BusinessWeek Mindanao (April 6, 2015)

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2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

Volume V, No. 135

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Monday | April 6, 2015

Laguindingan airport gets X X Briefly P14-B expansion project B

Market Indicators

As of 6:50 pm Mar. 31, 2015 (tuesday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P44.70

7825.39 points

10 cents

21.94 points

Power Station

By FROILAN GALLARDO, MindaNews

Sarangani Energy Corp. (SEC), which is set to complete its $600-million 210-megawatt (MW) coal power plant in 2016, has signed up another company that will use part of the capacity to be generated by the facility.

SEC and Zamboanga del Sur I Electric Cooperative Inc. (Zamsureco I) reported to the Energy Regulatory Commission that they recently signed a 25year power sales agreement.

SEC’s power station comprises two units, each with a capacity of about 105 MW.

IDDING for the P14.62-billion expansion program for the Laguindingan Airport in Misamis Oriental will start this month by the Department of Transportation and Communication, Rep. Rufus Rodriguez said.

Cagayan de Oro second district Rep. Rodriguez said the expansion program will include the construction of an additional passenger terminal building; its operation and maintenance; and development of its apron, runway and taxiway.

K to 12 program BUTUAN City – The Philippine government’s agencies on education have converged recently here to discuss their specific roles especially in the implementation of the K to 12 program which is set to be fully implemented in 2016.

During the Regional Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Administrators’ Conference held in one of the local convention centers here, the Regional Directors of the Department of Education (DepEd), Commission on Higher Education (CHED), and the Technical Education and Skills Development Authority (TESDA) personally discussed their specific programs under the K to 12 curriculum.

DepEd OIC regional director Dr. Rebecca Delapuz presented the update of the Senior High School implementation in the region. The official underscored that DepEd-Caraga’s goal is to have at least two public Senior High Schools per city and one per municipality in 2016.

BUSY AIRPORT. An Air Asia passenger plane takes off for Manila as another plane, a Philippine Air Lines Airbus A320, waits for its turn at the Laguindingan Airport, Misamis Oriental. The airport, touted to become the busiest regional airport hub after nighttime commercial operations has already started, is up for a P14-billion expansion program. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

AirAsia eyes Puerto Princesa as 3rd leg to Davao-Kota Kinabalu

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

DAVAO CITY -- Low-cost carrier AirAsia Philippines,

Inc. is considering offering a Davao-Puerto Princesa-Kota

Kinabalu service, expanding on previous plans for the Davao-Kota Kinabalu route. airasia/PAGE 11

He said program will also include the development of airport facilities to meet the scale of operations of a regional airport hub.

“The project will be a Private and Public Partnership program. I understand there expansion/PAGE 11

Close to 1M-ha land in M’nao eyed for oil palm

By MINDANEWS

D AVA O C i t y - - T h e Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) identified 959,000 hectares of lands as potential areas for oil palm investments.

In the recent presentation made by Romeo M.

Montenegro, MinDA director for investment promotion and public affairs, majority is in Caraga Region at 384,000 hectares followed

by Northern Mindanao with 154,000 hectares and Region palm/PAGE 11

Acquisition of ONB expected to boost BDO presence in Vis-Min THE country’s biggest lender has s ecured regulator y approval to acquire a rural bank that operates in Western Visayas and Mindanao.

In a disclosure to the

Philippine Stock Exchange, BDO Unibank Inc said the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) cleared the acquisition of One Network Bank Inc (ONB). In a letter dated

March 27, the BSP said it approved the acquisition on March 16.

Owned by the country’s richest man, Henr y Sy boost/PAGE 11

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SWD marks ‘Korambusan,’ emphasizes women and men partnership BUTUAN City – “While we continue to empower women in our community, as we always should, it is important to keep in mind and heart that we are not in the competition with men – we are their equals, their counterparts, their partners.”

This was the statement emphasized by regional director Minda Brigoli of the Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Caraga during

its celebration of the 2015 Korambusan and at the same time launching of the department’s Sustainable Livelihood Program (SLP) Product Catalogue held on Monday at the DSWD’s regional office here.

“This is what behinds our Korambusan celebration, which comes from our dialect that means cooperation and working together for a common objective. We therefore agree that both

sexes can work together in ensuring that we both become recipients of development. Both sexes are essential in making this world a better place for all and for the generations to come,” disclosed Brigoli.

The lady director also stressed that more women s h o u l d b e e mp ow e re d and gender-responsive.

“On the quest of having a more gender-responsive community, I would like to

remind every woman here, like me, on Maya Angelou’s words and I quote, ‘A wise woman wishes to be no one’s enemy; a wise woman refuses to be anyone’s victim,’ end of quote. Surely, there is still more to be done to be fully gender-responsive and close the gender inequality gap in four areas, namely: Economic Participation and Opportunity, Educational At t a i n m e n t , P o l i t i c a l Empowerment, and Health

and Survival. But it is certain as well that, us and the world, have already taken the necessary steps in defying the ordinary,” she said.

Brigoli further expressed that the department believes that Caraga region is a place where woman have all the freedom to be whatever they want and make a difference, just like men do.

“In the spirit of Korambusan, we put this in our hear ts that this

celebration is our way of reminding ourselves that we are all equal takers of this planet and has the equal rights o facilitate development for each other,” highlighted Brigoli.

This year is the second time that the department has celebrated the Korambusan with various activities for the whole day, which all employees of DSWD-Caraga will enjoy. ( Jennifer P. Gaitano, PIA-Caraga)

Youth tribal assembly pushes for BBL in Mindanao COTABATO City -- Fortyfive tribal youth leaders in South Central Mindanao inked Tuesday a manifesto s ig n if y ing t he ir u n ite d stand against violence and for the continuance of the Mindanao p eace process between the Government of the Phi lippines (GPH) and Moro Islamic Liberation Front (MILF).

The manifesto, w h i c h w a s apt l y t it l e d “Tinig Namin ay Pakinggan:“Kabataan para sa Kapayapaan,” (YOUTH UNITE, SPEAK FOR PEACE), was endorsed by Maguindanaon, Maranaw, Iranun, Teduray, Ilonggo

and Ilocano youths f r o m t h e p r ov i n c e s o f Maguindanao, L anao del Sur, North Cotabato, Su lt an Ku d ar at an d Cotabato City.

“Kami ang mga kabataang nakaranas ng kaguluhan simula nuong 2000 all-out-war at 2008 MOA-AD failure, naiipit sa kasalukuyang nangyayaring kaguluhan at opensibang ginagawa ng kasundaluhan ng G o by e r n o n g Pi l ipi n a s laban sa Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighter, at tagapagmana sa kinabukasan sa lahat ng iiwanan ng kasalukuyang kaganapan,” the group said

during the Youth Assembly for Peace forum held at AlNor Complex, this city.

“Kami bilang kabataan ay lubhang nalulungkot at nababahala, sa dekada nang kaguluhan simula pa nuong 1970, na kumitil sa buhay ng halos 120,000 k at a o k a b i l a n g n a a n g maraming bata at kabataan, nagtaboy sa halos 982,000 katao nuong 2000 all-outwar, 600,000 katao nuong 2008 MOA-AD failure at ha l o s 1 3 2 , 0 0 0 k at a o s a kasalukuyang kaguluhan,” the manifesto stated.

“Gayundin ang bilyonbilyong piso na nauubos at nasisira dahil sa digmaan n a s a n a ay m a g a g a m i t pa para sa aming e du kasyon, proyektong pangkabuhayan at maayos n a s e r bi s yo - pu bl i ko s a a m i n g m g a l u g a r,” t h e group further stressed.

With this, the group underlined the stoppage of all forms of “offensives” in Mindanao, particularly in Maguindanao between state forces

and Bangsamoro Islamic Freedom Fighters, which has so far displaced over 1 2 3 , 0 0 0 i n d i v i du a l s i n 11 of t he province’s 36 municipalities.

“Katuwang nito, kami ay nananawagan na ap r u b a h a n at i p a s a s a lalong madaling panahon a n g B a n g s a m oro B a s i c L aw (BBL) p at i na ang agarang pagtulong sa mga pamilyang nasa ‘e v a c u a t i o n c e n t e r s ’ ;pagsasaayos sa mga nasirang imprastraktura gaya ng paaralan, health c e nte rs , mo s qu e at ib a pa dahilan sa kaguluhan; at pagpapaiigting sa kampanya para sa Bangsamoro sa 2016,” the young leaders said.

The group has urged the Church, academe, media, non-government organizations and concerned individuals to help in their capacity explain the provisions of the BBL on efforts to save the future of the youth in the island-region. (PNA)

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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Select shareholders Globe to fete VisMin’s best scribes Alliance approve P3-B capex this year

GLOBE Te l e c o m recently announced the commencement of this year’s Globe Media Excellence Aw a r d s ( G M E A ) , t h e premier award-giving body which recognizes excellence in journalism from the best breed of scribes in Visayas and Mindanao.

A highly-anticipated an nu a l e ng a ge m e nt i n central and southern Philippines since 2012, the GMEA encourages writers to excel in civic, investigative and explanatory journalism, with focus on pressing social concerns such as freedom from ignorance, poverty and corruption. Now on its fourth year, the telco announces a broader coverage of the GMEA which will not only honor the men and women of the “fourth estate” from

the cities of Cebu and Davao, but also their professional peers from Iloilo, Bacolod, General Santos, Zamboanga and Cagayan de Oro as well.

