edge davao 8 issue 169

P 15.00 • 20 PAGESwww.edgedavao.netVOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015

By ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO [email protected]

TF UV EXPRESSNo suspect yet in van blast, DCPO forms Task Force to probe explosion

EDGE Serving a seamless society

DAVAO

EDGEDAVAOSports

P14

Crucial volley tiffs in PSL Grand PrixTHE Davao City Police Of-

fice (DCPO) has formed a task force to probe the

explosion inside a public util-ity van on Wednesday morn-ing.

DCPO director Senior Superintendent Vicente D Danao Jr. issued the order on the afternoon of November

18 creating Special Investiga-tion Task Group (SITG) “UV Express” to investigate the bombing incident and find out the motive behind it.

Composed of eight person, the SITG is composed of eight persons headed by Danao as the commander and DCPO Investigation and Detective

Management Branch (IDMB) head Superintendent Francis Donal Brillantes as assistant commander.

The members of the team are Police Regional Office 11-Regional Crime Laborato-ry Office (PRO 11-RCLO) chief Senior Superintendent Noemi Austero, Criminal Investi-

gation and Detection Group (CIDG) 11-Anti-Cybercrime chief Superintendent Crisle T. Cainong, CIDG-Davao City representative Chief Inspec-tor Johanna May Lagundi, DC-PO-Intelligence Unit chief Su-perintendent Jed Clamor, Talo-mo Police Station commander

STRICT SEARCH. A member of Sta. Ana Police Station inspects the bags and other belongings of public utility van (PUV) passengers at a van terminal along J.P. Laurel Avenue yesterday. Davao City has been placed on heightened alert after an improvised explosive device exploded inside a PUV the other day. Lean Daval Jr.

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 20152 EDGEDAVAO

NEWS

THE Davao City Treasur-er’s Office (CTO) has reported a decrease in

the real property tax (RPT) delinquency after a series of data cleansing this year.

Speaking in yesterday’s I-Speak media forum, CTO head Rodrigo Riola said his office has now recorded P1.1 billion in RPT collectibles, down from P1.7 billion last year.

“As what I have said during the last session, those are captured data from the system which are still subject for cleaning,” he said.

Riola said the cleansing of

the data errors is not an over-night process and takes a long time to complete.

He said as of August this year when his office asked the City Assessor’s Office for the list, the RPT delinquency col-lectibles was P1.5 billion.

“Nagababa siya kay tun-god nalimpyohan na namo siya (It decreased because we have cleansed it already),” he said.

Riola also said the P1.7 billion in collectible was not the exact amount because there were some double entry accounts.

“So, mao na among gina-

limpyuhan (That what we cleansed),” he said.

Riola said aside from the double entries, the CTO also tagged some property owners in the city as “hard accounts” or owners who will not pay the property taxes because the property is not in their possession anymore.

He said as of the mo-ment, the collectible amount from hard accounts total to P267milllion.

He cited an example in the Bucana area which is owned by a prominent family. He said the family will not pay the tax since the property is overrun

by informal settlers.Riola said his office is ask-

ing Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte and the City Council to help collect the tax delinquencies.

Riola said he has already asked the City Legal Office to study the matter for appropri-ate legal actions.

In February 2014, Vice Mayor Paolo Z. Duterte hit the CTO for the big amount of RPT delinquencies in the city.

Paolo said if the CTO will not work seriously on tax col-lection, the Council will act ac-cording to law for the imposi-tion of applicable penalties for dereliction of duty.

TO facilitate the re-en-ergization of Ponciano Substation, Davao Light

and Power Co. will conduct a 30-minute power interruption on November 22, Sunday, any-time between 12:01 a.m. to 2:00 a.m.. This will affect customers connected to selected feeders in Ponciano, Ecoland, Sta. Ana and Bajada Substations.

The load of the said sub-station was temporarily trans-ferred to nearby lines last Nov. 10 to facilitate upgrading works. Now that the necessary works were completed, the loads will now be transferred back to its original set-up.

Customers affected by these power interruptions are those in some parts of down-town area particularly in Pon-ciano, Rizal, C.M. Recto, Bou-levard, Quirino, Marfori and Bankerohan. This also includes

SIR Sandawa and Ecoland Sub-division.

Also affected are those along J.P. Laurel Avenue that is from El Bajada Hotel up to Redemptorist Church. This in-cludes areas of Dona Vicenta, Bacaca and El Rio.

Customers along diversion road from Buhangin Underpass up to Maa proper including Yni-guez Subdivision, Woodridge, Monteritz, Jade Valley, Crocodile Park, Langub and Magtuod will also experience this service dis-ruption.

Davao Light apologizes for the inconvenience of this sched-uled power interruption. But it will exert all efforts to restore electric service as scheduled or earlier. However, there may be instances where restoration may extend beyond the sched-ule due to unavoidable circum-stances.

SECURITY measures at the F. Bangoy International Airport have been tight-

ened after an explosion inside a commercial van occurred along Ecowest Drive fronting Ecoland 4000 Residences around 9:30 a.m. Wednesday.

In a text message to Min-daNews, Chief Insp. Eugene Balugo, chief of the F. Bangoy International Airport’s Po-lice Station and PNP Aviation Security Unit 11, said that airport security has already been stepped up even before the incident took place due to the week-long APEC Leaders’ Summit in Manila.

“We are monitoring more often areas within our perim-eter,” he said.

He said more than 40 se-curity personnel from the Re-gional Public Safety Battalion (RPSB) 11, Task Force Davao, Civil Aviation Authority of the

Philippines (CAAP), and Sasa Police Station are ensuring security at the airport and the safety of the passengers.

The explosion along the Ecowest Drive involved a commercial Toyota Hi-Ace van from Pikit, North Cota-bato driven by German Daag. His aide, Tatat Besañez, was injured when they left the SM van terminal as they head-ed towards the Times Beach area to eat breakfast.

The aide was immediate-ly brought to the Southern Philippines Medical Center (SPMC) where he received medical treatment after sus-taining minor injuries.

A staff of the van terminal, who refused to be named for lack of authority to speak on the incident, told reporters that there were two passen-gers who disembarked just

THE Davao City Business Bureau is monitoring illegal van terminals in

the city that are still operat-ing despite a warning from Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte.

Speaking in yesterday’s I-Speak media forum, Busi-ness Bureau head lawyer Lawrence Bantiding said his office is coordinating with City Traffic and Management Office (CTTMO) to inspect all van terminals.

“Our monitoring is ongo-ing an in fact we coordinate with CTTMO for the inspec-tions,” he said.

Bantiding said the Busi-ness Bureau and the CTTMO will look into the alleged van terminals in Mini Forest, Que-zon Boulevard.

“Amoa pud na silang tan-awon kay sa nakita namo murag ga-park lang man tong mga vans sa gilid sa kalsada (We will look on that because as what I have seen, the vans are just parked by the road),”

he said.He said the Business Bu-

reau has closed down three illegal van terminals just out-side the Davao City Overland Transport Terminal (DCOTT).

In his television pro-gram “Gikan sa Masa, Para sa Masa” last Sunday, Duterte gave a warning to operators of illegal van terminals af-ter learning that the CTTMO was still receiving reports of “colorum” vehicles still plying the streets and that some bus terminals operate without a franchise from the Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board (LT-FRB).

The mayor said some of the illegal terminals can be found along F. Torres Street, Rizal Street, the area along Quezon Boulevard, Sta. Ana Avenue, the Panacan area, and the area fronting Victoria Plaza. (Armando B. Fenequi-to Jr. with reports from Min-daNews)

ANTI-APEC. A progressive group member dramatizes the call against the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) during the regional anti-APEC mobilization rally at Freedom Park along Roxas Avenue yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

RECYCLE. City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CENRO) head Engr. Elisa Madrazo (rightmost), assistant city administrator lawyer Tristan Dwight Domingo (second from right), Consul Tomoko Dodo (third from right)

of Japan and myclimate Japan analyst Shigeto Mizumoto give updates on a project to use used cooking oil as bio-diesel fuel. The four were guests in yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall. Lean Daval Jr.

CTO notes decreasein RPT delinquencyBy ARMANDO B. FENEQUITO JR.

[email protected]

Davao airport security tightened after van explosion

Business Bureau monitoringillegal van terminal operations

30-minute power interruption on Nov. 22

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VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015 3EDGEDAVAOEDGEDAVAO NEWS

GOVERNOR Emmy-lou Taliño-Mendoza bared on Tuesday

that a P100,000 reward has been raised for the arrest of the mastermind behind the grenade blasts in this municipality over the weekend.

“We have revived the Task Force Kabacan to strengthen choke points in the area. We offer incen-tives to those who can give information to the identi-ty of the perpetrators or mastermind,” the gover-nor said.

Mendoza said Kaba-can Mayor Herlo Guzman pledged half of the reward money, saying the local government is leading the

investigation to determine the mastermind behind the blasts that left five per-sons injured evening of November 15.

The following night, still unidentified men lobbed a grenade at the parking area of a gasoline station, wherein one per-son was injured.

Mendoza said that the provincial government is presently conducting re-fresher training course for Barangay Peacekeeping Action Team (BPAT) mem-bers in different towns to better equip them in their job of securing and main-taining peace and order.

As this developed, Senior Supt. Alex Tagum,

Cotabato Provincial Police Office (CPPO) chief, said they already strengthened security in this bustling town, which also hosts the University of Southern Mindanao.

Supt. Bernard Tay-ong, CPPO spokesperson, said the reactivation of Task Force Kabacan will help ensure safety of the local folks.

Apart from the local police, the task force is composed of augmenta-tion personnel from the CPPO and from different police stations in the prov-ince.

Following the blasts, Tayong believes that the

P100K reward offeredfor NorCot blast suspects

YAAAWWWN. A young participant yawns while listening to the program during the city-wide teen congress at the Davao Recreation Center yesterday. Lean Daval Jr.

F P100K, 11


A LAWMAKER has filed a bill seeking to prohibit the renaming of roads

named after Filipinos who made a huge impact on Philip-pine history.

Buhay Partylist Rep. Jose L. Atienza Jr. said House Bill 5999 aims to protect the importance of history of Filipinos on soci-ety, and to keep them remem-bered for future generations.

