BusinessDaily J.P. RIZAL - CRUZ TAAL STS., (NEAR SHANGHAI BAKERY) DIVISORIA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
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Volume III, No. 251
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Briefly LPG price watch THE Department of Energy (DOE) assures the public of its continued close monitoring of the prices of Liquefied Petroleum Gas (LPG) to ensure that the adjustments are fair and reasonable. Per monitoring of the DOE, LPG prices have decreased six times totaling to around P9/kg since January as opposed to only one increase this month of P2.50/kg. Under Republic Act No. 8479, otherwise known as the Oil Deregulation Law, the pricing of petroleum products is left with the LPG companies with the DOE determining the reasonableness of the price computation based on submitted information. The DOE computation of petroleum product prices only serves as a guide estimate of the prevailing prices of the commodity in a deregulated oil market.
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Incentives up to lure investors in M’danao Cagayan de Oro City
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July 8, 2013
By IRENE DOMINGO, Reporter
HE government is currently making a master plan that would prioritize incentives for Mindanao to entice investment opportunities in the region, the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) said in a statement Friday.
DT I Under s e c re t a r y Ponciano C. Manalo said this is because Mindanao is seen as an important provider of export products of the country. “The opportunities in Mindanao are so meaningful in this administration in
which government sectors work together and support priority in agriculture, agroindustrial food processing, manufacturing and even tourism,” Manalo said. “Mindanao is in a special position to provide solid Incentives/PAGE 11
PAINT ME BLACK AND WHITE: Workers re-paint the Licoan flyover in Cagayan de Oro with black and white erasing its previous violet color, former Mayor Vicente Emano’s signature color. But a Department of Public Works and Highway official supervising the repainting work said the new colors are in consonance with international standard. photo by rolando sudaria
Italpinas champions energy efficiency thru Green Architecture in Mindanao Forum The designer and builder of Northern Mindanao’s first green building shares its advocacy for energ y
COWD woes THE Cagayan de Oro Water District (COWD) would submit plans to address water problems in the city, Councilor Roger Abaday said Friday. Abaday, chair of the city council’s committee on public utilities, said that COWD communicated with the committee in response to a request made by the previous administration asking for the district’s short and long term plans to address the water problem here. COWD General Manager Rachel M. Beja told the committee that the water district has experienced disruptions in the delivery of water service during the months of April and May 2013.
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e f f i c i e n c y a t t h e 1s t Mindanao Energy Efficiency Forum (MEEF) scheduled for 23 July 2013 at the Marco
Polo Hotel in Davao City. Architect Romolo V. Nati, Chairman and CEO of Italpinas/PAGE 11
City Mayor Oscar Moreno graces the opening of Dayun, Padayon: Xavier Ecoville Hope Festival’s which would provide livelihood to Sendong victims. photo by remee mikee espiritu
XAVIER ECOVILLE:
A community of hope By REMEE MONIQUE O. ESPIRITU, Reporter
T H E t r a g e d y w r ou g ht by Ty phoon Sendong in December 2011 to the lives of thousands of families affected in Cagayan de Oro City and neighboring areas was so horrible that perhaps it can never be forgotten in our memory.
Vi r t u a l ly k now n to be typhoon-free and less s u s c e p t i ble t o n at u r a l disasters, Cagayan de Oro was apparently unprepared for such a devastation which claimed thousands of lives and destroyed properties in Community/PAGE 11
DAtE Convenor Illac Diaz; Antonio Tagliaferri, First Secretary and Deputy Head of Mission, Italian Embassy; and Arch. Romolo V. Nati.
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DavOr counts gains despite ST Pablo
THE Philippines’ top economic official said yesterday the government up to 5 percent of gross domestic product MATI CITY—The province of Davao Oriental was able to stand up and move on despite aims to sustain growth at a rate high enough to nearly halve poverty by 2016 from 2.5 percent last year. He cited a study by the Japan International the devastation it had gone through during by 2016. Nearly 28 percent of the country’s 97 million people live below the poverty line and the government’s aim is to reduce that to 16.6 percent within the next three years. Socioeconomic Planning Secretary Arsenio Balisacan said the government is sticking to its forecast for economic growth of 6-7 percent this year despite the surprising 7.8 percent leap in GDP in the first quarter. He said forecasts need to be conservative because of uncertain economic outlooks for Europe, China and the US. The Philippine economy has grown faster than 7 percent for three straight quarters. It is projected to grow between 6.5 percent and 7.5 percent next year and 7-8 percent in 2015. Forecasts for 2016 are being reviewed, but Balisacan said 7-8 percent growth is a “reasonable assumption.” Balisacan said the government would double down on its efforts to lift more Filipinos out of poverty in the remaining three years of President Aquino’s term. He said officials will focus on creating quality jobs, addressing the backlog in housing, and will continue to run a program that gives cash directly to poor families as long as children stay in school and see a doctor. Balisacan said infrastructure bottlenecks and the high cost of doing business that have stymied investment will be addressed, with infrastructure spending to be ramped
Children eating leafovers from fastfood chains in a roadside in San Fernando, Bukidnon. photo by bong d . fabe
DOST urges SMEs to go online T he De pa r t ment of S c ienc e a nd Technology (DOST) is urging small and medium enterprises (SMEs) “to go online” to not only improve businesses but also widen the reach of their market. “We are urging local SMEs to put their businesses on the web so that they can expand their market, even globally,” said Monchito Ibrahim, deputy executive director of DOST-Information and Communications Technology Office.
Cooperation Agency that shows Manila’s traffic gridlock causes economic losses of 2.4 billion pesos ($56 million) a day. He also said the economy is being diversif ied from high dependence on consumption and services to one with stronger manufacturing, exports, investments, tourism and more jobs. Laws that hamper investment, including those governing inter-island shipping, land use and fiscal incentives to business may need to be reviewed to ensure they still make economic sense, he said. Compared with Indonesia, which attracted nearly $20 billion in foreign investment Poverty/PAGE 10
the onslaught of super typhoon “Pablo.” This was the assertion of Governor Corazon Malanyaon during her inaugural address here on the occasion of the province’s 46th founding anniversary. She pointed out that despite the devastation wrought by the typhoon, the province became the regional Gawad Saka Champion for two consecutive years, a feat that speaks volumes of the productivity of farmers, fisherfolk and livestock raisers. Meanwhile, the Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) said that members of the agribusiness cluster of the BruneiDa r u ss a la m-I ndone sia-Ma lay sia-t he Gains/PAGE 10
Barangay food terminal boosts cooperativism BAYUGAN CITY—As strong as the tree named Bayug, where Bayugan City got its name, the JCA Agrarian Reform Benef iciaries Multi-purpose Cooperative (JARBEMCO) thru test of times still stands strong. JARBEMCO was or ga n i z e d on Apr i l 5, 1999 by virtue of CARP Law initiated by CAR P beneficiaries of farm land comprising 303 hectares
situated at Sta. Teresita, Osmeña, Hamogaway and Marcelina in Bayugan City, Agusan del Sur. From its 51 orig ina l cooperators, current membership totals to 145 beneficiaries composed of the former workers-employees of the former JCA Rubber Development Corporation. At first, its operation focused on productionbased economic operations
consisting of rubber, durian, mangosteen and coconut plantations and now it has expanded its plantation coverage with the opening of around 120 hectares of oil-palm, 60 hectares rubber and 6 hectares falcata. To cater the needs of its workers, JARBEMCO ventured into store operations and it has expanded even more when they availed the Food/PAGE 10
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regardless of the amount involved. The same COA report on AMLC also showed a 561 percent increase in “covered transactions,” which reached 307,304,189 last year compared to 46,494,904 in 2011. Covered transactions involve any bank deposit, w it hd rawa l or t ra nsfer involv ing more t ha n P500,000 in cash or other noon-currency instruments that is automatically flagged to AMLC under the rules. The report, however, t raced no connect ion between the massive fund movements and the 2013 elec t ions, a lt houg h t he
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‘Suspicious transactions’ up 500% THE number of “suspicious transactions” soared 509 percent in 2012, a year preceding an election year, data from the Anti-Money Laundering Council (AMLC) showed as ref lected on a report by the Commission on Audit (COA). Figures presented by the COA in its Executive Summary audit report on the AMLC showed the number of suspicious transactions grew to 59,408 last year from 9,479 in 2011. Suspicious transactions are movements of cash or other monetary instruments (check s, money orders, bonds, etc.) tainted with hints of unlawful activity
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Commission on Elections raised the possibility when it issued Resolution 9616 last January. In t he said issuance, t he C omelec deput i z ed the AMLC to help monitor campaign contribution and spending “in anticipation of increased economic activity that usually occur every election, …and (to) ensure that proceeds from unlawful activities... are not used to commit money laundering.” Aside from banks and their subsidiaries, AMLC a lso scr ut inizes dea ls involving insurance and pre-need companies as well as securities dealers. Suspicious/PAGE 10
World’s richest increase BSP relaxes forex rules in number, survey says
AFTER liberalizing its foreign exchange (forex) rules for the sixth time, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has further relaxed documentation requirements, especially for foreigners buying local stocks, on peso-dollar transactions. In a statement, BSP Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr said monetary authorities decided to allow the registration by c u s to d i a n b a n k s of non-re s id e nt investments in foreign-owned stocks listed in the Philippine Stock Exchange. These foreign-owned listed companies could now convert, with prior BSP approval, the peso-denominated proceeds of their share sale.
