BusinessWeek Mindanao (December 11, 2020)

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Briefly Open-pit mining MINING INVESTMENT has been hindered by inappropriate policy, including the freeze on new mineral production sharing agreements and the current ban on open-pit mining, preventing the industry from contributing to the economy, the head of the mining industry association said.

At the 9th Arangkada Philippines Forum Wednesday, Chamber of Mines of the Philippines Chairman Gerard H. Brimo said: “The industry has been stymied by policy problems, resulting in no new investments and therefore no growth.”

Citing 2019 data from the Mines and Geosciences Bureau, Mr. Brimo said the metallic mining industry accounted for 0.6% of gross domestic product (GDP), equivalent to P124.5 billion, and around 6.3% of exports at $4.38 billion.

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Friday|December 11, 2020

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PHINMA-COC criminology dean adjudged most outstanding academician Story by MARK FRANCISCO Photo by GERRY GORIT

DR. Gerry Caño – the dean of the College of Criminology at PHINMA-Cagayan de Oro College – was adjudged and accepted his honor as most outstanding Mindanaoan (private academe) during the

recently held 2nd Mindanao Governance & Leadership Excellence Award here in Cagayan de Oro City.

The initiative – which was jointly organized by Mindanao Daily News and

Philippine Veterans Bank – honors Mindanaoans with the following characteristics: consistency of best practices in governance (regulatory change, good management, utilization of technology and human resources ADJUDGED/PAGE 11

Angkas needs Oro govt nod before ops: LTFRB T

HE Land Transportation Franchising and Regulatory Board in Northern Mindanao (LTFRB-10) said ridehailing firm Angkas must first secure a permit from the city government before it can resume operations here.

Aminoden Guro, LTFRB-10 regional director, said a technical working group (TWG) created to look into Angkas’ application has recommended that the firm should seek approval from the local government before

Coal power rising POWER generating capacity from coal-fired plants is expected to rise 135% after all plants currently being built become operational, after a moratorium on new builds was declared last month, Clean Air Asia (CAA) said in a report.

The estimate follows Energy Secretary Alfonso G. Cusi’s freeze on new coal-fired projects announced in October.

“The Philippines’ Department of Energy (DoE) announced… that a moratorium on coal will be implemented, but this does not cover planned CFPs (coal-fired power plants), which will result in a 135% increase in coal capacity once all are operational,” CAA, a non-government organization (NGO), said.

We strive for Excellence!

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

D.I.Y. WARNING DEVICE. Fishermen in General Luna, Siargao Island prepare to release their makeshift warning device early evening. Made of kerosene lamps placed inside wine bottles on an improvised floater of wood and Styrofoam balls, this device will remind approaching boats of the fishing net’s location so it won’t get damaged. mindanews photo by roel n . catoto

Jail for those using DQR codes for ‘non-essential movement’

By ANTONIO L. COLINA IV, MindaNews

DAVAO City– Dabawenyos using the Safe Davao QR (DQR) for “non-essential movement” may be jailed for one month after the local council passed on third and

final reading Monday an ordinance requiring the mandatory implementation of the system for all establishments and individ Aut h ore d by D av a o

City’s 1st District Councilor J. Melchor B. Quitain Jr., the ordinance penalizes individuals who take advantage of the DQR for “non-essential” purposes, use cancelled DQR codes, or JAIL/PAGE 11

it is allowed to return to the streets.

The TWG is composed o f LT F R B - 1 0 , L a n d Transportation Office-10, Cagayan de Oro City Police Office, Traffic Management ANGKAS/PAGE 11

Ranque assumes as LTO 10 asst. director

By MARK FRANCISCO

S U P E R V I S I N G transportation and regulatory of f i ce r Ar t hur R anque assumed on December 7 as the new assistant director of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) in Region 10.

Ranque replaces outgoing assistant regional director Emmanuel Talento who had opted to retire early.

Part of the duties of an ASSUMES/PAGE 11

RANQUE

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

SM OPENS FIRST MALL IN ZAMBOANGA J

UST in time for Christmas, SM City Mindpro opens its doors in Zamboanga City, on Tuesday, December 8, 2020, bringing great shopping, leisure, and entertainment to this beautiful western Mindanao city. It is SM Prime Holdings’ 76th supermall, the seventh in Mindanao, and the first in the Zamboanga Peninsula region.

Zamboanga City, 6th most populous and 3rd largest city by land area in the Philippines, is the region’s cultural, economic, and educational center. Highly urbanized, it is a busy port strategically located on the southwestern tip of the Zamboanga Peninsula, on Basilan Strait, and sheltered by Basilan Island.

The immediate coastal SM City Mindpro creates a unique identity along the city’s popular thoroughfare with lowlands are narrow its striking glass walls at the main entrances and a dramatic linear overhang stretching with low, rugged hills

located a short distance inland. Zamboanga’s Spanish-style architecture, breathtakingly beautiful beaches, mountainous backdrop, and cool climate make it a favorite tourist destination.

Founded by Spanish forces in 1635 on the site of a native settlement, Zamboanga is known as Asia’s Latin City, and most residents speak the local dialect Chavacano, a Spanish based Creole language. Strong Spanish and Latin influences may also be found in the city’s

architecture and historical attractions like Fort Pilar, the shine of Our Lady of the Pillar which was built in the 17th century to protect the city against pirates.

Zamboanga City is also known as Ciudad de Flores or City of Flowers, as bougainvillea, orchids, and other tropical flowers line up its roadsides.

And today, hope blooms in the City of Flowers as SM opens a new mall in Zamboanga during these challenging times, OPENS/PAGE 10

along La Purisima Street.

BALINGASAG, MISAMIS ORIENTAL National Highway Balingasag, Barangay 4, Balingasag, Misamis Oriental Mobile Number/s: 0933-823-3161, 0933-823-3304 Tel. Number: 333-5161 CAGAYAN DE ORO P&J Lim Building, Tiano Kalambagohan St., Barangay 14, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel No. (08822) 727-829 / 231-6629 Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0933-823-3303 / 0943-708-7065 CAGAYAN DE ORO WAREHOUSE Warehouse 7, Bonbon Road, Kauswagan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Mobile No. 0917-825-4149 / 0943-708-7065 CARMEN, CAGAYAN DE ORO Vamenta Blvd., fronting CEPALCO, Carmen, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 233-2011 Mobile No. 0933-823-3159 CORRALES, CDO Corrales Ave., Barangay 29, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 231-2055

DIVISORIA, CDO A. Velez St., Barangay 9, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 856-1947 Mobile No. 0917-841-4000 / 0933-823-3164 GINGOOG CITY G/F Wyne Militante Bldg., Lugod St., Barangay 22, Gingoog City, Misamis Oriental Telefax No. (088) 861-0104 Mobile No. 0933-823-3168 LAPASAN, CDO National Highway (FICCO Bldg.), Lapasan, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 231-6739 Mobile No. 0933-823-3160 PUERTO, CDO Purok 6, Puerto, Cagayan de Oro City, Misamis Oriental Tel. No. (088) 859-0574 Mobile No. 0943-708-7537 CAMIGUIN B. Aranas St., Poblacion, Mambajao, Camiguin Telefax No. (088) 387-0491 Mobile No. 0943-708-7539

SM CITY MINDPRO OPENS. Just in time for Christmas, SM City Mindpro opens its doors in Zamboanga City, bringing great shopping, leisure, and entertainment to this beautiful western Mindanao city. It is SM Prime Holdings’ 76th supermall, the seventh in Mindanao, and the first in the Zamboanga Peninsula region. The four level 59,383 square meter mall will serve shoppers in the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay as well as the cities of Dapitan, Dipolog, Isabela, and Pagadian. Photo shows City Mayor Maria Isabelle “Beng” Climaco-Salazar (2nd from left), District 1 Congressman Cesar Jimenez Jr. (4th from left), Vice Mayor Atty. Rommel Agan (2nd from right), Councilor Josephine Pareja (3rd from left) with SM Supermalls Regional Operations Manager for Mindanao Jonathan Nick Santos (3rd from right) welcomed by greeters on opening day beside the mall’s Christmas centerpiece.

MinDA exec says illegal mining, logging uncovered in Mt. Apo COTABATO City– Mindanao Development Authority (MinDA) chair Secretary Emmanuel Piñol described as "outrageous" the illegal mining operations and illegal cutting of hardwood trees inside the Mt. Apo protected area.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, Piñol said the mining and cutting of trees were uncovered by a team from the Department of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR) North Cotabato inside the Mt. Apo protected area in Barangay Don Panaca, Magpet town.

“What makes this discovery totally outrageous was the confirmation that local officials, allegedly protected by Army soldiers, are behind the mining and clearing operations inside one (of ) the last remaining forest areas of Mindanao,” Piñol said.

LOGGING/PAGE 11

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

Andanar to public servants: Be more patient in promoting programs addressing causes of insurgency

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By PCOO

AGAYAN DE ORO CITY -- Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar on Monday encouraged government employees to extend their patience while implementing programs addressing the root causes of insurgencies in the countryside.

