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Volume III, No. 273

Market Indicators

As of 5:59 pm AUG. 7, 2013 (Wednesday)

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PHISIX

US$1 = P43.69

6,420.79 points

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Briefly Tourism framework TA N G U B C i t y - - A m u l t i s e c t o r a l wo r k s h o p was convened by the city government of Tangub, last July 29-30, to craft the city’s tourism framework plan.

The plan will streamline other programs and projects of the cit y where other agencies can come in to s u p p o r t a n d w h ere t h e private sector can invest in, Atty. Philip T. Tan, Mayor of Tangub, said.

Facilitated by the office of Dept of Tourism (DOT), Region X, the 2-day workshop was held at Function Hall 1 in Tangub, the activity was also in support to the national goal of coming up with 10 million tourists by 2016.

The framework plan was Mayor Tan’s priority agenda which he emphasized in his address during the inaugural session of the city council, early last month.

Coconut wine A NATIVE coconut wine, or tuba, is making inroads into the export markets.

Carrying the label Vacal Vino de Coco, founded by Filipino-American George Vacal Paraliza and his wife Tila Paraliza, the premium wine made from fresh saps of selected coconut tree blossoms will soon hit store shelves across China.

Paraliza recently signed an agreement with Fly Dragon International Marketing that will bring his wine products to the huge Chinese market.

“I have also some negotiations with importers in the United States and Canada. I can supply them just a matter of time,” he said.

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Solon seeks deferment of M’nao spot market

A

By BONG D. FABE, Associate Editor

PA R T Y L I S T c o n g r e s s m a n representing power consumers in rural Philippines is strongly urging the Department of Energy (DoE) and the

August 8, 2013

Philippine Electricity Market Corporation (PEMC) to defer next month’s scheduled implementation of the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market [IMEM] until all issues and questions are resolved.

Pilmico gives hope to Sendong victims

By BUTCH D. ENERIO Reporter

ILIGAN City – Mamerto Fel ic i ld a , 12 ye a r s old , whose family was among the victims of Typhoon Sendong in December 2011, need not go far to finish high school, because school is just located at the heart of the relocation site where his family, and about 1,200 more, are now residing.

Pilmico Foods Corporation, a subsidiary of the Aboitiz Equity Venture, in cooperation with Aboitiz Foundation Inc. (AFI), turned over on Tuesday 24 classrooms, housed in four 2-storey newly constructed buildings in Bayanihan sa Iligan Village, Barangay Sta. Elena here.

The P25 million school, which is the biggest classroom donation yet of Pilmico in the entire country, is part of the Aklat, Gabay, Aruga, Tungo sa Pag-Angat at Pagasa (Agapp) prog ra m, accom modates kindergarten and high school students.

Pi l m ico a nd t he A FI have been suppor ting Agapp since its inception in 2011, particularly in the construction of classrooms dubbed as ‘Silid Pangarap’.

The school which is an annex to the Tomas Cabili Nat iona l High School is pilmico/PAGE 11

Energy Secretary Jericho Petilla had earlier directed the PEMC to start the IMEM’s commercial operation in September 26, 2013.

But Rep. Edgardo Rama Ma songsong of t he 1st Consumers Alliance for Rural Energy (1-CARE) partylist said that implementing the market/PAGE 11

Robinsons unveils Bloomfields in CDO

SCHOOLBUILDINGS. Four schoolbuildings worth P25M donated by Pilmico Foods Corp. for Tomas Cabili National High School Annex which were built right at the heart of the community of Sendong victims in Bayanihan sa Iligan Village, Sta. Elena, Iligan City. photo by butch enerio

SCHOOL FOR SENDONG VICTIMS. Pilmico President/CEO Sabin Aboitiz (2nd from left), and Aboitiz Equity Ventures President John Ramon Aboitiz (3rd from right) lead the unveiling of marker of the 24-rooms schoolbuildings the Aboitiz Foundation had established for Sendong victims in Iligan City. With them are Department of Education-10 Regional Director Allan G. Farnazo, and school principal Rebecco Omlero (2nd and extreme right, respectively). photo by butch enerio

ROBINSONS Homes recently unveiled its latest project, Bloomf ields Cagayan de Oro, a premium residential development.

This exclusive subdivision is nestled in 6 hectares of land atop a plateau with only 340 choice residential lots and a view of Cagayan de Oro skyline.

Bloomf ields Cagayan de Oro serves as an ideal backdrop for start-up and g row i ng fa m i l ies. T h is e x c lu s i ve e nc l ave w i l l feature landscaped pocket parks where homeowners can indulge in their own quiet time, as well as various amenities and facilities such as play areas, a clubhouse, a multi-purpose activity court and a swimming pool.

The development has easy access to some of the city’s top schools like Xavier University, Rosevale School, Corpus Christi School and Lu mbia Nat iona l H ig h School; churches such as St. Augustine Cathedral; and lifestyle destinations such as the Pueblo de Oro Golf and Country Club, the Xavier Sports and Country Club and Robinsons Place Cagayan de Oro.

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AGP boosts ARMM seeks P1-B for various ventures farmers’ income incessant flooding in debts, among others.

He said Maguindanao had COTABATO CITY—Incumbent officials of the province.

Maguindanao are seeking a P1 billion omnibus Governor Esmael “Toto” been beset for generations f loods, and dredging loan to bankroll various ventures ranging Mangudadatu said he is by water basins and rivers in from settling remnants of debt inherited from expecting the Sangguniang the province necessitates past leaders to bankrolling local ventures Panlalawigan (SP) to pass the purchase of the latest meant to address the high illiteracy rate, and this month a resolution excavation machine worth at

By Ali G. Macabalang

authorizing the executive department’s acquisition of the loan from the Land Bank of the Philippines (LBP).

Mangudadatu said the loan request had long been programmed for the acquisition of a modern master dredging machine to excavate heavily silted rivers that often cause floods during rainy days, the setting up of an oil palm processing plant, augmentation of local students’ scholarships, and the repayment of provincial

least P100 million that can extract hundreds of tons a day.

Most of the extracted sediments can be piled up on riverbanks to be planted with bamboo, as well as perennial grasses to prevent soil erosion and floodwater, while the rest could fill up low-lying areas planted to high-value varieties like banana, oil palm, and rubber trees, Mangudadatu said, citing experts’ findings on the high fertility elements

of river and swamp silts.

To combat i l literac y, believed highest in Maguindanao, the provincial government needs about P300 million at the least to amplify the coverage of its scholarship program currently subsidizing over 2 ,0 0 0 “poor but hig h ly potential” high school and college students, the governor said.

He sa id prov i ncia l technocrats alongside some elected officials visited Albay la st mont h a nd st ud ied the province’s success in subsidizing a student from each resident household, a program credited for the emergence of “very high” literacy rate in the Bicolano community. (MB)

SAN FRANCISCO, Agusan del Sur—The Agusan del Sur Goat Program (AGP) of the provincial government increased the income of farmers, and uplifted their living condition, and also increased the goat meat supply not on ly i n t he province but also benefited the other areas in the Caraga Region.

Aside from providing additional income for the fa r mers , t he AGP a l so enhanced the “food security” program of the province. The AGP already assisted at least 400 recipients.

S e ei ng it s v i a bi l it y, Governor Adolph Edward G. Plaza is planning to widen its agp/PAGE 11

PHL now leads ASEAN growth – S&P THE Philippines is now t he leader i n ter ms of growth among the major economies in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), Standard & Poor’s (S&P) said in an economic research.

“The Philippines, which Standard & Poor’s recently upgraded to investment grade, has taken over the ASEAN growth leadership role from Indonesia,” it stated. S&P gave the country’s second investment grade

rating in May from BB+ to BBB- and assigned a “stable” outlook on the country’s new rating.

In terms of gross domestic product (GDP), the country grew by 7.8 percent in the first half of the year, the highest recorded economic expansion in ASEAN. This year, the ratings agency also projected the Philippine gross domestic product to expand by almost 7 percent this year.

For 2014 to 2015, it said

that the country’s growth may moderate by 6 percent to 6.5 percent, respectively.

Inf lation, on the other hand, was projected at 3.1 percent in 2013, or at the lower end of the 3-percent to 5-percent target of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas.

Meanwhile, S&P said that the major ASEAN economies such Indonesia, Malaysia, Ph i l ippi ne s , T h a i l a nd , a nd Vie t na m cont i nue to outperform other Asia Pacific countries.

“These economies a re more dome s t ic a l ly focused than the Newly Industrialized Economies [NIEs] and therefore tend to do better when global growth is sluggish,” it said, referring to Hong Kong, Kore a , Si ngap ore , a nd Taiwan.

In its baseline scenario, the ratings agency said that growth for Asean is expected to remain steady at about 5.5 percent this year until 2015. leads/PAGE 11

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CorporateWorld

SM named among top Asean retail brands HENRY Sy’s SM is among the best retail brands Bernstein told reporters in Southeast Asia this year, consultancy firm t hat SM joi ned t he top five retail brands in Asean Interbrand said yesterday.

During the 22nd National Retail Conference and Stores Asia Expo 2013, Interbra nd d i rec tor for brand strateg y Jonathan Bernstein said SM ranked third among the five best S out he a s t A si a n re t a i l brands.

