BusinessWeek Mindanao (August 30 - September 1, 2015)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

YOUR Mindanao-wide BUSINESS paper

Volume VI, No. 028

www.businessweekmindanao.com

2014 ppi’S Best in ENVIRONMENTAL Reporting

Sun-Tue | Aug. 30 - Sep. 1, 2015

P15.00

Bidders for Steag X X plant down to 6 Briefly T

Market Indicators

As of 6:21 pm August 28, 2015 (friday)

FOREX

US$1 = P46.73

5

PHISIX 7,098.81

76.72

cents

points

Branding

THE Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) is pushing for the branding of products of micro, small, medium enterprises (MSMEs) to make them more competitive in the local and foreign markets.

“As part of DTI’s effort to back the development of MSMEs, we help them create distinctive names and images for their products aimed at their target market,” DTI Undersecretary Ponciano C. Manalo, Jr. Manalo noted that branding provides an impact on a certain product’s presence in the market that helps MSMEs attract and keep their target consumers.

HE bidders for the 210-megawatt power output of the Mindanao coal fired power plant has been reduced to six, according to Power Sector Assets and Liabilities Management (PSALM) president and chief executive officer Lourdes Alzona. ”It’s not due to the colatilla. Some companies entered into joint ventures, while some had not paid their bid documents. The bidders

are now six from the 12 that attended the forum,” Alzona told reporters.

The government-owned and controlled corporation

is mandated to privatize assets of the National Power Corporation (Napocor), including the independent power producer administrator contract for the Mindanao coal fired power plant.

The Misamis Orientalbased coal plant was built in 2006 through a 25-year build-operate-transfer power bidders/PAGE 11

X Xavier University, World Bank ink

Plenary debate COTABATO City -- Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao (ARMM) Executive Secretary Atty. Laisa Masuhud Alamia commended the Senate for finally starting the muchanticipated plenary debates on the Basic Law for the Bangsamoro Autonomous Region (BLBAR).

At the same time, ARMM officials appealed to senators to keep into consideration the original Bangsamoro Basic Law (BBL) draft when they review the bill’s version they are debating on the Senate floor.

“The public, especially the people in the ARMM, have been waiting for the Senate to tackle on the floor the BBL. We are happy that they finally proceeded yesterday and we anticipate dynamic and meaningful debates in the coming days,” said Alamia.

knowledge sharing partnership

By MIKE BAÑOS, Editor-at-Large

THE city’s oldest university and one of the world’s biggest knowledge sharers have signed a partnership agreement which would

expand its knowledge sharing network in the Philippines and abroad.

Fr. Roberto Yap, S.j., Xavier University-Ateneo de

Cagayan president and World Bank Philippines Country Director Motoo Konishi signed t he par tnership agreement Agust 26 which links the university as the 18th ink/PAGE 11

Photo shows MyPhone President and CEO David Lim, Teenage King Daniel Padilla, Trending King Devon Seron, MyPhopne Vice President Richie de Quina during the signing ceremony. photo supplied

MyPhone recently extended their partnership with Teen King DANIEL PADILLA a n d # Tr e n d i n g Q u e e n DEVON SERON as their Official Endorsers.

Daniel and Devon is the ideal Filipino Teen Idols which represents MyPhone’s Ideal of Global Filipino says Richie De Quina, Vice President of MyPhone. Good Looking, Educated, C onfident and Proud Filipinos who loves the Countr y and

God fearing, ideals that MyPhone look for in their partners.

MyPhone w i l l b e ver y aggressive in the next couple of months and shall be introducing HERO Products which w i l l f u r t he r e st abl ish MyPhone as the Number 1 Mobile Phone Brand in the Philippines.

For more information, you may visit us at www. myphone.com.ph or www. facebook.com/myphone

IP entrepreneurs join R-10 trade fair

By IRENE DAYO, Staff Writer

Get your BWM Loyalty Card NOW for only P350.00 valid for one year, and avail of discounts to more than 150 participating business establishments.

SMALL-medium-sized entrepreneurs from indigenous people (IP) communities in the Northern Mi nd anao re g i on have joined for the first time the fair/PAGE 11

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Economy

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DOLE organizes Bukidnon bakery industry

V

ALENCIA City -The Department of Labor and Employment (DOLE) region 10, throught its Bukidnon Provincial Field Office organized the Industrial Tripartite Council (ITC) of its Bakery Industry last 23 June 2015 at Taipan Restaurant, Valencia city.

DOLE-10 Regional Director, Raymundo G. Agravante said that the creation of the Industrial Tripartite Council (ITC) among the industries is pu r s u ant to E xe c ut ive

Order No. 49-98. It serves primarily as a forum for tripartite advisement and consultation among labor, employer and government sectors in formulating and implementing labor and social policies.

“Through the General Labor Standards of the Department and through the ITC, the basic mandate to protect workers’ rights and promote their welfare is strengthened,” Agravante s aid. This is aime d at improving work conditions, employer-employee relations,

productivity and providing incentives for compliant establishments.

Raul L. Valmores, DOLE Bukidnon Provincial Head said that by organizing the

Bakery Industry, this would streamline the role of the government, and at the same time, empowering workers’ and employers’ organizations, enhancing their respective

rights, attaining industrial p e a c e , a n d i mp r ov i n g productivity throughout the industry.

