio Km. 30, Barangay Dagohoy in Talaingod.

Rius Valle of SOS Network said Alibando was shot in the chest twice.

“We are enraged and sad-dened by this incident. The paramilitary group and their military cohorts will not stop from attacking and even kill-ing lumads in the name of their counter-insurgency op-erations, even children are not

spared anymore” Valle said.“Witnesses said they were

on their way home, walking from Sitio Nasilaban, Brgy. Pal-ma Gil heading towards Sitio Bayabas, when suddenly they were fired upon in Sitio Lasla-sakan, just a half-an-hour walk from Sitio Nasilaban,” he said.

He noted that the suspect is from Sitio Barobo, “a known Alamara territory where a de-tachment of the 68th Infantry Battalion (is) located.”

He said the community believes that the Alamara was organized and funded by the 68th IB, an allegation the 68th IB commander denied. (Anto-nio L. Colina IV/MindaNews)

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 201614 EDGEDAVAO

CULTURE & ARTS

HOW do you weave a dream? Are people capable of turning these visions, the intangible thoughts that visit us during slumber, into something corpo-real and permanent?

In South Cotabato, through the delicate yet meticulous hands of the T’boli tribe, dreamlike designs are infused onto abaca fibers. These dreams appear like patterns and embroidery that resemble thoughts conceived during sleep. Pop-ularly known as T’nalak weaving, this unique and symbolic craft is traditional-ly practiced in the municipality of Lake Sebu, where the T’boli culture is deeply rooted.

Upholding T’boli tradition through T’nalak weaving

weavers in Ba-rangay Klubi.

No two de-signs are the same, as each T’nalak out-put, including the process with which it was made, is symbolic and sacred to the T’boli. Every piece of T’nalak cloth, notable for its blue, red, and white colors, is treated with respect, as it is woven with ex-treme care, passion, and preci-sion by the weavers.

T’nalak weaving is tradi-tionally practiced by women. The men prefer to work in the farms, harvesting the abaca fibers employed in the craft. Although they are not dis-couraged from trying, Sulan said that women are generally more creative. T’nalak weaving has become their way of con-tributing to South Cotabato’s rapid economic growth.

In Barangay Lamdalag, high regard is given by the res-idents to four of their oldest and most skilled weavers: Lita Godwino, Elena Marcelo, Chi-ta Marcelo-Fundu, and Myrna Marcelo. With the quality of their output and the prestige that comes with their experi-ences, they are distinguished as the barangay’s Master Weavers.

Despite having four of the most experienced weavers in their barangay, Lita Godwino worries that the art of dream weaving is lost in the youth today.

“T’nalak weaving is a skill traditionally passed down from generation to genera-tion, specifically from mother to daughter. My mother was a skilled weaver, she taught us how to weave at the tender age of 12. That was how my sisters and I learned,” Godwino shared.

“But I fear that children today are no longer interest-ed in the craft, in upholding

our tribe’s tradition. There are so many things that dis-tract them,” she added, worry evident in the way her brows creased, above which a beauti-ful beaded headpiece rests.

As a Master Weaver, God-wino travels frequently as the demand for T’nalak products in other provinces increases. Most of the time, when the Master Weavers are out of town to participate in a cultur-al exhibit, no one is left in the barangay to facilitate in the local weaving center. Godwino asserts that is among the fac-tors that affected the youth’s participation in upholding T’boli tradition.

“We can’t supervise them all the time, especially when we’re away. And if we have time to train them, our only weaving center cannot accom-modate all of them,” Godwino said.

In Barangay Klubi, weav-ers fondly call their only weav-ing center the “Long House”, which was donated to them by the Antonio O. Floirendo, Sr. Foundation Inc. in 2009.

Pamaskong Handog Over the years, T’nalak

products gradually became widely appreciated for its beauty and intrinsic value. In-vestors have sought out the T’boli weavers’ help as T’nalak products became in demand not only in the Philippines, but also in the international mar-ket.

During the Pamaskong Handog on January 8-9, vol-unteers from the Tadeco Live-lihood and Training Center

(TLTC) visited Barangays Lamdalag and Klubi for their annual gift giving program. The two-day activity, in partnership with the Floirendo Foundation, gathered at least 1,000 T’nalak weavers of the T’boli commu-nity, all of whom are partners of TLTC in the production and export of world-class T’nalak products.

