BusinessWeek Mindanao (August 3, 2015)

BusinessWeek MINDANAO

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Volume VI, No. 016

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Briefly High broadband cost DAVAO City -- Mindanao’s information and communications technology (ICT) sector will bring up industry concerns such as the high cost of broadband Internet during a forum next month among chief executive officers (CEOs) from the Brunei-IndonesiaMalaysia-Philippines East ASEAN Growth Area (BIMP-EAGA).

“We want to understand how to build better infrastructure for all of Mindanao’s territories so we can bring the cost of bandwidth down,” said Lizabel G. Holganza, vice president of ICT-Davao, Inc., the umbrella organization of ICT groups based in Davao City.

Ms. Holganza said the concern is particularly crucial for small and medium enterprises (SMEs), especially start-ups in business process outsourcing (BPO).

Cement plant assailed LUGAIT, Misamis Oriental – Fisherfolk in Lugait town, Misamis Oriental are complaining against cement giant Holcim Philippines, Inc., saying their livelihood was destroyed because of the presence of the manufacturer’s berths there.

“We are forced to fish seven kilometers offshore because we are barred by Holcim from fishing near the company owned port, which is hugging the Lugait coastline,” Simon Castillon Jr., Municipal Fisheries and Aquatic Resources Council head, said.

Castillon said almost all of the 50 fishermen in Lugait use paddled fishing boats and it would be both difficult and dangerous for them to maneuver in open water offshore.

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Unstable grid to force shutdown of coal plant 150-MW from new coal-fired plant stricken out from grid

By CARMELITO Q. FRANCISCO, Correspondent

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HERMA South Inc. (TSI) could temporarily shut down the first 150-megawatt (MW) unit of its new coal-fired power plant in Davao, which has yet to start commercial operation, to address technical problems arising from an unstable supply in the Mindanao grid during the commissioning process.

The faci lit y of T SI, an Aboitiz Power Corp.

(AboitizPower) subsidiary, was linked to the Mindanao grid in mid-June and a synchronization process has been ongoing.

Power distributor Davao Light and Power Co. (Davao Light), also an AboitizPower firm, issued a warning Thursday that some of its franchise areas, particularly shutdown/PAGE 11

Region-11 is PH’s fastest growing region in 2014 DAVAO City -- The Davao regional economic grew the fastest among 15 Philippine regions in 2014.

The Philippine Statistics Authority (PSA) said Davao’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP) grew 9.4

percent. This was announced during the 2014 Report on the Economic Performance of Davao Region held jointly by the PSA Region 11 office and the National Economic Development Authority fastest/PAGE 11

TOURISM LEADERSHIP AWARD. Mr. Rex Imbuc, sales department head of Tourism Infrastructure and Enterprise Zone Authority (TIEZA), represented TIEZA Chief Operating Officer Mark T. Lapid in receiving the Special Citation for Oustanding Tourism Leadership Award from BusinessWeek Mindanao Corp. President/Publisher Dante Sudaria during the 4th Business Leaders and Entrepreneurs Awards held July 25, 2015 in Cagayan de Oro City. TIEZA was cited for meritorious achievement in pushing Mindanao’s tourism, infrastructure and enterprise development programs. photo by gerry gorit

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E conomy 2 Cigarette packs without tax stamps flood markets in Mindanao cities 2013 ppi’S Best in Business and Economic Reporting

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SEVEN months since tax stamps were required on all cigarette products, many stores in Mindanao were found selling cigarette packs still not bearing the proof of tax payment labels in a market survey conducted last week by the Fight Illicit Trade (Fight IT) movement.

The government through the Bureau of Internal Revenue (BIR) implemented the Internal Revenue Stamps

Integrated System (IRSIS) that requires all cigarette manufacturers to affix tax stamps on each pack of cigarettes beginning Dec. 1 last year. BIR further required that effective March 1, 2015, no manufacturer can sell any more pack without tax stamps. The same applies to imported cigarettes effective April 1 this year.

The BIR implemented

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IRSIS to address the concerns on illicit cigarette trade in the country, and the use of tax stamps ensures that each pack is legitimate and has paid the excise tax.

The Fight IT movement ran simultaneous market surveys in different barangays in the cities of Cagayan De Oro, Davao, General Santos and Zamboanga to check on compliance by manufacturers, wholesale

and retail stores.

T h e m ar ke t su r ve y, according to Fight IT lead convenor Jesus Arranza, showed that several local brands as well as imported cigarettes believed to be smuggled to the country were openly sold without the tax stamps.

39 wholesale and retail stores in Cagayan De Oro City; 20 retailers in Davao Cit y ; nine ret ai lers in

General Santos City; and 40 retail and wholesale outlets in Zamboanga City were openly selling significant quantities of products without tax stamps. The situation in outlying areas could even be more alarming.

The Fight IT movement warned consumers against patronizing the “no tax stamps” cigarette packs as this is not only illegal without the requisite tax payment, but

its origin and production are not known as well.

In line with the group’s advocacy to fight all forms of illicit trade activities, Fight IT called on the public to be vigilant in spotting illegal products and report these to authorities.

“Tobacco products are specifically taxed per pack at increasing rates of excise, precisely because tobacco is cigarette/PAGE 11

USDoL-World Vision, LGU intensify effort to combat child labor in farms MAR AMAG, Bu k idnon - - T h e Wo r l d Vi s i o n Development Foundation, a non-government organization, funded by the United States Department of Labor (USDoL) recently conducted a consultative workshop anchored on the theme “Capacity Building for the Local Council for the Protection and Welfare of Women and Children.”

During synthesis and group planning, LGU officials and members of the Municipal Council for the Protection and Welfare of Women and Children (MCPWWC) of Maramag town—along with the Barangay Council for the Protection of Children (BCPC) of three identified barangays namely Panadtalan, Kuya and San Roque— tackled the issues on the

rate of occurrence of children laboring in sugarcane fields.

Su ch issu e s i nclu d e situations of child laborers like cuts and injuries from the use of sharp and/or pointed tools, falling from trucks during harvesting and hauling of produce like sugarcane for milling, exposure to extreme temperature and injuries due to carrying extremely heavy loads.

Aside from these, children endure long hours of work, most times with little or no food, suffer from burns and poisoning from handling insecticides or fertilizers and are exposed to snake and insect bites.

With these concerns and issues for child labor in farms, proposed projects were framed. Among them, the formulation of Citizens’ Charter for Children which shall allow access of children to different service providers in the community and the updating of Children’s Code to incorporate additional and opportune laws and ordinances passed between the years 2007 to present.

These would also serve as an input in drafting municipal ordinances on child labor and devising a functional child monitoring system with the help of World Vision labor/PAGE 11

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Food enhance our competitiveness

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N M I N DA NAO f o o d b u s i n e s s h a s g re at e r influence in many cultures and played a part of the e c onom i c d e vel opme nt of the region. Many gourmet establishments serve a variety of dishes that integrate traditional Filipino taste to a fusion of western cuisine to oriental or Asian favorites. Others have branched out to the lucrative and profitable franchising of fast food dining that has tremendous appeal to the younger crowd and many office workers.