“Since 2012, the GMEA has been stoking the flames of creativity and passion from our colleagues in the broadcast media and journalism in Cebu and Davao. We are honored that with a bigger GMEA this year, we will be able to continuously provide the impetus to further the craft and art of exemplary writing in Visayas and Mindanao,” said Glob e Senior Vice President for Corporate Communications Yoly Crisanto.

Believing that media excellence transcends the daily coverage of developing events, the 2015 GMEA will

distinguish journalists based in the seven key cities with submissions for the following categories: Reporter of the Year for Print, Explanatory/ Investigative Story of the Year for Print, Explanatory/ Investigative Story of the Year for Broadcast, Columnist of the Year, Reporter of the Year for TV, Reporter of the Year for Radio and Blogger of the Year.

As in previous years, the entries should explore and promote advo cacies in business a n d e nt r e p r e n e u r s h i p, information and communications technology, environment and disaster response, governance and social progress and youth and education. The qualifying period will be from May 2014 to May

Max’s Group to swing to profit in 2015 THE PROSPECT of higher consumer spending, coupled with cost savings from its integration with the Pancake House Group, should drive Max’s Group, Inc.’s growth en route to a “banner” year, emerging from 2014’s losses, company officials said last week.

The country’s largest fullservice restaurant chain reported a pro forma consolidated net loss of P56 million in 2014, a reversal of the prior year’s net income of P260.80 million, according to its disclosure to the stock exchange.

Max’s Group shares lost 1.97% or 55 centavos to close at P27.40 per share.

The pro forma numbers reflect the combined 12-month results of operations of both Max’s Group and Pancake House, which the former took over last year paving the way for Max’s Group’s backdoor listing.

The 2014 earnings factored in one-time costs and extraordinary expenses related to the acquisition of Pancake House, post-integration activities and a P3.5-billion follow-on offering, Dave T. Fuentebella, Max’s Group chief financial officer, said in a briefing in Makati City last

week.

Excluding non-recurring costs, Max’s Group registered a core net income of P154.10 million.

Pro forma revenues inched up 3.56% year on year to P9.55 billion from P9.22 billion despite closing 33 nonperforming stores.

FULLY INTEGRATED That top line should grow by the double digits this year, according to Mr. Fuentebella, as the restaurant chain opens 80-90 stores across all its brands. The expansion program includes the rollout of eight stores overseas.

“All of our actions in 2014 will give us that solid foundation for 2015,” Max’s Group President and Chief Executive Officer Robert F. Trota said.

Max’s Group “hopes” to reach a network of 1,000 stores by 2020, almost doubling the 540 stores at end-2014, he added.

“This year, we’re running as a fully integrated company doing what we do best,” Mr. Trota said.

“We’re anticipating a banner year. Historically, one year before the election is a good year for the restaurant business.

There’s a lot of consumer spending.”

Max’s Group expects to benefit from significant cost savings as a result of the integration, creating more flexibility to reallocate resources and expand margins.

In addition, the company has adopted category management for its procurement of raw materials to capitalize on negotiated prices and terms suppliers. It is rolling out a shared services model to centralize back-end support for both local and international operations.

“We feel since the middle class is rising, the space we fill for our price points of P200-P350 is there. Consumers will move from [quick-service restaurants] upwards to full service,” Mr. Fuentebella said.

Max’s Group accounts for 28.30% of the full-service restaurant market, according to Mr. Trota.

It s b r a n d s i n c l u d e homegrown Max’s Restaurant, Max’s Corner Bakery, Krispy Kreme, Jamba Juice, Pancake House, Dencio’s, Kabisera ng Dencio’s, Teriyaki Boy, Sizzlin’ Pepper Steak, Le Coeur De France, The Chicken Rice Shop, Singkit, Maple and Yellow Cab.

2015 for Visayas, with a submission deadline of May 29; while for Mindanao, it is June 2014 to June 2015, the last day of submissions being June 30, 2015.

This year’s staging of the GMEA will coincide with the celebrations of the Freedom Week in Cebu on September 20 to 27, as well as the Media Freedom Day in Davao on November 23, in commemoration of the media personalities from those key cities who offered their lives in the line of duty.

SHAREHOLDERS of Alliance Select Foods International, Inc. approved a plan to double the company’s capital despite opposition from a Singaporean director.

In a special meeting last week, Alliance Select Corporate Secretary Annsley B. Bangkas said majority or 68.22% of the shareholders of the salmon and tuna canner cleared the increase in its authorized capital stock to P3 billion from P1.5 billion.

The capital stock hike

will cover a stock rights offering of up to one billion shares at an offer price of P1 apiece that will finance the seafood processor’s operations and expansion program, according to a previous disclosure.

In a briefing before the special meeting, Singaporean director Hedy Yap-Chua and her legal counsel from Romulo Mabanta Buenaventura Sayoc & De Los Angeles questioned the intention and timing of alliance/PAGE 11

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The Right Motivation

hink a minute…A school teacher was complaining about a little boy in her class who was not showing any interest in learning. She said: “That boy David just will not do his school work. He’s not even motivated enough to tr y!” But a famous education professor says there is no such thing as a person who is not motivated.

So what that teacher should have said is: “David just is not motivated to learn with me.” Because that same boy, David, will jump out of bed early in the morning if he’s going fishing or to play with his friends.

Ever yone can be motivated. We just need to be motivated for the right things. Just watch people leaving work on Friday, rushing off for a weekend of fun. They don’t look unmotivated or lazy then! Maybe you had a schoolteacher who really made a cer tain subjec t interesting even exciting to you. They made you want to learn more, and they explained things so you could really understand.

Then you ended up doing much better in that teacher’s class than you did in the other ones.

But then it’s not possible for our children’s teachers to know our own kids as well as we do. That’s why we their parents are their

THINK

A Minute

Jhan Tiafau Hurst most important teachers. It is mainly our responsibility to motivate our children so they want to learn and do their best. And to do that, we must let our kids know that we believe in them. We watch them closely so we can help them know what they’re naturally talented and good at doing. Then we need to encourage them in that area so they can fully develop their own special abilities, whether it’s academics and school, sports, cooking, music, business, relating to people, or something else.

You and I can motivate our children by always loving and accepting them without conditions, no matter what they do. Even when we don’t approve of everything they do, we must still accept them so they know they are always loved. And when our kids do something well, we should encourage them by hurst/PAGE 11

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Battle that changed the course of history (11)

I

n ten previous articles, we relived the various battles to retake the Philippines as they happened 70 years ago. With the recapture of Man i l a , B at a an an d C or reg idor, (Febr uar yMarch 1945) McArthur gained a very important strategic and psychological victory. But much work still had to be done.

Yamashita still had most of his forces intact minus the Kembo Group (around 50,000) which has been on the run following the Allied drive to retake Clark and Bataan.

The Shobu Group, consisting of 150,000 men under the direct command of Yamashita, still controlled Baguio and most of northern Luzon.

The Shimbu Group, of around 80,000, still held the mountains east of Manila and Southern Luzon. It was this group that deployed about 4,000 soldiers to augment the 16,000 Japanese naval troops who fought fanatically in the month-long battle to retake Manila.

Another 132, 000 were still in control of Visayas and Mindanao.

McArthur immediately launched operations against forces closest to Manila to pre-empt any counter-attack on the city and als o to s ecure two important dams providing Manila with water – the Wawa and Ipo Dams.

Culling from “Luzon 1944-1945”, “ Tr iumph i n t he Ph i l ippi ne s” and “ The Liberation o f t h e P h i l i p p i n e s ”, w e re c on s t r u c t e d t h e fo l l ow i n g t i m e l i n e of various offensives launched

by Allied forces in t he waning days of the war.

In most instances, Filipino resistance fighters fought side by side with US troops.

February 20 to March 14 - Series of offensives in the rolling hills east of Manila. Agustin Marcos and his Marking’s Guerrillas figured prominently in the taking of Ipo Dam. March 4 – Start of prelanding aerial bombardment of selected Visayas targets March 10 – Start of drive to retake Mindanao, with a surprise landing at Illana Bay, off the southwestern coast of Mindanao; s i mu lt a n e ou s l a n d i n g s i n B a s i l an , Taw i - Taw i, Sanga Sanga and Bongao.

Seizure of Dipolog air strip to supp or t Z amb o anga operations.

March 18 – Start of the Battle of the Visayas with the landing in Tigbauan district, south of Iloilo, and the taking of Mandurriao air field and Tiring Landing Field (present site of Iloilo International Airport) March 19 – First major b at t l e i n t h e d r i v e t o Baguio. The fall of Bacsil Ridge led to the capture of Bacnotan and eventually San Fernando, La Union on

March 23. Prior to the drive to Baguio, the Hukbalahap guerrillas continuously harassed Japanese garrisons in Pampanga, Tarlac and Nueva Ecija.

March 21 to 27 - One of the last tank versus tank battles was fought at Irisan G orge clos e to B aguio.

By March 25, Baguio was within artillery range of Allied troops.

March 26 – The battle to retake Cebu commenced with the landing at Talisay.

Mines hampered the l a n d i n g b ut ot h e r w i s e opposition was light.

Fig ht ing intensif ie d as the Allies moved inland.

