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2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

Volume V, No. 143

Market Indicators

As of 6:30 pm apr. 14, 2015 (tuesday)

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US$1 = P44.60

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X Briefly 16.76 points

Skills training BUTUAN City -- Three hundred and thirty-three (333) Pantawid Pamilyang Pilipino Program (4Ps) beneficiaries in Buenavista, Agusan del Norte have graduated from the livelihood skills training under the Bayanihan Project of the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority in partnership with the Philippine National Police and Armed Forces of the Philippines. The closing program was held Monday afternoon in Barangay Talao-ao of the said town spearheaded by the Police Provincial Director PSSupt. Rommel Francisco D. Marbil, the Bravo Company of the 29th Infantry Battalion, Philippine Army led by its commanding officer Capt. Angelo Jose T. Gomez and TESDA Regional Director Florencio F. Sunico. The closing activity was also attended by personnel from the local government unit of Buenavista, DSWD officials and Buenavista Municipal Police Station personnel.

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Gov’t expects no major brownouts this summer Petilla assures no brownout when Pacquiao fights Mayweather on May 3

By Philippine News Agency

HILE Cagayan de Oro City and most parts of Mindanao are now experiencing rotational brownouts due to the reported load shedding imposed by grid operator, Energ y Secretar y Jericho Petilla still maintains that Filipinos are going to survive summer 2015 without major power supply cut off. In an interview during a power caravan sponsored by the National Power Corp. (Napocor) in Pangasinan, Petilla said that with Malampaya back in operations and the demand for electricity was lowered even if it was summer, there were now enough power reserves. Add to the abnormal situation that even if it is April, there was Typhoon Chedeng that breezed through, which brought some waters to the country’s hydroelectric dams and helped stabilize the situation, he said. expects/PAGE 11

DAREDEVIL. While pedestrians use the sidewalk of Bangkerohan Bridge, Davao City, this boy walks on top of the concrete barrier.

Farm mechanization BUTUAN City – With the intention of boosting rice production in the Philippines through developing its agricultural technology, the Department of Agriculture (DA) partners with the Philippine Center for Posthavest Development and Mechanization (PhilMech). PhilMech has launched its research program called Agrinovation and has produced innovations such as Rice Transplanter, Compact Corn Mill, Cassava Digger, and many more. “With Agrinovation, we are addressing the country’s agricultural problems by maximizing what is already there,” said PhilMech Applied Communication chief and Science Research Specialist Rodolfo P. Estigoy during his visit in Butuan City on Monday.

P15.00

Wednesday | April 15, 2015

mindanews photo by toto lozano

7-hour brownouts hit CDO By CRIS DIAZ, Associate Editor

A SEVEN-hour rotating brownout hits this seaport capital starting Monday with no timetable when the power outage would end, the Cagayan De Oro Power and Light Co. (CEPALCO) HUMAN TRIUMPH. Ingemar “Pinoy Aquaman” Macarine raises his hands after completing his 19.99-km swim from Bantayan Island to Barangay Bancasan, San Remigio town in northern Cebu on Sunday. Macarine has embarked on marathon swimming to promote awareness on climate change. mindanews photo by roel catoto

WB cites regulatory environment for consumer protection THE World Bank (WB) cited the financial consumer regulator y environment in the domestic banking system in its “Republic of

Blackout delays commissioning of Aboitiz’ coal plant by 10 mos By IRENE DOMINGO, Staff Writer

THE Mindanao-wide blackout that occurred last April 5, 2015, disrupted the commissioning schedule of

Unit 2 of Therma South Inc.’s (TSI) coal- fired power plant in Davao City. Initial findings show that

said Tuesday. Marlyn Chavez, spokesperson of CEPALCO, said the power company is trying to remedy the situation as t he Nat iona l Power Corporation (NAPOCOR)

has the company’s power allocation from 140 Megawatt to 70 Megawatt. “There is an apparent shortage of power supply in Mindanao and the NAPOCOR is trying to balance the power distribution. CEPALCO is brownouts/PAGE 11

the Philippines: Diagnostic Review of Consumer Protection in the Banking Sector’ that was published recently in the WB website.

I n t h e r e v i e w, t h e multilateral lender said, “There is an impressive focus on the consumer protection protection/PAGE 11

the disruption unfortunately c au s e d d am a ge t o t h e auxiliary components to the boiler of Unit 2. Affected areas and components include delays/PAGE 11

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Economy

Internal Revenue extends e-filing of ‘no payment’ ITRs to June 15 By APIPA P. BAGUMBARAN

HE Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) has given t axp ayers unt i l June 15 to file their income tax returns (ITR) elec tronically. But the extended

deadline is applicable only for those who will file “no payment” ITRs. In its Revenue M e m o r a n d u m Circular 18-2015, the B I R s t at e d t h at “n o

payment” returns may be filed manually until April 15 in order for the Bureau to focus on ITRs with payments. It c an b e f i le d manually with the Revenue District Office where they are registered, thru the use of the official pr i nte d for m or t h e off line eBIR Forms Package. However “no p a y m e n t” I T R f i l e d manually shall be refiled electronically on or b efore June 15, 2015. Ac c o r d i n g t o t h e BIR, penalties imposed under Revenue Regulation 5-2015 on f iling using a mo de/ venue dif ferent f rom that pres crib ed shall b e w a i v e d p r ov i d e d the ITRs have been re-submitted electronically in the BIR systems on or before June 15, 2015.

Ta x p a y e r s n e w l y e n r o l l e d i n B I R ’s electronic f iling and payment system (eFPS) and whose registration with Authorized Agent Banks (AABs) has not been completed, shall electronically file their returns and manually p ay t h r u t h e A A B s / Revenue C ollection Officers not later than April 15, 2015. These taxpayers should complete their ePayment registration and must comply with eFile and ePay on all succeeding returns n o t l a t e r t h a n Ju n e 15, 2015. In the event that the ePayment registration has not been completed on or b efore June 1 5 , a l l re tu r ns f i l e d electronically and paid over the counter from April 15, 2015 shall be subjected to penalties pursuant to Re venue Regulation 5-2015.