It was attended by some 50 owners and its representatives

of the different bakeries.

Joel Jumawid of JJ Bakeshop of Malaybalay City was elected as the President of the organization. (Reyna L. Tagailo/DOLE-10)

University team shares experiences in ecological conservation in Indonesia ASIDE from being tropical and archipelagic countries, both the Philippines and Indonesia possess diverse ecological resources that need multisectoral and sustainable management.

It is with this pursuit that the Valuing Ecosystem Services Together (VEST) team of Xavier University embarked on a knowledgesharing trip with the Indonesian Conservation Community - WARSI earlier this month to share its challenges and milestones in sustaining green growth through an emerging market-based conservation mechanism and the use of a

social marketing campaign.

Both in Indonesia and the Philippines, ecosystem services play an increasingly significant role in national discourse, as witnessed by the growing number of collaborative programs involving various stakeholders from the government, civil society organizations, and national and international research and development agencies.

Sharing of conservation efforts “Due to climate change, there is all the more need to conserve and sustain our ecosystem services that help develop livelihoods, medicine

BROADCASTING DAILY AT 1368 ON AM BAND AND ON PARASAT CABLE TV AT CHANNEL 5

and protec tion for the community against disasters,” said Emmy Primadona, proj e c t c o ord i nator of WARSI’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation (REDD+).

“Besides sharing our experiences, this learning visit enabled us to learn from the social marketing experience of VEST in environmental protection in the Philippines and how to address the challenges, especially in encouraging different sectors to pay for ecosystem services,” she said.

Established in 1991, WARSI is one of the local NGOs carrying out pilot “Payment for Ecosystem Services” (PES) schemes as early as 2004, focusing on “rewarding” rubber tappers for the ecosystem services provided by the agroforests in the Bungo district of the Batang Hari river catchment in Jambi, Indonesia.

On the other hand, the PES project in Northern Mindanao, built on research and community collaborations, has introduced to Region 10 a “rewarding mechanism”

where there exists “the seller” who protects and provides ecosystem services to “the buyer” who benefits from these intangible products.

“The project implementers encouraged different sectors to ‘inVEST’ in a ridge-to-reef approach to forest restoration and at the same time fulfill the community development plan (CDP) of our partner indigenous group,” said Evans Yonson, social marketing supervisor of VEST. Officially launched in November 2014, VEST is the offshoot campaign of PES aimed at promoting the importance of working together for a paradigm shift to the “new normal” and encouraging different sectors to invest in the cause of the project.

Since its inaugural year, VEST has built a network of student volunteers, conducted school orientations, produced t w o mu s i c a l b u m s o n conser vation, organized speaking engagements and film festivals about the PES project, and collaborated with different organizations for local and global conservation/PAGE 11

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

CorporateWorld 3 Cebu Pacific seeks Atlas Mining back in more flights to Taiwan black in second quarter Advertising and Editorial E-mail : businessweekmindanao@gmail.com Contact nos. : 0917-7121424 • 0947-8935776 Editor: Nelson Constantino

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ATLAS Consolidated Mining and Development Corp. booked a second-quarter prof it of P 2 6 m i l l i on , containing its net loss to P611 million in the first half of 2015 amid lower metal prices and volume.

It told the Philippine Stock Exchange its revenues grew six percent to P2.8 billion on the back of encouraging production volumes in the second quarter and favorable realized metal prices, as well as robust equity earnings from Berong Nickel at P182 million.

The company recorded a net loss of P637 million in the first quarter as lower metal prices and volume were realized.

“Production volumes improved in the second qu ar te r a s a re su lt of ongoing work to improve

key operations and complete maintenance activities,” said Atlas Mining.

Copper metal in concentrates rose by 1.6 million pounds to 24 million pounds, boosted by higher head grade, higher milling tonnage and better copper recovery.

Atlas Mining president Adrian Ramos said they are making significant progress towards addressing all of the issues that hampered production during the first half of 2015.

“We will continue to address those issues in order to maximize production and be competitive in the current difficult environment, and we are optimistic that we will be able to make up for the shortfall in production in the second half of the year,” he said.

AEV, Irish partner CRH buy stakes in Lafarge units ABOITIZ Equity Ventures, Inc. (AEV) and Ireland’s CRH plc have expanded their relationship with Lafarge Republic, Inc. (LRI) in a deal involving stakes in two more assets of the listed cement maker.

AEV said in a disclosure on Friday that amended invest ment ag re ements relating to the stake acquisitions in the LRI units were signed.

The amendments, the listed conglomerate said, cover “an additional acquisition of an equity stake in Lafarge Iligan, Inc. (LII) and Lafarge Mindanao, Inc. (LMI).”

AEV, however, noted that the two companies will remain subsidiaries of LRI. LRI opted not to sell these assets to Holcim Philippines, Inc. as earlier planned, and accepted the latter’s offer for its aggregates business and terminal located at the Harbour Centre in Manila.

LRI’s major shareholders earlier this month agreed to include LII and LMI to the assets that will be acquired

by CRH, which has since partnered with AEV. The original deal covered a majority in LRI; and shares in Luzon Continental Land Corp. and Lafarge Cement Services Philippines, Inc. -which was earlier estimated to ent ai l a P24-bi l lion investment.

AEV further said that timeline for the completion of the acquisition of LRI remains the same.

