Monday, May 31, 2021

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Development authority seen to foster growth in Metro Davao

Posted: 30 May 2021 06:08 AM PDT

ON MARCH 25, 2021, the bill creating the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA) was passed on the third and final reading following the deliberations of the House of Representatives.

The bill, which aims to focus on the socio-economic opportunities for the entire Davao Region, was hurried and unhampered amid the ongoing crisis brought about by the Covid-19.

Davao City Third District Representative Isidro Ungab, proponent of the bill, bared this proposal during his oath-taking speech on June 21, 2019, at the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

Ungab said his proposal for a metropolitan area would further unite all Davao provinces into one region.

Prior to Philippine independence in 1946, the entire region was a single province called Davao Province, with Davao City serving as its capital.

According to Ungab, the old Davao Province was established in 1915 during the American occupation, wherein its capital town Davao became a city in March 1936 through Commonwealth Act No. 51, passed by the Philippine Assembly, authored by then Davao Assemblyman Romualdo Quimpo and signed into law by the late President Manuel Quezon.

The region started to subdivide after his term in 1965, with the late Vicente Duterte, father of then Davao City mayor, now President Rodrigo Duterte, being the last governor under a single province of Davao.

Similar to the Metropolitan Manila Development Authority (MMDA), MDDA's legality is in accordance with the Philippine Constitution, whereas Article X, Section 11 states, "The Congress may, by law, create special metropolitan political subdivisions, subject to a plebiscite as set forth in Section 10 hereof."

Also, "the component cities and municipalities shall retain their basic autonomy and shall be entitled to their own local executive and legislative assemblies. The jurisdiction of the metropolitan authority that will thereby be created shall be limited to basic services requiring coordination."

"There will be more economic activities because the MDDA can cater to a lot of economic activities and may open several economic opportunities without necessarily touching the political structure," Ungab said in a previous interview with SunStar Davao.

MDDA's objectives and key provisions

According to House Bill 8930 or "An Act Creating the Metropolitan Davao Development Authority (MDDA), Defining Its Powers and Functions, and Providing Funds Therefor," the MDDA will coordinate and promote socio-economic growth and sustainable development.

It shall also perform planning, implementation, monitoring, and coordinative functions and exercise regulatory and supervisory authority over the delivery of area-wide services within Metropolitan Davao.

The MDDA shall have jurisdiction over the core local government units (LGUs), which includes the cities of Panabo, Tagum, and Island Garden City of Samal (IGACoS) in Davao del Norte; Digos in Davao del Sur; and highly urbanized City of Davao; and the municipalities of Carmen in Davao del Norte, and Sta. Cruz in Davao del Sur. Meanwhile, the City of Mati in Davao Oriental and the municipalities of Maco in Davao de Oro, and Malita in Davao Occidental are its annex local government units.

Ungab said the body aims to ensure the rational development and efficient delivery of basic services in Davao City and its adjoining cities through the creation of MDDA.

Considering the rapid urbanization of Davao City and the increasing population of other cities in the city, in addition to the spatial, functional, and economic interdependence of the other cities and municipalities in the region, there is a need to create a special development and administrative region, to be known as Metropolitan Davao.

Among the specific coordinative functions of the MDDA are the policies, programs, projects, activities, and delivery of common services, such as development planning, transport management including mass transport, solid waste disposal, flood control, urban renewal, zoning, and land use, health and sanitation, public safety and related infrastructure.

However, this will not diminish the autonomy of each LGU and the Regional Development Council (RDC)-Davao.

Regional heads of national government offices are also part of the MDDA, including National Economic and Development Authority, Department of Human Settlements and Urban Development, Department of Public Works and Highways, Department of the Interior and Local Government, Department of Environment and Natural Resources, Department of Health, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Information and Communications Technology, Department of Transportation, Land Transportation Office, and Philippine National Police.

The body will be headed by a chairperson, while it will be assisted by a general manager, assistant general manager for finance and administration, assistant general manager for planning, and an assistant general manager for operations. All of them will be appointed by the President of the Philippines based on the recommendation of the council body.

Ungab said MDDA will be under the direct supervision of the Office of the President.

Decongest NCR

"The bill is guided by the Philippine Development Plan (PDP), particularly by the PDP 2017-2022, which incorporates a National Special Strategy that sets the direction of the physical development of the country," Ungab said during the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. 5th General Membership Meeting virtual presser on Friday morning, May 28.

The NSS seeks to decongest the National Capital Region (NCR) and direct growth to the key centers throughout the country where the benefit of agglomerations can have greater potentials of being realized sooner.