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Prices of selected commodities in Bukidnon remain stable M A L AY BA L AY C it y — Pr i c e s of s el e c te d commodities in publ i c m arke t s he re remained stable for the first quarter of 2015, as monitored by the Department of Tr a d e a n d I n d u s t r y (DTI) under its of f i c i a l j u r i s d i c t i on as mandated under DT I , D e p ar t me nt of Ag r ic u lture (DA), Department of Health ( D OH ) , D e p ar t me nt of E nv i ron me nt and Natural Resources (DENR), Department of Energy (DOE) Joint Administrative Order. As monitored b y t h e Tr a d e a n d Industry Development Specialist Division (TIDS) of DTIBukidnon, of the 2 0 s ampl e pro du c t s , pr i c e s of 1 3 of t he m remained constant while prices of 6 products increased and a pr i c e of on ly 1 product has decreased. The prices of the following items have not changed during the period: Me g a s a r d i n e s ( 1 5 5 g rams); 555 s ardines ( 1 5 5 g r ams ) ; A l a sk a instant milk (150 gm.); Blend 45 coffee (25 & 50 grams); Surf bar (440 gm.); Ti d e b ar ( 4 0 0 g m . ) ;

Argentina corned b e ef (155 g m.); CD O corned beef (155 gm); A r g e nt i n a b e e f l o a f ( 1 5 5 g m ) ; Lu cky Me noodles (55 gm); Datu Puti White vinegar ( 3 5 0 m l ) ; a n d D at u P ut i S oy S au c e ( 3 5 0 ml). The average price of Bear Brand Powdered Milk 150 gram decreased at .18% from Februar y to March while Nescafe Classic 25 gram prevailing pr i c e ha d d e c re as e d at 0 . 9 7 % du r i ng t he s ame p e r i o d. Products with increased average prices are: Nes cafe Classic, 25 gm, by 0.14%; Nescafe Classic 50 gm by 0.38%; White Su g ar 1 k g by 0 . 8 9 % ; Brow n Su g ar 1 k g by 1.42%; 555 B eef L oaf 1 5 5 g r ams by 0 . 5 8 % , S afe g u ard Wh ite, 6 0 g r ams , by 0 . 2 5 % . With most product pr i c e s u nchange d, a few product prices d e c re a s i n g an d a l s o only a few product prices have increased yet still below the 10% i n c r e a s e r at e u n d e r Section 5.2 of the Pr i c e Ac t ( R e pu b l i c Ac t No. 7581), t he price trend within the st ate d p e r i o d c an b e d e s c r ib e d as st abl e.

CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739 CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

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Journalists must fight for themselves

IFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “… By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Other wise, you have believed in vain…” (1 Corinthian 15:2, the Holy Bible). -ooo DANGER OF HAVING I L L IC I T SE X : For t h e male and female Filipino Lotharios out there, especially those who seem unable to control their urges and cannot help but indulge in one-night stands with total abandon, a new study released on April 11, 2015 is saying that sexual encounters are not only between the partners in the act, but even with all the previous other partners of each of the lovers. This bombshell of a study can be read online in the Internet at http://m.disclose. tv/…/be_careful_who_you_ sleep_with…/116543. In gist, the study claims that when someone engages in sex with anyone, he or she will be considered as having engaged in sex with any and all other persons who had sex with the partner, and vice versa. This means that if the previous lovers of the person having sex had illnesses or defective genes or any other physical problem, the present lovers of the same person will definitely

THINK

A Minute

Jhan Tiafau Hurst continued to sell all the expensive, valuable paintings, the lawyer read out loud from Fitzgerald’s will. Fitzgerald had written: “Whoever buys the painting of my son also gets everything else that I own. The auction is now over.” That old servant who truly loved Fitzgerald’s son got everything! All of Fitzgerald’s valuable art, money, houses, land, the servant got it all! Remember, God said that if we love and live for Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, then we also will become God’s children and have all that God has to give us. But you and I must choose to love Jesus and live His way every day, instead of our own way. Jesus said that’s the only way you and I can have it all. So why not become God’s son or daughter today? Simply ask Jesus to take full charge of your heart and way of living, for the rest of your life. Just Think a Minute…

contract the same illness, the same defective gene or physical problem. The moral of this story? Sex is a sacred act, and it should be performed or done only by a husband and his legal or legitimate wife. -ooo C O N S U M E R C OALITION URGES PROBE OF OTHER CA JUSTICES: Why did Sen. Antonio Trillanes IV limit his resolution to investigate corruption at the Court of Appeals only to the two justices who signed an order stopping the suspension by the Ombudsman of Makati City Mayor Jejomar Erwin Junjun Binay, if he was not really singling the Binays out? The Coalition of Filipino Consumers, through its spokesman Perfecto Tagalog, chided Trillanes’ resolution centering on the Binay case alone, saying that, if he is really interested in cleaning the judiciary, t he S enate shou ld a ls o investigate the cases of businessmen who allegedly pay huge sums of money in exchange for favorable decisions. Tagalog is correct. Lest the senator will be accused of mere grandstanding in s e ek ing t he ne w Binay Senate investigation, the other accusations against other C ourt of Appeals

justices must now be similarly looked into, with the end in view of putting regulations in place to either prevent the appointment of corrupt judges and justices, or to kick them out in the most expeditious means possible if found to be corrupt later. -ooo NATIONAL HEALTH IN DANGER: S o, if no poison or any other toxic substances were found in the milk tea that caused the death of two people in Sampaloc, Manila the other Thursday, what (or, perhaps, who) then killed the woman customer and the store owner who, a video clip showed, died within seconds from drinking the milk tea? A n d w hy s h o u l d i t take the Department of Health (DOH) two to three months to know the cause of death of the victims? Another glaring proof of the incompetence of our health officials? This is what we have been saying here all along---there should be a premium in appointing health officials, and a better set of guidelines in installing them. Otherwise, the health of the entire Filipino nation is endangered! -ooo JOURNALISTS MUST FIGHT FOR THEMSELVES! Melinda Magsino is

K akampi

Mo A ng Batas

Atty. Batas Mauricio ye t anot he r pro of t hat journalism is a dangerous and deadly profession in the Philippines, especially under a government which couldn’t care less w hat happ ens to j our nalists, p ar t i c u l arly t hos e w ho criticize its officials for corruption, incompetence an d i n abi l it y to f u l f i l l it s c amp ai g n prom i s e s center ing on r ig hte ous governance. Journalists must fight for themselves alone if they wish protection! -ooo REACTIONS? Please call me at +63 917 984 24 68, +63 918 574 0193, +63 922 833 43 96, or Skype (batasmauricio), Viber (+63 918 574 0193) and Line (+63 917 984 24 68). Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com, melaniolazomauriciojr@ o u t l o o k . c o m , mmauriciojr111@gmail. com. -30-

He ain’t heavy, he’s my brother

How to Have It All

hink a minute…There was a rich English Baron named Fitzgerald who had only 1 child, a son. Fitzgerald’s only son was the love and pride of his parents. But when the son was just a boy, his mother died. He and his father became even closer. Meantime, Fitzgerald had become much richer. He collected very expensive, valuable paintings by the famous artists of the world. Then, just 2 years after losing his wife, Fitzgerald’s son became sick and died as a young boy. Before Fitzgerald himself died years later, he carefully wrote his will and instructions on how his riches were to be handled. He wanted an auction to sell all of his valuable paintings. They were worth millions of dollars, so many rich people from all over Europe came to the auction. Among all the valuable paintings, however, was 1 cheap, poor quality painting by an unknown local artist. It was a painting of Fitzgerald’s only son. Fitzgerald had ordered that this painting of his son be sold first before any of the other expensive paintings. Yet, because it was of such poor quality no one wanted to buy it. Finally, an old servant of Fitzgerald who had known the son and loved him offered to by the ugly painting for only a couple of dollars. Then, before they