While many of our rural population have increased their consumption of the food derivatives and ingredients advertised on radio and televisions. Our homegrown Chefs have ventured into a journey of culinary excellence that opened many possibilities of how a simple dish can b e t r a n s f or m e d i nt o a gastronomic experience.

They have achieved this far through associations with foreign Chefs who are expatriates in big tourism business or studies in the culinar y schools that has sprouted all over the Philippines.

A prominent association, in Northern Mindanao, has continuously explored

Member:

Oro Chamber

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Coming out of the Closet

hin k a minute…An airplane pilot came on the speaker system to the passengers: “This is your captain speaking. We’re flying at an altitude of 35,000 feet, and the speed of 600 miles an hour. I have some good news and some bad news.

The bad news is we’re lost.

But the good news is we’re making great time.” There are many people who are making great time in life living in the fast lane. But they’re lost and going the wrong direction.

Homosexuals are encouraged by many people just to come out of the closet and not be ashamed of who they are. Some people say that they didn’t choose to be homosexual; God made them that way. But the fact is that there has still not been one scientific study which can prove that homosexuals are born that way. In fact, it is just the opposite. All the research and studies have shown that homosexuals can make the choice.

If people are born with any homosexual tendency at all, it is no different than any personality tendency like someone born with a bad temper. Do we say it’s OK for that person to lose control of his temper and

the creativity in cooking which has made discoveries of great meals served in the hotels and restaurants of Cagayan de Oro City.

Since 1996, the Cagayan de Oro Hotel and Restaurant Association or COHARA have fe arl e ssly e mb ark on cooking competition a n d b u s i n e s s v e nt u r e s through trade fairs and exhibits that has generated interest and huge public and the students following from nearby cities’ and municipalities to watch the yearly, “KUMBIRA” which is now on their 19TH year.

This longest running event will reel off this August 12-14, at the atrium of a big shopping mall in the City. COHARA is one of the major contributors to the growth and economic self-reliance of Cagayan de Oro. The food business has re ap m a ny b e n e f it s i n terms of providing jobs and contributing to our balance of payments. To the consumers, it is not an expense, but a credit to the whole economic cycle of supply and demand, creating a market for suppliers and buyers of equipment and materials.

It has facilitated further e ducat ion and t raining

on various cooking techniques and food preparations which help developed stringent sanitation procedures on Hazard Analysis and Critical Control or HACC in the restaurants and food manufacturing industries to achieve quality standards.

Mindanao has the abundant source of food materials, from livestock, fisheries and agricultural produce to palm and coconut oil which is essential in food processing. These gifts of nature can enhance our economic competitiveness in the Asean Economic integration that will op e n up m ore t r a d i n g of processed foods and possible collaboration in countryside development for those engaged in agribusiness.

During the month of August, D avao City, w i l l b e celebr at i ng t he “Kadayawan Festival” with bounties of fruits harvests and endless possibilities.

There is a mountainous place in the city located in Calinan called, Malagos Garden which is famous f o r O r c h i d s a n d G o at Cheese but whose latest harvested product is Cacao or Chocolate that attracted an Amer ic an comp any,

TRAVERSING the

Tourism H i - way

Ped Quiamjot the maker of the popular Mars Chocolate brand who regularly buys their Cacao harvest. Mars carry in its line-up, the Milky Way, Sn i cke rs and ye s , M & M’s w h i ch re m i nds me of my students’ days how this tiny chocolate tablets suppress my hunger inside the classrooms. Malagos Gardens, aside from Brazil in South America, supplies the chocolate requirement of many US confectionaries.

Children are maybe feasting now, for t he Ame r i c an premium Chocolate, which comes f rom Mindanao?

Food influence the face of tourism, it is the heart and soul of the stakeholders, to bridge people and culture.

For comments or queries, please email: sbeverage@ rocketmail.com or follow on Twitter @gm_ped

The Looooooong SONA

Philippine Press Institute

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THINK

A Minute

Jhan Tiafau Hurst murder people because he was born that way? Of course not! He’s still free and able to choose not to kill people, even though he may have a naturally quick temper.

In the same way, even if someone might have the slightest natural tendency toward homosexuality, he’s still free and able to choose not to become homosexual.

If homosexuals were born that way and God made them with no choice, then why does He say homosexuality is so wrong and condemn it as sin? Throughout the whole Bible, God strongly condemns homosexuality as sin which is opposed to the clearly natural, right way He created us humans to live and reproduce. Remember, hurst/PAGE 11

he brickbrats thrown at President PNoy by his arch critics for his loooooong SONA prodded me to look up online for comparative precedents.

While surfing through the internet, I came up with the following oddities.

Here are examples of speeches delivered by famous personalities ranging from long to very long, from short to very short.

The inauguration speech of William Henry Harrison, the 9th US President , was just a few minutes short of the sixth SONA. But it was the longest and deadliest speech of a US President.

Harrison, not well at the time, spoke for two hours on a cold rainy day. But in a misplaced display of bravado, Harrison did not wear an overcoat or a hat. 31 days later, Harrison died of pneumonia. In the books, Harrison thus established two records: One, For the longest inaugural speech and Two, For the shortest Presidency.

In cont rast , G e orge Wa s h i n g t o n g a v e t h e shortest inaugural address of a US President. His second inaugural address, consisting of 135 words, was delivered in less than two minutes. Historians say that Washington’s reluctance to run for a second term may explain the short inaugural.

In the case of Abraham Lincoln, it was not an inaugural speech but

one which was delivered during the inauguration of a memorial park. Not Eternal Gardens. But the Gettysburg Memorial. His speech, consisting of 246 words was estimated at between 2 and 3 minutes, depending on the pacing. The speech to honor the “great men living and dead who struggled here” is now considered one of the greatest speeches of all time.

Talking of speeches before the UN General Assembly, the following heads of state were clocked as follows: Indonesian President Soekarno, 2 hours, 1 minute, 1960.

USSR Chairman Nikita Krushchev – 2 hours, 10 minutes, 1960.

Guinea President Sekou Toure - 2 hours, 24 minutes, 1960.

But Cuban President Fidel Castro smashed all records at the UN General Assembly with his speech, also in 1960, which lasted 4 hours, 29 minutes. And yet Castro still chided the United Nations for restricting his time at the podium!

Former Libyan strongman Muammar al-Gaddafi was a non-performer at the UN. He only spoke for 1 hour, 36 minutes. But in his own court, and his home crowd, Khaddafy could ramble on for hours. According to one report, roughly 20 minutes of his speech were devoted to talking about his fashion trends.

When it comes to bashing

his favorite punching bag – who else but “The Devil Bush” (George W. Bush) - there is no stopping Venezuela’s late President Hugo C have z . C have z’ longest tirade lasted 8 hours.