“These measures will broaden investment options available in the domestic capital market and allow freer capital mobility,” Tetangco said. Aside from these, the BSP has allowed the prepayment of BSP-registered shortterm loans, subject to documentar y requirements for FX purchases. It is also waiving the submission by banks the documents to support reports on importations under documents against acceptance (DA) and open account (OA) arrangement, as long as banks maintain adequate records BSP verification. Moreover, the BSP has clarified further Forex/PAGE 10
THE number of millionaires in the world jumped 9.2 percent to 12 million last year, in part because of simultaneous strength in the stock, bond and real estate markets, according to a study of the high-net-worth population. The sur vey, released Tuesday by RBC Wealth Management and Capgemini Financial Services, tracked h ig h-net-wor t h people, whom it defined as those with more than $1 million that they can invest. North America was home to the highest number of
millionaires - 3.7 million. But the study projected that the Asia-Pacific region, which held the top spot in 2011, would reclaim it. Part of the strength in North America came from rising equities markets the Standard & Poor’s 500 stock index gained 13 percent
in 2012. North American investors put 37 percent of their money into stocks, a higher proportion than people in the Asia-Pacific region, where investors tend to be more conservative, the study said. The amount of wealth held by the world’s richest people also increased substantially, rising 10 percent to $46.2 trillion, well above the preeconomic crisis level of $40.7 trillion in 2007. The study Survey/PAGE 10
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Matigsalugs eye coconut plantation for livelihood By WALTER I. BALANE, Mindanews
MALAYBALAY CITY—The Matigsalugs of Kalagangan in San Fernando town in Bukidnon are eyeing to start a coconut plantation for their livelihood here a decade after obtaining a Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) over tracks of land in the area. Datu Jimboy Catawanan, chair of the people’s organization called SOLEDKI (Saamulan ne Ogpaan te Langun ne Etew alan te Keupianan te Inged or Solidarity of People in the Community as the way to the Development of the Ancestral Land), said they have sought the help of the government to address poverty. “We can’t afford to pursue agriculture livelihood projects without the support of the government,” he added. About 71 members of SOLEDKI, he said, will become part of the organization’s test group for the coconut plantation project they are putting up in Kalagangan with an area of over a hundred hectares. Catawanan said they have worked with
the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) both for financial and technical assistance. SOLEDKI is composed of 12 communities. In 2003, the tribe’s claim to at least 5,000 hectares of ancestral domain was granted as part of the Certificate of Ancestral Domain Title (CADT) awarded to the Federation of Matigsalug-Manobo Tribal Councils (Femmatrics). Despite the grant, they had been stuck with poverty, Catawanan said in an earlier interview. He added that the tribe still struggles to use their resources to make both ends meet. But Catawanan said they won’t give up and have pursued discussions with members Livelihood/PAGE 10
Matigsalug tribesfolk wait for their turn during a free medical mission conducted by Sen. TG Guingona in partnership with a local NGO in Barangay Matupi, San Fernando, Bukidnon. photo by bong d . fabe
DAR-12 pushes climate-proof rice varieties By Allen V. Estabillo MindaNews
GENERAL SANTOS CITY— In a bid to sustain Region 12’s surplus rice production, ag r icu lt u re ex per ts a re pushing for the adoption by local farmers of eight rice varieties that were found highly-suitable for planting within the region. Loreto Pagarigan, Department of Agriculture (DA) Region 12’s research and development for rice focal person, said they are currently promoting the utilization of rice varieties t hat had been tested as tolerant to the changing weather patterns and extreme climatic conditions. “ T hese a re va r iet ies that are tolerant to wet and dry field conditions and also resistant to some pests that usually come out in a certain period,” he said in a statement. For i r r igate d a re a s , Pagarigan said they are mainly recommending the NSIC RC 283, which can post an average yield of 6.4 metric tons (MT) per hectare, grow up to 104 centimeters (cm) and mature in 110 days. NSIC sta nds for t he Nat iona l Seed Indust r y
IRRI is breeding climate change-ready rice varieties. photo by irri
Council, which replaced the Philippine Seed Board based on the provisions of Republic Act 7308 or the Seed Industry Development Act. Aside from NSIC RC 283, he said local farmers may use NSIC RC 240, which can grow up to 107 cm and post an average yield of 6.4 MT per hectare. For lowland rice areas, Pagarigan said the suitable varieties are NSIC RC 222, NSIC RC 226, NSIC RC 158 and NSIC RC 224. Farmers in rainfed areas may utilize NSIC RC 192 and NSIC RC 222, which are both highly-recommended as they are considered as
drought-resistant and could post a production record of 3.4 MT per hectare, he said. For those in upland areas, Pagarigan recommended the planting of the dinorado and azucena rice varieties. With the ongoing rainy season expected to intensify in the coming weeks, he advised farmers to adopt appropriate rice varieties that could withstand the impact of heavy rains. “Before selecting the rice variety to plant, a farmer must ensure that they are resistant to pests and only grows short enough to avoid being easily blown away by rains,” he said. He said they should also
consider varieties that mature early or in a shorter period. Gilbert Romares, research specialist of the Philippine R ice Resea rch Inst itute (PhilRice) in Southwestern Mindanao, reminded farmers to select the rice varieties which are already “tested and proven” in their respective areas. He said PhilRice had conducted various f ield research studies for the eight rice varieties in various parts of the region. Romares said the recommended seeds are now available at the PhilRice center in Midsayap, North Cotabato.
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Multinationals keen in M’nao agri dev’t DAVAO CITY—The holding of the Philippine Investment Conference in Davao City last month at SMX Convention Center here opened up opportunities for multinational investors to consider developing agriculture in some areas in Mindanao. Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Davao City Director Teolulo Pasawa said business-matching took place during the conference and among the areas investors considered developing are oil palm and integrated coconut processing plant. He said the Indonesiabased investors are considering the areas hit by typhoon “Pablo” in Davao Oriental for the growing of oil palm. The Singaporean investors, meanwhile, are looking at Butuan for the keen/PAGE 10
PHL rubber to bounce into world markets INCREASING world demand for rubber is expected to kick-start the industry in the Philippines. World demand for natural rubber is expected to increase from 10.2 million metric tons (MT) in 2010 to 15.4M MT in 2020, said Belen B. Bisana of the Forest Products Research and Development Institute. “Malaysia’s decreased production of natural rubber can be an opportunity for the country to expand exports,” she said. In 2010, the local natural rubber industry produced 395, 237 MT and generated around 277,420 jobs, with plantation sites mostly found in Mindanao. The National Rubber R&D Agenda foresees a local rubber industry competitive in production, processing and manufacturing by 2020. “By 2017, the Yokohama Tire Philippines Inc. (YTPI), a global tire manufacturing company based in the country, is projected to produce 50,000 tires a day. This presents an opportunity for the Philippines to increase natural rubber production by 12 percent for the YTPI alone,” said Bisana, an engineer. She is supervising a project aimed to improve the production of rubber in the Zamboanga Peninsula. There, farmers are being trained on latex tapping and handling and best practices while facilities and equipment are being improved. Sourced from rubber trees, natural rubber is harvested in the form of latex, a sticky, milky fluid collected by incising the bark. It is commonly manufactured into tires, footwear, gloves and latex products. Top consumers include Malaysia, Singapore, China, Korea, Japan and Taiwan. (APM)
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Rice farmers’ techno forum held in DA’s research station Dangcagan, Bukidnon – Anchored on the Philippine gover nment’s t arget of achieving ample supply of rice by the year 2013 and onwards, the Bukidnon Agricultural Productivity Center (BAPC), one of the research stations of the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA10), recently conducted its 3rd Rice Farmers Technology Forum on June 28, 2013, in this town. The said activity primarily aimed at showcasing inbred rice varieties, namely NSIC Rc 158, 212, 214, 222, 224, 226 and 240, and organic rice seed growth to rice farmers. Technical experts from the station have imparted the characteristics of various inbred rice varieties, including their reaction to pests and diseases, eating quality, yield, among others. Out from the abovesaid varieties, harvest yield ranges from 5.4 metric tons per hectare (mt/ha) to 10.6 mt/ha with an average maturing days of 113. Likewise, a guided field tour on the station’s Pa l ay am an an w a s a l s o conducted. It is a diversified farming system that employs
Nearly 50 rice farmer-guests (left) in the locality recited in unison the Panaad sa Pagdaginot sa Humay, signifying their commitment to contribute in the government’s goal of achieving rice self-sufficiency for the country with 2013 as its earliest target. Meanwhile, DA-10 Regional Technical Director for Regulatory and Research Constancio C. Maghanoy, Jr. (right) stresses the rice farmers’ integral role in providing food for the nation.
