Thursday, September 30, 2021

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Abalayan: Big boost for athletes

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:37 AM PDT

THE overwhelming support of the Senate to increase the 2022 budget allocation of the Philippine Sports Commission (PSC) only shows that the national sports agency is doing great in its mandate.

This is indeed a very welcome development not just for the PSC Board of Commissioners and staff but also for the national athletes who represent the country in various international competitions.

It's a great morale booster for those preparing for the Southeast Asian (SEA) Games, Asian Games, and Paris Olympics qualifying tournaments, among other significant competitions.

In the recent Senate Committee on Finance hearing, Dabawenyo Senator Christopher "Bong" Go underscored that the budgetary support he spearheaded and then supported by his fellow senators, at last, produced the best results for Team Philippines in the Tokyo 2020 Olympics - one gold medal, two silvers, and one bronze.

Investing in sports, according to him, will not only allow our country to develop more world-class athletes who can bring pride, honor, and medals but it will also keep our youth away from illegal drugs and other harmful vices.

Go advocated for the inclusion of P100 million that was later increased to P250 million during last year's deliberation of budget to beef up support for the athletes' preparations for the Olympics and other international events. He also supported the allocation of an additional P7.945 million budget for Paralympics preparations.

"Kaya naman po hinihimok ko ang ating mga kasamahan na suportahan ang budget ng PSC at GAB para tuluy-tuloy lang po ang sports development sa ating bansa. For these reasons, I have no objections to the proposed budget, at kung pwede pa pong dagdagan ay dagdagan pa po natin. Ako po ay natutuwa dahil nagagamit ng husto ang pondong ipinagkaloob sa ating mga ahensya noong nakaraang taon despite the limited budgetary resources. This year, I am sure that our agencies will likewise utilize the budget prudently and wisely for the benefit of our nation," Go said.

Senate Committee on Finance chair Senator Joel Villanueva lauded the PSC for discovering champions and sports heroes for a nation hungry for hope and inspiration.

Majority Leader Sen. Miguel Zubiri, Sen. Pia Cayetano, and Sen. Francis Tolentino also proposed to approve the budget for plenary presentation "with reservations to increase the budget of PSC as requested to ensure that the momentum for next year international competition will not be prejudiced or compromised."

PSC Chairman Butch Ramirez is thankful to have found genuine allies in sports in the Senate.

With ample support from the government and collaborative efforts from the private sector, we might again pull off surprises in the China Asiad next year. We sure are looking forward to that!

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Lizada: Zombies

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:31 AM PDT

"A zombie film is not without a bunch of stupid people running around."

George Romero

OF COURSE George Romero is the director of the Night of the Living Dead movies that depict a zombie apocalypse. Yes, you are right, my topic today is about zombies. Why? Because there are those out there who are convinced that because of the covid vaccine, people will become zombies. Some say it will take two years while others are saying as early as December this year. Well if that is the case then we would be having a truly maskless Christmas this year.

But think about it, if you are unvaccinated it is because you do not want to be a zombie or whatever the effects the vaccine may have. So you choose not be jabbed. Okay I get that, I respect that. But would you like to live in a world where zombies or the vaccinated are running around? I mean think about it.

I am sure you have family members who live with you who have been vaccinated or intend to be injected. And if we follow the "logic" that these people will become zombies, where does that leave you? Again, think about it. Starting now till December you will be on constant alert because one day you might just wake up and the vaccinated in your house have become the undead. Where does that put you? Where will you go? What will you do? I mean you cannot kill your sister or brother who just became a zombie right? Family is family, right? But then again, we may have relatives who have become zombies even without the vaccine, right?

Or in the workplace. If you are unvaccinated and the majority have been jabbed what will happen at your Christmas party? You are all singing carols and suddenly the vaccine takes effect and there are only three of you who chose not to be injected while the rest..... I cannot imagine that. It is probably worse than Kingdom. Or if you are working quietly in your own corner when suddenly you hear blood curling screams and you turn around and see a horde of zombies coming after you. Yikes.

