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Volume III, No. 198
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Hyundai overtake GM in Australia
Economy
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Market Indicators
As of 6:05 pm apr. 23, 2013 (Tuesday)
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Briefly Underemployment BUTUAN Cit y - - The problem in Caraga Region is not unemployment but underemployment or job mismatch, a top regional labor official said on Tuesday. M s . N a o m i Ly n C . Aballana, Labor and Employment Head Officer, DOLE XIII( representing DOLE XIII Regional Director Joel Gonzales) in a pres conference, marking the start of this year’s “Labor Day” celebration said that the region has 94% employment rate and only 6% unemployment rate. The official however clarified that of the 94% employed, 26% are “underemployed.” These are the group of workers, she said who still need some additional hours of work. These are the workers she also said which may also be “unskilled” to take the work available.
Flowers help restore balance in rice fields
Property companies ride on tourism
P1.5-B rolled our for ARMM Motoring
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Real Estate
Climate change threatens food security PAGE 5
Environment
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Environment
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Delayed railway project may affect airport dev’t P-Noy confirms deferment of Misor airport opening By CRIS DIAZ, Sub-Editor
PRESIDENT Benigno Aquino III, on Monday con f i r me d t he deferment of the opening of t he Laguindingan airport in Misamis Oriental to June this year. The President made the announcement during a political rally in Balingasag, Misamis Oriental, Monday afternoon where he proclaimed the local Liberal Party candidates in the province. P-noy/PAGE 11
Public service THE utility firm Davao Light and Power Company (DLPC) has opened its first mall-based full-service center and also started airing its first radio program. The radio program titled Kaalaman sa Kuryente or Power Knowledge is aired over DXUM-Radyo Ukay every Thursday 2 p.m.-3 p.m. The program started broadcasting last April 4 and is hosted by Amy Cabusao. Several resource persons from the company will be available during the duration of the program. The radio project aims to educate consumers anything and everything about electricity with focus on safety tips and energy conservation. With the wide broadcast range the company hopes to reach many consumers particularly if they are broadcasting important announcements. Meanwhile last April 6, DLPC formally opened its first full service center at SM Lanang Premiere. The mall center located at the mall’s basement floor will handle payments, applications for new connections, metering concerns, requests and inquiries.
P15.00
April 24, 2013
Local leaders back Hedcor’s hydro project in Bukidnon By KAREN LIÑAN, Liceo University Masscom Intern
THE barangay and municipal leaders in Guilhean, Impasug-ong, Bukidnon have expressed their support for the planned hydropower project by Aboitiz Power Corp. in their areas. This after they signed the Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with off icials of H e d c o r- B u k i d n o n , a n
AboitizPower subsidiary, the company which will implement the project. I mp a s u g- on g M ayor Mario Okinlay enjoined his constituents to support the project for the benefit of the municipality and nearby areas. “Hedcor needs the full Hedcor/PAGE 11
J.P. RIZAL - CRUZ TAAL STS., (NEAR SHANGHAI BAKERY) DIVISORIA, CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY
POLL WATCH
G
By BONG D. FABE Associate Editor
overnment’s failure to include the Mindanao Railway Project (MRP) in its priority development projects is a major blooper and may have negative effects on the successful operation of the Laguindingan Airport. The MRP — a vital development project that was designed to complement the Laguindingan Airport — failed to take off from the blueprints despite the completion in 2009 of the P71 million feasibility study by three private consultancy firms with the Transportation and Communications department because the DOTC did not include it in its priority projects. The MRP aims to link two vital Mindanao gateways—the Laguindingan Airport and the Mindanao International Container Terminal. It will also connect, for a total length of 124 kilometers, Jasaan town in Misamis Oriental to railway/PAGE 11
ADVERTORIAL
‘White Vote Movement’ backs Villar FORMER Las Pinas Rep. Cynthia Villar thanked the ‘White Vote Movement’ after its spokesperson, El Shaddai leader and founder, Bro. Mike Velarde, officially announced and endorsed the Catholic lay groups’ support to her senatorial candidacy and five other senatoriables during their prayer rally in Paranaque City recently. “I am thankful for the trust and support of all the members of the White Vote Movement,” said Villar. T h e W h i t e Vo t e Movement is the grassroot ca mpaign recent ly launched by Catholic lay organizations, including the charismatic movement El Shaddai Movement, which extolled of 6 million
Misis Hanepbuhay Cynthia Villar, along with five other senatorial candidates, namely JV Ejercito, Gregorio Honasan, Mitos Magsaysay, Antonio Trillanes IV and Koko Pimentel, was endorsed by the White Vote Movement, through its spokesperson Bro. Mike Velarde, founder of charismatic group El Shaddai.
members nationwide. Hav i ng been chosen among the 32 senatorial candidates in the coming
May elections, Villar said she feels honored and humbled. villar/PAGE 11
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E conomy 2 1,554 hired during job fair DavOr eyes dev’t of palm oil industry in 3 towns CREDIBLE
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ONE thousand five hundred fifty-four (1,554) job seekers were hired on-the-spot by different companies that participated in the two-day 4th Mega Job Fair recently held at City Hall. In a press statement,
Mayor Emano said out of the number, 1,023 applicants were immediately able to find employment overseas and 531 for local employment. It was learned that the city government, through hired/PAGE 11
BOSTON, Davao Oriental -- At least 20,000 hectares in the three typhoon-devastated towns of Davao Oriental’s eastern coast were identified potential areas for cultivating oil palm. This came from a team of expert agronomists and agri-business specialists from the Indo Food Company under Indonesia’s largest conglomerate—the Salim Group of Companies who v isited t he prov i nce i n response to an invitation from Governor Corazon N. Malanyaon who is keen at tapping huge investment opportunities that will fuel economic activities in her towns. Hisar Sihombing, an expert agronomist and soil scientist from the Indo Food revealed that the topography, climate, and the soil in the areas are favorable for the oil palm. The team identified three locations in Baganga with a combined total area of 14,500 hectares, Cateel with 4,000 hectares and Boston with 1,600 hectares suitable for the crop. While the lands which used to be planted with coconuts now lay flattened
and empty, Hisar Sihombing, said that now would be a perfect moment to shift to a more productive crop such as the oil palm. The oil palm, he said, requires to be planted on a maximum elevation of 400 meters above sea level. He explains that the higher the elevation is, the thinner the soil becomes, thus, halting
the grow th of the crop. Climate is also a favorable feature in these areas as there are less dry spells and more wet months. Wit h t hese favorable environmental conditions, Sihombing hopes that the industry development will push through in the province. Oil palm has the average gestation period of four years
before farmers could start harvesting the FFB’s (Fresh Fruit Bunches). While waiting for the crops to mature, the Indo Food suggests a scheme i nvolv i ng t he compa ny providing farmers with other cash crops for the waiting period. Meanwhile, to fully and continuously benefit on the palm/PAGE 11
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News Ex-VP Guingona to NPA: Apology not enough CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -– The New People’s Army has issued an apology for the ambush Saturday night of the convoy of Gingoog City Mayor Ruthie Guingona, but his husband, former vice president Teofisto Guingona Jr., wanted nothing less than for the revolutionary group to sanction those responsible for the attack.