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was reminded of these words from an old song, which I am now using as the title of this piece, when the sneaky maneuver to end the RH bill debate in Congress some years back triggered an explosion of angry reactions both from the pros and the antis. I felt I had to retreat to the sides for a while, since the arena is full of fire, smoke and dust, and we really cannot do anything constructive when such is the situation. Thing is, the dialogue and debate have turned practically into a shouting match, and some of the once honorable and respectable men and women involved have mutated into mad dogs who seem to have abandoned reason and charity and have embraced the ways of passion and hatred, unloading trash and increasingly straying from the real issues. I had to remind everyone in the social networking to stay calm and always to remain in the hold of charity, despite the sharp differences and conflicts of views. We have to avoid what is called as bitter zeal, that blinding disease of self-righteousness

that leads one to pursue his perceived good cause while leaving behind charity. Truth, justice, charity actually cannot be separated. If any of these values is missing, the others also fall even if they continue to appear standing. And that’s why, we have to learn to widen and deepen our perspectives, and not confine ourselves to what is here and now, and even in the shortrun or long-run, the way they are defined humanly. We have to think in terms of eternity, of God’s wisdom and providence. We have to bring to our mind the very crucifixion of Christ who, completely sinless, chose to assume our sins and die to them to rise on the third day. These should bring us to our senses. There we can find the reason why we need to be patient and magnanimous, merciful and ever charitable. In the end, even if some people cause us a lot of disturbance and can even offend us, they still are our brothers and sisters. When there’s real love in the heart, these brethren really are not too heavy to bear. O ur L ord aske d for

forgiveness for those who nailed him to the cross. “For they know not what they do,” he said. These words explain why things and people are the way they are at the moment. Let’s be hopeful always. Setbacks along the way are really temporary, and are meant to spur us on to greater charity and understanding. They are meant for us to have another and deeper conversion. Thing is, evil will never have the last word. We may express our anguish and frustration for now, but let’s not dwell long in them. We have to pray that people and things calm down. Let’s sustain the effort, no matter how obstructed, to clarify the issues. Those against the RH Bill, especially if they happen to be priests and men, are not anti-poor nor anti-women. If the others can remove that bias, then we expect a more objective, balanced discussion. And those who are for the RH are not necessarily devils incarnate. They are our brothers and sisters whom we have to love. Remember what our Lord once said: “Love your enemies…Don’t resist evil. If one strikes you on your right cheek, turn to

HINTS

and

Traces

Fr. Roy Cimagala him also the other…” We have to understand them. Let’s try to see where they are coming from, so we would know why they say and act the way they do. And from there, let’s think of the proper and charitable way to deal with them. Fa c t i s , p e o p l e a r e subject to different situations, predicaments and conditionings. Some of us are very emotional, others may be intelligent but proud. Some may be very sensitive, others hardened by their problems that can range from the merely natural to the moral and spiritual. Some can have mental disorders, others blinded by some dangerous ideologies. roycimagala@gmail.com

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Smart Prepaid kicks off biggest ‘Live All Out’ Summer promo Over P2 million worth of prizes to be given away, including barkada trips to Boracay The undisputed mobile services leader Smart Communications, Inc. (Smart) is turning up the heat this summer season with the biggest ‘Live All Out’ Summer promo of Smart Prepaid, offering over P2 million worth of Barkada Getaways to Boracay, cool gadgets, and other exciting prizes, guaranteed to make this season one for the books. Running from April to June, the ‘Live All Out’ Summer promo is part of Smart Prepaid’s big celebration of everyone’s unique Summer Story, which is made more awesome when shared with friends through its reliable call, text and mobile data offers well-suited for

today’s connected lifestyle. For its first salvo, the ‘Live All Out’ Summer promo gives three lucky Smart Prepaid subscribers the ultimate getaway with their friends to the much-anticipated Labor Day weekend in Boracay, where Smart is putting together an unbeatable beach festival experience with sunset parties, all-night raves, as well as exclusive perks and discounts for subscribers. Also up for grabs are three other Barkada Getaways, Instax cameras, GoPro HERO4 cameras, Bluetooth Speakers, as well as tickets to Katy Perry’s May 7 concert at the Philippine Arena. Share your Summer Story with Smart Prepaid

“Summer is well celebrated in our islands, that’s why Smart Prepaid is pulling out all the stops to give everyone an amazing time under the sun,” said Joel Lumanlan, Smart Prepaid Head. “These great moments are meant to be shared, so you can rely on the country’s largest and most advanced network to deliver the best call, text and mobile Internet services that allow you to share your summer story instantly with friends and loved ones, making them more fun and memorable– from planning with friends on your social networking sites and chat apps, surfing online for the best summer deals,

SEABA Under-16 Championship opens at XU gym Local basketball enthusiasts will witness high-octane hardcourt action as Cagayan de Oro City hosts the 3rd Southeast Asia Basketball Association (SEABA) Under-16 Championship for Men which formally opens Tuesday, April 14 until April 19 at the Xavier University gym. Participating countries who have confirmed to join this regional basketball tournament are the under-16 national basketball teams of Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, and the ‘Batang Gilas Pilipinas.’ The top 2 teams of this tournament will qualify for the FibaAsia Under-17 which will be held in Bangalore, India next year. The opening ceremony is at 2:00 in the afternoon of April 14 at the XU gym with Mayor Oscar Moreno and officials of SEABA and Samahang Basketbol ng Pilipinas leading the event. Tournament proper follows at 4:00 in the afternoon, pitting Indonesia against Brunei while Thailand and Malaysia will slug it out in the 6:00 pm second game. Batang Gilas Pilipinas will see action on Wednesday, April 15 against the dangerous Malaysian squad. Tickets is priced at P100 each. (City Information Office)

to using navigation, music and video streaming apps for your adventures,” he said,” he added. Register and load up to earn entries All Smart Prepaid subscribers may join the ‘Live All Out’ Summer promo through a one-time registration by sending REG<NAME, ADDRESS> to 316 for free. New Smart Prepaid subscribers may earn electronic raffle entries by simply activating any Smart Prepaid SIM. On the other hand, existing subscribers may earn electronic raffle entries for every registration to Unli Call and Text 30; Jump All Out 50; or Big Bytes

50. Smart Prepaid subscribers may accumulate entries for the April, May and June draws. Moreover, all nonwinning electronic raffle entries will still be eligible for the succeeding draws. Aside from the ‘Live All Out’ Summer promo, Smart Prepaid subscribers stand a chance to take home exclusive premium items and other exciting prizes for every topup at designated ‘Live All Out’ booths scattered across the country’s leading summer destinations. For more information and updates, check out smart. com.ph/liveallout and follow @SMARTCares on Twitter and Instagram.