Secretary Andanar led the meeting of the Northern Mindanao Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC X) here, where he underscored government assistance undertaken amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“While we were unprepared, with persistence and determination and the blessing of our Almighty, we have been able to address and continue to attend to the various consequences of COVID-19. We emerged stronger and more resilient because of the Filipino bayanihan spirit,” he said “I encourage everyone to be more patient,

Presidential Communications Operations Office (PCOO) Secretary Martin Andanar led the meeting of the Northern Mindanao Regional Task Force to End Local Communist Armed Conflict (RTF-ELCAC X) in Cagayan de Oro City on Monday, December 7, 2020. Photo by PCOO.

considerate, and caring to one another especially to the public we serve.

We have to create positive changes in our society especially in improving the lives of the least, the weak, the poor, and the unreachable, which I believe is our ultimate purpose in life,” he added.

The meeting outlined efforts and delivery of services of regional line agencies, including the creation of the Northern Mindanao Regional Balik Probinsya, Bagong Pag-

asa (BP2) Action Plan, the updated Regional Development Investment Program 2017-2022 and FY 2022 Annual Investment Program of the Security Sector; and the Updated Regional Development Investment Program 20172022 of the Security Sector.

The committee also discussed the status of the CAPDev initiatives enrolled in the web-based geospatial technology IPALAMDAG for the last quarter of the year, and updates on the One Map

for Conflict Resolution of Tenurial Claims.

IPALAMDAG stands for Innovative Platform for Programs, Projects, Activities’ (PPAs) Location Assessment, Monitoring, Investment Programming, and Budgeting for Development Planning and Governance.

Continuous aid for increasing number of rebel surrenderees In the same meeting, the Department of the Interior and Local Government Region

10 (DILG 10) said that additional funds have been realigned for the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program (E-CLIP) in response to the increasing number of rebel returnees.

DILG Regional Director Arnel Agabe bared that they have requested the Department of Budget and Management for this and a partial requested fund has already been downloaded through DILG Central Office.

“The E-CLIP appropriations at the DILG Central level is already exhausted by as early as the middle of this year. That is why we, DILG region 10 and the Department, already requested the Department of Budget and Management for the realignment of our funds of our PPAs so we could provide funding for the Enhanced Comprehensive Local Integration Program,” he said.

“Upon approval by Malacañang, a portion of our submitted request for E-CLIP funding allocation have already been downloaded. This is the reason why we have started again to give the necessary

assistance to our former rebels,” he added.

The E-CLIP is an initiative to restore the allegiance to the government of former members of the communist terrorist group New People’s Army (NPA) and provide them better opportunities.

“A considerable number of surrenderees have already been provided with the necessary DILGadministered package of financial assistance,” he said.

“Many lives have already been transformed from being wanted by the government or from being pursued by our government law enforcement agencies and the Armed Forces of the Philippines to being free again and now living with the hope that their aspirations will be realized,” he added.

As of December 7, 2020, DILG 10 has already distributed around P12 million to more than 240 former rebels.

A ceremonial awarding of financial assistance was conducted for 5 former rebels who surrendered to the authorities in Misamis Oriental. (PCOO)

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Opinion

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

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Wonders of work (Pt. 1) Think a minute . . . The famous writer George Bernard Shaw said: “When I was a young man I observed that 9 out of 10 things I did were failures. I didn’t want to be a failure, so I did 10 times more work!”

All successful people say the same thing: “Luck is what you make of it with hard work.” As important as a good education is, it does not guarantee success. In every kind of career there are successful people who had little natural talent to begin with, but the most important thing they had was the desire and discipline to keep working toward their full potential and success.

T h e re i s s i mp l y n o substitute for hard work.

Even if you naturally know how to charm and get along with people, you still must do the work and finish the job well. If you are naturally smart in school, you still have to spend time and effort learning the new knowledge.

If you do not have a lot of natural talent or ability, then you must work even harder.

It is a clear, vital fact of life.

A good worker’s best

THINK A MINUTE

JHAN TIAFAU HURST friend is time. He learns not to waste or misuse his time, because he knows if he “kills time” he kills his chances for success! The great inventor Thomas Edison often worked when most people slept. In fact, Edison usually did not sleep more than 4 hours a night. He said that too much sleep made him lose time, opportunities, and ideas.

Most of us cannot work that many waking hours of every day, so we need to learn to make even better use of our time. The Greek philosopher Plato said: “One of the saddest things in life is a man who spends much of his time on things that are not important.”

WONDERS/PAGE 9

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

A horrible year

THERE is no debate that the coronavirus pandemic has turned the world almost completely upside down.

This pandemic that is still lurking in our midst is a global catastrophe of immeasurable proportion never imagined to go down in histor y as the worst ever health crisis to halt the world’s economy to an almost complete stop.

In fact, Covid-19 has affected mankind completely down and out — and just how our lives have changed drastically for a temporary period of time for over 10 months

now and still counting.

T h e re i s n o d ou bt therefore that the ongoing pandemic has turned 2020 as the worst year e v e r, n e x t o n l y t o t h e 1918 global health crisis that had killed millions of our early ancestors.

Per record, the influenza pandemic had killed more p eople than WWI at somewhere between 20 and 40 million.

It was cited as the most devastating epidemic in recorded world histor y.

A n d h i s t or y re p e at s itself, indeed.

A f te r a qu ar te r of a centur y, t hat p andemic

with an almost the same face value is back.

This makes 2020 a horrible year to reckon with.

And for countless reasons, 2020 really sucked.

And as we end up the year, death counts keep on increasing by the day.

Good grief vaccines of various countr y origins a r e n ow e v o l v i n g f a s t , h opi n g t h at s o on t h i s deadly virus that had so far killed over a million worldwide will be a thing of the past.

For now, there is no need to spend the holidays.

UNRUFFLED

RUFFY MAGBANUA We have been into this since March this year.

Stay safe. Keep the distance. Keep clean. Wear your mask. (ruffy44_ph2000@ yahoo.com)

'Ownership' of the rich is the 'dispossession' of the poor

Who can buy or sell the sky?

An 1848 speech attributed to Chief S eattle of the Suquamish tribe poetically expressed: “How can you buy or sell the sky, the warmth of the land? The idea is strange to us. If we do not own the freshness of the air and the sparkle of the water, how can you buy them? Every part of this earth is sacred to my people. Every shining pine needle, every sandy shore, every mist of in the dark woods, every clearing and every humming insect is holy in the memory and experience of my people.”

Chief Seattle is now proven absolutely right when he and the natives of America, whom he then led some four centuries ago, questioned the economic system that was uprooting them from their native land and their culture as well. Indeed, the “ownership” of the rich white men in the US then was based on the “dispossession” of the Indigenous Peoples. It is also true based on the experience of the Indigenous Peoples

in Mindanao. For a while they resisted but “might was right,” so it came to pass that by virtue of conquest, it was another culture that prevailed over the land. That gave way to the imposition of the colonizers’ economic system that provided titles to everything that could be owned or sold.

To d ay, t hat k ind of economic system has gone berserk in pursuing the growth-at-all cost strategy even sacrificing mother nature to the altar of greed and profit. All because individual ownership gives one the absolute right of exploitation, even if devoid of any sense of morality as long as there is profit.

This is res ipsa loquitor (the thing speaks for itself ) considering the global state of the environment.

Highly attached to Mother Earth, the Indigenous People then of the North American Continent were puzzled why everything was the subject of commerce especially the land

and all the natural wonders found in it. How can you own something that will outlast you. You can not own the land, the land will own you.

Perhaps, even the sky will be sold if only such can be owned by the colonizers, so they thought.

In the Philippines, our Indigenous People are also of the belief that land can be owned only when one is using it or working to make it productive otherwise it is owned communally. In fact, they believe that there are things which by their very nature should not be owned or be the subject of commerce because these are means to life and are therefore universal in nature. A good example is air. Just imagine one entrepreneur who is able to develop a technology that can capture all the air available, then, start selling it. Only those with money will survive, isn’t it?

This is also true to water and to electricity, without which we are all doomed. It

KIM'S DREAM

ORLAN R. RAVANERA was unimaginable in the past to sell our water as it is beyond comprehension now to sell air. But in a land where there is the propensity to subject everything to business, who knows?

Indeed, “our world is not for sale.” “Our water is not for sale.” “Our seeds and biodiversity are not for sale.”

This should be our response to privatization under the insane ideology known as corporate globalization.” To quote the world-renowned environmentalist and a friend, Dr. Vandanna Shiva, OWNERSHIP/PAGE 9

True love is not scandalized by anything THAT'S how true love is, a love that is a clear sharing of the love that is in God as shown and lived by Christ himself. It's a love that is not scandalized by anything.

It, of course, continues to maintain that what is wrong is wrong, what is sinful and evil is sinful and evil. It does not compromise the truth of things.

But that fact would not take away one’s love for the person who happens to be wrong not only in some matters of opinion but also in some very serious matters, like matters of faith, hope and charity.

