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VOL.6 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013

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No report yet on NPA imposing Permit To Campaignon candidates -- Comelec

By EJ Dominic Fernandez

THE Commission on Elec-tions (Comelec) has yet to hear about a case of

the communist New People’s Army or any other armed group imposing a permit to campaign (PTC) in exchange of money on political candidates in any part of the Davao Region.

This was learned from lawyer

Wilfred “Jay” Balisado, Comelec regional director for the Davao Region, in a text message to this reporter yesterday.

This developed as units of the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Philippine National Po-lice in the region have reported-ly begun monitoring insurgents

CANINE FASHION. (Top photo) Clad in anime costume, a pet owner and his dog walk the ramp during the Davao Dog Summit cos-play competition at the Abreeza Mall on Sunday. Several dog owners showed up with their anime-costumed pets for this rare fashion show, including this young girl (below) and her costume-clad dog. (Photos courtesy of Abreeza Mall)


TASTES like heaven, smells like hell.

Some things never change. Out of the Philppines’100 million population, only 20 per-cent are durian eaters and for that, the Durian Industry Council of Davao City will try to turn things around.

The group will host the Durian Summit 2013 on March 13-14 to pro-mote the fruit that Davao City is famous for.

Davao City Durian

Council chairman, Can-delario Miculob, said in yesterday’s weekly Kape-han sa Dabaw at SM An-nex that there has been a problem with the demand for durian consumption, not only in the city but in the rest if country as well.

“Only 20 percent of the population eat durian, and 80 percent of the 20 percent come from Min-danao, hence, with this summit we will address

THE BIG NEWS2 EDGEDAVAO

FDAVAO WANTS, 11

FONLY 20%, 11

FDOT 11 CITES MICECON, 11

ARAW NG DABAW PROMO. SM City Davao’s Russel Alaba, assistant vice president (left), Jonathan Nick Santos, assistant mall manager (center), and Lara Celine Tonogbanua, marketing officer, invite Dabawenyos to avail them-

selves the mall’s promos and to witness the activities lined up in time for the celebration of the 76th Araw ng Dabaw during Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

YOUNG FIRE VICTIM. With a blank stare, this young girl is still obviously shaken while her neighbors are busy selling whatever is left of their burnt houses scrap metal buyers. Another fire razed houses were in Fr. Selga, Bankerohan, Davao City Sunday night. The incident left three persons dead and destroyed 27 houses, 24 of which were totally damaged. Lean Daval Jr.

MILITANT students will troop to the Commission on

Higher Education (CHED) regional office today to protest the impending tui-tion fee increases.

The League of Filipino Students (LFS) said it will lead this afternoon’s pro-test march to the CHED, vowing a repeat of last month’s Department of Social Welfare and Devel-opment (DSWD) incident where victims of typhoon Pablo stormed the govern-ment agency carting away packed relief goods.

But, while there ap-parently is nothing to take away at the CHED office, the LFS stressed that schools should not in-crease matriculation fees, especially in areas affected by typhoon Pablo.

LFS Davao spokesper-son Rendell Cagula told Edge Davao that “CHED

should not approve tuition fee increase applications that the schools are apply-ing for, especially those in ‘Pablo’-stricken areas, be-cause people in those areas have lost their livelihood and will not be able to af-ford education anymore.”

He warned, “if tuition fees will be approved, and there will be no dialogue, especially with CHED 11 Director Raul Alvarez, then the students are willing to take militant measures.” He did not elaborate.

“The commotion at the DSWD 11 office last month could have been avoided if their demands had been given, and if there was a proper dialogue,” he said, adding, “CHED has no in-herent mechanism and is toothless in regulating school tuition fees.”

Edge Davao tried to reach Director Alvarez yesterday but he could not

be reached for comment, being reportedly in Manila and would not be back in Davao in time.

CHED 11 earlier re-ported that there were 30 higher education institu-tions (HEIs) applying for increase in tuition and other fees for school year 2013-2014.

The 26 HEIs that ap-plied for tuition and other fee increase in Region 11 are: Assumption College of Davao; Ateneo de Davao University; Agro-Industrial Foundation College; AMA Computer College; Bro-kenshire College; Davao Doctors College; DMMA College of Southern Phil-ippines; Davao Medical School Foundation; Holy Cross College of Sasa; Jose Maria College, John Paul II; Mindanao Kokusai Daiga-ku; Mindanao Medical Foundation College; Philip-pine Women’s College; San

Pedro College; St. Peter’s College of Toril; STI College of Davao; Tecarro College Foundation and University of the Immaculate Concep-tion in Davao City.

In Davao del Sur, the HEIs that applied for in-crease were Serapion Basa-lo Memorial Foundation College and South Philip-pines Adventist College; (Tagum City) Arriesgado College Foundation; ACLC College of Tagum City and Liceo de Davao; (Davao del Norte) Kapalong College of Agriculture, Sciences and Technology; (Compostela Valley Province) Kolehiyo ng Pantukan.

Meantime, Holy Cross College of Calinan applied only for tuition fee while Holy Cross of Davao Col-lege, Holy Cross of Davao College Babak, and As-sumption College of Nab-unturan applied for in-crease in “other fees” only.

THE recently con-cluded MICE Con 2013 (Meetings

Incentives Conventions Exhibits Conference) brought tangible benefits to Davao City, according to the regional office of the Department of Tour-ism.

“We are now regard-ed as the next generation destination for MICE,” said Art Boncato, region-al director of the Depart-ment of Tourism, at a luncheon held for MICE participants at Park Inn Davao in the SM Lanang Premiere complex where the three-day conference

was held.Boncato said the mere

fact of hosting the MICE Conference indicated that Davao City is ready to host more anc bigger con-ferences.

The DOT 11 chief said the MICE Conference 2913 was a high-level event with 600 delegates and no less than Presi-dent Benigno Aquino III and Tourism Secretary Ramon Jimenez gracing the opening program of the event.

Also, during the event several tourism buyers from across the Asia-Pa-cific region, particularly

India, China and even as far as Russia were in at-tendance.

Boncato said that during the busi-ness-to-business (B2B) sessions held on the last day (March 9), one par-ticipant told him that the sessions were very pro-ductive. The B2B involves meetings between sellers and buyers in the MICE industry.

Another benefit would be that the tourism in-dustry will be gearing up with Davao City being eyed to host more inter-national events. “Now,

THE Durian Industry Council of Davao City wants to in-

crease the city’s durian production this year to promote and institution-alize Davao as the “ma-jor durian producing city of the country.”

Jacinto Adlaon Jr., the council’s public infor-mation officer, said in a media forum at SM City Davao Monday that the industry’s goal will be discussed in the Durian Summit 2013 to be held on March 13-14 at the Grand Men Seng Hotel here.

He cited that the city produces around 6,000 metric tons (mt) of durian a year or 2,000 mt durian per hectare (ha). He said a total of 3,000 ha here are planted to durian.

But he added that a hectare of durian trees can produce up to 10 mt durian fruits if appro-priate technology and practices are being implemented.

“We need to revive the durian industry here as our city is originally known for it,” Adlaon told reporters.

He cited that one of the sector’s challenges was in the cultivation, particularly at the nurseries, adding that some durian nursery operators lack the knowl-edge of whether the seeds or seedlings will have greater yields.

He noted that it will take five years after planting for a durian tree to bear fruit.

Acting city agricul-

Militant studes to protest TFIVow repeat of ‘Pablo’ rally at CHED today

By EJ Dominic Fernandez

DOT 11 cites MICECon gains

Only 20% are durian eatersBy Che Palicte

Davao wants to boost production of durian


UNITED National-ist Alliance (UNA) senatorial candi-

date San Juan City Rep. JV Ejercito Estrada ex-pressed his gratitude to the public after the latest

Pulse Asia survey

showed that he remained in 5th place among the so-called “Magic 12” or list of senatorial candi-dates preferred by Fili-pinos.

Pulse Asia released today (Mar. 11) its Feb-

ruary 2013 Pre-Elec-tion Survey fielded from February 24-28, 2013. Ejercito Estrada placed 5th among the 33 senatorial candidates and was favored by 43.8 per cent of the survey re-

spondents.“The sustained

strong trust being given to me by Filipino voters inspires me to do more for them,” said Ejercito Estrada.

The San Juan so-

lon has vowed to pur-sue measures that will ensure that econom-ic growth rates being posted by the Philip-pines would translate into more decent jobs for Filipinos.

Ejercito Estrada, son of former President Jo-seph Estrada, is a con-sistent top performer in pre-election surveys conducted by Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations

EDGEDAVAO 3

HEALTH SERVICES. Dr. Salve Estipona (dentist) assisted by a barangay health worker of Brgy. Panacan in Davao City examines a young patient, one of over 60 residents who were served by a team of 3 dentists organized by

2nd district Congresswoman Mylene Garcia. The den-tal clinic was held at Upper Malagamot, a sitio of Brgy. Panacan.

JV thankful to public for keeping5th spot in latest Pulse Asia survey

SENATOR Alan Cayeta-no will formally launch his reelection platform

of PTK: Presyo, Trabaho, Kita at a simple gathering at the Taguig City Univer-sity (TCU) on Wednesday, March 13.

Cayetano will be an-nouncing at the Grand PTK Launch how he intends to address the peoples’ con-cerns. “After completing the first half of my Listening Tour where I’ve heard the true needs and concerns of the masses, I am excited to present my plan of action to the people,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano has been on a Listening Tour since the start of the campaign peri-od. He has held discussions

with the various sectors of the Philippine society where he listened to their concerns related to PTK: Presyo, Trabaho, Kita.

The Senator has had the chance to hold discus-sions with market vendors, fishermen, farmers, factory workers, shoemakers, con-struction workers, furni-ture makers, drivers, senior citizens, and typhoon vic-tims as he went around the country. Among the plac-es he has visited include Taguig, Marikina, Bulacan, Tondo, Cubao, Makati, Ba-guio, Dagupan, Legazpi, and Cagayan de Oro.

“As a Senator, I learned that in order to craft legis-lation that captures the true

essence of what our people really need, you have to know their needs and in es-sence truly know them per-sonally. That is why I began my campaign with the PTK: Presyo, Trabaho, Kita Lis-tening Tour,” he explained.

Cayetano recalls how the problems of all the sec-tors he had visited were all rooted in PTK: Presyo, Tra-baho, Kita.

“Not enough capital available for small and me-dium enterprises, lack of government support for local products, high prices, low wages, not enough jobs – these are all they’ve told me. And yes, these are the problems I’ll be fighting to solve,” he stressed.

Cayetano to present platform


UNITED National-ist Alliance (UNA) senatorial candi-

date San Juan City Rep. JV Ejercito Estrada ex-pressed his gratitude to the public after the latest

Pulse Asia survey

showed that he remained in 5th place among the so-called “Magic 12” or list of senatorial candi-dates preferred by Fili-pinos.