Iligan City hosts 1st NGCP Lineman’s Skills Competition I L IG A N C I T Y, L a n a o del Norte, April 23 (PIA) -- Four regiona l of f ices from the Operations and Maintenance (O&M) of the National Grid Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) will compete in a three-day nationwide Lineman’s Skills Competition which starts today until April 25 at the rodeo site in the Mindanao O & M Lineman’s Academy, Maria Cristina, Iligan City. The competing teams, each being a mix of the best linemen for the districts of each regional O&M group from North and South Luzon, Visayas and Mindanao, is composed of 14 members in one line gang. The event is an alternative training approach aimed at enhancing the proficiency and competence of linemen out side t he t r ad it iona l structured modules. It also enables a free exchange of best practices on several aspects of line
maintenance, both in the preparatory phase and the competition proper. As a training scheme, the event runs on self-driven efforts of the competitors to sharpen their skills to excel in the tournament. The program will start with a parade around Iligan at 7:30 a.m. today followed by several events for the rest of the day. The events include the execution of the following l i n e m a n’s s k i l l s : p o l e erect ion/climbing, rope splicing, pole d ressing, conduc tor r id i ng , k not t y ing, pole u nd ressing, wood pole-hurt man pole top rescue, bandaging, splint and transfer. On t he last day w i l l be t he compet it ion on Emergenc y Restorat ion System (ERS), and capping off the three-day event will be the announcement and awarding of winners. (PIA 10-LDN/LVG)
Guingona, a prominent s t re e t pa rl i a ment a r i a n during Martial Law, said he ex pec ts t he NPA to conduct an investigation of the ambush that killed two of the mayor’s bodyguards in Barangay Capitulangan, Gingoog City. “ There has to be a n investigation. Just like in any investigation find out the facts. Apply the principle of accountability. He who ordered that assault should be responsible. Not only to us but to their organization,” Guingona said in the press conference here on Monday. The former vice president assured t he Nat iona l Democratic Front that his respect for the revolutionary movement has not changed despite the ambush of his wife and the killing of two of her aides. “My personal friendship to some of its leaders will not be changed. We were s addened by what had happened and I would like to know the details that lead to this tragedy,” Guingona said. The convoy of Mayor Guingona was fired upon by NPA rebels who set up a checkpoint made of bamboo poles in Capitulangan, some ten kilometers from Gingoog City. President Benigno Aquino III, an ally of the Guingonas, ordered the Armed Forces of
the Philippines to deploy an additional 500 soldiers to run after the NPA rebels who are busy setting up checkpoints in several areas to force candidates to coordinate with them when campaigning in villages that are under their influence. Aquino issued the order during the political rally of the Liberal Party’s local c a nd id ate s at t he Don Gregor io Pelaez Spor ts Center in this city Monday afternoon. Mayor Guingona survived the ambush but was wounded in her right arm, buttocks and foot while two of her aides (not three as earlier reported) were killed by the rebels who were positioned on both sides of the road. She underwent surgery at the Capitol University Hospital where doctors tried to fix her shattered right arm, according to her daughter, Marie. Marie said her mother was conscious and was stable after the operation. “She asked for food because she was very hungry after the operation.” Mayor Guingona is on her third term. Marie is running for mayor of Gingoog under the LP. NDF-Mindanao spokesperson Jorge Madlos h a s ap olog i z e d to t he Guingonas saying the NPA unit was only trying to stop
the convoy to disarm the mayor’s bodyguards. Madlos said the rebels fired at the convoy after the mayor’s bodyguards opened fire and tried to ram the bamboo checkpoint of the NPA. He sa id t hey have re p e ate d ly w a r ne d t he mayor not to bring armed bodyguards in her campaign sorties in the hinterland villages in Gingoog City. Calling the ambush an “an unfortunate incident”, Madlos said the NPA unit would not have stopped the convoy had they known that the lady mayor was traveling with it. “We ask forgiveness from the Guingona family. It was not our intention to hurt Mayor Guingona,” Madlos told a local radio station here Sunday. In a statement emailed to news organizations, the NPA North Central Mindanao Regional Command said t hey recognize t he “significant contribution” of the former vice president to the struggle against the Marcos dictatorship and his nationalist stand on various issues. As senator, Teof isto Guingona III voted against the continued stay of US military bases in the country. He was also a member of t he f irst government panel that negotiated peace with the NDF from 1986 until the early part of 1987. Talks were aborted however after the January 22, 1987 Mendiola Massacre which left 14 protesting farmers dead near Malacanang. R e g i o n a l N PA spokesperson Allan Juanito promised t hey wou ld
indemnify the heirs of the civilian aides identified as brothers Tomas and Nestor Velasco who died in the attack. Juanito said they regretted that Guingona was wounded and they would not have stopped the convoy had they known that the lady mayor was riding in the lead vehicle. Meanwhile, Presidential Spokesperson Edwin Lacierda said law enforcers are now pursuing the group responsible for the attack. “ We h a v e a l r e a d y been told that the army’s 58t h Infantr y Batta lion will be spearheading the investigation,” Lacierda said during the regular press briefing in Malacanang on Monday. The official also appealed to pol it ic ia ns who a re campaigning for the May 13 elections to reject the reported demand of the rebel group to pay “permit-tocampaign” fees. “Again, we have already ment ioned to ou r PNP (Philippine National Police) and also to our politicians who are campaigning not to give in to the demands of the CPP-NPA-NDF. This scheme is not tolerated under our system of government,” he said. “The AFP is fully aware and they have taken steps to ensure that the politicians are spared from all this permit to campaign,” Lacierda said. “Now, we would like to ask the local candidates to inform us of such demands, and we will let AFP units go and make sure that there are no NPA checkpoints. This is not tolerated under this system of government,” he added. mindanews
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Philippine Military Academy cadets from the Gabay Laya Class of 2016 perform a silent drill at the University of Southeastern Philippines campus in Obrero, Davao City on Tuesday, April 23, 2013. Apparently, the drill is part of the campaign to entice young Filipinos to join the academy. The class will be going to other cities in the region to perform. mindanews photo
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Veterans Party to push for more pension for war veterans, non-veterans
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Call for increased old-aged pension intensified By CHRISTINE CABIASA, Reporter
THE Veterans Freedom Party (VFP) intensified their platforms on plotting beneficial programs for the World War II veterans and the nonveterans with an appeal to increase the oldage pension from P5,000 to P10,000, revealed Mr. Miguel Angelo C. Villa-real, Deputy Regional Director, NCR- South of the Sons and Daughters Association Inc. to the media in a news conference on Friday, in Cagayan de Oro City. VFP espouses the full implementation of Section 7, Article XVI of the Philippine Constitution which states that the state shall provide immediate and adequate care, benefits, and other forms of assistance to war veterans and veterans of military campaigns, their surviving spouses and orphans. Funds shall be provided therefore a nd due c on sider at ion shall be given them in the disposition of agricultural lands of the public domain and, in appropriate cases, in the utilization of natural resources. With this, VFP advocates not only the increase for oldage pension for all veterans but a lso t he relea se of
overdue total administrative disability (TAD) benefits as mandated under R.A 7696, improved medical services including easier access to affordable, quality medicines, and expand the educational benefits to the families of veterans. The veterans must be given enough attention and benefits; they are our heroes, living heroes, Mr. Villa-real said. Aside from the proposed benefits for the veterans, to benefit the nation as a whole, VFP keeps track in updating their beneficial programs and advocacies, including: (1) ready access to quality education for the youth including additional
funding for state universities and colleges; (2) encourage entreneurship to spur job creation; (3) expand the development of the agriindustrial sector to achieve self-suf f iciency; and (4) implement a fair socia l welfare program that will benefit all sectors of society. All these will be realized if we have a representative in Congress who will work for these causes, Mr. Villa-real said. Veterans Freedom Party is on the number 52 list for the May 2013 elections.
