BusinessWeek Mindanao (April 9, 2014)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

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Volume IV, No. 87

Market Indicators As of 5:55 pm Apr. 5, 2014 (Saturday)

FOREX

PHISIX

US$1 = P44.94

6,561.20 points

0.01 cent

X X Briefly 25.88 points

Market eviction ABOUT 500 vendors in Cagayan De Oro City’s largest public market in Cagon here have been issued an ultimatum to pay the market dues or face eviction, Peter Abejuela of the City’s Economic Enterprise Division (CEED) said.

Abejuela said the CEED) has already advised the vendors thrice in the past to pay the monthly arrears due the city government.

“After giving the vendors enough time, it is time the CEED imposes the eviction to those who failed to pay the due,” Abujuela announced on a local radio station here.

The notice of eviction would be issued anytime this week, he added.

Nonbank financing SMALLl and mediumsized enterprises (SMEs) in Asia, including the Philippines, need better access to finance to grow and generate badly needed new jobs for the region, says a new Asian Development Bank (ADB) report.

“Most of Asia’s smaller firms are faced with difficulties in obtaining finance,” said Noritaka Akamatsu, deputy head of ADB’s Office of Regional Economic Integration, which produced the inaugural edition of “Asia SME Finance Monitor.”

“SMEs need to be able to tap a wider range of nonbank financing options in addition to bank loans, including capital markets if they are to realize their potential,” he added.

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Wednesday|April 9, 2014

P15.00

Peace deal to propel Mindanao, PH growth T

By LESLIE D. VENZON Philippine News Agency

HE peace agreement between the government and the Moro Islamic L ib eration Front (MILF) w i l l encourage more investments in Mindanao and boost the country’s overall economic growth.

BRISK SALES. Vendors sell assorted kinds of dried fish during a market day in PIgcawayan, North Cotabato on Sunday. Prices of fish are expected to go up as the Lenten season approches. mindanews photo by keith bacongco

Reforestation project to ward off carbon footprint

By BONG D. FABE

DAVAO City -- In an effort to offset the company’s massive carbon footprint, AboitizPower Corporation has embarked on an ambitious rehabilitation program to reforest a 1,000-hectare land in Marilog District here in partnership with the Matigsalog tribe.

Several entertainers in CDO bars have no health permits

AboitizPower subsidiary Therma South Inc. (TSI) is currently constructing a 3 0 0 - me g aw att ( M W ) coal-fired power plant in a contiguous area straddling Barangay Binugao in Davao City, and Barangay Inawayan in Sta. Cruz, Davao del Sur. Once fully commissioned next year (2015), TSI’s coalfired power plant will be the largest baseload coalfed power plant in the southern Philippine island of

Mindanao, a distinction that is presently held by STEAG State Power Inc.’s (SPI) 210MW coal-fired power plant in Villanueva, Misamis Oriental. AboitizPower owns 34 percent of SPI. TSI President and COO Benjamin Cariaso Jr. said that the rehabilitation and reforestation program with the Matigsalog tribe is “a critical component” to the success of the coal-fired power plant.

“We view the Carbon carbon/PAGE 11

“The current share in GDP (gross domestic product) of Mindanao is 14 percent...

That 14 percent share in GDP could become higher in the future if it will grow faster than the rate it is growing now,” Emmanuel Esguerra, Deputy Director General of the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA), said in an interview.

GDP, the measure of the countr y’s economic performance, is the value of all the final goods and services produced during a given period of time.

Esguerra said the peace

d e a l w i l l i mprov e t h e investment climate in the region and augurs well for the development of various sectors, especially agriculture and food production.

It will also improve the prospects for human security because of the absence of armed conflict, he added.

E sg ue r r a s ai d ot he r regions can also benefit depending on how these areas are intricately linked to the rest of the economy.

“So there will be beneficial effect both at the level of the economy and at the level of peace/PAGE 11

SENIORS WARD. Elderly patients rest at the seniors ward of the newly opened annex of the J.R. Borja Hospital in Cagayan de Oro City on April 3, 2014. The three-story annex became a “white elephant” for 12 years due to political wrangling among local officials. mindanews photo by froilan gallardo

By FROILAN GALLARDO MindaNews

AN inspection of girlie bars and drinking joints here Friday night by police and local officials revealed that many entertainers were working without the required health permits. permits /PAGE 11

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Independence of CDO’s Annex National High School pushed

A BILL for the conversion of the Gusa National High School – Cugman Annex into an independent national high school was filed in Congress, Rep. Rufus Rodriguez of Cagayan de Oro City said on Monday.

Rodriguez said that he filed House Bill No. 4225 on request of education officials to assure better administration of the national high school.

According to Rodriguez, annex/PAGE 11

Economy

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Climate Change body enforces ClimbEx.db, espouses resiliency WITH an aim to help communities as well as local government units in planning land use and development while incorporating preventive measures to adapt to the effects of climate change in their areas, the Climate Change Commission (CCC) conducts an orientation and training in the use of the Climate and Disaster Exposure Database (ClimbEx.db) on April 3-4, here.

Ac c o r d i n g t o Ju l i e Amoroso, Project Technical Officer, ClimEx.db is “part of the Project Climate Twin Phoenix. It’s one of the components of the project and it’s primarily

f or t h e a s s e s s m e nt of disaster and climate risks of Cagayan de Oro City. So that way we will be able to determine the population at risk in the flooded area, the characteristics of the population and households, the properties that are at risk of damage, and at the same, we will determine the socio-economic activities in the community or area.”

Amoroso also added that knowing the sources of income and skills of the people in the community will help determine the alternate livelihood that will be administered in the area if in case they will be affected by disasters.

In terms of prioritization, CCC focused the implementation of ClimEx. db in the flooded areas based on the climate adjusted flood hazard map developed by the Project Climate Twin Phoenix.

With the versatility of the data obtained in the database, Amoroso said that “the data can actually be used by various relevant agencies like Department of Helath (DOH) because of the concern on illnesses, DPWH because we’re now looking at the structure or the building structure; of course it can be used by department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD)

and Office of Civil Defense (OCD) because they will now know the exact people that they need to respond to in terms of disaster like Tropical Storm Sendong, National Statistics Office (NSO) can also benefit from database and the City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (CDRRMO) because it can help a lot in the flood contingency plan.”

Aside from Cagayan de Oro City, ClimbEx.db is also implemented in Iligan City.

CCC, through the Project Climate Twin Phoenix, will conduct the final database project on the third week of April in Cagayan de Oro City.

62 livelihood projects okayed in Q1 THE Department of Labor and Employment Regional Office X (DOLE-X) has approved the release of 62 livelihood projects for the first quarter of this year.

The projects will be funded through the DOLE Integrated Livelihood Program (DILP) under the Workers In c o m e Au g m e nt at i o n Program (WINAP), Tulong Pangkabuhayan sa Disadvantaged Workers

(TUPAD) and Bottom-upBudgeting (BUB) These projects, 46 under the WINAP, 15 for the BUB and one for TUPAD, are expected to benefit 8,718 c on s t it u e nt s f rom t h e informal sectors like skilled workers, farmers, fisherfolks, women, and youth.

DILP aims to reduce poverty through the promotion of livelihood and entrepreneurship and

transforming vulnerable sectors into community enterprises through convergence of services.

“All DOLE programs are implemented today because of the government’s policy on inclusive growth and alleviating poverty,” said DOLE-X Regional Director Atty. Alan M. Macaraya during the release of the p r o j e c t s t o i d e nt i f i e d beneficiaries on Wednesday,

April 2, at the Marianne Suites, this city.

Meanwhile, Panglingkawas Multi-purpose Cooperative (PMPC) in Kausawagan, Lanao del Norte and its 92 women beneficiaries were thankful for the approval of their project.

Blenda M. Desierto, PMPC Executive Chief Officer, said DOLE has changed the lives of women in their area. projects/PAGE 11

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CorporateWorld

Puregold plans to buy another supermarket operator this year

PUREGOLD Price Club Inc is poised to seal the acquisition of a supermarket operator this year to boost its store network amid tight competition in the retail sector.

“There are discussions on the table,” Puregold investor relations officer Jimmy Perez said, adding that there is a “big possibility” that a purchase will be completed this year.

“Ang Metro Manila, hindi naman ‘yan saturated. It is matured but not saturated,” he said.

Perez identified South Supermarket and Liana’s as the other big retailers operating in Metro Manila. puregold/PAGE 11

Holcim PH, Lafarge stocks surge amid parent firms’ merger SHARES of the local units of Holcim Ltd and Lafarge SA surged on Monday following the merger of their respective parent firms to create the world’s big gest cement company.

