BusinessWeek Mindanao (April 22, 2020)

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Volume X, No. 129

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Briefly No operations HOLCIM Philippines Inc. reported that it has suspended operations in its Davao City plant in compliance with the City government’s order imposing an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ).

In a disclosure to the P h i l i p p i n e S t o ck E x c h a n g e, Holcim said the suspension in operations will be from April 4, 2020 until April 19, 2020, or until the ECQ is lifted or withdrawn.

“Our Lugait Plant in Misamis Oriential will continue to operate and serve the requirements of our business partners and customers in Northern Mindanao and the Visayas,” the firm said.

We strive for Excellence!

Philippine Press Institute Civic Journalism Community Press awardee for the following: 2013 Best in Business and Economic Reporting 2014 Best in Environmental Reporting 2017 Best in Business and Economic Reporting 2018 Best in Business and Economic Reporting

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Mindanao biz groups set eco revival plans POST COVID-19 SCENARIO:

By MIKE BANOS, Editor-at-Large

T

Tax payment extended FINANCE Secretary Carlos Dominguez III has issued the revenue regulations extending t h e d e a d l i n e s fo r f i l i n g o f tax retur ns, submission of documents, and the payment of taxes, pursuant to Republic Act 11469, otherwise known as “Bayanihan to Heal as One Act.” According to Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 7-2020 dated March 30, 2020, the extension aims to relieve Filipino taxpayers who will not be able to prepare, let alone file, the necessar y documents under the Tax Code because of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) and other restrictions on the personal movement being implemented by the national and local governments to prevent community transmission of the coronavirus disease.

Section 4(z) of the Bayanihan Act, which placed the Philippines in a state of national emergency, grants the President the authority to “move statutor y deadlines and timelines for the filing and submission of any document, the payment of taxes, fees, and other charges required by law.”

Thank you for trusting us!

WHERE’S THE NOISE? The usually noisy and crowded fish section of the Cogon market in Cagayan de Oro City now finds occasional silence as more stringent quarantine rules require local residents to secure permits such as Barangay Exit Pass before going out from the safety of their homes. Photo by GERRY GORIT

HE Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has endorsed to the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases a resolution from its re g i ona l chamb ers in Mindanao detailing suggestions for the resumption of economic activities in the island.

P r e v i o u s l y, P C C I Mindanao submitted recommendation to mitigate the spread of COVID 19, as well as mechanisms to cushion the impact on MSME’s of business disruptions in the two (2) Resolutions endorsed PLANS/PAGE 7

Migz donates rapid test kits to hospitals in Mindanao

By ERCEL MAANDIG, Reporter with a report from PNA

DAYS after being cleared of the dreaded 2019 coronavirus disease, Sen. Juan Miguel Zubiri has donated more than 6,000 antibody diagnostic

kits to various hospitals in Mindanao.

In Region 10, the senator's office donated at least 2,000 rapid test kits to the Northern HOSPITALS/PAGE 6

Bizman denies involvement in illegal financing scheme A CAGAYAN de Oro trader has denied involvement in an illegal financial scheme operating online.

In a radio interview, Joshua

Calderon, chief executive officer of Jocals688 Beauty and We l l n e s s Pro du c t s Tr a d i ng Inc., said his business is legally SCHEME/PAGE 7

EERIE PEACE AND QUITE. A lone man on a bicycle travels along C. Bangoy St. – known to locals as Crooked Road - a packed alley in front of the Davao City Hall. MindaNews photo by MANMAN DEJETO

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Local

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WEDNESDAY | APRIL 22, 2020

Marawi students, nakadawat hinabang gikan’s kapitolyo

NAHUPAY intawon sa ilang hilabihan nga kabalaka ug kagutom ang pipila ka magtutungha sa Mindanao State University (MSU) Marawi City, human sila makadawat og ayudang pinasiyal gikan sa panudlanan sa kapitolyo probinsiyal sa Misamis Oriental.

Gikabutyag nga tag-P3,000 ang ilang nadawat gikan kang Gov. Bambi Emano, human maabtan sa lockdown sa lugar tungod sa coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19).

Mikabat sa 17 ka magtutungha ug 1

ka magtutudlo ang stranded intawon sa Marawi tungod sa lockdown. Sila si Reynaldo Antipolo, Rodgen, Rosco, Karla Charizze Yu, Ed Vincent Loue Aloyon, Ruvie Pearl Araneta, Hummeegen Quidet, Softly Love Catayas, Joshua Miguel Amaton, Jezreel Martinez, Rosevie Ruarie Ramis, Honey Joyce Valmocina, Shiela May Saway, Rj Lagrosas, Jarol Del Anota, Necodiel Ganancial, Jolana Hope Pasicaran, ug Mitz Cruzada.

Pinaagi sa Provincial Social Welfare and Development

Office (PSWDO), sa pagpangulo ni Mr. Jhunleymar Abella, gilayong nagpadala sa hinabang nga

kwarta, aron maggamit sa stranded MSU students.

“Thank you, Misamis Oriental.

'Survival gardens' on forestlands pushed to ensure food supply MARAWI City – To cushion the impact of corona pandemic to food security, the Bangsamoro Government’s Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (MENRE-BARMM) has begun establishing 'survival gardens' in forestlands across the Bangsamoro region.

The move is part of the Bangsamoro Government’s long-term plan to ensure food security in the region as stringent measures have been implemented to prevent the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (Covid-19) from further spreading.

BARMM Executive Secretary and concurrent MENRE-BARMM Minister Abdulraof Macacua released a memorandum order dated April 6, directing its MENRE workforce to establish food production areas in forestlands suitable for vegetables and short-term crops.

"This is in pursuant to the provisions of Republic Act

No. 11469, otherwise known as the ‘Bayanihan to Heal as One Act’," Macacua said.

"This survival garden will serve as another source of food for the region’s constituents, helping them ease the shortage of food supply," he added.

Macacua said the implementation is regionwide through the Provincial Environment, Natural Resources and Energy (PENRE) officers and Palaw Rangers (Forest Rangers).

Some of the Palaw Rangers are former Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF) combatants, who have been mobilized to aid in the region-wide establishment of the gardening program.

"They have already begun implementing the initiative in their respective communities early this month," he said.

The PENRE offices continue to identify suitable planting areas in BARMM that are strategically located close to forest-dependent

communities and where access to water is available for easy watering in preparation for the season.

“Lubos ang aking pasasalamat sa PENRE Offices sa kanilang pagimplement ng massive food production program sa bawat probinsiya.

Nagpapasalamat din kami sa suporta ng MAFARBARMM sa pangunguna ni Minister Mohammad S. Yacob sa kanilang pagprovide ng vegetable seeds,” Macacua said.

[I am very grateful to PENRE Offices for implementing a massive food production program in each province. We are also grateful for the support of MAFAR-BARMM under the leadership of Minister Mohammad S. Yacob in providing vegetable seeds.]

The Minister also encourages the Bangsamoro to practice vegetable gardening in their backyards during and even after the Enhanced Community Quarantine.

“Inaasahan namin na ang vegetable gardening na ito ay magpapatuloy hindi lang ngayong may pandemic,kundi pati na rin sa pang-araw-araw, dahil magiging malaking tulong ito sa bawat pamilya,” he added.