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With the goal to hire only the most competent and qualified, the Government Service Insurance System (GSIS) and the Civil Service Commission (CSC) entered into an agreement to develop the former’s employment test last April 17, 2013 at the CSC Head Office in Batasan Hills, Quezon City. The signing of the memorandum of agreement was headed by GSIS President and General Manager Robert G. Vergara and CSC Chairman Francisco T. Duque III. Witnessing the event are GSIS Vice President for Human Resources Christine F. Tirados and CSC Commissioner Robert S. Martinez.
BIR issuances plug tax leaks in gold THE Bureau of Internal Revenue issued two revenue reg u lat ions recent ly to improve collection of taxes from transfers that usually go unregulated. One, (number) prescribes the advance payment of probable taxes due on sales
of jewelry, gold, and other precious metals, particularly to non-resident foreig n individuals or corporations. RR2, on the other hand, amends certain portions of previously issued RR No. 06-2008 to clarify rules on the sale of shares of stock
of domestic corporations not traded in the local stock exchange. Finance Secretary Cesar Purisima hailed the orders as further formalizing the economy and increasing the transparency of the business BIR/PAGE 10
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COMMENTARY What to think of success
S
ome seminarians, still fresh and green in seminary life, and Traces approached me the other day By Fr. Roy Cimagala to ask about success. When asked what in particular about success they wanted to know, they fumbled and just said, anything. That’s when I realized they were just after fulfilling a class requirement by making some paper about a topic, something that I, of course, understood very well. I passed through that stage. I suppose everyone does. But the query ignited vivid memories of childhood. Back in my grade school and high school years, I thought success was having good grades, reaping honors right and left, having drop-dead looks that would seduce girls immediately, being versatile in talents, competent in work, becoming a millionaire and a powerful man in society. There were many other fantastic ideas that passed through the mind and engaged me in some suspenseful episodes. But it took some time before reality would sink in properly. I suppose the youth are entitled somehow to some extravagant ideas. Yes, reality has a way of making itself felt. In my case, it was when I stumbled over a biblical passage that said something like everything in life is vanity. At that moment, I was also experiencing all sorts of frustrations and disappointments, making me prone to give favorable attention to that passage. I knew some of these disappointments were caused by my exaggerated expectations. But there were others which I thought I deserved rightfully but were denied to me. And so I fell into thinking seriously about what meaning life really has, what success in life would really consist. It was only later when I could point the exact citation that really opened my mind and heart. A priest recited a cimagala/PAGE 10
HINTS
Keeping score
married couple had a big fight one day. They both complained the other wasn’t doing their share of work. The wife felt she was doing most of the work in their family because her husband wasn’t helping or being responsible. And the husband thought his wife nagged him too much and expected more from him than was right. So they finally decided to keep score in a box. Every time the husband felt the wife wasn’t being fair or was not doing her job, he’d write it on a piece of paper and put it in the score box. And the wife would do the same when she felt her husband wasn’t doing what he was supposed to. Someone said that if you want to be frustrated and unhappy in your marriage, then keep score of everything you do and everything your husband or wife is not doing. And if you want to fight, just tell your partner how they’re not doing everything you want and expect! And tell them that you work harder than they do; you’ll get a fight every time! But you know that keeping score like this in marriage, either silently or out loud, is a common problem! Maybe it’s because we’re afraid we’re not being appreciated, or because we don’t like our job or role as wife or husband. But friend, whatever our reason is for keeping score,
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A Minute it only backfires and hurts By Jhan Tiafau Hurst us, because we’ll always be frustrated and unhappy. When our wife or husband feels these frustrations from us, then they just become defensive. So the result of keeping score in marriage is that both the husband and wife just keep blaming each other, and no one’s happy! So the next time you’re tempted to keep score, try to think about what your husband or wife is doing well doing instead of what they’re not. You know, maybe you’re not being understanding and grateful enough for all they ARE doing! And even if you’re doing more than your fair share, then it’s still best for your own peace and happiness, as well as your marriage, that you stop keeping score and counting everything your husband or wife is not doing. But you know, with Jesus Christ in control of your life and marriage, with His help you can finally throw away your score card and start being happy. Just Think a Minute…
Overseas Filipinos now saving and investing more
ith continuous financial education, more and more migrant Filipinos and their families are becoming aware of the importance of saving and investing their remittances. Results of the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Consumer Expectations Survey for the first quarter of 2011 revealed that the percentage of Overseas Filipino (OF) households that set aside money for savings has increased to 41.4 percent. When the BSP first conducted this survey in the first quarter of 2007, only 7.2 percent of OF households reported saving money from remittances. The value and significance of remittances cannot be underestimated. By World Bank estimates, remittance flows across countries have increased by almost two-fold in the last seven years to US$414 billion in 2009 — 76 percent of which were received by developing countries. In a speech at the Policy Forum on Overseas FilipinosDiaspora Remittance for Development last May, BSP Governor Amando Tetangco Jr. pointed out that for most of the recipient countries, these remittances provided stable support to their economies — serving as cushion during global economic and financial downturns, political turmoil, and natural calamities. In our country, remittances of Overseas Filipinos have grown at an annual average of 14.2 percent in the last six years. In 2010, OF remittances reached a record high of US$18.8 billion and contributed about 10 percent to the Philippines’ Gross Domestic Product. Tetangco explained that remittances enable OF families
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to spend more on education and health care, purchase O ut real properties, undertake By Ignacio Bunye house improvements, save money, invest in financial instruments, and engage in business enterprises. Remittances also generate demand for goods and services that creates jobs for more Filipinos. “ The cou nt r y’s polic y re sponse to rem it t a nce s should, therefore, be directed more toward reinforcing these positive and beneficial effects,” Tetangco stressed, adding that the BSP — in cooperation with other government agencies, financial institutions, and non-government organizations — has been conducting economic and financial education for OFs and their families. “Our objective is to empower our migrant workers in partnership with their families to save, invest and grow their money for the long-term,” Tetangco added. In addition to its financial learning activities, which aim to promote a culture of savings among migrant Filipinos, the BSP has created an interactive portal that will link users to information on the different banks and non-bank remittance companies in the Philippines. Useful information found in the portal include locations bunye/PAGE 10
Military should be wary of Aquino’s order
