Friday, June 25, 2021

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Making a bike out of bamboo

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:48 AM PDT

BIKING has become both a leisure and essential activity for many Dabawenyos especially during the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in 2020 when travel and movement restrictions were stricter.

Now, more than a year into the pandemic, bike lanes abound on many major roads in Davao City. The lack of bike lanes pre-pandemic prohibited Marlon Luces, a senior high school teacher, from biking around the city because of fear of bigger vehicles. After all, his father-in-law died in a vehicular accident, which made his wife more hesitant about highway biking.

Marlon is a senior high school teacher at the Davao City National High School teaching subjects under the Accountancy, Business, and Management strand. They were originally from Cateel, Davao Oriental but decided to move to Davao City in 2012 after Typhoon Pablo hit their area. Marlon and his family still visit their lot in Cateel to plant and maintain trees and bamboo.

After ECQ was lifted in Davao City, his son would be invited by his friends to bike outside the subdivision but the bike they owned was old and Marlon did not trust its capacity to support long-distance biking. His son asked that they buy a new one but Marlon was hesitant. He thought of making a unique bike with a strength comparable to metal or carbon bikes. He said it would also be an interesting conversation piece among peers.

Although he does not consider himself a crafty person or an artist, Marlon knows his way around making a bamboo bike. He said the bamboo poles must be at least three to four years old to be strong enough. Then comes the treatment, which is necessary so the material does not get infested with weevils (bokbok). He asked the janitors in their school for the cut bamboo which he used to make a bike.

"Daghan na pod ko mga creation made from hardwood then na realize nako na aside sa kamahal sa wood halos hurot na pod mga kahoy nato. Hastang luuya na sa kinaiyahan (I've had a lot of creations made of hardwood. Some wood is expensive. Aside from that, I realize that this takes a toll on the environment)" he said.

The treatment process, according to Marlon, is a little costly if you use chemicals. Instead, he used a torch and wipe approach. This helps the bamboo sweat out moisture, which he wipes away afterward. Bugs love moisture and starch, and one would not want their presence when riding a wooden bike. The process takes around an hour, while the succeeding air-drying takes seven to 14 days.

He scouted for old and damaged bike frames from junk shops and used its head tube, BB shell, and dropouts. He used a frame jig to connect the metal inserts to the bamboo bike. Using the frame jig, he connects these metal inserts to the bamboo bike frame. He then wraps them with abaca fiber with epoxy resin.

Because he only did it after work, it took him 20 days to complete the bike, including the treatment and air-drying. It was a tedious process, but he said it was worth it. Because biking in Davao City is only allowed within a 10-kilometer radius, his bamboo bike has already been to the airport, Lyceum of the Philippines University, Panacan Depot, and has been around Sasa.

The quarantine has allowed him to explore more woodcraft projects as he has more time spent at home.

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156 motorists apprehended for obstructing, using bike lanes

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:47 AM PDT

THE Davao City government has apprehended over a hundred motorists for using and obstructing bike lanes in the city.

City Transport and Traffic Management Office (CTTMO) Head Dionisio Abude said a total of 156 individuals were apprehended for obstruction and/or have illegally parked on the bike lanes since the implementation of penalties among violators in May this year.

Meanwhile, a total of 45 violators were caught and fined from June 12 to 19.

"Kana siya medyo effective na sya kay naa may area nga kanunay nato ma-monitor. Naa na pud ta'y na-apprehend nato nga violation kabahin sa illegal parking, obstruction sa bike lanes," Abude said.

(Our constant monitoring in some areas has been effective with apprehensions on illegal parking and obstruction of bike lanes.)

Abude said car drivers who illegally park on bike lanes are charged with illegal parking and fined P500. They may also face charges for disregarding traffic signs.

The traffic official said these apprehensions should serve as a warning to motorists in the city.

The 19th City Council is currently revising the provisions of the Bicycle Ordinance.

Once enacted, violators will be fined at least P1,000. Abude hoped for the immediate passage of the modified ordinance for more specific bike lanes guidelines in the city.

Abude said the proposed ordinance will undergo one more committee hearing before it will be lobbied on the plenary for deliberation.

The city government is now collaborating with the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Davao Region to start laying the groundwork for the installation of designated bicycle lanes along Carlos P. Garcia Highway (Diversion Road), Davao-Bukidnon Highway, Matina Aplaya to Ecoland Drive, C. Bangoy St., Ecowest Drive, and Tulip Drive.

Abude, meanwhile, cautioned bikers to stay safe on the roads by always wearing protective gear and refraining from going beyond the designated lanes.

"Dili lang ta gusto manakop, pero gusto nato i-educate atong mga motorista. Dili gyud pwede mo parking o mo-obstruct sila except loading and unloading passengers," he said.

(We do not only apprehend because we want to, but we would like also to educate our motorists. We do not allow them to park or obstruct [bike lanes] except for loading and unloading of passengers.)

The CTTMO is also expanding its drive to educate more Dabawenyos about the safety and the proper use of bike lanes through information dissemination and the utilization of available social media platforms.

The creation of the bike lanes is in accordance with the order of the Department of the Interior and Local Government urging all local government units to establish bicycle lanes in all local roads to support those who will bike to their work destination due to the reduced capacity of public transportation under the general community quarantine.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio, meanwhile, signed the suspension through Executive Order 40, series of 2020, or "An order providing for the suspension of bicycle registration, bicycle registration fees, and allowing the use of bicycle lanes in the City of Davao," which was publicly released on June 19, 2020.

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PRRD signs Davao Occidental general hospital bill

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:46 AM PDT

PRESIDENT Rodrigo Duterte signed on Thursday evening, June 24, the bill establishing the Davao Occidental General Hospital.

In a signing ceremony attended by some members of the Congress at Malacañang, Duterte signed 16 laws, 13 of which were health-related and sought to increase the bed capacity of hospitals in various parts of the country.

Among them is House Bill No. 7321, entitled "An Act Establishing A General Hospital in Barangay Lacson, Municipality of Malita, Province of Davao Occidental To Be Known As The Davao Occidental General Hospital, And Appropriating Funds Therefor."

The president said the government is committed to providing the Filipino people "equitable and sustainable service" in healthcare.

"Thirteen of these laws are health-related and are all very crucial in strengthening the capacity of our healthcare system as we continue to overcome the current pandemic," Duterte said in his speech.

He said the new laws would "make quality medical service more accessible to our peoples especially those in the far-flung area."

"Increasing the bed capacity of existing public hospitals would likewise greatly augment our inventory of [much]-needed hospital beds that we badly need as we deal with a pandemic," he added.