In pushing for the pas-sage of the bill, Atienza noted the “perceived practice of the members of the House of Rep-resentatives to rename roads to thank benefactors and rec-ognize family members.”

“There have been roads named after Filipinos who have contributed much to Phil-ippine history and culture that

have been changed without a second thought,” he said.

This will no longer be al-lowed once his bill is passed into law, he said.

The bill mandates the State to recognize Filipinos who have contributed to the coun-try’s culture and development and to keep their memory en-shrined for future generations.

To ensure this, the bill provides that no road already named after a Filipino who has contributed to Philippine culture and history can be re-named.

Any person, whether nat-ural or juridical, who initiates, causes or approves the renam-ing of a road shall be held liable under the proposed act, the bill provides. (PNA)

THE Philippines, through the Technical Education and Skills Development

Authority (TESDA) and Aus-tralia sealed a partnership agreement to strengthen and broaden cooperation and mu-tual assistance in technical vo-cational education and train-ing (TVET) in their respective countries.

The memorandum of un-derstanding was signed on the sidelines of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Meeting

which Manila is hosting from Nov. 18 to 19.

At the end of the bilater-al meeting, President Aquino said, “We likewise welcome the finalization of the Philip-pines-Australia Memorandum of Understanding on Cooper-ation in Technical and Voca-tional Education and Training (TVET). This will allow us to share knowledge, information, and best practices with each other, particularly in areas of mutual interest, and collabo-

AN election lawyer has said that the disqualifi-cation cases filed against

Senator Grace Poe involving her citizenship should be dis-missed by the Commission on Elections (Comelec) in light of the decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal (SET) de-claring the lawmaker as a nat-

ural-born Filipino citizen.“Whether or not the cliff-

hanger 5-4 decision of the Senate Electoral Tribunal that Senator Grace Poe is a natu-ral-born Filipino citizen is ap-pealed to the Supreme Court and regardless of the SC’s deci-sion on this issue, the Commis-sion on Elections (Comelec)

has no other recourse but to dismiss all disqualification cas-es against Poe that involve her citizenship,” said Atty. Romulo Macalintal in a statement.

He noted that the ruling only showed that the indepen-dent presidential aspirant in next year’s polls did not “de-

NEWS

ABOUT 60 children and adults are expected to join the first “Into the

Forest Nature Camps” by the Tuburan Institute Inc. on No-vember 22 and 28 in Tugbok District, Davao City.

“The monthly camps are inclusive and non-competi-tive,” Tuburan Institute, Inc.

administrator Maya Flaminda Javellana Vandenbroeck said during the I-Speak Media Fo-rum at City Hall yesterday.

Tuburan Institute Inc. is a non-stock, non-profit, Stein-er-inspired school in Davao City.

Vandenbroeck said the camp will allow participant

aged 5 years old and above to “expand their creativity, culti-vate curiosity, independence, and cooperation.”

“The camp uses storytell-ing to introduce and scene from one activity to the next,” she said. “Participants get to practice their speed, strength, creativity, problem solving,

balance, flexibility, and mem-ory.”

Vandenbroeck said par-ticipants of the camp will also get to work their senses in new ways to build trust and cooperation.

“The Bush Craft activities draw out their patience and

DOUBLE CHECK. San Pedro Police Station operatives check motorcycle drivers’ licenses and certificates of registration along Quimpo Boulevard as part of the heightened security measures due to the bombing of a public utility van (PUV) on Wednesday. Lean Daval Jr.

Tuburan Institute holds first‘Into the Forest Nature Camps’

[email protected] CHENEEN R. CAPON

DATA CLEANSING. City treasurer Rodrigo Riola gestures as he says real property tax (RPT) delinquencies this year decreased after a series of data cleansing made by

the City Trouser’s Office (CTO). Riola graced yesterday’s I-Speak media forum at City Hall. Lean Daval Jr.

Comelec should dismiss all DQ cases vs. Poe: Lawyer

Bill bans renaming of roads

PHL, Aussie inks TVET partnership

F PHL, 13F TUBURAN, 11

F LAWYER, 11

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015 5EDGEDAVAO


ECONOMYVOL. 8 ISSUE 166 • TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 17, 2015 7

ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE EXTENSION OF THE TENDER OFFER FOR SHARES OF

DAVAO DOCTORS HOSPITAL (CLINICA HILARIO), INC.Metro Pacific Hospital Holdings, Inc. (“MPHHI”)

(formerly Neptune Stroika Holdings, Inc.), hereby announces that its offer to acquire the remaining 587,154 common shares of Davao Doctors Hospital (Clinica Hilario), Inc. (“DDH”) which comprise approximately 65.18% of the total outstanding shares of DDH, is extended from its original deadline of 5:00 p.m. of November 19, 2015 to 5:00 pm of December 19, 2015. The Securities and Exchange Commission approved MPHHI’s request for extension of the Tender Offer Period in its letter dated November 6, 2015, and received by MPHHI on November 13, 2015

Correspondingly, the start of the Settlement Date will also be moved to December 21, 2015.

The offer period is extended to give DDH shareholders more time to consider the offer and clarify some terms, and prepare the necessary documentary requirements.

Except for the extension of the deadline of the Tender Offer and the corresponding adjustment of the start of the Settlement Date as indicated above, all the other terms and conditions of the Tender Offer as published remain unchanged.

For more information and for inquiries regarding the tender you may contact the Tender Offer Agent as follows:

Atty. Dominador Maphilindo O. CarrilloSyCip Salazar Hernandez and Gatmaitan Law Offices

The Penthouse, 17/F, Landco Corporate CentreJ.P. Laurel Avenue, Bajada, Davao City 8000

Telephone No. : (6382) 221-3917Email Address : [email protected]

Each stockholder of DDH is advised to read the full terms and conditions of the Tender Offer and SEC Form 19-1. Inquiries and requests for assistance and copies of SEC Form 19-1 may be directed to the Tender Offer Agent, whose address and telephone numbers are indicated above.

EDGEDAVAO

CULTURE & ARTSHISTORY OF DAVAOMaglana in defense of SabahBy ANTONIO FIGUEROA

ON September 19, 2015, Sultan Esmail Kiram II, the reigning sovereign of

the Sultanate of Sulu and North Borneo since October 26, 2013, at age 76, died due to kidney fail-ure in Zamboanga City. He suc-ceeded his elder brother, the late Sultan Jamalul Kiram III, to the throne, and was later replaced by the crown prince, Rajamuda Datu Phugdal Kiram, 75, as the next sultan in “strict adherence to the law and order of succes-sion.”

North Borneo was original-ly known as Sabah, a territory ceded by the sultan of Borneo to the sultanate of Sulu for helping the former’s kingdom against European threat, specifically the Dutch aggression, in 1704.

Under the 1960 UN Gener-al Assembly Resolution 1541 (XV), Principle 9 of the Annex, which set the referendum in North Borneo and Sarawak as “free and without coercion,” the territory that rightfully belongs to the Philippines, by legal right and title, was ‘given’ to Malaysia.

Three years later, from June 7-13, 1963, in order to resolve the issues affecting the Sabah claim, the Manila Accord was signed on July 31, 1963 by Ma-laysia, Indonesia and the Philip-pines, and this included a joint statement by all three parties. Throughout the negotiation, tension was high between the successor state (Malaysia) and the claimant country (Philip-

pines).

‘Sabah is Philippines’Least known among the

Filipino figures that staunchly defended the Sabah case was Davao Oriental congressman Constancio B. Maglana who stood in the House of Represen-tatives on March 27, 1968 to deliver a privilege speech titled “Sabah is Philippines.”

Rep. Maglana’s speech was made while both the Senate and the House of Representatives were conducting a full-scale inquiry into the “Corregidor in-cident” (the debunked Jabidah massacre), the wick Malaysia used in accusing the Philippines before the United Nations for “committing inimical acts to their interests”. As a result, Filipi-nos were persecuted, prompting the Davao lawmaker to lambaste Malaysia:

“[O]ur nationals in Sabah are now being subjected to in-dignities. They are arrested for alleged violations of their im-migration laws by considering them as transient newcomers when they themselves admit that these compatriots of ours have been long-time residents of Sabah. Reports had been re-ceived in this Chamber that our nationals, when arrested by [the Malaysians], are quarantined in dark places and allowed to thrive on very little food and treated like ordinary criminals. That is the way our nationals are

treated. While in our country, when their nationals violate our laws, yes, we apprehend them, but we treat them decently. We feed them, clothe them, and house them in proper places as much as we could.”

Upping the anteThe row between the Philip-

pines and Malaysia further esca-lated the following year follow-ing an allegation in the editorial of Sabah Times that the country was channeling funds for inde-pendent candidates in Sabah. Maglana did not allow this vitriol pass without retort by hurling his blunt commentary, saying:

“Malaysia is again resorting to psychological warfare. This time it has become presumptu-ous to use the Philippines as a tool in making the world believe that there is some form of de-mocracy in that oppressed colo-nial state by putting words in our mouths conveying the meaning that there is an opposition in Sabah. The accusation is most welcomed because it gives us the opportunity to announce to the world that there is no such thing as an opposition I Sabah, neither in Brunei or Sarawak, hence the administration, even if it is the last thing it will do on earth, will not waste one centavo for an op-position that does not exist.”

This statement came just few days before the UN-spon-sored electoral exercise was conducted in the contested ter-

ritory. The Davao congressman continued:

“All this talk about general ‘elections’ in Malaysia… is all a mock and simulated suffrage to-fool the entire world that Malay-sia is not a colonial aggrupation led by the former country of Ma-laya or Federation of Malaya as puppet head nation.”

UnchangedForty years later, the issue

about Sabah remained un-changed. On August 20, 2008, during the Arroyo administra-tion, Malacañang issued Mem-orandum Circular 162 entitled “Guidelines on Matters Pertain-ing to North Borneo (SABAH)” to government departments as

regards any act or statement ex-pressing or implying, directly or indirectly, any recognition of a foreign state’s sovereignty over Sabah, a Philippine territory.