eople in Misamis Oriental expressed apprehensions over President Benigno Aquino, III, order to wage an all out military operation against the communist rebels in the province. Neighboring provinces in the region share an anxiety that the armed conflict might escalate at the expense of innocent civilians. Collateral damage is part of war game where innocent men, women, and children become victims. The government troopers should take extra precaution in carrying Mr. Aquino’s order least the resurrection of the atrocities of the Martial Law regime would become inevitable. When that condition becomes out of hand, the situation in Misamis Oriental and Northern Mindanao would turn into a war zone. The atrocities of the military over the civilian population were one of the reasons for the massive growth of the insurgency movement in the country back in the 70s. Sons and daughters of farmers in the hinterland villages in the countryside were always the willing recruits of the communist movement in response to unabated military abuses. The military often commits abuses in the guise of hot pursuit operation while on patrol in the countryside. They ransacked houses of lowly, innocent, and ignorant farmers. Ignorant since these farmers did not even know what happened and why things were happening. Innocent since some military personnel subject them to tactical investigations out of polluted information.
Cris D iaz
Some oppor tunistic individuals feed the wrong information to the military to get back at their neighbours. Others find it comfortable to act as information by feeding false information in order to get the trust of military officers. These scenarios are prevalent in areas where active military operations are going on. More often, this false information is the root cause of military atrocities, which usually ends up in summary execution, and manhandling of innocent individuals. This condition breeds hatred and revenged on the part of the civilian populace thereby fanning the spread of the insurgency in the countryside. Perhaps, the military is aware of this. However, except for a few military men and officers, most military officials simply shrugged their shoulders whenever civilians complained of the excesses of their men. The military brotherhood is so strong in strife-torn areas where a soldier simply covers up the abuses committed by the other. Military officials also protect their men by transferring them to other units, battalion, or brigade in a bid to exculpate them of wrong doings. Military commanders described the bad eggs in their diaz/PAGE 10
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PCC to build PHL’s second bull farm in Mindanao MARAMAG, Bukidnon— The Philippine Carabao Center (PCC) yesterday said it will be building the Philippines’ second carabao development center/bull farm here to support its effort at improving the quality of carabao meat as well as increasing carabao milk production. PCC Executive Director Libertado C. Cruz said this new farm, which has a budget of P20 million, will open before the year ends. Cruz disclosed that the PCC is targeting to breed
400,000 carabaos by 2018 and the new bull farm in Bukidnon, the heartland of Mindanao, will help make this happen, as the center will also house a bull semen laboratory and a cryobank. For this year, the PCC aims at breeding 100,000 carabaos. Next year, 150,000 and 200,000 carabaos by 2015 until it reaches its target by 2018. PCC’s first bull farm is in Muñoz, Nueva Ecija. It was inaugurated last February. It can hold up to 100 murrah buffalos and is equipped with
semen extractor, cryobank and a semen laboratory. Mindanao’s first bull farm will be able to house up to 75 murrah buffalos, which was specifically chosen for its ability to produce six to seven times more milk than local species. Cruz said that the semen of the murrah buffalos, which came from India, will be used to breed superior carabaos. He said that a single murrah buffalo can produce 7,000 doses of semen a year and that it will take one to two doses of semen to
impregnate a female carabao. “ This project w i l l help boost carabao milk production. And it will help in solving our country’s perennial problem of low dairy production,” he said. The Philippine Dairy Authority (PDA) said that the country’s milk production can hardly meet 1% of local demand. PDA data show that there was a 12.16% increase to 18.45 million liters of milk 2012 compared to 2011’s output of only 16.45 million liters. (BDF)
DA-12 pushes for bigger cassava production areas By Allen V. Estabillo Mindanews
GENER AL SANTOS CITY—The Department of Agriculture (DA) in Region 12 is pushing for the expansion of cassava production areas in the region as market opportunities for the crop remain high. Edgar Laboy, DA-12’s cassava focal person, said Tuesday t hey present ly consider cassava production as among the most viable a lternative ventures for farmers in the region due to its increasing demand and stable market prices. Region 12 comprises the provinces of South Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Sarangani a nd Nor t h Cotabato as well as the cities of General Santos, Koronadal, Tacurong, Kidapawan and Cotabato. L aboy sa id bu si ness conglomerate San Miguel Cor poration (SMC) has been offering production and marketing contracts with local farmers who wants to venture into cassava farming. He said DA and SMC are jointly promoting the massive production of fresh yellow cassava, which is ideal for food production as well as ingredient for bio-ethanol alcohol formulations. In line with this, he said they launched a training program on cassava
CASSAVA PRODUCTION. A farmer tends to his cassava farm. photo courtesy
production for farmers in South Cotabato, which was earlier identified as among the areas that were highlysuitable for the crop. He said the training, which focused on the utilization of postharvest facilities and processing technologies for cassava, is facilitated by DA12’s Agri-Pinoy Corn-Cassava Program. The participants were also trained in creating dishes like Jolly Roll, Yuk Sticks, and sour-sweet cassava for possible additional livelihood ventures, he said. Ben Brasales, SMC area coordinator, said that they are buying cassava for processing into animal feeds, alcohol and food products. “SMC prefers to use cassava
as substitute ingredient or raw material because of its lower cost. It is not economically viable to import the crop and besides, our farmers have enough capacity to produce them,” he said. St ud ies showed t hat cassava is considered as a viable field crop due to its capability to survive drastic climatic changes, especially dry spells or drought, he said. Brasales said farmers will have no problem with possible f luctuations of its market prices as SMC buys fresh cassava at P2.50 per kilo and dried-chips in granulated form at P8.50 a kilo. At present, Brasales said there is a huge demand for the crop in the markets as SMC alone needs around
Banana fiber-making industry augments farmers’ income SANTO TOMAS, Davao del Norte—What is commonly regarded as farm waste is raising the incomes of banana farmers here. The banana stalk—in particular, the pseudostem— is a good source of silk-grade fiber, a commodity that is in demand in Japan, which orders as much as 5 tons of it monthly. “Since we have steady incomes as banana growers, we disregard the use of [t he ps e udo s t em] a nd
just allow it to rot in our plantations,” said Avito Magdalaga, chairman of the Marsman Agrarian-Reform Beneficiaries Cooperative (Marbco). Elmer Degorio, municipal agriculture officer in Santo Tomas town, said he and other officials have been trying to convince Marbco officials to venture into the banana-fiber business, but it was a “ hard sell ” because the steady incomes of its members made the
cooperative complacent. “It would be a gamble on our part to invest in another economic activity, especially [since] we lack the equipment and the technical k now-how,” Magda laga said. The “better safe than sorry” attitude of banana farmers changed, however, when Chi na t ig htened requirements for the entry of bananas in 2012 because of quarantine issues. augments/PAGE 11
of smc/purefoods
500,000 metric tons (MT) annually for its animal feed production. He said they expect the market prices and demand for the crop to continually increase in the coming years. “As long as we eat chicken meat, eggs and processed food products or drink beer, there will always be a high demand for cassava,” he said. D a t a f r o m DA-1 2 ’s Agribusiness and Marketing Assistance Division showed that the region’s cassava production reached 60,000 MT in 2011 and increased to 80,000 MT last year. The crop’s production areas are located in parts of South Cotabato, Sarangani, Sultan Kudarat and North Cotabato.