Josef Stalin’s speech before the Communist Central Committee could also drag on and on. Anybody who tried to leave while Stalin was speaking faced the risk of arrest the following day. At the end of Stalin’s marathon speech in one Central Committee meeting, the party members were probably so relieved that they gave Stalin a standing ovation lasting 11 minutes!

That’s another record for longest ovation.

Falling in the “just the right length category” is the “I have a dream” speech of Martin Luther King which lasted 16 minutes. It was delivere d dur ing “t he greatest demonstration of freedom in the history of our nation”. MLK’s speech, just like Lincoln’s, is ranked among the greatest speeches in history.

Neil Armstrong, the first man on the moon, gave one of the shortest speeches ever. On touching the lunar surface in 1969, Armstrong said these famous words: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind”.

Not as well known as Armstrong’s - because of the absence of TV - was the remark of Sir Edmund

SPEAKING

O ut

Ignacio Bunye Hillary. Upon conquering Mt. Everest, together with Sherpa Tenzing, Hillary said: “Well George, we knocked the bastard off ”.

Here in the Philippines, the longest official speech lasted 18 hours, 30 minutes.

This speech of the late Senator Roseller T. Lim in 1963 earned him the title “The Great Filibuster”.

Lim delivered the speech in an unsuccessful attempt to prevent the election of Ferdinand Marcos as Senate President.

Lim wanted to buy time to enable the Senator Alejandro Almendras, scheduled to arrive from the US, to cast the deciding vote. Upon learning of the arrival of Almendras inside the Senate hall, Lim terminated his filibuster.

Out of exhaustion, Lim had to be carried out in a stretcher. Lim found out later that Almendras voted for Marcos.

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Pryce to share in the cost of drilling Hawkeye-1 oil well P RYCE Gases Inc. (PGI) has farmed in for a 10-percent stake in the future earnings of Hawkeye-1, which is located in Service C ont rac t 55-S out hwest Palawan. ”PGI will pay US$3.22 million, equivalent to 10 percent of the well costs for the drilling and testing of the Hawkeye-‐1 exploration well within SC 55,” Pryce C or p or at i on s ai d i n a

First phase of Vista City on track VISTA Land & Lifescapes Inc. on Wednesday said it is on track to completing the first phase of its P50-billion Vista City project’s Ecohub situated in southern Mega Manila.

“The first phase of the project, which covers 10 hectares, is already underway while the University Town will be the future location of prestigious colleges in the South of the Metro,” Vista Land said in a statement.

The company said the Vista City project includes the Ecohub, which will have several office towers that will be devoted to commerce and the business process outsourcing (BPO) industry. “(These will) generate a lot of employment for residents of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and nearby areas like Cavite

and Laguna, in addition to encouraging more foreign investments in the country,” the property developer owned by the Villar family said.

Vista Land said its flagship Vista City project is “right at the heart of the emerging millionaires’ row.”

The project is an integrated development that includes commercial and IT hubs, entertainment centers, hospitals and a university town, in addition to residential components.

Still expanding is the Evia, Vista City’s commercial, retail and entertainment complex, which has just won the “Highly Commended” awards for Best Retail Development and Best Architectural Design in Retail Development from the Philippines Property Awards.

Real estate research firm Cuervo Far East called this area the Southern Manila West Growth Area. It covers parts of the cities of Las Piñas, Muntinlupa and Caviteon the west section of the South Luzon Expressway (SLEX).

Vista Land, the country’s largest homebuilder, will also launch new residential projects which will cater to various income segments.

These are in addition to Vista Land’s existing and ongoing projects for the highend market at the emerging millionaires’ row.

These projects include Crown Asia’s Ponticelli, Camella Cerritos and t h e re c e nt l y l au n c h e d Camella Carson which are complimented by Brittany’s multi-awarded Portofino.

(PNA)

San Miguel buys out Qatar partner in Liberty SAN MIGUEL Corp. (SMC) will pay P5.75 billion in cash to buy out its Qatar-based partner in its subsidiary Liberty Telecoms Holdings, Inc. (LTHI).

PEOPLE read text messages on their mobile phones. San Miguel Corp. has been consolidating its stakes in the telecommunications business, with a plan to enter an industry that is largely dominated by two telco giants. -- AFP In a disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange yesterday, San Miguel said its wholly-owned subsidiary Vega Telecom, Inc. bought a total of 426.8 million common and 1.53 billion preferred shares held by Qtel West Bay Holding S.P.C.; 175.11 million preferred shares from Wi-Tribe Asia Ltd.; and 1.21 billion preferred shares from White Dawn Solution Holdings, Inc. All three companies used to hold a combined 51.01% stake in Liberty Telecoms, which offers 4G internet to the consumer and corporate markets through Wi-tribe.

San Miguel will pay P2.20 apiece for the common shares; and P1.65 each for the preferred shares. Shares in Liberty ended Tuesday trading at P2.20 apiece, down by two centavos or 0.90%.

“Full payment of the consideration shall be made upon completion by Vega of its tender offer,” the disclosure

read. “In accordance with the rules on Mandatory Tender Offer, Vega shall purchase all validly tendered shares held by the public under the same terms and conditions as the Transaction.”

S a n M i g u e l’s b o a rd approved the transaction on July 14, and all parties announced that they have signed definite agreements for the share sale on July 20.

The conglomerate said “Vega decided to acquire their shares due to the exit of the companies from their

investment in LTHI.” “Qtel had wanted to divest.

They have been managing that telco business for a long time but it’s not profitable,” San Miguel President and Chief Operating Officer Ramon S. Ang had said in Filipino on June 20. “But we’re not in a hurry to replace them with a new partner.

Many are interested but we have yet to make a decision.”

Liberty Telecoms filed a petition for corporate rehabilitation in August san miguel/PAGE 11

disclosure to the Philippine Stock Exchange (PSE).

In a separate disclosure to the Australian Stock Exchange, Otto Energ y, operator of SC 55, also reported the farm-in option agreement with PGI for a 10 percent working interest in the area.

With PGI entering the Hawkeye consortium, Pryce said the Filipino firm’s stake in Service Contract 55 will

increase to 16.82 percent.

PGI said its entry entitles the Filipino companies to a “Filipino participation incentive allowance,” which requires a Filipino stake of 15 percent, granting them 7.5 percent of gross proceeds from the crude production. ”Pryce Gases, a subsidiary of the Philippine Stock Exchange listed entity, Pryce Corporation, has agreed to a farm-in option to SC55 to

earn a 10% working interest by participating in the drilling of the Hawkeye-1 exploration well,” Otto Energy Ltd. said Thursday in a disclosure at the Australian Stock Exchange.

Otto Energy said it has raised US$30-35 million needed to drill the Hawkeye-1 well.

The Australian company said the well will start drilling pryce/PAGE 11

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Gingoog City: Building a safe learning center G

By Elaine O. Ratunil

INGOOG CITY -- Learning from the depressing experiences of Northern Mindanao affected to natural disasters such as in the cities of Cagayan de Oro and Iligan, this has awakened Barangay 18 of Gingoog city to further intensify its disaster risk reduction and management (DRRM) system, particularly for its Child Development Center (CDC) and improve the teaching learning environment for preschoolers.

