BusinessDaily (June 4, 2013)

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Biofuel production positive for PHL

Pepsi to add 4 production lines

Bulacan welcomes Environment Month with sustainable eco-programs

BusinessDaily M’nao exhibitors clinch $4.3M sales at food expo Economy

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Briefly More teachers THE Department of Education (DepEd) this year will be seeking more teachers as it has opened the highest number of teaching slots in the Department’s history. Dodong Atillo DepEd XI spokesman said that the D e p ar t m e nt h a s a p p r ove d 61,510 teaching positions for the schoolyear 2013-2014, which is a huge increase compared to previous hiring of an average to about 10,000 teachers. He said that in Region XI alone DepEd is seeking to hire 2,923 more teachers which compared to previous years they were hiring only about 500 teachers. Atillo said that this does not include those hired by the local school board and those hired by the respective DepEd offices in the region. “This year we might reduce out the teacher gap, we are really excited this year,” Atillo said.

Open for business SOCIAL Security System (SSS) branches nationwide will open for business on four consecutive Saturdays in June to enable household employers a n d d o m e s t i c w o r ke r s o r ‘kasambahay’, such as maids, nursemaids or yaya, gardeners, cooks and laundry women, to register with SSS. S S S C a g ay a n d e O r o branch will be opened to issue social security (SS) numbers for domestic workers as well as household employer ID numbers on June 8, 15, 22 and 29 to facilitate their mandatory SSS membership as provided under the Kasambahay Law and the Social Security Law, said Lawyer Edwin Halo, SSS branch manager. The Kasambahay Law, or Republic Act No. 10361, was signed into law on January 19, 2013 to ensure the social protection of household employees under various government agencies, which include the SSS, Philippine Health Insurance Corporation and Pag-IBIG Fund.

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Environment

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Cagayan de Oro City

Volume III, No. 227

Market Indicators

Agri-Business

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Lifestyle

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June 4, 2013

R-10 remains fastest economy in M’danao Buoyed-up by strong agri sector:

By CHRISTINE CABIASA Reporter and APIPA P. BAGUMBARAN Contributor

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UOYED up by its strong performance in agriculture, Nor thern Mindanao remained to be the fastest g r ow i n g e c o n o m y i n Mindanao averaging at 4.7 percent growth over the last ten years.

Campaign vs child labor in Bukidnon gains headway

In his State of the Region Address T hu rsd ay la st week, outgoi ng Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Ll. Cruz, chairperson of the Regional De velopment C ou nc i l (R D C), described the region’s economy as vibrant despite the slump experienced by other sectors. “The agriculture sector continues to serve as the backbone of the economic activities in Northern Mindanao, he said. Cruz said agriculture has cushioned the slowdown during the years when remains/PAGE 11

Cebu Pacific Air Flight 5J971 from Manila nosedived after it veered off the runway of the Davao International Airport at around 7:30 p.m. Sunday. As of 7:30 p.m. Monday, the aircraft had yet to be moved out of the runway, by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) said the airport was set to be reopened to air traffic by midnight. mindanews photo by ruby thursday

By WALTER I. BALANE, MindaNews

MALAYBALAY City — The campaign against child labor in Bukidnon is gaining headway, with at least 2,000 children taken out of the labor force from November 2011 to March 2013, the International Labor Organization (ILO) reported. The ILO report said that out of the 2,500 listed in 2010, 2,000 had been taken out of the categories of actual child laborers or children at risk of becoming child laborers. Out of a listing of 1,500 ch i ld ren i n ch i ld l ab or, 1,087 had been taken off the list while 998 out of 1,000 younger siblings of chi ld labourers or those at risk of also becoming child labourers were also delisted using a combi nat ion of t utor ia l, psychosocial, and logistic

interventions implemented by the Provincial Social Welfare and Development Office. Hector Tuburan, Jr. ILO Bukidnon coordinator, said they had accomplished 83.4% of its target or 2,085 children out of 2,500, have been kept off the labor force from November 2011 to March 2013 while 99.8% of children at risk of becoming laborers, or 998 out 1,000 had been withdrawn from the control list. Tuburan said the figure is expected to improve even more in June and September as soon as they validate enrolment of those who received intervention in the control list. The ILO headway/PAGE 11

Economic growth undermines power crises in M’danao: PCCI THE euphoria spurred by the country’s faster-thanexpected economic growth has accentuated the power shortage hobbling Mindanao, with businesses in the region taking stock of losses, the Ph i l ippi ne Cha mber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) said over the weekend. In the face of the reported f i r s t- qu a r ter e c onom ic crises/PAGE 11

With classes nationwide formally opened on Monday, many parts of Mindanao are still groping in the dark, prompting these kids to use candles in doing their homeworks.

J.P. RIZAL - CRUZ TAAL STS., (NEAR SHANGHAI BAKERY) DIVISORIA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

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Economy

DPWH implements P13.64-B infra projects in Region 10 By APIPA P. BAGUMBARAN, Contributor

Mindanao exhibitors clinch $4.3M sales at food expo DAVAO City -- Food producers and processors from Mindanao clinched US$ 4.3 million in total sales at the recently concluded International Food Exhibit (IFEX) 2013, proving once more that Mindanao food products are gaining ground in the international market. The value of immediate and booked sales orders cornered by the 71 Mindanao exhibitors came close to US$ 1.7 million throughout the four-day exhibit, while the projected value of sales orders following the expo

amounted to more than US$ 2.64 million. “Mindanao industries are poised for the international market as proven by the significant domestic and internationa l sa les t hey ge n e r a t e d f r om I F E X ,

reaffirming the potentials of food products from the reg ion,” sa id Luwa l hat i A ntonino, Cha ir of t he Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA). She added that IFEX, the country’s largest gathering of food producers, processors and exporters, provided the Mindanao food sector a venue to position its finest food products to international buyers. EXPO/PAGE 11

THE Department of Public Works and Highways has implemented a P13.64 billion wor t h of infrastructure projects in region 10 during the period 2010 to 2012. These projects include preventive maintenance, disaster-related rehabilitation projects and access to major tourism sites, among others, said Regional Development Council (RDC) Chairperson Mayor Lawrence Ll. Cruz in his State of the Region Address during the 97th RDC Full Council Meeting last May 28. Among the major projects implemented were Cagayan de Oro City Coastal Bypass

Road ; M i nd a nao E a s tWest Lateral Road or the Bukidnon-Iligan Road; Iligan City Circumferential Road (C-3); Ozamiz City Coastal Bypass Road; rehabilitation/ reconstruction/upgrading of the Sayre Highway; widening of t he Butua n-Cagaya n de Oro-Iligan Road; and the widening of the OpolLaguindingan Road. O ver t he l a s t t h re e years, the region’s total road network increased by about 500 kilometers from 22,078 kilometers in 2009 to 22,580 kilometers in 2012 while the region’s share of the national roads also increased by 200 kilometers to 1,900

kilometers over the same period. Targeted constructions of farm-to-market roads also increased from 103 kilometers in 2009 to 404 kilometers in 2012. Meanwhile, berthing and seaport facilities for the ports of Cagayan de Oro, Iligan, Jimenez and Plaridel are already 63 percent of the target while the passenger terminal in the port of Benoni is already completed. Cr u z s a id pla ns a re also underway for the full utilization of the Mindanao C o n t a i n e r Te r m i n a l ’s potential capacity of 270,000 DPWH/PAGE 11

IPIL, Zamboanga Sibugay -The Department of Science a nd Technolog y I X has approved a project worth P440,000 in this municipality. C a l led t he “Upg rad i ng t he Rol l up Faci l it y of the Ruby Grills Shop and Glass Center,” the project is under the agency’s Small Enterprise Technology and

Upgrading Program (Setup). The project aims to provide technology interventions including system and process improvement, and manpower development to the metals and engineering industry. The Ruby Grills Shop and Glass Center is the first to offer fabrication services of roll up doors

and windows in Zamboanga Sibugay prov i nce. T h is will complement the firm’s current business. T he equ ipment to be acquired is the same e qu ipment a dopt e d by another Setup beneficiary in Dipolog City which so far, has been working efficiently. DOST/PAGE 11