I get it though and yes I respect that. I know people, educated at that who have refused to be vaccinated. That is their choice and we really cannot do anything about that. We cannot choose for them because that would be forcing them.

So it is their lookout really. If the vaccinated become zombies then what would happen to those who refused? They will be hiding and running while the zombies will be hunting and chasing. So, there.

And yes what will happen with the annual manito- manita?

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TikTok accounts to follow for home cooks

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:31 AM PDT

COOKING at home can be very addictive once you start to understand how flavors work, learn cooking techniques, and experiment with different recipes.

Since I started working from home, I have started to play around with different cooking techniques and flavor combinations. I would usually check Youtube for new recipes or cooking how-tos. But lately, I have found myself scrolling through my "For you" page on TikTok to see how else I can experiment in the kitchen.

Here are some TikTok accounts for you to follow to inspire your inner chef.

@chefjonkung

Chef Jonathan Kung has taught me a lot when it comes to Chinese cooking. He has a playlist of Chinese Culinary Basics that teaches how to make condiments or using a wok. I also love his Anime Food segment where he creates dishes inspired by anime characters.

@panlasangchinoy

Panlasang Chinoy is my go-to channel for simple recipes that a home cook like me can follow. Many of the ingredients he uses are readily available at your local supermarket. Recently, he had this series of recipes featuring spam as the main ingredient. I am excited to try these recipes soon.

@bdylanhollis

B. Dylan Hollis is a fun channel to visit. He goes through recipe books in the 20th century and tries to recreate them. As you watch the videos, you would find yourself questioning the ingredients being used for the food that is being cooked. Some came out surprisingly good while others were outright bad. While it will be a challenge to find some of the ingredients, it did inspire me to try some of the "good" ones.

@sad_papi

Sad_papi is one of my favorite food TikTok right now. Unlike some of the chefs or home cooks I follow, Sad_papi's food is more on the fine dining side. His food is plated beautifully and looks delicious too. He uses a variety of ingredients, some can be bought locally here. I would love to try making some of his dishes soon.

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EU virtual educ fair slated October 1 to 2

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:22 AM PDT

PLANNING to take graduate or post-graduate studies in the EU?

Let the European Higher Education Fair (EHEF) 2021 guide you to "Go Higher with the EU".

The biggest of its kind in the Philippines, EHEF will give Filipino students, academicians, researchers and university officials the opportunity to connect directly with world-class higher education institutions from across the European Union.

The Fair will be inaugurated on 1 October at 1:30pm and streamed live at https://www.ehefphilippines.com and on the EU Delegation to the Philippines Facebook.

The registration at https://wwww.ehefphilippines.com is free and all that is required is an internet connection, an interest in pursuing further studies in the EU, and dreams to go higher in life.

"The EHEF 2021 promotes the diversity and excellence of higher education in the EU," says EU Ambassador Luc Veron. "Useful, practical and comprehensive information about the different mobility initiatives and distinctive higher education programs will be available at your fingertips."

The EU is one of the world's top centres of academic excellence and a hub for cross-fertilization of ideas and cutting-edge technologies and innovation.

Outside of academia, the EU offers limitless opportunities for borderless travel to some of the world's best, most iconic destinations and to immerse in a wide diversity of cultures.

This holistic experience is how post-grad students can "Go Higher with EU," the motto of this year's Fair.

EHEF 2021 will be the biggest yet, with 140 European higher education institutions offering MA and PhDs that will improve the career opportunities of talented Filipinos wishing to study in any of this year's participating EU member states, namely, Belgium, Czech Republic, Germany, Ireland, Spain, France, Italy, Hungary, the Netherlands, Austria, Poland, Finland, and Sweden.

Participants can look forward to two days with a packed schedule of activities including webinars on specialised courses and programs, country presentations and live chats with representatives, alumni, and scholars from participating institutions.