In part, the circular provides that “No department, agency, or instrumentality of the Philippine Government shall make any act or statement expressing or im-plying, directly or indirectly, any recognition of a foreign state’s sovereignty over North Borneo (Sabah) or non-recognition of Philippine title or historical and legal rights to the same.”

In 2013, after the bloody confrontation between the Ma-laysian forces and heirs to Sabah sultanate ended, the government considered bringing the territo-

rial claim of the Sultanate of Sulu over Sabah before an interna-tional tribunal for resolution.

Despite claiming territori-al rights over Sabah, Malaysia, as a result of the lease of Sabah signed on January 22, 1878, be-tween the sultan of Sulu and the British North Borneo Company represented by Baron Gustavos von de Overbeck and Alfred Dent, Malaysia continues to pay to this day a token annual rent of 5,300 ringgit (P77,000) to the sultanate of Sulu as “cession fee.”

As a footnote, Rep. Magla-na, it must be remembered, authored Republic Act 5747, signed on June 21, 1969, which created the town of Banaybanay, Davao Oriental.

Rep. Constancio B. Maglana and the Sultan Kiram II of Sulu (from www.mb.com.ph)

THE Japanese government is set to make Davao the model city for the bio-

diesel fuel (BDF) produced from used cooking oil.

Once implemented, Davao will become the first one to use the technology in the Philip-pines and the first in Asia out-side of Japan.

“The technology has not yet replicated in any places in the world. If implemented, it would be the first outside Ja-pan,” Japanese consul and di-rector for Davao Tomoko Dodo said in Thursday’s regular I-Speak forum.

The project is a partner-ship between the city govern-

ment of Davao, Japanese gov-ernment through Japanese In-ternational Cooperative Agen-cy (JICA) and private partners like the Biodiesel Japan and MyClimate Japan.

Dodo said Davao City has to start converting used cook-ing oil into BDF instead of dis-posing it to bodies of water,

especially that it is surrounded with bigger bodies of water that are not just source of live-lihood but also sanctuary of different marine animals.

Dodo said just like in Davao, the dumping of used cooking oil into canals and drainages used to be the same

Davao City as modelfor new Japanese techStudy on conversion of used cooking oil into biodiesel nearing completion

[email protected] CHENEEN R. CAPON

30K biz establishments set to renew permitsMORE than 30,000 busi-

ness establishments are expected to renew

their business permit in next year’s One-Stop-Shop renewal of Mayor’s Permit starting from January 3 to January 20 in two different venues.

“We intended to start on a Sunday to ensure that we will be able to give our business owners ample time to renew their Mayor’s Permits,”Business Bureau chief Lawrence Bantid-ing said in yesterday’s I-Speak media forum.

Bantiding said the two ven-ues where business owners can renew their permits for next

year are located in Sangguniang Panlunsod (SP) building and in the Kadayawan Hall of NCCC Mall of Davao in Matina.

The Business Bureau will be implementing different weekly schedule for each ven-ue.

For those clients in both the SP building and NCCC Mall, the bureau will be catering its cli-ents from 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m only during weekends.

However, the bureau will be operating from 8:00 a.m. in the morning until 7:30 p.m. on the first week which will be from January 4 to 8 in SP and will be extended up to 9:00 p.m.

the following week starting from January 11 to 15.

On January 18 and 19, the personnel of the business bu-reau will be catering up to 9:00 p.m. and up to 12 midnight on the last day which is on January 20.

Meanwhile, clients who resort of renewing their busi-ness permits at the NCCC Mall of Davao should be in the area from 8:00 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. on the first week.

The following week, the business bureau will be extend-ing it operation until 7:30 p.m. from January 4 to 8; and until 9:00 p.m from January 11 to 15

and 16 and 17.Clients will be catered until

10 p.m. on the last day of re-newal on January 20.

Bantiding said the busi-ness owners can still renew their permits even beyond January 20, but they will pay 25 percent penalty from their gross sales tax.

Among the basic require-ments of business permit re-newal are previous business permit, notarized list of all em-ployees, barangay clearance, Fire Safety Inspection Certif-icate (FISC), and available fi-nancial statement. CHENEEN R. CAPON

IN a bid to effectively reduce fisheries disputes between the Philippines and Taiwan

within their overlapping ex-clusive economic zones (EEZs) in the West Philippine Sea, the two countries has recently concluded the Agreement Concerning the Facilitation of Cooperation on Law Enforce-ment in Fisheries.

The pact was signed in Taipei by Antonio I. Basilio of the Manila Economic and Cul-tural Office (MECO) in Taiwan and Gary Song-huann Lin of the Taipei Economic and Cul-tural Office in the Philippines last November 5.

Following the signing, the two sides convened the first Technical Working Group meeting the same day.

The agreement was reached mainly to protect the rights and interests of Tai-wanese fishermen operating legally.

It resulted from negotia-tions in the aftermath of the tragic incident involving the Philippine Coast Guard patrol boat Maritime Control Surveil-lance 3001 and Taiwan fishing boat Guang Da Xing No. 28 in May 2013 -- which led to the death of Taiwanese fisherman Hung Shih-cheng -- and is meant to prevent any further such incidents.

The incident occurred in the high seas, within the over-lapping EEZs of the neighbor-ing countries.

Part of the agreement calls for the implementation of two mechanisms -- a one-hour ad-

vance notification to the other party and the release of de-tained vessels and crew within three days.

Under the agreement, be-fore law enforcement action is taken against a fishing vessel from the other party believed to be operating illegally in the overlapping EEZs, a one-hour advance notification will be given to the fisheries and coast guard agencies, as well as the representative office of the other party.

If the vessel is found to have violated the law and subsequently detained, it will be released within three days after posting reasonable bond or other security, or payment consistent with the law of the arresting party.

Taiwan President Ma Ying-jeou proclaimed that the agreement upholds the spirit and principles of the South China Sea Peace Initiative, which calls for shelving dis-putes, pursuing peace and rec-iprocity, and promoting joint exploration and development of resources.

The accord and exchange of notes will be announced af-ter both sides have completed their respective domestic ad-ministrative procedures.

In the meantime, the two countries have agreed to con-tinue to hold consultations be-tween their respective Foreign Affairs offices, Fisheries agen-cies and Coast Guards through the cooperation mechanism established under the said ac-cord. (PNA)

Phl, Taiwan ink fisheries law enforcement accord

F DAVAO CITY, 11

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015 7EDGEDAVAO

ENVIRONMENT

It’sTIME

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EDGE Serving a seamless society

DAVAOAs creative as you can get.

Philippine birds

(Last of Three Parts)

“WE are a high-bio-diversity country, that some of our

unique bird species have been part of our natural heritage. If they disappear, part of us will actually disappear along with them,” Dr. Theresa Mundita Lim, the director of the Biodi-versity Management Bureau, a line agency of the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, told Manila Bulle-tin last year.

But don’t worry; there are people who are trying to save the Philippine birds from van-ishing in this part of the world. You need to meet Dr. Roberto “Bo” Puentespina Jr., one of those who dedicated his life in saving the birds.

On November 10, 1995, he was busy working at his veter-inary clinic in Davao City when he received a phone call from a government official in Tandag, Surigao del Sur, that a wild caught Philippine eagle was delivered to the municipality by a farmer who claimed he saw the bird on the forest floor. It had a broken leg from snare trapping.

Upon hearing the news, Dr. Bo immediately decided to go. Three people accompa-nied him: Edison Dayos and Lito Cereno, the animal tech-

nician and education officer, respectively of the Philippine Eagle Foundation; and Rene Lumawag, a photojournalist who documented the trip.

Tandag is about 400 ki-lometers east of Mindanao. Going to the place by vehicle would entail long time travel – more than a day. Fortunate-ly, the Philippine Air Force had air assets based in Davao airport. “When the plane or helicopters are not being used, we can request them for our rescue missions. I think I went on 3 rescue flights and those birds we rescued have all sur-vived,” Dr. Bo recalls.

When the group arrived, Dr. Bo immediately went to the covered gym court located at the town proper where the female juvenile eagle was con-fined. He saw the eagle tied on one leg, with wings drooping (a sign of stress), soiled feath-ers, some flies around, but still alert and responsive. Gener-ally, birds don’t show them-selves as weak unless they’re about to die.

After explaining the obser-vations of the physical exam and prognosis with some gov-ernment officials and commu-nity elders, he wrapped the eagle with a clean blanket, cov-ered the eyes with a hood, and cradled the bird in his arms. F PHILIPPINE, 11

Dennis Salvador

Text and photos by HENRYLITO D. TACIO

Philippine eagle in a cage Dr. Roberto Puentespina

facing extinction


VANTAGE

EDITORIALAPEC-ted

THIS week must go down our modern history as the cra-ziest week ever.

This happened all because of the Asia Pacific Econom-ic Conference (APEC) where heads of states are in the country for the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting from November 18 to 19 in Manila. This is the biggest gathering among heads of state since the country first hosted the APEC Summit in 1996.

To make this happen, the government had to make some drastic measures to ensure the guests enjoy their stay in Ma-nila.

School holidays were declared on November 17 to 20, and special non-working holidays in Metro Manila on November 18 and 19. The government has also enforced a ban in most activities in and around Roxas Boulevard and Manila Bay, such as fishing, sailing, swimming, and walking. Rerouting schemes were implemented freeing up major streets from traffic. Hun-dreds of flights were cancelled, and the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the Philippine National Police (PNP)

were placed on red alert status during the five-day event. The Philippine Army, Air Force, and Navy deployed their land, air, and sea assets at several undisclosed positions within Metro Manila.

Wifi connectivity, notoriously the slowest in Southeast Asia, has also been boosted to ‘impress’ the delegates, and even the homeless and the street urchins were ‘detained temporarily’ to get rid of what may seem like eyesores.

In short, we threw our best foot forward for our short-stay-ing VIP guests. That’s typical Filipino hospitality. It is, by far, the best there could ever be.

While our guests enjoyed the hassle-free Manila for a week, the ordinary Filipino citizen will perhaps not get even close to that. Not even for a single day. As soon as our APEC guests have left, we will be back to normal—congested traffic, home-less children and old people lying on cold pavement, and snail-paced wifi connection.

Which one is the real Philippines then?