Holcim Philippines Inc shares rose 4.53 percent to close at P13.84 per share today, while Lafarge Republic Inc (LRI) shares rallied 10.73 percent to finish at P10.22 per share.

“If you lo ok at LRI from a PE perspective, it’s trading at low PE. I wouldn’t be surprised that with the merger, it would seek its correct PE,” said April Lee Tan, head of research of COL

Honda launches 4 new models, projects 10% sales growth HONDA Cars Philippines Inc. (HCPI) will launch four models this year, including a full model change for City, improve its plant capacity utilization, raise local content rate and increase sales by 10 percent to revitalize its operations in the country.

Company president and general manager Toshio Kuwahara revealed this over lunch with business journalists to outline the company’s strategy for the Philippine market.

“My plan this year and the coming few years is to be very busy with Honda. I am going to see you four times this year,” the newly-installed HCPI head said referring to the number of car launches he is planning for the year.

Of the four model launches, Kuwahara said that one is the full model change of City while the three others are a combination of model upgrade and new model introduction. This would mean a total of 11 Honda motor vehicle models available locally within the year. honda/PAGE 10

Financial Group Inc. PE refers to price to earnings ratio, a measure of how expensive a stock or market is.

“Outside valuation, it would mean less competition for the two companies with the merger,” Tan said.

Ho l c i m P h i l i p p i n e s declined to comment on the matter in the meantime,

while Lafarge Republic could not be reached for comment.

On Monday, Switzerlandbased Holcim revealed an allshare deal to acquire France’s Lafarge that would create a cement giant with combined sales of $44 billion.

In a statement posted on its website, Holcim said “the merger of equals” will allow

the merged entity to “answer the changing demands of t he bu i l d i ng mate r i a ls industry and the challenges of increasing urbanization.”

The merger will allow Holcim and Lafarge to control many of the cement markets around the world, raising issues on antitrust. Their holcim/PAGE 10

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wednesday|April 9, 2014

RESORTS, HOTEL & RESTAURANTS DIRECTORIES

Algen’s Dive Resort (088) 3872015

Philtown Hotel 726295 / 8564402 Fax: 723104

Apple Tree Resort & Hotel 735411 / 754525 Fax: 754497

Pryce Plaza Hotel 8583131 Fax: 726687

Bahay Bakasyunan sa Camiguin (088) 3871057 / 3870131 Fax: 3870278

Prawn House (088) 3095992 Fax: 8519219

Basamanggas Resort 08822-760564 Fax: 760565 Cagayan Riverview Inn 8584245 / 729039 Fax: 8584245 Casa Crystalla 8561704 / 722465 Fax: 722480

Ridge View Chalet 8588946 / 8587946 Fax: 8588946 Seda Centrio Hotel 32288888 Southwinds Hotel 724803 / 8562036 Fax: 8562036 Stargate Dream Vacation Resort 8515003 / 8509999

Casa Isabella (088) 8564065

Casa Azucena 8563402 / 09236593973

Chali Beach Resort 732840 / 8552108 Fax: 8555941

The VIP Hotel 726080 / 8562505 Fax: 726441

Chananthon Bed & Breakfast 8568189 / 3093095

Uptown Condotel 8511800

Country Village Hotel 8583004-06 Fax: 8583006 D’Budgetel 8564200/726643 Fax: 8564300 Dahilayan Forest Park 8568562 to 63

De Luxe Hotel 8572144 / 724548 Fax: 724563 Discovery Hotel 727814 / 8563896 Fax: 8563897 Duka Bay Resort (088) 3312290 Fax: 725265 Dynasty Court Hotel 8574802 Fax: 857900 Grand City Hotel 8571900 / 728469 Fax: 723718 Hotel Conchita 8563856 / 727355 Fax: 8563857 Hotel Koresco 8589749-50 Fax: 8589748 Hotel Sogo 8520383

Kingston Lodge 8585696 Fax: 8585696 Mapawa Natures Park 8584402 Fax: 725265 Mallberry Suites 8541999 / 7249999 Fax: 8544999 Maxandrea Hotel 8572244/729943 Fax: 724090 Miami Inn 8581901 to 02 Fax: 725279/728486 N Hotel (088) 8801924

Paras Beach Resort 8568563 Fax: 8568563

Tune Hotel 8800888/8801306 Travelers Pod 8518988

Villa Paraiso Apartelle 3870419 Fax: 3870429 HONORARY MEMBERS:

Dept. of Tourism 723696/726394 / 8564048 Fax: 723696

RESTAURANTS:

Bigby’s Café 72-1071/857-5511/8575836 Fax: 711843 Café Laguna 8582999 Fax: 8567001 DM Villaruy Restaurant 733790

Golden Ajirang I 856-5271 Fax: 727876 Grand Caprice Restaurant 72-6955/856-2302 Fax: 72-4986 Kagay-anon Restaurant 728958 / 8563688 Fax: 8563843 / 729003 La Ilongga Restaurant 72-6183 / 857-3652 Fax: 72-4605 Max’s Restaurant 8586297 Fax: 8568264 Missy Bon Bon 8566852 / 09228606442 Fax: 8566852 SLERS Ham & Café 8551438 Thai Me Up 738424/3108424 Fax: 738424 Barkadahan Grill 8551234 La Tegola Cucina Italiana 8585959

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A griBusiness 4 Organic fertilizer free for farmers YOUR LOCAL ONLINE BUSINESS PAPER

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wednesday|April 9, 2014

WOULD you believe that farmers who are members of cooperatives or associations can be recipients of free organic fertilizer by the truckload? And the fertilizers are even delivered for free?

No, these are not dole outs from the government.

The organic fertilizers are given away for free to groups of farmers within reasonable distance from Las Piñas City.

The organic fertilizer is the end product of a recycling program of household wastes in Las Piñas by the Villar Sipag Foundation.

‘Sipag’ is the acronym for Social Institute for Poverty Alleviation and Governance.

During the AANI farm tour that visited the Villar foundation’s projects, Sen. Cynthia Villar explained that the household wastes in the city are collected

every day for processing in several recycling facilities located in different parts of the city.

More than a thousand bags of organic fertilizer are produced each month which are given free to farmers’ groups.

The farmers’ group has to make a written request so they can be allocated with the fertilizer on a first-come-first-served basis.

The foundation has delivered organic fertilizer to as far as Nueva Ecija.

Why give to groups of farmers outside of Las Piñas?

Because Las Piñas is not an agricultural country. And why free? Because the city has already made big savings by recycling the household wastes.

Hauling the household wastes to the dumpsite costs the city about P9,000 per trip. And because

of the recycling program, the city actually spends just about P90 million a year for garbage disposal. In the neighboring city of Parañaque, according to Sen. Villar, the city spends more than P400 million for garbage disposal.

WASTE PLASTIC INTO CHAIRS — Schools in poor areas of the country are possible beneficiaries of a new project of the Villar foundation. It has put up a multi-million peso facility that makes school chairs out of waste plastic materials like those discarded wrappers and containers of food products and the like.

Dexter Gonzales who is in charge of the facility says that 15 kilos of waste plastic products can be made into a very durable chair for school kids.

COCONET FOR EROSION CONTROL. One project of the Villar Sipag Foundation that provides livelihood as well as helps enhance the environment is the production of coconet for erosion control. This makes use of coconut fiber extracted from the buko husks as a result of selling young coconuts for refreshment. There are five coconut fiber extracting facilities in Las Piñas which produce the coconet which is sold mostly to the subdivisions developed

by Camella Homes of the Villar family. The wastes of buko sellers in Las Piñas and adjacent cities are brought to the processing facilities of the Villar foundation. Photo shows workers who are weaving coconet using twines made of coconut fiber. The workers are paid on a per-piece basis that they produce.

Thai rice glut swamps Asian market ASIAN rice costs will keep slumping from near a six-year low as Thailand clears out record stockpiles, threatening a price war with Vietnam and India.

The government plans to sell about 1 million metric tons a month, compared with average monthly exports of 558,000 tons last year. The nation’s benchmark price, which is already below costs in Vietnam and India, may retreat 11 percent to $350 a ton by May, the Thai Rice Exporters Association forecasts.

The Philippines, Asia’s largest buyer this year after China and Indonesia, will hold a tender for 800,000 tons on April 15. While Thailand will offer the full amount, it’s concerned the sale is taking place as crops from Vietnam are coming onto the market and hurting

prices, according to Surasak Riangkrul, director-general of Thailand’s Department of Foreign Trade.