With the support from the local government unit (LGU), Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD), City Social Welfare and Development Office (CSWDO), City Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (CDRRMC) and various stakeholders, the barangay has proactively align the operations of its learning center and make i t c o mp l i a nt w i t h t h e provisions of Republic Act 10121 or the Philippine

DRRM Act. Specifically, aims for strengthening of its CDC that nurtures the holistic development of the child in a safe environment.

The barangay employs the set of principles of the Kalamidad at Sakuna Labanan, Sariling Galing and Kaligtasan or Gawad Kalasag of the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) which include ensuring the building make, lay-out and facilities in the building suited to the needs of preschoolers; wash facilities sufficient for the number of children, functional and adapted to the height of young children which it considered important in developing health habits in the young.

F u r t h e r, i n s t a l l i n g necessary facilities to make the early learning center conducive to play or learning; providing for the safety and healthy environment; conduct of drills; setting up of DRRM

organizational structure among others.

Punong Barangay R o gel i o O. Paj aron underscored communitylevel preparedness is still the most important step to mitigate risks.

For its efforts in DRRM, B arangay 18 CD C has earned an award as the Gawad KALASAG B est Early Learning Center in 2014 for its outstanding performance in promoting significant DRRM-climate change adaptation (CCA) programs and innovations.

The cash prize received amounting to P50,000, the barangay spent it for DRRMrelated activities especially for the needs in securing for the safety of its CDC and the community.

Likewise, the barangay include the CDC as among of its priorities for its plans and activities.

The CDC also caters to

neighboring barangays such as in Barangay 17.

Alma S. Gumanit, 45 years old, housewife with three kids, said they are assured of the safety of their kids enrolled at Barangay 18 CDC and the active support of the barangay council to the learning center.

With its mentor, Helen Tagupa, who is trained on Early Childhood Care and D e ve l opm e nt ( E C C D ) , Gumanit is confident their kids are guided accordingly.

Gumanit also said the parents were able to participate in various drills and training through re-echo sessions with the mentor.

Gumanit also mentioned that the barangay has put in place its own early warning system.

T h i s y e a r, C D C o f Barangay 18 in Gingoog is nominated anew for Gawad Kalasag Best Early Learning Center category.

Gawad Kalas ag is a

nationwide award given yearly

by NDRRMC in recognition of excellence in disaster risk reduction and management and humanitarian assistance.

“We are very glad that among 2,022 barangays in the entire Northern Mindanao, Barangay 18 soared up high while giving ‘kalasag’, ‘shield’ or ‘sangga’ to a community locally known as Mambitoon,” said Mayor Marie Guingona.

She further said this recognition garnered by the barangay serves as a challenging paradigm to be emulated by other barangays in securing their people especially children in the implementation of DRRM, adding “I am incessantly inviting all punong barangays to be always ready and vigilant as we live in the midst of climate change.”

The Philippines is one of the most disaster-prone countries in the world, experiencing typhoons and tropical storms,

earthquakes, landslides and volcanic eruptions. Typhoons particularly affect many Filipinos on a repeated basis. Each year, nearly 20 typhoons pass through the Philippines, with five or six causing significant damage.

The latest major typhoon was Tropical Storm Washi (lo c a l name: S endong) that devastated two cities in Northern Mindanao in mid-December 2011 leaving at least 1,267 persons dead, almost half a million persons displaced and several schools and other learning centers destroyed or heavily damaged.

For her part, Director Ana C. Cañeda of the Office of Civil Defense (OCD) and chairperson of the Regional Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (RDRRMC) in region 10 reiterated about the importance of an effective DRR implementation to save lives! (EOR/PIA10)

NCR-wide earthquake drill successful-MMDA

By Susan G. de Leon

PASAY CITY -- The Metro Manila Development Authority (MMDA) yesterday led the successful conduct of the metro-wide earthquake drill to test the government and public preparedness in case the dreaded “Big One” or the 7.2-magnitude earthquake hits the metropolis.

The simultaneous “Metro Manila Shake Drill” was conducted for more than an hour in 16 cities and one municipality of the National Capital Region (NCR).

At the ASEANA open field on Diosdado Macapagal Avenue in Pasay City, the command center and mass burial site were set up.

During the drill, Metro Manila was divided into four qu adrants: nor t h,

south, east, west for a more organized response and rescue operations.

The north sector, covering the cities of Quezon, Mandaluyong and San Juan, depicted a medical scenario at the Veterans Golf Course.

The west sector, covering the cities of Caloocan, Malabon, Navotas, Valenzuela and Manila, staged a fire scenario at the Intramuros Golf Course.

The east sector, covering cities of Pasig and Marikina, will simulate collapsed structure scenario.

The south sector, covering cities of Taguig, Pateros, Paranaque, Pasay, Las Piñas, Makati, and Muntinlupa, conducted a mock debris drill/PAGE 8

CONTINUOUS DISTRIBUTION OF BOOKS – VICE GOVERNOR JOEY G. PELAEZ continues his advocacy on reinforcing the education of the Province through distributing books donated by Children International Philippines, Inc. (CIPI) in the different schools. He gave 174 books to Ulaliman Elementary School. CIPI is a nonprofit, humanitarian organization dedicated to alleviating the burdens and effects of poverty on Filipino children. The distribution was witnessed by Barangay Captain FELIPE H. CUARESMA and the Council, GPTA President LORENA S. CASTULO and the teachers of the school.

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Bad loans ratio at big banks stays below 2%, but picks up for thrifts THE non-performing loans (NPLs) ratio of the country’s biggest banks remained below 2 percent for the sixth straight month, while that of thrift lenders rose.

In a statement, the Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas said the gross NPLs of universal and commerci a l b an ks represented 1.96 percent of their total loan portfolio at end-April this year.

The industry’s gross NPL ratio in April was practically unchanged from the 1.95

Japan’s R&I keeps investment grade rating on Philippines Japan’s Rating and Investment Information Inc (R&I) has kept its investment grade rating on the Philippines.

In a st ate me nt , t he Department of Finance (DOF) said R&I affirmed its “BBB” foreign-currency issuer rating on the Philippines and assigned a “stable” outlook.

The stable outlook means the rating will hold for the next six months to a year.

An investment grade rating means the country is a safe bet for borrowers, as the chances of debt repayment are higher.

Finance Secretary Cesar V. Purisima said R&I “upheld the country’s seal of good housekeeping,” which while earned, still fell below what he considered was appropriate for the Philippines given its re cent refor ms and accomplishments.

“We believe that the country’s rating should be higher,” he said, adding that the Aquino administration has put in place “a host of economic and fiscal reforms to ensure that these gains will be sustained.”

“The ‘A’ category is in sight: we ought to remain steadfast in our commitment to good governance and sound economic policies,” he added.

Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Governor Amando M. Tetangco Jr. said the country is benefiting from a confluence of rapid economic expansion and low inflation, while having ample cushion against external shocks.

“On the part of the BSP, we will continue to implement policies to preserve low and stable inflation and provide an enabling environment for the economy to sustain rapid growth. We will continue to put in place regulatory standards and safeguards to further strengthen the banking system,” Tetangco said.

percent recorded in March.

The loan quality indicator has been below two percent since November last year.

The ratio moved sideways month-on-month with both the industry’s gross NPLs and loan portfolio showing marginal increases.

Gross NPLs of P97.87 billion in April slightly incre as e d f rom P97.36

billion a month earlier. In the same manner, the industry’s loan portfolio went up to P5 trillion from the P4.99 trillion registered in March this year.

Big banks continued to set aside substantial reserves for potential credit losses as the industry provisioned for 138.99 percent of its gross NPLs in April, which

was higher than the 138.19 percent registered a month earlier.

Across types of borrowers, the NPL ratio also remained manageable.

This was seen in financial and insurance activities; real estate; manufacturing; wholesale and retail trade; and electricity, gas, steam and air-conditioning supply,

which accounted for 68.8 percent of big banks’ total loan portfolio in April.

In a separate statement, the BSP said the gross NPLs of thrift banks stood at 4.54 percent of their total loan portfolio of P600.98 billion at end-March.

The first quarter figure slightly increased from the 4.40 percent registered a

quarter earlier. Thrifts’ NPL rose by 7.56 percent to P27.29 billion at end-March from P25.37 billion recorded at end-December 2014. The industry’s loan portfolio grew by 4.33 percent from P576.06 billion posted at end-December last year.

As i d e f rom ke e pi ng NPL levels manageable, the loans/PAGE 8

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SCG reports operating results for Q2 and first half of 2015, sees profit growth, continues planned ASEAN expansion

S

CG’s operating results for Q2 and the first half of 2015 see an increase in profit from the chemical business whose global market margin grew, despite slowdown in other businesses.

SCG is pushing ahead with its ASEAN investments according to plan.

Mr. Kan Trakulhoon, President and CEO of SCG, said that the operating results (unreviewed) for Q2/2015 show Revenue from Sales is at 152,776 Million PHP (US$ 3,421 Million), a decrease of 9% y-o-y and an increase of 4% q-o-q. Profit for the Period stands at 18,627 Million PHP

(US$ 417 Million), an increase of 63% y-o-y and increase of 25% q-o-q, thanks to the much higher global market margins in the chemical business as a result of a significant drop in the prices of raw materials and crude oil. Even though businesses for domestic Cement-Building Materials and Packaging continue to slow down, there are signs of recovery for the second half of the year. SCG’s Revenue from Sales for the first half of 2015 stands at 301,438 Million PHP (US$ 6,769 Million), a decrease of 10% y-o-y. Profit for the Period for the first six months of 2015 is at 33,712 Million

PHP (US$ 757 Million), a significant increase of 48% y-o-y.

For SCG’s operation in ASEAN (ex-Thailand), the Revenue from Sales in Q2/2015 amounted to 14,746 Million PHP (US$ 330 Million), which is 10% of SCG’s total Revenue from Sales.

As of 30 June 2015, total assets of SCG amounted to 669,479 Million PHP (US$ 14,830 Million), while the total assets of SCG in ASEAN (ex-Thailand) amounted to 128,265 Million PHP (US$ 2,841 Million), which is 19% of SCG’s total consolidated assets.

Based on Q2/2015 report,

SCG in the Philippines owned 9,600 Million PHP (US$ 213 Million) worth of total asset. The company reported Q2/2015 Revenue from Sales at 1,725 Million PHP (US$ 39 Million), an increase of 4% y-o-y due to due to growing paper market.

In H1/2015, SCG in The Philippines reported Revenue from Sales at 3,654 Million PHP (US$ 82 Million), an increase of 8% y-o-y.

Mr. Kan added “For ASEAN markets, SCG found that in the second quarter, demand in cement also continued to rise, especially in Myanmar and Cambodia, where demand

rose by 19% and 12% y-o-y respectively, as SCG’s cement is a popular choice and highly regarded for its quality.

SCG’s investments in ASEAN will continue to push ahead as planned. Currently the cement plant in Cambodia has begun its 2nd operation line, while operation at the plant in Indonesia will also commence at the end of the year. Construction of the production base in Myanmar will be completed in 2016, while in Laos, the plant will be finished in 2017, ready for the expected increase in demand

by ASEAN consumers.”

Insurance sector seen doubling total premium income by 2019 THE INSURANCE industry is expected to sustain its expansion, with premium income seen to reach about P500 billion in the medium term, double the current levels, the head of the Insurance Commission (IC) said.

Insurance Commissioner Emmanuel F. Dooc said that given the current trend, the industry could grow its premium income to P300 billion next year and around P500 billion in 2019, or when his tenure as IC head expires.

This year, the industry could post a “P240-250 billion” premium income, a little over the P200-billion target earlier set by the regulator -- which was the highest premium production of the industry thus far -- given the encouraging figures seen in the first half of 2015, Mr. Dooc said.

“If we grow just by P20 billion every year, we will hit half a trillion by end of 2019. I’ll

complete my tenure December 2019. It’s very achievable, in fact,” Mr. Dooc told reporters after the Philippine Life Insurance Association (PLIA) 65th anniversary Tuesday night.

“We’ll be about P300 billion in 2016, that’s just 2016, so the half- a-trillion target is very achievable,” he added.

Insurance penetration in the Philippines by 2019 could also increase to 3%, the average rate in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, from the current 1.5%.

The commissioner said both life and non-life insurance will drive the growth this year, although “life [insurance] is showing more robust growth than non-life.”

The insurance industry saw its total premium income grow by almost half in the first quarter of the year, buoyed by the jump in premiums from life insurance firms, particularly in bancassurance ventures, still

on the back of the country’s robust economic growth.

Mr. Dooc said last month the industry’s total income from premiums for the January to March period climbed 45.53% to P56.289 billion from the P38.679 billion posted during the same period last year.

Preliminary data based on

quarterly reports submitted by the life and non-life companies to the insurance regulator also showed the industry’s total net income rose to P5.232 billion, up 32.52% from P3.948 billion.

Meanwhile, the industry’s total assets stood at P1.06 trillion in the first three months of 2015, up from the P928.3

Barangay B.A.M.B.I. @ Lubilan, Naawan.

Drill... from page 6

cleaning scenario.

MMDA Chair man Francis Tolentino said the quake drill is “scientificallybased” on the Metro Manila Earthquake Impact Reduction Study (MMEIRS), a study conducted by the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (Phivolcs) and Japan International C o op e r at i on w he re an estimated 33,500 people will die if a 7.2 magnitude earthquake – the expected magnitude of the West Valley and East Valley Faults -hits the metropolis.