the bahay-kubo concept, in which it was innovated for a higher level of farming integration. As such combines rice with other high valued crops, fish and waste recycling practices, which is seen to increase farmers’ productivity and income by maximizing the use of farmlands while contributing to ecological balance. As this year is als o declared as the ‘National Year of Rice,’ the DA through BAPC station superintendent Ulito T. Kingdom stressed the farmers’ role to be one
Republic of the Philippines Office of the President HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION COUNCIL HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Northern Mindanao Region, Cagayan de Oro City
with the government in its bid for the country to become a surplus supplier of rice starting 2013 and beyond as expressed in the Panaad sa Pagdaginot sa Humay. “Isip usa ka Pilipino, nakighiusa ako sa pagpanaad nga dili mag-usik-usik sa kanon ug bugas…tudloan nako ang uban sa responsableng pagkunsumo aron mahatagan ug bili ang kahago sa mga mag-uuma ug makatabang ako sa pagkab-ot nga mapaigo ang gidaghanong bugas sa Pilipinas,” nearly 50 farmerguests have pledged.
Also citing that “the only thing constant in this world is change,” DA1 0 R e g i ona l Te ch n i c a l Director for Research and Regulatory Constancio C. Maghanoy, Jr. explained that the department through the station will carry on in conducting and exhibiting researches of productive, economical and sustainable farming technologies for the cultivators of land. Recognizing the farmers’ long and enduring experience and years in farming, he also encouraged them to consider
Republic of the Philippines Office of the President HOUSING AND URBAN DEVELOPMENT COORDINATION COUNCIL HOUSING AND LAND USE REGULATORY BOARD Northern Mindanao Region, Cagayan de Oro City
NOTICE OF FILING OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE MAIN SUBDIVISION PROJECT
NOTICE OF FILING OF REGISTRATION STATEMENT FOR THE COMPLIANCE PROJECT
NOTICE
NOTICE
Notice is hereby given that Jocelyn C. Uy has filed with this Office a sworn registration statement for the sale of house and lot packages in Leqacie Country Homes Subd. Phase 2 located at San Jose, Malaybalay City and more particularly described as Blocks 1 to 13 Pcs-10-004550 containing an area of 29,750.00 sq.m and covered by TCT No T-128148- 128147; T-128399128488. The foregoing project is utilizing the lots within the aforementioned subdivision project specifically Lots 2 to 15 of Blk.7; Lots 1 to 11 of Blk.8; Lots 11,13,15,16 of Blk. 9;Lots 1 to 13 Blk.13f all in Pcs-10-004550 as its compliance pursuant to Section 18 of Republic Act No 7279. All papers relative thereto shall, upon request and payment of processing fee be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon Absent any legal impediment, the above-cited project is deemed registered and a certificate, in evidence thereof, shall forthwith be issued after five (5) days from the last day of publication. Cagayan de Oro City this 26th day of June 2013.
Notice is hereby given that Jocelyn C. Uy has filed with this Office a sworn registration statement for the sale of house & lot packages in Leqacie Country Homes Subd. Phase 2 located at San Jose, Malaybalay City and more particularly described as Lots 2 to 15 of Blk. 7; Lots 1 to 11 of Blk. 8; Lots 11,13.15,16 of BIk. 9; Lots 1 to 13 of Blk. 13. all in Pcs- 10-004550 containing an area of 4,958.33 sq.m and covered by TCT No T-128117 - 128141; T-128403, T-128405.T-128407 & T-128408; T-128452-128464. The foregoing project is being utilized as compliance for Legacie Country Homes Subd. Phase 2 located at San Jose, Malaybalay City , in accordance with Section 18 of Republic Act No. 7279. All papers relative thereto shall, upon request and payment of processing fee, be available for inspection during business hours by any person having legal interest thereon. Absent any legal impediment, the above-cited project is deemed registered and a certificate, in evidence thereof, shall forthwith be issued after five (5) days from the last day of publication. Cagayan de Oro City this 26th day of June 2013.
BD: July 8, 2013
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(Sgd.) CHARITO A. RAAGAS Regional Director
Rice farmer-guests listen to the station’s technical experts (above) as they pay a visit to the station’s rice technology demonstration field and the Palayamanan model farming system (below).
in bringing and applying the available technologies found in the station that might be suitable in their respective farmlands. Furthermore, he pushed for the farmers in attendance to also relay to their fellow farmers, as well the different farming technologies that they have witnessed first-
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hand at the station. With the forum at hand, the department is expectant that more farmers will be able to propel their existing farm practices and in due course, would also augment their livelihood and income amid numerous farming challenges. (Joanne L. Olson, DA-10)
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Natural high
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hink a minute…Imagine there was a safe, legal drug A Minute that not only made you feel By Jhan Tiafau Hurst good, but was actually good for you. And best of all, it was free! A former dr ug addict named William Burroughs says: “Every feeling you get on drugs you can get without drugs.” People who get high on marijuana often say they can laugh at anything. But t hey ’re w rong i n thinking that the fun comes from the marijuana. It’s actually their own ability to laugh and have fun which they already had. So all the drug problems of harming our bodies and brains, hurting our families and relationships, ruining our jobs and careers, just are not worth it. The fact is we were born with powerful chemicals already in our bodies that can give us these great feelings and highs. But how do we activate and enjoy these amazing great feelings? Simply by choosing to. Did you know that fun and happiness is actually a choice? When we choose to be happy, to laugh, to have a positive attitude, and to love others, then our whole body chemistry changes. We get new energy, confidence, and a totally new perspective on our situation and life. We just feel better in every way. Victor Frankl’s true story tells about the horrible pain and torture the Jews experienced every day in a Nazi prison camp. They were treated even worse than animals! Yet Victor Frankl and some of his fellow Jews chose to hurst/PAGE 7
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discrimination only against akampi gays and lesbians when, in Mo A ng Batas this country, discrimination By Atty. Batas Mauricio is abounding not just against gays and lesbians but more so against the millions and millions of the poor and the marginalized, those lacking in power and influence, and those whose station in life is considered to be lowly and disenfranchised? Will Bag-ao also explain why she isn’t proposing instead a review of the cash-dole-out program of the government to ensure that the nearly P30 billion or so that would be spent for the so-called “cash conditional transfer” project should instead be re-channeled for empowering the poor and the marginalized and those lacking in power and influence, with small and medium enterprises or businesses that could generate income for them and their families in the long run? -ooo DA IMPORTING BRAUNVIEW CATTLE SEMEN: The Department of Agriculture (DA) is importing Braunvieh cattle semen from Switzerland which will produce “dual purpose” calves both for beef and dairy. The importation of semen will enable crossbreeding of the Braunvieh Swiss breed with locally available cattle breeds. It will bring down the cost of producing offspring of superior breeds. batas/PAGE 7
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Philippine Style! Do you want to dance now?
urther a recent column by former Ambassador and now Dean on International Studies at the Lyceum Rey Arcillas Ph.D. as follows; As discovered recently by Rappler, the Commission on Audit (COA) has reported that Mr. Robert Vergara of GSIS last year received P16.36 million in salaries and allowances (almost double the P8.32 million he received in 2011) broken down as follows: P9.65 million in basic salaries for 15 months; P4.97 million in “bonuses, incentives and benefits”; P1.684 million allowances; P7,500 personal economic relief allowance (he needs this?!), and P51,000 listed only as “Others. ”GSIS treatment of remittances of premiums paid by poor government employees suffers the comparison, don’t you think? This guy is compensated at approximately Php 50,000.00 PER DAY by the Philippine Government whose agency he administers has beneficiaries crying out for justice and proper compensation. Now tell me there is nothing wrong here? We are fast approaching the fourth SONA and what can we expect with “newsbreaks” such like the MWSS passing on their corporate income tax to the consumers to the tune of some Php 15B. The Filipino consumer has been duped and is continuing to be duped! We just finished the election with close to 250 candidates winning the election with graft and corruption cases pending
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Graft in helicopter purchase?
IFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… But if you show favoritism, you sin and are convicted by the law as lawbreakers…” (James 2:9, the Holy Bible). -ooo GRAFT IN HELICOPTER PURCHASE? Just how did the Philippine Air Force (PAF) manage to pay millions for a W-3 Sokol helicopter which is not in “flying condition”? And why did the Armed Forces of the Philippines and the Department of National Defense approve the purchase of that defective helicopter? Was that helicopter accepted when it was delivered for the first time without its capacity to fly being tested first? Anybody with answers, please? Otherwise, the entire transaction smells of graft and corruption, since it appears that the purchase by the PAF of a supposedly brand new helicopter, using millions of government funds, resulted instead in the acquisition of a defective helicopter, thereby causing undue injury to the government. Here is what Section 3 (e) of Republic Act 3019, otherwise known as the Anti-Graft and Corrupt Practices Act, provides on this issue: “In addition to acts or omissions of public officers already penalized by existing law, the following shall constitute corrupt practices of any public officer and are hereby declared to be unlawful… (e) Causing any undue injury to any party, including the Government… through manifest partiality, evident bad faith or gross inexcusable negligence…” -ooo QUESTIONS ON FAVORITISM FOR REP. BAG-AO: Will someone please ask Dinagat Island Rep. Arlene Bagao why, in her House Bill 110, she is trying to prevent
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least the convicted criminals now in office as well. We have B randing our Comelec commissioner By Harry Tambuatco chair that is able to violate the automated election law on almost all counts and gets away with it in broad daylight. In a TV forum on climate change, the guests together with government representatives from the executive all agree on the deterioration of mother earth and yet are still in the planning stage on how to strategize in saving it. Meantime we watch in dismay the turtle pace legal process of our judiciary in resolving murder cases sensationalized with the brutal murder of media men and women. It is not enough public opinion is overwhelmingly against its culprits and yet he lavishes in a private cell under the protection of the law free with food and the comforts his money can buy him. This must be justice ... Philippine style! Are you ready to dance now? Tambuatco/PAGE 7
A time to celebrate, a time to save
he whole Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) was in a festive mood last Wednesday (July 3) during the celebration of the institution’s 20th anniversary. In a rare opportunity, members of team BSP were able to spend some time off from work to mark the milestone together. The highlight of the celebration was the anniversary program, which featured a theatrical performance by BSP’s homegrown talents. Using the music of the classic Queen song “Bohemian Rhapsody,” they sang about inflation, remittances, and monetary policy tools. It was a light and fun approach to economics that ordinary Filipinos would enjoy and appreciate. And by no means was it an easy task. In fact, explaining and imparting banking and economic concepts to non-economists can be quite challenging. This is the reason why BSP puts extra effort and creativity in promoting financial literacy among Filipinos. Through seminars, trainings and exhibits organized by BSP’s Corporate Affairs Office and Economic and Financial Learning Center, many Filipinos have been educated already about basic financial activities such as spending, saving and investing. However, the leadership of BSP believes that financial knowledge should be imparted to the public as early as possible in their lives. They should be taught these lessons in school, while they are still developing “money habits.” The BSP is already doing this through a partnership with the Department of Education (DepEd). The two government institutions have come up with a financial education
SPEAKING
program, which incorporates to the elementary curriculum O ut lessons on money management By Ignacio Bunye and basic economics. Last week, the BSP and DepEd also released a joint message in celebration of the National Savings Consciousness Week. This was published in newspapers, posted in social media, and was read aloud to all public and private elementary and secondary schools during the flag ceremony. The message served as a reminder to the children about the importance of saving. It told the students not to spend all the money they receive. Instead, they should keep a portion of it so that they have money to spend in the future, if ever they need or want to buy something. BSP Gov. Tetangco and DepEd Sec. Bro. Armin Luistro also offered the children two options in saving. First, they can use an old box or can as a coin bank, which they have to keep in a safe place. Or, they can ask their parents to open a bank savings account under their name. Saving in banks is more advisable as the money is not only kept in a safer place, but is also earning through interest. Bunye/PAGE 7
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Earning income gets a little harder for the street vendors By Remee Monique O. Espiritu
What can be considered another massive blow to street vendors to their way of earning income would be Executive Order (EO) No. 001-2013. An order that’s more popularly known as to “temporarily suspend the operation of the Night Café”, issued by Cagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar Moreno.
The said ordinance is effective starting July 5, 2013. Task Force Hapsay Café is in charge of patrolling the Divisoria area for any vendors still insisting on putting up their stalls there. Atty. Hilario Roy Raagas is the Chairman of said Task Force with Atty. Jose Edgardo Y. Uy as the Vice Chairman, and is also Chairman for Task Force Hapsay Dalan in the market areas of Cagayan de Oro. Street vendors occupy the roads of Tirso Neri and RN Abejuela every Friday and Saturday night since 2004, selling their goods which are but is not limited to clothing items, accessories, footwear, food and whatnot.
Blocking off the said roads and causing huge traffic issues and some people even fall victim to petty theft by pickpockets if they’re not careful. Maria, a vendor of shoes, claims that she can no longer let one of her children continue schooling because of the adverse effects the EO has on her business. On the possibility that Night Café will be transferred somewhere else, she said “Kung ipabalhin gani, balhin na dayun. (If it’s going to be transferred, transfer it immediately.)” to her, this was her only source of income to be able to feed her family and send her children to school.
“Maayo unta kung tagaan tag bugas kada adlaw (It’d be better if they’d give us rice every day).” says John Mar Jimenez, vendor of tribal handmade accessories. Although Night Café is not the only place where he sells his stuff, he still thinks that it’s a big help to their business. The team leader for Hapsay Dalan in Divisoria, William Adecer, shares his sympathies to the vendors as he understands that they’re just finding ways to earn for them to be able to eat. He says the suspension is for the meantime because the administration will find ways on where to place these vendors. “Kung mo sukol sila, mo dako ra ilang problema (If they fight back, they’re just creating bigger problems).” he says. Hopefully Mayor Moreno does have something better in store for these vendors to be able to still earn a living, and for these vendors to maybe be a little patient for the meantime, and not solve problems with another problem.