It’s a love that clearly shows one is with God and is following the new commandment Christ gave us—that we love one another as he himself has loved us. (cfr. Jn 13,34) It’s a love that was clearly described by St. Paul in his First Letter to the Corinthians: “Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all

things.” (13,7) Instead of being scandalized by evil, anyone who has this true love would rather be motivated to do all he can to help and save that person who is in error. He is not afraid to suffer in that effort. He would consider the suffering and sacrifice involved as his joy—of the kind that transcends the usual human and worldly standards.

This is the love that all of us should aim at acquiring and living. For this, of course, a lot of discipline is involved. First, we have to have recourse to the spiritual and supernatural means of prayer, sacrifice, going to the sacraments.

There shou ld b e an unrelenting effort to know Christ so well as to identify ourselves with him more and more. It’s only then that we can be strong enough to take on anything without being scandalized, discouraged or left invincibly bitter by whatever gross stupidities people can commit.

Then, we obviously have to train ourselves humanly to be tough, resilient, patient and always hopeful and optimistic.

A lot of discipline is needed here to prevent ourselves from falling into some negative state of mind and heart. We have to learn how to be sport, how to bear and grin in spite of whatever.

All these should be a result of our firm faith that with God, we are always assured of the final victory even if in the standards of the world we may appear to have lost. We, of course, will continue to be human, and our immediate reaction to setbacks, failures and things like that, would always be anger, worry, sadness, but we should not stay long there.

We should be quick on the rebound to recover our true spiritual and supernatural bearing.

Thus, every day we should put to practice what Christ has told us—that we should always look for opportunities

HINTS AND TRACES

ROY CIMAGALA where we can deny ourselves and carry our cross daily. (cfr.

Mt 16,24) We should not wait for suffering and sacrifice to appear and come to us. We have to look for them.

That’s how we can toughen ourselves with the toughness of love that is invincible to whatever evil can come our way. It’s what would enable us not to be scandalized by anything. Instead, we would be moved to intensify our charity, our concern and care for the others!

Email: roycimagala@gmail. com

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

5

CorporateWorld

Cebu Pacific offers ‘piso sale’ as it seeks to boost air travel

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EBU PACIFIC said on Wednesday it would have to continue its efforts to boost air travel as the budget carrier cannot afford to wait for a coronavirus vaccine.

“I think we cannot afford to wait for the vaccine to get here before we start to confidently fly again because of the impact of travel and tourism on the economy,” Candice A. Iyog, Cebu Pacific vice president for marketing and customer

service, said at a virtual forum on Wednesday.

She said the low-cost carrier, operated by Cebu Air, Inc., is “finding the right balance based on the information it has, based on the technology, and based on what it has in place today so that it can already start calibrating and moving closer towards where its peers are.”

On Monday, Cebu Air President and Chief Executive Officer Lance Y. Gokongwei

said at a Palace briefing that the “airline sector is really under severe stress.”

“This year, we will lose almost P25 billion. But I think that’s part of doing business,” he added.a Mr. Gokongwei said the company’s main priority for now is to operate the airline “in a very safe and secure manner for both its passengers and employees” in order to regain people’s confidence in flying amid the pandemic.

The low-cost carrier also announced on Wednesday that it will be offering its trademark “piso” seat sale from Dec. 10 to 12 for travels from Aug. 1 to Nov. 30 next year.

“A lot of us are looking forward to experiencing the wonders of travel again, especially now that we are seeing more domestic destinations reopen its doors for tourists. We firmly believe the holiday season is the perfect time to share this

gift with everyJuan,” Ms. Iyog said.

Cebu Air’s net loss for the third quarter of the year widened to P5.54 billion from the P375.67 million loss it incurred a year earlier, mainly as a result of low passenger traffic.

Its revenues for the third quarter dropped 89.4% to P2.01 billion.

Cebu Air’s shares closed at P51.35 each on Wednesday, gaining five centavos or 0.10%.

further expands in Smart to upgrade 40% of sites Jollibee Europe with 3rd branch in UK to 5G by end of next year SMART COMMUNICATIONS, Inc., the wireless arm of PLDT, Inc. plans to upgrade 40% of its sites to fifth generation (5G) by the end of 2021.

The company said in a press release on Sunday that it will upgrade 4,000 of its base stations to 5G next year, along with deploying an additional 4,000 long term evolution or LTE base stations

nationwide. The company rolled out 279 base stations in the third quarter to support its 5G networks.

The PLDT fiber infrastructure supporting Smart’s 4G, 3G, and 2G has reached 422,000 kilometers as of November.

Smart has also increased its LTE and 3G base stations to over 58,000, which is 20,000 more than 2019.

Smart has also put up

more than 700 new towers so far this year as it plans to reach 726 by the end of 2020.

“Not all of these new sites are already related to the permits we have received so far, as it will take many months after permits have been granted until a site is fully built and operational,” PLDT Chief Technology and Information Advisor Joachim Horn said. “These

sites will help us increase our LTE population coverage to 94-95%, cover more municipalities and provide more capacity for dense areas. This goes along with all other expansion efforts done this year.”

Smart has secured 1,600 permits since the Anti-Red Tape Authority issued a joint memorandum SMART/PAGE 11

If interested, contact:

HOMEGROWN restaurant chain Jollibee Foods Corp.

(JFC) continues with its United Kingdom (UK) expansion with its third store in Leicester City.

Dennis Flores, president of JFC Europe, Middle East, Asia, and Australia, said 40 percent of its customers were already locals from Leicester when usually almost all of the customers during the first weeks are Filipinos.

“This is a good indication that our strategy to make Jollibee

DANICA SUDARIA

appeal to the mainstream market is working -allowing us to widen our customer base. We are very much encouraged to see the initial days’ sales outperform projections by double digits, even surpassing the recent blockbuster Liverpool opening,” he said in a statement.

The Leicester City store is the second Jollibee UK opening in the span of just two months despite lockdown restrictions currently in place in the EXPANDS/PAGE 11

dannycarosesudaria0512@gmail.com 0936-046-2356

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Friday|December 11, 2020

World Fintech Festival Philippines Day 2

Data Driven Infra and New Cloud Economy to Spur Economic Growth

F

OLLOWING the introduction of the efforts being made to create smart cities, to strengthen e-banking, and to usher in a more inclusive board of tech leaders in Day 1 of the World Fintech Festival (WFF), Day 2 of the virtual event on Dec. 8 saw panelists do a deep dive into the more technical but crucially important regulatory actions that serve as both the backbone and the lifeline for a sustainable fintech future in the Philippines.

Data-Driven Infrastructure and A New Cloud Economy To Spur Economic Growth Adoption of a datadriven infrastructure and integration into a new cloud economy can hasten the country’s post-COVID economic recovery.

Alibaba Cloud Intelligence Country Head Allen Guo recognizes the fast growth of the PH economy (its GDP rising higher than others in SEA the past five years), and is committed to investing 200B CNY to build new-generation data centers.

Department of Information Communications Technology (DICT) Asec.

Manny Caintic affirmed that the national line agencies are more comfortable about its adoption now, compared to its apprehensions about security years ago, and said it is more efficient currently to implement the cloud-first policy.

The digitalization of our internal systems as a future fintech leader in Asia has seen the need for infrastructures that support such initiatives

on a nationwide scale.

As Anna Lamentillo, the Chairman of the Department of Public Works and Highways’ (DPWH) Build Build Build Committee says, “We use roads not just to bridge people together but also to support high-speed internet.

The master plan is for Facebook to utilize the infrastructure and, in turn, they will provide P2 million for the government’s initiative.”

The talk also highlighted that by 2021, 83 major cities can expect free wi-fi connectivity and cloud-first access.

The cloud-first policy hopes to encourage government agencies to adopt cloud-based systems to heighten their efficiency and foster realtime collaboration via data sharing.

National ICT Confederation of the Philippines (NICP) CEO Michael Lim shared the organization’s deep collaboration with the DICT in order to push forward the implementation of these initiatives, especially with the continuously growing BPO sector that can attribute a third of its jobs from the NICP councils.

Monchito Ibrahim, incoming head of the Philippine Association for Digital Commerce and Decentralized Industries (PADCDI), shared that the beginning stages of this effort can be traced back to the implementation of the Dep-Ed Internet Connectivity Project a decade ago, stamping e-commerce as the next frontier and initiating the ideals in security and transparency that lead the new initiatives today. With all of these

Attorney Mark Gorriceta, Managing Partner of Gorriceta Africa Cauton and Saavedra

combined efforts, each collaborator aims to create accessibility to thousands of Filipinos and successfully digitize the Philippine countryside.

Central Bank to Shift 50% of Retail Payment to Digital According to Bangko Sentral ng Pilipinas (BSP) Director Mel Plabasan, its Digital Transformation Roadmap, which was recently introduced, ushers in a whole-ofsociety approach to democratize financial services, initially targeting to shift 50% of retail payment to a digital form, and 70% of Filipino adults to have access to their own transaction accounts.

This was the highlight of the second panel on the second day entitled “The Legal and Regulatory Framework: Fintech’s Lifeline to

Global Competitiveness,” moderated by Ida Tiongson, CEO President, OPAL Portfolio Investments (SPV-AMC).