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KB GlutaNac plus Rosehips makes your skin glowy white skin

KB GlutaNac plus Rosehips helps you achieve a ‘glowywhite’ skin. KB Glutanac plus Rosehips is BETTER THAN GLUTATHIONE IN REDUCED FORM because Glutathione is NOT efficiently absorbed when taken orally. This is the reason why your reduced glutathione in capsules seems no effect at all. Did you know that the one that produces your glutathione inside your body is your OWN cells? The makers of KB Skin Whitening knows how to explain these details because they, themselves, dedicated years to intensive research to assure the efficiency of the product. This explanation is made by us and originally from us. KB GlutaNac plus Rosehips is a food supplement that helps you produce more glutathione. This is the reason we keep on saying that KB Glutanac plus rosehips is better than Glutathione in reduced form. As we know, almost 99.9% of all so-called whitening product in the market uses reduced glutathione that is made in Japan. But have you noticed that in Japan there is no such thing as capsule form of reduced glutathione? It is because reduced glutathione is a very sensitive compound similar to vitamin C. A reduced glutathione should be in a compacted sugar coated (tablet form such as PH338 or Tathione 307 - I am sure you heard about this two branded products from Japan) to preserve its efficacy and if you can take those in tablet form it will definitely produce a good result as well plus you take the KB Glutanac plus Rosehips to activate your cells to produce more Glutathione. By combining the two or by just taking one of them, you will get the desires of

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VMware hails MSI-ECS with Distributor of the Year Award VMware, the global leader in virtualization and cloud infrastructure, recognized MSI-ECS with the distinguished Distributor of the Year Award during its Partner Network awards for year 2014. Every year, VMware recognizes its partner ecosystem for their demonstrated

distributorship. Lastly, you may want to add the following product. KB Collagen Tablet (Made inJapan for Anti Aging - helps to lessen big pores, lessen your wrinkles and helps lighten your dark spots causes by pimples.) This product has skin whitening effect but just a minimal because of the pearl powder which is used by Japanese, Chinese and Koreans for brightening the skin. KB Premium Lotion, KB Premium Soap, KB Magic Towel, KB Rotenyumeguri Scrub, KB Teeth Whitening, KB Whitening Body Powder, KB Silver Soap, KB Underarm Spray, KB Rosehips 100caps,KB Dermafirm Face & Neck Gel. For more information visit www.ilovekb.com or for promo text 09178125836.To become a reseller text 0917 8005836 for more details.

PRO 10 enjoins gunholders to process license to own, possess firearms

CAGAYAN de Oro City – The Police Regional Office (PRO) in region 10 excellence and achievements. urged gunholders especially those with expired licenses to secure their License MSI-ECS, of the of leading ICT to Own and Possess Firearms (LTOPF) solutions providers in the country, in accordance to Republic Act 10591 was chosen for its top of the class effort in continuing to provide reliable or the Comprehensive Firearms and virtualization solutions and helping to Ammunition Regulation Act. Police Chief Supt. Agrimero A Cruz empower business transformation in Jr, in a press conference with the PNP the mobile cloud era. Press Corps, said the LTOPF is a written authority granted by the Philippine National Police (PNP) through the Firearms and Explosive Office (FEO) to a qualified individual for him/her to own and possess a firearm. Through LTOPF, licensed individuals and firearms are duly registered and recorded, thus, making them legal. Requirements for application include: Application Form; Regional Trial Court (RTC) and Municipal Trial Court (MTC) clearance; Neuro examination—P900.00 for regular applicants and P720 for senior citizen. Record shows there are a total of 18,000 gunholders in region 10 and as of March 2014 to date, only 1,232 or estimated of 14.5% had processed their LTOPF. Cruz said they are intensifying the

gun registration and licensing processes as they relentlessly campaign to recover most, if not all, the loose firearms in the possession of unlicensed individuals in the region. With the murder of ex-councilor Marc Bagaipo of Gingoog city, recovered from the possession of the accused include one MK IV bearing serial no. 159748 with two magazines for cal. 45 pistol loaded with 14 live ammunition and a grenade explosive with no pertinent documents. Because, Cruz said there is the possibility that these people are involved in other crime considering that they are carrying grenade, this might belong to a bigger crime gang and that gun may have used before in other crime. As such they are reiterating to secure LTOPF to avoid loose firearms or illegal, homemade, and not licensed, renewed and accounted. Violation of RA 9516 (Illegal Possession of Explosive) and Violation of RA 10591 will be filed against anyone who will possess any firearms and explosive devices that have not been processed and licensed yet. (Mary Grace V. Daliva/EOR/PIA-10)

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CorporateWorld

Century Pacific more than doubles profit in 2014

Camella to launch P12B-P14B projects CAMELLA, the flagship brand of listed homebuilder Vista Land & Lifescapes, Inc., will launch at least P12 billion worth of house and lot units within Metro M a n i l a a n d t h e c i t y ’s outskir ts this year, the company’s chairman said. On Friday, Vista Land simultaneously launched five projects worth a combine d P5.6 bi l lion: C a m e l l a Ve r r a M e t r o N o r t h i n Va l e n z u e l a City; Camella Carson and Camella Alta Silang both in Cavite; Camella Belize in Dasmariñas, Cavite; and Camella Sierra Metro East in Antipolo, Rizal province. “In another three months, we will be launching another

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five -- more or less the same size -- so we’re looking at launching [a total of ] around P12 billion to P14 billion just for the Camella South division alone,” Vista Land Chairman Manuel B. Villar told reporters on Friday night on the sidelines of the launching ceremony at the Philippine International Convention Center in Pasay City. The new projects will be located in Caloocan and within the provinces of Cavite, Laguna, and Rizal, he said. “House and lot units are our core product. We’re very bullish for the year that’s why we’re launching another list of projects --

those launched last year were immediately sold out,” Mr. Villar, a former senator, said. Camella offers house and lot units with an average

price of P2 million each. It is present in 34 provinces and 76 cities. Last year, the group launched 44 projects with a total value of around P27 billion.

THE manufacturer of Century Tuna and Argentina Corned Beef grew its net income by more than two-fold last year. In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange, Century Pacific Food Inc said it earned P1.575 billion in 2014, a 112 percent increase from the P744 million the previous year. This as net revenue grew 8 percent to P20.473 billion from P19.023 billion over the same period. The company ascribed its improvement to its branded business, revenues of which rose 24 percent year-onyear on the back of various marketing campaigns and a wider distribution network. The branded business accounted for eight out of every 10 pesos worth of sales. Besides Century Tuna and Argentina Corned Beef, the

company’s other brands are Swift, 555, Angel and Birch Tree. “ T h e Ph i l ippi n e s’ economic conditions have also been favorable and the purchasing power of Filipinos has increased,” said Century Pacific chief finance officer Oscar Pobre. In contrast, Centur y Pacific’s private-label export business, which accounted for the remaining 20 percent of total sales contracted by 29 percent on weaker tuna prices. “We hope to maintain the good momentum coming into 2015. We will continue to leverage on the company’s leading brands and strong distribution network, meanwhile exploring new product categories and markets,” Pobre said.