Thailand accumulated reser ves under a statebuying program which ended this year amid a political crisis in Southeast Asia’s second-largest economy.

Its stockpiles reached 12.8 million tons in 2013, or about a third of the global export market. Vietnam’s Minister of Industry and Trade said this week that Thailand was willing to sell the grain at any price.

“We could see a price war, with Vietnam cutting prices, selling lower than Thai rates,” said Chookiat Ophaswongse, an honorary president of the Thai Rice Exporters Association.

T h e 5 - p e rc e nt T h ai broken white grade, used rice/PAGE 10

Hybrid rice seed grower in talks for sale to First Pacific TALAVERA, Nueva Ecija – SL Agritech Corp is in talks for the sale of less than a third of the company to Hong Kong-based conglomerate First Pacific Co Ltd. “We have signed an agreement with the MVP Group. We are open to sell to them about 30 percent of our company,” SL Agritech chairman Henry Lim Bon Liong said, referring to Manuel V. Pangilinan, who is managing director of First Pacific.

“But the terms of the agreement are still general.

We have yet to come up with a more specific terms for the deal, which includes the joint development of rice lands,” Lim told Manila reporters brought here for the celebration of a harvest.

Wit h F i r s t Pa c i f i c’s possible buy in on the table, Lim said SL Agritech may no longer pursue an initial public offering (IPO).

Michelle Lim-Gankee, hybrid/PAGE 10

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Banking&Finance

Professionals, business oppose government’s new tax rules P R O F E S S I O NA L S a n d business groups have urged the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) to reconsider its new rules on the issuance of tax assessments stressing such order removes a taxpayer’s right to due process.

In a joint position paper, t he g roups st ate d t hat while they understand the agency’s need to streamline the assessment process and enhance tax collection efficiency the BIR must equally consider taxpayer’s right to due process in coming up with any regulation.

The position was s upp or t e d by t h e Ta x Management Association of the Philippines (TMAP), the American Chamber of Commerce (AMCHAM), and

the Association of Certified Public Accountants in Public Practice (ACPAPP).

It was also signed by the Integrated Bar of the P h i l ippi n e s ( I B P ) , t he Philippine Chamber of Commerce and Industry (PCCI), the Philippine Institute of Certified Public Accountants (PICPA) and the Makati Business Club (MBC).

The groups have joined hands to oppose Revenue Regulations 18-2013, which amended the rules on due process requirement in the issuance of deficiency tax assessments.

By eliminating the Notice for Informal Conference (NIC), the BIR has removed taxpayers’ opportunity to

(ASEAN) is at that level already,” said Espenilla.

While the BSP will not restrict the number of foreign banks in the country, there is a provision in the law which effectively provides safety nets that would still require banking resources be dominantly controlled by local banks. This means that at least 70 percent of resources will be held by domestic banks which are majority owned by Filipinos.

“The only limit is that 30 percent overall assets or total assets in the industry will be under foreign banks,” said Espenilla. “That is a macro-prudential cap.”

Espenilla said the increased foreign equity has been approved by the Monetary Boar and awaiting advanced discussions in the legislative. “Both houses (S enate and C ong ress) have sponsors and basically endorsed the proposal with some modifications, but

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present their side of the case through submission of documents and discussion of issues with BIR personnel, the group said.

They also said the 15day period to respond to preliminar y assessment notice (PAN) — without

mostly (it will be) adapted.”

“It is now being discussed and in the Lower House it is already in progress in the committee,” he added.

“In the Senate they are still discussing (merits).”

While the Philippines has done a lot in financial sector liberalization, the other ASEAN economies have opened up more.

For example, Indonesia allows 99 percent foreign equity participation although foreign bank branches are limited to just 11. Both Singapore and Malaysia has no limits to foreign equity while Thailand allows up to 51 percent on a case to case basis.

At the moment only 11.8 percent of the entire local banking system is controlled by foreign banks. These are 14 foreign banks with operations in the Philippines, of which 13 have branches such as Citi Philippines, Standard bsp/PAGE 8

wednesday|April 9, 2014

OROBANKERS DIRECTORIES CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY

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

any informal conference — is a very short time for the taxpayers to analyze the discrepancy tax assessments and collating their supporting documents.

In addition, the groups said the automatic issuance rules/PAGE 8

BDO – OSMEÑA Osmeña corner Ramon Chavez St. Cdoc 724567/8563727

Benchmark interest rates rise across the board

BANK OF COMMERCE- VELEZ Akut- Velez St.Cdoc | 8564371 / 726880

BENCHMARK interest rates climbed as the government raised in full its programmed borrowing from the sale of Treasury bills (Tbills) on Monday.

“The Auction Committee decided to grant full award with the average bid rates aligning with secondary market rates along with sufficient market demand,” the Bureau of the Treasury said in a statement.

The government raised P20 billion as programmed, even as banks were willing to lend as much as P28.95 billion.

Demand for the 91-day Tbill reached P11.92 billion, but the auction committee stuck to its b or rowing program of P8 billion. The 91-day rate climbed 44 basis rates/PAGE 8

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BDO – COGON Sky hi Bldg JR Borja St. Cogon, Cdoc 8577963/ 725209/ 725203

No limit to foreign bank entry – BSP THE Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) has proposed no limit on the number of foreign banks that will be allowed to operate locally in its recommendations to further liberalize entry of foreign banks into the country.

“There will be no limit or cap on how many (foreign) banks can set up here,” said BSP deputy governor Nestor A. Espenilla Jr. The proposed revisions to the existing law (Republic Act 7721 or An Act Liberalizing the Entr y and Scope of Operations of Foreign Banks in the Philippines) will increase foreign ownership from 60 percent up to 100 percent which will bring it at par with foreign bank laws in other countries in the region.

“The main proposal in the bill (both in the Senate and Lower House) is to raise equity, it will be up to 100 percent – most countries

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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- 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

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

BPI- VELEZ Velez-JR Borja St.Cdoc 8564213/722406

PHILIPPINE POSTAL SAVINGS BANK, INC. bels_domingo@yahoo.com.ph Rizal Chavez Cdoc 8572194/725438

BPI – CAPISTRANO Capistrano St. Cdoc 8574264/8574263

PS BANK Velez Corner A. Mabini St., Cdoc 8574183/725184

BPI- COGON Osmeña St. Cdoc 8571297/8571298

PHILIPPINE VETERANS BANK Tiano-Abejuela St. Cdoc 722644/8573386

CHINA BANK –GAISANO 745887/745880

QUEEN CITY DEVELOPMENT BANK, INC. Sacred Heart Mont. Cm RectoAve., Cdoc 8562390

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

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

DBP – CORRALES Corrales Ave., St. Cdoc | 8572087/722649

SECURITY BANK- OSMEÑA Osmeña St. Cdoc | 8563965/ 723411/728774

DBP – CAPISTRANO JR Borja Capistrano St. Cdoc 8567776/722819

SECURITY BANK- LKK Limketkai | 8801258/8801625

EAST WEST BANK #5 Juan Sia Bldg. Apolinar Velez St.Cdoc 8578801/720081 EAST WEST BANK Cogon De Oro Constraction Bldg. LKK Drive 8500339/8500331 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

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A “New” Iloilo Revisited

I

had a quick overnight revisit of Iloilo City -- my place of origin with Guimbal town as my birthplace -- over the weekend to attend the national board meeting of the JCI Senate and the swearing in of Businessman Ramiro Galanto as Iloilo JCI senate president. I still have many close relatives there although our family migrated to Davao when I was about one year old.

The face of Iloilo City has considerably changed since I last visited several years ago.

Its main boulevard, called the Diversion Road, has been widened (would you believe?) to 6 lanes on each side or a total of 12 lanes in all ! I personally crossed the wide boulevard by the Smallville complex and counted myself, including a bicycle lane. All the way on the 25- kilometer strip from downtown to the modern international airport in Cabatuan, a massive road expansion project is on-going with houses and buildings being demolished on both sides of the road. I asked the taxi driver, in Ilonggo dialect of course, how come the authorities were able to convince the squatters ( now euphemistically called “ informal settlers”) to leave and give way to development.

His answer: firm handling by

Member:

T

the local government with relocation assistance. The whole area, formerly swampy with squatters, is spruced up and now sprouting with new plush buildings, malls, entertainment areas, hotels and offices.