Pulse Asia released today (Mar. 11) its Feb-

ruary 2013 Pre-Elec-tion Survey fielded from February 24-28, 2013. Ejercito Estrada placed 5th among the 33 senatorial candidates and was favored by 43.8 per cent of the survey re-

spondents.“The sustained

strong trust being given to me by Filipino voters inspires me to do more for them,” said Ejercito Estrada.

The San Juan so-

lon has vowed to pur-sue measures that will ensure that econom-ic growth rates being posted by the Philip-pines would translate into more decent jobs for Filipinos.

Ejercito Estrada, son of former President Jo-seph Estrada, is a con-sistent top performer in pre-election surveys conducted by Pulse Asia and the Social Weather Stations

EDGEDAVAO 3

HEALTH SERVICES. Dr. Salve Estipona (dentist) assisted by a barangay health worker of Brgy. Panacan in Davao City examines a young patient, one of over 60 residents who were served by a team of 3 dentists organized by

2nd district Congresswoman Mylene Garcia. The den-tal clinic was held at Upper Malagamot, a sitio of Brgy. Panacan.

JV thankful to public for keeping5th spot in latest Pulse Asia survey

SENATOR Alan Cayeta-no will formally launch his reelection platform

of PTK: Presyo, Trabaho, Kita at a simple gathering at the Taguig City Univer-sity (TCU) on Wednesday, March 13.

Cayetano will be an-nouncing at the Grand PTK Launch how he intends to address the peoples’ con-cerns. “After completing the first half of my Listening Tour where I’ve heard the true needs and concerns of the masses, I am excited to present my plan of action to the people,” Cayetano said.

Cayetano has been on a Listening Tour since the start of the campaign peri-od. He has held discussions

with the various sectors of the Philippine society where he listened to their concerns related to PTK: Presyo, Trabaho, Kita.

The Senator has had the chance to hold discus-sions with market vendors, fishermen, farmers, factory workers, shoemakers, con-struction workers, furni-ture makers, drivers, senior citizens, and typhoon vic-tims as he went around the country. Among the plac-es he has visited include Taguig, Marikina, Bulacan, Tondo, Cubao, Makati, Ba-guio, Dagupan, Legazpi, and Cagayan de Oro.

“As a Senator, I learned that in order to craft legis-lation that captures the true

essence of what our people really need, you have to know their needs and in es-sence truly know them per-sonally. That is why I began my campaign with the PTK: Presyo, Trabaho, Kita Lis-tening Tour,” he explained.

Cayetano recalls how the problems of all the sec-tors he had visited were all rooted in PTK: Presyo, Tra-baho, Kita.

“Not enough capital available for small and me-dium enterprises, lack of government support for local products, high prices, low wages, not enough jobs – these are all they’ve told me. And yes, these are the problems I’ll be fighting to solve,” he stressed.

Cayetano to present platform


THE detailed design and engineering studies for the proposed $806-mil-

lion coal-fired power plant that would supply the needs of the controversial Tampa-kan copper-gold project of for-eign-backed Sagittarius Mines, Inc. (SMI) has commenced, an industry executive said on Mon-day.

Oscar Benedict Contreras III, Alsons Power Business Unit manager for communications and stakeholder relations, re-

vealed that Alsons Energy De-velopment Corp. (AEDC) is already undertaking the pre-liminary development work for the prospective 400-megawatt (MW) power plant.

“They have conducted pub-lic scoping and will be holding a public consultation within the year,” he told MindaNews.

Contreras said that AEDC and SMI have reached an agree-ment for the construction of a new power plant dedicated solely for the planned mining

operation of the latter.Under the agreement, it

shall be SMI that will secure the necessary community, govern-ment and shareholders approv-als for the Tampakan power project, he said.

The Alsons Group, through Sarangani Energy Corp., is cur-rently constructing a 210 MW coal-fired power plant that will serve the needs of consumers in this city, Sarangani province and neighboring areas.

The project is located in a

world-class diving spot and is staunchly opposed by the lo-cal Catholic Church and envi-ronment group Greenpeace on concerns over human health and the environment.

The Alsons Group has a stake at the Tampakan copper-gold project through Australian firm Indophil Resources NL, where the Filipino conglomerate holds a 19.99 percent stake.

Indophil owns 37.5 percent of the 40 percent controlling equity at SMI, whose majority equity holder is Xstrata Cop-per (62.5 percent), the world’s fourth largest copper producer.

Indophil’s share in the Tam-pakan project is its flagship as-set under its portfolio.

The Tampakan project was given a conditional environ-mental compliance certificate last month by the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) despite the open-pit mining ban imposed by the South Cotabato provin-cial government.

Among the conditions cited in the ECC were the settlement of the question on social accept-ability, protection of the rights of indigenous people, land ac-cess under the Department of Agrarian Reform and the will-ingness to assume continuing liability over any environmen-tal damage.

Last year, the DENR thrashed the ECC application of SMI, as well as its ensuing ap-peal, on the basis of the provin-cial open-pit mining ban. [Bong S. Sarmiento/MindaNews]

4 EDGEDAVAOTHE ECONOMY

MONTHLY AVERAGE EXCHANGE RATE (January 2009 - December 2011)

Month 2012 2011 2010

Average 43.31 45.11December 43.64 43.95November 43.27 43.49October 43.45 43.44

September 43.02 44.31August 42.42 45.18

July 42.81 46.32June 43.37 46.30May 42.85 43.13 45.60April 42.70 43.24 44.63

March 42.86 43.52 45.74February 42.66 43.70 46.31January 43.62 44.17 46.03

Stat Watch5.8%

1st Qtr 2012

6.4 %1st Qtr 2012

USD 4,931million

May 2012USD 4,770

millionApr 2012USD -135

millionApr 2012USD -209

millionMar 2012

P 4,580,674 million

Apr 2012

4.1 %May 2012P131,403

millionMay 2012

P 5,075 billion

Apr 2012

P 42.78Jun 2012

5,091.2May 2012

130.1 Jun 2012

2.8 Jun 2012

3.7 Jun 2012

349,779Apr 2012

18.8 %Jan 2012

7.2 %Jan 2012

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

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

3. Exports 1/

4. Imports 1/

5. Trade Balance

6. Balance of Payments 2/

7. Broad Money Liabilities

8. Interest Rates 4/

9. National Government Revenues

10. National government outstanding debt

11. Peso per US $ 5/

12. Stocks Composite Index 6/

13. Consumer Price Index 2006=100

14. Headline Inflation Rate 2006=100

15. Core Inflation Rate 2006=100

16. Visitor Arrivals

17. Underemployment Rate 7/

18. Unemployment Rate 7/

Cebu Pacific Daily 5J961 / 5J962 5:45 Manila-Davao-Manila 6:15Zest Air Daily Z2390 / Z2390 5:45 Manila-Davao-Manila 6:25Cebu Pacific Daily 5J593 / 5J348 6:00 Cebu-Davao-Iloilo 6:30Philippine Airlines Daily PR809 / PR810 6:10 Manila-Davao-Manila 7:00Philippine Airlines Daily PR819 / PR820 7:50 Manila-Davao-Manila 8:50Cebu Pacific Daily 5J394 / 5J393 7:50 Zamboanga-Davao-Zamboanga 8:10Cebu Pacific Daily 5J599 / 5J594 8:00 Cebu-Davao-Cebu 8:30Cebu Pacific Daily 5J347 / 5J596 9:10 Iloilo-Davao-Cebu 9:40Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Fri/Sun 5J963 / 5J964 9:40 Manila-Davao-Manila 10:10Philippine Airlines Daily PR811 / PR812 11:30 Manila-Davao-Manila 12:20Cebu Pacific Daily 5J595 / 5J966 12:00 Cebu-Davao-Manila 12:30Cebu Pacific Thu 5J965 / 5J968 12:55 Manila-Davao-Manila 13:25Cebu Pacific Tue/Wed//Sat 5J965 / 5J968 13:35 Manila-Davao-Manila 14:05

Silk Air Mon/Sat MI588 / MI588 13:35 Davao-Singapore 18:55 Silk Air Wed/Sun MI566 / MI566 15:20 Davao-Singapore 18:55Silk Air Thurs MI551 / MI551 12:05 Davao-Singapore 15:45Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Wed/Fri 5J507 / 5J598 15:00 Cebu-Davao-Cebu 15:30Philippine Airlines August 15:55 Mani2Mani 16:50Zest Air Daily Z2524 / Z2525 16:05 Cebu-Davao-Cebu 16:45Cebu Pacific Daily 5J967 / 5J600 16:35 Manila-Davao-Cebu 17:05Philippines Airlines Daily PR813 / PR814 16:55 Manila-Davao-Manila 17:45Cebu Pacific Mon/Tue/Thu/Sat 5J215 / 5J216 18:00 Cagayan de Oro-Davao-Cagayan de Oro 18:20Cebu Pacific Daily 5971 / 5J970 18:40 Manila-Davao-Manila 19:10Cebu Pacific Tue/Sat/Sun 5J973 / 5J974 20:00 Manila-Davao-Manila 20:30Cebu Pacific Daily 5J969 / 5J972 20:30 Manila-Davao-Manila 21:00Airphil Express Daily 2P987 / 2P988 20:30 Manila-Davao-Manila 21:00Philippine Airlines Daily except Sunday PR821 / PR822 21:20 Manila-Davao-Manila 21:50Philippine Airlines Sunday PR821 / PR822 22:20 Manila-Davao-Manila 22:50

as of august 2010

SENATOR Chiz Escudero urged the Aquino ad-ministration to upgrade

Mindanao’s ailing Mindanao hydropower plants to balance the power mix and pull down electricity rates that would be enticing for investors to share in the development of the southern Philippines.

Escudero vehemently op-posed the government’s plan to privatize hydropower plant operations in Mindanao say-ing that the consumers would be susceptible to trade abuse of unscrupulous power stake-holders.

“Again, I am against the pri-vatization of these hydropow-er plants. The government should instead upgrade these so as to improve their capac-ities to provide cheap elec-tricity,” Escudero said during a recent forum in Cagayan de Oro City.

Escudero, also a member of the Joint Congressional Power Commission, said that building more coal-fired pow-er plants in Mindanao would not help the island’s develop-ment as it would push power rates higher to the detriment of people of Mindanao.

He explained that the en-ergy department was pushing for a coal-fired power plants because the government does not want to spend for the up-grading of the hydropower plants in Mindanao.

Mindanao has at present the Agus-Pulangi hydropower complexes in the provinces of Lanao Del Sur and Bukidnon, which supplies more than 50 percent of the island’s total power requirements.

Mindanao has a total po-tential of 2,519.29 MW of hydro sources as against the 1,163.30 from coal, according

to the Philippine Energy Plan (PEP) 2003-2012.

He said it is the duty of the government to help in Mind-anao’s development by taking full advantage of its cheap electricity rates.

“If this comparative advan-tage of Mindanao is no longer there, what then would entice investors to invest here?” he asked.

