Mindanao Daily Business (October 13, 2014)

Mindanao Daily NEWS BUSINESS . ECONOMY . CORPORATE . BANKING Bringing Good News of Mindanao

Volume III, No. 117

Editor : Cheng Ordoñez

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story on Page B1 12 October 13,See 2014

Livelihood association gets support thru DTI SSF project

By Cheng Ordonez, Associate Editor

CAGAYAN de Oro City The Department of Trade and Industry Region X (DTI-10) has approved on September 11, 2014, the amount of P346,000 worth

LGUs asked to implement LACAPs CAGAYAN de Oro City - The Regional Development Council (RDC) and the Regional Peace and Order Council (RPOC) of Northern Mindanao, during a joint meeting held on October 9, 2014, here, enjoined the local government units (LGUs) in the region to ensure the functionality of their respective anti-criminality plans.

The meeting was presided over by Acting RDC-10 chair and National Economic Development Authority-10 (NEDA-10) Regional Director Leon M. Dacanay, Jr. and Regional Peace and Order Council-10 (RPOC10) chairmanCagayan de Oro City Mayor Oscar S. Moreno.

Both RDC and RPOC urged LGUs in Northern Mindanao to activate their Anti-Drug Abuse Councils (ADACs), provide assistance in the campaign against illegal drugs, and implement their respective Local Anti-Criminality Action Plans (LACAPs).

During the meeting, Mayor Moreno took his oath as chairman of the RPOC-10 with PRO-10 Police Chief Superintendent Isagani F. Genabe, Jr. as RPOC-10 vice-chair in a ceremony administered by Director Rene K. Burdeos of the Department of the Interior and Local Government (DILG-10).

To further enhance the functionality and effect meaningful participation in the RPOC, the joint body approved the proposed reorganization of the RPOC-10, modifying functions and expanding private sector representation.

It also added another member to represent the mayors of component cities for which Mayor Reynaldo O. Parojinog of Ozamiz City was unanimously chosen.

During the meeting, briefings were made on the following: Updates on the Peace and Development See lacap, page B3

of Shared Service Facility (SSF) project for the increase in production capability and quality of an organization’s roasted corn production.

Ma. Eliza Pabillore, pro-

vincial director, DTI-Region 10, identified the organization as SRV Livelihood Association Inc., The SSF project for SRV Association involves the acquisition of the following production machiner-

ies: Combined Roaster and Single Disk Grinder that will enable uniform roasting to produce high quality fine roasted corn and Tea Bag Machine to upgrade one of its product variants from being packed in “puyo” into

tea bag to make it more convenient and attractive to consumers.

Pabillore said the SRV Livelihood Association Inc. has 25 women members, and are residents of San Roque Village, Dayawan, Villan-

ueva, Misamis Oriental.

“Their main product is roasted corn in different variants used as a coffee substitute. They have their production building situated at Phase 2b of San Roque

Child Poverty in PH on the rise — study T See moresco, page B3

HE number of children living in poverty in the Philippines continues to climb despite the country’s recent economic gains.

According to a study titled “Child Poverty in the Philippines” by state think tank Philippine Institute for Development Studies (PIDS), there were already about 13.4 million Filipino children living in poverty in 2009.

“This number represents 36 percent or more than one-third of all Filipino children aged below 18.

Being poor, they suffer from deprivations of food, shelter, health, and education,” said Dr. Celia Reyes, PIDS senior research fellow and lead author of the study.

Using data collected from national surveys and administrative records of Interior and Local Government Sec. Mar Roxas (standing, center), introduces former Rep. Rissa Hontiveros (seated, various government agenleftmost) as the next PhilHealth administrator during the launching and signing of memorandum of agreement (MOA) cies, the key findings of the on Ugnayan ng Barangay at Simbahan (UBAS), Saturday, at Dynasty Court Hotel, Cagayan de Oro City. The Church study demonstrate that both representation was headed by Archbishop of CDO Antonio Ledesma (seated, center). (Cheng Ordonez)

See study, page B3

Non-electronics seen to fuel PHL export growth

MSU-Marawi Aggie modern school building 3-storey worth Php 30 million of the College of Agriculture near completion. MSU System President Macapado A. Muslim said the construction of this modern school building is from among the 30 infra projects which is in line with the new thrust of CHED to modernize its buildings including the purchase of necessary modern laboratory equipment item programs like, Agriculture,Engineering, Information Technology, among others. The building is equipped with modern facilities, like soil preparation and storage, tissue culture laboratory, agricultural engineering instrument, meat and food processing & other facilities. Sultan Dean Pangandag Magolama said the building once completed will pave the way to serve as a pilot college to orient and train farmers on modern farming method and techniques in ARMM and other nearby provinces.(ATM)

The government expects Philippine merchandise exports to grow eight percent this year to $85.2 billion, driven mainly by non-electronics especially fresh food exports and intermediate goods.