[We hope that this vegetable gardening will continue not only during this pandemic as it will be a great help to every family.]

(BPI/PIA ICIC)

Salamat kaayo sa dako nga hinabang nga among nadawatan nga maoy magsustento sa amoa,” sulti pa ni Rosco nga taga Opol.

Si Rodgen Rosco, nga mulupyo sa Opol,

usa sa mga studyante nga nakadawat sa ayuda gikan sa pangagamhanang lokal dako ang kalipay nga nakadawat siya sa giingong ayuda.

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WEDNESDAY | APRIL 22, 2020

CorporateWorld

FDC DONATES PPEs

Filinvest's FDC Misamis Power Corporation aids the Provincial Government of Misamis Oriental in its battle against the coronavirus. The power firm donated over 200 sets of personal protective equipment, 40 units of face shields and 1 unit of a ventilator.

The photo shows Governor Yevgeny “Bambi” Emano (4th from left) delightedly accepting the items from FDC Misamis personnel - (from left-right) Logistics Manager Senta Mae Flores, ComRel

Officer Analiza Miso, and External Affairs Officer Aaron Rodrigo.

Also present during

the turnover are Prov. Health Officer Dr. Jerie Calingasan, Prov. DOH Officer Dr.

Jocelyn Terrecampo, and Supervising Admin. Officer Ms. Rosette Cervantes.

PCCI asks gov’t to lure companies exiting China PHILIPPINE Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI) President Benedicto Yujuico said the government should look into attracting companies that plan to exit from China by offering generous incentives to keep the economy afloat amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

During the virtual presser of Tapatan sa Aristocrat

Monday, Yujuico said there are businesses particularly manufacturers that are leaving China because “they think that the supply chain there is not dependable” thus the Philippine government should maneuver its policies in attracting these firms.

“From China, they go to Thailand and Vietnam where they can get more

incentives. But I have yet to hear companies coming to the Philippines because we are scrapping some of our incentives,” he added in Filipino.

Early this month, Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe earmarked JPY220 billion (USD2.2 billion) for Japanese companies to shift their production out of China, saying the pandemic "has

clearly exposed grave vulnerabilities in the supply chain of Japanese companies".

The Duterte administration is pushing for its Comprehensive Tax Reform Program (CTRP), in which the second package or the Corporate Income Tax and Incentives Rationalization Act (CITIRA) aims to CHINA/PAGE 6

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Gov’t gives incentives to manufacturers of Covid-related products THE Board of Investments (BOI) has opened the accreditation for companies manufacturing products that are related to the government’s effort to fight the coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic.

On its Facebook page, BOI said it started to accept accreditation on April 15.

Under the Joint Memorandum Circular (JMC) No. 2020-02 of the Department of Finance (DOF) and the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), the government offered incentives to accredited enterprises, including exemption from import duties, taxes, and other fees.

The JMC identified four types of enterprises that can apply for BOI’s accreditation. These are the manufacturers of medicine identified as critical and necessity by the Department of Health; medical equipment and devices such as helmets, masks, goggles, gloves, foot cover, face shields, gowns, and other garments or equipment to protect

the user against health or safety risk; surgical equipment and supplies; and laboratory equipment and its reagents; support and maintenance for laboratory and medical equipment.

Companies producing the following products can also register with the BOI: medical supplies, tools and consumables such as alcohol, sanitizers, tissue, hand soap, detergent, sodium hydrochloride, cleaning materials, povidone iodine, and common medicines like paracetamol tablet and suspension, mefenamic acid, vitamins tablet and suspension, hyoscine tablet and suspension, oral rehydration solution, and cetirizine tablet and suspension.

Other enterprises that are covered by the JMC include suppliers of raw materials of these products; manufacturers of packaging materials; and suppliers of raw materials for packaging materials.

Full details of the accreditation process can be accessed through http:// PRODUCTS/PAGE 6

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Opinion

The BusinessWeek Mindanao is published by BusinessWeek Mindanao Corporation every Monday to Friday with office address at Tanleh Building, Abellanosa, Cagayan de Oro City. It is registered with the Securities and Exchange Commission under Company Registration No. CS201531633 with BIR Certificate of Registration No. 2RC0000831068, TIN No. 463-826-272-000 – VAT. Reg., and with Business Permit No. 2020-04015. Tel. Nos.: (088)856-3344, (088) 810-100, 0923-432-0687, 0917-7121424 Website: www.businessweekmindanao.com E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com

BUSINESSWEEK MINDANAO CORPORATION Publisher DANTE M. SUDARIA President/CEO ALLAN MARIO MEDIANTE Vice President for Corporate Affairs RUFINO T. MAGBANUA Vice President for Business Development VICENTE C. DELA VICTORIA Vice President for Operations JOE FELICILDA Vice President for Administration JOHN AARON M. DEL BANDO Vice President for Events and Promotions JOE PALABAO Vice President for Marketing DR. ROSE MARIE D. SUDARIA PHD Vice President for Finance MIKE BAÑOS Vice President for Special events

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Member: Philippine Press Institute Oro Chamber

War of the Worlds Think a minute . . . .In the year 1899, four American newspaper reporters were searching for a story. They each worked for a different newspaper in the city of Denver, Colorado. By chance they ended up together one Saturday evening when all four of them were desperately needing a story to publish the next morning in the Sunday edition. For them, “no news was bad news” when facing a deadline only hours away!

Finally, they decided just to make up a story about something that happened far away in another part of the world, since it would be harder to check for truth and accuracy. Remember, this was over a hundred years ago before television, satellites, and the worldwide web.

After much discussion they came up with the unbelievable story that the Chinese government was tearing down their Great Wall of China to show international goodwill and welcome foreign business

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST

trade from other nations.

The story said that some American engineers were coming to China to bid on the job of helping demolish the Great Wall. Remember, none of this was true! Well, by 11 o’clock Saturday night these four reporters had worked out all the details for this far-out, false story to be published the next morning in each of their four different newspapers.

They never expected anybody to believe their obviously phony story that WORLDS/PAGE 6

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WEDNESDAY | APRIL 22, 2020

The world is closed for renovation THE world is closed for renovation with the unseen architect out to ‘re-engineer’ man’s ungo d ly b ehav ior, egocentric attitude and absolute greed.

And the reopening is uncertain — dependent on how f a s t m an k i n d c an fix the bacterial potholes created by this invisible termite called corona virus.

The great repair is so massive such that it forced people to lock themselves at home for fear of getting caught by the millions of killer debris that had engulfed the

entire planet Earth.

And we have this fearful forecast circulating that t he g re at monster architect will continue to wreak havoc until the end of this year, or even beyond 2020.

Lockdowns have become the new normal and like it or not, these will be part of our daily existence, not until the repair is done and the pandemic completely down and out.

Amid an increase in preventive measures against the epidemic such as travel restrictions, school and business closures

and the cancellations of large-scale public events, monster Covid -19 has become clear and present danger to human lives.

T h e nu m b e r o f people diagnosed with Covid-19 keeps on rising, and is now global with almost all countries affected with the US taking the lead.

The global number of confirmed cases of Covid-19 had a l re a dy su r p a ss e d the 2 million mark and the death toll by the thousands - is rising by the minute.