Based on the study, the cities of Manila and Quezon

billion recorded during the same period a year ago.

The Philippines’ insurance industry reported a total premium income of P188.96 billion in 2014, down 4.63% from the P198.13 billion posted in 2013 although total net income of the industry grew by 12.02% to P16.41 billion last year from

the preceding year’s P14.65 billion.

The IC chief said then that the decline in the total premium for the insurance industry last year was mainly due to lower sales performance by the life insurance sector, although this was still offset by gains in the non-life sector.

photo courtesy of governor bambi emano ’ s facebook page

City will have the most casualties.

Pasig is the only LGU in Metro Manila that conducted a night time drill and held in Ortigas business district from 8 to 9 p.m.

Motorists are advised to avoid San Miguel Avenue and Julia Vargas Avenue as they will be partially closed to vehicular traffic. Alternate routes will be implemented during that time.

About 1,300 persons and several residential and office buildings are participated in the drill.

Members of Eastern Police District secured the area as power supply was cut off during the drill.

Summing it up, Tolentino

said metro-wide drill has been successful.

He said that the quake drill will be held ever y year to create a culture of preparedness not only among the residents of Metro Manila but also in the provinces.

(PIA-NCR/RJB/SDL)

Loans... from page 7

industry also maintained substantial reser ves for p ote nt i a l c re d it l o ss e s .

At e n d - Ma r c h , t h r i f t s’ allocated loan loss reser ves were equivalent to 74.96 percent of their gross NPLs, slightly lower t h an t he 7 6 . 7 3 p e rc e nt posted a quarter earlier

but up from the 69.37 percent recorded in the same period in 2014.

D espite t he quar teron - qu ar te r d e c re a s e i n the NPL coverage ratio of thrifts, this ratio has been generally rising since March 2010. This is a welcome trend since setting aside reser ves for potential credit losses is a prudential measure for mitigating credit risk.

The BSP monitors the loan quality of the banks a s p a r t of it s e f f or t t o promote sound credit risk management among banks which is essential to maintaining the stability of the financial system.

(PNA)

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Arts&Culture

Juilliard trained violinist to perform at Rodelsa Hall

H

is name may sound familiar, it is because he was featured as a child prodigy in a TV commercial for a formula milk years ago.

Now all grown up and true to his calling of becoming a musician, Diomedes Saraza, Jr. is set to put the Philippines in the global classical music spotlight.

Cagayanons are lucky for he is set to return to the city as he performs a special gala concert in celebration of the birth anniversary of the co-founder of Liceo de Cagayan University, Mrs. Elsa P. Pelaez this coming August 10 (7:30pm) at the university's premier convert At an early age, Diomedes performed as a soloist of The Philippines Research for Developing Instrumental Soloist (PREDIS) and served as the concertmaster of the Children’s Orchestra in the Philippines. He soon became the youngest member of the Manila Symphony Orchestra II. At the age of 8, Diomedes became one of the selected delegates of the 45th year Suzuki Music Convention held in Tokyo, Japan. He had his debut recitals at the Cultural Center of the Philippines and at the Pasig Music Festival in Philippines. In 2002, he won first place at the National Music Competition for Young Artists and later on made his concert debut entitled “The Gift” at the Cultural Center of the Philippines which was awarded as “one of the best performances of 2003” by the Manila Bulletin newspaper in the Philippines.

In the summer of 2005, he moved to New York to pursue his studies in violin at the Mannes The New School Preparatory Division under the tutelage of respected violin pedagogue, Dr. Chin Kim. In 2006, he joined the Green Mountain Chamber Music Festival and played the Khachaturian Violin Concerto for the opening concert in Burlington, Vermont. In 2007, he won the Friday-Woodmere Young Artist Competition in Hewlett, NY and was featured in WQXR 96.3's Rob Sherman's “Young Artist Showcase.”

In 2008, he won the Mannes Concerto Competition and performed with the Mannes Philharmonic under the baton of maestro Michael Adelson. Later that year, he became the concertmaster of the Mannes Philharmonic. In 2009, his chamber group called the Mannes Chamber Initiative won the American Teacher's League Competition and was featured at Carnegie hall in New York. Later that year, he had his homecoming concert in the Philippines entitled “Symphonic Virtuosity” playing the Paganini Violin Concerto with the Manila Symphony Orchestra and maestro Christoph Poppen of the German Radio Philharmonic.

Today, Diomedes continues extensively to perform around Asia especially in the Philippines. Other performances include respected venues such as Lincoln Center’s Alice Tully hall, Merkin hall, Carnegie hall, Julia Richman Auditorium, and Paul hall of the Juilliard School.

He completed both his Bachelor of Music and Master of Music degree at the Juilliard School where he was also awarded with the Irene Diamond Graduate Fellowship and C.V. Starr Scholarship. In addition, he was recently admitted for Master of Musical Arts degree at Yale University with full-tuition scholarship and a stipend award for each semester.

To reserve tickets for the Rodelsa Hall Performance, call (088) 8584093 to 95 local 109 or 09989612107 or visit the Liceo de Cagayan University Office of Cultural Affairs, 2nd floor of Rodelsa Hall, Liceo U Main Campus.

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Diomedes Saraza, Jr. supplied photo

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1st Mindanao Photo Summit:

Just the Beginning

by Shaun Alejandrae Yap Uy

T

he Cagayan de Oro photography club, Oro Photographic Society (OPS), successfully organized the first ever Mindanao Photo Summit, July 31 to

August 2. Themed “Island Interlinks,” the Summit also showcased photographic equipment, gears, accessories, and other related products on exhibit at the Centrio

Ayala Mall.

Photo enthusiasts, hobbyists, and professionals in Mindanao and other parts of the country converged at the Centrio Ayala Mall for the

photography exhibit and photography brands roadshow. The basic and advance photography seminars during the 3-day summit were held at the Marco Hotel - Alwana Business Park, Gusa, Cagayan de Oro City which

Oro Photographic Society (OPS) officers, Resourse speakers, Centrio Mall management and DOT-10 Director Catalino “Butch” Chan III pose for posterity during the opening ceremonies of the 1st Mindanao Photo Summit, Centrio Ayala Mall, July 31. Photo Courtesy of OPS/Gardee Pacalioga

were facilitated by renowned photographers in various fields. The summit gathered about 150 registered participants.

Master travel and underwater photographer Annaliza Barrera introduced the participants to the basics of photography, while Canon ambassador Ibarra Deri shared his expertise in the field of “Portrait Photography” and “Product Photography”.

Canon ambassador, Edwin Martinez, treated the participants to the beauty of “Landscape Photography,” and Francisco Mark Floro, also a Canon ambassador.

Parallel to the Mindanao Photo

Summit is the 2nd “OPS Kagay-an Photography Contest” to spice up the fiesta celebration from August 1 to August 31.

OPS President Engineer Lauriel Dela Cruz says “The photo contest started last year and the response from the contestants were enough to convince us to do it again this year.