The activity was intended to strengthen relations be-tween the T’boli and TLTC and to preserve and promote the art and cultures of indigenous peoples in Mindanao.

“Every year, we look for-ward to visiting this commu-nity, because the people here hold a special place in our hearts. They have been very supportive throughout the years we’ve been working to-gether, that’s why we want to give them something special in return,” said Russell Bar-rizo, Executive Director of the Floirendo Foundation.

TLTC is a program under the Tagum Agricultural De-velopment Company, Inc. (TA-DECO) established to initiate livelihood programs for family members of the banana plan-tation workers. It is engaged in the production and export of handcrafted home décor, native products, and other environment-friendly items made out of processed banana, pineapple, or abaca fibers. For more than two decades, it has lived up to its mission in reviv-ing native artistry through the preservation of the cultures and traditions of the ethnic tribes in Mindanao.

The art of dreamweaving The weavers, commonly

composed of women, believe that when they sleep, their ancestors, guided by the abaca goddess Fu Dalu, send them visions about the designs they are destined to produce. Hence, T’nalak weaving became also known as dream weaving.

To most people, dreams, no matter how vivid, are lost upon waking up. But to the weavers, particularly the designers, dreams appear bright and burning.

The ability to conjure designs in their dreams is believed to be a gift from Fu Dalu. Those who do not possess this gift are called, fig-uratively, the “blind”.

“We [weavers] are divided into two: those who only do the physical labor of weaving fabric and those who can come up with unique patterns for the fabric. Not all weavers can see designs in their dreams. Today, only about 40% of the weavers are consid-ered designers,” shared Mening Sulan, one of the principal T’nalak

Recipients of the Pamaskong Handog giftgiving activity

Lita Godwino, one of the Master Weavers in

Barangay Lamdalag, with her gift package

from the Floirendo Foundation

Among the recipients of the gift packages are the children of the weavers in the community

The T’boli weavers in Brgy. Klubi in their traditional wear.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016 15EDGEDAVAO SPORTS

ELLA TESS OFF. Alessandra Christine “Ella” Nagayo tees off on hole no. 1 yesterday in the ongoing 54th Philippine Ladies Open at the Tagaytay Midlands. Nagayo, only 12, had a good start from hole 1 to 8 , until strong winds made her drive went off target. She sputtered at the backnine with a slew of three-putts on the downhill sloped greens and limped home with a 22-over par round 94. Danny Nagayo photo

MEETING in the world basketball body’s main headquarters

in Geneva, Switzerland, the all-powerful Fiba executive committee named the Phil-ippines (Manila), Serbia (Bel-grade) and Italy (Turin) the hosts of the three qualifers - each one staking a place among the world’s best bas-ketball teams in Rio de Janei-ro in August.

A Philippine basketball team has not played in the quadrennial games since 1972.

The Fiba decision atoned for the disappointment of missing out on the opportu-nity to bring the 2019 World Cup of basketball to the Phil-ippines, which the Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) lost in a bidding war to China last year.

By winning the host-ing rights, the SBP will now stage a tournament among six teams at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City from July 4-10, with a lone ticket to Rio at stake.

The draw for the tour-nament will be held a week from now.

Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas (SBP) president Manny V. Pangilinan was ec-static in his tweet confirming the country’s hosting selec-tion.

According to Fiba, Ango-la, Canada, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Iran, Italy, Japan, Mexico, New Zealand, Puerto Rico, Senegal, Serbia, Tunisia and the Philippines earned the right to compete in the qualifiers.

In line with the final standings of EuroBasket

2015 and the FIBA World Ranking, Latvia, Croatia and Turkey were invited to com-plete the lineup, Fiba added.

The SBP released the fol-lowing statement shortly af-ter the FIBA announcement:

“SBP wishes to express its gratitude to Fiba and its Executive Committee for giving us one of the hosting rights for the Rio Olympics Qualifying. We are indeed pleased and privileged to re-ceive this news. I wish to con-vey to Fiba President Horacio Muratore and Secretary Gen-eral Patrick Baumann SBP,s assurances that it will do its best in making the event worthy of an Olympic event. We wish our Smart Gilas team Godspeed in its quest to be part of the Olympic move-ment again. Laban Pilipinas! Puso!”