With the passage of health-related bills into law, Duterte said his administration listens to the plight of medical frontliners, and that the government, along with the Congress, will continue to equip them "with proper and functional medical supplies and logistics."

Davao Occidental Representative Lorna Bautista-Bandigan, author of the House of Representatives Bill 7321, said the establishment of the general hospital would complement and amplify the effectiveness of the province's health system by providing continuous delivery of medical services for acute and complex medical conditions of local patients and those from neighboring provinces who want to avail themselves of its services.

Senate chairperson of the health committee Christopher "Bong" Go and Senate Minority Leader Franklin Drilon both pushed Senate Bill (SB) 1616, the counterpart of Bautista-Bandigan's bill.

Go said the establishment of the Davao Occidental General Hospital is long overdue and its budget must be addressed at the soonest possible time since residents have to travel more than 200 km. to Davao City for needed medical attention.

Bautista-Bandigan said it takes three to four hours of land travel before residents of the province could avail themselves of the services of tertiary hospitals that are located in Davao City.

The hospital is currently under construction in Barangay Lacaron in Malita town, the capital of the province.

Marivic Hubac, chief of staff of Bandigan's congressional office, said the construction of the Davao Occidental General Hospital started in 2020 with a budget of P200 million from the Department of Health.

Expected to be operational in the first or second quarter of 2022, it will be a 100 bed-capacity hospital with more units to be added annually to increase its occupancy and services.

Davao Occidental was created on Oct. 28, 2016 separated from Davao del Sur following a referendum. (With reports from PNA)

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18 Davao public schools may resume F2F classes once PRRD allows it

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:45 AM PDT

WHILE the resumption of the face-to-face (F2F) classes in the country remains uncertain, the Department of Education-Davao Region (DepEd-Davao) said 18 public schools in the region are on standby in case President Rodrigo Duterte will give the idea a go signal.

Duterte said on Monday evening, June 21, 2021, that he stands by his decision to allow the resumption of face-to-face classes only if the majority of the Filipinos are vaccinated against Covid-19.

The President made the decision amid the threat posed by the Delta variant of Sars-Cov-2, which has been shown to be 60 percent more contagious.

Upon hearing the President's decision, Education Secretary Leonor Briones immediately withdrew DepEd's request to allow limited F2F classes in at least 100 schools in the country.

DepEd-Davao Spokesperson Jenielito Atillo said in a press conference that the 18 schools are out of the total of 2,181 public schools in the region.

Atillo declined to name the schools but revealed that all of them are outside Davao City.

The 18 schools are also out of the 300 schools in the entire country deemed ready for the F2F classes. The country has a total of 60,000 public schools.

"As you can see, konti lang ang mga schools (there are only a few schools) that we have readied. But all of these are on standby mode, simply because the president has spoken already. There will be no face-to-face [classes] unless and until he changes his decision," Atillo said.

He said their list is still subject to change as they have parameters set before a school will be qualified for the gradual F2F.

These include the approval of the local government, parents, and other stakeholders.

He said the facilities and teaching personnel must also be ready for the resumption of physical classes.

He added that the department also takes into consideration the Covid-19 situation of the area, especially within the community.

Based on the feedback they received, Atillo said most parents still prefer the traditional F2F mode of learning due to some factors, including difficulty in facilitating their children in their studies.

"Daghan nagpadayag kung pwede mag-face-to-face (Many expressed that if possible, we go back to face-to-face) due to a lot of reasons, including naa'y kalisdanan sa ilaha og pag-facilitate sa pagtudlo ug kasabot mi ana kay (they struggle in facilitating in teaching, and we understand because) they are not actually teachers and they are not trained for that," Atillo said.

Teachers also wanted to resume F2F since their task load doubled since the "new normal" learning modality started in October 2020, he said.

Briones, in a previous presser, revealed that Davao Region was reconsidering joining in the pilot limited F2F classes.

She said during a virtual press conference last April 30 that Davao was supposedly included in DepEd's plan to conduct pilot F2F classes for the whole month of January 2021 in select schools in areas declared as low-risk for coronavirus transmission.

DepEd-Davao Regional Director Allan Farnazo said while there has been "anxiety" on the part of the region to participate in the limited F2F classes, but they reconsidered participating due to the continuing downtrend of Covid-19 cases in the entire region, especially in Davao City.

Briones said DepEd will remain prepared should the situation improve and F2F classes may resume.

She earlier expressed concern over the possible impact of the prolonged school closure to the Psychosocial aspect of the students and teachers.

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Davao A4 vax group not a priority for Pfizer vaccines

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:43 AM PDT

VACCINEES under the Priority A4 Group or the frontline personnel in essential sectors in Davao City are not prioritized in the inoculation of the Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 vaccine.

"Atong Pfizer vaccine, ato siyang i-priority sa A1, A2, A3, ug ato napud i-apil ang paghatag sa Pfizer sa atong A5 (We will be prioritizing the inoculation of the Pfizer vaccine for the A1, A2, A3, and also, we will include the A5 group)," Davao City Covid-19 Vaccine Cluster head Dr. Josephine Villafuerte said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio Friday, June 25.

According to the National Vaccine Deployment for Covid-19 of the Department of Health (DOH), Priority A1 group are workers in frontline health services, A2 for all senior citizens, A3 for persons with comorbidities, A4 for frontline personnel in essential sectors (including uniformed personnel), and A5 for indigent population (including indigenous peoples and 4Ps beneficiaries).

Villafuerte explained the Pfizer vaccines allocated in the city were sourced from the Covax facility.

"Dili i-administer ang Pfizer sa A4 because the Pfizer nga nag-abot are Covax commodity. Pag Covax commodity, it is Covax that dictates kung asa siya ihatag. Sila magbuot," she said.

(We cannot administer the Pfizer vaccine to the A4 group since this is donated by the Covax facility. They are the ones dictating to whom it will be vaccinated.)

The A4 group will instead be inoculated with Sinovac's CoronaVac and AstraZeneca vaccines.

Davao City is currently the sole area in the entire Davao Region to utilize the 239,850 doses of Pfizer vaccine allocated by the national government due to the city's capacity to store the vaccines in an ultra-low storage facility.

Villafuerte said the city is expected to roll out the vaccines to the A4 group in July. She said this might be started before the end of the month before the end of June, depending on the readiness of the sectors to be inoculated.

She did not mention when the vaccines would be rolled out to the A5 group.

Since June 17, she said the city has already inoculated 26,505 doses of Pfizer vaccine, and that there are still ample doses of the vaccine until next week.

