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Volume III, No. 197
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Hyundai overtake GM in Australia
Economy
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Market Indicators
As of 5:45 pm apr. 22, 2013 (Monday)
FOREX
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Briefly MUST for 4Ps THE Guidance Office of Mindanao State University of Science and Technology (MUST) Main Campus here is calling students under Students Grant-Aid Program for Pover t y Alleviation (SGP-PA) to follow-up their enrolment for the upcoming school year. This after MUST through the guidance counselor is stepping its monitoring on the college scholars of the SGPPA which aims to increase number of graduates in higher education among poor households, and to get these graduates employed in highvalue added occupations in order to lift their families out of poverty and contribute to national development. The program is under the Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (Pantawid Pamilya) of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), in partnership with Commission on Higher Education (CHED), Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE), and s t ate uni ver s i t ie s a n d colleges.
Coastal tourism MAMBAJAO, Camiguin --- The 24-hectare Bonbon Pasil Marine Protected Area (MPA) will soon get some lift following the release of assistance from the Camiguin Coastal Resource Management Project (CRMP). The CRMP, through its Enterprise Development Committee, has endorsed the approval of the Pasil EcoTourism Support Services Enterprise Project with a corresponding cost of P1.8 million. This project is designed as an enterprise and will be operated under the Municipal Economic Development Office (MEEDO). The Bonbon Pasil sanctuary houses the island’s famous ‘sunken cemetery’, which assures a steady flow of visiting tourist in the area.
Flowers help restore balance in rice fields
Property companies ride on tourism
P1.5-B rolled our for ARMM Motoring
PAGE 3
P15.00
April 23, 2013
Real Estate
Climate change threatens food security PAGE 5
Environment
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Environment
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Bizmen calling for quick resolve to power woes POWER OUTLOOK
Mindanao power shortage, artificial? By ALLAN MEDIANTE Managing Editor
P OW E R s h o r t a g e i n Mindanao areas could be artif icia l, thus, the C om m it t e e on G o o d Government and Public Accountability of the Lower House is urging the next Congress to investigate the alleged culprits – local electric cooperatives! Iloilo City Congressman Jerry Treñas , chairman of said committee, said yesterday, that the 16th C on g re s s s hou ld d i g deeply into the perennial electricity crises that has been pestering Mindanao for quite a long time now. He said that his office has received several reports outlook/PAGE 11
anufacturers and exporters are urging for the immediate resolution of the power shortage in Mindanao, saying the crisis has had a “devastating” effect on all small, medium and large enterprises in the region.
A n ex por t leader i n General Santos City said Regions 8, 9, 10, and 12 have been experiencing six to eight hours of power interruption. “ T h e e f fe c t i s ve r y devastating,” he said. For la rge compa nies, usi ng their own generator sets has doubled their operational costs, resulting in higher product costs. Some large firms have also reduced their capacity and retrenched workers to cope. Sma l l a nd med iu m exporters, on the other hand, “are slowing down their production and reducing their workers and ultimately closing business,” he said. In a recent forum in
Ayala group investing in M’danao power projects By IRENE DOMINGO, Reporter
IN RESPONSE to government’s call to join hands to ease the Mindanao problem, the Ayala Group said they are now ready to diversif y into power generat ion a nd put up facilities in the region. Ayala Corp. managing director and head of the c on g lome r at e ’s e ne r g y investments Eric Francia said AC Energy Holdings
M
By ROMELDA ASCUTIA, Contributor
Inc., the group’s holding company for its investments in the power sector, is in talks with potential partners for power projects in Mindanao. “We’re in very advanced stages of development work there. Unfortunately, I cannot disclose at this point but we do have advanced projects in Mindanao,” he said. A relatively new entrant ayala/PAGE 11
POLL WATCH
Ma kati Cit y bet ween government officials and the business community, Jesus Tamang, director of the Energy Policy and Planning Bureau of the Department of Energy (DOE), admitted that there was a 250-megawatt capacity gap in Mindanao due to the rehabilitation of some power plants and hydro-power facilities in the region. The shortfall was the d i f ference bet ween t he total system capacity of 979 megawatts for Mindanao and a peak demand of 1,229 megawatts, said the National Grid Control Corporation. But even if the power resolve/PAGE 11
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Lakas-CMD endorses Villar
Vows to espouse bipartisan approach to reforms in next 3 years
LAKAS CHRISTIAN-MUSLIM DEMOCRATS PARTY. Lakas President and Leyte (1st dist) Rep.Ferdinand Martin “FM” Romualdez (center) announce their endorsement of Team-P-Noy senatorial candidate Cynthia Villar. Looking on are LAKAS co-chairman Rep.Danilo Suarez (right) and LAKAS exec-vice president Girlie Villarosa (left).
J.P. RIZAL - CRUZ TAAL STS., (NEAR SHANGHAI BAKERY) DIVISORIA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
NACIONALISTA PartyTea m Pnoy senator ia l candidate and former Las Pinay Rep. Cynthia Villar yesterday welcomed the endorsement extended to her by the Lakas-Christian
and Muslim Democrats (Lakas-CMD) and said she hoped the 16th Congress would take a bipartisan approach towards President Aquino’s reform agenda in the next three years.
V i l l a r, on e of t h e NP’s representatives in t he L ib er a l Pa r t y-le d Tea m Pnoy senator ia l slate, said she has always maintained that political endorses/PAGE 11
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Council cites taxpayers for contribution to city’s economic progress
THE city government headed by Mayor Vicente Y. Emano and Vice Mayor Caesar Ian E. Acenas recognizes the vital role of the business sector in spurring the city’s growth and progress. At the regular session this afternoon, the 16th City Council is slated to adopt a resolution commending last year’s top 10 taxpayers for their immense contribution to the city. They will all receive plaques of recognition during one of the weekly convocation ceremonies at city hall, as recommended by the City Treasurer’s Office. Based on t he list submit ted by OIC Cit y Treasurer Engr. Marilyn P. Legaspi to Mayor Emano, Nestle Philippines Inc. paid the biggest real property tax (P112,491,722.89) followed by SM City (P17,000,065.78) last year. Ot her top ta x payers a re L i m k e t k a i & S on s (P15,034,991.76); Sma r t C om mu n icat ion, Inc. (P12,199,795.73); Mindanao Energ y Systems, Inc (P7, 831,758.28); Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (P5,503,361.54); Un ip a c e C or p or at ion (P4,795, 591.05; Gr uppo Largo, Inc./ Mallberry Suites
Bus. Hotel (P4,313,019.00); Koresco Hotel (P4,018,897.57) and Philcom Corporation (P3,745,014.80). Meanwhile, Del Monte Philippines topped the list of top ten business tax payers last year paying a hef ty P48,240,524.17. It is followed by Cepalco (P32,638,775.78); Nestle Philippines, I n c ( P 14 , 2 0 4 , 7 5 7. 8 5) ; Pueblo de Oro Development Corporation (P10,176,720.90); CocaCola Bottlers Philippines, I nc . (P 9, 35 8 ,153.9 0); Unipace Corporation, Inc. (P8,817,411.28); Madison Shoppi ng Pla z a, Inc. (P8,507,288.57); PMFTC, Inc (P8,294,121.24); Supervalue, Inc. (P6,032,817.32) and DDT Konst ract Inc. (P5,628,595.75). T h e re s o lut ion w a s endorsed by the committee on laws and rules chaired by Councilor Ramon G. Tabor.
Economy
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P1.5-B rolled out for ARMM A FF I R M I NG t he Aqu i no administration’s commitment to facilitate economic growth in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM), the Department of Budget and Management (DBM) released P1.5 billion to the region’s Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) for the implementation of various public works projects. “The signing of t he Bangsamoro peace framework signalled not just a new era of peace for the ARMM, but also the beginning of real socio-economic development in the region. Central to this is the delivery of key public services to communities in the ARMM, particularly those where armed conf lict stood in the way of growth,” DBM Secretary Florencio “Butch” Abad said. The release—charged against the ARMM Built-in-Budget under Various Public Works Projects in the 2013 General Appropriations Act—will support the development of national roads and bridges, strategic infrastructure projects, and other public works. “One of the ways of boosting economic activity in the ARMM
The P1.5 billion released for ARMM is expected to improve public infrastructure and spur economic development in the region.
is by developing the region’s infrastructure system. With strategic roads and bridges in place, for example, we can improve access to and from the communities in the region and invite more commercial activity in those areas,” Abad said.