DOST-9 extends assistance to metals, engineering industry

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Vista Land ups 2013 Pepsi to add 4 production lines capex to P20-billion VISTA Land & Lifescapes Inc will hike its capital spending to take advantage of strong market demand for housing. Vista L a nd fou nder Ma nuel B. Vi l la r sa id t he compa ny ’s c apit a l expenditure will reach up to P20 billion, higher than the original budget of P18.5 billion. “We are prepared to spend more than P18.5 bi l l ion. Ok ay la ng na lumagpas kami ng kaunti. Sayang ang market eh,” Villar said. He said Vista Land is launching 14 new projects in the next two to three months in areas that include Sta. Maria, Bulacan; Kalibo, Aklan; Roxas, Capiz; and Silang, Cavite. The company is spending P1.5 billion for the second building of Wil Tower, a twotower high-rise residential project in partnership with variety show host Willy Rev il lame. The project cost for the second tower is slightly higher than the first given inflation and higher constr uct ion expenses, Villar said. Vista Land has sold 90 percent of the first building

of Wil Tower and is set to deliver the units by early 2015 after topping off in May. The property developer will launch the second tower upon completing the first building. Unit prices at Wil Tower range from P3 million to P6 million. Amenities of the two towers include a swimming pool, spa, alfresco dining restaurants, audio-video room, a game room and day care center. Wil Tower Mall, the fou r-le vel c om merc i a l complex component of the residential high-rise project, will begin operations this year. It will house shops featuring international and local brands, restaurants and 24/7 services. Vi s t a L a nd i s a l s o opening four more strip malls this year aside from existing projects at Presidio in Sucat; Evia in Daang Hari; San Fernando, Pampanga; and Antipolo, Rizal. The property developer plans to build 50 “small malls” within its land bank over the next five years that will raise the profitability of the company and heighten the marketability of its real estate products.

PEPSI- Cola Produc ts Philippines Inc (PCPPI) is expanding its manufacturing operations with four more lines and an additional 1,200 workers to be hired in the next 12 months. O n t he sidel i ne s of t he c omp a ny ’s a n nu a l stockholders’ meeting on Friday, PCPPI president Partho Chakrabarti told reporters that one line each will be opened at the existing plants in Muntinlupa City, Cebu and Davao this year besides the initial line of the newest facility in Santo Tomas, Batangas that will be opened early next year. The expansion will entail hiring of about 300 workers per line, with the wide range of PCPPI products to be produced in every plant. PCPPI has 11 plants with a total of almost 3,000 workers. The company this year set aside P4 bi l lion for capita l expenditures, of

which half will be spent on manufacturing operations and expansion, while the remainder will be used on expanding the distribution network. At present , PCPPI

products are distributed to about ha lf a mi l lion out lets i n t he cou nt r y, most of which are in urban areas. Chakrabarti said the company eyes to expand its distribution network by

12-percent this year. The executive declined to provide definite sales targets for this year, only saying that the company “hopes” to surpass last year’s 15-percent Pepsi/PAGE 7

Lucio Co eyes market share in cheap liquor segment MOVE over Emperador Distillers, Cosco Capital Inc is eyeing a piece of of your pie in the Philippines with cheap imported liquor. The consumer-focused holding firm of Lucio Co is gearing up to expand its market share in the liquor

space dominated by Andrew Tan’s best-selling brandy by bringing in cheap, grapebased ones from Spain in the near-term. In a brief ing, Cosco president Leonard Dayao said they would be able to compete in the below-P100, thanks to

hike in sin taxes this year. He said this has evened out the playing field for the cheap imported brands--60 million cases of which are sold each year--that otherwise would have still been considered too expensive than Emperador brandy.

Dayao, however, is still mum on the brands they will be bringing to local shores. Cosco’s liquor distribution business is currently serving t he hig h-end ma rket, capturing 90 percent of the 1 million cases old annually cheap/PAGE 7

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Japanese envoy turns over post-harvest facilities in LDS BU BONG, L a nao del Sur—Farmers in this riceproducing municipality will finally have the chance to make their future better with the establishment of a postharvest facilities, which the Japanese government turned over to them recently. Undertaken under the Project for the Construction of Post-Harvest Facilities and the Purchase of Agricultural Equipment, the post-harvest facility was initiated by the Philippine Foundation for Resources Management, Inc. (PFRM) under a P4.1 million (US$97,058) gra nt from the Grants Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Projects (GGP). Leading the turn-over ceremonies was no less than Japanese Ambassador to the Philippines Toshinao Urabe. In his message, Ambassador Urabe emphasized t hat it was important for the people of Bubong to take ownership and make efforts themselves to have a better life. The post-harvest facilities are composed of a warehouse and a solar dryer as well as agricultural implement such as hand tractors, sprayers, r ice t h re shers , m i l l i ng equipment and a six-wheeler truck. The project is expected to alleviate the plight of farmers in the area, majority of whom are members of Pindoguan Fa r mers Mu lt i-Sec tora l Association (PFMSA), as the items provided through the project will improve their productivity, PFRM said. Japanese/PAGE 10

AgriBusiness

Biofuel prod’n positive for PHL By Marvyn N. Benaning

THERE is wisdom in pushing to promote biofuel production, but the government must consider its possible impact on food production since feedstocks grow best in prime land and not in marginal areas as previously assumed, researchers from the University of the Philippines in Los Baños town, Laguna province, said recently. In t heir study, tit led “Ef fec ts of Biof uels on Agricultural Development, Food Sec u r it y a nd t he Env ironment in t he Philippines,” U-Primo E. Rodriguez, Mercedita A. Sombilla and Anna Floresca F. Abrina said that on the

whole, engaging in biofuel production using coconut and sugar cane would redound to higher farm incomes in the long haul, but only if the 2006 output of those commodities is maintained. The study, which was f u nd e d by t he Un it e d

Nat ions’s I nter nat iona l Fu nd for A g r ic u lt u r a l Development, was supported by t he Sout heast Asia n Regional Center for Graduate St udy a nd Resea rch i n Agriculture (Searca). Dr. Gil Saguiguit Jr., Searca director, described the study as a serious assessment of biofuel production in the country, which has been under increasing pressure to put part of the country’s arable land exclusively for the production of feedstocks. According to the authors, a deeper analysis on the biofuel/PAGE 10

BIOFUEL PRODUCTION. Workers at a sugarcane farm in Bukidnon load freshly harvested sugarcane to a truck. According to a new study released by the University of the Philippines, engaging in biofuel production using sugarcane, among others, will mean more income for farmers in the long term. photo by bong d . fabe

Agri share to economy down to 11%—NSCB MANILA—Over a 60-year period, the contribution of agriculture to the Philippine economy has fallen from a third to only a tenth as of last year, the National Statistical Coordination Board (NSCB) said recently. From a high of 29.7 percent of the Philippines’ gross domestic product (GDP) in 1946 when the country gained independence, the share of agriculture has dropped to only 11.1 percent last year, NSCB SecretaryGeneral Ramon G. Albert said in a report.