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

OLIVIA D. VELASCOGeneral Manager

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Correspondents

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Reporters

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PHILIPPINE PRESS INSTITUTEthe national association of newspapers

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015 VANTAGE POINTS 9EDGEDAVAO

“Inner peace can be reached only when we practice forgiveness. Forgiveness is letting go of the past, and is therefore the means for cor-recting our misperceptions.” ― Gerald G. Jam-polsky, author of Love Is Letting Go of Fear

***

THIS happened during the American Revolution. General George Washing-ton, who would later become the first

US president, had a good friend who was a minister (let’s just call him Patrick). Un-known to the general, Patrick had an enemy named Robert (that’s not his real though) who did everything he could to abuse and oppose him.

After some years, Robert was arrested for treason and sentenced to death. When Patrick heard of it, he walked almost 50 ki-lometers to the capital to plead for the man’s life. But Washington said, “No, I cannot grant you the life of your friend.”

“Who said that man is my friend?” Robert asked. “He is the bitterest enemy I have.”

Washington was completely surprised. “You mean you have to walk almost 50 kilo-meters to save the life of an enemy?” he said. “That puts the matter in a different light. I hereby grant his pardon.”

“Always forgive, but never forget, else you will be a prisoner of your own hatred, and doomed to repeat your mistakes forev-er,” wrote Wil Zeus in Sun Beyond the Clouds. Bree Despain, in The Dark Divine, penned: “We don’t forgive people because they de-serve it. We forgive them because they need it -- because we need it.”

Corrie Ten Boom once said: “Forgiveness is the key that unlocks the door of resent-

ment and the handcuffs of ha-tred. It is a pow-er that breaks the chains of bitterness and the shackles of selfishness.” This statement, which came from Clippings from My Note-book, reminded me of one of the anecdotes contained in 1000 Stories You Can Use by Frank Mihalic. It goes this way:

During the Vatican Council, the Time magazine reporter, Bob Piser, had been very hard in his criticism of Cardinal Ottaviani, whom he regarded as the arch-enemy of pro-gressive Catholicism. He became Bob’s scape-goat for anything archaic and old-fashioned in the Church.

Just before the second session of the Council, Bob got to Rome a week early and wanted to have an interview with Ottaviani. So he announced himself and stated his wish, and the American Monsignor who was Otta-viani’s secretary told him, “The nerve of you asking for an interview after all the nasty things you have written about the Cardinal. But, okay, I’ll go through the motions and ask, but you know what you can expect…”

He asked, and the Cardinal said in Italian, “Call him in.”

So Bob Piser was ushered into the tap-estry-hung waiting room. In came Ottaviani, shook hands with Bob, and the Monsignor translated his words, “Mr. Piser you have written many things about me. I just wanted

you to know that many of them are not true. Now, what can I do for you?”

“Grudges are for those who insist that they are owed something,” wrote Criss Jami in Salomé: In Every Inch In Every Mile, “for-giveness, however, is for those who are sub-stantial enough to move on.”

“People have to forgive,” points out C. JoyBell C, a noted author. “We don’t have to like them, we don’t have to be friends with them, we don’t have to send them hearts in text messages, but we have to forgive them, to overlook, to forget. Because if we don’t we are tying rocks to our feet, too much for our wings to carry!”

During the Civil War in the United States, Abraham Lincoln had occasion at an official reception to refer to the Southerners rather as erring human beings than as foes to be ex-terminated.

An elderly lady, a fiery patriot, rebuked him for speaking kindly of his enemies when he ought to be thinking of destroy them.

“Why, madam,” Lincoln told her, “do I not destroy my enemies when I make them my friends?”

Lance Morrow, author of The Chief: A Memoir of Fathers and Sons, reminded: ““Not to forgive is to be imprisoned by the past, by old grievances that do not permit life to proceed with new business. Not to forgive is to yield oneself to another’s control... to be locked into a sequence of act and response, of outrage and revenge, tit for tat, escalating al-ways. The present is endlessly overwhelmed and devoured by the past. Forgiveness frees the forgiver. It extracts the forgiver from someone else’s nightmare.”

Here’s what Wm. Paul Young, in The Shack, wrote: “Forgiveness is not about for-

getting. It is about letting go of another per-son’s throat. Forgiveness does not create a relationship. Unless people speak the truth about what they have done and change their mind and behavior, a relationship of trust is not possible. When you forgive someone you certainly release them from judgment, but without true change, no real relationship can be established.

“Forgiveness in no way requires that you trust the one you forgive,” Young further wrote. “But should they finally confess and repent, you will discover a miracle in your own heart that allows you to reach out and begin to build between you a bridge of rec-onciliation.

“Forgiveness does not excuse anything. You may have to declare your forgiveness a hundred times the first day and the second day, but the third day will be less and each day after, until one day you will realize that you have forgiven completely.”

Jesus Christ is “the ultimate symbol of for-giveness,” to quote the words of bestselling author Laurie Beth Jones. In Jesus, CEO: Using Ancient Wisdom for Visionary Leadership, she wrote: “Forgiveness is like oil in an engine. It keeps the wheels moving. Forgiveness is like gravity… invisible in its power yet profound in its effects.”

According to Ms. Jones, Jesus “kept on believing in his staff. He kept on giving them chances. He had a true sense of ‘try, try again.’ He always gave people another chance.”

Remember Peter, who pledged eternal faithfulness to Jesus and yet he denied Him three times? “It must have been difficult for Jesus to forgive, yet he appeared to Peter and forgave him, asking him to show his love now by ‘feeding his sheep.’”

Miriam, Wonder Woman in the fleshTIME flies so quickly that without our

knowing it, the 2016 presidential election is just less than 180 days

away.By this time, many voters must have

somehow made up their minds as to who their presidential bet is.

As for me, the name Miriam Santiago will be on my ballot. She’s my gal. She’s Wonder Woman in the flesh.

Here’s why. Our country needs strong-willed, firm, fearless, no-nonsense Presi-dent.

Miriam is that kind of leader. She’s brainy. She has more brains than all her rivals combined. She’s transparent and forthright. She has the vision for moving our country forward. She can give the right direction to achieve the much-needed so-cial and economic reforms that will im-prove the standard of living of our people.

We need a leader;- With guts, not grace,

- W h o doesn’t vacillate

- Who is visible w h e n c r i s e s erupt,

- W h o g o e s w h e r e the ac-tion is,

- Who doesn’t disappear for several days at the height of a crisis,

- Who is not afraid to own mistakes and apologize for wrong decisions or lapses in propriety,

- Who is quick to respond to crisis,- Who doesn’t blame others for his

shortcomings.

Miriam Santiago is all of the above.

-oooOooo-

Our country has had 16 presidents since attaining independent status in 1898 – 14 male, two female:

Emilio Aguinaldo, Manuel Quezon, Ser-gio Osmeña, Jose Laurel, Manuel Roxas;

Elpidio Quirino, Ramon Magsaysay, Carlos Garcia, Diosdado Macapagal, Ferdi-nand Marcos;

Corazon Aquino, Fedil Ramos, Joseph Estrada, Gloria Arroyo, Benigno Aquino III.

All of the above Presidents failed to:- Improve the lot of the common

man,- Improve the economy of the coun-

try,- Contain rising prices of prime com-

modities,- Raise wages of ordinary workers,- Provide decent housing for the

poor,- Provide effective long-term solu-

tions to contain corruption, unem-ployment, illegal gambling, illegal logging, kidnapping, carnapping, illegal drug-pushing, illegal recruit-ment of workers.

Under the combined tenures of the above Presidents, the Philippines still lags behind countries that have been ravaged by wars – Vietnam and Korea – that not only bounced bank from total devastation but have attained remarkable economic prosperity, surpassing the Philippines.

We have to admit that six years are too short a time for a president, no mat-ter how capable, to solve the decades-old problems. But a leader must know how to use the limited time on his hand blaze a clear trail towards the future.

It may help us to bear in mind that “a journey of a thousand miles begins with the first step”

Miriam Santiago made the first step when she filed her COC.

Unforgiven no more

Henrylito D. [email protected]

THINK ON THESE!


ICT HUB

STARTUP Weekend Davao (SWD) 2015 returns this November 20 to 22 at

the PLDT-Smart Business Cen-ter in Davao City to bring to-gether and empower the local startup scene.

“Startup Weekend is a 54-hour event that aims to bring together local technopre-neurs, developers, designers and business professionals to come together to share their ideas, form teams, build prod-ucts and launch startup com-panies,” said Dulce Rose Lada, Global Facilitator at Startup Weekend Davao and COO at TechTalks.ph.

Now in its fourth year, SW Davao will gather around 100 participants to host an environment that will bring together skilled and creative people together to tackle local problems through the use of technology.

“Startups can help solve problems such as social in-equality, financial literacy and healthcare provisions,” said Angel Abella, Vice President of Startup Davao.

SWD 2015 will also high-light the role of startups in boosting the Philippine econ-omy.

“The Philippine startup

ecosystem is still in its infan-cy, however, by 2020 the aim is to achieve at least 500 Phil-ippine startups with a cumu-lative valuation of $2 Billion,” Abella said while citing the Philippine Roadmap for Digi-tal Startups.

According to industry es-timates, as of 2015, there are around 100 startups with $40 M in funding, 250 founders and 1,700 highly-skilled jobs created.

According to Lada, past Startup Weekends have taught past participants about the local and global startup industry and gave insights on

what Filipino businesses need to compete internationally.

“Most especially, the event encouraged participants to build their own startups and, from there, build a synergetic community of startup movers and shakers,” she added.

The winning ideas from local SW events will then be joining the Global Startup Bat-tle (GSB). The top three teams in each city will compete in two regional rounds. Two regional winners from six re-gions will then face off against other teams to become the GSB Champ.

Winning teams move into

an online video pitch competi-tion for a chance to win prizes designed to help their startup idea succeed.

The panel of judges are Joey Limjap, Vice President & Head of ICT Research and Development of PLDT; Ernie Tomas Jr.,Chief of the Invest-ment Promotions Division of the Mindanao Development Authority; Eric Clark Su, CEO and Co-founder at Lifebit; John Naranjo, CEO & Founder at Ingenuity; Rica Villanue-va-Gadi, Managing Director at New Options Worldwide Out-sourcing Services.