Under Muslim Mindanao Act No. 294 or the Regional Public Works Act of 2013, the infrastructure projects will be implemented by ARMM-DPWH or T he F Y 2013 prog ra m under this act likewise states
that infrastructure projects will be distributed to the five provinces and two cities of the Autonomous Region, according to the projects identified by the Regional Governor, as may be recommended by local chief executives. (PNA)
PPA issues revised SoMin Ports profile e-copy CAGAYAN DE ORO Main Branch P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers – Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN Branch B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES Branch Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA Branch Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN Branch Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739a
DAVAO City -- Eighty-four active ports are now featured in the recently published “Southern Mindanao (SoMin) Ports Profile – 2012 Edition” by the Philippine Ports Authority Port District Office (PPA
PDO) – SoMin, which is also rendered in an online version. “The PPA places a very high premium on making information accessible and affordable for clients in this digital age,” PDO–SoMin Port district manager lawyer Christian V. Santillan said on Monday. Presentation of the book is divided into five Port Management Offices (PMOs) in SoMin – Davao, General Santos, Zamboanga, Dapitan and Cotabato. It is further sectioned into: the baseport and terminals directly under the PPA, municipal or other government
ports and the private ports. Santillan said profile is primarily designed to provide up-to-date information related to shipping and trade for the business sectors and other interested parties in the ports of the southern regions of the country. He said vital data on government ports in the 176– page hard-bound material include latest photos, port layout plan (PLOP) and technical description such as geographical location, nav igat iona l approach, entrance channel, facilities and features, port services and service providers, top
cargoes and contact details. Moreover, for each of the private port featured, information supplied comprised its most recent photo, brief description facilities/features, status of operation, major cargoes ha nd led , cer t i f ic ate of registration/permit to operate number and effectivity, head of office/contact person and a PLOP. Updated based on the 2006 version, the 2012 release also offers data on the new addition to the SoMin jurisdiction – the Port Management Office (PMO) –D apit a n w h ic h includes the baseport in Dapitan City, two terminal ports – Liloy and Sindangan and four municipal ports – Galas, Nabilid, Taguilon and Siocon. Dapitan was upgraded into a PMO and reintegrated to the PDO-SoMin on September 30, 2009 from previously being only a terminal port of PDO–Northern Mindanao, particularly of the PMO– Ozamiz. “We have the book as a handy reference for walkin clients asking for the prospects of our ports in the office and an online copy for those who do not have the chance to visit us personally,” PPA PDO-SoMin Computer Operator and designated web administrator Neil Jasper P. Merin said. As a rule, PPA PDO-SoMin releases only write–protected e-copies to preserve the integrity of the information it shares. An e-copy of the profile and other related information materials on SoMin ports such as Annual Reports, new releases, brochures, guidebook or directory are downloadable from the PDO website: www. ppasomin.com.ph. (PNA)
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Hyundai overtake GM in Australia Toyota set to produce
Lexus cars in Kentucky
H Y U N DA I Motor Co., South Korea’s largest automaker, has overtaken GM Holden Ltd., the Australian unit of General Motors, in sales of cars in Australia for the first time in March, industry data showed Monday. Hyundai Motor maintained fourth place in sales of cars in Australia by selling a total of 8,402 units in March, up 7.6 percent from a year ago. Sales of Hyundai’s Tucson ix35 sports utility vehicle reached 1,529 in March, up 83 percent from a year ago. GM Holden trailed behind Hyundai by selling a total of 8,283 vehicles in March, down 18.8 percent from a year ago, according to the industry data. Still, GM Holden was a h e a d o f Hy u n d a i i n cumulative sales in the three
A Lexus LFA supercar on display at the 4th Philippine International Motor Show last August held at the World Trade Center in Pasay City.
mont hs t hrough March 31. The Australian unit of General Motors sold 24,777 vehicles between January and March, compared with Hy unda i ’s 22,723 units during the cited period. Jap a ne s e c a r m a k er s
Motor Corp. with 9,112 units and Nissan Motor Co. with 8,408 vehicles, according to the data. Hyundai’s sister company Kia Motors Corp. came in 11th place by selling 2,643 units in March.
kept the top three places in sales of cars in March by taking advantage of a weaker Japanese yen. Toyot a Motor C or p. topped the Australian market for car sales in March with 18,653, followed by Mazda
NEW YORK — Toyota says it will for the first time start producing Lexus vehicles in the United States, investing $360 million in an assembly plant it runs in Kentucky. Some 50,000 Lexus ES 350 vehicles a year will be produced at the site for the US market and the f irst vehicles are expected to rol l of f t he produc t ion line in 2015, Toyota Motor Company president and CEO Akio Toyoda said at a press conference Friday in New York. The move will generate 750 new jobs at the plant in Georgetown, Kentucky, he said. The plant currently makes Toyota Camry, Avalon
and Venza cars. It will the first time that the luxury Lexus ES model sedan is assembled outside of Japan, the company said. Toyota said that the move would help reduce the impact of f luctuating exchange rates, as t he high price of the Japanese currency against the US dollar has hurt Japanese exports to the United States in recent years. Toyota opened operations in North America in 1957, and the company currently operates 14 manufacturing plants in the United States and Canada. The company direct ly employs nearly 39,000 people in the region.
First Volkswagen dealership to open in 4Q said the first dealership will rise in Bonifacio Global City (BGC). Ayala Automotive will introduce six Volkswagen models this year, including the Polo, Golf, Beetle, Tiguan, Touareg and Touran. “We’ve agreed on t he models with Volkswagen, but one of the things we are
working on is the price points and the sourcing of the cars. They actually have plans in Asia, but the supply is taken up largely by China. We are still looking at where our cars will come from and that will affect the price,” said Orbeta. “They are looking at Asean strategy as well and they are exploring where it would make
sense to put up factories both for CBU (completely built-up) and CKD (completely knocked down). We’ve expressed our interest as well but it’s up to Volkswagen to make a decision,” he added. Last year, the Ayala unit bagged a deal to distribute Vol k s wa gen c a rs i n t he Philippines.
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The automotive unit of the Ayala group aims to open its first Volkswagen dealership in the fourth quarter, with plans of rolling out more stores next year. In a briefing following Ayala Corp’s annual stockholders’ meeting, John Philip Orbeta, Ayala Automotive Holdings Corp chairman and president,
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ADB joins calls to strengthen BSP assures borrowers manufacturing sector collateral not required for loans towards inclusive growth
THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) does not require banks to demand collateral for loans. “The reg u lation is to use t he cash f low of borrowers and characterbased lending methods in granting loans”, said Deputy Governor Nestor Espenilla, Jr. of the Supervision and Examination group of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas. He w a s o n e o f t h e presentors during a recent forum on the Philippine Property Market Scorecard: Conditions for Sma l l Businesses Forum in Taguig. However, he clarified that such collateral can facilitate the loan process. Espenilla also encourages micro and small borrowers to provide the necessary information on their business operations as it will promote transparency and bank appreciation of the business and the companyborrower. “As the banks’ regulator, we are careful in making sure that banks also consider
prudent practices in lending to bor rowers, t houg h collateral is not necessary as far as BSP’s regulations are concerned”, he said. Being prudent, he said, means for banks to ensure that borrowers have the capacity to pay. Normally, the basis for determining this capacity is the cash f low, he noted. Since access to credit is one of the main obstacles that MSMEs face, there is a need to address this issue so businesses can sustain and expand their operations, Espenilla said. Towards this end, he said that the BSP is open for dialogues with stakeholders on bank lending issues. Mea nwh i le, R a mon Quesada, Chairman of Small Business Corporation, said that SB Corp is providing ser v ice s to t he pr ivate sector through financial
THE government is adopting eig ht ne w ly de velop e d Philippine National Standard (PNS) for fresh fruits and vegetables. The Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Product Standard (BPS) said these are standards on avocado, dragon fruit, mara ng, soursop, sugar apple, breadfruit, turmeric and sweet cassava. The Bureau of Agriculture a nd Fi s he r ie s P ro du c t Standards of the Department of Agriculture undertook such PNS to reflect the recent technology developments in the industr y and the need for its harmonization with ASEAN standards and
Codex requirements in heavy metals, pesticide residues and hygiene. It details the minimum requirements, classification, tolera nces, sa mpling, packaging and marking and labeling of such fruits and vegetables. Apart from the Codex general standard for the labeling of prepackaged foods, each package shall be legibly labeled with: name of produce, variety and/or type; class and size; name and address of producer, trader, exporter, packer and/ or dispatcher; and place of origin, among others. The country currently is adopting about 60 PNS for
The Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas
ma na gement tool s a nd to ba n k s t h rou g h loa n guarantees. “We provide financial management tools to the pr ivate sec tor t hat ha s no a c c e s s to f i n a nc i a l institutions due to lack of collateral, absence of track record and those located in inaccessible areas”, he said. “Even if you lend money to businesses but not provide the necessary management tools, it will not work out
PH adopts 8 new standards for fresh fruits and vegetables
! D A E R
fresh fruits and vegetables. As the National S t a n d a r d s B o d y, B P S is primarily involved in st a nd a rd s de velopment and implementation and product cer tif ication to raise the quality and global competitiveness of Philippine products at the same time to protect the interests of consumers and businesses. It i s a m e m b e r o f International Organization for Standardization (ISO) a nd E nqu i r y Poi nt for World Trade Organization Te c h n i c a l B a r r i e r s t o Tr ade (W TO -T BT ). – (PHILEXPORT News and Features)