In contrast, the farm sector accounts for a bigger share of Vietnam’s economy at 22.02 percent as of 2011, also down from 40.2 percent in 1985. Despite the drop in the e conom ic cont r ibut ion of agriculture, its share in employ ment remains substantial averaging 36.6 percent in the past two decades. A dwindling contribution to the economy combined with a stagnant proportion of Fi lipinos engaged in agriculture explains the farm

worker’s declining income. Albert said farmers and fishermen are among the least paid workers in the Philippines, with an average daily income of P156.8 and P 178.43, respectively, in 2011. “It was also noted that wage and salary received by t hose in agricu lture are comparable to those of private households with employed persons (i.e., domestic helpers) at P138.99,” he said. Factor y workers had a h ig her avera ge d a i ly wage at P316.39, followed

by construction workers, P296.93; a nd mining and quarr y ing workers, P262.36. Those working in the electricity, gas and water supply sector however trumped a ll t he ot hers, earning P542.45 on average each day. “Given the low labor productivity and wage rates, it is not surprising that across basic sectors, poverty incidence is highest among fishermen and farmers at 41.4 percent and 36.7 percent in 2009, way above the poverty NSCB/PAGE 10

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Climate change: how a warming world is a threat to our food supplies By JOHN VIDAL, The Observer

WHEN the Tunisian street vendor, Mohamed Bouazizi, set himself on fire on 17 December 2010, it was in protest at heavy-handed treatment and harassment in the province where he lived. But a host of new studiessuggest that a major factor in the subsequent uprisings, which became known as the Arab spring, was food insecurity. Drought, rocketing bread prices, food and water shortages have all blighted parts of the Middle East. Analysts at the Centre for American Progress in Washington say a combination of food shortages and other environmental factors exacerbated the already tense politics of the region. “We should expect much more political destabilisation of countries as it bites,” says Richard Choularton, a policy officer in the UN’s World Food Programme climate change office. “What is different now from 20 years ago is that far more people are living in places with a higher climatic risk; 650 million people now live in arid or semi-arid areas where floods and droughts and price shocks are expected to have the most impact. “The recent crises in the Horn of Africa and Sahel may be becoming the new normal. Droughts are expected to become more frequent. Studies suggest anything up to 200 million more food-insecure people by 2050 or an additional 24 million malnourished children. In parts of Africa we already have a protracted and growing humanitarian disaster. Climate change is a creeping disaster,” he said. Researches say that rising incomes and growth in the global population are expected to create 2 billion more mouths to feed by 2050, and will drive food prices higher by 40-50%. Climate change may add a further 50% to maize prices and slightly less to wheat, rice and oil seeds. “We k now population will grow and incomes increase, but also that temperatures will rise and rainfall patterns will change. We must prepare today for higher temperatures in all sectors,” said Gerald Nelson, a senior economist with the International Food Policy Research Institute in Washington. All of the studies suggest the worst impacts will be felt by the poorest people. Mary Robinson, the former Irish president, said: “Climate change is already having a domino effect on food and nutritional security for the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. Child malnutrition is predicted to increase by 20% by 2050. Climate change impacts will disproportionately fall on people living in tropical regions, and particularly on the most vulnerable and marginalised population groups. This is the injustice of climate change – the worst of the impacts are felt by those who contributed least to causing the problem.” But from Europe to the US to Asia, no population will remain insulated from the huge changes in food production that the rest of the century will bring. Frank Rijsberman, head of the world’s leading CGIAR Crop Research stations, said: “There’s a lot of complacency in rich countries about climate change. We must understand that biofuel/PAGE 10 instability is inevitable. We already see a lot of refugees. Perhaps if a lot of people come over on boats to Europe or the US that would wake them up.” Asia and Oceania: China is relatively resilient to climate change. Its population is expected to decline by up 400 million people this century, easing demand on resources, and it has the capacity to buy in vast quantities of food. But because more and more Chinese are changing to a more meat-based diet, its challenges will be land and cattle feed. Climate change will affect regions in different ways, but many crops are expected to migrate northwards. Crop losses are increasingly being caused by extreme weather events, insect attacks and diseases. The 2011 threat/PAGE 10

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Environment

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Governor Wilhelmino SyAlvarado, during the opening of the Environment Month celebration at the Bulacan capitol gymnasium here on Monday morning, said this year’s celebration is anchored on the theme “Kalikasan at Kapaligiran ng Bulacan, Patuloy na Kalingain at Pangalagaan.” Alvarado said nature and environment are God’s gift and this is a proof of His love and blessings to everyone. “Before our rivers were clean and not polluted. That’s true that we aspire to be

progressive but it must be sustainable.This should be experienced by the next generation. But, let us not sacrifice the environment in the name of progress, it should be balanced,” he said. He reiterated that the love of environment should be alive in the hearts of everyone. “There is no one who will have concern to our natural resources and environment, but all of us. This should start from ourselves and our homes,” he said. He said that among the

programs lined up for the whole month celebration include training/seminar/ workshop on “Lean and Clean Manufacturing” in cooperation with University of Brit ish Colu mbia, University of Guelph-Canada, Bulacan State University and De La Salle University; tree planting to kick off on June 14 in Barangay Bayabas, Dona Remedio Trinidad that will be followed by a series of tree planting all over the province and symposium on L o c a l Pe r for m a nc e Government Management System (LGPMS) for the preparation of municipal/ city solid waste management plan to be held at the Hiyas Convention on June 28. Eugenio Payongayong,

RDC-10 intensifies measures to address effects of climate change By Apipa P. Bagumbaran, Contributor

The Regional Development Council (RDC) in Northern Mindanao has intensified its proac t ive ef for ts to ma ke lo c a l it ie s i n t he region more resilient and prepared in addressing the effects of climate change and occurrence of disasters. “ T he o c c u r renc e of two major f lood events in barely three years which resulted in the loss of lives and destruction of properties is more than a wake-up call for us to take care of our living environment,” said RDC Chairperson and Iligan City Mayor Lawrence Ll. Cruz during the RDC-10 97th Full Council Meeting last May 28. In his State of the Region Address, Cruz said the five prov inces of t he region has prepared and updated their respective Disaster Risk Reduction and Climate Change Adaptation (DRR/ CCA)-enhanced Provincial D e v e l o pm e nt Phy s i c a l Framework Plans (PDPFPs)

with the assistance of the Nationa l Economic and Development Aut horit y (NEDA) regional office. “DRR/CCA concerns are already mainstreamed into the Comprehensive Land Use Plans (CLUPs) of 47 local government units in the region,” he said. Cruz further said the pr oj e c t “ E n a b l i n g t h e Cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan to cope with Climate Change” was also immediately launched with the funding assistance of UNDP and AusAID. The RDC-10 chairperson also reported that geo-hazard mapping in the region is currently on-going. He said the geo-hazard assessment and mapping ac t iv it ies were a l ready accomplished in areas of Malaybalay City, Valencia City and Kibawe in Bukidnon; Mahinog and Mambajao in Camiguin; Iligan City, Kapatagan, La la and Tubod in Lanao del Norte;

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Ozamiz City, Tangub City and Bonifacio in Misamis Occidental; and Balingasag, Magsaysay, Talisayan and Salay in Misamis Oriental. In terms of the antiillegal mining campaign, p a r t ic u l a r l y hyd r au l ic mining, Cruz reported that the Mines and Geosciences B u r e au (MG B) i n t h e region has organized the Unified Task Force Iponan in 2011 which resulted to confiscations of 54 enginedriven water pumps along Iponan River. Meanwhile, a total of 16,599 hectares have been planted in the region as of December 2012 or about 30 percent of the regional target of 55,743 hectares under the National Greening Program. Cruz said activities for a more efficient management of the nine existing protected areas under the National Integrated Protected Areas System (NIPAS) with a total area of 150,844 hectares were also undertaken.

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chief of t he Bu laca n Environment and Natural Resources Office (BENRO) said they used “bayanihan” in laying down the programs. Payongayong said they talked with big companies in the province to extend assistance like tree-planting. “We can now plant some

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Bulacan welcomes Environment Month with sustainable eco-programs MALOLOS CITY, Bulacan- The provincial government has lined-up an array of sustainable programs in the protection of environment and preservation of the province’s rich natural resources.