Mentors for the event

are: Timmy de Jesus, Country Manager for the Philippines at JFDI.Asia - Joyful Frog Dig-ital Incubator; Eddie Ybañez, CEO and Co-Founder at Mi-Cab; Gilmar Padua, CEO at Infinityhub.com; Eliza Kirsten, President, Creative Director & Owner of Illumedia; Glo-rypearl Dy, CEO & Founder at SwitoTwins, Inc.; Marvin Te, Creative Director at Plainly Simple Studios; Franch Mav-erick Arellano Lorilla, COO and Co-Founder, Heat Stress Analyzer by CloudFarm; and Jan Rey Altivo, CEO and Co-Founder, Heat Stress Ana-lyzer by CloudFarm.

AIRASIA, the world’s best low cost airline for seven consecutive

years, launched its all-new mobile application offer-ing innovative new fea-tures, smoother functional-ity and an improved inter-face to provide guests with an enhanced and seamless flying experience with AirA-sia.

AirAsia’s mobile app is nominated as the ‘World’s Leading Low-Cost Airline App’ at the upcoming World Travel Awards. This en-

hanced version is now avail-able in 11 languages and it can be downloaded from the respective app stores of both iOS and Android de-vices.

Siegtraund Teh, Group Chief Commercial Officer of AirAsia said, “We are con-stantly investing in technol-ogy and innovation to make flying easier and more en-joyable for our guests. Our all-new mobile app offers our guests everything they need right at their finger-tips. There has been over

9 million downloads of the AirAsia mobile app on both iOS and Android platforms, and we hope that more peo-ple will discover the conve-nience of our new and im-proved mobile app.”

Among the new features of the AirAsia mobile app are the ‘Add to Calendar’ fea-ture, which automatically links upcoming flights to the calendar; faster and simpler flight booking process, as well as improved mobile check-in and Manage My Booking experience where

guests can include various add-ons to their flight book-ings easily.

Apart from that, guests can also now check flight status, obtain e-boarding pass (available for select-ed airports and flights), as well as view ongoing hotel deals conveniently through the new mobile app.

The 11 languages avail-able for the mobile app are English, Bahasa Malaysia, Bahasa Indonesia, Tradi-tional Chinese (Taiwan & Hong Kong), Simplified Chi-

nese (China), Thai, Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese and Arabic.

AirAsia first introduced the mobile app back in 2010 and was among the first airline in the region to develop its own app. AirA-sia has always been at the forefront of many other successfully implemented technological advances in the region such as internet booking, self-check-in via web, kiosks and mobile, self-tagging service as well as self-bag drop.

Startup Weekend Davao set Nov 20-22

AirAsia launches all-new mobile app

EVENTEDGEDAVAOINdulge!

Mr. Neil Rumbaoa, VP-Marketing of SM Hotels and Conventions Corp, lights up the Christmas Tree of Park Inn by Radisson Davao. With him during the lighting ceremony are the children from House of Hope, Mr. Ludwig Federigan, VP for Business Operations of WWF and Mr. Pavan Kakar, General Manager of Park Inn by Radisson Davao.

Corporate clients, media, in-house guests VIPs and affiliates within the SM group of companies posed with the little VIPs from House of Hope.

The very talented Himig Singers sang Christmas Carols for everyone.Mr. Ruben Bangayan, Japanese consul for Davao Tomoko Dodo, Mr. Art Millan, Mr. Ronnie Go and company .

Davao City Tourism Officer Ms. Lisette Marques, Chief Tourism Operations Officer Eden David and Regional Director for Department of Tourism XI Roberto Alabado.

Mr. Pavan Kakar, General Manager of Park Inn by Radisson Davao delivers his opening message.

YOU KNOW the holiday season is here when the malls in Durianburg turn bright and cheery with massive Christmas tree displays.

Park Inn welcomes the holiday season Not wanting to be left out in the season of sharing, Park Inn by Radisson Davao, whose holiday tree and guest areas are decked in green, gold and red accents, welcomed the Christmas season with its an-nual Christmas Tree Lighting Ceremony where the children of House of Hope cancer ward for children were the guests of honour to share the blessings of hope and good tidings. General Manager Pavan Kakar, thanked everybody for the support they extended to the hotel throughout the year. “I’d like to take this opportu-nity to meet everyone who has contributed to our business and success, to share with you our heartfelt gratitude for your sup-port and blessings. This is also

a chance for us to get together and welcome the brightest and most celebrated time of the year. We’re delighted to have you all with us tonight.” Aside from dedicating the Christmas Tree lighting to the children of House of Hope, Park Inn by Radisson Davao partnered with the World Wildlife Fund to raise aware-ness on the environment and how to protect it. “This day is also special for us as we use the opportu-nity to launch our partnership with “World Wildlife Fund (WWF)”, said Mr. Kakar. Earli-er in the day a photo exhibition was inaugurated which will be in the hotel lobby for the next two weeks. The senior officials from WWF were there in per-

son to celebrate this occasion. The inauguration was done in the presence of Hon. Abdul-lah Zawawi Tahir of Ministry

of Foreign Affairs, Malaysia, Mr. Antonio Dela Cruz, Presi-dent of Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Inc

and Mr. Roberto Alabado, Re-gional Director of Department of Tourism, Region XI.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015

A2 INdulge! EDGEDAVAOUP AND ABOUT

GMA Network and SM Life-style Entertainment, Inc. (SMLEI) renewed their long-standing brand alliance through a contract signing held last November 16 at the GMA Network Center. The expanded partnership opens new doors for the two companies as it provides GMA access to properties under SMLEI, including its various lifestyle and entertainment venues. As in pre-vious years, SMLEI will also con-tinue to utilize GMA’s cinematic rendition of the Philippine Na-tional Anthem in all its cinemas nationwide. Present at the contract signing

were GMA First Vice President for Program Support Regie C. Bau-tista, GMA EVP and CFO Felipe S. Yalong, GMA President and

COO Gilberto R. Duavit, Jr., SMLEI President Edgar C. Tejerero, and SMLEI AVP for Corporate Market-ing Marianne D. Canteras.

GMA Network and SM Lifestyle Entertainment, Inc. strengthen brand alliance

TNT subscribers in Davao welcome Internet.orgCOMMUNICATION is important to Filipino families. This is under-scored by technologies and innovations that be-come increasingly acces-sible to households like those in Barangay San Miguel, Agdao in Davao City who mainly use Facebook to keep in touch with their loved ones.In a recent barangay event held by Talk ‘N Text, residents were taught how to utilize free In-ternet access. Pelagio “Nonoy” Basilonia, 60, a government worker, shared that he uses Face-book to constantly communi-cate with his relatives who live abroad. “They live in Australia and the US,” he said when asked about where the other members of his family—like his four children who already have families—are located. “No matter how far we are from each other, we still have to keep in touch.” Basilonia also likes how he’s able to find job opportunities in the TESDA website, and to read news in Interaksyon, Rappler and Inquirer using his phone. All these websites and more can be accessed for free! Thanks to a global partnership by Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) through its value-brand Talk ‘N Text (TNT), with Facebook-led initiative Internet.org. Internet.org envisions a con-nected world by bringing basic Internet access and services to communities who have yet to ex-perience the potential of online tools that can improve daily life. Through Internet.org, mil-

lions of TNT subscribers in the country can gain access in-formation on current events, sports, entertainment, finance, health, education, weather, and job opportunities. Eva Lucena, 48, another resi-dent of Barangay San Miguel, also shared that browsing Face-book feeds after her daily house-work has become her daily rou-tine. She likes the convenience of being able to see updates from her siblings and friends from Cotabato, General Santos, Ma-nila, and Koronadal, which is her hometown. When she moved to Davao in 1989, Lucena said that she always keeps in touch with her friends even when they’re away. “My phone makes it easy for me to feel that I’m still close to them,” she said. When she was introduced

to Internet.org that day, she ex-pressed her glee because she will be able use Facebook and Face-book Messenger for free! But more importantly, she’s happy because her four children can use Internet.org for their educa-tion. “The Internet is very useful for them especially when they

have homework and researches to do,” she said. To her, Internet access in smartphones is made simpler and user-friendly. “I don’t have to go to the Internet cafe to browse the web.” Lucena, who is a manicurist, said that she also enjoys show-biz and entertainment news, which she can read via PEP.ph

and news websites that can be accessed for free via Internet.org. Health and home tips and reme-dies like Baby Center & MAMA and UNICEF Facts for Life are also available via Internet.org. Emely Georpe, 34, is another mother who values communica-tion as much as information ac-cess using her mobile phone. Since she moved to Davao from Butuan in 2004, Georpe said that she always sends Face-book messages to her relatives in Manila and in Dubai. “I am always happy to hear from them when I send them messages,” she said. WikiHow and Wikipedia are also very useful for her three children when it comes to help-ing them study for school. The potential of basic Internet ac-cess to empower communities is highlighted by the growing number of websites that are cur-rently housed under Internet.org. With TNT and Internet.org, more and more people are now able to make informed decisions to “win in life”. Currently, over 4.5 million Filipinos use Inter-net.org. TNT’s Panalo Ang May Alam parties, which takes form in road shows that will tour the country, will be bringing the good news of free Internet access to cities, one barangay after the next. Additional information how to use Internet.org can be found at www.talkntext.com.ph/inter-netorg or by texting INTERNET to 9999. Smart and Sun Cellular subscribers all over the country can also access the Internet.org app and mobile site for free.

Want to be an Astronaut or a Fairy Tale Princess? Get a FREE blanket and pillowcase set for a minimum 3,000 single receipt purchase on regular priced items from the Children’s and Infants’ Wear Departments of The SM Store on November 16-30, 2015. Hurry, collect all designs now!


INdulge! A3EDGEDAVAOENTERTAINMENT

Derrick Monasterio, other Kapuso stars support #NowPH campaign

sustain life in the near future. This is something Derrick does not want to happen, noting, “There’s no other place we should live in. It’s only the Philippines.” He also invited, “Ipa-dinig natin ang boses natin sa buong mundo.” Derrick is among the

many celebrities who put their influence into good use as they join the #NowPH movement against climate change. Alden Richards, Julie Anne San Jose and Ja-nine Gutierrez have pre-viously expressed their commitment via the same campaign.