NEDA: Speed up programs for agro-based export MANILA—There is a need to speed up the implementation of necessary programs and policies to improve the competitiveness of Philippine exports, the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) said. In a statement, Emmanuel Esguerra, NEDA officerin-charge and deputy director general, stressed that by accelerating the export programs, the country will be able to take advantage the increasing regional and global integration. “No doubt the exporters have been affected negatively by the strong peso, but this can be overcome by the positive impact resulting from better infrastructure, efficient logistics, lower power costs, and other measures to reduce the cost of doing business,” he added. In connection to this, NEDA also announced that Indonesia and the Middle East have been identified as potential markets for the country’s agro-based exports. The agency added that the growth of agro-based exports may be sustained with the opening up these new markets for sugar and bananas. “In addition to South Korea and India, Indonesia and the Middle East, were also identified as potential market for sugar,” Esguerra stated. NEDA explained that the Philippine International Trading Corp. (PITC) and the Sugar Regulatory Administration identified these markets, however, the PITC is still coordinating with the buyers in these countries on their specific requirements. It also noted that the United States, Russia, China, Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia and India are among the major importers of raw (cane) sugar, according to statistics of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations. For exports of bananas, the agency continued that an initial shipment of 3,000 metric tons to the US is targeted for April 2013, according to the Bureau of Plant Industry. Meanwhile, the records from FAO tag the US as one of the top 20 importers of bananas. “This is also in line with US Department of Agriculture’s announcement that allows Philippine highland Cavendish bananas to be shipped to their country,” Esguerra stated. The National Statistics Office recently reported that exports of centrifugal and refined sugar, and bananas grew by 27,094.6 percent and 95.5 percent year-on-year in February 2013, respectively. This made total agro-based exports rise by 43.7 percent, amounting to $343.9 million in February 2013. (BM)
Philexport advises members on new veggie, fruit standards MANILA—THE Philippine Exporters Confederation (Philexport) has advised its members to be mindful of the eight newly developed Philippine National Standard (PNS) for fresh fruits and vegetables. These, Phi lexpor t sa id, a re t he sta nda rds on avocado, dragon fruit, marang, soursop, sugar apple, breadfruit, turmeric and sweet cassava that the
Department of Trade and Industry’s Bureau of Product Standard (BPS) recently released. The Bureau of Agriculture a nd Fi s her ie s P ro duc t Standards of the Department of Agriculture undertook such PNS to reflect recent technology developments in the industry and the need for harmonization w it h Association of Southeast Asian Nations 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 pre-packaged foods, each package shall be philexport/PAGE 11
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BIR...
from page 5
environment, in addition to curbing tax evasion. “These Revenue Regulations are important because t hey a l low t he BIR to account for a wider scope of economic activity in the country. With these issuances, the government i s more emp owere d to collect the taxes due from transactions that used to be hard to spot,” Purisima said. *Tax on Jewelry, Gold, Precious Metals to be Paid in Advance* In April 2012, the BIR issued RR No. 6-2012, which imposed excise tax, value added ta x, a nd i ncome tax on the sale of gold and other metallic minerals to other persons or entities, including the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP). H o w e v e r, t h e B I R observed that in order to avoid taxation, many parties choose to sell their gold to non-BSP buyers that do not impose the taxes, tantamount to tax evasion. Many sales take place in gatherings and expositions hosted at hotels and other centers, and are advertised in newspapers of general circulation. Under RR1, sellers of such jewelry, gold, and other metallic minerals are required to pay the appropriate taxes in advance through assigned Revenue Collection Officers (RCO) of the BIR Revenue
District Office (RDO) having jurisdiction over the place where the transaction occurs. Once the tax has been paid, t he t ra nsac t ion w i l l be validated by the issuance of a corresponding Revenue Official Receipt (ROR). The advance tax payments shall be credited against the actual business tax and income tax due from sellers for the taxable period for which such advance payments were remitted to the BIR. In addit ion to t he reg u lat ions on adva nce tax payments, owners and operators of venues where organized meetings for sale of gold take place are required to advise their corresponding RDOs immediately after having acquired knowledge of the buying event. T hey a re to prov ide the R DOs relevant identification information on a lien indiv idua ls or foreign corporation buyers including the entities’ names, n at ion a l it ie s , p a s s p or t numbers, as well as their intended length of stay at the hotels/venues. The directives in RR1 are to be enforced by the BIR’s Special Investigation Division personnel as well as BIR RCOs. *Rules for Sale of NonP u bl ic l y Tr a d e d St o c k Amended* RR2, on the other hand, amends rules for the sale, barter, exchange, or other disposition of shares of stock
of domestic corporations not traded in the local stock exchange. The RR provides that non-publicly traded sharesshall be assessed at its fair market value for capital gains tax purposes, using the Adjusted Net Asset method specified by the BIR. (PNA)
Cimagala... from page 6
line from the Book of Ecclesiastes that struck my attention, first of all, because of its poetic charm. Only later did I relish its significance. The line was: “Vanity of vanities! All is vanity. What does man gain by all the toil at which he toils under the sun? A generation goes, and a generation comes, but the earth remains for ever. The sun rises and the sun goes down, and hastens to the place where it rises...” (Ecc 1,2-5) And the passage continues in its rhythmic lyricism, pumping in more and more the realistic message that indeed everything in life is vanity, and that actually only one thing is necessary. And that is to be with God. It does not really matter whether we rise or fall in life in the many terms our life here can be measured and assessed—money, fame, looks, health, talents, etc. But it is only when we are with God can we truly say that we have succeeded in life. It’s a truth reiterated and reinforced by Christ himself
when he said: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world but loses his own soul?” And also when he said in the episode of Martha and Mary that “only one thing is necessary, and Mary has chosen the best part.” We need to be vigorously awake to this truth, because many now are the irresistible worldly decoys that divert us from it. That being with God is the only thing necessary never means that the things of this world are not important, that we can take a passive attitude toward them or that we just be mediocre about them. Rather the contrary. Being with God would push us to the limit to make the most out of whatever we do or whatever happens to us in this life. And that is to trust him, to love him, and because of that love, we have to love others the way God loves all of us. Whatever happens here, whet her we rise or fa ll, whether we win or lose, only has relative value. What is of absolute value is being with God. This is what true success is. This is how genuine success has to be assessed and measured. Many times, we have to make a choice between God and us. St. Augustine precisely formulated the choice we have to make in the life in the most radical way by saying that it’s always
a choice between God and us everytime we do something. We have to make sure that we win the favor of God before we consider winning the favor of men. Let’s follow the example of St. Peter, and many other saints who articulated their choice by saying that they obey God first before they obey men. True success lies there, and not in any other.