“Fruits and vegetables have been enjoying generally good harvests, while processed food and beverages have likewise been experiencing robust demand,” said the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) in a document released at the Philippine Economic Briefing.

In 2013, non-electronics

exports totalled $30 billion, up by 11.5 percent from $27 billion the previous year.

DTI said growth will be supported by increasing demand from Japan, China, United States, Singapore, Germany, Thailand and other countries in East Asia as well as ASEAN. “Lower tariffs in Philippine free trade areas have been a boon to Philippine exports,” it noted.

Citing the Semiconductor and Electronics Industries in the Philippines Inc. (SEIPI), the DTI said the outlook for the electronics See export, page B3

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China capital investments in ASEAN to rise $150B by 2020

C

hina is significantly increasing its investment flows to the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), aiming to raise investments in the region fivefold to US$150 billion by 2020, and the Philippines should take note of this emerging trend.

Once rivals, China and the 10 ASEAN members, despite their territorial discord, are now discovering “new harmonies,” especially in manufacturing, noted Noel Quinn, head of AsiaPacific commercial banking at HSBC.

Quinn pointed out that although Chinese manufactured goods flood ASEAN markets, ASEAN is no longer just a passive recipient of mainland products.

Two-way trade between China and ASEAN rose 5.4 percent year-over-year to U$261.3 billion in July and is on track to achieve the joint target of $500 billion next year, he added.

China-ASEAN trade is dominated by goods for production rather than consumption, with 66 percent of ASEAN imports from China and 58 percent of China’s

imports from ASEAN are intermediate goods.

A number of factors account for the new investment directions of China. Foremost of this is the rise in production costs in the country as it moves up the value chain and increases its share of medium-to-high-technology exports.

Another is its ongoing transformation into a consumption-driven economic power, a trend Quinn predicts will accelerate as Chinese middle-class consumers rise from 250 million today to 600 million by 2020.

With these developments, Chinese companies are looking to ASEAN for additional manufacturing capacity to service the country’s burgeoning market. Many are now manufacturing parts and components in cost-effective locations such as Vietnam and Cambodia.

While China’s direct investment in ASEAN accounts for only 7 percent of its total foreign direct investment, the share is growing as China seeks to increase its investment in the region 500 percent by 2020.

Past investments had

been on natural resources in Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia, but this is starting to change, said Quinn. From January to July, China’s investment in ASEAN rose 9.1 percent to $2.89 billion year-over-year. Now China is diversifying its capital outlay into infrastructure, real estate, retail development, and agricultural processing.

One key area is building infrastructure in the region, especially roads and highspeed railways. Quinn said the country is spending $7 billion to build a railroad starting in Yunnan’s capital Kunming and running through Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Myanmar, Thailand, and Malaysia before terminating in Singapore.

There are also plans by

Developing countries in East Asia Pacific (EAP) can implement structural reforms needed to boost their export competitiveness to maximize the benefits from the projected global recovery.

According to the East Asia Pacific Economic Update released by the World Bank, while the region as a whole will benefit more than any other region from the recovery of the global economy, the impact will vary across countries depending on their investment and export environment.

“As high-income economies pick up, their demand for imports will also increase.

The extent of the gains for developing EAP countries

other than China will depend on their capacity to respond, both by ramping up production, and by moving into new sectors and products,” it noted.

The report said carrying out structural reforms is imperative to increase export competitiveness, as the normalization of monetary policy in high-income economies results in a tightening of external financing conditions.

“Key reforms include infrastructure investment, logistics, and the liberalization of services and foreign direct investment (FDI),” it said.

The report pointed out that in several countries, a large number of inefficient border procedures and sig-

nificant behind-the-border obstacles result in regional trade costs well above those of the newly industrialized countries and of high-income economies.

“Reforms in these areas raise the prospect of economy-wide gains, and may present a particular upside for exports, where the informal sector is relatively less important and regulations more binding,” it said.

The report said inadequate infrastructure significantly weakens logistical performance and export competitiveness in many countries.

Also, it said that restrictions on services trade and FDI hamper competitiveness, especially in the ASEAN-4.