Regional partner institutions for this year include Wesleyan University (Luzon), Silliman University (Visayas), and Xavier University –Ateneo de Cagayan (Mindanao), which will host clustered presentations for students and other members of the academe. University partners for this year are the following: University of Sto Tomas, University of the Cordilleras, Lyceum of the Philippines University - Batangas, Mabalacat City College, St Louis University, Rizal Technological University, Trinity University of Asia, Ateneo de Manila University, Visayas State University, Jose Rizal Memorial State University and Mindanao State University's (Marawi) College of Public Affairs.

The Fair is supported by Campus Erasmus and the Association of Christian Schools, Colleges and Universities. Media partners this year include: Business World Spark Up, Cebu Daily News, Gadgets Magazine, Inquirer Super, Panay News, Subselfie Online, Philippine Star, Manila Times, Adulting Millennials Podcast, The Philippine Business and News (thePhilBizNews.com) and SunStar Davao.

The Virtual EHEF 2021 is organized by the Delegation of the European Union to the Philippines, together with EU Member States' Embassies, education services and Institutes and in collaboration with the Commission on Higher Education.

If you're ready to Go Higher with EU, register for EHEF 2021 now at https://ehefphilippines.com/. (PR)

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Comelec-Davao sees influx of registrants before deadline extension

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:21 AM PDT

HOURS before the Commission on Elections (Comelec) officially announced the extension of the voter registration period for the May 2022 elections, Dabawenyos flocked to the registration site early dawn, with health protocols no longer properly observed.

In the middle of the night, people were seen queuing outside Magsaysay Park, where the Comelec office is located, to get priority numbers to beat the voter's registration deadline initially set on Thursday, September 30, 2021.

Deployed authorities in the area can be seen having a hard time ensuring that minimum public health standards are being observed. Some Covid-19 health safety protocols like social distancing, as seen in the pictures, were not being observed.

Some registrants have commented online airing their disappointment with Comelec's "irregularities" and "lack of system" in the registration.

Lawyer Gay Enumerables, Comelec-Davao assistant regional director, said in a radio interview on Wednesday morning, September 29, despite their previous campaigns for the public to register early, they were still expecting people would flock to the Comelec offices days before the deadline.

"Actually, wala pa kaayo tao ang Comelec tong mga previous months (there were only a few registrants who visited Comelec during the previous months)," she said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

The official also admitted receiving calls asking if they can be prioritized in the line.

"Ang singit dinha, di na pwede kay init kaayo sa mata sa mga tao nga nagpila og ala-una sa kadlawon, ala una ba o alas kwarto," she said.

(Jumping the line is not allowed since people who lined up as early as 1 a.m. or 4 a.m. would be furious.)

Enumerables also revealed that based on their experience in the previous elections, whenever there are extensions, only a few people come back or few people visit their office.

Although she said on days that are closer to the deadline, they would expect an influx of people.

Due to the limitation of manpower and the compliance to Covid-19 health protocols set by the national government, Enumerables said they had to limit the number of transactions they can cater to on a single day.

Public Safety and Security Command Center (PSSCC) head Angel Sumagaysay told SunStar Davao in a text message that the Sta. Ana Police Station had been coordinating with Comelec in anticipation of the influx of registrants.

"Naobserbahan nato to tungod lage nga last minutes for voters registration. (We observed that there will be an influx of last minute registrants) What we did, we directed the station commander of the Sta. Ana Police Station to coordinate with Comelec officer para maka himo sila ug scheme na maregulate ang tao kay gadasok na (to prepare a scheme to regulate and prevent people from crowding)," Sumagaysay said.

He also said they deployed additional security personnel to monitor the area. They also added steel railings.

Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said in a radio interview that the event can be a "super spreader event" if health protocols would not be properly observed.