Photography is a way to promote our city fiesta activities and the city itself. Many still don’t know the other activities of our city fiesta. The photo contest hopefully will change that. Most city fiestas have their own photo contests to enhance their tourism growth. Hope we can sustain this yearly.”

For more information visit the Oro Photographic Society facebook page.

MTB-MLE: Aid in Poor Learning

National School Deworming Day

By Gina Neri Agcopra Teacher III Bulua Central School

By Daisy C. Uayan School Principal II Manolo Fortich CES

One thing also that varies us from each other is our culture and belief. Through these differences, possibilities like communication barrier could occur, resulting to cultural gaps. This is a problem that could also be present in the classroom setting.

Language problem is a common problem between a teacher and students that creates miscommunication.

Basic learning starts in basic lessons. The first step of learning depends in terms and in language that are used during discussion.

Needless to say, if a student do not understand what the teacher is talking about, it is certain that learning is unsuccessful.

Language, in order to be delivered successfully, should be in the same tone, diction and pronunciation.

E n g a g i n g s t u d e nt s during classes, teachers must reach out to them in ways that are culturally and

linguistically responsive and appropriate.

The creation of Mother Tongue-Based Multi-lingual Education is one solution to this literacy problem.

It is a curriculum under K to 12 Basic Education Program of Department of Education. This policy involves implementation of local mother tongues as the language of instruction in earlier schooling years in order to help children understand the lessons well.

It is a form of transition for pupils to learn Filipino and English that are used in higher education level.

Encouraging students to appreciate learning could be a hard task. Educators must exert effort in making the discussion of lessons c u ltu r a l l y p ar a l l e l t o students level of learning.

Determining basic problems is an important act of addressing literacy problems and in promoting the value of learning.

SCHOOL READINESS DISASTER MANAGEMENT

By JOCELYN D. MIYAS FM POSADAS E/S

To ensure the safety of the pupils, teaching and nonteaching personnel, the School Disaster Readiness Management Committee (SDRMC) in FM Posadas E/S conducted school training on earthquake drill. The teachers orient the children on what to do in case arthquake will strike during classes time or if the pupils are still inside the classroom.

They executed the DROP! , COVER! and HOLD!.

T he y emphas i z e d on when and where to DROP, COVER and HOLD. The speakers Mrs. Thelma

O. Aragon and Mrs. Josephine A. Malaubang talked about the safety during earthquake. They add also some important things to prepare at home and in school like whistle and flashlight.

These things could help them during emergency and rescue. Said training is in consonance to the Dep.Ed RegionalAdvisory on “Earthquake Drill’. The parents and the teachers were happy for doing this kind of training. They were thankful to the organizer Mrs. Gloria E. Plantar MT-2 of this school.

July 29, 2016 is the national School Deworming Day ( NSDD ). As cited in Administrative Order ( AO ) 2015-0030 issued on June 26, 2015, students from 38,656 public elementary schools will undergo deworming in one day through the National School Deworming Project “ Oplan: Goodbye Bulate “ initiated by Department of Health ( DOH ). This massive deworming is t he administ rat ion of Albendazole to control and treat intestinal infestation of worms like Hookworm, Ascaris, and Trichuris.

This is not only a record breaking history but it is breaking a very common health problem among children and even adults.

Hundreds of millions of children worldwide are

infected with parasitic worms. According to DOH these worms can cause poor physical growth, poor intellectual development and impaired cognitive functions that result to poor educational performance and absences of children from school. “The highest intensity of infection has been documented among children aged 1 to 12 years old. Pre-school children aged 1 to 4 suffer the greatest morbidity while s cho ol - age d ch i l d re n , or those aged 5 to 12, harbor the greatest load of infection. Therefore, mass deworming is being utilized by the government as one of the major strategies to reduce the burden of infections among children aged 1 to 12 years old,” the DOH added.” DOH said.

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Shutdown... from page 1

those in Davao del Norte province, could Davao Light Executive Vice President Arturo M. Milan said discussions are ongoing on the TSI situation.

The four-hour brownouts, “which we hope will not happen,” said Mr. Milan, will only take place when TSI shuts down the unit for maintenance. The 150MW unit is part of a 645MW project located at the boundary of Davao City and Davao del Sur. Mr. Milan explained that the power outage, longer than the current one- to two-hour rotations, will become inevitable because the National Grid Corp. of the Philippines (NGCP) has reduced the power allocation of Davao Light to only 167 MW from its contracted 270 MW. Mi nd an a o h a s b e e n experiencing power supply shortages since last week due to the reduction in the output of the Agus and Pulangi hydroelectric complexes, which provide more than half of the southern island’s power requirements, as water levels are down and the old facilities are working way below capacity.

Last week, for example, the Pulangi complex, which utilizes the heavily-silted Pulangi River, can only produce 20 MW out of its 255-MW rated capacity.

Further, one of the two units of Steag State Power Inc. as well as that of the Mt. Apo geothermal plant were placed on maintenance shutdown, depriving the grid of a combined 320-MW supply.

Davao Light has been able to cushion the impact of the reduction in grid power allocation with the commissioning of its standby plant and embedded power sources and activating the interruptible load program (ILP).

Mr. Milan, however, explained that the total 38 MW saved from the ILP, with commercial customers using their own generators, cannot be dispatched all at once.

“We cannot let them (ILP participants) run their generators simultaneously; we need to rationalize these generating sets,” he said.

As of yesterday, the Mindanao grid was 140 MW short of the 1,313-MW peak demand, based on the NGCP Web site.

Fastest... from page 1

(NEDA) on Thursday at the Ritz Hotel in this city.

“Indeed, 2014 was a banner year for Davao Region, not only because it has sustained its high growth levels in the past three years,” said NEDA director Ma. Lourdes Lim. Lim said the region’s GRDP growth was higher than the national average of 6.1 percent, and marks the third consecutive year

that the region surpassed its growth targets.

Lim said the region also contributed 3.9 percent to the Philippines’ GDP, which was valued at P7.2 trillion last year.

Davao Region produced P281.5 billion worth of goods and services, with services contributing the highest at 52.2 percent; followed by industry at 33.4 percent; and agriculture, hunting, forestry and fishing at 14.4 percent.

Lim said services grew by 8.3 percent, which was spurred by wholesale/retail, financial intermediation, real estate subsectors given the region’s strategic position as the financial and trading center of Southern Mindanao.

Lim said Davao’s advantage gave way to expansion of business enterprises that increased demand for real estate, not only for office space but also for residential purposes as well.

According to Lim, the expansion of malls and restaurants contributed to the robust wholesale and retail activities in the region.

D a v a o C i t y, w h i c h is ranked first among 37 Phi lippine outs ourcing destinations, hosts 32 ICT companies with an estimated 21,000 fulltime employees and combined earnings of P2 billion per annum.

The industry sector grew the fastest in 2014 at 14.6 percent, propelled by the manufacturing, mining, quarrying, electricity, gas, water supply subsectors.