Being a Saturday night, swarms of Ilonggos were on a massive “gimmick” mode in the area, even spilling into the streets and sidewalks while jazz bands were almost in all beerhouses, bars, fine dining restos -- no, not the sleezy types -- but wholesome nooks and cozy hideaways.

My colleague in the JCI senate board Bobby Castro f rom P u e r to Pr i n c e s a , Palawan brought me to see and walk through the riverbanks that was before a slum area. The slum dwellers were properly relocated and the whole area lining the river has been converted into a fashionable pathway lined with mangrove greeneries , tiled walkways made of bricks snaking about 2 kilometers long. The place is referred to by all now as the river “esplanade” (meaning, open space for public walks or strolls.) Hundreds of promenaders were just walking and strolling in the night. Bobby who owns the famous “Palawan” pawnshop/

cash transfer business that has now about 1,000 outlets nationwide (and therefore has been to almost all nooks of the country) was so impressed about the area development of Iloilo that he volunteered to walk me to to the place and see for myself the esplanade. I’ve been to many places but this one was something! A strategic development masterplan must have chartered the course of events that transformed Iloilo into what I saw.

Indeed, over dinner, Iloilo City’s Mayor Jed Patrick Mabilog, himself a JCI senator and chief architect of the city’s transformation and spearheadingpreparations to host next year’s ministerial meetings of the Asian Pacific E conomic C o op erat ion (APEC), simply said in understatement :”Iloilo City is now under construction”.

In the former airport area that was vacated with the new international airport at Cabatuan, a multi billion business complex of Megaworld is starting to rise and take shape. The new city hall is considered a first in the country pioneering in “go green” technology. A modern hospital, a convention center, Marriott and Richmonde Hotels are all in the making

A dvocacy

Mindanao

By Atty. Jess Dureza

or in the planning board.

The city mayor being an avid biker himself, it is no surprise that bicycle lanes everywhere are in the development plans -- something already in integrated by advanced cities in the world in their infra masterplans.

I wish other chief executives of cities in Mindanao go visit and see for themselves what’s happening there now in Iloilo City. I promised to myself to make my pilgrimage to my birthplace more often from now on!

Yes, we Ilonggos are jokingly called “tikalon” or overly boastful. But with what I saw, I don’t mind being called such -- for boasting about what Iloilo has truly become today. But, yes, the best is yet to come.(jessdureza@gmail. com)

Why Is RP Disregarding Its War Veterans?

Philippine Press Institute

A Tricky Problem

hink a minute.Have you ever stood by a fire when the smoke was so thick you almost thought you could grab it with your hands. But if you try, the smoke just disappears right through your fingers. It’s like that when we try to be humble.

We grab for humility, but as soon as we think we’ve got it, it disappears like smoke through our fingers. You see, we trick ourselves when we start to think that we’re humble, because in our mind and heart we actually start feeling proud of ourselves that we’re humble. So you see, we’re still very proud.

Our problem is the subtle, deceptive nature of pride.

It makes us self-conscious, thinking about ourselves and how we good we are or look in front of others.

Our pride competes and compares ourselves with others. That’s why we get angry when someone treats us like we’re not important.

Our pride makes us want to act and impress others with how humble we are, when inside we still think we’re more important than some people. This is also why many people want to become rich millionaires.

You see, if everybody in the world had a million dollars, then not many people would really want to be a millionaire because they would not be richer than anyone else. If

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THINK

A Minute

By Jhan Tiafau Hurst

everyone in the world had a high political position of respect and power, then not many people would want that kind of position because they would not be more respected and powerful than anyone else.

Did you know that it is our pride which causes most of the problems in our life, whether it’s in our family, at work, school, or with friends and neighbors. Our hidden, tricky pride is the reason we get hurt and angry at others. It’s also the reason we will not forgive them, but instead even try to hurt them back. So is there any hope for us? Can we ever start becoming genuinely honest and humble in our hearts?

Yes, that’s the great news! God the Son humiliated Himself by becoming a human being to die and pay the penalty for our sinful pride which separates us from God. But hurst/PAGE 10

L

IFE’S INSPIRATIONS: … ‘St a n d u p i n t h e presence of the aged, show respect for the elderly and revere your God. I am the Lord’…” (Leviticus 19:32, the Holy Bible).

-ooo WARNING UP FOR STORM SURGES IN 100 AREAS: Our countrymen in more than 100 areas in the Philippines, particularly in Mindanao and in the Visayas, must strictly heed warnings from “Project NOAH” (or Nationwide Operational Assessment of Hazards) that storm surges---or the rushing of sea water to land as a result of strong typhoons---are predicted to happen in their

localities with the entry of Typhoon Domeng into the country.

As the experience of Samar and Leyte showed during Typhoon Yolanda, storm surges can be deadly and thoroughly destructive. All precautions must therefore be carried out by everyone in the affected areas, which were duly identified by Project NOAH in its press releases.

-ooo STORM SURGES AS SIGN OF THE END: To be sure, storm surges are not only weather aberrations.

They are also among the signs predicted by the Bible, particularly in the Book of Luke, in its chapter 21, verse

25, indicating the end of time and the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, our God and Savior.

Luke 21 carries this convers at ion on stor m surges between Jesus and His disciples: “ `Teacher,’ they asked, `when will these things happen? And what will be the sign that they are about to take place?’… He replied… `There will be signs in the sun, moon and stars.

On the earth, nations will be in anguish and perplexity at the roaring and tossing of the sea’…”

-ooo W H Y IS RP DISREGARDING ITS WAR VETERANS? Once more,

K akampi

Mo A ng Batas

By Atty. Batas Mauricio

Filipinos are celebrating “Araw ng Kagitingan” or “Day of Valor”, in honor of our war veterans who sacrificed a lot, including their lives for many of them, batas/PAGE 11

Theoretical And Practical

W

e are a l l fami liar with this pair. Given our dual nature of being at the same time spiritual and material, temporal and eternal, local and global, individual and social, etc., we should not be surprised that we also have to take care of both the theoretical and practical aspects of our life.

That is simply how the cookie crumbles, a natural consequence of our human condition. That is why we are endowed with intelligence and will, the mind and the heart, on the one hand, and hands and feet, on the other.

We are meant to pursue till

death the theoretical and practical aspects of our life.

Theoretical, because knowing the truth, and the intricacies, implications and consequences it produces, will be a never-ending process. We have to apprehend the nature and essences of things, make judgments and develop ideas to make newer conclusions and discoveries.

We can always know more, both in scope and in depth.

Given our spiritual nature and the reference point from which it comes and to which it should go - that is, God - the possibilities of being theoretical are objectively

infinite though subjectively limited.

Let us hope that we can develop the proper attitude and disposition to pursue the theoretical path without let up. We know that current rapid developments somehow challenge us to make the matching pace as well as to integrate the multiplying and branching disciplines they are producing.

Thus, we need to study, and more importantly, to pray, since praying is relating things to God who is the Creator of all things. Our theoretical knowledge of things would be questionable

HINTS

and

Traces

By Fr. Roy Cimagala

if it is related to the author of everything. We need to realize the indispensable role of faith in tackling the cimagala/PAGE 9

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DSWD beneficiary makes summer fun, worthy for family

by OLIVER BADEL INODEO, DSWD

Cagayan de Oro City --It’s school vacation this summer, which means most kids are planning to goof around the pool, head to the beach or meet new friends during summer camps-just to find ways to cool off from the sizzling environment.

But, it’s not for the Verana Family of St. John, Puntod this city.

The Veranas, a Pantawid Pamilya household under Set 1A, will be busy preparing for homemade foods and quenchers to be sold here in order to earn for their studies next school opening and for their daily needs.

Edith, 50, and mother of five children, helps her husband, Ramon, 50, buy ingredients for native delicacies they bake such as "puto" and "suman". "Suman" is a glutinous rice soaked, milled, mixed with coconut milk and sugar, wrapped in the banana leaves and steamed while "puto" is a kind of steamed rice cake derived from the Southern Indian

dish Puttu. It is eaten as is or with butter and/or grated fresh coconut.

At dawn, the Verana siblings: John Paul, 17; Jenevive, 16; and Melanie Grace, 14; help their mother bake these delicacies; after which Ramon wakes up and sells the baked native delicacies in Agora Market and Terminal here.

Edith disclosed that she divides the task of baking the delicacies among her children since they started to establish its business after availing the capital seed from the Sustainable Livelihood Program of the Department of Social Welfare and Development in November 2013.