Schlosser said there must be intensified police monitoring to ensure health standards would be properly observed.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on Monday, September 27, that those who lined up early dawn are exempted from the 9 p.m. to 5 a.m. curfew.

"Because naay deadline atong Comelec sa rehistro. (Comelec registration has a deadline.) We already also referred that sa (to our) prevention and enforcement group sa (of the) response cluster sa pag-maintain sa (in maintaining the observance of physical) distancing," Duterte-Carpio said.

Extended

Meanwhile, the voter registration period for the May 2022 elections will be extended, Comelec Chairman Sheriff Abas said in a television interview Wednesday, September 29, 2021.

Abas said in an interview over CNN Philippines that voter registration will end as scheduled on Thursday, September 30, but will resume from October 9 to 31, 2021, or after the filing of certificates of candidacy from October 1 to 8.

Comelec Spokesperson James Jimenez announced in a social media post Tuesday evening, September 28, that the Comelec en banc was scheduled to deliberate Wednesday the public clamor for extension of voter registration.

"After consultation with Comelec officials, and in consideration of the public clamor, it is likely that an extension of the period of voter registration will be granted," Jimenez said.

Long queues of voters seeking to register have been forming in front of Comelec offices since last week, with some applicants joining the line at dawn.

The House of Representatives on Monday, September 27, unanimously approved on third and final reading a bill extending the voter registration period for one month.

House Speaker Lord Allan Velasco cited data from the Philippine Statistics Authority, which showed that 73 million voters are qualified to participate in the May 2022 elections.

As of August 23, however, Velasco said around 12 million voters had not registered. He noted that the Comelec reported that there were around 61 million registered voters nationwide.

Velasco noted that voter registration was suspended for six months in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. It was again suspended for several weeks in 2021 as several areas were again placed under stricter quarantine restrictions. With reports from SunStar Philippines

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Bree Jonson laid to rest; family still cries for justice

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:20 AM PDT

THE family of Dabawenya artist Bree Jonson who was laid to rest on Wednesday afternoon, September 29, 2021, continues to cry for justice for her death.

Bree was laid to rest at the Davao Memorial Park attended by limited members of the family and some of her close friends in accordance with the Covid-19 restrictions.

Sally Jonson, Bree's mother, poured out her grief when she saw her daughter's face for the last time.

"Hindi dapat nangyari sa anak ko ito (This shouldn't have happened to my daughter)," Sally said as her daughter's body was being buried.

On Tuesday evening, September 28, the eve of Bree's burial, her family and friends shared fond memories during the eulogy.

Sally recalled her daughter's journey in the art scene and how she was passionate about her craft.

Aside from being an art lover, the mother also revealed that her daughter was a "bookworm," or a person who is fond of reading books. Her daughter was also a writer who loved making poems and books.

Bree, born as Breanna Patricia Jonson Agunod, was a graduate of industrial engineering at the Ateneo de Davao University. She also enrolled at the University of Sto. Tomas and took fine arts. She, however, quit after a semester.

Sally said she was very supportive of her daughter's career as an artist.

"I'm so proud of [Bree] kasi (because) she's a self-made artist. She puts her heart into it if she wants something," she said.

She also described Bree's work as "deep," which always had a story behind it.

According to her friends, Sally said her daughter had envisioned establishing a school for kids and teaching them arts.

"I'm so proud of her because she has proven herself in the art scene. Nakakalungkot isipin na wala na siya. Ang bata-bata niya, andami niyang pangarap (It is sad to think that she is no longer with us. She is so young, and she had many dreams in life)," Sally said.

Sally said it was in 2018 when she last saw her daughter face to face. She migrated to Canada after being accepted for work there.

She said Bree was supposed to follow her there after securing a permanent resident visa. Her daughter did not follow suit after deciding to stay in the Philippines to pursue her career.

The mother became emotional when she mentioned Bree's boyfriend, Julian Ongpin, whom the family blames for her death.

Sally said her daughter did not mention nor introduce Ongpin to her.