The official said A5 has the most number of individuals to be inoculated. She said the numbers might reduce considering some were qualified on the above priority groups.

Villafuerte said around 10 percent of Davao City's 1.2 million target were already vaccinated with the Covid-19 vaccine.

According to the Davao City Vaccination Cluster as of June 20, a total of 138,660 first doses were allocated. Based on the0 breakdown, 34,063 were part of the Priority A1 group (healthcare workers), 63,374 for A2 (senior citizens), and 41,223 for A3 (persons with comorbidities).

A total of 34,990 were inoculated for the second doses, wherein 23,235 for A1, 9,762 (A2), and 1,993 (A3).

Villafuerte said they are hoping to reach the targeted herd immunity before the end of the year.

According to Pfizer, test results showed its coronavirus vaccine is 95-percent effective, safe and also protects older people most at risk of dying.

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Where in the world are Hermione and Hanna?

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:38 AM PDT

WHEN Hans and Deborah Chua welcomed their eldest daughter Hermione into the world, the eager parents created a Facebook page to share her delightful milestones.

But like many first-time parents, they became preoccupied with so many things that they eventually stopped updating the page. Their interest was sparked anew when the family moved from Davao City to China in 2016 because of Hans' job assignment. They then decided to rename the FB page to "Where in the World are Hermione and Hanna?" to document the places where their daughters (now 14 and 8 years old, respectively) have been.

"I also wanted to post more things about China, but I often hesitated since my husband and I have friends who dislike the country and see things differently," shares Debs, a Computer Engineering graduate from AMA Computer College-Davao Campus.

"Truth be told, if we had never come to China and experienced what life is like here, we would most likely share the same sentiments. But, what I can confidently say after living here for almost five years is that we rarely encounter the negative things that are portrayed in social media," she intimates.

Three cities in five years

During the Chuas' first year in China, they stayed in the historical city of Xi'an, the home of the famed Terracotta Warriors and where the first imperial dynasty started.

After a year, they moved to Guiyang, the summer capital of China. "We lived there for two years and everything was fine until winter came when we realized that centralized heating is not available in Southern China. It made winter a very difficult season for us to live in," Debs recalls.

In 2019, the family moved to northeast China in a city called Dalian located in Liaoning province. "So far, we love it here! You can truly experience four seasons and since the city is near the sea, seafood is very abundant".

Fascinating China

Living in China has fascinated the family to no end. For instance, QR is everything in China. "We use it to scan whatever we want to buy online. Once you scan the QR, you can view the restaurant menu with pictures in your WeChat app; register a membership; fill up a form, etc. This convenience simply makes our lives much easier," details Debs.

In addition, utility bills like electricity and water are very cheap. "300 RMB (P2,200+) can usually cover two to three months of electricity consumption. Water is charged every few months because the amount is too small to be billed on a monthly basis. Our internet connection runs on 100Mbps fiber connection for only 800 RMB (P5,900+) per year," Debs reveals.

She also says that there is a CCTV camera wherever they go. It is normal to see places where instead of swiping a card for entry, the door will just scan one's face for access.

Moreover, urban planning is well thought out, and they usually segregate the residential zones into multiple communities. Each of these communities has its own gates and ecosystem. "As you step out of the community, you will see fruit-bearing trees everywhere and you are free to pick the fruits. The streetlights are powered by solar panels. You can see China's efforts to make the country as green as possible," the homeschooling mom explains.

Road less traveled

Their personal blogs/vlogs, "Where in the World are Hermione and Hanna?" on FB; @hdc.travels on Instagram; and HDC Travels on YouTube are a labor of love among the family members.

Before visiting their target scenic spots, they usually look at travel sites and Douyin (China's Tiktok) to get inspiration on how to shoot their photos and videos. As for the captions, it is Debs who finds the quotations that will match the scenery.

"Every place we visited has given us so many memories and experiences that fueled our wanderlust each time," declares Debs. Exploring beyond the more famous Beijing and Shanghai, these are some of the Chua family's most favorite attractions in China:

HARBIN ICE FESTIVAL – Debs describes it as such an amazing sight to see with giant ice structures covered with colorful bright lights. It was -36C degrees when the Chuas visited Harbin.

YINGGESHI BOTANICAL GARDEN IN LVSHUN DISTRICT, DALIAN CITY – The vast garden showcases thousands of tulips in a variety of hues. There is also a pink mountain filled with shibazakura, a plant that is unique to Japan, but available in Dalian as it used to be under Japanese rule.

HUSHAN GREAT WALL IN DANDONG CITY - This lesser-known Great Wall is more manageable to hike compared to the one in Beijing. What's unique about this tourist spot is you can see North Korea from above, and there is an area that is literally one foot away from North Korean territory.

XIAOQIKONG IN LIBO COUNTY - Xiaoqikong when translated is called seven little holes, and it used to be a trade route for local Chinese back in the early 1900s. The area is filled with natural wonders such as long rivers and multi-level waterfalls.

KUNMING SHILIN STONE FOREST PARK – The enchanting stone forest in Kunming boasts stunning limestone formations.

With fewer travel restrictions because of the improved Covid-19 situation in China, the Chuas hope to tick off more places in their bucket list. Here's to more extraordinary family adventures!

E-mail the author at mom.about.town.dvo@gmail.com. Visit http://momabouttowndavao.blogspot.com/.

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Abalayan: ‘Winning Still’ a must-read

Posted: 25 Jun 2021 08:37 AM PDT

WINNING brings out the best and the worst in people just like it does in every adversity one faces.

The Covid-19 pandemic, for one, is a testament to how we've been carrying ourselves each passing day. Have we become the better versions of ourselves amid this unprecedented time? Or have we become our own worst nightmare?

Since the pandemic struck during the first quarter of 2020, the world was brought to its knees. Time stood still. Most, if not all of us, were at a loss. For most of last year, sports, just like any industry, hit rock bottom. It was only late in 2020 that sports restarted via bubble-like tournaments here and in other parts of the world.

But in the first 100 days of the pandemic in 2020, some athletes, coaches, and sports leaders in the country met three times a week for the M-W-F sessions, which according to its organizer Noli Ayo of the Ateneo de Davao University, who is also convener of the Mindanao Peace Games, paved the way for attendees to share their stories while experiencing the crisis.

I remember attending one Zoom meeting with Davao coaches and local representatives of national sports associations (NSAs). I'm not sure though if it was part of the M-W-F program that Coach Noli was talking about. It was a great experience for me as well, having had to share my thoughts and feelings on the uncertainty of my job then, seeing that some of those in the room were severely hit by the ill effects of the pandemic as most colleges and universities stopped hiring coaches and sports activities were prohibited.

