Mindanao Daily 11 NEWS
saturDAY | february 1, 2014 Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776
Airport... from page 1
instead proposed a review for a “realistic and early completion date for navigational aids installation of Laguindingan Airport contractor through the adoption of innovative fast-tracking construction methods.” “We cannot allow an extension until November, 2014,” said a former official of the Oro Chamber. “This will further affect our competitiveness and disrupt all planned conventions and conferences in the city. We cannot even count the impact to our visitors who have been inconvenienced by the cancellations; likely, they will shelve future plans of going to Cagayan de Oro or Region 10 at some point in the future.” The National Competitiveness Council cited Cagayan de Oro City as “The Most Competitive City in the Philippines” in 2012. As the capital city of Northern Mindanao, Cagayan de Oro is the prime mover which has made it the second largest regional economy in Mindanao with a Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) of P239.677-billion (26.3% of the Mindanao economy) in 2012. Flight statistics at the Laguindingan Airport complied by the Civil Aviation Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) show that for the 10-day period covering January 10-22, 2014 some 304 commercial flights or 56 percent of 546 scheduled flights were cancelled due to limited visibility brought by inclement weather and the lack of landing lights and navigational aids. Flight cancellations over the period averaged 12 flights a day or 57 percent of the 21 flights scheduled daily. The bulk of the cancellations occurred during the period Jan. 19-22 with 74 flights or 49% of the total 152 cancelled due to Tropical Storm Agaton and the Low Pressure Area (LPA) which immediately followed. According to sources from within the airlines, the operating cost of a round trip flight from Manila to Cagayan de Oro and back of a A320 Airbus which is the standard aircraft used by airlines operating at Laguindingan is conservatively P1.5 million at 80% passenger load factor or 150 passengers with cargo. Based on this benchmark, airlines lost P31.5M for every day that all the 21 scheduled flights (or 42 round trip flight) at Laguindingan were cancelled. Total losses for the 304 cancelled flights were approximately P228-M or an average of P17.5M per day over the period, affecting some 22,800 passenger or an average of 1,800 daily over the 12-day period. This is approximately the same amount of damage caused by TS Agaton and its aftermath to infrastructure
(P273.62 million) and agriculture (P253.49 million) reported by the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) last Jan. 30, 2014. The Cagayan de Oro Chamber of Commerce and Industry Foundation, Inc. (Oro Chamber) conservatively estimates the cancelled flights cost Cagayan de Oro alone approximately P20-M daily in actual and opportunity costs. “This still doesn’t count indirect losses. A lot of business opportunities were lost, meetings cancelled, additional travel expense to Davao or Butuan for many, rebooking charges for international flights, new bookings for many who needed to have other options, plus a lot of other intangibles,” said a former chamber executive who preferred to remain anonymous. Prior to its opening last June 15, 2013, the Oro Chamber vigorously campaigned against what it termed as the “premature opening” of the Laguindingan Airport. At the time, the focus of the chamber’s opposition centered on the VFR operation of the new facility which would only be operational from 6AM to 6PM thereby effectively disallowing early morning or late evening flights. Compared to a high of 28 daily flights at the old Lumbia Airport, there has only been a maximum of 21 flights allowed daily from Laguindingan Airport. The cancellation of night flights has especially constrained the shipping out of high value seafoods and vegetables which need the night flights to link to early morning flights to their markets overseas. However, due to the DOTC and the CAAP’s insistence that the Laguindingan was an all-weather airport, they failed to allow for the wholesale cancellation of even daytime flights due to the limited visibility which would have not been a constraint had the installation and commissioning of the runway lights and navigational aids been implemented as originally scheduled by the contractor. “I cannot believe that it is not possible to finish the installation if all the equipment is already available at the site,” the former chamber executive noted. “The DOTC yearend report shows most of the physical plant needed for the Airnav and lights are already 100 percent completed. Oro Chamber President Efren Uy, in behalf of the Coalition of Chambers in Cagayan de Oro and Misamis Oriental, said it is possible to expedite work on the ANSSF project by immediately starting work after 5:00 p.m. or after the last flight and stopping before the first flight the next day; and, deploying more personnel for the civil works