“The expected completion of the transaction will occur within the second half of 2015,” it noted.

AEV last week obtained a facility from The Bank

of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ, Ltd. in the form of a bridge loan of up to $400 million, which will partially finance the company’s foray into the cement business.

AEV said earlier this year that the venture with CRH ser ves as “a solid opp or tu n it y ” t h at w i l l support the company’s thrust to provide a more diversified source of income for the c o n g l o m e r at e t h r o u g h infrastructure development.

Infrastructure will b e an a d d it i on t o t h e conglomerate’s four core businesses: power, banking, food, and property.

AEV CRH Holdings, Inc. earlier this month offered to purchase shares owned by locally listed Lafarge Republic, Inc.’s majority shareholders.

AEV CRH is a 60-40 j oint venture comp any of AEV and Cement Roadstone Holdings, Inc., a domestic firm and whollyowned subsidiary of CRH Philippines Holdings BV. CRH Philippines is a Dutch company and an affiliate of CRH International.

The offer involved 649.08 million common shares, or 11.15% of the company’s total issued and outstanding capital stock, at a price of P10.26 per share.

CRH was granted on Jan. 31 the right to acquire 88.85% of LRI, subject to certain requirements, as part of an agreement with the parent firms of Holcim Philippines, Inc. and Lafarge.

The execution of the agreement was subject to CRH finding a local partner and the completion of a tender offer.

CEBU Pacif ic plans to mount flights to Taiwan from airports outside Manila.

Cebu Air Inc (CEB) has written the Civil Aeronautics Board (CAB) seeking 5,850 more weekly seats. These will be divided into 1,260 seats each for Clark, Cebu, Davao, Puerto Princesa and Tagbilaran.

At present, Cebu Pacific already enjoys 450 weekly seat entitlements.

The request comes after the Manila Economic and Cultural Office in Taipei and

the Taiwan Economic and Cultural Office in Manila agreed to lift the cap on flights between any point in Taiwan and any point in the Philippines.

“We are confident that with our signature low fares will grow the Taiwan market and bring tourists and our fellow overseas Filipinos straight to our prime tourist destinations through our secondary gateways,” CEB external affairs manager Mary Rose Grace DonatoLim said.

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BusinessWeek MINDANAO

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Older and Better

T

Opinion

2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

YOUR DAILY Mindanao-wide BUSINESS NEWSPAPER

hin k a minute… An older man I know was walking back to his office after eating lunch. On the way back he met a friend, so he stopped and they talked a few minutes. As they were saying goodbye to each other the old guy said to his friend: “When we met just now, which way was I walking? To my office or to the restaurant?” His friend answered, “You were walking to your office.” The old man smiled and said: “OK, I guess that means I’ve already had my lunch, so I better get back to work now.” That poor old guy’s memory was so short, he really didn’t know if he was coming or going!

It seems no matter how hard we try, none of us can stop from getting older.

Aging is a natural law and process we simply can’t stop or change. We can exercise, eat only healthy food, take vitamins, use all the best lotions and oils on our skin, but we’re still getting older every day. And if it’s true that our memory is the first to go, then I know I’m well on my way!

It’s sad that many people become grouchy, mean, or impatient as they grow older.

But in fact, it should be

THINK

A Minute

The Greece of Italy

O

thers call it the misery of the Mezzogiorno.

It’s more then painful.

Recent figures confirm t h at s out h e r n It a l y i s massively underdeveloped economically - and this also has an impact on its political culture. The reasons for the misery have long been known, but are difficult to overcome. Illegal waste dump in Naples is just one of many more problems right now.

The announcement was likely to arouse great expectations. “The cities of Sicily as a driving force for regional development” was the title of the conference at the Teatro Pirandello in Agrigento on the southern coast of the island. It began at 4:00 p.m. - and was already over by dinner. The future of southern Italy was evidently a project so straightforward and manageable that it could be dealt with in two or three hours. What a shame!

Italian journalist Luigi Offeddu recently took a closer look at this March 2010 conference in the newspaper

“Corriere della Sera.” He examined the organizational str ucture of the event, especially its financing. He reported that the meeting had been subsidized to the tune of 23,000 EURO. Of this, the regional authority contributed nearly 3,500 EURO. Around 8,000 EURO c ame f rom t he It a l i an government. And the rest, a ro u n d 1 1 , 5 0 0 E U R O, was provided by Brussels.

Even modest results can be expensive, he wrote dryly.

This anecdote sheds light on a question again currently being hotly debated in Italy: Why is there simply no progress when it comes to the southern part of the country? The discussion was reignited a few days ago by a new report issued by Svimez, an organization to promote the Mezzogiorno, the Italian south. It looked closely at the economic situation of the region between Naples and Palermo.

“The Greece of Italy” is how the newspaper “Il Fatto Quotidiano” described the

Mezzogiorno. The growth rate was even more glum when compared to panEu rop e an f i g u re s : T he economy of the EU as a whole grew by almost 54 percent during that time.

Yes, we all most face it: The south is dying out. Journalists Gian Antonio Stella and Sergio Rizzo examined the south’s desperation in a book that became a bestseller in Italy. Its title: “Se il Sud muore” - “If the South Is Dying.”They write about widespread despondency and apathy. The once-creative region, which gave the world great artists, writers and scientists, has lost all its energy.