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ve r y we l l ”, he f u r t he r stressed. To help facilitate lending to MSMEs, the Magna Carta for MSMEs or R A 9501 mandates banks to allocate eight percent of their total loan portfolio for micro and small enterprises and two percent for medium e nt e r pr i s e s . A p pr ov e d i n 2 0 0 8 , it a mende d a similar law, RA 6977. -(PHILEXPORT News and Features)
DEVELOPING a stronger industrial base and resolving long-standing problems such as on infrastructure and cost of doing business can help the Philippines achieve inclusive growth. No r i o Us u i , S e n i o r Country Economist of the Asian Development Bank, said that there is a need for industrial upgrading and diversification in the Philippines to help address t he problem of li n k i ng e conom ic g row t h w it h development and poverty reduction. He noted in his recent talk during the Philippine Economic Forum in Makati that the country’s labor force is growing at least two percent annually. However, there are not many opportunities to absorb them. “The streng t h of t he services sector, particularly t he Business Process Outsourcing, is unique in the Philippines”, Usui noted. “It is more balanced in other countries in Southeast Asia
with a slight tilt towards manufacturing”. There is nothing wrong with a strong services sector, according to Usui, adding that other countries have a difficulty establishing their niche in this area. But it is important that for the country to move to the higher value-added segment. He likewise reminded government not to forget the manufacturing sector which is an important generator of jobs. But other than the quantity, he stressed that the quality of jobs that will be created is also critical towards sustainable employment. Nusui noted that the share of manufacturing in the Philippines has lagged most other larger countries in Southeast Asia. Between 2008 and 2012, he also noted the consistent grow th of the countr y’s services sector in terms of employment. In contrast, m a nu f a c t u r i n g i n t h e Philippines provides only strengthen/PAGE 10
A delegate affixes her signature into the wall bearing the names of membercooperatives of MASS-SPECC, Saturday, April 20,2013, at the Pryce Plaza Hotel, where the 44th Mindanao Co-op Leaders’ Forum and the 39th MASS-SPECC General Assembly were held. photo by karen mae eduave liñan , masscom intern , liceo de cagayan university
Filipino manufacturers, gov’t urged to prepare for AEC T H E Ph i l ippi ne s f ac e s opportunities for increased trade and economic growth as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Economic Community (AEC) looms, but it has to improve by 2015 the capability of local firms to play in the big leagues. Now rega rded a s a n emerging growth market, or an emerging tiger economy to some, the Philippines posted a robust 6.6 percent economic growth last year. For 2013, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas forecasts a growth of six percent to seven percent.
Dr. Rafaelita M. Aldaba of the Philippine Institute for Development Studies said that the positive outlook is boosted by the country’s good macroeconomic environment, low and stable wages, young and trainable English-speaking workers, and attractive incentives for export zone locators. But persistent weaknesses and constraints have caused it to lag behind its ASEAN neighbors, Aldaba said in a recent talk entitled “AEC 2015 & Industry Roadmaps.” Whether a local enterprise will survive the liberalized
a nd hig h ly compet it ive AEC market will depend on its productivity, export orientation, foreign equity, and company size. U n f o r t u n a t e l y, t h e manufacturing industr y has been posting a slow growth over the past few decades as desired structural changes failed to take place, according to Aldaba. From 26 percent in the 1980s, the industry’s share in GDP has declined to 24 percent in the 2000s. Employment contribution has also gone down for the urged/PAGE 10
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Loca l developers are more inclined to invest in the hotel sector this time amid the government’s “It’s More Fun in the Philippines” tourism campaign, according to property consultants. “Developers are bullish about the tourism sector because of the increasing figures on foreign tourist arrivals,” said Claro Cordero, Jones Lang Lasalle head of research, consultancy and valuation. Data from the Department of Tourism showed t he Philippines received almost 4.3 million international visitors last year, the first time that the country broke the four-million mark. The government targets f ive million tourists this year and 10 million by 2016. Hotel construction is seen to pick up with the Philippine capital doubling the existing 15,000 rooms in the next four to five years, said Karlo Pobre, research analyst for consultancy and valuation services at Colliers International Philippines. Majority of the upcoming
supply will be at the staterun Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp’s (Pagcor) Entertainment City, which will soon be home to four world-class integrated hotel and casino facilities. “One reason for t he increasing arrivals is it all boils down to branding. In the international media, t he Philippines is more c o m m o n l y k n ow n f o r typhoons and kidnappings. In recent years, we have been on the brighter side,” Pobre said. The Philippines recently scored its first investment grade credit rating from Fitch Ratings and expectations are ripe that Standard & Poor’s and Moody’s will follow soon. A barometer of investor confidence, the local stock market has shattered record levels 26 times this year with a year-to-date return of nearly 20 percent. Propert y giant Aya la Land Inc is leading the pack in tourism expansion with the doubling of its hotel room portfolio to 4,000 by 2015. The real estate firm
is developing an affordable hotel brand and going upscale with the development of Seda Suites. Aside from putting up hotels, ALI plans to build more tourism estates in the Visayas. The company already operates the 300-hectare El Nido island resort complex in Palawan. “The tourism sector is expected to be one of the engines of growth of the Philippine economy. The strategy and direction is we’re completely aligned with the economic indicators that are very positive. We see tourism will be a growth driver for the country,” said ALI president Antonino Aquino. The SM group is adding 1,000 rooms to its portfolio with five hotels under the Park Inn by Radisson brand in the next five years. The Henry Sy-led conglomerate is also bringing luxury brand Conrad Hotels & Resorts in the Philippines by mid2015 with the 350-room Conrad Manila rising at the 42-hectare SM Bay City development. Travellers International Hotel Group Inc, a joint venture between Alliance G loba l Group I nc a nd PROPERTY/PAGE 10
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Property companies ride on tourism for growth MORE Philippine real estate firms are venturing into the hotel business and expanding their leisure product line to ride on the booming tourism sector.
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Ayala’s Seda Hotel in Cagayan de Oro City.
Phinma eyeing properties in Mindanao PHINMA Property Holdings Corp is beefing up its land bank this year ahead of its planned initial public offering (IPO). W i l l i e U y, P h i n m a Properties president, said that the company is acquiring properties in Mindanao and Metro Manila to support its future projects. “When you want to go public, you need to have the land bank already. We’re quietly acquiring land for our future projects. For the next 3-5 years, you need to have your plans already. This will be a breakout year for us. We want to expand our manpower, acquire new property and purchase more equipment,” Uy said. Ph i n ma P rop er t y i s
launching 4,450 units this year with a total sales value of P4.5 billion, including Hacienda Balai, a 1,260-unit medium-rise building on a 2.9-hectare land in Quezon City. Its lineup of projects will be located in Sta Rosa, Laguna, Davao and Pasay City. For the year, the real estate f irm is hiking its capital expenditure budget to P500 million. Uy said the company did not spend much last year because of “slower-than-anticipated licensing procedures” that affected some of its planned developments. “We’re in the affordable segment. We’re okay because there’s a backlog of houses. Our condos are ranging from
P900,000 to P1.5 million. As far as t he market is concerned, we’re confident that the market will take it up,” said Uy. In 2011, Phinma Properties had put off its planned IPO because of expectations of a slowdown in the low-cost a nd a f fordable segment of the market on tighter competition and massive supply. T he recover y of t he property business is expected to boost Phinma Corp’s earnings this year, which is expected to be “significantly positive,” said Ramon del Rosario, the conglomerate’s president and chief executive officer. Phinma’s core income PHINMA/PAGE 10
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COMMENTARY The real lifestyle diseases
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e c a u s e o f t h e m a ny comforts and amenities and Traces brought about by factors like By Fr. Roy Cimagala advances in the sciences and technologies, we are also developing certain lifestyles that together with their many advantages bring with them certain dangers. Me d ic a l doc tors now talk, for example, of lifestyle d iseases t hat more t ha n genetic or hereditary causes are consequences of a mix of u n h e a lt hy at t it u d e s , environmental factors, and the usual food and drink usually taken these days. These lifestyle diseases can refer to heart attacks, strokes, cancer, etc., that are becoming the prominent killers of our times. They are brought about usually by a lifestyle, and even of a generalized culture of indulgence that usually goes together with laziness, aimlessness and idleness. So instead of healthy food like fish and veggies, many people now just go for meat and junk food. They tend to over-eat, making gluttony a kind of value to be learned and lived these days. Instead of the necessary physical exercise and activity, many of us spend hours just sitting before the computers or TV. These are the so-called couch potatoes. No wonder we have a lot of obese people and people with elevated sugar, blood pressure, etc. There is also a surge of smoking and overdrinking. Stress is also becoming more pronounced now. And I believe it’s more subjective than objective, because while it’s true that the sources of stress have increased, the capacity to handle it has also decreased, but to a degree that outpaces the sources of stress. This phenomenon, I believe, is due to a large extent to the erosion of the spiritual foundations on which our life cimagala/PAGE 7
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What are you worth?