Under the industry sector, manufacturing contributed the biggest share at 66 percent and grew by 18.8 percent as it sustained performance of processing industries such as cement, food and beverages, and steel billets.

Other sectors also continue to post positive growth such as the construction industry.

Lim said the agriculture sector also rebounded from the devastation of Typhoon Pablo. Agriculture grew 2.4 percent, a turnaround from the 8.1 percent contraction in 2013, and was slightly short of the 4-percent target.

Lim said the fishing sector contracted by 27.9 percent due to lesser harvest following the imposition of a temporary ban in the Davao Gulf.

According to Lim, the decline can also be attributed to the adverse effects of climate change such as increase in sea temperatures.

For 2 0 1 5 , L i m s ai d Davao is targeting GRDP growth of 7.5 percent. “By all indications, we are optimistic to be able to achieve that,” she added. (PNA)

Cigarette... from page 2

harmful and addictive, and the tax is intended to make the product less affordable, thereby encouraging people to quit.

“The national and local authorities in Mindanao should be alarmed at this flagrant circumvention of the law that is not only denying

revenues, but undermining important public health objectives.

“Let us work together to combat this menace. We cannot allow manufacturers and store owners to be scotfree in selling illegal products without paying tax. Do we let them go when we tax-paying citizens are dut y-bound to help the government?”

Arranza asked.

The Fight IT is a broadbased, mu lt i-sec tora l movement i ntende d to protect consumers, safeguard government revenues and shield legitimate industries f rom t he i l l- e f fe c t s of smuggling. It was launched earlier this month under the umbrella of the Federation of Philippine Industries (FPI).

Arranza is the chairman of FPI. Fig ht IT c a r r ies t he c a mpa ig n sloga n “Stop smug g l i ng , Protec t t he consumers.”

T he a l l i a nc e br i ngs together major players from industries with some of the most commonly smuggled goods or products such as rice, sugar, corn, palm oil, tobacco, steel, cement, ceramic tiles among others.

The group will provide to enforcement authorities for their appropriate action the list of outlets found to be selling without tax stamps.

The BIR has warned against the serious consequences of non-use a nd u s e of cou nter feit stamps. Penalty ranges from a fine of up to P50,000 and imprisonment of not less than four years but not more than eight years.

Labor... from page 2

Development Foundation through the ABK3 LEAP or Pag-aaral ng Bata para sa Kinabukasan 3-Livelihoods, Education, Advocacy and Protection program.

The workshop also succeeded at refreshing information on ABK3 LEAP and its mission to reduce child labor in sugarcane areas. The key outputs are: Reduction of child labor by providing direct e du c at i on , l ivel i ho o ds , social protection, youth employment assistance and linkages to support services.

Strengthening of policies and the capacity to address chi ld l ab or, e duc at ion, sustainable livelihoods and social protection.

Raising of awareness to effectively reduce child labor and its root causes, emphasize the importance of education, social protection and decent work for children/ youth of legal working age.

Extending of support for research, evaluation, collection and dissemination of reliable and pertinent data on child labor, its root causes, and/or effective strategies.

Promotion of long-term sustainability of efforts to combat child labor and improve livelihoods.

The Philippine Statistics

Authority 2011 Survey on Children showed that there are 3.03 million Filipino children engaged in child labor with 2.99 of them working in hazardous situations.

While Maramag is one of the 44 prioritized towns nationwide for the banner project “Sugar is Sweeter Without Child Labor”—due to its vast sugarcane fields— it is still hoped that the famous “sugarcane fields” of barangays Kuya, Panadtalan, and San Roque will be child labor-free; with a conducive s o cia l environment for children. (Rosalie B. Lacson/ LGU-Maramag/RLRB, PIABukidnon)

Hurst... from page 4

God created us Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve.

Just like we are born free to choose whether or not we will be adulterers, murderers, thieves, liars, alcoholics and vicious gossips, we are also born free to choose whether or not we will become homosexual. But the good news is that even if CAGAYAN DE ORO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano chosen Brothers you already have to Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * becomeTelefax a homosexual, # (088) 856-1947 Jesus CAMIGUIN willB.still forgiveBRANCH you and give Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Tel. # (088) 387-0491 you aCamiguin new life if you sincerely BRANCH ask Corrales HimCORRALES to Cagayan start changing Ave., de Oro City DIVISORIA BRANCH your heart.

So won’t you come Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. St., Cagayan de Oro City out ofVelez the and into the Tel.closet # (088) 857-3631 LAPASAN BRANCH light of Jesus forgiveness and Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City # (088) 231-6739 truth, soTel.He can start setting CARMEN BRANCH youVamenta freeTel. today?

Just Think a Blvd., Cagayan de Oro City # (088) 231-2011 Minute…

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Pryce...

San Miguel...

during the coming weekend after the Maersk Venturer drilling rig has been placed over the required location.

Otto Energy last May said the drilling procedures will last until August 15.

Otto Energy has a 93.18 p ercent interest, w hi le Palawan 55 Exploration and Production Corporation, a subsidiary of Trans-Asia Petroleum Corporation, has a 6.82 percent participating interest in the petroleum block.

Otto Energy is an international oil and gas c o m p a n y, e n g a g e d i n exploration, development and production. It has projects in the Philippines and Tanzania.

Pryce is engaged with property holding and real estate development, hotel operations, selling industrial gases and importing and distributing liquefied petroleum gas (LPG). (PNA)

2005, a few months after it decided to suspend business operations due to lack of capital. It exited rehabilitation on May 12 t his ye ar, a he ad of t he original target of Dec. 12, 2016.

As part of the consolidation of its telco b u s i n e s s e s , Ve g a w i l l also buy 100% equity in Trans Digital Excel, Inc. (TDE), which holds a 78.45% stake in Express Te l e c o m m u n i c a t i o n s Company, Inc. (Extelcom).

Vega will also acquire the 100% equity interest in Multi Tech Holdings, Inc. held by High Frequency Telecommunications, Inc., San Miguel said in separate disclosures yesterday.

The conglomerate said the acquisitions are “in line with the investments of SMC in the telecommunications industry.”

from page 5

from page 5

CDO MAIN BRANCH P & J Lim Bldg., Tiano Brothers Kalambagohan Sts., Tel. # (08822) 727-829 * Telefax # (088) 856-1947

DIVISORIA BRANCH Atty. Erasmo B. Damasing Bldg., #61 Don A. Velez St., Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 857-3631

CAMIGUIN BRANCH B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Tel. # (088) 387-0491

LAPASAN BRANCH Lapasan Hi-way, Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-6739

CORRALES BRANCH Corrales Ave., Cagayan de Oro City

CARMEN BRANCH Vamenta Blvd.,Cagayan de Oro City Tel. # (088) 231-2011

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CHARTERING of BUGO EAGLES CLUB

Bugo Eagles Club Chartering with National and Regional Officers together with the Ate or wives of charter members led by Eagle Julino Dulfo, Charter President, held recently at Marco Hotel, Alwana, Cugman, Cagayan de Oro.