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Filipina hostage released by ASG bandits, presented to Duterte

FREED,FINALLY

EDGEDAVAOSportsBy FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

THE Filipina kidnap vic-tim of the Abu Sayyaf Group, Marites Flor, was

presented to President-elect Rodrigo R. Duterte in Davao City yesterday afternoon fol-lowing her release Friday by the bandits.

Incoming presidential adviser on the peace process Jesus Dureza presented Flor to Duterte at the Davao City Police Office (DCPO) in Camp Domingo Leonor, saying she was released as a symbol of “gesture of goodwill of the Abu Sayyaf Group.”

Dureza said that when he was in Oslo, he was informed

that the Norwegian Prime Min-ister had a phone conversation with Duterte for the possible release of Kjartan Sekkingstad.

“When I was in Oslo, I was in touched with our local con-tact. Gov. (Abdusakur) Tan. He made all the efforts,” Dureza said.

He said that when he came back from Oslo, he was in-formed that Flor was is ready to be turned over to him.

Asked for the reason of Flor’s released instead of Sek-kingstad, Dureza said that Tan told him that it was a gesture goodwill.

“They knew badly that

President-elect Rody wanted badly the release of these hos-tages,” he added.

Meanwhile, Duterte said that the activities of the ASG such as kidnapping and be-heading must stop.

He said that time will come that he will confront the ASG.

“We were able to negoti-ate the release of Marites Flor, but apparently the Norwegian is still with the Abu Sayyaf,” Duterte said.

He said that he was expect-ing the release of Kjartan Sek-kingstad but he was told that the latter have not “crossed because of the rough sea.”

On the other hand, Flor was teary-eyed when he was turned over to Duterte.

She said that they were treated like a dog during their days with the terrorist group.

“They told me that I am next to be beheaded after they cut the head of my fiance (Hall),” she said. “Before they killed Hall, they were like hap-py and excited to do it,”

Flor said that he was just woken up, dawn of Friday and was told that he will take me somewhere.

Later did she found out that she will be released to

F FREED, 10

FREED, FINALLY. Kidnap victim

Maritess Flor is presented to incoming

President Rodrigo R. Duterte by incoming presidential adviser

on the peace process Jesus Dureza at Camp

Leonor Domingo in Davao City yesterday.

Lean Daval Jr.

P15

Lebron passes up

on Rio

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 20162 EDGEDAVAO

NEWS

REMINISCING. Veteran photojournalist Rene B. Lumawag reminisces the past with Elizabeth Z. Zimmerman while looking at a family portrait of incoming President Rodrigo R. Duterte during the unveiling ceremony of Rody Duterte, Through the Years photographic exhibition at Abreeza Mall on Thursday evening. Zimmerman was one of the guests of honor in the said event. Lean Daval Jr.

THE 10th Infantry (Agila) Division of the Philip-pine Army on Friday de-

nied the earlier allegations of harassments to teachers and students of lumad schools in Compostela Valley and Sultan Kudarat provinces.

“We took note with grave concern the allegations made against the elements of 46th and 39th Infantry Battal-ions of harassments commit-ted against the teachers and students of two lumad schools in Mabini, Compostela Valley and Columbio, Sultan Kuda-rat,” 10th ID chief information

officer Captain Rhyan Batchar said in a statement to the me-dia.

Batchar also expressed concern over a separate ac-cusation that troopers of the 60th Infantry Battalion planned to massacre a cer-tain family in a village in Laak, Compostela Valley.

AS the claims continue to pour in, Batchar clarified the army leadership in the area “does not tolerate any misbe-haviour of its soldiers.”

“We are urging the al-leged victims and the Save Our Schools (SOS) Network who

made the accusations to file charges against the concerned soldiers to appropriate and le-gitimate investigating bodies.”

Batchar also hoped that the allegations against the gov-ernment troopers “will go be-yond propaganda to besmirch the good image of our troops and destroy the close relation-ship between our soldiers and the community.”

In its investigations and reports from its field com-mander the army found out that the 46th IB was actually invited be a certain Virginia Nacor, the caretaker of Salug-

pongan Community Learning Center in Barangat Kidaraan, Mabini town to participate in their Brigada Eskwela activity sometime in the 2nd week of June prior to the start of regu-lar classes.

The Purok chairman in the area, Arturo Menil, Jr. also submitted a written statement confirming the participation of 46th IB soldiers during the said school activity.

Menil testified in his state-ment that the soldiers also brought their own tools that were used during the clean up

INCOMING Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) Secre-

tary Gina Lopez will have to adjust on the “responsible min-ing policy” of President-elect Rodrigo Duterte.

In a media briefing here, Presidential Spokesperson Ernesto Abella said that when Lopez accepted the offer of Duterte, it already means that she will adopt on whatever

guidelines that the President will give.

Lopez is a known anti min-ing advocate.

“The fact that she accepted it, it means that she will advo-cate to the position of the pres-ident,” Abella said.

He said that Duterte is not really against mining but only to those irresponsible ones.

On Tuesday, Duterte warned the mining companies

during his speech in the busi-ness forum here that “you have to do it right. If you cannot do it, then get out of mining.”

Duterte has also asked miners to apply the standard of responsible mining and practiced in developed coun-tries such as Canada and Aus-tralia to ensure the protection of the environment.

Abella explained that a re-sponsible miner will replant

the trees that were cut during their excavation while the ir-responsible just leave it as it is.

“When you extract metals, they usually do toxic chemicals and it goes into the water, it can be eaten by the fish and people can eat toxicated fish,” Abella said.

“All those who do that must be very careful that they will not leave toxic materials around,” he added.

MEMBERS of the Cagay-an de Oro Press Club on Thursday signed

a manifesto urging incoming President Rodrigo Duterte and his Justice Secretary Vitaliano Aguirre to ensure justice for the victims of the Ampatuan Massacre.

COPC President Fr. Elmer Abacahin reminded Duterte that he was elected because he promised “a new beginning and a new change.”

“We remind Duterte to remain true to his campaign promise,” Abacahin said, not-ing that his predecessor, Pres-

ident Benigno Aquino III, did not fulfill the same promise.

He, however, said that rela-tions between Duterte and the media have not been good in recent days.

He said the new President should understand the role of the press as the fourth estate.

“Duterte is mistaken to think he will win if he boycotts the media because we still will be there to bring the news sto-ries to our readers, listeners and viewers. Journalists can never be cowed,” he said.

The manifesto signed by

POLICE operatives here and in nearby Tantangan town in South Cotabato

have launched joint manhunt operation against unidentified men who shot and seriously wounded a businesswoman here while she was visiting a family-owned restaurant in nearby Tantangan town in South Cotabato Thursday.

Chief Insp. Johnrick Medel, Tantangan town police chief, said the pursuit operation was conducted jointly by Tantan-gan and Koronadal City police.

The victim, Jennah Co, 45, owner of Jennah Hardware and Auto Supply in Koronadal City, also owns a restaurant in Barangay New Iloilo, Tantan-gan town where she was shot shortly before 12 noon Thurs-

day.Co, a resident of Morrow

Street, Koronadal City, had just arrived in front of her restau-rant and was leaving her Toy-ota RAV4 vehicle when one of the two suspects on board a motorbike opened fire and fled.

She sustained a gunshot wound in her neck from cal. 45 pistol. Restaurant workers rushed her Doctors Clinic and Hospital in Koronadal City, about 10 kilometers from the crime scene.

Responding police officers recovered one empty shell for cal. 45 pistol beside the driver side of Co’s Toyota RAV4 vehi-cle parked along the national highway.

Lopez to adjust to Rody’s standon responsible mining: AbellaBy FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

CDO Press Club asks Duterte: Give justice to massacre victims

Army denies allegations of harassment in lumad schools

adlopez0920@gmail.comBy ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

Cops hunt down shooting suspects

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F COPS, 10

F CDO, 10

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 3EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 20164NEWS EDGEDAVAO

PRESIDENT-ELECT Ro-drigo Duterte graced the turnover of command of

Davao City Police Office Chief Sr. Supt. Vicente Dupa Danao Jr. to Sr. Supt. Michael John Du-bria Friday afternoon.

Danao served as DCPO chief for almost three years af-ter he took over the post from incoming Philippine National Police Chief, Dir. General Ron-

ald dela Rosa, on October of 2013.

Danao spearheaded the “Isumbong mo kay CD” text hotline the first police text ho-tline in the country in which citizens can text their security concerns to the police author-ities.

Authorities are tasked to immediately respond to the text message within 24 hours,

if not they will report to the Danao personally.

The text hotline receives over a thousand security con-cerns everyday.

Danao also thanked Dute-rte for his full support during his term as City Director.

He will be replaced by his mistah in the Philippine Mil-itary Academy Class 91, Sr. Supt. Michael John Dubria.

Dubria was assigned at the Regional Operation and Plans Division before he was chosen as the new DCPO chief.

He was previously the Provincial Director of Davao del Sur Provincial Police Of-fice.

Dubria will now head the 1,450 police officers of DCPO and will secure the 2nd largest City in the world by proximity.

THE Provincial Disas-ter Risk Reduction and Management Office

(PDRRMO) of Davao del Norte has issued an alert on Thurs-day to around 150 households

in the villages in Talaingod town to prepare for evacuation due to the threats of landslides.

The warning was issued by the PDRRMO after the Phil-ippine Institute of Volcanology

TWELVE police officers in Surigao del Norte are now facing administra-

tive charges after being found positive during random drug testing.

According to Supt. James Mejia, provincial police direc-tor, these cops have no place to be part of the police force.

“They have been found positive in using illegal drugs. We want them to be out of ser-vice,” he said on Thursday.

He said these 12 cops are assigned in different munici-palities in Surigao del Norte.

Also facing dismissal is Chief Insp. Zosimo Torrecam-po, who refused undergo test-ing during the surprise drug

test last March.Mejia said Torrecampo

was the chief of police of the municipality of Sison. He re-portedly escaped during the drug test and walked almost a kilometer away.

Police officers chased the Torrecampo and brought him back to the Philippine Nation-al Police provincial office but insisted on not undergoing the drug test, Mejia said.

He said that Torrecampo’s refusal to undergo the drug test could still be ground for his expulsion.

The police director said Torrecampo was relieved as Sison police chief and re-

A BANGLADESHI national who has an arrest war-rant issued by the Inter-

pol for triple murder in the US was arrested in Cagayan de Oro Tuesday morning, police said.

Inspector Rustico Galagala Jr., chief of the Provincial An-ti-illegal drugs and Special Op-eration Task Force of Misamis Oriental said his unit together with the police’s Provincial In-telligence Branch arrested Asif Iqbal Ahmed at a rented apart-ment in Barangay Lapasan.

Ahmed is also facing cases in Bangladesh and the Philip-pines, Galagala said.

“Our suspect also has an existing human trafficking case in Dhaka, Bangladesh in Uttara East P.S. Case no. -1(3)16 Date 03-03-2016 under the Human Trafficking Prevention Act 2012 Section 6/7/8.

“He also has an existing case here in the Philippines under the Violence Against Women and Children case in the Philippines filed by his wife Marilyn Neri Sacay with

Case No. NPS No. X-05-INV-16D-00239, resident of Purok 1 Lanao, Alubijid town in Mis-amis Oriental,” he said.

A record from Interpol shown by Galagala said Ahmed has an arrest warrant from Interpol with control number A-270/4-2001 for the behead-ing of his wife Zaman Mary, her sister Tareq Sophia and Tareq’s son in Minnesota, Rochester on Nov. 23, 1991.

On May 12 this year, Inter-pol’s National Central Bureau in Bangladesh sent a letter to its counterpart in the Philip-pines requesting to locate and deport Ahmed based on infor-mation that the fugitive is living in the Philippines.

Ahmed denied killing the three victims saying he had never gone to the US. He also dismissed the other charges as false.

“I deny the charges. I’ve never been to US, you can check with the immigration in the US. If you can find it, then

FISHING BAN. Young fishermen sit on their wooden vessel docked at Sta. Ana wharf in Davao City early morning Yesterday. Fisherfolk in the city are finding ways to earn a living as the Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic

Resources (BFAR) 11 implemented a three-month commercial fishing ban which started this month until August in time for the spawning season of pelagic fishes in the Davao Gulf. Lean Daval Jr.

Duterte graces turnoverof commands at DCPOBy FUNNY PEARL A. GAJUNERA

PHOTO EXHIBIT OPENING. Incoming communications secretary Martin Andanar congratulates veteran photojournalist Rene B. Lumawag, who is poised to get the director of photography post for the Duterte administration, during the opening ceremony of Rody Duterte, Through

the Years photographic exhibition at Abreeza Mall on Thursday evening. Lumawag is the only photojournalist who had covered the incoming President Rodrigo R. Duterte from the latter’s entry to politics until he won the highest seat in the country. Lean Daval Jr.

Residents alerted as landslides threaten Talaingod villages

Bangladeshi wanted byInterpol nabbed in CDO

Surigao cops in illegal drugs facing charges

and Siesmology (PhiVolcs) ear-ly this week raised an alert lev-el 2 in Sitios Upper and Lower Mesolong in Talaingod town due to a deep-seated landslide.

PDRRMO’s planning and early warning head Eric Ros-illo said in a statement to the media that the 150 households are now aware of the situation and are ready to evacuate in case the situation will worsen.