famous American football coach was interviewed on television. The coach’s son was a star player on his team. In the interview this father-coach was asked how he felt about his son’s success as a football player. His answer surprised millions of people watching the TV program. He said: “I’m pleased that my son is a fine athlete. But I’d be just as proud of him if he’d never even played football.” It made me think of a story I read about a boy whose father died just a few months before he was born. His mother was very hard and unkind to him. Plus, her job kept her away from home most of the time, so she gave her little boy almost no attention, love or training. As a result, he had no self-confidence or even any friends, so he was alone most of the time. When he was 13 years old, a school counselor said this boy never knew what it was like to be loved, or feel safe and protected by his mother. Even though he was very smart and intelligent, he failed in school and dropped out when he was 16. So he joined the Marines, hoping it would make him a real man. But the other soldiers made fun of him and put him down. Naturally, he fought back and resisted authority, so he was soon kicked out of the Marines. There he was, in his early 20’s with no friends or family. He later married, but in a short time even his wife left him.
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A Minute It was clear to this young man By Jhan Tiafau Hurst that no one in the world wanted him. So one day he took a gun with him to his job. From a window on the third floor of his work building, on November 22, 1963, this lonely, rejected man named Lee Harvey Oswald, shot and killed the American President John F. Kennedy. In shooting that gun, Lee Harvey Oswald used the only skill he’d learned in his lifetime of pain and unhappiness. But what’s even sadder is there are millions of people like Oswald. They’ve been abused and mistreated, so they’re deeply unhappy and hurting. They’ve not been given love, kindness or respect, not even by their own family. But today, if you’ll give all your pain and anger to God, He can start healing your heart and changing your life. Only your Maker can show you how important you are and what you’re really worth. He can even use your past pain to make you a stronger, better person. Why not ask Him to start today? Just Think a Minute…
H7N9: Deadlier than H5N1?
he most current eye catching news , if one were to read or watch television, talking of around the world headlines are: the Boston Marathon unfortunate event, the Margaret Thatcher farewell to this earthly life, the Recin poisoned letters ( which I would like to write on, sometime soon ), Texas Fertilizer Blast and the one that can affect us: the newly named H7N9 Avian Flu Virus. To date, the number of confirmed diagnosed cases and the mortality rate of patients with H7N9 seem to continue on the upward trend. This is kind of scary because, as it is, the illness may not just be contained in China, but, has the potential to enter our country. H7N9, belong to the Avian Influenza A viruses that affect humans. In 2003, H5N1 had approximately 600 cases affected, in over 15 countries. And, this time, H7N9, though the latest report has it at 38 confirmed cases, with 6 deaths, it is still too early to predict as to its capability to further increase the number of cases. Just as H5N1 started from China, H7N9 once more was traced to Eastern China at the Yangtze Delta Region. There are certain things that we need to understand and know, when confronted with the emergence of diseases such as this. First, the mode of transmission. Avian Influenza A Viruses usually do not usually affect humans. The cases where humans get to be affected by these type of viruses, occur from direct or close contacts with infected poultry. Nevertheless, we should not be lulled into thinking that a person to person spread is impossible. With this always at the back of our minds, we learn to appreciate the importance of monitoring the cases.
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2nd, t he signs and symptoms can overlap with I n Focus other pathogens or disease By Dr. Mary Jean Loreche causing micro-organism. Most viral illnesses present with fever, cough, sore throat, for t he mi lder non-fata l clinical manifestations. At the extreme side of the illness, where the illness is severe, the patient may manifest as viral pneumonia with respiratory symptoms like difficulty of breathing, and even respiratory failure. There are instances when the sensorium of the patient may change and a multi-organ failure ensues, eventually leading to death. Where before I keep reminding our readers that Clinical data ( which is gathered through a thorough history taking and physical examination ), plays a central role in the diagnosis, in this particular instance, avian flu influenza A viral infections cannot be detected through clinical data alone. A history of travel to an affected country coupled with the signs and symptoms as discussed above should alert the Clinician on the possibility of the illness. Thus, the 3rd thing that we need to understand: in instances where laboratory testing is a MUST be examination, it is important that we adhere to the required specimen for submission. For viral infections, a nose or throat swab from the sick loreche/PAGE 7
What does it take to solve the insurgency?
resident Aquino orders the military to run after the communist rebels who attacked the convoy of Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona Saturday night. The firefight took place in Barangay Capitulangan, an outskirt village some 15 kilometres southwest of Gingoog City. Although wounded, Guingona was fortunate to have survived the attack. She was in her car in the company of the lifeless body of her driver and a close-in security escort for more than five hours before rescue comes Sunday morning. Aquino was furious over the incident since Guingona was a political ally under the Liberal Party ticket. On the other hand, being the wife of former Vice President Teofisto Guingona, Jr. and the mother of incumbent Senator TJ Guingona, Ruthie Guingona was a special copy. Was Aquino gearing for an all out war against the communist rebels now? The President should know that the force of arms could not contain fighting insurgency in the country. If Aquino would adopt a mailed fist policy against the country’s insurgency, the more the problem would persist as it has for almost five decades. The only way to fight insurgency is to eradicate its root cause. In other words, the country’s leadership should adopt radical changes in order to address the country’s insurgency. That these changes should focus on attacking the problem of poverty as the main cause of rebellion. People with an empty stomach are not victims of the insurgency, they
are victims of a government that never-care-less about ris iaz their future, their dreams, and aspirations. Yes, the government is addressing the problem of insurgency. The truth is that the people feel that these perceived solutions were superficial. For instance, the country designed the comprehensive land reform program to address the problem of insurgency in the country. Alas! The land reform programs were a failure. It failed because the government sees land reform as a mere distribution of lands to the landless. In other words, the comprehensive land reform program defeats its own purpose because of the government’s lack of sincerity to alleviate the plight of the poor in this country. When we talk of sincerity, we mean the government’s leadership to identify the foundation that makes a man in this country lived in squalid poverty. Of course, we have a number of economic technocrats trained in top schools of economics in other countries. Unfortunately, the economic think tanks patterned their economic fundamentals with foreign economies. We never want to adopt homegrown solutions since diaz/PAGE 7
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Loreche... from page 6
sick person during the first few days of the disease is collected and sent to the Laboratory. Molecu la r testing or culture is done and not all Laboratories have the capacit y to do t he test. In developed countries, they are most capable of performing the examination, but, in countries like our own, we may have to send the specimens to a central laborator y t hat has t he capability to do it. 4th, diseases caused by a new strain like H7N9, vaccines may still be a thing of the future. Anti-viral drugs may be used as the mainstay in treating these patients, but the possibility of the emergence of a drug resista nt v ira l stra in is something that we need to watch out for. Getting the vaccine for the common influenza may help though in minimizing some of the effects of the new strain, should one get were affected with the infection. Lastly, the unpredictability of what and how far the H7N9 virus can go, in terms of spread , should not make us sleep on what we each must do: proper hand washing, and the cooking of poultry meat all the way, with vigilance as to the source of the poultry, and keeping one’s immune system strong, are simple measures that can help us fight against the disease.
Diaz... from page 6
that would downgrade our credentials as foreign-trained economists. We do not want to believe that maintaining a strong purchasing power would alleviate the plight of the poor.