Mindanao’s power rates are lower by 30-40 percent than the mixed generation costs of Luzon and the Visayas because of the island’s hy-dro-power. [PNA]

Gov’t urged to upgrade Mindanao hydro plants

Noel Daquioag, provincial tourism officer of Davao del Norte (left), said that New Corella was chosen as the venue of the 13th Philippine Speleological Society National Caving Congress because the town is considered as the water basin of the province and it has 100 caves, 70

of which are still unexplored, during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao. Also in the photo are Dorina F. Ararao, president of Speleo Davao (center), and Joel Guinahan, tourism officer of New Corella . Lean Daval Jr.

Study for Tampakan mine project’s coal-fired power plant underway


LOYAL Globe patrons from Davao City and its adjacent provinc-

es recently displayed a show of force during the company’s “Kamustahan,” a series of customer cara-vans across the country as its way of updating them and showing its apprecia-tion for their many years of patronage. Individu-al customers, high-end Platinum subscribers, retailers as well as repre-sentatives from the local media were treated to a night of fun, good food, fanfare and first-hand information from compa-ny officials led by Globe President & CEO Ernest Cu, who on behalf of the company acknowledged their patronage and sup-port through the years.

“This is actually our first time to do this in Davao which is an im-portant market for us, that is why we endeav-ored to ground-break our network modernization in your area, as well as have the initial leg of the “Kamustahan” in your midst,” said the Globe chief.

He disclosed that “as a utility company, we want to go beyond just deliv-ering the basic services and try to build stronger, genuine relationships

with you. To us, you are important and not just merely subscribers.”

“We want our prod-ucts to go beyond just tex-ting, calling and provid-ing connections between you, your family, and your businesses. And by sim-ply being here, it goes to show that we mean more to you than a simple phone or internet connec-tion. To that, we are truly grateful,” Cu said.

He told the attendees that a company cannot simply have a relationship without great offerings and services, that is why over the years, Globe has strived to improve its product line. “We are particularly proud of the offerings we have introduced to the market. Foremost of which is our Globe Super Plan, which has redefined the face of postpaid marketing. Our plans and offers that you availed of were instru-mental in our multiple quarters of growth in terms of garnering signif-icant market share over the last two and a half years for the company.”

“It’s an amazing feat for industry like telecom-munications, and we have you to thank for that. All credit goes out to you, our loyal Globe subscrib-

ers,” Cu said to the Min-danaoans on hand in the event.

He also shared that another area where the company is growing is its subscriber base which has now breached the 33 million mark. “In post-paid, we remain the un-disputed leader. When I assumed office, it was just at 700,000, mostly on the high-end. Today, we are closing in at 1.8 million. And speaking of which, Globe postpaid was able to bring smart-phones much more af-fordable to a wider chunk of the population. Imag-ine getting one at P299 a month – that is truly a game-changer.”

Speaking of smartphones, the highest-ranking Globe official disclosed that the Davao region and the rest of Mindanao is ready for the anticipated “onslaught of data” to be processed by these gadgets, thanks to their new network in place.

“We could have sim-ply performed a busi-ness-as-usual capacity upgrade and spent less, but we decided to bite the bullet to bring to you – our subscribers – the best network possible in the market. Thus, we spent

$700 million on a com-pletely new network by replacing our over 7,500 base stations located around the country with brand new equipment. On top of that, Globe has also invested $90 million in IT systems to provide you su-perior customer service: better billing processes, promo enrolment, and so much more,” Mr. Cu point-ed out.

The Globe CEO said that the Kamustahan is the company’s manifestation

to get to know its patrons on a deeper level: “We would like to get to know and interact with you on a more regular basis. An emotional bond is what we would like to continue to build with you.”

“It is important for us in the company, on behalf of each and every one of our employees, to know that you love Globe. It is as much as we at Globe love you, our dear subscrib-ers…” he told the Davao City audience.

The Kamustahan also was an opportunity for Globe to update their sub-scribers of the current sta-tus of its network trans-formation’s first phase, which is close to 90%. It also showcased Davao City’s local talents, as well as premier stage artists in Broadway mainstays Rob-ert Sena and Isay Alvarez, as well as comedienne K Brosas. Lucky audience members were also re-warded with the latest gadgets as raffle prizes.

EDGEDAVAO 5THE ECONOMY

Globe Kamustahan in Davao: CEO credits loyal subscribers for company’s successes

GLOBE CEO Ernest Cu thanked Globe customers in Davao with a toast during the “Kamustahan” customer caravan recently held there.

PHL asks Japan, Sokor to lift restrictions on air operationsTHE Philippine gov-

ernment has asked air authorities in

Japan and South Korea to lift the restrictions preventing Philippine carriers from expanding air operations in their

respective jurisdictions now that the safety con-cerns raised by the In-ternational Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) have been removed.

The Civil Aviation Au-thority of the Philippines

wrote separate letters to counterparts in Tokyo and Seoul asking for the lifting of restrictions that for many years prevented carriers such as Cebu Air Inc. or Cebu Pacific as well as the Philippine Airlines or PAL to engage in ex-panded air operations in Japan and South Korea.

As long as the restric-tions remain in place, no Philippine-registered air-line may expand air oper-ations in either Japan or South Korea.

“The Philippines has successfully addressed and resolved the SSCs that were previously identi-fied by the ICAO-Univer-sal Safety Oversight Audit Program,” the letter the CAAP sent to South Ko-rea’s director of the Office of Civil Aviation, Hye Ry-ong Yu, said.

The same letter was sent to Hirohishi Nara-hira, director of interna-tional transport at the Ja-pan Civil Aviation Bureau.

“In view of this devel-opment, it is our candid view that this positive report of the ICAO should pave the way for the prompt lifting/removal of any technical and eco-nomic restrictions that were imposed by the Ja-pan Civil Aviation Bureau to Philippine carriers,” the ICAO letter said. [PNA]

DURIAN SUMMIT. Farmer leader Candelario “Larry” Miculob of Min-danao Fruit Council, who leads the newly formed Durian Council says that China is an emerging market for Davao’s durian products. Micu-lob (left) promoted the upcoming Durian Summit 2013 set on March

13-14, 2013 at the Grand Men Seng Hotel during yesterday’s Kapehan sa Dabaw at SM City Davao yesterday. With him are Val Turtur, officer in charge of City Agriculturist’s Office (center) and Jun Adlawan, public in-formation officer of Durian Council. Lean Daval Jr.


THE Reduce ‘D Risk (RDR) Rescue Team of the Prov-

ince of Davao del Norte received the Bakas Pa-rangal ng Kadakilaan Award for their courage and heroism in assisting the victims of Typhoon Pablo in Davao Oriental and Compostela Valley.

The RDR respond-ers were among the 89 individuals, units and organizations who were bestowed the Bakas or “Bayaning Likas” Awards by the National Disas-ter Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) for helping alleviate the sufferings of the victims of the super storm.

Governor Rodolfo del Rosario accepted the recognition during the recent awarding rites led by NDRRMC Chair Defense Secretary Vol-taire Gazmin, together with NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Eduardo del Rosario, and Armed Forces of the Phil-ippines Chief of Staff Lt. General Emmanuel Bau-tista.

Gazmin said the na-tion treasures the com-mendable acts of cour-age, heroism and kind-ness of the awardees during and after the onslaught of ‘Pablo’ that started on the evening of December 3, 2012.

“The nation is proud

of their achievements,” he said.

Former Civil De-fense Administrator and NDRRMC Executive Di-rector Undersecretary Benito Ramos, led the re-cipients of the award, for “masterfully managing the rigorous rescue, re-covery and relief opera-tions for the pitiful vic-tims of the deadly super typhoon.”

The three categories of the Bakas award in-clude the Bakas Kada-kilaan, which is given to organizations partic-ipating in difficult res-cue missions; Bakas Ka-bayanihan is bestowed to leaders of units respond-

ing to rescue distressed communities. While, Bakas Kagitingan is given to those who risk their lives to save victims of disasters.

Besides the RDR Res-cue Team, 59 other orga-nizations also received the Bakas Kadakilaan award, including a Kore-an rescue group.

The Bakas Parangal ng Kagitingan award, the highest among the three categories, was conferred to 11 soldiers under the 66th IB who sacrificed their lives during the ty-phoon. Seven of them died while four are still missing.

The same recognition

was also given to 12 army personnel who were in-jured while conducting search and rescue oper-ations during Pablo. Noel Baguio

Other notable awardees were Lt. Gen-eral Jorge Segovia, com-mander of the Eastern Mindanao Command, 10th Infantry Division Commander Major Gen-eral Ariel Bernardo, Po-lice Regional Office 11 Di-rector Chief Supt. Jaime Morente, the operating units of the 10th Infantry Division, Tactical Oper-ations Group 11, Bureau of Fire Protection, Philip-pine Coast Guard, Naval Forces Eastern Mindan-

ao, National Bureau of Investigation XI forensic team, Davao City, Davao Oriental, Compostela Val-ley chapters of the Phil-ippine Red Cross, Davao Firefighter and Rescue Services, Maragusan Emergency Rescue Team, Maco Rescue Team, MMDA Rescue Team, Knight Hawk Foundation Inc., as well as, rescue groups from Davao Ori-ental, Banay-Banay, Gov-ernor Generoso, Lupon, Mati City, San Isidro, Compostela Valley, Mon-tevista, Margusan and New Bataan, Matina 74-A, Davao City, and Santa Cruz, Davao del Sur. Noel Baguio

6 EDGEDAVAOSUBURBIA

THE Tagum City Council of Women headed by Madame

Alma L. Uy celebrated the International Women’s Month together with the victims of Typhoon Pablo at the Sports Complex in New Bataan, Compostela Valley Province last March 6, 2013.

The event, which ban-ners the theme “Wom-en Helping Women,” is a project of the Tagum City Council of Women, Inc. in coordination with Provin-cial Government of Com-postela Valley, Compostela Valley Province Council of Women, and with the partnership of Lady Lo-cal Legislators of Tagum City, Human Resource Management Tagum City, Tagum City Muslim Cham-ber & Commerce Industry,

Tagum City Gay Associa-tion, Tagum City Informa-tion Office, Tagum Cooper-ative, Balik-Sigla Program (Tagum City Mobile Ther-apists), Philippine Phar-maceuticals Association, and the Women and Chil-dren’s Desk of the Tagum City Police Office.

As part of the long-term stress debriefing to typhoon victims, the Tagum City Council of Women with their part-ners conducted several activities that include free massage, haircut, check-up and parlor games with prizes. The parlor games led by the Human Re-source Management of Tagum City, included “sol-dier of fortune,” “bakya,” “marble relay” and “ring relay.

A sense of inspiration

ignited when the survi-vors listen to the interna-tionally-acclaimed Phil-ippine Madrigal Singers which was invited by the council to perform in the typhoon-battered town as part of their 50th anniver-sary concert tour.

After the activity, the group offered flowers and prayers to the dead and missing persons in Baran-gay Andap.