Bree was found dead inside a hotel room of a beach resort in La Union on September 18. Police reports showed that Ongpin was the last person she was in company with before her death.

Based on the initial report of her autopsy examination, Jonson died of asphyxia.

Sally said she is not convinced that her daughter's boyfriend has no involvement in the death of her daughter.

She also asked for prayers for her daughter.

"Ang favor ko nalang sa lahat (All I'm asking), one last time, is to continue to pray for her so that she may find a light and follow it. Kasi mahaba-habang dasal iyon. (It is a long prayer.) We just pray for her soul," Sally said.

During the livestream of Bree's interment, the family, who manages the Justice for Bree Jonson Facebook page, pinned a comment, airing their disappointment with the current investigation of Bree's case.

"Bree's IG profile's description says 'The Personal is Political.' This slogan came up in the 1970s to explain that all injustices we experience are all caused by political circumstances. How the case is being handled now is a clear example of this. #justiceforbreejonson," the pinned comment states.

Sally told SunStar Davao in a recent phone interview that they are disappointed with the ongoing investigation, and how the Philippine National Police (PNP) is handling it.

"Kaya kami nafu-frustrate with PNP, kami, wala kaming pera, but we manage to get our legal team. Siya hindi mo nakikita, wala kang naririnig, wala akong narinig na pangalan ng kanyang legal, ni isa, wala akong napangalanan," she said.

(We are frustrated with the PNP. We do not have enough money, but we managed to get our legal team. While on the part of the Ongpins, we do not hear anything from them. We do not even know their legal team. Neither a single name, we are not aware.)

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Scoot eyes Davao, Singapore flights in November

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:19 AM PDT

THE Davao City Tourism Operations Office (CTOO) said a new airline company will be servicing Singapore-Davao-Singapore three times a week starting November 2021.

CTOO Head Generose Tecson told SunStar Davao in a phone interview on Wednesday, September 29, that Scoot TigerAir, a subsidiary of Singapore Airlines, will be operating its direct inbound-outbound international flight to the city in the last quarter of the year.

Tecson made the confirmation days after Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio broke the news on Monday, September 27.

She said Scoot will be taking over the services of Silk Air, which previously serviced the said route.

The official said this will be in addition to the current international flights direct to the city.

Tecson said Philippine Airlines (PAL), which on September 24 started direct commercial flights from Dubai to Davao City, started its service but only for inbound flights. She said more flights are lined up in October.

PAL is currently inquiring if the city can accommodate flights from other Asian cities, the official said.

Tecson said all passengers from international flights are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine upon arrival.

As part of arrival protocols, the passengers were swabbed 48 hours before the flight and must present negative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) test results under City Ordinance 0477-21, Series of 2021 or the Mandatory Testing Prior to Entry into Davao City via the Davao International Airport.

According to the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATF-EID), overseas Filipino workers (OFWs) and returning overseas Filipinos (ROFs) are required to undergo a 14-day quarantine in Davao City before proceeding to their final destinations.

In the quarantine facility, ROFs are situated on the higher floors. For instance, if the designated hotel has ten floors, only the seventh to the tenth floor shall be occupied by the ROFs.

The city had implemented this when the city started accepting repatriation flights in July this year.

With the current passenger cap on various airports in the country, as regulated by the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB), airline companies are currently rerouting to other key airports.

"Marami 'yatang gustong umuwi (Many wanted to return home), so they have to look for other airports kung saan pwede sila maka-land and maka-accomodate 'yung (where they can land and accommodate) passengers for quarantine," she said.

In terms of local flights, she said the city is currently catering 700 inbound passengers to the city, mostly from Manila.

Despite the gradual resumption of international flights in the city, Tecson clarified that the city will only be catering to passengers with essential purposes and that tourism is still not allowed.

Tecson said she is confident that the Francisco Bangoy International Airport (Davao International Airport) can accommodate additional flights.