T h a t s pr e a d i n g t h e development of t he manufacturing sector to the countryside could offer employment opportunities. We s h o u l d h a v e government of leaders that would sincerely carry out the provision of affordable housing, free education, and health services to the citizenry. It only needs a strong political will to realize these things. Reac t cr isg ua rd ia n@ yahoo.com
Cimagala... from page 6
life depends. Many people succumb handily to an easy, light and fun-filled ways of doing things. They do not anymore see the value of suffering and sacrifice. They consider these elements in our life as purely negative, to be avoided at all costs. They fail to see that the suffering and sacrifice are an integral part of our life here on earth, given our wounded human condition. The suffering and sacrifice, the difficulties, trials and challenges can actually be an occasion to develop more virtues. And if we believe in the Christian faith, we would know that these things are precisely the means to our perfection and salvation. But many of the people today are at least ignorant of the spiritual and religious meaning of suffering and of life in general. Many have even gone from religious i g nor a nc e to re l i g iou s indifference and even beyond that, to religious hostility. We now have ma ny agnostics if not atheists, perhaps more of the practical type than of the theoretical type. This is the real lifestyle disease that we have now. It leads to a weakening of the
Evangelical group endorses Benaldo, Padayon Pilipino bets By GERRY LEE GORIT
The Philippine Evangelical Net work in Cagayan de Oro Cit y ha s endorsed C ong ressma n Benjo A . Benaldo, Mayor Vicente Y. Emano, Vice Mayor Caesar Ian Acenas, and a ll the Padayon Pilipino candidates for the city council including Inday Dahino, Gil Banaag, Annie Daba, Pepe Abbu, Maya Enteria, Alden Bacal and Dante Pajo of the first district. Bishop Bing Gadia n, chairman of the network, a nd Bishop Ju n Ud a ng endorsed to their thousands of members the candidacies of the Padayon bets during a gathering held Saturday evening at the City Tourism Hall. This was the first time that the group has endorsed re-electionist Congressman Benaldo. In his speech to t he rel ig ious g roup, Mayor Emano thanked the group for t he vote-st ra ig ht
endorsement and said that he and the Padayon candidates are running in the May 2013 elections not to hold on to power but to continue serving the people especially the poor. Emano said government is for all people especially the poor who need the most assistance. Af ter t he Sendong ca lamit y two years ago, Emano said he prayed to God and understood that one’s life is a gift from God to be used to serve the people. “You won’t see me in a church,” he said, “but I do believe in the same God you believe.” He said some people are no longer afraid of the law but they are still afraid of the wrath of God “that’s why we need religion.” “Let us first serve God before we want to be public servants,” he added. Emano said his benaldo/PAGE 10
spiritual foundation that gives support and nourishment to all the other aspects of life. Many people do not know how to pray. And if they ‘pray,’ it is just muttering of words, expressing what one has inside, rather than a filial conversation with our father, God, much less, a participation in the prayer of Christ himself, which is the ideal form of prayer, since our prayer should always be through Christ. Many people are ignorant a nd even averse to t he doctrine of Christ, now authoritatively taught by the Church. They always find fault or some excuses not to follow Church teaching. Many people are not
developing virtues. Rather they are in fact quickly falling to more and more vices. They are becoming less and less spiritual, and more and more sensual. All these are the very virus that is behind the so-called “culture of death” that is spreading in the world today, including our own country. The passage of the RH Bill, now a law, lends credence to this claim. That this law is made to bank on prolife premises like respect for constitution, recognition of the value of marriage and family, promise to protect life of both mother and child, access to “safe” contraceptive means, etc., is a clever move to hide the
real intent of the law which is to institutionalize the contraceptive mentality in our country. It will take time before the real effects of this law can be seen. We seem to prefer to close our eyes before the overwhelming pieces of evidence provided by many countries that have legalized the RH. Legalizing RH can only mean a contraceptive mentality that eventually will lead to abortion and other perversions. At the moment, we now hear about divorce bills. Some people are now talking about same-sex marriage and euthanasia. These are the other parts of the lifestyle disease we have now.
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An engineer of the Department of Public Works and Highways updates Cagayan de Oro City 1st District Rep. Benjo A. Benaldo’s chief of staff Andrew Bascon of a road concreting project of the congressman in Zone 8, barangay Carmen. The project costs P2.5-million and comes from the Priority Development Assistance Fund of Benaldo. photo by gerry lee gorit
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to contribute Climate change threatens Greens to permanent peace food security of urban poor By BONG D. FABE
By BONG D. FABE
CLIM ATE cha nge, which has been tagged as the clear and present danger more pernicious than the threat of terrorism, will undermine food security of urban poor in the next few years.
Urba n p o or, mos t ly low- and middle-income households, is defined as urban dwellers who have no direct access to food because of ‘income poverty’— income that is not enough to guarantee a secure access to food. According to the I nter nat iona l I n s t it ute for Env i ron ment a nd Development’s (IIED) 35page report “Urban Poverty, Food Security and Climate Change,” climate change’s impact in cities will greatly affect the urban poor because they do not have direct access to food. It said climate change has devastating effects on agriculture which will cause widespread hunger in urban areas. The study said that the combination of rising urban populations, soaring food
prices and uncertain harvests will impact heavily on the urban poor, the people most at risk to climate change’s impacts. For t h is reason, t he repor t’s aut hors Cecilia Tacoli, Budoor Bukhari and Susannah Fisher urged a policy shift — from a focus on food production to a “broader approach based on food systems…a s it encompasses all aspects of food production, storage, distribution and consumption, all of which will be affected by climate
Flowers help restore balance in rice fields BY planting flowers around their rice paddies, womanfarmers in Vietnam are saving 42 percent on insectcontrol costs. The women, from Tien Giang province, participated in training to encourage biodiversit y by learning how to keep t hei r r ice fields ecologically sound and balanced—by planting f lowers around t hem, a practice called “ecological engineering.” The “friendly” insects and other organisms that live in this diverse vegetation around the rice fields help control rice pests, such as the brown planthopper. The misuse of pesticides can break down the natural defenses of rice fields by killing the natural enemies of
pests, which can contribute to pest outbreaks. These chemicals are marketed in such a way that farmers may be led to believe that they need to use them, even if they actually don’t. As part of a joint project between the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) and the Asian Development Bank in March 2012, 200 women from 10 districts in Tien Giang were trained on how to preserve the natural diversity of their farms. “A f t e r e c o l o g i c a l engineering was introduced, it signif ica nt ly reduced t he farmers’ insecticide use by 21.6 percent,” said D r. Mon i n a E s c a l a d a , communication consultant. “Their spending for insect flowers/PAGE 11
NATURAL PROTECTION. Flowers and other vegetation around the rice fields help build natural protection against pests, allowing farmers to save on pest-control costs. photo by irri
change and especially by the growing frequency and severity of extreme weather events.” “As most low-income groups in both rural and urban areas are net buyers of food, access and affordability are central concerns,” they said. They also stressed on the need for governments and policy-makers to give more attention to urban food security. “While more than half of the world’s population now live in urban centres
a nd on average benef it from higher incomes and better liv ing conditions than rural residents, there is also considerable inequality between wealthier groups and the residents of low-income and informal settlements. Low and irregular incomes a re t h e r o ot c au s e of urban food insecurity, but inadequate housing and basic infrastructure and limited access to services contribute to levels of malnutrition and food insecurity that are often as high if not higher threatens/PAGE 11
THE signing of the Framework Agreement on Ba ngsa moro (FA B) last November was hailed the world over as the first step towards the finish line in the long-playing conf lict that describes the best part of Mindanao’s recent history. The FAB made the sun to rise on the peace horizon that was once just a mirage. And environmentalists don’t want to be left behind in Mindanao’s quest for genuine lasting peace. In Maguindanao, environmentalists are doing their part as peacemakers in an effort to contribute to forging a permanent peace in Liguasan Marsh — Mindanao’s largest natural habitat that has seen many clashes between government and rebel forces. Lig uasa n Marsh, t he 288,000-hectare wetland that spreads across Maguindanao, North Cotabato and Sultan Kud a rat prov i nces a nd home to about one million Maguindanawons, or “people of the floodplains.” “Liguasan Marsh is a major flashpoint because of its potentially rich mineral deposits, fishing grounds and agro-forest lands,” said Nestor Carbonera, chairman
and chief executive officer of the Foundation for the Philippine Env ironment (FPE), which has worked with local NGO partners since 2008 to balance the ecological well-being and socio-economic needs of the marsh. Mindanao conflicts are often traced to the inequitable access and control of the island’s rich and vast natural resources. Carbonera said that “the signing of the Bangsamoro Framework Agreement has raised the stakes for our mission to protect the marsh.” T he 2 0 01 b o ok Ke y Conservation Sites in the Philippines described the Liguasan Marsh as a “vast complex of river channels, extensive freshwater marshes, small freshwater lakes, ponds and arable land...including 5,000 hectares of old-growth forests.” “We believe that a final peace settlement rests on strong consideration for the sustainable development of natural resources in Liguasan Marsh, the conser vation of its biodiversity, and the preservation of indigenous Maguindanaon culture,” Carbonera said. peace/PAGE 11