SLP is a communitybased capacity building program that seeks to improve the socio-economic status of program participants. It is implemented through the Community-Driven Enterprise Development (CDED) approach, which equips the program participants

Edith Verana, a beneficiary of three programs of DSWD Northern Mindanao, shows list of income and expenditures for the operation of her sari-sari store. (Photo by Oliver Badel Inodeo, DSWD)

to actively contribute to production and labor markets by making use of available resources and accessible markets.

After a month of operation, Edith, one of the 12 members of Puntod Bangon Kabus Association organized by SLP, has fully paid her loan to DSWD. Aside from the native delicacies, the Veranas also operates a small sari-sari store where they display cups of Binignit, a Visayan vegetable soup traditionally made with slices of sabá bananas, taro, and sweet potato.

The mixture is brought to a boil; being stirred occasionally until done.

More income from tailoring Early this month, Edith graduated from a dress-making class sponsored by the Urban Community Driven Development Program of DSWD here, in collaboration with Technical Education and Skills Development Authority Northern Mindanao.

After graduation, the barangay sub-project management council chairperson of Puntod said she immediately earns from dress-making as her neighbors come to her house for tailoring jobs.

While on training with TESDA and Urban CDDP, Edith’s mother gave her a sewing machine for her to practice in making dress, blouse, polo, long pants, and curtains.

Edith and her fellow dress-making graduates is now a member of a women’s livelihood organization in Puntod which will provide tailoring-related services.

Commitment to support children’s education Edith, a parent leader of Pantawid Pamilya in her cluster of Puntod here, assured DSWD that she will support the studies of her children, who are all studying last school year at Lapasan National High School in this city.

With the interventions provided by DSWD, Ed-

Jenevive Verana, 16 of St. John, Barangay Puntod, Cagayan de Oro City, covers cups of a vegetable soup locally known as binignit before selling these at their store. (Photo by Oliver Badel Inodeo)

ith is optimistic that she can have all her children finish high school. “Sigurado ko nga makabangon mi sa kakabus ug makatapos og high school akong mga anak,” she said. (I am

sure we can rise from poverty and my children will finish high school) She hopes that all her children will earn a job after finishing their secondary formation.

STATEMENT ON THE RESPONSIBLE PARENTHOOD AND REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH ACT OF 2012 The United Nations in the Philippines welcomes today’s ruling of the Supreme Court of the Philippines which upheld Republic Act 10354, or the Responsible Parenthood and Reproductive Health Act of 2012. Together with the Filipino people, the United Nations celebrates this landmark ruling which recognizes the basic human right of Filipinos to reproductive health.

This year marks the 20-year anniversary of the International Conference on Population and Development (ICPD), which placed people’s rights and dignity at the heart of development. It also affirmed sexual and reproductive health as a fundamental human right and emphasized that empowering women and girls is key to ensuring the well-being of individuals, families, nations and our world.

The ICPD Beyond 2014 Global Report, a culmination of the review of the implementation of the ICPD Programme of Action, shows that while significant progress has been made worldwide on maternal health and gender equality, these successes are not reaching everyone equally. This is also the case in the Philippines, where especially the poor and marginalized women and girls have been left without universal access to reproductive health. Consequently, the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) has remained consistently high since 1993, and it is unlikely that the MMR target of 52 deaths per 100,000 live births will be reached by the 2015 Millennium Development Goals deadline.

The Supreme Court ruling hence comes at a crucial time. The full and speedy implementation of the law will be critically important in reducing maternal mortality and ensuring universal access to reproductive health care and also sets the country on the right track for the post-2015 development agenda. The UN expresses its support to the Government of the Philippines as it now moves forward and leads the full implementation of the law. *** For more information, please contact: Arlene Calaguian Alano, Communication Officer United Nations Population Fund: Mobile: 0920 928 6471, E-mail: alano@unfpa.org

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Rules... from page 5

of t he f inal ass essment notice (FAN) or formal letter of demand (FLD) within 15-days after the PAN was issued does not provide the BIR ample time to carefully consider the taxpayer’s response to the PAN. “ M o r e o v e r, e v e n i f the taxpayer properly protests the tax assessment, t h e FA N / F L D w i l l b e

automatically issued after the lapse of the 15 days. If the BIR merely conducts a perfunctory consideration of the response, there is essentially no distinction between the PAN and the FAN/FLD,” the groups said.

The private sector also opposed the imposition of 20 percent delinquenc y i nt e re s t o n t o p o f t h e 20 percent deficienc y interest, citing it is “double i mp o s i t i o n o f i nt e r e s t amounts to an unjust

collection of an additional penalty.”

To a d d r e s s t h e s e issues, the professional and business groups recommended the following to reconsider the elimination of the informal conference from the prescribed procedure and reinstate the requirement to hold such informal conference.

T h e y a l s o w a nt t h e BIR to withdraw the rule mandating the automatic

issuance of the FAN/FLD and reinstate the old rule of p e r s on a l s e r v i c e or registered mail as the only acceptable mode of service, consistent with Section 5, Rule 13 of the 1997 Rules of Civil Procedure.

The groups also want to amend the manner of comput ing ove rl apping 20 percent deficiency and 20 percent delinquenc y interests, which amounts to an unjust collection of an additional penalty.

BSP...

from page 5

Chartered Bank, Deutsche Bank and HSBC. Three of the foreign banks are subsidiaries – Maybank Philippines, CTBC Bank Philippines (formerly Chinatrust) and ABN Amro.

The BSP said it is the appropriate time to amend its foreign bank regulations and update the 1994 law which liberalized the entry of foreign banks into the country. Under the 20-year old law, foreign banks are allowed entry either through ownership of up to 60 percent of the voting stock of an existing bank or of a new banking subsidiary with full banking authority.

The BSP’s prop os e d revision to RA 7721 is basically adapting the old law to the times. It argued that the economy has grown much faster in the last several years

and BSP thinks the banking sector is strong enough to compete in the region.

Rates...

from page 5 p oi nt s t o 1 . 4 4 p e rc e nt from one percent when the three-month debt paper was last offered up for sale.

Another P6 billion was rais e d f rom t he s a le of 182-day Tbills, as demand for the six-month IOUs reached P8.65 billion.

The six-month rate also increas ed by 29.6 basis points to 1.696 percent from 1.4 percent when the debt papers were last sold.

L a s t ly, t h e on e - ye ar Tbi l l rate climb e d 10.7 basis points to 1.972 percent from 1.865 percent previously. Tenders reached P8.38 billion, but the government stuck to its P6-billion borrowing plan.

LAMBO MISAMIS ORIENTAL. WEDNESDAY IS BARANGAY OFFICIALS DAY. Misamis Oriental Gov. Yevgeny Vincente B. Emano listens to concerns and sentiments of barangay officials and makes necessary actions to solve it.

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10TH Judicial Region Branch _____ Cagayan de Oro City IN THE MATTER OF DECLARATION FC-SPEC PROC. NO. 2013-090 OF PRESUMPTIVE DEATH OF LOREPIN UNDAG GERALDIZO,

for: RICHU S. GERALDIZO, PRESUMPTIVE DEATH Petitioner.

X---------------------------/

PETITION PETITIONER through counsel and unto this Honorable Court most respectfully alleges: 1. That Petitioner is of legal, age, married, Filipino and a resident of Firlen Village, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City; 2. That Petitioner is the legal husband of Lorepin Undag Geraldizo who was disappeared and her whereabouts has unknown since May 20, 2005; 3. That Petitioner was wedded to Lorepin Undag Geraldizo last May 9, 2005 in Cagayan de Oro City, machine copy of the Certificate of Marriage is hereto attached as ANNEX “A” and is made as integral part hereof; 4. That a week after their marriage more particularly on May 20, 2005 without any valid reasons left/abandoned Petitioner; 5. That since then the whereabouts of Lorepin Undag Geraldizo since she left Petitioner is unknown and cannot be determined and despite extra effort exerted in locating her the same turned useless; 6. That few months after the wife of Petitioner departed, he was alarmed and forthwith enlisted the assistance of friends and relatives in locating for his wife Lorepin Undag Geraldizo and in places where she thought she could most likely seek refuge and shelter, but his effort were set at naught since Lorepin Undag Geraldizo, figuratively vanished into thin air; 7. That despite disappointment, Petitioner steeled himself and continuous to breathe the forlorn hope that his husband could still be found and in fact took tireless measure to locate her and that even gone to her residence at Santa Catalina, Pagadian City, where even her relatives were at lost as to her location; 8. That without pause, Petitioner follows closely every trail of information that he believed could lead to his wife a track but she was nowhere to be found; 9. That after almost EIGHT (8) years of spirited but vain search and years of lonely and tearful wait, Petitioner has now come to accept that his long lost wife is presumably dead; 10. That after an interrupted absence of more than EIGHT (8) years it not being known that that Lorepin Undag Geraldizo still live it is in the best interest of all the parties that the issue relative to the fate and existence of said Lorepin Undag Geraldizo be forever put to rest by declaring the latter’s death for all intent and purposes except for those succession.