Around 10 out of the total number of the families warned had already evacuated and are now staying temporarily in their relatives in sitios that were considered safe, Rosillo added.

The PHIVOLCS issued the alert as heavy rains for the past three days had affected the area due to the continued In-tertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) that is affecting the province of Davao del Norte.

Rosillo pointed out that a deep-seated landslide is more dangerous than the surface landslide or shallow landslides as the movement is happen-ing 15-18 meters below the ground.

Technical studies tell that deep-seated landslide usual-ly involve deep weather rock or bedrock failure associated with transitional, rotational or complex movement of earth

typically to the depths greater than ten meters.

Deep-seated landslide, studies added, typically move slowly in several meters per year but there are occasions that such kind of landslide move faster and tend to be larger that shallow landslides.

Last year PHIVOLCS al-ready set up landslide moni-toring devices in said villages in Talaingod, placing the entire area as disaster prone.

PHIVOLCS’ alerts are being issued every four hours this week to ensure that the people will be aware of the situation and immediately react when needed.

In the same statement, the Municipal Disaster Risk Reduction Management Of-fice (MDRRMO) of Talaingod town reported that the local government unit (LGU) in the area had already provided the evacuees relief goods and oth-er basic needs.

According to the MDRRM center, the municipal govern-ment of Talaingod provided relief goods to those who vol-untarily evacuated in the area.

The LGU of Talaingod, the statement added is ready to provide support to families who will decide to voluntarily leave the area for their safety.

F BANGLADESHI, 10

F SURIGAO, 11

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 5EDGEDAVAO

ECONOMY

crc@edgedavao.netBy CHENEEN R. CAPON

TAX whiz and book au-thor Raymond “Mon” Abrea lambasted the

Bureau of Internal Revenue for inefficient tax collection and urged the next administration to push for a tax reform for the benefit of the employees.

Abrea said incoming Pres-ident Rodrigo Duterte, togeth-er with the Bureau of Internal Revenue chief, should take the track of lowering income tax, improving the efficiency of tax collection, and widening of taxpayers base to increase revenue collection of the gov-ernment.

“Do not burden the indi-viduals because if they have the money they will spend it anyway,” Abrea told business-men at the 6th General Mem-bership Meeting of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc.(DCCCII) at the Grand Men Seng Hotel yes-terday.

He criticized the bureau from axing so much portion of employees’ income. The law states that individuals earning P500,000 annually is automat-ically charged with 32 percent income tax, while minimum wage earners are exempted.

“This would mean that employees earning at least P30,000 per month is sub-jected to 32 percent income tax. Kawawa naman ang mga middle class income earners natin,” he said. The cap for the taxable income should be in-crease between P500,000 to P1 million.

Abrea added that the BIR should widen its taxpayers’ base to maximize revenue collection. He said only 20 per-cent of the country’s obligated population is subjected to tax

collection, while the major-ity remained on the under-ground.

He questioned the capaci-ty of the bureau which, he said, does not have its own reliable and complete database.

This tax policy, he said, led tax payers to evade from pay-ing their due.

“The government should form policies that will encour-age taxpayers to comply volun-tarily,” Abrea said.

Progressive countries, he said, are shifting their prime source of revenue from direct tax to taxes collected from con-sumption like the Value-Added Tax (VAT) and sales tax.

“Instead of penalizing tax payers, the government should incentivize those who comply voluntarily,” he said, adding the BIR has failed to maximize its collection because of its loose taxpayers base and corrupt practices inside the institution.

As someone who was a former examiner of the bureau years ago, Abrea admitted the “under-the-table” transactions inside the BIR.

“Examiners don’t have to withdraw their salaries be-cause they’re receiving more than the total of their wage depending on the “remitted” value,” he said. An individual can receive as low as P3,000 up to P20,000 depending on the “performance” every week.

Abrea said if there’s some-one who should be charged with tax evasion it should be the people inside the bureau.

He supports the statement of the president to shut down the bureau and privatized its operation to curb corruption and increase tax collection ef-ficiency.

BIR hit for inefficient collection

REHAB PROJECT. Linemen from the Davao Light and Power Co. transfer the power lines from an old post to a new metal post as part of the company’s rehabilitation project. DLPC implemented short power interruptions in

some of its franchise areas including Davao City which started yesterday until June 27 to facilitate corrective maintenance servicing. Lean Daval Jr.

“IN light of the United Kingdom voting to leave the European

Union, the world has entered uncharted waters.”

This was the statement made by Department of Fi-nance (DOF) secretary Cesar Purisima on Friday as the United Kingdom, in a referen-dum decided to leave the Eu-ropean Union.

The voting in Britain is now showing those who want-ed to leave the union are ahead with 17,410,742 votes or 51.9 percent of the voters against the 16,141,241 votes of those

who wanted to remain.Purisima said the imme-

diate repercussions of UK’s decision will roil the global fi-nancial markets and affect all countries, without exception but with varying degrees.

“The improvement in the fundamentals of the Philip-pine economy will put us in good stead but should not lull us into overconfidence.”

The finance chief added that the country has been tak-ing cautiously a vigilant stance on the Brexit’s effects in the Philippines that he described to be gradual and minimal at

this stage.“We are cognizant that

there will be immediate sen-timent-driven herd reactions in the near-term in response to the heightened volatility and risk in the global markets, but are confident the country’s fundamentals remain a strong anchor as we navigate a sus-tainable path across today’s turbulent waters.”

Purisima said that the Philippine economy has a ro-bust domestic consumption core that will insulate the country from the recent de-cision of Britain to leave the

union.He added that around

200,000 Filipinos work in said country sending around $1.4 billion in 2015 or about 5.6% of the total remittances that were sent to the Philippines last year.

“Their welfare is one of the government’s topmost priori-ties as we watch the resulting developments unfold,” Purisi-ma clarified, adding that the exit of Britain from EU “has no direct effect to our debt struc-ture, as national government debt is denominated mainly

World in uncharted waters as UK leaves EU, Phl finance chief says

adlopez0920@gmail.comBy ALEXANDER D. LOPEZ

PHILIPPINE imports grew by 29.2 percent from a year ago in April

2016, due to double-digit growth in purchases of capi-tal goods, raw materials and intermediate goods, and con-sumer goods, according to the National Economic and Devel-opment Authority (NEDA).

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported on Friday that Philippine imports grew to USD 6.5 billion in April 2016 from USD 5.1 billion in the same month last year.

Among selected Asian economies, only the Philip-pines and Vietnam posted positive imports growth in April 2016.

“The continued strength of merchandise imports, buoyed by purchases of capital goods and durable goods, hints of a robust economic perfor-mance in the second quarter. In particular, the double-digit growth of capital goods since September 2015 points to-wards sustained business sec-tor confidence while robust imports of durable consumer

goods point towards strong consumer confidence,” said Socioeconomic Planning Sec-retary Emmanuel F. Esguerra.

In April 2016, capital goods registered double-digit growth for the eighth con-secutive month, growing by 56.7-percent to USD 2.2 bil-lion. This was due to stronger demand for telecommunica-tion equipment and electrical machinery, power generating machines, and land transport equipment.

“The trend is expected to continue for the rest of the year especially given that the incoming administration has vowed to continue infrastruc-ture spending. Also, a renewed focus on the manufacturing sector could further boost de-mand for capital goods,” the Cabinet official said.

Also, imports for raw ma-terials and intermediate goods increased by 28.9-percent to USD 2.5 billion, bouncing back from a modest 5.3-percent growth in the previous month.

“Consumer spending is

Imports grow 29.2 %

THE provincial leader-ship of Agusan del Sur is fully supporting Pres-

ident-elect Rodrigo Duterte against irresponsible mining as she vowed to help boot out them out from the province that is known as one of the country’s mining hotspots.

“I will personally assist President Duterte in boot-ing out irresponsible miners in Agusan,” said Agusan Del Norte Governor Angel Aman-te-Matba in a statement.

The governor issued the statement to support Dute-rte’s recent pronouncement that mining companies must comply with international en-vironmental standards or else face risk of sanctions.

“For a province tagged as one of the country’s mining hotspot, our people and land will benefit from the strict measures to be implemented by the incoming president,” she said.

While the mining opera-

tions in her province are oper-ated and managed by respon-sible miners, the governor however urged the incoming administration to assist in set-ting-up a more stringent reg-ulatory mechanism to pursue best practices among mining companies operating in her turf.

The governor at the same time called on companies or even small mining operators to heed the incoming presi-dent’s warning to shape up or

face severe sanctions or clo-sure.

On Thursday, incoming Presidential Spokesperson Er-nesto Abella said Duterte does not oppose mining but mining firms must do their business right.

“The key word here is re-sponsible and the president has made his position very clear: You have to do it right. If you cannot do it right, then get out of mining,” Abella said.

Agusan del Norte governor to help Rody boot out irresponsible miners

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 20166THE ECONOMY EDGEDAVAO

CHOOSING FOOD. A waitress waits while college students choose what to order from the menu mounted in front of the restaurant’s entrance at the Annex of SM City Davao. Lean Daval Jr.

MICRO, small and medi-um enterprises (MS-MEs) should utilize

e-commerce as an equalizer of the playing field in both inter-national and domestic market, incoming trade secretary Ra-mon “Mon” Lopez said.

This, as Lopez assured that the incoming Duterte adminis-tration will zero in on encour-aging enterprises to use the digital platform to widen the scope of their market.

Lopez, speaking to report-

ers earlier this week, said the e-commerce “is the way to go” which the next government will pursue for the capacity building of small businesses which are ready to go online.

“There is no big or small in e-commerce as long as you have the product,” he said.

More than 90 percent of the Philippine economy is fu-elled by SMEs, but only one percent of the figure had a web-site, the Google’s Global 2014 Index study said.

This was despite the find-ings that nine out of 10 Filipi-nos with credit cards are using digital platforms to shop online at least once a month.

To address this, the DTI crafted a 2020 E-Commerce Roadmap as development blueprint that targets to acti-vate no less that 100,000 SMEs into ecommerce and make their businesses account for about 25 percent of the coun-try’s gross domestic product (GDP).

DTI 11 regional director Maria Belenda Q. Ambi urged small businesses to join the Ureka Forum on July 23 at SMX Lanang Convention Center.

“Micro, small and medi-um enterprises (MSMEs) who are ready with their products are called to participate in this event because it will give them greater chances to tap wider market,” Ambi said in an earlier press conference.

Partcipating businesses can avail services provided

by convenors of Ureka along with its partner companies like Air21, AMTI, DragonPay, Zalo-ra, PLDT Smart SME Nation, and Shopinas which helped in fulfilling their roles as catalysts to reach the full potential of small businesses here through utilization of digital platforms.

For his part, Union Bank executive vice president Gen-aro Lapez said the consortium leads in the creation of individ-ual websites for growing SMEs, while allowing them to post

their products in Shopinas and Ureka page.

Now on its third time in less than a year, the Union Bank-organized forum is set to bring down its partner com-panies which will give a boost to MSME’s marketing efforts through the use of e-commerce.

“Bringing the Ureka Forum to Mindanao, we hope to help nurture a business climate that empowers SMEs via inclusive e-commerce to power sustain-able growth,” Lapez said.

MSMEs told: Utilize e-commercecrc@edgedavao.net

By CHENEEN R. CAPON

THE local stock market returned to 7,600-terri-tory on Friday on heavy

sell-off following the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union (EU).

The Philippine Stock Ex-change index (PSEi) plunged 100.06 points or 1.29 percent to 7,629.72 from 7,729.78 fin-ish.

“Basically, the market is overwhelmed by the sell-off triggered by news on results of referendum in Britain. It triggers a sell-off among in-vestors although there is no direct impact on the Philip-pines,” Astro del Castillo, man-aging director at First Grade Finance Inc. said in an inter-view.

Del Castillo expects the market to remain volatile until uncertainty persists with the PSEi probably will continue to head lower to 7,450-level.

But, he said Presi-dent-elect Rodrigo Duterte’s inauguration on June 30 can soften the impact of British exit (Brexit) from the 28-na-

tion on local share prices.“We were down mainly

because (there was an) im-mediate reaction to the news, a lot of people were already positioning that UK would not leave the EU. So the voting surprised most investors and those people who are follow-ing the news,” said Victor Im-manuel Felix, equity research analyst at AB Capital Securi-ties Inc.

Felix said prices of blue chip stocks are the ones affect-ed.

Share prices of most of the day’s top active stocks declined, led by Ayala Land Inc., Universal Robina Corp., Metropolitan Bank and Trust Company, SM Prime Holdings Inc. and Globe Telecom Inc.

All counters closed in the red, led by holding firms which slumped by 1.58 percent.

Value turnover reached Php9.56 billion as 2.35 billion shares changed hands.

Decliners swamped ad-vancers, 158 to 37, while 41 issues unchanged. (PNA)

PHL stocks dip

LEADING private seed pro-ducer SL Agritech Corp. (SLAC) on Thursday said

it strongly supports the incom-ing Duterte administration’s bid to intensify hybrid rice pro-duction in Mindanao in order to help alleviate poverty, raise farmers’ income, and eliminate violence and conflict.

SLAC chairman Henry Lim Bon Liong said there was huge opportunity to help Mindan-ao rice farmers improve their livelihood through hybrid rice production, which if successful, would provide farmers with increased production at lower cost.