Governor Arturo Uy and Congresswoman Maricar Zamora of the 1st District of Compostela Valley Province extended gratitude to the Tagum City Council of Wom-en and to the rest of the groups and partners who gave time and effort just to be with the victims of Pab-lo. Jorjan Federiso of CIO Tagum

Tagum women group in New Bataan outreach

Rescue team hailed as ‘Pablo’ heroesTAGUM WOMEN. Tagum City Council of Women Presi-dent Alma L. Uy with members entertain the crowd with a dance moves during the celebration of the women’s

month held at Sports Complex, New Bataan, Composte-la Valley Province last March 6, 2013. (Jorjan B. Federiso of CIO Tagum)

BAKAS PARANGAL NG KADAKILAAN. Gov. Rodolfo del Rosario, (right), listens intently to NDRRMC Executive Director Undersecretary Eduardo del

Rosario, as former Civil Defense Administrator and NDRRMC Exec. Dir. Under-secretary Benito Ramos and other officials look on. Nobags

BAYANING LIKAS AWARDS. Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin hailed the commendable acts of heroism and of the Bakas (Bayaning Likas) Paran-gal awardees during Typhoon Pablo. nobags

VOL.6 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013 7EDGEDAVAO

VOL.6 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013 EDGEDAVAO8

CONCERNED authorities have at long last stopped the disservice some airline com-panies have been dealing their passengers

through the once rampant practice of not using aerobridges (or what we know to be “conveyor tubes”) by which passengers board, or disem-bark from, planes.

The change that favors, especially the elderly and the differently-able, came in the form of a Cease and Desist Order issued January 24, 2013 by Capt. John C. Andrews, Civil Aviation Au-thority of the Philippines (CAAP) deputy direc-tor general, to stop implementing “any and all corporate policies geared towards evading or avoiding the use of such aerodrome facilities.”

In making mandatory the use of aerobridges, wherever they are available, is not only for the convenience of airline passengers but, more im-portantly, for the promotion of aviation safety and security, the CAAP directive states.

Each recorded violation, or deliberate refus-al of air carrier personnel to use an aerobridge whenever one is declared available for use will subject the erring airline to a fine of P50,000 payable to the CAAP, as per Section 82 of Repub-lic Act 9497.

The CAAP directive benefits passengers de-parting from, and arriving at, the Davao Interna-tional Airport where four such aerobridges are available. Before then, only the Philippine Air-lines was observed to be using the tube consis-tently. So-called lowcost carriers did not, argu-ing that use of aerobridges was one of the frills

they could drop, precisely because they are “no-frills” airlines, never mind if they expose their passengers, the elderly, disabled and the sick included, to the elements.

Now that all of that are water under the (aero)bridge, it’s time to give credit where cred-it is due. The mandatory use of aerobridges was an advocacy of business leader Vicente T. Lao, vice chairman of the Regional Development Council in Region 11 (RDC 11), in reaction to the complaints of many passengers who felt shortchanged and cheated by erring airlines. The RDC 11 headed by Davao City Mayor Sara D. Carpio carried the fight to the CAAP. Tourism 11 Regional Director Arturo Boncato Jr., Davao City Tourism Officer Jason Magnaye and 2ndDistrict Rep. Mylene Garcia-Albano met with CAAP Di-rector General Charles Hotchkisss Jr. a number of times to discuss the problem.

The use of aerobridges for “convenience, safety and security,” is by no means the only reform needed in the multi-billion facility, also called the Francisco Bangoy International Air-port.

Ask Regional Director Ma. Lourdes D. Lim of the National Economic and Development (NEDA) 11, and she’ll show you a thick book listing and discussing the myriad deficiencies of the DIA.

NEDA and the RDC 11 commissioned a study on the uncorrected defects of the P5.7-billion airport, many of which had existed from Day One of its operation.

OLIVIA D. VELASCOGeneral Manager

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

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VANTAGE POINTS

( Conclusion )

Cult of personalidad

EDGEDAVAOProviding solutions to a seamless global village.

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

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EDITORIAL

Correcting a disservice

ANTHONY S. ALLADA • AQUILES Z. ZONIOStaff Writers

EJ DOMINIC FERNANDEZ • CHE D. PALICTEReporters

JOCELYN S. PANESDirector of Sales

AGUSTIN V. MIAGAN JRCirculation

BY JOHN LLOYDCOMMENTARY

LATIN American states have am-ple historic reasons to doubt the intentions of the United

States to leaders who, democrati-cally or not, took power on a leftist program: Salvador Allende in Chile was deposed in a coup condoned (though not mounted) by the U.S.; above all, as a kind of symbol of the “Great Satan” to the north, Fidel Cas-tro survived assassination attempts and a 1961 invasion by Cuban ex-iles trained and backed by President John F. Kennedy’s CIA.

Chavez, eager to be in the mar-tyr’s club (without being martyred) would allege assassination plots and U.S. backing for a 2002 coup that temporarily deposed him, but no proof has been discovered and the journalistic and scholarly consen-sus is that the U.S. now may disap-prove, sometimes vocally, of some of its southern neighbors while leav-ing them (including Chavez) alone. In Chavez’s case, anti-Americanism was more virtual than real: Even as he blasted the United States, Venezu-ela was and is wholly dependent on America’s purchases of its oil.

The spigot of oil wealth meant he could buy lots of friends around the world, and buy himself out of most trouble. The majority, many of them very poor, who voted for him benefit-ed from his social programs.

But Chavez didn’t really change the world beyond Venezuela. He had money, charisma and popular sup-port, but he didn’t have an ideology, other than a melodramatic hatred of the United States. His death won’t be the end of that brand of global poli-tics, but it might give serious politi-cians of whatever stripe, including those who view the U.S. negatively, some pause. U.S. power is great, and is likely to be in the future. But it is declining, and cannot reasonably continue to dominate a world in which two vast states, China and to a presently lesser extent India, are growing economically and strategi-cally.

Barack Obama now seeks to have the world’s present and future mon-itored by coalitions of states, not merely by a Western hegemon. No future U.S. president of either par-ty can escape the American need to cut its huge debt, and to seek allies in creating a global system in which major states find agreements on the myriad of challenges and threats we now face. That’s the serious busi-ness of international relations. By contrast, Chavez’s posturings were those of a rich kid with a fast car with nowhere to go.

Chavez International was an anachronism afloat on a lake of oil, envied by many but a poor role mod-el for those serious about changing the world. If there is a politics that ensures that the poor of the earth get a better deal from the way the world changes, it will have to be more seri-ous than those proposed by the late President of Venezuela.

VOL.6 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013EDGEDAVAO 9

IN the few days to Good Friday in pre-dominantly Christian Philippines, many wives in northern Philippines are on a

craze boiling coconut milk – encouraged by their folk belief the cooked coconut oil has virtues for the household.

The virtues, so their belief goes, are particularly prominent and effective if the coconut milk were boiled at 3 p.m., in the time stretch of The Seven Last Words.”

It is not clear to the younger genera-tion why the coconut oil would be more effective when boiled at that precise time, their religious belief notwithstanding.

But they know the coconut tree, (Co-cos Nucifera L.) is called “The Tree of Life” because of the endless list of products and by-products derived from its various parts, provides at other times and else-where where the tree is abundant food, shelter, fuel, among others.

In northern Philippines, there are not many coconut farmers that would qualify them to be major units of the coconut in-dustry, considered a major dollar earner for this Southeast Asian archipelago, that provides livelihood to one-third of the country’s population.

Industry old hands say from coco meat can be obtained coco flour, desiccat-ed coconut, coconut milk, coconut chips, candies, “bukayo” or local sweetened shredded coconut meat, “latik” copra and animal feeds.

Coco chips, curved and wrinkled coco-nut meat, is crisply toasted and salted. It is very popular in Hawaii, where Filipinos make up more than 80 per cent of the pop-ulation.

Industry sources also say coconut flour can be used as a wheat extender in baking certain products without affecting their appearance or acceptability.

At the same time, the coconut milk is a good protein source. Whole coco milk con-tains about 22 per cent oil, which accounts for its laxative property.

In southern Luzon, Bicol and parts of the Visayas and Mindanao, coconut farm-ers rely on copra, the dried coconut meat which has a high oil content, as much as

64 per cent.Sources say coconut oil is the most

readily digested of all the fats of general use in the world, the oil furnishing about 9,500 calories of energy per kilogram – its chief competitors being soya bean oil, palm oil and palm kernel oil.

Sources and some nutrition experts say coconut oil retards aging, counteracts heart, colon, pancreatic and liver tumor inducers, and it is easy to digest.

In the detergent industry, coconut oil is very important, its most eminent charac-teristic being its high saponification value in view of the molecular weight of most of the fatty acid glycerides it contains.

Industry sources say an advantageous use of the coconut oil as a detergent was discovered in a May 1951 study wherein a formulation using coconut oil was found to be an effective sanitizer.

Other products from coco oil are soap, lard, coco chemicals, crude oil, pomade, shampoo, margarine, butter and cooking oil.

Coconut leaves, according to sources, produce good quality paper pulp, midrib brooms, hats and mats, fruit trays, waste baskets, fans, beautiful midrib decors, lamp shades, placemats, bags and utility roof materials.

The coconut fruit produces “buko,” often used for salads, halo-halo (crushed ice with sweetened fruit), sweets and pas-tries.

”Buko” is of three kinds: “mala-kanin,” or “nakilnet” among northerners, the one having the consistency of boiled rice; “mala-uhog,” or “kakalogen” among Ilo-canos, or the mucus-like consistency and ready for eating; and “mala-katad,” or “ii-gaden among northerners, or like leather. The last kind is the one used for making sweets.

A mature coconut is used in making

sweets and special Filipino dishes.The “sport fruit” of the coconut, ac-

cording to sources, is the “makapuno,” popular in the Tagalog-speaking provinces and in the metropolis.

This is considered a delightful delicacy and largely used for making preserves and ice-cream, and cannot be kept in storage and will not germinate. It has three layers: semi-acid, soft and hard meat.

The coconut water, the sources say, is also called liquid endosperm, thrown away during copra making and becomes a great waste.

Uses of coconut water include coconut water vinegar; coconut wine; production of the chewy, fiber-rich nata good as a des-sert and as a laxative; as a growth factor; and as a substitute for dextrose.

Another breakthrough use is in coco-nut water therapy to cure renal disorders, according to some medical sources.

“Bukolysis”, as it is also called, is the medical process of reducing or dissolving urinary stones of the urinary tract systems using “buko” water from 7 to 9 months old coconuts.

The sources say ”bukolysis” is the brainchild of Dr. Eufemio Macalalag Jr., a urologist.

They say for preventive medication, water from one mature coconut con-sumed daily, could almost guarantee that the formation of stones in the urinary tract will be avoided.

One who was afflicted with hepatitis A, but speaking on condition he would not be identified, admits the coconut water ther-apy is effective and inexpensive.

His friends, all witnesses to his hospi-talization, agree.