“Securing financial and data security is our mission, there must be a tight grip on how development is made,” said tech attorney Mark Gorriceta, Managing Partner of Gorriceta, Africa, Cauton, and Saavedra.

“We also have some of the highest internet penetration, and when we combine these with the changes happening we can see the Philippines is at par with some of the most prominent fintech markets. We're at the forefront of these emerging technologies.”

Securities and Exchange (SEC) Commissioner Ephyro Amatong reminded that, “Regulation is necessary to promote sustainable

Robertson “Dick” Chiang, DragonPay CEO

growth when dealing with innovation. One of the primary lessons we learned in past economic crises is that regulations help to keep things in order and will help keep distribution of wealth and financial opportunities.”

Addressing the interest in a deeper collaboration between public and private sectors, JustPayto CEO Gemma Guerrero, said, “Hopefully, the government can help to put mandates in place that will allow tech, like cashless transactions, to really help the population to pivot with the necessary changes due to COVID-19. From 200 fintech companies we can see how the regulation can evolve from there.”

Pandemic compressed 6 years of Organic E-Commerce Development to just 6 Months

According to DragonPay CEO Robertson “Dick” Chiang, studies have shown that about 80-90% of people have already adapted to online living.

The country currently has 159% mobile penetration and only in the last month, 76% of adult internet users did at least one online purchase, and 66% bought items using a mobile device.

New business models have adapted to take advantage of these new technologies. What remains now is for the government to put the right policies in place to ensure sustained growth. These industrychanging trends were tackled in the last panel for the day, “Setting Up the Infrastructure for the Day - The Rise of E-commerce.” PADCDI Founding Director Jayjay INFRA/PAGE 11

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

Unfazed Cotabato execs back NAPC’s anti-poverty thrust

N

ORTH Cotabato provincial and municipal officials on Wednesday affirmed their signatures to a document pledging their full support to the Sambayanihan program of the National AntiPoverty Commission that sought to ensure that “no one is left out during the new normal.”

“This signifies that local government units and their leaders are unfazed as they work together in taking on poverty in the midst of the pandemic,” said Rep. Rudy

Caoagdan of Cotabato’s 2nd district.

The congressman joined Vice-Governor Emmylou J. TalinoMendoza in witnessing the signing of a memorandum of agreement between 10 municipal mayors in a virtual conference with Secretary Noel K. Felongco of the National AntiPoverty Commission on Dec. 2, 2020 in Makilala, North Cotabato.

The MOA pledged all mayors to fully support the Sambayanihan program of NAPC that sought to field volunteers on the ground

to monitor if government services are accessed by those who needed them most.

Felongco said the Sambayanihan represents the 3S or Sambayanihan: Serbisyong Sambayanan that sought to coordinate anti-poverty convergent efforts.

“This is dedicated to the proposition that no one is to be left behind, especially the poor, the deprived and the underserved,” he said.

Talino said NAPC’s flagship program is unique because it strengthens

volunteerism and unity on the part of LGUs. “We are asked to volunteer more to offset the effects of the pandemic,” she said.

Mayor Joseph Evangelista of Kidapawan City said the MOA signing will strengthen efforts to counter severe malnutrition arising from economic hardship during the pandemic.

He warned that with the crisis not going to end, the situation may even worsen.

The municipal mayors who signed the

MOAs with the NAPC included: Vicente Sorupia of Aleosan, Herbo P. Guzman, Jr. of Kabacan, Moises C. Arendain of Carmen, Christopher M. Cuan of Libungan, Florentino T. Gonzaga of Magpet, Egidio D. Cadungon of Antipas, Rene V. Rubino of Arakan, Jonathan O. Mahimpit of Pres. Roxas, Jesus F. Alisasis of Banisilan and Evangelista.

The World Bank in 2015 placed at 41.4 per cent the poverty incidence of North Cotabato.

An updated figure placed the estimate at 25.6 per cent.

Congressman Caoagdan had earlier contested the figures, saying these may not be accurate considering the

economic gains made by the province.

He also cited a high literacy rate of 95.5 per cent as of 2015 as proof of a much-lesser poverty rate.

Talino echoed the congressman’s concerns, indicating that the poverty incidence in the province may not be realistic as earlier estimated.

Under the MOA, the nine municipalities and one city pledged to provide administrative and logistical support to the fielding of Sambayanihan volunteers.

NAPC’s mandates is backed by memorandum circular No. 59 issued

by Executive Secretary Salvador C. Medialdea on March 2019 that directed all government THRUST/PAGE 11

Poster making contest for frontliners

By RAY Z. NERI Teacher III Alubijid Central School

BWM: Dec. 11 & 23, 2020

BWM: Dec. 11 & 23, 2020

THE activity is anchored on the initiative of DepEd M i s a m i s O r i e nt a l t o promote kindness to the entitled RAK 4 initiative.

T h e i n it i at i ve a l l ow s us to identify the four most affected and most vulnerable sectors in our society during the time of community quarantine w he n move me nt s are restricted and when anxiety and fear engulf humanity.

The sectors which are most vulnerable are frontliners, less fortunate learners, high-risk personnel and teachers and leaders.

The purpose of this initiative is to inculcate the virtue of kindness among our DepEd teachers, employees and learners in

this time of COVID-19 pandemic. Since as human beings we are all wired to kindness, we can lead in fostering relationships in working together in inspiring others and in ensuring that we survive as one human race. This challenging situation can be an opportunity for teachers to become walking symbols of kindness and other timehonored Filipino virtues.

We need to inspire our leaders who are at the forefront of the fight against the pandemic. They are there continuously reassuring us that we can overcome the problem.

They also need us to boost their mental and emotional strength.

BSP school coordinator ROLANDO B. DELOSTRICO Lala National High School Maranding,Lala,Lanao del Norte T-II

BWM: Dec. 11 & 23, 2020

BWM: Dec. 11 & 23, 2020

As BSP coordinator, I am a WBH- Wood Badge Holder in ATC (Advance Training Course of Outfit Advisor) in ATC 19-058 under Mabini Crew.An elected as the permanent Crew Leader of Mabini Crew and awarded as Service Bronze Awardee at BSP National Court of Honor for meritorious and outstanding service rendered to the organization.

I also received a certificate of recognition from the BSP Western Mindanao Region for Outstanding Boy Scouts regional level in 2019 and Bronze Service Award from the BSP National Court of Honor in 2015.

The Boy Scouts of the Philippines (BSP), is the national scouting association of the Philippines in the World Organization of t he S c out Move me nt .

The Scout movement was first introduced in the Philippines on 1910 during the American Colonial Rule.

It was "granted Recognition as a Member Organisation of the Boy Scouts International Conference...with effect from October 31, 1936" by virtue of certification signed by J. S. Wilson, Olave Baden-Powell, and Daniel Spry.

For most of the late 20th century and into the 21st century, the Boy Scouts of the Philippines is among the largest Scout organizations in the world, currently 4th, in terms of membership count (behind Boy Scouts of America, The Bharat Scouts and Guides of India and the co-ed Gerakan Pramuka Indonesia), largely due to the organization's dependence on the Department of Education.

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

Last batch of former Taliptip residents receive early X’mas gift: land titles, new homes

S

AN Miguel Corporation (SMC) has formally turned over land ownership titles to former residents of Sitio Kinse in Barangay Taliptip who are now starting a new life in their new concrete homes at a safer location in Barangay Bambang, Bulakan, in time for Christmas.

The new homeowners, part of the last batch of former residents to move out of the future site of SMC’s P740-billion world-class airport project, were able to buy land and build new homes with the financial assistance provided to them by SMC. The company also helped them find the property they chose, construct their houses, and secured for them electricity and water utilities connection.

Teody Bacon and other former residents of Sitio Kinse hold SMC also took care of the land ownership title to their new homes in Barangay processing the transfer of ownership and titling of Bambang in Bulakan.

properties to their names.

The turnover last Dec. 3 coincided with the blessing of the new houses

by Fr. Ramon Garcia of former Taliptip residents Teody Bacon, Teodoro Bacon, Rodel Alvarez, Primitivo Canceran, Roberto Bantigue, Jose Roger Requinto, and their families.

In Barangay Taliptip, the former Sitio Kinse residents did not own the land where their houses on stilts stood. They also did not have access to water and electricity.

Immediately after the completion of construction, they decided to move into their new houses last October 31 before heavy rains and wind brought by Typhoon Ulysses reached many parts of Luzon, including Bulacan. ”Kung kami lang siguro ang nag-asikaso baka ni-isang papel wala

Iligan eyes to adjust curfew hours for Simbang Gabi ILIGAN CITY - The city government of Iligan is planning to shorten its curfew hours to make way for the Simbang Gabi or dawn masses during the Christmas season.

City Mayor Celso Regencia said during the

recent City Peace and Order Council meeting that he will issue an executive order to amend the curfew hours to '10:00 p.m. to 3:30 a.m.' from the previous '10:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m.'

"Bisan pa man og nia ta

sa katalagman ato gihapon saulogon ang pagkatawo sa atong manunubos," he explained.

(Even though we are in a pandemic, we will still celebrate the birth of our Redeemer.)