Earlier, incoming Agricul-ture Secretary Emmanuel Piñol said that for the Duterte admin-istration’s first 100 days, DA aims to start planning for rice sufficiency.

He said one of their pro-grams to achieve rice self-suf-ficiency was to expand the hybrid rice producing area in the country from the current 400,000 hectares to one million hectares by 2020.

This is in addition to the Php 130.95-million funding support that DA will immedi-

ately pour for hybrid seeds just for the Mindanao region start-ing November 2016.

Lim said that SLAC support for the program would come in the form of company-fund-ed technology demonstrations (techno-demo) all over Mind-anao to raise awareness among farmers of the advantages of planting hybrid rice over tradi-tional rice varieties.

“Based from our experi-ence in various parts of Luzon, farmers are hard to convince to invest resources on hybrid rice unless they actually see for themselves the rich rice stalks,” Lim noted.

“The technology that can bring increased yield to rice farmers is already here. We will promote hybrid rice in Mind-anao where yield now is just below four tons per hectare,” he said.

Lim said that SLAC had always been in the forefront of private support for the DA’s goal of achieving 10-5, or a yield of 10 metric tons (MT) per hectare in order to bring down production cost to Php 5 per kilo, adding that current field validation reports suggested

that 10-5 was achievable.In Nueva Ecija, where most

farmers plant hybrid rice on around 90,000 hectares with SLAC’s support, average yield is nearly 6 MT per hectare and gradually rising as farmers adopt to newer varieties of hy-brid rice.

In Mindanao, Lim said that while DA trained municipal and agricultural extension workers helped farmers in growing hy-brid rice, SLAC had been hold-ing techno-demo in Region 10 – comprising the provinces of Camiguin, Misamis Oriental, Lanao del Norte, Bukidnon, Misamis Occidental, Cagayan de Oro and Iligan.

The company has also collaborated with other seed producers on setting up a Rice Board in Region 11 which comprises Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao del Sur, Davao Oriental, and Davao Oc-cidental.

According to reports from SLAC officials, Lim said that techno-demo fields in Region 12 yielded a harvest of 9-10 tons per hectare – a positive development for the DA’s 10-5 goal.

Region 12 is composed of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and General Santos City, and accounts for 32 per-cent of rice production in Min-danao.

“However, in Region 12 we are still seeking to orient farm-ers on the yield advantage and increased income from hybrid rice,” Lim said.

Even in conflict-ridden Ma-guindanao, a province within the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), SLAC has conducted a harvest festival, particularly in Mama-sapano.

With intensified DA and private sector support for hy-brid rice production, the SLAC head said that rice self-suffi-ciency could be achieved even with El Niño or La Niña.

He also urged traditional farmers to shift to the higher yielding hybrid rice even during this rainy season.

“I am an entrepreneur and I want farmers to become entre-preneurs too. There is a risk in any business, but I assure you that you will still harvest higher with hybrid rice even in the wet season,” Lim said. (PNA)

SL Agritech backs Duterte’s hybrid rice production program in Mindanao

A PARTY-LIST lawmak-er on Friday urged in-coming Agriculture Sec.

Manny Pinol to include in his agenda a no-let-up campaign to ban genetically modified or-ganisms (GMOs) in the coun-try despite the recent govern-ment-issuance of a new set of guidelines on GMOs.

Anakpawis party-list Rep-resentative Fernando “Ka Pan-do” Hicap said the approval of the new set of rules on the propagation and sale of GMOs only made him more resolute and determined to push for the approval of his bill pro-hibiting the use of products containing GMOs on food and agriculture.

Hicap said several stud-ies have shown the harmful effects of genetically modi-fied (GM) crops like the Bt (Basillus thuringionsis) corn on the health of farmers such as unusual high incidence of skin diseases, allergies, blood dyscrasias, infertility and sei-zures.

“Aside from these health risks, the GM corn farming contaminates traditional and open-pollinated corn variet-ies,” a farmer turned lawmak-

er explained.He said GMO crop pro-

ponents always invoked ade-quate food production, or the fight against poverty, hunger and malnutrition as the ulti-mate goals for the introduction of such technology.

“Yet, is it a solution? Fil-ipino farmers and scientists across the country assert that GMO in Philippine agriculture is not a solution but is in fact a serious problem,” he pointed out.

In his bill filed in the 16th Congress, Hicap said it should be the policy of the State to protect and advance the right of the people to a safe and poison-free agriculture, health and livelihood security, and a balanced and healthful ecology in accord with the rhythm and harmony of nature.

The measure further states the State should follow the precautionary principle in relation to the field testing of genetically-engineered crops and the processing and distri-bution of seeds, crops and food products consisting of, con-taining or derived from GMOs so as to protect the people, the

Solon seeks ban on products containing GMOs in agriculture

F SOLON, 11

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

coral reef sites. Each CNU is designed to hold 500 COPs per batch and can be used several times a year.

Varua, who is part of a team at Bataan Peninsula State University that’s restor-ing the reefs, reported in his presentation that about 90% of the corals survived.

“Over time, the rehabili-

tated reefs will be re-inhab-ited by fish aquatic life,” the DOST said in a press state-ment. “The restoration of reefs has other major posi-tive economic impacts. It im-proves the productivity and sustainability of municipal fisheries and at the same time enhances the beauty and val-ue of the area for the under-water tourism industry.”

Even if the coral reefs can be restores and reha-bilitated, they still face two major stresses posed climate change. These include fur-ther increases in ocean tem-peratures, which can trigger coral bleaching, and ocean acidification, which at critical thresholds makes it difficult for corals to build shells and

skeletons.“Corals’ spectacular col-

oration comes from sym-biotic algae, which also nourish them,” the UCS ex-plains. “When rising ocean temperatures or ultraviolet light stress the corals, they lose their colorful algae, leav-ing only transparent tissue covering their white calci-um-carbonate skeletons. If

the stresses are sustained, the corals die. Even small in-creases in water temperature can cause coral bleaching.”

Since 1950, global mean sea surface temperatures have risen roughly 1° F (0.6° C). “The intensity and fre-quency of coral bleaching has increased significantly over the past 30 years, causing death or severe damage to

one-third of the world’s cor-als,” the UCS says.

The Philippines first suf-fered mass coral bleaching in 1998-99. Reefs off northern Luzon, west Palawan, the Vi-sayas, and parts of Mindan-ao were affected. The worst bleaching -- which affected 80% of corals -- occurred around Bolinao.

That’s just for starter. “Continued acidification of the ocean as it absorbs our carbon emissions poses an-other danger to corals and other sea animals that need calcium carbonate to build shells or skeletons,” the UCS says.

Scientists warn of a threshold point where the ocean becomes so acidic that calcium carbonate -- in the mineral form that corals use -- is unavailable to corals for building reefs.

Studies show that a dou-bling of atmospheric carbon dioxide would reduce coral calcification more than 30%.

7EDGEDAVAO

ENVIRONMENTCoral reefs: Going, going, gone?Text and Photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

RECENTLY, while read-ing the “Philippine Daily Inquirer,” one

news report caught my at-tention: “Ship runs aground, ruin coral reefs.”

Michelle Joy L. Padayhag, author of the report, wrote: “A Panamanian-registered cargo ship ran aground in a shark sanctuary and a known diving destination in Daanbantayan town in northern Cebu province, ru-ining nearly three hectares of coral reefs.”

MV Belle Rose was the name of the vessel that is registered under Alpha Ship Management Corporation. “It came from Tsukimi, Ja-pan, and was heading to San Fernando town in southern Cebu,” the report said.

According to the environ-mental group Greenpeace, the government should not allow Belle Rose to leave the country “to ensure that its owner rehabilitate the damaged reefs.” “We want to make sure the account-ability … It takes time to re-habilitate these coral reefs,” Vince Cinches, Greenpeace’s oceans campaigner, was quoted as saying.

To most Filipinos, coral reefs may not be that im-portant but having attended three International Coral Reef Symposiums (in Bali, Indonesia, then in Fort Lau-derdale, United States and finally in Cairns Australia), I came to appreciate their val-ue to our ecosystem.

The Philippines lies with-in the Coral Triangle, which includes more than 75 per-cent of all coral species and 35 percent of the world’s coral reefs. “The coral reefs of the Philippines is the sec-ond-largest in Southeast Asia,” noted the Worldwide Fund for Nature (WWF).

The country’s coral reefs cover 10,000 square miles (26,000 square kilometers). “The reefs support extraor-dinary biodiversity, includ-ing more than 400 species of hard coral -- 12 of which are unique to the area -- and more than 900 species of reef fish,” WWF said.

The “rainforests of the sea” is how coral reefs are considered. “Coral reefs are some of the most diverse ecosystems in the world, housing tens of thousands of marine species,” says the Department of Environ-ment and Natural Resources (DENR).

According to the envi-ronment department, reefs buffer shorelines from waves and storms that cause flood-ing and erosion, support commercial and subsistence fisheries, and are home to a thriving recreation and tour-ism industry.

Although coral reefs con-tribute US$1.5 billion to the country’s economy through tourism and fishing, they are on the verge of extinction. Recent studies showed some 98% of Philippine reefs are classified as threatened, with 70% at high or very high risk.

“Definitely, the Philip-pines is in danger of losing its valuable marine biodiver-sity,” pointed out Nomer Var-ua in his presentation at the International Conference on Environment and Renewable Energy in Ho Chi Minh City in Vietnam. “The Philippines needs to address the problem because we all know for a fact that corals are the most pro-ductive ecosystem on earth.”

According to the DENR, major causes of coral reef de-struction include destructive fishing, overfishing, sedimen-tation, ill-planned coastal de-velopment, and rapid popula-tion growth (the Philippines is now home to more than 100 million people).

“Coral reefs have sur-vived tens of thousands of years of natural change, but many of them may not be able to survive the havoc brought by humankind,” the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) points out in its website.

As a response to the coral degradation in the country, the Department of Science and Technology (DOST) and the Philippine Council for Agriculture, Aquatic and Nat-ural Resources Research and Development of the DOST (DOST-PCAARRD) funded the Filipinnovation on Coral Reef Restoration Program.

Started in 2012, the pro-gram seeks to roll out coral transplantation technology using asexually reproduced corals to improve productiv-ity of coral resources for sus-tainable fisheries.

Corals asexual repro-duction technology for reef restoration involves the collection of dislodged live coral fragments or “corals of opportunity” (COPs) and attaching them to coral nurs-ery unit (CNUs) for quick re-covery and regeneration to increase survival rates upon transplantation in degraded

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 20168 EDGEDAVAO

VANTAGE

EDITORIALThe limits of being real

THIS one bizarre news of a beauty pageant winner stripped of her title for having sex on a reality TV show brought shock to the world.

Miss Great Britain 2015/2016 Zara Holland has been dethroned after it was discovered she had sex with a fellow contestant in the reality show Love Island.

The Miss Great Britain organization explained the decision in an official statement posted on social media. The statement read in part: “Following recent actions within the ITV2 show ‘Love Is-land’ it is with deep regret that we, the Miss Great Britain Organ-isation, have to announce that Zara Holland has formally been de-crowned as Miss Great Britain 2015/16. As an organisation we have not taken this decision lightly, we are close to all of our winners and wherever possible stand by them during their reign. That said, we feel we have no choice but to make this decision un-der the current circumstances. Although Miss Great Britain is the oldest pageant system in the UK, we pride ourselves on promoting the positivity of pageants in modern society and this includes the

promotion of a strong, positive, female role model in our winners. The feedback we have received from pageant insiders and mem-bers of the general public is such that we cannot promote Zara as a positive role model moving forward.”

Citing that although the organization understands that every-one makes mistakes, Zara, as an ambassador for Miss Great Brit-ain, simply did not uphold the responsibility expected of the title.

The latest of many controversies in the world of pageant com-petitions is an affirmation that even in this very modern society, the hghest standards of morality cannot be sacrificed for commer-cialization in the media industry.

Reality television shows, despite the very nature of the produc-tion, still needs to draw the line between what is allowable and what is not. This is a morally compelling choice in the face of fierce business competition.

Zara may just be a victim under this circumstance but she has to take the hit if only to overemphasize that even in reality shows, being real must be kept under control.

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

OLIVIA D. VELASCOGeneral Manager

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MANY constitutional scholars maintain that pathologies in a constitution can emerge during its reign. These pertain

to provisions in the constitutional text itself that may have been designed with good intentions but have eventually become debilitating to the political system it purports to govern. Our very own 1987 Constitution is no exception.

Dr. Raul C. Pangalangan, the former dean of the University of the Philippines College of Law and presently a judge in the International Crimi-nal Court, has proffered an organic irregularity in our charter, a “built-in contradiction between the economic and the governance clauses of the consti-tution.” This of course dovetails to the “economic” amendments agenda of Congressman Belmonte and his cohorts which is fundamentally grounded on the belief that de-nationalizing economic sec-tors in the country will bring in a deluge of foreign direct investments (FDI).

Appealing as their arguments for opening cer-tain industries to foreign ownership are, this is still not actually a clear-cut proposition. There are still many questions regarding this matter that have to be dealt with before attaining any solid consensus. President Noynoy Aquino actually posits a sound argument when he points to the impressive per-formance of his administration in attracting FDI.