SM was behind S i n g a p o r e ’s F a i r P r i c e and Malaysia’s Parkson,

PLDT net income up 13%

PHILIPPINE Long Distance Telephone Co (PLDT) today reported a 13 percent increase in its second-quarter net income on gains from the sale of its business process outsourcing (BPO) arm, among other non-recurring gains.

I n a s t at ement , t he country’s largest telecom company said earned P10.53 billion in the April to June period, up from P9.3 billion in the same three-month period last year.

This brought the first six months net income to P19.7 billion, up from last year’s P19.3 billion “The increase was a result of the combined impact of higher core income, the gain from the sale of the BPO business, higher foreign exchange and derivative losses and the retroactive e f fe c t of t he adopt ion of rev ised Phi l ippi ne Accounting Standard (PAS) 19,” PLDT said.

T he re v i s ed PA S 19 pertains to the recognition of termination benefits arising from the telco’s manpower reduction programs, which resulted in a reversal of P1.3 billion of expenses accrued in the fourth quarter of 2012 and the recognition of P0.9 billion of those expenses in the first half of 2013.

To recall, PLDT offered Digitel employees a separation package arising from the termination of the latter’s landline business following its acquisition by the former.

As for the gains from the sale of the BPO arm, PLDT had said it stood to gain P1.6 billion in the second quarter from the disposition of SPI Global Holdings to Asia Outsourcing Gamma Ltd (AOGL), a company controlled by CVC Capital Partners, for $300 million.

The deal also involved PLDT reinvesting $40 million in AOGL for a 19.7 percent stake in the latter, enabling the Philippine telco to benefit from the growth of the BPO business as a partner of CVC. Excluding the above onetime transactions, PLDT pdlt/PAGE 10

but ahead of Indonesia’s Matahari Department Store and Thailand’s Big C. Interbrand’s list of the b e s t re t a i l br a nd s w a s determined using t hree criteria: t he f ina ncia l performance of the branded products or ser v ices; the role of brand in the purchase decision process; and strength of the brand.

because it was “being true to [its] core proposition of accessibility, convenience and innovation to appeal to a changing and expanding consumer base.”

He c ite d SM ’s for ay into the mass market via Savemore as well as efforts to “embrace t he d ig ita l space” through its online g i f t reg ist r y a mong t he retailer’s innovations.

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THE Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has taken temporary custody City Rep. Neptali Gonzales II agreed with of Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo, who was arrested on Belmonte, adding that all Dimaporo could do now is to appeal the ruling and push a charges of malversation of public funds.

THE Sandiganbayan Fifth Division has taken temporary custody of Lanao del Norte Rep. Abdullah Dimaporo, who was arrested on charges of malversation of public funds.

Dimaporo, who is currently confined at the Cardinal Santos Medical Center in San Juan City, also posted a P30,000 bail for his temporary freedom.

According to Fifth Division clerk of court Maria Teresa Pabulayan, Dimaporo was brought to the hospital after complaining of chest pains, as shown in his submitted medical documents to the court.

“The [court] sheriff and his staff received the bail and served the warrant of arrest for the malversation case. They have also coordinated with the PNP to have him under court custody while he is confined,” she said.

She added that the court will still hear Dimaporo’s motion to allow him to bail for the malversation charge which will be resolved for at least ten days, pending the prosecution’s comment on the motion.

As this developed, House Speaker and Quezon City Rep. Feliciano Belmonte Jr. said that the House of Representatives could not prevent the Sandiganbayan from arresting Dimaporo because the Lanao congressman’s case is a non-bailable offense.

“I don’t think we can do anything,” Belmonte said.

He added that Dimaporo’s case is similar to the plunder case of former president and Pa Pampanga Rep. Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo, which is also a non-bailable offense.

House Majority Leader and Mandaluyong

motion for bail.

Citing a provision in the Constitution, Gonzales explained that lawmakers are immune from arrest while Congress is in session if the cases against them are punishable by only six years and below.

“If his (Dimaporo) case is a non-bailable offense, the Speaker was right in saying that we can’t do anything about it. His case does not qualify for the constitutional requirement on lawmakers’ immunity from arrest because the punishment is more than six years,” Gonzales explained.

Plunder, a capital offense, is punishable by life imprisonment, hence it is deemed as non-bailable. It also entails forfeiture of defendants’ assets if they are found guilty of the crime. custody/PAGE 10

Lobregat urges Palace to consider MNLF issues for FAB to succeed Z A M B OA NG A C I T Y— R e pr e s e nt a t i ve C e l s on Lobregat (1st District) urged the Aquino administration not to set aside the issues raised by Moro National Liberation Front (MNLF) Founder Nur Misuari if it wants the signed Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro (FAB) with the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) will succeed.

Lobregat said there are many possible repercussions that will arise if and when the MNLF issues are not addressed and resolved. “ We a r e h e r e w i t h requesting the Office of the Presidential Adviser for Peace Process (OPAPP) and the GPH negotiating panel to address the issues brought about by

Nur Misuari concerning the Tripartite review process and the Framework Agreement on Bangsamoro with the MILF,” he said.

Lobregat also reminded other members of the House of Representatives, especially to the would-be members of the Committee on Peace and Reconciliation, that “there is

already an existing organic law on the ARMM; and to put in place the Basic law on Bangsamoro, the provisions of RA 9054 have to be complied with.”

RA 9054 or the Act to Streng t hen and Expand the Organic Act for the Autonomous Reg ion i n Muslim Mindanao, amended RA 6734 or the Organic Act for the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao.

“To have an honorable, just and lasting peace in M i n d a n a o , we c a n n o t simply have another peace agreement this time with the MILF without the inclusion and conformity of other stakeholders of Mindanao including Misuari’s MNLF,” he stressed. (from MB)

Day Care Center Renovation. Rep. Rufus B. Rodriguez formally turns over a renovated Day Care Center project at Buena Oro, Barangay Macasandig that cost P150 thousand pesos last July 2. Also in photo are Cong. Maxie Rodriguez of Abante Mindanao Partylist, City Councilors Teodulfo Lao and Enrico Salcedo, Barangay Chair Aaron M. Neri, DPWH employees and the parents and the pupils.

RodBros urge Lani pushes for regulated use of plastic prods probe into P1B REPRESENTATIVE Lani Mercado-Revilla every time there is a heavy downpour,” she District, Cavite) is stronglys pushing said.

PNP license deal (2nd for the passage of a bill regulating the House Bill 106 or “Plastic Bag Regulation THE Rodriguez brothers h ave u r ge d t he Hou s e Committee on Public Order and Safety to investigate the alleged anomalous P1 billion license deal that the Philippine National Police (PNP) entered with a private company.

Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (2nd District, CDP) and his younger brother Rep. M a x i mo Ro d r i g ue z Jr. of the Abante Mindanao (ABAMIN) partylist said an investigation should be probe/PAGE 10

production, importation, sale, provision, use, recovery, collection, recycling and disposal of plastic bags in the country.

Mercado-Revilla acknowledged that the widespread use of plastic bags, plates, utensils and cups and Styrofoam containers has made everyday lives easier and more convenient.

“However, these ostensibly harmless products have gradually become an ecological nightmare for these non-biodegradable objects are difficult to dispose. Further, these materials usually turn up in our esteros, riverbanks, sea coasts, and other bodies of water, blocking our sewage systems and clogging the drainage pipes which eventually cause the massive flooding we experience

Ac t of 2 013” re qu i re s c om merc i a l establishments to provide biodegradable plastic bags to their consumers provided that they shall promote and make available for sale locally made bayong, buli and other reusable bags that are made of abaca, water lily and other organic or compostable materials.

It compels operators of commercial establishments to provide biodegradable plastic bags to consumers and to establish an in-store recovery program that will give customers an opportunity to return used plastic bags to the commercial establishments where the plastic bags originated.

Commercial establishments found to lani/PAGE 10

Rufus seeks repeal of Cabotage Law REPRESENTATIVE Rufus Rodriguez of the second congressional district of Cagayan de Oro City has filed a bill in Congress seeking the repeal of the Cabotage Law, one of the few measures President Benigno Aquino III mentioned in his fourth State of the Nation Address (SONA) to help drive the economy forward.

Rodriguez’s House Bill 1789 seeks to repeal and modif y cer tain sections of the Tariff and Customs Code of the Philippines

and the Domestic Shipping Development Act of 2004.

To be k now n as t he “Coastwide Trade Act of 2013,” the bill seeks to spur domestic tourism, increase port revenues and promote cost-competitiveness among shipping companies with the entry of foreign vessel operators.

“The cabotage policy l i m its compet it ion a nd encourages inef f icienc y among local vessel operators since foreign vessels are not Rufus/PAGE 10

Bawal ang Epal Dito Campaign readied for Barangay Elections

By Charmaine P. Tadlas

C AG AYA N D E O R O CITY, Aug 7 (PIA) -- The De pa r t ment of S o c ia l Welfare and Development is preparing for the upcoming Ba ra ngay E lec t ions i n October through the “Bawal ang Epal Dito” Campaign.

The “Bawal Ang Epal Dito” ca mpa ig n has b e en proven ef fe c t ive

in empowering t he beneficiaries of the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino P rog r a m, pa r t ic u la rly during t he midterm elections last May 2013, cited Atty. Araceli Solamillo, DSWD-X Regional Director.