Tw o d ay s l at e r, L a hu g Air Field, Mactan Island and Cebu Harbor were in Allied hands. March 29 to March 31 – One of the fiercest battles took place in Gochan Hills. During the fighting, an Allied tank fired point blank into a suspected Japanese position which turned out to be an ammunition depot. The explosion instantly killed or wounded scores of US soldiers, reminiscent of an accident dur ing the retaking of Corregidor. By April 3, the Japanese were forced to withdraw from Cebu City although some troops made a desperate stand in Mandaue until April 7. The last Japanese holdouts fought for 2 days in Minglanilla. By April 16, Japanese withdrawal was complete.

SPEAKING

O ut

Ignacio Bunye March 30 – Allied troops recaptured Bacolod.

April 11 – US troops landed in Tagbilaran, Bohol.

Guerrillas led by Ismael Ingenerio pursued Japanese troops as they withdrew to the mountains by April 13.

April 15 – April 22 The Japanese garrison in Jolo fought US troops almost to a standstill for a whole week.

Ap r i l 1 9 – G e n e r a l Yamashita withdrew from his Baguio headquarters en route to Bambang, Nueva Vizcaya. The remnants of t he Jap anes e defenders i n B ag u i o e ng age d t he incoming Allied troops for two days before withdrawing on April 26.

Ya m a s h i t a’s t r o o p s would fight the Allies in a series of delaying battles until August 15, 1945 – the day Japan announced its surrender. (to be continued) Note: You may email us at totingbunye2000@gmail. com.

The true story of the godly thief, Part I

L

IFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “...And the king will answer them, `I tell you the truth, just as you did it for one of the least of these brothers or sisters of mine, you did it for me’…”

(Matthew 25:40, the Holy Bible).

-ooo THE TRUE STORY OF THE GODLY THIEF, PART I: Here is the first part of a six-part-short story inspired by the Crucifixion and Death of Jesus on the Cross. The full story can already be read at my blog, batasmauricio. wix.com/kakampi-moang-batas. Reactions are welcome.

-ooo DOING THINGS FOR THE LEAST OF PEOPLE IS DOING THEM FOR GOD: It was by pure accident that he found himself in the middle of a crowd intently listening to the man who had become very famous for doing miracles like bringing back the dead to life, healing the sick, casting out demons, ordering the winds and the

waves to calm down, and asking people to repent for their sins.

As he squeezed himself in among the men and women who surrounded the famous man in an effort to evade the centurions who were trying to arrest him, he was transfixed over a part of what the famous man had been saying: “… whatsoever you did to the least of these, that you did unto me…”

The man trying to evade arrest felt like being hit by lightning. He remembered he already heard the same famous man utter the same statement 20 or so years earlier.

He didn’t know if it was his excited imagination working on him or what, but at that precise point, the man in the center looked straight into his eyes, and, appearing to remember him, too, smiled at him. Suddenly and without any warning, a great sense of relief and an inexplicable sensation of calm came to his entire being.

The urge to run again, and evade his pursuers once more, ceased. He then turned around, faced the centurions who were chasing him, and, standing still, waited for them to arrest him. In a huff, he was held in a tight grip in both of his hands.

Yet, he did not resist, and instead willingly went with his captors. The two slices of bread and the piece of apple he was clutching on were rudely taken from him.

As the man was led to a prison cell, the head of the centurions started barking to him the many instances of stealing that he committed from the merchandisers who sold their wares openly in the town’s market, mostly fruits, bread, fish, and other food items.

He sighed, fully knowing, deep in his heart, that each and every accusation was correct, that he indeed took each and every food item he was being accused of, and that set him off to remembering the very first

K akampi

Mo A ng Batas

Atty. Batas Mauricio incident that sealed his fate, why taking food to be given to others had become some sort of a preoccupation for him (To be continued).

-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.

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Riverside families worried over JICA’s mega-dike

By MARK FRANCISCO

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – Around 200 families of a riverside village here, including their barangay chairman, are apprehensive of a plan by the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) to construct a mega-dike in their vicinity.

Consolacion barangay chairman Dante Roa led his residents in meeting with Rep. Rufus Rodriguez (Cagayan de Oro City) and officials from the Department of Public Works and Highways (DPWH) Monday to voice out their concerns, saying the mega-dike will run through most of the structures in their village, including the

barangay hall, health center and multi-purpose covered court.

Up on insp e c t ion, Congressman Rodriguez discovered that Jica’s plan that would be implemented

by DPWH could be altered a few more meters inland rather than the original 30 meters so only a few houses could be demolished and their inhabitants be relocated.

For his part, project engineer Leowald Pacore of DPWH 10 vowed that they would meet with Jica next week to address the concerns of the affected residents.

Pacore likewise assured that no structures would be

demolished until the affected residents have all transferred to relocation sites set for them by DPWH. Roa said the relocation site must have electricity and water supply and elementary and secondary schools ready for use once the new residents settle in.

Under the plan, parts of the P5.011-billion mega-dike will consist of a 12-foot flood wall made of sheet piles, tourists’ walkway, parking area and six-lane road.

Pa r t s of t h e m e g a dike have already finished construction particularly in the riverbanks of two more barangays here.

But upstream, it is met with opposition by a huge

PCG implements Oplan Ligtas Biyahe in Davao D A VA O C I T Y - - A Phi lippine C o ast Guard officer urged the people to always obser ve safety precautions in traveling at s e a .

Lt. Commander Dann Au g ust C ar i no, st at i on commander of the Phi lippine C o ast Guard based in Sta. Ana Wharf said ever yone sailing the s e a must ob s e r ve s afe t y me asu re s .

He said the PCG is more concerned on pr iv ately ow ne d b o at s , af te r one b o at c ar r y i ng t wo a du lt s and s e ve r a l children capsized and drowned four people 4:00 pm March 26 at the Ta l omo B e a ch are a du e to st rong w ave s .

Carino said that in the absence of lifeboats, boat

o p e r at o r s mu s t e n s u re t h at p a ss e nge rs c an ge t hold of plastic containers s o t h at t h e y w i l l f l o at onc e t he b o at c ap s i z e s .

He said it is b est that every boat must have life jackets with the number corresponding to the nu mb e r of p a ss e nge r.

Carino revealed based on t h e i r i nve s t i g at i on , t h e b o at w a s pr i v at e l y owned and its proprietor also died in the incident.

“No one was interested to f i l e ch arge s s i nc e a l l rel at ive s l o oke d at it a s an a c c i d e nt ,” he s ai d.

Carino said authorities c ou l d h ave r u n af te r it s ow ne r but he a l s o d i e d i n t he m i sh ap.

He formally announced the obser vance of the O pl an L i g t a s Biy a he i n

t i me of t he Holy We ek commemoration from March 2 7 to Apr i l 6 .

Carino said a thorough monitoring is being conducted in the ports of convergence particularly t he i n f lu x of p e opl e i n t he isl and s .

He said assistance c e nte rs are e st abl i she d in the various por ts and b e a che s .

“Fridays and S atu rd ay s , Su nd ay s and Monday are the heaviest t r af f i c of p e opl e i n and out t he islands,” C ar ino s ai d.

He s aid 25 p ers onnel and six sp e e d b o ats wi l l b e d e p l oy e d t o d o t h e monitoring in various beaches and ports. ( PIA 1 1 - Jo e y S e m G .

D a lu mpi ne s )

conglomerate development here – the Paseo del Rio which is building a hotel, a mall and several commercial complexes in a 12.3-hectare area. The area is also under Jica’s plan to be a catch basin for the megadike.

Pas e o del R io chief executive officer Ramid Gualberto reasoned out that the area is not suitable for a catch basin because it has less storage capacity and a steeper riverbed slope.

Gualberto criticized Jica’s plan as a “cold engineering” approach that is meant to solve the flooding problem downstream at the mouth of Cagayan river exiting Macajalar Bay rather than at the source.

Lanao del Norte culminates Women’s Month with activities

By Lorry V. Gabule

TUBOD, Lanao del Norte — More than 1,000 women from 21 municipalities of Lanao del Norte converged at the Mindanao Civic Center gymnasium on March 25, 2015, for the culmination activity of the Women’s Month celebration.

In his message, governor Khalid Q. Dimaporo lauded the women for their role in boosting the province’s economy through their participation in livelihood trainings and how they were engaged into business, through the coordination of different government line agencies as partners. culminates/PAGE 11

5

PRINT MEDIA TRAINING MODULES Print Media 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

Column Writing Editorial Writing Editorial Cartooning Feature Writing Fact-sheet Writing Feature Writing First Aid During Media Coverage and Other Emergency Situations 8. Headline Writing 9. Investigative Reporting 10. Keeping Media Practitioner’s Family Safe

11. Layouting 12. Low-cost Media 13. News/Press Conference Organizing and Facilitation 14. News Paper Editing 15. News Writing for Print 16. Photography 17. Print News Release Preparation 18. Securing the Newsroom 19. Specialized Writing : Sports, Business, etc.