So is the influx of FDI really dependent on allowing foreign ownership in education, media and telecommunications? Or is the reason why FDI cannot fully take off in the Philippines is still the same old graft and corruption in government? Meaning, if foreign ownership in these industries is indeed allowed but graft and corruption in gov-ernment remains business-as-usual, would there still be a surge of FDI to the country as Congress-man Belmonte and his group predict? And how

about the reverse, would it attract a higher level of FDI than the one our country is receiving now? It is quite evident that there is still a lot to be discussed on this issue alone. What more the other pathol-ogies?

However, it is particularly interesting to ask why after all these years, and after all the critiques launched at the 1987 Constitution, is still there a passionate distrust for moves to amend or revise our constitution?

The answer perhaps lies in our unresolved issues with the Martial Law period of our nation’s history. Indeed, the immediate reaction to doubt charter change advocates implanted by the case ofJavellana vs. Executive Secretaryhas not been lost with the passage of time.

Note that the Supreme Court in this case ac-tually ruled that Ferdinand Marcos Sr. railroaded the adoption of the proposed Constitution in 1973. The citizens’ assemblies he organized, where the ratification of the proposed charter was de-termined by a show of hands, were declared im-proper and could not be the basis to legitimize a constitution. In fact, the high court opined that this exercise was an absolute farce, not only because of its inherent inanity but, more so, because Marcos’ guns and goons were outside the halls where these assemblies were held—a scenario that obviously precluded any legitimate outcome arising from the process.

And yet, legal scholar Professor Dante Gat-maytan-Magno points out inChanging Constitu-tions: Judicial Review and Redemption in the Phil-

ippines: “In Javellana, a majority of the Supreme Court declared that the 1973 Constitution was not properly ratified. However, because the constitu-tional requirement of two-thirds of the Court vot-ing to declare a law unconstitutional was not met, the Court also concluded that the new charter was already in effect. That decision allowed Marcos to govern under a dictatorship until he was forced out of office in 1986. Since that time, the Supreme Court has had to live with the realization that it became an accomplice to the emasculation of Phil-ippine democracy. Many wonder if the Court will allow itself to be used in a similar fashion at some point in the future—or the present.”

Pertinently, the professor’s apprehension over the possibility that the Supreme Court will again lose its constitutional fortitude has been affirmed by the recent decision in the case ofEnrile vs. Sandi-ganbayanto allow an accused plunderer, Sen. Juan Ponce Enrile, to post bail. The public was clearly dismayed by the high court’s preferential treat-ment of the veteran lawmaker. This disappoint-ment was exacerbated by commentaries from a host of legal scholars showing that the decision actually ignored the parameters on the right to bail established in Article III, Section 13 of the Consti-tution. And so with flouting the rule of law at the top level of the judiciary still possible, the general public’s serious anxiety over charter change seems justified.

But apart from this lingering distrust, our ex-perience with commencing constitutional reform limited by a fixed timetable is a stark lesson. In this regard I note the regret ofRene Sarmiento, a mem-ber of the 1986 Constitutional Commission, over the decision to just rely on Congress to enforce through legislation certain fundamental directives in the charter (i.e. prohibition against political

dynasties). The former COMELEC Commissioner lamented, “There was political instability, coups were being staged. There was an urgency to stabi-lize the country and we were pressed for time.” Poi-gnantly, Sarmiento now admits that, “We did not foresee that after EDSA 1, change will take time.”

Such a realization is indeed an important cave-at for all of us contemplating a complete overhaul of our current charter specially that the gravity of constitutional reform is now indisputable. The 1986 Constitutional Commission worked under an urgent deadline and that was to legitimize the revolutionary government of President Cory Aquino. But we are certainly in a more fortunate position now because there are no reasons or con-tingencies that compel us to rush constitutional reform. Therefore, any attempt at charter change without going through any form of comprehensive public discourse must be rejected.

More importantly however, I suggest that avid proponents of constitutional reform in the admin-istration initiate first a preparatory step in the form of a massive civic education campaign on constitu-tional principles for local communities. After un-dergoing this political exercise, Filipinos from Ba-tanes to Tawi-Tawi, will be able to see themselves not merely as passive observers in the sidelines but as continuing stakeholders to the enforcement of constitutional rules and tenets. And I genuinely believe that it is only upon reaching such a level of constitutional awareness can Filipinos confidently undertake the constitutional revision process.

(MindaViews is the opinion section of MindaN-ews. Atty. Michael Henry Ll. Yusingco is a practicing lawyer. He is presently completing a Masters of Law and Development in Melbourne Law School. He recently published a book entitled, Rethinking the Bangsamoro Perspective.)

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 VANTAGE POINTS 9EDGEDAVAO

AS a young man, Dr. A.J. Cronin was in charge of a small hospital. One evening, he performed an emergency operation

on a little boy. It was a very delicate operation, and the doctor felt great relief when the little fellow breathed freely after it was over. He gave orders to the young nurse and went home filled with gratitude for the success.

Late that night came a frantic call for the doctor. Everything had gone wrong, and the child was in desperate conditions. When Dr. Cronin got to the bedside, the little boy was already dead.

The nurse had become frightened and had neglected her duty. Dr. Cronin decided she should not be trusted again, and he wrote a let-ter to the board of health which would end her career as a nurse. He called her in and read the letter to her. She listened in shame and misery, saying nothing.

After reading the letter, Dr. Cronin inquired, “Have you nothing to say?” The nurse shook her head. She had no excuse to offer. Then she did speak, and this is what she said, “Give me another chance.”

The story is not about the little boy, the doctor, or the nurse. It is about clemency and understanding. It is about pity and forgive-ness. “Forgiveness is our command,” C. Neil Strait declared. “Judgment is not.”

A story which Steve Goodier wrote came to my mind when I read that statement. A young man secretly misappropriated sever-al hundred dollars from the business where

he was em-ployed. When the shortage was discovered, the senior part-ner called the young man into his office.

I m m e d i -ately, the young man knew he would be fired and sent to prison. His em-ployer asked the worried man if he was guilty. He replied that he was. Then the executive surprised him. “If I keep you in your present capacity,” he said, “can I trust you in the future?”

The astonished employee replied, “Yes, sir, you surely can. I’ve learned my lesson.”

His boss must have detected the repen-tant man’s sincerity. “I’m not going to press charges and you can continue in your pres-ent responsibility,” he said. Then, he added, “I think you ought to know, however, that you are the second man in this firm who succumbed to temptation but was shown leniency. I was the first. What you have done, I did. The mercy you are receiving, I received.”

Tom Peters once pointed out that corpo-rations and companies should actually reward people for failure, because failure means risk; and without risk there can be no success. If

employees are afraid to make mistakes, he said, they will be afraid to make much of any-thing.

And that’s where forgiveness comes in. I was reminded of a scene from Amos and Andy. There was a big man who would slap Andy across the chest whenever they met. Fi-nally, Andy got enough of it and said to Amos, “I am fixed for him. I put a stick of dynamite in my vest pocket and the next time he slaps me he is going to get his hand blown off.”

Andy had not realized that at the same time, his own heart would be blown out. The dynamite of hatred may inflict some injury on someone but also blow out our own heart.

The words “forgiving” and “forgiven” are inseparable twins. They go together; one is useless without the other. At the death of Queen Caroline, Lord Chesterfield said a sad thing: “And unforgiving, unforgiven dies.”

I have a friend who was engaged to be mar-ried. Three months before the actual weeding, his best friend “stole” his bride-to-be. Today, he is still bitter with the man whom he consid-ered as his brother. “Sure, I’ll forgive that man, when I’m good and ready,” he said.

“What must I forgive?” asked Dr. David Augsburger, author of The Freedom of For-giveness. “Not just the small things, the trivial irritations, the tactless, thoughtless mistakes others make. But everything. Even the hurts that cut and sear. There are no exemptions!”

That’s a tall order! “Forgiveness is some-thing we discover, more than something we

do; it is something we gratefully receive, more than something we faithfully give,” Dr. Augs-burger explained.

How many times should you forgive some-one? Once, twice, thrice? Or seven times, as apostle once suggested? No, but seventy times seven. That was the message of Jesus Christ when He shared this unforgettable story (Mat-thew 18:21-35):

A certain poor man owed his boss more than two million pesos. He couldn’t pay, so the boss ordered the man, his wife, and children to be his servants, and the property to be sold to pay the debt. The man, face in the dust, plead-ed with his boss, “Please, be patient with me. I will pay it all.”

“Two million pesos? Where will you get that amount?” the boss asked. But then, in pity, he forgave him all his debt.

The man, overjoyed, left his boss. Out-side, he met a neighbor who owed him ten thousand pesos. “Pay up,” he demanded. The neighbor replied, “Just be patient, and I’ll have it for you next week.”

“Nothing doing,” said the man and has him thrown in debtors’ prison. When his boss heard the story, he summoned the man again. “You evil wretch,” he said, “here I can-celed that tremendous debt for you, and you have the nerve to be unforgiving over ten thou-sand pesos? You have sentenced yourself! You have to go to prison now!”

When Jesus taught us to pray, He said, “For-give as we forgive.”

Second chance

Are Filipinos ready for constitutional reform?

Henrylito D. Taciohenrytacio@gmail.com

THINK ON THESE!

BY MICHAEL HENRY LL. YUSINGCO

COMMENTARY

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 201610 NEWSFREED... FROM 1

Army... FROM 2

Cops... FROM 2 World... FROM 5

Bangladeshi... FROM 4

CDO... FROM 2

EDGEDAVAO

governor Tan of Sulu.Flor was one of the four

kidnap victims at Ocean View Resort, Island Garden City of Samal, Davao del Norte last September 2015.

Her boyfriend, Canadian national Robert Hall, was be-headed by the ASG afternoon of June 14, after the ransom money of P60 million was not delivered.

The other Canadian Na-tional John Ridsdel was be-head last April.

Freed after nine months and three days in captivity, Flor was dropped off by her captors in front of the residence of Sulu Governor Abdusakur Tan II in Barangay Asturias at around 4:30 a.m. Friday, Bong Abing, Sulu Provincial Information Officer told MindaNews.

Dureza fetched Flor in Jolo, Sulu at noon and will present him to Duterte at the DCPO.

“We’re here, we’ve land-ed at the Central Bank (Davao City) and are on our way to the DCPO) Dureza told MindaN-ews in a telephone call at 2:13 p.m.

Duterte arrived at the DCPO parade grounds at 2:34 p.m for the turnover of com-mand rites from chief of police, Sr. Supt. Vicente Danao, Jr. to Sr. Supt. Michael John Dubria.

Days after the kidnapping, Flor’s parents appealed to Duterte to help them secure the release of their daughter. Duterte was not yet a Presi-dential candidate then.

Armed men on board two pumpboats stormed the Holiday Oceanview Samal Re-sort in Barangay Camudmud, Babak, Island Garden City of Samal in Davao del Norte at 11:30 p.m. on September 21, three foreigners and Flor.

Abducted were Kjartan Sekkingstad, 56, a Norwegian, and Canadian nationals John Ridsdel, 68 and Robert Hall, 50, and Hall’s Filipina partner, Marites Flor.

Hall was executed on June 13 and Ridsdel on April 25 after failure to pay the Abu Sayyaf’s demand for ransom of 300 million pesos.

Hall was executed by the Abu Sayyaf after the 3 p.m. June 13 deadline for payment of ransom lapsed. His severed head was recovered near the Cathedral of the Lady of Mount Carmel in Jolo, Sulu that eve-ning and was brought to the headquarters of the 2nd Ma-

rine Brigade.Hall was the second Ca-

nadian beheaded by the Abu Sayyaf in two months. On April 25, mining executive Ridsdel, was executed, his severed head also thrown that evening by motorcycle-riding men to-wards a group of basketball players near the municipal hall.

Day of reckoningPresident Benigno Aqui-

no visited Jolo two days after Hall’s beheading and vowed that the government will not stop until the threat posed by the Abu Sayyaf ends.

“The full resources of the State are being brought down on the ASG. Our primary objec-tive is to rescue the hostages and ensure the safety of our civilian population. We will leave no stone unturned and are studying every instrument, both military and legal, to en-sure success in our areas of op-erations and wherever else re-quired,” he said in a statement.

On June 21, Duterte warned the Abu Sayyaf of the day of reckoning soon.” He told business leaders in Davao City that while he cannot do it im-mediately, “there will be a time, there will be a reckoning.’

When it comes, “I will just say ‘Surrender unconditional-ly. Release all prisoners, hos-tages or we fight.”

Justice, however long it takes

In a statement on June 13, Canadian Prime Minister Jus-tin Trudeau said his govern-ment is holding the Abu Sayyaf “fully responsible for this cold-blooded and senseless murder” of his nationals and vowed to work “with the Phil-ippine government and inter-national partners” to pursue the perpetrators and “bring them to justice, however long it takes.

“The vicious and brutal actions of the hostage-takers have led to a needless death,” Trudeau said.

“We are more committed than ever to working with the Government of the Philippines and international partners to pursue those responsible for these heinous acts and bring them to justice, however long it takes,” Trudeau said. (With a report from Carolyn O. Ar-guillas and Frencie Carreon / MindaNews)

drive in the said Salugponga center.