WAITING GAME. Plastic chairs and tables pile at a park in Divisoria, Cagayan de Oro on Friday, July 5 as a group of stall owners tried to defy the order of newly-elected Mayor Oscar Moreno suspending the ” night café operations” at the city’s premier commercial center. The vendors failed after the police and City Hall officers held their ground and threaten to arrest violators. MindaNews photo by Froilan Gallardo
UPDATING OF INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGIES ON POSTHARVEST AND MECHANIZATION Envisioning postharvest and mechanization development for the agriculture and fishery sector of the country, the Philippine Center for Postharvest Development and Mechanization-Applied Communication Division (PhilMech-ACD) recently briefed the Department of Agriculture – Regional Field Office 10 (DA-10) for an updating of information and technologies on postharvest and mechanization. Attended by its representatives from the Regional Agriculture and Fisheries Information Division, banner programs, attached bureaus and agencies, Dr. Rodolfo P. Estigoy (left), PhilMech-ACD head said, that the meeting primarily aimed to convey to the department’s key informants on the agency’s current infrastructure programs on postharvest and mechanization, including Rice Mechanization, which seeks to contribute in increasing the current level of rice productivity by 5%; agricultural tramline system, which intends to minimize the drudgery of transport of agri-produce and farm inputs; and cold chain, which targets to address the inefficiencies in the perishable agri-fishery sector using cooling technology to preserve the quality and prolong the shelf life of agri-produce. Likewise, he introduced breakthroughs such as the cashew nut sheller, multi-commodity solar tunnel dryer, charcoal-fired cabinet oven, and coffee depulper, among others, in which he recognizes that although farmers may have resistance to change in using such technologies, Dr. Estigoy encouraged the attendees to persuade more farmers for the availment of the abovesaid innovations to “transform the future of agriculture.” (Joanne L. Olson, DA-10) photo by : VMSS iano
Hurst... from page 6
to have fun and enjoy every day. They simply chose to create t heir ow n life of happiness by seeing the good in each other and the world, even with all the evil, painful things being done to them. A successful man says that you can make any kind of job you do fun. He says: “If it’s not fun, then you’re not doing it right.” Real fun and happiness only comes when you choose to change your mind and attitude. And Jesus Christ, Who gave you the ability to be happy, can help you start changing today. Just ask Him to take full charge of your thinking and way of living ever y day. Jesus is the One Who can help you bring out all the fun and happiness He
put inside you—no matter what problems or pain you’re facing. That’s the way you can live every day with a natural high. Just Think a Minute…
Batas... from page 6
It c a n replac e t he more expensive system of importing cattle for breeding or for dairy use. Importation of dair y catt le can cost P150,000 to P180,000 per animal. Direct beneficiaries of the program are cattle raisers of t he Camiling Cattle Association (CCA) of Camiling, Tarlac. It has around 50 cattle-raising members. “We have the capability for breeding t his Sw iss animals with the cows and other resources we have,” said CCA President Rene G. Abad. “We never had a vision to develop cattle both for beef
and for dairy production. We followed a model that is not appropriate to our situation.” The concept that the country adopted separated breed for dairy production and the animal for beef production. But Braunvieh is a breed for this dual purpose—dairy and beef production. -ooo BETTING ON: WILL ER A P BE U NSE ATED? Betting is now going around on whether or not Manila Mayor Joseph “Erap” Estrada will be unseated by t he Supreme Court in connection with a disqualification case filed against him by the camp of former Mayor Alfredo Lim. One bettor is saying Erap will be disqualified in due time, since the pardon granted to him by President Arroyo several years back barred him from running for any public office again. How about you, dear readers, what do you think?
-ooo REACTIONS? Please call me at 0917 984 24 68, 0918 574 0193, 0922 833 43 96. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com, mmauriciojr111@gmail.com.
Tambuatco... from page 6
In a country where the citizens are predominantly Catholic, a population control law is subject for deliberation with no less the Court Supreme after the president signed it into law with the gargantuan pharmaceutical industry successfully lobbying congress for its approval. It is not enough we are at the process of cessation abandoning our rights or ownership to Sabah (rich with oil reserves) condemning the Sultan claimant owner who exercised his right to real property. We also have the elusive peace negotiations in Mindanao ravaged by war over decades to be
dictated by Malaysia who if I am not mistaken is not the Philippines. Let us not forget the other foreign country intermediaries. There is effort to save a drug mule convicted of death by the Chinese who obviously committed crimes against their state. Somebody please tell me... this is all but natural, ordinary and average for a country whose poor is sustaining if not getting worse. Don’t we need a leader?
Bunye... from page 6
To i n s pi re t h e k i d s further, they also reminded t he chi ldren ab out t he success of the “Tulong Barya
para sa Eskwela” campaign, which did not only teach children to value coins but also raised funds for the building of new classrooms. Through ef for ts like these, the BSP is able to inch closer to its objective of making each Filipino a productive and responsible participant in the country’s economy. When this finally happ ens, t hen t he re a l celebration begins. Note: My book, Central Banking for Every Juan and Maria is now available in main branches of Fully B o oke d, Powe r B o ok s , National Book Store, and the University of the Philippines Press.
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Kumbira 2013 Heritage Feature:
O
Brew Berry Café’s Top 10 Adobo by Mike Baños
f the ten Pinoy dishes included in Soo Pinoy’s “Search for the Ultimate Pinoy Dish”, perhaps the one easiest to cook but most difficult to judge would be the ubiquitous adobo. No other Filipino dish has such commonality of ingredients in all corners of the archipelago where it is found, yet has so wide a variety of permutations and taste, making it difficult to reach a consensus which one is better than the other. Thus the ambivalence of Ann Eviota Ato when informed of her Brew Berry Café’s selection as one of Sooo Pinoy’s Top 10 restaurants in the Philippines with the “Best Adobo.” “Of course, I was elated we were recognized as such,” says the petite University of the Philippines at Los Baños B.S. Nutrition graduate who admits she wasn’t even aware there was such a competition or that Brew Berry was nominated. “Our adobo isn’t really the fastest moving item on our menu (that being dinuguan and kare-kare) nor has it been that remarkable with our customers (that being their lengua with white sauce). Adobo is one of the 10 featured Filipino dishes in the “Sooo Pinoy” campaign, a joint project of Unilever Foodsolutions, Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI) and Department of Tourism which bills itself “The National Search for the Ultimate Pinoy Dish.” Unknown to Ann or any of her partners, Brew Berry Café was nominated for the “unique taste” of its adobo which was apparently good enough to merit their rating as one of the Top 10 in the Philippines. “A team from Unilever and PDI nominates food outlets around the country that best serve a particular dish,” said Jhao Carandang, Unilever sales executive. “For instance, Brew Berry Café was nominated among others in Mindanao and by certain criteria bested other nominees across the Philippines.” Carandang said ‘mystery judges’ would anonymously visit nominated outlets to judge the particular dish and rank the Top 10 restos or hotels based on ‘Taste’ (balance of flavor, texture and aroma); ‘Presentation’ (creativity, use of ingredients)
and ‘Value for Money’ (serving size, quality of ingredients and overall dining experience). Ann and her partners are relatively young in the business, having started only in 2007 when they took over the operation of what used to be “Blue Berry Café”. However, armed with their collective
common experience with one of the nation’s leading food chains and Ann’s extensive culinary experience in various establishments (Manila Peninsula Hotel, Philippine Airlines in-flight catering), the partners were determined to make it a success. Brew Berry’s Adobo is available either as “Chicken Adobo” or “Pork Abobo”. Asked what could be the secret behind the unique taste of their adobo, Ann believes it’s her life-long penchant to keep recipes of Filipino dishes. For instance, in formulating their Kare-Kare, she looks at what’s common as well as unique in the various recipes of the dish in her collection. “I was trained to cook the scientific way and strictly follow the ingredients, their quantity and proportion in relation to each other, as well as faithfully follow the process by which a particular dish is prepared and cooked,” she notes. She credits her professors Dr. Barba and Dr. del Rosario for the one-on-one exams in Food Preparation they had in UPLB where they had to memorize the menu as well as the effects of temperature, the freshness of ingredients and other factors in cooking a dish. On top of that, she and her partners also benchmark their dishes with competitors to ensure that “it’s not dejado or overwhelming” but has just the right balance that make customers come back for more. She says Brew Berry’s adobo is “typical” in the sense that it shares most of its ingredients with those found in other parts of the city and the country such as vinegar, bay leaf, soy sauce, paprika, a “little” sugar, among others. “It’s also moist, not dry, more of lean meat that’s firm but not mushy,” she said of the dish’s taste and consistency. Not the least, she attributes their recognition to the cooks their kitchen who though set in their ways due to their previous experience, have also proven to be trainable and follow her “scientific way” of food preparation and cooking. “You may have the talent and experience but most important, you must be willing to learn new things to make yourself and your dishes better,” she notes. “Attitude is most important.”