The Italian south suffers especially hard from this lack of oversight, as it leads it to a failure to develop a culture of business and entrepreneurial activity.

How could that change, the newspaper “Corrriere del Mezzogiorno” asks.

And it gives an answer that itself seems utopian: It needs a new party. But

H ave M y Say

Klaus Doring

a party that thinks about future generations and not the upcoming elections.

What’s that got to do with us here in the Philippines?

A lot. Italy faces the biggest problems and challenges with refugees in whole Europe.

The Italian and European economy is affected. The global too ... ! +++ Email: dor ingklau s@ gmail.com or follow me in Facebook or Twitter or visit www.germanexpatinthephilippines.blogspot.com or www. klausdoringsclassicalmusic. blogspot.com .

The visitation: proof that Jesus is God

L

IFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit…” (Luke 1:41, the Holy Bible).

-ooo THE MEANING OF T H E V I SI TAT ION OF ELIZABETH BY MARY: After Mary was told by the angel Gabriel that she would be conceiving and giving birth to a baby boy by the power of the Holy Spirit, believers would find her rushing to the house of her cousin, Elizabeth, the wife of Zechariah. The Catholic Church would call this the “visitation”, but the Anak ng Diyos Kadugo Ni Kristo (Children of God Blood Kin of the Christ) Church would like to see this event as yet another confirmation

Jhan Tiafau Hurst just the opposite. As we grow older, we should grow sweeter, kinder, more gentle and accepting of others’ faults. We should become more compassionate and understanding of other people’s needs and problems, since we’ve learned how easy it is for us to make mistakes.

We should just become more caring and forgiving.

Friend, if you want to get better with age, then today you can ask Jesus Christ to forgive you and take full charge of your heart and character every day. He’s the only One Who can help you start changing daily into the person you really want to be. That’s how you can enjoy even more the second half of your life, as you grow older—and better.

Just Think a Minute …

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that the baby boy Mary was conceiving and giving birth to, and who would be named “Jesus”, was no other than our “Mighty God, Everlasting Father” (see Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6, Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25).

-ooo MARY WANTED TO SEE THE SIGN PROCLAIMED

BY THE ANGEL: Indeed, why did Mary want to go to the house of Elizabeth and Zechariah? She did it to see for herself whether one of the signs given to her

by Gabriel---that Elizabeth, who was already too old and too barren to have any baby, was indeed pregnant ---was true. Mary got her sign, and more! For when she reached the house of Elizabeth and Zechariah, Elizabeth not only cried out to her, after hearing Mary’s greeting, “…

why should the mother of my Lord come to me?” Elizabeth confessed, too, that she was really pregnant, and that the child she was bearing was, like her, filled with the Holy Spirit, just by hearing Mary’s voice.

-ooo THE POWER OF THE HOLY SPIRIT AND MARY: In fact, the child in Elizabeth’s womb “leaped for joy”.

Elizabeth then proclaimed Mary as the most blessed of all women, in much the same way that the child she would bear, even if she was still a virgin at that time, was also blessed. It should be noted that, at that precise moment, Mary wasn’t even pregnant yet, but Elizabeth was already referring to her as the “mother of my Lord”.

How could she, Elizabeth, have known that Mary was

K akampi

Mo A ng Batas

Atty. Batas Mauricio going to be a mother, much less the mother of her Lord?

It was through the power of the Holy Spirit, of course.

-ooo THE PROPHECY ABOUT JOHN THE BAPTIST: It must be remembered, at this point, that even the birth of the baby that Elizabeth was carrying in her womb, who was to batas/PAGE 11

The tree of death and life

I

am referring to the cross.

More specifically, the cross of Christ. It is the tree that symbolizes all our sinfulness and all its awful effects and consequences, as well as our own salvation, that is, if we look at it the way Christ did.

The cross in all its forms should be seen in its proper perspective, and that is the perspective of our faith, as articulated by Christ himself not only in words but most especially in deeds. The cross is not an afterthought of God. It is part of his eternal plan for us.

We should avoid regarding it based solely on our own estimation of things. Such attitude can keep us in an unholy captivity, since it can only give us its dark,

negative side, and not its redeeming and supernatural character. In this, we have to help everyone to overcome the common and improper tendency.

We need to see the cross in all its entirety. It certainly is not simply bad news.

It actually is good news, deserving of being loved and of looking forward to.

We should not be afraid of it.

The cross is the symbol of our sinfulness and all its effects and consequences that ultimately include our death. That’s because our very own nature, which is not only biological but most especially spiritual with the capacity for the supernatural, would involve these effects

when we misuse the gifts God gives us, especially that of our freedom.

It is therefore unavoidable.

But Christ shows us how to suffer it and to convert it into our way of salvation.

He has assumed all our sinfulness and all its effects and consequences, especially death. But he has turned them, with his death in obedience to his Father’s will, into our way of salvation.

This is the secret of that happy conversion-suffering in obedience to the Father’s will.

Thus, the cross becomes a tree of life, a source of grace and joy. That’s why we should not be afraid of it. We should rather welcome it and be most eager to embrace it. We need

HINTS

and

Traces

Fr. Roy Cimagala to overcome our natural fears and resistance, and in fact train our natural systems, with God’s grace that’s given to us in abundance, to conform to this wonderful truth of our faith.

