“It was awkward to celebrate the fiesta because of ‘bountiful and abundant blessings’ while other poor vendors have none unless God will rain down manna from heaven,” Bagnio added.

The huge number of evacuees for a single province, in Misamis Oriental and including its city, Cagayan de Oro, was triggered by the still fresh memory of Typhoon Sendong, one of the most devastating typhoons in terms of lost lives, when it left 1,403 dead and 613,204 homeless. Sendong entered through Surigao del Norte on December 2011 and crossed the country through the northern Mindanao provinces of Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte.

Balsa noted that 24,000 families have been displaced due to the conflict, 24,000 schoolchildren affected and 46,000 made jobless. International groups said this comprised a humanitarian crisis.

A national teachers group joined anti-pork protests Friday in various cities in the country, on the eve of World Teachers’ Day, as they slammed President Benigno Aquino’s defense of maintaining his discretionary fund while refusing to increase their salaries.

By Davao Today DAVAO CITY— Giant retail chain player Puregold Price Club Inc wants a slice of the Davao Market,…

Cutor’s story belies the optimism of the expo organizers, the Mindanao Trade Expo (MTE) Foundation, who remained confident that exports of handicrafts and furniture from the island will thrive.

Myrna Lim of Soroptimist International, admires the tinalak design from Tboli tribe of South Cotabato. These are on display in the Mindanao Trade Expo 2013 at Abreeza Ayala Mall until August 25. (davaotoday.com photo by Medel V. Hernani)

By JOHN RIZLE L. SALIGUMBA

Davao Today

“Strong earthquakes which are tectonic will cause aftershocks until the energy dissipates.  In the case of Carmen which was hit by shallow quakes, the energy of the quake has little chance to dissipate when it reaches the surface.” — Jenila de Ocampo, Officer-in-charge of the Davao Seismic Station-Phivolcs

By MARILOU AGUIRRE-TUBURAN

Davao Today

“Bill Gates promised to take care of one-third of the foundation’s budget to eradicate polio.” — Ibarra Panopio, District Rotary Foundation Chair

By GILBERT L. PACIFICAR

Davao Today

The 18 ethno-linguistic tribes of the island together with other support groups have converged to hold the government of Noynoy Aquino accountable for the destruction of the IPs’ ancestral lands and the many cases of rights abuses against the peasant and lumad communities including extrajudicial killings.