WHEREFORE PREMISES CONSIDERED, it is respectfully pray of the Honorable Court that after summary proceedings an Order be issued declaring LOREPIN UNDAG GERALDIZO presumed dead for all intent and purposes except for those of succession as provided by the Family Court.

Cagayan de Oro City, October 9, 2013.

(Sgd.) CASIANO A. GAMOTIN, JR.

Counsel for Petitioner

PTR No. 2106078A issued on 11/21/2011

IBP No. 832662 issued on 11/11/2011

Roll No. 21342 issued on 3/17/67

MCLE Compliance No. IV-002844 issued on 10/3/11

VERIFICATION AND CERTIFICATION OF NON FORUM SHOPPING I, RICHU S. GERALDIZO, of legal age, Filipino, married and a resident of Firlen Village, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, after having been duly sworn hereby depose and say:

That I am the Petitioner in the above-entitled case;

That I have caused the preparation of the foregoing petition and have read the same and all the contents therein are true and correct to the best of my personal knowledge and based on authentic records;

That I have not commenced any other action or proceedings involving the same issue in any court or tribunal and that to the best of my knowledge no such action or proceeding is pending in any court or tribunal and if I should thereafter learn that a similar action or proceeding has been filed or pending , I undertake to report that fact to the Honorable Court within five (5) days upon learning thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I HAVE AFFIXED my signature this 10th day of October 2013 at the City of Cagayan de Oro. (Sgd.) RICHU S. GERALDIZO Affiant

SUBSCRIBEB AND SWORN to before me this 10th day of October, 2013 at the City of Cagayan de Oro , Philippines.

Affiant exhibited to me his Phil health ID # 19-026466988-3

Doc No. 323 (Sgd.) CASIANO A. GAMOTIN, JR. Page No. 65 Notary Public Book No. 49 My commission expires on December 31, 2013 Series of 2013 PTR No. 2379129A issued on 4/5/2013

IBP No. 875469 issued on 4/10/2013

Roll No. 21342 issued on 3/17/67

MCLE Compliance No. IV-002844 issued on 10/3/11

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10TH Judicial Region Branch 22 Cagayan de Oro City IN THE MATTER OF DECLARATION FC SPEC.PROC.NO. 2013-090 OF PRESUMPTIVE DEATH OF LOREPIN UNDAG GERALDIZO, FOR : PRESUMPTIVE DEATH RICHU S. GERALDIZO, Petitioner, X------------------------------------------/

ORDER

Finding the petition for the declaration death of LOREPIN UNDAG GERALDIZO sufficient in form and substance, the same is hereby set for hearing on January 29, 2014 at 8:30 in the morning, before this Court, at Room 102, Hall of Justice, Cagayan de Oro City.

At the expense of petitioner, let this Order be published in a newspaper of general circulation in the Philippines, at least once a week for three (3) consecutive weeks

Let copy of this Order and Petition be sent upon the absentee, LOREPIN UNDAG GERALDIZO at her old address at Santa Catalina, Pagadian City, Likewise, let copy of this Order and petition be furnished upon the Solicitor General, Makati City and the City Prosecutor of Cagayan de Oro City for them to appear in behalf of the state.

SO ORDERED.

Given this 4th day of November, 2013 at Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.

(Sgd.) RICHARD D. MORDENO

Presiding Judge BWM: Apr. 2, 9 & 16, 2014

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Cimagala... from page 6

theoretical dimension of our life.

Remember that Christ himself said: “What does it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and suffer the loss of his own soul?” (Mt 16,26) It is clear that, in effect, we should not only be practical, but first of all we should be theoretical.

And we also have to be practical, because we are not meant to live on ideas alone. We have to act, because whatever knowledge we acquire through the theoretical path needs to be translated into deeds if it has to truly serve the human needs and the common good.

St. James, in his letter, articulates this point well when he said: “What shall it profit if a man says he has faith, but has no works? Shall faith be able to save him?” (2,14) It is clear that, in effect, we should not only be theoretical, but also practical.

We need to realize more deeply that to be both theoretical and practical is a necessity for us. We should not separate them or, worse, put them into conflict. Obviously, given our human condition, we can also say that without separating them, a person can be found to be more theoretical than practical, and vice-versa.

Let us try to avoid being overly theoretical at the expense of being practical.

This anomaly can happen when we fall into what is known as intellectualism, spiritualism,

pietism, etc., that tend to detach us from the practical needs of the concrete world we live in.

In these situations, we get unduly engrossed with ideas, intangible concepts and religious feelings that hardly have anything to do with the prevailing conditions of the here and now, nor are helpful to anticipate future needs.

Let us also try to avoid the opposite, that is, to be overly practical at the expense of being theoretical. This irregularity can occur when we fall into what is known as activism and “professionalitis,” a kind of disease that makes us so workaholic that we can even forget to eat, and worse, to study, reflect and pray.

I believe that to be properly theoretical and practical, we need to have a functioning relationship both with God and with everyone else. This should be the context and the parameters.

Without them, we would be out on a limb, unable to cope with all the trials in life, and we would end up exaggerating one at the expense of the other. In short, we would not be living our life properly. Our life would lose unity, consistency, broadness.

It is good that we check ourselves from time to time in this regard, since all of us have the tendency to precisely go one way and neglect the other. Toward this end, let us hope that we develop a certain awareness of this need and relevant programs that can effectively attend to it.

9

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STUDENT ACHIEVERS RECOGNIZED

BY THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN MISAMIS ORIENTAL – Authored by VICE GOVERNOR JOEY G. PELAEZ, the Sangguniang Panlalawigan of Misamis Oriental passed a resolution recognizing the achievements of graduating valedictorians, salutatorians and studentleaders of the Province entitled “RESOLUTION RECOGNIZING THE ACHIEVEMENTS OF GRADUATING VALEDICTORIANS, SALUTATORIANS, AND STUDENT LEADERS OF THE PROVINCE OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL AND

BESTOWING UPON EACH OF THEM THE SANGGUNIANG PANLALAWIGAN’S A HAPPY MISOR ACADEMIC EXCELLENCE AND EXEMPLARY LEADERSHIP AWARDS THROUGH A CERTIFICATE PRESENTED DURING THEIR GRADUATION CEREMONIES/ COMMENCEMENT EXERCISES.” It was passed last February 24, 2014 during the 8th Regular Session at the Sangguniang Bayan Session Hall in Jasaan, Misamis Oriental.

Vice Governor Pelaez is aware of the difficulties of students in securing proper education while sincerely mindful of their diligence and persistence that brought them to the momentous event in their lives which is the graduation. It is only but fitting to recognize the achievements of the students whose education is the only valuable asset a trying parent can bequeath to them.

The certificates were given to all public and private elementary and

secondary schools in the province during their respective Graduation Ceremonies/ Commencement Exercises.

Vice Governor Joey G. Pelaez is a former Department of Education – Center for Students and Co – Curricular Affairs Executive Director.

In his stint in DepEd, he gave the same awards to schools nationwide.

Now that he is Vice Governor, he wants to continue what he has started in DepEd in the Province of Misamis Oriental.

MISAMIS ORIENTAL-Vice Governor Joey G. Pelaez, at the SB Hall of Jasaan, proposed a resolution recognizing the achievements of class valedictorians, salutatorians and student leaders in the province during their out-of-town Regular Session.

ROTARY CLUB OF CAGAYAN DE ORO RI DISTRICT 3870 Meeting at Seda Hotel, Executive Club Lounge, 11th floor every Thursday

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Honda... from page 3

The first launch will be for the full model change of City, its only locally-assembled model which sold 7,615 units last year to account for 60 percent of its total 14,400 units sold in 2013. The Allnew City is scheduled for

launching on April 22.

The all-new City is expected to have higher local content also from the current 40 percent with additional parts to be sourced locally. Some of the parts being produced here are manual transmissions, wheels, seatbelts, and other small car parts.