Philippines climbs 5 places on list of world’s most innovative economies The Philippines has moved up five notches on the global list of the most innovative nations, but it will have to redouble its efforts if it wants to catch up with even just its Southeast Asian neighbors. The country placed 90 out of 142 countries in the Global Innovation Index 2013, up from 95 in 141 countries last year. In 2011, the country was in the 91st position among 125 countries. T h e GI I r e p o r t r a n k s world economies’ innovation capabilities and results, in recognition of the key role of innovation as a driver of economic g row th and prosperity. It looked at 142 economies around the world, using 84 i nd i ca to r s i ncl ud i ng the quality of top universities, availability of microfinance, venture capital deals, and
gauged both i nnova t ion capabilities and measurable results. The Philippines garnered 31.2 out of a total score of 100 in the global innovation i ndex, compa red to last year’s score of 29, to move up from 95th place to 90th this year. In the Southeast Asia and Oceania region (SEAO), the Philippines was ranked 14th most innovative out of 16 economies, behind Vietnam (ranked 76th in the world) and Indonesia (85th), but ahead of Sri Lanka (98th) and Cambodia (110th). The top three innovators in the SEAO for this year are Hong Kong (ranked seventh in the world, from last year’s eighth place), Singapore, (eighth place from third), and New Zealand (17th place from 13th).
T h e r e s t, i n o r d e r o f regional ranking, are South Korea (ranked 18th in the world), Australia (19th), Japan (22nd ), Ma laysia (32nd ), China (35th), Thailand (57th), Mongolia (72nd), and Brunei Darussalam (74th). The GII 2013 also subcategorized innovation into three: innovation output, i nnova tion i nput, and innovation efficiency ratio. B a s e d o n i n n ova t i o n output, the Philippines got a score of 30 out of 100 to rank 77th in the world, and scored 32.3 to rank 108 in innovation input. Surprisingly, the country’s innovation efficiency ratio was regarded by the report as one of the country’s strengths. It earned 0.9 (with the highest score of 1.13 given to Mali) for a ranking of 24th globally. The index also graded
countries individually based on more than 80 indicators of innovation. Among the Philippines’ pe rceived innova tion weak nesses a re those dealing with political stability, business environment, ease of starting a business, ease o f re s o l v i ng i n so l ve n cy, expenditure on education and R&D, ease of getting credit, and FDI inflows. Cited as areas of strength i n cl ud e t h e p e rce n t a g e o f g radua tes i n sci ence and engineering, market capi ta l i za t ion, busi nessfinanced R&D, joint-venture a n d s t r a t e g i c- a l l i a n c e deals, the percentage of h i g h- a n d m e d i u m-h i g h technology manufacturers, and knowledge diffusion. Making it to the top 10 of the GII 2013 are Switzerland (with a score of 66.6 out of
100) in first place, followed b y S w e d e n ( 61. 3 ) , t h e United Kingdom (61.2), the Netherlands (61.1), the United States (60.3), Finland (59.5), Hong Kong (59.43), Singapore (59.41), Denmark (58.3), and Ireland (57.9). “The resul ts of the GII provide testimony to the global nature of innovation today. The top 25 ranked countries on the GII are a mix of nations from across the world-North America, Eu rope, As ia, Ocean ia and the Middle East. While h i g h- i ncome econom i es dominate the list, several new players have increased their innovation capabilities and outputs,” said Soumitra Dutta, co-editor of the report. Dutta added: “On ave rage, h ig h-i ncome countries outpace developing countries by a wide margin
across the board in terms of scores; a persistent innovation divide exists.” Bruno Lanvin, the report’s co-editor, said: “Innovation is rapidly becoming a rallying symbol for forces of progress and reform around the world. Although our findings show that daunting challenges remain for many new players, we also see exciting exa m p l e s o f i n n ova t i o n success, including in some of the poorest countries. This is a source of optimism about the future of global innovation and economic recovery.” The Global Innovation I n d e x 2 013 : T h e L o c a l Dynamics of Innovation was co-published by the Cornell University, INSEAD, and the World Intellectual Property Organization. -- Romelda Ascutia, PHILEXPORT News
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Indicators of suspicious transactions are the absence of a contract that would explain payment; sums or frequency of deposits or transfers that are substantially more than a client’s history; any indications of unlawful activity; and transaction patterns structured to avoid de te c t ion or re p or t i ng requirements. Also based on the COA report, AMLC served freeze orders on P3.329 billion total bank deposits and investment accounts in 2012, of which P1.556 billion was unfrozen and returned to investors or victims after evaluation. The balance of P1.772 billion will remain frozen as pending civil forfeiture cases and other claims await resolution by the courts, the Department of Justice and the Office of the Ombudsman.
forecast high-net-wor t h wealth would increase 6.5 percent annually to $55.8 trillion by 2015, mainly because of growth in the Asia-Pacific region. The survey found that 53 percent of wealthy U.S. individuals would prefer to have a single firm handle their financial accounts. However, a 2011 study from Boston-based research firm Aite Group showed more than half of high-net worth investors held their money in four or more financial institutions. “Having one super-adviser would be preferred, but finding someone who can do that well is hard,” said Aite analyst Sophie Schmitt. The R BC-Capgemini survey polled more than 4,000 high-net-worth people globally in February and M a r c h , i n c lu d i n g 7 3 6 Americans. — Reuters
from page 3
Forex... from page 3
provisioins of the FX Manual so that the public can better understand its provisions, Tetangco said. According to BSP Deputy Governor Diwa Guinigundo, relaxing the rules further has widened the scope for foreigners wanting to invest in Philippine equities since prior to the amendments, only resident can buy foreignowned listed firms. The amendments also allows foreigners to easily convert their pesodenominated proceeds to dollars for repatriation to their home countries. A l l of t he s e a re i n preparation for the economic integration of the Philippines with its ASEAN neighbors, especially withe the PSE’s impending linkage with other bourses in the region, he said. Jose Vistan, research ma nager at A B Capita l Securities Inc, said that amid the ongoing capital flight, relaxing rules would make it easier for foreigners to go in and out of the PSE, making local stocks more attractive. “This would be a boon to the local stock market, which is now undergoing consolidation while waiting for US Federa l Reser ve signal as to when it would start winding its stimulus program,” he said.
from page 3
Poverty... from page 2
last year, the Philippines managed only $2.8 billion, not far from $2.2 billion for Myanmar, a pariah state until recently. Thailand wooed more than 22 million visitors last year, the Philippines received 4.3 million. Balisacan also blamed low foreign investment on the countr y’s past three decades of boom and bust development. (AP/TPS)
Gains... from page 2
Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA) are pushing for an intensified production of hybrid rice and corn seeds to achieve its goal of turning the region as self-sufficient by 2016. (MB)
Food... from page 2
Barangay Food Terminal (BFT), a projec t of t he Department of Agriculture launched last February 9, 2011. Noralyn Gonzaga, BFT in-charge said that through Barangay Food Terminal Project, DA provided them various equipment such as two cold storage facilities, plastic crates, three weighing scales, push cart, plastic tray, styrofoam boxes, electronic
cash register and cash amount of P100,000 as support fund for additional capitalization. T he prop onent a l s o raised the said amount of P100,000 as their counterpart and was used mainly for the procurement of food products such as meat, poultry products, fish, fruits and vegetables. J A R B E M C O ’s B F T open up a sure market for local farmers as well as swine raisers around their community where they can sell their produce. BF T has generated employment having three regular employees and two on call employees during peak season of the month receiving minimum daily wage. Gonzaga said that BFT helps a lot for t hem as workers and employees of the cooperative since they can avail its services including credit where payment will be automatically deducted from their salary while those non-members is bounded with duly signed customer agreement. Aside f rom enjoy ing lower price on goods as compared to Bayugan City market, its customers can enjoy patronage refund and dividends every end of the year, thus an additional benefit for the customers family and cheer up the spirit of cooperativism. For almost two years in operation, JARBEMCO BFT has manifested a net income of 179,940.53. Henceforth, from these figures, financial indicators are quite promising for JARBEMCO BFT as it faces another challenge in the years to come. (PIA)
Keen... from page 4
integrated coconut processing plant. For this project, Pasawa s a id t he i nve stors w i l l process all food products from coconut. He said this will include the processing of coco water and virgin coconut oil. He said talks are ongoing and hopefully will proceed as there are already locations t hat t he i nvestors have considered. These two projects will have loca l par t ners but Pasawa did not give details. On t he ot her ha nd ,
Interactive discussion on Leadership
Spreading ideals of interfaith dialogue THE techno-savvy youth brought about the Arab Spring condition in Egypt, Tunisia and Libya and in a couple of other countries in the world. While the “spring environment” has not led to the full bloom of peace in these countries we want to underscore the role that the youth can play in bringing about a better world; a more peaceful world; a world of harmony and understanding. The yout h of t he mi l lennia l generat ion, those born in the 1980s to the early 2000s, make up the generation that is very skillful in the use of the social networks and who also use the Internet a lot; for some, too much. Ne v e r t h e l e s s , t h i s i s the generation that can
make very potent allies in spreading messages that would lead to good for our world. One good that Silsilah wishes to spread is dialogue bet ween relig ions a nd cultures. For this reason Silsilah has always looked at t he yout h as potent messengers of its message
to others. On June 29 and 30, 2013, a seminar was organized by a group dubbed Young Professionals for Dialogue and Peace (YPDP) , a group of young adults generally done with college studies and are now holding jobs as teachers, nurses, office personnel in government and private institutions, etc. The two day- seminar was attended by 20 college graduates whose religious background was eit her Mu sl i m or C h r i s t i a n . They were introduced to Silsilah’s concept of the Culture of Dialogue, Path to Peace. The seminar Interfaith/PAGE 11
Pasawa said they continue to receive queries from foreign investors. Other than on property development and agriculture, he said several queries were on Business Process Outsourcing (BPO) operation. Investments related to ICT still is among the many types of inquiries they get, he added. (PNA)
CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947
from page 4
CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491
Livelihood...