We have to be wary of our cimagala/PAGE 11

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Environment

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Towards responsible mining and world-class standards The road to Taganito Mining, a subsidiary of Nickel Asia

Pristine waters abound in Nickel Asia’s mining communities.

NAC’s mining operation.

NICKEL ASIA’S (NAC) customers in Japan and China use its saprolite and limonite ore for the production of ferronickel and nickel pig iron, both used to produce stainless steel, and for the production of pig iron used in carbon steel production.

NAC also exclusively supply limonite ore from our Rio Tuba operations to Coral Bay Nickel Corporation (CBNC), the country’s first hydrometallurgical nickel processing plant in which we have a 10% equity interest. CBNC became operational in 2005 and currently operates at a capacity of 24,000 tonnes of contained nickel and 1,500 tonnes of contained cobalt per year in the form of a mixed nickelcobalt sulfide. It is worth noting that CBNC has proven to be the world’s most efficient facility using high-pressure acid leach (HPAL) technology.

NAC’s Taganito operation also supplies all of the limonite ore requirements for the Taganito HPAL plant, the country’s second hydrometallurgical nickel processing plant. It has a 22.5% interest in this plant through Taganito HPAL Nickel Corporation

(THNC). It completed its first full year of commercial operations at 80% capacity in 2014, and expects to achieve full capacity at 30,000 tonnes of contained nickel in 2015. Built at a cost of US$ 1.7 billion, it is the single largest investment in the country’s minerals sector to date.

Apart from NAC’s four operating mines, it also has five properties in various stages of exploration for nickel.

NAC continues its search for opportunities in copper and gold through Cordillera Exploration Company, Inc., our 71.25% owned subsidiary.

The firm is moving into the field of power generation also. NAC has a Power Sales Agreement with the Surigao del Norte Electric Cooperative, which we will fulfill through an 11 MW diesel power plant and is about to complete in Brgy. Quezon, Surigao City. Commercial operation of this PhP800 million project is expected by January 2016.

In Mindoro, NAC has financed the drilling of slim wells to explore opportunities for geothermal power production through

Emerging Power, Inc. (EPI). Following favorable results and a new Volumetric Assessment Report, the Board approved the conversion of the loan to a 55% equity in EPI. EPI is the holder of a Service Contract over the Montelago geothermal field from which it expects to produce 40 MW of power to be supplied to both Occidental and Oriental Mindoro.

NAC remains focused on growth while continuing to take our responsibilities toward environmental protection, local development and community relations and the safety of

everyone involved in our operations very seriously.

Its efforts in these areas have been recognized many times over, such as from awards we received during the annual Presidential Mineral Industry Environmental Awards.

Fundamental to NAC’s operations is the principle of Sustainability as the only way forward for any mineral development operation and we exert great effort to remain faithful to this principle.

NAC is committed to responsible mining and to world-class standards in all its operations.

(Texsts & photos supplied)

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AgriBusiness

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Maguindanao school gets farm equipment from DAF-ARMM RAJAH B UAYA N , Maguindanao -- Public school students are expected to become agricultureproductive citizens with

the turn-over last week of one unit hand tractor from Department of Agricultlure and Fisher in the Autonomous Region in Muslim Mindanao

(ARMM).

Beneficiar y of the agricultural assistance was Sapakan National High School (SNHS) in Barangay

Sapakan, Rajah Buayan, Maguindanao.

SNHS Principal Elma Ma l i g a s a i d t h e f a r m equipment will boost the

partnership of DAF, local government unit and the Army’s 40th Infantry Battalion. “ The equipment can

be used by pupils under the Technical Skills and Development Authority agricultural courses which equipment/PAGE 9

DAR chief hands titles, support services to SurSur farmers BUTUAN City -- Agrarian Reform Secretary Virgilio de los Reyes led the distribution o f c e r t i f i c at e o f l a n d ownership award (CLOA) to 24 new landowners during the Peace Caravan held last August 25, 2015 in Lianga, Surigao del Sur. The area covers 46.7 hectares located in Brgy.

Bucawe, Lianga, Surigao del Sur.

Delos Reyes also handed turn-over documents of the completed rehabilitation project of three farm to market roads amounting to P3.6 to the barangay captains of Barangays Anibongan, Manyayay and San Isidro.

The road project are: (1) NRJ Anibongan to Sitio Tapo, (2) NRJ Bocgayan – Pamidpiran and (3) Crossing San Isidro dar/PAGE 9

NFA bares rice stocks, prices in SurSur TA N DAG C it y - - T h e National Food Authority (NFA) in Surigao del Sur headed by Rolando Sindo, newly-designated acting provincial manager, has bared the stock inventory here as

well as the prevailing prices in a statement released on August 25.