He however

Iligan City Mayor Celso Regencia says he will issue an executive order to adjust curfew hours in the city during the Christmas season to make way for the Simbang Gabi. (Angelo Dologmandin/PIA-ICIC)

emphasized that the adjusted curfew will only be observed this December to allow residents to attend the traditional Simbang Gabi, and that health protocols to combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) will be strictly implemented.

Regencia also recommended the scheduling of more Simbang Gabi masses to accommodate more people and still observe physical distancing.

"Damihan ang misa, mag interval ng 30 minutes para hindi magsalubong ang mga lalabas at papasok ng simbahan," he added.

(Schedule more mass with 30 minutes intervals so that those coming in and out of the church do not meet.)

The mayor further reminded that minors will not be allowed to join the dawn masses. (APB/PIAICIC)

Student’s Academic Performance; The Role of Motivation ESTRELLA P. GUIBONE Teacher I Matangale National High School

The nature of motivation in students academic performance is vital to improve student learning outcomes.

Motivated students are more able to adapt learned content to new situations because they tend to reflect on underlying causes or frameworks.

Students who are more motivated to learn persist longer, produce higher quality effort, learn more deeply, and perform better in classes and on standardize test.

In this time of pandemic, students and teachers are more challenge to be more motivated and focused

to their learnings and teaching. It consumes all of your time trying to find many ways to interact with them through social medias and other learning materials. How to caught their attentions on your classes and be more connected to them just like being in a one classroom with your students.

You can really tell if a student is motivated through their academic performance, and as a teacher it’s a big achievement to see that your students are still eager to learn despite of this pandemic the world is facing. They

still choose to enroll and learn in any type of learning strategies the teachers make. Students are more motivated to learn despite of the challenges all of us are facing.

We teachers still faces challenges and problems with what is happening and with the new teaching techniques we are engaging now but we are still grateful because this kind of things will really test the ability of teacher and student’s connection with each other and how we coped up with the changes. Let’s keep motivate and let’s keep going. Better days are coming!

pa kami naaasikaso. Kaya salamat po talaga sa SMC sa pag-alalay nila sa amin mula sa paghahanap ng lote, pagpapatayo ng bahay at pag-aasikaso sa pagtatransfer ng titulo at higit sa lahat sa pagaasikaso na magkaroon kami ng sariling tubig at kuryente,” Bacon said.

Bacon said that although many of his neighbors will still rely on fishing, they are looking forward to the livelihood and skills training opportunities to be provided for them by SMC under the Technical

Education Skills and Development Authority (TESDA).

Recently, the first 58 graduates of the TESDA courses completed their courses in shielded metal arc welding, electrical Installation and maintenance, heavy equipment operations, dressmaking, and cookery.

Twelve graduates of the Heavy Equipment Operator course are set to be employed in the ongoing dredging project in Tullahan River and also the planned river channel GIFT/PAGE 11

DRRM coordinator ROLANDO B. DELOSTRICO Lala National High School Maranding,Lala,Lanao del Norte T-II

I was the DRRM coordinator in Panoloon National High School when we won as Best DRRM Center (third place, secondary level) regionals in 2016.

In consonance with Republic Act No. 101021, re: Philippine Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Act of 2010, and DepEd Order No. 21, s. 2015 re: Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Coordination and Information Management Protocol, all schools are d i re c te d to for m/ reconstitute their School Disaster Risk Reduction and Management (SDRRM) Committee to spearhead the conduct of Disaster Risk Reduction/Climate Change Adaptation (DRR/ CCA)-related programs/ projects/activities in their respective schools.

The composition of the SDRRM Team shall be aligned with DepEd’s DRRM Framework (DepEd Order 37, s. 2015) incorporating the Four Thematic Areas of DRRM which are; Prevention and Mitigation, Preparedness, Response, and Rehabilitation.

Attached is the Information Management Protocol and the suggested Roles and Functions of the School DRRM Team Composition, for information and guidance.

The S chool Head may serve as the school DRRM Coordinator but shall appoint an alternate among other school personnel to assist in the implementation of DRRM. The following are his/her roles and responsibilities in order to establish a culture of safety in the school.

ICT augments delivery of knowledge

By SEER A. MANLANTAO

Information and Communication Technology (ICT) in education is an i n s t r u c t i on a l m e t h o d that utilizes information and communications technology to support, intensify and augment the delivery of knowledge.

Worldwide research has shown that “ICT can lead to an improved pupil learning and better teaching methods.”

A re p or t m a d e by the National Institute of Multimedia Education in Japan “proved that an increase in the use of ICT in education with integrating technolog y to the curriculum has a significant and positive influence on students.”

The students who are cont i nuously e xp os e d to technolog y through education have b etter understanding, presentation

skills, innovative capabilities and are ready to take more efforts into learning as compared to others.

The role of ICT in education has become a major player in the delivery of teaching and learning and has transformed the education system as we once knew it.

Introducing ICT in classroom instructions is the answer for those who ask how we could motivate pupils to be attentive in the class.

It is also the answer for those who ask what materials could be used to achieve higher mastery level in all subjects.

In the past years years, traditional teachers wrote on actual blackboards with chalk and erasers, the class register was just written and so with the class record and other school forms.

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

Wonders... from page 4

So why waste one more minute of what is left of your life? Ask Jesus to forgive you for not living the way you know you should. Then ask Him to take charge of your character and way of living.

Since He is your Maker, He knows how to help you work hard, and work smart, so your life will work right— according to His awesome plan for you. Just think a minute . . .

Ownership... from page 4

“Corporate globalization is based on new enclosures of the commons, enclosures which implies exclusions and are based on violence, Instead

of a culture of abundance, profit-driven globalization creates cultures of exclusion, dispossession and scarcity.

In fact, globalization transformation of all beings and resources into commodities robs diverse species and people of their rightful share of ecological, cultural, economic, and political space. The ownership” of the rich is based on the “dispossession” of the poor – it is the common, public resources of the poor which are privatized, and the poor who are disowned economically, politically and culturally.”

If, at all, we have to own these essentials, i.e., land, forest, water, etc. it must follow the moral tenet that the users should be the owners.

Cheer Me Up!

By LYDIA M. LLIDO Teacher I

YES cheerleading is definitely a sport. Cheer teams work out, run and have to deal with all team players just like any other sport. The only difference is that this sport combines spirit, dance, sweat and cheer for its performance and may or may not be competitive.

High school cheerleading contains aspects of school spirit as well as competition.

These teams have become part of a year-round cycle which starts in June and ends in March of the succeeding year. Like varsity athletes, cheerleaders must practice and train in order to be in top physical shape

to perform stunts, jumps, tumbling and pyramids.

Cheerleaders use their strength to lift other team members in the air, enabling them to use pom-poms and signs more effectively.

As crowd leaders, the cheerleading team is the connection between the fans and the athletes. The energy and enthusiasm produced by the crowd can rally a sports team to play better and boost overall morale. It is the cheerleading team’s task to unif y the crowd in its efforts. Cheerleaders preserve school traditions and come up with new ways to improve fan involvement.

ICT as an anchor to growth

By SEER A. MANLANTAO

First, the ICT industry itself has grown large. Second, ICT is used in all industries.

ICT is complementary to other types of technology and may enhance returns f r o m i nv e s t m e n t s i n physical and human capital in many activities. ICT is network-based, and growth effects may be increasing in the number of users.

ICT sector plays an important role, notably by contributing to rapid technological progress and productivity growth.

New technologies and their implementation in productive activities are changing the economic structure and contributing to productivity increases in OECD economies.

Science, technology and innovation have become key factors contributing to economic growth in both advanced and developing economies. In the knowledge economy, information circulates at the international level through trade in goods and ser vices, direct investment and technology flows, and the movement of people. Information and communication

technologies (ICT) have b e e n at t h e h e ar t of economic changes for more than a decade.

E c o n o m i c competitiveness depends on productivity level and in the knowledge economy, ICT sectors determine the productivity level. As a result , we can say that the power of economic c o mp e t i t i v e n e s s o f a country depends on the productivity of its ICT s ector. There are two ways to improve the TFP of ICT and to improve the power of competitiveness.

First of all, if the selected c ou nt r i e s s o l v e t h e i r inefficiency problem by reallocation of resources, they can improve their TFP of the ICT sector and as a result they can be more competitive. Secondly, the technological improvement in these countries creates an e x p e c t at i on ab out increasing TFP of ICT sector for future. If there will be a sustainable technological improvement by innovation, it will cause a sustainable increase in the TFP of ICT sector and as a result it will cause a sustainable increase in competitiveness.

Our lumads had “owned” the forest for hundreds, if not, thousands of years, and have used them sustainably with high reverence to nature.

But the 17 million hectares of dipterocarp forests which were the homes then of billions of flora and fauna are now gone, gone to loggers everyone who used their massive rakings to become powerful politicians. Then the neo-colonizers came, the TNCs in cohort with powersthat-be, illegally grabbing the lands of the Indigenous Peoples and transforming our choicest of lands into massive plantations, using toxic chemicals heavily that as if we are dumping to our watersheds s ome 2,000 dump trucks of poisons every day as seven out of eight chemicals are already banned in other countries.