on how the community could move forward. Earlier this year, he said with the help of friends, they were able to be in contact with the PCA. Catawanan still could not reveal the cost of the PCA grant but he said it will be managed by SOLEDKI. He added the people’s organization will also venture into corn plantation in a farm about 40 hectares big.
CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011
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Incentives... from page 1
support system to export g r ow t h a n d e c on o m i c development,” he added. Possible products that may be encou raged for further export development are coconut, mangosteen, ba na na , pi ne apple a nd papaya. Carrageenan, extracted from seaweed and used as an ingredient in various food items, was also cited as a potential product. Mana lo said t hese produc t s “a re g loba l favorites.” The DTI hopes to e nc ou r a ge t he g r ow t h of export products from M i nd a nao t h roug h t he development of micro, small and medium enterprises. T he depa r t ment ha s instituted industry clusters that bring together local producers to ease selling or processing of products. It is planning to launch 800 shared services facilities “to enable farmers to sell products at prices above commodity prices locally or for export consumption.” Mr. Mana lo said t he government will continue to develop industry clusters to harness the potential of local producers.
Italpinas... from page 1
Italpinas Euroasian Design a nd E co-Development Corporation, will present “Energy Efficiency in the Real Estate Industry” as a ‘first mover’ designer and builder of Primavera Residences, a twin 10-story condominium at the Pueblo de Oro Business Park in Cagayan de Oro City. “With Eco-Logic Architecture, the global warming and climate change compels us to move towards Energy Plus Buildings which are net producers, rather than net users of energy,” Arch. Nati said. “Around 25-40 percent of total energy produced worldw ide is consumed by buildings and their air conditioners,” he noted. “Buildings also produce seventy percent of the total volume of carbon dioxide in cities.” Arch. Nati believes the real estate sector, particularly the architecture, engineering and energy sub-sectors can substantially contribute to the attainment of energy security in the country as demonstrated by the Italpinas
experience in the Philippines. “Italpinas is an ItalianFi l ipi n o j oi nt ve nt u r e which designs and develops innovative green buildings with unique energy features in efficiency and generation,” said Atty. Jose D. Leviste III, President. “By integrating renewable energy features with real estate through i n novat ive a rch itec t u re (passive green design to reduce energy consumption; active green designs with solar photovoltaic panels to generate its own energy; and power cost optimization to ensure maximum benefits to end users and investors).” T he s e u n ique v a lue propositions have been amply demonstrated in the 10-storey twin tower P450-million Primavera Residences which features an inner courtyard to increase ventilation, solar panels and cross ventilation, and overhang shading to maximize shade from the building’s orientation to lessen aircon use. “We aim to prove that a rchitec t u re a nd u rba n planning can design sustainable cities only if they start from different and more responsible values,” Arch. Nati said. “A conscientious development is the main challenge of our generation, the only way to achieve a sustainable world.” An Asian Development Bank (ADB) study (“Same E n e r g y, M o r e P o w e r : Accelerating Energ y Efficiency in Asia”) recently estimated the Philippines needs some $601 million worth of investments to address energy efficiency challenges. ADB Energy Committee chairman Anthony Jude said that implementing proper policies that support private sector initiatives toward energy efficiency, as well as upgrading public buildings, i mprovements i n st reet lighting, and enhancement of electricity meter devices can help ramp up much needed investment. Investments like these are equivalent to 1 to 2 percent of the total energy sector investments, and could meet as much as 25 percent of the projected increase in global energy consumption (with Asia’s share set to rise 56% in 2035 from 34% in 2010). Organized by the E u rop e a n C h a m b e r of Commerce of the Philippines (E C C P), t h e E n e r g y Efficiency Forum aims to be an annual event to convene
key decision makers and business leaders from the energ y, commercia l and industrial sectors; enlist top management commitment to implement energy efficiency programs at the enterprise level; bui ld strategic alliances among business, government, international donor organizations, environmental organizations and other public interest groups in the Philippines; and set a common climate action agenda in reducing carbon footprint through energy efficiency. Energ y ef f icienc y is proving to be a key strategy for i ncreasi ng busi ness competitiveness not only in terms of improving the operational bottom line but also in terms of the added value created for the company as it promotes corporate s o c i a l r e s p o n s i b i l i t y. Through energy efficient operat ions compa nies are able to reduce costs significantly, thus making companies more competitive. Moreover, energy efficiency allows reduced use of energy resources thus eases the impact of operations on the planet (environment) and people. With Mindanao unable to consistently secure its energy supply and attract sufficient investments in energy, the need for energy conservation and energy e f f ic ie nc y h a s b e c ome increasingly paramount. Under the leadership of Arch. Nati, Ita lpinas has been cited three times internationally: 1. As one of the most promising clea n energ y investment opportunities i n t he Ph i l ippi ne s by the Climate Technolog y Initiative- Private Financing Advisory Networks (CTIPFAN) Asia Forum for Clean Energy Financing during the 2nd annual Philippines Clean Energy Investor Forum held in Manila in 2011 (for Primavera Residences); 2. As one of the Best Condo Developments in the Philippines by the South East Asia Property Awards in 2011 (for Primavera Residences); 3. And most recently, as one of the top 10 (among 41) and only entry from the Philippines qualified for the finals of the CTI PFAN Asia Forum for Clean Energy Financing (AFCEF-3) Business Plan Competition held February 22, 2013 in Singapore (for a new project). A rch. Nat i wa s a lso
persona l ly recog nized w it h a “Specia l Energ y Award” in the 2011 Design Against the Elements (DAtE) global architectural design competition, which aims to build the first green, livable, affordable, and disasterresista nt v i l lage i n t he Philippines that will serve as the blueprint for other communities threatened by climate change. Some 119 entries from 30 countries joined the competition. The winning entry was inspired by the geometry of corals which the team transformed into manageable architectural shapes, through the use of Voronoi geometry.