ROGER Federer produced a fine serving display as he dispatched of Alexandr

Dolgopolov in straight sets at the Australian Open.

The Swiss great served 25 aces and lost just 16 points on serve in a 6-3 7-5 6-1 victory over Dolgopolov on Rod Laver Arena.

Federer’s impressive per-formance saw him avoid facing a break point on Wednesday as he completed his second-round win in just one hour, 33 minutes.

A break in each of the first two sets set it up for the 17-time grand slam champion before he completed a comprehensive dis-play in the third.

Federer enjoyed plenty of success at the net, winning 15 of the 20 points when he came forward.

His serve was almost un-touchable and he won 43 of 49 points when his first serve went in, against Dolgopolov – regard-ed as one of the better returners in the sport.

Alexandr Dolgopolov may have expected to test Roger Federer, but the Swiss great never allowed him the chance at the Australian Open.

SERENA Williams has had so much success for such a long time

that even in a second-round match she can set a record at the season’s first Grand Slam event.

Williams, the six-time and defending champion, beat No. 90-ranked Hsieh Su-Wei, 6-1, 6-2, on Wednesday at Rod Laver Arena, a career record 79th main-draw match at the Australian Open.

Williams closed with an ace, her seventh, finishing in precisely an hour.

“It all started here — this is where I played my first Grand Slam right on this court, and I’m still going; it’s such an honor,” said Williams, who has a 70-9 record at Mel-bourne Park since her debut in 1998. “I love it every time I come here.”

She hit 26 winners, in-cluding one around the post that she thought might have been a new experience for her, at age 34.

“My first one, I think,” she said. “I was like: ‘Yay. Never too late.’ ”

She faces a potential quar-terfinal meeting with Maria Sharapova, which would be a

rematch of the 2015 final.Sharapova reached the

third round with a 6-2, 6-1 win over Aliaksandra Sas-novich in the first match com-pleted on Day 3, when light rain caused an hourlong delay in the start of matches on the outside courts.

The fifth-seeded Sharapo-va won the 2008 Australian title and has lost three finals at Melbourne Park, two to Williams.

Sharapova dropped two service games in the first setbut was otherwise consis-tent except for some over-hit ground strokes.

“To come back here and play my first match on Rod Laver is always very special,” Sharapova said, “as you al-ways get those first little jit-ters out of the way.”

Get the big sports news, highlights and analysis from Times journalists, with dis-tinctive takes on games and some behind-the-scenes sur-prises, delivered to your in-box every week.

The 92nd-ranked Katery-na Bondarenko earned one of her biggest wins since return-ing from retirement after hav-ing a baby in 2013, beating

the two-time major winner and No. 23-seeded Svetlana Kuznetsova, 6-1, 7-5.

Lauren Davis of the Unit-ed States advanced when Magdalena Rybarikova of Slovakia retired after losing the first set of their match, 7-6 (7).

Other winners included 12th-seeded Belinda Bencic of Switzerland, who beat Timea Babos of Hungary, 6-3, 6-3, and 13th-seeded Roberta Vinci of Italy, who topped the American Irina Falconi, 6-2 6-3. Vinci defeated Williams in the semifinals at the 2015 United States Open.

Also advancing in straight sets were Anna-Lena Fried-sam of Germany, who ousted Wang Qiang of China, 6-3 6-4, and Daria Kasatkina of Rus-sia, who topped Ana Konjuh of Croatia, 6-4, 6-3.

In the men’s draw, sev-enth-seeded Kei Nishikori, the 2014 United States Open runner-up, advanced to the third round with a 6-3, 7-6 (5), 6-3 win over Austin Kra-jicek of the United States.

David Goffin of Belgium, seeded 15th, defeated Damir Dzumhur of Bosnia and Her-zegovina, 6-4, 0-6, 6-4, 6-2.

Serena Williams during her 6-1, 6-2 victory over Hsieh Su-Wei of Taiwan. Williams closed with an ace, her seventh, finishing in precisely an hour. CreditVincent Thian/Associated Press

THE Alaska Aces are two wins away from winning the PBA All-Filipino Cup yet

head coach Alex Compton feels that they have been “fortunate” to come away with victories in the first two games of their best-of-seven Finals series against defend-ing champion San Miguel Beer.