“There is no truth into the allegation that the soldiers harassed the teachers and students and disrupted to the classes. Mr. Menil himself tes-tified that the Brigada Eskwela thereat took place prior to the start of the regular classes. Therefore, there were no reg-ular classes when the 46th IB soldiers were in the school, as invited by the school admin-istrator, extending their help during the clean-up drive,” Batchar clarified.

On the case in Datalblao, Columbio, Sultan Kudarat, Batchar said that as per report from the field commander of 39th IB the soldiers who were accused of harassment against the teachers of the Center for Lumad Advocacy and Services (CLANS) were in the area for a routine and visitation purpos-es.

The operation was con-ducted by 39th IB troopers af-ter lawless elements belonging to the communists New Peo-ple’s Army (NPA) ambushed the army’s Peace and Devel-opment Team (PDT) in Sitio Lam-alis in the same barangay last May 23 that hurt 5 of its members.

“The soldiers actually visited Sina Diagoni, the local of Sitio Lamgawel. It was in the house of Diagoni that the visiting soldiers, by chance, met some teachers of CLANS,”

Batchar said.The CLANS teachers, iden-

tified as Claire Moca and Joe-nard Cayamba were actually summoned by Diagoni to clar-ify if the school’s (CLANS) plan to start a Day Care program for the children was already coor-dinated with the barangay.

Both Moca and Cayamba told Diagona that the planned program was already coordi-nated in the barangay level. Unfortunately, after verifying at the barangay level, Diago-na found out from Barangay Chairperson Bai Naila Mama-linta that CLANS has no formal coordination.

Mamalinta immediately proceeded to the residence of Diagona upon learning that the two CLANS teachers were there for formal confrontation and clarification.

At Diagona’s residence, Mamalinta told Moca and Cayamba to temporarily fore-go the Day Care program for its disapproval due to the lack of Free Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC) from the Indig-enous People (IP) leaders in the area.

Instead of proceeding with the registration of the children, Mamalinta advised the CLANS teachers to prioritize the pro-cessing of their FPIC.

Batchar said both Diago-na and Mamalinta executed a written statement on what really transpired during the meeting at Diagona’s resi-

dence where the CLANS teach-ers chanced upon the 39th IB troopers and the confrontation between the said teachers and the barangay chairperson on their lack of FPIC that disqual-ified their plan to implement a Day Care program in the area.

“The soldiers, based on the statement of the two baran-gay leaders did not harass the CLANS teachers. The meeting was only by chance and that the teachers were actually con-fronted by the leaders for the lack of proper coordination be-fore putting up their program in Sitio Lamgawel,” Batchar said.

The 10th ID information chief also denied the issue that 60th IB troopers were out to massacre civilians, particularly the family of Rosquites in Sitio Cebole, Barangay Kapatagan in Laak town, Compostela Valley last June 2.

What actually took place last June 2 was a legitimate en-counter between the govern-ment troopers and NPA rebels in the area, the report from the commander of 60thIB indicat-ed, Batchar pointed out.

Elements of 60th IB were dispatched to Sitio Cebole after receiving reports from civil-ians in the area of the presence of NPA rebels headed by a cer-tain Elnar Etol alias Wendel.

The report specified that the rebels were being har-boured in the house of a cer-tain Alfredo Rosquites.

An early encounter imme-diately ensued when the rebels ambushed the soldiers while on their way to Sitio Cebole. The soldiers pursued the reb-els who immediately retreat-ed after the 60th IB troopers retaliated. The soldiers were again fired upon, that time the volume of the firing came from the house of Alfredo Rosquites. Before the soldiers managed to encircle Rosquites’ house, the armed men scampered and escaped.

Batchar said witnesses who are willing to testify said there were about 12 heavily armed NPA rebels harbouring inside Rosquites house.

“After the encounter, the soldiers recovered several live ammunitions and cartridges of small and high-powered firearms left by the NPAs in-side the house. The police who arrived to process the area also recovered a number of cartridges and live ammuni-tions from 9mm pistols and AK 47 rifles inside the house,” he stressed.

Despite the clarifications made Batchar said the 10th ID is open to any investigation and will face complaints that will be filed by those who be-lieved they were aggrieved by the soldiers.

“We will fully cooperate and will take no prejudice on any investigation to be con-ducted by any duly instituted authorities.”

Initial investigation showed that Co had just ar-rived at a family-owned restaurant to check on the on-going construction when

the incident happened.Police are still investigat-

ing to determine the motive and identities of the attackers. (PNA)

COPC members reads in part: “We, the members and

officers of the Cagayan de Oro Press Club, Inc., will not stand idly as our colleagues in the in-dustry continue to be targeted for doing their jobs to promote transparency and accountabil-ity in the government.

“We expressed concerned of the recent pronouncements of Duterte regarding the ex-trajudicial killing. The accused deserved to be given due pro-cess while justice should be dispensed speedily.”

In a meeting with the lo-cal chapter of the Kapisanan ng Brodkasters ng Pilipinas a week ago, COPC officers dis-cussed prospects for the media

under Duterte.They invited former COPC

president Reuben Canoy to give some insights.

Canoy urged local journal-ist to give Duterte a chance to work on his campaign promise but at the same time remain vigilant against any excesses.

“Power is always a temp-tation. The late President Fer-dinand Marcos had that power and he abused it. I hope Duter-te will not follow in his steps,” he said.

Like Duterte, Canoy, a for-mer city mayor of Cagayan de Oro and member of the Mar-cos-era parliament, is an ad-vocate of federalism. (Froilan Gallardo/MindaNews)

you can kill me here. If they want to send me home, I will go home,” he said.

“All of this is false, I did not have my first wife murdered, and I don’t know where this came from. But regarding hu-man trafficking, well if it is like that, it is in my country and not here.

“Regarding the violence against women, it’s an accusa-

tion by my Filipina wife. I came here the 4th of October 2015. I got married legally with a mar-riage certificate on the 23rd of February, so if I’m really a human trafficker, why didn’t they stop me when I was mar-rying. If I’m really a murderer how can I enter the Philippines and exit my country,” he said. (Erwin Mascarinas/MindaN-ews)

in local currency (PHP - 67%) with the rest made up of the US dollar at 26%, Japan Yen at 5%, and the Euro at a small 1%.”

The diplomatic and eco-nomic relationship of the Philippines with the UK is not contingent on its membership in the EU, Purisima clarified, saying that the country’s ties to UK will continue to strengthen and deliver tangible benefits for both our peoples for the long-term.

“We are heavily invested in our productive economic partnership with the UK and will remain so regardless of the Brexit vote.”

But the finance chief also warned that the Philippines is never immune despite the fact that the country can be consid-ered less vulnerable compared to the other nations in relation to the latest developments in Britain.

“We need to continue to build on the gains of the past 6 years – strengthen the mac-roeconomic fundamentals and boost the confidence of the markets. Staying the course in the path President Aquino has started is best way to keep the luster on Asia’s bright spot in these challenging times,” Puri-sima said.

SIBLING FUN. A young girl seems contended spending her morning biking with her younger brother as her parents failed to enroll her this school year due to lack of financial resources. Lean Daval Jr.

AS THEIR WAY OF GIVING BACK TO DABAWENYOS WHO HAVE BEEN THEIR CLIENTS AND PARTNERS FOR OVER 50 YEARS, real estate developer Al-sons Development and Investment Corpo-ration (Alsons Dev) of the Alcantara Group on Tuesday turned over to the local govern-ment unit of Davao City a 2,000 sq. m. inte-grated safety and rescue facility.

EVENT

EDGEDAVAOINdulge!

Present for the turn over ceremonies were the board of directors of the Alcantara Group led by its chairperson Tomas Al-cantara, Davao City May-or Sara Duterte, members of the city council, as well as representatives from the PNP-PRO 11, and Bu-reau of Fire Protection. “I would like to express my heartfelt gratitude to Alsons Development and Investment Corporation for your generous con-tribution to improve the community of Indangan and its surrounding ar-eas,” Mayor Sara said in her message. The facility features a two-storey Central 911 station equipped with infirmary and standby

ambulance; a one-storey police station with two detention cells; and a two-storey fire station with two standby fire trucks. “Today we help bring emergency, fire and police services to all the people of Buhangin,” Alcantara pointed out in his mes-sage, as he emphasized that prior to the comple-tion of the facility, the

closest 911 station was around 10 kilometers in distance and the fire sta-tion about 5 kilometers away.“We are proud to part-ner with the City Gov-ernment in continuing to make Davao one of the safest and most liv-able places in the world,”

added Alsons Dev execu-tive vice-president Rosie Dominguez.A brainchild of Alsons Dev and Mayor Sara in 2012, the first-of-its-kind facility in the country saw its groundbreaking in July of 2015 led by presi-dent-elect Mayor Rodrigo Duterte.

Alsons gives back to

Dabawenyos

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

By Henrylito D. Tacio

A2 INdulge! EDGEDAVAO

As timely as today’s headlines

ENTERTAINMENT

IT’S AS TIMELY AS TODAY’S HEAD-LINE. Such was my observation after watching the much-talked about “Ma’ Rosa” at SM Lanang last week. 

gorgeously cinematic as his first competition entry in Cannes, 2008’s “Serbis,” nor as intense and dark as his second Palme-hopeful and best-director win-ner, “Kinatay,” his third competition entry needs to lean heavily on its story and characters to keep au-diences engaged,” wrote “Hollywood Reporter” film critic Boyd van Hoeij. Peter Bradshaw, in a review which appeared in “The Guardian,” wrote that the film “is made with control and clarity, a narrative purpose which is held on to despite an apparently aimless docu-style, and a clear sense of jeopardy.”  He ended it with these words: “… It’s a cold, hard look at what be-ing poor actually means, and how few options there are for escape.” Hunter echoed the

same observation.  “Ma’ Rosa offers a bleak portrait of the poverty and corrup-tion in the Philippines as we witness chaotic, shanty town streets teeming with people and strewn with rubbish and a society in which only the most ruth-less can survive.” The story is simple but the characters -- and those that portrayed them -- are what made this film very interesting.  “Ma’ Rosa” tells the life of Rosa Reyes, a slightly domineering, no-non-sense kind of woman.  She owns a small community convenience store con-nected to their home in Mandaluyong, a sprawl-ing city that’s part of Metro Manila.  Together with her husband, Nestor (played by Julio Diaz), they use their convenient stores as cover-up for selling il-

legal narcotic, Metham-phetamines (more popu-larly known as “shabu”).  Their life turns upside down when their neigh-bor sets the couple for a police raid leading to their arrest on the eve Nestor is supposed to celebrate his birthday.    At the po-lice station, the couple are given a choice: go to jail without bail or hand over P200,000, a huge sum which they don’t have.  They have also been asked to contact their supplier (Kristoffer King) so he can help raised the amount. Backed against the wall, Rosa seeks help from her three children: Jackson (Felix Roco), Erwin (Jo-mari Angeles) and Raquel (Andi Eigenmann).  This is where the drama sets in; how the three offspring try to cough up the money to bail out their parents.  Jackson tries to sell their television while Raquel begs family members for donations.  For his part, Erwin has to sleep with older man just to collect some cash. Mendoza, who was named Best Director during the 2009 Cannes Festival for “Kinatay,” is the man “Ma’ Rosa.” As a story teller, he can be com-pared to the late Celso Ad. Castillo -- the man behind “Burlesk Queen.”  But as a film director, he is more of a reincarnation of Lino Brocka, whose film credits include “Insiang,” “Bona,” “Mananayaw,” “Tinim-bang Ka, Nguni’t Kulang,” and “Jaguar.”

Hollywood film critic Barbara Scharres, who wrote a piece in Rogere-bert.com, seemed to agree with my observation on the latter.  “Mendoza is one of a generation of Fili-pino directors working in the socially conscious tra-dition of the great Filipino filmmaker Lino Brocka,” she penned. In one of earlier in-terviews, Mendoza was quoted as saying: “I think the reason why Cannes likes my films is because they are uniquely Filipino stories that focused mostly on family issues and mo-ralities, but at the same time they have universal sensibilities.” According to Mendo-za, “Ma’ Rosa” was based from a true story.  “The idea of this film came up four years ago when I be-came indirectly involved with the said incident,” he explained.  “It captures my interest to tell this story because it shows a unique but also disturbing characteristic of a com-mon Filipino family.  That when a family member is backed against the wall for the wrong doings that he or she made, you will do everything to keep them out of trouble even if it means violating ba-sic virtuous.  In a society where survival of the fit-test is a fact that we have to live with, family becomes amoral.” “Ma’ Rosa” will be shown in SM cinemas all over the country starting July 6.  Don’t miss it!