BROADCAST MEDIA TRAINING MODULES

1. Audiocraft 2. Audio News Release Production 3. Broadcast Editorial Writing 4. Broadcast Media and the Church Broadcast News Scriptwriting \ Broadcast News Simulation 5. Communication Theory 6. Community Radio Program Production 7. Conducting Energizers/Ice Breakers 8. Coverage of Civil Disorders, Natural and Human-induced Catastrophic Situations, Wars and Conflicts, Abuse and Exploitation 9. Data Gathering 10. Dealing with Death Threats and Surveillance 11. Disc Jockeying (Disk Jokering) 12. Effective Listening and Questioning 13. Feature Writing and Production 14. First Aid During Media Coverage and Other Emergency Situations 15. Headline Writing 16. Interviewing Children 17. Investigative Reporting 18. Keeping Media Practitioner’s Family Safe 19. Lantern Lecture Techniques 20. Microphone Handling 21. Newscasting

22. Non-linear Audio-Video Editing 23. News/Press Conference Organizing and Facilitation 24. Overcoming Ambush Interview 25. Overcoming Stage Fright 26. Program Hosting/Anchoring 27. Public Journalism 28. Radio, As Community Development Tool 29. Radio Programming 30. Radio and TV Guesting and Interview 31. Securing the Newsroom 32. Specialized Writing : Sports, Business, etc.

33. Telephone Interview and Reporting 34. Television, As Community Development Tool 35. Video Camera Handling 36. Video News Release Production 37. Voice Development Others 1. Structured Learning Exercises 2. Trainers Training on Training Facilitation 3. What To Do When Abducted, Arrested, or Stopped at Checkpoints or Roadblocks 4. Zero Waste Management

GENDER AND HEALTH TRAINING MODULE

1. Adolescent and Youth Health 2. Gender and Reproductive Health 3. Gender Sensitivity for Couples, Women and Men 4. Gender Sensitivity in Media 5. Gender Sensitivity Training for Lupon 6. Gender in Waste Management 7. Violence Against Women and Children

INFORMATION, EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION (IEC) and ADVOCACY MODULES 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

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11.

12.

13.

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Brainstorming and Project Presentation Building a Constituency for Support Communicating with the Adolescents, Handicaps Community Organizing and Planning Community Public Address System (ComPAS) Conducting an Advocacy Campaign Designating Spokespersons Data Gathering Defending Against and Addressing the Opposition Development Communication Educating Colleagues Establishing Goals, Objectives and Activities Expanding Your Base of Support Enhancing Your Public Education Efforts Establishing Hotlines Framing Issues and Shaping Your Message Going Public/External Relations

18. Intrapersonal and Interpersonal Communication 19. Knowing Your Community 20. Letter to the Editor Writing 21. Making Contacts 22. Media Relations 23. Networking and Coalition Building 24. Objective Setting and Action Planning 25. Organizational Communication 26. Overcoming Burnout 27. Overcoming Stage Fright 28. Program/Project Audience Analysis 29. Project Proposal Writing and Presentation 30. Public Address System Operation 31. Public Speaking 32. Reaching the General Public 33. Reaching Policy Makers, Lobbying, Legislative Approaches 34. Strategic Planning 35. Verbal and Non-verbal Communication 36. Vision, Mission and Goals Setting 37. Writing Mission Statements

VALUES AND RELATED TRAINING MODULES

1. Aggressiveness and Assertiveness 2. Coping With (Post-traumatic) Stress and Depression 3. Dealing with Conflict 4. Developing Positive Personal Values 5. Discovering Interpersonal Life 6. Emotional Quotient 7. Etiquette and Grooming 8. Good Passenger Handling 9. Human Relations and Personhood 10. Intelligence Quotient 11. Leadership 12. Overcoming Difficult People 13. Prayer Writing and Delivery 14. Public Relations 15. Sermon Writing and Delivery 16. Supervisor, as Formater 17. SWOT Analysis 18. Team-building 19. Values Clarification

For training facilitation, please contact +639997990008, +639262553215, or +639355588706

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

FFeature eature

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Best in Business and Economic Reporting

Philippine Press Institute Civic Journalism Community Press Awards 2013

monday|April 6, 2015

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy

Globe President and CEO Ernest L. Cu announces fresh US$50M VC funding during Kickstart’s 3rd anniversary celebration attended by startup founders, mentors, partners, among others. (Supplied Photo)

Kickstart earmarks up to US$50M (P2.2B) fresh funds for high-growth startups

G

lobe Telecom has earmarked up to US$50 million (P2.2 billion) in a new venture capital (VC) fund which its wholly-owned subsidiary Kickstart Ventures, Inc. will use to help drive the rapid growth of high-potential startups. This growth fund or “Fund 2” targets startups in

expansion mode anywhere in the world with clear regional and global prospects.

“In the Philippines, I have yet to see a startup break through in a big way, not because of lack of talent but because the whole sector is devoid of support. Large tech incumbents operate well here, but startups

struggle,” said Ernest L. Cu, Globe President and CEO, explaining the Fund’s rationale.

He added: “Globe has been finding and working with smaller, innovative startups to boost the quality of its customer experience, with very good results.

So good that they get

Nurturing mother earth: “A tree-growing project”

THE world’s pressing problem today is the onset of climate change. This is the sudden change of the weather conditions as what we have experienced a few years ago. The current situation brought devastation not only in our country but worldwide.

One of the resolutions to the increasing temperature is the need to plant and grow trees.

Why? Trees absorb CO2 through its leaves and in return, it converts it into oxygen. Oxygen is very vital in our existence since it is the air that we breathe.

An acre of trees can enable 18 people to breath.

Thus, the Federation of Family Welfare Committees (FFWC), in coordination with the Department of Labor and Employment- Region X (DOLE-X), Iligan City Chapter, spearheaded a Tree Growing Project last 8 November 2014 in Mibolo, Pindugangan, Tipanoy, Iligan City, as our answer to the call of protecting nature.

The Rotary Club of Iligan Metro also joined the FFWC during the tree planting.

“Our purpose is not merely to plant trees but we also let them grow,” retorted FFWC- Iligan City President, Rebecca Inubio. “This is our response to save our planet Earth, protect our environment, so that, what happened in Typhoons Sendong and Pablo that devastated Iligan will not happen again. We wanted also to lead, not only in our responsibility as members of FFWC but also in caring for the environment for emulation of our future leaders,” enthused Ms. Inubio.

The project is one of the thrusts of the FFWC in all the union groups of Iligan City. The organization has some 21 Board of Directors and members

of which each member is required to plant ten seedlings. This is now a regular quarterly schedule of the organization under its Committee on Environment and Protection.

The 300 seedlings were mahogany, texwood, coconut, and fruit trees from the City Environment and Management Office. The tree growing involves the monitoring by the residents living in the area. Each resident near the planted tree will be responsible in the after care until it is full grown.

The FFWC in return will also visit the area regularly, in supervision of DOLE-X. This environment endeavor is in part of the Green Our DOLE Program GODP of the Department, which seeks to attain green jobs. This is any job that reduces environmental impact, contributes to climate change solutions, and results not only to environmental, but also economic and social benefits to the community and to the workers.

So are jobs that help protect the ecosystem and biodiversity, and reduce energy materials and water consumption.

As a standing project of the FFWC, it is included in the annual calendar of activities purposely set every 4th quarter of the year for the months of October to December are rainy seasons and timely to plant and grow trees for them to be watered naturally.

Ms. Inubio in her closing message said, “This is our legacy, a service not only for FFWC but for the world which we live in. It’s giving hope for our children and our children’s children.”

Eulita Escalante/DOLE-X Lanao del Norte PFO

acquired by large global companies at respectably higher valuations! Seeing this potential, we believe that Kickstart can use the VC fund to help our startup partners to scale even faster via an equity investment.”

Kickstart started in 2012 with a $2.4M seed fund or “Fund 1” focused on seed and early-stage startups.

For Fund 1, Kickstart also recently received a US$1.1M (Php50M) top-up for 2015 deals. Investment targets of Fund 1 can be domiciled in any country and have no nationality requirements.

Its earlier-stage nature means closer, more frequent mentoring, thus, Fund 1 portfolio companies tended to have some of their operations in the Philippines.

On the other hand, Fund 2 expands on Globe Telecom’s innovation thesis and is possibly the largest commitment to early-stage startup investing coming out of a Philippine company.

Like Fund 1, investment targets of Fund 2 can be based in any country with no nationality requirements for founders but they are aimed at more developed startups that have validated their product-market fit and are now looking to expand.

“We are looking for startups that have strategic capabilities of value to communications and digital companies, in which we could invest more significant sums at Series “A” round and beyond to

drive customer adoption and market momentum. These startups can be anywhere in the world and this new fund underscores our confidence that Philippine capital and the Philippine market will support innovation,” said Minette Navarrete, Kickstart President.

Fund 2 is intended to help drive rapid growth in startups focused on the digital communications domain and encompasses telecoms as well as media, data analytics, Internet of Things, financial services, health, education, IT security, and energy and spectral efficiency.

Startups would be able to leverage the relationships of Kickstart within the Ayala and Singtel networks through the ff: 1) having their product undergo technical due diligence from Globe in anticipation of a Philippine market roll-out and 2) receiving warm introductions to affiliate operating companies in the region as well as to mentors, advisors, and investor contacts of Kickstart.

So far, Kickstart has made 20 investments. Many have grown and attracted followon funding from thirdparty investors including recognized institutional investors like Y Combinator, 500 Startups, Omidyar, Wavemaker, IMJ Investment Partners, FutureNow Ventures, Seawood Capital, Elea Foundation, and a number of local and overseas angel networks.

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy

LLifeStyle ifeStyle

BusinessWeek MINDANAO Best in Business and Economic Reporting

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monday|April 6, 2015

7

Flavors of the American South find home in Davao’s Huckleberry

H

uckleberry Southern Kitchen and Bar is now open and ready to serve a contemporary taste of the American South.