Diaz... from page 6
command as “necessar y e v i l s .” A s s u c h , t he s e necessary evils carry out extra-judicial killings as authorized “hit men” of the status quo. Wit h t he current dispensation, people are optimistic that these fears would not happen. O t her w i s e , M i s a m i s Oriental and the rest of Northern Mindanao would succumb back to the Martial Law days where people live in an atmosphere of fear. Reac t cr isg ua rd ia n@ yahoo.com
conceived with them in mind at the BSP website. The planner was developed by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) and ATIKHA (a developmentoriented Philippine NGO) to guide migrant Filipino workers in managing their finances. The financial planner prov ide s a si mple a nd practical guide for migrant workers and their families to manage t heir budget and remittances within a framework of wise-spending, savings and investment. The planner utilizes tools on the budgeting process, planning for retirement, savings and entrepreneurial undertakings, cash f lows monitoring, proper t y acqu isit ion, i nvest ment por t fol ios , a nd over a l l financial standing.
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Bunye... from page 6
locations of their branches abroad, remittance centers, foreign bank/correspondents, products and services, and charges/fees for remittance services to any part of the Philippines. OFs and their families can also find a convenient Financial Planner especially
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Today’s HOROSCOPE AQUARIUS (January 20 – February 18) - For you it is more important to be on the same page with someone than for the relationship to fit within your current lifestyle. You may feel a strong connection, but that doesn’t equal moral continuity. When your morals and beliefs are shared by your partner you can take the relationship to the next stage. Find this first and you can work out the logistics later.
GEMINI (May 21 – June 21) - You are steadily working on your task list, but get ready for a diversion. A friend or coworker could reach out and present an interesting experience or opportunity. You will want to shuffle your schedule around as you won’t want to miss out on something interesting.
LIBRA (September 23 – October 22) - Don’t sound the panic alarm just yet, Libra. If a fiscal situation appears to take a turn for the worse it could be only temporary. In fact, if you stay calm you can turn the change around into a benefit for you. Keep a cool head and modify your actions to fit the changing circumstances.
PISCES (February 19 – March 20) - Your strengths will be stronger right now and available for use in regard to a confusing and complicated situation. When you are able to easily access your instincts and your common sense you can overcome any obstacle. You may be shocked at how easily you find a resolution, but sometimes it’s best to count your blessings and move on.
CANCER (June 22 – July 22) - Don’t hand your power over when it comes to love; take a stand and take action. In order to get what you want you need to be proactive and work on your own behalf. If you leave every decision up to a partner you will have no say in your own happiness. Manipulate your personal life as you do your professional life and you will achieve the same results.
SCORPIO (October 23 – November 21) -Not everyone needs to know every move you make. If you tell everyone each step of your day you can open the door to interruptions. Just because you have free slot in your schedule doesn’t mean you can give that time to someone else. You also need time for you and time to spend on your thoughts.
ARIES (March 21- April 19) - When it comes to your fiscal life it is imperative for you to maintain control. Even if you work with a professional money manager it is crucial for you to stay abreast of what is going on. What they think is best for you may not be what you think is best for you. If you are aware of how your money is being managed you can make changes if necessary.
LEO (July 23 – August 22) - In order for you to be successful you need time to mull over your options and strategy. When an unexpected opportunity arises though, you will need to be ready to make a move. Identify ways you can increase your time to strategize and you can increase your chances of success.
SAGITTARIUS (November 22 – December 21) - With Mars the motivator affecting your life you will want to keep your focus broad. Tuning into the details now will only confuse matters and cause you to fall behind. Focus on your grand plan and take the steps necessary to further this purpose. You are on the right path; have faith.
TAURUS (April 20 – May 20) - This is a progressive and changeable time for you. The next moves you make promise to take you into the future. Your schedule will have to be modified in order to accommodate the extra activity set to head your way. Make sure you are aware of all the resources you have to work with they are readily accessible.
VIRGO (August 23 – September 22) - Even business decisions can benefit from tapping into your intuition and feelings. You can sense when something feels right or not and you should incorporate this sixth sense of sorts into your decision making scheme. You are a master manipulator of data, but don’t forget to check in with your innate compass as well.
CAPRICORN (December 22 – January 19) - If there is continual conflict in the way you perceive a potential partner you may want to evaluate their suitability. Just because you connect with someone doesn’t mean they’re right for you. You need to analyze whether or not they meet your needs. If you always take issue with them it may mean you just aren’t in the right relationship.