Are you still wondering why so many of newly-born babies are deformed or why many are now dying of cancer?

Yes, our agricultural lands, when not owned by the communities, are subjected to tremendous amount of poisonous chemicals which

have destroyed their natural fertility.

This is als o tr ue to electricity. The so-called electric cooperatives must reckon with the fact that the member-consumers are really the owners because of their monthly payment of two items: 1) amortization of loans and 2) reinvestment.

These items when computed will reach tens of thousands of pesos per member-consumer, yet no patronage credits were issued to them.

It has become imperative for all of us to rectify social wrongs which are being inflicted upon the people.

Following the principle of transparency and accountability, the people have the right to know. Why have we lost our ecological integrity which is now causing horrible environmental disasters? Who were those who have amassed so much from selling the bounty of the forests?

All told, we have to question the dominant development paradigm that subject everything, including those which are means to life,

to the commerce of men or women and even to greed, moderate or otherwise, Just like the Indian Chief Seattle, we have to start asking questions, poetically or otherwise. So much social injustice looming that has put our humanity is disarray.

For the cooperatives, it has

become imperative to act on our mandate which is concretely and categorically stated in Chapter 15, Article 12 of the 1987 Constitution: “To promote the viability and growth of cooperatives as instruments of social justice, equity and economic development.”

DA-10 turns over P7-M farm machinery to farmer's associations in Ozamiz

OZAMIZ CITY, Misamis Occidental-Aiming to raise rice farmers’ profitability and competitiveness through the use of mechanization technologies in the province, the Department of Agriculture (DA)10 turned over farm machineries to three farmer associations at Molicay Barangay Hall, here.

The Molicay Farmers Association received one unit of combine harvester, one unit of 4-wheel drive tractor, and

one unit of mechanical rice transplanter; Maningcol Farmers Association received one unit of mechanical rice transplanter and one unit of mobile rice mill; and Gango Active Farmers Credit Cooperative received one unit of combine harvester, one unit of 4 wheel drive tractor, and one unit of mechanical rice transplanter.

OIC City Agriculturist Carlos Pijuan said the provision of farm MACHINERY/PAGE 10

My Teaching Philosophy

By JOAN AILEEN P. SAMSON MOGCHS ESP Subject Teacher

Teaching is an opportunity to better the minds of others and in doing so, to better oneself. My goal for a classroom setting is that the teacher and the student understand one another. In accomplishing understanding, both are edified and find joy in the experience. I work to accomplish my classroom goal by creating memorable experiences for students as I present the subject matter. I often find myself taking creative risks and at times, finding learning opportunities because things don't go quite as I planned.

Beyond my attempts to be creative, I actively seek student feedback. Their feedback allows me to

understand their learning processes and to gauge if they understand me. In this way, we work toward edifying one another and increasing in wisdom together.

When I first started teaching, 26 years ago, I was most concerned that my students learned the things I thought they needed to know. Very idealistic, I shall say. Whether I was teaching skills or content, I believed my first responsibility was communicating information that I had already chosen.

Over the years I experienced a series of realizations, some prompted by my students, others by circumstance, which have led me to my current approach to teaching. Without this

personal motivation and individual approach, no information I present, no skills I model will be of any use to them. I began to focus on communicating my own enthusiasm to my students, so that even if they did not absorb every detail I presented during class, they would be interested enough to work with me on finding the best learning process and to keep learning on their own.

Now, when I teach, I try not just to impart information and skills, but also enthusiasm for the subject and the process of studying. Most of the time I allow my students to talk not only to develop their communication skills in

speaking but it can also develop their self-confidence for which most of my students has not developed yet. Sometimes I allow them to take a few minutes to gather their thoughts and put it into writing and let them speak out the ideas that they have written.

To sum, I try to teach each student as an individual, because each will have different needs based in their own unique situation.

There is no one right approach for me to take as a teacher, or for them to take as learners. Instead, I focus on helping students identify and understand their own particular needs, and to find the best way in which to meet those needs.

Importance in the use of mother tongue JINNY A. LUMINHAY Teacher II Gusa Regional Science High School-X

Although most people learn to speak their mother tongue fluently, some speakers differ in their ability to use language. Adult language users not only differ in the number of words they know, they also differ in how quickly they produce and understand words and sentences. In a recent study, researchers find how do individuals differ across language tasks and what are individual differences in language ability related to general cognitive abilities.

Such questions can only be answered by testing large numbers of individuals on a large number of language and cognitive tests.

If your children love to read, but resist picking up books in their mother tongue language, you could very well be the reason.

Children are observant and will look at what their parents are reading with them or during their own leisure time.

If you are reading only English

newspapers and books, it is time you included titles in your mother tongue.

In mother tongue-based classrooms, children are more active and participatory. They feel more comfortable asking and answering questions, sharing their thoughts, and doing things on their own.

The mother tongue policy has generated thousands of learning materials like stories, poems, songs, primers, and even textbooks in local languages, which didn't exist before.

Teachers, local writers, and local publishers have invested a lot of time and creativity to make these multilingual materials, bringing to life local knowledge, folklore, and history for the next generation.

Cultural and linguistic diversity are special resources of humanity.

Our many languages make our society more resilient, interesting, and flexible.

They are also windows to our past and transmit knowledge to our future.

DepEd's MTB-MLE program aims

to make children multilingual and multiliterate, so that they can speak and write in their own language (mother tongue), the national language, and English. People who are multilingual enjoy many advantages. They have more options to communicate, have access to more cultural resources, and tend to be more tolerant and adaptable.

Multilingual people also have various cognitive advantages, such as enhanced memory, language learning skills, and multitasking abilities. As for writing, research has shown that writing skills in one's mother tongue correlate strongly with the writing skills in second languages, which means a solid foundation in the mother tongue raises the potential for literacy development in other languages. However, school systems that do not include local languages erode multilingualism and multiliteracy (and the associated benefits), as they pressure students and parents to stick to the dominant language.

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FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

Opens... from page 2

a symbol of resilience, confidence, and optimism.

Strategically located in a 13,078 square- meter site along La Purisima Street and Campaner Street in Barangay Zone III, SM City Mindpro will serve shoppers in this bustling city, as well as those in the rest of the Zamboanga Peninsula. These include the provinces of Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, and Zamboanga Sibugay; as well as the cities of Dapitan, Dipolog, Isabela, and Pagadian. More than that, it will be a catalyst for employment and business opportunities in the area.

The four-level 59,383 square meter mall creates a unique identity along the city’s popular thoroughfare and within a short walk to the well-known Metropolitan Cathedral, Plaza Pershing, Paseo Del Mar and nearby EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE DECEASED AIDA H. HOYOHOY WITH ABSOLUTE SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late AIDA H. HOYOHOY who died on March 13, 2010 at Opol, Misamis Oriental, that said deceased died intestate, without will or testament, and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity; that the deceased left a house and lot, more particularly described as follows with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-23445 situated in the Barrio of Barra, Municipality of Opol, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED FORTY (140) Square Meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF THE DECEASED AIDA H. HOYOHOY WITH ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of AIDA H. HOYOHOY, in favor of BEBIANO M. BAÑEZ, per DOC #387; PAGE #78; BOOK #II; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. ALFREDO A. BUSICO. BWM: Dec. 4, 11 & 18, 2020

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late RAUL O. VILLARIN, who died on December 06, 2018 at NMMC, Capitol Cmpd., Cagayan de Oro City, Philippines, without any will, that the deceased died intestate without leaving any known debts which has remained unpaid or unseattled up to the present, and all the obligations incurred during his death were all paid and/or settled, that the said deceased at the time of his death, left a parcel of land with Transfer Certifiacte of Title No. T-175939 situated at Cugman, Cagayan de Oro City, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of SIXTY FOUR (64) SQUARE METERS, more or less and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT BETWEEN HEIRS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of RAUL O. VILLARIN, in favor of ROSEMARIE EBARE LANGAM, per DOC #77; APGE #16; BOOK #CXVII; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. JORGE E. MAGDAONG, JR. BWM: Nov. 27, Dec. 4 & 11, 2020

pier. Striking glass walls at the main entrances and a dramatic linear overhang stretching along La Purisima Street create an impressive appearance for the mall when approached in every direction The mall’s interiors are distinctly crisp and modern with textures and relaxing colors that give one the sense of being on a tropical holiday in an urban paradise.

The SM Store and Mindpro Supermarket are SM City Mindpro’s major anchors, along with SM mainstays like SM Appliance Center, ACE Hardware, Watsons, Surplus, Miniso, and Sports Central. It will also have fashion boutiques, jewelry stores, bookstores; as well as a Cyberzone and service and wellness outlets.