In t he ca mpaign, beneficiaries were thoroughly informed that

the anti-poverty program of DSWD is developed, initiated, and implemented by agency and the Department can solely delist beneficiaries based on their non-compliance to the program’s set conditions.

C ont ra r y to some politicians’ alleged pronouncement that they

can de-list beneficiaries if they will not vote for the running candidate, the DSWD is emphatic that no politicians can do so since the agency alone, at the regional and national levels, can de-list the beneficiaries from the program.

Wit h t he coming barangay elections, it is

once again empowering t he Pa nt aw id Pa m i lya beneficiaries to be vigilant of any political threats of being de-listed a nd be responsible in complying to the conditions of the program: to ensure attendance of their children to school, to regularly bring them to a monthly health

check-up and attend in the Family Development Sessions conducted by the DSWD. The Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program invests in human capital by providing cash grants to poor families with children aged 0-14.

(Charmaine P. Tadlas/RTP/ PIA10)

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‘Greeneration’ empowering youth on climate change

By Leo Ortega Laparan II

PRESIDENT Benigno S. Aquino III urged the youth, as future Filipino leaders, to be ready to face the challenges of global warming, rising pollution levels, and increasing populations — factors that bring about climate change — during a climate change convention held Friday at Capitol University (CU) Gymnasium in Cagayan de Oro City.

“Climate change is a grow ing globa l concern that requires responsive mecha n isms to ex pa nd public awareness and create ac t ionable i n it iat ive s ,” Aqu ino sa id in a shor t message delivered through Climate Change Commission (CCC) Vice Chairperson Secretar y Lucille Sering before 800 delegates to the 3rd Greeneration Summit – Mindanao: A Gathering for Youth Empowerment on Climate Change. “[The youth] sector plays a

critical role in preserving the environment and ensuring that we move forward in harmony with the Earth,” the Chief Executive, who is also the Chairman of CCC, said.

“It starts from the youth and they can also help us spread information about how we can move forward on climate change,” Sering s a id , not i ng t hat “a ng impormasyong alam mo ang siyang magliligtas sa ‘yo (the information that you have can save you). The

purpose of the Greeneration Summit is not only to inform our youth on how to address climate change, but at the same time, have speakers that are doing their own initiatives.”

Asked what the state of climate change is, as far as Mindanao is concerned and relative to more urbanized places like Metro Manila, Sering cited a recent lyconducted Social Weather St at ion s (S WS) s u r ve y indicating that the climate cha nge awa reness level in Mindanao is about 45 percent.

“That’s still below half of the population, and if you look at [the figure], again, these are areas hit by t y pho on[s],” S er i ng explained.

I n D e c e m b e r 2 011, typhoon “Sendong” pummeled Cagayan de Oro

City, causing f lashf loods that killed thousands. “The awareness is actually higher [in] urban areas than it is [in] rural areas,” Sering said.

The SWS survey revealed that 85 percent — or eight out of 10 i n 1, 8 0 0 —

Filipinos have “personally experienced” climate change impacts in the last three years. However, 63 percent said t hey are not doing anything about it, according to Sering.

“Climate change is being

made to be understood that it is about the weather only.

It’s not,” Sering said. “It becomes a disaster when, despite knowing what science tells us, we don’t do anything about it.” youth/PAGE 10

From reef to ridge: A stroll through OCD eyes disaster PHL’s latest ASEAN Heritage Park Reduced Damages in R8 (2nd of 3 parts)

By Philipp Gassner

Scientists turn dead wood into high quality biofuel

FINNISH scientists have found a way to turn dead wood into high quality biofuel for less than one euro a litre. They believe they can convert more than half the energy of raw wood – ligno-cellulosic biomass, if you prefer the technical term – into something that will drive a taxi, a tractor or a tank.

Biofuels were long ago proposed as an alternative to fossil fuels: they are not exactly carbon-free, but they exploit the carbon freshly captured by plants so the carbon dioxide returned to the atmosphere was going to get back there anyway, from compost, leaf litter, food waste or firewood.

In the years of agricultural surplus in Europe and the US, farmers embraced the idea as an alternative source of income; environmentalists cheered them on because large stands of trees, shrubs or grasses provided at least some fresh habitat for birds and insects as well as ground cover to prevent erosion; economists applauded because real estate was being used for some form of income.

One new candidate for farm-grown biomass is the black locust – Robinia pseudoacacia – which in the US Midwest grows swiftly and puts on weight three times more lustily than the next best species, and is now under test at the University of Illinois as a potential biofuel crop. biofuel/PAGE 10

WELL-toweled, we shoulder our bag and leave the coast to follow along the river system of Mount Ma lindang, equa lly inf luenced by human sett lement and utilization. Despite the domestic and irrigation use of water, fishing and the mining of gravel and sand, the two main streams of the park, Langaran and Layawan rivers, could so far maintain a fair water quality.

It is important to recognize that energy and material f lows link the aquatic system intimately to the terrestrial ecosystem, which we enter now. This is especially true for the agro-ecosystem in lower altitudes, consuming high amounts of irrigation water. The system features 73 species of cultivated crops, including vegetables,

cereals, agro-forestry and grass-dominated areas, besides 164 animal species.

It is also home to the majority of the stroll/PAGE 11

Protect environment; reap dev’t benefits — Loren NEW approaches in dealing with climate change and disasters should be promoted to protect the environment and help reap development benefits, Senator Loren Legarda said.

Legarda, chair of the Committee on Climate Change, explained that the country should work on improving the state of the environment to make the Philippines among the top 20 economies over the next four decades.

She explained that one way to improve the situation is to start looking at how existing initiatives like the National

Greening Program and the Integrated Coastal Management Program can be implemented fully.

The National Greening Program, which was officially launched in May 2011, aims to plant 1.5 billion trees in 1.5 million hectares of land by 2016.

For 2011, 89.6 million seedlings have been planted nationwide, while in 2012, a total of 125.6 million seedlings were planted.

“In parallel, we need to look at how sometimes a greener approach can be a more resilient approach,” she said.

Legarda also said that for speedy recovery from disasters and hazards, citizens— especially the poor—should have social protection and resilience.

Legarda said that because the poor bore the greatest economic losses in disasters, it was only just to train them to be prepared for anything.

She said that extreme weather events, such as torrential rains and harsher typhoons that are considered the new normal, should be addressed by looking at the opportunities in the face of threats. (PNA)

TACLOBAN CITY—The Office of the Civil Defense here is looking forward to reduced disaster damages in Eastern Visayas this year.

This followed initiatives that were undertaken to ensure the readiness of t he reg ion in t imes of calamities and disasters.

O C D 8 O p er at ion s officer Bhenlie Linde said that Republic Act 10121 has expanded the programs and activities of their office.

Thus, they were able to embark in activities such as cont inuous information and education campaign, contingency planning, disaster risk reduction management pl a n for mu l at ion a nd simulation exercises.

He a lso cited t he strengthening of pa r t nership w it h loca l gover n ment u n its a nd other stakeholders as he emphasized that DRRM is not just the sole concern of the government.

It has to be a collaborative effort with other stakeholders.

“They should embrace DRRM so that if disasters could not be prevented then at least the impact would be minimized,” he said.

(PNA)

NEDA-X conducts Local Chief Executives Forum CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Aug. 7 (PIA) -- The National Economic and Development Authority Regional Office X (NEDA-X) conducted on Tuesday, August 6, a Regional Coordination Forum for Local Chief Executives (LCEs) at the RDC-X main conference room, this city.

NEDA-X Director Leon M. Dacanay, Jr. said the forum aims to facilitate information sharing among LCEs on the various development processes and coordination in the region as well as in preparation for the re-organization of the RDC Full Council on August 20.

During the forum, Dacanay briefed the participants about the Regional Development Council (RDC), the highest planning and policy-making body in the region, highlighting the regional development coordination and management functions through the Macro, Economic, Social and Infrastructure Sector Committees of the Council.

He further told them on the mandate and functions of NEDA as the technical

secretariat of the RDC. Dacanay also presented the Northern Mindanao Regional Development Plan for 2011-2016 aimed at achieving inclusive growth where every Filipino participates in and enjoys the fruits of development.

Other presentations during the forum included updates on the Millennium Development Goals; Official Development Assistance and Public-Private Partnership Modalities; Results-based Monitoring and Evaluation; and the Regional Research Agenda.

Present were Mayor Oscar S. Moreno of Cagayan de Oro City; Mayor Celso G. Regencia of Iligan City; Mayor Philip T. Tan of Tangub City; Mayor Maria Luisa D. Romualdo of Mambajao, Camiguin; and representatives of the other local chief executives as well as the Congressional Representatives in the region. (Peleta B. Abejo/ NEDA-X/APB/PIA-10)

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Persistence pays

T

THINK

hink a minute…You know that overnight success A Minute usually takes at least 10 years?

By Jhan Tiafau Hurst One ma n sa id , “My overnight success was the longest night of my life.

I spent many days and nights just getting there!”

Remember, “Rome was not built in a day.” Many people are waiting for their ship to come in…when they’ve not even sent it out of the harbor.

You see, winners simply do what losers don’t want to do.

And they keep doing it until they get the success they want.

Success is mostly just hanging on after others have let go!

Or as one guy put it: “Big shots are just little shots who kept on shooting.”

So the most important trip you’ll ever make is when you go the extra mile.

Many people who failed did not know how close they were to success when they gave up.