For now, the world is in jeopardy and the

QUEST FOR PEACE AMIDST THE PANDEMIC As if the onslaught of corona virus pandemic is not enough that has brought civilization down on its knees, another onslaught has caught our attention recently when eleven soldiers killed and fourteen soldiers were wounded after an hour of encounter with the Abu Sayyaf in Sulu. While that offensive has captured the headlines, unknown to many is another kind of “war” that is intensely raging that is proving to be the only road to peace because it is the ultimate offensive that uproots the causes of war.

When Kumander Bravo, t he commander of t he NorthWestern Mindanano Front of the Moro Islamic Liberation Front with some

five Division Commanders and hundre ds of f ront commanders with some 15,000 combatants decided to lay down their arms and formed themselves into some 150 cooperatives in December, 2019 in their Camp Bilal, Kora-kora, Munai, Lanao del Norte, they shouted “AllahuAkbar” (Allah is Great). “Ang tunay na kalaban ay kahirapan at n a g k a k a i s a t ay o s a kooperatiba upang labanan ang kahirapan at social injustice!” Yan po ang sigaw ng mga MILF combatants ng sila ay aming tinipon sa kanilang kampo upan maging kooperatiba. Ang kanilang sigaw, “mula ngayon isa lang ang aming armas at yan ay

kooperatibismo lamang!”

In January this year, I had met the Division Commander of the MILF of the North Eastern Mindanao Front, Su lt a n Ab d u l A m or a n who is half-maranao and half-Higaonon with some 1,500 combatants. They have decided to continue their struggle for social transformation to liberate t he Ind i ge nous Pe opl e f rom t h e qu a g m i re of pover ty not anymore through armed struggle but through cooperativism.

They were organized into the “Igpanayadug ta Abaga sa Bayug Agriculture Cooperative” (Protect the Mindamora Falls Agriculture Cooperative).

Don’t taunt a Duterte TO obey or to defy, that is the option. Whether it is sane to suffer the slings and arrows of the ‘stay home’ order and by opposing we will all stay longer locked in our homes. This could have been the question posed by the bard of Avon if he were alive today.

Across the archipelagic divide the obedience of the majority to the call of Pres.

Rodrigo Roa Duterte is taunted and challenged by a bunch of bull-headed and insolent characters in high and low places. My family have confined ourselves for more than a month now in obeisance to the call for selfquarantine and then later in response to enhanced community quarantine. My family lives in Davao but I have children and relatives residing in various places in Metro Manila. My heart bleeds seeing them in the confines of their homes. We keep each other company by exchanging pleasantries and thank you for Facetime

and several applications that make conversations free.

It enraged us to see the utter disregard of the President's appeal to stay home. We are appalled by the number of people found positive of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the number of deaths each day. There is no cure in sight and the only solution is to deprive the coronavirus disease of a human host. Thus the order to stay home. But we have not learned a lesson from China. Thousands had been infected in China and absolute lockdowns were the only option to control the spread and infection and the gloomy death statistics.

They succeeded. Across Europe and the United States of America, however, the grim ripper continues to claim thousands of lives. The proud and mighty nations refused to limit their freedom of movement as the ‘stay home’ order is an affront to their human rights. Sounds familiar. We have members of

the political opposition who resonates the same refrain amidst the number of dead that cannot be accommodated in crematoria.

New York, the city that never sleeps, hundreds are dying every day. Politicians from different spectrums are still in a stupid political divide while New Yorkers are partying. In Michigan, which accounts for the 3rd highest death toll in the US its citizens armed themselves and demonstrate their defiance against the Governor’s order to stay home.

But we Filipinos, have a share of defiant and hardheaded people who can still afford to hold cockfights either overtly or covertly, openly gamble with the money extended to them by the government, oblivious to social distancing and the rich driving out of their homes clogging highways at the time when they are supposed to be in quarantine.

And so the number of COVID-19 positive cases

UNRUFFLED

RUFFY MAGBANUA

renovation may not be completed soon.

This may take sometime, dependent on how fast mankind can cope with the crisis and adjust to the new normals o c i a l d ist anc i ng , wearing of face masks, and hygiene practice.(r uf f y44_ ph2000@yahoo.com)

KIM'S DREAM

ORLAN R. RAVANERA

Indeed, advancing the new “war” has many moves but carries only one name, “cooperativism.”

Aptly described as the best “recruiter” of terrorists, poverty breeds violence, thus, it must be stopped. And PANDEMIC/PAGE 6

LETTERS FROM DAVAO

JUN LEDESMA

increases every day.

In Davao City, Mayor Inday Sara Duterte-Carpio had altogether banned cockfighting in the City. For motorists who still ventures to go out of their homes despite the 6 pm-to-6 am curfew, she ordered the police to put up barricades in major thoroughfares using armored carrier and backhoes. In not a few instances, she rides her big bike at night to go after violators and sleeping cops. It’s virtual martial law TAUNT/PAGE 6

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WEDNESDAY | APRIL 22, 2020

OROBANKERS DIRECTORIES CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

A PUBLIC SERVICE BY:

Banking&Finance 5 Borrowings to address revenue constraints amid quarantine

AMANAH/ISLAMIC BANK V. Neri Street Carmen, Cdoc 858988/8587965 / 722274

METRO BANK- COGON Osmeña Hayes St. Cdoc | 726438/8572057

ASIA UNITED BANK Cor.Camp Alagar Road Lapasan, Cdoc 729678 / 8568893

METRO BANK- CARMEN Max Suniel St. Carmen, Cdoc 8581722/ 8585162

BDO – VELEZ Velez-Rn Abejuela Street, Cdoc 2314246/8572075

METRO BANK- LAPASAN CM Recto Lapasan HW, Cdoc 724461/8561721

BDO – SM G/F SM City, Master Son’s Avenue Upper Carmen Cdoc | 8592623/8592637

METRO BANK- OSMEÑA Brgy Osmeña St. Cdoc | 722014 /8800924

BDO – XU XU Lib. Annex Corrales St. Cdoc 8574108 / 8573796

METRO BANK- CORRALES Corrales Avenue, Cdoc | 8572635/728731

BDO – CDO HAYES Trendline Bldg.,Hayes Street, 8568151/727405

METRO BANK- GAISANO 8561720

BDO – COGON Sky hi Bldg JR Borja St. Cogon, Cdoc 8577963/ 725209/ 725203 BDO – OSMEÑA Osmeña corner Ramon Chavez St. Cdoc 724567/8563727 BDO – LAPASAN Lapasan Highway Cdoc 8563233 /8563234 / 725178 BDO – RN- PELAEZ George Town CyberMall Rn Pelaez Blvd Kauswagan Cdoc | 8562617/729052 BDO – CARMEN Maxsuniel cor.V Neri St. Carmen, .Cdoc 8584854 /8581133 BANK OF COMMERCE- VELEZ Akut- Velez St.Cdoc | 8564371 / 726880 BANK OF COMMERCE- LAPASAN