The c ur rent Cit y is

Republic of the Philippines REGIONAL TRIAL COURT OF MISAMIS ORIENTAL 10TH Judicial Region Cagayan de Oro City Branch 22 OFFICE OF THE PROVINCIAL SHERIFF SHERIFF’S NOTICE OF SALE File No. 2014-060

Upon Extra-Judicial petition for sale under Act 3135 as amended filed by HOME DEVELOPMENT MUTUAL FUND or PAG-IBIG FUND, mortgagee, with office address at Pag-ibig Building,J.R. Borja St., Cagayan de Oro City against ARIEL H. BALINO, mortgagor/s , single, of legal age/s, Filipino/s with postal address at Lot 38,Block 17, Bloomingdale Subdivision,Iponan,Cagayan de Oro City, to satisfy the mortgaged indebtedness which was as of January 15, 2014 amounts to TWO HUNDRED EIGHTY THOUSAND FIVE HUNDRED SIXTY EIGHT PESOS AND 89/100 ( 280,568.89) Philippine Currency including interest , penalty charges, excluding attorney’s fees and expenses of foreclosure , the undersigned sheriff will sell at public auction on April 28, 2014, at 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or soon thereafter at the RTC Branch 22 office ,Arch Hayes St., Cagayan de Oro City, to the highest bidder, for CASH and in Philippine Currency , the herein described property including all improvements thereon to wit: TRANSFER CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. T- 196946 Lot : Lot 38, Block 17, Pcs-10-003948 Portion of Lot : Lots 3615-B, Psd-10-004675,24178-A, Psd-10-009444, 3614-A-1-B,Psd-10-009566, 24178-B-1, Psd-10-010320,24178-B-2-A, Psd-10-052968, 24178-B-2-B-1,Psd-10 054199, 24178-B-2-B-6,Psd-10-054199, 4178-C-1, Psd-10-054997,3605,Cad. 237, Cagayan Cadastre.

As surveyed for : Liberty Land Corporation Land Use : Residential Location : Iponan,Cagayan de Oro City Lot Area : FIFTY (50) SQ. M. more or less

Prospective buyers/bidders may investigate for themselves the title of the herein described property and encumbrances thereon, if any there be.

All sealed bids must be submitted to the undersigned on the above stated time and date.

In the event the public auction should not take place on the said date, it shall be on the next working day without further notice.

Cagayan de Oro City March 20, 2014.

FOR THE PROVINCIAL EX-OFFICIO SHERIFF:

(Sgd.) JOEL LYDVEL G. PAKINO Sheriff IV

BWM: April 2, 9 & 16, 2014

being sold at a price range of P756,000 to P886,000 per unit.

With the launch of the new Honda car models, Kuwahara said the company expects to increase sales this year by 10 percent or to hit more or less 15,000 units to be aligned with the industry’s 10 percent growth target for the year.

Kuwahara said that HCPI will also focus on further improving its services to offer great experience for its customers that should differentiate them from the services being offered by its competitors.

There is no plan, however, for the company to invest to raise its production capacity EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE RODRIGA J. VERGEIRE

Notice is hereby given that the intestate estate of the Late RODRIGA J. VERGEIRE, who died on December 9, 2005 at Poblacion, Baroy, Lanao del Norte, left a parcel of land , (Lot No. 9, (LRC) Pcs-6089 of the consolidation-subdivision plan ( LRC ) Pcs-6090 a portion of the consolidation of Lots D & E, described on plan (LRC) Psd-38116 Psc. No. H.Pct) situated in the Barrio of Barroy, (now Poblacion,Barroy) Mplty of Kolambugan. Bounded on the NE, points 3 to 4, by Lot 10; on the SW., points 4 to 1, by the Lot; by SN., points 1 to 2, by Lot 8; and on the NW., points 2 to _ by Lot 13; all in the consolidation subdivision plan.

Containing an area of ONE THOUSAND FIFTEEN (1,015) SQUARE METERS. Covered by Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-6,169., is the subject of EXTRA-JUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE RODRIGA J. VERGEIRE as per Doc. No. 500, Page No. 100, Book No.10, Series of 2010, under Notary Public of Atty.

DOROTHEA SALIGAN-BASALO. BWM Apr. 9, 16 & 23, 2014

noting its plant in Sta. Rosa, L a g u n a h a s m a x i mu m capacity of 15,000 units and is just producing about 60 percent, all for City.

Thus, even if the company increases its sales by 10 percent every year it will still have enough room to meet demand. Kuwahara, however, cited that the country’s per capita income has almost reached $3,000 already at the stage of motorization.

To further improve its presence in the country, Kuwahara said it will add three more distributorships to reach a total of 35 by end of this year. Kuwahara also noted that any decision to assemble new model here would largely depend on the auto industry roadmap that the government is currently formulating.

“It will also depend on the support for incentives,” he said noting that Thailand formulated an incentive scheme for the development of a one-ton truck and firsttime car buyers. Last year, the Thai government also announced a package for hybrid car production.

Holcim... from page 3

combined capacity may exceed 50 percent in many countries like the Philippines, according to reports.

Foreign analysts view the consolidation will allow both firms to create synergies and cut costs amid a backdrop of escalating energy prices and softer demand.

Rice... from page 4

as a reference price in Asia, tumbled 30 percent to $394 in the past year, according to data compiled by Bloomberg. Thai grain is currently quoted at about $365 to $370 a ton, lower than $385 in Vietnam and $420 in India, said Chookiat. His forecast for $350 would be the lowest since December 2007.

Cheaper rice may contribute to lower food costs, helping to damp inflation across Asia, where billions depend on the staple. Global food prices tracked by the United Nations fell 2.1 percent in the past year.

Thailand, India and Vietnam, the three biggest shippers, accounted for 62 percent of the rice trade last year, data from the US Department of Agriculture show.

“Now that Thailand is selling from government stockpiles at cheaper rates, trade inquiries have stopped,” said B.V. Krishna Rao, managing director of Kakinada, Andhra Pradeshbased Pattabhi Agro Foods Pvt., India’s largest exporter of non- basmati rice. “India’s export price needs to be dropped by $20 a ton to be competitive against Thailand.”

Thailand is short of funds to pay farmers under the nowended program, which is the target of an anti-corruption probe. The country’s reserves more than doubled from 5.6 million tons in 2011, when the inter vention began under the Pheu Thai party administration, to 14.7 million

tons this year, USDA data show. The program, which paid farmers above-market rates for their crop, was designed to lift rural incomes.

While stockpile sales increase, dry weather in Thailand may curb harvests this year just as farmers adjust to the absence of guaranteed prices.

Hybrid... from page 4

assistant to Lim, said SL Agritech would provide technical assistance and supply the hybrid rice seeds that First Pacific would use in its farming venture.

SL Ag r it e c h e a r l i e r s ai d it w a s e x p and i ng its 150,000-hectare rice plantation to 800,000 hectares in the next five years.

Lim had said the expansion could happen in Indonesia where both SL Agritech and First Pacific operate.

Founded by the Lim family, SL Agritech started as a rice research unit of Sterling Paper Enterprise.

Hurst... from page 6

He also will set us free from the power of our sinful pride.

Jesus Christ will forgive you right now-if you ask Him. Then He will also give you His power and love, so you can start changing to become the truly humble, honest, and successful person He created you to be.

Just Think a Minute.

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Peace... from page 1

the local communities and the residents of the area,” he stressed.

Moreover, the NEDA official said that with the signing of the peace deal, the government can now pay attention to the other problems that affect growth in Mindanao.

“Like the power situation because you have one less problem to worry about,” Esguerra said. (PNA)

Carbon... from page 1

Sink project as a critical component to the success of Therma South as we believe that a successful business is a responsible business,” he said.

Cariaso said that the TSIMatigsalog tribe Carbon Sink project, which aims to plant 1 million trees in 10 years, will benefit the present and future generations of Matigsalogs, not just TSI. The Carbon Sink project area, part of a much larger ancestral domain land of the Matigsalogs, also feeds into the watershed supplying water to Davao City. The trees that will be planted are mostly endemic to the area, mixed with agro-forest trees that will hopefully bring additional income to the community in the near future.

The Matigalogs will continue to own their land and will own the trees planted on it.

At present, the partnership had already established a central nursery and the initial 250 Matigsalog families are on track to fill an initial 100 hectares with forest and agroforest trees this year.

The National Commission for Indigenous Peoples (NCIP) had already issued a certificate of precondition to the partnership. This allowed the Matigsalog tribe to partner with TSI n reforesting and rehabilitating an initial 500-hectare of ancestral land in Barangay Marahan in Marilog, Davao City.