They were not defined by their titles nor by their positions in the sports community. As if I was meeting them for the first time. They were real people with real stories.

It was through the M-W-F sessions that Coach Noli met and collaborated with a lot of sports personalities not just locally but also regionally and nationally. Eventually, these collaborations gave birth to "Winning Still," a book compilation of essays from 27 sports personalities in the country, some of whom are my regular source for sports news stories, the likes of 2016 Rio Olympics weightlifting silver medalist Hidilyn Diaz, lone Filipino female world pool champion Rubilen Amit, Coach Noli, Coach Stax Savellano of triathlon, and former Dela Salle University men's football team captain Jed Diamante.

"I feel privileged to be given the trust by these people, which is very important," Coach Noli told PTV Sports in an interview.

From March to May 2020, 21 M-W-F sessions were held via Zoom featuring speakers from the Philippines, Europe, North America, and Southeast Asia with thousands of participants both in Zoom and Facebook Live.

Winning Still was virtually launched in the afternoon of June 25, 2021, via the Philippine Women's University's official Facebook fan page.

Coach Noli said, "Sports events were called off. National events were put on hold. All physical activities became non-existent. And just like anyone else, I found myself asking, 'What can I do now? This book is a product of that question I asked myself more than a year ago.'"

He thanked the writers, some were even newbies in the field, whose "thoughts, ideas, and reflections brought this book to life" and dedicated it to his good friend the late Rico Navarro who was also instrumental in putting up the book.

Publisher Gang Badoy Capati, meanwhile, said the book is a response to an unbelievable pandemic, saying that although certainty makes people brave and alive, it is uncertainty that makes them braver.

"This book is a collective result of people who got together however different but the similarity is this, 'Wow we are all going through something,' 'Wow, what can we do?' Instead of saying how do we survive, they say, 'How do we thrive on this one?'," the proud publisher said.

Other writers in the book are Ada Milby, three-time Olympian swimmer Akiko Thomson Guevara, Geraldine Bernardo, Jong Uichico, Maria Luisa Guinto, Hernando Planells, Meggie Ochoa, Pearl Managuelod, Robbie De Vera, Popoy Navarro, Marielle Benitez Javellana, Oliver Almadro, Paul Supan, Russell Raypon, Rebo Saguisag, Isabella Fernando, Sandy Arrespacochaga, Victor Africa, Haydee Ong, Azlie Guro, and Gianne Dela Cruz.

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Anflo ecozone offers new cold storage facility

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:24 PM PDT

HOMEGROWN property developer Damosa Land Inc. has continued to expand the offerings of its Anflo Industrial Estate in Panabo City, Davao del Norte by adding a new cold storage facility.

The agro-industrial park located in a 63-hectare sprawling property has set in the new freezer rooms that are ready for occupancy.

The Floirendo-owned company's new project is expected to help plug gaps in the agricultural supply chain in Mindanao, particularly the need for more cold storage facilities necessary for companies looking for these facilities but can hardly find one.

What makes the facility perfectly positioned is that the industrial estate is strategically located between two key economic centers in the Davao Region - the cities of Davao and Tagum - as it helps spur agricultural development not just of the region but the entire Mindanao.

Cold storage facilities like this one have become a necessity in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic because of the demand for specialized storage facilities for Covid-19 vaccines, food, and other essentials.

One key feature of the facility, and because the company is known for its sustainable footprints, is that it is powered by solar panels to help the company do its part in reducing carbon emissions.

The facility also complements the industrial space leasing business of the group as it is an ideal location for logistics companies that transport their products domestically or abroad as it is located adjacent to the group's ultramodern port, the Davao International Container Terminal.

Its current freezer rooms are state-of-the-art and can accommodate locators who are looking for facilities with a temperature range of negative 18 to negative 25 degrees Celsius.

The cold storage warehouses are the latest milestones of the Philippine Economic Zone Authority-registered park as it offers modern facilities to manage clients' temperature-controlled requirements.

The first completed phase of the facility can accommodate products that require an ultra-low temperature such as fish and seafood, meat, poultry, frozen food, ice cream, vaccines, and more.

This new building houses 780 pallet positions within four freezer rooms.

The facility is ideal for food processing companies and distributors of finished products AIE is also continuously expanding the new facility as it is adding chiller rooms and blast freezers to accommodate a wider range of products such as fresh produce, fruits and vegetables, and cheese and dairy.

The facility also offers services that include freezer room rental, stuffing and unstuffing and product handling.

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Sara confirms HNP talks about her presidential bid

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:58 AM PDT

THE regional political party founded by presidential daughter Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio is already discussing her presidential bid in the 2022 elections.

Duterte-Carpio, chairperson of Hugpong ng Pagbabago (HNP), revealed in a statement on Wednesday, June 23, 2021, that party officials are now in talks with "highly-placed" national officials regarding next year's election.

"I am aware that the officers of Hugpong ng Pagbabago are in talks with several highly-placed national officials regarding the 2022 elections," the mayor said in a statement.

"I am not privy to these discussions, but I was told that the meetings are about my candidacy for the Presidential race in 2022," she added.

Duterte-Carpio said she was "assured" that those involved in the talks will respect her decision if she decides not to run for the presidency.

Meanwhile, the mayor expressed her gratitude to Lakas-Christian Muslim Democrats (CMD) party for their support.

HNP was founded in 2018 to support President Rodrigo Duterte's government.

The mayor had been leading in the presidential survey despite her father's opposition for her to run.

In a radio interview on June 21, she quoted her father, saying that "presidency is not a woman's job."

"President Duterte said that the presidency is not a woman's job, so particularly [it's] not for me. So if he decided to run for vice-president (VP), let's not expect that he will get me as his running mate [since I am a woman]," the mayor said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

In March, members of the ruling PDP-Laban party urged President Duterte to run for vice president in 2022.

When asked about the possibility of joining the PDP-Laban as a guest candidate, the mayor said she has no plans to join the party.

"I have no plans of joining a national political party. As I said, I will stay with Hugpong ng Pagbabago in Davao Region and Hugpong sa Tawong Lungsod in Davao City," she said.

She also confirmed that there are individuals who signified interest to be her running mate should she decide to run for president in next year's polls.

Despite her uncertainty to run for the country's top post, the presidential daughter thanked the continuous support poured into her.

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Davao leaders remember former president P-Noy

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:56 AM PDT

THE City Government of Davao has lowered its flags to half-mast following the passing of former president Benigno "Noynoy" Aquino III on Thursday morning, June 24, 2021. He was 61.