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and for those jobs which can be done off the runway during daytime.” Another recommendation put forward by a former chamber official is the provision of a supplemental contract which would provide incentives for the Korean contractor, SKY-KR Consortium, which would allow the firm to field additional workers and longer working hours. “Since the Korean contractor won with a much lower bid than the NEDA estimate of P700 million, providing him with incentives not exceeding the P700 estimate is still a viable option worth pursuing given the economic losses now being incurred by the people of Northern Mindanao with the flight cancellations and loss of night and early morning flights.”0 The contract amount for the ANSSF supply project awarded to SKY-KR Consortium was P 411,561,000.00 or 32 percent lower against the ABC of P609, 258,191.41 and 42 percent lower than the NEDA approved cost of P 708,137,138.00. T he O r i g i na l C on struction Schedule was 15 months from March 2013 to June 2014 based on the unrestricted working time condition. Region X made the second largest contribution to growth in Mindanao in 2012 with 1.96, and remains its fastest growing regional economy, averaging an annual growth rate of 5.8 percent for the last 10 years. It is the domestic trade leader in Mindanao, its PhP 57.9-billion (2010) accounting for 11.3 percent contribution to the Philippines (Commodity Flow, NSO) and was the leading agriculture producer in Mindanao for the period 2010-2012 (National Accounts, NSCB). Northern Mindanao also has the biggest industrial sector among Mindanao’s regions for the period 20102012 as well as the highest manufacturing output over the same period. Consequently, it was also the top revenue producer in electricity and water over the same period. Not the least, the 2010 Annual Survey of Philippine Business and Industry (ASPBI) showed Northern Mindanao as having the highest revenues per worker, value added per worker, average revenue per establishment, and average profit per establishment among the Mindanao regions. (BWM News & Features)
Rights... from page 1
force deployed in the province of Quezon province in Luzon last 2012. Combining with at least seven other army battalions, they have left scores of human rights abuses against the people of Quezon totalling sixteen cases of extra judicial killings and three enforced
disappearances in a span of more than two years. Several members of the 1st SF Batallion were also involved in the infamous Atimonan shootout wherein thirteen individuals were brutally killed, including innocent civilians. “Perhaps Gen. Barrientos failed to mention that these soldiers are experts on the deceptive, genuinely antipeople and brutal tactics and strategies stipulated in Oplan Bayanihan. Peasants and indigenous peoples’ communities will again be sitting duck targets of rights abuses. We will be expecting more cases of trumped-up charges, extra judicial killings, forced evacuations and other human rights violations to be committed by the so-called human rights ‘duty-bearers’ themselves – the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP),” says Goaynon. “We find no comfort in Capt. Christian Uy’s pronouncements that these soldiers are highly trained in the ‘art’ of peace and security development. Based on the army’s recent actions and 1st SF Battalion’s records, perhaps what they would like to do is to add the letters ‘R’ and ‘I’ to the word ‘peace’ and deliver it to various groups and individuals critical of President Aquino III’s economic and political policies,” exclaims Goaynon. “With Maj. General Ricardo Visaya as top dog of the 4th ID, an escalation of rights abuses will be more imminent,” the Lumad leader expressed. Goaynon adds that the public must consider that Major Gen. Visaya was once a Palparan—the notorious butcher—protégé and has a long history of human rights abuses against communities where members are actively campaigning for their rights. He was the commanding officer of 69th Infantry Battalion in 2004–2007 that the human rights watch dog Karapatan tagged as the ‘torture battalion.’ Visaya was one of the think-tanks behind militarizing Bicol region as well as urban areas in National Capital Region. He was also the ground commander of the Hacienda Luisita massacre back in November of 2004. It must be noted that in the few months under Visaya’s tenure, the region has experienced an escalation of human rights abuses such as the enforced evacuation of Lumads, like what happened in Lagonglong, Misamis Oriental. The proliferation of false charges against legal activists have also been common under Visaya’s term. To date, at least twelve (12) members of legitimate peoples’ organizations and farmer advocates have been slapped with charges they know nothing about. These include the abduction and eventual detention of the sixty three (63) year old farmer-organizer Estelita Tacalan who was