Smart bags license to issue Visa prepaid cards THE f lagship brand of Philippine Long Distance Telephone Company (PLDT) has become the first nonf i n a n c i a l c o m p a ny i n Southeast Asia to secure a license to issue Visa-branded prepaid cards and offer money transfer services. In a statement, Smart Communications Inc said its Smart e-Money can a ls o a c qu i re me rchant

transactions and offer other Visa Direct products and services. “This milestone collaboration with Visa augurs well with PLDT’s aggressive road map in pushing for a robust digital e cosystem. Having t he biggest consumer base in the Philippines, we are in a very strategic position to roll out various innovative

financial payments products and services; and a number of them will be out this year,” Manuel V. Pangilinan, chairman of PLDT and Smart. said. “Digital is the new normal and mobile becomes the core of our everyday lives. PLDT, through Smart and Smart e-Money, is the trailblazer in this digital arena,’ he said. S t u a r t To m l i n s o n ,

Visa country manager for Philippines and Guam, said the tie-up with Smart e-will expand access to financial services across the Philippines. “With a large customer base and a strong presence across the country, we are pleased to partner with Smart to bring the benefits of electronic payments to smart/PAGE 11

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Community

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Palace determined to get support Japan releases PHP4-M for classroom project of most of Filipinos to BBL By Jelly F. Musico

ANILA – Malacanang on Sunday emphasized the great importance of getting the understanding and support of most number of the Filipino people to the peace process particularly the proposed Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL). P r e s i d e n t i a l Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Herminio ‘Sonny’ Coloma Jr. said President Benigno Aquino III and his government is determined to expand the information dissemination about the BBL through the National Peace Summit. ”We’re hoping that through massive explanation and information dissemination to the people about the important information (of the BBL), they will have basis to support that passage of the BBL,” Coloma said. ”What is important here is to get the understanding

and support of the biggest number of the people to push through the peace process which we have been doing for the past 20 years already,” he added. Coloma said the passage of the draft of the BBL through the Senate and the House of Representatives and the support of the people will play crucial role in completing with the peace process through plebiscite hopefully later this year. The Senate is set to resume the public hearings on the proposed BBL which seeks to create the Bangsamoro political entity that will replace the Autonomous Region of Muslim Mindanao (ARMM). The BBL public hearings both in the Senate and the House of Representatives have been suspended to give way to the series of inquiries into the Mamasapano encounter between the Special Action

Force (SAF) and the combined forces of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) and the Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters (BIFF). The Mamasapano incident that claimed the lives of 44 SAF commandos has created doubts that clouded the MILF’s sincerity as partner in the peace process, prompting Malacanang to create Peace Council that will preside and organize the National Peace Summit. T h e Pe a c e C o u n c i l which will be composed of leaders from different sectors of society including Catholic Church, will help the public understand the peace agreements signed a year ago between the government and the MILF. President Aquino has named Manila Archbishop Luis Antonio Cardinal Tagle, former Chief Justice Hilario Davide Jr., Jaime Augusto

Zobel de Ayala, Howard Dee and Muslim Princess Bai Rohaniza Sumndad-Usman as independent convenors to the council. Coloma said the support of the different sectors specially some individuals from the Catholic Church is crucial in the passage of the BBL and to the government’s effort to achieve the lasting peace in Mindanao. The PCOO chief par ticularly mentioned Cardinal Orland Quevedo of Cotabato and the Catholic Educational Association of t he Ph i l ippi ne s , an organization composed of all the schools universities under the leadership of the Catholic religious organization. ”Kaya’t makikita naman natin dito ‘yung pagbigay ng suporta sa prosesong pangkapayapaan mula sa sektor na tinuturing natin,” Coloma said. (PNA)

GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- The Japanese government has released around PHP4 million in financial grant to South Cotabato province for the improvement of a public school in a marginalized community in the area. South Cotabato Gov. Daisy Avance-Fuentes said Monday grant is part of the expansion in the province of the Japan-Bangsamoro Initiatives for Reconstruction and Development or J-BIRD program. She said the initiative has specifically set aside a total of USD97,334 or equivalent to PHP4,088,028 for the project. The funds will be sourced from the Grant Assistance for Grassroots Human Security Project (GGP) component of the J-BIRD program. “It will be utilized to fund the construction of a unit of classroom building and the purchase of necessary furniture and fixtures,” the

governor said. Fuentes said the classroom project will be constr ucted within the Dumadalig Integrated School in Barangay Dumadalig in Tantangan town. She said they signed last month a memorandum of understanding with officials of the Japanese embassy for the implementation of the project starting this month. The classroom building was among the seven projects earlier approved by J-BIRD as part of Japan’s commitment to the peace and development efforts in Mindanao. It approved a total grant of USD645,879 or around PHP27 million to specifically finance social development projects in conflict-affected areas in parts of the island. Since 2006, Japan has s up p or t e d 8 2 proj e c t s amounting to USD7.19 million under the J-BIRD’s GGP component.(PNA)

165-T households in S. Cotabato have access to clean, safe drinking water -- IPHO GENERAL SANTOS CITY -- About 95 percent of the nearly 175,000 households in South Cotabato province now have proper access to clean and safe drinking water, a provincial health official said. Jose Barroquillo, sanitation head of the South Cotabato Integrated Provincial Health Office (IPHO), said Monday a total of 165,071 households in various communities in the province currently enjoy reliable potable water supplies through community-based resources. He said the remaining 9,000 households are located in remote areas or communities within the province’s 10 towns and lone city. “(But) we’re working double-time to provide safe drinking water to these remaining households in the next two years,” he said. In a report released by the IPHO, Barroquillo about 87 percent of the households in the towns of Tampakan, Tantangan and Tupi already have dependable access to safe drinking water. He said the rest of the province’s localities posted ratings or accomplishments of 90 percent and above. “The areas that don’t have potable water services yet are small and poor communities that are situated in the uplands,” he said. In terms of sanitary toilets, Barroquillo said 93 percent of the province’s households have installed facilities as of the end of 2014. He said an intensified campaign is ongoing to promote the installation

of sanitary toilets in the remaining households. “Our focus right now is on the proper education of our residents on the importance of using sanitary toilets to also ensure the safety of the drinking water resources in our communities,” he pointed out. To address t he gap, Barroquillo said they have been conducting regular community inspections and information and education campaigns on water sanitation. He said they have been als o distributing toilet facilities and monitoring possible cases of water-borne diseases like diarrhea and water/PAGE 11

Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente Emano warmly entertains Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla during the latter's visit at the provincial capitol March 31. An open forum followed at the Capitol Conference Center.