Eating out options include specialty restaurants, and international and local food chains like Hap Chan, Pancake House, Bigby’s, Buffalo Wings N’ Things, Dunkin Donut, Cinnabon, Pretzelmaker, Chatime, and Macao Imperial Tea. Dining in the mall is experiential, not EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late MARVIN B. ALFAFARA, who died on May 29, 2011 in Cagayan de Oro City, that the deceased died intestate, without will or testament, and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity, that the deceased left among others a parcel of land, particularly described as follows with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-128054 situated in the Barangay of Iponan, City of Cagayan de Oro, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of ONE HUNDRED TEN (110) SQUARE METERS, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT WITH WAIVER OF RIGHTS, filed by the heirs of MARVIN B. ALFAFARA, in favor of ALMA SHEILA ALFAFARA-ALORRO, per DOC #240; BOOK #48; PAGE #87; Series of 2019 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. QUINTILIANITO S. BABARIN, JR. BWM: Dec. 11, 18 & 25, 2020

EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS: That the late TEOTIMO ACAIN, who died on August 19, 1990 at Libertad, Misamis Oriental, that the deceased died intestate, without will or testament, and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity; that the deceased left among others a parcel of land with Tax Declaration on Real Property 200002-00101 situated at Dulong, Libertad, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of SIXTEEN THOUSAND NINE HUNDRED TEN (16,910) square meters, and Tax Declaration on Real Property 20-0002-00103 situated at Dulong, Libertad, Misamis Oriental, containing an area of FOUR THOUSAND NINETY ONE (4,091) square meters, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE, filed by the heirs of TEOTIMO ACAIN, per DOC #428; PAGE #86; BOOK #84; Series of 2018 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. QUINTILIANITO S. BABARIN, JR. BWM: Dec. 4, 11 & 18, 2020

only because of the exciting food choices in its four levels of restaurants, but also its new dining experiences using touch-free, cashless payment services.

Zamboanga based brands like Bay Tal Mal, Turkish Grille Plus, Casa Velyn, South Avenue, Kape Sur, Sophia Jewelry, Oro Italia Fine Jewelry, and more have found their home in SM City Mindpro. The mall also brings great entertainment to Zamboanga City with its four state of the art cinemas.

For customer convenience, SM City Mindpro has six parking levels with 481 car slots, 53 motorcycle slots, 12 for PWD vehicles as well as tourist transport terminals.

S M C i t y M i n d p r o’s project team includes DSGN Associates, Design Consultant; Jose Siao Ling and Associates, Architect on Record; Gridlines, Construction Management; and Metro Stonerich C orporation, General Contractor.

With the health of its shoppers in mind, SM City Mindpro is on the forefront of safe malling, enforcing high standard hygiene checks and health protocols in the city through advanced, touch-free technology that creates a seamless shopping experience for all.

In line with SM Prime Hold i ng s’ commit me nt on d i s a ste r m it i g at i on measures and carbon footprint reduction, the mall is designed to achieve a sustainable future. 6” CHB walls with an Exterior Insulating Finish System and Variable Frequency Drive (VFD) make it a cost-efficient and energy-saving building.

Likewise, its Sewage Tre at me nt Pl ant has a Treated Water Recycling Tank System that helps in the conservation of fresh water.

An Underground Rainwater Tank, on the other hand, can help mitigate the cause of flooding within the mall’s neighboring areas.

Solid wastes are managed in accordance to lo ca l AFFIDAVIT OF SELFADJUDICATION

BY SOLE HEIR OF ESTATE OF DECEASED PERSONS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

and national standards of segregation, recycling, reusing and sending to the sanitary landfill. This is even elevated to a more inclusive advocacy in SM Cares’ Trash to Cash initiative.

All these are part of SM’s commitment to continue ser ving and supporting communities around the Philippines.

Machinery... from page 9

mechanization equipment aims to improve the efficiency of the farmers and their farm productivity.

“I am sure that with these farm equipment at your hands now will be a big boost to your farm production despite the health crisis that we are encountering now, and the government will continue assisting you,” he said.

He also added that these advancements will prosper, and will continue to help the farmers.

For her part, Vice Mayor Simplicia Neri encouraged the associations to nurture such blessings and that it is incumbent upon them to exercise due diligence or care to keep the property in top shape. "Once nurtured, like any individual or personal effects for that matter, it will in all certainty bring positive benefits to your organization in the ensuing years," she added.

With the assistance, the associations can further improve the production aspect of their projects, the vice mayor said.

Gango FA President Noli Paredes, one of the recipients, said the farmers can now make their farming activities easier and faster in the hope that it significantly increases income and even more productivity for growth. “ Thank you DA and Mayor Sancho Fernando Oaminal for the help we re ceive d. The far m machinery is a big help for our association to be more productive and successful,” Paredes said. (SMRN/PIA Misamis Occidental) EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF THE LATE TEOTIMO ACAIN KNOW ALL MEN BY THESE PRESENTS:

That the late JACOBO BERGADO, who died intestate on __________ that said deceased left no debts and will or testament, but left conjugal properties, more particularly described as follows with Transfer Certificate of Title No. T-8114-A situated at Manticao, Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THREE HUNDRED (300) Square meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an AFFIDAVIT OF SELF-ADJUDICATION BY SOLE HEIR OF ESTATE OF DECEASED PERSONS WITH DEED OF ABSOLUTE SALE, filed by the heirs of JACOBO BERGADO, in favor of MILLARDO JR. B. SUYO, per DOC #223; PAGE #45; BOOK #LXIII; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. BRAULIO LINEJAN PUGAY, JR.

That the late TEOTIMO ACAIN, who died on August 19, 1990 at Libertad, Misamis Oriental, that the deceased died intestate, without will or testament, and without any outstanding debts in favor of any person or entity; that the deceased left among others a parcel of land with ORIGINAL CERTIFICATE OF TITLE NO. O-129, situated at Barrio Dulong, Municipality of Libertad, Province of Misamis Oriental, Island of Mindanao, containing an area of THIRTEEN THOUSAND SEVEN HUNDRED NINETEEN (13,719) square meters, more or less, and has been the subject of an EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT OF ESTATE OF THE LATE TEOTIMO ACAIN, per DOC #83; PAGE #15; BOOK #92; Series of 2020 under the Notarial Registry of ATTY. QUINTILIANITO S. BABARIN, JR.

BWM: Dec. 4, 11 & 18, 2020

BWM: Dec. 4, 11 & 18, 2020

11

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

FRIDAY|DECEMBER 11, 2020

Infra... from page 6

Viray moderated the panel.

“It’s a sunrise industry and if you join it now with this new digital economy, you can be part of this new value chain with a career for the next several decades,” explained Great Deals Cofounder and CEO Steve Sy. “For all retailers in genera l, if you had a s t ore f ront you h a d a n adva ntage, because you h a d a fol low i ng ,” s a id Victor Paterno, President of 7-Eleven Philippines, in regards to established businesses adapting to the online platforms. “But now that’s why online grocery makes sense to us as an e-commerce product because it's the most logistically challenging.”

“Investors will still go to our neighbors in Asia before us, like Thailand or Malaysia. But with our popu lat ion we a re soon going to be in the running,” continued Sy. “We can look at these other countries and see it as a crystal ball into what we can look forward to.”

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Assumes... from page 1

assistant regional director are being in the selection board, the bids and awards committee and supervising driving schools in the region.

R a n q u e i s a n at i v e of Cagayan de Oro City.

LTO 10 director Nelson Manaloto welcomed Ranque's appointment as assistant director, saying his performance as transportation and regulatory officer makes him qualified for the position.

Adjudged... from page 1

management practices), principled leadership style (responsiveness to people needs through participatory s e r v i c e d e l i v e r y, c i v i c engagement, partnerships and resource mobilization for poverty reduction and local level development, recognition and awards (from reputable awarding bodies – local, national or international) and ingenuity and originality in programs and projects c o n c e p t u a l i z at i o n a n d implementation (building cohesive local communities for a secure and peaceful environment, developing institutional and structural arrangements, management systems and tools that work.)

For his part, Caño’s t r a n s f o r m at i o n o f t h e curriculum at PHINMA-COC College of Criminology which resulted in consistent number of topnotchers for the past ten years was instrumental for him to garner the most

outstanding award in this category.

Aside from that, Caño was cited for his skills in excellent leadership, client and project management.

He is action-oriented with strong ability to communicate effectively with technology, in executive and business audiences. He is articulate in policing, correctional administration, forensics and criminal justice dynamics and is a strategic planner and organizational team player.

Angkas... from page 1

Group, Highway Patrol Group, and Roads and Traffic Administration.

Guro said the TWG has discussed how Angkas could resume operations in light of the coronavirus pandemic.

T h e D e p a r t m e nt of Transportation (DOTr) has earlier green-lighted Angkas to resume its operation, upon the recommendation from the Inter-Agency Task Force for the Management of Emerging Infectious Diseases (IATFEID) in November.

The agency has allowed Angkas and other motorcyclehailing firms MoveIt and Joyride to operate in Metro Manila, Cebu City, and in this city.

In this city, each player is permitted to operate a maximum of 3,000 units or a total of 9,000 motorcycles. So far, only Angkas has applied for a permit to operate here with at least 804 units, as of February this year.

Angkas was supposed to officially start ferrying passengers early this year here but it did not push through after President Rodrigo Duterte declared a nationwide health emergency following the increase in the number of coronavirus cases in the country in March.