Southern cuisine is known as comfort food, and Huckleberry offers time-honored recipes from the Carolinas to the Creoles, with a little bit of Mexican and Soul food.

Following its dry run in December, Huckleberry is now fully open and ready to wow diners with flavorful and filling dishes. Specialties include Slowroasted Beef Belly, Huevos Rancheros, and Southern Fried Chicken with Corn Muffins; while the menu has expanded with new dishes such as Nashville Hot Chicken Wings, Pork Belly with Apple Salad and Mashed Potatoes.

More starters have also been added, so guests can choose from Popcorn Shrimp, Cream Cheese Wonton Crisps with Salsa, Pork Cracklings, Pimiento Dip with Fried Flour Tortillas, among other bar bites.

Only the choicest ingredients are used at Huckleberry, with the restaurant smoking their own bacon, Andouille sausages, and jerk chicken.

Huckleberry also makes their own corn muffins and spicy Cajun sauce.

Behind the beefed up menu is multi-awarded Executive Chef Kenneth Villaluz, owner and chef of Tiago, a progressive Filipino restaurant in Quezon City included in Philippine Tatler’s Best Restaurants Guide 2014. Huckleberry has also partnered with Vince and Tricie Arcenas, who are seasoned restaurateurs and owners of Cellar de Boca.

One-of-a-kind watering hole Not to be outdone, the bar selection is a feast for the taste buds, with renowned mixologist and owner of Maharlika and Jeepney in New York, Enzo Lim, curating and creating Huckleberry’s cocktail menu.

Huckleberry carries some of the best spirits in the world, not found anywhere else in the Philippines, such as Monkey 47 Dry Gin, Tito’s Handmade Vodka, Tequila Ocho, Tres Agaves, and Siete Leguas, all flown directly to Davao.

For craft cocktails, Huckleberry’s syrups are made in-house, such as Ginger, Demerara, Grenadine, Honey and Cinnamon syrups. A variety of bitters is available, such as Creole, orange, aromatic, chocolate and peach. Infused rum is also available and made from local Davao fruits and ingredients. Currently, the flavors include mangosteen, pineapple, mango, ginger, sili, and cacao. Beer fans will also enjoy Huckleberry’s draft beer and handcrafted beers, made in small batches in Iligan.

Maximum comfort The ambience at Huckleberry is one that encourages patrons to truly unwind and enjoy themselves. The space lends itself to distressed brick walls, Edison pendants with filament bulbs, a tavernlike second bar with old Southern US clippings and concerts on the walls, and mural art by renowned illustrator Macky Pamintuan in the dining room. The outdoor garden space is also a sight to behold: the bistro chairs are inspired by French design, with white posts to match the existing colors and structure of Huckleberry’s historic host, the Oboza house, built in 1929.

Brains behind Huckleberry The carefully crafted look for Huckleberry is the work of owner Kim Pamintuan, CFO of Ann Pamintuan Design Furniture, a multi-awarded design house for furniture, home accessories, and jewelry.

Ann Pamintuan is a pioneer of the Movement 8 design alliance in the Philippines, and the first Asian woman designer to be included in the prestigious

Enzo Lim at Huckleberry International Design Yearbook.

Co-owner Chris Pamintuan, President and CEO of Apo View Hotel, brings in his experience as a partner of San Francisco’s first ham and oyster bar, Hog & Rocks, included in The San Francisco Chronicle’s Top 100 Bay Area Restaurants in 2013.

Together, cousins Kim and Chris enjoyed many adventures while growing up, fancying themselves as a duo akin to Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn. In

parts of the USA, “huckleberry” is also a term used to describe “a man, specifically the exact kind of man needed for a particular job”. That is what the owners hope for Huckleberry Southern Kitchen and Bar—just the right place to visit when one craves a hearty meal to hit the spot.

Huckleberry Southern Kitchen and Bar is located in the Oboza Compound on JP Rizal Street corner Bangoy Street, Davao City. (PR/Mindanews)

Sun Postpaid Exclusive

One plan, two phones, and Unlimited Facebook—now available to Cignal Subscribers Cignal subscribers can now make the Good Choice.

For a limited period, subscribers of Cignal can avail of, not one, but two smartphones whenever they sign up for a Sun Plan 399. With unlimited calls and texts to Sun and 250 texts to other networks, Cignal subscribers can enjoy seamless connectivity, especially when powered by their new Alcatel OneTouch Scribe Easy and the 20.05D. To sweeten the deal, the new Sun Plan 399 comes with unlimited access to Facebook, providing Cignal subscribers with multiple options to keep connected!

The Alcatel OneTouch Scribe Easy is a smartphone that provides a great, all-around multimedia experience onthe-go. The Scribe Easy runs on Android and is powered by a Dual-Core 1.2 GHz processor. It sports a 5-inch capacitive touchscreen that is protected by scratch-resistant glass, and features a 5MP rear camera for great snapshots.

It also includes a stylus for easier navigation.

Completing the bundle is an Alcatel 20.05D, the perfect phone for all your basic communication needs. It features dual-sim and dual-standby capabilities, a 2.4 QVGA screen and a 2MP fixedfocused camera.

All of these can be enjoyed for a very affordable price of only P399 a month, with a holding period of 18 months. The promo, which is offered exclusively to all Cignal subscribers, is valid until June 15, 2015.

So what are you waiting for? Apply now! Just go to the nearest Sun Shop, present one valid ID and your latest Cignal bill to be on your way to success.

To know more about the different products and services of Sun Postpaid, visit www.suncellular.com.ph or Facebook page: www.facebook.com/ suncellularph and follow @suncelldeals on Twitter.

Not yet a Cignal TV subscriber? Visit www.cignal.tv to learn more about Cignal TV’s subscription plans.

BusinessWeek MINDANAO Best in Business and Economic Reporting

8

Philippine Press Institute Civic Journalism Community Press Awards 2013

monday|April 6, 2015

Environment

Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Cheng Ordoñez

Butuan Division announces PAGASA launches simplified DepEd CGZWMP best implementers weather, climate info materials The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) unveiled a series of new t o o l s a n d i n f o r m at i o n products under the name Payong PAGASA, including the USAID-supported simplified templates for public dissemination of PAGASA materials.

A play on the Filipino word “Payong” which m e a n s b o t h “a d v i c e”

and “umbrella”, Payong PAGASA aims to ma ke it e as y for t he ave r age F i l ipi no to u nd e rst and the advisories from the agency.

More t han a to ol to disseminate information, P a y o n g PA G A S A i s designed to help Filipinos make decisions and take preventative matters to prote c t t he i r l ive s and livelihoods.

PAGASA also launched

the official icon of Payong PAGASA named Ella the Umbrella—she will be the visual cue that illustrates the effects of weather and climate change in a simple yet engaging way.

The launching was one of the highlights of t h e 1 5 0 t h A n n ive rs ar y o f PAG A S A g r a c e d by D ep ar t ment of S cience and Technology Secretary Mario Montejo and United States Agency for

International Development (USAID) Mission Director Gloria D. Steele.

Under USAID’s Water S ecurity for Resilient E c on om i c G row t h an d Stability (Be Secure) proj e c t , PAG A S A s t af f redesigned forecast and storm alert announcements to b e tte r c om mu n i c ate PAGASA information to key stakeholders and the general public. (PAGASA/ RJB/SDL/PIA-NCR)

NGP is beyond reforestation - DENR

By NINFA B. QUIRANTE

The National Greening Program (NGP) delivers beyond its primary objective of re-greening the country.

Catbalogan Community Environment and Natural Resources Officer (CENRO) Mar Torres, last week, said in a meeting with peoples organizations (POs) and farmers group implementing the program.

Torres said that with the NGP fund, most farmers organizat ion w ho have successfully committed to the programs have started reaping the fruits of their labor.

“While we cannot claim that 100% of them have grown economically stable, we can say that the project has helped them send their kids to school because it has given them jobs,” said Torres.

Some of those who have benefitted from the program stepped forward to testify that their lives have changed since NGP. Danilo Miralles of the Basaranan nga Organisasyon han San Isidro (BOSIS) said that because of the NGP Fund, they were able to engaged in rice trading,

purchased a lot where they g row ratt an w hich has given them a 150% return of investment.

In Calbiga town, Vince Malinao, President of the Barangay Tinago People’s Organization reported that with their savings, they

brought a tractor and rice tresher rented out to farmers.

Through this, they bought a motorboat which they use to patrol their mangrove plantation prone to destructive activities of some village folks. “ We h a v e P h p 3 1 thousand pesos savings in the bank,” he proudly said.

Malinao said that it takes discipline and commitment to handle finances in their organization.

For the Caamlungan Farmers Organization in Calbiga, with the 70 hectare contract from NGP, they purchased a carabao that can help in transporting ngp/PAGE 11

BUTUAN CITY -- After a thorough deliberation and ocular visits, the Department of Education DepED) Butuan City Division announced the winners of the search for the outstanding clean ground zero waste management program (CGZWMP) best implementers during the 1st Regular Division Management Conference on Tuesday.

For the secondary urban category, Agusan Pequeño Nat i on a l Hi g h S c h o o l garnered first place followed

by Libertad National High School, second and Butuan City School of Arts and Trade, third.

On the other hand, for the rural category, La Soledad National High School won first, Lumbocan National High School, second and Taligaman National High

School, third.

For multi-grade category, Dalingdingan Elementary School bagged the first place, Tagpulangi Elementar y School, second and San Roque Elementary School as third.