BAD WEATHER did not stop Tommy Esguerra, “PBB 737’s” Adult 2nd Big Placer, in serenading and showing his love for Miho Nishida, the Adult Big Winner of “PBB 737,” last Saturday (Nov 14) in “It’s Showtime.” Tommy sang the OPM hit “Kahit Maputi na ang Buhok” that brought smiles both from Miho and from their avid fans who rushed to the “PBB” house despite the heavy rains. Aside from the tandem of “ToMiho,” the teen stars and also past housemates of “PBB 737” Bailey May and

Ylona Garcia joined the kilig fest in their musical skit with Vice Ganda and Jay-R. The celebration contin-ued as three families battled it out in “It’s Showtime’s” Christmas caroling show-down “Karoling Galing,” where Garcia family from Laguna was hailed as win-ner and won P50,000. Talented gays also showed what they got in the weekly finals of “Todo BiGAY.” The groups EMU Cheerdancers, who wowed the madlang people with their death-defying stunts, and Alab Poi Dancers, who

Tommy and Miho brings kilig to ‘It’s Showtime’

KAPUSO hunk Derrick Monasterio seems to have the perfect remedy to the worsening traffic condi-tion in the metro. More so, the Kapuso actor has a concrete plan in his attempt to minimize the ef-fects of climate change as part of his contribution for the #NowPH campaign.

Derrick has chosen to walk, bike or carpool to help lessen air pollution and greenhouse gas emissions. He is aware that with the present rate and condition of climate change, the Earth may not be able to support and


PG/*PG

PG

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

WANG FAM

Pokwang, Benjie Paras

PG 1:00 | 3:45 | 6:30 | 9:15 LFS

SPECTRE/ *THE HUNGER GAMES:

MOCKINGJAY 2

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

THE HUNGER GAMES:MOCKINGJAY 2

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson

11:45 | 2:30 LFS / *5:20 | 8:00 LFS

Daniel Craig, Christoph Waltz/ *Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson

THE HUNGER GAMES:MOCKINGJAY 2 3D

Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson

November 18 – 24, 2015

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impressed the studio audience with their use of laser lights in their performance, were declared winners and won P50,000 each. Meanwhile, the “It’s Showtime” hosts of-fered a prayer for the victims of Paris terrorist attacks and for Japan’s safety after a magni-tude 7.0 earthquake hit the nation. At least 150 bodies were confirmed dead in the tragedy in Paris while no major damage happened in Japan after being hit by the earthquake, ac-cording to reports from w w w. abs- cb nnews .com. Don’t miss the fun and good vibes in “It’s Showtime,” Mondays to Saturdays in ABS-CBN. For more information, follow “It’s Showtime” on Facebook and Twit-ter (@ItsShowtimena).

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EDGEDAVAO VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015 11Philippine... FROM 7

P100K... FROM 3

TF... FROM 1

Tuburan... FROM 4

Lawyer... FROM 4

They again boarded the Philip-pine Air Force Islander aircraft and went back to Davao City.

Once he got back to the Philippine Eagle Conservation Center at Malagos, Calinan, Dr. Bo performed the necessary tests like X-ray, blood and mi-crobiology samples collection. He put a splint on the broken leg and gave the bird some admission drugs and food. For the next five days, he moni-tored the health status of the bird.

After three weeks, the ea-gle was on its way to full re-covery.

These days, Dr. Bo is very much displeased with the cur-rent status of the birds in the country. This was the reason why he turned 3-hectare of the 40-hectare resort in Mala-gos which his family owns into a bird sanctuary.

Because of his passion for birds, people bring to him their injured pets or wild birds. He then decides what’s best for them once they are in better health. “We release birds that can be released af-ter rehabilitation, especially raptors like owls, serpent ea-gles, kites, and crows,” he says. “Rescue and rehab activities are a team effort, and we have released at least 50 individuals of different species.”

If there are birds that can-not be released due to broken wings or leg or blindness, he pairs them for conserva-tion breeding program. “The Palawan peacock pheasants, nicobar pigeons, Mount Apo lorikeets, Mindanao tarictic hornbills, Eclectus parrots, umbrella cockatoos, sea ea-gles, and Scops owls are some examples of successful breed-ing from rehabilitated birds we have kept for conservation breeding,” Dr. Bo says.

His last option for oth-er birds is to use them in the bird show he conducts at the resort as part of his education efforts. “The number of birds I have adopted after rehabilita-tion has grown – from raptors to parrots to jungle fowls,” he says.

These days, what gives him instant happiness are seeing those birds he has res-cued through the years alive and flying. But he will feel even happier seeing those birds thriving in the wild. “Maybe not now, but perhaps in the near future, or my children’s future” he says.

A sanctuary for Philippine eagles

The Philippine Eagle Con-servation Center is perhaps one of the most sophisticated sanctuaries for the Philippine birdicon. But not too many Filipinos know that the eagle camp – as it was then known – was first built at barangay Baracatan in Toril.

Dennis Salvador, who is now the center’s executive director, was then in-charge with the eagles’ foods. “Every week, I had to go down to the town and purchased native chickens and goats,” he says. “I loaded them up to the roof of the public jeepney then riding along with them all the way

to Baracatan. But the jeepney terminal was about two kilo-meters away from the camp so I had to carry the chickens on my back while pulling the goats.”

Since insurgency was at its peak then, they were often iso-lated and left alone as neigh-bors would go to evacuation centers. “At night, we would dread hearing the dogs bark-ing because that meant that rebels were just around the corner,” he says.

Another pressure they had to face at that time was from a government agency. “They were hot on our heels trying to their best to take the eagles from us and relocating the entire operation to a state university in Luzon,” Salvador shares. “In the end, they sim-ply stopped funding the proj-ect.”

Media attention and sup-port from the local govern-ment unit of Davao City kept the agency from taking the eagles “so they just left us on our own.” It was until a cou-ple of howitzer shells that fell some 50 meters from its facil-ity that they finally decided to leave Baracatan and move to Malagos.

In those days, there were only six of them in the techni-cal team, including three from the government agency. When the said agency stopped fund-ing the program in 1987, the three personnel also left.

Without any financial as-sistance, the group persisted. “We were basically operating on nothing,” Salvador says. “We had to sell some of our personal belongings just to feed the eagles. We waived our salaries for over a year. We so-licited from local businesses to make ends meet. In addition, we had to work under adverse conditions as we were often caught in the middle of the crossfire between the military and the rebels operating in the Mt. Apo area.”

Despite all these setbacks, Salvador and his team contin-ued. “Many of the technical problems we encountered from the beginning were re-solved from constant experi-mentation, from trial and er-ror, but always using the rigor of sound scientific research,” he says.

In 1992, Salvador became the executive director of the foundation. It was on this year that foundation was able to breed an eagle in captivity. “The success of the birth of Pag-asa attracted biologists and other young graduates into the program. They were amazed to find out that what we were doing was not the way they were featured in the movies or television channels,” he says. “Working with eagles was hard, dangerous work.”

Salvador says with pride of what he and his team have accomplished through the years. “The success of captive breeding of the eagle Pag-asa brought the country’s atten-tion to the plight of the species and was probably instrumen-tal in turning the species into our national bird,” he points out.

EDGEDAVAO NEWS

grenade throwing incidents were not totally intended to harm civilians.

“If you look at the locations where [the blasts] happened, these were not crowded plac-es. Unfortunately it happened that in the first incident, gre-nade shrapnel hit some civil-ians,” Tayong told MindaNews.

Like the second blast, which was on Sunday eve-ning, Tayong said the suspects lobbed the grenade at the

parking area of a gasoline sta-tion.

As the police are still in-vestigating the motive of these incidents, Tayong hinted that reports have been circulating in Kabacan that politics could be the motive behind the blasts.

Guzman, who will seek reelection in next year’s elec-tions, is challenged by two other bets. Keith Bacongco/MindaNews

Chief Inspector Alfredo Santil-lana, and DCPO spokesperson Milgrace C. Driz.

In a text message, Driz said the team is looking into the extortion and personal grudge over illegal van termi-nalsas possible angles.

She earlier said the van driver, identified as Herman Daag, and the son of the van owner told her that some groups from Pikit, North Co-tabato were extorting money from the owner.

Driz also said it is possible that the bomb was planted by people disgruntled by Mayor Rodrigo R. Duterte’s earlier order to dismantle all illegal terminals in the city.

The DCPO has not iden-tified any suspects yet on the bombing as the investigating

team is still digging deeper into the incident.

The improvised explosive device went off inside a mov-ing passenger van on Wednes-day morning along Eco West Drive, Ecoland.

The white PUV bearing a plate number MVW 553 had unloaded passengers at the SM City Davao van terminal and was traversing the area when the bomb exploded from its rear section at around 9:45 a.m.

No one was killed in the blast but the van’s helper, identified as Tata Basañes, sustained minor injuries when he was hit by shrapnel in the nape.

Some cars parked in the area were also hit by the frag-ments of the IED.

perseverance as they make a raft, a gnome home, a mud fairy, a piece of jewelry from a branch, craft of bamboo into a knife, fork and sppon, build a shelter, purify water or make fire by fiction,” she added.

She said the Into the For-est Camps event is designed for all ages.

“Everyone is welcome – families, friends, and even companies that want a differ-ent team building experience and are open to make new friends,” she said.

Vandenbroeck said the event will be facilitated by 15 trained volunteers led by Isti Baker, a graduate of the

Michael Hall Steiner School, the oldest Steiner/ Waldorf school in England.

Vandenbroeck said the registration fee for partici-pants aged 5 to 12 years old is P500, while those 13 years and above pay P650.

“Companies can also join at P750 to P1,000 per per-son,” she said. The costs are inclusive of a healthful organ-ic lunch, snacks, and materi-als.

She said all proceeds and donations from the camps will be used to improve Tu-buran’s learning environment and help spread its advocacy of holistic education.

liberately attempt to mislead the voters” regarding her citi-zenship.