CROSSWORD puzzle
CIRCLE A WORD train of thought
bogie boiler brake buffers cab coal crosshead
cylinders damper ejector fire box handbrake injector pipes
pistons regulator rods sand-box scoop shovel steam
across 1.Confidentiality (7) 5.South African currency (4) 7.Formerly (4) 8.Neckerchief (5) 9.Earth satellite (4) 10.Baptismal basin (4) 12.Moan (7) 14.Make possible (6) 18.Males (3) 19.Slave (6) 23.Titter (7) 25.French fashion designer (4) 25.Molten rock (4) 27.Flood, soak (5) 28.Scramble (4) 29.Red gemstone (4) 30.Quake (7) DOWN 1.Oil-yielding seed (6) 2.Latin American dance (3-3) 3.Parisan tower (6) 4.Jimmy, radio DJ (5) 5.Commemorate (8) 6.Let’s David Bowie hit 11.Midlands river (5)
13.Respite (4) 15.Midday (4) 16.Housebreaking (8) 17.Implant (5) 20.Barrier (6) 21.Self-confidence (6) 22. Parlour (6) 23.Of the sun (5) 24.Rectify (5)
Answers for last yesterday (April 23, 2013)
ACROSS: 1.Heroics, 7.Vigil, 8.Spoiled, 9. S h e r r y, 11 . Ed d i e, 1 3 . R o p e, 14.Approve, 15.Rial, 16.Dirty, 17.Injure, 21.Curtain, 22.Pansy, 23.Snorkel DOWN: 2.Expedition, 3.Original, 4.Chef, 5.Kith, 6.Bier, 9.Simon, 10.Repertoire, 12.Spire, 13.Register, 18.Joan, 19.Rusk, 20.Gunn
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Railway... from page 1
to Li na mon, L a nao del Norte passing through the Cagayan-Iligan Industrial Corridor (CIIC). “While we are waiting for t he open i ng of t he Laguindingan Airport, we already hear of stories of plane passengers complaining about the exorbitant fares that private taxi operators may charge commuters from Cagayan de Oro or Iligan City. Also, there are still no public vehicles that will service Laguindingan Airport,” Rep. Rufus Rodriguez lamented. L a g u i nd i n ga n i s 4 6 kilometers from Cagayan de Oro and 60 kms from Iligan City. Rodrig uez, t he main proponent of MRP, said he has repeatedly pushed for the implementation of the railway system here because it will be the best complement to the Laguindingan Airport aside from providing passengers comfortable travel and fast access to the airport. Wit h t he i mpend i ng opening of t he a ir por t, the DOTC should ma ke implementation of the MRP one of its priority projects under the Private-Public Partnership (PPP) program, he added. Executive Order 536, signed by President Arroyo in May 25, 2006, created the Mindanao Railway Project Of f ice. The MR PO was established in July 3, 2009 in Cagayan de Oro City, almost simultaneously with the Cebu Railway Project Office (CRPO). The MRPO was established to oversee the i mplement at ion of t he Mindanao Railway System (MRS), a network of railways that link the cities of Cagayan de Oro to Iligan all the way to Zamboanga, as well as to Butuan, Surigao, Davao and General Santos. “If realized, the MRS will tremendously boost Mindanao’s economy and tourism,” Rodriguez said. “I am, therefore, appealing to the DOTC to make the Mindanao Railway Project among its priority projects for implementation under the PPP, especially since the government will not be deterred in its demand to have the Laguindingan A ir por t opened despite incomplete nav igationa l facilities.” Rodriguez is among the officials who are urging government to defer opening the airport until all navigation facilities and equipment shall have been installed to ensure passenger safety.
P-Noy... from page 1
In his message, he said t hat t he opening of t he Laguindingan airport was moved to June 15, 2013 af ter loca l businessmen and stakeholders in both private and public entities petitioned the President to defer the opening pending
installation of the airport’s air navigation instruments. Stakeholders feared that the premature opening of the airport pending installation of its air nav igation instruments would affect the trade and commerce of the region as some airlines threatened to trim down their flights from six flights daily to two daily flights only. President Aquino expressed confidence that the opening of the Laguindingan airport would perk up the local economy in Misamis Oriental and its neighboring provinces in the region. He said that the Laguindingan airport is one of the best airports in the country that the people of Misamis Oriental should be proud of once it becomes operational. T h e C i v i l Av i a t i o n Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) had scheduled the opening of the Laguindingan airport on April 30, which drew protest from loca l business groups in Northern Mindanao.
Hedcor...
from page 1 support of the community, we have to ensure the safety of our investors against any unfavorable incident. The project will help ease the power crisis in Mindanao. Blackouts can be taken as an indication of the critical power shortage,” Okinlay said. He said the community needs Hedcor’s additional c apac it y to reduce t he brownouts they currently experience. Hedcor intends to build two cascading plants that will harness power from the Amusig, Guihean and Tanaon rivers. The Manolo Fortich Hydro 1 will have a capacity of 35.2 MW and the Manolo Fortich Hydro 2 will generate 16.4 MW. Both plants combined can produce a total of almost 300 million kWh a year. Other parties to the MOA signing were community leaders f rom ba ra ngays
Guilang-guilang, Santiago, Dalirig and Maluco. Hedcor’s vice president for Business Development Boy Jabonillo said, “In our 35 years in the business, we h ave c ont i nu e d t o br i ng i nclu sive g row t h to our host communities by helping them to grow through sustainable social development programs.” Hedcor is a wholly-owned subsidiary of AboitizPower with a generating capacity of 47 megawatts for Mindanao.
Palm... from page 2
venture, Indo Food suggests implementing a staggered a p p r o a c h i n p l a nt i n g which means continuously harvest throughout the year since planting is not done simultaneously. In terms of profit sharing, further negotiations are to be done should the investment pushes through. While Davao Oriental is bent on exploring this bigticket oil palm investment opportunity which will tap the province’s vast lands, it also intends to shift the economy away from a reliance on copra and establishing this alternative agri-based industry that is highly profitable for the local farmers and will give a boost to the province’s local economy. Governor Malanyaon is optimistic that embarking to a new highly-productive crop such as the oil palm will lure economic surge, especially on the three typhoon-hit towns. She is also looking into expansion of the industry to other towns within the province as well as the other neighboring provinces.