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5,000 seedlings for free and without any expenses,” he said. Newly crowned Ms. Ph i l ippi nes Ea r t hEcoTou rism Bernadet te Mae Aguirre also graced the celebration and pledged to be help in promoting the environment programs of

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the provincial government. She said that the programs that she would support are the rehabilitation of the Ma ri lao-Meycauaya nObando river; the protection of the watershed areas in the mountains of Sierra Madre and the Biak-na-Bato historical shrine. (PNA)

Carmen under state of calamity after 2 magnitude 5.7 quakes CARMEN, North CotabatoThe Of f ice of t he Civ i l Defense(OCD)in Central Mindanao on Monday has placed under a state of calamity the town of Carmen which was struck by two 5.7 magnitude earthquakes in a bid to fast-track rehabilitation of damaged infrastructures. O C D -1 2 c h i e f o f operat ions Roy Durado said the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Counci l (NDR R MC) immediately approved their recommendation to place under the state of calamity the entire town of Carmen with 28 barangays. Carmen sustained heavy damage due to the tremors which hit the town twice, first on Saturday at 10:10 p.m. with magnitude 5.7 and another at 4:10 a.m. Monday with similar magnitude. D u r a do s a id i n it i a l damage to properties was placed at P63 million and could go up as assessment and evaluation of concerned government agencies continue. O f t h e 2 8 v i l l a ge s , barangays Kimadzil and K ibudt u nga n were t he hardest hit with more than 140 houses reported to have been damaged or destroyed. The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs)-North Cotabato

said at least 136 aftershocks have been recorded to date. Public works engineers are closely watching the two bridges which were found to

have cracks and had curved for about six inches down. G ov e r n o r E m my l o u Mendoza sa id public Quakes/PAGE 11

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Raise your standard of living THINK

hink a minute…You’ve heard of people who try to A Minute raise their standard of living By Jhan Tiafau Hurst at almost any cost. They’ll go without many things to get a higher education, hoping it will later get them a higher-paying job and career. Some even move their family to another country to raise their standard of living. Still others will only let their children marry someone whose standard of living is the same or higher than theirs. Many of us spend much of our life working to raise our standard of living in terms of money and status. Then when we finally reach the standard of living we want, we still have to work hard to make sure we stay there! But there are people whose standard of living never changes, whether they have a lot of money or not. They always enjoy a high standard of living in their own character and daily lifestyle. They’re always honest, loving, and kind. They’re quick to forgive others who wrong and hurt them. They’re in control of their physical desires for pleasure, so they always have great fun in life without hurting their own bodies or other people. They enjoy real happiness and closeness every day in their marriage and with their kids. You see, the kind of person we are inside is what gives us our real standard of living, not material things or status! So what kind of character and daily lifestyle do you have? What kind of marriage and family do you have? What kind of friends? There are many people who have heaps of money and hurst/PAGE 7

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he human body needs certain minerals in order to regulate basic functions that help in the day to day activities that make existence something to look forward to each waking moment. Potassium is one such mineral: it helps regulate major bodily functions like keeping the heart’s rhythm normal , the blood pressure within the acceptable range, water balance, and yes, making sure that the muscles contract properly. Potassium can be taken from our favourite foods like bananas, avocado, kiwi, milk, oranges, spinach, carrots and seaweeds, to mention a few. But, even if our diet consists of foods rich in potassium, there will still be instances when the level of this mineral is low. A decrease in its level is not only caused by not eating potassium rich foods, but the intake of certain drugs or medications like diuretics to lower blood pressure, or too much licorice. Vomiting and excessive sweating during heavy physical exertions can make one lose potassium from his/ her body. And, when this happens, paralysisor weakness of the muscles can happen. Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis, although not so common, but when it does occur, can scare the wits out

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by Engr. Robert F. Mallillin, ammer chairman of the Philippine and A nvil Chamber of Commerce and By Mike Baños Industr y’s (PCCI) energ y committee shows a similar cost advantage. According to Dodong, “regulating the Lake Lanao energ y storage is likened to batter y being charged by alternator using voltage regulator - the Rule Curve (RC) guide. Without the Charger equivalent of the Power Barges, NPC engineers are left with no option when the actual Lake Lanao elevation drops below the RC except “Load Shedding” or reducing the Load from the hydro plants,” which result in rotating brownouts. Mindanao’s comparative advantage is unique: it has Lake Lanao which can impound 350 square kilometers of water under strict environmental control, unlike dams in other countries which have limited impounding capacity. Dodong also differs from Bob in his analysis of the way the diesel plants in Mindanao are now utilized, most especially the two 100MW former power barges of Napocor which were purchased and now operated by Aboitiz Power affiliate Therma Marine Inc. (TMI). Although he agrees with Bob the diesel plants are under utilized as purely “peaking plants,” he takes exception specially for the two TMI power barges which since 2011 baños/PAGE 7

Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis

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Juni Law Office Cruz Taal St.,CDO Legal Counsel

Charging Lake Lanao

wo of my fellow advocates in the energy industry have proposed similar, albeit slightly different short term solutions to the Mindanao Power Crisis which ostensibly can address the prevailing energy shortage in the island. However, the common denominator to both options is running Mindanao’s big diesel plants 24/7 instead of only during peak hours, thereby increasing their capacity or load factors (the total energy potential of an engine) and enable the National Power Corporation which operates the Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric power complexes in Lanao and Bukidnon provinces to store more water and then release them during peak hours. Engr. Cerael “Dodong” Donggay, former Vice President for Mindanao of the Napocor, likens the diesel power plants to a charger which enables the Agus-Pulangi hydroelectric power complexes to store power reserves (as the ‘battery’) during the “off-peak” hours and release them during the evening “peak hours.” This scheme would in effect eliminate the rotating brownouts now plaguing Mindanao and dispel the need for hard up rural electric cooperatives to borrow the PhP 4.4-billion allocated by the national government as soft loans through the National Electrification Administration (NEA) to either purchase or lease modular diesel generators which would ostensibly also eliminate rotating brownouts but would cost the coops PhP 18 per kilowatt hour (/kWh). Compare this to the estimated incremental cost of PhP 1.34/kWh (over the present grid rate of PhP 4.00/kWh) and any grade school kid with a modicum of math can tell you that’s way cheaper than the PhP 18/kWh which coops would pay with the modular gensets. The scheme proposed

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E

of the affected person. Usually, it affects the I n Focus younger age group, most start By Dr. Mary Jean Loreche before the adolescent stage, and is genetically inherited. The weakness or paralysis mostly affects that of the muscles located at the shoulders and hips, the arms, legs and even the eye muscles, and often happens after sleep or rest. Imagine waking up from a nap or after an exhilarating exercise, and the once active muscles are now stiff, and unwilling to move. It is not uncommon too to have the paralysis after indulging in a high carbohydrate, high salt diet, or after taking in too much alcohol, with each episode lasting for 3 to 24 hours. Other than muscle weakness or paralysis, a patient may present with heart rhythms that are abnormal, difficulty of breathing and swallowing, constipation, fatigue. A correct diagnosis of the paralysis is important, for Loreche/PAGE 7

HEALTH

God’s Will or Money talks? For the FUNDS of it all!

very candidate should be a sore loser unless he chanced upon being a candidate and didn’t really care to win or lose. And should this be the case he or she has no business running for any position. Rejection is difficult as it is without ones contestants playing with the exercise for the fun of it. And worse, for the funds of it! In any contest be it for political positions or a beauty contest unless one gives it all his or her best with an investment be it for monies, blood and sweat as the saying goes - it is not feasible to even aspire the position in the end. To be sore at the end of the contest is all but human. In the Philippines the moniker “no one loses, only cheated” can at times have relevance especially in a contest where the players are excluded from the processes on the evaluation of winners and losers. Case in point; assume players and voters who are amputated from the exercise once the ballots are sucked by the pcos machine. Imagine an Ateneo La Salle game at the dome where the game is to be held and you are denied entry. You get to hear all the sound effects of the game but are restricted to watching it. In the end someone walks out and says; La Salle won. Would you sit down and accept all the same and worse if you bet Ateneo who you firmly believe should have won due to your perceptions on the strength of the players? Candidates stay in the contest until Election Day because they believe they have a good chance of winning. And when

SUPER

told by the results on-line, to fail miserably is outright B randing rejection to the nth degree. “I By Harry Tambuatco was cheated” is what we can expect from candidates. God’s will or money talks? Truth be told it is hard to swallow the practice that alienates those who do violate our laws vis-à-vis winning at all COST. We are told over and over again of election violations but no one is ever incarcerated only to run again to retain political positions. Is it the judiciary that is weak and at fault, or the police, or the comelec, or even the smartmatic pcos, or what? There are murmurs here and there of commissions being bought, monies spread about for vote-buying, the “hakot” syndrome that is brazenly in operation on election day and numerous other violations that have become SOP and acceptable to the people and the regulators that are tasked to monitor. Of course now there is even more reason to reject the cumulative sums the pcos has put together with the chair of the comelec being arrogant, abrasive and acting amok Tambuatco/PAGE 7