“Now that the sole con-stitutional body, i.e., the SET, had declared her to be a nat-ural-born Filipino citizen and considering the various opin-ions of known constitution-alists and legal experts that she is a natural-born Filipino, it could not be said that she made a ‘deliberate attempt to mislead the voters’ of her be-ing a natural-born Filipino cit-izen,” Macalintal explained.

On the other hand, he said he is convinced that the issue on her residency should still be decided by the poll body.

He added that the years Poe resided in the country from May 2005, when she was still an American citizen, until she took her Oath of Allegiance in July 2006 to reacquire Phil-

ippine citizenship, “should be added to her “period of resi-dency” in the Philippines.

“This is so because the SC ruled that “residency is not dependent on citizenship” in that “the loss of one does not necessarily result in the loss of the other.” Thus, counting her residence in the Philippines in 2005 when she was still an American citizen and the peri-od of her residency since she took her Oath of Allegiance in July 2006 till the May 2016 elections, she has fully com-plied with the 10-year residen-cy requirement to qualify as candidate for President of the Philippines as provided under the Constitution,” he added.

On Tuesday, the SET, vot-ing 5-4, junked the petition questioning her citizenship when she ran for senator in the 2013-midterm polls. (PNA)

Davao City... FROM 6problem for Japan.

But, with the conversion of used cooking oil, this helped the Japanese preserve their water systems.

Dodo said the disposal of 500 milliliter (ml) of used cooking oil would need 2.5 million ml of water to be com-pletely washed up.

Aside from this, the con-version of used cooking oil into BDF is not only cheaper but also a more effective mecha-nism to conserve the deterio-rating environment status here brought by the development.

The Japanese official said it would not only help the city conserve its environment and the health of its constituents, but also produces saving for the city government.

MyClimate Japan analyst Shigeto Mizumoto, contracted partner to conduct the feasi-bility study for the proposed project, said BDF is 50 percent cheaper compared to diesel at only P15 per liter “if it is given to the government for free just like in Japan”.

Mizumoto said used cook-ing oil can be donated and col-lected from households, major food establishments, restau-rants and hotels.

Preliminary data from the initial study conducted by the MyClimate Japan in the city re-vealed that ambulant vendors of “kwek-kwek” uses an esti-mated of two liters per day that automatically went to drainag-es afterwards.

“Some throw it either to the canal or toilet,” Mizumoto said, adding this would build up and clog the city’s sewer-ages and drainages causing flooding.

The group intends to finish the feasibility study by March next year.

City assistant administra-tor lawyer Dwight Tristan Do-mingo, meanwhile, said that he’s been receiving reports that some major establishments here are selling their used cooking oil to vendors.

“This is already dangerous to the health of consumers be-cause used cooking oil is con-sidered toxic at a certain level,” Domingo said.

The City Environment and Natural Resources Office (CEN-RO), he added, had initially

disseminated information and conduction education cam-paign to associations of hotels and restaurants here as well as in 13 barangays where the project will be piloted.

The project will be launched today in Matina Crossing after the barangay was able to present a proposal on how it can properly collect used oil from its household constituents.

“We’re targeting to collect at least 1,000 liters of used cooking oil daily to make the project feasible and sustain-able,” Domingo said.

CENRO chief Elisa P. Madrazo said other pilot ba-rangays here are Vicente Hi-zon, Sr. in Buhangin District, Catalunan Grande in Talomo, 3-A in Poblacion District, Mint-al in Tugbok, Centro San Juan in Agdao, 19-B in Poblacion District, Sasa, Buhangin Proper, 76-A Bucana, Matina Aplaya 75-A, Talomo Proper, and Toril Proper.

If all things go well, the plant that would be utilized for the conversion of used cooking into a biodiesel fuel by April next year.

The city government is targeting to get the P4million worth BDF machine, a technol-ogy owned by the Biodiesel Ja-pan. The produced BDF will be used to fuel garbage collector trucks.

Ninety percent of the used oil that enter the converting machine turns into BDF, only 10 percent are disposed in a form of water that is ready and safe to be disposed to canal unlike to other non-Japanese technology that converts used oil into fuel.

The Japanese government will be supporting the con-struction and operation of the BDF plant that will be located in the motor pool of the city government in Maa in two years.

“After that, it has to be sus-tainable,” Dodo said.

Dodo and Biodiesel Japan general manager Takeshi Ki-tahama believed that the proj-ect’s success would need more than just strong leadership but also cooperation from house-holds.

“Let’s start thinking of the future,” Kitahama said.

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 201512CLASSIFIED EDGEDAVAO

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015 13EDGEDAVAO NEWS

NOTICE OF LOSSNotice is hereby given by LOYOLA PLANS

CONSOLIDATED INC. That CERTIFICATE OF FULL PAYMENT No.(s) 24983 under LOYOLA PLAN Contract No.(s) 837457-1 issued to ROBERTO T. LIM was lost. Any transaction entered into shall be null and void.11/14/21/28

THE 18-Day Campaign to End Violence Against Women (VAW) kicks off

on November 25 and will push until December 12 under the theme “End VAW Now! It’s Our Duty: Gains and Ways For-ward.”

Director Priscilla N. Razon of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) 11 said the special event is spearheaded by the Philippine Commission of Women (PCW) in collabora-tion with member agencies of the Inter-Agency Council on

Violence Against Women and Their Children (IACVAWC).

The event focuses on how far government agencies and other stakeholders have gone in terms of programs and proj-ects that address VAWC, Razon said.

In advocating the national observance, all government agencies are enjoined to par-ticipate or conduct activities such as Orange Your Icon For 18 Days, hanging of streamer, Online Campaign Thread using official hashtag #endVAWph, inclusion of event and other

VAW IEC materials in agency publications, dissemination of VAW information materials, mobilization of MOVE (Men Oppose to Violence Every-where) to lead in ending VAW, and active collaboration with local VAWC councils in mount-ing other advocacy activities to end VAWC.

For more information on the campaign, Rica B. Alvis, PCW Information Resource Management Division can be reached at [02]735-8509 or 0917-845-4814 or through email: [email protected] and

website: www.pcw.gov.ph. Meanwhile, the Drug

Abuse Prevention and Control Week is celebrated from No-vember 15-21 with the theme “Let’s Develop Our Lives, Our Communities, Our Identities Without Drugs.”

This event aims to raise public awareness on the alarming issue of drug abuse as mandated under Republic Act 9165 or the Comprehen-sive Dangerous Drugs Act of 2002 and supports as well the National Anti-Drug Program of Action for 2015-2020. (DSWD)

PHL... FROM 4rate on significant projects that will enable both the Australian and the Filipino peoples to take hold of their own destinies.”

Under the deal, both coun-tries pledged to exchange in-formation in areas of mutual interest, including: TVET sys-tems; competency standards development; assessment and certification, particularly skills assessment for migration and occupational purposes; in-dustry participation in TVET policy development; financ-ing; labor market informa-tion; standards development; training delivery; assessment and certification; formal work-based training such as appren-ticeship; research and devel-opment in TVET; and TVET systems reforms.

Both countries vowed to work together in the joint implementation of projects, including in the areas of strengthening and promoting apprenticeships as a pathway into employment and bench-marking occupational stan-dards and qualifications in priority industry sectors such as agriculture, logistics, con-struction and mining.

TESDA will also work with its counterpart from Austra-lia in technical assistance for TVET system development in-cluding establishment of qual-ification and quality assurance frameworks to underpin regu-

lation of training delivery and assessment; building industry skills linkages through part-nership arrangements; and, capability building of TVET trainers and assessors.

The memorandum of un-derstanding will also pave the way for the facilitation of links between the two governments and their industry organiza-tions. It also envisions to have an exchange of staff through short-term placements in rel-evant government agencies or industry organizations.

“The agreement will pro-vide a broader exchange across full spectrum of education and training expertise that both the Philippines and Australia have to offer,” Irene Isaac, TESDA Di-rector General, said.

“It is a testament to the two countries’ commitment and regard for the human resource as the most valuable element in national development and growth,” Isaac added.

The deal mandates both countries to establish a joint working group to implement the collaborative activities and to prepare a yearly report on the projects involved in the agreement.

The agreement was signed by Department of Foreign Affairs Secretary Albert Del Rosario and Australian Am-bassador to the Philippines Bill Tweddell. (PNA)

Davao... FROM 2outside the SM van terminal and two more got off in the terminal.

According to her, one of the passengers left a blue bag that reportedly contained the bomb. The aide tried to sur-render the bag to the manage-ment for safekeeping but this was not allowed as a compa-ny policy, so the two brought the bag as they left the termi-

nal premises, she said.Davao City Police Office

(DCPO) director Vicente T. Danao told reporters that they are not discounting the possibility of any terror at-tack since the APEC Leaders’ Summit is being held in Ma-nila.

“The threat is always there,” he said. (Antonio L. Colina IV / MindaNews)

Anti-VAW campaign starts November 25

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 201514 EDGEDAVAOSports

RELOADEDCRUCIAL MATCH. After breezing through the double-round eliminations, heavyweights Philips Gold and Petron seek to move closer to the title in the sudden-death semifinals of the

2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix women’s volleyball tournament late

yesterday at The Arena in San Juan. Aby Maraño is expected to carry

the brunt of the Blaze Spikers offense and defense in

the semis. Volleyball PH photo

TWELVE bouts will be fea-tured in the inaugural promotion of the Blow by

Blow Reloaded slated on No-vember 28 at the Lagao Gym in General Santos City.

The promoters led by for-mer Cotabato Gov. Manny Pinol have reconstructed the pairings due to the non-availability of some fighters after the date was moved to give way to the sched-ule of TV host and producer Manny Pacquiao.

“They also want to put up a good show in their first promo-tion,” said Games and Amuse-ments Board Southern Min-danao sports and games field officer John Kenneth Improso.

Pitted now in the main event is an 8-rounder between bantamweights Ryan Rey “Mr. Pogi” Ponteras (13-11-1, 6 KOs) and Bryan Capangpangan (8-2-1, 6KOs).

The 25-year old Ponteras, a native of Panabo City, is a former International Boxing Federation (IBF) Pan Pacific fly-weight champion.