Furthermore, for noncentral category, Taligaman National High School won first, Bugabus Elementary School, second and Bilay Elementary School as third.

Lastly, for central category, West Central Elementary School garnered first place, Liberatd Central Elementary School, second, and Amparo Central Elementary School as third.

Schools division superintendent Arsenio T. Cornites Jr., CESO V awarded the certificates to the winners.

(Dr. Jonas H. Jomonong, DepED Butuan City Division/ PIA-Agusan del Norte)

U.S. pledges to UN emission cuts of up to 28% in next decade WASHINGTON -- The White House on Tuesday submitted

Marine biologist Myrtle Arias (back at the camera) reviewed the lessons on the basic mangrove taxonomy with the members of the Suyac Island Eco-Tourism Association and the Mangrove Warriors of Barangay Old Sagay in Sagay City. (EAD-PIA6 photo/Sagay)

its new climate change plan to the United Nations, in which it pledged to reduce carbon emissions by up to 28 percent below 2005 levels in the next decade.

“The steps that the United States will take to meet our commitments includes the Clean Power Plan, higher efficiency standards on cars and trucks, improved energy-efficiency standards for buildings, broader efforts to reduce HFCs (potent industrial greenhouse gases) and methane emissions,” said White House spokesman Josh Earnest at the daily briefing.

All the measures included in the blueprint will only be implemented by U.S. President Barack Obama’s executive authority, since any climate change legislation would most likely be blocked by the Congress now fully controlled by the Republicans.

The U.S. plan reflected an agreement Obama made with Chinese President Xi Jinping in November, in which the United States intends to achieve an economywide target of reducing its emissions by 26 to 28 percent below its 2005 level in 2025 and to make best efforts to reduce its emissions by 28 percent, while China intends to achieve the peaking of carbon dioxide emissions around 2030 and increase the share of non-fossil fuels in primary energy consumption to around 20 percent by 2030.

On March 19, Obama signed an executive order directing the federal gove r n m e nt to c ut it s greenhous e gas (GHG) emissions by 40 percent over the next decade from 2008 levels.

Under the executive order, the share of electricity the federal government consumes from renewable sources will increase to 30 percent by 2025, and U.S. taxpayers could eventually save up pledges/PAGE 11

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9

DepEd-Bicol mobile teacher is IP’s local hero

By Rhaydz B. Barcia

TIWI, Albay -- Amar P. Canicula, 37, father of five children whose ages range from six months to eight years old, has been a mobile teacher of the Department of Education-Alternative Learning School for seven years now.

A resident of Malinao town, Canicula works with under-served communities in the upland villages of this town, specifically with the indigenous people (IP) —the Agta-Tabangnon tribe.

As a mobile teacher, he travels on a motorcycle or on foot, crosses rivers, hikes from cliff to cliff of mountains and negotiates the sea to reach his learners or students.

But before going to his learners, mostly indigenous people, he distributes the food he brings with him to at least 15 to 20 people as well as biscuits and bread to toddlers who are being carried by mothers with them in the school to attend class sessions.

Canicula holds classes either in the tribal hall, under the trees, barangay hall and houses which can accommodate the learners.

Sometimes, he also serves as a nanny of the toddlers in school to enable their mothers or fathers to attend to their lessons.

T he mobi l e te a che r educates his learners through the aid of technology.

Using t he p ower of technology (laptop, projector and power bank) makes Math, Science and English easy and more exciting for teachers as it bolsters teaching methods, being a highly effective visual aid for teachers and learners here.

It creates an interactive focused learning environment in the classroom which makes the learners eager to go to school, as even their children are attentive to the lessons.

Canicula said utilizing technology gives the underprivileged learners a chance to gain access to the information technology revolution, a modern kind of education being enjoyed by children in urban areas and around the world.

He said technology widens educational materials in the classroom to ensure highquality and standard teaching among the IPs learners. His learners are 50 years old, out-of-school youths, adults, indigenous people and school dropouts.

To see the way of life of a mobile teacher, this reporter once went with Canicula in the hinterland of Sitio Mayharige, Misibis village, some 18 to 20 kilometers away from the town proper.

He, the district coordinator and this writer trekked for about five to six kilometers uphill as the motorcycle they were riding could no longer pass through to the treacherous trail.

Upon reaching the tribal community, Canicula was like a hero to the indigenous people.

The teacher said he is putting the IPs’ needs first before introducing the DepEd ALS program.

He s aid t hat b efore empowering the communities, he conducted mapping, and organized the community after a house-to-house visit to identify the dropouts.

He worked with barangay and municipal officials to

help him introduce the government’s free education program for the poorest of the poor.

Despite limited resources and passing through the hurdles, Canicula slowly encouraged the underserved communities to go back to school at their most convenient time.

“As a mobile teacher, I have encountered a lot of struggles and difficulties, dealing with barangay officials, on how the indigenous people can pursue education for free.

Nevertheless, my passion to work with the community is even stronger despite c omp l e x it i e s . Wor k i n g with the less fortunate and uneducated indigenous people is challenging as I have to widen my horizon, patience and tolerance,” Canicula said.

But once he has convinced the learners to embrace education with their limited time, it’s like a “bingo” -winning the “lottery,” he said.

“This means, we can lessen uneducated Filipinos and contribute to government’s mission of attaining the Millennium Development Goals,” he said.

Feliz Condeno, 55 and Federation Tribal chieftain of Agta-Tabangnon, said that of the 3,000 IPs, half of them are currently beneficiaries of the ALS program after Canicula organized them.

“We’re happy that Sir Amar Canicula was assigned here because through him the tribal communities are now having free education and are now empowered, specifically that his family assisted one of our tribal members, Marilyn Competente, who is now set to graduate from college. She is the first tribal member who

will finish college education, become a teacher and share her leaning to our group due to Sir Amar’s help,” Condeno said.

Canicula is highly respected in the tribal community and regarded as a hero whenever he visits his learners on a house-tohouse basis to personally know their concerns.

Rosie P. Lladoc, DepEd Alternative Learning Center Education Program Division supervisor, said the ALS program started in 2004 during the time of President Gloria Macapagal-Arroyo as a non-formal education where the learners are required to attend 800 hours for them to have an accreditation and equivalency program from elementary to be admitted to secondary or tertiary level.

“Learners are not required to attend classes everyday in a room like in the normal school as it fits within their most convenient time. Our mobile teachers spend their own money, aside from the risks from both sides (communist insurgents and military). But, I told them that if the area is dangerous, they should not compromise their safety,” Lladoc said.

However, she said that mobile teachers must be friendly to both sides as they are sent to underserved community to deliver education for all targets as ALS is the lifeblood of government’s education for all.

The ALS’ priority target is 16 to 77 years old across the country with 10.5 million population based on 2004

data while the second priority are 1,842,058 aged 6-11 years old and 12-15 years old (16,282,343 or 20 percent of the 82 million population, based on 2004 NSO survey given to DepEd).

Dr. Milagros C. Valles of DepEd said currently there are 11 million indigenous people in the country, considered as second-class citizens, who have benefited from social services and educational opportunities being given by government.

According to Valles, the ALS program is appropriate but not sufficient as the DepEd curriculum does not reflect the IP’s rights while IP curriculum programs offered by other lead agencies are not recognized by the education department. teacher/PAGE 11

Children voluntarily shut their lights at home as their little share in conserving energy during the observance of this year's Earth Hour from 8:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. on Saturday night(March 28,2015 in Bgy. Santiago General Trias, Cavite(PNA photo

by Avito C.Dalan)

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28TH ANNUAL COMMENCEMENT EXCERCISES OF BUKIDNON STATE UNIVERSITY-EXTERNAL STUDIES (BSU-ESC) IN MANTICAO, MISAMIS ORIENTAL – VICE GOVERNOR JOEY G. PELAEZ speaks before the graduates, parents, and administration staff of BSU-ESC Manticao, Misamis Oriental during its 28th Commencement Exercises held at the auditorium of Mindanao Mission Academy in Manticao, Misamis Oriental. It must be remembered that last year, there were attempts to close all BSU-ESC’s in Misamis Oriental threatening hundreds of graduating students from finishing their college studies. However, Vice Governor Pelaez was quick on his feet in preventing the impending closure of the colleges which now produced hundreds of college graduates.

Victims of injustice DOLE-10 culminates women’s month celebration urged to file claims

By Recthie T. Paculba

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY – The Board of Claims under the Department of Justice (B O C-D OJ) encourages those victims of unjust imprisonment or detention of violent crimes to file a claim of an amount not exceeding to P10,000 through the Victim’s Compensation Program which was created in 1992.

During the information dissemination drive of the program on March 26, here, regional prosecutor Jaime L. Umpa shared that the activity is conducted to recognize and honor the valuable human

rights of every individual as well as it aims to bring immediate economic relief to the victims.

To further explain the program, Alexander Q. Suarez, BOC Evaluator, provided a short lecture on Republic Act 7309 and related laws. He said that those who were unjustly accused, convicted and subsequently acquitted by a court, unjustly detained and released without being charged, arbitrarily or illegally detained by the authorities as established under a final court judgment, and those who are victims of

violent crimes may apply for the compensation.

Victims can apply and get an application form from the nearest Office of the Regional Prosecutor. Suarez also added that the claim should be filed within six months after release from imprisonment of detention or after the crime was committed.

For deceased or incapacitated victims, BOC said that claim may be filed by the victim’s surviving spouse, children, natural parents, brother and/or sister, in that order.