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status, but they have a low standard of living, because of the low level of their own personal character. They’re dishonest, greedy, competitive, and jealous of what other people have. They gossip a nd use people to get what they want. They don’t have much love and forgiveness in their heart for people who wrong and hurt them. There are heaps of rich people who do not possess real love, peace, and satisfaction in their marriage and family! This is why our Maker is the only One Who can give us the power, honesty, and love we need to raise our standard of living by raising the level of our character. It’s only when we ask Jesus Christ to start changing us that we can start enjoying a truly high standard of living. So why not ask Jesus to take complete charge of your heart and way of living? It’s only then you can start climbing the ladder of REAL success and satisfaction for the rest of your life. Just Think a Minute…

Loreche... from page 6

management and treatment purposes. Getting a good history of the presenting manifestations (as discussed above), l ab or ator y f i n d i ng s of potassium way below what

is normal, can already guide the Attending Doctor in his/ her approach to the patient. A n E M G (electromyogram), EEG ( heart ) or a tissue biopsy may also be performed to help in the diagnosis. Other than loss of potassium, hyperthyroidism can also result into a periodic paralysis. Another condition that may mimic this, is hysterical paralysis, with the latter having no known organic cause and is stress induced. In this age of hustle and bustle where life seem to be more stressful and pacing is faster, it is most wise to investigate a symptom and not to just label it as hysteria or a psychological by product. Remember that a wrong diagnosis can lead to a wrong treatment, and it can cost the life of the patient. Hypokalemic Periodic Paralysis responds well to diet modification, gentle and daily exercise, like taking short walks on a regular basis. Other than eating p o t a s s iu m r i c h f o o d s , potassium salt supplements may be prescribed. There may be instances when the need to raise the potassium level must be immediate and instant to save the life of a patient like when the paralysis is so severe, or there is difficulty in breathing or swallowing or the occurrence of abnormal heart rhythms, that potassium will have to

be given intravenously. Keeping one’s self aware and armed with the correct knowledge for any illness, is just one of those lif- saving measures that is a MUST in order to survive…

Baños... from page 6

merely supplying its various customers instead of acting as the “battery charger” for the Lake Lanao “Battery” as they were utilized during his tenure as VP-Mindanao of Napocor. Dodong’s proposal is being carried by the Oro Cha mber t hroug h t he R e g ion a l D e ve lopme nt Council and the Mindanao Development Aut horit y while Bob’s proposal is being endorsed by the PCCI. Either way, they would require TMI’s concurrence and the Energy Regulatory Commissions’ (ERC) approval to redo the energ y supply contracts already signed with industrial clients and distribution utilities. Perhaps, both proponents should also have a “Plan B” involving the diesel assets of CEPALCO and Davao Light which together already exceed 100MW which I’m sure both would willingly run 24/7 for the greater good of all DUs in Mindanao.9

Tambuatco... from page 6

the Automatic Election Law be it for the negligence of the review of the source codes

regardless of the comelec’s predicament with its supplier. There is also the violation of the WORM (write-once, read-many) provision of the CF cards. There is also the digital signatures; and so on and so forth. As of late the uncanny trending of the election results raises suspicions all considering the integrity of the comelec is lost. In the end it is no longer competence and integrity that wins the elections but the moneyed and violators who spend at all cost to win the contest to the detriment of the masses. Now if only the masses knew what they got themselves into?

Cheap...

from page 3 with its line of products: Fundador, Chivas Rega l, Johnny Walker, Jack Daniels, Jim Beam, Absolut, Grey Goose, Jose Cuervo, Perrier, and Alfonso. In the first quarter, the business grew 20 percent in terms of volume and revenues. Dayao said foreign investors of Cosco are “very interested” in the liquor distribution business of the company, given its huge potential in a consumer-driven country that has been growing at least 6 percent annually in the last three years. On Friday, Cosco was able to raise an additional $400 million or P16.8 billion from the sale of 1.6 billion shares at P10.50 each through the open market. This transaction

includes the sale of 1.14 billion primary shares for P12 billion a nd t he rema i ni ng were secondary shares wirth P4.8 billion. The number of shares involved in this transaction is equivalent to 30 percent of the company already held by the public. “We a re pleased w it h the outcome of the offering. We pla n to cont i nue to demonstrate our ability to grow our businesses and target opportunities in other consumer segmets,” Cosco Capital chairman Lucio L. Co said in a statement. D ay a o s a id t h at t he company is well positioned to be a leading consumerfocused conglomerate in the country. About 10 percent of the proceeds of the share sale would be used to grow the liquor distribution business; 20 percent for acquiring non-food retail businesses like a hardware and home improvement chain in the next nine months; and 50 percent to expand the selling area of Puregold-anchored community malls. The balance would be used to double the capacity of the conglomerate’s oil storage facilities and to pay off debts. Deustche Bank and J.P. Morgan were tapped as the joint global coordinators and joint bookrunners of the share sale while BDO Capital and Investment Corp and First Metro Investment Corp acted as the domestic lead managers. Evercore Asia Limited served as financial adviser of Cosco.

Pepsi...

7

from page 3

revenue growth as it aims double-digit jump in sales in the next few years. Revenue in the first quarter grew 14 percent to P6 billion on the back of strong demand for recently introduced products such as Let’s Be Cafe Time, Gatorade Low Carb, Gold Sting, Milkis, Pepsi Pogi and Tropicana Coco Quench. The new coco water product in particular is getting “a lot of inquiries” for possible sales in Malaysia and South Korea, he said. Chakrabarti said sales rose a bit in April due to election spending, but not as strong as in the previous polls. “Election spending is not a significant growth driver this year compared with the previous national elections,” said PCPPI chairman Oscar S. Reyes. Chakrabarti said more products will be introduced this year, without elaborating. He said the soda lineup still sells better than the nonc a rbonted “ hea lt hy beverages” although sales of these healthier options are “gradually increasing” as they are competitively priced. PCPPI is the exclusive bottler of PepsiCo beverages in the country. South Korean beverage giant Lotte Chilsung is the lead shareholder of PCPPI. The Philippine unit manufactures the brands Pepsi, 7-Up, Mirinda, Mountain Dew, Mug Root Beer, Gatorade, Lipton, Premier, Sting and Tropicana.--Interaksyon

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V

enture in adventure! By OWEN JAEN

Whether planned or unplanned, there is nothing like a great adventure! I have always believed in breaking free from the usual grind once in a while, to get away from the daily chores and experience a world away from the familiar. This gives a sense of freedom and excitement and a great way to test one's character as well. Going out to explore new environments and sampling a portion of worlds beyond the ordinary sets me out to experience how it is to be out there and interact with people and react to different conditions. I am not a finicky kind of person and I find pleasure in simple things so I realized that

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one of the most important things to bring when going out for a vacation or a quick getaway is an open mind. With this, you get to enjoy even the slightest of moments and even the seemingly stressful glitches and minor bumps in your perfect vacation become a challenge worth smiling about. All the time spent with loved ones while away becomes a wonderful memory. Never mind the heat, the humid air, the long queues and a few delays in trip schedules because all these make the trip even more unforgettable. I suggest at least once a year, you must head out and spend some time outdoors. Set aside incoming work

K eep your Voice!

For a Tip top shape voice, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. How can we keep our voices in tip top shape – and avoid vocal problems? Here are practical advices that you and I can follow...

Stay Healthy! Keep your voice for a lifetime.

MindaNews photos by Roel Catoto

emails and pay attention to yourself and your loved ones. Short breaks need not to be expensive; it is not where you spent it but how and with whom. And after soaking up some much needed sun and fresh air, you will appreciate your work, your life and your world even better. As they say YOLO (you only live once), so make the most out of life, open up to the world and imbibe the beauty that surrounds you. Embrace a sunny attitude and engage in wonderful adventures once in a while and for sure you will have your own endless summer. So what are you waiting for? Plan your next getaway, grab your stash and take off!