Guro said among the factors that the TWG is studying is the use of a protective barrier between the driver and his pillion, and the requirement of passengers to use their own helmets.

He said this is to keep in mind the threat of the coronavirus which could be transmitted from person to person.

Meanwhile, city councilor Romeo Calizo, chairman of public order and safety, and roads and traffic management said the city government must discuss Angkas’ application with experts so aspects such as traffic congestion and pollution could be given

consideration.

“We must also consider the restrictions set by the DILG so we will know which provisions of the local IATF we need to comply,” he said.

Calizo said his committee is concerned with the safety of both riders and passengers as he noted that most road accidents involve motorcycles.

City councilor George Goking, chair of the trade and commerce committee, said he welcomes the operation of Angkas and other groups to give the riding public cheaper option.

“We want to have a cheaper mode of transportation for our people, so they will have a better choice,” Goking said.

Jerome Angcolo, Angkas city manager for Cagayan de Oro, said they are targeting to go back on the road within the month.

He said their application’s status is “pending since there are documents and processes we need to comply first before we can resume our operation here in Cagayan de Oro.” When pressed further, Angcolo did not elaborate, although he said they are hopeful they can operate again.

In previous interviews, Angeline Tham, Angkas chief executive officer, has assured that the company has complied with all the requirements set by the DOTr. (PNA)

Jail...

from page 1 refuse to present valid codes for scanning or inspection when so required by persons of authority.

Under the ordinance, first time-offenders of these provisions will be penalized with a reprimand; a fine of P500 or community service, or both, for second-time offenders; and a fine of P1,500 or month imprisonment, or both, for the third-time offenders, according to the ordinance.

The ordinance likewise prescribes the penalty of P500 for first offense, P1,000 for second offense, and P1,500 or one month imprisonment, or both, for third offense, for the following prohibited acts: lending one’s DQR to another, use and possession of a fake DQR, use of a fake ID, birth certificate, and business registration number, or another individual’s ID or birth certificate or another’s business registration number to register for a DQR, making or selling fake identifies

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for DQR registration, and hacking of the DQR system and or identity theft.

It added that any person guilty of tamp ering or hacking the online link will be prosecuted for cybercrimes under Republic Act of 2021 and any violations involving R.A. 10173 or the Data Privacy Act. The Task Force Davao, Davao City Police Office, City Health Office, and barangay officials have been directed to strictly enforce the ordinance.

The DQR system, an electronic contact tracing and travel pass platform intended to implement contactless gathering and electronic storage data, must be used by all individuals, they be residents or non-residents, who need to enter the city for essential or work/business purposes. Establishments, covering government and private offices, event venues, hospitals, hotels, malls, stores, groceries, minimarts, restaurants, carinderia, palengke, places of worship, educational institutions and all other organizations, including their sub-offices or branches, are also required to implement the system.

Section 4 provides that the permanent DQR codes must be used to enter and move within the city, adding that individuals must bring them if they go outside of their residence gates or beyond three meters from their houses for structures without gates.

It added that the DQR system must be used as a pass to enter and travel inside the city for accessing goods and services or for work/business only; as a pass in law enforcement checkpoints and barangay patrols implementing the prohibition on non-essential travel; as a contact tracing record for entry and exit in all public or private offices and establishments; and as a pass for random scanning.

It said that airplane travelers landing in the city must register QR code for heath declaration at the Davao International Airport aside from their personal DQR codes.

As o f D e c e m b e r 7 , Department of Health-Davao reported a total of 10,027 cases in the region, with 2,645

active, 6,992 recoveries, and 390 deaths.

Of the total cases, Davao City reported 7,108, Davao de Oro with 472, Davao del Norte with 1,106, Davao del Sur with 749, Davao Occidental with 122, and Davao Oriental with 470.

Logging... from page 2

He said the poachers have started planting bananas in the areas cleared of natural growing trees in an attempt to cover the logged areas.

“I have directed officials of the MinDA to coordinate with the DENR's Mines and Geosciences Bureau to get to the bottom of this,” Piñol, the MinDA secretary who hails in Kidapawan City and a known environmentalist, said.

He said he was preparing a report to be submitted to President Rodrigo Duterte so that the encroachment into the Mt. Apo forest reserves will be stopped immediately.

(PNA)

Expands... from page 5

area.

Physical distancing and other strict safety protocols were enforced to ensure the wellbeing of the customers and the store team.

To date, Jollibee has over 1,400 stores globally.

The company earlier shared its plans to open 50 stores in Europe within the next five years. (PR)

Smart... from page 5

circular that gave way to compliance orders for local government units to release permits for building cell sites.

It plans to roll out 2,000 cell sites next year.

PLDT’s investments in capital expenditures or capex reached a total of P432 billion from 2011 to September 2020.

It sees a capex of at least P70 billion for 2020.

The company booked a net income of P19.69 billion as of September, up 23% from the same period last year.

Hastings Holdings, Inc., a unit of PLDT Beneficial Trust Fund subsidiary MediaQuest Holdings, Inc., has a majority stake in BusinessWorld through the Philippine Star Group, which it controls.

Thrust... from page 7

offices, agencies, instrumentalities and gove r n m e nt - c ont ro l l e d corporations to support and actively participate in the implementation of the Sambayanihan program.

NA P C ’s m a n d at e i s also supported by DILG memorandum circular issued on February 4, 2019 that directed all LGU heads, the ARMM regional director and all DILG regional directors to facilitate the creation of provincial consultative bodies that would beef up anti-poverty programs and services.

Gift...

from page 8

improvement projects in Bulacan.

SMC provided a total of 277 owners of concrete and shanty houses in Barangay Ta lipt ip w it h f inanci a l assistance. The company gave owners of non-concrete houses or shanties P250,000 e a ch , w h i l e ow n e rs of concrete houses were given the appraised value of their homes, multiplied by two, plus P100,000.

SMC also provided cash assistance to 87 others who were disqualified, for a total of 364 beneficiaries.

Upon the request of Malolos Bishop Dennis Vi l l a r o j o, S M C a l s o distributed the total appraised cash value of abandoned chapels in Sitio Pariyahan, Sitio Dapdap, Sitio Bunutan, and Sitio Capol to the 242 residents of these sitios.

Although many decided to stay in Bulacan, many residents also transferred to their provinces, namely S a m a r, Ne g ro s , Nu e v a Ecija, Sorsogon, Mindoro, Masbate, Camarines Sur, Malabon, Bataan Valenzuela, Paranaque, Dumaguete, and Albay.

ERRATUM In Connection for the Publication of EXTRAJUDICIAL SETTLEMENT published on September 30, October 7 & 14, 2020 the correct Doc no. is 242, not as published OUR APOLOGY BWM: December 11, 2020

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Agri to Business: GPelaez ARB MPC Soars High with S&T

E

NTERPRISE development has been quite challenging especially in this time of pandemic. However, there are some industries that thrive and even become more relevant such as food and health-related industries.

The Gregorio Pelaez Agrarian Reform Beneficiaries Multi-Purpose Cooperative (GPelaez ARB MPC) has been a growing cooperative since 1993 in Gitagum, Misamis Oriental. Its main source of income is farming, producing crops like corn, tobacco, coconut, banana, and vegetables. It has more than 50 members, mostly farmers and rural women. However, farm produce is seasonal, which prompted the cooperative to engage in production and processing to augment their income.

Presently, the products

that the cooperative produces are banana chips, citronella oil, citronella soap, and mixedherbal oil. The cooperative’s business ventures for banana chips and citronella oilbased products were found profitable but production has not been able to meet the market demand due to poor product quality, absence of appropriate processing equipment, and lack of supply of raw materials. Members of the cooperative have their own areas planted with banana and citronella but cannot achieve the required production volume. With the available supply, bananas are being processed manually using kitchen utensils only.

The Department of Science and Technology (DOST), with its mandate to provide scientific and technological efforts, acknowledges its role to

Members of the GPelaez ARB MPC with the Municipal Agriculture Office staff of the LGU Gitagum discussed with DOST Misamis Oriental headed by Provincial Director Engr. Junelyn-Louvena B. Ruiz the technology needs of the cooperative

achieve the goals of the cooperative in creating a business enterprise. Through the DOST Community Empowerment thru Science and Technology (CEST) Program, the GPelaez ARB MPC has been granted project assistance amounting to Php 998,780.00 on November 17, 2020 to support their

citronella and banana processing income generating endeavors. This enterprise support includes (a) expansion of areas to increase the supply of raw materials, (b) product improvement with laboratory testing and packaging and labeling interventions, (c) equipment upgrading, and (d) skills enhancement through

trainings.

DOST’s effort to assist the GPelaez ARB MPC aims beyond just alleviating poverty in the community but more towards empowering the cooperative to generate additional income and build a sustainable business enterprise. In collaboration with other agencies like the

PLASMACLUSTER ION TECHNOLOGY

Department of Agrarian Reform and the Department of Labor and Employment, the path to progress has been paved for the GPelaez ARB MPC with Science and Technology Intervention through DOST Misamis Oriental. (Rain Shower R. Dalugdug, DOST-Misamis Oriental)