CM Recto Ave. Lapasan, Cdoc, 8563991/727731

BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK RER kauswagan,HW Cdoc 8573733 /722519 BPI FAMILY SAVINGS BANK Gaston Park Cdoc | 8801518 BPI – LAPASAN Cm Recto HW Lapasan Cdoc 724076/ 8524602 BPI- VELEZ Velez-JR Borja St.Cdoc 8564213/722406 BPI – CAPISTRANO Capistrano St. Cdoc 8574264/8574263 BPI- COGON Osmeña St. Cdoc 8571297/8571298 CHINA BANK –GAISANO 745887/745880 CHINA BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc 8572212/8573274 CHINA BANK- LAPASAN CM Recto Lapasan HW Cdoc 8561325 /722240 CHINA BANK – CARMEN Max Suniel, Cor. Yakal St. Cdoc 8583903/723091 CHINA BANK – DIVISORIA RN Abejuela St. Divosoria Cdoc 8575759/722641 CITY SAVINGS BANK TS Fashion Ave.Justo Ramonal Corner St.Cdoc 2316060/ 2316059 CHINATRUST Suite U&5 G/LGateway Tower Lapasan Lkk Cdoc 8521846/8521844 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK HW. Lapasan Cdoc | 8564201/ 8564201 D’ASIAN HILLS BANK Vamenta Carmen Sts. Cdoc | 8585366 DBP – CORRALES Corrales Ave., St. Cdoc | 8572087/722649 DBP – CAPISTRANO JR Borja Capistrano St. Cdoc 8567776/722819

PBCOM Tiano-HayesSt. Cdoc | 726519/8571558 PLANTERS DEVELOPMENT BANK

Tiano Bros St. Cdoc | 727083 /727082 PHILTRUST BANK Ramonal OsmeñaSt. CDO 8807234/2316694/2316695 PNB- CORRALES Corrales Avenue Cdoc | 729500 / 729723

PNB- LKK MALL NORTH CONCOURSE

LKK Mall N.Concourse Cdoc 8574149/8575682

PNB- CARMEN Elipe Bldg.Carmen, Cdoc | 8583158/ 8584203 PNB- LKK LKK Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564347/722872 PNB CDO– DIVISORIA Tiano Bros.Cruz Taal St., Cdoc 722861 /722816 PNB CDO– LAPASAN LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc | 8564732 / 723992 PNB CDO– COGON LKK Center Lapasan, Cdoc 8571991/ 723992 PHILIPPINE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK, INC. bels_domingo@yahoo.com.ph Rizal Chavez Cdoc 8572194/725438 PS BANK Velez Corner A. Mabini St., Cdoc 8574183/725184 PHILIPPINE VETERANS BANK Tiano-Abejuela St. Cdoc 722644/8573386 QUEEN CITY DEVELOPMENT BANK, INC. Sacred Heart Mont. Cm RectoAve., Cdoc 8562390 RCBC- VELEZ Velez-Borja St. Cdoc | 8564982/8568888 RCBC- COGON Simplex Bldg. Osmeña St. Cdoc 8562888/725863/8521329 RCBC- LAPASAN Cm. Recto Lapasan HW. Cdoc 8561888/722449 RCBC- LKK Gateway, Tower 1 LkkCenter, Cdoc 8563707/722449 RCBC SAVINGS- CARMEN Walingwaling St.,Carmen St. Cdoc 8585793/ 8586248 RCBC SAVINGS- VELEZ Velez St. Cdoc | 729083/8562460 RCBC SAVINGS- AGORA 8807891/8807892 RURAL BANK OF CABADBARAN, Inc.

#58 Tiano FernandezSt.CDO 727215/ 8563552 *805

SECURITY BANK- OSMEÑA Osmeña St. Cdoc | 8563965/ 723411/728774 SECURITY BANK- LKK Limketkai | 8801258/8801625

EAST WEST BANK #5 Juan Sia Bldg. Apolinar Velez St.Cdoc 8578801/720081

SECURITY BANK- VELEZ Velez Montalvan St., Cdoc | 728334/856632

EAST WEST BANK Cogon De Oro Constraction Bldg. LKK Drive 8500339/8500331

STERLING BANK OF ASIA Tiano Velez St. CDO | 8528171/8528168

ENTERPRISE BANK INC. Centro Mariano Bldg Osmeña St. Cdoc 723869/ 3093395 FIRST CONSOLIDATED BANK CM Recto Ave., Cor.Agudo Road Cdoc 8565360/2316678 LBP – CAPISTRANO Capsitrano St. Cdoc | 8565515/727678 LBP – VELEZ LunaVelez St. | 723549/8563198 LBP – PUERTO Puerto Cdoc | 8558858 MAYBANK JR Borja Tiano Cor. Bldg. Cdoc 8574439/726060 METRO BANK- DIVISORIA Pabayo Abejuela St. Divisoria Park, Cdoc 724783/8576999 METRO BANK- VELEZ A. Velez St. Cdoc | 8561724/726054 METRO BANK- JR BORJA JR Borja St. Cdoc | 8572999/724415

UCPB BANK- LAPASAN Osmeña Corner Lkk Drive, Cdoc 85771842/ 725135 UCPB BANK- VELEZ Velez Corner C. Pacana St. CDO 8564474/8564527 UCPB BANK SAVINGS-CAPISTRANO

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THE government has funds to support its coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) response but additional requirements will be financed by borrowings as revenues are constrained, Finance Secretary Carlos Dominguez III said.

When the government declared the community quarantine in Metro Manila for the period from March 15 to April 12, 2020, which was later expanded to an enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) in Luzon and extended until April 30, the deadline for the filing and payments of income tax return (ITR) was also extended from April 15 to May 15 and then to May 30.

“Extension of the tax deadline means we have to finance expenditures more from borrowings

than from revenues” Dominguez said.

Last year, collections of the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) for April alone reached P235.5 billion, up by 1.2 percent from its P232.6 billion collections during the same month in 2018.

April is a major revenue collection month for BIR because of the ITR filing, the deadline of which has been set on April 15 of every year.

The government has formulated a four-pillar Covid-19 response program that requires about P1.17 trillion.

Earlier, Dominguez said policy reforms have allowed the government to have the money to finance its Covid-19 response program.

Aside from the fiscal measures, the government received

additional boost from the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) after it extended a P300billion funding to buy government securities that will be repurchased by the Bureau of the Treasury (BTr) at a maximum period of six months.

The government has secured a $500-million loan from the World Bank (WB) under the Third Risk Management Development Policy Loan.

It has also received a $3-million grant from the Asian Development Bank (ADB) for the acquisition of emergency medical supplies and delivery of healthcare services.

Dominguez said they are negotiating for total loans amounting to $5.7 billion from WB, ADB, and the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank

(AIIB).

National Treasurer Rosalia de Leon, in a Viber message to journalists Thursday, said they continue to monitor developments before deciding when to tap foreign commercial fund sources.

“Like in (a) tennis match in Wimbledon, we are in (the) center watching the play. So we continue to monitor developments,” she said, adding that Australia and Saudi Arabia recently issued debt papers.

She said “deals are being printed, if you are willing to take the price.”

The government has set a 75-25 borrowing target for this year in favor of domestic fund sources, but de Leon said this might change to about 70-30 or 72-28 because of the Covid-19 response. (PNA)

DOF extends anew deadlines for tax amnesty, returns THE Department of Finance (DOF) has issued Revenue Regulations (RR) No. 10-2020 further extending deadlines to submit or file necessary documents and/or pay taxes required under the Tax Code of 1997 as amended, following President Rodrigo Duterte's extension of the enhanced community quarantine (ECQ) period in Luzon until April 30.