Metropolitan Davao is one of the metropolitan centers mentioned in the PDP to be considered as a major international gateway and will serve as Mindanao's premier commercial hub and center for education and health services.

"It is explicit in the Philippine Development Plan that the institutionalization of the Metro Davao Development Authority will strengthen coordination among the component cities and municipalities in the planning, implementation, and monitoring of priority programs and projects," Ungab said.

The proponent said he is confident that the enactment of MDDA will bring change in the socio-economic landscape, growth, and development in the entire region.

With his experience as a lawmaker, he noticed that four regions in the country garner the "lion share" of the budget: NCR, Central Luzon, Calabarzon, and Bicol Region.

Since 2007, Ungab has already studied the yearly appropriations wherein Manila, being the "seat of government," gets a higher chunk of the budget.

Ungab noted that MMDA has a separate budget for infrastructure, drainage, disaster management, traffic, and other operational expenses.

"Halos nagdoble-doble ang budget sa NCR or Metro Manila," he said.

He added that almost all former presidents after Ferdinand Marcos came from Central Luzon, which explains why the region also has a big budget allocation.

"If we pursue this Metropolitan Davao Development Authority, it will be a blessing for us considering it will hasten development, and it could double or triple the budget for Metropolitan Davao-covered areas," Ungab said.

'Empowering' LGUs

The bill is also one of the initiatives of the Metropolitan Davao Development Coordinating Committee (MDDCC), a special committee under the RDC-Davao. The MDDCC is chaired by Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio.

Duterte-Carpio said the proposed MDDA will empower every LGUs in the region, especially during the time of a pandemic.

"In a pandemic, if the authority is given all the powers that it needs to control the outbreak or pandemic, then it will be very useful.

In a press release, MDDCC recently approved the Terms of Reference for the formulation of a comprehensive and sustainable urban master plan for Metropolitan Davao during its first quarter meeting conducted on February 21, 2020, that was presided over by Duterte-Carpio.

The mayor said the urban master plan shall support the realization of the vision for Metropolitan Davao of becoming "a highly industrialized and globally competitive metropolis with highly-skilled and productive human resources, both men and women, and diverse but cohesive communities living in a safe, climate-resilient environment with modern and efficient infrastructure, sustained by governance that promotes equal opportunities for all."

The Metropolitan Davao Sustainable Urban Master Plan will cover areas of cooperation identified by the Metropolitan Davao LGUs.

These include land-use planning, agri-ecotourism promotion and management and urban greening; Davao Gulf coastal resource management; joint service delivery for urban facilities and services, including transport and traffic management, roads and other infrastructure development projects; joint service delivery for urban facilities and services -- housing; solid waste management; sewerage systems; disaster risk reduction; public safety; integrated flood control and climate-change proofing; digital connectivity; and water and energy.

The bill's future

Following the passage in the lower house, Ungab said the bill will now undergo deliberation in the Senate.

Ungab said a Senate bill was already filed by Senator Christopher "Bong" Go and is currently pending deliberation.

Considering the time constraints, with only months before President Rodrigo Duterte ends his term, the representative said they are eyeing that the bill will be passed in order to be enacted as a law.

Ungab is hopeful that the proposed measure will be signed into law before President Rodrigo Duterte ends his term in mid-2022.

"I hope this will be passed during the incumbency of President Duterte para masugdan dayon, mahabol unta sa (so we could start and be included in the) 2022 budget," Ungab said.

If the bill will not pass, Ungab is hoping that the next administration will be supportive of the measure.

With almost all of the congressmen signed to co-author the bill in the lower house, he is optimistic that Duterte will be able to sign the law once the Senate approves it.

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Mati mayor condemns ambush by NPA

Posted: 30 May 2021 06:07 AM PDT

MATI City Mayor Michelle Nakpil Rabat strongly condemns the ambush incident perpetrated by a lawless armed group to the military troops' vehicle past 8 a.m. Sunday, May 30, 2021.

In a statement released by the Mati City Information Office, the mayor said, "Today's incident along the national highway in Sitio Tagawisan, Barangay Badas is unfortunate and we condemn such atrocious act by lawless armed group."

She was also disappointed that the traffic flow was hampered since the national highway was temporarily closed for around two hours for the clearing operation of the crime scene.

The mayor added that if the same incident continues to happen it clearly will not bring development to the city and its people.

"Rest assured that the police and the military, with the support of the local government, are doing their best to prevent a similar incident from happening again," Rabat said.