NFA has a total stock of 80,601 bags—77,542 bags of which are imported from nfa/PAGE 9

VICE GOVERNOR JOEY PELAEZ CONVENES BSU-ESCs STUDENT-LEADERS- Vice Governor Joey G. Pelaez gathered student-leaders of all Bukidnon State University- External Studies Centers(BSU-ESCs) in Misamis Oriental to discuss concerns pertaining to the students and youth of Misamis Oriental. The core issue discussed in the meeting is the threatened closure of all BSU-ESCs. The event was attended by Ms. Mercidita Villamayor, BSU-ESC Coordinator and Mr. Neil Ryan Baquiler of Bukidnon State University. Vice Governor Pelaez remains firm in his move to prevent the closure of all BSU-ESCs as this deprives the poor and less-privileged access to tertiary education and will displace more than 6,000 students in Misamis Oriental. He maintains that even after 30 years since the operation of all BSU-ESCs started, affordable and accessible public tertiary education have yet to be established. It must be remembered that Vice Governor Joey Pelaez successfully prevented the impending closure of all BSU-ESCs last year. Its continued operation produced hundreds of graduates for the year 2015. photo supplied

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HIGALAAY CARNIVAL PARADE 2015:

The Celebration Continues

Article and Photos by: Clement Dampal II (www.bestspotsph.com)

The Philippines is a country rich of festivals whole year round from January to December. It is said that each distinct festivals or commonly called “fiesta” has been part of the Filipino culture. These festivities serves and associated with specific purpose depending on the local communities either to commemorate and/or thanksgiving to one’s religious patron saint or to provide a sense of involvement to the culture and tradition of that particular locality.

Nonetheless, the celebration continues.

In Cagayan de Oro particularly, the most important religious festival is the Feast of St. Augustine celebrated every August of the year most specifically every 28th of the month. It is a month-long celebration of religious, entertainment, cultural, social, and tradition. It is a communal religious feast to honor the Patron Saint Augustine

which serves a cultural and religious significance to the city. One of the said activities is the Cagayan de Oro Carnival Parade, a street festival marked by merry making an explosion of colors and synchronized singing and dancing.

Revelers walk and dance to an international beat and flavor of Carnival- Cagayan de Oro style.

Now on its 2nd year, the Cagayan de Oro Carnival Parade successfully concluded last August 23, 2015 (Sunday) with 5 contingents namely Macasandig National High School, Lapasan National High School, Barangay Carmen, Lumad Gusanon, and Barangay 21 stretching along Velez St. to Kiosko Kagawasan, Plaza Divisoria for the total performance.

The event highlighted two types namely the Street dancing harmonized by the beat of the music while enjoying their smooth presentation dressed to

express the uniqueness of each locals, and the Carnival Queen featuring colorful and mixture of traditional ethnic inspired cultures showcasing the beauty of a Festival Queen. Participating groups were judged on their costumes, dance steps, and the totality of their given performance. Evaluated by respected individuals in the given field, the panel of judges includes Dr. Rowie Lim of Earist University in Manila, Ms Joan Bayona (Bukidnon Tourism Officer), and Mr Christian Aguado.

Macasandig National High School was announced as the Champion of the Street Dancing category as they showcased their grand costume during the parade accompanied with lively and synchronized dancing and received a certificate worth P100,000.00. Lumad Gusanon garnered as the 2nd Placer receiving P60,000.00 while Barangay Carmen placed on the 3rd Row receiving P40,000.00.

On the other hand, Ms Theresa Denesse I. Perez of Brgy. 21 (Kap 21 Gigi Go) was crowned as the Higalaay Carnival Queen for this year receiving P10,000.00. Lumad Gusan-on topped the 2nd Place with P6,000.00 prize and Brgy. Carmen received P4,000.00 as the 3rd Placer of the said category.

Other awards includes the Most Thematic given to Macasandig National High School, Most Disciplined Award given to Brgy.

Carmen, and Most Festive Higalaay Award given to Lumad Gusan-on.

The carnival parade was also supported by the winners of Miss Cagayan

de Oro 2015 Pageant as they waved their charms to the spectators, and the Neo-Higaonon dress of Emmanuel Mulawan, the man behind the winner of the World Costumes Festival Mindanao 2015.

The event ended with an after-party.

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Equipment... from page 7

is part of the K to 12 program for high school students,” Maliga said.

Rajah Buayan Mayor Zamzamin Ampatuan lauded the agricultural assistance extended by DAF-ARMM Regional Secretary Atty.

Makmod D. Mending, Jr to his constituents.

He said the agricultural aid will boost the town’s agri-fishery development and improve the agricultural skills of students. “These are tools for food sufficiency program of the regional and national government,” Ampatuan said.

The farm equipment was sourced out from 2013 High Value Commercial Development Program Funds.

HVCDP Regional Program Coordinator Hadja Jalika Mangcop also approved the request of Mayor Ampatuan for the establishment of “Bagsakan” Trading Center with complete facilities in Sapakan to help farmers market their produce.

Present during the turn over ceremonies were Maguindanao OIC-Provincial Agricultural Officer Daud Lagasi, “Gulayan sa Paaralan” Focal Person Albaya Sagad, Association of Barangay Chairmen President Datu Yacob Ampatuan, Lt. Col. Joel Mamon, 40th IB battalion commander, Municip a l Agricultural Officer Mohidin Paidumama, Local Cooperative President Larry

K. Dindo, school teachers and students.

The tractor with other equipment attached to it costs P250,000.00.

The DA-ARMM intervention was one of the incentives extended by DAF-ARMM to agencies and local government units which showed best performance in “Gulayan sa Paaralan” program implementation HVCDP of DAF-ARMM. (PNA)

DAR... from page 7

to Huangan.

Delos Reyes said that these efforts are towards bringing the agrarian reform’s services to the communities.

DAR also handed P1.72 million common service farming facilities in a separate caravan in Marihatag, Surigao del Sur last August 24, 2015.