And they are not yet talking about the uses of coconut husks, coir fiber, coir yarn, coir rope, bags, rugs, husk decor, husk pol-ishes, mannequin wig, brush, coir flex, and fishnets which are other products that can be obtained from coco husk.

Out of coir dust can be obtained coco gas, lye insulator, insoflex and plastic ma-terials, industry sources add.[PNA]

JUST when the trail to peace and rec-onciliation in the conflict areas in Mindanao is in the offing, the bloody

encounter this time between the follow-ers of the Sultanate of Sulu and the Royal Forces of Malaysia erupted without any warning.

The Sultanate may have gone over-board landing an ill-equipped ragtag army in Lahad Datu in Sabah. It is sheer adventurism which expectedly will in-vite aggressive action for Sabah. For cen-turies seafarers from the southern tip of the country appeared to be moving and trading freely with the Sabahans. Many of them may even be oblivious to the claims and counterclaims between the Philippines and Malaysia, the lease and the rentals that Malaysia pays the sul-tanate etcetera, etcetera. As we now re-alize, already there are a number of Tau-sug who have made Sabah their homes. They are distinct from the undocument-ed workers who were rounded up by Malaysian authorities for deportation. Apparently those who had lived there spoke the same language as the original Sabahans. No wonder why there were intermarriages amongst them.

Before the forces of Sultan Kiram landed in the coasts of Sabah nobody

minded them. The situation then is sim-ilar to Indonesian nationals from Marori landing in the coastline of Davao City in search for work and other opportuni-ties. Because they are not warlike, they were assimilated in the community even if they cannot speak the local language. The seafarers of Sulu and Tawi-Tawi are no different. They cross borders and we are certain that Sabahans do the same.

It is easy to fault President Aquino on this crucial issue. True there are events etched in the annals of history and ad-mittedly Malaysia continue to pay rent-als to the Sultanate, resolving the con-flict at the point of a gun is a dangerous proposition especially when, like the forces of the sultan, appear like pygmy before the gigantic adversary.

The days of David and Goliath are over. The weaponry had evolved al-though the language of diplomacy had resolved many conflicts. The sultanate should have exercised restraint. They should have badgered Malacanang first and not gave up immediately on the in-sensitivity of even the President. As it

turned out, their letter appeal was lost in the maze of bureaucracy especial-ly when this was delivered at the time when the transition of power was hap-pening between the exiting Arroyo ad-ministration and the entry of Aquino’s.

We hope that the Sabah imbroglio will be isolated from the peace process. We do not buy the claim of some quar-ters that the Sultanate is being left out in the talks of Bangsamoro land. The island provinces of Sulu, Tawi-Tawi and Basilan are just too immense as to be ignored in the peace and reconciliation process. If the Sultan fears that, it could only be his apprehension that he might lose sway over his subjects. The fact is we too have our own share of an emerging spring of awareness among the younger Mus-lim generations. It is very much like the Arab spring. The Sultan may still have a handful of loyal subjects but as the years unravel the sons and daughters of these subjects want to track their own future.

Settlements of debts and territorial conflicts are done soberly. These days you don’t do it alone. The community of nations intervenes to stop the conflict from escalating. It is resolve in the inter-national courts of justice and very often by diplomacy. [MW]

( 1st of three parts )

VANTAGE POINTS

‘Tree of life’ gives livelihood to 1/3 of 98 million Filipinos

Lahad Datu impact on peace talks Lifeline hangs in the balance

BY HONOR BLANCO CABIESPECIAL FEATURE

BY AMINA RASULCOMMENTARY

BY MENARDO WENCESLAOOPINION

IT is indeed timely that the United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki Moon has issued a call for a

ceasefire and dialogue to end the violence. Sultan Jamalul III has followed the call of the UN Secretary General and has also called for a ceasefire. In Jolo, Sultan Muedzul-Lail Kiram, the son of the late Sultan Mahakuttah Kiram finally spoke the other day, plead-ing for an end to the fighting in an interview by GMA7’s Kara David. (However, in Malaysia, there was no news as of March 7 on the UN’s call for ceasefire.)

Perhaps now the experienced dip-lomats will lead the dialogue among the contending parties: the Kirams, the Philippine Government and the Malaysian Government. If SecGen Ban Ki Moon’s lifeline is seized, a raft will be afloat in the trou-bled waters. Will the raft float? Or capsize? That depends on the vari-ous interest groups.

Over two weeks ago, I wrote about the situation in Lahad Datu (“Sabah Standoff ”, Feb 21) and warned about the possible spiraling of the impasse into violence. I said, “Left unresolved, the standoff in Sabah can escalate into an inter-national incident that could create tension between Malaysia and the Philippines. Worse, there may be vested interests that will fuel an escalation into conflict.” And here we are, in the midst of an in-ternational incident that has seized the attention of the UN.

To complicate matters, Malay-sian politics, with their elections scheduled in June, is in the driv-er’s seat. The Malaysian opposition led by Datuk Anwar Ibrahim had been pounding away at the ruling party, the Barisan Nasional (BN)/United Ma-lays National Organization (UMNO), led by Prime Minister Najib Razak for the government’s inability to prevent the incursion into Sabah of over a hundred Filipino followers of Sultan Jamalul Kiram III and to protect Malaysian territory.

Meanwhile, forced to show strength, the Malay-sian government responded by first isolating the Filipinos un-der Rajah Muda Agbimuddin Kiram, crown prince and brother of Sul-tan Jamalul. Later, the Malaysian security forces attacked the Ra-jah Muda’s group, escalating into bombing by fighter planes. Talk about swatting mosquitos with hammers, considering that Kiram’s so-called “Royal Sultanate Army” was armed with rifles, kris and knives.

The Malaysian opposition party had also been claiming that the BN used Indonesian and Filipino immigrants to strengthen its electoral base giving them Identity Cards (ICs). An IC legalizes the residency of the immigrants, paving the way for them to vote. Some 800,000 Filipinos are residents of Sabah, many of whom have lived there peacefully for decades. With the In-donesian IC-holders, the immigrant voting-block outnumbers the native Sabahans. This has been a major issue in the campaign.

It would therefore seem that Malaysian politics has been the influential factor in the escalation of the siege to armed conflict.


IT is indeed more fun in the Philippines, with the World Eco-

nomic Forum calling it the “most improved” country in Asia-Pacific in terms of tourism.

The Philippines rose 12 places to ranking 82nd out of 140 countries in the WEF 2013 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report released Friday. Among Asia-Pacific coun-tries in the report, the Philippines ranked 16th.

It gained a score of 3.9 out of 7 points in the report, which WEF said “aims to measure the factors and policies that make it attractive to de-velop the travel and tour-ism sector in different countries.”

The overall index is calculated from scores in three sub-indices: regula-tory framework; business environment and infra-structure subindex; and human, cultural, and nat-ural resources.

Each of the three sub-indices are mean-while based on scores in pillars, of which there are 14.

The Philippines per-formed best in terms of prioritizing the tourism sector, where it ranked 15th globally.

WEF said the country “is now first in the world” in terms of state spending on the sector as percent-age of gross domestic

product.“[T]ourism marketing

and branding campaigns are seen to be increas-ingly effective,” the report added.

Adding to the coun-try’s gains are its perfor-mance in natural resourc-

es and price competi-tiveness, where it ranked 44th and 24th respective-ly.

The policy environ-ment has also become more conducive for the travel and tourism sector through “better protec-

tion of property rights, more openness toward foreign investments, and few visa requirements for foreign visitors (ranked 7th).”

The country’s over-all score, however,was dragged down by difficul-

ty of starting a business in terms of cost (94th) and the length of the pro-cess (117th), safety and security (103rd), inade-quate health and hygiene (94th).

Switzerland topped this year’s travel and

tourism competitive-ness ranking, followed by Germany and Austria, and Spain and the United Kingdom.

At the bottom of the list, meanwhile, are Haiti, Chad, Burundi, Sierra Le-one and Guinea. [Yahoo!]

10 EDGEDAVAONATION/WORLD

The sun sets on fishermen on Taal Lake. The lake is known for the maliputo and tawilis harvested from the waters. [Yen Baet]

In tourismPHL is Asia-Pacific’s ‘most improved’

THE National Eco-nomic and Devel-opment Authority

(NEDA) is calling for great-er participation of Metro Manila local government units (LGUs) in improving waste disposal through the formulation of their re-spective Solid Waste Man-agement (SWM) Plans.

”Low compliance rate among LGUs in creating their own SWM Plans is a major issue that ham-pers the establishment of a suitable and sustainable SWM system in Metro Ma-nila,” Socioeconomic Plan-

ning Secretary Arsenio M. Balisacan said.

He cited the latest Socioeconomic Report (SER): 2010-2012 re-cently released by NEDA, which states that only nine (52.94%) out of the 16 cities and one munici-pality that comprise Met-ro Manila have submitted complete SWM plans. At the national level, only 414 LGUs have completed their SWM Plans as of May 2012. This is only 25.71 percent of the 1,610 cities and municipalities nation-wide.

Balisacan, who is also NEDA Director-General, said high upfront capital costs limit financial ca-pacity of LGUs to invest in SWM projects, such as development of waste disposal site and estab-lishment of materials re-cycling facilities, among others.

“The inadequate finan-cial capacity of LGUs and the perceived low willing-ness of LGU constituents to pay for SWM services are main reasons we scored low in achieving the objec-tives of the Ecological Sol-

id Waste Management Act (ESWMA) and Philippine Development Plan (PDP): 2011-2016,” Balisacan said.

The PDP 2011-2016 envisions to achieve by 2016, with 2010 data as baseline, a 50-percent in-crease in solid waste di-version rate from waste disposal facilities through reusing, recycling and composting, and other re-source recovery activities.

The diversion rate measures how much solid waste is redirected from disposal to recycling.

On solid waste managementNeda calls for greater LGU compliance

THE Department of Social Welfare and Development

(DSWD) has allocated an additional P2.6 billion for the implementation this year of the national gov-ernment’s conditional cash transfer program in Region 12 and parts of the Auton-omous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM).

Bai Zorahayda Taha,

DSWD Region 12 director, said the amount compris-es the bulk of the agency’s P3.1 billion for its continu-ing community-based so-cio-economic programs in the region this year. “It will mainly cover for the grants and other implementation needs of the program,” she said. The conditional cash transfer program, which is also known as the Pan-

tawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program or 4Ps, is being implemented by DSWD-12 in parts of Region 12 and in Marawi City in the ARMM since 2008.

Region 12, compris-es the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani and North Cota-bato as well as the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Cotabato, Kidapawan and

Tacurong.The 4Ps is a poverty

reduction and social de-velopment strategy of the national government that provides conditional cash grants to “poorest of the poor” households to im-prove their health, nutri-tion and education particu-larly of children aged 0-14 years. (Allen V. Estabillo/MindaNews)

P2.6-B more for 4Ps in R-12EVEN with the

safe release of the 21 Filipino

peacekeepers, Western Samar Congressman Mel Senen Sarmiento today urged the United States and the European Union to stop providing as-sistance to the Syrian rebels as they might be abetting a group that is aligned with fundamentalists and ter-rorist organizations.