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Environment

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expert group eyes DepEd officials receive disaster APEC doubling renewable preparedness, science lectures energy projects by 2030 By Jerome R. Paunan

MANILA – Department of Education officials and staf f members recently received lectures on disaster pre p a re d n e s s , w e at h e r science, and geological hazards from Department of Science and Technology experts. This, during the event dubbed, “Iba na ang Panahon: Science for Safer Communities” forum held at the DepEd Central Office in Pasig City. The Philippines has been prone to many natural calamities, the experts said, adding that, casualties and damage of properties can be minimized or avoided if people know how to prepare for disasters. For his par t, D OST Assistant Secretary Raymund E. Liboro said that this can be done even in classroom environment where students at a young age get educated on the possible effects of a super typhoon or an earthquake to people’s lives. Students also need to learn how to respond to said calamities to save lives and protect properties. The official added that DepEd should be in the forefront and take the lead in seeking ways to enhance the knowledge of teachers

and students on the impact of natural calamities, which may result to a better decisionmaking. M e a n w h i l e , D O S TPhilippine Volcanology and Seismology Director Renato Solidum Jr. recommended that teachers can ask their students to prepare an earthquake evacuation plan, as a form of assignment, to assess the students’ level of awareness and knowledge on earthquakes. “Tutal, ang mga guro naman natin ay mahilig magbigay ng mga assignment, bakit hindi sila magbigay ng assignment na gumawa ang pamilya niyo ng earthquake evacuation plans (Since our teachers are fond of giving assignments, why don’t they give an assignment to pupils to prepare their family earthquake evacuation plans),” Solidum said. “Sa pamamagitan rin nito, marerealize din ng mga magulang kung gaano kahalaga ang mga ganitong uri ng preparasyon at ipatuloy nila ang pagtuturo sa kanilang mga anak (Through this, parents will realize the importance of this kind of preparation and they will continue teaching their children).”

He said that teachers would also benefit from this because they too have their own families who need to be safe during natural calamities such as earthquake. “It is about repetition and exposure to certain practices as well as building a culture, being always mentallypre p are d du r i ng t h e s e situations are the answers on how to minimize, if not prevent, the loss of many lives and properties,” he added. He also reminded them the importance of compliance to the National Building Code. He explained that compliance would assure that your structures are resistant to strong earthquakes. “It is not enough that people are prepared for disasters,” Solidum said. “Buildings should also be safe structurally.” Iba na ang Panahon: Science for Safer Communities is DOST’s information and

education campaign of DOST on disaster preparedness. In the campaign legs, experts discuss and explain weather and earth science concepts and introduce tools to help communities prepare for disasters. Tools include websites that give accurate forecast in a few hours lead time and hazard maps that enable participants to identify hazards that their communities are prone to. It started in 2014, with DOST and the Department o f Int e r i o r a n d L o c a l Government as partners in a 17-leg nationwide campaign providing local chief executives and disaster risk reduction managers with better understanding on the hazards in their own localities. The DepEd leg is the third this year after the campaigns at the House of Representatives and the Senate. (DOST/RJB/JCP/ PIA-NCR)

Magnitude 3.5 quake jolts Baguio City MANILA -- A magnitude 3.5 earthquake struck Baguio City on Tuesday morning, according to the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs). In its bulletin, Phivolcs said the tremor occurred at 7:55 a.m, the epicenter was traced 18 kilometers northeast of Baguio

City, which was also felt at Intensity 2. The agency said the quake, which was tectonic in origin, had a shallow depth of 11 kilometers. Phivolcs said there was no casualty or damage reported from the temblor and no aftershocks were expected from it. (PNA)

Energy experts have raised the need to share successful renewable energy (RE) development experiences among the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC)-member economies to attain the goal of doubling RE projects by 2030. Director Mario Marasigan, of the Department of Energy’s Renewable Energy Management Bureau who co-chairs the APEC Expert Group on New Renewable Energy Technology (EGNRET), said it is important for member economies to share their RE roadmap so that the members may learn or can replicate from their experience. The expert group began the EGNRET 44th Meeting yesterday at the Fort Ilocandia Resort Hotel here with an overview of the RE program in the Philippines. Meanwhile, the Asia Pasific Energy Research Center (APERC) likewise presented an outlook in doubling RE targets by 2030. Chrisnawan Anditya of APERC said RE share to total installed capacity would have increased from 22 percent in 2012 to 33 percent in 2030 and 38 percent in 2040. He said renewable energy capacity is growing at 4.2 percent with solar and wind power growing at 11.11 percent and 6.2 percent annually, respectively.

China is said to provide the largest share with 45 percent in 2012, 63 percent in 2030, and 68 percent in 2040 to total APEC renewable energy capacity. The APERC data also showed that the Philippines is among the top five economies along with the United States, Indonesia, New Zealand, and Mexico with total installed capacity of geothermal power by 2030. For wind development, China (9.3 percent), United States (3.6 percent), Korea (25.3 percent), and Australia (9.7 percent) are set to add capacity for wind power by 2030. Expert group members from APEC-member economies in attendance to the four-day meeting are representatives from Chinese Taipei, Hongkong, Japan, Korea, Thailand, Singapore, United States and the Philippines. Discussions today include the status of current EGNRET projects; development of project proposal for 2014 funding and the trend of renewable under low oil price circumstances. A workshop on capacity building for Installers and System Designers for Solar PV Rooftop Installations is set on the third day while a site visit to renewable energy facilities in the towns of Burgos and Bangui is scheduled on the fourth day. (MCA/FMM)

Gates foundation looking for climate change-ready rice varieties in IRRI LEGAZPI CITY -- With the extreme climate getting harsh, affecting world food production specifically in Asian countries where the big bulk of rice-eating population dwells, American business mag nate and philanthropist William Henr y "Bill" Gates III visited the climate changeready rice varieties project undertaking at the world’s premier rice research center. Bruce Tolentino, IRRI deputy director general, said in a press statement sent to this PNA stringer Friday, said senior officers of the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation (BMGF) went to the International Rice Research Institute to see for themselves the work being done at institute, the world’s premier rice research center based in Los Baños, Laguna. To l e nt i n o s a i d t h e leadership from the BMGF, including Pamela Anderson, director of the Agricultural Development Program, and Gary Atlin, senior program officer in the Ag Dev team, were at the IRRI for a site visit this week to tour IRRI’s research facilities and hear updates on the science and the partnership between the two organizations. “We are thankful that the BMGF has come for updates on the food and nutrition

security initiatives that they support,” Robert Zeigler, IRRI director general, said, adding “The foundation is a staunch partner in applying the best of science so that people in the rice-eating world will not go hungry.” IRRI scientists provided inputs regarding key advances and latest study on climate change-ready rice and healthier varieties that aim to help solve micronutrient deficiencies, which afflict about two billion people globally. The group, according to Tolentino, also visited a facility that simulates drought conditions yearround. The climate changeready rice varieties that have reached millions of farmers in Asia were developed by IRRI and its partners under the BMGF-funded project, Stress-Tolerant Rice for Africa and South Asia or STRASA. “IRRI scientists showed t h e B M G F l e a d e r s h ip experimental rice plots in which flood or drought tolerance is being studied. These stress-tolerant varieties hold the promise of improving the livelihoods of some of the world’s poorest farmers who till lands most vulnerable to climate change—and securing the granaries