“EAP imposes greater restrictions on trade in these services than most other developing regions, with particularly high barriers in professional services and transportation... Removing all

these restrictions would significantly reduce the price of services, with a major impact on export competitiveness,” the report said.

Across ASEAN, services account for around 35 percent of the value of gross exports.

Further, the WB report stressed that human capital is critical to competitiveness.

“In this context, the region as a whole needs to shift its focus from raising access to education, where it has generally been successful, to developing more broadly the skills needed for labor market success. Upgrading workforce skills is particularly important when moving into more advanced sectors, or producing higher-quality goods,” it noted.

Over the medium term, China’s continued development will place an even greater premium on other developing EAP countries in enhancing their competitiveness.

“As productivity and wages continue increasing in China, it will move further up the value chain. This will create opportunities for lower-income countries to expand their labor-intensive manufacturing and to move into higher value-added products,” the report further said.

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system to provide jobs for 500-T youths

some large Chinese retail developers to invest in rapidly urbanizing markets like Vietnam and Thailand.

“We believe China will play a greater role as an exporter of capital to ASEAN because of its high level of savings, saturation of domestic industries, rising costs of production and domestic deregulation of investment,” said Quinn. “The creation of the ASEAN Economic Community next year will have an additional positive impact on this investment.”

ASEAN is a political and economic organization formed in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand. It now also includes Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Implementing structural reforms to boost export competitiveness Dualized training The private sector has committed to create 100,000 jobs a year for five years through a dualized training system (DTS) in an effort to reduce youth unemployment.

Vicky Garchitorena of the Philippine Business for Education said such system will be undertaken starting next year through a five-year public-private partnership program called the Philippine Social Pact (PSP).

She said an industry-led DTS will serve as an alternative education-employment path.

Garchitorena said priority sectors until 2020 are hotel and tourism, electronics, construction and development and agro-industry/ agribusiness sectors.

Beyond 2020, she said beneficiaries are automotive, business process outsourcing, retail and fast food and manufacturing sectors.

“Sectors were selected based on the government’s priority economic sectors and recommendation from industry,” she noted during the recent National Education Forum.

Under the PSP, trainees are allotted a training allowance worth of the prevailing regional minimum wage for time spent at the company.

Seventy five percent of the amount is shouldered by the

company while the other 25 percent by the government through training allowance subsidy.

The average training period is one year, with 80 percent of the time in accredited company and 20 percent in an accredited training institution.

“Industry will play a larger role in accreditation, assessment and certification with TESDA (Technical Education and Skills Development Authority) in accordance with the current DTS implementing guidelines,” Garchitorena said.

The Philippine Social Pact Council (PSPC) will screen applicants and send them to the Industry Skills Councils (ISCs) for distribution to accredited companies and schools for further screening.

For those who are not hired by the accredited company at the end of their training program, PSPC will help place them in other companies within the same sector.

Apart from providing jobs to the youth with economic multiplier effects, Garchitorena said the PSP also addresses demand for industry-relevant competencies and improves industry competitiveness.

(PHILEXPORT)

LOT FOR SALE 996 SQ.M. BALOY, TABLON CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY BESIDE GAMA FARMS CALL CHARLIE 0917-889-9935

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The RPMS: DepEd’s next step towards continuous progress

By MELVA E. GULBE Teacher – III Migsali Elementary School Bonifacio East District

In the pursuit to provide high quality service in terms of content, delivery, system and reach, for some, Department of Education implement measures such as Results-based Performance Management System.

It is aligned on Civil Service Commission’s Strategic

Study... from B1

the number and severity of poverty among Filipino children have been increasing through the years.

Around 10 million of these children face at least two overlapping types of severe deprivation in basic amenities while an estimated .75 million face at least five kinds of deprivation simultaneously.

During the same year, there were around 4 million children who did not have access to sanitary toilet facilities while 4 million did not have access to safe water.

Another 260,000 kids did not have decent shelter.

“There were 1.4 million children living in informal settlements, 6.5 million did not have access to electricity in their homes, and 3.4 million did not have means to access information,” Reyes said.

In terms of education, the key issues are low cohort survival and poor level of achievement. In the last ten years, the percentage of students who were able to complete elementary and secondary levels have hardly improved.

“Largely because of poverty, 5.5 million children are forced to work in 2011 to augment family income.

These children are unable to pursue their education and this affects their ability to find better work opportunities in the future,” the study noted.

Poverty in the country is largely a rural phenomenon.

The study estimates that three out of four children from income poor families are living in the rural areas.