Based on the report of the 10th Infantry Division (10ID), the Alpha Company of the 66th Infantry Battalion (66IB) was on board a military truck bound for Banaybanay town from Barangay Taguibo when more or less 10 New People's Army Guerrilla Front 18 rebels ambushed them near Punta Tagawisan.

In a Philippine News Agency interview, Major Jerry Lamosao, spokesperson of 10ID, said the wounded soldier was hit at the back and taken to Davao Oriental Provincial Medical Center in Barangay Dahican.

"He is now in stable condition," he said.

Lamosao said the 66IB immediately deployed more troops to hunt down the communist terrorist group.

Major General Ernesto Torres Jr., commander of the 10ID, downplayed the terror act as a show of force tactic to recruit new members and recover their losses brought about by peace and development gains.

"The few remaining terrorist rebels just wanted to project strength by conducting terrorist acts even with their already weak force to show that they are still a force to reckon with. They resort to this cowardly act to recruit new members and generate resources from their loss as their number continues to drop due to the convergence of the community, local government units, and the Army in Davao Oriental against insurgency," he said in a statement.

He assured the public to remain calm as the situation is under control while urging everyone to be vigilant in reporting suspicious movements and activities of individuals to the army and the police.

"We appeal to the public to remain calm and vigilant. Daghang salamat ug amping kamong tanan," Rabat said. (Jeepy P. Compio with PNA)

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Igacos mayor orders temporary suspension of resorts as Covid-19 cases rise in Davao Region

Posted: 30 May 2021 06:01 AM PDT

ISLAND Garden City of Samal (Igacos) Mayor Al David Uy temporarily suspended operation of all resorts, including beach or inland, in the city beginning June 1 until 14, 2021 due to the surge in Covid-19 cases in the city and its neighboring local government units (LGUs).

Uy issued Executive Order (EO) No. 291 on Sunday, May 30, wherein the mayor also ordered the suspension of private gatherings and parties in private resorts and establishments.

Exempted in the order are those Department of Tourism (DOT) "Star-rated Resorts", which may continue to operate as certified by DOT to have passed its Staycation Program.

The mayor also ordered the suspension of all pre-bookings until further notice and advice. All confirmed bookings and approved tourist QR Codes are also canceled.

"The National Capital Region and other areas in the country including our neighboring LGUs specifically Davao City reported surge increase in their Covid-19 cases as well as the emergence of new Covid-19 variants, thereby, suspending all crowd-drawing activities in their jurisdiction such as but not limited to personal milestone events, welcome honors, summer outing, inauguration, oath-taking programs, and similar other events and activities," the mayor said in his EO.

He said hospitals in these areas were fully occupied with Covid-19 patients that prompted the Department of Health (DOH) to limit the city's daily reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test to 50 to 100 lab tests only, way below the city's capacity to conduct RT-PCR tests.

"This limitation makes it difficult for the local government to control the surge of Covid 19 cases, hence, the need to balance public safety with economic recovery to protect the people against Covid-19 transmission," Uy said.

Based on surveillance reports, the mayor revealed that there was a clustering of Covid-19 cases due to the conduct of events, transmissions in the market, workplace, and such other areas.

He said there is a need to implement preventive measures to prevent the same full-blown community transmission to happen in Igacos.

According to the City Investment and Tourism Office (CITO), the city is frequented by many tourists conducting summer outings, gatherings, and other celebrations, which will be a potential source of Covid-19 transmission.

"All affected resort workers shall be assisted by the City Government through its Tupad [Tulong Panghanapbuhay sa Ating Disadvantaged/Displaced Workers] Program provided by the Department of Labor and Employment (Dole)," Uy said.

Meanwhile, DOT-Davao Region said their office respects the decision of the LGU to temporarily suspend all resort operations as a precautionary measure established by the local government of the Igacos to control the possible surge of Covid-19 cases on the island.

DOT-Davao said there will be around 130 tourism establishments affected by this order.

According to the Provincial Health Office of Davao del Norte, as of May 29, Igacos had a total confirmed Covid-19 positive cases of 357, wherein 21 were active cases, 322 were recoveries, and 14 were deaths.

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Davao City eyes HPBS link to Panabo

Posted: 30 May 2021 06:00 AM PDT

A HIGH-RANKING Davao City official said the city is planning to have a Panabo City-Davao City route in the High Priority Bus System (HPBS) project.