of many countries—by ensuring a good harvest, for instance, even after over 14 days of flooding. Nontolerant rice varieties would normally die after four days of submergence,” he said. The IRRI and its partners released at least 28 new rice varieties to governments of eight countries in Asia and Africa in 2014. These newly-released varieties possess highyielding and stress-tolerance traits that can help farmers overcome challenges, such as the negative effects of climate change, in their rice-growing ecosystems. Some of the varieties released are flood-tolerant (India), drought-tolerant for rainfed rice areas (Nepal), and salinity-tolerant (the Gambia and the Philippines). "The work never stops," Eero Nissila, IRRI's head of breeding and leader of its global rice research partnership in varietal improvement, said, adding that the "New challenges arise due to climate change and decreasing resources, which is why we need to keep revisiting our agenda and stay responsive to the needs of our farmers and consumers." The IRRI has released more than a thousand modern rice varieties in 78 countries since its founding

in 1960. Tolentino said scientists i m p l e m e n t i n g I R R I ’s breeding agenda are sharing the latest in their varietal improvement work during IRRI Breeders' Week last month. He said that critical improvements are being made to IRRI’s breeding infrastructure, which needs to be more responsive to the requirements of current and future rice demand. Responsiveness requires increasing rice genetic gain in yield and pursuing an agenda that’s driven by what consumers need and prefer. Taken together, these improvements are called Transforming Rice Breeding (TRB), funded by the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. IRRI is part of the Global Rice Science Partnership (GRiSP), a platform for impact-oriented rice research for development with more than 900 rice research and development partners worldwide. Currently, the IRRI is developing rice varieties that can withstand conditions forecast to become more frequent and intense with climate change and this includes drought, flood, heat, cold, and soil problems like high salt and iron toxicity. Environmental stresses

constrain rice production, affecting about 30 percent of the 700 million poor in Asia alone who live in rainfed rice-growing areas. These stresses can be caused by extreme climatic ch ange s l i ke d rou g ht , flooding, or rising sea levels while some can be inherent like high iron toxicity in the soil. “Our breeding programs aim to develop rice types that can survive in these harsh environments. In recent years, IRRI has developed rice with better t o l e r an c e t o d rou g ht , submergence, cold, salinity, and sodicity. Our national research and agricultural extension partners test these breeding lines in different locations and countries, including evaluating their performance on farmers’ fields,” IRRI official said. The selected lines which survive under stress and re t ai n d e s i r abl e g r ai n qualities are either released directly or bred into widely grown and popular local varieties. Along with improved crop management, proper use of technology through extension work and the support of national institutions, these improved varieties or “climate changeready rice” are showing substantial, positive impacts

in the lives of poor farmers. Similarly, the world's leading experts on rice s cience convene d t his week at the Philippine headquarters of the IRRI to review research efforts toward making rice systems work better for the poor and they are focusing on Asia, where about 90 percent of rice is grown. Matthew Morell, IRRI deputy director general, underscored the importance of reducing poverty and hunger as the key motivator for current partnerships and advancements in rice research. "There is a tremendous increase in rice production that we need to facilitate. By 2050, we need to be producing 830 million metric tons annually. That is 180 million metric tons more than what we produce today," Morell said. IRRI Director General Robert Zeigler said that w hi le r ice res e arch is done mostly in Asia, there are important things to learn from challenges and researches done in other parts of the world such as sub-Saharan Africa and Latin America. "RiSP became a platform in which research in various regions around the world became familiar with one another," said Zeigler.(PNA)

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Expects... from page 1

“We all worked together to prepare for the summer months but there is no need for us to rest yet as April is not the hottest month of the year, but May and there is also the month of June that we still have to contend with,” he said in Pilipino. In April, Petilla said, the demand was 8,900 megawatts (MWs) and in May, it was 9,100 MWs. “This is what we will still prepare for. If we can maintain our supply by May, there is still June, which is also a hot month,” Petilla said. But he reassured that no place in the country will experience brownout when Filipino people’s champ Manny Paquiao will square off with pound for pound king Floyd Mayweather in the celebrated fight of the century on May 3 at the MGM Grand Arena in Las Vegas. Aside f rom t his, he said, the people would still enjoy their favorite telenovelas as there would be no interruption in the electric power but added that this could be achieved with the cooperation of everybody. At the same time, Petilla admitted that the Visayas is at present in yellow alert when it comes to power, which means that its power reserve is really thin. But he assured newsmen that the situation in the Visayas could be remedied by funneling power when it is most needed while there is enough power available in Luzon “But remember that the peak of power demand in Luzon is at 2:00 p.m. and in the Visayas at 7:00 p.m. The good thing is, we have a line from Luzon to the Visayas which will allow us to bring power to the Visayas at night at a time when there is enough power in Luzon.” Petilla said that the problem in Mindanao was there was no existing line as the government still studying to put up one but which would be completed only after four years. The submerge d line that will connect Visayas to Mindanao, he added, will have a depth of 1.5 kilometers. At the same time, he said the massive rotational brownout in Mindanao that was expected as early as March did not happen because some electric cooperatives heeded his suggestion for them to partner with and build diesel plants in anticipation of the power crisis this summer. He said that less than 50 percent of the area in Mindanao could experience brownouts but said these were only in areas not anticipated to have power crisis this summer. He s ai d t h e re we re now four new big power plants being constructed in Mindanao, all of them to be completed either by the end 2015 or early 2016. He said the four new

plants, which were already fully contracted, could make Mindanao as having the biggest power reserves throughout the country soon, more than the reserves in Luzon. Three of these are fully contracted, which means that they can proceed or are proceeding construction. The other one which is not fully contracted can still nevertheless proceed construction, he said. “Thus, with these four new power plants, I am not too worried of Mindanao. My focus is still Luzon and Visayas but more so in Luzon,” Petilla said. He said there are now power plants being constructed in Luzon and he is hoping that there would be no temporary restraining orders (TROs) from the courts so that they could be finished within their respective time frames to help ease the demand for more power. (PNA)

Brownouts... from page 1

affected by the load shedding,” Chavez said. She said that with a power reduction of about 80 Megawatt, CEPALCO has now recouped its other sources of energy in order to shorten the gap of power supply and deficiency. “So far, CEPALCO has reduced the power deficiency to about 32 Megawatt during peak hours as NAPOCOR implements load shedding on a daily basis at any time of the day,” Chavez said. She said that the rotating brownouts that last 6 to 8-hour take place two to three times daily in assigned districts in Cagayan De Oro City starting early in the morning, midday, and in the evening. “ We d o n o t h a v e any idea as to when the rotating brownouts will end. CEPALCO depends on the amount of energy that NAPOCOR supplies on a daily basis. However, we are trying to remedy the situation,” Chavez said. The National Gr id Corporation of the Philippines (NGCP) that t a ke s c h arge i n p owe r distribution, said Tuesday that its power lines are working normally. Beth Ladaga, the NGCP spokesperson in Northern Mindanao, said that there is not h i ng w rong w it h t he p ower lines un less something happens like what happened on April 5 where one of the NGCP’S major power switches tripped off. Mindanao went on an island wide blackout on April 5 when the hydro power switch in Agus 6 tripped off and affected Agus 7, a major p ower distribution line, Ladaga said. NGCP has nothing to do with the rotating brownouts in Cagayan De Oro City, Ladaga added. (PNA)