At the same time, eight of 10 who are severely deprived of safe water and sanitary toilet are found in the rural areas.

Zamboanga Peninsula, Eastern Visayas, and the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) were identified by the study as the regions where the condition of children is dismal in many aspects and therefore should be prioritized in interventions.

“The updated Philippine Development Plan recognizes the need to have spatial focus to address the specific needs of provinces and has identified priority provinces. A more targeted approach will hopefully address the varying needs of children across the provinces,” Reyes stated.

Population growth, the lack of inclusivity of economic growth, and the exposure of the country to natural calamities, are expected to worsen child poverty within

Performance Management System that is implemented to apply uniformity among government agencies.

RPMS system reflects the idea that if there is a clear vision and strategy, so that people performing the tasks can easily understand the rationale behind a made decision. It aims to provide transparency, in which people are given information of the job they have.

It also helps ensure strategic, responsive, and effective delivery of services of all levels in education department so that in result, the implementation of a learner-centered school, school-based management system and the K to 12 strategies could be effective and productive.

In this system, the focus is on performance measures based on organizational level,

divisional or functional and individual levels.

There is also presence of Performance Management.

It is an approach to ensure that task performers are focusing on their respective tasks towards achieving the mission and vision of their organization.

The RPMS is anchored on DepEd’s mission and vision as well. It covers regular managers, employees, either

teaching and non-teaching staff of the department.

Four stages builds RPMS. These are performance planning and commitment, performance monitoring and coaching, performance review and evaluation, and finally, performance rewarding and planning. Each of this stage targets enhancement on execution of tasks among performing individuals.

The conduct of RPMS in

entire DepEd community is another step to continuous progress. It eyes not just improvement on service delivery or on DepEd at large, for it is also a tool of individual improvement.

It targets individual improvement that makes the success, not just on RPMS implementation, but also on various programs and regulations the department is into.

the next few years.

“In the Philippines, despite the country’s recent economic progress, poverty continues to affect millions of families with young children.

This is visible in the number of young ones who wander the streets in urban areas, scavenge for resources, or those who, at an early age, are forced to drop out of school to work to supplement their family income,” Reyes explained.

According to the study, the problem goes beyond mere lack of income or assets for these children’s families.

Their situation speaks of a roster of factors that range from lack of appropriate skills to inability to control fertility intertwined with lack of job opportunities and other economic problems.

2010 and recently was able to penetrate local convenient stores in Tagoloan, Villanueva and Jasaan. Their products are also being displayed at Vjandep in Bulua Cagayan de Oro City, OTOP Store in SM CDO and Pasalubong Center at El Salvador, Misamis Oriental.

“With the help of World Vision together with their partner MAKASAKA INC., the organization was able to undergo GMP Training conducted by the Northern Mindanao Food and Safety Team and recently preparing for their SSOP. The organization aims to get an FDA certification as part of their project in expanding their livelihood, Roasted Corn Production,” she said.

The approval of the SSF project will directly impact on their aim of expansion with its benefits that include decrease in production costs while increasing its production capacity per month by almost twice its existing production at 180 kg/month, and produce high quality product in order to increase competency in the

markets. With such support, sustainability of their livelihood would definitely become even more possible, said Dir. Pabillore.

Export...

dise exports expanded by 9.2 percent to $40.7 billion from $37.3 billion during the same period last year.

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from B1

LACAP...

sector this year is a modest growth of five percent.

It said the growth in earnings from shipments of electronic products will be driven by renewed demand for automotive and consumer electronic products as well as from the telecommunications industry.

“New investments in the country’s electronics industry are also seen to support the recovery of shipments in 2014,” DTI To expand exports, the Philippines will continue on the lookout for opportunities brought about especially by bilateral and regional trade initiatives.

In January to August 2014, Philippine merchan-

Convergence Program and the “GEAR-UP” Concept for Camiguin, Misamis Oriental and Bukidnon by Mr. Ariel C. Hernandez of Balay Mindanaw Foundation Inc.; Barangay Drug Clearing by Director Emerson L. Margate of the Philipine Drug Enforcement Agency (PDEA10); Addressing Criminality and other Security Threats

by Director Isagani F. Genabe, Jr. of PRO-10; and the results of the Cities and Municipalities Competitiveness Index (CMCI) 2014 by Director Linda O. Boniao of the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI-10).