City Planning and Development Office head Ivan Cortez said during the Davao City Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. 5th General Membership Meeting virtual presser on Friday morning, May 28, that they are currently coordinating with the Panabo City government on the proposed creation of a station in their city.

"We are currently in talks with Panabo LGU to get their position on the plan to include a Panabo link and station in the Metro Davao bus," Cortez said.

The official did not further elaborate on the proposal.

HPBS is the Davao City government's proposed public transport system that aims to improve the city's looming transportation system.

Cortez said HPBS is a public transport system that combines the capacity, reliability, and speed of a metro line with the flexibility, lower cost, and simplicity of a bus system.

He said consultants of the Department of Transportation are at the final stages of the detailed design for the bus network,

Acquisition of the bus depot, terminals, and station are also ongoing, the official added.

The HPBS project involves the delivery of a modern bus system for the city, wherein interconnected bus services will be prioritized within the 137-kilometer core network and feeder routes composed of 489-kilometer.

The city recently launched the first two routes of the Interim Bus System (IBS) Project in February and March this year.

The IBS is the first phase of the HPBS, which is a part of the Transport Roadmap of the City Government of Davao.

The city said the purpose of the roadmap is to support the improvement of transportation so that it prioritizes modes according to their economic, environmental, and community sustainability.

HPBS Manager and Assistant City Administrator for Administration lawyer Tristan Dwight Domingo said in a recent report that the bus project is expected to be fully operational in 2023.

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Trekkers showing indecent behavior to be banned at Mount Apo

Posted: 30 May 2021 05:57 AM PDT

THE Department of Environment and Natural Resources-Davao Region (DENR-Davao) warned trekkers from doing indecent behaviors at Mount Apo as this would result in them getting banned from trekking the mountain.

In a Facebook post on Saturday, May 29, DENR-Davao posted a video of a certain trekker drinking wine or liquor at the mountain's peak while making unnecessary noise and showing indecent behavior.

DENR-Davao reminded all trekkers to respect the sanctity of Mount Apo and strictly follow trekking policies imposed by the Protected Area Management Board (Pamb) of Mount Apo. These policies include strict prohibition of nudity, indecent activities, and unnecessary noise.

"Mount Apo is not just about its ecological and wilderness value. It is also remarkable for its cultural significance and is highly respected as it is believed to be the burial ground of Apo Sandawa, the indigenous community's Great Forefather," the agency said in a post.

It added that they are also calling the attention of the porters and guides to not tolerate these trekkers.

"Violators of the policies set by the PAMB will be held accountable and will be blacklisted or be banned from trekking Mt. Apo. As what we have always called the public for, let's protect and conserve our dear Mt. Apo," DENR-Davao said.

DENR-Davao regional public affairs office chief Jayvee Jude Agas told SunStar Davao in a phone interview on Sunday afternoon, May 30, that they have not yet reached out to the people involved in the video as the clips were only forwarded by concerned citizens.

"Ang aim sa among pagpost sa (Our aim of posting the) video is just to raise awareness. There are policies that every trekker of Mount Apo should follow," Agas said.

Despite not reaching out to the people behind the viral video, the official said the people on the video are still not free from possible sanctions.

The DENR-Davao official also called out the attention of porters and guides not to tolerate the indecent behavior of trekkers.

Due to the incident, Agas said they will raise the matter for possible crafting of rules and regulations in the next joint Pamb en banc meeting with DENR Davao Region and Soccsksargen, considering Mount Apo is part of two regions.

Agas previously said that Pamb recommended that there will be a regular rehabilitation period of Mount Apo through a yearly three-month closure or "offset season," particularly from June to August.

The recommendation came up months after DENR-Davao Executive Director Bagani Fidel Evasco, who is also the Pamb chairman, proposed for the temporary closure of Mount Apo to trekkers "due to the unappealing findings from the team's recent conduct of trail and camp assessment."

Evasco, together with selected officials and personnel from Davao Oriental and Davao del Sur, recently conducted a trial and camp assessment from February 11 to 14, passing Sitio Paradise Digos trail to Camp Gudi-Gudi then to the summit.

Following the activity, multiple observations were publicly released such as trekkers' non-observance of the Inter-Agency Task Force on Emerging Infectious Diseases guidelines on health protocols, occurrence of littering and vandalism, traces of drug substances, and alarming soil cultivation within its Strict Protection Zone.

The director then pushed for its immediate rehabilitation by having it temporarily closed.

However, the majority of Pamb members voted for the deferment of the proposed closure during an emergency en banc meeting on February 23.