By DEBBIE CABAGUE

 DO drink plenty water.  DON’T drink too much alcohol.  DON’T drink caffeinated drinks.  DO a balance diet  DON’T DO drugs- period.  DO exercise.  DON’T smoke – and avoid smoky rooms.  DO observe regular rest especially when speaking and singing aggressively.  DON’T speak too much- it wears the vocal cords down.  DON’T hang out in dusty environments as much as possible.  DON’T try to sing higher or lower than is comfortable.  DO gargle with warm water and salt.  DON’T sing or speak when it hurts – or when it hurts to swallow.  DO get plenty of rest, prior to performance.

CAN HE RIDE IT? A surfer rides a wave in Barangay Daku, Daku Island in General Luna, Siargao Island on Saturday, June 1, surfing capital of the Philippines.

Make the Good Choice with Android Handsets Nowadays, we live a fast-paced life and much importance is given to mobility. Whether you’re a student, a professional or a regular Joe, it is imperative for us to be able to do what we need or want to do anywhere and anytime. With the emergence of the Android operating system, we can now be armed with the right tools to be more productive and efficient in our daily lives. Android-run handsets such as phones and tablets are packed with features that can make our lives run much smoother. From the pre-existing programs in the handset that will enable us to check documents to games and applications available in Google Play, we can install and customize our handsets to fit our personal requirement. On the entertainment front, there is also a multitude of games and apps — many of which are free — to keep us from being bored; like for example, when we’re stuck in traffic. With Sun Cellular’s Sundroid Rush, getting an Android handset

has become affordable now more than ever. Through this first-in-themarket offering, you can get an Android phone and tablet under one affordable plan, which you can both personally use or share with a friend or loved-one. Sun Cellular Sundroid Rush includes the Starmobile, Alcatel and Samsung editions under Sundroid Plans 450, 600 and 999 respectively; all of which are packed with Sun Cellular’s best value offering of unlimited text and calls to Sun. With this best-in-the-market Android deal from Sun Cellular, there is no reason to be left behind. So make the good choice and get your Android handsets for a more productive, entertaining and efficient lifestyle. For more information on these and other services that Sun Cellular offers, check for updates by logging on to their official Facebook page: facebook.com/suncellularph or on Twitter: twitter.com/suncelldeals. Sun Cellular is a member of the PLDT Group.

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drought lifted food prices worldw ide. W heat is becoming harder to grow in some northern areas of China as the land gets drier and warmer. I n s out he r n C h i n a , droughts in recent years have replaced rainy seasons. The national academy of agricultural sciences expects basic food supplies to become insufficient around the year 2030. A new study for US Aid expects most of Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos and Thailand to see 4-6C temperature rises by 2050. The Lower Mekong region of 100 million people, which is prone to weather extremes, could also see rainfall increase 20% or more in some areas, reducing the growth of rice and other staple crops. Many provinces will see food production decline significantly. The number of malnourished children in the region may increase by 9 to 11 million by 2050. Extreme events w i l l i ncreasi ng ly a f fec t agriculture in Australia. Key food-growing regions in the south are likely to experience more droughts in the future, with part of western Australia having already experienced a 15% drop in rainfall since the mid-1970s. The number of recordbreaking hot days in Australia has doubled since the 1960s, also affecting food output.

Japanese... from page 4

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Bubong is one of the rice

farming municipalities in Lanao del Sur. While most residents rely on agriculture as their main source of income, farmers are identified as one of the sectors having the lowest family income due to the backward farming practices and the absence of preand post-harvest facilities which often result to low agricultural productivity and low quality yields. The project is part of t he Jap a n-B a n gs a moro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development (J-BIRD). Implemented since 2006 and designed to contribute to the peace process and development in the conflictaffected areas in Mindanao, the objective of J-BIRD is to enable the people and t he communities in t he target areas to enjoy the “dividends of peace” through the Japanese ODA (Official Development Assistance) on the basis of “Human Security” principles. A s of May 2 013, 65 grassroots projects have been implemented under J-BIRD, with the total amount of USD 5.4 million or approximately 280 million pesos. (BDF/ Japa n In for mat ion a nd Culture Center)

Biofuel...

from page 4 use of jatropha and sweet sorghum is needed, since the output of the two crops is higher in prime land and not in marginal lands where they are programmed to be cultivated. Policy of increased biofuel use: In a recently released 49-page final report on their

study, Rodriguez, Sombilla and Abrina said the actual b e ne f it s of t he bi g ge r production of cocodiesel and bioethanol from sugar would be based on how the big players in the market — notably the US, which produces biofuel from corn, and Brazil — pursue their policy of intensifying biofuel use and reducing fossil-fuel use substantially. Concern about the impact of biofuel production on food yield became more pronounced as the market plu nged i nto feed stock production in recent years, according to Saguiguit. “Biodiesel production in 2009, which uses coconut as feedstock, was more than 1,000 times and almost three times larger than the 2004 and 2007 levels, respectively,” the authors noted. “With sugar cane and molasses as feedstock, bioethanol production in 2009 was 50 times as much as the previous year.” They also noted that even then, the total contribution of the two types of biofuel was less than 1 percent of the total Philippine energy supply in 2009. The impetus for alternative fuels came with the enactment into law of Republic Act 9367, or the Biofuel Act of 2006, which mandated the use of biofuel for the transport sector at 2 percent for biodiesel and 10 percent for bioethanol. Wit h t he Ph i l ippi ne Energy Plan projecting higher biofuel demand, imposing a 20-percent biodiesel blend would require nearly 2 billion liters by 2030 —a f igure 18 times higher than the

estimated demand for 2009. On the other hand, the authors said, the 20 percent bioethanol blend is expected to spur demand that is eight times bigger than that in 2009. By intensifying demand for biofuels, policy-makers hoped to reduce pollution while stimulating agricultural production that would raise the incomes of farmers and improve their standards of living. Threat to food security? Rod r ig uez , Sombi l la and Abrina said the policy has been challenged as a threat to food security, with more prime agricultural l a nd b ei ng de vote d to biofuel production, with critics insisting that the net result would be population displacement, ownership conf licts, w ider income disparities and possible health impacts. “Questions have a lso been raised on the nature of employment creation and the impacts of biofuel expansion on labor conditions. Of concern are the historical problems of poor working conditions in agricultural pla ntations, t he lack of agreed-upon or enforceable labor standards and the lack of labor representation,” they added. Concerned about the impact of biofuels on the macroeconomy, industries, incomes, consumption and a l location of resources, the authors ran regression analyses and other studies wh i le look i ng i nto t he viability of emerging crops li ke jatropha and sweet sorghum as biofuel, as well as their net energy contribution.

As far as environmental assessment is concerned, the researchers looked into the intensified use of land and agricultural inputs in selected sites. “The assessment of the e c onom ic i mpac t s w a s i mplemented t h roug h simulations of alternative scenarios using computable general equilibrium and multimarket models. The focus of the analysis with the models was on the impacts of developments in t he biofuels sector on sectoral and aggregate outputs, food consumption and poverty,” they said. The results were expectedly sensitive to oi l price t rends, t he substitutability of biofuels to fossil fuels and the actions or trends in the biofuel industries in other countries. All results point to the propriety of allowing the biofuels industry to respond to incentives that would favor the economy as a whole, with projected increases in the outputs and domestic demand for biof uels, in the value-added of various

sectors and in real food expenditures, which imply enhanced food security. Rod r ig uez , Sombi l la a nd Abr i na a lso sa id these developments were complemented by projected declines in poverty incidence. They said the higher the substitutability of biofuels to fossil fuels, the higher the economic impact. (BM)

NSCB... from page 4

incidence for t he whole country at 26.5 percent in 2009,” Albert said. “While this profile of the agriculture sector may give more bullets for prophets of doom to point to the lackluster performance in boosting the sector, it is important to recognize that government has a number of policies and programs toward uplifting the lives of the Filipino farmers and fishermen,” he said. He noted that the share of agriculture in the national budget has increased from 0.5 percent in 2007 to 4.7 percent this year. (Interaksyon)