The Davao City government issued a statement, asking for prayers for the repose of the former president's soul.

"The City Government of Davao is one with the nation in praying for the eternal repose of the soul of former President Benigno Aquino III," the city said in a statement.

The city government also said Philippine flags in the entire Davao City shall be flown at half-mast until his burial.

Davao de Oro Governor Jayvee Tyron Uy also extended his condolences to the family of the late president.

"We have flown the Philippine flag half-mast in the Provincial Capitol to pay our last respects to Benigno Simeon "Noynoy" Aquino III, 15th President of the Republic of the Philippines," Uy said in his Facebook post.

The governor also remembered Aquino for his help when Typhoon Pablo struck the province, then Compostela Valley.

"We remember the former president for all his help to us, especially on our efforts to recover from the devastation of Typhoon Pablo which includes social programs and infrastructure projects," Uy said.

Davao City Third District Representative Isidro Ungab, through his Facebook account, also sent his "thoughts and prayers" to the Aquino family.

"Today we join the nation in mourning the demise of former President Benigno S. Aquino III. Our thoughts and prayers are with his family and loved ones, may the Good Lord console and sustain them during this difficult time," Ungab said.

Former House Speaker and Davao del Norte First District Representative Pantaleon Alvarez also paid tribute to the late President and former senator.

Alvarez said Aquino "is probably the only Senator who didn't aspire for the Presidency and actually meant it."

"Despite his reservations, he nonetheless answered the country's call for him to serve. And by a twist of fate, he won," Alvarez said.

Regardless of political affiliation, the former speaker said, "we can all agree that what he did was selfless and courageous."

Alvarez admitted that he did not agree with Aquino's decisions when he was in office, but he believed that the latter did what's best for the country.

"President Aquino III, as with the other Presidents who came before him, did his best to make this country better. The results have been mixed, as history and experience would show. But this should not discourage us," he said.

Former Presidential Aide, now Senator Christopher "Bong" Go also sent his condolences.

Go said he and President Rodrigo Duterte have high respect for the late president.

The senator recalled his close encounter when Duterte supported Aquino's presidential candidacy during the latter's campaign in the city.

"Nakasama namin siya sa maraming mga okasyon lalo na sa kanyang pagtakbo bilang pangulo noong 2010 at nasilayan namin ang kanyang tunay na pagmamahal sa kapwa Pilipino. Salamat po sa inyong serbisyo sa taumbayan," Go said.

(We have been together on many occasions, especially during his presidential candidacy in 2010 and we were able to see his true love for his fellow Filipino. Thank you for your service to the nation.)

PNoy dies at 61

Aquino was rushed to the Capitol Medical Center in Quezon City early Thursday morning.

His siblings, including youngest sister Kris Aquino, arrived at the Capitol Medical before 10 a.m. Thursday.

Others who went to the hospital are Liberal Party stalwarts Senator Francis Pangilinan and former senator Manuel Roxas II.

At 12:39 p.m., an ambulance with a mini Philippine flag left the Capitol Medical Center. It was believed to be transporting the remains of Aquino to the Heritage Park in Taguig City.

"It is with profound grief that on behalf of our family, I am confirming that our brother Benigno 'Noynoy' C. Aquino III, died peacefully in his crib," Pinky Aquino-Abellada, sister of the late former president Benigno Aquino III, said. She read the family's statement with her other siblings beside her -- Kris Aquino, Victoria Elisa Aquino-Dee, and Ballsy Aquino-Cruz.

Aquino-Abellada said the death certificate pronounced the former president's death at 6:30 a.m. of June 24, 2021, due to renal disease secondary to diabetes.

"No words can express how broken our hearts are and how long it will take for us to accept the reality that he is gone. Mission accomplished ka, Noy. Be happy now with dad and mom. We love you and we are so blessed to have had the privilege to have had you as our brother. We will miss you forever, Noy," she said.

Aquino was the only son and third child of the late former senator Benigno "Ninoy" Aquino Jr., whose assassination in 1983 sparked a political upheaval that culminated in the ouster of dictator Ferdinand Marcos, and the late President Corazon "Cory" C. Aquino, who was installed as President during the 1986 People Power Revolution.

In August 1987, he was shot and seriously wounded during a fierce gunfight that erupted in Malacañang as rebel soldiers mounted a coup d'etat against his mother. Three of his bodyguards were killed.

PNoy, as Noynoy Aquino came to be known, was the 15th President of the Philippines, serving from June 30, 2010 to June 30, 2016. At that time, he also served as chairman of the then-ruling party Liberal Party of the Philippines.

Prior to being elected as President, he served three terms as representative of the 2nd District of Tarlac in 1998 to 2001, 2001 to 2004, and 2004 to 2007.

He placed sixth in the May 2007 senatorial elections, earning a six-year mandate as senator. He served in the Senate from 2007 to 2010.

An economist, having earned an AB Economics degree from the Ateneo de Manila University in 1981, Aquino's priority bills at the House of Representatives included the grant of annual productivity incentives to all workers in the private sector; strengthening the regulatory power of the Department of Trade and Industry to effectively enforce consumer laws; increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers.

At the Senate, he pursued his measure granting an annual productivity incentive to all workers in the private sector, establishing mechanisms for its implementation, and authored a bill increasing the penalties for non-compliance of the prescribed increases and adjustments in the wage rates of workers to amend Republic Act No. 6727, among others.

Aquino was catapulted to the presidency after his mother passed away. Born on February 8, 1960, Aquino was 50 years old when he was inaugurated as President.

In 2017, he was charged with graft and usurpation of authority before the Sandiganbayan in connection with the 2015 Mamasapano firefight that killed over 60 people, including 44 Special Action Forces men.

He was also charged with 44 counts of reckless imprudence resulting in homicide. The Supreme Court cleared him of all charges on September 3, 2019.

On December 14, 2017, he was grilled during a Senate inquiry into the Dengvaxia mess and at the House in February 2018. Graft charges were filed against him, former Health secretary Janette Garin and former Budget secretary Florencio Abad in mid-2018. (RGL with SunStar Philippines)

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62% of TTMFs still unoccupied

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:56 AM PDT

AMID the ongoing surge in cases in Davao City, an official from the Covid-19 Task Force said 62 percent of the quarantine facilities in the city remain unoccupied.

Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said the city still has more than half of the number of temporary treatment and monitoring facilities (TTMF) available as of June 23.

Schlosser explained that this is because the city continues to add more bed facilities as cases continue to surge.

She, however, admitted that the city continues to struggle to transfer Covid-19 patients to the city's quarantine facility due to the lack of transporting vehicles.