Meanwhile, Severino H. Gaña, Jr., Senior Deputy victims/PAGE 11

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Some 54 Department of Labor and Employment – region 10 (DOLE-10) women workers, comprising 48% of the total 113 workers under its six provincial field offices were lauded at the conference hall during its Monday convocation on March 30, 2015 as the celebration of the women’s month culminated.

A n ch ore d f rom t h e national theme “Juana, Desisyon Mo Ay Mahalaga Sa Kinabukasan Ng Bawat Isa, Ikaw Na!,” DOLE-10 set its local theme dubbed a s “Ju a n a s … Ma k i n g a Difference” in recognition of its women labor force who worked, and had worked in the past that escalated from clerical works to holding

high-ranking positions in the national office.

Among those past workers in the regional office comprised the previous administrative chief appointed as undersecretary, Ma. Lourdes M. Trasmonte and former assistant regional director, now assistant secretary, Atty. Maria Gloria A. Tango.

Through these inspiring individuals, DOLE-10 works hard to attain targets at par with these achievers who had served the regional office with commendable performances.

After the Eucharistic mass celebrated by Fr. Raul B. Dael, DOLE-10 commenced the celebration through unveiling of tarpaulin revealing beautiful faces of the said 54 women

employees in recognition of their contribution and hard work led by regional director Raymundo G. Agravante and Lucila S. Pulvera OIC-IMSD Chief/WINGS President and alternate Gender and Development (GAD) focal person.

In 2011 and 2014, the department received Certificates of Recognition as the Outstanding Regional Office in category B given by the central office for the remarkable collective efforts in successfully implementing the key services and achieving the best overall physical and financial performances.

In a short talk, Pulvera recalled that these powerful women are the main reasons why we consistently achieved such highest distinctions.

“Today, we honor the women of our office because our voices are being distinguished in the policy and decision making,” she said.

Among the various GAD lined-up activities include Lenten reflection and “Juana, ikaw na ang manguna” instructional dance routine.

During the program, a classical ballet rendition about “gender equality” was interpreted by ballerina Caryn Rose D. Escobido, Labor Employment Officer-II of the Western Misamis Oriental Provincial Field Office.

Year 2015 marks the 40th anniversar y of the Philippine Commission on Women and the 20th year of adopting the agenda to uphold empowerment, development and peace during the 4th World Conference on Women.

(Glenford Labial/DOLE-10)

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Expansion... from page 1

are a number of interested bidders already,” Rodriguez said.

The economic viability of the Laguindingan Airport has already perked the interest of Philippine Airlines owner Lucio Tan, according to Rodriguez Rodriguez said he and Tan agreed that PAL can service the routes from Hong Kong, Bangkok and Singapore to Laguindingan Airport.

“The large number of customers from Northern Mindanao can supp or t these international flight operations,” Rodriguez said.

T h e C i v i l Av i a t i o n Authority of the Philippines (CAAP) just opened Laguindingan Airport for night passenger traffic with a Cebu Pacific Air Bus A320 landing at 10 p.m. last Sunday night. For a while, it could accommodate only daytime flights because of lack of equipment.

Under its development plans, t he D OTC have earmarked P26.1 billion to improved the facilities of Laguindingan Airport and five other major regional airports – Puerto Princesa, Iloilo, Bacolod-Silay, Bohol and the Davao International Airport.

The Laguindingan Airport Private-Public expansion will be carried for 30 years under the Build-Add- and- Transfer system.

Palm... from page 1

XII with 112,000 hectares.

“Caraga has potential for production expansion of oil palm, nursery and manufacturing from oil to intermediate or final goods,” Montenegro said during the Davao City Oil Palm Investment Forum last week at Park Inn Hotel.

He said that throughout the island about 60,000 hectares have been utilized for oil palm plantations. These plantations are operated by Agumil, Kenram, Filipinas Palm Oil, Carmen Univanich, Aberdi, Zanorte and Bali Palm Oil. He said they are presently overcoming the challenges like addressing the “connectivity and accessibility difficulties, infrastructure development challenges, security and safety issues, accessing land resources and consolidation.”

T he Worl d Wi l d l i fe Fund said in its website that monoculture like oil palm plantations can pose a “number of environmental impacts” including largescale forest conversion and loss of critical habitats for endangered species.

B u t D r. P a b l i t o P. Pamplona, board of director and secretary of Philippine Palm Oil De velopment Council, said in his presentation that the crop can be “a tool to help overcome soil erosion and poverty among upland dwellers.”

“The truth is oil palm is more water efficient than most crops. It also creates higher rainfall to supply water for rice production and the domestic needs of the lowland dwellers,” Pamplona said.

(MindaNews)

AirAsia.. from page 1

Josephine Joy D. Caneba, the airline’s chief executive officer, told BusinessWeek Mindanao that passenger load on the Manila-Davao service, which resumed last week at thrice-daily frequency, as well as in the Manila-Kota Kinabalu flights are a good indication of the potential traffic. “ T h e ro ut e i s v e r y promising because, travelers from the city (Davao) can t r ave l b e t we e n P u e r to Princesa (in Palawan) and Kota Kinabalu (in Malaysia) easier and I think based on our Manila-Kota Kinabalu experience, there really is traffic,” said Ms. Caneba in an interview at the sidelines of the Davao City Chamber of Commerce meeting last week.

Ms. Caneba also said that the company is looking at more Manila-Davao flights.

Other new international flights planned for launch this year are Cebu-Hong Kong and Cebu-Singapore by May or June and Cebu-Japan in July.

The airline launched its inaugural Cebu-Kota Kinabalu flight last Friday on four times weekly frequency.

Tourism Regional Director Roberto P. Alabado III, who joined other officials in welcoming Ms. Caneba’s allfemale crew at the Francisco Bangoy International Airport last Friday for the relaunch of the Manila-Davao flights, expressed support for the company’s plans, saying: “We need more of these services to help our tourism industry.”

The Malaysian consulgeneral in Davao City, Abdullah Zawawi Tahir, urged the company to consider direct flights between Davao and Kota Kinabalu, not just for passengers, but for cargo. “(Servicing the) DavaoKota Kinabalu route will allow the faster flow of goods between the two destinations,” h e t o l d B u s i n e s s We e k Mindanao.

Mr. Tahir also said flights between the two major cities in southern Philippines and eastern Malaysia will stimulate the tourism industry of the Brunei-Indonesia-MalaysiaPhilippines-E ast As ean Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

The focus areas in the BIMP-EAGA sub-regional grouping, formed about 20 years ago, are: Mindanao and Palawan in the Philippines; Sabah, Sarawak and Labuan in Malaysia; Kalimantan, Sulawesi, Maluku, West Papua and Papua in Indonesia; and Brunei Darussalam.

AirAsia currently has 15 aircraft and is planning to acquire three more to service routes outside of its hubs in Manila, Cebu and Kalibo.

-- Carmelito Q. Francisco

Boost... from page 1

Sr., BDO will acquire 100 percent of ONB, divided into 247,190,397 common shares and 20,540 preferred A shares, each having a par value of P10 each.

The purchase price will depend on the adjusted net asset value of ONB and may be in cash or common shares in BDO. At end-2013, ONB had P25.7 billion in resources and P3.7 billion in capital.

BD O didn’t indicate whether the acquisition would qualify for tax and other perks under the Special Program for Rural Banks (SPRB) Plus, a joint program of the BSP and Philippine Deposit Insurance Corporation that is aimed at encouraging mergers and acquisitions.

ONB will end up as a subsidiary of BDO, which said the acquisition is meant to expand its distribution network and tap new markets in Mindanao and Panay Island.

ONB is one of the country’s biggest rural lenders, with 105 branches and micro-banking offices in Mindanao and Panay Island, which is in Western Visayas. The rural bank also has more than 100 ATMs. ONB is the only rural bank with a license to engage in the trust business, and has bagged BSP approval to put up 9 more branches in Mindanao and 2 in Western Visayas.

Alliance... from page 3

the capital stock hike in light of the P564-million capital infusion of Strongoak, Inc., a new investor.

Aske d i f she wou l d subscribe to her entitlement in the stock rights offer, Ms. Chua said: “It doesn’t make sense.”

Should the higher capital stock be fully issued and Ms. Chua would not subscribe to her entitlement, the Singaporean would lose her seat in the board since her equity interest will be further diluted to 12% from 24%, her lawyer Catherine Beatrice O. King Kay told reporters yesterday.

Strongoak’s investment in Alliance Select last year had reduced the Singaporean group’s interest in the listed company to 24% from 34%.

As a result, the group was only allowed to own one board seat with Albert Hin Kay Hong, the other Singaporean investor, losing his board seat.

Hurst... from page 4

letting them know how very pleased we are with them.

Maybe you yourself never had someone who believed in you or motivated you to be your best in life. But today, you can ask Jesus Christ to take charge of your life. He will help you start seeing and using your own special abilities He’s

given you. Jesus will also help you start encouraging and motivating others to be their best. Just Think a Minute …

Culminates... from page 5

The day’s activity included women’s presentation of their talents on singing and dancing specifically from women’s group of the towns of Sapad, Linamon, Kolambugan and Bacolod.

The groups were organized by the Provincial Social Welfare Office (PSWD), in coordination with Provincial Gender and Development Office (GAD).