The Aces won Game 1, 100-91, after rallying from a fourth-quarter deficit against the June Mar Fajardo-less San Miguel. They hacked out an 83-80 Game 2 win but had to survive a nervy final two minutes that saw them give up open looks to Marcio Las-siter and Ronald Tubid from be-hind the arc.

Tubid’s three-pointer with less than a minute tied the game at 80-all, but he and Lassiter bricked

potential go-ahead shots while Alaska leaned on Dondon Honti-veros and Vic Manuel’s free throw to take the lead.

Alaska dodged a massive bullet with less than 10 seconds left when Arwind Santos found Tubid wide open at the corner for a three-pointer, only for Tubid’s shot to hit iron.

“That’s actually… we call that one our screw up and pray de-fense. We’ve been working on that one for a while,” Compton said sarcastically after the contest. “Ang sagot lang diyan, malakas talaga ang dasal namin.”

“I wasn’t happy to see him open. If you guys could have seen my thought bubble, it would have been a giant, ‘No!’” he added.

Compton acknowledged

that the breaks of the game have gone Alaska’s way in the first two games. After Tubid’s miss, Yancy de Ocampo grabbed the rebound but his putback attempt was blocked by Vic Manuel, and Calvin Abueva came up with the loose ball that led to the game-sealing free throws.

“We were fortunate,” Comp-ton said. “We were really fortu-nate.”

“I feel that in both games, San Miguel has done a fantastic job and we were fortunate to get away with a win,” he added.

“Gosh, that endgame… that’s the thing, when you have a team like San Miguel that’s coached by such a class act and a winner like Coach Leo (Austria). They don’t give up.”

PHL to host OlympicQualifying tourney

Williams, Sharapova advance at Aussie Open

Aces ‘fortunate’ to get 2-0 lead, says Compton

Federer too strong for Dolgopolov

VOL. 8 ISSUE 212 • THURSDAY, JANUARY 21, 2016

Pacman eyes fond farewell16 EDGEDAVAOSports

MANNY Pacquiao said he is looking forward to swapping the box-

ing ring for the political arena on Tuesday as the countdown began towards his farewell fight with long-time American rival Timothey Bradley in April.

Pacquiao, whose last bout was the money-spinning ‘Fight of the Century’ with Floyd Mayweather last May, insisted he will hang up his gloves for good after the third and final instalment of his rivalry with Bradley.

The 37-year-old eight-di-vision world champion is plan-ning to run for a seat in the Philippines senate later this year after already serving as a representative in the Asian country’s congress.

“I’m so happy to be hang-ing up my gloves after this fight,” Pacquiao told a press conference at the luxury Bever-ly Hills Hotel.

“I’m sure I will feel sad but that’s life. You can’t keep on fighting all the time. But it’s time I think.

“I started out in boxing be-cause I wanted to help my fam-ily, my mother. Now I’m ending my boxing career because I want to help my countrymen, the Filipino people. I’m ending because I want to serve the people.”

Bradley’s WBO welter-weight title will be on the line

in the April 9 bout at Las Ve-gas’s MGM Grand in what is the third meeting of the two fighters.

Bradley, (33-1-1, 13 KOs), won a highly controversial split decision against Pacquiao in

their first meeting in 2012.Pacquiao then won their

2014 rematch in Las Vegas with a comfortable unanimous decision to end Bradley’s unde-feated record.

The Filipino slugger (57-6-

2, 38 KOs) said he is anticipat-ing a sterner challenge from Bradley in their decisive bout.

“I chose Bradley again be-cause he’s different from be-fore,” Pacquiao said.

“He’s improved a lot.”

Bradley meanwhile also warned fans to expect a differ-ent fight to the previous two bouts.

“I’ve heard that Manny Pacquiao chose me because he knows me,” Bradley said.

“I think it’s different now. I honestly do. “I think this will be a different fight than the first two altercations. That’s all I can tell you. It’s going to be a great fight -- he wants it really badly and so do I.”

Manny Pacquiao and Timothy Bradley pose

after a news conference where they announced

their upcoming world welterweight championship

bout at the Beverly Hills Hotel on Tuesday in Beverly

Hills, California. (Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Getty

Images)