Once t he proj e c t is re a lize d, T SI’s massive carbon footprint will be minimized. Carbon footprint is defined as a measure of the total greenhouse gas and carbon consumed in the conduct of any activity by organizations and individuals like transportation and consumption of goods that required manufacturing.

In the electricity generation sector, carbon footprint (CO2 emissions) from electricity and heat production is the sum of three categories of CO2 emissions. According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), these are: (1) Main Activity Producer Electricity and Heat which contains the sum of emissions from main activity producer electricity generation, combined heat and power generation and heat plants. Main activity producers (formerly known as public utilities) are defined a s t h o s e u n d e r t a k i ng s

whose primary activity is to supply the public. They may be publicly or privately owned; (2) Unallocated Au t o p r o d u c e r s w h i c h contains the emissions from the generation of electricity and/or heat by autoproducers.

Autoproducers are defined as undertakings that generate electricity and/or heat, wholly or partly for their own use as an activity which supports their primary activity. They may be privately or publicly owned; and (3) Other Energy Industries contains emissions from fuel combusted in petroleum refineries, for the manufacture of solid fuels, coal mining, oil and gas extraction and other energy-producing industries.

The IEA said that the value of CO2 emissions from electricity and heat production in the Philippines in 2010 was 34.32 million metric tons (MMT), or an increase of 28.28 MMT to the total CO2 emissions value of 6.04 in 1971.

“Industries, businesses and individuals leave carbon footprints in the conduct of our daily activities. All of us have to work together to reduce our carbon footprint on the earth. This Carbon Sink project is our company’s share and we look forward to working with our stakeholders in further reducing human carbon footprint,” Cariaso said. (Bong D. Fabe)

Permits... from page 1

The city-wide crackdown also targeted establishments operating without business permits and drinking joints selling beer to minors.

One person was arrested for alleged direct assault on the inspecting police officers and officials but later released.

“At the moment we are issuing violation citations to all the establishments.

In our next sweep, we will be conducting arrests,” Councilor Eric Salcedo of the Regulatory Complaints Board said.

Salcedo said the establishments have a week to comply with the business permit requirement and other public documents.

Police officers, officials from the City Treasurer’s Office, City Health Office, and City Social Welfare Department swooped on drinking joints along Corrales Avenue in this city.

They also targeted strip and girlie bars along Capistrano Street, which has become Cagayan de Oro’s premier red light district.

City Information Officer Maricel Casino Rivera said that of the 35 drinking joints inspected along Corrales Avenue, only five were found to have business permits.

Rivera said 30 bars were found operating without business permits issued by the city government.

“The city lost P80,000 to P100,000 in permit fees a year,” she said.

City social welfare chief

11

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Teddy Sabugaa said most of these bars were found selling beer and slushy drinks to minors and many of these establishments have unclean and unsanitar y comfort rooms.

“The comfort rooms of these bars are smelly, dirty and filled with roaches,” Rowena Yu of the City Health Office said.

Annex... from page 2

education officials of both the Gusa National High School and the Cugman Annex National High School suffer administrative predicaments because of the growing enrollees of both schools.

He said that under the proposed bill, the Cugman Annex National High School would be converted and renamed as Cugman National High School whose operation would be independent from the Gusa National High School.

Rodriguez said that the independence of the Cugman Annex National High School from the Gusa National High School would be ideal for both educational institutions because the administration of the each school would be separate and independent from each other.

If c onve r t e d i nt o a separate, independent and distinct high school, the Gusa National High School will cater to the educational needs not only of the barangay but also of other adjacent barangays from nearby areas, Rodriguez added.

Projects... from page 2

“We are so grateful to DOLE-X for responding to the needs of our marginalized people in Kauswagan and we commend its personnel for their tireless efforts to serve,” she said.

PMPC is an accredited co-partner and proponent in their community store expansion project amounting to P800,000.

Fruto Dandasan, municipal mayor of Dangcagan in Bukidnon, also expressed appreciation to DOLE for giving them livelihood projects.

“We always hear about DOLE but have never felt their presence, but now we are already beneficiaries of SRS and the DILP. We are grateful of the opportunity,” he said.

Feliciano H. Unabia, President of the Union Plywood Corp. Employees Association, was also grateful to DOLE. His co-workers were displaced by typhoon and have received P900,000 worth of starter kits.

Puregold... from page 3

When asked if Puregold is interested to acquire them, Perez said, “Siyempre,” but declined to comment when asked if the listed company is in

talks to purchase them.

South Supermarket has branches in Alabang; Pasig; Marikina; Sta. Rosa and Los Banos, Laguna; Imus, C av ite; L ip a, B at angas; Ma l o l o s , B u l a c a n ; a n d Va l e n zu el a. L i ana’s has stores in Pasig, Paranaque, Sampaloc, Alabang, Calamba and San Pablo, Laguna.

What works for Puregold, Perez said, is that the company’s chairman Lucio Co personally handles the acquisitions for the grocer operator, not ing t hat t he de a l to purchase Gant Group, the operator of 19 Parco stores, was sealed in just a week.

“Right there and then h e c a n d e c i d e ,” Pe r e z said, adding that the listed company primarily c ons i d e r s l o c at i on an d customer base in its acquisitions.

Amid tight competition in the retail sector, what d i f fe re nt i ate s P u re gol d f rom its comp et itors is that it mainly caters to the mass market through its standalone stores.

“With Puregold there is nationwide brand awareness and we’re getting a lot of lease proposals to consider as far as location is concerned. That would mean that we’ll be having the first mover advantage in those locations outside Metro Manila or outside Luzon,” Perez said.

For the year, Puregold is projecting sales to grow by a fifth, lower than the 27 percent expansion l a s t ye ar, but t h e 2 0 1 4 guidance is still a “ver y conservative” target, Perez said.

Puregold’s net income rose 46 percent to P3.96 billion last year from P2.72 billion in 2012 fuelled by accelerated store openings and acquisitions In the past few years, the listed retailer has surpassed its store rollout t arge t an d t h i s w i l l b e t h e “s i t u at i o n i n 2 0 1 4 moving for ward,” Perez said. The grocery operator is spending P3 billion to launch 25 new Puregold s t o r e s t h i s y e a r, 1 0 o f which have been opened in the first quarter.

The retailer closed 2013 with a consolidated store network of 213 Puregold and S&R stores, reaching its 200-store count a year ahead of its 2015 target.

N o new S&R Memb ership warehouse will open this year after it opened two stores last year, said S&R president A n t h o ny S y. T h e n e x t launch will happen next year but it has yet to secure the land bank for the site.

“May b e we fe e l t h at w e’r e u n d e r m a r k e t i n the island of Luzon. Now we have repres ent at ion i n b o t h Vi s ay a s a n d Mindanao, probably we’ll go back to Luzon if there are available locations or sites for us that will fit our requirements,” Sy said.

Batas... from page 6

just to make sure that peace and independence will reign in our country after the war.

But then, the celebrations will once again be a mere “lip service” type of commemoration--honoring the veterans only in empty words, and not in deed.

For, even up to now, veterans have not been paid their back pays and their benefits, sixty nine years after World War II ended.

Why is the Philippines disregarding its war veterans when, very clearly, the government has the money to pay their benefits? I mean, if only even half of the yearly pork barrel and development acceleration program allocations of congressmen and senators and of President Aquino are channeled for the war veterans, the unpaid benefits---which could be in billions of pesos now---could instantly be wiped out.

-ooo NO ONE IN GOV’T WANTS TO HELP THE VETERANS?

Yet, not one of our lawmakers who love to call themselves “honorable” seem honorable enough to summon the strength to forego their billions in pork barrel allocations so the war veterans could be given what is rightfully due them. And yes, even President Aquino has chosen to keep his presidential pork only for himself, leaving nothing for the veterans.

The wonder of it all is that, all that is needed for our lawmakers and our President is just a year of sacrifice to completely settle the government’s obligation to the veterans. If only President Aquino chose to forego his presidential pork in 2010 at the start of his term, and his lawmaker-allies followed suit, veterans would be celebrating 2014’s “Araw ng Kagitingan” with more pride and with more vibrant health!

-ooo REACTIONS? Please call me at 0917 984 24 68, 0918 574 0193, 0922 833 43 96. Email: melaniolazomauriciojr@outlook. com, batasmauricio@yahoo. com and mmauriciojr111@ gmail.com.

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