People don’t actually fail, they just quit too easily.

One guy said: “The secret to success is to start from scratch—and to keep on scratching.”

So don’t quit trying just because your trying times are hard.

The great inventor, Thomas Edison, tried a certain experiment hundreds of times, but it still did not work.

So his assistant said to him: “It’s too bad that we did all that work without any results.

But Edison replied: “Oh, we have lots of results! We now know 700 things that won’t work!”

Never forget, delay does not always mean denial.

If we hold out and hold on, we can accomplish almost anything.

The British Prime Minister Winston Churchill said: “Never, never, never, never give up!”

A nd t he A mer ica n President Ca lv i n C ool idge made this statement: “Nothing can bring success like persistence.

Talent cannot, for there are many talented people hurst/PAGE 7

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Making it harder for whistleblowers in RP

IFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… Just as it pleased the Lord to make you prosper and increase in number, so it will please him to ruin and destroy you…” (Deuteronomy 28:63, the Holy Bible).

-ooo IT DOES NOT PAY TO EXPOSE OIL SMUGGLING? I agree with lawyer Dante Vargas, a former Ombudsman prosecutor, that it would have been a lot better if his client, Felicito Mejorado, cooperated with oil smugglers, instead of reporting their smuggling activities to the government, considering the refusal of Budget Secretary Florencio Abad and Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima to pay the reward money due Mejorado.

Mejorado was supposed to receive some P272 million as a reward from the government for information that led to the busting of an oil smuggling syndicate, but, up to now, he has been paid only about P68 million.

Abad, in particular, is said to be refusing to release the rest of the reward money to Mejorado, even if the money was already released by the National Treasury to the Department of Budget.

The point of Vargas is therefore well-taken: if Mejorado did not squeal on the oil smuggling, and instead cooperated with the smugglers, he would have earned much more than the P272 million that he is to be paid with. Now, the question is: why are Abad and the Finance Department refusing to pay? They want to give the message that it does not pay to expose oil smuggling under the Aquino

T

W

government? akampi -oooMo A ng Batas MAKING IT HARDER

By Atty. Batas Mauricio FOR WHISTLEBLOWERS IN RP: Because of what is happ en i ng to Mejor ado, who else will dare expose s mu g g l i n g a c t i v i t i e s i n the Philippines if the very government officials who are supposed to fight smuggling themselves are acting against whistleblowers, unjustifiably at t hat, pa r t icu la rly in w it h hold i ng t he re w a rd money due them, which has already been made available anyway?

It would have been alright if there was a valid reason for refusing to pay the whistleblowers. But then, in the case of Mejorado, his right to be paid was already recognized by this government earlier, since he had been given an initial payment of about P68 million.

T he sudden ref u sa l of Abad a nd t he Fi na nce Department to effect further payment raises suspicions t hat t hey are merely tr y ing to ma ke it harder for Mejorado, in particular, and for all whistleblowers, in general. The impression one gets from what Abad and batas/PAGE 7

K

Two sectors watched by BSP

wo sectors very closely watched by the Bangko Sentral, as it performs its price stability mandate, are the equities market and the real estate sector.

For good reason.

Historically, these two sectors have experienced major swings in prices, causing economic and financial imbalance.

For t h is pu r pose, t he B SP per iod ic a l ly hold s Environmental Scanning Exercises (ESE) with key players from the public and private sectors to discuss trends in these important areas.

One such ESE was conducted early this month with Atty. Roel Refran of the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE), David Young of Colliers International Philippines, and Prof. Enrique Soriano III of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business, as resource speakers.

Invited as reactors were Mr. Claro G. Cordero, Head of Research, Consulting, and Valuation Advisory Ser vices Department, Jones Lang LaSalle; Ms. Ma. Theresa M. Javier, Head of BPI’s Asset Management and Trust Group, and Mr. Justino Juan R. Ocampo, SVP of the Investment Banking Group of First Metro Investment Corporation.

The forum was held against a backdrop of rapidly rising stock prices, fueled mainly by foreign portfolio investments, and higher value rates for land, capital,

ROSE MARY D. SUDARIA, Ph.D. General Manager

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SPEAKING

and rent during t he f irst quarter. These developments O ut were beginning to be a source By Ignacio Bunye of concern.

Why worry, one may ask, if all seems to be going well.

The short answer is that t hese ma rket s a re rea l ly unpredictable. Gains now may become losses tomorrow.

T he t ra nsitor y nat u re of t he foreig n p or t fol io invest ments made in t he stock market, for instance, ma kes t he equit y market vulnerable to reversal of f lows as what is happening now as we write. It is not without good reason that such investments are also referred to as “hot money.”

Lessons should also be learned from the 2007 US property market meltdown.

Here are some of the insights shared during the recent ESE, which was attended by BSP Gov. Amando M. Tetangco Jr., Monetary Board Members (MBM) Alfredo C. Antonio, Peter B. Favila, Dr. Felipe M. Medalla, and Atty. Armando L. Suratos, BSP Deputy bunye/PAGE 7

Big and beyond

HILE we need to be properly engaged with our daily routine of work, usually the ordinary little duties attached to our profession and the other conditions of our life, we should remember that we have to aim also at the real big thing which is our holiness that requires going beyond the prosaic of the here and now.

We need to make this reminder because many of us are falling into complacency and confusion, lost in the f low of daily events and unable to connect to the ultimate goal we all are meant to reach.

In fact, many now think we just have to live from moment to moment, from day to day, denying any importance to any concern for the future and much less to eternity. Eternal life holds no meaning to many of us.

There’s nothing after death. Everything is transitory.

Nothing remains forever.

The inquisitiveness of that rich young man who asked Christ, “What good must I do to have eternal life?” is all but gone in the mind and heart of modern man. We seem contented and thrilled only with what we have at hand—the new technologies, fashions, etc.—that appear to capture our dreams and fantasies.

This time-and-earth-bound mentality is actually dramatized abundantly in the gospel. There’s that parable, for example, of a man who in trying to insure his temporal security decided to build larger barns to store his possessions, and said to himself: “Soul, you have much goods laid up for many years. Take your rest, eat, drink and make merry.” (Lk 12,19) The lesson Christ wanted to impart from this parable

HINTS

is the following: “Seek first the kingdom of God and his and Traces justice, and all these things

By Fr. Roy Cimagala (the earthly, temporal and materia l t hings we need) shall be added unto you.”

(12,31) Christ wants us to make “ bags which do not grow old, a treasure in heaven that does not fail, where no thief approaches nor moth corrupts.” (12,33) We have to get out of this time-and-earth-bound outlook, and enter into an exciting adventure that God offers us in his providence, in his abiding governance of his whole creation, in his continuing intervention in our life. It’s an adventure that cruises through time and space but also transcends them to bring us to eternal life and joy.

We just cannot make our life the way we want it to be. We have to live it with God. In fact, only with God would we be able to live our life to the full. Without him, we would be out on a limb, prone to all sorts of danger and harm, inside and outside us.

What this means is that we need to fall in love to be able to connect the material with the spiritual, the temporal with the eternal, the human with the divine. cimagala/PAGE 7

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VP Binay outlines principles vs cyber threats Vice President Jejomar C. Binay on Wednesday laid out four “fundamental principles” to build the best defenses against “increasing intensity and sophistication of threats in cyber space.”

Speaking at the SecureAsia@Manila cyber securit y conference, Binay said first, effective participation in international col laborat ion for c yber s e c u r it y s t a r t s w it h a domestic policy platform.

“Considering the tra nsnationa l nature of cybercrime, let us build

more proac t ive c yber security agreements that will permit our country’s friends to become more active partners in apprehending and prosecuting offending parties,” he said.

Second, the Vice President sa id t here shou ld be a common set of norms to ensure the rule of laws in

cyberspace.

“Just as all democratic nations subscribe to laws, rules and agreements that promote harmony among states, it would be timely if a corresponding code can be crafted and agreed to by the Free World,” he said.

“We have all come to regard cyber security as a national security issue.

Let us take this one bold step further by renouncing cyber warfare as a means of national policy,” he added.

Third, Binay said cooperation should not just take place between nations but also across sectors and institutions.

“Governance of cyberspace should not be limited to governments alone, but should also involve relevant stakeholders,” he said.

“No single agency has the mandate or the capability to match the breadth and depth of the challenge. Accordingly,

ensuring cyber security must be a collaborative endeavor between a broad spectrum of actors from across the various sectors of society,” he added.

Finally, the Vice President said policies should have

enou g h f lex ibi l it y a nd responsiveness given the fluidity of cyber security and the continuous evolution of technology.

He t h e n u r g e d t h e participants of the conference to aid “legislators in crafting

policies that will preserve and even bolster the power of cyberspace as an engine of economic growth and a plat form upon which developing nat ions ca n overc ome p over t y a nd similar hurdles.”

51 engineers attend Construction Performance Evaluation System confab CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Aug 7 -- Fifty-one civil engineers from both the private and public organizations in Northern Mindanao and Butuan City successfully completed the Seminar-Workshop on the “Constructors’ Performance Evaluation System” conducted last July 23 to 25 at the Golden Stallion Suites, this city.

The workshop, initiated by the local chapter of the Philippine Institute of Civil

E n g i n e e r s ( PIC E), w a s conducted by the Philippine Domestic Construction Board (PDCB) of the Construction Industry Authority of the Philippines.