The new regulations amend Section 2 of RR No. 7-2020, which was issued earlier to implement the provision in Republic Act (RA) No. 11469, or the Bayanihan to Heal As One

Act extending various tax return deadlines that fell due during the original ECQ period.

In light of the two-week extension of the ECQ, RR 10-2020 further extends the filing, submission, and payment of various forms and requirements into May and June 2020.

For example, the filing and payment of annual income tax returns has been pushed down to May 30, from the earlier extended deadline of May 15.

The deadline, meanwhile, for taxpayers to avail of the tax amnesty on delinquencies (TAD)

under RA 11213 and implemented by RR 4-2019, as amended, has been moved from April 23, 2020 to June 8, 2020.

This gives taxpayers ample time to settle their tax delinquencies while allowing the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to increase its collection from the tax amnesty program.

The regulations likewise adjusted due dates for the filing of position papers to notice of informal conference, memoranda, and other correspondences with due dates to file during the ECQ, by giving taxpayers another 30 days from the

final date of the lifting of the ECQ to submit them to concerned BIR offices.

Also, the suspension of the running of statute of limitations was further extended up to 60 days after lifting of the order declaring the state of emergency.

Furthermore, the period to apply for a new authority to print (ATP) receipts/invoices, where the expiration date(s) falls within the ECQ period is extended until 13 May 2020, or for 30 calendar days after the lifting of the ECQ, whichever comes

THE HOME Development Mutual Fund (Pag-IBIG Fund) has approved over P700 million worth of cash loans for its nearly 38,000 members since the Luzonwide enhanced community quarantine took effect last month, its top official said.

In a statement over the weekend, Pag-IBIG Fund Board of Trustees Chairman Eduardo D. del Rosario said they have approved over P716.26

million worth of loan applications from its 37,901 members during the lockdown period, and are expecting more loans as application processing continues.

Pag-IBIG Fund CEO Acmad Rizaldy P. Moti said they received 221,851 cash loan applications via e-mail as of April 15.

The agency offers short-term cash loans via its Calamity Loan and the Multi-Purpose Loan

(MPL) programs. These short-term loans provide its members a “readilyaccessible and affordable” source of funding where they can borrow up to 80% of their total Pag-IBIG Fund savings.

Pag-IBIG Fund said it has been accepting loan applications via e-mail since March 20, three days after the lockdown took effect on March 17.

Pag-IBIG Fund moved the application process for

the two programs online amid the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, allowing its members or their employers to submit the applications via e-mail.

Mr. Moti said the agency receives as much as 10,000 e-mails per day, which he admitted “is a lot to process,” but assured its members they will continue to operate despite

RETURNS/PAGE 6

Pag-IBIG Fund approves P716M in cash loans

LOANS/PAGE 6

6

Products... from page 3

http://boi.gov.ph/accreditationofmanufacturers/.

DTI Secretary Ramon Lopez said there are around 10 companies that have re-purposed their manufacturing operations to produce the critical products needed during the Covid-19 pandemic.

“We will continue to encourage more manufacturers to produce medical products which would now be part of our basic necessities even after lifting the enhanced community quarantine,” Lopez said in a text message. (PNA)

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and calamity loans due on March 16 to June 15, to ease the burden of people affected by the lockdown.

Pag-IBIG Fund saw its net income grow by four percent to P34.37 billion in 2019 from P33.17 billion recorded the year prior.

Hospitals... from page 5

Medical Center (NMMC) -the region’s primary Covid-19 referral facility -- on Monday.

The city government-run JR Borja General Hospital (JRBGH) also received on the same day some 200 pieces of the test kits through its chief of hospital, Dr. Ramon Nery.

The kits are manufactured by the company Xiamen Boson Biotech Co. Ltd. based in Fujian, China. from page 3 On its website, the company rationalize tax perks claims to be a specialist mostly enjoyed by big in the in-vitro diagnostic companies. kits field, developing and “We can defer it manufacturing highand give priority to our quality point-of-care and industries to be more other immunoassay kits attractive and competitive. for the worldwide market.

Then let’s talk about it Zubiri, the Senate later whether we have majority leader, was not over-extended the able to attend the turnover incentives we give to due to the governmentforeigners that established imposed travel restrictions. businesses here,” Yujuico Yoyong Aquino, Zubiri's said.

Special Assistant for In early March, the Mindanao reported that PCCI released a statement the said 2,200 pieces of urging the Senate to testing kits is worth PHP3 immediately pass the million, which comes from CITIRA, saying smallthe personal contribution of scale businesses do not the senator with some help benefit from the current of his closedfriends who fiscal incentives of the don't want to be identified. government.

Meanwhile,another 2,000 “While that might kits will be distributed to be true that they (big Bukidnon Provincial Medical companies) are enjoying Center in his hometown so much (incentives), now Malay balay City, while is not the time to take it Zubiri's staff also donated out,” he said. “We have 1,000 kits in Caraga Regional to refocus our priorities.”

Hospital in Surigao City.

(PNA) Cotabato Regional and Medical C enter in Bangsamoro Autonomous from page 5 Region for Muslim Mindanao (BARMM) will also receive later. another 1,000 kits on April 21.

Meanwhile, taxpayers The kits given to selected can continue to use the Mindanao hospitals is the receipts/invoices with second wave of donation made expiration falling within

by Zubiri after he spearheaded the ECQ period until a donation of polymerase 13 May 2020, or for chain reaction (PCR) 30 calendar days after test kits to the Philippine the lifting of the ECQ, General Hospital through the whichever comes later.

University of the Philippines This benefits taxpayers Nat i o n a l In s t i t u t e s o f who cannot apply for a Health early this month. new ATP or the accredited “If we only focus on printer cannot deliver said Metro Manila, we cannot receipts/invoices because defeat the Covid,” Zubiri of the ECQ. said in a statement.

However, issued “The longer we hold other receipts/invoices shall regions back from massive be stamped with the testing, the higher the chances following: “Emergency that the virus will continue Extension for Use until to spread there, even with May 13, 2020." community quarantine.

RR 10-2020 also states We can’t afford for that to that if the ECQ is further happen. We must address this extended, the date shall be as soon as possible,” he added.

30 days after the last day of The donated kits are ECQ. (PR) the same rapid antibody test kits promoted by Pres.

Rodrigo Duterte which from page 5 can be used in the absence of testing lab oratories. temporarily closing down “I know the gold standard their offices. of testing for Covid-19 Earlier, the Pag-IBIG are t he P C R test k it s , Fund granted a threelike those we donated to month moratorium PGH. But in the absence on loan payments for of accredited laboratories housing, multi-purpose across the country, these

China...

Returns...

Loans...

rapid test kits will have to do for now,” Zubiri said.

The lawmaker was referring to the RT-PCR or the real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction, a nuclearderived method for detecting the presence of specific genetic material from any pathogen, including a virus.

He also acknowledged the need for nationwide testing, believing that it’s the only way health officials can properly identify the scope of the virus, "and the only way the whole nation can begin to eliminate it."