Schlosser said the city's Rapid Action Team can only transport around 300 patients per day.

This has resulted in some Covid-19 patients waiting for two to three days with a maximum of five waiting days before they are transported to the city's TTMF.

Apart from the problem in transportation, the official also admitted that the patient's refusal to be transferred to the TTMF is also one of their challenges.

"Naa (There are) instances when we are about to extract the patient, dili na mag-uban. So balik-balikan po na siya. Mag-abot na siya og pila ka days (they will not come with our team. We keep on coming back. Sometimes it would take many days)," Schlosser said on Thursday morning, June 24, in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

When this happens, the RAT seeks the help of the barangay officials and police to assist them in convincing the patients.

Schlosser said patients who refuse to be brought to the quarantine facilities might be penalized in violation of Republic Act11332 or the "Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act."

"Honestly, we do have the law to address that issue pero very humane talaga ang Davao [City] (but the Davao City government tries to be very humane) when it comes to that. Imagine, nagsakit na ang tao tapos imo pang pasakaan og kaso (a person is already sick and yet they get penalized)," she said.

She said the RAT is trying to explain and convince them to cooperate to avoid reaching legal actions.

She also said some patients provide them the wrong address, while some cannot be contacted because they provided false contact numbers.

"When you are on the ground level, it's actually difficult to extract the patient, kasi you cannot extract [them] nga dili nimo verified nga positive sila (because you cannot extract them until they are not verified as positive patients)," the official said.

She said some patients wanted to personally go to the TTMF, but the city does not allow it as it might cause community transmission or affect the people they will be in close contact with.

Schlosser said patients awaiting to be transported are advised to self-isolate and monitor their condition.

To address the logistic problems, City Health Office Acting Head Dr. Ashley Lopez said the city added three minibuses/coasters that are mainly for extraction and transport of the confirmed positive patients and five additional public utility jeepneys (PUJs) for those advised to be swabbed from the barangays.

"Duna na sad tay 20 units of PUJ for swabees and six ambulances para ma-maximize ang extraction and transport of Covid-19 cases (We already have 20 PUJs for swabees and six ambulances as well to maximize extraction and transport of Covid-19 cases)," Lopez said.

As of June 21, Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said the city had a total of 1,957 isolation beds, of which 638 were still available, while out of the 443 quarantine beds, 227 beds were still unutilized.

Duterte-Carpio recently said the city government is set to distribute "care kits" for mild and asymptomatic Covid-19 patients waiting to be transported at the city's quarantine facilities.

The mayor said the health response cluster will be rolling out care kits to positive patients who are self-isolating in their residence.

The kit includes instructions on what the patient needs to do while waiting to be transported. Also included are the digital thermometer, pulse oximeter, 10 pieces of vitamin C, five pieces of paracetamol, disposable face masks, and alcohol.

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Spike in Covid-19 cases in Davao due to 'high-risk' behaviors

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:54 AM PDT

HIGH-RISK behaviors were blamed for the surge in Covid-19 cases among millennials in Davao City.

"We all know millennials, these are the population with high-risk behaviors. Eto yung mahilig mag-socialize, mag-get together in social gatherings (They love to socialize and get together). Since they are also part of the working group, they go out to socialize and interact. They are highly likely to get infected," Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said.

Millennials are defined as under the ages 24 to 40 years old.

Schlosser, however, said the recovery rate is high among millennials.

"Very high naman tayo sa age-group na ganito. In general naman, mataas recovery rate natin (We have high recovery rate in these age-groups of millennials. We have high recovery rate in general). We have a lot of asymptomatic," she said.

Acting City Health Office Head Dr. Ashley Lopez, in his presentation during the Davao City Covid-19 Task Force meeting on June 21, showed that of the 21,453 total cases as of June 19, 2021, a total of 13,394 or about 62 percent infected were in the 20 to 29, 30 to 39, and 40 to 49 age groups where the millennials belong.

The 20 to 29 bracket, however, topped the list with the most Covid-19 infections with a total of 5,721 confirmed positive cases followed by the 30-39 group with 4,584 cases.

In third came the 40 to 49 bracket with 2,989 confirmed positive Covid-19 cases.

Rounding up the list with the most number of Covid-19 positive cases were the 50 to 59 (2,557); 10 to 19 (1,863); 60 to 69 (1,704); 0 to 9 (1,024); 70 to 79 (671); 80 to 89 (207); 90 to 99 (23); undisclosed (nine); and above 99 (one).

Millennials also recorded 159 of the 829 deaths as of June 19 in Lopez's report, the 60 to 69 bracket topped with the most number of fatality with 235, followed by the 70 to 79 bracket with 169, 80 to 89 with 54, 10 to 19 with 12, 0 to 9 with 11, and 90 to 99 with seven.

Schlosser also said mortality is high among seniors due to their comorbidities such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, and impaired immune systems.

She added the city is closely monitoring them.

Of the city's 4,563 Covid-19 active cases as of June 19, 4,100 were asymptomatic, 338 were mild, 116 were severe, and nine were critical.

The city logged a 74.87-percent recovery rate or 16,061 recoveries from the total confirmed cases of 21,453 and 3.75 percent death rate with 829 since March 2020. (With reports from CIO)

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Smart Padala by PayMaya makes remittances easier with new service 

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:53 AM PDT

COLLECTING your remittance has never been easier! You can now walk in and collect funds sent by your loved ones at any of the over 40,000 Smart Padala agents across the country with Smart Padala by PayMaya's Claim Anywhere service.

With this new Claim Anywhere service, all the sender needs to do is to provide the recipient's mobile number, and the funds can easily be claimed by their recipient at any Smart Padala agent anywhere in the country.

This new service makes receiving money much easier and hassle-free. Best of all – customers don't have to pay additional charges on top of the transaction fee to avail of this convenient option. Smart Padala by PayMaya customers just need to follow these simple steps:

1.The sender goes to a Smart Padala agent and chooses the Claim​ Anywhere service to send money.

2. The sender provides his ID, the recipient's name and mobile number, as well as the funds and transaction fee.

3. Both sender and receiver will receive a text message confirmation with the claim reference number.

4. The receiver provides the claim reference number to any Smart Padala agent to claim the funds.

Once customers have already claimed their remittance, they can also pay for their utility or government bills or buy prepaid load at their trusted Smart Padala agent to save time and effort in lining up at another bills payment counter.

"The launch of our new Claim Anywhere service underscores Smart Padala by PayMaya's commitment to providing a truly PadaLapit Lang experience to Filipinos, especially during this critical time when receiving remittances in a safe, convenient, and timely manner is of the utmost importance," said Shailesh Baidwan, PayMaya President.