Ac c ord i n g t o PIC E Misamis Oriental/Cagayan de Oro President and District Engineer of t he cit y 1st District Yolando T. Egam the event intended to accredit evaluators of construction projects implemented by the

government to comply with the requirements of Republic Act 9184, otherwise known as the Government Procurement Reform Act. The act is enacted primarily to eradicate gra f t a nd corruption in the government procurement system. Likewise, it aims to minimize wastage and thus maximize utilization of gover n ment ’s meager resources. (Jojo Ortiz/PICE/ PIA10)

Hurst...

fond of saying whenever he is confronted with the shenanigans of his officials and subordinates, let the chips fall where they may, and let’s see whether the Ombudsma n w i l l act in the greater interest of the Filipino nation.

B u t I u r g e Va r g a s a nd Mejor ado to br i ng t heir issues not only before the courts of men, but even before G od--i n p a r t ic u l a r, t h rou g h prayers and constant study of His Word, t he Bible, with expectation in their hear ts t hat in His great mercy and omniscience, God will act with fairness and justice as the ultimate “Judge” or “Justice” in their complaint against Abad and the Department of Finance.

For, in Hebrews 4:12, we are told: “For the word of God is alive and active.

Sharper than any doubleedged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart…”

And in Romans 1:16, we are reminded: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes…”

-ooo R E AC T IONS? Plea se c a l l m e a t 0 917 9 8 4 2 4 6 8 , 0 918 574 019 3 ,

0922 833 43 96. Ema i l: batasmauricio@yahoo.com, m mau r iciojr111@g ma i l. com.

from page 6

who are not successful.

Education will not, for the world is full of educated losers.

Only persistence and determination can give you the power to succeed.”

You see, you can succeed just like anyone else. Just keep wanting it enough to keep working for it enough.

So why not decide today to sta r t going t he ex tra mile on the road to your success?

Ask Jesus Christ to take charge of your life.

It’s with His strength and willpower that you’ll find the determination and persistence to succeed— wh ich w i l l pay you big profits.

Just Think a Minute…

Batas... from page 6

of Fina nce are doing to Mejorado is this: discourage exposes against smugglers.

In short, the impression is that, this government wants smuggling to continue.

-ooo RAISING PROBLEMS TO GOD: Consequently, I a l s o a g re e w it h w hat Vargas had done as a lawyer for Mejorado: bring this matter to the Ombudsman.

As President Aqu i no is

Bunye... from page 6

Diwa C. Guinigundo, and former MBM Dr. Vicente B. Valdepeñas.

At t y. Ref r a n of t he Philippine Stock Exchange talked about the stock market, recent developments (e.g. PSEi levels, market capitalization, capital raised, alternative investments, etc.).

Atty. Refran’s message: The current economic and market situation are not the same as in those years leading to the property bubble burst in 2007.

Atty. Refran then presented the efforts of the PSE to improve the market, including new projects (e.g., offering an online trading platform for retail brokers, having its own depository, establishment of a new issuer disclosure system to improve provision of data to investors, as well as implementing short selling locally) as well as offering new products to expand the menu of investment choices for investors (e.g. exchange traded funds or ETFs, PERA accounts, and having index options and futures contracts similar to that in Singapore).

In his presentation, Mr. Young of Colliers gave the participants a view on the

Covered Court at Macabalan HS Congressman Rufus Rodriguez together with his brother Congressman Maxie Rodriguez, Jr. of Abante Midanao Partylist leads the cutting of ribbon in the completion ceremony of a new covered court inside Macabalan National High School that cost P3 million. In this occasion, Cong. Rufus also promised to put up additional funds that will be used for the installation of lights in the covered court.

Also in photo are School Principal Bernardito Capagngan, DE Allan Borromeo of DPWH and faculty staff.

recent developments in the property market.

Generally, Mr. Young thinks there is no property bubble yet. For him, asset price bubble is characterized by rapid price increase. The market is unsupported by affordability; hence demand is increasingly speculative.

Clearly, there is no office supply bubble. There is low vacancy rates which is driven by supply shortfalls. As far as prices are concerned, rental rates are seen to grow by 5-10% in 2014. Lastly, office rental rate in Manila is still the cheapest in Asia, signifying that we have not been re-rated yet by market players, which is an indication of the absence of a bubble.

Also, Mr. Young said it is not accurate to say that foreigners are to blame in the perceived build up of the property bubble, since foreigners play a very small par t in t he Philippines commercial property market.

In the latter part of his presentation, Mr. Young shared how other countries intervened to prevent bubble build up. Most interventions, he said, were in the form of taxation of properties and transfers of properties to discourage speculative purchases.

Prof. Enrique Soriano III of the Ateneo Graduate School of Business also said there

is no cause for panic at the moment in the property sector.

However, supply of mid-rise and high-rise building should be monitored.

He said the challenge now is in sustaining the momentum, and this can be done by extending the development be yond Met ro Ma n i la , ensuring those who borrow from banks fully comply with real estate requirements, and monitoring of new borrowing by inexperienced property builders/developers.

True to its mandate, the BSP will continue to conduct similar exercises with concerned sectors and stakeholders. Maintaining price stability is – and should be – a group effort.

Note: My book, Central Banking for Every Juan and Maria is now available in main branches of Fully Booked, Power Books, National Book Store, and University of the Philippines Press.

Cimagala...

from page 6 But we have to love with the love of God who is the author, essence, means and end of love.

We have to be forewarned of the many fake forms of love we tend to get tricked into.

With this love of God, we can link the small ordinary events of our life to the big and beyond of our earthly life. And this love of God is none other

than obeying God’s commandments. Christ himself said so: “If you love me, keep my commandments.” (Jn 14,15) This indication was precisely reinforced in that episode of the rich young man. Christ told him that to enter into eternal life, he has to follow the commandments. And when the young man said he was doing all the commandments, then Christ told him to sell all he had and to come, follow Christ.

We cannot exaggerate this need to follow Christ as closely as possible even to the point of leaving behind everything that we have (relictis omnibus).

Following Christ would always involve a continuing process of self-denial. It’s a denial that would leave us increasingly empty of ourselves to fill ourselves more and more with Christ.

This is the love of God that would enable us to properly immerse ourselves in our earthly condition and to transcend it as well to bring us to our ultimate destination. This is the love that makes the little things of our day big and acquire an eternal value.

God does not want us to get out of this world. He put us here, in the first place. But he wants us to live our life here properly, that is, with love that usually is manifested by offering everything to God and serving others.

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Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor : Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy

ONSTAGE TONIGHT: TENOR AND PIANO CONCERT AT RODELSA HALL Tonight, all roads will lead to Rodelsa Hall, the premiere performing arts venue in Cagayan de Oro City as two of the country’s busiest classical concert artists come together for one spectacular performance. Los Angeles (USA)-based tenor Sal Malaki teams up with international pianist Rudolf Golez in a special concert for the benefit of Safer River, Life Saver Foundation, Inc. This second team-up of Malaki and Golez is a follow-up to their highly successful concert held last year also on the same venue. However, this year’s repertoire promises to be a merry mix of well-loved light classics and Broadway hits that will ignite everyone’s passion for music. Malaki will next be seen in a grand production of Noli Mi Tangere in New York this October and several concerts around the Philippines are slated on his next visit early next year.

Golez on the other hand is also preparing for a US concert

in November. Aside from concertizing, he is currently the Liceo de Cagayan University Vice President for Cultural Affairs and Dean of the newly-opened College of Music.

Tonight’s special concert serves as the initial offering of the Rodelsa 2013-2014 cultural season. This year’s string of performances is geared to help raise funds for the environmental programs of Safer River, Life Saver Foundation, Inc., a non-profit organization that helps in the sustainability and protection of the Cagayan de Oro River and its nearby communities.

To watch tonight’s concert, donor cards are available at the main lobby of Rodelsa Hall and may be obtained at least a few minutes before the start of the concert. Cash donations of any amount are welcome.

For more details please feel free to call 09176366528 or (088) 8584093 to 95 local 109. See you at Rodelsa Hall!

Facilitating effective meetings highlights PMAP’s 3rd GMM

sal malaki

Globe Telecom is Asia’s Best Brand

CMO Asia has conferred Asia’s Best Brand Award to Globe Telecom in recognition of its marketing leadership in the telecommunications sector both local and regional.

Globe was chosen based on the following criteria: a) Mind Share – indicates a brand’s strength inside the minds of the consumers of the respective product category; b) Market Share – shows a brand’s strength in a certain market in terms of consumers’ actual buying behavior; and c) Commitment Share – indicates a brand’s strength in encouraging consumers to buy that brand in the future.

“Branding is important since it provides the interface between the consumers and the company and shows how much a service or product is accepted by the public.

Currently, Globe continues to sustain its growth momentum complemented by robust subscriber acquisitions which leverage on the success of ou r va r iou s ma rket i ng efforts across all brands.

This Award, therefore, is proof that we are on the right track,” said Yoly Crisanto, Head of Globe Corporate Communications.

T he 4t h C MO A si a Awards for Excellence in Bra nd i ng & Ma rket i ng recognizes Organizations, Chief Marketing Officers a nd P rofe s siona l s who have shown leadership in building brands combined with consistent innovation and strategic marketing. It is also dedicated to high level knowledge exchange through thought leadership and peer networking amongst decision ma kers across indust r y segments in Asia.