Dr. Adriano Suba-an, D OH-10 dire c tor, s aid t he he a lt h d e p ar t me nt is using RT-PCR as the preferred method of detection of the coronavirus.

However, Suba-an said the rapid test kits would still be used "for some other purposes that is going to help us make a decision for our doctors."

Suba-an has assured that the Boson Biotech test kits are approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but these will not be used for mass testing of persons suspected of being infected w i t h t h e c o r o n av i r u s .

During the daily press briefing on Monday, Mayor Oscar Moreno expressed gratitude to Zubiri for donating the rapid test kits.

“This is his gesture, after having gone through this trauma of being (Covid-19) positive. I’m sure he did not want others to experience the same,” Moreno said.

On March 16, Zubiri tested positive for Covid-19 after sitting on a Senate hearing where an infected person attended.

The senator tested negative for the coronavirus during a second testing on Apr i l 1 2 . ( P NA )

Pandemic... from page 4

the best way of containing poverty is to make the people productive by developing fully their potentials and enhancing their skills through education.

Such was the spirit that drove former rebels headed by Mr. Diolito Sonido to lay down their arms in then war-torn Zamboanga to dedicate their lives to liberate the poor from the clutches of ignorance and poverty through cooperative education.

In 2001, they established the Western Mindanao Cooperative College in Zamboanga City with only 49 students to begin with enrolled in technical courses.

After 6 years of sheer hard word and with single-minded adherence to cooperative quality education, the college has more than a thousand enrollees in both professional and technical fields of education.

The Cooperative College has served its mission very well in providing quality education to thousands of poor but deserving students and whose graduates are

now front-lining the cause of uplifting the plight of the marginalized sectors in combating poverty in the war-torn region of Mindanao.

Whi le co op erat ive education has found its mark to make life better for our poor but struggling people, the quest for peace is pursued in more ways than one as violence comes in many forms.

As violence is not only perpetuated by human beings against their kindred but also by humankind against mother nature, the Earth is now in pain as manifested by ecological disasters including global warming.

Violence against nature is seen in the depletion of our resource base-toppling our forest, polluting our rivers and bays, desecrating the once fertile lands with toxic chemicals, etc. In effect, we have sacrificed nature to the altar of greed and profit.

Thus, the quest for peace also includes that of nurturing nature. This is what Doalnara Restoration Society Philippines Multipurpose Cooperative in Aposkahoy, Claveria, Misamis Oriental lives for.

Away from the klieg lights looms the cooperative that is trail-blazing a way of life that is both awesome and humbling. It is awesome as it is in tune with the Infinite, charged with high spirituality as they work together, trusting in the innate capacity of nature to produce yet enhancing the soil’s fertility. Humbling because it promotes what really matters, debunking the technology of violence by pursuing values and practices founded on love, peace and harmony with nature.

The Doalnara Restoration Society Philippines Multipurpose Cooperative is service notice to one and all that is man has to be saved from doom, development must be in harmony with nature and not at its expense.

The society shows the real essence of cooperativism in terms of harnessing the people’s collective potential to pursue an alternative path with nurturing spirit.

As exemplified by our cooperatives, the quest for peace cannot be done through bullets and bombs, it is only through human and ecological development that genuine peace can be truly achieved.

Taunt... from page 4

law in Davao but we are happy with the discipline and the atmosphere of health security that pervades now.

I am confident that we will soon be out of the woods.

I am amazed by the temperate move of the elder Duterte for he still earnestly appeal to the violators to

“please stay home”. this, despite the growing number of people urging him to just impose martial law to address the obstinacy of offenders.

Knowing him for the number of years he was Mayor of Davao, my only piece of advice to Metro Manilans: don’t taunt the President.

You might get what you do not wish for.

international conflict and bloodshed in China known as the Boxer Rebellion.

The power of our words can be used for great good or great evil. Even what we think are just small jokes, gossip, or white lies can deeply wound, even destroy, people. Won’t you ask Jesus to forgive you, and to help you control what you say—before you start from page 4 a war of words that hurts your family, friends, or was truly “fake news”. But to others? Just think a minute the reporters’ shock, people . did believe it! When the news reached the Chinese that the Americans were sending engineers to tear CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH down their Chinese national P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., monument, naturally they Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947 were extremely offended CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, and angry! One group of Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491 CORRALES BRANCH Chinese patriots even rioted Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City and attacked embassies, DIVISORIA BRANCH B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. k i l l i n g hu n d r e d s o f Atty. Erasmo Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631 foreigners. In fact, this LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City imaginary story and hoax, Tel. # (088) 231-6739 made up by four news CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011 reporters, contributed to the

Worlds...

7

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Plans...

by giving workers in this sector first priority in mass from page 1 screening, contact tracing, Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio, provision of quarantine PCCI Area Vice President facilities and eventually for Mindanao, noted how provision of vaccines; the Mindanao chambers have For the DOF to prioritize been in the thick of the fight funding allocation and against the novel coronavirus procurement of services since the pandemic started. for all pending DPWH “O u r L C C Is ( L o c a l DTI ROLL-IT projects to Chambers of Commerce efficiently transport raw and Industry) in Mindanao materials from agricultural have contributed to the areas to the main processing distribution of food packs and or manufacturing centers; supported the production of Fo r D I C T t o m a k e PPEs for health care workers available to local/Private and frontliners, and local Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Universities in the production C omp an i e s , C abl e T V, of rubbing alcohol and sodium Internet and Value Added hydrochlorite (disinfectant) S er vice Providers their for key hospitals and offices,” existing tower facilities and infrastructure including Alegrio said.

“On top of this, our LCCIs unused internet bandwidth, initiated Rolling “Kadiwa” to fast track deployment of Stores in key cities and broadband internet services provinces which have enabled to the underserved areas barangay residents to have of the countr y, thereby access to basic commodities fulfilling its mandate of without needlessly exposing bringing information and t hems elves in crowded communications technology super and public markets, to all Filipinos; thus helping LGUs enforce For DICT to enjoin E n h a n c e d C o m mu n i t y NEA to roll back its recent Quarantine (ECQ)” she rate increase in Pole Rental Fees collected through rural added.

Not the least, Alegrio noted electric cooperatives, thereby how the Regional Chambers reducing the costs for Telcos, and LCCIs established a Cable TV and Internet Service Trade Information Exchanges providers in the deployment and logistic network for of essential information and communities under ECQ telecommunications services to provide basic commodities in the country; such as rice, vegetables, wet F o r t h e B o a r d o f meat products, canned goods Investments and the LGUs and alcohol to LGUs outside t o p r o v i d e i n c e n t i v e s to companies that will the main urban centers.

Resolution # 2020-003 i nve s t i n h e a lt h c are noted how the LCCIs in related projects including Mindanao have been actively conversion of commercial participating in the local s p a c e s t o q u a r a n t i n e Disaster Risk Management facilities and construction and Mitigation Councils and of sanitary landfills, and have advised their members for t he imp or t ation of across all sectors to prepare special equipment for the a rapid impact assessment proper disposal of infectious on the displacement of and pathological wastes of workers as well as business hospitals and households; disruption losses arising For the DTI to engage from the enforcement of LCCIs in the development, the Enhanced Community i m p l e m e n t a t i o n a n d harmonization of economic Quarantine (ECQ).