UCPB WB picks PHL for ‘green accounting’ supports green initiatives WITH almost 50 years of providing top-notch financial services to its clients, United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) continues to exceed industry standards and ventures into another project focused on preserving and protecting the environment to create a better society. Dubbed as the UCPB C o r p o r a t e O f f i c e Po w e r Conser vation Project, the initiative is the bank’s way of supporting the call for a “greener environment” in the modern workplace. To achieve step-by-step complete transformation of the UCPB headquarters to a greener institution, the UCPB project was divided into three phases. Phase 1 involves the conversion of light power source to lightemitting diodes, commonly known as LEDs; Phase 2 is the upgrading of the centralized air-conditioning unit into a watercooled system; and Phase 3 is the implementation of the automated building management system. The project not only helped supports/PAGE 11
M A N I L A—To a d d r e s s conflicting issues on mining, biodiversity conservation, environmental protection and climate change, the Philippines would implement t he World Bank-f unded Wea lt h Accounting and Va luation of Ecosystem S e r v i c e s ( W AV E S ) , Env i ron ment S ecret a r y Ramon Paje said. Together with Botswana, Colombia, Costa Rica and Madagascar, the Philippines will serve as an implementing partner of the World Bank for t he WAVES project, which aims to help nations incorporate the value of natural resources in the national accounts. WAV E S i s a g l o b a l p a r t ne r s h ip t h at a i m s to promote susta i nable development by ensuring that the national accounts used to measure and plan for economic growth include the value of natural resources. The four-year project, which costs $1.45 million, is expected to start by the second half of the year, with the National Economic and Development Aut horit y, National Statistical Coordination Board and the Laguna Lake Development Authority as collaborating agencies. WAVES was initia lly launched in October 2010 during the Conference of Parties to the Convention
on Biological Diversity in Nagoya, Japan. The partnership formulated and proposed a program of international act ion on ecosystems accounting at the “Rio+20” Earth Summit held in June 2012. The program of action was endorsed by 62 countries including the Philippines, 90 private-sector entities, and 17 civil-society and international organizations, which a ll committed to supporting natural capital accounting (NCA) or green accounting to move beyond gross national product (GDP) as the main measure of an economy’s progress. The NCA is thought to be more accurate in determining economic growth and its sustainability, rather than re l y i n g on t r a d it ion a l economic indicators such as the GDP. With the GDP, while income from mining or timber harvesting is recorded in national accounts, the simultaneous depletion of
natural forest assets and mineral reserves are not recognized. The GDP also fails to explicitly identify critical ecosystem services such as tourism, regulating water cycles, preventing erosion and f looding, and carbon sequestration, resulting in misleading economic signals about economic growth and development. T he Ph i l ippi nes wa s chosen for accounting of natura l resources, such as minerals and forests, to provide policy-makers with accurate information that can help them make better decisions regarding d e ve lopment pr ior it ie s and investments that are feasible and sustainable, the Department of Environment and Natural Resources chief said. (Jonathan Mayuga/BM)
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Strengthen... from page 4
8.3% of total employment c omp a re d to 16 .4% i n Malaysia, 14.7% in Thailand, 13.9% in Indonesia and 13.8% in Vietnam. “The government has to correct this structural flow, as remittances, service exports and portfolio inflows may pose macro stability risks,” he said. He lauded the Aquino administration though for “governance reforms and prudent macro management that have laid the foundation for a higher growth”. Usui projects t he GDP to be six percent from 2013 to 2014 coming from upbeat busi ness a nd consu mer sentiment; positive leading investment indicators; higher fiscal spending, particularly in infrastructure; modest inflation to range from 3.6% to 3.8%; and export recovery. “Nothing wrong here,” he noted. However, he cautioned against risks particularly on exports from excessive portfolio inflows as a result of the investment upgrade. “I do not understand why the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas allows a strong peso,” he said. “But the reduction in SDA rates is a positive signal that will temper the peso appreciation and hopefully drive the banks to lend more. The problem is there are not
enough investments to take in these loans”. Us u i n o t e d t h a t i n other countries, the excess liquidity often goes to the real estate sector and the financial market. But he warned that such economies should be careful about the possibility of asset bubbles. – (PHILEXPORT News and Features)
Urged... from page 4
same period, from 9.9 percent to 9.2 percent. Essentially, the sector is showing “premature aging,” said Aldaba, the decline ref lective of the failure of its long-term strategy. She noted the”hollow” structure of the sector, where medium-size enterprises have a small share not just in manufacturing but also in the overall Philippine structure. This has led to weak linkages bet ween t he micro a nd small and medium MSMEs and the large enterprises, resulting in a subdued MSME performance with limited value added and employment share. T h e m a nu f a c t u r i n g front today, Aldaba further said, has not kept up with te c h nolog ic a l c ha nge s , having failed to invest in state-of-the-art technology and human capital. “To take advantage of market opportunities from a bigger market, we need to transform, upgrade, and
revitalize the manufacturing industry,” Aldaba stressed. Before 2015 arrives, the government should adopt a three-pronged strategy for a more globally competitive manufacturing industry, she said. T he f i rs t s te p i s to enhance t he investment climate by removing growth obstacles and supply chain gaps , e f f ic ient ly u si ng and expanding capacity, facilitating innovation and tech nolog ica l catch-up, providing access to finance and technology for MSMEs, and encouraging moving into higher value-added sectors. The second is to issue policies that correct market and government failures such as smuggling and corruption, and streamline and automate interrelated business procedures. This stage also calls for government and industry collaboration for continuous industrial and technological upgrading and sustained growth. Taking complementary actions is the third, said A ld a ba . T he s e i nc lude promoting a competitive exchange rate, open-trade regime, sustainable macro policies, sound tax policies and administration, efficient bureaucracy, and secure property rights. There is also an urgent need to address deficiencies in infrastructure, logistics and power supply. (PHILEXPORT News and Features)
Benaldo... from page 7
relationship with Bishop Gadian is as brothers, not as bishop-mayor, and that he listens to the bishops and pastors, and prays for guidance and unity. “I believe there is a God who looks upon us,” he said as he mentioned his 33 years of service as a politician. Emano ca lled on the members of the Philippine Evangelica l Net work to suppor t t he Padayon candidates in the coming elections so that the people of Cagayan de Oro can truly be served. Congressman Benaldo likewise expressed gratitude t o t h e PE N f o r t h e i r endorsement.
Property... from page 5
Genting group, is set to commence the third phase of Resorts World Manila, comprising two new hotels under the Sheraton and Hilton brands as well as the expansion of the existing Maxims and Marriott hotels. Phinma Corp is a lso bullish on the tourism sector with plans to expand its hotel network under the Microtel brand to 25 units by 2015 from the existing 10 hotels. C e nt u r y P r o p e r t i e s Group Inc, the developer of the branded residential projects like Trump Tower and Milano Residences, is
the latest to venture into the hotel business. “A l s o m o t i v a t i n g companies to venture into hotels is the government’s infrastructure pipeline. The terminal three of Ninoy Aquino International Airport will be fully operational by yearend and the government has auctioned off the NAIA Expressway project. For the longest time, we did not have these projects to encourage tourists to go here,” said Cordero. The Philippines may be “quite late” in infrastructure development compared to its Asean neighbors, but it is “better to start doing it late than not do it at all,” an analyst said. C e nt u r y P r o p e r t i e s cha irma n a nd former ambassador Jose EB Antonio said the Philippines cannot realize its potential as a tourist destination until the government puts in place the proper infrastructure. While tourism numbers have increased in the last few years, these pale in comparison with other Asean members. “Why does Phuket have 16 million tourists and the Philippines have only over four million? It’s because t hey have door-to-door experience. Sa atin, madami pang hop, skip and jump,” said Antonio. “Where is the opportunity? T he oppor t u n it y is we have the product. We have t he beaches, mountains
and the people. We have everything that is needed and required by tourists except they have nowhere to land. We’re looking towards the pronouncement of the gover n ment t h at more infrastructure will come into play very soon,” said Antonio.
Phinma... from page 5
attributable to shareholders dropped by 24 percent to P131.5 million last year f rom P174.1 mi l l ion i n 2011, d ragged dow n by its property and business process outsourcing for animation services. T he hold i ng f i r m is investing P3.9 billion this year, P3.6 billion of which will go to its energy business, said Regina Alvarez, Phinma senior vice president for finance.
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Today’s HOROSCOPE AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) - You’ve begun your journey down a new path and in order to further your progress it will help to clear out your environment of clutter. When your physical space is clutter-free it can have the added benefit of clearing your mind of stress. Allow the energy to flow freely through your physical environment and mental space and the effects be felt immediately.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) - Don’t abandon your dreams. You surely have the capability to make your dreams come alive, but can lack the confidence or motivation to follow through. Set a plan and stick to it, avoiding as many distractions as you can along the way. With steady effort and determination you soon enough you will see you are closer to making your wishes come true.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) - If your work schedule runs over into your personal time you may want to reconsider how you’re managing your time. It may be much more fun to play, but you should handle your responsibilities first. There is an endless supply of social invitations for you to respond to so decide what you have time for and what you don’t and be up front about your availability.