Ponteras, formerly from the Brave Heart Stable, previ-ously lost by a controversial split decision against Jelbirt Gomera last September 6 at the Labangal Gym in General San-tos City.

“Pero comeback fight pa lang niya yun. Kaya medyo rusty pa siya pero matibay pa rin siya,” said Ponteras’ former trainer Bruce Lerio.

The 20-year old Capang-pangan recently won by a unanimous decision against Jeffrey Jimenez last August 12 at Guban gym in Sirawai, Zam-boanga del Norte.

He also earlier defeated former Philippine Boxing Fed-eration flyweight champion Marjhun Tabamo by a unani-mous decision last February 15 in Sibugay.

The undefeated Gomera (10-0-0, 6KOs), on the other hand, will face former WBO Asia Pacific Youth super fly-weight champion Mark Antho-ny Geraldo (31-6-3, 14KOs) in the main supporting bout for 8 rounds and 118 lbs.

“This fight could end in the early round since both are slug-gers,” said matchmaker Romy Fordeliza.

Geraldo, a native of Bukid-non, is a veteran of various championship fights. In his last outing, the 24-year old south-paw lost by a 12-round unan-imous decision to Japanese Takuma Inoue for the vacant Orient Pacific Boxing Federa-tion (OPBF) super flyweight

title last July 6 at the Korakuen Hall in Tokyo, Japan.

He previously won by a UD against Efrain Perez of Mexico last July 19, 2014 at the Cotai Arena in Macao. He dethroned then-undefeated Jerwin An-cajas by a majority decision on March 17, 2012 to capture the WBO Asia Pacific Youth super flyweight title at the Hoops Dome in Lapu-Lapu City.

There will also be three other 8-rounders featuring Elvic Bicoy a g a i n s t C e b u ’ s J h a l e e l

P a y a o (11-1-0, 6KOs) in 122 lbs., Ian Ligutan (6-1-2, 3KOs) versus Cebu’s Salatiel Amit (6-1-0, 4KOs) in the 112 lbs. and Ma-nila’s Ebon Loperez (9-4-1) against Cebu’s Jimboy Haya (7-1-2, 4KOs) in the 106 lbs.

The other bouts: 6 rds.-119 lbs. – Renan

Fortez (4-3-0) vs.Cebu’s Filjun

T a n e o (3-1-0); 6 rds.-122 lbs. - Joey Antonio (2-0-0) vs. Ma-nila’s Rey-nard Taday (2-1-0); 6 r d s . - 1 2 2 lbs. –

Joe Te-jones (2-0-0) vs. Cebu’s Jay-Ar Aliasot (2-1-0);

4 rds.-106 lbs. - Erniel Campano (debut) vs. Cebu’s Alex Caoktoy (0-1-0); 4 rds.-105 lbs. – Joel Lino (debut) vs. Romeo Garde (0-1-0); 4 rds.-122 lbs. – Argie Lanuza (debut) vs. Jimboy Vijano (de-but); 4 rds.-112 lbs. – Annie Minor (debut) vs. Martin Pa-drerogao (0-0-1).

12 bouts lined up in boxing show revival

VOL. 8 ISSUE 169 • FRIDAY-SATURDAY, NOVEMBER 20 - 21, 2015 15SPORTSEDGEDAVAO

A FREE seminar for con-tact sports athletes on how to heal and im-

prove brain functions will be conducted by Filipino doctor from the United States tomor-rowat the office of the Games and Amusements Board (GAB).

The seminar is dubbed as “A New Approach to Healing and Improving Brain Func-tions for Contact Sports Ath-letes”.

Resource speaker is 69-

year old Dr. Pat Reyes, MD, FAAN, who is based in Phoenix, Arizona. He is a Director of the Traumatic Brain Injury, Alzhei-mer’s Disease & Cognitive Dis. Of the Phoenix VA Healthcare System and the Chief Medical Officer of the retired NFL Play-ers Association.

Reyes is also a Board Mem-ber of the Association of Ring-side Physician, a Co-Founder and Chief Medical Officer of the Yuma Therapeutics Inc., Boston, MA USA.

GAB sports and games field officer John Kenneth Im-proso said Reyes will proceed to General Santos City in the afternoon to also conduct a seminar at the Notre Dame of Dadiangas College at 4 p.m.

“These seminars are both free for all coaches, trainers and contact sports athletes like boxers,” said Improso.

Reyes will be welcomed by GAB Davao Officer-in-Charge Arlene Olondriz.

Expected to join are the

trainers and boxers from the MP Davao Boxing Gym, San-man Promotions, Sonshine Sports Management, Associa-tion of Boxing Alliance in the Phils. (ABAP) Region12, Gen-eral Santos Boxing Academy and the newly-formed Davao City Amateur Boxing Club (Da-caboc).

The GAB office in Davao City is located at Door 2, sec-ond floor of Gloria Building 2, no. 63 along Aurora-Quezon Street.

POOL legends Efren ‘Bata’ Reyes and Francisco ‘Django’ Bustamante

team up to lead Asia in its showdown against Europe/USA in the Kings Cup set to start on Friday at Resorts World Manila.

Reyes, team captain of Team Asia, and Bustamante will be playing in the doubles competition opposite Team Europe/USA’s Darren Apple-ton of Great Britain and Albin Ouschan of Austria in one of the matches in Day One of the event patterned after Davis Cup of tennis and golf’s Ryder Cup.

The competition starts at 6 p.m. and will run until Sunday where the team with the most number of victories will take

the Kings Cup title.Reyes and Bustamante

will be joined by world No. 1 Ko Pin-Yi and Ko Ping Chung of Chinese Taipei in the 4-on-4 play, where all the members of the team will see action against Europe’s Ouschan, Appleton, and Mika Immonen of Finland, along with American Shane Van Boening.

Bustamante will also be seeing action in the singles play on opening day as he faces Van Boening, while Appleton and Ko Pin-Yi will compete in the other singles match.

Ko and Ko will take on Van Boening and Immonen in the other doubles play, while teaming up with Reyes in the triples event against Ouschan, Immonen, and Van Boening.

TIGER Woods will be at the Ryder Cup next year. Still to be determined is

whether he plays.US captain Davis Love III

said on Wednesday (Thurs-day, Manila time) that Woods, Jim Furyk and Steve Stricker will be vice captains for the 2016 matches at Hazeltine in Minnesota. It was part of an agreement with Europe to ex-pand to a maximum of five vice captains.

Woods, however, wants to do both.

“Tiger has said, ‘I want to make the team and also be a (vice) captain,’” Love said. “Ti-ger wants to be a playing assis-

tant. That’s his goal.”It seems like an audacious

one given the state of the 14-time major champion. Woods has played only 20 tourna-ments in the last two years because of a pair of back sur-geries and a recent follow-up procedure on his back. He has said it would be a long, tedious recovery and did not know when he could return to com-petition.

Woods has only one top 10 in the last two years.

Furyk and Stricker were vice captains in the Presidents Cup last month in South Korea. Stricker has been playing a reduced schedule the last few

years and has slipped outside the top 200 in the world rank-ing. Furyk is No. 9 in the world and is coming off a solid season with his 17th career win and $3.7 million.

The five vice captains would allow one of them to be with each match during the team sessions, with another that Love described as a “float-er.” Last year at Gleneagles, Eu-ropean captain Paul McGinley had one of his assistants with the players who sat out some of the team sessions.

Love already announced former Ryder Cup captain Tom Lehman as one of his assis-tants.

SIX months ago, Kevin McHale coached the Hous-ton Rockets to the Western

Conference finals for the first time in 18 years.

There are high expectations for the team again this sea-son behind James Harden and Dwight Howard, but McHale won’t be around to see where the Rockets end up: Houston fired McHale on Wednesday with the team off to a puzzling 4-7 start.

“The team was not re-sponding to Kevin McHale and we had to make the tough call,” general manager Daryl Morey said,

“And we had to make it soon. There is not time in the tough Western Conference to wait for a turnaround.”

Several players mentioned guilt and said they felt partially to blame.

“I didn’t see it coming, I’m not going to lie,” forward Corey Brewer said. “We are respon-sible. The coach can’t make us play hard. That’s up to us. This has got to be a wake-up call. We’ve got to get better. Now, it’s up to us to start winning.”

Three of Houston’s loss-es were by 20 points and two others were by more 12 or more points. Morey was asked what indications he saw that the team wasn’t responding to McHale.

“I think you just watch our team play and it’s not that difficult (to see),” Morey said. “You’re a team coming off a Western Conference final run and you’re a team with mostly the same group and it was not working. We will change un-

til it’s working. We win at the Rockets. (Owner Leslie Alex-ander) does not accept losing. I do not accept losing. No one accepts losing.”

Assistant J. B. Bickerstaff took over as interim head coach.

“It’s tough because the only reason I’m here is because of (McHale),” said Bickerstaff, who said he was told about the deci-sion shortly after 9 a.m. when preparing for shootaround. “I’m so thankful to him. I’m hurt that he’s not here, and I’m hurt that I won’t get to see him every day.”

McHale was in his fifth sea-son with Houston and is com-ing off a 56-26 season where the Rockets fell to eventual champion Golden State in the conference championship. The 57-year-old Hall of Fame player went 193-130 with the Rockets.

“Bottom line is we believe in this team,” Morey said. “We believe in the players we have. We know this team can win. We know but we aren’t in a good place and ... we’re going to make changes until we win.”

The Rockets opened the season with three straight loss-es, then won four in a row before losing again. The same roster as a year ago added dynamic point guard Ty Lawson, but the team has not really gelled and McHale complained about the effort of the team and its sloppy play.

“At times, I wouldn’t say full effort all the time, no,” McHale said after a blowout loss to Boston in which Houston blew an early 15-point lead. “Things aren’t going our way and we hang our head. We haven’t put together really good basketball all year long.”

VICE CAPTAIN. Former world No. 1 Tiger Woods is hoping to be a playing vice captain for the US team. AP

RACHEL SCORES. Rachel Anne Daquis (3) scores one from the corner over the outstretched arms of the Philips Gold’s defensive line during the two teams’ match in the 2015 Philippine Superliga (PSL) Grand Prix women’s volleyball tournament at The Arena in San Juan. Volleyball PH photo

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