Agas also said the recommendation was made to prevent possible forest fires in the mountain in the future.

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RA 115471 to boost Davao cacao's industry

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:44 AM PDT

AN INDUSTRY leader in the cacao industry said the recent declaration of Davao City as the Chocolate Capital of the Philippines and the entire Davao Region as the Cacao Capital will boost the local cacao industry.

On May 27, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed into law Republic Act 115471. The bill was crafted to recognize "the importance of cacao as a driver of rural development not only because of its singular potential as a raw material that can increase the country's export earnings tremendously, and put the name of the country on the map for producing the finest chocolate beans but for having provided livelihood to many small farmers in the countryside."

Davao City was declared as Chocolate Capital and Davao Region as Cacao Capital in recognition for being the country's biggest producer of cacao and its vital contribution in making the Philippines world-renowned and sought after by chocolate makers from the US, Japan, and Europe.

"It can boost the marketing of the brand of Davao chocolate... It also boosts the industry as a whole," Val Turtur, Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc. (Cidami) president, said in a phone interview with SunStar Davao.

He said RA 115471 being signed into law will also boost the morale of cacao farmers in Davao Region.

Turtur added that this will also allow the cacao industry in the region to request additional support.

"There is a big hope from our side, the industry, that the government will release funds for the cacao and chocolate industry," he said.

Turtur said this will also attract businessmen to invest in the cacao industry of Davao Region.

RA 115471 was passed in the Senate on March 8, 2021 as Senate Bill 1741 (SB 1741). The bill was authored by Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture. It was also co-authored by Senators Christopher Lawrence "Bong" Go and Ronald dela Rosa, both from Davao Region.

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Editorial: Davao, beyond the durian

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:35 AM PDT

WHEN we think of Davao Region in relation to food, it is usually known for its durian. However, over the years, it has also become known for its cavendish bananas and pomelo.

In recent years, we are seeing two other crops that is becoming more associated with Davao Region -- cacao and coffee. Recently the cacao and coffee industries in the region were given a big boost following two milestones last week.

On May 26, five coffee farmers of the Balutakay Coffee Farmers Association (Bacofa) in Bansalan, Davao del Sur were among the six winners of the Arabica Category of the Philippine Coffee Quality Competition 2021. The lot of Marites Arellano won first place and her coffee beans were also awarded the Best Natural Processed Arabica.

Also in the top six are Lendilou Loon (Top 2), Jastine Mae Dubria (Top 3), Marifel dela Cerna (Top 4 and Best Honey Processed Arabica), and Maria Luz Dubria (Top 6). The top six scored an average of over 83 points. If coffee beans score over 80 points, they are considered specialty coffee.

PCQC head judge Shaun Ong, who is based in Singapore, praised the coffee beans from Davao Region. He said the top three in particular are among the best Arabica beans he has tasted from the Philippines.

In a press statement, the Department of Agriculture said PCQC winners are able to command a higher price for their coffee and see an increase in demand.

Meanwhile, President Rodrigo R. Duterte signed on May 27 Republic Act (RA) 115471 declaring Davao City as the Chocolate Capital of the Philippines and the entire Davao Region as the Cacao Captial of the Philippines.

Filed as Senate Bill (SB) 1741, RA 115471 was authored by Senator Cynthia A. Villar, chair of the Senate Committee on Agriculture, and co-authored by Senators Christopher Lawrence T. Go and Ronald dela Rosa, both from Davao Region. The law was passed in the Senate on March 8.

Chocolates from Davao City and cacao from Davao Region have made their mark on the international scene. Malagos Chocolates has bagged 28 international awards, including those from the Academy of Chocolate, for its chocolate products. Under the Cocoa Excellence Programme in 2017, cacao produced by Malagos Agri Ventures has been included among the best 50 cacao beans globally. Several cacao processors in the country are also sourcing their raw materials from Davao cacao farmers.

Cacao Industry Development Association of Mindanao Inc. (Cidami) President Val Turtur told SunStar Davao that the signed law will boost the promotion of chocolates and cacao from Davao Region and at the same time boost the morale of the cacao farmers.

These milestones are a welcome development to the flourishing coffee and cacao industry in the region.

However, as much as this enhances the position, pricing, and promotion of cacao and coffee from Davao, it also serves as an important reminder to local farmers and processors to ensure the quality of their products.

In a way, these accolades will also put our coffee and cacao under the microscope. Buyers will expect that whatever comes from Davao, it is of the best quality. Hence, it is important for stakeholders in the public and private sectors in Davao Region to work together to ensure that high-quality coffee, cacao, and its by-products are being produced in the region.