T h e Aw a r d s w a s represented by 25 countries across Asia with about 200 Senior Leaders and decision makers who attended the awarding ceremony at the Pan Pacific Hotel, Singapore.

Earlier, Globe My Super Plan for postpaid users was awarded the Most Innovative Telecom Project Award in the Asia Telecom Awards for its huge impact in the market. Globe My Super Plan as well as Go Sakto for prepaid subscribers, are both pioneering services that allow users to create their own plan or promo according to their needs, budget, usage levels, and preference and are testament to the strength of the Globe brand.

Cagayan de Oro City – Fa c i l it a t i n g E f fe c t i ve Meetings applying t he internationa l ly recognized sta nda rd highlights the numerous a ge nd a of t he Pe ople Management Association of the Philippines (PMAP) during its 3rd Genera l Me m b e r s h i p Me e t i n g (G M M) h e ld re c e nt l y at t he T ha i Me Up Restaurant, Capistrano St. Cagayan de Oro City.

PM A P DirectorI n- cha rge for G ener a l Me m b e r s h i p Me e t i n g (G M M ) , M s . S u z e t t e R . Maa nd ig (Brig ht Rock School) gave t he overview of the learning session as she welcomed t h e s i x t y – t w o (6 2) participants and guests w it h a l ist of releva nt activ ities and learning session, the updates of accomplishments f rom the officers and Board of Directors for the second quarter of 2013 and the get-together activities.

Resource Facilitator, Dr. Genaro Japos of Liceo de Cagayan Universit y s t re s s e d – out i n h i s learning session t he impor ta nce of using scientific information in substantiating a meeting a nd i n e n s u r i n g t h a t learning is in parallel taking place aside from ac h ie v i ng t he de si re d meeting agenda. “ The overa l l proceed i ngs of t h e m e e t i n g mu s t b e something that elevates the attendees to the meta cognitive power and make t hem t hink, a na lyze, evaluate and make sound judgment and decisions ”, Dr. Japos said.

PM A P President A id a May de Gu z ma n (Independent HR C on s u l t a nt) r e p o r t e d the chapter’s remarkable accomplishments for the second quarter. The list of accompl ish ment s was cu l minated w it h t h e c h a p t e r ’s au d it e d f ina ncia l status repor t

by the Chapter Treasurer, Prisci l la C. Capita n (Poly med ic Med ica l Group). De Guzman and Capitan encouraged the members to consistently give their all – out support and cooperation with the Of f icers a nd Boa rd of Directors on their effort towards achieving the a s soc iat ion’s st r ateg ic goals.

PMAP Vice President and PRO, Dr. Wilma G. Magda le (STEAG state Power Inc.) also added va lue to t he GMM pro g r a m t h rou g h he r prelude faci litation of “Mini Concurrent Sessions on HR Best Practices”. The session created a venue for the early bird participants to benchmark best practices on t a lent at t rac t ion, employee retention and engagement and in parallel an opportunity for them to network and build connections from and among the different

Clerical Table Giving. Teachers of Laureta National High School in Barangay San Miguel welcomed the team of Tagum City Mayor Allan L. Rellon who led in the distribution of 10 clerical tables that are previously used by the local government last August 6, 2013. These donated school furniture will now replace old ones used by the teachers, which are really not suitable for them to use. Other schools, which received the said furniture, are Tagum City National High School Annex in Canocotan (8), Tagum City National High School (20), and Tagum City National Trade School (6).

photo by edwin b . lasquite of cio tagum

pa r t icipat i ng i ndu st r y representatives.

E qu a l ly i mpor t a nt among the other GMM activities was the induction of the new members, Mr. Mark Plaza (Individual member), FBC Worldwide Business Solutions, Inc. (r e p r e s e n t e d b y M r .

Nino Duran, Managing D i r e c t o r), a n d b a l i kmember, Salay Handmade Products Industries, Inc (represented by Ms. Elena Palamine, HR Supervisor) by the Chapter President Aida May de Guzman.

Directors-Incharge and Committee Chairpersons Joy Gogo ( Ways and Means) , Dr. Dulce Esperon (General M e m b e r s h i p), M a .

Alva Espiritu (Internal C om mu n ic at ions) S u e M a a n d i g (G M M ) and Ma. Soledad Amir (Professional De velopment) a lso informed the participating members their respective commit tees’ priorit y programs for the third quarter.

Chapter Board Secretar y Ma. Alva E spi r it u of Del Monte Phi ls. Inc. recapped t h e m e e t i n g ’s m a i n agenda and invited the participating members to put into practice salient points learned from the learning sessions. Espiritu likewise invited them to the chapter’s professional de ve lopment prog r a m on “Balancing Customer Intimacy and Management Loyalty” on August 15, 2013.

The traditional funfilled fellowship, birthday greetings of the chapter’s qua r terly celebrators a nd t he distribution of sponsored raff le prizes from the member c omp a n ie s to ok pl a c e b e fore e ve r y one we nt home.

3,871 teachers join grade 8 mass training on DepEd’s K to 12

By Margie R. Valmoria

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY, Aug. 7 (PIA) -- A total of 3,871 teachers in Northern Mindanao participated in the Department of Education (DepEd) grade eight mass training on K to 12 basic education program (BEP) on

April 29 to May 3 and May 6 to 10 this year.

Since President Aquino signed Republic Act 10533 or Enhanced Basic Education Act into law on May 15 making it K to 12, DepED national and regional prime movers immediately mobilized their respective regions.

As its implementation, the department have held administrative meetings and conducted various massive K to 12 trainings for teachers among others.

There were two batches of these trainings and were training/PAGE 10

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PDLT... from page 3

said its first-half core profit climbed five percent to P19.4 billion from P18.4 billion a year ago.

In the second quarter alone, the telco’s core net income also rose six percent to P9.8 billion this year from P9.2 billion last year.

Consolidated ser v ice re venue s c l i mb e d fou r percent to P42.14 billion from P40.41 billion over the same period. Including the first quarter, PLDT’s firsthalf revenues inched up two percent to P81.1 billion from P79.73 billion last year.

Custody... from page 4

The Of f ice of t he Ombudsman in October 2012 found probable cause to indict Dimaporo and five NGO partners for graft and malversation, alleging that the long-time congressman a nd former governor facilitated the release of P5 million for non-governmental organization Lanao Foundation Incorporated for the purchase of 10,000 bags of fertilizer in 2004.

After the investigation, the Ombudsman discovered that the purchase was not delivered to its intended farmer-beneficiaries.

The Sandiganbayan will hold its preliminary hearing on Dimaporo’s case in August 27.

D i m a p o r o’s c a s e i s allegedly part of the soc a l le d Fe r t i l i z e r Fu nd Scam under t he Arroyo administration involving for mer D e p a r t ment of Agriculture Undersecretary Jocelyn “Joc-Joc” Bolante, wherein P728 mi l lion from the Department of Agriculture’s fertilizer fund were diverted for former president Gloria MacapagalA r r o y o ’s p r e s i d e n t i a l

campaign in 2004.

Aside from Dimaporo, four former congressmen face similar charges in relation to the scam. They are Federico Sa ndova l of Navotas, Nanette Castelo-Daza of Quezon City, Oscar Gozos of Batangas, and incumbent governor Carmencita Reyes of Marinduque.

The Sandiganbayan is currently trying Bolante on charges of plunder.

As in the case of Mrs. Arroyo, the leadership of the 15th Congress failed to do a ny t hi ng to stop the Sandiganbayan from executing its decision to arrest Arroyo, who is currently detained at the Veterans Memorial Medical Center for a plunder case in connection with the alleged fraudulent handling of P366 million confidential intelligence f unds of t he Phi lippine Charity Sweepstakes Office (PCSO) from January 2008 to June 2010. (MST)

Probe... from page 4

done since the PNP allegedly failed to conduct proper bidding when it signed in March 2010 a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with Nanjing Industrial Tools and Equipment Co. for the printing of service firearms license cards for police and security guards.

The brothers filed House Resolution 2459 and asked the Committee to summon the police officials, Nanjing representatives and other of f icers of concerned government agencies for investigation.

PN P ’s cont rac t w it h Nanjing indicated that the latter would print license cards priced at P150 each.

The MOA covers 15 years of the said service which amounted to P1.135 billion.

The MOA’s signatories are former PNP Chief Jesus

Versoza, PNP Director for Logistics Luizo Ticman and Romeo Macapinlac, president of Nanjing.

“One such prov ision that merits review states that the P150 fee for license cards be paid directly to Nanjing without a standard government payment order,” the elder Rodriguez said.

He urged the Committee to study and review the contract, which he said allegedly contain ambiguous provisions in the contract such as that Nanjing had the right to pull out its materials a nd e qu ipment s hou ld the project be aborted or cancelled prior to completion. “(It is) necessary so we can fine tune and strengthen the government procurement reform law,” he said.

Republic Act 9184 or the Government Procurement Refor m Ac t st ates t hat “all procurement shall be done through competitive bidding” and the law “shall apply to the procurement of infrastructure projects, goods a nd consu lt ing services, regardless of source of funds, whether local or foreign, by a ll branches and instrumentalities of government, its departments, offices and agencies, including government-owned and/or controlled corporations and local government units.”