The joint body also expressed support to the North-

ern Mindanao Regional Development and Competitiveness Frameworks presented

by Director Dacanay and to the “Task Force Kinaiyahan” – an environmental movement against illegal mining and logging activities and massive exploitation of natural resources as presented by Mr. Orlando R. Ravanera.

RDC-X resolutions passed during the 104th RDC Executive Committee meeting on September 24, 2014, were also confirmed.

In view of Mayor Moreno’s appointment as chairman of the RPOC-10, he proposed to the body to include Lanao del Norte Governor Khalid Q. Dimaporo as the second government sector nominee together with Mayor Philip T. Tan for consideration by the President as RDC-10 Chair/ Co-Chair for the term 20132016. The body unanimously approved the inclusion of Governor Dimaporo. (NEDA10/Cheng Ordonez)

Project... from B1

still in Villanueva,” Dir. Pabillore said. “The product is purely white corn variety where they get their supply from the corn farmers in the different parts of Villanueva,” she added.

The organization has been in the business since

from B1

Republic of the Philippines Department of Finance BUREAU OF INTERNAL REVENUE Revenue Region No. 16 Cagayan de Oro City

NOTICE OF SALE

(For Acquired/Forfeited Assets) TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN: Pursuant to the provisions of Section 216 of the National Internal Revenue Code of 1997, as amended, the undersigned will sell at public auction for cash to the highest bidder at the BIR Conference Room, Third Floor, BIR Bldg., Westbound Terminal, Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City on the 25th day of November, 2014, beginning at 9:00 o’clock A.M. of said day, the following absolutely acquired/forfeited assets of the Bureau of Internal Revenue, as described below.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PROPERTIES Title: T-164883 Area: 400 sq. m.

Location: Camaman-an,

Cagayan de Oro City Floor Price: Php 660,000.00

Title: P-1488 Area: 1,204 sq. m.

Location: Brgy. 17, Cagayan de Oro City Floor Price: Php 12,040,000.00

Title: T-127885 Title: T-102361 Area: 250 sq. m. Area: 607 sq. m.

Location: Macasandig, Location: Macasandig,

Cagayan de Oro City Cagayan de Oro City Floor Price: Php 250,000.00 Floor Price: Php 607,000.00 The Bureau of Internal Revenue, thru its Bids and Awards Committee-Acquired Assets (BAC-AA), reserves the right to reject any or all bids received, waive any formalities or defects therein, and to accept such bids as may be advantageous to the government, or call-off the bidding prior to the acceptance of the bids and call for a new bid under amended rules. The auction shall be done on an “As Is Where Is” per title Basis.

Done in the City of Cagayan de Oro, Province of Misamis Oriental, Philippines, this 2nd day of October, 2014.

Commissioner of Interval Revenue By: (SGD.) ATTY. ALBERTO S. OLASIMAN

OIC-Regional Director MDN: Oct 13 & 20, 2014

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SCG-Mariwasa, partners launches alternative biomass project to benefit typhoon victims

T

hough it has almost been a year since typhoon Yolanda hit the country, many are still struggling to rebuild, including the municipality of Lawaan in Eastern Samar.

To help those affected by the typhoon, SCG and its subsidiary, Mariwasa, has partnered with the Office of the Presidential Assistant for Rehabilitation and Recovery (OPARR) and the Lawaan local government to create a program that can benefit this municipality.

This project, which will be the very first of its kind as part of the country’s rehabilitation efforts post typhoon Yolanda, aims to gather all the uprooted coconut trees caused by the typhoon and use them as an alternative source of energy.

“Lawaan was badly affected by Typhoon Yolanda, where the extent of the damage that happened in other areas, such as Tacloban, happened to us as well.

Many lives were lost and our entire infrastructure was damaged. Moreover, the environment of the area was also affected, with hectares of coconut trees that were uprooted and damaged as well,” shared Hon. Candida Eligio Garbornes, Mayor of the Municipality of Lawaan in Eastern Samar.

The uprooted coconut trees are a concern for Lawaan because as these trees decompose, they will

that were devastated by typhoon Yolanda but to help improve the facilities and make them disasterresilient. Some facilities include classrooms, skills training centers, bathrooms, and covered gyms. The project will also build day-care centers in the hard-to-reach barangays of Lawaan.

“Truly, nothing is more rewarding than having everyone from different sectors contribute for this project with a common objective- recovery and to return to normal life. With OPARR and the LGUs, we hope this endeavor will help our fellowmen to recover and start a new life,” said Mr. Buranawit.