Sarmiento said that seizing un-armed United Nations (UN) peacekeepers is not the work of a group with good inten-tions to Syria and its people.

“ Even with the re-lease of our soldiers who are doing a peacekeeping job in Syria, this doesn’t change the fact that the Syrian rebels who are unfortunate-ly getting a lot of help from the US and the EU used the unarmed Fil-ipinos as shield and as hostage. The world is sympathizing with the Syrian rebels because

we thought all along that these rebels are on the side of righteousness. Now it looks like that we are abetting the wrong people, “ Sarmiento, vice-chair of the House Committee on National Defense, said.

Sarmiento noted that Syria was once a pro-gressive and a peaceful nation but with the on-slaught of the civil war that devastated not only their infrastruc-ture and their economy but also the way of life of Syrian civilians.

Sarmiento said that he initially thought that the Syrian rebels might be doing the right thing in their bid to topple the administration of Syrian President Bashar Hafez al-Assad due to alleged corruption and wanton disregard to hu-man rights even it meant the displacement of thousands of Filipinos working in Syria, most of whom are domestic helpers and medical professionals.

Solon reiterates call to stop support for Syrian rebs

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operating in the area for possible exaction of millions of pesos before candidates are allowed to campaign in places supposedly under their control.

While officially the campaign period starts on March 30, many local politicians have started wooing voters by hold-ing meetings, pumping hands, kissing babies and giving goodies and cash.

Col. Lyndon Paniza, spokesman of the Philip-pine Army’s 10th Infan-try Division, said military units in the field are now monitoring these activi-ties.

Paniza said that this form of money-making activity of the rebels has been practiced by them for years now.

He reminded politi-cians that giving money to rebels in exchange of PTC or any other reason is a violation of the law.

Senior Supt. Ronald dela Rosa, Davao City Po-lice Office chief, echoing-

Paniza’s view, also called on candidates not to give in to the rebels.

“Reminders to the candidates not to give to these people (rebels), dela Rosa said.

However, both offi-cials did not specify what actions will their respec-tive agencies take against those who will succumb to the rebels, although Paniza said in an earlier interview that the mili-tary will provide security to the candidates cam-paigning in rebel-infested areas.

Just before the 2010 elections, a military of-ficial then stationed in the city threatened to file cases against candidates who would pay the PTC and those businesses who would pay the revo-lutionary taxes.

Then Task Force Davao commander Os-car Lactao said in a fo-rum that he created a team gathering pieces of evidence against those behind the logistics

pipeline in Paquibato, a known lair of the rebels.

But the business sec-tor chided Lactao for making the threat.

Simeon Marfori II, then the president of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said those who paid the revolutionary taxes were forced to do so because of circumstances.

“If the military can eradicate the NPAs and protect legitimate busi-nesses who pay their taxes to the BIR (Bureau of Internal Revenue), no businessman will be pay-ing NPAs anything,” Mar-fori was then quoted as saying.

Based on the data of the military, in 2008 the rebels were able to collect about P25.73 million, all coming from business-es. In the first quarter of 2009, the rebels collected about P6.6 million.

In 2009, the national government gave the mil-itary a year to completely neutralize the rebels.

not only the problem of production but also of consumption as well,” he said.

Miculob said, Luzon and the Visayas have a lot of potential for increasing the durian market, but they have a problem with regards durian growers in the city. “We also planned to conduct a durian sum-mit in Metro Manila but our growers here hesitate to venture in those areas,” he added.

He added that there has been a demand from China of 300 tons of du-rian per month, but he admits that they cannot provide such a volume.

“It is so difficult for us to raise the volume that China wants because we can two tons per month and it’s a struggle for us to reach our target of 10 tons,” the chairman add-ed.

Miculob bared that through the summit they may be able to study fig-

ures and data that can be of help in increasing the production of durian.

“The summit is really a good venue for the du-rian council to provide statistical data on which we can base our concerns as to whether the demand is increasing or not,” he said, adding that the two-day event will showcase technical sessions on marketing; durian indus-try issues and concerns; production technology updates and farm tours.

As part of the summit they will also have ‘Pati-kim ng Durian’ in front of the City Hall of Davao for Luzon and Visayas guests of the city. “They only have to present a proof that they come from those areas. With this, we will be able to teach them how to appreciate and love our durian,” Miculob explained.

Valente Turtur, offi-cer in-charge of the City Agriculturist office said

they fully support the durian summit because Davao City is known for durian and it’s time for Davao City to host such an event.

“When you say “du-rian,” the first thing that comes into mind is Davao City, and I guess we must have our own durian fes-tival here because that’s what we are known for,” Turtur said, adding that they have established a program for some of the durian growers through “plant now, pay later program” wherein their agency gives new variet-ies of durian seedlings to poor farmers and by the time the plants grow and bear fruits they will be paying for those durian seedlings.

“This is our way of helping durian growers to increase the market and production and, hope-fully, generate successful growers as well,” he add-ed.

turist Val Turtur said the summit will be a venue for durian farmers or growers, contractors, processors and buyers to discuss ways on how to support the growth of the durian industry in the city and the Davao Re-gion.

The summit is being organized by the city’s Du-rian Industry Council in cooperation with the city government, City Agriculturist’s Office, Davao City Investment and Promotions Office, and the Department of Agriculture.

He said the summit, which is the first to be led by the city’s durian sector, will be a ven-ue for local durian in-

dustry stakeholders “to disseminate new farming technologies, share relevant market information and discuss crucial issues and con-cerns affecting Mindanao durian sector.”

Inviting some 300 participants nationwide, the organizers said the summit will “focus on best practices on du-rian production, and emerging challenges and trends in the industry such as climate change adaptation, organic farm-ing, integrated pest and disease management and the latest marketing and supply chain models.”

Candelario Miculob of the Mindanao Fruit Council, also at the media

forum, said that aside from the lack of tech-nology, the shift of farmers’ focus to oth-er crops such as banana and pineapple caused the low production of durian in the city.

Miculob said par-ticipants of the summit will be invited to visit durian farms here on March 13.

He also cited that they wanted the summit to be a yearly event for Mindanao fruit growers to hold dialogues with government agencies to discuss policy reforms and government supports for the development of the Mindanao fruit indus-try. [Lorie Ann A. Cascaro / MindaNews]

we will be bidding for small meetings which are international in nature, and we are looking at the Asia-Pacific region. “ Boncato said, adding that Davao City will be host-ing a Technical Working Group for Climate Change meeting next month and “we are also bidding for

the World Ecotourism Forum.”

Meanwhile, the DOT 11 chief also said that MICE Con Davao had many notable mile-stones. “First time na ang President ang nag keynote (it was the first time that the President gave the keynote ad-

dress), the first time that all the sessions were in the plenary instead of having break-out ses-sions, because of the quality of the speakers, where everyone wanted to hear them, and the first time that the num-ber of delegates reached 600. [PIA 11/RG Alama]

IN support of the government’s thrust to provide sustain-

able intervention to improve the condition of disadvantaged youth and empower them through skills training and assistance towards gainful employment and entrepreneurial activities, the Techni-cal Education and Skills Development Author-ity (TESDA) and the Department of Social Welfare and Develop-ment (DSWD) will im-plement the Cash for Training Project (C4TP) in two independent components---Training for Wage Employment (Trabaho) and Training for Self-Employment (Hanapbuhay).

Lorela M. Ramos, re-

gional youth focal per-son of DSWD, said the project aims to train the youth for possible employment in target-ed communities and provide them the basic requirements to enable them to practice their trade in gainful occupa-tions.

She said the cash will cover training voucher, toolkits (for self-employment), as-sessment fee and al-lowance in the amount of P20,000 per benefi-ciary.

Ramos added that the target beneficia-ries are youth partici-pants who have been assessed as eligible under the Expanded Government Internship Program (EGIP) of the

DSWD, and the Pantaw-id Pamilya youth iden-tified in coordination with the local govern-ment units.

In the Davao region, 3,291 youth partici-pants will benefit from the project, she said. “The DSWD regional of-fice has already down-loaded the P65,820,000 total project cost to TESDA.”

TESDA has started the training in some ar-eas while other youth participants are cur-rently being processed for profiling of skills, and counseling is also being conducted to guide the participants in choosing the pro-gram/course most ap-propriate for them, Ra-mos added.

TESDA and DSWD launch cash for training project

AKBAYAN Party-list R e p r e s e n t a t i v e Walden Bello today

called for a congressional investigation to look into the plight of the Filipinos in Sabah as the Malaysian government rejected a ceasefire offered by the Sultan of Sulu.

Bello, who is the Chairperson of the Com-mittee on Overseas Workers Affairs, said he will investigate reports of alleged cases of abuse against Filipino citizens working and residing in Sabah from Malaysian se-curity forces as a result of the crisis.

“It is the responsibility of the Philippine govern-ment to protect Filipino

lives wherever they are. Even as Congress initiates an investigation to the re-ports of abuse committed against our nationals, all concerned agencies must already take immediate steps to ensure the safety of our countrymen in the area especially those con-sidered ‘stateless’ or un-documented,” Bello said.

Bello said that if there were clear violations committed against Filipi-no citizens, the Philippine government must exact justice from its Malaysian counterpart.

“The Malaysian gov-ernment must not mis-take our commitment to a peaceful solution to the conflict as an invitation

for their security forces to take advantage of our citizens by wantonly vi-olating their rights. All those that will be prov-en to have participated in such abuses should be made accountable,” Bello asserted.

Bello, who is also a re-nowned international po-litical analyst, feared that with the militarist solu-tion carried out by the Malaysian government to end the crisis, arrests and incarceration of un-documented Filipinos in Sabah might escalate and become more abusive. He said that even legitimate Filipino residents and workers might become vulnerable to abuses.

Solon calls for inquiry on plight of Pinoys in Sabah

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DORAL, Fla. (AP) -- That red shirt is starting to look

ruthless on Sunday again.

One year after Tiger Woods hobbled off the Blue Monster, he picked u p the pace in

h i s

march to the Masters. Woods delivered two quick birdies to take the drama out of Doral, and two late bogeys only made his victory in the Cadillac Championship seem closer than it really was.

Woods had full con-trol of his game and nev-

er let anyone get clos-er than three

s h o t s until he had locked up

his 17th W o r l d

G o l f

Championship title. With a conservative bogey that didn’t matter on the fi-nal hole, he closed with a 1-under 71.

For the first time in five years, Woods has two wins before the Masters.

And both of them were dominant.

‘’That’s how I know I can play,’’ Woods said. ‘’That’s the thing. To be able to bring it out a couple times so far this year - and then be able to close and get the Ws on top of that - that’s nice. Any time I can win prior to Augusta, it always feels good.’’