PISCES (February 19 – March 20) - This period is perfect for reflection as astral action crowds your solar third house. Your creativity will be heightened as well as your ability to self-analyze. Use this time to get to the bottom of any issue you face and to be inspired about your future possibilities. An imaginative project could be energized right now and lead to a lucrative reward.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22) - Make sure you set aside time to be alone with your thoughts this week. When you face a challenging situation and don’t know what direction you’d like to move in time to yourself should give you clarity. If you can’t seem to come to a resolution quickly enough consult a close friend to help you sort through your options.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) -Some things in life have their own pace and you just have to accept it. You like to control and manipulate whatever circumstances you can and when something is out of your hands it can unsettle you. It also has the effect of motivating you to push on and continue trying.
ARIES (March 21- April 19) - You may feel a strong urge to shirk your responsibilities today and goof off due to an opposition between Venus and Saturn. If you handle your obligations first you will have plenty of time to have fun. It’s also possible over this time to connect with someone on the social scene that can have a major impact on your career.
LEO (July 23 – August 22) - If there are a few time wasters at work do your best to avoid them this week. You have limited time to manage all your affairs and if you allow someone else to drain your time you will fall behind. You may want to duck off into your office or hang a ‘do not disturb’ sign on your door. Sometimes you just have to leave others to their own devices.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) - With the promise of good fortune on its way to you make sure your attitude and looks are the best they can be. In order to take full advantage of an upcoming opportunity you will want to be on top of your game. Be ready at all times to take on something new.
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) - If something goes wrong you can analyze what happened, but don’t spend an inordinate amount of time dwelling on the issue. If you need more information go to the source and inquire. If left to your own devices you’ll likely make assumptions and could end up with inaccurate information.
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) - With lucky planet Jupiter connecting with Mercury your business life will be affected. A positive conversation will lead to great benefits for you, but you must have the time available. If you are working on a fiscal arrangement make sure you feel comfortable with the details before you move forward.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) - Your success is usually determined by your self-image and confidence. If you believe in yourself and the progress you’re capable of achieving you can maximize your success. If there is something missing in your life, like love for instance, give it time and analyze your desires. Identify what you really want and make a plan to get it.
CROSSWORD puzzle
CIRCLE A WORD right on cue
angle baulk break bridge chalk clearance colours
cushion double drag extension fine cut foul shot frame
free ball in-off kiss miscue plant pocket position
across
19.Baby’s biscuit (4) 20.Ben, Treasure island character (4)
1.Melodramatic behaviour (7) 7.Night watch (4) 8.Pampered (7) 9.Fortified wine (6) 11.US singer, Cochren (5) 13.Lasso (4) 14.Sanction (7) 15.Monetary unit of Iran (4) 16.Film title, Dancing (5) 17.Damage (6) 21.Window cover (7) 22.Violet flower (5) 23.Breathing tube (7) DOWN 2.Safaria (10) 3.Fresh and unusual (8) 4.Head cook (4) 5.Friends (4) 6.Funeral frame (4) 9.Carly, US singer (5) 10Range of skills (10) 12.Steeple (5) 13.Names book (8) 18.Australian soprano, Sutherland (4)
Answers for last Friday (April 19, 2013)
AC R O S S: 3 .C r o w s - n e s t , 8 . H e a t , 9.Farewell, 10.Compel, 13.Notre, 14. Johnnie, 15.Fig, 16.Road-hog, 17.Sharp, 21. Ardour, 22.Baseball, 23.Arid, 24.Influenza DOWN: 1.Chicaner y, 2.Dalmation, 4.Rifle, 5.Warthog, 6.Newt, 7.Sold, 11.Unsavoury, 12.Desperado, 14.Jig, 15.Forgave, 18.Waltz, 19.Dawn, 20.Peal
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Peace... from page 8
Even before the historic s i g n i n g o f t h e FA B i n Malacanang last November, env ironmenta lists a lready understood the fragile situation of Maguindanawon ancestral lands. Thus, holistic programs were designed to train local environment stewards using methods that respect Muslim culture and religious teachings. FPE also tapped academic and research partners to document indigenous k nowledge, s y s tem s a nd pr ac t ic e s of Maguindanawons on ecological sustainability. “Affirming the rights of the Maguindanao indigenous people is vital. They should also be involved in all stages and processes of development within their ancestral domain,” he added. “For the Bangsamoro, the Liguasan Marsh is equated to life itself,” Carbonera noted. “Born to the marsh, they had lived according to its conditions and therefore will defend their legacy and rights as children of the marsh. (Bong D. Fabe)
Threatens... from page 8
t ha n i n r u ra l a rea s. T hey also increase exposure and sensitivity to the impacts of climate change and affect the abi lit y to bui ld resi lience. Ef fec t ive pol icies need to address urban food insecurity in both its income and nonincome d imensions, a nd t hei r i mpac t on gendered disadvantage,” they added. Climate change impacts are expected to affect harvests and also the systems that people use to transport, store and buy and sell food, the report pointed out. Since most people in urban areas buy food, this makes the urban poor particularly at risk since a ny climate-induced disruption to food production, transport and storage — either in the urban area or in distant farmland — can affect food supplies and prices in urban areas. ”The majority of the food consu med i n u rba n a rea s comes from rural regions or is imported, and t herefore
disruptions in production, transport and storage affect u r b a n fo o d s up pl i e s a nd pr ices. In ot her words, i n terms of availability, urban food security is affected not only by the local impacts of climate change, but also on impacts t hat ta ke place in other locations and indeed g l o b a l l y, e s p e c i a l l y w i t h regards to imported foods,” they explained. The IIED report, released late March 2013, highlighted t he l i n k b e t we en i nc ome poverty and food insecurity in urban areas. It ex pla i ned t hat si nce a sizeable por tion of t heir i nc ome i s sp ent on fo o d , just a small increase in food prices will have great negative impacts on urban poor’s food securit y of ten resu lting in reduce amount and quality of food they buy. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the Un ite d Nat ion s s a id t h at food securit y “exists when all people, at all times, have physical, social and economic access to sufficient, safe and nutritious food t hat meets their dietary needs and food preferences for an active and healthy life.” The report stressed that providing decent and stable jobs to people is essent ia l but not enough. This should also be complemented with t he prov ision of adequ ate infrastructure, housing, and access to formal and informal markets. “Climate change exacerbates these environmental hazards; from a food security perspective, the impacts are multiple and interrelated: high food prices and poor health combine to create widespread levels of malnutrition among the residents of low-income and informal settlements…This, in turn, increases sensitivity to climate-induced events and decreases the resilience of the worst-a f fec ted g roups a nd especially children and women. In other words, while the root cause of urban food insecurity is i ncome pover t y, t h is is exacerbated by insufficient a nd sometimes completely lacking basic infrastructure and services,” it pointed out. (Bong D. Fabe)
Flowers...
Resolve...
control decreased from $27 to $16, about a 42-percent decline. B y t h e w i n t e r- s p r i n g cropping season of 2012-13, a more intensive training for 505 more women on ecological engineering was conducted w it h fa rmer g roups i n 13 villages in Cai Lay District. Women trainees were taught to observe the increase in bees and parasitoids (called small bees) that visit the nectar-producing flowers grown on bunds and to preserve them. “ T he f lowers br i ng i n numerous bees as well as ‘small bees’ or parasitoids that are important in controlling pests,” said Dr. Ho Van Chien, director of Vietnam’s Southern Plant Protection Center. “ Ecological engineering has enabled womanfarmers to appreciate the value of the ‘small bees’ but consciously protect them from harm by insecticides.” If t he women cont inue implementing what they learned, Dr. K.L. Heong, IRRI principal scientist, said that, in the long term, households will save as much as $50 to 100 per season by reducing insecticide inputs and not suffer any production loss. (IRRI)
plants resume norma l operations, Mindanao would still have a supply deficit. The facilities could only produce about 1,181 megawatts, with peak demand seen to hit 1,484 megawatts this year. Tamang stressed that the DOE was already addressing the crisis, including a plan to establish an Interim Mindanao Electricity Market (IMEM) reportedly in September this year. The plan calls for embedded private power generators in Mindanao to sell electricity to areas in need. These private generators include those in big malls, steel mills, coal-fired power plants, and cooperatives. “The IMEM is envisioned to provide an opportunity for generators and other entities w it h excess or u nut i l i zed generat ion capacit ies to of fer or ma ke use of such generation capacities, subject to compensation based on the resulting market prices,” the Energy Regulatory Commission had said. Based on a DOE study, the private generators in Mindanao have a capacity ranging from 190 megawatts to 360 megawatts.
from page 8
Supports... from page 8
minimize the carbon footprint at the bank’s headquarters, but also helped the bank save money from its total budget allocation for operations and maintenance. The project helped the bank reduce its annual cost of electricity by more than 50 percent due to the conversion of the light power source to LEDs and the decrease in heat buildup in the building. The bank also gained benefits from t he air-conditioning upgrade, which was implemented in September 2012, with a noticeable drop on power consumption. To date, UCPB has completed Phases 1 and 2, while Phase 3 is set to be implemented this year coinciding with the bank’s 50th anniversary. As UCPB reaches its golden year, the bank remains committed not only to providing excellent banking services but also to helping secure the Earth’s future for the next 50 years.
from page 1
Ayala... from page 1
to the country’s power sector, the Ayala group has opted to buy into existing projects of other companies to build a generation portfolio of 1,000 megawatts. “Let me put it this way. We will not reinvent the wheel. There are a lot of projects there already that have been developed by organizations and if you look at our behavior with our current partnerships... these are all established players that we partner with. That will continue to be our strategy,” Francia said. Through wholly-owned unit AC Energy, the conglomerate has partnerships with GNPower Ltd, Trans-Asia Oil and Energy Development Corp, NorthWind Power Development Corp and Sta Clara Power Corp. Among those putting up power projects in Mindanao or have expressed interest to do so are Aboitiz Power,
Alsons Consolidated Resources, Filinvest, First Gen, Metrobank, Meralco and San Miguel. Mindanao has been suffering from unstable supply of electricity as a result of insufficient power generating capacity and its reliance on intermit tent hydroelect ric power plants. The government expects this shortage to last until 2015 when coal-fired power projects come on stream.