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Mendoza: Today’s learning set-up

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:35 AM PDT

SCHOOL Year 2020-2021 is the first in history for the Department of Education (DepEd) to fully finish without the learners experiencing the traditional face-to-face learning, where the modality heavy on modules dominates the educational system.

As a sort of review, the following modalities are currently being implemented in the public and private schools in the country.

Distance Learning. This refers to a learning delivery modality where learning takes place between the teacher and the learners who are geographically remote from each other during instruction.

Modular Distance Learning. Learning is in the form of individualized instruction that allows learners to use self-learning modules (SLMs) in print or digital format/electronic copy, whichever is applicable in the context of the learner and other learning resources like Learner's Materials, textbooks, activity sheets, study guides, and other study materials.

Online Distance Learning. It features the teacher facilitating learning and engaging learners' active participation using various technologies accessed through the internet while they are geographically remote from each other during instruction.

Home Schooling. It is an alternative delivery mode (ADM) that aims to provide learners with equal access to quality basic education through a home-based environment to be facilitated by qualified parents, guardians or tutors who have undergone relevant training.

Blended Learning. This refers to a learning modality that allows for a combination of face to face and online distance learning (ODL), face-to-face and modular distance learning (MDL), face-to-face and TV/Radio-based Instruction (RBI), and face-to-face learning and a combination with two or more types of distance learning.

Traditional Face-to-Face Learning (This is not one of the options since the President and the IATF did not approve conducting it). This refers to a learning delivery modality where the students and the teacher are both physically present in the classroom, and there are opportunities for active engagement, immediate feedback, and socio-emotional development of learners.

Alternative Delivery Modes (ADM). Alternative Delivery Modes (ADM) are tried and tested alternative modalities of education delivery within the confines of the formal system that allow schools to deliver quality education to marginalized students and those at risk of dropping out in order to help them overcome personal, social, and economic constraints in their schooling. (Source/Reference:DepEd)

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US-based Pinoy fashion designer promotes Davao’s banana fabric

Posted: 30 May 2021 04:29 AM PDT

A FILIPINO fashion designer based in the United States has given a fresh take to Davao Region's banana fabric.

Carl Andrada is a Capiz-born fashion and costume designer who has been practicing his profession in Los Angeles, California since 2015. While being away from his homeland, he never forgets to continue promoting his culture. Recently, he used the fabric produced by MUSA of Tagum City-based Joy Soo in designing an outfit for the photoshoot of Ms. Universe 2020 contestant, Ms. Mauritius.

"It was after the Miss Universe pageant, I invited her to visit LA and she was gracious enough to do a photoshoot since she wore some of my creations during Miss Universe. One of which was made from a Mindanao fabric," he shared.

As an advocate of Philippine fabric, it was not difficult for him to fall in love with MUSA. He believes that Philippine-made fabrics need to be seen worldwide, not only in Philippine costumes but in regular clothes as well, such as gowns, shirts, and dresses.

"We have an abundance of fabric in the Philippines that we have to showcase. That is why, I let Miss Mauritius wear one of my earliest designs made out of MUSA to show to people how nice and elegant a fabric it is, and that it is truly of world-class quality," he noted.

With his growing love for MUSA, he is planning to produce a collection of 15 to 20 designs out of the banana fabric. These exciting pieces are expected to be part of SS2022 LA Fashion Week this October to formally introduce MUSA in the US. And this is surely a piece of great news for Soo, who is one of the newest graduates of the Department of Trade and Industry 11's Kapatid Mentor Me (KMME) program.

"The fact that Musa is an advocacy, and it helps and supports underprivileged people and their respective families, this made me realize to embrace it. I feel that in my own little way, I could open doors of opportunities for MUSA and the people behind it," he said about his shared vision with the local entrepreneur-designer.

Andrada's designs are anchored on the uniqueness of the materials he uses. With MUSA being unconventional and available in vibrant colors, he is keen on making more wearable pieces out of it.

To those who want to make it big in the industry someday, the brilliant designer had this advice: "Never stop learning and you should always seek knowledge because the world is full of opportunities. You have to prepare yourself in the very quick changing times. Never imitate someone, be original. Find that uniqueness in you and be kind. And finally, love and embrace your chosen craft."

***

If you have special events, interesting lifestyle stories, and fashion tips to share, you are always free to reach me at mendoza.jennygrace@gmail.com. You may also follow Purple's Nook on Facebook for more updates.

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