And to think it was one year ago Sunday that Woods withdrew after 11 holes in the final round at Doral because of tight-ness in his left Achilles tendon, the same injury that had cost him to sit out most of the previ-ous summer. It created uncertainty about his health and whether he could ever get his game back.

False alarm.Woods now has five

wins in the last year, the most of anyone in the world, and he can return to No. 1 with a win at Bay Hill in two weeks.

13EDGEDAVAO SPORTSWOODS WINS AT DORAL

Fear the Tiger

CHAMP AGAIN. Tiger Woods wins another title at Doral.

VOL.6 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 201314 EDGEDAVAOSPORTS

LOS ANGELES -- The Los Angeles Lakers got to find out how the

other side lives on Sunday afternoon at Staples Center.

How’s that? Legs kicked up, arms

behind the head, chair re-clined, iced tea on the table.

They like it better this way.

After two huge, draining comebacks in a week, the Los Angeles Lakers lived easy Sunday in a 90-81 win over the visiting Chicago Bulls. The victory moved the Lakers into playoff po-sition in the Western Con-ference, a half-game better than idle Utah for the No. 8 seed.

Four days after a 25-point comeback in a

win at New Orleans and two days after a 15-point comeback against the To-ronto Raptors, Los Angeles glided to the win behind a balanced offensive effort and the defense of Dwight Howard.

Six Lakers scored in double figures, led by Kobe Bryant’s 19, and Howard scored 16 points, grabbed 21 rebounds and blocked four shots.

“His activity is unbeliev-able,” Lakers coach Mike D’Antoni said of Howard. “He controls the paint, grabs every rebound and stops the pick-and-roll. And he and Kobe are learning to get on the same page offen-sively. A little bit of chemis-try is developing.”

SECOND seed and 2006 champion Ma-ria Sharapova was

tested in her third-round BNP Paribas Open match on Sunday at the Indian Wells Tennis Garden, de-feating Carla Suarez Na-varro of Spain 7-5, 6-3.

The Russian squan-dered an early break lead in the first set be-fore breaking again in the 11th game. She fended off break point before closing out the opener in 58 minutes. Sharapova saved two break points in the second game of the second set before taking control and reeling off four straight games from 2-3 to claim victory in one hour and 40 minutes.

“I thought it was a tough one,” admitted Sharapova. “She’s dan-gerous. She’s beaten top players in Grand Slams

before. She has a really solid game, a lot of vari-ety, but she can hit the ball, as well. A few things that I definitely want to improve for the next one. But I was happy I got through on not a great day.

The 25-year-old Sharapova is bidding to win her first WTA title of the season after semifinal finishes at the Australian Open (l. to Li) and Doha (l. to S. Williams).

Sixth seed Sara Errani cruised into the fourth round, dismissing Swe-den’s Johanna Larsson 6-3, 6-1 in 81 minutes. The Italian converted five of her six break points and won 67 per cent of points on serve.

The 25-year-old Erra-ni notched her 20th win of the season. She is play-ing her ninth tournament

of 2013 and is coming off victory in Acapulco (d. Suarez-Navarro), while also finishing runner-up in Paris (l. to Barthel) and Dubai (l. to Kvitova).

Errani will face either ninth seed Marion Barto-li or Svetlana Kuznetso-va, who contest the last match of the day on Sta-dium 1.

Russian No. 13 seed Maria Kirilenko ended the campaign of Amer-ican qualifier Mallory Burdette with a 6-3, 4-6, 6-2 victory. World No. 125 Burdette had won four matches to reach the third round and was con-testing the main draw in Indian Wells for the first time.

“It’s just been a great experience and also I feel a little bit more like I be-long here,” said Burdette. “It’s always something I

think that you question sometimes when you’re surrounded by such great players. Just learn-ing how to relax and go with the flow at these tournaments I think is going to be a big part of me doing well and mov-ing forward.”

The 26-year-old Kirilenko won the Patta-ya City title last month (d. Lisicki) and has a 12-3 match record on the sea-son. The Moscow native achieved her best Indi-an Wells result last year, reaching the quarterfi-nals (l. to Sharapova).

Czech No. 19 seed Klara Zakopalova de-feated the diminutive Dominika Cibulkova 6-4, 7-5 in just under two hours. She goes on to face either fifth seed Petra Kvitova or qualifier Lesia Tsurenko.

Sharapova tested, Kirilenko wins

SWINGING BEAUTIES. Caroline Wozniacki of Denmark (top) and Maria Kirilenko of Russia in action at the BNP Paribas Open tennis tournament in Indian Wells, Calif.

Lakers now in playoff position


EDGEDAVAOTRAVEL

An unexpected findFood trucks at the Glorietta Park

WHAT makes life and traveling more fun is when you find the unexpected and totally unplanned. Such was the case of my last romp with friends JP, Cy and Joe. JP was supposed to go to Manila for an appointment and we decided to tag along just to have an excuse to fly. The weekend proceeded as scheduled and we decid-ed to take a walk around Glorietta to check out the new wing of the mall. We also decided to go around Glorietta park around the area in front of 6750 and Shangrila Makati and were pleasantly greeted by food trucks and food stalls serv-ing a cacophony of food from Bagnet to Sisig and Paella. The area buzzed with lo-cals and tourists alike, each trying out the many differ-ent offerings available in the area.

Makeshift tents shaded the crowd and provided areas where monoblock tables and chairs allowed diners to sit down, relax, and enjoy their spoils. This was not a place to emote or be a fashionista, this place was all about the love for food. Good thing the skies were overcast that day we passed by else we would have melted away like the Wicked Witch of the West. After a quick visit and a passing bite or two or three, we were again on our way, but something tells me that we will be back again for another bite soon.

INdulge!

AS expected, Oz the Great and Powerful worked its magic on a slumping box of-fice, grossing an esti-mated $80.3 million in its Friday-Sunday debut, its studio re-ported. The opening-weekend number is easily the big-gest of the year, and the third-largest ever for a March release, behind only The Hunger Games and Johnny Depp’s Alice in Wonderland. The massively expen-sive Wizard of Oz prequel, starring James Franco, was graded a B-plus by audi-ences polled by CinemaS-core. Overseas, Oz picked up just shy of $70 million, and brought its three-day, worldwide total to $150.2 million. The start puts the 3-D-powered fantasy well on the road toward exceeding its reputed $215 million budget; it gets it about half-way toward the eye-pop-ping $325 million number that reportedly represent-ed its combined produc-tion and marketing costs. For Hollywood, Oz is a welcome change of pace. “An event film like this can act as a catalyst,” said Dave Hollis, executive vice president of distribution for Disney, which released Oz. Heading into Friday, the box office was running 15 percent behind last year’s. With Oz drawing well among both couples and families, ticket sales were up about 40 percent from last weekend, and about

8 percent from the same three-day period in 2012, according to Exhibitor Re-lations stats. Oz didn’t meet the most-outsized projections that had it heading into $100 million, Alice in Wonder-land territory, but Hollis said the movie exceeded the studio’s own pre-re-lease tracking surveys, which are more conserva-tive by nature, and had Oz pegged for a $70-$75 mil-lion opening weekend. Among the top films, Oz accounted for nearly two of every three tickets sold. That was bad news, or rather, more bad news, for Jack the Giant Slayer, another film made for in the neighborhood of $200 million. Business was down 63 percent from its disappointing opening weekend. The film’s do-mestic total now stands at just $43.8 million.

The Colin Farrell thriller Dead Man Down, the only other new movie in wide release, aside from Oz, de-buted in fourth place with a weak $5.4 million. Here’s a complete look at the weekend’s top mov-ies, per Friday-Sunday studio estimates and stats as compiled by Exhibitor Relations.Oz the Great and Power-ful, $80.3 million

Jack the Giant Slayer, $10 millionIdentity Thief, $6.3 millionDead Man Down, $5.4 millionSnitch, $5.1 million21 and Over, $5.06 millionSafe Haven, $3.8 millionSilver Linings Playbook, $3.7 millionEscape From Planet Earth, $3.2 millionThe Last Exorcism Part II, $3.1 million

Wireless internet provider Sun Broadband encourages young people all over the country to free-ly express themselves through the most universal language – music!

To help promote original Filipino mu-sic by showcasing local and homegrown talents, Sun Broadband recently kicked off its nationwide roadshow tours in Cebu and Davao featuring promising art-ists such as Mike Chan and his band from Manila, Promissory Note from Univer-sity of Southern Philippines in Cebu and Muses Acoustic Band from University of Southeastern Philippines in Davao. The roadshows also aim to encourage stu-dents to join Sun Broadband Quest, the battle to be the country’s top all-original band of 2013.

The competition is open to all un-signed and amateur college bands com-posed of three to five members. To join, interested bands simply need to pur-chase any Sun Broadband product and submit their entries that include a home video of their band playing an original song and a cover of any song from their favorite artist. Deadline of entries is until June 15, 2013.

The winning band will be guaranteed P150,000 cash prize, an album produced and released by MCA Universal, own mu-sic video, and paid gigs at Sun and MCA Universal-sponsored events.

For more information, visit www.sun-broadband.ph/bandquest.

You can also catch the Sun Broadband Quest in Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Baguio and Pangasinan!

Mike Chan and his band rocking it all out at the Sun Broadband Quest road-show!

Cebu-based Promissory Note per-forming at Parkmall in the Queen City of South

Muses Acoustic Band serenading the students of University of Southeastern Philippines, Davao.

A2 VOL.5 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013EDGEDAVAOUP AND ABOUT MOVIES

Sun Broadband promotes music among Filipino youth Oz the Great and Powerful

conjures up $80.3 million

SCHOOL FAIR AND TECHNICAL EXHIBIT. It was a full house at the two-day Engineering and Architecture Fair at Abreeza Mall on 8-9 March 2013. Booths showcased Ateneo de Davao University (ADDU) student engineering research project prototypes and poster presentations. Participating ADDU departments included Civil Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Computer Engineering, Electronics Engineering, Industrial Engineering and Mechanical Engineering. The ADDU Architecture Department exhibited scale models of biomimicry-themed student thesis projects. Scale models of structures and spaces looked to nature for inspiration in designing sustainable solutions. Other activities included a battle of the bands competition and a raffle draw for the benefit of Rainbow Intervention Center for Autism Foundation, Inc.

CALLING ALL MOMS AND DADS! Great deals await you in Baby Company’s Baby Sale. From March 1 to 31, enjoy up to 50% discount on a wide selection of your favorite brands plus get a free Zoo Bin to organize toys, books and more for a minimum single-receipt purchase of P3,000 only. Hurry and shop at your nearest Baby Company store at SM Department Store. Don’t forget your Mom Card to earn points while shopping. Connect with us on our website at www.babycompany.com.ph and Facebook at babycompanyph to know more of our promo.

INdulge!