Augments...
from page 8 “We have to look for alternatives like diversifying markets and making new pr o du c t s t o m a k e t he industr y less v ulnerable to shocks,” said Melani Provido of the Department of Agriculture’s High-Value Crops Development Program (DA-HVCDP). The DA-HVCDP and
the municipal agriculture office in Santo Tomas then convinced the cooperative to look for alternative sources of income. “We sent them on a fieldexposure [trip] to a banana cooperative in New Bataan town, Compostela Valley province, where they were able to appreciate and gain basic knowledge on bananafiber production,” Provido said. “After the exposure, we wanted to start production at once, but the lack of equipment hindered our plan,” Magdalaga said. Enter Renato Amistad, who volunteered to give technical assistance and entrusted to the Marbco two decorticator machines to strip fiber and a brusher machine to enhance the fiber’s quality. “The production of fiber did not come easy at first, as most of our produce turned out to have low quality. This was attributed to the lack of grading of raw materials as our strippers just inserted [all kinds] of psuedostem [into the machines],” said Andrew Amido, a Marbco board director. “The fiber technician [then] taught us…to segregate the outer layers, especially those rotten parts, as [these] can affect the color and quality,” he said. According to Amido, fiber production does not affect banana production as only those mature and fruit-bearing plants can be processed into quality fiber as young stalks have weak tensile strength. After several attempts, the cooperative was able to produce quality fiber that meets Japanese standards. “We are producing DB1 [whitish in color], [which is] first class, and DB2 [reddish], which is second class,” Magdalaga said, adding that these are in demand with Japanese textile factories. Based on its records, Marbco shipped 3,000 kilos of banana fiber—priced at $3 per kilo—to Japan in
May 2012; 4,000 kilos in August; 4,426.50 kilos in November; and 4,116.50 kilos in February this year. These shipments total 15,543 kilos and generated about P1.8 million.(PNA)
Philexport... from page 8
legibly labeled with the 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. T he Phi lippi nes is currently adopting about 60 PNS for fresh fruits and vegetables. As the national standards body, the BPS is primarily i nv o l ve d i n s t a n d a rd s development, implementation and product certification to raise the quality and global competitiveness of Philippine products, as well as protect the interests of consumers and businesses. It i s a member of International Organization for Standardization and Enquiry Point for World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade. (BM)
Villar... from page 1
“I welcome every support, whether big or small. Every vote counts,” stressed Villar who is running for senator under the Nacionalista PartyTeam PNoy. Villar, who has gained t he moniker “Misis Ha nepBu hay ”, sees a ny support as “more than a promise or actual vote.” She noted t hat t r ust comes with the support. “It encompasses the trust that the one being supported will become a voice, an ally or a partner to pursue advocacies and goals,” related Villar. Because of this, Villar committed to live up to the trust and support afforded to her by the White Vote Movement. Villar said she shares the advocacies of the White Vote Movement—pro –life and pro-family.
11
She li kew ise averred that the endorsement from such a ‘huge and influential’ organization strengthens her resolve to work harder to win the elections and continue her programs to uplift the lives of our people, especially the poor. In making their endorsement, Velarde said they also considered the winnability of a senatorial ca ndidate aside from conviction on life and family. The three-term former congresswoman has consistently landed in the Top 12 senatorial preferences of voters based on various election surveys.
Hired... from page 2
the Public Employment Service Office headed by PESO Manager Juvy Paza facilitated this and catered to 5,777 applicants who trooped to City Hall last week. Mayor Emano said this is in line with the intention to help constituents of the city find employment and improve their lives. “Ang pagpahigayon sa Mega Job Fair way bulok sa politika, sanglit, tipik lamang kini sa ti-unay nga paningkamot sa kagamhanan sa dakbayan nga matabangan intawon ang atong mga kaigsoonan nga makaangkon og desenteng trabaho,” the mayor added.
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12 Villar urges gov’t to provide temporary livelihood assistance to Pinoys displaced by Saudi crackdown wednesday April 24, 2013
Nacionalista Party-Team Pnoy senatorial cand idate Cy nth ia Vi l lar today u rged government to prepare a livelihood assistance program for the thousands of undocumented overseas Fil ipino workers who w i l l be repatriated to the Philippines as a result of a recent labor and immigration crackdown in Saudi Arabia. In a statement, Vil lar ex pressed concer n over t he st ateme nt of S aud i Ambassador to the Philippines Abdullah Al-Hassan that the Saudi government will not provide any assistance to some 20,000 undocumented Filipino workers who are the subject of a crackdown soon. The Saud i envoy said after the three-month grace period given by the Saudi government to illegal workers ends on July 4, they will go after undocumented workers in their country. “We expect another wave of thousands of displaced OFWs from Saudi Arabia soon and the least that the Philippine government can do is to prepare for that event ua l ly and come up with a temporary livelihood assistance for these people,” Villar said, who is known as “Misis Hanep-Buhay”. “We urge the government to extend a l l possible assistance to undocumented
OFWs in Saudi so they can be repatriated in an orderly and humane manner,” Villar said. “The government should assist the undocumented workers once they return to the country. This is the least we can do as they have been helping keep the Philippine economy afloat over the years with their remittances to their families.” Villar commended the efforts of the Phil ippine embassy officials who are now negotiating with their Saudi counterparts for the speedy repatriation of over a thousand OFW camping out s i d e t h e P h i l i p p i n e Consulate in Jeddah. DFA spokesman Rau l Hernandez said at least 1,000 undocumented OFWs have camped outside the PHL Consulate in Jeddah and were asking to be repatriated for fear of being arrested by Saudi authorities after a recent crackdown against illegal migrants.
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Vi l lar, a staunch jobs and livelihood advocate, had earlier urged the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) and the Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) to augment their personnel in Saudi Arabia to assist the Filipinos to be affected by the crackdown. V i l l a r sa id g ove r n me nt should now mobil ize the Overseas Workers Welfare Administrat ion (OW WA) to extend assistance to the displaced OFWs in order to prepare them for their eventual reintegration into Philippine society. “We should act now and fact fast,” Villar stressed. “We cannot afford another humanitarian crisis in our hands as a resu lt of t he eventual displacement of thousands of Filipino workers from Saudi Arabia.” Villar thanked the Saudi monarch, K ing Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, for his decision to grant a three month retrieve on the labor and immigration crackdown and g ive i l lega l m ig rant workers in that country more time to fix their papers. Reports said Saudi Arabia has more than nine million expatriates from countries like Yemen, India, Pakistan and t he Ph i l ippi nes and
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that the Saudi government has already deported over 200,000 foreigners due to documentation problems. At present, Villar noted t here are over a m i l l ion Filipinos working in Saudi A rabia and some 20,0 0 0 of t hem a re sa id to be u ndocu mented. She sa id DFA and DOLE off icial shou ld now expedite the processing of the working documents and extend all assistance they could give to the workers to legalize their stay in the Kingdom during the three-month retrieve. Vi l lar noted t hat t he recent implementation of amendments to the Kingdom’s labor laws was Saudi-wide, mea n i ng t hat t housa nds of illegal foreign workers including OFWs with expired residency cards or “Iqamas” are affected. “ We cannot treat this development as a t riv ia l matter because Saudi Arabia is home to more than a million Filipinos. They deserve a more proactive response from our embassy in Riyadh and consulate in Jeddah. It is time that we invest more funds and augment the workforce in these posts to enable them to reach more OFWs through mobile consular and labor teams.”
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