These facilities include three units of rice thresher, three units floating tilling and a 4WD 35HP Tractor with implements and trailer which was received by the Bayan Free Farmers Multi-Purpose Cooperative. The facilities are expected to benefit 74 agrarian reform beneficiaries and 57 other farmers in the area.

The Peace Caravan is a joint effort of the Local Government of Surigao del Sur headed by the Gov. Johnny Pimentel and the Office of the Presidential Adviser on the Peace Process

(OPAPP) participated by various national and local government agencies, nongovernment organizations and other sectors. (Joie L. Ceballos, DAR-Caraga/PIACaraga)

NFA... from page 7

Vietnam; 3,059 bags are locally purchased, it was learned.

However, palay inventory is posted at 3,287 bags.

Also, NFA rice remains to be sold respectively at P27.00 per kilo for regular-milled and P32.00 per kilo for well-milled.

Meanwhile, NFA here told media that palay ex-farm price prevails at P19.00 per kilo.

Moreover, the retail modal prices of commercial rice are as follows: premium—P47.00; well-milled—P45.00; and, regular-milled—P40.00.

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Villafuerte is CDO new Fire Marshal

CAGAYAN DE ORO CITY - Fire Chief Insp. Ruben Vi l la f uer te i s t he ne w Cagayan De Oro City Fire Marshal effective Wednesday last week.

Villafuerte, replaced F/ Supt. Sherly Teleron who got promoted as assistant director for administration at the Bureau of Fire Department (BFD).

Prior to his assignment in Cagayan De Oro City, Villafuerte served as the provincial fire marshal of Lanao Del Norte.

As the new City Fire Marshal, Villafuerte urged the city’s about 800,000 people to be fire conscious in order to prevent occurrence of fires.

He said that the local BFD

would conduct a massive inspection of the more than 21,000 establishments in this trading capital in the next few days to ensure that the establishments have followed all the required safety measures.

Vi l laf uer te said t hat he wou ld cont i nue t he programs of his predecessor, particularly in the conduct of fire safety seminars and the organization of volunteer fire brigades in the city’s villages.

Cris Diaz, Exec. Editor

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Bidders...

Fair...

purchase agreement scheme that ends on 2031.

Steag State Power Inc., a consortium of German-firm STEAG (51 percent), Aboitiz Power Corp. (34 percent) and La Philippina Uygongo Corporation (15 percent), owns and operates the power plant.

Alzona noted around 10 or 11 companies initially purchased the bid documents for the administrator contract auction.

The initial 12 included Conal Holdings Corporation, FDC Davao Del Norte Power C or p or at i on , F i r s t G e n Northern Power Corporation, GDF Suez Energy Philippines Inc., Masinloc Power Partners Co. Ltd., Meralco Powergen C orporation, Nexif Pte Ltd. , SMC Global Power Hol d i ng s C or p or at i on , SPC Power Corporation, Team (Philippines) Energy C orporation, Therma Southern Mindanao Inc. and Vivant Energy Corporation.

Alzona said some companies had not paid for the bid documents, disqualifying them for the next round.

She said the six companies will still evaluate the bid documents, and will have to decided on whether to bid or not considering the three-year rate lock-in period.

Earlier in June, Energy Secretary Carlos Jericho Petilla expressed interest in deferring the auction of the power plant’s output until the supply in Mindanao stabilizes, but later agreed to bid out the capacity under the condition the bidder will not change the current rate in three years.

He cited as basis for his decision the earlier case of the Mt. Apo geothermal auction that increased customer bills

by P2.50 per kWh since the electric cooperatives had no other power source.

Kahimunan Regional Trade Fair, an event now on its seventh year that is named after an IP word meaning “gathering”.

Department of Trade and Industry (DTI) Regional Director Linda O. Boniao said the Kahimunan is intended to provide IPs, who are mostly based in remote areas, a venue to sell their unique goods.

“This is a way of bringing their products from their places to the market,” Ms. Boniao said in an interview.

The participating IP groups include the Manobo and Higaonon of Misamis Oriental and Lanao del Norte, and others from Bukidnon.

The nine-day Kahimunan Regional Trade Fair, set to run until Aug. 30, is conducted as part of the city’s annual Higalaay Cagayan de Oro Fiesta.

Ms. Boniao said last year’s Kahimunan brought in about P1 million in sales for the participating micro, small and medium-scale enterprises (MSMEs).

She said the DTI is expecting higher sales this year for its 56 participating exhibitors.

“We monitor the sales not for anything else but to see that they have sales, and when they go back to their provinces, they would be grateful about participating in the Kahimunan,” she said.

The MSMEs are asked at the beginning of the fair to set a sales goal and those who miss the target are given assistance by the DTI on product assessment and development.

Ms. B oniao said the weaknesses could be lack of promotional tools, poor labeling or packaging.

The products are categorized into processed food, crafts and fashion

from page 1

Ink...

from page 1

member to the Knowledge for Development Community (KDC) in the Philippines and the first in Northern Mindanao.

Mr. Konishi said the World Bank partnerd with XU-ADC since the latter’s research and outreach programs under RSO Vice Pres Hilly RoaQuiaot align with the WB’s Country Partnership Strategy for the Philippines.

Specifically, the partners look forward to engagements i n Tr a n s p a r e n t a n d Accountable Governance, Empowerment of the Poor and Vulnerable; Rapid, Inclusive and Sustainable Economic Growth; Climate change, environment, and disaster risk management; and, Peace, Institution Building, and Social Economic Opportunity.