Endorses... from page 1
parties, whether from the administration or from the opposition, should set aside political differences and adopt a bipartisan approach to reform matters such as poverty alleviation, jobs creations and the delivery of basic social services. “I am grateful and humbled by the endorsement extended by the LakasCMD to my candidacy and I will do my best to live up to their expectations when I am given the chance to serve in the Philippine Senate,” Villar, also known as Misis Hanep Buhay, said. ‘I am confident that the endorsement of my candidacy is a reflection of their endorsement for my advocacies for better government programs in creating business opportunities for small and medium scale enterprises, proving more jobs for Filipinos and the more effective delivery of basic services for the poor,” she added. On Wednesday, the Lakas-CMD named four more senatorial candidates that the party will support in the upcoming May 13 polls. Aside from Villar, the party also endorsed Nancy Binay and former Senator Richard ‘Dick’ Gordon from the United Nationalist Alliance (UNA), and Eddie Villanueva, the lone candidate of Bangon Pilipinas Party. Last week, Lakas-NCD endorsed Aurora Rep. Juan Edgardo ‘Sonny’ Angara and Grace Poe from Team PNoy, and Zambales Rep. Milagros ‘Mitos’ Magsaysay, San Juan City Rep. JV Ejercito, Cagayan Rep. Jack Enrile and re-electionist Senator Gringo Honasan, who are all running under UNA. Leyte Rep. Ferdinand Martin Romualdez, president of Lakas-CMD, said they have been chosen based on their competence as “congressional leaders and championing people’s interests, especially in showing sympathy and extending assistance” to the constituents of Lakas-CMD members whose districts had been hit by natural disasters. With the Lakas-CMD endorsement, Villar said she was embolden to push for a bipartisan approach to the implementation of President Aquino reform agenda in the remaining three years of his administration. “We, in the Nacionalista Party,
11
will vigorously pursue a bipartisan approach in the forthcoming 16th Congress on how we can help the President implement his reform programs especially in the areas of poverty alleviation, jobs creations and the delivery of basic social services,” Villar said. “ We should in fact unite so that the nation can move forward in the next three years of the Aquino administration,” she added.
Outlook... from page 1
alleging that local electric cooperatives are the ones actually creating an artificial power shortage for selfish economic gains. “The frequent brownouts in some par ts of Mindanao is intentional and merely a handiwork of rogue to justify higher power cost. This is tantamount to economic sabotage which is a serious felony that carries a maximum penalty of life imprisonment,” the solon said in a press release yesterday. There is a need to verify claims that there is enough power supply in Mindanao but the shortage is caused by the refusal of some power distribution companies, particularly c o o peratives whi c h are run by families, to buy additional supply from the National Power Corporation (NPC) and from Independent Power Producers (IPPs), according to Trenas. Worth considering is the case of Davao City, which consumes power possibly five times the consumption of the entire SOCSARGEN (South Cotabato, Sarangani and General Santos City), but is not suffering from the daily four-hour rotational brownouts being experienced in SOCSARGEN and some other parts of Mindanao, Trenas added. “There are claims that SOTECO does not want to buy additional power supply from IPPs as part of its scheme to justify the 210-megawatt coal plant being built near a world-class diving site. Interestingly, SOTECO II and the Alsons Energy Development Corporation (AEDC) are all being run and managed by the Alcantara Group of Companies,” Trenas said. Even more interesting, Trenas said, are repor ts that Alcantara Group of Companies is also behind the controversial Sagittarius Copper and Gold Mines which is setting up the biggest copper and gold mine in Tampakan, Saranggani which displaced hundreds of families belonging to the B’laan tribe. This reinforces reports that the brownouts is just part of a scheme to justify the building of a coal plant which would supply power to the Sagittarius mining project while allowing SOTECO II to buy power from its own IPP , Trenas said. “Parang iginigisa sa sariling mantika ang mga kababayan natin sa Mindanao,” he said.
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“We Grow Minds”
Nat’l Palm Oil Congress ends with growth, dev’t optimism By CHENG ORDONEZ, NewsCon Director
“SLOWLY but steadily, the Philippine Palm Oil Industry is expanding and, in the process, brings to the country the benefit of the Oil Palm tree, which has revolutionized the rural communities in the neighboring Asian countries. If Petroleum oil is a gift to the Arabs for their prosperity, palm oil is a gift for the ASEAN’s prosperity,” Dr. Pablito Pamplona, director and secretary of the Philippine Palm Oil Development Council, Inc., said. This turned out to be the over-all impact of the two-day 8th National Palm Oil Congress, which culminated Friday, April 19, 2013, here at the Xavier Sports and Country Club, Xavier Heights, Cagayan de Oro City. However, the Philippines needs to plant 12,000 -18,000 hectares per year just to be self-sufficient in palm oil, the Bases Conversion and Development Authority (BCDA) said. BCDA said the Philippines is a net importer of palm oil due to shortfall of domestic supply while also experiencing a continuous
increase in domestic demand. Domestic demand exceeds production by 10% annually. ThePhilippines’ palm oil import is now at 155,936 metric tons (MT) valued at US$150 M. Opportunities for growth are reflected in the steadily expanding demand for palm oil in local and export markets. As this developed, the Philippine Coconut Authority (PCA) has made clear its policies on Oil Palm development during the 8th National Palm Oil Congress. It said that Oil Palm Industry shall complement
the coconut Industry, and will, ultimately, go beyond self-sufficiency and aim for the emerging regional mar-
pañola, Philippine Palm Oil Development Council, Inc. director, said “the Oil Palm Industry will be developed with the initiative of the private sector. The government will provide the incentives and necessary regulatory measures that will promote, hasten and protect the industry.” The PCA stand pat on giving priority to idle, unproductive and underdeveloped areas in oil palm development. It, however, said that planting of oil palms will be encouraged only in areas where an oil mill is available or assured and that investments in oil mills will be facilitated where there is anticipated large-scale plantings. PCA also made clear that oil palm development will be promoted through ROBERTINO PIZARRO organized growers who have marketing tie-ups with kets in the Asia-Pacific. oil millers. “All oil palm PCA Administrator nursery operators will be Euclides Forbes, in a mes- required to register and sage read by Reynaldo Es- be accredited by the Philippine Coconut Authority to assure growers of quality planting materials,” it said. Also, local Research and Development (R & D) will be supported and coordinated by the government, even as PCA has been tasked to coordinate with commercial plantation owners, establish nurseries and distribute planting materials to interested growers. For his part, PPCDI President Robertino Pizarro, who is also president of A Brown Company,
told media practitioners during the BusinessWeek Mindanao News Conference (NEWSCON) that the oil palm industry is not competing with the coconut industry, but the two industries are rather complementing each other. He urged the media to help in properly disseminating the true prospect in oil palm industry. Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) Vice Chairman Ghadzali Jaafar made a special appearance and assured oil palm growers of their safety and security in the areas of operation of the MILF, even as he said that the MILF’s participation in the said palm oil congress is an indication of their early fulfilment to one of the three agenda in their recent talks, which is “normalcy.” He refused to divulge further the other important aspects of the talks, but assured the public that an agreement will be signed before the year ends. The weekly NEWSCON at the BusinessWeek Mindanao Media Center is sponsored by the following: Department of Tourism 10, Del Monte Foods, Parasat, SM-Cagayan de Oro, Veterans Bank, Philippine Information Agency The Mindanao Examiner and The Voice and the BusinessWeek Mindanao Group of Publications, namely, BusinessDaily, Mindanao Daily News, BusinessWeek, Mindanao Star, Caayan Times and BusinessWeek Magazine.
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