Mr. Phaskorn Buranawit, President of Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc. (3rd from left) shakes hands with Sec. Panfilo Lacson, Sr. Secretary of OPARR (3rd from right) after the Memorandum of Understanding signing, along with (from left to right) Hon. Candida Eligio Garbornes, Mayor of the Municipality of Lawaan, Mr. Sunchai Jindasri, President of SCG Marketing Philippines, Ms. Emilie Maramag, Vice President for Finance & Admin of Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc., and Undersecretary Danilo A. Antonio, Business and Civil Society Organization Unit of OPARR.

attract insects in the area, which will destroy the crops and farming lands of the locals. With an estimated 356, 580 damaged coconut trees in the region, locals have resorted to burning the felled trees, which is detrimental to the environment. The project will enjoin the communities in Lawaan to clear vast areas of felled trees. With the help of SCG-Mariwasa in providing the necessary tools and vehicles for clearing and transportation,

the coconut trees will be delivered to Mariwasa to be transformed into a usable resource which will power Mariwasa’s plants while helping sustain Lawaan’s environment.

“The partnership will be a big help for Lawaan since there are so many aspects that we need to focus on and rehabilitate.

This project will help clear the debris and maintain the natural balance of the environment in the area,” shared Hon. Garbornes.

In addition to helping the municipality’s environment, SCG-Mariwasa takes a step further by sharing its commitment in education and youth development in Lawaan. As compensation for the felled coconut trees that will be used to fuel its plant, the company will be giving construction materials to rebuild schools and day-care centers.

“SCG has always been committed in not just protecting the environment but in the development

of the youth. We believe that giving building and construction materials for the rehabilitation of the schools and day-care centers is among the most important things to do for now because we believe that our children’s education should not be compromised but be lifted especially in these hard times,” shared Mr. Phaskorn Buranawit, President of Mariwasa Siam Ceramics, Inc. This project aims to not just rebuild schools

SM group leads “grow a million trees projects” SM Foundation, Inc. in partnership with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources spearheads the project “Grow a Million” Trees, a program that advocates and aspires, not only to Grow a Million trees, but also to provide food sufficiency and sustainable livelihood opportunities to its chosen communities.

This year, the Department of Social Welfare and Development partners with SM Foundation to strengthen the grassroots organization beneficiaries through capacity building, values formation and by enhancing their social entrepreneurial skills.

With this tripartite memorandum of agreement, and with the dynamic team of SM-DENR-DSWD, the project aims to have a stronger program that supports the National Greening Project of DENR. Along with the SM Food Group – SM Supermarket, Savemore and Hypermarket as well as SM Supermalls, the project is growing around 30,000 trees in Mindanao particularly in Cagayan de Oro, Davao

SM employees plant saplings in Barangay Pagatpat, Cagayan de Oro (Photo Supplied)

and General Santos City, which was held recently, September 26, 2014.

“As one, SM Food Group, SM Supermalls, SM Land, Ace Hardware, Costa de Hamilo, Inc., Manila Southcoast De-

velopment Corporation and SM volunteers, have planted 334,902 trees all over the country. All these companies have committed to grow an additional of 360,763 trees by planting saplings and propagules in

the next three years. ” SM Foundation’s Assistant Vice President Cristie Angeles said.

“Aside from that, BDO pledged for 10,000 trees, 15,000 from SM Prime Commercial Properties

Group and 500 from Mr Joe Cio, SM’s Chief Executive Officer. With all these updates, SM hopes to contribute in making a greener and cleaner Philippines in the next four years” she added.

400 DOLE-GIP trainees complete internship program ILIGAN City - More than 400 graduates of the Department of Labor and Employment’s Government Internship Program (GIP) were recognized for completing the three-month training program during the culmination activity, held earlier, at the MCC gymnasium in the Province of Lanao del Norte.

GIP is part of the Aquino administration’s efforts to strengthen youth participation in nation building, expose them to government service, train them on life skills and contribute to their economic well-being.

GIP participants were assigned to the different offices of Lanao del Norte LGU to undergo their onthe-job training and apply the skills they learned from college in actual work scenario.

Top performing GIP trainees will be given the chance to join the regular workforce of the provincial government for them to contribute to their family’s income.

The GIP also aims to help provide financial assistance to qualified students particularly during school enrolment. A GIP trainee is entitled to an incentive of 75% of the existing minimum wage rate.

Lanao del Norte Governor Khalid Dimaporo expressed his gratitude for the exemplary service the trainees rendered to the provincial government.

Officials from DOLERegion 10 were also present during the culminating activity. (LDN-PIO/Cheng Ordonez)