Community... from page 1
an unimaginable magnitude. Hou rs of heav y ra in proved too much for once quiet and pristine Cagayan d e O r o R i ve r c au s i n g floodwaters to swell, roaring, rampaging and swallowing everything in its path. And lo and behold, the city was awakened by the horrible scene of bodies piling up by the hundreds a long river banks, w it h t housa nds more people disappeared with no hope of happy return. The mere mention of “Sendong” would give Kagayanons a chilling reminder of that fateful December night where families climbed on rooftops or trees and held onto anything to save their lives. Indeed, the devastation goes beyond the loss of lives and properties. Hopes and dreams were also gone astray for those who survived the holocaust because not only that they lost their homes and respective families, they were also left with nothing to contend the double whammy Ty phoon Sendong have brought to their lives. The cry for help spread like wildfire and the people, and the world responded almost instantly. Everyone reaches out to help. Relief operations commenced here and there, and donations started to arrive by huge quantities from the world over. The tragedy, however, has also revealed the bright side of life: the Filipino’s sense of apathy and cooperation. Volunteerism came alive, not just among Filipinos, but even beyond races. So where were t he survivors now? The local and national
government, with the help of private individuals and i nst it ut ions, have bu i lt va rious relocat ion sites within the city outskirts to bring back the normal lives of thousands of survivors. A mong t hem i s t he Xavier Ecoville, located in the elevated Brgy. Lumbia, a few kilometres from the city. As of February, this year, Xavier Ecoville, a joint project by the Jesuit-run Xavier University (XU) and the city government of Cagayan de Oro, already accommodated 517 households consisting of 2,586 family members. D u r i ng t he open i ng program of “Day un, Padayun: Xavier Ecoville Hope Festival” held July 6, XU President Fr. Roberto Yap echoed the spirit by which the relocation project was built. “We are not just building houses, we are building a community,” he said. Sheila Opusa, who is among those relocated in the community, has expressed her deepest gratitude for the new hope Xavier Ecoville has provided for her family. “Malipayon gyud ko diri (I’m very happy here).” she said, saying that she just moved into Xavier Ecoville last June 8. They were in Brgy. Balulang when Sendong struck and that she was then 1 month pregnant with their youngest daughter. She said the incident was very unimaginable and it left behind a life-long trauma for her and her family. Wit h t he new-fou nd communit y in Ecov i l le, Sheila finds a new hope and in fact slowly trying to help re-build the future of her family. She put up a sari-sari store in her house and was glad to reveal she is earning at least P6,000 a month. Before Sendong, Sheila also had her store in Balulang, but she was earning less than what she gets now. She said she is proud that her livelihood has improved since she and her family has moved into Xavier Ecoville.
11
“We can give them houses, that’s good. But we also need to give them livelihood.” says Dr. Carsten Eevers, Steag State Power Inc. plant manager, one of the company donor during the turnover and contract signing of the Livelihood Center to Ms. Cherrie Barrios of the XEMPCO (Xavier Ecoville Multi-Purpose Cooperative). Ms. Ma. Teresa Alegrio, Steag’s senior manager for Corporate Affairs, said the relocates are still moving forward, and that they still need to do a lot. “It’s probably why the Hope Festival was called “Dayun, Padayon,” for the development of Ecoville will continue, for them to bloom as a community of hope,” Alegrio said.
Interfaith... from page 10
was a time for listening to sharing from invited resource persons of their experiences in inter-faith dialogue, asking questions about matters of inter-faith relations that can be the beginnings of strained relations between the two faith groups, and other points that are relevant to MuslimChristian dialogue. A mong t he p e r s on s who came to be resource speakers were Mrs. Remedios Ma rmoleño a nd Fat ima Pir Allian who served as panelists during the interfaith dialogue forum and Ma rlon Gra nde tack led Leadership by example. T ho s e i n c h a r ge of running the activity were Norbert Solina, Vanessa Andico and Zsabrina Isa Ju la i l i members of t he Formation team of Silsilah. Similar activities are being planned for other dates for similar groups of participants. It is hoped that with these young people exposed to the ideals of interfaith dialogue which they will express in their actions and in their communication with others of their generation the web will widen. May it be so.
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BusinessDaily CommunityFeature 12 Kalahi-CIDSS providing promising future for the youth of tomorrow CREDIBLE
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By MARKO DAVEY REYES
“Ang kabataan ang pag-asa ng bayan.” (The youth is the hope of the nation.) A cliché of sorts that has been used again and again for generations to emphasize the important role of the youth in nation building. Well, who else would inherit the future? Certainly the youth of today. But the question looming in the horizon is, would the future be bright and prosperous with what the youth of today possess? Are they capable of facing the challenges the future brings? Northern Mindanao is among the many provinces in the country facing problems with basic education. Every year, prior to the start of the school year, local and national news agencies banner headlines of the government’s incapability of addressing problems such as shortage of classrooms that would cater the growing number of students per year, enough number of teachers to captain the classrooms, and even question the elementary and high school curriculum; whether it fits the perfect educational needs of the students. With the ballooning of the population to a whopping 100 million plus, and the still prevalent problem of the lack of resources to maintain a sustainable education program, the future of the present generation’s youth seems bleak. Now, how could the country’s future be positive if the youth that are depended on already has an uncertain present situation? The Kapit-Bisig Laban sa Kahirapan – Comprehensive and Integrated Delivery
Inauguration of a newly completed 1-unit, 3-classroom building (Anacorita Apat Tongco - Rubillar Memorial Primary School) in Brgy. Waterfalls, Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte showcase the essence of true community power as perseverance and hard work paid off for the volunteers of the Kalahi-CIDSS project of the DSWD FO-X. This AusAID funded school building will now cater to the primary students of the community. Present during the June 11, 2013 turn-over ceremonies were (foreground) Atty. Benjie Y. Baguio, Municipal Mayor of Kapatagan (middle), Dr. Emmalinda E. Duhaylungsod, Schools Division Superintendent - DepED, Lanao del Norte (left) and Engr. Abobacar Tocalo. Project Development Officer of Kalahi-CIDSS - AusAID (right) - performing the ceremonial ribbon cutting. (M arko Davey R eyes - S ocial M arketing O fficer , K alahi -CIDSS, DSWD FO-X)
of Social Services (Kalahi-CIDSS), the country’s premiere anti-poverty portfolio of the Department of Social Welfare and Development geared at alleviating the poverty situation through multi-stakeholder participatory project implementation approach, in its 10 years of existence, has aided in the thrust to answer glitches related to shortages in infrastructure (classrooms). For 10 years, barangays of the municipalities in Northern Mindanao under the KalahiCIDSS have been blessed with school buildings and daycare centers that until now has been catering to a lot of children in the communities. Barangays who have determined the need for school classrooms through their barangay assembly or the Participatory Situational Analysis activity were given the opportunity to be prioritized for funding
of their sub-projects through the Municipal Inter-Barangay Forum prioritization process. With Kalahi-CIDSS, communities now had the opportunity to be the answer to their own problems; the force to lead them to progress with the Community-Driven Development strategy it utilizes. Kalahi-CIDSS could only do so much to provide for the needs of the communities. There are those barangays, who even though exhibited the dire need for such services/infrastructure, still fall short of the prioritization process. It still boils down to who gets to be prioritized depending on the criteria set by the Municipal InterBarangay Forum (MIBF) comprised of the representatives from all the barangays in a certain municipality. Good thing is, hope has been restored. Australian Agency for International
Development (AusAID), has tapped DSWD (Kalahi-CIDSS) to aid in funding classrooms and daycare centers as long as project documents are complete. Now hope is restored for those barangays who were not prioritized during the Kalahi-CIDSS cycle. The project proposals they have prepared before and are already available could now be used for proposal for the AusAID funding. To date there are already 2 completed sub-projects in the municipalities of Calamba, Misamis Occidental (Daycare Center), and in Kapatagan, Lanao del Norte (1 unit – 3 Classroom building). 18 more are on-going (Kapatagn, Lala – LDN, and Calamba Mis. Occ.), and 26 are on the process of approval for fund release (Kapataga, Lala, Bacolod, Sapad, Magsaysay - LDN, and Calamba and Lopez Jaena - Misamis Occ.).
As much as possible, these Day Care Centers and classrooms will answer the shortage of school buildings the region is facing right now. In no time, there will be enough classrooms to cater to every student in the region. It is still a long way to go but the people’s perseverance and enthusiasm is the key factor at the success of the project. “We are glad that we have good partners in advancing our fight to end poverty with the partnership of DSWD and AusAID. But we must also put into consideration the commitment of other stakeholders just like the Provincial Government Units, Local Government Units, the Department of Education, NGO’s, various school organization (Parents-Teachers Organizations), last but not least our community volunteers. They are well as important
as the DSWD and the AusAID,” Engr. Abobacar Tocalo (DSWD FO X Project Development Officer – AusAID) said. Indeed this endeavor will only be achieved with the participation and service of every stakeholder. Nothing is impossible as long as everyone shoots for the same goals. The KalahiCIDSS has proven that it is possible for communities to be empowered and be able to face their own problems. With KalahiCIDSS, communities were able to build a strong foundation, one that is rooted on unity and convergence. The CDD strategy has indeed built the confidence of communities to face different challenges. The KC-AusAID implementation is no less different. Communities will strive to ensure that their efforts ensure the future of their children; the future of our country.