BEN Affleck should be having the time of his life right now, having just won the Best Picture Oscar for his film, Argo. And he is, despite recent speculative tabloid reports that claim his marriage with wife Jennifer Garner is on the rocks. “I’ve been able to re-ally just enjoy my good fortune in the last couple of weeks and sit back and kind of just take it in and not do anything, just eat ice cream on the couch,” Ben told report-ers at today’s 10th An-nual John Varvatos Stuart House Benefit about life post-Oscar. “It’s been a re-ally nice time to hang out with my wife and that sort of thing, so we’re just en-joying it.” Doesn’t sound very rocky to us. Both Ben and Jennifer stepped out as honorary co-chairs for the fundraiser in support of the Rape Treatment Cen-ter. “There’s a good period of time that I see as an ex-tension of the movie and

the work that you put into the movie continues through that time and it’s great in a lot of different ways. And then it ends,” Ben told us about things returning to normal after the chaos of awards sea-son. He continued, “And now when I spend my time coming out to do events, I choose events like this that have some

cause or some benefit other than just trying to go after something for my movie or what have you. Not that there’s anything wrong with that, but it’s also important to balance it with this kind of activity too. It just feels good.” In fact, Ben wasn’t just supporting the Stuart House today, but also his wife, who was the reason he got involved with the organization in the first place and who, for the re-cord, he gushed is “great”: “This is an organization that my wife got involved with. She hosted this event eight years ago. She told me about it and what she saw at Stuart House,” he explained. “That really stuck with me and I want-ed to support it. Particu-larly, because these kind of causes are thought of largely as women’s is-sues…If it is just women that stay supporting that and they don’t get any support from men it will always be a little bit mar-ginalized as a women’s thing. And violence, sex-ual or otherwise, against our fellow human beings is a crime against all of us.”

AND the hits just keep on coming for Justin Bieber. After his less than great week in London, which in-cluded starting a concert two hours late, collapsing on stage and lunging at a photographer, the pop star’s ex-girlfriend Selena Gomez is now adding fuel to the fire. In a new YouTube video, Gomez and sev-eral friends, including Secret Life of the Ameri-can Teenager star Fran-

cia Raisa, perform a choreographed dance routine to Dustin Tavella’s “Everybody Knows.” A sample lyric? “Everyone knows...your boyfriend is a douchebag.” Other lyrics in-clude, “You know he’s got somebody on the side, girl, and the way he talks to us is a sin. He just keep sinnin’ on. I really think it’s time girl you quit defend-ing him.” So is the video a dig at Bieber? Charity Lynne Bar-

oni, the choreographer, tweeted, “We danced to-night. It was awesome. Especially because we dedicated it to someone .... and then ate Chinese food after.” (The tweet has since been deleted.) As for Gomez, she post-ed, “Me and my girls just doin what we do...dancin! haha... Big thanks to @DustinTavella for making such a sick anthem! And to @ChaeLynne for her amazing choreography : )”

SOMETHING tells us Sarah Jessica Parker isn’t a huge fan of the Carrie Diaries. The Sex and the City star gave her rather blunt opinion about the show-turned-movie’s prequel recently, and let’s just say it wasn’t a rave review. When asked how she felt about another actress playing Carrie Bradshaw,

the iconic main character of Sex and the City, Parker told Net-a-Porter, “I’m not sure…You know, I think it’s one of those tests of your generosity. She [AnnaSo-phia Robb] is a lovely girl and I want her to feel good about it, but it’s…odd.” While Robb has kept mum on Parker’s com-ments about the CW show, she hasn’t been qui-

et about the show itself, dishing to fans on Twitter Thursday that shooting for The Carrie Diaries’ first sea-son was complete. “Last day on set! Our incredible wardrobe dpt dressed in full 80s!!! And did a flash mob in one of our scenes,” Robb tweeted Thursday. “That’s a wrap on season 1 of #thecarrie-diaries.”

A3VOL.5 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013EDGEDAVAOENTERTAINMENT

Ben Affleck on Jennifer Garner, life after Oscars“It’s been a really nice time to hang out with my wife”

Did Selena Gomez diss Justin Bieber in new dance video?

Sarah Jessica Parker on The Carrie Diaries: “It’s odd”

INdulge!

A4 INdulge! VOL.5 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 2013EDGEDAVAOTRAVEL

PIADI GROUNDBREAKING. Officers and members of Printing Industries Association of Davao, Inc. (PIADI) led by chairman Lands Aviola (7th from left) offer a prayer during the blessing and groundbreaking ceremony of PIADI Multi-Purpose Coop-erative building project in General Santos City. The said build-ing will house the cooperative’s Gen. Santos City branch and

will have a 4-door warehouse which will be available for leas-ing. Also in the photo are (from L-R) director Armand Lim, Edna Ramirez, Pacita Aviola, director Marissa Atega, director Olivia Velasco, Dominic Carpio, treasurer Jon-Jon Ramirez, Bashir Husain, director Nenita Milana and officiating priest Rev. Fr. Jeniño D. Agudulo . Lean Daval Jr.


TAKING a time out from work, Sa-rangani Governor

Miguel Dominguez sure

knows why golf is a best respite from governance.

For a change, the youthful Governor took

guidance from his cad-die and followed the instructions like an ex-ecutive order. At day’s end, Dominguez happily signed a one-under par scorecard good for 37 points to win the overall individual gross title of the 5th Phoenix Open golf tournament.

After swinging one of the ceremonial balls along with Phoenix Pres-ident and CEO Dennis Uy early in the morn-ing, Dominguez tamed the par-72 Rancho Palos Verdes layout and fired the day’s only sub-par round.

Sharing the limelight with Dominguez were women’s tandem Evelyn Quinsay and Virgie Her-meston, Joe Elises, Mark Oropeza, Ninot Galicia, Renato Sanchez, Archie Moralizon, Rolly Lazarte, Jericho Bajo, Doming La-noy and Ed De Guzman.

The Quinsay-Her-meston duo combined for an aggregate 87 after piecing together 46 and 41 to beat the men’s tan-dem of Oscar Garcia and Greg Del Monte (77) and Dieny Monadero and Vic-tor Co (76).

Elises won the over-all net title with a 47, Oropeza won the Class A net with a 39, Galicia took the Class A gross with an even par 36, San-chez won the Class B net,

Moralizon took the Class B gross, Bajon won the Class C net, Bajo got the Class C gross, De Guzman bagged the Class D net and Lanoy went home with the Class D gross.

Uy thanked the 240 golfers who answered the twin tee times and the strong support of the tournament partners.

“We are glad that this tournament that we started five years ago is now one of the most awaited golf events in Davao, Phoenix will con-tinue to provide you with this brand of tour-nament,” said Uy in his speech during the award-ing ceremonies which featured celebrity host Ethel Booba and the tele-vision coverage team of television network AKTV composed of Erika Padil-la, Lian Cruz, Mara Aqui-no and Jake Gonzales.

In the team division, Eagle 3 with Elises, Jorge Segovia, Tony Batao, Apo Luna and Alvin Te-sado, won the team title with a combined scores of 167. Pioneer 1 of Joe Lafuente, Cesar Sulaik, Obet Canilao, Richmond Alejo, and Roy Quemada with 156 points finished second. Pomelo Verde 1 composed of Martin Sara, Richard Dorado, Jeffrey Abijay, Jun Canedo and Hermie Martin with 154 was third.

15EDGEDAVAO SPORTS

THE 76th Araw ng Dabaw basketball tournament opens

today with a two-game bill at the Davao City Rec-reation Center.

Mayor Sara Duterte and Vice Mayor Rodrigo Duterte have been invit-ed to grace the opening ceremonies this after-noon with the organizing Liga Dabaw officials led by chairman Willie Tor-res and league commis-sioner Butch Ramirez. Samahang Basketball ng Pilipinas regional direc-tor Boy Cua will also be present.

Defending champion Montana Pawnshop with import Jamel Comley is the sentimental pick to retain the title although the strongest team on paper is the 2012 Ka-dayawan champion Roy-al Mandaya Hotel-VMO which will possibly bring in Global Port import Jus-tin Williams.

Goldstar Hardware with the San Beda con-nection of Sam Ekwe and Pong Escobal is the tour-nament darkhorse.

The fourth team is Team Villar from Manila. (Neil Bravo)

5TH PHOENIX OPEN GOLF

It’s Da Gov!By Neil Bravo

Women’s tandem wins Partners title

AnD cagefest opens today

CHAMP. Sarangani Governor Migz Dominguez (top) shows fine for off the tee en route to winning the gross overall title. (Below left) Joe Marfori watches his putt roll. PCSupt Alden Delvo (right) pitches from the apron and

the winning tandem of Evelyn Quinsay and Virgie Hermeston in the partner division of the 5th Phoenix Open. Boy Lim

VOL.6 ISSUE 264 • TUESDAY, MARCH 12, 201316 EDGEDAVAOSPORTS

JEFFREY Sotto of Ili-gan weathered a mad chase by title favorite

Anthony Nerza to score a wire-to-wire win in the 2nd Araw ng Dabaw Phoe-nix Marathon on Sunday.

Sotto broke away from the pack right from the bark of gun at SM City Davao in Ecoland and for a visiting runner, it looked like that was quite a big risk. He proved the experts wrong when he sustained his pace de-spite the final push by the reigning Milo region-al champion Nerza in the final three kilometers.

Nerza poured on the heat on the descent from Buhangin but that proved to be futile as he lost steam and finished a mere ten strides adrift of Sotto when the Iligan champion crossed the arc at SM Lanang Premier.

Sotto negotiated the 42.195 kilometer distance in 2 hours37 minutes and 48 sec-onds. Nerza checked in four seconds behind for second place. Brian Quiamco came in third with a time of 2:47:57, followed by Rodel Qui-lab (2:53:11) and Jen-

sen Lloyd Pasaporte (2:56:49).

More than 3,000 run-ners from Mindanao and Manila joined the “SM to SM Run” which also featured races in 3K, 5K, 10K and 21K.

Nerza will have to be content celebrating a rousing win by girlfriend Emily Avergonzado .

Avergonzado won the women’s title with a time of 3:27:15 best-ing top bet and Borken-shire teammate Cynthia Jaro (3:33:13) and her coach Mona Lisa Am-basa (3:33:35). Cristy Sevellino (3:37:07) and Michelle Batac (3:39:24) rounded out the top five.

Sotto and Avergonza-do each received a grand prize of P25,000 in cash. Second placers received P15,000, third placers P10,000, fourth P5,000, and fifth P3,000.

In the 21K race, Ra-fael Poliquit led the men with a time of 1:13:30. Philip Dueñas (1:14:06) finished second, fol-lowed by Joebert Car-olino (1:15:29) at third, Gilbert Maluyo (1:20:12) at fourth, and Arnie Ma-cañeras (1:32:21) at fifth.

Iligan bet upstages NerzaBy Neil Bravo

PHOENIX OPEN. Phoenix Petroleum CEO Dennis Uy (left) swings the ceremonial ball of the 5th Phoenix Open golf tournament. Joel Yamyamin (right) blasts out of the trap. Story on page 15. (Boy Lim)

edge davao 5 issue 264

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