Based on its report, the City Government recently fully vaccinated 15,000 of the tourism sector.

Tecson said the increase of fully vaccinated individuals is a huge help in allowing the economy to slowly open up, particularly the tourism industry that has been heavily hit by the pandemic.

The City Government suspended all flights in mid-March 2020 during the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic in the region. The airport resumed accepting local flights in June this year.

Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio issued Executive Order No. 26 on May 6, 2021, allowing the resumption of all kinds of flights, such as scheduled international flights, unscheduled domestic commercial flights (chartered), and other general aviation flights to and from Davao City.

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Official: House-to-house vaccination not feasible for now in Davao City

Posted: 29 Sep 2021 07:12 AM PDT

WHILE the Davao City Government continues to reach out to more Dabawenyos for the vaccination program against Covid-19, a house-to-house vaccination is not being considered for now.

Covid-19 Task Force spokesperson Dr. Michelle Schlosser said in a radio interview on Wednesday, September 29, 2021, that the house vaccination is not feasible in terms of logistics and manpower.

"The house-to-house, it might not be possible. Ngano man po? Limited lang man pud ang (Why? Because we have a limited) team to do house-to-house kay gusto nato simultaneous kung gusto nato dinaghan ang atong mabuhat (because we want to do simultaneously vaccinate more people)," Schlosser said in an interview on 87.5 FM Davao City Disaster Radio.

While it is more convenient for beneficiaries, she said it is time-consuming and that they might not be able to help in reaching the city's daily target of 15,000 vaccinees per day.

"Kung muingon tag house-to-house, after ma-vaccinate sila, i-observe pa sila og 30 minutes kung naay mga reaction. Unlike kung naa sila sa vaccination hub, ma-observe gyud sila," the spokesperson said.

(When we do house-to-house vaccination, we have to observe them for 30 minutes after we vaccinate them to check if they would experience an adverse reaction. Unlike in our vaccination hub, we can properly observe it.)

Other local government units in the country are doing house-to-house vaccination, especially for bedridden senior citizens or those with comorbidities.

However, in response, Schlosser said this is being addressed by the mobile vaccination teams led by the Sangguniang Panlungsod (SP) councilors.

At least 38,639 individuals received their first jabs of Covid-19 vaccines as of September 21, 2021, as the SP-led mobile vaccinations target Davao City's high-risk barangays.

Of the 38,639 vaccinated Dabawenyos through the mobile vaccinations of the Vice Mayor's Office (VMO) and Davao City councilors since August 4, a total of 2,257 already got their second doses.

To make vaccination more accessible, the City Government recently launched the evening vaccination called "Bakuna Nights," which will now be done on weekdays from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at San Roque Elementary School.

The official also said the City is currently preparing for the drive-thru vaccination at the Davao Crocodile Park.

With the expanded vaccination in the city, Schlosser recently said she is optimistic that the city can achieve the 1.2 million herd immunity on or before November this year.

"Actually, November gani atong achievement para gwapo atong (we are targeting by November so we will have a merry) Christmas, na (so that) we will be able to get together with our families kay protektado na ang buong komunidad (because the community is fully protected)," she said.

In addition, the official said the city is currently preparing the guidelines for the incentives for individuals vaccinated for the first dose.

Davao City Mayor Sara Duterte-Carpio said in a radio interview on Monday, September 27, that the city is seeing a backlog on the targeted vaccination for the first dose every week.

"Ang 438,000 ato ginapangita na vaccinees and nakita nila didto naa na ta sa segment na population nga kani natong mga tao na (We are looking for 438,000 vaccinees, and we saw that these are the segment of population) who will not go to the vaccine centers. These are the people who do not believe in vaccines and people who are daily wage earners na it (that) is more important for them to work than to get a vaccine," she said.

As of September 25, the city has a total of 583,002 fully vaccinated individuals after receiving two doses of the Covid-19 vaccine, while 716,793 already received their first dose.

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