"With Smart Padala's extensive network of agent touchpoints covering 92% of the cities and municipalities across the country, it is now easier for our suki to claim the much-needed funds from their loved ones, wherever they are in the country," he added.

PayMaya is the only end-to-end digital payments ecosystem enabler in the Philippines, with platforms and services that cut across consumers, merchants, communities, and government. As of end-March 2021, it provides more than 35 million Filipinos with access to financial services through its consumer platforms. Customers can conveniently pay, add money, cash out or remit through its over 250,000 digital touchpoints nationwide. Its Smart Padala by PayMaya network serves as last-mile digital financial hubs in communities, providing the unbanked and underserved access to digital services. Through its enterprise business, it is the largest digital payments processor for key industries in the country, including "everyday" merchants such as the largest retail, food, gas, and eCommerce merchants, as well as government agencies and units.

To know more about PayMaya's products and services, visit www.PayMaya.com or follow @PayMayaOfficial on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. (PR)

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Editorial: Fix issues on the ground first

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:47 AM PDT

THE Davao City Council has passed on the second reading a proposed ordinance mandating swab testing to all F1 (first generation), F2, and F3 contacts of a confirmed Covid-19 positive individual in the city.

If passed, those who refuse to be tested will be fined as much as P5,000.

Councilor Mabel Acosta, chairperson of the committee on peace and public safety and on special publications, said in a radio interview last week that among the provisions of the ordinance is that violators will not be given any warning but a citation ticket will be issued if they will get tested for Sars-CoV-2.

"Daghan ang dili magpatuo. Naglisod atong contact tracers. (Many people do not comply, which gives our contact tracers a hard time.) How can we control the spread [of the virus] kung dili mo magpa-swab? (if you do not submit yourself for testing?)," Acosta said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

At present, the city government testing is required for close contacts up to third-generation contacts of Covid-19 patients. This is stipulated under Executive Order (EO) 20, "An Order Providing for Mandatory Swabbing of All F1, F2, And F3 Contacts of an RT-PCR [Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction] Confirmed Positive Case of Covid-19 in Davao City." It also penalizes those who fail to follow provisions based on "existing laws and ordinances."

Under existing laws, Acosta said one can be penalized under Republic Act (RA) 11332 or the "Mandatory Reporting of Notifiable Diseases and Health Events of Public Health Concern Act." Penalties could range up to P20,000 if any violations are found based on RA 11332. However, Acosta said P20,000 is too much.

"If you do not cooperate, you are practically... it's a crime to give your virus to other people unya pinahamak mo buong pamilya, buong kapatid mo, buong subdivision, Pilipinas. Ginapasa man nimo. So dapat, kung ma-identify ka, magpa-swab ka (as you are endangering the lives of your family, your brothers and sisters, the entire subdivision, and the entire Philippines. You are transmitting the virus to others. So if you are identified to undergo swabbing, you must cooperate)," Acosta said.

However, while there are good intentions for this, it is unfair to penalize people when there are issues with the system and the process of getting a swab test.

The good councilor and her team do not need to look far to see the issues Dabawenyos are facing when it comes to swab testing. They could already check social media for the concerns of Dabawenyos when it comes to getting a swab test.

Dabawenyos have raised the concern of long lines and crowding at the swab sites. Many fear the crowding situation at the swab sites may be the cause of one getting Covid-19.

There is also an issue with how much a swab site can cater based on available materials and manpower.

Last month, City Health Office officials manning the swab center near the Crocodile Parks had to inform several individuals to go home due to the limited number of swabbers and test vials.

"Unfortunately, we have a limited number of swabbers. If we have two teams for the day, depende sa availability ng swabbers (it depends on the availability of the swabbers), we can only accommodate 300," Dr. Nikita Marie Jamiana, City Health Office District Health Physician, said in an interview on May 25. She added that if they have three teams, they can cater up to 500 individuals.

The city government is continuously hiring swabbers and adding swab sites to be able to test more.

There is also misinformation revolving around testing that also needs to be addressed by health officials. For example, some think that testing results are not always true and have been tampered with.

Somehow related to testing, some netizens have raised issues on the delays in the release of test results. Some have also complained on social media about how they were informed that they were positive for Sars-CoV-2 but have not received a copy of their results.

These are issues revolving around the free testing the city government is offering. If Dabawenyos want to skip the hassle, they would get a test at one of the private laboratories. But not everyone has the financial resources to get tested at a private laboratory.

In a nutshell, while people understand the need to get tested, the process of getting one here can be a hassle for them. There is also the hesitancy of getting tested and the lack of transparency when it comes to the results.

Before an ordinance is enacted, our local leaders should probably look into the testing process first, help find ways in improving it, and make it less of a hassle for the people who will get tested. Again, it is unfair to require and then penalize people if the process itself is not efficient.

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Estremera: Childhood memories

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:46 AM PDT

WE WERE kids of the farmlands. The family moved to its own house in Lower Rapnaga the year before I entered kindergarten after occupying apartments in Juna Subdivision of which I only remember the Robillo Apartments in Juna Avenue because I wasn't born yet in that other apartment with the Moradas.

Apo Golf and Country Club was our new neighborhood. It was surrounded by tracts of farmlands owned by one Don Joaquin. I only knew of him through the stories of my playmates – the tenants' children.

Across the highway was a Steam Laundry, an industrial size laundry service that catered to the city's hotels. Nene, the eldest sister of my best friend Abet worked there. The steam laundry is now the corner of Gulfview Subdivision. We walked that Gulfview road going to Baybay to meet up with yet another barkada – Adonis. Unlike Abet whose family served as tenants of Don Joaquin, Adonis was the son of a fisherman. I had both land and sea as my playground.

At the corner of Apo Golf was the Pineda house. To my memory, it was a huge house. But who knows? Everything was HUGE when you were young. I remember the birthday parties we were invited to in that house and how we'd roll down the sloping front yard. I always associated the Pinedas with the aroma of spaghetti and hotdogs. Maybe because we'd only be there when there's a birthday party. They left when I was in third grade and the house was left uninhabited until it was demolished sometime in the 1980s. For an unknown reason, I remember feeling sad for the youngest girl whom I remember as Carol...

Next door to us were the Bernardos. My best friend in kinder was Catherine. When they moved out, the house was renovated and Riveras moved in. The new house had an underground bedroom, and in those days, having a bedroom underground was chic. A mark of Alta Sociedad. At least, that's what I believed.