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Remains... from page 1

the economic sectors were struggling due to weakening global economic activity by providing the biggest bulk of growth. He said the agriculture sector posted an overall growth of six percent in 2011 while most crops showed modest improvements in 2012 including livestock and poultry production. A lt hough t he region slowed down in 2011 posting a 2.5 percent grow th from 6.9 percent in 2010 due to the reported contraction in the construction subsector, he said that Northern Mindanao still has the highest per capita gross regional domestic product among Mindanao regions. According to him, Northern Mindanao remains the largest producer of pineapple in the country and the second largest producer of banana and corn. “The region is now the country’s third largest producer of both coconut and chicken, fourth largest producer of cattle, fifth largest producer of swine, and ninth largest producer of palay,” he added. Cruz said these were made possible through the various programs that improved access to productive resources. As of 2012, 119 kilometers of farm-to-market roads were c on s t r u c t e d t h rou g h t he ongoing Worldbank-funded Mindanao Rural development Program (MRDP). The agraria n reform program has also cumulatively distributed 283,701 hectares to 157,833 farmer-beneficiaries in the region as of December 2012, covering 86 percent of its scope. While irrigation development remains a major challenge at 56 percent, Cruz said t he region has added 11,000 hectares to the total service area in the last three years representing growth of 19 percent. Among the major irrigation projects in the region during t he per iod were t he P498 million Balingasag Irrigation project in Misamis Oriental which is already operational; t he f irst phase of Ta la kag Irrigation Project in Bukidnon costing P490 million nearing completion with a second phase costing P101 million and about to commence construction; and the P425 Tangub Small Reservoir Irrgation Project in Misamis occidental which is also nearing completion. Cruz said the collection of customs duties and taxies in the region which are good economic indicators showed encouraging signs in 2012. Customs collections in the region reached P5.664 billion in 2012, up by ten percent over the collections in 2011 while tax collections reached P7.1 billion, 22 percent higher than what was collected in 2011. Cruz said this was made possible by the intensif ied i mplement at ion of O pla n

K a nd a d o a nd Ru n A f t e r Tax Evaders aside from the continuing tax information and education campaigns. Progress in reducing hunger and improvements in poverty gap in the region were also cited by the RDC-10 chairman noting the modest improvements in subsistence incidence currently at 15.6 percent of families and within the region’s commitment to the Millennium Development Goals. “This means that, although t hey remain poor, average income of poor families have significantly improved, with the incidence of food-poor families reduced,” he further said. He added that the increase in average family income (AFI) is not only felt by the poor but also the non-poor as the annual AFI in the region is increasing by 5.4 percent, higher than the five percent target set in the 20112016 Regional Development Plan. New i nvest ment a lso continued to f low into the region reaching P13.8 billion in 2012, up by 39 percent over the previous year. “At least within the CagayanIligan corridor, we saw huge projects implemented during the period which included a beverage production plant in Villanueva, new shopping malls such as the Ayala’s Centrio Mall and the Paseo del Rio, and a number of hotels, among others,” Cruz said. Meanwhile, the region’s exports recovered from the crisis years accumulating a total of US$2.85 billion, valued as freight-on-board, in the last three years. Cruz said it averaged at US$949 million annually in the last three years, higher by 83 percent than what it used to be in 2009. Accord i ng to hi m, t he various government programs such as the One Town One Product (OTOP), Clustering program, Small Enterprise Technology Upgrading Program (SETUP), promotion programs of the Center for International Trade Expositions and Missions (CITEM), and the project on Doing Business in Free Trade Areas (DBFTA) have contributed to the development of new and export potential products and created emerging market players coming from the rural areas.

Headways... from page 1

is targeting a 100% success rate. The control list was based on an ILO Sur vey in 2010, which identif ied t he child labourers 16 years old and below in 13 barangays covered by ILO’s International Program on the Elimination of Child Labor (IPEC) in the ciites of Malaybalay and Valencia City and the towns of Maramag, and Quezon, all in Bukidnon. Bukidnon is one of four prov i nce s i n t he cou nt r y where the International Labor Organization has focused the International Programme for the Elimination of Child Labor

(IPEC). Tuburan said so far the PSWDO has used only 50 per cent of its P7.8 million budget for the project that ends in September this year. The Department of Labore and Employment’s (DOLE’s) Child Laboring Monitoring System (CLMS) a project aimed at sustaining the campaign beyond the IPEC, is supposed to sustain the project beyond September 2013. But Archie Batica, focal person for the campaign at the DOLE admitted the difficulties they are facing. Batica said their campaign has achieved only about 15 to 20 percent success rate. The CLMS, which seeks to get children in the rest of Buk idnon out of the labor force, is also funded by ILO. Among the problems cited by Batica is the difficulty in getting the partners to work together systematically, given the different aspects of focus per organization. He also cited the problem of limited budget from the gover n ment for prog ra ms against child labor. While the ILO is supporting the CLMS, sustaining it would ideally require interventions such as livelihood projects, he said. He said they also encountered the problem of lack of resources among community partners like the Barangay Committee for the Protection of Children , which works for the protection of children. There is also problem of education and awareness of the issue on child labor, he said, noting that parents “still prefer to send their children to the work fields rather than the school.” The sugar industry is trying to help address the problem of child labor through its Code of Conduct, which industry players in Bukidnon signed on Labor Day, May 1 last year, said Josefreddie Flores, manager of the 9,000 memberSugar Growers Association in Bukidnon Inc. T he C o de of C onduc t si g n i f ie s t he si g n ator ie s’ commitment to follow labor laws and principles addressing child labor. It also outlines the rules governing employment of children, such as giving priority to education, disallowing work on schooldays and prohibiting hazardous work. Flores, one of the leaders of the district-tripartite council (DTC) and a former mayor of Don Carlos town, admitted that it won’t be easy especially since a year after the signing, the Code has yet to be implemented. “The (industr y players) merely signed the Code for sort of guidelines. But we (DTC) have yet to go to the field and monitor,” he added. F lores sa id t he DTC , which is the tripartite body that involves industry players along with the labor authorities and sugarcane workers, is yet to assume full control of the CLMS.

John Distor, representative of the sugarcane field workers to the DTC, told MindaNews Thursday it is very difficult to enforce child labor laws but it helps if they submit to a voluntary Code of Conduct. Batica said the Code, the first of its kind in the country, can also apply to other industries.

Crises... from page 1

expansion of 7.8 percent, way above the full-year target range and the fastest in East and Southeast Asia, PCCI Vice President for Mindanao Ricky Ju liano said businesses in Mindanao hardly felt it. “The power shortages have resulted to server revenue losses for enterprises and industries including delayed production operations, cancellation of transactions, low production output and partial labor layoffs,” Juliano said. Hours-long rotating brownouts have been a fixture in Mindanao during the summer season amid tight supply from mostly hydroelectric plants supplying power in the island. To help conserve electricity, a number of Mindanao-based c omp a n ie s a re op er at i ng during off-peak hours, while several shopping malls are using generators, Juliano said, adding that the interruptible load program (ILP) is now being fully implemented in Cagayan de Oro City. Electric cooperatives in the island are also suffering from revenue losses, said Jose Alejandro, PCCI vice president for energy. “If t he situation is not arrested and addressed soonest, this could greatly damage the balance sheets and cash f lows of the electric cooperatives and other distribution utilities, which cou ld have a much longer lasting negative financial and political impact on the administration’s economic program and the industry as a whole,” Alejandro said. PCCI said a more feasible “quick-fix” to the government’s proposal of using modular generator sets is optimizing available capacity. “For exa mple, of t he 651-megawatt (MW) diesel power plants in Mindanao, only about 143 MW is being dispatched to the grid. Another source is from the sugar mills in Bukidnon that can provide 60-75 MW of reliable base load power during a five-month offseason (May to October) and at least a third of that during seven-month milling season (November to May),” Alejandro said. “The program of putting most of those diesel-fuelled plants and biomass would not take more than 12 months, if implemented with urgency. In effect, the power supply shortfall in Mindanao would be dramatically reduced to a minimum in 12 months or less,” he added. Long-term solutions must also be put in place, PCCI said,

including the pre-development of the Agus 3, Bulanog and Pulangi 5 hydropower projects. The business group said these projec t s a re “ i nd igenou s , renewables, clean and green, which can save the country from foreign exchange on energy imports.” PCCI is also pushing for the creation of a body that will monitor and ensure that distribution utilities and electric cooperatives follow the loadto-maintain policy as well as provide technical assistance to electric cooperatives to pursue demand aggregation, negotiate as a group to draw up a competitive price and sign long-term power supply agreements.