In fact, it is the main reason why award-win-ning Brillante Ma. Men-doza had chosen Davao City to have its Philippine premiere.  In a press conference, Brillante told local media that the subject matter is very timely as the incom-ing president, Rodrigo R. Duterte, is waging war against illegal drugs and criminality. In earlier interviews, he said he decided to make the film as small-scale drug selling is really hap-pening in the country.  He described the situation as “alarming” and has “be-come a way of life.” Mendoza believed the subject of the film appeals to a worldwide audience since “there is a lot of big-ger corruption that is hap-pening all over the world maybe on a different scale,” he explained. “Ma’ Rosa” was one of the 21 films shown in competition at the 2016 Cannes Festival.  Al-though it failed to win the coveted top Palme d’Or prize (it went to “I, Daniel Blake”), the film leading star, Jaclyn Jose, earned the Best Actress award.  Jose made a record as the first Filipina to win the award and the first from

Southeast Asian to score such feat. According to Jose, she never expected to win the award.  When she saw the line-up of the nominees, including Oscar win-ners Charlize Theron and Marion Cotillard, she said they were all her idols.  “Actually, I never saw any of their performances where they were nomi-nated so I was just watch-ing and enjoying the mo-ment,” she admitted. It was when her name was called that she “got surprised and got emo-tional.”  As shown during the awarding ceremony in television, she was visibly overwhelmed and beset by shock.  “I don’t know what to say,” she pointed out. Allan Hunter, in a fea-ture which appeared in “Screen Daily,” wrote of Jose’s performance: “Jac-lyn Jose cuts an imposing figure as Rosa, a bustling, no nonsense woman who is known throughout her neighbourhood. She is the force of nature who keeps the family together. She remains the heart of the story.” “… The latest gritty slice-of-life film from pro-lific Filipino director Bril-lante Mendoza.  Not as

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

K A P U S O PRIMETIME KING D I N G D O N G DANTES will headline this year’s B i r m i n g h a m -S a n d w e l l - W e s t Midlands Fiesta C e l e b r a t i o n s , happening on July 3 in the United Kingdom. The award-winning Kapuso actor, who is slated to play an important role in the upcoming retelling of the phenomenal Kapuso hit Encantadia, will lead the Birmingham-Sandwell-West Midlands Fiesta Celebrations’ compelling line-up of performers made up of accomplished Filipino artists in the UK. The event, which prides itself in being the biggest Filipino fiesta celebration in the West Midlands, will take place at the scenic Lightwoods Park. It will feature shows and games that will reflect and highlight the Philippines’ vibrant culture and history. The Birmingham-

Sandwell-West Midlands Fiesta Celebrations is presented by the Birmingham Filipino-British Community Volunteers, a non-profit community group comprised of Filipino-British professionals. All three international channels of GMA Network namely GMA Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International, which are available in the region on TV and mobile via Lyca TV, are the event’s exclusive media sponsors. Entrance to the event is free, and attendees who want to meet and greet Dingdong can purchase a VIP backstage pass worth £10. For more information on the Birmingham-Sandwell-West Midlands Fiesta Celebrations and other international events sponsored by GMA Pinoy TV, follow GMA Pinoy TV on Facebook at w w w.facebook .com/GMAPinoyTV, and on

Twitter and Instagram via the handle @GMAPinoyTV. For more information on how to subscribe to GMA

Pinoy TV, GMA Life TV, and GMA News TV International, visit lycatv.tv or go to gmapinoytv.com.

INdulge! A3EDGEDAVAO

Dingdong Dantes gears up for festivities in the UK

ENCANTADIA DIRECTOR MARK REYES GAVE A HEADS UP about the production of GMA’s upcoming requel of the high-rated show. Since the network announced the comeback of the show last year, the fans had high hopes regarding the quality of production of this year’s requel. And, since the release of the official trailer just recently, many compared it to the American drama series Game of Thrones. Direk Mark hates to break it to you millennials, but “[Encantadia] will never have the omnipotent budget of [Game of Thrones].” He stressed, “We go through the same hard production process with less resources and much more limited time.” In order for the Encantadiks to further understand their situation, the director attached an article from Entertainment Weekly with regards to producing the hit American TV series’ “Battle of the Bastards” episode which according to Director Miguel Sapochnik, it took a lot of research and improvisation to execute the scene due to a lack of budget.

“This article will give you a good idea on what productions like [Encantadia, Lord of the Rings, Game of Thrones], etc. go through to shoot such epic scenes. You will understand why we can’t afford and avoid shooting with horses,” Direk Mike explained. He added, “You will also get an understanding on what the

team goes through in terms of logistics and the type of budget GMA spends to give you a show like Encantadia.” Amidst the tough production, the director promised its audience that they will deliver a good story and a requel that will be loved as much as the fans adored the show back in 2005.

ANOTHER INSPIRING LOVE STORY AWAITS VIEWERS this Saturday (June 25) in Wagas with Kapuso actors LJ Reyes and Mike Tan. While other kids look up to Superman or Batman, Gianne considers Super Policeman Gio and Super Firewoman Glai as her superheroes. Gio and Glai are Gianne’s mom and dad. During their wedding, Glai even rode a fire truck while Gio was also onboard a police car. While Gio and Glai’s marriage is a picture of true love, it is not an easy journey for them. Gio almost went on comatose because of the heavy training policemen have to go through. Glai, on the other hand, lost their second child when she had a miscarriage while doing a rescue operation in a fire scene. Both Gio and Glai’s lives have been put on the line b e c a u s e of their respective jobs. But the couple remains to be happy with their work since they are able to help many people. Watch this episode of Wagas this Saturday (June 25), 7 p.m. on GMA News TV.

A love story between a firewoman, policeman in Wagas this Saturday

Direk Mark Reyes tells millennials: ‘Encantadia will never have the omnipotent budget of Game of Thrones’

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

PG

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

ME BEFORE YOU

12:40 | 3:00 | 5:20 | 7:40 | 10:00 LFS

Emilia Clarke, Sam Claflin

INDEPENDENCE DAY: RESURGENCE

Liam Hemsworth, Joey King, Maika Monroe

June 22-28, 2016

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

THE CONJURING 2

Vera Farmiga, Patrick Wilson,Frances O'Connor

Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

PG

Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

R13

1:00 | 3:15 | 5:30 | 7:45 | 10:00 LFS

FINDING DORY

Ellen DeGeneres, Albert Brooks, Diane Keaton

Guaranteed Seating & One Time Viewing Only

G

By Kenneth Irving Ong

A4 INdulge!EVENT

THERE IS MORE TO EAT AND DRINK LAST JUNE 25 at the new-ly reopened Mamma Maria’s Piz-zaria Cafe along J.P. Laurel Avenue. What was once a hodgepodge com-bination of a pizza parlor and burger joint is now a sleek, stylish, and hap-pening pizza cafe. “We wanted to revive the restaurant by im-bibing a new chic industrial look,” says Mam-ma Maria’s manager Paolo Abao. “Luckily the partners liked the concept and so here it is.” The menu of the new Mamma Maria’s car-ries over 24 different thin-crust pizzas in sizes ranging from 10-inches to a gigantic 30-in diameter monster. Staying true to providing good value for money, the pizzaria offers a buy-one-take-one pizza deal for diners who order pizzas from two to five in the afternoon and nine in the evening to twelve midnight. Smoky grilled burgers and pasta also appear on the now more extensive menu. Also new on Mamma Maria’s menu are cof-fee creations, cakes and pastries which Paolo said was what customers were also looking for in the past. “We have customers who would stay really late and would look for coffee and with its addition to the menu, we can now give customers great coffee creations whenever they feel like having it,” Paolo said.

Pizza, burgers, coffee and moreA modern new Mamma Maria’s Pizzaria Cafe opens its doors

EDGEDAVAO VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

DAVAO PARTNER ESTABLISHMENT

GENSAN PARTNER ESTABLISHMENT

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 11

Agusan... FROM 5

Solon... FROM 6

Imports... FROM 5

EDGEDAVAO

COMPETITIVE EDGESurigao... FROM 4placed by Chief Insp. Antonio Claros.

“There are some who filed for an appeal and they will have to be heard before the decision will come out,” Mejia

said.He added that he had

submitted the names to the PNP-Regional Office and is now awaiting the dismissal order of these cops.

Abella said Duterte has also asked to apply the stan-dards of responsible mining as practiced in developed coun-tries such as Canada and Aus-tralia, to ensure the protection of the environment,” he said.

Abella said responsible mining plays a key role in the growth of the Philippines. Ac-cording to him, the Duterte administration is committed to promoting a robust and dynamic economy with ev-ery sector contributing to its growth.

Amante-Matba expressed her gratitude on Duterte’s dec-laration that there will be no ban on mining as long as it fol-lowed international environ-mental protection standards.

“Banning mining oper-ations will certainly create a huge economic setback to a

lot of people not only in Agu-san province but the whole of Caraga region,” she said.

Amante-Matba further as-sured the people and with the help of the national govern-ment, she would keep an open eye to irresponsible miners in her province and will not hesi-tate to castigate those who will evade the law especially those who will not comply with the environmental standards.

Amante-Matba also laud-ed the appointment of Gina Lopez, a known environmen-talist, for the Department of Environment and Natural Re-sources (DENR) post.

“Ms. Lopez will get all the necessary support and eager-ness from the province of Agu-san del Norte for her untiring efforts in nurturing the Mother Nature,” she promised. (PNA)

also expected to support the growth of merchandise im-ports in the coming years, especially if the incoming ad-ministration pushes through with reforms to make income taxes more progressive,” said Esguerra, who is also NEDA Director-General.

Imports of consumer goods increased by 21.3-per-cent to USD 1.1 billion in April 2016. This is due to higher spending for durable goods such as passenger cars and motorized cycles, home ap-pliances, and miscellaneous manufactures.

“The sustained increase in imports of passenger cars, re-flects an important finding of the AmBisyon Natin 2040 that most Filipinos aspire for car ownership. However it could also be due to their bad expe-rience with public transporta-tion. Given this, implementa-

tion of road infrastructure and mass transport projects needs to be accelerated. Problems with respect to licensing and vehicle registration also need to be addressed,” he said.

Meanwhile, imports of pe-troleum crude are still expect-ed to contribute positively to imports growth towards the end of the year. The foreseen gradual recovery in oil prices could reduce pressure on the economies of net oil exporting countries, particularly those in the Middle East.

“Also, as trade volume picks up, a long-term solution to the congestion in seaports becomes even more imper-ative. Implementation of the trade facilitation provisions of the recently signed Customs Modernization and Tariff Act will help smoothen the flow of goods through Customs,” he added. (PNA)

country’s agriculture and envi-ronment for the sake of pres-ent and future generations.

“The possible harmful ef-fects of genetically modified crops and food on human health and environment are irreversible. Thus, the burden of proof as to the safe use of GMOs must be on the propo-nents of genetic engineering in agriculture,” Hicap said.

The proposal prohibits the release, laboratory and field-testing, processing, sale and similar acts, of crops and food products consisting of, containing or derived from GMOs.

But the said prohibition is not applicable to studies on crops and products contain-ing GMOs by the independent panel of scientists to be select-ed and supervised by the Na-tional Committee on Biosafety of the Philippines (NCBP) and Food and Drugs Administra-tion (FDA), together with con-cerned non-government and people’s organizations.

The bill likewise directs the NCBP, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture (DA), FDA and NGOs involved in monitoring GMO crops and products to determine existing GMO products at its various levels under laboratory test-ing, pilot testing and multiple location testing.

The bill provides that if the said GMO crops and products are already into commercial distribution in the Philippines prior to the effectivity of this Act, the concerned agencies shall issue a list of said prod-ucts to the public, make a pre-cautionary risk assessment of the same and come out with recommendations on the proper disposition of such products.

The subsequent sale, pro-cessing, laboratory and field testing, release and similar acts, of such products in the list shall be prohibited indefinitely until such time that said prod-ucts have been declared free from GMOs. (PNA)

PANTAWID CRAFTS. Functional nito baskets and romblon bags handcrafted by participants of Pantawid Pamilya and Sustainable Livelihood programs of DSWD, are among the featured local products at DTI Negosyo Center in San Isidro town, Davao Oriental. The producers are from Barangay Maputi who

earlier trained on Bag Weaving Cum Production and Native Bag Enhancement. The initiative is a partnership of DSWD, DTI and MLGU San Isidro intended at promoting the town’s indigenous products while providing additional livelihood break to program participants in the community. (DSWD)

PHILIPPINE imports grew by 29.2 percent from a year ago in April

2016, due to double-digit growth in purchases of capi-tal goods, raw materials and intermediate goods, and con-sumer goods, according to the National Economic and Devel-opment Authority (NEDA).

The Philippine Statistics Authority reported today that Philippine imports grew to US$6.5 billion in April 2016 from US$5.1 billion in the same month last year. Among selected Asian economies, only the Philippines and Viet-nam posted positive imports growth in April 2016.

“The continued strength of merchandise imports, buoyed by purchases of capi-tal goods and durable goods, hints of a robust economic performance in the second quarter. In particular, the dou-ble-digit growth of capital goods since September 2015 points towards sustained business sector confidence

Imports growth in April 2016 showsstrong business, consumer confidence

while robust imports of dura-ble consumer goods point to-wards strong consumer con-fidence,” said Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Emmanu-el F. Esguerra.

In April 2016, capital goods registered double-digit growth for the eighth con-secutive month, growing by 56.7-percent to US$2.2 billion. This was due to stronger de-mand for telecommunication equipment and electrical ma-chinery, power generating machines, and land transport equipment.

“The trend is expected to continue for the rest of the year especially given that the incoming administration has vowed to continue infrastruc-ture spending. Also, a renewed focus on the manufacturing sector could further boost de-mand for capital goods,” the Cabinet official said.

Also, imports for raw ma-terials and intermediate goods increased by 28.9-percent to US$2.5 billion, bouncing back from a modest 5.3-percent growth in the previous month.