The new partnership calls for the partners to jointly undertake knowledge sharing activities to discuss development challenges and solutions with grassroots participation.

from page 1

accessories, sugar, coffee and other beverages, nuts and cashew, spices and condiments, health and organic products, furniture and furnishings, and home style and living.

The Kahimuan Trade Fair was also previously brought by the DTI Region 10 office to national events in the capital Metro Manila as part of the “One-Town-One-Product” program.

Conservation... from page 2

environmental celebrations.

The VEST team considers the positive reception of the project as a “good start,” an indicator that different groups in Region 10 are becoming “environment-friendly and willing to dole out money for Mother Nature.”

“We have seen from the presentation that VEST as a social marketing campaign for Payment for Ecosystem Services in the Philippines has been effective especially in engaging the business sector and the youth. We are very impressed with the creative ways carried out by VEST,” Primadona commended.

(Stephen J Pedroso/XU/PIA)

Batas... from page 4

be named “John” and, in his later life, “John the Baptist”, was announced by the angel Gabriel. In Luke 1:5-25 of the Bible, Gabriel is shown to have informed Zechariah, Elizabeth’s husband and John’s father, that Elizabeth would become pregnant.

This announcement of John’s birth is important, too, not only because it was made by the same angel of God who went to talk to Mary and announced she was chosen to be the vessel of God in coming to earth, but more so because it was a fulfillment

Republic of the Philippines) City of Cagayan de Oro ) S.S. AFFIDAVIT OF LOSS I, LUIS M. IMPROGO, of legal age, Filipino, a resident of Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City, after having been sworn to an oath in accordance with law, hereby depose and state: 1. That I am a purchaser of four (4)memorial plots situated at Block 112, Section 7 at Greenhills Memorial Park in Bulua, Cagayan de Oro City; 2. That I have fully paid the purchase price for the four (4) plots and was duly issued a Certificate of Ownership in the name IMPROGO, AMALIA/LUIS; 3. That due the lapse of time, the Certificate of Ownership was misplaced and could no longer be located in spite of diligent efforts exerted to find it; 4. That the Certificate of Ownership is now lost and irretrievable; 5. That I execute this affidavit to attest to the loss of the Certificate of Ownership of the four (4) memorial plots as described in paragraph 1 hereof and to secure a substitute document to prove ownership thereof.

IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this 7th day of April, 2015 at Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines.

SUBSCRIBED AND SWORN to before me this 7th day of April, 2015 at Cagayan de Oro City, affiant exhibited to me his valid Driver’s License no. K03-64-008690 with his photograph as competent evidence of his identity.

Doc. No. 149 Page No. 30 Book No. 44 Series of 2015 BWM: Aug 23, 30 & Sept 6, 2015

likewise of the prophecy made by the prophet Isaiah (see Isaiah 40:3).

-ooo BIBLICAL PROOF THAT JESUS IS GOD: Truly, there is plenty of evidence that could be found in the Bible attesting to the fact that Jesus is the God and Savior who would assume human form and come to earth, to save His people from the perdition of their sins. Mary’s visiting Elizabeth is just one of them.

-ooo PLEASE LISTEN: “Ang Tanging Daan” (The Sole Way), a Bible study and prayer session on radio, airs Mondays to Fridays, 6 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., at DWAD 1098 kHz on the AM band. For replays, go to www.facebook. com/angtangingdaan or www. facebook.com/ANDKNK and scroll for “Ang Tanging Daan” broadcasts. Phone: 0922 833 43 96, 0918 574 0193, 0917 984 24 68. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com.

Cimagala...

from page 4 tendency to be easily taken up simply by our feelings when crosses come our way.

While we cannot avoid them, we should not allow them to lead the way in reacting and accepting these crosses. We have to react in a spiritual and supernatural way.

God’s grace in the form of faith, hope and charity can certainly enable us to

bear all things. We may not be able to understand the mechanism involved. But what we know is that what is impossible with us is always possible with God. And what is usually feared and resisted by us becomes an object of extreme interest when done with God. Christ has shown us the way, and the saints have continually given testimony to this truth.

On our part, we have to take advantage of the many little discomforts, disappointments, frustrations, problems, etc., we meet everyday to cultivate this love for the cross. This is how we can prepare ourselves to face the ultimate big cross of our life-our death.

We have to be quick to see the opportunity and the invitation God is sending us to identify ourselves with Christ when suffering, in one form or another, comes our way. Yes, for this, we need to discipline our emotions and thoughts, even as we quicken our faith, making many acts of faith, hope and charity.

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We should never belittle these practices that may appear childish to some but a c tu a l l y are c l e ar manifestations of human and Christian maturity. This is another challenge to tackle, an erroneous mindset that needs to be changed.

We have to reassure everyone the crosses, when seen from the point of view of our faith, are actually welcome events with great potentials for our own purification and atonement for our mistakes and sins, and ultimately for identifying ourselves more and more with Christ. In fact, in this life these crosses guarantee that we are dealing with Christ.

These crosses attract graces and occasion spiritual growth. We should always relate them with the abiding and never-failing providence of God. Our problem is that we usually fall into relying on our own estimation of things that no matter how brilliant can only take so much. We need to change that attitude.

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