Furthermore, the LCCIs stimulus programs in their have also been advised to respective localities and prepare their respective adjacent regions; Contingency and Recovery For B ang ko S e nt r a l Plans on the following ng Pilipinas to encourage scenarios: 1) Extension c o m m e r c i a l b a n k s t o of Enhance Community allow restructuring and Q u a r a nt i n e ( E C Q ) ; 2 ) rescheduling of Current Selective Lifting of the Loan Payments for both ECQ; or 3) Lifting of Travel private and government banks, and to extend the Restrictions; Among the measures due dates of Credit Card e nd ors e d for adopt ion payments without penalties under the resolution are for a 3-month duration, expanding the membership irrespective whether the of the IATF-EID to include account is updated or not; private sector groups in the For the DOF to allocate planning and formulation of funds from The Bayanihan to specific guidelines on how Heal as One Act for the purpose the ECQ should be properly of absorbing the cost by the lifted in a manner that will banks to lower the interest CDO MAIN rate for new commercial not compromise the life andBRANCH P of &the J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers loans to encourage new livelihood people; Sts., activities related For Kalambagohan the IATF-EID to economic to food production and # the (08822) * strictly Tel. enjoin LGUs 727-829 to enforce the quarantine Telefax # (088)manufacturing 856-1947 of health measures to be consistent related equipment; For the DTI to increase the with theCAMIGUIN national directives,BRANCH Loan Availment Cap of the specifically on the exemption B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Small Business Corporation’s of vital and essential services Mambajao, Camiguin Enterprise Rehabilitation like food,Tel. utilities and health # (088) 387-0491 in the areas where the ECQ Facility from P500,000 to P25,000,000; cannot yet be lifted; CORRALES BRANCH For the DOH, DA, &DTI For the DTI to extend Corrales Ave., to ensure the protection of technical assistance and Cagayan de Oro City the food supply chain in financial support to LCCIs Mindanao - from production, in the preparation of Business manufacturing and logistics Continuity Plans so that the

same can be disseminated to Coffee, and Jocals Vitamin C. MSMEs in their localities Records from the Securities who may wish to apply for and Exchange Commission commercial loans through the (SEC) showed that Jocals688 Small Business Corporation; was registered with the For t he DTI, D OST commission on October and DOLE to immediately 9, 2019, under company implement Retooling and Re- registration no. CS201965099.

Training Programs for MSME In its media advisory, companies and workers of howe ver, SEC s aid t he sectors belonging to non- company’s products are not essential goods and services; registered with the Food For the DILG, DTI and and Drugs Administration DA to encourage LGUs in (FDA) and it has no license rural areas to give preference to operate (LTO) from to the agricultural products F DA- C e nt e r f o r Fo o d of local farmers, fisher folks, Regulation and Research. and livestock producers over While Jocals688 is a duly the usual processed food SEC-registered entity, SEC (canned goods and noodles) said the firm is not allowed i n t he fo o d ass ist anc e to engage in investmentpacks distributed to their taking activity by offering constituents; an investment of up For the DOST to extend P100,000 with a minimum f u n d i ng an d t e c h n i c a l investment of P10,000. support for Research and “An investor is assured Development to City and t hat e ve n w it hout any State Colleges, Universities effort on his/her part, a 30 and Technical schools related percent monthly return is to health care efforts that guaranteed,” the agency said. may directly impact the area’s SEC added a person COVID-19 response; could become a Jocals688 For the DOLE and POEA member by paying P3,980 to subsidize the hotels and that would entitle him or her a restaurants that may utilized monthly return of 30 percent. as quarantine facilities for The membership fee, SEC incoming OFWs once the said, is inclusive of a bottle travel restriction is lifted; of juice, a box of coffee and For the Depar tment a bottle of food supplement. of Tourism (D OT) and The scheme employed its aligned agencies like by Jocals688 offers five TPB (Tourism Promotions different ways to earn money, Board) and TIEZA (Tourism which include direct selling, Infrastructure Estate Zone direct referral bonus, pairing Aut hor it y ) to c re ate a bonus, "unilevel" bonus, Technical Working Group and through buy and earn. c o m p o s e d o f t o u r i s m “With the referral link stakeholders/organizations to of Jo cals6888, one can study and develop a Business recruit a member and earn Recovery Plan focusing on [P500] for every successful the domestic tourism market. registered account,” SEC said.

“Additional inputs may In a s e p ar ate r a d i o be considered in the next interview, lawyer Renato resolution once the IATF has Egypto, SEC-Cagayan de released guidelines on the Oro chief, said there is no extension or selective lifting legal impediment if the of ECQ,” Alegrio noted. company is into the business The resolution was signed of selling products so long in behalf of the Philippine as these have legal permits.

Chamber of Commerce and In response, Calderon Industry affiliate Chambers said that he has secured an in Mindanao on 15April 2020 LTO from FDA although, he

by Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio, admitted, the certificate of PCCI Area Vice President for product registration of his Mindanao; and the following products is still “on-process.”

PCCI Regional Governors He also clarified that his with their respective areas: company is not engaged in Arturo Milan (South Eastern a get-rich-quick financial Mindanao); Pete Marquez investment scheme used (Central Mindanao); Cioney by some groups to entice Paqueo (Eastern Mindanao); p o t e n t i a l i n v e s t o r s .

Roderico Bioco (Northern “ We a r e n o t i n t o Mindanao); Paul Gudmalin investment. What you earn ( We s t e r n M i n d a n a o ) ; is incentive when you buy Loreta Sy (South Western products from us,” he said.

Mindanao); Aldrin Ibbo SEC has reminded that (Bangsamoro Autonomous “aside from the strict penalties Region of Mindanao) and imposed by the commission Elpidio M. Paras, President of for violations of the Securities Promote NorMin Foundation. Regulation Code, the Revised There are about 45 PCCI Corporation Code, and such local Chambers of Commerce other rules and regulation it (LCCIs) in Mindanao, around enforces, the Bayanihan to DIVISORIA BRANCH 90 percent of whose members Heal as One Act (Republic Atty.

Erasmo B. Damasing belong to the Micro, Small Act No. 11469)Bldg., also punishes and #61 Medium Enterprises Don A. Velezthose St.,participating in cyber (MSMEs) whose capitalization incidents that make use Cagayan de Oro City range from with or take advantage of the Tel. #P3M-100M (088) 857-3631 large companies making up current crisis situation to someLAPASAN 10 percent of chamber prey on the public through BRANCH members.

(RMB) Lapasan Hi-way, scams, phishing, fraudulent emails, or other similar acts.”