Lani... from page 4

have violated the proposed act face a fine not exceeding P100,000 for the first offense; P250,000 for the second offense; P500,000 for the third offense and P750,000 for the fourth offense plus automatic revocation of its business permit.

Mercado-Revilla said that for the past decade or so, the international community has been trying to cut down on the use of plastic products and styrofoam containers and stressed that it is about time that each contribute one’s share by minimizing, if not totally banning the use of plastic products in order to preserve the ecological balance and help prevent the destruction of the ecosystem.

HB 106 also requires that a logo showing it is a biodegradable plastic or the words saying “Please return to any store for recycling” be printed or displayed on the plastic bag.

The bi l l ma ndates commercial establishments to make local reusable bags available to consumers, which shall be purchased in lieu of surrendering an old plastic bag or purchasing a new plastic bag.

Within three years from effectivity of the proposed ac t , non-biodeg r ad able plastic bags shall be gradually phased out. Therea f ter, production, importation, sale, distribution, provision or use of said bags shall be prohibited.

The Local Government Units (LGUs) are given the primary responsibility to decrease the percentage of plastic bag wastes produced

w it h i n t hei r respec t ive territorial jurisdictions. They shall be tasked to collect, transport, recycle and dispose of all plastic bags recovered by the stores. (HoR)

Rufus... from page 4

allowed to pick up local cargo for delivery to another port within the Philippines.

Local vessel operators are not forced to compete in terms of freight coast and service quality with international vessel operators,” he said in the bill’s explanatory note.

During his 4th SONA last month, Aquino asked members of Congress to amend the Cabotage Law “to foster greater competition and to lower the cost of t r a n sp or t at ion for ou r agricultural sector and other industries.”

The libera lization of t he cou nt r y’s Cabotage law is among the priority legislation that the Aquino administration is pushing in the 16th Congress, as Aquino believes that it will increase competition in the industry.

House Bill 1789, according to Rodriguez, will eliminate the barrier in foreign trade.

“Foreign vessels must be allowed to engage in transhipment of export and import cargoes with the same rules and regulations that apply to domestic shipping companies,” he said.

Under t he proposa l, foreign vessels will be allowed to transport passengers or cargoes between ports within Philippine territorial waters even when a domestic vessel is available.

All domestic and foreign ve s s el ow ners sha l l be given a certificate of public convenience or any form of authorization for the carriage of cargoes by the Maritime Industry Authority.

But local shipping groups are strongly opposed to the repeal of the Cabotage law, citing its effect to the local economy and the possibility of coastal trade getting into the hands of foreign liners.

Industry data show that there are over 4,000 ships, mostly operate as passengercargo liner, in the domestic trade.

The Philippines is an archipelago of 7,107 island and boasts of having long coastline with a length of 235,937 square kilometers.

Out of its 76 provinces, the country has 55 coastal provinces. (BDF)

Biofuel... from page 5

High energy efficiency: But opponents argued that land needed for crops to feed an increasingly hungry world was being employed wastefully and promoted instead the idea of biofuels made from leftovers, from straw, corn husks, wood chippings, bean stalks, food scraps and so on.

The Finnish solution – ready for commercialscale production, says the VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland – is a good

compromise for Finland, a country with a big timber business with a lot of waste, a very large forested hinterland, a very cold winter and a government that has endorsed the low-carbon economy by setting a target of 20% of transpor t f uels from renewable energy by 2020.

The VTT scientists and engineers reckon they can use pressurised fluidised bed gasification technology to deliver commercial quantities of methanol, dimethyl ether, synthetic gasoline and some of the low-sulphur hydrocarbons known as Fischer-Tropsch liquids.

They tested the process in prototype plants in Finland and in the US. They will be able, they believe on the basis of case studies, to achieve energy efficiencies of 50% to 67% from bark and waste wood bio-refineries and – if the surplus heat from the process is then captured for district heating or other uses – raise the overall efficiency to 74-80%.

Bio-refineries with 300 MW capacity could supply fuel for 150,000 cars at a cost of 58 to 78 euros per MWh, or 50 to 70 cents a litre.

There is also encouraging news for the fans of not just the low-carbon economy but the no-carbon economy.

Scientists at the University of Madison-Wisconsin have devised a new and less costly catalyst that can produce hydrogen from water.

Significant advantages: The hyd rogen, when burned with oxygen, delivers high levels of energy and a waste product that is entirely water. The catch has been that to make the reaction work reliably – and it certainly had to work reliably in the fuel cells devised for the Apollo moon landings and later adventures in space – the process was catalysed by platinum, a rare and very expensive metal.

Catalysts are not themselves consumed in a chemical reaction, they just help it along. Even so, as long as fuel cells depend on platinum, they are likely to remain expensive toys, or energy sources reserved for high-cost, high-demand technologies.

But Mark Lukowski and colleagues report in the Journal of the American Chemical Society that they used nanotechnolog y to put layers of molybdenum disulphide on graphite to make a semiconductor and then applied lithium to create a metallic material with unexpected properties as a catalyst. All these elements are relatively common.

They say the new catalytic cocktail looks promising although not, as yet, as efficient a catalyst as platinum.

But they are continuing the research. “There are many hu rd les to ach iev i ng a hydrogen economy”, says Lukowski, “but the advantages in efficiency and pollution reduction are so significant that we must push ahead.”

(Eco-Business)

Youth... from page 5

Sering added the push for renewable energy is the commission’s strategy to address climate change “because what we wanted to push for are those technologies that are alternatively cleaner and that will not emit more greenhouse gases so that you don’t add more to the [global] warming.”

“Actually the issue of climate change [is] an issue of the youth.

It’s not an issue of senior citizens because the impact would be [felt] later,” Siargao Islands - Del Carmen Mayor Alfredo Matugas Coro II, who was one of the speakers in the summit, told the media covering the event.

He encouraged the youth to create their network among other youth organizations for them to have access to local government services and initiatives that help mitigate the effects of climate change.

“The idea is for us to work together, not for an individual or an organization, to try to solve all these problems,” Coro said.

Aquino expressed hopes that the gathering “may inspire and help raise awareness on the vital issue” among the youth, and enable them to become “transformative voices in this movement to conserve our resources and establish more progressive, eco-friendly societies.” “We count on your solidarity in our shared mission to protect the only home we have,” the President said.

Other speakers during the summit were San Vicente, Palawan Mayor Maria Carmela Alvarez, who shared her municipality’s “Eco-Town” efforts, and Save the Philippine Seas Founder and Chief Mermaid Anna Rosario Oposa, who talked about youth-led climate change initiatives. (MB)

Training... from page 8

were conducted in various institutions such as Xavier University, Capitol University, Liceo de Cagayan University and Bukidnon State University.

Another mass training on K to 12 BEP for grade two was conducted simultaneously in all 14 divisions in the region on May 20 to 24.

Assistant Secretary Reynaldo Antonio D. Lagudawill presented the Senior High School (SHS) Program to the different Schools Division Superintendents during a Technical Assistance in preparation of SHS cum Regional Management Committee Conference on August 1 to 2 in Malaybalay City, Bukidnon.

K to 12 encompasses at least one year of kindergarten, six years of elementary education, and six years of secondary education.

M o r e ove r, s e c o n d a r y education includes four years of junior high school and two years of senior high school.

This law aims to provide sufficient time for mastery of concepts and skills, develop lifelong learners, and prepare graduates for tertiary education, middle-level skills development, employment and entrepreneurship.

To date, DepED region 10 has been utilizing all its resources to prepare the different divisions in implementing the SHS Program in 2016. (Margie R. Valmoria/ MOGCHS/DepEd/JMOR/PIA10)

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Market... from page 1

IMEM as scheduled will only undermine efforts to address t he so-ca lled Mindanao power crisis.

Masongsong filed House Resolution 156 on Monday (Aug. 5, 2013) calling for the deferment of the IMEM. Masongsong cited five reasons why the DoE and PEMC should defer IMEM’s implementation: (1) power sta keholders, especia l ly electric cooperatives (ECs) in Mindanao, are not ready for IMEM; (2) Mindanaowons are not ready for an increase in power rates; (3) unresolved issues concerning pricing, contracted capability against contracted capacit y; (4) PEMC has not shown that IMEM is the sufficient and efficient solution to the power curtailment in Mindanao; and (5) lack of awareness on the IMEM. O n t he f i r s t p oi nt , M a s on g s on g s a id t h a t “major stakeholders in the power sector in Mindanao, including major players in the IMEM, have expressed ‘unpreparedness’ for IMEM. He stressed that ECs were not given ample time to prepare t heir human capital, computer hardware and software capabilities, a nd commu nicat ions infrastructure, among others for IMEM. “We must bear in mind, that as primary participants in the system, it is essential that our ECs a re equ ipped to ensure effective participation. These requirements could not be met in a short period of time.”

The DoE issued Depa r t ment Circu la r No. DC 2013-01-0001 on January 9, 2013 “Directing the Philippine Electricity Ma rket C or porat ion to Develop and Implement an Interim Electricity Market (IMEM) as a measure to Immediately Address the Power Supply Situation in Mindanao.”

On May 24, 2013, the DoE issued another department circular (DC 2013-05-008) “Promulgating the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market ( l M E M) I mplement i n g Rules.” In the same DC, Petilla mandated the PEMC to implement the IMEM in September.