accused of being a top rebel leader from western Mindanao. Rural missionary and peasant advocate Joel Yagao was also slapped with trumpped-up charges and is currently deatined at the Gingoog City Jail. “These violations, as well as other documented incidents of harassments, surveillance operations done against political and social justice activists in the region constricts the already small democratic space under Aquino III’s regime. With additional forces at Visaya’s disposal, the Aquino III administration has literally sent the grim reaper to peasants and lumads, instead of respecting their ancestral domains and the right to a self-determined development,” Goaynon added. “We call on Major Gen. Visaya to spare the Lumad and peasant communities from the unabated attacks and instead urge his sponsor—US-Aquino III regime—to attend to the development of the rural communities and resume the peace talks with the National Democratic Front to address the roots of the armed conflict instead of escalating his campaign of brutal suppression. If not, the General can expect a much stronger actions of condemnation from the organized peasants and Lumads if forced by the circumstances to retaliate,” Goaynon furthered. Kalumbay is the largest alliance of Lumad organizations in Northern Mindanao asserting their right to ancestral domain, self-determination and indigenous culture. It has scores of community-based organizations in Bukidnon and Misamis Oriental encompassing the Higaonon, Matigsalog, Talaandig and Manobo tribes, among others. The organization has campaigned internationally for justice for its slain leaders and members, now numbering to fourteen (14) since President Aquino III assumed office.
Urges... from page 1
trying to address,” said Deles who was also present in the meeting. The BTC is the body created THRU EO 120 issued in December, 2012 to draft the BBL that will pave the way for the establishment of the Bangsamoro region in 2016. It is composed of a total of 15 members appointed by the President, eight were recommended by the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF), and seven were recommended by the GPH. “To ensure the broadest possible support for the passage of the law, the President stressed the need for the BTC to be transparent in its work and to reach out to the different sectors, including those initially resistant to the new political entity,” added Deles. Led by its chair Mohagher Iqbal, who also sits as chief
negotiator of the MILF, the BTC members have been conducting consultations with various stakeholders. Other commissioners include Maulana Alonto, Abdula Camlian, Raissa Jajurie, Said Shiek, Ibrahim Ali, Melanio Ulama, Hussein Munoz, Akmad Sakkam, Asani Tammang, Pedrito Eisma, Froilyn Mendoza, Johaira Wahab, Talib Benito, and Fatmawati Salappudin. Full support Deles also related that the President “assured the BTC of the full support of the national government in terms of technical and political support, guidance and advice as well as budget.” “He (Aquino) said he would give as much of his own time as necessary to gain support for this undertaking,” she stated. “He expressed full confidence that, with everyone’s hard work and due diligence, the vote for the new law would be won,” added Deles. Once drafted, the BBL will be certified as an urgent bill by the President, submitted to Congress for passage, and subjected to a plebiscite in the envisioned core territory of the Bangsamoro.
Boats... from page 1
Northern Mindanao, particulary after being hit by strong typhoons, such as Typhoon Sendong in 2011, Pablo in 2012 and, just recently, Tropical Depression Agaton, which spawned continuous heavy rains. Dangay said According the 18 boats will be distributed to the eight different stations in Region 10 for the said purpose. “We have to be alert and had preparedness program specially nowadays that storms are already abnormal and we didn’t knew and speculate the next calamity event or kind because of weather abnormality of today,all what we have to do is really to prepare always and knew what to do in times of unexpected happenings in times of calamity”Dangay explained. He added that with the track of the coming Low Pressure Area that will turn into a storm that will be named by PAGASA as “Basyang”in our Area of Responsibility, The Philippine Coast Guard should step into an immediate preparation such as conducting a much needed training specially in the grassroots who needs immediate concerns and attention as far as rescue and search operation is concern. They will be teaming up with the different Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office of Northern Mindanao to spread for the Water Search and Rescue Training throughout the region to mitigate casualties during calamities and as much as possible,a “Zero Casualty” aim should be realized,Dangay concluded.