Protection... from page 1

in the banking sector in the Philippines.” The WB said this finding is manifested through the wide range of laws and regulatory instruments issued by the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) relating to such subjects such as truth in lending for loan products, credit cards, microfinance, electronic banking, investment products, responsible lending practices, confidentiality and data protection, cross selling of products, outsourcing of bank functions and compliance systems. The WB review also indicated that the “Philippines compares well with other economic on its approach to consumer protection in the banking sector (although there is not “international best practice” in the strict sense given the importance of the country context).” According to the WB, this view is supported by comparing the position of the Philippines to that of 114 other economics surveyed in the 2013 Global Survey on Financial Consumer Protection. The WB conducted the diagnostic review for the Philippines at the request of the BSP. To gather data, the WB mission met with representatives of the BSP and ot he r gove r n me nt agencies; banks; nonbanks; organizations r e p r e s e nt i n g f i n a n c i a l industry entrepreneurs and consumers; and legal experts. The WB looked into institutional arrangements; the legal and regulatory framework, transparency and disclosure; business practices; complaints handling and dispute resolution mechanisms; and

consumer awareness and financial literacy. Aside from the findings, the WB gave recommendations on enhancing the country’s financial consumer protection regulatory environment. The BSP noted however that the Monetary Board’s i n it i at ive to for m a l i z e the Consumer Protection Framework for the banking system has been a step in the right direction because it substantially addressed said recommendations prior to the release of the findings. The BSP promotes consumer and financial literacy under its broader Financial Stability Agenda. According to the BSP, financially-educated citizens capable of protecting themselves against financial f rauds are ess ent ia l to financial stability.

Delays... from page 1

the air-preheater as well as the electrostatic precipitator, which is part of the power plant’s pollution control system. TSI is currently conducting a more detailed assessment of the extent of the repairs needed and a full review to determine all contributing factors that led to the plant incident to ensure appropriate measures are taken. The property damage will delay the commercial o p e r a t i o n s o f Un i t 2 approximately 10 months. Unit 1 and Unit 2 of the power plant have yet to be turned over to the company. TSI president and COO, Mr. B enjie C ar ias o Jr., assured the public that the status of Unit 2 will not affect the commissioning of Unit 1, which remains on schedule and should reach

commercial operation by the end of June 2015. The Company is working with its contractors and s upp l i e r s t o m a ke t h e necessary repairs to resume the commissioning of Unit 2. The repairs will be made as expeditiously as possible to shorten the time before both units operate commercially providing power to Mindanao. “We w i l l up d ate a l l stakeholders of fur ther developments. We remain committed to do everything we can to support Mindanao with its power needs” Mr. Cariaso added.

Smart... from page 8

even more Filipinos,” he said. The first product to be launched in partnership with Visa is Charge2Phone (C2P), which is the country’s first contactless payment sticker using near-field communication (NFC). This product was launched in partnership with Citi, the country’s biggest foreign bank. C2P also offers added convenience to its customers

your one-stop

who can use their 11-digit mobile number for online purchases at the checkout page instead of the usual 16-digit credit card number. “This is just the beginning of more things to come as we unveil a number of digital financial innovations not only in the Philippines but in other select markets,” said Orlando Vea, president and chief executive of Smart e-Money and Voyager Innovations.

Water... from page 9

typhoid fever. Typhoid and diarrhea are bacterial diseases that spread through contaminated food and water, he said. From January to March, he said Provincial Epidemiology and Surveillance Unit also recorded a total of 105 typhoid cases in the province. Barroquillo said there has been a drastic increase in typhoid cases, which already increased by 300 percent when compared to the same period in 2014, in the towns of Suralah, Tupi, and Tampakan. (PNA)

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BusinessWeek MINDANAO THE BUSINESSMEN’S NEWSPAPER 2013 PPI’S BEST IN BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC REPORTING

WEDNESDAY | APRIL 15, 2015

editor: SHAUN ALEJANDRAE YAP UY

DISTRICT 3870 DISCON MAY 7-9, 2015 @ PRYCE PLAZA HOTEL

PAGE 12

Final call for entries to 65th Palanca Awards

ITH the April 30 deadline fast approaching, the Carlos Palanca Memorial Awards for Literature issues its final call for entries to the 65th Palanca Awards.

English category and “Paano Mapagiisa ng Ating Literatura ang Ating Bansa?” for the Filipino category. Tula, Tula para sa Interested Contestants may mga Bata, Dulang participants have only submit one May Isang Yugto, until the end of the entry per category. month to turn in their Dulang Ganap ang Aspiring and literary submissions Haba, at Dulang seasoned writers Pampelikula under to the country’s participating in this the Filipino Division; year’s Palanca most prestigious and longest running Short StoryAwards are advised literary competition. Cebuano, Short to read the official The 65th Palanca Story-Hiligaynon, revised 2015 rules Awards is accepting and Short Storyand forms which Ilokano under the entries in the may be downloaded following categories: Regional Languages through www. Division. The Novel and Nobela; palancaawards. Kabataan Essay Short Story, Short com.ph. Division accepts Story for Children, Entries, along entries from writers Essay, Poetry, with accomplished below 18 years of Poetry Written for contest forms, must age as of April 30, Children, One-act be submitted on or 2015. This year’s Play, and Fullbefore the following Kabataan Division length Play under deadlines: the English Division; theme is, “How Can 1) through direct Philippine Literature submission to any Maikling Kuwento, Maikling Kuwentong Cultivate National of the Palanca Pambata, Sanaysay, Unity?” for the Foundation offices

by 12 midnight of April 30, 2015; 2) by mail or courier, postmarked no later than April 30, 2015; and 3) through the Palanca Awards website, with time of transmission no later than April 30, 2015, and the envelope with the original signed requirements must be sent by mail or courier postmarked no later than April 30, 2015. Submission process must be completed by sending the notarized contest documents to: 1) Unit 603, 6th Floor Park Trade Centre Bldg., 1716 Investment Drive, Madrigal Business Park, Ayala Alabang, Muntinlupa

City; or 2) Unit 3G, OPL Bldg., 100 C. Palanca St., Legaspi Village, Makati City. Confirmation that a literary work qualifies as an entry to the 65th Palanca Awards shall be sent by email. Winning entries will be announced on

September 1, 2015. For more information about the 65th Palanca Awards, email cpawards@ palancaawards. com.ph or call (632) 511-0003, +639108878552 or +639255560457.