Masongsong also pointed out that even “the DoE has expressed the likelihood of increasing power rates i n M i nd a nao w it h t he introduction of the IMEM that will ultimately burden electric power consumers.”

DoE and PEMC projected that IMEM’s implementation w i ll increase Mindanao electricity rates from P0.03 – P0.72 per kWh. Masongsong pointed out that the National Statistical Coordination Board’s (NSCB) “First Semester Per Capita Poverty Incidence among Families, by Region and Province: 2006, 2009 and 2012”, Mindanao posted 28.6 poverty incidence in 2012, against the national average of 22.3%.

T here a re a rou nd 2 million power connections in Mindanao, an estimated 40% of whom are lifeline users. And “many of them are unable to pay their electric bills despite the minimal amount. This is a sad fact.

Hence, we requ i re ou r concerned agencies to take this into consideration.”

He also urged the PEMC and DoE to first resolve the issues on pricing, and whether IMEM will use contracted capability or contracted capacity.

PE MC ha s proposed to use the same pricing methodolog y being used in the WESM wherein the price for all offers made by generating companies (GenC os) for a pr ici ng interval in the next day will be the highest offered for that interval.

“However, we have to note t hat t he incept ion of the WESM [Wholesale Electricity Spot Market] as a trading platform in June 2006 and its operation in Luzon and the Visayas did not stop electricity price hikes, which led some groups to speculate that price manipulation is happening in the electricity market. It is, t herefore, imperative and I highly recommend for the review and further deliberations on the pricing methodology in order to come up with safety mechanisms to avoid those speculations.”

Masongsong also stressed t hat PEMC has “yet to establish that the IMEM is a sufficient and efficient solution to the problem of load curtailment” the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) is imposing on ECs in the island.

“Is IMEM sufficient or will it enable the electric cooperatives to purchase t heir day-to-day energ y r e q u i r e m e nt s? O n t h e efficiency issue, the PEMC should demonstrate that the power capacity that will be made available by embedded generators can be purchased at the lowest price.”

Lastly, PEMC has failed in its information campaign about the IMEM. In a recent med ia presentation at the WESM in Ortigas, PEMC admitted that majority of end-user power consumers in Luzon and the Visayas are unaware of the WESM. “Puede ho kaya nating i-request na maipaliwanag a ng sistema sa sa lita ng ma i i nt i nd i ha n ng mga ordinaryong mamamayan?

Because at the end of the day, the ultimate power stakeholder is the consuming public or the end users,” he pointed out.

Masongsong also urged Congress to do its part in urg i ng DoE a nd PEMC through legislation to defer IMEM’s implementation.

“A s t h e p e o p l e ’ s representat ives, it is incumbent upon Congress to become an avenue for better understanding of key government programs

and policies. This humble representation, therefore, reiterates that we need to defer the implementation of the Interim Mindanao Electricity Market or the IMEM in September, for want of further study and evaluation.”

Pilmico...

from page 1 with a library, audio visual room, laboratories for home econom ic s a nd science classes.

During t he turnover ceremony, Pilmico, pledged to add a requirement of the school. Computers.

AFI have already c on s t r u c t e d 6 8 s c ho ol buildings with two classrooms each building in the different parts of the country. The foundation recognizes education as a critical component in nation a building and development which is part of its focus areas on enterprise development and environmental sustainability.

While efforts to rebuild Iligan City have been in full swing since in late 2011, Pilmico has given its support to the process, particularly in rebuilding the lives of the flood victims that were left homeless, such was the condition of Mamerto and his family.

Mamerto, said that when he went back to school after the f loods, he was accommodated in one of the elementary schools in this city where the condition was worse than the evacuation centers.

“Students from three barangays in Iligan city that were hit by Typhoon Sendong no longer have to worry about having a place to stay or travel far only to study in congested classrooms,” said Sabin Aboitiz, Pilmico president and CEO. After flashfloods washed away and damaged school bu i ld i ngs i n Ba ra ngays Hinaplanon and its sitio Bayug Island , Santiago, and Sta Felomina, students were forced to attend classes in other barangays, adding to the already congested classrooms, because a number of classrooms were utilized as evacuation centers.

When Mamerto’s family and the other evacuees were finally relocated in Bayanihan Village, he and other students had to travel 12 kilometers to go to school.

“This underlying need to provide convenience and comfort to the students is reason Pilmico is building this school. The quality of education that the children will be getting is at stake if this is not remedied.”

Aboitiz said, adding that “ We are doing this to show our commitment to Iligan, which we have been calling our home for more than 50 years now.”

The school building project sits on a 4,200 square meter lot, part of the 16 hectare lot Bayanihan Village where close to 2,000 families have been relocated after Sendong.

Stroll... from page 5

over 1 million people who depend on the Malindang Range.

Already less populated is the adjacent natural lowland dipterocarp forest, from 220 meters to 500 meters above sea level, featuring 175 plant species, with 25-meter-high trees and over 250 different animals.

Increasing huma n encroachment for cultivation, and unregulated extraction of forest products such as f irewood a nd timber, however, convert t his ecosystem to much less diverse mixed forest or plantation forest.

These plantations are most ly monocu ltures, dominated by cocos and acacia. Likewise, the dipteroca r p forest f rom 450 meters to 900 meters is affected and the remaining forest can be found only in small and discrete patches.

Moreover, areas cleared by logging ca nnot be cultivated here, due to the steep slopes.

Subanen ‘river people’ Following along Layawan R iver uphi l l, where t he vegetation becomes more and more dense, we will encounter the Subanen, the indigenous “river people” com mu n it y of M isa m is Occidental. They comprise 75 percent of the occupants of the natural park and are traditionally hunters and gatherers, but most have settled down to plant corn, vegetables, bananas and coconuts.

Thus, t hey shape t he a g r ic u lt u ra l s ystems of h ig her a lt it ude s , u si ng m a i n l y t he t r a d it ion a l form of shifting cultivation, w h ich i nvolve s a shor t period of agriculture with subsistence crops li ke cassava, followed by fallow.

Besides providing food and material for shelter, the forests are also a source of t rad it iona l med ici ne to t hem, some of which remain available and are used to this day.

O ne e x a mple i s t he ba rk of a l mac iga , u sed to t re at s tom a c h- a c he .

The Subanen sti l l enjoy an intimate relationship with nature, and take only what is needed for their subsistence.

Furthermore, t hey protect the mountain by reporting poachers and by supporting the Protected Area Off ice in their conservation efforts.

Fer na ndo Maga nte, provincial tribal coordinator for the Subanen, laments t h a t M a l i n d a n g ’s r i c h biodiversity is increasingly affected by incidences of illegal logging. He hopes that the declaration as an AHP will strengthen the commitment to defend the park and their home.

After this first exhausting ascent, let us catch our breath and cool our feet in picturesque Lake Duminagat. This 8-hectare

crater lake at the heart of t he pa rk is not on ly a n important water source for the adjacent rural villages, but also a silent witness to the geologic history of Mount Malindang.

A s er ie s of volc a n ic er upt ion s over s ome 2 million years, followed by severe erosion, has formed t his deeply dissected mountain range of lavas and built-ups.

O t h e r i nd i c at or s of M a l i nd a ng ’s f ier y pa s t a re t he hot s pr i n g s of Sebucal and Tuminawan, extensive volcanic rocks, and the carbonized woods of Mansawan.

Sufficiently refreshed, we now leave the Subanen and ascent the very steep slopes of the submontane d iperoc a r p forest . It features over 160 plant and 150 animal species, many endemic to Mindanao and found nowhere else in the world.

This forest type provides impor ta nt ecolog ica l s er v ic e s , a b ove a l l t he stabilization of the steep t e r r a i n . T he s t e e pne s s makes the forest also poorly accessible to illegal logging, the fortunate reason why only its lower parts have been logged.

At a similar altitude, up to 1,4 0 0 meters , we w i l l come across a t r ue forest g ia nt, Agat his philippinensis, eponymous for t he a l maciga forest.

The tallest representative re a c he s re m a rk a ble 4 5 meters into the cloudy sky and has a circumference of 11 meters, rendering it also a sought-after and now threatened source for timber. (To be concluded tomorrow)

Leads...

11

from page 2

It added that grow th will be at 6.1 percent for Indonesia, 5.3 percent for Malaysia, 5.3 percent for Vietnam, and 3.9 percent for Thailand.

S&P said that Indonesia’s growth momentum remains strong, but financing the resulting current account deficit has become increasingly difficult.

“Malaysia is also relatively open, but strong private and public investments, including infrastructure spending, are supporting overall growth,” it said.

It added that Vietnam’s growth has fallen significantly below potent ia l, as t he economy struggles with the stock of nonperforming loans and slow credit growth, while Thailand lags as it is relatively more trade-dependent.

“The risks to grow th within the ASEAN group are tilted modestly to the downside, but in a tighter range than the NIEs,” it stated. (MT)

AGP... from page 2

scope to saturate the selected 318 villages in the province.

Aside from individual goat raisers, other institutions or groups also became recipients of the AGP, like the Friends Foundation, Incorporated (FFI) in Barangay Lapinigan, this town.

Records from the Prov incia l Veterinaria n Office showed an increase in the production of goats.

From 87 metric tons (MT) in 2009, the inventory rose to 88 MT in 2010, 89 MT in 2011, and close to 100 MT in 2012. (MB)

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