“Consumer spending is also expected to support the growth of merchandise im-ports in the coming years, especially if the incoming ad-ministration pushes through with reforms to make income taxes more progressive,” said Esguerra, who is also NEDA Director-General.

Imports of consumer

goods increased by 21.3-per-cent to US$1.1 billion in April 2016. This is due to higher spending for durable goods such as passenger cars and motorized cycles, home ap-pliances, and miscellaneous manufactures.

“The sustained increase in imports of passenger cars, re-flects an important finding of the AmBisyon Natin 2040 that most Filipinos aspire for car ownership. However it could also be due to their bad expe-rience with public transporta-tion. Given this, implementa-tion of road infrastructure and mass transport projects needs to be accelerated. Problems with respect to licensing and vehicle registration also need to be addressed,” he said.

Meanwhile, imports of pe-troleum crude are still expect-ed to contribute positively to imports growth towards the end of the year. The foreseen gradual recovery in oil prices could reduce pressure on the economies of net oil exporting countries, particularly those in the Middle East.

“Also, as trade volume picks up, a long-term solution to the congestion in seaports becomes even more imper-ative. Implementation of the trade facilitation provisions of the recently signed Customs Modernization and Tariff Act will help smoothen the flow of goods through Customs,” he added.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

3 REPORTERSEDGE DAVAO is in need of 3 reporters for immediate

hiring.

* College degree holder (Communication Arts graduate preferred, but not required)

* Capable of writing English news and feature stories on business and governance

* Has potentials of becoming editor* Single* Not more than 35 years old

Entry pay negotiable.

Submit application letter and curriculum vitae to:

Antonio M. AjeroEditor-in-Chief

Edge Davaoajero_antonio@yahoo.com

09274733467

EDGE Serving a seamless society

DAVAO

WANTED

12 EDGEDAVAO

COMMUNITY SENSE

TAGUM Cooperative (TC) successfully conducted its Medical Outreach

Activity at CHO-former, Brgy. Mintal Gymnasium, Tugbok District, Davao City, drawing 218 beneficiaries.

Free Blood Pressure Checking, Weight Taking, FBS monitoring, Medical Consulta-tion/Check-up, Eye Screening, Tooth Extraction, and Medi-cines were the services offered in the said medical outreach.

Members and non-mem-bers of Tagum Cooperative as well as adults and children participated in the half day ac-tivity done on June 18, 2016, from 6:00 to 11:00 in the morning.

Despite aching knees, Mrs. Gaudiosa Moralde, 78 years old, came early to have her health condition checked by the partner doctors especially her left eye which, according to the eye screening specialist, needs operation.

The Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc., being the partner of Tagum Coop in the eye screening, set an appoint-ment with Mrs. Moralde to

have her left eye be further screened for possible opera-tion.

Meanwhile, Mr. & Mrs. Vidal and Julieta Quiῆo, who both hail from Calinan, Davao City, shared that it was their first time to attend such med-ical outreach of Tagum Coop-erative.

“Salamat kaayo kay naa’y mianhi nga medical outreach, makatabang kaayo labi na sa among mga kabus (Thank you so much for this medical out-reach, it really helps especially us, who are in need)” Mrs. Ju-lieta Quiῆo said.

In behalf of the Board of Directors led by Chairperson Monica L. Salido, Tagum Coop Vice-chairperson Fe J. Adlawan and Director Nenita R. Malbas came to grace the occasion and expressed the Coop’s concern for the beneficiaries’ health.

Dir. Adlawan quoted Jesus’ message in the bible verse say-ing “Whatever you do to the least of the brethren, you do it unto me” taken from Mat-thew 25:40, as Tagum Coop becomes an “instrument to de-liver needed health services”.

Tagum Coop Medical Outreachdraws 218 beneficiaries

A TOTAL of forty (40) Masonry trainees in-cluding four (4) fe-

males benefited from the joint project of the City Gov-ernment of Panabo led by Mayor James G. Gamao and Holcim Philippines in part-nership with Gawad Kalinga (GK), Association of Con-struction and Informal Work-ers (ACIW), Technical Educa-tion and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) dubbed as “Galing Mason Training”, on June 21 at GK Village, Purok Humayan, Brgy. Datu Abdul Dadia.

According to Holcim Phil-ippines representative Base Devilleres that in this en-deavor trainees are required to complete 27 days of actual work and trainings on basic masonry that includes safe-ty and housekeeping proce-dures and practices, proper work, discipline and ethics leading to a National Compe-tency level II certificate. The training proper starts from June 21 to July 20, 2016, 8 A.M. to 5 P.M. on weekdays.

Devilleres also men-tioned the important role of the Masonry in building com-munities, as well as in nation building by providing liveli-hood to the people.

Dir. Malbas added that those who are still not mem-bers of Tagum Coop can join so they may also avail of more services from the Coop high-lighting that the medical out-reach is a means to address the health needs of the communi-ty.

In partnership with Ma-harlika Charity Foundation, Inc. and accredited doctors of TC’s Himsug Pamilya Program (HPP), the medical outreach was the first in Mintal and an-other round will be held later this year. (Tagum Coopera-tive)

LGU Panabo conducts Mason Training at Gawad Kalinga Village

Dr. Ebba extracts the tooth of a participant during the Medical Outreach while Dir. Adlawan and Malbas observes

Dr. Viel Roxas writes prescription for a patient in the Medical Outreach

Medical Outreach participants had their BP and FBS monitored and checked

A volunteer from the Maharlika Charity Foundation, Inc. checks the eye of an elderly in the Medical Outreach

Trainees also received training kits and materials such as: safety shoes, goggles, hard hat, and other safety gadgets and tools for mason-ry.

Through the city ordi-nance No. 07-14 also known as Community Skills, Liveli-hood and Entrepreneurship Training, this aims to develop a competent workforce for employment after the train-ing course.

Also present during the opening program were; TES-DA Provincial Director Reme-gias Timonio, Panabo PESO Manager Cherelle Espinosa, ACIW Center Administrator Engr. Charlito Grumo, GK Project Director Engr. Ber-nardo Rabanoz, Jr., City Plan-ning and Development Office Head Aurora Lauron, Assis-tant City Engineer Rosalina Aleria, among others. Jasz Paras / CIO Panabo

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 13

HYBRID cars are be-coming more popular and more common.

Basically, a hybrid car is one that uses two or more en-gines i.e. an electric motor and a conventional engine (either petrol or diesel). The electric engine powers the car at lower speeds and gas engine powers it at high-er speeds. A hybrid car like Toyota Prius and Civic Hy-brid not only conserves fuel but also produce less CO2 emissions. Though hybrid vehicles are now growing in popularity but still few peo-ple are actually using it main-ly due to lack of knowledge of how hybrid vehicles work and whether they’re as good as other gasoline powered vehicles.

While the technology has existed since the early 1900s, it has only been in the past decade or so that the price of manufacturing them has brought them into the range of possibility for the average driver. There are also more government incentive pro-grams that use credits and special discounts to support the purchase and use of hy-brid vehicles. Many cities are switching their public transportation and service vehicles over to hybrid cars and buses as a part of the program to become more en-vironmentally responsible.

How much money can a solar roof save you?

Profit from your roof space: find local deals on so-lar in your area, eliminate your power bill, and join the solar revolution.

On the other hand, there are electric cars that use re-chargeable batteries. Here are few of the advantages and disadvantages of having an electric car.

While most people as-sociate hybrid vehicles with the kind that use electricity as their primary alternate fuel, there are more options available now. There are cars that use hybrid technologies with propane and natural gas as well. A hybrid car is best defined as a vehicle that has an engine that can switch between a fossil fuel and an alternate fuel source.

Advantages of a Hybrid CarHere are few of the top

advantages of having a hybrid car :

1. Environmentally Friendly: One of the biggest advantage of hybrid car over gasoline powered car is that it runs cleaner and has better gas mileage which makes it environmentally friendly. A hybrid vehicle runs on twin powered engine (gasoline en-gine and electric motor) that

To Hybrid Cars or not?

EDGEDAVAO

MOTORING

cuts fuel consumption and conserves energy.

2. Financial Benefits: Hy-brid cars are supported by many credits and incentives that help to make them af-fordable. Lower annual tax bills and exemption from congestion charges comes in the form of less amount of money spent on the fuel.

3. Less Dependance on Fossil Fuels: A Hybrid car is much cleaner and requires less fuel to run which means less emissions and less de-pendance on fossil fuels. This in turn also helps to reduce the price of gasoline in do-mestic market.

4. Regenerative Braking System: Each time you apply brake while driving a hybrid vehicle helps you to recharge your battery a little. An inter-nal mechanism kicks in that captures the energy released and uses it to charge the bat-tery which in turn eliminates the amount of time and need for stopping to recharge the battery periodically.

5. Built From Light Ma-terials: Hybrid vehicles are made up of lighter materials which means less energy is required to run. The engine

is also smaller and lighter which also saves much ener-gy.

6. Higher Resale Value: With continuous increase in price of gasoline, more and more people are turning to-wards hybrid cars. The result is that these green vehicles have started commanding higher than average resale values. So, in case you are not satisfied with your vehicle, you can always sell it at a pre-mium price to buyers looking for it.

There are many advan-tages to owning a hybrid car. The one you will like the best is how it helps you to control your budget as gas prices continue to get higher. The other benefit that is not seen directly is how owning and driving a hybrid car impacts the environment. It reduces the dependence on fossil fu-els and lowers your carbon imprint on the environment.

Disadvantages of a Hybrid Car

There are disadvantages to owning a hybrid car, but they are probably not what you think. Contrary to pop-ular myth, hybrid cars have

just as much power as reg-ular cars and have no issue with mountain driving or towing. The disadvantages will depend on the type of hybrid fuel that your car uses.

Here are few of the disad-vantages of a hybrid car :

1. Less Power: Hybrid cars are twin powered en-gine. The gasoline engine which is primary source of power is much smaller as compared to what you get in single engine powered car and electric motor is low power. The combined pow-er of both is often less than that of gas powered engine. It is therefore suited for city driving and not for speed and acceleration.

2. Can be Expensive: The biggest drawback of having a hybrid car is that it can burn a hole in your pocket. Hybrid cars are comparatively ex-pensive than a regular petrol car and can cost $5000 to $10000 more than a stan-dard version. However, that extra amount can be offset with lower running cost and tax exemptions.

3. Poorer Handling: A hy-brid car houses an gasoline powered engine, a lighter

electric engine and a pack of powerful batteries. This adds weight and eats up the extra space in the car. Extra weight results in fuel inefficiency and manufacturers cut down weight which has resulted in motor and battery downsiz-ing and less support in the suspension and body.

4. Higher Maintenance Costs: The presence of dual engine, continuous improve-ment in technology, and higher maintenance cost can make it difficult for mechan-ics to repair the car. It is also difficult to find a mechanic with such an expertise.

5. Presence of High Volt-age in Batteries: In case of an accident, the high voltage present inside the batter-ies can prove lethal for you. There is a high chance of you getting electrocuted in such cases which can also make the task difficult for rescuers to get other passengers and driver out of the car.

Making Your DecisionDeciding whether or not

a hybrid car is right for you involves more than just a desire to be environmental-ly friendly. You have to look

at the resources in your area that can help you maintain and sustain the car. Depend-ing on the type of car you purchase you may need me-chanics that are familiar with it or an alternate fuel source. You should also look into any credits or discounts that may be available to help you low-er the cost of the purchase of the car.

Changing Your Driving Habits

Even if you do purchase a hybrid car there is more you can do to lessen your effect on the environment. One of the most important consider-ations is how you drive. You can replace many of your car trips with using public trans-portation, carpooling or even riding a bicycle. Also, plan-ning to use the car more ef-fectively can reduce the over-all number of trips you are making each week. Hybrid or not, the less you drive the better it is for the environ-ment. You should also consid-er offering to be the car pool driver more if you are the one with the hybrid, this can also help to conserve energy and lessen pollution.