The Rivera was an older family, so I never really got to know their brood if ever they had any. Then came the Vega family made up of seven sons, two of whom were around my age – Allen who was a year younger and their youngest Audie, who was two years younger. I was already in third or fourth grade by then and was living the life of the native.

My barkada Abet and I introduced the boys to the native's life... like heading to Apo Golf's water traps to harvest lotus seeds or squelch mud for lost golf balls that's we'd break open to get into the rubber ball inside.

It was decades later in a chance encounter with Allen when he recalled how mortified he was when we were knee-deep in a water trap squelching mud when he saw his classmate, a young golf champ surnamed Lopez, walking by. He hid amid the wide lotus leaves, he said. I was oblivious to this because even when I spent my grade school years in Ateneo, this was the life I was introduced to before I even entered school. Thus, I didn't find any reason to be ashamed of what we were doing.

This was one of those bits and pieces of lessons I picked up on the way to growing up: The societal divide and how children really do not care until their elders introduce the concept to them. My parents never did and so my childhood was pocked full of adventures and misadventures. saestremera@gmail.com

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Preserving memories with photos

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:46 AM PDT

IN YET another wedding special episode of Twenty Something, we talked about another crucial area of wedding preparation: the photos.

Last Tuesday, June 22, we had invited JM Santillan and Marlon Advincula, both celebrated wedding and social events photographers and videographers in Davao City. With both of them having more than a decade of experience, they've been through a lot of ups and downs in their career. But with all the other wedding suppliers, this pandemic -- its movement restrictions and gathering limitations -- may have been one of the toughest they had to go through.

Wedding photography and even pre-nuptial shoots didn't really become a trend or a priority for the engaged couples until the early 2000s to 2005. According to Marlon, it became more in-demand as it releases the "inner models" of the couple and it's something they want to show to their family and friends on social media.

Our generation, if anything, is a visual generation. With social media becoming a huge part of our lives, we tend to want to see things -- capture moments, preserve them.

JM shared that doing a pre-nuptial photoshoot with the engaged couples also works to their advantage as it makes them know the couple more even before the actual wedding day. This way, it becomes a sort of preparation and an opportunity to test the waters for potential beautiful shots for the couple. Marlon agreed, saying that when they do pre-nuptial shots, they discover the best lighting, angle, and pose for the couple. It helps them eliminate the awkwardness between the two when posing in front of the camera.

On the other hand, taking photos on the day itself of the wedding requires another level of discipline and artistic skills. As Marlon puts it, other members of the family can take photos via phone or a camera but professional photographers know which specific beautiful moment to take. To be wed is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. To walk down the aisle, to laugh while eating a huge slice of cake, to shed a tear while doing the father and daughter dance. All these moments the photographers are at the edge of their seats to capture this unique experience.

JM also shared that one wedding is unique from another. One may have a crying groom as the bride walks down the aisle. Another wedding might not have. But this wedding may have another beautiful moment unique only to their wedding. Maybe the little bride kissed the little groom on the cheek. Something like that. And it's the talent and eye for details of these photographers that will capture and preserve that moment.

This pandemic, despite the gathering limitations, there are still a number of couples who decide to get married, have their pre-nuptial and wedding photos taken by a professional photographer. Understandably, everyone is struggling financially with the pandemic but if you could consider getting a professional photographer for your wedding, you are assured that your memories are preserved with photos and videos and are in good hands.

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MOHSG ‘54 equips nominees with new knowledge and skills through online sessions

Posted: 24 Jun 2021 08:44 AM PDT

DESPITE the threats and the movement restrictions because of the pandemic, the Junior Chamber International-Davao Inc. (JCI Davao) remains determined in reaching its goal of recognizing the Most Outstanding High School Graduate (MOHSG) of Davao. The annual search for the MOHSG continues.

Focusing the contents on digital platforms, the reach of MOHSG's social media pages has grown exponentially. The United Nations Sustainable Development Goals of each nominee were also posted online.

On May 8, 2021, the search for the MOHSG '54 was initiated through an online conference meeting. It was followed by a series of online activities, sessions, and workshops to ultimately get to know each participant and eventually eye the next MOHSG of the batch.

The first session was conducted on May 22, 2021 with speaker Britzie Suzie Solatorio, a multimedia content creator, who discussed Digital Content Creation. The nominees were taught to enhance their digital content creation skills and to be more aware of responsible social media use.

Speaker Angel Constantine Bajana, on the other hand, discussed the pressing perennial problems faced by many countries around the globe. She discussed the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals from which the nominees were challenged to take a hopeful stance advocating for these goals in their own ways. They were given the task to apply the knowledge they've learned in the morning session to create digital content based on these development goals.

The videos they each created made headlines and were shared online by their respective schools they represent. Participants were challenged to release their creativity as they were assigned to their respective UN Sustainable Development Goal strengthening the advocacies.

On May 29, another meaningful and enlightening session was conducted on the subject of mental health and wellbeing. The workshop "It's Okay Not to Be Okay" was led by registered psychometrician Gabriel Sebastian N. Lizada, RPM, MCOUNS. The session became an eye-opener to participants towards sensitivity and awareness on mental health and wellbeing alongside the challenge to erase stigma on mental health problems and issues.

On the other hand, the afternoon session became a fun-filled and blithesome time for the participants to finally get to know each other, build friendship, and bond closer in their meet and greet session. A series of stimulating activities were done via Zoom. It was filled with smiles and laughter, making it an enjoyable time for the nominees.

As JCI envisions the MOHSG nominees to build character as great leaders in the future, the June 5 session was conducted as a fireside chat on leadership and formation on "Being the Best Version of Yourself" with JCI Regional Skills Development Director Aldwin Chester Yap Dumago as the speaker. It became a stirring and empowering chat on building one's self, overcoming challenges and simply recognizing one's weaknesses and strengths.

To conclude all the workshops, the final session on June 12 was called "Chasing the Dream in the Midst of a Pandemic". It was an invigorating and inspiring talk by Maria Adora E. Rogon, RGC.

With each nominee finally taking the next step towards higher education, JCI has left a good closing session in hopes of forming equipped and primed students ready to take on the challenges of entering higher education.

All aforementioned activities, sessions, and workshops were led and facilitated by Romeo B. Batestil Jr., MOHSG'54 chairman and Sherwin Lester Yap Dumago, MOHSG'54 vice chairman.

MOHSG of Davao is known for its reputable eminence. It remains to be the longest-running and most prestigious honor in the region for high school graduates. Behind MOHSG's esteemed name, honor, and prestige is an organization of unfeigned purpose. Despite the pandemic, JCI Davao Inc. stands by its theme that indeed, they are stronger together thriving still in 73 years.

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