Expo... from page 2

“These figures do not yet include the sales generated by other Mindanao-based companies which decided to set-up exhibits outside of the Mindanao Pavilion d u r i n g I F E X ,” e x p l a i n e d Antonino by adding that more sales are expected from orders of international buyers which are currently under negotiation. Held from May 16 to 19 at SMX Convention Center in Pasay City, IFEX 2013 gathered more than 700 product exhibitors, buyers, food exporters from key regions and cities in Asia, Middle East, and United States. A mong t he best sel l i ng Minda nao products were Nor t hern Minda nao’s soya; Zamboanga Peninsula’s seafood, particularly sardines and seaweedbased products; Davao Region’s cocoa, coco sugar, and fruits; Centra l Mindanao’s organic rice and agri-based products; Southern Mindanao’s processed fish; and Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao’s coffee. “Ou r at tend a nce to t he IFEX was our first attempt at penetrating the international market and we are more than glad that it gave us the international exposure we that needed,” shared Julius Bularon, chief executive officer of BMAN Bravo Unlimited, Corporation a manufacturing and trading corporation based in Canubay, Oroquieta City which initially booked international product orders worth .5 million. He explained that one of the bestsellers from their company was the Bravo Energy meal, a ready-to-go food mix made up of soya, cereal, brown rice, and other high-fiber ingredients. MinDA, in coordination with the Department of Agriculture’s Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources and the Department of Trade and Industry’s Center for International Trade Expositions a nd M i s s ion s s e c u re d t he participation of Mindanao-based food producers, processors, and exporters to the event to promote the region’s small to medium enterprises who are engaged in the food processing industry. (PNA)

DOST... from page 2

The said project aims to provide additional income to the firm by enabling it to fabricate its own roll up doors/windows

instead of outsourcing the same technolog y from Dipolog or Zamboanga City. Hence, it will provide additional employment opportunities for locals in the area and strengthen the metal industry in the province which is one of the priorities of Setup. At present, it is the only business operating in terms of roll up installation in the province w it h work force of adequate training and experience gained from working with big companies in similar line of business. The business focuses on roll up doors installation, glass and aluminum installation, and iron works. Due to outsourcing of supplies (fabricated roll ups) from Dipolog and Zamboanga City, the firm cannot compete with the market price. This prompted them to avail DOST’s Setup program to acquire roll up fabrication facility. Setup is designed to boost productivity and competitiveness of micro, small and medium enterprises (MSMEs) and to encourage them in implementing technological innovations and improvements in their operations. Interested parties may visit or call DOST-Regional Office IX, Pettit Barracks, Zamboanga City with telephone numbers (062) 991-1024; the Provincial S&T Center (PSTC) in Upper Turno, Dipolog City, telephone numbers (065) 212-2244; Provincial S&T Center (PSTC) in Rizal Avenue, Pagadian City with telephone number (062) 925-1152; and t he Prov i ncia l S& T C enter (PSTC) at 2/F Faundo Bldg., National Highway, Poblacion, Ipil, Zamboanga Sibugay with telephone numbers (062) 3332793; or you may visit the DOSTIX website at www.region9.dost. gov.ph.

DPWH... from page 2

TEUs per year which is currently at 80 percent utilization. On the other hand, the muchawaited P7.85 billion Laguidingan airport is now substantia lly complete and is expected to commence operation this June 15. This international standard airport, complemented by the Mindanao Container Terminal and other transport facilities, will further improve our position as the transhipment hub in Southern Philippines, Cruz added.

Quakes... from page 5

engineers were checking all the bridges in Sayre highway, the major road network that connects North Cotabato to Bukidnon. With the town under state of calamity, the provincial gove r n m e nt c a n u s e t h e calamity fund to bring Kimadzil and Kibudtungan and other barangays to life. The t wo bara ngays are planted with corn and oil palm. No more big trees that could supposedly hold soil and prevent landslides. Carmen is a f irst class municipality in the province of North Cotabato. As of 2010, it has a population of 65,670 people in 13,325 households. (PNA)

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Colours Digital Foto (CDF) invites photography enthusiasts to get ready and go all out for the Colours of LIFE Photo Contest happening this June 1, to July 31, 2013. This is a chance to show one’s passion and love for photography. Each single receipt worth P300.00 of items bought at any Colours Digital Foto branch entitles its customers to submit one entry per theme category based on the four theme categories: L – for love & Relationships, I – for Interest & Hobbies, F – for Fiestas & Celebrations, and E – for Eco-tourism & Environment. Deadline for submission of entries will be on July 15, 2013 and on July 16, 2013, all the entries will be uploaded on Colours’ Official Facebook Page: https://www. facebook.com/ColoursDigitalFoto for online voting.

The top five entries with the most number of Facebook likes will be selected as finalist and will receive a Colours Photo Magazine worth P1,000.00. One winner per category will be chosen based on Facebook likes (40%) and Judging (60%). Finalists will also be judged according to these criteria: composition & creativity (35%), relevance to the category (35%), and impact (30%) of their entries. The lucky winner for each category will receive camera accessories worth P5,000. To learn more, one may visit the Colours Digital Foto Official Facebook page at facebook.com/ ColoursDigitalFoto.Official Colours Digital Foto’s Colours of Life Photo Competition is sponsored by: Manfrotto, Phottix, Astech Pengson and Benro.

NBA Global Games Philippines tickets on sale June 16 Houston Rockets and Indiana Pacers to Play a Preseason Game in Manila on October 10

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M A N I L A , P h i l i p p i n e s, M ay 3 1 , 2013 – Tickets for the NBA Global Games Philippines 2013 f e a t u r i n g t h e H o u s t o n Ro c k e t s and the Indiana Pacers will go on sale on Sunday, June 16, it was announced by SM and the NBA today. The game, whic h will be played at the Mall of Asia Arena on Thursday, October 10, is par t of the NBA’s comprehensive Global Games sc hedule and will be the league’s first preseason game in the Philippines and in Southeast Asia. Tickets for the game are available for purc hase online at: www.smtic kets.com The Houston Roc kets feature a dynamic young roster led by NBA A l l - S t a r a n d A l l - N BA s e l e c t i o n James Harden, along with Jeremy Lin and Chandler Parsons. The team has played 13 games outside of the US and Canada, including four games in China, two eac h in 2004 and 2010, and two regular season games in Japan

in 1992. The Indiana Pacers, led by NBA All-Stars Paul George and Roy Hibber t, have played overseas twice, most recently in 2009 in Beijing and Taipei. T h e N BA G l o b a l G a m e s w i l l see eight NBA teams play in eight cities in six countries this O c t o b e r. T h e s c h e d u l e – w h i c h will also feature the Chicago B u l l s , G o l d e n S t a t e Wa r r i o r s , L o s A n ge l e s L a ke r s, O k l a h o m a City Thunder, Philadelphia 76ers and Washington Wizards - will also include the first-ever NBA preseason game in Brazil, and in the cities of Bilbao, Spain, and Manc hester, England. It will also include games in Beijing, Istanbul, Shanghai, and Taipei. More information can be found a t N B A . c o m , w w w. m a l l o f a s i a arena.com, and via social media o n Fa c eb o o k . c o m / p h i l s n b a a n d o n Tw i t t e r @ N B A _ P h i l i p p i n e s . Enquiries can also be directed to the SM Customer Care Hotline at +63 2 470-2222.