Other activities include talk on Rights of Women handled by Atty. Jonathan M. Puno, provincial legal officer. While Dr. Lyndel Nisnisan-Jacobe, medical officer, talked on Healthy Lifestyle.

The women were surprised with various prizes through a raffle draw, courtesy of the Congressional Office-First and Second District of Lanao del Norte through House Representative Imelda Q. Dimaporo.

Women went back to their respective places bringing along handful of prizes.

“A woman of today is now empowered, politically and economically involved, capping this year’s theme, “Juana, Desisyon Mo ay Mahalaga sa Kinabukasan ng Bawat Isa, Ikaw Na!” said Jocelyn dela Cruz-Zamora, president, Provincial Women’s Association, in her closing message. (LVG/PIA-10 LDN)

NGP... from page 8

goods as there are still no vehicles in their area.

The group also maintains a sari-sari store that provides the immediate needs of the 199 villagers.

The people’s organizations earn income from seedlings pro du c t i on a n d f ore s t restoration. From this NGP fund, they venture into small business that also earn.

NGP not only aims to reforest the country but also to maintain food security, reduce poverty, maintain environmental stability and conserve biodiversity.

By providing them the reforestation project, they are given an alternative income and something to do that veer them away from charcoal making, timber poaching and other past livelihood that denudes the forest and mangrove, a DENR official said.

“Since they have put a great stake in the trees and mangroves, they have also turned into its staunch defenders,” said Torres.

(NBQ/PIA 8-Samar)

Pledges... from page 8

to 18 billion U.S. dollars in avoided energy costs.

The federal government is the single largest consumer

of energy in the country, operating 360,000 buildings, 650,000 fleet vehicles, and spending 445 billion dollars annually on goods and services, according to the White House data. (PNA/ Xinhua)

Teacher... from page 9

She said the development of indigenous peoples’ core curriculum is needed to provide an I P a lt e r n at ive l e ar n i ng system acceptable to the IPs in genera l and to specific communities.

Cu r re nt ly, the DepEd-Albay division has fielded 24 mobile teachers, 24 mobile district coordinators and 13 literacy volunteers.

The ALS mobile teacher delivers the mode of ALS programs and lives among the people in remote barangays of the countr y to conduct intensive community-based training for illiterate out-of-school youth and adults who are willing to learn basic literacy skills.

The ALS mobile teacher program of the DepEd makes education accessible to out-of-school youths and adults who live i n f a r- f l u n g b a r a n g ay s across the countr y.

It has raised the level of literacy in the target areas as well as improve the quality of life of individuals and families in remote and underser ved communities.

This is in line with the concept of bringing education where the learners are.

The ALS Mobile Te a c h e r Pro g r am i s an i m m e d i at e re s p ons e t o the demand of millions of target learners for relevant and accessible alternative learning system.

Ac r o s s t h e c o u nt r y, there are 600 mobile teachers deployed to areas where the unreached and under-served population of the countr y are.

The ALS mobile t e a ch e r s are b a ch e l or’s deg re e holders and are duly licensed professional teachers who perform various duties and responsibilities that range from the conduct of learning sessions with the learners, development of literacy and other re l at e d s k i l l s b a s e d on t h e A L S c omp e t e n c i e s , establishment of functional networking and reporting system, conduct of action-research activity and other related functions.

T he t arge t s ite s and communities for this program are those with high illiterac y rate, big number of out-of-school youths and adults and identified strong republic schools (SRS) barangays.

The ALS mobile teachers help improve the quality of their lives

11

an d h e lp t h e m b e c om e useful members of their communities by helping them read, write and compute through a free education program intended for those who cannot afford formal schooling in Philippines.

(PNA)

Victims... from page 10

State Prosecutor and Board Member of BOC said that the professing of claims will not take long since the program is administrative in nature.

As of February 2015, BOC has already released about P398M to 48,351 processed claims but according to Suarez, the number does not reflect the knowledge of the public about the law thus, they are conducting series of information dissemination drive to eventually diminish the suffering of the victims.

For more information, victims and their heirs may visit the Regional Prosecution Office, Region 10 at 2nd Floor, IBP Building, Capitol Road, Cagayan de Oro City.

(RTP/PIA10) DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE AMONG CO-OWNERS Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the late LUCIA D. BACARRISAS, now deceased, situated at Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City, which is more particularly bounded and described as follows: LOT 1505, CAD-237 Cagayan Cadastre Covered by Tax Declaration No. 1927, containing an area of Six Thousand Three Hundred Seventy Eight (6,378) Square meters. This Deed , made and entered into by and between, ALMA OBSID RAGMAC- CAMARIOSA, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of Zone 5, Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City: VIVIAN OBSID RAGMAC, Filipino, of legal age, single and a resident of Zone 5, Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City, presently living in No. 634, B-25 L-6, Barangay Nicolasa Virata, GMA, Cavite, herein represented by her Attorney-in-fact ALMA OBSID RAGMAC-CAMARIOSA as shown in the Special Power of Attorney identified as Doc. No. 228; Page No. 47; Book No. XIX; Series of 2014 the notarial register of notary Public of Atty. Arman D. Laurito of Cavite chapter ; LANIE OBSID RAGMAC-MISO, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of Poblacion, Catarman, Camiguin Province, herein represented by her Attorney-in-fact ALMA OBSID RAGMAC-CAMARIOSA as shown in the Special Power of Attorney identified as Doc. No. 283; Page No. 57; Book No. 81; Series of 2014 the notarial register of notary Public of Atty. Vito M. Carrillo of Camiguin; MARICEL OBSID RAGMAC-TEMPLA, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of Zone 5, Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City ; LILIAN OBSID RAGMAC, Filipino, of legal age, single and a resident of Zone 5, Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City presently living in No. 3102 San Jose Street, Carmona, Cavite, herein represented by her Attorney-in-fact ALMA OBSID RAGMAC-CAMARIOSA as shown in the Special Power of Attorney identified as Doc. No. 228; Page No. 47, Book No. XIX; Series of 2014 the notarial register of Notary Public of Atty. Arman D. Laurito of Cavite ; JOEL OBSID RAGMAC, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of Zone 5, Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City; MELCHOR RAGMAC CAMARIOSA, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of Phase 1E, Block 05 Lot 02, Kasiglahan Village 1, San Jose, Rodriguez, Rizal, herein represented by her Attorney-in-fact ALMA OBSID RAGMAC-CAMARIOSA as shown in the Special Power of Attorney identified as Doc. No. 221; Page No. 46; Book No. II; Series of 2014 the notarial register of Notary of Atty. Leopoldo S. Lopez of Rodriguez, Rizal; ANTONIO OBSID RAGMAC, Filipino, of legal age, married and a resident of Zone 5, Bonbon, Cagayan de Oro City; is the subject of DEED OF EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE AMONG CO-OWNERS under the notary public of Atty. MANUEL A. NOLASCO, As per Doc. No. 10; Page No.2; Book No. 20; Series of 2015.

BWM: April 6, 13 & 20, 2015

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

MONDAY | APRIL 6, 2015

editor: SHAUN ALEJANDRAE YAP UY

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

PAGE 12

Angel Tree: A Life Changing Project “Gusto ko mahimong Electrical Engineer.” (I want to become an Electrical Engineer). These were the words of a teen named Whensley, when asked on his dream career. Whensley Jimenez, a 4th Year High School Student who holds big dreams is a resident of Barangay Patag, Manticao, Misamis Oriental.

He did not only dream of becoming a Professional or Licensed Engineer but also a great leader one day. “Yes! I wanted to be the Mayor of Manticao”, he proudly exclaimed with honesty, and straightforward response to Abante Mindanao (ABAMIN) Representative Mila Abesamis. Such dreams hope to materialize with various programs in eliminating child labors in the country. Project Angel Tree is one.

Initiated by the Department of Labor and Employment, the project hopes to improve the economic and social conditions of child laborers, Whensley is no exception to this. With small physique for his taxing work as “taga bunot ug lubi” (Coconut Husker), he gets less the minimum pay.

No way would he go through school and eat regular meal with the amount. The Angel Tree fills the gap between what the children wishes to have and granting them through supports from institutions.

Together with ABAMIN and the supports of the Local Government Unit (LGU) Chief Executives Municipal Mayor Roberto M. Lagrosas, Project

Angel Tree with the theme, “Kabataan: Likas Yaman Para Sa Magandang Kinabukasan” was launched at Manticao, Misamis Oriental on March 6, 2015. This hopes to provide new beginning for Whensley and 49 other children present that day.

Whensley received food, clothing, school supplies, medical (insurance) and educational assistance that encourages school than hold him as child labor. Also he received a college scholarship from ABAMIN. “Kani nga activity dako kaayo ni ug impact sa atong kabataan kay sila ang atong kaugmaon, ang atong future busa ato sila protektahan na dili mahimong child laborers.” (This activity will have a big impact to the children because they are our future which is why we should protect them for them not to become child laborers), expressed Barangay Chairman, Anna Marie T. Bonggay.

Also in support, from the private institutions, Mr. Dorotheo O. Lacbain Jr. of Tierra Totus Computer Center and Mr. Ander West (Manager) of Wolfland Resource, Inc. With the little help they get, Whensley and the rest of the beneficiary kids are hoped to have more life changing possibilities echoing through the Project Angel Tree.

Caryn Rose Escobido/DOLE-X WMO

Whensley Jimenez, a 4th Year High School Student who holds big dreams is a resident of Barangay Patag, Manticao, Misamis Oriental. (Supplied Photo)