Cagayan de Oro City “Those who act as Tel. # (088) 231-6739 from page 1 salesmen, brokers, dealers or agents of the said entity CARMEN BRANCH registered with the SEC. in selling or convincing Vamenta Oro City Jocals688, he Blvd.,Cagayan said, is a people de to invest in the networking Tel. #company (088)selling 231-2011 investment scheme it is being Jocals Gluta Glow Powdered offered including soliciting Drink Mix, Jocals Green investments or recruiting

Scheme...

investors through the internet may be held criminally liable under Section 28 of the SRC and penalized with a maximum fine of Five Million Pesos (P5,000,000) or imprisonment of 21 years or both pursuant to Section 73 of the SRC (SEC vs. Oudine Santos, G.R. No. 195542, 19 March 2014),” it said. (PNA)

Activities... from page 8

are expanding the membership of the IATF-EID to include private sector groups in the planning and formulation of specific guidelines on how the ECQ should be properly lifted in a manner that will not compromise the life and livelihood of the people; For the IATF-EID to strictly enjoin the LGUs to enforce the quarantine measures to be consistent with the national directives, specifically on the exemption of vital and essential services like food, utilities and health in the areas where the ECQ cannot yet be lifted; For the DOH, DA, &DTI to ensure the protection of the food supply chain in Mindanao from production, manufacturing and logistics by giving workers in this sector first priority in mass screening, contact tracing, provision of quarantine facilities and eventually provision of vaccines; For the DOF to prioritize funding allocation and procurement of services for all pending DPWH-DTI ROLL-IT projects to efficiently transport raw materials from agricultural areas to the main processing or manufacturing centers; For DICT to make available to local/Private Telecommunications Companies, Cable TV, Internet and Value Added Service Providers their existing tower facilities and infrastructure including unused internet bandwidth, to fast track deployment of broadband internet services to the underserved areas of the country, thereby fulfilling its mandate of bringing information and communications technology to all Filipinos; For DICT to enjoin NEA to roll back its recent rate increase in Pole Rental Fees collected through rural electric cooperatives, thereby reducing the costs for Telcos, Cable TV and Internet Service providers in the deployment of essential information and telecommunications services in the country; For the Board of Investments and the LGUs to provide incentives to companies that will invest in health care-related projects including conversion of commercial spaces to quarantine facilities and construction of sanitary landfills, and for the importation of special equipment for the proper disposal of infectious and pathological wastes of hospitals and households; For the DTI to engage LCCIs in the development, implementation and harmonization of economic stimulus programs in their respective localities and adjacent regions; For Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas to encourage commercial banks to allow restructuring and rescheduling of Current Loan Payments for both private and government banks, and to extend the due dates of Credit Card payments without penalties for a 3-month duration, irrespective whether

the account is updated or not; For the DOF to allocate funds from The Bayanihan to Heal as One Act for the purpose of absorbing the cost by the banks to lower the interest rate for new commercial loans to encourage new economic activities related to food production and manufacturing of health related equipment; For the DTI to increase the Loan Availment Cap of the Small Business Corporation’s Enterprise Rehabilitation Facility from P500,000 to P25,000,000; For the DTI to extend technical assistance and financial support to LCCIs in the preparation of Business Continuity Plans so that the same can be disseminated to MSMEs in their localities who may wish to apply for commercial loans through the Small Business Corporation; For the DTI, DOST and DOLE to immediately implement Retooling and Re-Training Programs for MSME companies and workers of sectors belonging to nonessential goods and services; For the DILG, DTI and DA to encourage LGUs in rural areas to give preference to the agricultural products of local farmers, fisher folks, and livestock producers over the usual processed food (canned goods and noodles) in the food assistance packs distributed to their constituents; For the DOST to extend funding and technical support for Research and Development to City and State Colleges, Universities and Technical schools related to health care efforts that may directly impact the area’s COVID-19 response; For the DOLE and POEA to subsidize the hotels and restaurants that may utilized as quarantine facilities for incoming OFWs once the travel restriction is lifted; For the Department of Tourism (DOT) and its aligned agencies like TPB (Tourism Promotions Board) and TIEZA (Tourism Infrastructure Estate Zone Authority) to create a Technical Working Group composed of tourism stakeholders/organizations to study and develop a Business Recovery Plan focusing on the domestic tourism market.

“Additional inputs may be considered in the next resolution once the IATF has released guidelines on the extension or selective lifting of ECQ,” Alegrio noted.

The resolution was signed in behalf of the Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry affiliate Chambers in Mindanao on 15April 2020

by Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio, PCCI Area Vice President for Mindanao; and the following PCCI Regional Governors with their respective areas: Arturo Milan (South Eastern Mindanao); Pete Marquez (Central Mindanao); Cioney Paqueo (Eastern Mindanao); Roderico Bioco (Northern Mindanao); Paul Gudmalin (Western Mindanao); Loreta Sy (South Western Mindanao); Aldrin Ibbo (Bangsamoro Autonomous Region of Mindanao) and Elpidio M. Paras, President of Promote NorMin Foundation.

There are about 45 PCCI local Chambers of Commerce (LCCIs) in Mindanao, around 90 percent of whose members belong to the Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs) whose capitalization range from P3M-100M with large companies making up some 10 percent of chamber members.

(RMB)

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Wednesday | April 22, 2020

Post COVID-19 Scenario:

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PCCI submits proposals for resumption of Economic Activities in Mindanao The Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry has endorsed to the Inter-Agency Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases a resolution from its regional chambers in Mindanao detailing suggestions for the resumption of economic activities in the island.

Previously, PCCI Mindanao submitted

recommendation to mitigate the spread of COVID 19, as well as mechanisms to cushion the impact on MSME’s of business disruptions in the two (2) Resolutions endorsed by the PCCI National Board.

Ma. Teresa R. Alegrio, PCCI Area Vice President for Mindanao, noted how the Mindanao chambers

have been in the thick of the fight against the novel coronavirus since the pandemic started.

“Our LCCIs (Local Chambers of Commerce and Industry) in Mindanao have contributed to the distribution of food packs and supported the production of PPEs for health care workers and frontliners,

and local Universities in the production of rubbing alcohol and sodium hydrochlorite (disinfectant) for key hospitals and offices,”

Alegrio said.

“On top of this, our LCCIs initiated Rolling “Kadiwa” Stores in key cities and provinces which have enabled barangay

residents to have access to basic commodities without needlessly exposing themselves in crowded super and public markets, thus helping LGUs enforce

Residents observe social distancing in queueing up for the Bayanihan Rolling Store of Tago Chamber of Commerce, Tago Business Club & LGU Tago.

Surigao Chamber of Commerce and Industry Inc. donated 38 imported medical-grade PPEs and 100 face masks to Caraga Regional Hospital.

(Boyet Go) Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ)” she added.

Not the least, Alegrio noted how the Regional Chambers and LCCIs established a Trade Information Exchanges and logistic network for communities under ECQ to provide basic commodities such as rice, vegetables, wet meat products, canned goods and alcohol to LGUs outside the main urban

centers.

Resolution # 2020003 noted how the LCCIs in Mindanao have been actively participating in the local Disaster Risk Management and Mitigation Councils and have advised their members across all sectors to prepare a rapid impact assessment on the displacement of workers as well as business disruption losses arising from the enforcement of

the Enhanced Community Quarantine (ECQ).

Furthermore, the LCCIs have also been advised to prepare their respective Contingency and Recovery Plans on the following scenarios: 1) Extension of Enhance Community Quarantine (ECQ); 2) Selective Lifting of the ECQ; or 3) Lifting of Travel Restrictions; Among the measures endorsed for adoption under the resolution ACTIVITIES/PAGE 7

A rolling store reaches the municipality of Taraka. The store offers basic goods and commodities at DTI-suggested retail prices. (PLGU Lanao del Sur)