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 201614CLASSIFIEDS EDGEDAVAO

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VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016 15EDGEDAVAO SPORTSCOMPLETE NBA DRAFT RESULTS

First Round1. Philadelphia 76ers - Ben Simmons, LSU2. Los Angeles Lakers - Brandon Ingram, Duke3. Boston Celtics (From Brooklyn) - Jaylen Brown, Cal4. Phoenix Suns - Dragan Bender, Croatia 5. Minnesota Timberwolves - Kris Dunn, Providence6. New Orleans Pelicans - Buddy Hield, Oklahoma7. Denver Nuggets - Jamal Murray, Kentucky8. Sacramento Kings - Marquese Chriss, Washington (traded to Suns)9. Toronto Raptors (From New York) - Jakob Poeltl, Utah10. Milwaukee Bucks - Thon Maker, Australia 11. Orlando Magic - Domantas Sabonis, Gonzaga (traded to Thunder)12. Atlanta Hawks (From Utah) - Taurean Prince, Baylor13. Phoenix Suns (From Washington) - Georgios Papagiannis, Greece (traded to Kings) 14. Chicago Bulls - Denzel Valentine, Michigan State 15. Denver Nuggets (From Houston) - Juan Hernangomez, Spain16. Boston Celtics (From Dallas) - Guerschon Yabusele, France17. Memphis Grizzlies - Wade Baldwin IV, Vanderbilt18. Detroit Pistons - Henry Ellenson, Marquette19. Denver Nuggets (From Portland) - Malik Beasley, Florida State20. Brooklyn Nets (From Indiana) - Caris LeVert, Michigan21. Atlanta Hawks - DeAndre’ Bembry, St. Joseph’s22. Charlotte Hornets - Malachi Richardson, Syracuse23. Boston Celtics - Ante Zizic, Croatia24. Philadelphia 76ers (From Miami via Cleveland) - Timothe Lu-wawu, France25. Los Angeles Clippers - Brice Johnson, North Carolina26. Philadelphia 76ers (From Oklahoma City via Denver and Cleve-land) - Furkan Korkmaz, Turkey27. Toronto Raptors - Pascal Siakam, New Mexico State28. Phoenix Suns - Skal Labissiere, Kentucky (traded to the Kings)29. San Antonio Spurs - Dejounte Murray, Washington30. Golden State Warriors - Damian Jones, Vanderbilt

Second Round31. Boston Celtics (From Philadelphia via Miami) - Deyonta Davis, Michigan State (traded to Memphis)32. Los Angeles Lakers - Ivica Zubac, Croatia33. Los Angeles Clippers (From Brooklyn) - Cheick Diallo, Kansas (traded to Pelicans)34. Phoenix Suns - Tyler Ulis, Kentucky35. Boston Celtics (From Minnesota via Phoenix) - Rade Zagorac, Serbia36. Milwaukee Bucks (From New Orleans via Sacramento) - Malcolm Brogdon, Virginia37. Houston Rockets (From New York via Sacramento and Portland) - Chinanu Onuaku, Louisville38. Milwaukee Bucks - Pat McCaw, UNLV (traded to Warriors)39. New Orleans Pelicans (From Denver via Philadelphia) - David Michineau, France (traded to Clippers)40. New Orleans Pelicans (From Sacramento) - Diamond Stone, Mary-land (traded to Clippers)41. Orlando Magic - Stephen Zimmerman, UNLV42. Utah Jazz - Isaiah Whitehead, Seton Hall43. Houston Rockets - Zhou Qi, China44. Atlanta Hawks (From Washington) - Isaia Cordinier, France45. Boston Celtics (From Memphis via Dallas) - Demetrius Jackson, Notre Dame46. Dallas Mavericks - A.J. Hammons, Purdue47. Orlando Magic (From Chicago) - Jake Layman, Maryland (traded to Trailblazers)48. Chicago Bulls (From Portland via Cleveland) - Paul Zipser, Germa-ny49. Detroit Pistons - Michael Gbinije, Syracuse50. Indiana Pacers - Georges Niang, Iowa State51. Boston Celtics (From Miami) - Ben Bentil, Providence52. Utah Jazz (From Boston via Memphis) - Joel Bolomboy, Weber State53. Denver Nuggets (From Charlotte via Oklahoma City) - Petr Corne-lie, France54. Atlanta Hawks - Kay Felder, Oakland (traded to Cavaliers)55. Brooklyn Nets (From Los Angeles Clippers) - Marcus Paige, North Carolina56. Denver Nuggets (From Oklahoma City) - Daniel Hamilton, UConn (traded to Thunder)57. Memphis Grizzlies (From Toronto) - Wang Zhelin, China58. Boston Celtics (From Cleveland) - Abdel Nader, Iowa State59. Sacramento Kings (From San Antonio) - Isaiah Cousins, Oklahoma60. Utah Jazz (From Golden State) - Tyrone Wallace, Cal

Lebron passes up on Rio

PBA legend Ramon Fer-nandez enters his new role as PSC Commission-

er with one goal in mind: to make the nation proud of its athletes again.

“I just wanted to help Phil-ippine sports. Since Onyok Ve-lasco won a silver in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, we have failed in the succeeding edi-tions of the world tournament. In the Sea Games, we have been at the 6th and 7th places, we really have to do something about it,” he said.

“The country’s sense of pride and image as sports-ori-ented nation are at stake here. We have to resuscitate it and we will try our best to make our kababayans proud of our athletes again,” added Fernan-dez.

‘El Presidente’ also has a detailed plan to help him achieve his goal, drawing in-spiration from incoming Presi-dent Rodrigo Duterte’s popular ‘Change is Coming’ campaign tagline in the hope that it would also apply to Philippine Sports.

In a well-crafted 20-page PSC blueprint titled ‘Change the Game,’ which he submit-ted to newly appointed PSC chairman Butch Ramirez and personally shared to SPIN.ph, the 19-time PBA champion cager highlighted some of the measures he wants the Duterte administration to implement through the national sports agency.

“It’s about time to change and redirect the strategic goals

and directions of Philippine Sports,” Fernandez said.

According to the four-time PBA MVP, who was at the helm during the early success of the Metropolitan Basketball As-sociation in the late 1990’s as league commissioner, there is a need to decentralize the control of the PSC by creating satellite facilities in the Visayas and Mindanao, with the help of local government units.

“(We need to) institutional-ize the geographic and sectoral representation of commission-ers to do away with the highly centralized system. Thus, there should be commissioners for Luzon, Visayas, Mindanao and for special concerns (special athletes, gender sensitivity, sec-toral sports among others). Un-der this set-up, commissioners can focus on the needs of the regions and sectors with more attention,” said Fernandez, not-ing that this move makes the PSC’s presence finally felt in the provinces.

“(Focus should also be on the) creation of functional sat-ellite offices in Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao to provide ac-cess for provincial athletes,” he added, stressing the need to construct facilities for ‘re-sults-capable’ disciplines in the community like swimming pools, track and fields and box-ing gyms all over the country.

Apart from giving athletic scholarships to deserving ath-letes and differently-abled indi-viduals, Fernandez is also bent on showing that the PSC is cor-

ruption-free, which is crucial to attract more support from the private sector.

To top it all, Fernandez also plans to create a trusted arbitration committee to ad-dress stand-offs within nation-al sports associations (NSA’s), particularly in the naming of athletes to different sporting events.

“In consultation with the POC and NSA, (we will) create an independent sports arbitra-tion committee composed of retired officials of the judiciary that will resolve issues involv-ing the POC and NSAs,” he said.

Asked about the persistent problems surrounding the for-mation men’s national basket-ball team, to which he was once a member, Fernandez admitted that it’s beyond the PSC’s au-thority. However, he hopes an independent arbitration panel could be useful in finding a vi-able solution to such dilemma.

“The PSC kasi can’t med-dle directly on that. That’s the issue that needs to be resolved between the SBP (Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas) and the PBA,” he said. “But like I said, we will form a truly working arbitration committee, which will facilitate a smoother talk between the PBA and SBP, and other NSA’s at that. Sa ganung pamamaraan, mas maayos na makakapag-usap at makaka-pagplano ang mga (warring) groups.”

“Basta, we will make sure na on whatever capacity pwe-deng pumasok at makialam

ang PSC, we will see to it that we will work for a win-win solution. At the end of the day, we will try to seek measures that will benefit the country and its participation in inter-national tournaments,” added Fernandez.

The pride of Maasin, Leyte bared that it took him three straight days to draft his proposal for the PSC, which he hopes will be backed by Ramirez.

The two-time Fiba Asia gold medalist, one with the Philippine under-18 team in 1972 and another with the men’s team that competed in the 1973 Asian Championship in Manila, believes that Duterte picked the right man for the job when he named Ramirez as the next PSC Chairman.

“Let’s face it, one of the best years of Philippine sports was under him (Ramirez). We topped the Sea Games, which was held here in the country, in 2005 and we won at least 4 golds in different Asian Games under his tenure,” said Fernan-dez.

“I’d be honored to work with him,” he said.

Fernandez later laid down his mission.

“Under the leadership of President Rodrigo Duterte, our national sports programs should be consistent with the principles of community em-powerment, decentralization and will envision a drug-free community for our youth and children,” he said.

Fernandez wants nation to be proud again

INCOMING Philippine Sports Commission chair-man William ‘Butch’

Ramirez is looking to revive successful programs from his first tenure in the government sports agency to help improve the state of Filipino athletes and the country’s lagging performance in international competitions.

In an interview over DZSR Sports Radio, Ramirez said he is welcoming the challenge of leading the PSC anew, after he finally accepted the post of-

fered by incoming president Rodrigo Duterte.

Ramirez is particularly eyeing to resolve some unfin-ished business--specifically his shelved programs like the Philippine Sports Institute, an educational program for athletes and coaches, and the regional training centers he planned to create before to ensure comprehensive grass-roots development. He’s also bent on providing better inter-national training for national athletes.

“I’m accepting the chal-lenge to serve the government and Philippine sports for President Duterte and for the country,” said Ramirez, who headed the Davao City Sports Development Division before accepting the PSC post.

“I’m going back to the PSC to finish the unfinished job when I put up the Philippine Sports Institute and set up re-gional training centers as set by the president to the com-munity for the provinces to identify talents and strength-

en our grassroots program,” he added.

Ramirez believes he will do better in leading the PSC this time, after being an expe-rienced public servant.

“I was a neophyte (in my first time) although we per-formed alright. I think this time, we will be able to per-form better, manage better, set our vision for six years, and create a genuine sports pro-gram in the countryside, and strengthen and improve inter-national sports,” said Ramirez.

Butch vows to have better run this time

LEBRON James will not chase gold this summer in the Rio Olympics.

Agent Rich Paul told The As-sociated Press on Thursday night

(Friday, Manila time) that James informed USA Basket-

ball that he has with-drawn from con-

sideration.James won

gold medals in the last two

Olympics. He led the Cleveland

Cavaliers to the NBA ti-tle this week, his sixth straight appearance in the finals.

The 31-year-old James wanted to wait until after the season until making a deci-sion about Rio, which would have been his fourth Olympics. He’s the latest big name to drop from the U.S. squad, following two-time MVP Stephen Curry, James Harden and Chris Paul.

THE Lakers selected Duke’s Brandon Ingram with the No. 2 pick in the

2016 NBA draft.Ingram averaged 17.3

points and 6.8 rebounds per game and shot 41% from be-yond the three-point line in his lone season at Duke. Paired with Grayson Allen, Ingram led the Blue Devils to a Sweet 16 berth in the NCAA tourna-ment.

Ingram rose to promi-nence as a high school stand-out from Kinston, N.C. as he won four straight North Car-olina state titles. In his fresh-man season at Duke, he earned ACC Rookie of the Year honors while also quietly moving up in the ranks to enter the conver-sation for the No. 1 overall pick.

Strengths: Ingram’s skill

set points to where the NBA is headed, his shooting and size inspire fever dreams around front offices and suggest a sig-nificant ceiling for his produc-tion. All 30 teams would love to have a legit 6’9” floor spacer who can create his own shot and handle the ball. He’ll be just 18 years old on draft night, young enough that he could be part of next year’s freshman class, and put together an im-pressive one-and-done year at Duke, all things considered. “He competes,” one scout says. “You’re going to need that kind of dog [in you] to succeed at our level.” Ingram could even-tually play both forward spots and has the type of lanky frame that projects well defensively down the line. He’s oozing with possibility.

Lakers pick Ingram at no 2

VOL. 9 ISSUE 85 • SATURDAY, JUNE 25, 2016

the Rio De Janeiro Olym-pics three weeks from now.

On Monday, Gilas comes back home to Manila.

The team’s 14-man roster include naturalized player Andray Blatche,

June Mar Fajardo, Japeth Aguilar, Marc Pingris, Cal-vin Abueva, Jayson Castro, Bobby Ray Parks, Troy Ro-sario, Ryan Reyes, LA Ten-orio, Jeff Chan, Ranidel De Ocampo, Terrence Romeo,

and Gabe Norwood.The team left last June

10 for a nine-day training camp in the mountains of Kapernisi, Greece, and then proceeded to Istanbul and played Turkey in a tune-up

match which it lost, 103-68.

The two teams meet again on July 1 in Manila, four days before the qual-ifiers formally kick-off. (Spin.ph)

GILAS Pilipinas coach Tab Baldwin will already have his fi-

nal 12-man roster for the Olympic Qualifying Tour-nament even before the team returns to Manila from its three-week Euro-pean training camp.

By Sunday, the 58-year-old mentor is set to an-nounce who cracked the Gilas lineup for the July 5-10 qualifiers set at the Mall of Asia Arena.

Only two of the current 14-man list training in Eu-rope now, won’t be able to make it and instead, will be relegated as team reserves.

As earlier planned, Baldwin will be making the announcement of the final lineup from Italy via Skype to be aired live by Sports5.

The team had just de-parted for Italy from Istan-bul on Thursday, and will play a short pocket tourna-ment starting on Saturday

involving the host c o u n t r y, C h i n a , and Cana-da.

T h e following day, the Filipinos play the loser of the Cana-da-China match if they fall a g a i n s t the Ital-i a n s , or the w i n n e r s h o u l d they beat Italy.

Shortly after, Baldwin makes the excruciating de-cision on who among the 14 will have to be relegated to the sidelines when the team battles for a berth in

TAB’S DOZEN16 EDGEDAVAOSports

Tab to nameGilas final 12

WHO WILL BE GILAS 12? This photo by Spin.ph shows the current pool of players from whom the final 12 will be picked on Sunday.